"Oh, yeah." Hawk groaned as Pain scrubbed between her shoulders for her, "Seven weeks in the jungle."

Pain chuckled at her sister, "Better than seven weeks in the desert."

"Says you." Frosty growled from right next to them as he scrubbed his armpits with his washrag, "I prefer the dry heat."

Boomer laughed from under the spray, "Little Frosty there was just worried he'd get caught on his own and dragged into the rebel's army."

"Hey, I'd get recruited." he snapped, "You'd get executed."

Southey snickered, "He's got a point, cuz."

"Speaking of recruiting," Flyball said from the corner shower, "What's the deal with Pain and the Doc?"

Jordan slapped him on his bare backside, hard, "Jerk!"

He jumped sharply and rubbed at the bright red handprint on his cheek, "Ow, what was that for?"

Pain rolled her shoulder and turned around to let her sister get the spots she couldn't reach, "You tell me, you're the one sleeping with Patch."

"She's a good person, Pain."

"And I'm not!?" she shouted.

Jordan leveled a glare at her, "Keep talking there Heartbreaker. I don't want her getting hurt when she can't keep you."

Pain snorted, "Heartbreaker?! Name me one person who didn't walk away happy."

"Name me one who walked away," Jordan quipped. " You've always left them behind."

"Hey," Hawk jumped in, "Every one of them knew the deal before they got in bed so stow it, Patch."

"And I didn't spend seven weeks with any of them." Jordan snapped. "Pain wants to leave broken hearts laying around the world that's her business, but my friend won't be one of them."

"You act like I'm some player out to get my rocks off." Pain protested and pointed to the Irish, "Those guys over there are way bigger sluts than I am. For crying out loud, I'll admit to being a shameless flirt, but actually sleeping with someone? You know damn well how picky I get."

"She's got a point." Frosty said.

"Hey!" Patch barked. "You've only been on this team for a few months so shut it."

He rolled his eyes, "Are you done with the shampoo?"

Glaring she retrieved the bottle from the tile floor and threw it at him. It was either catch it or eat it. He shook his head at her.

"Word of advice." Flyball said to Frosty, "Steer clear when she's pissed."

"Alright." Butch said, "I think that this conversation is getting out of hand. Pain, standard Rules of Engagement. No direct moves on Dr. Isles, but if she initiates, you're free to engage. Patch, the doc is a grown woman and can make her own choices. That being said you can always give her a heads up on Pain's inability to commit. That's fair."

Groaning, Jordan shut off the water on her spigot and grabbed a towel.

"Where are you going?" Hawk asked.

She passed a peeved stare at Pain. "I've got a bitch session in sickbay before I wave off my friend."

Pain rolled her eyes. "You used to be my wingman before you hooked up with farm boy over there."

"And if it was anyone else I'd be running block for you." Jordan toweled off in the center of the communal shower room. "But Maura is a very good person and again, I don't want her getting hurt when she can't keep you."

Pain shut down her shower and snatched up a towel. "Relax, I don't think she's really into me anyway and wasn't she banging that what's his name, Foxtrot?"

"Faulkner." She replied, "It didn't work out. He was too controlling. I threatened to cut off his manhood more than once."

"Ow." Shouted Boomer.

"Aye." Southey agreed. "Easy with the talk about cutting off Johnnies."

"Especially when their out." Frosty added.

"Right." Flyball finished, "We don't talk about titty twisters when you ladies have them out."

Pain faced them and pointed at her bare chest. "Come try it, see what happens."

Hawk shut off the water and sent a searing look over her shoulder as she grabbed her towel. "Pinch my nipple and I'll crush your balls."

The men cringed causing the three women to laugh as they got dressed.

* * *

Stabler was escorted down to the SCIF and after credentials were examined he was admitted. A tall thin elderly man with dark glasses stood off to one side of the secured Intel center. The darkness of the room added to the very cloak and dagger effect.

"Captain Stabler." The spook said. "I have a problem that I think you can shed some light on."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "My understanding was that I was here for Intel on our next mission."

The CIA operative nodded. "You are, but one thing at a time. Play the video."

The large screen behind him lit up with a satellite image of the Congo.

"Keep your eyes on the shoreline."

