by Bella Juarez
“No, sir. I’m afraid he’s gone for the day. Can I help you with something?” Kelly asked.
“I’m still having a problem with base ops, something about an order. Is there a second-in-command?”
“Come in, sir, and have a seat,” Kelly said as she picked up the phone.
Anna looked up at Kelly, deciding she’d had enough of the Navy for one day.
“If everything is working, I’m out of here,” Anna said.
“Thanks again, Anna,” Kelly said before she spoke into the phone.
Anna walked into the overcast day and felt much better about getting out of the battle zone. She drove back to the office and parked. As she passed the Navy commander’s office on her way in, she glanced inside the glass doors and saw the admin was at his desk, working diligently. The office seemed quiet and in perfect order. She quickly walked down the hallway to her own branch office. She checked in with Beth and started working on a message about the virus she’d discovered. This sort of information needed to be reported up the chain of command. Anna felt hungry, found a break point in her work, and informed Beth that she would be taking her lunch hour.
Anna decided to take lunch at the Officer’s Club. She was in deep thought about the events of the morning. She was very concerned about this computer virus because it was unusual, and when something like this normally happened, it was all over the base in a matter of hours. This one however had been selective. It was odd.
Better check some logs when I get back to the office.
Entering the O Club woke Anna from her thoughts. Today was Friday, the one day she made herself leave lunch at home and get out into the world. She walked down the stairs into the open mess area and grabbed a tray as she walked through the cafeteria-style line. She scanned the dining room for an open table and found a small table in the corner and sat down.
Anna brought a magazine with her to read as she ate. She was reading an article about a new cooking technique and eating her lunch when uproarious laughter called her attention to the middle of the dining area. She glanced over toward the noise to one of the larger tables. It was a group of officers from the Navy detachment and in the middle was their leader, Captain O’Malley. He must’ve shared some private joke and the laughter started over again.
Anna looked down at the article, disgusted. No doubt he’s detailing his humiliation of Colonel Spivey to his men! When she looked up again, Captain O’Malley was staring straight at her. She shuddered at the way he stared as if he were appraising her, evaluating her worth. She looked away and picked at her salad. She read a few more pages and decided to leave. She stepped outside just as small, steamy raindrops starting to fall.
Chapter 7
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
US Naval Special Warfare Group Five
Office of the Commander
July 26, 2008/1545 Zulu
Mac, Rafe, and Jack sat around the table in Jack’s office, looking over checklists and manifests that had just arrived. They were discussing timetables as Rafe informed them they had pulled three days ahead of schedule after yesterday’s shipment. The XO had been working crews day and night to have the group operational ahead of schedule.
“When’s the admiral coming?” Mac asked.
“In three weeks. The MAJCOM general is planning a reception. I got the invite yesterday,” Jack said, nodding his head toward his desk.
“Yeah, I got one, too,” Mac said.
“Ditto. I think all the officers and senior NCOs got one and it looks like he’s going all out,” Rafe said.
“Yeah, he’s kissing ass. What do you expect? Gunter is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the AETC general here wants to look good,” Jack said.
“We jump through hoops and they have a party,” Rafe said, throwing a pen on the table.
“Think we’ll be operational by then, Rafe?” Jack asked with a yawn.
Jack hadn’t fallen asleep until two in the morning. He’d been consumed with what was going on and what he needed to do in such a short time to become operational. He didn’t need any distractions or delays right now.
“Should be, as long as the base commander doesn’t hijack our airstrip again,” Rafe said with a smile.
By now all of Randolph Air Force Base had heard of the little shit fit Jack had thrown yesterday.
“Not if he wants to live,” Jack grunted.
Jack yawned again. He wanted to go home and take a nap. Mac started to yawn, as did Rafe.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Didn’t you sleep last night?” Mac snapped at Jack.
Jack sat back in his chair and crossed his arms in back of his head in a semi-reclining position. A smile crossed his face.
