Midnight Squad: The Grim (3 page)

           
Two hours later had the Colonel and me puttering across
the desert in a transport helicopter. The Colonel said he’d ride with me until
I got to my destination. What can I say? Dad is a hard-ass, but he loves me.
Luckily, we were able to ditch the two losers…
er
… I
mean lawyers… no, on second thought I’ll stick with my original thought…
losers. If they were any bigger douche bags, they would have to change their
names to Summers Eve and
Massingil
. “Son, seriously…
how have you been? We were afraid we would never see you again. You go on a
trip and don’t come back for three months. Then when you do show up it’s in a
nuthouse. Just when we’re trying to get adjusted to your situation, you sneak
out and are off to God knows where. I should kick your ass on principle, but
they want you there as soon as possible. What happened?”

           
I took a breath. I did my best to sort out what I could
and could not say. It’s hard to have a family conversation when so much of what
you do in life is classified. Thankfully Dad has been on this side of the
problem as well. I already knew he wouldn’t hold it against me for the things I
couldn’t say so I took a deep breath to compose myself and began, “We went on
what should have been a simple mission that should have just been in, out, and
go home. We ran into…something unusual. After extensive one-sided negotiations,
I was finally able to make my way back. It was a lonely flight.” Dad’s face
winced. I guess no father likes to hear his son was captured, tortured, and the
only survivor of a clearly failed mission. “I’ve known a few people that went
through….negotiations before. It changes you. I hope that you got the better
end of the deal.” It’s odd when your father tells you he hopes you killed
someone. I felt a little ashamed, as if I had disappointed him when I shook my
head no. “How bad was it?” I popped my knuckles to relieve stress. Oh what the
hell, who would it hurt? Anything I told him wouldn‘t go anywhere. Besides,
considering his rank he probably already had an idea about it. “Dad, they
pretty much broke me. I didn’t give them anything. Hell, I didn’t have anything
to give them to begin with. They would torture us and then after they got bored
they’d take us back to our cell. Then they would leave us there with a rope or
a razor. They didn’t want to kill us. They just wanted to see how long they
could go before we killed ourselves.” I tried to keep a calm voice, but before
I finished I could already hear my voice cracking and choking. I blinked away
the few tears we both pretended weren’t running down my face.

           
Dad’s face was grim. “Son, I’m glad you held on. It would
have broken your mother’s heart if you didn’t make it back. She knows better
than you and me both about losing someone to war, but I think not knowing what
happened to you at the time was almost too much for her. Your sisters were the
same way. Every time I came home, I had to look into their faces and say that
we still didn’t know what happened to any of you. It’s like you dropped off the
earth.” I absolutely have to call them more often. I’ve been burying my head in
a bottle for these last few months. I should have been a bigger part of my
family. I should have let them know how important they are to me.

           
“I’m sorry; I just didn’t know how to face any of you.
I’m going to make it up to you all.” Dad shook his head. “Boy, don’t make
promises you can’t keep. We all know you love us, and we would love to have you
home when it’s possible. Hell, I go to bed every night wishing I had never let
you go into the military… as if I could actually have stopped you. Listen,
you’re a soldier…the best damn soldier I ever saw carry a pack. You have your
mother’s brains, and your father’s heart. With that combination the most I
could do was offer up what little knowledge I had, and get out of your way.”
Uh-oh, it’s getting bad when he’s starts bringing up my real father. Better
change the subject before the Colonel gets weepy. “So how are my sisters?” Dad
took a moment. I could see his eyes a little watery. Normally this wouldn’t be
a problem when he’s on the clock, but we had the back of the copter all to
ourselves, so the privacy gave him time to relax and just be himself for a bit.
“
Niki’s
doing well. She’s going to graduate a year
early. She already has a teaching position in San Antonio. Kelly has another
boyfriend. This will be the fifth one in seven weeks. To be honest, I’m
exhausted. It’s hard work scaring the piss out of all her dates. I had to buy a
new shotgun just so I had something else to polish while I was talking to those
kids. Her newest one isn’t half-bad and best of all one of his older brother
was an ex-boyfriend of
Niki’s
. So he’s practically
preconditioned to be terrified of me before he even set foot in the house.
Susan is doing a lot better in school now that we know she has ADD. The
medication seems to help, but I’m not sure I like medicating your sister just
so she can function a little better in school. Your mother says I need to keep
an open mind and look at the results. So far she’s right, but I hate to admit
it. Jennifer and Jackie-O are inseparable. Jennifer is getting into yoga, and
we’re hoping that Jackie-O joins as well. Your mom has been taking Jackie-O to
a nutritionist. She’s not fat, but your mother says that she is starting to get
a little big for her age. I still say it’s just baby fat. You were a pudgy kid
and now look at you. Your muscles have muscles. I think Jackie-O is going to be
a late bloomer too, but your mom worries. Melanie is doing so well they want to
promote her to fifth grade, but I’m not comfortable with a six year old having
to be around a bunch of fifth graders.”

