Chapter 64 - A Year of Hours: Safehouse
276:10
Location: Miami Airport
(MPOV)
I flashed my FAA identification to the guards, they waved us through. I drove to the chopper still parked on the tarmac and got out of the van.
"Okay, I got us a ride," I said in a cheerful voice, climbing into the helicopter.
"The First Lady has landed," Leo reported, listening to the radio. "They will be taxiing to the Presidential strip."
"Let's go then," I said calmly, collecting my duffle from Jacobs and tossing it between the driver's seat and passenger's.
We loaded into the van and drove slowly toward the distinctive jet. The President's men went forward and collected the woman and children, ushering them quickly into the van before loading up the small bags of luggage.
"Michelle! Girls!" Obama said in relief as they sat close to him, he kissed his wife gently, hugging the little ones.
"What's happening?" Michelle asked in a worried tone.
"We're going somewhere safe for the next few days," the President said in a quiet voice. "If I had known these things weren't just in the movies I would never have run."
I politely ignored the quiet conversations in the back as I drove out of the airport again, I turned toward the freeway.
"I'm sorry," I said during a lull in the conversations, "this is both my fault and a long drive. But I promise, you will be safe." I glanced in the rearview mirror. "Do the two of you like movies?" I asked with a small smile.
"Nemo!" the little girl called out with a broad grin.
"You know what?" I grinned, "I think I have just the thing for you little one." I reached into my duffle and pulled out a small flatscreen.
"Will, could you plug that into the dash and hand it back to the girls? If I'm not mistaken I have Finding Nemo on the green chip, they're marked."
Will dug around and pulled up a handful of chips in a small case, he looked at the green one and grinned. "That's Finding Nemo alright! How do I work this thing?"
"Cord in the cigarette lighter, two pair of headphones if they want and chip in the little slot on the side there." I glanced over as he set up the movie and smiled as he crowed his triumph. I laughed softly as Will teased the children gently, claiming he was going to watch the movie, then passing the screen back to the cheering girls.
The sound cut out a few minutes later as two suddenly very happy and giggling girls settled down to watch the movie with enormous headphones. The Obamas shot me a grateful look as the quiet conversations started up again.
The sun set in front of us. I continued to drive. The girls slept peacefully between their parents. Finally I turned off onto a gravel road into a tiny town.
"This is going to be the worst part," I said apologetically, stopping at a closed tourist shop. The place was deserted. "Stay put for a moment."
I stepped lightly out of the van and crept to the gate, quickly picking the padlock and slipping through. An enormous, flat bottomed boat made for carrying tourists sat moored against a dock, I climbed aboard and checked the ignition. The keys were still in for Pete's sake. Small towns. I grinned and slipped back to the van.
"Alright," I murmured, "Keep the headphones on the girls, they're sound exclusion, so they probably won't wake up." I packed everything else back into my duffle and got out of the car. "Follow me," I whispered.
The group walked quietly through the gate and down to the boat, climbing aboard as quietly as possible.
I noted the light chill in the air and touched Leo's shoulder.
"I'll be back in a moment," I murmured, climbing off the boat again. I walked on silent feet up the dock and pulled out a pick, quickly getting into the tourist shop and picking up a load of sweaters and blankets. I was back at the boat within minutes. Last but not least, several jerry cans of gasoline.
"Alright, everyone stay low, I've got some blankets for if you get cold," I said quietly, "is everyone okay still?"
There were several muted nods all around.
I started up the engine and carefully engaged it, quickly pulling out of the area and beginning the two hour trek to the safe house.
"Ratchet, if you're watching, or listening to this at any point," I said aloud, "the night vision setting in my right eye was a brilliant touch. So if I don't get to tell you that in person, just so you know, it's awesome."
"Who're you talking to?" Leo asked curiously.
"I'm making a personal note on this chip that's being recorded." I smiled at him.
"Gotcha." the bodyguard nodded. "Should I be holding a flashlight or something?"
"No," I smiled, "Flashlight's a beacon, and I can see just fine."
"So, you own a flatbottom boat," he stated mildly, looking around the craft.
"Nope," I shrugged. "I have a canoe stashed five miles from here, but it isn't big enough to carry all of us."
"So you're transporting the President of the United States in a stolen boat," Leo looked at me as though I were insane.
