SFC Shanna O'Hara

Re: Operation Titan

Scarlett, I have asked Tony what exactly Operation Titan entails; in usual fashion he is not being very forthcoming. I have enclosed the PDF abstract that he sent me. I do have a dinner scheduled tomorrow with Col. Rhodes to discuss the military projects he is working on I will follow up with him and get back to you.

Pepper Potts

CEO Stark Industries

"There you are." Joe team's First Sergeant Duke, strode across the room in an attempt to reach his wife. He grumbled as he had to dodge a few Joes that were working on their hand to hand combat moves. Reaching Scarlett, he gave her hand a quick squeeze. Instead of the quick kiss he leaned in to steal, his face was touching the tablet in her hand. His expression of surprise caused her to giggle. With a growl he pulled the electronic device out of her hands.

He quickly regretted it, Duke wasn't a dummy, he had graduated college by taking advantage of free courses and the GI Bill, his major was Military Science, not Medical Gobbledygook. "So what do you think?" her southern twang interrupted him trying to read.

"I hate to say it, you might want to ask Falcon" did those words really come out of his mouth? Scanning the training area his eyes fell on a tall, Italian man who was currently getting his ass kicked by the team's resident bounty hunter, Jinx. Duke let out a shrill whistle. The noise caused his half-brother to look up and loose focus on the woman in front of him, allowing her an opening to give him an elbow to the side of the head.

Duke watched as Falcon picked up the smaller woman, say something to her, whilst ignoring the glare she gave him. Falcon turned to make his way toward Duke and Scarlett, as Jinx straightened herself, pulled back her arm, and beaned him with a bottle of water. Duke's half-brother eyes narrow turned knowing it was Jinx; yet, she was in deep conversation with a group of green shirts.

Falcon shook his head, a small smile played his lips, it was obvious that Falcon had payback in mind for Jinx later.

"Little brother surprised the hell out of you didn't he?" Duke looked down at his wife.

"That he is a hell of a nurse?" Duke rubbed the back of his neck, trying desperately to hide the look of pride in his face. The only reason Falcon became a Joe was for Duke to keep an eye on him after their mother's death. His first month he had been caught in dereliction of duty, and court martialed. Though he had redeemed himself, his true talents appeared in Paris when Flint had been shot by the Baroness. Saving the team's Executive Officer had opened up a world for Falcon that he was excelling at.

"Soon to be Nurse Practitioner." The young Captain smiled. Duke's glared handing him the tablet. His brother immediately started reading his boyish smile turned into a frown. Absently he took a drink of water. Then more reading, after a minute he was digging through his backpack pulling out a notebook and pen. Then the chicken scratch.

Duke's face furrowed, the look on Falcon's face he had seen it on his stepfather's face many times before when he was trying to figure out some incredible problem in his head. Falcon mirrored it perfectly as he read. Something in that expression didn't bode well for the First Sergeant. Duke was about to ask him what he was thinking when a banging noise caught his attention.

Looking up Duke shook his head when he saw a frantically motioning Ninja struggling to stay upright as two Joes wrestled around him. Navy vs. Marines, the never ending debate that often came to fisticuffs between Leatherneck and Wetsuit. Snake-Eyes had tried to break the pair up so engrossed in their 'discussion' that the silent assassin was being ignored. There was some humor watching Snakes having to fight from being dragged down into the floor.

"Snakes, why didn't you ask for help?" Scarlett didn't bother to hide her exasperation.

Duke joined Scarlett as she waded into the brawl, Snake Eye's hands moved in sharp movements punctuated by grunts to show his displeasure. "I have been trying to get your attention for a few minutes."

Duke stifled a chuckle, which caused the Ninja to throw up his hands. Shaking his fist, he pointed down at his boot and tried to get it free. The First Sergeant reached down slightly afraid what he might pull up thankfully his hand closing around Wetsuit's ankle, Scarlett took the other ankle and they pulled him away from the Marine. Snake Eyes placed his foot on Leatherneck's chest putting enough pressure to keep the man from moving.

