Athena softly whined, her brown eyes looking around, knowing something had gone dreadfully long. She remained in her down position, not wanting to break the command. She looked left and right, sniffing the air, listening to footsteps coming closer. She shifted her weight, getting restless. Still not breaking her order, like a true soldier until she was released from her duty.
But something inside her made her uneasy, and she knew that the command had to be broken, this one time.
Standing up, she walked over to the glass door leading outside, seeing that the medical units had left the barracks and not even a Greenshirt remained. Turning around, she started down the hallway, sniffing, until she caught a familiar scent and charged rapidly down the hall, barking constantly, loud and clear. An alarm.
Mutt emerged out from one of the rooms, spotting the dog heading his way.
Trasher barked a greeting, thinking that Athena had come to play.
"Athena, what's wrong girl?" Mutt asked the dog, like knowing it may answer him back.
The Doberman whimpered, and began turning around in circles.
Mutt bent down to the dog's level, reaching out and taking her color in his hand. "Yeah, I can smell something rotten myself," he said to the dog. "Let's make sure your best friend is all right." He switched on his wrist band and talked into it, "Sky, this is Mutt, come in."
Nothing, no sound, no answer came from the wristband, making the hairs in the back of his neck rise slowly.
"Sky, come in, acknowledge," he talked into the communication link.
Nothing.
He turned to the dog. "Seek."
Athena bolted down the hallway and raced up the stairs with one kennel master and Rottweiler at her heels. Reaching the second level of the building, she twisted her head left and right, sniffing the air, hoping to find the sweet scent she knew by heart. She stepped a few feet when the aroma came to her nose and instantly rushed down toward the end of the hall, and to a closed door.
Mutt ran right behind her and to the door. "Sky Dancer?" he cried out, only to hear no answer, nothing. He took the knob in his hand and twisted, only to find it locked. "Blast!" He jittered the door, but it remained closed.
"Stay back," he commanded to the dogs, while taking a few feet back and charged at the door, banging it open with his kick. "Reena!"
He stepped into the room, letting some of the light from the hallway inside. His eyes roamed the room, spotting the bed, paper everywhere, the green clothing and then landing on a silhouette on the floor, not moving. His eyes widened, realizing that this was his dog handler, and he rushed to her side.
"Reena?" he softly asked, hoping for a response. He knelt down next to the air pilot, his face in pure concern, and gently touched her hair, seeing her face from the hallway's light, and feeling the lump on the back of her head. "What did they do to you, girl?" he asked the unknown. He carefully lifted her hand, for a pulse, and he could barely find it.
A whimper sounded, and he glanced up to find Athena next to Apollo, who remained unconscious on the floor, and he prayed the dog was alive. Then his eyes caught of an article next to Sky Dancer, a long article, a cane, and his heart skipped a beat, knowing the owner of the cane.
He quickly glanced around, making sure the attacker was still not in this room, but he knew the dogs would had told him. He rose his wrist toward his mouth and talked into it, "Any medic out there, acknowledge."
"Mutt, this is Caveman. I copy you. Over," Cayden's voice sounded from the communication link.
"Dr. C. we got a Joe down in Barracks number ten, second floor. I need assistance ASAP," Mutt replied.
"I'm on my way," Cayden's voice replied from the link, letting the dog handler know that he was quickly gathering his things and rushing on his way there.
"Hurry," Mutt plead, glancing down at the fallen pilot. Then glanced toward Athena, who had placed her head on top of Apollo's letting the other dog know that she was there. The minutes seemed like hours, when he finally heard the thumping of boots from the hallway. "In here!"
Cayden rushed in and immediately went to his knees on the floor beside Sky Dancer and started to check for breathing. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I didn't hear anything either," Mutt explained, then pointed to Athena. "She found them."
Cayden looked over to the dogs and noticed that one was incapacitated and then continued his physical exam.
Two medical Greenshirts walked in with a stretcher, helping the young Joe medic lift the air pilot, and gently placing her on it. They rushed out of the room, heading for the Infirmary.
Mutt gently lifted Apollo from the ground, and followed the medical team. Athena and Trasher by his side. Entering the Infirmary, he glanced around, spotting Doc, who was already bending over Sky Dancer, checking her eyes.
"Take her in with Bazooka, it's the only room available," Doc ordered his young protégé.
