Chapter 30 - Celebrations

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Episode 29

John Nolan

Their wedding was modest, but he wouldn't trade it for anything. The sight of Grace walking down the makeshift aisle, barefoot and wearing a simple yet elegant white dress on the beach was forever etched in his memory. This was the love of his life, his best friend, college sweetheart and his partner in crime.

It was a small affair, and the minister who officiated the wedding seemed amused at how bare it was. Originally three couples were invited to act as witness, but as the captain and Jack had seemingly cut off all contact, Sergeant Grey and his wife Luna generously stepped in.

Their reception was also very simple, as he just reserved the outdoor portion of a restaurant by the beach. They were just seated at one long table, with the minister seated beside him happily eating the dishes served.

"I have to say, this is one of the best reception I attended." The minister observed.

He felt proud as he saw Tim, Wesley and Grey nod in agreement.

Grace, his wife, he still couldn't believe he could say that now, was happily seated at the other side of the table with Angela, Luna and Rachel. She was sharing stories about their past, and he let them talk among themselves as he focused on their partners.

"So that's why nearly all the hotels are booked?" The wedding minister, also called John commented.

"Two thousand officers, plus their families." Grey replied. "Then I heard there's a RIMPAC exercise going on, so add the officers and crew of two dozen or more countries plush the ships they sent."

"It's a naval exercise held every two years." Tim added. "RIMPAC stands for Rim of the Pacific, it's the largest gathering of military forces in the world."

Talk among them shifted to Wesley, as he and Grey unexpectedly teamed up in teasing the lawyer.

"You're next Evers." Grey smiled after he took a sip of his bottle of beer.

"What's the plan on the proposal?" Tim joined in. "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me for help."

"But be careful." Grey warned the flustered lawyer. "You know how Lopez is. She's very observant, and it will be hard to surprise her when you pop the question."

"We… we haven't talked about it that much." Wesley replied.

"But are you planning to?" He asked.

"Definitely." Wesley answered without hesitation. "I can really see living a married life with her."

"You only saw that after Jack helped his T.O. clean up her house." Tim observed. "After that whenever I visited Angela you were always the one that answered the door."

"C'mon guys, why is it my turn?" The lawyer complained.

"You're the only one here who hasn't married yet." Grey patted him on the shoulder. "It's the rule, Wesley."

"Speaking of Jack, where did he and the Captain go?" He asked. Jack was someone who always followed through with his promises. He said he'd be at their wedding.

"Maybe they lost track of time?" Tim guessed. "You know those two. They've been apart for more than a week because of that TV show."

Tim had a point. It was an open secret by now that Jack and the Captain are very active in the bedroom. Lucy was his best source of gossip. Speaking of his fellow rookie, he sort of understood why Lucy didn't show up. His ex-girlfriend was feeling left out, and attending his wedding as the only one without a partner would only highlight her loneliness.

Technically she would have a partner, if she attended as Sister Lucy Chen. There was a male clergy present with the minister, Lucy could be the nun.

Grey' phone started ringing and the sergeant quickly apologized and left the table. They continued talking about their plans for the week when the sergeant's voice caught their attention.

"YOU WHAT?"

Conversation died down, and they all looked at Grey who was pacing up and down the beach. He was nodding, rubbing his head, but his body language indicated he was agitated and stressed. The call lasted for nearly five minutes and while they ate their food, he and most of the table were focused on Grey.

"Are you sure? Alright… You should have called as soon as you can. "

"Yes Captain. Thank you. See you soon."

Grey ended the call, but he was still staring at his phone. He looked up and shook his head when he noticed they were all staring at him.

"Sorry." Grey replied and sat back down the table.

"What happened Honey?" Luna asked.

"That was the Captain." Grey sighed and quickly finished his bottle. Without another word he took a second bottle from the ice bucket at their side of the table and opened it.

"That bad?" Tim asked.

"Apparently the reason Routh and the Captain were not present today because they got abducted yesterday." Grey explained.

Abducted? He couldn't possibly believe that their fierce Captain and Jack could be abducted by anyone.

"Wait, what?" Angela almost stood up from her seat. "How are they? Do they need help?"

"Relax Lopez, they're fine." Grey answered. "They were lured to an isolated nearby island with the promise of a fake island hopping package. The captain and Routh managed to turn the tables around and call for help. A special Task Force also arrived to help mop things up."

"It's that bad? Was Jack hurt?" Lopez looked ready to storm the island mentioned. He had to admire how protective the T.O. was of her former boot.

"Aside from some scratches, no." Grey explained. "I only got the summary, but she and Jack had managed to take down around eight men who were trying to hunt them for sport. They apparently stumbled upon a gang who was maintaining an illegal marijuana plantation and lured unsuspecting tourists, mostly women."

The sergeant stared at each and every one of them in the eye. "I don't have to explain the details of what happened to those women."

Angela gave a tight nod, her jaw clenched tightly. Rachel look horrified as she covered her open mouth with her hand. He felt Grace clutch his hand tight and he squeezed her hand back to comfort her.

"There were rumors…" The other John joined in the conversation. He looked uncomfortable as the focus of the table shifted to him but he continued speaking.

"Female tourists, backpackers just vanishing and leaving their belongings at their hotel rooms." The minister shared. "My sister works in a hotel, and there's talk about a serial killer, especially with the few bodies that are found washed up on the beach."

"So it's not just a serial killer, but a gang of serial killers." Tim noted.

"The Captain didn't go into details, but she did say Jack was brutal and efficient with the gang." Grey added looking serious as he spoke. "Her words."

"They deserve it then." Angela replied. "That's totally self defense, and they just abducted the wrong couple."

Damn. If Captain Andersen said that, it was more likely than not that Jack had used lethal force. He could still remember the moment his fellow rookie showed what he was when provoked with that idiot director. The raw power, the rage. He would not wish to face an angry Jack Routh, not without the help of an entire offensive line up of an NFL team.

"What about the plan?" He asked.

"It's still on, so we better get ready for tomorrow." Angela replied.

"Great." He was eager to change topics, it was his wedding day after all. The wind shifted and he caught Grace lovely scent. He eyed the back of her neck and suddenly he couldn't wait for their meal to end and have his wife alone in their hotel room.

"Slow down John!" Grace laughed as he chugged his beer.

Jack Routh

WOOOMF!

He didn't question Zoe just collapsing on the bed beside him. It had been a long day, from giving out statements, answering questions from the detectives, staying at the island for a few more hours and then getting picked up by a sleek boat from the massive yacht Taylor chartered.

He was thankful that the tall blonde allowed them a few hours to relax in one of the spacious cabins for a few hours before they needed to head back to O'ahu and report to the Task Force's headquarters for the dreaded paperwork. She also fed them, and gave him and Zoe new clothes to wear, their original ones torn and dirtied from spending a whole afternoon and night in the sanctuary island.

The shower they had earlier on board the yacht was memorable. They didn't have to speak as they cleaned each other, watching the specks of sand, dirt and grime wash away down the drain.

It had a symbolic meaning, like they were baring themselves to each other fully as husband and wife. Like washing off the regrets they had of their own pasts, and forging ahead anew.

There was one thought in his mind that lingered, his worry about Zoe's view of him He didn't regret killing those men, and he would have hunted the other two without any hesitation if not for his wife reminding him of their duty and for the families of the victims.

He felt Zoe shift beside him and he turned his head to look at her. She was resting her head on the pillows, but she was staring straight at him with a look he couldn't place.

"You look a bit bothered." His wife observed. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I was just thinking of my first day on Mid-Wilshire. I didn't feel remorse when I killed that gun runner. I don't feel guilty killing those men on the island." He replied.

He could see parallels in what happened to them earlier and his first day on duty under her command. The automatic rifles with armor piercing bullets that punched holes on the shop as they ducked for cover, trying not to get hit. The shots he took with deadly intent, hitting the driver between the eyes.

It was the same feeling at the island. He was calm outside, but inside he had a thirst of vengeance for the victims as he released those arrows. They dared to hunt his wife, and he was eager to teach them a lesson, permanently.

There was no mercy in his heart. He remembered the satisfaction he felt as his arrow flew true and hit the leader of the group in the chest. While hunting bows were less efficient than modern firearms, they had a few distinct advantages. They were silent, and only the whistling of displaced air gave away that an arrow was in flight.

He remembered the look of panic on those men as they struggled to find his location in the dense jungle, their firearms useless at that moment. The second advantage was the stopping power. An arrow had more mass than a bullet, and he remembered how the leader was blasted to the ground after he released that arrow. He knew that the second arrow to the neck of the other man near the leader was fatal. The man simply crumpled to the ground, with the arrowhead probably hitting deep into his spine.

"You're worried that I might think differently of you." Zoe shifted closer to him. "I don't. In fact I got hot seeing you like that, protecting me."

"You do?"

"Oh yeah." His wife smiled, looking content. "You already know about the difference between the spirit and the letter of the law. As the first participant for the new Metro tactical program, your records were meticulously analyzed by the department."

"I saw body cam footage of you during brass deliberations at central, handling many difficult cases. Traffic stops were they insulted you, 211s where you took down armed suspects without any loss of life. You only used lethal force when lives were truly in danger." Zoe continued speaking. "Seeing how you were in the jungle, made me appreciate the restraint you have." 

