Chapter 1: A well crafted blade

"Get down! ...GET DOWN! … Move! Move! … You!…. Down... NOW!"

The men on the bridge stand fixed to the spot as a wave of noise and commotion descends on their ship that only moments ago was peaceful.

Ray trains his weapon directly at them "I said... GET DOWN! ...On your knees" he steps forward out of the dark walking towards them "DOWN… NOW!"

"Hey, you… asshole" Sonny appears behind Ray's left shoulder "Hands behind your head!"

The men they are ordering around look at each other with blank and confused stares. They have no idea what is going on but slowly, first one, followed by the others, they drop to their knees, raise their hands and fold them in the standard position behind their heads.

It's late, most of the ship is sleeping when suddenly and unexpectedly, from nowhere out of the darkness these guys with guns arrive. Considering none of them were expecting this, the men are all acting relatively calm and not putting up any resistance. No one says a word. They just stare passively at Ray, their eyes wide, all wondering the same thing.
What the hell is happening here?

The only thing these men know is that they were here to crew a ship, and now they find themselves,weeks away from home, stuck in the middle of the freezing ocean carrying out, as they see it, some pointless task that they know nothing about. They have onboard some foreign, but government authorised scientists and set on a course to an remote island to "Sobirat' obraztsy" or as the English-speaking scientist officially told them "collect samples"

It has to be said, that explanation never has never been accepted as the truth by the older and more hardened, of the overly large number of crew. But the fact is, that is their orders, and none of them will be the ones to dare question them.

Now in this moment, these invaders standing pointing weapons at them and that only confirms their suspicions, that there was always something more to this voyage. Something most of them had a bad feeling about.

All of those on the bridge are now on their knees, except one and Ray now trains the muzzle of his weapon towards him. As the bridge descends into a quiet, nervous, but composed atmosphere.

Ray again repeats the same order "I said get down on your knees, NOW!" The man standing doesn't move and they have this calm stalemate, just staring at each other. Ray frowns watching his expression "Are you the Captain? Are...you. .. in charge?... Hey ... you understand English?" Ray can't tell if he understands or not and he wonders why the hell Clay is downstairs when they really need him here to translate "I said..."

"I heard you" the man cuts him off mid-sentence. He's a quietly spoken man, the complete opposite to his striking rugged build "..and I will stand. You are correct, I am this Captain, and this is still my ship" he declares still staring eye to eye with Ray, unflinching.

The Captain has been threatened many times in his life, and these combat geared Americans standing in front of him certainly don't cause him any fear. Sonny's having none of it though and takes matters into his own hands. Hitting him hard across the back of the legs with his gun, causing them to buckle he pushes him down "And he said get down asshole! Now understand that!"

The Captain doesn't move his head staring straight ahead at Ray "I take it you're in charge?" He gives a quick side glance at Sonny before returning his stare to Ray.

"No! No, I'm not in charge."

Ray frowns as the Captain starts to laugh "Surely to god …not him?" he continues to smiles, taking another side glance at Sonny, who's now frowning at him

Ray smiles, but doesn't answer "BRAVO 1 this is BRAVO 2. Bridge secure. Copy."

"Copy that BRAVO 2. Hold for now"

Ray covers the men with his weapon as they stay on their knees in front of him. Sonny's working on zip tying all their hands.

"Please, my men have done nothink. Please, do not hurt them"

Ray raises his eyebrow, he's impressed with how good the Captains English is, despite his thick Russian accent "They are only family men, just trying to earn a living. They have nothink to do with what you are here for. They merely go where I order them"

Ray nods to acknowledge his words "What's your name?"

"Captain Rostov Vladim, this is my ship the Ice Breaker"

"Do you know why we're here, Captain Vladim?"

He watches Ray taking a moment before he answers "No, but I can probably guess and I remind you, my men have nothink to do with this. They are here merely here to ensure the ship gets to its destination. Please...there is no need for this, everyone will stay calm"

Sonny sniffs, wiping the wet sea water that's still dripping down his face from his hair. That swim from the helo drop was not the nicest of experience and now he can't wait till this is done and they get airlifted back off and get dry.

"We're calm. Just make sure they stay that way, and no one will get hurt. You have my word" Ray keeps his voice reassuring but focused

Some of the sailors look nervously around to their Captain "We are all good here. Like I say, they are just family men, like yourselves." Rostov nods and Ray nods in return as they both acknowledge each other and the need for cooperation. There is a quiet unspoken agreement between them, or at least for now.

