Chapter 42

Flashback – Ben and Jack – The trip to hell ... at the hospital.

I couldn't fucking believe it! The fucking towelheads began to push the nurses and doctors out the windows so I was past pissed off and into total annihilation mode. My stomach was a fucking mess from seeing the senseless carnage. I yelled for Jack, "Jack, I need your eyes over here!"

He complained, "Damn Banzai, we have a shitload of towelheads on our six. I'm not sure I can break free."

I ordered, "Jack, I don't give a rats ass about the towelheads behind us, they can fucking kill us for all I care. I need you here now."

Jack crawled over beside me just as I took out another fucker - unfortunately it was right after he pushed a nurse out the window. Jack recognized it and swore, "Those fucking sons of a bitches, they pushed a live nurse out the window! What do you need me to do?"

I said, "There are too many of the fuckers for me to handle, so fire up that M25 of yours and help me take out the fuckers before they can push all the nurses and doctors out the windows."

With Jack's assistance, we were able to stop some, but unfortunately not all of the fucking towelheads. Every nurse or doctor that hit the ground added to the knots in my stomach. Hell, just when I thought I had seen every sort of evil in the world, something new was added.

One of the Marines watching our six yelled, "We could sure use Jack's rifle here again."

I looked over my shoulder and was shocked with what I saw - we were damn close to being overrun! I looked at Jack and said, "As much as I hate to do it, we have to pull off killing the fuckers in the hospital and take care of the fucking towelheads behind us or we're not going to make it."

As if to emphasize the point, one of the other Marine's shot detonated a suicide vest. The fucker was close enough that the ground shook and we were pelted with rocks.

Jack swore, "Fuck this shit!" We both spun around and began to kick some more ass but even over the din of the firefight I swore I heard the screams of the doctors and the nurses as they were pushed out the windows.

We were surprised when a bunch more Marines showed up and began to help us. I turned around to start taking care of the fuckers in the hospital but realized it was too late. With the added help we chased the fucking towelhead rats back into their rat holes and things were remarkably quiet.

I gave Jack a grim look and said, "I'm heading over to the hospital."

Jack answered...

Hell, Banzai is fucked up! It had to be from the fuckers pushing the doctors and nurses out of the windows. He sometimes lets that sort of shit get to him. I try to settle the situation, "Hell Banzai, there was nothing any of us could do about..."

Banzai glared at me and interrupted, " ... Like hell Jack, we didn't have the intel we needed. This whole mission was one huge Mongolian Cluster Fuck! If things don't start going better ... I ... I ... I ... Hell, I don't know what I'll do."

I sure as hell didn't like it when Banzai got this way! Since I remembered what happened in Russia when he took off I cautioned, "Banzai, make sure you don't go off the deep end like you did in Russia."

Banzai grinned at me but I sure as hell hated what he said next...

Flashback – Masha – A rude introduction to America

So far my worries were unfounded. The 'people' on the bus, who originally watched me, went back to reading their papers or looking at their mobile phones. I questioned what so many of them found so very interesting on their phones, especially as I observed an occasional period of mirth cross their faces.

I no sooner began to relax, than the bus stopped and a large mixed group of boisterous young teenagers entered the bus. The other passengers on the bus began to shrink from the teenagers who came up to them and bothered them for money. If the passengers did not provide the boisterous teenagers money, the teenagers would continue the verbal assault on the passenger until they complied. I had tried to remain invisible, however that did not last. Several of the girls came up to me and began to verbally accost me. The female ringleader said, "A woman dressed as nice as you should be able to help us out by giving us at least twenty dollars."

I looked at her and inadvertently added to the confrontation, "It would require more than that for you to purchase suitable clothing."

The two other girls with her laughed and one of them asked, "Are you going to let her disrespect you like that Frances?"

Frances glared at me and threatened, "I bet this bitch won't be as mouthy after we strip her and the guys have their way with her."

That was all I needed to hear! Frances began to call the guys over so I reached into my purse, withdrew my tactical baton, flicked my wrist so it extended, stood up and struck Frances on the side of her face. She screamed and fell to the floor. The other girls were not so brave and started to run, so I struck them on the back of the legs and they also screamed and fell to the floor.

The guys came over and one of them threatened, "You shouldn't ought to do that to our girls, now we will have to mess up that pretty face of yours."

Another added, "But that ain't going to happen until we rape you until you can't walk."

The first one began to reach into his coat. I didn't wait to see what he was going to bring out as I instantly attacked all three of them. I used my tactical baton to rain blows on them as fast as I could swing it. One attempted to grab me so I swung my purse (to which I had added several billiard balls Jack had in the garage) and came down upon his arm. His bone was instantly shattered and he fell to the floor and swore. I determined he was under the influence of drugs when even with the broken arm he tried to reach my leg with his good arm, so I promptly kicked his nose as hard as possible as I continued to rain blows upon the other two.

As my purse worked as such an effective weapon on the first assailant, I decided to us it to beat the other two teenage boys into submission. I landed two blows on the first teenager's head, which rendered him unconscious when the last teenage boy standing, backed up, raised his hands and begged, "Please don't hurt me."

I relaxed my guard slightly but continued to intensely watch him. He tried to slip his hand inside his coat so I approached him and hit him over the head with my purse which rendered him unconscious.

With all the adversaries disabled, I was shocked when I heard clapping. I carefully switched my view to the other passengers, who were praising me. Several of them approached the disabled teenagers and began to remove items from them.

The bus quickly pulled to the side of the road, there were sirens and flashing lights then one of the passengers announced, "It's the police!"

I was shocked when one of the passengers broke out a side window and jumped out - many of the rest of the passengers followed the first one. For a brief moment I considered following them but decided it was better if I stayed on the bus.

