The Text (New Version)

Baker kneeled down and scooped him up into a fireman's carry. He's gone top!" The medic said again.

"That may be." He said. "But he's still coming home with us." The medic looked at him like he just lost his mind. It was a still more than a 5 click hump back to the LZ thru dense forest, they'd be lucky to get back with their asses, but carrying a dead guy, what was the top thinking? The MSGT read his mind. "I'd do the same for you Billy." He told the medic. "Stay close in case I need you."

What happened was stuff of legend. When they got back to the base the Doc met them as the helicopter set down. The medic explained to the Doctor that the LT bought it. The Doctor nodded his head and pulled a pen light out of his pocket. The medic watched amazed as the "dead" LTs pupils contracted in the harsh beam of the pen light. "Care to revise your diagnosis Doctor?" The Doc asked the medic as they rushed the revenant LT into surgery.

He was one of those guys who was ageless. He never said a lot but when he spoke everyone listened. He was a throwback. In the era of cheap, easy, and disposable he was none of those. He was hand built and unique and he seemed to take a special shine to Tom and his team.

During many of the long hours of the down time between missions the MSGT showed his appreciation by training Tom and the team in some basic but effective hand to hand defensive techniques. He told the engineers, better to know somethings, just in case.

"I know the biggest threat you're likely to face is a jammed copier or a nasty paper cut but if you stay in this business you will find yourself traveling to some "colorful" places. So, now if you happen to meet one of the local "colorful" natives you'll have something useful to fall back on." MSGT Baker explained to the group. "But let's hope the paper cut is the scariest thing you ever have to face."

Tom let his breathing get more under control and let himself slump back into his captor allowing him to think he had Tom restrained. He was remembering more of the fighting techniques the MSGT had showed them. "You might be in a position where there's not much you can do but take your beating. It sucks but it happens. The trick to remember is that even when you're getting beat you can still fight back, you just have to be smarter than the goober that's whacking you." Tom remembered the lesson and leaned back into his captor "passively" resisting and wearing down the lone man's strength.

"Give me the phone Tom." Pete said looking him in the eye. "Listen, now you know that I've fucked your wife and came in her pussy and ass. Tom, me and every guy on the team shot our cum all over Tonya's lovely face more times than I can remember, Fuck, probably more times than you ever did! Forget this macho guy shit Tom. You're just another wimp, cuck nerd boy. Do as we ask and maybe you can still fuck Tonya when the team isn't using her. Don't forget all the toys you can buy with her bonus that should take some the sting out. Hell, maybe Tonya will buy you a fuckbot for those times when she's "otherwise" busy."

Tom held his tongue while Pete took great pleasure in humiliating him while compelling him to do his bidding. "Where is it, Tom?" He asked then saw the outline of the phone in his shirt pocket. "Ahh, there it is." He reached for it with his right hand. Tom stepped back hard with his right heel, impacting his captor's shin about midway up and dragging it down until he smashed down on his Gucci loafer covered toes. He flexed his arms and broke his captor's hold as he yelped in pain and fell under a leg that wouldn't support his weight anymore. He saw Pete's eyes open wide in recognition. His right arm came straight out, and he rolled his shoulder as the MSGT had shown him, driving his curled fist into the center of Pete's face with maximum force. He felt bone break under his fist and a positive fountain of blood erupted from Pete's nose as he went down to the floor as if pole axed.

He turned back to see who it was that had held him. It was Bill. He was lying on the floor crying and holding his leg. "I think you broke my foot." He whined. Tom stomped down hard on his foot and Bill screamed in pain. "That should remove all doubt." Tom said.

He turned back to see Pete on the floor, both hands up to his face and trying to struggle to his knees. He walked up next to him and put his face down next to his ear. "Looks like it was your nose that got broke Pete old boy. I'm just not willing to take one for the team." He said and punched him once hard in the temple. Pete went down for the count.

His adrenaline was spiked, and his breathing was ragged as he scanned the living room for Tonya. At that moment he felt a hard impact to the middle of his back and base of his neck. He went down to one knee and spun to face the new attack. He looked up to see Tonya with a cast iron skillet in her hand. She missed her mark and only gave Tom a glancing blow. He rose to his feet and pulled the pan out of her hand roughly.