Ray surveys the bridge for anything that might be of relevance to their mission, but despite the calmness of the situation there is a vibe of heightened tension in the air. They can all hear the bangs and shouting from the below decks. It's the rest of BRAVO starting the search for what they came for.

"You know you could make this easier on your crew and just tell me where they are?"

He smiles and laughs. Taking a moment, he lets out a soft sigh "I'm afraid you are too late, if they are what you have come for. They are gone!"

Ray looks at Sonny and frowns. As calm as this man is, and the supposed understanding between them, there is something, call it gut feeling, call it God, but something makes Ray feel like this isn't the truth.

"Gone? How the hell have they gone? You're in the middle of the fuckin' ocean on some Russian tin can. What they just grab an uber and get off?" Sonny laughs, shaking his head. His patience is starting to run thin. He's cold, wet, hungry and now this Russian guy is giving him bullshit

"No! No but others came. They took them already"

Ray frowns watching the Captains face. He's not sure what to believe. Rostov seems convincing but there's still something niggling at Ray, something that doesn't make sense "No!. No, I don't think so. We've been tracking you, they would have spotted another vessel"

"I think he's lying to you Ray. You really care about these men as much as you say, Captain? Well let's see!" Sonny picks one of the men up by the collar of his jacket "STAND UP!"

The man is frightened as he's dragged to his feet and he starts babbling in Russian looking at the Captain. Sonny smiles, shaking him "Shut the hell up!... I said shut up!" The man immediately stops talking "Yeah I thought so ... you understand English. Is he right, have they gone?"

The man swallows hard and looks at his Captain again, before he answers with merely the words "No English"

"He does not know what you are talking about. I told you, he is only here to crew the vessel nothink more. Please let him go."

"So, if this is the truth, then where did they go ? Who took them?"

Sonny laughs "He's playing us Ray! Come on, Captain, help yourselves here. Make it easier on everyone. Tell us what we want to know. We had a cold wet swim here, not my favorite thing so…you know, I'm feeling a little pissed right now which makes me a little trigger happy. So just give us what we want"

"Russians. Russians took them. Took them back" he smiles "I guess they knew you were coming?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Jason, Clay, Trent and Brock continue moving rapidly along the ship corridors, busting open each cabin door and securing any occupants inside

"Move! Move, move, MOVE!" they scream at every door they open.

"Clear Right! Copy"

"Clear Left. BRAVO Four. Two secured coming out. Copy!"

They zip tie every individual who exits a door. Turning over each cabin, methodically searching, before bagging any paperwork, cell phone or gadgets into the tarpaulin sacks they have with them.

As Trent and Brock round up all the occupants, they've gathered from the cabins, nearly thirty in all, they move them along the floors towards the mess hall. Which they now make as their own secured prisoner holding pen.

"BRAVO 2, this is BRAVO 1 No sign of the HVT yet. BRAVO 2 see if anyone knows their location. We need to speed this up and find them. We have exfil on route, copy"

"BRAVO 1We have secured the captain. He says..." Ray looks up at Rostov again trying to read his expression. Searching for some glimpse of the truth in it "He's sayin' that they're gone! Copy "

"Gone? Gone where? BRAVO 2, what does he know? Does he know why we're here? copy"

"Copy that BRAVO 1"

"BRAVO 2. Push his buttons. See what else he knows"

Ray frowns, he's still unsure if he believes the Captain to any degree. The men on the floor look up towards him, as Sonny pulls another guy to his feet "How about you ?"
This one is younger, and he's already shaking with fear as Sonny holds him by the scruff of his neck. "Is he right? Have they gone?...Hey you! Yes, you! Are you listening?" Sonny slaps him hard around the side of the head "Hey, anyone in there. Wake up! Where.. are… they?"

In a thick nervous, accent the guy speaks "I don't know what you talk about…. Who iz this talk me about? I know nothink.. I swear. I just ..I just... all I saw.. they" the young lad is scared and starts to babble in Russian making no sense

"Yustov!" The Captain shouts at him "Shut up! It's fine, just stay calm. Say nothink." he sighs and looks at Ray "I told you they are not involved"

The young lad gulps fearfully. Returning to silence, lowering his head, as he won't say another word to Sonny

"You dumb fuck! " Sonny shakes his head dropping him hard against the ships floor.

