An Unlikely Hero (1)

by Tierney James

  Robert followed his son’s waving hand and saw the pretty young Honey smile and wave back at his son. Something inside him warned to stay clear of the flirtatious ranger, but before he could unlock the car, both boys ran to her side and started talking about their morning. Robert carried Heather far enough to set her feet on the sidewalk and she too ran to Honey.

  “Hi, Robert. I see you’ve been entertaining the troops like the good dad you are,” Honey smiled seductively and she cocked her head at him and winked playfully. “Your wife is a lucky girl. Most men wouldn’t let their wives stay at home for a much needed break. I hope she appreciates you.”

  Robert thought there was some implication as to her interest level, but remained confused as to what he should do about it. It wasn’t like he knew many single women. From what one of the attorneys at work had said, women today like to be the aggressor. Even though the attorney was married, he enjoyed straying and being “eaten alive” as he like to say, by anyone other than his wife whenever possible. Robert frowned at betraying a woman like Tessa.

  He’d fallen head over heels in love with Tessa the first time he’d seen her in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was playing with two young boys in the park, instructing them on how to hit a baseball. At first he’d thought the children were hers. The next day he’d accidently on purpose ran into her again and offered to help her in the training of the boys. When he discovered she was their nanny, Robert’s heart would not be appeased until he made Tessa fall in love with him.

  Intelligent and beautiful, Robert had never thought such a woman could love him. But she did and with her whole heart and soul. Having just passed the bar in California, Robert had been offered a position with a prestigious law firm. When Tessa had accepted his marriage proposal, a wave of relief had washed over him. On the day of his wedding, before God, he’d promised to love and cherish her forever. Now, here he was looking at Honey Lynch like a little boy in a candy store wondering if he was still desirable to someone other than his wife.

  Knowing that his job took a great deal of time from his family, Robert’s justification was always that he needed to provide a good life for the ones he loved. The truth, he had begun to realize, was that he just liked his job more than being home for important events. That seemed like woman’s work to him. And he just didn’t know what to do with the kids most of the time. It seemed so easy for Tessa to be the hero with the kids. They thought of him as the strict disciplinarian. Sometimes they even seemed shy around him. Granted, he wanted and needed to be proud of the children, but taking the time to participate interfered with the ladder of success he chose to climb.

  Why couldn’t Tessa just continue to raise their kids like she’d always done? After all, she was good at it, loved it even.

  His love for Tessa had never wavered, but her constant reminder of his lack of input to family construction grated on him at times. In his opinion the years she worked at school she had the entire summer off to decorate, play with the kids, chat with her lazy girlfriends and volunteer at the soup kitchen? He’d even given up going to church with them most of the time. “Have to work,” he’d say but was back in time to watch the 49ers or the Chargers play football. At least the boys liked to watch the game with him. Tessa couldn’t let the moment pass without mentioning the boys knew they would at least get to breathe the same air as their father for a few hours.

  Tessa had returned to a part time teaching job when Heather had turned three. “A little spending money would be nice,” she claimed. The lady across the street had volunteered to watch Heather for free since her daughter had been the same age. It actually had given the neighbor a few hours of freedom while the girls played dolls. In return, Tessa watched the girls if her neighbor had a date night with her husband or needed a day off in the summer. Heather would be four by summer’s end so Tessa had decided to return to work full time. The preschool was a block from her teaching position and Heather had eagerly wanted to attend so she could be “big” like her brothers. Now the money would really be rolling in, Robert thought happily. More money to invest and plan for the future made him feel he could better protect his family.

  A little guilt rolled over him as he smiled timidly at Honey Lynch. Tessa often accused him of being flirty or overly friendly to the ladies, but he hadn’t meant anything by it. Mostly Robert was just working the crowd for clients. His Tessa was always the prettiest one in the room, the most thoughtful when someone was in need and the sexiest girl he’d ever known; at least when she wanted to be. Tessa could also be stubborn and horribly right at the most inopportune times. It would be just like her to pout if he’d set his foot down about the budget or her spending unnecessary money on the kids. Taking up for the kids when they were obviously out of line was another pet peeve of his. Of course, now, after spending just two days alone with his three little monsters, Robert was beginning to understand the dynamics of parenting.

