Chapter 1: Prologue - Reunited

Monday 03 December

Present - Hospital — Ramstein AFB Germany

It's impossible to sit and wait anymore so I get up and pace the floor. I really wish they'd let me go in the operating room to be with my fiancé Ben. I argued with them but they wouldn't listen to me so instead I'm stuck in this waiting room not knowing how Ben is doing.

I sense that he's still alive - like I've always been able to. Even when everyone said he was dead I knew he wasn't because I could still feel him. But I couldn't get anyone to believe me, not even my Father, the General of the Corps. Damn bastards left him for dead in that God forsaken country. I'll never forgive them, never.

Most of you know our story but a few of my might not, so I guess I'll fill you in on the important parts.

I'm Jennifer Donaldson, former Marine Corps Sergeant and spotter for my fiancé, the most wonderful man in the world, Sergeant Major Bennie Blaine - a Marine Corp sniper. It's a long story about how we met and how I captured Ben's heart, I'm not going to retell it here because Ben wrote about it earlier in his memoirs.

He also wrote about our first mission in - well I can't tell you where - it was so FUBAR. I got appendicitis, we had to ask for an emergency extraction and after all that, he got sent on the mission from hell where his helicopter was shot down and he was captured by the fricken Taliban.

Somehow he escaped but was seriously wounded. I don't know details of how he was injured yet because he hasn't made much sense as he keeps drifting in and out of consciousness. He keeps mumbling about Hussein and two women named Zarika and Yasmeen. He'd better not have any other girlfriends because if he does I will kill him when he gets well.

It took all my strength not to cry when I first saw him - he is so skinny and sick looking. His hair is long and scraggly and even has some gray in it. Someone put him through hell and when I get the name of the person, I'm going to kill them with my bare hands. I could sense everything they did to him and it was hell on me.

I'm getting ahead of myself so I need to back up and give you some more information. I was told yesterday that Ben was finally found.

Flashback - Jens — One day earlier — Ft. Leavenworth Penitentiary

I'd just finished breakfast, the guard had taken my tray and I started my morning workout routine. At least the food in this place was decent and they gave me more than I could eat. Being in solitary wasn't that bad since it gave me time to keep in shape and not worry about the other prisoners.

My first day here some bull dyke tried to make me her bitch: She was "going to break me in the right way." I ended up slapping her around some until she pulled a homemade knife on me. I broke both her arms for that. The fight and my actions were ruled justified but the warden decided I should spend some time in solitary for my own protection. I think it was more for the protection off all the other inmates and guards. He told me I had a very bad attitude which was only reinforced the time I took out two guards and almost escaped.

Ever since my bastard father Glen had me thrown in this prison for going AWOL and trying to rescue Ben, I've been pissed off. The only one that ever listened to me about my Ben still being alive was Liz and I don't think she totally believed me. I've been trying to get in touch with her for the last three days because I sense that something serious happened to Ben. But she's out of the country and hasn't answered the emails I sent her. I get to check my email at 1300 when they escort me to the library and I can see if she's replied.

Ben would be so proud of me! I spend all day working out. I do pushups, pull-ups and I even talked them into letting me have a jump rope. I put my mattress against the wall and beat the crap out of it when I'm not working on other things. The guards watch me do it and I think even they are scared of me. I'm faster and in better shape than I've been in my whole life.

I'd just gotten into my routine and had worked up a good sweat when a guard interrupts, "You have visitors."

I walked over to the door, "Who are they?"

He looked on his clipboard, "Glen and Evelyn Donaldson, your parents again. They say it's an emergency."

I corrected him, "They were my parents and I don't care to see them. Tell them they can go practice self copulation."

He laughed and walked away shaking his head. This wasn't their first visit and probably won't be their last. I don't care to see either one of them again. I bunched up my mattress and started punching the crap out of it as I pretended it was Glen and the fricken seal team that caught me the last time I tried to rescue Ben. Perhaps I'll destroy another mattress today - that would be three I've demolished since I've been in here.

I hear another knock, "What is it this time? Can't I be left alone today?" I yelled at the door.

"Sorry but you have an emergency phone call." The guard said.

"Did they say who was calling?" I asked.

"You know we're getting tired of being your messenger service. It's the news reporter Elizabeth Morgan." He replied.

"Great, I've been hoping she would call." I answered.

He yelled through the door, "You know the routine."

Yes I did. I put my mattress back on the bed, went over against the far wall, put both hands against it and assumed the position. The guards came in my room, put the chains on me and escorted me into the hallway.

We started heading towards the warden's office this time. "Hey this isn't the way to the phones," I complained.

"The call came in on the warden's private line so you're going to take it in his office." Liz never ceased to amaze me, she had connections everywhere. I tried to control my emotions but I was walking faster than normal. The guards could tell I was impatient and walked even slower than normal. They loved playing little mind games with the prisoners.

As we walked in the warden's office he was smiling at me - the very first time I remember him smiling at me. "Ms. Donaldson, you might want to sit down before you take this call," he said as he handed me the phone.