"Tom, we can still make this work." She said. "Think of the money you'll be throwing away. I'll stop all the extra sex. I'll cut them off, I promise. Just you and me like old times Tom."

He massaged the back of his head with his left hand, and he looked at her, stunned by how quickly she morphed form one Tonya to another, he thought for a minute of the alien in John Carpenter's "The Thing" how it shape-shifted as each new challenge was presented. He smiled at the thought.

Tonya mistook this smile as a tacit agreement to her latest entreaty and moved to hug Tom. He dropped his left hand down from his neck to hold her back. Then after a millisecond of thought, he brought his right hand up and popped her square in the nose. Not hard enough to knock her out but hard enough to break bone.

Tonya cried and slumped to the floor.

"Hurts like fuck, doesn't it?" Tom asked. "Eyes all teared up, can't see, can't breathe, blood all over. Works every time.

"Why did you hit me?" She cried.

"Cuz I could." Was his reply. His phone was still on and recording. Not all of it was in his favor but he felt he had enough to justify his responses.

He quickly surveyed the room and remembered what the MSGT had told him. "Make up your mind when you can act and don't move till it's right but once you do, commit everything and don't stop till there ain't no one movin but you." He looked around, other than Bill whining in the corner and Tonya struggling to stop the blood flowing out of her nose, he was the only one moving. "You saved another one Top." He thought.

"Doesn't look like you, lover boy and Mr. Bill are going to be in any condition to pitch on Monday. Damn the bad luck and missing out on all those millions and big bonuses!" Tom went on. "Oh well, I wonder what Art's going to say when he finds out?"

He was going to call 911 but waited, he knew once the police showed he would lose his chance to question Tonya and walked over to where she was sitting. She had a dish towel pressed up to her face. Tom kneeled next to her. "Pinch the bridge of your nose with your thumb and index finger. Like this." He said as he demonstrated.

The adrenaline spike had ebbed, and he suddenly lost all his energy and sat down hard across from Tonya. Where had his wife gone. The Tonya he saw every day was not the same women sitting across from him and he wondered again how she had deceived him so thoroughly for so long. "Was it worth it?" He asked.

Tonya looked at him and shook her head. "It could have been." She said. "If you would have just went along. We were so close. After Monday I would have been on my way to the Executive suites. This will set me back. I can fix it but, it will set me back."

"So, that was all you had in mind; making VP?" Tom said. "What about us? The cheating, the lying, would that just continue?"

"Tom, you're so naïve. Pete knew that. He told me your black and white ethics and boy scout views would hold me back if I let them. He told me I had to break out of your control and be my own woman if I wanted to be a success."

"Did he tell you that before or after he made you the team cum dumpster?" Tom asked.

"As if you knew the half of it." She spat. "Oh, I tried to be the good girl engineer and do all those things that you said would enhance my career. Do you want to know what really works?" Tom was silent. When someone decides to blow herself up sometimes you just need to get out of the way. He was still recording.

"Well, I'll tell you my loving husband, all those things you told me weren't working. I was busting butt making sure all my assignments were on time and budget and all that got me was a few "Atta girls" it wasn't until Betty took me aside that I learned what a woman really needed to do to get ahead. Trust me, Fucking your way to the top works and it's a whole lot easier and a whole lot more fun!"

"So, this has been going on even before Pete showed up?" Tom asked.

"Oh, for a smart engineer you can be awfully slow sometimes Tom." She said. It was at the Christmas party the year after I joined Kramerica that I first sucked Art's dick and I've never looked back."

"Wait, you're fucking the boss too? Art? Art Vandelay?!!" Tom asked incredulously.

"Yes Tom, Art, Pete, Bill anyone on the team that could help me with my career. It doesn't cost me anything to give away some pussy and it is so easy to control you men when I can lead you around by your cocks. You especially, all I had to do was show you a little boob and I would steer you where I needed you to go." She said. "Even now, you think you have it all figured out, we told Art where we were going when we headed over here. Right now, he's getting the rest of the team rounded up. They'll be given a cover story about our absence. They'll have to make the pitch without us, but I think the extra effort we put in with their purchasing managers will pay off."

"Do I really want to hear this?" He thought. "Oh, WTF why not?!" "Extra effort?" Tom prodded. "You always were a go getter Tonya."

