Chapter 10

Laswell was waiting for the team. She was pacing, trying to think of how to do damage control now that they knew Hadir stole the gas, and she had a presumed HVT that was a former operator well known in military circles. It was salt in the wound when it was revealed that said operator was one of Jensen's. It was like the world had gone insane and made things ten times difficult.

"Keep looking like that, Kate and you'll definitely need a smoke."

Kate sighed in exasperation, "I wouldn't need one if you told me who Gabriel David really is, Jensen. Do you have any idea how this looks?"

Jensen had pulled out a cigarette, knowing that it would irk Laswell and lit it. He leaned against the table in the room like he was just having a casual day. "I'm surprised you didn't think of the possibility of how pissed he might be at being here with you and Americans. Luckily, it's not his own people. Then we'd really be in trouble." He gave a slight smile at her just to be extra annoying.

Kate huffed and started pacing, "And do you have to turn everything into a joke? We are at war and there is missing gas still out there." She looked at Jensen, failing to notice the glint that appeared in his eyes.

Jensen watched her and his expression became cold and serious. Few realized that when he had that expression, it could be that the unlucky party would have something unpleasant done to them and cleaning the latrine with a toothbrush was the least of their worries. He replied, "Oh I take everything serious, Kate. I just use humor to hide the fact that every time you or someone like you fucks things up that I have to have my people fix it."

"No one asked you to."

"No, but someone thought it was needed." Jensen stood up to meet her eye to eye. He looked at her. "You think you should be worried about David going off? Maybe. The Americans and his people fucked him over good because he tried to prevent genocide that was unjustified. Just a fucking excuse to snatch resources." He turned away and took a pull on his cigarette. "Sometimes Kate, you have to use those that were fucked over because they want to do what it right." He looked at her.

Kate stared long and hard at Jensen. He rarely talked like that to her, and she could tell she pissed him off. Well, she was pissed too. She stepped towards him, "And I thought the reasons for his kill/capture were bullshit."

"Then leave him alone. Focus on Barkov and that little shit Hadir," Jensen said, looking her in the eye. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thumb drive. He handed it to her, "S64 managed to get this. Tracking Hadir and the Wolf. We found the hunting ground, Kate. Are you going to release the hunters?"

Kate was uncomfortable at Jensen's use of words. She realized that there was a reason he was good at what he did and why he was in the position he was in. No one knew who sanctioned Jensen's people, but they were respected, and they had helped the intelligence community. Even she didn't know how he recruited people.

Jensen stared at Kate some more while smoking his cigarette. He then turned and started pacing, "I have a saying Kate. There are some men, and women, that just can't die no matter what the fuck happens to them. They may go down, but then they get right back up and go at it again. That is what I saw when I found David, saved his life and gave him his new name." He paused to look at her, "He will fight and see this to the end. Don't set the dogs on him."

Kate studied the man that had been somewhat of a thorn in her side. She had good intel from him before and it had helped her career. She didn't know why he picked her, but he had never faltered in giving what she needed when an op went sideways. She sighed, "I'm not. I can't guarantee that the military won't."

Jensen nodded, "All I ask." He put out his cigarette. "We already play a dangerous game doing this job, Kate. Let's not turn it into a one way ticket."

Kate fisted the intel he gave her and nodded, "I don't know why I keep agreeing to it. I mean he is a criminal."

"Worse criminals are loose and one I know Commander Karim would like to see dead."

Jensen had a point. It was why Kate was not going to alert the higher ups about David. As far as they know, his name was Gabriel David, not the asset call sign Aquila. "I agree." She looked at Jensen, "Can you at least give me assurance that David won't react if things go south?"

"No," Jensen replied bluntly. "He's not reckless, but keep in mind that he is passionate about the fact that some nations have been known to abandon those that helped them when it gets hot." He gave a shrug. He offered the pack of cigarettes to her, "Want one? You look tense, Kate."

Laswell scowled at him. "Trying to quit."

"Try being the operative word," Jensen said. He moved to put a cigarette in her jacket pocket. "It will work out, Kate."

"You sound confident about that."

"Overconfident some would say," he replied with a grin as he headed towards the exit. He paused and looked at her when he was at the exit to add, "But I'm not in this case. You have a good team here. It will get done."

