The Rescue Pt. 04

I nod. "Not until I get you home but things are a lot better now."

"To Casablanca then," She asks and I nod as we emerge back onto the sidewalk and lose ourselves in the throngs of people milling about.

With the last of the money Mr. Voss gave me before leaving, I get us two tickets to Casablanca and rent a locker in the airport for putting the duffle with the guns inside. While security here isn't as stringent as it is in the US airports, I doubt, they'll let me on a plane with an M4, a handgun and ammo so I wipe them all down out of habit and lock it up.

"You're just going to leave them here?" Michelle asks.

"Not much choice. I'll call Alex and tell him where he can find them. Hopefully he'll be able to retrieve them without too much trouble."

"Yeah, I don't mean that. I mean that I felt safer with you armed I guess," She says.

"I've still got my knife."

"How's that supposed to work with the security check coming up?"

"It's ceramic, so it won't set off the metal detector and I've uh... moved it in case of a pat down."

"Moved it?" She asks.

"It'll be fine, just trust me," I tell her, she just nods and we continue out.

Security doesn't turn out to be a problem and soon we're stepping onto the plane.

"Don't sit on your knife," Michelle whispers to me as we come to our seats. I give her a grin and try to slightly rearrange my myself without drawing any unwanted attention.

"Thanks for the reminder," I tell her as we sit.

As we taxi down the runway Michelle reaches over and takes hold my hand.

"Everything all right," I ask stifling a yawn.

"I'm good," She answers and squeezes my hand. "Try and get some rest, I'll wake you when we land."

"You could use some sleep yourself," I tell her.

"I got some sleep on the boat ride back to civilization, now it's your turn to relax for a little while at least."

I nod and lean back as she turns her gaze towards the window. I tell myself that I'll only close my eyes for a minute or two but I'm asleep before we're airborne. Michelle looks over at my sleeping form and smiles as the plane reaches cruising altitude. The flight attendant comes by and asks if we need anything, quietly as so not to disturb me.

"We're fine, thank you," Michelle tells her.

"You make a cute couple. Have you been married long?" the attendant asks.

Michelle shakes her head. "No, not married. We're just friends."

"Just friends huh," The attendant asks looking down at our intertwined hands.

"Oh yeah, he's a nervous flier is all," Michelle answers with a small white lie.

"Well it must be working. He's out like a light," she says then continues down the aisle. Michelle looks at my relaxed face and smiles.

"He deserves it," she thinks and closes her own eyes. Soon she's out too with her head laying on my shoulder.

We're both jolted awake as the plane touches down in Casablanca.

"Oh sorry," Michelle says as she extracts her arm from mine. "Guess I didn't rest as well as I thought I did on the boat."

"It's fine," I tell her.

"Kenny, I..."She begins but stops, searching for the words she wants to say. "I'm not mad at you for what you had to do. I understand it but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around, you know what I mean, don't you?"

"I know and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you."

"No, you didn't lie to me and that's important. I've always trusted you. I know you sacrificed a lot coming here for me and I appreciate everything, okay?"

"I just did what needed to be done and if I had to go back and do it all again I would," I tell her. "I wouldn't get shot next time but otherwise..."

She smiles at my attempt of a joke as we taxi to the terminal.

"Is it hurting you now?" She asks as we stand and start to depart from the plane.

"Only a little," I tell her. "Just need to move around and get some fresh air."

We make our way out of the airport and I tell her that we can walk to the bank; it's not too far. Quietly we make our way down the Moroccan streets with Michelle taking in all the sights and smells of this new place. I feel bad that we're in such a rush, I'd like for her to be able to enjoy herself some and just play tourist for a while but ever since I was told about the men coming to the camp I've felt like someone's been on our trail. My imagination can sometimes run away with me, at least that's what I tell myself as we stop outside the bank. While fiddling around in my pocket for my keys I let my eyes scan the area looking for potential tails. Seeing no one, at least no one that stands out I pull my safety deposit key and head inside. Inside the bank, we get a few stares, with having been on the run I'm sure we look haggard but there isn't much we can do about it. I tell the teller that I want to access my safety deposit box and she calls over the manager. He checks over my ID and key then nods.

