Special Ops Lioness: Absolution - SamuraiY (2024)

Chapter 1: Losing Sleep

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

The teaspoon clinks against the delicate porcelain sugar bowl set out on a crisp white table cloth.

There is a politely low hum of high society chatter and one or two surreptitiously stolen glances are thrown toward the table where the out of place well muscled woman with carefully styled short blonde hair sits slightly slouched, toothpick being languidly flipped up and then down as she regards her opposite with one eye slightly narrowed.

The other woman at the table carefully tips the level teaspoon of sugar into her tea and stirs, she tilts her head to the right and her eyebrows almost meet in concentration, her nose proud and ridged scrunching slightly as she puzzles over something. Green eyes always bright and Intelligent fix themselves now on the woman before her and she speaks after careful consideration,

‘So she has passed these physical examinations and tests before? And then suddenly what? She just …. Fails them?’ she asks her head shakes involuntarily, ‘Sorry Bobby but I am struggling to understand this? Is it physiological perhaps a mental block… maybe deep down inside Jo really does not want to resume her duties? Who would blame her, the exploitation of women in the name of some fictitious greater cause is deplorable.’

Bobby pulls the toothpick from her mouth and swigs her beer grimacing at the taste of the French import she grudgingly agreed to sample at Aaliyah’s behest. A particularly prim elderly female shot an utterly disapproving look her way, Bobby winked back. She put the beer down sitting up now and sighing wearily.
‘She is struggling with all the basics for some reason, her aim is off, her grips off. She loses track in obstacle courses, her concentration span during practical’s and theory assessments suck, logic, reasoning critical thinking… everything that made Jo… who she is… who she was. Her reaction time is down by at least 3 seconds. She isn’t talking, or laughing… f*ck she barely...’ She looks down now peeling the label off the beer bottle shaking her head struggling for words, ‘Not even… Neal calls with updates about the girls … she lightens up a little but then goes back into the fog.’

‘You think she misses them… No.. you think she regrets leaving her family to be with you.. don’t you?’ Aaliyah responds now scrutinizing Bobby.

‘No… I don’t know… maybe I do.. f*ck she should, shouldn’t she? Maybe its where she belonged and they grounded her, they were her true north… and now she is with me and its all a mess.’ Bobby replies looking defeated and guilty. ‘Jo has always been collected and focused and now its like she just isn’t interested in the Lioness program or getting back to her career or connecting with her girls…its like everything has lost its meaning.’

Aaliyah uses a small fork to pierce a raspberry coated in powdered sugar, she puts it to her lips in contemplation, ‘Does she sleep? Can you sleep my friend?’ she asks looking up.

Bobby meets her eyes hesitantly and shakes her head, ‘Not well, she has bad dreams and gets restless, she drenches her clothes in sweat gets up in the early hours and seldom comes back to bed…I don’t go after her but I cant sleep in an empty bed anymore so…’ Her voice grows raspy and she swallows, ‘ The thing is I cant apply for another extension on my leave its been almost 2 full months since all that sh*t with Olivia went down. I’m going back to active duty and Jo…. She isn’t. I don’t get how she is still suspended and I have to just leave her behind its never ever been like this, but she failed two Psych Evaluations.’ Bobby voices her fears now her jaw set and her eyes betray her confusion, she runs her hand through the short blonde wave of her hair puffing her cheeks.

They had left the farm a month ago to return to the states in order for Jo to reconnect with her daughters and finalize her divorce. The assumption being that they would return to Lioness together but apparently nothing was going to plan, Jo McNamara had beyond all reasonable doubt fallen into depression?
A brief silence settles, both women in troubled thought.

‘Cruz checks the cameras at 1am every single morning, she gets up and thinks I’m sleeping but I know when she sneaks away,’ Aaliyah responds now she picks at the berries in the bowl preoccupied, ‘she checks the doors and windows, reloads her guns and then she stands at the bathroom door where I was attacked, just staring in for ages. As if she is reliving that day… over… and over.’ she trails off it gets hard to speak the memories though two months old are still simply too raw to revisit and it makes her shudder to think that things could have ended so differently.

‘She is preparing and waiting for a war that no one has asked her to fight… she readies herself for an enemy that doesn’t exist… its as if she is my personal guard now, our lives ruled by the moment I almost lost mine… so I don’t really sleep much anymore either.’ Aaliyah explains smiling empathically at Bobby taking her hand briefly and squeezing the calloused fingers, ‘freedom for me has come at a cost it seems: the stillness of soul of the woman I love.’ A sadness settles just behind the clear orbs of green now she resumes nibbling at her berries.

‘She is a soldier its ingrained in her so it will take time to drive that need to be prepared out of her soul.

None of what she is, is your fault.’ Bobby responds now, ‘eventually in time things will get better, Cruz is young enough to start fresh, you two went through a pretty f*cking Crazy ordeal, I wont hold a little bit of over thinking against her.’ She smiles now trying to be positive and lift the mood, ‘but I have full confidence that in time, you both will heal.’

Beer is sipped and tea replaced silently on its saucer the both women trying to shake the heavy feelings settling over them.

‘Well today is a good day at least she is here settling 3 of her students at university, they have all been accepted and she is very proud of them.’ Aaliyah responds shifting the conversation in a pleasant direction.

Cruz had spent the best part of the last two months finding premises putting athletic programs together for underprivileged young girls of color. She was building an academy in Africa and a sister foundation in the states in her old home town in fact to help young women enter main stream education systems at all ages based on their athletic excellence. With Aaliyah’s financial backing the first 3 young girls applied and were placed within weeks, Cruz had insisted on flying down with them to aid in the Integration process even if they were legal adults at 18 she felt responsible for them.

It was a wonderful project and Aaliyah was honored to be a part of it.

Due to the severity of her injuries sustained in the explosion that killed most of Aaliyah’s family, Cruz opted to not return to military service, she chose to stay in South Africa. In all honesty the damage her body had sustained and as remarkable as her recovery had been Aaliyah could see Cruz was not the soldier she had been before.

Aaliyah was learning more about what made Cruz tick in their intimate space over the months and some revelations were less endearing than others.

For instance : Her partner would rather die then go back to active duty without being the unstoppable force she had been a few month prior to the horrific events in Riyadh. Cruz held herself to painfully high standards, she would never be able to tolerate being second best to her peers, if she was not going to be at the top of the leaderboard why would she want to stand around while someone better and faster did it. Perhaps her biggest vice this meant she had simply applied for a discharge and buried herself in new projects immediately, Aaliyah hoped this decision would not have her partner building resentment toward her in the long run.

Between running the farm and the new academy Cruz would often times put herself into a state of exhaustion, But watching her grow in confidence and make decisions for herself, take pride in the home they were building it was priceless.

With the Academy Cruz wanted to help those who like herself didn’t have the support and never stood a chance to thrive and excel in their late formative years, she wanted to be the person that stood up for them. The fact that she was making such an impact with so much passion and drive took Aaliyah’s breath away in spite of her dogged perfectionism and trauma and emotional scars ever present, a heart unlike any Aaliyah had ever touched beat within the former marines chest.

She fell more and more deeply in love with the young woman everyday, but Cruz’s restless sleepless nights and her ever present paranoia, her desperate need to find exits, sometimes put quite the damper on the growing bond between them, it rendered Cruz unreachable, it made her feel dangerous and unpredicable.

Sometimes Aaliyah feared she would not be able to tame the wildness in Cruz, how do you compare this boring simple life to the constant madness of what Cruz has survived before, she felt even more worried now that even this latest project hadn’t stemmed Cruz’s’ need to lock doors and sweep the hotel room for bugs, she had insisted Bobby meet Aaliyah in the city to spend time together. The feeling that she wanted another experienced soldier around to protect her girlfriend was strong… and stifling.

The private security, hand picked and thoroughly grilled by Cruz beforehand, were still looming at another table hardly discreet but essential according to Cruz. It made Aaliyah feel micromanaged, even a bit controlled and caged, she hated that feeling and hoped that soon Cruz would settle and see that there was more to life than surviving, that together they could find new things to be thrilled by, the stakes didn’t always have to be high, the wager didn’t always have to be life or death.

Aaliyah harbored hope that an outlet would present itself, a salve an antivenin for the deeply violent aggressive venom travelling Cruz’s veins night after night, plaguing her dreams and making her spiral.
‘I wish I knew what she needed, what they both needed.’ Aaliyah mumbled allowed.

‘Maybe they need the danger, the war, violence… or a cause? We have to consider that those are trully the things that satisfy them’ Bobby responds sampling a sandwich.

Aaliyah considers this , ‘So maybe they will always chase the highs of these risky life altering drop the ball and someone dies scenarios?.’

Bobby leans in, ‘maybe Jo cant see herself back at lioness obeying Kaitlynn not after the thrill of going rogue, the whole Kyle thing… she was pretty f*cked up after what happened to Cruz and you… and me…on her watch. Maybe Cruz will never be able to just be a civilian launching future athletes she is just too altered by what she has seen and the lives she has taken, the ordeal she has survived... that feeling of saving you from literal death?!’ She looks up now at Aaliyah worry etched across her forehead. ‘Maybe they are forever changed… they are just beyond peace and stillness of soul, maybe they cant just live, they know the ugliness of the world.’

‘I know they are flawed Bobby but surely they are also good people who have made terrible mistakes... I am not a cynical woman and I cant write them off this way,’ Aaliyah also leans in now, ‘I have been thinking of something, its far fetched and Cruz will likely shoot it down.’

‘What’s on your mind?’ Bobby responds.

‘Ultimately they are fundamentally good people…this we agree on.. I want to believe that right now they are simply fractured… and in need of direction and purpose. I think there exists a way for them to be who they are, to push the boundaries and satisfy whatever desire they may harbor for danger and risk…even sadly… violence’ she whispers now barely audible, ‘Bobby … how come the outcomes always served men, or a country or a faction or a intelligence agency…why must it be about oil prices and lining the right pockets or preventing wars?’

‘Because that’s just how the world works… I mean that is not why Cruz or Jo served though.’ She responds deadpanning.

‘What if shifting the focus were possible, what if what Jo and Cruz need is to reconcile who they once were and who they are now, maybe it becomes a healing process’ Aaliyah responds.

‘Okay, but can you maybe get to the part where you tell me what on earth would be that theraputic whilst still letting them be a little f*cking crazy?’ Bobby retorts looking skeptical.

‘Think about what they did for me, what they did for Maryam and Shameem… what if they could do it for countless child brides and women trapped waiting for honor killings, arranged marriages…’ Aaliyah smiles now thinking of her sister in law and nephew safely in the UK with Maryams relatives slowly reintegrating and adapting to a western way of life, they were safe and happy thanks to Cruz and Jo, They were using the Amrohi fortune for good now, and it warmed Aaliyahs heart.

Bobby looks at Aaliyah now her face serious, ‘you want to rescue the women we used to use before...’

‘Its worth thinking about, between Jo, you and Cruz … and of course with my virtually limitless monetary resources at your disposal, what is stopping us?’ Aaliyah says.

‘…technically a f*ck ton of global politics.’ Bobby deadpans.

‘Who better to work around all that then Jo… besides we don’t have to be loud about it.’ Aaliyah responds waving away the specifics for now.

‘The main take away here is that both Jo and Cruz can do this... a new mission… on their own terms!’ She offers now, ‘Rescue, liberate and relocate… a new Operation entirely, with one soul purpose… making saving women the right thing to do… we lay our heads down at night… knowing the right thing is being done.’

Aaliyah’s eyes blaze now bright and full of unspent optimism.

‘It may not erase our sins, those will forever exist, Bobby.’ Aaliyah adds, ‘but there is good to be done in this world… maybe we do good and give the women we love a second chance… to right some past wrongs… we cant fix the whole world…but we can fix a small piece?’

‘Maybe it helps them sleep at night.’ Bobby responds the wheels in her mind turning.

‘Maybe it does.’ Aaliyah responds sipping her tea, she gives her friend a cheeky wink.

A Notion has taken a hold of the pair as they sit in quiet and heavy contemplation, they soon begin to outline a plan, the rest of the afternoon spent in deep discussions.

Chapter 2: Its Always Dangerous

Chapter Text

Cruz

Cruz enters the hotel room in the late afternoon, looking left and right before swiping the key card in the lock, she closes the door draws her weapon checks the closets, on suite and lounge under the bed all vacant.

Aaliyah has not been here for a time, her perfume though still lingering is faded and subtle.

She kicks off her boots and removes her clothes, sweaty and uncomfortable the heat in the city is unbearable. She turns the shower on and types a message to Aaliyah, let me know where you are, cleaning up and will meet you.

She cant help the worry, the restrictive beat of her heart being apart from the woman. Two months almost they have spent every glorious day together, the need to be with her now spurns Cruz into action she places her Gun close at hand checks again on the door to ensure its locked and steps beneath the warm jets of water.

The day had been long, the opportunity to wash the sweat and soot of the city off, welcomed.

Aaliyah was beaming when they arrived in the states this morning, she was smiling radiant and her laughter was infectious they dropped there bags at the hotel and she was already mapping out places she wanted to go to and shopping she couldn’t wait to do. There was an itinerary already waiting unopened on Cruz’ phone, clearly their stay in the city was not going to be as short as Cruz hoped.

Cruz found this problematic, its always dangerous in the City.

Cities were densely populated, crowded, full of cameras and information, dangerous for a young Arab female almost billionaire who evaded capture and murder by the hands of her own brother!

The red notice and the bounty were all things of the past now, Aaliyah would remind her constantly.

They were safe and now was the time for adventure and exploration a time to discover together and make memories, but Cruz couldn’t shake the nagging feelings of anxiety and hyper vigilance. They were in her DNA, she was built to survive, she had been doing only that on her own for decades, and now Aaliyah just expected her to cease existing as that and begin anew.

Cruz tried hard to relax, to sink into her new life but this was constantly truncated by her need to protect the woman she loved.

She didn’t just have to look out for herself now, now her heart beat outside her body in the hands of a woman who was hell-bent on being the happiest bubbliest most free spirited, frustratingly perfect female on the planet!

At least Aaliyah was willing albeit reluctantly to practice caution and she entertained all of Cruz’ security measures with minimal fuss thankfully.

Never in a million years could Cruz have imagined that caring this much for another breathing person could be so utterly stressful. This wasn’t like being a body guard or protecting an asset, this was bigger and scarier because at any moment someone could come along and snatch her fragile happiness and crush it to dust.

Aaliyah was hers, to protect to love to keep safe and the idea of failing at that bothered Cruz greatly, the world was dangerous and Aaliyah only wanted to live in it blatantly! Cruz knew deep down that there was a time when Aaliyah would re enter society... with or without her... this made her grimace to herself.

The shower turned off Cruz dried herself quickly picking out clothes and rushing to lace up her boots, she gave herself a cursory once over in the mirror and was satisfied with her appearance. She of course never dressed like Aaliyah who always looked stunning but her outfit was functionally stylish.

Heading down the escalator she clocked all the cameras and security personnel she could catalogue and file away for later, weak spots points of entry and exit, she needed to map out the place to make sure that she would be able to access the street, if anyone ever tried to take Aaliyah.

Cruz bowed her head briefly as the door man made to open the door to the outside world for her. She sighed and slowed her heart.

Lately anxiety and panic were her biggest enemies, warring in her mind, making her chest heave and her thoughts scatter as she spiraled night after night, replaying how close she came to losing the love of her life.

She took a steadying breath, smiled at the man with his kind eyes and polished shoes and stepped into the heat.

Her driver was already waiting and she folded her long legs into the passenger seat checking her phone, Aaliyah had dropped a pin and she wanted to know if Cruz was hungry.

Stomach grumbling Cruz responded that should be there shortly. Aaliyah replied to say she loved her and they would have company for dinner.

Cruz lingered over her touch screen tempted to ask who would be joining them but decided against it, tonight she would try to relax and be present for Aaliyah’s sake.

They had spent a long time on the farm isolated and far removed from the metropolis and western world, Cruz suspected Aaliyah deeply craved and longed for the vibrancy of city life. She could quell her fears and bottle her worries for a few days for the other women’s sake.

The ride down town was laden with traffic and sirens and people honking and yelling. Eventually the chauffeur pulled up to a building entrance and Cruz exited the vehicle and walked into a lobby where she was directed to an elevator, the Skai Bah was on the 15th floor of the building. The elevator doors glided open and Cruz had to blink a few times to take in the colors and sounds.

Low drumming beats thumped through unseen speakers underlaying the quiet constant chatter of wealthy socialites while flames and smoke could be seen on full display behind a glass screen separating dozens of kitchen staff, all preparing meals, for the elegantly put together patrons.

The bar in the far corner was back dropped by a massive fish tank, the sun now setting shone through it glinting off the marine life and impossibly bright coral. Glass waterfalls made up two walls cocooning the venue and refracting sunlight throughout the dining area.

Jaw dropping, elegant and over the top.

The entire scene was dazzling, a sensory delight but it all faded when Cruz spotted her, their table bordered the glass bottomed pool which ran the entire length of the top floor the wooden deck beyond glinting with high gloss vinyl and the pool itself caught raise of light the end of the pool plunging off 15 floors to the bustling city below.

Their eyes met and she smiled waving, how could she still make the world just stop spinning this way?

How could she fix you with those eyes and make you feel like you were in fact basking in the actual sun.

Her hair was loose cascading golden over her shoulders she had been to the salon she glowed radiant her skin marbled and iridescent… god level, the overwhelming flutter and churning of my stomach muscles that a simple smile could illicit was beyond reasoning.

‘May I help you to your seat Miss?’ A polite and handsome host asked in a clipped accent smiling warmly I swallowed momentarily unsettled.

‘No thanks that’s ok I see my girlfriend just there.’ I Respond, I realize as I walk across the restaurant floor I haven’t announced Aaliyah as my girlfriend to anyone until this man, it feels incredibly good.

As I approach the table I notice Bobby seated opposite Aaliyah and the occupant of the seat next to Bobby turns my way smiling warmly.

I falter only for a split second, Jo stands with Bobby to embrace me her voice low and husky saying its great to see me. Her eyes look tired and vacant, she is not anything like the authoritative power house I’m accustomed to.

She sits again brushing her long hair back from her face shifting close to Bobby she studies her menu and doesn’t engage me further.

Aaliyah takes my hands and draws my attention to her, she circles her waist with my arms and drops my chin with her fingers looking into my eyes she smiles rendering me speechless, captured, a willing prisoner.

‘I missed you Habibi.’ She whispers to me now, as if we are alone at home and not in a crowded restaurant on the roof of a building.

I smile and kiss her, she deepens the kiss and my breath catches as she slips her lower lip between mine she runs her nails through my hair and draws me closer with her hand at the nape of my neck. My hands clutch at her, she tastes of fruit and alcohol, its delicious and I moan low and she responds with a satisfied breathy giggle.

We disengage reluctantly as Bobby clears her throat pursing her lips.

‘Honeymooners hello, earth to the new lesbians we are in public.’ She speaks low and raises her eyebrows at us. Aaliyah is flushed slightly but lets me go reluctantly and we take our seats.

We have attracted an audience much to my dismay, I dip my head and Aaliyah puts her hand on my thigh gently massaging my leg, it hurts still, somehow she always knows, and kneads it and my muscles always respond like a tired race horse to its rider.

‘How’s about we get some champagne?!’ Aaliyah offers now, ‘so much to celebrate today, us together again.. Yay!’ she finishes waving her hand discreetly and a waiter magically appears, she looks Giddy, excited and a bit nervous... odd.

Drinks are ordered in addition to food and of course champagne and we eventually start a conversation to catch each other up.

It feels odd speaking about farm animals and the current projects I am working on in another country with two war hardened soldiers I used to kill people with, but they listen intently.

Aaliyah touches on her reinvestment opportunities, the properties she is purchasing and how grateful she was that her father allowed her to pursue a degree she could put to use now to secure our future, she says this and removes her hand from my thigh and places it over my wrist so naturally, a clear gesture of togetherness... this person is mine, the blood in my veins hums for her.

‘So are you both heading back to base next week?’ I ask eventually trying to draw Jo out of the carefully concealed battle shelter she has had up all through dinner.

‘Bobby is, I am not.’ Jo responds with a small and brief smile as she puts a forkful of pasta in her mouth she picks up her wine glass and takes a sip, ‘Your pretty excited right babe… to uhm, get back to it.’ She says now looking at Bobby, who for her part has formed a deep connection with a slither of steak, this subject was not meant to be broached?

‘Yeah sure, excited is one word for it I guess.’ Bobby responds her jaw works and she chews in silence offering nothing more.

A Line has been drawn.

‘So you heading home to see the girls then?’ I ask Jo, still confused as to why suddenly there was a mood shift, a new tension.

‘Nope, she is just going to sit around and pretend nothing beyond the couch and television exists.’

Bobby responds now for her, sarcasm and irritation warring in her tone. Jo puts her pasta spoon down now with an audible clink and drains her wine glass, indicating to the waiter she would like another.

‘Bobby.’ Aaliyah says now, she is trying to convey a message to Bobby I am clearly not meant to understand.

Jo smiles small, it doesn’t reach her eyes, she regards me carefully and sighs, ‘I’m not cleared for duty Cruz since my boss suspended me for going off the f*cking rails and torturing Kyle, and also I haven’t really been up for going home since I blew up my kids lives when I left their father in the middle of my f*cking daughters recovery.’ Jo says now looking at me with a tight lipped expression totally calm as if she were just relaying the days weather forecast.

‘So that’s on me … right?!’ Bobby says now looking at Jo.

‘Did I say its on you?’ Jo responds now her voice going down an octave.

‘You f*cking act like it is, sure as hell don’t make any effort to make me feel less accountable! JESUS!’ Bobby responds her ire rising, ‘in fact those are probably the most words out of your mouth for the month McNamara.’

‘You tortured Kyle… when?’ Aaliyah whispers now her eyes wide in disbelief. She apparently was not keeping up with the much larger drama unfolding before us.

‘Don’t know if Jo should be unpacking that particular bag in a crowded restaurant hmm.’ I Caution taking a look around for good measure.

‘You know..’ Bobby starts now turning to Jo, ‘bad things happened to each and every one of us sitting here right now Jo, but you are the only one who has decided to just stop giving a sh*t about everything!’

‘Ok Bobby that’s enough.’ I start trying to defuse the situation, Jo looks fragile, tears rim her eyes and she is slightly trembling she hasn’t put the wine glass down yet.

‘Everything I touch just breaks.’ She says now quietly.
‘Oh that’s not true Jo,’ Aaliyah offers comfort, ‘Don’t forget that you saved me, after everything when you didn’t have to, you did.’

‘Kates accident, Neals heart, Bobby’s injuries… Manuelos I know your broken because of me, I know you are not going back because your injuries were so f*cking bad.’ Jo is looking down now her lips trembling her eyes open and shut slowly tears stream.

‘Jo, its just life … ok? You didn’t make me go after Kyle, and you didn’t make Kyle detonate that Bomb, he was a selfish greedy asshole who had his own dirty agenda the whole time.’ I respond now, a few short months ago I would have been the last person on the planet willing to comfort Jo, but this woman ultimately saved the love of my life.

‘You have to find a way to let it go and move forward.’ I finish.

Aaliyah scoffs to herself softly shaking her head and I turn to her frowning.

‘Move forward?!’ she says now to me quizzically she uses her straw to swirl the fruity concoction in her tall glass around.

‘Yeah.. we are moving forward, and Jo should in her own time figure out a way to do the same.’ I respond, shrugging and picking up my glass to sip, suddenly my throat feels tighter.

‘You haven’t moved forward Cruz, whatever you have done Habibi… its not even close to ‘moved forward’… sorry to say this.’ Aaliyah responds now her eyebrows raised she flips her hair back from her face and rests her hands beneath her chin looking out over the restaurant.

‘Sorry? … what is this?’ I shake my head turning to her now and scanning her side profile, ‘… have I done something wrong?’ I ask incredulously.

‘Cruz … you didn’t even want me to come with on this trip, your paranoia the constant checking locks, doors, windows, its too much!’ Aaliyah says now her hands up in surrender, ‘This is suffocating and … I’m sorry to say I feel lately very much like a special assignment… something for you to guard and watch over.’ She looks briefly at me then Bobby and Jo before schooling her expression and calling the waiter over to remove the now finished entrées.

I swallow now in disbelief, uncomfortable. ‘The city is dangerous, I already explained this.’ I shake my head looking at her now, ‘I mean am I supposed to just forget who you are, everything that’s happened? Pretend we are just two normal girls now?!’ I respond

I feel slightly attacked and I cant understand where any of this came from, I cant help my defensive tone.

‘You don’t sleep Cruz.’ She responds now quietly, ‘both of you don’t sleep…’ she says looking between me and Jo, ‘and this worries us, its scares us..’

‘SCARES YOU…??!’ I almost yell now before bringing my voice down, a few people a table over, glance at me. I breathe deeply, ‘Scares you two? Aaliyah I’m f*cking terrified everyday… You don’t know how it feels ok, to be responsible for someone else… I have to keep you safe and it f*cking terrifies me… you… you can be gone in a second… just f*cking gone! What do I do then?’ My eyes are wide and I gesture at her.

I Look over at Bobby and Jo, ‘Bobby you almost f*cking died, that almost destroyed Jo! So many people did die because of us… So you know what if Jo needs a beat to deal with sh*t I am not going to judge her. We are both just trying get through this…ok’ I finish my jaw clenched and I don’t look up, I cant help but feel ambushed.

‘I didn’t ask you to protect me,’ Aaliyah says now not making eye contact, ‘I don’t need you to be my Chaperone I never asked you for that.’

‘You shouldn’t have to,’ I respond, ‘if I don’t protect who I love then what kind of person am I? If I don’t stand up for you and make sure you are safe then what am I here for?’

‘Why wont you see…Its creating a rift between us, I don’t want a bodyguard Cruz, I just want to be loved by you.’ She responds.

‘For years people taught us how to shoot, fight and move with purpose and precision… but no one thought it would be a good idea to teach us how to heal, or rebuild or forgive ourselves for all the destruction we’ve been a part of.’ Jo says now, she looks utterly lost, a woman whose very foundations have been destroyed by everything she believed in.

There’s a deafening silence, no one daring to break it.

A waiter comes over refreshing drinks and presents two trays of exquisitely plated desserts. There are murmurs of thanks.

‘Bobby and I have an idea.’ Aaliyah says eventually, ‘A way for you both to try and shift your focus, maybe it could help with all this…’

‘Aaliyah maybe we don’t go there, no point putting something on the table with the way things are going.’ Bobby sighs now she puts a spoonful of basil and tomato jelly into her mouth grimacing.

‘I at least want to make the suggestion.’ Aaliyah responds to Bobby, ‘After dessert perhaps we can return to our suite at the hotel to discuss it?’ she asks Jo now.

Jo has drained her 2nd glass of wine and smiles at Aaliyah, ‘I have no place to be: so sure.’ She looks briefly at Bobby then focuses on sampling desserts, her eyes sad and tired.

Aaliyah turns her attention to me now expectantly raising her eyebrows.

‘Yeah sure.’ I sigh deeply I am still bristling and sensitive after the loaded exchange we have just shared.

It will be hard to hear anymore this evening, but the last thing I would ever do is make Aaliyah feel like she cant share her thoughts and voice her ideas.

Chapter 3: To Invite Chaos

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

‘Absolutely f*cking not.’ Cruz has her arms up in sheer frustration.

‘Hear her out Cruz, Jesus! you cant just shut this down.’ Bobby yells now at Cruz tossing her head back exasperated, ‘her idea deserves a proper hearing.’

‘YOU WANT ME TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO HER BASICALLY SAY HERE I AM FREE AND SAFE AND I WANT TO WILLINGLY PUT MYSELF IN DANGER?!!!’ Cruz thunders back standing now striding over to the bar fridge to get another beer, ‘Aaliyah for f*cks sakes I don’t need to hear your full proposal to know this is too much exposure!’

‘I wouldn’t really be in any danger, I am sure we could intergrate me in a way that avoids me doing too much field Work.’ I respond now my eyes follow the fiery sway of Cruz’s hips, I would have to be blind to not appreciate how incredibly sexy her barely controlled outburst is.

‘I think I like the idea of saving the people I have wronged in the passed…’ Jo speaks now quietly interjecting, ‘righting wrongs… sounds therapeutic… I don’t hate it.’

‘Oh not you too!!! This isn’t saving the people you have wronged, they’re dead Jo, no good deeds are bringing them back.’ Cruz shoots at Jo now stepping out on to the balcony she breathes out leaning her hands against the railing, ‘Look I’m sorry … ok. We barely survived the last couple months and we are doing good work right now, the girls im working with the farm.. our home.. Aaliyah its enough for me really.’

‘Except it really isn’t.’ I responds in a quiet voice.

‘I DON’T UNDERSTAND why you keep saying stuff like that?’ Cruz retaliates her need to be heard outweighing her desire to be gentle with her partner now.

‘Cruz, I know you relive that moment in the bathroom, I watch you night after night just standing there. Your face is just a tapestry of pain and anguish and unspent rage.’ I explain now hoping my words hit home.

‘My love … I know you think a quiet life in a remote place is going to suffice shielding me from the whole world, but it just wont work, as long as your mind is in turmoil your soul wont rest.
We have tried to be normal, you have done everything in your power to go against your grain and expel your need for the fight for the cause… for all the things that made you who you were before me.’

‘I DON’T NEED 2 BE WHO I WAS BEFORE YOU!’ she responds now gripping her hair in vociferous protest, ‘I watched you get choked out in front of me!!! I am never putting you in harms way again!’ she says now, eyes wide, sweat beads at her hairline she is running hot.

‘You once said to me you want a partner who stays true to their beliefs no matter what those beliefs are!’ I keep pushing now, desperate. ‘Cruz its my belief with all my heart that your calling in life is far greater than placing talented girls at schools, its greater then an army life, its greater then the trauma that the army life left you with. Let me help you, let me stand with you and together we can make a difference, we can do something incredible on our own terms.’

‘I don’t want to lose you in the pursuit of what you believe is best for me…’ Cruz responds now, crying quietly her shoulders round her anger spent, ‘im scared all the time… terrified honestly… why wont you listen to me. Aaliyah one day I let my guard down, or I take the wrong mission, I piss the wrong person off …. They will come… some one always comes… in my life someone always comes…. And blows everything up… then you are gone and I cant live with that.’ She continued quietly, her mouth twists into a sob she shields her eyes from view, wearing her insecurities like a veil of shame.

‘Don’t let your fears rob you of a chance to be the person I know you are so well equipped and suited to become.’ I respond now standing and approaching her snaking my hands around her waist resting my cheek against her back, praying she releases the fear and anxiety she holds and gives it to me, to carry for a little while, I crave the deeper connection I know will develope if only she lets me passed these walls she has built.

This woman... my woman... a wounded angry woman, but i cant fear her, i cant let her stay this half alive... creature, living a half truth so she can love me.

I gather my courage and forge on, ‘Cruz all I ever heard growing up is how my life would go, the choices made for me, the decisions constantly and painfully never being mine to make. Now I am the captain of my own ship, I make my own choices and I want to walk beside you, I want to be brave alongside you Habibi. Countless women I can name now for you have started their lives exactly like me, and none of them had you… or Jo or Bobby ready to blow up a convoy, ground a plane shoot up a compound or sacrifice there bodies to save them. None of these woman have someone brave and capable to seek out and ask for help. I want them to have us.’

My eyes burn now with unspent tears my voice shakes and I hope I have the strength to continue my nails sink into the skin at her waist, ‘so many of these women have dared to remove a head scarf, stand up for themselves, raise their voices, or commit the unforgivable crime of choosing who to love Cruz, and they pay the ultimate price… the worst part those who dole out punishment… they never keep it a secret.’ I breathe now to steady my voice, ‘the men who punish them, beat them burn them with acid… eventually kill them they walk the streets with pride boastful, they believe suitable punishment has been dealt out to women who dare to defy them. They are lauded as champions for their cruelty!’

I release her now and sit down to look at Bobby and Jo, ‘No one saves them, no one comes to help to stop the blood shed, they go to their prisons, and their shallow graves, their marital beds non consenting with no ceremony no fight or hope of rescue.’

‘Cruz you are so afraid I will be taken it keeps you from sleep, Jo your demons haunt your dreams and keep you from your children...’ my head hangs low now my tears fall to the balcony floor, ‘me… I just find my heart hallow my chest tight because I keep wondering how I am the one who got saved, and who gets to love and smile and live free, how can I do all these things when hundreds of thousands of girls and women exactly like me don’t get what I have? What made me special, why should I be happy?’

Cruz turns now and strides over kneeling in front of me taking my face into her hands, ‘We f*cked your whole life up, and then by some incredible twist of fate you ended up surviving a series of terrible situations and you 100% deserve every single free breath you take!’ she kisses my cheeks now, my eyes and holds my face steady making eye contact she whispers now, ‘You are everything to me… everyday all I want you to be is happy.. Aaliyah is this… really what would make you happy?’

I graze my nose against hers looking into her eyes, ‘You make me happy… but this… it would make me feel whole, it would give me new belief in humanity it would help us all heal… I just know it.’ I respond now my heart open and I hope Cruz sees the sincerity living there, it is the open naked truth in me laid bare, I hope she is the one person on the planet who will always see it, everyone else has seen a spoilt girl born of wealth and privilege happy to abide by customs and rules steeped in oppression, Cruz sees more. She sees the rebellion in my eyes, and I see the fractures, fears and vulnerabilities in hers.

She bows her head now for a moment, as if leaving us to be within herself to make decisions, then slowly she stands and walks over to the balcony once again her jaw set and her shoulders back, ‘lets say for a moment we were 4 women speaking together of a hypothetical future where we choose a path that resembles this…. Madness.’ She turns now to look at Jo, ‘ how would it look? What would we need, what would the objectives be… boss.’

Jo looks up now from her seat her jaw sets and she nods slightly at Cruz, the mental gear shift is incredible she morphs from a lost creature to a warrior, all sharp edges and hyper awareness.

‘As it stands we have strategy and logistics covered with Bobby, I have contacts globally I can move us through the shadows virtually undetected I can also get the right people to look the other way when need be, we need a weapons and tech specialist and lastly communications and transport which will need to be male for optics, we have to also talk about who runs infiltration and who makes the connect, Cruz I wont lie, its going to be f*cking hard and believe me this kind of operation will rattle the cages of many wealthy factions… but if we put together a solid team and with Aaliyahs knowledge of this world she has been a part of for decades we could build a data base…narrow down targets… we could really make a difference... But make no mistake, we do this, we make enemies of powerful tyrannical men of means and influence, essentially we are taking from them their pawns, there property their women who they see as objects… currency. They will hunt us down we need to have an air tight operation here, zero margin for error.’

Jo stands now faces everyone making eye contact she straightens her spine. ‘I cant bury-…. I cannot bury another woman, I just cant… I have buried enough women, I have so much blood on my goddamn hands I cant wash it off… I just cant.’ Jo sobs now her iron resolve and stern expression falters she steadies herself and looks up, ‘ So.. I will commit 100%, if you are all onboard and you really want to take a stab at this … I am f*cking all in. I want to be able to look my girls in the eye and say momma did a good thing this time.. not just a hard thing… a good f*cking thing.’

‘I’m in.’ Cruz responds looking at each woman pointedly.

‘All the way baby.’ Bobby quips raising a hand.

I smile resisting the urge to look too happy. ‘So we begin then.’

The sun has completely set Jo and Bobby start on recruitment Cruz listening intently, making inventory lists of different equipment needed, names of operatives they have come to know and trust over their many years of work.

They order room service, chatter almost easily exchanging old familiar jokes and tease each other fondly, they are building something new and the tension slowly ebbs away, as a new dynamic is adopted devoid of all the pressure they once faced in their previous environment.

Soon I will have a secure device to research and compile a list of subjects vital intelligence hopefully Jo can use as the skeleton of our data base, I have begun roughly writing names on a memo pad from memory the faces and histories and familial connections and ties I know of murky and not thought of for many years and perhaps this information will be too outdated but it’s a start.

Cruz announces its approaching 1am and we should sleep, its too late now for Bobby and Jo to leave so everyone falls asleep and for the first time in months no one wakes up from troubled dreams.

Chapter 4: The makings of Disorder

Chapter Text

Cruz

Two weeks have passed since the initial plan was roughly outlined we have all travelled to Cairo to meet with a prospective new recruit.

It was decided early on that we would decide on who would join us as a team taking it to a vote if need be.

Ultimately this person would need to be a good fit, chemistry would be important and if we were going to risk our lives for them in future at least we would know we chose them together, its vital to look into the eyes of the person you would take a bullet for.

Jo had been busy, with the exception of Aaliyah we each had false identities, passports new records backstories and of course erasing who we were before, cyber smudging our former selves into oblivion… we had to become shadows in order to operate in the dark after all.

New hardware had been purchased once Jo set up separate accounts for funding and transfer with Aaliyah’s help they were now effectively bankrolling our needs through channels no one would find unless they put sincere effort into finding us, but we weren’t making enough noise for any of that to be a concern just yet.

Aaliyah had been so incredibly aggressive with her investments we could easily leave very little in the way of financial footprints by simply moving cash applying her methods, she was truly a genius in a way her family could never have fathomed.

Her fortune had grown exponentially unbeknownst to me, which explained why she was so confident in her ability to silently be our benefactor.

It was of utmost importance that Aaliyah’s public image remained healthy and in the last few days she had been taking steps to aggressively insert herself on the social scene states side one party after the next... solo of course, slowly but consistently trying to reassert herself as a valuable addition to any party guest list, soon she would be at the summit of western social hierarchy and shift her focus to the European front and then from there we would be able to very carefully reinsert her into the middle eastern social and cultural scene.

It was imperative that the face of our mission, the façade was impeccably well positioned, the power of the Amrohi name and the promise of networking opportunities that name represented in powerful circles needed to be very well rehabilitated, redeemed and then publicized.

It turned out that this gorgeous woman happened to be excellent at building her brand, whilst the rest of us put painful amounts of effort into remaining unseen.

At this point even when things heated up and the situation called for less then legal activities no one would be able to place any liability at her feet without a full scale investigation taking place, even then it would likely not happen, if Jo’s methods proved effective, we would remain well under the radar for the better part of our operation, if fortune truly favored us we would execute our mission successfully and no one would ever suspect any of our involvement at all.

I remained cautiously optimistic, we no longer had the backing of any government departments to call on should things go south, we were now absorbing full liability and the stakes were extremely high.

In spite of all this I felt energy surge through my feet as I made my way carefully forward, the knowledge that we were deep in hostile foreign territory gave me a familiar and long missed jolt of electricity up my spine.

I took a cursory look around assessing the current situation.

We were dressed in traditional attire and weaving our way through a busy bizarre, the smell of roasting marsala and sweet fragranced and spiced meats permeated the air, street vendors bumped their wears lightly against us offering leather satchels and bracelets, some claiming solid gold adorned their necks beckoning us towards small shops and stalls with the promise of incredible discounts and once in a lifetime deals.

We pushed on, sunglasses firmly in place Aaliyah was ahead of me, she looks plain and ordinary in her garb her face concealed and her long eyelashes the only thing to draw the ever roving eyes of men seated on low stools at the cafés scattered around the bizarre.

My hand twitched and I fought the urge to check my pistol.

Aaliyah who spoke Egyptian Arabic, assertively turned the vendors and hawkers away, waving her hands and shouldering her way forward trying to keep to Bobby’s brisk pace.

I did my best to avert my eyes and followed her shoes as we moved, eventually coming to a narrow alleyway at the very edge of the market where residential space became more apparent, the smell of human waste and poverty assaulted my olfactory and I fought the urge to gag, my eyes water and my vision momentarily blurs.

Bobby looked upward toward the 3rd floor, an orchard purple and fresh on the balcony indicates we had reached our destination.

Dust kicked up around my feet and a stray dog almost tripped me up, my weaker leg gives in suddenly refusing to obey my mental commands, I stumbled forward and Aaliyah brakes my fall clutching my hand I inhale the sweetness of her, ocean and mint and freshly cut citrus… the smell of peace.

My nerves settled and my heart stops thudding, we climb up the narrow staircase in single file.

Reaching the 3rd floor landing I cast my eyes back down to scan the way we had ascended to ensure we had not been followed, Jo steps to one side of the door and Bobby lightly wraps her knuckles against the frame twice before stepping to the opposite side to Jo.

Aaliyah is standing close to my side shielded from view and any potential threat, she is the only one not armed, I make a mental not to start her weapons training and driving lessons.

There are footsteps, quick and flighty across the wooden floor within the apartment, the door is opened a crack and a pair of large honey colored weary eyes peer out into the hallway. ‘These streets are overrun with enemies.’ The woman says in a husky low voice, her accent I cant quite place but I am sure its not American or North African, her vowels are rounded her ‘t’ fully pronounced harsh and pointed.

‘But we are all friends, walking each other home.’ Bobby responds her eyes never leaving the other females face.

The door shuts and brief seconds pass whilst the latch is undone, the woman opens the door wide beckoning us all inside. We enter a narrow passage and follow it cautiously until we reach a small lounge three uncomfortable chairs are scattered and an old television set plays a grainy football match.

The place smells musty and there is a ever present layer of sand coating unused surfaces, the woman enters now behind us, I take a moment to appraise her.

Lean muscles and narrow hips, she is shorter then me but her posture indicates daily exercise is routine. She has steady hands, in fact her entire body remains perfectly still, no twitch or ticks no nervous habits… a markswoman… sniper long range potentially an expert in her field. I estimate her age closer to 40 then 30, she has greying fine hairs at her left temple, the one side of her head shaved close to her scalp, the other side of her head is adorned by cascading silky soft black hair all the way to her waist.

She has a fine white scar along her jawline her lips are pressed thin, but they look partial to an easy lop sided smile if the mood takes her. She wears no make up, her skin is tanned but she has a light undertone, she is likely Middle eastern, her eyebrows dark and thick frame diligent eyes. Those eyes scan us all as if she is assessing and weighing us up one at a time, drawing her own conclusions.

‘You didn’t really want to speak on the phone when I reached out.’ Bobby begins she takes a seat on the furthest uncomfortable chair putting her gun on the side table and throwing the traditional robes she wore over the arm rest, ‘you got any beer?’ she asks ruffling her own short hair and sighing as she tries to wipe the sweaty sandy paste forming on her neck away.

‘Egypt is not known for its thriving breweries Bobby… but I managed to get a few bottles from a buddy.’ The woman responded she ducked into the small kitchenette rattling the old combi fridge she returns with 5 bottles and places 4 on the table taking one herself. ‘Help yourselves, please, its not the best but its cold.’

I pick up one of the now sweating bottles and knock the cap off, Jo does the same along with Bobby.

Aaliyah looks at the woman apologetically, ‘Sorry, I have a very low tolerance for the taste of beer.’ She shrugs and offers her best smile Hoping not to offend the other woman too much.

For her part, she looks unfazed she opens the rattling door once again producing a can of soda and fetches a glass off the small shelf and places them before Aaliyah.

We all drink thirstily for a moment, no one speaks, the journey here was hard, hot and devoid of all comforts.

‘I am sorry for not being able to talk on any of my devices, I was on assignment these last few months… its been rough and I couldn’t risk any exposure.’ The woman speaks now directly to Bobby.

‘Don’t sweat it, we all know what it feels like when your in deep and you cant afford any thing blowing the mission.’ Bobby responds hand waving dismissively, ‘ So introductions are in order : Unit leader Jo, infiltration and extraction Cruz, that’s Aaliyah… and of course you know what im all about…’ Bobby motions to each of us.

She deliberately doesn’t disclose the extent of Aaliyah’s involvement understandably until we know this person will be a part of the unit.

‘Acero. My call sign. My name was lost many years ago, between one war and another.’ She responds offering her easy smile and shaking our hands, ‘weapons and tech specializing in long range target elimination and I have some functional knowledge of ballistics. I speak Kurdish, Arabic and English… if that helps any.’

‘Did you get your guy?’ Jo asks now taking the other uncomfortable seat leaving myself and Aaliyah to share, she bumps against my thigh squeezing against me, I offer her a small smile while intently observing the exchange between Jo and Acero. This was essentially an interview of sorts and Jo was tuning in and scrutinizing the other Soldier from every angle.

Acero leans against the door frame making eye contact now with Jo she nods her head, ‘eventually I got him about a week ago, picked him off at 200 yards, I just didn’t account for the literal f*cking full might of the law bearing down on me and my team.

They…. Were all killed, I couldn’t take those assholes out fast enough. When I tried to call for extraction I was told my code would be made redundant effective immediately and I was on my own.’ She swirled her beer in the bottle now her eyes glazed over, she was reliving the memories.

‘They just left me here, pinned the whole scene on some fake radical group and buried my existence. Apparently no one within my former organization wants to take ownership of ordering a hit on a political tyrant who pretty much funded a massacre in Kabul.’ Acero shrugs now shaking her head, ‘im blacklisted, no access to my country and I cant leave Egypt all boarder crossing are on high alert.’

Jo nods quietly she absorbs the story and lets the gravity of the other woman’s predicament sit between them for a moment.

‘So what is it you are looking for?’ Jo asks now pointedly, ‘When Bobby called… you showed immediate interest… why? Is this an easy out for you?’

Acero looks at each of us, there is a resilience in her gaze, eventually she speaks:
‘Afgani Taliban passed a law that girls cant go to the park, ride a bicycle go to the gym… can you imagine one day your sister is kicking a ball at the park and the next day she is told that is not allowed, forbidden. So naturally she struggles to understand she is a l.. luh-… little bit rebellious,’ she stutters now falters slightly she takes a shaky breath and continues, ‘ she goes to the park surely it cant be true, she kicks the ball and then she is beaten into hospital for defiance, for disorderly conduct she dies in that hospital bed.’ Acero bites her lower lip taking a sip of beer, her voice quivering she holds her nerve.

‘I want disorder, defiance, disobedience… I want the ones laying beat in hospital beds to know that we see them, someone heard them, someone capable of putting a bullet in the eye of the man who told them they cant kick a ball anymore is coming... I was uhm… deployed for many years I didn’t know how bad it had gotten in Afghanistan.. I should have …. Gotten my sister and mother out.’ She looks down at her feet now, ‘when you called and said you want to do things … things I have never dared to think of… I felt like this is why I am still here.’

‘My fathers dream was for a son, so he let me live as a man and no one ever questioned me or what I did, Bacha posh its called an Afghan tradition to help families where no sons are born. You can select one daughter to live her life male usually the female reverts to living as a woman at puberty but my father died and no one ever thought to make me go back, I enlisted because I wanted to be a hero.’

She swallows now crying freely, ‘Being a soldier… the wars I have fought the pain the men around me inflict.. that’s not heroism… But with you… with your operation… ’ She looks now at Jo and never breaks eye contact.

Jo nods her head breathes in deeply staring at the ceiling before she sighs heavily and gets up to pace to the small balcony she holds a leaf of the purple Orchard in her fingers , ‘why the purple Orchard?’ She asks looking over her shoulder at Acero.

‘Ayeesha my sister, her favourite flower… she loved football and flowers.’ Acero responds looking down still tears splash onto the dirty floor and none of us speak, the tragedy of it all soaking into our pores.

A fuel to drive the anger and rage and mutual determination we are cultivating within ourselves.

Aaliyah lifts herself from next to me and approaches Acero she smiles and whispers in Arabic.

‘Welcome Acero to Absolution…’ She says taking Acero’s hands in hers smiling. The markswoman for all her effort cant resist the look of assurance and pure kindness she allows her lopsided smirk to slowly cross her lips.

‘together we will be the makings of disorder it seems.’ Acero responds in Arabic.

‘I guess we get moving then.’ Bobby chirps getting up she dons the robes and Acero heads into her bedroom to grab a dark green kit she tucks her long fine hair away under a cap and puts on dark glasses her jacket conceals her slender shoulders and I can see how she transforms from woman to man for the eyes of society.

We are down the stairs and walk briskly to a waiting vehicle, Jo had already organized for us, once inside she is on her burner confirming our plane will be waiting. The runway we crunch up to is dusty and uneven the plane is old and we squeeze in as a sand storm bears down on us.

The pilot shudders and plods to the end of the gravel road and laboriously hoists the plane into the air, the sand pelting the fuselage and the wind making my pulse quicken as we accelerate and ascend.

Aaliyah has placed her head on my shoulder taking my hands she laces our fingers together eventually I fall asleep exhaustion defeating vigilance.

I wake after a few hours to deft fingers kneeding my sore leg, she smiles at me nuzzles my cheek and I kiss her hair. I must have been in discomfort while I slept, gazing to the side Acero looks away from our intimate display, she has recognized the nature of our bond and is acclimating it seems. Whether she accepts us will have to be seen, at this point should she choose not to... i guess she will have to put her prejudices aside for the sake of the mission.

My musings are not left to fester within me for long though, she nudges Aaliyah after a few moments and hands over two protein bars a water and a pain killer for my leg, that easy lop sided grin makes its brief appearance again.

I guess she doesnt mind after all.

I Look to the end of the small aircraft, Jo and Bobby are working laptops and phones out they don’t even look up, the discussion is serious but animated. They are covered in sand and thier clothes are filthy, dark circles under weary blood shot eyes, but they are fully engaged, alert, full of purpose. Two women who wouldnt be anywhere else but exactly where they were right then.

The old rickety plane jerks and jostles me around and i realize that i wont be getting much more sleep for the rest of the flight.

I dont even think i mind.

Chapter 5: Even the Devil needs a spa day

Chapter Text

Istanbul Unknown air strip

Jo

The rickety old rusty can I managed to charter squeaks and pops to a stop on the tarmac.

My headache has intensified to a solid 10 and I have yet to locate and Advil in my Duffel. I rub my stiff neck and burning sinus ducts, the dry eyes and tender bridge of my nose has insured that most of my communication skills have clean been reduced to animal like grunts and barely concealed snarls as Bobby heckles with the pilot over payment.

‘Ok that is enough, here and thank you!’ I bark over them both tossing $15 000 to the greedy little asshole and opening the door to disembark.

I trudge down the barely secured steps and land with heavy boots on the greying patchy Tarmac my sunglasses aren’t needed the sun has set in the distance a haze of pink and auburn glows outlining mosques and tall steeples.

There’s a marina behind me boats moored and butting up against plastic and wooden Jetty’s, the air strip small and well secluded appears to be well outside the main city.

I Check my burner and see the text, a trusted contact has sent some wheels and it should arrive within the hour to take us to our lodgings. For now we find a place to eat far away from busy densely populated streets of the city.

Bobby is wolfing down the meats and breads being placed before her, Aaliyah keeps nibbling small bites and offering Cruz explanations for each morsel she is somehow still radiant and bright eyed despite the miserable travelling conditions.

My attention rests on Acero cap still firmly in place there is a stillness about her manner, yes she is a Sniper but there is more. She doesn’t speak, only quietly observes Aaliyah and Cruz who for there part fail to notice much of anything outside their own very dense opaque bubble. She eats slowly and sparingly and then when she done looks to me.

‘Your head ache,’ She says handing my a bottle of Advil. ‘It will ease the pain hopefully.’ She gets up and goes over to the counter getting a bottle of water from the cashier and returning.

I nod and take the bottle knocking 3 advil back with enthusiasm I smile at her grateful. ‘how did you know?’ I ask sheepish.

‘You wear pain on your brow and the set of your Jaw.’ She responded she offers her lopsided small smile and then studies her hands.

‘Also she can be a pretty nasty bitch and barks at anyone who comes close..’ Bobby quips, I slap her arm and she smiles at me between mouthfuls of food. Things have improved greatly between us in the last few weeks, we are starting to feel more cohesive and the communication flows, our ability to play off each other and troubleshoot is back. I missed it… I missed her, the fact that I lost my way and in tern lost her was something I needed to work through. But not today, right now I needed to get my team to our location for some much needed rest, as quietly as possible.

‘We can take the rest to go ladies, we need to walk a good 20min to the meet site.’ I say after a few minutes waiting for the painkillers to take effect.

I stand and everyone gathers their belongings, no one in the takeaways pay us much attentions beyond collecting our dirty dishes and bidding us Farwell.

The van is visible ahead and the driver steps out handing over the keys and collecting the envelope of cash I hand him he walks away without a backwards glance. We take a long look around and then pile in to the vehicle. Bobby punches the location into the GPs and we pull out onto the road. An hour passes everyone has dozed off Bobby reaches over the center console taking my hand in hers, she strokes my palm with hers rough and calloused… familiar and warm my head presses back into the headdress and I don’t need to look over at her to know she has closed her eyes. I hold her hand all the way to the parking garage I reach into the side compartment to find a small round disk and I use it to scan us into the underground parking pulling into a bay far out of eye view.

‘Babba, hey… wake up we have arrived,’ I whisper and she turns her head to me. Cruz sits upright in the back and Aaliyah stirs too, Acero sitting directly behind me may have been awake the whole time, she is so stealthy I would never have known.

We open our doors simultaneously hopping out and stretching cramped limbs and grabbing equipment and duffels and then we take the lift up to the apartment. Once there we do a full sweep, Acero goes to work impressively checking for taps bugs and live cameras, surveillance of any kind, any tvs or media boxes active wifi connections she disables and blocks and redirects everything. We all don’t speak while she works, after a time she declares the space secure and we all visibly relax. A white noise machine is switched on and lasers are placed at the entrance, trip wires at all the windows and balcony, silent alarms set to vibrate given to each of us to be enabled before bed.

We gather In the kitchen speaking in whispers, ‘So we meet our last member potentially tomorrow, this one will be tricky as transport and communications has to be male, for the places we will find ourselves in, male chaperones and custodians are essential, Bobby has worked with him before there’s an established relationship there, this is good. We will go tomorrow to meet him and bring him back here for further talks if we like the look of him.’
‘we shouldn’t rather stick together?’ Cruz asks now looking at me.

‘Less conspicuous with two people meeting up with him rather than all of us. Istanbul is a very busy place, lots of eyes.’ I respond.

She nods deciding to not probe further.
Acero and Aaliyah for their part listen intently with no further questions.

‘I don’t want to really touch on anything op wise yet, especially targets, and how far we8 are with our specific plans, better when the unit is fully fleshed out. What I will say is I’m monitoring a lot of chatter and I have started to pick up on something pretty big.'

'For now though not the focus, I want us to see how we work together what our weaknesses are and how efficiently this team can run. Cruz you will need to start training Aaliyah on some basic weapons skills, Driving too, also that data base needs to start growing so Bobby take the Names Aaliyah has been toying with and build profiles, itineraries… last sightings, we need full work ups and most recent pictures. When our new guy comes I want him to have potentially a person of interest to observe and monitor, the more we know the closer we can insert Aaliyah and more importantly the better we can position Cruz.’ I say now looking at the faces surrounding me, absorbing the information intently.

‘for now though, grab some rest… from tomorrow sh*t is going to start moving at a whole new pace.’ I conclude dragging my barstool back and climbing off. I trudge wearily to the bedroom removing my jacket, phone, watch and glasses and practically falling face first onto the double bed. There are murmurs of goodnight and Acero takes up position on the sleeper couch.

‘God I have missed the site of a f*cking bed!’ Bobby whispers as she enters the room closing the door behind her she places her bags and mine on the floor removing her boots and her pants then her shirt. I don’t have to lift my head to know the order in which this woman undresses, I know her routine. She peels off her socks hopping on one foot then the other as she makes her way to the shower I feel myself drift off, a short time later I feel my boots being unlaced.

Pressure on the buttons at my waist as they snap open and my belt is undone, my pants comes down in one strong yank. I lift myself long enough to allow my tank top to be removed and Bobby wipes my back, neck and face with a warm cloth gentle and thorough.

The lights go out shortly after the bed sheets are pulled up over me and she slips in close, warm still from the shower, she smells of toothpaste and the tips of her damp hair tickle my cheeks as she dips low to cover my lips with hers, the kiss is safe and lacking of any expectation, this is a tired woman not an aroused one.

She lingers long enough for me to reach up and touch her chin savoring the taste of her, then she lays on her back, I turn and throw my leg over her my hand resting on her tight belly tracing the scar from her surgery a few months ago… the one where she almost died, the one that was all my fault. She sighs and is asleep in moments, I lay this way for some time until her heart beat calms me and I fall asleep.

The next morning we are all up early, Cruz and Acero are on the couch discussing safe routes to our destination with Bobby. Aaliyah is still finishing breakfast and smiles happily at me when I sit at the small kitchen counter she nudges eggs and left over food from the night before over to me, I smile back and eat as she gets up and pours black coffee into a mug for me.

‘Do we have a secure meeting place and a safe route mapped out yet?’ I ask the three women who all have frowns plastered across their brows.

‘Guy wants to meet opposite a Turkish bath house, I’m not thrilled about it.’ Bobby responds she has her arms folded and stares at Aceros laptop. ‘Place is owned by Mehmet Arif, of South London fame, he has apparently been putting down roots in instanbul again.’ She looks up at me now.

‘Do you think there’s some significance to the meet site? What is our guys name? Back round?’ I ask now over a mouth full eggs and sausage.