"It was so easy really I hate to even call it effort." She laughed. "What's the old joke; the worst fuck I ever had was great?" She went on, "At the bidders conference it was so easy with the men, we had to get a bit more creative with Brenda, the token woman on the selection board. It's funny, I can even seduce a woman, but I did have to throw in old Pete over there as the kicker. She was "situationally" bi curious. As I recall, her "situation" cleared up about the same time my tongue began lapping at her twat. And with promises of more to come when we started working together after the contract award, yeah, we have the selection board covered."

"Why all this then? I mean if it's all greased why the strong-arm stuff?" Tom asked.

"That was Pete's idea. The dumbass. I told him to cool off that I would come home and blow you and be back in time to catch the flight, but he had to go all Alpha. Look what that got us! So now instead of me being the face of the winning team I'm back to sucking Art's cock. Like I said, fixable but it will set me back."

"You wouldn't have bought me so cheap." He said. "Maybe not," Tonya replied. "But I still would have made the flight."

"Well, you sure as hell ain't making that flight now." He said. Remembering how Pete seemed so clued in, he figured that Tonya had to have a transmitter with her. "Art? Are you listening? I'm about to call the cops. I'm sure there's a handful of felonies involved here, and we haven't even begun to go down the rabbit trail of fraud. That's a federal contract isn't it, Tonya?" Tom asked rhetorically. "Yeah, the feds take a dim view of how, did you phrase it, "extra effort?"

"I'm sure you have great lawyers and all Art but maybe there's an alternative?" He let it hang. A moment later Tonya's cell phone ringtone played "Hail to the chief."

"Art?" She asked into the phone. "Of course. I'll put you on speaker."

"Tom?" Art's voice came thru the speaker. "First let me apologize to you. Pete's actions were a gross lapse of judgement. I can assure you the board will deal with him assertively!"

"Thank you, Art. That is a load off my mind. Glad to see that you and the board take assault and fraud so seriously."

"Tom these are all very unfortunate allegations. Lawyers will get rich, but no one really wants to rock the boat. We may pay a fine, Pete and Bill get some community service but, in the end, you will be divorced and poorer by half." Art explained in a business-like manner.

"Do I hear an "OR" in this tale Art?" Tom asked.

"Tonya always said you were the cleverer of the two. Still, I'm happier to have hired Tonya. Yes, Tom there most decidedly is an "OR." Art went on. "Tom we, Kramerica, have displaced you in your wife's affections and when you found out about this and questioned it you were treated in a most shabby manner."

"Most Shabby! Shocking!" Tom chimed in.

"Tom," Art went on. "In lieu of "calling the cops" as you put it suppose instead that we could come an agreement. I just sent a Snap to Tonya's phone, well not me, one of my tech boys here. They tell me that they disappear after viewing. Have a peek. Perhaps that might restore some good will.

Tonya opened the Snap and turned the phone to Tom. He saw the words Bank of Grand Cayman and a number. A very large number.

"And when would that be deposited?" Tom asked.

"It's already there Tom. You have an email with the account number. This has been a very bad day for you Tom. This may be a hard decision for you to make and I don't discount the emotion, Tonya is a very desirable woman. Be that as it may however, one can't take emotion to the bank, can one?"

"One can't" Tom agreed affecting Art's upper crust clipped manner of speech.

"Kramerica will cover the costs of your divorce. You can never reconcile; I think we all recognize that. Tonya will file. She will ask for her personal belongings and her retirement."

He thought a moment before replying. One the one hand he could stand on principle and expose the whole sordid mess and let the chips fall. On the other hand, he could just walk away. Art had just given him 5 million reasons to do just that.

"Does Kramerica have a medical staff, Art?" Tom asked. "Ahh yes Tom, I believe we have some Physicians on retainer." Art replied. "Good." Tom said. "You better load a few into a limo and send them over here to pick up your team." "We are in agreement then?" Art asked. "Tonya who?" Tom replied. "Precisely." Art agreed. "Are we done Tom?" Art asked. "Goodbye Art." Tom said and ended the call.

