I wrote this before I got any reviews for the last chapter:

Author's Note: I fully expect the last chapter to get shot down in flames. Risking that, I still posted it. Why? Because it was time. War is nasty, and unfortunately even main canon characters cannot be totally immune to it.

While maybe I should have really killed a less liked character to make people happy, I find I cannot do this. That would lessen the impact, and the feeling of loss that the characters would go through.

How could we as readers share their pain if we found ourselves not caring for the character lost?

CHAPTER TWO:
Ties That Bind

PART ONE: To Begin Again

September 24th, 2034
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Katherine Hitchcock let her hand relax on her flat stomach after finishing the thirtieth sit up. Old habits died so hard no matter how one tried to forget. Even though she was retired and no longer affiliated with the UEO or NorPac, she found herself falling into the old motions so easily. She couldn't even break her diet, no matter how tempted, it was so ingrained.

As much as she missed her former life she knew she no longer belonged in it. There would be no sabbatical - she just wasn't going back.

Smiling wanly she stared down into the river below. Captain Bridger's words came back in those moments most of all, "Don't repeat my mistakes."

"I can't do this without you Jonathan, not again," she whispered.

September 24th, 2034
San Diego
UEO HQ

Nathan was frustrated to be sure. The new Chaodai confederation was making so many others nervous. It's amazing you never realize just how hard something really is until you are forced to do it... he mused. He raised his voice, "Order!"

At least his command voice still held the same weight in this arena as it did on the bridge of a ship. The room quieted immediately. "That's better," he began. "Now can we keep this instead of acting like overgrown four year olds?"

A few laughed softly, and a few seemed a little bit put off by his bluntness. The Chaodai ambassador for one... The man stood and said, "Mr. Secretary, your lack of decorum is very out of order."

"No, screaming at each other like it's going to do something is out of order," retorted Bridger calmly. "I was voted in for this exact purpose. I may be blunt, but at least I get the point across. Now, you had the floor and our attention before the screaming match started..."

Inclining his head in slight deference, the man continued, "The North Pacific Confederation clearly stole the Orpheus from us. We want it back."

Ambassador Yvonne Buchannon of NorPac stood up, "The Orpheus was never yours, Ambassador. It was built by Dr. Lawrence Wolenczak and Dr. Sheila Cavanaugh, using UEO funds. If it belongs to anyone, it is the UEO."

"And it was lost," pointed out Ambassador Chen. "At which point, under the laws of salvage operations, it became ours. The magma flow originated from Chaodai territory..."

"Was the NorPac Speeder in Chaodai territory, and was the Orpheus at the time of salvage?" asked Bridger.

Chen turned in surprise, "It was on the very border. Two hundred more meters, according the G.P.S., and it would have been clearly in our borders."

"Exactly our point, it was not, so it is not yours," Buchannon sounded triumphant.

"However, the magma flow did..." continued Chen.

"According to UEO law, however," pointed out Bridger. "It is not where the flow originates that dictates who owns what, it's where it was found. By your own testimony, it is fairly clear that NorPac salvaged the Orpheus, and it remains theirs to do with what they wish. Any objections?"

Seeing that there was none, Bridger tapped the gavel on the desk. "The Orpheus is thereby awarded to the North Pacific Confederation under the laws of salvage."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ambassador Chen's eyes narrow, and could sense the sudden ire. Interesting, why would they want it? he wondered. He knew they wouldn't let it drop there. For some reason he was being tested. For what? Weakness? He sincerely hoped not. If he was continually tested like that this term would not take long. His health would deteriorate too fast to handle it.

September 26th, 2034
seaQuest DSV
Captain's Quarters
22:56 hours

It had been a few weeks at least, but he still just could not get used to it at all. He would lay one way, then the next, and still wind up too tense to sleep. Ben sighed once again. He knew why, of course. Actually, there was two reasons at the moment that robbed his sleep from him, both of them rather trivial.

One was that his was his birthday tomorrow and for once he had a crew that knew about it. It scared him. He was going to be forty two tomorrow and as Lucas had missed out on his fortieth he knew he was in for trouble. It didn't help that likely his exec would be in on it... he shivered. Good lord, he was not looking forward to tomorrow.

Two... the second reason... he couldn't get used to the quarters. He kept expecting Captain Nathan Bridger to come in and throw him out of his bunk. Come on Ben, use your head. You're the captain now. Close your damn eyes and go to sleep!

