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Quaranteam Down Under: Part 6
Wednesday, 7 January, 2026
Quaranteam Down Under: Part 6French Tinker, Local Tailor, Aussie Soldier, Foreign Spies?Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 6.List of Characters:House Marshall:Tiberius Marshall, 35, Lt. Colonel Australian Army Special Air Service. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear.Charlotte ‘Lottie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, long hair, service submissive.Leticia ‘Lettie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy.Talia Becker, 27, Major Israeli Defense Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, willful, but devoted.Alice Rai, 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive.House Valiant:Rayne Valiant, 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of Australian Quaranteam Project Research and Development.House Morgan:Benjamin Morgan, 36, Doctor. Little is known about his background.Grace Lawry, 33, Captain, US Air Force. Tiberius' old friend. Partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project.Theresa Miller, 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Details currently unknown.Others:Zoe Evans, 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student.Damian Marshall, 30, Captain Australian Army SASR. Smaller version of Tiberius. Currently in France.Jonathan Hoffmann, Lt. General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the AUS. military.Jaxson Connors, Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Is purported to be working with an unknown power in the development of the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo.Elizabeth Connors, 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student. Details currently unknown.Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 11:04 AM"You can't."Grace's voice was utterly flat as she stared at Tiberius. He'd finally let her know of his intended timeline, and that simply wouldn't work. She had come down from the base to talk to Tiberius in private, and he had dropped that on her."You need to give me more than that, Grace. Why? What's so important that I need to wait?""We can't risk inciting panic by having things leak to the public, Tiberius. The President intends to address the people on the 20th, so we're preventing everyone from going public before that date. That means everywhere, okay? It's not just you."Tiberius just gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, that makes me feel so much better. Like hell, Grace! The whole point of us talking to the people is so that we prevent panic! Every day we delay means more lives lost, and we only had a fraction of your population to begin with! Why are you sticking us to your schedule when we're going to be good to go well before that?"She was clearly frustrated, pacing the room. "We're also talking about different political landscapes, Ty. The situation in the U.S. is volatile. People are dying, scared, confused, you name it.""People are scared and dying everywhere, damn it! Everybody and their mum are confused! Why does that mean you have to hold us back? My homeland has been absolutely decimated. Seven. Million. Living. Souls.""Australia got hit hard, yes. I've seen the real numbers now. But your political landscape isn't anything like ours. Yours won't go tits up at the slightest provocation."Tiberius snorted at the idea. "If you can say that and mean it, you don't understand Aussies. We're a laid-back bunch, no doubt, but if we feel threatened or at risk, we're every bit as capable of causing an absolute hell of a muck up. Hell, some of these wankers will do it for the shits and giggles because they're fucking bored of being in lockdown. But they're our people and we're trying to get them protected. You're telling me not to do that.""I'm just asking you to give us time to stabilize. I don't have exact numbers, but we're still at barely 20% of our surviving men vaccinated. You can't shut down the internet, so word would get out and people would riot. It'd be chaos."By this point, Tiberius wanted to shout at the woman, but he held it in. It wasn't her fault, and he wasn't about to shoot the messenger. Taking a deep breath, he decided to change track. "Grace, you're talking about having 20% of your male population vaccinated. Nobody else has anything even remotely close to that. If the ball drops on your end, it's the rest of the world that will drop into chaos." He sighed, but there was no real way to 'win' this argument, so he changed tack. "Look, your main concern is that people don't know about the vaccine yet, correct? My intent isn't even to talk about that. What I want is to get a head start on getting people set up in Oracle. If they're registered in the system, then I can use that to speed up the process when we actually do start the rollout. So, I don't need to talk about the vaccine. I don't even need to say we have a solution. I will push back the rollout date though. Fair enough?"The svelte brunette turned to the big man and gave him a wry smile. "I suppose that's fair. Honestly, I don't know what else I can do in the circumstances. Even if you were to go ahead and do it, I can't stop you. I can get mad at you, but the damage will be done. The trust will be broken."There was something about the way she was saying the words that had Tiberius concerned. "I get the distinct feeling you're not exactly talking about the vaccine or preventing riots anymore, Grace. Why don't you grab a seat and tell me what's on your mind?"She sighed, looking worn out as she sat on the lounge. "I'm tired, Tiberius. Tired and concerned and confused and I really don't know who to talk to about this, apart from you.""That sounds ominous, but it tells me nothing, Grace. Trouble at home?""Locally. I'm feeling uneasy. Something is wrong.""I need some clarity here. With one of us? With one of your fellow partners? With Ben?"She flinched at Ben's name and Ty zeroed in on that. "So, it's about Ben then. I thought you two got along great? You told me you were happy?"Again, the wry smile. " Content. I told you I was content. That's not the same thing. Yes, I connected with Ben pretty well. We do have a decent amount in common. A lot of the same things as you and I do, actually." Grace trailed off; her gaze lost in the distance."But; ?" Tiberius prompted."Something is off. For such a high compatibility, it feels shallow. We supposedly like the same things, but no matter what I try to draw him into a conversation on, it's just barely surface level. Sometimes, it almost feels like a rehearsed speech. You and I, we clicked immediately. We could talk about whatever for hours, but we never allowed what we had to get deeper than the surface. But that's because it was always going to be a short-term thing."He nodded; the realities of their lives hadn't allowed for more. "We had our respective careers and families at home, so it was difficult to reconcile that."She gave him what he could only describe as a wistful gaze. "Did you ever wonder if we would have made it work if we had more time?"Ty froze as she said this. He watched her for a minute, not daring to speak until the words were completely formed in his head. She was lovely, smart, capable and emotionally mature. Had he envisioned a future with her? Briefly, sure. But life wasn't so accommodating, and they had just remained friends."I know we would have. But that's a moot point now. Grace, maybe you need to take a day or two off and just spend time with Ben." Ty gestured off into the distance. "I can recommend some places to visit, things to do that will still be open. Your relationship is still new. You're still learning about one another. I genuinely don't know if I'm one to talk, but I think maybe you just need time."Grace gave him an unreadable look. "I don't know if it's that simple, Ty.""Are you unwilling to give it a try?" The words elicited an ambivalent reaction from the woman. "Grace, I can't help you if you don't want to try. It might just be the anxiety of a new situation. Unless you were already in a poly relationship before all of this, it's a lot to adjust to." He locked eyes with her, and there was something in her expression that gave him pause. "Grace? Grace, what the hell are you not telling me?"The woman hesitated, clearly unsure as to whether she should