“I don’t intentionally break them,” Alex said.
“That’s what you always say and still you go through four or five a year,” Joseph said. “That’s not counting the pocket computers.”
“How is it my fault…?” Alex started.
“We don’t have time for this,” Matthew said. “Don’t taunt her. She’s been drinking.”
“Both phones are GPS-enabled,” Joseph continued. “They’re on call at the GPS Operations Center. They will help us track you. If you have to get out of there fast, grab the phones. We have no other way to track you.”
“We’ve activated your Trudy account,” Trece held out a driver’s license. “It’s expired, but that’s almost better. If they run your fingerprints, that’s what will come up.”
“How do you have a Trudy account?” Matthew asked.
“I work with Trece sometimes,” Alex said. “I’m pretty good at breaking security.”
“She’s gotten through every single time,” Trece said. “She’s a ringer. You remember Trudy?”
“Trudy is from Ohio,” Alex said. “She’s not married. Her mother’s alive, but an alcoholic. Her father’s deceased. She was a waitress last time. She’s a hooker now?”
“Service personnel on her tax returns,” Trece said. “I need your tags.”
Alex looked surprised. He pointed to her neck. She had worn identification tags for so long that she no longer felt them around her neck. Of course, John wore her Fey Special Forces Team primary dog tag and Alex wore these tags. She gave her tags to Max.
“I need a minute before you go,” MJ said. “Matthew and Joseph, you’re needed in the entryway. White Boy has their driver flat on his stomach begging for his life.”
“Why?” Alex asked.
“He wears an F,” MJ said.
F
CHAPTER TEN
The weight of his words hung in the air. Almost every person rescued by the Fey Special Forces team had a black Vivaldi F tattooed on their right shoulder or wrist. It was a sign that they owed their life to the Fey. The team fell silent.
“Who is it?” Joseph growled.
“No disrespect meant, but that’s not my purview,” MJ said. “Lieutenant Colonel Hargreaves is my purview.”
MJ gave Alex an irritated smiled. She nodded and followed him out of the room. They went down the hall to the bathroom where MJ’s medic kit was set up.
“We talked about heels like this,” MJ said.
“I haven’t been wearing any,” Alex said. “I don’t think I can get away with not wearing them for this.”
“You can take them off and carry them in your hand,” MJ said.
“Point taken,” Alex said.
“I’m going to give you a shot,” MJ said. “But you remember what the doctor said…”
“Only one shot a day,” Alex said. “The steroids interfere with healing… and a bunch of other stuff.”
She lifted her skirt. As she had at least once a day since she’d had her last surgery, Alex bent over and grit her teeth against the pain. MJ injected her hip with a cocktail of steroids and pain medications. She stayed completely still for a moment while the steroids settled.
“I found a doctor who’s treating your very same symptoms.”
“Oh yeah?” Alex asked.
“Works with a lot of vets. I’d like you to meet with him.”
“Where is he?” Alex asked.
“Norfolk,” MJ said.
“Tell Joseph. If I can, it will go on the schedule,” Alex said.
“Yes sir.”
“We’ve got to go,” Zack pounded on the bathroom door.
“Thanks MJ,” Alex said.
“I’ll be in the Winnebago at Walmart,” MJ said.
“See you in an hour or so,” Alex said.
MJ opened the door. Alex gave him her best hooker wave and followed Zack to the door. Against the wall, a very intimidated US Army Master Sergeant stood at attention.
“Hey Darren,” Alex said. “What’s going on?”
“Sir, this creature was going to drive the Jakker to JFCOM so that he could be held hostage,” White Boy said. “He had full knowledge of the plan and still participated.”
Snarling, White Boy took a step toward the Master Sergeant.
“Permission to speak, sir,” the Master Sergeant said.
“Go,” Alex said.
“I was going to tell Captain Jakkman while we were in the car,” the Master Sergeant said. “I have a phone…”
He moved to his pocket and Trece was on him. Trece came up with a disposable phone.
