Chapter 16

Efraim paced the living room of the suite, walking from the balcony doors all the way around the perimeter of the room. Francine was busy reading files, only giving her husband a glance as he passed by her and tweaked her hair. Geiger had taken refuge in his room, Marina had excused herself to Dr. Smyth's room stating she had a headache and needed to close her eyes. Dr. Smyth sat and watched Efraim circuit the room.

"Boy Scout, if you keep walking like that you will have logged enough miles for a free flight."

Efraim shrugged and continued to pace, thinking about what was about to happen. He had called Wilson several times for updates; each time Wilson guaranteed that he would call the moment he had anything.

"B? Why don't you sit down? You're wearing a path in the carpet. Wilson will call if anything happens."

Efraim stopped at the balcony doors, his expression brooding as he stared at the streets below. "I would just prefer to be out there myself." .

"That's not practical, Boy Scout." Smyth told him, chewing on an unlit cigarillo.

"I know that. That's why I'm pacing this room. I don't like to wait for someone else to dictate when I move. I prefer to dictate the timetable. I want to play my game, not Carlson's."

Smyth nodded, understanding what his agent-in-charge was saying. "Commander, you've been running your game since you returned to the Agency. Momentum shifts. It's still your game."

Efraim stopped and looked at Smyth, coming to sit in the chair next to him. "Tell me more."

"Tell me what you've done so far." Smyth responded.

Efraim nodded. "Since coming to Turkey?" At Smyth's nod, Efraim continued, detailing the operation so far.

"So Boy Scout, what is the problem? You've covered all the bases. You have your field assets doing what they should be doing, watching the field. You have a team flying into Romania to recover the laser. You have mobilized the Bucharest office to secure the area. Geiger has done his sniper checks. I'm sure you disabled the telephone in my bedroom so Marina could not make calls on it, and you have immobilized me, which is not an easy task."

"I don't like to wait."

"No, you dislike the lack of information streaming into you." Both Efraim and Smyth watched as Francine vigorously nodded her head at that statement.

"You see Boy Scout, your wife agrees with me, much to her chagrin." Francine grinned widely at Dr. Smyth. "Your greatest asset Beaman is the fact that you can process information and find the useful nugget hidden within the mountains of lead that come into you. Your greatest liability is you don't like the lack of information, it gives you too much time to think and doubt yourself."

"He shouldn't. Doubt himself that is." Francine softly interjected, knowing that Dr. Smyth was being honest in his assessment of her husband. "Efraim, that's what drew me to you when I first recommended you for recruitment. You had a 94 accuracy record. I've never seen another analyst with a record like that. And you've improved since you've been with the Agency. You're uncanny with your outcome analysis."

"Listen to your wife, Boy Scout, she is correct. Learn to divert your mind. Read, hack into the DOJ computers, cross stitch little purple animals but find a way to stop doubting yourself."

"Are you telling me you don't doubt your decisions Dr. Smyth?"

"There is no room for doubt in this business, Beaman. Only regrets when the dust settles." Neither Francine nor Efraim said anything as Smyth turned to look at his bedroom door where the mother of his children was resting.

Efraim reached out and took several of the discarded files that Francine had read. He knew that Francine would re-read the files until it was time to take action, her way of dealing with the wait. Smyth was right; he needed to find a way to deal with the waiting.

"Regrets don't have to remain." Efraim voice broke into the silence that had fallen in the room.

Austin Smyth raised his eyebrow at Efraim and clamped his cigarillo between his teeth. With a wink at Francine, he stood and walked to his bedroom, quietly opening the door and closing it behind him.

Both Francine and Efraim watched as the door closed, Francine turned a shocked face to her husband. "Are you nuts? Did you see that B? He winked at me! Dr. Smyth winked at me!" She whispered furiously to her husband. "I can't believe you said that to him! No one ever gets personal with Dr. Smyth!"

"Well, he told me to find something to occupy myself with."

"I think he meant like a crossword puzzle, B! Regrets indeed!"

"I understand regrets hon." Francine looked questioningly at Efraim and he continued. "I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if the day I came back and saw you in your office, if I hadn't turned my head when you went to kiss me on the cheek."

