Author's Note: I meant to upload this a lot sooner but things have been dragging for me a lot, but only on the working level. Sometimes you need a task done that can only be done by other people and no matter what you can't do anything about it except check in.

But that's another story. Anyway, next chapter will conclude Act 2. This is where things get a little emotional. I hope I didn't hammer it too much.

Chapter 51: The Einherjar

March 29th 2011 0007 Hours

Aboard the Fruition, The Atlantic Ocean

Lutz hadn't been through as many harrowing ordeals in his life as some of the other members of the crew, but this one was going to be hard to top. With going up against the most powerful military force in the world it was expected. What's more so with taking on an entire SEAL Team and barely getting away. But they held their ground and had all returned to Koko together. The physical injuries and damage to Gordon and Rothrine's new chopper were fleeting things.

The Fruition had already begun to steer out to sea away from Cuba, Gordon just sped up to the ship. By then the storm had finally past and was nothing more than a breeze and the lightning flashes in the distance. Lutz was the first one out of the chopper and rushed towards the ships doctor to get the bullet out of him. But what he didn't realize was that he had lost more blood than he thought and it caused him to lose consciousness. The last thing he remembered was weakness in his legs and falling towards the wet deck of the ship. Only to be caught by the burly driver of the crew. The ships doctor said that if his shoulder was injured any further he'd be out of commission for six months at least. Having being shot in the same place where he almost dislocated it in France didn't help it's recuperation.

"How's the shoulder? Mr. 'I Like To Not Listen to Instructions'?"

The first words he heard after waking up was the, somewhat childish, belittling of a former Finnish Major. It surprised him that she would be the first to see him. Dressed in a clean set of clothes and properly showered but her muscular arms had a fair share of fresh scrapes and cuts. He took a deep breath as he adjusted himself of the bed he was in after being out for a considerable time. It bothered him that it wouldn't be easy to sleep since it was after midnight.

"Feels worse than it looks. Where's the Little Lady and our new guest?" He said looking at his right arm in a sling and his shoulder heavily taped.

"They're both asleep right now, Mr. 'Ignorant Jerk'." Lutz just rolled his eyes. "After some quick introductions she locked herself in her room to talk to Dr. Miami. She figured that getting away from Cuba took priority and she'll talk to us in the morning, Mr. 'Pain In The Ass'."

He gave her a deadpanned stare. "Do you really care how I feel? Or are you here to soften me up for Koko later? Cause I'm not in the mood for this crap. I'll take the yelling from her when the time is right."

The sharp response from Lutz caused Valmet to readjust her tone. He was the only one that got seriously injured and Damien would berate her later for coming off on him for it. He was the first one to visit him, but he was still unconscious. He only wanted to give him back his rifle and let him sleep. After that he disappeared to his hiding spot again. He just dropped his weapons and equipment in their room. On the ride back in the chopper, after letting Koko know they were fine, he was deathly silent. She knew if he wasn't wearing his balaclava, his face would be lit up with all kinds of reactions. Many of them trying to figure out how Koko managed to pull off what she did. She didn't know how he kept going after a fight like that. While just as stumped as he was, she was exhausted. She'd sleep on it, but not before giving Lutz an answer he deserved from a question a while back.

"It took me a while to think about it but I have the answer to that question you asked me."

She pointed to his rifle laying on the desk next to his bed since he didn't notice it yet.

"About Koko becoming a little too aggressive?" He said reaching out to it, feeling a substantial amount of mud still on it.

"Yeah…but…uhh…are you sure you want to hear it? I mean after everything that happened tonight?"

The sniper then looked back to the Major with surprise. She sounded somewhat shy in the way she was asking. It was the first time he heard her speak to him like that. He liked it.

"The little lady does have a screw loose, but then again all of us do or we wouldn't be here. And one thing I damn know for sure is that she won't abandon her friends." He raised his thumb up. "Best boss ever."

"That's exactly how I feel too."

"Well, what's the answer?"

She then leaned on the wall next to his bed.

"Koko's always been the one that walks the grey path in life. I know that what we do for a living is not exactly what someone would call moral. But no matter what she does, she's always had a proper reason for her actions. More often than not she strives to be great. Regardless of the fact that her business is arms dealing, her dream is still world peace. And I believe that she can do it." She ended the answer as she went to turn out the light and let Lutz sleep. "So no. She's still her."

As the knife expert left to find her significant other, Lutz leaned back on his pillow looking up to the ceiling contemplating on Valmet's answer. He might have been overthinking it but it never hurt to ask. Koko did mention concern for him when she let him know they were performing another kidnapping plot. It also had been a while since he figured out why Koko was in the arms trade. He though she was pulling his chain with the whole 'World Peace' bit, based on how nonchalantly she spoke of it. But it looked like in the end it didn't matter. He still thought of her as the best boss ever.

He only wished that she would discipline one of her two favorite people in a way that it would actually get him to learn. Damien could have at least wiped the dirt off of his rifle.

"At least he brought it back."

0021 Hours

I didn't have one specific hiding spot on the ship, I had several. But depending on what time it was I chose spots no one would come around. But for tonight I picked one where they wouldn't smell me. I didn't really place bathing on my list of priorities since my mind was going a hundred miles an hour on what had just happened a few hours ago. After sitting on top of the ships mast above the bridge for a while, I calmed down enough to properly realize that Koko was operating on a whole other level than what I thought. That's when I made my final decision. It was a bizarre mixture of feeling safe and in over my head.

