Chapter 64
A/N Scared
These next few chapters will have a lot of time jumps. I have decided that I will end this story when Conrad comes to see her at the farm. I don't want to write a repeat of the series. You have about 15-20 chapters left.
Sorry for the late update. I will be leaving for Florida for a month, so I have a lot of stuff to coordinate. I don't know how much writing I will be able to do so updates will be sporadic for a while. I hope to be wrapped right after the new year and get back on track. THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of you that are still reading and reviewing this story. It means the world to me!
They had 2 months to move, but it didn't work out that way. On a lazy Saturday morning laying in bed cuddled up after a morning of some much needed them time among their sweating bodies and tangled sheets, they decided they didn't want to wait.
They showered and headed into town to buy a new bed for their new room at the farm. Once the bed was purchased and arrangements made for its delivery on Monday, they headed to the apartment to start packing.
A full day of packing was completed and Billy brought a trailer and farm hands to load it up. They decided to donate all of his furniture. The pick up team will be there after church tomorrow.
Three days later and they were once again snuggled up in their new bed. They had properly christened it the night before and well into the early morning hours.
Elizabeth had to be down at the office at 10, her and several other analysts were closely watching some movement on the Iraqi border with Kuwait.
August 2, 1990 would forever be the most terrifying day of her life. She was woken up by the phone ringing at an ungodly hour of the morning.
"Elizabeth, get down to the office," she heard Isabelle tell her.
"What is going on?" she asked.
"Iraq just invaded Kuwait. It is not going to be a pretty sight," she told her.
Elizabeth jumped up and was getting dressed, when Henry woke up.
"What is going on? Where are you going?" he asked.
"There had been an incident in the Middle East. I have to get to the office," she told him.
He could tell by the tone in her voice and the slight tremble as she spoke that she was scared. He got out of bed and started getting dressed. He had a high security clearance since he was a pilot and would often accompany her to the office when she was called in late at night or early in the morning.
Once they arrived, they went into the SCIF and called Langley to participate in a briefing. Due to the time difference it was already mid afternoon in Kuwait.
They were starting to get some satellite pictures of what was going on. Apparently Iraq was using an all out assault to capture the country. The President was holed up with advisors and the UN Security Council was called into an emergency meeting.
All hell was breaking loose and there was no way the US was not going to be involved. It took several days for the reality of the situation to hit Elizabeth and Henry. Once the US was fully committed it would mean a deployment for Henry.
They were sitting at the table eating dinner when a special report from the President was broadcast. Troops and support would be deploying to Saudi Arabia to combat the invasion.
The ringing of the phone made Elizabeth's heart race. They had been expecting the call and she was sure this was it.
Henry took the call and once he hung up the receiver she asked, "When?"
"Two days. I will report to Andrews and fly out from there," he told her.
She dropped her head and tears started pouring from her eyes. She had spent the last two days in an emotional state worrying and now she would spend two more waiting for him to leave and no telling how many months while he was gone.
Henry walked over and pulled up into his arms and her crying increased. She was terrified of something happening to him and did not think she would survive if he didn't come home.
He rubbed her back and tried to quiet her tears. He could not stand to see her cry and it was tearing his heart out. He knew the next few days and months would be hard on them both.
"Baby, please don't cry. Shh it will be okay. I will be alright," he said, trying to calm her down. He knew what losing her parents did to her and he wanted to make sure that he would come back to her. Losing someone else that she loved would not be good and she would not be able to survive it.
Her tears finally subsided and they walked over and sat down on the couch. She knew she needed to be strong, but she also needed time to fall apart first.
Two days later, they walked hand in hand on the tarmac at Andrews. He was part of a squadron of F-18s that would be staged in Saudi Arabia.
She was determined not to cry anymore before he left, but silent tears were leaking from her eyes. She had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "Henry, you have to promise me that you will not do anything crazy and come home to me."
"Babe, I will do everything in my power to come home to you. We have a whole life to live together. Kids to raise and grandkids to spoil. I am not going to do anything that will mess that up. I will call as much as I can and write you so many letters they will run out of ink over there. I love you and no force on this earth will keep me from coming home to you."
More tears, hugs and a few kisses later, "Sweetheart, I have to go." He was flying out in a two man formation and the places were ready to go.
She finally let him go and he walked over to do his pre-flight on his plane. She looked back at him one last time and then made her way to her car.
Isabelle had been sent down to support her from the farm. She was waiting in the car for her. Emotions would be running high and she knew she would need to support her friend anyway she could.
