Noah and Sami met 10 days ago.

ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

During dinner there was very little conversation. What was said centered around everyday subjects, such as the weather.

Noah left after dinner, but dropped by the cabin and gave Jose a note. "Make sure Sami gets this."

"Boss, why don't you give it to her?"

"She hates me. She wouldn't read it."

TODAY'S POST:

Chapter 6 A

Wednesday morning, Sami sat on the edge of her bed and studied the folded note Jose had given to her Sunday morning. She hadn't read it, only stared at it. Noah's a liar. I should've thrown it away. Why haven't I?

Sarah stood at Sami's bedroom door. "You look deep in thought. Anything you want to discuss?"

"Not really."

"Is that the note Jose gave you?"

Sami nodded.

"What's it say?"

"It's from Noah. I haven't read it." Sami stood and headed toward the trash can but paused.

"Let's talk." Sarah turned off her wrist communicator. "Put your Fitbit under your mattress." She winked. "You don't want the guys listening to girl-talk, do you?"

"No." Sami slipped it under the mattress.

"Come with me and shut your door. We should be free."

*****
"Did Sarah turn me off?" asked Noah.

Jose answered, "She did and told Sami to bury her Fitbit."

"Why?"

"Boss, it's called girl-talk. We're not welcome." Jose heard Noah swear. "Boss, they're safe. I haven't seen or heard any movement. That's what you're worried about, right?"

"Of course, what else would there be?"

Jose chuckled.

*****
Sarah set two glasses of iced tea on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Have a seat." After Sami sat, Sarah continued, "Noah was my first partner, six; close to seven years ago. I probably know him better than anybody, and that's not saying much. He won't allow anyone to get close. Not sure why."

Sami sighed. Because he's a textbook product of the system. He doesn't trust people. He's afraid to have or show any emotions.

Continuing, Sarah said, "About five years ago, he became our team leader. He talked the higher ups into allowing me to stay on the team. Almost four years ago, Bob and I were married. Noah fought for us to remain on his team but won't allow us to be partners."

"That makes sense."

"It does." Sarah got quiet and exhaled before she continued, "Right at three years ago, Bob was shot and almost died."

Sami sipped her tea, as Sarah continued, "Noah stayed by my side the entire time. He didn't say much, but never left. He was there for me in his own way."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not finished." Sarah got quiet and then continued, "Eighteen months ago, Bob and I had a baby. Lila died of SIDS."

"I'm sorry."

"Noah was by our side through the entire process. He allowed us time off until we were ready to return. I'm telling you this because Noah's one of the good guys."

"But..."

"Noah's far from perfect. He comes across as gruff. He's frustrating and demanding. Thursday evening Noah forgot to turn down his wrist communicator. We heard everything you two discussed. That's the first time Noah opened up even a little. He cares about you."

Sami stared at the note crumpled in her hand. "You're saying I should read this."

"Yes."

Silently Sami read the note, "Yes, I grew-up in the system." After reading, her eyes met Sarah's. I was right. He was raised in the system.

"Did it answer any of your questions?" asked Sarah.

"It does. Thank you for encouraging me to read it."

"I'm glad I could help." Sarah scanned the room. "I'd better turn on my wrist communicator, and you'd better put on your Fitbit, or we'll have a SWAT team swarming the place."

Laughing, Sami said, "You're probably right." She retrieved her Fitbit and said into it, "Jose, is there any way I can take Jasper for a walk? I'm going stir crazy." She waited for a response. I need time to think about what Sarah said.

She received her answer through Sarah's wrist communicator. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll go with you."

"Thank you."

*****
While Sami was on her walk, Noah used his wrist communicator, "Sarah, how's everything? Are there any problems with security?"

Sarah laughed. "Noah, this is so unlike you. If you were wondering about security, you'd ask Jose, not me. Not only that, you waited until Sami was walking Jasper so you're sure she couldn't hear. Just say what you want."

Jose chuckled. "Sami's playing Frisbee with Jasper. Boss, Sarah's right. Say what you mean."

"Has Sami softened any about her situation?"

"If you're asking does she hate you less, the answer is she's probably down to a strong dislike. There's been some improvement. Why don't you drop by and bring a watermelon?"

"What?"

"We were discussing earlier how good a watermelon would taste."

"I can't just drop by. It's about forty-five miles out of the way of anything."