"I can't keep doing this if the stakes are so high that there's no top."

No matter how she's gonna spin this later, there's gonna be massive fallout from what transpired tonight. The event's will be a controlled release of information but someone was gonna receive the ax for this. No one could just cover this all up. A black site breach, a VIP disappears, a SEAL team wiped out, and a Marine chopper crash as the cherry on top. Even though this was totally in the shadows there was going to be a firestorm in Washington by the time the sun gets up. But when I saw Koko when we were done, she wasn't even fazed in the least.

She proved that she was untouchable. This further frightened me of her.

"I'm so proud of all of you. You guys are the best! I'll talk to all of you tomorrow when we're far from here."

Once she was done with us and made a quick 'shut up and listen' to Faiza, I tried to get her by herself to ask the obvious. This had something to do with her 'Project'. I wasn't stupid.

"Yes?" She asked as if she was annoyed.

"Think you can tell me what just happened?" I asked in the calmest manner possible.

"You need something? From me? After what you did? Hmph!"

She literally pouted and stuck her nose up in the air and walked off kind of snooty as if she was channeling her inner rich girl. But we weren't alone, Lehm saw the whole thing. I didn't even notice him behind me during another moment where my brain farted out.

"She's real mad at you kid. I suggest you keep your distance from her. For a while at least."

"John…I don't think-"

"Trust me Damien. If she's like that, you don't want it to get any worse. Leave it alone for now. She'll come around." He said in his somewhat permanent smirk.

Koko always had a weird way of expressing emotions but when she started acting goofy I kept having to remind myself that that was her at her most serious. I just kept wishing it wasn't that comical. And I'm the last person that has a right to lecture someone on what's wrong in their head.

But the old man was right. Even though I hate it when my options are limited, I don't want to leave Koko on sour terms. Honestly, I don't want to leave at all. I wouldn't have minded continuing to work for her but even I have my limits on doing risky shit. But she said she could get me to go home and I don't want to complicate it. This incident in Cuba had to die down first before we did anything else, and I needed some rest.

I stood up, cracking my joints, and felt the warm breeze of the sea. It was strange but I just realized that I really had come full circle around the world. Too bad it was with facing another near death experience. But in the end, and after some careful consideration, it didn't matter. None of this did. The scars will still be there, the memories will still be in my head, I can't change what has happened or what I've done.

Whatever choice I make, the world was just gonna keep on turning. Maybe I placed my dreams on too much of an exaggerated scale. Seeing the reality of things caused me to learn REAL fucking quick. War has a tendency to do that as well. The simple way of just living was fine with me. And I'm done trying to do anything that will seem hypocritical of me.

"But I did screw up. I can't undo what's been done. But at least I can start anew."

How I was going to do that was anyone's guess. But a shower was good start. Sophia wouldn't like me smelling like roadkill.

March 30th 2011 1000 Hours

The Pentagon, Washington DC

"My God Marcus, do you even hear yourself?"

Major General Marcus Andrushko looked, felt, and even smelled terrible. Not a good impression to make on SOCOM's Commander in Chief but given the, frankly unbelievable, situation that occurred in the last 36 hours he'd let it slide. Rear Admiral Olsen got on the first available flight to Dulles to confirm face to face that Andrushko meant what he said. Certain topics couldn't just be discussed over phone or video calls. No one else higher than them, as far as they knew, knew about what had transpired.

"There is no other way I could have lost contact with Night Nine or Vulture 4-4 that way. Somebody had to have leaked our encryption information and shut me out of own system. I don't give a fuck who that group took last night. Our real concern is who's deliberately rusting our armor."

The two black ops veterans may have been conducting the conversation quietly but if it was any other place it would have turned into a shouting match. The anger from both of them was justified. Neither of them wanted to admit that a whole SEAL team was slaughtered. Or wanted to write to the families of the men who had died without tearing their hair out.

Marcus didn't feel that his office was safe to discuss the disaster or anywhere inside of the building or out for that matter. Olsen cursed him out earlier for acting paranoid, and again for where they wanted to talk. The memorial spot for the victims of the September 11th attacks on the Pentagon. In hindsight though, the Green Beret wasn't wrong about the possible threat from the inside. But the SEAL knew of the importance of the prisoner that was extracted from Camp No. Olsen figured that this would have been dealt with quietly and the basis of 'need to know' didn't go any further than him and Commander Plame. Now he didn't have a choice if he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"If they had the ability to wear us down, then they now have an ability to punch right through us."

Andrushko had heard this tone of when bad goes to worse his whole life. He couldn't feel lousier than he already did.

"Spare the bullshit Admiral. What the hell is going on?"

The chain of command for the United States military, regardless of the bureaucratic process, was a well strung together web that ensured that the machine could produce the American's ability to wage war. Officers knew that feuds within leadership will put the lives of others at risk. Reality was different. There were always arguments in between senior officers and enlisted men. But in the world of special operations it was often fluid. It is the man and the actions he performed that held his authority, not his rank. The training may have been only slightly different, but the two men were the same caliber of warrior. They both earned their positions and titles through literal blood, sweat, and tears. Knowing what was at stake, they couldn't afford to waste time on clichéd antics.

That and Marcus had tried to keep Mendez's team alive.

