Chapter 19
I spent the next two days meeting with each of my men letting them know I felt privileged to have been able to serve with each of them. Most of them I never told what my plans were, that in six months the most I would have to do with the military would be to teach an occasional survival class, and maybe some defensive battle tactics. I felt I owed Mac and Curtis more though and let them know if they were ever in my home town to look me up and I'd buy them a beer.
I suspected neither of them would ever show up on my door, but I wanted them to know I'd never forget them, and all they had done for me.
The plane I was going home on showed up just before noon the second day and was scheduled to leave the following morning. I wanted so much to be able to take everyone of my White Rose men with me, to get them out of harms way the same as I was getting out of harms way.
“Sam this is Major White he'll be flying and has agreed to let you help since the trip is such a long one,” Jason said.
“Major White, it's a pleasure to meet you. Unless you really need my help I think I'd just as soon just be a passenger this time,” I said.
“Suit yourself Captain, I'm just happy to have you on board,” Major White said,
“If the enemy knows I'm on board you might not be so happy about having me, I seem to have a knack of drawing their attention,” I said.
I found a seat in the cargo hold and waited while the last of the cargo was loaded we were taking back to the states. I hated the idea of leaving my men, of leaving a job unfinished, but this fight wasn't mine any longer, my part, at least here, was done and others would have to take over where I left off.
The cargo door was closed and I felt a hole inside that said I was leaving a big part of myself behind. The engines started and I felt a tear fall on my cheek. I had grown so close to some of the men I was leaving behind, some of them who would never see their homes again. All I ever wanted was to protect them and see they made it home to their families in one piece, and now it was no longer up to me.
“Are you okay Captain?” the crew chief asked.
I looked up into the face of a young Airman, and wondered what it was that had drawn him into the military.
“Just thinking of all the men I'm leaving behind Airman, just wondering how many of them will never see their families again,” I said.
“I heard you were special ops. I was wondering what that really means?” he asked.
“It means I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind,” I said.
“I was just wondering if it meant you fly fighters or something like that?” he asked.
“I'm qualified on every aircraft the military has and a few it doesn't have, but no I didn't fly fighters,” I said.
“I see,” he said.
“Tell me Airman why did you enlist? What was it that drew you to the Air Force?” I asked.
“I didn't want to get drafted. I guess I figured joining the Air Force I wouldn't have to kill anyone,” he said.
“I wish I could say I never had to kill anyone, or even give orders that got someone else killed. I commanded a front line reconnaissance unit. We were called on when the Army or Marines got into a situation they couldn't get out of,” I said.
“You were White Rose? I'm sorry, I just heard lots of Marines talking about how if they ever got in trouble they hoped White Rose would show up to get them out,” he said.
“I guess my unit did have a reputation,” I said.
I leaned back closing my eyes, and was flooded with the memories of my time in the Air Force. Did I really want to get out? I had finally found something I was good at and now it felt like it was being taken away from me. It felt like I failed yet again. Was that to be the story of my life? To show great promise and then fail.
I heard the Airman I was talking to, talking with someone else and tried not to listen in but heard every word they said, the words becoming clearer the harder I tried to ignore them.
“You mean that's Captain Waters of White Rose?” someone asked.
“I think so, at least he didn't say he wasn't,” the Airman said.
“I wouldn't be here if it weren't for White Rose. Word is Captain Waters is the one who came up with the plan that saved my company,” the person who asked if I was the White Rose said.
“What do you mean?” the Airman asked.
“I was with the thirty-first Marines and I guess we had been ordered to move on an enemy communication center that wasn't operational yet, all the officers seemed worried cause there were supposed to be thousands of enemy soldiers between us and the communication center. All of a sudden we got word that the communication center was destroyed and all the enemy soldiers just vanished. Everyone was saying it was the work of The White Rose, like The White Rose is a person, and others kept saying it was White Rose reconnaissance unit that did it. Whatever happened everyone was sure it was Captain Waters that managed to make it happen,” the Marine said.
Each time I heard a new story about my White Rose it seemed even more unlikely than the one before it, and this one seemed the least likely of all I had heard. I hadn't been the one to make anything happen this time, before any plan was completed I had taken ill and gone to lay down in my quarters and not gotten out of bed for a couple days. I hadn't even known the battle had been fought until I woke and went to see Jason.
“Captain Waters. The Major said to let you know there will be a plane waiting for you when we land,” the Airman said.
“I'm sorry? A plane waiting for me? I'm going as far as this plane is going I live not far from the base we're supposed to be headed for,” I said.
“I'm just relaying the orders sir,” the Airman said.
Something was wrong I could feel it in my bones. Someone had changed my orders and I wasn't going to have much choice, another reason I no longer wanted to be in the military.
I stood up and almost fell on the Airman that delivered the message.
“Airman I wish to speak with Major White,” I said.
“He said you'd probably want to, if you'll wait until you've had a chance to wake more fully sir...” the Airman started.
“I'm awake Airman, but thank you for your concern,” I said.
I headed for the cockpit and was met at the door by Major White.
“Captain we still have a couple hours before we land,” he said.
“What is this about a plane waiting for me Major?” I asked.
“I was told you have orders to report to Andrews Air Force Base. They said there would be written orders waiting for you when we land along with a fighter ready for your use in getting there,” he said.
“Can I ask who gave these orders?” I asked.
“I haven't got a clue. I imagine you'll want to talk to someone and try finding out just what this is all about. We do have a secure radio link in the navigation console, you're more than welcome to avail yourself of it,” Major White offered.
“Thank you Major. I guess I should be use to this kind of thing by now. Probably something about me having told General Strong to go fuck himself,” I said.
“I heard about that. Not the smartest thing I've heard you've done, and I've wished more than once I had the balls to do something like it. Captain from what I was told, it didn't sound like you were in trouble, he said.”
