Lady in Red Pt. 02 Ch. 03

"That shouldn't be a problem. We're all extremely proud of your guy," praised Jordan. "He'll be back before long and have some more amazing stories, if we can coax them out of him."

That evening at dinner, Gwen explained to her traveling companions how they needed to be very upbeat and positive about Steve's service and his chances of safely returning home with the two sisters.

"That makes sense," reasoned Kate. "Steve would be very upset if we whined and cried about how he's being treated by his superiors. We owe it to him to show how proud and confident we are that he'll save those two girls. I know I feel that way!"

Friday afternoon, Lisa received a call informing her that Jason had been admitted to Walter Reed. He had been evaluated, and was allowed visitors for short periods. Everyone agreed that Gwen and Lisa would visit him that afternoon and if he was strong enough, the rest would see him Saturday morning.

"Hey!" managed Jason when he saw Lisa and Gwen enter his room. That was all he was able to utter before Lisa reached his side and kissed him with great passion.

"I was so worried! How do you feel?" asked Lisa as soon as her lips left Jason's. "We saw some of it on TV. It was horrible!"

"Yeah. It wasn't all that cool in real life," quipped Jason with a weak grin. "I'll be fine. Doc thinks I'll probably be out in less than a week. How's our baby doing?"

"She's doing a lot better now, Sweetheart. She was worried about her dad, but now that she knows you're back in the U.S. and under expert care, she's happy as a clam."

Jason reached out with his good arm and placed his hand gently on Lisa's slightly swollen stomach. "Don't worry about your father, Little Darlin'. I'll be around for a long time."

Then Jason moved his hand from Lisa's stomach and took Gwen's hand and squeezed it. "Your guy pulled my ass out of the fire, Gwen. It was looking pretty bleak for a while. Then Steve came through that wall just before those bastards could finish me off. I wasn't even surprised when I realized it was him. He tossed me over his shoulder like a bag of grain and carried me to the staging area and worked on my wounds for a couple minutes. He loaded me on the second chopper and then climbed in with the rest of us. Mrs. Thompson started telling him her daughters were still on the ground, hiding out in some house in the local village. He never even blinked. He just had the pilot hover over a clearing so he could get off and go find the kids."

"Did he say anything? Will he make it back?" asked an emotional Gwen. "Tell me the truth."

"He told me to take care of Lisa and the baby, and then he was gone over the edge. He's the toughest son-of-a-bitch I've ever seen," responded Jason with emotion matching Gwen's. "Sorry about the swearing. It takes a while to adjust to civilian life. Brad and I have had this discussion several times after we found him in that snow storm. We couldn't believe how he survived that ordeal. He had been beaten beyond what most people could survive, never mind being alone, underdressed, and injured in a blizzard. I doubt if many men, Ranger or SEAL, could have survived. I wouldn't bet against him saving those girls and getting back home."

"Thanks, Jason. I think he'll make it, too. I just needed to hear it from someone that knows what he's going through. I'm so proud of you, and extremely happy for you and Lisa. The whole family is excited to have you back and delighted that you're going to be okay."

Gwen left Lisa alone with Jason and went to the waiting room. She knew her sister needed some private time with her husband. Gwen was thinking about what Jason had just told her when her phone rang.

"Hello, Amber. I haven't heard much from you lately. I guess you're pretty busy with your new position as White House correspondent for CBC. Congratulations on the promotion."

"Thanks, Gwen, but this isn't a social call. Bill Hardy is going to break a big story tonight on the evening news. Our network has obtained information that indicates that Steve is alone, on the ground in Colombia. He was part of that operation to remove our people from the attack by the drug cartel and was left behind to search for a couple of kids. Hardy will report that the president and congress are offering no help and have washed their hands of the situation. The White House asked that he sit on the story because the information could jeopardize Steve's safety. Hardy refused and insists he'll air the story tonight.

"Do you know if this is accurate? Can you tell me anything more? I realize it's a difficult situation for you, but I think it's important to have the whole story told. Is there anything you'd like to add?" questioned Amber gently.

"I'd like to meet with you and explain how I feel and what I know. Can we meet?" asked Gwen.

"I'm in Washington. I can't get back to Sparta for a couple days. Could we do it by phone?" requested Amber.

