Justice Ch. 07: From the Grave

"I've never done this before," I whispered nervously as I began working my way down his body.

"Okay. Just watch the... TEETH!" he exclaimed.

Oops, I thought. Oh, well. Live and learn, I guess... I looked at Ryan with what I'm sure was a very sheepish expression. The last thing I wanted was to cause my man pain.

"Sorry," I told him. "I'm quite new at this."

He looked at me for a moment, then broke out in laughter before taking me in his powerful arms.

"That's okay, sweetheart," he said. "I'm overwhelmed that you even considered doing something like that."

"Sweetheart," he called me. My heart leaped with joy. Other than the two men I knew as my father, no man had ever called me that before.

"Still love me?" I asked.

"I'll always love you, Wonder Girl," he replied, punctuating his statement with a hot burning kiss that I was more than happy to return.

...

The next month was hectic for both of us. I continued working out, and accompanied Ryan to his therapy, happy to see his steady improvement. I also spent some time learning what I could about sex. I read online stories, magazine articles, and books. I also watched more than a few videos, hoping to pick up some hints.

"You know, if you really want to know how to please me, all you have to do is ask," Ryan said one day as he spied me watching a porn video.

"Sorry," I said. "I just want to make you happy."

"And you do," he replied. "Of course, that goes both ways. If there's something you like or don't like, just tell me. I want to make you happy as well."

"But everything you do makes me feel good," I told him.

"I'm glad to hear that. I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything - anything at all."

"You're right," I said. "We need to be completely open and honest with each other."

And that began the campaign to learn about each other. Ryan told me his entire story - how he was married once before when he was in the Marines and came home from deployment to find his wife had deserted him for a firefighter who didn't have random, lengthy deployments far from home.

"Bitch even took the dog. Can you believe that?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "That must've been horrible."

"It was. But there's no need for you to apologize. Besides, if she hadn't left, I never would've met you."

We kissed and ended up in bed - again. I felt bad for what he went through, but a big part of me was happy that his first wife left him. I repeated the promise I made to myself to never hurt him in any way.

The Inspector General's report was released at the end of the month. According to that report, federal agents uncovered surveillance video of two individuals resembling Anita and Douglas boarding a flight for Rio de Janeiro, but there were no records or video of them disembarking the aircraft.

The report also indicated that federal agents had discovered a number of discrepancies in many of Anne's reports and had uncovered several offshore accounts worth millions of dollars. She didn't need any of my inheritance - she just wanted it.

Additionally, investigators uncovered communications between Anita, Douglas, and Charles Toto, a.k.a., Papa Charlie. The communications indicated a pay-for-play scheme in which Toto would walk away with enough funds to finance his fledgling revolution while leaving Anne with about $36 million, after a $4 million payout to Douglas.

As far as the investigators could determine, the plot was ended by unforeseen circumstances, such as a devastating storm that somehow wiped out Charlie's "army" and his entire compound. Five members of a team assigned to Anita's section were killed in an armed confrontation with Charlie's forces, but two members managed to survive and escape, the report added.

The report concluded by praising the field operators working under Anita, saying they often worked under difficult and very dangerous circumstances. It went on to say the operatives had managed to rescue a significant number of trafficking victims while destroying the criminal elements involved.

Nevertheless, the report recommended the entire section be disbanded and reorganized with new personnel and new leadership, but only after beefing up the vetting process.

Somewhat satisfied, I handed the thick report to Ryan and let him read what the investigation uncovered. When he finished, he breathed a heavy sigh and tossed the book on the table.

"It's a damn shame," he said. "A lot of good people are gonna be out of work over this shit. There's something I don't understand, though."

"What's that?" I asked.

"How in the hell did Anita get past all of the background checks?"

"Good question. I asked her about that once. It seems when the feds changed her identity, they did such a good job that as far as anyone could tell, Anne Coleman was rotting away in a pine box in Nowheresville, USA," I said. "When they recreated her as Anita Coles, they built enough of a background that it could pass even a deep inspection."

"Son of a bitch," Ryan sighed. "And to think we trusted her all this time."

"Scary, isn't it?" I asked.

"No shit, Wonder Girl."

