Hello!
I'm back quicker than expected. Needed a break from my other stories and decided to chug away at this one. I got hooked! Shit really starts to go down now. I'm going to LOVE this story. :) But once more, I cannot promise a prompt update. I most likely will go back to the other stories and forget this one for a while. Sorry again! :(
Once again, I have NO knowledge of the military or any such stuff, so feel free to laugh at my stupid attempts to try and show it! LOL.

And sorry, Eagles fans, about what I say about your team in this chapter. No offense. Go Seahawks!

A huge thanks to the reviewers! Replies below!

Khizar: Thank you Thank you! I hope your story is coming along well! :) And yeah, I LOVE the cocky, confident Hiccup.

Foster117: I was able to continue sooner than expected. Much sooner, in fact. I'm glad you like it.

TidePoolAngel: The plot just keeps getting thicker! I LOVE it!

zellawinston: Wow! Thank you! *Blushes* Hope you keep enjoying!

jlrdsr: Yeah, they're taking her now. Heck yeah. I'm really glad you though the combat stuff was convincing. I was concerned that it would be too stupid for anyone to like. So glad you like it!

Meyssa: Thank you Thank you! I'm glad you like my Hiccups.

tjjenkins: I am glad it keeps improving! Hopefully you like this chapter just as well.

: You get to see Astrid's reaction in this chapter! I'm glad you like it!

Thanks so much, all you people!
NatB.


Time: 1923 hours
Location: Bagram Airbase, Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates: (34.944168, 69.273331)
Date: April 13, 2017

"This way, miss."

The man was walking Astrid down a hallway. It was dark, but only because Astrid's head was covered in black bag, blindfolding her. The man was keeping one hand on her shoulder and another on the small of her back, and Astrid was confident that there were two others walking alongside her. She would have reached out to touch them, but her hands were cuffed in front of her.

"Right this way," the man said, and opened a door. Astrid was pushed in, the blindfold still over her face, and the door closed. There was silence for a second, and then a new, authoritative voice spoke.

"Release her."

Astrid felt a key inserted into her handcuffs, and in a second they were off, freeing her wrists. Then someone jerked the bag from over her head, and she raised her hands to shield her eyes from the light. Slowly recovering her vision, she squinted ahead at a man, sitting at a desk in a wood-themed room. A US flag hung behind him, and he wore the decorated uniform of an officer. He was heavily muscled and had an ugly face with a black beard. One hand was on a computer mouse, and the other held an open folder.

"Who are you?" Astrid asked, still blinking uncertainly. "Why I am being treated this way by my own country? I did nothing wrong at all."

The man with the beard was not even looking at her. Instead, he was staring at a computer screen on his desk.

"You are Astrid Hofferson," he stated, reading from the computer. "Twenty years old, five foot ten inches, 120 pounds. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Native country, United States of America. Place of birth, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Graduated with honors from Berk High School in Springfield, Missouri. Currently taking college courses at Boise State University on an academic scholarship."

He paused. "At 1100 hours today you boarded Flight 543 from Paris to Kabul, landing at Kabul International Airport at 1600 hours this evening. From there, you then took a taxi to Golbahar, where you visited an old Afghan friend from a special summer school that you attended in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

He turned from the computer and looked at her with hard, cold eyes.

"And then fucked up a MAJOR Special Forces operation."

He tossed a folder on the desk angrily, folding his arms.

"What the hell am I going to do with you, Miss Hofferson?"

Astrid bit her lip. "Look, Mr. -"

"Colonel. Colonel Jorgenson, US Special Forces."

"Well, Colonel, I know nothing of what occurred today," Astrid said emphatically. "I was only visiting a friend and had no knowledge of ANYTHING whatever! Why I am I being dragged through this – building and questioned like this, by my own United States?" She flared up. "And why on earth did your men kill Salima?"

Colonel Jorgenson, a scowl on his ugly face, gestured to a chair with a thick, muscled arm.

"Sit down, Miss Hofferson," he commanded stonily.

Astrid complied, and the two men who had brought her in stepped up to either side of her, and yet out of her range of vision. Astrid felt intimidated by their presence. She also felt that they were doing it deliberately.

The Colonel was still for a second, and then his voice cracked at her like a whip.

"Miss Hofferson, were you aware that Salima Faimahir was a dangerous terrorist?"

