Chapter 383

Andy and I, along with the team leaders, made several tours of the embassy grounds to point out different things that needed to be done to improve our security or make our stay better.

Then there was another meeting to get the suit and tie embassy part of this venture started tomorrow. There was an official announcement and letter of introduction that I had to personally hand deliver to each of the ambassadors at the other embassies.

The state department had furnished a list and an order that I was do this in; a pecking order based on the strength of the international relationship.

Linda was going be my official secretary while I was here. Gordon Decker was to be my escort to all official functions. Gordon, Andy informed me, had brought several suits and tuxes and had taken dance as a college course.

Gordon was a likable fellow and seemed to get along with anybody and was in great physical shape. He also spoke three languages of the 7 that I also spoke. Like most of my men, Gordon had done time in the sand box; we had a lot in common.

Protocol required that I have four body guards with me for the time being; two were coming the evening shift and two the night shift.

The next thing was getting us orientated to the time difference. To start that process, it was to bed by the clock.

The ambassador’s residence was 3 bedrooms with twin queen beds. I and my three girls were going to take one bedroom.

I gave them the choice, “Share a bed or put up a cot to sleep on, I do not care which, but we are all sleeping in one room and I have the half of the bed next to the phone. Oh, by the way, I do not bite”

The other seven girls were told the same thing for the other two bedrooms. I did not want nor would I put up with any shenanigans between the sexes; we simply had too much to do for that.

The alarm clock had to ring to get me out of bed; I had set it for 6. A quick shower and better clothes today - I chose a new 300 dollar pant suit - the high price stuff was for official functions. A little makeup and my hair in a pony tail was it today.

I smelled coffee and food as soon as I opened the door. I hit the coffee pot first then the food line; bacon, eggs, sausage and a waffle. The waffle mix must have been from Ambassador Bernardi’s stock unless the guys had added it to the list. That might explain the several extra crates that were loaded.

“After you finish eating and before you start the day, I need to see you in my office for a minute,” I told Andy as I walked by with a fresh mug of coffee.

I open my cases and started to put the office together to suit me. The desk had been cleaned out other than pads and pens. I wiped off my official desk nameplate and placed it on the desk, then put the rest of my things away. I keyed up both of my computers to see if they would connect to the secure system.

There was no need to try to find anyone at the office; it was midnight there, the same for Washington unless I paged the emergency operations desk.

I could and did open a conversation with the Khartoum Sudan embassy that was 1200 miles to the north in the same time zone. There was a JBG team and a chopper at that site. Ambassador Bernie Furnell opened the page himself.

“Good morning Ambassador Furnell, how are things in the Sudan today?” I asked.

“Normal turbulence all around the area - it is an every day occurrence any more. I have to get used to addressing you as ambassador. While I’m thinking of it, are we all going to get that secret surgery that you described to Joe?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied as I was laughing.

“I take it that you and Ambassador Bernardi are close friends,” I said.