14MAR02 1048
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein, Germany
LRMC ICU Unit
Rick was going to go crazy. He had been in this bed for the last four days and he wanted to get out of it. The Colonel and Captain who had performed his surgery had been a constant presence in his life since day one. Not that he minded, but at least they were keeping him up to date on his progress. They had told him that he would need to talk to the physical therapist before he left here and start when he arrived at Dover. Just the thought of therapy had his stomach in knots.
Later that day a Lieutenant Ross dropped by to see how he was and to tell him that he would be moved to a room with another soldier. She had been on the team that assisted with his surgery. She also left him a deck of cards to pass the time. But after the endless hours of Solitaire, even that became old quickly. Yesterday he had been given the field report of how badly his team had been devastated during the op. As he read the report he found that his XO had similarly been hit with live rounds of ammo just like he was. The only difference was that his service was retained and he would be back to the unit, what was left of it. He read on and found that Lieutenant Grimes, SSG Adams, SGT Moretti (sniper), and Specialists Davis and Lewis (Techs) had given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Their lives. The injuries that his team sustained were far worse. Dean was the only bright spot in the unit. He'd been operated on and was sent back to Bagram two days ago to finish his recovery there. His wound was not as bad as they had originally thought. Other men in his unit had burns, hearing problems, and broken bones. He thought that they would meet the same fate as he did. He did need to start writing his letters to the families of the men he had lost. So, facing the impossible he started to do just that.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Grimes,
It is with my deepest sympathies that I write to you today.
All of those of us who knew and worked with Lieutenant Aidan Grimes respected and admired his great love for his country and family. He was an inspiration to us all.
Your son was a caring and compassionate person as well. He was always doing something for someone else and never taking credit for it. He was also very dependable and for that reason, he was often called upon when a special assignment had to be carried out. His fellow Delta Force members knew that he would see it through to completion. However, our team failed to protect your son, and together we will forever regret it.
Giving one's life for your country is the highest act of patriotism possible. Your son was a true patriot. His bravery and valor are evident. He died defending freedom for the country he loved so dearly. I personally wanted to let you know how very sorry I am. Please extend my sympathy to your entire family.
God Bless You and God Bless America.
In Deep Sorrow,
Richard Rodgers
Captain, USA
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta
He would come to write four more of those letters and half way through the third letter he heard something very familiar approaching him.
"Well, I can see that at least one of us is getting some rest!"
Rick looks up from his letter writing and sees someone he never thought he'd see now.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Hello, Richard!"
Then Jackson Rodgers did something that he had never done before with his son. He walked up to the side of his son's bed, bent halfway over and drew him into a hug squeezing out what little life he had left in him. When he rose up, Rick could have sworn that his eyes were glassed over.
"Richard, I was so worried! I thought that I'd never see you again."
"Dad, they're taking good care of me here." Rick said dropping his head falling in failure. Then slowly raising it up to meet his fury which he knew would follow.
Jackson took one look at his son and knew that he blamed himself for what happened, which was not the truth.
"Don't you dare look like that son! This was NOT your fault, do you understand me?"
"Dad, I was responsible for the loss of life under my command, men I knew like brothers and they trusted me to make the right decisions. Their family's lives will be forever changed now."
"Richard listen to me, on the battlefield, there are some conditions that exist beyond our control. I know that you lost good men, but you can't be expected to know how or when everything can or will go wrong. This is the cost of being in a war. Yes, this is a war, but call it what you will, men will still perish and sadly we will move on. Special operations teams ARE a BROTHERHOOD, Richard, and losing a team member is losing a piece of yourself."
"Dad here." Rick handed his father the letter he wrote to SGT Moretti's parents and wife and child.
Jackson read the letters and by the time he was finished there were tears running down his cheeks. His son had a way to capture feelings with words that he could never grasp and be able to string together on paper. It was beautiful.
"Richard, I'm speechless. Is this what you've been doing?"
"Well, yes. I'm not allowed to get out of bed until tomorrow. And then all I can do is use the latrine."
Jackson wanted to know if his son thought about staying in the Army. So, he asked him.
"Richard, when will you be returning back to full duty?" He asked as he looked down at his wounds.
"Dad…"
Jackson looked up at him and he could immediately see the hurting and anguished look on his face. He knew.
"So what will you do now?"
