A second season story that follows Spy Games. The reader should also be familiar with Compromised to understand the relationship between the main characters.

Just Another Job

by Lynn

Lee Crane entered the warehouse carefully and quietly, taking cares not to alert his presence. His contact was inside an office waiting for him, but he was unsure who else would be there as well. He rounded the corner and perused his surroundings then entered the office closing the door quietly behind him.

“Lee!” she said in shock disbelief that turned to the seductive smile he knew all too well. “You're the buyer?” She finished knowing something wasn't right.

He smiled back as she crossed the floor to say her “hellos” while Lee reached to return her offered kiss, but before her lips reached his she felt the sting of a hypodermic needle. She blinked as emotions of betrayal ran across her face and her legs began to give way.

Lee immediately reached down and scooped Sabrina Meadows into his arms, cradling her securely as her eyes fluttered but still hanging onto consciousness.

“Why?” She breathed out.

“Don't worry, I'll take care of you,” Lee promised, he couldn't resist leaning forward to kiss her forehead as Sabrina succumbed to the sedation.

* * * * *

Sabrina Meadows paced her windowless cell like a caged panther walking off excess energy. She was fuming and she didn't care who knew it, especially whoever was watching her on the closed circuit TV cameras mounted in the corners of her detainment cell. Her attention was drawn to the door as a US Admiral entered with two Marine guards at his side. He motioned her to take a seat at the table that separated the two as he took his seat, sitting forward and folding his hands before him obviously expecting her to comply.

Sabrina sighed and stepped forward demonstrating her sleek movements as she sat down in the chair, sitting forward with her hands folded in front of her matching the Admiral's air of confidence.

“Miss Meadows, I'm Admiral Johnson and I have a proposition for you.”

Sabrina's left eyebrow raised in question, her face still beautiful despite her obvious displeasure of her current situation.

“You must be aware by now that we have accumulated enough evidence on this sting operation to put you away for a very long time.” He continued without a hint of emotion. “Your dossier is at least an inch thick, and with this sting and the eyewitness testimony of Commander Crane from your first meeting, we will have no trouble securing a guilty verdict.”

Sabrina's face didn't change at each statement Johnson delivered. She had already figured out that her “buyer” was bogus and that she had been set up.

“If it were up to me Miss Meadows, you'd be tried and shot for treason in all haste,” Johnson delivered, not a bit impressed with her beauty and charm.

“Then what do you want from me?” Sabrina asked, leaning forward and daring Johnson to get on with his proposition.

Johnson sat back, studying the woman before him. A rare beauty, her long blond hair currently pulled behind her head in a neat pony tail, except for an errant strand that hung elegantly to the side of her head framing her face gracefully. But this woman was a traitor and an opportunist, and as far as he knew the only good thing she ever did was to assist Nelson and Crane on their last mission.* Nelson emphatically reported that had she not lent her talents both Crane and the microfilm would have been in the hands of the enemy. Still, Gerald didn't trust her.

“Let me make this clear from the beginning Miss Meadows. You are here for one reason and one reason only. Commander Crane insists that you are the only person who can successfully retrieve an item of interest from a highly sophisticated safe.”

Sabrina let loose her seductive smile and sat back in satisfaction as the cards had finally been laid on the table. So they need her skills at safe breaking.

“So what's in it for me?” She asked without a hint of concern and staying completely within her self-preservation mode.

Johnson's eyes squinted as he studied the cool emotions of the woman before him. He took his time, as if considering if he really wanted to continue. He sighed, apparently making his decision and continued.

“Amnesty, Miss Meadows. Amnesty for every US secret you've stolen and sold in your long illustrious career,” he finished sarcastically.

Sabrina sat back taking in the Admiral's proposition. They must need her bad, because she was sure they had enough evidence to put her away. She continued to study Johnson's face thinking over options in her head. She had busted out of a high security jail in the past,** but somehow she didn't think they'd make the same mistakes twice. Johnson had enough to hang her based on the sting Lee had helped to set alone.

“What do you want me to do?” She asked confidently.

“You're familiar with the Meridian Safe Company?”

Sabrina let out a small breath as if his question was child's play. “Of course, they produce the most effective locking systems in the business.”

“They claim their Jesse James line is impenetrable,” Johnson added.

Sabrina chuckled leaning forward, “No safe is impenetrable, Admiral. There's always a weakness.”

Johnson continued to study her eyes as he continued, “So what is your decision?”

“You haven't told me the parameters of the job yet, Admiral.”

“Sorry. It's an all or nothing deal. Either you cooperate fully and receive full amnesty, or you decline right now and we move the Treason and High Crimes against the United States of America case along. It's your choice, Miss Meadows.”

“Not much of a choice,” she answered coolly.

“Nevertheless, the choice is yours.”

Sabrina blew another breath and made her decision, “Alright Admiral. I do the job whatever it is, and if I'm still alive afterwards I get full amnesty.”

“Agreed. From this point forward Miss Meadows you are operating as a Temporary Duty Operative for the Office of Naval Intelligence. You will be held to the highest of standards and you will work with a very seasoned and skilled operative who will get you in and out of the facility in question.”

“I don't need a partner, Admiral. You know I work alone.”

“That point is non-negotiable, Miss Meadows. Another thing, you will have a transponder surgically inserted that will go active if you decide to lose your partner and run out on your deal. We will find you and there will be no more plea bargains.”

“Thanks for trusting me, Admiral,” she said with a smirk.

“Let's just say that I've read your dossier, Miss Meadows.”

“Fine, when do we begin?”

“Right now. Let's go meet your partner.”

Johnson rose and motioned Sabrina through the door ahead of him as the Marine guards followed behind.

* * * * *

Sabrina was taken to a briefing room and was ushered in by Admiral Johnson to meet her new partner.