"I'm in Washington, too. You know the hotel we always stay at? Let's meet there in an hour," offered Gwen.

"You're in D.C.? Can you come to our bureau office? We have all the equipment here and an interview room, so it would be better quality. Can you make it to Market Street within an hour?"

"I can be there in ten minutes. I just have to let Lisa know that I'm leaving and then I'll catch a cab. I'll see you then," replied Gwen.

Half an hour later, Gwen was seated across from Amber Stahl with several cameras trained on her. "Gwen, let's begin with this. Steve Hammer has been doing promotions, including print and television, for the Navy since he first entered the Academy. It's common knowledge that he was allowed to travel to various events that most midshipmen would not have been granted permission to attend in return for promoting the Navy so tirelessly.

"It's also known that, while he trained and became a Navy SEAL, he was never sent on any dangerous missions. The Navy didn't want to risk losing him, or having a mission become a drama about one of the most famous men in the country, and even the world. They felt he was far too well known to be effective on a mission. SEALs are often involved in covert activities. Steve Hammer does not blend in. He stands out!

"Was Steve involved in the mission to rescue those Americans in Colombia? If so, why did the Navy break its own rule? Is he still there? Is he searching for the two children of Donald and Grace Thompson? What light can you shed on this situation?" finished Amber.

"That's a lot of questions, Amber. I can tell you that Steve was involved in the successful mission to safely remove Americans from harm's way in Colombia. If you watch the video of that day, Steve is the SEAL that hurries down the hill and through the hole in the compound wall. I recognized him at the time it happened.

"I am not exactly sure why the Navy relented and sent Steve on this mission, but I am very certain of why Steve felt honor bound to go. One of the few Rangers assigned to duty at that compound was my sister's husband, Jason Hunter. I'm sure you remember the time you saw him board a helicopter with his brother to head into a blinding snowstorm to search for Steve after he was abducted by that terrorist. Jason and his brother Brad searched three days, found Steve and brought him back to me. They saved Steve's life, plain and simple.

"I suspect that Steve called in every favor, and exerted any and all pressure he could manage on his commanding officers to be allowed on this mission. Steve holds his nation, and his family, in the highest regard. He loves my sister and respects her husband, Jason. He had the additional incentive that Jason and Lisa are expecting their first child in October. All of these reasons made it close to impossible to deny him the opportunity to go on this mission.

"Jason was wounded in the melee. He was hit three times and lost a great deal of blood. He told me earlier today that Steve came through that wall just in time to save his life. That's exactly why Steve went. It's what he does.

"When he learned that the two sisters were not on the rescue choppers, he had the pilot drop him off so that he could complete his mission of saving all the Americans that had attended that ill-fated conference. Again, that's what Steve Hammer does, and who he is. I have learned to expect nothing less.

"Steve would be the first to tell you that he is proud to serve his country and extremely proud to be a Navy SEAL. He understood the situation when he went on the mission, as well as when he jumped out of that helicopter to look for those girls. The Navy has not abandoned him, nor has his country! They will do everything possible to help him, but it's pretty much on him to find those girls and get them back safely. There is no one to 'blame' for this situation, except maybe people that do business with these drug selling monsters.

"Steve is a grown man, and is doing his best for those girls and for his country. I will not allow anyone to demean or belittle his efforts by trying to find blame for his patriotic actions. We need to celebrate his courage and dedication to country, and to thank the Navy for sending the very best man they had to save those people, as well as to act so decisively when he learned those two girls needed help. If not Steve Hammer, then who? There should be no controversy here. Jason Hunter is alive right now because Steve went on that mission. Those two sisters will be returned to their parents safely because Steve was on that mission. I'm proud as hell of Steve, as well as the Navy for having the intelligence, and the balls, to send him on this mission!" concluded Gwen with emotion.

The evening news featured Bill Hardy breaking the story that Steve Hammer was on the rescue mission to Colombia and was still on the ground in that country. He ended his story with criticism of the Navy, as well as the government for sending such a famous person on a dangerous mission. Then he lambasted Steve for going, and suggested that he remained behind in an attempt to remedy his screw-up by not having the two girls on the helicopter when they first took off.