‘Former SAS operative, he has no ties what so ever to the Mafeyasi in Istanbul, Names Devin Longman born in Suffolk.’ Bobby responds now looking quite stumped, ‘don’t quite understand why he wants to meet up here of all places.’

‘Call it off Jo, if it isn’t adding up and doesn’t sit right. Lets just keep looking, maybe this isn’t our guy?’ Cruz says now stands and walks over to me her eyes are focused her lips tight she looks at me intently.

Everyone waits while I think it all through. ‘Acero you got something long range you can run over watch with?’ I ask.

She looks over at me nodding, ‘I can get enough elevation from one of the buildings north of you, let me see which is easier to access,’ she types intently and pulls up a building with a fire escape looking directly over the small sidewalk café the new recruit asked us to meet him at. ‘Good angles from here I can keep you and the bath house entrance in my sites while the meets happening.’

‘Ok good, we are off in 20minutes Cruz Aaliyah hang back, Manuelos I want you on comms, if we are going to be beating a hasty retreat for any particular reason I want you both ready to roll out.’ I stand and gulp my coffee down, ‘ok weapons and comms check people and I want to see the route, where’s our exits.’

Bobby and Acero show me the map and the potential hot spots, Cruz makes her irritation known by banging dishes in the kitchen, Aaliyah is updating all her socials and her public calendar she has several events coming up and new invitations have been streaming in rapidly. She speaks with her assistant and organizes her coming weeks. From here we plan to fly to Amsterdam where she will remain highly visible at several events before departing for a yacht party in France.

We arrive on the side walk and I clock Acero above if I didn’t know she was signaling me she would be completely invisible.

Bobby takes a seat and orders an espresso I ask for a menengiç a moment passes and a very tall broad shouldered blonde haired man in his mid 40s takes a seat with us. He offers a cheeky smile and takes Bobby’s outstretched hand firmly.

‘Hello ladies, how has Istanbul been treating you?’ Devin asks in a deep baritone, his accent charming, swallowing his ‘h’ sound he seems to speak with a non-rhotic dialect.

I smile warmly at him across the table giving the impression of a fond friend reunited. ‘The place is stunning the people are hospitable, I cant ask for more.’ The waiter places our orders on the table and takes Devins order we wait for him to leave before opening any further discussion.

‘What have you been up to since SAS man?’ Bobby asks she takes a look around she seems jumpy, she doesn’t like our placement or exposure her jaw muscles work and strain to stay relaxed.

‘Been based right here actually, doing some free lancing while I focus on a … er… passion project of sorts.’ Devin responds taking a cursory glance at the entrance to the bath house.

‘Interesting, what kind of passion project exactly?’ I ask trying to meet his eyes, I cant shake the feeling that he is here for less than savory reasons and it puts me on high alert. ‘we are trying to keep a low profile, is there a f*cking reason you dragged us out in plain view of Mehmet Arifs Gangster Spa?’ I ask now my voice lowering to a deadly octave and he looks at me, he recognizes that I have lost my patience.

‘You did your research then?’ he says.

‘I always do my research, now spit it out, why are you here what is your Angle?’ I ask my smile no longer reaches my eyes, ‘you have 2 minutes to explain this sh*t or we are out.’

‘I left the force two years ago, felt like nothing I did made a difference.’ Devin explains now he sighs shakily and takes a sip of the drink the waiter puts in front of him.

‘but I couldn’t walk away from this one case, this target, this guy was bad news he wrecked South London, we shut down harbour operations, smuggling rings and trafficking rackets but he kept popping up. No matter what my unit did, land or sea we couldn’t keep him out, we rescued kids from sex slavery, he sourced more, busted drug dens he has 20 others waiting to trade.’ He swallows, ‘the very last outing he ambushed my team, took them all out but left me alive… they kept me for days locked up below decks beat the living crap out of me. He said I’m an example of what happens when you don’t let the flow keeping flowing.’ He bites his lip and raises his eyebrows. ‘I followed him all around the world for 2 years and couldn’t get close, Arun Daya… but today he is here.’

‘Bobby lets go, this f*cker wants to start an all out war right now and I am not here for it.’ I say readying myself to stand.

‘Please wait.’ Devin whispers now leaning forward. ‘He has minimal security, today he is here meeting with a Turkish slaver… this guy is literally a modern day slaver.’ He has sweated trickling down his brow and is visibly anxious, desperate for me to hear him.
‘Even the Devil needs a spa day.’ Bobby says now she has not made any moves to stand much to my annoyance.

‘BOBBY! Get the f*ck up!’ I repeat myself.

‘Your sniper…. On the roof!’ Devin says now he reaches subconsciously over the small table pleading now.

‘She could pick him off in a moment we could be gone, there is no chatter no one can place you hear all it will take is one bullet, and this scum bag is no more... he has killed thousands of girls…Thousands... is this not what you have been envisioning?’ He speaks to Bobby now seeing my dogged determination to not engage.

‘That is not what we are here for Devin, I came out here because Bobby wanted to give you an opportunity!’ I explain, ‘Not to assassinate a mafiyasi on their f*cking territory, with no plan!’ Im angry now barely able to whisper, feeling ambushed, he must have seen Acero signaling her position to me earlier, observant.

‘listen, I can operate anything, 25 years of experience… put me on a boat I take you anywhere, aircraft… combat Helo, extraction rescue… whatever you ask of me I will do for you. I will follow you to the ends of the Earth im onboard your cause is my cause… its one bullet.’ Devin speaks now, his eyes color red and his fists are balled up.

My heart thuds in my chest, Is this what operating in the shadows will look like? From now on, everything will be chaos and whims and clandestine unauthorized assassinations in foreign territory with no strategy or foresight? It winds me when I realize this would be the moment I would call Kaitlynn, I would look for permission, seek guidance and approval, ask someone higher than me to make a decision that renders me exempt from responsibility. This is what going rogue means, accountability, they look to me now as I looked once to her.

I look into Devins eyes, I pause for what feels is an eternity. Bobby said he wrecked a chopper to save her, crash landed it between boko haram operatives and a group of school girls in Cameroon on the border, shielded them and laid down cover fire while she put the girls on a Zodiac, he didn’t hesitate or flinch.

A good man in a storm, impulsive reckless, dangerous, vengeful.

‘Two black sedans and four motorocyles coming down toward the entrance of the bath house boss.’ In my earpiece Acero speaks softly.

I have to make a decision now, Bobby looks up at me her eyes hooded her lips pouted she barely moves her head but it’s a nod, confirmation.

‘We are not terrorists, or murderers for hire. And I will not abandon my moral code or rip the fibers of my already fragile ethics to assuage your damaged ego after a thug made you feel small.’ My eyes burn and I am so angry I shake. ‘We have all had an Arun Daya make us feel small, but you don’t blow heads off or ask others to do it in exchange for loyatly.’

I stand and walk out putting my glasses on I signal for Acero to descend the roof and Bobby starts to move towards where we parked the van. I’m disappointed, spending this amount of time and resources only to be let down is frustrating, but I guess I should expect tough moments, its not like I can recruit from camps and academies and military training sites anymore.

We are almost at the vehicle in a less busy back alley and I hear loud crunching heavy footsteps, one set, male.

I turn Bobby has her weapon drawn Acero drops her case and draws her silenced pistol, I meet Devins eyes.

He has his arms up, ‘Im sorry, that was me being f*cking stupid.’ He shakes his head dropping his hands to his hips, ‘I don’t know what I was thinking, and I’m blowing up a chance to be part of something. I got caught up, and obsessed and I had this stupid idea in my head if I just kill him… all the stuff I went through, this stuff he has done… it would all die with him’ He explains now clutching the side of his head, he paces some more muttering to himself.

‘You are starting to give off the stink of a soldier who can very quickly become a liability Devin.’ I respond, I put my hands in my pocket co*cking my head to the side. ‘I cant tag you along if you are unpredictable, ill disciplined, loud and conspicuous… and most importantly there is no room for f*cking vengeance on my raft.’

‘I will never do that again.. Jo… listen, im gonna bury it here the pain and the vengeance, in Instanbul for good. I sat at that table and I watched him enter that bath house and I was just going to get up and walk in and shoot him in the head.’ He explains now pacing up and down. ‘But my feet brought me here to you instead… like my legs knew… this is where I belong.’

I Sigh and massage my temples stretching my neck upwards and I contemplate the next course of action.
‘Jesus Christ, get in the f*cking Car.’

We speed out of the City the team complete.

Chapter 6: The Gateway to the East

Chapter Text

Location: France

Anchored off the Kube Saint Tropez Hotel

Cruz

‘This boat is f*cking huge!’ I say looking out over the 1st deck squinting at the bright sun, our group shielded from curious onlookers by mirrored glass windows.

Aaliyah squeals and hugs me excitedly kissing my cheek I pry her arms loose feeling self conscious surrounded by soldiers whilst having affection shown to me.

She pouts slightly at me and I smile at her resting my hand out of site in the small of her back, her bare skin warm and velvet soft beneath my fingertips, she leans back slightly for more contact, shifts a little closer and I smirk down at her.

‘Stretch your legs but stay off the upper deck visibility is way too high up there, we are not part of the listed crew aboard this vessel people. We will be hold up below decks in our strat room till the parties over, with the exception of Devin who will be our dashing captain for the evening keeping an eye on Aaliyah. Jo begins the meeting her expression serious.

'This party is important, like gateway to the East important. Thanks to Aaliyahs hard work she has managed to reconnect with Saleem and Akeera Khan the social prince and princess of Qatar and successfully convinced them to join her this evening.’ Jo steps away from the window and sits on one of the white swivel bar stools surrounding the wrap around bar on the first deck of the three story super Yacht.

‘this meet is vital, Aaliyah is going to work her Magic all evening and play the perfect hostess she needs to impress them, shower them in adoration and make them feel like she is fully committed to being on the social scene once more, all previous transgressions must be forgotten. We know that as of now she has not been under intense surveillance, but as soon as there is word that she intends to make a play to re enter the Middle East in any capacity we need to be on high Alert.’ Jo takes her glasses off now looking at us all. ‘We cant get close to our targets until we learn about them, we cant extract them until we can show them there is a way for us to guarantee their safety. Aaliyah can only do that face to face, she needs to be accepted back into the fold by at least one powerful family.’

My pulse races a little at this, Aaliyah has spent the last week in Amsterdam attending parties and dinners and charity Auctions, her exposure level rising and I feel more and more powerless knowing I have to stay out of site, never once being able to stand at her side, or let the world know I am her protector, her partner, the entire situation feels like my grasp is slipping and with it any guarantee of safety I could once afford my girlfriend.

Bobby breaks my silent musing.

‘The worst case scenario is we build the bonds and convince one of these girls that we can get em out, and last minute… they turn on us. It puts Cruz on a dangerous path, and it burns Aaliyah. Right now its vital to pick targets who want to be liberated.’ Bobby continues turning her tablet screen to face us.

‘This is 16 year old Kulthum Khan, Aaliyah met her some ten years ago as the Amrohis and Khans shared close social and business connections in the East.’
Bobby passes the tablet to Devin who takes a close look at the young woman and passes it to Acero.

Eventually it is passed to myself and Aaliyah, I look down into the girls brown eyes her face rounded and full, her complexion fair and acne mottles her forehead and cheeks, a teenager.

Aaliyah’s hands grip the tablet tightly her knuckles white, she lets it go placing it on the bar counter sighing deeply.

‘The last time I saw her she was 13, at Akeera’s engagement party. She looked sullen and I asked what is the matter she told me her bloods had come and her father had been discussing contracts with this really wealthy prominent political family in Iran. She was distraught as the match they made for her was older, a military general with a terrible reputation.’ Aaliyah says now her arms folded she stares into nothing recalling memories. ‘I remember standing with her as she cried I became furious and I went to speak with Akeera and her mother. I should have known what a terrible mistake that was.’

‘I never saw her again, I begged Akeera to tell me where she was, let me see her, I even tried to speak with my father and mother but they reprimanded me, accused me of making a scene and embarrassing both families.’ She says her brows furrowed and I take her hand in mind.

‘This image surfaced on Bobby’s dive into Aaliyah’s list of names of POI’s she gave us a few weeks back.’ Jo continues now breaking the solemn silence. ‘what is unusual is it doesn’t appear that any Iranian generals with ties to the Khans has been married in the last 3 years.’

Bobby squints down at the Tablet, ‘So the Khans didn’t go through with it? Respected their daughters right to remain a child?’ she asks.

‘Where I am from there is no such thing as a daughter’s right to anything Bobby.’ Aaliyah responds her eyes are sad her mouth tightly pursed, ‘a man will always be the arbiter of her final destination.’

‘So we do know one thing, Kulthum is potentially alive she doesn’t appear to be married yet, and has been somewhere for 3years out of the public eye and view of media, she has not been issued with a passport, marriage certificate or birthed any children in a hospital. We need to find her, and the closest thing we have to a lead is Akeera and her brother coming her tonight.’ Jo stands summarizing the current objectives.

‘The fact that the pair agreed to come out here is a good sign, perhaps they will be willing to forgive my passed transgressions.’ Aaliyah picks up the conversation, ‘if I get this right, hopefully I can subtly push for an invite to the next major family gathering at one of their many holiday compounds, there is a primary family stronghold in Dubai but I doubt this will be opened to me until I prove myself genuinely removed from my less then proper Arab values.’

My eyes hurt from staring at her too long, the sweat in the small of my back feels uncomfortable, doubt and fear take a grip of me. She is putting herself in a dangerous position to locate a child who may well already be lost to us. I stand now the meeting appears to be over thankfully I leave the bar seeking out the air-conditioned refuge of our cabin, my mind is troubled, I hear the others ordering drinks and chatting about the evenings pending party guests, Acero will go around with Devin to rig the entire vessel for surveillence and then we settle down for the show, my mind is far to preoccupied to listen to anymore, so i am back at my cabin quickly.

I take a seat staring out over the glittering expanse of the ocean when the cabin door clicks open, she enters and closes it without comment.

‘We have had many discussions about the events that will occur in the coming months Habibi,’ she begins her expression earnest, ‘and I have told you that I will take every precaution and tread carefully, I have given you my word that I will not do anything to compromise my safety, but I have also asked for your trust… and your belief in me.’

I don’t look up, just nod solemnly, I’m failing her.

‘There are several hours between now and the arrival of the guests…’ she speaks now her voice takes on a sultry burr, ‘perhaps we should make every effort to put this time to good use… you have felt …. Distant from me for some days now…. I wish to fix this.’

I catch the movement of fabric at the corner of my eye, my pulse quickening. Perhaps now is no longer the time for words, she crosses the cabin floor barefoot and silent having slipped off her sandals and the shimmery dress she wore over her swimming costume.

My eyes travel the expanse of her skin, kissed golden and muscles ripple as she closes the space between us she reaches out her hand and I take it, getting up from my perch she kisses my neck biting down. Her expression darkens and she grabs hold of my hair tie tugging it loose.

She runs her hands through my hair, nails raking my scalp, there’s a pause she stairs at me her lips part she has to come up on her toes to reach my mouth already open for her, she kisses me deeply then whispers into my mouth, ‘take off your clothes Habibi and lay on the bed for me.’

When Aaliyah asks something of me in this low and assertive tone, its like a whole different side of her breaks the surface of her consciousness and it thrills me, Over the months of lovemaking I have learnt that she craves these moments of power and dominance, possessing me but never compromising my feelings of autonomy or control over my own body and desires.

Being under her spell this way is intoxicating, addictive, delicious, every nerve in my body set ablaze.

I remove my clothes and lower myself to the bed making sure she can see everything I do, she takes it all in patiently and hungrily, ‘lay your head down on the pillow hands at your sides.’ She whispers her voice hitches desire is evident now she enjoyed me undressing myself for her pleasure.

MY heart rate rising I wait this way in rapt anticipation my center aches for her, my arousal visible she removes her underwear and climbs onto the bed, her lacy padded black bikini top still in place her breast crest the top begging for my touch, but I remain still.

She comes to rest above my head looking down at me, my eyes are wide and im enthralled by her sleek smooth waxed and swollen lips the moisture gathering and gleaming on the skin, her labia exposed and hovering above my face, I smell her aroma now, a musk so distinct and so imprinted upon me that I believe I would recognize and be powerless to resist it forever, the swell and dips of her distinct feminine curves sends me into a frenzy, i want her.

All my self control is concentrated on the task of not lifting my head to devour her, she can see I want it, she keeps me locked in place, her eyes the only instrument she need use to have me obey her, primal and intoxicating.

‘Are you thinking of me pulsing against your tongue Cruz … are you imagining me rocking my hips… cupping my ass…. Letting me pleasure myself with your mouth?’ she whispers now she switches between Arabic and English her own need to lower herself into my salivating mouth is palpable.

My hands ball into fists I feel my cl*t throb and swell its so hard to not touch myself, I’m barely holding myself together, sexual desire overriding most rational thoughts.

‘close your eyes baby…’ She requests her hips moving back and forth above my head I hear her use her fingers to touch her self she moans low and long, ‘Im so wet for you… taste it.’ She whispers putting fingers inside my mouth I hungrily suckle them.

She removes her fingers and then finally when I imagine my heart will stop she lowers her self her arousal slick and glorious my tongue hungry and desperate, I moan into her fighting the desire to hold her in place so I can devour her without pause.

Aaliyah begins a steady rhythm her knees rested on the pillow on either side of my head she holds onto the wall and feeds me her cl*t, she jerks when I suck her labia massaging the folds and inserting my tongue into the moisture she is rapidly producing as reward for my ministrations she gyrates and undulates she throws her head back lifting my hands from the bed she moves them over her ass and lets me squeeze and kneed each firm cheek as I eat her out. I pull her down striving to push my tongue deeper inside her, she exclaims yes out loud in appreciation, she f*cks my tongue now moving down as I thrust upward her breath comes faster her climax imminent.

She falls forward against the wall moving against my face now she is thrusting down harder, for a moment I imagine I may suffocate here beneath the woman I love and the thought doesn’t even bother me, she starts to gasp slightly her breathing staggered. She is close, ‘I want you to feel how much I love you Cruz, what you do to me…. How good your tongue feels inside me… I love you so much.’

She rides my face faster now she pushes down firmly into my mouth holding a tuft my of my hair and I feel my head being pushed into the bed further she is losing control completely her eyes are closed lips parted, teeth bared, hips jerking repeatedly.

When she crests and crashes over her pleasure spills down my chin, I take it all licking and swallowing the salty sweetness of her careful not to jar my teeth into her sensitive plump softness, she stays in place letting the evidence of her love run into my mouth until her center stops hammering and throbbing the pressure ebbing away slowly her rocking and grinding slows and she dismounts.

We rest for a moment this way, her legs spread her feet together thigh sweaty and damp against my arm muscles quivering, the smell of her permeates the cabin and I breathe it in, I am high on her, weak for her, completely obsessed with her and unashamed.

Emotions flood my mind, this magnificent powerful women bears herself to me and shares her most vulnerable parts with me… all these unadulterated displays for me… and I don’t treat her as I should.

‘Aaliyah… I’m sorry for being over protective, im… im sorry for making everything so difficult and letting my insecurities make you feel caged. Im gonna… learn… I will learn… to trust in your ability to take care of yourself.’ I say now my breathing slows and I feel the emotion thick in my throat. ‘I will never again make you feel as Ehsan and Adil made you feel before… I promise you Aaliyah we are equals in every way my love.’ I finish now wiping tears from my eyes as I prop myself up on my arm to see her face.

Her heaving chest slows and she shakes her head, ‘No.. no.. no … you don’t make me feel as they did, where they acted from a place of entitlement and ownership… your actions were only ever acts of Love… but thank you for knowing what my heart needed to hear.’

Her smile turns languid and euphoric still traces of her spent pleasure coloring her cheeks she whispers, ‘come and kiss me Cruz Manuelos… claim me … and take your pleasure so that tonight I may where the perfume of my woman’s scent upon my skin.’ She winks at me as I swallow audibly.

Needing no further encouragement, i close the space between use resting my soaking wet cl*t against her mound my lips part and I grind myself into her kissing and biting her neck as she moans and writhes beneath me, my pace quickens and I feel myself climax my leg aching but agony is no match for this love, my cum soaking her and trickling down her center to the sheet beneath her I unclasp her bra, my breathing straining I cant control the need, I release her breasts and suck them into my mouth my moan of pleasure and the treatment of her nipples makes her arch her back towards my mouth begging me to keep going. I am holding her hands above her head and she bucks her hips into me she rubs herself against my thigh she keens and whispers in my ear, ‘inside… please…. Inside… I need you.’

I Release her hand and insert my fingers deep inside her I hear her release a hiss through her teeth she contracts her walls around my digits, she squeezes my hand between her thighs and her wild eyes open and rest on mine, we still our bodies in the moment she leans her mouth forward still staring into my soul and she instructs me to f*ck her hard…

Her second climax is quick and loud and full of expletives – the sun begins her decent, the party will be underway soon.

I release her reluctantly to bathe and prepare herself for what is to come, I clean myself and make my way down to the Strat room… 4 pairs of eyes give me sheepish looks… Bobby eventually commenting on how very thin these cabin walls are.

The flush spreads all the way down my neck, I busy myself with a weapons check, suddenly needing to inventory every item in my possession.

Chapter 7: The Party ends when i say...

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

‘Comms check 1’ Jo’s voice comes down the line. ‘Captain D… Jesus really… Captain D’? She adds with an unamused sigh.

‘You DID say I could choose my own call sign for tonight boss.’ Devin responds. ‘Comms check confirmed.’

‘Comms check 2… for Ariel.’ Jo says a smile In her tone.

‘Comms check 2 confirmed HQ.’ I respond.

The Event Coordinator, DJ and caterer approach me all at once, I smile warmly at them, trying to hide my ear piece beneath my hair.

They chatter and bicker, speaking over one another about décor placements and lighting, sound checks, guest seating and menu orders, serving times and eventually its all sorted out after tremendous amounts of patience and energy expenditure render me quite annoyed.

I make my way over to the bar and have a co*cktail, the bartender has been coached earlier in the evening upon arrival of the guests all my drinks will be water substituted later in the evening. I smile up at the cameras I know are hidden everywhere hoping Cruz is looking, our intense encounter earlier making my skin tingle I lose myself to the delectable memories when I am disturbed again by our coordinator.

The guests have begun to arrive.

‘Ok its show time HQ,’ I whisper as I make my way to the welcome area where I intend on receiving the first party guests personally.

‘Not the targets yet Ariel, they are inbound, Acero confirms they have landed and are on route, ETA 30min.’ Jo responds.

The guests arrive in all their wealthy splendor glittering and sparkling, music starts pumping through powerful speakers, lighting creates a warm environment, drinks and canapès are circulating and numerous old acquaintances strike up polite conversation with me, welcome me back to the party scene and promise to catch up with me soon.

I’m struck by how simple it is to charter a yacht and have people show up in droves to kiss your ring and sing your praises after not knowing if you were alive or dead for months. The low standards the rich had for what passed human connection.

‘We have our Guests of honor approaching, fashionably late, Ariel look sharp.’ Devin pipes up on comms, he is still on the dock welcoming new guests aboard before we unmoor and cruise out into the sea for the real party to start.

‘Thanks Captain D will meet them up here.’ I respond chuckling at the call sign.

The Khans enter the throng of party goers with an air of importance, they commanded the space they entered with ease and grace and understated arrogance. Three years had been kind to the siblings.

I had always found Saleem handsome in a traditional Arab way, he wore a crisp white Thawb with his keffiyeh and agal proudly, he smiled openly and broadly his face cleanly shaven and square framed glasses hiding what I knew to be light blue eyes.

Many people approached the twins, my heart skipped a beat when Akeera emerged from behind her brother and bodyguard she greeted several people warmly accepting hugs and kisses from females, she has not changed at all, her hair sleek black and long cascading down her back, her outfit though not revealing still remained figure hugging, her eyes match her older brothers, hypnotic to all who fall beneath their gaze. She still Radiates confidence as she always has.

I had once considered Akeera a close friend perhaps even as a sister, we were close in age and our paths were constantly entwined due to our fathers close business relationship, we forged a bond and I stood now across the deck mourning the loss of it. Our paths diverged because she chose to obey and oblige, and I was forever swimming against the current, constantly rebelling and testing the suffocating walls of my cultural prison.

What would have happened that day if she told me where Kulthum was and we took her and ran away?
‘Aaliyah Amrohi is that you?!’ Saleem booms over the heads of several people He approaches me with his hands up in greeting. We exchange greetings of peace and blessings, I try to see where Akeera is behind him but my view is obscured by the throngs of people surrounding her, she truly is a socialite of the highest caliber.

Saleem turns now from me to loudly hail Akeera and beckon her closer, putting an end to any further socializing she apologizes and walk over to us, my heart stills this moment is crucial our first encounter in three years of complete estrangement.

She reaches me, I smile and in the instant she returns it I know it’s a genuine happiness behind her eyes she closes the space between us without saying a word and embraces me as one would a long lost sibling only just reunited.

‘Ali!’ she holds me tighter drawing me up as she is taller then me and stronger it seems her grip forcing my neck upward arching to fit to the curve of her shoulder.

‘I have missed you so… its been too long!’ she continues to speak muffled by my hair and her apparent open emotion, thick in her voice she squeezes my shoulders, ‘so much has happened, so much sadness my friend… too much loss… Oh… forgive me my distance… I beg ta maaf Ali.’ She is close to tears now I embrace her and gesture for Saleem to follow my coordinator who will lead us somewhere less exposed.

I Separate Akeera from me for a moment look at her positioning my face to display solemn sincerity, ‘Allah Maaf Akeera, please sister all is forgiven.’ I usher her toward the upper deck where a booth already bugged and set up for surveillance awaits us.

We are shown inside and left to our private gourmet food and glittering dessert bar, an exclusive poker table the dealer discreetly waiting to deal us in.

A display case of fine cigars and cognac completes one wall of the lounge a handsome gastronomist prepping all manner of fascinating delights, this area is meant for VIPs. The bodyguards and wait staff posted just outside the glass partition are awaiting commands, the glass doors blocks the thumping bass of the speakers below and high shrill laughter of the already co*ked up drunk individuals surrounding the various decks.

A tall Hookah with 3 pipes stands on the ground in an ornate floor mounting to remain steady whilst we cruise. It is already lit, Saleems favourite Sisha burns the fragrance fills the air with memories teleporting us all back to times when we would indulge in this life for months on end, promising each other we would rather burn the world to ash then lose each other. False promises made by foolish young people.

‘Ah, Every one of my favorite indulgences has been remembered, Aaliyah, you are too good to me.’

Saleem praises me, he slips off his Prada sandals putting manicured feet on the ottoman placed before him, he takes a pipe in his hand taking a deep slow drag eliciting a muffled bubbling sound from the Hookah. We speak in hushed tones, they share frivolous gossip, laugh at old memories and we touch on the tragedy in Riyadh I cry tears from my heart for this, its still an open wound I struggle with, and it feel undeniably healing to share the pain of my loss with the people who knew my family best.

Soon the conversation turns serious, ‘So Aaliyah, where to now for you… After the loss of you fiancè, your family, how hard it must be for you away from the land of your birth… removed from your people.’ Saleem asks me now he fixes me with a pointed focus, this is my first test, ‘do you intend to remain in the west, after the implication that one of there operatives was responsible for the bombing in Riyadh?’

I take a sip of my drink and smile nervously, I appear unsure of myself, not a difficult task as I skate precariously between truths and lies… vulnerable taking an unsteady breath, ‘my life since my Papa’s death has been hard Saleem I wont lie I feel losing so much has changed me Bhai, it has brought me to a knew place… a new understanding and respect for my people, my culture…’ I say… looking down dramatically pausing as I wring my hangs and toy with the fabric of my dress, ‘So… the truth is… I long to return to the Middle east my friends, I wish to be accepted once again into the life I once knew, the west though littered with freedom and indulgence … it will never be home.’ I make strong eye contact with them both, conveying a myriad of emotions, anxiety, desperation, anything to reinforce my plea for acceptance. It is not lost on me that neither have brought up Kulthum, it is as if she isn’t relevant, how easy it is for them to spare her no thought.

Saleem takes a long drag on the pipe and looks at me through the smoke, he takes a moment to glance at Akeera, she is quiet, subdued and submissive, awaiting his verdict, I wonder briefly where her husband is, making a mental note to ask later.

‘Your behaviors in the past, your … opinions have been bold… and sometimes not well received Aaliyah.’ He sits forward now, ‘but… you say that the passage of time has aided in smoothing once rough edges.’ He looks at me closely studying my features, ‘We will support you and put our enfluence and the Khan name behind you.’ He shrugs a small smirk lifting his lip, ‘who knows maybe we can even find you a suitable husband, someone to put all that inheritance to work for you, Build a new empire, after those deserters fled with your families money to Europe!’

My hackles raise, it takes great self restraint to hold my tongue at the insult to my sister in law and nephew.

‘Oh Saleem, how soon it is after Ehsans’ passing, we shall not speak of that now, there is ample time to think of Ali’s marital prospects.’ Akeera interjects moving closer to me, ‘I am delighted you have come to this conclusion about the west and called upon us Ali!’ she says taking my hands we touch foreheads and she beams at me, ‘this will be so good for you…’
‘So when do you think I can come and visit?’ I ask carefully, trying to display what I hope looks like cautious optimism.

The siblings share a discreet glance, ‘perhaps in the coming weeks, there is an occasion that may be appropriate.’ Saleem answers on behalf of them both, ‘A celebration really, of course before tha-…’

‘Ariel… Ariel… we have some company.’ Devin speaks into my ear piece.

‘Captain D… what are you seeing up top.’ Jo says now.

Saleem is prattling on and I am struggling to school my expression and absorb what is being communicated over my ear piece.

‘Navy, two tactical Interceptors… Approx 16 French nationals aboard heavily armed, body cams, they appear to be radioing base…can Acero assist?’ Devin responds, my heart begins to thud.

‘f*ck… they are running the boat through the harbour masters vessel traffic management system, trying to establish who you are and how many you are authorized to have on board, they want permission to execute a force boarding and random search.’ Jo explains.

‘They are about 3min out HQ…’ Devin responds, ‘ I need a POA stat.’

There’s a delay in further instructions, my smile plastered on my face falters, I see the flood lights on the two boats illuminate the tinted windows of the private booth now, the party goers are far to inebriated or high to notice much of anything, the habits and indulgences of the rich are always going to be questionable, these men ready to raid this yacht will arrest everyone, my campaign will be over before its truly begun.

‘f*ck…. f*ck! Devin, listen to me, head them off, DO Not let them board this vessel.’ Jo is giving rapid instructions now, ‘we have civilians on board with every manner of designer drug under the sun being snorted and popped! There is black ops level unsanctioned surveillance equipment on every goddamn deck! We are actively hacking cell phones and cloning data, we cannot be caught! Not to mention the military grade weapons in this room, they do a f*cking sweep they will nail us to the f*cking wall!’ Jo is busy, gearing up very likely for a fight we had no intention of having.

Balling my fists I scan the private room. Saleem doesn’t seem bothered in the least by the change in my demeanor, without rationalizing what I am about to do I devise a plan of my own, Jo is going to be pissed.

My eyes wonder now to the body guard whose attention has been drawn to the approaching vessels. I have begun to perspire and my palms go clammy, anxiety drops like a weight through my abdomen.

‘HQ… permission to utilize deadly force…’ Devin asks now quietly he is moving rapidly down the decks to meet the men who are now liaising with the coordinator via frustrated hand gestures and broken English, trying to demand that the ladders be lowered for boarding, ‘f*ck… HQ… I am going to need some kind of containment measure here.’ Devin’s voice shakes as his adrenaline rises, ‘folks, this is not open water! There are over 80 witnesses in eye or ear shot and I am very much out f*cking numbered, Jesus f*ck!’

My body goes on auto pilot, I move before I have time to reconsider the complete degree of insanity of my next course of action, I politely excuse myself from Akeera and Saleems company, I discreetly pat the bodyguards arm to reassure him, and descend the stairs.

‘Ariel hold your initial position, stay with the payload. Ariel…ARIEL!!!. Respond!!’ Jo demands through my ear piece.

‘I need you to trust me.’ I whisper barely moving my lips I make ground rapidly trying to intercept Devin.

‘Ariel!!! Stand down! That is an order!’ Jo yells now she is moving I hear the boot falls hers and the others, I picture Cruz hot on her heels sprinting to get to me.

‘HQ… please… just hold your position!’ I Whisper fiercely as Devin comes into view the coordinator looks flustered and I give her a polite nod to dismiss her.

The moment Devin takes over from the Coordinator is the same moment hooks are tossed over the railings and as I arrive 8 heavily armed men board the vessel with weapons ready, Devin is about to leap to action and my hand pushes down on his pistol in the holster as he moves to draw and fire.

He stills immediately shock registering as his jaw slackens and I pass him strutting with false confidence toward who appears to be the leader, my hand outstretched I saunter toward the older man in dark fatigues, his boots shine, his hair is greying and perfectly styled.

I speak clearly in well practiced french, ‘Good evening Sir, Aaliyah Asmar Amrohi, I am the financier and host of this gathering, can you perhaps tell me the reason for your intrusion on this most special of occasions?’

‘Ariel what the f*ck are you doing!’ Jo is whisper shouting now spittle has very likely gathered on her lips she sounds venomous.

I display a megawatt smile, many times in the years I have been on this earth I have harnessed my outward appearance, my powerful name or my appearance to win favour, bend people to my will, and unashamedly just get my way. A super power, the physicality of a woman, her ability to render a man willfully submissive and malleable just by batting her eyelids, catching her lip between her teeth the right way, scattering her gaze at the right moment, I wish that it was not this way on most days… but today I hold my breath and wait for a reaction.

The leader looks somewhat taken aback by the boldness, he takes a moment to take my hand, his eyes rove my body, much to my disgust, he smiles, ‘Capitaine DuPont, I am here under the express authority of the French navy to conduct a random search and cease operation.’ He looks into my eyes, ‘a French goodwill initiative to strive for a safer ocean and of course accountability by any sea farers on our waters, we must work together to ensure nothing… nefarious occurs…. you, I am sure, will understand this Miss.’

I close the distance slightly he catches my scent his nostrils flaring, he is considerably taller then me so I crane my neck upward, ‘Captain Dupont, a powerful name for a man in position of authority, it suits your commanding presence.’ I reach out and adjust his badge on his shirt slightly slipping something into his pocket outside the line of sight of his subordinates.

He doesn’t flinch nor move but is aware of my actions all the same, ‘So Miss Amrohi, what occasion has brought you and this… marvelous Yacht to our waters this evening?’

I giggle now and put my hands up, ‘Me of course, its my birthday.’ A lie, but I am hoping Acero and Jo hear it and manage to fabricate something tangible, a footprint online something for this asshole to verify with his tech people.

He steps forward now to look over into the throng of party goers below they don’t notice him at all. Devin is behind me, back straight jaw set, he seems so tightly wound at this moment I fear any small movement or noise would cause him to draw his weapon.

‘My people tell me your birthday was some weeks ago… Miss Amrohi.’ He responds.

‘Indeed, and I have been travelling since then to host and attend parties all over the world… some like this expensive and exclusive and very very private… because Capitaine… The party ends when I say it does..’ I say now my pulse slows and my voice some how stays steady I become oddly calm, 'the party only ever ends... when i say it does.'

‘Expensive parties like this… I suppose easy for a woman with your last name Madame.’ He observes.

‘A great number of things have been very difficult for me… with my last name Capitaine Dupont, freedom... independence... privacy.’ I stand next to him now my eyes falling upon the crowd of dancing bodies below, 'but yes... parties of this nature have never been outside of my scope.'

‘How much is in my breast Pocket Miss Amrohi?’ he asks now, my blood runs cold, he will arrest me for bribery surely, ‘What is your privacy worth hmmm?’

My vision blurred I picture the next 60 seconds in my mind, I signal Devin who draws his weapons, Jo and the team burst through an unknown door spraying bullets into the unsuspecting soldiers behind me, Cruz puts a bullet Into Captain Duponts head, all hell breaks loose below.

I have a single moment to sway this man... and de-escalate the situation.

‘$150k US… those are Geoffrey Parker original chips, There is another $150k in my hand, if you shake it now and get the f*ck off my yacht Dupont… I strongly suspect we can both awaken tomorrow happy people.’ I speak now low and with purpose, allowing him ample time to weigh his options.

He considers this for a moment, he doesn’t look up at me I clench my jaw, I hear Jo over comms telling Devin and the team to get ready to go hot. An eternity passed and then… he lowers his hand to pick mine up from my side.

Kissing it I feel the prickle of his stubble he slips the chips free and wishes me a splendid night and trusts that my vacation in his country will be a pleasant one.

They are gone within seconds. The Interceptors speed away, I wretch violently over the side of the boat, strong hands whirl my around almost throwing me off balance but I am held in place and furious brown eyes fix me with a cold enraged, murderous glare.

‘Have you lost your f*cking mind?!’ Cruz has a deadly texture to her voice her teeth clenched spittle on her lips, and for the first time in our relationship I see the part of her that she hasn’t got control over… here it is… the facet of her capable of murder… of stabbing men in their underwear… of shooting people where they stand and simply blinking it away, and its terrifying, ‘Why would you.. why… what the f*ck were you thinking!!!’ she is barely able to form words her chest heaves.

‘I… was trying to help.’ I respond there’s a tremor to my voice, she doesn’t move or release me, I don’t think she has registered her vice like grip is keeping me in place, ‘Cruz … baby I am ok… we are ok… I need you to please-’

‘Manuelos lets move, Now!’ Jo nudges the door ajar, trying to stay in the shadows and recall Cruz, ‘Cruz… there will be time for this at the debrief, get your scrawny ass back to HQ!’

Devin approached us now, touching her shoulder, ‘Listen love, you are gripping her kind of hard? She is literally going back into a party right now, the show must go on, there really isn’t time for a lovers spat, lass.’

I blink and she has let me go, and punches Devin so hard I hear an audible crack, ‘How’s about you shut the f*ck up, like you were doing 5 minutes ago WHEN MY f*ckING GIRLFRIEND HAD TO DEFUSE THAT SITUATION YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO HANDLE MOTHERf*ckER!!!!’

He staggers backward and Jo and Bobby are between him and Cruz in a split second, the big man spits blood at the deck, ‘You want to try me on string bean, lets go!’ Devin is pushing against Jo trying to get at Cruz now.

‘CAN WE please cut the sh*t and return to our f*cking positions Right now!!!! We are on mission! Aaliyah back to the party… now.. move!’ Bobby barks at me and I leave without looking back.

Once I get to the VIP area I take a breath, compose myself and reenter the room. Akeera and Saleem look at me quizzically, ‘what happened to you Ali?’ Akeera enquires?

I smile reassuringly, ‘Oh so stupid, Harbour patrol, the Captain had it under control, I wasted the walk down those stairs in these heels!!!’ I respond giggling and taking a seat between the siblings I start up the conversation.

Frustratingly the initial organic progression towards securing an invite to the previously mentioned special occasion did not continue. Saleem seemingly weary after the interruption, I wonder if the two exchanged cautionary words in my absence, reason and logic prevailing now they wanted to put me through more rigorous testing before allowing me access to their families inner machinations once again.

We spoke on other topics for the rest of the night, Saleem samples cigars and Akeera orderes co*cktails but never really got drunk enough to become loose lipped. The party outside got progressively more raucous and soon Devin notified me that we would be heading back to the jetty to allow everyone to disembark, before the idiots actually fell over board.

Jo was silent on comms, I sensed that the level of anger directed at me from all sides was relatively high and admittedly not unwarranted, or undeserving, I went against direct orders. In my defense I am no soldier, I wondered how to negotiate Jo’s ire?
By the time we made our way back and the Khans were ready to disembark I finally received a morsel of positive feedback, the evening was not a waste!
Saleem came to me and spoke quietly, ‘a most enjoyable and very well appreciated evening Aaliyah.

I so do admire the turn around you have architected, let us look at the next gathering has an opportunity to bring us even closer! My people will reach out shortly with information next time our turn to host you hmmm? Until then do take care.’

And with that the Khans were in their vehicle and gone. I turned from their receding taillights with pure dread in the pit of my stomach. It was time to head back to the Strat room. Devin unmoored once again cruising out into the night, the sky over head crystal clear and devastatingly beautiful.

The yacht was eerily silent, all the staff having left with the guests, it was as if the vessel herself knew how much trouble I was in and didn’t want to be implicated in my misdeeds.

By my arrival the room was already cleared out, Acero the last person packing away equipment she smiled at me her eyes were bright, alive with the evenings activities.

‘You sure do have some f*cking balls.’ She says in admiration more than admonishment.

I rest my hands on the table breathing in and then out I cant quite stop the nervous and triumphant laughter that escapes me, ‘I cant believe I did that!!! I just.. its like..’ I struggle to explain, I run my hands over my face into my hair and look up shrugging.

‘Had a plan came to you and you didn’t have time to explain. I get it, often times us… Jo and the team… even me too, we go offensive, violence, we think of only the avenue of high probability of outcomes favoring our survival. You took a path that was brave and stupid and I admire you Aaliyah, the others..’ she laughs now, ‘I wont mislead you , they are all pretty pissed, emotions are always going to run high in scenarios where the leader and team believe they have allowed the weakest link to be in a position of maximum exposure.’

I Look down now nodding, ‘An impulsive act on my part I will take my tongue lashing as I should. I should have considered the situation from their point of view.’

‘You saved lives tonight… don’t ever take that for granted.’ Acero responds, she lugs all her cases and bags back to her cabin, I walk with her, before she closes her door she turns to me, ‘Aaliyah…’

I Turn around raising my eye brows, ‘hmmm?’

‘This team… tonight.. what we are about to do… thank you.. for having the guts to do what you did to keep absolution alive. Also… Cruz didn’t mean her outburst earlier, I have seen you two together, she was out of control because her concern for you was greater than her understanding of the magnitude of your actions, she was beyond reasoning... think on this when you next revisit the nights events. See you at breakfast.’ She says and smiles before waving and closing the door.

I turn and head to the cabin, Cruz is turned on her side facing away from me when I finally bathe and climb in beside her she seems asleep.

I sigh deeply laying on my back I stare up at the ceiling, minutes passed and she turns without a word placing her head on my stomach she laces her hands through mine. I feel her eyelashes on my belly as she blinks. We are not ok, my actions tonight were beyond what she is ok with handling, but she is holding me because I am here and safe and she loves me.

And for tonight, that is enough.

Chapter 8: Dissimilation is not a Virtue

Chapter Text

Cruz

I wake before 7am, my mouth dry and the sun bakes the cabin, it makes me feel sticky and I lift myself out of bed careful to not wake Aaliyah, I strip off my tank and shorts and slip on a tights and sports bra, my brain is sluggish from the 4hours of sleep I managed but I figure I can increase some oxygen flow with a bit of sweating.

My eyes lower to her shape naked under the covers, linger on the curve of her face, the crease her hand has made on her cheek where she squashes it whilst she sleeps, the slight traces of make up left behind, she turns reaching manicured nails out to my side not feeling me her frown appears, she complains a little bit, falls back into slumber.

I am so pissed off my rage still burns in my chest, she went way off mission last night, my worst fear was a glaring reality for a moment, she orchestrated some half co*cked maniacal plan to bribe an Official in foreign waters, I want to shake her awake and yell at her. My head dips slightly, remembering my boorish reaction last night, I feel shame, if I think on it I cant explain my behavior to myself let alone her when she wakes.

Best I be gone well before she does wake then, avoidance sounds way better then resolution.

I stop for a water bottle at the bar and then I decide to locate the onboard gym I saw on a few deck layouts during my explorations yesterday, I half heartedly wonder why we are still anchored a few miles off shore and not cruising to our next destination?

My answer in the gym doing a Bulgarian split squat effortlessly. We don’t speak, exchanging sideward glances of disdain, after I hit him and Jo and Bobby pushed us in opposite directions the night before we had not had a single interaction.

I started setting up a circuit for myself, a familiar twinge in my leg reminding me that I will need to swop out the heavier weights I picked, its frustrating to have to remind yourself of your bodies new limitations and it takes time to get used to it.

We carry on our respective workouts with zero interaction, eventually we both have worked ourselves into a sweaty exhaustive state before I cant handle the silence anymore.

‘I shouldn’t have hit you.’ I say.

Devin doesn’t react, I continue with my set of box steps and he does curls he looks at me then in the mirror, ‘You were feral, an animal guarding her territory… to pumped up to give a f*ck who you directed your rage at.’

‘No excuse though.’ I respond breathing sporadically as the repetitions get more strenuous.

‘You ever felt irrationally, uncontrollably in love with a woman before Cruz?’ he asked me now staring at me he has stopped his set, ‘A guy looks at her and you itch to pistol whip him, she moves a certain way and you feel like consuming her? You assess a situation and think there’s a threat and your ready to trade blows… your body for hers… your life for her breath any day… ’

I struggle to look at him, I grit my teeth as I finish up my set and collapse to the floor my chest heaving, ‘I have never in my f*cking life felt what I feel for her…. Its like… everything all at once… she drives me completely out of my mind’ I say now tears prick the corners of my eyes, the exertion has my emotions on display it seems.

‘I think you cant really love a woman with your heart and soul completely, unless you are willing to accept that you give her the power to drive you a little bit insane.’ Devin gets up now fetching my water bottle and handing it to me.

‘You and I, we are not so different.’ He sits next to me sipping his own bottle, ‘I love my wife like that, but I f*cked up too bad for her to ever take me back, I’m damaged and it made me poisonous… but you are younger than me, you have time to get that temper in check and those possessive rough hands under control.’ He turns serious now.

I grimace my lips twist into a sob, ‘I … I don’t know how.’

‘You got people now, we ain’t leaving you lass.’ He slaps my arm, ‘We will work on it together, till its fixed.’

‘Jesus… this is so cute I vomited in my mouth… just a little.’ Bobby says she is leaning against the entrance to the gym looking down at us. ‘Jo’s on deck 2 wants a huddle in 30min, I done roused the Unpredictable pocket fairy she is NOT a morning person, Acero was up polishing ALL her guns… do with that information what you will.’

Bobby hops on a treadmill and starts a steady jog her airpods are in and music blasts, Devin and I exchange brief tight lipped smiles and he is up before me, he extends an arm and I take it, my leg is tender and I limp slightly to the showers.

When we reach the 2nd deck breakfast is laid out, the sun is already high and Jo is chatting to Acero they are looking intently at her laptop, Jo’s glasses perched precariously on the tip of her nose she is asking if the other woman can clean up the imagery on screen at all. I squint out at the sea around us, holiday makers, cruise liners and sail boats litter the ocean line, I take a seat piling food onto my plate.

Aaliyah walks up the stairs her hair damp, barefoot with a figure hugging mint green dress on, her waist small and her hips on display the fabric shimmering and see-through revealing her golden skin in some places… I stop mid chew to simply stare, her eyes catch the glint of sun and dark eyebrows are relaxed, the dress sweeps the floor as she walks over to us, she picks the chair next to mine resting her arm over the back of my chair she faces Jo, I glance out of the corner of my eye her arm sports a bruise the marks I must have made, my gut twists and I feel bile rise, I reach my hand out carefully to brush my fingertips over the arm I fight back tears.

She catches my fingers in hers before I can move my hand away looking at me, ‘We will find time…. To talk ok?’

She moves her other hand to snatch a grape from my plate popping it into her mouth she regards me carefully while she chews, then she smiles a special smile, the one she keeps for me. My heart flutters as if it has wings then settles into my chest cavity, deeply… deeply relieved I nod my head.

The fact that she is willing to speak to me, touch me or give me the time of day speaks volumes about this incredible woman’s character, her capacity for forgiveness.

Devin is seated now and Bobby sweaty blotchy from her run sits opposite me with a wink.

‘I will address this once, and then the subject will be closed.’ Jo speaks now her expression stern, ‘We will face many more situations like we did last night, Aaliyah did an extremely stupid thing but her actions mean we can fight another day, But… Aaliyah next time I say stand down… stand f*cking down, this entire thing is new to you and I want to cut you slack but you 100% could have died or been arrested last night. I am not your commanding officer and you’re are obviously no operative so I cant order you, but I need to know I have your respect and you accept my leadership… if you cant … then we are wasting our time. Do you understand?’

Aaliyah nods her head, ‘I do, I accept your leadership and I’m sorry everyone, I was irrational and the gravity of the situation does not escape me, but I guess all I want to say is… this team and this mission has my loyalty and devotion and I will risk my life alongside all of you any way I must to ensure success.’ She looks around the table now sincerely, ‘I am not your weakest link… I will carry my weight and I will contribute whenever I can… just teach me and guide me so I can do it properly… that is all I guess I can ask for.’

We all nod and I look down into my lap, this is hard, I hate it and I want to bubble wrap her and I cant. She is never going to be a weak link she is always going to be tenacious and involved in our mission, its up to me then to let go of my trepidation.

Jo looks at me, ‘Now you… I realize that we are a small team, and I am not naïve… just like I am involved and invested in your safety … so I am aware of the intimate dynamics that exist between partners.’ She takes a breathe, ‘its always going to be hard when someone you love is in danger, I get it… I live it too. But we cannot… we really one hundred percent cannot turn on each other and become uncontrollable in high pressure situations. Do you understand me?’

I Look up at her now, ‘Yes Ma’am, it wont happen again, Devin and I squared it away this morning.’
There’s a pause while Jo gathers her thoughts and then she speaks, ‘okay, this boat is getting collected in Malta, Devin you should be able to get us there within the next day and a half. We will be meeting a contact of mine, she wants to share intel with us.

Intel is good while we wait for Aaliyah’s invite from the Khans, but we picked up on something already based off some of the surveillance footage the Malta contact sent, I will hand over to Bobby and Acero.’

‘Ok, so after Acero hacked and cloned Akeerah and Saleems devices as well as their Bodyguards we have checked through all their history, images emails anything looking for Kulthum, word about Iran, key words like engagement and wedding.’ Bobby starts explaining.

‘We got one interesting text message on the bodyguards phone, seems he is a driver for the khans and he is scheduled to fetch someone from Anahid Madrasa two weeks from now.’ Bobby says.

‘What is interesting about this place is… we think the Malta contact sent surveillance of it, the images are bad though, you cant get close to this place, private security, patrols and drones prevent any kind of recon. But someone managed to get inside, cleaning staff maybe and snuck a low resolution video recorder in, they took some snaps as best they could.’ Acero explains now, ‘I have heard whispers a long time ago of a place like this but I cant imagine how it is possible in this time of drones and satellites and global intelligence initiatives.’ She trails off as she shows us the grey scale pixelated images.

Its very hard to make out what is happening but it appears that girls are in uniforms, it looks like a large campus there are no men on the premises the guards are all female… to the untrained eye it is simply a school private and bespoke. The teachers are in hijab and the students are moving between classrooms. The camera person moves to a classroom just freshly left vacant, the projector is switched on to reveal a man. Elderly a long beard brushes his robes, he begins to speak in Arabic – the lesson we learn is called subservience and obedience, he sits on a chair and at his feet sit 6 woman cross legged in hijab heads bowed.

‘A wife is a homemaker, a pillar of her husbands empire. She is his most prized possession and to fulfil the role of wife mother and life partner you must prepare. You must above all else practice subservience and obedience to bring honor and great happiness and satisfaction to the partner God has chosen for you. It is your Devine duty to sit at the feet of the man your parents have married you too, offer him no resistance and be where he finds love and adoration. Your time at Anahid must be used wisely, practice and develop the habits we instill in you and use the tools we equip you with, you are after all the future. Remember why you have been put on this earth, your purpose and path is singular, strive for excellence in this, and your pathway to heaven will be paved in blessings.’

The camera cuts abruptly and we see no more.
‘what the actual f*ck did I just watch?’ Bobby asked leaning on her elbows she ruffles her sweaty hair into a frenzy.

‘The first time I saw that man was 14 years ago… I was starting out with Lioness and I heard chatter, some radical purist was punting the notion of bringing females back to their most basic purpose.

He was complaining of the inconvenience of having dispatched 3 wives already… he uhm-’ Jo clears her throat the tendons in her neck strain as she tries to finish, ‘He… would dissolve them in vats of acid probably for not sitting at his feet or something…just really f*cking sick sh*t.’ She moves her plate away appetite lost.

She stands now to pace back and forth, ‘I told Kaitlynn she said nothing we can do. We go after terrorists not wife killers.’ Jo clenches her jaw, ‘I f*cking begged her… I tried.’

She looks at us now, ‘About 11 years ago I was still keeping tabs on him, and I heard from a very reliable source that he had started up some kind of institution, a school but for Islamic studies... Anahid Madrasa.’ She folds her arms sighing, ‘he positioned it as a STEM and religious studies 50/50 split girls would enroll at 8 and leave by 13. A private school for the very elite to send their girls and fork out large amounts of cash to ensure top tier education and care, but I dug further, lots of the girls would leave school at 13 and be married before their 14th birthday… they never enter mainstream education.’ She comes to rest her palms on the table, ‘Again I took it to Kaitlynn again she says drop it. Not our fight, surely an agency geared toward his particular crimes would catch up to him.’

‘So a wife training Mill? They are just churning out child brides perfectly formed and brainwashed? How can this be allowed?’ Devin asks now, ‘Jesus, there’re just f*cking Kids!’

‘Well why not man? You can send a daughter away and for a price she returns ready to accept whatever political, business or social trade or bargain you use her for.’ Bobby responds her lip curls, ‘why would there be any pushback when the basis of her education is that she has one singular purpose, it aligns with the families agenda… this is f*cking disgusting!’

‘Anahid…. This is of Sanskrit origin… undefiled… immaculate to be chaste and pure.’ Aaliyah says now her hand goes to her mouth, ‘O no… they sent Kulthum to this mans school? This man who…. Puts women in acid vats.?’

‘Well… according to the phone messages she is due out of the madrasa imminently, so whatever they put her through she survived it.’ Acero explains, what puzzles me is her age… she doesn’t fit the enrollment specifications.’

‘A special exception for a wealthy and powerful ally? Or a suggestion by her soon to be husband?’ Bobby muses not really expecting an answer.

‘Who sent the message?’ I ask now. It’s the first words I have said on the matter my shock only overshadowed by the thought of Kaitlyn Meade not wanting to go near this guy.

‘Its an automated diarizing app looks like it puts the date time in his calendar and he just has to show up.’ Acero answers me now.

‘Why did Kaitlyn not report this guy to an agency state side who could launch some extra investigations?’ I ask now looking at Jo, ‘ I mean surely turning a blind eye to this is too high a moral sacrifice!’

‘Her words to me were… a man as monstrous as Muhammad Mousa Al Fakir would find us before we could ever find him… and she didn’t want to imagine what manner of death he would make us suffer if we so much as whispered his name…’ Jo responds to me her voice quivers and I cant help the goosebumps erupting inspired by the fear in her tone.

‘He is just a man, not some phantom demon whose name shall not be said.’ Devin retorts now, ‘she was cowardly this Kaitlyn character!’

‘She was strategic and cunning… but cowardly isn’t a word I would use to describe Kaitlynn Meade.’ Jo looks at Devin now slightly annoyed by his slander of her former boss.

‘Strategic and cunning? Jesus Christ dissimilation isn’t a f*cking virtue Jo! Why have I never heard of this? We have spent years chasing assholes around the globe but this guy we just what?! Turn the other way!’ Bobby’s voice raises now she is pissed off, ‘so who decides what’s worth a shoot out? We can go out assassinating guys for selling oil but this motherf*cker doesn’t make the list?! She slaps her fist down now scratching the floor as she pushes her chair back She is on her feet.

‘Lioness was a f*cking lie! And I have given years of my life to it!’ Bobby turns now walking off, ‘How could you Jo!’

‘Bobby we are not done…’ Jo yells after her.

‘Yeah f*ck that… send me the minutes.’ She tosses over her shoulder taking the stairs swiftly.

Jo sighs deeply again she takes her glasses off tossing them on the table, ‘Devin set course for Malta I would like to be out of French waters in the next few hours. Acero see what else you can dig up on this Anahid madrasa, I want you to try and see how the khans are affiliated to Al Fakir get me if you want to go over any findings. Cruz you need to get some weapons and combat training in with Aaliyah today please.’

She grabs her equipment and is gone thereafter leaving us all somewhat shell-shocked. Its strange for Bobby and Jo to fight, almost like the parents are quarrelling and the rest of us are left painfully awkward.

I Get up and Aaliyah walks with me to the Strat room I show her some basic weapons knowledge maintenance, disassembly reassembly aim and pistol positioning. From there we go to the gym I test her fitness which is very distracting she apparently goes from gorgeous to ridiculously hot when she sweats and pants on the ground before she collapses into a fit of giggles from exertion.

Last night doesn’t come up, and she seems to forgive me without me asking, but this isn’t how I want to resolve things with us, I want to be accountable to her and the only way to do that is to put my hand up and volunteer to admit I was not treating her the way she should be treated, Devin’s words echo in my head from earlier and I’m about to open the dialogue when she claws her way up my leg and stands with a dramatic grunt.

