A/N: I don't own anyone but Alex aka The Major...
phantomsrose1209 – Who DOESN'T despise Ruskov? LOL!
babeelove - Thank you for your kind words!
Welcome tea-induced scribbles and Layellee!
United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases...One and half years ago...
The day started out as any other.
The beautiful rumble of the Harley signaled to the gate guards Major Koch was reporting for duty. The skies were dark with the strongest stars penetrating the light pollution of Hagerstown to the northwest and Baltimore to the east. It wasn't unusual to see her arriving at unusual hours but it was the tempo of the engine that caused the men to fixate their stare on the approaching cycle. It was barreling down, at least 45 mph where it was 35. The last time the Major had done this was when H1N1 breached American soil.
Brakes screeched, burning rubber with a few wisps of smoke billowing in the breeze.
"Major Koch," the older man found his voice angrier than what he desired. The visor flipped up, showing off the somber expression. Heavy crescents dragged the naturally bright sapphires down, aging her face by at least a few decades.
"Sorry," she sighed and retrieved her ID card. "Is Colonel Schuler here?"
"Yes ma'am. He arrived an hour ago." He passed the card back over to which she stuffed in her jacket pocket.
"Thank you," the visor snapped down. The gate retracted with painfully slow only amplifying Major Koch's anxieties. "Finally," she groaned in the confines of her helmet and rolled on.
Colonel Casey Schuler was seated at his desk. The lone light cast a sickly glow over the faxes, print offs, and files scattered in a organized system of chaos. The CDC was preparing to dispatch a small team overseas to Egypt as reports of a new virus surfaced in a camp outside of Giza. One of their sentinels had detected the cluster of cases three days ago, sending out the red alert to everyone on staff.
"Jesus," he cursed under his breath. This virus was nothing like anything he had seen in his career! Sure he had crossed paths with Hanta virus and H1N1 but this...
"Symptoms are flu like in nature with malaise, fever, and headache onset within hours of infection. Some had symptoms manifest 2-3 days later. Patients deteriorated in rapid progression with red lesions appearing followed up with delirium and bleeding from every orifice."
The photos forwarded from their counterparts in Cairo offered no reprieve. "My god..." he lifted a hand to his mouth in shock.
"Colonel," Major Koch hovered in the door. Her hand had a death grip on the black helmet and face drained of blood.
"Alex, yes please come in," he rose and waved her in. "Shut the door behind you."
The Colonel had personally recruited Major Koch from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research three years back after reading her work on the human immune system and its memory functions related to Marburg and Ebola. Her dedication to the field had left a stark impression on his psyche. Some of the other researchers had mocked her behind her back, calling her insane and foolish. That she was wasting precious resources and taxpayer money in pipe dreams.
"Alex, have you seen these?" Her superior slid the files that he held across the desk towards her. As she eased into the chair, Colonel Schuler noticed how drained she appeared. He frowned, concerned she had not been sleeping. "Alex have you been sleeping?"
"Hm?" She pulled her attention from the photos. They were graphic, depicting the final moments of life half a world away. Flaky bits of crimson caked the side of a young boy's face, cutting through the splotch of disfigured skin.
"You look like shit." His bluntness made her blink then shrug his concern in dismissal.
"Mark and I had an argument last night. He wants to move to DC but I don't want to. Crime rate's through the roof and cost of living is ludicrous. Besides," she dropped the photos unceremoniously on the thick oak surface. "I'm needed here."
"You two have got to work through this." He sighed heavily. Her tone was detached in her explanation.
"We will,. We always do," she threw a half hearted smile which promptly vanished. An implacable expression was cast across her youthful features. "So tell me what's the intel on this."
"The CDC dispatched Dr. Rachel Scott to Giza 24 hours ago. She'll be collecting samples and bringing them back. Of course we'll receive our share of them. This thing," he tapped the top image, "Scares the shit out of me. It's fast, hard, and lethal. If this gets out it'll make Ebola look like the common cold."
"Casey," she leaned to the edge of the leather seat, intertwining her fingers on top her knees. "How many times have we seen a virus flare up in some corner of the world then die out as fast as it showed up? The camp is outside of town away from any large urban center. It'll probably pass through the population then burn out. Remember SARS? It died out and it had been brought over from China to Canada!"
