A/N This chapter is somewhat long, and I contemplated adding more stuff to it, and splitting it up, but thought otherwise. It starts off in the present, then goes to different flashbacks, conversations and moments between different people. There are several POV's, Joss and John, Klaus, and Amelia as well. Thanks bunches to Wolfmusic for looking it over when I started getting nervous about it. Thanks to everyone who's taken time to review, it's much appreciated. Thanks again for PM's, here, on tumblr, twitter and on Facebook. Love 'em all. Hope you enjoy!

*Discliamer ~ I don't own Person of Interest or any of its characters.

At the Motel 2:00AM

The tires of the car came to a screeching halt as Carter pulled into the motel parking lot. Earlier in the afternoon she'd booked a room for her and Reese. Their things were already inside. After they'd gotten the briefcase, the Tadics needed to disappear completely. That included not returning to their luxury suite, in case someone came looking for them.

She looked over at Reese on the passenger seat next to her, and frowned. Both of them had been injured while fleeing the Berger mansion. While she'd been grazed in the arm by a bullet, Reese had taken one in his lower torso. Blood had trickled down her arm for the entire ride here, but Reese's blood loss was more severe. If she couldn't stop it in time, he would die.

She got out and went around to the passenger side, helping him out of the vehicle. She threw his arm around her and walked him to their room door. He groaned softly as she hurriedly swiped the key card and helped him inside. He let his gun slip from his fingers, and painfully shrugged out of his coat.

"Hey, you're awfully quiet," she said to him. She removed a velvet pouch from her shoulder and went in search of the first aid kit, while he stared at her from the middle of the bed. "Talk to me, John. Can you breathe okay?"

She took his shoes off, cast them to the ground, and took a look at him. His face was sweaty, his eyelids were droopy, and he looked pale. Too pale, she thought.

"Do you feel cold? Do you know where you are? Talk to me," she coaxed, as she unbuttoned his shirt and unbuckled his belt. "I'm gonna roll you on your side for just a minute."

She pulled the belt out from under him, and he winced at the pain. There was blood coming from an exit wound in the back.

"It was a through and through," he whispered hoarsely.

Once on his back again, his blood-covered hands slid from his wound onto the bed. She feared he was about to lose consciousness. She couldn't let that happen.

"Joss…" His voice was weak as she rummaged through the kit looking for gloves. She put them on, and he reached out to touch her.

"I'm here, John. I'm here, and I'm gonna patch you up before I leave to make the drop off, okay?"

"You can't go alone," he said, his eyes watching her.

"Well, as much as I'd love to have your company, I don't think you're in shape to ride along on the next field trip. How's the pain?" she asked.

"This old thing? Feels like a headache," he said, trying to smile weakly.

"I'm sure it does."

Carter got a package of *Celox gauze from the kit, and tore at the bottom edges to open it.

"How's yours?" he asked.

"It's nothing. I'll live, John."

"You did good tonight, Joss." His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes.

"No, no, no, no, no...don't go to sleep on me. Stay with me." She tried to keep the worry out of her voice. She had to keep calm. "John, open your eyes."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry about what?"

"About tonight…with Klaus…"

It was work, it wasn't necessary. They both knew that, but still she began to tear up at his apology and the pained look in his eyes. She was worried about him, very worried. Everything he was saying right now reeked of goodbyes, something she wasn't yet ready to say, but she couldn't fall apart. John needed her to be strong. Right now he needed the soldier.

"John…" she said, handing him the belt. "This is going to hurt. Bite down."

This was routine, wasn't it? Except right now it didn't feel like it. Right now, her heart was full.

Ready?" she asked, and he nodded. "Okay."

Reese's teeth bore into the leather belt as Carter packed his wound with gauze. The feeling of her finger underneath his skin was excruciating, but he reminded himself that he'd gone through torture much worse than this. He could handle this. She applied pressure to it when she was done, and after five minutes she was satisfied that he wouldn't bleed out anymore. She rolled him over to take care of the exit wound, both of them silent for the entire time as she repeated the process. She took great care to dress the wounds properly, working quickly but efficiently. She gave him something for the pain, and bundled him up underneath the covers making sure he stayed warm. She put his gun within his reach before she closed up the kit and put it away.

"How's your breathing? Do you feel dizzy at all? Cold?"

