CHAPTER 8

WHEELS UP

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Dianna was checking out if the shampoo aisle had any news that could help her restore the shine and youth of her fucked up hair, to the days of yore. It used to be a beautiful mixture of dark brown and dark auburn hair color, shiny. Now she felt it was just a lifeless blur. However, apparently the grocery store didn't really have any fancy miracle-worker shampoos like that. She'd have to spend three times the amount of money to really buy something that could make a difference, somewhere else. So she glanced at her braided hair resting on her collarbone, and suddenly she didn't feel that it bothered her that much. Her hair was frizzy because of the sea air, but at least she had more volume now, which she always wanted.

Then she went to the next thing on her list, which was toilet paper, and she got into the next aisle, filled with female tampons. That wasn't it. She looked back, searching for the sign, and it really was the next one, so she calmly made her way back. The grocery store was very calm and empty; it was a Wednesday morning, after all.

Suddenly she heard a cellphone ringing, but a weird ring, with a buzz. A double ring and a double buzz, actually. It wasn't hers, she thought for a second, but it got louder and then she realized that yes, it was her phone buzzing, because it was her secondary chosen ringtone, especially saved for her message from Command Center. It had already buzzed three times, and it'd buzz a few more. She opened her purse and finally the double loud noise stopped, except it didn't, it became one loud noise, then she looked at the screen for a second, and heard a teasing voice behind her.

"You should press that button".

She turned, to see Jason behind her, with his phone in hands, and hers finally stopped, but she'd really have to press the button because it would start to buzz again, until she confirmed she received the message. She quickly glanced at the screen and pressed the confirmation button, then turned to him again, a bit distraught, and he was making his way, calmly, with shopping cart and all, to her.

"Hi" she smiled, shyly, then she saw him glancing the aisle as he entered. She quickly blushed, and she hated the fact that she, as a woman, always felt the need to hide that she got periods, as any other woman did. But she just needed him to know that she wasn't on her period, and wasn't buying tampons and stuff.

"I got into the wrong aisle" she quickly said, and feminists around the globe felt the pain of shame at that moment, simultaneously.

He just chuckled, looking down, and looking cute. Dianna was trying really hard to not have a crush on him, because she worked with him, so she reminded herself that he was a married or committed man, probably with a son, and if he flirted with her it was even worse, because then he was also a pig. But now she was hoping that he flirted with her, and then she'd dislike him immediately, but could continue to work with him and hang out. Except, then she realized he'd probably not flirt with her at all, because he was way out of her league, so she would probably just have a platonic crush on him.

He continued to approach her and parked his cart beside her. His torso actually made a shadow over her, blocking the grocery's ceiling lights. "Got what you needed?" he casually asked, checking out her cart.

She looked down, there was only toilet paper missing, as an essential. "Yes, got it all" she lied.

"Good. Better get going then".

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Dianna drove like a maniac to get her groceries to her house, and then put some things in the fridge and freezer, and then finally she made her way to Base. Still, she was the last one to arrive for briefing, almost lost of breath. She greeted everyone quickly and made her way to the same chair she sat on her first day there; now it was only the second time that she entered that room. The chair was right behind Jason, between him and Ray; she didn't remember that.

"You're late" Jason teased again, receiving an apologetic smile in response. How the hell he got in so fast, she'd never know. Probably his wife/partner helped, putting his stuff in the fridge and freezer. That was easy.

"Ok guys. Listen up" Blackburn began. This time, he said that the CIA had found a hidden warehouse in Mongolia, possibly being used for storage of powerful bombs, and even radioactive material, in benefit of Syria, who was aided by Russia, probably, since it is located near its border. The warehouse is situated in an area of mountains, and the team would have to invade the compound, make it to the warehouse, analyze the material, with the help of a specialist, of course, and destroy it or extract it. The intel also suggested that besides the warehouse, the compound also held terrorists, almost certainly Syrians, so they needed to capture who they could and bring them for interrogation, to find out if they knew about other warehouses like that, or if the material was sold to someone specific. Davis reminded everyone that Mongolia was a neutral country, who had received training by the U.S. Military many times, so they'd grant access to their air space and to a secondary location where the interrogations would be held. But they were afraid that the warehouse would be emptied, because being a neutral country meant that the Syrians or Russians could easily have assets or spies wandering their territory to find out if the Americans knew something about the warehouse. So they needed to wheels up in two hours. Then Davis finished the briefing and the guys calmly got up, while Dianna was still googling if it was hot, cold or snowy in Mongolia.

"It's cold there, now" Ray calmly informed her, standing up beside her. "But I don't think it's snowy, at least not where you'll be".