Astrid was startled by his vicious tone, but she answered, swallowing.

"No. I only knew Salima as a sweet, loving girl. She was my best friend when we were twelve."

The Colonel allowed a thin smile to cross his lips. "Well, that 'sweet, loving' girlfriend of yours was deeply involved in the smuggling of explosives and bombs into the hands of dangerous terror groups such as Al Qaeda. If we had not eliminated her and her family, it may have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent American civilians."

Astrid licked her lips. "I knew nothing of that."

"I'm sure you didn't," the Colonel frowned. "And our background check on you and your family revealed nothing that could possibly be considered a remote hint that you were an accomplice or a terrorist in any way. The US Army does not suspect you of terrorism. Our issue lies in another, more serious matter."

He leaned forward, his hawk eyes leveled at Astrid.

"We are the Special Forces, Miss Hofferson. As you just witnessed, our methods of keeping our country safe are swift, efficient, and deadly. We have a difficult job. We must act with complete impunity, and yet with unlimited discretion. Sometimes these actions involve taking steps that are – illicit. You are a smart girl; you understand what I mean, am I correct?"

Astrid nodded. "What you do is illegal."

The Colonel leaned back once more, and droned a sentence that sounded like it was coming from a tape recorder.

"We act with needed security and convenience for the American people. In so doing, we do our utmost to abide by all laws and regulations, but in some circumstances the US government may deem it necessary to discard the laws of the country in order to protect it."

He leaned forward again. "Not illegal, Miss Hofferson. No. It is MUCH worse than that. What you just observed this evening is considered an act of war, an unsanctioned hit against the Afghan nation. If knowledge of this operation becomes known to the public or the Afghan government, things may come to a very - serious conclusion." He rose to his feet. "Miss Hofferson, having witnessed my soldiers in action, you are in possession of information that could be inherently dangerous to both the Special Forces and our entire country. If you had been a hostage, we would have had full justification in our actions today, and I would never have had to worry about this. However, since you were not a hostage, we have now committed anaggressive procedure that must NEVER become known to ANYONE." He tapped his finger on the table to stress his position.

"When faced with this dilemma, I had two choices, Miss Hofferson," he continued. "First, I could free you with the warning never to inform anyone of this, and monitor your presence for enough time to conclude that you will never inform or the information becomes unnecessary to remain hidden. The second, which is much cheaper - and which I prefer - is I could have you executed on the spot, right now."

Astrid gasped in horror, staring up at the big man. "What?!" she asked, terrified. "You would kill me for doing nothing?"

The Colonel was stone-faced. "Yes, Miss Hofferson. I could kill you, and if there was any remote HINT of information from your files that suggested you would notify anyone of this operation, then I would have done it already. However, you are an exemplary American citizen. As such, I am obliged to free you. But -"

He walked around his desk and faced her, leaning down so that his bearded, ugly face was inches from hers.

"But we will still monitor you closely, until the Pentagon sees fit to call off the surveillance. If you unveil this secret mission in any way, then you are GONE." He slid a thick finger across his throat. "You will be eliminated at ONCE, Miss Hofferson, mark my words."

Astrid nodded, unable to speak for fear. The Colonel straightened up. "Very well. This is what happened, Miss Hofferson. You flew to Afghanistan from Paris, landed in Kabul, and took a taxi to Golbahar in hopes of meeting your old friend. She no longer lived at the same address, and you left that night and returned to Paris. No military operation ever occurred. Do I make myself clear?"

Astrid nodded again. "Very clear. I fully understand."

The Colonel smiled approvingly. "Be aware, Miss Hofferson, that the United States holds no grudge against you. We will have to monitor you closely for some time, but it is all for the purpose of preserving this great nation and not to annoy or invade your privacy in any way. You are still a citizen, and we will protect you as much as any other. So, to ensure your safe departure from Kabul, a Special Forces Agent will accompany you on your flight back to Paris, which leaves -"he checked his watch – "In thirty minutes. You have been assigned a seat on the flight, and your baggage, which was removed from the scene of operation, is already on it."

He rose to his feet and extended his hand.

"Once more, Miss Hofferson, I repeat that the United States does not hold you accountable for your actions today. However we will most certainly hold you accountable if you tell anyone of the event or of these proceedings that have just taken place. But for now, The Special Forces thanks you for your cooperation."