As many times as he had told himself that, he would have felt so much more comfortable in his old quarters... he sighed and rolled over. But would I want my old self back too?

No!

Sighing again, sleep finally overtook him as the activities of his day caught up to him. Thankfully it was a dreamless sleep, and when he awoke in the morning he felt better. Hell, it was his birthday. By now the entire crew knew about it so he may as well enjoy it. Looking at the clock he saw that it was almost nine hundred hours. His shift was not until fifteen hundred hours so he had time to truly enjoy his day. In fact, Migs would be off duty, maybe before he went to sleep he would feel up to a game of poker...

He got up, showered, shaved, and then dressed, decided to dress in his civvies until a few hours of his shift started. Off duty meant off duty on this boat unless General Quarters were sounded, and everyone knew who he was. Just before leaving he caught himself humming "Cheeseburger in Paradise", and then his stomach promptly growled.

Stop that, Ben, he chided himself, but it was no use, it was thoroughly stuck in his head. Likely would be the entire day. Damn damn damn...

He walked to the galley and picked out his breakfast. Seeing Miguel at a table, Ben walked over and sat down. "Good morning," said Ben.

Miguel looked at him, his trademark poker face, which was as easy to read as a kindergarten child's book, and answered, "Good morning, Captain."

Ben fixed him with his own stare, and Miguel grinned, "What are you giving me that for? All I said was 'Good morning'. It's not like it has anything to do with it being your forty-second birthday, Captain..."

That last part was just loud enough that the entire galley heard it, and Ben winced as everyone turned in his direction. "Thanks Migs, it wasn't as if I was sensitive enough about it as it was," Ben sighed and turned to his murmuring crew. "Yes, he's serious. Just don't bother yourselves about it too much."

The murmuring only got worse, and the warrant officer in charge of the kitchen came out with a plate and some fresh pancakes. "If I had known, you would have got first choice, Captain. Fresh coffee, sir?"

Ben took the plate, thanked him, and shook his head about the coffee. Moments later the pancakes were drowned in butter and maple syrup. Miguel looked on with a mixture of disgust and curiosity, "Wow, Ben, I think I can hear your arteries hardening."

Lucas had his feet up in his quarters as he had just come off shift. Tony Piccolo, his commanding officer of the Specter Wing, had just received a load of new maneuvers to try from UEO command. Of course, they just had to try them. His roommate, he moved over to the bunk with a smile...

Bless the person who had done away with the old fashioned fraternization rules!

... was asleep on her bunk, and her shift on the bridge was about to start in a few hours time. He lay just beside her and kissed her shoulder and then moved to her neck, leaving a glistening trail. She moaned and rolled over on her back, her eyes opening a crack. The ebony eyes looked at him in the smooth, silky coffee-shaded complexion of Jessica Jean Fredericks face. "Good morning, Jess," he greeted.

"Morning," she said, then yawned, which he stifled with his mouth.

About an hour later, she sat up from the bed and dressed for her next shift, even while it was hours away, while Lucas lay in the bed, still undressed. Since having the psych chip removed she had not quite been able to return to her former duty as a Specter pilot but had used her skills as the Chief Helms Officer of the seaQuest. Usually her shift was the same as Krieg's now where as before it had been Miguel's.

He traced lazy lines in the sheets while she sat on the side of the bed to pull on her shoes. Moments later, she turned and kissed him, "You know, you could get up and get dressed. Join me for a few hours on the seadeck. You know, exercise Darwin."

"I'd rather exercise you..." he said in a low voice, but he sat up. "I can see your point. He probably is wondering what the Hell happened to me."

She laughed, "Oh trust me, he knows what we've been up to. And I think he approves."

They left their quarters and walked to the seadeck, tossing the heavy plastic ball between the two of them. Once they reached the moon pool it only took seconds for Darwin to appear. "Lucas! JJ!" came the delighted synthesized voice.

"Hey, Dar," greeted Lucas. "Feel like playing with me and JJ? You just can't get her wet."

"Get Lucas cub sick," came Darwin's reply, and they were both stunned.

"Wha...?" Lucas managed to sputter in shock, looking from the equally stunned face of Jess to the dolphin and back. "What do you mean 'Lucas cub'?!"

Darwin swam a lazy circle in the tank, almost as if they were supposed to know something about it already. "Lucas and JJ have cub," the voice sounded insistent.

