Several of the team regarded the diminutive woman, but respectfully not a word was spoken. “Chief Petty Officer Kyle Lansdowne. Where you want us, ma’am?”
She dropped her hand and did an about face, motioning him to follow toward one of the run-down barracks. Several vans were parked nearby and a Skilsaw was being operated inside one of the rooms.
“We don’t have much, but what we have is yours, Chief. Had to install internet and some extra plugs, replace part of the bathroom fixtures, some broken windows, and got rid of the crusty urinals. These buildings haven’t been used for over twenty years.” She turned to the group, smiling tightly. “Downsizing and all that shit,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Kyle angled his head and frowned, but his eyes grew to twice their size. “Good to know.” He winked at Coop and Fredo.
Lucas regarded the grins and white teeth surrounding him and knew the little lady had just made one hell of an impression on the whole group. Someone mumbled, “I think I might like this training after all.”
Donna walked like a basketball player, but without the tall lanky build. The hallway floor was covered with speckled puce gray vinyl tiles the Navy used boatloads of all over the world. The building was cool and dark. When she flipped on the buzzing overhead lights, some of them blinking and barely glowing behind yellowed plastic covers, it wasn’t much of an improvement.
“Okay, you campers can choose your rooms. Trust me, take the ones on the ground floor. Upstairs can be for the poor frogs who have to come next week.”
The rooms were not large, but bedrooms opened to a central quad area, so four men could share the common area. Single mattresses in each room were brand new, still in plastic, one set of white sheets and a pillowcase folded neatly and perfectly centered. The rec room at the end of the building was completely sparse. No TVs, tables, or couches were anywhere in sight. A stainless steel all-in-one sink, stove, and dishwasher was bordered by light green Formica countertops with stainless steel, real authentic retro trim. Plywood cabinets overhead had no doors on them.
“Looks like a Costco run is in order, gents,” whispered Kyle.
“Do they even have a fuckin’ Costco in Tennessee?” asked Fredo.
“Oh yes. We have three,” added Donna. “We got more bars, more churches, and the biggest Costco in the whole state not more than a few miles away.”
Donna announced the evening dinner would be served at o-eight-hundred and pointed to the hall where it would be served. “And tonight, we have something special for you. Providing you behave yourselves, you’ll get to train with the Navy Soccer team. They’re joining us for dinner tonight, gentlemen.”
Lucas and Tyler grinned at each other. Both of them had played with the boys before and were looking to a rematch.
“When do they arrive?” asked Tyler.
Donna checked her watch. “They’re on their way now. Just finished up a game against Tennessee State, and they won, so the ladies are going to want to celebrate.”
“Ladies?” Lucas asked.
“Yes. Didn’t I tell you? They’re the Navy Women’s Soccer Team.”
The announcement had room choices happening quickly and the showers were suddenly full, which limited the water pressure to a trickle.
KYLE CONDUCTED A briefing before dinner. “We’re about ten miles from the camp run by the MOA group here. Occasionally we’ll see members on the freeway, or in town at various places, primarily grocery outlets and secondhand stores. You are not to engage them. I’m good with you looking casual, sharp and military, but no insignias of any branch, please. I’m okay if they think you’re a paramilitary defense contractor group here for some specialized training, or, better yet, Army Corps of Engineers working on one of the dams or waterways nearby. But don’t volunteer one fuckin’ thing. Don’t talk to them, or to the locals who have befriended them. You can’t trust a one, not one.”
Kyle continued with some of the ground rules. “Any of you want to grow beards, be my guest. You know how that registers and identifies us overseas. But again, and I can’t stress this enough, you stay off social media as far as posting pictures and letting people at home know you’re okay or where you are exactly. Only cell phones, and only if it’s extremely important. We have internet just to get and send information about our finds, and not for your pleasure, okay?”
The team grumbled.
Kyle handed out a list of names. “This is your phone tree, like your mom had when you were playing soccer. You check in with your men on this list every morning and every night. You know where they are, when they’ll be back, when they get up, and when they go to bed.”
“Do we have to find out when they take a shit?” T.J. asked. The group started adding other bits of helpful advice.
“I’m thinking no,” said Kyle, who grinned neatly and then turned to all business.
Lucas had chosen a room with Jake, Alex, and Ryan. They’d already made a list of furniture for their crib, as well as the electronic equipment, including a big screen TV and a couple of blenders.
“We gonna be allowed to watch streaming video?” Jake asked.
“Working on it, Jake. Security is our main concern, so stuff like that has to be checked out, and the ONI office hasn’t finished their work. We’ll work something out.”
Kyle distributed pictures of the camp bordered with tall metal fencing covered with razor wire in the remote forested region up the road, which also encompassed a rocky crag nearly two hundred feet tall. Kyle told them the group had twenty-four-seven guards posted in pairs atop this vantage point.
He also told them all areal surveillance was current. The group had purchased a small dozer-tractor and they appeared to be enlarging a large swale or earthen dam, harnessing one of the tributaries into a man-made lake that had begun to fill. “We don’t know what’s going on here, but if you’ll notice they have some small watercraft so we’re guessing some kind of amphibious training exercise area.” He showed them a picture of a target range and one long metal hangar with no doors or windows in it. The structure looked brand new.
