Chapter Six
Harm woke up the next morning and put on his uniform. He stood in front of the full length mirror and sighed with disgust as he fumbled with his insignia.
"Chris, stop fumbling, you always do this with every new assignment." She kissed the back of his neck. She whispered into his ear, "Harm, did I ever tell you how sexy you look in marine uniforms?"
"Sarah, stop, I have to get to work." Her hands continued to roam his body. "If you don't stop," he managed to get out.
"You'll what?" She purred into his ear. She didn't have time to react, he scooped her up and dumped her on the bed. Hovering over her he ravaged her mouth. Finding his cover he picked it up from the night stand.
"Tonight you will get what is coming to you."
"I have the wives club meeting from five to six."
"Well, Maddie should be working until 1900. I'll pick you up from the meeting, just call me to tell me where it is, and then we will wait for Maddie to get home and we will have dinner together tonight. Then after Maddie goes to bed, you will get what is coming to you." He kissed her one last time.
She threw on her robe and walked him to the door. "I love you Chris."
"I love you too Sarah."
"Chris, don't forget to do the grocery shopping. We can't eat take out forever. Wait, on second thought, I better do the grocery shopping, that way I can't blame you when I get sick off your food choice."
He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you in a few hours." He leaned down to talk to her stomach, "Now, don't make Mom sick, if you do, I have to hear about it." He kissed her stomach and hit the car door opener. "Don't forget that you have to enroll Madeline in school today."
"I won't. Now go before you are late."
She waved to him as he pulled out of the drive. She padded down to the newspaper box and grabbed the morning paper. She saw his car turn the corner heading for the airstrip and turned her attention towards the paper.
"MARINE MAJOR'S WIFE FOUND MURDERED"
Mattie had woken up and found her way down the stairs. She wondered where her and Mac were going for breakfast. Mattie heard Mac make her way towards the downstairs bathroom where she proceeded to get sick.
"Mom!"
Mattie rushed into the bathroom and made a wet compress for her. "Thanks Honey."
"Why are you getting so sick?"
"The baby must have not liked the orange juice. What do you want for breakfast?"
"Whatever you think you can handle."
"You and your dad are too good for me."
"Well Mom, you and Dad are too good for me." Mattie helped her mom off the floor and they got ready to go get breakfast at a little café off base where she could contact Clay.
0900 EST
Jack and Jill's Family Restaurant
Quantico, VA
Mattie sat down at the table studying the menu when she saw Clay enter the dining hall.
"Sarah, Maddie."
"Josh." Mac acknowledge. "Did you bring the numbers? Chris and I want to open the Corner Pocket as soon as possible."
"You guys sure saved up enough for everything you could possibly need for the hall." He slid a folder over. "I found some interesting numbers for you."
"Thanks Josh. Chris and I will look over the figures tonight."
"I hope you guys enjoy breakfast." Clay told them. "Maddie," Clay acknowledged her.
"Yes Uncle Josh?"
"Your mom told me about your running incident, are you okay?"
"It was just a twisted ankle. I am fine enough to go to work tonight." Mattie told him with confidence.
"Good to hear Kiddo."
"Thanks."
"Will Saturday be good to run the numbers for the pool hall?" Clay asked her. Mac nodded her head. "Good, meet me at the DC office."
"Sure. See you then Josh." Clay got up and winked at Mattie and Mac.
The waitress came by, "So what will you have for breakfast Sugar?" Mac smiled and ordered breakfast.
0800 EST
Marine Corps Base
Quantico, VA
Harm walked out to the landing strip. Noticing a Lt. Colonel coming up to them, many of the maintenance staff and younger pilots watched curiously. They knew the CO was putting the new guy through the ringer. Harm said. "I'm Lt. Colonel Marks, I was told to meet Colonel Jessup here."
"He is over by his plane sir." An enlisted person told him.
"Thank you."
Harm walked over to the plane and saluted his new CO. "Lt. Colonel Marks reporting as ordered Sir."
"At ease. Are you ready to show me what you are made of Marks?"
"Yes Sir."
Harm suited up and walked to the plane that was assigned to him. "What are you waiting for son."
"Nothing Sir."
Harm got into the plane and started the engines. He heard the Colonel in his headset.
"After you get in the air, I am going to tell you to do a sequence of combat moves and maneuvers, can you handle that?"
"I can take anything you can dish, Sir." Harm told him.
Once Harm got the plane to the altitude, he started getting the series of instructions, pulling each maneuver off flawlessly. Colonel Jessup had never seen flying quite like that before.
When Harm landed the ground crew took over for him has he hopped out of the cockpit.
"You fly like someone I know, an old friend, Navy Pilot. Gary Hunchhausen, to bad his eyes started to go and he had to give it up. I hear he finally learned to enjoy retirement." Colonel Jessup stated to him.
"Really?"
"Yeah. He was one tough SOB." Colonel Jessup said to him. "Follow me to my office."
Harm complied and took a seat like he was instructed to. "So Marks, tell me a little bit about yourself."
"Not much to tell sir. I joined the ROTC in college and got married got married a couple years later to a wonderful woman. I have flown several mission against the war on drugs and terrorism."
"I gathered that from your service file, which is kind of vague. It says you received two DFCs?"
"Yes sir."
"I just wanted to meet the man who could pull off that kind of stunt. Good to have you on the team Marks."
"Thank you sir."
"It says here that you are due for a PFT. Do you think you can pull one off today?"
"If your men can squeeze me in." Harm answered. He knew his new boss was looking to run him through the ringer to find out what he was made of. The Colonel placed a call and soon Harm was running the course, it was a piece of cake considering that training he had put in for the mission. Completing the course, he walked up to his CO.
"Impressive Marks."
"Thank you sir."
"Take the rest of the day to get settled in, and if you can secure early, go home. We start training combat air maneuvers on Monday. Dismissed."
Harm came to attention, snapped an about face and turned to leave. "Colonel?"
"Yes sir?"
"I just wanted to let you know something. There has been a rash of murders on base lately involving women. Keep a close eye on your wife and daughter."
"Yes sir, thank you sir."
TBC - I think
