“You don’t think the information that killed my agent arrived on that particular computer accidentally?” O’Riley asked Welby again.
“No.” Welby referred to a printout in his hand. “Do these potential traitors know we know about that computer?”
“Not that we can tell,” O’Riley responded, his voice sounding confident. “In fact, some strange things have shown up on that machine.”
“Good. Then that’s where we go to snag the traitor.”
“How?” Cox asked.
“We suspect this traitor wants us, Team Eight, right?” All heads nodded, including his. Ben thought he knew what his swim buddy’s plan was, and if so, it was brilliant, simple, and obvious. They would have come up with this solution on their own, he was certain, but it would have taken them longer.
“How about we filter our mission – erroneous, complicated SEAL plans, to the same conduits the dead agent used. Namely, that computer?
“Our false assignment includes us going in to make certain this agent did indeed clean everything up. We go wheels up, and off we fly into the sunset or sunrise, or whatever.” Welby paused and looked around. Ben did the same. Everyone followed Welby’s logic.
“But, after we leave, we also all come back quietly. We have a monitor not only on that computer, but every computer used by the possible traitors. We track their movements, everything they do for however long we need until we have proof of who the traitor is.”
“What if we don’t get that proof?” Lanford asked.
“We’ll get it. This traitor has no idea we know he’s betrayed anyone. The only man who can refute that is dead.” With that statement, Ben noticed Welby send a “glance” at O’Riley, and he suspected his friend wondered who the operative was. “So why should the traitor feel we’re on to him?”
“What if he suspects the agent talked?” the admiral asked.
“Do you believe he’s smart enough to think of that?” Welby’s voice contained much scorn. Ben grinned. Welby was one of a kind.
“No, but what if he does?” O’Riley pressed. Was that worry he detected in their leader’s voice?
“Then he’s going to cover his tracks well. Is there a man here who isn’t a skilled hacker?” Never fear – as usual, Welby had planned for all contingencies. Ben grinned at the satisfaction that crossed the admiral’s face.
“That’s true. While this hacker is skilled, every man here is up to his skills.” Their leader’s eyes roved to Beaumont. “But we’ve got a far better hacker.”
“Monitoring, recording, watching, listening, this is cake for a SEAL.” Welby shrugged.
“What about making certain things are cleaned up?” Cox asked.
“That’s us, the clean-up guys,” Shively replied and mimed a person with a broom.
“Plan A, Part One is to catch the traitor. Part Two will require clean-up, but what I’m thinking...” Welby stared off into space.
“Yeeeessssss?” Shively pressed.
“The traitor and his buddies, or the people paying him, expect SEAL Team Eight, right?”
O’Riley nodded. “From what my operative said, yes.”
Welby continued gathering facts. “We suspect these individuals want us because you fellows worked with this dead guy on a case against them?”
“Right,” Ben said.
“So we know who the traitor’s clients are.” The patience in Welby’s voice told them he would continue this course of thinking until they all caught on.
His eyes weren’t the only ones to snap open. “Of course.” The SEALs and operative had worked to counter a terrorist group well known in the Middle East. They did know the traitor’s clients. This terrorist group was a pretty small faction. Ben realized they’d have all thought of this angle in addition to the trap. Still, it was nice to have Welby getting them to their destination that much faster.
“Any other SEAL team have experience with this group?” Welby asked O’Riley.
The older man’s eyes gleamed with wily intent. “Yeah, Teams Five and Fourteen.”
“Which team would this terrorist group be least likely to know? While the team would have the most knowledge on the group?”
“I’ll check on that,” O’Riley promised. “Wouldn’t require much to prepare either team, though.”
“They can be Part Two if we suspect we’ll have too much time involved in Part One. But for us, right now, let’s concentrate on figuring out who the traitor is, and building evidence against him.” Sam stared off into space again.
O’Riley stirred. “Actually, if we leave Beaumont behind along with some addition members of the team—” The admiral could easily call in a few more members of Team Eight to help Beaumont.
“That would take care of Part One, which would free up this squad for Part Two,” Ben finished.
“Right. I can take Beaumont’s place in the field, if he’s okay with that,” Sam said, and after Beaumont’s nod, and the gleam of anticipation in both men’s eyes, Ben realized he was as excited as Welby and Beaumont. “We’ll be able to go wheels up soon.” There was no mistaking Welby’s enthusiasm for launching back into the field as a SEAL.
Ben understood. But a part of him wondered about Treeny. Was she okay? Did she miss him as much as he missed her? And for the first time ever, he wondered how long this assignment would take.
***
Treeny ran, dripping water, and lunged for her phone. After she located it on the nightstand. She tripped over Pete, who appeared out of nowhere and banged her knee against the corner of the bedside table. Muffling an exclamation, she grabbed up the phone.
“Hello?” she asked breathlessly and with a slightly pain-filled voice.
“Treeny, it’s Aunt Emma. Did I call at a bad time?”
She closed her eyes and lied. “No, I’m fine. What can I do for you?”
“Well, you know how everyone was intending to throw a welcome-to-the-family party for Janine?” Treeny heard papers rustling in the background. Obviously, no one had succeeded in wrestling the reins of organization from General Emma’s grasp.
“Yes, I’ve heard of some plans.”
“Well, dear, I...um,” Emma coughed delicately, “offered to take over the preparations, and was wondering if you’d like to help?”
While part of her wanted to laugh at that outright fib, offered-to-take-over-the-preparations, instead of the truer, took-over-by-long-earned-dictatorship-rights, the other part of her realized she had just been handed a royal summons. Grinning, hoping someday she might grow up and be just like General Emma, she complied.
“I’d love to help. What do you need?”