"Oh B." Francine came to sit on his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"There were a few times out in that desert when I didn't think I was going to make it back home. My biggest regret was you, that I had blown my chance with you. All I wanted was to take you into my arms and kiss you. Well, I wanted to make love to you, to feel you against me, to touch you, to smell your hair and kiss your neck. But I wanted that kiss more than I wanted to breath Francine. If you had smacked me silly after that, I would have been happy to have had the chance to hold you in my arms for just a few moments."

"You are going to make me cry Efraim. You know how I hate to cry." She laid her head on his shoulder as he pulled her closer to him. "I'm glad you did, B. I'm glad you did kiss me, hold me, and let me see the hunger you have for me. I'd never seen that in a man's eyes before. Desire yes, naked hunger, no."

"I wanted you pretty bad hon. I'd been in that damn desert longer than I cared to remember and I dreamed about you every damn night. How I ever managed to walk away from you those times when we were first seeing one another, I'll never know."

Francine giggled, remembering those nights too. "It would take me forever to get to sleep. It got so bad that I would daydream about us making love at work! I'd see you and all of a sudden I'd get this incredible vision of us together."

Efraim laughed. "I'm glad I wasn't the only one! And now, you're mine. Is reality as good as your daydreams?"

Lifting her hand to Efraim's face, Francine cupped his cheek as she leaned in and kissed him, letting the love they shared warm them both. "Reality is much better than any daydream I ever had Efraim, much better."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" He grinned at her as he pulled her close, teasing her lips with his tongue, kissing the corners of her mouth, finally letting his lips rest lightly on hers. "I'll be glad to go to our room tonight hon, I think I need to have another reality check."

Francine nodded her head enthusiastically. "Me too. But for now, I'm here with you where I always should have been. You know B, I've been thinking. When we get home, we really should have another dinner party. The last one was such a success. What do you think?"

Laughing at the look her husband gave her, she pushed herself off Efraim's lap and moved to the chair that Dr. Smyth had vacated. She put her feet up on the coffee table and her hands behind her head, a perfect imitation of her husband. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts roam, smiling when she felt Efraim's eyes on her. "Put your feet up B and take a nap. You know you have to have your feet dangling to make you happy!"

"Hmmmm."

"Whatcha thinkin' about B?"

"You hon."

"At least you aren't thinking about this operation!"

"No, I'm thinkin' that if I don't make love to you soon, I'm not gonna make it through this operation."

Francine laughed and Efraim smiled at the sound. He thought about what Dr. Smyth had said to him, and he admitted that Smyth had been honest in his assessment of him as an agent. He had to give it to the old man, he may be a pain in the ass, but he was sharp and on top of his game. Everything was in place, and he just had to wait.

It was late afternoon and Francine and Efraim were sitting at the dining table discussing the news in the local Turkish newspapers. Francine smiled to herself at how easy it had been to divert her husband's attention from the case at hand to current events. One of the pleasures of being involved with a man on top of the world's issues! Dr. Smyth and Marina Rassner had come out to sit on the couch; Dr. Smyth added his comments to the discussion now and then. The phone rang in the suite causing the occupants to freeze.

Geiger came out of his room and lifted the phone as Efraim grabbed his pager at his waist and grinned.

"Yeah. Director Carlson, a pleasure to hear from you. Would you like to speak with Mrs. Carlson? One moment." Dave held his hand tightly over the receiver, giving a nod to Efraim as he did so. "Are you ready Ms. Rassner?" Marina looked to Austin Smyth and he gently patted her hand. Reaching for the telephone, she nodded and took a deep breath.

"Marcus, it is Marina. Austin had his agents bring me safely to this hotel; he will be with me shortly. I will not be used by you any further. Austin has said you may take it up with him." She handed the telephone to Geiger who hung up the receiver.

"Are you alright Ms. Rassner?" Francine asked, as she saw the older woman's hands shake.

Marina Rassner put a hand on Dr. Smyth's arm, smiling when the placed his hand over hers for reassurance. "He frightens me, and yes, I am alright. I am here with Austin after all."

