"We've rehearsed this before Falcon... you're an arms dealer offering him a smaller version of the laser canon he contracted from COBRA," Lady Jaye snapped. "Stick to the plan...you're here on business."

"Trust me with this babe, I know what I'm doing with these guys," he winked, kicking back in his chair.

"The bloody hell you do," she spat, kicking the legs out from under him. She towered over his prone form.

"What you'd do that for?" He winced, shuffling back from the angry Covert Ops agent.

"I told you that this isn't your typical scenario," she growled. Chuckles who had been sitting back watching the heated debate stepped forward.

"Jaye...take it easy," he spoke up, stepping between the two of them.

"TAKE IT EASY! He hasn't heard a bloody thing I've told him about these men!" She fumed, walking towards the window.

"I know these men...I studied the culture back at school." Falcon retorted, picking the chair up as he stood to face her. "She's too close to the situation." He rumbled, brushing her angry glare off.

"Too close?" She hissed through gritted teeth, stalking from the window. "I've followed Samir and his men for the past six months." She narrowed her eyes to angry slits, poking him in the chest. "I know Samir...and I know what he's capable of."

"Falcon, do as she says...Duke put her in charge of this." Chuckles growled more forcefully, dropping the playful façade from his demeanor.

"And I ..."

"FALCON!" Lady Jaye and Chuckles both yelled simultaneously as they both took an angry stance.

"All right, I'll play it her way." He relented with the thought of for now.

"Good," Chuckles sighed his relief. "Now, if you two kids are through, we've got to get to the bazaar." He offered her veil to her and placed one over his head. "After you, meathead...ah master," he chortled, breaking the tension.

"I'll give you meathead, let's go." Falcon adjusted his Gutrah. Chuckles and Lady Jaye followed at a distance, avoiding eye contact with any man they passed while mentally noting everything around them.


"Falcon, 3 o'clock." Chuckles spotted a jeep sporting an old gatlin gun on top. A few members of Samir's personal guard were lounging against the vehicle.

"Told you they weren't that advanced." Falcon snickered.

"That's what you're supposed to think," Lady Jaye muttered under her breath. "There's our contact, near the meat market." She bowed her head slightly to the right. The sounds of prayers offered sang out as animals were slaughtered. They approached an elderly man, cautiously scanning the area for trouble.

"Salaam brother, I am Habidi," the old man greeted Falcon. "You'll forgive my not greeting your 'wives'," he added, his voice a strained whisper. "The bazaar has as many ears as flies."

"I know the culture well." Falcon smirked, eyeing Chuckles closing in on him. "Get back in your place." He barked in Arabic, drawing more than a few satisfied grins from Samir's men patrolling the marketplace.

"Come with me." Habidi led them through the bazaar to a café. "Your 'wives' can rest in the women's room." He nodded to a small room in the back of the café; a woman and child exited. Chuckles suppressed an urge to grumble as he followed Lady Jaye.

"Why is he flying solo?" Chuckles grunted.

"He's putting on a show...you know the real deal. We gather the Intel," she replied, entering the room. She noticed a small window near the back of the empty room. "I've got a better idea...you watch Falcon." She grabbed a small stool and set it below the window.

"Where are you going?" Chuckles gulped, knowing full well she was up to something.

"Surveillance...I'll blend in with that group of women." She stood tiptoe on the stool, peering out the window. "Give me a boost, will ya? We need eyes outside in case it's a double cross."

"Hon...I know we're running out of time to find them but think...I can't let you go it alone." He crossed his arms over his chest, refusing her request.

"Chuckles, we're running out of time." She paced the small room, analyzing her options. "Come with me." She seized his upper arm, dragging him over to the window. "Please...these sandals don't give me enough traction." She lifted the hem of her abaya up to her calf, revealing not only her thin sandals but also a shapely leg.

"Christ, Jaye, if someone sees you doing that." He pushed her behind him. "All right...I'll give you a lift BUT you wait for me, deal?"

"Deal." He could see the smile spreading over her face beneath the veil.

"On three then...1...2...3..." He boosted her up, watching the door as she easily slipped through the small window.

"C'mon," he heard her call out to him.

"I'll be right...there?" He struggled, guiding his shoulder through the window without success. Pulling it back, he poked his head out to see her ducking into a group of women, disappearing from sight. "Damn it...she did it to me again..." He grumbled, sliding back down to the floor. He paced the room, feeling the walls closing in on him. "She can't go it alone." He rushed to the door, staring out at Falcon. The Green Beret was engrossed in a lively conversation, oblivious to Chuckles standing in the doorway. "Falcon, get off your ass," Chuckles fumed under his breath, gesturing wildly to gain his attention. The sounds of a heavy vehicle approaching drew his attention back to the window. "What the hell is going on NOW?" He scrambled back to the window, planting his hands on the edge to pull himself up. He saw the group of women running from the vehicle's path. Several men jumped down from the back of the transport brandishing AK-47s. A series of terse shouts raised his attention as a man raised the butt of his weapon bringing it down on a woman's shoulder. The unmistakable sound of breaking bone echoed as the woman fell, her neck twisted at an odd angle. He watched the leader of the group kick the body with his boot before bending down to rip the veil away from her face. "Bastards," Chuckled sneered and clenched his jaw.

"Foreign whore," the leader of the group spat on the woman's lifeless body.

"Foreign...NO!" His eyes traveled back to the woman. Staring intently at her shoulder length brown hair, his eyes widened in fear as they wandered down along her body resting on her foot...her sandal. "NO..."