"Priorities Leo, safety of the President. Stolen boat that the insurance companies will cover." I chuckled. "I'm not exactly going to burn it out, I'll dump it in one piece when I meet up with Ironhide. It'll look like a couple of kids took it for a joyride. That happens a lot out here."
"Oh, well that's okay... I guess..." Leo visibly shook himself.
"If you think that's bad, don't ask about the car," Lennox murmured. The soldier still looked a bit shaken.
"If it's too much Will, I'll understand," I told him quietly, "I've been training to do this from the cradle. You've been trained to prevent people like me."
"Actually?" Will said quietly, "Moreshower pulled me aside and asked that if I was okay, I should request that you give me a bit of training, too."
"Dear old Chris," I smiled, "he does like getting his favourites up in the world." I turned lightly into a patch of Mangroves and cut the engine.
"Alright," I whispered, "stay low, I need to go scout ahead to make sure the safe house is still hidden."
"I'll come with," Jacobs murmured, touching my shoulder, "we're in my neck of the woods now. Or rather, my territory," he gave me a wolfish grin.
"You a speaker?" I asked him New Orleans French.
"Oh hells yes!" he grinned, "if I knew you spoke you'd;a never heard the end of it."
"That works," I chuckled, speaking english again, "you need night gear?"
"There's a moon ain't there?" he shot me a wolfish grin and gestured me to take the lead.
"Will," I said quietly, "tie this off into the mangroves here, stay out of the water. If it's all clear I'll be returning with a different boat."
Will nodded and grabbed up a few ropes as Jacobs and I slipped into the mangroves, moving silently through the twisted branches, straight south. A half an hour and I held up a hand. Jacobs touched my shoulder and gestured a 'how far?'
'two hundred yards,' I signalled back, followed by a 'wait here.' I crept out on silent feet and covered the distance. I took the height of the mangroves and caught sight of flickering candlelight. I began swearing silently, creeping closer to the house and looking in the window, empty but for a candle.
"There are only two people in the world who know this location," a soft voice growled menacingly behind me. "Turn around slowly, keep your hands where I can see them."
"Pookie?" I asked in a high pitched, girly voice.
"Angel?" he asked with narrowed eyes. "Who's your daddy?"
"Well it sure as hell ain't you Barry," I retorted with a low laugh. "I didn't know you were coming to the bayou house."
"I'm glad you did though," he replied in a low voice, "I've got David and Linda with me, how many did you bring?"
"Potus family and backup," I replied, "hold up, I've got a marine waiting for me, is it okay to approach?"
"C'mon in Angel," he chuckled, "I'll be in the kitchen."
"I'll grab the boat and be there in half an hour or so," I grinned, monkeying down to the dock and untying the silent navigator, firing up the remarkably quiet engine and driving toward Jacobs.
"All clear!" I called out quietly, approaching the point I'd left the Marine.
"Permission to come aboard?" he asked, his head poking out of the water and over the edge of the boat.
"Permission granted, now get the hell out'a there Jacobs," I chuckled. He flopped over the edge and sat comfortably on the seat.
"Nice navigator," he grinned, inspecting the wood, "you could take this baby anywhere!"
"That's what we built her for," I laughed.
"Any good hunting?"
"That lagoon you decided to swim in is full of old Jake's grandchildren." I told him wryly.
"Gators?" he asked with a grin.
"All ages," I laughed.
"Excellent!"
"We're here, you wanna signal the boys?"
Jacobs immediately cupped his hands around his mouth and let out an impressive wolf's howl. An answering call came back, I angled the boat into the mangroves, easily coming alongside with the navigator's impressive handling. The little girls were crying.
"Momma, there's wolves," the youngest sobbed.
"That was just me, little one," Jacobs soothed her in his calming baritone.
"We're ten minutes away from the safe house, Chiquita," I said gently, "there's warm beds and lots of people here who will protect you and your family, okay?"
The little one hiccoughed and nodded, still looking upset.
"Come aboard into this boat," I said gently, walking toward her and holding my arms out. Her father gently lifted her up and handed her to me, Jacobs taking the second little girl and carrying her to the stern to sit with us. Everyone boarded quickly, Lennox carrying my duffel and we pulled out.
"Miss Angel?" the littlest one whimpered, "how do you know where you're going?"
"This is my home," I said gently, "my uncle taught me how to find it when I was your size, my heart always knows where it is, and when he died he said that his spirit will come back here anytime there are people and watch over them. See?"
