Chapter 103

Present – Ben – In the bedroom trying on his dress blues

I sure as hell didn’t think I’d need my dress blues this soon, but like a good Marine I made sure to pack them away correctly. Yeah, even though I hadn’t been a Marine in years, the Corps’ training still stuck with me and of course with my wife Jens. The time I shared with her as a Marine was good, but was also too fucking short and I gave her too much shit about things. Yeah, she must really love me to put up with all the shit I dumped on her when we were Marines.

I remove my Dress Blues from the storage bag, begin to put them on and hells bells, they are a little loose on me. How in the fuck did I lose weight! Then it hits me: I fucking lost weight. Jens was a hell of a sex machine and I’d had more sex since I got married than I ever had in my life, well except for the crazy assed nurses in Iraq.

My dress blues fit well enough, at least I didn’t need to take them in any. I carefully pack them back in the storage bag and put them into the closet. I pull the M4 out of the drag bag, put it in the scabbard on my side of the bed and filled the mag pouches with the extra mags. I put the M1014 in the scabbard on Jens side of the bed and loaded up four bandoleers with various shotgun rounds.

I change back into my BDUs, put my 1911 (in 10mm) on my hip and now I was ready.

Then I remember something, pick up the phone and Gretchen asks, “Do you need an outside line?”

I reply, “Yes, and I’d like it to be private.”

Gretchen answers, “No problem, here you go.”

I figure this is some sort of new security protocol like Thom told us about at the gate. I make a call to place the order and on hearing what I want the dealer at the other end asks, “Are you sure about this? This is going to cost a lot of money.”

I laugh and tell him, “No problem, here’s my charge card number. When I give him my name he interrupts.”

“Hey I know you! I’m glad you told me your name because you get a Marine discount.”

I thank him and ask, “Thanks for the discount. When do you think they will arrive?”

He pauses for a moment and says, “Probably a couple weeks - I will let you know if it will take longer. Do you have a mobile phone?”

That reminds me about Gretchen destroying ours so I say, “Not right now, but I will have one soon and I will call you with it. Until then use this land line number.”

I hang up the call and decide I need to get a new mobile phone, so I wander to the control room. Gretchen is there and I ask, “When can I get a new mobile phone?”

She smiles and says, “It’s good to have you back, here’s one for you now.”

She opens a drawer, pulls out a phone, hands it to me and I complain, “What sort of fucking dinosaur phone is this?”

Gretchen replies, “Ben, we can’t use newer phones which use the Android operating system or have GPS transmitters in them. They are much too easy to hack and track.”

I continue with the complaints, “Because this doesn’t run Android, that means I can’t install Shooter or Strelok on it.”

Gretchen asks, “What are those programs and what do they do?”

I tell her, “They are programs that I use with my rifle that give me targeting information - like hold over and windage. They are essential to me.”

Gretchen thinks for a moment and asks, “Can you use a tablet for the programs?”

I reply, “I could but they are bigger and bulkier - it was nice having the programs on my phone.”

Gretchen continues the questions, “Can you use a phone without an internet connection?”

I reply, “I would need the internet occasionally; initially to download and install the programs and retrieve the data I have saved on the servers. After that I would only need it when I wanted to update the server information.”

Jens walks into the control room and asks...

Present – Jens and others – In the control room

I can tell my Ben is upset about something, so Sharik and I walk up and I ask, “Ben, what’s wrong?”

Ben holds up a brick mobile phone and complains, “Jens, these are supposed to be our new mobile phones and it’s not going to work for me.”

Gretchen requests, “Jens, can you please explain to Ben how easy it is to hack one of the newer Android phones.”

I take Ben’s hand and say, “She’s right honey. The newer phones are easy to hack. We need to use these phones for now until the threat is over.”

Gretchen suggests, “Ben, you could use a newer phone for your programs and then we could disable the GPS and internet connection.”