Stabler watched as a reddish yellow ball of fire erupted near the beach.

"The signature of that explosion matches a High yield P-10 explosive cell used in the latest Tomahawk cruise missile. The only issue is that every missile in the Atlantic fleet is accounted for and despite our best efforts, we can't find a method of airborne delivery. Since it isn't possible for us to miss something like that. How about you tell me how your team got a hold of a P-10 warhead cell."

"What makes you think it was my team?"

The spy glared at him over the dark rims, "Because that is where I chased your team back to from their landing here."

He pointed at the black female at the console. She typed in something and a topside view of the Lincoln appeared with an Osprey frozen in mid flight over it.

"Ten times reverse." He said.

Stabler watched the aircraft fly backwards to an island, a boat appeared in the water and rolled backwards to the blast area.

"Freeze and zoom in." He said.

Nine people were suspended in time on the boat.

"That's your team." He said. "And their right next to Africa's newest lagoon."

Stabler shrugged, "Coincidence."

"Don't bullshit me Stabler." Came the reply. "I'm Jewish, not stupid."

Stabler shrugged and pulled up a chair. "I can't say for certain it was them, but I can say that my operators are damn good at getting things and even better at not getting caught. Odds are neither one of us will ever know where that bomb came from."

Munch smiled slightly. "The Pentagon is going insane trying to figure out what happened. I haven't seen them that upset since the Cuban missile crisis. Just imagine how they'll feel when they fire a cruise missile that doesn't go boom."

"Sounds like defective equipment." He said nonchalantly. "It's rare, but it happens."

Munch nodded. "So it would seem. Still it would be nice to trace which one was defective."

Stabler crossed his arms over his chest. "I was told that there was an issue with Syria."

The CIA agent sat down next to the girl. "Holiday. Bring up Tango Alfa three-seven-five."

The screen changed to a satellite image of Syria and began zooming in.

* * *

Maura came awake to a grumbling stomach. Feeling half-starved, she cleaned up and dressed before heading to the galley. What she found there surprised her. Half of the strike team was sitting at a table dressed all in black BDUs, laughing and eating a mountain of food.

"Shut up and chew with your mouth closed." Pain shoved Hawk playfully.

Hawk responded by smacking her lips loudly.

As Maura was handed a plate of food. Two pilots walked by and stopped to hit on the sisters.

"Awe. That's really sweet," Pain said. "You do know she kills people for a living, right?"

Maura couldn't help but smile as both men blanched and hustled away.

Hawk smiled, rested her elbow on the table and her head on her fist. "Do you have to put my business out there like that?"

Smirking, Pain grinned at her. "Just trying to help keep you loyal to your reporter."

"No, you're blocking out of spite."

Maura cleared her throat as she approached them. "Excuse me."

Frosty and Jordan looked up at her as Pain turned around slowly, her captivating smile gave Maura a chill that excited her.

"Hey there, gorgeous." Her eyes got a seductively playful mirth. "You look a lot better out of the jungle."

"Yes. Thank you for that." She said. "May I join you?"

"Sure." Pain said as Hawk scooted away to make room. "Pull up a seat."

Jordan waved a hand to a seat next to her. "Come sit over here Maura. It's safer."

Pain shot her a glare. "Don't listen to her, she's just joking around."

Jordan rolled her eyes and went back to her lunch. Maura sat down next to her friend, making Jordan smirk at Pain. But Maura didn't do it to be safe, she did it so she could see and observe Painkiller.

Though she was rather open in her dating preferences, no woman caught Maura's attention before. It was something that intrigued her scientific mind and Maura loved figuring out things she didn't know.

"So, a hot shower, couple good meals and you look like you're ready to go back home." Jordan said to her.

"I certainly am." She agreed and put a hand to her head, trying to dispelled the images in her mind of all the death and destruction.

"Piece of advice, Doc." Hawk said. "Stay there. The rest of the world just isn't what it used to be."

"I'll tell you what." Pain said as she picked at her breakfast. "Six weeks in the jungle, I could use some R ."

She picked up a piece of bacon and held it up, staring at Maura. "There's only so much python and bananas a girl can eat." Pain crunched it loudly in her teeth.

