|
Post by feralferret on Aug 26, 2022 10:12:19 GMT -6
Good things come to those who wait.
|
|
|
Post by bluefox2 on Aug 26, 2022 17:57:56 GMT -6
"The Thrill" is the reason there are only two classes of motorcycle riders: Those who have had an accident. Those who will have an accident. That's also the reason we have 500MPH jet passenger airraft carrying 400+ passengers - some otherwise intelligent adult wanted to fly faster ;-) There are old motorcycle riders and there are bold motorcycle riders but there are no old, bold, motorcycle riders. The "THRILL" is also the reason people drive in circles at over 200 mph or try to go straight for a quarter mile at the same speeds. did some of that myself in my way younger years.
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Aug 26, 2022 19:56:49 GMT -6
Had two 12 sec cars in my youth.
|
|
|
Post by cutter on Oct 1, 2022 21:30:52 GMT -6
Chapter 59
(Armory, two hours later)
“Good morning, Major. How may I help you?”
(Major Watts hands the sergeant a list)
“I need these items, in these quantities, loaded on that truck as soon as possible.”
“Ma’am, I can’t load US Government weaponry and equipment on a private vehicle!”
“You are a sergeant. I am a Major. I am under direct and classified orders. It would be unwise of you to refuse my orders.”
“Aye Ma’am. It will take us a little time to assemble this list.”
“That’s good, because a LITTLE time is all that I have. Clear? Get moving.”
“Aye, Ma’am!”
(The sergeant goes into the armory, but steps into his office and makes a call.)
“Captain Townsend.”
“Captain, Sergeant Bond. I’m sorry to bother you, Sir, but I think we have a huge problem. Sir, there’s a Major Watts here with a list, demanding I load enough weapons, ammunition, and equipment on her truck to equip a squad. She’s wanting small arms, grenades, night vision, gas masks, shaped charges…Sir, she wants enough stuff to blow up half the base! She says she’s following classified orders.”
“Good work, Bond. Text me that list, now. Stall her.”
“Aye, Sir.” (Click)
(...) (Reading text)
“Holy Shit!”
(Second call)
“General Grayson’s office.”
“This is Captain Townsend at the armory. Put me through to General Grayson immediately! This is an emergency!”
“Aye, Sir!”
(...)
“Captain, this is General Grayson. What’s…”
“Sir, there’s a woman claiming to be a Major at the armory, demanding enough firepower to level half this base to be loaded onto her personal vehicle!”
“Would her name happen to be Watts?”
“Aye, Sir. How did you know? She’s claiming she’s under classified orders.”
“Not just classified orders, MY classified orders. You and your people will comply with any order she gives, and provide her with everything she’s asking for.”
“UM, Sir? She wants four Javelin anti tank missiles.”
“Give her six, if they’ll fit. If she doesn’t already have claymores on that list, give her a dozen or so of them too. And make sure she has at least a case of CS grenades, a case of flash bangs, a breaching tool, and two shotguns set up for breaching, with appropriate ammunition for them. You may stop loading that truck when you don’t have a spare inch of room for anything else but her. Have your people stop whatever else they’re doing and get her loaded ASAP. You personally bring me a list of whatever you load and I’ll sign off on it personally.”
“Aye, Sir.”
“You handled the situation well, Captain. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Sir.”
“Carry on.” (click)
(At the armory, Alyssa’s phone rings. It startles her.)
“Major Watts.”
“Major, General Grayson. When you’re done picking up your groceries, come see me immediately. That is an order.”
“General, I can explain.”
“You need not explain; I am aware of the situation. If anyone asks, I issued the alleged classified orders you are currently operating under.”
“Aye, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”
"Major, you should probably wait until after our meeting, before you thank me. This isn't over yet."
(White House, Situation Room)
“Mr. President, Director Stevens is here.”
“Scott, she may be in the building, but until she’s standing in front of me, she’s not here. Where is she, specifically?”
“I’m here, Sir. Your assistant apparently thought I needed to be formally announced.”
