Issue Wife Ch. 01

I don't know, " I admitted. "Partly it will depend on how fact Cathy recovers.

The doc grunted. "She'll be laid up in bed for at least a month, and that's only if there are no infections or other complications."

"How long until she can be moved?" I asked.

"2 maybe 3 days," said the doc. "But she's going to have to stay in bed and quiet for at least a month."

Well it couldn't be helped. I thanked the doc and went home.

As I walked in my door the phone was ringing.

"Hello?" I said.

"Lt. Chapman?" the voice on the other end of the line asked.

"That's me," I said.

"Lt. Chapman, this is Captain Pollan. I am with the Office of Naval Intelligence."

Oh Shit! I thought. This can't be good. "How may I help you Captain Pollan?"

"Well Lt., you can start by telling me what happened to Proctor Sullivan down at the 32nd street processing center."

"I shot him in the line of duty Captain."

"Would you mind explaining that statement Lt.?"

"Sir, I was investigating him for possible corruption and misuse of his office. When I confronted him with what I had learned, he drew a gun and shot at me. I fired back and killed him."

"And what about the woman that you were seen carrying out of the building?" the captain asked.

"Sir, that was my issued wife. She was feeling ill after the incident and so I carried her to my car and took her somewhere safer."

"I see," said the captain in a tone that said that he saw too much. "Well Lt. Will you be home later, I think I'd like to get her side of the story."

"Of course captain, we'll be happy to have you over." I replied.

After a few more insincere niceties, we both hung up.

I had to get Cathy clear of the city, and myself as well. Once they started digging in to the facts of the incident, both of us would be taken out and shot.

I grabbed a few things I thought that we'd need and headed for my armored car. The first thing I did was to disable the satellite tracking system. Then I disabled the one the brass didn't think we knew about. I made a beeline for the doctor's office. As soon as he answered, I pushed past him and off the street.

"Everything is compromised," I told him bluntly. "We have maybe 6 hours before ONI swoops down on this place looking for me and Cathy. And you know as well as I do that they are going to take you and your daughter in, stick needles in you and turn your brains inside out for whatever info they think they can get."

The doc shrugged resignedly. "We were getting too hot here and would have had to move on soon anyway."

He went to get his daughter and make preparations to move Cathy. I went back out to my car and looked for more tracking devices. I didn't find any, but that didn't mean that they weren't there. We'd need to ditch this vehicle or trade it for another one as soon as possible. The car was armored, but that wouldn't mean a damn thing if they sent fighters or attack choppers after us. And they would send them if they found us.

Pretty soon Doc and his daughter carried Cathy out on a stretcher and we put her into the rear of the vehicle. Then the two of them went back inside for their supplies and belongings while I secured the stretcher so that Cathy wouldn't be jarred around too much as we drove.

She opened her eyes and managed a sleepy smile. "Hi there," she murmured.

"Hi there yourself," I said. "The doc says you are going to be fine with rest."

"That's good," she mumbled and then was out cold again.

Doc and his daughter brought the last of their things and loaded them into the cargo bay. As soon as they were inside the armored car I fired up the engine and headed out even before doc's daughter settled into the seat beside Cathy's stretcher.

As best I cold figure, our only chance was to get to the Wyoming Undesirables Reservation. The way into the reservation was clear. The church didn't give a damn who went in. Trying to get out again though was a sure route to suicide.

With my uniform and the official vehicle, I figured I could bluff our way into getting fuel for the trip. All we had to do was avoid the choppers and planes that would be looking for us soon.

I reached the highway I needed to take and made the turn. For better or worse, we were committed now.