Final Farewell

Jack had turned off the water to his shower. The steam was rising, but it felt strangely good. Parts of his body still ached from the mission and the warm water helped alleviate some of the pain. It had only been about three days since he had come back from Russia, but it seemed like no time had passed, none what so ever. Two of those three days were spent traveling back to Virginia to meet up with Lyndon Johnson, the president. He didn't even feel like meeting with the president, truthfully he didn't feel like meeting up with anyone. All he wanted to do was be alone. There was so much spinning though his mind that nothing seemed real anymore.

The Boss was dead, killed by his own hands and before she passed she told him everything. She shared everything about herself and all the ugly secrets of this country too. Knowing the truth and the ugliness behind it, everything would be different from now on. He was no longer the red blooded American he once was. There was now a hole in his heart, a painful void that would never be filled. He had nothing, nothing at all. This was the worst feeling in the world.

Grabbing the blue terry-cloth towel that dangled from the shower rod, Jack dried his brown hair and the rest of his body. Then he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Walking toward the mirror he wiped away the steam and looked at himself. But it was strange; he didn't see or feel anything. Ignoring himself, Jack picked up the comb that was on the sink and began to comb his hair.

Shortly afterwards, Jack was in his room sitting on the bed partaking in a cigar. This was one of the fewest things that brought him joy anymore. While he was enjoying his smoke, the telephone began to ring.

"Hello." He answered not taking out his cigar.

"This is Tom from Gilligan tombstones." The voice replied on the other end. "Is this Jack?"

"Yes."

"The tombstone you requested has been delivered to Arlington National cemetery."

"Thank you." Jack said softly.

"We apologize for your loss." The man said. "And we hope the marker is to your liking."

"I'm sure it will be." He said kindly.

"Have a good day sir."

"You too."

Jack hung up the phone and finished smoking his cigar. Taking a look at the clock, he noticed that it was nearly eleven o'clock. He had to meet the President at noon, but it was just so hard to get motivated when he didn't feel like meeting him.

This was so ironic; had this been even three months ago, the chance to be honored by the president would have seemed like a dream come true, but now the idea just sickened him. But it was his duty and strangely enough, he could swear he could hear The Boss in the back of his mind telling him to just do his duty, even if it wasn't what he wanted to do.

Exhaling the smoke from his cigar, Jack put out the remainder and stood up to prepare to get dressed. Going over to his closet and opening it up, Jack pulled out his official uniform. Looking at all the citations he had received it just made his heart further sink. All of this was meaningless. Fighting and receiving useless titles and for what? Just to learn that all the fight and dying will never stop. Just to learn that everything is set up so the cycle will be continuous and all soldiers were just puppets in this twisted eternal game. No, nothing had any point or meaning anymore.

Silently walking down the hallway, Jack came to the double door where everyone was waiting for him. This should be a happy time, but it's not. Why should he be happy about getting a commendation from Johnson? He wasn't the hero; he was just a government hired killer. The one who should be getting honored was dead and had an eternally tarnished image. It's The Boss who should be getting honored, not him.

Jack pulled open the double doors and inside the brightly light room was, Para-Medic, Mr. Sigint, Major Zero, several members of the press, John McCone the head of the CIA, a few of his lackeys in the CIA, the personal secretary to the president, and finally the president himself, Lyndon B. Johnson.

Passing though the crowd of happy clapping people, Jack walked up to the president who was smiling at him. Then he turned to his secretary who handed President Johnson the medal that was to be given to Jack. Jack walked a little closer to the president to receive his honor.

"You are above even The Boss." President Johnson said pinning the large silver medal cross onto Jack's green uniform. "I hereby award you the title of Big Boss."

As the president pinned the medal onto Jack, Jack looked down at him with such disdain. How dare he say he was above The Boss? How dare he even speak her name? He knew nothing about her, except for what his lap dogs told him. It was because of her, that there currently isn't a huge smoking hole in some part of this country.

"You are a true patriot." President Johnson finished.