I pointed to the mist beginning to rise from the water, "he's hiding us from anyone who would want to come and hurt us."
The little girl crawled into my lap as I steered, hiccoughing and trying very hard to not cry. I cuddled her close as her parents looked apologetic and began singing.
"May the angels protect you, and trouble neglect you, and heaven accept you when it's time to go home. May you always have plenty, your glass never empty, and know in your belly, you're never alone. May your tears come from laughing, may you find friends worth having, with every year passing, they're worth more than gold may you win but stay humble, and smile more than grumble, and know when you stumble, you're never alone."
Several people in the boat smiled and picked up the chorus with me.
"Never alone, you're never alone, I'll be in every beat of your heart when you face the unknown, wherever you fly, this isn't goodbye, my love will follow you, stay with you, baby you're never alone."
I took up the verse again.
"Oh I have to be honest, as much as I want it, I'm not going to promise, the cold winds won't blow. So when hard times have found you, your fears surround you wrap my love around you and you're never alone."
Michelle took her daughter in her arms and rocked her as I steered the boat toward the dock, the mother, father and soldiers still singing quietly. We bumped lightly against the dock as Director Bartholomew Matteer, head of the CIA materialized out of the fog, catching the rope I tossed to him and snugging us up to the dock.
The President and his men looked at the Director warily.
"Barry!" I grinned, stepping out of the boat and giving him a giant hug.
"Angel you're killing my 'as unapproachable as 'M' vibe," he scolded me.
"Don't scare the little ones," I told him with a grin, "got anything on the stove?"
"Veggie soup," Barry snorted, offering a hand to the President and his men to disembark. "Liams actually tried to have someone follow us, we couldn't pick up any fresh meat. I hope you're going to bag us something before you take off."
"Better, I brought a Bayou boy," I laughed.
"Lemme guess, the one who's wet behind the ears?" the director smirked, looking Jacobs over. "Only a Bayou boy would go for a swim in the gator pools. Well, just so long as he don't try to feed us fried crickets, I don't care what they say, the do not taste like peanuts."
Jacobs burst out laughing.
"You're just bitchin' 'cause you got an old one," he grinned.
"Yeah, that's what Rig said, but that don't account for the ten others that tasted like slimy dirt." Barry growled. "Let's get you lot inside and fed."
"No, see that's the problem, Rig cooked them. We'll put you two in the room my sister and I always shared," I smiled, offering my hands to the little girls and leading them up the dock. I looked over my shoulder at the First Lady. "I apologize that this place is rather... quaint is the nice word for it."
We walked up the steps and passed through the enormous veranda.
"Oh you set up already!" I smiled, looking at a few hammocks tied to hooks.
"Yeah, Dave and Lin figured some of these boys might like to have the breezy room with me." he looked at Jacob's grinning face. "That one by the look of it."
"There's no place like home," Jacobs stated piously.
"Do we get to sleep on hammocks too?" one of the little girls clinging to my hands asked with wide eyes.
"I think we can manage that," I smiled, leading them to the kitchen, "do you two want to see your room first or would you like something to eat?"
"I've got some hot cocoa and marshmallows," Linda said with a warm smile, looking up from the kitchen table. The girls squeaked excitedly and chose the tall chairs Tinny and I had always taken claim to. I scooped out two hot cups of chocolate and plopped some fresh marshmallows into them, setting them in front of the girls.
"This is really, really good," the older one said seriously, taking another sip.
"Thank you dear," Linda smiled, taking a sip of her own chocolate.
Will came up behind me and looked around before staring at the stove.
"You weren't kidding! You grew up with that thing!" he exclaimed with a grin.
"When was the last time anyone was out here?" the First lady asked apprehensively, looking around the large kitchen.
"Ten years for me," Barry said with a shrug.
"Three," I said calmly, "I checked up on her after that major hurricane passed through and did a couple of repairs. And looked her over after I was ordered off the grid."
"And re-stocked," Linda smiled at me, "You did a brilliant job too. Not even the silver was stale."
"But the blankets..." Michelle frowned as the girls drank down the last of their cocoa.
"Here, why don't I show you to the girl's room," I said gently, "I know this place isn't a mansion, but we've always taken good care of it."
Michelle nodded apprehensively as the girls looked up at me excitedly.
"We get our own room?"