I sat at the nav console and activated the radio trying to find out what this bit about me being ordered to Washington was all about.
It took several minutes before anyone with proper clearance responded. Surely they knew I would be calling so it was frustrating that I had to wait so long before anyone would acknowledge my White Rose codes. Once I had someone that had the proper clearance we switched to a secure frequency so I could find out what all the mystery was surrounding the orders for me to go to Washington.
For some reason at the personal request of the President I was to go to Washington before starting my leave. That seemed extremely unusual to me, surely there had to be some mistake. The Presid
ent didn't have time to be bothered about someone like me who was a nobody. Sure I had bailed out senior officers messes more than once, I had saved several lives, but I wasn't the only one, and my men were more deserving of any honors than I was. Without them I couldn't have done much of anything.
The orders were genuine, but I still thought about refusing them. I hadn't earned the right to be honored and that was all this was. They wanted to use me to score points for continuing a war that made no sense, a war I had been involved in simply because I hadn't seen any other option. Heaven help if they asked me what I thought because the chances of me being able to do civilian contract work training special forces personnel would be history. Hell I'd be lucky if they didn't throw me in prison for treason, if they gave me the chance to speak freely.
I headed back to the cargo area of the plane and found the seat I had still open. All I wanted was to take some time for just me before I had to try teaching others to do what I did without thinking about it. I closed my eyes and tried to avoid the conversations going on around me. It seemed like I barely sat down and I felt the plane start on it's decent to land. I didn't want to think about everything that could go wrong, instead found myself wishing maybe the worst would happen and if I was lucky enough to survive I'd be laid up in the hospital long enough everyone would forget about White Rose and especially me.
The cargo door opened and I saw an A-10 sitting there waiting for me. An A-10 and they told me I'd be getting a fighter. I guess I shouldn't think badly about it, it wasn't fast, but would out maneuver a lot of aircraft it's size, but I preferred the F-4 or even the F-14 at least that way I had a chance of having someone to talk to other than control towers.
“Captain Waters we know you were told you'd be getting a fighter for the jump to Andrews, but at the moment this is all we have available,” some Colonel in flight gear said.
“Let me know when you have something with a little more class available then, won't you Colonel. I just had a twenty hour flight in a slow airplane getting here, I have no intention of spending five more hours trying to coax that piece of junk another twenty-five hundred miles,” I said.
I turned to walk away and heard the Colonel say something about if I didn't take this aircraft I would be in violation of orders, and he would have me arrested.
“Colonel unless you happen to have a dozen MP's handy, your threat means very little to me. If you expect me to fly that thing you might as well call your MP's now because I'd rather be sitting in jail than the cockpit of that airplane,” I said.
I spotted an F-104 sitting on the tarmac with the canopy up looking ready to go and knew the reason he was trying to pawn off the A-10 on me was because he hated it as much as I did and thought he could con me into flying it rather than the F-104.
“I'll tell your what Colonel how about we arm wrestle to see who gets stuck with the A-10 and who gets to fly that pretty little F-104, or would you rather I just talk to your base commander and see what he has to say about it?” I asked.
“Alright the F-104 is supposed to be yours, I was hoping you'd be willing to settle for the A-10,” he said.
“If I weren't flying across the country I wouldn't have cared, but that A-10 was never meant to make flights that long and with how slow it is and how tired I am I have no desire to be in the air with no one to talk to for anywhere near that long,” I said.
I headed for the closest hanger knowing they would have a flight suit for me and wondered if this Colonel was going to try taking off in the F-104 that was supposed to have been waiting for me. After changing into the flight suit I walked out of the hanger and noticed the A-10 was no longer sitting there and causally walked out to the F-104 and started my ground inspection. I found a couple things I didn't like, but nothing that would be a problem, so climbed up into the cockpit and started going over the controls. It had been so long since I had flown one and then only in a simulator. As I looked over the controls and re-familiarized myself with them the ground crew removed the ladder and wheel chocks. I pulled on my flight helmet and hooked up the oxygen plugging the helmet into the electronics so I would have radio. I completed the preflight and fired over the engine. Listening for any possible problems it might have.
I called the tower and was given clearance to taxi. Did I really want to go to Washington? What reason did I have? I received clearance to takeoff and pushed the throttle forward feeling the power of the engine as it built thrust for takeoff. I released the brakes and headed down the runway building speed and before reaching a quarter mile pulled back and felt the aircraft leap into the air.
I looked at the heading and made the correction for Andrews gaining altitude until I reached forty-five thousand feet and leveled off pushing the speed to Mach one point eight.
All I wanted to do was turn around and go home, yet here I was streaking my way across the sky at nearly Mach two. I looked at my fuel levels and knew it was going to be close, but as long as I didn't have to wait long when I got to Andrews I should be alright.
A couple hours after I took off I was picking up the Andrews tower and from what I was hearing they had planes stacked about four deep with as much as a twenty minute delay.
“Control this is x-ray ten alpha,” I said.
“X-ray ten alpha you are cleared for runway four right,” came back the response.
I was cleared as soon as I was in range. That didn't make sense. Surely some of these other aircraft were as low on fuel as I was.
“Roger control, runway four right,” I said.
They gave me the course correction I needed to line up on the runway and within moments I was taxiing to the hanger they wanted me at.
As I pulled up to the hanger there was a ground crew there with a ladder, and fuel truck to top off the tanks. I popped the canopy and disconnected my helmet sliding up to get out.
“Captain Waters, the President is waiting for you in the hanger,” some liaison officer said when I stepped off the ladder.
This was no joke about the President being the one ordering me to Washington. What had I done to draw this kind of attention from the commander in chief. I tried to do my job, and according to all the stories I kept hearing about my unit I guessed I did it rather well, but there were others who did their job equally well who never got noticed.