Once the medal was pinned to his uniform President Johnson smiled and reached out his hand so Jack could shake it, while Jack instantly saluted the president. For a brief moment, Jack contemplated taking his hand, while everyone waited in breathless anticipation to see if Jack would take his hand. Jack really didn't want to be here let alone touch some greasy politician who knew or cared anything about his sacrifices or his pain. But finally he took the President's hand and shook it.

President Johnson shook Jack's hand and then turned him to face the members of the press, who instantly took pictures of the pair for their newspapers while everyone else in the room clapped. Jack's disgust turned to a burning hot rage. All this fanfare was just another photo-op for the President to make himself come out smelling like roses. This was all just too sickening. It was then Jack realized that he wasn't a patriot, he was just another puppet. Yes, everything was meaningless.

His rage was so blinding that he didn't hear any of the clapping around him and he barely noticed the flashing of the cameras around him. He had to get out. He didn't belong here with these people.

Jack turned away from the President, when he did, John McCone came up to Jack stretched his hand out for a hearty hand shake, but Jack couldn't bare another one. It was taking all his restraint not to slug Johnson. If he had to shake McCone's hand, that old geezer would be knocked on his ass for sure. Not saying anything, Jack began to walk out of the room. He was enraged that he never said a word to Major Zero, Para-Medic, or Sigint as they walked up to him. There was nothing he could say to them. In his current state, not saying anything was the best thing he could do. So he just walked away from them all. Besides, right now there was somewhere much more important he had be. Maybe going there would help quell the rage he was feeling.

About forty minuets had passed since he had left Langley Air Force Base. The drive from the base to Arlington wasn't normally that long, but he just needed some time to calm down before he went for his visit. There was this wonderful scenic route The Boss had shown him several years ago on one of their visits and it was still a route he liked to take, especially on a day like today.

Finally he was at the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery. Jack sighed as he put his car in park. His heart felt like it was going to burst, but he just had to do this for her. He couldn't get back sooner to go to her funeral and according to several rumors he had heard, no one attended her funeral or burial. Actually, if it wasn't for the fact he had made such an unholy fuss over it, they weren't even going to bury her in Arlington. But after two days of threats and red tape, The Boss was laid to rest as a true patriot should be.

Before getting out of the car, Jack reached over the front seat and grabbed the white flowers that were neatly wrapped up. Stepping out of the car he went to the trunk of his car and unlocked it. Inside the trunk, he pulled out a small suit case and placed it in his hand and he started to walk though the silent graveyard.

After walking for about ten minuets or so, he finally had come to her burial site. Walking though some of the tombs, he proceeded to the one with the simple marking:

In Memory Of

A Patriot

Who Saved

The World

192X-1964

Thankfully the marker looked wonderful. He wanted to give her something big and monumental, but she wasn't that kind of woman. Something simple would suffice for her and really, he knew she would be happy with it.

Kneeling down by the marker, Jack opened up the suitcase and pulled out the Patriot machine gun she had given him and placed it up against her tombstone. Then he took the white wild flower bouquet and placed it against the gun. She wasn't just a solider, but a woman. As delicate, beautiful, caring and loving as any other woman. In truth she was the ideal woman. And while Eva may have had his body, The Boss would have something more. She would have his heart. There would never be anyone worthy enough to have his heart ever again.

Standing up, Jack saluted her as a lone tear streamed down his face. This was what she deserved, to have someone give her a proper send off. And he was going to be the only one to do it for her. He knew her sacrifices and her pain and it didn't matter if no one else did. As far as he was concerned no one ever had to know the truth about The Boss. As long as he knew the truth her name would never be tainted.

Standing down, Jack bent over closed the suitcase and picked it up off the ground. It was time for him to go. He turned and walked away from the grave site and began the solemn walk back to his car. Jack walked a few paces and noticed his new silver medal glistening in the bright sun. He paused for a moment and stared down at it. Seeing this thing filled him with a renewed sense of outrage. The title of "Boss" should not be watered down to a mere medal. That title is earned only though sacrifice, pain, suffering, hardship, and loss. All of these were foreign concepts to those asshole politicians. Yes, he would accept the title, but not this hollow medal. Jack unpinned the medal from his uniform and looked at it one last time before he threw it into the Potomac river. He felt a little less burdened now. But life was never going to be as simple as it used to be.