Title: Clayton’s Request Authors: Hugo “Animal” Chikamori & Heather “Feather” Lee E-mails: hchikamori@yahoo.com & harms_girl@yahoo.com Rating: PG-13 Classification: Animal/Liandra; Harm/Mac Spoilers: Summary: Clayton Webb requests Animal’s presence at a government function and things go completely insane. Disclaimers: WHITE HOUSE 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE WASHINGTON DC “Thanks for coming,” Clayton said as Animal and I entered the time-honored building that many knew so well. Clayton had requested my husband’s presence at this government shindig. I had not wanted to go and had complained, quite loudly, to both Animal and Clay at the thought of having to deal with snotty Senators and ill- tempered Congressmen. Clay also, rather snidely, had mentioned to me that Meg Austin, my husband’s ex-girlfriend, would be making an appearance there. That did it. My eyes had glazed over and I was about two seconds from killing Clayton Webb in cold blood when Animal intervened. During his intervention, he had a smirk on his face, as though he’d have rather seen me pulverize the CIA operative. Now I stood beside my beloved Hugo as we entered the building where this whole affair was to take place. I wore a shimmery electric blue gown that, Animal said, clung to my curves. Knowing my own shortcomings, like the fact that I am a very small woman, I had laughed. “No, honey, this dress shows off the highlights in my hair. But,” I grinned at him as I stood on tiptoe to slide my arms around his neck, “it also will go well with your Medal of Honor.” “Well,” Animal had said, running his hand through my long hair, “it does do that.” I favored my darling with a brilliant smile. Smiling was all I could do, for at the moment, speaking was quite impossible. Animal stole my breath away. He was so handsome in his uniform. Per decorum, he wore his dinner dress whites, the tuxedo-like cut of the uniform highlighting the four gold lace stripes, indicating his current rank, that of a United States Navy Captain. Being the carrier air wing commander, or CAG, of CVW-8, he had more or less been given an order to be there. When that information had come to light, I used my resources at JAG to find out exactly where that order had come from. A short time after I’d spoken to Bud about it, he came back with news that the SECNAV had made the request. SECNAV, my foot! I now thought irritably as Clayton Webb came over to draw Animal away so he could introduce him to Senator John McCain from Arizona. Clayton Webb’s the one who issued that order. He’s just using the SECNAV to cover his six. Thankfully for me, having noticed the infinite number of men, both young and old, that had made it their business to “keep me company”, Clay’s wife came to my rescue. I told her laughingly, “Sandy, it was pathetic. You know me. I’m not the type to be rude first off, so I tried the nice way, patiently explaining to them I am a married woman, a happily married woman. When that didn’t seem to be working, I tried flaunting the rock, “ I grinned, using her and Mac’s nickname for the four and a half carat, emerald-cut diamond engagement ring Animal had given me, “but that didn’t work, either.” Normally I did not wear Animal’s ring in public because I was afraid something would happen to it, it was so expensive. I usually just wore the platinum wedding band with the inscription, Semper Fidelis, on the inside. Granted, it was the Marine Corps motto, and my husband and I were both career Navy, but we felt that the meaning of the phrase, “Always Faithful”, was still fitting for us. Animal later sheepishly informed me he had spent a large part of his savings, nearly thirty thousand dollars, on the wedding set. I vividly remembered crying when Animal had used the diamond to propose to me at my office, where, he said, “it all began”. He and I first laid eyes on one another at my office, the headquarters building for the Judge Advocate General, located in Falls Church, Virginia. He had come by to visit a couple of his old friends, my co-workers and friends Harmon Rabb and Sarah MacKenzie. Sarah and I shared an office back then. I’d been walking out of our office, case file in my hand, my nose and eyes, buried in the file, when I literally collided with Animal, then a Commander. I myself was a mere Lieutenant, senior grade, at the time. Animal had chuckled. “Excuse me, Lieutenant . . .” He left the statement open, indicating I should supply my last name. Looking up at the wall of solid muscle I had crashed headlong into, I blushed, my cheeks turning an intense scarlet. “Gracen, sir,” I