‘I am going to shower, I feel gross meet me on deck 3 for lunch?’ she asks linking her arms around my neck and staring into my eyes. Her aroma is intoxicating, anything she asks of me I would do, I nod my head struggling to find words and pivot from what I intended to speak about moments before.

She kisses me slow and thorough her tongue slipping passed my lips and I cant stop the rush of air escaping my lungs at the welcome intrusion. Then she breaks the kiss and is gone humming to herself as she saunters away.

She speaks to herself about chaffing and how yoga tights are not meant for French summers as her voice fades I rub my face roughly with my hands. I smile to myself, this woman complaining of work outs and gym tights chaffing literally single handedly kept us all from all out war last night.

I shake my head and leave the gym, the yacht has begun to move the sail to Malta will hopefully be smooth, Devin speaks over the intercom briefly to say we are on route and the weather looks fair all the way.

I pass Acero on the way up to 3rd deck to wait for Aaliyah she is bent forward deeply engrossed in her work, she frowns and mumbles to herself her notepad open beside her she records information whilst puzzling over something.

‘You find something worth all that frowning?’ I ask.
She sighs and pouts a bit tapping the table and her leg shakes as she shakes her head, ‘There are just layers and layers of sh*t covering the financial pathways here, but I think I almost have it. I think Al Fakir has some anonymous benefactors bankrolling this project.’

She looks up at me, ‘I think Kulthums family got the initial contract to build this entire campus, and Saleem has his own private security and surveillance company, his client list is impressive… and by that I mean he protects some very dangerous assholes, I cant find anything to evidence him handling Al Fakirs private security though.’

‘So they have pretty close ties?’ I ask now taking a seat next to her.

‘I don’t want to speculate just yet but I have seen Al Fakir at some functions with Saleems father and mother using some back channels, maybe a coincidence… or something more but I am hoping this Malta informant can fill in the blanks.’

I nod my head sitting back looking out over the ocean, ‘how you feel about Jo…. Keeping quiet with this all these years?’ I ask folding my arms over my stomach.

‘I am a soldier Cruz, as are you. We follow orders and complete assignments, it was never Jo’s job to find targets, only execute missions.’ She turns to me now sweeping her long hair to the side, ‘She isn’t keeping quiet now… she has in fact left everything she knows behind for this, and that should not be overlooked, I may not know her but I know that took strength.’

I nod my head my lips pursing and I guess she is right, Jo has come a long way, ‘im gonna head to 3rd deck for lunch, you should take a break too.’ I say standing to leave I gently touch her shoulder.

When I reach the 3rd deck Aaliyah is seated crossed legged on a large round lounger with fries and dip and what looks like deep fried sushi on a platter, I join her and smile taking a fry to sample.

‘this is delicious after all that exercise hmmm?’ she asks between bites.

I laugh now, ‘this is probably not the healthiest choice after exercise, Jo wants me to make a half way decent soldier out of you… you know.’

She shrugs putting an extra fry in her mouth, we both eat in silence for a moment.

‘I’m really sorry about last night.’ I whisper now before I lose my nerve, ‘I have been screwing up a lot lately… feels like I say sorry a lot and its cause I’m just so f*cking broken, I thought it would get better but…’

‘you were scared, for me…. Of losing me?’ she asks, ‘you have been carrying the trauma of that day for so long alone baby… tell me what’s In your mind Cruz… I want to help.’

‘I er… I have had an anxiety issue since your wedding… since what I did… to your er…’ I am struggling sweat breaks out on my upper lip and then I start fidgeting, ‘its just… after tha-..’

Her hand moves to cover mine and she stills me, looking into my eyes, ‘hey… its me… its just me.

Speak to me Cruz I have already forgiven you for what happened that night, you and I are unconventional… there exists no blueprint for how we should be, this we are making up as we go along…’
I nod, breathing now trying to focus on her fingers squeezing mine, the smell of the ocean, the vibrations of the engines… she is safe I can relax and speak.

‘Since then I didn’t think you would come back into my life, but you did, a second chance to love you… then we were pulled apart again, all my fault and… then.. I had to watched her.. her hands around your neck…’ I swallow… ‘Aaliyah if I was 5minutes later… if I-..’

She moves the food away from us now climbing into my lap she locks her feet behind me pulling us close she takes my face in her hands, ‘Cruz… Cruz… stop.’ She waits for me, ‘you are spiraling and its hindering you.’

‘I’m sorry.’ I respond.

‘You need to let it go, let that night go, you made it on time you saved my life and we are here together and its beautiful.’ She says now and kisses me, ‘I know you are dangerous… I see it the lethality and the rage and the pain, I love you… all of you, even the parts that are difficult to love… you know this I have told you before …’

I look down deeply ashamed that she has seen the ugliest side of me, ‘ I didn’t mean to hurt you… I’m so ashamed.’

‘Baby… that’s just it… you didn’t mean to hurt me, I know that… I knew it last night too.’ She speaks so softly its like I have to snatch her words from the ocean breeze, ‘you love me… and its a lot… believe me I know, the love I feel for you is at times so big I feel my heart struggle to contain it.’

‘Nothing excuses or justifies me hurting you Aaliyah, Nothing.’ I say now turning my face from her, ‘I shouldn’t be with you if there’s a f*cking chance I’m going to hurt you.’

‘I trust you, Cruz… even if you don’t yet trust yourself.’ She kisses my forehead and caresses my cheeks coaxing me to look at her, ‘I knew the moment I saw you that I was only ever going to be with you… it will always be you.’

She kisses me then, the intensity of her need igniting so passionately she pushed me down onto the lounger her body covering mine. She is taking back power in a way, her fear and vulnerability from the night before burnt to ash now in the blaze of her desire, ‘We cant go back, You cant undo this Cruz, you are part of who I am, I could never love this way again…. Never!’

‘Aaliyah!’ I breath her name, ‘ we are literally in full view any one can come up here.’ But I writhe beneath her aching for her skin on mine.

Her growl in response keeps me in place, she unbuckles my belt and rips my top over my head she barely looks up before she bites my shoulder, I hold back a yelp. She doesn’t relent she unzips my camo’s and I know I am so wet for her, her hand hot and eager slips inside my underwear, there’s a pause.

Anticipation builds and I know what’s coming next but my head swims and my heart skips a beat, she looks at me now straddling my waist I tilt my pelvis toward her, ready for her.

‘Nothing will come between you and me…’ she says now looking into my eyes, ‘ say it…’

I am breathing hard, ‘nothing comes between us.’ I say and she inserts her fingers inside me, I cry out in pleasure and she begins her rhythm.

‘You know you are mine …’ she whispers into my ear now panting as her fingers caress my walls I feel myself contracting begging her deeper. ‘I need you, everyday there is no life worth living if you are not in it… like this always…’

‘I Know… I know baby… I-…’

The org*sm hits me and I hold her close as my hips pump and I try to regain composure, we are both breathing heavy she kisses me holding me in her arms my face buried in the fabric of her dress her breasts rise and fall against my open mouth.

‘I love you Cruz.’ She says into my hair we hold each other as the yacht cruises, moving us closer and closer to our next perilous destination.

Our sweat drying upon our skin under the Saint Tropez sky.

Chapter 9: The love in letting go

Chapter Text

Jo

The yacht is sailing smoothly the ocean placid and serene I cant help but take a moment alone, the mornings events have dredged up terrible memories.

Frustration and feelings of oppression. Lately its like I have to question everything I ever believed in, but maybe this is part of the journey, a shift in mindset and values.

From this point on we are in uncharted waters in more ways than one and we need to be a cohesive unit before the real f*cked up sh*t goes down, Al Fakir is a monster… and there is no way in hell he is going to go down easy.

This team, the people Bobby and I are now responsible for, its no longer just numbers… not just bodies and this isn’t just another operation, f*cking no one is standing ahead of me leading me, Kaitlyn isn’t going to show up and expect a report and give me a lecture and give us directives… if I’m honest with myself I miss that, knowing someone has me.. someone catches me if I fall, I mourn the loss of her wisdom and planning and foresight, in moments like these when I am terrified and feel adrift.

‘f*ck…’ I whisper as I let the cool breeze and sea salt soothe me.

Bobby is pissed, she has a right to be but I cant fix the past, its happened and now all there is , is the path forward, the difference we can make now, hopefully once she cools off we can hash it out and present a united front once more, we are the leadership of this unit and we need to act like it.

My head feels too full and I want to blow off some steam, before I can head back to my cabin to change Acero catches me and wants to share her findings.

‘So essentially we are dead in the water until this Malta informant can give us more to go on.’ I hold the back of my neck sighing in frustration, ‘its always bigger than you think, I know this and yet sh*t can still surprise me… after all I have seen over the years.’

‘We will need to intensify our efforts at discretion Jo, no slip ups,’ Acero responds, ‘if you are sure we are going after this guy… its going to take everything we’ve got and more... Cruz… is young Devin is sporting some emotional scars and Aaliyah is a civilian… Are you certain we can pull an operation of this magnitude off?’ her eyes are wide and she shivers involuntarily.

‘With the scale of his influence and the financial resources at his disposal a part of me understands why Kaitlyn didn’t want to f*cking touch him.’ I respond my jaw sets, ‘I let this f*cker slide once Acero… I listened to my superiors and surrendered to fear and let him get away with this sh*t for over a decade… His time is up.’

‘So we are going after him?’ Acero responds.

‘Yeah…. We are going after him, we are going to shut down his school – and burn it to the ground with him in it.’ I respond now, she nods at me.

‘I knew… when I first saw you, that you would bring something into my life most profound and I knew it would not be an easy journey…’ she clears her throat, ‘Lets burn it all to the f*cking ground then.’

I Smile at her now, feeling a lot of my anxiety and self doubt ebb away, the look in her eye is contagious, an infectious energy, it breeds hope and sparks momentum and it will fuel us , this kind of attitude. If we don’t believe this is possible then we wont succeed.

‘Thank you.’ I say now.

She looks at me puzzled, ‘for?’

‘Making me feel like self belief is a tool rather than a frivolous coping mechanism.’ I respond.

She laughs now, husky and thick with emotion, ‘sometimes all that we are as women in this cruel world is built purely on self belief Jo.’

I let the words seep into me, it saddens me how true it is. We sit for some time in companionable silence watching the world float by as we make our way to Malta. By evening I cant avoid my room in dire need of a shower and rest so I make my way there.

Bobby isn’t here, probably sulking in a secluded corner, turning this mornings revelations over in her head over and over, she gets like this… it used to be after a long tour or an op or a deployment the last few days before I would leave to go home she would pull away from me… find something to disagree over make our parting easier, for her at least.

To me that coldness just made going home worse, because I would sit there in Neil’s arms having dinner, drinking wine knowing Bobby was pissed drunk f*cking a random or punching someone till her knuckles were bloody.

The reports of her infringements and petty charge list I would need to have pardoned after any lengthy break was like a story book… “A guide: all the sh*t I do when I know you are with him”.

Now we weren’t going to part, now I had given up everything familiar to me and chose to follow her into the complete unknown and somehow she still found a way to be pissed at me.
I chose her and I would do it again a hundred times but Jesus she was difficult to be around when she felt betrayed.

It wasn’t intentionally done, keeping Al Fakir and Kaitlyn’s decision on whether to pursue him or not a secret. It was just the way of things, the order of command.

Bobby was not a child she knew well there were things up for discussion and then there were topics that were OOB.

For the sake of our relationship and goodness knows because selfishly I cared greatly about the way she perceived me, I kept a fair amount of the questionable decisions Kaitlyn and I had made over the years a secret.

I know it wasn’t right, but I loved Bobby, and you shield the people you love from bad things as best you can. Also she would have likely left the entire unit if she ever felt that she didn’t agree fully with what we were doing. She proved that a few short months prior when she went AWOL to try and save Cruz.

I sit down heavily on the bed trying to pry my boots off I am tired bone deep and weary and my fingers don’t want to undo the laces, my eyes burn too I’m running on very little sleep and too much stress the adrenaline levels are reducing. The cabin door opens and she walks in her eyes puffy, I have never seen her cry before, and I likely never will in this lifetime.

Women as hard and seasoned and tough as Bobby don’t break down in front of anyone.

We don’t speak, I’m still viciously trying to undo the knots in my laces and I grow irritated scowling under my breathe. She is undressing herself but stops midway through coming over she gets down on her knees and covers my hands. She removes them and untangles the tight knots I have made slipping the boots off without ceremony or fuss.

‘Did you really want to go after him?’ she asks quietly not looking at me.

‘I… did. I obsessed over it … for years... but I never once thought of telling you …’ I reply honestly, ‘because I knew in my soul you would never rest knowing he was out there and we weren’t fighting him… I couldn’t look that weak and morally bankrupt in your eyes.’

I sigh, ‘half my life I have been trying to look a certain way in your eyes… trying to be good… trying to tear myself into two…’ I cradle my head in my hands. ‘You’re the reason I feed the good wolf, starve the bad one… but the things about me that make me dark and brutal and capable of terrible things… Bobby those parts of me are here inside and I need them for what lies ahead.’

‘There’s is nothing inside of you that I don’t want, not a single f*cking thing.’ She looks up now at me her light eyes hyper focused boring into me, ‘I know you go to a dark place to get through hard sh*t Jo.. I’m not stupid… but I always thought you would tell me… if you were in turmoil.’

‘Bubba the last 15 years have been nothing but turmoil.’ I say now my voice trembles, ‘Knowing how deeply in love I have always been with you, denying myself the life I wanted with you, wasting f*cking years on a marriage that now lies in ruin?’ Sending young women to their deaths! Constantly compromising my moral fibers telling myself night after f*cking night that I’m doing the right thing… its all turmoil.’

‘Why would you ever wanna carry that alone hmmm?’ she asks now, she traces my chin with her finger before dropping her hand to my knee rubbing it tenderly.

‘I carried it alone because its my job,’ I cover her hand with mine, ‘when we were together and it was good… no fights no sadness, those pockets of happiness… those little moments they made everything else easier to palate, you make all the bad in me seem less bad… you made Al Fakir feel far away.’

‘We are gonna f*cking nail this asshole Jo.. we have to… make this right.’ She responds now her lips are tight her nostrils flair and she looks determined.

‘On our own terms, our way..’ I respond combing her blonde hair back resting my hand on her toned shoulder where the muscles bulge barely contained by her sweater.

‘Im… I.. I’m going to start sharing more with you…’ she says now swallowing awkwardly. ‘like my feelings and stuff.’ She says now shyly the color rising in her neck to her cheeks, ‘-if you want to er… ask me stuff… I want that.’

I cant help the corners of my mouth lifting at this display of vulnerability and openness.

‘Oh yeah?’ I tease her now leaning forward I whisper softly, ‘You going soft on me….’ I snake my tongue out of my mouth to lick at her lips nipping her gently. Her breath hitches and she looks at me seriously.

‘Tell me more…’ I say now my knees part to move closer.

‘I think its what’s next… for you and me, to be emotionally available to each other,’ she says now, I kiss her neck my hand grabs hold of her hair tugging it, her eyes close, ‘nothing stands in our way… nothing stops us from being invested now, I want to try to know you in all the ways I avoided knowing you before… I really want it… I really want you.’

‘Stand up.’ I command and she rises up from her knees I lift her shirt to reveal the bulging abdominals of her prone and taut Adonis belt, I lick the muscles above the band of her underwear, salty they twitch and I hear her pant.

‘take it all off.’ I say now, ‘for me, I want it all off.’

She takes her pants down, underwear sweater and bra and stands naked inches from me seated on the bed looking at her she is sleek, gleaming hairless, her thighs are thick and defined she looks like a work of art, sculpted and tanned, scars and bullet holes long healed mottle her body but never distract from the sexiness of her.

She is raw power, like an untamed wild animal and I see her looking at me, waiting for me to be willing to please her.

‘what do you want tonight?’ I ask I lean back waiting for an answer.

She thinks for a moment, she doesn’t move or speak I grow more and more aroused as she stands before me.
‘tonight I want to be inside you… you think you can handle me like that?’ she asks and I visibly twitch in anticipation of what’s to come, ‘you want me to put it on for you baby?’
She nods, I get up go to the closet get the strap out and get down on my knees in front of her pulling the leather straps tight the dild* dangling inches from my mouth she is excited I can tell.

She helps me out of my pants leaves my top on, she cant restrain herself any longer, her calloused hands guide me to the bed, she licks her lips.

‘Lay down baby…’ I say now into her ear.

She lays on the bed and I straddle her, I’m so wet when I guide her inside of me, there’s little resistance I moan low and long she gently grips my waist her lips part she is losing control wants to thrust into me so badly I cant feel it.

Her muscles strain, ‘you like it?’ She asks still completely still.

‘You feel so good baby…So deep.’ I whisper

‘Oh f*ck.’ She is doing her best but cant stay still anymore she is trying to be gentle, letting my body fit around her and get used to her inside me.

I start to move my hips slowly, stroking deliberately up then down sliding along the shaft of the strap on I moan, It feels incredible, she matches my slow steady pace rising and thrusting she sweats and her body hums with pleasure.

We f*ck this way me on top riding her, she grips my waist grinding my puss* into her until my org*sm tears out of my throat and I cant handle the stimulation anymore she gets up with me in her arms still buried inside of me and lays me down on the bed she slowly slides the dild* free, her sweat drips now onto me she is panting with need, the moisture between her legs makes my thigh slick and slippery, I smell her arousal strongly and I want her so badly.

‘Let me take care of you…’ I say now biting my lips, she kisses me bruising my lips she is all need now trying her best not to be rough.

She can hardly speak she stands up her body pumped up with exertion and desire. Her lips are parted and her labia is pronounced, her cl*t waits for me to take it into my mouth, I salivate in anticipation. I climb off the bed and get on my knees.

‘you like me like this, don’t you.’ I rub her thighs digging my nails in leaving welts she cries out cursing, ‘you like looking at me on my knees, I want you to come in my mouth so bad.’

She nods her head, she has my chin in her hand the other hand she caresses herself cursing aloud, ‘f*ck… now… now Jo.’

I suck her cl*t into my mouth and she comes she balls her fists at her sides and I take them and open her hands and put her fingers in my hair urging her to grind into my mouth she thrusts her hips forward.

She rides wave after wave of her org*sm its so intense she is dripping down her thighs she loses her footing and we are both on the floor she still thrusts upwards and I lick at her, savoring the sweetness, she calms after a few intense moments and her hands go limp in my hair.

I crawl up her body still half clothed and she cradles me in her strong arms crushing me to her chest her breathing slows, we falls asleep like this, half way through the night I pull the blankets off the bed to cover us, she doesn’t stir, her body relaxed in slumber satisfied from the lovemaking.

I wake up early the next morning Bobby is already showering I hear her singing off key but passionately and I slink into the shower cubicle, we f*ck again against the shower door, her appetite for me has always been so insatiable, she pins me to the glass I bite her shoulder her fingers moving in slow deliberate circles coaxing my cl*t to org*sm, I cant help the moaning my hands hold her taught lean shoulders nails raking marks down her muscled traps my leg circles her waist giving her access to my entrance, anchoring myself in place she dips her head taking my breast into her mouth suckling and riding wave after wave of my climax she plunges her fingers inside of me over and over again.
She carries me out when my knees buckle and she places me on the bed, kissing me, covering my wet body with hers, drops of water fall on me from the tips of her hair, she lays this way looking at me, studying my features and I feel my heart grow warm.

‘We will likely make port by late afternoon, I need to touch base with Aaliyah about the payment for the yacht and then check in with our transport, the address and coords should be sent to me by midday.’ I say now running my knuckles over her cheek, her head dips towards the caress like a feline.

Her eyes go light, translucent and crystalize she is euphoric and I cant help the chuckle escaping me, I haven’t seen her this soft or receptive to me since our twenties.

‘You ok up there Bubba…’ I ask now biting my lip to stop my mirth from showing.
She nods now her face serious, ‘Do you think we should get married?’

I Laugh belly loud at that,

‘What!? Who are you?! What is happening!’ I laugh again my chest heaves and I feel tears escape my eyes.

She isn’t laughing though, her eyes are serious her features darken and her jaw sets, she wants it. She wants me to marry her.

I stop laughing composing myself before I speak, ‘Bobby…. I just got divorced… I have been attached for a longer time then I haven’t been in my adult life… I just.. I want you and I know that but I need to breathe.’ I explain gently touching her eyebrow and smoothing the stubborn crease there, ‘I need you to… just hold space for me ok… be my safe place and let me be yours… I have so many years to make up for.
We can revisit this subject when we are on the other side of the sh*t storm we are about to create.’

She nods her head again kissing me deeply our tongues meshing and tangling together. I wrap my legs around her and it feels like we are never going to leave this cabin ever again.

She lifts herself above me eventually offering me a hand up she holds me in her arms, ‘When you are ready Jo… Its going to be f*cking amazing.’

We dress and head out in search of food. Its late morning now I go to the bridge and Devin smiles at me he is focused on navigating from the helm.

‘We still on schedule?’ I ask handing him a fresh mug of coffee from the breakfast I had with Bobby earlier.
‘Yes, about 9hours out but I can push her harder we have fuel reserves and we can make port just before sundown? He responds.

I think on it briefly checking my watch, ‘carry on at the current speed, no need to draw any unnecessary attention Acero reckons this is about the time where we keep a much lower profile…. Which means we may need to travel separately to Aaliyah, create some distance… and Cruz wont like this… there are times when she may need to go solo… especially if the Khans come through with an invite.’ I finish my thought now worry settling like a stone in my belly.

‘Acero and I can stay close…pose as security. It will put Cruz at ease for the most part. We don’t have recognizable faces and anyway we can play dress up. Acero looks like she would rock a sequined bodysuit right?’ he responds.

I try to suppress the laugh but it bubbles over anyway, ‘so basically you just want to get punched again?’ I ask smirking.

‘Ok, seriously though she has presented as a man for most of her life… it makes sense she can do this.’ He explains, he has a point and it wont be unusual for Aaliyah to have security being wealthy and visible.

‘The cyber smudging may not be enough to fool Saleems facial recognition software his security protocols may be seriously advanced enough to find intel not even the best ghosts can hide from certain corners of the virtual world… so lets run it by Acero see what exactly Saleem Khan has in terms of resources and then take it from there. I have to tread carefully with Cruz too… the last time they were apart-…’ I sigh looking down at my boots, ‘lets just say it wasn’t something any of us want to risk again.’

Devin touches my arm now, ‘I understand the kid more than you know… she is a lot like me at that age… I will speak to her if it helps … let her know I have Aaliyah’s six, no matter what.’

I nod my head in answer, ‘let me make the sat call confirm our ETA.’ I respond and leave the bridge.

Aaliyah is already waiting for me, laptop open, ‘I moved the cash around you needed me too.’

‘Thanks, I have the vehicles secured for extraction at the harbor when we reach land in Marsaxlokk.’ I glance around looking for Cruz, ‘we need to talk about a few things … not now but soon.’
She looks at me her expression turning serious, ‘something wrong?’
‘No, nothing like that, new developments as the situation changes that’s all.’ I respond.

We pass the few hours remaining milling around on the various decks, there’s a sense of ease, the team chatter and bicker Devin seems to have connected over a short time with Cruz in a weird way, he takes a break from the bridge the yacht has auto navigation software that essentially takes you wherever you desire in the world.

Who knew getting punched would endear him to her this way. They are currently trying to hold their breathe in the pool Bobby wagering who will come up first with Acero who puts all her faith in Cruz. Foolish Girl, Devin wins easily, he was once a specialist diver with an aquatic extraction unit.

I smile at the scene playing out, Aaliyah’s open adoration, Acero smiling freely her lopsided smirk genuine, Bobby yelling at Cruz to get some diving hours in winking Lewdly.

We reach port as the sun turns the sky marshmallow pink the air is hot and the breeze dries the sweat in the small of my back. As we dock the large vessel quayside the next crew sign hand over and release papers with Devin, we grab our bags and make our way to the parking lot, shielded from the public eye by towers of shipping containers.

Two SUVs are parked side by side for us as promised I am about to take my glasses off when at my peripheral Bobby goes down struck on the back of the head, I swirl ready to draw my weapon, the punch to my gut leaves me breathless and my feet are taken out, I land on my back a gun is trained on my forehead, my pistol skitters over the floor and beyond reach.

Cruz manages to deflect the intended disarming blow by her assailant and throws a series of rapid punches disarming him, she delivers a kick to his ribs that elicits a grunt before someone tackles her bodily to the cobbled stone floor she elbows this attacker but he twists her arm up behind her slapping her across the cheek and then slamming her head into the cobble stone ground she is dazed, he flips her over and subdues her almost pulling her arm out of its socket.

Devin has managed to put Aaliyah between the SUV and himself, he fights 3 men at once who are delivering damaging blows, he is bleeding from a large split over the bridge of his nose, someone kicks him viciously in his ribs but he staggers upright shielding Aaliyah bodily.

Acero has her opponent pinned to the ground punching them repeatedly, another assailant pulls her up from behind in a choke hold and she dangles a few centimeters off the ground.

Devin eventually falls and they pull Aaliyah down to her knees scraping her bloody, she cries out and Cruz looks Rabid, ‘DON’T f*ckING TOUCH HER YOU SON OF A BITCH!!’ she screams as the person sitting on her back forces her bloody face into the dirt, she growls enraged.

I try to stand but the Gun barrel is jabbed painfully into my head likely drawing blood the man above me kicks me in my side so hard I gag again, I look over at Bobby she lies still, knocked out cold by the force of the blow, my blood boils im a furnace, who is this and how the f*ck did they know we were here, I was thorough.

They line us in a row against the one vehicle on our knees and cable tie our hands, a vehicle eventually pulls in and crawls to a stop a few meters from us. Could this be the moment we all get executed because we dared to look into AL Fakir???

I Sweat now, fear and anger, rage and adrenaline war inside my body. Bobby’s head bows forward blooding trickling freely down her head into her tank top she sways but I shoulder her weight to keep her from falling. Assault rifles trained on our heads there are nine of them, expressionless and fingers hovering above feather triggers.

Aaliyah is trembling so badly her teeth chatter, common response for a civilian, I am helpless to offer any comfort we wait in silence as the car door is opened.

‘Lower your f*cking heads, all of you! Now’ a man says through his mask his voice muffled.
We all fix our eyes on the ground right in front of us and don’t dare look up.

The occupant of the vehicle is crunching there way over the ground towards us and eventually comes to a stop a few feet from me.

The prolonged silence is driving my anxiety levels upward, my entire team is about to be executed...

‘We always had one simple f*cking rule… I know where you are and you know where I am…. Every f*cking day…I wake in the morning… before I check on my daughters or my husband. BEFORE I PISS!!! I check where you are and tell you WHERE THE f*ck I AM!!!’ her voice is pure venom doused in gasoline and set a light with a stick of dynamite.

I look up now defying instructions, the operative with his gun trained on me strikes me so hard my ears ring and I fall forward, landing hard. She covers the ground in seconds unclipping his side piece and training it on his temple, ‘you ever put your hands on her again I will shoot you in your f*cking head, now cut her loose and step away soldier.’ She speaks with authority and the man obeys, we are all cut from our bindings, ‘Jesus f*ck! I said subdue them, not brutalize them you incompetent asshole!’

I look up now, ‘Kaitlyn...’ I croak my voice strained.

She leans down pointing a manicured finger at me, ‘Don’t you utter a f*cking word.’ She paces down the line of us all slouched against the car at various degrees of injured.

‘So a rag tag bag of damaged goods… that’s why you abandoned your family and humiliated me… this!!!! f*cking bunch of rejects… and I don’t even want to know what Aaliyah Amrohi is doing here!!!!,’ she is gesticulating wildly her blue eyes are feral.

‘I looked my superiors in the eye and flat our refused to entertain the notion that Jo McNamara had chosen to walk out on everything she had ever known… all that we had worked so f*cking hard for…’ she is standing in front of me now, ‘get on your damn feet and look at me!’

I Stand up now and look into her face, her hair is wild and her eyes have dark circles from lack of sleep, she is dressed in fatigues no heels, she is dressed for combat, she has no make up on. I cant bring myself to speak, in her eyes is a mixture of relief and reproach, how dare I be alive and prove Byron right.

‘Kate… let me explain… please.’ I say now my throat dry and I feel my eyes lower, I’m not strong enough to see her hurt so deeply by me.

‘I should arrest you, throw you both in jail and never let you see the light of f*cking day.’ She says now gesturing to me and Bobby who is slouched against the van grimacing up at her, ‘that’s what the department heads want, those are my orders.’ Her eyes rest on Bobby.

‘Hiii Boss lady.’ She manages with a weak little wave, ‘How you liking Malta?’ she asks.

‘SHUT THE f*ck UP BOBBY!!!’ everyone exclaims all at once.

I turn to her, ‘Kaitlyn… you shouldn’t be here…you didn’t need to come here…’

‘No you shouldn’t be here! You need to send these people home, and you need to get in the f*ckin car I have a plane waiting I’m taking you home Jo, you had months to do erratic sh*t now this madness better be out of your system, lets go.’ She says now gesturing towards her car.

‘I’m not going home…’ I say now my voice sounds small and scared barely audible, ‘I have.. we… have something we have to do.’

She breathes through her mouth puffing out her cheeks in exasperation, her hands are on her hips and she leans forward trying to regain a modicum of composure.

‘Jo…. I swear to god you are testing me.’ She holds her breathe for a second. ‘I told the higher ups I am going to come and get you and bring you home and I would iron it all out, Fix it… get everything back on track.’

‘Why cant you see… there is no fixing it.’ I say now my voice breaking, years of pain spilling out of my chest, ‘no more tracks to follow no more Me doing what you say blindly.’

She looks at me not computing, her face malfunctioning she shakes her head, ‘Jo what are you saying?’

‘I’m… I’m saying I don’t believe in Lioness anymore… in us… in what we were. It wasn’t healthy Kate…’ I trail off, ‘I’m saying that I need you to let me go…’ I hiccup over the last word barely holding on to my fragile courage whilst the woman I hold in the highest regards comes apart before my eyes.

She covers the ground between us towering over me she lowers her forehead to mine and speaks quietly a rare display of closeness, ‘Everything that you are… I made, sculpted and shaped… I cant just let you go. You are a part of me … Jesus.’ She takes my shoulders now she grips them painfully. ‘Don’t make me do this… Jo… don’t make me take you back In shackles.’

‘I gave you years of my life Kate… I have given you so many parts of me… anything you asked of me I gave it willingly. Until I had nothing left to give.’ I whisper now into her ear. ‘so if you take me back… it will be in a body bag… or… Kaitlyn… you can let me go, please .. I have something I believe in again... just let me go.’

She closes her eyes now breathing slow and steady, ‘You cant get to him Jo…. He is f*cking untouchable..’ She looks down into my eyes now there are tears in hers, ‘please come home with me… I don’t want you to die… He isnt worth your life...’ She says now desperation cracks her resolve and her anger ebbs away.

I reach for her hands and squeeze her fingers tightly, ‘I’m going to tell you where I am ok… that way you will know I’m alive.’

I release her fingers and reach down to gather Bobby who Is just dead weight at the moment I put her in the car Devin gets in the drivers seat and Acero climbs into the passenger side, Cruz and Aaliyah rush around to the other vehicle, engines start and they wait for me.

‘You need to understand, you walk away from me now… Jo… next time we meet it will be as strangers… enemies… I will execute my orders.’ She says now blue eyes trained on me, lethal and unforgiving, her attempt at disassociating.

I shrug smirking slightly, ‘You made me who I am… like you said. I cant be your enemy and you cant hurt me…because honestly I’m the only person in this world who see’s you.’ I respond, my eyes cloud over and tears fall freely now I step into her space before she can push me away put my arms around her for a second.

‘I love you, ok? Go home.... im gonna get him Kate...’ I whisper and I break the contact rushing around to the other passenger door climbing in I rip off my top to stem the blood from Bobby’s wound and toss Devin the Sat phone to punch the coordinates in to the navigation system.

We speed off into the Dusky night leaving Kaitlyn standing there unmoving. Her tall figure rigid her eyes fixed on our fading tail lights.

She is letting me go.

Chapter 10: Breaking the mold

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

My jaw strains and my teeth hurt from clenching and grinding. I grip the leather seat so hard one of my sandals is gone and my scraped knee burns, blood trickles down my shin my eyes glazed are fixed straight ahead.

‘Aaliyah… can you please clip my seatbelt?’ Cruz asks, her voice distant and obscure I turn to her as if returning from another realm.

‘Sorry, what?’ I ask my voice sounds foreign to my own ears and I look down to eventually register that her arm had taken damage in the attack and she needed me to clip her in.

Her attention isn’t on me anymore she is staring ahead, blue lights flicker, a road block.

‘This day… this f*cking day.’ She mumbles. ‘Aaliyah have you got a face wipe, or like a hand sanitizer…clothing anything in your luggage, can you reach?’ she asks me now.

I look at her not understanding.

‘Baby, I need to wipe my face its scraped and bleeding incase they pull us over.’ She says turning slightly to show me her damaged cheek and eye socket, scraped and swollen blood and stone and dirt mingle together in places bruising has already begun to show.

I nod again, ‘Of course, yes..’ I reach back grabbing my hand luggage taking a pack of wipes out she wipes at her cheek roughly, we have slowed to a crawl joining a long queue of vehicles entering a bottle neck created by bright yellow traffic cones.

She is cursing under her breathe she pulls a burner out of her pants pocket, ‘Yes! There are no side roads we have to go through, I don’t f*cking have anything on me.’ She must be talking to Jo in the car behind us. ‘Ok lemme check. Aaliyah open the glove compartment there should be a temporary license issued in my name’ she says now. I do as she asks and a gun slips into my lap as I open the glove compartment I almost yelp in shock. She picks it up stowing it in the side of her door and leans over to rummage, eventually pulling out documents a strange name, her image.

‘I have it, I’m not f*cking doing that!’ she yells now panicked. ‘No wait… Jo? God Dammit!’ she yells again, we are the 5th car in line now, officers shine lights into the vehicles randomly. She slams the phone into the steering wheel, she whispers , ‘f*ck… f*ck.. this is f*cked.’

Our turn arrives… she rolls her window down greeting the female officer who shines a light through hurting my eyes she is asked for her license, the officer scans it for a moment and looks at Cruz over her glasses, there’s a pause.

A terribly uncomfortable moment suspended in time when it feels like an eternity passes, she nods her head smiles then asks, ‘You fall Miss?’

‘I did,’ Cruz dips her head and smirks she is thinking of a follow up lie, ‘I’m embarrassed, I fell off a scooter in France before we got here.’ She chuckles offering her most endearing smile, appearing as a clumsy tourist she drops her bloody knuckles from view, she holds the fire arm in her hand obscured from view, my heart thuds.

The officer politely smiles back and Instructs us to carry on, we idle through painfully slow and then she puts the car into gear and speeds forward.

‘Cruz… wait? What are you doing? Why are you leaving them?!’ I ask now panic rising I turn in my seat to look back and Devin’s SUV is now being lit up by the same officer.

‘Face forward please.’ She responds evenly.
‘NO! Stop the damn car Cruz Manuelos!’ I am in complete shock by her actions.

‘Look.. this isn’t what I want to do… I’m just following Jo’s orders… please don’t rouse suspicion Aaliyah face forward.’ She responds gritting her teeth, ‘Jo told me to leave them ok!… they have weapons in that vehicle, Bobby is injured and if they get searched … there’s nothing we can do now accept reach the contact Jo wanted us to.’ Her lips are tight now and her frown deep, she speeds up.

She drives recklessly fast for another few minutes and then slows the car gripping her steering wheel her bruised knuckles white, she breaks and tosses her burner, her breathing is labored she is under stress and the tussle from earlier has taken its toll.
She looks up into the rear view mirror, hope etched across her face she waits a few agonizing minutes without speaking.

The dont come, so she pulls out back into the traffic her face a stone mask.

After an hour of complete silence we reach our destination according to the GPS and it’s a gate black and high there are no lights no indication that anyone is here to receive us, Cruz peeks out of the windscreen and side windows seeing nothing.

‘wait in the car ok?’ she speaks softly pulling the pistol from the side of the door and checking its loaded she gets out to scope the area.

She approaches a small side gate hidden by foliage and tried the handle its open and gives way. She slips inside and I fight the urge to yank the door open and dash after her. A few agonizing minutes pass and I see headlights in the distance approaching on the dark road, my anxiety levels rising I duck down in my seat. Who could this be, the contact… authorities more of Kaitlyn’s men?

I raise my head to peek out of the drivers side window to see if I can at least try to identify the vehicle approaching and almost scream when a fist hits my door thudding twice! The handle clicks and the door is opened an inch, Cruz is crouched low gesturing for me to lean down and climb out.

We both stay low against the side of the SUV as the other car pulls to a stop tires skid a foot or two from the big gate. Two people get out, armed dark silhouettes against their own headlights, they don’t speak only gesture but we are partially blinded by their headlights unable to see their faces.

Cruz looks at me now, ‘the place is empty I did a really quick sweep, power seems on, there’s a home security system Jo would have had the combinations… I’m… sorry for bringing you out here and now we’re stuck and these assholes show up.’

Her head hangs low she seems defeated she scratches at the side of her head with the butt of her gun, ‘f*ck, I’m going to lure them away and you need to drive this car until there is no more road left ok?’

I lift her chin to look at me, ‘You.. and I… We die many … many years from now together. Old and fat with our grandchildren complaining of our farts ok?’ I hold her face steady kiss her softly. ‘Now, give me one of your guns and lets f*cking get through this, I’m certainly not dying wearing one f*cking shoe Cruz… and im 100% not leaving the love of my life behind.’

She smiles at me hands me her 2nd fire arm, crawling over to the back end of the car pointing her pistol around the bumper, as she does the two people jump out behind me weapons trained yelling , ‘Don’t move!!!’

I swirl around losing my footing my hand shielding my face I pull the trigger blindly the flash light in my eyes, the gun is kicked out of my hand the bullet missing by miles.

‘Aaliyah?’

The light is lowered – to reveal Acero and Devin.
I stand up as Acero reaches me to assist her face is pale, ‘I nearly shot you! You nearly shot me! Who gave you f*cking Gun?’ I embrace her tears of relief burn at my eyes, they made it!

Cruz runs passed me almost tackling Devin to the ground, I think for a moment that she may hit him again but to my surprise she grabs his collar slamming into him in a sort of Hug?

‘I thought you all got held by those officers for sure! Jo…Bubba..! sh*t… where are they?’ she asks now.

‘In the car, Bobby isn’t great concussion for sure and I need to stitch her up.’ Devin responds a huge smile on his face at Cruz’s strange display of affection, ‘lets get these vehicles inside and try and get through the security system lass.’

We go back to the side gate Cruz shows them and Acero goes inside to punch in the codes needed to get the main gate opened. We drive both vehicles inside and make sure everything locks behind us.

I go to the second Vehicle and open the passenger door, Bobby’s head is cradled in Jo’s lap, she smiles at me weakly, ‘Hey Princess, how do I look.’ She manages a cheeky wink before grimacing as Jo lifts her gingerly Devin rushes over to shoulder her weight, they make it a few paces and Bobby retches on the gravel driveway.

They take her into the front entrance and I gather bags and equipment with Cruz and Acero bringing it all inside we dump everything and close up, Acero gets the power on as quickly as possible, Devin carefully places Bobby on a long ox leather couch resting her head gently he looks up now.

‘Aaliyah I need hot water a bowl, and my kit its in the green duffel.’ He says now. ‘ find some towels if you can and some alcohol.’

I grab his medical kit handing it to him then I rush to the kitchen to turn on the kettle pouring water in it I take a bowl from a drawer, I rush up the stairs finding a linen cupboard and eventually make it back to him, I arrive as Bobby takes a healthy swig of whiskey neat.

Jo stands at Devin’s Shoulder looking down at Bobby worriedly, I hand Acero all the things I gathered and step back, Cruz comes up behind me wrapping her hands around my mid section gripping me she rests her chin on my shoulder watching Devin work.

The whole operation is over in a few minutes from sterilizing to stitching and dressing the wound, they decide not to move her again opting to cover her, Jo sits at her feet unlacing her boots taking care to not jar her. She rests her feet on the couch and stands stretching her back.

‘Jo… we need to get to the surveillance room, there are burners and some new equipment for us, the Malta contact wants to meet tomorrow, but not here.’ Acero says now she has Jo’s burner.

‘What is this place exactly?’ Cruz asks gathering her luggage and mine.

‘Old safe house, this contact is former AISI. They use this site very rarely so they offered it to us for our duration here.’ Jo explains.

‘Agenzia informazioni e sicurezza esterna, are these people not just paid criminals? In the pockets of italian mafiaso?’ Acero asks now as she hands Jo the burner back.

‘This one wasn’t, lets head up and check out the SR set up get the stuff they left for us and then meet back here in 30minutes please we need a debrief and POA before anyone bunks down.’ Jo says now glancing down at Bobby briefly, she heads to the stair case with Acero.

Devin stands grabbing his duffel and kit ready to lug it upstairs he still has dried blood crusting his nose and he is favoring his left side, I wonder how badly he must be hurting from the altercation earlier.

‘Lets go find a room.’ Cruz says to me now she hands me a bag and we walk upstairs, ‘you can just stay up here and crash if you want… I will tell Jo you’re beat and needed rest?’ she says now as we open the door to a gorgeous suite, floor to ceiling glass panes before us overlooking a pitch dark starry sky.

‘I’m part of the team, I should be present for the meetings.’ I respond I sit on the bed for a moment rolling my neck trying to ease the tension.

She puts our stuff down and comes to me wedging herself between my legs she massages my tight tense shoulders.

‘The last few hours were so horrible and you did incredible, I’m really proud of you, You are part of this team in everyway… but its ok to need rest, you are not a soldier yet.’ She says now winking at me from sleepy eyes, my eyes close and I hum in appreciation of the application of her strong fingers to the spasms in my tired neck.

‘You made it easy, being calm and sure of what to do, it kept me centered and I felt safe, so thank you for getting me through it.’ I respond taking her hands and kissing them.

‘I’m going to try and clean up a bit and then head down stairs.’ She responds smiling down at me she touches my cheek tenderly her eyes soft.

‘I will join you shortly I respond, the shock and just everything honestly, I need to sit with it for a minute if that’s ok.’ I respond.

‘Whatever you need baby, but if you want me to be here just let me know.’ She responds, she lifts her top over her head its ripped and torn dirty from her encounter earlier she goes to the bathroom and starts to clean her face and hands.

I sit still for a moment at the foot of the bed rehashing the last few hours events, Kaitlyn appearing out of thin air, that awful ambush of the team, the ensuing violence then the immediate close call with the police. It threatens to overwhelm me.

This is not a life you live if you are weak of heart or short on courage. I grow to respect the team even more in this moment, what remarkable people to have existed at this pace in these scenarios for years and still they manage to find quiet moments to nurture or care for each other, to be human.

I revisit the expression on Cruz’s face when she saw me be hurt, her rage and need to protect me so strong she looked crazed, those are powerful feelings I never ever dreamed someone would ever feel for me.

I sigh now, standing I strip my dirty clothes off tossing them aside I go for a quick shower Cruz is already changing to head back downstairs, we exchange a look of understanding before she exits the room, its like a new layer has been peeled back tonight, a new closeness emerges from a predicament we proved to each other we could survive as long we did it together.

I’m toweling my hair off when Jo knocks on my open door, ‘Hey you doing ok? Today was a lot.’ She asks quietly stepping in and taking a seat on the bed.

I Look over at her she seems older her cheek still swollen from the blow earlier, ‘I should be asking you if you’re ok.’ I sit beside her, ‘Kaitlyn and you that seemed like a hard bond to break.’

She looks at her hands now smiling a sad smile, ‘That bond will never be broken, its imbedded in us both… she will talk tough sh*t sure… But Kate would rather peel off her own skin then hunt me down for Byron.’

‘You have immense faith in her as a person then?’ I ask doubt seeping through, after all lioness was Kaitlyn’s program, Jo was always following her orders.

‘You all see her as this monster who exploited women for the wrong reasons.. but there were always glimpses that I got to see through the years.
Of another woman, a human being who just loved immensely but couldn’t lower her guard. Kate saved my life more times then I can count, she took all the negatives in me, my temper and my trust issues and accepted them, and she harnessed my potential.’ Jo speaks now as if recalling fond memories of a life time well lived.

I Take her hand gently, ‘When this is over and you two no longer have to stand behind invisible lines fighting the same war from conflicting angles, I hope you can reconnect, but this time no unhealthy power dynamics, she deserves to know the brave kind selfless leader in you Jo.’

She nods slapping her thighs with her hands, ‘Anyway, I am heading down to start the brief, you ready Amrohi?’ she asks offering me a hand, I smile and take it we head down the stairs together.

Some kind and glorious soul had managed to find and brew coffee the smells drifts toward me lighting my neurons and making my hairs stand over my arms.

‘This place has a walk in cold storage!’ Devin exclaims he holds up a basket filled with food items smiling. He trots into the kitchen emerging 10 minutes later with toasted croissants bagels, cheeses jams and meats, just in time for Jo to open a discussion.

We walk through the nights events, assess injuries and take stock of weapons, medical supplies, Bobby’s recovery period and discuss logistics around tomorrows meet.

‘First prize is establishing if this person has a location for us we find the school we start planning a take down – then we need to maybe gently push for some scope on the khans, there’s definitely a connection between them and Al Fakir.’ Jo says now taking a piece of bread smothered in butter from me , I have decided its vital to over feed everyone tonight.

‘It may be a proposition to recruit this Malta contact Boss, insight is valuable but former AISI skills set and connections those are invaluable beyond measure in a situation like this.’ Acero speaks now, she has a valid point I wonder if Jo thought of the same thing.

‘Honestly right now I think we could use a medic too, I mean I can patch up any of you sure but the intricate triage sh*t, that’s going to require finesse.’ Devin adds now.
‘Well maybe we can see about acquiring a few more operatives , I have to admit it was a stupid oversite underestimating the need to add a recognized medic, sorry for laying that on your Devin.’ Jo replies now looking up at him.

He shrugs, ‘I will help where I can, I just don’t want to over sell myself as some expert when my field medic experience is rusty at best.’

We agree on a sleep schedule, with Bobby ruled out for the night watch Jo offers to take a double shift seeing as she will spend the night on the couch with Bobby anyway.

The rest of us trudge upstairs limping and wincing from the fight, I silently curse the assholes for going at us so hard, but for one thing they highlighted our weaknesses as a unit, made Jo see things need to be tighter more cohesive.

No more taking our anonymity as a given, we needed to be diligent about things going forward.

I made a mental note to have Cruz teach me to drive whilst here, my weapons training needed to advance too, I needed to be fully capable of integration into our team, as reluctant as Cruz was to enable me, I needed these skills, to boost all of our chances of survival.

I turn to see Jo kick off her boots rubbing her eyes she picks up her tablet she puts Bobby’s feet in her lap and starts to work, I assume she will be exactly this way when I come back down stairs later to take over night watch.

We enter our room and Cruz is asleep before her head hits the pillow, I cover her and kiss her forehead careful not to touch the scrapes on her face, I lay next to her trying hard to unwind and settle but sleep is evasive, elusive… a reluctant companion tonight.

I lay on my side looking at Cruz her face passive, mask of peace and serenity, I let her shallow breathing soothe me. I wonder if she dreams, or maybe she has nightmares? I would take her nightmares if i could, in a heart beat.

Soon my eyes drift close and I doze only to be woken up in what feels like seconds for my shift.

I splash my eyes and head downstairs fetching a mug of coffee tepid but I don’t care, I see Jo has slouched to the side on the couch, her exhaustion won over her need for vigilance.

I fetch a blanket for her and then wrap myself in a throw and curl up on a sofa facing the view beyond the panoramic glass panels enclosing the living room area, it over looks the well lit pool deck and gardens and gravel drive way beyond. Shadows play tricks on my eyes but I know Acero set up motion lasers and if anything tripped the entire house hold would be up and standing armed ready to murder an intruder in an matter of seconds.

The evening progressed to early morning with no incidence. Acero woke me to take a shift and I slipped back into bed with Cruz who threw a long leg over me as soon as I settled in.

By 7am intriguing smells begun seeping beneath our bedroom door, I woke up unsurprisingly alone, Cruz always rising earlier than me. By the time I make it down the stairs a heated exchange has erupted.

‘Why cant I be her body guard?’ Cruz asks Jo her expression is dark and her fists grip the back of a chair. ‘Who better to have her six then me?’

‘Cruz, this isn’t up for debate, I cant have your emotions betraying you when split second judgement calls needs making.’ Jo explains her voice even and calm, ‘More importantly, you will be fully responsible for extraction should we managed to locate and convince Kulthum to leave, it just wont work you being seen in the public sphere in any capacity at Aaliyah’s side.’ Jo elaborates and Cruz raises her hands in a dismissive gesture.

‘We will not allow harm to come to her Cruz,’ Acero says now offering reassurance.

‘All due respect, I met you weeks ago, and it’s a little hard to believe that if its her life or yours, you would put yourself between a bullet and her.’ Cruz says now, ‘I’m sorry its just not something I can accept as a given just yet.’

‘I get your point, and honestly if it were my wife and someone told me I had to hang back or be hours away while she was in danger, It would not sit right with me either’ Devin says now between forkfuls of food, ‘I will tell you right now though, Aaliyah is a good person and what she is doing her to bring that little girl liberation… I would happily stand between a hundred bullets and her… she has my respect Cruz.’

‘A party with wealthy old friends is hardly the most dangerous place in the world though guys.’ Bobby adds, ‘also lets give Princess over here some credit, she can handle herself pretty damn well.’

I Smile now that everyone has realized the subject of this heated debate is present.

‘You have not seen her shoot have you..’ Devin teases now.

‘NOT HELPING.’ Acero chides him with a serious look.

Cruz is still unmoved, she glances up at me with a slightly guilty look, we agreed to work on this and I can see she is deeply conflicted.

‘We have a few weeks before any parties or gatherings need attending, may I suggest we take this time to make ourselves more familiar with one another and also Cruz you can intensify my training.’ I offer now picking at the foods on the table. ‘this way when our next big public outing presents itself I will be equipped and Cruz will feel more at ease with Acero and Devin, whom I trust implicitly by the way.’
They both smile up at me Cruz seems mildly satisfied.

She thinks for a moment looking at her food on her plate before she breathes deep and declares, ‘If Aaliyah trusts you and this is how we move forward to execute the mission safely, I have no more reservations.’ She speaks now looking at me, ‘I trust your instincts.’

I beam back at her, Jo offers a small smile relief evident on her face she genuinely thought this would be way more explosive. She glances down as her burner chimes, her expression growing serious she scans the screen.

‘Ok people finally, some rendezvous info to go on. We are heading to Gozzo island its Festival Mediterranea, very public exposed, we will have to be as discreet as we can be. Our contact will be at stall 19B we are asking for the Sweet Rosé.’ She rattles off instructions gulping coffee and checking her watch.
‘Acero can we get traffic maps, and Eta as well as best routes of travel entrance and exit? Devin, Cruz come with me I looked around this morning and saw a lock up facility 50 yards behind the main house I want to see what’s in it.’ She is up and the rest so disciplined mobilize with her, I marvel at it every time I witness this.

Bobby smiles at me the bandage on her head lopsided making her blonde spikes fall in the funniest way, ‘Hey princess wanna play scrabble?’ she asks to which I respond with an eye roll.

I smile after a moment, ‘No but you can take me through some weapons training and then a driving lesson?’

She rolls her eyes but agrees to it reluctantly mumbling as she gets up a bit wobbly she whines about how she has to babysit.

‘Hmm I find that in this case Bobby I appear to be baby sitting you,’ I tease her affectionately she grimaces while laughing realizing now that even that hurts in her current state.

I follow her towards her kit while the others file out of the house and Acero busies herself with Jo’s directives.

I feel nervous and I suspect those particular feelings will haunt me every time those I care for put themselves in harms way, it’s a feeling I may never grow accustomed to…

Chapter 11: Fun in the Sun?

Chapter Text

Cruz

The road is smooth and well maintained leading out of the main province, clearly a primary route for many working on the mainland it is littered with bicycles scooters and mini vans serving as taxi’s for commuters and tourists.

A open roof party bus cruises by young drunk people hanging out of every available window, precariously close to tipping out onto the road.

The lock up was stocked with weapons, gear, motorcycles and a speed boat. There was multiple currencies of cash and a few storage boxes sealed with what one can only assume were substances confiscated during various drug busts over the years.

Priceless stolen ceased art works and sculptures, jewelry and various other valuable objects that must never have made it to the evidence rooms in the end.

We cruise in convoy on route to the meet site, I had not been on a motorcycle in years, I had dreamed of owning one for as long as I could remember, my only regret is Aaliyah not being with to experience the joy and freedom of this moment.

We pulled off into a bustling hive of activity, the vibrancy and sheer volume of colors and sounds, music drums and street performers, it created exquisite chaos, Jo dismounted first propping her helmet on the bikes handle she casually scoped the immediate area, Acero pulled off a fair distance beyond us and likely went to find a quiet vantage point to provide over watch, not an easy task given the large crowd.

Devin Jo and myself walked slowly into the throng of festival goers currently meandering through the countless market tents and stalls, we avoided areas with clear police presence as best we could eventually finding row 19, the beach bordering the stalls we approach cautiously our weapons concealed but ready.

Devin hangs back Jo hooks me in chatting in Spanish she gives the air of a tourist checking out the various co*cktails and smoothies available at 19B. She studies the menu animatedly waiting for assistance.

A short petite woman in her 50s approaches us with a warm smile, greets and asks if she can help.

‘Oh hi, I would very much like to try your Sweet Rosé,’ Jo requests now, ‘ ‘two please for my friend as well.’ She says smiling warmly. I do my best to mimic her behavior.

The woman returns moments later with chilled glasses of wine she hands us napkins and beneath it is a small square card.

Walk to the end of the beach, there is a boat tied to the quay waiting for you, first finish the drink. Enjoy .S.

We do as instructed spending a few minutes chatting sipping the wine we survey the area, there are no obvious tails, no conspicuous characters, we eventually stand and walk the beach Devin remains parallel to us amongst the festival attendees who provide cover for him.

‘All clear from my vantage point boss, permission to mobilize and head to your final destination?’ Acero chirps through comms.

‘Stay close but negative on meeting us at the quay Ace, we need someone on Gozzo to stay behind in case we need extraction. D see about securing secondary transport option.’

‘On it Boss lady,’ Devin responds picking up his pace and heading toward the less occupied side of the island in search of an old moored boat to pilfer.

We walk slowly away from the crowd the beach growing more secluded as we make our way to the quays.

‘we have garnered some unwanted attention,’ Jo says now casually hooking me in, I look down at her quizzically.

‘Professionals?’ I ask matching her stride so we appear to be strolling in sync.

‘civilians likely drunk, highly likely looking to get laid.’ She responds eventually lifting my arm over her shoulder she smiles up at me, ‘Work with me Manuelos.’

I smile, ‘this is gross…’

‘Trust me… I would rather kick them in the balls then risk a make out with you too.’ She responds now.

They whistle and call after us eventually catching up, 2 tall men reeking of booze, pupils dilated, sun burnt and over confident.

‘Can we help you boys?’ I ask now lifting my hand to shield my eyes from the sun, the quay is in site now the boat bobbing in the swell.

‘we just wanted to know if you ladies knew it was pretty dangerous to walk alone out here.’ Male one says now slurring slightly he puffs out his chest, American of course.

‘We have a really nice place about 15min from here, We can have a good time.’ Male two speaks now walking close to Jo he stares at her chest openly a rich man, used to getting his way.

‘Oh no thanks we are just enjoying a walk. Thanks for the offer.’ Jo responds in her sweetest voice. These two are inconvenient and need to be dealt with quietly.

‘you sure, nothing we could say to convince you to change your mind baby?’ Male one says now he intercepts our path now halting our progress, problematic.

‘Want me to tranq em?’ Acero asks now she is likely monitoring the proceedings through a scope, barrel trained finger on the trigger, ‘I could you know….’

‘Nope… no no, thank you but we are cool thanks boys.’ Jo exclaims now out loud, I am not sure who she is more thoroughly turning down at this point but I cant help a rueful smile.

Male Two decided this is the moment to break proximity protocols trying to take Jo’s hand and pry her away from me, it happens pretty smoothly at this point she twists his index finger up and behind him pushing a foot into the back of his knee so he lands on the sand whimpering about his compromised digit.

Male one still not registering his partners demise barrels forward, I trip him easily and he doesn’t even have the sense of mind to raise his arms to break his fall, so he eats sand instead.

‘What the f*ck bitch!’ Male two yells now, risking attention.

‘sshhhh shhh…’ Jo speaks in a hushed voice, ‘You shout sweetie and I will break this finger, along with your wrist and forearm… ok?’ she twists a little stressing his finger.

‘I’m going to need you to say ok.’ She says now scanning the beach but fortunately we are further from public scrutiny.

Male two whimpers affirmation. Male one is still trying to get to his feet but eventually loosely takes a swing at me, I flip him onto his back he seems reluctant to attempt getting up again.

‘We need to get going…’ I glance at the quay now worried whoever is meant to collect us will leave upon seeing this commotion.

