Chapter 4

After spending an afternoon in the library going over what amounted to a crash course in quantum physics, Jackie and Sam had returned to base no further ahead than when they left. After dinner it was early to bed for tomorrow they would be woken up early for the next bomb run.

Hurry up and wait seemed to be the game. Up at four in the morning and in the air by seven. To spend another long day flying over enemy lines, dropping bombs and hoping to make it back alive.

The bomb run was most difficult, for the cockpit was hit in the middle of the fight. The co-pilot, Frank was knocked unconscious and Sam had to remove him from seat so the navigator could help the wounded captain bring the crippled plane back.

Captain Garrett couldn't move his leg, a large piece of shrapnel embedded below the knee. He requested that Jackie help him fly the plane back and navigate from the cockpit.

It worked, the plane made it back in one piece with a few wounded men onboard. He now understood why he was Ambrose, for if he leaped into Jackie they never would heave been able to navigate back. For all the math and science Dr. Beckett had learned, navigation via dead reckoning was not one of them.

Sam simply never would have made it as a navigator and he was barely making it as a flight engineer. It gave him a true appreciation for Al who had those skills from his days as a navy pilot.

Sam walked into the infirmary after dinner to check on the wounded. He noticed the beds were empty, not because of being highly successful but rather due to the utter failure and loss of planes. The men simply didn't come back.

He spotted Jackie sitting with Daniel, after she brought him his mail. He had read letter from home aloud, even though the painkillers were making him act a bit goofy.

Jackie patted his hand before leaving, wishing him a good night's sleep. Before Sam, Frank started on about the navigator the moment she walked out the door.

"You better distance yourself from him, Cap," warned Frank.

Daniel was still a bit loopy, "Why?"

"He just patted you on the hand," huffed Frank.

"He just brought me my mail, Frank," replied Daniel.

Frank huffed, "Let me spell this out for ya. You the teacher and your student has a crush on you. He keeps this up, he's gonna get hit."

Daniel warned, "Nobody lays a hand on that navigator. He's too important. He helped me fly the plane back today, Frank. I think you are over reacting."

Frank snorted, "The only way that guy cannot be queer is if he was a skirt."

"Drop it, Frank," warned Daniel.

Sam tried very hard not to laugh at the whole situation. Frank just nailed it, for Jackie was indeed a woman.

"How ya feeling, Cap?" asked Sam.

Daniel replied, "Bit high from the morphine."

Sam sat on the edge of his bed and started to act like a doctor. Taking his pulse and checking his breathing. He even looked over his charts, just like a doctor.

Frank asked, "What the hell you doing, Ambrose?"

Sam shrugged, "Just checking vitals."

Daniel mentioned, "He studying to be a doctor. I think Sadie and her wanting to go to medial school is getting to him."

Sam asked, "My girlfriend wants to go to medial school?"

Frank nodded, "Yeah, I can't believe she's dating you. She's pretty, smart, attractive and dating you. Baffles the mind, she's a dame who could have anyone. She is really cute."

Daniel giggled, "Watch it, Frank. You start using 'girly terms' like cute, you might think you're queer." He looked at Sam, "Frank thinks Jackie is a homosexual."

Sam shook his head, "I don't."

"He is too," huffed Frank. "He walks like a queer, talks like a queer. There is no way he's normal."

Sam grinned, "Define 'normal.'"

"You know what I mean," the co-pilot replied.

Daniel stated, "I don't care if he is. He's a good navigator and we need him."

Frank snorted, "He's got the hots for you, teach."

"I don't care," the captain replied.

Frank looked at Sam silently grinning to himself, "What so damn funny, Ambrose?"

Sam chuckled, "I find you amusing, Frank."

"That's 'Lieutenant' to you, kid."

Dr Beckett looked at Frank's chart next, "Ya know, Frank. You have a mild concussion, you should be quiet and still and not ranting and raving about Jackie. One might start to think you got the hots for him."

Daniel started to snicker hysterically.

Frank pinched his lips together, "Never say I have hots for him again, Ambrose. Or you won't have to worry about the German's shooting your ass…I will."

"Yes, sir," replied Sam.

Moments Later

As Sam walked out of the infirmary Al rejoined him in the imaging room, "Sam," called Al, "Ziggy found more records."

"What she find?" asked Sam.

"The bomber loses two crewmen, the navigator and the radio operator."

Sam asked, "I just saved Norm a few runs back. He still dies?"

"He's gonna be blown out of the plane, Sam. The navigator dies on the operating table after she flies the plane back."

Sam shook his head, "Didn't happen. Jackie flew the plane back today and did fine."

