Chapter 21
The months just rolled on through here in the pit. Soon enough my second Thanksgiving passed on by. Eh it was nothing much I just got to eat more turkey. Training went on as usual. That was the thing here in the pit all the training.
Its basically get up exercise, eat breakfast, get cleaned up, do some training, eat lunch, then do more training and more training, eat dinner, and maybe watch a movie. At least in most of my classes it never got boring.
Yet at least a couple days or two, I would have sentry duty, some KP, or run some errands on base. Then again every time that I'm assigned to KP duty, it just keeps reminding me of my true and only friends here in the pit. Roger, Thompson, and especially pops.
I think now more than ever that it was high time, that I get in contact with Pops. So as an extra precaution, I went into my dorm a bit early to take a fake shower at night. I took that slip of folded and sealed up paper that I hid in my dry pouch near the tongue of my boots out.
As I unfolded it, I started to read some of the words to myself. All it said was, that if you feel the right time is now kid, then call this number on a secured outside line. The first four numbers were 1-671.
An outside line to me would be anywhere outside of the pit. I guess I'm going to have to get another liberty pass to make the call. As for the number, I did some research on the pits computers that had internet access.
It turned out that it was the international area code of Guam. I'm like where's Guam, I asked myself. Again I looked it up. It turned out to be an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. It's just a small speck on the map. It's known mostly as a tourist place, but it also has an active air force base there. I'm thinking to myself how smart was that? That pops chose to retire there. Well if I'm going to make my move quick then it has to be now. I mean its early December and Christmas is only a few weeks away.
When I send in my short request for liberty, I thought I wasn't going to get a response until after the New Year rolled in. Yet I got approval for the weekend. I only needed a few hours at the most.
At first I thought I was going in by myself since when I showed up at the tarmac, I was the only one with a vamp. Yet to no surprise the drinking brigade showed up which consisted of shipwreck, clutch and grunt. I sighed a bit to myself as I was about to strap myself in, until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I quickly turned around not really thinking much, until I saw Strike looking at me with a nice smile. "Uh hey Strike are you here to see me off again?"" Not exactly ki….," Strike then suddenly remembers what Psyche said about how Mark hated being called kid. She then see's how the kid is looking at her with a puzzle look on his face.
"Uh yes and no Mark." "Huh what do you mean by that Strike."" I mean for you to scoot over, because I'm coming along I got a liberty pass to."" I got a few things that I need to take care of." I looked at her with a bit of a skeptical look on my face.
"Really you got things to take care of as well." She just nodded to me." Are you sure you're not tagging along to keep an eye on me."" Well yeah there's that as well, but it was not my idea Mark."" It was more or less Hawks to make sure you don't try and make any more of that peach disaster again."
I just sighed out loud but really didn't give a response to that. So I scooted over while Strike strapped herself in.
As for me I had to figure out a way to separate from Strike's watchful eyes. Soon enough we were on our way. As always Mr. Bill would land in the outskirts of Tucson. Then we were off to O' Malley's. Just like before Shipwreck parked the Vamp near the entrance, while Clutch and Grunt followed.
I was getting out myself while heading over to the driver side expecting to get the keys from Clutch, only for him to hand it over to Strike. I was about to say what gives, but I just kept my mouth shut. I knew where this was going, as if I didn't need to be reminded of it. So I just made my way over to the passenger side. Strike then took the keys and started the Vamp up. She looked over to me asking.
"So where to next Mark.""What are you asking me for; I thought you said that you needed to get some stuff done. ""Yeah about that, I've been order to follow and escort you around town." I started to get angry then and there and started to take it out on Strike.
"What, you got to be shitting me!?"" I was right all along; you guys treat me like a KID!"" As if I need another reason to feel that I don't belong here. ""You know what just forget it, you go do what you want to Strike and I'll just wait here in the Vamp."
Strike wanted to tell Mark that he's wrong about not belonging, but how could she. He was right about everyone treating him like a child. She has to figure out a way to keep him from drifting apart especially from her.
"You're right Mark, it is childish for me to do this, but you're wrong about not belonging with us at the pit. ""I don't want be your enemy ok, I really want us to be friends. ""But I really need your trust on this one."
I turned my head annoyingly to Strike to see what she was getting at. "So how about this, you just tell me where to go and I'll give you an hour or longer if you want to get whatever you needed done."" But you have to promise me that you'll come back on time and without anything illicit."
"You mean by myself." Strike just nodded to him in approval. "Really you'll do that for me, as I lighted up." Again Strike nodded with approval. "Wow thanks Strike; I'm sorry if I blew up on you like that." "Hey no worries Mark, so where do you want me to drop you off."
