The Rescue
Historian's note: These events take place immediately after the events in 'Hunting Armando'
Frank sat on the crowded plane as they rode back to the states trying to ignore the looks Armando was giving him finally he couldn't take it anymore. "What?"
"How's the wife Frank?"
"She's fine."
"You know I thought I heard one of your team mention her so where is she? I'm surprised you didn't bring her with you."
"She's at home with our son." Frank sighed he hadn't meant to tell Armando that.
"A son congradulations so what did you name him?"
"Andrew."
"That's good strong name." Armando nodded. "When we touch down I'd like to finally get to meet your wife."
"You'll stay away from her."
Armando chuckled. "She still doesn't know does she Frank?"
"No, no she doesn't let's try and keep it that way huh." Frank stood up and let another agent take his place next to Armando he didn't need to be reminded of the debt he'd just paid back. The debt he'd owed in order to save his wife's life.
Bolivia-1998
Frank looked outside the door of the room he'd been given in Armando's compound and then locked the door. He looked over at the digital tracking system on the table his target was in postition and he picked up the phone dialing the number from memory. He wasn't surprised when it was picked up on the first ring. "Hi honey it's me."
"Figured it was you."
He sighed she sounded so tired and all he really wanted to do was tell her he was only a fifteen minute drive away he'd be right there but he couldn't do that she couldn't find out he was working for the CIA not yet. "Did I wake you?"
"No I just got in besides I can't seem to fall asleep until I hear your voice."
"Same here. Sam when are you coming home?" He laid down on the bed.
"I don't know it's just a mess here."
He stopped himself before he could agree with her. "I miss you."
"I miss you too I should go before I'm not able to hang up."
He nodded he knew those nights well falling asleep with the phone cradled to his ear the sound of her breathing like a lullaby. "All right I'll talk to you tomorrow night."
"No, I don't want you to call tomorrow."
He sat up startled this was their nightly ritual and now she didn't want him to call? "Why?"
"I don't know when I'll be in and I don't want you to wait up half the night for me."
He glanced at the tracking system on the table he'd know exactly when she got in thanks to the tracking device he'd had installed in the one piece of jewlry he knew she would never take off her wedding ring but that was another thing he couldn't tell her. "I don't mind really."
"Frank you may not be able to see it but I've got my determined face on now and you know I always win."
He closed his eyes wishing he really could see her. "So what's happening tomorrow that will keep my wife out so late?"
"An exchange of some kind I don't really have all the details."
"I want you to call my cellphone the minute you get in tomorrow and don't argue with me if I can't see my wife I want to at least hear her voice. That glorious sexy voice of yours." He laid back down. "So what are you wearing?"
A chuckle. "Leave it to you to change the subject and turn a lovely phone call into something smutty."
"I wouldn't call it smutty I was just wondering what you were wearing that's not a crime is it?"
"Well if you must know I'm changing for bed so at the moment I'm not wearing anything at all."
He almost dropped the phone. "Now I wish I wouldn't of asked because now I miss you even more."
"I'm sure certain parts of you miss me more then others now go to sleep and dream of me."
"Oh come on let's finish what we started."
"Tomorrow night I'll call the minute I get in." A sigh. "I just wish we wouldn't have to do it this way."
"I know I miss holding you in my arms but pretty soon they can't keep us apart forever."
"I know I love you."
"I love you too. Good night sweetheart."
"Night."
He hung up the phone and closed his eyes drifting off to sleep thinking about her. As the sun shone into his room he sat up as a thought entered his head the only exchange he knew of that was planned for that day was thirteen government agents for some political prisoners. He shot out of bed and looked at the tracking system sure enough she was walking right into a trap. "No this isn't happening." He picked up the phone to try her cell but what could he say? He threw on a shirt, grabbed a set of keys, pushed past Armando, and drove off he had to stop her.
He skidded the jeep to a halt in time to see the agents his wife among them being tossed into a waiting truck and he stormed into the temporary office of the FBI. He quickly spotted the person he had a bone to pick with. "You bastard you told me if I did this thing with Armando you'd take my wife's name off the list."
"Your wife's name wasn't even on the list the only woman was Samantha Montgomery."
"Don't you dare play dumb with me you sent her out there and now you're going to get her back."
The official shook his head. "No can do it's a done deal there's no take backs here."
"You're going to let them kill her?"
"They'll probably torture her first but yeah she's just another assassin she can be replaced."
Frank slammed the official into the wall. "She can't just be replaced not to me."
"Frank your upset right now so I'm going to let this behavior slide but you knew it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. You've had your fun now I'm helping you move on."
