"Menu Shmenu." She complained from the bedroom where she was getting changed. "We have five months till the wedding so there is plenty of time to do all the planning. Did you know that Momka and Papka want to hold a two day reception for us?"
"Two days? I have never heard of that before. Why two days?" I asked bewildered.
"It's custom in Russia. They want to keep a bit of the old country traditions in the wedding." She replied when she came into the living room shirtless.
"I think there is a law against walking around like that on the open streets." I pointed at her. "Not to mention the temperature outside might freeze of some of your lovelier assets."
"You are just too lazy to beat off all the men who would be chasing me around." She teased.
"Well if that's what I am going to have to do I might as well call up my platoon for extra duty." I returned the tease. We were always joking around like that in private. The Irma I knew now was different than the quiet reserved girl I had known before. In private at least. She seemed to be more at ease with me than with anyone else. In public she remained a bit on the shy side but when we were alone it was like day and night.
"So what do you think about what my parents are planning?" She prompted again.
"I think that they will do what they want no matter what I think." I grinned at her. "But a two day reception could prove interesting. "Oh yes I forgot to tell you my Grandfather and Grandmother and half of the council will be here for the wedding."
"Oh good I was worried that they might not be able to come since its so far away." She said as she sat down next to me.
"I doubt you could keep Mimi away from this and she would drag my Grandfather swimming across the ocean if there was no other way." I replied.
She smiled at me and then remembered she was not finished changing yet. She went into the bedroom again and I could hear her voice as she shuffled through her clothing in the closet. "Jason we have to do something about this closet I have no room for my clothing or my shoes."
She already had three quarters of the closet as it was but I had been thinking about the issue myself. "I could store my clothing in the trunk of the car I supposed."
"Be serious Jason, Please." she admonished me.
"I will talk to the landlord love. I would like to get his permission to close up the other bedroom and turn that into a walk-in closet." I informed her. I had actually talked to him about more than that but it was supposed to be a surprise for her when I finally closed the deal. I walked to the office where the mail was still setting on the desk and scanned through it. My dealings in the market had been extremely profitable and we managed to get through the month on just what Irma earned. Everything I made went into the bank and provided the capital for my dealings on the market. As I was looking through the mail one letter caught my attention. I opened it. I smiled and I walked into the bedroom where Irma was still looking for something to wear. "Here lover, this is for you." I tossed the letter to her and walked back into the office.
There were several minutes silence and then I heard a gasp as she reached the pertinent part. I was already taking down the other papers I had taken the trouble to have done for me earlier that month. "Jason? You bought the entire apartment house for me?" She was standing in the doorway with the letter in her hand.
"This building and the other three buildings around us, love." I pushed the other papers at her. "The remodeling of this building begins next month. It will be just for us and the others remain as rental units. Those are the plans."
"But I thought you said we wouldn't build a house until after you were out of the Army." Her eyes were wide as she stared at me.
"We are not building a house just remodeling the inside of this building to fit our needs for the next four years. Anyway, real estate is a good investment and I am sure that we can keep this place and the others rented and provide a source of income for many years to come." I pointed at the plans for the remodels. "Look at those and let me know if there is anything you want to change."
She looked at me suspiciously and then at the plans. "There is something you are not telling me I can feel it."
I searched my mind for a way to explain to her just how the funds I have been investing had increased by twenty fold in such a short time. I had always be careful to invest short term in high risk ventures that gave the most return and had the most uncanny instinct to pull out before the market collapsed. "Ummm the budget for the renovation is set for two hundred thousand marks after the apartments have been paid for." I had been able to negotiate a package deal for all four buildings at twenty five percent under total asking price and I was going to invest more than what I saved in turning this building into the kind of house we would want to be in for the next four years.
"Two hundred thousand Marks!" She yelled at me. "Are you out of your mind? That will drain your account completely. You could buy a house outright right now for that much. Not new but an older one."
"Love, you are not exactly correct in your that assumption my account would be drained I would still have about one point seven million left over after everything is paid for." I was a little bit uncomfortable talking about this. I had taken risks and the returns had been huge but I had taken the risks without including her in on the decision.
The statement I made had done something I had never been able to do before. She was speechless with just her mouth moving silently for several minutes. Finally she took a deep breath and looked at the clock. "You have two hours to explain to me just what you have been doing the past two months and explain it to me in a way that even I can understand." She sat down on the couch folded her hands on her lap and looked at me while she waited for me to start explaining.
