After a perfect game of soccer, where we stomped Thermo, my phone rang.

"This is Tanner Cline." I answer as I walk a little away. I don't want him to know that Beth is here just yet. I need to feel him out and see what he wants.

"Cline! This is Sanders. Have you talked to Adamson about our meeting?"

"Very little, sir."

"Let me be quite frank here. I have seen you two work together. I know that you have feelings for each other. I completely understand. After all my wife was an army nurse. I have asked Bethany Adamson to help on a very highly important case. I need her to do some serious tweaking to a tap. Now I have been invited to a dinner party at the very compound that we want to tap. So I really need to get her to start working on it. Is she close to where you are?"

"Actually she is about fifty feet from me. Half of my team is here."

"Call her over. We need to have a quick phone conference. Make it private."

I look up and see Beth looking at me. I wave her over. "General Sanders needs to talk to both of us privately. Let's go to my office." I tell her.

"I'm in!" She says quietly.

"Would you tell my dad that we are on a conference call? That way he will make sure that everyone will stay outside."

"Yes sir." She went to tell my dad as I walk inside.

"You have your family there too?'' Sanders asked.

"Yes sir. My parents showed up last night and said they were here for the weekend. My brother and his family showed up today. My team is usually here on Saturdays. A few come for the night before. Today Thermo, Decker, and Granger showed up about an hour ago." I see Bethany come inside and I wait at the door for her. I shut the door. "Alright General Sanders, we are in my office and you are on speaker."

"Good evening General Sanders." Bethany says to the phone. I can tell that she is tense. I rub her shoulders. She is very tense.

"Good evening, Adamson. I was just telling Cline that I want you working on a tap. I also told him that I know about your feelings for each other. Keep that under wraps. Period! That is all on that. Now I was also telling Cline that the circumstances have changed about the importance and time-line. I have been invited to a dinner party at the compound. I need the tap completed in two weeks. If you will work on this tap, I will shorten your contract by two months. But I definitely need this tap to work in two weeks. Three weeks maximum."

"I will start on it as soon as I can get the tap. I will work on it as much as possible, sir."

"What is the address that you are at right now? I will bring it by." I told him the address. "Also, Adamson, I see that you speak Arabic. How well do you speak it?"

"I can hold extended conversations in Arabic."

I'm not liking where this is going!

"Alright, great! I'll see you two in about twenty minutes." He hung up without another word.

"I don't like where he's hinting." I told her as I pull her body to mine.

"I don't know what to think or feel. I do know that I'm about to put in a lot of time in the office. Like up to twenty hours a day." Her arms are around my waist. I love this feeling!

"I guess that we need to get back out there. People will start thinking that I am having my way with you."

"You don't see me resisting you. But you are right. Besides Sanders will be here soon. So we don't have time."

I laugh. "You are very brilliant! I hadn't thought of that!"

Beth chuckled. Then raised her head for a kiss. I obliged with a quick one.

When we walk back outside. Everyone looked at us suspiciously.

Suddenly Bethany laughed. "Thermo! Did you drive up here?"

"Yep! How else am I supposed to get around?" He answered her.

I caught on quickly. That is why she had the car parked here! So we get the first and last laughs!

"I need your keys. General Sanders is on his way. You are blocking the best parking spot." Bethany told him.

He readily tossed her his keys. "Do you need a booster seat to see over the wheel?" Several people chuckled.

"No thanks. Don't blame me if it ends up scratched. Tanner, will you help me?"

"Of course!" I replied with a smile.

"I guess she needs a lift to get into the truck." Thermo laughed.

"And yet, you volunteered your keys instead of doing it yourself." Decker added.

We went to hide Thermo's truck in the garage, and bring out the purple and pink smart car. Bethany parked the car between Decker's jeep and Granger's truck. This is going to be hilarious!

We went back to the side yard where everyone was sitting and talking while Chris and the boys were fishing again.

Thermo decided to take another jab at Bethany's stature. "Did Demo have to bring out the step ladder?"

"You remember when we first met? We were discussing men who feel that they need to over compensate for small body parts. That still seems true even today. Small body parts, big truck."

Everyone was laughing now. Granger looks behind me and I know who he is seeing. His eyes widened dramatically before he lowers them to me. He stands with Granger and Thermo. They salute the General.