"My fun?" Frank released his hold on the man. "You're not going to help me fine I'll get her out myself or die with her." He turned and left the building his temper flaring.
"Don't waste your time Frank she's not worth it." The official straightened his tie. "Geez they belong together they're both nuts."
Armando came into his room as he was packing his bags. "Leaving us so soon Frank?"
"I've shown you where the bunkers are I'd say I'm pretty much done here."
Armando picked up a picture off the bed before Frank could grab it. "Now who is this?"
"My wife."
"A wife? I didn't even know you were married."
"Have been for two years now."
"She looks famaliar just like the young lady you hid from the other day when we went to town."
"That was her."
"Now why would you hide from your wife? A beauty like that I'd want to be with her every moment of every day reminds me of my own wife, god rest her soul."
"She doesn't know I'm here and now I've got to save her."
"Whatever you need Frank I'm prepared to give."
"Why?"
"I lost my wife Frank it's the most painful thing a man can go through and I don't wish it on anyone. Do you know where she is?"
Frank looked at the tracking system he hadn't packed yet. "I know exactly where she is."
Sam woke up in a cold damp cell her whole body hurt from the stun grenade that had been thrown into the room. She sat up and leaned against the wall. "So this is it? This is how I go out." She buried her face in her hands as tears threatened to fall she'd never even get to say good bye to the person that mattered the most to her. She took a deep breath and forced herself to her feet. "What am I doing sitting here feeling sorry for myself?" She prepared herself because when that door opened she was getting out of here or at least taking a few of them out.
Frank looked out the window of the jeep he was still surprised to note that Armando's troops had eagerly agreed to help out and there were now four truckloads of men following them.
"Let me get this straight your government traded thirteen agents for a few political prisoners?"
"Yes."
Armando shook his head. "And they say our government is screwed up." He paused. "Frank you know those soldiers have had plenty of time to inflict wounds that may never heal."
Frank tried to keep his face a mask but the thought had occured to him. "I'd like to see them try."
The door to the cell opened and three soldiers stepped inside. "You were right Manuel she is a pretty one."
She gave them a weak smile. "As flattered as I am by that I'm a happily married woman so move along and before you say it my husband is a real man."
"A real man would be here to protect his wife."
She backed into the wall as the three of them approached her. "Well you do have a point."
Frank barreled into the compound Armando's troops behind him and grabbed the nearest guard. "A female agent was brought in here where is she?"
"Down at the end of the hall what's left of her anyways."
"What?"
"Three soldiers went down there an hour ago quite a lot of noise coming from that cell." The guard started to laugh till Frank smashed him into the nearest wall. He ran down the hall and kicked open the door ducking at the kick that was aimed at his head to come face to face with his battered and very pissed off wife.
"Frank how did you get here so fast?"
He stepped into the cell and took her in his arms. "You okay? They didn't?"
She shook her head leaning against him. "No they didn't." She noticed one of the soldiers was getting to his feet. "Although that one said you weren't a real man because you couldn't protect your wife."
He turned around and punched the soldier in the face knocking him out. "I can protect my wife just fine can't I?" He leaned down to brush his lips across the dark bruise on her cheek. "I should've gotten here sooner."
"You still haven't answered my question how did you get here so fast?" She glanced over his shoulder and pulled a gun out of his holster. "Excuse me." She pushed him slightly out of the way and fired. "I'm trying to have a moment here."
He grinned as he heard a body fall to the floor behind him. "Let's get out of here I need to check you over throughly for injuries."
"Of course you do but I'm still not going anywhere till you answer me."
He kissed her feeling her instantly relax in his arms.
"What was I saying?"
He picked her up. "You were telling me how happy you were that I came to your rescue and that as soon as we were alone you were going to show me just how grateful you are."
She frowned. "Somehow I highly doubt that." She put her head on his shoulder and allowed him to carry her out to the waiting jeep ignoring the sounds of all the fighting around them.
He got into the back of the jeep and settled her on his lap as the driver took them to the safe house Armando had arranged for them. He looked at her only to find she'd fallen asleep curled up against him and he carried her into the safe house setting her down gently on the bed since he was guessing this was the first real rest she'd gotten in months. He did a careful inspection taking inventory of every cut and bruise she had and plotting revenage for every single one.
She stirred when she felt hands trying to pull up her pant leg. "What are you doing?"
He looked up. "Checking you over." He frowned. "Honey are you sure they didn't because you can tell me?"
She sat up. "Stop worrying I can take care of myself you know."
He nodded. "I know you can you nearly kicked my head off back there."
She reclined on the pillows. "Frank are you going to tell me what's going on?"