"She flies the plane back twice, Sam. Once to aid the Cap and the other time, by herself and wounded. The plane was decommissioned after that. The crew got a new plane, the Jackie J. They name it after her, Sam."

"She dies?" he asked.

"That's where it get's a little funny, Sam. According to the military records she was killed in action. But according to civilian records, Daniel Garrett marries a woman before leaving London, Jacqueline Jackson."

Sam replied, "That's her real name, Jackie is a nickname, she told me so. She marries Daniel. She's in love with him. Frank thinks Jackie is gay…And a guy." Sam assured himself, "She marries Daniel Garrett. She lives, so…Why am I here?"

"Ziggy still doesn't know," admitted Al.

Annoyed Sam replied, "When Ziggy figures it out, let me know."

Al shrugged, "These old world War Two records are kind of sketchy. It's hard figuring out what happened."

Sam replied, "I can tell you want happened. Jackie lands the bomber wounded. They operate on her and she lives. The military uses it as means to list her as killed in action to get her out when they figure it out. Any moron can see this, Al. They lose, Norm. I must be here to save him."

"Ziggy doesn't think you are," rebutted Al. "He's blown right out of the plane in mid-flight. You can't save him."

Frustrated Sam asked, "Than why am I here, Al?"

"I don't know," he replied, "maybe, maybe…You are here so Jackie and Ambrose can save…You, Sam."

"What?" asked Sam.

"Ziggy says you still have a very high chance at going home after this leap. But you need to stay here and make sure Jackie stays on that plane. She is still the key."

Al nixed the idea, "I spent all yesterday afternoon explaining time travel theory to her. She had trouble understanding it, Al. She's not gonna figure what went wrong…Nobody can."

"Sam, you're not being fair. You have decades to study quantum physics and she had one afternoon. Give her some time."

Sam sighed, "Time is all I've got, Al."

Piccadilly Circus

The crew of Blondie's Boys was given a much deserved three day pass into the city of London. Often dubbed a 'pub mission," the men took their free time seriously. For each pub mission might be the last. Death never seemed so real before, after years of leaping to save lives Sam found himself in a situation where he couldn't save anyone's life and he wasn't sure if he could save his own.

The propaganda of the war became quit clear for Sam. The media had war glorified in the papers. The images of a rough and tough solider, cigarette hanging from the lips, whiskers, sweat and dirt, dressed in a uniform and smiling about War Bonds came to mind.

For the real men and woman who fought the war were anything but that image sold by Uncle Sam. They were scared, scared to death of what the next day would bring. Afraid not only for their own life but the life of the man standing next to them. They were young, kids for the most part, who had very little training and then plopped down in the middle of a war.

The only fear worse than death was being maimed for life. Missing limbs, and emotional wounds no one could see. The crews were beat, dead tired and lonely. They just wanted to go back home, not stay in some foreign land and fight people they didn't even know.

So, with the weight of war wearing the men down, Piccadilly Cirrus and the pubs surrounding the square became the stomping ground for the young men who didn't wish to die virgins.

Sam walked in with Jackie. Leaping into Ambrose was the best accident Sam ever had during a leap, for Ambrose and Jackie were close and she could help him fill in as Ambrose.

Sam's eyes settled on Bambi and the petite red head standing next to her, he whispered to Jackie, "Is she Ambrose's girlfriend?"

"That's Sadie, yeah…She's his girlfriend," replied Jackie.

Frank came right behind them and went right to Bambi and laid big wet kiss on the blonde beauty. She kissed him back, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

Jackie rolled her eyes at the sight.

"Bambi is Frank's girlfriend?" asked Sam.

"Catch on quick, huh Dr. Beckett?"

He rolled his eyes at the remark, "Yeah, okay."

Sadie came up to him and wrapped her arms around him, giving his a peck on the cheek, "I missed you."

Sam replied, "Missed you too."

Bambi grinned at Frank, "Be a dear and get me a drink."

"Sure," Frank went off to the bar.

Sadie instructed Sam, "Ambrose could you get me a drink too. And get one for Jackie as well."

He asked her, "What would you two like?"

Jackie told him, "Sadie drinks red wine and you and I drink coke, remember…Ambrose."

"Got it," he replied and went to the bar.

Jackie was taken by her friends to the table. She sat and watched as Daniel started dancing with a woman and gave a depressing sigh.

"What?" asked Sadie.

Jackie replied, "Daniels knows, so does Ambrose."

"And? Has he told anyone?" asked Bambi for more information.