“Miss Meadows, I believe you are already acquainted with Commander Crane,” Johnson said matter of factly, and knowing full well at least part of the history the two shared.

“Commander,” Sabrina said sending an icy glare Lee's way.

“Miss Meadows,” Lee responded professionally but barely keeping back the smile threatening to spread across his face as he contemplated the very ticked off and fiery woman before him.

Johnson motioned Sabrina to a comfortable briefing chair with arms as Lee sat in his chair and Johnson moved to the front of the room.

“As I said before Miss Meadows, your participation is predicated upon Commander Crane's insistence that you can crack the locking device in question. I however, am not totally convinced of that fact.” Johnson pushed a button on the table in front of him and a screen lowered from the ceiling, he pushed another button and the lights dimmed as a projector began running footage of a safe harboring a locking device similar to the system she would have to crack.

“You're familiar with this system Miss Meadows?”

“Yes, I've... worked them in the past,” she offered knowing her admissions were covered by her promised pardon, but being careful nonetheless.

“These are similar, but not the latest lock put out by our “friends” at Meridian Safe Company. It seems they have placed the combination solely at the discretion of the customer with no “back door” built into the system to gain access even by their representatives.”

Johnson was a little more than miffed at finding out this revelation. He remembered well his interview with Meridian's president and his response: “That's what the customer is paying for, complete control over their locking device,” he defended. Well, that's all well and good, thought Johnson, but it sure complicated the whole deal with the lock having thousands of possible permutations at its customer's whim.

“You still say that no safe locking device is impenetrable?” Johnson asked almost sarcastically.

“Try me,” Sabrina answered confidently.

“That's just what we're going to do. Before I set you loose on this mission, I want to see what you can do Miss Meadows.”

Johnson pushed another button and the whole side of the wall slid open to reveal another room sitting adjacent to the briefing room. Johnson motioned her forward with a sweep of his arm as Lee followed. In the center of the room stood a large safe with Meridian's newest electronic lock, utilizing push buttons with a ten-key pad full of ten possible keystrokes and code possibilities five digits long with repeating numbers allowed, producing a seemingly impossible task of guessing the correct combination among 100,000 possible permutations.

Sabrina walked up to the safe rubbing her hand on the cool steel as if assessing a new prized racing steed. She circled the safe and then moved to stand directly in front of the locking device tilting her head in several directions studying the mechanism without touching the key pad once.

“I'll need my gear,” she said still staring straight at the device and never turning towards the men she addressed. She felt someone move alongside of her and looked into the hazel green eyes of Lee Crane as he handed her gear bag off. She took the bag without emotion and sank to the floor rummaging through it as Lee stepped back and leaned against a side wall in an interested but casual fashion.

Johnson stood his ground with his hands clasped behind his back and watched Sabrina closely. Every safe cracker ONI had, including Lee had their go at getting into the safe and no one had broken the code yet.

Sabrina found what she was looking for and rose with a small palm-sized device with its own miniature keypad. She placed an earpiece in her ear and inserted the other end into her device and then stepped closer to the safe placing her device flat against the safe door. With her other hand she keyed in a random sequence of numbers and then concentrated on her keypad. The lock didn't open, but Sabrina was unfazed and entered in another set of random numbers. Suddenly a number lit up on her device and a small smile cracked from her lips. She entered in another random code and several more digits lit. She repeated the process one more time as more digits lit and then the entire number began to flash.

Sabrina stepped back and pulled the earpiece out and then entered in the numbers from her palm device into the safe's key pad. A series of clicks and hydraulic sounds were heard followed by the sound of air being released from the safe as it opened.

Lee was still leaning against the wall when a satisfied smile crossed his face at Sabrina's victory as Johnson took a step forward dumbfounded by the safe-cracker's ability.

“How did you do that?” He asked in disbelief.

“A trick of the trade,” she answered turning around and letting her infamous sexy smile come through.

“I'd like to know a bit more about that handy device you have there, Miss Meadows.”

Sabrina chuckled, “Have at it Admiral, but it's not just the device, you've got to know what to 'listen' for.”

Sabrina caught the soft chuckles of Lee at the side wall as he pushed off the wall and joined the pair.

“I told you she was good, Sir,” Lee added as Johnson pursed his bottom lips and nodded in agreement.

“But will she stab you in the back the first chance she gets, Commander?”

Lee looked into Sabrina's eyes answering with sincerity, “I don't think so, Sir.”

Sabrina's icy glare softened and her lips parted to say something, but she decided against it and turned toward Johnson instead.

“We have deal then. My participation for full amnesty,” she stated.

“Aye. Full amnesty for your past deeds, Miss Meadows.”

“Alright, when do we start?”

Lee smiled as Sabrina ignored him and followed Johnson back into the briefing room. Johnson closed the wall hiding the safe once again, dimmed the lights and began his briefing with a slide show.

* * * * *

The sounds of clicks could be heard as each frame was presented on the white projection screen behind the Admiral. He stood with a pointer in hand as Sabrina caught a concerned and worried expression move across Lee's face.

“Commander Crane will lead you, Agent Meadows, into this small village in the French countryside. Together you will infiltrate this compound,” the accompanying slides giving Sabrina a visual reference for each phrase Johnson spoke. “Your target will be a high security cell where you will conduct a high level extraction of a person of interest being held prisoner.”

Sabrina noticed Lee's head dip slightly and his lips purse as if holding back an intense anger.

