The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: Call Sign Reaper (29 page)

“Yes, I feel the same way.”

“I saw our team was helping out as well, but I doubt they volunteered. What happened?” Ben asked.

“They were upset when you went to the brig. Let’s say they protested your imprisonment.”

“I’ll talk to them,” Ben said with a small chuckle. “They know better. We’re all on the same team.”

“Except for you, Reaper,” the captain said. “You’re on your own team. You just do what you want and let the chips fall where they may.”

“Captain, it’s that way by design or I wouldn’t be lying here. If you’ve got something to say, you need to do it. I am holding up my end of the bargain and that’s what matters to me. It may not be the same for some people, though.”

The captain paused uncomfortably before speaking. “I haven’t known you long,” she said, “and we got off on a sour note the minute you stepped on my ship. But I don’t think there is anyone I would rather have my back than you. You are a natural. You can turn shit into chocolate ice cream. You and your lieutenant stole two ships, and with no crew pulled off a miracle. Then there are all the things I’ve heard you have done in less than two months.”

“Captain,” he said, “stop and get to the point.”

“Somehow, in the process of doing all the things you have done, you have managed to alienate the one who needs you most,” she said, looking him straight in the eye.

“I know that, Captain,” he replied, a little bit crossly. “I was just thinking about what I can do to fix that when you interrupted.”

“You were, just now?” she said with disbelief.

“Yes,” he said, “and let me share my thoughts with you. I think when situations happen like the one with the admiral it bothers her. Andrea is military through and through. Whether I am right or wrong is less the issue. Questioning authority and lack of respect for said authority is what bothers her. I think she feels it reflects on her as an officer.”

“It does, you idiot. If they can’t have a piece of you they will take a piece of her.”

“Everything about our situation is new, Captain. New feelings, new relationship, new team, new people. There will be growing pains. If she is ready to throw in the towel on half of that then so be it. I’m not. I want to make it all work. Tell her that when you see her. As of a little while ago, we aren’t talking.”

“That may change in a minute or two, Reaper,” the captain said with a small smile. “I forgot and left my com open to the major’s.”

“Good night, troublemaker,” Ben said, “and get out of my quarters.”

The door opened for the captain to leave, and the major was standing there waiting to come in.

“I softened him up for you, Major, go take care of business,” the captain said, followed by a big smile.

Andrea nodded and shut the door behind her. She sat down in the chair the captain had vacated.

“First question,” she said. “Do you want to talk before or after sex?”

“You and the captain must both take me for an idiot,” he remarked. “After, of course.”

“A wise choice.”

She pounced on him fully dressed, kissing his face, his neck and his chest. She didn’t stay that way long. Clothing was all over the room.

It was a 100 yard dash when they finished making love the first time. The second time was a long walk in the park. She was surprised when they started a third time.
He must really not want to talk,
she thought. The way he made her feel, she didn’t care if they talked or not.

They fell asleep holding each other. Everything would keep until the morning.

She woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. Once her eyes focused, she sat up and saw eggs and toast. He carried the tray over to her.

“Aww, breakfast in bed?”

“I was up early and I was hungry,” he said. “I don’t know if you have a list or just a couple of things, but let’s talk about whatever is the most important.”

“You hit on it yesterday,” she said. “It’s hard for me having you in my unit and not living by the regulations the rest of us have to live by.”

“I get that it doesn’t look like the picture you painted for yourself,” he replied. “The general sold you on a idea and he took a deal to get me on board that puts you in the proverbial rock and a hard place. You helped me write it along with Nick, you remember that. Did you think I was doing it that way so that I could just sit and take shit from every asshole that wants to dish it out? I wanted to protect myself. I kept thinking you were going to walk away any day.”

“Ben, I have no intentions of going anywhere. I want us to be together. I hope you can see that.”

“I will do whatever you need me to,” he told her, “but you may have to help me. What else?”

“No more taking matters into your own hands,” she told him. “Bring it to me first and we will decide what to do together.”

“You’re talking about those sailors that the lieutenant took to school.”

“That’s one of the things. She isn’t like you, Ben. She is in the military and will have to answer for her conduct. So far she has been lucky. She works for me and it’s my job to look out for her and protect her.”