I stepped in the hanger and there stood a line of high ranking officers and dead center of all of them was the President. I knew I should have snapped to attention, but I was tired and stiff from the long flight from the base on the front lines to here.
I tripped and caught myself wishing this could at least wait for another time, like never. After regaining my balance I looked up and noticed everyone was staring at me now. They had now seen me at my clumsiest so I brushed it off and continued into the hanger.
“Captain Waters?” some General asked.
“Yes General. I apologize but you're not catching me at my best sir,” I said.
“We've all noticed that Captain. I see you seem to have forgotten military decorum as well,” he said.
“I haven't forgotten sir, I'm just stiff and tired from having spent the last twenty-four hours on an airplane, the last two and a half with no one to talk to. The fact that three days ago I had just gotten out of bed after collapsing from exhaustion... No sir I haven't forgotten, I just plan don't give a damn about military decorum at the moment. What I care about is where I'm going to get some sleep in a bed that isn't bouncing from turbulence. Regaining my health so I don't feel like such a boob, but I assure you sir, I haven't forgotten military decorum,” I said.
“I heard you were an insolent...” the General started.
“General!” the president said cutting him off in mid sentence. “Captain Waters. I can fully understand and forgive your lack of decorum given the circumstances. If you have a few minutes,” the President said taking my arm and guiding me over to a table indicating I should sit.
“Mr President, with all respect I really would rather stand at the mom
ent, but please if you would rather sit. I am curious why I was called here sir,” I said.
“I was handed some files recently and told that the person in those files was being transferred back state side. After reading those files I decided I needed to meet this extraordinary individual,” he said.
“The men who served under me are the ones who are extraordinary sir. Me I'm nobody special, just ask anyone who knew me growing up,” I said.
“Captain Waters I realize you're tired and would like nothing more than to get a good nights sleep, but due to my schedule this is the only time I have available in which I can present you with the Presidential Medal of Honor,” the President said.
“I'm glad to hear that sir, so if this is the only time, we can forgo the ceremony, and as far as I'm concerned the Medal as well. Like I said my men deserve it much more than I do,” I said.
“Captain I've yet to meet anyone receiving this Medal who didn't feel the same way you do, and everyone of them now wear or display it proudly,” the President said.
“I guess that'll make me the first to neither wear or display it since I haven't earned it in my opinion. You can give it if you choose Mr President, but I don't have to accept it, and since I don't feel I've earned it I don't accept it, unless you are willing to honor each of the men from the White Rose reconnaissance unit in like manner,” I said.
“You really are an arrogant man aren't you Captain?” the President asked.
“How do you figure sir? If it's because I don't believe I should be honored for killing people some map says are my enemy and only did so to preserve my life, the lives of the men under my command and those we were sent to rescue? If that makes me arrogant, then yes sir I am extremely arrogant. I don't believe in being rewarded for something like that,” I said.
“Captain I wish I could understand what you mean. From what I've been able to put together from the files I've read on you the enemy you faced wanted you dead more than anyone else they have ever faced. They knew what it would take to get you in the field and threw forces at you that should have been able to decimate you and your unit, yet you always seemed to find a way out without losing a single man,” the President said.
“Yes sir that's all true. I'm sure they'll be disappointed to learn I'm no longer there, but I am also sure someone else will step up and give them as much trouble as I ever did,” I said.
“The Medal is yours Captain, since it is yours, you will be required to display it whenever you wear your dress uniform,” the President said.
“Am I excused now sir?” I asked.
“I hope you will join me for dinner tonight Captain, I'm afraid it's a formal dinner so dress uniform will be required. General Bartlett will see you have somewhere to get some rest and a dress uniform as well as transportation,” the President said.
“I look forward to it sir and if I can get some rest perhaps I'll even be civil,” I said.
“I hope civil enough to allow me to pin that Medal on your chest,” the President said.
“Sir, perhaps if you hadn't already given me this medal I wouldn't be so snide about you giving it again since you obviously have no intention of giving it to any of the men who served under me. You gave me the Medal about two years ago when I was headed home on the first leave I had taken since joining the Air Force,” I said.
I didn't wait for a response I saw no need and with how tired I was I didn't really care anyway. I turned and headed for the walk through door to the hanger and stumbled again just before reaching it. There was no way I was going to be able to climb in that F-104 and fly back home without getting some sleep first, so turned back around and everything went black. I didn't feel the floor, I didn't feel anything, I was completely out.
When I woke up I was surrounded by people dressed in white and had an IV in my left arm.
“You gave a lot of people a hell of a scare Captain,” someone I assumed to be a doctor said.
“I'm guessing by the IV I'm in a hospital?” I asked.
“You passed out while talking with the President. You were brought here in His helicopter,” the doctor said.
“I don't think hovering over me like this is going to do much for me. All I needed was a little sleep, something I haven't gotten much of for the last few days,” I said.
“You seem to have lost quite a bit of blood recently and it will take time for your system to recover. I don't know why you haven't gotten sleep for the last few days, but if it was because of something you've done, I can't help but wonder if perhaps you should have a mental evaluation,” the doctor said.
“I can easily tell you the reason for last night and the night before. I just got home from the front lines and didn't get much sleep on the cargo plane back to the states, and then had to fly a fighter across the country on orders from the President so he could try giving me a medal he had already given me a couple years ago, only this time in front of a lot of high ranking brass. I've never slept well on airplanes and I seriously doubt I ever will. Now if you don't have anymore silly questions for me I'd like to get out of here and go home wherever the hell home is,” I said.
“You'll be here a few more days Captain, as for your idea of having been on a plane most of yesterday, I'm afraid that's not possible since you were brought in here two days ago. As for getting out of here I'll be the one saying when that will be not you,” he said.