  “Can we, Dad?” the kids chorused loudly.

  Robert snapped out of his reverie. “What?”

  Honey laughed warmly and patted Robert’s arm with her tan fingers. His muscle flexed instinctively at her fingertips. “I said I have some extra passes to the Ponderosa if you and the kids would like to join me. The old television set for Bonanza is still there with a Wild West town. You can dress up like gunfighters and get your picture taken. There’s a chuck wagon that will take you out in the early morning, rustle up some breakfast and show you the beauty of Lake Tahoe.” Honey looked back at the kids. “Two weeks ago a bear tried to join them.”

  The children gasped. “What happened? Did he eat the people?” Daniel shivered with hope.

  Honey smiled. “Nope! Luckily I tagged along because there had been a few sightings.”

  “Wow,” Heather cooed.

  “What did you do?” Sean Patrick asked as his brow wrinkled in skepticism.

  “I shot my gun in the air a few times and he ran off. We set a trap and caught him the next day.”

  “Cool!” Daniel nodded. “Where is he now?”

  “We tagged him with a radio collar then released him far into the mountains. He’ll be happier there, away from humans.”

  Robert ruffled Sean Patrick’s hair. “I don’t know,” he said with hesitation.

  Sean Patrick looked up at his father with pleading eyes. “Please, Dad! Mom would never let us do something like that if she knew a bear had been around. She’s afraid of her own shadow.”

  Honey put her arms around Daniel and gave him a slight squeeze. “I wouldn’t offer the passes if I thought you’d be in danger. Most of the time you’ll be in the old west town. It will fill up your day,” she promised sheepishly, seeming to notice Robert was struggling to keep the kids occupied.

  Sean Patrick frowned. “But there might be danger, right?”

  Honey met Robert’s eyes and smiled in that seductive way she had when her words were only for him. “Danger indeed!” she promised mischievously.

  “Why not?” His surrender carried a twinge of guilt, knowing that part of his decision came from knowing the lovely park ranger would be tagging along.

  The kids jumped for joy and started talking all at once as they moved toward the car. Honey helped Heather into her car seat then came around the car to double check Sean Patrick’s seatbelt in the front seat. “Can’t be too careful, Sean Patrick.” Her eyes met Robert’s as he slid behind the wheel. She thought she detected a slight blush. “Your passes will be at the gate. I’ll catch up with you.”

  They said their goodbyes as the SUV slowly pulled out into traffic. Honey waved and laughed as she heard them begin singing The Ants Going Marching One by One. Watching them disappear toward their road to the cabin, her cell phone began to buzz. The fake smile disappeared so quickly from her face that she squeezed her cheeks to make them loose again.

  “Yeah. They just left. Geeze! I hate kids.” Honey switched the phone to her other ear. “They’re where?” she snapped. “I thought you said those boys were at Stanford,” sh
e said impatiently, realizing the voice at the other end expected something more of her special talent. “And when I find them?” she quizzed, but already knew the answer. “I’ll be in touch. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Dr. Haskin’s boys.”

  Honey returned the phone to her pocket and looked up at the breathtakingly blue sky. Inhaling deeply, she placed her hands on her hips and smiled wickedly.

  “What are you smiling at?” Mansur questioned when the truck door opened and Honey hopped in almost gleefully.

  Without giving her partner a second glance she sighed. “This job is turning out to be more interesting than I thought.”

  Benjamin Clark stood facing his expansive window, staring out over Sacramento. Pondering the unfolding scenarios of the last two days, he evaluated the possible solutions and outcomes, none of which gave him comfort. He would never understand the need to destroy innocent people for the sake of your beliefs, even if it were falsely claimed in the name of God. That included Allah, Buddha, Hari Krishna or any other known deity. It boiled down to power and control in Ben’s mind.