share her thoughts."It isn't just about time, Tiberius. I'm starting to think that Ben has a completely different agenda to the one the rest of us have. He's been pushing your scientist friend, Dr. Valiant, hard about getting access to that variant research.""Variant? You mean the one that Connors used on me?""Yes. While it's not inconceivable that he'd want access, I can't help but feel that there's more to it. I don't know what, but it's worrying me. He's been getting more and more irritable since Dr. Valiant has been stonewalling him.""Ray's under orders to not release that data to anyone. Even if Ben comes to him with signed authority from the President, it's going nowhere."Grace shrugged. "I understand why Dr. Valiant is refusing. He told me about it when he called to complain, actually. But it's got Ben really upset and I think he was counting on getting that data.""Why the hell would he want it? From what I understand, it really isn't all that valuable. It's not viable as a spreader, just as a tool for killing. What good would having that do him?""I don't know, Tiberius. I don't know, and it worries me. He's been acting really weird since we got here. You remember the attitude he had when you first met? That was the first time I'd ever seen him like that. And the other day, I overheard bits of a phone conversation where he was telling someone that he'd sent the data on the blood sample, but he was still 'working on it'. I thought it was about one of the vaccine simulations he was running, but the phone he was using was one I'd never seen before, and on top of that, he was being really obsequious. Like, really deferential, and that doesn't make sense, since I know his direct superior. They're best friends and have never spoken formally to one another. And yesterday, he demanded something from Theresa, and I actually think he hit her when she insisted that she wouldn't do it. She's not saying anything, but she's been avoiding him and she looks scared."Ty could hear the distress in his friend's voice, but he was at a loss. His one and only interaction with Ben Morgan had been the day they met, and he'd struck him as an easily likeable man. It was difficult to reconcile the image that had set with the man Grace was describing. He once again watched Grace as she sat there, "I; What is it you want me to do here, Grace? If Theresa speaks up and admits he hit her, and we can find proof, we can prosecute him under our laws. We take a strong stance against domestic violence down here, and with the world in the state it's in, I think it's a much bigger issue now than ever before. We don't even know what his objective is. If he is up to something, we don't know if he's got political clout to back him up. To be fair, we don't fucking know anything. But Grace, you need to be absolutely certain before you go down this road. There's no coming back from it. Whether you're wrong or right, it will irrevocably change your relationship with Ben and his other partners. As you said, the trust will be gone, and I think it will be irreparable. For now, I can only suggest you keep an eye on him. Try and keep an open mind."Grace nodded, but her mind was in turmoil. It had been only days ago that she'd thought her relationship with Ben had been just fine. Improving, even. Witty and capable, he had a rare smile that made his pale blue eyes shine, under a head of dark, nearly black hair. While she was generally laid-back, he was serious most of the time, and then almost painfully intense when he was really focused. Over the months she had come to believe that he was a great partner for her, even with their differences.One of those differences, and a major one at that, was his unwillingness to be open about his life. Not so much a secret as he just wouldn't talk about it. For the family-oriented Grace, it stung. She recalled how she'd met Ty's family; via video call while he'd been stationed with her in the States. His mother was wonderful, almost making her feel like one of the family after a single phone call. His father was a lot like her own; rigid and fixated on routine. A relic of his military background, Ty had told her. She could only smile, as she understood completely. He had told Grace that her own family had him feeling extremely warm and fuzzy, and that made her feel good. She had been unable to fly down for their funeral, and it was still one of her major regrets.Glancing over at Tiberius, she let her gaze travel over the big man. His own short-cropped dark hair; the steel grey eyes that even now watched her with concern. He was more laid back than Ben would likely ever be, but there was a similarity to them both, she concluded. They both took their jobs seriously but had a hard separation between work mode and home mode. It struck her that if Ben was more muscular and a bit taller, maybe, or if Tiberius was a little shorter and slenderer, they could almost be related; no.Ok, so I've got a type. Everybody does. It's not like they pushed Ben on me on purpose. It just so happens that the two guys I've liked the most are similar.The more she thought about it, the more it worried her. She hadn't been given many options for partners, and according to the profiles, Ben was the most compatible and did seem to be the most appropriate candidate. Almost as though she was being encouraged to pick him. But wasn't that what Oracle was supposed to do? Find the best options for her?I couldn't have been assigned to him on purpose;She knew it was ridiculous. But she couldn't get that thought out of her head. Rumors of people misusing the system had been floating around, even before she'd left the U.S. on this assignment. She'd spoken to some of the people assigned to the base in California and knew there may be more than a grain of truth to it.The only option was to wait and watch.Throughout all of this, Tiberius simply sat silently and observed her. Grace had indeed never said 'happy' when she spoke of Ben. But wasn't contentment good in its own way? He wasn't sure. When he was with his girls, he felt happiness, a sense of peace, when he wasn't enthralled in passion, anyway. Grace seemed to feel that she'd just; settled. He wondered if any of the women in his life had decided to just settle for him, but he drove that thought away. They expressed their feelings for him regularly. They weren't settling because they genuinely cared for him.But his heart went out to Grace. They were friends, former lovers, and she seemed so lost and confused. He'd probably have agreed to take her in without question, but that was impossible. Unless the Americans had a way to have people change partners they hadn't shared with the world, she was stuck with Ben.He stood as she rose to leave, her mind still elsewhere. He took her arm and pulled her into a hug, and she stiffened as she returned to reality."Grace. Think very carefully about how you approach this. I've got your back, and you know that. But this has far-reaching repercussions, and I don't know how any of this will play out. Don't do something foolish on a whim.""I; I understand, Ty. I plan to just watch for now, unless I actually see him hitting someone. I have to intervene if that happens. Other than that, I'm going to find out what he's doing. If it's legit, I'll apologize and speak to him about being more open about things. If not;”If she was right, and Ben was plotting something, he needed to know what her options were after all the fires were put out. The only caveat was that he needed to look into things discreetly. It wouldn't do for her to find out he was looking into it without her knowledge. It would prompt some very uncomfortable questions and would paint him in a bad light no matter his intentions.