Ben reluctantly agrees, “Okay, if that’s what I have to do but I sure as fuck don’t like it.”

Mira and Ira walk in and Ira asks, “What is it that you do not like?”

I hold up the ‘thing’ that’s supposed to be the phone and complain, “This is my fucking replacement mobile phone. It doesn’t run Android so I can’t install Shooter or Strelok.”

Ira begins the complaint, “Gretchen, this is not acceptable. Those two programs are essential...”

Mira finishes, “ ... to our duties as body guards.”

Jens suggests, “Gretchen, it looks like we need to find some sort of solution that will work for Ben, Ira and Mira.”

Ben tosses the brick phone on the desk and says, “That’s right, I’m not going to use this piece of shit phone.”

Gretchen says, “Okay, you three have made your point. I will look into a phone which runs Android, supports those two applications, and can be secured.”

Now that this crisis was averted, I ask Ben, “How did your dress blues fit?”

Ben grins at me and says, “Jens I can’t believe it, they were loose.”

I give Ben a strange look and declare, “Those Dress Blues were too tight at the wedding. How in the heck did you lose weight?”

Ben gives me an evil grin, leans close and whispers in my ear, “Jens, the only thing I can think of is that you fucked it off of me.”

I pull back, begin to giggle and Mira asks, “Ms. Blaine, what has caused this display of mirth? Mr. Blaine’s weight lose has been a concern for my sister and me.”

I look at them and ask, “Did you notice that Ben had lost weight?”

Mira replies, “Most certainly, we would estimate the loss of about two kilograms.”

I continue, “ ... And you didn’t say anything about it?”

Ira states, “No Ms. Blaine, we assumed you also noticed his weight loss.”

I feel like a fool, then Ben saves me, “My weight fluctuates all the time so a five pound loss is no big deal. But talking about this has made me hungry, is Mabel around?”

I reply, “Of course she is and has something which smells wonderful in the oven.”

Ben says, “Good, I think I will go and raid the kitchen.”

Ben leaves, Mira looks at me and admonishes, “Ms. Blaine, where is your sidearm?”

I tell Mira, “I haven’t been to the room yet to pick it up.”

Mira suggests, “Perhaps Ira and I will accompany you to the room to make sure you’re properly armed.”

I counter, “Girls, I can put a pistol on my hip as well as anyone can. Why don’t you have a talk with Gretchen about the new security policies?”

Ira starts, “Ms. Blaine, please do not traverse this domicile without your pistol...

Mira finishes, “ ... otherwise we might have to give you a martial arts lesson.”

Gretchen pipes up, “I would love some martial arts lessons.”

I tell Gretchen, “I’m not sure you want them from the twins, they kicked my rear all over the mat and I was black and blue for a week. Plus, I had to give both of them manipeds.”

The girls proudly hold up their hands and Ira taunts, “Yes it is close to time for another manicure and pedicure. Are you sure Ms. Blaine you do not wish a rematch?”

I deliver a challenge to them, “It seems to me that Ben kicked both your rears last time so why don’t you ask him for a rematch. And if he wins this time, as I am sure he will, I want manipeds from you two as my reward.”

Gretchen says with surprise, “Wow! Ben beat both of you? I thought you two were unbeatable.”

Ira dismissively waves her hand and explains, “Mr. Blaine knows several styles of martial arts to which we had never been exposed. Now that we understand he knows Capoeira and Muay Tai, he will not so easily defeat us.”

I taunt the girls, “Don’t forget, Ben says he knows one more martial arts technique he’s never shown you. I think you two are chicken.”

Mira frowns and replies, “Ms. Blaine, why would you call us poultry?”

Gretchen explains, “Mira and Ira, calling someone chicken does not mean you are literally calling them ‘a chicken’. It means that Jennifer feels you are too afraid to fight Ben again.”

Mira shakes her head and complains, “The continued use of these euphemisms is going to be our death.”

I giggle and tease, “Mira, you just used an euphemism yourself.”