Then the network played Amber's interview with Gwen as continuing coverage of the situation. Her unwavering support for Steve and for the Navy blunted much of Hardy's criticism. Shortly after the interview aired, Gwen received a call from the Secretary of the Navy.

"Ms. Anderson, the Navy has struggled for two days looking for the best way to handle this difficult situation. As you well know, we do not abandon our fighting men and women. We do follow direct orders, however. Your positive words for the Navy were exactly what we needed, but couldn't seem to formulate. Your understanding of the situation and the confidence you expressed for the Navy and for Steve Hammer appears to have swayed public opinion in our favor. Mr. Hammer is fortunate to have a lady as intelligent and eloquent as you. I thank you on behalf of the Navy and I again assure you that we will do whatever we can to insure the safety of Steve Hammer and his two charges."

"Do you know if Steve found those girls? Are they okay?" questioned Gwen quickly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Thompson would like to meet with you and express their gratitude in person. If you are willing, I will have an aide set that up. They can discuss what we know with you at that time. The phone is not the place for that conversation," replied the Secretary.

Gwen quickly agreed to meet with the Thompson family the next morning. She was anxious to learn what they knew about the situation. How worried must they be with two daughters unaccounted for in the middle of land controlled by the cartel!

The next morning, Gwen headed to the Pentagon to meet with the Thompsons while, Lisa, Kate, Becky, Ashley, and Paula went to Walter Reed to visit Jason. Becky decided to find a soda machine while waiting her turn to visit with Jason. As she wandered down a hallway, she came upon a nurse helping a man try to walk on a prosthetic foot.

"Hi! It looks like you're learning to get around. It won't be long and you'll be playing basketball with the guys," offered Becky with a cheerful greeting to encourage the young man.

"Fuck you!" snarled the man as he limped toward Becky. "You think it's funny being a cripple and a freak? I don't need your pity!"

"Well, fuck you and the wheelchair you rode in on!" retorted Becky angrily. "I wasn't offering pity, you damned pussy. I'm used to being around real men. They don't whine, and they sure as hell don't cry."

"That's easy for you to say, Bitch! Your friends have all of their hands and feet, so they're 'real men'. I'm just a fucking joke!"

"I'm giving you the fucking finger right now, but you can't see it because I lost my goddamn hand!" yelled Becky as she waved her left arm in front of the soldier. "Steve Hammer calls me Lefty and it makes me proud. He'd probably call you Peg-Leg Pete, except he hates to hear sissy boys cry. Let me tell you this; if you don't believe that you're a real man, than you aren't! I lost my hand, but I'm sure as hell all woman, and have a lot more to offer than most. You don't need my pity, you have enough going for both of us!"

Becky turned and strode angrily away from the cursing soldier. As soon as Becky turned the corner, the nurse helping the soldier down the hall lit into him. "You're such a jackass! You meet Becky Summers and curse at her? She's in all of Steve Hammer's movies. Everybody knows she lost her hand in a four-wheeler accident while she was in high school, but it hasn't stopped her from becoming a damn good actress. She's an accountant with Lady in Red Productions when she isn't acting in movies. Jordan Quick, Gwen Anderson, and Steve Hammer are her best friends. So what do you do when you meet her? You go and tell her that people without all of their hands or feet are freaks?

"If I were you, I'd worry more about missing my brain than my foot. Any normal young man would have been kissing up to her to beat the band. Are you gay, or just damn stupid?" asked the red faced nurse as she guided her patient back down the hall.

Gwen only waited a few minutes before being ushered into a comfortable lounge area inside the Pentagon. Sitting at a small table were a middle aged couple. Gwen correctly assumed that they were the Thompsons.

"Thanks so much for meeting with me!" exclaimed Gwen as she greeted them. "I know this is a difficult situation for you and I really do appreciate your time and consideration."

"Ms. Anderson, I owe you an apology. I demanded that Steve Hammer go back for my kids. I was pretty irrational and hysterical. I yelled at him, but he was extremely polite to me," recalled Mrs. Thompson. "I was just so worried about my girls."

"I'm sure he understood your emotions. Don't give it another thought. Have you heard anything about your daughters, or Steve?" asked Gwen at her first opportunity.