“You can, Major, while she is hanging around me she will need you to do that for her.” He grinned at her. “I know you are jealous of her as well as a few others, but you need to get a handle on that. That being said, I need to talk to you about Emily Brous. It will explain some of what went on earlier in the conference room.” She nodded understandingly.

“I have known Emily since I was about four,” Ben started. “When my parents died and I went to live with my grandparents, she lived next door. In a nutshell she was my best friend and first love. I left for the marines and until Hyson I haven’t seen or talked to her. I was not going to reveal myself to her if she was just passing through. I had no idea how she would react. I also didn’t want you to have someone else to get jealous about. So whether you agree or not, it’s part of the reason I didn’t want to take my helmet off. Now I understand she is assigned to us so I met her in the brig and talked to her for a second. I told her I would catch up with her later.”

Andrea sat shaking her head. “They’re like zombies around you. Just another one I’ll need to fight off before they get their teeth into you.”

“Anything else you need to talk about?”

“Yes there is,” she said. “What time is it?”

“It’s early, 0530.”

“Okay, good,” she said in a sultry tone. “Get over here, get under the covers and let me explain a few things to you.”

An hour and a half later they were showered and dressed. They weren’t hungry but they were going to meet the team for breakfast. Everyone made it on time. They were all curious and hadn’t really seen Ben since he got back. He hadn’t seen E’Aria since before the conference.

“Everybody has been talking about nothing but you two,” Snake said to Reaper and Lieutenant Aok. “Do you see, Major, why we want to work with him, and now you and this team?”

“I think I understand, Snake,” the major replied. “But even the Grim Reaper takes his orders from a higher power, and so does ours. Our team is whole again and I think it would be a good idea if we start training together in the gym.”

“Aww. Ma’am, I would much rather watch the lieutenant beat the hell out of sailors than have her beat the hell out of me,” Hillbilly said, getting the whole table laughing. Lieutenant Aok turned a darker shade of green.

“So who here is going to spar with him?” Snake said. It will take all of us to beat him.”

“I think I can handle him,” the major said. “I have knocked him down more than a couple of times.”

“No offense, ma’am, but if you knocked him down then he let you knock him down.” The team agreed with Snake again, and he continued. “This is one I can tell you about without going to jail. We were on planet for some war games and went up against a navy team. It was a friendly game of capture the flag, hand-to-hand, no weapons. Well the navy boys and girls decided to cheat and had extra players hiding waiting to ambush us.”

“Snake, that’s enough,” Reaper said seriously.

“Our leader leads us right into the ambush. We all paired up one-on-one, but Reaper took on a whole group waiting to ambush anyone who got away from the first trap. By the time we got our one down, he had six down on the ground yelling at us to get moving. He put the lieutenant in the middle of our group and he led the way after that to the navy flag. I think we were just supposed to lose being the misfits, but we just kicked their ass. So, Major, let’s just say that our money is on him letting you knock him down.”

Reaper stared at the table. The major stared at Reaper. Nobody said anything for a minute.

“Snake, you and I will go the first round,” Lieutenant Aok said, smiling at him, “and if I find you going easy on me it will not go easy on you.” Snake knew he was in for a rough one. Reaper looked up at the major.

“What time is training going to start, ma’am?” he said. She looked at him.

“You never call me ma’am,” she said, surprised.

“I was informed I needed to change my ways.”

The mess had filled up since they came in. Natalia came in and saw him and ran to him. He was still sitting so her arms wrapped around his neck when he leaned towards her for a kiss. Some of the survivors saw her and then saw him and walked over, standing around the whole team.

“You don’t have your armor on! Stand up and let us look at you.” The old man who had helped him out on the ship was speaking. Natalia let him go and he stood up. They all shook his hand.

“We will let you get back to your friends,” he said. “If your officer gives you some free time, would you come visit us? We have been playing that trivia game and need a referee.”

“If I get some time off I would be happy to share some of it with all of you.” He sat back down. Natalia sat next to him.