Laswell hadn't moved when Jensen put the cigarette in her pocket. He usually had a point to his visits apart from giving her intel. He was telling her that David was not the problem. She just couldn't help but worry. She saw the security tapes of when David woke up and stormed the halls. She watched his posture. She wouldn't blame him at all, but she trusted Jensen that he knew his operatives. He certainly put a lot of faith into the one that seemed to find what they need in the least obvious of things or nonexistent things. "I hope you're right."

"If I am, you owe me. When we settle this gas issue and the Russians, you owe me and it will be something that you least expect," Jensen said. It was rare he had her owe a favor to him.

"And somehow I get the feeling that it will be at my expense."

Jensen grinned at her before he took his leave. Laswell sighed and realized that conversation did her some good and alleviated her concerns. She turned to focus on Hadir and the Wolf. She went to her laptop to plug in the intel that Jensen delivered her to study it. She worked at it while she summoned the team and set up for a debrief.

She took the chance to survey David. Alex and John, she knew, and she read up on Garrick and she was familiar with Farah. He really was the wild card in this. It was a lot for her to take Jensen's word about him, but being honest with herself, the man never lied to her. If she felt it was a lie, it was because she didn't pay attention to what was being said to her. It was hard lesson everyone learned when they worked with Jensen.

David was rather quiet about the whole thing and Laswell watched as he took a seat next to Farah. He was remarkably calm for a man that had been poisoned and nearly incapacitated and was in probable danger of being arrested. Alex was sitting next to David. Whether or not it was for security, Laswell decided to assume security at this point.

Seeing that everyone was there, Laswell began her briefing, "Hadir went North. He was picked up by AQ fighters in the foothills."

Laswell walked over to where she had the map projected on the screen. She cast a glance at David, but the man seemed indifferent to her stares. She continued with her briefing after glancing at Price, who merely nodded.

David was well aware that Laswell was keeping an eye on him. He had to respect the security angle she told herself to do. The curiosity or just annoyance because he was one of Jensen's operatives… he didn't give a fuck. He glanced at Farah. The whole incident hit hard. It always did with family or someone that was supposed to be close to you. He had wanted to talk to her, but it didn't seem right at the time since she was still processing Hadir's treachery. He looked at Laswell and then focused on what was going on.

He knew Price's question was a valid one. To David it was obvious. It was a voluntary move on Hadir's part. Hadir knew full well Farah's policy. The use of chemical weapons made you an enemy in her eyes. She was clearly on the side of her people that were caught in the crossfire of foreigners fighting over her country for whatever it had to offer. He felt for her cause long before he found out about her. He had been launching attacks of his own on the Russians mostly to annoy but also to get what he needed, which was intel.

"We don't know."

David looked at Laswell and replied in soft tones, "It was voluntary. He had no choice after this."

Laswell looked at David. "You seem sure of that."

"Plenty," he replied. "And mostly because of logical conclusion. He's a traitor to LF. He had no choice and AQ would accept him because they believe in any means necessary." He looked at Laswell with an expression that revealed nothing else.

Alex thought the tension dialed up a few notches and for a split second thought he was going to have to jump in between David and Laswell, but watching David's body language, he saw that it wasn't threatening. He was just making a logical argument. He could have used a bit more tact. He noticed the look on Farah's face and couldn't help but say, "I'm sorry Farah."

"My brother is a terrorist," Farah said as she looked at Laswell.

Laswell looked at the group. She had to give the reality of the situation, or rather the bigger implications. She suspected that David knew, but he probably couldn't give two fucks about it. She gently explained, "He's an American asset, who is either with or in terrorist hands."

Alex could see where this was going and stood up to make things clear, "Hadir's fight is not with us. He could have killed everyone when he stole the gas, but he chose not to." It was a little simple since Alex had two friends that thought different.

"Sound like you know something," David said as he looked at Alex.

Farah took her cue from that, "How do you know this?"

Alex looked at them, "I was there… trying to stop it."

Farah stood up, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We believed it was Al-Qatala. We didn't know it was him." It sounded lousy even to Alex's ears. A lame excuse. Maybe they should have done better.

"We know now and we're going after him tonight," Laswell entered.

"David and I will come with you," Farah said, resolute in her tone.