"I'm fine, Joss," he answered, staring at her from the bed.

She unzipped her dress and stepped out of it, throwing it across the arm chair. She moved quickly, grabbing clothes from her suitcase, and threw on some jeans and a tank top.

She stared at herself in the mirror, throwing her hair into a ponytail, and almost as an afterthought, she remembered the wound on her arm. She hastily put some antiseptic on it, bound it up with some gauze, and dabbed at the dried blood stain on her arm. She downed some painkillers as well, promising that his would kick in soon.

"Amelia…"

He said the name that both of them had thought about, but hadn't said aloud, until now. She leaned on the bureau and bowed her head down, nodding.

"Amelia told her husband about us," he said, hoarsely.

Reese didn't know how long they'd been friends, but he did know that they were close enough that Carter didn't welcome the thought of being betrayed by her. He also knew that she wouldn't be comfortable knowing what she had to do now.

The job changes you. He told her that no later than the night before. It changes who you are.

He knew she was thinking about those very words, right now. There was no choice in the matter, however. It was laid out for her in black and white. There was no thought, or question. There were no maybes. The answer was clear, and he knew it was tearing her apart inside.

"I'll take care of it," she said quietly, and sheathed her pistol in the small of her back before putting on a jacket. She strode quickly to the door, but stopped just short of opening it.

"I'll be back with a doctor to stitch you up. Don't die." She turned around to look at him, her eyes begging a promise. "Okay?"

"Okay."

Sixteen Hours Earlier, At the Boutique

When Amelia turned around in the dressing room, she was startled to find Carter holding up two of the dresses she requested, instead of the salesgirl she'd given her order to. The bills Carter pressed into the young girl's hands were enough to convince her to go take a fifteen minute break and give them some privacy.

Amelia's eyes lit up, she was about to call out Joss' name, but a finger to her friend's lips let her know this meeting was anything but a social one.

"What's going on? What are you doing in Montenegro?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Amelia," Carter replied in a hushed tone, slinging the garments across the fitting room door.

"I told you Joss, Dawid came to see his friend. They're celebrating his wife's birthday. They're having a dinner party tonight actually, and I've got to find something to wear. Dawid's known him almost his entire life. Although, I will say they both give me the creeps, especially -"

"His wife Pia, I know."

"How do you know?"

"Amelia, listen to me. You have walked into a very dangerous situation, and I'm going to do what I can to make sure you stay safe, but I need you to do exactly what I tell you."

"I don't understand," Amelia said, shakily.

"I'm going to be at the Berger's tonight. When we're introduced to each-"

"You're going to be at the Berger's? How do you-?"

"When we're introduced tonight," Carter interrupted. "I need you to pretend that you don't know me. Pretend that you've never, ever, met me before. Do you understand?"

Amelia shook her head stubbornly. Carter could tell she wanted more details. She was used to getting what she wanted. She was spoiled, and had been all her life. Taking orders and being kept in the dark was not something she was accustomed to.

"No."

"Amelia…"

"No, I won't."

"Amelia, you have to."

"This is for your job isn't it? Your new one."

The gravity of the situation suddenly hit her hard. Carter wanted nothing more than to tell her it would be alright, to try to comfort her in some way, but truthfully she couldn't offer any real reassurances. Things could go very wrong, very quickly. There was no telling what would happen tonight. The less Amelia knew the better.

"Who are you, really?" Amelia asked, looking at her almost as if she was afraid. Carter closed her eyes and sighed.

"Tonight, when we're introduced, I'll be Jocelyn Tadic."

Five and a half hours earlier, Getting Dressed

Reese felt like his fingers had a mind of their own right now. He'd spent years wearing penguin suits, dressing up for black tie affairs, yet he was having trouble tying his bow tie. He'd mastered hand to hand combat and how to shoot any type of weaponry that'd been placed before him, but this mundane task seemed surprisingly difficult at the moment. He was partly distracted by Joss, he admitted. She walked around the suite, partly naked, while she got ready. Her panties, if he could call them that, were very flimsy, and left little to the imagination. He stared at her as she slipped a gun into her thigh holster; the dark lace was a stark contrast to the golden hue of her skin.

"Having trouble with the tie?"

