Ayala looked pensive as she stood against the wall of the large hangar at Hanscom. She and Colonel Milton had stepped off to one side to discuss the team’s progress in hushed tones.

“And how is Jack doing?” she asked.

“Good.” said Barrett, “According to his schedule, he should be back in a couple of days. We haven’t spoken openly, of course, but he called yesterday and said that he was ‘tired from a long but very fun evening out with an old friend,’ so that means they completed the installation on the HMS Dauntless as planned and he and his team are moving on to the GBMD sites.”

Ayala smiled at the news, but the colonel’s thoughtful look remained and Ayala looked at him, sensing a disquiet underlying his casual tone. He smiled, but with worried eyes, and answered her unasked question, “The work that they must have put in to refit all the SLAMs on the Dauntless must have been phenomenal. Even with John’s abilities. Things seem to be going well. I didn’t think it would be possible but we’re on track with the missile upgrades. I leave for Florida next week with the next shipment of casings. We’re … well … we’re progressing. But ….”

She raised her eyebrow, and he looked about the huge space, clearly making an effort to mask his emotions. “Ayala, don’t you think that we have been … well, extraordinarily lucky just to make it this far?”

She nodded slightly, a matching pensiveness spreading across her own face, but rather than answer she let him carry on, hoping it would help the man if he got it all off his chest. After a moment he continued, “We barely escaped with our lives the last time the Council became suspicious enough to begin nosing around. Now we have this letter from John saying that the CDC reports on HIV recoveries are raising new questions amongst the Agents. We’re so close, but … shit, pushpin, if they find out about the antigen now … well, it will literally mean disaster, absolute disaster.”

They both looked sideways at each other, their faces remaining as passive as they could, then she stepped in front of him, putting herself between him and the rest of the large room so she could speak frankly. With their eyes connected, her expression reached out to him, fondness and support radiating from her and he felt her love for him like a warmth.

“Barrett, darling, you need to remember that this is not a burden you bear alone. We are a team. Let’s not talk about problems or concerns, but about solutions. You say they might find us too soon; well that is certainly a possibility. But if it is, then let’s decide what we will do if that happens.”