Jo nods, ‘ok now I’m going to let you go and its really this one chance you will have to get the f*ck up and take your drunk friend here and f*ck off?’ she explains again in that same quiet voice, a tone reserved for disobedience in toddlers. The man for his part nods vigorously Jo releases him and he gathers Male one from the sand and they stumble off.

Once a safe few yards away he yells , ‘f*ck you crazy Bitches!’ Jo flips him off whilst walking toward the boat waiting for us. I smile at her, she gives me a small smirk and a shrug. So much for a nice smooth meet with our contact.

We reach the quay and approach the boat cautiously, a man is seated hand rested on the outboard motor handle he is wearing a red cap and sunglasses, a rugged beard and strong frame tells a story of its own, he doesn’t look up for long.

‘Cellphones, watches ear pieces, cash wallets keys everything in the bag over there, its got a string seal it and tie it to the quay it will stay submerged till you arrive back.’ He instructs us a heavy accent I cant place.

Jo and I do as told and then climb aboard. He looks us over one more time, ‘you two carrying? Don’t lie to me, I find a weapon on you once we leave this beach I will shoot you in your feet and toss you to the sharks.’

I Sigh taking my knife and pistol out, Jo takes her weapons out too we hand it to him and he puts it in a bag, ‘you will have this back when you return to land..Or if she is in a good mood after she speaks with you.’ With that out of the way we seat ourselves and ride out and around the island soon we approach a catamaran, the leviathan large grey beastly streamlined vessel.

A crew member approaches and grabs at the rope our pilot tosses to him. We are helped on board and escorted to the main deck and asked to sit.
‘this is a big f*cking boat,’ I comment now looking around myself.

‘Yet another asset ceased and maybe never making it to AISI HQ?’ Jo suggests now she crosses her legs and leans back looking up at the sun squinting behind her glasses, ‘Ace and Devin cant track us, we have no comms, this better be worth the risk.’

‘I assure you Ms. McNamara…. I am definitely worth the risk.’ A voice sultry and velvet like emits from a dark haired woman she ascends the stair case and stands now in front of Jo and myself, fixing us with grey eyes large and piercing she doesn’t look away, studying us carefully.

Jo smiles back, ‘Agent Steele.’

‘Oh I am just Imogen now Jo… I haven’t been Agent Steele in over 10 years.’ She teases Jo now, ‘How wonderful to finally meet the person behind those long calls on those lonely nights hmm…’?

My eyebrows shoot right up on my forehead Jo deliberately avoids looking my way, ‘oh so you guys KNOW each other???’ I blurt out now and break all the intense eye contact happening in front of me…

‘Shut it Manuelos,’ Jo cautions me with a seething side eye. I smile back toothy and she grimaces.

Imogen Steele shifts her focus to me now, her curiosity naked and unfettered she takes me in, clothes hair facial features like she is capturing images with her mind she blinks so slowly and deliberately she is a fascinating woman to behold and I find myself trapped by her scrutiny, but oddly not threatened.

She is older than Jo but not by much, her body is lithe and lean her height is dizzying and her teeth when she smiles broadly and open are straight and white. She is a vision and knows it very well, i struggle to place her as an operative for the AISI, she belonged on a runway surely.

She smiles at me now, ‘ Cruz Manuelos, you certainly have done some disruptive work in your field over the last few months haven’t you dear... and all that after living such an extraordinarily sad life… You are quite something.’

My expression falters, how does she know me, we were meant to be ghosts?

‘Be at ease Cruz, I am not a spy I am an information gatherer, and everything I know lives up here,’ Imogen says now tapping her temple. ‘Your information is no longer available for public nor nefarious consumption on any platforms throughout the world.

After all it was my work that rendered you and your fellow ‘freedom fighters’ invisible.’

‘Your people Imogen… not you… you are useless with technology.’ Jo retorts sitting forward now taking her glasses off, ‘we aren’t freedom fighters by the way, you make us sound like terrorists.’

Imogen graciously smiles waving her manicured nails in the air dismissing Jos words , ‘Semantics Sweet Jo, semantics.’

A Waitron floats toward us with refreshments and a folder of information, the plastic casing opaque. Jo takes the drink offered and snaps the folder open eagerly. She reads through the information handing me the photos and blueprints to spread out on the table.

‘it’s a full fledged f*cking business at this point, how did you get financials? Jesus enrollment forms, fees and curriculums?’ Jo’s eyes take in the information hungrily she has her reading glasses on and they slide to the end of her nose, ‘Cruz look at this.’

I Shift closer she points, numbers on a graph showing the growth and profit margins. Expenditure ledgers and entertainment, Asset registers, the information is beyond comprehension, Imogen has gathered an entire stockpile of research and compiled it like a report, truly a treasure trove.

‘his expense account, his itinerary for travel, his board of trustees. You found-..’ Jo stops speaking her hand raising to her mouth. ‘-khans connection… Cruz look.’

I see what she points out, ‘donations, parties thrown for Al Fakir, fund raisers and mixers and of course Faraaz Khan is a nominated board member of Anahid Madrasa since its inception.’ She looks up at Imogen now her shock apparent, ‘Saleems father is involved in the actual school?’

Imogen stands now taking a picture from the table she looks at it, ‘he had been a key member of Al Fakirs operation from day one it seems.’ She hands the photograph to me and Jo its old and worn at the edges but the image is clear, Al Fakir and 5 other men Faraaz khan must be one of them, my heart races as it becomes very apparent that Asmar Amrohi smiles back at me, my palms grow damp I remember the feel of the knife in my hand, the stabbing and slipping in his blood as I fled the scene.

‘He helped fund this… he… was on the board.’ I say now barely able to speak I look at Imogen, ‘Asmar Amrohi… he was a board member.’

She nods her head, ‘Yes sadly this particular part of the story will be quite devastating to accept for one particular member of your merry band of misfits Jo.’ She shrugs, ‘If its any consolation, he was primarily invested in the financials, apparently didn’t have the stomach for indoctrinating, grooming and brokering off child brides.’

I frown now, ‘Brokering?’

Imogen smiles at me, she likes me picking up on this, ‘Faraaz is a business man, he is a well connected investor and it seems over the years he has added this particular shameful item to his portfolio.’ She takes the folder from Jo rummages until she finds a few pages stapled together.

She hands it back to us and we scan it, ‘Jesus.’ Jo whispers now. ‘He sources the girls from prominent families then gets them enrolled and then sold to wealthy elite men.’

My head begins to hurt. ‘look at the profit he makes, the men pay millions for these girls! Its like… legal human trafficking and the girls don’t even know they are being sold!’

‘f*ck … Jo they know full well they are being sold and they are fine with it! Because they only know how to be fine with it.’ I respond now color draining from my face.

Jo puts every thing down tossing her spectacles on top of the pile of information. ‘he has brokers doing international match making, they literally choose the girl they want when they are infants! Their old f*cking men, how do these families agree to this!’

‘Most of them enjoy the privilege you automatically adopt when you marry into families that grant you access to more resources, he recently married a 45 year old Saudi prince to a 13yr old daughter of a Pakistani War criminal, could you imagine the trade agreements, legitimized money and assets that kind of union produced. The Mahr was inconceivable, tax free and undisclosed, the weapons and criminal activity funded by that Dowry was substantial and untraceable.’

I have to stand now, its all too much, how could Aaliyah’s father stomach this! How could she have been around these people and not know! The parties all the years of this and she never saw a thing!!!! I feel sick and my disbelief is echoed by Jo who continues to pepper Imogen with questions.

‘Imogen, tell me you know where this school is…’ she asks now desperation in her voice.

‘If I had known of the location of this vile place Jo it would no longer be operational.’ Imogen responds now accepting a vape presented on a tray by her wait staff, she takes a deep drag arching her neck she exhales before speaking, ‘I have spent years and millions of dollars trying to find it… but Al fakir to me is a criminal of high caliber, he believes in his own madness a rare quality, he is not simply exploiting a resource or profiting from the pain of others.’

‘The footage you sent us though, does it give anything away?’ I ask now, ‘maybe we can send it for further analysis?’

‘I have sent it to several specialists in the field and honestly its too vague, no mountain scapes, land marks, language markers or even sky or ground color or terrain is really visible.’ She responds. ‘Only that name Anahid… and of course rumors and whispers, so called informants who strongly believe they know this place.’ She waves away these people irritated, ‘Myths and ghost stories mottled by age and pure over use of imagination.’

‘Saleems personal security guard-..’ I begin.

‘Cruz…no’ Jo says my name as a command. Imogen tilts her head to me now and then Jo.

‘I bring you aboard my sanctuary and offer my knowledge and time Jo and you want to withhold from me? Where is the fair exchange in this?’ she says frowning her lips cast downward she almost pouts in annoyance.

‘I need to know what your intentions are first Imogen, I am aware that your particular exchange policy doesn’t discriminate.’ Jo answers she is deadly serious and her voice takes on a husky burr.

‘Im not sure I follow Jo.’ Imogen responds.

‘You are not above trading information to less than savory dissidents who may offer to… reward you handsomely for your findings.’ Jo responds.

Imogen throws her head back guffawing dramatically.

‘So you are accusing me or stating unsubstantiated lies fed to you by Kaitlyn and your government?’ Imogen grows deadly still now she looks at Jo with contempt and pity in equal measure, ‘I left AISI because I took a stand and refused to allow the corruption in that institution to weaponize my gift and exploit my loyalty!’ she stands now pointing at Jo, ‘And I will certainly not stand here and have you tarnish my character and treat me like some smarmy sell out who deals in secrets for personal gain!’

‘So I’m to believe the catamaran and those designer clothes and these burly armed guards are all paid for by your humanitarian efforts?’ Jo spits back her words drenched in sarcasm.

‘I don’t need you or anyone else to believe anything… I know full well I was labeled traitor by my former employer and you all f*cking believed them, but what I will say is this…’ she pauses to clear her throat, ‘while you and your Boss were chasing oil hikes and investment bankers … I have been looking into people like Al Fakir… before you sprouted a conscious I was already fighting back a long damn time ago!’
She paces the deck now vaping restlessly and agitated, ‘my gift is for good now! I help those who wish to do things in this world that influence change, and mitigate freedom, I ask my price yes… who doesn’t.’

‘Come with us.’ I blurt now, Jo looks at me as if she could push me over board. Imogen looks at me as if I have finally found my voice for the first time.

‘I am valuable, dangerously valuable if I go with you .. who will ensure my safety Bambinata?’ she asks me now a smirk lifts her lips and she seems truly charmed by my boldness.

‘We are a team, we have each other all of us.’ I respond.

‘You don’t understand Little one.’ She again waves a hand impatiently, a habit.

‘You don’t need to leave your little safe haven Imogen you can hide away forever shielding yourself from the world.’ Jo ridicules her, ‘leave the real work to the rest of us.’

‘Do you have any idea what my abilities would mean for certain criminal elements in this world?’ She rounds on Jo now furious at the mocking.

‘What exactly is your ability,’ I ask now slightly behind the curve of this particular narrative.

‘She is Eidetic, she could memorize a client list, safe combinations, ledgers…nuclear codes, Atomic formulas… blue prints entire documents… top secret locations, verbal contracts … everything… if she sees it, hears it smells it, consider it time stamped and locked her in brain till she dies... She can store everything about an operation in her head and leave no audit trail.’ Jo responds to me now, looking at Imogen, ‘or something like that.’

‘destructive in the wrong hands… right… f*ck.’ I say more to myself then any one else, ‘but I still think you should come with us... Our agendas align… and we can get sh*t done together for sure.’

Imogen sits now, ‘if I go with you… my guards go with me… have you capacity for them?’ she asks.

Jo shrugs, ‘the more fire power the better, I suppose you got a Dr on staff?’

Imogen looks at her smiling broadly, ‘knowing what you know about me McNamara would you expect anything less?’

Jo smiles tightly, Imogen gets under her skin she is arrogant but not without merit, she is confident and well studied and she stands for everything Jo wants to cultivate within herself it seems, of course this seems to breed a bit of insecurity. I take a moment to consider how fascinating this new mix up could be.

The man who ferried us out to the catamaran returns with our valuables and comms tech aswell as our guns, we thank him.

‘You should contact Acero and Devin let them know to rendezvous back at HQ in the mainland, it’s a short cruise hugging the coast and the Moorings are right at the house too, private and secluded.’ Imogen says now gesturing for her staff to get us underway.

‘Our bikez?’ I ask now, ‘we rode out to Gozzo on them.’

She dismisses that, ‘My men will retrieve them later.’

I think briefly about how she knows the others by name, then catch myself, she probably knows everything there is to know about us.

‘So we have a lead, Cruz mentioned earlier, Saleems Personal Body guard has been tasked with retrieving Kulthum Khan from Anahid Madrasa according to this automated notification app message.’ Jo explains now.

‘Have you begun tracking him? Bugged him or sent an operative out to shadow him yet?’ Imogen asks.

‘Negative.’ Jo responds, ‘it’s a small op, we have limited numbers and we made a call to come out see what you had before taking next steps.’

Imogen nods, ‘Well looks like we may be heading to the middle East then… Last time I was there… hmmm…’ she smiles her eyes rapidly replaying a series of memories.

I cant help giggling at her vocal appreciation, ‘Fun in the sun.’

‘Oh you have no idea my dear Cruz,’ She has a languid smile on her face and winks at me, ‘but I am sure as we forge on, our adventures inevitably will lead to so … so much more fun.’

I cant help but smile back at this magnetic force of a woman she turns to Jo now, 'McNamara one more thing before we get into the frying pan...'

Jo turns to look up at her seriously, 'if it ever gets to that point, it will be me, you have my word.'

Imogen nods her head.

We take the short boat ride back to the safe house whilst Imogen chatters away to her staff, Jo stands next to me deep in thought, she is vibrating with excitement, I cant help but feed into her energy, we are finally going to get somewhere.

Our moment to fight back has finally arrived.

It feels so f*cking good

Chapter 12: Cutting the cord

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

The personal chef presents an array of dishes for me to sample as the Pilot announces we are hours from our destination over the intercom.

Devin is at the bar chatting animatedly with a hostess who seems charmed by his easy smile and lilting accent, Acero broods and glances around alert and restless from her chair, she refuses to recline, the hot towels lay now cold and stiff on the tray beside her, a drained coffee mug and partly consumed stale crust lay beside it. She is hyper alert and taking the task of my wellbeing very seriously, Cruz had clearly strung the poor woman incredibly high.

The others are travelling with our newest additions, Imogen Steele, and her entourage. The woman’s name makes my teeth pain, the last week spent in Malta she managed to make me want to claw her dreamy eyes out of her head.

Of course everyone loved her, Bobby called her a ‘smoke show’ … Devin practically lost all sense of direction or speech when she walked by, and Even Jo and Acero could not deny this woman.

Cruz would sit enthralled by her sitting for ours deeply invested in the retellings of what I am very sure were largely over dramatized adventures.

I have no delusions, I am jealous and I feel out of my depth, and now I am travelling ahead of my team and separate from my girlfriend whilst this seductive vixen parades around constantly seeking out the attention of a person who is one hundred percent unavailable! My mood darkens, it has plagued me since we separated and I cant overcome it.

I never knew the extent of my jealousy or possessive tendencies until I laid eyes on Cruz, back then Zara Adid, that moment laying eyes on her, she smiled at me and I think my soul made a decision that day.

That smile, those eyes , this woman belonged to me, she would be mine, I didn’t understand in that moment just how much I wanted her but as time passes I know I cant fool myself or anyone else, this is the only person in the world worth everything to me, and now I feel foolishly insecure and threatened, by a new element, it feels like this person wants to compete with me and the idea alone enrages me.

‘Who pissed in your Martini lass?’ Devin asks interrupting my spiral.

I smile tightly, ‘ its nothing, I need to go to the washroom, do you think Acero will want to hold my hand?’

He laughs and gets up, ‘I will escort you and post up at the door ok, that way no one gets any hand holding ideas.’ He jokes back.

We pass Acero who wants to get up Devin puts a massive hand on her shoulder to signal he has this one. She reluctantly remains in place fighting the urge to join us.

Once I return to my seat I check my mail, socials and see not much in the way of communications that matter to me, Cruz has not texted the burner I think about calling her but decide against it. We parted on good terms, I close my eyes at the unmistakable dropping in my belly thinking of our last night before I left to journey to Dubai. Her thirst for me, she was savage and left me achingly tender I savor the memory, put it back in a safe box in my mind to be revisited on my lonelier nights perhaps.

We land smoothly and the three of us file into a waiting car after Acero sweeps it and confirms thoroughly that our driver is who she hired and vetted. I roll my eyes and Devin suppresses a laugh.

We have booked luxurious accommodations close to the Khans compound and I plan to make my presence known to the greater social community when I have had some rest and checked in with Jo and the team, Acero sets up all her equipment and gives Devin several tasks to execute, he grunts and grumbles his way through it all with reluctance.

Once we are confident we are not bugged we get through to Jo, she is seated with Bobby who is almost back to full function, Cruz smiles at me and I feel the warmth of her look and a pang of yearning almost makes me gasp.

‘Glad you made it to HQ safely.’ Jo says now.

‘Affirmative boss, all tucked away here, When are you set to make port?’ Devin responds.

‘Another days travel then we set up surveillance, Bobby and I will run with it Cruz and Steele will be available on Comms if anyone needs them.’ She responds.

I cant help but visibly bristle when Imogen comes sauntering into the frame barely dressed she leans over Cruz to wave at us.

‘The Party is in 48hrs Saleem intends to send a car for me, all very gentlemanly.’ I respond now wanting to add some value here.

‘He knows you will have a private escort of your own.’ Jo responds.

‘Yes I cleared it, as you suspected he asked for IDs and told me he will do background checks before providing them with security clearance for the evening.’ I respond.

‘I made sure we are water tight Boss, we look exactly the right breed of armed guard you would expect a rich socialite to think is essential.’ Acero pipes up now to let Jo know how thoroughly im going to be covered.

Jo seems satisfied, ‘ok keep things nice and casual over there we will be running our operation from a few hours away. We will keep in touch once we know when our guy is on the move.’ She concludes the brief meeting and I feel a bit sad but of course its not needed for myself and Cruz to interact on such calls, I text her from a burner a few moments later to tell her she looks good and I miss her, she responds to say she loves me.

I decide I want to go shopping Acero of course out right refuses and Devin counters with some sense of reasoning, ‘it would make sense for an almost billionaire young female unattached and looking to be noticed to splash some cash around Ace, lets stick close and let it play out.’

We venture through several of the establishments I once frequented, it makes me nostalgic but only for a moment, many restrictions came with the short lived joy of those experiences. It feels so alien to be here in this place unaccompanied by the bodyguards my father and Ehsan assigned to me, Acero looms in the background ever watchful whilst Devin makes light of the situation and has me in constant fits of giggles.

We soon take a break for lunch, the hostess and wait staff treating me with grace and exclaiming excitedly they are thrilled to see me back. We are seated at a private table away from the bustle of the tourists. As I listen intently to the menu items on offer today a shadow looms over me and I turn feeling eyes on me.

Sami seethes and his lip curls up in disgust as he looks down at me, I freeze in place remembering the last time I saw him, Ehsan had sent him home after he tried it on with Cruz at the house in the states.

Behind him with the swagger and arrogance of a prize bull, Kamal and with him of course Maliekah.

My nostrils flare and fear settles like cold lead in my belly as Sami’s cold eyes fixate on me, he doesn’t blink, and ambush predator sizing up potential prey.

‘Aaliyah Amrohi, the girl who lived returns…’ Sami speaks low and silky a slow predatory smile reveals his pointy canines and I cant help the shiver crawling the length of my spine. If I didn’t know what a sociopath this man was I would mistake him for charming. I pause for a moment frozen beneath their collective scrutiny and then I remember my life is nothing as it once was, today I sit here as I intended to, these troglodytes no longer have any say nor jurisdiction over me.

‘Sami, Kamal I haven’t seen any of you since what was it? Eshan’s Janazah, how times has passed us by so swiftly.’ I say standing to embrace Maliekah she looks to Kamal unsure.

‘You are quite brave to show your face this far east Aaliyah, so very soon after the night my brother died.’ Sami speaks again, I have deliberately ignored his sly sarcastic jabs, ‘I cant decide if you a brave or merely ignorant.’

I turn on him now unable to hold my tongue.

‘I was not aware that my presence garnered any attention let alone that I am to be held in any way accountable for your brothers death Sami, he was killed by a hitman for hire it made global news and you along with the rest of the Middle East know very well that none of it had anything to do with me!’ I respond finally, I steady myself refusing to allow fear to take hold of me, the time for allowing intimidation by the likes of these people has long passed.

‘How dare you speak to me in that tone you arrogant bitch,’ Sami moves toward me now raising his hand to strike, as he approaches Devin stands from his position he places himself between myself and Sami towering over him and shielding me completely.

Kamal lunges forward punching Devin in the stomach temporarily winding him, Maliekah shrieks and a few of the other people in the restaurant look up.

Acero moves quick and sure of herself to subdue Kamal with little fuss but she cant intercept Sami who again closes in on me he grabs my arm roughly to yank me forward he glares at me, I cry out at the searing pain caused by his vice like fingers.

‘My Father has been waiting patiently to have a word with you, slu*t, Eshan told me he suspected you were fooling around on him! You think people here are blind and dumb hmmm? You think we don’t know you are behind it all! The pain you have brought my family you will pay-..’ His next few words are cut short when Devin’s massive fist connects with his cheek he is no longer conscious before he hits the floor.

Kamal with his massive frame and flaring temper tries to round on Acero but Devin has already recovered and looks quite ready to murder someone, he pulls his pistol free quietly and shoves it into Kamals ribs, ‘calm yourself right down or we are going to leave this nice place here in a bit of mess lad.’

I Don’t realize im shaking until Acero takes my arm gently lifting me and helping me step over Sami, Maliekah sits on the floor next to him looks up at me, ‘what is wrong with you Aaliyah, how have you become so vile! Look what you have allowed!’ she shrieks now through tears she combs Sami’s hair as if he were innocent and was assaulted for no reason.

Acero covers me with a head scarf and hurries me out of the venue before anyone else can recognize my face. We get to the SUV and Devin follows a moment later he puts his gun away starting the vehicle and pulling out into the stream of traffic. I am crying softly in the back seat trying to absorb how a normal day could go so badly wrong in moments.

‘That guy was way out of line.’ Devin speaks now his knuckles bruised from earlier, ‘he had no business speaking to you that way Aaliyah, those things he said-..’

‘those things he said are true,’ I say now staring out into the traffic, ‘just because Kaitlyn orchestrated a cover up doesn’t indemnify me Devin… Eshan would be alive if not for my selfishness... his death will always be on me.’ My sob hurts as I choke it back.

Acero looks at me now seriously, ‘I never knew him, your former fiancé… but I am sorry that he is dead Aaliyah.’ She turns in her seat to touch my knee, ‘I don’t know the details of what happened the night of your first wedding but I cant imagine you as responsible for Eshans death.’

‘I may aswell have held the knife to his throat, my ignorance and selfishness killed him.’ I respond now sniffing and wiping tears from my cheeks.

‘He is dead because orders were given and followed.’ Devin answers now, ‘that isn’t on you… for you to carry that on your shoulders will surely consume you before anyone here has a chance at hurting you Aaliyah.’

Acero looks again to me trying to catch my eye, ‘It is time to let it go Aaliyah, you cant carry someone else’s death forever, the people here are ruthless and we need you strong and prepared when this party happens.’

I nod now breathing deeply a few times calm steadying breaths my phone vibrates I glance down, Saleem…

He invites me over to one of the family penthouses a more intimate general social with some friends before the bigger party, he says it will afford me an opportunity to reconnect with lost friends and then I will have a healthy clique to mingle with for the upcoming event.

I agree, this may well give me an opportunity to see if anyone knows anything about Kulthum.

‘I hope Sami and Kamal wont show up, but Saleem has never been like them, if they ever really interacted it was due to being invited to the same events.’ I muse out loud.

‘If they do show up I will take them apart before they so much as look at you, don’t worry about them.’ Acero says now her eyes bold and fierce.

‘Lets get you home and ready and Acero needs a dress too.’ Devin says now a smirk on his lips, Acero swats at his arm.

‘I go in my usual kit, I’m there to protect Aaliyah not mingle with drunk rich assholes.’ She retorts.

I tune them out as they bicker back an forth, after the charged exchange with Sami I needed a moment I find Cruz on my burner send off a text, “I miss you, had a run in with Sami, it wasn’t great.”

She responds in seconds, ‘Jo and Bobby have me training all day Imogen teaching me to pilot. Call you tonight we can talk about it?’

My heart sinks a little that’s all I needed to see.

I spend some time getting ready for the gathering, Saleem insists on sending a chauffeur and Acero and I sit together in the back we both have hidden bugs and cameras, the deal is we can ditch it if we get searched. We arrive and we are shown to a penthouse spacious and luxurious music pumps through the sound system, soft lighting and neon strobes complete the party atmosphere there are about 50 guests milling around a few I recognize and some are brand new faces.

Several couches and a long glass bar bustle with people chatting and consuming alcohol, there’s a haze of smoke in the air various different fragrances and the tantalizing aroma of spiced foods fill the air around us, Acero is shell shocked.

‘So this is how the rich do it..’ she murmurs to me she has minimal make up on a pants suit and her long hair is braided to the side, androgynous and striking quite a number of curious eyes are on us.

‘ALI!’ a familiar voice says my name, I turn in time for Akeera to embrace me her husband approaches with a more measured stride eventually smiling as he stands behind his excited wife.

‘Saleem said he invited you but I didn’t know if you would come! I missed you!’ She exclaims into my hair she has not let me go yet, I gently pry her free to smile at her husband, a handsome older man with an open smile and friendly eyes.

He bows his head, ‘Abdul.’

‘Aaliyah Amrohi, nice to meet you Abdul, this is…’ I trail off, Acero is her call sign we never got her name… we never talked about what her sercurity clearance credentials would be!

‘Kawthar… personal guard and assistant to Ms Amrohi.’ Ace says now smooth as butter she bows gracefully stepping back slightly to adhere to social etiquette – I am not here for the party, Im here for Aaliyah’s well being.

Akeera wraps her long lean arm around my shoulders, jewelry glinting and chiming as the diamonds and precious metals catch the lights. ‘a personal guard Ali? Saleem spares no expense when it comes to security at these gatherings you know this.’ She chides gently she steers us toward a table where several people sit. I scan the people with mock interest but something unusual catches my eye toward the furthest end from me.

A couple an older man, maybe mid 30s and a younger woman, heads bowed toward each other he scolds her and she gazes at him through her eye lashes, her make up is done skillfully whoever the artist is has aged her up tastefully but her build and demeanor speaks of a girl not yet fully developed into a woman.

Akeera eagerly introduces me around to these new people explaining our background briefly she draws my attention now pointedly to one particular gentleman, he is short perhaps only a few centimeters below the average for an Arab man, clean shaved and his eyes are dark green he stands and takes my hand. How bold to perform such an action toward an unmarried woman in the middle east.

His accent is strange mixture of British and maybe Egyptian he smiles openly and looks into my eyes, being only just taller than me. I note he doesn’t release my hand and I take it back gently.

‘Ali! Im so excited… ok listen… this lovely gentleman is Kader he is based out of London but flew in this week, he went to business school with Saleem and Eshan!’ she rattles on chattering about the marvelous connections that clearly indicate this man is surely worth my undivided attention for the rest of the evening.

‘Its very nice to meet you Aaliyah, your pictures truly do no justice to the vision you are in the flesh.’ Kader speaks soft and soothing he is almost shy and gestures toward a chair for me to seat myself.

I Smile politely, ‘nice to meet you too Kader, it appears our mutual friend here,’ I gesture toward Akeera who smiles devilishly proud of herself, ‘is on a cupids mission this evening?’ I accuse her with a mocking frown and pointed finger, I expected something like this but not this soon.

Akeera for her part doesn’t even bother denying it. ‘It seemed so wonderfully well timed that you both happened to return to the regions at the same time, especially after such a long while away.’

She excuses herself to tend to something her husband wanted and my attention once again strays to the far end of the table, the young girl is looking down at her plate dutifully eating and her apparent partner is engaged in animated conversation with a man next him they laugh and slap each other on the back, drunk and perhaps high.

‘you know them?’ Kader asks me now breaking my concentration.

‘Oh, them? No… I know only the Khan siblings, and I recognize one or two faces but only really from events in my past. I have not indulged in these parties for some time.’ I respond and he turns to me to listen intently.

‘What? Rich spoilt brats getting drunk and high on roof tops aren’t your thing?’ he asks now wriggling his eyebrows expressively.

‘Well… I mean I have done my fair share of questionable things on roof tops.. don’t mistake me for a saint.’ I say shrugging my shoulders and laughing guitily, ‘But I spent a lot of time with Ehsan and he preferred the west, or Europe even the far East … he didn’t want to really be here … I think in a way that is what really made me love him.’ I respond finding myself caught up in speaking to a man yet again who knew one of the people I had lost. ‘sorry I say forgive me…’ I clear my throat.

Kader looks at me sincerely, ‘No need for apologies, Eshan was not an easy man but he was a good man. That much I always knew, he was certainly lucky to have been given your hand.’

‘Oh don’t flatter me! My head is already to big.’ I joke.

The couple at the far end of the table are up and moving, the man has a grip on the young ladies arm, she seems uncomfortable but pliant, moving in whatever direction he chooses for her, I immediately resent him and fight the urge to follow them and yank the girl from his grasp.

My jaw sets and my eyebrows almost meet as i follow there progress to the exit.

‘Bilhari … Ahmed Bilhari… his father owns a few holiday resorts so he is an Heir and an entitled prick all at the same time.’ Kader speaks now, he is watching me watch them.

‘I would hate to be his date, so rough.’ I respond deadpanning and draining a drink a waiter provided the vodka burns my throat.

‘That wasn’t his date… its his brand new shiny wife, curtesy of his Papa and the Mulfi families latest deal.’ Kader responds now he steeples his fingers looking out into the crowd, I turn my attention to him now hoping Acero is listening too.

‘Arranged marriage, and Ahmed is not happy with it?’ I answer him now fishing for any more info he is willing to provide.

‘its 2023 Aaliyah none of us are actually happy with what our parents want us to accept especially this archaic tradition.’ Kader responds, ‘Ahmed I guess would not give a sh*t if the match made wasn’t so embarrassingly f*cking juvenile.’

I Fake a frown now pouting my lips as if deeply confused. Kader looks over at me now disbelieving.

‘Don’t tell me the make up fooled you? NO WAY!!!’ he says now giggling loudly and slapping the table, ‘that was a girl Aaliyah, like a young girl.’

‘Well I mean some women look young?’ I respond keeping my expression innocent and ignorant.

An exaggerated sigh escapes Kader’s lips. ‘Ahmed turned 35 this year and is meant to inherit a resort in a prime location on one of the private beaches here… on condition that he marry a girl of his fathers choosing.’ Kader explains now, ‘ that girl is Amayia Mulfi, she is the youngest daughter of some property developer here in Dubai – rumor has it their parents had agreed to this deal years ago.’ Kader lowers his voice now, an excuse to lean closer.

I Feign complete disbelief, ‘how … how old is she Kader?’

’15 this year… she graduated from some special school Ahmed keeps bragging that one of her classes was all dedicated to learning to pleasure her husband.’ Kader grimaces disgusted his lips curling he is breathing a bit heavy, ‘he brags about it at polo matches and at tennis club he says he doesn’t ever have to ask for sex she is willing always, does whatever he wants, will never answer back.’

My bile rises and I try to hide my fury. Acero gently tells me to keep pushing for more…

‘I guess every family has there way, and if she is happy..’ I get the words out fighting the wave of nausea.

Kader looks to me now he frowns deeply, ‘You condone this? Children being made to marry grown men?’ he asks now he looks quite annoyed with me, ‘Did that girl look happy to you?!’ he asks
aggressively and I am a bit weary, Acero moves and I hold my hand up out of view.

‘I don’t mean to offend you Kader, you seem a nice man and the last thing I want to do is make you think ill of me… I apologize.’ I respond now my attempt at diffusing the situation.

‘He covers his eyes briefly looking around the room he stands, ‘I er… I need a smoke you must have a wonderful evening further Ms Amrohi.’ He walks away stiffly.

‘I need to follow him…’ I whisper into my comms.

‘hell f*cking no, he thinks you are a disgusting traditionalist he needs to cool off.’ Acero responds.

‘he knows things, things we need to know,’ I respond now getting up and walking to the bar, ‘he may well have a clue… another piece of the puzzle Acero you have to trust me.’

‘If you… if he hurts you Aaliyah.. Cruz ,’ She responds through gritted teeth.

‘Cruz is on the other side of the world and I am f*cking on to something… so wait here and come only if I need you.’ I respond knocking too many shots of Beluga back neat my breath runs ice cold and my eyes grow sharp.

I leave the party area heading to the smoking area its quiet and Kader sits in a darker corner on a high chair his back turned.

‘I f*cking hate tradition! I hate that a 15yr old can be married off before she knows who she is or what she likes and I really hate that when I see something I resent with every fiber of my being I am not the right gender so I cant stand up and disagree with it.’ I speak now, nerves settled and voice steady. ‘so sometimes when I am asked what I think of things my brain is wired to be compliant and agreeable, with stupid half answers like, “if thats their way”, its ingrained in me and I am working so very hard to unlearn this behavior. Please Kader… I really am sorry.’

He doesn’t turn around or acknowledge my monologue he instead uses his foot to nudge out a chair next to him. I take it eagerly and look at him waiting for him to speak, hoping my speech held enough conviction to warrant some response from him.

‘My father wanted to do this to me… a few months ago.. he called me to his office to tell me a nikah would take place and he had already negotiated all terms, a suitable match had been found and all I needed to do was show up…. I didn’t know who I would marry.’ Kader tells his story head bowed cigarette burning to ash his fingers tremble slightly… he takes a drag spilling the ash.

‘It was a girl, from another province but my father wanted to complete a buy out, pay the company owner half the companies worth up front and the rest would be a dowry, they could both avoid tax and threshold penalties. At first I didn’t understand… I am not even 30 he had promised me I would have till then.’ He looks at me now tears welling.

‘you were part of a business deal?’ I ask now urging him to continue.

‘My brother got someone to reveal who this company owner was and then we looked at his family, two daughters one older married with children… then… er the other we hadn’t managed to find much on her she was sent to school away from home young and was not back.’ He is shaking now, ‘a few weeks later my father sent for me again and told me our wedding would be in 2 weeks, I was beside myself I never wanted it to be like that!’ he says now balling his hand Into a fist.

I cover his fist with my hand, ‘Im so sorry Kader, your father sounds like he expected quite a lot from you.’
‘on the day of the wedding my bride, ‘ he spits the words out now crying, ‘my bride was only a child Aaliyah.. a girl.’ He sobs now I take the cigarette from his hand.

He swallows trying to choke out more of his story, ‘once the ceremony was concluded she travelled with me to our private Jet, a honeymoon had been planned we were flying to Cyprus, I drank myself paralytic on the plane to avoid her.’ He shakes his head, ‘we got there and I sobered up, woke up dressed in pajamas and there she was Aaliyah her young body dressed like a woman, I vomited at the site of it.’

I Get up now realizing this man has held so desperately on to such trauma I rub his back, ‘Kader … what happened next?’

‘she tried to come to me to consummate our union but I pushed her away, I took my things whatever I could gather, withdrew cash from the atms and booked a flight to London,’ he breathes now a bit, ‘Aaliyah… I couldn’t… I just couldn’t not with a child, I ran from that house her crying and begging me to stay.’

‘I know kader, you did the right thing... no grown man should ever go through with such an act of perversion.. you did good’ I say rubbing his back.

‘No I f*cking didn’t…’ he responds.

I frown, ‘what do you mean?’

‘I may aswell have killed her that night Aaliyah…’ he responds. ‘she… she… somehow saw my rejection of her has some kind of failure … some twisted ideology that not capturing my heart and fulfilling her one true purpose…f*ck…!!!’ he trails off hitting his head against the wall hugging himself.

My heart beats fast a sense of dread taking hold, ‘kader please tell me what happened.’

‘My brother found her drowned in a bathtub a few days after I left, my pops sent him there to look for her and any traces of me… but he found her dead with a note .. that she failed her one true purpose.’ He finishes eyes dead and energy spent he is sweating.
‘I am sorry Kader, but just like that girl was a victim… so were you.’ I say still rubbing his shoulders trying to provide comfort.

‘I was going to kill myself these last few months I thought about it … Akeera wanted me to just come out tonight and I though ok meet a woman my own age it may make me feel better.. then I see Ahmed with that poor girl.’

‘it was triggering for you?’ I ask now already seeing the answer playing out in front of me. He nods looking ashamed of his own weakness.

‘Listen Kader… you are not a bad man, and you deserve happiness ok?’ I say now, I feel its important he knows this, I truly mean the words.

‘Always disgree with things you see that are wrong Aaliyah Amrohi… you never know whose life your voice may save.’ He responds before stumbling to his feet, he hugs me briefly, ‘I am going to head home now, tonight has proven exhausting.’

I Nod my head, ‘I will be here for the party …. If you would like a date… as a friend of course its been only months since Ehsan… and with your situation…’ I stutter a bit wanting to be there for Kader but wishing to make it clear my intentions.

He smiles a small sad smile at me, ‘we can go together Ms Amrohi.’ He leaves quietly and I sit back down, Acero bursting in a few minutes after she grabs my shoulders and looks at me carefully.

‘you ok?’ she asks. ‘that was f*cking horrific.’

I Nod my head I have a headache from the Vodka and the trauma dump and the cigarette smoke, ‘I think I want to leave too.’ I respond.

She shoulders my weight and guides me toward the exit. As we walk we are intercepted by Saleem and Akeera.

‘Oh my Ali!’ Have you had too much?’ Akeera teases, ‘I don’t think I have seen this woman be carried from a venue in my life!’ she squeals again high pitched and I feel my ears ache a bit.

‘Now Akeera don’t judge she has been absent from our party scene for a long time, she must be allowed an adjustment period,’ Saleem mocks me now I keep my head bowed, these people joke and laugh knowing what fate awaits Kulthum! They have their parties and entertain their rich friends whilst teenagers drown in bath tubs for no f*cking reason.

I want to rage and hit them but instead I moan and Acero excuses us politely and gets me Into our car to take us home.

When we get to our suite I toss my high heels across the room missing Devin Narrowly, ‘we need a secure line to Jo now!’ he nods his head looking from me to Acero and back.

I explain everything Kader told me, the young girl at the party with Ahmed, the suicide risk with these girls and Jo looks on starting to build her own rage up.

She nods her head and then thanks us leaving us with instructions to keep on course to attend the party. She signs off, and Im so angry I don’t even ask where Cruz is. Im pumped up and I cant calm down, how could people… MY PEOPLE… behave this way!!!
I am drinking a bottle of water and the urge to smash it to the floor over takes me, ‘ I scream in frustration.’
‘That’s not going to get it out of you…’ Acero says now from the doorway, ‘come change out of that dress and meet me in the parking lot.’

I Change and meet her, we drive into the desert for an hour at reckless speed until there is nothing but us left, Acero pulls off the road and gets out taking a bag from the boot she climbs to the roof of the vehicle and offers me a hand up.

She takes out an assault rifle, a pistol a sniper rifle and places it on the roof throwing multiple magazines down, ‘pick one up and empty the clip then repeat, scream rage shout and wail and shoot at the ghosts in the desert till you have no air left in your lungs.’

She climbs down from the roof puts her ear muffs on and gets into the vehicle, I begin without hesitation until my hands are sweaty and my arms cant hold the guns anymore, a pile of shell casings surround my boots.

My voice hoarse and my vocals near gone… my rage glowing like embers beneath the desert sky, the flames no longer lick at my insides but the heat of it remains.

AL Fakir is going to f*cking Die.

Chapter 13: Courage in patience

Chapter Text

Bobby

‘This guy eats a lot.’ I comment as I squint at the behemoth seated at the restaurant table devouring eggs and mushrooms with bread he dips in sauce then slurps it all up.

‘You eat a lot.’ Jo quips smirking she is seated at the same restaurant I am well hidden in our vehicle. ‘his movements and correspondence with Saleem today indicates he is unavailable from the morning, im thinking he is wolfing all this down and then he hits the road?’

‘yeah, rented an off roader too, in a false name looks like he stripped the plates at like 4am and had it detailed. He got the tank filled, paid cash it looks like the trip will be long.’ I respond.

‘Bobby no matter what, when he collects her we cant take her… you know that right?’ Jo speaks now her voice muffled by the cup she has shielding her mouth.

‘Yeah, I get it… I don’t f*cking like it but I get it. This is all location and investigation we recon and come back when we can we take out the whole goddamn operation.’ I respond so she knows im on the same page.

‘Aaliyah is going to complicate things if she cant keep her sh*t together at this party tonight…’ Jo says now as the body guard gestures to the waiter for his bill and wipes at his mouth.

‘Acero’s has concerns I saw the texts yeah… but listen Aaliyah knows how high the stakes are, if you say I need to pull her out I will, but lets put a little faith in her for now ok?’ I respond, ‘I think first prize right now for everyone is taking AL Fakir down, but I am no fortune teller boss, if Aaliyah is present and the Khans are about to send Kulthum off to some uncertain fate… I cant predict how Aaliyah is going to reacte.’

‘I don’t like a loose canon, especially not one so visible and so very far from our protection.’ Jo responds, ‘ok show time our boy is on the move fast!’
‘I got him on 4 wheels you meet us on 2 in about an hour I will drop my gps locations as I go.’ I respond pulling my seat upright stowing my binoculars and starting the car.

‘don’t forget to pull your body wrap and change plates ok cant have him spot our tail whenever we swop.’ Jo fires back I hear her pick up pace to a light jog, her motorcycle further away then my car.

I pull out into traffic trying to stay at least 5 cars behind this guy without risking losing him in the late morning city movements, he moves further toward the outskirts of the city and then takes a dirt road, its unnamed and has no landmarks he creates a substantial dust cloud but I have to reduce my speed and follow at a much slower pace, not ideal.

‘JO! Im making way more visible dust then I should right now, this guy is on a unmarked road middle of the f*cking desert, can you catch up to me we may need to take your bike and ditch the car?’ I speak into our comms, and Jo comes in over the static line affirmative.

I pull the car off when I see her approaching and scramble to cover my head with a scarf and she luckily has a spare helmet we take what surveillance equipment I can carry in a back pack and store the rest in the bikes lock boxes, I mount her bike, her wheels spin and she tears it down the desert road her smooth tread tires straining to compensate for the lack of traction.

‘This is f*cking stupid , and we have done some really dangerous really stupid stuff Bubba… but this right here…’ she trails off her concentration again given to the uneven softer gravel, ‘lets just pray this terrain levels out and gets a little harder.’

We drive for hours eventually the road starts to hug the coast and approach a small village, minimal lights and the sun setting at our backs makes visibility poor we follow the guards taillights. We cut the engine and roll the bike silently to a secluded area and park it we approach the guard he is meeting a man, they shake hands and exchange brief words, he takes some keys and hands presumably a rolled up wad of cash to the man.

From this point he shoulders his backpack and makes his way through the building made of tin and mud eventually he comes to a wooden shack large and theres a tarp hung from the roof covering the door he disappears inside, Jo signals for me to fall in behind her and we duck moving rapidly to towards the building.

It’s a storage building for ATVs some crates lie pried open various munitions, guns and Kevlar vests litter the floor and surrounding tables, the place is empty and I cant see the guard anywhere, my hairs on the nape of my neck raise and I feel my muscles tense. I signal to Jo we need to approach from an alternative entrance so we make our way around the back checking for windows as we go.

The man comes out of nowhere he grabs Jo from behind in a choke hold she transfers her weight to lower her center of gravity bending forward he tumbles over her landing on the ground heavily she lunges forward knife already unsheathed to slit his throat before he can scream, his blood hisses and gurgles in this throat as the light fades from his eyes.

I spot a second man approaching unaware his head bowed trying to light a cigerette I creep up behind him he had his semi automatic slung around his back I take out his legs and snap his neck instantly he goes limp I lower him to the floor, I look up to Jo her pistol out silencer screwed in place she takes aim at me two rapid rounds discharge a man falls just to my left, I wink at her and hit the floor crawling into the back entrance of the building she stays outside dragging the dead out of immediate view to delay detection.

The body guard is filling red cans with fuel, 3 maybe 4 that’s a lot of f*cking extra fuel he loads it into the back of a now idling ATV, he has several fire arms loaded too and some other supplies water, a few minimal rations and a satellite phone, dangerous if he spots us he can call Saleem and Faraaz, Al Fakir alert everyone.

Jo sneaks up beside me spooking the sh*t out of me, I almost punch her signaling WTF at her she shrugs, ‘I think those guards were it … looks like they patrolled this whole outpost… maybe next shift is sun up?’

My blood chills… ‘Dude… what if next shift is sun down? Its like 30 minutes from now!’ I whisper back not taking my eyes from the body Guard who looks set to begin his journey, ‘so we need to find the dead guy with a set of keys for one of these things,’ I explain pointing at the ATVs’

Jo looks over at them, ‘that’s gonna make a sh*t ton of noise and dust in the dark desert Bubba.’ She whispers back checking her magazine she peaks out again to make sure no one else is approaching.

‘Did you bring the BAT.’ I ask now referring to the military grade premium RPAS we managed to politely lift from the storage in Malta.

‘I did indeed, 3miles should be enough distance between us and him, we can keep the speed down use the dunes to cover ourselves and the BAT can keep in sight without it actually being seen with the infrared Tech she can fly low and fast.’ Jo responds, ‘but f*cked if I know how to fly that thing…Man I miss Acero.’

‘We are going to have to take ourselves through a little crash course or we will for sure lose this son of a bitch out here in the dark or risk him calling out some ugly f*cking reinforcements.’ I respond, the guard is in the drivers seat strapping himself in he idles passed our hiding place the ATV wheels crunching and squeaking as it moves forward.

When he is about a quarter mile from us we both dash around, I fill fuel tanks and gather supplies then run outside to help Jo carry the 3 heavy f*ckers in and dump them in the back of the ATV, we manage to find 3 extra sets of keys for each available vehicle and take all the sets with us, that way no one will follow.

Jo fetches any of our supplies from the motorcycle and then pushes it into a fairly deep part of the ocean hidden from the outpost. She sprints back to the Off roader and gets into the drivers seat I have managed to get the RPAS rotor blades spinning and after a few curses and a lot of sweating its hovering about 15 feet up and flying I can see it identify the Guard vehicle and plot our best route to the vehicle, it calculates safe following speed, fuel consumption and when following distance needs to be reduced, altitude needs to be adjusted for visibility.

‘f*cking extraordinary.’ I marvel as the device AI offers to switch to autopilot with alerts for when the battery needs changing.

Jo keeps her eyes on the road ahead we set off trying to catch up after all that time taken to get underway, we stop after 20 or so miles to dump the men down a dune, hopefully this raises less alarm then leaving them there dead.

We have to stop once for fuel Jo and I swopping every 2hours to let the other rest after 12 hours of driving the body guard stops, the BAT detects his heart rate and breathing evening out he appears to be resting. We use the Drone to map the region and see if there is anything else ahead of us, but no considerable or substantial man made masses or signals are pinged.

‘We are literally in the middle of f*cking nowhere, Jesus Jo where the f*ck is this asshole leading us?’ I ask now for the first time in the last 24hrs I feel something like fear, the enormity of the desert and the isolation crashes into my consciousness like a freight train.

‘I don’t know Bubba, but you said to me once there’s Courage in patience, and it never made more sense to me then it did just now, sat out here exposed and alone and unsure.’ Jo responds she is nibbling something from our rations bag and hands me a water bottle.

‘Hoping this guy took the right amount of fuel to get us there and back, or we are truly f*cked.’ I respond, I’m trying to keep the panic out of my voice, but there’s no fooling the woman who knows you better than you know yourself.

She takes my hand gripping it till it hurts, bringing me back to her, stopping the spiral and calming me.

‘Sleep, I will take first watch, this will suck less when the sun rises ok?’ she says now combing her fingers through my sandy dusty hair I nod my head reluctantly closing my eyes letting the soothing stroking of her fingers lull my to sleep.

Just before I fade away I look over at her, ‘I guess you never have to doubt if I would follow you to the ends of the earth huh?’

She smiles at me tired and gentle tilting her head she chuckles, ‘you know its me following you right, it has been for the longest time.’

She leans in and kisses me, stealing the last of my wakeful senses and I fall asleep.

We both end up getting roused from slumber by the Drone beeping for a change in the targets vitals, he Is up and mobilizing, we change batteries and set off dry eyes and throats hurting.

Thankfully there is a UV cover on the ATV we pull it over snapping it in place and it shields us from the worst of the vicious suns punishment. Another 6 hours of driving commences but thankfully we don’t need another fuel top up, the Drone beeps. There’s a structure ahead, my excitement builds warring with my anxiety I do a quick weapons check and take binoculars out of the case Jo pulls onto a fairly high dune and we both jump out I scan the coordinates the BAT gave me zooming in until in the distance I see It looming, massive.

‘Jesus Jo, look at it.’ I say now whistling low I hand her the binoculars and rush to grab the controls and recall the drone, ‘they may pic up the BAT at a certain proximity, detection out here is not an option!.’

‘I agree, can you try to snap some images we need an outline even if its vague something for Imogen to work with.’ She responds.

I move the BAT in slowly inching it closer, the alarms are beeping and warnings are flashing my sweat is dripping and I try not to shake, we eventually manage a few scans and the imaging is better than expected.

The screen flashes neon and the controller vibrates violently before a message to switch to AI control comes up, reason : evasive flying techniques required I tap yes and the drone begins to zig zag returning rapidly.

‘sh*t Jo! sh*t!!! Its been spotted I think they are trying to shoot it down!’ I say now she runs back to the car and jumps into the drivers side, ‘cover your face all the stuff cover it, give them nothing to identify us by!’ She turns the ATV around and pushes hard on the accelerator. In the distance we hear engines revving and gun shots many many gun shots.

The AI prompts us to take a detour, there is an abandoned fishing outpost along the coast we have fuel enough to get there, opportunity to take cover and lose the enemy.

Jo drives straight before swearing and turning to follow the path on the control panel, we make it there the buildings broken down, collapsed structures twisted metal and splintered wood surround rubble and there’s a dilapidated jetty being battered by the ocean she pulls the ATV to a stop we idle for a moment she is breathing hard.

‘We have fuel enough to get back, we have weapons, lets get this thing hidden we need to kit up and prepare for a tussle, you down?’ she asks me not looking over.

‘Yeah, lets try to encrypt and send the data we have to Cruz and Imogen and then worry about phase two ok?’ I respond not wanting to talk about the potential small Army bearing down on us. The ATV comes speeding in and self lands a few feet from me, we both have Kevlar on now checking weapons and doing a quick inventory of the munitions we managed to take from the outpost yesterday.

I grab the drone and Jo takes the weapons and we dash to take cover in the largest building still almost left standing, the Vehicle is stashed well, we find a room more less walled on all sides with one entrance no windows, sand has reclaimed a lot. I pray they down deploy explosives our best chance is close quarter combat, only one gets through that doorframe at a time. We have plenty of places to hide in here.

We have time to forward Cruz our last coordinates and the info we gathered the location of this place is big, and we smile at each other for a moment in spite of the current sh*t storm we are in.

Jo sees the lazer pointer before I spot the boots walk through the door, Jo shoots him in the head and he drops, there’s yelling outside and then I hear a canister roll into the room, we sprint and tumble over an overturned table ducking as the stun grenade detonates making my ears ring Jo grabs my shoulder hauling me up we run between the broken furniture and eventually shelter behind a storage unit, the men are coming in now cautious, I edge my head out count 4, but there may be triple that we don’t know.

Deep breathes, ‘we can take four right?’ I ask.

‘Just another Tuesday at the office bubba,’ she responds she is breathing deep too eyes closed for a second.

I roll onto the floor army crawl over to another vantage point one more walks over and I shoot him in the foot he turns and Jo gets him in the back of the head. I am smiling at her like a goof when another jumps the low wall im hiding behind and tackles me, he is big and heavy and I cant twist my hips to throw him off he punches me hard and tries to get his fat fingers around my throat, I manage to get my knife from my boot stabbing him repeatedly in the thigh he goes down and I jump on him slitting his throat.

Jo has left her location I swear under my breath but I don’t need to wait to hear where she is, she has made it back to the entrance and sprays the men outside with rapid fire, they duck behind their vehicles shouting and trying to rally themselves, two more make there way toward her I run full speed and tackle one from behind taking him down before his team mate sees him fall, I have him in a choke hold using my body to keep him in place.

I Hear shots ring out and my heart sinks, my guy finally goes still and I crawl forward with my pistol my eyes burn and Im panting I hear voice, the relief almost makes me sob, ‘Hey yeah how are we looking over there?’

‘4 down and there are 8 outside, no more room for ambushing can you reach the BAT transmitter.’ She asks me she is crouched low keeping the entrance in site.

‘I can yeah, I guess we are into phase : All caution to the wind then.’ I respond crawling quickly over to the device I power up the RPAS and before they know what is coming it deploys the grenades we had rigged it with earlier, the explosion Is deafening, dust and smoke flames in the air. We exit the room cautiously staggering and stunned by the blast, guns pointed at the wreckage rapidly doing a body count.

I don’t see the survivor he must have rolled away and he lifts his gun before I can take him out he discharges the weapon I see Jo take a hit my heart drops she is flung backward hitting the ground with a sick thud i blink once... twice, I make ground knocking him to the floor he is dazed and I disarm him roaring with pure rage.

I slam the butt of his gun into his face he goes down and I kick his side, ‘You motherf*cker!’ I scream spitting at him I straddle him punching him as I scream I feel feral, he tries to block me but i am completely out of control.

‘BOBBY!’ She says now coughing and choking through ragged breathes, ‘Bobby quit it!!!! You're gonna f*cking Kill him!!!'

I Look over at her and then down at him, his face swollen lacerated and bruised he barely moves. My chest is heaving the flames from the burning vehicles close to me is searing and I sweat, i must look crazed.

I climb off him and go to her lifting her, she dislodges the bullet from the Kevlar it’s not even an inch from flesh, the impact knocked her down I didn’t realize
I didnt look for blood splatter... i should have.

‘f*ck, he better be alive enough to question!’ she shouts at me now pushing me hard out of her way.

I grab her arm as she tries to storm pass me, ‘That f*cker could have killed you!’ she pulls her arm from my grip roughly grabbing my vest.

‘THAT f*ckER, could be our only f*cking chance of gathering viable Intel from a reliable source!!! DO YOU GET THAT’ she responds her eyes are blazing and she is pumped up. ‘ Now get him up and away from that vehicle before it explodes and fries him!’

She lets me go storming off to confirm kills and cut their feeds, communicators and tracking devices.

‘I was scared Jo I f*cked up ok?’ I say now, ‘Im sorry…. Mission above emotions… I wont do it again.’

She doesn’t respond to me so I carry out her orders grabbing our guy propping him against a wall I cable tie his hands and pat him down toss his weapons in the burning cars, ‘this smoke, that explosion… more will be coming Jo.’ I say now.

She walks passed me now still not speaking, she grabs the guy by his collar pouring water on his face she slaps him hard, ‘wake up.. Hey wake the f*ck up!’ he doesn’t stir she drops him to the floor hands on her knees, ‘f*ck… f*ck… f*ck!!!!’ she yells now at no one.

‘We can take him with us?’ I suggest, ‘patch him up along the way and get what we need from him?’

She thinks on it then gestures for me to help her pick him up we drag him to our ATV and then we get in, I drive us out of the desert in silence, we reach civilization in 18hours, having hardly spoken, she spends her time in the back trying to get the security guard to speak but he is not forthcoming, I watch her mood shifts, he doesn’t realize who it is he is dealing with.

I close my eyes blinking slowly… what comes next no one is going to like she already has the look in her eye, and that makes my stomach burn acid building at the prospect of watching her take this on.

We reach a meet point at a busy market and swop vehicles Imogen’s men get rid of the ATV and insure we are not followed. We board her boat discreetly and she stows the guard out of sight and in a sound proofed area of the vessel, we sail out Cruz has a nervousness in her voice as she navigates her way out of the quays that makes me smile.

Once in open water Jo goes to work, quickly learns the mans name, Nadiem, he is the son of a business associate of AL Fakir and his father wanted him to learn discipline and focus so it was agreed he would work for 6years at the madrasa whilst his sister attended the school, essentially paying for her tuition with his service.

‘sounds like f*cking indentured slavery to me.’
Imogen speaks now she is staring at Jo as she washing blood from her hands, her expression somewhere between anger and horror.

‘he has very little knowledge of the inner workings of the place but security personnel all report to one Unit leader who is in direct contact with Saleem and AL Fakir. We are looking at heavy fire power and two twelve hour shifts. They are granted leave from base via the outpost once every three months no exceptions unless a family member dies.’ She explains now grabbing a towel off the counter there is still blood in her finger nail cuticles and a splatter on her cheek.