Astrid rose and shook the Colonel's hand. "Thank you for not killing me," she said seriously.

The man smiled, still shaking her hand.

"I am Special Forces, but I can still be human, Miss Hofferson. I hope you have a safe flight back to Paris."

"Thank you."

The Colonel released her hand, and then gestured to the two men who had escorted her in.

"See to it that Miss Hofferson is cleaned up and made presentable," he said. "That blood on her face needs to go. We cannot have anyone even dreaming that she was involved in the operation that just took place. Clean her up, buy her lipstick or makeup or whatever it is that American girls wear these days. God knows what my daughter uses."

Astrid allowed a smile.

"I should be fine after a little wash-up," she said. "I don't think I need any luxuries to make myself look myself. Besides, I don't really have time. My flight leaves in thirty minutes, is that what you said, Colonel Jorgenson?"

The Colonel nodded. "That is correct. A top-notch Special Forces Agent will come to escort you to the airport and then he will accompany you on the flight to Paris. You will be taken to the hospitality room in a few moments and this Agent will meet you there. Godspeed, Miss Hofferson."

"Thank you Colonel," Astrid said again. "It was nice to meet you."

"I wish I had never laid eyes on YOU," the Colonel replied with a smile. "But there is nothing we can do about that now. Get out. I have work to do." He sat down at his desk and picked up a phone.

Touching her arm, the two men motioned her out of the office. Turning, she went. With a deep, shaking breath, she exited the office and found herself in a sitting area. One of the soldiers led her to a cushioned seat, and Astrid was more than happy to sit down. She was severely shaken up.

"Can we get you anything, Miss Hofferson?" One of the soldiers asked her. "You're shivering. Maybe a cup of coffee, a coat, anything?"

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, can you just get me a wet towel so I can clean my face, and yeah, coffee would be nice."

The soldier nodded and walked into another room. Astrid, curious as to where she was, looked around. To her right was a desk at which a secretary worked headset on as she relayed calls in a dull, droning voice. In front of her was the Colonel's office, which she had just exited. And to her left was a door that led to a hallway.

A phone rang on the secretary's desk. She picked it up immediately.

"Yes, Colonel Jorgenson?" she asked. There was a pause as she listened. Then she answered. "Right away, Colonel."

She put down the phone and pressed a button on the desk. It allowed her voice to carry over the intercom.

"Strike Team Forces ONE and Special Agent Henry Haddock, please report to Colonel Jorgenson's office immediately. Repeat, Agent Haddock and Strike Force ONE, report to Colonel Jorgenson IMMEDIATELY. Over."

She released the button and resumed her work. Astrid was interested. She remembered that Strike Force 1 and Agent Haddock had been the men who had killed Salima and taken her out. She was curious as to why the Colonel wanted them there. Would they be charged with killing her if she told anyone?

As she thought this, the soldier from earlier returned, with a damp towel and a cup of coffee. He also held a blanket. Walking up to her, he threw the blanket over her shoulders and wrapped her up in it.

"You look cold, Miss," he said. "Here you are, some nice hot coffee. Hope you like cream."

Astrid smiled as she accepted the cup. "Thank you." She reached for the towel, but the man shook his head.

"I'll take care of the blood," he said. "You just relax, Miss."

Kneeling next to her, he dabbed at her cheek and the side of her head with the cloth, wiping off the dried, sticky blood that was still there.

As Astrid was being attended to, she heard footsteps in the hallway, and a door opened. Astrid looked up. Three men entered, their military boots thudding on the floor. Astrid recognized them immediately as the men who had performed the deadly operation. They had shed their guise of Afghan militia and were now clad in US Army khakis and green tee shirts. Each had a pistol on their belts.

Astrid recognized all three of them. The big man, with a brown beard, was looking ahead at the secretary. The blonde, long haired man, now without his helmet, looked almost like a girl. He was to the left of the man in the middle, who was clearly the alpha of the group.

His back was to Astrid, and he was staring at a picture of a US Air Force plane on the wall. None of the men could see Astrid, since she was behind the soldier that was cleaning her face.

The man with the beard was speaking to the secretary.

"Good evening, Maria. Is the Colonel ready for us?"

The secretary looked up at them. "Not yet, Agent Butcher. A few more minutes, I think." She shifted her gaze to the man in the middle, and a scowl came over her pretty face.

