Recovery of a Hero Ch. 18

"What do you want me to do to pay you back?" she asked.

I said, "Well I'm expensive. You have to smile and be happy for three days."

"Smile and be happy?" she asked. "Don't you want anything from me?"

"No," I said. "Just try to smile once in awhile and be happy if you can. Nothing else."

She sighed and leaned back. I told her to put on her seatbelt and headed south to the main gate for the post.

When I got there, I went to the visitor registration and got a temporary pass for the truck. It's a good thing they gave me that DOD ID. After that, I went to the Criminal Investigation Office.

When I got there, I asked to speak to the senior agent on duty. A man a few years younger than me came out and I asked him if we could talk in a secure room with a secure phone line.

He took me to a small meeting room and I asked him to call the Sec. Navs office and gave him a code.

He did this and gave me the phone. The person on the other end said, "Good morning. I have instructions to help you however necessary and am cleared for your case."

I said, "I need you to verify my authority to the person I'm speaking to. He's CID and I need him to help me get a few things I need for my case."

The woman said, "OK. Your authorization has been sent to the office on a secure fax. It should be there in a few minutes. The boss said no tanks or artillery."

I laughed and said, "But I've never been in a tank. Ask him if I can have just one."

She laughed and said, "He said you'd beg but no. OK, the authorization for assistance should be there. Anything else you need?"

I said, "No. I should be able to get it here."

"Very well," she said. "Good luck on your case and the boss said that he's taking a personal interest in the girls."

I said, "Well just to irritate him since I can't have a tank, tell him I have another one that Reach is checking on. If she's clean I want her out of the CPS system and I want her to go to Janice. He'll know who I mean. I think this kid needs help."

"They said you pick up strays all the time," she said. "I'll let the boss know. Good day."

She hung up and I turned to the CID agent and said, "There should be a fax about me on your secure system."

He left the room for a few minutes then came back holding several pages of printer paper. He sat down at the desk and started reading. After about five minutes, he put the last one down and asked, "How can the Army help you, Sir?"

"I said, "I need to speak to someone about getting some special equipment. I'll also need a new vehicle, preferably with a wheelchair lift. I should be using one right now because of a bum leg. I'd also like a cane for when I have to walk."

"Easily done," he said. "We can get you a small bus with a lift. As a matter of fact, the DEA has a few in the impound yard that might work for you. One is a bus converted to a small RV with a lift in at the back where the emergency exit was. It's a bit big, but has a full kitchen."

I said, "I'll take it. I also need to borrow one of your female agents for a shopping trip. I picked up a girl that needs some help and some new clothes without having questions asked, at least three complete changes."

"No problem," He said. He picked up a phone and dialed an extension and said, "This is Gray. Can you come in to the briefing room? Good."

"My best agent is on the way. She has three kids, two girls and a boy. I'll have her take your girl to the PX and get some clothes."

"And two cartons of Marlboro cigarettes for me would be nice. Thanks."

"No problem," he said. "What else do you need?"

I explained the gear I'd need. I wanted some Special Forces como gear and night vision goggles. I also needed some other equipment that he said he could provide.

By the time I'd finished, there was a knock at the door. The agent said, "Enter." A woman who looked to be in her mid thirties entered.

She asked, "Got a job for me sir?"

He pointed at me and I told her what I wanted. The senior agent said, "It's covered. The Navy will pay for whatever you get."

I said, "Along with the work clothes, I'd like you to see about getting her something nice to wear. She's had a rough time lately and I think it might help."

The woman said, "No problem sir. They have some nice dresses and such so I'll get her set up."

"Good," I said. "I"ll take you out to the truck and introduce you so you can get started. If she asks for a name, though, don't tell her your real one. I don't want yours and you don't want mine."

"Yes sir," she acknowledged. "I'll get her set up and ready to go in about two hours."

"Thats good enough," I said. "It would help if you could feed her too. We're going to be tied up here for awhile so I'd appreciate that and you keeping her busy until we're done. I'd also like to see what you can get out of her and find out why she'd be hitchhiking on the freeway looking for a date to make money."

"How old is this girl?" she asked.

"I said, "Her school ID says 15. I picked her up at the south bound freeway on ramp at Madigan. I'd like to know whats so bad that a kid that age would run away from a foster home like she claimed and do that. She said her mother is in the hospital but there's something else wrong if she's that desperate."

"I'll see what I can find out sir," she said. "I'll try to be casual about it so don't worry."

I smiled and said, "Your boss said that you had kids, so try like she's one of them and has a secret. I don't want her scared."

"Yes sir," she said.

"Thats all," I said.

She left and I turned back to the senior agent. I told him, "I need to call the NCIS agent I'm working with. I have my own phone, but I need to be alone. He was going to check on the girl for me for official information."

"Yes sir," said the agent. He got up and left the room.