Maura looked at Jordan. "I thought that was a joke."

Jordan shook her head, "It's actually not bad."

Hawk chuckled. "Everything tastes better with your hot sauce."

Jordan dug into her satchel and placed the bottle on the table. "Never leave home without it."

Frosty chuckled. "In the six weeks we've been watching your camp, we must have had python twice a week. Course every now and again Hawk would see a rabbit of some kind and take it out."

Maura gasped. "Six weeks? If you knew this could happen why weren't you doing something about it."

Pain got a regretful look at her. "Because our orders were to remain hidden and watch over you. Patch was our mole and she kept you safe inside while we kept watch outside."

"We're soldiers, Maura." Jordan said. "We don't know why we were told to watch you. Just that we were to pull you out if it got hot. We're not exactly in the Armed Forces Special Operations Duty Roster so someone very high up wanted you protected at any cost."

Jordan's words resonated inside her. All of a sudden she had a damn good idea exactly who ordered these soldiers to keep an eye on her. Though she definitely appreciated the rescue, her old friend from Boston Cambridge University had abused her position to ensure Maura's safety. It was another example of her long time friend's rather flexible conscience. Alex had campaigned about morality and responsibility when she ran for the senate and it had won her that election. Though Maura was alive now due to Alex's misappropriation of government resources, it was still one of several examples for why Maura had not voted for her friend.

Before she could think up a reply, Butch walked up to the table. "We're debriefing in 30 minutes. Let's go."

There were some groans around the table, but the soldiers stood up and started picking up their trays and garbage.

"Lt, can't we get an hour, it's been forever since we've even seen civilization." Pain grumbled.

"Though you can barely call a carrier civilized," Hawk said. "But an hour would be better."

Frosty chuckled, "Women are so damn greedy."

"Shut up!" Both sisters barked at him.

He laughed harder and dumped his tray. "See ya, Doc."

Jordan put a hand on Maura's shoulder, "I'll be hanging out in the brig if you need something."

Pain dumped her garbage and put the tray on top of the can before looking over at the pretty blonde doctor. "I still want to buy you dinner."

Jordan shoved her towards the door, "Get moving Pain in My Ass."

Pain laughed and followed her sister, but just before getting to the corridor, she spun around and her eyes met Maura's. She put on a warm and friendly smile before blowing her a kiss and winking. Jordan ground her teeth as she followed Pain out.

* * *

"Syria?!" Pain barked. "Weren't we just there six months ago?"

"That was Jordan." Patch said.

"It's the same stretch of sand." She grumbled. "Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel. All Gobi Desert with three other countries I can remember in a hot beige blur."

"Pain." Butch said firmly.

The dark haired soldier deflated. Stabler rolled his eyes. "The situation is still developing. This area has been in a state of civil war for more than five years. But Intel says that the Syrian government is getting outside help beyond that which is normal. The whole thing is a brush fire surrounded by powder kegs. If it gets too hot, then we could have a third Gulf War with international consequences. There is significant Intel indicating a major buildup of arms that none of the five powers should have."

Butch raised her hand to her chin. "Are we trying to start a war or stop it?"

"Stop it from going global." He said. "If the bad guys do move. Our allies want as much advanced notice as they can get and you'll need to slow them down."

Boomer raised his hand. "How?"

"Anything short of NBC warfare." Stabler said and got a smart ass open mouthed grin. "You boys are scroungers, I'm sure you can find something on this tub to help you."

Southey smiled at Boomer. "Look at the bright side, we get to go shopping for bombs."

Boomer returned the smile and nodded.

"I take it my roll is Air support?" Flyball asked.

Shaking his head, Stabler flipped through his clipboard. "Closest ship is the Reagan in the Med so you're going in too. But if you can steal a Syrian chopper..." He shrugged.

"What's our insertion," Hawk asked.

"Airdrop from a C-2. I tried to get the Osprey, but the Captain of the Reagan is plenty pissed right now." Stabler looked straight at Flyball, "Captain Gates said that if you come within a hundred miles of her ship again, she'll order you shot down, rescued, and court martialed."