But the drama didn't end there. A month later, I was promoted to Sergeant, and given a medal to add to my collection. I felt dirty accepting them as if they were covered with the blood of my teammates.

Then we were called to testify at two hearings on Capitol Hill, behind closed doors. After reading the IG report, both the House and Senate Intelligence subcommittees responsible for covert operations wanted to know what the hell was going on in Homeland Security.

They made us testify separately, which made sense to us. After I finished the last hearing, I walked into the hallway outside the hearing room to find Ryan. I didn't see him, but I heard a man's voice calling to me.

"Sergeant Coleman, do you have a couple of minutes?" asked Senator Williams, the head of the Senate subcommittee. "I'd like to see you in my office if you don't mind."

"Yes, Senator, of course," I replied.

When we got to his office, he motioned for me to sit, then took his place behind his huge mahogany desk.

"That was quite some testimony you gave in there," he said, his southern accent now quite prominent.

"That's how I recall things, Senator," I replied, wondering what he was after.

"I'm sure it is," he said.

"But you don't believe me," I pressed.

"Let's just say I think there's more to the story than what you told us," he said with a slight smile. "There's something I'd like to show you. See what you think." Turning around, he opened a cabinet, punched a code into a keypad, then opened a small safe. He pulled out a folder and placed a yellowed photo on the desk in front of me.

I gasped as I looked, and I could feel the blood running out of my face. The photo showed a younger Senator Williams with two people - Eli and Adrestia. The photo appeared to have been taken by a security camera positioned above the three people.

"You don't need to say anything, Sergeant. Your expression tells me everything I need to know," he said as he picked the photo up. He looked at it wistfully, then returned it to the folder and placed it back in the safe, locking it back up.

"They have a way of getting to ya, don't they?" he finally asked when he turned back to me.

"Yes, sir they do," I said quietly.

"Don't worry, Sergeant. This conversation never happened. I just wanted to confirm something, and you've done that. At least now I know I'm not alone. I understand you're about to leave the Army."

"Yes, sir, I am."

"Any plans? Are you going to accept the job Cameron Drake offered you and Jackson?" I sat up, surprised he knew about that. "Don't be surprised. I make it my business to know what's going on with the people who work for me."

"We've already accepted it, sir," I said after a few awkward moments.

"Our loss will be his gain. Drake's a good man. I think you'll like him. A bit strange, especially with those gold specks in his eyes, but he's a man of integrity. I wish you both the best of luck, Sergeant."

"Thank you, Senator," I said.

"Good day, Olivia," he said, standing up while offering his hand. I accepted, and shook his hand before leaving his office, wondering what the hell had just happened. Walking back toward the hearing room, I found Ryan, who looked at me with relief.

"Where were you? I've been looking all over the place," he said when I caught up to him.

"You'll never believe it," I said, taking his arm. "I'll tell you when we get home." Home, of course, was my apartment, which Ryan moved into at my invitation.

When we arrived, I told him of my discussion with the Senator. Ryan didn't seem surprised, and I wondered if anyone had said something to him, but he didn't give any indication they had, so I let the matter drop.

I changed out of my uniform and then made dinner - lasagna, full of cheese, meat, and mushrooms with extra sauce and garlic, the way we both liked it. After we cleared the dishes and downed a couple of glasses of wine, Ryan pulled something out of his pocket.

"Is everything all right?" I asked. "Did you like the lasagna?"

"The lasagna was perfect. Everything is perfect. I just have a question," he said.

"Oh? What?"

"I know this may seem a bit rushed, but... I love you so much, Olivia, and I can't stand to be away from you. Will you marry me?" he asked, holding open a ring box. I saw the beautiful diamond ring and threw my arms around his neck.

"Yes, Ryan," I squealed. "I'll marry you." We kissed for what seemed like ages, then I let him put the ring on my finger. From there, we went straight to bed, and my teeth never once got in the way. I guess practice really does make perfect...

...

The following day, I called my parents and gave them the good news. Mom squealed with delight, and Dad congratulated both of us.

"Have you two set a date yet?" Dad asked.

"Not yet," I said.

"You know Robert will probably insist on a prenuptial agreement to protect your trust," he added. Robert was my birth father's attorney, and he became the family attorney after my birth father's will was read years ago.

