Chapter 3
Jason
“Good afternoon, folks, this is your captain speaking. We will be descending to LAX in about fifteen minutes. We hope you had a pleasant flight with us and hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. This is Captain Edward Davenport wishing you all a very nice day on behalf of Etihad Airways. Thank you.”
The announcement stopped and my small screen finally played the movie I was watching. I woke up from sleep about three hours ago and decided to catch up on my Marvel movies I missed during my mission in the Middle East. So far, Guardians of the Galaxy was just as great as I heard it was.
The curvy flight attendant that had been semi-flirting with me came on the aisle and told me to put up the blinds on my window, and I obliged. I winced as the first ray of light shined through the crack and I closed my eyes to try and block out the rest, the shine making the lids of my eyes go red. I turned my head away and opened my eyes to let them adjust to the brightness, and I caught the man I was sitting next to fidget and turn away from me.
I smirked a little and looked at my screen again, touching my hairy chin. A lot of us let our beards grow out so we could blend in with the folks in Afghanistan, and I hadn’t touched a razor in five years. This poor sap probably thought I was some sort of terrorist.
Hmm, maybe it was time for a shave.
I took my seatbelt off and crossed over the man onto the aisle so I could head onto the lavatory. I spotted the flirty flight attendant earlier and raised my hand out to call her attention. She smiled and batted her eyelashes.
“And what may I help you with, sir?” she said, her voice ending with a slight purr. I kept my stance relaxed and gave her a small grin.
“Yes, ma’am. I was wondering, do you have a razor I could use? It’s been a while and I think I could use a good shave, I said, pulling on the ends of my beard in emphasis. “Don’t want the locals to get the wrong impression,” I told her and she giggled.
“I hardly think you’re threatening at all, sir. Not with the uniform like that,” she said, looking at me surreptitiously from head to toe. I was still wearing my camouflage shirt, pants and black combat boots out of habit, and I realized what attracted her to me was the uniform. “But as a matter of fact, we do have a razor here. Wait just a moment,” she said.
She walked back to the containers and pulled a small pack and a cylindrical container, and then handed them to me. I looked at the label of the container. ‘Shaving cream’.
“Compliments of the airline,” she said brightly. I smiled and nodded at her, walking past her and entering the lavatory, sapping the lock closed. The light went on automatically as soon as I closed the door, and I unsnapped the button of the little package to look at what was inside.
There was a razor, small soap, a tooth brush, and a small tube of toothpaste, all with the words ‘Etihad’ and its Arabic translation embossed on them.
I placed them down on the small counter and turned the sink on, splashing my face with cold water a few times. I looked back up to peer at my reflection.
My hair was slightly longer than the standard military cut as I had neglected to cut my hair back at camp, but my sideburns blended with my hairy face, making me look like a lumberjack. My eyes were baggy, probably from lack of (good) sleep, and a little bloodshot.
I really looked terrible. It was amazing how that flight attendant could even be attracted to me when I looked like this.
Oh, right. She was looking at my uniform, not my face.
“Well, I’m going to have to fix that,” I muttered, before going to work.
After I finished cleaning myself up, I looked at my reflection again, feeling my newly-shaved chin with my fingers. Well, at least now I looked like a proper soldier.
I pulled on my uniform, adjusting it a bit and when I was finally content with my appearance, I took my stuff with me and unlocked the door.
It seems the flight attendant was waiting for me to come out because she looked up as soon as I folded the door open. Her eyes widened and she looked me up and down, her tongue coming out and licking her lips a little. I nodded at her before walking back to my seat, allowing myself a little smirk as soon as my back was turned.
Well, now she had two reasons to want me.
***
I helped an old lady take her luggage out of the overhead storage before taking my bag out, and then I fell in line as the passengers got off the plane. The flight attendants on duty were wishing everyone a pleasant stay, and when it was my turn to leave, the one who kept helping me out earlier extended her hand for a handshake. I took it without hesitation and smiled. I felt a small piece of paper placed on my palm as she shook my hand with a smile.
“Thank you for flying with us, sir,” she said, giving me one last wink before taking her hand away. I nodded again and walked away, putting the paper in my pocket.
I looked at my wrist watch and whistled as it read 0700. The plane landed earlier than expected. I went over to the designated conveyor belts and waited a few minutes for the luggage to start coming out. I spotted my duffel right away and waited until it reached my side before hauling it off.