“Sergeant Major, would you take the team to the gym and get everyone ready for some hand to hand training,” the major said. “Get the rubber knives out. Reaper, Lieutenant and I will be along shortly.”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied.

“Natalia, go with Uncle Matt. You can put your training cloths on too,” the major said.

“Yes ma’am,” she said and took Matt by the hand. When she had left, the major turned to Ben.

“She seems like a child,” she said, “but Dr. Matthews thinks she has to be about 13. He thinks at some point she suffered a mental episode of some kind and her mind just stopped maturing or it reverted back. Her body is getting stronger and he has started giving her some growth hormones. She may have a growing spurt sometime in the near future.”

“All we can do is nurture her. Her mind may take some growing spells as well,” Reaper added.

Reaper and the lieutenant sat and listened to the major. She gave them a recap of the week they were gone. “Now finally,” she said, “you two will not hold back today in the gym. Short of killing someone or maiming, I want you to show us what you really have.”

“Major, you have seen both of us fight and spar. There is nothing else to see,” the lieutenant said.

“Oh really?” she answered. “I don’t think so. This is no joke.”

“You’re right, Major, this is no joke,” Reaper said. “I did hold back on Anubis with you. Lieutenant, go meet the others. I need to talk to the major.”

“No, Lieutenant, sit right there and don’t move,” the major said. “I give the orders around here.”

“Yes ma’am. Sitting and not moving,” the lieutenant said.

“Go ahead, Reaper, enlighten me,” Andrea said.

“Fine,” he replied. “I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I didn’t want to hurt you. I never felt threatened either, so I just let you do whatever you were itching to do to me. Even when it was apparent you wanted to hurt me, I let you.”

She sat silent for a minute. “When we go into the gym there is no holding back. Do you two get that?” she said finally.

“Yes,” the lieutenant answered. Reaper was silent. “Let’s go,” he said and walked off by himself.

The major and lieutenant walked together. “He doesn’t want to make you look bad in front of the team,” the lieutenant said.

“Why does everyone think I’m going to lose?” Andrea said.

“Because you are. Are you more ferocious than the long-fanged tiger or a pissed-off Allith? Because if you’re not, you aren’t going to win. He has killed both of those with his hands in the past two months.”

“He didn’t kill a Allith in hand-to-hand. It’s not in his report.”

“I know it’s not, but the mother and children he saved stood and watched him kill one with his katana.”

“He said he shot them both with his pistol.”

“Yes, I believe he did put it that way. I can tell you 100 percent that family is telling the truth, Major.” She tapped her temple and the major knew.

Reaper walked into the gym with the major and lieutenant right behind him. Matt had all of them out stretching and warming up. Natalia was watching and trying to do what they did. They changed and joined them. Reaper cleared his head and went through the stretching routine his sensei had taught him years ago. He did some warm-up punches and kicks. Then he danced and threw punches.

The major stretched her 120 lb. body at angles the team didn’t know existed, except for Ronnie and the lieutenant. She ran through a routine of kicks and punches.

Reaper and the major got set, and the sergeant major told them to go. Reaper was posted and not planning on moving around. The major, on the other hand, started circling him like a predator stalking prey. He pivoted and changed his stance out of boredom. She came at him with a combination of slashes and punches. He slapped them away like swatting at a fly. She spun and kicked and followed that with another two kicks. He slapped them all away, slapping her ankles instead of her foot. Two punches and a kick, then she dropped, trying to take his feet out from under him. He lifted his foot up and the kick went by, not touching anything. Now she was a little frustrated with him. She thought she would yell at him as she attacked.

“I thought I told you not to hold—” was all that she got out. She hit the mat hard flat on her back. She saw the fist coming for her face and couldn’t get her hands up in time. She felt the air past her ear as he hit the mat. Another loud thud, then he was standing three feet away.

Everybody had gotten so bored watching her punch and kick and him blocking, that a couple of them missed when he twisted and clotheslined her in mid-air, throwing her to the mat. He waited for her to roll over and get up when he attacked again. He grabbed her and swung her over his hip, slamming her down on her back again on the mat. He walked away and let her get up. He started to dance and move towards her. She came at him with a combination of punches. He batted them away and saw his opening. He punched her in the shoulder so hard it spun her around. He grabbed her and kicked her feet out from under her and she bounced off the mat a third time.