Jose added, "You're the one who put her out here." He paused. "I'm off. Sami's coming closer."

"True. I wanted to make sure she was safe."

Sarah asked, "We can expect you for dinner with a watermelon, right?"

"I guess." Noah exhaled. "I'll be there late afternoon. Maybe around five o'clock."

*****
Late that afternoon, Sami came from her room, stopped, and stared at Jose and Sarah. "What's wrong?"

They faced her. Sarah walked up and took Sami's hands. "Noah's been shot. We don't have any information." She led Sami to the couch, where they sat.

"How? Where?" asked Sami.

Jose answered, "Outside a farmer's market. He was getting a watermelon. From what I can gather it was a targeted drive-by. We really don't know anything. We heard it on our wrist communicators. No other information. We have men at the scene. We should hear something soon."

He stood. "I'm going to the cabin until we get more information."

After he left, Sarah sighed. "Noah was getting the watermelon to bring here. I told him we were discussing how good one would taste."

"He was shot because of me, wasn't he? If he didn't buy me, then Chen wouldn't be after him. Maybe, I should..."

"Don't even go there," interrupted Sarah. "Yes, Chen's angry. Noah knew the risk when he took this job. He also knew the risk when he bought you. Knowing him, he weighed it and did what he had to do." She paused. "We need to come up with a different way to say it other than 'he bought you'."

"That's what he did."

"True, but he did it to protect you. He literally saved your life." Sarah's eyes met Sami's. "Can we agree to say, 'rescued you'?"

"I guess."

Both ladies' eyes stared at Sarah's wrist communicator as Bob said, "Noah's at the hospital. He had on his Kevlar vest. He's angry but all right. It looks like he'll have a bad bruise, maybe a cracked rib or two."

The ladies sighed, and then Sarah said, "Thank you, Bob. Send him our best wishes."

Jose said, "Both of you?"

Sarah glanced at Sami, who nodded, before she said, "Yes, Jose, both of us."

"Good."

*****
Almost seven o'clock, Bob and Noah knocked on the safe house's door. Sarah answered, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Bob kissed his wife. "I thought you'd enjoy seeing me."

Sarah returned the kiss. "I am." She pointed at Noah. "What's he doing here?"

Pointing to the watermelon Bob held, Noah said, "I was told there were two ladies who just had to have watermelon at all costs." His eyes met Sami's who stood off to the side and watched.

Neither commented nor acknowledged the eye contact.

Bob grinned. "Sarah, I heard a rumor about dinner. You're not cooking, are you?"

She glanced at Sami. "I'm hoping Sami is. She's a good cook."

Sami nodded. "I will."

Jose entered. "Hey, Boss, how are you? I've heard you have a decent bruise. You know you've got to show it so we can compare it to ones we've had and decide who had the best bruise."

"You know he's right. It's all about bragging rights," agreed Bob.

As Noah raised his shirt and showed the left side of his stomach, he said, "A little higher and it probably would've cracked a rib or two. I was lucky."

Sami continued to stand off to the side as the other three examined the bruise.

"I can see why the doc didn't want you to drive." Bob slipped his arm around Sarah. "At least I get to see my wife."

Sarah noticed Sami do a sideways glance at the bruise. "Sami, you okay?"

He still has those six-pack abs. She nodded. "Of course. I'll start dinner." She went into the kitchen.

*****
Almost a half an hour later Sami came into the living room, and asked Noah, "Where is everybody?"

"Bob and Sarah are on the porch, getting some alone time. Jose's in the cabin checking security."

"Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes."

Noah nodded. "I'll relay the message." He watched her return to the kitchen before he went outside to tell the others about dinner.


~~~~~
CHARACTERS:

Sami Martinez - Twenty-five-year-old high school teacher, who's working to find a kidnapped teenage girl.

Noah Taylor. - Homeland Security team leader, who works in the Human Trafficking department. Alias - Trey Morgan

Jose, Bob, & Sarah - Agents who work under Noah. Bob and Sarah are married.

Laura Martinez - Sami's mom.

Jasper - Sami's Great Dane, a large breed dog.

Myra Rodriguez - Kidnapped teenage girl who Sami was close to.

Julia - Teenage girl, who was friends with Myra and Sami works with.

Big T - Neighborhood pimp; not a friendly person

Numerous Team Members - They will show up periodically but not really important to the story, except they're there.

Chen - Human trafficker and into some really bad stuff.