“For. The. Last. Time. No more pomp and circumstance. No more cloak and dagger nonsense. No more standing on ceremony. The United States, its Constitution, its Government, and most especially its people are fighting for our collective lives here. This isn’t happening fast enough and whatever we have working, isn’t working. I want answers; I want solutions, and I want them NOW! No more niceties, is that clear?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Good. Get out of my sight. Carol, what happened?”
“The USS Carl Vincent has been damaged in port by a sapper mine.”
“I already know that! How bad is she damaged?”
“The number three screw is damaged beyond repair and the shaft seal is destroyed. She’s taking on water, but it’s under control. According to her Captain and engineering crew, she’s capable of deploying, at a reduced speed, if absolutely necessary. She’ll have to be put in drydock for repair and replacement to be fully battle ready, but she’s mission capable at the moment, if we have to have her. Before you ask, the engineers don’t know how long yet, so I don’t know how long yet. The experts are working on getting you that answer.”
“Casualties?”
“Amazingly, none Sir. She came in for reprovisioning and minor maintenance. The Captain took the opportunity to authorize shore leave for all but a skeleton crew of volunteers. There were only a handful of crewmen in the engineering section.”
“Any idea who did it?”
“We don’t know who’s behind it yet, but we will. Two men actually executed the attack. In their haste to get away, they got sloppy. A guard spotted them coming out of the water, but not in time to prevent the explosion. One decided to be heroic and is in the morgue. The other is currently in a room, deep underground, enjoying the attentions of several charming CIA agents. I am told he became very chatty, after a little encouragement.”
“Get all you can out of him. He will never speak to anyone outside the US Government, again. When they get the very last piece of information out of him, make him quietly go away…forever. Clear?”
“Crystal, Mr. President.”
“Do you have anything else?”
“Yes Sir. I have some unconventional agents operating in the field right now, on US soil. For the sake of plausible deniability, please don’t ask. I have been informed that we have a double agent in the CIA.”
“I assume your agents intend to capture this person alive, if possible.”
“There is no ‘if possible’. I know all of the people I sent, very well. They will capture him alive at any cost, and will convince him to tell them what he knows. They will then hand him over to us alive, though probably not well.”
“I don’t care, if it keeps our Citizens alive. I’m not ordering you to do whatever’s necessary. I’m not ordering you to ignore all laws, treaties, or international agreements to get what we need to stop this. Get the picture?”
(Carol smiles a predatory smile)
“In color, Jim. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you, Carol. I have to go. I’m addressing the Nation in 30 minutes.”
“Godspeed, Mr. President.”
“To all of us.”
(Safe house, Hayden, CO.)
“Good to see you again, Todd.”
“Mike! Glad you could make it.”
“What? And let you guys have all the fun? Not a chance. I have to say my Captain was less than happy with me taking leave at the moment, or maybe it was because I took all of it.”
“How did you get him to approve 67 days leave!?!”
“I offered to resign my commission if he didn’t approve it.”
“That’ll do it. Don’t sweat it; I’ll bet my spare leg you won’t lose any leave when this is over.”
“Not that worried about it. I get paid to shoot really cool guns and blow shit up; every day’s a vacation.”
“You need a hobby. I think you know everybody.”
Hey Doug, Gene, Charlie. Holy Mary! Abas?”
“Holy Mary? Mike, I’m Muslim.”
“And I’m Catholic, so what? I thought the Taliban got you in Reg!”
“So did they. I was captured, but a Ranger team convinced them to let me go.”
“How!?!”
“It’s amazing how being sent to Allah changes a person’s priorities.”
“Yup! It’s damn good to see you. I still owe you dinner.”
“No pork chops.”
“You pick the place.”
“Deal.”
“Todd, you expecting anybody else?”
“No, why?”
“Black pickup pulling in the driveway.”
“What!?! Wait, that’s my CO’s truck! Alyssa, what the hell did you do!?!”
|
|
|
Post by feralferret on Oct 2, 2022 20:46:41 GMT -6
Cutter,
Yea!!!!! You're back. Thanks for the new chapter.
|
|
|
Post by udwe on Oct 2, 2022 21:21:50 GMT -6
Yay! you're back! It's been WAY to long!
|
|
|
Post by cutter on Jul 30, 2023 21:29:42 GMT -6
After far, far too long, things slowed down for a minute and a few words were there. Sorry it's been most of a year. Enjoy.