I broke out in a cold sweat. How to explain to this extraordinarily beautiful woman my uncanny gift to pick high risk winners out of a dead market by sampling wide spread mental impressions I received while using the special training I had received on Origan?
Did she even understand high risk market options? "Love, do you remember what I did to you that evening I first told you the full story of my past?" I was referring to the mind touch I had used to assure myself she would be able to handle the truth about me.
"Yes I remember. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. But what does that have to do with you becoming basically a millionaire in the course of six months?" She asked me with the confusion evident on her face.
"Irma, I can do that with a single mind or several hundred thousand at a time. The number is unimportant. What's important is I am not manipulating I am only observing. By doing this I can get a feel for the market based on a global feel. I can chose what stock I should concentrate on and most importantly I can spot a change in general feeling about the stock before it's reflected on the market. I can usually pull out of that stock days ahead of any noted drop in the overall market price. I have a man who fills my orders without question because he knows from experience that I am always right about my changes." I saw or rather felt something go click as she realized what I was saying.
"So you are not cheating or purposely manipulating people to do this?" She asked calmly.
"No I am doing basically the same thing any large volume marketer does but the only difference is I read the feel of the mass mind instead of analyzing the market boards for the indications. My reaction time is much better than those guys and I get out before the initial capital is effected at all. Most of the time I usually double or triple my profit margin." I hoped she would understand what I was talking about.
"So you turned a savings that you had of two hundred thousand marks to over two million in around four months?" She asked.
"Yes and I only leave that original two hundred thousand in the actual circulation on the market. Anything that is profit goes into a separate account. That separate account is what I am buying these apartments from and paying for the remodeling on this place." I was relieved that she understood that what I was doing was not dishonest and only
as successful as my ability to read the mass mind.
She glanced at the plans again and then sighed. "Fine. As long as you are not cheating to do this I am ok with it." She looked over and grinned at me. "How much can I use on a few shopping trips to equip my new walk in closet?"
I burst out laughing and handed her the card I had gotten for her to access the account and said. "Go down to the bank tomorrow and sign the signature card and have Johann print you up a stack of Eurochecks. There is already a hard cap on daily usage from general purchases not over a company voucher but I doubt you can hit it." I looked at her and wagged my eyebrows at her. "Does this rate at least a peck on the cheek from my future wife?"
She pulled her lips into a pout and said. "I will have to think about that." She walked out the door in the direction of the front door then called back irritated when I called for her to stop. "What do you want Jason?"
"Well considering on how cold it is out I figured you might want to put a shirt on over that bra you are wearing." I chuckled when I heard the front door slam shut and spotted her dashing by the office door.
Chapter 22 - Where did that come from?
We reached the apartment her family were renting at the appointed time. Irma spent the next six hours deep in wedding planning with her mother, Aunt, and Grandmother. I kept on going to the construction site of the new home her father was building for them. Her father was normally a driver for a local construction company but was also a trained mason. The result of this training was that he could build his own house and I had been learning at his side by while we worked.
When I arrived at the construction site her father beamed one of his famous grins at me. Then he greeted me the way he would a son and put me right to work. I worked with Irma's uncle Eugen and we talked about mundane things while we worked. The ever present case of German beer was nearly empty before Papka called a stop for the day. He came to me and slapped me on the back with his normal enthusiasm “You did good work today Jason. Now we will have a good meal with the family as a reward for our daily work and tomorrow is a day of rest. You will be at the church with the family tomorrow morning?”
Irma's family were devout Roman Catholic and while I did not believe strictly in the beliefs they had I took part in the ritual they went through each week out of respect for them. I had already accepted the fact that any children we had would be brought up in that faith but I had extracted a promise from Irma that our children would be made aware of the customs of my tribe including the religious beliefs the children would have the freedom to decide which religion they would follow when they got older.
Comparing my beliefs to theirs, they were not all that different. There were just different names for the same beliefs. Naturally we of the tribe were closer to nature than many others, but we still respected the right of others to believe what they wanted. I nodded in response to my future father-in-law's question. “Of course we will be there.” He smiled at me and headed in the direction of his car.
I followed him to the apartment. As soon as we were inside, we were being chased by the women of the family in the direction of the washroom to wash up for the banquet style meal that they had been cooking all afternoon.
During the meal, Irma informed her family what I had given her earlier in the day. Her father looked at me and stated. “I was not aware that my future son-in-law was from a rich family.”
I stopped chewing and replied. “Not really rich but my Grandfather does own a number of successful companies on the reservation and he taught me how to handle money at a young age. Even though I serve in the Army, that does not stop me from using his lessons to secure a good future for myself after my term of service.”