"The lady that was kidnapped was a hacker by the name of Layla Ibrahim Faiza. Think Julian Assange only a lot more aggressive."

"You could find countless others like that, and also who'd want to kill people, all over the planet. Why's this one so special?"

The Admiral was at least glad that the General didn't see that the United States' only group of enemies came from the Middle East when he heard the ethnicity of the professors name.

"Do you know any others that are professors in the field of quantum physics?"

Andrushko raised his eyebrow. "Ok. A bit random but question still stands."

"Does the name Koko Hekmatyar mean anything to you?"

He then got somewhat annoyed with questions being answered with questions so he answered bluntly.

"No."

"I got this information from the Director of the NSA, obviously this is classified. She was the one who orchestrated the raid and apprehended Faiza. I gave the task of intercepting the group she put together to Commander Torey Plame. I hoped that he would be able to pull off that operation without a hitch and keep Faiza out of her reach but we both know how that ended up."

"So who is she? What does she want?"

Olsen then took a photo out of his uniforms breast pocket. It was what little evidence to prove that she actually existed. It wasn't the most flattering one of the heir to HCLI with a silly look on her face as if she was wanting her favorite pet to come to her. He felt it bizarre that this was officially from the NSA.

"What the hell? She's just a girl."

The Admiral expected such a reaction and crossed his arms to give his own hard to believe information.

"She already has what she wants. As far as she goes, we don't even know if that's her real name. Possibly the daughter of the owner of HCLI, Hekmatyar and Chevalier Logistics Incorporated, Floyd Hekmatyar. Age unknown with no recorded place of birth, no place of residence, much less education. Known to pop up in a lot of hot spots around the world. But according to confirmed statements of buyers that we could any info out of, she's the most reliable and well financed source of weapons acquisitions in the world."

The moment the General heard HCLI, he briefly thought of The Grid. Plus HCLI was a legitimate company of shipping and arms. Not really that different from the US giving its "Allies" weapons to protect their assets and the Pentagon's little slush fund. But this didn't make any sense.

"So our enemy is a vague assumption and we don't even know what she has in store for that physicist?" He raked his hand through his hair with growing frustration. "Admiral, you're a sailor and I'm a soldier. Neither of us are spy's. I need to know what is truly a threat so that I don't cause a war with the wrong people."

One of the things Olsen would eventually have to tell Andrushko came up early, but he couldn't say it just yet. He had to give him what he knew so that he would have an opportunity clear himself of blame. He saw the anger brewing behind the iconic blue eyes with the piercing predatory look that he always had. Olsen didn't want to give him two more questions for every one answered. But this would be the last one until they got to the shadowy part that nobody knew about. Not even those with security clearance that was above top secret.

"It's precisely because we don't know what her end game is," He continued seeing that the General was about to protest. "But the CIA has compiled a list of evidence on what she might be making."

"Making?" Andrushko asked.

"In the last two years she's been accumulating specific material and personnel, not to mention capital, to construct a new type of computer, a quantum computer to be precise."

"So this girl is just looking for a better way to send her fuckin email!?"

"Stow that shit Marcus." The Admiral warned against the surprised outburst. He thought the General was smarter than that. "Think for a second. You know cyber warfare can do more to cripple a unit than a roadside bomb can. I'm sure your friend Carlyle would agree."

The General took his advice and took a moment to think. All of the evidence pointed to what happened last night was eerily similar. To think someone could just hack into their latest and most advanced command and control system for SOCOM like it was nothing. It would practically send the US military's combat efficiency back to the stone age. It would be open season on the United States.

But there are things that he had to take into consideration. This was real life and not some sci-fi genre. There had to be a human element within this.

"Alright. Let's assume for a moment that this woman has such capabilities. The first thing we have to do is find out that this thing even exists. I had two of my analysts work on whatever signal…"

"I'm sorry General but this isn't your concern anymore." SOCOM's Commander cut him off. It was time. "This incident will have to be handed over to the intelligence branches, they're better equipped to deal with this. You however have a bigger problem."

"Eric what are you talking about? You need all the help you can get."

"I agree. But Night Nine was totally wiped out. The Chairman along with the rest of the Joint Chiefs are breathing down my neck on what the hell happened the other night. You did overstep your bounds with Plame, cut him off from Night Nine, and you lost contact with them."

Andrushko's face lit up in shock at the accusation that Olsen was implying.

"Wait a goddamn minute. You don't think I had a hand in this!?"

"Of course not. I know that they're looking for a scapegoat. But they need someone to blame and right now it's you. But you are right about one thing, someone on our side had to have had a hand in this. We have to consider all of the possibilities. So I'm gonna give you some time to figure out what happened, and whatever you need I'll authorize it."

The General let out a frustrated growl. "How long do I have?"

"About a month. We have a…operation being planned. It's a big one, and with a security breach like this we can't give the go ahead for this mission unless we have contained or eliminated the threat. So I suggest you start now."

Andrushko saw of what was going to happen. Even if he managed to prove that he had no hand in this, his time in the United States Army was over. He was glad though that the Admiral still trusted him enough that he would share the more secretive details about what the intelligence community had been working on.

"What happens if I run out of time?" He asked already knowing.

"It'll be out of my hands. It'll be up to General Casey then."

He sighed. "Then I don't suppose it would be a bad time to tell you I wanted to put in a request for early retirement?"

