"Nothing; the place was clean," Nathaniel vented to Apollo. He spent over an hour on Saturday afternoon meticulously going over every inch of Townsend's tent. The gloves were clean, which he expected, so was everything else. Nathaniel finally stalked into the security tent holding Townsend. He was lying on his bunk with his boots off. Nathaniel picked them up and turned and stalked off without a word. He heard Townsend yelling after him and kept going. He personally checked the boots. They were clean.
"I'm still sure it's him." Apollo slapped the table in frustration.
"I think…." Nathaniel's comm beeped. "Taylor," he redirected his focus.
"Bjenjou, Nathaniel. We had movement of a small group. We intercepted and under some blankets, we found six of the girls and boxes of food. The handlers ran, but were caught and we have them in custody. What are we to do with the girls?"
Nathaniel looked at Apollo, who reached over and grabbed the comm. "Washington here. Bring the girls to me. I want to talk with them."
"Yes, Sir."
Taylor asked a few more questions and cut the connection.
Apollo returned to his most pressing matter. "You were saying?"
Nathaniel though a moment. "I think the perpetrator may have borrowed other clothing as well as the knife."
Apollo grabbed his comm and opened a general channel. "Effective immediately, all units are in lockdown, report to your tents. You will be informed when the lockdown is lifted." He addressed Nathaniel. "Let's take that blood detector and start with the officers." He stood and grabbed his jacket, as did Nathaniel.
They started with Mallawarri and he cleared their tent check as was expected. They told him what their suspicions were and he joined them. Alex was next and he likewise passed. Apollo put Mallawarri and Alex in charge of camp and told them they'd release tents to go to the mess and latrines as each was cleared.
"Let's do my unit first as the knife was in that section," Nathaniel suggested and Apollo agreed. His unit passed. They found slight residue on a medic's boots. It typed to Cayman, but he was the main medic next to Wash and on duty with witnesses when the attack happened. Three more medics tested positive for blood residue on their boots, but it was all explained and they were cleared. It was Taylor's medical unit who was on call the night Cayman was attacked.
The entire unit came up clean so they moved on to Eagle unit. No residue of blood was on any people or equipment. Apollo was starting to wonder if they were wasting their time as each tent came up clean. They went over Townsend's tent again and once again it was uncontaminated. "I still think he's the person," Apollo growled again and threw Townsend's comm unit on his bed in frustration.
Falcon unit was last and they started with the Major's tent. He was clean so Apollo took a moment to talk with him. "Major Carpenter, tell me your take on Lieutenant Townsend."
Carpenter remained standing as two Commanders' dwarfed his tent area. "He's ambitious and doesn't like Commander Cayman much."
"Do you know what brought this dislike on?" Nathaniel probed.
"My best guess is she's a woman. He's of the opinion women shouldn't be in combat and he wasn't too happy being assigned a unit that had one for a Commander."
"So it's her gender, not personal?" Nathaniel queried.
"That's my opinion, Sir." He addressed Nathaniel as Apollo remained silent, just assessing him.
"Has he been upset about anything in particular since joining Falcon Unit?" Nathaniel kept the questions coming.
"He was mad as I'd ever seen him when he didn't get chosen to participate in the commander's classes. He was taking it out on the unit so I had a word with him. Told him if he didn't knock it out, I'd go to the Commander. He let loose with a litany of complaints against her and went on to describe her in uncomplimentary terms."
"What exactly did he say?" Apollo demanded.
Carpenter swallowed. "His exact phrase at least what I can remember is: Stupid broad can't keep a real man around. It was during your separation, Sir," Carpenter clarified and continued. "She obviously got her command by assuming the mercenary position as she is too stupid to run her unit proficiently. Since I came into this unit, the whore has either been pregnant or moping about because her husband got smart and left her sorry ass. Maybe I'll stop by some night and see if she's any good between the sheets." He paused as Apollo's countenance darkened. "Uhh, he ended his rant that day with: I'm not helping a loser like her. It was after that tirade that I noticed the Lieutenant let his job slip noticeably. I tried to pick up the slack, but got told not to by the Lieutenant."