"I hope you're right Alex. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa had you running on coffee and 5 Hour Energy shots for three weeks straight and when you crashed after it died down it wasn't pretty. I had to have Mark keep you home by every means legally possible until that junk was out of your system and you were in your right mind."
"Well I recovered and you have my photo plastered in every convenience store between here, Hagerstown, and Baltimore with the phrase 'DO NOT SELL ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS TO'."
"Well the feral look you sported scared several of the staff." The Colonel tapped a finger on the desk and quickly switched subjects. "A plane will be ready in two hours to take you to Atlanta. I need you to be our eyes and ears down there."
'What," Major Koch snorted. "You don't trust our 'partners'?" Quotation marks came up on either side of her head. "And why dispatch ONE person? CDC doesn't exactly travel light."
"It appears right now with it being a small cluster, the WHO and CDC don't see the justification in calling up the troops."
"Don't you mean prevent mass hysteria like with SARS? It was airborne but it lasted for what not even a year. The last known cases were lab acquired in China." Alex dropped back against the seat, rubbing her temples as a migraine was cracking the front of her mind. "Or is there a dick measuring contest going on behind closed doors?"
"That too," Casey nodded easily. "Be our eyes and ears."
"Who else knows about this?" She shot up, having eyed the coffee pot full with steamy swirls of chocolate and Arabica.
"Right now," Casey graciously accepted the second mug. "Just WHO, CDC, us, and the locals in Egypt. The Egyptian government is on full damage control."
"Of course," she sighed. "They have that large celebration at the pyramids in two weeks. Always about the money. Are they going to say anything about it? Or just write if off as an outbreak of cholera perhaps if any nosy reporters poke around?"
"That I can't answer." Casey took a long drink, watching as his protege wrestled in her seat.
"If I was a betting woman, I would say whitewash." The last drops trickled down her throat. "Can't scare away the tourists."
"Go home, pack, talk to Mark." Casey stretched over the desk, gripping her hand firmly within his. "And for crying out loud get some damn sleep!"
"He's on shift so a phone call or Skype will have to suffice I suppose." Her shoulders drooped as she stood and collected her helmet. "I still don't think we should get our panties in a wad over this. I'll call you when I reach Atlanta."
And with that, Major Alexandra Koch exited Colonel Casey Schuler's office and towards home.
Frederick, Maryland...
The military duffel sat with it's zipper lined mouth agape as it happily accepted the cotton, polyester, and electronic offerings. Alex was uncertain of how long she would be a guest of the CDC and decided to throw in some civilian attire just to be safe. She had no intentions of socializing with the local night life which saved her extra space. She grabbed the military uniforms and with the precision drilled into her head from being a private, organized and smoothed the camouflage pants and shirt into the clothing bag. The t-shirts could go in the duffel.
She sought her Class A's and put them in the accompanying second clothing bag. Never leave home without; especially when dealing with the CDC. While she would be an intruder in their domain, sometimes, the academically inclined hierarchy required a little snap back to reality. Someone had to be sure they got their panties back on.
With the final tug of the zipper, Alex granted her self a momentary reprieve. She flopped on the bed then collapsed backward and shut her eyes. At least this time deployment would four states south with functional phone and internet. Mark had not responded to her message that she was being shipped out in, she checked her watch, an hour and 45 minutes. Maybe he was tied up. It wasn't that far fetched given the hospital didn't know what a low point or lull was. Then again he could say the same about her career.
Sighing, Alex resumed the monotonous task of gathering what she would need. Her back was turned to the door as she busied herself with mentally finalizing everything.
"Don't tell me: Another deployment to some dark part of the world."
Alex froze with a shirt curled tightly in her fingers.
"I thought you were on shift?" Confusion was written along her face as Alex turned to see Mark hovering in the door. He was clad in the navy blue scrubs she had purchased for him last year which were slightly wrinkled. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest.
"Casey called me. He told me what he could but I figured out the rest."
"You know it's probably just another dead end virus." She shrugged indifferently. "Like SARS it will rage hard and fast but for a short time then extinguish itself and vanish back into the darkest reaches. If they were really worried I wouldn't be going to Atlanta."
"I suppose you're right." Mark scrubbed a hand over his face. Alex flung the shirt in her bag and sat on the edge of the bed. "Look, I know that things aren't great right now." He couldn't look at her and instead leveled his gaze at the bag nested beside her.
"You still want to take the job at MedStar and move to Washington. You know I can't leave here."
