Chapter 59

Present - Ben and Destiny - At the cabin

We watched as the fucking greenies hauled Jens and others out of the tunnels - they were bagged, tagged and taken toward the concertina wire prison. I was pissed as hell and wish I had blown Mike's ass to hell in the PortaPotty.

However right now I need to help Stacy and the others escape before the greenies get back with Jens so I blow the hell out of a fencepost and the concertina wire and smile as Stacy, Linus and a couple of younger Marines haul ass away from the compound and toward the trees...

Present - Stacy - Escaped

Ben blows the hell out of a fencepost and then actually shoots the concertina wire in two as Linus exclaims, "That was a hell of a shot."

The wire spools up in both directions leaving us a hell of a hole to walk through, but I'm not about to waste time walking! I take off running toward the trees, away from the tunnel excavation site and yell, "Try to keep up with me!"

Linus commands, "Hey get your ass back here, you don't know where you're going."

I yell over my shoulder, "Like hell I don't! I've studied all the maps of this area and I know it like the back of my hand. Now move your ass before they catch us."

If I can only get far enough away to use the mobile phone I have hidden on me...

Present - Ben and Destiny - At the cabin

Destiny goes into one of her trances, comes out of it and shocks me when she informs me, "Ben, we need to enter the tunnels..."

I stuttered, "Wha ... Wha ... What the hell do you mean enter the tunnels - that's the worst idea I can think of! Hell, if we try that foolhardy act, we might as well march down to Mike and surrender."

She gives me a defiant look and explains, "Ben, Ivan is still in the tunnels and he's scared. I told him to be calm because we would come and get him."

Shit! Talk about being between a rock and a proverbial hard place. I ask, "How the hell did the greenies miss him?" I thought for a moment and continue before Destiny can answer, " ... wait, you don't need to answer that: They are greenies and he's Jack's boy."

Destiny annoyingly confirms anyway, "That's right, Jack taught him to hide when bad things or bad men come."

I smile because Jack trained Ivan so well and add, "And of course they are greenies and only did a half assed job searching the tunnels so they missed him. But we still have the problem of how the hell we get into the tunnels without the greenies catching us."

I am shocked by what Destiny offers...

Present - Jens - In the CSH

After they put the hood over my head, I wonder where the hell Ivan is. Oh well, I think any place is better than being treated like this.

I'm not sure where the hell they are taking me, but I hear some moans and complaints and wonder if it's my Marines that have been wounded. They finally take the hood off me and a man in a white coat says, "We're moving you into your bed. Don't help us because I don't want you injuring yourself more. By the way, someone did an excellent job treating you."

I look around and I'm shocked: It's not my Marines that are moaning, it's injured Special Forces. The doctor and nurse begin to move me, I bite my tongue because of the pain and let out a giant sigh. The doctor asks, "When was the last time you received something for pain?"

They get me moved so I can breathe again and answer, "Of course I would like something for pain; however I won't take anything for pain. By the way, what happened to all the troops?"

The doctor gives me a knowing look and answers, "I understand you were addicted in the past and don't want to go through that again. We can give you something else besides morphine. And whoever the tango is that our troops are after has more devious booby traps than anyone I've known. Thank God whoever it is isn't killing them but they sure are messing up their legs and feet."

I fight back a smile because that's my Ben. Then I see someone coming toward me, not them!!!

Present - Mike - At the CSH

I crawled into the closest tent then I felt something biting me, I took my pants down and mother fucker, I didn't get all the red ants off me! My legs are covered with them and they were biting the hell out of me. For once I am glad I don't have feelings in my legs. I beat the fuckers off me with my hands then I decide I need to do a further inspection and realize the fuckers had also gotten into my underwear and were biting the hell out of my cock and ass. I think I finally killed all the bastards but my legs are a mass of welts from the bites.

Finally one of the Special Forces jokers shows up and I lay into the son of a bitch, "Where the hell have all of you been! Help me back on with my clothes and take me to the medical tent."

The private responds, "Yes Sir, but perhaps I should get rid of the rest of the ants first?"

I complain, "Of course you should, that's why I had my clothes off in the first place!"

He began taking the rest of them off me, turns me over on my stomach and says, "Sir they are all over your ass and I'm not positive but some of them might have crawled up your asshole."

That's one of the problems of not having feeling in the lower part of my body, there is no muscle control. I order, "Private get me to the CSH immediately."

He pulls up my pants, picks me up and carries me to the CSH. He puts me on a gurney and I command, "Get me a doctor and tell the fucking Captain I want to see him immediately!"

He takes off like his ass was on fire (I am sure mine would be if I had feeling in it), the doctor comes over and I inform him, "The bastard tango blew the wheel off one of my wheelchairs, I fell in a red anthill and while I thought I had gotten all of them off me, I realize I didn't and now I'm covered with bites."

He calls over a nurse, they begin to take off my clothes and the doctor says, "Sir, you still have some of them on you and we can't afford to have them in the CSH biting the other patients. Nurse take him outside, take off all his clothes and make sure to remove all the ants."

She wheels me outside, strips off all my clothes and of course the Captain chooses that time to arrive. He questions, "Sir, what happened to you?"

I am pissed as hell and lay into him, "You're what happened to me! You took all the fucking men for your assault on the tunnel and our bastard tango shot the wheel off my brand new wheelchair. I fell into a red anthill and they bit the hell out of me."

The Captain begins to respond then one of my worst nightmares appears...

Present - Mira – At the CSH

Alexi awakens from his slumber, surveys the CSH and questions, "Mira what is happening?"

I smile at him and respond, "It would appear that my Ben has been very busy. Many Special Forces troops have arrived with foot and leg injuries for treatment at this facility."

I check my sister Ira and her new boyfriend Todd. They both seem to be stronger and resting well so I state, "Alexi, I need to acquire sustenance for us. Please stand watch while I perform this duty."

He takes up his post and I begin to leave to find the tent of mess.

I walk outside the CSH and am surprised when I occulate our adversary Mike - au natural! I recognize this as a unique tactical and strategic opportunity. I transverse to his location, grin and taunt, "Mike, it is good to see you again, but what in hades befell you. It appears you have many Pogonomyrmex barbatus stings. Did my Ben perform an action which precipitated this?"

The Captain foolishly complains, "Sir, should I put her in with the other prisoners?"

I continue my verbal assault, "Yes Mike, my government would love to hear we were treated incorrectly should we make this an international incident." I present my limbs forthwith toward the Captain for shackling, smile and occulate Mike's visage crimson to a degree which I have never experienced before. He glumly responds, "No Captain, Miranda is correct. We cannot place her in custody."