"Well all right then, just drop me off to the town center oh and I'll only need about an hour to an hour and half."" Ok I'll see you in an hour and half."
Again Strike did as she promised; she dropped me off to the town center. I made sure to check my watch to see when I had to get back. I actually smiled back to her. So first things first, I had to create an alibi in case Strike where to ask me what I've been doing.
So the first place I stopped on by was a general store. I went ahead and bought a prepaid disposable phone, with about thirty minutes of time on it. Next I went to a local bank, in hoping that I could open a meager savings account or a safety deposit box. Which actually turned out to be pretty easy to do.
When the bank personnel left for me to look over the contract, that's when I made my move. I started to dial that number that Pop's left me. It ranged about a couple of times before it answered. I didn't know what to really expect, I mean for all I know it could have been a recording.
After all I remember that pop's told me that it would mostly like be that for security reasons. Yet on the other side of the line, I actually did get a voice. It sounded rather deep and raspy. "Hey kid how have you been?"
"How did you know it was me?""Well this number is the only number that goes off just for me when I gave it back to you back then, anyways how have you been?"
"It's been ok I suppose, I mean I got to do some stuff."" I hear you, any ways how the kitchen back at the pit."" I guess its ok, but it's not the same from eating your sloppy joe's.""Well then I guess by you calling me kid, I guess it means you're ready to come and get your cash and maybe do little bit of R&R."
"I guess it's because I kind missed my friend that's all.""You know kid you'll make new friends there at the pit.""I guess so."" Anyways since you're ready, I've got some instructions for you to follow when the time comes, so are you ready?"" As ready as I'll ever be Pop's."
Within a span of ten minutes I write down some new instructions from Pop's again. To me it was so great hearing his voice again, as it reminding me of some nice friends that I once had. Once my time was done, I took the new instructions and packed them away securely to boots, while I took the old message and destroyed it.
Next I went ahead and set up the small savings account with this bank. Finally I took my prepared disposable phone and destroyed it as best as I could.
Since I was on a time constraint, I took some extra time to go to the electronics shop to buy an antenna booster for my satellite radio. Also I went to the local super market in the area to buy some candy. Most for Strike of course since she actually did give me a lot of trust, but also I noticed that she didn't really called me kid at all.
I really should be nicer to her, after all she was the one that took care of me up to an extent, and has been supportive the most. Well I hope these chocolate bars would help ease the rift between us. I stood by the same area that Strike dropped me off from.
And just like many times before, Strike as usual comes on time. I took my stuff and secured it in the back seat, as I got in. "So did you take care of whatever you needed then Mark?" I turn facing her with a nice smile of my own saying," yeah I sure did.""Thanks again for putting some trust into me."
"Not a problem Mark, I thought it was rather childish idea.""So what did you do then?"" Well first I set up a small savings account at first national bank.""Then I bought an antenna booster for my radio, and I also bought some treats."
"Huh you set up a savings account," Strike said with some curiosity. "I sure did Strike, I thought about doing it for some time now.""Well I think that's a great idea for you to save up on your future."" You also said that you bought an antenna booster?"
"Yeah I sure did, but before you ask it's just for my radio so I can get a clearer signal."" Huh and what did you mean by treats then."" Oh well I just wanted to get some candy again.""Which reminds me," as I started to grab the first pack of chocolate bars.
"This is for you, just to say thanks for letting me venture on my own today.""Thank you Mark, that's really considerate of you." Even though Strike was driving she still was very happy about the nice gesture. She thought that maybe he would like to get a bite to eat, since they had more than an hour and a half before she had to pick up those drunks.
"Hey Mark I've been thinking, since we got little over an hour before we got to pick up a bunch of booze up Joe's, I was wondering if you wanted to get something to eat." I looked over to Strike wondering if she was asking me out on a date, but answered none the less.
"Yeah sure, you just pick the place." Before long we stopped to a small diner near that O'Malley place. Strike picked a booth so that we could sit across for eat other. I got a standard cheese burger with a chocolate shake, while Strike chose a really big bake potato.
For the most part we ate in silence. Even once in a while I would see Strikes face and smiled to her, while she did the same to me. In a weird way I sort sensed that Strike wanted to say something to me. And the only way I would notice is by her constant movement in her seat, as if something was bothering her. I was about to say something till she spoke up first.
To Strike she really wanted to ask Mark something, but at the same time she didn't wanted to sound weird or forceful. Almost with that butterfly in the stomach feeling. Well here's goes nothing I suppose.