Dr. Smyth gave her a quick hug. "Beaman, what has you smiling and grappling for your pager?"

"When we stopped at that old bar on the way into Istanbul yesterday, I paid one of the locals to watch for anyone fitting Carlson's description. He just paged me, Carlson stopped in that dusty town, that's where he made the call from."

"So he flew into Ankara as we did. Very smart move Boy Scout. So we know what direction he's coming from."

"We need to call the agents off of the airport and place them at possible entrances to the city." Geiger said.

Both Efraim and Smyth shook their heads, disagreeing with Geiger. "It doesn't matter how he gets into town. He knows where we are and he'll contact us when he's ready. We have a few hours before he gets into town, let's go get a first hand view of the bazaar."

"Shall we then?" Francine said, standing up and reaching for her jacket. Efraim helped Francine on with her jacket and pulled his own on.

"You think they're safe here alone?" Geiger asked, not wanting to stay behind in the hotel room.

"If you are referring to me Geiger, I assure you I am capable of staying alive in a hotel room." Smyth said in a disgusted voice while Marina smiled slightly. "And as you said, Carlson is not in town, he is by my estimates at least three hours away. I can handle an hour or so without a babysitter."

"You have a firearm?" Efraim asked, not for the first time since they've arrived. Dave went into his room and came out with a metal box, opening it with a key. Inside was a SIG P220, much like Efraim himself carried. Dave pulled it out, loaded a clip and clicked the safety on. He handed it to Smyth who handled the weapon like a pro.

Both Efraim and Dave grinned as Smyth caught the holster Dave tossed at him, and clipped and holstered the gun in one, smooth motion.

"Now that's taken care of . . . I don't suppose I should ask if you know how to use that?" Efraim hotfooted it to the door, not sure he wouldn't be the target Smyth choose.

"Would you like a demonstration?" Smyth asked, sarcasm lacing his voice.

Efraim laughed. "Nah, I don't want you to waste your one good shot on me!" He opened the door and the three agents walked into the hall.

"You do like twisting his tail, B. You are a man who likes to live on the edge!" Francine scolded her husband as she linked her arm in his.

"I married you, didn't I?"

"Man, you Navy boys are crazy, aren't you?" Dave pushed the button on the elevator, the three of them walked in and headed out to the market to take care of business. Efraim made a quick call to Wilson telling him that Carlson was coming in from Ankara. Wilson said he'd take care of pulling his team in and getting ready.

They returned to the hotel nearly two hours later after familiarizing themselves with the elaborate twists and turns of the souk. Opening the door to the hotel suite, they found Smyth and Rassner at the table eating dinner.

"Come in children, and help yourselves. Have fun this afternoon? Bring me anything?"

Dave grabbed a plate and helped himself. Efraim helped Francine with her coat, taking his own off as well. Efraim took a plate and fixed one for Francine, sitting beside her on the couch. She cast an eye at him, and proceeded to share her dinner with her husband, giving him a tsk when he first refused.

With dinner finished, everyone sat in silence, each deep in his or her own thoughts. Efraim sighed, looking at his watch as night fell over Istanbul. "Do we think he'll strike tonight? What's his MO for this type of thing?"

"He'll hit us tonight, Marcus was never one with an over abundance of patience." Smyth supplied, resting his arm around the shoulders of Marina who nodded and shivered in anticipation of the encounter with Marcus Carlson.

"I suggest we get ready for operations then." The telephone rang as Efraim and Francine got up to go and change. Geiger popped a forkful of food in his mouth, wiped his hands and picked up the phone.

"Yeah." He grimaced and handed the phone to Efraim. "It's Billy with an update on the recovery efforts."

"Beaman . . . Yeah Billy . . . Hired team? I expected that. Any problems with the Romanian Government? . . . What's the time estimate? . . . That's not bad, it's better than Leatherneck and I anticipated . . . No, I would tell the Romanian's it's in their best interests to get that van out of the reservoir. Inform them it's loaded with C-4 and all it needs is the correct frequency to blow . . . Well, no, but they don't need to know that. . . Okay, thanks. Let me know when it's up. Thanks Billy . . . Ah, fine . . . No, everything's fine . . . Alright. Bye.