"Give us an example." Nathaniel was back to asking the questions.
"Well, we went on a training run with the sniper rifles. Some of the transports got stuck in the sand so Townsend ordered the rifles and everything we could find put in the trench we dug. We got the rigs out, but the equipment and rifles were tore up. I wanted to field strip them when we got home, but got overruled. Townsend told me he would take care of it, but he didn't and I now know it was on purpose. When we got ready to leave, I knew I had to say something, because people's lives are on the line when our guns don't work properly. I sent an anonymous note to the Commander telling her to have a sergeant check the guns. It got caught before we left and fixed."
"That was all?"
"No Sir. That was one of about a dozen problems that I'm aware of."
"And you didn't take the initiative to talk with the Commander?" Nathaniel still queried.
"No, Sir." His honest answer to these two veteran Commander's made his following a Lieutenant over a Commander seem foolish to him now. "If I could go back and repair the damage, I would most certainly do so."
Apollo turned without another word and left the tent. Nathaniel wanted to deck the Major. "There will be a disciplinary hearing for your involvement."
"I'd just deny our conversation and say you're on a witch hunt." Carpenter was all for saving his neck and career.
"I wouldn't try that tact if I were you." Taylor left to find Apollo waiting for him.
They moved away from Carpenter's tent. "Is this what we have for officers now days?" Apollo wanted to clean house on this unit.
"We need to find how many officers are involved and let a Commander's board decide their fate." Nathaniel was as disgusted as his friend. "There's a difference between covering the truth from the outside, but to sabotage our own….. let's just get this over."
They checked the rest of the tents. Corporal Lincoln's tent was locked so they went back to the officer's tent without any physical proof.
"I don't know how I'm going to save Cayman's career." Apollo grabbed a cup of coffee.
"We need Wash back here to take over Falcon or Eagle units and get these self-serving people out of camp. Putting them on administrative leave for conduct unbecoming an officer will go a long way to clear Cayman and we'll have to build a strong case that she did her job and it was totally them who manipulated her records." Nathaniel pitched his idea.
"I agree. I'm sure Mallawarri is clean and he'll be needed in Eagle Unit. I want to put Wash in charge of Falcon Unit and keep Tate as acting Lieutenant in yours." He looked at his mini. "Middle of the night back home. I'll talk with her tonight and order her back."
"What about Cayman?" Nathaniel hated to leave her without a trusted person.
"She has the boys, like she did before I came along."
"What are you going to do with Townsend?" Nathaniel knew what he wanted to do, beat him bloody.
"What I'm going to do, I'm doing right now." He opened a link to Major Tate. "Major, bring Lieutenant Townsend to the officer's tent."
Alex escorted Townsend inside and stood by the door like when he escorted Danny Lincoln.
"There is enough evidence and witnesses against you for a military hearing on your conduct as an officer. Until we return stateside, you'll be stripped of your rank and remain in camp. You'll be free to leave your tent for the latrines and food. I don't want you talking to anyone in your unit. You may not have visitors. Any person you talk with will be monitored by a security guard, who will accompany you everywhere you go, dismissed." Apollo noticed Nathaniel had his hands tightly around his coffee mug.
Alex followed Townsend out and as they returned to the Lieutenant's tent. He summoned two guards and posted them outside and requested Townsend to bring him his miniplex, comm and weapons. Alex returned to the officer's tent and knocked. He heard an enter from Apollo and got in out of the cold. "I'll make the guard list. Do you have anything else for me?" He addressed Nathaniel.
"We're bringing Wash back to take over Falcon command. You'll still do her job here. I have a project for both of you when she returns."
Another knock sounded at the door and Alex, being closest, reached over and opened it. Outside were six girls and soldiers from Bjenjou's unit and an interpreter. Alex looked to Apollo. "Cookie sales, how many boxes do you want?"
"Bring them in, Major," Nathaniel responded for Apollo, with a twitch to his lips.
"The girls are welcome here. You ugly soldiers can find refreshments in the mess." Alex stood aside and motioned for the girls and their interpreter to enter. He called on the radio for four soldiers from his unit to stand guard outside the Command tent.