I called reach on the cell phone. He again answered immediately and said, "I hope your having fun. I got your info."

"I'm at Fort Lewis right now getting a few things," I said. "I'll be here for a couple hours. You can pick up your truck from here if you want. I've got a better vehicle that they're storing for the DEA at the impound yard here."

"Oh? What did you get from them?" he asked.

I told him about the bus with the lift and said, "I can't handle that truck any more. The leg just isn't up to a clutch yet. I'm also going to get a chair from them and a cane. When I get home, I'll have a better cane that I got from my father."

"What kind of cane is that?" he asked.

I told him about the ebony sword cane my dad had left to me. It was spring loaded and would punch an eight inch blade an inch or more into a two by four board. I'd left that in storage with some other stuff that I wanted. I figure if your going to use a cane, have one that's useful for more than just walking.

After I finished with that, he gave me what he had on the girl. She'd run away from a foster home yesterday and there was evidence of abuse and neglect. Her mother really was in the hospital and the father wasn't around any more. The condition of the mother was critical and wasn't expected to live more than a few days.

The hospital had reported this to CPS, but they hadn't told her or allowed her to visit. I told Reach, "I want her placed with my girls. I'll try to get her into the hospital to see her mother as soon as I'm done here and I don't want any interference from the cops of CPS. Tell them what I did with that woman last time and tell them I won't be nice."

"How won't you be nice?" he asked.

I told him, "If that kid has been abused and they won't let her see her mother or tell her how bad she is, I'll shoot the first five and the rest will have to settle for hands and feet. Then I'll be real nasty and let you take care of the mess."

"I take it your serious," he said.

I just said, "Yes."

"Remind me never to piss you off, chief," he said. "I don't like hospitals or doctors much."

"Reach, you have been a big help," I said. "I wouldn't be doing this without that help. I just don't like CPS or officious idiots like that woman. I especially don't like people who abuse a fifteen year old girl so bad she tries to sell her body for food money."

"That bad?" he asked.

"I picked her up on a freeway on ramp while she was looking for a date for fifty bucks," I said. "I want the people responsible for that hung. If you can't do it, I will and I won't worry about the law this time. I really don't like CPS."

"For something like that I have one requirement," said Reach.

"What?" I asked.

"Wait for me to get there so I can help," he replied. "Putting a kid in that kind of mess is unconscionable.

"OK," I said. "When I get done here, I'm taking her to her mother then heading south to get some stuff I need. I need you to scrounge up something to sweep for bugs and I'll get it from you when I get back."

"Good enough," He said. "I'll see you when you get back."

He hung up and I turned off my cell phone.

I got up and went to the door and told the agent that I was done.

He said that the gear I'd requested was on the way and that we could go pick up the bus.

I asked him about holding the pickup until someone could come get it and he agreed to do it. We took my truck to the impound yard and I got my stuff out of it.

There was an officer and a man in civies waiting for us. The officer let us in the gate and the other man handed the agent a set of keys. He told us, "The bus is gassed up and ready to go. The paper work is inside and you can transfer it at any Department of Motor Vehicles office. The tabs are good for another three months."

I asked him, "Where do I take it when I'm done?"

He said, "Don't worry. We wrote it off as an exchange to the Navy. They can keep it if they want."

"Thanks," I said. "I just might keep it after I finish my job. My boss owes me a few and if I like it I might take it as down payment."

"What's he owe you for?" he asked.

"I did some work in Iraq and came home with a couple of holes in my hide. I'm still on medical leave and I get stuck with a job that should have been finished a long time ago," I said.

"I don't want to know," he said. "Anyway, there's your bus and good luck."

I thanked him again and he left. The officer showed me where the bus was and told me that it had been gone over and was mechanically sound.

I went up to it and saw that it had a towing bumper on it. That would be handy coming back and since it was converted to an RV I'd be able to travel and could have a mobile command post to use when Bear and Hawk got here. They'd like it too, I thought.

I got in and started it up. It started quickly and ran smoothly. The engine sounded quiet. It also had an air conditioning unit on top which I could turn on from the drivers seat and a back up camera with a flat monitor on the dash. Nice, I thought. Someone had spent some big bucks on this rig.

Best of all, it was an automatic.

When the motor was warmed up, I backed it up and got it out the gate then drove to the CID office. I parked it in a parking lot next to the building where I'd have enough room to turn around. After I'd shut the bus down, the CID agent and I went back to the briefing room where we found the stuff I'd requested on the table.

I checked out all the gear and found it all to be in good shape and all there. They even remembered the chair and the cane which helped. My leg was getting sore now.

The agent had a few of the office people haul the equipment out to the bus and got it loaded.

I checked the lift at the back and it worked fine. I was really considering buying this thing from whoever when I finished this job. This thing was nice.