had stammered. “Lieutenant Gracen, would you mind telling me where Lieutenant Commander Harm Rabb’s office is?” the handsome officer asked professionally. “Actually, sir,” I began, but he’d interrupted me with a smile, “It’s Animal, Commander Chikamori if you would like to be formal.” “Well, Commander, I was headed there myself, to deliver this file.” I replied, gesturing with the folder in my hands. “May I accompany you there?” he’d asked courteously. “Certainly,” I’d answered professionally. As we walked across the bullpen, my lungs struggled to take in oxygen. I was acutely aware of his hand at my elbow. It was barely there, his fingers just managing to brush my bent arm as it swayed back and forth, but I knew it was there. So did someone else, it seemed. “So, Animal, you going in for the newbies now?” a familiar voice snickered from behind us. I knew that voice. It belonged to Lieutenant Commander Jack Keeter, an old friend of mine and Harm’s. He and Harm had attended the Naval Academy together. As I spun around to confront Jack, I noticed Harm and Sarah come out of Harm’s office, followed by my uncle, AJ Chegwidden, our boss. Harm raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head. I turned around completely and spoke to Keeter. “Say, Jack, since when did you change your callsign to ‘Screwball’? Animal, Harm, and Sarah had all burst out laughing, and even my uncle managed a smile. “She’s got you there, pal,” Harm grinned slyly at his friend. Jack looked properly reprimanded, an abashed expression covering his face. “Sorry, Sass,” Jack apologized, calling me by my first callsign, one he had christened me with, “in honor of my smart mouth”, he had explained. Later, in mine and Mac’s office, I’d looked at her with a grin. “Wow! Who was that? He was gorgeous!” “Earth to Lia,” Sandy’s voice penetrated my memories. “What are you grinning at?” “Oh, sorry, Sandy. Just remembering when Animal and I first met,” I smiled brilliantly as Sandy’s husband brought mine back over. “What was the little scuffle about, dear?” I asked Animal. Right before they headed our way, Animal had hauled Clayton by the lapel into his face and said something, his countenance infuriated. “Nothing, honey.” Animal replied, lovingly caressing my semi-bare arm. “Can I talk to you for a minute, sweetheart?” Clay suddenly asked his wife, leading her over toward a cluster of Senators. “Don’t give me that bull, Haruo,” I complained at my husband, calling him by his middle name. I could tell he knew he was in trouble from the look on his face. I only use his middle name on two occasions: when I’m angry with him, or in our more private moments. This definitely did not qualify as a private moment, given that we were in a room with probably two hundred people, minimum. “Why’d you nearly strangle Clay?” I asked him pointedly. “I was just telling him to keep those lecherous political goats away from you,” he sighed, “not to mention the fact that Clay informed me that Harm ‘had other pressing concerns’, so he and Mac aren’t here,” he complained as one of his best friends and his wingman, LCDR Phil “Metalman” Burrows, walked up, an attractive redhead in a black sequined gown on his arm. My jaw dropped in astonishment as I recognized the woman with Metalman. An old girlfriend of mine, she and I had played together in a rock band with her sister and our best friends growing up. I broke away from my husband to throw my arms around her. “Kimber!” I shrieked joyously. She hugged me back enthusiastically. “Liandra, what are you doing here?” she asked, pulling back from our embrace. Kimber inhaled sharply as she pulled away, taking my left hand in hers. “And where did you get that?” she asked, pointing in awe at the ring on my finger. “Tell you what. If Animal will get permission from Clay for us to kiss this place goodbye, I’ll fill you in, only if you promise to tell me what in heaven’s name you’re doing with this deadbeat,” I jerked a thumb over my shoulder at Phil. “Deal,” she grinned widely as the four of us headed for the door. Suddenly, the sound of gunshots reverberated through the ballroom. Gazing at the doorway, I saw that two of the Secret Service agents that were trying to usher the President to safety had suddenly slumped to the ground, bright red splashes smearing their tuxedos. I felt myself falling as my husband threw me to the ground, Metalman doing the same with Kimber. “Keep your head down,” the Captain in Animal commanded me sharply, when, without warning, a 9mm was shoved in his face. a Middle Eastern voice spoke quickly in Farsi. Not quickly