Sky Dancer glanced over to her husband's sleeping form. The sleeping pills had begun their course and she knew that he would be asleep for a few hours! She moved one of the sofa's pillows to the side and slowly lay his head down on it, before she covered him with the blanket. The manila envelope floated down to the carpet and she bent over and picked it up. She realized that this may also be the only opportunity for what was inside the envelope! Her request for an early discharge from the Joes. She looked down at the envelope, wishing that she could continue as a Joe pilot and dog handler, but it was no longer meant to be. New responsibilities had arose and she did not wish to have her child or children live in a world without her.
A snore followed by a mutter came from the sofa and her head snapped up, but still found Jeffrey's eyes closed. She let out a slow long breath and looked over to her doberman. Her faithful companion that had shared her ordeal all these years as being a member of the special unit. They crossed over many hurdles together and he was all she had left from her past life. She reached out and stroked his dark coat. "I pray I will return to you!", she whispered to her canine companion who as if understanding, whimpered. "I can't take you with me!" Apollo would expose her departure, someone could spot him and everything would be ruined!
She leaned over to her sleeping husband's form, and her hand stroked his blond hair, before her hand trailed down the side of his face, down to his strong jaw and stopped right above his beating heart. "Forgive me!", she whispered to him, before she bent down toward him and kissed him one last time. She slowly stood up and looked down one last moment. "I pray to return to you!" She looked at the framed picture of their baby on the side table. "To both of you."
"It is now or never," she thought out loud.
Sky Dancer then quickly went over to the bookcase, removed the brown tome and took out the small device. She then rushed to her bedroom, taking out a small duffel bag and placed it on the bed. Opening the closet door, she was about to reach for a long sleeved shirt when something caught her eye. Her Joe uniform. She reached out and touched her uniform, from its green wrapped tight shirt, to its tight black leggings and her signature mini skirt. Anyone would had thought she was a lost ballerina on a military base. She had not worn her uniform for many months and did not know if it would be ever be worn again.
Shaking the terrible thought away, she once again reached into the closet and grabbed a long sleeve shirt and pants, then grabbed a few more items she needed and placed them in the duffle bag. She next placed the device and her own phone but made certain both devices were switched off. Nothing could endanger exposing her position. Lastly, she looked to the dresser spotting three framed photos and immediately went over, giving them one last glance before adding them to the duffle bag and zipped it up.
Taking out a black sweater and black pants, she quickly changed, to blend with the darkness that had covered the base. Lastly, she twisted her hair into a bun and tucked it under a black hat. She glanced at herself in the mirror, her eyes showing their fear. "Now I look like a cat burglar!", she commented to herself.
Another snore escaped from the living room and caused her to look toward at that direction. She froze for a moment, listening if he had suddenly awakened but the silence informed her otherwise. Taking the duffle bag in her hand, she returned to the living room, glanced one last time at his sleeping form before inching her way toward the door.
Apollo stood up, ready to follow suit when she turned around and commanded him, "Platz! Bleib!" Another whimper came from the doberman but remained in a down-stay position and would remain there until the releasing command.
"Watch over them when I am gone," Sky Dancer bid farewell to the canine. She took hold of the envelope, pressing it against her chest, glanced one last look toward her peacefully looking husband, who uttered one last snore and she walked out of the suite's door and into the darkened hallway.
The hallway looked deserted, no passing Joes, no trouble makers, not an animal in sight. She looked toward the corner of the wall, spotting the security camera, analyzing its movements. Timing was crucial, one false move and Breaker would be alerted that there was movement in that sector. Waiting for the perfect opportunity, she dodged the camera's angle and raced down the stairs and into the cold winter's night.
"I'm telling you, Anchy!", came Shipwreck's voice from near by, "This will be the best prank we ever pulled!"