“You wouldn't care to place a bet on that would you doc? If I get tired of laying here, I can assure you there is nothing you, or anyone, else can do to keep me here. That's the biggest reason the enemy on the front lines feared me more than anyone else on the front lines. They couldn't find me unless I allowed them to,” I said.
He gave me a look that said he knew my reputation and I didn't scare him in the least. He reached for a syringe sitting on the table and proceeded to pump its contents into the IV. I pretended to act groggy in hopes whatever it was in that syringe was supposed to put me back to sleep. He didn't seem interested in telling me what it was he just tried giving me, so I had no interest in letting him know any further that there wasn't much he could do if I didn't allow him.
I didn't remember taking the IV out but knew even as he emptied the syringe into it whatever it was would never enter my system, they had already put all the drugs they were going to in me without letting me know what they were and why they felt I needed them.
“Someone will be back to check on you in an hour Captain. You might as well get comfortable since my best guess is you'll be here for at least another week,” the doctor said.
I saw the rank on his uniform finally and closed my eyes faining sleep. I didn't care he was a Major General, or that he might be one of the best doctors in the world, I knew what I needed, and that was sleep, that I had already gotten. I felt better than I had in some time, and if they really thought they could keep me couped up in some hospital bed for another week, they were about to find out just how easy it would be for me to simply disappear.
“Nurse I want someone monitoring Captain Waters at all times. If he tries getting out of that bed you are to tie him to it if you have to, is that understood,” the doctor said.
To late doc I'm already out of it and by the time any of you have a clue I'll be out of this house of horrors as well. I thought as I slid down the hall hoping to find a room where I could change out of this damned hospital gown.
I had no idea where I was in this hospital, I wasn't even sure what hospital I was in, but since he told me I was brought here on the Presidents chopper I suspected Bethesda Naval hospital.
I found some stairs and started down still thinking about how nice it would be to have some decent clothes to put on, anything that would hide the fact I was supposed to be a patient.
When I exited the stair well I bumped into the doctor that was hovering over me when I woke up.
“Pardon me Captain. I'm not use to anyone using the stairs,” he said.
“It's all my fault General, I should have been more careful,
” I replied.
He didn't seem to notice it was me and somehow I was wearing a full dress uniform with my name, rank, service ribbons and medals on it. I spotted the exit and headed for it hoping to be out of the building before he realized who I am.
The sun was about mid point of its arc across the sky and hit me in the eyes as I stepped out the door causing me to blink and shield my eyes momentarily.
“I take it you've been inside most of the day?” that same doctor asked.
“I wasn't expecting it to be quite so bright.” I just wanted out of this place, but with how bright it was trying to hide in plain sight was going to be harder than I cared to think about.
“Are you expecting someone, or can I give you a ride?” he placed his hand in the small of my back.
“General there is only one man in this world allowed to touch me as you just have. I suggest if you don't wish to become a patient here you refrain from doing so again,” I said.
“You're married then?” he asked.
“Whether I am or not is none of your concern sir,” I said.
“You sound just like a patient I have here Captain. If you weren't a woman I'd swear you were...” he said.
I didn't hear anything he said after he said I was a woman. There was no way I would ever try hiding myself that way, because I knew how hard it would be for me to drop the role.
A cab pulled up and I slid in asking the driver to take me to Dulles so I could catch a flight back home. I had enough of Washington and its ass kisser attitudes.
I searched the flight board looking for one that would get me close and found I would be stuck here for several hours if I waited around. I noticed a bank and decided to see if I had enough in my account to either rent, or buy a car so I could drive. I had no idea how much I had because my check was deposited and the record of deposit went to my parents. I was rarely ever home and on base I hadn't needed to spend anything since I lived in quarters they furnished and all the furniture in those quarters were provided as well. I ate either in the chow hall or C-rations since there really weren't any restaurants close to base and the food in the chow hall was better than the few restaurants on base. While in the field C-rations were the standard fare other than whatever we could find along the way.
I asked to make a withdrawal for what I was sure would be enough to buy a nice car and enough gas and food to get me home, and again caught a cab and asked the driver to take me to the closest new car dealer.
“May I help you sir?” some man said when I stepped out of the cab.
“I don't think so, but if she works here she can,” I said pointing at a gal just coming out the front door of the dealership.
The guy gave me a dirty look, but didn't step away.
“Is there something one of us could help you with Captain Waters?” the woman asked.
“I'm looking for a fun car to drive. Something sporty, but not draw attention sporty,” I said.
“Do you care what color it is?” she asked.
“Not really Lieutenant. I only care that it's safe and fun to drive, and under forty thousand dollars,” I said.
“I see. How about something like this T top Camaro? The reports on it say it has a very comfortable ride and handles very nicely,” she said.
“Why don't we take it out for a test drive and if it feels like something I belong in...” I said not finishing the sentence.
“I doubt it'll feel like what you're use to sir,” she said.
“I have no idea what I'm use to, Lieutenant. I haven't driven anything but an F-104 in six months, and I was so tired when I drove that I don't really remember it all that well,” I said.
I opened the passenger door for her and walked around the other side sliding in and pulling the door closed. I looked out the windshield and set my hands on the steering wheel trying to get a feel for how it would handle.
“I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but I don't think this car is for me.” I opened the door and slid out not fully aware what it was about the car that wasn't right only that it wasn't the right car.
I looked over the parking lot trying to find just the right car and noticed a jeep full of MP's driving by. I turned away from the road and sitting there was just the car I wanted. I didn't have to sit in it to know this car was the one, it was like the car already belonged to me, like I had been driving it for years.
“This car Lieutenant, this is the car I want,” I said.
“You weren't kidding when you said nondescript were you. There must be ten thousand cars that look just like that one,” she said.
I insisted and we went inside to get the paperwork done while someone took the car somewhere to clean it up and fill the gas tank. When the paperwork was finished the car was sitting out front again, only it wasn't the same car.