"Thanks, honey." He appreciated her words of support, and it did make him release the shred of doubt still clinging to him. She didn't mind it at all.

The next day was relaxing, with Liz showing up after she heard the news from Zoe about their ordeal to check up on them. They then met up with Sergeant Grey and the other officers from Mid-Wilshire who were all eager to hear about their experience with the kidnapping.

Cops being cops, each person on the table gave their own theories about the gang's history and connections during breakfast. He was sharing his own thoughts about the case and the moment when he realized they were in danger when his phone rang.

It was a call from someone from the task-force.

"What is it?" Zoe asked.

"It's from Commander McGarrett." He replied. "He wanted to meet up for beer, if I had time. He's offered to show us around."

"Why not?" His wife replied. "I'm already booked for a spa appointment with Liz, but you have your schedule free today."

Nolan and Grace were still holed up in their room, and Grey was pressed by his wife Luna to accompany her in her shopping trip with Angela, Rachel and Lucy. Zoe had booked a Spa day with Liz. He was surprised that Tim decided to join him.

"I'm tired of trying out tourist food and paying overpriced beer." Tim explained to him when he asked as they made their way to a meeting place far from the Resort row that McGarrett indicated.

"Besides, I met McGarett before when I was still in the military." Tim shared. "Let's see if he still remembers me."

Steve McGarrett

The suspect they had in custody immediately folded when he saw the pictures of his comrades. He saw how his eyes widened in shock, staring the crime scene photographs. They weren't pretty, especially the body that fell on that hidden pit filled with sharpened wooden sticks.

The confession led them to discover how extensive the gang's connections were. It wasn't over, as he authorized several operations to arrest several suspects, a few were even holding key government positions in the state. The Governor was not happy when she learned how deep it went.

That also made him curious about their two heroes, more specifically the husband. Even if he worked with Hondo, there was no way he should be able to take those men alone unarmed. He was surprised with what he learned in their detailed files when he used his connections to get a better idea of the couple, and who had it in their possession.

 It looked like several federal agencies already knew of them, even agent Weston. She had admitted that they were looking to recruit him into their organization, and there was a brewing rivalry with the FBI on who would get to pluck him first from the force.

He even received an unexpected call from Jangus, a former colleague that warned him not to poach Routh for his task force. The conversation was friendly, but he could tell the black ops spook wanted Routh to stay at L.A. That was a pity, since he could use a man with those kinds of talents in his team.

Still, he needed to thank the couple personally, and asked Danny for any ideas on how to do that.

"They're part of that stupid conference right?" Danny asked. "I bet he's tired of the overpriced food and beer in that touristy area. Why don't we show him around our usual spots, and exchange some stories?"

"You think he'll like that?" He asked.

"He strikes me like a man who enjoys simpler things. He did love the sandwiches we brought over when we were at the island." Donny replied.

"Can I come?" Kono asked.

The girl was still on a high after meeting her crush. He watched the usually scary woman that didn't hesitate to run headlong into danger turn into a fan girl when she saw her… Sugar.

"Are you going to act weird?" Danny asked. His second in command laughed as Kono hit him on the shoulder.

"I'm not being weird!" Kono insisted. "I just really like his music."

Right, he remembered Kono yapping about Routh's impromptu performance with a ukulele. That song Amber was an instant hit, and he already heard many covers performed in the bars and beaches by fans of Sugar's music.

Danny gave him a shrug and he gave Kono a nod. The woman visibly brightened and rushed out of his office.

"Where you goin'? Danny asked.

"To get ready!"

"We're just going to some food trucks." Danny shook his head.

The drive to the pick-up point was filled with the only woman in the car sharing her favorites and why Amber was the best. Kono certainly dressed up, wearing nice jeans and a blouse she had never word before.

"You know he's married." He pointed out. On the driver's seat, he could see Danny trying not to laugh. He was clearly enjoying seeing this side to the normally stoic female officer.

"I wanted to look good in the selfie." Kono insisted.

He didn't bother to remind the woman that she already had a few selfies with Routh at the sanctuary island.

"Oh god, there he is." Kono breathed out as they saw Routh standing beside someone that looked familiar.

"Hey, hope you weren't waiting too long. Get in." He called out to their guests.

"Thanks." Routh joined them, sitting beside Kono who had suddenly gone quiet.

"Hope you don't mind, but I brought someone along who knows you." Routh continued speaking. "This is…"

"Bradford." He smiled as he finally placed the name to the face.

"McGarrett." He quickly shook hands with the former marine. He remembered he had to save their unit when they were ambushed near Mosul.

"You two know each other?" Danny asked.

"Had to save his ass a few times in Afghanistan." He replied. "How's your L.T.?"

"Promoted." Bradford looked annoyed for a moment, as if remembering a bad memory. Yeah, he could understand that. "You know how it goes, no matter how bad they are or deaths they caused, they still get promoted."

"You did what you could man." He remembered arriving at the scene to see Bradford and his squad keeping the enemy at bay with suppressing fire while his unit had to go and rescue the reckless LT who got the rest of the platoon pinned down, unable to retreat.

They arrived and Danny's favorite food joint. He watched with amazement as Jack Routh ordered pineapple marinated chicken barbecue on a stick that could easily feed three grown men.

"This is really good." Routh commented, already on his second stick.

"I know right?" Danny looked happy.

"This could go toe to toe with the best food trucks L.A." Routh added.

"L.A?" Kono looked confused. "Food there is that good?"

He could understand her reaction, seeing as the woman wasn't familiar with the infamous city.

"Crime is through the roof, crazies everywhere but it has an amazing selection of food at affordable prices." Routh explained. "Mexican, Japanese, Korean, it's all there, and the food is really good."

"Don't forget about that new food truck." Bradford joined in the conversation. "Those cubanos are my new favorite thing."

"Cubanos in L.A.?" He asked.

"It's from a former head chef that went viral after having a meltdown in a restaurant." Bradford explained. "He picked a fight with a food critic in twitter."

"I think I saw that in cliptok." Kono shared. "So he's now working in a food truck?"

"Guy dropped everything and his latina wife and kid helps him out on weekends." Bradford added. "Cute family."

They enjoyed the meal, sharing funny stories about their experiences. Kono gradually became more comfortable, and soon the two youngest cops in the group were having their own conversation. Suddenly remembering why he invited Routh, he listened in on their conversation.

"Interesting name." Jack told Kono.

"My name?"

"It's the name of the second dynasty of the kingdom of Hawaii. House Kalakaua succeeded House Kamehameha, before it was overthrown by a coup by its own military." Routh explained. "You might be a descendant of the royal family."

"You hear that , Boss?" Kono turned to him with a smile. "I could be a princess!"

"You wish!" Danny rolled his eyes.

Right, he remembered from reading the file that Routh was also a history professor at a community college, where he nearly died stopping a school shooter. He turned back to their conversation, and he exchanged amused looks with Bradford as Routh started a lecture on Royal titles.

"He does this sometimes." Bradford whispered.

"King, in old English is Cyning." Jack explained to his new student Kono who was listening with a focused expression. It's a word for any ruler or sovereign, but it is also related to the word kin. And the dom at the end of the word Kingdom is not related to the word dominion. It's more related to the word doom. "

"Doom?" Kono laughed, actually laughed.

"Doom, in old English meant a law, or even a decree or the administration of justice." Routh shared. "So doom is the judgment made upon you, and even a judge was called a doomsman."

Huh. Interesting. He wasn't even pretending to eavesdrop. He turned to focus on Routh, and noticed that Bradford and Danny were doing the same.

"So kingdom doesn't mean dominion of the king… but doom of a king." Kono mused.

"Exactly, which sounds poetic in its own way." Routh replied with an encouraging nod and a smile.

"What about queen?" Kono asked. "Where did that come from?"

"The word queen means wife, or Cwene in old English." Routh replied. "Queen, or wif just means a woman, but men can still call their wives their queen, since it's theoretically correct."

"Do you call the captain, queen?" Bradford asked. Danny laughed outright, causing Kono to frown.

"No, I call her Major." Jack replied with a straight face.

He took a sip of beer and realized Jack Routh was the type the Phoenix Foundation was looking for. Capable, an academic but can handle himself in a fight. It was a pity that the man seems determined to stay in L.A. and serve in its police department.

With lunch done, he was surprised to learn that Jack Routh had agreed to hang out for the rest of the day with Kono. The young woman offered to teach Routh surfing and the celebrity cop happily accepted the invitation.

 "You're going to love it! Good thing you're already wearing your board shorts. I have a friend nearby that can let us borrow his surfboards for free." Kono continued speaking as the two headed to the beach.

"Do you want to go?" He asked Bradford.

"Nah. I'd rather stay here and drink beer." The former marine replied.

"Great minds." He ordered another ice cold bucket full of beer bottles and relaxed back into his seat. He finally had a good idea what type of person Routh was, but decided to swap stories with Bradford to learn more.