Sky Dancer glanced about in a panic then noticed a darkened corner near the building and pressed her body against the wall. She watched Shipwreck with his protégé walk passed her, holding two large buckets filled with pink and red paint. She breathed a sigh of relief for not being spotted and she continued on. Carefully, she reached the main building and entered, and once again by-passed the cameras, her stepping similar to a computer game. And soon arrived to the main offices. Glancing around, she noticed one camera near her target and gulped. This would be the most tricky part of them all. Her movements had to be precisely accurate or everything would be ruined and her mission would fail.
The camera moved toward the other direction and the pilot wasted no time to move swiftly across the hall and place the manila envelope under her commanding officer's door. There! It was done! She quickly hid once again, while the camera shifted toward her, but with luck, she had not been caught. She turned and fled the same way she entered, once again playing the camera game.
Once outside, Sky Dancer aimed for the airplane hangar and to her Sky Striker. But getting to her long awaiting plane would be a task in itself without her getting caught in the process! Taking a deep breath, she maneuvered toward her destination. She stood silent for a moment near a building, trying to create a plan in her head when a siren dominated the base and she knew that there must be a Cobra attack somewhere!
She heard voices coming out of the barracks, Joes starting to race out of the buildings and run toward their vehicles and battle stations. This was it! She would be caught now for certain! But, her eye caught a section of the hangar, darker than the rest and she went toward it, before the pilots entered the hangars and began to board their planes, engines already roaring.
It was now or never! raced through the pilot's head. Nobody would notice an extra Sky Striker leaving the runway! Carefully, not to be spotted, she neared her plane and slowly opened the hatch and climbed inside. Her breath froze spotting Spades near by as he was looking toward her direction and prayed he not noticed her! A few minutes later, Spade's command came through the communication link. "Move out!"
Sky Dancer closed her eyes, started the plane's engine and rolled out, following Spade's squadron. Her mouth dry, her hands shaking and heart pumping to its fullest, the plane took off and once again she was in familiar territory. The squadron raced through the sky, not noticing that one of the planes was slower than the others and not noticing that particular plane take a different route. There was one last thing to do. Her hand reached over, under one of the controls and switched off a small button. Jeffrey had shown her this trick. How to deactivate the tracking system when they once had sneaked off base for a midnight trip.
She guided her plane, her thoughts running wild. "I am so getting court martial for this!", she mumbled. But there was no going back. What was done was done and she would accept her fate. Coordinates locked, the plane headed toward the country she used to call home. Greece.
It was almost ten hours when the skies had transformed to a red-orange hue and the dawn's rays had entered the windows. Her grip tight on the steering wheel, her heart still hamming in her chest, as each hour that had passed, she had feared that the Joes would trace her plane and chase her down to return her back to base and one most likely irate C.O. She switched the communications link, changed channels, already waiting her name to be yelled but it wasn't the voice she was expecting.
"Identify," a man's voice came from the link in greek.
"Reena Diamondis," Sky Dancer acknowledged the tower.
A few minutes of silence came from the other end, as the familiar looking military base came to view.
"Permission to land," the man's voice once again came through the link.
"Euxaristo," she thanked the soldier.
Sky Dancer glanced down to the ground, already spotting the short airstrip. It was always tricky to land any plane, let alone a Joe striker! Taking a good tight grip on the steering wheel, she lowered the plane and prepared herself for a landing. The ground grew closer, the wheels emerged and with a small bump, she landed once again on the land she was born.
The striker continued down the airstrip until it slowly stopped and she emerged from the plane, her feet touching the ground. She glanced around her, spotting the young men and woman in awe of a Joe Sky Striker on their base and her cheeks felt red. The cold air hit her skin, causing her brown locks to dance with the wind.
"You came," came a man's voice behind her and she turned toward it, spotting a tall dark haired man in his late forties, with a short beard and mustache.
"You gave me no choice," she snapped at him.
"And I see your attitude remains the same." He towered over her, grabbed her by the arms and kissed both cheeks in greeting.
Sky Dancer scowled at him and crossed her arms across her chest.
"I remember that face too!," he laughed.
