Chapter 7

Cam

I had a new set of cadets and was giving them a taste of what it was like to be a SEAL. The base had the beach training ground and assault course, but it was not as tough for the cadets. We did have the famous bell they could ring, once they decided to quit and admit ultimate defeat.

“Come on maggots!” I screamed as the cadets climbed the obstacle course.

I heard sounds of moans, groans and frequent cursing. Earlier, one kid had puked after he had completed the five-mile run. I had no idea how they would cope with the full training that SEALs get. For most of them, it would be at least three or four times harder than what they were used to doing.

I glanced down the beach and could see the other physical trainers mouthing obscenities at the cadets. I watched as they crawled through the shit under the nets and ran through the tires. As I lifted my gaze and looked at the ships in the harbor, I missed those days of heading out at the start of a tour, and the anticipation of what would happen when we arrived at our destination. I sighed and looked back into the pipe where cadets were crawling through the water. Some of them had come up gasping for air.

“Just ring that fucking bell, and it will all be over,” I screamed. My face became red. I had to be tougher than nails.

“No!” Cadet Gracey said.

“Gracey, what did you just fucking say to me?” I bellowed. “Ring that bell and admit your defeat!”

“No Sir, never. I’m not going to ring your bell, Sir,” he shouted back.

“You will Gracey, you will ring that fucking bell. Ding fucking dong. You’re weak, and you will be defeated. Now, move your fucking fat ass… one more lap,” I screamed as I watched him, exhausted.

I grabbed each cadet who exited from the pipe. They all looked at the bell and wanted to ring it, but the thought of quitting drove them on and on.

“Sir,” I heard from behind me.

I turned and could see that one of my office staff had a message.

“Sir, the Admiral wants to see you in his office stat,” Kevin said as he stood to attention.

“Geez, Kevin, how many times have I told you. You don’t always have to stand to attention for me during training,” I replied.

“Habit Sir,” he replied as he saluted me and smiled.

We walked back from the beach and jumped into an awaiting jeep. The base was huge, and to walk it would have taken a good hour. I looked on as we passed a stream of Hummers and personnel carriers that had been readied to be loaded onto some of the aircraft carriers. The constant threat from the new wave of extremists had put the whole world on red alert, and the Marines and SEALs had been on a rotating patrol of hot spot areas.

The jeep pulled up outside of the administration building and I headed to the Admiral’s office, wondering what it was all about. I had only been there once before, and that had been when Owen and I had received our medals.

I glanced back over my shoulder as I entered the building; the vastness of the base just blew my mind sometimes. It was home to over twenty thousand people and could cater up to forty ships from the thirteen piers that spread over the whole horizon. It was like organized chaos, and the base had been designed and constructed with just two aims; total domination of the enemy, and rigorous training.

The force that was generated from this base alone was quite staggering, and I was proud to be a part of it. I had stood proudly since the very first day I had signed up. I had seen rough times, but I always returned victorious and stronger, both mentally and physically from what I had endured over the years.

I walked into the building and could instantly feel the aircon’s effect on the environment. The flags ruffled in the chilled air and the walls homed many photos of past officers who had fought so bravely in combat. I could see the pictures of Owen and me proudly situated on the wall for ‘Extreme perseverance and duty to others in battle’.

“The Admiral will see you now,” his receptionist said.

I turned the door handle and entered the Admiral’s office; the air was still, and there was deadly silence. I stood with my arms at my side and waited for the Admiral to finish in his private quarters.

The Admiral entered, and I saluted him until he told me to be at ease.

“Cam, I’m glad you could come so soon,” he said as he offered me a chair.

As I sat, I hoped it was nothing to do with Katie. She was the last thing I needed to cause me any trouble. She had been persistent in being a sitter and had popped round the house on a few occasions; each time she’d worn something that made her look more than hot, and I had found it more than difficult to keep my hands off her.

“There is no need to be alarmed, this is just a friendly chat,” the Admiral said, clasping his hands and rested them on his desk.

I glanced around his office and could see dozens of photos of Katie. He really must love her, even though she was a handful. I had to hand it to him, he had done a great job raising her; a single father since his wife left him. No wonder he's the Admiral. She’s probably harder to control than the whole damn base. I tried not to laugh.

“I heard all about the party the other night, by the way, it sounded like a real blowout from what I heard,” he said, smiling, “I remember some of mine. God they were nightmares.”

“It was eventful, Sir,” I said.

“Cam, not so formal, this is nothing to do with work,” he replied.

I really had no thought of what he could want me for, apart from the party, and that conversation would soon be over.

“I should apologize for Katie’s behavior, she can be a little off the rails at times,” he said.

“It was nothing,” I replied.

“Cam, it was something. I love my daughter, and I’m glad you stepped in when you did. I have seen the video on the Internet. It could have ended up entirely different if you had not intervened,” the Admiral said in a grateful tone.

“She just needed my help. I couldn’t watch her be abused by someone else,” I said as my mind went back to the feel of Peter’s nose shattering on my hard elbow.

“That is not why I called you in. I’m worried about her,” he said.

“I can fully understand. I have a little girl all of my own, and I know how it feels to be a father,” I replied.