Seeing Routh so carefree and relaxed at the table, made him yearn for a similar set up at this stage of his life, and perhaps get married to a hot wife like Jack Routh has. It was a pity that his longtime partner Cathy was always deployed abroad because of her work. He suddenly felt the urge to settle down. Damn.

Nickolaj Coster-Waldau

Who knew going out for a sandwich one early morning would lead to a vacation in Hawaii? His girls were excited when he told them of the news.

"We're invited to Sugar's wedding reception?" Filippa, his eldest jumped up and down in excitement. "Oh my god! Now we need to get new outfits! Mom?"

"Go ahead. I still have a few dresses I can wear." His wife Nukaka replied with a fond smile.

 His 20-year old quickly dragged his youngest, 14 year old Safina to shop. The two rushed out soon after, taking their mother's car.

That was a week ago. Now he was soaking up the sun by the beach with his wife.

His wife had just come back from Greenland with his daughters. The faces they made when they learned he became friends with one of their idols made him realize how famous Jack Routh really was.

"It's a pity I haven't met your new friends." Nukaka stretched as she sat in her own lounge chair. "Jessica did say they were nice and down to earth. I'm more apprehensive of that… Elizabeth Winstead. Is it true what they said on the news?"

 "Far from it." He replied. "If you've heard her side of the story, then you'll understand. She didn't say much on that survival show. She's nice, and made quick friends with Jack's wife, Jessica and Taylor."

He thought that both his girls would pass out from excitement when he mentioned that last part. They loved Sugar, but they absolutely worshipped Taylor Swift.

Feeling hot, he dragged his reluctant wife to join his daughters at the shore. Safina had the bright idea of letting the surf roll her around in the sand as she tried her best to withstand it. Filippa was taking photos of thee footprints she left behind on the beach, and he noticed that her eldest was trying to time it as the water just reached the sand.

Feeling playful, he suddenly scooped up his wife and ran to the surf. Nukaka screamed and pounded his back, but it was too late and once he reached waist deep water, he tossed her a good four feet by his estimates.

As expected she was furious when she surfaced and quickly chased after him.

"Go Mom!" He heard his eldest shout in support of his wife.

"Faster Dad! Mom's getting closer!" Safina, forever his little princess cheered for him.

He pretended to trip, and that allowed Nukaka to tackle him. Submerged underwater, his fingers found her sensitive spots, causing his wife to release him.

They spent a half an hour playing in the water. The sun was getting hotter, and the girls unanimously decided to find some cold drinks and cool off in the shade.

A whistle caught his attention, and he saw the life guard tower warning swimmers in the deeper water of the surfers trying to catch waves. They were far from the big waves and he watched as surfers tried and failed to ride the swell. However, two individuals caught his attention. The woman was very skilled, and she immediately caught everyone's attention.

The man riding the same wave as her was more cautious, and he could see that this surfer merely tried to stand on his larger board. They were travelling in the same direction, and a few moments later he got a good luck at the two. The smaller woman wore a big grin on her face, while the man had a more focused look.

"Jack?" Nah, that couldn't be. He was supposed to be on the other side of the island.

Zoe Andersen Routh

Spa day was glorious. If she could have the same thing at home every weekend, then life would be perfect.

She felt light, clean and relaxed. She walked as if she was floating on clouds and she could tell Liz felt the same way.

She checked her phone and saw a bunch of messages. Her division, even those that attended the conference, had planned a small get together on the beach not far from their location. Once she arrived at the location she smiled at the sight.

Her officers were having fun.

Bradford was cooking food with Grey and a few of the detectives. Lopez was playing volleyball, diving in the sand without any ounce of fear just to save the ball.

 Nolan and Grace were surrounded by well wishers, the two finally making an appearance after their quick wedding. She felt bad not being able to be there, but then she didn't have any control over a criminal gang's schedule on when they would kidnap people.

Little kids ran around, being chased by their older sibling or parents. She stood still for a moment as a few of the toddlers zipped past her and made her an obstacle for their chasers.

"Sorry captain!" Vestri, one of her senior detectives apologized when he nearly ran into her. She waved it off with a smile and continued to look around the large gathering.

"Where's Jack?" Liz voiced out her own thoughts.

Her sharp eyes finally spotted him. She sighed in disbelief and nudged her friend to catch her attention.

"There, he's being buried in the sand by some kids." She pointed to the area where a large mound of sand was covering her husband aside from his head and feet. He looked fine, as toddlers made the mound of sand made of Jack Routh like an obstacle course.

Their tiny bodies would struggle to climb on top of the sand hill and then roll down gently to the other side. She walked over and leaned over his head, catching his attention.

"Hey honey." Jack greeted her with a smile. "How was spa day?"

"It went well." She replied. "Having fun?"

"They're having fun." He replied and looked at the kids using him as a playground.

"I hate to be a spoilsport, but we have to get ready." She told him.

"What for?" He asked.

"I'm taking you guys somewhere." Liz stepped forward. "It's a surprise but I'm sure you'll love it"

"I can't." Jack pretended to struggle. "I'm stuck here."

Really. Her husband was the strongest man she knew. He could easily lift her like a child, and she remembered trying to draw the bow he used to dispatch those suspects. She could barely pull it far enough, but he did so with ease.

"We need to hurry." She kneeled down in front of him and tapped the tip of his nose. "Liz says it takes weeks just to get a reservation."

"Fine." The large mound of sand quickly collapsed as Jack easily sat up. The toddlers let out cute awwws as their playmate decided to stand up.

"It's aunt Lucy's turn! Bury her!" Jack pointed to Chen who was talking to Rachel. The officer in question looked surprised as the group of kids yelled and tackled her to the sand.

Jack took a quick rinse in the ocean and she took a moment to admire her husband dripping wet. A quick look and she saw more than a few eyes focused on his form. Even Liz was not immune and she watched with amusement as the actress took a deep breath.

"C'mon, it's near the pier." Liz told her.

"Do we need to change?" Jack asked, putting on a simple white button shirt, perfect for the weather.

"No, they're not strict on dress codes." Liz replied. "What you two are wearing is perfect. Let's go!"

She shared a puzzled look with her husband and followed the actress. Liz seemed more excited than they were. Was the food really that good?

Jack Routh

It took roughly 15 minutes to get to the dock on foot. By the time they arrived, there was a slight sheen of sweat on his skin. He didn't complain, though. The view was beautiful, and it was nice to walk barefoot in the soft sand without worrying about used needles, broken glass, or some other debris that could injure them. LA's beaches still needed regular cleaning, but the city's resources were stretched thin as it is.

They took a short break where, surprise surprise, Zoe picked a shaved ice dessert again. He settled for a bottle of water and waited patiently as the two women finished their orders.

"This walk will be perfect for our early dinner." Liz smiled. "I don't know about you but I built up quite an appetite." 

"So where is this secret restaurant?" He looked around the pier. Aside from some food stands, he couldn't find any large establishment suitable for a sit-down dinner.

"First, we need to take a boat ride." Liz led them to the pier where a familiar boat was waiting for them.

"Wait, isn't that…" Zoe started to speak.

"Yup! We're having dinner on Taylor's yacht!" Liz replied quickly. "C'mon!"

The pop star did mention she was using it for a music video shoot. He shared a look with his wife and boarded the boat.

"Reminds us of day one of our survival challenge, doesn't it?" Liz observed as the boat they were on gracefully carved a path through the water.

"Sort of." He replied. "Except this time, we're heading to Taylor's chartered yacht. That vessel is massive. I wonder how much it costs to rent it for a whole week?"

"Three million dollars." The pilot of the boat replied.

He shared a wide-eyed look with Zoe and Liz when they heard the amount.

The pilot laughed at their reactions. "Trust me, that's cheaper compared to the annual maintenance costs of the Flying Fox. I believe the owners even gave Ms. Swift a discount."

The super yacht soon came into view. It looked like there were several boats already docked to the rear of the ship. He could already hear the sound of music reaching them through the water. It sounded like there was already a party going on, far from the quiet dinner he was expecting.

He helped Zoe and Liz off the boat, and once he set foot on board, he was greeted by a loud chorus of greetings.

"SURPRISE!"

"Welcome aboard!"

"What's this all about?" He asked, looking around. Taylor was there, wearing a proud smile on her face. Everywhere he looked, he could see familiar faces, from nearly all his different social circles. Some of the officers they had just left on the beach were also present. How did they get here before them?

Angela sported a satisfied look, while Tim raised a bottle of beer at him in greeting.

"Reese? Jessica?" Zoe finally spotted her best friends in the crowd.

"We were planning a wedding reception for the two of you." Pam explained. "I knew the two of you were struggling to plan one because of your schedules, so I told Reese we should plan one ourselves as a surprise."

"And when I learned of their plans…" Taylor stepped forward and gave both of them quick hugs in greeting. "…I decided to upgrade the location. Congratulations, Jack and Zoe!"

He was overwhelmed by the kindness of their friends. He shared a look with Zoe, and he could see how much this meant to her with how her eyes glistened from the lights.

"Thank you, everyone, for this." He replied, taking a hold of Zoe's hand as he addressed their well-wishers. "Pam, Reese, and Taylor, I couldn't possibly thank you enough."