Garrick had been sitting and listening the entire time. It was still a bit to swallow that David was not what he seemed, but the fact that the man looked out for him and Price, it was a big factor. The downside of this was the blow about Hadir. He pointed out, "You'll be hunting your own brother."

"He's not my brother. Not anymore." Farah still felt the shame of her brother's actions. It stung. Hard and deep. She looked at David and he looked at her, silently telling her that he stood by her no matter what.

"This is a bad idea you two," Alex said as he looked at the pair. "I mean I get David, but…"

"We take care of our own here," Farah explained. She understood Alex's concern.

"I know it doesn't mean what you know it to mean," David added, "but here… it means we take care of it." He looked at the others and at Price. "Your call though, Captain Price." He gestured at the man in deference to his leadership.

Price knew that others saw it as a bad idea. He saw it as an asset. Farah was from the country. David's skill set was in CQB, one that rarely came out, but judging from the fistfight the man had with Hadir, it would help. He gestured at the pair, "I want Farah and David on the team. I'm not asking."

Laswell looked at the group that was looking at her expectantly. This had to be cleaned up and she really couldn't hold back. "Fine. You have execute authority. All of you. Let's brief up."

"Can I ask you something?"

David looked up from where he was assembling his equipment. He had asked one of his merry band of spies to bring what he brought to Urzikstan but never brought out. At the time, he didn't know why he brought it since he didn't want reminders of the past. Yet, he held onto it. Not even Farah had seen what was in the bag.

Looking up, he saw Laswell looking at him. It was only a matter of time before she came to him. He asked, "Would you accept that you just did?"

Laswell shook her head, "I see Jensen's mark on you." She walked in and past him to look at what he was doing. She spared him a glance, "And it was not funny."

David gave a slight grin. He tracked her as she moved into the room. "Well, I've been told I'm pretty funny."

Laswell looked at the man with a flash of annoyance. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Jensen's brand of humor is not funny. Are all of you the same?"

David thought about that more to be annoying. He shrugged, "Maybe. I can only say that S64 would fit right in with Price. Swears like a sailor and then some." He looked at Laswell. He figured she had enough with Jensen earlier and sobered. "So, what is it you want to know?" He mimicked her stance and crossed his arms over his chest. He figured he knew what she wanted to know. He just wanted to make her work for it.

"How long have you been involved with Commander Karim?"

That was not what he expected. He raised his brow to indicate that he thought her question was bullshit. He gave a dry chuckle and replied, "You don't have to try CIA shit on me, Laswell. What is the real question? Am I who you think I am?"

Laswell realized that he had seen right through the question. She wasn't going to admit it completely, "That was one thing I wanted to know. Jensen mentioned a few things…"

"But not enough to sate your curiosity?" David gave a slight shake of his head. He should have known that while Jensen kept the wolves off his back, he had no problem letting him sort out misunderstandings solo. It was a learning opportunity and often didn't translate well to the operative that had to explain it. Taking it slow, he asked, "What did he tell you?"

Laswell blinked and studied him. She was wary he would be exactly like Jensen with the humor that was annoying and, if she were honest with herself, she liked because Jensen never lied or bullshitted with her. He was blunt and told it like it was. The trouble was he did when it suited him. She replied, "That you may be pissed at Americans and your people."

Basically, you did tell her, and she doesn't quite believe you. David suppressed his annoyance. Probably Jensen wanted amusement at his expense. He replied, "I am pissed that your people think they can march in and take what belongs to someone else because its valuable to them. Thought fucking colonialism was over."

Laswell didn't bat an eye at the swearing. Having been around the military and swearing herself, it was like breathing air. "So, you're an idealist."

"Fuck no," David protested. He walked over to finish gearing up. "I'm a realist." He looked at Laswell and added, "I saw bigger implications if your man, Alex was captured or wounded fighting with us against Barkov's men. It's why I made it my business to make sure he stayed out of trouble. Things like that I've done to help Commander Karim."

"Did you do the same before you came to Urzikstan?"

David thought about it as he maxed out his ammo and grenades. He hadn't opened the bag that had been delivered yet. "Possibly," he admitted. He looked at Laswell and added, "I was a soldier once. We follow orders. Without question? Not my strong suit."