  He’d grown up in two worlds: North Carolina and Israel. His mother, a political science major in college, had earned an internship at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv her senior year. During one of her weekend trips to explore Israel, she had been caught in a hostage situation in Jerusalem by a Palestinian group called Eternal Death. A young army captain came through the doors, guns blazing and killed three of the four terrorists. The fourth managed to hide until Ben’s father secured the room. He’d just ushered a young American girl out of her hiding place when he saw the fourth Palestinian rise up and aim his gun. To protect the American, the captain jumped in front of her to take her bullet, but not before empting his gun into the final terrorist.

  His father had nearly died. The young American girl never left his side during those dark days. When he began to recover, the warm smile of his saved hostage gave him encouragement. One day when he’d awaken, he saw that the girl he’d come to know as Bethany Clark, held his young son Gilad. They were playing patty-cake. His wife had died the year before; not by the hands of terrorists, but from a car accident. Authorities thought she’d fallen asleep at the wheel after working an extra shift for a sick friend. Ben’s father buried his heart in his work the same time he’d buried his wife. Later he would tell Ben that his mother had healed him that day as he’d watched little Gilad fall asleep in her arms.

  Bethany’s family, never keen on their daughter’s thirst for adventure, couldn’t accept that she might some day stay in Israel. The romance between the genteel southern girl of North Carolina and the rugged, often times brash, Israeli army captain flourished even though the relationship continued in a long distance format. After eloping, Bethany quickly became pregnant with Ben. To reassure Bethany’s family, Captain Benjamin Levy insisted his young wife and child remain in the U.S. as he continued his work in Israel. Every holiday, both Jewish and American, the Israeli captain tried to visit. He even let his oldest son remain with his wife’s family six months out of the year. But the remaining six months both boys were to be with their father. Bethany often stayed in Israel too, loving the culture and excitement of the Middle East. Both boys attended American high school and college before taking their very different paths. Gilad chose Israel to serve and protect. Ben remained in the states to eventually serve in the military and two presidential administrations before becoming the head of Enigma.

  While growing up, Ben had often quizzed his stern father about why he’d carried his mother’s maiden name rather the Hebrew name of his ancestors. It wasn’t until Ben entered college that now General Levy told his son that one day he would be called upon to serve both the United States and Israel. With a Hebrew name everyone would question the wisdom of his decisions. Now Ben’s brother Gilad led Israel in the twenty first century and he ran the secret agency of the president of the United States. His father would have been proud of his sons had he lived.

  Ben’s thoughts turned to his team in the field. They were the brightest, most focused group that Enigma possessed. But they were not without their quirks that sometimes made Ben stare at the ceiling of his bedroom in the middle of the night. Since he’d taken over at Enigma sleep often eluded him. Living on strong coffee and vigorous exercise seemed to be enough to keep Ben sharp and equipped to handle their diverse personalities and abilities. Without Ben’s gift to coordinate information, supply equipment and vital personnel to complete a mission, the teams’ lives could be jeopardized.

  Lately his team leader, Chase Hunter, had given him concern. Benjamin Clark had known Chase since the day he’d graduated from West Point. After visiting with his sister and grandfathers for a few days, Chase had welcomed entering the military. He quickly aspired to being an Army Ranger and found the physical and mental challenges fit his need to control situations. Benjamin had been a colonel back then and found that he admired the young, no holds barred soldier. Several years passed before Benjamin approached Chase about becoming a Delta Force elite fighter. Knowing that Chase had just buried his only sibling, he saw the fire of anger and revenge burning in his soul. Ben knew if he could take that passion and turn it into a Delta Force soldier, the world would be a safer place. It had not been easy molding Chase Hunter. In spite of the fact that he welcomed the physical and mental challenges the Delta Force presented, he didn’t respect authority. After numerous confrontations, threats and punishment, Chase realized he’d found a home among the Delta Force and a friend in Benjamin Clark.