Cayden nodded, and signaled the Greenshirts to place her in the room right by him.
Doc looked up, spotting Mutt with Apollo. "What happened?" he asked.
"I wish I knew," Mutt answered. "He's hurt, I think it's his leg."
"Dr. Rx." Doc summoned to the new medic on the team. "You used to be a Veterinarian, here is your first patient."
A tall broad shouldered man came to their side, with bright red hair and brown eyes. "I'll take good care of him." He gently took the Doberman from the kennel master's arms. "Don't you worry, I'll have him new in no time."
Mutt nodded. "Thanks." He walked over near the room, spotting the young medic hooking up an IV in the air pilot. He shook his head, then turned and headed out of the building, knowing he had to tell Flint about the attack. The sound of Sky Strikers came to his ears, like music and spotted the planes landing on the airstrip.
He rushed toward the planes, spotting Duke exiting his, jumping down, Scarlett right beside him, greeting him. He took a deep breath. "Duke, can I see you for a second?" he requested, now spotting Jeffrey jumping out of his jeep.
"Yeah Mutt, what is it?" Duke asked, turning alert.
Kastor jogged over to his father. "Boy, that was a waste of time," he said.
Mutt glanced from one Hauser to another, and then back to the older Hauser. "Ehmm.. can we talk privately for a moment?" he urged to the first in command.
Watching Mutt's expression, Scarlett glanced at her husband, curiously.
Duke only nodded.
"Okay, I can take a hint," Kastor said good-naturedly. "I'm going to go find my fiancée." He turned, about to leave.
Mutt raked his white hair with his hand. "Kastor, can you stay here for a second." He watched the young man turn to him, his face confused. He didn't wait for a response, but motioned for Duke to follow him a few feet. He turned, glanced at the redhead and her son, then turned to his commanding officer.
"Duke, there was a situation while you were gone," Mutt started to explain, in a low tone. "Ten Greenshirts were overdosed, pretty bad too." He again raked his white hair, and gave a sigh. "That's not all. Whoever did this, also attacked Sky Dancer. I found her barely alive."
"Oh shit," Duke sighed and ran his hands through his hair and looked over at his son that returned a questioning look.
Mutt gave him a grim expression. "You have to tell him," he beckoned gently. "But I'm betting my chew toy that whoever did this, had it all planned."
Duke nodded. "Take some Greenies with you and check the barracks again," he ordered as he patted Mutt on the shoulder then turned and walked over to his son and wife.
"What's wrong, Dad?" Kastor asked. "More O.D.'s?"
Duke nodded then looked down with a sigh. "Whoever did this also attacked Reena."
"What?" Kastor gapped in shock and worry. He started to head toward the Infirmary when Duke grabbed his arm and turned him around to look at him.
"She's gone critical."
"No..." Kastor slowly spoke breathlessly and started to collapse to the ground, however, his father caught him.
"I'm so sorry, Jeff..."
"Jeff!" Scarlett cried out, grabbing hold of her son's arm to steady him, her own face turning pale. She glanced at her husband, her emotion turning into shock.
Tears welled up in Kastor's eyes and his face turned into a mask of rage. "I'll kill him!"
"Jeff, please, you have to calm down," Duke said, his heart breaking for the pain his only son was going through.
Kastor looked right at his father. "No, Dad. I'm going to find whoever did this to Reena and I'm going to kill him!"
"Jeffrey." Scarlett turned her son around gently toward her. "Look at me." She looked right into his pain stricken eyes. "Right now think of Reena and no one else! Understand me? She needs you right now."
Kastor was so full of rage, he was shaking. All he could do was nod to his mother.
"Come on, son. Let's get to the Infirmary," Duke said before he slowly started leading him away. "Mutt, go inform Flint," he ordered over his shoulder.
"Yes, Duke!" Mutt saluted, and started heading for the main building.
Scarlett placed an arm around her son, leading him toward the Infirmary. "Conrad, Colleen's going to find out, I'm worried how she is going to take it too."
"Let's just get Jeff to the infirmary first, then I'll go tell her as soon as we find out how Sky Dancer's condition is and what's going on," Duke said with a nod.
Now, Kastor was swearing colorfully under his breath.
Scarlett nodded, while rubbing her son's back up and down soothingly. "Conrad, what was Cobra up to?" she asked, curiously, not knowing on the reason the Joes had left.