Imogen stands now fury plain on her face, ‘I don’t know exactly how you americans operate but I don’t condone torture McNamara!’ she is seething slamming her fists into the counter, ‘the boy will have rest now and medical attention and whilst he remains aboard my vessel you and your brutality will stay clear of him!’

Jo looks up now at her, eyes dull and emotions switched off she has gone to a dark place, she nods her head once , ‘We have 2 points of entry and exit, staff/help and security and student/chaperone/parents.Nadiem estimates atleast 30 Guards are posted on premises at any given time with 10 being on leave.
Cars are checked metal detectors at the entrance, there are areas for belongings and digital devices to be stored you enter and exit with nothing on you, flood lights and motion detectors and landmines litter the area within a 1 mile radius.’

‘In other words it’s a maximum security prison, brainwashing facility with a paranoid maniacal cult leader who has enough fire power to kill us before we get within a few miles.’ Cruz says now her frown deep she picks at her nails.

‘We need to plan, we need to strategize and then we need to execute, this operation has to be three fold, eliminate AL Fakir, liberate the girls and destroy his infrastructure. We need to make it so damn clear this bullsh*t is over, no one ever tries to fly his flag again.’
Jo says now outlining the plan.

Imogen walks away at this point presumably to speak with the Doctor and tend to Nadiem Cruz goes back up to the control room and Jo and I are alone, she sits down exhausted we haven’t slept.

‘im going to check on Acero team two should hopefully have had a better time with there objectives then you and I in the last 36hours,’ I say touching her shoulder, she takes my hand pulling me back between her legs she puts her head on my belly breathing me in.

‘Will you come find me when you’re done… I don’t want to be alone.’ She says now, I can hear the suppressed sob in her throat.

I Lift her head and kiss her deeply, ‘you have me, no matter what, I’m going to bring you back ok? No matter how dark you get and how far gone you think you are Im going to always bring you back!’ I say and then I let her go and walk out.

She briefly let me glimpse the pain this ordeal caused her and it felt like I was being torn apart from the inside, I pause outside the meeting room door to breathe.

People like Imogen will never know what it takes to be Jo McNamara.

Chapter 14: f*ck Protocol

Chapter Text

Aaliyah
The evening is as I expected it would be, expensive cars drop couples and families and some individuals off at the entrance to the compound.

Music filters into the night air and as I emerge from the car sent by Saleem all eyes turn to me, the scrutiny is unbearable, they pick apart my dress, my shoes and my Jewelry then comment under their breath as I fight the urge to get back into the car and go back to the hotel, they whisper and gawk as kader offers me an arm and I hook him in with a genuine smile I silently pray no pictures make it to the media before I have an opportunity to tell my girlfriend exactly who this man is.

I run the usual gauntlet see old familiar friends and acquaintances, kiss aunties on cheeks and nod respectfully at uncles whose names I cant remember.

Eventually we enter the main hall and then we stroll through to the large glass domed ceiling area all the guests have gathered here, its like an auditorium crystal drops illuminate the space and waiters thread their way through the crowd.

The Khans were always wealthy but this party is extravagant Faraaz Khan is making a point, showing the most important of his guests that he has taken things up a notch.

I eventually find Akeera and Saleem they are seated with their cousins, their mom stiffly hugs me and then excuses herself to tend to a catering conflict, she tuts and openly ignores Kader as she glides away he looks embarrassed but I grip his shoulder bolstering him and asking about where we should seat ourselves for dinner.

The night progresses, guests grow weary, over eat and indulge on the expensive wines and other spirits on offer. I look around to spot Acero and Devin they have been stationed with the other private security personnel restricted and looking frustrated.

Kader tries to be jovial making up stories about people we don’t know where they come from, what they are thinking, the conversations they must be having, he makes me laugh and snort more than once drawing curious eyes.

Akeera comes to sit with us, ‘you two look adorable over here giggling in your private bubble hmmm?’

She says she puts her palm under her chin ogling us and raising her eyebrows.

Kader blushes and I smile graciously allowing her to think whatever she wanted. I decide to be daring and ask the question I have wondered about all evening.

‘So Ake where is that little sister of yours hmmm? Gosh she must be so big by now?’ I pose the question and hear the exasperated exclamations of disapproval from Devin and Acero at once, whispered aggressively into my ear.

Im breaking their rules, and I don’t care, Kader is a broken man, kulthum is a girl vulnerable and I need to save her, I have seen too many people shattered and destroyed by this whole sordid disgusting situation, so right now Im going to ask the questions I want to ask.

f*ck protocol.

AKeera winces and her arm is retracted it rests in her lap she recovers smoothly plastering a smile on her face, the fake one she uses on strangers. ‘My sister is all grown up! She will actually be here soon, perhaps tomorrow! Saleem and Papa says she is on route! How exciting huh!’

I nod clapping my hands, ‘wonderful news, I hope we get to cross paths whilst I am still in the city.’

Akeera frowns, ‘You are leaving? When, why?’ her frown deepens as she waits for me to explain.

‘Oh just some business I need to attend to really, now that I sign my own contracts and handle my own deals I have to be available.’ I explain its almost truthful.

Akeera dismisses this waving her hands, ‘all this nonsense Aaliyah you should be focusing on finding a suitor and settling down. This business you speak of .. it’s a husbands duty.’ She looks pointedly at Kader, ‘perhaps some one will capture your heart here and you can let go of these modern pointless western ideals.’

I Grab a piece of food off a platter putting it in my mouth to avoid speaking, after all these years Akeera has not changed at all and she is thrilled to have her sister return with the same ignorant backward mentality programmed into her.

I smile stiffly doing my best to keep my expression neutral.

‘Oh sh*t…’ Kader says now I lean toward him and he murmurs, ‘my father over there speaking to Faraaz.’ He stands now saying he is going to get some fresh air he looks anxious and terrified.

Akeera looks over to see what made him leave, ‘Ah I see his father is here poor man has done so much to overcome the shame and humiliation Kader left him with after that mess in Greece.’ She touches my knee, ‘but you and him Ali… you can work together to repair your relations and reputations here… his father seemed pleased when Saleem whispered of your connection with his son.’ She smiles now, beaming at me, as if somehow her hard work has paid off and all is being put back where it belongs, so our set up was strategic.

‘You are amazing Akeera thinking of me, and offering Kader a second chance this way, we don’t deserve you.’ I praise her and she basically preens herself, I fight the urge to slap her. ‘ I am going to look for him ok?’

She winks at me, ‘so attached so soon!’ I giggle back scrunching my nose and wagging my finger at her as I walk away as fast as I can.

‘that was unf*cking bearable.’ I mouth into my comms as I step out into the gardens, its sculpted man made perfection out in the middle of the desert.

I follow a path finding a clearing I hear muffled voices, ‘guys you hear the part where Kulthum comes home tomorrow?’

Acero responds, ‘yeah Cruz says Bobby and Jo are shadowing the body guard charged with her safe return, hopefully by tomorrow we will have a location to add to our information on this place.’

I Approach cautiously the hushed tones involve 3 men, they speak Arabic two of them have their backs to me, one older in a white robe the other younger in a bold floral patterned designer suit.

The third man, shorter smokes facing them blocked from my view.

‘I beg your forgiveness Uncle… brother, please but you must see, I simply could not do what my father asked of me.’ Kader speaks his voice unsteady he takes a deep drag of the cigarette swigging from a wine bottle, ‘I hope to repair the relationship but not at the cost of what I believe is right and wrong!’

‘You will never be able to measure the shame you brought upon your father, he is embarrassed and has lost so much business, family friends turned their backs on him Kader!’ the elderly man speaks now scolding and angry, ‘not to mentioned the debt he owes, your actions were selfish and I’m sorry but no forgiveness exists for you, you have dishonored your family.’

‘Why do you speak for him!’ he raises his voice now?

‘Because after your betrayal he no longer has strength to tell you he has shunned you boy, disinherited you… if he could he would strip you of his name too.’ The older man responds, ‘you are dead to this family.’

Kader sobs, ‘please don’t say that Uncle, I cant bear you saying that.’

‘He speaks truth, you are as good as dead to Pappa Kader, im sorry little brother but if i were you, i would pray death takes me before the shame of this consumed me.’ His brother says now coldly, as Kader sinks to his knees he tries to clutch the men’s hands but they pull away.

The older man walks away but his brother lingers, I come forward out of the shadows to touch his trembling shoulder he looks up at me his face a mask sadness, i wish i can protect him, shield him... i know this pain all to well.

‘so you are the sort of modern a moral woman he walks out on his marriage for?’ the brother asks me now mockingly, ‘Be sure my Pappa will never have to gaze upon this mockery tonight, you two need to leave... you will not weasel your way back into his good graces with this slu*t on your arm.’

‘Aaliyah is neither A moral or too modern and she is not a slu*t! You all should be glad she came to an event with the likes of you and your perverted “uncle” in attendance.’ Kader responds standing he is angry now tears still stream. ‘I came here and I compromised my own morals to seek forgiveness! I groveled and went against what I believe in, to try and salvage a relationship with you! I see now my error, you have changed brother, you have spent too long under that disgusting mans wing!'

His brother approaches now, ‘shut your mouth you shameful swine!'

‘Tell me, are you also going to be taking a child into your bed one of these days?’ Kader asks, ‘ you marrying a child bride? Help Pappa with his debt hmm?’

His brother tackles Kader to the grown beating him brutally, I try to grab his arm, ‘Stop this!!! You will kill him!’ I exclaim he elbows me and I fall back my face hurting I feel warm liquid my nose is bleeding. Where are Acero and Devin? They were not permitted to roam the gardens?

I stagger to my feet and run at Kaders brother, ‘leave him alone!’ I say pummeling him with my fists but he is relentless, savage taking the months of anger pent up inside him out on his smaller slighter sibling. I claw at his face with my nails he is undeterred, I have limited time Kader is losing consciousness he may choke on his own blood, his brother reaches for a ornamental sculpture made of quartz he raises it above his head to bring it down with force, I scream now unable to stop myself lunging again to wrestle it free but he shoves me hard and I land hitting my head seeing stars.

I take a moment to recover shaking my head to clear the dancing stars in my vision I turn my in time to see Kader’s brother bring the sculpture down he roars in anger and anguish, I see red, how could he!

I spot the wine bottle that clattered to the floor earlier beneath a stone table I crawl to it and stagger back to where he straddles is sweet gentle little brother, raising the heavy based bottle high I bring it down hard and fast generating all the power my body allows he collapses to the side, the impact was brutal, in that moment I don’t even care if I have killed him.

Dark red wine, splatters the white marble pathway he doesn’t stir, blood oozes from his head. I fall to my knees the bottle clangs to the floor beside Kader but I am too late, his body is lifeless his chest still I sob, ‘no… no… not like this.’ I whisper I am crying now Acero is near hysterical Devin is arguing with a guard that he cannot see me which is in breach of contract.

All I can think of is how warm and slippery blood is, how hard it is to cradle his head when it keeps lolling to the side, my tears fall on his face, my dress is covered in blood. An Innocent life lost, for what, an honor killing, a crime of passion in the spur of the moment? Because he dared to stand up for me?

Acero slides into place next to me Devin comes to check the pulse of the brother and Kader, ‘they are bother gone… what the f*ck went on out here?!’ he asks he picks me up almost off my feet his eyes wide with concern, ‘you are bleeding, who hurt you?!’

‘We need to leave.’ Acero says now interjecting.

Before anything else can be said Akeera and Saleem rush outside they gaze down at the bloody mess in shock they run over to me, ‘Aaliyah who did this! What happened?!’ they demand holding me and checking my wounds.

I Stammer through the events and they both look at the scene in disbelief.

‘I tried to stop him, I… I tried!’ I sob.

‘Its ok shhhh,’ Akeera says now Saleem is silent he leans down taking a handkerchief from his pocket to pick up the wine bottle and hands it to Devin… they nod at one another some kind of wordless understanding of what happens next.

‘We need to go Ms Amrohi,’ Devin says formal and professional.

I protest stammering over my words, ‘no there will be an enquiry the authorities they need to know what happened what that monster did!’ I say now fighting Acero’s grip on me, she restrains me gently trying to guide me to an exit.

Saleem closes the gap between us, ‘lower your voice Aaliyah… please.’ He stills me with his eyes hard and dominant, a commanding presence, ‘this was a tragedy, brothers at odds and it ended very badly, nothing more must be said ok?’

I shake my head furiously, ‘this was a crime!’ I respond.

Saleem claps his hand over my mouth Devin is about to lunge at him Acero steps between them, ‘wait…’
Saleem speaks whispering, ‘you murdered a man with a wine bottle, your DNA.. prints… you need to leave this alone Aaliyah.’ He cautions me quietly, ‘you murdered a very dangerous mans favorite nephew… you need to get the f*ck out of here right now.’

I See Akeera disappear I hear her yell at a guard to close the access to the gardens, they are trying to cover this up?

I Gaze up at him prying his hands from my mouth, ‘who is his uncle?’ I ask and I don’t need an answer, my heart almost stops. Saleem tells us to take one of his cars, he tosses Devin the keys, I pause looking at him wondering what his motivation is for helping me, perhaps it will be discovered that I am here on his invitation, accusations of fowl play?

I stagger backward Acero covers me with her jacket we hurry through the garden Into the underground parking pressing the key fob which opens, a two door sports car of course I sit against Acero she holds me too her squashed close letting me cry until I have no tears left, Devin gets us home and we walk the tedious fire escape avoiding cameras and people.

Acero gives me towels and closes the bath room door behind me, I find her seated just outside when I emerge, the panic attack when it hits makes me feel like am having a stroke, she holds me as I crumble to the floor gasping for air as my throat constricts around the same words over and over again, ‘I showered… I don’t understand I can still smell blood on my fingers… Ace why is there still blood on my fingers… why?!.. why!!!’ I cant stop myself she holds me still until eventually I crash. She carries me to my bed tucking me in.

I see her send a text message before slipping off her boots and rolling up a towel and laying on the floor at my bedside, she doesn’t Intend to leave me. For that I’m grateful.

Quietly she whispers, 'its hard to take a life, even harder to live with it... tonight i will pray you find a way to make peace with it.'

A few hours pass and Devin creeps in with water and pain killers I swallow them and feel him ice my head and check my nose he tenderly cleans small cuts, I apparently got quite banged up trying and failing to save Kader.

I failed, he is gone… Maybe he would have stayed away from the party if I didn’t ask him to go with… he would be alive if I didn’t ask him to go with me... if i had picked up the wine bottle sooner and killed that terrible man... if i had courage. I cry quietly trying not to wake Acero, I sleep again for a long time voices in the distance draw me reluctantly to the surface of my consciousness.

Acero is at the window on a call, ‘she is not exactly in any condition to travel boss…I know we are on a timeline I appreciate that, but the events that have unfolded only a day ago have taken their toll.’ She explains in hushed tones.

‘….Jo we cant just force her back under she is not a soldier, she cant just put the mask on! Please see-…’ she looks over at the bed sees me propped against the continental pillows gingerly touching my head a swelling tender makes me wince, my nose and lip feels thick, I must look a sight.

Devin opens the door to the suite shielding his eyes with a brown bag and a tray of something warm, the smells make my belly rumble, ‘everyone decent?’

‘Decent is a word I wont be using for a while to describe how I have faired my friend.’ I croak my throat dry.

He comes over to the bed handing me food with a smile, ‘Welcome back to the land of the living Princess.’ He sits on a chair he seemed to have occupied the whole time I had been asleep. He inspects my nose, lip and head carefully before declaring I will live dramatically.

Acero aggressively taps the screen of her phone now ending the call after a few tense grunts of ‘yes’ and murmurs of ‘Understood’, she tosses it on the table and comes over to take her share of the food and drink.

‘We have to talk Aaliyah.’ She says now gravely as she sits on the bed, ‘please know… this doesn’t come from me.’

I Shake my head with my mouth occupied chewing salmon and cream cheese on a heavenly bagel, I make a go on gesture with my free hand before grabbing the coffee takeaway cup Devin holds out to me.

This is how it is, how these people cope with tragedy, you bury it beneath the next steps.

‘You have been in an out of sleep for some time, You mobile pinged and I checked it, sorry I know this knowing Saleem and Akeera have the number I thought it pertinent to keep that communication avenue open and monitored.’ She explains now pausing to sip her beverage, ‘Akeera reached out, to say sorry and how devastating this whole mess is.

Saleem invited you to the families primary compound this evening, he says he wants to see you and make sure you are well after the ordeal you suffered.’

I chew slowly absorbing the information on offer, ‘So they want me around to what? Make sure I don’t blab to the authorities… or hand me hogtied to AL Fakir, he is likely suspicious of the way things were so neatly squared away?’ I muse out loud, ‘I am the fall guy or an easy sacrifice, the immoral liberal corrupted Arab slu*t.’

‘I don’t believe that to be the case.’ She responds, ‘AL Fakir left to return to the Madrasa in quite a hurry after Bobby and Jo made a pretty big f*cking mess out in the desert surrounding his sacred place.’

‘They are ok?’ I ask now my eyes growing wide with concern, ‘Cruz? Everyone!’

She raises her hands motioning for me to calm down, ‘They are banged up but in one piece, they managed to eliminate 9 guards though and one… is aboard the Leviathan… a guest so to speak.’ She now chews thoughtfully and swallows, ‘my understanding of your friends is that they appear genuinely relieved that both Faraaz Khan and AL Fakir left with little fuss, Saleem has communicated to staff and friends who attended the party that this was simply a tragedy, all his socials say the same, Akeeras too.’

I Look down now into my lap, ‘Kader should not be dead, I still cant believe it.’

‘Aaliyah, Jo wants you to accept the invite to the family compound, it’s the ultimate in, you may be able to with some effort and tact have an interaction with Kulthum Khan before her wedding you can give us a timeline and also see if the girl is in the headspace to be liberated… but only if you are in the emotional condition to do this.’ Acero says now gently she is clearly not comfortable forcing this and wants me to choose my path.

I Sit with it for a moment, neither of them interrupt my thoughts eventually I speak, ‘this is what Cruz felt like every time Jo sent her back in with me… conflicted and scared and desperate to be free of the burden of duty…’ I shake my head, ‘but its different… I cant leave this alone even if I put us all on a plane today and flew us a 1000 miles from this situation I would never be able to live with Kader’s death and Kulthums fate being of no consequence.’

‘Acero and I are here for your wellbeing, support, secure and extract … that’s all we do… we are not here to force you or influence you, your actions whichever you are willing to take… they belong to you.’ Devin says now looking at me no goofy smile or twinkling eyes, he is being my protector and its comforting in a way i have not genuinely felt from a male before.

‘Jo’s orders will stand, I will go to the compound, get the information and try to get Kulthum alone see if I can deduce if she is willing to entertain the possibility of escape.’ I say now sounding entirely more confident then I felt.

‘Tread carefully Aaliyah, if Kader’s wife was willing to kill herself over rejection by her husband… we wouldn’t want Kulthum to reveal your intentions whilst you are essentially trapped on the Khans compound.’ Acero cautions me now. ‘we may not be granted access to the spaces you will be in when we enter the Khans most intimate inner sanctum.’

I nod my head rubbing my face and then throwing my duvet back to get up, ‘ok you two, I spent a healthy amount of money on a room for you both, can you please go there so I can put my self together in private? I scold them half heartedly shooing them out of my suite.

The drive to the compound is short and the place looks much the same in daylight as it did the night of the party, the staff is minimal and we are let through with mandatory sweeping for bugs and explosives but nothing more.

Acero stayed at the hotel and Devin escorted me, as was expected he and I were separated as the senior staff member I was received by guided me to the families private wing.

I entered the living area stepping down into a massive lounge Persian rugs scattered on the floor and loungers and ornate sculptures and tables litter the space in an elaborate and stylish feast for the senses. Natural light filters through the glass ceiling, water cascades down the walls into pools that filter away creating the sound of rain and plants and bird life are present in a the indoor outdoor section at the furthest point sliding doors open up into the same garden I was last in when Kader was killed… my heart flutters I breathe shallow and keep my eyes from watering.

I hear children at play and once I enter the khans sanctum I see a long white stone table the family seated eating speaking animatedly to the young children and each other. Akeera sees me and hurries over all hugs and eye contact, Saleem walks over too their parents give me cordial nods and smiles, my trauma and injuries have warranted some common decency.

Several cousins and friends mill around they murmur polite greetings before continuing conversations, I have arrived after prayers they have likely performed the customary prayers for Kader and his brother.

The siblings introduce me to their children and I am caught up with cousins and the boring mundane story of how they got married reproduced and are so very satisfied, I scan the area and don’t see Kulthum. Perhaps she is resting after her journey home, Acero mentioned almost a full day of driving lies between Dubai and the Evil Prison AL Fakir calls a Madrasa.

I ask for a bathroom and am directed out of the immediate area and escorted by a female guard to an elegant powder room, no alternative exits and I wont be able to shake this woman either.

‘I cant actually get to her guys,’ I whisper now into my ear pieces.

‘Neither can we, they have us in a pause area with the other private security,’ Devin whispers back.

I finish up not wanting to rouse suspicion and head back to the party space, I decide to pick a target someone around Kultums age, I see a younger daughter of one of the cousins and make my way to her.

She smiles openly and excitedly seeing me and I return the gesture, ‘mind if I sit with you? The conversations out here getting somewhat boring after a while.’ I joke winking before I settle myself and observe her paintings she is quite brilliant.

‘My family are quite boring I know, nothing like you. I remember you from before, but I like you now…you are different… better’ She says not really looking at me now more focused on her painting.

I Take a look at her again, she is likely 13 maybe 14 and seems quite different to the rest all playing video games or engrossed in their IPads, ‘where do you remember me from little one?’ I ask her genuinely intrigued by her strange comment.

‘The last party you attended here at Papa Faraaz and Nani’s… you had gotten drunk and angry yelling about…’ she hesitates focusing rather on her color pallet for a moment, ‘you were upset about something but also Papa Faraaz scared you off, it was not good the family spoke about it for days after….and I never saw you again.’

I Look down into my lap, ‘I remember too, I’m sorry if that night upset you… sorry your name?’ I ask.

‘Rania, and you didn’t upset me... They did.’ She responds looking out over the gathering of her relatives her eyes falling briefly and disdainfully on Kulthums father. My interest piques and I gently push on.

‘why were you upset with them Rania?’ I ask quietly but urgently.

‘Same as you really, but who here can speak out without being punished.’ She answers her brush strokes inherit tension and grow bolder across her canvas, ‘but now you are different, free and brave and I hope my father and the rest see… woman can forge paths of their own because of you.’

I smile at her she is mature well beyond her young years and seems so passionate about her art, ‘I really hope so too… Rania… can I ask you something but I don’t want to get you into trouble.’ I ask now quietly and hesitantly but I am desperate.

She nods her head.

‘Have your parents asked if you would consider going to art school to further develop your talents? I ask.

She thinks on this for a moment, ‘No I am turning 15 and I am currently under several proposals to be married this season…’ she answers now gravely and her paint brush falters slightly creating a divot I look at it not able to meet this child’s eye, my anger rises with my color and I struggle for words.

‘They are hoping for a double wedding, save on catering I guess…’ she mumbles and I look to her.
‘A double wedding?’ I ask.

‘Kulthum is back from…. School… and her wedding is in a month so… my father will accept an offer for my hand soon I guess.’ She explains, 'this side of our family are wealthy it would make my parents life easier if i married at the same time as Kulthum.' My heart stammers and I feel my throat dry.

‘Have you seen her? Your uh … cousin since she is back, you two are close in age yes?’ I ask now picking up some paints to inspect and admire colors I have no interest in.

‘She is asleep, her journey was long to return but my father is really Papa Faraaz’s favorite and most trusted nephew so he offered to host her this week coming with me and my brother, for her to spend time with us.... we are all closer in age then Saleem and Akeera.’ She responds now, ‘I guess I will get to see her then… she too is different. But not like you… its not better.’

My heart sinks, Im saddened by this but there is work to be done…

‘I would love to see her Rania, perhaps I can visit?’ I ask.

The girls face lights up, ‘of course that would be a delight, I could show you my most prized paintings?’ Rania responds some light and enthusiasm on her face. My heart sinks, but this moment is pivotal… crucial.

I nod my head and we walk over to her parents, her mother I remember well and her Dad one of many Khan cousins resembles Saleem but he is neither as wealthy nor well cut.

‘Aaliyah Amrohi, I am so very taken with Rania’s excellent work on canvas and I hope to see some of her other pieces?’ I say now smiling broadly, ‘I am not sure if you both remember me?’

‘Dullah and Amira Kahn, wow Aaliyah time has been kind to you! And the real question is do you remember us at all?’ Dulla says openly smiling his eyes rove my body unashamed he looks now boldly into my eyes, ‘how on earth are you not married yet hmm?’

I Smile pretending to be flatter but more annoyed by his blatant disregard for Rania’s work and my interest in it, though my hypocrisy is a thorn in my own side.

‘I am sure before this season is out all my wonderful friends here in the east will have introduced me to every eligible bachelor available Dulla,’ I laugh a little bit but he see’s my expression falter.

‘Oh Aaliyah, don’t fret over this incident with those brothers they were a volatile bunch and honestly I don’t know why Uncle allowed them into our space,’ he says now almost breaking protocol to touch my hand, Amira doesn’t miss it and shoots a look of utter disgust at her husband.

She is younger then him, gorgeous in fact the gossip through the years is she was a rebellious girl who struggled to marry and though Dulla was neither rich enough or prominent enough Amira’s father accepted his proposal out of urgency to get this particular difficult child out of his house.

She smiles up at me her eyes hooded by eyelashes naturally long, ‘its wonderful that you are back Aaliyah, we must take full advantage of your time here and of course invite you around soon.’ She says her lips are full and boldly outlined, her figure has been softened by childbirth and the passage of time but it is appealing, she knows it. I find myself more uncomfortable beneath her attention then her husbands by far, of course im not naive there are queer men and women who marry here in the East. Whispers of this have plagued many marriages.

I swallow audibly, ‘yes of course! How’s about a day this week? I will avail myself I am looking to expand my art collection and Rania tells me she keeps a display of her work at home?’ I say now to them both expectantly, ‘I am happy to compensate her for her work, any price really.’

Dulla looks to his wife who falters for a moment, they smile at me, ‘of course our staff will organize a day In the week with your assistant?’ he says now, ‘I didn’t realize Rania and her silly hobbies could garner the attention of a woman of your caliber!’ he marvels.

‘Her creations are not silly at all I find Dulla.’ I respond smiling now at the young girl who beams up at me she she glows under my praise and ignores her parents.

The day winds down into evening the men excuse themselves to complete more prayers and all the woman gather chat and bicker gossip I hear snippets of a conversation regarding Kader and his brother who I learn was Rizdum.

‘their father and Uncle are devastated, rumors of fowl play are being flung about and AL Fakir is genuinely furious over the loss of Rizdum who was meant to accept a position along side him as a trusted advisor and eventual successor.’

Another snippet floats it is Saleems wife Nurien, ‘he will be seeking a new advisor the man has 5 wives and none produce sons.’ She laughs quietly eliciting a few disapproving stares from the cousins wives and even Akeera.

Acero speaks now echoing my thoughts, ‘So AL Fakir is now going to recruit from a powerful family, to make sure his despicable legacy lives on…’ she says now, ‘Jo is going to be thrilled with the intel you gathered here Aaliyah!’

‘I am most pleased with the news that i may be able to save Kulthum from her fate...speak to her this week even!’ I respond.

‘hmmm…. I don’t know lass I don’t think that’s the thing that will please you most this evening.’ Devin chips in.

‘What do you mean?’ I ask.

‘Got news a certain boats docked and waiting for us.’ He responds.

My eyes widen and I very nearly choke on my drink, ‘I guess I should say goodnight and beat a hasty retreat then.’ I whisper back smiling now.

I greet everyone and Rania hugs me tightly I promise to see her soon, her parents smile and reassure me they will have my invitation out within the next day I smile only half joking to hold them to it, they dont understand how much is riding on it.

On the way to the marina my patience steadily dwindles, ‘this is the best route Devin?’ I ask barely hiding my sigh. I cant deny that I miss her, her skin and eyes and scent and her voice I miss it all, I am tired and weary and sore my head aches from the hard stone floor my heart aches from the death and sadness I have been steeped in for days… I need her.

‘Gridlock is common in this area Aaliyah I am taking the best route we will be there soon.’ He answers me now looking at me in the review his expression is softer than his voice, he gets it. After negotiating traffic and stops and detours and redirections I see the familiar tall mast of the Leviathan towering high, we pull up and I’m free of my seat belt and out of the car my heels discarded, scarf and modesty forgotten, my dress ripples in the ocean breeze and my hair is whipped into a wild frenzy.

I try to control myself walking briskly one.. two.. three steps I look up and I see her hop the boats gate sprint the wobbly bridge and scale the marinas gate she takes off her aviators her long black hair tied back, running now easily she closes the distance and I open my arms closing my eyes she slams into me and takes me off my feet and I’m flooded in her as my back hits the SUV, I don’t feel the pain.

Public displays of affection is forbidden in the middle east.

Such conduct by same sex couples is punishable by death, she puts me down pressing me up against the cold metal, I pull her to me by her sweater I lift my chin to look into her eyes, she smiles down at me longing and rapture, I have never been looked at like this by another person, Cruz looks at me as if there is divinity within me.

She lowers her mouth now covering mine and we kiss deeply she pulls me forward and arch’s my back I fold into her melding into her body willing myself even closer my nipples harden against her chest. My arms wrap around her neck and my fingers tangle in her hair, she gasps for air briefly but connects again with me, tasting me and letting me lick the inside of her mouth, she moans breathing into my mouth her breath sweet and delicious she is struggling for control her fingers want to roam and tear my dress, she splays her fingers on the windows with a loud slap trying to keep herself from touching me.

I still have her mouth and she pushes herself against me, her belt buckle and powerful thigh pushes into my center, I cant help my desire escaping my lips.

‘I missed you…’ she whispers now rocking against me pinning me to the car her forehead against mine she breathes heavily, ‘all I could think about was you… every day… what you ate who you saw… did you smile who was it for.’ She speaks rapidly trying to get it all out, 'its like im f*cking obsessed.'

I kiss her softly whispering while I stare at her, ‘its ok, I’m here.. baby I’m here.’ I don’t want to blink, or look away, 'you can have me as much as you want hmm.' I lick my lips, her mouth hangs slightly open she is aroused.

‘You two … are going to get arrested out here.’ Jo says now from the upper decks her glasses still in place she tries to hide the smile she has on her lips, ‘Hey Team two… welcome back get the f*ck up here.’

Devin and Acero climb out of the car with the luggage walking by us, Devin looks flushed refusing eye contact. Acero smiles shaking her head, ‘Arrested…more like shot for all this yes!’ she gestures at us then lugs the bags and equipment on board.

Cruz eventually releases me letting me walk next to her we hold hands, bold and fearless, if we die for this then that’s ok, a worthy price to pay.

The debrief is short but impactful, Jo literally high fives me once I tell her about the meet offsite from the Khan compound where Rania let slip Kulthum will be staying.

‘good f*cking thinking Aaliyah!’ she exclaims now, ‘ you have her completely out of reach of any family members, maybe Cruz should be on stand by for extraction?’ Jo asks Bobby now more than me.

‘Big risk though having Cruz out there not knowing if Rania was mistaken or not… also Kulthum may well totally reject Aaliyah’s offer and freak out.’ Bobby says now in response. ‘we are dealing with kids here, they are already scared and cornered and feel pretty much like this is life… path is already set in stone.’

‘Rania doesn’t want that life … I saw that much tonight, neither will Kulthum.’ I offer now looking between them, ‘let Cruz stay close I can call her in if need be. I suggest.

‘I believe this week can remain a fact finding experience, no need to rush into any rescue attempts, rushing these girls will only cause more panic… which breeds hesitation… doubt can foil all our plans… my dear….’ Imogen Steele speaks now silencing us, ‘perhaps leaving the deployment of team members and extraction of assets to the professionals is in your best interest… we all have our role to play.’ She concludes the poetic monologue. I fight the urge and lose rolling my eyes out at the ocean.

‘Procrastinating and leaving those girls thinking they have no hope isn’t exactly something I want to do … lady.’ I shoot back venom in my voice, ‘I already have facts I found them, I risked my life! I got people killed! INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE GONE OK!!! While you were sailing your Ugly f*cking boat here! So now… we act!’ I finish my nostrils flare and I am annoyed visibly not able to control my voice I don’t realize the distance I closed between us, my temper flaring.

Imogen is on her feet, tall and imposing but I am quite willing to jump to slap her smug face.

‘Ok… enough!’ Jo says now standing between myself and Imogen, ‘we will sleep on this wait for the invite … in the mean time Acero and Devin look at where Rania lives figure out entrances exits staff compliment what the parents are like, who they sleep with, how much money they have… anything we can use to get these people compliant if it comes to that… Aaliyah needs access to Kulthum that is the main objective, if we can offer Rania assistance I am all for it, but right now Kulthum knows the school she is valuable and she has been the target from day 1.’ Jo looks at us all now and everyone nods and stands ready to disperse, my heart still set on getting both girls out.

Bobby comes to me before I walk down to the cabins, ‘I’m glad you are ok Princess, really just f*cking incredible work out there these last few days… I know it was hard but you did good.’ She grips me by the shoulder, ‘don’t sweat the new girl ok?’

I Hug her before she can duck out of it, and surprisingly she squeezes me back, I laugh in surprise, ‘look at you with the warm hugs.’

‘I got to hug you now sweetheart you’re gonna have so much sex tonight no way Im hugging you tomorrow!’ She jokes, ‘hope this boat has insurance.’

‘GROSS, SHUT UP.’ Everyone choruses, ‘Jesus shut up Bobby!’ Jo throws in. Cruz eyes bug out and she almost trips heading down the stairs hastily trying to avoid the stares of her team mates.

It feels good to laugh, and joke and be openly exhausted and vulnerable in front these please, my friends… honestly my family, they know what i have endured, the guilt i sit with and the hopes i am optimistic for.

I marvel again at how much the human craves understanding, and how it feels to be understood.

I follow Cruz down the stair way eager to have her behind closed doors and to myself, Imogen and her sh*tty attitude forgotten for now.

Chapter 15: Sometimes it just is

Chapter Text

Cruz

Aaliyah is mic’d up and its loud, a terribly irritating high pitched keen that has been buzzing from the monitors in the surveillance room of the yacht for the last 30minutes. She has been talking to Rania’s parents about frivolous nonsense, Amira laughs a little too loud at Aaliyahs jokes… makes unnecessary physical contact, one of those people who are deaf to others sensory needs.

‘I have actually got some tangible and enjoyable memories of watching paint dry that was more riveting then this drivel I am being tortured with,’ Imogen drones now sharpening throwing knives, we are partnered up for this if we go in she is going to have my six, I’m nervous but itching to be in the field, Jo has had me on the bench this op a lot.

I Smile wearily flicking balls of rolled up paper at the waste basket, ‘so yesterday at the debrief you and Aaliyah… what was up with that?’ I ask now not looking directly at her.

‘Don’t know what you mean, it was a simple exchange between two people on the same side with differing opinions On operational urgency.’ She responds now her mouth scrunching up as she sheaths her knives in a special custom made guard, her deft fingers sure and confidently weighing each blade before slipping them in place.

I smile shaking my head, ‘yeah no… It looked like a little more than operational urgency was being discussed though.’ I respond, side eyeing her.

‘What are we doing?’ she turns now putting her knives down, ‘because unlike you I am going to have to remember this forever… catalogue it and once in a while when I look at you or her I am going to have to see this play out … so what are we doing?’ she asks now.

I shrug hands up in surrender, ‘Im just asking if you are going to be able keep things professional you know … keep things cordial… I guess.’

‘So you are here reprimanding me for pointing out that your girlfriend has no business trying to put you in harms way prematurely?’ she responds now, ‘because you going in there now or later or tomorrow and not honestly knowing if Kulthum genuinely is going to take the hand you offer… its stupid and dangerous. Not for Aaliyah … yes but for you! And the funny part is you will do it because your heart is in it.’ She finishes standing up now.

‘We take directives from Jo… and Bobby… Aaliyah was just hyped up, she had been through some crazy sh*t over the last 48hrs or so… maybe just cut her some slack?’ I ask now feeling stupid for aggravating the situation, ‘Also I can take care of myself quite fine, but like… its nice that someone else cares… before Aaliyah I didn’t really have anyone who gave a sh*t about me for the longest time… now I have all of you... so thank you.’

I Look down at the keyboard and equipment feeling awkward, ‘I struggle to navigate my way through or even recognize people who are looking out for me… It’s new to me.’

‘You are a person worth caring about Cruz Manuelos, never take that for granted.’ She says now quietly sitting back down with a heavy sigh, ‘I am sorry for going at Aaliyah… I will find time to apologize to her in the coming days… I have not been around people worth caring about… worth committing to memory for a very long time…its hard for me to know a person and lose them… it feels like I relive their lives… and then their deaths.. so for me its easier to know no one.’

‘I never thought of it like that before… that must be really f*cking terrible.’ I say now feeling genuinely sad for her.

She nods solemnly and glances at the screen, ‘Cruz … look.’

I turn in time to see Rania lead Aaliyah into a room her art works on display – the child is so excited she leads her around by the hand explaining the pieces and Aaliyah listens intently exclaiming and gasping she is delighted by her work commending her and declaring Rania genuinely talented.

Soon they stand alone on a balcony overlooking the compound they speak quietly of what Rania dreams to become her hopes and inspirations, ‘I wanted to tour Europe and be inspired by the art of centuries ago, walk the cathedrals and museums and monasteries the greatest creators walked before me… but none of this is possible for me.’ She says now her eyes downcast.

Aaliyah pauses I hear her take a shaky breathe, ‘what if things could be different, if a chance at a different life was made available to you. Rania do you think you would take such a chance?’ she asks now quietly, barely a whisper.

The girl looks around over the balcony behind her to see if anyone was in the vavcinity, ‘that you speak of is only a fantasy, a dream… my future is set in stone.’

‘what if someone had a means… a way to shatter the stone, break the shackles… if they offered this to you.’ Aaliyah asks she is trying to push gently.

‘I am sure so many young girls fall for this… silly desperate girls and they end up worst off, exploited and discarded in a foreign land.’ Rania says now her expression growing weary, ‘my father and uncles even Al Fakir he warns of this.’

‘Rania, there are bad people everywhere. No matter where you go they will lurk in the shadows predators.’

She takes the young girls shoulders, ‘But there exists something else in the shadows…’

‘what else Aaliyah, what else could their possibly be out there for me but danger and sin and the forbidden?’ Rania asks now she goes limp her arms sadness overwhelming her she is defeated., 'the words of an indoctrinated scared youth.'

‘There is a way out… a path through the darkness, people in the shadows with pure hearts and good intentions, all they need is a whisper an indication that someone needs a guide through the shadows to find the light.’ She says now into the girls ear so scared to speak the words aloud she wont risk them taking off in the breeze blowing between them.

Rania’s eyes go wide, she is seeing Aaliyah now differently, ‘who will whisper.’

Aaliyah doesn’t answer her just yet she takes a few breaths, ‘Rania, do you understand what it is we speak of here today?’

The girl nods her head, ‘Do you think if I … whisper… if I ask … for help… Do you think someone will come for me?’ she is stammering a fear grips her throat so tight and restrictive she seems pale, these are forbidden words.

I Think Aaliyah nods in response she comes close again, ‘a little while ago those ghosts… the good ones living in the shadows, they took my hand and lead me to the light when I had nothing and no one Rania, let them help you?’

Rania hesitates, ‘I have to ask one more thing…’ she says, ‘Kulthum … she is here and scared she is terrified really of her father and Al Fakir they intend to wed her to a very bad man, I have heard my Papa and Mother speak about him when they think I’m not around, they say she will do her duty but they wouldn’t wish her fate on their worst enemy.’

I call for Jo on comms and she comes into the room, ‘whats happening?’

I Shush her whilst Rania speaks, ‘Aaliyah do you think I can bring Kulthum with me?’

Aaliyah hesitates.

‘push to speak with her yourself Amrohi…come on… push.’ Jo says through gritted teeth.

‘Rania, this is a very delicate and precisely timed operation, if you can .. get me to Kulthums rooms… to see her and speak with her I can vouch for her.’ She responds, ‘many people will risk their lives and reputations to help, they need to know if she is truly wanting to accompany you, we cant risk her turning on you.’

The young girl nods her head taking Aaliyah by the hand to lead her quietly to Kulthums rooms on the far side of the compound. They avoid the cleaning staff and one or two scattered guards.

‘Jo… maybe get Devin on the line tell him she is on the move? Have we got eyes on the parents?’ Acero says now she has been quietly observing standing beside Jo.

Jo shakes her head, ‘let her work, she just has one more final step to complete then she is out and the rest is up to extraction, she’s got this.’

My heart hammers in my chest I grip the arm rest material clenching my jaw restraining myself, I want to get up rush to the car outside and drive those compound gates down.

Eventually an eternity passes and they arrive at a door Rania knocks and Kulthum answers she peaks around the door frame, like a rabbit in a cage but then her eyes register Aaliyah’s face, a memory pulled from the deep recesses of her mind, the girl swings the door open and lunges at Aaliyah hugging her tightly, the microphone thuds loudly.

Jo covers her mouth with the back of her hand overwhelmed by the scene, ‘she remembers, lets see if she can be convinced to leave.’

Aaliyah speaks quietly but quickly with Kulthum trying to ascertain the girls mental condition, she is careful not to implicate herself in any escape plans just yet, to the untrained eye kulthum seems a healthy young female, her answers are coherent but measured her eyes are downcast but she occasionally looks up, but I can see deeper, there are signs of severe trauma, she flinches if Aaliyah moves suddenly… checks her blind spots, checks the door … rubs her knee absent mindedly if Aaliyah mentions her intentions for school or if there is talk of travel… she wants to escape, the conversation, the room the confines of her own skin. Devin picks up that the parents have checked and discovered they are no longer in Rania’s art room.

‘Aaliyah you need to make tracks, Now!’ Devin says quietly.

They finish up quickly and leave rushing down servant corridors to reach a small courtyard Rania shows Aaliyah plants and her parents round a corner and discover them with mock scolding for wandering off.

‘f*ck! DAMMIT!’ Jo slams the table hard, ‘we cant take her kicking and screaming!’ She stomps her boot and walks the room brushing hands through her hair.

Aaliyah eats with the family and Kulthum doesn’t join, soon its time to leave and Rania comes to her, ‘I know you don’t want me to speak to her, but please trust me like I am trusting you…. Let me try give me tonight... if she says no… I will still go?’

Aaliyah agrees and leaves heading back to the boat, I release a breath I had been holding for the longest time when she exits the compound.

‘Cruz, Steele, I want you ready to move as soon as Rania indicates Kulthum is in, Acero can you hack that compounds VPN or something get a message to Rania on that tablet on her bedside table, ask her for a time.’ Jo barks orders now, ‘Bobby we need to start working on next phase, once Kulthum and Rania is out.’

‘I don’t see how Aaliyah walks away from this without rousing suspicion? She literally visited today and suddenly both kids up and f*cking vanish shortly after?’ Bobby says now, ‘it seems clunky, lazy.’

‘Bobby has a valid point, we cant rush it.’ Imogen speaks now, ‘lets get a bit closer to the wedding date, Aaliyah can go to the next party scene be visible and also far the f*ck away from the sh*t storm she just started right now, rather let them be weary of the influence of a western girl then them believe she is directly involved in the coming Activities.’ she concludes.

What she says makes sense, but Jo is not convinced, ‘I can save the two now and potentially burn Aaliyah or I can preserve Aaliyah’s good name and risk losing one of those girls to a future worst then death.’

‘this is about the longevity of this operation Jo.’ Imogen responds, ‘you want her to network and target and infiltrate unencumbered as many times as possible, prioritize her façade then!’

‘I am done playing angles and sacrificing innocence at the alter of the greater good… done!’ Jo turns now, ‘Suit up get your kits on the extraction happens on my f*cking mark, deadly force is authorized… bring those girls out of that compound or don’t f*cking come back Steele!’ she is in Imogen’s face now her ire rising, ‘and quit questioning my f*cking lead!'

Imogen looks up at her, ‘ this is f*cking short sighted!’ She stands collecting her scabbard of knives and moving to the door, ‘sometimes a thing just is, huh McNamara.’

Jo looks at her, ‘Sometimes it just is.’

We meet on deck, Acero confirms she has messaged Rania who responded she intends to speak to Kulthum tonight when the compound is asleep.

Aaliyah has arrived back she smiles warmly at me standing close, ‘you saw! she is in I knew it, when we connected at the dinner party and then earlier she wants this Cruz… she wants great things and she will excel!'

I Smile at her touching her cheek, ‘Of course she is in, you could convince the stars to fall from the sky with a smile you know.’

She blushes and I laugh quietly, Imogen clears her throat, ‘if you two are done, Acero has some plans to go over Cruz.’

I Nod my head, Aaliyah kisses my cheek throwing a look of disdain her way and leaving the upper decks to find Jo for a meeting, before she leaves she touches me hand, ‘Bring them back, and be careful my love... come home to me.’ I nod smiling at her.

We do weapons checks and then head off the boat to our vehicle Devin is driver and he gives me a wink he gives me a bear hug too and i grimace, ‘back in action huh lass, feels good?’

I Shrug pawing at him to get off me, ‘run of the mill extraction work from a compound with maybe 3 guards posted… not exactly edge of my seat life threatening sh*t.’

‘Don’t go in to any operation with this mindset Manuelos, especially not with me, I cant have your lack of viligence jeopardize my safety.’ Imogen speaks now from beside me.

‘Yeah, can you use shorter sentences when we’re like… in it dude? I don’t want to be running my ass off and still waiting on a monologue from you Steele.’ I throw back at her, she pulls a face swatting at my arm.

We station ourselves a few miles from the compound, Devin runs a few surveillance devices, ‘Acero is pretty spot on no significant security presence, and the compound is not fully staffed. This should be pretty straightforward.’

We end up falling asleep only to be woken by Aceros whisper through our earpieces, ‘It’s a go team, on both.’

I Look over at Imogen, Devin looks at us in the rearview mirror, he starts the car and drives to the compound parking a inconspicuous distance away we pull our head scarves into place only our eyes visible, we exit the vehicle and set a steady pace until we reach the garbage collection area Acero pointed out.

I try the lock, its only accessible from inside, manual no keypad. The walls are high, not scalable even if we climb the garbage bin, next option is the parking garage exit and entrance, we hug the wall moving fast but silently until we reach it. The rolled down metal doors are not padlocked nor automated, it can be pushed with some effort, Acero confirms no Alarms or beams are connected to it. We inch the heavy metal door upward, it squeals and cracks and my pulse quickens I’m sweating under the strain. Eventually we have enough ground clearance to squeeze under it, we draw weapons once inside surveying the area it is vacant, a few vehicles litter the mini lot, nothing too extravagant.

As we make our way to the door exiting into the compound a guard walks down the tiled passageway, we both duck behind a car waiting, the guard enters the garage and immediately notices the garage door, drawing his weapon he begins to prowl the space, Imogen is up and behind him before he has an opportunity to turn she tackles him knocking his radio from his hand, they tussle for a moment he elbows her in the jaw and she loses hold of him, I break my cover and punch him in the face he recovers quickly grabbing my waist and standing he charges with me in the air slamming me hard into a wall, tools and boxes tumble and crash to the floor. My back is in immediate pain I am winded, he is on his feet and delivers a rib splintering kick to my mid section lifting me by my collar he tries to rip my scarf off but imogen has a spanner and throws it across at him, he deflects it with his arm drops me and charges at her evading her punches and blocking her kicks, he hits her in the face drawing a grunt from her before burying his fist in her belly she doubles over gasping for breath. She grabs the arm delivering the next blow head butting him in the nose, I hear it crunch an his blood drips to the floor.

She staggers a bit smiling a bloody deranged smile at him she does a little bob and weave gesturing for him to come for more, he Is broad and burly easily twice her weight and clearly a skilled fighter, ex military. He tries to take her leg but she ducks free and evades him punches him hard then backs up, at this point I manage to stand and advance pulling my knife free I dodge his attempt at grappling and stab him quick in his leg, he grabs my arm tossing me backward pulling the knife free he throws it at me before I can dodge it, the blade glances slicing my arm open narrowly avoiding my face.

‘who the f*ck is this guy!’ I grumble trying to stand again, all three of us now breathe heavy.

‘Im about done playing this game Manuelos.’ Imogen responds now she smiles over at me parting her black robe the sheathed throwing knives glint in the fluorescent glow of the overhead lights, she unsheathes them and throws so fast I register them in her hands and then buried in the guards chest.

I stand jaw dropped in awe but also irritated, ‘so.. at any time while we were getting OUR ASSES KICKED…you could of done all that?!!!’ I say now in a angry whisper.

She laughs shrugging as she fixes her head scarf to cover her face, she retrieves her knives and we head cautiously out of the garage into the compound searching for Rania’s room first. Blood soaks my clothes from the knife wound and I am now limping the pain in my leg significantly worsens as we climb the stairs and edge our way to what we believe is Rania’s room, her parents are asleep it seems no light or sound emitted from there suite.

I Knock lightly on her door no answer, Imogen motions for me to keep lookout and she opens the door slipping inside she scans the area pistol extended she heads into the bathroom, in seconds she is back in the hall way with me, ‘kids not here.’
‘what the f*ck you mean?’ I whisper back frantic.

‘Rooms empty.’ She holds her earpiece, ‘Acero where the f*ck in this compound is our payload?’

There’s an agonizing pause we are sitting ducks the door to the parents suite jerks open, I shove Imogen into Rania’s room clicking the door shut.

‘I’m getting Devin to check heat signatures, texted her tablet waiting on a response.’ Acero says now her voice crackles and breaks on the line.

Dulla, the father comes passed, his foot falls heavy and bare he yawns loudly I hear him step out into the courtyard lighting a cigarette. Its approaching 1 am he seems unperturbed.

‘Acero…’ Imogen whispers.

‘Ok You need to head to the art room, its down stairs.’ She says now.

We open the door checking around before rushing downstairs narrowly missing Dulla as he lazily walks to what we assume is the kitchens in search of snacks. We hug the walls rapidly making our way to the door to the Art room its ajar we slip in closing it behind us I have limited visibility the lights are dimmed easels art supplies the greasy smell of oil paints then, florals and fudge.. the scents of a youth.
Rania sits huddled in a corner of her studio in her arms Kulthum Khan they are trembling and startle as I approach I lower and holster my gun, ‘Rania… Kulthum? I say now whispering gently.’

They both nod.

Imogen leans against a windowsill peeking out firearm trained ready to shoot.

‘I am here because a kind woman mentioned that help is needed. That perhaps life is not going in an all together positive direction for either of you.’ I whisper now, I take my backpack off taking black robes out and coverings to hide their faces, once on we all look the same.

The girls dress in the clothes, ‘who are you exactly?’ Rania asks scared.

‘Im the one who takes your hand in the dark and risks everything to get you both into the light.’ I whisper back.

‘I don’t think I can do this…’ Kulthum says now quietly, ‘i… I am … im sorry I just –..’

Imogen covers ground tenderly taking the child’s shoulders, she flinches fear of being struck evident.
‘Kulthum… it is normal to feel fear, and doubt. But it is also normal to not get married at 15 or 16, it is normal to get a drivers license and go to the library and take walks through the park and listen to music and have children when you are ready… or never. It is normal to choose who you love and seek knowledge and be anything you want… even if what you want is to .. be someone’s wife in a few weeks.’ She whispers passion and urgency making her voice rasp and break.

My head snaps around my expression a mixture of confusion and annoyance. She puts out her hand cautionary, ‘Im not here to force anyone to do anything! I wont do that!’ She turns now to Kulthum, ‘A choice will need to be made, and unfortunately we have only the next few seconds for you to make it… do you want to be married in the next few weeks? Kulthum will you stay here and accept this path or come now… with us.’

The girl looks at Rania then at me and finally she looks at Imogen who lowers her face cover to reveal her bloodied face. She waits patiently on Kulthums answer, I hear footfalls outside, Dulla on the move if he detours to either girls rooms or the garage he will sound an alarm, and then sh*t gets f*cking hairy.

‘Will I be able to go … to the beach.’ She asks now in a tiny voice, she is timid and fractured a fragile thing dismantled by the will of others, it makes me so sad.
I crawl across the ground leaning forward trying to catch her eye, ‘hey… I will take you to the beach… me ok?’ I speak gently and smile the best I can pushing my head covering out of the way so she hopefully sees my sincerity, ‘but right now we really… really have to go.’ I breathe the panic threatening to over take me.

She nods and I reach out my hand, she puts her smaller one in mine we are up and moving they each have a small bag with prized possessions in them, we make our way back to the parking garage Imogen and I lifting the gates painfully slow, I feel like any moment we will be caught, shot… given to Al Fakir. We sprint now with the girls between us to the vehicle piling in I glance back no one follows, lights off the compound, no clue what we have taken, stolen in the night.

Devin starts the car idling painstakingly slow lights off till we reach a road far away enough then he tears away, a text from Acero on a burner, its our next stop a change over point with Bobby, none of us knew the coordinates before hand, safety protocol, the less you know the better when capture and torture is a high probability.

He peels off following the new route he punches in we drive for about 30 minutes, soon I see headlights illuminating our car, weird its approaching 2am we are in an industrial hub why is their a solitary vehicle behind us.

It picks up speed and before I can understand what is happening a black tinted window is rolled down the barrel of a grenade launcher peeks out and the unmistakable sound of discharging pops my ears as the back half of the car is engulfed in flames we flip and roll, over and over Imogen holds Rania and I grip onto Kulthum.

The car lands on twisted bent wheels, my head against a shattered window I cough at the black acrid smoke clawing at my throat and burning my eyes.

Imogens head is slumped against the passenger headdress and the girls are barely coherent glass shards and twisted metal make the vehicle look like a warped glitter ball.

I croak ‘Devin, wake the f*ck up, call for back up! Dev--..’ I am pleading now still coughing.

‘Cruz…’ Imogen Is awake now staring at the drivers side at him. She doesn’t speak again I don’t need her to. I nod setting my jaw against the pain I sit forward unclip the seat and pull out a kit bag, we both put tactical vests on, I pause taking mine off I put it over Kulthum she is terrified and dazed by the crash.

I open my door and land flat on the tar boots have filed out of the vehicle a driver may well be inside the others follow me out crouching low, the girls cry and tremble Imogen is bleeding from her nose and a large laceration to her head and her one arm hangs, broken she is holding a semi automatic in the good hand. I use the smoke as cover to survey the area around us, building, factory plants and large containers the smell of the ocean, we are at a dockyard I have to get the burner out of the car, our comms are totally cut they likely fried it, I reach In averting my eyes from Devins profile picking up the phone and pocketing it, my hearts sinks seeing his blood drip into his lap.

‘Cruz we need to move this car is going to explode.’ Imogen declares she is keeping an eye on the rear end holding Rania and Kulthum low.

‘I count 4, possibly more on the way, heavily armed and professional I assume this is retrieval geared, so they may not employ live munitions unless they have clear shots.’ She continues, ‘I am going to need you to trust me Manuelos…’

I Nod my head and she grabs Rania pulling her up and backing out into open space by now all 4 men come forward weapons trained on us, Rania squeals Imogen pulling her hair back ramming her gun into the side of the child’s head, ‘You all stay the f*ck where you are! You hear me! I will shoot her!’ she screams gutteral and loud in Arabic.

I look to Kulthum whose face a mask of horror is watching Rania be roughly dragged back toward a building behind us, she turns to me shaking her head In panic she lunges away from me, I grab her leg and eventually yank her back and pull her with me she pleads and begs, ‘Nooo please I trusted you!! I trusted you! She shrieks crying trying to pull free of me, I pull her tight to me fire shots into the air.

‘OK MOTHERf*ckERS! Stop moving!’ I point my gun at them they pause the lead motions for them to halt a fist up he mumbles into his comms I cant hear. ‘you back the f*ck up or I paint this street with her brains!’ I roar as I drag the girl backward kicking heels scraping Tar her tears and snot on my arm she claws at my hands.

We back away swiftly Imogen reaching a door shooting the lock off she pushes inside and I follow, I pause fishing the burner from my pocket I read the coordinates input it on the phones maps, we are close we can get there but first we need to lose the men hunting us.

‘Imogen we have to eliminate them, we cant out run them we have taken too much damage,’ my leg screams at me I am losing the full use of the muscle and I sweat with the effort of hiding this.

The girls huddle together crying, I want to apologize and explain what outside was all about, but now is not the time.

She nods her head at me, her mind racing she eventually speaks, ‘we need them to be misdirected, a simple enough task in this place, it seems a maze.’

I See her point, multiple rooms items to topple and debris, and lights I can easily run a path a decoy for them to follow, she can take the girls to the meet point and I catch up after.

‘ok I am going to lure them away, you take the girls, meet you on the other side ok?’ I say now, im afraid and lost, Devin is dead, our comms are down and we have no way to call for back up, but this is about the two lives we are trying to save so I close my eyes for a brief moment conjuring up Aaliyahs face, for you my love and I take off.

