Chapter 1
Decisions
Sunday, 02/21/2010
0803
…
…
"-Sigh- this job may pay well, but you know what…sometimes it can just be a pain in the ass."
I said as I sat in the high seat of the Gallant foods guard shack that I was in. It was quite small, with two lift gates on each side guarding the main
entrance to the plant. I had just received the schedule for that day from both the receiving and shipping departments. It didn't look good. All in all
there were sixty outgoing bills, fifteen live loads, and twenty unloading appointments. I also received word that several visitors and new
employees were coming today. The busiest day I had ever seen in the three years that I have worked there. And to top it off one of my officers
had a sudden emergency the night before that landed him in the hospital. His parents said that he had appendicitis. …Serious…. I was the
youngest person in my company to ever make supervisor and the rank of Security Captain. As the site supervisor I had to decide whether or not to
call in for a flex officer, which is an officer that stands in for the regular officer. The problem was that the notice was too short. So the 3rd shift
officer and I had to do a twelve hour shift that day. I liked being with Milanis Security, but I couldn't help but think that I had a different calling
waiting for me.
I had just gotten settled in when the first truck of my shift called in on the radio. "Gallant Guard shack, do you gotta copy?"
"Yes I do, who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"
"This is MPT Truck 4122 with empty trailer 5012, Call number 988395, over" "Stand by…"
I typed the call number on the computer, and the trailer he was picking came up on the screen.
"…4122, you are picking up trailer 3209 from door 7, over."
"10-4."
The truck entered the plant and went about its business. Then two minutes later, "Gallant Guard Shack this is Mac 1017 with 895 carrying
de-fatted beef at minus 10. Seal is 345992. I have a 10 o'clock appointment. PO is 1079802-32-0, over." "Stand by…"
I confirmed the appointment. But I didn't have room because I had six trucks waiting inside for their appointment time to come around.
"1017, I have confirmed your appointment. However, authorization to enter the facility is denied due to congestion of traffic, over."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"New guy."
"Go back to the truck stop and wait but keep your radio on channel 8 and I will contact you when entry is authorized, over."
"10-4"
After about four and a half hours of this I just got tired of it, but I still had a job to do. At about 12:46 I finally got a break in the constant calling in
of trucks for about thirty minutes. I ate my lunch and called in to headquarters.
-Ring-
-Ring-
-Ri…click- "Milanis Security Services. This is Amy, How Can I help you?" The lady on the line said.
"Hello Amy, This is Captain Radford over at Gallant foods. Is Jack Sanders in?" "Yes he is, sir. Hold on please." 'click'
…
…
…
It's still a little odd calling myself "Captain."
…
…
-Click- "Hey Tom, What's up?" Jack Sanders is the 2nd in command for the Sparrow office of Milanis Security Services. He and I had been friends for
almost three years, and he was kind of a jerk sometimes but I know he meant well and his command skills were top notch.
"Hey Jack. Listen when my shift is over I would like to talk to you in person about something."
"Okay, I'll see you at the office at eight thirty."
"Yes Sir." I then hung up the phone.
"…"
"…"
"…okay." I then picked up the phone again and dialed a number.
-ring-
-ring-
-click- "Good Afternoon, US Army Illinois National Guard, this Staff Sergeant Anderson, How Can I Help you?"
"Hello Staff Sergeant. My name is Tom Radford. I would like information on how to join the USMA at West Point."
12:53
"… All right Tom. I got your information. I would like to see you on Wednesday at 4 pm. Is that okay?"
"No. I am working at that time. Would Tuesday be better?"
"… Sure, at four?"
"Yeah, see you then Sergeant."
"OK, Bye"
"Bye." I hung up the phone.
"-Crackle- Gallant Guard Shack…"
19:43
I had just handed out my twenty-fourth outgoing bill when my relief's car pulled into the plant. His name was Walter Sanderson. He was 18 years
old and had been with Milanis for about two months. He was still a little green but he was a quick learner. When he first started working at Gallant
he usually relieved and was relieved by security officers of his own rank and he worked weekend's third shift because he was also working for
three days during the week at another site in Sparrow. That day was the first time he was to relieve me.
He came up to the window. He snapped to attention so hard that he was literally stiff as a board. He then saluted me and loudly said,
"GOOD AFTERNOON SIR, SECURITY OFFICER SANDERSON REPORTING FOR DUTY SIR!"