"Honestly Dad, I haven't even given it any thought at all. From here I will be shipped out to Dover Air Force Base in Dover Delaware. I will be required to go through three months or more of physical therapy and after that, I will still have about three month's remaining of my six-month medical hold before I'm discharged honorably."
"I have not been in contact with your mother since all of this happened, too worried about getting here to you. Do you want me to call and tell her what happened?"
"No, that's okay dad. I'll do it. I just hope she won't worry that much when I tell her what happened."
0900 14MAR02
CIA Headquarters
1000 Colonial Farm Road, McLean, Virginia
Office of the Associate Director for Military Affairs
"Donna, can you come in here please?"
The Associate Directors personal aide comes into his office ready with pad and pen to take notes.
"Ready sir."
"Donna, there will be no need for those. This is a simple request."
"Yes, sir go ahead."
"Can you please ask agents Harrison and Owens to be in the director's office by 10 this morning. And then send a memo to the director stating that these two agents are the ones I've decided to send. He'll know what it means."
Yes, sir." Donna leaves and sits at her desk and picks up the phone to notify the agents.
Agent Owens hangs up his desk phone and waits for it. Since Harrison's desk is right across from his he knows that his phone will ring in 3…2…1… "Agent Harrison" he answers.
The two agents are sitting in the Director's office at precisely 10 am. Beads of sweat are forming on their brows. They have not been in violation of any rules or regulations, at least that they know of but they are still at a loss as to why they are here. The director walks in from his outer office and sits eying up the two agents in front of him. He lets their uneasiness drag out for a minute and then he starts talking.
"Gentlemen, I'm going to send you on a detail that is of the utmost importance."
Both agents look to each other and answer the same.
"Sir?"
"Don't be so surprised agents. What I'm sending you for is routine. The reason why you were selected is that you're both proficient in hand to hand and small arms experience but might not be needed. You are also fluent in German, French, and Russian. Where you're going this will undoubtedly be a plus."
"Sir, where are we going? Agent Harrison asks.
"I'm sending you on a recruitment detail. Tomorrow you are to report to Langley AFB and contact a Major Tillman. From there he will escort you to Ramstein AFB in Germany. Any questions?"
"Yes, sir, what is our objective?" Agent Owens asked.
"As I said this will be a recruitment detail I thought that was self-explanatory. At Ramstein LRMC there is one Captain Rodgers, United States Army. He was injured very seriously on March 8th. He is recovering from his surgery there. I want you to bring him into the fold. He is an asset in so many ways. He is dedicated, trustworthy and he has a mind for strategy that amazes me to this day."
Both agents start to mumble something under their breath and this catches the attention of the director.
"Something you need to say, Harrison? I'm sure that you'll tell me what on earth you were just mumbling!" The director demands. Knowing that they were caught agent Harrison speaks before agent Owens can.
"Sir, this is just a babysitting job. Our work here will suffer. This guy is only a Captain! I'm sure that there are other agents that are closer and better trained for this."
"AGENT HARRISON!" The director yells over his rant.
"Let me be clear here! This "Captain" that you dishonored just a second ago has more bravery and nerve than all of the active agents assigned to the unit you work in. This Captain has done something no other soldier has done. He planned and executed the mission that captured Karadžić. He was the mastermind that found him, stalked him and caught him. This Captain along with a team of people helped create the specifics for the Operation Gothic Serpent operation. When the operation started to go sideways he alone faced an opposing number of insurgents and took most of them on single handily. He suffered minor injuries, but he still was able to capture Karadžić! Now, the next words out of your mouths better be 'what time do we leave sir!' got it?"
15MAR02 0600 (EST)
480th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
Langley AFB, Langley, Va.
The next morning Owens and Harrison found themselves sitting in the very uncomfortable net seats of a C-17 cargo plane heading to Ramstein AFB. The flight would take ten and a half hours. The director had informed them that if they did not confirm that he was going to become an agent in the agency and he decided to pursue other endeavors then they were not to return back. The director made it a point for them to offer anything they could to recruit him.
Owens had read up on the Captain last night. He had decided to attend West Point as a cadet right from high school and when he graduated the military academy he did so with a GPA of 4.0 and with honors. He was sworn in as a 2nd Lieutenant. Within two years he was advanced to 1st Lieutenant. And then two and a half years later he was advanced to Captain. He stalled there and Owens can only think that either he loved being in command and did not want to move up or he realized what the Army was really all about. Either way, he was offered the rank of Major which is still pending. Every time he was advanced he noticed that he was recommended for retention of service. He also noticed who signed this order, a Brigadier General Rodgers. He wondered if there was any relation. He's brought back to the present and loud roar of the cargo plane by Harrison's question.
