Chapter 303

Bob Jackson opened the conversation asking if there were any problems that the security department has to deal with today. Then Chancellor Nobles' ask the questions that went right to the core. Why they really came.

"Well, you have been one busy beaver over the holiday. I see that you have new contracts with the government, a shootout in South America and now you have your own college-style police department. I can't remember how many times I have seen you on TV in the last month. How do you have time to do all these things?" he said.

"I am going to have to better manage my time and delegate more of my work onto others," I replied. Then I added, "I am going to have to discuss some changes to my work schedule here with you. Seeing that you are now aware of my new government contract, part of that contract states that I have to visit all of the embassies that JBG has security employees at"

"How many embassies do you have employees at?" Bob asked, "I did not see a number in Hanna's reports."

"Eighty, out of 180 embassies, I have been to four so far. That leaves 76 to visit. The contract language states that I have to visit all of them. I also have to be available to deal with any emergencies 24/7, that's why I have to carry all of this around with me every where I go," I replied.

"One of them is not in Riyadh Saudi Arabia is it? My son is stationed there, he is the Air Force," Bob asked.

"Why yes, that is one of my stops along the way. Get your passports up to date and if we have a couple empty seats on that trip, you and the Misses can pay him a surprise visit for a day or more," I replied.

"We keep them up to date," Bob replied.

"I and one of the other girls are leaving late in the afternoon on Wednesday and flying home on Sunday night. The first trip Vicky went with me, as you saw on the shootout. I think she had a blast," I said. To a couple of shaking heads and moans followed by "The plan is to try to make 4 embassies on each flight," I said then added.

"When we get there we do the meet and greet with embassy staff including the ambassador and his/her family and then do the same with rest of the people there, then deal with our new employees. Sometimes we sleep on the plane, sometimes we stay in a hotel, and other times we sleep in the guest quarters at the embassy - it all depends on the length of the flight to the next stop and the available accommodations," I replied.

"Where I am leading with this is I am going to need Thursday and Fridays off for an extended period of time. Vicky is going to do some trips for me but some I have to do. My contract states that I could set my own schedule. I would like to try working three days a week here hoping that still meets the contract requirements? Or do we need to discuss other options?" I asked.

During our discussion, you could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet, even Patti's office was deathly quiet. We had ridden together this morning and talked about a lot of things, but not talked about this topic.

"Just for conversation, what options are out there?" Bob asked.

"I could resign and you would have a position to fill. You could contract JBG to handle security, the same as the other 10 colleges we have. Or I could work a three day schedule meets the requirements," I replied.

After a quick glance at each other Mr. Nobles said, "Bob and I have expected this conversation was coming for a while now. We are open to a security contract with JBG after the second dorm is completed. Right now we don't want to rock the boat; things are going too smoothly for that." He continued by saying.

"The contract allows you to set your own schedule; three days is acceptable to us as long as everything goes smoothly as it is now. There may be a few Thursday or Fridays that we need you here for staff meetings and the like. We will put the schedule out a month in advance to allow you to plan around them," he said.

"Good, I was hoping we could work something out, at least until the last dorm is finished," I replied.

I had my secure laptop and secure phone with me. They went everywhere that I went; now both were heavily encrypted. I had copies from each of the Bogota cameras from the shootout - even the footage from the front - in pass-worded files. Well, it took my right thumb print, a password and my left pinky and another password to log in to the computer.

The secure phone was not quite as bad; just a single thumb print and password to make an outgoing call and a password to answer.

"Patti, can you come in here a minute and close the door behind you?" I asked.