Rostov turns to Ray his tone has a little more anger now "I told you, Ray! None of my men know anythink. It is nothink to do with them"

Ray smiles, he's still trying to work the Captain out "Oh you know something. But, you know you're not helping your men with this silence "

Sonny crouches down in front of the younger man he's just dropped "So you're telling me you've been sailing on this ship, for what ... weeks? And you haven't noticed a hot little scientist or where she went?"
He pulls out his cell phone out. Sliding across the pictures loaded on it ""Dr Sassi Renkov. You know where she is? " he looks around displaying the picture to them all "Anyone know where she is?"

"How about you?" Sonny pulls the head of the nearest Sailor and holds the phone in front of him "No? How about this guy?" he swipes the picture revealing another person "You not seen him either?" he sighs frustrated.

He swipes back to the previous photo, the one Mandy gave them of Dr Renkov, for identification purposes. Sonny wasn't quite sure why they needed it, not when the ship was only crewed by sea hardened Russian men, and she was a very pretty little dark-haired woman. No, he'd have no trouble identifying her.

Saying that Sonny had thought in the briefing about how pretty damn hot she was, and on the Sonny Quinn scale of hottest terrorists he had scored her a ten. In fact, as terrorists went she was off the scale, so he had no problems having her photo and it was much more preferable than a lot of the target photos he'd had over the years. Not that he let on any of his scoring criteria to Davis.

Anyway, the fact she was hot did not make up for the fact that her, and her friend, were traitors working for the Russians. BRAVO being asked to bring them back to the USA , made this mission one of those ones that Sonny was never able to get his head around comfortably. These sorts ops which were based on this "political PR" or as he liked to call it Bullshit! Were in his book something that never turned out well.

The guys in the line all side glance each other but still none of them say a word except for a few Russian comments under their breath.

"Oh, oh yeah this little hottie, she get your attention, did she?" Sonny laughs as he looks the young sailor right in the face only inches from him "Yeah I bet she did" Sonny smiles " I think you know exactly who we're talking about, don't you? So, did she leave like he said?"

Sonny sighs as the youngster breaks his gaze and in silence looks back at the floor. Sonny continues along the line, slowly, pointing his weapon at each and every one of them "You know... we got orders to find her, by any means necessary Do you know what that means?" he bends down to Yustov the younger one that he scared earlier.
Sensing his fear Sonny whispers in his ear, his heavy Texan drawl at its more threatening tone "That means... I can torture you …legally" he laughs "Well technically, not legally but no one's gonna tell are they" Sonny laughs louder, patting him on the cheek before he stands up. He lets out a big sigh.

His head tells him they're Russian and that means they're probably more scared of the consequences of talking, than they're ever going to be of him
"What you wanna do Ray?"

"Let's wait for Jason. See what they find first"

The captain speaks up again " I told you, they've gone. A vessel picked them up yesterday"

Sonny turns on him and pushes him back down "And I told you asshole, too sit the fuck down!"

Ray sighs, he can tell like Sonny that they're getting nowhere "BRAVO 1 this is BRAVO 2. They sticking with the story. They're gone" he sigh rubbing his head in frustration "The Captain says some boat picked them up yesterday"

"Copy that BRAVO 2" Jason rubs head as he tries to think for a moment "Shit!...HAVOC this is BRAVO 1. We need a check on the intel. Captain is saying the HTVs are gone, Copy"

"Copy that 1. Checking now."

"HAVCO Sitrep with exfil? Copy"

"BRAVO 1. Helo is inbound. ETA 30mics"

"Copy that havoc!...BRAVO 2, keep at them. Something in my gut says they're still here. Let's find them before that exfil arrives!"

"Copy that BRAVO 1" Ray looks up at Sonny.

As Ray nods his head, Sonny knocks the Captain flat to the floor. There's a sudden deep intake of breath from the rest of the crew, and for the first time since they set them down on their knees, they all look round and move. Sonny turns his gun back "You! Turn the hell around"

He looks at Ray who lowers his weapon on to them as Sonny gets down beside the Captain "Now you better start talking, or things are gonna get really rough!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Jason calls Clay and Brock "We carry on searching. Let's be sure they're not here. Search the cabins again, something about this is not right!"

