A/N: Dialogue in italics denotes Russian speaking characters.

TBITC Chp. 32

Though it was almost one in the morning, preparations for Sam's rescue were underway in earnest, and had been for most of the night. After reconnoitering the property where Sam was being held, Jack, Mike, Kenny, Meagan and Alexx set about planning the mission. Jack felt safe having two trained medics in addition to himself. He just hoped their services wouldn't be needed in relation to Sam, in way. The opposition was going to need medical attention in a big way, but if Jack had anything to say about it no one other than Sam and any other 'hostages' would leave that house alive. So far the group had decided to leave from the beach outside Pavel's house, but rendevous with the team on Pavel's yacht, as Jack felt that returning to the house might be to great a risk. As far as weapons and equipment, they opted to carry their personal sidearms and M-4 rifles. They didn't know if they would need night optics, but would carry them just in case.

It was decided that they would enter from the small dock at the back to the property and move through the backyard, enter through the kitchen and procede upstairs to the bedroom that had been identified as where Sam was most likely being held. Jack and Mike would cover the front of the formation, with Alexx in the center, Meagan and Ken covering the rear. When group broke up to go over their individual parts of the mission, Jack pulled Meagan aside.

"What's up?"

"Listen, I pulled your file. I know that you've done this kind of thing before. I'm worried that…that.." He stopped, unsure of how to put it.

"You're worried that once Alexx sees Sam, she'll become a liability to the successful completion of this mission, and you want me to make sure they get out safely when that happens."

Jack noted that she had said when not if. He knew that given his training and years of experience, he could connect whatever rage, angst and sadness he felt at whatever condition they found Sam in and channel those emotions into pure unadulterated killing fury. He also knew that he couldn't, wouldn't, exercise restraint when faced with what his son had endured. Period, don't even ask. And he knew that his fragile relationship with Alexx would be risked, and she wouldn't want him anywhere near her.

"There's one more thing." Jack said, as Meagan started to go.

"Name it."

"Take care of Alexx," he said and at the worried look on her face, because they'd just discussed that very issue, he said, "I mean after. Because when we're done with this, she isn't going to want me within a thousand miles of her or Sam."

"Then perhaps you should exercise some restraint, Captain."

"I was a Delta for twelve years, Major. Restraint ain't in my vocabulary."

"You're willing to lose the people you love just so you can get your particular brand of justice."

Jack looked away and considered her question for a long time before answering. "Yes, I am."

The slap was sudden that he didn't have time to move, and so hard that it knocked him off balance. "Very few people get second chances in this life, Jack. You and your father are lucky. If your willing to throw yours away, because you don't want to change, then you really are a bastard." Meagan said, icily, and walked away.

Jack licked his lip, which was bleeding and thought about what she'd said. Could he reign himself in and exercise restraint on this mission, despite the fact that both the father and soldier in him wanted justice, revenge even.

He thought about what he'd said to Alexx when he'd kneecapped Stetler in order to get information. That what he did as a soldier was only a part of him, and the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. And she'd believed him. But did he believe himself?

No. He told himself, he didn't. And that frightened him more than anything.

000

At 0330, the zodiac pushed off from the beach outside the delko's beach house. Star island was fifteen miles west. Five miles out, Mike cut the outboard motor and they all grabbed oars, paddling the rest of the way. When they were ten feet from the dock, Jack saw a guard standing by the water, a pistol in his hand. Quietly raising his M-4 to his shoulder, Jack placed the red dot of his L-3 EOtech gunsight on the man's face and squeezed the trigger. Almost as soon as the single round left the barrel, Jack and the others saw the man drop to deck with a thud. They watched intently for any sign that they'd been detected, but none came, either from an alarm or from inside the house. When they reached the dock, Jack quickly climbed up and took up a security position on their front, Ken and Meagan taking the left and right flanks, respectively. Alexx noticed that they formed a protective half circle around her. When Mike had tied up the boat, he came up and tapped her on the shoulder, she in turn touched Jack's shoulder and they moved off. Just as they reached the pool area, Jack saw three men sitting on the deck, smoking cigars. He recognized one as homicide detective John Hagen, but the other two were strangers to him. But what he heard made his blood boil.