Chapter 60
(Safe house, Hayden, CO)
(Knock on the door)
“Alyssa! What are you doing here?”
“I brought your grocery order.”
“Abas, open the garage door! Close it as soon as she’s inside! Alyssa, get your truck and trailer in the garage, NOW!”
(Alyssa walks calmly back to her truck and backs the trailer into the garage, unhooks it, then backs her truck in.)
“Gene, do you see anything?”
“Just two birds and a groundhog. All’s quiet. Todd, I really don’t think she was followed.”
“I hope not, too many civilians with way too many kids in this neighborhood.”
(Alyssa comes back in the house.)
“Ma’am, what are you doing here!?!”
“You needed groceries, Gran’s Pinto wasn’t big enough, and she won’t drive at night anyway.”
“Did you get everything?”
“And more. You wouldn’t believe…General Grayson told the Quartermaster on duty to add a few specific items and to keep loading stuff until I could barely fit in the cab. He added a second Barrett and some SEAL toys, among other things. Todd, I have two crossbows and four dozen bolts for them! The General was seriously thinking out of the box. I don’t even know if he remembers where he left the box! We can capture and hold Colorado if you want to.”
“Why would I want Colorado? The Air Force Academy is here, too many Zoomies. All I care about is Lynch and the leadership of this training camp. I want his traitorous ass and I want the attacks to stop. I want to get to them before they get to my family.”
“We’ll get them. What happened that you had to call in reinforcements? And who is Lynch?”
“Spook with the CIA. I don’t know his real name; I got Lynch from that A-Team movie. Conveniently, he’s my handler on this mission. He set me up a ‘hide.’ I find it a little suspect that a three man team advanced on it like they knew it was there, three days after I went into the field. They learned first hand what 10 sticks of dynamite will do in an enclosed space, although I don’t think what’s left of them will be able to do much with that information. I should also mention that I’m dead.”
“WHAT!?!”
“Apparently, the Sheriff’s department determined that four guys were running some fool, illegal gold mining operation. Never mind that nobody’s ever found gold within a hundred miles of here. Only one body had any identification, my dog tags.”
“Where the Hell did you get a body!?!”
“I borrowed it from the morgue, over at the hospital. He was an indigent. Don’t worry, he’ll get a proper burial in our family cemetery. My brother already knows and agreed to have him buried there. He’s even going to have my headstone put on the grave, for now. We’ll have a new headstone made for him when this is all over, and if anyone ever comes to claim the body, we’ll do everything we can to make it easy.”
“Todd, I always knew you were scary crazy, but that’s some next level shit!”
“Mike, I threatened to kill you, in front of our commanding officer. Is this really that much worse?”
“Did you send him to the morgue?”
“No.”
“Then I guess not. Anyway, what kind of toys did you bring us?”
“You name it, and I probably have one on the truck. Sorry Charlie, no tanks.”
“That’s ok. How about a mortar?”
“Got one, with 50 rounds.”
“SERIOUSLY!?!”
“Seriously. Todd, I only brought one Barrett because I figured you had Bernadette with you.”
“I do. Did you bring any HEAP rounds with you?”
“One can of 100.”
“Linked?”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“Great. We’ll be half the night getting them out of the links.”
“I can take them back if you want.”
“NO!”
“I thought so. Quit bitchin’.”
“Who’s Burnadette?”
“My sniper rifle, Abas.”
“You named your rifle?”
“Yeah, it’s an American thing. I named her Bernadette, after the character in the Big Bang Theory.”
“You Americans are weird.”
“Yeah, but we aren’t boring. Ok Major, you’re the senior officer here. Orders?”
“I was about to ask you that. This isn’t the Marines, or the Navy. We are on a clandestine op with exactly zero accurate, official, written documentation or orders. Officially, we have all been separated from the armed forces, as of the time we went on leave or AWOL. Just so you guys know, Charlie, Mike, and I have all received a general discharge under other than honorable conditions. Doug, there is a federal warrant out for your arrest. Abas, you are officially presumed to have left the country and joined an extremist Islamic organization. Todd, by Director Stevens’ direct order, you are in command of this operation.”