Apollo noticed the efficiency at which Tate performed his duties without prompting. Taylor's unit was good; he doubted Cayman got that lucky. He'd make sure when she returned to work, her unit was staffed with the best officers he could find. He switched his attention to the six Asian girls and a soldier from headquarters, which was also Asian. "Report, Sargent." He looked at the female interpreter.
"We intercepted a vehicle hiding these girls. They told me they'd been together from Masan and steadily moved north, staying in different homes every few days and traveling at night. They know their fate and most were bargained for by their fathers. Some are in favor of the bargaining to help their families and country. They don't see this as a crime, but patriotism."
"The one's not bargained for? Are any of these girls among that group?" Apollo cut in.
The Sargent pulled a girl of about fourteen from the group, "This is Mi San. She was kidnapped off the streets of Masan and forced to come. There is a missing person on her and her family claims they would never sell their daughter to the raiders."
"Was there any contact with the raiders?"
"Yes, Sir, one of the girls," the Sargent pointed to an older girl of about seventeen, "overheard her handlers talking Chinese to a man and assumed he was their contact. After that they moved rapidly and that's how we caught them. They went too far, too fast in one day. They were on the road to Sinp'a and not far from the border. By tonight they would have crossed and been gone."
"Do you know which side of the border the exchange is to be?" Apollo was planning in his head as she spoke.
"Again one of the girls overheard the handlers talking and they were to meet right at the border on a side road a few clicks east of the village."
"That's all, Sargent. Take the girls to the mess and feed them." He waited until they left then motioned Alex to join them at the table. "Alex, would you please refill the coffee. I'm feeling lazy at the moment." Alex complied and for once Taylor didn't have a smart comment. In fact he was abnormally quiet.
"Your coffee, Sir." Alex poured into his mug and looked at Nathaniel who shook his head and grabbed a cup for himself before sitting at the table.
"Nathaniel, raid all units and put together a unit of Asian looking troops and take the girls to the meeting place tonight. Try and take the raiders alive so we can interrogate them. Nathaniel, I'm putting you directly in charge of this mission. Get me a prisoner."
"Yes, Sir, I'll be taking half my troops as backup."
"Good idea."
Nathaniel looked at Alex, "Pick me half the unit and you're in charge of the other half."
Within an hour ten choppers lifted off heading in a northerly direction. Apollo, now in charge of the southern units called the Commanders with updates and to hustle their Asian soldiers to meet up with Taylor. He also told them to be on the lookout for movement, stopping and starting of the same vehicles in a one way direction. He instructed them to use satellites to monitor the road traffic away from cities, to either the coast or north. After they left, he looked at his miniplex. Alicia should be up now so he placed a call home.
"Washington," Alicia answered.
"It's Dad."
"Hi Dad, has the hospital called you?"
"No, what's up?" He hoped Cayman was awake so he could talk to her soon. He didn't realize how much he missed her until she and his baby were gone. The tent was too quiet and empty. Now, with Nathaniel gone, it seemed too large for just him.
"The doctors took her off the coma drugs. She hasn't woken up, but is sleeping normally. Her body is healing and she needs the rest, but I expect her to wake within a day or two."
"I need you back here ASAP to run Falcon Unit. Bring Trey with you so Cayman isn't worried about him." It was as close to an order as her father would ever issue to her about personal matters.
"I'll leave within the hour. I wanted to stay and see what happened when the drugs were removed." She didn't agree to bring Trey, as she wasn't. He was better off with Debora so she didn't mention him by name or reference.
Wash packed her bag and carried it to the intensive care unit. Darrell and Barry were both sitting in the room playing cards waiting for their mother to wake. "I'm leaving now." Wash dropped the bag and approached the bed. Taking Cayman's hand, she spoke directly to her. "I don't know if you can hear me, Cayman, but I have to leave now. Barry and Darrell will be here," she leaned over and kissed her cheek. Turning she hugged each stepbrother. "I'm told to bring Trey, but he's staying behind with Debora. You guys can go anytime and visit. After Cayman wakes, he needs to be brought every day for her to see or she'll go nuts worrying over him." With those as her final instructions, she left.