"No, you won't leave here that's what it is." Mark spoke with a tone that was sharper than he intended. Alex winced but stayed silent. "This is our chance, Lex."
He crossed the room and came to sit alongside her. Alex just looked ahead, willing herself not to lose it or crack. It was difficult to block the warmth passing between their bodies as they sat in uneasiness.
"I know it's a lot to take in. But, I have been doing some thinking and we don't have to live in DC."
"You HATE commuting."
"Well, when you get back, let's sit down and look at what's around the area."
"The burbs are obscenely overpriced."
Mark dropped his head but lifted it up. "You're not helping."
"I'm being realistic."
"Okay then think of it this way: We find an agreeable place. I mean it's only fair for us to look at this equally. Maybe if you get some down time down there-"
"I'll look," she caved in. "Besides, we need something less...crowded."
His eyes lifted up, shining with elation. "You mean it?"
"Yes, I'll look into the options. I don't expect this to be some drawn out drama like H1N1. I'll meet up with Rachel, trade data, verify the sentinels are established and then be on the next flight here."
She linked her arms around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder.
"I'm just stubborn."
"You're now figuring that out?" He chuckled.
"No," she slid her fingers up along his left side, then dug them in his ribs. Mark yelped and squirmed, pulling away from her increasing hold. "But did I forget to mention I'm ornery?"
He couldn't speak as his tongue twisted and turned in laughter. Alex only kicked it up, recruiting her other hand to supplement the torment.
"P-Please," he pleaded and she abated. He was panting hard while she beamed like a cat that ate the canary.
"Since you asked nicely," she got a final jab in before catching the time on the clock. "But I have to-"
"I'm driving you."
Before Alex could speak Mark shot a hand up. "Casey knows about it and you can keep your bike in the garage."
"I'm shocked you won't use it."
"Oh, I may," he smiled coyly.
"That means you will."
He felt a surge of emotion and suddenly clutched her in his embrace. "We're going to be alright, Lex." She felt his hand cover the side of her face.
"I know we will," she echoed his sentiment.
Mid Atlantic...Present...
"Gator!" Alex stormed through the door leading to the deck. The navigator lifted his head from the radar and at the hurried figure closing in on him.
"Major," he pulled the headphones away from his ears. "Where's the fire?"
"Do you have the latest intel?" Her finger stabbed the air in the direction of the window.
"You mean the weather? Yeah, the winds are still holding steady from the south."
"Okay good," she leaned against the table and glanced out the window. "They're getting ready to launch."
"You think this will work? I mean with that bacteria and all." Alex caught the hints of anticipation creeping around the edges of his eyes and lips. She knew he wasn't the only one holding these sentiments. The Captain, XO, Master Chief, and Rachel were equally anxious for this to work.
"I hope so, Gator. I won't lie to anyone here when I say if that wind shifts the Captain or XO hopefully have a Plan B to get us out of this. Because I'm fresh out of options."
Gator noticed how wound up she was standing there, watching the deck below. The muscles tensed beneath the simple cobalt shirt where shoulder and neck merged. The Russians would be watching them, waiting for a miscalculation or slip up on their end. They were probably still pissed about the parting gift before their abrupt departure from Guantanamo Bay.
"What about a Plan B?" Tom was alongside her, watching as Rachel and Green positioned the package.
"If something happens and this doesn't work, I hope you have something up your sleeve because I'm fresh out of smallpox."
He gave her brief glare before lightening up.
"Sorry, I'm on edge." She softened her tone while chewing down on her bottom lie.
"More like wound up tighter than a damned Timex."
"That too," she sighed. He snorted faintly at her agreement. "So you wanna tell me what you may have waiting in the wings if this fails?"
"There is a way," the Captain turned seeing a speck of hope.
"Which is..."
"Take out the radar that guides those missiles."
"Okay and how do you propose doing that?! Does the James have some hidden weapon I don't know about?"
"No," he responded bluntly. "But it does involve a weapon."
"Not the 5 inch!"
"No, Major," he addressed her by rank. "We can have one of the crew use a Barrett sniper rifle to inflict the damage."
"You had me at Barrett. Please do enlighten me." Genuine interest with complimentary smile only he could witness. Chandler passed the binoculars over allowing her to catch a glimpse of the isolated patch of land off the starboard side.
"If yours and Dr. Scott's plan is unsuccessful, the plan is to dispatch someone with a Barrett to that island at night and take out the radar."