The SEAL looked at him neutrally. "Was that the unimportant thing you wanted to ask?"

"Either way, I'm out of the Army by the time this blows over."

Olsen knew full well of the tragedies of Andrushko's life. He was often a cold man, hardened by the combat experience many would never receive because of the world of Special Operations. He wanted to make sure that no matter what challenge faced him, he would succeed. It was the mantle of such men. But sometimes Olsen thought that he carried on his duties as if he was on autopilot in the last few years. He never got over losing his wife, and there weren't many women that could understand the level's of responsibility or restrictions of certain freedoms he had. So he didn't bother remarrying. But losing his only child was what pushed him over the edge. Facing the end of his career couldn't make it any worse. But Olsen would make sure that Andrushko left on his own terms.

"Hmm. I don't blame you for trying to stop them Marcus. But no one could have predicted what happened. They're the ones responsible for humiliating us. They won't get away with this."

The General knew the drill and they both had much to do. After saluting each other, they went in opposite directions. One pulled out his phone to call his Chief of Staff. The other had some painful letter's he had to write.

April 3rd 2011 1000 Hours

Aboard the Fruition, The Atlantic Ocean

Koko had decided that Chatty Rabbits Foot had waited long enough and decided to finally introduce herself formally. She slowed the movement of the Fruition to a crawl and give enough time for the Cuba incident to settle down. Washington was probably running around in circles and Bookman had already provided his own cover story but he couldn't stay silent forever. She wanted to get Faiza with as little violence as possible but someone had enough audacity to fight back. After the crew was on their way back to the ship, Professor Amada had made mention of not a programming failure but a technical failure with 'Jormungand'. She told her to take as much time as possible and call her back when she finished. She did overuse it more than it should have and it was only a prototype, she didn't expect everything to run perfectly. After that she would introduce Faiza to her.

She hoped she would be more socially polite with her since they had the same interests.

"About bloody time! Where the fuck are you people taking me!?"

"Calm down Dr. Faiza. We're on our way to South Africa." Koko said unfazed.

"Why South Africa!? You still haven't told me who you people are! How do you know so much about me!? I've had it with all the spy shit, gun fights, and that big guy always following me around! If you plan on working me like slave you might as well shoot me right now! Cause I won't do whatever it is your planning!"

One of the only things Koko told Damien was to keep a constant eye on Faiza until further notice. This morning was the last day. She tried not to laugh at him looking so irritated with Faiza never keeping her mouth shut and him telling her to shut it. He was glad to finally be away from her.

"Now I can see where the 'Chatty' part of your handle came from. You know I've come to hate people with big mouths like yours."

Faiza saw from Koko's calm tone, the slant in her eye, and how she emphasized the word 'hate' that she needed to be reminded that she was still a prisoner on her ship. And unlike Guantanamo, they took containing inmates a bit more seriously.

"Information is the most valuable commodity in the world today. All the money in the world can't buy the most classified bits of intel. Some people spend their whole lives chasing secrets but they usually end up dead. Even if you're the best hacker and finding government secrets is easy, there's still someone out there willing to die to keep them covered up. When you talk, you're showing disrespect for the information you steal."

Professor Faiza could see the slight hypocrisy behind the words of her abductor.

"Bold words for a kidnapper."

"Well forget secrets, because I'm giving you a new toy."

"What?" she said confused about the 180 turn in the conversation.

"Dr. Minami Amada and I designed the plans. Then we brought in Dr. Elena Baburin to breathe life into this masterpiece."

Being a scientist, Dr. Faiza had to know the reputation of others in her field and those practices that were similar. They weren't also merely scientists, they were also the ones who were supposed to continue the pursuit of knowledge into bigger and better things. Like taking theories and finding a way to make them facts.

"Wait a minute…are you building a…?" She was in shock at what she heard was real.

"For years Minami and I have kept this secret between the two of us. But we needed Dr. Baburin to put it together. And with your smarts, Minami insisted that we needed you too."

Koko knew from the look on Faiza's face that she had her.

She chuckled. "It seems that your speechless. I guess Minami was right, that if I give you a project that tickles your genius brain, you'll quit freaking out and come over to our side."

She then got up to leave to call Minami and give her the good news.

"Now I know that this goes without saying but don't go around blabbing about what's going on here ok? And who knows? You might spend the rest of your life playing with this new toy." She turned to her with a final warning. "And if you do blab, your dead."

As she left Faiza in her quarters Koko walked back to her cabin to make her next call but not before noticing two familiar figures through a window to the deck of the ship. She'd recognize the big ornate Celtic Cross on his back anywhere. Damien and Valmet were doing laps around the ship and it looked like they were keeping pace with each other.

She still wouldn't talk to him yet. This was his punishment. He needed to learn that no matter his reasons, he shouldn't stray from a plan. Especially if it was one that kept them all alive.

After getting to her cabin, she locked the door and went for her sat phone. Minami Amada picked up immediately.

"Hi Koko. I take it Dr. Faiza is on board?"

"In both literal and metaphorical sense."

"Excellent! Now I don't mean to put a hamper on your recent success but which part do you want to hear about first?"

"What was that glitch?" Koko said concerned.

"Well we found nothing wrong with the diagnostics. So we took the thing apart and found out that it didn't have anything to do with the operating system. It was simply the computational power. With all the tasks it was doing, it was generating so much electricity and heat that it actually melted some of the data boards. Dr. Baburin and I thought that the cooling system was sufficient but it wasn't enough."

