“Sir?”
The General pulled a communiqué from his pocket and read it. “Second Lieutenant Cody Musket, not only did your actions under fire result in the rescue of eight US fighting men and the salvation of a US Navy SEAL team under the command of Major Simon Hendrix, it also led to the apprehension of Abdul Al-Adami, a wanted terrorist who had eluded US intelligence for over five years. All these acts of bravery were performed in enemy territory under fire of combat and after you, Lieutenant Musket, had been injured in action. Your country and the entire free world owe you a debt of gratitude that can never adequately be repaid.”
“Sir, I don’t really —”
“I have come to deliver in person the announcement that you are to receive a citation for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of your life, above and beyond the call of duty. For uncommon courage under fire that upholds the highest traditions and honor of the United States Marine Corps, in light of the events above, you are recommended for the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force bestowed upon an individual serving in the armed services of the United States.”
“Sir, there is —”
“I’m not finished, Lieutenant! There is another matter, now that I am completely out of breath. Captain Jefferson and Sergeant Corbett told me of this so-called miraculous nature of your recovery here. Lieutenant, until you crashed on my battlefield, I had decided that there was no God in heaven. Now I’m not so friggin’ sure of myself.
“And as for the shooting of Al Adami, it was an accident — that’s final. Do I make myself clear? Now listen up! You’ve been handed a gift. Make the best of it, and that’s an order. You go make me proud of my decisions in this matter, son.”
The General stood up, squared off, and straightened his uniform. “Are we on the same page here, Lieutenant?”
“Cody, wake up! We’re coming into Pittsburgh. Are you awake?”
“I’m not sure about being on the same page. Uh, Nikki?”
“Cody, wake up. You’re dreaming.”
He sat up. “Uh. Ummm. Guess I fell asleep.”
“Oh, you think?”
“What time is it?” he asked.
“Nearly time to meet Mama and Daddy at the Tenth Inning Grill. We all listened to you talk in your sleep.”
Sly, sitting behind the wheel, found Cody in the rearview mirror. “Hey, flyboy. We didn’t hear a word. We weren’t listening. By the way, who the heck is Nikki?”
“I was just remembering about General Plasket coming into my recovery room at Kandahar.”
“General Abraham Plasket?” Brandi asked. “You mean the supreme ISAF commander? He came to see you?”
“So who is Nikki?” Sly was persistent.
“Sounds like a girl to me,” Julia ribbed.
“His anesthesiologist.” Brandi was quick to answer.
“She was a sergeant. General Plasket came to let me know I was gonna receive a medal. But I felt it was undeserved. I didn’t really earn it. I sort o’ blundered into some situations that led to the capture of a wanted terrorist.”
“But you also saved those eight survivors from the helicopter crash,” Brandi reminded.
“Brandi told us that the two of you talked about Afghanistan,” Julia said. “She didn’t tell any details, but we’re so glad that you...I mean you’ve both been through so much.”
Cody became detached. He stared out the window at the Pittsburgh skyline and did not engage further. Brandi reached for his hand but he was unresponsive.
Julia and Brandi exchanged glances. Brandi shook her head. Was he retreating again? Would she ever learn to read his thoughts?
Despite her frustration, a strange new peace had embraced Brandi while Cody had slept on the seat next to her in the Escalade. She finally was free of Billy. Today, she had laid herself down like a bridge over Cody’s troubled water. Afterward, the hurt and shame from the stabbing had simply left her. Was it gone forever?
Even more miraculous was the sudden feeling of pity, not hatred, for her Friday-night attackers. She could no longer feel their collective breath upon her, despite sore bruises that still persisted.
The tears she had cried with Cody in center field had broken some heart fetters, but today, something new and even more powerful was in progress. A miracle?
An involuntary smile crossed her lips as they traversed the Clemente Bridge. Was her tranquility of heart only the temporary eye of a hurricane, or was it a light at the end of the tunnel? Hope was alive. What would tonight bring? What would await them in Houston? Surely, it would be good.