"I figured that," I said, wondering how Ryan would take that.

"I'll have Robert put something together that's fair for both of you. Are you planning to come here to get married?"

"I haven't talked with Ryan about that yet, but I'll let you know."

"We look forward to meeting him. Is he there now?" Dad asked.

"Sure," I replied, handing Ryan the phone. "It's my Dad," I told him quietly."

"This is Ryan," he said when he took the phone. I could only hear one side of the conversation, but the two most important men in my life seemed to get along just fine. "I understand... I totally agree... As long as it's fair... Of course... Thank you... Sure, here she is," Ryan said. He finally handed the phone to me and smiled.

"Hey, Dad," I said.

"Your fiancé seems like a nice young man," Dad said. "We can't wait to meet him. I'm sure your mother can't wait to start planning the wedding," he added. "So, when are you guys coming out?"

"Not exactly sure yet," I said. "I'll be taking terminal leave before long, so it'll be soon."

"All right. Just let us know. I love you, sweetheart. And congratulations."

"I love you too, Dad," I replied. "And thank you." We ended the call and I looked at Ryan, wondering what my Dad had just told him. "Well?"

"Your father seems like a very nice, and reasonable, man," Ryan said. "I can't wait to meet him."

"What did he say?"

"He mentioned something about a prenuptial to protect your trust. I agree with him wholeheartedly, by the way. Just so long as it's fair to both of us," he said.

When I was able to, I requested terminal leave. When it was approved, I returned the government vehicle Anita had provided to me, and the two of us left in Ryan's truck to visit my family. All of our possessions were packed and had been picked up by the movers, who would deliver them to our destination.

We had agreed to get married at the family home in a quiet ceremony. My parents went along with us and arranged for a minister from our local church to officiate.

Mom, Dad, and Grandma took to Ryan instantly, and he took to them. Dad and Ryan talked privately for a few minutes and I suspected they were discussing the prenuptial. Ryan confirmed that when we spoke later.

"And you're okay with this?" I asked.

"Of course," he said. "The agreement I saw was quite fair and protects us both. I have a little nest egg of my own - nowhere near as big as yours, but it's a respectable amount. Your family attorney will make some adjustments, then we can sign it." Ryan put his arms on my shoulders, cupped the back of my head in his hands, and looked right through my eyes into my heart.

"Hey, Wonder Girl, I could care less if you were the richest woman on the planet or didn't have two pennies to rub together. I only want you. But that's all of you. For the rest of our lives. Don't want anything more... won't settle for anything less."

Then he smiled. Then he kissed me. Suddenly my heart was flying and if we hadn't been standing in the middle of the living room, and with other people in the house, I would have jumped his bones right then and there. Damn, this man made me hot!

We went over the agreement after Robert made his adjustments. It was fairly standard as it was intended to protect our assets, but it also included harsh penalties for infidelity. That was something both Ryan and I insisted upon. We signed on the dotted line without hesitation, then Robert's notary did her job, and it was a done deal.

Marie, who was now working toward her Master's degree in business, took a few days off for the wedding. It was nice seeing my big sister and we spent hours getting caught up. Well, I caught up on her life. It was a little awkward for me.

We settled on me doing some quiet hostage rescues and stopping the occasional terrorist and left it at that. I couldn't dare tell anyone about meeting my birth father, nor could I tell them about Anita. Or Adrestia and Eli. The wedding itself was a small private affair in my parent's backyard, which suited us just fine.

After the wedding, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Marie brought out the cake and champagne and we danced and celebrated right there in the yard, next to the pool. I saw Mom tear up when I danced with Dad. When the song ended, I went to check on her.

"Are you all right, Mom?" I asked.

"Oh yes, sweetheart," she said, hugging me. "I'm so happy for you and Ryan. This is one of the happiest things to have happened here. I love you so much, sweetheart."

That's when it hit me - I never once felt the love from Anne/Anita that I felt from the woman holding me right now. There were tears in my eyes when I realized that. I returned the hug tightly and whispered hoarsely in her ear, "I love you too... Mama."

After the celebration, Ryan took us to a nice hotel to spend the night. Dad said he was fine with us staying there but understood, with a solemn wink, the need for us to have private time on our wedding night.