Clay opens the door and enters the larger cabin at the end of the corridor. This one has its own shower room, different from the other shared facilities, but unlike the others it appears to be empty. He guesses if it's not now, then at one time this was a Captain's cabin. He stands still and looks round the small space, taking in as many details as he can, his eyes scanning and searching for anything they might have missed.

The table is a mess of notes and files. A cell phone and open laptop. A glass of vodka sits there, hardly started. Clay frowns, the whole layout of this room is telling him something feels wrong for an empty cabin.

He continues his search, bagging the cell phone and laptop. Frowning, he scans the paperwork on the table, then gathering it all together he then stuffs it into the bag as well.

As he searches the bed area he feels the mattress with his hand, although the covers are thrown over, it still feels slightly warm to the touch, this gives him a feeling of uncertainty and heightens a sense of alert inside him. He looks around the room again, looking for anything he may have missed. Then he spots it, there on the chair, a black lace bra and smaller, female sized clothing.

"BRAVO 1 this is BRAVO 6. I think you're right. I think the HVT is still here" Something really doesn't feel right and as he turns and looks at cabin exit he notices the small slatted closet door beside it.

He readies his weapon, putting his hand on the door handle, just about to pull. As he does it suddenly flies open towards him and a woman leaps out.

In the frenzy that ensues, he feels a sharp hot pain as she slashes at his arm with a knife. It cuts deep, and he stumbles backwards from the sudden burning sensation in his flesh. Then as he sees the glint of the steel coming towards him again, he puts his hand up to push it way, but once again the steel slashes across the palm of his hand.

"Awww FUCK!" he screams out as he stumbles back with the pain. It's sharp and cold, and at first he doesn't feel it, but then it hits him and it's as if he touched a hot flame as the blood starts to pump from the wound.

The hot ache throbs and he can't pick up his weapon. It makes his head rush and he feels like he might throw up. He clasps his hand into a fist trying to stem the blood flow but all it does is drip from between his fingers

"Ahhh!" he tries to shout at her but the words won't come out as he grabs at the top of his arm with his free hand. She comes at him again and he swallows his anxiety. His arm feels like its dead, and his hand pumping with blood. He has a sudden mild panic that he may not be able to stop the force of it plunging into him "SHIT!" he puts his foot up trying to kick her back.

Jason heard his cries in the corridor and he's there at the doorway, just as he gets there he sees the glint of the blade in the air about to rain down on Clay and he grabs her from behind just as Clay kicks out to keep her back.

The force brings her crashing down on top of him and for almost a moment too long, the force of the fall makes him close his eyes. Then he blinks, regaining his composure, he wraps her smaller hand with the knife, in his much larger grasp, smacking her knuckles hard against the dresser edge.

At first she doesn't let go and he does it again, and again, until finally she relents and the knife drops to the floor.
Then in one move he turns her over, pinning her arms to her back and holding her head tight against the floor with his other hand. He holds her firmly in his grip in position until she concedes and stops struggling "Keep still!"

"Get off me!" She still keeps fighting against him "Awww, you're hurting me."

"Calm the fuck down then" he sighs taking a moment and not relenting, using all of his strength against her. Holding her, not letting her move one inch.

"Okay! Okay, I give. Just let me go!" she grits her teeth, the strength of his force against is really starting to hurt now " I said Okay" she screams

She can scream and protest as much as she likes but Jason's taking no notice, instead checking on Clay, who's holding his hand trying to contain the blood flow as Trent's comes to the doorway

He's down beside Clay now and starts to apply pressure and dressings to his wounds. Jason turn his attention back to her and as he holds both her arms behind her back he now roughly, zip ties her hands tightly together.

"Aww. geeez!" she squeals as the plastic tie pulls into place "Fuck! That hurts, it's too tight!"

"After what you just did to Clay, tough fucking shit!"

She grinds her teeth trying to wiggle her hands a bit looser but only succeeding in making the plastic cut into her wrist "Fuck!" she grimaces "Ahhh! Please, I can't feel my hands!"

"Keep still then and it won't hurt so much."

"Fuck you! For god sake. I'm telling you that's too tight." she sighs realizing it's in vain. Jason's just ignoring her "Fuck, let me go!" Finally, she relents in the struggle, deciding to conserve her energy she gives up trying to resist, in the hope that will relieve some of the pressure on her wrists.