"Is he trying to tell us that I'm pregnant?" she asked in a stunned whisper.

"Cub," reiterated the dolphin.

Lucas chewed his lower lip and turned to face her, "I think he is... Oh my God... Jess I am so sorry.... I am a complete idiot. I should have thought about protection but I didn't..."

She shook her head, and took him by the shoulders, "Hey, it takes two to tango. So we're caught by surprise. Damn though. This changes my plan in life..."

"Did you want kids?" he asked. "I guess we should have thought of that before..."

"I do want kids. A house full," she laughed at the mortified look on his face. "Joking, joking. I do want kids, maybe one or two... ya know, keep the other company. I just didn't think about it being so soon."

Lucas smiled, "JJ, I'm a bit scared of this. But I swear I'll never leave your side though the whole thing..."

"... Not even to let me go to the head?" that got the response intended when he laughed aloud. "Well, maybe we should get Dr. Perry to confirm this."

"Officially, you mean. Darwin is very good at figuring out these kind of things," Lucas leaned in to kiss her again. "I should have figured something was up when you began to look radiant."

PART TWO: Fallen Angel

September 27th, 2034
seaQuest DSV
wardroom

Lucas Bridger sat in front of the view screen. If the very nature of the call was not so serious, he would have laughed aloud, the look on Nathan Bridger's face was literally that stunned. "Really?" asked Nathan. "And Dr. Perry confirmed it?"

"Yeah, it looks like it. So we decided to have the wedding very soon, and as you can understand," answered Lucas. "Can you believe it? Me, a Daddy?"

"While I find you young... well I guess technically twenty-nine, turning thirty this December isn't that bad. You're very mature for your actual physical age, and were always ahead of everyone. I can see you being a very good father. Especially with the love between you and Jessica," said Nathan. "I still can't believe it..."

Lucas laughed softly, "You can't believe it... Cap... Dad, what are we going to do? The seaQuest is no place to raise a child..."

"Why not? I understand she is a field scientist in Computer Programming, like yourself. She is quite obviously going to get a medical leave to have it, and if you remember, you were raised since fourteen on that boat," pointed out Nathan. "I can see your point, though. Lucas, I can't tell you what to do. I'm afraid that is a decision all men and women have in the military have to decide when this happens. I did, Robert did, even Captain Oliver Hudson had to. We all have different approaches."

"Okay," said Lucas. "Now I'm even more confused."

"Welcome to the wonderful joy of being a father Lucas," answered Bridger wryly. "Sometimes I swore that it was Carol that actually knew what she was doing. Usually I was right. I'd hate to say this but it usually the women who get an... instinct. Your job is to keep them sane."

Lucas could only blink. Well, it was well known that Bridger was somewhat traditional, if only because he would be the first to admit that it was mostly due to the fact that he was raised that way. Lucas figured it was the generational thing. His parents were born well before the major feminist revolution.

Even if his own mother had been one she had been more of a housewife. Sometimes Lucas found himself wondering how neat it would be to meet Bridger's parents, even if it meant meeting a... Lucas grinned... a teenage Bridger to see how much of a pain he had been. Hey, if I traveled back and met Carol, surely on this tour some weirdness is due to happen... the grin widened, and Lucas said, "Right. Just keep Jess sane. I'll keep that in mind."

For a brief moment, Lucas saw the look on Bridger's face. It reminded him of the time he had lied to him about the party. That exact look on his face. Like he was reading your mind.... he shivered. "Stop that."

"Stop what?" asked Nathan, perplexed.

"Giving me that look," responded Lucas. "It gives me the creeps."

"Oh, and Kristin says hi," said Nathan, turning away for a moment. When he turned back, "Well, I have to take her shopping... tell Jess that if she needs anything she knows our number. Oh, and you really don't want to meet the teenage version of me. If you think I'm stubborn now... bye Lucas."

The vidlink closed and Lucas stood there with an open mouth in shock. How did he know that? As if you really need the answer... Lucas shook that thought away and went to look for his fiancee. They had some serious planning to do.

Geoffrey Harpe looked out over the cliffs that his home was practically on top of. Taking a rheumy breath he turned to the other man in the room. Mason Freeman looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but where he was right now. "What did you find out?" asked Harpe.