She walked up to him, and moved his hands out of the way. He looked down at her darkened nipples; the air in the room caused them to tauten. As she made quick work of the soft fabric around his neck, he thought of the feel of the hardened peaks under his tongue. She smelled of flowers, soft and light. Her darkened eyelids and coloured lips made her look mysterious and unattainable. She looked every bit the part of a wealthy businessman's wife. Her mouth curved into a smile as she walked away from him.

"You look handsome tonight," she said absently. "That razor has done wonders getting rid of your trademark scruff."

"Thank you," he answered, with a smirk, and took one last moment to stare at her round bottom before she slipped into the Kelly green floor length dress she'd bought in Poland. With five inch heels on her feet, she stood almost at his eye level.

"Can you zip me up?" she asked, walking over to him.

"I'd rather leave it down," he replied, as his fingers lingered over the zipper, and moved over her bare back.

"We'll never get out of here if you keep that up. Come on. Are you ready, partner?"

She held out her hand, and he took it, leading her toward the door and out the suite. He took one last look around the room. They wouldn't be returning after tonight.

The Dinner Party, Berger Mansion

"Amelia and her husband just arrived. At your one," Carter said, and put her hand around Reese's back.

The dinner party had been in full swing for the last hour, and wasn't nearly as intimate as Klaus first described. In fact it had ballooned to over fifty people, and more guests were arriving every minute. If the Bergers knew how to do anything, it was how to throw a party.

"And Klaus is at your ten, still watching us. I wonder who he's really attracted to. You or me?" Carter asked.

"I take it you were oblivious to the attention you got when you entered the room tonight."

"A husband with a silver tongue, I'm so lucky," she replied, looking up at him. "I think you should kiss my neck, and I'll pretend not to like it."

Reese did as she suggested, and she pouted, feigning indifference. He took her by the arm and pulled her to the back of the room, but he was careful that they were still in Klaus' line of sight. He pawed at her, pulled her hips toward his, and pinned her against the back of a column.

"He's still watching," Reese said, as his hands slowly moved to her neck.

He kept his gaze fixed on her. His eyes were intense, harsh. Carter tried to move away from him, but his firm grip at her waist prevented it. His fingers around her throat bit into her skin.

"Good," she said, and managed to wiggle out of his arms.

She walked away in a huff, and grabbed a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter. Reese took off after her, stalking in her direction, but a hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Tadic?"

Klaus' voice seemed concerned, but when Reese looked down, the bulge in his pants indicated that he was more turned on that worried about their little exchange. Mrs. Berger was on his arm, as stunning as ever. Her hands moved playfully over Klaus' nape, but she barely acknowledged Reese's presence. Though this celebration was all about her, Pia looked quite bored, and her eyes scanned the room. She was searching for something, or someone.

"My wife and I had a little disagreement earlier. She's still a bit upset with me," Reese explained, looking in Carter's direction.

"Ah, a lover's tiff, I understand. She seems quite hot tempered."

"Oh, very," Reese answered, with raised eyebrows. "Sometimes she can be virtually unbreakable. But I have my ways of making her bend."

Carter watched Reese over the rim of her glass and suppressed a smile. By the gleam in his eye and the look on Klaus' face, they'd done a very convincing job so far tonight. By the end of the evening and maybe even before that, she was positive they'd be inside Klaus' bedroom. Pia seemed distracted. Carter followed her gaze around the room, knowing she was looking for her next adolescent prey. She wasn't concerned about her husband's tastes or his plans for the evening. She had plans of her own.

Their first test however, was about to start. Dawid and Amelia were walking toward them. Reese looked at her, his eyes beckoning her to return to his side. It was time for Act One: Scene Two.

0o0o

Though Jocelyn Tadic had expressed displeasure with her husband's behaviour just moments ago, she stood by his side smiling adoringly as Klaus introduced them to his oldest and dearest friend, Dawid Belka and his wife Amelia. They shook hands, they exchanged pleasantries, but Amelia's curious gaze lingered on Carter and Reese long enough to gain her husband's attention. Out of the corner of her eye, Carter saw Dawid raise an inquisitive brow at Amelia and she swore under her breath.

"I thought you spoke to her," Reese whispered in her ear as Pia excused herself, walking in the direction of a young man standing by a marble statue.

"I did," Carter answered.

"Ladies, if you will excuse us for a moment." Klaus took Reese by the arm, ushering both him and Dawid away. "We have some business to discuss."

"Of course, gentlemen," Carter said.