Dark had fallen by the time her chopper made the twenty minute flight from Seoul to the main base. They flew over Whiley's unit and Wash greeted her on the radio, but declined the invite to stop by for coffee. The officer's tent was empty, so Wash put her bag in her and Nathaniel's room and went to the latrine then mess. She found her father eating alone. She hadn't eaten since dinner the night before so grabbed a plate of what looked like macaroni and cheese with a heap of potted meat product, unidentifiable, so she dumped catsup over the plate before joining her father.
He brightened at the sight of his oldest and then his expression turned to anger. "Damn it, Alicia, where's Trey?"
"I left him in the states where he'll be safe and we don't have to find a babysitter all the time." She sat down and attacked her food. If she was going to get yelled at, she was not going hungry.
"You probably just set Cayman's recovery back. She'll push herself too hard and take him home before she's able. He's not a small baby anymore and she can't keep up, running after him in her condition." He raged in a low tone, not wanting the entire area to hear their argument.
"Where's Taylor?" Alicia changed the subject hoping her father got the hint.
He glared at her. "When I give you an order I expect it to be obeyed."
"Give me a military order and it will be, Sir." Alicia wasn't backing down on her decision to leave her brother home. She knew this fight was inevitable, might as well get it out of the way.
"Fine, go get your brother."
"That's not a proper order. You're not mad because he's not here. You're pissed because I defied you." Wash noticed they now had the attention of several listening ears including Townsend, who looked happy they were at odds.
His smug look pushed Wash over the edge. Looking directly at him, she said in a loud voice. "You know, Townsend, if you weren't such a fuck-up, I wouldn't be called back to take over your unit. What's wrong with you, or in terms you might relate to, why does a woman have to fix your mess?"
Townsend saw red. "I'll meet you outside, Washington, and kick your puny woman's ass and show you why only men should be in the service. Bet your mamma didn't put up much of a fight against her attacker…" he broke off as Apollo stood.
"You want to fight a Washington. Let's go," Apollo invited him to precede him outside. "Or are you better at fighting women, but I'd put my money on that one." He jerked an agitated hand in his daughter's direction.
"I don't want to fight you, Commander."
"But you'd fight my daughter." Apollo really wanted to hit something and Townsend was the prime choice. "You would take her outside and put on a show in front of the troops just to prove how unfit you are to command. I'll not have my officers fighting, even scum like you. What do you know about Commander Washington anyway?" That got the entire crowded mess silent.
"Just that she got beat up and you locked me up as the prime suspect for a day before realizing your mistake."
"When he comes to, wire his broken jaw shut to keep him from flapping his mouth and put him back in the brig tent under guard for insubordination. I want him awake and feeling the wires inserted." Apollo's right hook was lightning fast and lethal and he didn't hold back. Townsend never saw it coming just flew over a table and onto the floor, as the sickening pop of bone breaking drew a collective gasp. He was unconscious before he slid off the table onto the floor. Apollo looked back at his daughter who was still eating and looking bored. He let a small smile flash in her direction and she gave an identical one in return. Sitting down, he resumed his meal.
"As I was asking," Alicia continued as if the interruption never happened, "where's, Taylor?"
"I have a hunch for the rest of your life, that's a question you'll be asking," her father teased, feeling better than he had in over a day. "He's on the border intercepting some raiders."
Nathaniel looked at the handlers Bjenjou's unit captured after abandoning the girls to the soldiers. He asked several questions through the interpreter and organized a plan. Calling for his Chinese soldiers, he asked how many spoke the language. Three had some familiarity with the local dialect, so he put together his own raiding party. All they had to do was capture this batch of raiders and insert his soldiers in the mix. Taylor asked which handler was in direct contact with the raiders and a short, slight built man was thrust before him. Nathaniel told him the plan and he was to act as if nothing were wrong and go to the meeting place as arranged. Tip the raiders off and he'd be first to die.