Irma's mother passed more food down to me and even though I was full to the brim I politely took a small portion. “You do not have the intention to remain in the military for a career?”
“No Momka, The line of work I am currently in is too dangerous for a family man and I do have to think of my family before I think of myself. If I were to remain unmarried then possibly the military would be a career but as a married man, no.” I heard Irma's sigh of relief. She reached under the table and squeezed my hand. I knew she was thanking me for the decision I had made. “After I get out of the Army I will find something to do locally.”
Momka beamed a smile at me and replied. “You could possibly work at the company I work at. They know me well and I could put a good word in for you.”
I smiled back and said. “That would possibly be an option. I will see what happens after my term is up. The Army may send me somewhere else before then.” Papka shot me a dark look as I said this. “Even if they do I will still be returning to Germany when my tour of duty is finished.”
There seemed to be a collective sigh of relief as I said this and Irma shot me a look which I knew would mean an earnest discussion when we got back home. We had talked about what might happen and Irma had stated that once we were married she would go where I go no matter what her family thought. I had already applied for an extension of tour which Blake had gladly given but he stated the last three quarters of year that was left in my tour of duty would probably be spent in a training platoon. That much was out of his hands because the Department of Defense had already slated me in the tour of duty. They wanted to get the most out of me during the time they had left with me because I had already stated I would not be making a career out of the Military.
Once I had made this much clear I had been confronted with many offered made by the various agencies in the United States. So far at least one offer from each of the alphabet agencies had made their way to my mail box. I had politely refused each offer with the explanation I still had three years left in my tour. I kept any knowledge of these offers from Irma. I did not want her to worry that I would continue in the type of operations I was currently involved in.
The meal ended and we headed home for an evening of relaxation before the Sunday mass the next morning. She was silent during the drive and I knew the battle was about to begin. As soon as the apartment door closed she turned around with her eyes flashing in anger. “I thought we agreed to not bring this topic up in front of my family!?
I kept my distance from her trying to gauge just how pissed off she was. “I told you I would not lie to your family and they have to be aware of the fact that I will have to go where the Army sends me.” I replied softly. “Maybe you should stay here during the nine months I will be training troops in the States love?”
“Not on your life! Buster where you go I go!” Irma snapped at me and her shoulders stated to shake. I knew just how volatile she could get and what the signs were. If I reached out to comfort her now I would probably pull back a stub.
“I am just thinking of a way to insure your family of my intentions, love.” I replied gently.
“Don't worry about them Jason. I make the decisions in my life not my family.” She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself down.
I took a tentative step in her direction, trying to ascertain what her mood was currently and when she did not give any aggravated signals I stepped closer to her and gathered her in my arms. “Ok love, I won't bring up the subject again in front of your parents.” I kissed her and moved in the direction of my office. She knew what I would be doing next and went to fix herself a tea. I stepped in the office and removed both weapons I had on me. Before I opened the safe to put them away I wiped them down to remove the dust that had accumulated during the work at the new house. I made sure they were not loaded and placed them in the hidden safe before returning to the living room to spend time with her before we retired for the evening.
Chapter 23 - Duping the Opposition
The next few months passed quickly and despite the promise made to me I was involved in three more operations in the African Theater. Blake seemed to rely on my team more than he did any others he had under his command. “I trust you to get the job done Jason.” He would say to me each time he activated my squad.
Blake did not flinch when I screamed at him. “Good morning to you too Jason. Come in and have a seat. Close the door, if it’s not bent out of alignment from your usual mild attention”
As usual his dry humor served to calm me down and remember who I am. “Sorry about the door. I trust there was no one near it this time?”
He chuckled at this. “No the warning went out to all staff members about twenty minutes before you arrived that you had been activated again. I assume that most of my staff is currently hiding under their desk until they get the all clear from me.”
Blake pressed a button on his desk and a few moments later a very jittery young man came in and handed him a bulky folder. The young man waited until Blake waved him off and quickly vanished from the room. “There is a new threat that branches from the original threat you squashed in North Africa. This time in the form of a local cell here in Heidelberg. There has been chatter concerning the assassination of the Military head of NATO General Nathan Blackthorn.”
This shocked me. “Why was my squad activated? You told me that we would not perform operations in the European theater.”
Blake shook his head. “Your unit was not activated only you were. This mission will be strictly solo and you will be required to operate independent of all law enforcement agents.”
Rise of the Death Walkers (The Circle of Heritage Saga) Page 22
