Chapter 6

Really glad everyone is enjoying the story. Hopefully you all will enjoy this update as well. Time to try and make things a little interesting.

A couple days had passed since the bust on Bravo's last mission. Mandy was in what she now dubbed as her own office or room working as many leads as possible. She had pictures and papers pinned along three boards with more data all over the table. Anyone walking in would think Mandy had gone mad. She knew she was close. She was following the money. In her experience, it always came down to following the money. Mandy leaned against the table looking at everything on the boards and closing her eyes for a second trying to regroup.

"You got an early start to the day," Jason said at the entrance way. "Gone, before I even woke up," he smiled as he walked in with fresh coffee.

"Hhhmm," Mandy moaned as she took a sip of the coffee. "Thank you."

Jason took a look at everything Mandy was working on. It seemed like she had really been going at it.

"The mind of Amanda Ellis," Jason commented.

"Scary place isn't it," Mandy said. Sometimes she felt like she couldn't turn off her analyst self and was worried it would turn Jason away.

"Maybe to some people. Is this what you meant by being brainy?" Jason smiled as he asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you in full analyst mode."

"I know, it looks crazy but it's not I promise."

"Got anything for Bravo to go after?"

"Maybe, I have to run it by Reiss first," Mandy sighed.

Jason knew it was tough not being the one in charge of intelligence for Bravo anymore. Early on when they had brought suspects back for questioning he heard Reiss make the argument it was his collar therefore he should do the interrogating. Jason could tell after the Samin incident she didn't trust Reiss to do his job properly. She blamed him for being sloppy and giving up an asset so easily. Mandy was like him and had a tough time giving up control.

"Well, I believe in you if it means anything," Jason said.

Mandy looked at him and wondered how someone could have so much confidence and faith in her. Sure she came off as being confident in what she did but sometimes that was all just a mask. She once told Jason that she joined the CIA because she thought it'd be the opposite of what her con-artist mother was yet she had become one of her worst nightmares. Mandy believed she was her mother. Lying and manipulating people however she needed. Some would say it was for the good guys and saving people's lives but it never quite made it any better especially when her last two assets had now died.

Just then Mandy saw Reiss and Lisa walk by. Jason turned to see them as well.

"Off you go then," Jason smiled.

"Thanks for the coffee," Mandy stepped forward to give him quick peck on the cheek and jumped back right after realizing where they were.

"Your welcome," Jason smiled back with mirth in his eyes.

Mandy gathered her papers and rolled her eyes at him quickly walking out to catch up with Reiss and Lisa.

"Hey guys, you got a second," Mandy called out to Reiss and Lisa.

Both of them stopped and turned to Mandy.

"I think I got something to help us track down Asim al-Hazred. I've been trying to track the money and I think-," Mandy was saying before she was cut off.

"We already have a lead on him through the medical treatments we've been tracking and may have just found him. We're just about to get the team together," Reiss said.

"Okay, but I still think we need to track the money. When we first started looking into this we saw that big money was being brought into this new group. What if-," Mandy was trying to say once again but was interrupted.

"I get it Mandy, I do but we already got this and are about to brief the team," Reiss replied once again.

"But Reiss, in the last few days close to-,"

"Mandy, I think this has gotten a little personal for you and maybe your judgement is a little clouded right now after what happened with Samin. You should sit this one out."

"This isn't about Samin. This is about me tracking the money coming in for this. It's connected to European banks and all of a sudden close to $10 million has been moved in the last few days. We need to freeze the accounts otherwise if that money is gone then so is al-Hazred."

"Well if this mission goes right then we won't need to worry about the money because we'll have him in custody already."

Lisa stood silent watching the two of them go back in forth. She felt like she was in a tough spot. On one hand Mandy was her friend, or she hoped still was, but on the other Reiss had been a big help in pushing her leads forward. She saw the way Mandy took a second to look at her for any kind of support. Lisa saw the quick flicker of disappoint before the steel barriers came back up.

"Lisa, get the team and let them know we got a mission for them," Reiss said as he went into the command room to get ready for the brief.

It was silent for a few moments between Lisa and Mandy. Mandy let out a breath and made her way to leave the building.