           
Dad chatted away for another half hour or so. When the
chopper started to land, I felt like I hadn’t missed a thing. The door opened
and it was time to roll. Dad’s eyes narrowed into angry slits, his jaw locked
back into its full no-nonsense position, and his expression fell into a cross
between rage and frustration. “Move your ass maggot we don’t have time for you
to sit around slapping your dick around like a piñata. Go! Go! Go!” Yep, the
Colonel was back.

           
The desert ground was so hot it was burning up through my
boots. Three suits and a general were standing in front of me in front of a
rundown closed gas station. The first suit was a blonde hair, blue-eyed woman.
She looked young enough to be in her thirties, but her eyes said mid-forties.
There were no wrinkles. She had the body of a twenty year old, but those eyes
just seemed much older than they should be. I’m guessing plastic surgery. She
was thin with a pair of store bought… attitude adjusters. Her suit looked like
it cost more than most people made in a month.

           
The next suit was old enough to be my grandmother. She
was the only one smiling, but it was a strained smile that never reached her
brown eyes. She had washed out grey hair was styled into a bun so tight that
her eyebrows looked permanently surprised.

           
The third suit was the most interesting. She was a hefty
woman. Five-foot-one-inch two-hundred and twenty pounds if she was an ounce.
She was young. Her short black hair covered her pretty face. It was almost a
buzz cut in the back, but grew long enough in front that her bangs covered her
bright green eyes. She was wearing what must have been the only suit she owned.
It was about two sizes too small on her. Of the three she was the worst
dressed. She didn’t smile, but she still looked to be the friendliest of the
three.
 

           
The General was about as nondescript as you could get. He
was just irritated to be here. He had the face you looked at and then quickly
forgot because it was just so nondescript. He was a shining example of all
things generic and bland. I took a glance at his nametag,
Eisen
P.
Terwillicker
. I’m guessing the P stood
for…probably got his ass kicked in school for having a name like
Eisen
Terwilliker
. My dad stepped
around me and shook the General’s hand. The general said something to my father
and made a few gestures at me, but I couldn’t hear them over the sound of the
helicopter blades. After a moment, the General and my father turned and walked
into the copter. The blades spun faster and it lifted off. Dust and wind
pounded all of us. When it finally flew away the old woman, and the chubby
girl’s hair and suits were a mess. Filth covered me from head to toe. Somehow,
Blondie was still spotless.

           
I stepped forward to make the best impression I could. I
stood to full attention. I towered over them all by almost a foot.
“Sergeant Joseph Reaper reporting for duty!”
I kept my eyes
forward. It had been a long time since I had to address anyone, but I’m sure I
would have made Dad proud. Blondie
McBigboobs
stepped
up and extended her hand. I reached out, and my big mitt enveloped her tiny
hand. She really could only shake three of my fingers. Her hands were soft, but
she had a firm grip. In fact, that grip would put most men to shame. “Hello
Sergeant, I’m Elizabeth Mann, director of this project.” She pointed at granny,
“This is
Dr
Gina
Nowitski
,
and she handles all the science and medical aspects of our program. She also
operates our onsite clinic.” I nodded towards granny and politely shook her
hand. Her skin was like paper, and I could feel the brittle bones. I was
careful not to squeeze out of fear she’d crumble to dust. “And to the good
Dr’s
left is Daphne
Dinkly
. She
handles all the technology for our project.” She practically bounded up to me
and gripping my hand with both of hers, she pumped it up and down with a little
too much enthusiasm.
As vigorously as she pumped my hand up
and down I half expected water to shoot out my pecker.
When she finally
did smile, it was friendly and warm, but a little guarded like she expected me
to kick her or something. She giggled, and even blushed a bit when she looked
up at me. She’s seems too nice to be involved in my kind of work, and I
couldn’t help but like her. Daphne kept beaming up at me, and after about a
half a minute she was still giggling and pumping my hand up and down. Elizabeth
finally had to clear her throat and Daphne immediately let go.