Koko didn't want to hear that her prototype's full capabilities were unstable. But she trusted her best friend to make it work. They had already come too far to fail.

"What do you need to make it work Minami? Money is no factor here."

"We have plenty of spare parts and the programs aren't the problem. They are still intact and didn't suffer any error. In fact they didn't even know we were there." Minami said with confidence.

"So what's the problem?"

"Fixing it won't be an issue, but I do need to insulate the hardware to make sure this doesn't happen again. And we need a more reliable cooling system. It's not like we won't have room for it but this will take some time. And when you get here with Chatty Rabbits Foot, it'll go faster. We need her to make the device smaller as well."

The arms dealer gently smiled, laid down on her bed, and put her feet up against the wall. She had all the time in the world, but there was one last thing she needed. But what she needed couldn't be hacked into or bought.

He still didn't tell her yet.

"Well…time for the fun part. Uptight four eyed douchebag. How the hell could he figure out some type of countermeasure against 'Jormungand' on the spot? I know sometimes people compare my methods to magic in the literal sense but that seems just plain impossible."

"…"

Koko's smile faded. She never knew Minami to hesitate like that. It actually frightened her.

"Minami? What happened?"

"Can you promise not to be mad at me? During the diagnostics I figured it out a day ago. I wanted to wait for you to call."

She sat up. "Ok fine. What is it?"

"After we got into the Data Link and altered Night Nine's GPS I traced their comms into another source. Pretty state of the art stuff too. It went into the Pentagon. Took some digging around but apparently US Special Operations Command has a brand new type of control center where they can do their operations worldwide."

Koko was actually pleased that her best friend could hinder the capabilities of the US military's elite forces as well.

"That's actually good news. It's one less enemy we'll have to deal with down the road."

"No it's not Koko. The man who's in charge of that new control center is Major General Marcus Leon Andrushko."

Koko's eye's widened in shock. She was on the verge of ruining the promise she had made to Damien. Even if he was the one that somehow managed to fight back against her. Damien wouldn't be able to live with himself in knowing his own father was directing the SEAL's trying to intercept him and the team. She didn't need to guess that he would be the one to blame of the failure for Night Nine. She had seen Damien become so much better than he once was and she now had the ability to give him everything. She wouldn't allow him to be sad or alone ever again.

"That's right Koko. It's his dad. What should we do?" She continued after hearing the silence on the other end.

Koko hadn't blinked at a crisis yet, she wouldn't start now. She then started rubbing her shield between her fingers.

"First off; we don't mention a word of this to Damien. Second; I normally wouldn't care about what would be happening to my enemies after they were beaten. But the CIA along with the US military is going to need someone to blame for all of this. There's no doubt in my mind that it'll be him who gets the blame. That's not going to happen, he was only doing his duty as a soldier." She then looked at the shield Damien gave her. "Above all; neither of them knew. So they don't need to know."

"Well how do we shift the blame off of him?"

"They won't relieve him of command overnight. The US is a stickler for protecting it's most valuable military assets. But he doesn't have any evidence that will tip the odds in his favor. I'll fix that for him. But I'll also need to make sure that our old pal Bookman know that he can't get near me anymore."

"What can I do on my end?"

The arms dealer then went over to her computer and brought up the latest general intel from HCLI.

"For now focus on 'Jormungand' then see if anyone has been keeping a closer eye on me than usual."

"Will do. I'll have to use my usual methods though."

"No worries. No need to explain about adding another risk to the system."

"Ciao."

"Ciao."

After she hung up she went back to combing through her reports. But before she even started, she clicked out of them and went to her photos. Then brought up the ones Damien gave to her from their walk around Budapest before that tragic ambush. Her favorite was the simple yet tender one of when she asked someone passing by to take a picture of them when they were on the river.

"I'll make sure you'll be the first one to see the new world. I'll set the both of us free."

April 9th 2011 1642 Hours

After the first week had already passed I figured that we would already be past the halfway mark across the Atlantic and back to South Africa again. But with the ship going at a crawl and me checking with the navigator the other day, it looked like we didn't want to rattle the saber any further. I wouldn't blame her considering the magnitude of the situation, but the silence she's been giving me has been a little unnerving. I don't want to tell her that once her project is done that I will be too with her acting the way she is.

Once again though we had all fallen into the same routine of trying to remain sane whenever we were on the ship for longer than expected. Shooting practice, card games, movies, occasionally taking one of the lifeboats out for fishing, and exercise. I tried to vary it up by doing it in the evening so that I'd eat a heartier dinner. Even for me this was starting to become routine to the point of numbness.

Until I felt a slap on my back. I turned around to take my headphones off and Sophia had that annoyed look on her face again.

"Damnit can you please wipe your sweat off of the bench's. Why didn't you wear a shirt?"

"I don't have to pay any memberships here I can work out in whatever I want. And sorry, I clean it up when I'm done."

Kinda your fault for me pushing myself as of recent. I'm busting my ass trying to keep up with you.

I then put my headphones back on and cranked up the volume. As well as tighten my lifting belt. With performing a 635 pound deadlift I really didn't feel like throwing out my back or tearing a ligament in my legs.

With several deep breaths and waiting for the high point of Megadeth's Angry Again, I began.