"Sanderson, I appreciate the willingness and wanting to be militaristic to impress me but the way you do it is unnecessary."
I saluted back and said "At ease before you sprain something."
He dropped his salute and relaxed a little. I continued. "Walter, were you in JROTC?"
"YES SIR. I RETIRED FROM JROTC AS A SERGEANT MAJOR, SIR."
"Well then, if you are trying to impress me, DON'T." I saw that he kind of flinched.
"For several reasons. ONE: You are too loud. TWO: you are way too stiff. And THREE: If ever call me sir again, I am going to scream."
That time he was definitely taken aback.
He said "I'm sorry si…"
I quirked up an eyebrow at him.
"…Captain"
"sigh. Okay."
"I'll accept that…now are you ready to do a twelve hour shift?"
"Yes, Captain I am."
"Good. Now, at 2300 you will still do your inside round and you will do your outside round a 0100. Is that clear?"
"Crystal."
"Excellent. Just a second." I gathered up my lunch box and then opened the door. I stepped out.
"Okay it's all yours"
"Right"
"See you later"
I started to walk to my Ford F-350 and then I stopped, turned around and said "I was like you when I was in high school. I retired as a major." I
could tell he was surprised. I turned around and continued to my car. I got in, started it and backed out. I was almost to the gate when he
stopped me and said,
"Um… could you tell me about your ROTC Experience someday?"
I looked at him and grinned,
"Sure." I then left and was on my way to the Milanis offices.
-Thirty minutes later-
20: 17
I pulled up to the office and parked my car. I then walked in through the employee entrance and went to Jacks office. I knocked on the door.
"Come In."
I blew out some air before opening the door. Jack was doing some paperwork. He was looking down.
"Hi Jack."
"Hey Tom, what's up?"
"Sir, I wish to tender my resignation." Jack abruptly stopped writing and slowly looked up. He looked at me for a minute. He finally said, "What did
you say?"
"I am re-joining the military."
He continued to look at me for a minute. He then turned around, opened a filing cabinet drawer and pulled out a single piece of paper. He turned
around, handed me the paper and a pen.
He finally said, "very well. Just sign your name and write your reason for resigning." I sat down, signed my name and wrote my reason. When I
was finished, I handed the sheet back to him. He looked at it and read what I wrote. He then looked up. "When?"
"I don't know yet, but I meet the recruiter Tuesday."
"We'll miss you"
"I just think it's time to get back into school, and I also want to get back into the military. So, I'm planning to enter West Point."
"Well good luck. I won't turn this into GHQ until you know when you are set to go."
"Thanks."
"So what do you plan to study?"
"I'm thinking about a double major in robotics and nuclear power, and taking a double minor law enforcement and weapons specialty."
"Wow, you are going to have your hands full."
"Oh well. Ha Ha. Well good night."
"Take care" I walked out of the office, went to my car and went home to my apartment.
-Ten minutes later-
20:42
I opened the door to the underground garage of my apartment building, drove in, parked my car and went to the elevator. My apartment was on
top floor of a three story apartment building. It was comfortable to say the least. A two bedroom bachelor pad that had a decent sized kitchen, a
nice bathroom and one heck of a river view. The other great thing was that it allowed animals.
"Woof"
"Hey Max how are you doing?" Max was a three year old German Sheppard/Golden Retriever. He was very loyal and protective, but he was
extremely kind. He had a very calm disposition and rarely did he ever bark wildly.
"Woof woof."
"Really, well that's very good to know." I pet his head and scratched his belly before going to the kitchen to start dinner. A thought about having
fettuccini alfredo with shrimp. I got out the sauce pan and the pasta pan, filled them both with water and put them on the burner. The water had
just started to boil when I got a call on my cell phone. I walked over to the hutch were my phone was. I picked it up and looked at the display to
see who was calling me. It was my brother-in-law Randy. I pressed send.
"Hey Randy, how's it going?" Randy was the President of the New York City Office of a big Television Network. He married my sister about three
years ago and since then they had one child, a daughter named Lilia who was two. They all lived in New York City.
"Not much. Myself, Katie, and Lilia were in Chicago for a business trip over the weekend. But the CEO said to take some time off. So we were
thinking we would stop by Rockford and see you starting tomorrow. Would that be okay?" I hadn't seen any of them since Christmas. Absolutely.