There were muted laughs and snickers. Stabler tried to keep the smile off his face, but failed as one corner of his mouth tipped up. "A full briefing will commence as soon as we know we're up. Until then, enjoy Navy hospitality, and gather what you'll need for three weeks in the desert. Any more questions?"

* * *

Loaded up with supplies a C-2 Greyhound, the navy's cargo workhorse, lined up with the landing strip. The pilot zeroed in the aircraft on the light guided landing system nicknamed the Meatball.

Listening in to the pilot he heard the Controller call out to the plane.

"Echo 317, you are on glide path, 3/4 of a mile. Follow the ball."

"Copy that." The pilot replied, "Echo 317 has the ball."

Jerry Tyson tightened his seatbelt. Knowing that the carrier landings were always rough, Tyson braced himself for the forward lurch that was a result of the arrested landing. A moment later. He was walking across the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.

* * *

Despite the fact that they had all piled into one cell for the "amusement" of the Chief of the Boat, Once the brig was turned over to them, they dispersed the bedding among the cells. Pain and Hawk shared one out of habit more than anything, Patch and Flyball had strung up blankets for privacy in their cell. And since LT preferred to be alone, Frosty had shacked up with the Irish until they all left to do... whatever it was that men did.

Dressed in a Navy Work Uniform, the blue camouflage version of the army's BDU, Pain sat on a metal stool she liberated from the guard's station while she finished up her maintenance check on Hawk's battle rifle. Her sister sat on her bunk, legs curled up under her, adjusting her sniper rifle.

"Your H still looks brand new inside." Pain said as she closed and locked the receiver. "We should just pick you up an MP5 for combat."

Hawk smiled as she tweaked something inside the lower receiver. Her sharp eyes never leaving her work as she smiled. "I like the stopping power and the interchangeable ammo."

Pain racked the weapon and tugged on the trigger. The resulting snap echoed throughout the room. "You just keep this around for me cause you love watching me double fisting." Pain batted her eyes at her sister.

Hawk made an "ahh" face and pulled the small screwdriver out of the weapon. She cocked the trigger with her finger and gently squeezed. The clack of the trigger assembly was remarkably loud.

"Ah hah!" She said proudly and looked up. "I got it."

She handed the receiver over and Pain checked it out. "Damn girl. That's way too light a trigger for me."

She passed it back and Hawk reassembled the rifle. "I bet I just increased my range by a quarter of a click."

"Yeah, but who needs to be that accurate over three klicks away?"

"I do." Hawk looked at her blankly. "Now if I can just take the play out of the collapsible stock, I'd get nearly four."

Shaking her head, Pain chuckled, "Overachiever."

"Not really." Hawk beamed, "just a triple volunteer."

There was a polite knock on the metal gate.

Pain looked up and her face lit up like the sun. "Hey there, gorgeous."

Hawk glanced over at the entry, tipped her head up in greeting, and went back to her rifle.

Maura clasped her hands in front of her and nervously twisted the ring on her finger.

"Hello. I hope you don't mind me coming to visit," and there was an awkward shyness that Pain found cute as hell.

"Not at all." She patted her bunk. "Pull up a rack."

"She already has one." Hawk cracked.

Pain threw a look at her. "Don't you start too."

Chuckling, Hawk checked her scope settings. "Just kidding, Doc. I just like rankling her."

Maura stepped hesitantly into the cell and sat down on Pain's bunk. not far from her, but not too close. She looked around the cell, "your… quarters look… nice."

Pain chuckled as she set Hawk's battle rifle on the bed, "It's a prison cell, baby. The only thing we can say is that it's clean."

"The captain wouldn't let you have a room somewhere else?"

Hawk snorted as she carefully reassembled her sniper rifle, "It's just the way we are. Our team sticks together and there are no coed bunk rooms onboard so we chose to stay here."

Maura looked at Pain as the beautiful soldier smiled, "Are they treating you pretty good?"

There was something about that smile and how it revealed two beautiful dimples that made Maura want to run her fingers along Pain's jaw. "Yes, they gave me a stateroom. It's small, but quiet."

Her smile widened and her eyes got a mischievous glint. "I'd like to see it sometime."

Two shades of pink shaded Maura's cheeks as she caught Pain's meaning.

Hawk chuckled to herself as she finished the assembly of her rifle. "On that note, I need to make a phone call."