The familiarity of metal digging into my hands, deep inhales and exhales, tightening of muscle, gritting teeth, and the strain on my body as a whole was felt with every lift. I never forgot the one thing I had to constantly remind myself on, being in the type of life I was still in. A life of war.

There would always be someone better. Someone stronger, or faster, or tougher, even smarter.

I just wished that the one woman that was all of those things wasn't standing right behind me.

"You mind? Trying to concentrate here."

"I'm hungry." She said staring at me in the mirror surrounding the gym.

"So go get something to eat." I said strained in between lifts. "I'm busy."

She didn't listen, instead she walked in front of me. As I went to lift the barbell up again she put her foot on it causing me to lose my grip and I fell backwards on my ass. The heavy metal landing on the floor with a bang. She then stood over me with a very commanding pose.

"I said I'm hungry. Get a shirt on and follow me."

I hated it when she did that. Then again I haven't really said what she wanted to hear yet. But I figured I wait till we got back to South Africa. I wanted to ask her something else too but I don't think she would agree with it over her own volition unless she received some encouragement from others. She is somewhat proud, not that that's a flaw.

1702 Hours

After getting cleaned up, we didn't really grab much from the galley. Just a bag of cherries and some peanuts. I thought she wanted me to cook. But instead she wanted to talk to me on the deck. The sun was starting to set in the horizon by the time we got there. She wasn't for this type of socializing, much less romance. But when we started to make for in between the cargo containers, I started to put it together.

Our cabin is a little bit more private you know?

But I might have been a little too straightforward in my thinking as we went around the corner from the next container, spotlights enveloped us.

"SURPRISE!"

Then came the cheers and applause from the rest of the family, the ships crew, the two pilots, and Koko walking toward us with an open bottle of what appeared to be Bollinger. I turned around to Sophia having a wide smile, wondering what this was all about.

"The hell?"

"You were taking too long and the food was almost done. Luckily Wiley needed more ingredients for the sundae's he's making." She said as she handed off the cherries and nuts to the man in question.

Slightly confused I was about to say 'Screw the ice cream where's the beer?' but Koko handed me a different alcoholic beverage. The whole damn bottle to be precise with no glass. A definite sign that this was going to get over the top.

"I think you've done more than enough lazing around here so I decided to involve you in a double celebration tonight."

"So what's the occasion?"

Drinking champagne wasn't a smart idea after lifting but I didn't give a damn now that she decided to talk to me again.

"I'm glad you asked."

She then made her way to the center of the open spot of the party area. Nothing major set up except for a few tables, the grilling area, a makeshift bar, and of all things a karaoke machine in the corner.

"Alright everyone! Listen up!" She said with her hands on her hips. "I know that all of you have been bored senseless. Well so am I and I don't have a choice in this matter. But I have been planning a making a big reveal to all of you. I swear it'll blow your minds! That'll be happening once we get back to Port Elizabeth and I want to share all of that with you once we get there as a big surprise. Just think of this as a pre-celebration to that. But for tonight, the real reason is for this man."

As she was pointing at me, I still didn't know what she meant. As Wiley pointed out the obvious.

"I don't think he knows Koko, might as well tell him."

He was the cook tonight over on the grill, slathering whatever the meat was with some kind of sauce. Definitely enjoying himself as he shut his eyes to appreciate the smell.

"Alright. Alright. Today marks the one year anniversary since you've joined my crew. Even with the joys and sorrows, you've more than earned your spot as one of the best people I've ever had. So tonight it's for you! Mao! Music!"

It hit me with a rather pleasant surprise. It had been a year since I started to work for Koko and I'd been through a hell of a lot. While somewhat unorthodox for her on doing things like this, sometimes I don't ask questions. I just have fun. It would be a great idea to make a few more good memories and I'd have to get my camera whenever I got the chance. It would also be a good distraction of my thoughts about what happened in Cuba.

Going on record, I'm not a big fan of Prince. But I could appreciate the opening beat and lyrics to the song. Along with Sophia's slightly amorous squeezing me from behind.

All Hail The New King in Town!

1810 Hours

"Spare."

"Baby Back."

"SPARE!"

"BABY BACK!"

Being a southerner you have to have a substantial taste for barbeque. Who knew that Wiley had a knack for making excellent ribs. No wonder he was absorbing the scent of them as obsessively as his knack for making awesome explosions.

On a side note I was glad that he was upholding his word not to lose it next time. I hoped he wasn't going through withdrawal though. We hadn't had a lot of use for anything that needed a huge boom.

Back to the topic at hand, we couldn't really agree on which cut of meat was the better one. They both came from the same ribcage of the pig so it shouldn't make any difference. But that's the thing about parties and being several drinks in. You tend to sometimes dive into random shit and make the simplest thing seem larger than life. As the two of us continued to bicker while scarfing down the last of the food.

"Sauce means nothing if you aren't biting off a big chunk of meat along with it!"

"Bullshit! That's what gives the meat it's soul!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" I said as I flailed my arms out.

But in my somewhat inebriated state of champagne, beer, and barbeque, I felt I had hit something with the rib I was eating. I stared to my right and I saw Tojo. I accidentally hit him with a rib and his glasses were covered in sauce. His teeth gritting with irritation.

"Whoops. Sorry."

This was only the beginning of the hijinks that would occur tonight.

