Chapter 83

Present – Jens and others – about a month later at the cabin

The TSIFFTS command center phone rings, James answers it and after a brief pause to hear who is calling announces, "Jennifer, it's Linus for you."

My heart beats slightly faster as I rush over, answer the phone and query, "Linus, please tell me you have good news for a change?"

Linus sounds almost as dejected as I am when he answers, "Sorry Jennifer, the faint trail there had been of Ben has gone totally cold."

I have a little hope that one of our new plans might work when I ask, "Linus, is there anything else that you need to help in your search?" I then add one of our new ideas, "How about a helicopter?"

Linus shoots down the idea just like Ben had shot down the greenies helicopters when he says, "Sorry Jennifer, but even that won't help. We already have men stationed every ten miles on the Continental Divide Trail for the next hundred miles and somehow he avoids all of them."

I slam the phone down in anger and dejection, Thom comes over and advises, "Jennifer, don't get your panties in a bunch. Stacy isn't having any better luck than we are and she's using a fucking satellite."

I lie just to tease Thom, "I can't get my panties in a bunch because I'm not wearing any."

Thom gives me a dirty look but immediately counters, "Prove it!"

Inga laughs and interjects, "I am not wearing any panties either and would love to prove it."

Thom just as immediately backpedals, "Uh ... No thank you Inga."

I laugh, then snap my fingers as I get a new idea and ask James, "James tell me, do we have access to satellite communications?"

James turns in his chair and answers, "Of course we do Jennifer, why are you wondering?"

I rush over beside James, grab a chair, sit down and answer, "Thom reminded me of Stacy's satellite and I'm betting I can hack into it and we can use it."

Thom again says, "Jennifer what good will that do? I told you that they can't find Ben with her satellite."

I laugh and answer, "Oh I'm not going to try to find Ben with it - I have other plans..."

I begin the hack into Stacy's satellite network as I fight back the tears about all that has happened this month: First Maria and Liz took me into the medical plane where they did a scan on me and found a GPS transponder that the fucking Mike hid inside me. We removed it, attached it to one of the Marines truck as they left to go home after telling them about it and hoped like hell Mike would follow them.

We next had a huge funeral for Byron – he will be greatly missed. However, Thom now has a new right hand man, or should I say woman ... Inga - and they tease each other relentlessly.

Stacy returned and we fought like cats and dogs about her construction companies. I finally had my fill of it and threw her and them off my property, then hired my own construction companies. It didn't take them long to fix the tunnel entrances and once they did I made Stacy remove the fucking mobile homes she messed up my property with and we moved into the tunnels. The contractors are making good progress on fixing up the cabin and soon we can move back in. I have been busy when I'm not in the TSIFFTS command center designing the new security system for the cabin and the tunnels, and it won't have the problems the first one did.

But what has me the most upset is we tried our best, and failed, at finding Ben. Sharik must sense how upset I am as he come over, puts his head in my lap and I say, "Sorry Sharik, I can't pet you right now because I need to get this finished first."

He lets out a little whimper and I promise, "Don't worry. If you're a good dog I will take you for a run later today."

He spins around a couple times in joy and his antics, as usual, help to dispel my terrible mood...

Present – Stacy – about a month later on the Continental Divide Trail

Wojtek begins to yowl (once again) and takes off running backwards down the Continental Divide Trail. I yell at him, "Where the fuck are you going this time you coward?"

Patches and Bo's ears go back along their heads and they both begin to paw the earth. I reach down, stroke Patches and say, "Come on girl, I know you're spooked but don't fail me now."

I couldn't count the number of times this has happened, even if I used both my hands and feet. I'm sure it has something to do with that fucking woman who's helping Ben. If I ever see her again I'm not going to ask questions, I'm just going to going to shoot her. Unfortunately my attempts to calm Patches don't work this time since she turns tail and takes off with Bo right behind her. I'm left holding on for dear life!

I've had a hell of a terrible month. First was the problem with the 'Barney Fife' sheriff. If you thought he was angry for Wojtek ripping the door off his truck, he was even more angry after he pissed off Patches. She picked him up by the collar of his coat and shook him like a dog shakes a rat. It took three lawyers to get me out of the mess that the two of them got me in and by the time I did Ben was long gone.

I wasn't too worried because I thought finding Ben was going to be so easy using the satellite. However, while I was in 'Barney Fife's jail, Ben and his fucking friend did something and it stopped working. When I got out of jail, I went back to the cabin to talk with Bill to see what the hell was going on. We called in all the technicians we could but they couldn't figure it out. While I was there, I got in daily fights over almost everything with Jennifer until she finally got pissed enough to throw all of us off her property. We were able to form a tentative peace with 'Barney Fife' when we moved everyone into town, bought an abandoned warehouse and set up our command center. It was then he informed us that he had made Ben a deputy sheriff. I had Bill look into it and discovered that 'Barney Fife' and Ben were BFFs in high school so everything 'fell into place'.