Conversations

"He's not really your husband, is he?"

"Amelia, you're not doing a very good job of 'not knowing me'."

"Is he the man you started to tell me about that day, the one you have feelings for?"

Anyone who passed and looked at the two of them would have no doubt they were old acquaintances judging by the look on Amelia's face. Carter sipped on her champagne, trying to remain aloof and nonchalant about the whole conversation, but when Amelia insisted on her line of questioning, she put a hand on her shoulder and led her to the terrace outside.

Reese spotted Carter leading Amelia outside, a scene that Dawid unfortunately saw as well. Though he didn't comment, Reese knew that questions would follow when he and Amelia were face to face again. Reese commented on the party, the guests, and their shared business interests, anything to turn the senator's attention back to the conversation at hand.

Later

"It's almost midnight."

Carter spun around, hearing Reese's voice behind her. She stood outside near the pond, partly concealed in the shadows, but the glow from the underwater lights cast an almost ethereal glow on her.

"Yes, it is," she said, and smiled at him. He took her by the waist and she leaned into him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"I see Mrs. Tadic isn't upset with her husband anymore," he joked.

"No, she's still a little angry, but her husband is looking so good tonight she's willing to forgive his transgressions."

"Time to put on another show." His fingers lightly grazed her cheek.

She nodded in agreement. It was now or never, they didn't have the luxury of time any more.

"You ready?" he asked her, staring at her lips.

"I trust you, partner," she said, and raised her lips for his kiss.

Klaus was engaged in conversation with Dawid, but his eyes searched the room until he found what he'd been looking for. The Tadics were on the terrace, just before the pond. The darkness outside, and the column they stood behind provided a little bit of cover, but the passion between them couldn't be concealed. He felt his mouth go dry at the sight of John's hands on his wife's breast, his lips at her throat.

Such passion, he thought, such fire. He felt it surge through him as if his were the lips on her beautiful brown skin instead of her husband's.

His tongue slid across his bottom lip, and he swallowed hard at the very notion.

"Klaus," said Dawid. "Klaus, have you been listening to anything I've said?"

Dawid turned to see what he was staring at, and rolled his eyes.

"I swear, you and your…special tastes…are going to be the death of you one day."

"Dawid -"

"Darling, I don't feel well," Amelia interrupted, and appeared at his side, pulling his arm. "I want to go back to the hotel. Please," she pleaded as he frowned. She put a hand to her stomach and her face looked pained.

"What is it, my dear?" Klaus asked with mild concern, but his eyes went back to the Tadics and he frowned. They were leaving, heading straight for the exit.

"Excuse me, Dawid. Amelia," he said, making a bee-line for the couple.

In the bedroom

She and Reese had no real intention of leaving, but when Klaus appeared practically pleading with them to stay, John expressed his eagerness to get his wife back to their hotel. They'd gotten over their spat and wanted to make up. Klaus picked up on the fervor between them, the undercurrent of desire. He glimpsed John's firm hold on his wife's waist, the blush on her skin, and he offered an alternative, the master suite.

Carter had seen the bedroom the night before, but what little she'd seen through her monocular, didn't prepare her for the opulence that greeted them inside. Like an enthusiastic tour guide, Klaus told them of how he and Pia thought up the design, the fabrics they used, imported furniture, wood and textures.

He took them upstairs to show off the entertainment space, the plush fabric of the sectional, and when they crossed over to the darker side of the room, his glee intensified. No doubt he'd imagined her up here since the first moment they met. He reached for her hand and pulled her to his side as he talked about each toy, fondled leather straps, and touched on every object of erotic torment. His fingers tightened around hers, and Carter briefly brushed her other hand over his wrist, feeling his pulse race.

Reese walked toward them, and in an instant she saw his eyes darken. The hand that Klaus had held onto, he took back and pulled her away from him.

"Klaus, there's something you should know about Joss. As fiery and hot tempered as my dear sweet wife may be, she's quite uncomfortable being touched by strangers." Carter felt protected with her back against Reese's chest, and his arms slid around her waist protectively. She rested her hands on top of his as a silent thank you, and he pressed a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"Of course," Klaus said, looking at Carter with more than a little disappointment in his eyes.

"Your collection here is quite impressive, but these toys…these tools…would only bruise the petals of my delicate flower."