“He was captured four days ago and our contact within the compound tells us he is enduring sessions of “drug therapy” to gain access to his vital security knowledge. As of this morning, our contact tells us he hasn’t broken. You will neutralize the locking device and Commander Crane will complete the extraction. We expect it will take both of you to move him as his condition is deteriorating rapidly. Once out of the compound, we will have operatives waiting to assist your extraction out to a safe location. The French government is in full cooperation with our plans, and has agreed to allow us the opportunity to first extract our man before they raid the compound. Obviously, the prisoner is in great danger should the raid be made before his extraction. Further details will be made clear by your handlers. Any questions?”

“Just one,” Sabrina said coolly. “Who is the prisoner?”

The click of the slide projector was heard once more as Lee's head hung lower and a head and shoulder's photo was shown as Johnson answered, “Admiral Harriman Nelson.”

Sabrina's face revealed the first concern she showed since waking up in ONI's infirmary. She took a glance at Lee who had composed himself and stared with all military decorum straight ahead with a determination that she recognized.

“Commander, are you ready to escort Agent Meadows to the next briefing?”

Lee stood, “Aye Sir.”

“Very well, Commander. Make your first stop the Infirmary.”

Lee acknowledged the order as Johnson left the room. Lee was still facing the projector screen and took a deep breath in. Then he smiled and turned to face Sabrina giving her a sheepish boyish grin.

“What's so funny, Commander?”

“Nothing. I'm just recalling how good it felt to use the hypo on you for once.”

Sabrina let out a chuckle as if playing the ice queen was getting to be too much of a chore. “Well if this is how you 'take care of me' I'm not sure I want your help,” she added slyly.

Lee sighed, “I need your help Sabrina.” His face turned serious as he spoke, “ONI was already onto you, if it hadn't been me in the warehouse it would have been another operative. At least this way, you have chance to walk free.”

“You mean if I survive?” She added harshly.

“I said I'd take care of you, and I will,” he promised.

“Lee, I haven't needed someone to 'take care of me' for quite some time now,” Sabrina cooed stepping closer to him.

“I know, believe me, I know. But I promise you anyway, I won't let you down and I'm not going to let Admiral Nelson down either.” Lee's promise was full of confidence and sincerity as Sabrina studied his face. There she found the virtue that she had witnessed in New York at the Embassy Ball. All his gentlemanly ways, honor and integrity was all so foreign to her, and it still intrigued her for some reason.

“Alright Commander, but tell me, why do I need to go back to the infirmary?”

Lee smiled again, “Johnson wants a little insurance to track your whereabouts.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes and shook her head as she remembered the transponder Johnson said would be surgically inserted. She raised her shoulders in surrender and swept her arm towards the door.

“Lead the way, Commander,” and then followed Lee into the maze of the secret inner workings of ONI.

* * * * *

Admiral Harriman Nelson lay on the cold stainless steel gurney, his shirt had long since been discarded. They dragged him back and forth between his cell and the torture chamber where a drug would be administered and his questioning would begin. They had been at him for so long, he didn't know what day it was or how long he had been in their “care”. At the end of each session he was returned to his cell and left to contemplate the after effects of the drug; cramps, a headache that wouldn't stop, and muscles that were beginning to feel like rubber. He was barely making it back and forth to the toilet and he had lost interest in food three meals ago. The constant pain in his right arm had been countered by the pain in his left arm as they switched injection sights and his wrists were raw from contorting back and forth with each injection as pain riddled his body. But far worse than the physical discomfort was the disturbing nightmares that plagued his pain-filled sleep.

He lay staring straight ahead at the ceiling as somewhere in the distance he could register their questions. He ignored their voices concentrating instead on calculating the endless decimal places of pi.*** Finally, the session was over and he was pulled off the gurney and herded back to his cell. His lovely little cell. He knew it was bad when all he wanted was his little cell. Gratefully, the drugs seemed to have no compliance or truth serum elements and were intended to be a nice tidy torture with no messy blood to clean up. Still, they wore his body down, and the nightmares wore his mind to a frazzle. He figured that was the greatest torture because each nightmare tore hope from him as he began to lose track of what was reality and what were dreams.

* * * * *

“Agent” Meadows was given the grand tour of ONI as she and Lee prepared for their mission. She noticed how confident Lee was in this element, just as confident as when she watched him at NIMR conducting business as the captain of Seaview. Sabrina much preferred Lee in the role of an ONI operative, not that she didn't appreciate his uniform especially when he wore his Dress Blues. It was just that he was so intriguing in his spy role. He wore dark slacks and a black button up shirt, the whole combination accentuating the green in his hazel eyes. He styled his hair more casually here in the halls of ONI as he shed the persona of a well groomed naval officer. His dark hair lay in waves and curls over his head and was down-right inviting to run her fingers through.

Sabrina shook herself from her momentary contemplation and acknowledged Lee's question.

“Well, I guess that's it. If you're ready we'll take the trip to the Air Force Base for the flight out.”

“I'm ready,” she answered confidently. Their gear sat in a pile by the door, neither one feeling comfortable enough to let the packs out of their sight. Lee reached down and grabbed her pack and handed it over to Sabrina, freezing in mid-motion as he spoke.

“Sabrina, I mean it... I won't trade you for Admiral Nelson, we'll all make it out alive, I promise.”

A small smile crossed Sabrina's face, she was so unaccustomed to anyone looking out for her. It was both pleasant and irritating at the same time, but for the moment she reveled in his sincerity and let the moment pass with her smile.

“Just don't slow me down, Crane,” she added lightening the mood as Lee shot a knowing smile back.

“Alright Agent Meadows, just try not to get me killed.”

She tucked the pack over her shoulder as Lee did the same with his bags and the two left on their mission... this time as partners.