“I’ve decided the best way to welcome Janine into the family and at the same time bring Heather and the girls into this is to throw a baby shower.”
Treeny frowned at the picture of daisies above the nightstand. “A baby shower?” she repeated. Ben’s mom, Heather, was in her early fifties, babies should not be in her future. Other than as grandchildren.
“Yes. Heather has a new daughter, right?”
“Right,” Treeny hesitantly agreed, but as she blinked, the daisies didn’t move and neither did her brain.
“And she’s been expecting Janine for the last eighteen months, rather than nine, right?”
“Right.” She feared she knew exactly where General Emma was heading, and sought desperately for an escape route. None miraculously came to mind.
“Actually, it might be even longer than eighteen months, but still, I think a baby shower would be fun.” Emma continued and she resisted the urge to duck. It was too late for her to head for the hills, anyway. General Emma had already locked her sights on Treeny.
She started to shiver as the air chilled her wet skin. “A baby shower sounds wonderful.” She longed to return to the bathroom so she could towel off and put some clothing on her bare body. The towel she grabbed didn’t cover enough of her to combat the coolness of her apartment.
“Excellent, may I count on you to assist me?”
“Of course. Whatever you need, I’ll be happy to help.” She crossed her fingers she hadn’t just signed her life away. What was she throwing herself into? General Emma didn’t organize small parties. She structured mammoth blow-out, very successful affairs. Treeny shivered again. How ugly could this become?
“I’ll be in touch then, dear,” General Emma promised.
Treeny didn’t doubt that as she swallowed. So much for missing Ben.
As she suspected, she didn’t have much opportunity to miss Ben that week. Not with work, which proved busier than usual due to a summer cold virus, and the baby shower preparations.
She found herself scouring party outlets and various other stores hunting down items General Emma decreed were necessary. One happy thought was that she wasn’t alone in playing Second Lieutenant to General Emma. Lainy, KC, and Rachel were also enlisted. They became an army of four under the direction of General Emma.
Treeny had to admit Emma had excellent ideas and indubitable skills as a planner. The woman could run anything. Deciding to learn from her, rather than worry about all the time she wasted running around for their dictator, Treeny remained relatively cheerful. At least the General could picture the results. And she had no doubts as to their fearless leader knowing the consequences. She’d planned for them after all. It was nice someone knew what she was doing.
So far the only problem was Janine’s absence from Hershey. She still hadn’t arrived home from Atlanta, but Emma had personally phoned her to discover her estimated time of arrival.
Treeny wondered if Janine understood what happened to a person when they inconvenienced General Emma. She shivered.
Her cell phone rang and distracted her. “Hello?” She’d just left yet another store, but at least she managed to find ribbon for the party favors.
“Treeny, it’s Emma.”
“Hello, Aunt Emma, I just found the perfect ribbon for the party favors.”
“Wonderful. The party favors are why I’m calling. We can get together at my house to finish the last minute details Friday evening,” General Emma commanded.
Treeny saluted, well aware their leader couldn’t see her. Otherwise she’d get tossed in the stockade. “Okay. I have a heavy day at the office, but as soon as I’m finished, I’ll come. Have you heard from Janine?”
“Yes, I called her last evening. She’s planning to come home on Thursday.”
“Excellent, so we’re on for Saturday then?”
“Yes, I think Saturday will work out fine. None of the women suspect a thing.” Emma’s voice sounded triumphant and well pleased.
Of course not, they’re probably under orders. “I’m sure they’ll be surprised.” She leached all brattiness from her voice.
“Good. Heather will be so happy. And I think Janine will feel more a part of the family after this. The shower will make her welcome ‘official’.” Translation – anyone who didn’t make Janine feel welcome after this party would meet a firing squad at dawn.
“Janine is happy to have family now.” She smiled as she thought of Ben’s sister.
“That’s why we’re doing this, dear. Now, I’ll see you on Friday evening. We’ll have supper first and then work on the last details for the shower.”
“Sounds wonderful. Thank you, Aunt Emma.”
“You’re welcome. It’s not everyone who gets recruited by a General, you know,” Emma said, and Treeny heard the glee and amusement in her voice.
She laughed. “You’re right, as usual, General Emma. Very fitting nomenclature for you.”
“I know. I’ve worked hard over the years. I deserve to be a General.” Treeny heard the mock-haughtiness and laughed again. There was no one else like Emma. Again, Treeny wanted to be like her.
“You could run the country, you know,” she said loyally. KC told Treeny she and the Admiral of her Kuwait based fleet hospital had decided this after Emma set up the Bent Rock Foundation. Speaking of which... “Emma, have you decided on the Third Annual Bent Rock Foundation Blow-Out?”
She had participated in the second about six months ago, but figured there would soon be another. The second had raised even more money for the Foundation than the first, and so far they’d been able to help every family who applied for aid. She hoped they could continue that record. So far, the Blow-Out Foundation fundraisers were enough. She’d volunteer her time and energy if by doing so meant another military person’s family would be cared for. Her father hadn’t been military but...
“Yes. I’m waiting on Admiral Rich O’Riley to inform me of his schedule. We’d like to hold the next function with him in attendance. I believe many of the Marines and seamen who come would like to see him again.” Treeny heard a casual note of interest she was sure Emma hadn’t intended to invoke in her statement. But their general just enunciated his first name almost caressingly. Did Emma have the hots for this admiral? Hmmmm.
“Okay. Well, I’m available for that, whenever it happens.”
“Of course you are, dear. You’re already down on my list of volunteers,” Emma said breezily.
She grinned. “Nothing like a willing volunteer.” Or a stupid one, however you wanted to say it.