"Owens, what are you thinking about?" Harrison asked him over the roar of the plane barely being heard.
"I'm thinking that we'll have our hands full when we get to Ramstein. I read Captain Rodgers file last night and I think he has a relative nearby him."
"Why do you think that?"
"I have my reasons. But every time he was advanced in rank, he was recommended for retention in the Army. It was signed by someone who has the same last name as him."
"Nah, you're just overthinking this. This guy's a loner. There's no way that anyone can be in the same war zone as he is, relation or not. They have rules about family being nearby."
Owens doubted his partner's statement. He felt like there was going to be trouble.
15MAR02 0948
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein, Germany
LRMC
Jackson was sitting in a chair beside his son's bed in his new room. As luck would have it his roommate was shipped home just as he arrived at the room giving him the whole room to himself. He was telling him what he remembered the night of the bomb exploding at the camp.
"After that dad, I don't remember much. I did wake up on the flight out here and the medic told me bits and pieces about what he knew but it's still mostly a blur."
"Son, I'm glad that you…"
"Excuse me sir, but could I have a word with you?" Jackson looked over at the man standing at the foot of his son's bed.
"Yes, Colonel, give me a second please?"
"Yes, sir."
"Richard, I'll be right back." Jackson told him as he pointed to the Colonel.
They walked away slowly waiting to speak out of Rick's earshot. When they reached the exit to his door they left and stood out in the hallway a few feet from his room.
"General, I'm here to give you a heads up to something that could be a problem."
"Colonel?" Jackson gave him a perplexed look.
"General, I've been here for quite some time. And believe me when I tell you that your son will be persuaded into joining a certain agency before he is moved from here. They will be relentless. They will stop at nothing to get what they want and with your son's clearance at a top-secret level, they will try even harder. He will be recruited into the darker side of this agency and I really think that while he is in this condition, with idle time to think, he will go without thinking about what he will be getting himself into."
"Colonel, you've seen this happen before?" Jackson knew that the CIA recruited from the military, but he never thought that they'd use a tactic that was so underhanded. But he should have expected it.
"On many occasions General. Just be aware because I'm not sure how long you'll be here with him."
"I had planned on leaving tomorrow morning."
"Just keep an eye out, that's all I'm telling you. Now, I need to check your son's progress. I won't be long."
"Thank you, Colonel."
Jackson thinks while the Colonel looks over his son. He can't see his son doing this, but if he was alone he knows that he'd think about it. He would wait until whoever was going to contact his son to show up. Until then getting him on the road to recovery is his only concern. The Colonel walks back out to the hallway and gives Jackson the okay to return to his son.
"So, are you going to be able to run a marathon soon?" He jokes trying to bring a little lightness to what he will be facing in the coming months.
"I'm afraid that is out of the question dad. But I am allowed to use the latrine and walk a couple of laps around the room. If I feel pain or shortness of breath well…"
"That's understandable. So, the therapy will be about three months long?"
"Yes. By then I should be back to 75%. It's going to be a long road dad. Long and exhausting."
Xx
15MAR02 1005
435th Air Ground Operations Wing (AGOW)
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein, Germany
"Agents, let me check you in and then you can be on your way." Wing Commander Rollins tells the two agents standing in front of him. He wants no part of what they're going to attempt to do and the sooner he can get them checked in and into a car away from him, the better.
Owens navigated and Harrison drove. They reached the LRMC fifteen minutes later. They had both recruited soldiers in the past, but this felt a little off. They parked and removed their packs and entered the hospital. They walked up to the nurse's station hoping that he was still here.
"Good morning. We're looking for Captain Rodgers. Can you tell us where he is?"
The Lieutenant looked up his name and informed them that he was in room 312, and he had a visitor. They looked at each other and assumed that his doctor was with him discussing his recent surgery and post care. As the elevator doors opened they turned to where the patient rooms were located and came to a stop by room 312. Peering through the door window they noticed the Captain lying in his bed alone. The doctor must have left. They knocked then entered.
"Captain Rodgers?" Owens asked unsurely.
"Yes, I'm Captain Rodgers, enter please."
"Captain, I'm Owens and this is Harrison." Owens said as he pointed between them.
"What can I do for you two gentlemen?"