Pain arched an eyebrow at her sister, "Calling your reporter?"

"Hell yeah." Hawk said as she straightened, "Since I can't have the real thing, I might as well have some phone sex. Plus it keeps him interested."

Maura straightened and tried not to blush, but failed.

Hawk sauntered out of the cell and out of the brig.

She looked back to see Pain stand up and shrug on the blue camo blouse over her black tank top. "So about that dinner."

Instantly grateful for the distraction, Maura stood up and grinned, "I'd love too."

* * *

Jordan watched as Pain walked into the Mess Deck with Maura. She grumbled loudly and Flyball shook his head, "She's a grown woman Jordan. Let her have some fun with Pain while she can."

"Maura falls hard." Patch grumbled. "You didn't see how she was when she broke up with Faulkner. I don't want her to go through that with Pain too."

"Say what you want, but Pain is pulling out all the stops for your friend." He said with a tip of his chin.

She watched as Pain carried both trays to a quiet table where she set them down and pulled out the chair for Maura. As the doctor sat, Pain scooted the chair underneath her. She placed a gentle hand on Maura's shoulder before taking a chair directly across from her.

It was very clear that her friend was responding well to Pain and her charismatic charm.

Jordan felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Flyball smiling, "So how about if we go find a nice quiet corner of the hangar deck."

"Only if I get to fly." She said and wiggled her eyebrows.

"So how does a woman become a special forces soldier?" Maura asked. "My understanding is that women are not allowed to be in combat positions."

Shrugging Pain sipped at the juice on the table. "We spent our first three years in training. Hawk and I are the first women ever to triple volunteer."

"Triple volunteer?" Maura asked,

"Enlistment, Airborne, Rangers." Pain said. "We were selected at basic for the program. Airborne Ranger school is where we met the Captain, Butch, and Patch. Boomer came in at Special Forces training. Southey at Seal training. Then finally Flyball when we went to the Farm."

"The Farm?" She asked.

Smiling. Pain leaned back in her chair. "That's a codename for the CIA training center. We are the best trained asset in covert military history, though we'll never ever be acknowledged or even denied as such."

Shifting uncomfortably, Maura looked deep into her brown eyes. "I'm not supposed to know this, am I?"

She shrugged. "Probably not, but who would believe you if you told anyone?"

Maura could easily see her point. "That's true. Though many know that I can't lie, it would be impossible to believe without proof. But why are you telling me?"

Again, the soldier shrugged, "Because I listen when my gut tells me I can trust you. I like you, Maura, and despite Patch and her yapping about my reputation as a ladies woman, it's all hype. I can count on one hand how many lovers I've had because when I take a woman to my bed, it's because she's unique, special." Her eyes heated up with a familiar light. "Like you."

A warmth spilled through her at the look. She tried, and failed, to conceal it. "I bet you say that to all of the women."

A breathtaking smile graced Pain's face. "Like I said, I can count them on one hand."

Her skin felt hot and needy but she held a firm grip on her desire, there was still one thing she wanted to know. "Jordan called you a heartbreaker."

"I guess I am, in a way." She replied. "I'm not a homemaker, Doc. I'm a soldier. Sometimes people think they can change that and when the fun is over and it's time to go back to work. Sometimes people can't understand how I can just walk out the door and hop the next flight to the middle of nowhere. You need to understand that when that call comes, I'll be right there with my team and covering my sister's back, no matter how amazing a time we have together."

"So this," she waved a hand between them, "is a fling."

"Not a fling, Maura." She said. Her husky voice thickening. "Gah, I don't know what to call it, but I don't have flings. But it's all I have to offer, short lived though it is."

Rising to her feet Maura held her hand out. "Thank you for being honest with me."

Standing up. Pain took her hand, convinced that Maura wasn't interested, until she didn't let go.

"Let's not waste anymore time." Maura's voice was thick.

Another dazzling smile and Pain quietly led her out of the mess hall. But in the corridor. Maura stopped her briefly. "What is your real name?"

Pain paused and again looked into those magnificent eyes. She pulled the doctor into her arms and nuzzled her neck.

"Jane." She breathed into her ear. "My name is Jane."