Tough Love (ManXMan)

Chapter 10

Elijah

I've been at this for about an hour now, there was no pattern like most codes except a couple of 1's and random numbers. Maybe it's not only about the numbers but the way he drew those numbers or maybe I was just thinking too hard about it. Rome usually said 'when you're stuck, go back to the basics.'

With that in mind I play the video again carefully analyzing Rome's body language before realizing something. There were pauses between the numbers almost like he was trying to spell something. Alphabets, I hadn't thought of just numbers to Alphabet, the basic system of codes.

13. 6512413114 translated to English alphabets spells AC. FEABDACAAD. What does that even mean? Maybe it means something in other languages, but it doubt it.

Roman speaks German so I ordered Tierney to buzz in Petty Officer Lewandowski. "Does this mean anything in German?"

"What? No sir? I've never seen whatever that is before." Lewandowski looked at me like I was losing my mind. I was missing something, I knew it.

"What's going on Colonel?" Feldman asked as she strolled into the briefing room. Everything has been so stressful for me that I haven't had the time to brief her about the plan with DEVGRU and the Army Paratroopers.

"I'm trying to decipher a code. But I'm missing something just can't tell what it is."

"Cryptography and signals was the class I had a C in the Academy, sorry can't help you sir." She said while taking a seat on the other side of me.

I put on my headphones again to watch the video a couple of times again but still nothing. I told the secretary to give me four hours and I've been at this for 2 hours and 45 minutes.

"You know sometimes it's not about the code, it's about the way the code is arranged or assembled." Feldman raised her head from the book she was reading to explain to me. That actually made sense maybe instead of trying to find the literal meaning I follow the bait he's trying to send.

With that in mind I play the video again and Bingo I found what had been missing. The pause between some of the numbers were greater than the pause between others. For example the pause between the first two numbers were relatively short like they were together or something. Compared to the pause between the third and fourth number.

If I followed that pattern then I would have 13. 6, 5, 12, 4, 13, 1, 14. Let's try this and to my surprise it spelt M. FELDMAN. There are two Feldman's in this battalion Sergeant C. Feldman who is in captivity with Rome and Major S. Feldman who is right here beside me and oh my deputy. M. Feldman has to be her right? But why is Rome sending me her name.

"Did you figure it out?" I can't tell her the code is her name till I figure out what the reason for this is.

"Yeah but it's dumb." I replied confidently so as not to spook her and she took my explanation too. I cleared up the laptop and the paper I was using to translate the code before retiring to my shack for the night.

Jalil (Surprise !!!)

I glanced at Roman again and my cheeks heated up for the umpteenth time. He's so handsome and nice and caring. But my underlying fear of men was still there after the childhood trauma of my dad hitting my momma every day for the simplest things. This fear factored into why I'd never really come to terms with my sexuality since I found out I was attracted to men too. How could I be attracted to the species that hurt my momma?

However, ever since I laid my eyes on Roman he took my breath away. Very muscular, tall, commanding, confident, and intelligent with a certain way with words. He's different from anyone I've seen before. I can't say how but he's different.

I could feel his eyes on me and my face heated up again. I kissed him, my first kiss was in a terrorist dungeon with an American Army Captain, you can't make this stuff up.

"Are you okay Jalil?" He asked me softly with a smile on his face. Did he like it? I can't tell if he did he probably had his first kiss when he was 15 or something and here I am in my 20's blushing because I kissed a man on the cheek. Pathetic.

"It's not going to happen again. It was just a way to say thank you for what you said, so don't think much into it." I could feel myself withdrawing from everything and dismissing what I was feeling moments ago to the back of my mind. He'll probably end up hurting me anyway that's what they all do.

"I liked it Princess." Roman said again. Damn him and his sexy voice. Damn him for the stupid nickname which I love. Damn him for his handsome face and gorgeous body. Damn him for making me develop feelings for him in 6 days. Damn me for being attracted to people that can hurt me easily. Damn everything. I just want to go back to my bed and wrap myself like a burrito away from people.

"You're crying baby." Baby? He sure makes it hard to hate him. Just let me hate you Roman, it makes it all better. And I know I'm crying Captain obvious.

"So we're back to the silent treatment huh." I glanced towards this annoying specie who I find incredibly attractive nonetheless. "Can you please come here princess?"

Apart from the fact that I'm trying to distance  myself from Roman I'm also very lazy and tired to walk over there too.

"Please?" I ignored him again because it's the most logical thing to do before he started struggling to stand up with the chains on his legs. He's going to hurt himself trying to get up with that thing digging into his skin.

"Roman you're going to hurt yourself, sit down I'll come to you." His ankles were beginning to bruise and his face contorted to show the pain he was In. "You're so stubborn you know." I settle down beside him as he grabs my hand in his big ones massaging it softly.

"Your first?" Roman asked me gently like he was scared I'm going to bolt. I nodded in affirmative before he continued. "How do you feel?"

"Scared, all things considered." He let out a soft chuckle.

He tugged my hand a little towards him and like my body understood what he was asking, I moved automatically to sit on his lap, straddling him with our faces inches apart. Staring into his unique eyes made me forget about everything around us for a moment.

"I wasn't lying when I said I liked it Jalil." His voice so low and gruff with my name sounding so sultry from his lips does things to me. My fingers unconsciously caged his face to trace his chiseled jaw line or maybe it was conscious I don't know. Is this what people mean when they say they can't get enough someone. I just want to have a taste of his lips and that's exactly what I did.

I placed my lips softly on his with no idea of what to do next. He gave me a few seconds to settle in before taking control of the kiss and I had no qualms with that. Roman softly bit my bottom lip and I guess he liked my reaction to that due to the low groan he let out. I was getting hard from the way his tongue explored my mouth, but he ended it all too soon with a soft peck to my mouth. I chased after his mouth like a wolf in heat to get more.

"It's about time you guys made out, I can't stand sexual tension." Callum all but said exasperatedly as I buried my face into Roman's neck. I felt contented even though it wasn't the most ideal situation, I am contented.

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Adios E.A.