* * * * *

Over and over Harry saw it; in slow motion, in fast motion, and frame by frame as if frozen in time. Slowly he rose from the water and positioned himself on the dock. He saw the Russian soldier pacing in front of him, but his back was turned. Harry raised his timepiece into position as he aimed the ONI secret weapon. He fired three times sending three powerful darts flying, each with deadly impact hitting the Russian soldier. The soldier cried in pain as each dart found its mark and turned toward his attacker, that's when Harry saw him. The dark curly hair, the pained hazel eyes and the blood pouring out of his body as he fell to the ground. “Lee!” Harry yelled and ran toward his friend. Lee's mouth moved as if to say something and then his eyes closed and his grip weakened as his hand fell limply to his side.

Harry woke yet again from the latest nightmare to plague him. Sweat poured from his forehead and down the sides of his head as he struggled to stay awake and away from the dreams. He was unsuccessful as his eyes fluttered shut and the dreams continued.

He was lying in a cargo hold and realized that he had been injured. He was just coming out of unconsciousness when he realized he was wet and cold. As his awareness returned he noticed the water rising around him. At the door stood Lee watching, just watching.

“Lee!” He called out, but Lee didn't move he just continued to stand there as the water rose. Harry struggled to rise from the water, it was so cold, but the last thing he saw was Lee turning around, closing the hatch, and dogging it closed from the outside...

* * * * *

Lee leaned his head back against the cargo hull of the Air Force transport they had hitched a ride on taking him and his partner, Sabrina Meadows to France. He was tired and needed rest, but sleep had been elusive these last four days, ever since he found out that Harry had been kidnapped and was being tortured for information. Now, traveling through the night it would be another day before Lee could reach Harry, bringing his captivity to five days. They knew where he was thanks to a contact within the compound, but ONI had been emphatically warned that Harriman Nelson would be executed as soon as he was of no value to his captors. Thus, a raid on the compound was seen as a death warrant unless they could extract Harry first.

They had lost precious days trying to find an operative who could crack the safe locking device, each day leaving Harry in the hands of those... He sighed, he couldn't let himself feel this much. He needed to approach this mission as he approached any extraction, as just another job. It wasn't that he was callous about missions, it was just that he needed to leave his emotions behind to successfully complete them. He found himself in too many situations that could rob him of his reasoning powers if he let himself feel the pain. It was there, it was always there, but he placed it tightly into a small corner of his mind so that he could do his duty. He needed to put aside the fact that it was Harry and just concentrate on the extraction. He'd done it before, it's what kept him alive all these years. When he got home and everything was fine, then he'd spend a few hours on the beach thinking about the unthinkable and praying that ONI didn't leave scars to deep too heal inside. Then he'd shake it off and move on. Only, this time it was Harry.

Lee took a deep breath in, focused and began running through the mission again. He wasn't going to screw up Harry's chances for freedom by letting his fear take over. Harry needed him, that's all there was to it.

* * * * *

The long flight was finally over as the wheels touched down with several bumps and the intensity of the brakes bringing the huge transport to a stop jolted Lee from his sleep.

“Hey sleepy head. You always sleep like that before a mission?” Sabrina asked as the plane taxied to its hangar.

Lee replied with a smile, “Yep. I hope you got some rest too,” he answered not letting on that most of that so-called sleep had been spent sorting out his fears and putting them into place.

“Who me? You never have to worry about me being ready,” she cooed moving closer to Lee seductively.

“Sabrina,” Lee growled, not amused with her playful attempts to lighten the mood on the military transport plane in the middle of a United States Air Force Base.

Sabrina chuckled and picked up her pack, securing it over her shoulder. She enjoyed embarrassing Lee, their playful seductive relationship a left-over result of their first meeting when he seduced her and convinced her that he was a disgruntled employee ready to turn on Nelson. His seduction had been most welcome, and her response had also been appreciated by Lee, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. They were physically attracted to one another, but both knew they were made out of two different cloths and would never be more than friends. Still, the physical attraction was strong.

Lee also donned his gear bags as the door was finally opened and they deboarded. She watched as Lee moved between his two roles with ease; taking on his military role with subordinates respectfully addressing him as Commander and his full military decorum firmly in place in his response.

A jeep was waiting to take them to their next mode of transportation. They had landed in western Germany and were now being escorted into France via the French Air Force.

“Commander Crane?”

Lee returned a sharp salute as the French officer greeted them for their helicopter ride into France.

“Aye Lieutenant. This is Agent Meadows,” he said by way of introduction.

“Agent Meadows,” the young Lieutenant offered with a slight smile, turning on his French charm.

“Lieutenant,” Sabrina answered offering only the smallest of smiles in return. She enjoyed the affect she had on men but right now she had a job to do. That's how she saw this mission, as just another job, only the payoff this time wouldn't be millions to line her Swiss bank account, it would be her very freedom. Even realizing that the prisoner they were going to extract was Harriman Nelson hadn't really affected her. She liked Nelson in her own way. He was certainly more than she had bargained for as she found herself making an unlikely alliance at the Embassy Ball. But she totally disconnected herself to any pain or torture Nelson might be suffering. Her job was to open the locking device and help secure the prisoner to safety, after that she would be home free.

The helicopter made a soft landing five miles from the compound on a grassy green meadow as Lee and Sabrina hopped out carrying their gear packs with them.

“Anything else you need?” the pilot asked.

“No, we're good. Just be ready for our return ride,” Lee replied.

“You got it, Commander.” Lee nodded his appreciation and headed for the cover of the trees with Sabrina following behind.

They traveled for about a mile, then Lee found a bush and stashed one of his packs in hiding it away, then rose with his remaining black pack slung over both of his shoulders.

“Let's go,” he said and moved toward their objective. Sabrina followed and together they continued their five mile hike. Lee knew he didn't have to worry about the skills of the operative following behind him, and with the transponder surgically implanted he knew she wouldn't be trying any of her disappearing acts. She had committed to the mission, and Lee was pretty sure she'd see it through. He was counting on it, because if not, he'd have to blow open the cell door and hope for the best. He kept his concerns for Harry at bay and moved purposefully forward trying to convince himself that this was just another job.

