Fast Forward
Chapter 6
Hannah looked over the satellite images of El Norte's compound. She made notes, drew floorplans where passageways were and was a wealth of information where all of El Norte's commandos were concerned. She knew their names, approximate ages and what their vices were. Sasha made a remark that Hannah could have a bright future in Navy Intelligence but was immediately shot down by Mike's darkened look and the fact that Hannah seemed to have no interest in it. All she seemed interested in was the women and children being evacuated and to get back to Mike's house. She was not in the plan making phase, just in a recovery phase and Mike and Tom were both thrilled to oblige that.
The one argument she and Mike had was that she wanted to go back to the compound to help evacuate the women and children. Her reason was that they would know and trust her. Mike wanted her nowhere close to El Norte. Mike understood both sides. Hannah was a valuable intelligence resource and Tom understood it from Mike's perspective. He didn't want Hannah in El Norte's clutches either.
Andrea had sent Mike an email with all of the details of Hannah's room and wardrobe. All Hannah had to do when she got home was rest, recover and bond with her younger siblings. The one thing that she asked Mike to do, was before they even went home; was to go to Christine and Quinn's gravesite. He thought she needed to recover a bit before she went there but Hannah disagreed. They actually didn't agree on a lot. Tom paused outside of Mike's stateroom and listened to the argument.
"Dad, I just want to go to my mom and sister's grave once we get to Florida. You visit there, right?" Hannah questioned.
"I do but it's emotionally exhausting and I don't think you are ready to go. I am just trying to look out for you." Mike lectured.
"I am twenty, Dad. I promise to rest and relax as soon as you get me home but I want to go to Mom and Quinn first." Hannah told him.
"Why?" Mike questioned. Tom groaned at the tone he was using.
"Because…I need to apologize." Hannah said tearfully. Tom decided to interrupt before it went any further. He understood Hannah's reasoning a little better. If Mike wouldn't take her to the graves; he would. He understood about blaming oneself for a death. He knocked on the door and Mike yelled for him to enter. Hannah had walked into the bedroom area and shut the door behind her. Mike shook his head and rubbed his face.
"I don't get it. I am just trying to protect her." Mike confided.
"I get what you're doing but I also understand Hannah's perspective. Mike, she's been an island for ten years. She raised herself. The past four years; she was forced into a relationship with a monster. He told her when she could eat, sleep, study, who she could associate with, what she wore, when she had sex and how. Now; we are essentially doing the same thing, with the exception of the sex thing—" Tom warned.
"Yeah, I would prefer she not do that anytime soon." Mike interrupted.
"Well, she probably won't for a while. Hell, we have even told her what job she's going to have, what her bedroom and clothes will look like. The one area that she has control of; grieving for her mother and sister, you are trying to take away. You've had the opportunity to grieve for them and move on; especially where Christine was concerned. She has not. Every fiber of her being, all of her energy has gone into just surviving. These three months is going to be pivotal for her because she isn't only grieving; she is figuring out life without her mother and sister in it. Brother too. You've already got that figured out and you can and should help her. I get it, it's painful to watch her go through; but it was painful for us to watch you grieve too. We had to step back and let the chips fall. Hannah is strong; resilient but she absolutely has to go through this because if she doesn't…you've heard about how geniuses lose their mind? Hannah will crack up." Tom continued his warning.
"I'm not telling her she can't grieve for them; I just don't think going to the grave right off the bat is a good idea." Mike argued.
"Mike, she has been through an unspeakable hell. She may cry, cuss, even lose her mind for a bit; but she has to do this. In going to her mom and Quinn's grave; she is putting what has happened to her in that hole with them; so to speak. It's a matter of survival and you don't want her taking that home with her. As far as her helping us; she has a point. She has spent the last ten years, studying that compound. She knows every nook and cranny, every person and detail. I don't want her close to El Norte either. And the one way you and I can insure that he doesn't hurt her again is to go with her. It will take some restraint on both of our parts to not rip his heart out with our bare hands but she's worth it." Tom encouraged Mike as he sat at the edge of the desk. Mike was in the chair and was fidgeting.
"Why are you doing this?" Mike asked.
"If the roles were reversed; you would giving me the same talk if it was Ashley or even Sam in there. This isn't about taking El Norte down. This is about giving Hannah her control and her dignity back. We can't give her childhood back, her mother or sister back, or her virginity back but we can give her control and dignity. El Norte is a small matter in the grand scheme of things." Tom told him.
"True. I just hate the idea of subjecting her to face the monster that has held her captive for a decade. She's my baby." Mike said quietly.
"I get that. I do. You or I will be with her constantly; hell, we'll double up if we need to. She will not face him alone. He made her into a weapon and now; we are going to use that weapon against him." Tom stated as he stood back up. Hannah had opened the bedroom door and was hesitating coming back in the room. "Hannah; you'd better rest up. The strike starts tonight about one am. Is that a good time?" Tom asked.
