A/N Thank you for the reviews. Here's the next small chapter.
Mack knocked on the Colonel's door and heard, "Enter!" barked at him in response. Mack walked in. "Colonel," he said, standing at attention.
"At ease and sit down," he said, standing up. Mack sat down. "What the hell happened last night?" Mack was silent. "You were on assignment, weren't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you complete your mission?"
"No, sir, but I will."
"What went wrong?"
Mack set his jaw. "I've been asked not to say."
"Oh, like hell!" exclaimed the Colonel, slamming his hands down on his desk. "When the girl that has been like a daughter to me since she was five is involved, I'll be damned if you'll pull that shit with me. I am ordering you to give me an answer, Sergeant!"
"It has been handled, sir."
"What was handled?" Mack sat silent. "Are you going to make me watch the whole fucking tape or are you going to start talking."
"Sir, if you respect Miss Woods' privacy you won't."
He was leaning on his hands and as he looked up Mack saw as much concern as fear and angry in his eyes. He had never seen the Colonel this wild. It was like watching himself in the mirror. That was how he had felt not too long ago.
The Colonel kept his eyes locked with Mack, regaining his composure. "Well, you don't leave me much choice."
"Sir, I know you have to do what you have to do, but I stand by my actions."
The Colonel hit play on the remote and watched as the videotape came up. "You're dismissed. I'll find you when I'm through."
"Yes, sir." He stood up and saluted him, before walking out. He leaned against the door, hearing the music from the recording. He looked at his watch. Jonas was meeting him early to go over the plans before the whole team was there. Pulling away from the door, he walked down the hall and to the downstairs where the Alpha Team room was, but the images from the night before were angrily dancing in his head to the notes from the recording. He sat down and waited for Jonas to come in.
"This isn't going to be easy," said Jonas as he walked in.
"Never is," said Mack. "I'll understand if you don't want in."
"Partners don't quit on each other. We've been together too long to separate now." He grinned. "Besides someone's gotta keep your sorry ass alive."
"I think it's the other way around," said Mack.
"Maybe, but let's take a look at the plans."
Bob rushed in with his bag. "Ukraine," he exclaimed out of breath.
"What?" asked Mack.
"I traced him to Kharkiv a city near the Russian border. He's keeping a low profile, but he's there."
"I doubt for personal purposes," said Mack, raising his eyebrow and giving the group a sarcastic look.
"I don't think so either, considering he's been meeting with some interesting people there," said Bob.
"Now for the plan," said Jonas.
"You got one?" asked Bob.
Jonas looked at Mack. "Mack has the lead on this one."
"We get on a plane to the Ukraine and attack him at whatever hole in the wall he's in."
Bob shook his head. "He'll be expecting that."
Mack folded his arm across his chest. "Good we want him to run, but we want to make it like a rat maze, so there's only one way for him to escape."
"Mack, this guy is smart. The hardest thing for us to do will be to outsmart him," said Bob.
Jonas watched them intently, waiting to see what they would come up with.
"We've got to make him think he's better than us. Make him underestimate us," said Mack.
Bob furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Sometimes you've got to lose, to win."
Jonas smiled. "Ain't that the truth."