Blue Skies

by Ali Vali

  “If you want me to play hard to get I will, but no matter what, there’s no denying what I feel for you. Life is too short sometimes, and before anything else happens to keep me from you I wanted you to know what was in here so there’d be nothing left undone between us.” Berkley tapped over her own heart.

  “Unless I get the sixty plus years I asked for, there’s always going to be something left undone between us.”

  “That might be true when it comes to memories, but not to anything left unsaid. I love you, and I’m going to say it enough times to make you believe that I truly feel that way about you.”

  “You scared the hell out of me, Cletus,” Aidan said and pressed her face against Berkley’s chest. “It’s taken all I have to get out of bed in the morning, which makes me think that I’ve had enough of this life where I have to hide who I really am and who I love.”

  “All in good time, love, but for now we’re going to finish what we started and we’re going to do it so we make the two old guys we left at home proud.”

  “Will you at least turn in early so I can finally sleep through the night, and if I wake up in tears it’s going to be because I’m thrilled you’re back?” She kissed the blanket over Berkley’s heart.

  “Didn’t you read what I left for you?” Berkley asked.

  “Honey, I wanted to die when Blazer told me you’d been shot down and were lost. The last thing I wanted was to do something that would cement that in my heart.”

  “Let me talk to Blazer and we might get somewhere. Then we can start erasing some of those bad feelings, and we’ll start right here.” Berkley kissed her again.

  “That sounds like a colossal waste of time since he hasn’t said much since getting back, but knock yourself out.” Hearing a quick tap on the door, Aidan unlocked it to let the doctor in.

  “There’s talking to Blazer the way the Navy dictates in situations like this, and there’s me talking to him with none of you around.” Berkley pushed the blanket from her shoulder so the doctor could tend to her wound. It took longer than Berkley was ready to sit for, but he stitched it and told her to keep it dry for a couple of days. She’d been lucky since the bullet hadn’t hit any bone or tendon, so the recovery would be short.

  They walked back to their quarters and Aidan watched as Berkley got into the shower. “You aren’t supposed to get that wet. Now finish what you were saying about Blazer.”

  “After the little bastard got me shot down, I want twenty minutes alone with him. I think I at least deserve that.”

  “If you bruise him it’s going to be hard to explain.”

  “If he’s missing because he fell off the ship, that would be hard to explain. Bruises mean he fell into the door repeatedly from the bad case of seasickness he’s suffered from since coming aboard.”

  “What did he have to gain from all this?” Aidan sat on the bunk and winked at her when Berkley faced her naked before getting under the steaming water.

  “He’s good. If he wasn’t, no one from the president on down would’ve convinced me to put him on the team. Blazer’s immature, though, and it either has to do with that or it might be this message that someone got off to that asshole we met with before we left.” Berkley rushed through her shower and toweled off. “Whatever it is, like I said, it’s going to be hard to prove that what he did, except for the part where he turned back to engage, was an action more against me than toward the MiG on our ass.”

  “What’s your first impression?”

  “That there’s a chance that we’ll never find out.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Washington, DC

  “Mr. President,” Rooster said as he shook Peter’s hand in the Oval Office. “Thank you for allowing me to attend, sir.”

  “Anyone want coffee or something?” Peter asked.

  “No, sir, but we did find something, so if the vice president could join us we can proceed,” Drew said.

  “Olivia’s on her way,” Peter said, his attention on the box Drew had carried in.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Olivia Michaels said. The ex-senator from Massachusetts had been one of Peter’s strongest opponents in the campaign, but after being asked had turned into his strongest asset in winning over the undecided voters around the country. “If I have to attend one more healthcare meeting, I might end up needing a doctor.” All the men stood and laughed. “Nice to see you again, Drew.”

  “Madame Vice President, it’s a pleasure.”

  “I read the report you sent over, but could you give us a brief recap, if you don’t mind?”

  “No problem, ma’am. As you know we launched the Jefferson to carry out the operation against North Korea. With the massive amount of intelligence going in, we never thought the mission would end with one of our pilots going off his rails and trying to engage the enemy over their territory against the direct orders from his commanding officer.”

  “That part was in the initial report. What I need to know is, what is this conspiracy that’s brewing down the street under all our noses?” She cut to the main course. “Or at least that’s what these stupid bastards would like to think, that we’re totally clueless.”

  “After we went through most of this information, I’ve formed an opinion, and when I tell you I promise you’ll think I’m off my tracks as well.”

  “Everyone already knows that about you, buddy, so let’s hear it since you’ve piqued my interest,” Peter said. “This meeting will never be made public because it has to do with national security, and I’m sure Olivia would love to know why she’s here.”

  “I believe that New Horizon is some sort of organization that Jerry Teague and Adam Morris were front men for, but the big fish are still swimming in lazy circles watching us chase shadows.”

  “What type of organization?” Olivia asked.

  “The last president took us to war, and a lot of his friends profited from the unnecessary action. Under new leadership that promised an end to that, I think they fabricated an incident that has the potential to embarrass you and Peter to the point the public loses faith in your ability to protect this country.”