"It won't be bad. That time of night, the commandos are in the camp generally. They're…distracted with the women." Hannah admitted.
"Alright. Rest up." Tom told her as he walked to the door. He had no more gotten it open, than Kara Green appeared with a stricken look on her face. "Captain, what's wrong?" Tom asked. Kara indicated that she needed in the stateroom and Tom shut the door behind them.
"Sir…um…apparently we were wrong in the assumption that they weren't watching your house. They broke in and…" Kara struggled and Mike had a terrified look on his face.
"What?" Mike asked.
"They beat up Andrea pretty badly. She has a pretty severe concussion, broken ribs, and lots of bruising. Kendall, Tommy, and the twins are okay but they got Kami." Kara told them carefully.
"They…got Kami? Where is she? Where is my baby?" Mike said as he stood up. Hannah was in the middle of the room, also looking scared.
"They've apparently kidnapped her. They chartered a private jet using one of El Norte's aliases. Apparently they've taken her to the compound." Kara filled them in.
"We need to strike now. We have to get her out of there. She's three." Mike said forcefully.
"Hannah; how did they treat small children?" Tom asked.
"El Norte loves kids. It's the commandos you need to worry about. They were pretty horrible to the ones that lived at the farm. I actually think because of his obsession with me; Kami will be alright." Hannah told them but it did nothing for Mike.
"Alright? She's three! She's terrified. Her world is small…She…" Mike had choked up. The truth was, Mike favored Kami slightly. He loved all of his kids but Kami's personality had always reminded him of Hannah.
"Hannah, why don't you lay down for that nap? Kara, is Andrea where Mike could call her?" Tom asked; hoping that Andrea could calm her husband.
"Yes; she's already back home. Mom is with her. She and Frankie have all but moved into your house, sir." Kara told Mike.
"Mike; call Andrea. That isn't a request." Tom ordered as he and Kara left the room to revamp.
"Dad, I'm sorry. I never thought…" Hannah tried apologizing and hugging Mike but he was too upset.
"Sure you are; you'd better just hope that we get her back and she isn't hurt. Not a scratch on her little body." Mike told her angrily. Hannah had a stricken look.
"I didn't cause this." Hannah argued.
"No but you definitely didn't help it either. Go in and go to sleep so we can get her back sooner." Mike instructed.
"Yes, sir." Hannah agreed tearfully, more because Mike was scaring her and she needed to get away from him. She walked back into the bedroom and shut the door. Mike sat down at the desk and pulled his wallet out to look at his pictures. He pulled one out of him and Kami. He was wearing his dress whites and she was wearing a pair of bib overalls. She had handed him a flower and Andrea captured the moment. When he put it back in his wallet; he saw the one of his 'first family.' He immediately focused on Quinn and Lucas. Gone, forever. He wouldn't see them grow up, choose a career or partner, get married or hold their babies. He could hear Hannah softly crying in the next room and knew that he had treated her poorly. It really was not her fault and he wasn't sure why he lashed out at her. Instead of calling Andrea like he had been told to do; he got up and opened the door to the bedroom. Hannah was lying on the bed with her back to the entrance, curled into a fetal position. It made him realize how emotionally fragile she was. He sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulder.
"Look, I'm sorry. I crossed a line in there. This is not your fault in anyway. You warned us and we ignored it. I can't take the words back, sweetheart but I can apologize for them. I just want Kami back but I also want you. I am scared that you will get back to the compound and end up staying there. I want nothing more than to take you home." Mike told her gently.
"I don't want to stay there and I want Kami back too. My question is; are you mad at me because I lived and Mom and Quinn didn't? Maybe that is why you don't want to take me to their grave?" Hannah said as she turned to face Mike. Her face with streaked by tears and she looked completely hopeless.
"No, sweetie. NO! I don't blame you at all. I blame myself and El Norte and his bunch. You're innocent in this. I will take you to the grave. I just thought you needed some time to recover first. But you're right. You need to go and I need to be the one that takes you there. It is just hard." Mike admitted as he dried Hannah's tears. She had sat up and was resting her chin against her knee.
"Okay. Give me an hour or so and I will be ready. I want to get Kami back too. Why don't you go call Andrea?" Hannah suggested.
"I will. I love you, sweetie. So, so much." Mike assured Hannah before giving her a kiss on the cheek and getting up.
"Love you too." Hannah told him. She was already lying down and Mike knew she would be asleep soon. He walked into the living area and called Andrea, prepared to be the voice of reassurance.
"Hey, babe." Andrea's voice sounded tired but just as warm as always.
"Hey, how are you?" Mike asked.
"I'm okay…worn out. Thank God for Debbie." Andrea told him.
"Yeah. We are going on a mission tonight back to the compound to get our baby girl. She's priority number one." Mike told her, trying to reign in his own emotions.