He pulled down her pant leg and moved to sit beside her. "We stay here tonight tomorrow we go home."
"Yes but how did you get here so fast?"
He put his arm around her. "Don't worry about it I just had to hurry here and rescue my girl."
She closed her eyes every bone in her body hurt and she wanted to do was go back to sleep feeling safe in his arms but she didn't like having all the questions on her mind with no answers. "I will worry about it so I'll ask again how did you get here so fast? Who were those men with you because I know they couldn't be our government agents?" She opened her eyes to study his. "What did you do?"
"I did what I had to do to keep you alive and with me. I'd gladly do it again." He rested his forehead on hers. "I would gladly sell my soul to the devil if it would spare you even a moment of pain."
"So did you? Did you sell your soul?"
"No of course I didn't." He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Get some sleep we're leaving at dawn then when we get home you can show me how grateful you are."
She rested her head against his shoulder and fell back to sleep believing everything he had told her.
The Present
Frank quickly got out of his seat the moment the plane touched down he knew Sam would be waiting and he wanted to get her as far away from Armando as he could. He got off the plane and sure enough there she was looking tense and worried.
She hugged him tightly the moment he got close enough. "Cody told me that you almost didn't get out of there I was so worried that something had happened to you on the way here."
"I'm fine it got a little tense but nothing I can't handle."
"You got him then."
"Of course I did have you ever known me to fail at anything once I put my mind to it." He put his arm around her. "Come on let's go home."
"No I want to see him."
He tensed up. "Why would you want to see Armando?"
"Curious I guess he's the one drug dealer in Bolivia that I was never sent after."
He growned as he noticed two agents bringing Armando to them.
"You didn't think you could just run off without me getting to say thank you Frank." Armando's eyes twinkled as his eyes fell on her she looked better then she had the last time he'd seen her. "And who might this lovely creature be?"
"Samantha Donovan."
"Donovan? So this is the wife Frank you're a very lucky man."
Frank tightened his grip on her. "Yes I am. Is there anything else?"
"No I just wanted to meet her and thank you for saving my son."
Frank nodded and led her back to the car.
"What was that all about?"
"Trust me it was nothing I stopped some soldiers from killing his son that's all." He opened the car door for her.
She looked at him. "That's all?"
He nodded.
She got into the car letting the subject drop.
He got into the car and drove them home some of his secrets still safe for the time being.
Historian's note: These events take place immediately after the events in 'Hunting Armando'
Frank sat on the crowded plane as they rode back to the states trying to ignore the looks Armando was giving him finally he couldn't take it anymore. "What?"
"How's the wife Frank?"
"She's fine."
"You know I thought I heard one of your team mention her so where is she? I'm surprised you didn't bring her with you."
"She's at home with our son." Frank sighed he hadn't meant to tell Armando that.
"A son congradulations so what did you name him?"
"Andrew."
"That's good strong name." Armando nodded. "When we touch down I'd like to finally get to meet your wife."
"You'll stay away from her."
Armando chuckled. "She still doesn't know does she Frank?"
"No, no she doesn't let's try and keep it that way huh." Frank stood up and let another agent take his place next to Armando he didn't need to be reminded of the debt he'd just paid back. The debt he'd owed in order to save his wife's life.
Bolivia-1998
Frank looked outside the door of the room he'd been given in Armando's compound and then locked the door. He looked over at the digital tracking system on the table his target was in postition and he picked up the phone dialing the number from memory. He wasn't surprised when it was picked up on the first ring. "Hi honey it's me."
"Figured it was you."
He sighed she sounded so tired and all he really wanted to do was tell her he was only a fifteen minute drive away he'd be right there but he couldn't do that she couldn't find out he was working for the CIA not yet. "Did I wake you?"
"No I just got in besides I can't seem to fall asleep until I hear your voice."
"Same here. Sam when are you coming home?" He laid down on the bed.
"I don't know it's just a mess here."
He stopped himself before he could agree with her. "I miss you."
"I miss you too I should go before I'm not able to hang up."
He nodded he knew those nights well falling asleep with the phone cradled to his ear the sound of her breathing like a lullaby. "All right I'll talk to you tomorrow night."
"No, I don't want you to call tomorrow."
He sat up startled this was their nightly ritual and now she didn't want him to call? "Why?"
"I don't know when I'll be in and I don't want you to wait up half the night for me."
He glanced at the tracking system on the table he'd know exactly when she got in thanks to the tracking device he'd had installed in the one piece of jewlry he knew she would never take off her wedding ring but that was another thing he couldn't tell her. "I don't mind really."
"Frank you may not be able to see it but I've got my determined face on now and you know I always win."