"That's what's puzzling. There was no attack. Cobra was no where in sight," Duke explained, shaking his head.
"It was a 'unintelligible word' wild goose chase," Kastor added angrily.
"What!" Scarlett blinked in surprise while the three walked up the stairs to the Infirmary building and she continued to hold on to her son. "If there was not an attack, then it was a ..."
"Trap," All three of them concluded at once as they entered inside the medical building.
"Someone went through a lot of trouble, getting the Joes off base, and causing this diversion, but why? " Scarlett asked, she glanced around, watching several Greenshirt medics walk briskly from room to room.
"Maybe they wanted us away so they could get to Reena," Kastor suggested, his jaw clenched.
"But why?" Duke asked perplexed.
Scarlett turned away for a second, then glanced at her son and husband. "Call it Joe woman's instinct or CIA thing but I think this is all linked to the rescue missions."
At that moment, Doc walked out of one of the room and greeted them. "Judging by your faces, you all ready know." He patted Kastor's shoulder. "There's too much swelling to do any scan or testing for her head at the moment. So I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not certain on the extent of the damage. Her right shoulder had some trauma but nothing serious. At the moment, all we can do is wait."
"Can I see her?" Kastor all but pleaded with the elder doctor.
"Yes. Go right in," Doc told him, pointing at the door he just came out of.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Scarlett asked tenderly to her son, her eyes soft. She felt her own worry for the pilot, and tried to hold her own tears inside for her son's sake.
"HELL NO!" A voice shouted in the air, and a naked Shipwreck raced out of one of the rooms, and ran past them. "Get that thing away from me!"
Lifeline rushed out of the room. "Get over here, Shipwreck! Now!" he hollered, holding a large looking needle. "I have to give you stitches!" He passed the Hausers, running after the naked sailor.
Doc shook his head. "I think I'm going to retire." He turned and walked into the next room.
Kastor said nothing and barely noticed the naked Shipwreck. He just walked into the room and over to the bed that held his future. He sat down at the side of the bed and gently took her hand. "I promise, Imzadi. Whoever did this to you is going to pay. I'll make sure of it." The tears that have been threatening to spill since he was told finally started to slowly fall down his cheeks.
Duke took his wife's hand and slowly led her into the room so they could be there for their son.
Scarlett closed her eyes to recompose herself together, then walked over to the other side of the bed, bending down and carefully kissed the young woman's forehead. "Oh, Reena..."
Something moved from under the bed, and she jumped slightly away, taking a step backward and her heel meet her husband's foot.
Athena crawled out from under the bed, walking around it and lay her head on Jeffrey's lap, glancing up at him, her own brown eyes soft, letting out a whine.
Kastor reached down and started to gently pet Athena's head. "I know, sweetie." He said gently to her.
"Wonder where the other dog is?," Duke asked, looking around the room for Apollo.
Scarlett sent him a panicked look. "She's never without him...Conrad could he..." her voice trailed off, wondering now if the faithful companion had also met the attacker, but had not made it through.
Dr. Rx walked into the room. "Doc told me you were all in here. Apollo-"
Kastor stood up. "Where is he?" he asked urgently knowing that Sky Dancer would be so heart broken if something happened to her beloved dog.
Dr. Rx put up his hands as if to ward off Kastor. "He's got a broken leg and a laceration on his head. He'll be good as new in about six weeks."
Duke let out a sigh of relief.
A moan came from the second bed, and they all turned to see Bazooka slowly open his eyes, shaking his head back and forth. "Mommy?" he asked barely audible, then his eyes widened, listening to the beeping sound in the room.
He shot up bolt upright on the bed. "I'm ticking!" He looked around, his eyes getting wider. "I'm ticking!" He jumped off the bed. "I have a Cobra bomb in me!" He grabbed Duke by his collar. "I'm gonna explode!"
The beeping sound came louder in his ear.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Bazooka screamed at the top of his lungs, then ran out of the room, wearing his hospital gown.
Scarlett shook her head, peeking out of the room. "It's only Sky Dancer's heart monitor!" she explained, but it was too late.
Bazooka raced down the hall, bumping into the second in command. "I'm going to blow!" he screamed in Flint's face, his hands in the air, moving wildly. He then turned and dashed down the hallway, "AGHH!"