* * * * *

“No, NO!” Harry screamed as he pulled himself out of yet another nightmare. He rubbed his face and tried to focus his eyes, but things were getting worse. Somewhere in his mind his brain was still working and he reasoned that the nightmares were not just a side-effect of the drug, but a vital part of the torture as his captors had now begun to taunt Harry. He had called out for Lee in his pain and his captors had picked up on his despair telling him that Lee had given up on him. That he would never be found and that his only hope was to talk. Harry ignored them, but the dreams intensified when he returned to his cell.

In his latest dream he relived a mission aboard Seaview when the President had been taken to the underwater bunker for a trial run of the “safe house”. Only once there, a traitorous general sabotaged the nuclear reactor powering the bunker. Lee did everything he could to dampen the reactor down, but if Harry and his detail hadn't found the source of the destructive beam at Weymouth College; Lee, the President and everyone in the bunker would have been exposed to a deadly dose of radiation.

Only in his dream he didn't find the source of the beam as he and Kowalski wandered aimlessly around the college grounds.

Inside the bunker he could see Lee and the President's health deteriorating as the deadly radiation began to flood the situation room. Just as if he were there he could see Lee working the remote controls for the nuclear reactor to no avail. Warning lights blinked on and off shouting the impending danger as Lee turned defeated. He saw Harry and raised his hand toward him and screamed, “You!” Pointing straight at Harry as if he could somehow witness their demise from his position at the college.

“You!” Lee repeated. “You designed this bunker! Now look at you, safe and sound out there while we're dying in here!”

Lee's eyes flared in anger and then he deflated as the pain of the radiation took over his body. His arm slowly dropped to his side as he gasped and fell using the console behind him to balance. Then his accusations turned to pleading.

“Help me Admiral!” He cried out as Harry watched him fall completely to the floor, writhing in pain.

“Harry, please!” Lee begged, but Harry couldn't do anything to help and watched Lee scream as the radiation took its toll.

“Lee!” Harry called back, but Lee couldn't hear him and then Harry watched his eyes flutter shut and his breathing slow. His shoulders heaved in shallow short breaths until Harry noticed they didn't rise anymore. He called out again, but all he could hear was the last breath of Lee Crane being expelled from his body.

Harry had woken from the nightmare but the residual effects were still lingering as he struggled to convince himself that Lee hadn't died on that mission. Lee was safe; the President was safe; and General Hobson had been captured and was awaiting his trial for treason. Harry took another deep breath and prayed that Lee would come. He didn't know how Lee would find him but he had to believe that their 'connection' was strong enough to find a way... he didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

* * * * *

Lee and Sabrina reached the compound and lowered down to verify the information their contact had supplied. He was pleased that everything matched so far as they headed for their entry point. Their contact assured them the window would not trip any alarms but Lee held his breath anyway as he raised the window and slipped inside. Sabrina followed silently and Lee was grateful that her considerable skills included breaking and entering. They followed the corridor to Harry's cell and stopped at a corner to study the door stealthily when they heard sounds coming from an adjacent hallway. Lee's eyebrows sharpened in concern to see Harry being dragged across the hall, his legs stumbling along behind. He was shirtless and still wearing the black suit slacks that he had been kidnapped in as Lee took in his condition.

Focus Crane, he thought, willing himself to believe it was just another job. It sounded cold, but he was a professional and as an officer there were many times he had to make hard decisions, even decisions that cost crewman their lives, like ordering a water tight door closed to save the boat and rest of the crew. He didn't have time to mourn the crewman, but it always hurt. Still, he put the hurt aside to deal with later because he was the Captain; it was his job and his responsibility to bring his boat and crew home safely. He pulled the same determination from deep within him as he watched Harry being dragged into his cell. The door was closed and Sabrina watched as the light illuminated signaling the cell was locked.

The guards left, and feeling their prisoner was secure left no sentry. When the way was clear Sabrina and Lee advanced. Lee stood guard as Sabrina pulled out her palm device and began working the lock. In quick form and without any dramatics the door opened on her third attempt as Lee sighed inwardly in relief. Quickly he entered as Sabrina took up the guard duty watching for unfriendlies.

“Admiral,” Lee whispered.

Harry's eyes fluttered open and immediately turned toward Lee. A small smile cracked over his pain filled face, but he was too tired to speak.

“Come on, Sir. We'll get you out of here.” Lee reached down and took Harry by the arm swinging it over his shoulder as they made for the door. Harry moved as best as he could to help Lee, but he was done in. Lee paused at the door when Harry caught Sabrina Meadows standing in the doorway.

“It's clear,” she whispered as Harry kept his questions to himself. Sabrina relocked the cell in the hope of keeping Harry's escape a secret for as long as possible and followed Lee taking up Harry's other arm over her shoulder.

They retraced their steps careful to watch for guards as Lee motioned for Sabrina to exit first, then Lee helped Harry over the window sill and into Sabrina's waiting arms. Next Lee followed, pulling the window closed behind him. Now they needed to make the dash to the cover of the trees, Lee took another look at Harry and made his decision, pulling Harry into a fireman's hold and motioning Sabrina to make for the trees. Everything was going well until they heard a commotion behind them and gunfire erupting all around them.

Lee ran as fast as he could following Sabrina ahead of him, they almost made it to the trees when one of the bullets found its mark and Lee and Harry fell hard.

