Quaranteam - AU Ch. 11

Quaranteam: Alternating Uncertainties

Chapter 11

Aussie soldier and the fate of the fiend.

Thanks for your patience. I'll be splitting my time between this and another project shortly, so we'll have to see how the scheduling looks going forward.

Dramatis Personae

-House Marshall-

Tiberius Marshall - 35, Lt. Colonel Australian Army SASR. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear.

Charlotte Valiant - 35, Captain Australian Army SASR, Red hair, long hair, service submissive.

Leticia Valiant - 35, Captain Australian Army SASR, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy.

Talia Becker - 27, Major Israeli Defence Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, wilful, but devoted.

Alice Rai - 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive.

Elizabeth Connors - 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student -- Finance

Béatrice Martin -- 32, French DGSE. Tech expert and hobby tinker. Blonde, Blue eyes.

Grace Lawry -- 33, Captain, USAF. Tiberius' old friend. Formerly partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project.

Juno Claudius -- 37, Lawyer friend of Tiberius and the Evans'. Has two children with Tiberius; Bellona(Bella) and Mars.

Zoe Evans -- 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student. Not yet bonded, but definitely part of the family.

Addison Taylor -39 Captain, RAN. Auburn Hair, Blue eyes. Ty's latest partner and liaison with the Navy. Sensible woman who really wants a child before it's too late.

-House Valiant-

Rayne Valiant - 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of AUS Quaranteam Project R&D.

Stella Andersen -- 28, Virologist, Blonde, Blue eyes, slightly curvy. Rayne's fiancée

Hasumi Saegusa -- 27, Doctorate in biochemistry, Black hair, Black eyes. Japanese woman, formerly paralysed from the knees down. Has been in love with Ray for years.

Simone Jennings -- 22, 2nd Lieutenant, Black hair, blue eyes, African descent, one of Rayne's dedicated security.

Patricia 'Trish' Barclay -- 23, Lieutenant, Blonde hair, one of Rayne's dedicated security.

Victoria Whitlock -- 31, Geneticist, brown hair in a pixie cut. Generally calm, with a careful nature and analytical mind.

Evelyn Taylor -- 35, Major Australian Army SASR. Auburn hair, blue eyes. Latest addition to House Valiant. Great soldier, highly regarded.

-House Morgan-

Benjamin Morgan - 36, Doctor. Was acting (under duress) on behalf of the same Shiekh as Connors. Ex-wife and daughter kidnapped. Deceased.

Theresa Miller - 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Hospitalised and in critical condition.

-Other-

Damian Marshall - 30, Captain Australian Army SASR. Smaller version of Tiberius. Currently in France. 1 Partner.

William 'Bill' Anderson -- Colonel. Somewhat stiff, but very capable officer. 2 Partners.

Jonathan Hoffmann - Lt. General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the AUS military. 1 Partner.

Narmada Rai -- Alice's grandmother. Doctor of Medicine, helping Ty coordinate the medical workers around Victoria. Ty is trying to set her up with Jonathan Hoffmann.

Barry 'Baz' Davis -- Brigadier. Good friend of Tiberius. In charge of personnel at Victoria Barracks. 3 Partners.

Jaxson Connors - Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Was working with a Sheik to develop the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo.

Nikoletta Bianci -- 35, Ty's friend and the woman managing the Vineyards belonging to the Marshall family.

--

Victoria Barracks, Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia - November 4, 2020 - 12:45 PM AEDT

--

"I was somewhat hoping to see Evie before we left, Lieutenant Colonel." The husky voice of Captain Addison Taylor sounded somewhat tired as she sank into a chair opposite Tiberius. He took in her form as he poured her a cup of tea, her dress uniform snug against her hourglass body. She was short, just about 5'3" and fit, her long auburn hair pulled back into a low bun. She watched him back, her blue eyes flicking over his form in her own evaluation of him. Ty knew she had a few years on him at 39, but it sure as hell didn't show, with only the barest hint of crow's feet beginning to form around her eyes. She nodded to herself, then just sat silently, waiting for his response.

It was a rare day for Ty to be back at Victoria Barracks, but he'd dropped in as Addison's ship had been scheduled to dock at Station Pier that day. Given the proximity of the base and the pier, Ty had judged that it'd certainly be easier to speak to her from the base as opposed to waiting until she reached his home, as she'd most likely be under the effects of the serum by that point and in little condition to have a conversation.

