Chapter 67

It feels sort of quiet about SEAL Team online but if you dig like I have you can find some crumbs. I know August the show is supposed to head to Jordan at some point to shoot some episodes. Stuart, one of their set guys, had done some scouting early summer. I'm having good vibes for Jandy come season 6. Jessica looked fantastic (as well as Dave) in all the 100th episode party pics. I think some production codes have changed or been jumbled around. With Max leaving, it seems they probably did a block shoot just before he departed for his new show, which is why episode markers are all messed up. I have been told that these codes sometimes change as aired. For example, if something is currently 6x05, it may be aired as 6x06 (thank you to the fan who explained all this to me! You know who you are!). SEAL Team has done these types of things in the past apparently. I think between trying to accommodate for Max and Jordan, a lot is going down unfortunately. Anyways, enjoy a new chapter!

Mandy was just outside the interrogation room in the hallway. Her mind was running fast after going at it with the ambassador. She was ready to start digging into everything and find out where Roman was. Mandy paced out in the hallway waiting for her Dad to come out of the observation room. Suddenly, Jack turned the corner and was walking towards her.

"I knew I could get something out of her," Mandy started. "You got a room here I can borrow? I can start putting a target package together," Mandy rambled.

"Mandy," Jack tried to interrupt.

"We gotta move fast on this," Mandy continued as Jason and the team came up behind Jack.

Jason could see Mandy's mind was racing. He knew the adrenaline rush was pumping, but also that the crash would be coming soon enough.

"Mandy!" Jack said sternly as he grabbed her shoulders. "First thing you're gonna do is call home. There are people waiting on news about you. Then you're gonna sleep because you've been up for a while. Troy, Davis, Blackburn, and I will start putting it all together."

"But-," Mandy tried to say.

"No, you're resting before you pass out. Look, take a minute to breathe. If you're out, what help are you then," Jack tried to reason.

"She'll rest. I'll make sure of it," Jason said looking Mandy in the eye, daring her to argue.

"Thank you," Jack said, relieved. "Good luck," he murmured with a smile before walking away.

"Really? You're serious?" Mandy asked as Jason started to guide her down the hall.

"Yes, I gave your Dad my word," Jason replied as the rest of the team chuckled at two of the most stubborn people argued down the hall. "Where are we going? Aren't spooks this way?" Jason asked confused.

"Yes. Did you just call me a spook?" Mandy stopped and raised an eyebrow as Jason smirked at her.

"Well, you're my spook," Jason tried to smooth over by putting his hands on her hips and bringing her in closer.

Mandy scoffed before pulling away and leading him down a different hallway, "I'm staying in the directors room."

"Thought you didn't do the whole special treatment thing, being the daughter of a director and all," Jason smiled.

"Little special treatment never hurt anyone plus, there is a lot of privacy," Mandy said as they reached a door and she turned to give him a fiery look.

As soon as the door opened, Jason pushed her in while also going in for a kiss. The door slammed behind them as Jason backed her into the room. Clothes started coming off and a frenzy of needing to be close to one another took over them. Jason ran his hands up her sides towards where Mandy's tattoo was, causing her to shiver. Meanwhile, Mandy ran her hands up Jason's chest and over his tattoo as well. Next thing she knew, Jason lifted her up and took her to bed where they got lost in each other.

A little while later, Mandy and Jason lay on their sides. They were so close to each other they could feel one another's breaths. Jason's hand caressed Mandy's rib cage where the tattoo was again. The two stared into each other's eyes just trying to catch their breaths. The adrenaline fading as reality started to settle in.

"Thank you," Mandy breathed out as she scooted closer to Jason for a kiss.

"Nothing to thank me for. I'd burn the world down looking for you," Jason replied with a kiss of his own.

"Is this the resting part?" Mandy chuckled.

"We are resting," Jason smirked. "God, Mandy. When that explosion went off," Jason shuddered as his hand trailed up to cup her neck like he needed to make sure she still had a pulse.

"I'm right here," Mandy said, squeezing his wrist. "I was scared too. Scared I wasn't gonna ever see you or anyone again."

"I'm really glad you're okay," Jason breathed out as he brought her head to his chest, where Mandy laid a kiss on his tattoo above his heart.

"I knew you'd find me," Mandy said.

"I love you. We're gonna get through this," Jason said kissing her hair.

"I love you too," Mandy replied as tucked herself into the crook of Jason's neck.

Slowly, both of them drifted to sleep holding each other tightly.

(Flashback begins)

"Look, we just need to get our coordinates to QRF. Until then, we stay low," Mandy said looking out the windows, while trying to send out their location. "Okay?" Mandy asked, not hearing any response.

Mandy turned around only to see her partner, Roman, standing there with a gun pointed at her. She suddenly froze not knowing what to do. Looking into Roman's eyes, she saw darkness and betrayal.

"I'm sorry, Mandy," Roman said with a mix of coolness and regret.

"What are you doing Roman?" Mandy asked. "It was you that tipped them off. Roman?"

"No one is coming for us Mandy! Don't you get it!" Roman yelled.

"What are you talking about? I can get a message out and they'll rescue us," Mandy tried to reason.

"The Agency left us for dead a year ago Mandy! Don't you see? They don't care about us or anyone. They're willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for some cause called justice," Roman said waving the gun around.