“I appreciate the try Lieutenant, but that isn't the car I just bought. Now if you want to bring the car I just bought out here I'll be on my way, if however you don't I'm sure you know my reputation since you knew who I am before you were close enough to read my name tag,” I said.
“Captain I didn't know...” she started.
“I'm not accepting excuses Lieutenant, perhaps when those MP's stop in here looking for me you can explain how you thought you could cheat me out of the car I bought,” I said.
“Sir I assure you you're the last person I would try cheating. If the car was changed it was done without my knowledge,” she said, panic heavy in her words and posture.
I knew she wasn't lying to me the fear in her eyes said as much, which left the man who first tried approaching me the guilty party. I saw him dealing with someone else and slowly strolled out where he was as though looking for a car.
“I'll be right with you ma'am,” he said.
“Take your time I'm in no hurry,” I replied.
Again the references to me as a woman. I didn't think about it overly long and on looking back at the sales person I had been working with realized she hadn't heard what was said. She seemed to be very concerned that the car that had been brought around for me wasn't the one she sold me.
“Is there something I can help you with ma'am?” the man salesperson asked.
“Yes I believe there is. You can tell me why the car I bought is not the one that was brought around when we finished the paperwork. Now I know you have no idea who I am, but that young lady that sold me the car knows full well who I am. I'm fairly certain if you ask her what happens to people who think they can pull a fast one on me, she'd be only to glad to tell you. Since she does know who I am, I know she wouldn't dare lie to me and the only other person that could have pulled the switch is you. The way I see it you have two options here. You can have the car I bought delivered here in two minutes, in which case you won't need medical attention, or you can play dumb and hope the MP's running around are able to stop me before I make you wish you were dead. The choice is yours, I do hope you don't make me wait to long,” I said.
“Keith if I were you I would take the first option Captain Waters gave you, he could snap you in half and you wouldn't even know it,” the saleswoman said.
“Captain I don't know who you think you are, but I deal with you military types all the time,” the man said.
“I seriously doubt you've ever dealt with a front line reconnaissance commander before, and like she said, it wouldn't be anything for me to snap you in half,” I said.
“Captain Waters. We have orders to take you back to the hospital, sir,” one of the MP's said pulling into the dealership.
“Really Sargent? And I suppose you think I'm going to go along without any fuss?” I asked.
“Sir we know who you are and if you aren't willing to come with there's likely nothing we can do with how few of us there are here. I was hoping, that since Mac is my brother, you might be willing to at least talk to us,” the MP said.
“You know Mac? When was the last time you heard from him?” I asked.
“He called a couple days ago and said something about getting trans
ferred to a Colonel Wright's company,” the MP said.
“Chuck will take good care of him. All I want is to go home and get some rest. To not have to kill anymore. I just want to forget all about all the things we had to do over there,” I said.
“Yes sir, I can only imagine what it was like for you. Mac never tells us much something about how your missions were all classified,” the MP said.
“I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Mac and the others. They want to give me a medal for killing people I had no reason to kill other than we are in their country and they wanted us to go home. If it weren't for Mac, and Curtis and all the others, but because I was the one in command they only want to give me the medal,” I said.
“Captain, I know you're tired, I know you hate hospitals. If we take you to a motel will you promise not to try running again?” the MP asked.
“Sargent if I was trying to run I wouldn't be standing here now. I just want to go home. Not some motel, and if you think you can take me back to that house of horrors I won't be held responsible for how many of you end up dead,” I said.
“No hospital Captain, and the motel is only for a couple days so you can get rested up some more,” he said.
“I say when I'm rested enough to make the trip, not some quack doctor,” I said.
“A couple days minimum sir, long enough for Mac to get here and see you home safe,” the MP said.
“Mac is coming? I want to talk to him,” I said.
“Sir come back to base with me and we can call him together,” the MP said.
“Mac is on a mission, Colonel Wright took his company out just as we were taking off to come back to the states,” I said.
“I'm sure we can get in touch with him sir,” the MP said.
“Do you really know who I am Sargent? Do you know who it is that protects me? Do you really want to wake The White Rose?” I asked.
“The White Rose is children's stories Captain. Mac told me he told them to you since you didn't have a clue about them. There's no such person as the White Rose,” the MP said.
“I can smell your blood lust Sargent. As fast as your vampire magic lets you be I'm even faster, just ask Mac he found out the hard way. Do you really want to try a witch that can see everything you can do? A witch that has powers you can't begin to imagine? Tell me Sargent what do you think you can do if I just decide to release all the magic I'm holding right now?” I said.
“You're not a vampire and no witch can see the blood magic of the vampires,” he said.
“There is one. You learned all about her growing up Sargent. It isn't time for her to show herself, but she will always protect me until it is time. Look at me Sargent, look at the marks of my power. The mark of the vampire is there though not fully like the mark of the witch, but that is only because it is not time yet for The White Rose to be known,” I said.
He started backing away fear showing in his eyes, he knew the stories of The White Rose, he knew The White Rose could do worse than destroy him with nothing more than a thought.
“Forgive me mistress, I thought they were only stories,” he said.
“I'm going home Sargent, in the car I bought. If you really want to find out just how powerful I am, by all means get in my way,” I said.
“I wouldn't dream of getting in your way Mistress,” he said.
“When next you talk to Mac you won't remember having met me. I will again be only children's stories, until the day I appear with all my power and let the world know who I am. Take your men and leave, of what you seek here, there is no sign,” I said.
I turned around to the salesman. “You had your chance to not feel the wrath of someone who can cast judgment without bias. Instead, you have chosen to risk my wrath. This day you will no longer be able to speak a lie. This day you will seek what has always eluded you and find it farther out of grasp each time you dwell on it. Happiness is hidden from you for you have sought to deprive others of what is rightfully theirs. The depravity of your mind will become your hearts desire and your undoing, all things that were yours now belong to others,” I said.