Squabbles between team was par for the course in the Joe team. High stress missions, working long hours in close quarters, Duke often looked at them with a grain of humor. Scarlett and Cover Girls four-month battle of cattiness, Gung-Ho and Doc not talking to each other for four days, and then Lady Jaye and Flint row that had them toe to toe both screaming in different languages. The latter was the most humorous, especially when Jaye turned to Gaelic and Flint to Cherokee, neither had a clue what the other is saying. Those arguments blew over; Scarlet and Cover Girl were friends again, the Marine and Physician were playing golf together in no time then everyone on the team knew the outcome of Flint and Lady Jaye.

Wetsuit and Leathernecks, their bickering like an old married couple irritated even the most laidback of the Joe team. Duke was first to admit that as First Sergeant he had to have a little more patience; even he had a breaking point. "That's it Sailor give me fifty. You too Marine." The two men turned over on their stomachs complaining that it was the others fault. Duke sent them a heated look shutting them up. Still angry, however more importantly silent the two men began the motion of push-ups.

Walking back to Falcon, Duke noticed he was reading through the many pages of notes he had written in the small amount of time. The frown on his half brothers face was deep, something gave the First Sergeant pause. "I sent a copy of this to myself." He was already packing up his gear. "I need to ask Doc a few questions. Psyche Out really needs to be brought in on this." He rubbed his neck. "Scarlett can you see who got permission to access our medical files especially after that Time article?"

The southern bell nodded her head, "It will take a while, Mainframe is backlogged slightly with the Miami and Bogota missions, plus the intelligence that Cover Girl and Beachhead were able to bring back from New Orleans."

"You don't think that Stark is interested in Lady Jaye?" Duke had not been sold on the article, he had worried that it might drudge up some enemy's from Lady Jaye or Scarlett's past. He hadn't thought that Stark industries would use the article to become interested in Jaye's injuries.

Falcon looked at his notes. "I need to double check my notes from that night," He sighed looping his arms through one of the straps on his backpack. "Jaye physically is a perfect candidate for this."

"Let me ask around to some sister units see if any of them have had the same request." Scarlett looked troubled, hopefully this was the far future, somewhere down the road. When the project did get up and running, Jaye would no longer be a viable candidate.

"MARINES!" Leatherneck's voice cut through their thoughts.

"NAVY YOU BLOCK HEAD!" Wetsuit countered.

The argument between the two adversaries had resumed with gusto. Scarlett shook her head as she strode back over to the two men. "Your freaking kidding me!"

Duke went to turn to help his wife, Falcon's hand on his arm stopped him. "I didn't want to scare Scarlett." Pulling up a website he showed him a picture of the brain. "Sight has to be tied to memory. Best case scenario: I'm being overly concerned, worst case scenario: everything we know about Lady Jaye could be lost, wiped away."

"The odds of this working?" Duke looked at the picture.

"It's not the odds, it's if those on the Hill want to try to see if this works." He looked at his brother "If they want her, they will back us into a corner, either we play ball or we lose her." Falcon looked his brother in his eyes. "What do you think will happen if they try and take her away."

"Frank Castle all over again." Duke swore. Frank Castle an ex-Marine and former Joe turned vigilante. Spurred by the death of his wife and children the man had taken the law into himself, even today when his path crossed his former teammates it usually was with not so good intentions.

Duke knew that if the government tried to step in try to take Lady Jaye away from the team. Flint would do whatever it took to get her back. Not to mention the other Joes, this was a family, as corny as it sounded, family took care of each other. He looked up to see Scarlett dragging Leatherneck by the collar of his PT uniform across the matts. Sure they were dysfunctional at times; but, still a family.

The constant stream of FBI personnel walking in and out of the door across the hall from them, had aroused Airtight's curiosity "Hey Trip, don't you think it's odd that we need an escort in a FBI building?" Airtight watched as another person left the room nodding to the two guards at the door. He allowed the compulsion to wave at the sentries to overtake him, his rewarded were blank stares. "I mean I would think that our clearance should trump these yahoos."