“Who the Hell decided to do that! Great! I’m a federal fugitive; you guys’ careers are all ruined, and Abas is shot on sight if he’s identified! That’s a helluva fine thank you for serving our country!”
“Relax, Doug. You’ve never done off the books work before. I guarantee word will get around to the enemy. If we’re caught, they won’t connect us to the government and will assume we went rogue. They’ll either kill us and not worry about the government being on to them, or they’ll recruit us. That would get us on the inside and make our job much easier. Most likely, they’d just kill us, which is no different than it would go anyway. If we’re successful, our records will all be cleared…if we’re successful. Ok, so what goodies did you bring us Alyssa?”
“Here’s the manifest. I stopped at a few stores on the way and picked up a few other things too.”
(Hands Todd a file folder. He opens it and spends a couple of minutes looking it over.)
“Ohhh, these guys are going to have SUCH a bad day!”
(Marshall Homestead. Family Meeting.)
“Brian, you called us in from a training exercise. What’s going on?”
“”Mark, Stacy, sit down. I have some really bad news.”
“Brian, how much worse can it get?”
“Stacy, I got a call an hour ago from General Grayson at Camp Lejeune. Todd’s dead.”
“OH God, NO!”
“Brian, how did he die?”
“Mark, the General said it was a training accident. The Marines are sending his remains to be buried here in our family cemetery.”
“He earned the Medal of Honor, TWICE, in my book! You and I both know he wasn’t ‘killed in a training accident!’ He was on an op! He belongs at Arlington! The Government owes him that, at least!”
“Dad, Todd, Jacob, and I talked about this, right after Todd finished basic. We all agreed that if we were ever killed in the line of duty, we wanted our remains brought home and laid to rest with the family. Todd’s coming home, according to his wishes.”
“Is that it?”
“Todd’s body will be arriving in Franklin the day after tomorrow. The funeral is on Friday with full military honors. General Grayson is going to attend.”
“You keep that son of a bitch away from me, or he’s going to be the next Marine who needs ‘full military honors!’ I’ve got to go. I have a team to train!”
(Mark stalks out of the room. He has to get away before he can’t hold back the tears. His brother’s dead and he can’t afford to let anyone see him out of control, not even Anastasia. Todd always believed in him. He can’t let his brother down.)
“Mark. Mark! Get back here!”
“Let him go, Brian. I’ll take care of my husband, but I’ll not have anyone see him fall apart. Brian, he’s been stronger than me, stronger than you, stronger than anyone here. He’s faced and done things I can’t even begin to understand. Me and several other people here owe our lives to him…more than once! He deserves this from us.”
“And what about you? Are you ok?”
“Are you out of your damn mind!?! Our brother is dead! NO, I’m not ok! I don’t even have words for how much this hurts! How are you so calm about it!?!”
“Stacy, I’m not calm about it at all; I’m just managing to keep it locked down right now. As far as I know, you’re not from a military family, until us, so you can’t fully understand. Regardless of what General Grayson told me, Mark’s right. Todd didn’t die in a training accident. Mark clearly knows that just as well as Jacob and I do. I was still pretty young when Dad got out, and Mark wasn’t even born yet. We all grew up with Dad telling us this can happen, but until I joined up, none of us had to live with it every day. I know you don’t believe it and I can’t blame you, but in time, this will get better.”
“I don’t see how. I need to go to Mark.”
(Stacy walks out. She’d like to run after Mark, but she isn’t healed enough yet. Mark’s talked about growing up with his brothers enough, she has a good idea where he’s going. She heads toward the firing range. When she gets there, he’s just sitting, staring down range.)
“Mark?”
“He taught me how to shoot his barrett here, at this bench. He taught me how to shoot his M-60 here too.”
“He has an M-60? Full auto?”
“Had. He’s gone, remember? It actually belongs to the family firearms trust, but it was his.”