I walked out of the airport with my bag slung over one shoulder and my duffel bag in one hand, squinting as the rays from the sun hit my face. I shielded my eyes with my hand as I looked around the road for my ride. I had already expected he wouldn’t be here yet, though. I told him to pick me up at eight-thirty.
Since I didn’t have a phone yet, I looked around for the phone booth and spotted one at the side of the entrance to gate 2. I was about to walk over there when I heard a car honk loudly, making me turn my head. I saw a white Toyota pull over the side of the road, honking twice before the windows in the passenger seat started to roll.
I smiled as soon as I saw my friend, Chase Lincoln, wave at me from inside the car.
“Wasn’t expecting me here already, huh?” he asked, and I shook my head at him. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!” he said, popping his trunk open. I placed my stuff inside the trunk before getting in.
“I figured the plane might not arrive on schedule so I came here earlier, just in case,” Chase explained.
“That was good thinking,” I complimented him.
“Well, you know me. I always have to come up with a plan,” he said lightly, keeping his eyes on the road. “So, how long has it been, hm? We haven’t seen each other in, what, five years?” he asked, and I nodded.
“Yeah, about.”
“Still the same tight-lipped Jason as ever,” he said, chuckling. “Nice to know the war hasn’t changed you.”
“It changed some things, just not all of it,” I responded.
“Yeah, you Delta Force bastards are a quiet bunch, so I guess you’re just fitting the bill,” he said. “So, uh, I didn’t get to ask when you called me a couple of days ago, but why didn’t you sign up for another mission? I mean, you’re still pretty young, not to mention you were already a Captain, last I heard,” he said.
My jaw went taut and my mind immediately flashed the memory of an explosion. I clenched my fist, willing the memory to go away as I turned and looked through my window instead.
“Just got tired,” I said curtly, unwilling to talk about it. To Chase’s credit, he didn’t push me for information and changed the topic.
“So, anyways, I’m actually glad you’re here. I’m working on something and if you hadn’t called, I would’ve been in a serious bind,” he said, and I turned back and looked at him.
“Yeah, I noticed. What’s this job you said you had for me?” I asked him. He didn’t exactly elaborate on the job, just that my skills would definitely be of some use to it.
“Well, first things first, do you know who Veronica Langley is?” he asked, and I frowned, racking my brain trying to see if I knew someone with that name.
I shook my head.
“No, it doesn’t ring any bells. Why do you ask?” I said.
“Well, I’ve recently opened a business. You know those little companies that provide security detail, protection, and what not to clients who need or ask for them?” he asked. I nodded, still not getting where this was going. He continued his explanation. “I started a couple months ago and one of my bigger projects was that movie premiere back in Arclight Hollywood,” he said.
“Okay. But what does that have to do with the name you mentioned?” I asked him.
“I can’t believe you don’t know who she is, man! Veronica Langley is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood to date!” Chase said, and I rolled my eyes.
“Just get to the point, Chase,” I said, clenching my teeth in frustration.
“So anyways, Veronica Langley attended the premiere at Arclight because she was the lead. Everything was all set-up and ready until I noticed she was missing, and there were people who were unauthorized to get inside impersonating as a camera crew on the guise there to interview the stars. Their real plan was to isolate Veronica and kidnap her,” Chase explained. “I foiled the plan, saved the girl, all that shit.”
“And this is relevant to me because…?” I trailed off, raising my eyebrows at him.
“I’m getting there, I’m getting there! Jeez, don’t get your panties in a twist,” Chase said, exasperated. “So, as I was saying, her handler was so impressed with my work, that he asked me to start providing protection for Veronica. Seems the girl has been receiving several threats already from some crazy fanatic and the kidnapping attempt was just the icing on the cake,” he finished.
“Again, I don’t see how this is relevant--,” I stated, but he cut me off.
“I need you to be her protector,” he said, and I looked at him like he’d grown a second head.
“What? Are you serious?” I asked him, and he winced,
“Look, I know it’s not exactly your cup of tea--,”
“Damn right,” I said, cutting him off.
“But this could be a good opportunity for you!” he continued, making me scoff. “Just hear me out, okay? You’re out of a job, and you’re going to need some money soon, and this job doesn’t really stray far from your work as a Delta Force Operative. You’ll still be protecting someone, just not for the sake of the whole country,” he said.
“I specialize in covert operations. This is the complete opposite of that. I’ll need to protect her in front of millions of people!” I cried, shaking my head.
Chase sighed.