"Got anyone qualified to handle it?"
"I was thinking of one of the Marines."
"Or me." She slowly withdrew then turned her head to him.
"You can handle a .50 caliber?" This he had to hear.
"Absolutely. Back in the day I qualified because some little snot nose mama's boy thought he was hot shit and it hit a nerve with me. I kept it current up until all of this. Besides," she passed the binoculars back, "After what happened on the Vyerni, I want this chance. That is if you'll let me have it."
Chandler digested this; letting his mind outline their options. Having Alex away from the protection of the ship didn't settle right. The last time the uneasiness crossed his mind, she was being airlifted in the MV-22, incoherent and broken. Alex sighed and shook her head. She didn't need to be told what he was pondering. The distant stare spoke for him.
"You're not sure you want me off the James if we have to go that route. You're scared another Nicaragua will spring up." She spoke in a hushed tone, with only the Master Chief close enough to hear anything exchanged.
"It had crossed my mind."
"Well uncross it. Gator said it was uninhabited."
"And we didn't think anyone would be living on the river in the preserve either and look where that got us."
"I'm better now," she gritted her teeth, reigning her climbing resentment. "You and I both want the shot; only you won't admit it."
"Major, a word," Chandler's voice halted further words. The frost along his tongue froze her in place. "Master Chief if you'll excuse us."
"Aye aye Sir," Master Chief nodded then resumed his observations on the deck below. XO Slattery was positioned with Dr. Scott along with Lieutenant Green. He couldn't see it but the simple silver canister was carefully being placed.
Alex kept willing herself to breathe the entire journey from the bridge to the Captain's cabin. He was probably going to tear her a new one for the little fit upstairs. But she wanted to state her case; to plead why she should be the one going if necessary.
He swung the door open, creating an escape for the accumulating air that had iced over since he left. Chandler made a mental note to have the temperature adjusted as he and Alex stepped inside.
"Okay I realized I crossed a line up there." Her hands lifted to a surrender pose and posture relaxed.
"I didn't want to have this discussion in front of the officers." He reclined with back face the wall but retained a rigid stance.
"I want to go. If I have to demonstrate my competency with the Barrett I will."
"I know why you're doing this Alex." He stated the obvious. "And showing your marksmanship skills won't be necessary."
"Damn right you know why," hands dropped to hips. "Don't stand there, look me straight in the eye, and tell me you don't want the same thing. I know you were wanting a crack at El Toro. Bressler told me in the Ward Room after I was able to leave Medical. You wanted to rip that son of a bitch apart when you saw what he did."
Chandler shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, unable to cease the images repeating with sickening clarity. He was sickened; no, disgusted to put it lightly. Even now, with the full covering of the stark black shirt, a couple of stray slivers breached the veil; taunting him and the others who were present that night.
"I don't know if it's a good idea."
"It doesn't matter who goes, it's the same risk regardless. How is Ruskov going to know anyone's off the James?" Alex rushed in, grabbing his hands tight. Tom couldn't but help to reciprocate, closing his larger warmer ones around hers. "I can set it up, take the shot, and break it down then head back. I'm a strong swimmer. Look, you can assign someone to go with me, even Mike if that's what it took." It dawned on her. "You don't want to see me get hurt again."
She subconsciously bit on the inside of her lower lip, chewing it to distract her even if briefly. It wasn't an easy decision as he continued to stand there, contemplating. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed the matter.
"If, and I mean IF, your plan doesn't work, I'll be going with you. I know the layout of a Kirov and where to take the best shot."
"I understand," Alex's head dropped, suddenly feeling small.
"At the first moment of something afoul, back to the James with or without taking it out."
Alex mustered a short nod of agreement.
"I understand," the two words rolled off her tongue. "We should check on Rachel and Mike."
"Agreed," he released her hands and let her start for the door but captured her wrist in his hold. Alex froze and spun around, confused by this.
"What's wrong?" Alex twisted the rest of her body back around. When the last syllable fell quiet he was gathering her in his arms, pressing her face to his chest. He felt her smaller ones encircling him in kind.
"You're right: I'm afraid of you getting hurt again. I wasn't there to stop El Toro."
"Well this time, you'll be there right alongside me; protecting me."
"Damn right," he muttered.
"You couldn't prevent what happened to me. They outgunned you. Would've been hard to come back if you, Mike, Master Chief, or Burk were hurt or worse."