"What is happening?" Smyth demanded.

"SEAL Team 5 made it to Romania. The local office was able to get there and secure the sight. It seems Carlson had hired a team to attempt to raise the truck. Problem was, they weren't extreme cold weather trained."

"And the Romanian Government, B?" Francine wanted to know.

"Screaming, but can you blame them?" Efraim answered her, shrugging his shoulders. "They want some sort of reparation. At least that's not my problem!"

Geiger got up and helped himself to seconds from the tray. "They probably want the laser plans."

Efraim grinned. "Well, they don't exactly know about the laser."

Francine and Dr. Smyth started to laugh.

Marina looked from one to the other, her voice sharp as she questioned. "I do not understand. Is there or is there not a laser?"

Dr. Smyth's fork and knife stopped for the briefest of moments, his eyes flew to Efraim who saw the slightest shake of his head.

"No, it's wasted. The circuitry is nothing special, it was the . . . I'm sorry, I have a tendency to run on about things." Efraim did a good job of looking sheepish. Dave raised his eyebrows and leaned back for the show, while Francine's eyes narrowed as she watched the shift in dynamics at the table.

"No, no, truly! I am interested in what you have to say. Please continue." Marina begged, her voice coaxing as she leaned forward, reaching her hand out to Efraim.

Only Efraim saw Dr. Smyth's mouth twist into an angry line. Efraim took a deep breath and launched into a non-stop dissertation on quantum laser physics, leaving out any valid laser technology. Ten minutes into his lecture on Boolean algebra as applied to altered protocols of entangled states concerning optical physics, Maria Rassner stood and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"What in the hell . . ." Geiger started only to stop when Dr. Smyth raised his hand.

Francine sighed, her shoulders sagging after her efforts to keep from laughing. She smiled at her husband and shook her head; he could talk rings around anyone when he got started.

Efraim looked at Smyth, raising his eyebrow as he waited for an explanation.

"I didn't like the tone of the question Boy Scout." Smyth put a cigarillo in his mouth and lit it. He stood and walked to the balcony doors, opening them and walking out, leaving his three agents in the living room, minds racing to incorporate a new wrinkle in their operation.

"What the hell did you just say?" Geiger asked.

"Not much." Efraim shrugged, a small smile breaking out.

"Why then?" Francine asked, trying to understand this game that only her husband, Dr. Smyth and Maria Rassner had the rules to. "What changed?"

"I suspect that your husband knows that Maria has a doctorate from the prestigious Moscow University in Physics." Smyth announced, closing the balcony door behind him as he stepped back into the room.

"Why didn't you tell me this Efraim?" Francine demanded to know.

Efraim shook his head at Francine. "I didn't know hon, not until she asked the question."

"Efraim I still don't understand." Francine said, shaking her head at her husband.

"It wasn't exactly what she said, it was what she said coupled with how she asked. I also had the benefit of a reaction from Dr. Smyth."

"What did you say that upset her?" Geiger asked him, coming to sit on the couch.

"I quoted a well known paper published by a team of Russian physicists concerning photons in optical laser applications." Efraim answered with a shrug.

"One that she helped to write. I understand now. You're not very much of a Boy Scout, dear!" Francine said on a laugh.

"I'm crushed!" Efraim eyed Dr. Smyth. "This is tiring. Have a seat and tell us exactly what's happening."

"Maria doesn't trust us."

"Hell! Right now I don't trust us."

Francine studied Efraim, her eyes narrowed as she chewed on her bottom lip. "Why ask you? I mean, how would she know of your experience with the project? What was she looking for?"

"Excellent points, Mrs. Wedded Bliss. I believe we have witnessed a shifting of objectives." Smyth told his agents, watching comprehension dawn in their faces.

"Damn! He lost the laser so he's coming . . ." Efraim began.

"He's coming after you B! You are the only one who can give him what he wants!" Francine finished.

"Exactamundo! You are far more valuable than the laser at this point, Boy Scout. You can give him the location of Quigley's plans."

"And what about Rassner? Whose side is she on in this thing?" Geiger asked.