It was two in the morning when the raiders appeared from the dark and stood on their side of the border, which was nothing more than a cut in the forest along this remote stretch of wilderness. The heavily wooded area hid forces on both sides. With night vision, the soldiers were able to pick out warm bodies of two dozen men carrying boxes of what looked like rifles and ammunition. Nathaniel had the girls move into plain sight so the men would get bolder. Boxes of food were set in the cut gap to lure the raiders in. Nathaniel waited until most of the men were in direct sight and gave the signal. The night lit up in a flash of gunfire that for a moment illuminated the trees and figures, and most of the raiders dropped by the blast of direct stun hits. A few escaped and disappeared to the north. Taylor ordered his undercover men to follow and try and form up with them.
Taylor took everyone back to Bjenjou's unit and settled down for the night. Bjenjou offered a cot in his tent that Nathaniel accepted. "Of course, it's not like sharing a tent with Washington, and I'm speaking of the Lieutenant," DeShawn joked as Nathaniel, bone tired, laid down. "You and her really an item?"
"You heard Cayman's rant that day. We get together occasionally when time permits. I'd be a fool to turn that down and I didn't get to be Commander by being stupid." Nathaniel knew his best ambiguousness was to throw out an occasional bone to deflect pointed questions.
"I've always wanted to ask Apollo what he thought of you doing his daughter, but didn't know how to delicately put it." DeShawn really did wonder.
"I'd walk up to Apollo and say, Apollo what do you think of Taylor fucking your daughter? That's how you should ask him." Nathaniel chuckled at his own wit.
"How about I ask you since you share the family domicile. I figure you know what he thinks about your special relationship with his little girl."
"If he has any objections, he keeps them to himself and doesn't seem to care that I sometimes forget which bed is mine. As long as I don't stumble into Cayman's, I'm okay," he deflected again.
"You ever thought of doing Cayman?"
"No, outside my wife and that one mistake, I only look or think about Wash. I stay out of trouble that way." Nathaniel wasn't the type to continually think about doing other women after he was married. "We're too good of friends for anything like that."
"I know what you mean. My wife keeps me on the straight and narrow and I like it just fine. Cayman sure seemed pissed at the meeting that day she outed you doing your subordinate and wanted all of us to know. Don't think it came as a surprise to many except Whiley, who's always had an eye on you."
"On that disgusting note, goodnight." Nathaniel stopped talking and soon was fast asleep, his last thought as usual on Wash laying naked on his bed.
He called Apollo the next morning with an update. Apollo told him to remain in the area and intercept everything. Taylor put his choppers on patrol and told them to remain south of the line so not to draw fire from the Chinese. The official Chinese government filed protest of the Allied forces occupying their neighbor to the south. It was a formality as they'd been told about occupation months before it happened.
"Alicia, for some reason, wants to speak with you."
Nathaniel heard laughter in Apollo's voice and Wash in the background telling him to hand his comm over or face pain.
There was a pause then she was on the comm. "Finally, I'm alone, you?"
"I am now. It's on the privacy setting, but there are soldiers everywhere so I have to behave, but you don't. I miss you," he spoke nonchalantly, almost a mumble.
"I miss you too. I'm back and Dad put me in charge of Falcon Unit. What is it you wanted me and Alex to do?"
"I want both of you to interrogate all officers under rank of Major in Falcon Unit and find out how many knew Townsend was screwing Cayman over. Carpenter is part of the cover-up so he's facing the board. I want a list of officers who'll be disciplined or transferred. I taped our conversation with Carpenter, but he doesn't know it. I sent a copy to your plexpad. I wish I could to do this myself, but can't be in two places at once and I want that list within a couple days."
"Okay, I mean, yes, Sir." Wash put a smile into her response.
"You're on report, Lieutenant. Next time I see you, I'll have you practicing your proper responses to me," Nathaniel snapped, aware of drawing strange looks from a small group of passing soldiers and almost laughed aloud.
"You'll make it harder on me, Sir?" She couldn't resist teasing him.