“We are trying to find out what that building is. I’m sending a couple of you over to the contractor’s office to find out. Whatever it is, you can bet it’s no good. We don’t have authority to trespass, so keep your distance, but understand these guys are for real, and they’ve spent a lot of money getting set up.”
The jovial nature of the possible meetup with the soccer players was dashed as the team studied the glossy pictures being passed around. Kyle held up a picture of a graying rotund gentleman in a long Afghani robe and gray pakol cap. His wide face and near mid-chest level beard streaked with light brown made him look grandfatherly and harmless. Lucas had seen many of these tribal members before on previous deployments and it was difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
“You see this guy, you let me or Lt. Commander Forsythe know right away. This is Sheik Hammid Rushti. He hasn’t been picked up by birds in a month or more, so he’s either escaped without detection or he’s still inside. And if he is, we’d guess he’d be here.” Kyle pointed to the long, ominous building.
Kyle went over the training schedule as Donna Grant entered the building and announced dinner.
Most the SEALs wore white V-necked tshirts, and jeans or cargo pants, and canvas slip-ons. There was more aftershave and clean-shaven cheeks than Lucas had remembered at a high school dance. He knew, after tonight, everyone who would be growing beards.
He’d gotten two text messages marked urgent from both Nick and Marcy to call, so he tried to reach Marcy first.
“Lucas, someone’s broken into the cabin.”
“What? You get my black bag?” He tried to hide the edge to his voice.
“Yes, not to worry. That bag and all your things came back with me. Everything you asked me to get, I did.”
“So, what do you mean? Broken in and busted the place up?”
“Yes.”
“Nick was there with you?”<
br />
“Yes, he went with me to, well, to double-check everything I’d done. I came right up after I dropped you at the airport.” Marcy was hesitant to finish. “And I cleaned out your place, like you asked, but I did it alone. So he took me up there this morning—”
He swore and hoped she didn’t hear it. “Marcy, I told you not to do that.”
“I know, Lucas. I’ve already gotten the lecture.”
“So what did they take?”
“Nothing. Just threw things around the house, broke the dishes, and messed up the couches and bathroom. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed.”
“How’d they get in? You did lock it, right?”
“Of course. Looks like they pried open the bedroom window and came through that way. Didn’t break a window, just trashed the contents, the furniture, and…and your gun case. Was that a gun case?”
Lucas concentrated and didn’t remember checking the case, which had been locked. He’d lost the key years ago.
“It was, but I don’t think there was anything in there. Haven’t opened it since high school, but my dad and grandpa never left weapons up there. We always brought everything.”
“Well, that’s good. That’s the one thing Nick asked me about.”
“I’ll bet. So they busted it open?”
“Shattered it.”
“Is Nick there?”
“He’s outside checking the perimeter. We’re preparing to leave here in a few. He’s gonna be responsible for that heavy black bag getting to your apartment. That is where you want it, right?”
“I’m thinking my locker at the team building. No one’s at the apartment.”
“Where are you?”
“Can’t say.”
“You can reach Nick on his cell. We’ll be driving all night, so call us anytime you can.”
“Thanks, Marcy. Glad you weren’t hurt.” His mind was racing to think who could have damaged the cabin. It had been there so long without an incident, it was so unusual, but then, lots of unusual things were happening.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. And Nick will drive with me all the way to San Diego.”
Lucas saw the others gathering for dinner. “I have to go. Tell Nick I’ll call later, if I can.”
“Will do. Miss you, Lucas.”
“Me too, Marcy. You have that talk with Connie yet?”
“Was going to wait until I got there, but don’t think I can now. She’s already making a little stir at the office.”
“Do not tell her about us, Marcy. Big mistake. Trust me on that.”
“No argument here, Lucas. You take care of yourself. Is it customary to say keep your head down? Like ‘break a leg’ for an actor?”
Lucas found himself smiling and it felt good. “Would be better if you told me you were in the shower rubbing that gel all over your body.”
“Well then, sailor. I’d say it’s still appropriate to say, ‘keep your head down.’”
“Roger that, baby. Soon. Be safe. Be smart.”
“Love you, Lucas.”
He hadn’t heard those words for at least two years. Marcy’s confession of love to him was just in time, too. Not that he needed something to live for. “Love you too, kid. Talk soon.”
He hung up, the hard-on in his pants very inconvenient, but easily covered up by a food tray. He hoped.
While they waited for their food, the soccer team bus drew up and one by one the ladies exited, each carrying a large blue and gold leather bag. The players unceremoniously slipped the leather straps off their shoulders and dropped them just inside the doorway. Several disappeared into the restroom while others washed their faces and hands in the cool drinking water dispenser and sauntered over to the food line in their matching blue and yellow flip-flops with the large block letter N on the outer edge.
Tyler was the first to speak to them. “Congrats on the win.”
One player towered over all the others, being nearly Coop’s height, which would make her nearly six and a half feet tall. She cut in front of the line without looking at any of the SEALs, without asking permission. Their captain was still wearing her red armband.