Gun Smoke
It was nearly 6:00 p.m. when they arrived at PNC Park to pick up Brandi’s Mustang. They had stored the car in a secure lot. Cody eyeballed the security personnel on duty for signs of authenticity, but it was still a guessing game. His senses were on alert. Should he have contacted authorities after all? Had his agent’s bogus news leak worked?
Tanner stopped the Escalade as close as he could to Brandi’s Mustang. Brandi slipped her keys to Cody.
“Do you want to drive? Knoxi and I will be right here.” Soft smile.
Cody went to retrieve the car, carrying their bags.
After he walked away, Brandi stood next to the curb to wait for him. Tanner wrapped his big arms around her. “You’ll do,” he said. “He loves you more than you know, and he needs you more than you know.”
“Thank you,” Brandi whispered. She looked at Julia, who nodded. Brandi felt a warm and pleasant premonition. Sly and Julia could read Cody better than anyone.
Cody put the bags in the trunk. He looked around the parking lot nervously before he dropped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He dug into the glove compartment, pulled out Brandi’s handgun and hid it in the front pocket of his jeans. Hopefully, he wouldn’t need it. Brandi wouldn’t even know he had taken it.
He slipped the Mustang into reverse and backed the car around to pick up Brandi and Knoxi. They said their goodbyes to the McNairs and were on their way.
Knoxi was hungry and fussy, but the couple was silent while the Mustang made its way through the lot and toward the exit. Cody breathed a sigh of relief as they eased past the guarded gate and turned onto the road.
“I know you have it in your pocket.” She looked straight ahead. “Thank you for not telling me. Tenth Inning Grill is on the next street. Turn right at the intersection.”
Cody offered no response. She put her hand on his knee. “Are you trying to choke my steering wheel to death?”
He eased his grip. “Sorry.”
She exhaled a long breath. “Are we gonna be okay?”
“I dunno what to say. There is something else I didn’t tell you. I couldn’t bring myself — I figured I’d said enough, figured you’d heard enough. The head guy, the one in charge in that village, the terrorist I was credited with apprehending — I shot him.”
Brandi’s mouth flew open. She held her breath.
“I couldn’t hear anything after the battle. I don’t even remember pickin’ up my Beretta and wanderin’ off. No one even noticed. Mass confusion. They say I used a piece of debris for a crutch and slipped past everybody to the place where five Marines were holding Al Adami. The only part I remember is pointing the gun and shooting him point-blank. After that, I collapsed.”
“So he’s dead?”
“He’s at Guantanamo. I only nicked him in the arm. If I had been in my right mind, I’d have killed him.”
“Cody, if you had been in your right mind, you would not have shot him. Did you think of that?”
“If I’d been in my right mind, I wouldn’t have attacked you. Did you think of that?” He brought the vehicle to a halt at the intersection. “What scares me is what I might do if my mind keeps playin’ tricks.” He had a vise grip on the wheel again.
Brandi looked away. “You can go right on red here, you know.”
He turned the corner. “Just like the kids I saw in heaven. All this time,
I figured it was just another hallucination or dream.”
“No! That’s the most real thing that’s happened. Without that, you would not have played baseball, and we would never have met. I would have suffered a horrible death last weekend, Knoxi wouldn’t have a mother, and you’d be living in a VA hospital with a wheelchair and nightmares.”
“You have a way with words. I’ll say that much.”
“Listen to me, Cody. If God healed your leg, and He let you see those kids in heaven, don’t you think He can heal your mind?”
“Is that the place? Half a block up on the right?”
She nodded.
“They ruled it was accidental — the shooting. The general made sure. The official report claims that Al Adami was nicked in the arm by a stray bullet from some place. My Beretta was supposedly never found. General Plasket died last year.”
“I believe he’s proud of the decision he made, Cody. Did you hear what I said about God healing your mind?”
