*Chapter 2 - Across the pond*

My name is Rebecca Blake, Becca or Bec for short. Head of a specialised security unit Code One. We work in and around several government agencies, bringing specialist skills to the table with some abilities the other agencies don't have since they have to operate inside the law. We don't.

I've been slightly obsessed with Sherlock Holmes since I was a child. Hound of the Baskervilles was the first book my dad ever read me. Much to my mother's disappointment. "Why can't you just read her Cinderella?!" She'd ask him. And in his broad Jordie accent he'd reply "I'll be damned if any little girl of mine is gonna grow up thinkin' she needs a prince to save her".

My husband Ollie was a military intelligence officer in the British Army before he was injured during what turned into his last tour. He now ran Code One along with myself, Danny, an ex royal marine with a slightly questionable military record, Lenny, a legal professional and linguist with a background in international Law and 8 languages behind him, Frank, our very own version of Q from James Bond - picked up by UK Intelligence for attempting to hack confidential information so they gave him the opportunity to work on the inside and Abi, our team medic.

We'd been working together for about 3 years now but we were a tight knit family and worked like a well oiled machine.

This morning, I'd had a call from one of our agency handlers.

"Becca"

"Jake, how's all?

"Not bad, you?"

"Can't complain love, can't complain"

"Good good"

"what we got?"

"It's a complicated one. Are you free to come down to the office?"

"Sure. Just me, Or the whole team?"

"Just you for now. I'll give you all the info and you can relay it"

"OK, can you give me an hour? It was a late one last night finishing up that last case. Need coffee"

Jake let out a hearty laugh "sure. I'll see you at 10.30?

"Perfect!"

Jake Bassett was about 55 years old and had worked all over the world. Whilst incredibly tough on the job, he was as soft as a puppy around me. After the first case, he'd kind of taken me under his wing. He was like my favourite older brother and his wife and kids were fantastic. Me and Ollie often spent summer evenings at theirs, BBQing and drinking cider till the early hours.

I arrived at the office that Jake and his team were based out of. After clearing security at the entrance, I turned the corner and spotted Jake standing slightly slumped against the door frame with a steaming hot cup of coffee in his hand and I breathed a sigh as I smiled. He knew me too well. I took a big breath in as my nose hovered over the mug and my hands wrapped around the warmth. It was March and the weather still didn't seem to want to get anywhere near double digits.

"Thanks for coming in. Guessing you didn't get much sleep last night"

"Not until about 1am. Danny insisted we celebrate finishing the last case and Lenny cracked open a bottle of Prosecco, which without me realising, had actually come from a box of 6. Between me, the guys and Abi, there was a straw floating in the bottom of the last bottle when I woke up this morning"

"Sounds like a good celebration. What was the case?"

I let out a snorted laugh. Despite us having the same security clearance, there were just some cases where I couldn't tell him what had gone on.

"Slightly above your pay grade I'm afraid!"

Jake held his hands up as if to surrender to conversation. "Aahh, one of "those"!

"What can we do for you Jake?"

"This came across my desk late yesterday afternoon"

I picked up the file. An American drug runner, involved in some messed up shit has been picked up on UK soil.

"So we've been asked to track him down?"

"Pretty much. But an American team is going to be joining you"

"Seriously? Why?! We could manage this on our own"

"Yanks aren't taking any chances. They wanna pick him up and escort him back themselves. But since they have no idea where they are when it comes to the big smoke, Code have been called in to assist"

"Fine. But Ollie is going to hate this. He hated the Americans when he was on tour"

"Well he'll have to just play nice. Besides, they'll be on our turf. They can't just go shooting doors down"

"Too damn right. I'll take this back to the team. At least it will be a challenge!"

I gave Jake a quick hug before turning on my heel and heading back out to my car.

Our office wasn't too far from all the main security hubs in London. We'd kitted out an old warehouse unit with glass cube offices for each member of the team, a central comms area that looked like Sherlock's mind palace on speed, a kitchen with all mod cons, a gym with locker and shower rooms, a medical suite and a breakout area.

When I returned the team were huddled in the breakout and the smell of bacon hit me. I died and went to heaven briefly just as Ollie wafted a bacon sandwich in front of me. Dear Lord I loved this man!

Lenny shouted over "what have we got boss lady?"

"American drug runner has been picked up in the UK by covert US surveillance"

"Bloody Yanks. Can't they keep their people in line?" Ollie asked with a hint of resentment.

"Apparently not. Oh and the best part is, they don't think we're capable of bringing him in on his own. They're sending a US team to collect him"

"You're kidding?!"

"'Fraid not. Rangeman Services, according to the file"