"I don't get it." Jaz huffed. She sat perched on the table next to Amir who was reassembling the directional microphone.

Amir looked up, following her gaze. Elaina and Adam sat at the rear end of the room. By the looks of it – they were in deep discussion – going over some Intel.

"It's a logical choice."

The sniper raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

"Bringing an outsider onto the team? Just because she's a medic?"

Amir silently smiled. A few months ago he had been on the receiving end of her skepticism. That she counted him as one of the team without hesitation these days still felt unfamiliar – but in a good way.

It was his second deployment with SOG7 and while he had spent the first one figuring out how to fit into this tight-knit group, on this one felt a lot easier in many ways and despite their various assignments. Mainly because he now knew a bit more about Jaz. And that under her competitive and tough demeanor, she was caring deeply for her team, for the people she considered family. And seeing her teammate head of onto a mission without her being able to protect him, was clearly not to her liking. But the decision had been made and there was little use for bitching about it now. So Amir decided to instill some confidence in both Jaz and Top's sister.

"As far as I know there are only a handful of women on the omega teams. None of them has a medical background. But it is exactly what the DIA needs for this mission. Elaina knows about her brother's job so she isn't really an outsider, she has counter-intelligence training and is a physician. She checks all the boxes."

He put the piece of equipment back in the box and shut the lid.

"Logical choice." he shrugged.

xxx

The next days passed quickly. It was plain that Elaina had not just passed the farm, but like her brother, had a talent for this kind of work. Yet, McG could not help but wonder what had made her walk away from that career choice and become a doctor.

A soft voice roused him from his thoughts.

"Hey." Ellie said, walking over to the dinner table.

"Hi." he greeted her with a smile, looking up from the newspaper he had been perusing.

"I thought I'd get the supplies for tomorrow. Do you mind giving me a hand?" she asked.

"Not at all." he replied and got up, tossing the newspaper on the table.

Although they were both experienced medics, it never hurt to brush up on some routines, especially if they would be tending to children rather than to major trauma injuries. Elaina had found out that a physician specialized in pediatrics was currently serving on Incirlik Airbase. So she had asked Adam to make an appointment so that she and McG could refresh some of their knowledge. The fellow medic had agreed and asked them to prepare their meeting so it was up to the two soldiers to get everything ready.

"Feels strange. Just carrying a gun and nothing else." Ellie mused as they walked towards the base hospital.

McG looked down at her.

"Yeah, I remember being in full gear all the time when I was deployed in Afghanistan. It's quite a change."

"You tell me." Elaina grimaced. "How many tours did you do?"

"It's my fifth deployment, my third with Top."

"Did you always want to become a medic?"

McG nodded with a reminiscent smile. "My mum was a nurse and she didn't want me to enlist. This was our compromise, I guess."

Elaina chuckled. "I bet she has a different opinion on this."

The medic laughed, then turned serious again. "I pretty much don't tell her what I do. What I've seen. I haven't when I was still with my old team and I certainly can't now. I guess that's the price you have to pay when you sign up for a job like this."

Elaina looked up to him, holding his gaze for a second. There was regret in his eyes but also decisiveness and passion about his job. She nodded in understanding.

They had reached the hospital. An ambulance was rushing past, stopping in front of the entrance. Soldiers were dismounting from the vehicle, carrying two stretchers with wounded. Judging by their helmets and microphones attached to them, they looked like flight medics. In the distance, two HH-60W combat rescue helicopters were standing on the airstrip, rotors still spinning.

McG and Elaina stopped to clear the way for their fellow servicemen.

"In this job, you have to have a bad memory sometimes." the young woman said quietly.

McG looked at her. He could not help wonder what she had seen during her deployments, but the suddenly guarded expression and the slight tense in her posture told him a lot. As if she had sensed his gaze lingering on her, she explained.

"I spent most of my second deployment assigned to a Navy Aviation MedEvac detail as a flight surgeon."

McG inhaled pointedly. Well, this had definitely not been on her resume. Before joining SOG 7, he had frequently crossed paths with those helicopter crews and even though the PJs – or Pararescuemen – were the most recognized, he had the utmost respect for all those who rushed into a warzone to save a person's life. Only few people had what it took to do this job.

"Impressive."