"I would love to have you guys over. I'm free tomorrow and most of the day Tuesday. And I would love to see Lilia again."
"Okay, we will see you tomorrow around eleven. Okay?"
"Okay see you tomorrow. Bye."
"Bye, Tom" I hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen.
21:17
After I ate, I went to my bedroom to get ready for bed. I was tired. So I got out my clothes for tomorrow and then went to bathroom to take a
shower. The hot water felt good. Oh I am going to sleep good tonight. Yes sir. I got out of the shower, dried off and then went back to the bedroom.
I put on a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and took max downstairs to let him outside to go to the bathroom. When he was done we went back
upstairs and went into the bedroom. Max jumped onto the bed, I then got into bed, turned out the light, said "goodnight Max" and went to sleep.
And that night I had a dream.
...
...
...
Darkness…pure darkness surrounded me. But oddly I was able to see myself as if it was daylight. I then realized, "I must be in a void". I then heard
voices from the darkness. They sounded distant but I could tell that they were the voices of soldiers in battle. I could hear machine gun fire,
soldiers screaming, shouting orders, and calling for medics, all of the sounds of battle. The voices started to get louder and louder and I realized
that the way they sound was the way a voice sounded over a combat radio. The world around me started to lighten. Everything was blurry at first
but then they started to slowly focus. After a minute I realized I was in a cockpit of some sort. A minute later I could see screens where windows
should be and finally I realized that I was the pilot of this thing I was in. The soldiers were calling for reinforcements. I then heard over the radio,
"Attention, Attention. 8th, 1st, 6th MS Teams prepare to reinforce 106th infantry. Attention Colonel Radford, stand by to move out with the 8th, 1st,
and 6th in Heavyarms. You will command the three MS Teams, over."
I then responded "Roger that, HQ. 1st team, 8th team, 6th team listen up. Once you are ready, move out of the hangers and form up in a triangle
formation. 8th team directly in front, 1st team on the right, 6th team on the left. I will be in the 8th team. All teams acknowledge. 8, 1, and 6."
I then heard the team commanders respond, "8th team, acknowledged."
"1st team, acknowledged."
"6th team, acknowledged."
I looked to my right and saw on the screen, the 1st team form up on my right. I then looked left and saw the 6th team do the same. I then flipped
a switch above me and on the screen directly in front of me I saw the 8th team directly behind me. All of the machines, thirteen including my own
were like giant robots with humans inside them. They were about 17 meters tall and weighed roughly 35 tons. Each had a head, two arms, two
legs, and a shield on the left arm with the number of that unit's team on the shield. In the right hand was a 100mm machine gun. However two of
the units had a long, 180mm cannon, and one had what looked like a sniper rifle. My unit had two twin 90mm six barrel Gatling guns in its hands,
one Gatling in each hand. I also had two missile pods on my shoulders with twenty four missiles each.
I finally ordered, "Move out." The machines started to move forward. And I did things to make mine ready for battle. After about twenty minutes,
we arrived at the front line.
I then heard over the radio, "Look out, what kind of enemy weapon is that?" "Must be Directorates new Mobile armor that we've heard so much
about." I then ordered, "All units, Scatter, scatter, scatter. Support infantry, Support Infantry." The twelve individual units of all three teams
scattered about and started firing at the enemy. I did the same. I raised my Gatling gun and started firing, sweeping across the enemy's front line.
I couldn't tell what we were fighting. After about ten minutes of fighting, I fired my missiles, and then continued to fire the Gatling gun.
Suddenly the incoming fire alarm sound and one of the soldiers on the ground called, "RPG!" I saw it coming at me, but it was too late. The RPG
exploded and everything went white.
…
…
I opened eyes and shot up in bed. I gasped and started to hyperventilate. After about a minute my breathing started to slow down and become
more normal. I wiped my forehead because I was sweating. After another minute I looked over at the clock. It was 04:12. Max was still asleep at
the foot of the bed, despite being a dog he was a very heavy sleeper. I threw off the blanket a sat on the edge of the bed.
"That was weird." I got up went to the kitchen and got some water. As I drank the cold drink I thought about the dream. "What the hell was that all
about?" I didn't know what to make of it, all I knew was that apparently, I wasn't in my own time. I finished the water and went back to bed. Max
was still asleep but he was twitching like he was also having a dream. I pulled the covers up and went back to sleep. I didn't have anymore
dreams that night.