"My own." She announced as they turned in her direction. "I have had to fend and care for myself and my children all these years alone. I have my own interests at heart. I wish to be free from Marcus and he has promised to leave us alone if I deliver you, Commander Beaman. And you Austin, I want you to stop all of these games."

"I'm not about to let you hand my husband over to Marcus Carlson." Francine announced rather indignantly.

Efraim nodded his agreement. "I'm not crazy about that part either."

"Marina, you have not been alone these years." Dr. Smyth told her, reaching out to her.

Hugging herself, she backed away from his outstretched hand. "No. I have been. You were in Washington chasing your career. I was here, alone with your two children. At the mercy of Marcus."

"I asked you repeatedly to join me, to let me take care of a divorce. Each time you told me no. How many times did I ask, beg you Marina?" Smyth asked her in a roar, anger and emotion in each word.

"You did not come and get me." Marina said as she sank in a chair, exhaustion evident in every line of her body.

Smyth shook his head as he tried to understand. "Come and get you? I begged to you to come with me! What did you want me to do? Drag you to the States over my shoulder?"

"Yes!" She yelled back at him, oblivious to the others witnessing their argument. "That is exactly what I wanted. I wanted you to prove that you wanted me and our children, not what I could provide for you in the way of information."

"I never asked you for information Marina. You know that. Never." Austin Smyth replied, his voice dead calm, absent of his usual verbal twists. "If I had dragged you, you would have thrown pots at me."

"I probably would have. Yes, I would have. But it is my way Austin, to act as such. I wish to go home now."

"You aren't going anywhere Marina. You want proof; I'll give it to you. I'm also not about to allow you to turn over the Commander. There is another way. Get on it Boy Scout." Smyth had gotten his emotions back under his iron control, and he let it be known he would brook no dissent from any of them.

"Yes sir." Efraim hotfooted it to the door, Geiger and Francine following quickly behind him. They returned to Efraim and Francine's room, closing and locking the door behind them.

"Oh man, I can't believe we witnessed that! My feet were glued to the floor!" Geiger flung himself in a chair, not quite believing what they all had witnessed.

"Efraim? What other way is there? What was Dr. Smyth talking about? You know, Rassner said that Carlson wants you for the laser. He must know that all of us are here. How?" Francine sat down on the bed, curling her feet up and underneath her. Picking up a pillow, she hugged it to herself and closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Efraim sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. "It really doesn't matter, does it? We're still going to run our show. The bottom line is, I have no intention of going anywhere with Carlson."

The three agents sat silently. Francine finally sighed and rubbed her hands together. "Well? Let's get to it. We have plans to make."

Efraim and Francine led Dr. Smyth and Marina Rassner through the darkened alleyways of the old Istanbul markets. Booths were still open for tourists who filled the alleys, and the smell of shish kebabs cooking over open brayers scented the air with their mouth-watering aroma. Geiger and Murphy had already taken up their spots above the spot they were to meet. Both had sniper rifles and a large supply of plastic riot bullets. Efraim wanted these rogue agents taken alive to be brought back to the States for trial.

The weight of eyes on the group as they passed caused Francine to shiver as she hurried to the designated meeting place. Carlson had called, as Dr. Smyth and Efraim had said he would, close to midnight and set the meet in a fairly lawless section of the markets. Geiger and Murphy had left as soon as Marina had repeated the location, nodding to Efraim, a silent message that they had already been to that area and had a view from the roofs. Efraim had hit his left shoulder to remind Dave if he had to hit him with a bullet to do it there. He had put a bullet proof vest on, hoping that would take some of the sting out of a hit, and to stop anything that might come from Carlson or someone working with him.

"Stop right there Smyth." Carlson's voice floated disembodied in the darkened souk. The four of them came to a halt, staying to the shadows cast by cloth awnings and the domes that rose far above the alleys below.

"Marcus, it's over. You can't go back to the States as a free man, there isn't any place you can go that I won't find you sooner or later."

"You don't understand Austin, you never have! You sit in your office and your clubs, you have agents jump at your beck and call, but you don't get your hands dirty yourself. You don't have the drive, the guts to do your own work. That's where we're different Austin, I've never minded doing my own dirty work."

