Thanks to those who reviewed. Please review the chapters!
Note: I don't know if AFO usually lands at Kuwaiti International Airport, given the other possible airports in Kuwait. I just chose it immediately.
The POTUS here is yes GWB and so I'm trying hard to write the character as he was.
Skates doesn't have a Maryland accent—I made that up.
On board Air Force One
Heading towards Kuwaiti International Airport
Damn, what's the time now? Skates thought. In a normal airliner, she would have been able to access a screen or even open one of the shutters but neither was possible given her position and responsibility on AFO. The grandest and supposedly most secure aircraft in the world, and yet you don't have freedom to move around. This is especially since you're the one carrying the doomsday device and having to stay awake with in almost full time. "Lieutenant Commander Hawkes?" Skates thoughts were jolted as she looked up to yet another suited official. This one didn't have any wired earpieces so he couldn't be a Secret Service Agent. "POTUS would like to have a word with you."
"Wha…at?" Skates nearly fell down from the chair she was slouching it.
"The President would like to have a word with you," he repeated. "Follow me." Oh shit, shit, Skates wore silently. Where's my…phew I didn't lose my cover. But damnit, did I do something wrong? Did I sleep on the job? Did I show disrespect to any foreign signatories'? Or worse, did I reveal nuclear-related secrets? Skates limbs were shaking as she followed the staffer who then suddenly disappeared to a side corridor, revealing two Secret Service agents, one male, one female. The female one approached her and frisked her thoroughly, although she didn't specifically touch Skates' left arm. It was only then the male agent opened the door to reveal the President. POTUS was in an AFO jacket and shirt without tie, slouching in his chair and reading a Presidential folder.
Skates immediately snapped to attention as the President drawled in his Texan accent, "Ah, hello Lieutenant Commander Hawkes. Thanks Jarrod." The Secret Service just stood there, hands crossed. "I said thank you Jarrod. It's a personal meeting." The agent paused then nodded and left. "Uh, good…morning Mr. President," Skates finally blurted out, hoping she got the time of the day correct. The weight of the football strained her left muscles even more and she hoped she wouldn't drop her service cover tucked under her right arm.
"Heya, sit down. Relax," POTUS pointed. "Coffee?" He held up jug.
"Uh, no thank you Mr. President," Skates stuttered.
"By your tone, I believe you need some," her poured a cup. "Help yourself to cream and sugar." Skates only hesitantly shifted the mug towards her but didn't touch it.
"Relax. I may be your Commander-in-Chief, Commander, but that doesn't mean I'm your worst nightmare. I'm not here to terrorise you; just to get to know to better.
Get to know me? Me, a lowly O-4?! "Oh.." was all she could muster.
"You're accent…you're from Maryland?"
"Yes sir, you're good at spotting." Ok, so he's good at that. Still doesn't mean you're not going to be hard on me.
"Nice state Maryland. But tough battle there. Didn't the electoral votes." Oh yeah, the Democrats got it. My father definitely didn't want this man as POTUS.
"Don't worry; I'm not going to question your political leanings. Yours interests? Basketball? Football? Baseball?"
"Uh, some baseball. But I've hardly had time to watch games given my duties." I mean my flight duties, she thought.
"I'm sure it is a different world for you without the F-14," The president quipped. F/A-18F, Skates correctly, but didn't want to say that out loud.
"You sound a bit uneasy Commander, something troubling you?" Should tell him what Colonel Sanders told me? Does he know what happened to my predecessor? Was he murdered?
"Uh, just still trying to get used to this role, Mr. President," she lied.
"That's what all the 'Ball carriers tell me," the President gave a short laugh which didn't ease Skates' mind. "You were previously on the Patrick Henry right?" The President pronounced 'Henry' like "Han-ry". Skates nodded as the President continued, "I believe the carrier and its group is somewhere in the Gulf, possibly near Kuwait. I'll like to take a short detour there."
"Oh…for my sake, sir?" The President is willing to shift his schedule to visit my "hometown"?!
"Well, as I first told you, the highlight of my career was on the USS Abraham Lincoln," he replied. Oh that 'great' 'Mission Accomplished speech', Skates thought. "I love to have another chance to say thanks to personnel serving on Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. And you definitely have to tag along."
Back to the good noisy and oily carrier life, Skates thought. Even if it's just for a moment. "Thank you Mr. President. It's a great surprise gift and…"
"Thank you Commander, you're the one serving. I…" the phone next to him beeped and he answered. "Yeah…yes I know my meeting schedules. Yes, there's still time, I'll be there." Turning back to Skates, the President remarked, "even President's have to keep to their schedule. Finish up your coffee, Commander Hawkes and I'll see you around."
JAG Headquarters
1030 local
Harm quickly locked his door and closed his blinds. Suddenly a voice blurted out, "you know sir, I've done terrible things in the past, but none of them has made me squeeze under desk."
"Sorry Coates, I didn't think the Admiral would endorse you working behind his back, especially on something as trivial as this," Harm replied, helping her up. "What did you find?"
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. Either the Masters at arms played a magic trick, the CCTV is faulty, or there's some higher power who miraculously is changing log books."
"Ok, thanks a lot Coates, I owe you for this. Better return the book downstairs then, before the Admiral is back from his meetings."
"What about that mystery woman sir? Any luck?"
"I've got Bud going through the CCTV and trying to figure out her husband's surname out."
NCIS Headquarters
Around the same time
The MCRT Team had finished their search for terrorist threats against US naval ships and installations and turned up nothing. As Gibbs rested back in his chair, he received a call. "Gibbs, huh? Woman stalking around your apartment? That's not the Navy's purview, oh, what? No it's not really and NCIS job, thank you…fine, I'll see about it."
"Something up boss?" Dinozzo asked.
"Landlady keeps saying a strange woman is walking around one of her tenants apartments, and that that guy is a Navy Commander."
"As you said boss, that's not a call for the MCRT or senior NCIS role."
"Still, the sun is out of a bit. Want to take a walk?"
To Be Continued.
