1582 Words, this chapter
Chapter Five, Transfer 2: Feeling the Heat
Becker adjusted the kerchief over his mouth. The heat was bad enough, but the sand blowing all over him felt like zillions of tiny mosquitoes. They had those in Yemen as well, but thanks to the excellent bug repellent Jess had sent he didn't have to worry about them.
He heard laughter as he entered the rundown building given to the ARC as a temporary command post.
Becker walked into the large main room that was crammed with many supply boxes.
"What's in that one?" asked a soldier in a light olive colored, dust-covered, dingy uniform.
A dark skinned soldier shook his head. "Dunno yet." He opened a tin and sniffed. "I have no idea. It smells good though." He dug his fork in and chewed. "I think its chicken."
Becker looked over the eight or so men relaxing in the HQ. "Enjoying the food?"
The men cheered, holding up the tins they were eating in a sort of toast.
"Any time you British want to help us with a problem just bring supplies like these and we're all yours."
Becker laughed as the others loudly agreed. "Sorry, Sergeant Djhami, but I don't think this will become standard issue," said Becker. "If I know my boss, our field coordinator probably got an earful."
Becker didn't know what Djhami's rank actually was. He wasn't up to date on the ranking of the Yemen army. He knew Djhami was in charge of the soldiers sent with him from the capital, so Becker had taken to calling him sergeant.
The 'sergeant' didn't seem to mind. He was the largest of the men there and probably the oldest, but not over say, forty. He had a weather-beaten face, scraggly dark beard, and a tank-like physique. Despite his foreboding appearance, so far, Becker had found him to be pretty jovial.
One of the men looked different from the soldiers. He was tall, thin, about thirty years old, and dressed in civilian khakis and a light blue shirt. He was the head of the scientific department of the new ARC branch, and technically, the leader of the group in Zabid.
"I commend your coordinator. He knows how to supply an expedition," he said, picking through the survival gear. "I hope your boss wasn't too hard on the man."
Becker chuckled. "He'll survive, Professor Abid." He really didn't see the need to correct them about Jess' gender. They didn't need to know her details.
Like how sweet she was, or how intelligent, or how pretty. Becker suddenly found himself on the verge of mooning like a puppy inside a room of strangers. He quickly shook it off.
"I'll be sure though to pass on to my superiors how easy it is to gain your loyalty," he said, with a smirk.
The men laughed.
"We were just following orders," said the sergeant.
Becker smirked. "You were ordered to keep me contained, if I recall."
The man smiled. "And here you are…contained."
Becker laughed. "Along with all my supplies. Thank you for lugging them the long way for me."
"No problem," said the sergeant. "We didn't have time to properly inspect them before you 'borrowed' transportation and ran for it."
Becker chuckled. "Is that what you lot are doing now—inspecting them?"
The men all smiled and nodded. Most of them were eating Jess' gourmet survival food, but a few were looking into the gear. They had all helped themselves to the bug repellent and sun relief.
Another casually dressed man, also a scientist, walked in. Sweat dripped down his face. "Captain," he said in a heavy Arabian accent, "We have communications up."
"At last," said Becker. "Thank you Professor Sabban."
Sabban nodded. "There is a call waiting from London." He set down a laptop. He turned to Becker. "Your field coordinator is indeed impressive," he said with a smirk.
Becker frowned as Jess' face filled the screen. He had hoped to talk in private with her.
"That is your field coordinator?" asked Professor Abid.
Sabban laughed. "The British have it all, huh?"
Abid laughed and nodded.
"Hi!" Jess cried, smiling with those rosy cheeks. "Ooh, Becker, don't you look handsome in your new shades! Hey, why are you wearing them inside?"
Becker heard the scientists chuckling and felt them staring at him. He tried to remain professional. Of course, with Jess dressed in sunny yellow and wearing a smile even brighter, it was hard. "Thank you for the…ahem, protective eye wear, Miss Parker. They work wonderfully."
Jess frowned. "Wow, you're very formal."
That broke him. Even the slightest hint of distress on Jess' face and he folded like laundry. His face lit up and he laughed. "Sorry, Jess. The sunglasses are brilliant, everything you sent is brilliant. Like you."
She giggled and blushed. "That's better. So how is Yemen?"
"Hot!"
"No kidding, Becker. I'd quote you some statistics I found but you'd melt on the spot.