He pulls her up and holds her against the cabin wall. She smiles to herself, closes her eyes and tries to relax, hoping the throbbing in her hands will stop. Her fingers are already swelling against the tightness, it feels like a burning heat of the plastic cutting into her flesh.

"How bad is it?" Jason frowns as he looks at Trent getting his medical kit out and starting to look at the wound on Clay's arm

"It's deep. I'm gonna need to stitch it. What the hell did she use?"

Jason holds up the knife on the table checking it over and holding it up to the light "That's a seriously well-crafted blade"

"Looks like it's military issue" Trent looks around and checking it out, as Jason holds it up "Pheww! Hell, no wonder it's so deep! Clay, let's look at your hand"

The slash across the full width of his palm is till pumping blood as Clay loosens his grip for Trent to look. It's hard to do as his fingers have locked in a hold trying to counter the pain.

Trent ties a large dressing around it, tight. He's hoping the pressure will make the blood stop. Clay's holding the other dressing to the top of his arm "Shit Trent! Fuck, that hurts"

"Hold on I've got something for that" he closes his eyes to the pain, then Trent stabs him in the leg giving him some morphine. Then in less than a few minutes the space in the cabin starts to blur along with the burning sensation in his arm, and Clay relaxes. It's now a dull ache that he's only faintly aware of, rather than a sharp pain at the front of his mind.

"BRAVO 3 this is BRAVO 1. Get down here and secure the HVT. We have a medical situation ongoing."

"Copy that BRAVO 1. On my way. Is everyone okay?"

"No … give you a sitrep when you get here" Jason sighs "HAVOC this is BRAVO 1 sitrep. We have one HVT secured... " he frowns at her as he pushes her harder against the wall, trying to control the anger inside him for what she's done to Clay. "We also have an ongoing medical situation with BRAVO 6. BRAVO 4 is treating on scene"

Mandy comes on the comms "What else did you manage to recover BRAVO 1?"

"So far only files , laptops, cell phones. Copy"

Mandy sighs "Did you find the metal case yet?"

"No not yet. We're working on recovering it. Still searching for it and the second HTV. Will update sitrep ASAP "

"BRAVO 1. We need to find that case. Priority Copy"

"Copy that will update ... One out!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sonny looks at Ray "You okay to hold here?"

"Yeah get going!" Ray sighs as holds his weapon up still staring at the Captain. The Captain doesn't take his eyes off Ray. He can feel the tension in the two Americans. He knows that something down below has created this sudden vibe in the air

"Everyone's gonna stay cool here aint that right?" Ray looks asking Rostov

"That is right. Everyone will be calm!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sonny makes his way below decks and arrives at the cabin doorway to find Trent treating Clay.

Jason's still holding her in position against the wall. He has his forearm against the back of her head holding her cheek flat against the wood panels of the cabin. Every so often he can feel her keep resisting against it, and every so often he applies a bit more pressure "Here take her. Watch her though, she's a bit of a wild one!"

"Oh, go to hell" She spits at Sonny as he takes hold of her.

He grabs her really hard by the scruff of the neck and just pins her there "Now, that's not very nice seeing as we only just met"

For a second as he looks round to check on Clay and she gets enough room to turn herself around, and as she does she lifts her knee against Sonny's inner thigh. His reaction is just quick enough to avoid a sensitive injury and she finds herself back down onto the floor this time with Sonny's knee in her back

"FUCK!" she squeals as he knocks her down to the floor

"You little Bitch!" Sonny closes his eyes shaking his head at his near miss

Jason smiles watching Sonny grapple with her "I told you to watch her." He laughs, thinking about the possible consequences of Sonny's inattentiveness

Sonny stands up keeping his boot on her to hold her still "You move again you little bitch and this time I'll shoot ya"

"I doubt that … " she laughs "seeing as your orders will be to take me alive, not kill me in cold blood. Idiot!"

"Get a picture of her over to Mandy. Check that's who she wants"

"Yeah sure thing. You know..." he whispers in her ear "... if you're not our HVT, then I'm gonna throw you overboard to the sharks you can be sure of that!"

"Fuck you!"