Flint shook his head then spotted Scarlett, and headed toward the room. "I just heard." He walked into the room and stopped in his tracks, spotting the air pilot on the bed. His heart pounded in his chest, feeling tight. He walked to the bedside, looking down at her features. "Reena... I'm so sorry."
"You're sorry?" Kastor asked.
But before anyone could say anything else they heard Cayden yelling down the hall. "Damn it, Mom. What the hell did you do, you're bleeding everywhere!"
Flint turned around, the color of his face draining completely. "Allie!" he yelled loudly, rushing out the door, and right away colliding with his son, sending both of them on the floor.
"Dad!" Cayden exclaimed. Jaye stood there looking at them in shock. She held a towel wrapped around her hand that was already soaked with blood.
Flint shook his head, then he glanced up at his wife. "What happened?" he asked, panic in his voice, the first thought thinking that the attacker went after her too. He jumped to his feet, shaking. "Allie, what happened? Where's Eryn? How bad is it?"
"Dash, will you calm down. I just cut myself making dinner. Eryn is with Colleen," she explained, holding the drenched towel tight.
Cayden got up and pulled the towel back. "Geez, Mom. You don't do anything halfway, do you?"
"Cu..cu..cut yourself cooking dinner?" Flint blinked, then leaned against the wall, with a sigh of relief.
"Yeah what did you think I did, get shot?" Jaye asked a little annoyed and pale from the blood loss.
"Dad, take her in with the others and I'll be in there in a minute to stitch her up," Cayden requested and walked toward the supply cabinets.
Flint kept staring at his wife, not saying a word, not moving. His heart rate quickened. His hand went to his pocket, and touched the envelope inside.
Jaye looked at Flint as if he grew a second head. "Dash, what is wrong with you?"
"Huh? What?" Flint stuttered, his face remaining shaken up. "Umm, right." 'Get yourself together!' He scolded himself in his head, 'She's going to get suspicious.' But out loud he said to her, "Come on, darling, let's go."
He led her into Sky Dancer room, knowing the other bed currently not occupied.
Scarlett looked up from the pilot's bedside. "What happened?"
Jaye mumbled about cutting her hand, she was still not talking to Scarlett. She looked over to the bed and saw the pilot there then turned to her husband. "What happened to Reena?"
Scarlett glanced down at her future daughter-in-law, slowly stroking her long hair on her shoulder, avoiding her head, a tear dropped down her cheek. "She was attacked."
Flint closed his eyes, seeing Kastor stiffen by the words. This was all his fault, his and no one else's. "Blast it!" he scolded himself.
Everyone looked over at Flint. "Dash, what are you hiding?" Jaye asked.
"Yeah, Flint," Duke said, looking at him his arms crossed in front of his chest.
"If this has something to do with Reena, then I think I have a right to know," Kastor added with a stale tone.
Scarlett glanced at the warrant officer. "Dash, does this have to do with the letters?" She took hold Sky Dancer's hand in hers.
Flint went numb. "I..I...I..." he stuttered, looking from one Joe to another. He glanced down at the pale features of the dog handler who looked so peaceful sleeping, and his whole body started to shake. It was happening again, everything was repeating itself, everything.
Cayden walked in with the suture kit and sat down in front of his mother.
"What letters?" Jaye asked her husband, a little snippily because he obviously told Scarlett and not her.
"Yeah, what letters?" Kastor and Duke said at the same time.
Flint lowered himself down on the floor, and leaned against the wall. "They are not exactly letters, more like messages." He avoided all eyes in the room, which he knew bore on him, and him alone.
He took a deep breath, and slowly started to explain, "When both Sky Dancer and myself started the rescue missions, we knew we were going in deep and something more then just an accident." He glanced at his Godson. "There was a leak- a leak that shared information to Cobra about our mission."
"What does this have to do with why she's in here?" Kastor asked.
Cayden listened as he got the needle with the numbing agent ready.
Scarlett walked around to her son's side, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her mind raced, putting two and two together.
Flint lowered his head. "Both she and I were in the rescue unit. Along with GH and Rob. And each time we neared Duke's position, the leak would strike. And the Cobras would be waiting. When Sky Dancer started working alone- here- while I was back at the farm. She was always careful to keep everything classified, and still yet, the leak found out."
"Did you find the leak?" Jaye asked then saw the needle and started to pull her hand away.