"Yes you do Chiquita," I smiled down at the girls and led them down an airy hallway. I opened a faded pink door and walked through to the linen closet, pulling down a couple of oil lamps and lighting them. The room was filled with a soft, gentle golden glow, showing a couple of mosquito net covered hammocks and beautifully carved, cedar chests and armoirs.
"Now then, you two figure out which side each of you want and I'll get the blankets out." I smiled at the thoroughly excited girls as they scurried back and forth. "Those two chests are all full of toys and games."
One of the girls suddenly froze and looked at her mother.
"Momma, I didn't bring bugsy!" she began crying. Michelle looked desperate.
"Now sweetie," I said gently, kneeling in front of her and wrapping her in a big hug, "bugsy's on your bed right now right?" the girl nodded, still crying.
"I'll tell you what, bugsy will be just fine, he'll keep any of the monsters away so that when you get home everything will be okay."
"But who'll keep the monsters away from us here?" the girl whimpered. I touched her cheek and crawled to my chest, opening it and unzipping the enormous plastic bag at the bottom, air rushed into the vacuum pack and I pulled out a beautiful, blue clad geisha with a resilient, smiling china face. I turned around and handed her to the girl.
"This is Lorenna," I said gently, "she always slept with me in my hammock and kept the monsters away until I was big enough to do it myself."
"She's so pretty!" the girl said in a wondering tone, accepting the doll and cradling her.
"Isn't she?" I smiled, I looked at the other, wide eyed girl and pulled out another Geisha, Tinny's. "This was my sister Tinny's doll," I said with a sad smile, "her name is Lillabeth, and wherever we went, they came with us," I offered the pink clad doll to the older girl. "I think it's time they had a new family to love them." the girl accepted the doll with wide eyes, cradling her as though it were the most precious thing in the world. I rocked to my feet and smiled down at them. "Now, have you chosen which hammock you would like?" I asked gently. They grinned and split, each standing beside a hammock and looking at it curiously.
"There's no blankets!"
"The blankets are right here," I smiled, pulling down two flat, solid bags and opening the valves. Air rushed in and they inflated while Michelle looked on worriedly.
"You know," I said in a quiet, conversational tone, "when you store blankets in plastic, a lot of the time they start to smell like the plastic. Tinny and I always hated it. So before she died my mother taught me to put packets of lavender and cedar in, so that they'd smell nice no matter how long it was before I opened them again."
I could see Michelle relax and smile as I talked.
I pulled out the first set and got to work. First the mosquito netting got tied back, then a thick cotton blanket rested over the netting, followed by two sheets and another cotton blanket. I plumped up the pillow and set it at one end, so that the girl's feet would point to the door. Finally, I tied off the little straps to keep the sheets from bunching in. In a matter of minutes the two beds were made.
"Now there's a trick to getting in," I said with a bright smile to the yawning girls. "What you do, is step over the hammock and sit down in the middle, then you tuck your feet into the blankets, pull them up and you're done!"
The girls obeyed, giggling as I set the hammocks to gently rock them. I looked at the First Lady.
"You can turn the light up and down with the knobs on the side, and there's lots of sweet oil available if you want to leave one burning as a nightlight. That door there leads to the girl's bathroom, we're backward out here, but we still have indoor plumbing, and I'd imagine David and Barry will get the solar panels sorted out in the morning. Knowing Linda, she already has the water system purged by now, so the water is good to drink." I smiled gently at the obvious relief in the older woman's eyes. "I'll leave you to your rest. Oh... we're indoors, so perhaps let the girls sleep with the netting tied back at least for tonight. Sleeping under netting takes a bit of getting used to, it moves in the breeze at times and can be a bit scary if you can't remember that it's just netting."
I gave her a half bow, walked out the door and started down the hallway.
"Wait!" the First Lady said quietly. I stopped and looked back. "You've brought us to your home, hidden us away from people who would hurt my family and I don't even know your name," the woman said in a distressed tone.
I smiled.
"I'm Mikaela Banes," I said gently.
"But you're dead!"
"For now," I nodded, "if it makes you feel any better, it came as a surprise to me, too. Your husband is an intelligent man, he will explain everything, tell him that I don't mind if people know who I am anymore." I offered her a gentle smile and walked back to the kitchen.
"There she is," David looked at me with a nod, "sit down, council."
"Have you filled POTUS in already?" I asked curiously, taking a seat beside Barry.
"We're coming up to '85," David rolled his eyes and looked at Barry.