"So what? You turning to the other side? What are they doing that's any different?" Mandy replied.

"At least I know they have my back. We take care of our own," Roman answered.

"I can't let you do this," Mandy declared.

"Then you leave me no choice," Roman said steadingsaid, steadying the gun.

"There is always a choice," Mandy said looking Roman in the eye.

Next thing she knew, Roman pulled the trigger and two shots went off. Mandy felt white hot pain as two bullets hit her. She started going into shock. Mandy looked at Roman in disbelief and then put a hand to where she'd been hit. She could feel something wet and when she raised her hand to look at it, she realized it was her own blood. The breath was knocked out of her as she stumbled to the ground. As she laid there staring at the ceiling, Roman approached.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Mandy," Roman said as he kneeled down towards her.

Roman got up with one last look of pity towards Mandy before walking out of the building. She heard the door close and wondered if she'd just die laying in her own pool of blood. As Mandy began to lose consciousness, the phone Mandy had earlier begun to buzz. Her message had gone through, but Mandy didn't know that.

"Mandy!" Jason's voice called out suddenly. "Mandy."

(End Flashback)

"Mandy," Jason said gently as Mandy moaned and turned in bed. "Mandy, wake up."

Mandy suddenly sat up in bed breathing heavily. Her hands on her abdomen. She looked down and didn't see any blood as she tried to get her breathing in control.

"Breathe," Jason murmured as he kissed her shoulder from behind and wrapped his arms around her. "Just a dream."

"Not a dream," Mandy admitted as she turned around and sat in Jason's lap. "It was when Roman betrayed and shot me. God, I thought that was it as I laid there."

Jason pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back, "You're okay. I've got you. He's not gonna hurt you while I'm around."

"I don't remember much afterwards. I remember laying there staring at the ceiling. I think when I was found I briefly woke up as they transported me on to the helo. I just remember people frantically working over me before I faded out again. Later, I woke up in the hospital to my parents at my bedside," Mandy shared.

"Look at me," Jason said pulling back and taking her cupping her head in his hands. "We're going to find him and finish this once and for all. What do you need?"

"Hold me," Mandy confessed with tears in her eyes.

"Always," Jason said as he laid them back down.

Jason was picking out some food to take back to Mandy. He and Mandy had slept for a few more hours after Mandy's nightmare. Mandy had gone to wait with Brock for news about Cerberus. They'd been told he was going to be okay. Cerb was stitched up and groggy at the moment. Mandy wanted to stay by his bed side for a little bit, so Jason had decided they both needed something to eat.

"Boss, how's Mandy," Trent asked as the rest of Bravo came to grab something to eat as well.

"Good, managed to get a few hours of sleep," Jason replied. "She's with Cerb right now. He's gonna make it through. One look from him and Mandy was at his side," Jason shook his head with a smile.

"The spook has a soft spot," Sonny teased.

"You should see her at home with Sarge and Gunner," Jason laughed.

"Cerb coming back?" Clay asked.

"Don't know yet," Jason sighed.

"Hey," Troy greeted Jason and the team. "Mandy sleep?"

"Yeah," Jason confirmed. "She's with Cerb right now. I think Cerb is the only one keeping her from diving into the op. Do we have an op?"

"Jack is working on it. Davis and Blackburn are working through the intel. Think Mandy is ready?" Troy said.

"Oh, she's ready," Jason confirmed. "Just need her to eat something first."

"Have her eat and meet us," Troy said walking away.

"Think we're gonna find Roman?" Trent asked.

"Honestly, no," Jason sighed. "This guy is smart, but so is Mandy. They're playing a game of chess, and neither is gonna make it easy. I do think this guy is gonna mess up at some point and give us a clue to him."

"Question is, how much carnage will happen before we get to him though," Sonny spoke what all the others thought about it as well.

"Master Chief," a nurse called out to Jason as he walked by the nurse's station. "Ms. Ellis wanted me to tell you she was visiting Warrant Officer Perry."

"Oh, thank you," Jason smiled as he turned towards Ray's room.

"Mandy wasn't kidding," Jack said, appearing out of nowhere by Jason's side as he walked.

"What?" Jason asked, surprised and confused.

"The Hayes charm," Jack stated with a chuckle. "You mean you didn't notice the nurse swoon over that smile you dropped on her?"

"I mean it worked on Mandy, didn't it?" Jason smirked.

"I suppose but something tells me she'd be able to resist. However, you're putty in her hands when she smiles at you," Jack observed. "Then again, so am I," Jack shrugged. "Did she rest?"

"Yeah, few hours of sleep. Nightmare about Roman betraying her," Jason said as they approached Ray's room. "But she's okay," Jason reassured Jack. "Grabbed some food."

"Glad, she has someone looking out for her," Jack said thankful.

"We take of each other," Jason reassured him as he opened the door to Ray's room. "Alright, time for you to eat something and if you're good, you get strawberry yogurt as a treat," Jason teased but he saw Mandy's eyes light up.

"The yogurt will do," Mandy tried to charm her way.

"No, it won't. Eat and then call back home," Jack said sternly. "Preferably video call so your mother and everyone will have some peace of mind."

Mandy nodded her head as she took the sandwich Jason handed her and began to open it. She was hungry yet not. There was a pit in her stomach. She looked at Jason and he knew what she was feeling. He, too, had that feeling that something big was about to go down.