‘Damned if I do. Damned if I don't. But damn me if I won't.’ he thought.Undisclosed Hospital, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 3:23 PM"I'm not a child, Ty!" The indignant voice carried out of the room as Tiberius raised a cup of water to his lips and drank. He had arrived at the hospital shortly after Grace's departure from his home. He was no closer to a solution to the conundrum, but then, he still had nowhere near enough information to make any kind of assessment. He had put that problem out of his mind though, since his focus needed to be on Zoe. She was out of immediate danger but her body was still weak and Alice had informed him that it would be at least a week before she would be able to be released.The big man couldn't stifle the smile that formed on his lips as the young woman pouted at him. "No Zoe, legally, you're not. But understand, sweetheart, that those words are probably the worst thing you can say if you want me to actually believe that. And right now, you're not able to look after yourself. So please, let me."Zoe had woken up the day before, weakened and confused, but she had nonetheless recognized her 'uncle' before bursting into tears. Ty had just wrapped her up in a hug, trying his best to not cry in relief. She had fallen asleep shortly after that, still lacking energy and Ty had refused to leave her side until she woke again.Now, she looked at the big man with irritation. "I can look after myself just fine, Ty. I made it this far.""Fucking hell, Zoe! You nearly died in my bloody kitchen! If we hadn't come home when we did;” Tiberius couldn't suppress the involuntary shudder that wracked his body at the thought.The diminutive young woman also seemed to shrink into herself at Ty's words. "I; I'll manage. I have to. I'm al..”Ty silenced her with a glare. "If you're about to say 'alone', then I'll really get mad. You have never been alone, Zoe. You merely acted like it. You shut me out. I still don't get why.""That's because you keep treating me like a child! I wanted; to prove;”Ty let the glare drop and his expression softened immensely. "Proving you're an adult doesn't mean doing everything on your own, ya goose. It means doing what you can, but still being able to ask for help when you need it.""Easy for you to say. You never need help, Mr. Super Soldier.""That's complete bullshit, Zoe. I need help every day. Why do you think the twins stick around?"Giving him an exasperated stare, Zoe huffed. "Because they absolutely adore you, Ty. Like completely in love. Anyone can see that. Except you, my boneheaded uncle."Ty chuckled. "Well, that's as may be, but it's still true that they help me every single day. I'm not an island. Hell, I'd be lost without them and they know it. They support me in all the things I can't do, and I'm eternally grateful. And now that you're awake, I'm sure Lettie and Lottie are dying to see you. One of them will also bring Talia with them so you can meet. To be fair, I insisted on being the one to be here when you woke up, and they had work to do at the base today, so they'll be here soon."Zoe looked a little relieved at Ty's words and gave him a sheepish smile. "I was wondering why they hadn't come to see me. I; I thought they might be mad at me since I didn't talk to them while I;” The smile dropped away and the tears slid down her cheeks. "Ty; I was so scared. I felt so alone;”Standing from his seat beside her bed, Ty enveloped the young woman in a hug. The pair stayed like that for a few minutes, Zoe just weeping softly. Rubbing her back gently, Tiberius spoke. His voice didn't waver, but his anxiety was clear. "Zoe, sweetheart, we couldn't reach you. I guess your phone was cut off, so we had no way of getting in touch if you didn't reach out first. Otherwise, we would have moved heaven and earth to get to you. We came so close to losing you;”"Was it really that bad? I mean, I get that it was bad, but after I woke up, it really doesn't feel like it." She pulled away from him, searching his expression. She had felt powerless and scared, but she still had no real grasp of how close she had come to death that day."Zoe, you were mere hours from dying. It was a fucking miracle that we got to you when we did, and that Dr. Rai was able to help. That woman is amazing and I'll never be able to repay her. Not that I'll stop trying."Zoe grinned at Ty, giving the older man a sly look. "It also doesn't hurt that Dr. Rai is like, crazy hot, huh? Short but stacked? Like, seriously. Oh. Em. Gee. I'm definitely straight, but she always makes me do a double take."Ty's grin matched Zoe's watt for watt. "You should see her outside of work. The scrubs are seriously unflattering. So much so, the word 'Goddess' just isn't sufficient."Zoe's smile faltered. She hadn't expected that. "You're dating her? What about Charlotte or Leticia? You clearly know their feelings for you."Ty scratched at his head for a moment, considering how to broach the subject. His playful demeanor had vanished, giving way to the soldier again. "I guess it's something that's going to come up sooner or later. Zoe, before I can actually talk about a lot of this in detail though, there's red tape to sort out, so I'll have to give you the sanitized version until then. Long story short, I'm with four different women, including Alice and the twins. Before you ask, I'm not cheating; they're all aware and accepting of the situation. Hell, Alice actually was with Lottie for a while before I even met her."Zoe was leaning back, studying Ty carefully. "Can you swear that? That they all agreed to the situation and are actually willing?""Absolutely. Ask Alice yourself. She's bound to come check in on you very soon. And you can ask the twins and Talia when they arrive. There was no sneaking around." He paused, flashing a crooked grin. "Ok, maybe there was a little sneaky business."Zoe gave him a glare and he laughed. "Lottie knew that I'd run afoul of Alice and semi-engineered the encounter between us. It's not an exaggeration to say sparks flew. But that was the sneakiest we got, sweetheart. I wouldn't lie about this. Even if there was any merit in it, I wouldn't lie to you.""Then why did you say you were giving me a 'sanitized' version? What aren't you telling me and why?"Tiberius' smile was wry as he placed a hand on her head. "I'm giving you the sanitized version because the rest is stuff I actually can't tell you until you sign a bunch of paperwork and promise not to talk about it anywhere. It's embargoed information. Government and military stuff. There are a lot of decisions to be made, and a lot of it hinges on what you plan to do from here on out."The young woman's expression went from consternation to unease in a blink. "What; What should I do? What's going to happen to me?"Tiberius sat there, stroking Zoe's head gently as he contemplated his next words. Zoe, deep in her own thoughts, absently took his hand and held it, drawing comfort as she processed.Eventually, Ty spoke, his words hesitant as his eyes met hers. "If you want, you can come live with us. You'll need to agree to sign the documents and that means that you can't talk to anyone who isn't also subject to those documents about what you learn. But that aside, I want you somewhere I can be sure you're safe. I won't baby you, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd stay somewhat close for my peace of mind, if not your own."Alice chose that moment to walk into the room, smiling at the sight before her. "How are you feeling, Zoe?" When the young woman blushed and turned her head down, she gave Ty a stern look and swatted him gently on the arm. "Don't push her too hard, Tiberius. She needs to rest."Ty grabbed her arm as she drew away and kissed the tips of her fingers. "I know, beautiful. I was asking her to live with us. For both our sakes."Alice's expression went through a range before she addressed Tiberius again. "Ty; are you planning to ..”"No. That's not what this is about. But I want her safe. And if I can do that by keeping her close, then the rest is superfluous. As for; as for that, we'll deal with it when it becomes relevant. There's just too much of a gap for that to be realistic."There was a moment of silence as Alice took in his words, and she nodded, brushing a hand across his cheek in a clear display of intimacy. Zoe, watching the exchange with a complicated expression on her face, seemed to accept that there was something between Ty and the beautiful doctor. Still, she said nothing. Judgement would be reserved for when the twins and this mysterious 'Talia' arrived.Alice fussed over Zoe for a while, taking readings and asking a few questions of the younger woman. She was just wrapping up, scribbling notes onto the chart as the twins and Talia knocked on the door."Zoe, honey, can we come in?" Lettie's voice carried a note of trepidation.Lettie and Zoe had always gotten along, the pair being similar in their outgoing natures. Zoe had even learned martial arts from