Chapter 10

So I'm posting this as I turn 30 lol. I hope this chapter satisfies you all. I feel like I know where I want to end up but just need to figure out how to get there in the story lol. Thank you again for all the support.

Down a hallway in one of the buildings on base someone answered their cell phone.

"I didn't know," someone said into the phone. "Yeah, well someone did it going around me."

"How did you let this happen?" the voice on the other side of the phone replied.

"Like I said, they went behind me. Why does it matter anyways," someone replied back.

"It matters because now I'm set back $10 million and I have a lot of pissed off investors wondering where their money went. What's the status on our prisoner," the voice asked.

"They're sending in another interrogator," someone replied.

"What? Why?" the voice asked.

"Apparently the director wasn't happy with no results," the person replied,

"Who is doing the interrogation now?" the voice on the asked.

"Amanda Ellis," the person on base responded.

"Well then, this will make things interesting," the voice said knowingly.

Jason was watching Mandy intently as she watched Asim al-Hazred on the live feed from the interrogation room.

Jason walked up beside her asking, "Everything okay?"

Mandy almost replied that everything was fine before she took a breath and turned to him, "I don't know. If I had that feeling before it's even stronger now. Something isn't sitting right with me." Mandy started pacing in front of Jason.

Jason wasn't sure if he had ever seen Mandy as unsettled as she was now. "Hey," Jason said as he got up to stand in front of her and stop Mandy from pacing. "You got this. I've seen you crack some of the toughest guys out there. What's different about this one?"

Mandy nodded and pulled herself together. This is what she did. She was damn good at her job and she made the impossible happen. "You're right, thanks."

"Can you say that again? The part about me being right," Jason said with a smirk.

Mandy gave a small smile and shove at Jason. "Shut up. You should go hang out with the guys. Might be a while," Mandy said as she walked to door to leave.

"Watch her six Davis," Jason said while staring at where Mandy had left from.

"Always," Lisa replied as she hurried to catch up with Mandy. "Mandy! Wait up!"

Mandy slowed down for Lisa to walk alongside her.

"Mind if I watch?" Lisa asked.

"Sure, no problem. Doesn't hurt to have an extra set of eyes to watch and observe him in case I miss something."

"Thanks," Lisa replied. It was silent for a moment as they walked before Lisa spoke up again, "So, you and Jason, huh?"

"What," Mandy tried to feign confusion but you could see the small smile and blush.

"Come on! Everyone knows you two have this bond or whatever. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Mandy caved seeing as she didn't have many girl friends on base to gossip with. "Yeah, I guess," Mandy said with a chuckle.

"Won't this affect you guys working together," Lisa asked thinking about how things had gone down between her and Sonny.

"Maybe. I'm not sure we've even fully talked about what it is that's going on between us but we're trying," Mandy replied. "I like to think we're pretty professional when it comes to work. Worse case, I'm not attached to Bravo team I guess. Not to mention there's a lot of changes happening across all agencies so us old timers are trying to figure out where our place is in this new regime."

"I've seen you two go at each other and then kiss and make up," Lisa chuckled. "You guys work pretty well together and always manage to get the job done. Pretty high standards to meet."

"You'll be there one day too you know," Mandy replied with a smirk at Lisa. "Sonny is good for you. You should try to have some sort of life outside the job."

Now it was Lisa's turn to feign confusion and try not to blush. "Was it that obvious?"

Mandy shrugged her shoulders, "Depends on who you ask."

By this point they had reached the building where Asim al-Hazred was being held. As they walked towards the interrogation rooms, Mandy changed her posture and got into the mind space she needed to question the guy.

"Good luck," Lisa said as Mandy stopped in front the interrogation room door and Lisa walked on to the observation room.

"Here we go," Mandy whispered to herself as she turned the door knob and entered the room.

After the briefing and talking to Mandy, Jason headed over to the bar he rebuilt on base where the rest of Bravo was hanging out. The guys were talking about different things and laughing loudly. Jason went and sat down next to Ray.

"So, I've been going round to yours the last couple mornings. Where have you been sleeping," Ray asked with a smirk. Ray new most of the history between Mandy and Jason. After being Bravo 1 for a day, he understood the cost of being Bravo 1. It made sense Jason connected with Mandy. In a sense Mandy was her own version of Bravo 1. She too had to make tough calls and live with the choices. He'd never forget her putting her career on the line to save him. He tried to apologize but Mandy wouldn't hear of it. She said it was an easy an only decision to make saying if she had to do it again she would.

Jason knew there was no hiding from Ray. Ray was one of the only guys on the team he opened up to more often than not about things going on. "Seems like you're picking up on Mandy's interrogating skills," Jason chuckled.

"Doesn't take much to put it together brother. It looks good on you. Both of you actually trying," Ray replied.

"Still a lot to talk about, but yeah," Jason replied.

"Interesting briefing this morning, wouldn't you say?" Ray said.

Jason chuckled, "Yeah, you know how the higher ups can be."

"Mandy good?" Ray asked. "She stepped in to protect Davis yet let herself take the bullet."

"That's Mandy. Taking care of everyone else first," Jason smiled.

"Sounds like someone else I know," Ray chuckled. "How many people do you think quake in fear at the mention of Mandy's name? Director said she had a reputation."

"I'm sure there are plenty," Jason chuckled.

"Is it just me or is that Reiss guy an ass," Sonny said loudly. "What the hell was that letting Lisa nearly get a new one. If it wasn't for Mandy, I would've had some choice words for that director."

"Director didn't seem too happy either that Mandy hadn't taken a crack at al-Hazred either. Then the guy takes credit for the work Mandy did. That's cold," Brock replied.

"Does anything rattle Ms. Ellis?" Sonny asked. "She's one tough woman to keep taking blow after blow from the agency."

"Mandy's tough like that," Jason piped in. "Worries about everyone else and not herself. Sure she gets a little caught up in what she does but her heart is in the right place."

"Last two assets of hers ended up dead and she seems to be taking it in stride but you can tell it's bothering her," Trent said.

"Well if I've learned anything over the last few years, if anyone can get Asim al-Hazred to talk it'll be Mandy," Clay said.

Jason couldn't agree more but he still couldn't shake Mandy's demeanor out of his mind. Was this the calm before the storm?