The pop star's smile widened. "Come on! This is your night! I'm sure you must be starving! Let's enjoy the night!"

The food, as Liz had promised, was exquisite. This was far from the wedding reception he attended for Pam's wedding, and he liked it. It seemed like there was a universal agreement among the guests to wear white, and he found it fitting considering their surroundings.

People drifted in and out, there was no program, and he could see everyone was having a good time. Taylor was a gracious host, as the pop star, without any hesitation at all, took selfies and signed autographs for fans.

With three decks, there was more than enough space for the guests to roam and have their own spaces.

Even the music was top-notch, taken care of by Jonathan, one of Taylor's sound engineers whom he had previously worked with. He waved at the familiar faces of Taylor's crew and found himself sitting with the engineer after he took a break an hour later, drinking their bottles of beer.

"It's two birds with one stone." Jonathan explained. "Taylor already hired the yacht for the shoot of her music video, Blank Spaces, and she wanted to treat us to a vacation. Using the yacht for a surprise wedding reception for you and Zoe was an added bonus."

"How did the shoot go?" He asked.

"The male model was... okay." Jonathan shared as he explained the concept of the video shoot. Taylor was responding to the media's label of her as a playgirl with successive boyfriends with the music video and the song "There wasn't much chemistry, and the director struggled a bit to shoot certain scenes. We pushed through in the end."

"Anyway, when do you want to record Amber?" Jonathan asked. "Because man, that should be included in the album."

"When we get back to L.A. I'll find some time over the weekend." He promised the sound engineer.

They were interrupted from their conversation as the speakers started blasting beats. It looked like someone decided to start a karaoke session. It looked like it was Taylor's idea as she was singing one of her songs to the delight of the crowd.

He found Zoe a few minutes later, deep in conversation with Jessica and her circle of friends. His wife shifted and patted the seat she made space for, and he squeezed into the chair beside her.

"Having fun?" His wife asked him. He could see the red flush on her cheeks, and he could tell she had consumed more alcohol than she usually would.

"I am." He replied with a bright smile of his own. "This party's great!"

"I know, right! This venue is perfect!" Jessica Chastain added.

"So… are you going to head to the stage and give us a few songs?" Liz asked. They all turned to the stage to watch as Taylor belted out one of her classics. The blonde was having fun and even invited a few guests on the small makeshift stage to sing with her.

"Why not?" Zoe answered for him. "Go and give them a show, Honey."

The women around laughed at her remark, causing his wife to point a finger at them. "Not that kind of show!"

"Any requests?" He asked.

"Telephone! And then Amber!" Liz was the first to yell out her favorites.

"It has to be Sugar first!" Jessica insisted.

"What about those songs you sang for Zoe?" Pam suggested.

They were debating the song lineup, causing quite a ruckus at their table. He laughed at their antics and decided to sing all of them. Their friends deserved it, and almost everyone on board the chartered yacht knew them personally. They came here to have a great time, and he was determined to help Taylor give them one.

"Don't worry." He told the girls, causing them to pause in their banter. "I'll perform them all."

"You will?" Zoe asked him.

"I'll perform a concert." He nodded at her. He was quickly engulfed in a hug by his wife.

"Yes! Jack's first concert!" His wife pumped her fist in excitement.

He left the table and headed to Jonathan. He would need the man's help.

Taylor Swift

The female officer, if she remembered her name correctly, Lucy, had a pretty good voice. She knew the lyrics of her songs by heart. It was fun to sing with her, though she could tell the younger woman was still nervous on stage.

Nickolaj's daughter took the stage next, and started singing while she took a break and looked around the yacht. The guests were having a great time, and she was thrilled at how it all turned up. Weeks of planning and coordinating with Angela, Pam, and Reese made it all worthwhile.

She made sure the food was filled with Jack's favorites, along with an open bar. She liked these types of parties, very casual and mostly filled with friends and family. Her own staff and crew were having fun, and she spotted her own circle friends eyeing some of the male guests lounging on the deck. A few were eye-catching, even that senior training officer who had a stern demeanor. She remembered he was Lucy's boss, and appeared to be very cool and aloof.

A familiar voice was now singing on the microphone, and it looked like it was her best friend's turn to sing on the makeshift stage.

"We're really getting good material." Her P.R. agent gushed as the woman stood beside her. Cameras were still recording this event for later P.R. use, aside from recording Jack and Zoe's wedding reception.

"This will be perfect for future music videos or album art material." The PR agent continued speaking. She nodded at that, looking at the crowd wearing white outfits that were perfect for a tropical beach setting. Couples danced with each other, and that made her more aware that she didn't have a date.

It was a pity that she had no chemistry with the male model she hired for the music video. He was handsome, yes, but his personality left a lot to be desired in her opinion, and she tried her hardest. He wasn't into music, or sports, or any hobbies he was into. They just didn't mesh well. She had planned for the model to stay with them for the week, but at the last minute, she arranged for him and his assistant to stay at the hotel rather than to remain on board the yacht.

 She wondered if it was her or if the guy was really that bland. Maybe her standards were too high, and she was comparing him too much to Jack. Speaking of her musical partner, she looked around at the crowd. Zoe was there with their group at one table, but there was no sign of the groom.

Was he not having fun? Was this too much? Worry began to fill her mind. There was a lull in the stage as Selena finished her number, and there wasn't anyone stepping up to the microphone after her. 

"Hello everyone!"

She knew that voice. She followed where the sound came from and gasped in delight when the door to the interior room behind their makeshift stage opened up, revealing Jack and her own musicians, including Jonathan, with their respective musical instruments.

"This is something for all of you." Jack leaned into the microphone to greet the crowd. They were still stunned and a bit confused at the sudden appearance, but she knew what he was planning immediately. Could it be?

Jack didn't wait for the crowd to cheer, and the music for Sugar, his trademark song, started playing. As one, the guests cheered and rushed closer to the stage. She had a perfect sport already and didn't need to move. This was her fantasy come to life, her very own Jack Routh private concert.

His songs were sure crowd pleasers, though he did occasionally play the slow romantic ones for couples. She didn't mind that at all. This was it. She missed the feeling of watching real concerts and enjoying the experience, not carefully promoted performances in award shows.

She was one with this small crowd, her skin glistening with sweat as she jumped and screamed with the best of them whenever Sugar hit a climax in his songs. The man was born for the stage in her eyes.

Then Jack did something unusual, and called for Lucy to the stage. The young woman in question was confused as she slowly joined Jack, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as dozens of eyes focused on her.

"Do you still remember our song?" Jack asked, this time moving to the electronic keyboards.

Her eyebrows rose up in surprise. They have a song?

"Only two people have ever heard of this." Jack explained. "Lucy and Angela. This is called Closer."

It looked like Jack was making full use of the effects of the electronic keyboard as he started a beat with it. Then his fingers started playing the keys as he leaned over the microphone and started singing.

She never thought she would hear a new song of his. She leaned forward, eager to hear the lyrics. As the song progressed, she was amazed at this new style of his. He was more like a DJ, expertly utilizing the effects to add more spice to the music.

We ain't never getting older!

As the effects hit, she couldn't control her body as she started jumping up and down. She wasn't the only one, the crowd surged as they danced eagerly to the beat with their hands raised in the air. Jessica was now beside her, then Selena, then Zoe. They were having a blast, and she let out a laugh of pure joy.

We ain't never getting older!

The simple music was repetitive but addicting, she was sure more than a few guests would sleep tonight with the tune stuck in their heads.

The police officers they had cheered loudly when Lucy started singing. It seemed like the young woman had gathered enough nerves as she performed with confidence beside Jack.

Stay, and play that blink-182 song, that we beat to death in Tucson, okay.

The lyrics were fun and grounded, she knew this song would connect to a lot of people once it came out. Another hit for Sugar, and she couldn't wait to perform this with him at the recording studio. This was the alternative rebranding she was talking about to appeal to the underground scene.

She joined him on stage as well, singing Somebody I used to know. By now, everyone knew the lyrics and they were joined by the crowd in singing right from the start.

She thought that was the last song, ending his concert with a banger, but once again, Jack exceeded her expectations.

"Can Zoe please join me on stage?" Jack requested as he put on one of her guitars.

Jessica and Liz practically pushed Zoe forward, and the crowd cheered when she finally stepped onto the stage. The usually passive Police Captain was embarrassed at being suddenly put on the spot.

"This song's my gift for you, honey." Jack gave his wife a short kiss that earned a lot of whistles, and started strumming. "This is called Iris."

He started strumming the guitar, looking at his wife. There was a hush in the crowd, and she felt the same, as if something magical was about to happen. This was the stuff of romance novels and movies, not real life, yet there they were, standing as witnesses.

[Iris- Goo Goo Dolls (acoustic)]

And I'd give up forever to touch you…

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow,

You're the closest to heaven, that I'll ever be

And I don't wanna go home right now…

"Damn." She heard Liz whisper from beside her, but she didn't pay any attention to her friend. Those lyrics, that melody…. She rubbed her arms as she felt goose bumps appear, and it wasn't the wind that was causing the sensation. Her musicians seemed to get a sense of Jack's new song and started joining in as the drums and the bass came in.

