Chapter Five

Hansen stubbornly refused to flinch as his cuffed and shackled body was slammed against the concrete wall. "How many more, Jack?" Oscar demanded, shouting just inches from Hansen's face. He pinned him to the wall with one hand while he punched him with the other.

"Punching a man in chains is pretty low, Oscar, even for you -"

"Dammit - how many?"

"Assault and Battery, abuse of a federal prisoner. You're on awfully thin ice," Hansen taunted.

Oscar glared at him. "I could've had you hauled before a tribunal and executed within 72 hours, instead of locked in a cell awaiting trial. Of course, I could still change my mind." He threw another punch. "I'm only asking one more time: HOW MANY?"

"There's a plane - a little commuter junket-type - taking off from Paradise Island in about six hours. They'll have a bomb -"

Oscar slammed his fist into Hansen's stomach. "And the other mole?"

"There isn't one." Jack saw Oscar draw his fist back again, and kept talking. "My secretary has been passing on my messages, but she's innocent. Doesn't have a clue what any of it means."

The OSI director slammed the shackled man against the wall one more time and let him fall to the ground. "Nothing else?" Oscar demanded.

"No...that's all of it."

"Just remember, Jack: if they die, so do you!"

------

Rudy removed his stethoscope, snapped his medical bag shut and smiled. "I'd have to agree with you, Steve. You have an excellent nurse." He turned to Jaime. "And you, young lady, have an excellent caretaker as well. The two of you make a grade-A team."

"I've always thought so," Steve agreed.

"They're both alright, then?" Oscar asked, hovering just outside the group of three.

"We should be so alright," the doctor confirmed. "I'm leaving some antibiotic cream for Steve's arm and some vitamins for Jaime. They'll be just fine. As soon as we leave them alone, that is."

Steve chuckled. "We really appreciate the two of you flying all the way down here."

"Not a problem," Rudy told him. "In fact, Oscar's arranged for me to stay three or four days - all expenses paid - over on Paradise Island, so I'll be close by. I won't bug you, though, unless you need me. I'll give you the number."

"You too, Oscar?" Jaime asked. "Are you actually taking some time off?"

"I'll be flying back first thing in the morning," he answered.

Jaime shook her head. "You won't ever change."

------

"Do you think Oscar'll ever retire?" Jaime asked the next morning as they watched the sunrise.

"Naah - not in his cards."

"What about us?" Jaime was suddenly more interested in Steve's eyes than in the sun. "What's in the cards for us?"

"For starters, at least twelve more days of sun, sand, surf...and bird poop."

"Steve!" Jaime couldn't even pretend to be angry with him. Steve's eyes drew her closer and his lips held her there. After a long, sweet kiss, Jaime had another thought. "Maybe it'd be better if I didn't get my memory back." Steve looked at her quizzically. "What we have now is so perfect; I don't want it to change." Steve smiled, content just to listen. "I wouldn't wish what we just went through on anyone," Jaime told him, "but it's kind of ironic that it took New Destiny to show us that our destiny really is to be together."

"I've always thought destiny is what you make it," Steve answered, "and like Rudy said, we make a great team. Something tells me we always will."

END