The six-hour ride seemed to fly by as Ryan and I talked, danced and laughed almost the entire way to Tullahoma. We only had to make one quick gas stop where I loaded up on sugary snacks and sweet tea. We passed the packets of gummy bears, sour worms and peach rings back and forth and we were about an hour outside Mississippi when we both had stomach aches from the massive sugar rushes. I learned Ryan doesn't usually indulge in sugar and sticks to a pretty strict diet to stay in shape, but he made the exception when he learned that all I grabbed was junk food.

It was amazing to see the changes in colors of all the leaves as we drove through Mississippi into Tennessee. We drove over the rolling hills and got bored during the straight stretch of highway lined by rows and rows of similar-looking trees. We fought over the radio, but then found a station that suited both of our tastes when we were a few hours away from the Air force base.

As we talked, which I forced him to do every time the radio went to static, I learned his brother Chase, is only eleven months older than Ryan and they have been competitive with one another their entire lives. Being a year apart put them inside the same social circles in high school so they often competed for the same lady's attention and the same position in sports. From the sounds of it, Chase was always conveniently interested in the same girls Ryan was and made it his mission to sleep with every one of Ryan's crushes. According to Ryan, he was awkward and shy in high school while Chase was confident and the life of the party. Ryan fell into academics, always losing out to Chase in athletics and they both excelled in their respective strengths. I laughed while thinking the hardest part of my days in high school was trying not to show up in the same outfit as Whitney.

Ryan then told me he was quickly recruited to M.I.T after graduation while Chase joined the Air Force and became one of the most fierce helicopter pilots of his class. He would send his achievement medals home to their mother, which only made Ryan work harder to be at the top of his class. They continued to both move up the ranks in their separate jobs until Ryan began going undercover and started keeping his job a secret. Apparently, Chase still likes to boast about his numerous accomplishments while Ryan stays mum about his.

We were less than an hour outside of the Air Force base when Ryan suddenly became very quiet while gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles. He told me he hasn't seen Chase since he relocated to South Carolina which was a few years ago. I can hear the disdain as he talks about his brother, so I have no idea what I am walking into when we get there.

We finally take our exit off the highway and the road becomes very flat and open. There's a wide chain link fence surrounding the base with tall trees blocking the buildings inside. It all looks very basic with brick towers and beige-colored offices. It only takes a couple minutes to pull up to the security gates and Ryan quickly hands the guard our driver's licenses. He's stoic as he reads them over and then snaps his attention to Ryan.

"Hart? You related to Chase Hart?" The guard asks as he waves us through the gate. Ryan gives a short nod but doesn't add anything else.

The guard directs us over to the base housing, which look like mini, cookie-cutter two-story houses down two long roads. There's nothing unique about any of them except that some sport Air Force flags outside of their front doors. We stop at the end of the lane in front of a gray and white two-story with a freshly cut lawn out front. I'm not used to seeing such tiny yards and the community housing downright amazes me. My closest neighbors are acres away where Chase's are a few feet.

Ryan glances to me, "It's a different kind of country up here." I nod in awe and Ryan sucks in a long breath before climbing out of the car. He takes a moment to stretch after the long ride while I remain in the passenger seat mentally preparing myself for this new adventure. I glance out my window as the flimsy screen door to Chase's house bursts open. A tall, broad handsome man with the same emerald eyes as Ryan comes stalking toward us. He and Ryan are almost twins except Chase has a few inches on him, a clean-shaven jawline and much broader shoulders. He's wearing neatly pressed navy uniform dress slacks with an untucked tight, white crew neck, which I'm sure is his daily attire. He has a stronger jawline and slightly blonder hair but the resemblance to Ryan is uncanny. Chase points to the white Audi and asks, "What kind of pussy whip is that?" Ryan frowns at the first words out of his brother's mouth and while glancing to it replies, "It's my partners. My truck is in South Carolina." Chase stands with his hands on his hips and teases, "Sure." Chase also has a thicker southern drawl than Ryan so you almost wouldn't guess they grew up in the same household. I decide not to leave Ryan out to dry any further and push the passenger door open. I catch Chase's attention and watch as his eyes move from my bare legs up to my jean shorts, low cut top and finally landing on my blue eyes. He looks to Ryan and with a smirk says, "Bullshit."