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

And sooner or later, it's over

I just don't wanna miss you tonight.

Normally, there were speeches in wedding receptions, professions, or promises of love and gratitude. If this was Jack's version of the tradition, she heartily approved of it. She always dreamed of a full-fledged concert by Sugar. This… this was exceeding her expectations. Tickets to his show were priceless in her eyes. What appeared to be the chorus arrived as the intensity of Jack's playing increased.

And I don't want the world to see me!

'Cause I don't think they'd understand….

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am…

She let out a cheer as Jack started playing a solo. She was not alone, and the guests around her seemed to be mesmerized as well. Jack, with the guitar in his hands, made for an eye-catching figure, with the guitar strap causing his polo shirt to part open, revealing his muscled torso to her delight.

He was sweaty from the songs he sang for the last hour, his hair sticking to his face. That only made him more appealing in her eyes, and she watched the beads of sweat from his neck down to his chest. Zoe was really a lucky wife. If she ever found a romantic partner, she wanted someone Jack could call a friend.

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything feels like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive!

The music picked up again as she sensed the chorus coming back. She already knew the lyrics and started singing along with Jack. This song really touched her in a way she couldn't explain. Zoe, the lucky bride, was receiving one of the most romantic and heartfelt songs she had ever heard. Jack's wife had her hands covering her mouth, as she listened to his gift.

And I don't want the world to see me!

'Cause I don't think they'd understand….

When everything's made to be broken,

I just want you to know who I am…

Her hands were up and swayed to the melody as Jack continued to display his prowess with the guitar. With a band behind him now familiar with his style, the music really came alive. She could tell her musicians were having a blast as Jack guided them to the unfamiliar song, and they grew with confidence as the same rhythm repeated itself.

She itched to join them, she could do that. The chords were simple anyway. A band, yes, she and Jack could form a band, different from her mainstream pop songs. Jack gradually lowered the intensity of the longer than usual solo, not that she was complaining. She liked the way the song was structured, letting the melody speak to them and not just with words.

And I don't want the world to see me!

'Cause I don't think they'd understand….

When everything's made to be broken,

I just want you to know who I am…

She was surprised when the music picked up again, with Jack singing the chorus once more. This was special, as Jack moved closer to Zoe. Jack's wife was openly crying. She understood, more than a few eyes were tearing up at this point.

And I don't want the world to see me!

'Cause I don't think they'd understand….

When everything's made to be broken,

I just want you to know who I am…

I just want you to know who I am…

I just want you to know who I am…

I just want you to know who I am…

The moment Jack stopped playing, the crowd cheered loudly with applause and whistles. She looked around, and she could see the exhilarated faces of the guests around her. Eyes wide, wide smiles, and breathing hard, and she knew she looked the same as any of them. They just had a magnificent experience.

Jack and Zoe kissed on stage, and she clapped along with Liz and Jessica, unable to hide the bittersweet expression on her face.

Zoe Andersen Routh

She watched her husband as he signed autographs and selfies for new fans before joining her close friends for some privacy in her assigned cabin. Nickolaj's daughters seemed to be very taken with him as they constantly stuck to his side after his concert.

Their surprise wedding reception had shifted to a more relaxed mood, with guests lining up at the buffet table after they worked up an appetite. The song Jack performed, Iris really touched her, seeing as she recognized the lyrics from when her husband shared his past, along with his fears, back on that island. He thought he was broken due to his missing past, but that made her even more determined to help him when they got back to L.A. 

They had moved to a cabin that Taylor told them they could use to sleep in. Not all of the guests could stay on board, though, and some will be ferried back to the port and to their hotels. Reese and Liz were discussing their favorite performances, with the latter happy that she got to hear Amber performed with a full band this time.

"So, honeymoon?" Jessica teased her. She laughed at that. Sex was pretty much sure to happen later, with how she and Jack were giving each other loving looks all throughout the party.

"Be sure to close the curtain." Taylor teased and pointed to the mirror in the cabin.

"It's a one-way mirror from the other room where Liz is staying." The pop star explained. "Unless you want to give a show, you'd better pull that down tonight."

"What?" Jessica's eyes widened in surprise.

"Let's just say these billionaire yacht owners have very weird fetishes." Taylor explained with a smirk. "The yacht stewardess had plenty of stories."

That caused everyone in the cabin to giggle.

She could see that. Almost everyone in the flying fox was ridiculously attractive. She could tell they were chosen mostly for their looks, and she wasn't naïve enough to know they got tips by giving out extra service at parties on board.

Slowly, guests started to leave in groups, until the only ones that remained were those who had assigned cabins. She was a bit tipsy at that point, and even Jack consumed more than his usual four bottles of beer. Ready to have alone time with her man, she led him back to their cabin.

She was already kissing him before the door even closed, and she could feel his hands roaming down her chest and back. She suddenly remembered the one-way mirror and stopped kissing her husband.

"Jack, that's a one-way mirror." She breathed out. "The room beside ours has Liz, Reese, and Jessica still inside."

Jack nodded and started to head to the mirror to pull down the blinds. She suddenly had a wicked idea, and that only increased her arousal.

"How about we give them a show?" She asked him as she stepped closer and started nibbling on his lower lip. She could tell those girls found her husband attractive, but didn't even make any move on him. Perhaps it was time to give them a treat. Jack was hers alone, but that doesn't mean her close single friends couldn't get a glimpse of what she had every night.

Jack didn't seem to care either way and responded by kissing her harder. She took that as a yes and started removing his clothes.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

They were finishing the strawberry champagne in her room. Jessica brought out cards to play while Reese came back with a plate of snacks. It was late into the night, and there were only a few guests outside on the decks of the massive yacht.

Taylor appeared, carrying her own tray of midnight snacks. It seemed like her assigned cabin became the unofficial club room for the group. They were playing Uno, while sharing gossip and stories. She was in the middle of sharing her experience with a weird director with a fetish for feet while Taylor and Jessica laughed.

"So you had to wear a short cheerleader outfit all throughout your shoot?" Jessica asked.

"Basically. I was a side character, so around a week of shooting." She replied. "But those camera angles, he always insisted my legs should be shown."

"At least it only came to that." Taylor replied. "Didn't you feel uncomfortable?"

"Not really." She replied with a shrug. "He already had a reputation for his fetish. I mean, I heard he drank beer poured down from this actress' leg in one movie."

"No way!" Reese gasped.

"He did. He even cast himself as an extra so he could be the one to do that." She shared. "Filming in a way that complimented my legs? I have no problems with that."

They were distracted as they saw the lights in the other room turn on. She watched as Zoe and Jack entered the room and immediately started kissing.

"Didn't I tell Zoe to watch out for that?" Taylor asked, the pop star's eyes fixed on the kissing couple.

"You did." She replied, unable to take her eyes off the two. Zoe finally seemed to remember the warning and stopped kissing her husband. Jack was headed in their direction to close the curtain when he suddenly stopped and turned back to Zoe.

She watched with her mouth open as Zoe gave them a look through the mirror and started undressing Jack.

"Fuck." Taylor breathed out.

It seemed like Zoe was giving them a show after all, and Jack looked like he didn't care. She shifted in place, card game completely forgotten as Zoe fished out Jack's very erect penis. She could hear the simultaneous gasps, including her own, when they saw the man who performed in a concert hours earlier, fully nude.

"She…. She takes that inside her?" Reese squeaked.

"She's taking it in her throat." She replied.

"Fuck." Taylor repeated.

Jack grabbed the back of his wife's head and stared cumming a few minutes later. She could see how Zoe was quickly swallowing what was being pumped directly into her throat. Then the semi-erect penis appeared, and Zoe stood up and finally headed to the window, gave a final wink, and closed the curtains.

"If I had a husband like that, I'd show him off too." Jessica giggled.

"I need a drink." Taylor declared. The pop star was red in the face and started to chug the champagne bottle. She needed one too, and grabbed an unopened bottle, but she was more generous and poured a glass for Jessica and Reese before sipping from the bottle. That was… damn.

"She did that on purpose." Reese declared. "Riling us up. That bitch."

"I thought it was a treat." Jessica admitted. "I always wondered what he looked like when I saw him wearing that loincloth."

"Oh yeah!" She laughed. She remembered that memory fondly. Caveman Jack Routh was burned in her core memory.

"Loin cloth?" Taylor asked.

"He decided to surprise Zoe after he came back from New York." Reese explained. "He was wearing a very tiny loincloth and opened the door to surprise Zoe. He didn't expect us."

"You should have seen how quickly he retreated!" Jessica laughed. "He has some nice buns too."

"Buns of steel." She nodded in agreement.

They returned to the card game, but she could tell everyone was too worked up with Zoe's naughty stunt by showing off her husband like that. Taylor begged off first, followed by Jessica and Reese. She was glad she was assigned one of the state cabins, since the shower head had a pulse action that would be very helpful later.

Before she did that, though, she opened the window to let fresh air in. Her room had the scent of aroused pussy.

Taylor Swift

"I didn't know you already had coffee?" Her best friend asked. "Smells good though."

She turned her head and rubbed her eyes as she yawned. Selena's knocking woke her up from a nice dream. "What smell?"