"Let's get this over with, Dimitri," Sky Dancer said, grabbing her duffle bag and sent another unpleasant look.
"Always impatient." Dimitri took her arm and started to guide her toward the building. "We will cut this short and sweet. I will drive you home."
Home! A prank of sadness filled her soul. She remember the last time she was home. Before the Joes, Before losing her parents, and before her world had completely changed. Even after her parents funerals, she had remained in her father's office on the base, as she could not handle returning home in fear of falling completely apart.
"Fine," Sky Dancer muttered with gritted teeth. She allowed him to guide her toward the building but not enter it. Instead, they turned toward a parking lot and stopped in front of his black Mercedes. "I see you still have her."
"I won't get rid of this old girl!" Dimitri said with a cunning smile and patted the car on the hood. "Get in."
That was an order! And she knew it! Slowly, she entered the vehicle, still holding her duffle bag and felt the car pull away from the parking spot, out of the base and down the familiar city she loved and knew so well. An hour later, the car pulled into a driveway with an iron gate in front of a large looking white stone estate.
Sky Dancer watched Dimitri emerge from the car, opened the gates with a key, then retuned to the driver's seat, put the car in gear and drove through the gate. He parked the car at the end of the short driveway, once again exited and walked around the passenger side, opening the door and offering his hand which she refused and another long guffaw was the result.
Dimitri followed her up the front steps and stopped at the door, awaiting her turn.
With a sigh, Sky Dancer turned toward the side of the door and opened an iron box that was attached to the wall. She pushed a code in the keyboard and then placed her hand against the panel. A beeping sound came apparent and small click came to their ears. She glanced toward him, watching his face that held that cunning grin and she pushed the door opened, entering the large house.
The sound echoed with her first step she entered, an eerie, echoey sound which her heel from her boot had caused. The marble floors greeted their visitors, phoenixing the house once again from silence that had been trapped within its walls.
Sky Dancer took a step forward into a spacious foyer with its white marble floors, white columns and doorways that led toward other parts of the house. Greek statues stood on pedestals, 18th century art work hung on the walls and with its semi circular staircase that led to the upper floors. She turned toward Dimitri before she walked to the side of the front hall and placed down her duffle bag, then clicked on a round button on the wall, that lit the large chandelier in the middle of the foyer.
"Is it safe?" Dimitri tone had changed to a slight fear.
She turned to him with a serious expression and answered, "I don't remember."
"Great," he muttered. "Reena, we have to retrieve those documents!"
Sky Dancer searched his features. "You still have not informed me the reason why!"
"The Big Fish."
"What does he have to do with my father's work!?" she requested.
Dimitri glanced to his left, then glanced to his right, a little nervous before he took a step toward her. "Your father held some information about him that may hold the key to his capture!" His gaze landed on the far corner of the long room, to two closed wooden doors. "Your father uncovered some activity with the illegal weapon imports and exports. He most likely found the secret location that Big Fish used for his operations and before he could pass down the information to me, he was stopped."
He took another step closer to the pilot and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Reena, we know The Big Fish killed your parents!"
"Cobra killed my parents, not The Big Fish," Sky Dancer corrected with gritted teeth.
"Cobra?" Dimitri's expression changed dramatically.
"Yes, Cobra!" Sky Dancer repeated. "But what does all this have to do with me?"
Dimitri gave her a hard stare. "Because you are the only one who can retrieve your father's work and you know it!" He glanced once again over his shoulder toward the closed doors.
Sky Dancer held her breath. He knew! He knew she would sneak into her father's study at times, hiding in the corner of the room, underneath a long tablecloth, watching, listening and learning. He must have realized that she would be the only one to deactivate her father's system in order to retrieve the documents. But a voice inside her felt uncomfortable, as if her father's work should remain untouched and not be seen by anyone's eyes!
"Reena! We don't have much time!" Dimitri ordered, a little forcefully.
Sky Dancer glanced toward the closed door. "Fine."