"You were right. There is people living on that god-forsaken island. Admiral Robert Bridger's family is there... his wife Cynthia and son Michael," Mason took a breath. "But they aren't there alone." He slapped down the photos of the two others on the island. "The older man is a former seaQuest crew member, Chief Manilow Crocker."

"Crocker, I didn't think he would be very far from his best friend's family..." mused Harpe. "That complicates things, but continue."

"The other is someone I don't really recognize..." Mason showed him the picture and was surprised when Harpe grasped the photo almost reverently.

"Ah yes, she would be there. Likely training the boy..." said Harpe. "Excellent. I want the boy... he will come in handy."

Mason lifted a brow as Harpe leaned forward to explain.

Katherine walked into the bar and spoke to the bartender. In the past weeks she had tried to track down members of any terrorist groups that would have been in the Pearl area the day the restaurant was bombed.

She had finally decided how to exact her revenge.

Sitting at the stool a rough looking man came and slid up beside her. "I understand you're looking for work, bella mujere," he said, smiling.

Katie tried hard not to notice that he was lacking teeth and what still there was blackened at the roots, but she smiled at the compliment. "Yeah, I'm looking for someone who might need an extra armed soldier... someone who actually knows which way to hold a gun," she answered. "You know anyone answering that description?"

"Not exactly the work I thought you wanted, pretty lady, but I can see if anyone is hiring guns. What are your qualifications?" he asked, sliding his hand up the short skirt she was wearing.

Deciding on giving him a demonstration, she bent his hand painfully back until he was on his knees. "Let's get something straight," she hissed in his ear. "You don't touch me and I won't kill you painfully, got it?"

He nodded his head quickly and she released him. Going back to her former nonchalant attitude at the bar, she watched as everyone else did the same. The same kind of thing with slight variations had played over as many days. Usually, though, with the men they were simply ganged up on to see how they handled themselves in a fight. She answered in a low tone, "I was military, so I don't go cheap. But if you want quality, I'm your person."

The man's smile widened, and he answered, "Welcome aboard... what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't."

"No... no you didn't, how rude of me...." he stammered. "I'm your guide and likely personal assistant until you get settled with the company. If you have need of me, my name is Diego."

"Well, Diego, my name is..." Katie hesitated, then smiled. "I don't have one. But for now you can call me Angel."

"Angel?" he said. "More like a fallen angel."

Even more accurate was the term Avenging Angel.

October 1st, 2034
New Cape Quest
Admiral Bridger's office

Robert stared at the computer screen as if the answer would suddenly leap out at him. He had been sitting there for hours, and had repeated the same over the course of days. It was not a surprise when he had admitted to his father that he would much rather be on the seaQuest, or another ship, and not desk bound. His father had only smiled and said, "Wanna trade?"

Yeah right, mused Robert. I'll keep this job.

Unlike his father, who while on land, could at least design things and have a purpose to be being there, Robert didn't have any secondary areas of study other than command and the military. He sighed. He could always take up another area of study, but what? A knock on his door distracted him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see his wife leaning against the doorframe. "A distraction worth the time," he said with a smile.

She walked in, also smiling, "So, what am I distracting you from?"

"Nothing much," he answered. "I was just going over reports from the various ships. Some of them I'll have to chase to get more information as their report giving skills need work." He made a wry face, "I wonder if Katherine called me up on the same thing."

Cindy's face fell at the mention of her name, "Has anyone spoken to her?"

"No. For all intents and purposes she disappeared off the face of the Earth," Robert leaned forward, his elbows on the expensive authentically antique mahogany desk, and rubbed his face. "I know my Dad was her superior officer for awhile, but did she have to learn that trick from him too?"

Cynthia sat down on the couch in his office and leaned to one side. "Michael is... well, let's just say it's the first time he's dealt with death like this. When your father was ill, I think he understood more than the rest of us. But he doesn't understand the hate behind Jonathan's murder."

Rubbing his face again, he asked, "Where is Mike?"

"With Savannah and Gator. More Savannah, I think he's developing a talent like yours and Nathan's..." Cynthia left off meaningfully. "I am beginning to feel outnumbered. Oh, that reminds me. Have you talked to Lucas?"

"Not recently, why?" Robert laughed aloud, understand the rocking motion of Cindy's arms. "Oh my God... They aren't married yet either. How's that for a development. He's making my Dad a grandfather again. I wonder if it's going to be a boy or a girl?"