Elizabeth and Isabelle had been part of a special Middle East task force once the invasion had occurred. The team also included an operative, George Peters and another analyst named Juliette Humphries. Juliette had been in the CIA about 4 years and George about 15. Their team was the elite Middle East team. Juliette and George were staying at Langley and Elizabeth and Isabelle would work from the farm.
Elizabeth still needed to attend classes, so Isabelle would pull double duty on the days she was in class.
Joan had retired, but had come out of retirement to help once it looked like a war was what it was going to take to solve the situation. She would work from the farm and shuttle back and forth to Langley as needed.
UN sanctions against Iraq had not worked so on January 17th 1991, an air and naval bombardment began.
Elizabeth deferred her classes for the spring semester and on January 11th she was sent to Saudi Arabia. She had become a Middle East expert and one of the best analysts in that area. Conrad had been promoted to assistant director and he decided they needed boots on the ground to gain more intel before an all out war started.
Elizabeth was nervous and excited. She would be stationed on the same air base as Henry. Phone calls and letters were not cutting it anymore and she was anxious to see him. Due to the top secret nature of her operations, he didn't know she was coming over there.
Isabelle had some contacts in the area and she would be going also. They had spent many hours with Joan discussing a game plan and what to expect once they arrived on the ground.
Stepping off the plane, the heat and sand welcomed them. Women were expected to abide by the Saudi customs and would be required to wear head scarfs and cover all exposed skin.
Once they were greeted by their escort officer, they were taken to a special secured area. Captain Mike Phillips was a special forces Seal. He was the leader of Seal Team 3 and they would be security for them while they were in country. He was from lower Alabama and every word uttered from his mouth had a smooth southern accent to it
"We have a special area set up for y'all to work and sleep. If y'all need to go anywhere, my team and I will be your escorts and security. Here is your area, I will let y'all get settled in and there is a briefing scheduled in 4 hours. I am guessing that y'all will be part of it. My team and I are aware that y'all are CIA, but y'all will want to keep a low profile while y'all are here. Let me know if y'all need anything," he said as walked away.
They settled in and Elizabeth wanted to try and find Henry first. Isabelle set up the work area.
Captain Phillips returned to escort her to the pilot area. He didn't know why she needed to go to the pilot's staging area and experience told him not to ask any questions.
Henry was talking to his plane captain when he heard his call sign shouted. "Prophet, you got a minute?"
He thought he was hearing things. That sounded like Elizabeth calling for him. He turned around and looking through his aviator sunglasses, he saw a streak of blond hair and her 1000 watt smile smiling at him. He took off at a sprink, but pulled up short of her when he remembered there were other people nearby.
"Lieutenant, I need a moment of your time in private if I could," she told him, still smiling.
"We can use the pilot ready room, it is just through this door," he told her.
They walked through the door and once they realized it was empty, they launched themselves at each other. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he pulled her tightly into his body.
Limbs tangled and lips met in a fury. They had been physically separated for 4 months and they could not get close enough to make up for that separation.
Once their lips separated and they came up for air he asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Well we need some on the ground intel, so Conrad sent Isabelle and I over here to get it," she told him through her tears. She had shed many sad tears over the last 4 months, but these were tears of joy.
He placed his hands on her face and used his thumbs to wipe her tears. He leaned down and kissed her like there was not tomorrow. He missed her lips and could not get enough of her. "I am so glad to see you. How long are you going to be here?"
"A week then we head back. Isabelle is meeting with a contact tomorrow and we are cultivating a couple more. Looks like this thing is going to get really serious in the next 2 weeks. We have a briefing in a couple of hours. She is setting up our command center. We are here under the radar, so we are keeping a really low profile. Captain Phillips and his team know we are here, but no one else," she said.
"After your briefing can we get some alone time?" he asked with a silly grin on his face.
"God, I hope so," she told him. "I have to prepare for this briefing. We are set up in sector G building. We are the only ones there so you can come over in about 4 hours. Make sure you do not tell anyone where you are going," she said.
"I will be extra careful and not blow you cover, you sexy spy you," he laughed.
He kissed her again, then walked her out to her escort.
Captain Phillips smirked at her when she walked up to him and asked if she was ready to go back. She nodded and looked back at Henry as he walked back over to his plane.
I spent 10 months in Saudi Arabia serving in Desert Storm and Desert Shield, so I may ramble on with some of the military jargon and details. I will try not to, but sometimes my brain will get the better of me