enough, thanks to a swift lesson Mac had given Animal and I not too long ago. I knew I must’ve looked frightened. I tried to keep my horror from showing, because I knew the last thing Animal needed right now was to have to deal with a hysterical female, on top of keeping his own emotions in check. , the terrorist gestured to Animal with his gun. Animal began to walk in the direction the Arab had implied, but not before I made sure he knew I loved him. Snatching his dress uniform by the sleeve, I pulled him around to face me. Grabbing his face, I yanked his head down and kissed him passionately. God only knew how long it would be until I saw him again, and I wanted my husband to know how much I loved him. The terrorist spoke again. , he said, roughly shoving me backwards. I tripped and stumbled wildly until I felt Kimber’s hand lock onto my arm, just barely managing to keep me upright. The Middle Eastern soldier hauled Animal away from me. Looking my husband in his dark eyes, I called out emotionally, “I LOVE YOU!” My husband grinned a cocky, sideways grin at me. “I know.” As Animal’s captors led him away, he spoke to me once again. “I have a bad feeling about this.” I turned to Kimber and smirked. “Those idiots don’t know it yet, but they have made a VERY BIG mistake.” Sandy came over as I spoke with Kimber. “How can you smile at a time like this?” she asked, looking around furiously for Clay. “Yeah, I want to know the answer to that myself. And what was that kooky reply for? He might get killed, so when you tell him you love him, he says ‘I know’. What the blazes was that?” Even though the situation was extremely serious, I could not help the grin that formed on my face. “That was our favorite line from Star Wars, Kim,” I told her. “And that grin? That’s classic Han Solo.” I snickered softly. “We have to be ready, girls, in case he needs us. Animal’s up to something.” “Well, those fools are in trouble. “ Sandy muttered under her breath. Metalman snuck over to us, keeping a watchful eye out for the nearly thirty terrorists scattered about the ballroom. “How are you girls doing?” he asked, giving Kimber a meaningful look. “Fine, considering we’re now hostages in an apparent government takeover,” Sandy quipped sarcastically. “How do you think we’re doing? My husband has disappeared, Liandra’s husband was taken away at gunpoint, probably because of that blasted medal hanging around his neck. I told Clay not to make him wear it, but he insisted. Blast it,” Sandra’s voice broke as tears flowed unchecked down her face. Looking at me, she said softly, “I’m sorry, Lia.” Putting my arm around her, I squeezed her shoulders. “It’s okay, Sandy. Animal will be alright. If anybody can get out of this, my husband can.” I smiled at Sandy and Kimber encouragingly. I had to keep their morale up, keep them from getting depressed. If any of us got to the point of believing the worst, then it could very well happen, not to mention the fact that when Animal gave me his signal, we wouldn’t be ready, and that, too, could get us all killed. Metalman gave Kimber an intense look. “I’m going to sneak out of here and go see if I can find Animal, give him a hand.” Turning to me, Phil spoke solemnly. “I will bring him back to you, Lia.” “I know you will, Phil, and thank you.” The three of us watched Metalman walk away stealthily. I did a quick scan of the crowd. “Okay, they appear to be letting us mingle like usual. We have to do something, or I am going to go crazy. I have to help Animal.” Sandy grabbed my arm. “You are going to help your husband by staying alive, Liandra. You are not going to run around here half-cocked, not knowing exactly how many gun-toting lunatics there are in this place. You aren’t your Uncle Cordell, you know,” she said, speaking of my martial-arts expert uncle, also a Texas Ranger. “No, but I can fight like he can. After that incident with Palmer, I finished getting my black belt, plus Animal started teaching me a few things after we got married.” I chuckled. “As for that crack, nobody’s like Uncle Cordell.” “Okay, look,” Kimber stated. “Sandy and I will spread out, check the place out. Find out how many of these husband-stealing goons there are in here. Then we’ll report back to you, say, in fifteen minutes,” Kimber said, checking her watch as Sandy and I synchronized ours with hers. “You stay here in case Animal comes back, so you can spot any signal he makes.” “Gotcha.” I wandered over to a small table that was stocked with every liquid imaginable in various glasses. I chose an ice water, not wanting champagne, for two reasons. One, champagne