Chp. 12

Alexx sat at her kitchen table, Sam on her lap, watching as her house was besieged by police and CSI's. She smiled at the pissed off look on Rick Stetler's face when Frank informed the AIB chief that Jack, Kenny and Mike were nowhere to be found. Personally, Alexx was glad to have Sam to take care off. He provided a distraction that forced her not to think about where Jack was and what he was doing. If she was being completely truthful, the former Special Forces soldier frightened her. She knew Jack would never hurt her, Sam or any of his father's team; he'd die before he did, but at the same time what Jack was capable of – shooting a man at point blank range and maiming him, shooting three other men, breaking one man's shoulder with a five pound sledge hammer, and shooting another – the level of violence was something she, even as a Medical Examiner, had never seen.

"Alwexx?"

She snapped back to the present as Sam called her name. She smiled at him, knowing what his question would be. "What, sweetie?"

"Where's Jack?"

"I don't know, honey." Alexx said, gently, even though she'd answered the same question five times. Being a parent had given Alexx the patience of a saint. But she supposed the patience had come when she was growing up, being the eldest of six children. Though some of her friends had lamented her being turned into a 'little mama' at the age of ten, she wouldn't have traded her role in life for anything. She prayed that once Sam was well and truly safe, he would be hers.

The look on Sam's face broke her heart and Alexx got an idea. "You know what, we could call him. How does that sound?"

Sam's face brightened. "Yeah! Dat's a good idea Alwexx."

"Calleigh?" Alexx asked, seeing the younger woman walk in.

"Yeah, Alexx?"

"Do you have Jack's cellphone number? I have someone who wants to get a hold of him in the worst way." The doctor said, smiling at Sam.

Calleigh smiled maternally at the boy. She knew that if the shoe was on the other foot, and Bella had been mistreated the way Sam had, Kenny and Mike, along with Eric and herself would've have done exactly what Jack was doing. "Aww, you like Jack, don't you Sam?"

The boy grinned at her and nodded. "Yeah, he's da coolest!"

Alexx put on playful look of hurt on her face. "Hey! What about me?"

Sam grinned. "You're cool, too, Alwexx."

Alexx hugged the boy. "Thank you, honey."

"Here's Kenny's number. He should be wherever Jack is." Calleigh said, handing her friend a slip of paper.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Tank you, Miss Cawwy." Sam parroted.

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Alexx pulled out her phone and dialed Kenny's number.

000

After taking out the surveillance team at Alexx's, the three former Special Operations soldiers had collectively decided they needed military grade firepower. Luckily, they had an inside source. Eric and Miguel's father, Pavel Delko, had been an engineer for the Russian army in the 1970's when he met, fell in love with and married a Cuban woman named Clorinda. But what his wife didn't know, and still didn't even after thirty plus years of marriage, was that Pavel had been a member of the Red Army Special Forces known as Spetsnaz. The only member of his family that Pavel had revealed this to had been Miguel, after he joined the Seals. He also told his son that, while the family was supported by his engineering firm, he also dealt in arms and explosives. Mike had, without being asked, kept his father's secret. He'd only revealed it when Jack asked him and Kenny if they had connection to get hardware and a place to lay low.

"So, Jack, Miguel tells me you were in the army, Green Berets and Delta force, yes?" Pavel asked. Mike and Kenny were on lookout for any visitors.

Jack nodded, as the older man appraised him. "Yes, I was. For seventeen years."

"An honorable gesture, service to one's country."

Jack nodded again. "Yes, sir. Mike told me you were Spetnaz." Jack said, and Pavel detected grudging respect in the younger man's tone.

"And he told you I dealt in arms, correct?"

"And explosives."

"That too. So, what can I do for you?"

"As you've probably guessed, we need heavy weapons. And a place to lay low."

The Russian nodded. "What do you need?"

"An M249 SAW, M60E3, 3 M203 grenade launchers, 5 M72 LAW rockets, three cases of M67 grenades, three cases of M-116 grenades. That should do it."

The big Russian threw his head back and laughed heartily. "What are you planning? The next invasion of Cuba?"

Jack shook his head. "No, standard personal protection detail."

Pavel nodded. "Ok, anything else I can do for you?"

"Mike mentioned you had a beach house? How big is it?"

The other man frowned. "It's big enough. Six bedrooms, three baths. Why?"

"I wanna use it." Jack said, simply.

Now it was Pavel's turn to ask a question. "Is my family in danger?"

Jack considered the question for a longtime before answering. The Russian's tone made it clear he'd have no qualms snapping Jack in half if he felt his family was being threatened because of this man's actions. Finally, he said, "Yes, I believe so. Did Mike tell you about the case?"

"Yes, he mentioned that a child was being abused. And that his abuser appeared to be well connected."

Jack nodded. "Does the name Clavo Cruz mean anything to you?"

Pavel scowled, and for a second Jack thought the man might draw the Glock pistol Jack had seen under his left shoulder and shoot him. But then he said, "Have your father's team here in three hours with the child. They will be protected while you do what you need to." Pavel said and both men stood shaking hands.

"Thank you, Pavel." Jack said.

As he turned to leave, Pavel sent a parting shot. "You have asked me to reveal a secret I have kept for more than thirty years, Mr. Caine. Pray that what you ask is worth the price."

000

As the three men were leaving the meeting with Pavel Delko, Ken's phone rang. "Duquesne. Yeah, Alexx, he's right here." Ken said and handed the phone to Jack, who accepted it.

"Yeah, Doc?"

"I have a mutual friend of ours who's worried you're not coming back. Could you dispel that notion please?"

Jack grinned and waited while Alexx handed Sam the phone. "Hey, bud."

"Are you gonna come back, Jack?" Sam asked, and Jack could hear the worry in his voice.

"Of course I'm coming back. I'm on my way back to Alexx's right now, then I'm going to take you guys somewhere the bad men can't find you, ok?"

"Ok, Jack, bye."

"Bye, bud." Jack said, disconnecting the call and giving Ken back his phone.

"Kid like's you." Ken observed.

"What are you saying?" Jack asked.

"I'm saying that you and Alexx are probably the first people who've ever done anything even remotely decent for him. How does that make you feel?"

Jack scowled, unused to such a question coming from a fellow operator. Special Operations personnel weren't known for being in touch with their feminine side. But he gave the question some thought and finally said. "What? You guys think I should marry Alexx, adopt Sam and buy a house with a white pickett fence, is that it?" He asked, disgust in his voice. Not because he was opposed to marrying Alexx or adopting Sam, but he didn't want to be domesticated. He'd tried it once and it hadn't worked.

"You just don't wanna get hurt again. Admit it." Mike said.

Jack's only response was to curse both men in Russian, a language all three spoke fluently.