Some suggestive sexual content is contained in this chapter. Reader Discretion is advised.
CHAPTER 9:
Jennifer froze, glaring into the angry ice blue eyes of her husband. She could not believe what she heard come out of his mouth. Vindictive. Manipulative. Bitch. She narrowed her eyes, anger building up in her head. James knew it the moment she stared at him that he had said the wrong thing, the really wrong thing. They stayed in an awkward moment of silence. Jen reached down to the M9 holstered on her leg. She pulled it out, cocked it, and aimed it at him.
"A vindictive, manipulative bitch? Well….you can take your shit, and the truck and get the fuck away from me." James stood still, in complete shock. She struck out with her right leg, and nailed him in the crotch. He bowled over, holding himself in pain. "Go." She motioned with the gun. James shakily walked to the Humvee. He pulled out her bags and left them on the ground. He got into the driver's seat once more, pulling the door shut all the while with the M9 trained on him. The pain from getting hit throbbed in his head. He wanted to throw up. Jen walked over to the window.
"Jennifer? I…I'm sorry, it's just…" He breathed heavily.
"No, sorry is not going to cut it. We're done. I don't ever want to see your face ever again. Now get the bloody hell out of here. NOW!" James revved the engine, letting the brake go. He drove off, leaving his wife behind. He didn't know if she had really meant it, but he had never ever seen her that enraged in the years they had been together. He had fucked up, big time.
Jen sighed, watching him drive away, dust clouds following in a circular formation. She holstered the pistol and walked back over to the front door of the base where the guards had stood watching her and James' fight. She again, took off her shoes, as was custom to the Saudis and walked back into Saladin's office. He turned round in his old wooden chair when he heard a set of soft foot steps on the wooden floor.
"Ah, back so soon Mui?"
"Indeed. I'll take the contract." She replied, taking a seat across from him.
"What about your partner that was here?"
"Partner? What partner? I didn't have a partner." Jen said, trying to get the point across that they had split up. Saladin frowned at first, but then shrugged it off. He figured it would be her own problem, and that he shouldn't get involved.
"Right. The thing is, there are Allied Nation patrols that come by here every other day, and they shoot at us as they drive past and before we can retaliate, they drive off. I think they hope that they get one of us each time. So far, that has been true."
"You want me to eliminate these patrols then?"
"Yes, that is correct. There are five Humvees, each carrying five men. Destroy them, kill the men, and when you show me photographic evidence, I will sign this cheque, giving you the one hundred forty five million."
"Sounds like a decent deal. I need to ask you one thing."
"Yes?"
"I need a vehicle."
"Oh…well we don't have much but….here, there should be something around the back of the compound." Saladin grabbed a set of rusted old keys. She took them wearily and left the building. She gathered her bags and walked round a fence into the back compound.
Sitting there was an old truck, rusted and it had no windows. She walked over to it. It looked as if it used to a brilliant blue colour; now it was roughly the shade of pure iron ore. She loaded her stuff into the bed of the truck, which surprisingly was in good condition. She got into the driver's seat and turned the key. After five minutes of the engine struggling to start, it finally roared back to life. It was a standard vehicle and Jen pressed down on the hard clutch and drove it into first. She pulled away from the Saudi base. She hoped she would be able to get the mission done in a few days, collect her pay cheque, and return home to her daughter before her husband did.
James arrived back at the Allied Nations base six hours later. He was exhausted, and upset. He knew he had screwed up, but there was pretty near nothing he could do to change things. He pulled into the base and returned to his room. A few minutes later, a knock sounded on his door. James sullenly got up and pulled it open. It was Major Garrett.
"So…you're back. Without Ms. Mui may I add."
"Yeah…we…we're…uh…I screwed up. Probably going to cost me my marriage but, shit happens. What can I do for you sir?"
"Well…to be honest, I'm not surprised that she told you to screw off. I could never have seen her married but…what do I know? Anyways, I haven't got much going on at the moment. We're still trying to figure out where to strike next. For now, you'll work alongside some of my own men. We'll meet at 0600 hours in my office to discuss your pay." Garrett ordered as he went back to his own lodgings. James figured at least now, he too could earn something to put in his pockets.
Jennifer drove up to another small village. She had already decimated one of the enemy patrols quite easily with an RPG that the Saudis had supplied. She was one fifth of the way there. She had again found another hotel. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small bottle of Mexican tequila. She had been saving it, really for the last night before she and James were to leave as something to 'celebrate' with. Now however, she really needed something alcoholic and she wasn't about to risk drinking something foreign to her in the bar below the hotel. As the liquor just touched the back of her mouth, her phone rang. She was not about to answer. Instead she'd wait for the voicemail.
"Jennifer, it's…it's me. Listen, I am so, so, so, so, sorry. I didn't mean it to come out like it did and I swear to God I will take it back if you'll let me. Please, I…I love you, always will. So…uh…bye."
Jen scowled, deleting the message. She was too pissed off to be bothered to call him back, and now being a hint drunk, she wasn't going to embarrass herself by saying something stupid to him. She sat back down, forcing another shot of the amber coloured liquid down her throat. It burned on the way down, but she couldn't care less. Half an hour had past. It was now dark outside. The whole three hundred millilitre bottle was empty. Jen was half-asleep on the rickety bed when she decided to give Fiona a call.
London, England.
"Oh the god damn phone is ringing." Fiona reached forward to grab her phone off the bedside table. Cooper held her back by the arms softly.
"Let it ring." He panted, still thrusting into her. They had been going at it again, now that Cooper knew how good sex was. She was on the bottom this time around. Fiona smiled as she felt a climax rising in her slowly. The phone rang again. She didn't want to answer it, but being that it was 2:00AM, she figured it would have to be Jen or James. She coolly collected herself, dismounted Cooper, and threw on her bath robe before she answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey it's me."
"Hey, glad to hear from you. How is everything?"
"It's…fine." Jen lied. "I'm working for the Saudi Arabians for the next week and then I plan on coming home."
"Oh…wait… what do you mean by 'I'?"
"Look," Jen began, changing the subject rather quickly. "Can you put Marissa on the phone?"
"She's asleep."
"I don't care. Wake her up." Jen heard the other woman scowl. "Please?"
"Fine." Jen heard shuffling of feet, then Fiona calling out softly to Marissa. "Here, mummy's on the phone."
"Hey Marissa, it's mummy."
"Hi!" The infant whispered back excitedly.
"I'm coming home soon. I can't wait to be back." Jen smiled as she heard her daughter laugh. "I love you."
"I wuv you too." Marissa replied, handing the phone back to Fiona.
"So, how long are you gonna be?" Fiona asked enquiringly.
"No more than one whole week. I hope. I can't wait to be home."
"How's James?"
"Look, I…I have to go." She replied anxiously.
"Why are you avoiding the subject of your husband?"
"Because…"
"He's not dead is he?" Fiona asked in alarm.
"No! We just…we got into a fight. He said some….nasty things and I…I told him to leave me alone." Jen sniffled. She normally wouldn't be this emotional over a phone call, but with the alcohol coursing through her veins, it made her especially sensitive.
"Jen…are you all right?"
"I'm…I'm fine." Jen lied again, with a half-sob.
"Are you drunk?" Jennifer sighed in reply.
"Slightly. I needed it badly. Listen, it's late and I need to sleep. I'll…I'll keep you posted."
"Do me a favour and take care of yourself, all right?"
"I will. See you soon." Jen yawned, ending the call. She laid back down on her bed and closed her eyes. Albeit still being pissed off, she secretly hoped that her husband would come back, asking for forgiveness in person. That way, she'd be more willing to forgive him. But until then, she was on her own.