"Agent Haddock." She said sternly. "How many times have I told you NOT to smoke in Colonel Jorgenson's sitting room?!"

The man in the middle turned around. Sure enough, he was smoking a cigarette, a thin waft of smoke coming from the butt. His face was shielded with red-tinted sunglasses that hid his green eyes.

It was the sniper.

He exhaled a breath of smoke and replied with an unconcerned drawl.

"I don't know, Maria, maybe a thousand? Two thousand? What do you boys think?" He gestured to the two other men while sticking the cigarette back in his mouth.

"Three thousand," the blonde haired man grinned, dropping into a chair across from Astrid. "I don't get it, either. We just got back from a damn mission that almost went to shit because of some dumbass girl. Colonel Jorgenson needs to give us a break. I mean, he should at least let us smoke in here. Don't be that one mean secretary, Maria. It doesn't become a pretty face."

The secretary shifted her scowl to the blonde man. "And how many times have I told YOU, Agent Thorston, to stop flirting with me?" She demanded.

"Ten thousand," Agent Thorston answered promptly, and the room burst out laughing. The soldier cleaning her face lowered the rag to chuckle, and Astrid's face was unveiled.

"Hey, it's the girl," Agent Butcher said, pointing at her.

Astrid nodded at him, straightening up. "Yep. It's me."

The big man nodded approvingly. "I'm surprised you're still alive. The Colonel usually isn't so lenient with witnesses. Anyway, Agent Haddock here was just dreaming about you."

"Shut the fuck up, Thug," Agent Haddock grinned, the cigarette still in his mouth.

Agent Thorston laughed and addressed Astrid from his chair. "Agent Haddock is cocky man. He thinks every girl that sees him thinks he's hot. Is that true?"

Astrid looked up at the man. Come to think of it, he was hot. His lean, strong muscles were clearly defined through his green Army tee shirt, and he looked strong and handsome. But he was smoking a cigarette with a cocky grin on his face, and the tinted sunglasses shielded his eyes. Astrid answered.

"He might be hot if he took off the sunglasses," she stated. "And also if he stopped being a jerk to secretaries and took the damn cigarette out of his mouth."

"Ooooooohhh!" Thug (Agent Butcher) laughed, shouldering Agent Haddock. "Buuurrrrnnnn! Savage little lady we've got here. You'd better watch out, Haddock, or she'll fry you."

Agent Thorston looked shocked. "Wait, you don't dig the sunglasses?" He asked in amazement. "Sunglasses are the best! Sunglasses and sexy are one and the same. Here, don't I look hot with these on?"

From his pocket he pulled out a pair of aviators and placed them on the bridge of his nose. The room laughed again. Astrid, chuckling, replied.

"It's not bad, actually. Still looks better than Agent Haddock, Mr. -"

"Agent Thorston," the man grinned, taking off the glasses. "But call me Tuff. Want to hear my code name?" He leaned forward and whispered. "It's my phone number. 376 – 4554. Call me when you're in trouble and I'll be right at your door."

Astrid laughed as Tuff leaned back in his chair, a cheeky grin on his face.

"You military guys are crazy," she said, shaking her head.

"Damn right we are," Thug grinned. "Beards, babes, beer, and bullets. That's our motto."

Once more the room laughed.

"Beards are for guys who need help to improve their manliness," Agent Haddock said to Thug. "REAL men don't even need them."

"Oooh!" Tuff laughed. "Thug, you'd better watch out. Sniper boy will gun you down."

"So you were the sniper, Agent Haddock?" Astrid demanded.

The room froze.

Even the soldier dabbing at Astrid's cheek stopped moving. In fact, Agent Haddock had halted in the process of putting his cigarette in his mouth, and was staring at her through his glasses. Tension was high. Astrid didn't understand. What had happened?

After a full two seconds, Agent Haddock put the cigarette back in mouth and spoke again.

"What sniper? I don't recall any such military operation that you were involved in," he said quietly. "Do you, Miss Hofferson?"

Astrid got it at once. Her eyes widened in horror. She had just admitted to being involved in the operation. The penalty was death for her. And Agent Haddock was offering her a way out. So she took it.

"I – I don't recall anything like that either," she stammered.

The room relaxed again, and activity resumed once more. The soldier began to dab at Astrid's cheek once more, but Agent Haddock's voice cracked like a whip.