I look to Chase confused and ask, "Beg your pardon?" He folds his arms over his broad chest, which pulls his white shirt taut across his chest and says, "Little lady, my brother here has been spewing lies about you. I look to Ryan, who is now a glowing shade of red and then back to Chase, who now has a wicked grin sprawled across his face.

"And what lies has Ryan told you?" I ask and Chase grabs his chin with his fingers as he answers, "He said he was bringing his girlfriend up here. But there ain't no way in hell a spicy little thang like yourself is datin' my loser brother." Oh lord, this is what I'll be dealing with? I frown as I look back to Ryan.

"So, you made me leave one pighead's house just to bring me to another?" Ryan smirks while Chase just lets out a loud laugh before slapping his brother hard over the shoulder. He pulls Ryan into him and leads us into the house.

The first thing that comes to mind when I step inside is "bachelor pad." All the walls are the same standard white and the only thing decorating them are Air Force achievement certificates framed and hung around the downstairs. A large United States flag hangs in the living room and it is the only source of color for the entire downstairs. The couch looks like it's decades old and is as worn in as a frat brother's couch. There is a small dining table covered in Chase's freshly laundered uniforms and the only appliance in the kitchen is a small microwave. I look to Ryan and hope the upstairs is slightly better than the downstairs. If I would have known how simple Chase's house was going to be, I would have brought my own sheets and towels.

We slowly move further into the living room and I notice a bunch of video games scattered all over the faux wooden floor. An enormous flat-screen television catches my attention as it takes up the entire space above the fireplace and the presence of such a large electronic is jarring. We have a small T.V at my mother's house that sits unused in the sitting room.

"Are y'all hungry? Or did ya eat comin' in?" Chase asks as he rummages through his cupboards. Ryan shakes his head.

"No, we didn't. Sawyer are you hungry?" Ryan asks me and I can see he has sucked all of his personality back inside himself.

"Um, yeah I could eat I guess," I reply and I quickly add, "What were you thinking?" Chase closes the fridge with his foot and says, "We can run to the commissary and you could cook us up something. Little southern belles like you are always wizzes in the kitchen ain't ya?" He winks to me and my jaw drops slightly at his sexist comment. Ryan puts his hand up to say something but I stop him.

"This little southern belle ain't." I take a step toward him as I add, "Let me get a few things straight with you before I am held hostage here, Chase. I don't cook, I will clean up after my own self and I do not, in any way tolerate sexual looks or sexist comments. I know how to shoot a gun, I took numerous self-defense classes and if I didn't hesitate to punch a pregnant woman's lights out, I sure as hell won't think twice about neutering my boyfriend's brother while he sleeps. Do we understand each other?"

"Are you also menstruatin'? Is that why you are so emotionally charged right now?" Chase says plainly and my eyes widen in horror as I look to Ryan. I stride right out of the living room and back through the thin metal screen door. I hear it slap against the door frame behind me as I march back to the car and I hear Ryan hot on my heels. He grabs my elbow and spins me around before I get to the passenger door. He catches my fierce glare and takes a step away from me.

"Sawyer, I'm sorry. I tried to warn you...my brother is a jackass and he's just trying to get me to flip out. He's pushing all of my buttons so he can point and laugh when I finally explode."

I shake my head, "I could handle Jackson and his smart mouth, but Lord help me I would hate to have to take out a decorated member of the armed services. And that's what will happen if I stay here."

Ryan grabs my hand, "You bruised his ego by getting smart with him, so he's trying to get you all flustered because my brother has the mentality of a seventh-grade boy." He rubs my hand with his thumb but continues when I frown, "I think my brother is an idiot...no, I know my brother is an idiot but I also know you are safe here. He may piss you off with his mouth but he'll protect you. That's the only nice thing I can say about Chase, but it's the most important thing right now. And you have my permission to whoop his ass if you need to." I hear the screen door slap shut and we both see Chase come out with his hands up.

"Alright, alright. I'll play nice. I'm sorry for the comments..."

"Sawyer," I say quickly and he continues, "Sawyer, I'll try and behave myself while you're here. Now, let's go to dinner. My treat." Chase offers with a million-dollar smile and Ryan and I exchange cautious looks. Quietly I tell him, "If this isn't motivation to find Simon quickly, I don't know what is."