1921 Hours

After all the food was devoured, Koko Hekmatyar's crew then dove into their antics of having fun. The first one started off rather innocently with a karaoke challenge. Layla Faiza decided to stop being a wall flower and participate in the fun that everyone was having. For the last week she was obsessed at working on that quantum computer she figured out that Koko and Professor Amada were building. Making frequent video calls to her in Port Elizabeth, sharing ideas and information both technical and theoretical. But she finally pulled enough courage together to decide that work could wait and she could have fun with actual people.

Something she hadn't been able to do in close to two years when the CIA took her into custody.

In your head, in your head, they are fighting

With their tanks and their bombs and their bombs and their guns

In your head, in your head, they are crying

But being what an average person would all a nerd, being constantly on a computer doing her infamous hacking, she was already socially awkward even before Bookman had got to her. So her singing was wildly out of tune. So much to the point that a lot of the crew was cringing at the notes she was putting out.

What's in your head! In your head!?

Zombie! Zombie! Zombie! Eh Ah! Eh Ah! Eh Ah!

In your he…

The cut off from the speakers made a screech. Which wasn't really that different from Layla's singing. The culprit/hero was Lutz, he was already in enough physical pain. He didn't want to feel any worse.

"Danke Gott."

2038 Hours

Elsewhere, the crews expert driver and the maverick chopper pilot got into a heated debate on who could be the one that performs better under pressure. The stunts they both could pull off were impressive in their own right but once Ugo mentioned to Gordon that he could fly a plane he didn't believe him once. So they walked off and started calling each other out until they got to the bridge. The first officer, and the only one there because of the party, looked in confusion on why the big burly Italian and the retro looking pilot bursted into the room.

"I'd believe you could fly on Puff the Magic Dragon before you could get ANYTHING off the ground!"

"Oh yeah!? Well while you were off prancing around Korea I landed a plane on a road in the middle of nowhere!"

"Please. You couldn't even steer this ship with your own ass!"

Either overwhelming confidence or sever inhibition of judgement took over the former Mafia man. He walked over to the control panel, switch it to manual, and placed his said behind on the wheel. Looking at Gordon with a warning to never call him out again and a yelling from the crew member that was supposed to make sure everything was alright.

"Alright Buster Crabbe, put that in your hair and gel it!"

2140 Hours

Slightly steering the ship off course didn't hinder the fun, no one even noticed for about twenty minutes but they didn't care. Damien sure didn't when he hammered Mao's arm to the table. Grinning with a chewed up cigar in his mouth that had went out a while ago.

"Alright! Who's next!?"

A considerable amount of alcohol and two cigars later had forced Damien into where his ego was a bit swollen. Sort of a male establishment of superiority whenever a bar goes into the later hours of the morning. He proclaimed that he could beat anyone on the ship in arm wrestling and so far he was yet to be proven wrong. He had already taken on several members of the ship's crew and the squad. The only exceptions were those that took the party elsewhere and Lutz because of his bad shoulder.

"I'll take you up on that offer kid."

The reactions from the small crowd were in excitement of "Oohs" and "Ahhs" when Lehm approached the table in his usual bored self. He hadn't had as much to drink as the rest of the party, a sort of way for someone to keep everyone else in line in case things got too out of hand but he wasn't going to miss out on the fun.

Damien just looked at him as he spat out his chewed stogie and placed his big right arm on the table. Lehm flicked his cigarette away, sat down, and grabbed his hand with a audible slap. As the two former tier one operatives felt the iron grip of each other, Wiley took over as referee again.

"Ok gentlemen I want a good clean fight. Match ends when the opponents hand touches the table." He then put his hand on the both of theirs. "Ready? GO!"

Shouts and cheers of encouragement came to both sides as the arms of the two men tightened and tried their damnedest to pin the fist of the other to the table. Damien had already been on a winning streak so naturally he didn't have all his energy. But Lehm was actually trying with some effort and both men were shaking under the pressure of trying to move one another.

Both neither looked away from each other and eventually they drowned out the noise of everyone cheering them on. Their confident smirks faded after nine seconds and focused solely on winning. Each side had shifted several times but only one didn't plan on losing. They had both had perfected the art of the kill. Lehm had more experience but Damien had technically been in a state of constant momentum for two years till he met Koko.

Digging deep, the Green Beret let out an angry bellow. Slowly forcing the Delta Operator to the table bare his teeth and shaking like an earthquake. Both were strong men in mind, heart, and soul but only one wanted to make sure he always dominated his enemies.

"Winner! Damien!" Wiley shouted with both hands towards him.

"YEEEAOOW!" He said as he bursted from his chair with the Rebel Yell.

The half that were cheering for him patted him with congratulations as he held his arms out in victory. Looking back at his defeated foe with pride in his eyes, Lehm just smiled and stood up to leave.

"Not bad kid." Was all he said.

But Damien's celebration over the squads lead would be short lived as everyone but him went silent and were focused on another section of the open spot of shipping containers.

"Hold it. It's not over yet Damien."

He then turned to the sound of the voice of his employer and the woman who brought him out of the void. Behind her, was her big sister and the one who loved him. Face flushed because of the drink and covered in confidence.

"Aww crap."

"Sit back down. We haven't gone yet."

"Aww double crap."