"Oh, you're a right charmer aren't you. Just remember, sometimes in extreme situations we have to break the rules, and after what you did to my boy Clay there, then I'd learn to shut your mouth and be a bit nicer if I was you"

Sonny turns to look at Trent "How's Poster boy doing, is it bad?"

"She slashed him … with that!" he points at the knife that Jason laid up on the table

Sonny looks at it and lets out a long whistle "Whoa! I haven't seen one of these for years" he picks it up with his free hand as he sends her picture across to base "You know what that is don't you?"

Jason frowns and shakes his head

"It's a karatel, like an elite, top of the range blade. A lot of Russian special forces use them, which makes me wonder how the hell you got this" He looks down holding it in front of her face.

Sonny keep his eyes on the black combat knife. It almost looks too dangerous for the small delicate sized woman; he's holding down on the floor below his boot "What the fuck are you doing with a knife like this?"

She look round laughs "What do you think."

He frowns at her, he's not sure if it's the knife or the fact she wielded it with such force the scarier part about her.

"Oh, come on .. ." she frowns "Seriously you ask what I need that for? Lone female on a ship in the middle of the ocean, crewed only by drunken Russian sailors. What do you think it was for, doing my nails?"

Jason has to laugh to himself the fact she's managing to still be sarcastic even in the predicament she finds herself in. Sonny nods as Jason looks at him and shakes his head. "Well I think I'll keep hold of this for now. Safer that way"

"You can't that's mine. I was given it"

"Yeah well that that's tough shit! Anyway, where you're going, you're not going to need it, ever. They don't allow them in jail or wherever the hell they put traitors these days"

"I'm not going to jail" she laughs "Is that what you seriously think?"

Jason frowns as he looks at her laying there on the floor, still under Sonny's control. He now notices the things he hasn't had time to take in before, like the fact she's barely dressed apart from some black short like panties, a white low back vest top. She was in bed when she heard the commotion of them arriving and didn't have time to dress.

It's not only that, that catches his attention, but he's drawn to the raised lines of scars on her back. He frowns and looks at Sonny who has obviously noticed the same thing. Neither says a word but they're both wondering about them. They look like they were fairly deep before they healed, and they are in uniform patterns across her skin.

Jason frowns staring at them. Then Sonny's concerned voice jolts Jason attention away from his thoughts "Clay you okay?"

"Yeah I'm alright" he sighs "Fuck, why is it always me?!"

"Oh well better it's you, than it being me. You handle pain so much better " he laughs "Hey Trent, he gonna be alright ?"

Trent looks round "It'll hold for now, but we need to get him medical attention ASAP the wound on his arm is deep. That's a hell of a knife"

"Yeah sure is and sharp as hell"

"Get her up!" Jason's annoyed now this is a setback they didn't need, and her little attack on Clay is the reason they're behind and they've only found part of what they're looking for.

Sonny's so pissed at her for what she did to Clay that he's still having issue controlling his anger towards her, and he pulls her to her feet with no regard to whether he hurts her or not. He was going to search her, but he now also notices shes only wear the briefest of clothes. He holds her against the cabin wall as Trent finishes bandaging Clay's hand.

"Let's get her upstairs then we'll look for Vinchenckov" Jason nods in direction of the door "Trent you get Clay upstairs as well Make sure he's patched and ready to go when that exfil arrives"

As Trent helps Clay through the doorway she catches Clay's eye. She almost apologises with her stare; she swallows hard as Clay stares her back and he smiles almost accepting her silent apology only to be greeted with a "Go fuck yourself"

Sonny grinds his teeth and pushes her head harder against the wall "I'm getting sick of you now."

"Get her out of here Sonny she's starting to wind me up"

She coughs "Um…just one thing. Could I get dressed first?" she looks at Jason wondering about his answer. She's not sure with her being the cause of Clay's injury that if she's pushed him too far for any reasonable demands. She smiles "Mainly because its cold up there and... the fact that there are 30 sex hungry vodka fuelled Russians! Will probably save you a riot on your hands" she shrugs and smiles at him

Jason grinds his teeth and sighs "She's right. She can't go out dressed as she is." she's really starting to piss him off now and he watches her for a moment, he really can't work her out. He's wondering if the attitude is all bravado, stupidity or just plain arrogance on her part.

Mandy told them all about her before they left. That she had this super smart brain, was one of the top in her field. That after a visit to family the Russians had kidnapped her and she started working with the government there, that was 5 years ago. That she was now on board this vessel doing "research" which Mandy's intel suggested was for an unknown weapons test. A weapon they hoped to recover along with her.