"Mom!" Cayden exclaimed, pulling the hand back toward him, and started to mend it once again.
Duke leaned against the wall and listened.
"No," Flint miserably said. "And then six months in our search, we started getting the letters, or you might call them, threats."
Dead silence enveloped the room, and the only sound came from the heart monitor machine that beeped steadily.
The warrant officer did not let anyone react to the news, but continued, "The first threat came in a yellow envelope." He pulled the envelope out of his pocket. "Like this one." Then placed it back in his pocket. "The threat was clear. Stop searching or say goodbye to your loved ones."
"And you didn't think you had to tell me about this?" Jaye asked angerly, her hand pulling away from Cayden.
"Mom, I know you're upset but you have to keep your hand still!" Cayden requested, taking her hand again.
Duke stood up from the wall. "Why haven't I heard about these?"
Kastor just looked at his Godfather.
Flint looked at his wife. "You were sick, I didn't want to have you more worried than you were," he solemnly explained, then he turned to his best friend for the past twenty five years. "Duke, both Reena and I were instructed that if anyone found out on the threats, you would had been instantly killed."
Scarlett gasped, her hand remaining on her son's shoulders, and she glanced down at the air pilot, her heart going out to the young woman.
Jaye was not happy and tried to stand up.
"Mom!" Cayden exclaimed.
Scarlett walked over and placed her hand gently on her friend's arm. "Allie, sit down, please. Cayden needs you to sit."
Flint glanced at his wife. "Allie, please, put a javelin where the sun or moon don't shine later, but sit, please."
Jaye sat down grumbling about keeping things from her.
Cayden started to quickly stitch his mother's hand up.
"Go on..." Kastor urged, holding his fiancée's hand in his.
Flint nodded. "Allie, do you remember me asking you not to go to town the next day? But you had said you would go?" He watched her nod, her face frowning. "Both Reena and I received a threat two days prior. Warning us to back off or else." He looked down at his hands. "I thought you were not going out that day, and you didn't, but Nancy did, taking your car, and ... the... threats became real on that day. For both of us."
Scarlett wrapped her arm around her best friend, tears trailing down, and glanced at the sleeping beauty on the bed. "Reena's parents..." Her soft voice added to the story.
Flint again nodded. "The same day I lost my parents and almost Nancy, was the same day Reena lost her parents and the same day we were supposed to go on a rescue mission." He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Tears started to roll down Jaye's cheek. She remembered that day. She was the one that found the wrecked car.
Flint glanced up at the Joe leader, who wore a hard to decipher façade. "I am sorry Conrad, both Reena and I vowed for you never to find out." He then glanced back to his Godson, and to the air pilot on the bed. "The leak kept attacking, by sending threats, each time we were going on a rescue mission, and then one of us got hurt- badly, almost costing the Joe's career and in truth, it did."
"Who?" Kastor asked, his voice hard.
"Are you talking about Gung Ho?" Duke asked.
"Yes, Gung Ho became the next target," Flint explained, a shiver raced down his spine from remembering that mission.
"I'm going to explode!" Bazooka passed by the door, screaming at the tops of his lungs, making everyone look toward the yelling.
Scarlett rubbed Jaye's shoulder gently, letting her know she was there. "Then what happened, Dash?" she asked gently.
Flint stood up, strolled over to his wife, touching her cheek lightly with his fingers, ignoring the growl in her throat, and then walked over to the other bed, glancing down, seeing the pilot's closed eyes and closed his own. He then turned, resting his hand against the wall. His head low.
"Reena kept doing all the searching, she did more than I ever could, so we both decided to go to Hawk, and go for one last mission. Reena trained Apollo for the search as you all know, and we went in and came out with Duke." He took a deep breath. "And then... after the reunion. When I knew we were staying, both Sky Dancer and I started searching for the leak."
He could feel their eyes on him, staying quiet, absorbing his words. "The person responsible on leaking out the information is on this base and is a Joe."
Kastor jumped up from his seat, causing the chair he was sitting on to slam back onto the floor. "YOU BROUGHT HER INTO YOUR SECRET SNOOPING! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" He was so angry his entire body started to turn red.
"Jeff..." Duke began, going over to his son.
Cayden finally had finished with the last stitch and started to clean the area.
"Oh no..." Jaye breathed.
Scarlett bolted out of the bed, and rushed to her son. "Jeff, calm down, let him finish."
"THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT!" Flint shouted back, his voice raging. "Don't you dare think I would get her into this! But those damn threats started again!" He looked at him in the eyes. "Her threats and mine started again!"
Cayden was getting ready to bandage his mother's hand.
Jaye jumped up from her chair. "You're getting them again and you still didn't tell me?"
"I should have been formed about this!" Duke barked.
Kastor stood there, breathing heavily and his eyes shooting daggers at Flint.
Flint started to pace. "When we received the first threat, it clearly stated to stop searching and if anyone found out on the threats... a bomb will be set off in the Mess."
Dead silence enveloped the room.
Scarlett leaned against her husband, her eyes wide from the information.
The warrant officer stopped pacing. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Happy? Well there's more!" He made a fist and banged it hard on the wall, making small cracks on the hard surface. "I started searching myself, so Sky Dancer could be kept being safe. I vowed to myself to look after her after her parent's deaths. But she-" He glanced down at the air pilot. "She also began hunting for the leak, and we both started searching in the files, trying to see what the leak was interested and why was he or she still here."
"Damn it, Dash, I could have helped!" Jaye exclaimed.
"Well you sure as hell did a fine job keeping her safe, didn't you?" Kastor stated angrily.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bazooka raced swiftly by the door.
Athena barked, at the running scared chicken.
"Tick Tac, Tick Tac!" Shipwreck ran naked behind the other man, sounding like a clock.
Flint looked at his wife. "Allie, I couldn't had told you, there were too many high risks." He glanced at Scarlett. "And when you were angry, when we had that fight, I had no other choice and told Shana."
Scarlett wrapped her arms around her husband, holding him, glancing back at her best friends. "He did, only on the threats that he had received, but not about Reena's, I never knew." Her tone soft, and distant.
"Mom, please let me finish with your hand," Cayden pleaded, trying to grab hold of his mother's hand.
Kastor shook his head, it felt like it was spinning. "I want to help." His voice sounded like poison.
Jaye was not paying attention to her oldest child.
"Dad..." Cayden said getting his attention so he could help with his mother.
Duke remained quiet, absorbing everything he had just heard.
Flint glanced over toward his son, and nodded. Then looked at his wife. "Allie, will you please let Cayden fix your hand first?"
Jaye still stood there. It wasn't until Flint came over and gently sat her back down on the bed that she finally let Cayden finish with her hand.
"We need to get to the bottom of this fast," Duke said determined.
"How?" Scarlett asked her husband, glancing up at his features.
Flint put an arm over his wife, holding her close. "Conrad, both Reena and I have searched every file, and mission on this base! There is not a clue on who this person is, and why he is still threatening."
"Can I ask a question?" Scarlett asked, glancing down at the pilot.
Athena nudged Kastor, placing her head in-between his hand and leg.
Kastor looked down at Sky Dancer's precious Athena and started to slowly pet the side of her head.
"There, all done," Cayden said as he finished with the bandage.
Jaye held her hand to her chest as it throbbed and leaned against her husband.
"What's your question?" Duke asked his wife as he drew her closer to him.
Scarlett glanced from her husband to her son to the warrant officer. "What was the mission in the first place about?"
"Adamant," came a voice from the bed, soft and barely heard.
Kastor looked down at the person in the bed. "Imzadi..." he said in a choked voice as he gently caressed her cheek.
"Reena?" Duke asked gently.
Jaye looked up at her husband with relief filled eyes.
Cayden rushed over to the bed and quickly checked out the monitors. He then stuck two fingers from each hand into Sky Dancer's hands. "Squeeze as hard as you can, Reena."
Sky Dancer looked around the room at the faces surrounding her. "You are all loud enough to wake the dead," she joked in a whisper, squeezing Cayden's hand as hard as she could.
Athena barked, rushing over to the bedside, resting both her front paws on the bed, and nuzzled her dog handler, her best friend.
Scarlett felt the tears dropping down her cheeks, and she did not wipe them away.
Duke squeezed his wife reassuringly.
Cayden took out his pen light and shined it in each of Sky Dancer's eyes and did an exam.
"You had me so worried, Reena," Kastor revealed as a lone tear slid down his cheek. He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead.
Jaye wrapped her uninjured arm around her husband's waist.