“Come on, man. Do me a solid! You’re the only one I can count on,” he said, his eyes pleading me to accept his offer. “And you’ll be making a ton of money on this! You’ll get rich, I’ll get more recommendations, and it’s a win-win for the both of us, eh?”
“I don’t know, man…,” I trailed off, smirking a little as I watched him beg for mercy.
“Dude! Please!” he yelled, his driving becoming a little erratic and veering off lane as I chuckled at his antics. He waited for me to say something, but after a couple minutes of silence, he sighed and shook his head.
“Tell you what,” he started, and I waited for him to tell me his new plan of convincing me. “How about we continue this discussion over a couple of beers? It’s been a while since we had a drink together, and I know this really chill place we could go to,” Chase offered, and I looked at him like he was insane.
“It’s still too fucking early for that, don’t you think?” I said, and he rolled his eyes.
“Nonsense. It’s never too early to drink,” Chase assured, and I shook my head at him.
“Really?”
“Come on, please! For old time’s sake,” he begged, and I winced at him before finally agreeing. He made a fist pump before signaling for a U-turn, because apparently, the bar he mentioned was all the way over on Sunset Boulevard.
We reached the place called ‘Frankie’s Bar’ and Chase told me it was frequented by soldiers as well, since it was a good spot to spend your furlough. The owner himself was a war veteran back in the day and even won a distinguished medal of valor for his service.
Chase and I took a seat by the bar and he waved over an elderly man wiping glasses with a dish rag over by the corner. The man seemed to recognize him because he waved back with a smile and hurried over to us.
His face was lined with many wrinkles as well as dotted with liver spots, but the man didn’t seem the least bit exhausted. In fact, he was pretty able-bodied for his age. He wore a crisp white polo shirt tucked into khaki pants, and I smirked a little, thinking the style was left over from his military days. His hair was still cut short, but longer than the standard buzz cut of a soldier.
He planted both of his hands on the counter as he gave us a friendly stare.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Chase Lincoln. It’s been a while since you came here, boy. What brings you here so bright and early?” he said, the corners of his mouth tilting upward as he grinned. Chase smiled back and answered.
“Oh, you know me, Frank. I’m never one to pass on a chance to drink,” Chase replied, and Frank chuckled at his response.
“Well, you best make sure you don’t turn into some kind of alcoholic, alright? I don’t want none of those crazy drunkards in my bar, you hear me, boy?” Frank said, mildly threatening.
I didn’t know what kind of thing an old man can do to a six-foot bulky guy like Chase, but Chase seemed scared enough to just nod and promise he wasn’t going to be any trouble. Frank turned his attention towards me and nodded his head.
“Who’s this fella?” Frank asked, and Chase clapped his hand on my shoulder with a smile.
“Oh, crap. Where are my manners? Frank, this is Jason. He’s a friend of mine. We met a few times when our services crossed each other,” he introduced and I nodded at Frank respectfully.
“Really, now? What unit are you?” Frank asked. Chase answered before I could open my mouth.
“He’s ex-Delta Force. He completed his mission a couple of days ago.” Frank looked at him in annoyance.
“Will you quit answering for him? Let the man speak for himself,” Frank barked, and Chase raised his hands up in surrender. Frank looked at me again with a critical eye. “You look too young to finish your service. What happened to you? Were you dishonorably discharged?” he asked.
I’m a little irked he didn’t even bat an eyelash asking me that question, but then again, he was a soldier and probably ended his career higher ranked than mine. He was probably used to getting the answers he wanted.
I shook my head in reply. “No, sir. I got injured, and they told me I should take a little vacation. I opted for a more permanent leave,” I answered truthfully.
We stared at each other for a long moment before he broke off his stare.
“What can I get you two?” Frank asked. “And before you say it, the first round’s on the house,” he remarked, and Chase whooped before giving him our order.
We spent the next couple of hours drinking and reminiscing about our days back in service, even though it wasn’t so long ago on my end. I stopped after the third beer and stuck to drinking water instead. I really wasn’t in the mood to get wasted on my first day back. Chase didn’t have the same problem and kept repeating that it had been a while since he had a drink, so he was going to make the most of it.
“Who’s going to drive the car back, though?” I asked him, watching his face turn red from the alcohol. He raised his eyes up to the ceiling in thought and Frank coughed and flicked him on his forehead with his finger.
“None of you rascals are going to take that car out. You’re leaving it right outside my bar and you’re taking a cab home,” Frank said, and Chase shrugged, not even arguing with the older man.
