Firstly I would just like to say thanks to Anjyll who has reviewed my story so far. It encouraged me to finish writing this next chapter. Yes this will be a Zimsky/Beth romance, but there will of course also be a little romance between Josh/Bec

Ok everyone here is chapter two then – enjoy

XxX - Arien

Chapter two – A Little Downtime

For the next three months, the time flew by as Beth spent her time helping out with the designing of the predictions program. She spent the rest of her time reading up on the mission and preparing for it. With one week until the mission would commence, she'd had enough. The predictions program was finished, and there seemed nothing else to do. She had been sat around for days and now they were having yet another meeting to go over the details again! She couldn't put up with Zimsky's and Braz's argument anymore which had been going on throughout the whole of the meeting they were having. Suddenly she stood up.

"Ok that does it, that's enough!" she exclaimed. Zimsky and Braz stopped in their bickering and turned to her as did the rest of the group, Braz with an inquiring look and Zimsky with a withering look. "I'm going out!" she declared before walking out of the room. Josh and Bec immediately got up and followed her out of the room.

"Hey Beth, Wait up!" Josh called out to her. Beth stopped and turned waiting for them to catch up with her.

"Where are you going?" asked Bec.

"Haven't you guys had enough?" questioned Beth. "I mean, ok Bec so your military and your used to all of these meetings, but God, I really just am at the end of my tether. Its not like we are getting any better, and we just keep having the same information, the same questions thrown at us again and again. What is the point? And what is with those two arguing twenty four seven, why does he have to rub everyone up the wrong way so much it is doing my head in."

Beth breathed in deeply after her outburst and Josh put his arm around her shoulders.

"Your completely right Beth" Josh started, "I think we all need a little downtime, this is a huge mission and everyone is stressed so why don't we just go back into the room and ask the General for a little time off?"

Beth nodded and let Josh lead her back into the room and to her chair. Josh then stood up.

"Gentlemen", he addressed Braz, Serge, Iverson, Zimsky and the General. "I think you will all agree with me, that we all need a little time off from this. So – General we are requesting some time off please, to go and chill"

General Purcell looked up "I totally agree with you, you all need a little time to relax." He looked meaningfully towards Zimsky and Braz. "Go out, go home, go have fun, whatever you feel like, but I don't want to see you back here for at forty eight hours.

The Group looked towards the General and slowly everyone nodded their consent to this before getting up and heading off to the living quarters to pick up their things.

"So" Josh asked as soon as everyone had finished packing, "Is anyone actually going home then?" He was met by a group of shaking heads. "So, exactly what is everyone doing?"

"Club?" suggested Serge.

"Sounds good to me" replied Josh.

"I'm in "said Bec.

"Guess I am too then" Iverson added.

"Sure" came Braz's reply.

"Mmm, Alcohol would help so much right now!" murmured Beth as her reply.

Everyone turned to Zimsky.

"I'm not one to turn down Alcohol, lets get the hell out of here" Zimsky picked up his bag and strode of to the nearest jeep, pulling keys out of his pocket. Josh did the same.

"So who is coming with me then" at Josh's voice a surge of people headed towards his jeep and Braz, Iverson, Bec and Serge managed to squeeze into the jeep.

"Are you coming then" Zimsky called out to Beth. Beth gave a grimacing smile before picking up her bag and heading over to Zimsky. "I'm driving" she said holding out her hand for the keys. "No I am driving" Zimsky replied. "Give me the damn keys Zimsky" she said frustrated, as she repeatedly reached for the keys only for them to be moved out of her reach. In the end she got impatient and snatched them from his hand. "I'm driving" she repeated Zimsky got into the passenger seat. With that they took off, Josh in the lead.

For the first half an hour of the journey Zimsky had been facing the window of the jeep idly tracing patterns in the steam which crept up the glass every time he breathed out, utterly bored out of his mind. They had started out as an equation but had gradually turned into stickmen as the time went by. He finished what he was doing and glanced over at Beth. She looked as bored as he did so he attempted to start a conversation. "You know, I did see you with that model." "Yeah, thought you might have done" Beth murmured as she turned to him. "Your not terribly clever are you really" said Zimsky in an attempt at jest. Apparently the comment didn't go down to well with Beth who scowled at him before turning back to the road. Back to the drawing board, thought Zimsky turning back to the window. The rest of the journey was carried out in silence.

As they finally pulled up next to a huge building which was stuck right out in the middle of nowhere, Beth turned to Zimsky and asked "What is Josh doing here?" Zimsky looked towards Beth and said "It seems Dr Keyes has very good taste in where he socialises. This is the club" he nodded his head towards the building. Beth pulled up in the parking area and got out of the jeep, closely followed by Zimsky.

"Hey Zimsky" Josh called out. "I figured with your status", there was a scoff from Braz at this, "That you would have no problem getting us in here."

Zimsky nodded, grabbed his jacket out of the back of the jeep and walked over to the doorman.

"Dr Zimsky" the doorman exclaimed. "Right this way please sir" The group entered the club and were ushered to a table over in a quiet corner. Zimsky nodded to the man and he left.

"Seems he's good for something" Beth whispered to Bec and they both smiled.

As Beth swallowed downed her sixth pint of Snakebite, she leaned further back into the comfy chair she was sat in sighing and closing her eyes. These are so much more comfortable then those crappy military chairs, she thought to herself. She opened her eyes and glanced over at Bec and Josh on the dance floor. Those two were so obviously into each other. Beth smiled wryly before calling to the waitress to bring her another drink. She turned back to watching Bec and Josh. Josh had just dipped Bec low to the floor, resulting in drunken giggling bubbling forth from Bec's mouth. Beth looked over at everyone else. From the way they were acting, they all seemed to have had a little much to drink, everyone apart from Iverson and Zimsky that was who were the designated drivers for later on in the evening. She looked more closely at Braz and Zimsky. They seemed to be getting on without killing each other at this moment in time. "God, those two need to get a room" whinged Zimsky, Braz nodded in agreement his glasses slipping down his nose an inch or so. Beth's seventh drink arrived. She took a gulp of it and then stood up.

"Dancing now" she pronounced before moving onto the dance floor. A highly young blond haired guy approached her. "Hey, Miss – I noticed you're from England. I was just wondering if you wanted to dance."

"Sure" Beth agreed before tangling her arms ungracefully around the guy's neck. Ten minutes later of spinning and Beth was feeling a little sick to put it mildly. "You wanna go outside Miss, you know? Get some fresh air or something?" "Yes, I think that would be good" she replied before allowing the guy to start leading her to the door. Suddenly a voice stopped them in their tracks.

"She's with us; I'll take her outside for some air"

Beth started to protest but decided she was to dizzy to bother and she let herself be led outside. "Wasn't he a nice guy Zimsky?" She said turning to him.

"Don't you dare throw up over me" threatened Zimsky. "Where we going?" asked Beth. Zimsky turned to Iverson on the way out. "Were going back to the hotel" Iverson nodded at this and waved goodbye.

Beth groaned and leant her head on Zimsky's shoulder before stumbling. Zimsky wrapped his arm around her more securely, looked at her half awake form, and then grumbled to himself before lifting her off her feet and carrying her over to the jeep. He struggled to unlock the door whilst still holding her before opening it and placing her in the passenger seat.

Beth immediately let her eyes drop closed.