Everyone evacuated in the Blackhawk except Snake and Eagle who took up residency at the main shelter of Puerto Seguro. The chopper had a couple of PJ's aboard. The medical fighting soldiers usually deployed to the front lines, but these two were getting ready to go back. Proficiency training was in progress. They took over care for Igor. Gerald and Igor's co-pilot received the same treatment.

All three were handcuffed to gurneys in the medical bay at the back of the helicopter. The medics stayed with them, with weapons at the ready.

As they flew back toward San Antonio and the Air Force base explanations continued. They were equipped with headsets allowing them to hear each other as they flew away from the picturesque island.

Taron asked the one question he needed an answer to.

"What was Snake telling me about Gerald? He wanted me dead?"

"He's been responsible for a couple attacks on other aircraft. He's the one who arranged for Gus to be in the limo. He and his henchmen were watching the locker Ibran used. Melissa was supposed to be with you, Lorelei, but your insistence she stay in Tampa Bay foiled that." Mooch explained. "When my brother filed as an intervener at Melissa and Nicky's injunction hearing asking to take control of your finances, the judge granted his request to freeze everything until an audit was done."

"So, what happened, and what does this have to do with Gus?" Katilynn asked.

"Our interest at Delta Force was to place Gus in a Syrian terrorist training base supplying mercenary soldiers for hire. The robot's payload is a high death rate influenza. Ibran is a double agent. When we get back San Antonio, Sparky will take Gus and deliver him to Ibran in Dubai before he goes back to his terrorist unit. Melissa was supposed to move Gus to an Iranian operative. Likely the other pilot." Mooch pointed back toward the swarthy prisoner the PJ's were monitoring. "The NSA has been intercepting communications for some time now."

"You're breaking classified information rules, Mooch!" Katilynn's disgust was evident.

"Taron has been a civilian adjunct to our team for quite some time. Lorelei Engel is one of the targets of a huge money laundering fraud ring. The mayor of Austin will be arrested by the FBI tomorrow. Gerald owes the Russian's, as Lorelei rightly deduced. There is a long convoluted association between your agent, the mayor, and Gerald." His expressive hands gestured as he spoke.

"That explains Lissa's argument that I should just sell him my estate. Especially since she also knew my plans to take my career in a new direction. What's Nicky got to do with this?" Taron squeezed Lore's hand in sympathy as she asked her question.

"Another one who owes the Russians a pile of money. He was supposed to pay them back once he and Melissa got control of your finances," Sparks told them. He was sitting thigh to thigh with Katilynn and dropped a hand on her leg. Taron watched him give her a squeeze and smiled. It looked like his nerdy friend found a kindred spirit. The communications specialist continued, "By the way, the Russians are funding the same terrorist unit we are targeting. On top of that, Nicky would be eliminated. The woman kills when she's finished with someone."

"So, that was her objective for me as well. How did Lissa get involved with all of this?" Taron could feel Lore trembling where her calf pressed against his.

"We'll answer everything else after we round up Melissa and Nicky. We're awaiting word from team four. They're tracing them now. Tickets in their name for a flight to Dubai were purchased over a week ago. This goes much deeper, and we want to know who was giving the Russians orders in this. Naturally, Lorelei and Johnathon will be debriefed with the rest of the team at the base. You too, Katilynn." He paused for a moment and winked at her grandfather. "Johnathon was the one who first found the connection when he did an audit on Heckleson Construction and Real Estate years ago."

Mooch's grin at Katilynn's wide eyes made Taron smile.

"Sweetie, I gave that little tidbit to my retired buddy from my time in the Army. He's was a four star General when he retired. He said he would give it to the appropriate people, but I would have to be patient. The investigation would take time." Jonathon's statement had his granddaughter shaking her head.

"Geeze, Grandpa. You could have told me." Katilynn complained.

"Classified info, my dear girl. You get it, right?" He teased.

"Yeah," she shook her head in disbelief.

"Lorelei and Taron have proved by their actions today and in the past, they are trustworthy and our friends when it comes to this whole mess." Mooch pinned Katilynn with a piercing glare.

The slender redhead stared back, and finally nodded, dropping her gaze.

Taron took advantage of the following silence to raise Lorelei's hand to his mouth and kiss her palm. She reached over to caress his face, and he wondered if Lore would forgive him for not telling her about his extra curricular activities with Mooch's team. She turned his head to face her.

"We'll talk later. Whatever you did before this isn't an issue. It's part of what makes you, you."

Dawg, Sparky, and Mooch moved like they were one person, flashing them thumbs up gestures. He felt his face reddening and shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. They might as well be his brothers. When Katilynn's thumb joined theirs, he finally understood he had a whole new family.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Lorelei wanted some privacy desperately. The cargo bay of a Blackhawk helicopter wasn't the place to make love, and she wanted the comfort of Taron's arms badly. And Melissa? How had she missed the woman's dual life? The webbing of her seat cut into the backs of her thighs, and her neck was starting to spasm again. Adrenaline was a marvelous painkiller, but something stronger than ibuprofen was on her wish list.

In spite of herself and her teeming thoughts, her head drooped, and she felt Taron drawing her head down on his shoulder. She guessed his application to be her pilot wasn't just a happy coincidence. The connection between them was real though. She knew it with every gesture Taron made toward her. He might turn red, but he wasn't shy about showing is feelings. Neither was she.

Lorelei felt his fingers squeeze her shoulder, and the one question she still wanted answered, flickered through her mind as the faint whining drone of helicopter engines lulled her aching body.

Would Jonathon Heckleson let them come back to Puerto Seguro? It would be the perfect place for a honeymoon away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.