"I understand that, Captain, but there are things that do need to be discussed. And Major Taylor isn't here right now."

"Can we speak freely?" Ty gestured for her to feel free and Addison immediately leaned forwards, her formal attitude discarded. The motion caused her arms to squish her chest together, and Ty had to force himself to keep his eyes on her face. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, Tiberius. Just...it's been ten goddamned months and Evie's all I got left."

"Call me Ty. Just how long have you been at sea, Addison?"

She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. "Addie. Call me Addie. We launched just after the new year. Should have been a six-month stint with enough port time to see us through, but instead they had us maintaining patrols out at sea with just the bloody supply ships to keep us going. Seeing family was completely out of the question and contact was limited even for officers. So, as you might understand, it's a bit of a fucking sore spot. So where exactly is my baby sister, Ty?"

Ty's smile was wry. Even this was tame for the Addison he knew. "With her partner; my soon-to-be brother-in-law. They're in the middle of moving house, since their previous abode encountered a bit of trouble. Fortunately, they won't be far from where we're going so you'll see her today."

Her expression grew thoughtful, and she ran a finger across her lips in an unconscious gesture. "I heard what I thought was furphy on the way here about some attacks on army personnel and some researchers. Was that real?"

"Yeah, Rayne's family was attacked to try and get some specific research from us. It's been decided that they're getting relocated to a more easily defensible location."

She raised an eyebrow. "And the bandages on your head tell me that you were at least somewhat involved?"

"Damn, was it that obvious?" He couldn't help the cheeky grin, and Addie rolled her eyes at him.

"How bad?"

"Rayne's people took some minor injuries. Nothing lasting. I was in another location. Took one to the arm, one to the gut and the last bullet bounced off my head."

Addie nearly sprayed tea at him and Ty was getting really tired of that reaction.

"Why does everyone find that so hard to believe?"

The surprised woman wiped her mouth before she spoke. "I might be just an 'anchor wanker' to a posh SAS type like you, but even I know that any bullet wound to the head should have constituted a long stay in the hospital. And yet you're sitting right here, clearly not worried about head trauma."

The big man shrugged, grinning at the term she'd used. "It was just a graze. And there's a doctor in the family keeping a very close eye on me when we're at home. According to her and my other partners, if I act any stranger than usual, they'll tie me to the hospital bed this time."

"I'd think so, ya bloody galah." She sighed, shaking her head as though to clear it. "Anyway, we got distracted. So, Evie and her new family are moving closer to you. How's that going to work for security?"

"Going to make things easier, I hope. We're turning the entire suburb into a restricted community. They're moving a few streets down so we're not clustered, and we've had the RAAF watching for drones and other surveillance for days now." Ty sipped at his own tea as he spoke, still watching Addie carefully. "Addie, if you want to be with your sister, Rayne was one of the options that came up from your Oracle results and you've got a pretty good match percentage with him. The option is there."

She almost recoiled. "That is not an option for me. I'm not going to sleep with the same guy my sister is. It's just not me. Plus aren't I over a decade older than him? It'd be downright fucking awkward. Not to mention some pretty awkward fucking." She chuckled to herself and Ty was about to make a comment, when his survival instinct warned him sharply against it. "Unless you're trying to rid yourself of me?"

"Nothing like that. I might be more familiar with your sister since we've worked together, but that doesn't mean I prefer her over you. You're an absolute lark, Addison."

"And the fact that I'm older doesn't bother you?"

Ty gave her a deadpan stare. "It's barely four years. That's nothing. And beyond that, you look almost a decade younger than your age, Addie. That's not even mentioning that I'm partnered with a 20-year-old already and soon a 19-year-old will be joining in. If you're worried about a mere four years, I have no leg to stand on in that sense. So honestly, I wouldn't mind giving it a chance, if you're keen?"

