All Necessary Force

The people who came with us were different. We would be the skeleton that the Taskforce would fall in on. We had a roster of TF operators who were included as our “employees,” but we’d only see them when we were tasked with an operation. Knuckles and Bull — our employees on this trip — would be the ones with the risk. Lord knows where they had been in the last six months.

In a nutshell, that was the purpose of our travel. As a company, we had to build a record with Taskforce personnel acting as employees, so we were doing what we called a “cover development” trip. Otherwise known as a “boondoggle” or “vacation on the government dime.” Basically, we just wanted to start populating air travel databases, getting our passports stamped, and collecting business cards from overseas, all of which would support that we were who we said we were. It was a really sweet gig because we’d be forbidden to do anything that wasn’t part of our cover. And it was truly necessary if we wanted to fool anyone with an Internet connection for more than five seconds. Jennifer, who was really into what our business did, had picked the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, so that’s where we were going for a week, with Knuckles and Bull as our employees.

As Jennifer worked through my bag, she asked, “How many companies are there like us?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. A lot. So many that probably only the comptroller or Kurt Hale knows for sure. None have a business like ours, though. All the other companies that I know of are just that — companies full of corporate types. We’re the only one founded and run by operators.”

Jennifer reflexively touched her eye, looking at me with a sad, wistful expression, like a child who had saved forever to buy a toy only to be disappointed in the reality when it arrived at the door, a pale imitation of the TV commercial promises.

“I don’t think anyone in the Taskforce thinks about me that way.”

I regretted my choice of words, because she was right. It would take more than some training and assessment to win them over, but she was on the way. In truth, I respected her abilities greatly, but deep down, even I still harbored a sliver of doubt. I covered it up.

“Bullshit. Knuckles doesn’t feel that way anymore. He’s a believer now. Anyway, who cares what those assholes think? It only matters what you think.”

I changed the subject. “Knuckles will be here any minute. Where do you want to take him for dinner? He’s never been to Charleston.”

“I just figured you’d take him to Red’s Ice House. It’s why you rented this office space in the first place.” She smiled. “So you could walk home.”

She was partly right. I had snapped up an office on Shem Creek in the town of Mount Pleasant because the depressed economy made it a steal, but being a stone’s throw from my favorite haunt hadn’t hurt the sale.

“We can go wherever you want. No bars. I’ll even dress up.”

She zipped up my bag and stared at it for a second like she was trying to figure out what to say. What came out took me completely by surprise.

“Pike, I’ve already got plans tonight. I’m meeting someone downtown. I figured you’d want a boy’s night out.”

“Plans? Tonight? With who?”

“Nobody. Just a college friend I haven’t seen since I graduated.”

“A guy?”

She didn’t have to say anything. Her expression told me it was. I started shoving all the loose gear I wasn’t taking back into a duffel bag, using more force than was necessary. Before it could get any more awkward, Knuckles came through the door, dragging a backpack.

“Hey, workmates. Ready to do some sightseeing on the government dime?”

He saw our expressions and said, “Did I interrupt something?”

Jennifer pulled out onto Coleman Boulevard headed toward the Ravenel Bridge, feeling a little guilty. She really was just meeting a friend from college, but she’d hidden it from Pike because she’d known it wouldn’t be taken that way. She knew him better than he thought. She knew the terrible history and had seen the demons he constantly fought. She had simply wanted to protect him from any pain, but had failed. She had seen it in his eyes, and the hurt had boomeranged right back into her.

She knew Pike’s emotions were still ragged from the loss of his family, and gave him space because of it, but the truth was she had her own confusion to deal with. There was no doubt she felt drawn to Pike, but she wasn’t sure if it was real. Last year he had been willing to sacrifice his life for hers. Not once, but twice in selfless acts that had touched her core. She couldn’t tell if that was affecting her feelings. If maybe she wasn’t projecting a debt she felt she owed.

The idea of going to Assessment and launching the company had been intriguing, but initially she had shied away. Pike had been insistent, and she’d acquiesced simply because he’d asked. Well, mostly. She couldn’t deny that some part of her had enjoyed the excitement and satisfaction of success. And Pike had promised that it wouldn’t all be Taskforce business. She’d get to do some real research with real scientists. She knew it would just be to keep the cover intact, but that was good enough. Where Pike fit into all of this she was unsure.

She realized that they were going to have to talk. To get it out in the open, for real. For either good or bad.

She was broken out of her thoughts by her cell phone. Looking at the screen, she saw it was a call from Texas. She didn’t recognize the number but did know the area code. As soon as she answered, she wished she hadn’t.

“Hey, baby. How’re you doing?”

Immediately sick to her stomach, she was taken back to the fear, like she’d never left.

“What do you want?” she said.

“Nothing. I just wanted to catch up.”

“You’re not supposed to contact me. Ever. Your dad promised. You promised.”

Her voice quavered, and she hated herself for it. You’re not the same girl he beat on. You’re better than that.

“Well, Dad and I have sort of… fallen out. So, no more money from the trust fund, and no more agreements that he made for me.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you. Good-bye.”

“Wait! Okay, so we can skip the small talk. I saw you found some sort of temple last year. Made a little money.”

“Yes. So what.”

“Well, I was hoping you’d be willing to share a little of your good fortune with me. Not a lot. Just enough to get your ex back on his feet.”

She couldn’t believe the audacity. “Chase, forget it. Forget this number and forget we were ever married. You’re not getting a dime.”

His voice went from silky to rabid. “You little bitch! I’m just asking for a little help. Consider it payback for all of my money you spent when we were married. It’s only fair.”

“I hear you, and I’m hanging up. Stay away.”

She cut off his screaming and threw the phone in the passenger seat, shaking. The voice of her ex-husband had released a kaleidoscope of images and feelings, all competing for attention in her mind. The beating, the blood and vomit. But mostly the terror. Something she’d run from and thought she’d left behind, but his voice was enough to take her back.

It dawned on her that she had felt this same way in the saloon. Not as extreme, but a knife edge of terror facing a roomful of men all intent on beating her. Just like her ex-husband. Maybe even taking joy in it like her ex- husband. The difference had been that she had learned how to fight back. She’d been so intent on survival, she hadn’t made the connection. Now it left her a little disgusted.

The Taskforce was supposed to be made of heroes. Pure, with her being Tonto to the Taskforce Lone Ranger, both only doing what was necessary for the defense of the nation. She’d seen Pike’s selfless side but had also seen him act in ways that were borderline homicidal. She’d put it down to the torture of his past. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe the difference between the black hats and the white hats was simply the interpretation of the artist. Maybe they’re all like my ex-husband, but they’ve just found an outlet for the violence.