The place got really rowdy all of a sudden and I frowned, turning my head towards the entrance to see where the noise was coming from. Six men in uniforms walked in, laughing and shouting about whatever the fuck it was that seemed so funny they had to disturb the ambiance of the place. Frank cussed under his breath and shook his head.
“Those damn buffoons are here again. Commanding officers must not have enough bravado to drill some discipline into their subordinates these days,” he muttered.
“I don’t recognize them as one of your regulars, Frankie. Have they been here long?” Chase asked, looking curiously at the group as well. Frank grimaced and shook his head.
“That’s because my regulars stopped coming due to this ragtag bunch. Cocky sons of bitches, always really loud and ruined the place for them,” Frank answered.
My jaw clenched as I listened to the old man recount how these bastards ran his regulars out of the place. It made my blood boil, that guys like these assholes were even allowed in the Army when they’re practically ruining our good name. Fucking pissed me off.
And, they had to come at a time when I was moderately drunk.
“Give me a glass of Scotch, Frank,” I said, tapping the counter with my fingers, still looking at those guys.
Frank tilted his head in confusion but grabbed the bottle from the stock, taking another glass and loading some ice cubes into it before pouring my drink. He slid the glass onto the counter and I caught it with one hand and proceeded to down it in one gulp, the alcohol burning a line down my throat as it fired my system. I slammed the glass on the counter and stood up from my seat, cracking the knuckles on one hand and then the other.
“Hey, Frank,” I said, cracking my neck from side to side to get rid of the knots formed there. “Mind if I help in taking the trash out?” I asked.
“Oh, that’s alright, son. I close up at 4am and I can take the trash out then,” Frank said, taking my question literally.
“I don’t think that’s the kind of trash he was talking about, Pops,” Chase said, and I could feel him staring at my back.
I walked over to their table and all of them stopped mid-conversation. The guy sitting in the middle, the name on his uniform read ‘Lynch’, nodded at me.
“What the hell do you want?” he asked, and his buddies start to size me up while simultaneously flexing their muscles to make them look like they’re even remotely a threat.
I ignored his lackeys and looked him straight in the eye.
“You and your boys. I want them out of here,” I said, my voice getting several degrees lower and coming out menacingly.
Lynch scoffed at me and smiled, his mouth agape.
“Are fucking kidding me right now?” Lynch asked.
“I’m not much of a kidder,” I said.
The guy on Lynch’s right, Sanchez, gets up and flexes his arms while he clenched his jaw, glaring. He was a couple of inches taller than me and had more muscle, but that didn’t matter.
If I wanted to, I could kill him in my sleep.
“I think you should turn around and walk away, small fry,” Sanchez said, and I smirked at him. Lynch got up, the rest of his buddies following suit, forming half of a circle around me. They stared me down while I stared at Lynch, and the place was dead quiet until Chase shouted.
“You need some help, buddy?” Chase offered, and I couldn’t help but scoff.
“No thanks,” I said, scratching my nose with my thumb before clenching my fists, keeping them to my sides. “This’ll only take a minute.”
“Alright,” Chase replied.
Lynch growled and in the next second, all hell broke loose.
It took about two minutes to take them down and another thirty seconds throwing them to the curb, but I did it without breaking a sweat. There were a total of three casualties by the end of it though, which was a table and two chairs, so I bent my head and apologized to Frank, promising him I would pay him back for the damages.
He clapped my shoulder and chuckled, prompting me to look up at him.
“Son, never mind about the furniture. I appreciate you ‘taking the trash out’. One more visit from them and I might’ve run out of business!” he exclaimed, and I smiled.
Chase was still in awe of what he just witnessed, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Well, if I wanted a demonstration of what you can do, I just got it,” he said, and I chuckled. I remembered his job offer and it might’ve been because of my good mood, or because I wanted to put him out of his misery, hell maybe even a bit of both, that I said these next words.
“Oh and hey, about that job offer earlier?” I said, and his eyes widened at me. I smirked. “Count me in,” I said.
Chase’s eyes twinkled and he let out a big whoop, raising his arms in the air in triumph. He shouted at Frank to come over and ordered another bottle of Jack.
“Drinks on me, guys! Phew! Thanks, man,” he said, smiling widely at me, his eyes shining with relief. “You won’t regret this, trust me.”
“This Veronica chick better not be one of those prima donna types or else, you’re totally going to pay for this,” I threatened, and he shook his head adamantly.
“She won’t be! She’s a fantastic girl! I promise!”