I stand and turn to see General Sanders, but he also brought Marquez.

"At ease gentlemen.... and lady." Sanders said after stopping by Bethany.

"How secure is your office, Cline?"

"Very. Adamson has put her system on my office."

"Good." We go inside and to my office.

"This is everything that I have done on the tap. Do any adjustments that are needed. There is a server that is set up just for this work. The information for it is in there. As discussed this afternoon. We want to tap into the server. We know where the exact server is in the compound. The closest room to the server is a restroom or the kitchen. We need to be able to put a tap in one of those rooms for the entire organization." Marquez starts saying as soon as the door is closed.

Bethany starts reading through the file.

"Cline, I want five of you with us on this. We will be working with two others. You will pick who goes and who doesn't. Adamson can you fix this tap?" Sanders asked her.

She was busy making notes on the report. "I think that it will take a lot of hours. I will try my best to have it ready by the fifteenth."

Marquez was looking over her shoulder. "Why did you add that?" He asked as he pointed out one of her notes.

"Because when this was done, it basically made the tap useless and you went back to the first step." She did a lot of marking. "It would be easier to just start from scratch. There is way too much back and forth here. I can start with an entire new chip and tap. It would be done in two weeks and I would guarantee the results."

"If that would work better, then do it. You are our person for this. I will also need you to come with us to the dinner party. Your mastery of the language is needed. You will report Monday morning to my office and get your passport."

"General, she is not trained. Adamson is strictly stateside." I tried telling him.

"Did you sign a strictly stateside contract, Adamson?"

"No, sir."

"Then Adamson is going with us. I can assign a different unit to come with us if you don't feel comfortable, Cline."

"We will be fine. I don't trust Adamson's safety with another unit."

"Good! Do you have any questions, Adamson?"

"No sir. But I already have my passport. It is good for six more years."

"Here is my number, and Marquez's also. If you have any questions call one of us. Enjoy your weekend. I'll see you Monday."

"Yes sir. See you Monday." She stood and saluted.

I walk the men out before going back to my office. I shut the door and lean against it.

Bethany looks up at me. Her eyes are clouded with uncertainty and doubt. Not a look that I like on her. "Please don't be mad at me. I didn't know that he was going to order me to go with the mission. I promise."

"Babylove, I'm not mad at you. I'm just trying to figure out how to tell your dad that I lied to him about you staying home. Like I promised. But I can't deny the General. He would take the unit off of the mission. Then I wouldn't be able to protect you."

"You did not lie to my dad. The General took that promise away from you. All I have to do is create this tap. And watch and listen to everyone around me. Then in three months, we are clear to be together."

I pull her to me and kiss her deeply. There is a knock on the door. I pull my lips from her. I know who is at the door. The guys! "You ready to face the questions from the guys?"

She nodded. Then picked up the file and put it in her briefcase as I open the door. Thermo, Granger, and Decker filed into the room and watch as Bethany closes and locks the case.

"What was Sanders and Marquez doing here?" Decker asked.

Bethany looked at me. I nod for her to explain as much as she can. "I have been given a project to work on. It is highly sensitive and urgent."

"But Marquez is wire taps and technical stuff. We have never worked with him before. And as for Sanders? I only worked with him twice. He's never taken a personal interest in anything we do." Granger added.

"Nerd is working on a project for him. We will know more in a couple weeks. In the meantime, I want all of you to have her back. She's going to be working a lot of overtime trying to get this done on time. Since her family is in Oklahoma, we must step up and be here for nerd."

"Of course! Nerd is our little sister!" Thermo said with a smirk. "Emphasis on the word 'little'!"

"You are so full of it! You know that God only grows things until they are perfect!" Bethany replied instantly.

"What are you not telling us?" Granger asked.

"Sanders is going to a dinner party in a couple weeks. We are going with him." I looked each of them straight in the eye. "Nerd is going too."

They all start protesting. "Do you think that I like this bullshit? No! I don't! But if I protest, Sanders will pull us off the mission!"

"But why nerd?" Decker asked.

"Because she can speak Arabic. Nerd is going because she's a fuckin genius."