"Right this way, monsieur," He stops and nods towards Michelle.

"It's all right, she's my wife," I tell him in French since I'm better versed in it and it's used in this region.

Michelle glances at me with a puzzled look for a moment then tells the manager.

"We are on our honeymoon. We're just on a layover from Namibia. They have this wonderful wildlife preserve there but the facilities are not as nice hence our present states. You understand I'm sure," She states in flawless French as she wraps her arm around my good one.

"Of course madam. Well, welcome to Casablanca, if you get the chance I assure you our facilities are much more up to date."

"I'm sure they are very nice, that is why we are glad our layover is so long. It will give us a chance to freshen up," she says and I just watch in awe as she puts all of this man's apprehensions at ease.

"If you would like recommendations on hotels?"

"Oh yes please and can you tell us while we're going to the vault? I'd very much like to get a shower with water that isn't cold and brown then into a decent set of clothes that doesn't look like they've been chewed on by hyenas," She adds a laugh at the end and the manager joins along.

"Of course madam, follow me please," He says completely charmed by her and I can't really blame him.

As we walk along she chats him up in perfect French about the hotels in the area and even the clothing stores that his wife prefers. She thanks him as he leaves us alone to open my box. I look at Michelle who is smiling back at me struggling not to laugh aloud.

"So you speak French huh?"

"Did I fail to mention that before now?" She asks with a grin. "Mom wanted me to take a foreign language, expand my world view or something. I think that she thought it might help me land a husband one day and lo and behold, I'm now Mrs. Kenneth Grayson."

"Cute. Very cute," I tell her feeling my cheeks burning.

She giggles. "Your face is so red right now. If I had known that's all it would have taken, I'd have played that card a long time ago."

"You know, that is one thing I do want to know. What was it with your obsession to embarrass me?"

"I wouldn't call it an obsession."

"Every time we saw each other you always tried to do something to get me to blush."

"It wasn't every time."

"Okay, nearly every time."

"Nearly every time is not an obsession," She tells me.

"Don't think that you can argue semantics with me and get out of answering the question."

"There was a question?" she asks batting her eyes.

It's a trick she picked up from Lissa and Addison. I know this because I've seen them both use it before with amazing results, kind of like the results Michelle is experiencing right now as I let it drop. I just shake my head and open my box emptying the contents on the table. A pistol, several stacks of currency some US, some Lira and some Euros along with several passports scatter across the table.

"Whoa." Michelle says as I begin putting things into piles. "How much cash is that?"

"It comes out to roughly about six thousand US in total if I remember correctly," I answer, flipping through the passports before finding one that's filled out for a female. "We'll have to get a snapshot of you to put in that, but you should be good."

She takes it and looks at it. "Kenny, what is all this?"

"We call them stash boxes. Just about every operator has some scattered all over the world I imagine. It's one of the first things the older guys tell you to do as soon as you can," I begin.

Michelle stops me. "I'm not following."

"If something goes wrong on a mission you could get left behind in a foreign country without anything except the clothes on your back. So at the first opportunity you go around to hotspots or places close to hotspots and fill a safety deposit box with some essentials. Money, passports, fake IDs, weapon, whatever you think you may need to make it home. We had some missions in Somalia and while it is a trek to get from there to here..."

"You have a fondness for old movies," She states.

"Something like that," I explain as I begin putting things back inside the box.

"Kind of like Jason Bourne in that movie had," She says.

"Pretty much, but without the CIA screwing with our heads," I answer.

"Yeah, they're just trying to kill us. This would be cool, if we weren't, ya know... running for our lives."

"We're safe enough for now. Besides it's not like the whole CIA is after us, if that were the case, we'd never have gotten out of Senegal. It's just this one prick trying to further his own agenda or load up his bank account," I tell her as I put the pistol and the ID's we're not using back in the box. I lock it and slide it back into its place. "You ready?"

"I guess so. Any ideas on where we're going?" She asks pocketing the passport and ID.

"We need to put as much distance as we can between us and Senegal so first flight that's leaving Africa is a good place to start. Greece, Italy even Spain would be good because I know a little of those languages at least enough for us to get around. Once we're safe, we can call home and make plans for them to come get us. Sound good?"