"Belay that, soldier."

The soldier immediately obeyed, lowering the towel from Astrid's face.

Agent Haddock took two steps towards Astrid and whipped off his sunglasses, revealing menacing dark green eyes. With his other hand, he took the cigarette out of his mouth. He leaned down to talk to her.

"BE CAREFUL, Miss Astrid," he said quietly. "That was a VERY close call. Because yes, I AM a sniper. And I will most likely be sent to kill YOU if any agreement you reached with Colonel Jorgenson is breached." He pointed his cigarette at her. "And I have no love for shooting women. So I would watch what you say, Miss Hofferson, or you'll find yourself on the receiving end of my rifle."

He snapped his glasses back on, covering the hard green eyes once more.

Maria, the secretary at the desk, cleared her throat to break the tense silence.

"Strike Team, Colonel Jorgenson will see you now," she stated.

Agent Haddock straightened up. Taking his cigarette, he pinched it out and handed it to the soldier who was with Astrid. He then snapped his fingers at Thug and Tuff.

Tuff got up from his seat, putting his aviators back in his pocket. Standing, he patted Astrid's shoulder before taking his spot behind Agent Haddock, who was also taking off his shades. Opening the door, the three men walked in, closing the door behind them. However, it did not close all the way, and Astrid, from her chair in the sitting room, could easily hear what was said. She was also curious, and leaned back a little so that she could look at the men through an open blind. The soldier finished cleaning her face and went to dispose of the towel. Astrid, sipping her coffee once more, cocked an ear and looked through the window. She saw the men.

The three Agents saluted. "Colonel Jorgenson, SIR!"

"At ease, soldiers." Colonel Jorgenson looked up at them from his desk, his cold black eyes meeting them. Astrid remembered what it was like to be looked at like that, and shivered. Colonel Jorgenson was a nice man, but he gave her the creeps.

Agent Haddock and his team relaxed, letting their shoulders loose. There were three seconds of silence as Colonel Jorgenson looked at each man individually.

"First," he said finally, "Allow me to applaud you on another highly successful operation."

Agent Haddock made no move. The Colonel continued. "It was completed quickly and efficiently, with no casualties and no alarms. Even when you were caught off guard by an abrupt mission alteration, you acted with tact and skill. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir," Agent Haddock replied.

"However," the Colonel went on, a scowl coming over his face, "It was brought to my attention that while the Strike 1 force operated with complete success, Agent Haddock made an abrupt and unexpected change in the plans without authorization."

Astrid could almost feel the glare of the Colonel as he stared at Haddock.

"Is that true, Agent Haddock?"

Agent Haddock's voice came through the door.

"True enough, sir. I saw that the plan laid out by Team Leader Frank was not the most efficient method of extracting the assumed hostage. With the safety of both my team and myself in mind, I altered the plans for the benefit of the operation."

"You altered the plans!" Colonel Jorgenson snapped.

"That is correct, sir. They were not orders, if you recall. Defying them and questioning them was not a breach of discipline, sir."

"Discipline my ass!" The Colonel roared. "Agent Haddock, are you aware that instructions are to be followed to the letter, at all times!?"

"Orders are, sir, but not instructions. The poor decision to have Strike 1 retrieve the hostage from their position needed to be changed for the benefit of the team. The Special Forces never operate without the best plan in mind, sir."

"And of course, you had the BEST plan," the Colonel sneered. "Let me tell you something, Agent Haddock. A good soldier OBEYS. He hears his commanding officer and treats him like GOD. He obeys the orders, or INSTRUCTIONS and does not think of the consequences. YOU, however, did exactly the opposite. As soon as Team Leader Frank issued those impromptu commands, the first thing that you did was question them!"

"Because they were stupid, sir."

"Agent Haddock, the soldier's job is NOT to think of the quality of the directives. You know that. Even so, you decided to extract the hostage yourself-"

"Wisely-" Haddock interrupted.

"Crossed the street with a high risk of being seen-"

"With excellent cover fire-"

"Entered the home by force, even after knowing that the suspects were down-"

"Acting with needed swiftness-"

"Seized and threatened the hostage-"

"Flawlessly extracted her-"

"Crossed the street to the extraction point with her in tow, regardless of who might have seen you-"

"With proper efficiency and speed."

"AGENT HADDOCK!"

