4. Chase
Chapter four
Chase
I n the dimly lit confines of my home office, I stare at the giant situation board, wondering where it all went wrong.
My eyes trail to the notes on the table, looking at each word like I want to bore holes into them, and dig into each question. Maybe they would hold answers in them that would give meaning to this scandal.
Where could I have gone wrong? I have made mistakes, but none have ever been like this one.
This one threatens to destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to build. The weight of the accusations presses down on my shoulders, wanting to crush me. I swipe at the table, unable to contain my anger, the papers flying all over the room.
I have dedicated my life to serving my country, honing my skills and being ready to lay down my life. I’ve never come across anyone who goes to such lengths like me! Yet, in a single moment, it all seems to have unraveled before my eyes.
I can’t shake the feeling of betrayal that gnaws at my insides. Did someone do this to me? But who? Are they my past enemies, international bodies or my closest friends? I must figure this out and save my reputation.
I am drowning in a sea of doubt and uncertainty, my very identity questioned by those who once trusted me without hesitation. Careless is an understatement! The voice of my commander booms in my ears for the umpteenth time today, resonating in my eardrums like I’m still right in front of him. I can still see him fuming behind the mahogany desk. It’s the only thing that seems to keep his anger at bay, preventing him from flying across the room, and smacking me on the head multiple times. I shake my head to bring myself back to reality.
I look at the headlines again and drop the phone on the table, ignoring the rumors swirling around me like a relentless storm, each whisper threatening to dismantle my carefully constructed reputation. As a top-ranking Navy SEAL, I have weathered my fair share of storms, but none quite like this. With a swift motion, I shrug off my combat jacket and yank my top over my head with a primal roar, the fabric stretching taut before I hurl it away in anger, watching it fall in a crumpled heap on the floor.
There is a light rap on the door, and my anger wanes. That must be Nora.
It’s been a week since I’ve seen her. When I got in this morning, she was still sleeping, and though I know she’s been awake, I haven’t taken the time to go see her. I’ve been too busy with my own pity party.
She looks good, better than before. But she also looks tired. Exhausted, even, and I know she is dealing with the weight of her own issues.
Did that scumbag Ethan call her or was it her parents?
“Can I come in?” she asks, averting her eyes from my chest. If this were a different time, I’d have teased her about it and watch her blush crimson. Titan pushes his nose through, eager to get in.
“Yes. Of course.” I open the door and Titan follows after her. She’s really rubbing off on him. She looks at the pile of papers strewn on the floor and looks at me.
“What happened here? This place is a mess. I knew something was wrong when you didn’t say hi when you came in, or tell me how the mission went.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” I reply.
“There you go again. Being all high and mighty,” she says, tsking at the mess in the room.
“Why are all these papers on the floor, Chase?”
“Haven’t you seen it?” I ask.
“Seen what?”
“The rumors. No.” I raise a finger up for a second and let out a sarcastic laugh. “The news.”
Her brows pinch together in confusion.
“It’s everywhere.” I say vaguely. I open the bottom drawer of my desk, reaching for the celebratory rum I keep in there. Today, it’s a consolation rum. Before I can open it, Nora snatches it from my hands, hiding it behind her back.
“Give it back.”
“No,” she replies.
“I’m still your boss, even if we are friends. Give. It. Back.”
“No,” she replies, determined. We stare each other down for what feels like eternity until I give in and make my way to my phone.
“Here. Read this.”
She reluctantly accepts the phone from me and scans the content, her eyes growing wide as she reads through.
“Chase, what’s this? What happened?”
“National Security Nightmare: Chase Steele, Decorated SEAL, Accused of Compromising Mission Secrets!” I recite bitterly, the headline easily stamped in my memory. I scoff. “Imagine! After everything.”
She looks worriedly between me and the phone, reading the next one. “Fallen Hero? Chase Steele’s Reputation Hangs in the Balance Amidst Explosive Espionage Allegations.”
“Fallen Hero?!” A bitter laugh bubbles out of my throat. “Now, that one’s new. Let me see it.”
“Chase.” She puts the phone and bottle on the table and grabs my shoulders looking me straight in the eye. I breathe a little deeper—a little easier—and she nods once, satisfied. “Calm down. Tell me what happened. What went wrong?”
I peer down at her, her hands on my flesh calming me down. She leads me to a chair and sits opposite me as I begin to share details about the mission that paints me as a traitor.
“My team and I were tasked with extracting a key informant from a hostile territory in Dallas, Texas. It was a covert operation. That's why I couldn't disclose anything until the informant was safe, but the operation didn't go as planned, and I don't even know if she's safe right now. She holds valuable information that we need but as we approached the extraction point, we encountered unexpected resistance from enemy forces, leading to a fierce firefight and the informant was taken away.
“When I returned to base, accusations arose against me from Commander Keith that I had acted recklessly, and had leaked information that made our enemies know our location. I put the mission and my teammates at risk.
“I jeopardized the success of the mission by tipping off the enemy, which allowed them to prepare defenses and we were attacked. Luckily everyone is fine; their main focus was the informant.
“But the allegations gained traction, fueled by sensationalized media coverage and it's spreading. I mean, it’s all over the news. There's political pressure from above to hold someone accountable for the mission's failure and Commander Keith’s holding me responsible.”
I finish ranting, covering my face with my hands.
After a moment, I feel Nora’s hands on my wrists, gently pulling them away from my face.