Without another word to Klaus, Reese took Carter's hand and led her downstairs, and they moved to the foot of the bed. Carter felt goose bumps travel over her skin, and shivered. The room was suddenly cold. Suddenly she wished for the feel of an assault rifle in her hand, the sound of a grenade going off in her ear, and to be surrounded by her platoon as they set off on another raid - anything but this. This was warfare that she wasn't used to.

Reese could sense her unease and cupped her face as they stood chest to chest.

"Look at me," he whispered to her softly, so only she could hear him. "We're the only two persons in this room, you understand? Focus on me, and only me."

She nodded her head, and held onto him, closing her eyes.

"I've got you," he said, before he gently touched his lips to hers.

Klaus' footsteps descending the staircase were the last thing she heard. She let herself be caught up in a bubble where only she and Reese existed. She blocked out everything else, and focused on his face, his voice, and his touch.

He kissed her hard, and his hands at her waist bore deeply into her skin. His tongue plunged in and out of her mouth, tasting and taking. His touch was rough, demanding and brash. He was someone else, someone harder, someone brutal and controlling. She pushed at his chest, gasping for air, trying to breathe. When he finally let up, his lips descended to her neck and his hands pulled her hips closer. He drew her leg up and around his, and she felt his erection, hard and pulsing.

His teeth sunk into the softness of her shoulder, and she gasped at the tinge of pain. There was no kiss to soothe it, no tongue to comfort. Instead his hands drew the neckline of her gown downward and he cupped her bare breasts. He squeezed her nipples hard, so painfully that she clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to cry out.

"No," she pleaded, trying to move away from him.

"Come here," Reese whispered.

Reese could see Klaus from the corner of his eye. He sat just a few feet away watching them, and his hand stroked his crotch over his pants. He was enjoying the display so far. Reese felt sick to his stomach, but at this rate, it wouldn't be long till Klaus reached the point of no control. He knew Carter was uncomfortable, as was he. He hated to treat her this way, to have her exposed like this, but soon it'd be over. He needed her to hold on for just a few minutes more.

He grabbed her by the waist and pushed her roughly onto the bed.

"On your knees," he said, standing in the back of her as she turned around. Slowly he undid his belt and looped it, cracking the edges as he moved closer. Carter's head was bent as she did as he asked. Her hair fell over her shoulders, a long, dark curtain concealing her face. Reese ran his hand up the centre of her back, over her scalp and fisted his hand in her thick locks. Slowly he pulled her up by her hair, and her dress dropped a little lower revealing a brief hint of her midriff. Her nipples hardened as he ran the edges of the belt against them, over and over in a rhythmic pattern.

Klaus clumsily stood to his feet and walked closer to the bed. The sight of the leather gliding over Carter's skin caused him to moan. Reese held the belt to her bare back and paused. The glare he gave Klaus caused him to move backward, and he stumbled onto the chair. His pants were unzipped; his cock was hard in his hand, and he started to stroke himself.

The fabric of Carter's dress was soft to the touch, and Reese's hands travelled underneath it, teasing her, touching her intimately. His fingers caressed her bottom, slipping past her underwear and moved between her legs. Back and forth he massaged the softness of her folds, seeking to elicit a response from her.

"Who do you belong to?" he asked quietly, while he slipped a lone finger inside her warmth.

She didn't answer but shook her head as a deep moan finally escaped her mouth.

"Who do you belong to?" he asked again, and his thumb caressed the soft quivering bud between her legs.

Any minute now, Reese thought as his eyes turned to Klaus once more. He was on his feet again, jerking his cock mercilessly, and his face was contorted in twisted pleasure. He was gasping, loudly, and his moans filled the room.

"Who do you belong to?!" Reese raised his voice, demanding an answer, and roughly pulled Carter upwards.

She turned around slowly, looking directly at him. "You," she said, and her hand covered his as it rested on her thigh.

"Ready?" he asked, his mouth near her ear.

"Ready," she answered, reaching for her gun.

Reese's long stride quickly closed the gap between him and Carter and their now enraptured host. In an instant Reese grabbed Klaus by the throat, and pressed him roughly against the room wall. He thought it was all part of a game, Reese realized. He witnessed a moment of glee pass over Klaus' face; he thought he was finally invited to a threesome as Carter's hand lingered on the inside of her thigh. His hand didn't stop circling his slippery cock until he felt the chill of steel between his legs. By then his breath caught, and a choking sound escaped his throat. He'd already passed his peak and he started to come.