He closed his eyes wishing he really could see her. "So what's happening tomorrow that will keep my wife out so late?"
"An exchange of some kind I don't really have all the details."
"I want you to call my cellphone the minute you get in tomorrow and don't argue with me if I can't see my wife I want to at least hear her voice. That glorious sexy voice of yours." He laid back down. "So what are you wearing?"
A chuckle. "Leave it to you to change the subject and turn a lovely phone call into something smutty."
"I wouldn't call it smutty I was just wondering what you were wearing that's not a crime is it?"
"Well if you must know I'm changing for bed so at the moment I'm not wearing anything at all."
He almost dropped the phone. "Now I wish I wouldn't of asked because now I miss you even more."
"I'm sure certain parts of you miss me more then others now go to sleep and dream of me."
"Oh come on let's finish what we started."
"Tomorrow night I'll call the minute I get in." A sigh. "I just wish we wouldn't have to do it this way."
"I know I miss holding you in my arms but pretty soon they can't keep us apart forever."
"I know I love you."
"I love you too. Good night sweetheart."
"Night."
He hung up the phone and closed his eyes drifting off to sleep thinking about her. As the sun shone into his room he sat up as a thought entered his head the only exchange he knew of that was planned for that day was thirteen government agents for some political prisoners. He shot out of bed and looked at the tracking system sure enough she was walking right into a trap. "No this isn't happening." He picked up the phone to try her cell but what could he say? He threw on a shirt, grabbed a set of keys, pushed past Armando, and drove off he had to stop her.
He skidded the jeep to a halt in time to see the agents his wife among them being tossed into a waiting truck and he stormed into the temporary office of the FBI. He quickly spotted the person he had a bone to pick with. "You bastard you told me if I did this thing with Armando you'd take my wife's name off the list."
"Your wife's name wasn't even on the list the only woman was Samantha Montgomery."
"Don't you dare play dumb with me you sent her out there and now you're going to get her back."
The official shook his head. "No can do it's a done deal there's no take backs here."
"You're going to let them kill her?"
"They'll probably torture her first but yeah she's just another assassin she can be replaced."
Frank slammed the official into the wall. "She can't just be replaced not to me."
"Frank your upset right now so I'm going to let this behavior slide but you knew it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. You've had your fun now I'm helping you move on."
"My fun?" Frank released his hold on the man. "You're not going to help me fine I'll get her out myself or die with her." He turned and left the building his temper flaring.
"Don't waste your time Frank she's not worth it." The official straightened his tie. "Geez they belong together they're both nuts."
Armando came into his room as he was packing his bags. "Leaving us so soon Frank?"
"I've shown you where the bunkers are I'd say I'm pretty much done here."
Armando picked up a picture off the bed before Frank could grab it. "Now who is this?"
"My wife."
"A wife? I didn't even know you were married."
"Have been for two years now."
"She looks famaliar just like the young lady you hid from the other day when we went to town."
"That was her."
"Now why would you hide from your wife? A beauty like that I'd want to be with her every moment of every day reminds me of my own wife, god rest her soul."
"She doesn't know I'm here and now I've got to save her."
"Whatever you need Frank I'm prepared to give."
"Why?"
"I lost my wife Frank it's the most painful thing a man can go through and I don't wish it on anyone. Do you know where she is?"
Frank looked at the tracking system he hadn't packed yet. "I know exactly where she is."
Sam woke up in a cold damp cell her whole body hurt from the stun grenade that had been thrown into the room. She sat up and leaned against the wall. "So this is it? This is how I go out." She buried her face in her hands as tears threatened to fall she'd never even get to say good bye to the person that mattered the most to her. She took a deep breath and forced herself to her feet. "What am I doing sitting here feeling sorry for myself?" She prepared herself because when that door opened she was getting out of here or at least taking a few of them out.
Frank looked out the window of the jeep he was still surprised to note that Armando's troops had eagerly agreed to help out and there were now four truckloads of men following them.
"Let me get this straight your government traded thirteen agents for a few political prisoners?"
"Yes."
Armando shook his head. "And they say our government is screwed up." He paused. "Frank you know those soldiers have had plenty of time to inflict wounds that may never heal."
Frank tried to keep his face a mask but the thought had occured to him. "I'd like to see them try."
The door to the cell opened and three soldiers stepped inside. "You were right Manuel she is a pretty one."
She gave them a weak smile. "As flattered as I am by that I'm a happily married woman so move along and before you say it my husband is a real man."
"A real man would be here to protect his wife."
She backed into the wall as the three of them approached her. "Well you do have a point."
Frank barreled into the compound Armando's troops behind him and grabbed the nearest guard. "A female agent was brought in here where is she?"
