Chapter 4

Rachel stepped onto the bus with Kara and Andrea, sliding into a seat towards the back. Catching Tom's eye as he boarded, she waited for him to join her. However, before Tom could make his way to her seat, Mike Slattery slid into the spot next to Rachel. Catching the frustration that crossed Tom's face, she gave him a quick wave and a shrug. Tom answered with a resigned sigh and a dirty look aimed at Mike before settling into the seat next to Kara. Glancing sideways, Rachel caught the amusement on Mike's face as he watched Tom.

Mike returned his attention to Rachel. "You look lovely tonight, Rachel. I'm glad you decided to join us."

She couldn't help but smile at the sincerity in his voice. She had missed Mike over the years. Despite their rough beginning, one that she could hardly fault him for knowing the guilt Mike felt over the death of his son while he was unreachable, Mike had become one of Rachel's staunchest supporters in the constant fights with Congress over further funding and research into the virus and its long-term health impacts.

"It's been too long since I had a night out with friends." Hesitating, she reached out to touch Mike's arm. "I heard that your family was identified through the DNA project. I'm so very sorry."

It was a project that Mike had championed from the beginning, the poster child for those with no real answers about what happened to their families. Rachel had flagged the names of Mike's wife and daughters as high priority as soon as the project got off the ground, hoping to give Mike some manner of closure, even if it was hardly the outcome that he would have desired given any choice in the matter. Mike pressed his lips together for a moment. "Thank you. It was the answer that I expected but it was good to know. We had a memorial service, you know."

She did. Had even planned to attend until there was an unexpected outbreak of the virus deep in the Brazilian rainforest. It was a scenario that still played out far too often, despite their efforts to spread the cure to the furthest reaches of the globe. By the time Rachel was done dispensing the cure and ensuring that there was no further community spread, she had missed the memorial by a week. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be there."

Rachel allowed a moment of silence to follow before changing the topic, hoping to regain the playful comradery of earlier. "So, Captain Slattery, tell me what you have been up to since you became a desk jockey? Other than annoying Congress, of course."

"Idiot politicians," Mike grumbled. "You would think that starting over with new blood would help but they're just as dumb as the last group. Do you know that they actually questioned the Navy's proposed food budget? Have any of them met a teenage boy? It's like feeding a herd of elephants. They never stop eating."

Rachel laughed. She recalled watching the Nathan James be loaded in Norfolk and wondering at the mountain of food supplies. Two months into the Arctic, she wondered no longer. Danny alone ate more during one meal than she did in a day. And heaven help her if she tried to work through a meal. The pouting was unbelievable. "I recall."

Mike seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking again. "I'm dating someone."

"Oh, do tell?" Although surprised, Rachel was delighted. Mike's dedication to his deceased wife was commendable, but it was also clear that he missed being part of a family, never settling comfortably into the life of a single bachelor.

"You'll meet her tonight, actually," Mike continued. "Her name is Sasha. Sasha Cooper."

Rachel tilted her head. Why did that name sound so familiar? Then it struck her. "Didn't she..."

"Date Tom at the Academy?" Mike interjected dryly. "Yes. That part was slightly awkward."

"I can imagine." Given how close Mike and Tom were, Mike must be very serious about this Sasha Cooper to have taken the extraordinary step of taking the chance of violating the bro-codes that he, as well as the entire male half of the Nathan James' crew, seemed to take as law. Rachel was now even more curious to meet this woman. "But that's not what I was about to say. Ms. Cooper's efforts to spread the cure in China and Mongolia saved thousands, perhaps millions of lives. Since then, she has been responsible for locating dozens of potential hot spots, allowing us to arrive early enough to stop significant spread. Her dedication might rival my own."

Mike chuckled. "That seems unlikely. Although Sasha is amazing. That's how we met, actually. She was based on the Nathan James while she was gathering intel on the Red Rust and we worked together closely. Nothing improper happened, of course."

Rachel hid a grin. Mike could be so very proper. "Of course not."

"But we got to know each other pretty well. Then we ran into each other again a few months ago and realized how much we enjoy spending time together." Mike smiled, and Rachel relished how happy he looked. More relaxed than she had seen since the Arctic, since before his life was ripped apart so horrible. Yes, she definitely needed to meet the woman who had brought some happiness back to Mike's life. Oblivious to her internal observations, Mike continued jovially. "Tom was more than happy to give us his blessing, probably because he only has eyes for one woman these days."

Flustered by the implication, could Tom possibly be here to rekindle the spark between them, Rachel felt her cheeks grow red. "I see."

Just then the bus pulled up to the curb and, as everyone exited, Tom moved to Rachel's side and she did not miss the way that he bumped Mike's shoulder on the way by. Rachel fought the urge to roll her eyes. Men. "Now, if I could claim my date for the evening."

"Your date?" Rachel asked, bemused.

"And here I thought that this was a group thing," Tex complained, shaking his head in mock disappointment and taking the opportunity to run his hands up and down his chest, as if to smooth out any wrinkles from his flocked suit but, more likely, to annoy Tom. "It hardly seems fair to claim Ms. Scott for your own given that the dudes outnumber the ladies two to one, Commodore. But I suppose the rest of us will just have to make do."

"Perhaps you could escort your wife?" Tom replied, lifting an eyebrow.

"My wife?" Tex paused. "Well, hell, Red. What do you think? Willing to be seen in public with me tonight?"

"Depends on whether you keep rubbing your ass," Andrea replied tartly, although she took any sting out of the words by leaning over to give Tex a kiss on the cheek.

Tex wiggled his eyebrows. "See that, y'all? Pretty sure I'm getting lucky tonight!"

With a roll of her eyes, Andrea stepped forward to catch Kara, the two moving towards the bright lights spilling out into the street. Giggling, Rachel glanced at Tom. He held out his arm. "Are you ready?"

Rachel looped her arm through Tom's, turning towards the building. "I'm looking forward to every minute."