She yanks the girls up and leads them through the dark as I run in the opposite direction opening fire at the men outside prompting them to kick the door furiously I hear it screech against the hinges, I push over crates and boxes sand and dust in the air they breach the entrance and run after me I hear them coming like hounds smelling blood.

A jaddeg piece of metal protruded from a machine and I trip over it running at maximum speed I fall into a pile of crates scrambling up I shoot blindly at them as I dodge my way through the machines ascending steps into an upper deck they fire multiple rounds ricocheting off the steel rafters and walkway as I duck and run on my muscle spasms horribly and I go down with a guttural grunt of pain.

I Crawl over to what looks like some kind of office and use the handle to leverage my way up to a standing position my hand slips slick with sweat. I get inside close the door and hear then thunder down the metal stairs, they fire at the door I am crouched behind an old desk my eyes squinted as wood and dust erupts around me.

No back up this time, no team no possibility of escape, my only hope is Imogen got away and managed to get the girls to safety. I have a few seconds to think whilst the enemy reload, I have very few rounds left having put my vest on Kulthum.

I breathe, tears stinging the corners of my eyes, this is what I wanted, I am where I wanted to be, fighting back. Aaliyah’s voice is in my head now, thick velvet husky and low telling me to come back, telling me to come home. The ruined door bursts open the first operative pointing a lazer into the room.

Don’t think just move.

I put my gun over the top of the desk and shoot he goes down the gun discharging as his fist grips it, before his heart stops the rest storm inside.

‘f*ck, She is a f*cking decoy!!!! Leave her with me get the others Go!!!’ one of them barks orders at the others he pushes the tables out of the way searching for me shooting as he goes.

I crawl now my leg dragging slightly as I try to evade him he eventually gets to the spot where I was, I muster any strength I have left standing I shoot blindly and run out of the door, grabbing the dead mans gun. I try to run down the stairs but he is faster and dives I hit the grating of the steal floor hard he is on top of my restraining me and I cant shimmy out or shift my weight.

We struggle until I manage to drive my knee up into his groin he rolls off me for a moment I try to stand, in the distance I hear gun fire, then return fire, my eyes go wide dread floods my mind, they caught up and all of this was for naught, Devin is gone Imogen likely shot dead, i am incapacitated and likely about to die... a failure.

It’s the last thought I have before the world goes black my head smashed into the grating by the impact of the butt of the firearm as the guard raises it high and strikes me on the back of the head.

Chapter 16: Rock meet hard place

Chapter Text

Bobby

‘Bobby report what the f*ck is happening?!!!’ its Acero and Jo simultaneously in comms, the yell so loud it distorts the tiny speaker in my ear, I look through the binoculars at the smoke plumes thick in the air. They were on route, that was what Devin said, the last thing he said.

My eyes struggle to blink I can barely speak, the explosion was louder, louder than it should have been maybe it echoed off the containers or something.

‘Bobby f*cking Report!’ Jo is frantic, ‘I have lost visuals and communications the burner has no signal, Acero cant find them she cant pick them up!’

‘EMP…’ I mumble and then clear the gravel in my voice,

‘EMP, boss there’s smoke in the air, blast about 1 mile away, gun fire there’s a lot of f*cking gun fire Jo.’ I explain, ‘Permission to engage?’ I ask knowing the answer.

‘Wait at the meet site, do not enter the fight!’ she responds tense.

An eternity passes, I am stuck bound by orders to stay at the vessel, a boat it bobs and squeaks against the tires tied against the harbor wall. My breathing hitches and I am sweating profusely, I recheck my weapons climbing off the boat I walk cautiously along following the sound of the munition discharging, not to far I can sprint back in a few seconds if I need to.

There is the rapid gunfire exchange again, ‘Jesus f*ck, that is all out war right now multiple shots fired Jo! f*ck… they need back up Jo!’ I yell at her she doesn’t speak thinking, calculating risk, loss and success always clinical no emotions, that is why she is lead.

‘100 yards from the vessel leave a walkie on deck incase someone gets there they can radio you for recall.’ She answers.

I am moving in an instant dash back turn the radio on then leap off the boat with my gun out I sprint towards the commotion, my lungs work and muscles pump I will myself to move faster my boots thud on the ground I take cover as 3 bodies come hurtling toward me.

My fire up trained at them I yell, ‘Hands up! Lower your f*cking scarves!!! Now!’ I scream the two smaller women cower to the floor screaming and huddling together, the tall woman behind them lowering her headscarf Imogen.

My heart leaps then comes crashing down, she has a vacant look in her eyes, panic horror and pain, ‘Bobby we need to run their coming.’

I Don’t have time to ask the questions I deep down inside don’t even want to ask, I grab the girls off the floor they cry and scream trying to resist me, and we sprint to the boat waiting.

‘What the f*ck is happening right now!’ I shout out loud, Im rescuing them and their trying to resist me?

Once on board I start and idle the engine the bullet hits the windshield narrowly missing my head I duck and swivel pushing the girls down and out the line of fire I lift my gun and rush forward ducking low.

Imogen leaps off the boat and bounds forward grabbing the 2nd mans firearm pushing it up she wrestles the man to the floor the other one reaches the boat jumping from the harbor onto the deck he aims at the girls not seeing me on the floor I shoot him in the head and he tumbles back falling into the water.

I stand looking out at the fight, the weapon being fought over discharges bullets flying wildly as they wrestle back and forth eventually Imogen violently shoves the butt into his face likely cracking teeth I hear him cry out and let go of it, she throws it away and pulls a knife free of her sheath, he wraps his hands around her neck to throttle her and she stabs him in his arm, he screams.

He tries to pry the knife out letting her go she has a second knife in her other hand and stabs him he tries to shield himself but she keeps stabbing bring the knife down she roars hysterically again and again until he doesn’t move any more, she takes her fists ramming them into her chest a bloody mess. Its dark but I think she is crying, she is cursing in a language I don’t understand, anguish and rage is evident.

I climb off the boat and move forward keeping low I touch her arm and she whirls around focusing rabid eyes on me and I raise my hands, ‘Its me… its just me… Imogen where’s the others? I ask now my eyes unblinking, I know there’s a room of our team mates waiting for an answer.

She swallows tries to speak no words escape. She shakes her head using a bloody sleeve to futilely wipe at the blood on her brow and cheek, the blood drips from her mouth and nose she is a walking nightmare, ‘They… they launched grenades at the car… they knew where we were, they are professionals.’

She tries to explain she struggles, ‘Devin…’ she shakes her head dropping her hands to her sides she is still straddling the dead man, I cautiously approach her lifting her gingerly off of him and trying to goad her back onboard the boat.

‘Cruz?’ I ask so quietly I don’t know if she heard me.

She turns her face to me, then she looks down at the girls, ‘she split from us to create a diversion to allow me to escape with them.’

‘Bobby, you cant wait, and you cant know… start up and get those girls out.’ Jo preempts any thoughts I may have, ‘Acero will sweep the area, she will recover the others… find Cruz ok?’

‘She may have killed em, maybe she is coming?’ I say back, ‘I cant just f*cking leave her?’

‘If you get off that boat and go into that combat zone and risk those girls being taken back… every single thing we have all done will be for nothing.’ Jo responds now.

I stand sighing in frustration, ‘Don’t make me leave her boss.. please don’t… you know I will do what you say, but don’t make me choose this way.’ My eyes are closed against the tears and I feel my hands shake.

‘Bubbah look at them,’ she whispers into the mouthpiece, ‘what would Manuelos want from you right now? Devin, what would he say huh? I need you to dig deep baby, ok find strength and do the f*cking job.’

I Grit my teeth put the cold metal of my gun to my head feel the steal and let it ground me, I tap into the soldier within, there are orders, I was made to follow them.

‘Initiating the next phase, comms will go dark no tracking I will see you on the otherside of this, tell the others im f*cking sorry.’ I respond I pull the comms out of my ear roughly toss the burners and Imogen’s vest overboard we get rid of everything that links us to the mission, I power up the engines and speed out of the harbor.

The girls huddle small shaking fragile things in a corner of the boat clutching at each other, they are all that is left of the life they left behind, nothing but uncertainty lies a head. My heart pains at the losses we have suffered, I don’t look but I hear Imogen draw her knees to her chest crying openly she doesn’t care who sees her grief on full display, bloody hand prints on the deck, tears drying in the wind.
Did we win or is this just a more absolute loss then we have ever felt before?

I zone out eventually after more then 8 exhausting hours we make it to a beach the entire plan for us is written on a map, the safest possible escape no way to track us, no trail for the hunt, leave no blood on the wind, I am relying on markers direction of the sun, speed vs distance travelled and the boats navigation system old and out dated, praying this is the right place, I wasn’t meant to pilot, Devin was the skipper the guy who could fly anything, ride anything steer anything… a pang of grief again.

I hop off the boat the breakwater bashing the vessel making it rise and dip roughly Imogen takes each girl off bodily against there will, I wonder again why she is met with such reluctance, I will delve into it when my brain comes off autopilot.

We wade ashore I keep several bags held high, Imogen tried to shoulder one, she hasn’t spoken at all, her one arm in a make shift sling, made from her top tied in place she wears a sport bra and the bruises and cuts are deep all over her body, a picture of the brutality suffered in the last few hours, I make a mental note to try and give her medical attention, once we reach a place of safety I can get every one checked out fed and then we take it one day at a time.

This is my leg of the journey, and I have a responsibility to the girls to get them out of danger and onto their new lives, no matter the cost, that is what we all signed up for.

Imogen limps and grimaces favoring her broken limb cursing in Italian the girls shy away from her and walk behind me, I am using the directions on the map and thankfully, the landscape changing as we crest a large sand dune we see a small fishing village, my head swivels I search around and then finally see next clue, the bait and tackle shop. I walk over to it gesturing for the girls to stay with Imogen, they reluctantly comply.

I enter the shop a small bell chiming to announce my presence, ‘Hi.. hello I need to speak with Commander C?’ I ask in my very broken attempt at Arabic. I was not meant to be the speaker at this stage, but Imogen sticks out like a sore thumb and I cant afford conspicuous displays right now.

A few moments passes the shop assistant comes back to the front gesturing for me to follow her passed the beaded wall into a small room at the back, I oblige my pistol holstered and concealed behind my backpack. Once there a very old woman comes to greet me she smiles from wrinkled sea worn cheeks, her dark brown eyes cataract clouded, her hair is dark dreaded into a long braid piled upon her head, she sits lightly her frame thin and bare but still well muscled. This is a woman of the sea, a tough wild woman, familiar yet I know I have never seen her in my life.

‘My name-…’ I begin mouth dry but she puts up her hand.

‘Names hold no meaning nor weight, they are simply label’s giving others knowledge of who you are, and I prefer the blanket of anonymity one retains by remaining nameless.’ She speaks now, a slight lisp to her speech she offers me water in a ladle which I take and drink gratefully.

‘I was told I can find help here, when its needed most for a price?’ I ask.

She looks out the window at the beach, ‘very young girls, and that bean stalk looks badly wounded, how much trouble have you brought to my shore?’ she asks pointing a crooked finger at me, ‘Don’t lie to me, I take truth and I give trust in return, and believe me.. you will learn the value of my trust.’

I half nod, ‘They are running from a life of servitude they never chose, and I am trying to help them… the tall one sustained grave injuries and I lost good people on this mission.’ I choose honesty something tells me those blind eyes see me quite fine and this woman is fine tuned to hear a lie, I don’t want to find out what happens if I don’t give her the truth.

‘A life of servitude?’ she repeats expecting an explanation.
‘Their parents intended to trade them, marry them as child brides to men for large dowries and or political influence.’ I respond now.

‘And so they decided to rather flee with you into the ocean on a boat made around the time you were born?’ she asks pointedly now a small smile plays on her thin lips, ‘they thought let me follow this 40 odd year old white woman into the ocean with her ridiculous hair cut and her soldiers body and her killers eyes and her American speech?’ she stands now and I tense up, I fight the urge to reach for my pistol.

‘You asked for the truth, I came here with a map, I was told to come to this shop and ask for you, Now lady Im f*cking tired and sore and I have hungry exhausted people out there who need food and medical Attention and unless you are gonna help me with that I don’t f*cking know how much longer I can bare this conversation.’

I raise my voice in spite of the voice inside saying im in danger, purely because sometimes I do stupid sh*t and see how it goes. In this case fortunately she walks out gesturing for me to follow.

Once outside things have changed, women and men varying in age, ethnicity and states of dress stand around armed, the old woman walks up to Imogen Rania shouting loudly hysterically in Arabic, a man comes up behind Imogen and knocks her to the floor I bound forward shouting but three more people turn their weapons on me pushing me to my knees while Commander C listens to Rania as she screeches and gesticulates wildy.

She puts her hand up for quiet. ‘one rule, don’t lie to me, you heard this yes Nameless friend?’

I nod my head, ‘everything I said is true everything I swear to you!’

‘then why does this girl say she was dragged from a burning car and pulled across the road with a gun to her head while your colleague told armed men she would paint the road with her brains, this stinks of kidnap to me!’ she responds, ‘this seems like a great time for one of you to die!’ she says gesturing for her man to shoot Imogen.

‘Wait! f*ck! No please please no!’ I shout I have my hands out pleading, ‘for f*cks sakes Steele say something!’

The woman puts a hand out, ‘Imogen steele… agent of truth I have heard of you, why are you kidnapping young girls out of the middle east?’ she asks seemingly genuinely intrigued.

Imogen is pale and her arm must be swollen and throbbing nerves sending shocks of unbearable pain to her brain she swallows licking dry salty lips, ‘The guards pursuing us bombed our car, they didn’t know that the girls had run with us willingly, we made a decision to make it look like we kidnapped them, threatening and making wild movements while trying to reach the extraction site.’

She falls forward Rania standing over her screaming now in English, ‘liar! You liar you said you will kills us!’

‘I had to make it believable, Cruz and I couldn’t tell you because we needed it to look like you were both genuinely being taken truly terrified! Just in case we failed and you had to go back, rather go back victims then complicit.’ Her breathing is shallow now, pain etched across her brow, ‘im so sorry I scared you but good people are gone so you can be here, please believe me, I am one of the good guys, I did what I did to save you.’ She says squirming now writhing in pain.

I Clench my Jaw desperate to crawl over to her and help her but any unsanctioned movement now means death.

Imogen looks now at Kulthum who has been silent this whole time, ‘You came with me by choice Kulthum, because you saw In me a person you could trust, I am still that person.’ She says now trying to get to her knees, ‘my actions up until now have only been in your and Rania’s best interests, unfortunately it was not the simple smooth journey we intended to embark on and for that I am sorry!’
‘Enough! Help her up and get her to the healers, these two let them be checked out and then settled into a room to bathe and then we eat to together here, all of you.’ She says looking over her shoulder at me, ‘get the clothes and toiletries whatever they need.

She gestures for me to stand and follow her back to her office, I take my back pack off to give her some of the money inside.

‘I don’t need your money American,’ she says sitting down now looking up at me, ‘give me answers instead to questions, that is more valuable to me then your money.’
‘I don’t know what you think I can tell you but whatever lady.’ I respond, ‘what’s the question?’

‘How is Jo.’ She asks in a smaller less confident tone.
I falter my expression goes from confused to straight up quizzical and then my eyes widen and along with it my mouth into what is probably a pretty weird looking smile.
‘Are you f*cking kidding me right now?’ I ask I am exhausted and dirty and suddenly totally Intrigued, ‘Commander C… you were an actual Commander! YOU… you are the one that left young, left Jo’s grandpa to raise her dad and his siblings, I didn’t realize the two of you kept in touch all these years.’ I lean forward now in utter disbelief that Jo would send me here to meet her granma, who essentially will shortly either feed, clothe, shelter and then eventually transport us to our final destination… or kick us out.

She tsks and looks out of the window seemingly annoyed, ‘that girl tell you I ran out? Bet she never said why, what I had to choose between, the rock and the hard place that man put me in the middle of.’

I shrug my shoulders, ‘she spoke of you a few times usually old navy war stories, the things you did the stuff you told her pops, I guess its how she remembers him, her dad… idolizing you.’ I respond, ‘why’d you leave then?’ I hazard feeling equal parts bold and foolish in this woman’s presence, a piece of Jo’s past, she trusts this woman and has never known her truly, yes this is where she sends us when we needed refuge.

‘My husband was not a military man, he didn’t understand my calling and he just refused to accept it, after our 2nd kid he gave me an ultimatum, my family or the navy, we fought bitterly throughout my maternity leave, I remember Jo’s daddy came to me one day and he says momma your hearts not here.’ She looks sad now reliving the moments, ‘A ship is like a kid too you know, but he was adamant, and in the end I went out on a campaign and 3 months turned into 6 months, which just dragged into years.’

‘You never went back, ever?’ I ask.

‘I was just redeployed and stationed far out of the way most times, I never fought against it and I guess Edgar my ex husband moved on with a nice lady.’ She shakes her head, ‘I loved my children dearly as much I love the sea, and I didn’t want them yearning for me so I found a way to disappear, I was denied my discharge so I faked a fatal accident and decided to live this way, moving from one island to another building a community and eventually a few years back settling here.’

I am lost for words a bit now, I cant imagine abandoning your family for some dusty sandy bait and tackle shop and the loyalty of a few pirate looking losers, if only she had known Jo, what she had in that power house of a granddaughter.

‘how’d Jo know you were here?’ I ask choosing to rather not voice my opinion.

‘about 15 years ago I reached out to her dad, he had Jo young I know that much and of course in turn she was pregnant with my great granddaughter.’ She responded now, ‘he let me see her once or twice nothing close to how I wanted it to be, he said my life was too dangerous he didn’t want her around it, feels like I lost them all over again when he pulled away from me.’

‘Sorry but you didn’t lose them, you knew where they were the entire time, you just left them there lady.’ I respond unable to hold my tongue any longer, ‘far as I know Jo could have used you a few times in the last few decades she hasn’t had a mom to speak of and as a result she see’s a sociopathic viper of a bitch named Kaitlyn as a role model because she never had any at home!’

‘Everyone will have an opinion in the end I guess, even you who doesn’t know me or anything about my life,’ She says ignoring my tantrum. ‘Jo.. being Jo tracked me down found a way to reconnect and we keep in touch, nothing major but she has an idea of what I do and that’s enough.’

She turns to me narrowing her eyes, ‘You’re the one she couldn’t quit no matter how hard she tried, year in and year out, built like an 18 wheeler and mouth like a runaway train always hot and running into the fight. You’re why she left that vanilla milkshake of a husband of hers.’ She comes closer leaning her old hips against the beach wood table, ‘she says she could only explain it one way, when your around it feels like she flew too close to the sun, burning skin and blinding light, the pull of you is too great for her to resist, she cant escape your orbit, and it took her years to accept that she never wanted to.’

‘She never left him because of me, she left because she wanted to!’ I retort temper flaring I forget im at her mercy.

‘she is more like me then you care to admit Nameless friend.’ She smiles at me mockingly, ‘she loves her girls but she is a wild woman, she needs the blood and the danger the brutality the battles, she chose the life that suited her, she also chose the person who suited the life, never be ashamed of being wanted by a woman as formidable as my grandchild.’

I look down into my lap, unprepared for the emotions coursing through me and rendering me weaker than I intend to be in front of this woman, ‘I feel sometimes like no matter what we do, there is always going to be a part of her that regrets her choices?’

‘that’s her business kiddo all women have their inner demons we are entitled to a few don’t you think, find me a woman without a single regret? Your business is loving her exactly the way she is.’ She responds, ‘now go soap your dirty ass and get into some decent nomad gear there is a feast tonight I want to see if you can drink as much as you talk.’ She stands upright old bones crack.

‘She is doing the best she can, I know she is, even when no one else knows she is.’ I say now before she can wander off into her inner sanctum, she turns to me puzzled.

‘You asked how she is – she is inspiringly dogged in her pursuit of the liberation of those deemed weak and to me that means she is doing the best she can, this is her first time free of the suffocating vice grip of Kaitlyn… she is leading us with her heart and for once everything we do is because we want to follow her rather than our sense of duty.’ I say now, I want this woman to know that about Jo, that people follow her to their deaths because she is worth it.

‘remember only one thing then, all her mistakes were born of good intentions…soon your team will strike fear into the hearts of those who dare to spew cruelty into this world... forgive yourselves for the losses and move on.’ She smiles now a small one, weathered cheeks and weary wise eyes twinkle, ‘But there is one thing she has made clear, loving you Bobby is one mistake she is willing to make until the day she dies.’

I Blush, ‘you into names now?’ she turns around not offering anything in the way of an answer.

I find the showers and clean up, put the clothes on offer on its loose and comfortable, it had been patched and mended a million times before soft with age. I find the busiest building loud chatter, bottles clink and dishes are passed from one to another between fits of laughter and cheer.

Women wear head scarves some don’t, many men are shirtless some sport dreadlocks, some are scarred others blindingly attractive. There is every culture clan and creed at this table, every age and colour, the vibrancy is breathtaking and simple, an uncomplicated amalgamation of humanity. I stand for moment in awe of the beauty and love, Comm. C sits at the head of the table, young kids surround her she smiles at them lovingly, men and woman serve foods cooked on fires, the aromas make my belly rumble.

I find Imogen seated reclined bandaged and a proper sling sets her arm. She is eating happily chatting in one of the several languages she knows to a woman who seems completely enamored with her. The girls when my eyes reach them are no longer covered they are being preened and fussed over by a group of teenagers who brush and braid their hair. Its like im in an alternate universe and I cant quite grasp how I got here.

Comm. C gestures for me to sit at her table she puts her hand up requesting more beer and food be brought and we eat and drink until I feel myself grow full and slightly wonderfully drunk. Several people strike up music, dancing starts and the night continues, children eventually make their way to bed and adults gather in smaller groups to speak quietly or play games. I stand slightly unsteady on my feet but I feel relaxed, I see the girls sitting quietly in front of a fire and walk over to them.

‘Rania, Kulthum how are you two feeling?’ I ask as gently as I can.

They exchange a look, before Rania answer’s , ‘these people are kind, they have tended our injuries and given us clothes, but we are scared and we would like to know what happens next?’

I Nod my head listening intently, ‘Well we needed to pretty much get off the grid as quick as possible, your parents and their friends are quite determined to have you both live according to their will, we have no contact with our leader for a while but soon I promise we will move on.’ I explain trying to look at them both while I speak so they know I am sincere.

‘How do we know you will not sell us as sex slaves or do worse? After how that other woman treated us, how do we trust you.’ Kulthum asks she looks at me through wet lashes, ‘I know what it feels like to be taken against my will and forced to feel and do things I don’t want to do.’

I Shift closer slowly, ‘I am so sorry for how badly your rescue went Kulthum, my team and I have been trying to locate and save you for a while now, if you cant trust me yet I understand, I will work on proving to you that I am on your side.’ I take a moment pause, ‘I am going to get you both safely to a place where you will both know freedom, and choice and the joy of taking your lives into your own hands and living it honestly and authentically.’

I stand up now, ‘I know Imogen scares you, and you may not want to see her but she has been looking into the people who hurt you Kulthum for many many years she has wanted to stop what happened to you from happening to anyone.’ The girls stern expression falters she looks over at Imogen who stands at a distance waiting to guard them for the evening with me, ‘she wants to see you both safe and happy too, her behavior before was born of the need to keep you both from going back the life you lived before.’

The girls stand now slowly we make our way to our sleeping quarters for the night, I take first watch letting Imogen rest, soon I am taken by exhaustion only to be lightly shaken awake by one of Commandar C’s men, he gestures for me to find rest inside and takes up my place. Im asleep before my head hits the pillow the long arduous task of extraction behind me.

I wake to the sounds of children playing, excitement has over taken the community and I eventually achingly climb out of the cot and emerge from the little hut to find Imogen standing with the girls observing the commotion.

Two boats have been beached and men and women disembark they happily embrace and chatter animatedly unloading boxes and materials, I shield my eyes and look into the ocean line, off shore anchored is a large vessel, too far to see the name. Commander C approaches she is geared up for a voyage and hands me a change of clothes with Imogen and the girls we hurry back inside to change once we remerge one of the boats wait for us, we say goodbye to the people we have met and board.

Men push us out passed the break water and Commander C starts the outboard motor we head in the direction of the larger vessel and soon we are being guided up a loose floating ladder, once on board we are shown to a mess hall we eat gratefully.

The Commander comes to sit, ‘we will be travelling through a few ports that have random inspections, also there will be dangers… pirates and severe storms plague this particular channel but the coordinates I received this morning from your…. Leader Indicates that this is the destination safest for you all.’ She hands me a pouch and stands, ‘it is best that you remain out of site below deck in daylight hours, limit your roaming at night and never ever leave the girls unattended aboard my vessel, I will personally debone any man aboard who tries anything but I prefer to avoid unpleasant scenarios all together.’

I nod and we finish up and make our way below deck to an area secluded and fairly private, its clean and we make our cots up and settle in for the long voyage.

The girls spend hours chattering quietly Imogen takes the opportunity to rest and I put my bedding down at a porthole and watch the swells pass us by.

By nightfall we make our way to the upper decks we take in the fresh air and eat, days pass this way, Imogen tries to explain navigation by the stars and she even trades some cash for paints and cloth for Rania to paint, the girls take to her soon forgetting the incident at the docks, we are entertained by starlight when she tells us stories of her Adventures and travels in vivid detail.

Early on the 4th morning Commander C comes into our sleeping quarters to lightly wake myself and Imogen, ‘Land in view, your destination – unfortunately vessels too large to get close, also making port here wont be wise, there’s a raft and two good men to get you to shore, the pouch of passports I gave you is all you will need, there is a burner in there with a safe house address.’

I Look over at the sleeping girls, ‘thank you for this.’
‘It’s what I do, be safe and when you see Jo…’ she trails off.
I smile at her now, ‘I know old girl…’ I squeeze her shoulder.

We rouse them and gather our things climb down the ladders and sit in the small boat as we row to shore the sun beating down and the ocean lightly rippling , the island isn’t large vegetation visible now, the little boat bumps the Jetty and we disembark holding our meagre belongings I wave off the men and then gesture for everyone to follow me.

Once we are in a secluded place shaded and out of sight I take out the burner and find the address, we hail a small taxi cab and make our way across the cobble stoned roads to a small building, we receive keys in exchange for cash I still have and by the time we finally get upstairs Kulthum and Rania are standing on the small balcony clutching the railings talking to each other excitedly.

‘I believe someone promised you a trip to the beach?’ Imogen asks and both girls barely manage to hide there squeals of delight.

‘swimming on this island was forbidden and is still deeply frowned upon now.’ Imogen explains.

‘What kind of Island doesn’t allow swimming? Rania asks puzzled as we drive passed long stretches of beach.

‘The kind where 11 people have been killed in 8 years, it was a sharks paradise, but that is no longer the case, humans have yet again managed to deprive the sea of its natural wonders.’ Imogen responds her hair whipping around her face, ‘A few years ago surfers risked being fined and jailed to ride these glorious waves, to them the sharks were never a problem, simply a part of their world.’

‘will it be safe now? For us to enter the water here?’ Kulthum asks softly.

‘Sadly yes, due to efforts by the Reunion Government the shark population has declined drastically effectively destroying the natural thriving ecosystem in the name of Tourism.’ Imogen replies genuinely saddened, ‘but today is not about the human problematic condition, its about feeling free!’

The cab driver stops at the side of a road and we walk through an almost invisible path shrouded by trees, to emerge at a otherworldly looking beach, small and pristine.

There are no other people around and small rocky formations create a safe tidal pool sheltered from the thunderous swells beyond. The girls look to us for confirmation and I nod happily stripping off and running into the water with them.

They splash an play giggling and swallowing water every time Imogen valiantly attempts to teach them to float or doggy paddle, soon the sun draws low brushing the ocean line with tendrils of flaming pink and orange hues.

We find our way back to the little safe house getting food along the way some French some spicy and aromatic and we eat and then lay exhausted and sun kissed and for the first time I feel like I actually truly breathe.

My mind threatens to allow thoughts in, the kind that would destroy this brief reprieve, I have had no communication with the team, we don’t know if Cruz was recovered and if I try to make contact I risk being found, I risk the girls.

Best to leave such thoughts for tomorrow for now a quiet tentative sense of peace has fallen over our small group and im going to celebrate it by closing my eyes and not being worried about who may try to shoot me in the middle of the night.

Mission accomplished, for now.

Chapter 17: The gravity of loss

Chapter Text

Cruz

The man drags me to a vehicle slams me up against the boot lid, uncalled for and then tosses me in.

We drive for quite a while he speaks on the phone explaining his failure, the death toll. He took our driver down, a small victory, but in tern the enemy neutralized many men, the girls were definitely kidnapped and no Rania’s family have no cameras to help Identify us.

There was a struggle at the docks but as far as he can confirm they appear to have fled by boat, the coast guard and several other private marine recovery units have been deployed, the boat is old no viable way to track it. The frustration on the other side of the line makes him tap the window, sigh fidget.

We stop and I am dragged out, half conscious and thrown into a room the heavy metal door shut, a few moments pass and then the door opens, 2 men enter and pull me up to my feet they ask me the usual questions I don’t answer , I expect them to deliver the customary beating but this isn’t that team it seems.

Nightfalls and I see stars through the sliver of curtain not entirely sealed, im close to the city still, vehicles and lights I can make out sounds, so populace dense area still urban, some kind of compound. I wonder who I am waiting for, this is likely a team of Al Fakirs men, or Faraaz Khans personal security maybe even Saleems team he may well have had them stationed close to Kulthum she is after all promised to someone precautionary measures may have been taken.

I survey my surroundings the room is bare, nothing I can cut or scrape at my bindings with. Thirst and discomfort war for my attention I am sweating and the room is so small it is suffocating.

A girl enters a man stands behind her with a gun trained at my head she brings water and allows me to drink from a ladle she is young and scared never speaks and doesn’t look at me. The exchange is brief and the in moments the door is closed once again, the night draws on. I wonder if Bobby or Imogen swept the area after I was taken, by now Aaliyah knows im gone… Jo knows Devin is dead. My heart sinks now grief doubles me forward the little water I managed threatens to expel itself from my belly, Devin is gone.

Kind, gentle giant Devin. The one who looked at me in my rage and saw not a monster but a friend, he found a part of me I thought ugly and bad and he promised to help me – to fix it, to do better. He protected the one I loved most, not out of loyalty or duty but because he understood my love for her so very deeply.

Tears run down my dirty cheeks pooling on the floor between my legs, I wonder if I could have saved him, done more to avoid the rushed extraction, been vigilant and made sure we were quieter, identified the men following us. All the events of the night run through my mind and my chest heaves as I spiral.

Soon the compound grows quiet it appears whoever I am intended for is not here yet, the moon is high and I suspect the sun will soon break dawn. I hear a small rattle, I mistake it for a rodent at first nothing significant. My head rolls against the wall and I doze off unable to stop sleep.

Again the sounds but now a small scrape and then a click and I look over to the heavy metal door.

It creeks and then swings open painfully slowly a gloves hand and the soft crunch of boots and then a masked shrouded figure gun trained at the interior enters and looks around eyes eventually settling on me, I see the cascade of long black hair almost brush the floor as she stays lows coming toward me a night is unsheathed and my bindings cut. We don’t make a sound, my legs are sore and lame from sitting in the same position for hours.

She indicates we have to go, I try hard to minimize noise but I am cumbersome and my legs drag, heavy and full of pins and needles we crouch and crawl wordlessly until we pass a bleeding guard, throat slit. My bad leg starts to spasm causing me to stumble but my rescuer catches me pulling me along now. We move slow and sluggish time seems to stand achingly still and then we are at a wall, she lithely hops up offering me a hand I cant scale this, Its too high I grab her hand and she tries to help me. My boots wont gain purchase, my leg keeps failing me and I grow frustrated and angry with myself, scraping my knees I just cant get up.

I let go of the hand and drop painfully to the floor, a moment passes, im defeated, stuck and trapped.

‘Pssst.’ I hear and crane my neck up.

‘We are trying to rescue you, Habibi.’ She says now head covered she reaches out a gloved hand, ‘get the f*ck up here!’ and this time both of them pull me with enormous effort, one giant heave and I am up and over we tumble a distance to the hard floor grunting at the same time, arms burning.

I am picked up between them, they support my weight and we hobble as fast as possible, I am sweating and terrified, they should not be here. Who allowed this, who let her come, they should leave me and run ahead im slowing them down and they breathe heavily straining to hold me up.

Soon we turn into a small alley and then we finally find a vehicle, its old and beyond rusted the doors are a different color to the bonnet and boot and I think it may even have a whole in the roof, they get me inside after fighting with a the backseat door and then they push the car slowly silently into the street. I hear flood lights go on and rushed screaming in the street adjacent, my captors have finally realized im missing.

We eventually start the engine and quietly idle to a busy street and join the flow of traffic, the coverings are ripped off to reveal Acero and Aaliyah, I fight back actual tears at the sight of them.

She turns to me climbing over the hand break and old ashtray compartment tumbling into my arms, I catch her holding her close, kissing her hair and face our tears intermingle, ‘Why are you hear! You could have been caught!!!’ I whisper frantic and desperate, ‘you cant do stuff like this Aaliyah! You cant!!!’

She silences me with a kiss, deep and longing. She pulls back for a moment looking at me, ‘I’m sorry… for convincing Jo to send you in… im sorry for everything.’

I shake my head face crumpling into tears and hold her close to me, ‘me too! For how badly it got away from me, for Devin!’

She roughly pulls at me now holding my face to look at me, ‘Devin is not your fault! You protected the girls and sacrificed your own life for them! You gave everything and have nothing to apologize for!’ she kisses my eyes, my cheeks gently, ‘I know its hard when you lose those you finally connect with, I am sorry I cant protect you from the gravity of loss, but I will stand with you and hold on tight while we navigate this storm Cruz.’

‘By now you may have guessed Jo didn’t sanction this rescue Cruz,’ Acero breaks our silence, she has managed to coax the little rust bucket car to a parking garage over the last hour. ‘But we figured better to ask for forgiveness and all that hmmm.’ She turns in the old wobbly rickety seat smiling.

I frown looking out of the window, ‘we are not at the yacht marina?’ I ask peaking out at the parking lot puzzled.

‘No we cant head back there until the heats off Aaliyah anyway, I was meant to drive her to an airstrip and put her on a chartered plane out of Dubai, she is wanted for Questioning apparently Dulla and his wife were taken into custody by Faraaz and Saleem they informed that she was at Rania’s compound.’ Acero responds now gravely looking at Aaliyah, ‘Jo wanted her as far from the fallout of this as possible Saleem and Akeera have called several times only to be delayed and thwarted by Aaliyahs voicemail and assistant promising callbacks.’

My temper flares before I can control myself I grab Acero by the shoulder lunging from the back seat, ‘why the f*ck! Why didn’t you follow orders! You risked her damn life to get me!!!!’ I shout momentarily crazed I jerk her so violently we end up veering off the road the old car mounts the pavement and putters to a painful stop.

‘Cruz leave her alone! She was only doing my bidding!’ Aaliyah yells now pulling my hands off the other woman and pushing herself between us in the small cramped space, ‘I chose to save you! She chose to help me and come along instead of letting me come out here alone to get myself killed or taken!’ she finished touching my cheek tenderly.

I pull away from her looking out the window, ‘This was so f*cking dumb, you guys are so f*cking dumb!’ I slam my fist into the seat in front of me my panic and anger exacerbated by the stress of the last day and the pain in my leg.

‘I get that you are angry, but you need to accept that there are people in the world who are here for you!’ she takes my chin now refusing to allow me to pull away she closes the space between us, ‘Look at me, I love you Cruz, and I am your girlfriend I am your partner and when you are in danger I will f*cking come for you every damn time! I am always going to show up for you!!!’ Her eyes are intense and her chest heaves she is serious.

The anger leaves me I look into the rear view mirror at Acero, ‘im sorry, thank you for coming for me.’ She nods her head and tries to start the car, and its useless the starter motor wont swing. We climb out, my limp noticeable, Aaliyah slips my arm over her head and we start moving.

Acero calls Jo her voice comes down the line vicious and loud her cursing and scolding must be spectacular and I am happy im not on the receiving end of it.

‘She wants me to drop our coordinates lets head over to somewhere less well lit and conspicuous.’ Acero says now putting the phone in her pocket, ‘Cruz just go slow ok… its ok to be banged up, don’t push that leg further than it can go.’

I grimace the throbbing pain telling me I potentially pushed it further than I should have a while ago. We eventually come to a secluded deserted area and Acero drops Jo our pin, I sink down a chainlink fence wall till I am seated legs out in front of me, Aaliyah sits by my side resting her hand on my leg, she always knows when the pain needs her touch. We settle to wait and time passes dawn breaks and birds fly over head, call to prayer our morning song and feel my dry eyes slip closed.

The car pulls up screeching to a halt she is out before we know it storming across the distance she grabs me holding me by the collar picking me up off the floor, her eyes are not what I expect, the moment she hugs me may well be a dream its surreal and totally incomprehensible to me. I don’t move frozen in place by shock and then just relief, she is not enraged, she is just happy im alive.

She lets go and then urges us to get in the car fast, Acero checks police comms and any other links and radio signals she can hack or tap into, ‘they are patrolling and have the yacht under surveillance now, Jo you left in time, they suspect we will return there.’

‘Any chatter about Bobby and the Girls?’ she asks in return she is speeding down a freeway.

‘Only that the trails run cold and no one at harbor patrol or coast guard or sea rescue have spotted them on radar or satellite.’ She types rapidly, ‘pirate networks are very hard to tap into but from what I can see they whispered about some possible sightings but many of them wont be in a hurry to inform Al Fakir or Faraaz about any happenings, these are not criminal networks who get along well.’

‘So where are we meeting the rest of our group?’ I ask from the back seat, I have water in hand and painkillers thanks to Jo and her bringing a first aid kit along.

‘We are not meeting them, because we don’t know their final destination.’ Jo responds, ‘the only way to ensure the girls actually get away is if none of us truly know how to find them.’ She concludes.

‘But Jo how is that going to help us? They are young we need to be there for them! I promised them we would be there for them!’ Aaliyah shouts now frustration and anger rising.

‘They are in Bobby and Imogens very capable hands Aaliyah, let me remind you that until you went against my direct orders you were on route to a plane that was taking you very f*cking far away from this entire situation!’ Jo responds now she grips the steering wheel staring at Aaliyah in the rearview mirror.

‘Would you have boarded the plane if Bobby was in a cell tied up on the floor in the dirt?’ She asks now eyes clouded and dark she looks back at Jo.

‘I have followed orders that have separated myself and Bobby before, as hard and f*cked up as they were to follow.’ Jo responds, ‘extraction is delicate it is for professionals, you two idiots going in there risking capture meant im down an extra two bodies in a fight where my team is already scattered and spread very thin! ORDERS NEED FOLLOWING!’ She yells now hitting the steering wheel for emphasis, ‘this team needs to learn to trust that I will do what needs doing to keep my people from harm all this side mission style bullsh*t needs to come to an end! NO MORE GOING OFF SCRIPT!’

She bows her head for a moment slowing the car before refocusing, ‘we need a place to lay low for tonight at least, I took all our hardware off the boat and told the acting captain and the rest of Imogen’s staff to head back to their home port.’ She is back to business tucking the emotions back into the special place she keeps her weakness and lack of impulse control, ‘the authorities wont find anything aboard to link Aaliyah to any of our activities.’

‘What about the Boy Jo?’ Acero asks now referring to the bodyguard from the madrasa we had in custody over the last few days. She is looking at Jo with a concerned expression.

Jo never responds to that question, my heart drops and bile rises in my throat, this is an ugly business and losses will be great but it never gets easier. She pulls a burner phone from her pocket and dials a number from memory, a brief exchange of information then she gives Acero an address.

We pull off and take an elevator to an apartment in a decent building, its daylight and the temperature soars we turn the air conditioner high and gather in the living room the four us exhausted and sweaty.

‘Devin was dead on impact as far as Acero could assess the situation, she managed to get the coroners report which said the same, the police have no dockets or Inquests and neither of the girls have been declared missing.’ Jo starts our debrief, I am on the couch leg elevated ice on the swollen limb she keeps talking, ‘Aaliyah is a person of interest according to Saleem Khans personal private security company, Al Fakir has been informed and according to Aceros sources his men where on route to collect Cruz from the compound you two idiots sprung her from… they would have likely brought her back to the madrasa for god knows what.’

Acero clears her throat now to speak, ‘it seems AL fakir believes this is a kidnapping.’

‘yeah Imogen thought pretty fast back there staged a whole scene of us holding the girls as shields threatening the men made it look like they were not even remotely complicit – I guess it worked!’ I say now filling in the blanks, ‘we split up when I realized…’

I Pause now feeling anxious about the events leading up to my capture, ‘well its just my leg I couldn’t run that distance to the meet point I decided I was better as a decoy.’

‘You should have told me it was that bad kid…’ Jo says now voice barely a whisper, ‘there are no physicals here no assessments, this is a f*cking minefield and you cant be nursing a injury like that and telling me you are 100% fit to go live.’ She says now through gritted teeth.

I drop my gaze, ‘I screwed up, I wanted to feel useful, and I thought after the weeks of you benching me that I could handle it. Jo I f*cked up and I am sorry.’

‘I think there was were a lot mistakes made here, a lot of rushing and poor execution and honestly just some good old fashioned bad f*cking luck.’ She responds sighing deeply, ‘But no wallowing, we don’t get to sit in the sh*t …that is not a luxury we get out here. So I need everyone to get some rest and then we keep moving forward, that’s how we beat these assholes and see justice done. The girls are safe and far and in good hands, right now its about phase 3 which is going to be the ride of our lives.’

Aaliyah slips her hand into mine, we are both covered in a layer of sand and sweat she doesn’t speak I walk with her using the strength I have left to get to the room and I hear the door click behind me. She comes up and starts to unbutton my shirt then lifts my t shirt over my head, the sports bra joins the growing pile on the floor she gasps at the angry bruises still coloring from the tussle I was in. She traces them so gently I have to look down to see if she is actually touching me, she lets her fingers trail to my paints unbuckling the belt and then undoing the buttons she is working carefully not to Jar me.

‘Hold my shoulders I will take your pants off.’ She says softly as if I were a child, but I don’t feel inadequate, only cared for, deeply. I do as instructed she pulls the pants down slowly and my socks and boots come off she strips quickly and walks with me – the shower isn’t big nor is the water pressure great but she makes the water hot and lets the steam envelope us as she takes my wrists in her hands she smiles at my pulse beating against her fingers she guides me under the warm cascade of water.

She comes close now, not to kiss me just to fit our hips together, I feel the hairs on her mound slick and wet gently prick my thigh she molds our breasts together and traps warm water between us, we haven’t spoken yet and there isn’t a need to, it occurs to me that everything this woman needs to say is right there in her eyes.

My leg relaxes the ache and throbbing ebbing away as the hot water rinses mud and sand and dirt off my body I take her face in my hands and finally kiss her, soft and slow and with purpose.

‘We are alive and we are together and you infuriate me and drive me too insanity but I cant imagine living any version of reality without you…’ I whisper into her mouth as she breathes me in we continue to kiss she bathes me lathering soap on me then rinsing me off she washing my hair and then when I am so aroused I feel like I may burst she pushes me up against the wall and puts her fingers inside me, they slide deep and im swollen and engorged unable to resist arching my back and hips towards her she rests my leg on her taking pressure off me.

‘Hold on tight to me, I want to f*ck you… so bad.. so so bad Cruz’ she whispers now her hair wet and curly black and framing her face so irresistible, desire, need for me has colored her cheeks and she looks into my eyes as she begins to stroke me, ‘I need to f*ck you...’ she says now into my ear she is almost begging pleading, I part my legs for her giving her access to my center willing her deeper she moans with me her hips thrusting forward as she feeds me her tongue I suck on it, massaging it as she keeps thrusting her fingers inside me I feel my muscles bunch and gather nerve endings set alight as pressure builds and I grind my cl*t on her hand she is feeling everything. She revels in her ability to give me pleasure, absorbing and basking in me.

‘open your eyes Cruz,’ she says stopping all efforts until I obey her, ‘Open them look at me, always look at me when I take you this way.’ She commands me, so confident she knows I am always going to obey her, she is sure of it. Her ability to have me any way she wants me I would surrender myself every single time she doesn’t have to ask.

She has the air of a woman who knows exactly how much of me she possess entirely. I Open my eyes her fingers curl gently inside me holding me in the palm of her hand and she is so close I see every detail of her face in stark detail.

She begins to move again and I feel my abdominals contract pain and pleasure mingle now to greet my climax it rolls over me in waves she watches it completely enthralled as if she cant look away, as if looking away means death.

‘Im addicted to that, watching that moment, every single time its different.’ She whispers as my euphoria makes me weak I slump in her arms she kisses my wet hair and continues to move inside me my walls tender and my cl*t spasms against her hands she is careful not to overstimulate me but the reluctance to break this most intimate connection is written all over her face, ‘every time we are together this way, when you org*sm they are all unique I find a new detail every time I witness you lose your self control to me… it’s the single most beautiful thing I have ever seen.’

My eyes cloud with tears, she says these things to me, like it’s the most normal rational thing in the world for one person to love another like she loves me, I smile at her, ‘I would do this with you a million more times and still it wouldn’t ever be enough.’ She slowly slides her fingers from inside me the loss of it almost makes me sob but she holds me gently shushing me. She puts her fingers to my mouth rubbing my creamy velvety cum on my lips before she covers my mouth with hers tasting me, making me taste the pleasure she gave me moments before.

‘Its intense, our love, I know I feel it too. The constant pull – don’t be ashamed of this – people they think there is weakness in being this intoxicated by another person.

Cruz…’ she says now looking up at me her arms on either side of me pinning me to the shower wall, ‘I don’t give a f*ck what people think, you are my forever, and I will love you this way for as long as you will have me.’

She looks so naked and vulnerable, my heart aches I want to cover her in myself and keep her sheltered and protected, the feeling is overwhelming almost too big for me to actually handle.

‘Im never leaving you, I want you only you forever, whatever we do. Whatever path we choose, whether its running head first blindly into danger or quitting it all and disappearing or even if you want to go to every party on the planet and I have to be on your arm for every single one, Aaliyah im in.’ I say now caressing her hips, ‘whatever life you want to build im building it with you, I know there’s a part of you who thought this life the dangerous ops and all this craziness is what I wanted, but this whole thing the amount of risk its put you in… its terrifying me it has me questioning every decision I have ever made, seeing Devin just gone in an instant, watching Jo rip herself in two to let Bobby go without a clue where she is…sometimes its more than I have strength for.’

‘When this one is over, when the girls are safe and Al Fakir and his network are turned to dust.. we can look at our lives again… ok?’ she says now her eyebrows raised she waits for an answer, ‘whatever you want to do once this is over I will do it with you.’

‘Aaliyah is it selfish that I am glad that I am alive… that I could still be here and come back to you?’ I ask now feeling shame for even saying it out loud, ‘the gravity of loss… it pulls you in and it wants you to feel it but also it wants your shame at knowing you survived a thing someone else didn’t.’

‘Habibti, if you are selfish then so am I, I cant deny that Devin’s loss is devastating but there was a small part of me that silently felt relief when it was him… and not you .. but Cruz I don’t want to ask forgiveness for that… I wont feel shame for this.’

I smile small nodding my head, it’s a unique feeling knowing you can admit a shameful thing to someone who accepts it and offers no judgement.

We kiss for a long while till the water runs cold and we get out toweling off shivering till we open the windows we lay naked letting the Hot desert sun warm our skin. We fall asleep limbs tangled together, no strength left for love making, content to just feel naked hot skin pressed against each other, our deepest secrets laid bare.

We wake as the night birds call and the call to evening prayers sounds through the windows, Jo and Acero have left with a note on the table to to meet them.

We dress and leave the apartment making our way to the spot, we wear dark glasses and hijab effectively rendering ourselves anonymous in the throngs of women and men out in the streets they don’t even glance at us, Dubai being one of very few places where chaperoning albeit customary seldom is enforced. We reach Jo and Acero, even fully covered they are always so recognizable, stance militant and eyes ever watchful to another soldier its unmistakable.

The area is something like a plaza, Art deco and mosaics in vibrant gold and aquamarine adorn walls sprawling and flamboyant. The lighting high above incandescent plays off and highlights the lapis lazuli veins in the marble floors as we make our way closer to the balcony Acero and Jo lean against, the railings are ornate made of metal and inlayed with various precious stones cut and polished to a sparkle. Below us a cacophony of sounds and people roam through shops and restaurants walk ways and seating areas and functional art pieces are scattered throughout the scene.
We stand side by side seemingly unfamiliar, Jo looks down and I follow her eyes, it appears some familiar faces are in the crowd, Faraaz and his wife are here with Akeera.

‘Its Akeera’s husbands event, his the director and the family are out in support.’ Jo explains inconspicuous. ‘They will likely be here for many hours, I was thinking we can pay their compound a visit, I managed to get the access protocols from that guard… access disks and unique Number combinations as well as biometrics for certain areas, we can lift Saleem and Faraaz’s prints… get Acero access to their hardware for codes… and clone the Access disks.’

‘Someone needs to stay… keep eyes on them make sure we get a heads up when they are heading home.’ Acero Adds now.

‘I will stay, you three go.’ Aaliyah volunteers. ‘I am the least likely to be able to break in enter and be of any actual help inside.

‘Settles it then,’ Jo says pushing away from the balcony they slip into the throngs of people heading down stairs they bump and jostle the unsuspecting khans below likely lifting remote access keys to the compound before silently slipping away into the night.

I squeeze Aaliyah’s hand discreetly before walking briskly to the stairwell to intercept them, we are outside and rush to Jo’s waiting vehicle we strip the plates and speed off, time being of paramount importance, we reach the compound and pull in a deep divot in the road using Faraaz’s remote for his private entrance we sneak in making sure to avoid the multiple cameras sticking to badly lit spaces and blind spots Acero identified on her plans on the way here. Its stifling and hot in my garb and I feel disorientated I have my knife in hand and I am still somewhat drowsy from the pain medication Acero has me on.

Jo stops looking at me, ‘if your leg is too bad go back to the vehicle, I cant afford a liability here Manuelos.’

I Pull free of her hand indicated that she needs to lead on effectively dismissing that idea we move silent and compact through the passageways reaching the bedrooms and private suites with minimal fuss. We are on our way back Acero in the lead and im at the rear when a guard rounds the corner unexpectedly, apparently at least one of then taking their patrols seriously Jo doesn’t hesitate dispatching him with a swift tackle and sickening crack, he goes limp in her arms and she drags him with me to the parking garage, his radio goes off. We pull up the automatic gate a d carry him to the SUV dumping him in the back we speed away.

Jo calls Aaliyah on the burner we left her with, she picks up on the 2nd ring.

‘We are home free, pick you up in 30 at the south exit.’ She terminates the call smiling at Acero she slaps the steering wheel, ‘f*cking nailed it!!!’

‘So whats next?’ I ask curious we seemed greatly short staffed at the moment even with access to the Madrasa how on earth would we pull it off with such limited numbers.

‘Phase 3, but that’s not todays problem Manuelos, for now we have a plane to catch!’ we speed to the plaza and collect Aaliyah she is happy to get in seeing mission success etched on our faces and we drive to the airstrip Jo humming to herself. We climb out of the car all our equipment kit and luggage our passports fake and real in hand, Jo throws a grenade in to the SUV after dousing it in fuel and it goes up in flames she jogs to the plane climbing on board and pulling the door shut as it taxis down the runway.

We take a seat on board the small aircraft each of sensing a new chapter in the near future, this feels like the point of no return, no one speaks much.

I turn and glance at Jo she is staring at her tablet, a picture of her girls on screen her finger tracing their outlines over and over.

Acero is reclined she has her headphones on seemingly getting some sleep I find Aaliyah’s eyes she smiles at me legs crossed hand supporting her chin she gives me a look as if she has been told a secret no one else can know, I smile back her mood infectious and I know, whatever comes next it will be ok aslong as I face it with her by my side.

We travel for hours find ourselves at another landing strip anonymous and in the dark, a quick exchange of cash and we board a cargo ship, its filthy and the journey makes us sick the ship rolling and dipping for days before unceremoniously depositing us on a small skiff in the ocean, I wretch again over the side, Aaliyah holds my hair and then rests my head in her lap she caresses my forehead she stares down at me whispering words of encouragement. Eventually Acero declares land in site and gets the little boat to shore it has taken on water and almost sinks by the time we reach the sandy beach, the night air is chilly against my skin and gooseflesh rises I take a look around the beach familiar.

My woozy steps uneven and my vision blurs, the last leg of our travels were nothing short of nightmarish, Aaliyah was my only comfort, keeping me sane when it felt like the nausea would surely overwhelm me. We walk the path and end up on a deserted market strip beachside… Malta
‘f*cking boat fell apart before we could row back to the safe house Jetty on the main damn Island.’ Jo declares she is murderously out of sorts and spent most of the last few days miserable. Not having contact with Bobby and none of us knowing the fate of the girls had taken its toll visibly putting us all on edge, stealing that small pocket of happiness we each felt onboard the plane, we had all sunk into a bit of mental rot, ‘this is not safe, us out with Amrohi in the open like this, its not safe!’

‘I can hail a cab, its not so bad we got here undetected, take the win Jo.’ Acero responds jogging off into an adjacent road she speaks to a random driver seemingly spending the night asleep in his cab at the beach waiting for the mornings fairs. He agrees to drive us back over the now quiet dark road joining the islands and soon we reach the safe house.

My heart sinks, the last time I was here we were all alive, Imogen had just joined our mission and everything seemed possible. Never did I imagine loss and chaos and bad fortune would befall us in such a short time.

We bathe and sleep bone weary and truly grateful for dry land and decent beds. Aaliyah holds me close, encapsulating me in her love, she tucks her chin into my neck no energy for vigilance tonight we all sleep soundly.

I wake to Jo yelling on the phone at someone I come downstairs and sit on the last one, ‘Jesus f*ck!!! That is the wrong f*cking island!’ she paces up and down the living area eventually stamping her boots hard on the floor hands fists and eyes closed. ‘not even close! … its not even f*cking close!... yeah… she is great.. thank you I guess .. I will take it from here I appreciate the discretion, it was clean operation till it wasn’t… take care.’ She hangs up throwing the burner across the room and walking out not a word said. At the pool she starts up cursing pacing up and then down kicking grass, I try hard to hide my giggle she is comically furious.

Acero and Aaliyah come down both stop short hanging around on the staircase above me looking at the spectacle unfolding outside at the poolside, Aaliyah kisses my head and heads to the cold stores Acero in tow, soon the smell of coffee and food filter towards me so I join them.

A few minutes later Jo joins us she takes the coffee offered and sighs a deep one she looks to the ceiling not really knowing how to start where to begin, none of us dare engage her till she is ready.

‘So the person I trusted to do the extraction and relocation part of the rescue op, she er…’ she scratches her head she laughs soundlessly, ‘she took them to the wrong f*cking island.’ She finishes her hand waves in the air she is stumped, ‘Coordinates maybe have been transposed or recorded incorrectly, in the pirate network the information passes through many hands before reaching the recipient, it happens I guess.’

‘which island? Jesus are they safe?’ I ask now the entire situation sounding ridiculous.

‘Well last my contact saw them, sure they were ok, Imogen was banged up but the girls were great and Bobby took them on land and that’s all im going to know till we go out there and get them back,’ she adds pinching the bridge of her nose, ‘they were supposed to meet us here… this sh*t is messing with my timeline, we pooled our resources here, the yacht was meant to make port here so moving headquarters at a moments notice has risks.’

‘Well we can just go get them like you said?’ Aaliyah offers now between mouthfuls of food.

‘Amrohi you were meant to be a thousand f*cking miles from this mess right now, had you two assholes followed orders you would be!!!’ jo barks at her.

I look at her affronted, ‘don’t speak to her like that, if she didn’t act quickly and actually come get me, I would likely be on a transport to a Al fakir black site before you got to moving McNamara!’

Jo turns on me, ‘you really think I was gonna let you get got that way? After everything we have all put on the line for mission success, you think I was going to let them take you to a blacksite? I was mobilizing resources while also doing my f*cking damnest to keep your girlfriend from harm, she is lucky to exit Dubai unscathed with the current witch hunt underway!’

I Stand now, ‘f*ck you Jo, it was your call to send her back in after that honor killing went bad at the party!’

‘Yeah, she is the one who pushed to get Kulthum and Rania earlier than anyone was prepared to go in!!!’ She bites back pushing me in the chest.

‘I followed your f*cking orders!’ I respond, ‘you don’t get to blame her!’ I shout now lunging forward we crash into a table rattling cutlery and dishes, ‘you made the f*cking final call!!!’

‘Get the f*ck off me Manuelos!’ she bellows we are grappling and trying to avoid each others strikes.

