The Three Day Pass Ch. 07

"We are most definitely not offended. This is America, and I guess, in time the old ways will perhaps change," The father stated with sadness in his voice and then smiled. "I am pleased that he would even consider my humble offer. He conducts himself well and I just wanted to show him that I consider him worthy to be my daughter's husband as well as a member of my family. It is good that he wants to see her more. For now I agree to their 'dating' each other, but under careful controls however. Perhaps he will even learn to accept the way of the prophet in time. His ability with our language is such that I think he must have been an Arab in a previous life. Come let us eat and let the future take care of itself. Perhaps it is 'Qismet', perhaps not. Only the future knows and we are not privileged to know that until it becomes the past. As long as he honors our customs and doesn't abuse our hospitality he is welcome at my table and in my house. You as his friend will continue to instruct him in the proper ways."

Later when they were alone Ibrahim asked him if he knew what he had done. "Dick head! Didn't you realize that you were almost married there? Her father, as a religious leader could have just announced that you were man and wife. As it is, you are sort of engaged, I think. She is a beautiful girl and you could not have done better, but for Pete's sake, keep it in your pants, she is the daughter of an important community leader. What you do from now on is your business---I don't want to be involved in any way. I'm warning you.... behave yourself or some evening in a dark alley you could find your throat cut and your 'Privates' cut off and stuffed into your mouth."

"I guess I just got carried away, but she is beautiful and I want to see her again. Anyway like all of you said, I could do worse. I guess we are engaged to be engaged."

Back at base on Monday, Joseph was surprised to be called into the School Commander's office. He entered the office and saluted and said, "Private Benson reporting as ordered, sir." He noticed that there was a stranger in civilian clothes sitting across the desk from the C.O.

"At ease and have a seat, Private Benson, Let me introduce you to Mr. Smith, he works for C.I.D. and they would like to have a little talk with you."

Joseph shaking the man's hand asked, "What does the 'Criminal Investigation Department' want with me? As far as I know I have not done anything wrong."

Mr. Smith smiling returned the hand shake and joked, "Why is it every time I'm introduced to someone they think I'm here to arrest them? I guess it just goes with the job."

"Well if you are not here to arrest me, what can I do for you?" Joseph said warily.

"Would you like to take a ride with me for about an hour? I would like to talk to you and ask you some questions."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes you do have a choice. I'm not here on any criminal business. At this time I will not insist that you come with me, I think you just might be interested in what I have to say. However, if you don't want to accompany me, I will leave and you won't see me again. I just want to have a talk to you---- that's all."

"Well seeing as you asked so nicely and it appears you have my Commanding Officer's permission, I guess it should be O.K."

Mr. Smith got up, thanked the C.O. and said good-bye. Joseph stood, came to attention saluted his C.O. and asked for permission to be excused. He then followed 'Mr. Smith' outside.

A driver holding open the rear door of an army sedan met them outside. After they both got in the rear seat the driver got behind the wheel and quickly drove away leaving the school area behind. They drove to a secluded area of the base where the driver came to a stop and asked if this spot would do. 'Mr. Smith' nodded, and then opened the door got out of the car and told Joseph to follow him.

"Walk with me, Benson. I want to have a private conversation with you." He said. And the two of them strolled out of the drivers sight and hearing. "We are hearing some wonderful things about you, Joseph, may I call you that."

"That's my name."

Smiling he continued, "You seem to be doing very well in and out of school. I am informed that you are one of a rare breed that has the knack of picking up not only the vocabulary but you are able to string together words and thoughts almost like a native. Also, so I am told, you have that ability to blend into the culture. Someone even remarked that you were like that fellow, the one they called Laurence of Arabia. From what I hear you were even offered the daughter of a important Arab community leader."

"Ibrahim, I'll strangle him." Joseph said. "He had no right to tell anyone about that."

"Ibrahim?" Who is that?"

"My learning partner."

"No! It was not from him. We had an informer who was in the room while the father and you were bartering for his daughter." The C.I.D. man said. "In fact, even though this informer has a wife, he had been looking forward to the time when the father would "sell" her to him as his second wife. I understand that they sometimes do this when the girl is older and a better match cannot be made. Rather barbaric isn't it?"

"Perhaps so, by western standards, but from what I can see... the women tend to go along with the system. Well I'm sorry to upset you and your informer's plans. I only said that I would like to date her. And for now that's all I intend to do!"

He said in a low voice, "Look I'll be truthful (or at least as much as I can be), as you might have guessed my name is not Smith. It's William Barns, Agent William Barns. I am not C.I.D.; I am FBI Homeland Security Division. Today all the agencies including the C.I.A. are working together or we should be. Look, here are my papers, if you want you can call the FBI office, they will confirm everything I say. Just tell them Agent Barnes told you to call. Or you can visit the FBI office in town and inquire in person if you want."

"I will do that, but just what is it you want me to do?"

"Well for starters we want you to become real close with the father and date the girl. Really romance her. We want the father to feel completely at ease with you. Become part of the family. But first and foremost we want a reliable agent in that community. We want to know what they are doing, what they are saying and what they are thinking. Who they are giving funds to and just about everything else you can tell us about them. If you have to marry the girl to get this information, Do it!"

"I couldn't do that." He said "I don't want a wife at this time. And then there is one other problem that I don't think you know about. I don't know if your 'friend' reported it to you or not, but, I think the father has his eyes on me for another reason. The old fart has roving hands and if I had not stopped him when I did... he would have been into my pants before I even got a chance to bed his daughter."

"As far as wedding the girl there is no need to worry about that, if need be, we could arrange a 'marriage'. Just think, you can screw the girl and serve your country at the same time and get an expense account to boot." He jested. "Just like James Bond '007'. Only difference is -- you will have a license to screw, instead of a license to kill. As far as the father's perverted advances to you go.... nothing was reported to us. Now that's what I had in mind by your being able to get information to us. To our "friend" that sort of thing might have been all within the culture and not worth reporting. It is very, very interesting... If push came to shove... Err...do you think you could handle it?"

"He is a very powerful man, but I think I could 'handle' him. I don't think I will have to 'bed' the both of them. But you never can tell and the girl is a beauty," Joseph could not help pass up the opportunity to make a joke, "And it just might be worth letting the S.O.B. enjoy a feel now and then, if that's what it takes to get into her pants."

"Be serious! We know it's asking a lot and we have no right to even suggest, much less order you to engage in that sort of thing. It could even be dangerous, however, I think if you take proper care and precautions --you can handle the old pervert. Will you at least consider taking on the project? We will clear everything with your commanding officer. If you want we could even have you moved out of the school and transferred to us. We could get you a car and special quarters off base to live in if you think it would help."

"Man you must really want this to go down. What happens if I decide not to play this game?"

"Again no threats," he smiled. "But we must have our 'man on the inside' and he must be there soon. That could either be you or the contact that I told you about before. For our part, we would rather that man be an American, and not one of them. To that length we will be willing to accommodate you as much as we can. However, if you say no - we will insist that you never see or contact her again and that you stay away from that community. We do not want to be forced to have you transferred so that our informer, who is an old lecherous son of a bitch, can make his move. Look at it this way---If you are in, then you can not only screw the girl to your hearts content, but you can protect her from being hurt too much."

"Well, I will think about it. It does sound very tempting. When do I have to let you know if I want to do it?"

"Let's see, today is Monday and you will need time to check me out... Let's say by Wednesday!"

To be continued...