"What is this about? You? Me? If it's between you and me, you have cast your net far and wide and pulled in not so willing victims."

"I learned from my oh so loving wife the value of weaving a plot of monumental proportions, all that revenge is worthy of. I've been dreaming of this for years Austin, all those years I was in Southeast Asia and you were in my wife's bed!"

Carlson stepped into the thin light cast by the moon. With him was Maria Steele, her hands handcuffed behind her back, bruising visible on her cheek in the dim light.

"Maria!" Rassner screamed as she tried to break loose of Smyth's hold.

Carlson laughed, the sound eerie as it echoed in the emptiness of the market. "Say hello to your Mama, my dear. Oh, and your Papa as well."

"Beaman, what do you want me to do?" Geiger voice was low, just loud enough for the communications link they were wearing to pick it up.

"Have a shot?"

"Not clear, the awnings are in the way."

"I'll try to draw him out. Keep your eyes open."

"Let her go Carlson, your quarrel isn't with her." Efraim called as he stepped out into the square.

"But it is my friend! As my quarrel is with you, and your wife. As it is with the agents I'm sure you have waiting for an opportunity to shoot me."

"No one is going to shoot you Carlson, I'm taking you back to DC to stand trial for your crimes."

"So righteous Commander, so upstanding in your duty to your nation and the honor of the Navy. How proud your father is of you. All pride and duty and honor, the code the Beaman family lives by. And dies by." Carlson laughed again. "But not just now. I find that I am in need of your services Commander Beaman. It seems that I have misplaced my retirement fund, and I need you to help me secure a new one."

"Explain what you're talking about Marcus? You aren't being very clear."

"Stopped stalling for time Austin, you have no more time. But I'll indulge you. You see, I have your daughter, your darling daughter. And I have a gun at the base of her neck. I will give her to her mother, my wife! My wife! If you and the Commander come with me."

"I will come with you, but the Commander will not."

"He has what I need. That brilliant mind of his will give me the resting place of Quigley's complete research. That, and the satisfaction of knowing that his father will waste away knowing he was the cause of the death of his eldest son. His namesake."

"The train left that station some time ago." Dave coolly remarked. "I have Steele in sight."

"We need control here, take the shot and watch behind us, I have a bad feeling." Efraim gave them the order to begin.

Edging toward the side of the market to afford himself more cover, Efraim watched as Francine did the same. The retort of a gun firing echoed throughout the empty square. There was a momentary silence then Marina Rassner screamed as her daughter fell to the ground. Efraim was knocked off his feet, landing face down on the ancient bricks of the market.

"I told you not to hit me in the right shoulder, Dave! Dammit!" Efraim swore as he tried to push himself up of the ground. Gaining his feet, fire radiated from his shoulder as he slammed into the side of the building when he got to his feet, dizzy from the pain. Adjusting the Kevlar vest, he was surprised to see he still had his gun in his hand.

"Shut up Beaman, that was from a sniper behind you. Francine, Angels 2 o'clock your nose." Geiger was directing her to the sniper, Angels meaning off the ground and at 2 o'clock the way she was facing.

"I have him."

Efraim could hear Dave directing his wife to another sniper as he shook off the pain and assessed what had happened. He saw Rassner with her daughter, but Smyth and Carlson were no were to be seen. "Give me a location on Smyth and Carlson! Now!"

"Down the alley to your left, Commander." Murphy's voice echoed in his ear.

Efraim ran down the alley, stopping to listen to the sounds of scuffling. Putting his back close to the wall, he checked each of the small alleys that broke off from one he was on. The sounds of boxes breaking got louder and Efraim saw one fly across the arched opening of a small courtyard.

Stepping through the arch, he heard a gunshot and flipped to the opposite wall, wincing from the pain in his shoulder. There was silence, and he could hear the sounds of heavy breathing. Stepping away from the wall and into the small courtyard he came upon Austin Smyth standing over the body of Marcus Carlson.

"The President gave the order at the last minute that Carlson wasn't to come back. The intelligence community can't afford a trial the magnitude of which Carlson's would be." Smyth didn't bother to turn around as Efraim walked up behind him, he stood over the body of Marcus Carlson, and his head down and gun in hand.