Not really having much choice, he did what Koko said. Stumbling back to the table drunk and exhausted, he knew he was in trouble. Wiley saw this as he just let Valmet sit across from him and they both locked hands. He knew this was no contest.

"Ready go."

Damien was already exhausted from throwing all his might into beating Lehm and his delay in reaction of being drunk wasn't helping.

It was over before it began. Valmet put his hand down hard and fast.

"Ugh…triple crap." He growled out as he rubbed his sore elbow and bicep.

He went to leave to listen to the music and sulk, but Koko wasn't finished with him yet. She put her hand on his chest telling him to wait and pointed back to the table. Valmet was still sitting there.

She went over, sat down, locked hands, and put Valmet's down with no effort.

"Now Koko's the strongest on the ship." Valmet said.

"Yay!" Koko said with her hands in the air.

Even with a warped sense of perception, Damien was still coherent enough to realized he'd been set up.

"You three planned this." He said with an accusing finger to the two still present.

All they did was smile.

"Think of this as a reason why you shouldn't just do as you please."

"Alright then."

Damien made for the bar, his face ready for war. He grabbed a bottle of scotch and set in between the two of them. If he wanted to show that he could stand up to the two of them, this was a bad idea considering how much he'd already had to drink.

"I'm not that plastered. Let's see who can still stand."

2300 Hours

By now the celebration had died down and the crew had found different spots to pass out or go to sleep. Some in their cabin's, some back on deck, the rest scattered around the ship. Turned out that nobody won the triple threat drinking contest. By then they couldn't understand what the party was even for.

Eventually, Damien and Valmet had limped back to their cabin. Slurred snickers of Finnish from the woman with one gold eye and the long haired brute saying he couldn't understand her. For a few moments they just sat on their bed and looked at each other. Glad that both of them had found a bond between them. But he then understood fully what she meant after she pulled him into her well endowed chest trying to smother him. But when he looked up to her to continue, her grip had weakened. She had passed out and was starting to snore loudly.

"So innocent."

He wasn't sleepy yet, so after tucking her in (and placing a waste basket next to the bed just in case) he decided to walk the booze off for who knows how long of time just walking around the decks. It was quiet, much quieter from earlier. But it would be what everyone would want when they woke up tomorrow morning. But strangely, Damien felt like he actually had fun. Normally when he was this inebriated he often trying to numb the pain of the horrible experiences he had when the nightmares were too gruesome. His insomnia developed by his trauma was both his blessing and curse. He didn't have to see the terrible memories of mistakes, but it took a massive toll on his mental state and sound health. Having it in the change of direction where he did it with people he cared about, made him feel like he meant something to others that cared about him.

After some more walking, he found himself at the bow of the ship, but he wasn't alone. He saw her long white hair blowing in the warm wind. Blue eye's and a smiling flushed face turned to him.

"I figured you'd be passed out in Valmet's boobs by now."

"Almost did. How are you still awake?"

"I just have a lot on my mind."

"Mmm."

The two stared out to the stars in the horizon for a few moments but Koko saw an opportunity that she might not get again. The fun might have forced it out so she'd be honest with him.

"Once we get back to Port Elizabeth, I'll answer anything you want me to tell you. No riddles, no metaphors, the truth and nothing else. I just need you to trust me for a little while longer. And as a sign of good faith, I'll have you know that the CIA can't touch us anymore. You're going home, I swear my life on that."

Damien had been used to shocks but he didn't expect something like that from Koko after what they had just did at Guantanamo.

"What the hell are…" She put her finger to his lips.

"Like I said, not yet. Now you have to answer something for me."

"What?" He said as she took her finger off.

"You said that the world might hate you. But you didn't care because it can't change who you are. You don't want it to wither away needlessly. Is that still true? Even after everything we've done?"

The answer came instantly. "Of course. Why would I hate someone or something I've never met? Why would I want to shut off my ability to learn and grow like that? I can always strive to be better but, I figured out that I don't really need the world. I'm fine with just living day to day. But above all, seeing it through gun sights, isn't living. And I…don't want to live day to day alone anymore."

As he was looking back to the stern of the ship, that was the moment Koko needed.

"Neither do I."

Koko then leapt up on Damien. Both were still drunk and the force of her jumping on him knocked him off balance and she landed on top of him as he fell on the deck. She clasped his face and put her lips to his passionately. Damien's judgement of what was happening fell into the grey area that Koko shared. So he didn't really resist, even as Koko raised herself up to unbutton her shirt. Her porcelain white skin gleaming in the night.

"No matter what happens I will never stop protecting you. I've never met anyone so strong willed. I'm so happy that you came into my life. I love you for that. We'll share the new world together and I will damn well make sure that you have your freedom."

The white haired, blue eyed lady of war then leaned back down to her best warrior and made sure that the link between them was finally forged. Instinct took over them both and the only thing on Damien's mind right then and there was the fact that his long road to redemption was almost over. He saw the finish line and there was nothing in the way.

He wasn't thinking about how all of this began. Nor of how he crawled around the world for two years trying to survive. Nothing of the new bonds and happy memories he made. He didn't even think about the woman that proclaimed his love to him.

All he thought about, was that it was finally over.

Koko let him know that through sharing each other's joy of carnal pleasure. He was finally hers but she didn't forget about what she and her sister had agreed upon.

He had to say it.

But either way, she decided that this was the only moment in her life where she didn't care if she won or lost. As long as he never left her, she'd be happy.