           
“Mr. Reaper if you’ll step this way.” I followed the
three women to the garage attached to the gas station. Once inside I realized
the building was just a façade. Inside was a large cargo elevator. Elizabeth
pulled out a key and then pushed a code. The elevator jerked and then descended
into the earth. Elizabeth turned to me and said, “Mr. Reaper, may I ask what
you’ve been told about our project.” After clearing my throat I said, “I’m not
allowed to talk about anything I see or hear. They haven’t said anything else,
but considering what my normal work was prior to this, I’m assuming it’s
dangerous and likely to be considered more of a one way trip so to speak.” Ms.
Mann seemed pleased by my lack of any substantial information. She smiled
weakly and said, “It shouldn’t be that dangerous…provided you stay on top of
your responsibilities.” I coughed up a little more of the dust from outside and
said, “So what exactly are my duties?” When nobody responded I put my hands
behind my back and stood at ease. Apparently, I was going to have to operate on
their schedule, at least for now. Daphne kept turning around to steal quick
glances at me, and when she wasn’t eye humping me she was squirming around in a
suit she really seemed to hate. Finally, the elevator lurched to a stop. The
doors opened, and Elizabeth said, “
Dr
Nowitski
and I need to prep the clinic. Daphne would you
please give Mr. Reaper a tour of the first level, and only the first level.” By
everyone’s reaction my best guess was that the tour was some type of reward for
Daphne putting on that suit, either that or I was being led away so that those
two could discuss without my prying eyes and ears. It was probably a little of
both.

           
Daphne giggled and gestured for me to follow her down the
hall. I heard Elizabeth and the doctor move down the opposite hall. “Don’t
worry big guy. We’ll catch up with them soon enough. Do you mind if I call you
Joseph, Joe, or Grim. I saw in your file that most of your squad called you
Grim.” As soon as she spoke, I could tell she was sorry she brought it up. She
read my file. It upset her. I liked her more already. I smiled down at her. I
did my best to put on the charm, “Daphne, whatever you want to call me is fine
by me.” She giggled again. “Okay Mr. Reap… okay
Grimmy
.
You can call me DD, or Double D if you want. That’s what everyone else calls
me.” I couldn’t help but smile, “Well since neither of those two seem like they
are the nickname type, then there must be other people.” DD shrugged, “That
depends on what you consider people.” What the hell does that mean? DD must
have noticed how confused I was, “
Grimmy
, all this
will make sense… eventually. Just
be
patient.” She
took me by the arm, and gave me a tour. I tried to ignore DD’s bicep squeezes
every few moments. She wasn’t really my type, but she was so nice I couldn’t
help but let her take a few liberties. As long as she kept herself to the
occasional bicep grope, and only the occasional bicep grope, then we’d be cool.

           
Most of the rooms were empty offices, empty conference
rooms, and a couple of bedrooms. “And this is the last hallway of the tour. On
your right
is
the Doctor’s lab, my lab, and the
clinic. On your left is the security room, and of course your… bedroom.” She
turned two shades of red when she said that, one shade for each syllable. DD
walked me into the clinic. Elizabeth and the doctor were already waiting on us.
Dr.
Nowitski
gestured to a medical table. “Now Sergeant
if you will disrobe we’ll take care of the physical, and then we’ll get you
prepped.”
A physical?
Oh well, that never killed
anybody. I started to slide my clothes off. “Not to complain ladies, but do
ya’ll
mind giving me and the doctor a little privacy?”
Elizabeth shook her head, “I’m sorry Sergeant, but while the
Dr
is conducting your physical I’ll be briefing you on your
duties. Then, if you have a clean bill of health, Daphne will be implanting a
subcutaneous implant the size of a grain of rice in your palm. It’s for
security purposes.” Well, this is not exactly how I wanted to make an
impression.