  The years had taken their toll on Chase Hunter. He’d lost his parents in China at the hands of the Communists. A college romance gone badly left his sister dead of an overdose. Chase accused the questionable character of her lover of causing her untimely death but was unsuccessful bringing him to justice. He’d seen hideous slaughter of innocent people in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In spite of the tragedies Chase had begun to live a normal life again, teaching night classes for fellow soldiers and serving under General Benjamin Clark at the Pentagon. Then on September 11, 2001, terrorists crashed into the Twin Towers, and the Pentagon, killing people senselessly that he cared about. Chase had saved Ben’s life that day, carrying him through smoke and fire, and returning over and over again into the chaos to try and rescue others. It wasn’t until that next day his fraternal grandfather informed him that his grandmother lost her life in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. After that day intensity swallowed the soldier, making him stronger and dangerously lethal. Ben cringed at the things he’d ask the Delta Force captain to do in order to make a safe America. Never once had Chase complained or suggested another way to accomplish the mission. He seemed to take satisfaction that he might be making a difference even after losing comrades in arms in Iraq and Afghanistan.

  Ben had recruited Chase for Enigma, knowing Chase was the leader others would follow blindly. Promises provided time for Chase to do what he loved, teach Renaissance literature at the university level. The first year of joining Enigma had given Chase a false sense of normalcy. Without conviction, Ben suggested Chase, with a little effort, might try putting down roots, start a family, and live like most Americans. That normal part hadn’t lasted. Enigma seemed to always be on the brink of a disaster, sending Chase into Afghanistan time and time again. Due to his gift of languages and skin color Enigma liked to drop him in a war torn hell hole for gathering intelligence to unravel conspiracies threatening his own country. The only thing that remained conventional was his teaching position at Sacramento Sciences and Technical University where he gained popularity with his students. However the last two years had even robbed him of the joy of teaching. He now taught on line classes that met once a month. No one knew if he missed a class for some clandestine outpost at the end of world. Someone could easily slip in and pretend to be an online professor.

  The director wasn’t sure when he began to observe a change in Chase Hunter. He’d become sullen, irritable, and short tempered. Normally, Ch
ase was quiet and understanding of his students’ needs, but a year ago he’d gotten wind of him over reacting to a student’s lack of interest in his class and failed him. Although the student went through appropriate channels to rectify the problem, Chase would not budge. The English department sided with their professor but not without a severe warning. The chairman of the department notified Chase of the formal grievance with no penalty only to suffer a threatening confrontation resulting in security being called.

  Although many men envied Chase when it came to the ladies, Ben worried that his behavior of love them and leave them might eventually be his undoing. There was never any joy in his love life; nothing ever lasted more than a month or two, and several hearts had been broken in the process, which Chase had given little thought or concern. “Time to move on,” he’d say. “She was getting a little clingy.”

  But the overall attitude of the team leader eroded into a dismal, unsympathetic soldier that carried a very large chip on his shoulder. Chase didn’t know how to cry or laugh, or so Ben thought until yesterday when he’d gotten off the elevator laughing at something Mrs. Tessa Scott had said. His face was bright with interest and humor, even under such tense circumstances. Ben noticed Chase watched her every move, when she was working with Vernon, and especially when Carter Johnson had strolled over to offer a comment. Chase had gotten in between Sam and Mrs. Scott, threatening to banish a valued team member if harm came to the woman. Even Chase’s best friend, Zoric, had been nudged into line for staring too openly at the fresh faced housewife from Grass Valley. Ben witnessed the whole scene by audio at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Chase remained in complete control, as always, but there was something different about him. Could it be that Mrs. Scott had touched a nerve in the mighty Chase Hunter? Would she turn him into someone more human, or enhance his already protective killer instinct?