She was silent for a good minute, just letting her eyes rest upon Ty as he watched her in return. The two genuinely didn't know each other very well. They'd met several times at various military functions since Ty and Evelyn were generally stationed together, but Addie had never had a reason to think badly of the big soldier. Her sister always had nothing but praise for him, though Evie also admitted that he wasn't really her type. For Addie though...there was a certain quality to a man that could downplay the situation he'd been in and just laugh. She could respect that attitude. That said, it was probably unlikely that she would ever get the man in front of her to speak plainly of the incident, so it was probably best to just drop it for now and ask someone from his Team later. Nevertheless, he was attractive, and she knew enough of his personality to be ok with giving a relationship a shot.

Ty cut through her thoughts as he spoke, not wanting to remain under the suddenly predatory gaze of the woman before him. "How about we head out, Addie? In any case, you don't have to make your decision just yet, so we'll go see Ray and Evie, and then I'll introduce you to my Team. Maybe sleep on it tonight, and then we'll see where you stand."

This seemed reasonable to her, so she just shrugged and finished her tea, rising and putting her hat back on before she stepped out of the room behind Ty. Almost immediately, Lettie turned from where she'd been watching the door and handed Tiberius a sealed envelope before she fell into step beside them. Without missing a beat, he opened it and took a look at the contents before stuffing the single sheet of paper back into the envelope and into his pocket.

The paper had only one line on it.

Tonight @ 11.

He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath before turning towards Addie with an apologetic look.

"Sorry about that. Got a couple of things in the works, as you might imagine. That was just an update on one of them, though I can't go into details right this minute." He gestured towards Lettie. "By the way, I don't know if you've been formally introduced, but this is my partner and one of my fiancées, Captain Leticia Valiant. Lettie, this is Captain Addison Taylor, commanding officer of the HMAS Hobart (III)."

Addie smiled. "It's lovely to meet you, Leticia. I look forward to getting to know you."

Lettie smiled and shook the other woman's hand. "Likewise. All of us have nothing but praise for your sister, and she tells us that she took all her cues from you, so I'm certain we'll get along. And it's always great to have another red on the side."

Addie just grinned for a moment before her expression turned wry. "That's great to hear. And it's former commanding officer, Tiberius. They're putting me on the admin track since I'm likely to be working with you."

Ty winced. "Shit. I...don't know what to say to that except...sorry."

"Not your fault. There are very few flag officers still alive, so the long and short of it is that they're looking to get me settled and then promote me into the job. You'd swear the admiralty is nothing but a bunch of old biddies looking to set up their grandkids."

"Last I checked, I appeared to have an overly eager General busybody filling the role and pushing all the new ladies on me."

Addie's laugh rang out. "Unfortunately, I can say the same about the grandparents, though in my case my mentor is probably the one that spoke to Lieutenant General Hoffmann. He, in turn, recommended you."

Ty nodded absently. He was still a little miffed with Uncle Jon, truth be told. Admittedly, he was fine with Addison, but he'd have rather not had any new partners for a little while. Well, that was obviously impossible, and it was seeming more and more like the personnel exchange with the South Koreans was going to go ahead too.

"Well, take your time deciding. We're happy to have you, but don't feel pressured just because that old goat said so."

Addie expressed her appreciation for the sentiment. She was rapidly warming to the idea, but there was something she definitely wanted to address before she committed. "Ty, there's something I'd like to ask you, but I'll wait until we're in the car. I'd rather not have the whole base listening in."

He didn't miss a beat as he replied. "Sure, no problem."

"It probably also won't hurt that you'll already be sitting too."

"Oh."

--

Ty and Addie sat in the back of the Range Rover some time later with Lettie at the wheel. Ty was frowning, as Lettie had outright refused to let him drive, citing his safety. He found it ridiculous that he, a highly trained special forces operative, was now being treated like a piece of glass, just because he'd been shot at once. It wasn't like he was in a warzone. This was home. A pandemic-ridden, apocalyptic version of home, admittedly, but home, nonetheless. He'd argued, but she'd stubbornly refused, stating that his body no longer belonged to just him. Eventually, he'd just given in to stop the argument from escalating further and had since lapsed into silence.

It was as they pulled onto the freeway that Addie decided to broach the topic she had held off on.

"Tiberius. I'm looking pretty favourably on joining this...Team of yours, but I need a particular commitment from you."

"Sure, depending on what it is. I can't agree to just anything, but I'm open to most things."

She paused, turning in her seat to look him in the eyes. "Then I won't beat around the bush. I want a baby. I know I'm getting close to 40, and the clock isn't so much ticking as screaming bloody murder at me. It's got to be soon, or I'll miss my window. I know it might be a lot to ask from someone you don't really know, but I want you to be the father."