"Coffee." Selena looked around her large cabin in confusion.

Her brain started working as she stretched and dived back to the bed after opening the door. "That's not coffee, that's a gift Jack gave me when he was on the island with Liz for that survival show."

Selena's eyes brightened, and she watched as her friend hurried to her bed, where she placed the bamboo tube that was turned into a container for the coffee beans.

"Can I have this?" Selena asked and opened the end cap of the container. Immediately, the faint smell of roasted coffee grew stronger.

"Does it have the name Selena carved on its side?" She asked.

This gift was precious, since he only gave her, Lucy, someone called John, Angela, and of course his wife, the coffee beans with their custom containers. He made a total of five bamboo tubes. Jessica and the others were handed their own gifts courtesy of Liz, but they didn't have their names carved out on the side, unlike Jack's set.

"This could sell for a good price on the internet." She knew Selena was teasing her right now, and she tossed a pillow at her friend. "Why did you wake up so late anyway? It's already past lunch!"

"I got drunk." She really didn't drink that much except at the end. She couldn't exactly tell her best friend what she did as soon as she locked her room. Thanks to Zoe's… display with Jack late last night, she was a little sore between her legs, as well as a bit dehydrated.

She was thankful that she placed Jack's gift out in the open, the aroma of coffee masked a more personal scent due to her activities with her special friend now resting in her bag, with its batteries empty.

"Well, your guests are waiting for you before they leave for their hotel." Selena informed her.

Right. "Please tell them to wait for me."

 She hurried to the bathroom to freshen up, but she wondered how she could now look at her friend straight in the eye without the image of him, naked, appearing in her mind. This was a problem.

"Focus." She told her reflection in the mirror.

The farewell was not as awkward as she predicted. Jack and Zoe acted like normal, and it was Reese who was more obvious. That calmed her nerves significantly, and she was even able to hug Jack without freezing up as they said their goodbyes before boarding the smaller boat.

A late lunch with her team allowed her to focus on her current priorities. They were already reviewing the footage from the yacht concert, and she intended to have it released as a special DVD.

Her current music video Blank Space was still stuck in the editing stage, as she and her team struggled to pick the best scenes from the multiple angles they took. The climax of the video was on the yacht as she pushed her partner in the video overboard, and then sailing away with her walking right up to the bow of the ship and singing while staring at a new horizon. The symbolism was on point in her opinion.

"We should be able to release it as soon as we get back to L.A." One of her staff reported.

"What about Jack's latest song, Iris?" She asked.

"It's already filed and copyrighted." Technically, Jack was working under her own label. With a good portion of the profit going to her friend with this concert, she was sure he would be surprised when he checked his bank account in a month.

With the meeting done, she turned to look for prospective partners. Male models were off her list now after working with the last one. She realized she needed someone grounded like Jack beside her. An athlete, perhaps? She did enjoy watching football with her father and brother during the holidays, maybe someone there can catch her eye. In the meantime, there was nothing wrong in her mind about using her music husband for some relief.

That was the gag going on in their group, and Zoe found it funny. She first started it, calling Jack her music husband due to their numerous collaborations. Liz followed by calling him her reality TV husband. Zoe, not to be outdone, placed a cherry on top of the gag by calling Jack her sex husband with a straight face, and that caused a round of laughter that nearly broke her ribs.

Zoe Andersen Routh

Heading back to the airport was a logistical nightmare. In the end, she and Grey announced to their division that it was their responsibility to be on time at the gate when it was time for boarding.

There were more complications when they reached the airport. Their flight was overbooked, and there were four passengers who needed to give up their seats. The airline agent informed her that they needed two seats from the Mid-Wilshire group.

She checked her watch and mentally calculated their schedule. They would be arriving at L.A. at just past 6 pm, Sunday night, if their flight departed without any delay.

"What's the plan, Captain?" Grey asked her.

"The majority has to report for duty on Monday, correct?" She asked.

"That's right."

She looked around at some of her officers, struggling to watch over their kids and family members. She needed to decide soon, since she noticed that the attendant at the gate was about to announce the boarding procedure.

"Let's prioritize those that have shifts on Monday, as well as those that have kids and family with them." She explained. "Jack, you report on Tuesday, right?"

"We both have a rest day on Monday." Her husband reminded her. She gave him a long look, and she saw in his eyes that he understood what she was thinking and gave her a subtle nod.

"They can take our seats." She told Grey. "Jack and I will stay here and wait for the next available flight."

"You sure, Captain?" Grey asked.

"I'm sure. Besides.." She nodded in the direction of two older people who were shuffling slowly with their canes. "…it looks like they need it more than we do. We'll be fine here."

The female ticketing agent looked relieved at their willingness to cooperate when they informed her of their decision.

"I know it's a hassle, but we'll try to accommodate you as quickly as possible. Your luggage should be here momentarily." The uniformed woman told them as she led them to an exclusive lounge. "Again, thank you for showing kindness to those seniors."

"It's the right thing to do." Her husband replied. "Besides, I wouldn't want to be on that overcrowded flight if I had a choice."

She had to agree on that. The plane they were supposed to fly on, a Boeing 777, looked cramp. She could see that a large group of passengers were waiting by the gate, ready to board, and plenty of them had kids, toddlers, and babies with them. And this time, she was seated in the economy class, with a 3-4-3 configuration. 

"Well, it looks like we have an extended vacation." Jack observed.

"Good luck getting a decent room if we have to find a hotel tonight." She replied. She knew that was nearly impossible, judging from the surge of tourists she saw all over O'ahu and the sheer volume of arriving passengers at the domestic terminal.

"We should have said yes to Taylor's invitation." Jack teased her.

Yes, it was her fault. She was determined to be with her division and declined the offer of a free flight on the pop star's private jet, a decision she was beginning to regret. She can only imagine the level of comfort her friends, Jessica and Liz, were experiencing right now, travelling on a luxury flight. She just had to give up their seats to Pam and James. Damn.

Jack was drinking his coffee that was free from the lounge when she saw him tense as two women entered the quiet area. She watched with confusion as her normally stoic husband had a very surprised expression on his face. His eyes were wide, and his mouth partially open.

"Jack?" She tried to catch his attention and followed his line of sight. He was looking at the older woman beside the teen girl. They looked to be related but she couldn't figure out who they were.

"That's… Andromeda." Her husband whispered.

"Who?" She looked at the two women again. They didn't look familiar at all. Was she an actress too? "That's Andromeda?"

"She's an actress, from a sci-fi show. Lexa Doig."

Oh. That's right. Jack was a major nerd deep inside. Instead of feeling jealous, she found the situation amusing with how her husband was behaving. Her husband could talk to famous celebrities like Taylor Swift, Jessica Chastain or Mary Elizabeth Winstead without showing any ounce of nervousness, yet he was now reduced to this... fan boy upon seeing an actress she didn't even know.

"Is she… in any other movies?" She asked as she bit her cheek, trying to hide her smile.

Her husband seemed to have caught on to her line of thought and quickly composed himself.

"Aside from Sci-fi shows?" He asked.

"Yes, aside from that." She replied.

It was cute. It turns out that Jack was a big fan of the actress, as he casually mentioned various films and movies that she had never seen or heard of. What was a Stargate? Wait, there was a movie about it that she saw before.

"Excuse me… are you… Sugar?"

They both looked up to see that the object of their conversation was standing near their table with the teen girl beside her, holding a small notebook and a pen.

"I'm Jack. Jack Routh." Her husband quickly stood up to greet the new arrivals, and she smothered a grin as she saw the slight flush on his cheeks.

"Oh my god! You are! You're him! Sugar!" The teenager gasped. "Can… can I have your autograph? And a selfie? Please? I'm Mia!"

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but my daughter's a big fan of his work." The woman, now identified as Lexa Doig by her husband, addressed her.

"It's no problem at all." She replied with a pleasant smile and indicated the two empty chairs in front of them. "Please have a seat, we're the only people in the lounge anyway."

As Jack signed and posed for a selfie with the girl, she was not surprised when the teen insisted on taking a few more photos. It looked like the girl quickly became more confident upon seeing how accommodating her husband was.

"No! This has better lighting! Wait, we need filters!"

"I'm Lexa, and that's my daughter Mia." The sci-fi actress introduced herself.

"I'm Zoe." She replied. "I already know your name. Apparently, my husband is a big fan of yours."

"He is?" Lexa looked surprised.

"You are?" Mia spoke to Jack with a disbelieving look. "You watch my mom's old shows?"

"I do." Jack sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I watched Andromeda all the time."

"So do you want my autograph?" Lexa asked with a teasing grin on her face. She could see why Jack was a fan of the actress. She was quite beautiful in her own right.

It turned out that the mother and daughter duo generously gave their seats to the group of seniors who needed to catch the flight.

"We're staying in L.A. for a few days, then back home to Vancouver." Lexa revealed. "I watched that survival reality show, you know. Mia introduced it to me, and I got hooked. Liz is also a friend."

"You are?" The world was really small, she mused. "How did you two meet?"

"I'm part of the superhero TV show called Arrow." The actress explained. "I play a villain, and we met in the studio where she was set to play a heroine… but yeah, that thing with the British press exploded and her love life was exposed to the world."