No, no, please don’t ask me to watch over her.

“Now, that was what I wanted to talk to you about, Cam. Katie mentioned to me she wants to do something useful, and after the events of the party, she's busy looking for a summer job while she is home,” the Admiral explained.

Katie, what have you done?

“Well, Katie loves children and children love her, maybe they have the same mental ages,” the Admiral laughed.

Admiral, You’re not funny!

“So, I was thinking, because she gets on with children, maybe she can go over to yours and help out. It could make things a little easier?” the Admiral asked eagerly as he leaned forward.

Fuck.

I looked at the Admiral and explained. “My daughter already has day care, Monday through Fridays. She has her friends there. She might miss them?”

“I understand that, but it could be good for Katie. She could gain a hell of a lot experience, and she would learn some responsibility,” he went on. “Not only that, but she would have more of a reason to stay home at night rather than going out until one thirty in the morning.”

Did he see me drop Katie off on Friday?

I sat there and listened to the Admiral as he explained about the benefits of Katie helping out, and how it would please him and make her grow up a little. I sensed, from the way the conversation was going, he was not asking me to let her help out, he was telling me I had to let her help out.

Damn, Katie. How the fuck can I get out of this?

I looked at the Admiral and gazed into his steely eyes as he spoke. “Much of this has stemmed from the party, if you had just been an average Marine, I would have told her ‘no’. But, the action you took was very noble and not over the top. You controlled and ended the situation without causing a show, and that shows a lot of self-restraint and maturity,” the Admiral continued to explain.

“I know Katie is grateful and wants to make it up to you in one way or another,” he said in a friendly tone.

Admiral, Katie wants to fuck my brains out!

Without being obvious, I tried to deter the Admiral from continuing his line of conversation, but he was as stubborn and persistent, just like Katie. Now I could see where she got it from.

“I agree with Katie on this matter, and it was very noble of you, and I know she already looks up to you as a person she can trust. I also know you’re very trustworthy,” he said as he relaxed back in his chair.

Admiral, I want to fuck your daughter's brains out! I would be babysitting the babysitter, and God only knows what else… Sir!

“Already I have seen a small change in her attitude; she helped around the house and she has talked more to me. You must have a positive effect on her, and after a couple of months, she could start to be acting like the young woman she should be,” the Admiral looked satisfied, like he had already won the conversation.

This was a more difficult situation than taking out the details of terrorists, single-handed, and why was it me that ended up in this situation? Fuck, I’m just a SEAL who was looking for a comfortable life, and now look at me. I’m mentally facing off with an Admiral of the United States Navy.

How the fuck can I win this one?

The Admiral basically repeated himself, just to enforce the point. Both he and Katie respected me and thought I had started to have a positive influence on her mentality, and that I would help to change her into a better person by letting her give me a hand.

Fuck Admiral, when you put it that way… I’m totally screwed.

“Cam, no need to answer right now, just take your time and think it over. Just think about what I’ve said, and carefully consider it,” he said with a huge grin on his face.

At that very moment, I wished I were a complete bum; just an average Marine who was single and had no thought of my actions. Checkmate.

It was not me who had won. The Admiral sat there as pleased as he could be; it was like he had shed a burden and dumped it squarely onto my horny shoulders.

“I will consider all you have said, Sir,” I uttered to the Admiral.

I had no choice at all.

I stood up from the chair and I could see that the Admiral wouldn’t say another word on the matter. He had made his mind up and he would just wait for me to cave in and agree to do it.

I stood and saluted the Admiral, leaving him to bask in his moment of glory. I could imagine him running around his office shouting ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ like a schoolboy eating candy for the first time. I left the administration building and jumped in the jeep to take me back to the beach.

I never looked at any of the hundreds of Marines as they stacked their gear up and waited to board the ships or the many rounds of ammunition that were lined up ready for the ship's guns. I never even noticed the helicopters that made the short trip from the grounds of the base to the deck of the aircraft carriers.

I was pissed off with Katie and wondered how she could stoop so low and use her dad, the Admiral, to help get her into my life. It was obvious she wanted to be in my life, and I was scared to let her into it.

The jeep arrived back at the beach and the cadets were still doing laps of the assault course. I slowly walked across the sand and decided to do something. I had never considered doing this in my whole Navy career. No matter what I had done or did, I had never quit or failed. I always had the upper hand in any situation and had always come out on top.

I had been talked about and stories had been passed on about my heroics. And around the base, I had become a living legend.

Cam Cross the protector, what did that fucking mean now?

I had faced adversities in impossible situations and survived; I had emerged victorious after being bombarded by mortars while saving the lives of three comrades, and had continued to protect and serve after all of that.

My whole life, in the space of a week, had just been turned upside down. Katie had done what no training or enemy had made me do in my life. How could a twenty-year-old girl get past my defenses and instantly sway me? I was coming undone. I still stood proudly, but I had to do it, I had to admit it to myself.

I stood there and gazed at the sparkling ocean, swallowing hard and taking one deep breath. I raised my hand and grabbed the rope, and I rang that fucking bell like a man who needed saving.

No one took it seriously. It was just me pulling the rope, after all. Enticing them in. Most of them laughed.