"Sounds like you have a plan," She answers.

"Yeah, one that doesn't involve me getting shot again," I quip.

"I like this plan much better than your earlier one already."

As we start to leave the bank, an idea comes to me.

"Wait here just a second," I tell Michelle as I step back over to the bank manager. "There might be a man that comes in asking about us, an ex-boyfriend of my beautiful wife who cannot seem to understand that she's moved on. He's not right in the head, showing up at our wedding of all things threatening us and all. I trust now that I have confided in you, you will of course make sure to tell him, if he should somehow show up, that we haven't been here?"

He nods and then notices the $100 I slipped him for a tip and smiles graciously. "Yes sir, as you wish sir."

"What was all that about?" Michelle asks as we walk back out into the heat of the Moroccan day.

"I told him that you have an ex-boyfriend that might show up asking questions, and if he does not to mention seeing us. Hopefully if Trent tracks us here our trail will end."

"Why is that I have to have the psycho ex chasing after me?"

"Because you're a beautiful woman and it's easy for a man to believe that beautiful women have a psycho ex in their closet somewhere."

"There you go being delusional again," She tells me. "Are you sure the doctor said that you didn't have another concussion?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"My blood could be affecting you, ya know?"

"Now that you mention it, I do have a strange urge for one of those peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches you eat," I say making a disgusted face.

"You ass," She says with a laugh as she gives me a playful slap on the arm. "Those are good."

"Uh huh, if you say so Michelle."

"You know you tried one at some point after you met me. Go ahead, admit it. I'll wait," She says stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

She makes a show of crossing her arms across her breasts and tapping her fingers on her biceps. Her lips curl up at the edges but she manages to keep a passive look on her face while she waits.

I hold my hands up in surrender. "Yes I tried one and no it wasn't too bad. There, you happy?"

She smiles. "Admit you liked it?"

"It wasn't horrible but that's as far as I'm willing to go," I tell her and cross my arms much like her.

"I can live with that," She says as she reaches up and takes hold of my hand. "I guess we need to find a place to take my picture huh?"

"That or a sandwich shop," I tease her.

"Okay buster, just for that I'm making you a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich when we get home and you're going to eat it."

"Can I add tomato to it?"

"Yuck, no!" She says.

"How about sardines?"

"You're just being gross."

"Pickles?"

"Stop or when I throw up it's going to be on you."

"You can't do that, I'm wounded."

"I wasn't going to do it where you're shot, your shoes on the other hand..."

"Oh no, I like these shoes."

"Then stop trying to make me hurl."

"All right, all right I'll stop," I tell her. "Hey, you ever tried banana on that sandwich of yours?"

"Okay now that might not be so bad."

"Then add some tuna to it."

"Kenny!"

"Any news yet," Jamie Rogers asks Lissa as she enters the office of their club Tempest.

"Nothing since the other day sweetie when we found out that they're alive but Kenny was hurt. Not a peep since," Lissa answers taking a seat behind her desk.

"So nobody knows how bad he's hurt or anything?" Jamie asks concerned.

"Afraid not. You and he were pretty close when you lived up in Myrtle huh?" Lissa asks.

Jamie nods. "I tried to be a lot closer but he wouldn't let it happen."

"Really?"

"I'm sorry Lis; I don't know how much he told you about us so I don't want to speak out of turn or anything."

"He just said that you were a good friend of his with a savvy business sense that could use a break."

"He didn't mention that I used to dance?"

"Not that I recall but I could kind of tell, you have that dancer's frame so to speak. So was it ballet or ball room..."

"I was a stripper," Jamie confesses.

"Oh... okay," Lissa says. "Well dancing is dancing whatever way you look at it I suppose."

"At the time I thought it was going to be all that I was ever good at, taking my clothes off for money but then we met Kenny."

"You and Jasmine?"

"Our very own White Knight. That's what Jasmine calls him every now and then. He lived in the same condo complex as we did. One night I had this run in with a customer. Broke my nose, blacked my eyes, busted my lip the whole nine yards."

"Jesus Jamie, that's awful."

Jamie shrugs. "It turned out okay. Kenny helped Jas get me fixed up then taught me how to take care of myself. The same creep came back about two weeks later, after Kenny had shown me some things, and tried getting physical with me again. I snapped his arm like a toothpick."

