Chapter Fourteen

"Oscar, I've wondered before but you just made it official – you have lost your mind!" Rudy fretted. "You can't possibly be considering giving Jaime an assignment!"

"I'm not 'considering' it," Oscar clarified. "I need her, Rudy. There's no considering to be done."

"Well, I won't allow it!"

"You've released her from the hospital and -"

"And she's still under my care!" Rudy bristled across the room and closed his office door. "Jaime is in no shape to work. Maybe in another couple of weeks -"

"I need her now," Oscar insisted. "It's urgent."

"It's always urgent with you," Rudy pointed out. "Whatever it is, send Steve instead."

"I plan on it. They'll be working together."

Rudy's head whirled with the possible implications. "Oh, that makes it so much better."

After Jaime had politely turned down his offer to help her get settled back in at home, Steve returned to Summer Maiden. His charter schedule for the next week was empty, since he'd left that time open for Jaime, so he now had more time than he ever could've wanted to spend relaxing, reflecting and...thinking. He was down in his quarters, contemplating a glass of scotch when he heard Oscar's voice.

"You down there, Pal?"

"So you wanna do a little fishing before you go back to DC?" Steve asked jovially as he ascended the half-flight of stairs. Then he saw the suit and tie. "Uh-uh...forget it. No more favors, Oscar. I'm out of business, remember?"

"Let's sit down," Oscar suggested. He shook his head to decline the glass of scotch Steve held out to him. "I'm sure you remember Fortress," he began.

"Lyle Stenning's group. Stole our munitions and sold them to the enemy. Nice guys. They kind of died off after the 70's, though. Their leader going to prison probably had a lot to do with it."

"I'm sure it did," Oscar confirmed. "But they're back in business."

"Stenning's out?" Steve asked, stunned. "I thought he had another ten years – at least."

"They're under new leadership and they've raided three of our munitions warehouses in the last thirty days. On last night's run, they took out four security guards and a civilian. Intel reports no sign of any of the stolen merchandise turning up for sale, so -"

"They're hoarding it," Steve concluded. "But for what?"

"That's what we need to find out."

"We?Now wait a minute, Oscar! I told you -"

"And I'm telling you– I need your help on this one, Pal."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not asking a favor here?"

Oscar ignored the question. "I'm putting my best people on this. A small team – just two people – since more would only attract their attention."

"I can't be your Superman anymore, Oscar. I can't go running around saving the world from itself when I'm..." Then it sunk in. "Your best twopeople...?"

"I need your eye, Jaime's ear and every ability the two of you -"

"No way. Oscar, you can't be serious. She just got out of the hospital!"

"Which means she's healthy."

"Besides, Jaime doesn't trust me right now. Hell, I don't think she even likes me at this point!"

"I'm sure you can both put feelings aside long enough to get this done," Oscar told him.

"And for the record, I don't appreciate your talking about the two of us in terms of our body parts. You need 'her ear' and 'my eye'. What about the people attached to those multi-million dollar pieces of equipment?"

"I need the people most of all," Oscar clarified, very quietly. "I'm sorry for putting it that bluntly, but your abilities – and Jaime's – make you the ideal team for this assignment. You're familiar with Fortress and -"

"Jaime isn't," Steve argued.

"No, but she can open safes, hear things you'd never pick up without a sophisticated monitoring system that we don't have time to put into place...and you've been a successful team in the past. You work well together."

"We used to. Have you talked to Jaime yet?"

"I sent Russ over to pick her up. They'll meet us at the office in one hour."

"And Rudy's alright with this?"

"Rudy knows," Oscar said truthfully. He left out the fact that he was activating Jaime into service against her doctors' wishes. Some things were simply better left unsaid.