Disclaimer: These characters are not mine (dammit!) and I am not making any money from them. Just doing for the characters and the story what I think it needs and that the author is not doing.

Author's Note: This is a Babe Story! Morelli is not terribly damaged, but does not come out a winner. I didn't go for Morelli bashing, but his personality and behavior tracks in a certain direction and that's where I went. Sorry Cupcakes!

To all my reviewers: Please keep it up! I love hearing from y'all!

The story is written somewhat in the style of the books, with Stephanie in first person. Unlike the books, you will hear the inside thoughts of some of the other characters, and there will be smut.

********Chapter 4**********

**** Ranger's POV ****

The debriefing was taking too long. I had started out normally, then about 3 days ago, a new guy was added into the questioning mix. We were told he was from the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence, which meant the part of the Senate that looked into a lot of the black ops that went on. I assumed he was doing some sort of routine audit. Then his questions got strange. And we were all getting them. The last session had me beyond furious and into cold determination. Now I was doing something I'd never done before. I was standing outside General Austin's door planning to go in and demand answers. He answered my knock and I entered, walked to the chair in front of his desk and sat down. I did not wait for an invitation to sit. I sat.

The General looked up, raised an eyebrow at me, "What's got your shorts in a knot, Colonel?" He looked me in the eye and waited.

"The questioning that is going on is out of bounds. We are done with the debrief and will be leaving for home tonight." I looked at him, carefully keeping my expression clear and waited for his response. It wasn't long.

"The questioning? What are you talking about? Your debrief should be about over anyway." The General glared at me.

I glared back. "It's not over. That little rodent from the senate committee is asking questions that have nothing to do with the operation or its outcome and everything to do with our personal lives and identities. He's even insinuated that Ramos is some sort of plant from the Cuban government. We're done."

The General stared at me blankly for a moment. "What rodent?"

"Arthur Mooreshead. He is representing the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. I was told it was routine and that he had been cleared to talk to us." I gave the General my best hard stare. I was having problems keeping my temper. I was within a millimeter of pulling everyone out and heading back home now.

General Austin stared at me a moment longer, turning red, then he moved suddenly to stab the on button in his speaker phone and demanded his assistant bring one Arthur Mooreshead to his office, immediately regardless of his current status. We waited in silence for about 15 minutes, then there was a disturbance in the outer office. The General's office door opened and Mooreshead was escorted by 2 large army MPs into the General's office and put in the other chair in front of the desk. Then the MPs left.

Mr Mooreshead brushed his jacket sleeves down and started to bluster. "What is the meaning of this? Do you realize I am here at the behest of the Senate Select Committee…"

General Austin's fist hit the desk top. "No, you are not. Any request from any Senate committee to have access to the debriefing of black ops operatives has to go through my office for approval. Since I haven't had any such request nor given any such approval, you can NOT be representing the committee. Now what the fuck are you doing here and who let you in?"

Mr Mooreshead flicked imaginary lint off his sleeve, then looked the General in the eye. "General, I believe this a discussion that should be private." He cut his eyes at me. "It concerns National Security and I don't know that anyone other than your self has clearance." He looked smug.

The General was pissed. "This involves the questioning you have been doing with a group of operatives that I don't believe you've even been cleared to even know existed. As far as I and this organization is concerned, anything you have to say right now can be said in front of the Colonel. His clearance is almost as high as mine.

Mooreshead looked patronizing, shook his head and said, "Very well. I was given the task of looking into these operatives" his lips curled into a sneer as he said the word, "and their activities on behalf of this country. We believe that there is good reason to assume these operatives," there was that sneer again, "may be endangering National Security. Their refusal to do their duty and sign their contracts proves they are." He leaned back looking smug, as if he'd just saved the world.

The General exploded. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

Mooreshead looked pained. "There is no need to shout. It has come to our attention that certain operatives," sneering again, "have strong ties to foreign governments that mean harm to America. We believe their refusal to sign continuing contracts means they are moving forward with a conspiracy to disrupt this country from within. With their skills they would be able to accomplish this with relative ease. We need to remove these people from these operations, interrogate them with whatever means are needed to get the information we need from them, and see that they are dealt with accordingly."

I swear steam was erupting from the General's ears. Of course I wasn't any less angry. But I wasn't going to waste time on angry out bursts. I was just going to snap his neck. The General began to shout, and I held up my hand, looked Mooreshead in the eye, used my best intimidation face and asked my own questions.

"Who is 'our attention', what is your evidence, and which operatives are you referring to?"

Mooreshead eyed me, shifted in his chair, swallowed, then looked at the General and acted as if I didn't exist. "Several of these men have strong ties to Cuba," he cut his eyes at me, "others have ties back into gangs and drug communities many of which have ties to South American and Middle Eastern countries trafficking in illegal drugs and whose governments are intent on harming this country. Most or all of them may not even be American Citizens. In the course of this latest adventure of theirs, they have admitted to having relationships with people who are Muslim and very likely have ties to terrorists, maybe even Al Qaeda. This is unacceptable when they are supposed to be representing the US in affecting foreign affairs. They should be jailed until such time as we can prove their infamy and be convicted of their crimes." Mooreshead was breathing heavily, his eyes were glazed and he seemed energized by his tirade. I was dumb founded and a cold feeling was curling around inside me. Ties to Cuba? What the fuck?