"I was lucky. They needed somebody with my qualifications so I stepped in." Ellie replied with a humble shrug.

McG knew that it had little to do with luck to get recruited into such elite teams. Yet, he still saw the shadows of whatever she had seen during that time linger on her face. So he didn't press on the topic.

"And now we are asking for your help." he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Elaina looked at him, tilting her head with a laugh.

"I am starting to sense a pattern. Come on, let's get our stuff."

xxx

Later that evening, when they were preparing the supplies for next day's meeting McG was still thinking about the unexpected revelation of Elaina's previous assignment. He found it hard to wrap his head around the fact that the petite woman standing on the opposite side of the table had been flying rescue missions in enemy territory. She was still wearing her workout clothes from doing some PT with Adam – coral sneakers, black tights and a grey hoodie – her blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail. She did not look remotely like somebody who had seen the worst of war.

"Does your brother know about your MedEvac assignment?" he asked, as he sorted through the supplies.

Ellie interrupted her task and looked up at him.

"No. I think he would have freaked out." she added with a grin.

McG laughed softly. Having seen the Dalton siblings interact with each other, he could tell that Adam was still very protective of his sister.

"Why are you asking anyway?" Ellie wanted to know.

"I..." McG broke off, ruffling through his hair somewhat sheepishly. He didn't want this to come out the wrong way. "I guess I am impressed. And surprised…"

"… that a woman carries out such a dangerous job?" Ellie finished the sentence for him, though her tone was rather one of amused challenge than offense.

"Kind of." McG admitted hesitantly.

"Because you think that we cannot perform well in those jobs?" Ellie pressed on with plain curiosity, her voice still void of any accusation or judgment.

"God, no. I mean, look at Jaz. She'd the best example that gender doesn't matter when it comes to being a badass soldier."

Ellie held is gaze for a second then grinned.

"Agreed."

McG reciprocated it and resumed his task. He still didn't know what to make out of Adam's sister, but learning more about her skills as well as her personally he could not help but thinking that this op would be an interesting one. The young woman's voice roused him from his thoughts once more.

"You better not tell Adam about myexcursion to MedEvac."

"Why?"

"Because he is going to freak out. And I don't think you want to run this mission solo." Elaina said pointedly.

McG laughed.

"You got it."

xxx

While the two medics worked at the table, Adam and Preach were sitting at Adam's desk hunched over some paperwork. But Adam's head wasn't really in the game. His gaze wandered to Elaina and McG ever so often, not unnoticed by Preach.

"Let's call it a day." the Navy SEAL suggested.

Adam turned to his team mate, who reciprocated his gaze sympathetically.

He sighed.

"I hate this Preach." he shook his head in frustration. "I hate this more than they can ever know."

The longer he thought about the op, the more he resented it. Long-term undercover work wasn't what they usually did, nor did they split up for such a long period of time. Let alone incorporate a stranger into their team.

He had made his peace with Elaina's choice to join the service and become a physician. He was proud of her and the work she did for their fellow servicemen. But sending his own sister into harm's way was an entire different story.

"Have faith." Preach said evenly. "They know what is at stake and so do we." He got up and gave Adam a consoling pad on the shoulder.

"Thanks Preach." Adam scoffed, running his hands over his face.

xxx

"You definitely don't need to pack those."

The sound of the familiar voice caught McG entirely by surprise. He barely had the time to duck in order to avoid his opponent's left hook. He turned just to find Elaina leaning casually against the boxing ring, grinning.

"Nice reflexes." she said appreciatively.

"Wanna try me?" he smirked back, challenging her.

"I'd hate to destroy your reputation." Elaina laughed, throwing him his towel. "You got a sec?"

"Sure, what's up?" he asked, wiping the sweat from his face.

Elaina indicated him to follow her away from the ring. She walked a few paces into a quieter corner of the gym, mentally readying for what she had to say. But when she turned around to face him, his look was so full of concern that Elaina had to smile in spite of the situation. She assumed it was the medic side of him, always worrying and looking out for the ones surrounding him. She hadn't meant to startle him, so she came directly to the point. Better to get it out of the way anyways.

"Nothing serious." she assuaged him quickly. "I just wanted to talk to you in private. It's kind of hard when your team is always around."

