Chapter 5

"Did you know Flint was the agent on duty?" Jaye hissed at Zartan, moving away from his grasp.

Zartan looked at her. "Does it matter? We'll be done soon enough and he'll be out of your life again. You won't do anything stupid, will you?" he asked her.

Jaye's eyes flashed. "What I do is my business," she said haughtily. She felt bad for her snapping at him, and immediately apologized. "Sorry, it's just an awkward situation. Let's go over the mission details again. Then, I think I need some time to prepare."

Knowing how Jaye liked to be alone before a mission, he nodded and briefed her quickly. Since the camp was set up inside the fake sand storm, there weren't many places she could go for privacy. She found a rock set a little ways from the main part of the camp, overlooking the cliff which was one boundary of the camp. They'd cross over it tonight to get to their destination. Away from the lights at the camp, she started to meditate and tune into the natural world around her, preparing for battle.

That was how Flint found her. He was doing his own preparation and not realizing where his feet were leading him, he had found her secluded corner. He hesitated, not sure of whether to intrude on her solitude.

"I can hear you breathing," she said, her eyes still closed. "You might as well come over and sit and stop lurking. It makes me nervous," she said in a calm voice.

Flint grinned sheepishly. How did she do that? he wondered. Every time they were on a mission together…well, maybe it was just something they did. Post-mission, they also had a tradition, but he wouldn't let his thoughts go there. He doubted that was going to happen this time.

He settled down beside her as she made room on her rock. She was sitting in a lotus position and opened one eye and looked at him. "Nervous?"

"A little," he admitted.

"Whatever it is your boss wants you to do, just don't do it, ok?" she sighed. "We have our goals and we can't compromise them for some side mission the CIA wants. We're bringing this guy out alive, not dead, and we're going in and getting out. My team is not big enough for an all out assault."

Flint's jaw hardened. "What, you have spies in the CIA now?"

"No," she sighed. "You spooks just never change. I guess we're used to it. It's not like we have a choice to take you along at this point, not until the UN decides otherwise, but your kind always seems to have an ulterior motive."

"I didn't come here to argue with you," he said, jaw still tight.

Jaye opened both eyes and turned to look at him. "I didn't mean to start one. We've had enough of that in the past. I just wanted you to be aware that we are aware. Nothing more. Not meant to be a controversial thing," she murmured, closing her eyes again.

A tear slipped out before she could stop it. Damn it, she thought. She didn't realize that Flint still had that talent to tie her emotions into knots.

Flint caught it with his finger. "Ali," he whispered. "I had no idea you were coming on this one. I was sent, I didn't volunteer." He paused. "Seeing you again makes me realize all the more how much I've missed you."

She leaned into him. "It's not like I've been anywhere. You've known where to find me," she whispered sadly. It was true. Before she recruited Scarlett, before GI Joe had folded, the two women had made time to get together. Flint had never bothered.

He sighed. "I just thought it best to stay away. To let you do what you had to do, what you told me that night…." his voice trailed off, remembering. He still could see that snow globe in his mind, bouncing on the carpet after she dropped it. He realized what a metaphor it really was, how unbreakable her bond was with Phoenix and how he had no place in it.

"You could come work for us…." she whispered so softly, he almost didn't hear her.

"I don't know if I could do that," he said, his voice hard.

She studied him. "You still don't believe we're legitimate, do you?"

His jaw worked and he thought out his words carefully before saying them. "Let's just say I think you do a lot of operating around the law, more so than I feel comfortable with."

Jaye stood and looked at him. "I guess that answers that," she said, her voice neutral. She would NOT get into it with him before a battle. She needed a clear head….and a place to secure him. She pressed a button on her watch and a guard appeared. "Please take Agent Faireborn back to his tent so he can prepare for the mission….and get him something to eat," she said firmly.

She looked at him. "Good luck," she said, and then turned and walked away.