Chapter 1

It all started many years ago. I never really understood why it happened, well, in a way, I really do remember why things went from bad, to good, then all shit broke lose.

Molly, my wife of two years, started to complain about my always being gone. Hell, what did she expect, that I was going to clock in from 8 AM to 5 PM, no way Jose!.

I enjoyed my work, my boss was an asshole, but the guy way above me figured that he owed me for saving his life. Every once in a while I would get a call from Jack, asking me to do something SPECIAL, and not tell anyone. The asshole decided he was not in the loop and began a campaign to make me some kind of an idiot by not filling him in on the details of where I was going, what I was going to do and why. Like I said, he was a real asshole.

Molly did not help maters. One day when I returned from XXXXX, she handed me the divorce papers and told me that she could live better without me. It could have been worse. She was not 'cheating', nor did she refuse to face me when it was over. I wanted to deny that there was any problem, at first. Then, once things calmed down, I could see her point. I was not much of a husband. Don't get me wrong, this was not some 'guilt trip' she was laying on me, it was the truth.

We agreed to a settlement, she got the house, I got enough money to start a new life, and we parted. We were not 'friends', but there was no animosity in the parting.

The job was all I really had. I took a vacation, which really pissed my immediate boss off, so who cares? I flew down to Plano, Texas to speak to the head honcho. I felt that I owed him something, he always made me feel he would be in my corner if I needed help. Boy, was this ever the time I needed some help.

I was able to schedule some time on the early evening the day after I arrived. I called my friend/partner/competitor, Larry and told him I was booked into a room at the Marriott in Plano. Would he like to join me for dinner. No, he had a few problems of his own. His partner's brand new Learjet just blew up, killing the Senator and leaving a mess of Washington politics. What made it worse was he sat on the Staff of the Joint Chiefs and Larry was part of the NSC with him. Someone was playing hardball.

Oh, right, I should mention what I did. Well, I can't say. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Let's just say, the President of the USA was a Level 17, Top Secret Crypto, my 'minders' were 'Ultra, Luna, Cosmic and Majestic', while I like to say I made it to 'Triad'. Enough about what Security Levels were, if you had to ask any question, there were too few people high enough to 'de-brief', let alone ask questions.

Our life together was a bit worse than what Molly had described. I often wondered how she and I ever got together. It had to be because she thought when we got married, she could change me. It was not in my nature to 'take orders'. This was probably why my boss got feed-up with me. I never cared about anyone or anything. It was not a decision, it was just the way it was.

Back to Plano. I did finally see the 'head honcho'. I told him that I was leaving and would be doing some 'contract' work to keep up the 'Endorsements'. I always liked him. He tried to get me to say why I wanted to leave, but the only reason I gave him was my split with Molly and a need to start over. I wanted to try more in Asia, The Middle East and China. I had visions of leading 'the good-life;, you know 'wine, women and song'. Well 'Dream On'. No such thing when you start over.

About the only thing I was able to arrange for was finding a 'super' home. I was near a small village in Spain, but walking distance to the beach. It was once owned by a 'baddee', the one nice thing was that no one wanted it and I paid cash for the lease. The five bedroom, 3 bath home was a steal. It had an indoor pool, sauna, hot tub and outdoor pool. It was cared for by a lady in the Village, and I kept her on. I told her that I was a 'consultant' and travelled often.