Chapter 22

Our baby kept shifting closer to his hands as he rubbed lotion into my expanding belly. He would gently press into my stomach, the baby would respond by kicking. "So beautiful," he whispered. We made slow love until we were both sated. The music played loud enough in our room to hide our conversation. I whispered our code words to relay the message. He looked into my eyes as he mouthed the words, 'Proud of you Babe.'

Four days later, the mansion was raided. When I heard the door being breached, I grabbed my weapon and hid as Carlos instructed. A familiar female entered the room and called out to Sabine. Hiding in the hall closet, I watched Sabine press a disc into the other female's hands before she turned her gun on Diego, shooting him between the eyes. "Take it and go. You must carry on my job," Sabine told the second woman. "Everything is in your hands."

I saw Jeanne Ellen walk from the room. Sabine was frantically looking through the room, pulling pictures off the walls looking for something. Men silently entered the room while her back was turned. Carlos was close by. I could sense him near. He quietly opened the closet door and pulled me into his chest, relief clearly shown on his gorgeous face.

A muffled shot drew my attention. Cal was lowering his weapon so I knew he took the fatal shot. Blood covered Sabine's pristine shirt as she caught my eye. Realization set in before she crumpled to the ground. Carlos had pushed me behind him.

Familiar arms wrapped around me and pulled me towards another room. "You don't need to see what happens next," Jeanne Ellen told me. She led me to my room to collect my belongings. It was time to leave this country and return home.

She used a laptop to quickly view the CD. All Sabine's contacts and information regarding the sold babies was on the disc. We could use the information to neutralize the other men involved.

Ranger team delta helped us remove our trace from the mansion. Lester and Zip were going through each room of the house. Since they're our explosives experts, I assumed they were setting charges in each room. After we cleared the house and my team was mid flight home, news of the explosion broke. I couldn't understand why they needed to destroy the house if they removed our trace. "Ran out of time," Ranger whispered.

Details of Sabine's contacts and people purchasing the black market babies was discovered in a hidden safe in the basement. Diego was hiding information he uncovered to use against his wife. He had even discovered her real name. All documents were dated and timed from the day he uncovered her true identity. Carlos passed me a document they found in the vault. Sabine had found a buyer for our baby. Two days ago, Diego overheard her telling the buyer it would be at least another month before he could have the baby girl. "She's safe," he whispered.

"The buyer?" I asked. I was so tired but had too much in my mind to sleep.

"A non-issue," he whispered. I shifted to give him a stern look. He sighed and added, "Ace." My Uncle Ace was somehow involved? How is this even possible? "Look at me," he whispered. I looked into his eyes and saw his love. He wouldn't let anything happen to our baby. "It was all you. He did it for you because he loves you nearly as much as I do."

"I love you too," I reciprocated. My mind was silent enough for me to close my eyes and allow my body to drift into sleep as my husband stood guard.

Ten hours later we were finally back in DC. We were sequestered to the on site interrogation room. A few apartments were on the floor where we'd sleep until they released us. Our team sat around the table to tell the Generals their role. Lester actually slept with Sabine a few times. He said, "She was like a vault. I realized after the third time she was not about to crack. Getting involved with her further would not have produced results." Lester seemed a bit put off. Women normally told him whatever he wanted to hear, but Sabine was too invested in her role to make such a rookie mistake. There was no postcoital confession from her.

Tank talked about his role as one of our guards. Her staff said she never talked shop around the mansion. If we wanted to know anything, we had to go through Diego or follow her. He looked at me before saying, "When Fannie and Ric went shopping, I doubled back and overheard Sabine tell Diego she wanted Misha's daughter. She had the perfect family in mind to adopt her. I sent word when I heard she was planning to cut the abomination free of the whore."

My face paled. I had no idea she's been planning to steal my daughter from my body. No wonder she was trying to get close to Carlos. His hand gently squeezed my knee. Carlos decided to add, "Sabine kept asking when Misha was due. She was convinced Misha was farther along than indicated. Her maid listened during one of Misha's appointments with Bobby. She returned to Sabine to confirm the due date. I overheard the maid relaying the intel." My team kept a lot from me. My husband kept a lot from me. I was not happy.

"How did you discover Sabine Cortez was really Camille Sanchez?" General Sherman asked.

"Intel gathered during the Hernandez case. One of our informants mentioned receiving a shipment of lavender from Sanchez. I found that odd so I looked into lavender shipments. Camille Sanchez was hiding money or information in lavender and shipping it to her boss. After Hernandez was neutralized, Sanchez disappeared," I started to explain.

"Sabine mentioned receiving a lavender shipment around five days ago," Carlos added.

"Yes. It triggered the memory and I knew she was really Camille Sanchez. I just needed proof to back my suspicion," I finished. "She was Hernandez' daughter."

Everyone looked at me in surprise. "How did you uncover that vital piece of information?" General Rogers asked.

"The day before the raid, Sabine was wearing a skimpy bikini in the pool. I saw the birthmark on the shoulder she always kept covered. It was identical to the one I saw on Hernandez," I explained. "She must have known who we were when we arrived. It explains why she was overly cautious." I could feel the truth in my words.

"Are you positive?" Rogers asked.

"The proof is on this disc," Jeanne Ellen said as she signed over the evidence.