  Peter laughed. “And I’m supposed to act like a scared puppy and run back to the old masters of the universe who controlled the Pentagon and get them to help me?” He laughed harder. “You’re right. That’s ludicrous.”

  “I’m not joking, and if we don’t smoke them all out of their holes we’re going to be chasing our tails for your entire term instead of trying to bring about the change you promised.”

  “War is hell, Peter, but it’s also a moneymaker for a lot of people,” Olivia said. “Drew’s right. We need to find out if there really is any fire to go along with all this smoke.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Peter asked.

  “The first thing is you need to stay clear of this and what needs to be done,” Drew said. “But before I leave here today I’d like a blind warrant for Rodney James’s house. I want to bring him in and I want to sweat him like the pig he’s acted like the last few months.”

  “We discussed this,” Peter said and pointed his finger at Drew.

  “We did, but”—he put the box on the coffee table that separated them—“this tells me that we have a lot of money in play.” Drew took out the bundle of bank books bound together with a rubber band. “The financials that we found in Jerry’s office weren’t some pie-in-the-sky wish numbers. They’re real.”

  “What’s he going to finance with all this?” Olivia asked when she glanced down at the amounts.

  “That’s a good question, and the first thing that comes to mind is payment to someone like Blazer to do something incredibly stupid. He’s allegedly involved in what happened to Commander Levine and her partner. My theory on that is that his superiors figured this would cause the type of international incident that would embarrass this administration enough that the power shift would be more permanent next time.”

  “Four years is a long time to wait,” Rooster said.
<
br />   “Not really,” Peter countered. “When you consider if you’re patient enough and the situation is sold to the American public in a way that spells our doom if drastic measures aren’t taken, it makes their mindset more tolerant when one fringe group or another wants to take over. War and vengeance is the way to go for a lot of people, and once you get there and the reality of the loss of troops and money can’t be hidden, that’s when the stupor of the overblown sense of getting payback wears off. Everything in life comes with a cost, and this time it was higher than most people thought.”

  “Yes, sir, and you were the hangover treatment the public settled on this time. Only people like Jerry, Adam, and Rodney aren’t about to give up without causing an incident that would make everyone lose confidence in you as commander in chief.”

  “What do we do so that doesn’t happen?” Olivia asked.

  “I need to go through Rodney James’s house and to bring him in for questioning,” Drew said and smiled when Rooster’s eyebrows shot up. “I need you to make it the kind that lets me hang on to him for a while.”

  “Did you get what I asked for?” Peter said. “The bank information is compelling, but there’s no way to prove they belong to Rodney, or that he’s ever seen them.”

  Drew handed him the religious stamp and sat back down. “There’s your proof, and I know it’s not much, but it’s all I got besides my gut telling me that he’s involved.”

  Olivia took the picture. “The patron saint of sailors isn’t exactly the smoking gun I think Peter wanted, but knowing you, I’m here for a reason. My first guess is I play the scapegoat if you’re wrong.”

  “If you were in Peter’s position and had chosen me for the job I have now, I’d still play it this way with whoever you’d picked to be your second.”

  “I can buy you maybe a month before this is front-page news, and that’ll depend on Mrs. Retired Admiral Rodney James. If she’s the boisterous kind then the gig is up and we’ll see it as the six o’clock lead-off tomorrow morning.” Olivia stood and waved to the side door when Drew and Rooster popped up after her. “Peter, as far as you’re concerned, this isn’t a problem for you anymore. When we find something I’ll come by for tea and we’ll have another one of these get-togethers.”

  “Thanks, but don’t treat me like I’m in a bubble. I want regular updates and the consequences be damned.”

  “For once, Peter, listen to the people trying to help you out,” Drew said and shook hands with him. “This isn’t just about you anymore. What I’m doing is for the country I love and am sworn to serve. That’s a different animal than the world people like Jerry and Rodney want to create.”

  “Godspeed, then.”

  *

  USS Jefferson

  Blazer was standing in front of the door with a smirk when he saw Berkley with the key in her hand. The smug smile disappeared quickly when she swung the door open and it hit him square in the face, cutting his brow and lip.

  “You bitch,” he said seemingly not caring that the insult could get him court-martialed.

  Berkley grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the steel wall adding another cut to his chin. “Miss me?” He landed on the floor next to the bunk.

  “Keep it up and I’ll bury you.” The blood was coating his teeth when he smiled at her.

  “Maybe they’ll put me next to your father,” Berkley said as she stood over him, her hands behind her back.

  “What the hell are you talking about? My father is who’s going to get you kicked out of the military, but not before you do some serious time for this.” He laughed and spit a big red glob close to her feet.

  “I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, but your father’s in the morgue at the prison the CIA runs in Virginia that really doesn’t exist.”

  “Yeah right, I’m supposed to believe that.” Blazer laughed and lifted his middle finger at her.

  “The great patriot took the coward’s way out after he saw what kind of jam he was in.” She delivered the news with no sense of satisfaction since whatever she thought about Blazer, his father was dead. “It would’ve surprised me, but after dealing with you I can see that your lack of spine is hereditary, so I shouldn’t hold your shortcomings against you.”