"Year of the Spy," I rolled my eyes.
"Bloody toothache, that's what it was," Barry grumbled. Linda patted her husband's hand lightly.
"The year that dozens of spies were arrested on American soil," I leaned back in my chair, "they got what, the equivalent of a Chinese leg and a KGB foot?"
"KGB toe, they never run out." Barry snorted.
"The KGB was disbanded," Obama protested, frowning.
"With all due respect Sir," I said with a smile, "The KGB was disbanded, and I'm dead."
David looked around at the people at the table and burst out laughing.
"So that's what's started up this latest clusterfuck!?" he demanded, "nice job on the broadcast sir, even I thought Mikaela Banes was dead, so you are Cal's daughter," he looked at me with a grin. "I thought he'd brought you back from 'nam or something."
"Nah, he brought my mum back," I said with a half smile.
"Wait, Eun Mi's your mom?" he stared at me then sat back heavily. "I'll be damned, baby RED. No wonder they were scared of moving 'till now."
"Baby RED?" Will asked curiously.
"In laymens terms, both of my parents were spies, classified R-E-D. Retired, extremely dangerous. I literally have been trained from the cradle to do cleanup."
"I thought that was a movie," Jacobs frowned.
"It is," Barry grinned, "the more that people think that this stuff only happens in movies, the more we can actually get away with."
"But eventually we're going to have to figure out how to humanize the FBI and CIA again," David rolled his eyes. "The only recruits we get nowadays are guppies looking for scoops for their screenplays. And now that Angel's dead it's gonna be a mess to get her into the bureau without a scandal."
"Dibbs," Barry murmured.
"If, of course, I survive," I said irritably. "Big if. I got lucky with Aussen, Mai changes her face so often they let in every brown eyed woman with a killer's strut."
"Started already have you? Moving fast Ang." Barry grinned at me.
"Oh shut up Barry," I groaned, "I can just hear you doing your 'I was right, you were wrong' gloating dance."
"So what convinced you anyway?" Linda asked kindly, shooting a warning glance at her husband of thirty years.
"This mook invited me to Christmas just before I 'died'," I sighed, jerking my head at Lennox. "I broke rule ten."
"We all do love," Linda said gently, patting my hand. "That's probably the best reason there is to activate."
"Break anything else lately?" Barry asked curiously. I held up my leather gloves and shrugged.
"Nope."
"Rules?" Jacobs looked around, confused.
"Fifty one rules to live by," Barry said sternly.
"Oh this is just messed," Lennox said tiredly, burying his face in his hands.
"Anyway, to business, the vice is with Hetty, POTUS is here, and Angel is finally going to clean up." David stated firmly, he took out a briefcase and handed me a file. I flipped through it quickly, memorizing the information and handing it back to him.
"You good?" he asked.
"I've got a backup," I said calmly, showing him my wrist. "new plant, it's linked directly to an audio-optic.
"Sub-dermal bug?" Barry asked with an exasperated frown.
"I want proof," the President stated. "You're talking world-wide. The men you've ordered her to take down are close to the seats of government. If I'm going to protect everyone, I want very good reasons and confessions."
"Omitable?" Barry looked at me.
"Probably," I shrugged. "Anyway, I'd better get going. Jacobs, you okay to take bag?"
"Real food," he grinned and rubbed his hands together.
I walked toward the door. Lennox jumped up and ran after me. I looked back at him.
"Will..." I started.
"I'm coming with," Lennox said firmly. "Optimus would fry me if I let you wander off without backup."
"Will," I said firmly, "I'm about to go murder five more heavily guarded men-"
"It's not murder," Will stated flatly, "it's cleanup."
"Ooh! Keep him!" David said with a broad grin, "if Barry gets Cal's Angel I'll take the White Devil."
"Good handle, we'll go through the pension plans later." Barry grinned as David glared at him. I rolled my eyes and looked Lennox up and down.
"Well, you're about the same size as Rig was, let's get you suited up." I sighed.
"Wait, I've got a handle now?" Lennox asked in confusion.
"CIA dirty work handle," I said quietly, gesturing him to follow.
"Tell him the pension plan!" Barry called after me.
"Pension?" Lennox looked at me with raised eyebrows. I looked at him and frowned.
"Barry, with us," I said sternly. He and Linda rose from their seats and followed us as I walked to the munitions room. "Barry, Will has a wife and little girl, I want you to set him up as my handler on the blackout work and set his ladies up properly. This will likely be my only mission and I want him to take the good points."