The General looked shocked and furious. I was contemplating how close Mooreshead was to instant death. This was the most insulting, disgusting thing I had ever heard. I took a firm grip on my temper and asked him, "And who is your source or inspiration for this news?" in my softest voice to try to get him to answer.

Mooreshead smile and puffed up. "I am assistant to Senator Issac Freeman of Arizona. He has been given information from our own confidential sources, and we intend to put a stop to these un-American activities!"

I looked at the General. I was stunned and in disbelief that this man had gotten into a secure facility, and had actually managed to get close to me and my men. I was also furious over the allegations and that cold feeling was now a full on cold alert in my gut. I waited for what the General was going to do before I made my own decisions.

The General reached over and opened the intercom again. "Please send a full security detail to my office immediately. We have a major security breach under way. I repeat, we have a major security breach under way."

Mooreshead looked smug, smiled and said "I'm glad you understand the situation here General. This will really go a long way for you and your career politically."

General Austin folded his hands on the desk, looked the man in the eye. Mooreshead seemed to have no idea he was in deep trouble. He sat in his chair, chin up, cut his eyes at me and smirked. The General raised an eyebrow. There was a knock on the door and the General barked permission to enter. 4 military police came into the room. The General held up a finger motioning them to wait a moment. Then he re-focused on Mooreshead. "You sir are despicable. None of the men you have defamed are anything other than second, third and more generation Americans. All of them have served their country to great detriment to themselves and should receive this nation's highest honors because of it. All of them have been cited by 2 different presidents for their valor and their service to their country. All of them have passed and re-passed deep psychological and background checks on themselves and their families. Before any of them even came close to this program, I knew what they had for breakfast the day they were born and every day after that. You sir, are not fit to clean vomit off their shoes. As for your vaunted clearance, you are in violation of at least 20 security laws and regulations that I can think of off the top of my head, including the Patriot Act. You are going to be held by a military court until such time as an investigation into your activities has been completed, at which time you might be handed over to civilian courts…or you might not. Get him out of my sight!"

He motioned at the police. They grabbed Mooreshead who started thrashing and yelling about getting even and how it was going to go bad and more, until one of the MPs "accidently" punched him in the gut. They then drug him out of the room and closed the door.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. This could not be happening. Not in America, not in 2011. "General, what the fuck is going on?"

General Austin was rubbing his eyes. "I'm not sure. This is the kind of political shit that has been going down for the last 2 years. It's gotten worse in the last 6 months or so. There are a lot of domestic forces moving to try to grab power and prevent anyone from stopping them before they get what they want. What they want is power. A lot of it. They've allied themselves with the extreme right wing because it is espousing the removal of the safeguards and safety net that this country has built into the federal government. This stunt was tried about 3 months ago with another branch of special ops. It failed. They're trying again with us. It's an attempt to remove power from certain people in the government. It's 21st century McCarthyism."

"So what is being done? Anything? I will not let my men of my family suffer because someone else has a hard on." I will do whatever I have to including killing if need be. This was not going to go off in my direction.

"Something is being done. The Director has something planned, even underway. I don't know what, but I know it's true. I've also asked the Director to ensure you and your team are NOT subjected to this." The General rubbed at his face. "I honestly don't know what to do about it myself. Your identities are kept a close secret. How this guy got in here and what the deal is with the Senator, I can only speculate. I will be investigating how this guy got in here and who authorized it. I'm going to have to clean house. I will apprise the Director of what's happened and demand coverage for you and your team. I can only hope the Director has a good plan in place."

I nodded. I'd never met the Director of course, but Section 31 was well run as were all the operations and I knew the Director had been personally involved in a lot of the planning. But however much I trusted the Director to cover Section 31, we were no longer part of it. Rangeman would have to set up our own coverage as well. I would also re-double efforts at identity management at Rangeman for all of us. I needed to talk to the core team and my partners to decide how best to respond to this. I had a feeling there was a lot more going on than just a Senator wanting power.

The General sighed. "In the meantime, finish up your reviews today, and I will release you and your team to leave. You are free and clear as far as your contracts are concerned, so you are off the hook for more missions. You can go as soon as I van get the paperwork to you."

"Thanks General. Please keep me posted on this issue and if you hear anything that might affect me or anyone on my team." I held to my hand to him.

He grasped my hand and shook it. "Good luck Manoso. I may have to bail on this place if this keeps up. I may need a job if I do." He was smiling.

"If that happens, feel free to call me. I can always use a new recruit." The General snorted.

"Get out of here Manoso." I saluted him, turned and left his office for the last time.

*****Notes*****

Ranger will be home soon with no more contracts. Eyebrow waggle. Conspiracies, mysteries, and secrets. Eventual HEAs.