Acero pulls me off Jo pinning me to a far counter, ‘Quit this bullsh*t both of you!’ I put my hands up indicating im done.
I look around and Aaliyah looks at us stunned, ‘I accept responsibility for pressuring you Jo.’ She is close to tears, ‘ I should never have… it should have been different.’
‘Nobody pressures Jo f*cking McNamara, she knew exactly what she was doing Aaliyah.’ I respond now staring at Jo.

She slumps against the counter top head in hands she breathes through the spaces in her fingers her shoulders shake and she begins to cry.

Aaliyah covers the distance between them hugging her tightly she cries now too, ‘Jo… im sorry that it had to be you making the hard decisions… but I think we can all agree that none of us are going to regret knowing we saved Rania and Kulthum.’

Acero moves to sit heavily on a barstool at the kitchen island, ‘We need to forgive each other for Devin, mourn him together and step out of this safe house a team, united and ready for the road ahead – Bobby is going to need us, those girls will need us more than ever.’

‘If we are going to take out these f*cking monsters we are going to have to put this behind us,’ Aaliyah says now adding her voice to Aceros, ‘Cruz come here.’

I Obey her walking forward toward Jo who looks up at me through bloodshot eyes she is broken and conflicted, a leader suffering the shame of bad decisions and poor luck.

I close the space between us gripping her forearm in mine before she pulls me to her in a hug we hold tight.

‘I cant do this without you Manuelos,’ she said now quietly.
‘None of us could’ve pulled any of this off without you Jo.’ I respond.

We spend time planning using all the Intelligence Imogen provided and getting ourselves familiar with the layout of the school, Acero monitors our targets whereabouts closely – they still have not detected the girls nor found any concrete connect between Aaliyah and their disappearance, the yacht arrives having been released by the police and cleared for voyage we board eager to reach the others.

We reach Reunion in good time marooning off the coast and making sure no undesirable confrontations occur, when nightfall’s we take a small boat to shore and slowly begin to follow the path to our destination, we arrive to lights on a d laughter, Bobby’s unmistakable voice loud and boisterous she is howling at something someone has said before stepping on the balcony. She chews a toothpick tapping her foot to a song… the hook is familiar… Britney spears.
I look over at Jo she stands below the balcony looking up, her eyes glaze over she is totally stilled her lips part and slowly lets a smile play on her lips, her hands rest on her hips as she takes the woman she loves in.

Bobby feels Jo’s eyes on her eventually looking down her eyes grow large and she runs off the balcony I hear thundering footsteps on the staircase and as I look at them she comes barreling out of the entrance she runs at Jo who jumps off the ground wrapping her legs around Bobby they laugh out loud kissing for a moment as if no one was watching. None of us can help the smile, these two hardened soldiers used to never showing emotions, because being human is a weakness here they stand all inhibitions lowered, nothing between them no protocol or witnesses stopping this display of sheer joy.

We greet smiling and happy for a moment Aaliyah rushes up the stairs I follow behind her we see her as she runs to and embraces the girls who burst into tears at the sight of her, I spot Imogen seated long legs folded she is wearing the most bizarre ordinary clothing she is stripped of all Italian glamour and high fashion.

Her arm in a light sling she winks at me, I walk over to her and she offers me a beer, ‘Glad you are not dead Little one.’ She remarks but her eyes speak of soft affection and deep relief.

I nod my head, ‘glad your not dead either.’ I respond clinking my bottle against hers I take a seat our little group reunited and content to be together, Devin may be gone but his presence remains, his sacrifice evidenced in the eyes of the girls who now have a shot at life because of him.

Chapter 18: Passed the Breaking Point

Chapter Text

Jo

I wake up before the others, head into town quietly, I set up a meeting before we left Malta, thought it best this particular contact I should meet alone.

She has a sundress on and sits at a coffee shop in a quaint area of the small island. Her skin alabaster and otherworldly she draws attention unintentionally radiant, I cant help the smile on my lips when I see her she takes off her sunglasses fixing piercing ocean blue eyes on me she stands opening her arms without hesitation I walk into them, a hug I didn’t know I needed so badly.

She inhales me I can tell by the sounds of satisfaction she makes, ‘You’re skin and bone, not eating?’ she asks pulling away she smiles, ‘your eyes look little dull too, no cook in your band of misfits?’ she asks with a smirk before letting go of my arms she sits hailing a waiter, my inspection over I take the seat opposite her.

Passive aggressive, suppose I deserve it a bit.

She orders for me because she always has, she always knows my order, my mind my eyes my weight the condition im in, she is like an encyclopedia of everything that I am.

‘So, why am I here.’ She asks her sunglasses back on so I cant read her at all, she is upset and will make me work for whatever It is I want that much I know for certain, I guess the woman who knows my breaking point and dedicated years to making sure I never reach it has the right to also be angry with me.

‘I forgot what it felt like to lose one, I got reminded recently and I feel untethered.’ I respond a truth, first … see if it softens her up to see my weakness on the table up front.

Worth a try…

‘Im not exactly surprised, in fact I was sure all of you would have been dead a few weeks ago already,’ she bites back, ‘you are way over your head Jo, the only thing certain about your near future is more of you are going to f*cking die.’ She says trying to remain composed but her temper is there simmering under the cool exterior, ‘you didn’t come here for comfort or a f*cking therapy session this isn’t grief counselling weather, what do you want from me?’ she asks taking her sunglasses off she smiles devilish at the waitress who quakes and blushes because who wouldn’t under the dazzling gaze of Kaitlyn Meade.

‘I need resources.’ I say once we are alone again, my lips pursed I look out at the surf.

‘Hardware? No, you got some of that when you occupied that little evidence stash on the far side of Malta… so what don’t you have?? You have intel, that much is certain considering the f*cking hurricane you left in your dust out in the middle east.’

‘I want the boys…’ I speak now tired of her elaborate guessing game.

‘Not a f*cking chance McNamara!’ She says now almost laughing out loud she gives me a look of disbelief, ‘how would you like me to deploy them, hey Byron don’t mind Tuck, 2cups and Tex they are off to aid f*cking terrorists!!!’ she raises her hands in the air sarcastically, ‘Go go freedom fighters!’ she laughs bitterly.

‘It would be worth your while, I have outdated intelligence but once I access that Property there will be up to date ledgers Kaitlyn, a treasure trove in black and white of names I can f*cking bet is currently on your radar for something,’ I lean in now softly speak, ‘it would benefit us both to have some US operatives on a joint mission with an unknown friendly neutral faction, I take the flack you take the glory?’

‘You’re a f*cking terrorist!’ she says now slamming her hand down, ‘don’t try to manipulate me with your bullsh*t Jo – I taught you every trick you know!’

‘Im a living walking talking liberation movement Kaitlyn you see the socials… the chatter… I made a f*cking splash!… now I can go out there and recruit every radical f*cking fem-nazi I can find who would gladly leave a bloody trail of mayhem behind them before this is through… or’ I look into her eyes, ‘you can give me the boys and let me do this quiet and neat and wrap it up tidy.’

She sits back in her seat swigging her wine and shaking her head she is annoyed, ‘you are behaving like a child, I give you a chance to come home you throw it away, now you want favors! After what you did to me… to lioness! What the f*ck!’

‘Help me… im asking for Help, from my mentor!’ I clap back now, ‘give me the boys I will send them home with the intelligence it’s a good exchange… please just help me.’ Desperation bleeds into my tone and she looks at me now, shark smelling blood… this she likes.

‘I do this for you… you come home...’ She puts her hands up to indicate she isn’t done, ‘not to the program or Neal or anything like that, f*ck that… you come home for me, you reassess all of this and you come home and next time you go out on a mission, you ask for real help.’ She is dead serious the ultimatum is clear and laced with good intent but I still feel like she Is cornering me, ‘the last few weeks I don’t sleep or talk I cant apply myself at work, because my mind is out here worrying over you. If you wanted to do crazy sh*t, the decent thing to have done would have been to run it by me, after everything I deserved a choice you could have asked if I would at least support you even from a distance!’

I Sigh my head resting now in my hands, ‘I wont be restricted or do anything to serve any one government or agenda or selfish bullsh*t male ego...to be clear I will never align myself to you and your people ever again... this Op is a once off, I don’t want to be serving the wrong people again… ever!’ I respond now, she inclines her head at me.

‘Your plans, vision mission agenda and your team… my experience and oversite… I want you to be alive in the next 10 years Jo damn it!… I f*cking give a sh*t what happens to you!’ she responds, ‘I can keep things clean, keep you grounded, keep the right people looking the wrong way.’

We both are quiet for a moment she looks away i stare a spot on the table cloth.

‘On a trial basis, If I don’t like a single f*cking thing about the set up I walk?’ I say in response my eyebrows raised.

‘Agreed.' she smiles fleeting, 'now… the boys can be here in 48 hours I will need to relieve them of their current assignments and get them here it will take some doing but I can organize it.’ She says, picking up her tablet and getting her reading glasses on.

‘I will need to move some VIPs very discreetly, can you help with it?’ I ask now nibbling the tapas the waiter brings.

She smiles now at me over her frameless lenses, ‘you falling into old habits Jo?’

I Mock smile, ‘I just need them secure traveling on one of your birds means some added protection should any one try to interfere they will think twice...you are here .. i may aswell ask.’

‘I will make arrangements, heard Bobby met your grandma… to be a fly on the wall...’ She responds redirecting the conversation, we talk almost freely for a long while catching up, sharing intelligence but skirting anything too valuable our old familiar game. I cant deny that I missed it, I missed her insights and her logic, the unique wiring of her brain and how I could pick it for hours and never feel like I took enough wisdom from her.

The little agreement we just came to will likely not go over well with my team but that’s a hurdle for after mission Jo to overcome.

We part with a wistful hug, she holds onto me a second longer then she should she whispers into my ear, ‘you come back from this in one piece… you hear me.’

I take a few steps back blinking away the tears and nod my head before I turn and blend into the crowd of tourists.

Once I arrive home the team are all milling around Rania with her keen eye for detail and artistic flare is constantly taking in scenery, always staring out from the balcony, Imogen has promised her a walk along the promenade to take in the local artwork, Kulthum on the other hand is paying special attention to Aaliyah who enthusiastically explains her latest additions to her investment portfolio she goes into detail unable to help herself.

They could not be more opposite, slowly they have relaxed and begun to explore the island balking when no one declines their requests to leave the apartment, they have lived a stiflingly micromanaged life never once knowing what just being children acting on impulse felt like.

The team have also begun to relax somewhat, easier to smile, Acero works tirelessly on monitoring our targets but she even manages a few light hearted jokes and conversations, perhaps these girls remind her of her lost younger sibling.

Eventually I am going to have to break the calm and scatter them again, a hard decision but a necessary one that I wont be backing away from. The planning will begin then, my muscles twitch at the prospect of it.

Bobby interrupts my musings sits next to me with a beer, ‘Imogen found a night market and the girls are dying to go I mean, if you think its ok – Acero already checked out there aren’t cameras and seems like It isn’t really like tourist season?’ she says, looking down nervously and then back at me, somethings on her mind.

‘That all?’ I ask now trying to keep the amusem*nt from my voice.

‘Uhm.. well I wanted to ask…’ she takes a long swig of beer, ‘I wanted to but only if you want to, it’s a stupid idea though, we are in the literal middle of work – its fine.’ She stands now I grab her rough calloused hand stopping her.

‘Ask me,’ I say now holding her in place she turns and sits back down.

‘So the others are gonna take the girls out and I was wondering maybe if you want to go to dinner with me,’ she gulps air, ‘but if you don’t, I get it, we could totally just stay or go with them?’ she adds now turning to me hands flailing and eyes growing wider by the second.

‘Yeah sure, give me 30minutes to get ready and meet me at the door?’ I ask before she implodes, her eyes crunch up into a smile she dips her head nodding.

‘Yeah? Yeah! Ok yeah sure.’ She stands now walking off to where I don’t know the apartment is small there are not many places for her to go. I stand and head for the showers meeting her at the door in exactly 30 minutes as planned she is dressed neat, jeans showing off curves and calves boots laced tight, a white vest and denim shirt complete the look.

Her hair unruly left wet to dry in whichever direction it pleases. I take her in a small sound of approval leaves my throat without consent, she takes my hand and we head down into a quite side of the island to a small beachside café.

We order and while we wait there’s a silence neither of us have the tools to fill or fix but soon there’s a loud clang of pans from the kitchen and the natural instinct to locate assess and react we both display at the sound makes us both laugh nervously.

‘Guess once a soldier always a soldier.’ I say now unsure of myself.

She laughs then gets a little serious taking my hand, I have a knee jerk reaction to pull away but fight it, she is trying to be soft and I need to receive it if I truly want this new dynamic to thrive.

‘I don’t want to be a soldier tonight,’ she softens her gaze her expression earnest, ‘I want to laugh and talk and have pasta till my belt feels too tight, then I wanna eat ice cream and maybe skinny dip with my girlfriend…like normal people.’

I Smile now at her, ‘Your belt has never been tight in 20 years and you think tonight’s the night Bubbah?’ I ask giggling she smirks back.

‘challenge accepted baby.’ She responds, the waiter comes over and we order too much food, wine and shots and after a while we stumble out of the place barely able to stand we laugh so loud people look over, smiling at our display.

We find a small gelato vendor and get a few scoops and find our way to a secluded patch of sand, the moon our only light it makes the quiet alcove silvery and as the small waves ripple and break against the sand the bioluminescence takes our breathe away for a moment, I cant remember a night like this in the last decade.

I turn to see Bobby stripping out of her clothes she stumbles toppling over her still tied boots and I am taken by fits of laughter again I try to help her untie them as she pouts jeans around her ankles and shirt tossed to the side she strips of her tank top braless her nipples harden and darken to a deep rose hue. I lick the salt and caramel on my lips wanting one of them… in my mouth.

She is finally free of all her clothes she gets to her feet drunk and unsteady she kisses me pressing her nakedness against me hot and silky smooth I hold her kissing her.

‘Come on asshole, swim with me.’ She whispers sucking my lip into her mouth she pulls away and jogs into the water.

‘Your drunk! Get back here…’ I shout after her, she is in no condition to swim let alone at night I strip down my fingers clumsy from all the tequila, I rush into the water its warm and the plankton light up my path as I brush against them.

I catch her from behind pulling her too me she pushes her ass into my puss* and I moan a little as she grinds herself into me, she turns in my arms kissing me thoroughly exploring my body with her hands. We swim out a bit further but I start to get nervous.

‘Hey Bobby, is it safe to swim out here in the glowy sh*t?’ I ask now looking around then down.

She is humming to herself as she wades in further she looks at me, ‘I wouldn’t be so worried about that, Imogen says this place was infested with sharks once upon a time.’ She says now shrugging her shoulders she continues to frolick she laughs loud, ‘imagine us getting eaten by sharks… f*cking wild!'

My eyes fly open and I grab her arm, high kneeing it out of the water ‘why the f*ck didn’t you LEAD with that!!!’ I deposit her on the wet sand and put my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath.

I look at her and she makes eye contact, we both start to howl and cackle I laugh so hard I wheeze and fall over we are soaking wet covered in sand naked on this island far from home and everything we know and its absolutely perfect she crawls on top of me resting her weight on me, I part my legs for her and she settles in, we don’t speak or move for some time, both content to lay quietly., eventually feeling bold I roll her over and lay on top of her smiling down mischievously.

‘I didn’t know it could be like this…’ I whisper to her.

‘I was too afraid to ever imagine anything like this,’ She responds touching my face and staring at me she lifts her head and I dip mine, we kiss so softly im not sure our lips are touching, she has never been this gentle with me.

Our kiss deepens but remains so incredibly tender and delicate im afraid to do anything, risk spooking this side of her and never seeing it again.

‘I love you Jo, this last spell apart,’ she holds my cheek gently running her thumb along my cheekbone reverent, smoothing my brow with her knuckles I lean into her touch, ‘there were days… I wont lie.. I wanted to reach out to you, I couldn’t take the distance.’ She admits to me now.

‘You know when we were younger and I wasn’t deployed and you were,’ I smile at the memory now, ‘I used to find stupid excuses to go on base and tap into whatever comms I could or check your mission logs… its how I memorized your call signs and munitions codes I swear even now,’ I laugh embarrassed, ‘I could track you down within a few minutes if you were in a military unit.’

She chuckles, ‘stalker much?’ she says in a teasing voice.

‘The point im trying to make … is… same.’ I respond, ‘I think I wanted to call off the mission half way through the extraction, and about a billion times between arriving here and sending you with those girls out into the ocean, so I know how you feel, I feel it too.’

She looks passed me for a moment her expression distant as if she were talking to the moon.

‘so im your weakness?’ she asks now, I frown at her, ‘Like something happens to me that’s the moment you break?’ She asks.

‘Your my biggest strength Bobby,’ I counter her, ‘you are the reason I go so hard and get so f*cking brutal, you are my compass, my witness – the f*cking reason why failure is never an option, not when your life is on the line.’

She smiles a little now, the corners of her eyes crinkle into crows feet and the laugh lines at her mouth deepen, frame her face, I look down at her and the years just fall away I almost cry at the loss of time, the waste of life we could have shared, should have shared!

Its like she reads my mind, ‘the time we have left, its ours ok? Don’t regret – just love me … and I will love you… passed the breaking point.’

‘f*ck the breaking point.’ I say now.

We kiss now all our pent up passion released, exploring tongues and deep moans of satisfaction she cant help herself rolling us over she tops me arching her back grinding herself into me until I cum on her thigh clutching her back raising welts with my finger nails unable to contain my climax my guttural scream echo’s out into the ocean, she kisses me again gentle and soft but deep, moaning every time she feels my cl*t throb against her thigh, she spends herself wetting my mound with her essence she slumps against me, almost suffocating me I strain for breath, but I don’t release her, holding her to my breasts is too sweet and tender not to just savor the moment.

Soon the cold sand makes the beach too unpleasant and we dress and go back to the apartment strolling hand in hand a shower and then blissful sleep, a perfect end to our first actual date.

The next two days fly by, planning and preparing, Imogen arm still in a sling for now has decided she will hang back and handle transport and communications, Bobby is happy to have Tex and Acero on ballistics – 2Cups, Cruz Myself and Bobby Tucker will infiltrate and eliminate the guards.

‘Once we locate and identify AL Fakir, sh*t will go from intense to batsh*t f*cking crazy, I don’t doubt this motherf*cker will use anyone as a human shield to save himself, he likely has a bunker too, so 1st prize would be getting to him before he seals himself in, I cant afford a siege especially if he sounds an alarm and Saleem heads out there with a small army.’ I say now to Bobby who chews relentlessly on a toothpick.

‘After the girls were snatched I would not be surprised if this asshole already called out reinforcements, then again he is arrogant and self assured a king in his castle.’ She muses now, ‘maybe he thinks no one would ever challenge him in his stronghold.’

‘Oh im counting on it,’ I respond looking at the Drone images again, ‘I think he is a intelligent and ruthless man who has made it this far using every skill in his arsenal, so im not underestimating him.’

‘Worst case scenario we have civilians to contend with.’ She replies.

‘Negative on that, they are locked away at night, Jesus can you even with that?’ i ask now sighing, 'the indiginities suffered.'

‘nothing about the terrible sh*t I hear about that place even shocks me, that monster has no limits, he is out there playing God!’ she responds slamming the table.

Cruz pokes her head in as we speak, the session was closed no need to stress the whole team out before we are ready to mission brief.

‘two vehicles approaching.’ She says to me looking alarmed, ‘want us to go intercept?’ her expression serious she wants to assess the threat and engage, always ready to run for the danger rather than away.

‘Negative, this little convoy we actually want to receive Manuelos.’ I respond I stand heading to the door tapping Bobby on the leg to indicate its time to go, we leave the apartment getting downstairs in time to see the vehicles pull to a stop.

Aaliyah stays upstairs with the girls, the rest came down with me squinting at the early morning sun eager to understand who exactly has arrived.

Two cups climbs out first with a massive smile scratching his unruly beard and sweat already staining his armpits he is focused on Bobby who after registering its him strides forward to embrace him.

Tex and Tucker are out now too grabbing Kit and gear they come up to me smiling.

‘Hey boys glad to have you back in action.’ I say now a cursory look around the street tells me we are still alone, I see Bobby break free of the bear hug from Two cups and then get engulfed in a group hug from Tex and Tucker they are delighted to have the team reassembled, I forgot how big they are making her look tiny.

We go upstairs and I introduce the Boys around to everyone, Aaliyah Is delighted to see her once protectors again, and my heart sinks because now the difficult part comes.

‘Amrohi, Manuelos and Bobby I need you for a moment outside please.’ I say all business now the pleasantries are out of the way.

They comply following me downstairs Cruz noticeably still limping on her leg but doing the best she can to conceal the recurring niggle.

‘Whats up Boss?’ Aaliyah asks all cheery still.

‘You are actually, wheels up by 20 00hrs transports all sorted out and the girls are going with you, along with the small team waiting at the airstrip.’ I respond my expression serious and I look at her as the smile fades.

‘Im part of the team, Jo I should stay I want to stay with the team!’ she says now arms flying in wild gesticulations she is not happy.

‘Aaliyah your Job is done, you displayed outstanding heroics you have contributed invaluably to this mission, go back to the farm, put your feet up and know the rest of us tactically are going to see this mission to completion.’ I respond now hoping to get through to her.

She shakes her head letting out a string of curses as she paces she looks at me, ‘I can help I can stay with Imogen out of the fight just give me a chance?!’ she counters now.

‘Imogen has been reassigned to transport and comms yes…but her arm is healing fast she can engage if need be… Aaliyah the team quota is full.’ I say now gently stepping forward to take her hand she pulls away roughly, ‘those two girls need you, please I need you to follow orders…’

‘Aaliyah…’ Cruz speaks now quietly we all look to her not sure she actually spoke. She closes the distance between them and stops her pacing.

‘You know you have to go… Jo spoke about this leading up to our tactical infiltration of the Anahid Madrasa… I want you safe, the girls know you and honestly keeping them safe and with you is a task on its own Aaliyah…. Please Don’t see this as us shutting you out of the larger operation.’ Cruz speaks to her gently now.

‘You have all made up your minds then…’ she responds, ‘let me pack and get the girls moving.’ She turns on her heels an stomps upstairs no further discussions will be had on it I guess.

I sigh, Bobby dips her head and Cruz leans up against the wall staring blankly ahead she nods her head to a mental song only she hears.

‘I want to be transparent with you both, Kaitlyn released the boys to me for this mission in exchange for intel I mentioned I could collect on known affiliates of Al Fakir – she can use if they are on her radar for other crimes.’

‘Here I thought were are out on our own doing things on our own terms..’ Cruz says now not looking at me.

‘Manuelos, we are, I told her this is still our mission she is no puppet master she gets her intel we get three Soldiers who are f*cking monsters in the field!’ I respond, ‘we needed numbers and I needed to know I had operatives I trust.’

She nods now, ‘Its never easy making the hard choices Jo, I get it… thank you for getting Aaliyah out of here… I just think’ she trails off.

‘Kid we get it, knowing she is safe means total mission focus… you get to… stay frosty.’ Bobby aides her with the words she was struggling with.

I walk over to her, ‘at least for now she can be pissed at me and not you this time.’ I smile, ‘lets go upstairs there’s some seriously f*cking crazy prep work we need to do before we take these f*ckers down.’

Two cups smiles with a beer in hand as we get upstairs he was showing Acero and Imogen some gear, ‘Boss check out the new toys Santa brought.’

He tosses me a jacket its not that heavy but has rigid plating its made of a material that’s soft and matt, the color of desert sand I have never seen anything like it, ‘what am I looking at?’

‘Super suit.’ Tex quips. I turn to them still lost.

‘Its engineered super silk, stuffs five times stronger then kevlar and feels like f*cking pajamas, We may have er.. liberated a few from a destination I am not at liberty to disclose.’ Tucker answers now.

‘Needless to say we are rolling up on those motherf*ckers like John Wick, nothing is getting through that fabric, check the helmets and visors.’ Two cups tosses me the rest of the gear it looks amazing something futuristic and likely extremely expensive.

I Check the serial numbers and see the letters are foreign… f*cking Russian. I shake my head chuckling but say nothing. We have also received some impressive ballistic tech and a new drone that Tex is very proud of.

Cruz and Aaliyah quiet and subdued sit to one side and speak to each other in hushed tones they soon hug share a brief kiss, Aaliyah stands and the girls emerge from their bedroom dressed for travel with whatever belongings they gathered on the island packed in, the three make their way down stairs I follow behind them and all the rest of the apartments occupants follow behind me.

A sadness takes us, we all know the why and the reasoning and the logic, but goodbyes are f*cking heartbreaking and I see Cruz her expression darkening, I notice Aaliyah find reasons to touch her or look at her.

We stand in a loose half circle accepting hugs and well wishes from them and then its time they climb up into the vehicles ready to leave, they drive a few feet before the trailing SUV screeches to a stop and Aliyah jumps out, Cruz is looking at the car and bounds forward meeting her as she touches the cobbles she grabs hold of her and they embrace crying openly now brushing tear moistened streaks of hair from each others faces they whisper and shush eachother, kisses and promises are exchanged before Cruz puts her in the vehicle closing the door she turns and walks upstairs no words from any of us will suffice right now.

Bobby squeezes my shoulder she watches the taillights fade and then steers me upstairs, at some point booze makes it way upstairs and many many drinks later Two cups gifts a horrified Imogen a lap dance she pales but we laugh at the site.

We laugh and talk and reminisce and get familiar again old patterns same people initiating new people into the team, soon Cruz comes out of her room eyes puffy and shoulders rounded I hand her a beer she sits with Imogen they exchange sad smiles and she broods for a while before joining the contagious chatter and laughter albeit half heartedly.

The hangovers will be epic in the morning but these people deserve a good time together relaxed and cheerful for a brief moment outside of the gruesome unpleasant reality we have all faced for too many years of our lives.

Chapter 19: Blood and Sand

Chapter Text

Cruz

I barely manage to get up and slam every wall till I reach the toilet before emptying the vile acidic contents of my stomach in it. I stumble to the basin trying to wash my face and mouth, the mirror swims and moves and the room seems to refuse to remain stationery.

‘Still drunk little one?’ Imogen asks barely masking the teasing tone, ‘I am going to tell the boss you are not one to hold your liquor.’

I Smile swallowing my throat burns and so do my eyes, its later then I anticipated as I use the walls to help me to the kitchen she hands me a coffee and leans against the counter letting me sit.

‘ the others are down at the beach sitting running or sweating off the hangover I don’t know I said I would hang back and nurse the heartbroken soldier and get you to them if you are up for it.’ She says now, ‘me.. im far too Italian for a hangover personally.’

‘I really did over do it, f*ck… im screwed up.’ I respond holding my aching head. ‘I just cant…’I shake my head struggling for words.

She comes to rest a hand on my shoulder, ‘Don’t feel bad for being human Cruz, first love is intense… True love like what I see, when you look at that woman, its soul shaping metamorphic chaos.’

‘I just… I want to hold It together more that’s all, instead of being governed by my emotions, she leaves I spiral… we have some time apart for the mission and I cant cope.’ I say again now frustrated, ‘I want better control of my emotions.’

‘you are a very young woman Cruz… parenting ones emotions and learning to conceal the weaknesses, these are skills many people twice your age have not mastered.’ She smiles now, ‘go easy on yourself Young one… you have only begun your life and you have the power to pivot and forge new paths whenever you want. That is the beauty of youth and sadly it is wasted on the young… but you can be different. ’

I nod my head and then go shower im ready in a few minutes, Imogen has removed her sling when I enter the communal space, she flexes her limb gingerly taking herself through mild physio exercises before declaring that for now, Its not totally useless.

‘Ready?’ I ask lacing boots and tying my hair up.
‘Cruz… Miss her ok? Long for her and dream of her and envision her in the coming days especially when things get dark,’ She opens the door, ‘Love for another is rare, hold it close when you are out there in the blood and sand.’
‘I will, I promise.’ I respond.

We head on down to the beach its at the most remote and isolated part of the island and we are undisturbed as we run through the new equipment doing drills in sand and timing ourselves so Acero can better plot entry and exit.

We load all of our gear tech and equipment onto the leviathan and the onboard Dr accompanies myself and Imogen to a small medical facility he does xrays and scans and declares Imogen firmly on the road to recovery from the issue with her arm, she is relieved? At the very least she can operate a vehicle and light firearms.

Once he has all the results back for my leg he speaks about some mild nerve damage, repeated stress injuries too , and exercises for bone density, muscle recovery and a few follow-up procedures that can be done to provide me with full mobility without all the fatigue.

‘After this mission, I will revisit this Doc.’ I respond going to change he stops me with words.

‘I have seen many marines say that exact thing to me, Cruz take my advice you are young and honestly recovery isn’t easy for anyone but looking at your current condition if you don’t take a solid break after this mission, you are looking at lifelong damage that will be irreversible.’ He cautions me now, a serious look knits bushy brows together in genuine concern.

I dip my head, ‘I hear you Doc… I will look into the treatment plans as soon as we are boots down on land and this mission is complete.’

'Good, for now i will administer a shot to keep aid with pain and mobility, you will have temporary relief and function.' He says and i smile grateful.

He smiles warmly at me and I exit his rooms Imogen waits asking me how it went, I lie and say im cleared for combat.

We arrive back at the boat and everyone is ready to set sail.

Jo is leaning against the railings and asks us how the Doctor felt about our condition. We both blatantly over sell the current state of our physical strength and viability. No way either of us are sitting this one out.

We make it to the coastal village that Jo and Bobby mentions looked abandoned when they had an altercation with a few gaurds from Anahid when they came out here on recognizance? The evidence of there previous explosive encounter remains? Rubble smoke and debris burnt remains of vehicles.

‘Welcome to base camp, the yacht will return in 48hrs to collect us – its estimated that there are at least 20 females between the ages of 8 and 13 are on the premises. Additionally there are potentially between 8-10 females between 14 and 16 on the premises receiving reprogramming and additonal classes to help those who have not chosen "desirable paths".’ She explains now as we off load equipment rations and weapons.

‘we are going to be up against potentially all 30 guards as they may not have been allowed leave since Jo and I had a little adventure out here a few weeks back.’ Bobby adds as she helps Two cups and Tex unload several electric bikes.

‘The mines and motion detectors and patrols are going to pose very real challenges but we can do this, we have done some pretty stupid sh*t boss… but I gotta say we pull this sh*t off… damn? Two cups says now holding up the images Acero has numbered and stacked on a table she has set up a camo tent and trestles with a large canvas stretched over it as a work area.

Jo stacks weapons and supplies in one corner throwing sleeping bags into another she turns to him, ‘if I didn’t believe we could do this I wouldn’t have had you pulled from active duty to come here.’

‘Boss I would follow you into a volcano with my ass on a surfboard if you said you liked our odds.’ Tex says now he has the drones set up and batteries installed in the solar powered charges hooking up to inverters, we are officially operational.

We sit after a parameter check to take stock and put our plan together finally.

I itch to find a satellite phone – just to hear her voice, tell her we are here safe ready to go to war, but I cant, its better she knows nothing.

I close my eyes for a moment, remember her eyes make up running tears on wet cheeks, she clings to me telling me to just get in the car with her, go home with her… I don’t have to do this…. Im injured I have nothing to prove she loves me just as I am… im her hero… lets go home…

‘Manuelos?’ Jo says now recalling me from my thoughts I look at her.

‘I asked if you would be open to taking a small team out tonight for a quick once over take some video and pictures on foot we cant risk a drone again.’ Jo repeats herself a tiny frown creases her brow she picks up im distracted and it annoys her quickly.

‘yeah sure sundown?’ I reply.

‘Yeah… sundown.. you with us right?’ she asks me everyone avoiding my eye and, she stares at me unblinking, ‘I cant have a distracted soldier out there Manuelos… are you f*cking here right now.’

I Nod my head with vigor, ‘yes I am, im present and engaged … I will be ready at sundown.’

She regards me carefully looking for the lie – studying me for a crack a fissure of doubt… she eventually speaks again looking away.

Night falls cold and fast in the desert very little warning and soon we are on the electric bikes gliding down the desert road to the Madrasa soundless and stealthy.

‘I wonder how close we can get with these before its all footwork?’ Bobby asks she has her night vision goggles on and looks like a fly.

‘pretty close, I don’t see much activity out there,’ Acero responds sighting our destination with a scope she holds to her eye.

We switch engines off and conceal the bikes with great care, so we can locate them again upon our return, Acero plots the mines and identifies the motion sensors and trips, she carefully marks the area using an invisible spray that will show up under our UV lenses as we go.

A solid path is eventually mapped out we will be following it to gain access to the place and hopefully not need to exit the same way, as we intend to use the transport vehicles inside to take the girls to safety. At least the girls or want to be taken, we have all agreed that eliminating Al fakir is ultimately the goal here, any girls willing to leave with us will be rescued, others can wait whatever fate awaits them. Choice is everything especially now.

Acero buries her explosives and charges rigging the walls and support beams as she goes moving silently Bobby and I crawl on our bellies to a quiet rise in the sand letting it conceal us we watch Acero work. She is clever concealing her hardware in sand she spent the afternoon painting and then rubbing it all still tacky in the sand. It would be hard to spot as the ATV patrols road fast along a path at least a few feet from the walls.

She finishes up and then climbs a ladder to a landing she speaks to me on Comms, ‘you see any of them approaching along these boundary walls shout.’

I Confirm I will, Bobby moves along to another ladder to another landing she takes surveillance videos quickly whilst Acero installs cameras Bobby does the same, I move closer to the structure.

‘Guys I think you may need to wrap it up. Some lights have been flicked on there may be a patrol set to start..’ I whisper into my comms.

‘Guys…Bobby… Acero… guys.’ I try but the line is dead, comms are down, signal jammer?

I stand and move trying to stay crouched low I move towards the ladder closest still whispering hoping beyond hope it was proximity affecting the stupid signal. I see headlights, a patrol, my hair stands on my arms, they have detected us and are on their way. I pick up my pace hitting the ladder at a sprint I fly up using my burning arms to yank myself up rather then straining my leg too badly.

‘Acero… where the f*ck are you!’ I whisper im panting searching I stay low so no one sees me over the short walls.

She comes crawling over to me telling me to keep still and quiet, I freeze back against the wall listening.

A guard walks slowly down the wall path he hasn’t picked up anything. He comes walking by slow, close I smell his cologne his boot polish.. the liquorice and tabacco infused smoke from his cigerette. Acero watches him knife clenched in her hand so very tightly, my body is taught im ready to lunge at him and subdue him.

He never turns to where we are concealed in shadows. He descends the stairs back into the compound and whistles as he goes. I didn’t realize I was holding my breathe the entire time, I exhale. Hear the Jeep ride by below it never stops just send sand and dust into the black sky as it roars down the road.

‘Lets please just get the f*ck out of here if you are done with your surveillance?’ I ask Acero now.

‘where is Bobby though?’ she asks as she peeks over the outside facing wall before climbing out onto the ladder and sliding down rapidly she hits the ground thudding and she sprints to the ladder Bobby Ascended. I follow her, slower but no less determined, she scans the area whispers for Bobby.

She descends the ladder and meets me at the bottom before I can get up there.

‘she must have gone down a f*cking staircase into the main compound, we cant risk going in after her our comms are fried!’ she says now annoyed.

‘whatever she is doing it has to be important or she would never have risked it. Lets fallback to the 1st hill marker and wait for her ok?’ I suggest already moving, my senses on high we have been out in the open and this isn’t safe.

We hit the deck crawling to the little hump in the sand and train our eyes on the ladder Bobby Ascended – she isnt appearing. At what point do I call it? At what point do I risk radio signals or calling Jo and telling her that her girlfriend is in an extremist compound with 30 guards and I cant see her or speak to her!

‘This isnt f*cking right… something isn’t right.’ Acero fidgets she grabs her pistol screwing a silencer on the muzzle and looks at me, ‘let me go in.’

‘Lose two people on one simple f*cking recon mission!!!! This was suppose to be intel gathering!’ I slam my gloved fist into the sand im so pissed off.

‘Its simple retrieval, she may need something non evasive only a distraction so she can mobilize and exit?’ Acero looks at me again desperation and hope – but also fear of losing more to the enemy, ‘Cruz … please let me try.’

I Have very limited time to contemplate the situation so I act rather than hesitate, ‘Don’t proceed beyond the stairwell if you spot activity retreat do not engage! Ace im giving you 5 f*cking minutes in and out you leave if you don’t spot her!!!’

She barely mumbles any form of acknowledgement before bounding forward, a silent panther in her fatigues the super camo kit makes her difficult to pick out – if we eliminate a single guard tonight this mission is toast. The gravity of the situation is crushing and I curse under my breath. I cant return to base camp one member light… I come back alone Jo will see red, no amount of explaining will excuse such a colossal screw up.

I wait the furthest thing from patient, the Jeep has returned from its patrol and turns into the main gates- its early hours of the morning no other activity occurs, if there are vigilant guards perhaps their attentions focus more on the inner sanctum of the place, it seems that they largely rely on the harshness of the desert and remoteness of the location to shield them from detection and therefore reduce the need for constant patrolling.

My belly churns acid burns my throat, do I go in? I check my watch I use the binoculars scanning frantically all my worst case scenarios run the gauntlet of my mind and I cant stand the waiting any longer.

‘f*ck this sh*t…’ I whisper to my self I sweep the area and then set off, im not losing anyone today.

I get to the ladder breathing hard my chest shudders and I have a stitch in my side the sweat dries in the cold desert night air I climb the ladder and pop my head over the wall looking out for any guards I see nothing I roll over into a crouch hugging the wall. I hear a high pitched motor engage and then flood lights flick on they pan left to right people below, men speak low in Arabic.

They are switching positions, or shifts I don’t know I honestly don’t care I am trying to use my vantage point to spot my team. Across the main quad I see 4 busses and various vehicles parked on a lot, beyond that what I assume the gates that house the females housing mess area and class rooms completely closed off.

I check to see even the slightest of movement, I curse Acero she was meant to be on this landing or at the very most at the foot of the stairwell im looking down right now.

I descend the stairs keeping myself clear of the shadows of the floodlights and my steps silent so the guards don’t hear me.

They step back into their accommodation bidding each other goodnight. The flood lights click off and the fresh patrol crunch away to the far side from me I try to slow my heart rate. I check my gun, but rather unsheathe my knife and head into the next area of shadow I look over again to the vehicle lot, and I see the movement I was hoping for the relief almost takes my breathe away.

They are under and between the Patrol vehicles, planting explosives and spray marking them so we don’t try to start them when we escape, soon its all rigged and Acero marks one Bus and one ATV as safe.

They just outlined the getaway transport from within the f*cking premises..damn genius. I watch them signal all is done and then they make there way towards my location, Bobby spots me like an idiot Smiling she falters after a moment in slow motion Acero dashes after her ducking and taking the other woman down bodily into the shadows.

A pair of patrolling guards come by a millisecond later I duck behind the wall – they chatter briefly rattle a few objects, did they see something? We know where the cameras are, were they some not on the records Acero and Imogen had? They eventually leave and Acero and Bobby double time it back to the stairwell we all are running now.

‘I swear Bobby, Jo would kick your ass right now!!!’ I whisper wanting to yell at her.

We get down the ladder and across the open sand jogging in single file we don’t even look back. By the time we pull the electric bikes up out of the sand she turns around.

‘I couldn’t leave that lot without atleast trying to gut their only way of giving chase Cruz!’ she is pumped high fiving Acero she whoops out loud.

We tear our way back to the base camp adrenaline coursing through our veins. We debrief Jo who seems thrilled and pissed at the same time she calls me aside after wards.

‘Tomorrow is big… probably the biggest mission I have lead by a mile, and its occurred to me its only our second mission together.’ She says looking out at the rising sun. ‘I guess I want to check in and say I see you… the growth and change how hard you worked to get through the darker places these last few weeks and I want to say im proud of you.’

She puts her hand on my shoulder, ‘im hard on you because sometimes I see me in you, I see the stubbornness and a little of the crazy… the danger there under the surface, I want to make sure you know that, no matter what Cruz into a f*cking fire we are a team, and I would never have picked anyone else... back then and now.’

I feel awkward at the praise, ‘Who would have thought after everything we would be standing here ready for something like this? Im glad its you Jo, leading me and all of us… I cant picture going to war with anyone else.
.. you know that day when you picked me for lioness... i want to say thank you.’

She smiles now handing me a sat phone, ‘I have the woman I love here.. you don’t.’ she walks away giving me some privacy.

I dial out my fingers tremble a bit she picks up as if holding the burner we both don’t speak listening to each others breathing, I swallow then try to form words.

‘Im sorry I didn’t get in the f*cking van baby…’ I say softly.

‘if you did, then you wouldn’t be you habiti…’ she says back her husky voice thick with emotion, deeper then usual her accent thick.

‘we are heading out sundown tomor-..’ I begin.

‘No…. Not that… say anything about anything but don’t talk about that ok?’ she says now her breathe hitching anxiety bringing her voice up a register.

I pause for a moment, ‘I think we should move out to the city, Maybe London some place where the girls can feel life experience the world – we can be… well..’ I falter.

‘A family…’ she finishes my thoughts.

‘I’m tired Aaliyah… im f*cking tired.’ I whisper tears fall now I cant help it, im trying but im human and who better to show that to than the woman you love, ‘the moments where I am looking over my shoulder or waiting to hear someone I love didn’t die… I cant do it I feel trapped in trauma, boxed in.’ I sob a little leaning up against the old porous wall I swipe at hot tears.

‘Then let it go, after this you come to me ok, you come back to me and we will just go get on a plane or a boat or a f*cking dog sled and go where ever, Cruz you can be whoever you want to be, there is no life I cannot afford to give you.’ She responds now her voice full of love.

‘I don’t care about money Aaliyah, I think its peace I want.’ I respond my voice quiet and thin as if asking for something like that is forbidden, if the world hears me it will crush me.

‘I’m so sorry I came up with this dumb idea, then pushed for you to do it… I am so sorry Cruz..’ she cries now into the phone breaking my heart into a million fractals if I don’t gather them quick I wont be able to piece it back together.

‘I wanted this, as sure as I wanted you all those months ago.’ I respond, ‘nothing is your fault, im going to get this done. Then im going to come home and when things settle we will go out there and make the life we want … im ready to that with you.’

‘I Love you Cruz…’ she says now I hear the girls laughing in the background unaware of the scene unfolding out of earshot.

‘I love you more Aaliyah Amrohi.’

I lower the phone terminate the call and trudge back to the tent the others are doing weapons checks Jo mulls over the new footage and layouts Acero brought back and Bobby goes over the video surveillance pointing out areas of interest.

As Jo looks to me I thumbs up her.

That night as I lay in my sleeping bag it dawns on me.

Tomorrow is coming – The day I bury Cruz Manuelos the marine in the blood and the sand, Im f*cking leaving this desert tomorrow a woman worthy of Aaliyah Amrohi.

A Woman deserving of a family, an example for those girls, to show them there is life after hell and heart ache and betrayal and violence and mistrust.

Tomorrow I will make myself new…

Chapter 20: All we have is Choice

Chapter Text

Bobby

We don’t speak much, nothing to say we know our jobs we get the assignment. No need for a pep talk or a hype man here we are tense and alert on edge and trigger sensitive, Jo doesn’t even hum, she usually hums before a big one.

Cruz looks withdrawn, her eyes are vacant deadly she is ready for war, The boys are hyper focused checking video feeds obsessively going through the plan over and over their sequence there orientation the timing of things, micro technicalities that help them swallow the enormity of the task ahead.

Acero is in the desert sand she doesn’t turn when I approach she is playing with a football tapping it over and over knee… foot knee… foot swop … knee foot.

I sit on the sand sunglasses blocking out the last of the setting sun, ‘this how you prepare for a big one?’ I ask my voice scratchy from lack of use.

‘This was my sisters, it helps me to remember what im fighting for.’ She responds, ‘Flowers would have perished on the journey, this I can keep with me.’

I Nod my head, ‘can I try?’ I ask getting to my feet she kicks the ball over and I make a mess of the coordinated steps she made look easy, I chuckle cursing under my breath.

The others hear us, and naturally they move outside, Tex tackling me and then Tucker dispossessing him and soon we are just soldiers playing football under a pink desert sky. Jo hasn’t emerged from the tent and Acero offers to fetch her.

I say no, If there is one thing I do know its too leave her be when things get to this point, she is in there giving her self the third degree, telling herself we are soldiers not friends, not loved ones. We are soldiers and we are being lead and that is who she is, not Jo, she is unit leader…Alpha. I know things have gotten to a basic level of understanding for her now militant, precise no excess energy is being used, no thoughts outside of the mission.

Night comes fast, so much faster time seems to be accelerating and we are suddenly zipping up gear strapping and buckling and loading ammunition. We are packing detonators and testing anti jammers and still no one speaks.

We ride out in silence in early hours of the morning just before guard shift change, the logic: one shift sleepy and incoherent, the other exhausted from the grueling shift and eager to get off their feet.

We stash the bikes wipe prints, Jo checks her watch timing is crucial, no room for delays or errors she takes lead and we set off with Acero next to here we all have uv mode on and we see the path marked through the lasers and mind field clearly. The ladders are marked, its like a video game I think for a second so f*cking cool.

We split into our groups Imogen over watch outside in the same spot we reconned from lastnight, Ace and Tex will be rigging the rest of the place to blow and myself and the rest of the team begin the delicate task of silently killing as many guards are possible before all hell breaks lose.

‘Control room some kind of guard station we should hit that first and then sleeping barracks any walkers on the way we drag out of site…. Rendezvous at POI 1 before ballistics comes in.’ Jo whispers before killing comes we all go dark cant risk our signal being jammed and us being stranded. When phase one is complete she will light signal the others.

We go to work, I go calm strangely still its like I can hear only the wind as I trace my steps from the night before gun site trained I have only one task, don’t get f*cking killed, I make it to the guard station peak into one dirty window most of them are slouched a few play playstation and one barely registers the cameras, I wait patiently… Acero resets the cameras I see them blink then go dead.

Then she kills the lights to the room, it goes dark I switch from UV to nightvision clicking the door open I am at the first ones back throat slit he gurgles the others fumble briefly the one with a phone gets his light on and I see Jo illuminated behind him she breaks his neck, the remaining men cant scream for help Cruz shoots them in the chest and neck silence, one cowers in the corner unarmed 2 Cups shushing him gently.

Jo comes over she holds him by the collar speaking slowly through her mouth piece, ‘where is the server room, Al Fakirs base of operations..’ she speaks Arabic he shudders and shakes not able to speak his face painted in the blood of his fallen comrades. She sighs looks away then back at him, he pleads wetting himself she shoots him in the head and gets up. We are moving again Tucker remains in the room 2 Cups myself and Jo, Cruz advance we find a few patrolling guards on the way but none create any trouble we dispatch them easily.

We reach the barracks and I make to go in, Jo stops my hand, ‘you don’t need to do that….’ She says unsheathing her knife, indicating that this will be the furthest thing from fair or right. I stand back form up on the opposite side to Cruz looking out for anyone that may approach.

Jo slips inside there is silence and then a scuffle, muffled cry 2 cups slips inside there’s some thudding and one or two quiet stifled cries of pain and then nothing.

They emerge none of us speak, we advance, to the first point of interest on our layout diagram, a possible site for Al Fakir’s administration, we are looking for an office records, server room someplace secure it is not guarded but soon we here boots, I slip out of site the others circle around him Cruz taking out his leg she disarms him. Jo snipes him has him down in a choke hold he gasps and squirms she elbows him hard in the ribs hooking her feet around his ribs he struggles I come forward train a gun on his head she releases him.

‘I need access to this room… tell me how.’ She whispers he shakes his head this time I lose patience hitting him with my gun he whines in pain.

I get in his face, ‘you can tell me or I kill you, I suggest you f*cking talk!’ I whisper deadly calm he says he thinks only an access disk will open the door he stands and shows us the control panel and scanner concealed in a box a few yards away. I knock him out much to Jo’s disapproval but I am not about to kill the only one who cooperated.

We nervously scan the access disks Acero cloned when we broke into khans compound, ‘window may have just gotten tinier if this trips some kind of alarm… look sharp everyone! My guess Saleems keycard is a master and opens pretty much everything but he may be alerted!’ Jo speak low but firm we head into the room Cruz peels off now to signal for Acero and Tex using a torch to enter and rig their explosives.

I Stand guard and see a patrolling man eyeing Cruz he takes off after her firearm trained I line him up and shoot he drops silently dead before he hits the ground Cruz turns smiling at me like an idiot through her dark visor I see her goofy teeth. The moments distraction allows another guard to jump from the top of the wall and take her back by surprise he wrestles her to the floor and they scrap, I need to get to her but I cant leave Jo in the room alone, if I call in 2 cups from the barracks I risk being heard.

I take a breathe line up a shot, Cruz is on her knees trying to pry his arms off her shoulders so she can stand he is behind her trying to bare his weight on her to drive her back into the dirt, I look her in the eye it’s a moment she and then ducks, I press my trigger he looks at me and the shot hits him in the eye socket a spray of blood like mist forms behind his head, he drops to the floor. The scuffle made a commotion the flood lights are on panning, no alarms yet but those in range begin to make their over, Cruz stands running now up the stairs to signal Acero and Tex.

I hear the door behind me open, Jo looks passed me for a moment at the incoming trouble we both duck and run for cover we go live on Comms, ‘Payload 1 collected – we have been blown, Cruz Tucker and 2 cups meet me at the south Gate we need to get through to the Girls!’

We rush shooting down the trouble coming our way it seems the guards are now aware that all cameras are down, there is shouting from the Barracks and rapid gunfire as Tucker sprints passed me to run towards the gates leading to the girls lodgings.

‘Acero can you Jam all comms?’ I shout as I run after Jo ducking and diving to avoid the shots whizzing over my head and passed my legs.

‘I can try but I can do nothing if someone has access to a Sat beacon or phone on this property, we need to be quick phase 2 and three Jo consider consolidation!’ she shouts sprinting now.

Cruz reaches the Gate as Jo does she checks the locks and key pads I see Jo close her eyes and open them she uses Saleems keycard and the gate light goes green, I say a silent prayer and run now sprinting not looking back!

‘Go go go!!!! Everyone through now!’ Jo shouts I run through with 2 cups whose belly makes him waddle a bit and Jo slams the gates shut!

The guards slam bodily into them but aren’t able to gain entry, it seems limited individuals are allowed in here. None of the common staff perhaps they are females only passed this point. We are essentially in the school and living area of the females.

‘You think that f*cker is around here?’ I ask panting hard trying to slow my heart rate. We are exposed but no immediate threat presents itself.

‘I marked a 2nd POI on the diagrams for Jo, try to head there Tex and I are monitoring the situation outside no sat phones out here I managed to kill there feeds and there are no cell towers so it looks like this location is officially a sand box.’

‘Sandbox huh… I see what you did there’ I respond, Jo roles her eyes and Acero sighs.

‘good luck team, shout when extraction is a go.’ She says and signs off.

We have another gate to try and pass through its locked again the keycard is effective. We are in a quad now moving in formation tight and alert Jo pushes forward she eventually finds the next location ornate massive doors floor to ceiling inlayed with brass and polished to a marble shine it is deathly still here no lights or signs of life.

‘Where the f*ck is the resistance?’ I ask now looking back where we came from and again to the door, ‘is this his digs...i would have expected him to be heavily guarded?’

‘No keycard access here… its only opened from the inside,’ Tucker notes running Is gloved hand along the door frames.

‘f*ck..’ Jo mumbles she pauses takes a knee to breathe we have done a lot of running in the last few minutes.

‘Can we set a charge? Blast our way in?’ Jo asks now Tucker takes a backpack off its got some equipment he thinks will do the job. We clear the area and he sets the charges he comes to crouch with us and blows the doors, a massive shudder rocks us and the doors fall in a cloud of dust and then splinters. We all cough a bit and try to see the way through the visibility is poor, Jo again takes point we have our head lamps on, they don’t help.

The kick to my ribs felt like being hit with a brick I slam into a wall crashing into a fish tank cracking the glass my gun raises I don’t see the assailant the dust cloud still in the air the lights are off. My head lamp refracts and distorts my surroundings and renders me blind, cant risk a shot the others are around me.

‘Guys we are not alone!!!’ I yell. I cant see my gun, the next moment im flat on my back disarmed and my Assailant is straddling my I do my best to block the blows reigning down in quick succession, eventually a glimpse, a woman her face covered she is brutal, skilled martial artist with purpose and strengh, deadly. Eventually I work my hip out and role out of the hold she has we end up on our feet knives out we spar and weave avoid each others swipes and jabs by hairsbreath!

‘Jo, Cups! f*cking where the f*ck is everybody!’ I yell.

It seems we have been ambushed, this appears to be the resistance i was looking for a moment before. I see Jo hit a wall and then get up roaring she charges forward trading punching with another woman. AL Fakirs personal guard, some special forces female unit? Tucker is being tag teamed by two woman who are taller and broader but still hijab is worn as is customary they trade blows with him.

Cruz seems to be winning atleast, I smile for a moment as she hits the woman with a flower pot before charging knee first into her gut she is enjoying this part, f*cking raccoon.

My day dreaming costs me a nasty blow from my opponent who lands a kick knocking my visor and cracking it against my head I feel the blood trickle, she tries to stab me the knife glancing off my super silk, they shout now to each other, our gear is resilient, the leader I think rallies them tries to suggest disarming us and apprehending us, they yell take their helmets off!

‘My f*cking Arabic sucks.’ I yell.

‘That’s not Arabic!’ Jo speaks her voice funny straining she trying to swing her weight and push her opponent backward.

Soon Jo has her girl on the ground she punches her then gets a massive book off a nearby pedestal smashing it over her head, ‘f*cking stay down!’ she yells exasperated she staggers to her feet running over to help Tucker who to his credit is somehow still standing.

‘It would seem Al Fakir has a pretty f*cking skilled haram of kick ass crazy bitches!’ I scream over the grunts and moans and tussling happening in the space. I try to parry and check the kicks and punches coming my way but I am feeling fatigued...hand to hand is not my strength!

Soon we subdue and tie them up one is dragged by Jo kicking and screaming to a couch she deposits her there unceremoniously.

She takes off her protective gear helmet gloves, wipes sweat blood and sandy dust off her mouth, ‘you know lady this may sound odd to you but we are actually the good guys!!!’ she slams the helmet on the table sitting next to it opposite the woman who stares ahead at a spot on the wall, ‘You are protecting a pig!’

We position ourselves for any further incoming assaults but Acero says for now the guards are unable to infiltrate the madrasa walls high razor sharp spikes and electrified fencing with no access to ladders or the main circuit breaker they have been rendered useless for now.

The only danger left is potentially in here with us in the form of more of these crazy f*cking trained killers, I rub at my aching shins and forearms my body hurt by the earlier assault.

‘We seem to be locked out still, this looks like a receiving room a sort of initial seating area before his true inner sanctum boss,’ Tucker and 2 cups explain trying the next door this room has no windows and only a door on the far side.

‘So they were sent out here and he sealed himself in there?’ I scough approaching the door. ‘Boss ask her who is the leader here, she will know how we get in?’ I suggest.

The woman stares still ahead unresponsive she seems completely dissociated a by product of hard core training I assume.

Cruz is stationed at the door we blasted through she has her firearm trained and ready she looks at Jo now, ‘Beat it out of her then! We cant stand here much longer eventually somehow Saleem is going to be on route here if AL Fakir sent them out here he f*cking knows some sh*t is going down, and has called his reinforcements! That asshole could be on route with air assault for all we f*cking know!!!’ she yells over her shoulder.

Jo bows her head elbows on knees she shakes her head grimacing fighting instincts clenching her jaw she looks up, ‘you hear them… huh? They want me to climb into you, punch you… hurt you take a woman down, a fellow soldier… a woman like me…’ she looks up now tries to talk to this woman, ‘what’s your deal huh… that dialect the headscarf… the fighting style… I heard about women like you, taken young trained brutally in the mountains – Dagestani elite security forces.’ She waves her hand trying to grab her attention, ‘You ask no questions, you do as told and the only way to stop you is a bullet in the f*cking head.’

She comes closer to her now talking low near her ear I see her eyes cold and full of steel, ‘He sent you out here to die… just like he sends the children on the other side of this compound to slavery… to death… to a life of pain.’ She grabs the woman’s jaw suddenly so fast I flinch driving her head back into a cushion, ‘I can hurt you… so f*cking bad I can break you and leave you here on this floor next to your sisters….’ The woman blinks betrays herself glances down… Jo smells the fear… the weakness.

‘oh…. You don’t care about youself… you don’t want to watch me hurt them… sisters… that’s how they train you huh? A unit… a sisterhood cohesive tight and fluid one body one mind… so you care about how I hurt them.’ She is still talking low breathing steady like they are talking about pottery class not the torture and pain Jo is threatening to inflict on people.

The woman re centers herself staring ahead again.

‘I wont hurt them and I wont hurt you.’ Jo says now, ‘even if you don’t help me… im going to tie you here with them and when the men who find you realize you didn’t die protecting their monstrous leader what happens then?’ she asks.