"You're such a bleeding heart," Barry grumbled, his wife elbowed him.
"Just do it love," Linda said fondly, "you already owe her big on this. He's volunteered, she didn't. At least let her have this one."
"Oh... alright," the man sighed. He looked at Lennox. "As of now you are a deep cover CIA contract mechanic. You have licence to kill during an assignment with the provision that it is a justifiable death. This mission will be the only one required of you, and you are free to turn down any mission offered to you afterward. If you are killed in any line of duty your wife will receive three thousand dollars per month for the rest of her life, subject to increase with inflation. Your daughter will be granted tuition for whatever college or university she chooses with the provision that her grades allow her acceptance. It will follow under the guise of automatic acceptance of financial aid. We have counselling and groups for every class of loss or gain. Am I missing anything?" he looked at Linda.
"Personal injury," she smiled.
"Right, if you are injured in the line of duty you will receive home-care aid if desired and a comfortable living salary."
Lennox frowned.
"What's the fine print?" he asked warily.
"I like him," Barry commented to his wife.
"Deny anything that hasn't been declassified." Linda shrugged. "your method is up to you, but I find the 'that shit only happens in movies' line works quite well."
"That's the contract they had dad sign. It's two pages," I smiled at Linda fondly.
"One now, I made the print smaller." she smiled.
"If you want you can sign it when you get back, if they manage to get past Angel and kill you on this one I'll forge your signature," Barry stated. "You have my promise that I'll take care of your ladies."
"Shit! I can do that," Lennox grinned. "You want a sample of my signature?"
"You're Military. Already have it," the man shrugged. "I'll be using one of your older signatures so that it looks like you've been deep for a few years and automatically eligible."
"Just like that?" Will looked stunned.
"If I'm going to risk your life, I want you to benefit from it," I said softly, opening up Rig's clothes locker. I gestured Will toward it and handed him a black duffle. "You're going to need a suit, dress shirt and tie. Your combat boots, go through and see if you can find a pair of dress shoes that fit you, and pick out five or so days worth of civilian clothing. Your choice. And the blackout suit. If you want you can look through Dad's locker as well, he was a bit bigger than you but he adored bowling shirts."
I turned and grabbed my own duffle, emptying it and quickly re-packing from my own locker. I carried it to the gadget table.
"What do I wear now?" Lennox piped up.
"Civvies," I said over my shoulder, I pulled down two watches for each of us, a nice briefcase for myself and some pieces of jewelry.
"This okay?" Will stood with his arms out, wearing jeans and a button up shirt over a men's tank.
"Nice," I smiled, "pick yourself out some accessories." I quickly stripped out of my clothes and began strapping on various weapons. Knife between my shoulder blades, one at my calf and a lightweight, silenced gun. I threw on jeans and a tank under a jacket and froze.
"Military transport the entire way?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah, why?" Will asked curiously, looking over the weapons with a keen eye. I handed him the log-book, walked to my dad's locker and pulled out his rifle, across the room, the firing pin and several rounds out of the munitions, I sat and immediately began to clean it.
"That's..." Barry whispered.
"It will remain the widowmaker," I stated quietly. Will whistled. I looked up at him.
"Even I've heard the legends on that thing," he murmured.
Lennox took a bit more time deciding on his weapons, finally opting for the same calibre he carried on base.
"Let's roll," I said quietly. "Barry, Linda, it was nice to see you again."
"Be safe Angel," Linda said gently, cupping my cheek. I nodded and picked my duffle up. "Barry, will you take us out to the boat?"
He nodded, we walked out of the house and down the dock in silence. I drove to the boat I'd stolen and nodded to Barry.
Silently, Will and I boarded and took off.
"If you can, you might want to get some shuteye," I said finally, "this is going to be a long haul." Will nodded and relaxed into his seat.
8:00
Location: C17
"That... wow man, you're set for life!" Epps grinned.
"First and last," Will stated firmly, "doesn't leave the plane."
"Yes sir!" the men saluted jauntily.
Will looked up at Optimus.
"She killed, and not three hours later comforted the children." Optimus murmured, cradling the tiny femme in his hand.
"It wasn't how easily we got out of the embassy that convinced me to stick with her," Lennox stated with a nod at the young woman as she shifted, her eyes opened, anyone could see the agony in them. They closed again