While she was getting up he motioned for Gunny to come out and play. Gunny ran at him. It looked like he just wanted to barrel him over, until he caught a foot to the chest, stopping him cold feet, flying out from under him. Gunny hit the mat hard. Ben motioned for the lieutenant to come over. The major thought it was a good time to hit him while he was distracted, but he moved. Using almost the same throw, he caught her arm and bounced her off the mat again.

The lieutenant moved in like the major originally had. Reaper was having none of it; he went for her. She kicked high and he caught it under his arm. He punched her inside thigh and kicked her other foot out from under her, and she hit the mat hard. He walked over to Gunny. Gunny threw a jab that was slow. Ben caught the fist and twisted the wrist, dropping Gunny to his knees. He punched him hard in the diaphragm and he doubled over onto the mat trying to breath. The lieutenant was up and limping a little, and the major was up and moving like molasses. He walked up to the major and put his arms in front of his face. She punched his forearms then his body and left her head unguarded. The elbow to the forehead put her down. She would have a nice goose egg there for a couple of days.

Reaper looked around. Two were down and just the lieutenant was standing. He motioned for Snake to come out. Snake said, “Fuck you, I’m not coming out there.” Reaper was on him in a second. He grabbed his collar and the front waistband of his pants, lifted him out of the chair and threw him onto the mat. “What did you say to me?” Reaper said in a low deadly voice.

Snake had heard that voice before. He thought he would take a punch and go down and stay down. While he was thinking, he did take a punch right to the side of the head. He got what he wished for.

Hillbilly and Mumbles ran at him at the same time the lieutenant did. Now it was getting interesting, he thought. Hillbilly went high and Mumbles went low and the lieutenant came in from behind. Mumbles hit him around the waist, wrapping his arms around him. He tried to lift him up until the elbow came down hard into his back, followed by a fist. He let go and dropped to his hands and knees. Ben grabbed Hillbilly’s arm and threw him into the lieutenant’s kick, knocking them both down.

The captain came through the gym door with six marines behind her. She walked out on the mat and got in his face.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked with a concerned look on her face.

“Orders,” he said.

“You have orders to beat your team senseless?”

“My orders were to not hold back, ma’am.”

“Is there any witness to this order?”

“Yes, ma’am, the lieutenant was present when the major said it.”

Matt walked over. “He is telling the truth,” he told the captain. She just looked at him and then Reaper.

“Does anyone here need medical attention?” she asked.

“No, I think just some bruises and a knot or two,” the sergeant major answered.

“You see Captain, as usual I didn’t follow orders,” Ben cracked. “I did hold back. Ronnie!”

“Yes sir.”

“Get some ice packs and take a look at everyone.”

“Yes sir, and smelling salts for Snake?”

“It’s much more peaceful with him like that. Help him last, Ronnie.”

“Yes sir.”

The major lay on the mat listening to the captain and Reaper talk. She sat up and looked around. Six members of the team were in some state of distress.

Reaper walked up to where the major lay, grabbed her arm and put it around his neck while scooping her up in his arms. He carried over to the chairs and sat her down. He turned to look for the lieutenant. She was two steps away and sat next to the major. Matt helped Gunny and Mumbles get to a chair. Hillbilly wasn’t really hurt; he got up and went and sat down. Snake lay knocked out on the mat.

“So even the lieutenant was an easy knock down?” the captain asked

“Captain, the lieutenant is learning she has desire and some skill,” Ben said. “She is just acceptable in some arenas. If you’re thinking about her fighting with your sailors she looked really good because they really sucked.”

The rest of the day went by fairly uneventful. The major was quiet and lost in her own thoughts most of the day. Ben didn’t ask; he knew she would talk to him sooner or later about whatever was on her mind.

He got some food for the both of them and brought it back to his quarters. She ate quietly. He took her plate when she was done and put them both on the table by the door. He took her hand and stood her up. He helped her out of her cloths and into a shirt. They lay down together and she laid her head on his chest. It was her favorite spot.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” she said.