I turned to the gal who had helped me and saw she had never seen anything like what she had just witnessed.
The car I had just bought was coming around from somewhere behind the sales offices. I walked over and and slid in the driver seat, and just sat there, something happened but none of it made any sense.
“Captain Waters, are you okay?” the saleswoman asked.
I looked up not having any idea what was going on.
“I don't know. The last thing I remember was talking to the President in a hanger at Andrews Air Force base. I just want to go home so I can get some rest, but I don't even know where I am,” I said.
“Captain is there someone I can call?” she asked.
She opened the door and I slid out following her in the office with no idea where I was or how I had gotten there. I sat in a chair and heard her pick up the phone and say something.
“Captain someone will be here shortly, I promise they won't try to hurt you they just want to help,” she said.
A short time later my sister Kathy walked in.
“Sam are you alright?” Kathy asked.
“Kathy were are we? All I want is to go home, I've been relieved of my command because I've been ill lately, I'm just so tired,” I said.
“It's okay big brother, I'll help you get home and everything will be alright. I need to talk to June and then we'll see about going home, but I'm driving okay,” Kathy asked.
“Kathy is it possible, could he really be her?” June asked.
“June everything you saw needs to be forgotten, until she is ready to show herself she is nothing but stories,” Kathy said.
“Is he really your brother?” June asked.
“Is it really so hard to believe. I remember when I first entered training everyone thought it was me, is it so hard to believe that the one all the stories is about could be disguised as a man? I know when it comes to ability with magic I don't hold a candle to what Sam is capable of, but to say he is the one we've all been waiting for, I don't know,” Kathy said.
“He wore the symbols. He even said that the only reason the symbol of the vampire wasn't as dark as that of the witch was because he hadn't been bitten yet, he wasn't yet a vampire,” June said.
“June I'm asking you not to say anything to anyone about this until she shows herself. If Sam isn't her, and you started telling everyone he is, think how foolish it will make you look, if he is her, and is exposed prematurely she could kill you or worse,” Kathy said.
“If I am the one what? Kathy where are we?” I asked when she turned back to me.
“How much money do you have Sam?” she asked.
“I don't know, what difference does it make? You aren't going to answer my question are you?” I asked.
“We're just outside Washington DC, I'm not sure how to answer the other question. I want to know how much money you have so I know if I need to get some so we can get back home,” she said.
“I think I have a couple thousand in cash, but I still have about twenty thousand in the bank. I don't think we need to worry about money to get home,” I said.
I got in the passenger side of a new car Kathy said was mine. I didn't remember buying a car, but if my choice was going home in a car I was supposed to own or waiting for the MP's to find me for whatever reason they were looking for me, I'd take going home. I put on the seat belt and laid my head back closing my eyes.
I felt Kathy slide in the driver seat and was gone again into a world I controlled, a world in which anything I wanted was possible. As always in this world I was Samantha and loved only one man, the man who for all my life had dominated my dreams as my protector, my love. I loved this world for all the splendor it held, all the love so readily available to anyone who needed it.
Kathy cursed and I felt the car slow down and stop.
“Is there something wrong sis?” I asked.
“I thou
ght you were asleep. I may have been going a little fast I guess we'll see if I can talk my way out of a ticket,” she said.
I turned and looked behind us and also let out a curse.
“Kathy do you trust me?” I asked.
“Of course I trust you Sam, why wouldn't I?” she asked.
“Then I need you to do exactly what I tell you. Don't question don't think beyond what I tell you to do. This isn't about speeding, these guys want me and until I get home they can go fuck themselves. Where are we? How long was I asleep?” I asked.
“You were asleep about four hours. I think we're getting close to Pennsylvania, it took a while to get out of the Washington traffic,” she said.
“Okay, set the park brake and put the car in gear. As soon as he steps up past the rear bumper hit the gas and release the park brake. When you get to the speed limit don't take your foot off the gas, keep it there until I tell you otherwise,” I said.
I felt the car shift when she put it back in gear, and before I got half way through a ten count the engine raced and the car jumped. I noticed an exit off the highway and realized we were on a limited access road. A big sign over the highway indicated if we wanted to stay on the highway we were on we needed to bare to the right and the highway we were on would become a toll road.
“Stay left the last thing we want is a toll road, we are going to be doing some fast driving and we don't need to be slowed down right now. After we get past the fork take the next exit and I'll trade you seats,” I said.
She followed my instructions to the letter and when I got out to trade seats with her I noticed a chopper hovering just out of easy range to know if they were looking for us or doing something else.
I knew who the chopper was looking for the way it hovered and the way the markings I could see on it stuck out. They were after me and I didn't have any idea why.
It took me no time to lose the chopper and any cars that hoped to be following us. I looked over at Kathy and saw a very worried look on her face.
“You don't need to worry sis, I lost them, it cost a little more gas than I hoped, but they are gone, at least for now. We need to stay close to the speed limit so we don't draw attention from the police, but the military should know trying to track us on their own won't be easy. We might want to trade this car for something else that way they won't even know what to be looking for, so the best they'll be able to do is try figuring out where it is we're going,” I said.
“Maybe I should get back home in case they come by to ask if I've talked to you. Sam I don't understand why they would be going to so much trouble to find you. I thought you were supposed to be on leave,” Kathy said.
“I was supposed to be on leave, but just before we landed I received orders that a plane was waiting for me and as soon as possible I was to fly to Andrews. The orders came from as high up as possible, they came from the White House. When I got to Andrews I was ushered into a hanger and the President wanted to give me another Presidential Medal of Honor. I guess someone didn't like that I refused it and told the President that unless he was willing to extend the same honor to the men who had served under me I didn't want any part of his honors. I don't remember much of anything after that,” I said.