"Why wasn't I told?"

"What was it that Carlson said to you, Commander? Pride, duty and honor? It was your job to take him out. I was given your orders by the President personally, Carlson was not to see trial."

"Then why all of this?"

"This has always been between Carlson and myself. Everyone else was a pawn in a dangerous game we have played since college. It wasn't your place or your responsibility. Let's go."

"Are we just leaving him here?"

"Yes we are. The Agency can't be found to be connected to his death. He'll be sent home, the victim of a late night walk in the souk. It will be low key and kept extremely quiet."

"There will be speculation. This is a secret that too many people know about already."

"The only secret that will remain is just how many people were involved in this. This," he swept his hand out in front of him. "Never happened."

Efraim nodded and waited for Smyth to precede him out of the courtyard. He could hear Francine and Dave talking, through the earpiece and the faint sounds of Marina Rassner sobbing in the background.

"Francine? We're coming out."

"It's about time. Wait until I get my hands on you. And you can tell Dr. Smyth the same thing! What were the two of you thinking taking off like that? What's were you thinking?"

"Hon, we're fine." He pulled the earplug out and followed Smyth down the alleyway, her voice an angry buzz spilling from the earpiece.

"Mrs. Wedded Bliss is anything but at this moment, correct?"

"Yeah, something like that. She's gonna take a stripe off of both of us when we get back."

"Really?" His crack of laughter reverberated in the empty marketplace. "Perhaps I am too old for games in the field. Boy Scout, don't beleaguer yourself over this. We move and think in different worlds, you and I. I see the expedience of Carlson's death. You see the right of a man to a trial and the ability to face his accusers. I was in a position to see that your honor remained intact."

Efraim nodded as they stepped into the large square where Francine was pacing and still ripping him to verbal shreds. She stopped when she saw him, hands flying to her hips. He grinned at her, knowing she would give him hell, but right now all he wanted was to feel her in his arms. She ran to him, flying into his open arms. "Don't ever do that again, Efraim. Not ever again! Do you hear me?" She yelled at him, watching as he winced.

"Yeah hon, everyone in old Istanbul heard you! Careful, I think the Kevlar stopped a bullet in my back and I'm sore." He kissed her, feeling the peace and joy he always felt in this woman's arms.

Stepping back from Efraim, Francine looked at Dr. Smyth. "And you! How dare you take off without backup! I'm going to see to it that you never step foot in the field again! You have broken every rule the Agency has on close quarter confrontations!"

"Really? My dear, I wrote the book. Do you honestly think I don't know how to break those same rules?" Smyth grinned wickedly at her outburst. He walked over to Rassner and his daughter, both sitting on the old, hand-hewn bricks. He helped them up and did a very un-Dr. Smyth like thing; he hugged them both.

"I think I'm gonna be sick. Let's get out of here." Geiger hit Efraim on the shoulder, laughing as Efraim rubbed his shoulder and cussed him out. He led them out of the markets, quickly taking them away from the scene of the confrontation. Murphy had their rear guard, hurrying them along as he heard activity move into the square they had just left. Coming upon a main road, the group broke up, Efraim and Francine taking a cab back to the hotel. Geiger and Murphy went back to the Istanbul office. Smyth, Rassner and Steele left for Rassner's home.

"B? Do you think Dr. Smyth will be safe with Rassner?"

They stood there and watched as Smyth helped the two women into a taxi. Before climbing in himself, he stood beside the cab for a moment before he gave a jaunty wave to Efraim and Francine. Once inside, the cab left, it's lights fading in the distance.

"I don't think we have to worry about Smyth, he can take care of himself." He opened the taxi door for his wife. "Hon? What do you think about sleeping for a month?" Efraim pulled the door shut on their own taxi, giving the address of their hotel to the driver.

"With you?"

"I don't recommend that you sleep with anyone else. Your husband has a jealous streak."

"As does his wife. A month of sleep with you sounds like heaven."

"Good. Good." Efraim pulled Francine into his arms and kissed her. Holding her close, they both watched the lights of Istanbul pass them by.