"Where'd you find that fine piece upstairs? He can't be more than three or four?" One of the men asked. Hagen shrugged.

"Rick found him. But then Caine's kid and the M.E. stuck their noses into it and 'saved' him. But we got him back."

The other man looked concerned. "Isn't he ex special ops or something?" the other man asked.

Hagen gave a dismissive wave. "Yeah, but he doesn't have the balls to come here." Hagen said, and the men stood and went inside, never knowing just how close death was.

It took everything Jack had not to flip the selector switch on his gun to full auto and mow them down. But that was unprofessional. He signaled the group to move forward, and as they moved to the kitchen door, he pulled an M-116 'flash and crash' grenade from his belt and lobbed it through back door into the kitchen. The others quickly turned away as the device exploded sending a concussive wave of sound through the kitchen, and providing the precious seconds the group needed to gain the upper hand.

Jack quickly moved through the door, his M-4 and ready, squeezing off three round burst of 5.56 bullets as targets presented themselves. He heard the firing mechanism of his own weapon, as well as the others, but no gunshots, as all their weapons were fitted with silencers. Quickly clearing the first floor, they moved upstairs and found two bedrooms. Simultaneously hitting both rooms, Jack eyes filled with rage at what he saw. Sam was lying in the bed, naked as a man knelt over him doing… The man apparently in the throws of ecstasy, hadn't heard the grenade downstairs and leapt of the boy in surprise when the door opened. "Wait!" He screamed, throwing his hands up.

"Too late." Jack snarled, squeezing the trigger, sending three rounds into the man's face. He moved further in the room, clearing it. But in reality, he'd wanted Alexx to be the first one to go to Sam, for both of them. Jack noticed the girl in the corner and went to her. To his surprise, she didn't shy away from him, but instead looked at him intently, as if comparing a mental picture to the man in front of her. He knelt down to give her a better look.

She couldn't be more than thirteen, and it sickened him that there were bastards in this world who could use children for their own pleasure and live with themselves. "Are you Jack?" the girl asked, in a small voice. Jack could just make out traces of a Russian accent, so he responded in Russian.

"Yes, I am. What's your name?"

"Anya Petrova. You speak Russian?" she asked, her tone surprised.

"Yes, among my other skills. Do you have any family looking for you?"

She shook her head sadly. "Do you want to come with us?"

Jack glanced over at Alexx and Sam while he waited for her to respond. He was surprised to see Sam curled up in a ball in the corner, Alexx talking softly to him. He knew that Sam was traumatized by what had happened to him and that the bastards downstairs had probably told him that Alexx and Jack didn't want him. Anya seemed to read his mind because she said. "I can help. He trusts me."

Jack nodded, and she went to Alexx and Sam. "Sam, do you want to leave?" she asked, looking at the boy.

"Yef, but mommy an' daddy don' wan me anymore, so where I go?" The boy said, sobbing.

"Sam, look at you mother." Anya said, gently but firmly. "Please."

Sam looked at Alexx, and saw the pain in her eyes, the hurt. He threw himself into her arms and she hugged as if her very life depended on him. She looked at Anya and mouthed 'thank you' while comforting Sam.

"You're Welcome."

Alexx stood with Sam in her arms and walked over to Jack. "Comin' out." He said, speaking into the radio attached to his vest. "Roger." Mike responded several seconds later. The others were covering the houses other entry points, but moved to the living room when Jack radioed. They circled Alexx, Anya and Sam, and the protective bubble moved to the boat. When they were safely away, Jack pulled a small device resembling a remote control from his vest, and pressed a button on the device. In addition to securing the first floor while he and Alexx dealt with Sam upstairs, the others had placed explosives in the house. Jack watched, triumph on his face for the first time in days, as the house went up in a ball of flames.