Reese looked at Carter as she met his eyes, then they both looked downward. Klaus' fluids were all over Reese's pant leg and on Carter's hand.

"Did you just do what I think you did?"

Klaus didn't have time to respond to the question. Reese delivered a blow to the side of his face, and he fell limply to the ground.

"Disgusting," Carter muttered, wiping the back of her hand on her dress.

The Belkas

Amelia wasn't really sick, not physically anyway, but she'd attended enough boring family affairs, state dinners, and public functions to know how to fake an illness and leave early. Mentally, she was tied up in knots about her friend and her fake husband being the current objects of Klaus Berger's dark obsession. Dawid never outright told her about his friend's unique tastes, but she'd heard rumors, whispers of scandal, and she drew her own conclusions about where his sexual appetites really lay. Although she tried to concentrate on pretending not to know Joss tonight, she didn't miss the way Klaus stared at her, and what made matters worse is that it seemed that Joss and her husband were completely okay with it.

Everything she knew about Joss screamed out that there was more to it than that. She was after something else, and Klaus was the key to whatever it was. She wasn't a Navy SEAL anymore, but she was something else, an operative perhaps. But who did she work for? The CIA? NSA? Amelia wasn't sure. She knew Joss was a very capable soldier, she was tough, but there were no rescue missions tonight, no armor, and no bullet proof vest. She just hoped that whatever it was, Joss would make it out alright.

She unzipped her dress and quietly hung up it in the room closet and stepped out of her shoes. She walked over to the vanity, slowly sliding the diamond bracelets from her wrists, removing the studs from her ears, and idly brushed her hair.

"What's the matter, Amelia?" Dawid asked.

He'd been watching her since they'd left the Berger's. Her silence made him uneasy. His wife was normally animated, vocal, but he was unfamiliar with the somber mood she seemed to be in, even if she blamed it on illness.

"I told you, darling, I don't feel well. I don't know if it's something I ate, or…"

She hung her head down not returning his gaze. Throughout their relationship, he'd always been able to tell if she wasn't being truthful, just by looking at her. His all knowing gaze wasn't welcome at the moment. She needed to change the subject.

"The party was nice though. Pia looked amazing, although she didn't seem in the mood to celebrate much. She -"

"Have you met Jocelyn Tadic before?" His question was quiet, but his voice was firm, and Amelia blanched at his tone.

"What?"

"Jocelyn Tadic," he replied. "Your conversation outside looked rather intense for two people who just met."

He stood in front of her, searching her eyes.

"Da, don't be silly," she said, laughing as his hands travelled up her arm, and over her shoulders. "We were at your friend's house, at his party. She and her husband were his guests, remember? How on earth would I know her?"

"Amelia, I don't know, but you are about to tell me."

Dawid had always been tender, sweet, and kind. He'd never been anything but gentle with her, but there was a look in his eyes right now that she didn't recognize. Whatever it was that Joss was working on, Amelia had no doubt now that Dawid was wrapped up in it, and so was Klaus. Suddenly she was scared, suddenly Dawid wasn't the man she thought she knew, and she swallowed.

The Bedroom

Reese stood before the painting on the wall, and the faces of Pia and Klaus stared back at him. It wasn't hung on the wall at all, but was part of the safe itself, and was mounted on a sliding rail. He ran his fingers along the sides, searching for the button to release it and finally found it.

"There you are," he said, but turned to Klaus before pressing it. "Now Klaus, what are the odds of a silent alarm going off if I push this button?"

He lay on the ground with Carter's heeled foot on top of his chest, her gun pointed at him. Reese raised his eyebrows at Klaus' enraged glare. He was determined to be defiant, and refused to answer. Carter twisted her heel into his chest, and he squirmed.

"Answer him."

"The alarm won't go off if the painting is moved."

"But…?" urged Reese, pressing the button.

"It will go off if you try to open the safe."

They watched the painting slowly glide to the right, revealing a safe that was built into the wall. Reese looked it over, taking in the specifications.

"Hmm, impressive Klaus…touch panel, fingerprint recognition…and an ID chip key. Give us a hand, will you?"

He roughly pulled Klaus to his feet, dragging him over to the safe. "You know what'll happen if you trigger the alarm, don't you?"