was almost always used in celebrations, and this certainly wasn’t a celebration anymore, and two, I definitely didn’t need any alcohol in my system dulling my actions or my thinking. I needed to be sharp and ready when Animal got loose from those creeps. I glanced heavenward, whispering a silent prayer to God for my husband’s safety, and the safety of all those stuck in this mess. Please, Lord, keep everyone in Your hands tonight. Give Hugo the wisdom and knowledge he will need to get us out of this. I felt a cold, clammy hand on my arm pulling me around. Whoever it was, it wasn’t my husband. I grimaced before I turned around. So much for a quick end to this mess of an evening. As I faced the man who was pulling on my arm, I got a good look at the expression on his face. Lustful, lascivious, and not anything I wanted a part of. He began to drag me toward a table. Red-hot rage flooded through me as it dawned on me what he was after. He wasn’t just eyeing me, he meant to rape me. Over my dead body, I thought to myself. No other man had ever touched me except my husband, and I intended to keep it that way. My attacker shoved me down onto the table as I twisted my head around, frantically searching the edges of the floor for Animal and Metalman. Relief engulfed me as I spotted Animal wrap his arms around the neck of a terrorist along the wall and snap it. I saw him looking through the crowd for me, so, to get his attention, I screamed. The creep looming over me leered at me and said something lewd in Farsi. My Farsi wasn’t as good as Mac’s, but I could tell by his face whatever it was he’d said wasn’t pleasant. His hand grazed my breast and it was all I could do to keep from throwing up. Animal, if you don’t do something, I thought just as a silenced round hit the terrorist in the head, his hands clutching my dress as he fell to the ground, dead. Gray matter from the now deceased terrorist decorated a nearby wall, as well as my dress. I made a face. Oh, well, at least Clayton was the one who paid for it, I thought as my eyes surveyed the crowd again for my heroic spouse. Around me I heard several of our kidnappers muttering and complaining in Farsi. It was absurd, but I wanted to jump up and down and clap my hands gleefully. These goons were confused and nervous now, and I knew my husband was in no small part responsible for that. I did manage a smug smile. These morons didn’t have a clue who they were dealing with. A few minutes later, to my shocked delight, I realized that Animal and Metalman, along with Senator McCain, had cleared the ballroom of all but two of the terrorists. One of those two suddenly brought a woman to the front of the room. Beside me, I heard Sandy gasp. I hadn’t even noticed when she and Kimber had returned. “That’s Senator McCain’s wife,” Sandy said unnecessarily, because the terrorist had just announced he would kill Mrs. McCain if “the people who are killing our people do not show themselves.” Glancing over at Animal, I noticed his wingman raising his arm to fire on one of the terrorists. I gave him a surprised look as he mouthed the word “SCREAM” at me. Okay, yeah, I can do that. I cut loose with a banshee shriek as Animal and Metalman stepped out into the crowd and fired at the two remaining terrorists. “Room’s clear,” Animal grunted as I came running over to him. Throwing my arms around him, I kissed him passionately. “I’m so proud of you,” I whispered in his ear as he pressed a silenced MP-5 into my hands. Kimber and Sandy ran over to us. “Any sign of Clay yet?” I asked. “No, not yet, but he has to be around here somewhere,” Sandy replied with a smile. Kimber grinned at me. “Your Uncle AJ is here. Wherever Clay’s hiding, he’d better stay put, because your uncle is furious with him,” she giggled. “Is my anger something you find amusing, Lieutenant Commander Benton?” Uncle AJ said dourly as he walked over to include himself in our little group. “Oh, Uncle AJ, stop it,” I scolded as I walked over to hug him. As he slid an arm around me, he noticed the terrorist’s cerebral matter clinging to my dress. “What in the devil’s hell happened to you, Liandra?” Giving my husband a ‘keep your mouth shut’ look, I decided my uncle did not need to know all that had recently transpired, but, as usual, my husband took matters into his own hands. “I had to shoot a man who was about to rape her, sir,” Animal stated dutifully as I glared at him. To appease my uncle’s fury, I invited him along on the next step in our mission. “Animal wants to go downstairs and rub these guys out at the source. Want to join us?” I