Tom removed his phone and turned off the recording app and slipped it back into his pocket. "I knew you would see it our way Tom. We can still be friends, friends with benefits, when this is all over." She summoned up what she thought was her most winning smile but even her incandescent smile couldn't reverse the effects of her ruined nose. Her eyes were turning black, and the blood was crusted under her nose and dried drips down to her chin. Tom found the sight comical and allowed himself a smile. Once again Tonya mis-read his smile for agreement and leaned in to kiss him.

Tom put his right hand out to stop her. He cupped her face with his hand and pushed her back until she fell with a thump onto the couch. "Either I hit you too hard or not hard enough. In what world would I want to kiss you, Tonya?" She looked up at him hurt.

"Take whatever you want but have it out of here tomorrow." Tom said and walked toward the door. He stopped next to Bill. "Foot still hurt?" He asked. "Fuck yes you bastard it fucking still hurts!" Bill whined. "Maybe this will take your mind off it." Tom said and kicked Bill in the balls. Bill curled up and moaned. He walked up to Pete who had managed to sit up. Pete put his hands up to fend off Tom. "No more Tom."

"I'm not gonna hit you, Pete." Tom said and Pete smiled. His smile faded the instant Tom's foot compressed the tissue that comprised Pete's testicles. He rolled back onto his side. Tom walked out.

He got into his car not sure where he was going to go but food and shelter were high in the hierarchy of needs scale for good reason. He grabbed a burger from a takeout place and checked into a Red Roof Inn just outside of town near the freeway and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Despite aches and pains from a hundred, yeah at least a hundred he reckoned, different insults on his body, he woke early the next morning and pulled his aching body out of bed. He was making motel room coffee when his phone chirped, and he reached for it. It was a text from THE number; he opened it immediately. "Sorry for yesterday. I can meet. TGIF at the mall, noonish. I'll wave you over to seats at the bar."

"I'll be there." He texted back and poured the lukewarm brown water from coffee maker carafe to the paper cup. "Yep, I'll be there" he thought and set up his laptop. "Time for some online banking."

At college, long before he had met Tonya, Tom had an econ professor that advocated having at least one offshore account for a rainy-day fund. He had nothing to loose and with his professor's help he was soon the owner of brand-new bank account in as chance would have it, the Caymans. It was his "Fuck You" fund. He had started the account ten years before and added to it whenever he could. He was proud that he had close to $50 thousand in his account. Well, his Fuck You fund was about to get a major shot in the arm.

Tom brought up the secure website for each bank. With his passcode and several keystrokes, he transferred the bulk of Kramerica's payment into his personal account. He left $100 thousand in the original account. He took a shower, changed, and got ready to head out to meet the mystery texter.

Tom walked into TGIF just after noon. As he made his way in, he saw a man wave him over. He looked to be about Tom's age, handsome and dressed well. Tom walked towards him. "I think you sent me a text." Tom said as he sat.

"I'm sorry for the way it turned out. I don't know if there was any clean way to tell you." The stranger began.

"Why don't you start with who you are and your connection to Tonya." Tom replied.

"I was on the team. I left the Army after 8 years. I got wounded in action and had a long recovery and was medically discharged. I joined Kramerica about 6 months ago. I was assigned to Pete's team about 3 months ago. I was telling a friend about the job and mentioned that I was working for Tonya. When he asked for her full name, we discovered that we had a mutual friend and he asked me to watch out for Tonya, as a favor."

"At first everything was great. I was welcomed warmly to the team. It didn't take long to find out why." He started. "Tonya approached me about 2 months in. She is extremely attractive and hmmm, compelling but when I asked her about her ring she just smiled and told me you were okay with it. I wasn't and said so. That started the deep freeze. After I turned her down, I got all the shit assignments and nothing but grief from Pete."

"I called our mutual friend back and told him about Tonya approaching me. He told me about you and that he thought that pimping your wife for pay seemed "out of character for the man he knew." He thought there was more to it than Tonya let on and that you needed to know. Pete sent me the pic when they were trying to get me "on board" with the team, kind of a prize I could expect if I went along. Let's just say that I don't agree with their methods. I guess I'm a straight arrow. I resigned yesterday and sent you the text."

"Our friend?" Tom asked.

"Troy Baker. If I hadn't met Troy," He replied then stopped a moment before he went on. "Let's just say he helped me out of a scrape when I was a green LT. I owe him a favor or two."

"Don't we both." Tom agreed.

"What are you going to do?" The stranger asked.