“I bought that last night for Captain Jakkman’s use,” the Master Sergeant said. “I am required to do as I’m assigned or face court-martial. I’m on track for promotion this summer and…”
“I’d quit before I betrayed the Fey,” Matthew said.
“That’s just it,” the Master Sergeant said. “I’m not betraying the Fey. I’m helping. And I figured when it all went down, you could use another weapon.”
The Master Sergeant smiled at his brilliance.
“Do they know you wear an F?” Alex asked.
“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said. “I’m proud and humbled by my safe rescue by the Fey Special Forces Team. My wife and I thank God every day for you and the men.”
“They sent you because Captain Jakkman would trust you,” Alex said. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Eniac is monitoring all of your communication,” he said. “Even the Map Phone. It’s some computer thing. That’s why no one can call you. One of my team called the Map Phone with a map correction. He was picked up in the middle of the night from his home and taken to Leavenworth, sir. I know it’s selfish, but my wife… my kids… My mom has Alzheimer’s and…”
He swallowed hard.
“I thought I could help!” he protested.
“They were going to kill you,” Trece said. “You wouldn’t have made it past the front doors.”
“Oh God.” The Master Sergeant lowered his head and pinched his nose to keep from weeping.
“If you want to help us,” Joseph said. “You will say you had to drag Captain Jakkman out of bed. He wouldn’t leave without the Lieutenant Colonel. You will refer to the Fey as ‘some hooker’. You will stop at a liquor store and buy whiskey for Captain Jakkman. You will call in a panic and tell them that when you returned to the limo, Captain Jakkman and the hooker were having sex.”
“Yes sir,” he said.
“You will drop us at the entrance,” Alex said.
“Tell them that the limo is in a mess from their ‘activities,’” White Boy said.
“Retreat to the Walmart parking lot where you will find an ancient Winnebago with a blue fairy sticker on the back,” Joseph said.
“Oh, and can you play that ‘Cult of Personality’ song?” Alex asked. “I need to learn the words.”
“Hey!” Zack faked a hurt expression.
“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.
“What’s your name?” Matthew asked.
“Darren Rossen, Master Sergeant, US Army,” he saluted.
“Sorry we gave you such a hard time,” White Boy said. “We had to be sure.”
“I understand,” Master Sergeant Rossen said. “We need to go. Captain Jakkman is already a day late.”
Trece held the door for the Master Sergeant. The Master Sergeant pointed down the stairs. Joseph gave Zack a bottle of inexpensive John Jameson’s 7-year Irish Whiskey. Zack saluted with the bottle and took the stairs. The Master Sergeant followed Zack. Alex looked at the steps and took her heels off. Joseph gave her a tattered handbag. With a nod at their worried faces, she trotted down the steps to the limo.
“It’s like prom,” she said when she scooted in after Zack.
“I wish you’d gone to prom with me,” Zack said.
“I think things have worked out pretty perfectly,” Alex said.
Zack smiled. He moved across the limo to sit next to her.
&
nbsp; “Why do you smell like sex?” Alex asked.
“Didn’t shower,” Zack said. “You?”
“Same,” Alex said.
“Yeah, things worked out perfectly,” Zack said.
“Would you like to stop at the liquor store?” the Master Sergeant asked.
“Can we do both?” Alex asked. “Hit one here and then another when we get there?”
“Liquor stores aren’t open until nine in Washington DC,” the Master Sergeant said. “We would have to wait.”
“Shit,” Alex said. “I didn’t check.”
“I can call in to say you and Captain Jakkman are having sex when we’re on the highway,” Master Sergeant Rossen said.
“Good thinking,” Alex said. “We have this bottle. We can skip the liquor store.”
“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.
“We’re going to nap,” Alex said. “There’s no way to know what this day is going to turn into.”
“Hey, I thought we were having sex,” Zack said in his most indignant voice. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for…”
His head dropped back in mock sleep.