Shortly after we'd finished loading the bus, the agent who'd taken the girl shopping got back. I could see that the girl was upset about something but looked a lot better with the clothes she was wearing.

They got out of the car and walked over to where I was sitting in my new chair.

The girl asked, "Why are you in that thing?"

I said, "I got hurt in Iraq a few months ago and the leg isn't completely healed yet. My last chair got damaged and I needed a new one. I also got a bit better rig for the trip we're taking. I have one other thing for you. I want you to go put on the nicest clothes you have and clean up the best you can."

She asked, "What do you have for me?"

I said, "That's a secret for a bit. Go get cleaned up and changed."

The woman said, "I can take her home so she can get a shower if you want."

I said, "I'd really appreciate that and I bet the kid would too."

She took the girl's hand and said, "Lets go get you fixed up so you can come back and knock their socks off."

The girl laughed and said, "OK, I'd like a shower. She looked at me and said, "Thank you. I don't know why your being so nice but thank you."

"Go get in the car and wait for a minute please," I said, "I need to talk to this lady for a moment. She went over and got back into the car to wait.

I told the woman, "I need a big favor from you now. I found out part of the problem and I need some help. Her mother really is in the hospital and is listed as critical. They think she has three days at most."

"Oh god," said the woman. "I'll help if I can."

I said, "I'd like you to take us to the hospital. I want you there to help when she sees her mother. I don't know if I can handle her when she finds out."

"I"ll call my husband," she said. "He can get out early if I tell his boss it's an emergency and I need him home for the kids."

"I really appreciate that," I said.

"I'll help as much as I can," she said. "That kid has had a hard time and needs it."

"Well I'm going to fix that but I have to make a trip first," I said. "I'm going to put her with a good family while I finish my current job. I'll make sure she's taken care of regardless though. I have two foster girls about her age that lost their parents and I'm not going to leave her with CPS. They stuck her in a dump and I don't like them."

"I'll take her and get her fixed up for her mother then," she said. "I'll let you tell her about her mother. That's one job I don't want."

I nodded my head and watched her leave.

I got some coffee while I waited and had a smoke. I'd done what I came here for and I'd gotten a much better vehicle too. It had a bunch of nice stuff.

I normally prefer a stick shift on something that big, but with the leg I was better off with an auto. The clutch on that truck was murder.

I'd just finished my third coffee when they got back. I had Amanda put her new stuff into the bus and then we got back in the car with the woman. She put my chair in the trunk and we left for the hospital to see Amanda's mother.

When we got there, I told Amanda that her mother was real sick and might not be able to talk but we'd go see her anyway.

She nodded her head without saying anything. We went in and found out where her mother was and went up to her room.

When we got there, she was conscious so I let Amanda go in and talk to her alone. After a few minutes, she came out and told me that her mom wanted to talk to me alone.

I went in and wheeled myself over to her bed. She looked haggard and worn. I'd heard that expression used many times but never really understood it. Now I did.

The woman said, "I'm Charlotte, Amanda's mother. Thank you for what you did."

I said, "I have two daughters her age. I had to help."

"Well I'm still grateful. I'm sorry to put you in this position, but I don't have a lot of time left and I want my daughter taken care of. Please help her."

I said, "I already know. "I work for the government and I have some contacts. I knew about the tumor and how bad before I brought Amanda here. I have a friend working on the case and by the time I finish some business on the coast she'll be with my daughters. I'll make sure she's taken care of."

"Thank you," She said. "She's all I have left and I can't help her any more. I'm not afraid for me, but I want her to have the best."

"I'll make sure of it," I said. "I have some friends north of here that I know will make sure she's OK and when I finish my job I'll adopt her. She will have a home as long as she wants it."

"Charlotte smiled and said, "I wish my husband had been as good a man as you. Thank you."

I said goodbye to her and went out. I told Amanda that she could go back in now and talk to her mother.

She went in and moved a chair to the bed and sat down. I could see her mother talking to her but couldn't hear what she said. When Amanda started crying, I knew that her mother had told her about the brain tumor that she had and that she was dying. I told the agent to go in and I followed her.

She hugged Amanda from one side and I did from the other. I remembered when my father was dying. I new how painful it was for her because I'd been there.

We held Amanda until she stopped crying. I told her that we had to leave but I'd stop on the way back. Then I told Charlotte, "Two days. We'll be back then."

"I'll be here," she said. "I'll wait until your back."

I took Amanda's hand and said, "We have to go now."

She nodded and stood up. When I started wheeling myself to the door she stepped behind me and started pushing. When I told her she didn't have to do that she said, "Mom said that you were a nice man and that I had to help you as much as I could."

That reminded me of five girls and I almost lost it. I missed them so much it hurt.

We went back to the post and got loaded onto the bus and I headed for a home I hadn't seen in over two years.

*

This ends Chapter 18. Eldarin will continue in 19.