"You have no idea..." His hold deepened.
"Don't let it consume you Tom. With me being there, those girls were spared further suffering. I would do it again."
"I know," the weight of his hand pushed tenderly against the back of her head. "We need to get back."
"Yep," Alex released him and went for the door, sighing tiredly. "No rest for the weary."
"Are we ready XO Slattery?" Rachel hollered over her shoulder. The breeze continued its gentle swells, their unseen ally in this clandestine assault. Mike nodded as Green kept watch on the Kirov on the upper deck. So far, no Zodiacs or other signs of activity surrounded the Russian vessel. He suspected they were watching them as they watched the larger ship. No matter, they couldn't spot the doctor or XO as they were concealed by the side of the helo bay. So long as the sea blessed them, the James would possess the advantage. According to the Major and Dr. Scott, E. coli would cause extreme discomfort including abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and fever. Good! Those assholes deserved every bit of misery inflicted.
"Ready Doctor," Mike gave the signal and donned his mask. Rachel followed suit while Green shifted away and out of the line of fire. Mike silently prayed this worked. It wasn't he didn't have faith in Rachel but it was Nature he remained cautious of. He had been on the open ocean long enough to bear witness to her gentle caresses and violent rages. One moment a steady wind could provide good passage but within minutes shift and create chaos for the mortals caught in her ire.
The cylinder was attached to a narrow tube, borrowed from Engineering. Rachel assured Chief Engineer Garnett it would be returned washed, rinsed, and sanitized three times over then tested before landing back in her hands. Lieutenant Chung devised the propulsion components that would expel the contents out and away. CO2 from the pop dispensing system in the Crew Lounge. Some crew openly groaned and expressed their mourning over the loss of carbonated goodness. Well, they were running low on syrup flavors which softened the blow; slightly.
Rachel gripped the faucet handle and steadily twisted it left. She quietly congratulated herself on maintaining steady hands with each sharp turn. The hose twitched and danced in her hold but she held steadfast. It had to be constant flow.
"Here goes nothing," she breathed through her mask.
"Delivery en route," Mike conveyed across the radio.
"Sir," Lieutenant Granderson spoke up. "Dr. Scott has initiated dispensing." Tom and Alex watched with intent with the former nodding to the right. From the corner of his left eye, he caught the contraction and flexing of Alex's jaw. Her chest would pause for several moments before her brain reminded her lungs to expand then compress.
Alex continued her vigilance, noticing the subtle shift in sunlight. Her eyes drifted from Rachel to the vast horizon before them.
"Um Gator," she hollered for the Navigator. Gator's head snapped up at the alarming tone.
"Major what's wrong?"
"I'm not a meteorologist but that looks an awful lot like a storm attempting to develop." She pointed at the window. Her face darkened at the looming ramifications.
"Shit," Gator spat out in a rare display of vulgarity.
"Oh no no no no," Alex shook her head. "No, no no... . ."
As if Nature was compounding their distress, a streak of lightning reached across the darkening horizon.
"Damn it!" Mike cursed and looked skyward. The wind shifted, going north and away from the Kirov. Fat drops splattered around them, striking the deck and personnel with indifference. He hurried to Rachel who was killing the switch to the CO2. Her pensive shoulders and dejected expression only compiled their defeat. "Rachel, we need to head in."
The random incursion of rain morphed into a torrent. The Kirov was shunned from their sight by the thick sweeping gray curtain.
Thunder exploded overhead, deafening any who were unfortunate to be outside. Alex squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears; remembering how she would sprint for the blankets and hide until her mom or dad would come in, draw the blankets back, collect her shaking crying body up, and reassure her the storm couldn't get her.
"Now I remember why I went into the Army!"
Tom watched the wiper blades frantically swish across the glass. It was in vain as the rain increased, reducing any visibility to under five feet. "Gator, how much longer with this storm?"
Gator was on it, examining the screen with delicate precision. "Looks like it's drifting south southeast approximately 25-30 mph."
"Gotta love the random storm," Alex muttered to herself. She glanced over shoulder to see Mike and Rachel approaching. Both were thoroughly drenched with hair matted to scalps. Mike offered a sympathetic look to Alex.
"We go to Plan B."
"Wait what?!" Mike felt his arms and legs regaining feeling. For being in the sub tropical region of the world, the rain was on par with fall in Chicago. He placed the half full mug on the table, staring at Alex and Tom.