“Wake us up about ten minutes before we get there,” Alex said.
“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.
“Sleep now or forever hold your peace,” Alex said to Zack.
Zack put his arm around her. He dropped his hat over his eyes and was out. She put her head against his shoulder and fell asleep.
FFF
Monday morning
October 26 – 8:42 a.m. EDT
Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, VA
When Trece had said they would be thorough, Alex hadn’t expected them to be quite as probing. The grumpy guards at the front of JFCOM all but did a full body-cavity search. She was delighted to see Jesse waiting for them near the entrance. He asked her more than once if she needed him to shock them.
“Boys, you have to pay for any more than that,” Alex giggled. “But I should be available later.”
“I want you all day,” Zack said.
“Maybe tomorrow, cutie,” Alex said and stroked the guard’s cheek. “Hey! What are you doing?”
They took her phone and tossed it into a cubby.
“That’s my livelihood,” Alex tried to get her phone from the cubby.
“I’ll be your livelihood,” Zack leered. “What do you mean you need my phone? I’m a superior officer, Sergeant! Who is your supervisor?”
Zack breathed whiskey breath on the guards. They grimaced but didn’t step back.
“It’s JFCOM standard procedure,” the guard growled. “If you look at the cubbies, Captain, you’ll see all the other phones there.”
“It’s a security risk for you to bring your phone into the building,” the other guard said. “As is alcohol. You can’t bring this in.”
The guard waved the flask of whiskey he’d taken from her purse.
“Hey! You can’t have that,” Alex reached over him for the whiskey. “That’s mine! I bought that!”
“I’m sure you’re making enough today to buy another,” the guard used his forearm to push her away from him.
“I’ll buy you anything you’d like,” Zack said.
“I do like you,” Alex said.
Zack began a tongue-probing kiss. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jesse swing the security camera away from them. Noticing the camera, the guard slipped a handheld computer into her bag. The other guard came to break up their pornographic embrace. While they fought to stay together, he slipped weapons into their hands. Jesse let the security camera track back in toward the guards’ direction.
“Sir, you disgust me,” the guard said.
“If I didn’t have to be at this meeting,” Zack said. “I’d have you court-martialed.”
“Yeah, court-martialed,” Alex pointed her index finger in the air and waved it back and forth. “No disrespecting the Captain.”
“Get them out of here,” the guard said to a waiting Sergeant.
“Right this way,” the Sergeant said. “We’re not quite ready for you. We wondered if you would mind waiting.”
“I always wait when I’m here,” Zack exaggerated his drunkenness. “Why do you think I brought entertainment?”
“Your iPod is for entertainment, sir,” the Sergeant said.
“This is more fun,” Zack wiggled his eyebrows.
“Yeah, fun,” Alex said.
Zack put his arm around Alex. His hand drifted down her chest until he grabbed her breast. She gave him a lustful look. The Sergeant couldn’t keep the disgust from his face.
“Listen,” Zack did his best imitation of an angry drunk. “I flew that bitch around all day yesterday. All day. That’s against regs! Take me here, Jakkman. Take me there, Jakkman. I need to unwind.”
“I’m the best kind of unwind!” Alex said.
Zack moved to kiss her again.
“Shall we?” the Sergeant asked.
The Sergeant took Zack’s arm in one hand and Alex’s arm in the other. He hustled them down a long hallway. They turned left, then right, and waited for an elevator. Rather than letting go of them, the Sergeant asked Alex to press the button. They went up a flight and down another hallway. By Alex’s recollection, they were close to the computer facility. The Sergeant opened a door and pushed them into a small room. Before they could say anything, the Sergeant shut the door. They heard a key turn in the lock.
Zack jumped Alex. In a great show of lust, she began taking off his clothing. She took his hat off and tossed it into the corner. The hat flew up into the air. Jesse caught the hat and lifted it up to the room’s surveillance camera. Unsure if there were other cameras, they continued their act.