"Actually, it's what we can do for you, sir. We have an opportunity that would be both beneficial for the company we represent and yourself. A career that can be rewarding and give you much more than what the Army can offer."
"Alright, what company do you represent?" Rick knew that they were CIA or some other three letter organization. He had seen it after the operations he was on were completed. They would be lurking in the local environment but he could always spot an agent no matter how well they tried to blend in.
Jackson left the mess hall with two cups of coffee heading back up to his son's room. He would appreciate a cup of joe and asked his doctor on the way down if he was allowed to have it. He told him he was. Stepping off the elevator he walked carrying the cardboard cup holder, he turned the corner and noticed that his son's door was cracked open a little. Getting closer he heard voices that he hadn't heard before. Pushing the door open quietly he slowly placed the coffee on the table and then his hand automatically went to his sidearm at his waist.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
The second his voice announced his entry into the room the two men instinctively went for their weapons. Rick had seen his father come back into his room and wondered how this would play out. He was not disappointed when his father thundered out his demand all the while his hand stayed at the ready on the butt of his weapon. Turning to the threat the agents heard they followed their training and reached for their weapons while turning to the threat. Once facing Jackson, he made his statement once again.
"What the hell is going on in here?"
Owens comes to his senses quickly realizing that the man standing in front of him has the tactical advantage. He's easily 6 feet 4 inches tall, thin build, held a very commanding size and could most likely outdraw him. So, he removed his hand from his weapon from inside his jacket urging Harrison to do the same.
"Sir, we were just having a talk with this Captain here. Can I ask who you are?" Owens asks.
"No. You can't. whatever you need to say to him can be said in front of me as well. So, get on with it."
It's then when Owens sees it. The resemblance is eerie. The Captain could be a carbon copy of the man standing in front of him. This is confirmed when he notices his embroidered name above his right breast pocket and he winces. RODGERS. Well didn't they just step into a big pile of shit now. Owens looks over to Harrison who's watching the whole exchange. He looks directly at him and sees is acting strange and that he's giving him the eye movement and a head nod towards the door. By the time he figures it out it's too late.
"Why don't we have a seat so you can finish this conversation" Jackson insists.
If the situation wasn't so serious Rick would be laughing right about now. He watched as the two agents claimed a seat by the side of his bed and fidgeted. He could see the look on his father's face and knew that his father was making them doubt their chances for this ending with a successful outcome.
Jackson knew that they were the men the Colonel had told him about earlier. So, he decided to let them make their sales pitch. He was glad that they were here now and not when his son was more susceptible to their lures.
"Gentlemen, as you were saying." Jackson incited.
They both decided to go on with their offer.
"Captain, we are agents for the CIA. And our director sent us to enlist your services in the CIA. There seems to be an urgency from the director to make that happen."
"What exactly would I be doing?"
"That would depend on your skills and what you could offer the agency."
Jackson spoke next.
"I am certain that with my son's background in planning and executing an operational plan that he was put on the CIA's radar by the number of successful outcomes. What assurances does he have that you won't use him for anything deeper within the CIA than just being a regular agent?
When Owens and Harrison heard the question that his father asked they could not answer it truthfully. So, Owens decided a little deflection was needed.
"General while the CIA has areas that work deep within itself on more of a, shall we say covert operations, the director has had your son on his radar for some time now. So, this decision would be his to make. We are not at liberty to offer something that we can't."
"Why now?" Rick asked.
"We know that you are no longer able to be retained by the armed forces for your service. Given this and the fact that you still hold a top-secret clearance is a benefit that I'm sure you're aware of that will open more doors than you can imagine within the intelligence community. The skills that you have acquired in the Army in relation to the way you can think outside the box, will only further your career in the CIA."
Jackson looks to his son to see what he's thinking, but as always he kept any kind of facial or emotional responses to himself. He'll wait until the agents leave to talk to him about this. Deciding that this was all they had to say and that he did not want to hear anything else, Jackson turns to the agents.
"Agents Owens and Harrison, I appreciate that you came all this way but I think that my son will need some time to think over his options. And there is still the matter of his physical therapy. He will be transferred to Dover for three months after he is released from here."
When he finished the agents just sat there. He wondered why they still did.
"Agents, is there anything further?"
Harrison voices his request.
"Sir, we are not authorized to leave until we have an answer."
Jackson who will not have the conversation with his son while they are sitting there challenges back, and rather loudly.
"Agents, I'm sure that you don't really expect an answer right now. There will be a discussion concerning your offer. But until that is done, who can take your leave."