"Hey mark?" I looked up to see Strike as she was talking to me. "So um how is it?" I was about asked what until I followed her gaze at my meal. "Oh it's pretty good, how about yours?"" Yeah it's not bad; I haven't really had any in such a long time."
"How come?"" Well for one this stuff is fatting and two they don't really make it in the pit.""Yeah I see your point on that." Again after our small conversation, it started to feel awkward again. Again I was about to say something but Strike beat me to it.
"Hey Mark?" Again I looked up to her. "So,…um…uh… I was wondering what are your plans during Christmas time at the pit?""Oh well nothing much really, I mean I usually say goodbye to you when go off to your time off, then I usually eat Christmas dinner and sing a few carols with the skeleton crew up near topside for an hour or two."" Then I watch maybe a couple of movies."
"Hmm sounds somewhat ok I suppose then."" But I was wondering….if…uh…um… "
I looked at poor Strike, she was such a nervous wreck and I don't even know why. I mean she always look so confident whenever I was with her. "Uh Strike just calm down and breathe ok, then tell me what you wanted to ask me."
Soon enough she started to heed my advice. Then she started again with a bit more confidence." What I wanted to ask you was?"" I was wondering if you wanted to spend your Christmas break with me and my family in Iowa."
I sort of just sat there looking and thinking about what Strike just asked me. I really didn't know what to say to her. Soon enough my hesitation was catching up to me. I mean if I say no, I think I would have hurt her feelings. And if I say yes, I'm pretty sure everyone in the pit would tease me into thinking that I got the hot's for Strike. Uh oh she's looking at me with those concern eyes of hers.
"Uh….well…um…are you sure you want me to come along?""Well if you don't want to, then"… I cut her off then and there. "You know what sure Strike why not, I mean it's not like I got anything else better to do. ""Thank you for asking I would love to come," as I said it without trying to sound forceful to her. I smiled to her nervously to her. In an odd way she did the same.
We finished with our meals fairly quickly since it was about time to pick up the drinking brigade. So we split the check and headed out. In an instant I started to blurt out to her," so when do we leave I suppose?"" Well don't worry about that for now; I'll let you know in a week or two ok?" I nodded back to her.
In about ten minutes Shipwreck, along with Clutch and Grunt came out of the bar all boozed up. We made our way back to the drop point to be picked up and road back to base. In thirty minutes we touched down. I was about to put up the Vamp, when Strike insisted to do it herself. So I said my good night to her and took my stuff back to my dorm.
Usually I'll be the first one in my bunk in my dorm before lights outs, yet my roommate dusty was already getting himself ready. For good manners I would come in silently and put my stuff down. I quickly started to get undress.
I usually go to bed in t-shirt and some boxers on. I quickly plop myself into my bed ready to go to bed. Normally as I was about to go to bed Dusty would always say good night to me, which he did. I did the same as well.
I lied here in my bed kind of staring off into space and darkness. I couldn't help but wonder about Strike today, especially when she wanted me to come along with her. I mean boring little old me. The more I thought about it, the more questions I had about it. I mean why would she want me to come along.
Before she never asked me to come along. I continued to sigh to myself until I had to ask a burning question about it and who else better than my roomy Mr. Dusty. He's practically good friends with her already.
So I started to speak a bit softer to a little bit louder to get his attention." Hey Dusty are you a sleep yet?" I asked about two to four times. By the fifth time I was ready to give up, till I heard his voice. "Well kid I was asleep."
"Is there something on your mind?" I was rather silent for the most part until, Dusty spoke up again. "You know I can hear your heavy breathing from up here kid." In that moment I started to gain the courage and started to talk to Dusty. "Yeah I suppose so, but can you promise me something. ""If it'll get you to bed quicker then go for it.
"Well if you could promise me you'll keep what I ask you a secret."" Sure I promise now what's on your mind?"" Well you're pretty good friends with Strike right?"" Yeah of course kid."" Well, it's just that Strike asked me today about coming to meet her family during the Christmas break."" And even though I said yes to her I don't what her angle is."
"Ok I'm going to stop you there kid. First off, I'm pretty Strike would only ask because she's your friend." "Two I would think that she actually enjoys being around you."" And three she has no angle. ""If anything I bet she was pretty nervous about asking you to begin with."
"You know Dusty; she actually did look a bit nervous when she was asking me.""Well then there you go."" Look kid she's just trying to be friendly that's all.""Also I won't speak about this to anyone ok you have my word on it now if you please just go to bed ok."I smiled a bit in my bed only to say, "Thanks and Good night Dusty."" Good night kid see in the morning."