He furiously stared back at Reese, but the touch of the barrel of Carter's gun at the back of his head made him reconsider doing just that.

"I think I have an idea," he answered, bitterly.

When the safe door was open, Carter retrieved the aluminum briefcase inside. "This is heavy, John. Might slow us down on the way out."

"What's inside, Klaus?" Reese asked.

"You mean you don't know?" he laughed.

"Open it," Carter said. "Open it," she repeated when Klaus hesitated, and raised her gun to his head once more.

He laid it flat on the ground and unlocked it. A clear canister lay inside on a bed of darkened foam. There was a digital timer on the top and a 'Biohazard' symbol on a label in front. Carter carefully picked it up and handed it to Reese.

"What is this, Klaus?" Reese asked, as he held it in his hands.

"Something…that could trigger another world war."

There was an abrupt knock on the door, and loud screams to open it.

"We've got company." Carter quickly sheathed the canister into the drawstring velvet pouch in the briefcase, then slipped it over her neck and shoulder.

"Friends of yours, Klaus? Or friends of your pal, the Senator?" Reese asked as Klaus smiled. "Tell them everything's fine," Reese said, but Klaus refused, shaking his head.

"You'll never get out of here alive," he said.

Carter turned to Reese as he looked around the room. "We need to head upstairs, there's an exit in the entertainment section. It leads outside to a small balcony and down to the garden. From there we can head out front to the parking lot." She grabbed Klaus by the arm and forced him towards the staircase.

"John, come on!" she screamed, just as the door was kicked in.

She backed up the stairs using Klaus as a cover. Reese easily took out the first two gunmen who charged into the room then headed up the stairs behind her.

"Joss, go! Don't wait for me, damn it."

At the top of the stairs she dragged Klaus to the sitting area and pushed him onto the sofa. She opened the door but she hesitated, waiting for John even though he'd told her not to. John turned around as three more armed men entered, and she stepped forward, calling out to him.

"John, come on, I'll cover you!"

He'd already shot two of them and she fired at the last one, but not before he shot John in the torso. He slipped on the steps, and she went down to get him, helping him up to the second level.

"I told you to go," he grunted.

"I don't leave anybody behind," she said. "Speaking of which…" she turned to Klaus and shot him. She watched as he fell to the ground and turned to Reese. "Let's go."

She cried out suddenly, feeling the searing heat of a bullet as it tore through the skin of her left arm. Reese reacted quickly and shot the last gunman who'd come up the stairs, but he was losing blood rapidly.

They had to leave, quickly.

The partygoers had heard the gunshots, and they hurriedly made their way out of the mansion. There were people leaving from the garden, the ballroom inside, as well as from the game room in the back. Their panicked flight provided the cover that Carter and Reese needed as they got into their vehicle and fled the grounds of the Berger mansion.

Present time, at the Motel

John turned his head wearily on the pillow and looked toward the door. He heard movement outside, footsteps approaching. His hand moved over the bed linens in search of his firearm, and he clutched the cold steel in his hand, waiting. The footsteps he'd heard continued past the room door and down the pathway till they were out of earshot. He relaxed once more, grateful that there was no danger of being found by Berger's terrorist friends, but still he felt a little disappointed that it hadn't been Carter returning to the room. She'd been gone for over an hour and had yet to come back.

He wondered if she'd already made the exchange. He wondered if she'd been followed or even worse, killed. No, he thought, banishing the idea from his mind. Carter was more than capable, had been since the beginning. But so had Kara, and so had Wilson. He hadn't missed either of them; he hadn't batted an eyelash when they hadn't made it.

"Snow says I'm lucky number three. You don't seem broken up about the fact that your last partner is pushing up daisies somewhere. Can I assume you wouldn't care too much either if something happened to me?"

She'd been playful that night at her apartment, but even though her question was made in jest, he knew she was only half joking when she asked him.

"No, you don't need to worry. There's something about you that makes me think you'll have a much longer shelf life than he did."

As he lay there waiting while the moments continued to pass, he hoped his instincts about her were right.

"Come back, Joss."

A/N *Celox gauze is a hemostatic gauze used in the treatment of life threatening bleeding. After unrolling the gauze, you pack it into the wound and under the skin to control bleeding until the injured person can be seen by a doctor. It's used a lot on the battlefield by the military.