I checked my senses really quick just to make sure that Ben was still alive. I could still sense Ben and sat down, "Liz is that you?"

I heard her say through a terrible phone connection, "Jens, I've found Ben and he's alive."

"Tell me all about it, where are you?"

"Jens shut up and listen! We're at the American Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Ben is hurt really bad, no make that extremely bad and is very sick. They're airlifting him to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. I know you hate your parents, but they are there to take you to Ramstein to meet Ben." The phone clicked dead and I started to cry.

The warden looked at me and motioned to the guards. One guard escorted Glen and Evelyn into the room while the other guards held my chains. I stood up and Evelyn ran over and hugged me, "Jens, we're so sorry we didn't believe you." I didn't return the hug and pulled back away from her.

"It's a little late for this now. Ben's been found and needs me but I can't leave this prison," I replied.

Glen nodded to the warden, the warden motioned to the guards and they took off my chains, "You notice I called you Ms. Donaldson, not inmate nine-oh-one-two-five. That's because your sentence has been terminated and you are released from prison."

I looked at him, "How did that happen."

Glen spoke up (the sound of his voice was still irritating to me, like fingernails on a chalkboard), "Jens, we really fucked up not believing you when you insisted Ben was alive. Once we found we were wrong, I called in all the favors I could. Because of the extenuating circumstances you have been released."

Evelyn added, "Jens, we have a jet waiting to fly all of us to Ramstein, Germany. Here, I brought you some clothes." She handed me a bag.

The warden pushed some papers towards me, "You need to sign here for your release." I quickly signed and he continued, "You can change down the hall."

The guard escorted me to a small room, I threw off my prison jumpsuit and started changing clothes. I put on a nice blouse and blue jeans. It felt great to be out of that nasty jumpsuit. I didn't even bother to mess with my hair because I figured I'd have time on the flight. The guard took me back to the warden's office. We shook hands with the warden and were escorted out the front gate into a waiting limo.

I sat back and Evelyn said, "Jens we're hoping that we can put this bad episode behind us and become a family again."

I glared at both of them, "I don't want to talk about this right now. I want to hear everything that you know about Ben."

They filled me in on the details they had but they didn't know much more than Liz had told me.

We rode the rest of the way in silence and boarded a waiting jet. I moved to the back remembering how I'd always done this with Ben and fell into a troubled sleep. I dreamed of Liz's support on the day I was told that Ben 'died.' That was fifty-two fricken long days ago!

Flashback - Jens - Incirlik Airbase in Turkey - Thursday 11 October

I woke up, felt very sick and sore and expected to see my Ben sitting beside me. Instead I saw my good friend and quasi-adopted sister Liz.

"It's about time you woke up. I've been holding your hand for hours." Liz smiled.

"Wh-wh-where's Ben?"

"That bastard Stockman called him back to Jalalabad." Liz replied.

"I had a terrible dream that Ben is in hurt and in trouble. I need to get up and be with him." I struggled to get up but Liz and the pain kept me in bed.

Liz looked at me and said, "He's fine. I guess they had something for him to do."

I instantly got very upset, "Liz, don't lie to me! Just as I do with Ben, I can tell when you lie." I struggled some more to get out of the bed.

Liz restrained me and pushed the call button. A few moments later a doctor and another man came in the room. "Jens, this is Doctor Indiehouse and Chaplin George." Liz said.

I blinked and looked at the chaplain - the realization hit me: they thought Ben was dead. I checked my senses again and I could still feel Ben but he was in severe pain.

"Sgt. Donaldson, we regret to inform you that your fiancé SM Blaine was killed in action." Chaplain George said.

I started laughing, "You fools, he's not dead! I can still sense him." I started fighting to get up. "Ben is hurt and needs me." The doctor grabbed one arm and the chaplain the other.

Dr. Indiehouse said, "She's delusional, the stress is going to be too much for her." He pressed the call button and a nurse came in, "Give her a sedative and restrain her to the bed."

Like hell they were going to restrain me! I broke my hand free from the chaplain and KOed him. Then I started wailing on the doctor trying to get my other hand free. My so called friend Liz ran over and jumped on top of me - boy that hurt like hell.

"Jens simmer down, you're going to pull out your stitches!" Liz yelled at me.

I beat her back and tried to knee her, but I was too weak and sick. I saw the nurse come into the room and inject something into my IV, I slowly started getting sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. I looked at Liz, "Liz, believe me, he's not dead. Please help me. Please find..."

Flashback - Liz - Jalalabad Wednesday 10 October

God dammit! I couldn't believe what Ben just told me on the sat phone. Jens is sick and he thinks it's appendicitis. They're headed to Incirlik Airbase in Turkey and General Stockman won't let Ben stay with Jens, he wants him to come right back here.

The ass Stockman had them on some sort of weird, almost suicide, mission to somewhere, I'm not even sure where. The only way I knew anything, was in the same room as the fat fuck general and got to hear the phone call was because I'd sucked his scrawny dick earlier and I was now his 'best friend.' Unlike my self-adopted sister Jens, who's a virgin, I'm not against using my charms to get what I want. At least I hadn't fucked the bastard and now I never will.