“For a little while…”
“Oh shit, you went out and got laid, didn’t you?” Rafe asked, shaking his head.
“How do you sniff them out so fast?” Mac asked.
“I never kiss and tell. I’ve got a meeting in Coronado on Tuesday. I’ll be back on Friday. I’ve got to brief Dixie about what’s happening here before Admiral Gunter gets here,” Jack said, redirecting back to the subject at hand.
Rafe sat up in his chair. “Speaking of, your laptop is ready. The comm guys finally got it back to me on Wednesday. We’ve got a new base e-mail for you, too.”
“I don’t need a base e-mail. I get enough spam from Dixie. Shit! I think that’s all he does all damn day, fuck around with e-mail,” Jack said.
“It’s ready. I had to chew Sanchez’s ass over that thing because he took forever with it. Lieutenant Gamez needs to get his shit together in that department, and when he gets back I’m fucking him up for that kind of horseshit from his guys,” Rafe said.
“Don’t chew ass over something like that, Whiskey. It’s minor and they’ve had their hands full with trying to stand us up,” Jack said.
“Loading that laptop shouldn’t have taken that long.”
“Let it go, Rafe,” Jack said.
“Let me go get it from my office,” Rafe said as he left the office.
Mac turned to Jack with a concerned look on his face.
“Rock, I’m still not sure about Rafe being the XO—”
“He’s my XO, Mac. Deal with it,” Jack said, cutting him off.
Mac changed the subject. “Is part of this trip about Teams Alpha and Victor and what they found? The intel that Badass grabbed during that raid in Victoria?”
“Yes it is, Mac. I got a message from Lieutenant Gamez yesterday and passed it on to Chief Walsh.”
“I helped Gamez plan that mission. I got a copy of the message, too.”
There was an uneasy silence between the two men.
“Rock, I’ve got bad feeling about this and I don’t think this is over,” Mac said
“Yeah, Mac, I know. Something’s not right here. That’s why I’m going to Coronado. I want to review the intel we gave our guys before they left. Chief Walsh and I’ll be hooking up. We’re having a word with our buddies down in Beaumont.”
Mac looked at the papers in front of him.
“How’s Gavin doing, Rock? I haven’t talked to him in some time. Is he back at work already?” Mac asked.
“He just got back a few months ago. He just got off desk duty,” Jack answered.
“Rock, most of those guys we sent are fresh tadpoles. Gamez is the only one with any real field experience and it’s the first mission he’s led. I almost wish Badass could’ve gone with them. I hope we didn’t set them up for something else because they’re still digging down there.” Mac picked up a manifest.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. We’ve all got to start somewhere.” Jack smiled.
“I don’t like it, Rock,” Mac said soberly.
“The intel panned out but not like we expected. It didn’t make sense,” Jack said with a frown.
“I wish I could’ve gone with them.”
“Me, too.” Jack smiled as his expression turned more serious. “I’ll keep you up to date. Let’s get back to this stuff he
re. Don’t worry, Master Chief, I don’t want anything happening to those kids either.” Jack picked up one of Rafe’s timetables.
The captain and master chief reviewed timetables again. Rafe had given everyone liberty for the weekend. Since their arrival six months prior, they had been working every day, twenty-four hours a day. The XO figured that they’d be way ahead of schedule before the end of the week. If Rafe said they’d be ahead of schedule, Jack didn’t second-guess him.
“When’s Liz coming?” Jack asked as he and Mac headed for the common break room.
“My baby will be here in two weeks. The house in San Diego finally sold.”
“Got your Viagra refill?” Jack teased.
“I don’t need that shit. After twenty-two years, I can still get it up just fine. Thank you very much.”
“Damn, Mac, I don’t know how you did it. I don’t know anyone in our circle who’s been married as long as you and Liz. Hell, even Dixie’s had three wives,” Jack said with a sense of admiration.