"Mandy," Lisa called out. "I'm sorry. I-," Lisa wasn't sure what to say.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I get it. I really do. You're trying to stand your ground and show what you got. Trust me, I've been there," Mandy replied and then left to head back to her quarters.

Meanwhile, across the base Jason saw Mandy walking out looking frustrated and Lisa looking on conflicted. Lisa straightened herself out and walked over to the team.

"Hey guys, we got something for you," Lisa told the team. Bravo team all jumped up ready for some action.

As they walked towards the briefing Jason couldn't help but look back to where Mandy had walked off to and wonder if she was okay. Seemed like Reiss didn't buy into whatever Mandy had found. Maybe Mandy just needed a moment to cool off before joining them on the briefing.

The team walked into the briefing and Reiss started in on what the next mission was with Lisa joining in. Jason kept one eye on the entrance door waiting for Mandy to come in.

Lisa noticed Jason looking at the door. She, like many others, knew the bond Mandy and Jason shared. She could never quite tell if they were together or not. If they were, they were way better at keeping it on the down low compared to what happened with her and Sonny. Lisa had to admit if the two were together that she was a little surprised that Mandy would go with it. Mandy seemed to just live for the job and seemed like a person who didn't have the time for relationships.

Recently she had seen a change in Mandy. Ever since losing Dr. Craig, things had changed more so than when she put herself on the line to save Ray. Mandy seemed to be struggling with doing the job more and more. Although for as long as Mandy had been doing this job maybe everyone had a breaking point.

Lisa new the guys trusted her. She knew Jason trusted her as well but in the back of her mind it stung some that maybe he trusted Mandy more. She wasn't jealous per say but it was intimidating the bond the two shared. They'd but heads and still get the job done. She could only hope she lived up to what Mandy was.

"You guys will head out in a couple hours," Reiss was saying as Lisa tuned back in from her thoughts.

"Sounds good," Jason replied as everyone got up to leave the room. Jason hung back. "Everything good here?"

"Yeah, of course, why?" Reiss asked.

"Just noticed that Mandy wasn't in here with us," Jason replied back eyeing up Reiss as Lisa kept herself busy trying not to intervene.

"I benched her for the time being."

"Benched her? What about the leads she had?"

"Nothing of concern for right now Master Chief," Reiss replied with a challenging tone.

Jason stared him down before nodding his head and walking out. He glanced over at Lisa who avoided was currently avoiding looking at him. Before heading to get geared up he went to check on Mandy. He got to her quarters and knocked on the door before hearing her say come in. Jason saw her sitting at her desk looking over some documents.

"What are you doing here? Should you be getting ready to head out?" Mandy asked.

"Just wanted to check in on you. First, you're missing from bed this morning then the briefing. What's going on?"

"I'm fine. They have other leads they want to pursue and are pursing them. Hopefully it all pans out in the end," Mandy replied as Jason gave her a look.

Mandy stared back before caving, "So looking at the money I've been tracking accounts back to European banks and all these shell companies. It seemed liked whoever was transferring the money typically stayed under the radar to not get red flagged and all of a sudden in the last few days close to $10 million dollars has been moved."

"Why move so much all of a sudden and attract the attention?" Jason asked.

"Maybe something big is planned and he doesn't care about being seen. I asked Reiss to freeze the accounts but he thought I was letting all this getting too close and said I should sit this one out. I know it sounds crazy but I just have this feeling….. like… something is about to go down."

Jason looked at her and could tell it was hard to stand down. He knew what it was like being told to stand down when your gut was telling you something else completely.

"Just be careful going out there," Mandy said softly. "Something feels off."

Jason pulled her up from her chair into a hug. "I can't promise anything to you. You know that. I can promise to fight like hell though. We're going to figure this out."

Mandy squeezed him a little tighter and pulled back.

"You should go get ready."

"Dinner tonight?" Jason asked.

"I'll be here but you make sure to make it back," Mandy chuckled remembering the last time Jason asked if she wanted to do breakfast when they were out here.

"It's a date then," Jason replied before kissing her.

As Jason got ready and headed with the team on the way out he looked back one last time to see Mandy watching him leave. He meant it when he said he'd fight like hell to make it back. After all, he made a dinner date with Mandy that he needed to honor.