"Let me guess, the studio pushed her out?" She asked.

"They did, due to fears of a public backlash that would affect the show's ratings. It's a pity, we already rehearsed action scenes, she had her costume made, everything but the actual shooting." Lexa replied. "I'm glad she's doing better now, I'm sure she got tons of exposure from that survival show."

"She did tell me offers are trickling in once more." She was happy for Liz, her friend needed a break. It looked like her goal for the public to see her true self worked out in the end by participating in that show.

She was prepared for a long wait, but she was delighted to learn from an airline agent that a plane was about to leave for L.A. due to an emergency, and they had seats available. They just needed to reach the gate in twenty minutes.

The four of them rushed through the airport, with Jack carrying their luggage and then they finally reached the gate with minutes to spare.

"You can have any seats you want." The woman behind the desk replied with a smile. It was the same airline agent they spoke to when they agreed to give up their seats.

"Any seat?" She asked.

"It's an emergency flight to get to L.A. as quickly as possible, and I realized the four of you have nowhere to go with all the good hotels fully booked. I called the captain and he agreed to accommodate the four of you."

This was a new experience for her, boarding an airliner with just the four of them. The flight attendants stowed their luggage in a compartment near the front of the cockpit and she realized the flight staff even outnumbered them.

She stared at the row of empty seats and shared a dazed look with Jack. She had to be dreaming.

"Please choose your seats." A flight attendant stated while she wore a grin. it looked like they found the situation amusing as well.

She sat a few rows from the front with Jack while Lexa and her daughter Mia sat at the opposite side of the aisle.

The crew gathered near their area at the business class, as the plane was slowly towed to the taxiway.

"Are you paying attention?" One of the stewardess asked Mia while she wore a grin as another gave a safety briefing, pulling out samples of the seatbelts and then followed by the yellow floatation vests.

"Do they really have to do that?" She heard Mia ask. The air crew clapped, embarassing one of their own once the briefing ended.

"It's required by regulations, sweetie." Another stewardess replied.

The flight was so quiet. The other stewardess, all eight of them sat in the business class section too. Jack was able to sleep, but not before indulging in a few selfies with the crew after Mia revealed his identity.

She snuggled beside her husband as she too tried to rest for the five hour flight back to their home. She woke up an hour later, and the stewardess told her she could walk up and down the aisle if she wanted to stretch her legs. She realized her husband has reached a new level of fame after participating on that TV show.

Even one of the pilots came out the cockpit as he took his break, and it was there she learned why the plane took off with a nearly empty flight.

"We need to be at L.A. for a scheduled flight." The captain of the aircraft explained. "And we couldn't wait for the regular boarding process since literally every minute is crucial. It will be more expensive for the airline if we have to accommodate those passengers in L.A. with refunds rather than the cost of the fuel for this flight."

"Does this happen often?" She asked.

"More than you think." The captain replied. "The air crew loves it since we all still get paid."

"It's far better than a first class seat, that's for sure." One of the stewardess remarked. "Do you need anything to eat or drink?"

This kind of personal service was amazing. The crew literally fought each other for the right to bring their drinks and meals and she wondered if they were just bored. Jack had seconds and third helpings, and it looked like he agreed with the burger steak and mashed potatoes.

"It's surprisingly tasty." Her husband commented.

Overall it was the best flight she ever had. Even Jack said that he preferred this flight than the one he had on Taylor's private jet since he was able to take walks up and down the aisle whenever he felt restless.

They left the plane with new friends, and an uber ride later she was pushing the front door of their house open after she unlocked it.

They were finally home.

Howard Wolowitz

There were rare opportunities to throw a party at his house. Today was one of them since his mother was at Florida to spend time with her friends. Still, he enjoyed the quiet despite not having breakfast prepared for him in the morning.

His office in Caltech was closed since they were upgrading the fire control systems for the laboratories. That meant the rest of his group also had free time, and free time meant a party.

 He didn't waste time and the moment he returned home from the airport he messaged his friends at their group chat, prepared games and food and even pulled out the ping pong table from the garage and set it up for those who wanted a more physical activity.

His best friends Raj and Leonard came on time, and he was in such a good mood that he didn't mind Sheldon's complaints about the lack of variety in the food. To his delight, Penny came with them, wearing one of her sexy tops that showed off her curves. He wanted to make a move on her but Leonard was already hovering around her. Still, the party was perfect.

 They had just finished playing a round of Halo where they narrowly won, when another guest arrived, one he really did not expect to show up despite being included in his group chat.

"You all started without me?"

Jack Routh, Sugar came in, with a smile on his face and with a plastic bag filled with various drinks in each hand. Beside him was his hot wife, the intimidating yet beautiful Police Captain who carried a paper bag filled with what looked like chips.

"Jack! Captain Zoe!" He grinned and waved a greeting.

"Just Zoe, Howard." The woman replied and then held up the paper bag in her hands. "Where do I put this?"

His party was going down as one of the best in history if the Jack Routh and his wife was present.

"Professor!" That was Penny, and she sounded delighted. She didn't waste any more time and greeted the large man with a quick hug and then exchanged warm greetings with Jack's wife.

"Thank God you came! I was dying of boredom!" Penny told the older woman.

"Mr. Routh." Sheldon gave the large man a brief greeting.

"Dr. Cooper." Jack replied with a nod.

"Sorry I was late." The famous cop replied. "Had to perform some maintenance with Zoe's car."

"No worries!" He replied cheerfully. He'd be sure to show the others in Caltech that he threw a party and Sugar was present. He needed to make sure there tons of group photos for later as evidence. Some in the faculty didn't believe he was friends with the man.

They played a few rounds of Halo, and then Penny, bored from just watching played a relaxed game of ping pong with Zoe. When their order of pizza arrived, he suddenly had an idea for a game, and they haven't played it in such a long time.

"What's secret agent laser obstacle pizza?" Jack asked, watching as he and Leonard set up the rig that contained the lasers.

"Oh you'll see." He replied. "Raj, where are the spray cans?"

"Right here!" Raj came out of the garage holding a cardboard box.

"Perfect!"

He had quickly finished the obstacle course in record time, and there waiting at the finish line was the boxes of hot pizza and cold drinks.

"Done!" He dusted off his hands as he stood up. "First, you need to get through the lasers without triggering the alarm and then you get a slice of pizza."

"That sounds dumb." Penny commented but he easily ignored it. The two women finished their game in the backyard and came back to their area at the front of the house, curious about the equipment he had set up. That meant Raj became mute once more. He shook his head, his friend really need to have that unnatural shyness fixed.

"How do we see the lasers?" Jack asked. His large friend ran a hand in front of the emitters, causing the red led lights to flash up and a loud error sound to emit from the speaker.

"This is what these cans are for." He replied and held up a box. "These are atmosphere aerosol haze spray. They're totally safe, and photographers use them for shoots."

"They're also used in special effects in movies and TV shows." Sheldon added.

"Raj, if you care to demonstrate?" He asked his best friend.

Raj nodded and quickly took a can and went to the starting line. His friend gave him a nod, and as one he and Leonard started mimicking the theme of the old TV spy show that they used to watch.

Jack looked intrigued as he watched Raj maneuver expertly through the maze of laser traps, using the can whenever he wasn't sure if he would hit a laser beam or not with his limbs. The women were clutching each other, laughing but he shrugged and continued singing. This was fun! That was part of the game they invented.

Raj pumped his fist, unable to talk in the presence of Jack's wife and Penny as he cleared the obstacle course. He rushed to the table and took out a slice and opened a can of beer.

"Yes!" Raj finally verbalized what he was feeling after consuming alcohol.

Leonard failed, and declared the game was stupid, but Sheldon managed to get through, although he took his time navigating the laser beams. It was Jack's turn, and the large man was surprisingly limber for his size.

"Check it out Chris! That looks fun!"

It was then that they were interrupted by a group of three men and one woman, each one of them looking like they could break him in half without any effort.

"Hondo?" Jack asked. He was in the middle of maze of lasers, unable to greet the new arrivals properly.

"You know them?" He asked.

"They're part of D-platoon, SWAT officers." Jack explained. He sprayed the last sections with the aerosol can and finally broke through after he leaped through and landed on a roll on the grass instead of crawling under like Raj did.

"That was more difficult than I expected!" Jack told him.

"But more fun, right?" He replied and then turned to their new guests.

Jack quickly introduced the new arrivals, and explained they were here for the Mjolnir armor he created for him. They wanted a set of their own and got his address from their mutual friend.

"It's for paintball." Hondo, the apparent leader of the group explained. "It doesn't have to be as high tech as Jack's, but enough to provide comfort and decent protection. I heard the Fire Department had ordered a set of star wars clone armor for the upcoming tournament, and I don't want D-platoon to be left behind. So what's your price?"

"And can you produce the set in a month?" Another asked.

"Let me think about it." He replied.

He could make the set, but he was running out of materials. He would need to order new printers and filaments if he needed to make their deadline of one month. He needed funds, and their down payment wouldn't cover his new order. He had already used up a significant portion of his savings to pay for his mother's Florida vacation.