Lettie; both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It had also been Lettie who was most saddened when Zoe left for university and the most worried when they had lost contact with her after the advent of DuoHalo.Zoe had frozen up, her eyes fixed on the open doorway and the nervous redhead standing on the other side. "Come in;” Her voice quivered, cracking into a sob and Lettie ran to the bedside, throwing her arms around Zoe. Lottie followed, hugging both Zoe and her sister."Hi kiddo. I'm sorry we weren't here sooner. We had to do some very delicate negotiations, and you know full well that your 'uncle' is about as diplomatic as a hammer. But that's not important now. How are you? We missed you.""I'm okay now, Lettie. I was scared that you were mad at me for staying away and didn't want to see me;”Lettie's tears were flowing freely, and she pulled away slightly to meet Zoe's gaze. "Never, kiddo. That will never happen. We were terrified for you, honey. We couldn't reach you, and it was impossible for us to just go running around searching all of Sydney for you. So, we had to pray you were okay and would reach out if you needed us."Lottie ruffled the young woman's hair and smiled. "You really worried us, Zoe. I know it can feel like you're alone, but we've got your back, okay?" She paused as Zoe nodded, not meeting Lottie's gaze. Planting a soft kiss on the young woman's forehead, Lottie continued. "Just get better for now and we'll sort out the rest after. And please, love, don't run from us. Nothing would break our hearts more.""Okay, Lottie. I; I'll try to lean on you guys more. I just wanted to prove that I could do it. That I was strong and independent. That I don't need to rely on others. But Ty already lambasted me over that."Lettie chuckled at that, finally standing up and releasing Zoe from her embrace. "Did he now? Well, he would certainly know. That big hairball is hopeless without us." She ignored the outraged 'Oy!' from the side of the room as her grin widened. "The point is, he's fully aware of his shortcomings and he relies on us to help him. Before, it was just me and Lots, but now there's two more of us for the big guy to lean on."Zoe jumped, not expecting one of the topics she'd intended to ask about to be breached in such a manner. "So, it's true then? Ty's dating four women? The two of you, Dr. Rai, and that other person near Ty?" She realized at that moment that she had been ignoring the fourth woman. "I'm sorry. I've been rude. Um. My name is Zoe Evans. You must be Talia. It's nice to meet you."Talia, who had gone to Tiberius' side as she entered the room smiled and approached the bed now. "Likewise, and it is good to see you awake, young lady. We were worried for you. And yes, the four of us are together with Tiberius."The young woman continued; the disquiet clear in her expression. "And; you're just okay with it? That he has multiple girlfriends? Isn't it cheating?""Is it cheating when all of us have approved? He did nothing behind our backs. Every one of us went into this with our eyes wide open, and if we're being fair, we were the instigators. And while I can say little right now, there are other circumstances too."Zoe frowned. "Are those the same circumstances Ty was talking about? Where I have to sign a bunch of paperwork or I can't know?"Lettie, sensing that Zoe would become increasingly recalcitrant if they didn't explain themselves fully, took over. "The very same. We'll be able to explain it to you eventually even if you don't sign, but it will make things very complicated in the short term for very little reason. Just remember that we're not keeping things from you because we want to or don't trust you with the knowledge, but because we legally cannot, Zoe."Zoe was silent for almost a minute before she responded. "So, what, you can tell me if I sign this paperwork? What is it?""Yes, an NDA. A non-disclosure agreement. Frankly, all it says is that you won't talk about this outside of people who already know until you're told that you can, or the law will come after you.""What else can you tell me? It's really hard to judge with just that.""The best I can do is say that it was what provided the spark for us to get together, honey. I admit, it wasn't the most pleasant of circumstances, but the details of that are inextricably linked to things I can't tell you right now.""So, if I were to say no, I won't sign, how long would I have to wait?""Probably in a couple of weeks. Was it the tenth of November?"Tiberius interrupted, looking somewhat chagrined. "Actually, it won't happen until the 21st. Grace gave me an earful this morning about some timeline the Americans have going. First I'd heard of it, but what can you do? Well, at the very least we can push contingency plans into place. I'm still going ahead on the 15th to get people set up on Oracle."He turned towards Zoe now. "If you do sign the paperwork, know that the revelations from what you learn do not mean you're stuck here with me. Your life is your own, but I ask only that you don't cut me out entirely. I will do my best for you, no matter your choice, Seamstress."She smiled as he called her by that nickname. Her university major was fashion design. Ty had given her the nickname when she was young, after she'd made her first dress on his mother's sewing machine. A machine his mother had soon gifted the little artisan."Ok, Ty. I'll sign. I just don't want to be alone again.""Zoe, even if you didn't sign we would never let you be alone. This just means we won't have to choose our words as carefully around you. Which will be a relief in and of itself. It'd be a pain in the ass to have to move rooms just to have a work conversation. Not to mention it'd feel horrible to be excluding you. But once you're home, we'll see about getting you back into making clothes. I bet you and Alice would have loads of fun designing and making things. Her fashion sense is right up your alley. We'll also get you back into fighting trim, sweetheart."Zoe blushed. "I've been a bit slack with my martial arts, but it's hard without Lettie to help. Now that I'm home I hope I can ask for a partner again."Lettie beamed and glanced over at Talia, who nodded, a small smile on her own face. "We can do you better than that, honey. We'll brush up on our skills together, but on top of that, Talia here has offered to teach us Krav Maga, a martial art from her homeland. I think it's a good idea for all of us to get at least the basics down."Brightening up at the idea, the young woman nodded. "That would be awesome! Thank you, Talia!""It will be my pleasure." The Israeli woman's smile grew broader as she reached out, placing a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "But before any of that, you must recover and put some weight back on. So, for now, get some rest and eat what you are given. Alice and the other doctors are wonderful practitioners and will do their best for you, but you must cooperate. Understood?"Zoe nodded, suddenly feeling the fatigue that she'd been suppressing. Though she tried, she couldn't stifle the yawn, and now it was Alice that cut in, shooing everyone away from the bed."Enough. We've clearly worn the poor girl out. Let her rest. Zoe, you know where the call button is, and I'll come back to check on you before I leave for the afternoon. Apart from that, you have a phone on the side table, so you can call Tiberius or myself any time.""Thanks, Dr. Rai. I might have some questions to ask you later. I'm still a bit; well, I'll ask about it all later."Alice gave her acknowledgement as she herded the others out of the room. "Just let me know when, dear. We'll talk on your terms. As for signing the paperwork, I'm sure Tiberius or Charlotte will come by with it either later today or tomorrow morning."Lettie pitched in next. "Once you've signed everything, honey, us ladies will have a nice long chat. Then we can explain everything and make sure you understand there's no pressure on you."Zoe felt a stab of apprehension at the word 'pressure'. For a brief moment, there seemed to be a weight to the word, but she figured it was just her anxiety. "That doesn't make it sound ominous at all.""It's not, honey. It just has to do with our relationship with the big guy. We want you to understand there's no pressure for you to accept it. But we'll talk more about it later. Rest for now and don't