“I didn’t know about that. Why isn’t it on the defense perimeter?”
“If things go completely off the rails, it will be. Right now, it’s too much firepower. You can’t legally possess it, unless you’re part of the trust. I can’t even legally possess it without one of my brothers or their wives with me. I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you; it just never came up.”
“Mark, I don’t want to make this worse on you, but something doesn’t make sense to me. Todd’s skills are…were…scary good. I don’t see how this could have happened.”
“It could have been anything. It could have been a car accident. As good as he was, he could have been outnumbered beyond his ability to defend. It’s possible he could have made a mistake, we all do. It’s possible he was sold out. I don’t know what happened. I just know I’ll never see my brother again. I’ve always known we won’t live forever and one of us would have to go first; I just wasn’t ready for it to be this soon.”
“Noone’s ever ready. Mark, I love you. I’m here, whatever you need. I hope you know that.”
“I do. I’ll be alright, just not right now. I knew we probably wouldn’t all make it through this, but I didn’t think it would be one of us, one of the family. I really thought we’d all make it out alive. I figured we’d lose security people, maybe somebody from the teams, or even from the crew, but not the family. Can I just be alone for a while?”
“Sure, just don’t try to do this all by yourself. I’m here when you need me, and we both know you’re going to need me. Don’t be a hero, Honey.”
“I won’t, not this time. Pass the word, we stand down the training until Monday. Order the flags at all the training areas to half staff until after Todd’s funeral.”
“I’ll take care of it. Call me when you’re ready for company again, or if you need anything.”
“I will. I love you, Anastasia. Thank you.”
(With a heavy heart, Stacy walks away. Still, she’s sure Mark will ask for help when he needs it this time.)
|
|
|
Post by feralferret on Jul 30, 2023 22:52:03 GMT -6
Very fine chapter. Well worth the wait. Thank you, Cutter.
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Jul 31, 2023 6:35:59 GMT -6
Thanks
|
|
|
Post by udwe on Aug 26, 2023 23:25:43 GMT -6
More, please!
|
|
|
Post by cutter on Oct 8, 2023 21:13:48 GMT -6
Chapter 61
(White House, private conference room.)
“Carol, I need you to have something for me.”
“Oh, I have something for you all right. We have an established terrorist cell operating a training and base camp outside of Hayden, Colorado. One of those unconventional operatives I mentioned to you, got visual verification.”
“Good! When are we moving on them?”
“Not yet, Sir. The mission commander is assembling his team as we speak. More good news; He has tentatively identified our leak as CIA agent Justin Ford. He is being quietly contained. He is being led to believe that we don’t know he’s a traitor. If my team doesn’t get him in their operation, we will get him.”
“This needs to happen faster!”
“Damnit Jim, this NEEDS to happen RIGHT! We are containing agent Ford. IF there are survivors when my team moves on the camp, they will be high value targets. I have personally worked with the team leader and his number two. Jim, when they strike, they will finish this group and finish it permanently. There may be other terrorist cells actively involved with this particular plot, but this one will be out of the fight for good! Jim, I know you want the attacks to stop, so do I; but you know how this game is played. We take the time we need to do it right the first time, or even more people die who don’t have to.”
(The President sits behind his desk. He stares into the distance, at something only he can see.)
“I had such high hopes for my Presidency. I wanted to uplift the United States. I wanted to heal some of the wounds we have sustained as a Nation. I wanted to guide our country back to the middle, away from the extremism of both sides, that we have suffered under for so long. I wanted to put us back on the path to shared prosperity and national pride. Instead, we have the makings of a very uncivil war.The Republicans are blaming us; we are blaming them, and neither one of our parties are at fault. We are in a state of war, but have no national enemy to rally against. I can’t protect our Nation, or our people, from the enemy…or ourselves. Carol, you and I have been in some pretty hopeless situations, but this is the first time I’ve been truly afraid.”
“Of what, dying?”
“We all die, Carol. I’ve never been afraid of death. No, I’m afraid of our home dying. I’m afraid of being the last legitimate President of the United States. There was a TV show a long time ago called Jericho…”
“I remember it. What’s a TV show have to do with this crisis?”