I hung up the phone and looked at Stockman. I must be a good actress because I could actually flirt with him without throwing up. "General, I and my news crew really need to get to Incirlik so that we can be with Sgt. Donaldson when she wakes up. The publicity will be excellent for the Corps." I batted my eyes and smiled at him.

He gave me an evil grin that almost made me puke and leaned close so only I could hear, "I can arrange this, but when you get back I expect you to be very appreciative."

I purred in his ear, "You have no idea how appreciative I will be." I thought about the videos the crew had of me blowing Stockman and smiled.

The dumb bastard called Colonel Rowe and had us on a chopper to Kabul right away. As soon as we were in the air I looked over to Jon and Bernie, my two cameramen and said, "How much of that did you guys get on tape?"

Jon replied, "Enough to fry his perverted ass."

"Liz, I'm not sure what's going on. We've been here taping combat on previous trips for years, but that's about the most fucked up mission I've ever seen." Bernie added.

"You guys have any of the details on tape?"

"As much as we managed to shoot." Jon answered.

I thought for a few moments. "Guys, we need to make sure the video of this mission is put someplace very safe. I think it's going to be very important."

"We already thought of that Liz. We uploaded it before we left and sent it to our secure server in the Caymans." Jon replied.

I sat back and thought how much I really owe Ben and Jens. They got me out of the hellhole of CCCN and gave me my own network. Somehow Ben saw through me and figured out what the fuckers at CCCN had me doing. He gave me a chance, a chance I probably didn't deserve. Then Jens had become the sister I never had. It's a good thing I loved her, otherwise I'd make a run at Ben - just thinking about him gets me hot. Shit, I'd do both of them together if I ever got the chance.

They both needed me right now and I'm not going to let them down.

Flashback - Liz - The next day - Incirlik Airbase in Turkey Thursday 11 October

When we arrived at the hospital, we rushed in with the cameras blazing. I've found if I go into a situation with the cameras rolling I'm more likely to get my way. And if that doesn't work, well there are always other forms of persuasion.

Thanks to my stepdad for fucking up my life. He taught me when I was a little girl that I could use sex to get my way, so for me sex is just a tool that I use when I need it. After mom found out, killed the bastard and then committed suicide, it was reinforced by the many foster parents that I lived with - they all fucked me, both the men and the women. I've always been able to use sex and get my way with any man, any man except for Ben. He's so in love with Jens he doesn't even notice my very subtle little flirts. I think that's why I want him so bad.

The fat bitch at the reception desk gave me some shit until I started asking her name, telling her that she was going to be on international television, and have to tell the world why she was keeping me from seeing my sister. That shook her fat ass up and she personally took us to the recovery room. I asked to see the doctor as soon as I could. They went to find him and I sat down beside Jens's bed.

Jens looked so peaceful as she lay on the bed and I held her hand. I took a wet washcloth and gently wiped her face and forehead. She was sure restless and it didn't seem normal to me. I thought patients coming out of anesthesia were supposed to be docile.

She finally came out of the anesthesia with great vital signs, but was so out of it as I followed her to her room. She went back into a restless sleep and I held her hand until Bernie came to the door and motioned for me. I looked at Jens, yeah she wasn't going anywhere and I went out in the hallway.

"What's going on?" I didn't like the look on his face.

"Shit Liz you aren't going to believe this." Bernie answered.

"I won't if you don't tell me."

"Ben - SM Blaine is dead."

I almost fell and Bernie grabbed me, "Damn Liz, I've never seen you do that before. Don't tell me you've fallen for him."

"Okay Bernie, I don't want to talk about this. Spill it."

"We got a call from one of our snitches. I guess that bastard Stockman sent him and a squad on a rescue mission in Pakistan. They rescued the squad but then were nailed on the way out. SM Blaine saved all five of the wounded and jumped in the last Blackhawk out. It was shot down, exploded and there were no survivors."

I slipped down to the floor, Bernie beside me. Goddamn that fucking bastard Stockman! What the fuck was that snake doing? Tears started running down my cheeks and I reached up and touched them. I brought my hand in front of my face and seeing the tears, I couldn't believe it. I! Me! I was crying. I don't remember the last time I cried for anything. Bernie hugged me and I cried like a little girl.

Thank god Bernie didn't say anything - he just held me and that was exactly what I needed. I was cried out after fifteen minutes. I pulled away and looked at him, "Thanks for that and thanks for not saying anything."

"Hey that's what you needed and that's what friends are for." Bernie replied.

"Bernie, we need your eyes on this. Get your camera and your ass back to Jalalabad and figure it out. I can't believe that Ben's dead - something just doesn't feel right."

"I'm going to figure this out. Take care of yourself and take care of Jens because this is going to kill her." He took off, I got up, went back in Jens's room and fixed my face. Shit! What am I going to tell her, how can I break this to her?