‘WHAT HAPPENS THEN!!!!!’ she yells slamming her fist into the couch cushion. ‘TORTURE AND DEATH!!!! FOR YOU!!! FOR THEM!!!! …. f*ckING HELP ME!!!’ she searches for the connection does what Jo does best and the moment shifts the woman looks at her… blinks.

In a thick accent she speaks, ‘the keycard wont work…. Only manual override the safe behind the painting over there.’ She indicates with her head. ‘you open that safe his cleansing protocol initiates you will have only 15min to evacuate the madrasa before the lock feature seals everyone in and then…’ she stops talking.

I step forward, ‘and then what lady?!’ I ask gun trained at her head.

‘….then he gasses the girls – death will be excruciating – hemorrhaging – he will bleed them to death.’

‘Is he behind this f*cking door? Is there an overide behind this door!!!!’ Jo asks now she stands pacing.

‘this is how the place is built, how he safeguards his operation – this is how he keeps pure the integrity of his holy mission.’ She says now, 'no overrides... no stopping his will.'

‘so to get to him, we sacrifice the girls, we cant do that… Jo we cant do that!!!’ I yell now.

She is quiet head resting on her forearm. She turns to us composed calm, ‘he doesn’t know we know – How many of your squad is still inside behind those doors?’ she asks the Dagestani.

‘Six of my squad, plus his wives they will maul you to death for him, form a human wall they are rigged by now in explosives they will run at you kill my sisters and you, for him…’ she says now horror on her face, she has seen this exact scenario played out rehearsed … taught to them.

‘this is f*cked up…’ 2Cups says now he lowers his gun shaking his head.

‘Bobby, Cruz go get the girls and Get Acero to help you with the guards outside she can detonate the explosives – it will create enough mess so you can get the girls out… Tuck, 2Cups On me… I have a plan… just need the school evacuated.’

‘Jo… no.’ I respond. ‘I am not leaving you what ever your stupid f*cking plan is just no... you are angry I get it you cant do this three of you, you’re alittle light on guns.’ I respond walking over to her my eyes wide this is getting too real to fast. ‘we can get him again out In the open… Ace can snipe his ass from range … please lets get the girls and go… you have the intel too. That’s 2 outta 3… that’s a good take… lets f*cking go!’ I ask, plead .. beg.

Her eyes are different a look I haven’t seen in all my life, nothing I say will make a difference my heart sinks. My lip quivers I try to take her hand and she grabs mine pulls me in kisses me blood sweat and sand mingle she wont let me go, her eyes open studying me, every second of the encounter, no care for who sees.

She breaks the kiss gently, ‘You and Cruz, Acero and Tex… are responsible for the girls and any staff who mind them … get them to the bus and get them out of here… do not look back.. do not come back to this section…. That is an order...execute the order.’ She steps clear of me and just like that she drops the veil, shuts me out.

‘15min is what you have before I open the Safe and initiate Al Fakirs fail secure booby trap you need to be quick.. so get moving.’ She walks over to the guard on the coach taking a knife the woman’s eyes bug out as Jo leans close she grabs her wrist and cuts the tie keeping her secured.

She puts out her hand, ‘im Unit leader Jo McNamara – I have no nation nor faction I represent, my team is here under no banner we answer to no one, this mission is called Absolution… we are here to eliminate AL fakir for crimes against women and children… violations...Moral atrocities.’ She breathes opening her palm, ‘We could use your help…I offer choice it is the only thing that matters to any of us… choice.’

There’s a pause then the woman stands tall and imposing danger in her movements. ‘Farrah… Ghamzatova… this my sisters… we will stand with you Jo McNamara, please let me enter I will speak to those beyond the door I will ask them to stand down... but the wives.. they are beyond reason though they trust me...i maybe able to neutralize them without fatalities… my sisters they should not die for him.’

They stand arms length apart hands clasped in a somber moment of solidarity, Jo a woman with a just cause and Farrah a woman who had never been offered a choice in her entire life.

‘Ok motherf*ckers lets go make some fireworks and get this party heated up!’ I shout rushing out the door I don’t look back at Jo im jogging connecting to Acero and Cruz follows me it’s the last phase – for us at least extraction what ever happens on the other side of the compound isn’t up to me. It isn’t about me, I have my orders and I know where im going.

But not a single cell in my body is convinced that im not leaving my heart and soul behind in that room and I don’t know if im ever going to see her again, I feel the splash of tears on my hand.

I force myself to keep running further and further away from her, the feeling of her teeth catching my lips making my mind race and my heart sink, the place where her lips touched mine almost hurts.

‘You better f*cking survive this Jo…’ I say to myself.

Chapter 21: The proof in sight

Chapter Text

Cruz

The girls lodgings are easily accessed they are all awake there are at least 30 of them and 3 minders or day mothers? Caregivers who try to shield them from us, they are teachers brain washers no better then Al Fakir.

But they seem to care for the kids greatly shielding them from myself and Bobby.

I put my gun down and crouch trying to make myself smaller I speak to them gently I single out the older girls and teachers. I explain who I am and what I am doing there, my heart thuds when I see them cower and tremble, they don’t want us here they are terrified. I stand walk over to Bobby who is leaning against a far wall.

‘they see us as the enemy, there’s reluctance to follow us… I don’t know what more to say to them.’ I whisper to her.
‘tell them about Kulthum and Rania.’ She suggests, shrugging she rubs at her dirty face exhaustion apparent in this quiet moment.

‘some of them so young Bobby, they wont even understand what im trying to explain?’ I respond feeling lost.

She shakes her head frustrated, ‘kid we don’t have f*cking time for this, Jo is going in whether we exit or not.’ She stands now pushing away from the wall.

I walk back over trying now to address the older girls, ‘I need to explain something to you that’s going to happen and its really bad, the man who owns this place is Really bad ok?!’ I say now, ‘he knows we are here to try and take you from here to a safe place... and he doesn’t want to allow that, but not because of any wholesome reason, but rather because he see’s you as property.’

Blank stares, no one acknowledging me.

Bobby calls me over and I go to her, ‘Cruz, listen I say we let Ace blow through and we load them up, we can do all this explaining afterwards?’ Bobby suggests now getting antsy seeing the time trickle away, she keeps checking her watch.

‘No! We had an agreement we were giving them a choice! Im not doing to them what he did!’ I say now firmly, ‘we do this by force then we are not better then him, and I wont do that. I f*cking wont!’

My eyes wild now, desperately trying to explain myself I jog back over to them, ‘please… please just listen to me..’ my Arabic falters now im finding it hard to get them to look passed my kit and weapons and the blood on me, the danger of me.

‘We are not in danger here, leave.’ A girl speaks now, she is older beautiful flawless her eyes so pale they look translucent she is ethereal her golden hair in wispy threads frame her long angular face. The others rally behind her, they look to her with respect perhaps even some adoration, I wonder briefly who she is.

I turn to her, ‘the man who has you here he had a girl here, named Kulthum.. I saved that girl he wanted her to do things she wasn’t ready or comfortable to do, and I offered her a choice to leave with me… Kulthum is with a kind selfless woman now far away from here and any choices she doesn’t want to make! She is safe!’ I speak directly to the girl now, ‘I can make it so that you and all the others are safe too.’

The girls eyes reflect mild recognition she steps forward out of ear shot of the others who still remain close together scared and unsure. ‘You know Kulthum, how?’ she asks her eyes determined and guarded but intrigued.

‘my … my girlfriend she was close to the khans but they became estranged when she became aware of how young they planned to marry Kulthum off.’ I answer her completely honestly there is no time for lies or half truths we have minutes! ‘she never wanted that life, she wanted more and she deserves so much and we are here because we want every child on this property to indeed have more… please Al Fakir his teachings they are wrong! Twisted and disgusting.’
‘What is her name… your girlfriend?’ The young woman questions me boldly now.

‘her name is Aaliyah Amrohi…she sent us to save you, all of you this is all her idea!’ I respond.

The girl covers her lips momentarily, ‘Kulthum remembered her, she spoke of how Aaliyah went against her siblings and parents upset the family… she was here and then when it was time for her wedding she was called home…’ she explains, ‘But Kulthum never forgot Aaliyah… you are saying that Aaliyah never forgot Kulthum either?’

‘Aaliyah never forgot! I know that Kukthum was here and then sent home, Saleem yes and Faraz they wished to marry her off to a terrible man! A murderous horrible man… we saved her and Rania they are safe…and if you just come with me we can keep you and the rest safe too.’ I explain frantically I check my watch, ‘I have to tell you something, Al Fakir is in his rooms the rest of my team will infiltrate that area in less than 8minutes and when that happens this whole structure will seal and everyone inside will be gassed… that is what Al Fakir is willing to do, to all these innocent children!’ my hands are up I am pleading all I want now is to get them clear of the area that will seal in moments.

She looks at me, then passed me at Bobby…who comes closer putting her weapons down she speaks, ‘even if you just tell the girls to come and stand outside… we will take you nowhere against your will… I promise you.’

‘But at least you will see we are telling the truth, he doesn’t care if you all die… he is willing to murder you for his cause!’ I add.

The girl looks to Bobby, ‘I don’t trust you, but I wont risk anyone being killed, we will come outside but you must stay clear of us.’ She responds in English, ‘you of impure thought and bold action… you defy our teachings and we are not going with you!’

Bobby nods stepping out of the way. I follow suit while the girl tells the educators and small children to line up and file out of the sleeping quarters they stand in the quad, I hear a deafening boom in Al Fakirs lodgings.

Bobby and myself tense up we want to run in, and help but we cant leave our posts, orders are orders.

‘The f*cking wives!!!!’ Bobby yells, ‘guess they never trusted the Dagestani after all.’

‘What a twisted cause to die for.’ I respond, I can tell she wants to rush in, her legs twitch and she is visibly worried she chews at her lip her eyes darting to the area where the noise comes from, Jo better be ok, if it were me and Aaliyah were in there, I wouldn’t even be standing here anymore. Bobby has some serious self control.

I turn back to the school doors hearing gears turn as shutters come down sealing all the windows and doors. An alarm loud and pitched high goes off – the protocol is in effect he really was going kill innocent children, I cant explain but I stare at the scene as it unfolds horror paints my face a shade of pale.

As if the sight of this is the only thing that would truly cement the atrocity in reality.

The sound of the gas being activated and then released catches the girls off guard they cover their mouths the weight of knowing minutes before it would have been all of them inside shocks them to the core.

‘he believes that if you are not obedient wives and slaves then you are not worth the life inside of you… he will take your heart beat, you soul … as if he believes they belong to him, to your fathers, to your intended husbands.’ I say now as I watch them slowly turn to me I point at the school, ‘That is not what your life should amount to!!!! This is not how free women are raised!’

‘Please let us take you from here…’ Bobby says now in her broken halting Arabic she tries anyway supporting me, ‘if you choose to return to your parents homes we will be happy to return you safely. But for those who want better then this, then being worthy of only one way of life…Let us free you.’

They remain silent and unsure they are traumatized and lost many are too young to understand that death had come searching for them moments prior. I cry for them my tears fall easily I don’t bother to wipe them away, I realize that all of this the elaborate operation and trying to liberate them, it doesn’t work unless the people we came here for actually want to be free, and who can want such a thing when they weren’t even aware of their own incarceration.

Another explosive blast behind us I grit my teeth I hear gun shots shouting and then silence, a sickening blood chilling silence. Bobby and I both turn guns aimed at the entrance to Al Fakirs quarters.

Boot thuds eventually sound and I turn to see emerging from the smoke and flames Jo she drags someone on the floor between her and 2cups they pull him behind them faces stone and eyes forward. Behind them the Dagestani women the few who survived support Tucker he seems injured but conscious, the others have managed to disarm the wives that remained and have them restrained.

Jo deposits him on the floor he grimaces before coming to his knees he looks up and the rage in his eyes is so scary my heart drops he is a truly menacing instrument of hate, I fight bile rising.

‘You disobedient whor*s!!! Why are you even alive you were meant to be in bed how dare you break my rules!!!!’ He screams and curses at them spitting on the ground, ‘your parents will want you dead, you are not worthy of the grace of God or a place in heaven!!! Filth!!!’ he screeches hysterically, ‘HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME!!!’

Jo rolls her eyes kicking him sharply in his side she radios Acero while he squirms in pain. ‘Ace initiate phase 3 and then cue Tex… lets put the final phase of this op in motion.’ She says.

The vehicles beyond the walls explode into flames licking the night sky all the guards effectively terminated, my ears ring and I feel the ground rock beneath my feet all the children teachers and the rest of us were tossed to the floor we slowly stand no one injured. Parts of the wall has been destroyed but no one tries to infiltrate I see Imogen and Acero Approaching finishing off any survivors they come to join us I fist bump them both a small smile ghosts across my face.

Al fakir is back to vile cursing and defaming of the young girls they are all visibly deeply troubled by him they quake and shiver under his gaze, so much power and fear is wielded by one tyrant. My blood boils I bite my teeth clench my jaw I want to walk over and kick his teeth loose.
‘What a f*cking asshole I whisper.’ ‘what is Jo waiting for I would have capped him by now.’ I say.

Acero doesn’t turn but speaks softly, ‘Give her a moment, you will see why she stands there and us here…’ she smiles slightly now at me then turns her attention back.

I Am puzzled but I shrug and then I hear Jo on comms to Tex.

The powerful rotors coming from above as the drone lowers to a hover a few feet in front of her.

‘Holy sh*t…’ I say seeing the red live button blink on the camera attached to the drone. I watch Acero as she connects via tablet and gives Jo a thumbs up.

As if on cue Jo takes off her helmet lowers her fire arm and looks into the camera.

‘My name is Unit Leader McNamara, and you all are about learn a very valuable lesson, so listen very closely.’ She begins

Chapter 22: The brave Prevail

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

The feed starts out patchy and there are distorted sounds in the background, I received a text to the burner with a link and then Ace told me to open my laptop and enjoy the show. I was admittedly puzzled but at least they were alive and communicating with me, my heart rate up I eagerly watch the monitor.

I am seated in the lounge of the farmhouse with Benji, a large charcoal blue Shepard puppy sprawled across my feet, the girls are out in the fields or perhaps in the barn, I try not to keep too close an eye on them, freedom to roam unhindered can only be felt once authentically experienced.

Soon the imagery on screen clears up and I see a woman lift her helmet off her head she releases it to roll away on the dirty ground her clothes are bloody and disheveled her eyes bloodshot red and her face dark and solemn. Jo stares at me, as I look at her. At her feet kneeling with his bald head drooping slightly is Muhammad Mousa Al Fakir…

They did it, Absolution was a success, I smile whooping and waking Benji who grumbles a little.

I turn to the door as the girls enter they look at him Kulthum recoils her body moving unnaturally I stand and walk to her to embrace her. ‘No no.. don’t fear him, look my leader and dear friend stands over him victorious, they found the school, they found him! The girls are safe… its going to be ok!’

She is hiding her face in the fabric of my sweater but steals a peek at the monitor.

‘I have provided you all with an access link temporarily to witness this moment…’ Jo speaks now clearly addressing multiple parties I don’t know who.

‘…As parents you have failed, as caregivers responsible for the wellbeing of your offspring you have failed… and somehow many of these unfortunate little girls would still opt to return to you.’ She says now into the lense her lip curls in disgust.

‘If it were my choice none of you would ever lay eyes on them again – for what you have done… the crimes you have committed, giving this man dominion and jurisdiction over a thing so precious as the shaping and guidance of your children…. Allowing him to taint them so ...Its abominable.

Keeping them from you would be the best thing to do I feel.. but this is not about me… this is about making it safe for these girls and its about ending a reign of terror.’
She stands tall now, ‘It all ends today, Anahid Madrasa is closed and no establishment of its kind will ever be permitted to open and operate again.. should I ever get wind of such a place .. I will find it and believe me… it will meet this very fate too.’

‘ I know who you all are, names faces addresses, Your fearless asshole leader here kept detailed records of you all and exactly what your plans were how that would benefit him…. He made notes about how the selling and enslavement of your children would benefit him…let the sink in…’ she explains now, ‘so I will stay true to the wishes of some of your children and I will return them to you… but if you ever try to make them lead a life that is anything like what Al fakir had planned for them… you will suffer me.’

She walks forward now, ‘I will visit upon you pain, I will drag you out into this desert and bury you alive next to the pig you so admired… and you will be forgotten in the dust and sand as you deserve to be… all it will take is one single child being married off or honor killed… and this fate will befall you all so I urge you to keep each other on a noble path.’

Her eyes are chilling she means every word, her rage is barely contained. She vibrates so intense is the passion in her voice the corded muscles of her neck prominent and sweat drips from her brow.

‘This man moments ago… he had a protocol in place to lock up and gas your children to death!!! He had his child brides running at me with explosive vests rigged to blow!!! To save himself he will trample on women and girls. To make money and curry political favour he will use your children he will marry then off to monsters and have them die at the hands of rapists and murderers. It must end… today!!!’ she backs up now and draws her weapon I move to shield the girls from what is about to happen I hear the whaling and cries of young kids and then a voice…

‘Wait…’ a girls walks into the drones view, I see only the back of her head long hair lightly waving and she trudges towards Jo.

‘Nadirah…’ kulthum breathes almost she moves toward the monitor to reach out as if she could touch this young woman through the screen, ‘its Nardirah…’

‘Who is that Kulthum?’ I ask gently coming to sit with her, Rania settles on her other side.

‘Nadirah AL Fakir ….his … daughter.’ She whispers now. She is fixed on the screen as the girl reaches Jo she looks at her father on his knees.

‘Where is my mother….’ She asks now looking at him he lifts his head to her.

‘Her life was taken by this filthy American whor*…’ he says spitting at Jo’s boots… ‘take her weapon, do your duty as my child… honor me and avenge your mother!’

‘The gas… were you really going to gas me along with all these children Pappa?’ she asks still not moving, ‘they are children… surely… you… surely…’

He looks up at her, ‘you dare to question me!!! What does that have to do with anything!! You are here on this earth by my grace and I am the only one who has divine ordinance over you!!! If I wish to snuff out your life then it is my will!!! You know this!!!’ he is yelling at her and she flinches, ‘you know my teachings!!! You know your place and how very little you are worth, without husbands you have no purpose!!! NONE OF YOU DO!!!’

‘if your mother is not behind me here then I am sorry to have to tell you she was rigged with an explosive vest… she ran at one of your fathers personal guards and detonated it...the only one responsible for the death of your mother is your father.. I am sorry for your loss.’ Jo speaks, ‘I am sorry this man is a monster and that this is the world you were born into.’

The girl reaches her hand out now to Jo.. and the moment plays out so slowly we all stare at the screen none of us make a sound, Jo looks into her eyes they regard each other and I see Jo lift the hand gun and place it in the girls outstretched fingers, something important passes wordlessly between them…

She doesn’t look back simply speaks low in arabic, ‘ avert your eyes girls…cover your ears.’

She glances now at him he registers something in her eyes and for the first time I see true fear, when a predator becomes prey cornered he shrinks, in his final moments he cant even bring himself to display defiance let alone courage.

She pulls the trigger and the feed dies…

The girls sit momentarily stunned we don’t speak but I want to check in on them.

‘Its finally over…’ I say now careful not to startle them in my haste to reassure them.

‘He is gone, but the damages he caused the lives he altered forever… his legacy of pain and suffering…. That remains no?’ Kulthum responds Rania takes her hand.

I take the other hand in mine turning her palm over and looking at her, ‘Those terrible things he did, his teachings and the deals he brokered the lives he affected… its sad and tragic but now will be a time for healing.’ I smooth a lock of hair from her face tenderly. ‘we only have one direction to move in now girls, and that is forward.’

Rania manages a small smile, ‘those girls who chose to return to there families, do they not fear the repercussions? Or Honor killings ending up in a similar situation again, the punishment?’ she asks looking at me concern and trepidation apparent in her gaze.

‘I want to believe Jo set out to shift mindsets with her display today Rania, I want to imagine that those parents appreciate her sincerity and take her words seriously.’ I say now turning to face both Girls.

‘If they do not heed her warnings, I feel the consequences will be dire and dealt swiftly, Jo is now a self appointed enforcer – anyone foolish enough to try her on… deserves what they get… these People… they believe themselves unstoppable … and they hide nefarious deeds behind noble faith and it is wrong.’

‘I wonder what will become of Nardirah, she is orphaned now, as horrible as her parents were she now has lost both in one night.’ Kulthum speaks softly.

I marvel at how strong Kulthums sense of family is, it also makes me so deeply sad for myself having lost in a short space my mother and pappa too, ‘In many ways we must appreciate that Nardirah never really had much in the way of parents to begin with.’ I look down at my hands shaping my thoughts into words, ‘What many of these parents have done to their children it doesn’t qualify as parenting…sure they gave us life but then… somewhere somehow they felt because of this they had all the power in the world over us and all the outcomes… our choices our decisions and needs and desires and dreams… those are things parents should care deeply about… to help us meet and achieve them…. Not to suppress and snuff them out.’

Rania stands up now walking over to a window the puppy follows her to circle then curl up on her foot, ‘My parents, yours Kulthum, so many of our friends and cousins I believe they were forced and told no other option or path existed for them except the ones our grandparents chose for them.’

‘A perpetual never ending cycle of theft… being robbed of autonomy – and the price you pay for choosing your own path… for daring to say no…’ she speaks softly her eyes glassy and sad.

‘Death… being shut away, you dare to have a want… a desire or a thought … you get disowned and shunned and shamed.’ Rania answers her now tears fall to the floor.

This is a sad moment but an important one, two middle eastern girls standing free and talking about the pain and the value of freedom.

‘One day when you are older, both of you, I will never of course force you but yes I will encourage you to show your parents what you have achieved and maybe you can too, shift mindsets.’ I stand up taking kulthum by the hand over to Rania I stand between them looking out at the farm.

‘for now, we celebrate our wins and we mourn our losses, and I will focus on keeping you safe and the two of you can work towards finding happiness and hopefully one day the suffering and turmoil inside you will settle.’ I hold them close, ‘It only gets better from here… I promise.’

While I hold them in each arm my mind wonders back to the feed, I didn’t see Cruz.

I silently pray, I cant bring myself to imagine how I would live if this mission and its success were at the expense of the loss of her life…

I Hope she is ok, I want to trust that if she were not my heart would know…

A woman’s heart always knows.

Chapter 23: Safe and Sound

Chapter Text

Jo

We leave him there on the ground blood splatter mingles with the sand, I take the gun from the Girl, I learn her name is Nardirah a daughter…. Of course there would have been offspring with this many wives.

I make a note to ask her later where the rest are.

‘I would like for you all to please follow my team to the bus waiting, please get in and we will discuss your options shortly.’ I say loud and clearly to the group of children.

‘Boss, what’s your plan for the wives that are left? They are kind of crazy?’ 2 Cups asks me trying to keep hold of one of the crazy wives in question.

‘Secure them and get them onto the transport make sure they are kept away from the children I don’t doubt they have been told to hurt them too.’ I respond.

‘you think that whole gas them to death thing was evidence being destroyed?’ Bobby asks me now, I move close for a moment to touch her, feel something real that calms me after all the intensity of the last few minutes.

‘very likely, he still fancied his chance of survival maybe thought we were authorities, if his ledgers and paper trail was seized – grabbing the girls and all their literature his videos and all the brainwashing sh*t, f*cking pleasure lessons disgusting asshole… can you imagine all of that, any International human rights organization would have ripped him to shreds.’ I respond, I brush my sweaty bloody hand against hers my fingernails raking her palm for a second pause, then put distance between us again, we are still working.

‘Lets get the f*ck out of this sh*thole ok?’ she says now jogging over to help secure the wives and load the children.

I take pictures, Tex records everything with drone imagery, we collect all the evidence we can and load it into the SUV… a case will be built against any surviving shareholders, silent partners anyone who profited from this living hell, will be held accountable.

We drive out and Acero sets her last detonators blowing the rest of the place up, I watch the plumes of smoke reach high into the air, the walls collapse and Bury AL Fakir inside for eternity.

We reach the strip of beach before our lift out of there so the girls are instructed to disembark we provide them with water and food, anything left of our rations and then we get Cruz, Imogen and Acero to speak with them individually we eventually establish who will return to parents, who wants to go to other family that may treat them better and finally the group opting to live free.

Many of the older girls have taken this option and they come over to me in a small anxious ball of mostly teenagers. There are 12 in total of the 45 rescued. They gather around me I have their files in hand, I see scared faces, hurt unsure distrustful insecure young women who have been wronged so much they don’t know where to turn to. A Few younger ones are in front of them, this may be young siblings judging by the protective hands on shoulders.

What they all do know is nothing good awaits them at home… nothing worth going back to.

I sigh rubbing my eyes I stand and position myself in front of them I hand each one a file, it has all their information, birth certificates notes and intentions, the suitors in mind and the dowry they were worth. What kind of money, property or opportunity their parents hoped to gain from them being married off.

AL Fakirs lewd observations and also what training each one would undergo to be the perfect fit for whichever suitor bid the highest on them, which one was a prize and who would be hard to break… he was specific and clinical with his reports and as they read there color increases, the nakedness of it all, they were a product to him, they wear this knowledge like a blanket of shame. My ire rises, how dare his perverted ways tarnish their self-worth.

‘There is no amount of words in the world that I can use to explain how horrible and dehumanizing being trafficked is… I have not been through it and I have no business trying to relate to you or try to offer comfort.’ I say now pacing up and then down speaking slow and soft. ‘What I can say is I have children, two girls and I would rather die then ever let anyone write words about them and file it in a binder like that… for anyone to look at.’

They look up, some crying and some angry the younger ones I didn’t give them any of the folders I would like to spare them from as much pain as I can.

‘I know you have all been wronged hurt and subjected to horrid realities, you have my word… this chapter of your life is closed.’ I stand still now catching each girls eye. ‘I know you have no reason to believe me, I get it… im no one to you, you have every right to be distrustful… but know that you are safe and im going to keep you that way until you are strong enough to stand up, on your own one day. I am going to be there to help you… and carry you forward along with my team we are going to make sure you are treated as children and you have a fair opportunity to grow and develop identities … and be happy.’

Several of them look to me with an inkling, a tiny miniscule flicker of hope. A small flame of optimism… but I will take it, anything is better than despair.

I See now another approaching Nardirah she stands close but doesn’t speak, soon the girls nod and file away to sit quietly and wait for the transport they are still terrified but being together helps.

I don’t address her or single her out she eventually comes to me, ‘The gun… how did you know I would not kill you.’ She asks.

‘I didn’t.’ I respond as I busy myself packing up and preparing for our trip.

‘I could have… I would have… are you a bad person?’ she says her accent thick but her English good.

‘I was, now im trying to be better.’ I respond, I have never felt like I have told a bigger truth in my life. ‘I did things, made choices and people died who were better than me… and now I am trying to make up for that.’ I respond, I sit back down on the chair and rest my hands on my knees as I look at her.

‘me too…’ she says looking down at the floor. Shame in the set of her jaw.

‘what do you mean?’ I ask.

‘I taught his word, I let them believe it was true and right and the only way… and.. and then I sent them to marriage to evil men… like you say… murderers and rapists I sent them… they believed me…’ she cries and sobs she sinks to her knees, ‘I did this in his name, for him.. for his favor… so that he would love me… and see me as worthy…’ she wails and holds herself, inconsolable In her grief, ‘I did this because mamma said it would be a way for me to stay… for us to be a family…I did it because I am selfish … better them then me.. O god!!!’ she covers her mouth weeping she rocks back and forth.

I don’t get up, she needs to feel all her feelings this is important, this is her burden to either carry or leave here in the dessert with her mothers scattered remains and her fathers ashes.

This moment of self actualization and accountability will forever distinguish this girl from the evil she was born to.
‘You wouldn’t be the first person to do a thing because someone else told you it was the right thing… a noble… thing the only way..’ Cruz says now she approaches and picks Nardirah up, ‘no one here can stand in judgement or provide forgiveness – if that is what you are seeking then walk into that desert till God speaks to you or the sand swallows you…here all you are going to find is broken people who are trying to be gentler to each other.’ She says looking at me she nods a small smile on her lips and it touches me so deeply I almost cry myself.

‘You will be ok, just trust that… if you just keep your eyes forward and start here now today to contribute good instead of bad to the world… you will be ok.’ She says handing Nardirah some water. The girl reluctantly nods her head.

‘Boss Boats on the horizon, I say 15min away coming in at a speed, we need to ready ourselves, ‘Acero says as she jogs over Cruz takes Nardirah by the shoulders steering her to the group getting them ready.

I dip my head, standing my aching body protests I see Imogen hovering over tucker I will check in with him onboard when the Dr checks him out.

‘Jo….i just want to say it was a honor, to fight along side you.. this was .. you are a special leader and I would like to keep working under your command for any future operations.’ Acero says now.

I Smile at her taking her hand I shake it firmly, ‘I couldn’t fill your shoes with anyone else Ace.’

The leviathan anchors and the boats are lowers off her side, we get the girls in and all the equipment over in two trips, we embark on the long journey.

Cruz finds me on the upper deck and comes to stand next to me she bumps my shoulder.

‘Last time we had mission complete on a boat I punched you so hard …’ she says…

‘you mean.. you got some lucky shots in when I wasn’t expecting it marine?’ I retort.

She laughs looking out her face is troubled and her brows furrow, she wants to tell me something and is struggling.
‘Spit it out Manuelos…’ I say looking over at her my expression softer then my words.

‘Im not.. a marine anymore… I don’t even think im Cruz Manuelos anymore.’ She falters in her response she turns to me now, ‘I told her.. I want to stop… this was the last…I just want to stop all of it… I am so tired Jo..’

I nod looking out into the ocean wind picking up my hair and making me squint my eyes, ‘what is next for you?’
She shrugs, ‘we are going to go see I guess… take the girls… see what’s out there give them a life… keep them safe and love each other… I am never gonna be apart from her again.. I cant it just hurts too much.’

She smiles, ‘I get it… I see it for you and her, a settled down life, go get it Cruz, you have your person and you fought so damn hard for her and you have time, so be together and be happy.’ I respond bringing my arm around her shoulder briefly.

‘f*ck is this? You making moves on my old lady Cruz?’ Bobby drawls she comes up the stairs and I turn to her smiling she hasn’t showered so smells horrendous and her face is filthy, I have never seen a sexier site.
‘hey baby…’ I say she smiles a lazy smile and picks me up I bring my arms around her neck and kiss her.

Cruz mumbles, ‘ gross its like watching my parents make out,’ averting her eyes and backs away moving to the stairs.
‘you’re gross Cruz!’ Bobby yells down the stairs putting me down she locks her arms on either side of me leaning me against the railing she looks at me closely.

I smile at her tilting my head to the side, ‘what?’
‘you are such a badass.. you know that?’ she asks me smiling now, ‘you are the most incredible, batsh*t crazy woman I know.’

‘yeah..’ I say biting my lip I push off the railing getting closer we kiss as the boat sails away into the night, the further it gets the more freedom it promises.

Chapter 24: Homecoming

Chapter Text

Cruz

We spent 2 weeks getting the children home, scaring half their parents almost to death, Jo set up a network whereby any possible threat to safety for the younger kids could be monitored closely, the parents agreed reluctantly but it was the only way to Insure true secure environments for the vulnerable minors.

As the time wound down and the days got longer we continued to make our way from compound to compound.
My patience grew thin my need for Aaliyah almost unbearable, I burned for her, I missed her, I wanted her skin her body her voice her breathe in my hair and her nails raking my thighs so badly I would wake up drenched in sweat gasping for water at night. It made me miserable and I tried so hard not to be, the group of girls soon grew smaller and eventually only the 12 who chose to not return home remained.

We spent many hours debating and discussing their options and soon it was decided that it would have to be something Aaliyah decided on with us, we begun this journey together we make these decisions as a team.

My excitement at Jo’s announcement that it was time to return to the farm was visible, my anticipation growing I was the first on the plane after saying my goodbyes to Tuck, 2cups and Tex.

Kaitlyn was at the air strip, I watched from a window as Jo handed her files and data caches of incriminating evidence she took before destroying the Anahid Madrasa. Their were at least four foreign affairs intelligence officers standing listening intently to Jo as she broke down her findings. My leg taps and I grow anxious the twinge I feel now like a burn hurts but I ignore the pain.

Apparently a joint task force is being formed by several participating governments to route out and abolish any other suspected establishments carrying on in the same way as the Madrasa we had brought down. It seems Al Fakir had a network reaching far and wide. His associates will be hunted and any country committed to their apprehension and detainment for human rights violations would have his shareholders on a red list.

I smirk at how excitedly Jo and Kaitlyn speak to one another animated hands fly in the air, they missed this large scale global operations they thrive on these moments… they missed eachother. I wonder what they will do in future it seems a potential independent operation may be in development. I feel a small bit sad that it will not involve me, my hand will miss the trigger and my heart will miss thudding in my chest while I dodge bullets.

I smile to myself, my prize awaits me, a worthy trade.

We fly for hours with a small layover to refuel, we land in Malta first to let Imogen off – Acero has asked to stay on with myself Jo and Bobby and I say im sure Aaliyah wont mind.

I get off with Imogen and walk her to her waiting car she turns to me smiling radiant, tall and regal in a suit with a neck scarf to hide her battle scars. Dark designer sunglasses completes her look hiding the bruising to her eyes. She is beautiful a woman who knows the power she holds.

I smile at her and she laughs in her throaty way she comes to fold me into her arms, ‘I did tell you if you stuck with me little one you would have the adventure of a life time no?’ she asks.

I pull back, ‘it really was something. Thank you for having my back and seeing it through to the end. Will you promise me something?’ I ask now squinting to see her against the sun.

‘a promise?’ she asks now curiously.

‘Yeah… promise me you will let someone in… to love you and be close. You deserve it…. To be remembered too… Ok?’ I ask.

She smiles broad and laughs, ‘Dear Cruz.. I truly will never forget you.’ She says as she folds her long legs into her car, ‘in fact I sadly forget nothing even those horrible lap dances from you colleague.’ She jokes as she starts her car poking her head out of the window, ‘Also don’t forget to visit the Dr .. I heard what he said about your leg little one…’ and with that she speeds off.

I smile and make my way back to the plane, we are off again shortly eventually landing back in Africa.

We make our way in the dusty hot air to the farm as we drive down the long road to the main house I see the horses riding along side us, I lower my window to see Rania and Kulthum on horseback a broad smile on each of their faces as they gallop beside our 4 vehicle convoy.
We reach the 2nd gate that is opened and we pull in and park the vehicles the girls and the team get out stretching sore stiff limbs, I have no more self containment left… no amount of protocol or procedure can keep me from what I need now.

I bound up the veranda stairs and walk through the door looking around I don’t see her.

I climb up the 1st floor stairs my boots thudding loudly I open our bedroom door and see it vacant, where is she.
I Head back downstairs to see most of the girls inside and kulthum approaching me, she smiles.

‘Hey you know where Aaliyah is maybe?’ I ask her smiling back, my eyes still searching, alight now, all I want is to see her.

She responds, ‘the last we heard she was down at the pond she took the puppy for a walk… sometimes she sits there… for a while.’

I thank her and take off passed Jo and Bobby who are smirking as I fight the urge to run. I find the path to the pond and soon the body of water becomes visible I eventually get accosted by a very large fluffy puppy and I pick him up closing the distance to the water I see her sitting on the ground knees to her chest hair loose cascading down her back long and sleek waves of dark shimmery silk shining and glinting in the sun, my hands long to thread my fingers through the strands, my nostrils flare I lick dry lips. My boots are silent on the soft green grass.

She isn’t looking my way deep in thought – I eventually set the dog down and come to sit next to her, I am transported back in time that strip of empty windy beach in another place under such different circ*mstance, she wasn’t mine then, she was someone else’s, she didn’t love me then and I never dreamed of being allowed to have her, the thought never crossed my mind.

I stare out over the glassy still surface of the water for a moment we don’t speak my hand rests on the blanket beneath me, beside me she takes my fingers in hers and I close my eyes savoring her skin touching mine, soft and warm and her.

‘You came home..’ she says softly her head resting on her arm she looks at me, her eyes so green they seem like they surely cant be real, I am struck by her beauty. I don’t think I have ever seen anything more breathe taking in my life.
She runs her fingers up my arm to my shoulder eventually to my neck and finally cups my cheek, I lean into her hand closing my eyes in pleasure, ‘I came to you… I will come to you where ever you are.. that is my home.’

She crawls over closing the distance she hikes the layers of her skirt to straddle me and our lips meet in fire, a searing kiss the mutual exhalation of breath, the clashing of teeth, lips a clumsy messy hungry affair. She grinds herself so desperately into my crotch trying to get ever closer her hips undulate her eyes darken and she fixes me with her gaze. She dips her lips to mine kissing me deeply and stealing my breath, slow and purposeful.

‘Never leave again… never.’ She says now gasping for air I pause only to rip her buttons of her blouse and pull it roughly down her shoulder I bite the exposed flesh reclaiming it, making her mine again I pull her breast free from her bra she raises up to give them to me, my mouth already seeking her, letting me suckle her she gasps encouraging me to pull her nipples and soft supple flesh into my mouth sucking and licking her until her nipples harden and she moans loud she grabs hold of my hair urging herself deeper into my mouth I cup her ass pulling her closer I want her so badly.

I pull her into my lap my hands are under her skirt now I want to feel her I find lacy underwear I rip it to shreds my fingers brushing wetness so enticing I want it all she rocks backward and my fingers briefly dip into her pooling arousal I bring my fingers to my lips tasting her my eyes role back briefly im so aroused I feel high. The taste I have dreamed of, manifested and craved so much it made my eyes water, there It is on my tongue, in my mouth setting my taste buds on fire, her scent surrounds me, her taste drives me to madness.

‘You need it don’t you…’ she whispers, ‘you need to have me hmm?’ she takes my fingers from my mouth again guiding it back to her entrance she lifts her pelvis and inserts my digits inside her hot folds I gasp she gently pushes me deeper her lips part in pleasure she moans for me, then brings them all the way back out biting her lips she closes her eyes she moves up then down I watch her nothing in this world would tear me away from her in this moment. My fingers coated and slick she takes my hand guiding it back to my mouth, her arousal drips down and I want every drop.

‘Open your mouth,’ she Instructs me and I do, she parts her lips as I do, she puts my fingers back in my mouth lets me suck on them. ‘make sure they’re licked clean…’ she says now in my ear, I nod my head doing as she says, she takes off her bra and top ruined from my rough hands she stands and removes her skirt naked save for her underwear in tatters at her waist she displays herself for me standing over me I want to lap at her so badly it hurts physically my need so desperate.

She puts out her hands for me to stand I hold her close kissing her deeply she starts undressing me she puts my clothes down and lays down she parts her legs for me showing me her entrance, the luscious wet folds of her labia, her cl*t exposed from its hood ready for me, only me… all she wants in this world is for me to bury my tongue inside her and make her cum.

I wait naked in front of her she looks at me watching her, longing for the one thing I have craved without any reprieve for weeks, im ravenous starving a woman out of control she see’s it and revels in it, she basks under my scrutiny, the dark intensity of my gaze, she sees my chest heave and my muscles twitch, she knows this is hard to for me… waiting for the moment she allows me access …

‘Let me have it… please I cant think of anything else but this…’ I say I sink to my knees now my hands on her calves I feel like im only a few desperate moments from weeping she is still serious.

‘You want me to let you eat me out right here…’ she asks me now she runs a slender finger over her own cl*t and I see the muscles In her throat clench her puss* spasms at the motion of her circling digit and I almost grunt the moment becomes so hard for me to hold my self back from taking her, ‘anyone could see us… would you carry on sucking my cl*t… like you cant stop???’ she is still caressing herself… I moan aloud, she puts her finger in my mouth letting me sample her flavour again… this could drive a woman to madness, this teasing… she pushes me this way to the edge, daring my to lose control.

‘Yes… I would.. I don’t f*cking care I would Aaliyah please..’ I respond my head swims and I feel my heart race in my rib cage gooseflesh on my body my senses are all in overload, I suck her finger eager for more.

Her voice low whispering ‘I know how badly you need this…’ I nod my head lost in her.

She smiles now, ‘Its yours baby.. have it-..’ I am on her instantly she gasps as my mouth covers her puss* lips licking and sucking her I feel her hips come off the floor in ecstasy she can barely suppress the moans and she runs her hands into her own hair, head thrown back eyes closed, she bears the brunt of her teasing as I devour her center unwilling to relent.

She comes without warning gushing soiling my clothing wetting my face and I insert my fingers inside her feeling her walls contract around me, her entire body lit by the sun, I am captivated. I know I want to please this woman every day for the rest of my life, this is easily the clearest thought I have ever had.

She goes limp in my hands I still cup her ass supporting her pelvis so I can lick at her whilst she twitches and her aftershocks make her shudder against my tongue, I gently lower her to the ground, I cover her nakedness with mine looking into her eyes for a few moments, we don’t speak.

Words are not needed, her body hot and sweat slicked her hair sticks to her forward, mine cold and my nipples erect against her breast I want more, I want to go again but we must get back, later … I will have her again later…. I will spread her open and take from her till she forgets all thought and only knows how to say my name.

We eventually dress and head back she wears my jacket to avoid the questions about her torn clothes, the reunion Is sweet and every one goes upstairs to pick a bunk in a room before we settle downstairs for something to eat.

Once the children head off to sleep the discussion turns serious, we sit in the living area to hear Aaliyah’s thoughts and devise a plan for the coming integration phase of our mission.

‘So we suspect the Girls who left with us probably have some pretty nasty pieces of sh*t for parents… considering their about to trust strangers rather then chance going home?’ Jo opens discussions.

‘Or their terrified because chances are their nuptials are all already arranged and they were simply at the madrasa for a bit of behavioral tweaking before the big day?’ I suggest.

‘whatever their reasons and I am sure there are a variety of very valid ones… we still have 15 young females in custody… what the f*ck do we do now?’ Bobby asks looking to us all, she is out of depth and her expertise ended when the guns were stowed away and the task of caring for minors became the primary objective.

‘I don’t think we can handle this ourselves,’ Acero says now, ‘I mean we are not exactly well balanced socially adept supermoms.. Im damaged and I am not going pass on any of it to them.’ She concludes hands up in surrender.

‘Cruz and I will take Rania and Kulthum that we settled a while back,’ Aaliyah says now taking my hand in hers I smile at her conveying my love and she smiles back. ‘The others are welcome to come stay on here, attend a boarding school or if they have relatives not affiliated with their parents? She throws suggestions at us all.

‘It should me…’ a voice from the staircase, Nardirah speaks, she is showered and dressed she looks tired but determined to be heard. ‘I want to be there for them all until they are older and want to make their own choices.’ She elaborates now walking into the living room and sitting.

‘You are so young Nardirah, an entire life awaits you… don’t be bogged down by the guilt of your past… you don’t have to martyr yourself for anyone.’ Jo says now turning to her, ‘don’t punish yourself… we are the adults we can handle this… you are more than sum of your misdeeds.’ she says. ‘Your life awaits you.’

The young woman looks down into her lap her pale fingers tremble clutching eachother she soon looks at us, ‘I want only one thing… to be better, only to do right by them let me see them through this transition from a life of quiet submissiveness to one of vibrancy.’ She stands now approaching the window to stare out into a darkening sky she takes a breath and looks back at us.

‘Twelve young people…that is significant – the daily running and coordinating – school home balance there are multiple factors to consider here…’ Jo cautions her.

‘A homekeeper will need to be employed someone to chaperone and provide guidance… and of course we can all stay abreast of the situation as it unfolds.’ Aaliyah suggests now. ‘if this girl honestly wants this… and if she cant bare to separate from the children… we would be cruel to force her too… I have resources to build a healthy foundation around this hypothetical.’

‘Aaliyah is right, separating them from the one familiar face they know, it is a disservice to the children and Nardirah.’ Acero Echos now, ‘she also can afford them the opportunity to embrace and celebrate their culture and faith removed now from that horrid beasts indoctrination.’
There is a murmur of agreement and we seem to have reached a tentative accord.

‘Before we all go our separate ways I have to tell you something… that maybe you may not like.’ Jo says after Nardirah retires upstairs.

‘Yeah?’ Bobby asks.

‘I accepted an offer from Kaitlyn to collaborate on a joint mission to take down the remaining composites in Al fakirs network. We operate outside of the US jurisdiction, we do things in our own way… she is going to be a very silent advisor and I will take very limited resources from her.’ Jo speaks now to us, ‘Aaliyah I am aware that yourself and Cruz are going to step back after this one too focus on family – the one you two intend to make for Rania and Kulthum, so I assume our funding and future campaigns will need alternative funding – it’s a key factor in me taking Kaitlyns offer seriously-…’ she continues

‘-You will always have my resources at your disposal Jo.. even if I am not actively part of the operation – my support will never waiver.’ Aaliyah says to her now, ‘You don’t need Kaitlyn for anything… but I understand why you are doing this.’

‘So… what does this mean for the rest of us?’ Bobby asks now she is puzzled but willing to listen, ‘I just don’t want you going down that rabbit hole Jo… pulling you out is hard.’ She reaches her hand over taking Jo’s boldly she is making it clear her concern is that of a partner.

Jo smiles, ‘well I am not going nowhere without you Bubbah, you know that.’ She turns to Acero, ‘you I already told im not willing to try to replace, and Imogen well… if she wants to climb off that yacht and take that stiletto heal out of her ass im sure we can have her onboard for the next one too.’

‘Well then its these two we will need to replace…’ Bobby says turning to us.

I smile sheepishly Aaliyah holds my hand shifting closer, ‘She has done her service, she is mine now… and I intend to take up all of her time.’ She says looking into my eyes it feels like everyone else disappears and I shiver under the scrutiny, her eyes hold promise of delicious things to come, she hasn’t had me since I have been back… the craving inside her is strong, she wants me, this she barely bothers to conceal from the others.

We speak a bit more before retiring to bed, I cant think of anything but her body the sway of her hips as she walks ahead of me up the stairs she opens our bedroom door and I follow her in, she closes it and I turn moving quiet and quick to pin her up against the door she gasps and I shhhhh her…

‘Shhhh… we have to be quiet no sound ok…’ I whisper into her mouth kissing her deeply she tries to fight the moan I run my hands up then down her body she starts undoing my belt, ‘Quiet will be hard… but I will try…’ she bites my neck its so sore I am likely going to sport a bruise I unbutton the soft cotton shirt she wears and let it fall to the ground her skin rises in gooseflesh and her fine hairs on her arms stand on end, I run my fingers down her ribcage and settle them in the waist band of her jeans I unbutton them and she lets me pull them down she outs her arms around my neck.

She is warm and her nipples brush my t shirt I pull it over my head taking off my bra I lower my pants and press my mound against her lower abdomen she buries her hands in my hair kissing me till my lips feel bruised, as much of my skin touches hers as possible I press her against the door savoring the moment, every curve and crevice every point of contact.

‘I am never going to get enough of you like this..’ I whisper inhaling the scent of her shampoo and tasting her lipstick on my tongue I gaze down as she smiles at me her proud nose scrunching up she reaches her lips to mine again kissing me slow her tongue snaking into my mouth I cant help the small whimper I make, sucking into my mouth massaging it with my own she exhales in pleasure.

‘Lay on the bed Cruz..’ she says now and I obey her she climbs up and then turns around revealing her self to me she arches her back pushing her ass and puss* lips into my face I gasp and resist the urge to put my tongue inside her entrance she hovers above me letting me enjoy her she takes my underwear down and breathes on the inner tender part of my thigh she bites down gentle at first then hard as she moves closer to my centre her saliva cooling as it trails on my skin she burns a passionate path to her final destination she pauses breath tickling my hair and I writhe under her ministrations.

‘Put your tongue inside me when I take you into my mouth…’ she instructs me, ‘f*ck me with your tongue until we both cum.’ She says, I cant form words my mouth waters in anticipation, I had her a few hours ago but I want her again she takes another moment and then I feel her lick me long and firm before beginning a stead rhythm on my now throbbing swollen cl*t I gasp my hips buck but she digs her nails into them I want to cry out tears prick my eyes I take hold of her velvet soft perfectly round ass and plunge my tongue inside her she jerks forward but then pushes her self back to allow me to plunder her deeper.

She rides my tongue while sucking and flicking my cl*t and I pushing my hips up to f*ck her mouth while she lets me bury my tongue inside her nuzzling her and reveling in the pure ecstasy, her tight entrance contracting around the muscle and her slick flavorful arousal drips down my chin I am completely lost in her and I feel the org*sm building like a wave.

I cum before her unable to resist her skillful tongue and fingers as she plunges them inside me she sucks my cl*t and I eventually cant help myself she feels my body convulse and the contractions around her fingers she rises up now f*cking my mouth I close my eyes my hands snake up her body to her breasts they fit so perfectly in my hands full and firm she covers my hands with hers setting a steady massage I moan into her.

She grinds herself into my face I can barely breathe and now she holds me hips leaning forward using them to anchor her self she goes fast and faster I feel her pulse throbbing in her center her hair swishes she is a wild thing now all control gone she wants only one thing, she needs it, all sense of caution thrown to the wind she moans allowed her breathing rapid and shallow she org*sms her cum on my face, my tongue warm and sweet and perfect, I lick and swallow it the most beautiful, ambrosia, saccharine substance.

She lowers herself to the bed and I crawl into her arms we fall asleep naked and entangled. Her heart beat under my ear I feel my body glow.

Chapter 25: The end We choose

Chapter Text

Aaliyah

London : Amrohi residence.
3years later...

‘whats wrong…’ Cruz leaning against the door post in a black shimmering bodysuit her hair pinned up to reveal her Jaw line she frowns, my troubles always trouble her she will remind me, if I choose to avoid the question.

‘I worry, she is young this place is far…’ I respond I am looking at her through the dresser mirror my hair is being styled and a make up artist fusses over my face under a searing light, ‘we should have pushed harder for them to have changed there names… and Boys at university… what will we do about boys?!’ She shoo’s and flaps at the make up artist who tsks fussing in a thick french accent, ‘I cant be a grandmother at my age…Cruz!’

‘Aaliyah…. Stop.’ She says now a smile playing on her exquisite face she walks into our bedroom, ‘Its been 3 years baby… no one is coming to take our girls… they kept their names because it was all they had left of a life lost.’

She leans against a corner of a dresser folding her bare arms, ‘As for boys… its part of life, we have equipped them best we can besides Kulthum is already there its been a year and Rania is so excited to join her... no one is getting pregnant… except you know… maybe- you if you take me seriously.’ She smiles winking she tucks her little finger into mine and smiles at me.

‘We are safe … warm and dry and we have each other… forever you and me and the girls.’ She is smiling so sweet and open and sincere my heart melts, ‘baby… don’t sit and wait for the other shoe to drop.. its not going to… this is our lives now.’

A Knock on the Door and then a very sweaty shiny and well dressed, but mostly Stressed soldier walks in.

‘What if she wont come down the Aisle?’ she yells flopping down on our bed, ‘What the f*ck was I thinking dragging everyone out here and now you guys did this whole elaborate thing and now what? She gets cold feet? Realizes im a screw up and f*cks off?’ Bobby is mussing up her carefully styled hair spiraling out of control whilst laying on our bed.

Cruz walks over now sitting beside her, ‘Dude… No one is getting stood up today ok?’ she slaps Bobby’s thigh hard which elicits a loud yelp before the other woman sits up.

‘Im so f*cking terrified, I would literally sashay into Yemen right now in a clown suit with a USA flag tucked into my belt. It would be easier then this.’ She says grimaces and groans.

Cruz takes her shoulder, ‘ok asshole lets get your hair redone and some fresh air and then its go time.’ She says lifting herself and Bobby they head to the door.

A few moments later she comes back into the room and leans down to whisper, ‘Our girls are going to be ok, you look beautiful I will see you down there… im ripping this dress to pieces later.’ She gently kisses my lips careful to not smudge my lipstick and my belly flutters, after all these years she can still make me feel like that.

Soft music plays and guests are seated, I see Bobby and Cruz standing waiting beneath a flower arch and they are joined by 2Cups and the boys, Acero is nowhere to be seen.

Then I remember she is set to arrive with the bride.

I take my place in front smiling up at them the entire scene is gloriously beautiful and I am proud to have spared no expense, these women deserved this special day, as I gaze now lovingly at Cruz I long for her to accept my proposal and marry me, perhaps this year will be our turn.. at least an engagement… how long will she still make me wait, I want all of her but this one thing she has denied me for years… my eyes darken as I take her in… her body calls to me and mine hums in return, so strong is her pull – even after all these years.

There’s a hush befalling the guests and then gentle piano bars play we all turn to see Jo her dress cascading her hair sleek and stunning she is beaming at Bobby and the guests suppress the urge to applaud her appearance, she is accompanied by Kaitlyn tall and regal in a white suit she is smiling so proudly – it is as if her daughter is getting married – perhaps it is exactly how she feels today.

Jo meets Bobby at the Altar and they link hands taking vows making promises, to love and protect and sacrifice all things these two women have been doing for one another for 2 decades and now finally we witness them say it all out loud.

They are pronounced joined in love and matrimony and no eye remains dry when they kiss a bold and brave kiss, filled with promise and sincere intent to honor and respect one another.

We move to an area where we all congratulate the couple and Cruz comes to stand close, we smile and greet guests together, the friends we have made here through the years, those Jo and Bobby liberated and saved along the way all here to see them, to celebrate them.

Cruz circles my waist swaying her hips bump mine in time with the music, ‘dance with me love.’

I Let her lead me out into the crowd of moving bodies, Jo smiles at me her chin dipped to Bobby’s shoulder I wink back before Cruz takes me chin in hand to draw my eyes to meet hers. Her gaze soft and full of love.

‘Im so grateful for you, everyday I wake up and I find you there and it makes me feel like there is nothing more in the world I want or need.’ She whispers the intensity of her words make me feel light headed for a moment, ‘thank you for tirelessly working to surround me with love, you have filled every dark corner of my mind with Light Aaliyah Amrohi…’

I Kiss her as she brushes soft finger tips made so through the passage of time along my jaw, those hands that once hurt, maimed and killed now nurture two young women and love me so tenderly. She really did walk away from Jo and the life of a soldier that day and never looked back, she centered every ounce of devotion loyalty trust and energy on me and the family we built ever since.

The girls loved her so much they bonded – found commonalities in one another embraced their new dynamic with each other. In their eyes I saw Cruz anew. I watched them hero worship her then soon that turned to something deeper much more meaningful and tangible.

The Day kulthum left to university Cruz and her embraced crying so openly for one another it was a touching beautiful moment. Rania saw Cruz more than any of us I felt sometimes, she connected with her physicality the creativity every ounce of energy they both possessed in sync and complimentary.

Perhap they saw the need to always be revelant to one another, they held each other close making sure one never let other down, I smile now at the memories what beautiful fulfilling and rewarding years this woman has given me, who could possibly ask for more.

‘Im ready to marry you…’ she speaks into my ear as we sway back and forth, ‘I should never have made you wait… for that I beg forgiveness… you are a woman who should never wait for anything.’

I look up at her smiling broadly, ‘I have been ready to marry you from the moment I saw you Cruz Manuelos… and I love you so completely I would have waited for you for an eternity…’

She kisses me again and we sway and dance she twirls me and takes me in her arms – dipping me low I laugh at the new skills she is showing off.

Bobby and Jo come over they are radiant and euphoric awash in post matrimonial bliss we hug and laugh dancing the night away, they will go on honeymoon in the morning...then… back to the job, its how they work not for me to understand.

We retire to our rooms after seeing the guests off, I am removing make up and Cruz undresses Rania knocks lightly before entering.

I smile she approaches to give me a kiss on the cheek we eventually go downstairs and raid the kitchen for snacks and Cruz comes to find us.

We chatter and giggle well into the night a common occurrence since kulthum has been away, I suspect she gets lonely and needs these small comforts, as her parents we are always happy to offer her all the comfort she needs.

When we do eventually retire to our rooms we fall asleep sugar on our lips and hearts bursting with love I turn to Cruz her face passive and relaxed in deep sleep, I pull her close and she turns in my arms to wrap a long leg around mine she pulls me into her arms she dips her chin to find my lips.

I kiss her and she smiles still half asleep but attempting to resurface to consciousness.

‘I thought you were going to rip a certain dress to pieces tonight Manuelos….’ I whisper as I plant kisses on her chin and cheeks I rub gentle circles into her back and she giggles she runs her fingers up my thigh her hands brush the hem of my silk night shirt and I feel my skin tingle, she makes me wet so easily.

She pushes the material up to my throat revealing my nakedness beneath she mounts me grinding our centers into each other – we cum at the same time moaning our pleasure into eachothers mouths before she lowers herself to my breast her head rested on my chest she lets her breathing steady, we fall asleep this way… naked bodies pressed together as close as we can be.

She holds me and I bury my fingers in her hair, we have done this so many times and I feel like its still the first time.
We have been through so much, lost so many things, suffered so much pain and heartache.

Honestly as selfish as it sounds, I would never have changed a single thing in my life if anyone ever gave me a chance to do it again.

I would do it the same.

All so I could fall asleep to the sound of her heart beating to match the rhythm of mine.