"Hard as I can, Lieutenant. Talking to you has made it that way. Now you're on report a second time for tempting your superior. I'll make it real hard on you in fact." He smiled as she laughed. He missed her so much.
"I'll change the subject then. Dad popped Townsend in the mess last night and broke his jaw."
"Sorry I missed it. Did anyone get it on vid?"
"I'll ask and get a copy if they did. I wouldn't mind viewing it again and again."
"What did Shithead do to incur the wrath of our Supreme Leader?"
"He challenged me to a fight and slurred Cayman's name."
"Too bad I wasn't there. I would have spared Apollo the effort. I have people standing around pretending not to be listening to me. I'll talk to you later."
Wash and Alex started calling Falcon unit soldiers in one by one right after morning mess. They started with the corporal's and worked to the sergeants and were using the Officer's Tent for the first round of questioning. Later they would trade to the soldier's tents to gage their change of demeanor in familiar surroundings.
Apollo came in mid-afternoon and told the Sargent to sit down, as the young woman jumped up at his entrance. As he grabbed a cup of coffee, his comm beeped. It was Darrell so he put it on privacy. It was hard for Wash to continue, knowing her father was getting an update. The call didn't last long and Apollo was silent as long as a stranger was in their presence. Finally, they got all the information from the Sargent with the final question being did she know or see anything about the crime. When she responded negative, they let her go. Wash turned to her father. "Well?"
"Cayman is still unconscious, but sleeping normally. Darrell has night duty tonight and called." He knew Alicia would want to know which son called. "Debora told the boys if they didn't want to eat at the hospital, she could cook for them. They were going to start having supper with her and visit their brother…..you know, the one you were supposed to bring to me."
"He's better off back home and I don't want to fight in front of Alex, he'll have nightmares."
"I have nightmares," Apollo growled, but dropped it.
Cayman's head felt like someone split it open with an ax. The pain was intense and she needed to get up and take something for it. Opening her eyes she noticed she wasn't in her tent, but in hospital. She'd seen that ceiling before and knew she was home in Houston. A face leaned over her, blocking her view of the white tiles. "Welcome back, Mom." She recognized the voice before she could get his face into focus, which she was having trouble doing.
"Barry?" Her throat was dry. "Water," she croaked. The soothing liquid felt good on her parched throat. The bed was raised so she could look around. "I don't remember getting injured badly enough to come here."
"What's the last thing you remember?" Barry knew he should page the doctor, but wanted to know if she could identify her attacker.
"Let's see." Cayman tried to piece together her last day. "We had a meeting in Seoul, where I got to meet your Gail. Lincoln got disciplined then we worked in the office until Nathaniel. What did Nathaniel do?" She tried to remember. A thought flashed. "Apollo was teasing them so we went to dinner to let them be alone. The cold made me have to go so I went to the latrine closest to the mess." Memories were flooding back. "Calvin stopped me and we had words. I don't remember about what."
"So it was Townsend," Barry mused, his anger rising to the surface again.
"I went inside and when I came out a man said my name. I went towards him and now I'm here." Cayman looked with clearer eyes at her oldest son. "What happened to me, Barry?"
"You got hit upside the head a few times hard enough to crack even your hard head. Then if that wasn't enough, whoever did it, put a knife in your chest. Luckily for you, whoever stuck you didn't know anatomy and missed anything too vital. I have to call the doctor." He hit the button and soon the attending was pushing him out of the way and doing his exam. Barry called Darrell.
Darrell rushed in. "Fill me in," he ordered as he stopped beside Barry. The doctor was done by the time Barry gave the details he got out of her. "I have more questions before we call Apollo." Darrell approached the bed.
The doctor stopped him. "She needs to rest again, so I gave her a sedative with her pain medication."
"I better ask fast then." He pushed by the doctor and leaned over his mother. "Mom."
"Darrell." Cayman was happy to see her younger son and motioned for him to kiss her.
He gave her a quick peck and asked, "The person who called you when you left the latrine, did you recognize his voice or face?"
"Yes, but I can't place it."
"Sounds like there was more than one person. Did you see anyone besides the person who called your name?"
