Chapter 4
Flint walked into the control room the next day, still happy about last night's events. In fact, he was whistling when he caught sight of his fiancee's brown hair seated at the main computer and silently, he realized how much he liked the thought that she was his fiancee. She was his and the diamond he'd painstakingly chosen shone brightly enough to mark that status. Obviously, Scarlett and Cover Girl hadn't seen it yet or he'd be hearing about it by now.
"So, you finally did it, huh, buddy?" Duke clasped a hand over Flint's shoulder nodding towards the ring on Lady Jaye's hand.
"Yeah, no way I'm letting that one go." He smiled at his friend.
"Don't blame you there." Duke agreed.
"I take it Scarlett doesn't know yet." It was more a statement than a question.
"No, and thank god, I'd be next." Duke laughed.
"You think it'll be that bad?" Flint asked. "Being married to Scarlett that is?"
"No, I just have a feeling those two would want a double wedding. Hey, you're not getting cold feet, are you?"
"What, No! Never. I love that lady!" Flint's face widened in surprise. "And I could just see it, matching tuxes." He laughed.
"Tux, hell, When I tie the knot, I'm wearing my dress uniform!" Duke smiled. "And it's normal to wonder, you know. No one's questioning how much you love her."
"Ah, so you are thinking about it?" Flint dropped the subject of worrying about what it would be like to be married.
"Never said I wasn't" Duke responded. "Just one question, how do you plan to get past the Army? You're one of her commanders."
"Simple, we're two different branches of the Army. So, technically, we're not in the same chain of command. Besides, she's actually listed directly under Hawk as his personnel specialist. I'm in the operational staff. So, according to the regs, no fraternization." Flint pointed out. "Hawk and I looked it up about 2 months ago. When I started planning this."
"Smart, finding that loophole. Two months? Wow." Duke laughed. "Come on lets find out what your fiancee' has found out."
The two men walked over to Lady Jaye.
"What have you learned about the attack?" Duke asked.
"Not much, only that the base was simple MASH unit sent to help the country with its revolution. The people are fighting their government, but not Cobra. In fact, Cobra has stayed out of this one which is odd because of the country's oil reserves. Anyway, the only two things odd about this place was one of the pilots there and that's where the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Forces in the Middle East, General James Riedman, was there. The pilot was a Lieutenant Colonel Caroline Abernathy, wife of none other than..." She fell off as a picture of a ten years younger, then Captain Caroline Abernathy appeared on the screen.
"Brigadier General Clayton Abernathy." Both Flint and Duke said simultaneously.
"What is it you're not telling me?" She narrowed her eyes at the two men, who clearly tried to ignore the glare.
"Is there any indication Cobra's even interested in being involved. I mean, it would be a boon for Cobra to get their hands on General Riedman" Duke asked staring at the pretty blonde's photo. She was a stunning young woman. But, then that was taken when the woman was 30 and right out of residency.
"As a matter of fact, yes. One of the nurses said she saw a blue airplane attack." Lady Jaye informed.
"A Cobra rattler." Flint ground out. "Thanks, Lady Jaye." He tried to sound as professional as he could.
"You know, Colonel Abernathy could've been the target. It would make sense if they wanted to get to Hawk. His wife is the best route to take. " Lady Jaye noticed the almost imperceptible wince from both men. "But, you already figured that out, didn't you? Which makes no sense, considering what I had to do to get access to her file. According to her 'official' personnel file, Hawk's wife is dead." She narrowed her eyes at the men again and both men felt the javelins flashing from her green eyes.
"Told you she was a keeper." Duke stated simply. "Yes, we figured that out, but Hawk asked us to keep this quiet. He didn't want anyone to know. That, and we really weren't sure. General Riedman could've been the target as well. " He could tell his best friend was about to get into hot water. "What we really don't know is, why? Why now?"
"Well, that base wasn't exactly well protected. But then, Colonel Abernathy's last assignment were worse, security wise. And if they helped the rebels, and they win..."
"Cobra has control of the country and its oil fields." Flint finished.
"You know, I'm glad you two are getting married. This is creepy, I feel like I'm with Tomax and Xamot." Duke stated.
"Wait, you two are getting married? You're off the market Lady Jaye?" Breaker said incredulously.
"Yes, she is." Flint stared the technician down as he placed a proprietary hand on Lady Jaye's shoulder to emphasize the point.
"Well, it's about time! Wonder who won the pool?" Breaker said.
"What pool?" Both Lady Jaye and Flint roared.
"The one where Flint would finally ask you to tie the knot." Breaker shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'of course'.
"There was a pool on whether we'd get married?" Lady Jaye said, turning her glare on the technician.
"Well, actually, like I said, it was more along the lines of whether if Flint would actually ask."
"What?" Flint yelled.
"Well, most of us figured you'd never be anything but a bachelor."
"Well, you bet wrong." Flint ground out.
"Yeah, well, I didn't win anyway. And congratulations! You're getting' one helluva lady." Breaker turned back to his computer screen."
"He bet wrong on what?" Scarlett entered the room and looked at Lady Jaye and like most women, immediately noticed that where there had been no ring on Lady Jaye's left hand, the ring finger was now adorned by a single diamond solitaire. "Oh my god! He finally did it! It's about time!" Scarlett rushed over to Lady Jaye's hand and turned it every which way but loose to get a good look at the ring.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Flint looked at Duke, who just shrugged his shoulders.
"Let's just say, we all know you, buddy. You never came across as the marrying type." Duke said simply, slapping Flint on the back.
"It's absolutely gorgeous!" Scarlett sighed out and then started on dates and planning questions.
"Oh no, let's get out of here before..." Duke whispered.
"Duke, did you see this ring?"
"It's very lovely, Flint Ole' buddy, you did a good job."
"A good job! He did a great job. I'd love a ring just like that one day."
"You were saying, Duke ole' buddy?" Flint smiled slapping a hand on Duke's shoulder knowing his friend was probably about to fall himself.
"Well, she didn't exactly say the words that she wanted me to..." Duke whispered.
"Oh, but she will, she will."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Duke smiled tightly. It wasn't that he didn't consider marrying Scarlett, but, he did value his life and he guessed that even though she and Snake-eyes had broken up and they had started seeing each other, Snake-eyes might not take the idea all that well. "Has anyone heard from Hawk since he left?" Duke changed the subject.
"No, but Beachhead did check in. It seems he and Cover Girl were made by the General." Duke responded.
"Great" was the simple one word response.
"Well, Hawk's not exactly the unobservant type." Duke smiled. "You really didn't expect him not to pick up on those two, did you?"
"Well, I was hoping." Flint sighed "Lady Jaye, can you see if we can find out why Cobra would want General Riedman. Did they plan on hurting him or capturing him?"
"Of course, I've actually already been working on it"
"And?"
"Still not finding anything there, yet. I'm not even sure they knew either one of the were there."
"Then why that base, that hospital?" Flint asked to no one in particular.