Tripwire looked up from placing a container with the ball bearings into a padded case, examining the scene he sighed. "What are you thinking?"

"Why would they not want us in a room with a bunch of dead bodies?" Airtight pointed to the sign that read autopsy.

"Zombies?" Tripwire joked but his eyes narrowed as he thought about the guarding of the dead bodies, "It is odd, normally if they guard a room it's the files. Not the bodies."

"The Lab has finished with the tests." The lab tech Riley walked in holding the reports. "I hate to break it to you; but, there was only one C4 on the nodes. Sorry guys."

Tripwire nodded, at first glance he was taking what the lab tech said at face value. Airtight though had a feel for the EOD specialist, Tripwire knew his bombs. If by sight the man felt, there had been two different C4s on the connectors, odds where he was right. What the hell was going on here?

"As much as I hate to say it Jaye is going to be pissed." Airtight happy he was right; he still wasn't looking forward to the 'I told you so conversation'.

"She's not going to be pissed." Tripwire read the report.

"But you heard the tech." Airtight inclined his head over to Riley who was back at his terminal working on another case.

"I also know that bomb, there was no way there was only one block of C4, especially with the information that Jaye just sent." He showed him the text and the pictures she took. "They moved the bomb away from the baring wall. Take a look at the carpet." He showed him the indention. "The FBI wants us to leave."

"They were the ones that called us in." Airtight's confusion was growing.

"Because they want it to look like they are playing nice." Tripwire looked at him. "Odds are they know they lost this case so whatever is behind the door is their next big media spotlight."

"Why hide it from us?" Airtight wondering what was so damn important behind the door?

Tripwire followed Airtight's glare, "That question is more up Intelligence's alley."

"So our only avenue is to pack up, report to Flint and Lady Jaye about what is going on?" Airtight didn't like the sound of that, the two officers would not be happy that all they had were gut feelings. "So if Abby comes back with the same results?"

"Then we all need a vacation." Tripwire shrugged.

Before Airtight could respond Special Agent Kelly walked in wearing her sensible shoes. "How are you gentlemen doing?" Airtight and Tripwire couldn't help but hear in her voice 'are you two done yet I am tired of babysitting.' The woman really needed to take lessons from Lady Jaye on how to keep a poker face.

"You mean we haven't won you over with our winning personalities?" Tripwire picked up the timer prepping a case to ship it.

"No." The sneer was evident. She really needed to take lessons.

"So you are in a hurry to get rid of us." Tripwire didn't bother to hide a smile.

"No I'm not," She gritted out. "I just have other cases. I would like to put this one to bed."

"Don't worry," Airtight stepped in to defuse the situation "Were just waiting for our guys to bring us a few containers, its slow moving due to the fact that they need an escort as well. A couple more hours we will be out of your hair."

Airtight looked to Tripwire for conformation of his statement; but, the man just blinked and narrowed his eyes. There are advantages when people have stereotyped you, Flint can play the dumb country boy to the hilt, Cover Girl does a mean ditzy blonde and Trip it's to his advantage in having the world think he is a klutz, when he does it on purpose no one thinks twice.

On his way back to the case he pretended to trip, the timer flew up in the air. Tripwire made an exciting show of trying to catch it only at the last minute he let it slip through his fingers. The timer shattered on impact. Tiny pieces of plastic skittered across the room plus something Airtight was not expecting.

"Good one Trip." It was hard for Airtight to cover his pleasure at his partners quick thinking with irritation.

"What are these?" Tripwire picked up a pin of the US flag.

"Lapel pins" SA Kelly picking one up that was the Do Not Tread On Me Flag. The third was a pyramid with the all seeing eye.

"Why put these in the timer?" Airtight picked up the pyramid looking at it strangely.

Tripwire groaned, "Who ever put them in there was making a statement, these pins mean something to them."