Ghost Protocol: Meet the Civilian

Chapter 11: Mission accomplished

"It's downloaded a virus from the satellite." Benji explained as Kat pulled herself and Nath further into the bedroom, keeping their lips glued as Nath grabbed at her hungrily. Her skin crawled everywhere he touched but she held it in desperately as she begged for Jane to come in.

"Hendricks is killing the server before we can kill the satellite." Ethan realized, and Kat thought frantically: 'Please, hurry up, someone!'

"Hendricks is reprogramming the satellite." Benji called. "He's gonna have launch capability in five minutes!"

In hindsight, Kat shouldn't have kissed Nath. No-one knew she was in trouble, because she was now effectively out of Jane's sight and she couldn't speak because her mouth was otherwise occupied with keeping Nath from questioning her strange reaction, while at the same time trying to keep Nath from sticking his tongue down her throat.

"Mercury? Venus?" Ethan called urgently. "Gotta move. We need that code."

"Mercury?" Jane called, clearly waiting for a signal, while Ethan ordered: "Venus, when Mercury gives the signal, you kick his ass, and get the code."

"Kat? Today, please!" Brandt added, his voice sounding strained and still echoing a little strangely over the comms. As though he was shouting over a loud wind.

'I can't give the damn signal!' Kat shouted in her head before she decided they needed a hint.

"Mmm!" Nath groaned loudly and appreciatively as Kat deepened the kiss, sticking her tongue into his mouth and trying not to hurl.

There was a pause over the comms, before Brandt asked slowly: "What was that?"

"That sounded like-" Benji began when Jane charged into the bedroom. Jane saw Kat and froze, as Kat saw Jane over Nath's shoulder and she pointed a free hand harshly at the back of Nath's head as she continued to kiss and distract him.

Jane immediately understood, and charged over as Kat pulled back from the kiss. Nath blinked, frowning slightly in confusion as Kat glared at him furiously, but before he could react Jane had grabbed his arm, throwing him over her shoulder and onto his bed as Kat moved aside.

Jane locked her arms around Nath's neck, holding him in a deadly chokehold while Kat wiped her mouth in disgust with one of the many fabrics hanging decoratively around the room.

"Move and I break your neck." Jane warned as Nath gasped for breath, clutching at her arms but to no avail. Her grip was firm as she snarled: "The override sequence for the relay station. Say it now or never speak again."

Nath grunted, struggling and Jane's grip tightened, her voice harsher as she ordered: "The codes!"

"Forty-six." He finally gasped out. "Eighty-two. Ninety-three."

"Please tell me you guys got that." Kat begged under her breath, but her hopes were dashed as Brandt yelled in alarm: "Benji, what happened?"

"The system's crashed!" Benji cried. "We're too late."

"No, I did not kiss that pervert for nothing!" Kat thundered, and Brandt asked sharply: "What?!"

"Save it, you two!" Ethan ordered. "It's not over yet."

Kat exhaled sharply as Ethan continued: "Hendrick's revealed himself. Benji, can you pinpoint Hendricks's location?"

"Uh," Benji replied as he searched quickly, "Hendricks is signaling out of a state-run TV station six-point-seven miles from here."

"Send me the coordinates." Ethan ordered. "Good work, Brandt. Now get the hell outta there."

"Back me up!" Brandt shouted, and Ethan continued: "Kat, good work. Get out of there and find Brandt. Jane, tie it off with Nath, meet me at the rally point."