“No. Chase.” She says emphatically. “I don’t believe that. You’re the last person that they should ever suspect of this.”
I sigh in defeat. “Well, they have to suspect and hold someone responsible.”
“Not you. Someone’s behind this, and that’s what we need to find out,” Nora says confidently.
“Yes. That’s my next mission, but first I need to clear the air around my name and stop these rumors. I just wish the media would stop spreading fake news.”
She grimaces, her eyes darting to the floor. I frown. Something on her face makes me think there is more to her interest than sympathy.
“What did I miss?” I ask. Her eyes fly to mine. She shakes her head, but I’m not having it.
“Tell me,” I insist.
She fidgets for a moment before breaking.
“The media won’t stop talking about me calling off the wedding. Although most of it is saying that we’re not broken up,” Nora says. “And Ethan doesn’t look like he’s giving up hope on us getting back together. He thinks it’s bad for his reputation. Plus, he keeps calling and texting. I need help getting him off my case one way or another. I almost wish I’d cheated because then at least no one would be trying to convince me I should go back to him. I’d rather everyone be mad!”
She clamps her lips together, like she didn’t mean to say all that much.
I look at her, my mind whirling. “You’d never cheat,” I say confidently. “He’d never buy it.”
She sighs. “I don’t know. He doesn’t know me at all.”
It goes without saying that I knew that about her—her strong moral code is one of the things everyone knows about her.
Except the man she was going to marry, apparently.
Suddenly, she laughs. I raise my eyebrows, and she shakes her head. “It’s just—I mean, you need something to fix your reputation, and I’m looking for something to ruin mine.”
My lips twitch. I guess that is amusing.
But then my mind starts whirling.
“I have an idea.” I say suddenly, my brain still coming up with it as I speak. “But it’ll involve the both of us.”
“I’m all ears. What do you have in mind?” She asks.
“Why don’t we get married?” The words fly out of my mouth before I can think of another way to say it.
“What?!” She literally jumps from the chair unable to contain her shock. “Get married?”
“Wait. Let me explain.” I hold out a hand.
“Alright, go ahead,” she replies suspiciously, arms folded stiffly beneath each other.
“You know these guys,” I say, referring to the supervisors at work. “They won’t forgive me if they think I don’t care about the mission. I’ve got to clear my name and prove I’m dedicated. I think the only way to do this is an undercover mission. I need someone on the ground who can help me pass as a civilian. You could do it. If we pretend to be married—maybe on our honeymoon—it’ll get me where I need to be to clear my name.”
She pops a brow, looking unamused. “And I get what, exactly?”
I start nodding as I speak, sure this is a good idea now. “He won’t be able to touch you. Everyone might think you had an affair, but you didn’t, and you can tell the truth to whoever you want. Ethan will have to leave you alone—harassing your married ex looks worse than being dumped.”
For a moment, she looks contemplative, before a shadow falls over her face. “No. This is crazy, Chase. You’re not proposing a solution. It’s a disaster. It’ll only put us in the spotlight much more than before. And my parents, I can’t even tell them.”
“No. I’m proposing a fake marriage, it doesn’t have to be legal. It’s not real. We could just get some photos taken, move you in here for real…” I shrug but she’s not buying it. “You want to get Ethan off your back, right? Or would you like to go back to him?”
“No way!” she replies.
“Exactly! And it doesn’t look like he’s going to give up anytime soon. It’s a strategic move to protect you from Ethan while salvaging my own reputation till I find out who’s behind all this. To Ethan, it’ll be real. You’ve moved on with your life, but to us, it’s just a mission plan. We’re not leaking the news to the media, only to my superiors.”
Nora’s eyes flicker over my face. She doesn’t look convinced—but she doesn’t look like she’s saying no, either. I continue ranting, now feeling certain.
“We’ll tell them we’re going undercover as a married couple to find out the truth about what happened. It's a way to help you out and clear the air around my name. This presents an image of stability and commitment to my superiors. It can help counteract the negative perceptions towards me created by the scandal. It’ll show them what lengths I can go to for a mission.”
“This is marriage,” she says, frowning.
I shake my head. “This is a mission. We’ve done similar before where we used fake identities to infiltrate foreign territories. This is the same thing, Nora.” There’s a moment of silence between us as I await her response.
“Can you try to comprehend the implications of entering into a fake marriage?” she asks, unable to hide her fears and restrictions.
“You're taking this too seriously. There won't be any implications. We won't really get married. We can stop pretending once Ethan’s behavior dies down. Only my superiors will be aware of the arrangement being fake, but I need your cooperation, Nora.” I hold her two hands firmly, pleading with my eyes to get her agreement.
“I still can’t see how this will help,” she says reluctantly.
“A fake marriage will offer you a way out of your own personal crisis. It will provide me with some relief from the intense scrutiny I’m under, and give me space to navigate the fallout from the scandal more effectively. Who knows, the commander might release a press statement saying I’m trustworthy and stop the rumors. I need the help of someone I can trust to solve this issue.”
“No, I can’t… It’s not a good idea,” she says, freeing her hands from mine and heaving a deep sigh before making a move to leave.
“Will you at least think about it?” I ask as she reaches the door, my question halting her in her tracks.
“Okay. I’ll think about it.” She presses the lever and shuts the door with a click. Even though it’s selfish of me, I find myself hoping and praying she agrees, or I’ll be left to think of some other way to stop this drama. Any other way would involve my superiors which would only make matters worse.