We continued our brief, the men smiled when I explained Kiera and I took joint showers to communicate. Their minds obviously going down the 'two wet women having hot shower sex' route. Jeanne Ellen looked a bit sad but managed to control her emotions before anyone noticed. "It was the only way to work around the bugs in our suite. There was nothing remotely sexual in the exchange," I added for Jeanne's benefit. Kiera isn't a lesbian or bisexual. Once upon a time I was bicurious, but that didn't go past the one encounter.

A few hours later we wrapped up the debrief. My team was dismissed and ordered to take the standard month off. We retreated to the apartments on site. It was too late to go home and I desperately needed to sleep.

I woke up to hear Jeanne Ellen ask my team how my pregnancy was progressing. "It's around the time when she lost Stephan."

"She'll make it to term with this one," Bobby stated. "The placenta is firmly attached and the umbilical cord appears to be longer."

"That's great news. I can't wait to see my niece... or is it cousin?" she questioned. I decided to choose that moment to get out of bed

With my hair completely messed up, I went into the living room to say, "Both. You're her aunt and cousin."

"We didn't mean to wake you," Jeanne Ellen said.

"You didn't. I've been awake for awhile. Little one has been using my bladder as a trampoline."

"I'm leaving the Army," Jeanne told us.

"I thought you liked the job?" I asked.

"I love the job but I need to go home. My dad's sick and my mom needs help," she replied. My spidey sense hummed. I knew there was more to the story than what she shared.

Settling myself on her lap, I whispered, "Is your mom sick too?"

"Breast cancer," she whispered back. I gave her a quick hug before removing my heavy body off her lap. She was returning home in a few hours. We could have Jeanne Ellen look for viable properties in Newark and Trenton for our new security business. I'll need to discuss my idea with the men when we return home.

We went to our assigned rooms and discovered we were sharing the two double bed rooms with the other men. After a bit of rearranging, Carlos and I shared a room with Tank. Lester, Ram, Bobby and Kiera shared a room. Kiera's room arrangement was very interesting. There was only two beds which means she needs to share with one of the guys. I had noticed she was growing closer to Bobby. If they started dating, I wouldn't be surprised.

Our return home was relatively quiet. All I wanted was my bed and Carlos. Last night was a bit awkward. Carlos and I needed sexual release after our mission. We waited until Tank was softly snoring before we made love. Tank woke up in time to see me completely naked straddling Carlos. An orgasm shook my body as Carlos continued to pump inside of me, finding his own release. "That was incredibly hot. Do you guys mind continuing as I rub one off?" Tank asked. I shook my head no as Carlos chuckled.

Tank did exactly as promised. He feigned sleeping and rubbed one off as Carlos started round two. When Carlos and I quietly orgasmed together, we heard Tank moan in satisfaction. He left his bed to clean up in the washroom. Carlos has an amazing body but Tank's was a very close second. His ripped abdomen and firm ass were a few of his better qualities. I couldn't miss noticing he was also very well hung. "Don't be so embarrassed," Tank said when he returned. "All the guys rub one off every time you and Ric make love. Ya... not helping. I didn't realize we were that loud.

We collected our luggage to return home. I felt Carlos start to pull away from me emotionally. Our last mission was weighing heavily on his mind. Something in his actions made me feel like our relationship was in trouble. This wasn't the first time he started pulling away.

A few weeks later I knew for sure our relationship was in trouble. I only had six weeks left in my pregnancy. Carlos and his Ranger team were deployed. Their mission was scheduled to last four weeks. If they finished in time, he'll be home for our daughter's birth. Sex with him was always amazing, but the last few weeks it was lacking emotion. He was starting to shut down like I did after losing Stephan. There was nothing I could do to help. Carlos had to face his own demons. I spent all my spare time working on intel for his current mission. It was risky, but it pays extremely well. Once again they were deployed to an incorrect location. Our intel wasn't faulty, it was dated. The search and rescue mission in South Korea was proving to be a challenge for the team. Initial intel led them to a Russian spy group that had already crossed the boarder into North Korea. I sent the intel to Carlos' handler to pass along.

Three weeks later, I received word Carlos and his team needed another few weeks to complete the mission. My intel and spidey sense led them in another direction. It took them nearly a month to arrive and get into position. If they found the missing Rangers in time, Carlos would be home on our daughter's due date.

Mama took me shopping before I was scheduled to return to DC. I only had two weeks left in my pregnancy. We were buying baby clothes for Julie. I had nothing back home and I wanted Mama to help me select her clothes. Mama and Papa were planning to move to DC with me after I give birth. The men could help me with the baby, but Mama asked what would happen when they're deployed. She had a point.

We were in the Newark mall when I was approached by none other than Joseph Morelli. There was no way to avoid him this time. "Stephanie Plum?" he asked as he approached us.

I didn't want to be rude, but I couldn't stop myself from asking, "I'm sorry. Who are you?" There was no mistaking who this man was. I would never forget the face of my rapist.

"Joe Morelli. We went to high school together," he answered. "I graduated with your sister Valerie."

"Right. I vaguely remember you," I said. My body was starting to give me away. I used a shaky hand to push hair behind my ear.

"You look radiant. When are you due?" he asked politely. I was feeling a bit unnerved. This man who brutally raped me was participating in small talk.

Anger pushed through as I snapped, "It's non of your business when I'm due."

"Where's my child?" he practically shouted.

"My son was born almost three months early. He lived for one whole day before he died. You have absolutely no claim on him!" I shouted before a horrible, yet familiar pain ripped through my body. I reflectively grabbed my stomach as I fell to the floor. "Fuck, not again," I groaned before passing out.