The Mission - April

Chuck was sitting in the Command Post bus, and was listening to the closing chatter from the latest successful mission.

They were outside of Budapest, hauling drugs and weapons from the basement of the barn, on the farm they had raided. The leader of an extremist political group that was active in many countries had been the focus of Chuck's flash. This guy was having enough influence to be noticed by the powers that be. Chuck's brain sorted through the hodgepodge of data and blew through the walls hiding the political leader's ties to a terrorist organization. That organization was the foundation of his support, supplying him dark money and security for his events. And, that intelligence leads Team Carmichael to the group's functional headquarters, this farm.

An International Interpol team, which they had worked with in the past, provided the guns and manpower to execute the operation. Carina was in the middle of it all, making sure Team Carmichael's objectives were met.

Chuck's workstation was part of the communications team and he could monitor each one of the isolated teams' feeds, as well as monitor them all simultaneously. So, he had the mixed group feed turned down low, and Carina's individual feed turned higher. Suddenly, a voice loudly breaks through the chatter of his group feed, "Putain, mec, elle est là.", which the Intersect immediately translated as "Fuck, dude, she is here!"

And, what is that all about?, Chuck thought, as he found and turned up their isolated feed, the Intersect providing real time translation.

"What?" came the confused reply from some other team member.

"She! Is! Here!" came the excited reply, "The Red Haired Warrior Queen."

"The Warrior Queen is here?! Holy fuck! On, our mission?"

"Yeah Dude, she is standing across the room from me, looking over a requisition sheet. She is so hot! And she looks so bad ass in her mission gear!"

"Did she help you guys breach the entrance?"

"No, but I would breach her entrance any time."

"After a laugh, came, "Did you see her kick any ass?"

"No, but she can kick my ass right into bed any time."

Laughing more heartily, the other replied." Dude! We are on comms. Keep it slightly professional," they said through quieting chuckles.

"But Dude, if you could see her… and even her mission suit fits it so well. If I fake being an accomplice, will she handcuff and interrogate me?"

"Hey, don't even joke about that, and besides, you know it wouldn't end up like those late night movies do. You're watching too much James Bond."

"Yeah, well, a guy can dream…."He started, and then abruptly stopped.

"Jaime', are you OK?" The other asked, to no response.

Jaime', are you OK? They repeated.

A thin, choked reply came, "Henri'….Henri'! She looked at me!" Finally came a more full throated, loudly whispered, reply.

"What?"

"She looked at me. She finished whatever, turned and walked straight towards me. And… And, as she walked past, she looked me in the eye, smiled, and winked at me. Duuude! She winked at me!" He excitedly exclaimed. He then lowered his voice and with a more serious tone asked, "Do you think I have a shot?"

Chuck was laughing uncontrollably, trying to keep more than a few tears from falling, as he turned down the feed of their little sitcom. The other occupants of the bus were looking at him, strangely, so Chuck waved them off with his hand.

Carina just could not go unnoticed. Her energy, like a magnet, pulled your attention when she walked in the room, and her eyes, smile, and hair, made sure you didn't forget her.

Intersect-Chuck's need to stay unnoticed, as much as 6'4" suave Charles Carmichael could be, prompted them to make Carina the face of the team. What. A. Face. A face that could make Charles Carmichael unnoticeable.

Their results made them known, Carina made them memorable. And, apparently not just among the mission leaders, but also among the rank and file.
Apparently they were as infatuated with the "Red Haired, Warrior Queen," as Carina's own field team. Thinking of the young man's comment, Chuck thought, Yeah, a bunch of your superiors are wondering if they have a shot, too.

Chuck wasn't jealous. That's Carina. I'm so lucky she is my partner. Her ability to be a diversion when needed, and a bad ass warrior when required makes her my perfect partner. And, he chuckled; she definitely doesn't mind being a diversion. "Team Carina" is becoming recognized as a force to be reckoned with, he smiled, and she is loving every minute of it.