Chapter 60

18:40 EST Sunday, January 5th, 1992

Miami International Airport, Miami, FL

Lenore slept fitfully on the plane. It was a short flight, only two hours and forty minutes or so to Miami, but she desperately needed sleep, though true rest eluded her.

Lieutenant Rudolfs and Novotny had been told, briefed really, by Coverly about what had happened and how. Lenore and Shiplett had handed over the evolution and the Joy Redux to the two of them, and Lieutenant Rudolfs said he expected a SEAL from the Task Force they'd be rendezvousing with to come aboard and pull security aboard the Joy Redux until Commander Muller could find a replacement Papa Platoon OIC.

Eric Rudolfs had had a quiet moment with Lenore, where she told him about finally coming to terms with the Chief's death. She promised him she'd go to Kevin's funeral and spend time with his family.

"We graduated together," he said, choked, "Annapolis and BUD/s. It'll mean a lot to me."

"I'll be back for Spring Break," she promised in return. "I'll tell you about it then."

They'd taken his body from the freezer at the local carnaceria (butcher), then Coverly had driven Lenore and Shiplett to San Salvador, where they put Kevin Brophy's remains with dry ice into a sealed coffin, and loaded it onto the 757.

"Ma'am. You'll need to fill this form out," the flight attendant woke her an hour and a half into the flight.

"Is there someplace we could get changed?" At the flight attendant's skeptical look, Lenore explained what she wanted and why. Nodding, the flight attendant led them to the galley up front, behind the cockpit door, and pulled the curtain for them.

After he shaved in the lavatory, Lenore had to help Shiplett with his jacket over the bandage, but when they came out of the galley, both wore White Service Dress with their other clothing stuffed in Lenore's rucksack. The change drew many stares from the business-class travelers, and their seatmates back in Coach, but Lenore ignored them.

As the plane landed, the passengers were asked to wait, while Lenore and Shiplett stepped into the jetway. They then followed the American Airlines representative out the door and down the steps in the noise and wind of Miami International's American Airlines apron.

There was a small party waiting at the base of the jetway stair. "Candidate Collins?" The speaker identified himself. "I'm Agent Nason of the Customs Department. These are your bags, ma'am?"

Lenore and Shiplett finished the customs declaration quickly, and the Customs Agent left, as five men in Air Force BDUs stepped up. The leader of the formation saluted the coffin, and then Lenore and Shiplett saluted the Air Force Lieutenant.

"We'll take him from here, Ma'am," the Lieutenant said, as the four Airmen quickly unfolded a flag and snapped it to the corners of the coffin with small elastic bungees. Lenore and Shiplett saluted the coffin again, and held it, as the four men picked it up and put it on an American Airlines baggage flat, and drove off, the small tractor roaring.