Sabrina turned around at the sound of his grunt in time to see Lee stand back up. He pulled a small disk from his pocket and pulled the end like tape throwing it at their pursuers. He pulled Harry back over his shoulder following Sabrina’s lead forward and closed the distance, as the sound of an explosion was heard, hopefully slowing down their pursuers. They weren't safe, not yet but at least they could activate the transponder and get help. Still they needed some distance so they moved forward. Lee was slowing down and breathing hard, so Sabrina turned back.

“Put him down, I'll help you move him,” she all but ordered. She didn't know where Lee had taken the bullet, his black ensemble effectively hid his wound, but she knew he was injured.

Lee nodded and placed Harry on the ground as Sabrina took up the other arm on her shoulder and the three moved forward.

“So Miss Meadows,” Harry's weak voice was heard. “I think you have an interesting story to tell me,” he quipped surprised to see the young thief in on the rescue.

“Well, let's just say that I was made an offer I couldn't refuse,” she jested back breathing hard for her effort. They traveled toward their extraction point until Sabrina spoke.

“Lee, over there,” she pointed out a cropping of rocks they could hide behind and would even provide protection in a firefight.

Lee agreed without saying a word, but his labored breaths could also be heard. They situated themselves behind the rocks as Lee shrugged off his backpack and Sabrina caught the entry wound in his back. Lee ignored the pain and found his transponder turning it on, then reached for the radio to make his call.

“Lafayette, Lafayette this is Yankee One, how do you read?”

“Yankee One, this Lafayette we read you loud and clear. What's your situation?”

“We have our man but we're on the run with unfriendlies in pursuit. Would be a good time to start your raid and maybe take some heat off us.”

“You've got it Yankee One. Can you still make your extraction point?”

“I think so. We're only about a mile from the compound so if we're late feel free to come looking for us.”

“Affirmative Yankee One. Air support is on its way and we are reading your transponder.”

“Aye. Yankee One out.”

Lee put the radio away and took a moment to look into Harry's eyes. “Are you alright, Sir?” He asked with concern, seeing for himself that Harry was most certainly not alright.

“I am now, Lee. Just get me up and I'll do my part,” he added with a small closed mouth smile. Lee returned the smile and tried to move but gasped instead reaching for his back.

“How bad?” Sabrina said leaving Harry's side and moving toward Lee as Harry finally made the connection that Lee was injured.

“Not bad. The backpack deflected the bullet, I can feel it just under my skin.”

Sabrina pulled his shirt out from its tucked position and looked at his back nodding her head in agreement.

“Okay,” she helped Lee up and then moved to Harry's side to help him up as well. Lee took Harry's arm and wrapped it around his shoulder again holding in his discomfort.

“Let me bear the weight, Lee,” she said.

“I'm fine, Sabrina. Let's just get to the extraction point as fast as we can.”

Sabrina sighed in exasperation but moved forward as the three moved to make the next four miles. Shots still rang indiscriminately behind them, but they were immediately countered by some rather large booms as the French government troops began their raid from the air. With any luck, the Special Forces would be rappelling down after the target was “softened up” and they would lose their pursuers for good.

They continued on moving slower than Lee wanted as Harry's head hung limply. He was still conscious and Lee suspected he was concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. At mile four, Lee spoke up.

“I've got to stop for a minute,” Lee said breathing hard. “I think my back pack is hidden over there,” tilting his head towards a bush. “It's been quiet, I think were safe for a short rest.”

“Yeah,” Sabrina agreed. “I think our pursuers have decided to bug out while they can.”

They leaned Harry to sit against a tree as Lee reached into his backpack and pulled out a bottle of water while Sabrina grabbed Lee's hidden pack.

“Here Sir,” he said offering Harry a drink. Harry's eyes fluttered open, they were blood shot and pained but he managed a smile anyway.

“How are you doing, Sir?”

“I'm fine, Lee. How'd you find me?” Harry asked, his voice now raspy.

“We had a contact inside the compound. He umm... told us about the drugs.”

Harry nodded wearily, “Quite a ride, I can assure you. How about you Lee? Did I hear you took a bullet in the back?”

“Just under the skin, Sir. I'll be fine.”

Their conversation was interrupted by soft chuckles coming from Sabrina as she let loose a smile.

“You men! Just listen to you. You've been drugged and tortured for five days,” she said to Harry, “And you've been shot in the back,” she said to Lee. “And you're both telling each other you're fine?”

Both Lee and Harry looked at each other and let out their own chuckles in response as Sabrina continued more serious this time.

“Lee, I really think our pursuers are looking out for their own self-interests right now. I think you ought to stay put and not move anymore. They've got us on the transponder, Lafayette will find us.” She said pulling the first aid kit from Lee's previously hidden bag.

Lee listened for any sounds in the woods that would alert him to do otherwise and hearing nothing agreed.

“Alright,” he said moving to sit against a tree.

“No way, Commander,” Sabrina said firmly.

“Lie down on your side and let's try to stop the bleeding.” Sabrina's no nonsense “order” was interrupted by Harry's chuckles.

“And as for you Admiral,” she said turning to Harry. “I suggest you lay down as well before you pass out on me.”

Harry slid further down the tree but only into a semi-sitting position as Sabrina moved toward Lee.

“I still don't know how you were tagged for this mission, Miss Meadows,” Harry asked tiredly.

Sabrina shrugged her shoulders, “Long story short: I was the only one who could crack open your cell and my participation guarantees me a Get out of jail free card.”

Sabrina applied pressure as Lee bit back his pain. “I'm sorry, Lee,” she said gently looking down at the angular lines of his handsome face.

“I think I'll live,” he answered back with a small smile.

Harry watched as Sabrina looked over Lee and marveled at the soft lines of concern etched on her face. She didn't let it show often, but Harry suspected she had a soft place in her heart for Lee, even if they both knew there was no future together for them.