“Thanks,” the captain said. “And we beat the guys in a twenty minute friendly game too.” She flashed a perfect white smile back at Tyler, then winked up at Jake.
Their shorts and tanned legs were scoring big-time points with the team, both married and single guys. All of Lucas’ bachelor buddies were pulling out chairs, tucking napkins into their shirts, and asking politely for salt and pepper instead of standing to reach in front of each other. They brought glasses and pitchers of iced tea for the ladies, not paying attention to a couple of SEALs who had their hand out for a cup. The swearing was clipped as well.
Kyle, Cooper, Fredo, and Armani sat together at one end of the table with several other of the married guys. Though married, Tyler sat next to their captain and the two started talking soccer immediately.
Lucas overheard Tyler whisper, “Who’s the Amazon?” to his neighbor.
“By the way, it’s Lacey,” she said shaking Tyler’s hand.
Tyler began, “This is Jack, Lucas, Alex, Connor, Danny, Jeffrey, and the rest of the guys are married.”
“And what are you, Tyler?” said Danny Begay. “Lacey, don’t trust him. We’re both married.”
Lacey began her team introductions, and then added, “Husbands and boyfriends are not suitable topics of conversation on the road.”
Jake and Alex shared a smile.
“But I’d recommend staying away from our keeper, Chloe. She’s the short one in her family and her dad plays for the Suns.”
Chloe lifted a fork and nodded acknowledgement, but otherwise sat expressionless and focused on her food.
One of the pretty blonde-haired brown-eyed players asked the table a general question. “So why are you guys way out here? And how come we’ve been sent to babysit you? Aren’t you guys SEALs?”
The question left the table completely quiet.
Chapter 18
‡
MARCY AND NICK started to drive Lucas’ truck back to San Diego in the afternoon. He called in at dusk, and Nick reassured him he was going to keep Marcy in plain sight.
“Honestly, Lucas, the gun cabinet would have been of interest to anyone. Because it had a lock on it, it was attractive to kids. That’s who I think they were. Normal thieves don’t do destruction. They just look for valuables. This was a concerted effort to damage and destroy.”
She watched the dusk send an orange glow to the western horizon. They’d gotten so busy cleaning everything up and disposing of the broken things, she’d completely forgotten to call Connie. They had another six hours to drive, so she decided to put it off until she could do the in person conversation.
Nick chuckled. “Nothing like that. But they did pee all over the toilet.” Nick gave Marcy a wink. “Your lady made that place shine when we were done. I screwed the window frame shut because I didn’t have a new latch. You’ll have to fix that when you return.”
He finally asked Lucas the question Marcy was wondering. “You in country or out?”
She heard the, “Yes,” in response from Lucas.
“Meaning you are or are not out of country?”
She heard the tinny, “Yes” from the other end of the phone.
“You asshole.”
Lucas said something else while Marcy waited to get her chance to talk to him.
“Hey, punk, you have any beefs with your neighbors?” Nick rolled his eyes and gave her another wide smile.
She heard the scratchy swearing and objection on the other end.
“I know, I know. You guys were angels growing up. I can only imagine you terrorizing the little church goin’ sweethearts when your dad and grandpa weren’t paying attention. No, asshole, I’m talking about the fuckin’ neighbors who live in that commune next door.” Nick held the squawking phone out to Marcy. “You tell him.”
“Nice to hear your voice twice in one day, Luca
s,” said Marcy. “Everything okay?”
Lucas laughed. “The beach is awesome, babe. Those umbrella drinks are strong. Good music. Missing you real bad.”
“That’s the only part of this conversation I believe, Lucas.”
“Nick said we have new neighbors? What’s this about a commune?”
“Well, looks to me like they’ve been there for awhile. Doing a bunch of things. Buildings out back. Nick said it was an old Christian camp. Sonshine Haven. You hear of it?”
“Nobody has used that place for years, Marcy. I didn’t think they even had a road cleared anymore.”
“Trust me, it’s been worked on. Bunkhouse-like cabin in front and a covered riding arena in the back. Some new metal stables, and hay barns. The guy tending the vegetable garden looked like he could be a pot grower.”
Lucas didn’t say a word. “You stay away from there, Marcy. I’ll check it out when I get home, but for now, no one goes up there.”
“Don’t you think someone should check on your place for you? How long will you be gone?”
“Not your concern, and to be honest, none of us knows that. But you stay away. Understood?”
“Yessir.”
“Seriously, Marcy. Especially with the breakin, you don’t go up there anymore.”
Marcy agreed with him completely.
They said their goodbyes and Marcy handed the phone back to Nick with a “Thanks.”
Checking her cell phone, she noticed she’d missed a call from Connie Shipley. “Oh shoot. I had the ringer turned off. I have to call my client.”
“I’m going to pull over for a quick bite. You want a burger or something? There’s a great Mexican restaurant a couple of miles west.”
“I’m game. Let’s go Mexican. I’ll finish my call with Connie and then meet you inside.”
Connie’s phone went to voicemail right away. “Hey, Connie. This is Marcy Gelland with Coronado Bay Realty. I’m—”
Just as she watched Nick walk inside the restaurant, she saw Connie had returned her call. She hung up the message and answered her.
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