"Don't…." was all she managed and drifted off.
Darrell turned to Barry who moved to the bed. "We need to call Apollo and tell him."
Barry looked at his miniplex. "It's two in the morning."
"If you don't, I am," Darrell stated.
Barry pulled his comm and spoke, "Direct link to Commander Apollo Washington." They waited for the connection to be made half a world away.
"Washington," his quiet, but clear voice was on the other end.
"It's Barry, Sir. Darrell's here also. Mom woke up and was pretty clear in her head from someone with head injuries. From what she told us, there may have been two attackers."
Apollo jerked wide awake. "Tell me every word she said." He listened carefully. "When she wakes and is lucid next time, I want to speak with her." He paused. "You boys did good. I'm glad you're with her; makes my job away from her easier."
Darrell and Barry exchanged looks of surprise and Darrell replied, "Thank you, Sir. We'll take good care of our mother."
Apollo wanted to add and my wife, but held his tongue.
He filled Alicia in the next morning and she was happy. She and Alex spent another day with the Falcon unit soldiers and with their newfound knowledge of possibly a second person they tailored their questions accordingly.
Wash told Nathaniel when he called her that night. "Damn, I never thought there might be two. And Cayman knew one of them, but couldn't place him. She did say it was a male?"
"She told Barry it was a man and she'd had words with Townsend before she went to the latrine. Too bad Townsend can't talk right now. I checked on him today and he's still knocked out on pain meds himself, which is probably the only thing keeping Dad from killing him. I have him under heavy guard in medical."
"He better be ready and able to give answers when I get back or I'll rip his jaw open and beat it out of him." He was furious Townsend was most likely one of the attackers against Cayman.
"Tell me about your day, what did you do?" Wash heard the tension in his voice and changed the subject.
"I interrogated the raiders again. After spending a night with sore ribs and sirens blaring, they remember a lot more and one even speaks English. He was raised in Australia with immigrant parents, but went back to China to see what it was like. He's trying to make his fortune smuggling weapons to anyone with money so he can return wealthy to Australia and buy an apartment in the Darwin Dome for him and his parents. I may be able to make a deal and convert of him. He's in it for the money not the wonderful lifestyle of being nomadic; always moving staying one step ahead of the government. With the intel I'm gathering here, I need to come back and talk to Apollo and see you, if you know what I mean."
"But I was hoping for comm sex." Wash lowered her tone, "Please, just a little foreplay."
"No, absolutely not. I'm alone in Bjenjou's tent, but he might come in any minute."
"But I'm so horny and hot. I'm burning and need to touch myself," she teased in a seductive tone.
Nathaniel looked at his swollen pants that paid no attention to his mind that told it 'NO'. "You can be a real bitch, you know that? I cannot play this game right now, but you owe me a date where we'll have full blown comm sex and when I get back you better be ready, and by ready I mean in our bed with no clothes on or that damn cover hiding your body from my gaze."
"I'll not have any underwear on just for you, Sir," she purred into the comm.
He felt his organ, that she accused him once of thinking with, twitch and glared at his groin, cursing his lack of control and her perception. "I'm not handling the transition from constant sex to this abstinence very well, Wash. We really need to change the subject or I'm coming home right now and that wouldn't look good for the troops."
"Okay, let me remove my fingers and we'll say goodnight." She missed him so much and her teasing backfired and she wanted sex and him.
"I love you, Witch." He missed her almost more than he could endure.
"I love and miss you. Come home soon." His low, sexy voice would have to do for her dreams tonight.
"Bye, Babe."
"Bye." She cut the link and went to the mess, wanting a lot more than food.
Apollo watched her get a tray and join him. "I thought a call to Taylor would brighten your day?"
"Not when he's so far away," was all she could say in the mess.
"Know what you mean. I want nothing more than to be with Cayman. I went back over the scene with the new information. I can see where her attention could be diverted by one person and someone sneak behind her and two could drag her faster out of sight. And two could strip her easier, but who put the knife in her? I'm going to find out and that person will face me, preferably in a dark place." He had no interest in justice.