"Alex is qualified with the Barrett. I'm escorting her out and back."
"Is this really a good idea? Not to insult Alex's skills."
"None taken," she calmly replied with mouth accepting coffee. "I know, Tom was apprehensive about it too."
"Why not one of the Marines? Bressler? Sterling? Eckert?" He waited for an answer.
"I want payback Mike," Alex admitted. "I want to be the one to deliver the shot."
"This is because of-"
"It is," she nodded. "Ruskov needs to know that he CANNOT fuck with us."
"You mean 'fuck' with those you care about." Alex and Tom traded looks. "I figured out something was up a while back when I caught Alex slipping away from your cabin. Well, it was before that. After returning from Nicaragua my suspicions were aroused. I've seen the looks you two trade when you think no one is watching."
Mike knew because he had been on the receiving and giving side of those very glances. When times were brighter with Christina, before the separation and pending divorce proceedings, such expressions of tenderness and intimacy were common under their roof. Initially it had invoked a stab of envy seeing how Tom and Alex drew close; with Nicaragua being the tipping point. But soon, he too began to share in the long missed reflections of emotion. He had not expected it with Rachel but it happened and she really wasn't so bad after all.
"Oh boy," Alex sunk into the nearest seat. Her hands caught her forehead. "We're keeping this low key Mike. You understand...right?"
"Mike, look," Tom leaned on the table with hands shoulders' width apart but Mike shot up a hand, cutting off his CO's attempt to elaborate.
"You don't have to explain yourself Tom. Neither one of you need to." He refilled her mug. She laughed lightly at the subtle gesture. "What's so funny?" His brow furrowed and darkened slightly/
"That," she gestured at the pot in his hand. "When we met we were always at odds so to speak. In the beginning you would've wanted to throw that pot at me. Delivering low blows to inflict maximum damage. We were ready to kill one another but now..." she paused. "But now you're like my brother. The big brother who won't let anyone mess with me because that's your job."
"And as your 'brother' I'm not exactly excited about you and Tom gallivanting to that speck of land and opening fire on a Kirov."
"We're not opening fire; we're simply handicapping it. Again." She added an evil smile.
"I'm just concerned that the CO and one of our scientists will be off the James and vulnerable...Again." He added unnecessarily.
"And you're right to be concerned," Tom gently agreed.
"I don't feel right." Mike shook his head. "About letting you two do this."
"If something runs afoul, the mission is aborted; with or without completion. Once the rain ceases and it goes dark, we leave." Tom straightened his posture, solidifying his stare. "We'll maintain communications with the James. We have the two ways."
"If ANYTHING feels like it's going south, I will deploy an extraction team. You two swimming back will be like shooting fish in a barrel."
"Agreed," Tom nodded once more.
"We'll be back Mike," Alex felt a surge of boldness. "We'll be alright."
We'll be alright...
We'll be alright...
We'll be alright...
Suddenly, she heard Mark's voice echo her words.
We're going to be alright Lex...
"Alex, Alex," Tom waved his hand inches from her face. She blinked twice then tilted her head to find concern biting the outer parts of his eyes.
"Sorry," she smiled meekly. "I zoned out. I should rest before tonight. I'll talk to Bressler about the Barrett."
Leaving the cup partially finished, Alex pushed away then up and exited in silence.
"You think she's up to it?" Mike waited until she was gone. "Not that I respect your decision."
"She needs a few hours rest that's all. But if I need to I'll use Bressler."
Mike grunted but said nothing.
"I'm surprised you didn't say something sooner." Tom claimed the last of the coffee.
"After seeing how Alex pulled you back after what happened and of course when she decided to experiment on herself and your 'vigil'," he did quotation marks with his fingers. "It wasn't hard to see. Who am I to question that?"
"Because knowing you you're concerns would rest with the decisions I make. How they would impact the ship and crew."
"Yes I had my reservations." Mike wasn't going to lie about it. "Now, after all that's happened, I was wrong in my initial impressions."
"You mean after you and Alex had it out."
"That too," Mike gently chuckled. "At least she had the good stuff." He took a another gulp. "So, you really do care about her?"
Tom looked up to his XO, a smile graced his lips as he spoke. "I do Mike. But it 's more than that."
Pop Quiz: Where is the character of Casey Schuler from? Here's a hint: He's from a movie.