A small satisfied smile crossed his face as Harry's eyes closed unwillingly and drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

Lee watched Harry drift off, he looked done in and Lee could only guess what the last five days had been like.

“I think the bleeding's stopped,” Sabrina said softly.

“Thanks,” Lee replied moving slightly to get a better view of Sabrina.

“You were really good out there, Sabrina.”

“You weren't too bad yourself, Sailor,” she answered with a smile.

“What will you do after this?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “What I've always done.”

“Sabrina...”

“Don't say it, Lee. Just because I played with the good guys for a while doesn't make me one.”

“Why not? You've got a clean slate with this mission. You could do anything, put your talents to work in a positive way.”

Sabrina let out a laugh, “Lee, you're an eternal optimist.” She let her smile fade, “Let's not make this harder, Lee. It was just another job and I did it. End of story.”

Lee nodded his understanding as footsteps could be heard ahead of their position. He reached for his gun and awaited the call sign.

“Yankee One is that you?”

“Advance and be recognized.”

“Lafayette has come,” the leader quipped in his decidedly French accent,**** as the French special ops team advanced and Lee sighed in relief. He sat up and moved towards Harry who was beginning to twitch as an apparent bad dream began to seize him.

“Sir? Admiral?”

Harry responded as the dream faded and Lee smiled. “We're going to get you to a hospital, Sir.”

“Looks like we'll need two stretchers,” the medic observed.

“Belay that, I can walk,” Lee countered.

“Sorry, Commander. Back wound, you ride.”

Lee sighed and gave up as he caught Sabrina's gentle laugh off to the side. Their eyes met, and Lee let a small smile escape along with an even smaller wink as the medic secured his patients for their ride to safety.

* * * * *

Lee sat by Harry's bed content to watch him sleep. It was 0200 hours and he had to sneak into the room as he hadn't exactly been released from the hospital himself. He and Harry were both currently patients at the American Air Force Base Hospital in Germany, and he was sure that his doctor intended for him to stay put after pulling the bullet from his back. It was just a nick and he wasn't sure what all the fuss was about anyway, so he had stayed true to form and used his considerable ONI talents to steal this time with Harry.

He read Harry's charts barely keeping his anger under control at what had been inflicted on the Admiral during his capture. Harry was currently sleeping off the last residuals of the drugs and was expected to fully recover. He was weak, nearly dehydrated and in pain when they arrived at the hospital, but he was at least now resting comfortably. Lee was reluctant to leave as Harry was still fighting nightmares, a result of the psychotropic element found in the drug that was used on him. Whenever Harry would seem to get uncomfortable Lee would lean forward and talk to him, sometimes shaking him out of the dream with a gentle nudge.

Harry had slept quietly the last hour as Lee looked down at his watch. It was nearly time for the nurse's rounds so he figured he'd better sneak back to his own room. He leaned over making sure Harry was sleeping well and squeezed his shoulder as he stood to leave. He made it around the corner just as the nurse began making her rounds and slid back into his bed with no one the wiser. He expected to be released in the morning and he thought he'd better appear to be well rested; he pulled the covers up and tried to get comfortable lying on his side and promptly fell asleep.

* * * * *

The “nurse” entered Harry's room and picked up his chart reading it quickly. She moved forward to the chair Lee had just vacated and sat to watch the sleeping Admiral. When Harry seemed to stir in discomfort Sabrina Meadows leaned over and gently nudged him until the dream dissipated and Harry showed signs of resting comfortably again.

As she sat she wrestled within herself. She had tried to convince herself that this was just another job, but inside she knew that her emotions had been touched. It wasn't something she let happen often, but she couldn't totally ignore the two diametrically opposed situations before her. Harry's condition had screamed at her insides and as she sat she decided to take a moment to listen to the voice of conscious that she usually held so closely at bay that she couldn't hear anymore.

She had witnessed something extraordinary, and it was messing with her bad. Harry had endured torture for five days to keep his secrets safe. Secrets she would have stolen and sold without a second thought and even patted herself on the back as her Swiss account fattened.

Harry stirred, and Sabrina leaned forward speaking softly and comfortably into his ear. He settled down and she leaned back, not knowing what to do with this new realization.

* * * * *

Harry had been transferred from Germany to a naval base on the east coast. Lee was healed enough to resume light duties, which included his debriefing at ONI. He and Sabrina had conducted their debriefs separately but were completely congruent and Johnson was satisfied.

“One last thing, Commander,” Johnson said. “What is your opinion of where Sabrina Meadows' loyalties lie?”

Lee took a deep breath, he really didn't want to answer this particular question, but he found he had no choice.

“Sir, Sabrina Meadows' loyalties lies with Sabrina Meadows.” He was sad to have had to voice the statement, but he couldn't answer truthfully any other way to his superior officer.

Johnson nodded, “Thank you Commander, that is all.”

Lee saluted and took his leave wondering what Johnson was up to, but he was anxious to return to the naval hospital so he left quickly securing a cab on the way out.

* * * * *

Sabrina had just had her transponder removed and was now reporting to Admiral Johnson to receive her official pardon. Johnson stood in front of his desk to address Sabrina as he held a paper folded in thirds and surrounded by a red protective cover.

“I want to make this clear Miss Meadows. You have been granted amnesty for your past deeds, not a pass for your future infractions.”

With that Johnson handed her a rather official looking document. She perused the pardon and refolded the Pardon to return to the red cover.

“Thank you Admiral, it was nice doing business with you,” she stated rather coldly and stood to make her exit when Johnson spoke up again.

“Miss Meadows,” Sabrina turned at the sound of her name as Johnson continued. “Your country may require your services again.”

She stared at him intently and then picked up her gear bag and left without a word.