"Good for you Jamie."

"Yeah, I was really grateful if you know what I mean but Kenny was a perfect gentleman and we never went farther than just kissing despite my efforts."

"That I find hard to believe Jamie, I mean look at you. How many men have been able to resist you when you really turned on the charms?"

"He's the only one I've found so far. I think that I remind him of someone, someone he used to take care of and that's how he's been able to keep us on a mostly platonic level. So now that you know what I was, am I fired?"

Lissa laughs and shakes her head. "Sweetie, I love you to pieces and I don't care that you used to strip. Hell, I might ask you to show me some moves that I can use on Scott in the bedroom to spice things up a bit."

Jamie smiles and bounces with excitement. "Not that you need it but I can show you some of my old moves that will have him drooling like a puppy on a chew toy."

Lissa giggles. "I need to keep some of his brain intact Jamie so you'd better start me off on some of the basic moves first."

"Okay cool. First thing I can show you is..."

The ladies spend the next several minutes practicing and laughing but their friends plight is not completely forgotten.

"So you've got nothing still!" Agent Trent yells into the phone. "What in the hell am I paying you idiots for?"

"To try and find two people that could very well be burnt to a crisp sir," Micah answers him.

"What about the villager that said he saw a white man out there?"

"We figure he was lying to get us to leave. Ballo left this place in a shambles so I'm not surprised that the villagers around here aren't keen on helping any foreigners."

"Great so we're just going to have to wait then?"

"That or if you have some way to watch the airports for American's traveling out of the country I'd look into that. If they survived the aid camp bombing and managed to make it to Dakar Grayson's first action would be to get them the hell out of Africa," Micah explains.

"I imagine that it's too late to set something like that up now but when you get into Dakar, look into it for me. I'll check some things on my end and see if anyone's contacted the families, maybe I can get you a lead that way."

"We're in Dakar now and I've got Cruse and Banner checking that out as we speak. If they find out anything I'll let you know."

He hangs up the phone and shakes his head. "Stupid fucking desk jockey," He comments.

"I told you that we should have gotten paid up front. You can't trust any Spook as far as you can throw one," Darrell states.

"And how far do you think you could throw our Agent Trent?" Dan asks.

"Depends on what floor we're on at the time," He jokes.

The three men are laughing when their two compatriots rejoin then. "Looks like we missed the floor show," Jay quips.

"What'd you find out?" Micah asks.

"Positive ID on our Mr. Grayson at the airport, he and a blonde woman purchased two tickets to Morocco of all places," Martin tells him.

"He got her out of there too huh? I'll be damned. I gotta give this guy credit, he's a tough son of a bitch to kill apparently," Darrell states.

"Yeah, apparently. Let me get Trent back on the horn and let him know that we're not waiting for DNA any longer."

"What now?" Trent answers.

"We've got a lead. Grayson has the girl and he's made it to Morocco so we'll need transport there ASAP."

"You mean that he's here. Oh Christ, I need to check with security and make sure he can't get in the embassy."

"I doubt that his play sir. If he has her, he's looking to get out as quick as he can. You need to place men at the airport so they can't get out of Africa. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but... but this thing has gotten out of hand. I can't bring in another team now, not without bringing suspicion from the Agency. I'll get you guys on a transport back here and we'll go from there."

"And if he makes all the back to the US, then what?"

"Then we'll kill him there and make it look like an accident or something. God knows I've arranged enough of those and he lives on a goddamn boat that makes it so much easier."

"If you say so sir. When can we expect transport?"

"Give me an hour and I'll get something to you. Be at the airport and ready to go."

"Copy that."

The group is watching him as he hangs up. "He'll have us transport within the hour."

"Grayson could be halfway back to the states by then," Jay states.

"Then we'll hit him there if that's what needs to be done. Mr. Grayson cannot be allowed to tell his story to anyone."

"And the girl? He's bound to have told her most of it by now." Jeff asks.

"We'll check with Agent Trent but with the way he's screwed the pooch on this thing I'm sure he'll be looking to scorch the earth so to speak and eliminate them both."

"We just have to get our hands on them first."