An inconsistency was brought to my attention. I rewrote a little bit toward the end of the chapter. I hope this helps make things a little neater.
*/*/*/
"Johnson! Kowalski! Report! Any signs of Rico yet?"
"Negative." "No,sir."
"We need to find him before he gets to the military base! His badge alone won't get him into the base. They just changed the password and he needs to know the new one."
"What's the new password?"
"Dolphin. If you see Rico, be sure to give it to him."
"Aye, aye." "Yes, sir."
Dani's boyfriend smiled and nodded to her. "We can get onto the base now." For the past few nights, Dani had been telling him about Rico. The way he talked and moved. He had cut his hair to match the picture on the ID badge. Dani used makeup to give him a scar on the side of his face. "Lets go."
*/*/*/
Skipper turned off his communication device and nodded to the commander of the military base. "Now we just wait for someone to use that password. They'll probably use it soon, since they'll be worried that we'll find Rico before they get here."
Kowalski turned off his device. "Skipper, did you have to use that word?"
Skipper smirked at him. "Do you have a problem with that word, Kowalski?"
Kowalski dropped his eyes. "No, sir," he muttered, turning red.
"Good. Now turn your communication device back on. We need you and Johnson to keep up the allusion that you're still looking for Rico. Manfredi. Rico. Lets go fishing."
*/*/*/
"State your name!"
"Rico." The man held up the ID badge.
"What's the password?"
"Dol'in."
"Who's that with you?"
"Oh, I'm his girlfriend," Dani purred. "Surely big, strong men like you aren't afraid of me."
"No but you should be afraid of us."
Both people turned to the new voice behind them. It belonged to a man with a flat crew cut. Beside him were a man with an eyepatch and the real Rico. A couple dozen armed people quickly surrounded the couple. The man with the crew cut said, "the game's up. Best to come quietly."
Though both resisted, they couldn't outmatch the group. They were both quickly subdued and handcuffed. Dani still fought against her captors, but only enough to get her near Rico.
"Rico," she said, coaxingly. "Amorcito." That word made Rico feel nauseous. "You wouldn't let them take me away, would you?" She batted her eyes at him. He felt sick. He turned away from her. She touched his shoulder, but he pulled away, a look of disgust on his face.
"Take them away," Skipper said.
*/*/*/
Skipper found Rico in the military base's training room. Rico punched and kicked at the hanging bag. He felt disgusted. He had let a woman compromise the mission. Because of love, he might get kicked out of the only place he felt he belonged. How could he have been so stupid? He hated how mushy he'd been; How stupid he'd been over a woman. He wanted to throw up.
"How about you give that bag a rest and fight a real person?"
Rico readily agreed. A bag couldn't fight back. It couldn't punish him and he felt that he needed to be punished. This was pretty evident to Skipper after Rico kept losing each bout. After about the 12th time that Skipper threw Rico to the floor, the younger man stayed there. After a few moments, Rico struggled up to a sitting position. Skipper sat down next to him.
"I know you've had your heart broken, Rico. But, trust me, it'll mend."
Rico nodded, but stayed quiet for a few minutes. Finally he asked, quietly, "Ah sta'?"
"Well, of course, you can stay. I'm not going to kick you off the team."
"Bu' yu sai'."
"Yes, I know what I said. I was angry and...scared. I thought something had happened to you. We had only just found out who Dani was and we thought she had killed you." Skipper stopped as he realized that Rico asked. "Wait. Is that what you're upset about? You thought I was going to kick you out?" Rico nodded sadly.
"I told you I wouldn't if the mission succeeded and it did Did you think I was still going to kick you out?"
Rico nodded again. "Ah mes u'. Rea' ba'".
"Yes, you did. But you're human, regardless of how others treat you. We all mess up sometimes, Rico. There are reasons I'm not allowed back in Denmark." Seeing the questioning look on Rico's face, he quickly added, "that's classified information, soldier." After a few moments of silence, Skipper spoke again. "And even if we had failed, I wouldn't have kicked you out. I think you are a valued member of this team and wild horses couldn't drag you from us."
For the second time that night, Skipper was surprised by the younger man hugging him. He could feel Rico shaking and heard him sniffling. 'well,' he thought, 'I'll let it go this once.' He put his arms around Rico and held him till he stopped shaking. "Now then. How about some real fighting, soldier!"
Later that night, a slightly bruised Skipper looked in on Rico. Since their mission was done, they were staying on the military base till their flight in two days' time. Rico was curled up on a bottom bunk. Skipper smiled to see the young man fast asleep; his beloved doll held close to his chest.