* * * * *

Sabrina returned to her hotel room and began packing. She was tired of Washington and needed to get back to her normal life. Her packing was interrupted with a knock on the door. She opened the door to find a bell boy holding a box from a department store.

“Miss Meadows, I have a delivery for you.”

She took the box and started to pull a few singles out for his tip. The young man just smiled widely, “That's been taken care of, Ma'am,” and left happily.

Sabrina took the box to her bed cautiously and opened the top, a note sat on top of the white tissue paper covering the contents along with a single red rose. She opened the envelope with a small smile already deducing who had sent the package.

Dinner and dancing?

Meet me in the lounge at 7:00

Lee

Sabrina lifted the red rose and pulled it to her face breathing in the sweet aroma and placed it on the bed beside the note. She parted the tissue paper and found a red cocktail gown and lifted it from the box with a smile. It was much like the one she wore at the black tie affair hosted by the Institute last year when she and Lee played their seductive game.

Under the gown were matching heels with straps across the arch of the foot. She held the shoes close and smiled taking them and the dress into the powder room.

* * * * *

More than one head turned as Sabrina Meadows entered the lounge, her red sleeveless gown exposing her dainty shoulders and hanging elegantly on her perfect figure. The slit up her leg was less dramatic than the one she had picked to snag Lee that night, but it was still appealing. She paused and looked across the lounge spotting the tall dark headed hunk leaning against the bar looking equally elegant in his black tuxedo. He spotted her in the bar mirror and smiled turning around to greet her as he pushed off the bar and walked toward her.

“I didn't know if you'd come?” He offered with boyish charm.

She sided up close to him and ran her finger down his ear, something he didn't seem to mind in this particular element.

“I thought why not... for old time sake?”

His boyish smile turned devastatingly charming as he offered his arm and the two left the lounge with more than a few stares of appreciation for the handsome pair.

* * * * *

Dinner turned to dancing and dancing to... other activities. Sabrina slid out of bed and dressed watching Lee sleep. Neither one pretended their evening was anything more than it was, but it was sweet and passionate and that was more than enough.

She left his room shutting the door quietly behind her and made her way back to her own room. It was time to leave, but she had one last thing to do. She reached for her Amnesty Papers and pulled out the business card that Johnson had placed inside. She held it for a few moments and then moved to the phone dialing the private number handwritten on the back.

The phone rang twice and then was picked up. “Johnson,” was heard as a greeting with no hint of the lateness of the night.

“You can reach me at my pager number,” she proceeded to give the number and continued. “It's already been modified so don't bother trying to track me with it.”

“Fine Miss Meadows.”

With that she hung up. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but it was exciting and charged her need for the adrenalin filled life she led, and maybe... just maybe it was something more, but it was too early to think that way so she took her bags and left.

* * * * *

Lee wasn't surprised to wake by himself, he lay in bed a moment remembering their “for old time's sake” meeting and smiled. He let the memory fade and got up to shower and head to the base hospital.

* * * * *

Harry was sitting in bed with a robe on and looking much better.

“Hello Sir,” Lee said pleasantly, wearing his khaki summer service uniform. “You're looking much better today.”

“Come in, Lee. Thanks, I'm feeling much better,” Harry added.

Lee took the seat next to Harry and smiled openly, clearly pleased with Harry's progress.

“I'm not sure I thanked you properly, Lee, for what you did.”

“No need to, Sir. I'm just glad we got there in time. I uh... I'm sorry it took so long, Admiral,” Lee offered in self-recrimination that Harry had to endure so many days at the hands of his captors.

Harry cracked a smile as Lee's eyes momentarily shifted downward. He didn't know how to tell Lee that somehow he knew Lee would come, it's what kept him going. It was too personal to actually say, but Harry conveyed it in his eyes as Lee raised his eyes to meet Harry's.

“You came, Lee. That was enough,” Harry said. “What about Miss Meadows? I want to thank her as well.”

“Sabrina left this morning, Sir.”

Harry noted the satisfied smile Lee sported but didn't comment on what he supposed was an interesting if not very private story.

“I suppose it was just another job to her,” Harry said casually without regret.

“No. I don't think so, Sir,” Lee added. “She was very worried about you, I could tell.”

The mood was becoming a bit more sentimental for Harry's liking and so he quickly changed the subject.

“Well, Lee. What have you been doing with my submarine in my absence?”

Lee chuckled and gave him the latest from the report he had received from Chip out in the Bering Sea as the two settled into their familiar roles of superior and subordinate; and a not so cleverly disguised friendship that promised that one would always be there for the other.

The End

Just Another Job

* See my story, Spy Games

** See my story, Compromised

*** Pi – The mathematical equation representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is an irrational number and cannot be expressed exactly as a common fraction resulting in never ending decimal places that never repeat into a pattern. www.wikipedia.org

****A play on words, from Lt Col Stanton's famous quote: “Lafayette we have come.” Lafayette was a French aristocrat who took on the cause of freedom and fought as an American General in the American Revolution. He was more than instrumental in securing France's aid into the American Revolution. So when General Pershing and Lt Col. Charles Stanton arrived at Marquis Lafayette's grave during a WWI parade in Paris, Stanton addressed the dead patriot by saying, “Lafayette we have come!” meaning you came to the aid of America and now America remembers her ally and comes to your aid. (Paraphrased from Quotations that Shape, Reflect and Explain America by www.Iancfriedman.com )

Credits: Various scenes from first and second season episodes have been depicted in a distorted fashion in Harry's nightmares from the following episodes: Time Bomb, Submarine Sunk Here, and The Deadliest Game.

Author's Note: Please note that this is a second season story and Lee is happily living out his bachelorhood. Don't worry, he still finds his true love in Season 5. ; )

Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and her main characters belong to Irwin Allen