"Your father is hoping for a granddaughter, Jess is also hoping for the same thing, and I think so is Lucas, so hopefully they all get what they want... But we know how that can be so unpredictable..." she trailed off. "You know, I've been thinking. It would be nice to give him another grandchild, wouldn't it?"

"Are you serious? You actually want to go through that again?" asked Robert, then he grinned at her smile. "Well, that has to be the most interesting proposition I've had all day..."

Jessica Jean Fredericks, soon to be JJ Bridger if she and Lucas ever got around to getting married... and from what it looked very soon. She sat on the seadeck beside Dr. Perry. "I won't be able to serve anymore. Hell, this is going to screw up Lucas's future too," JJ sighed. "It keeps going around in my head. What if I wasn't. Then Lucas and I could stay indefinitely and our careers wouldn't be put on hold because of him or her. It's not that I don't want kids... I'm just not sure if I'm ready yet."

For a moment Perry did not answer, "Are you saying you're thinking of terminating the pregnancy?"

"Yeah, sounds horrible doesn't?" JJ laughed shakily. "But every time I feel so guilty I keep seeing where I could go in my career. When they removed the implant and I couldn't get into a Specter I thought 'This is it, Jess, the end of your career.' Then I became the Chief Helms person. I pilot the seaQuest. So much for some little dinky toy of a Specter. Now I might not be able to do that."

"Who says? This isn't fifty years ago. And the seaQuest is not wholly military anymore. You could balance it, if you wanted to. Have you talked to Lucas about this?" Perry sighed. "But I understand where you are coming from, and it comes down to what you do want... although, I still feel you should talk to Lucas about it. And soon, because you can't terminate after your first trimester."

Fredericks gazed into the water of the moonpool, and her thoughts led no where there was an answer.

PART THREE: Stolen Innocence

October 3rd, 2034
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Harpe Worldwide HQ

Why he chose such a place to move his head office to from the old location came more obvious as the rains descended. At least it isn't the snow like in New York, he mused. The only thing that marred his new success was that Freeman had lost track of Admiral Hitchcock. An instinct that had told to never once yield to the piss ant Deon told him that she was not just out of sight...

... She was hunting...

And while she certainly could not know that it was him orchestrating things, he knew that eventually, if she wasn't stopped, that he would be the one hunted. But hopefully Freeman could work fast enough and least then he would have leverage.

Everything was in place. It was just putting it in motion and just pushing that initial domino. He looked over to Freeman and said, "Is the planes ready?"

"Yes sir."

"Is the target in place?"

"Yes sir."

"Then tell them to drop our package."

Burn, Bridger. Soon I will even have destroyed your haven...

October 3rd, 2034
Bridger's Island
Carribean

The day was clear and the sun was high in the sky. Manilow Crocker tied the boat to the dock and stepped onto the planks, listening the hollow clunking of his footsteps on the wood. Savannah Rossovich was on the mainland with Michael, and Crocker was restocking the house. As it was his turn to restock he was bringing some treats for the boy. He sighed, a satisfied sigh.

Almost a month and a half since his old commander's death had gone by, and while the pain was still there, it was not as sharp as it was. Crocker took out the cans and began to set them on the shelves.

After awhile he heard a thrumming noise, and dismissed it as the fridge turning itself on. The damn thing needs to be fixed, he realized. Nathan should have had that old clunker taken care of...

It grew louder, and he knew that it was not the fridge. Planes, if his ears served him correctly. A few planes. He frowned. It was odd enough, but not unheard of. Then another sound, one that made the hairs of his neck stand up, and an instinct bred into him by long years in the Navy made him vacate the premises immediately...

Incoming! cried his mental alarms as he ran.

Seeing the type of incoming made his blood run cold. Oh my God... Napalm... the island is burning!

Crocker knew by experience that nothing could stop a Napalm forest fire once lit and he ran to the dock before it caught and dove into the water and swam as far as he could into the water. It was the only thing he could do, and he silently thanked God that Cindy and Michael were on the mainland.

The damage was going to be horrible, he knew. The entire island was ablaze, and if it wasn't already it was shortly going to be. There would be nothing left but ashes. He could feel the heat this far out.

Hours later, and into the night, he clung to the life ring he had managed to pull out with him. The island burned into the night, lighting it up with an unearthly red glow. He might have slept. He awoke the next morning to a scene of complete destruction. Somberly, Crocker swam back to the remains of the dock and then waded to the scorched beach.