Ty took it in stride. "You're sure? Me. Not anyone else? You have tons of options, Addie. I'd be honoured to do it if you're sure but remember that you can't change your mind once you're bonded."

Addie seemed surprised. "You don't seem to be panicking? And yeah, I'm fully aware that the bonding is a one and done. But I reviewed the options when they sent them to me yesterday. You weren't the highest match, but you were highly recommended and so you're the one I picked. So yeah, I'm sure."

Ty's expression seemed to fluctuate between amusement and understanding. "What's to panic about? I'm already a dad now. And I know Alice and Talia are off their birth control and trying for kids. It's bound to happen. If that's what you want from me, that's an easy request."

Addie's eyes widened further at the revelation. "You...already have kids?"

Ty chuckled. "Believe me, nobody was more surprised than I was when I found out. It's a long story, but we're also keeping it off the profiles for now, for their safety. Anyway, if you're certain, then let me know when, and we'll get it all set up. I do, however, have a previous engagement for tonight, so I unfortunately can't do it right away."

Addie took that to mean that he wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't tell her about his 'previous engagement', so she didn't ask about it, just relaxing back into the seat. A child had been a long-forgotten dream of hers, discarded by the wayside when her career took off. Of course, the lack of a steady boyfriend also made it somewhat difficult, but not impossible. Now there was a good opportunity with a man who was, according to her sister, dependable and decent.

"Ok. As long as you're fine with my condition, then I just have to do my own thinking on the matter."

Ty nodded, giving her a small smile. "Sure thing. Talk to everyone at home and see what they have to say. I'm sure they can answer most of the questions you may have, too. Anything they can't, I'll try to."

--

New Valiant Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia - November 4, 2020 - 1:50 PM AEDT

--

Addie knocked on the doorframe as she leaned against it. "Hi baby sis. You're looking happy over there."

"Addie? Holy shit, what are you doing here, sis?" Evelyn spun from where she'd been organising a bookshelf and immediately dashed over, throwing her arms around the shorter woman. "I didn't know your ship was due or I'd have come up to meet you!"

"It wasn't, Evie. We docked at Station Pier around six this morning. After that, my crew got a debriefing and then things got wild. Almost every male member of my fucking crew has been shunted into isolation and the women are being carted off to guys like breeding stock. Baby sis, what's your take on all this?"

Evie paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "It's absolutely bonkers. If I hadn't seen the documents, hadn't seen the recorded footage and all that, I wouldn't believe it. Thank fuck they put Marshall on it, because I wouldn't want to be responsible for that kind of chaos. And it doesn't hurt that he's got the right head for this kind of thing."

"What do you mean? You'd do fine."

"Addie, let's be straight about it. I'm far and above a better choice than that fuckwit Connors, but that's not really praise. Whittaker and Thomson didn't have rank, not to mention they're both boy scouts, too strait-laced and by-the-book. Colonel Anderson is too inflexible as well. He wouldn't be able to adapt the way Marshall has. And I don't have people skills like Marshall does. He's charismatic, which is absolutely going to be necessary when he's dealing with the public. And with the twins watching his back, he's golden. Charlotte has the thinking and analysis down to an art form, and Leticia's got the instincts."

Addie processed this as Evie returned to her work. She wondered where she'd fit into a household like that, but she also supposed it was something to worry about later.

"And how do you feel about the whole bonding thing?"

"If I'm honest? I don't know that I'd have ever been on board with something like this in normal circumstances. But our circumstances are anything but normal. So, I was sceptical, or I was until I actually took the plunge. If nothing else, the orgasms are incredible. But I've been getting to know Rayne and the other girls, and they're genuinely amazing. Whatever Oracle does to match people, it's definitely doing it right. And while he's visually someone that I normally don't really go in for, he's got everything else, and to be fair, as much as I work around fit guys, I like the intellectual type. I mean, I do suppose there are plenty of fit intellectual types, but a lot of them are so self-absorbed that they're no different from the muscle-heads. And yes, I admit Marshall isn't like that, but he was already more than spoken for, and I prefer being friends with that guy over any kind of romance. It'd be like dating myself. "