worry about it."As they filed out, Zoe watched them intently. Tiberius glanced back at her as he left and gave her a wink. She could feel her face heating up as she considered him being the center of that relationship. The four women were chatting animatedly, seemingly completely at ease with one another. No smile seemed forced. No interaction seemed contrived.No jealousy. No awkwardness. That's so; nice.She wondered if she was just overthinking things. If they were happy, what business was it of hers to interfere?Maybe I can think of it as my family growing again, instead of just Ty and the twins. I think; I think I'd like that.Park Near Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 5:15 PM"Lettie, love, let's not worry about work and just enjoy our time together, okay?" Tiberius tried to keep the exasperation from his voice, but he was almost at his wits' end. Lettie was the doer of the family; the one who struggled with the 'hurry up and wait' mentality that was the backbone of the world's armed forces.She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what your plan is for the call later. You know the French are going to want something from us to get our people home and I don't want you to promise anything insane.""I plan to take it as it comes, Lettie. We don't have much negotiating room, but I did already speak to Colonel Anderson and Lt. General Hoffmann. I can promise to share what we know and provide access to our serum.""Have you planned for other requests? As in, what if they ..”Ty grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "Love, we have maybe two and a half hours before we have to be on that call, and that's going to be a headache in and of itself. Right now, I'd like to just spend the moment with you." Seeing as her head was buried in his chest, the best she could respond with was a pinch to his sides and a dissatisfied whine. "I fully expect that you'll be riding shotgun on the call at any rate, so you'll know what's happening in real time. So, for now, don't worry about it.""Ok, big guy. I just don't want this to get out of control. We've got enough to worry about."The morning after he had placed his collar on Lottie and Alice, Ty had insisted on everyone getting some alone time with him at regular intervals. Everyone had their own ideas, but Lettie had simply wanted to go for a walk in their favorite park. Since it was an easily fulfilled request, they had departed as soon as they returned from the hospital, with Ty only taking a small detour to get a little something from his room.As he released the lovely redhead from his embrace, he took her hand and they continued walking, chatting idly until they were deep in a secluded area. The park had been empty, but while that had been sad, it wasn't surprising. Lettie took the lead from that point, pulling Tiberius towards a particular tree in a small clearing.As they came to a stop, Lettie wrapped her arms around the big man and spoke softly as she enjoyed his warmth, her cheek pressed to his chest. "Do you know what this place is, big guy?""I can only assume that this is the tree. I've heard you and Lots mention it before, but I've never known the significance of this place." He had wondered about it, but the twins had never been willing to explain when he'd asked, and so he'd eventually let it be. They'd either eventually explain, or not. He wouldn't begrudge them a secret.Reaching up, Lettie pulled Ty's head down and kissed him fiercely. "The tree indeed. I know we've always avoided telling you of its significance, but that time is gone now. This place, under this tree, was where Lottie and I first came to realize that we were in love with you. After we had learned what you did to those asshole brothers;”Ty chuckled. "The brothers dim, yes.""Yeah, them. After we discovered what you'd done, we came here to talk about it. This became our regular conference room when it came to you. It was here that we first worried about how we noticed your feelings for us were changing, and where we came to the conclusion that you wouldn't act on it because of our friendship." She was stroking his cheek again, smiling gently as she stared into his eyes. "It was in this place that Lottie and I let our own feelings for you come to the forefront, and where we did the same as you and suppressed them. We couldn't risk hurting you. We wouldn't risk driving you away by forcing you to choose. Between us, we knew we could share, but we didn't know how you would feel about that. Honestly, I struggled with the idea of keeping quiet. You know me; I can't sit still. But Lottie convinced me that we needed to slowly get you used to the idea. Eventually, I agreed."A lot of things suddenly came into perspective as she spoke. Gestures and words that Ty had thought were spoken carelessly, said in a manner that, while open to interpretations, hinted towards the very thing Lettie was now admitting to. He smiled at her, feeling the smile curl into a cheeky grin."And then all of this happened and derailed your carefully wrought plans, huh."She smiled back and pinched his cheek. "Well, it just meant we no longer needed to use subtlety as our method of delivery, big guy. We could hit you with our feelings without worry of what society would think. Two women sharing a man, while more common, was still looked at with scrutiny. Two sisters sharing a man; well that was another story entirely. But here and now, I don't care. We don't care. We knew our goal. You were, are, it. You know we dated a lot. Man or woman, we were looking for someone even half as good as the one already beside us. But no knockoff would ever come close to the original. We were actually pretty close to breaking the news to you anyway when everything came to a head. We were just scared."Ty didn't need to hear any more. He leaned down and covered Lettie's mouth with his own, kissing her fiercely. Their tongues tangling for what felt like an eternity, the world around them fading away as they lost themselves in the other's embrace.When they finally came up for breath, Ty showered her face with gentle kisses as he sought the words. "I suppose it's as good a time as I could hope for. It's always something I hoped to say, but this is probably the best time to say it. I love the connection we share, Lets. I love the easy laughter between us. The gentle banter. I love seeing your smile. I love everything about you."He locked eyes with her and he spotted it. The tiniest hint of insecurity in those eyes. It was odd, he knew. His feelings for this woman had always been powerful, but they were so intense now, threatening to spill over and burst from him in an uncontrollable tide. But he hadn't voiced it, had he? He'd never given those feelings a shape. Of course, she was feeling insecure. Giving her another gentle kiss, he continued."I know I gave Lots and Alice a token of our relationship, but you and Talia have yet to receive anything. That isn't because my feelings for you are any less than what I have for those two. There just hadn't been a good opportunity until now, so;”Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small box he'd retrieved from his room before they left. It was one of a pair of identical items. At the time he'd ordered them, he had been acting on a whim. After the accident that had nearly cost him his career, he had been sitting at home, feeling very alone. The twins had been stuck dealing with the aftermath, and it had reinforced once again how much they meant to him and how much their absence affected his mental state.Even though he'd never intended to use them to propose, the act of purchasing them had anchored him in a time where his loneliness threatened to overwhelm him and set him adrift. A loneliness that he had managed to hide from them for fear that they would stretch themselves too thin for his sake. But it was now, after his recent ordeal that he'd been hit with the very real fact of his mortality and hadn't wanted to go without letting the loves of his life know how he felt. He'd already placed a rush order with the supplier for two more. He would not make the same mistake again."I kinda guess we skipped the whole 'dating' phase, but there was always that kind of feeling between us, huh. I'll make it up to you for sure, but I need to say it." He took a deep breath and dropped to one knee, eliciting a gasp from Lettie."Leticia. Lettie. The injury that threatened to end my career brought me to a place that I won't ever be happy to admit I was in. While I was stuck in the hospital or at home, alone, I was trapped in my own head. Smothered by my loneliness. I came to realize how much I needed you by my side. Then when I was infected with that variant of Duo, it was honestly the first time I had ever really contemplated my mortality and the people I'd be leaving behind were the worst to happen. The things I'd left unsaid. Still, I was a coward. I was terrified that breaking the status quo between the three of us would mean losing one or both of you forever. I'm glad that I was wrong. I love you. But now, even with you by my side, I'm letting my greed get the better of me. I tasted happiness and now I want more. And it strikes me that the solution is easy and yet all the more terrifying than any situation I've ever been in."He flipped the box open, revealing an ornately carved platinum band inlaid with small emeralds surrounding the main setting. In that larger setting sat a brilliant solitaire, glittering in the evening light. Lettie was frozen, staring, tears running down her face and Tiberius continued."Leticia Valiant. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know I cannot profess to be yours alone, but I will do my utmost to make sure that you never feel like a lesser partner under any circumstance. I swear to do everything in my power to see that you're happy."Ty smiled, holding the small box with its sparkling contents out to the enraptured woman as he spoke the final words."Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"For the briefest of instants, the world stopped. There was no response from Lettie and a surge of fear struck Tiberius' heart. Then she surged into motion, leaping forward and crashing into the big man, bowling him over backwards as she sobbed and screamed 'yes' over and over.As her tears eased, Lettie straddled his lap and kissed him passionately before leaning back and presenting her hand. Ty chuckled and popped the ring box open again, having had enough presence of mind to snap the box shut before he'd been tackled. Pulling out the ring, he kissed the tips of her fingers and slid the band on before moving his face to hers. His heart was light; the anxiety of moments before having evaporated and giving way to overwhelming happiness. The pair sat there, nose to nose, foreheads touching, just smiling at one another.At least, Ty just sat there. Lettie's smile quickly grew into a grin, the subtle wiggle of her hips eliciting a groan from the big man."Just what are you trying to accomplish, grinding into me like that, love?""If you can't figure it out, we have a problem, big guy. You know what I want."He planted a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "I want you to say it, Lets. Say it, and I'll make it happen."She stared into his eyes and pouted for a moment but spoke. "Love me. Make love to me here, under this tree. Make this place even more special than it is now.""It would be my pleasure."Ty let his fingers dance across Lettie's body, his tongue fighting with hers as he caressed her curves. Slowly, he undid the buttons on her blouse, laying her onto her back as he slipped it off entirely. Fortunately, the springtime grass was warm after the day, and Ty continued to undress her, kissing his way down her body.Lettie let out a small whimper as Ty's teeth closed over her nipple and spoke in a breathless voice. "Oh God. We should do it like this more often."Ty chuckled, pausing in his ministrations to undo his belt. "What, outside? That's pretty kinky, love. But yeah, our usual encounters are fast paced. Far more raw passion than sensuous lovemaking, but that's nice too. It's amazing, feeling how much you want me and showing you how much I want you. It pushes all of my buttons."Lettie's expression grew lustful as she stripped off her skirt. "You can be a beast when that happens, Ty. Now come, you're taking far too long. Let me get you ready."Both completely nude now, Ty rolled them both over and Lettie slid down his body, her slender fingers running across his pelvis and slowly stroking his erection. He shivered under her ministrations and she quickly lowered her mouth onto him, morphing the shivers into shudders and drawing a groan of pleasure.Lettie slowly bobbed her head up and down, steadily building his pleasure and sending spasms up Ty's spine until he could stand it no more. He stopped her, pulling her back up the length of his body and parking her hips over his face. She was already drenched, but that didn't slow him down in the slightest as he went to work. Her voice rose in pitch rapidly as he ran his tongue over her folds, and he had to work hard to not let her slip away as she writhed. He kept his assault up, even past her first orgasm, the pleasure rolling over her in a tide."Enough! Please, I need you in me, now!" She gasped as her hips bucked again, her breath coming in short gasps. Repositioning quickly, she lowered herself onto him, unable to stifle the moan as he bottomed out in her depths.Ty started moving, gently, rocking his hips as she rode him. His hands slid up her body, caressing her full breasts. Lettie liked having her nipples twisted, and Ty had gotten into the habit of doing that with all his partners, just to enjoy their reaction. She didn't disappoint, arching her back as the sensations drove her towards climax.Lettie leaned forwards, showering him with kisses as she changed her movements to a sensuous grind. She slipped one hand between them and laid it over her abdomen."Fill me. I'm sadly still on the pill, but I want to feel it, Ty. I want to bear our children, but I'll let Talia and Alice go first.""Whenever you're ready, love. No pressure.""I want this. Since the day Lottie and I acknowledged our feelings, I've wanted nothing more than this. But there was always the fear that you might not. Now, I know that's not the case, but I can't help but feel impatient."Ty didn't respond, just grinding into her harder and giving her a final thrust, getting himself deep before he unloaded everything into her. Still locked in a kiss, Lettie moaned her orgasm into his mouth as his sperm splashed against her womb."We've got the rest of our lives to spend together, love. I'm sure we can take our time."Ty leaned against the tree, enjoying the feeling of Lettie's comfortable weight as she rested against him, her eyes fixed on the ring now resting snugly on her finger."Love, we probably need to head back soon. Should give us just enough time to grab a shower and set up the laptop in the study."She let out a sigh, snuggling deeper into his chest. "I know I was the one fussing about it before, but can we reschedule? I really don't want the downer after this.""I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll probably just mostly be negotiating for information, or perhaps an exchange of resources and personnel."She turned and gave him a deadpan glare. "You're not going to France."It wasn't a question and Ty laughed. "No, Lettie, I'm not going to France. I'm the central pivot of our rollout effort. I can't leave. Maybe we can negotiate to leave Damo there. He did always have a thing for French girls." He pushed off the tree, helping Lettie stand as he did and began looking for his pants.She giggled, grabbing her own clothes and dusting them off. "Lou was kinda right about our relationship, wasn't she? I really did like her.""Somewhat, yeah." Ty couldn't keep the embarrassment out of his voice."What exactly does that mean?"Damian had always been a bit of a hornball, jumping from girl to girl, but when he had settled down for a while with a lovely French doctorate student, Ty and the twins had 'gently' informed him of the consequences that would befall him if he was ever discovered to be unfaithful to his partner. Damian had reacted as well as one could hope, getting utterly indignant at the idea that he would ever cheat, and accusing Ty of being the two timer. The argument had devolved into a shouting match that had seen the brothers stop talking to one another for almost three months.Damian had shown up on Ty's doorstep after that time, looking contrite. When they sat down for a discussion, Damian had revealed that his then girlfriend, Louise, had overheard their argument and brought him