Zack picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to a low table with a phone on it. She slipped across the table top to the phone. He unzipped his pants.
“Wait!” Alex said. “We need a condom.”
“Would hate for that dragon-hearted woman at home to find out,” Zack said.
He picked up her handbag and carried it to her. With the handbag tight between them, she made a show of going through it until she found a condom.
“Better get two,” Zack said.
“You are so frisky,” Alex said.
Zack started at his girlfriend Bestat’s usual joke about him. Alex gave a drunken giggle. Laughing, he dropped his pants. While he was fumbling around with his underwear, Alex took the handheld computer from her bag and turned it on.
“We need some music for the mood!” Alex said.
Zack gave her a lecherous grin and took the iPod out of his pocket. Working under the cover of his body, she plugged the computer cord in the handheld computer and held it out to him.
“The cult of personality,” Alex sang off key.
“Neon light…” Zack joined in.
He dropped his tidy whities and stepped closer to her. Alex leaned back to use her hands to prop herself up. Zack fell forward as if they had connected. His hands went past hers to set the handheld computer next to the phone. She moaned to cover the sound of Jesse connecting the handheld computer to the phone line.
“Only you can set me freeeeee,” Alex and Zack sang together.
Even though the handheld computer’s sound was turned off, it made a series of clicks. Zack grunted and Alex added some “Oh Gods.” They continued their Adult-Video-News-award-winning performance until Zack gave an exaggerated “Yippee Kai Yea” and collapsed against her. She had to press her mouth against his shoulder to keep from laughing out loud.
Zack glanced at his watch. It had been ten minutes since they had hooked up the handheld computer. Alex lifted a shoulder in a shrug.
“Good thing you brought more condoms!” Zack said.
Alex put her head back and laughed. Her pink curls shook glitter all over the room.
“Here you go, honey.” Alex gave him another condom. “You are a fun date.”
“I want to have fun…”
; “WE ARE ANNONYMOUS,” a computerized voice came over the loud speaker. The voice echoed through the hallway. “DO NOT PANIC. WE HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THIS FACILITY.”
“It’s about fucking time,” Zack said. “I already used my best material.”
“STAY AT YOUR STATIONS AND YOU WILL NOT BE HARMED. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING. DO NOT TRY. STAY AT YOUR STATIONS.”
They heard general panic outside the door. The lock on their door clicked open.
“Love the outfit, Fey,” the computerized voice said from the phone’s speaker.
“Thanks X,” Alex said.
“You can put on your clothes Jakker,” the X voice said.
Wearing only a white T-shirt, Zack yanked up his underwear. He picked up his pants from near the door and his jacket from a corner, and started to dress.
“He has such a nice butt,” a higher-pitched computerized voice said. “Hey Alex, how big is he?”
“A high-class girl never talks size,” Alex laughed. The higher-pitched computerized voice laughed.
“Funny,” Zack said. “You’re very funny. Have you seen my tie?”
“Heya Y,” Alex said. “I should have known you were there.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” the Y voice said. “Can I have your outfit when you’re done? X wants the wig.”
“Jakker, your tie is in the bin,” the X voice said.
Zack went to the trashcan to find his tie. He noticed a rip in his dress shirt and dropped it in the trashcan.
“You can have my outfit,” Alex said. “It’s the least I can do. You guys know where Ben is?”
“He’s being held down the hall from you,” the X voice said. “It hasn’t occurred to them that you caused any of this. Should we let them know?”
“Let’s get Ben first,” Alex said. “Anyone else here we should know about?”
“Not that we’ve found,” the X voice said. “We’re just finishing the system. You were right, by the way. It’s not quite a virus but more than a monitoring program. That’s why it took so long. We’ll let you know the details when you confirm control of the computer facility.”
“Fey?” the Y voice asked. “Ben is three doors to your left as you exit the room and across the hall. He has one guard with him.”
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