Episode 19

Chapter 52

Lance Corporal Flack

1 pm, October 31^st, 2006

(4 am the next day, local time)

I sat there staring at my chicken. It was all very nice and good. But I would have killed for a slice of old english pizza. I went and got some dessert. After this I was going back to my tent.

As I reached my table again I overheard an interesting conversation at the table next to me.

The conversation got far more interesting when somebody came up to the table. I'm not sure what assignment the Special Forces person came in from, but he looked like the perfect candidate for the before part of some cleaning commercial.

Yet wherever he came from, with the stresses and strains that made him look like that, he thought it important to seek out the Stone family.

"Excuse me, is this Stone family?"

"Yes," the woman in the Air Force uniform replied. "Who are you?"

"Tom. I was with your son on his last mission."

"Indeed?" the civilian one at the table asked in a neutral voice.

Adam moved a little on the bench. "Here. Sit down and tell us what happened."

"Yes," the civilian added, "please tell me why my brother was sent into what might as well have been the exact center of nowhere. All I've been able to learn so far is it happened in Tajikistan. What in the name of all the gods ever worshiped is in Tajikistan that is of any importance?"

I've often wondered the same thing.

That kid does not sound happy. Doesn't he understand death is a chance we accepted when we chose to be Marines?

"I'm really sorry... but that's classified."

Adam realized what the Special Forces person was searching for. "This is Jacob. He's also David's brother."

"I've heard stories about you."

Stories? About a civilian kid? What could be that memorable? This conversation was getting far more interesting than any food could be. Looking around, I saw others agreed. Lots of people were trying to listen in.

"Good. I'm still waiting for you to tell me the one story that matters."

He looked around to make sure nobody was listening. "Ok. I'll say as much as I can." He lowered his voice.

They all listened without leaning in. Doing so would certainly give things away. Like we would not have been paying attention anyway. Alert senses are useful for more than keeping us alive in the field.

"The press no doubt reported we were sent there to deal with a base for training insurgents. That was a small part of the reason for our mission. There was a command and control center set up there. So we went in." He paused.

"Well?" Adam asked. "What happened?"

"What happened was a full scale fire fight. We got the drop on them though. The ones who we did not kill ran back into the mountains. We were pulled back from chasing them to help search for the information. We should have gone after them and killed them, because they came back that night. They launched a full scale assault. We were ordered back into the mountains in the other direction."

"My brother died in the retreat?"

That kid's bearing changed. I can't put my finger on where or how. But something is certainly different.

"No." He paused, trying to decide how to tell us.

"No???" The kid asked.

Now why did I get the feeling that he wanted to say more?

"Several of us were pinned down at that point. Your brother was clear when he checked back to make sure the retreat was going smoothly. He saw us in the darkness, trapped between several groups. Then we saw him strip off his gear."

We could hear the surprise and shock in his tone as he told them that.

No surprise, we were just as surprised and shocked.

"Then he did a ninja act. Wearing only his black combat fatigues, he charged into the crowds. The terrorists started dropping. We escaped at that point. I later heard that the shock actually had them retreating. Then there was a big explosion where he had been. Later reports said he killed about forty of them before he died." He went silent again.

We were all silent.

Finally he spoke again. "I was among those who were pinned down. Sgt. David Stone saved my ass, and I'm deeply grateful."

The mother and father held back the tears as much as they could.

Adam nodded at the story. "It was no more than you should have expected. A Stone never takes the easy way out. And what we do, we do dramatically."

The kid stared at his stuffing for a moment. Then he asked gently, "But what is this information?"

"I'm really sorry, but the information itself really is classified. But I'll bend the rules to tell you it will go along way in tracking Bin Laden."

The kid's face fell.

This reaction I understood. We've been chasing that guy for four years now. Every time they said were getting close, it turned out we were chasing smoke.

"I wish I could tell you more."

General Smith entered the tent.

Everybody except the kid stood at attention.

"At ease."

Everyone sat down and resumed eating.

General Smith approached the Stone family's table. "You told them."

"Yes sir."

The General looked them over. Then his gaze lingered on the kid at that table. "Nowhere near enough I'll bet."

The kid just asked calmly, "Did the information saved really include useful information on Bin Laden?"

How did he get the nerve to question a General like that?

The General replied, "All I can say is that a major operation is planned shortly."

Various approving comments were heard from those that could hear the General's comments.

The kid didn't say anything.

Then Adam spoke. "It's about time. Jacob and the Hades will be glad to help."

Who is Jacob? And what in the Hell is the Hades?

"I beg your pardon?? Adam, have you any idea what has happened in the last couple days???"

The kid looked like a pressure cooker about to go off. But why? And will somebody please tell us what the Hades is?

"Relax Jacob." A Marine at the table said. "Adam doesn't know the whole story yet."

"Then tell him." Jacob said. "Go ahead. Tell Adam. He's not the only curious person in this room anyway."

You got that right, kid.

"What happened was that I received a message from base command to get Jacob to give General Colt and his aide a lift out here. Colt had already rubbed Jacob the wrong way. I was barely able to get him to allow Colt a ride on the Hades."

"Allow?" the General asked. "You're his father. You just had to order him."

"Sir, you may be a great General and a respected leader, but with all due respect, you have no idea what sort of person Jacob is. You do him not give orders concerning his project. You'd have a better chance telling a teenage girl to give up shopping. We get along as a family because we respect each other's expertise, and because we tend not to mess with those things family members do that we have no clue about."

"Hmm. I think I know the next part."

"Yes Sir. Colt took control of the Hades. He was going to fly the ship down to Parris Island where he was going to force Jacob to work for him. Jacob, for reasons left in the family at this point, had a weak moment and was in no condition to resist. Luckily for him, he had a stowaway. Colt was rude to her. She managed to get Jacob to reveal what she needed to know. Ten minutes later Colt and his aide was hogtied and she had control."

The kid spoke through clenched teeth. "The very fact that he made it so far had me seriously doubting the wisdom of the United State Marine Corps. It seems here and there though, there are redeemable examples. And yet David gave his life for a bunch of you. He is... he was a good judge of character."

Odd how the kid fell silent there.

General Smith faced the kid. "I'm sorry, but this is my fault. I got a request from the Pentagon. I used my rank and influence with your father to get Colt aboard your ship. I really did not know he'd do what he did. Such behavior is a disgrace to the Corps and everything we hold dear. I'll not deny there are those in the high command who'd give up future promotions for a shot at what you control. But I will deny that Colt's ethicless behavior is normal for us. We try to be the guardians of..."

The kid got up to leave.

Everybody wondered why.

"I've lost my appetite."

His mom looked at him, worried. "Why?"

"Confusion always ruins my appetite. I'm going to check on Ashley."

I got up to follow him.

What I had heard from the civilian kid interested me.

I watched him limp off. "What's wrong with him?" I muttered quietly.

"Who?" My tablemate turned and looked. "Oh him. You really pick the trouble cases, don't you. That's Jacob Stone. He arrived in some futuristic ship for his brother's funeral. If base gossip can be trusted, he had the Commandant of Parris Island hogtied."

"I heard something about him. Wasn't he arrested for piracy?"

"Attempted piracy. And yes. Because of that, Jacob views us military with disgust and distrust."

I thought for a moment. And yet he did not act that way with the guy who told the story about how his brother died.

I followed him quietly.

Jacob went outside. He stared at the sky a bit as if trying to find something. He looked like he was tracing two points with his fingers. Then he pointed his cane off into the night. "There." he said.

I followed him some more as he headed off.

He sat down on a rock and stared in the same direction he had pointed his cane earlier.