to the table for a discussion on it. She explained she would never abide a cheater, but what he'd said to Ty had been over the line. Damian had argued that despite being completely emotionally involved with the twins, he was still going out and seeing other women. How was that not cheating? Louise had countered it by pointing out that even if they were close, they had never been intimate and never committed to each other. On top of that, the twins were also seeing other people and not just Tiberius. She had insisted that they; Tiberius, Lettie and Lottie, were each other’s emotional anchor. Louise had gone on to talk about how her eldest sister was in a relationship much like Tiberius' own, but more formalized, and actually intimate. Damian had asked her to call and set up some time to communicate with that sister.Ty had been speechless as Damian had related his conversation with Louise. He was even less prepared for the video call he'd set up with the eldest sibling of Louise Martin's family, Amélie. His first encounter with the French bombshell had been awkward, to say the least. As she explained her own relationships, he became increasingly aware of the similarities to his own life. She and her husband were each other's 'primary' partner, the one to whom they would always return, but each had their little side attachments that would occasionally pop in and out of their lives. But the important fact was that they would always go 'home'. They would always return to the place where their partner was, because that's what brought them happiness. Ty had never considered that this might be how he and the twins were viewed, but it did make a modicum of sense and he finally understood where Damian was coming from. He made it clear to his brother, however, that they didn't have that kind of relationship. Damian just called him an idiot."He told me that even if sleeping around wasn't what I wanted, and let's be fair, it really isn't, I should make damn sure to lock you or Lottie or both down for all of our sakes. Guess he was right."Lettie just stared as Ty related the story. She knew that he and Damian had eventually made up, but she'd never been told the specifics. "You never told us this part.""Well, I was kinda embarrassed, and at the time I was still unwilling to break the status quo.""If Lou had been around, she'd have made it happen, no doubt. Maybe Damian should have stayed with her?"Ty shrugged. "They had to part ways. His career took him in one direction; hers took her back to France. He bounced back alright. Kinda.""Right into the arms of that crazy bitch, Céline."The grin on Ty's face threatened to split his cheeks as he turned to face Lettie. "And there he learned another valuable lesson. Don't stick your cock in crazy."Tiberius' Study, Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 7:45 PMOnce home, he and Lettie had hopped through the shower, making ready for the video meeting. They knew the DGSE would ask for this and that, but it really wasn't likely to be a problem. The majority of the world was open to cooperating for the sake of survival. It was only natural. It was just a matter of securing that cooperation without tipping one's hand in the process. Which left Tiberius on the back foot as the video connected and a familiar face appeared on the screen.Tiberius' sigh carried the weight of worlds. "Why am I not surprised to see that you have a hand in this, Amélie? Well, first, let me introduce you to my fiancée, Leticia Valiant. Lettie, this is the woman I was telling you about just before, Amélie Martin.""Bonjour to you too, Tiberius." The voice of the gorgeous blonde woman on screen was like smoke and silk as she greeted the duo. The eldest of three and in her mid-thirties; time and experience had forged her into the embodiment of grace and beauty, and she had made her weapon of choice a smile. "Leticia, it is wonderful to put a face to the name at last, ma chère." Her eyes locked on a point of the screen and Ty realized she was looking at Lettie's ring. "Oh my, that is a lovely ring!"Lettie grinned. "It sure is, Amélie. It's very nice to meet you. I understand you gave Ty some good advice in the past. Thank you for that."The French woman beamed. "Indeed, and it gladdens me to see that Tiberius finally got off his ass and made the correct choice. So much time wasted, you imbécile. Just one look tells me that this woman, and undoubtedly her sister, deserve to be loved properly. At least, I presume both sisters are involved?""Of course. The big lump will probably present the others with rings soon."Ty grumbled. "The big lump is sitting right here."Amélie laughed. " Obviously. It would be almost impossible to miss you; you fill the room. And 'others'? So, it seems that all the rumors are true.""Ams, how did the DGSE even get wind of this op? It wasn't even sanctioned. The boys would never have cast lines for supplies or info." Ty rolled his eyes as he tried to get the conversation back under control. He held almost no hope for that though. This woman, in all of their interactions since the first, had run rings around him.She tutted like a fretting mother, despite being no older than either Ty or Lettie. " Please, do you not think we would be watchful, when America is making strange movements during such times? And then that we would not discover the defection of Dr. McCallister? After that, we watched him carefully. And then to our surprise, not one, but two strike teams came to get him. Naturally, one, Damian's, never made it. No support, as you well know. The second, well, as shameful as it is to admit it, we do not know who they were working for, and they were a very efficient unit. So, we made contact with Damian's team and helped them cross the borders. Through Finland and Sweden, and then eventually into our beloved France. Now, the entire Directorate is involved, but I am here because of my personal connections.""Of course you are. Ok. Let's talk shop. What do I need to do to get my people home?"She shook a finger at Tiberius, matching it with the motion of her head. "Non non, mes amis, it should not be so; clinical. Let us talk. We need information about this Quaranteam project."Ty just gave her a flat look. "What do you think we could give you that you're not already privy to, Amélie? I know full well that France bought in, so you should have as much, if not more information."She pouted at him and he tried to keep his expression neutral. The woman had an undeniable effect on him, but he knew he'd never actually go after her. "You are no fun, Tiberius. Very well. Though many of our facilities are still intact, our ability to produce the vaccine is limited. We want access to your supplies."Ty didn't hesitate. This had been one of the first things he'd considered. "Easy enough. We're in production as it is. I can have a third of the production designated for your people until we have enough for ours. Should still give us enough time to produce what we need.""Second ..”"Really Ams? There's more?"Amélie continued, looking completely unashamed. "Second, we would like to propose an exchange of personnel. To start with, one person from both countries, as a show of solidarity.""Who did you have in mind?" Ty watched her carefully, but the blonde's expression was unreadable.Probably from her training to deal with assets in the field. As long as she doesn't ask for anyone unreasonable, we can probably make this work.Eventually, she spoke, a small smile fluttering across her lips. "Captain Damian Marshall. To be partnered with my baby sister, Louise. They reconnected after she found out he was here." The smile turned amused. "Though I will not apologize for 'accidentally' speaking of him to her.""Obviously. He's there now, isn't he? Put him on please."There was a small shuffling and a muffled exchange as Amélie stepped away from the screen. Moments later, a young man that could have been a smaller carbon copy of Tiberius stepped into frame, smiling his cheeky smile."Good day bro. How's it going?"Tiberius took a good long look at his younger brother and internally let out a sigh of relief. Damian was the only blood relative he had left, and it would be a bitter pill to swallow to have lost him to something as stupid as this. But that relief and this anger were two entirely separate matters."Don't 'how's it going' me, you fucking numpty! What