"Down at the end of the hall what's left of her anyways."
"What?"
"Three soldiers went down there an hour ago quite a lot of noise coming from that cell." The guard started to laugh till Frank smashed him into the nearest wall. He ran down the hall and kicked open the door ducking at the kick that was aimed at his head to come face to face with his battered and very pissed off wife.
"Frank how did you get here so fast?"
He stepped into the cell and took her in his arms. "You okay? They didn't?"
She shook her head leaning against him. "No they didn't." She noticed one of the soldiers was getting to his feet. "Although that one said you weren't a real man because you couldn't protect your wife."
He turned around and punched the soldier in the face knocking him out. "I can protect my wife just fine can't I?" He leaned down to brush his lips across the dark bruise on her cheek. "I should've gotten here sooner."
"You still haven't answered my question how did you get here so fast?" She glanced over his shoulder and pulled a gun out of his holster. "Excuse me." She pushed him slightly out of the way and fired. "I'm trying to have a moment here."
He grinned as he heard a body fall to the floor behind him. "Let's get out of here I need to check you over throughly for injuries."
"Of course you do but I'm still not going anywhere till you answer me."
He kissed her feeling her instantly relax in his arms.
"What was I saying?"
He picked her up. "You were telling me how happy you were that I came to your rescue and that as soon as we were alone you were going to show me just how grateful you are."
She frowned. "Somehow I highly doubt that." She put her head on his shoulder and allowed him to carry her out to the waiting jeep ignoring the sounds of all the fighting around them.
He got into the back of the jeep and settled her on his lap as the driver took them to the safe house Armando had arranged for them. He looked at her only to find she'd fallen asleep curled up against him and he carried her into the safe house setting her down gently on the bed since he was guessing this was the first real rest she'd gotten in months. He did a careful inspection taking inventory of every cut and bruise she had and plotting revenage for every single one.
She stirred when she felt hands trying to pull up her pant leg. "What are you doing?"
He looked up. "Checking you over." He frowned. "Honey are you sure they didn't because you can tell me?"
She sat up. "Stop worrying I can take care of myself you know."
He nodded. "I know you can you nearly kicked my head off back there."
She reclined on the pillows. "Frank are you going to tell me what's going on?"
He pulled down her pant leg and moved to sit beside her. "We stay here tonight tomorrow we go home."
"Yes but how did you get here so fast?"
He put his arm around her. "Don't worry about it I just had to hurry here and rescue my girl."
She closed her eyes every bone in her body hurt and she wanted to do was go back to sleep feeling safe in his arms but she didn't like having all the questions on her mind with no answers. "I will worry about it so I'll ask again how did you get here so fast? Who were those men with you because I know they couldn't be our government agents?" She opened her eyes to study his. "What did you do?"
"I did what I had to do to keep you alive and with me. I'd gladly do it again." He rested his forehead on hers. "I would gladly sell my soul to the devil if it would spare you even a moment of pain."
"So did you? Did you sell your soul?"
"No of course I didn't." He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Get some sleep we're leaving at dawn then when we get home you can show me how grateful you are."
She rested her head against his shoulder and fell back to sleep believing everything he had told her.
The Present
Frank quickly got out of his seat the moment the plane touched down he knew Sam would be waiting and he wanted to get her as far away from Armando as he could. He got off the plane and sure enough there she was looking tense and worried.
She hugged him tightly the moment he got close enough. "Cody told me that you almost didn't get out of there I was so worried that something had happened to you on the way here."
"I'm fine it got a little tense but nothing I can't handle."
"You got him then."
"Of course I did have you ever known me to fail at anything once I put my mind to it." He put his arm around her. "Come on let's go home."
"No I want to see him."
He tensed up. "Why would you want to see Armando?"
"Curious I guess he's the one drug dealer in Bolivia that I was never sent after."
He growned as he noticed two agents bringing Armando to them.
"You didn't think you could just run off without me getting to say thank you Frank." Armando's eyes twinkled as his eyes fell on her she looked better then she had the last time he'd seen her. "And who might this lovely creature be?"
"Samantha Donovan."
"Donovan? So this is the wife Frank you're a very lucky man."
Frank tightened his grip on her. "Yes I am. Is there anything else?"
"No I just wanted to meet her and thank you for saving my son."
Frank nodded and led her back to the car.
"What was that all about?"
"Trust me it was nothing I stopped some soldiers from killing his son that's all." He opened the car door for her.
She looked at him. "That's all?"
He nodded.
She got into the car letting the subject drop.
He got into the car and drove them home some of his secrets still safe for the time being.