"Okay" he sighs "... Sonny get her dressed first"

she turns around offering her hands that are zip tied. Sonny looks at her not moving "well I'm gonna have a bit of difficulty if you don't" she laughs

Sonny rolls his eyes around and looks at Jason

"Just watch her! And You, don't make any sudden movements or it won't matter that they say about wanting you alive. Do you understand me?"

She nods

"Turn around" Jason pushes her round and Sonny takes the knife she used on Clay and it slices through the plastic of the zip tie with ease. Before letting her go Jason studies the marks on her back. Then not realising he's doing it but as he takes one more look he runs his gloved finger along one of the scars.

She swallows hard and almost freezes to the spot as he does

"How'd you get these?" Jason frowns

She closes her eyes but doesn't answer him about that. In a calmer softer more nervous voice, she asks "Can I get my clothes?"

"No! You stay there"

She sighs "No! What the fuck? How am I supposed to get dressed then?"

"You stay put. I'll get your clothes; you're not pulling anymore stunts like you did on Clay"

He chucks her the black skinny combat jeans from the chair and she pulls them on. He searches through her stuff in the corner

She sighs "The grey hoodie will do"

He nods " You got a jacket? Like you said it's cold, the helo that's coming is going to be colder"

"Helo?" she frowns

"Yeah, we're taking you off here"

She smiles " You know you need to get off quick then. They're gonna be coming once they know what's happened"

"Where's Vinchenckov?"

She looks at Sonny as she pulls her arms in the hoodie and zips it up "They took him yesterday.. off loaded him on some fishing boat that's all I know" she shrugs. She acts much calmer now and though Sonny's still in a state of tension around her prepared for anything now. "That's the truth, I swear " she can tell he'd doubting her words "Though he's probably swimming with sharks by now"

Sonny frowns

"That's the truth too." she sighs as she runs her hands through her hair "Can you pass me that hairband on the side. Please!" she smiles at Sonny, but he doesn't respond

"You can get it" Jason nods

She lets out a long sigh as she reaches over to the dresser and takes the band and ties her hair back

"How come they didn't' take you then ? I mean .. you don't exactly blend in."

She gulps "They didn't find me." She watches Sonny and then waits for a moment as she looks at Jason to answer his question. "Rostov, he hid me .. he has um… a smugglers hole in the floor of the ship. I waited it out until they'd gone"

"Who's they?"

"Russians. If they knew you were coming they would have wanted to off load us. I don't know what Rostov told them" she shrugs "But whatever it was he convinced them I wasn't here"

Jason frowns "How?"

She shrugs "How what? How did he convince them or how did they know you were coming?" She laughs " How do they know anything?"

She sighs as she straightens her hair and rubs her forehead, letting out a deep exhausted sigh. The tiredness of the day is starting to creep over her, and she leans her head back against the wall. She looks Jason dead in the eyes and holds her hands out together indicating she's finished dressing. Jason still watches her. She's willing him to come closer, but he doesn't move.

"Get her upstairs"

Sonny's not falling for anything and her turns her round facing her head against the wall again pulling her arms one at a time behind her back and zip ties them tightly together again. This time there is slightly more room, but she sighs and shakes her head resigned to the fact Sonny won't trust her at all "Now move!" he shoves her in the back. There's no way he's forgiving her after what she did to Clay.

Brock comes to the door "Everything okay?"

"Yeah! let's gather this stuff up and get off of this ship. I'll feel better then. Something about this doesn't add up"

They take her laptop, phone and all the other paperwork on the table, that Clay put in the bag.

Jason and Brock search the rest of the room and as Jason lifts the bed mattress he finds hidden some files and paperwork. They don't have time to study it closer, but he has a quick flick through as he flicks the paperwork a photograph drops out. It's a black and white photograph, all wrinkled and creased. A woman, man and child. Well-worn with fold lines as if it's been folded much smaller at some point.
He studies it then puts all the paperwork in the sack but the photo he refolds along the lines already in it and puts in the pocket on his vest "We clear?"

Brock nods "Yeah seems like it

"Okay let's go! HAVOC this is BRAVO one we're ready for exfil"

"Copy that BRAVO one exfil is fifteen mics out!"