Being a sailor was a demanding life but being a SEAL was like selling your soul. A SEAL was rarely home and you could never discuss what you did or where you went. You could be called in the middle of the night and be gone for months on end. Not to mention how the dirty job they did could mess with their heads. Divorce rates were high because it was a very special and rare woman who tolerated this life. Knowing all of this and seeing the heartbreak it caused, Jack had never even considered marriage. Who could understand his life? Who would want to?
“How did you and Liz stick this out for so long?” Jack asked.
“I love her,” Mac said simply.
“It can’t be that easy,” Jack said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, it is. The only things in this world I love more than my job are Lizzy and my kids. Every decision we make, we make together. No matter how far away I am.”
They were quiet. Mac glanced at Jack and they both smiled because they knew each other so well. So much could go unspoken because they knew how to read each other so well. It was a bond very few people understood.
“Jack, are you under the impression that Liz and I have never had problems?” Mac asked.
Jack always marveled at how Mac could hone in on exactly what he was thinking.
“I know it hasn’t been that easy. I guess you have but nothing you couldn’t handle,” Jack answered.
“We’ve had big problems. We’ve almost been divorced a couple of times.” Mac swallowed hard. “But both of us are pretty stubborn and don’t give up that easy. Best job I’ve ever had is being a husband and daddy. I ain’t letting that go without a fight.”
“Then why do you do this job?” Jack countered softly.
“Because it’s important and it keeps my family safe in ways they will never know.”
“And Liz understands?”
“There are times when she doesn’t. But like I said, she loves me and I love her. She knows this is important to me, and you learn how to compromise when someone is that important to you.”
Mac’s blue eyes twinkled for a moment. Jack knew the mischievous look. “And she also knows if she ever does try to find someone else, I’ll kill the bastard. In front of her,” Mac added.
Jack chuckled because the last statement from Mac spoke volumes.
“I’ll bet you would,” Jack said.
Despite Mac’s playful nature, he was deadly. Mac could be ruthless and cold. His mirth and merriment could be turned off in an instant and a cold-blooded killing machine could take its place. He was a sniper, making him patient and calculating. Mac and his spotter had often been the first SEALs deployed on a mission. He could take days to reach his target, all the while gathering intelligence for the rest of the team. Most of Mac’s victims never knew what hit them. In all the years that Jack had known him, Mac had only lost his temper once. No one who really knew Mac dared to raise his ire.
“Hell, let’s not drink here! Let’s adjourn this meeting to the O Club bar,” Rafe said from the doorway.
“Whiskey, it ain’t even noon yet. Don’t you have any manners?” Mac asked.
“Bullshit! It’s noon somewhere!” Rafe countered. Jack laughed at the familiar comment. “Laptop’s in your chair, boss.”
The trio made their way back to Jack’s office where they finished up for the rest of the day. Mac went back to his office, and Rafe decided he would take the afternoon off and see about this River Walk that meandered through downtown San Antonio. Jack finished up some messages for his yeoman to get out on Monday. He set the laptop on his desk and powered it up because there were files he wanted to transfer for his trip to Coronado.
Jack turned to his desktop computer and started to work as his laptop was booting. He connected a jump drive to his desktop and started copying files. While that was going on he returned to his laptop and launched the e-mail application on his laptop to synchronize his e-mail. He sat reading the subjects of each of the e-mails being downloaded to his inbox. One caught his attention.
“What…Meeting? Base commander’s conference room? Going Green? What kind of crap is this?” What the hell?
Jack was getting more annoyed by the minute. He’d nothing to do with this base. This must’ve come from the new base e-mail they had just put on the laptop. His mission was clearly defined, and it had nothing to do with the day-to-day operations of this base. Jack’s world was pretty self-contained.
“Delete.” Jack clicked the delete button. As he started to delete the message, a window popped up on the screen.
The base commander has asked for an acknowledgment of this message. Please open the message and respond yes or no. Will you be attending this meeting?
