Disclaimer: As in ch. 1
AN: Ok, no more flashback for this chap. So enjoy it!
Same Time
Prisoner camp in China
Locked together for seven months, Matt and Lieutenant had become rather close. They cared for each other when one of them was beaten. More often than not, though, it was Matt who needed to be cared for. Today was no exception. Matt had just gone through his "session," and was sitting on the cot, trying to ignore the pain across his back and face.
In an attempt to distract himself, he started talking to his roommate. "Lieutenant, do you have first name?"
"Of course I do. I was named after my father."
"What's your first name?"
Lieutenant narrowed his eyes at Matt then replied, "I stopped using it seven years ago, Matt. Let's just forget about it. Hey, you never really told me how you get here."
Matt sighed. "You won't believe it, but we're still fighting the Chinese."
"No way!"
"It's true. Why else do you think I'm here, and they still have you as POW?"
"Tell me everything!" Lieutenant seemed very eager.
"The war between Taiwan and China officially started in April of 2028. As you know, the US was Taiwan's ally, and it actually still is. Eight years later, both parties finally called a cease fire, but US personnel are still stationed in Taiwan to make sure China doesn't back out on their promises. It's kind of a 'cold war' going on now. We're still trying to find out what their military is doing, and the Chinese have been returning the favor. I was doing recon the day they shot us down. The rest is history."
"When did you join the war, Matt?"
"Four years ago."
Lieutenant grew quiet again.
"Lt, are you ok?"
"Yeah. How was the war started?"
"In December, 2027, China shot down four of our F-14s. That was when the conflict really got going. In April of the next year, our government and Taiwan's government declared war against China. My parents were totally devastated." Matt whispered.
"If you don't mind my asking, why was that?"
"I told you almost everything, so why not that?"
"One of the pilots they shot down was my brother. He was MIA for seven years before the Navy finally decided he was dead. My mom never criticized my choice of careers, but I know that she had a hard time dealing with her other son going into aviation. The Navy has, no doubt, declared me as MIA by now...I don't know how much more she could handle."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok." Matt sighed, and then continued the story. "Two years after my brother went MIA, my father retired from the Navy. He just couldn't take it anymore. Can you believe that he heard the news first from ZNN before he got even the slightest warning from the USS Kennedy? He got upset afterward that he was so out of the loop, but eventually Uncle James calmed him down. He told my dad to think about it: would he have preferred hearing the news as a CO or as a parent?"
"I don't get it. Your father was also your brother's CO?"
"Not directly, but my father was the Chief of Naval Operations at that time."
Lieutenant's eyes grew wide. "Wait...wait! Are you saying that you are the son of CNO Admiral Harmon D. Rabb, Jr?"
"I see you haven't lost your memory, Lieutenant. He's the former CNO now, but, yes, I am his second son, Matthew Jonathan Rabb. You knew my dad?"
"Well, it is hard to ignore a man with a reputation as bright as your father's. Admiral Rabb is a legend, Matt."
"Oh, I'd almost forgotten about that, actually!" Matt chuckled. "And you would have known at least something about the CNO. Dad used to be very intense, but, after my brother was gone, he lost it. He became more protective toward Mom. My brother..."
"Harmon D. Rabb, III, a.k.a Trey"
"Yeah, how do you know that? Anyway, Trey was named after my father and grandfather, while my baby brother..."
"Albert Jeremy Rabb was named after Admiral Chegwidden and Clayton Webb."
"Ok, how do you know so much? Why you are familiar with my family members? Who are you?"
TBC….
AN: I'm sure some of you had already guess who is the roommate, but oh… well don't stop reading. J