"You mean when your brother is around." McG teased.

Elaina inclined her head, though not without rolling her eyes at him. Of course he had seen this coming. Ever since Adam had told her about the operation, she had known that they would have to have this talk. And so did he. But the tight schedule her brother had set for preparing the mission had left her next to no opportunity to catch the medic on his own.

"He's my brother not my babysitter. Even though he sometimes thinks he still is." she said lightly. But then added in a much more serious tone: "And even though he sometimes thinks I still need one."

"I see."

Elaina gave him a significant look. But the next words the medic said, surprised her.

"We're a team, Ellie. We look out for each other." he said almost gently.

"So you trust me to have your back?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Elaina looked at him in astonishment. It was the last answer she had expected. Her face seemed to have shown her surprise, but McG merely shrugged.

"I mean, from what I've seen you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. And I don't think that you are a liability if that's what you wanted to ask next. If anything your cover will be more convincing than mine because you are an actual physician."

He began to undo the lacing of his boxing gloves, opening a knot with his teeth. "So you can do your medic thing while I handle the dangerous stuff." he said a little unintelligibly, wriggling his eyebrows comically at her.

Elaina laughed.

"Thanks." she breathed, stroking back her hair.

"For what?" McG asked, letting go of the knot and looking straight at her.

"For setting my head straight. I guess this whole mission has me wound up already."

"I'd lie if I'd say that I am not nervous. I mean going on an undercover op with my CO's sister. The danger I'd be in when I don't return you in one piece is nothing compared to…" he taunted.

"Stop it." Elaina laughed. It felt like an invisible weight had been lifted of her shoulders.

"You started this, remember?" McG deadpanned.

"Easy, Sergeant." she said in mock offense.

"So now you are pulling rank on me?" McG teased.

"That or the boxing ring." Elaina offered smirking. It felt nice to blow off some of some steam bantering with the fellow medic. Over the past days she had gotten to know him as a fun yet caring person, enjoyable to be around with.

"Bring it." McG laughed raising his gloved hands, clearly not believing her.

"What are you two laughing about?"

The two turned around. Preach and Adam had just entered the exercise room, gym-bags over their shoulders.

"Nothing." they said in unison. They looked at each other, grinning.

"Better watch out McG. Elaina's been two times boxing champion in college."

McG turned to stare at her in disbelief, but Elaina merely shrugged nonchalantly.

"Is there anything you can't do?" McG almost groaned.

But Elaina only winked at him. "Maybe you'll find out some day."

And with that she left the gym.

xxx

Reaching for her back pocket, Elaina realized that she had forgotten her phone outside. It was shortly after 10 PM in Adana, so with the time difference, she would be able to catch Natalie before she and the kids headed out for the day. Their flight for Lagos was to leave early the next day so this was the last opportunity to talk to their sister.

She had almost reached the door to the yard, stretching out a hand to push it open when she heard the voice of her brother.

"Hey McG, can we talk for a second?"

"Sure Top. What's up?"

She edged closer to the door, opening it a tiny crack to get a look at the two men. Adam and McGuire were standing at the fire pit, both a bottle of beer in their hands. The taller man looked expectantly at his CO.

"I know you have been tiptoeing around me for the past couple of days." Adam said without preamble.

Next to him, Ellie could see the medic's stance tense almost imperceptibly. She sucked in a silent breath. So her conversation with the medic hadn't gone unnoticed. She hoped that she had convinced the medic that she didn't need someone to watch her every step. She definitively wouldn't get that out of her brother. But she didn't want him to ruin the trust she had built with McG while prepping the mission. She was well capable of taking care of herself and watch their backs. She thought about confronting her brother, right here and now, when he spoke up again.

"I just want you to know that I trust you and your intuition. Whatever you see necessary to get the job done. All I ask you is to keep an eye out for Ellie."

"Of course, Top." McG nodded, surprise wavering through his voice.

"But better not tell her that." Adam grimaced.

McG laughed quietly, shaking his head yes.

Ellie couldn't help but smile as well. She was glad that her brother was showing his fellow team member that he had faith in him and his abilities. Although they trusted each other blindly, one needed to be reminded of it sometimes. She watched the two men toast to each other. Quietly, she retreated into the hangar. She would call Natalie later.