Jack rolled his eyes. He got enough e-mail in a day and didn’t need to waste his time with this local base crap. He would have his comm guys get this damn base e-mail off this computer. He closed the pop-up window and opened the e-mail.
“Son of a bitch!” Jack roared.
It seemed as if his computer had gone crazy. Jack tried everything he knew to do to shut down his laptop and was getting angrier by the minute. He pressed the power button on the computer and tried to reboot it. He tried to open his e-mail application to delete that damn e-mail that had started this mess but the e-mail application kept closing down. He shoved his chair away from his desk and stalked over to Mac’s office. Mac was busy with reviews for the enlisted personnel when Jack stomped in and paced back and forth like a caged animal.
“What’s wrong?” Mac asked, looking up from his work.
Jack couldn’t speak for a moment because he was so angry.
“I’ll kill that bastard!” Jack snarled.
“Who?” Mac asked, returning to his papers.
This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Jack like this. Mac knew better than to react.
“Spivey!” Jack said.
“Oh? What did he do now?” Mac asked in a conversational tone.
“Son of a bitch sent me a computer virus!”
Mac burst out laughing. Jack turned in disbelief. He wanted to reach out and ring Mac’s neck.
“What the hell is so funny, Master Chief?” Jack screamed at Mac, attempting to pull rank unsuccessfully.
Mac was enjoying himself way too much at Jack’s expense.
“Now why would he do that to you?” Mac asked.
Jack was about to completely lose control when Mac held up his hands.
“Why would he sign his name to an e-mail, that was a virus no less, and send it to you? I don’t think he’s that stupid,” Mac said.
Clearly agitated, Jack started to pace again. He was so frustrated he wanted to punch something.
“I don’t have time for this, Mac. I need my laptop and I’m leaving Monday night to be in Coronado on Tuesday morning.”
“A while ago it was no big deal. Now you need it?” Mac teased.
“Mac…”
“Okay, I’ll get one of the guys to clean it up and get you ready to go on Monday.”
&nb
sp; “Mac, I want it now. I need to put files on there for my TAD to Coronado. I don’t want to be doing this at the last minute.”
“All right, Rock, I’ll get the on-call IT people. We can use the base’s support staff,” Mac said, reaching for the phone.
“We can’t call one of our comm guys?”
“They’re all on liberty, Captain. They’ve been working like slaves since we got here. Leave me the laptop and I’ll call base IT.”
“Okay, Mac,” Jack said with a frustrated sigh.
“Maybe we can get that cute computer lady to fix you right up. What was her name again? Oh yeah, Anna,” Mac said mischievously.
Jack turned stunned and started to protest.
“Don’t think I haven’t seen that. You’ve been watching her since we got here. I’m glad you finally know her name.”
“She’s not my type, Mac,” Jack said dismissively as he left.
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”
Chapter 8
1498 Arnold Palmer Drive
Golf Villa Town Homes
San Antonio, Texas
July 26, 2008/1316 Zulu
Anna reclined on her couch reading one of the many books she’d stacked up beside her. She’d decided today was definitely a lazy day. Normally on Saturdays, she was out the door by 8:00 a.m. After yesterday, she decided she needed a day off. She hadn’t slept much last night.
Today was the fifth anniversary of her descent into a nightmare. It was the day her daughter Alyssa and husband Marc had been killed in a head-on collision. She would never forget that night in the hospital when they had informed her that Marc was dead. That had been awful enough. Three hours later when the surgeon came out and informed her Alyssa had died in surgery, Anna knew hell really existed. She could still recall falling to her knees and screaming. She recalled the paramedics picking her up and taking her to another room where a dead calm came over her and lasted for almost a year afterward.
The depression that hit her a year later had been crippling. She honestly couldn’t recall what had happened for five months. All she knew was one day she was processing in as a civil service employee with her best friend at her side. Now here she was an empty shell, left behind, existing from day to day. Today was better than previous years. Today she’d gotten out of bed. Her peace was shattered by the phone.
