Chapter 113

Friday night I managed to lose the Secret Service agents in the gym. I had told them I would be in the gym for several hours with my JBG security. I did an hour workout then went to my office. With the office’s limited access, the agents stayed in the gym looking at the sights. trying to score some eastern shore ladies.

I went down the elevator to help the girls, Dad and Jake stack the last of this month’s gold bars in the gold room. They were nearly finished and it only took an hour to finish it up. It wouldn’t take but a couple more shipments to fill that room.

The weekend was a welcome relief from the DC madness. I was at home with the girls and boys. Saturday morning I went with the boys back to Fort Smith. Training had been happening there all week; some of it had been live fire. There would be plenty casings there for them to pick through.

I called Gordon Decker first thing Saturday to get him back from Mexico. The first thing I asked him was, “Has your wife turned jealous in the last few months and does your tux still fit?”

“No, not that I know of and yes they still fit,” he said.

“That’s good because I need an official escort for official functions. We leave Monday morning for Argentina; you may want to brush up on your dancing and political etiquette. Meet the jet in Brownsville - it will be on its way in a few minutes,” I said.

First though I wanted to check in with the five. They were still at Morton because the CIA looked at it as the best safe house they could have. A CIA team was there with them still getting information from them. This was the first I had seen them since the Pakistan trip.

The conversation was in Arabic; “I hear things are looking up for you,” I said.

“Yes, it looks like we may be staying and helping your government. It also looks like you have made an impression on Pakistani militants in your short visit there and lived up to your nickname. You have been mentioned several times in the Pakistan papers you are having delivered,” one of them said.

“Shoot at me and I will shoot back,” I said.

“You have been promoted second highest in your government, your bravery was well rewarded and earned,” the General’s brother said.

“I’m not sure it was worth the increase in pay grade! Besides, self-preservation was the most important thing,” I said.

The boys came in with an agent tagging behind. The boys ID cards would open the front door but not the doors that accessed the cells. I closed the door before the boys or the agent get to the cell area.

The agent was unhappy that the boys had an ID card that would get them places and they didn’t. But that was the way it was going to be for a while.

Sunday was going to be laid back - rest and relaxation - but the girls decided they wanted a family dinner. We all pitched in and all the family came. I had a feeling family dinners were going to be few and far between now. We enjoyed the day - even the agents got their fill.

Monday morning I packed for three days in Argentina; this time was different. I was now the Vice President of the United States, no longer a former Ambassador or the chairperson of the task force, I was somebody important in their eyes. It required pomp and circumstance, fancy state meals and fancy ballroom dancing.

No more comfortable camo or shorts in public, just fancy dresses and expensive pant suits in public.

Gordon and family were waiting at Morton when I got there.

“I promise to bring him back safe and sound this time,” I said to Emily, Gordon’s wife.

Ten minutes later - after goodbyes and hugs - we were taking off for Andrews. That was where we were to meet the State Department men that were going with us on Air Force 2.

Two little boys were upset that they could not go but Lisa insisted that they needed a firm schedule to qualify for their home schooling requirements.

The State Department pair was much more respectful this time around with yes Mam or no Mam. Of course the extra number of Secret Service and my JBG security may have helped.

I read most of the flight, mostly about my scheduled trips. There were six more in the next six weeks. The trips would take me out past January. I had Thanksgiving week and Christmas week off at home and would be gone at least three days a week or more for all the rest. Thanksgiving was in two weeks.

I received an encrypted message from Robert and Andy. They had figured out a way to speed up the third pipeline from Tampico to Veracruz. Andy wanted to add the second suspected dope manufacturing site to the possible hit list.

I sent back a few words, “It’s your call; if it looks possible then do it,” and then I closed the screen.

I finished reviewing the documents we were to sign in Argentina. The Navy had completed negotiations for its dockage in the deep water visits. The Air Force had a tentative agreement on the runway. The runway was to be started soon with work proceeding as weather permitted and was scheduled to be completed by next fall.

The advanced Doppler radar construction would start in thirty days, to be completed ninety days after ground breaking. It would be operational before the worst of the winter weather. The general radar that would sweep the ocean towards the Antarctic would be finished at the same time.

The accompanying documents were full of hand written notes that were talking points for my meetings. Every document that I had seen so far had included two final versions. One was for the signatures of officials and the other one with notes written in the margins explaining various points. The notes were most likely for my educational benefits in the world of diplomacy.