They took a break from the game and Jack ordered more pizza while one of the men left to get more drinks. His party grew larger now with eleven people. This was one for the history books!

"Howard? You're good with computers right?" Zoe asked as the SWAT officers tried the laser obstacle course with eagerness.

"I'm okay." He replied. He was still thinking of the lack of equipment to properly produce a set of 3D printed Mjolnir armor. This was a good chance to start up his dream, but he didn't have any capital, and it was not like a couple of millions of dollars would suddenly appear and fall on his lap.

"This USB I got from the comic book store doesn't seem to work." Zoe pulled out a familiar looking batman themed USB stick from her bag. "The techs at the station told me it was encrypted."

"How did you find it?" His eyes grew large. Was that... No way! They thought it was lost forever!

"That's our USB! Leonard! Raj! Sheldon!" He called out, attracting the attention of his friends. "Zoe found it! Our treasure!"

He was sure their guests were looking at them in a weird way as they hugged and jumped and cried together. This was it, the answer to his dilemma.

"We found it! We found it!" Leonard literally sobbed. Penny looked concerned and patted the sobbing man on the shoulder. 

He quickly explained the situation to a confused Zoe, and Jack's wife graciously gave them the USB stick when she heard of the full story.

"It's really worth a lot now?" Jack asked. They were all huddled on his laptop as he typed the password to the encryption.

"Millions." He breathed out. "When we first mined bit coin, it was less than a penny and we did it for the novelty. Now, each bitcoin costs 10,657 dollars each."

"And how much bitcoin did you mine?" This time it was Penny that asked.

"Enough that we roughly have eleven million dollars, split into four." He replied. He remembered they had stopped mining when the novelty died, but they had their PCs mining bitcoin for weeks at his house. His mother complained of their increased electricity bill during that period.

"10,998,240 dollars." Sheldon added. "And 72 cents."

"Damn." One of the officers whispered. "That's a thing now?"

They had a quick discussion in his room, where it was quickly agreed, even Sheldon that Zoe should have a finder's fee. She handed the USB to them without any hesitation, and besides that, her husband was now one his good friends.

 "Honesty should be rewarded." Sheldon agreed. "I think 250,000 dollars should be an appropriate reward."

He shrugged at the amount, not really caring by this point. He was just happy to finally have the financial freedom to resume his personal projects.

Zoe hesitated to accept the reward, but finally agreed after Jack whispered in her ear. The party continued until early evening, and the four of them were still in high spirits, practically drunk with euphoria.

As he hoped, this was the best house party ever. Now it was time to cash in those bitcoins.

Ruben Derian

He wanted to celebrate.

"Damn." He tilted his head to get a better look and let out a whistle. He picked up another glossy full page picture, this time with their target sucking dick while taking another cock insider her. Her arms were bound behind her back, and there was a blind fold covering her eyes. Her nipples were visibly erect, stained with either her saliva, sweat or semen.

"I know right?" Serj remarked.

His little brother looked amused as he inspected another picture. Several photos were scattered around his desk, each one showing the pretty captain of Mid-Wilshire in very compromising positions.

He was tempted, very tempted, not just to blackmail the woman to look the other way but to take her as his own personal slut. The image in his mind, coupled with the pictures made him horny.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

"You told me to dig dirt, and I did." Serj smirked. He gave a steely look at his younger cousin. He wasn't in the mood for games and displays of ego.

"Fine." Serj averted his gaze. "We tracked her ex husband, but he was in prison for charges of international espionage, so we tracked his assets. I found out that he rented a storage locker, paid in advance for three years. We found pictures of our target and that of several women in similar situations."

"So Gerard has kink." He observed.

"Probably a cuck." Serj replied. "You know, one of those that gets off seeing their partners fucked by other men."

He snorted and placed the pictures back to the folder. He held his hand out and Serj reluctantly handed back the photo of Zoe Anderesen, fully naked and without a blind fold this time, kneeling on the bed while she being surrounded by naked men from all sides.

He would alter the plan. He needed this woman, but then he remembered she was married.

"Get to work on the husband." He instructed Serj. "Contact Nick. See if you can find anything."

The week as Armstrong had promised was very fruitful. All their deliveries went uninterrupted, and they were able to take out the weeds, local competitors without any real backing. Now it was time to lay low, since the regular patrol schedules will be back and all their informants will have to behave themselves.

As Serj left his office, he locked it and pulled out the pictures once more for a more personal viewing. He licked his lips and sniffed the photo, as if he was smelling the woman in person.

It was a pity that they were unable to secure a rival gang's stash. With that amount he was sure he would be able to buy more of the cops in his new area, perhaps even the captain. Everyone had a price after all.

Sadly, his plans fell through, he didn't expect LAPD SWAT to respond that quickly. No matter, those were not his men anyway, and they didn't even know who they truly worked for. He made sure their hands were clean, the rival gang whose crypto currency stash belonged to was out looking for blood. Last that he heard, they had started a few gang wars in their territory south of the border, searching in futile for those responsible.

He focused back on the task at hand. First, he needed to send a message.

The husband, Jack Routh was the first on that list.

Matthew Garza

 It was rare for him to attend the HRT briefing at Quantico, but considering his knowledge about the LAPD SWAT and other individuals in LAPD, he was not surprised when he received the call and orders to head to Virginia.

It was a closed room, and only specially selected individuals were invited and he was one of the resource persons aside from the special operations officers.

The focus of the meeting? It was the successful operation conducted by members of D-platoon on a mass casualty scenario and considered by many as one of the most difficult scenarios, an airplane hostage situation.

He was impressed at how quickly the director obtained footage of the bodycams of the responding LAPD officers. They really prepared for the meeting, as the tech department prepared a 3D illustration of the airplane.

The leader of the HRT started the meeting, and proceeded to show how the initial six man squad arrived from the rear of the plane.

He knew what all of this was for in truth. The Hostage Rescue Team or HRT was late to the party, and it was supposed to be their jobs to tackle these types of scenarios. They responded too late, and they were shown up by the locals who accomplished the mission in under 6 minutes, all threats neutralized and zero civilian casualties.

He chuckled when the HRT team leader proposed a similar training with the exact same scenarios. Those idiots.

"Special Agent Garza."

Ah, it was his turn now at the podium. He was expected to share his insight about the officers involved. What their mindset was, and how they operated and trained based from his observation.

He came in with his own presentation, and with a nod to the tech, the screen behind him changed, showing pictures of the six officers. He highlighted three individuals, and a green highlight appeared on the frame of their photos.

He explained the power structure, the autonomy given to Hondo by the Metro captain to make his own decisions and the training they received.

He continued with the individuals, starting with Jim Street, followed by a lengthy profile study on Daniel "Hondo" Harrison, the real brains behind D-platoon and finally Jack Routh.

"These three individuals are in my assessment the most talented in the D-Squad. Two of them have military training, and Street is a former SEAL. Jack Routh had just joined the group after graduating ahead of schedule in his rookie year in the FTO program."

"He's not military?" The leader of the HRT inquired.

"He isn't, yet he consistently performed at the highest level and managed to become part of the main squad of D-platoon during major operations." He explained. "As a patrol officer, he managed to capture a serial killer, and assisted my field team in capturing another thanks to his near encyclopedic knowledge of ancient and modern history. Then there's that mess he stumbled upon in Hawaii."

He showed pictures of the current investigation by the Hawaii 5-0 task force.

"Damn." One of the HRT members muttered.

"He defended his wife and turned the tables on a blood thirsty gang known for kidnapping women, raping and torturing them and then hunting them for sport." He added.

"That's what he did to them, in self defense." He added.

"Fuck yeah." One of the men muttered.

"They fucking deserved that." Another operator added.

"He should be in the HRT." The team leader declared. "He's what? 24? 25?"

"He's not even enrolled at the FBI academy, commander." He explained. "Obviously we tried to recruit him, but he's in the middle of a new training program with their Metro department. Right now he's officially logged in as a consultant, so we can tap him if we encounter hard difficult cases in the west coast."

The director remained silent all throughout the meeting, his hands tucked under his chin. Seeing he wasn't about to speak, he continued speaking.

"Commander, while Officer Routh displays impressive tactical awareness and skill, I believe he is best suited on the ground, hunting criminals. The man has an analytical mind, perfect for a field agent position." That was his belief.

"Then we wait, and apply pressure at the right time." The director finally spoke. "I don't see why we can't invite officer Routh and some of his squad for some joint field training with HRT."

"Our toys are better." The commander of gold squadron added, causing everyone in the room to laugh in amusement.

"Proposal for the airplane hostage situation is approved." The director declared. "We can't have the LAPD showing us up."

"Agent Garza." The director turned to him. "What is the likelihood of Officer Routh turning down a spot in the academy?"

"High." He answered without hesitation. "He already works in Metro, while also teaching history at a community college. Going back to training at the academy will only make him feel like he's stepping back to coloring crayons in preschool… and with the experience he has? I have to agree with him."

"Metro did adjust for him to go to D-platoon right away." The director observed. "I don't see why we can't do the same, for a man of his caliber."

He didn't know it yet, but Jessica Russo was doing the exact same thing with her superiors in Washington D.C.