“You told the President to go fuck himself?” she asked.
“Not in those words, but in essence I guess that was what I said,” I told her.
“You don't tell the President of the United States to go fuck himself in any words Sam. Sometimes I can't believe you're my brother,” she said.
“So I guess I was supposed to smile and accept the honor as though the men who served with me didn't matter. Oh yes Mr President, thank you Mr President, the men who served under my command don't deserve anything after all they only followed my orders! Come off it Kathy those men deserve the honor more than I do! They did what I asked because they knew I cared about them, and the best way they had of letting me know they cared was to follow my orders,” I said.
“Sam you still don't tell the President to go fuck himself. No wonder you haven't been promoted beyond Captain, you have a bad habit of telling those over you to fuck themselves,” she said.
“I guess you want me to take you to an airport so you can fly home?” I asked.
“No I just need to talk to Brent and let him know I'm out of town and will be back in a few days,” she said.
“Won't he want to know where you are?” I asked.
“Sam this isn't the first time I've had to leave suddenly, he's use to me taking off for a couple days and not telling him where I am. As long as I call he doesn't worry much,” Kathy said.
“So what did you do to deserve someone so understanding?” I asked.
“I wish I knew,” she said.
I asked her to be careful about how long she was on the phone. I didn't know if the government had tapped her phone yet, but knew it wouldn't be long and everyone in the family would have their phones tapped in an attempt to track me down.
I got a motel in some little out-of-the-way town where it was possible to park the car where it wouldn't be readily visible from either the road or the air before the sun set.
“I need to get some clothes so I'm not wearing this uniform,” I said.
“You could always dress like a girl the way you did when you were little. I doubt there are very many people who would ever guess who are if you did, besides your name could be either male or female in its shortened form,” she said.
“That's nice sis, I only see one problem with it.” She gave me a dirty look. “You don't have a suitcase so all you have is what you're wearing. I guess if you wanted to get each of us something else to wear, it might work,” I said.
“It would be much easier if you'd just be your real self Sam, but then you don't believe in magic do you. You don't know how hard that is for me to believe,” she said.
“So you're telling me you do believe in magic? I don't believe in stories Kathy. I don't believe in anything I can't prove logically,” I said.
“If you'll pull in the parking lot for that store I'll see what I can find to help transform you into my sister, at least until we get home,” she said.
In the store we started going through the womens section and as much as I wanted to dress as myself the more I looked at the clothes the more I knew now was not the time. All it would take was for me to put on one of the dresses I saw and everything my magic was suppressing would come bounding out and it was fighting with itself hard enough trying to keep the truth of who I am locked away until the proper time.
I headed over to the mens section and found some jeans that looked like they would fit along with some tee shirts.
“You might want to try those jeans on sir,” I heard someone say.
I turned around and the voice took the shape of a face that wasn't much older than I was.
“They're the same size as the pants I'm wearing, they should fit,” I said.
“These aren't military sizes here, it might not be a bad idea to try them on rather than just assume they'll fit,” the girl said.
She showed me to the dressing room and when I closed the door she asked if I was the Captain Waters of White Rose.
“Where did you hear that name?” I asked.
“From my brother. He said Captain Waters White Rose saved his company from sure defeat about a year ago. Something about they had been on assignment into enemy territory and got trapped. He told us the real problems didn't start until Captain Waters got there to get them out, but even though the enemy increased their attacks Captain Waters was always one step ahead of them and the increased attacks were less destructive than the attacks before he got there,” she said.
“I suppose your brother has a name?” I asked.
“He isn't in trouble for telling us is he?” she asked.
“That all depends on how much he told you. I believe a lot of what happened is still classified,” I said.
“So you are that Captain Waters?” she asked.
; “If anyone stops in here asking will you tell them you haven't seen me?” I asked.
“I don't understand Captain. Are you in some kind of trouble?” she asked.
“I have no idea, but chances are someone isn't very happy about how I talked to the President a few days ago. If they wanted me to be civil they should have let me get some sleep rather than trying to force me into a situation I didn't like while I was tired,” I said.
“You've met the President? I'll bet that was cool,” she said.
“He's just a man, not really much different than any other man. Personally I've had to kill better men than he is,” I said.
“You don't think much of him do you?” she asked.
“Should I? It was on his orders that after spending twenty hours on a cargo plane I had to climb in a fighter and fly cross country, another two and a half hours, just so he could try making himself look good. No! I really don't think much of him,” I said.
I pulled on the jeans and saw what she meant about civilian sizes not being the same as military sizes. I took them off and pulled on my dress pants trying to fold the jeans the way they had been.
“I see what you mean about trying them on first. Those would have fallen off,” I said.
“That's just the opposite problem my brother had,” she said.
“So are you going to tell me your brothers name or do I have to guess?” I asked.
“Allen, his military friends all called him Fish. I think it was cause he was a really good swimmer,” she said.
“Is he out now or just stationed stateside?” I asked.
“He's out now. They sent him back again and he was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down,” she said.
“I'm sorry to hear that. Tell him I wish him the best, and the only thing that can stop him is him,” I said.
“He said if I ever met you I'd like you. He's right. I tell him he's the only thing stopping him, all the time. I wish there were a way of giving him back his legs,” she said.
“Severed spinal cord?” I asked.
“He caught a piece of shrapnel in the small of his back it almost cut him in half,” she said.
“Captain I never thought I'd ever see someone like you around here. Sis this is Captain Waters of White Rose,” a man in a wheel chair said.
“Doesn't look like you're going to be setting those diving records I remember hearing about Seaman,” I said.
“You know Captain, as a seal I always thought I was part of the best of the best until I met you and your White Rose. The other seals I was with after that mission use to make fun of you fly boys saying you were all just a bunch of pansies. I tried telling them if they ever met you and Sargent Denvers, they'd change their minds in a big hurry, that just got me laughed at. I still think you and your men are the greatest though Captain,” he said.