The Colonel slammed his hand on the desk so hard that Astrid jumped.

"Agent Haddock, you need to watch your mouth."

"Sir!" Agent Haddock sounded upset. "I was dragged out of bed last night and told on the spur of the moment that I would have to come to fucking Golbahar and kill three people, including two women. I and my team were flown across the Atlantic at goddamn midnight, having to sleep in a rickety cot on an aircraft carrier and then shipped to this – place. We performed expertly, even in the face of complete disarray. I feel insulted, sir. I saved both yours and the Special Ops asses this evening, and THIS is how you repay me? Trying to tell me how I should have done it better? They haven't even found the damn bodies yet, sir."

There was silence. Then Colonel Jorgenson spoke again.

"I will overlook your comments, Agent Haddock. I am frustrated that you rejected the commands of senior officers, for that showed disrespect and bad soldier bearing. But you do make a point, and for that I will also overlook your actions during the operations this evening. You are to report to the barracks immediately. Dismissed."

"Colonel, if I may, sir." It was Tuff who spoke.

"Speak, Agent Thorston. And make it snappy. I'm busy," the Colonel barked.

"With respect, sir, I would like to request a vacation," Tuff said. "We had Venice last week and then Iran three days ago. Now it was Afghanistan today. We are the best soldiers, sir, but we do need a rest! Can you give us our months overdue leave that we have been promised?"

The Colonel chuckled. "Agent Thorston, you are a blunt man. But your request is granted. Agent Butcher and Agent Thorston, you are granted leave for a month. Go back to the US and relax. As always, don't go anywhere odd without informing us, and don't get sunburned. Otherwise, the time is yours. Stick your dicks up your asses or whatever it is you morons do in your free time."

"Sir, yes sir!" The three men answered.

"I wasn't talking to you, Agent Haddock," the Colonel frowned. "I have OTHER plans for YOU."

"Sir?" Agent Haddock sounded surprised.

"I have decided to see how closely you can follow not instructions, but ORDERS, Agent Haddock. So I have another mission for you."

"Just me?"

"Just you." The Colonel had a big grin on his face.

There was an audible sigh from Agent Haddock. "Yes sir." He replied. "Brief me."

Colonel Jorgenson spoke again.

"The hostage you rescued today was not, as you know, a hostage. She's an American girl that's on vacation in Paris. She needs to be escorted by an Agent back to Paris. Since you were so unsatisfactory in your tasks this evening, I have decided that that Agent will be you."

"Come on, sir! I'm a sniper, not a damn escort!" Agent Haddock was angry.

"You are now." The Colonel was enjoying himself hugely. "You're just an arrogant little wiener, Agent Haddock. Maybe this will tame your tongue – and your temper - a little bit. The orders are simple. A five hour flight on a commercial plane. She never leaves your sight. You know the drill."

"All too fucking well, sir."

"Here's her file." Astrid heard a folder get tossed on the desk. "You'll drive her to the airport and sit beside her on the plane. Monitor her safety until Paris. Then I will be lenient and let you do what you want for a week. However, stay tuned for another mission. We may have something for you."

He handed another folder to Agent Haddock.

"Who is this?" Agent Haddock demanded, pulling a photograph from the file.

"That is Vadim Marsiek, a known Afghan terrorist," the Colonel answered. "We suspect him to be interested in a recent plan to bomb certain areas in Paris. He is also, we just discovered, connected to the same family you just eliminated. If we catch wind of him in Paris, then you will be ordered to take him out. So be aware. You may be called on once more."

"Sir, yes sir."

"However, Agent Haddock, you need not be too concerned. You can relax in Paris for a week or so if we don't find him. You are due for leave as well. Anyway, the flight ticket has just been changed to your name. Your name has also been changed, of course. I've applied an appropriate alibi for you two, so you don't seem suspicious."

He touched keys on the keyboard for a few seconds and pressed enter. He then pulled a file out of a drawer and handed it to Agent Haddock.

"There is the new identification for you. The girl gets to keep her ID. Have fun, Agent Haddock."

"Permission to call you an asshole, Colonel?"

"Permission granted."

"Fine. You're an asshole, sir."

The Colonel laughed. "Yes I am, Agent Haddock. Here are the folders. She should be waiting for you right outside. Now get the fuck out of my office, and don't even think about bothering Maria, Agent Thorston."