“After the bombs blew up, there was an episode where it was revealed that there were no less than SIX people claiming to be the President of the United States, or some portion of it. There were a few pockets of our society left, with the rest of the country devolving into chaos or something like dictatorships. Even those pockets were far less recognizable as part of our society that was. That’s what I’m afraid of, Carol. I’m afraid that I will fail our people and our Nation will fall.”
“We’re not dead yet, Jim; and neither is the United States.”
“And I don’t want our country to be dead. Tell your team to expedite their plan.”
“Mr. President, you are allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgment. From past experience, you know as well as I do, that mistakes are made when Intel ops get in a hurry…fatal mistakes. If you want to rush this, then you can accept my resignation right now.”
“Don’t test me, Carol.”
“Then don’t provoke me by suggesting I waste talented, dedicated personnel on a fool’s errand. If our roles were reversed, you know very well that you would be giving me the same advice I’m giving you right now. We’re at war; our home turf is the battlefield, and people are going to die. You know it and I know it.”
“Carol, our citizens never signed on to die for our country.”
“Well , news flash, Mr. President! In OUR country, with OUR Constitution, and OUR system of governance, dying for our country is an occupational hazard of citizenship…whether we LIKE it or NOT! Liberty comes with a price tag! You, of all people, should know that!”
“Carol, you’re pushing your luck. We’re not agents in the field anymore. I am the President of the United States, and you are my Director of Homeland Security. I’m your superior and I’m telling you to get it done!”
“What do you think I’m doing!?! If all you want is the camp destroyed, then shred the Constitution, ignore posse comitatus, sell out the country, and order an airstrike! If you want to find out who’s behind this, and end it, then we need intel. That camp is the best chance we have of finding it right now! If you think you can do better, then fire me and do it yourself!”
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Oct 8, 2023 21:30:37 GMT -6
Glad your back at it. Thanks
|
|
|
Post by sniper69 on Oct 9, 2023 5:34:34 GMT -6
cutter - thanks for the new chapter!
|
|
|
Post by feralferret on Oct 10, 2023 20:47:19 GMT -6
Good chapter, cutter. Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by cutter on Mar 31, 2024 21:43:31 GMT -6
It's been a long time, far too long. From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. I can't promise when the next chapter will come, but here's hoping this will make a bit of amends. Enjoy.
Chapter 62
(Safe house, Hayden, CO. Secure computer uplink)
Reaper, Dad angry, may throw Mom out. If so, children will be homeless. Speed up adoption if possible.
All my hopes, Big Sis
“Todd, is that what I think it is?”
“Secure laptop.”
“That’s SEAL gear! How the hell did YOU get it!?!”
“I bribed a supply sergeant. Only cost me $100 and two bottles of tequila.”
“Don’t lie to me!”
“Ok Mike, I won’t lie to you. Stop asking questions.”
“Fine. Just one more. What does it say?”
“Get everybody together. I only want to break this news once.”
(Marshall family cemetery, after Todd’s funeral)
“Boys, I’m sorry. Todd was a fine man, an exemplary Marine, and my friend.”
“With all due respect, General; if you were such a good friend of his, you’d stop lying and tell us the truth about how he died, or even better, who killed him.”
“Mark!”
“It’s all right, Brian. Mark, I know this is hard on you…”
“Oh shut up…Sir! I’m out! I have people to train!”
(Mark walks away)
“General, I’m sorry about my brother.”
“It’s ok. He’s 14…”
“Sixteen, Sir.”
“Has it really been that long? God, I’m getting old! Well, he’s 16 and he hasn’t served, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he does some day. Both of you boys have. You understand in a way that he can’t.”
“Sir, he wanted to be a fighter pilot, but he sustained a spinal injury four years ago. The doctors had to fuse his L3 and L4 vertebrae. At the time, they didn’t know if he would ever walk again. He made an incredible recovery, but no branch would take him.”
“That’s a shame. Eagle Scout and the Medal of Freedom? With his brother being a MOH recipient, any of the Academies would be thrilled to have him. How did he come by the Medal of Freedom, anyway?”
