To those who've had me on author alert for my psych stories (if any of you are reading this), I have a few new ideas for stories, I'm just trying to sort them out and nit-pick them. By the time I'm done this story they should be ready to begin :)

To those of you who are new to my stories, this is my first Covert Affairs story, but I have written a few Psych, Leverage, and even one White Collar story (although I never finished that one…. :/) If you're a fan of any of those shows, feel free to check them out!

So, onto this story. There isn't much to say right now, so enjoy!

-O-

Chapter 1

Things That Go Bang

It was supposed to be a routine pick-up operation. Touch down on the runway in the-middle-of-nowhere Ecuador, take some scraggly rogue, informant, asset, terrorist, above-Annie's-pay-grade person into the CIA's custody, refuel, take off for Langley. But, Annie sighed as she stared at the blanket of flames that was supposed to be their ride home, anything that was supposed to be routine rarely ever was.

"So now what?" She turned to her partner for the operation, Jai Wilcox. Because of the nature of the pick-up, he'd been assigned to accompany her.

He shrugged. According to the pilot, who was standing some ways away speaking with the co-pilot in hushed tones, the fire had been a result of a fuel leakage as they had been refueling. The fuel itself hadn't ignited until the co-pilot had dropped a cigarette near it. Unfortunately, that had been half an hour after the drop-off plane had taken off.

"I'll radio in to Auggie, let him know we need alternative transport back."

"You sure it wasn't sabotage?" Their pick-up asked, wriggling around in Jai's firm grip to fix his gaze on Annie.

Annie glared at him, Jai ignored him and reached into his hastily stuffed pack for the radio.

"Jai, please tell me you are 30,000 feet in the air and your biggest problem is the lack of quality food." Annie smirked.

"Not exactly, Auggie. The-"

That was when the gun fire started. Jai reacted first, dropping the radio and grabbing Annie even before the second shot was fired. He handed off the pick-up to her, gesturing towards the large hangar. It stood empty and open, and provided cover from whoever was shooting at them.

"Go!" he shouted when she didn't move.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I'm not arguing with you, Annie! Go!"

She watched as he pulled a gun out from his pack. This wasn't the charming, cool-and-collected Jai that she saw at the agency every day. This was the seventh-floor, son-of-Henry Wilcox Jai with a gun in his hand. Annie ran, dragging the confused pick-up with her.

The sound of rapid-fire gunshots continued, and yet still there was no one on the runway. The best Jai could do was fire towards what appeared to be the source as he retreated after Annie. Dodging bullets in open areas with no cover was something Annie was becoming increasingly used to. She swerved as each bullet shot past her. The man she was escorting tripped as he tried to keep up with her, and she pulled him to his feet.

They were at the mouth of the hangar before Annie realized it. She threw the man behind an old four-seater aircraft as several bullets ricocheted off the metal. The assailants had to have left their cover by now, they wouldn't have been in range of the hangar otherwise. Annie slid behind the aircraft, breathing hard and listening to the sound of bullets hitting the other side. Maybe she imagined it, but there seemed to be a slight lull in the continuous thudding of bullets. She was about to swing her head around to check it out when Jai appeared.

"Oh my gosh, Jai!" Annie caught the operative in her arms as they bumped into each other, and helped him to lean against the plane.

Blood soaked Jai's right shoulder, smearing the plane and dripping onto the floor. It stemmed from a small hole in his shoulder, a bullet hole, Annie realized. She grabbed the gun from his hand before it could clatter onto the floor.

"Are you okay?" Annie asked. She had to shout over the gunshots, which had returned full force.

Jai raised his eyebrows at her.

"Right, stupid question."

"It's just a flesh wound," his voice was ragged, and he used his left hand to wipe sweat from his brow. "I'll be fine," he took several moments to catch his breath. "It's the pilot, Annie."

"What?"

"The pilot. And the co-pilot. They're… shooting," Jai winced and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he swore. "Annie, where's the package?"

Annie followed his gaze and echoed his swear. The pick-up was gone.

"Give me the gun," Jai said.

"But you-"

"I've shot through worse."

"And the package-"

"Is not our main concern right now. Annie, give me the gun."

Annie hesitated. On a good day, Jai was easily the more skilled marksman of the two of them. But this wasn't a good day, and he was already losing so much blood. His reaction time wouldn't be as fast, and what if he fainted right in the middle of the shoot-out? On the other hand, he had shot through worse and lived to tell the tale, Annie knew he had. And she'd only used a gun in the field a few times.

She handed the gun over.

Jai didn't waste a second. He pushed himself away from the support of the plane and rounded to the other side. Annie couldn't bring herself to look, she clenched her fists and instead scanned the hangar for the pick-up, even though she knew he'd be long gone by now.

Finally the gunshots dwindled, and stopped. Annie looked around the edge of the plane to see Jai, several feet away from two still forms, drop his gun and stumble over to her, where he collapsed into her arms in a dead faint.

-O-

This was a short chapter, yes, but it was more of a prologue than anything. Reviews are always appreciated.