"I expected nothing less. She'll be alright." Andrea tried reassuring him.
"That's what Hannah says too but these people are animals." Mike argued.
"El Norte was here. He promised me that he wouldn't let her get hurt. He wants Hannah back but I told him that probably wouldn't happen. I think he's accepted it. I do agree with you where his…commandos are concerned. He was quite upset about how they beat me up and wouldn't allow them to do anything else." Andrea informed him.
"That's odd. He's a psychopath." Mike argued.
"He is. No doubt. It's hard to explain but I truly think he was being honest. I want Kami out of there too. She must be so scared." Andrea agreed.
"I know. God, I feel terribly. I should have been there." Mike replied.
"You need to be where you are. Hannah needed you there and it puts you that much closer to Kami when she's found. She is going to be thrilled to see her daddy. She has wanted you to take her on a tiger cruise." Andrea encouraged.
"Hell of a way to get that." Mike agreed. Kami had been begging for it since she was two. She was fascinated by ships. She had been too young to go on a cruise.
"Leave it to Kami. Seriously, Mike, I am okay. Bumps and lots of bruises. I won't look too pretty when you see me next time. Get our girls home and you be careful." Andrea ordered.
"I will. How are the other kids?" Mike asked.
"The twins are okay. Kendall and Tommy are pretty upset but they'll be alright. They aren't even fighting." Andrea told him.
"That's a first. Tell them I will get Sissy home and that I love them both." Mike agreed.
"Will do." Andrea confirmed.
"I love you and I am really sorry." Mike said.
"I love you too and you have nothing to be sorry for. Now, go, get our girl, take her for a ride on the ship and then get her and her older sister home." Andrea ordered.
"Yes, ma'am. I will call you once I get Kami back." Mike promised
"Works. Be careful." Andrea told him before hanging up.
Andrea had given him just the hope he needed. Mike got up and checked on Hannah who was sound asleep. He threw an extra blanket over her and decided to go to the officer wardroom so that he didn't wake her up. Mike put a note on the nightstand and headed for the wardroom that was abuzz with activity. Tom was looking at the floorplans and satellite images.
"I spoke with Andrea and Hannah is resting. Wants us to give her an hour or so. They both seem to think that Kami will be alright with El Norte. He went as far as promising Andrea. Kept his commandos from hurting her any…differently. I don't trust him because he seems to want Hannah back as a trade. It's not a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Mike stated.
"We'll give her three. That'd be about right. Green and Wolf are surveilling the place now. Says they have visual confirmation on El Norte and Kami. She was on a back patio…here, picking flowers. Looks alright. We are going to double team Hannah and our primary focus is El Norte and getting Kami. I really don't know what to make of him. The others will deal with the commandos and work on getting those woman and kids evacuated. The Mitchener is standing by for assistance." Tom filled Mike in as he pointed at the patio where Kami had been seen.
"So Kami looked okay? That's my main concern. That and that Hannah doesn't get trapped. He wants her back." Mike asked.
"Yeah. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you but they said she was picking flowers. Not a scratch on her that they could see. Wolf wanted to grab her but knew that if he did; they wouldn't be getting out of there. They are keeping an eye out for her." Tom reassured him.
"He's a psychopath but I think he actually as an ounce of humanity in him. Just an ounce though. I still want him…I haven't decided. I'd love to slit his throat like he did to Christine and Quinn but part of me wants to take his privacy, his dignity and his independence away like he did with Hannah. I don't really know what I want." Mike admitted.
"I get that. He probably won't get out of this alive. President Graham did uphold the kill order for him." Tom told him.
"Yeah, I figured." Mike agreed. He wouldn't be upset either way.
"How's Andrea?" Tom asked.
"She's downplaying. Worried about Kami but you know Andrea. She won't admit if she is scared or hurt. Joking about Kami finally getting her tiger cruise." Mike told him.
"There is one way of looking at it. Hopefully Kami won't be terribly traumatized." Tom worried.
"I hope not. The one advantage is; she is young enough; she may not remember this." Mike agreed.
"Mike, we got this handled. Why don't you go get some rest as well? You look like death warmed over. Have you slept at all?" Tom asked.
"Not much. I let Hannah have the bed so she could have some privacy. I don't exactly fit on those couches." Mike admitted.
"Well, go lay down anyway. Use my quarters if need be." Tom ordered and Mike nodded.
"I think I will. But I will go back to my own quarters. Will you wake us up when it's time?" Mike agreed.
"Yep. Go." Tom gestured at him. Mike stood up and squeezed Tom's shoulder on the way by. He walked back to his quarters, check on Hannah who was thankfully asleep and laid down on one of the couches. When they got Kami back; he would have to figure out different sleeping arrangements but knew that Kami wouldn't go far from him. He knew by that night; he could have her back with them.