“That’s how he got the spinal injury. He was in the lunchroom of his middle school, with 188 other students and staff, when a pair of terrorists tried to blow up the school with suicide vests. Mark woke up on the floor with a broken back and no feeling in his legs. According to multiple accounts, from both students and staff, he organized a group of students to provide what medical treatment they could and begin a rescue. He flatly refused assistance or treatment until we managed to breach a wall and started the evacuation. I was there and was a part of the breaching crew. Sir, our daughter and her twin sister were in that lunchroom. Kit’s twin died from her injuries, a few days later. Our daughter’s husband and Mark’s wife were in the lunchroom too. Mark’s wife got our son-in-law out and then assisted in evacuating Mark. A number of other students in their group of friends also performed well above and beyond. All but one of those men and women are here, right now.”
“Ok, I have several questions about what you just told me, but I’ll start with the one who isn’t here. Where is he? Was he killed in the rescue?”
“No Sir, he died sometime after. Mark ended him when he abducted, repeatedly raped, and intended to murder our daughter. He was a foster child, sent here from another state. Virginia CPS didn’t see the need to inform Kentucky of his rather lengthy history of violent sexual offenses. I was told they were hiding behind his status as a juvenile. He would have died anyway, but a deputy sheriff was forced to shoot him when he refused to drop his weapon. An official investigation concluded that neither Mark, nor deputy Preston, were guilty of any wrongdoing. I should also add that Mark required 42 stitches and a unit of blood to treat injuries he received while neutralizing the threat that Troy posed, and our daughter sustained severe, extensive injuries from his assault. Even with his injuries, Mark was one of the four young people who carried Kit on an improvised litter, over a mile, to waiting EMS crew, after stabilizing her on site.”
“JESUS! I knew something terrible happened to your daughter from the scars I saw, but I had no idea! How old was Mark when this happened?”
“Sir, it’s alright; we take care of our own in this family, and Mark takes that devotion to a whole new level. At least you believed me; many don’t. Mark was 12 at the time and is a carbon copy of our Dad. Have you ever heard of a Sergeant Bill Marshall, Delta Force?”
“I know him.”
“Knew him, Sir. Dad was killed by a drunk driver about 6 years ago. Mark couldn’t be more like Dad if he tried. When I can tell him the truth, it’ll be ok, eventually. Mark will be angry at me and hold a grudge for a while, but he’ll eventually make his peace with it. He will come to understand.”
“May I call you Brian?”
“Of course, Sir.”
“Brian, when you can finally tell him the truth, blame me. Tell him I threatened to put you in prison, have you killed; I don’t care. Blame me.”
“Sir, Mark has a better understanding of operational security than you can possibly imagine. Our Dad taught us well. I’ll tell Mark the truth. I’ll tell him that Todd’s safety required us to believe that Todd is buried in that grave. When this is over, I want you to do one thing for me.”
“Name it.”
“I want to know that man’s name, date of birth, and date of death. I want you to find his family if you can, so we can return him to his loved ones. If you can’t, he will be a part of our family, for all eternity.”
“Sergeant Marshall, I’ve only very rarely met your like. I will do everything I can to do all you ask. I do have one more personal question, if you are willing to answer.”
“Ask, Sir.”
“How is it that Mark is only 16 and is married?”
“Mark and Stacy are old souls and soul mates. Both are far more mature than their years. Both have suffered things and done things in their lives that most people can’t begin to understand. Sir, they needed each other. Neither we, nor Stacy’s parents, could deny them the union that they both needed so desperately. Sir, they have both saved each other, many times from many things. If you want to know the details, you’ll have to ask them, Sir.”
“When this is over and the truth can finally come out, I might.”
“You’re welcome here any time Sir, but right now, I need to see to my family. I’m the only one who knows the truth, and I’ll keep it that way as long as it takes. Sir, no disrespect, but I need to take care of my own.”
“By your leave, Sergeant. And on behalf of myself and a grateful Nation, thank you, for everything.”
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Apr 1, 2024 9:10:13 GMT -6
Thanks for this.
|
|