"I think I am anyway, Jess."
She giggled and he laughed. He knew they were acting less than professional, but with that smile on Jess Parker's face, he didn't care.
The soldiers had gathered around and quickly wore looks of shock at the sight of Jess. The sergeant's face wore more than shock. He looked at her with disbelief. "She is the one who sent the supplies?" he asked.
Becker nodded.
"How are you?" she asked. "Are you fine?"
"Yes, Jess. I'm managing well."
"Of course, he is," said Abid. "You outfitted him like a sultan."
Jess blushed. "It's dangerous work," she said. "We needed him prepared for anything." Under all the stares, she became bashful. "Uh…I was under orders."
The two scientists laughed. The soldiers seemed uncomfortable and moved away. They hovered around the back of the room avoiding the supplies they had been so enthusiastic over.
Jess noticed their strange looks. "The…natives don't look friendly."
"Oh, they're alright," said Becker. "They've been very cooperative, actually, thanks to the supplies you sent. "
Jess didn't look convinced. The soldiers were whispering and shooting her dirty looks.
"Have they?"
"Don't be insulted, Miss," said Professor Abid. "I'm afraid some of the male population here in Yemen still suffer from traditional stereotypes."
"You mean they're uncomfortable because I'm a woman?"
Sabban smiled. "They're also unaccustomed to someone so pretty in a position of such high importance."
Jess smiled. "I'm not that important."
"Don't believe it," said Becker, smirking. "She runs the ARC and everyone knows it."
Jess giggled.
The soldiers however had grunted at the statement.
The sounded flustered her. She frowned and tried to redirect her attention. "Um, right. Well, let's get to the job, shall we?"
Becker smiled. "Don't feel like flirting?" he asked with a smirk.
"Captain Becker! How dare you! I do not flirt on the job."
Djhami raised his eyebrow.
"Of course not," said Becker, laughing.
"Now, to business," said Jess. "Getting direct documentation as to the precise location of the anomaly has been difficult."
Becker nodded, looking at the professors. "That's what they said."
Abid nodded. "There aren't any television or radio stations this far south."
Sabban agreed. "People here live simple, rustic lives in the traditions of their ancestors."
"They frown on technology, huh?" she asked. "That's Ok. I'd die, but to each his own."
The scientists laughed.
"So we go from village to village," said the sergeant, addressing Becker and the others, "as we planned."
"You could do that," said Jess. "Or you could save all the leg work in the hot sun and…"
Becker smiled. "And what Jess?"
She smiled. "Shall I dazzle you with my brilliance?"
Becker laughed. "Please do."
"Well, I got to thinking, how would the bureaucrats up North keep appraised of the situation? I mean, they do have to keep tabs on the population, right?"
Sergeant Djhami raised his eyebrow again.
"And," continued Jess, "They've been having the anomaly activity for some time. I don't care how undeveloped the country is. Politicians are the same all over. They get nervous if the people that put them in power get eaten."
Becker and the scientists laughed loudly. Even some of the soldiers smiled.
"I did some digging," said Jess.
"Digging?" asked Djhami, paying her direct attention for the first time.
"I don't mean in the dirt, yuck," said Jess.
Becker laughed. "She's good with computers."
"Thank you, Captain."
"You're welcome," Becker said, smirking.
"It took forever, but I finally found what I needed in state television stations," said Jess.
The sergeant interrupted. "You broke into our television?"
"No, not the live broadcasts. They have a ton of old files, you know. I had to trudge through them to find anything useful. I lucked out. I found witness interviews, hard copy articles, and even actual incursion footage."
"They had all that?" asked Abid.
"Hmm. They sent some journalists to get the scoop," said Jess. "I've got information spanning several months."
"Belonging to our state owned communications," said Djhami.
Jess stared. "Yes, of course."
"That is not legal."
"Relax," said Professor Abid.
"No. It is not right," said the sergeant, turning red with rage.
"Your government asked us for help," Becker reminded him.
Sergeant Djhami rudely scoffed. "My government did not ask…a girl…for assistance."
Jess saw Becker's vein stand up on his forehead. "That girl is highly regarded by MY government," he said through clenched teeth. "You will show some respect."
The sergeant and the captain now stared at each other like angry bucks about to lock horns.
End of Chapter Five