Flint kissed his wife on the side of her head, but still his insides were turning, knowing that the attacker still lurked out there somewhere, right in their front door.
Sky Dancer smiled at the person she loved the most. "I'm sorry, just been having one of those days." She slowly reached with her free hand and took his, holding it tightly. Then glanced toward her future mother-in-law. "Scarlett?"
"What is it, hon?" Scarlett took a step closer to the bed, gently resting her hand on the young woman's uninjured shoulder.
"I think I'm going to be taking more of your martial arts classes," Sky Dancer replied softly, her eyes slowly drifting close.
Scarlett bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Get some rest." she whispered.
"All right everyone, Reena needs some sleep. Everyone but Jeff needs to leave," Cayden said with authority.
"Come on, Baby," Duke whispered to Scarlett and started to lead her out the door.
"I've got to go get the girls from Colleen and finish dinner," Jaye said and kissed her husband quickly on the lips.
"No more knives tonight, Mom," Cayden joked.
"I promise," Jaye smiled then walked out of the room.
"Come on Dad, you look like you could use some of Doc's famous coffee," Cayden said, putting his arm around Flint's shoulder.
Flint looked at his son horrified. "What did I ever do to you?" he asked, knowing how Doc makes his coffee. He slightly smiled. "Give me a minute." He turned towards the air pilot, his teammate and his friend. "Reena, I promise you, I'm going to find whoever did this."
Sky Dancer nodded, not answering him back, knowing that they will find the culprit behind all of this.
He bent down and kissed her forehead, then smiled at his Godson, before turning and headed out of the hallway, finding the Hausers, wife and son. "Conrad, its going to be a long night, time to start asking questions, don't you think?"
Scarlett glanced back to the room, spotting her son talking soothingly to his future bride, tears in his eyes.
"Dash, just remember that you promised to dragon and princess with your daughter and Rowan tonight," Jaye reminded him. "Please don't forget."
"Have I ever forgotten anything before?" Flint asked with a sly smile, then chuckled. "Don't answer that."
Bazooka came racing from around the corner, grabbing Cayden by the collar. "Me go Boom!" He shook the young Faireborn vigorously before jolting him backwards and running away. "ME GO BOOM!"
Scarlett leaned against the wall, frowning, while still glancing at the couple. Her mind raced, something wasn't right on the attack, but she couldn't pin point it. Why didn't he finish the job? Could the attacker believed he had killed her? And why? Duke had been rescued, what did the leak really want, and what or who was the real target? Was this still a diversion? And why was Cobra interested in the Adamant? The questions whirled around her head, so many unanswered. She felt lightheaded for a split second, and leaned against her husband.
"Baby, why don't you go lay down. You've been busy with the party arrangements and working too hard," Duke said worriedly.
Jaye kissed Flint. "I'll see you tonight," she said, and with that, she left.
Scarlett glanced from her friend to her husband. "All right, Conrad." she said, "But let me know if you need me with anything." She kissed him tenderly on the lips, then gave a last glance at the couple, spotting them in a tender moment and a smile spread on her features.
Flint yawned. "Come on, Connie, we are going to plug a leak," he stated, taking Duke's arm and leading him away from his wife.
"THERE'S TNT in ME!" Bazooka passed the redhead, who shook her head.
Scarlett headed out of the Infirmary, spotting her long time friend walking very slowly towards the barracks, mumbling to herself. "Allie, wait up!" She called out, rushing over, hoping at least she would get some reply.
"What do you want, Red?" Jaye asked over her shoulder a little gruffly but she at least slowed her walking pace.
"I just wanted to thank you for keeping Rowan tonight, so she does not see the you know what," Scarlett answered, walking along side the other woman.
"I promised I would and I always keep my promises," Jaye shrugged.
Scarlett nodded, staying quiet, knowing the hot temper of the Scottish woman still burned from the recent unfolding events. "Dash only kept the secret, so you and Eryn could stay safe."
They entered the barracks and headed up the stairs.
"And why did you keep the secret?" Jaye asked, in a bitter tone.
"Because I promised a friend I wouldn't tell," Scarlett answered gently, walking up the stairs and heading for her daughter's suite.
"I should have been told you know."
"Like how I should had been told my husband was Cobra's captive?" Scarlett replied. "Face it, Lady Jaye, they keep secrets from everyone."
Coming to the suite, Scarlett knocked on the door, waiting for an answer.