“Mac just loves hearing from those who don't know us and think because we're Air Force we're pansies. I think the first time the two of us heard something like that it was from a unit of Marines. For some reason they didn't seem so tough after Mac was through with them,” I said.
“I can only imagine, he has to be about twice your size and you're about the only person he listened to,” he said.
“Mac and I were together a long time. I hope he listens to Colonel Wright, his new commanding officer. I'm sure there are likely to be a few problems between them, but then Chuck did know both Mac and I from a couple mission we did together. Seaman I wish I could stay and swap war stories, but I just came in here to get some clothes and get going on my way home, it's still a long way to go and if we have as much trouble the rest of the way as we've had so far... well I'm not looking forward to it,” I said.
I picked up some pants that were a size smaller in the waist and slipped in the dressing room to try them on. They were snug enough I figured I'd be safe and pulled the tags off. I took off my dress jacket and folded it neatly draping it over my arm along with the dress pants. Kathy picked out several dresses and had some I was sure were to small for her but were very cute.
After paying for everything we headed out to get in the car and go back to the motel we were in for the night.
“Sam where's the car?” Kathy asked.
“Right were we parked it, why?” I asked.
“But that doesn't look like the same car, I thought your car was blue not green,” she said.
“Kathy it's always been green. Look at the plates on it, WH ROSE, those are my plates, it has to be my car,” I said.
“No Sam, that's the plates and color of the car you have at my house. The car we had here was blue and didn't have any plates on it because you just bought it,” she said.
“I thought I was the one who was supposed to be so tired I can't think straight,” I said.
This was my car the only car I had owned since joining the Air Force. I got the personalized plates when I bought the car more than a year ago. What Kathy was talking about made no sense to me. I had a car why would I buy another one.
I unlocked the trunk and put the clothes I bought in waiting for Kathy to put her new clothes in as well.
She gave me a look that said she didn't understand what was going on, but she knew whatever it was I did it.
“Kathy, I don't understand why you're so angry, I didn't do anything this is the same car we were in before we entered the store,” I said.
As soon as we got to the room and got our shopping laid out on the bed I started looking at the dresses she had bought that looked to small for her.
“You didn't use your credit card to buy these did you?” I asked.
“No Sam I didn't, if you look none of them have any tags on them and that little store doesn't carry these labels anyway,” she said.
“So where did they come from?” I asked.
“Mine came from my closet and those came from yours. I thought we agreed you'd dress like Samantha the rest of the way home,” she said.
“My closet? Why would I have a closet of womens clothes? Besides that how could you have gotten them since we're still about two thousand miles from home?” I asked.
“So you don't want to dress in a way you're not recognizable?” she asked.
“Kathy we aren't kids anymore. It was fun when we were little and yes I did enjoy playing at being Samantha, but how many people do you really think it would fool? I'm a special forces officer. I don't know the first thing about being able to be a woman,” I said.
Again she gave me a look that said she couldn't begin to understand me. How could I tell her I wanted to wear the clothes she had for me more than anything, but was terrified of what might happen if I did. I knew I couldn't go through what it would take to cast the spell to forget again, I still hadn't gained enough strength from the last time and each time the strength needed to cast the spell was greater. I knew she wouldn't want to do what it would take to help and I doubted even with how strong I was when I was healthy I could do it again alone. There was so much I didn't know about magic, and for now it was easier to not believe and pretend I wanted nothing to do with dressing as myself then contemplate becoming myself fully before both of my daughters were born.
I filled the bathtub with hot water and threw all the jeans I bought in it and grabbed the motel furnished bar of soap and started scrubbing them trying to wash the new out of them. After scrubbing the last pair I drained the tub and started rinsing the soap out of them.
“Where did you learn to do that?” she asked.
“It was part of my survival training. We couldn't take many clothes with us out in the field, so we needed to know how to clean them. We would usually do it at night so they'd be dry in the morning and it was just a matter of folding them so they would fit in our packs,” I said.
“I can't imagine the training you've had, but then I can't imagine what you faced in this crazy war either,” she said.
“Believe me sis you don't want to know either,” I said.
“You've had to kill people haven't you?” she aske
d.
“We need to get some sleep tomorrow is going to be a long day,” I said, ignoring her question.
“I won't ask again, but if you want to talk, I'm willing to listen. Have you seen Chris lately?” she asked.
“You mean Major Jacobs? He was on a mission when I left, I'm guessing it was the same mission he was on when I collapsed the last time,” I said.
“What do you mean about you collapsed?” she asked.
“I mean I haven't had a decent nights sleep in weeks and I collapsed. The doctors said I was anemic and since it hadn't been more than a month since the first time they took my unit away from me and sent me home to finish out my time,” I said.
“Anemic as in massive blood loss?” she asked.
“Something like that yes, the thing is I have nothing that could account for that kind of blood loss and that's what bothers them so much,” I said.
“So it has started, now I understand better,” she said under her breath. “How much longer do you have before you get out?”
“I have six months before I can resign my commission, then another four years of inactive reserve,” I said.
“I'm not sure I understand,” she said.
“Basically I have four and a half more years before I can tell them to fuck themselves and get away with it,” I said.
“So what is it they want so bad now? They aren't trying to send you back there are they?” she asked.
“I'm not sure what they want right now. I think I was in the hospital and left without them saying I could, but if I did it's fuzzy and more a dream memory than anything. Kathy the doctors back on the base I was stationed on never tried keeping me in the hospital, instead letting me rest in my quarters. They knew if I needed anything my men would get it for me and also make sure I didn't do anything crazy. I kind of remember a doctor telling me I wasn't getting out of his hospital for a couple days. I hate hospitals,” I said.
The Hidden Rose Page 65