"No, he's hasn't told anyone. He only wants me for my big brain, I'm nothing than in intelligence asset to the man." She spotted Daniel dancing with another woman, "What am I Daniel? Chopped liver?"

Sadie wondered, "How's Ambrose taking it?"

"Sam's…um…Ambrose is great. If only Daniel could be more like him."

Bambi giggled, "I don't know Jackie. I think you are a combination of Frank and Ambrose."

Sadie snickered, "She's a little of both."

Bambi watched Daniel start dancing with the woman, she pondered the new information, "I don't know, Jackie, I think he likes you too. He keeps looking at ya as he's dancing. I think he's trying to make you jealous."

She shook her head feeling defeated, "No, just wants my brain, that's all. Just for intelligence."

Sadie shook her head, "I think he's trying to make you jealous too. I bet he likes you."

"No, he doesn't and half the men think I'm queer," stated Jackie.

"Huh?" asked Bambi.

Jackie explained, "Well, at first they thought I was sleeping with Sadie, then when I told them you two were like sisters to me, I guess they assumed that I was a homosexual. Frank keeps saying I'm a 'queer' and have a crush on my captain."

"Well," Sadie giggled, "he's half right."

"You are queer, just not a homosexual," Bambi huffed.

Jackie replied, "Very funny. He's keeping me cause I helped land the plane when the cockpit was hit. Frank was knocked out and Daniel's leg was injured."

Worried Sadie asked, "Was Ambrose injured? They didn't say anything."

"No, he helped me keep the plane in the air," Jackie replied.

Bambi instructed, "Don't let anything happen to them. You keep us informed if they get hurt. You're our inside man…So to speak."

Frank and Sam returned to the table with the drinks. Sam sat next to Sadie and grinned, trying very hard to act like Ambrose would. It turned out that not knowing how to act around a woman was exactly how Ambrose would act and he mimicked the engineer perfectly.

Frank sank in next Bambi, arm drape around her, basking the glow of the woman. He spotted Daniel dancing with the woman and made a comment.

"Caps got it going on tonight," he grinned, "that's dame number two."

Jackie looked at him and bluntly stated, "He's just wants to make me jealous?"

Sam tried to cover for her, "Why would the Cap be jealous of you, Jackie? You're sitting between two beautiful women."

Sadie grinned, "You're so sweet, Ambrose." She leaned closer and gave him another peck on the cheek.

For someone with a history of sneaking into places she shouldn't be, Jackie was horrible at keeping secrets. Feeling defeated she just spoke her mind.

"Frank thinks I'm a queer and Daniel is trying make me jealous," she told Sam.

Even more confused Sam asked, "You're a homosexual?"

Jackie shook her head, "No."

Frank leaned closer to her, "If you're not a queer than what the hell are you? A skirt or something?"

Jackie didn't reply but merely blinked. Perhaps she wanted to be exposed and finally get off the plane.

Thinking quick Bambi covered, "Frank, Ambrose…Jackie is part of a secret government program. Jackie has been sent to gather information on the Germans using bomber planes as aerial surveillance. Jackie is a spy for the OSS. Now, the OSS sent Jackie because…She…Has an unusual gift to remember and copy exactly everything she sees. She has a photographic memory and is gathering intel. No other agent could do this job and since they need Jackie on a plane, the OSS dressed her up as a boy and sent her on plane against her will. We are her contacts, do you understand this mission now?"

Knowing full well it was a pack of lies Sam couldn't help but ask, "Seriously?"

"Um," Jackie looked to Bambi.

"Yes," Bambi insisted. "Agent Jackson has broken a cardinal rule and we are trying to recover from it."

"Which rule is that?" Jackie asked.

"The agent has allowed herself to become emotionally involved with the people she is working with. That includes you two. And has exposed herself to Captain Garrett who is attempting to thwart the mission by making our agent uncomfortable. We need to keep our agent on the plane and I need you two to help us do it. This mission is so secret very few people know about it, but there is a contact in the RAF who can verify everything I said."

"Percy?" asked Jackie

"Yes, RAF Officer Percy Quill can very everything I just told you. Agent Jackson was originally working with the RAF prior to this mission," Stated Bambi.

Amused Sam asked, "Wouldn't the base CO know about this?"

She stomped the idea, "No, it's above his head. I'm asking you to not only due your duty with the AAF but also help the OSS keep our agent safe and on that plane. You think you can do it?"

Frank replied, "If Officer Quill verifies everything you just said, I will do that."

Jackie stood up from the booth, "Let me call Percy and see if we can meet."

"Excellent idea, Agent Jackson," Bambi kept the straightest look upon her face after the pack of lies she just unloaded.