asked, knowing full well he wanted in. “Who else is going?” was his reply as he jacked ammunition into a weapon he’d somehow acquired, probably off one of the fallen terrorists’ bodies. “Me, Animal, Metalman, Senator McCain, and you,” I told him as I prepared my own weapon for use. “Oh, no, you’re not,” AJ stated firmly. Taking my husband’s arm, I responded hotly. “Yes, I am, Uncle AJ. I don’t know if anyone’s told you this yet, but Animal was the first hostage they grabbed. They took him away, out of the ballroom, most likely with the intent to kill him. Now, I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, that deserves a little payback. Are we going to sit around arguing about this all night or are going to go in there and stop these creeps? Besides, Uncle AJ, these two clowns,” I said, gesturing towards my husband and his friend, “ have been playing SEAL all night. I need you to come along and show them how a real SEAL takes care of business.” MUCH LATER Harm and Mac arrived just after all the hostages had been taken to the hospital. The morgue van was still outside, though, to finish collecting the bodies of the terrorists that had died at my family’s hands. “Any idea on what happened here?” Animal asked tensely as he gathered me into his arms. I now wore a set of hospital scrubs that one of the paramedics coming in to check out the hostages had given me. I’d changed out of my ruined dress the minute the scrubs were in my hands. Clay and Sandy showed Animal and I where there was a restroom, and we went in so I could change. Clay had objected strongly to Animal going in with me, but Animal, having exhausted his patience on our little unplanned SEAL escapade, shoved Clayton roughly up against the wall. “I go in there with her or she doesn’t go in at all. I am not letting her out of my sight, ever again. The last time I did, she nearly was raped,” Animal growled. Peeling Animal off of Clay, I agreed with him. “I’m not letting you out of my sight, either, Captain. The last time I did, you nearly got yourself killed.” Once inside the restroom, and was it ever a rest room, I slumped tiredly against the wall. Animal took me in his arms, sliding his hands around to unzip the disgusting remains of my dress and remove it from my exhausted form. As the dress slid away, my husband continued holding me as I let out hours of frustration, anger, and fear through my tears. “Oh, Hugo, I thought . . .” “Shh,” he murmured consolingly as he pressed soft, comforting kisses onto my face. As his lips traveled softly over my closed eyes and down my face, I was reminded again of the power of his love for me. Slipping my arms around his neck, I clung to his muscular frame. His lips brushed mine and I suddenly felt as if someone had touched me with a lighted match after pouring gasoline all over me. I was ablaze. My husband’s sharp gasp told me he felt the same as I did. “Hey, Animal, you big stud,” I whispered in his ear. Hey, I thought, he’s not the only one who can quote from our favorite movies. “That’s me, honey,” he chuckled, probably at my choice of quotes. I’m sure he knew what I was about to say, but I said it anyway. “Take me to bed or lose me forever.” “Aye, aye, ma’am,” he’d replied facetiously, then turned serious as he took me into his arms once more. “Honey, I am so sorry about tonight.” “That’s okay, dear, I understand. You had work to do. But, you will make it up to me,” I’d stated pointedly. Now, I couldn’t wait to go home, take a nice hot bath, and sleep for a week. I turned my lagging attention back to Uncle AJ, who responded to Animal’s question. “The terrorists tried to make it their ultimate statement in trying to capture as many leaders as possible in the United States government. If they wanted to do that, they succeeded,” Uncle AJ said. “I don’t know,” I could tell by the tone of his voice that Animal was thinking out loud. “Could they have had something more in mind? Maybe they tied something into the computer system . . .could they have done that?” My husband asked a question not many people could answer. Except one. “If I can get to a computer, I can find out what they did.” I glared furiously over Animal’s shoulder at Clayton Webb. You’re gonna pay for this, Webb, I thought darkly as my husband’s jaw dropped in shock at the sight of Meg Austin. “Meg?” he said. “Yes, Hugo, it’s been a long time,” Meg said, her eyes still showing a faint trace of affection towards my husband, affection she had no business having, considering how much she’d hurt him. “Not long enough,” I said sarcastically as I stared daggers at Meg.