  “Fucking shut up about my father. Compared to him you’re a disgrace to that uniform.”

  “Heroes who commit suicide with a pill crushed between their teeth don’t get buried at Arlington, Lieutenant. I might not like you, but let me be the first to offer you my condolences for your loss. Of course in this case, your loss is only compounded by the fact that you thought Daddy was going to back you up on what you did.” The image of what must have gone through Blazer’s head as her plane went down made Berkley pull her hand back and slap him. “That’s a reminder that it’s my turn to take a shot at you, only I’m going to make sure I follow through.”

  “He told me you’d try and fuck with my head. You and your kind don’t deserve to be here,” he screamed and beat his fists on the tops of his thighs.

  “Only someone sick in the head would tell you your father is dead to get you to cooperate, Lieutenant Morris.” Berkley bent down and touched his shoulder only to have Blazer pull away so violently that he ended up cracking his head into the side of the toilet. “I’m sure you didn’t want to get this kind of news from me, but I thought you’d want to know that before you speak to the captain again. If you were waiting for his influence at the Pentagon to get you out of trouble, that’s not going to happen.”

  “Get the fuck out of here, and tell Captain Sullivan I demand a call.”

  “Watch your language, Lieutenant,” Aidan said from outside and smiled at Berkley when she snapped to attention. “If you’d like a call, I’d love to accommodate you, but for now that’s impossible. We’ve gotten word from Command that we’re on high alert and have to concentrate on patrols instead of personal calls.”

  “She told me my father’s dead.”

  “I give you my word that the information she shared with you is accurate. I’m sorry, but we received word along with our new orders. Your father and Jerry Teague were in custody as part of an investigation that started when Commander Levine’s plane went down. Sometimes it takes an action like that to uncover something much uglier, so in a way I should thank you for being so uncooperative.”

  Blazer screamed and scrambled toward Aidan in what looked like an attempt to attack her until he ran into Berkley’s fist, which dropped him cold. “That one you can chalk up to defense of a superior officer, Captain,” Berkley said as she shook her hand. “When did Command call you, or were you in here checking up on me?”

  “I’m not known for my flights of fantasy. They did call.” Aidan stuck her tongue out at her and stepped back as Berkley moved around Blazer and locked the door. “From what little they said it sounded like the little guy we picked up with your girlfriend is someone important and they want him back. If they don’t get him—”

  “It’ll be our doom?” Berkley finished for her.

  “I know you have a vivid imagination, Commander, but you’re really not James Bond, and it isn’t Goldfinger down the hall. From what the admiral said, the North Korean consulate is demanding his return or they will engage us.”

  “They’re not worried about the pilot?”

  “So far she hasn’t said a word, but they didn’t mention her.”

  “Do you mind if I try?” Berkley stopped inside the door so they were out of the line of vision of the prisoners and the guards.

  “Aren’t you tired? We do have other people onboard who can manage to get the questioning done.”

  “I’m not trying to step on your shoulder decorations, Captain.” Berkley tapped the emblems of Aidan’s rank. “But I would like to talk to the pilot. Maybe I can get her to open up a little.”

  “Five minutes, but you need to take Devin with you.” Aidan put her hand up. “I trust you, but my orders are to lift anchor, and when I do these people are coming with u
s. That means State and a whole bunch of the spooks are waiting to get their hands on them so they can take turns dissecting their brains. The five minute mark is to protect you from being accused of screwing that up for them.”

  “Thanks, and I’ll be good. I promise.”

  *

  Jin was lying on the small cot in her cell with her eyes closed, and she didn’t open them when she heard the lock disengage. It wasn’t out of defiance but from her failure. Before she took off she’d disengaged the parachute system so when she ejected them she thought it was her ticket to join her mother. But whatever she’d done, Lowe had found a way to undo.

  “Excuse me,” the female officer said from the door. “Do you speak English?”

  Jin opened her eyes and stared at the woman standing in the open hatch. “Very little, but don’t waste your time. I have nothing to say.”

  “My name is Commander Berkley Levine. Can you tell me who we have in the next cell?” she asked and handed Jin a bottle of water. “The man with you.”

  “You have caught a big fish, Commander.” Jin took a sip and flipped her head back. “Call your intelligence people and tell them you have Lowe Nam Chil. I’m sure you won’t need any further information.”

  “You’re willing to give him up so easily?” Berkley stepped aside when one of the mess hall workers came in with a tray. Both Jin and Berkley looked at the delivery girl when she lingered too long for what was necessary. “Lieutenant, are you moonlighting?” Berkley asked the woman carrying in her food, waking her from the stupor she seemed to be in.

  “Call me when the tray is empty,” Erika said and walked out.

  “I’m sorry for the interruption, Captain. Do you remember the question?”

  “My comrade has much to answer for, and I don’t fear death, so it’s only fair that you and your people have fun with him.”

  “Death isn’t on the table, but I’ll pass along your message.” Berkley bowed again. “If you need anything, tell the guard and I’ll come by.”