Colleen answered the door, her strawberry-blond hair in a tangled mess and a pink bow tied in the side. Her face had something of a amusing color assortment, making her look exactly like a clown. "Hi," she greeted them. "How's Reena?"
Scarlett glanced inside the suite, discovering a disaster in the making, with things spread everywhere from fallen lamps, to pillows, books and clothing. "What on Earth?"
"What happened?" Jaye asked worriedly.
Colleen went to reply, when a cry came from inside the suite.
"Colly! Colly! I found him!" Rowan raced to the door, her cheeks matching her red flamed locks. Her eyes glowed while showing her sister the lost friend, Ice Cube.
"Where was he?" Colleen asked baffled, taking the stuffed animal in her hands.
"Behind your headboard," came the answer. Rowan smiled at her mother.
"Rosey, you are going to sleep with Eryn tonight for your sleepover, I'll pick you up in the morning," Scarlett said tenderly, playing with her daughter's hair.
"Can I go see Reena now?" Colleen asked, her features filled with worry for her best friend.
"I'll go with you," Scarlett replied to her daughter. "After you look more presentable, if Cayden sees how you look at the moment, heaven knows what will run through his wild imagination of a mind!"
"Mommy!" Eryn screeched running toward her mother.
Jaye picked her up, the little girl was shaking. "Eryn, what's the matter?"
"George," Eryn said in a scared whisper.
Colleen stroked the little girl's long brown hair. "It's all right Eryn, he's not here." She then looked at her mother-in-law. "She fell asleep on the couch, watching a movie."
Jaye nodded. "It's all right ,sweetie," she said to her daughter and kissed her forehead. "Let's go home. I have that new game you and Rosey can play."
"Okay," Eryn said, still a little scared.
"Come on, Rowan. Let's go," Jaye said with a bright smile.
"All right," Rowan smiled, then hugged her sister. "Love you, Colly." she said, then did the same to her mother. "Remember Mum, you need to make Daddy happy tonight, he been grumpy."
Scarlett giggled. "Sweet dreams, Rowan." she said, bending down and kissing her daughter.
Rowan nodded, took Jaye's hand in hers and started walking toward the Faireborn suite.
The suite was dark, quiet, and no dog big or small greeted them.
"You two stay right here by the open door," Jaye said softly as she sat down her daughter just inside the suite. "I want you to run if you hear anything but me telling you to come in okay?" She ordered to both girls.
Eryn nodded frightened.
Rowan nodded too, taking the other girl's hand in hers.
Jaye slowly and stealthily made her way further into the suite. She picked up her husband's baseball bat from the corner by the couch and held it up defensively as she continued on.
A large mass came from her right, making her swing the bat madly toward the direction, but stopped instantly as a bark came from Lady Alison, the St. Bernard.
She sighed in relief, placing the bat down on the ground, thinking her imagination had gone wild with her from Sky Dancer's experience. She checked all rooms, before really making sure that everything felt safe. She motioned for the girls to enter the suite.
Rowan glanced at her best friend's mother. "Aunt Allie, is everyt-" But her words were cut off as she dropped to the ground unconscious, a small dart in her neck exposing itself in the hallway's light.
Eryn went to scream, just when she felt a sharp pain in her neck, and she dropped to the floor, not moving.
Lady started growling, baring her teeth, spotting a dark figure emerging from Eryn's bedroom. A gun in the silhouette's hands, pointing to the ex covert operative.
Jaye moved with swiftness beyond her years and grabbed the bat once before the intruder could respond and brought the bat down on the hand that held the gun.
"Ow!" A sharp growlish cry came from in the room, and the silhouette pivoted instantly kicking the woman in the stomach, sending her flying to the wall, hitting it with a strong impact, and landing down on the floor in a thud.
Lady attacked the intruder, grabbing him by the arm, but the attacker expected the dog's trainability to activate, and spread a canister of sleeping gas, making the dog slump on the ground, not moving. Gem emerged from another the room, a rag dragging behind him, he lunged for the attacker's leg, grabbing the trousers in his teeth, growing profusely. The dark silhouette looked down at the small animal, the red eyes glowing from the lenses. Shaking his leg, he managed to shake the dog off taking both the girls in his arms, he swiftly exited the suite with an evil chuckle in the air. The Scottish terrier raced after his two charges, barking.