They still sit there. Hoping that the General sees that they have no intention of leaving without an answer.
"NOW!"
Unwillingly they pick up their packs and left his room. They were in no way returning back to Washington before they had an answer.
"Well, son, what are your thoughts?" His father asked.
"I'm not sure dad. I just know that I no longer have a job and I need to do something. But the offer sounds too good to be true. I just remember hearing stories about how they promise you everything under the sun and then deliver nothing."
"Richard, you will have no problem adapting to something like this. But, this is your decision to make. I will let you think about this while I'm gone and I suspect that you need to do some very hard thinking. I will be back tomorrow and then we can talk. I can promise you this, those two clowns are still here waiting for their best opening to come back and talk with you some more. I hope you are smart enough to know that if you were going to join the CIA that they will use you wherever they see fit. That includes the deep dark side of their operations."
"Thanks, Dad. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight Richard." Jackson leaves with a sigh. He knows that his son will need to make a very tough decision. But he has an ace up his sleeve that he won't reveal just yet…
Xx
Harrison and Owens returned back to their car and left the airbase. They needed to do two things first. The first task they loathed the most. Owens would place a call to his boss the director and explain what had happened with the Captain. But they also needed to find a place to stay for the night. He asked the gate guard at the exit of the base for a recommendation for where they could stay for the night. She suggested the Hotel Circle Inn and gave them directions to the hotel. After a quick two mile drive, they were checking in and heading to their room. Dropping everything on the floor just inside the doorway he pulled out his satellite phone and then dialed.
"Director Barnes speaking."
"Sir this is Owens."
"Owens, so, are we making progress with the detail?"
"Yes and no sir." Owens told him.
"Explain to me why your answer is so vague."
"It appears that when we arrived at Ramstein he had a visitor. It turns out that his father had shown up just as we were starting to talk to him."
"I see. And that would be General Rodgers. He's a 30 plus year man and he takes no one's shit. How did that work out for you?"
"Not well sir. He demanded that we give our talk to his son with him present. After we did he told us to leave."
"I'll bet that he told you that his son needed to think about the offer correct?"
"That's about what happened, sir. We had planned to return back in the morning."
"Wait a day and then return. I might have a solution to this if he's on the fence. Call me on the 17th."
"Yes, sir." Owens ended the call and looked over to Harrison. "Well, it looks like we are going to get very familiar with Germany. We need to go back on the 17th."
"I should have listened to you on the plane ride over."
"Yeah, you should have."
Xx
16MAR02 0805
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein, Germany
LRMC Room 312
"Good morning Richard." Jackson said as he entered his son's room.
"Hi, Dad. Did you sleep better than I did?"
"Pain I'm guessing kept you up most of the night? And I slept like a baby."
"Yeah, they needed to adjust the pain relief. Now I'm doing better."
Jackson wanted to address the elephant in the room but waited for his son make the first move. He placed the to go coffee cup on his bedside table and sat down next to his bed.
"I called mom last night. She was worried about me until I told her that you were here. She seemed to be a little more relieved."
"You don't want to get on her bad side son. Thanks for that."
"Anytime dad. I have been thinking about their offer. And I'm not sure that this would be a good fit for me. I think that it would be good to try something new, but once anyone is in the CIA, it's hard to leave."
"Richard, while that might be true, what if you had options? Options like having a boss who knows your playbook and can almost anticipate your move before you make it?"
"What are you thinking dad?" Rick looks to him.
"I have some people who owe me favors in DC. I have been a soldier for over thirty years and maybe it's time to hang up my boots."
"I'm still split between what I could possibly do and what the ugly truth could actually be."
"Your mother once said that most of the decisions you will make in your life will have a major impact on how you lead your life. Go with your heart son, it'll never fail you."
Jackson takes a sip of his now cold coffee and waits.
"Dad, I don't make a move without you with me. But I can see no other reason to turn this offer down. I want to make a difference."
"You've always looked at your life like that. Now, let's talk about this conversation with your mother. Because I know for a fact you asked what her thoughts were on this job offer."
"I did. But she gave me her standard response."
"And that was?"
"Go and talk to your father!" Rick chuckled after seeing his father's twisted face.
"She'll never take sides and you know this. She loves you son and only wants what's best for you."
"I know that dad. But when these agents return later will you be able to contact DC before they do?"
"I'll make it a priority. So, you're serious about this?"
"I am."