"So what attracted you to the nerd, also attracted Sanders and Marquez." Decker replied.

"Yes, basically. Now all we can do is be there to protect her. We all know that she isn't trained to do hand to hand or weapons. We are."

"We will be your back, nerd." Granger volunteers.

"Wait a minute! You are serious about this shit? Nerd is going on a trip with us?" Thermo gasped.

"Why would we bullshit about this? Did you not see Sanders and Marquez here?" I asked him. He seriously doubted me! "When the fuck are you going to grow up?" I am disgusted with his childish attitude.

"Sorry man! I just thought that you two were joking around. How are we to know?"

"Apparently you didn't think. Did you honestly think that Sanders and Marquez would drive all the way out here for a fuckin joke?" Decker asked Thermo as he shook his head.

"Let's just drop it for now. Y'all need to get back outside so the family doesn't feel left out. I'm going to start working on this project." Nerd said suddenly.

"Alright, we will get out of your hair. Don't forget to eat dinner." Everyone left the office and Beth was already pulling the file out of the case.

"I'll try, but no promises." She was serious! I will have to make sure that my woman eats for the next two weeks.

A few hours later, I carry Bethany a burger and chips. I knock on the door and enter before she says anything.

As I close the door I see that she is still engrossed in her work.

"Sweetheart. You need to eat. I brought you some dinner."

Bethany looks up and smiles at me. "I thought that I would remember to eat. How late am I?"

"Mom has already put things away and washed the dishes."

"Damn it! I'm so sorry! I'm trying to make heads or tails out of this shit. It isn't working. Let me put this up and I'll come out to eat."

"That sounds great! I just don't want to lose you to your work. I know that it is important. I would like to think that I am just as important too." I tell her.

She stands after putting the file away and approaches me. Bethany slides her arms around my waist. "You are more important than any case, honey. I love you!" She raises up on her toes to kiss my chin. I lower my lips to her's. "I won't work on the case until Monday. Will that work?"

"Yes. I would like that, very much." I kiss her again. We walk outside and Beth apologizes for her absence.

We talk as she eats. The boys want to start a bonfire. Chris, dad, and I set it up. Bethany goes inside and returns with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Even the guys get excited to have s'mores.

The evening is relaxing and soon the family goes to bed.

"Alright now." Decker sits down after giving everyone a beer and Bethany a glass of wine. "Care to share what you can about the trip?"

"It is a dinner party with someone who speaks Arabic. Sanders wants nerd there to listen for information. Where we are going? I don't know. That is all I know except for nerd is working on a tap. We are going to need to keep an eye on nerd. Apparently she forgot to eat dinner with the rest of us."

"Is that what you were doing? Working on the tap?" Granger asked her.

"Yes. When I start working on something that is complex, everything else is forgotten. Even eating and using the bathroom. Even my sleep is restless until the problem is solved." She blushed. "It is an old habit from high school."

"Then I guess we need to make sure you eat, pee, and sleep." Decker said with a smile.

"Basically. I don't mean to be a burden."

"You aren't. Do you want to tell them the rest of the deal with Sanders?" I ask her.

"After I do this. My contract is finished in three months. I will separate from the army. There are things that I want to do with my life."

"What? No! We need you on the team!" Granger said appalled at the idea of not having nerd around.

"I'll be close. Just not on the team."

"Ok I'm confused." Thermo said.

I chuckled. "That didn't take long! Nerd will be around. Just not in the military."

"I will be a private contractor. Sanders is setting it up."

"But you just got on the team!" Thermo whined.

"So are you trying to say that if I'm not on the team, I'm not allowed to hang out with you guys?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all! I just thought that we would have you around longer."

"Quit whining. Just give it a few months and you'll understand the situation." He nodded.

I can see Brantley looking between Bethany and myself. I nod slightly.

After about a half hour, Bethany goes to bed. A minute later I get a text.

Which room do I sleep in?

Mine I will see you in a minute

Ok honey! Night!😚

I stand and stretch. "I'm hitting the hay. Y'all remember that my family is here. So sleep downstairs and don't get loud."

"Night, Demo."

"Night." I go inside and straight to my room. When I am at the top of the stairs I hear dad talking to Bethany in my room. I stop at my door and listen.