the actual fuck were you thinking? Did you not think to confirm your orders before you went running off? Or did someone skull fuck you so hard that peanut you use as a brain fell out your fucking ears?"Damian flinched, but the smile didn't falter. "Well, I suppose I deserve that, huh.""Fuckin' oath." Tiberius paused, giving his brother a glare, then shook his head and smiled. "Thank fuck you're alive, you dumb cunt. Got all your bits and bobs? Nothing broken? Aside from what's supposed to be in that head of yours?"Damian's smile softened and he nodded. "Ten wigglers on top and bottom, and all dangly bits present and accounted for, Major.""It's Lieutenant Colonel now, Damo."The younger man did a double take as the words registered. "Piss off! Some of us actually have to earn our promotions, you bastard. You get shot, go on leave and get promoted."Ty laughed. "You mean 'piss off, sir.'""Get fucked, bro." Damian grabbed a glass of water from off-screen and turned to look at Lettie, who had remained silent. "Hey Leticia. Great to see ya. My bro treating you and Charlotte okay?""Hi Damian. Not just me and Lottie, but all four of his partners."This time, Damian did a spit take. "Four? What the fuck, Ty? You go from 'oh I can't choose', to fucking master of a harem? What, did you call me here to gloat? At least let me meet them then, so I can be proper fucking jealous."Ty barked a laugh. "Nah mate. You're all I got left for blood, so I needed to see you for myself." Letting the smile fall from his face, he leaned forwards and continued. "And I'll introduce you later, but for now I need to talk shop. Captain Marshall. I need your report."Damian's expression went flat and he nodded. "If you'll excuse the expression, sir, it was a fucking train wreck. You're correct that we messed up by not confirming the orders, but it was too late once we were on the move. At any rate, we had no trouble getting into the country since the borders are basically unguarded. But we had limited supplies, and our intel was scuffed. We tried, but someone beat us to the punch.""That other team.""Yes, sir. No real clue as to their identity or country of origin. Nondescript gear, local weapons, nothing to identify them. I made the call to not engage, as we were ill equipped to deal with that kind of force, so the mission was a failure." He paused, giving Ty a look. "Well, since there wasn't really a mission to begin with, I'm not sure it counts."Tiberius nodded, gesturing for Damian to continue."We were about to enact our plan to exfil, but we got approached by one of Amélie's people, and they smuggled us back here. After that, well, here we are. And hey, turns out that Finland's pretty nice this time of year."Ty just gave his brother a crooked smile. "Good to hear. No casualties, you said?""No, sir. One of the lads turned an ankle, but he's fine. They're looking forward to coming home."It was time to address the elephant in the room. "And you?"He actually blushed and shrugged. "You know that I always regretted breaking up with Lou. But our careers and that made it tough. You know she works for the DGSE now? Behavioral analyst for their Counter-Terror division. Well, she's still single and we still click as well as we did, and we're both older and wiser too. I'd like to do this, Ty. I'd like the chance to see if this relationship can go the distance."Ty said nothing for a moment, giving his younger brother a deadpan stare, and Damian's expression started to crumble. Finally, Ty nodded, fighting the smile. "Christ, you looked like a kicked puppy, Damo. Yeah. Ok. I don't know if you understand what you're actually agreeing to, but we'll get you filled in and squared away. Amélie, you're still listening, correct?"The blonde stuck her head back into frame and smiled. "But of course? What can I do for you?""I accept the proposed exchange of personnel from our side. Captain Marshall, you are hereby elevated to the rank of Major. I'll get that signed off tonight. Ams, who did you have in mind for your side?"Ty knew he had put his foot in it the moment her smile began to grow. "We shall be sending you one of our technical specialists. Software and hardware. She is also a very capable systems engineer, but she spends the majority of time tinkering away at her various projects. My only condition is that she is partnered to you, Tiberius."He sighed, knowing this was going to happen. "I won't promise that outright. We'll need to test our compatibility, meet face to face, and both of us will have the right of veto. She'll also be meeting my other partners. If any of them clash too badly, it's not gonna work.""Naturally. I would not expect Damian's brother to act the brute, and of course she will need to get along with your family. But I warn you, if you bring her harm, it will not be pleasant for either country.""I would never allow that to happen. And so? Who is this mysterious woman?" Ty already feared he knew the answer."Why, have you not figured it out?" There was no mistaking the amusement in her tone. She was in fact, almost cackling, and Ty was certain now. "I know you have met, and since he has reappeared in our lives, she has been asking Damian about you nonstop."Ty felt the weariness threaten to overtake him again. It had been one date, at Louise's insistence, and he had been a gentleman. Her fixation on him was baffling."Béatrice."Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 9:05 PMTy had intended to spend a bit of time afterwards sorting out the details, but the French had already prepared to transport everyone, so it would be as easy as setting out within the next two days. So, he had instead used that time to catch up with Damian and introduce him to his partners. Louise had joined Damian, and eventually so had Béatrice. She was so eager that Ty was taken aback. Fortunately, it seemed that she and his existing partners would get along, but Ty just hoped it would be so easy. Now, he was making his report to Lt. General Hoffmann, and the old man seemed to be holding back laughter."So, the woman had you completely wrapped around her fingers. You, of all people?" The old man burst into raucous laughter as Ty explained the meeting with Amélie and Damian. "Well, you gave away nothing we didn't plan on sharing anyway, so it's of no consequence. But you seem rather flustered at the idea of this, what was her name? Bea; Bernice?""Béatrice, General.""That's the one. You seem rather flustered at the idea of this Béatrice joining your family. What's the problem? A lovely French girl for your growing harem of beauties. God, your team is becoming fucking international." Grace's face flashed briefly in Ty's head and he fought back a spike of guilt. Hoffmann's laughter cut off as he fixed a raised eyebrow at Ty. "Is she going to be a problem?""No, General. It's not even that. She's; she's, well I kinda feel bad about what happened with her. I mean, I didn't do anything wrong. We went on one date, because Damian and his girlfriend, Louise, wanted to do a double date, and Louise's sister, Béatrice, was in town. So, I agreed, since I wasn't seeing anyone and it was just going to be night out. She on the other hand had wedding bells in mind and was struggling to accept that I wasn't going out with her that day as the start of a long-term relationship." Ty tried to shrug but felt his shoulders sag as he continued. "She looked so disappointed at the end of the evening, and I felt pretty bad about it. She was a really nice girl. The next day, I told Louise I was sorry if I led her on, and she told me that it was fine, because I had made it very clear what my intentions were, and I never led her on or took advantage. But I also heard from Damo that Béatrice was pretty stuck on me, and I kinda felt like I had done her a disservice. Speaking to her again after all that; was kinda awkward."The old man snorted. "I don't see the problem, Tiberius. You said it yourself; you didn't do anything wrong. It was just a conflict of expectations. But you both have the opportunity to make something new. She seemed enthusiastic, right? So, roll with it."Ty nodded. He'd been told the same thing by his partners after they dropped the call and he'd explained the odd reaction he'd had. He looked away from the screen and grabbed his phone.To be continued in part 7. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.
