Chapter 11

Jim's Story

Introduction

This chapter is for those of you who caught the inconsistencies and innuendo in the story, and wondered why they were never explained. These pages aren't really necessary to the main story — which is taking care of Julie, but will fill in some of Top's life.

If you liked the story as it is, you do not NEED this part and can go to the Postscript at the end.

End Introduction

On the afternoon of 16 April, two days after the Courthouse incident, there was a meeting of the security staff. I started it out.

"I guess you all need an explanation of what went down the other day," I said. This is the story they heard from me.

"Four and a half years ago, more or less, I woke up in the hospital (Walter Reed). There were more wires and tubes running into or attached to me than I had ever thought possible. There was a nurse (Captain) standing at the foot of my bed.

'How do you feel, First Sergeant?' she asked. I tried to answer, but my throat was as dry as a desert, and nothing came out. She came around the bed, and gave me some water.

"Thanks," I croaked, "I feel like death warmed over."

'Not surprising for a man they took six bullets and a bunch of shrapnel out of, ' she answered.

"How are my men?" I inquired.

'One died of his wounds. The other eleven are on various wards, depending on their condition. Now you get some rest. We'll talk later when you're better, ' she told me.

"I spent 3 months in ICU, and I had a couple of operations, then they moved me out to the regular wards. Shortly after going to a regular ward, I had a visitor. He was an E-8 that worked for one of the spook agencies. He said he didn't want me pissed at him when I got out of the hospital. It seems his agency was the one who supplied all the Intel for our last mission, and this is what he told me.

'We called your operational HQ, two hours before you were to launch. We told them that we had just learned that it was a trap, intended to get a bunch of our people killed, and to call off the operation. They acknowledged our info, and said they would handle it.

'An hour later they called your CO. Not Battalion, but direct to your company CO, and told him that it was a trap, and to continue the mission as this was just what they wanted. Unknown to them we were monitoring everything on the mission. We called our Headquarters to try to still get the mission canceled, but it took time. We watched you launch, and the shit hit the fan. Luckily, our Headquarters contacted your Battalion Headquarters, and got them to launch a rescue mission right away, but that took time too, ' he informed me.

"Yes, we went in with 120 men. I came out with 12 men and myself — all wounded — and one company commander, without a scratch," I said. "The rescue mission people really saved our bacon. We were about out of every thing including people. But we had the objective, and a lot of dead bad guys, but at a horrendous price," I told him.

'Yes, we know. We watched the whole thing on satellite. I just didn't want you to come looking for my ass thinking that we had fucked up.' That was all that I ever saw of him.

"While still in the hospital, I sent my spies out to determine where my former Company Commander was. They located him alright — he was at the Pentagon — an aid to some two star. It took me another 27 months before I was released from Reed. Two days later, I was at the Pentagon. I found the right office, and inquired about my former Commander. It seems that the boy captain had made major.

"I went in to see him — without an appointment. He wasn't happy to see me. I, on the other hand, was delighted to see him in his new office. I locked the solid wood door as I closed it. I then told him what a dickhead he was, and proceeded to beat the holy shit out of him. It took a while for the MPs to break in, so by the time they got in there, the son of a bitch was about dead. They took me out, threw me in the brig, and sent him to Reed (It was called the brig cause it was run by the Navy).

"Then came the Court Martial, and that's where I met Charlie Westford. He was my defense attorney. A young Army Reserve Captain, new to the military, but a good lawyer. Of course, the major's friends (the generals) had stacked the court with their puppets to be sure I would get convicted. All of Charlie's attempts to introduce evidence of the mission were rejected. They found me guilty: reduced me to Pvt, E-1; forfeiture of all pay and allowances; twenty years in Leavenworth at hard labor, and a DD (Dishonorable Discharge). Charlie appealed, but it didn't do any good, apparently.

"The day that I'm to be sent to Leavenworth, the CO of the brig gets a call from the Army Chief of Staff. He is reviewing my case, and wants to talk to me in person. They send me up to his office with a 6 man MP escort. When we get there, the Chief of Staff calls me into his office. The MPs go right along. He turns to the NCO in charge and says, 'That will be all, Sergeant. I need to speak to the prisoner alone'."

'Sir, this is a very dangerous man. He nearly killed one officer already, ' the NCO told him.

'Yes, I know, Sergeant, ' the General said holding up the 45 automatic on his desk, 'but I still need to talk to him alone. Please wait outside.' Well, when a four star tells you to wait outside, you do it, so they did. When the door closed, the Chief of Staff looks at me and says, 'Well, Jim, you put me in a hell of a position.'

"Sorry bout that, LT," I answered, "but the no good son of a bitch deserved it." See, when I was a little soldier, he was my platoon leader. What he said next really surprised me."

'Not all your fault, Jim. I've been trying to figure a way to get a hold of this guy and sweat him for a while, and you provided the perfect excuse.'

"Say what, sir?" I asked.

'I know all about what happened on your last mission, and who was responsible. But proving it was going to be the tough part. I had to be able to get a hold of your boy and sweat him without his friends and bosses finding out. You put him in Isolation at Reed, and I made sure that NOBODY gets in to see him without my personal OK. I get to sweat him as much as I want. That is, as soon as he recovers from that beating that you gave him.

'Of course, his bunch stacked the court in their favor, because they didn't want you around asking questions. So here is the deal, ' the Chief of Staff told me.

'I will review and cancel the findings of the Court today. You will be returned to active status with your original grade, date of rank, and benefits. You WILL go from this office to the Clothing Sales Store, obtain a uniform there, and depart. I have the orders right here. Tomorrow you will be medically retired with full benefits. I do not want to see your face or hear from you, Period. I don't need any loose cannons. Disappear. My investigations should be complete in approximately 180 days. Then hopefully, everything will be taken care of.'

"He handed me the orders; I saluted him; his aid came in and escorted me out. There were no MPs in the outer office. I was issued a new uniform, and was escorted out of the Pentagon.

"It seems that in the next few months there were a lot of officers that tried to resign. It didn't happen. I found out later a bunch of them went to jail, and some committed suicide. I was here — nice and quiet. Then I won the lottery, and this is where you guys came in. I was worried about the notoriety, but things had been cool until two days ago."

This is were Chief took up the story.

"I was unhappy about the Childless woman, when she was here. In addition to the voice recording we made of her, I made sure the security cameras got a real good look at her. I sent the pictures to a friend of mine - a spook. It was only a few days ago that I got an answer from him.

"When we went to the Courthouse on the fourteenth, all of our hardware was left in the safe in the vehicle. Everyone knows you can't take weapons into court," Chief reminded them.

"When the Judge told the Childless woman to put up or shut up, she turned and headed for the door. I was the only one watching her. Charlie and Karen Miller had come over to congratulate Jim.

"When the Childless woman reached the door, she turned around. That was when she yelled at him.

"'DIE, INFIDEL ASSASSIN, ' she screamed and brought the gun up out of her purse. How she got it into court, I don't know, an accomplice probably. Since I had been watching her, I saw the gun come out and start up. That was when I shot her, two taps right to the head. My own gun had been out since she got up," Chief finished.

"But Chief, we all left our guns outside in the vehicles. I saw you put yours in the safe," Ralph objected.