"Oh, true" she just said, then got out of the building with everyone and made her way to her car. It was going to be a quicker op, so she just took another shower, dried her hair and got a few warm clothes and a few more underwear than necessary, just in case. Then she was about to close her small bag, when she realized that her job was not to show up and do physical stuff; she was actually going to try to convince terrorists from Syria, or maybe even Russia, that handled bombs and radioactive material, to open their tiny mouths. They were used to impressive people, so she'd have to be extra impressive to gain their respect. She went back to her closet and picked up a few more things.

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"Smaller bag this time. But still quite big for a quick op" Jason teased Dianna as soon as she began to slowly walk up the plane ramp, but she just slightly smiled. So he just shut up and said nothing else. She walked to his direction, looking very chic and mysterious, all dressed in black, with tight pants and a tight long sleeve blouse, all covered up and yet, very sexy, with her curves very noticeable. Her brown eyes were lined in black, and her hair was loose, a bit wavy and voluminous, and looking more auburn against the black clothes. She looked dangerous and exotic. Quite the opposite of the outfit that Jason was wearing: green t-shirt, puffy jacket and old jeans. He noticed that. He felt very 'plain American'.

"My heavy coat and boots took up most of the space" she calmly explained when she got closer to him. Jason smirked but she passed by him, and the many vacant seats next to him, and sat a few seats away, right next to Brock. Jason watched Dianna joyfully greeting and petting Cerb, while Brock was talking all seductive to her, mesmerized by her look.

After they took off, the team started planning the op, and they obviously decided to HAHO to the target, then Cerb would guide them through the compound until they found the warehouse filled with bombs, and then the best way out was to walk up a few miles south, distancing from the Russian border, where the helo could pick them all up. Fortunately, it was going to be a night op.

Plans decided, they explained it all to the radioactive material specialist that would join them, and he looked scared as fuck, which was normal, but Ray kept calming him down.

Jason turned to take a look at the time, because they'd probably gear up soon. Dianna was just behind him, looking confused.

"What is HAHO? Is it a type of helo?"

"No. It's a method of parachute insertion. How we'll get off this plane" he crossed his arms, looking cool, and kept a serious face.

"Oh. Will we have to do the HAHO too?"

He chuckled. "No, don't worry. We'll HAHO near target then the plane will descend at the airport for you guys".

"Thank God. I've never parachuted in my life" she smiled, relieved. "Sorry, didn't want to keep you" she quickly said, gesturing and walking towards Davis.

Blackburn informed them it was time to gear up, so Jason went to the separate area of the plane with the team guys, to change to his dark green camouflaged fatigues and put on his vest, gear and helmet.

Davis let Dianna know that she should put some heavy coat on, because the back exit of the plane would open for the guys to HAHO, and it would be freezing cold there, so she quickly put her knee-high boots on and the dark gray fur coat she brought. She only wore fake fur, but this was an heirloom from her grandma that she kept hiding in her closet; it stopped in the middle of her thighs and she decided to wear it during that op, to play her part.

"Jesus" Davis said to Dianna when she walked up to her and Blackburn, "You look like someone from the Russian mob".

"Really? I just wanted to look impressive" Dianna looked at her outfit, not sure what to think about it now.

"Oh, believe me. You look very impressive. And Russian too", Davis laughed, and Blackburn agreed, chuckling.

Dianna stood still, having an idea. A crazy one, though. She'd have to see how the op would go, first.

"Do I really look Russian? Like, original? Not fake?" Dianna had to make sure.

Davis stared at her, curious about her insistence. "Seriously. You do. Please make sure you stay close to us at the airport or else they'd think you're a Russian spy".

Jason got out of the area and walked down the stairs, towards the back of the plane, and Dianna looked up and actually had to stop talking to Davis to focus, and properly check him out. She hadn't seen him geared up in full uniform; it was a deadly combination, and he knew it, and she knew that he knew it, because he slightly deviated his path to walk right by her side.

As he came closer, though, he hesitated, glancing at her tall boots and fur coat, and Dianna noticed he was staring at her. Then he glanced away and just nodded at her and Davis as he passed by.

"Stay safe", she said to his back, and Davis then said the same. He turned his head and nodded, stern.

Dianna then sat on the bench, next to Davis, closed her safety belt and put the oxygen mask on, while the team guys put their parachutes on their backs, calmly. She was really anxious, though, and when the red light was turned on and the back of the plane opened, a cold wind washed her face, but she didn't take her eyes off the guys as each of them casually threw themselves into the dark nothingness.

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