They both took a step forward when a beeping sound came apparent and they both jumped in surprise.
"No, not now!" Dimitri growled annoyed, glancing down at the small device, identical to her own. "I need to get to the Limani!" He turned around in order to leave but turned once again toward her. "I'll return soon." With that, he darted out of the house, without even closing the front door.
Sky Dancer walked to the entrance of the foyer and closed the door behind her. The echoey sound startled her and she turned around, once again looking around the room. The home, her home felt empty, felt quiet and it felt dead. Her last memory of being in that house phoenixed and created a lump in her throat. It was the last time she saw her parents, their last supportive words, their last hug before she left to join the special unit called G. .
Her heels clicked on the marble, creating a sound, allowing the house to be filled with it once more after years of silence. She turned toward the salon room, spotting the white sheets that have covered the furniture. The Greek embassy had taken care of the home during her absence and only one person had access to the house and she trusted that person with her life. Elena. Her most closest and dearest friends who grew up together and shared the same lives.
She then glanced over to the other side, toward the dinning room, crossed through the foyer and stood by the doorway, her gaze landing at her mother's china and silver platters. A smile crept on her face of the plates that adorned the walls. Leave it to her mother to decorate with plates from the Greek Islands!
A chill greeted her and she rubbed her arms. The house felt cold, so she returned to the foyer and headed toward the back of the house, passing the semi-circular staircase and passing the closed wooden doors, when she came a wall with carved panel. She opened the panel and clicked on two switches. She heard the familiar sound and she knew the heat would soon greet her.
Opening the closet door next to the control panel, she pulled a thick woolen blanket and wrapped it around her body and was thankful she had worn her thick Irish sweater. Besides the lighted foyer, the rest of the house seemed dark. And it was due to the shutters that had been locked tight to prevent anything breaking in and anything escaping out. She would loved to open one of the windows and allow sunlight and some fresh air to enter the stuffy atmosphere, but she was nervous if she would trigger any security traps her father had installed. For the moment, the foyer's light would be her only source.
Sky Dancer ventured into the seating room and uncovered one of the couches. She slowly sat down and a sigh escaped. It should not had been this way. Her heart felt heavy with guilt. Maybe she should had gone to Duke. Maybe she should had told Jeffrey. She felt this mess was all her doing. By now, Jeffrey would had awaken, he would had noticed her missing. He would had gone to his father, who would had tried to contact her directly and if not receiving an answer, he would had called her to his office on the intercom. And because she would not had appeared, they would had started to search and discover that her Striker was missing, so a search mission would be executed.
"I am so getting court martial," she mumbled. She leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes. Fear entered her thoughts. Jeffrey would be upset, he would be hurt and he would be angry. She feared seeing him again, just to avoid those eyes that were the window to his soul and his love for her! And then she felt fear for her child. Why was he the Wild Card in all this? She feared for his safety. Would her baby's life still be in danger?
She hiccuped a soft sob. She had made so many mistakes since she joined the special unit that this mistake combined all of them together. She failed the Joes, she failed Duke and above all, she failed the one person who shared her heart and soul. Jeffrey Hauser. Tears streamed down her heart shaped face. It was her fault that her soulmate went missing all those years ago, her negligence lost him for three years! It was her fault that Duke had become a Cobra POW and it took two long years to rescue him. And then another memory surfaced. It had been her mistake to tell Rowan and Eryn about the bunny burrow during their trip to Lady Jaye's cabin and the children almost froze to death! And now it was her fault that everyone would be angry! Why did she keep making mistakes?
Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked twice, the sunlight was more profound coming from the shutters' thin cracks. She glanced around and silence greeted her. She looked down at her watch and discovered that a few hours had passed by. And realization set in, knowing that she had fallen asleep. Dimitri had not returned and part of her was relieved! He must had been detained and she was glad for it! Once again guilt entered her heart. Maybe Dimitri could take her to Yianni! Yianni was the Head of the Agency! Maybe they would not need her father's information and his work could still remain protected.