“Did you hear what I said?” Cody asked. “I shot an unarmed man. I went through psych counseling for a year while I rehabbed my leg — was told I was okay. I mean, aren’t you scared I’ll do something crazy?”
Cody parked the Mustang in front of Tenth Inning Grill and turned off the engine. Brandi looked behind into the backseat. Knoxi’s head was drooped, her eyes nearly closed.
Brandi turned toward Cody and softened her voice. “You were God’s gift to me at the theater, you know. And the way Knoxi looks at you —”
“Stop. I don’t need that kind of pressure right now.”
* * *
Tenth-Inning Grill was nearly empty because the Pirates were not playing that night. Just as they finished their meal, reporters began gathering in the parking lot. The headwaiter gave Ray a heads-up, so the party decided to escape through the back exit and head to Mayfield Tower.
The apartment was stifling hot. Air-conditioning had been off for three days, and July heat had returned to Pittsburgh. Brandi lowered the thermostat. The air unit kicked on, but it would take a few minutes for the apartment to cool down.
Meanwhile, they took refuge on the secluded outdoor patio, which afforded a dazzling view. The convergence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers at dusk, coupled with a lighted Pittsburgh skyline, created a stunning metroscape.
Brandi retrieved five bottles of cold water from the refrigerator, and they all sat at the patio table for small talk while they waited.
Cody got up and slowly ambled over to the railing and stared down at the traffic three stories below. His face was tight, his thoughts distant.
“Expecting someone to climb this wall, son?” Ray had followed.
“You never know.” He continued to look at the street.
“Something on your mind?” Ray asked.
“Among other things, I think we should conclude our business here and move on as soon as possible, sir.”
“Agreed. But it’s the part about ‘among other things’ I was referring to.”
“Does it show?” Cody’s eyes were unfocused, his elbows resting on the railing. “My life’s changed in the past five days. I’m more scared now than ever before. I’m afraid I’m gonna unravel. I didn’t have much to lose a week ago, but now I do.”
“Is that why you haven’t picked up Knoxi? She’s reached for you several times since we’ve joined you this afternoon, but you’ve looked the other way. Is that why you and Brandi barely spoke at dinner?"
"You noticed."
“I haven’t talked to my daughter since you came back from Detroit, so I don’t know what transpired between the two of you. But let me guess. All of a sudden there are people in your life that you care about, and you’re afraid you won’t have enough man in you when they need you.”
Cody raised his head and looked Ray in the eye.
“Oh, you think you're the only one?" Ray crossed his arms and leaned back against the railing. "After I got home from the Gulf, my habit was to get up in the middle of the night and go outside to sleep on the concrete driveway. Some nights, I couldn’t sleep in a bed. No one understood. Whitney hurt for me but had no idea what I was going through. I’ve been where you are, Cody.”
“Do the scars ever go away?”
“No, they don’t. But you have to eventually face whatever is stalking you.” He banged his large fist into his palm for emphasis.
“Your daughter is the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”
“And you want to protect her from shadows that lurk?”
“Yes, sir. I hope I haven’t said too much. And the hardest thing is…I don’t trust myself.”
“She doesn’t want you to protect her. She wants you to let her in. You don’t trust yourself because the demon stalking you has convinced you that you’re just like he is. Listen to me! Don’t you ever let an enemy tell you who you are. What do you think your father would tell you if he were here?”
Cody nodded pensively.
“After Operation Desert Storm, Whitney loved me back into reality. I rescued her when she was sixteen. She rescued me when I was twenty-five. Don’t think for a minute that we’re meant to face it alone, son. And don’t think there’s a quick fix. Problem is, you’ve had no family to lean on.”
Whitney and Brandi had gone into the apartment with Knoxi to check the comfort level. Soon they reappeared and stood in the patio doorway. “Hey, guys, the apartment’s cooler now and —”
They were silenced by the sight of a gigantic orange moon that now hovered on the horizon and filled up their view. In front of the huge fiery ball stood two stoic silhouettes in an uncharacteristic embrace. Even the toddler seemed mesmerized. To make a sound would have seemed a sacrilege.