Now I was holding on to Patches for dear life once again...

Present – Jack, Masha and Ivan – about a month later in the Tunnels

I sit on the bed beside Masha and ask, "Honey, is there anything that I can get for you before I leave for work?"

Masha frowns at me and complains, "Jack, you are being irrational by making me stay in bed."

I return the frown with a smile, give her a kiss, pull away, stand up and gently counter, "Masha, you know better than that. I'm just enforcing the doctor's orders that you need total bed rest."

She gives me the look that only a wife can give a husband after they have been married for many years - the look that says that I can't expect any 'fun' beginning now and continuing for a while then she replies, "Jack, since when do you listen to the doctors?"

I grin at her and answer, "I've become a much better listener when it concerns my wife and our unborn baby daughter."

I turn to Ivan and order, "Ivan, since I have to go to work I expect you to make sure mama stays in bed."

Ivan jumps to his feet, smartly salutes me and responds, "Yes Sir! Captain Sir!"

I once again complain, "Ivan, you know I'm not a Sir, I work for a living. So how about you cut it out."

He salutes again and counters, "Sorry Sir! Unca Ben teach me and give me orders that I should always call you Sir and Captain."

I silently swear to myself that I will find some fucking way to get even with Banzai for teaching Ivan this nasty little trick - but first we have to find the sneaky assed fucker which has proven harder than hell. I wonder if we will have any luck today as I head outside to greet my men as they do PT and hope for good news later when I go to the TSIFFTS command trailer.

I get outside, find my men are missing and there's a huge hullaballoo!!!

Present – Samantha – about a month later working on news stories at the cabin

I am shocked when I see two men walking towards me: They both look like Rob Roy because they are wearing kilts, have on blue face paint and have big swords in scabbards behind their backs. This has to be some sort of crazy news story - now to figure out what the hell it is! I walk toward them, vaguely recognize one of them in spite of the face paint and kilts and ask, "Is that you retired General Donaldson?"

His reply is in such a thick Scottish brogue that I can hardly understand it, "Ye be reit fair lassie, Ah be general Donaldson. Micht ye ken whaur mah dochter Jennifer be located?"

I pointed to the TSIFFTS trailer and answer, "I think she is in there. Would you mind if I come along and ask you some questions?"

Many of the Marines who are still here began to gather around as the newly defined General Donaldson answers...

Present – General Donaldson, Hammer and Samantha – about a month later at the cabin

Some bonnie as a bug news reporter asks if she can come wi' me An' ask me some questions while Ah fin' mah dochter Jennifer an' Ah answer, "Certainly ye can come wi' us, however Ah micht nae want ye reportin' things when Ah reach mah dochter."

'Er first question is a guid 'n body when she asks, "General Donaldson you have been missing now for over a month, what happened and where have you been?"

Ah hink fur a moment oan hoo much Ah wish tae reveal an' answer, "Ah was captured by th' drug lord's men until mah guid mukker Hammer haur rescued me."

Mah guid mukker Hammer interjects, "Ah saw those bastards takin' th' general an' kent Ah hud tae dae somethin', it took two weeks tae fin' heem an' a body week tae free heem."

Th' bonnie reporter asks, "General why the change in clothing?"

We ur at th' TSIFFTS trailer an' Ah answer, "Hammer has shoon me it's guid tae embrace mah scottish heritage. Noo please excuse us we woods loch ot gab tae mah dochter."

Th' bonnie reporter smiles at me an' answers, "Of course, but I would like a chance later for a longer interview."

Ah nod mah heed in affirmation, we open th' duir, step intae th' TSIFFTS trailer an' Hammer says, "Ah woods loch tae gie 'at bonnie reporter a horizontal interview."

Ah glaur at heem an' 'en see mah dochter...

Wow this has been one crazy month, I have been so busy trying to keep up with all the news that I feel like I've done a terrible job reporting on it. But the station, Liz and most importantly the viewers have really shown their support.

First I did quite a few reports on Stacy's problems with the local sheriff. OMG he was ready to lock her up and throw away the key until most of America started to give him hell about the way he treated her. I even got him to call off the search and kill parties going after Wojtek by finding Stacy and Wojtek (after the sheriff released Stacy) and doing a report with both of them. Stacy informed America of how Wojtek helped to battle the Mexican's as they tried to destroy Bob's Country Bunker and he instantly became 'America's Pet'. Heck there was even a line of Wojtek teddy bears which the children started to sleep with (thanks to Stacy's marketing company). The protestors came from all over America and called themselves the 'Occupy Wojtek' protestors. They camped out in front of the sheriff's office and somehow (I think it was Stacy) found out where he lived and even harassed him and his family there. At first he tried to be tough with them by arresting them, but it just caused more of them to come until his jail was full, then he was forced to release them.