Laswell watched as he geared up. She noticed the bag that was lying on the table. She gestured at that. "Do you intend anything other than the mission?"

David glanced at the bag and then at Laswell. He raised his brow at her. His lip twitched at what was probably going through her head. "You mean after? Go home to LF."

"I meant…"

"I know what you meant. No. If the Wolf is in my sights. He's dead. Hadir…" He gave a shrug.

"You have execute authority."

"And at the end of the day, he still is Commander Karim's brother," he pointed out. He shrugged again. Seeing the expression on Laswell's face, he gestured at the bag. "That bag hasn't been opened in ten years. I brought it here, but never used what was in it. Not even the commander knows what it is."

"And…"

"The nature of the beast we are going against." David walked up and unzipped it. He didn't open it yet.

"Then can I count on you as I do Price?"

"I'll do what is right. All I will give." He reached in and grabbed what he was getting. He glanced at Laswell. "I'm only here for the Wolf. I follow Commander Karim. Nothing more." He pulled out what he was looking for and started walking out. He paused by Laswell and leaned to whisper, "And I am Aquila."

Laswell glanced down at what he was holding in his left to show her. She blinked in surprise to see the kukri blade with the engraving on it that dispelled doubts. She blinked as the man grinned at her and left the room with his gear. Her phone then rang, and she gave an annoyed huff. She knew who it was, and he was going to rub it in her face as usual.

David jogged to catch up with the team. It was true that he hadn't touched the kukri blade that had saved his life and had struck terror amongst terrorists. Mainly because he knew how to use it effectively, meaning his quarry could end up dead from blood loss, and because when he struck, it was like a bird of prey striking with its talons. It was how he got the nickname.

When he came to Urzikstan, he couldn't leave it behind, but he didn't want to have anything to do with it. Maybe he knew deep down that he would need it when Jensen sent him off. Now he had it in his hand and honestly, no regrets telling Yusef to get it for him. He was tying it to his belt when he caught up with Alex and Farah.

"And I thought I was late," Alex teased.

David chuckled, "You still are, CIA." He looked at the pair. "Any last words before I go with Price and Garrick?"

Farah and Alex were to hold secondary positions in orbit while he went with Price and Garrick and the assault force to locate the missing gas. They also had to retrieve Hadir and kill the Wolf. David knew that it would be hard on Farah that she wasn't going to confront her brother directly, but he agreed that it was better that way. He didn't voice it, but she knew him well enough to know that the looks he gave conveyed what he meant. She was still upset.

"Good hunting," Alex said as he held out his hand.

David grasped his wrist. "Same to you." He shared a look of understanding.

Alex nodded and took a few steps back leaving David with Farah. David waited until Alex was a respectful distance before talking to her, "Don't be mad."

"I am not. Not at you."

"Farah."

Farah looked up at him as he stared at her with a knowing look. Not much escaped his gaze and she wouldn't hold missing Hadir's treachery against him. She sighed, "I want to see the Wolf punished and I also want Hadir to see the error of his ways. My brother has always wanted to fight without rules, and now he has broken all of them." She looked David in the eye, "I can't blame you for not seeing it."

"I probably should have seen it. Lived through it," he replied with a slight roll of the eyes.

Farah shook her head at him, "I blame myself. Hadir was my brother. I should…"

"Keep thinking like that and it will just…" David made a gesture like he was going crazy. "No good comes from it. Trust me." He peered at her.

Farah nodded. It was one of the reasons why she liked David. He gave pep talks when he saw it was needed. She had seen him when he trained their people. "Then you do the same. Alright?," she replied with a slight nod.

"Working on it," he replied. He looked at the choppers waiting to go. "Listen, while I may be with assault forces, there is a chance you may encounter the targets. So, you're not really sitting it out."

"I understand. I know this. We've done this too."

"But it has never been against someone who was family."

"And like you've told everyone who asked, I will do the job."

David took in the look of determination she was giving him. He nodded, "Alright." He then muttered the good luck phrase he always gave her when they went on a mission, before heading towards where Price and Garrick were waiting.

"Ready," Price asked.

David adjusted his grip on the rifle he had selected for assault. "Locked and loaded," he replied. "Time to hunt a wolf."

A/N: Time to hunt a wolf and looks like David lets Laswell in a little on who he is. Stay tuned for more...