"The Navy told us late yesterday that they believe that somehow Steve found our girls, and he has them with him. They couldn't tell us where they were, or how they knew he had them. My daughters are huge fans of his. They've seen every movie, TV show, and video he's ever made. I know they'll trust him to get them home, although our younger daughter is slightly autistic. She doesn't warm to people very well, but she should be fine as long as she's with Roxie."

"That's great that he found them!" exclaimed a much relieved Gwen. "Steve's very resourceful. If he's with your girls, he'll be working on getting out of Colombia as fast as he safely can. It may take a while, but he's trained in survival in all types of elements and environments."

"I told him that I knew who he was and that he had to save my girls," revealed Mrs. Thompson. "I was unfair. It was a kind of threat that if he didn't do something for my kids, he'd regret it. I feel pretty badly about it now. I think he would have helped them even without me telling him that I knew who he was."

"You were a mother under stress and scared for her children. Steve won't hold that against you. I doubt if that even influenced his decision. You know all of that stuff you've read over the years about Steve being such an amazing person? It's all true. He'll protect your kids with his life. I have to visit my brother-in-law, Jason Hunter, in the hospital now, but please let me know if you hear any more news," concluded Gwen.

"Of course. And please tell Jason that we're extremely grateful to him and his Rangers for their efforts and sacrifices. Your sister must be very proud of her husband," finished Mrs. Thompson.

It was shortly before noon when Gwen walked into Walter Reed. As she approached the desk, a young man struggled to stand up and hobbled toward her. Realizing that he was an injured soldier, Gwen gave the man her best smile as she waited for him to explain why he apparently wanted to speak to her.

"You're Gwen Anderson. I know you're here to see your brother-in-law, so I won't keep you. I was just wondering if you could tell your friend, Becky Summers, that I want to apologize for my behavior earlier today. I was a complete ass."

Gwen immediately sensed the sincerity in the man's statement, as well as his discomfort and embarrassment. Since meeting and falling in love with Steve, military men and women held a special place in her heart.

"Why don't we mosey down to the cafeteria and you can tell me all about this misunderstanding while we have a lunch," suggested Gwen as she hooked her arm around the young man's.

"I can't walk very well. I lost my foot in Iraq and I'm crippled up. You don't want to be seen with me," replied the injured soldier dejectedly.

"You're turning me down? That's not very flattering. Is it my hair, the way I'm dressed, or am I too fat?" asked Gwen as she maintained her grasp on the man's arm.

"God, no! You're beautiful. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I'm damaged goods. I told you that I lost my foot in Iraq. I can barely limp around with this fake foot I have on."

"Did you lose your heart? Your courage? Your manhood? Was your foot what made you a man? Are you afraid of men, and even girls now?" asked Gwen as she watched the young man's face for his reaction.

"I still have my balls, if that's what you're asking," snapped the man. "I'm not afraid of any man, and I'm especially not afraid of a woman!"

"Okay, then. Let's go down to the cafeteria and get a lunch and talk. You're a tough guy, still have your balls, and aren't afraid of men, or women. There shouldn't be any problems here. Lean on me a little if it helps. Let's get started."

Once the two were seated, Gwen began asking questions. "Can I assume you met Becky and gave her some of your 'woe is me' crap and she reacted strongly? Did you not notice that she had lost her hand? Did she call you out for being a whiner?"

"That covers it pretty well, except she told me that Steve Hammer called her Lefty and she liked it. She said that he'd probably call me Peg-Leg Pete, except he wouldn't be able to endure me blubbering like a baby when he did. You and your friends don't seem to hold wounded and disabled veterans in very high regard."

"Now you're pissing me off! We certainly do hold them in very high regard. My brother-in-law was just shot in three times defending Americans from a drug cartel in Colombia. My boyfriend's in the middle of the cartel's bailiwick right now, trying to save two American kids that missed the evacuation choppers. We have tremendous concern and pride for all of our veterans and those still serving.

"What we don't tolerate very well are men and women that give up, that have a tough stretch and decide life isn't worth it. We have disabled friends and employees. A lot of them are veterans. That don't ask for special treatment and they don't get any, unless it's something like an access ramp or a wider door. They work alongside everyone else and do the same job. We don't hire them because we feel sorry for them. We hire them because they're honest, trustworthy, dependable people that give a day's work for a day's pay. You wouldn't last an hour with your attitude!"