The bus doors opened and the police entered the bus with their weapons drawn. I held up my hands, kneeled on the floor and the policemen rapidly restrained me with handcuffs. One of the police men said, "Damn what happened to these teenagers. Call an ambulance and take her outside with the rest of them."

The other policeman helped me up, escorted me outside where I saw the rest of the passengers (the ones that tried to escape through the broken window) detained in handcuffs.

He ordered me, "Stay here with everyone else and don't try to run away."

One of the passengers came beside me, she was an older black woman, and said, "I want to thank you for taking care of those young punks. I hope you don't get in much trouble for it."

I was surprised at her words so I asked, "Why would I get into trouble; they threatened me so I simply defended myself."

The lady laughed and said, "Honey, you're not from this country. You're a grown woman and those were teenagers..."

The police took the teenage girls off the bus, Frances pointed at me and accused, "There she is, that's the bitch that attacked us."

I moved toward her and countered, "That is not what happened, I was..."

A policeman interrupted me, "Ma'am don't come any closer to this child..."

I interrupt the policeman, " ... She is not a child, she is a hooligan..."

The policeman ordered, " ... Ma'am if you persist in your current actions I will be forced to restrain you further."

Frances and the other girls left, three ambulances arrived for the teenage boys and the medical technicians took them off the bus. Finally the policeman who ordered me taken off the bus came up to me and said, "Ma'am, can you tell me what happened."

I described everything to him, he looked at me and said, "That doesn't agree with what the teenagers told me." I began to complain, he held up his hand and continued, "But don't worry, when we look at the video on the bus we will see which of you is telling the truth. Until then you will be our guest at the police station."

I said, "What did the other passengers on the bus tell you about what happened?"

The police man said, "They all said the same thing: That 'they didn't see anything.'"

I couldn't believe it, no one on the bus supported what actually happened! The same older black woman came over and said, "That's the way it is here sweetie, no one is willing to say anything because they worry they will get into trouble."

I was placed in the back of a police car and driven to the station...

Flashback – Jennifer and Glen – finally back home

We were headed toward home, I was with Daddy in his car and Cpl. Conners drove mother's car. Daddy seemed much more relaxed because the mess with mother's car was over and I almost hated to bring it up but I needed to so I said, "Daddy, don't you think we should call Daniela and let her know that Cpl. Conners is coming to dinner with us?"

Daddy swore, "Shit! I didn't think about that but you're right. Jennifer would you mind calling her, she might take it better from you."

I hated even more to remind Daddy, but I did, "Daddy, you do remember that we're having ceviche mixto tonight for dinner don't you?"

Daddy swore more (he seemed to be swearing a lot lately) which meant he was under more stress - understandable with mother leaving us, "Dammit! I sure as hell hope it's something that we can all eat."

I added, "And not get sick from eating it like mother's food."

Daddy complained, "Jennifer, please don't remind me of that again. I still can't believe Evelyn did that to us."

I became brave and asked, "Daddy do I reallllllyyyy have to eat the ceviche mixto? Can't I just eat the food we have stashed in my room?"

Daddy emphatically stated, "Jennifer, if Daniela took the time and effort to make the ceviche mixto for us, you will at least try it. Who can tell, you might even like it."

I was lucky Daddy didn't see me stick out my tongue. I was sure I wouldn't like raw fish and even more sure about raw octopus and calamari. I countered, "Daddy, I'm almost sure I won't like it."

Daddy ordered, "Young lady, you will at least try it and that's final."

I called Daniela and told her we had Cpl. Conners coming to dinner with us and offered with huge hope, "But if you don't have enough ceviche, I can eat something else."

Daddy cleared his voice to express his distaste with my offer but Daniela ruined my idea when she laughed and answered, "Ms. Jennifer do not forget, I am Peruvian and I always make more food than you will eat. So do not worry, I have enough ceviche for all of you, and if I didn't I wouldn't eat. It is the Peruvian way."

I disappointedly ended the call, Daddy began, "Jennifer..."

I interrupted him before he got going and said, " ... Daddy, don't worry. Daniela told me she has enough food for all of us. She said something about it being some sort of Peruvian tradition."

Daddy laughed and said, "You should thank Daniela because she just saved you from a grounding."

I was feeling sassy, so I replied, "Daddy, I'm not one of your fricken-fraken soldiers so don't try that military garbage on me."

I couldn't believe Daddy's reply...

Jennifer was being a RPITA which I sure as hell didn't need right now, not with everything else that happened. She had always been headstrong, but I couldn't tolerate her insubordination and had to counter it immediately. So I announced, "Jennifer, with Evelyn being gone and with the way you've been acting, I think it's time we send you to a military school and I know just the one..."

Jennifer interrupted, " ... Daddy, what do you mean the way I've been acting? I've been trying to be good..."

I interrupted her, " ... Like hell you have! Since Evelyn left you have turned into some sort of little rebel and I'm not going to tolerate it."

Jennifer surprised me when she began to cry and begged, "Daddy, please don't send me away. First I lost mother and now I'm losing you. Pleeeeeaaaaassssseeee Daddy."

She moved over beside me, hugged my arm and I felt like shit. I relented, "Okay Jennifer, let's make a deal: I won't send you to military school and you will dial down the rebellion a few notches."

Jennifer sniffled and agreed, "Okay Daddy, I promise but let's pinky swear on it."

Sometimes the things fathers do for their daughters - we pinky swore! I gave Jennifer a hanky and I said, "Okay now dry your eyes and blow your nose because we're almost home."

We made it home, I opened the garage door with the automatic opener, we parked both cars in the garage then we walked into the house.

I offered, "Cpl. Conners..."

He interrupted, " ... Sir, just call me Jed."