“And we were soldiers,” Brandi whispered. “Mama, they don’t know we’re watching.”
The women disappeared. Ray and Cody would come when ready.
In a few minutes, the men walked in. They pulled out empty boxes and began to pack essentials, including Brandi’s valuable research and editorials.
Ray and Whitney worked in the bedroom. Brandi was in the kitchen. Cody gathered items from the hall closet while Knoxi played on the living room floor a few feet away from him.
“I’m done.” Cody yelled to the others. “Let’s get outta —”
Boom! He never finished his sentence.
Cody recognized the sound. The front door had been blasted off its hinges. The repetitive rattle of automatic gunfire followed. Knoxi’s piercing screams were drowned out by the clamor of shots fired from three assault rifles. Bullets ripped through drywall and stucco while Cody instinctively threw himself to the floor.
Then he looked up. Three armed, hooded gunmen stood in the entryway. Muzzle flashes, smoke, bullets ricocheting — Cody’s nightmare lived once again.
Knoxi stood frozen only a few feet away, trying to catch her breath. She was in the line of fire with bullets passing just inches from her head. There was no decision to be made. Cody vaulted toward her, gathered her up with his hands and leaped back into the closet with a single bound.
He frantically yanked Brandi’s gun from his pocket and cocked the weapon. One of the hired guns appeared at the closet door. Cody pointed and pulled the trigger. The gun misfired. He shielded Knoxi with his body while he desperately attempted to clear the chamber, but it was too late. From point-blank range, Cody and Knoxi would be easy money.
At that moment, a single booming shot rang from the other side of the room. It had a familiar, friendly sound, much different from the sterile rat-tat-tat of the intruders’ weapons of choice. Ray’s Colt .45 had reported loud and clear from the bedroom doorway. His bullet ripped into the back of the shocked gunman who had stood ready to murder Cody and their little princess.
With shattered ribs and a pierced lung, the wounded man staggered forward. His rifle discharged several times as Cody wrestled it away from him. The close-range muzzle fire set Cody’s jeans ablaze just above the right knee, but none of the stray bullets found flesh.
With the killer’s assault weapon in hand, Cody sent the injured intruder to the floor with a fierce blow to the head, but two armed assailants were still loose in the living room. The cold-blooded rat-tat-tat continued. Brandi hugged the wall in a corner of the kitchen. She was in shock — frozen, defenseless.
Cody caught sight of Ray tumbling backward into the bedroom. Ray's contorted face and cry of pain told him what he did not want to know — Ray was hit.
The shooting stopped momentarily. Cody peeked around the corner into the living room. Gray gun smoke and a white powdery dust from the bullet-battered stucco filled the air, creating a perfect smoke screen. The time is now.
He needed to move into the open to get clean shots, so he checked his weapon, took a deep breath and bolted toward the coffee table across the room. After two strides, he dropped into a perfect slide — the kind he would execute with a daring attempt to steal third base.
He skimmed along on his back across the smooth wooden floor while firing at his two living targets with lethal results. He had drawn their fire, but with the low visibility, the assailants’ bullets had flown over him as he had ducked and slid. Now all three intruders were down.
* * *
Brandi’s world was pitch-black. The last thing she had seen before squeezing her eyes shut was Cody running into hell’s fury to snatch Knoxi off the floor. Everyone I love in this world is dead. Why else would the guns have fallen silent?
* * *
Cody was wide-eyed and focused after the gunfire ceased. The smoke and dust cloud hung motionless and filled his lungs. He coughed. Both his ears rang. The sound of every shot still echoed back and forth inside his skull.
He squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, he was at the bridge on the outskirts of the Afghan village — cries of death, the stench of hell.
“Phillips? Chavez? Where are you? Secure the children! That’s an order!”
No Pit So Deep: The Cody Musket Story Page 19