A few spots still smoldered, and there was still some hot spots, and a few small open fires.

In one night the paradise that had been Nathan Bridger's island off the Yucatan was now reduced to nothing but a charred rock. Crocker collapsed to his knees and threw up the salt water he had swallowed. It was also the only reaction he could formulate at the moment. There was nothing left, so complete was the razed island.

October 5th, 2034
New Cape Quest
General Hospital

Nathan sat at his friend's bedside as he related the entire grisly tale. "And I swear, Cap, that they knew exactly where they were coming, what they were doing," finished Crocker. "I just don't understand why anyone would want to do this! All I can think of is what might have been had you, your family, Hell... anyone else had been there that would not have understood what was going on...."

Why indeed. And why fire of all things. First Jonathan, now my island? What was the significance of the fire? The thoughts ran around Nathan's head, and only came back to one person who could hate him that much.

Geoffrey Harpe.

As if reading the sudden hardening in his expression, Robert said, "We have an idea, don't we, Dad?"

"Yeah, but no way to prove it."

And I thought it was the Chaodai that were going to be the problem... Crocker watched them both and said, "Aw come on, if you're going to have a conversation, could you at least make it out loud?"

"Sorry, Gator," said Nathan. "We weren't speaking, I was just thinking."

"So who put me here," asked Crocker. "So I can repay the favor."

"Harpe," answered Robert for his father.

"Aw Jeez," came the tortured reply from the bed. "Not that ass..."

"Yeah, him again," Nathan cut him before he could work himself up into an anxiety attack.

Robert leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment while the two old friends bantered back in forth. There had been something bothering him of late about the entire situation. Things had gotten too interesting too fast. It was if they were manipulated into place. He shook that away. Once you started thinking everything was a conspiracy it was too hard to draw the line and stop.

Looking back at Crocker though, he had to really wonder.

Savannah Rossovich watched as Michael played with the hand carved toys. He was being careful with them while Savannah bartered over the price of the eggs. She had decided to go to the Yucatan instead of Florida this time, only because she liked the natural eggs over the 'enclosure chicken' eggs. Finally agreeing on a price, she also bought the toy for Michael at full price, to give the shop owner a reason to treat his family as well, and in Spanish he said, "Starve the adults, spoil the boy, eh, Senora?"

"Si, he doesn't leave the island often enough," she answered.

Turning her back on the shop owner for a second to watch Michael pick up the new toy, she didn't even see the blow coming. What was stranger was that she never even sensed the intent...

Dazed, she sank to her knees and heard Michael shout, "Leave me alone!"

A deep voice answered him in English, "Be quiet boy, an old friend of your grandfather wants to meet you."

Savannah, in an instinct not given to empaths, felt a surge of anger overtake her and she regained her feet and picked up the closest thing she had to a weapon, which happened to be a long heavy wooden pole, "Don't you touch him!"

And she swung it with all her strength she had to possess. It connected and the man went down with a short grunt of both surprise and pain. His backup tried to restrain her, but she was too hysteric with panic and, even more surprising, a protectiveness to Michael, that they couldn't get close. Savannah hit one squarely in the head and the sickening crunch that resulted was enough to snap her out of it at the horror of actually killing someone, sensing their life drain away, sunk in.

She stopped and could only stare at the dead man, his skull clearly smashed in, as he stared up at nothing. This time when she was hit from behind the blackness enveloped her completely.

The arrival at the camp in Manaus in Brazil was a quiet one, as had been the extremely long trip up the Amazon River. She wondered at the lack of air travel, it would have been much faster, then she realized that it would attract too much attention to a group that was supposed to be poor. And it wasn't a wholly unpleasant trip.

Granted, the company was something to be desired but she could not complain all that much as she had sought them out.

Before the journey had started she had given herself over to the identity of Angel so thoroughly that it would likely take a concentrated effort to call herself by her own name. Every so often she would remind herself of why she was doing this. Why she could not go back until it was done.

Soon, she had been told, they would begin the trip up on of the tributaries of the Amazon to a camp far to the South of here where Rio Branco used to stand before the war that enveloped most countries. The entire trip for over fiver hundred kilometers would be at full combat readiness. There were other threats than man now, but man was still a problem in this area.

She cleaned her gun in preparation for the ordeal to come.