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"In a way. Randall, if you will?" Warrick offered. He looked like he was either tired or in some sort of pain. Either way it was clear he wasn't in the mood to speak and most likely felt this situation was beneath him.
"Yes," Randall began, turning to face Olivia. "Two days ago four of my men were on a routine training exercise five miles off the coast of Honolulu. As they were borrowing equipment from the SEAL Vehicle Delivery Team stationed there, one of the SEAL's insisted that he go along for the ride. While out at sea my team stumbled upon an old Japanese submarine from the Pearl Harbor attack --"
"Really?" Olivia asked, suddenly interested. "That's amazing. Up until now only four have been --"
"Lieutenant, that's not the point of the story," Randall interjected, sounding a little put off.
"Oh right, sorry," she offered, deciding on the spot that her initial instincts about Randall were correct. "Continue."
"Anyway. My boys were going to call it in but the SEAL decided to take matters into his own hands and try and salvage the wreck himself." The way he sneered on the word SEAL suggested to Olivia that he harbored a not so secret disdain for this particualr operative. "Long story short the submarine dislodged itself and almost crushed one of my men. The SEAL then performed a bunny maneuver --"
"Bunny maneuver?" Olivia asked. She was perched over the desk, scribbling away on a legal pad but had to pause at the mention of this unknown term.
"It's when a diver shares his oxygen mask with another diver. Its use is highly dissuaded and although not illegal, should never be used unless absolutely required. Even though here it may have been, that would never have been the case had this SEAL not put my man in such a position in the first place."
"Ok... OK," Olivia said as she continued to scribble away. "So what charge are you bringing him up on?"
"What... is that not your area?" Randall asked, sounding angry now. "He put my men in danger and I want his head! Surely you can figure out some charge to -- exactly how long have you been a lawyer for the Navy Ms. Conway?"
"It's Lieutenant Conway," Olivia corrected, doing her best to hide her annoyance. "And I'm not in legal. I'm in intelligence --"
"Intelligence? Then why the hell are you --"
"Easy Randall," Captain Warrick cut in. "I've bee assured that Lieutenant Conway is excellent at her job and if there was any illegal activity, which it sounds like there was, she won't hesitate to prosecute. Am I right?" he finished, turning his attention to Conway.
"Of course," Olivia agreed, deciding irrevocably that she didn't like Randall one little bit. "I'll have to do some digging though. Interview your men too. Oh and I'll need to speak to this SEAL obviously. Where is he now?"
"He should be here," Randall spat, going red in the face. "If I know him he's probably taking a detour. Making us wait. He's as arrogant as he is --"
"Easy Randall," Warrick said again before turning back to Olivia. "He should be he any moment. He came in by boat this morning and --"
It was just then that the door to the office opened, followed by the entrance of Clint Reese. Even in his SEAL uniform, Clint struck an imposing figure. He was impossibly handsome and held himself in such a way that the room seemed to shrink around him.
"Lieutenants, Captains," Clint said in a very casual manner as she strolled into the room. He didn't bother to salute either of them too, waving his hand vaguely at the officers instead.
Olivia had her back to Clint when he entered the room and was also engaged in her notes, so it wasn't until he was well into the office and she'd finished taking her notes that she was finally able to turn and get a look at him. When she did her eyes near popped from her sockets and her breath caught in her mouth. And no, it wasn't because she was smitten by his good looks or strong physique and no it wasn't because he made her weak at the knees like he did so many other women. It was because she knew him.
"And who might this be?" he asked, smiling flirtatiously as he finally spotted Olivia sitting by the desk. If he recognized her he didn’t indicate as much, choosing to instead look her up and down like he was eyeing up a juicy piece of steak that he was soon going to eat.
"You've been brought up on charges," Captain Warrick was saying, rolling his eyes at Clint's behavior. Seeing his casual reaction to Clint's actions, Olivia had to bite her tongue. It was because of men like Warrick that sexism still reign supreme in the Navy. "The least you could do, Reese, is act like a soldier."
"Trumped up charges," Clint said, not taking his eyes off Olivia. A fact that she was very aware of. She didn't know if she should introduce herself or say hi like she knew him. On second thoughts, it was probably better that Warrick and Randall didn't know that she and Clint had a history. She couldn't imagine how they would react if they found out she had a history with the man she was going to be investigating.
"Trumped up – you almost got one of my men killed!" Randall exploded.
"Killed? Is that what Brian said? I thought you rescuse swimmers were meant to be able to hold your breath for --"
"That's not the point! You acted irresponsibly --!"
"I'm a SEAL. Irresponsible is on the badge," Clint cut back in, not even bothering to hide his smile. Olivia got the sense that he was enjoying himself. Although how that could be she had no idea. He was under investigation after all.
"You're finished this time, Reese," Randall continued as if he hadn't been cut off. He was seething at the mouth as he spoke too. "That I promise you --"
"Excuse me!" Olivia yelled, standing up now. She was getting rather fed up with the dick measuring that was taking place. "That's for me to decide I think. And I'll thank you Lieutenant to stop threatening my client? As he now is."
A silence descended over the room as the three men all stopped and stared at Olivia. Randall looked furious. Warrick looked bored and Clint looked... maybe impressed? He was definitely staring at Olivia with some sort of look on his face, although she couldn't get a reading on it.
"I think I have enough for now," Olivia continued, scooping up her legal pad. She knew when the time to make herself scarce was. "I will continue my investigation from here and come to a conclusion as to the events in my own time. Captain Warrick, I will keep you posted." With that she turned and exited the room, careful to keep her eyes on her feet as she did.