"Besides, we need to be up early in the morning," Ryan said. "We're going to Vegas and I like to get on the road pretty early."

"Of course, son," Dad said. "I understand."

We said our farewells, which were punctuated with tearful hugs and kisses. On the way to the hotel, Ryan told me that while he liked my parents a lot, he felt a little strange making love to me in the same room I grew up in with my parents just down the hall.

"I can understand that," I said. "There is one thing I'd like to do on the way to Vegas, though."

"What's that?" he asked.

"I'd like to make a stop in Quanah. There's someone there I need to say hello to."

"Quanah? Who do you know in Quanah?" Ryan asked curiously.

"A friend of Eli's," I replied. Ryan looked at me funny but didn't say anything.

Our wedding night was wonderful. Ryan even carried me over the threshold into our room. We made passionate love to each other for most of the night, finally falling asleep about 1 o'clock in the morning.

We headed out the following day, and Ryan programmed the GPS system for Quanah. He was shocked when I told him where we were going.

"Quanah... Cemetery?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Are you sure about this?" he pressed a bit.

"Positive," I told him.

"Well, all right. If you say so," Ryan replied, searching for the address and the directions. It was infinitely reassuring to know that he trusted me just as much now as he had on the battlefield.

Two days later, we pulled into the cemetery and drove to the tall marker. Having looked it up online, I knew what it looked like, and motioned for Ryan to stop when I saw it. We got out of the car and approached the monument.

"Who is this guy?" Ryan asked.

"His name is William Jesse McDonald," I said. "One of the greatest Texas Ranger Captains of all time. Look at that," I added, reading the inscription on the monument: "No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that is in the right and keeps on a comin. Wm J McDonald 1852 - 1918."

"Damn," Ryan gasped as he read the inscription and the marker next to the monument. "He was one bad-ass dude. What made you decide to come here, anyway?"

"Eli said I should come and say hello," I said. "I promised him I would."

"And I'm right glad you did," a quiet male voice said, catching both Ryan and me by surprise. We turned slowly to see a man in early 20th-century clothing standing next to us. "Bill McDonald. Pleasure to make your acquaintance," he added, holding out a hand. Ryan shook his hand, and then I followed.

"Captain Bill?" I asked, not believing my eyes. Despite everything I had been through, a little part of the old me wondered if this was a re-enactor dressed like the old Ranger Captain.

"Captain Bill," he said with a smile. "Now there's a name I hadn't heard in a very long time. You must be that lady sniper Eli told me about."

"Yes. Olivia Jackson. But I'm not a sniper anymore. I just got out of the Army."

"Army, huh? Things sure have changed a lot since my day," Bill said as he considered my words.

"Wait. You know that Ranger?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, I do. We rode together in these parts for five years. Wasn't an easy life. A lot of bad men rode here in those days. You had to have something deep inside, gnawing at you, to do it."

"I read up on you after Eli said he rode with you," I offered.

"I hope some of it was good. You know you can't believe everything you read," Bill said with a slight smile. "But I believe Eli, and he had a lot of good things to say about you. He tells me you're a friend, and any friend of Eli's is a friend of mine."

"Thank you," I replied earnestly. "That means a lot to me."

"My pleasure. Just remember that right there, and you'll do just fine," Bill said, nodding at the inscription on his monument.

"I will. I promise," I said.

"And you, young man," Bill said, turning his attention to Ryan. "You take care of this lady, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir, I will. Count on it," Ryan said. His tone of utter certainty sent a thrill through me.

Bill smiled as he nodded. "Well, it's been nice meeting you young 'uns. You two take care, y'hear? Oh, and your father says to tell you hi and he loves you," he added, looking at me with a twinkle in his eye.

"Please tell him hello for me, and that I love him too," I said.

"I will, but he already knows that. I gotta get going now. See y'all later," Bill said before disappearing into thin air.

I looked at Ryan and saw that he was just as surprised and shocked as I was. I started to say something but he beat me to it.

"Did... that... just really happen?"

"Yeah," I said.

"You know, Wonder Girl, I get the feeling we're in for some very interesting times," Ryan finally said.