"Aww, sir!" The blonde haired man whined.

"Yeah. Get the hell out, all of you, or I'll revoke your leave at once! Move your asses!"

"SIR YES SIR!"

There was a shuffling of feet, and then the door to the office opened again.

"Well, that was brutal, Haddock," Thug said grimly, as the trio stepped out. "Too bad for you, man. Another mission. I'll miss you. Jesus, you're going to be in Paris. But I guess we'll see you when the dog barks."

"Aye."

The two Agents shook hands.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Haddock," Tuff said. "Have a good one."

"And you." Grabbing Tuff's forearm, Agent Haddock pulled Tuff into a rough hug. "Catch you next time, bro."

Releasing Tuff, the two Strike Agents stepped back. Agent Butcher and Agent Thorston saluted.

"We'll be there to cover your ass whenever you call, sniper boy," Thug smiled.

Agent Haddock returned the salute. "I ring you up if I go back to Fort Rich, OK?" he answered. "Miss you guys."

The two Agents turned to go. Tuff said over his shoulder, "And don't be afraid to call me on the weekend, Maria. I'm always available."

"Agent Thorston, get out," Maria snapped.

"Yes, ma'am," Tuff grinned, and then the two men left. The door closed.

With a deep sigh, Agent Haddock turned to Astrid, a file in his hand. With a quick gesture, he motioned the two soldiers away. "Get lost, boys," he said. "She's my charge now."

Immediately the two soldiers with Astrid got up, saluted, and left.

"Hey, thank you guys for the coffee!" Astrid called after them. They turned at the door and saluted her. Then they left without a word.

Astrid shifted her gaze back to Agent Haddock. He was looking in the folder he held, flipping pages. Without looking up, he spoke to her.

"Well, Astrid Hofferson, eh? Let me see. Twenty years old, five foot ten inches, 120 pounds. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Native country, United States of America. Place of birth, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." He looked up. "Philadelphia, huh? Are you an Eagles fan?"

Astrid grinned. "Nope. Seahawks."

"Goddamn it."

Astrid laughed. "Are you an Eagles fan? Come on, they haven't won a Super Bowl in like ten years."

"Yea, will you just shut up about that?" he grinned, and then pulled out another folder. "It's not my fault the team sucks."

Astrid chuckled as Agent Haddock continued.

"I am now your professional escort, Miss Hofferson. I am ordered to accompany you, on your flight, to Paris and then I am free to go. I will be masquerading as someone else, so you will make no reference to my being a soldier, Astrid. Is it OK if I call you that?"

"Sure," Astrid replied. "As long as I can call you something other than Agent. I have to if I'm going to pretend you're someone else. What's your name, sniper boy?"

"Well, my real name is Henry," Agent Haddock answered with his cocky grin. "But I'm going to have a code name for the trip, so forget that. Let's see who the Colonel has decided to make me this time. I'm supposed to be 'undercover.' I'm guessing he made me a damn janitor or a schoolteacher so that I'm not considered a soldier."

Astrid laughed. "It would be REALLY fun to act as someone else for a little while. I'd love it."

"Well, you may have to," Agent Haddock answered. "This is a dual effort here. The Colonel might have changed me to be your brother or some shit like that."

"That sounds really cool. Come on, read it." Astrid was excited. She felt like she was in the middle of a Mission Impossible movie.

Agent Haddock raised his eyebrows as he stared at the paper he was holding. In his other hand he held a fake ID.

"You're not going to believe this," he muttered, shaking his head. "Just when I thought things couldn't possibly get ANY worse."

"What is it?" Astrid asked, putting down her coffee. "Who are you? What has your name been changed to? And do I get to pretend to be someone else?"

Henry Haddock looked up. "Who WE are, you mean. You are still the same. However, my name has been changed from Henry Haddock to Steve Hofferson." He grinned.

"And I'm now your husband."


HA HA HA! I'm throwing in a NEW plot twist! Mr. and Mrs. Hofferson coming up next chapter! Awesome! A cocky US Special Forces sniper and a smart, pretty girl are now on a five hour flight to Paris together! Fuck YEA! Look out for next chapter to see how this crazy stuff goes down. Review, follow, and fav if you like this story! See ya next time.

Yeah, and I remembered the blue eyes this time. :)

Over.

NatB.