Her mouth felt dry and she stood up, allowing the woolen blanket to fall down to the sofa as she felt the house warmer! She began to head toward the kitchen, to get a glass of water, food was not an option as the refrigerator was empty. Her boot accidentally hit something and she lost her balance for a split second. Glancing down, she spotted her duffle bag. She bent over and unzip the bag, revealing the framed photos she had brought with her. Taking out the photos, she walked over to a large wooden furniture where other framed photos were displayed. Mostly photos of herself and one of two doberman pinchers and the last one of her parents.
"I miss you both so much," Sky Dancer released to their photo. She placed the three photos of herself, Jeffrey and their child next to the others. Then she spotted a photo of herself, a younger self, with child-like features, a happier self and one where her mother had guilt-tricked her into cutting her hair short. A giggle escaped knowing how much she hated it. But that was the past and it would never return, not them, and not her older self.
She turned and went back to the duffle bag and pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened at their fullest spotting close to twenty missed calls and panic set in. Most of the calls had to be from Jeffrey. Her hand shaking, she clicked the button and began to listen…
"Reena? Where are you? Please answer!" Jeffrey's voice echoed in the room first and a tear began to drop down her cheek.
"Sky Dancer, please come to my office immediately!" Duke's tone sounded agitated.
"Reena! Please, please answer!" Colleen's voice was filled with concern.
"Reena, it's Dash! Answer please! We all can't find you! We are all worried sick!" Flint's fatherly tone came to her ears and another tear dropped.
"DANM IT, REENA! I am going to pull out your pony tail when I find you!" Jeffrey's voice echoed.
"Hon, where are you? Please call back!" Scarlett's motherly tone echoed in the room.
"I swear I am going to run you over with the Wolverine!" Lady Jaye's threatening tone came next.
"SKY DANCER! YOU ARE HEADING FOR COURT MARTIAL! ABOUT TURN AND HEAD BACK TO HEADQUARTERS, THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER!" Duke's authoritative voice bounced off the walls of the room. And she knew this would had been the moment they must had found out about the Sky Striker.
"Sky Dancer! Turn that Striker around and get back here this instant!" Flint's voice once again floated out of the phone, this time his tone sounded disappointed.
"Reena? It Rosie. You hear me? Please come back!" Rowan's tearful voice almost broke her heart in two.
"LASSIE! Come home, Lassie!" Mutt's voice sounded serious.
"Weena?" Eryn's small voice came next. "I Wove you."
"I swear! You are getting the largest needle in the world!" Cayden's voice threatened.
"Hey Doll Face, it's Shipwreck! Yeah, don't worry how I got your number, let's not worry about that right now. You better come back to HQ fast because Duke is going to run you over with the Wolverine himself!" A pause came before the sailor added, "I hope you're safe, doll face."
Tears streamed down, listening to each of them. They all cared for her and she returned that love in return.
A new message suddenly appeared and she knew it was from her husband.
"Imazdi, please, " Jeffrey's voice sounded disheartened. "Don't do this to us! Pl—"
The phone went dead and she noticed the battery power showed that it was empty.
What had she done! She hurt all her family, her loved ones, and her friends! She felt sick to her stomach and raced toward the bathroom on the second floor. Entering it, she gripped tight the sink's surface and her heart beat faster and her breathing accelerated. She splashed some water on her face and looked up to the mirror image of herself. She hated her reflection! This was not her! This was not the Reena all the Joes knew. This was not the Reena her family knew or the Reena that was once happy, bright and full of joy. Like the Reena down in the picture in the salon. That Reena was dead.
She pulled open a drawer next to the sink and a long silver object came to focus. She picked up the silver object with her hand, looked once again to her mirror self before she pulled her hair away from her face, took a long thick lock in her hands and the long object came down, and a crunch sound came close to her ear. The last thing she remembered was the blood on her hand and a lock of her hair in her palm before she felt her body fall and darkness triumphed.