"Secretary." The aide said as he stood up straight. "Why are you here? I thought-."
The Secretary of Defenses waved at the man to be quiet. "Mr. Acers, I hope you can forgive Mr. Addison. I sent him here to poke your buttons on purpose. I wanted to see what kind of man you were." He said as he walked up to Gerald. "I have heard a lot about you. Apparently, it was only the tip of the iceberg. When I saw your name appear as a civilian contractor I wanted to find out if it was really you."
"Mmm. I guess you know my mother?"
"A little. The one who has been talking to me though is your father."
"Oh… Is that shit head still alive?"
"Ha, last I saw he was still breathing."
"Not like I would know." Gerald replied coldly.
"If you would like, I could pass on a message next time I see him."
"Sure, tell him to not bother coming back."
"Let's set that aside for now. I would like for you to reconsider your resignation here."
"But sir." The aide interjected. "This man is highly unstable. He even threatened to kill me."
"Ha, ha, didn't you threaten to kill him first?"
"I never-."
"Hank. You need to read all the files you are given clearly. They way that Mr. Acers here dealt with the recruit who falsified his information resulted in the man's death."
"I am sorry sir." The aide said with a bowed head.
"Never mind it. Mr. Acers, if you are willing to stay, we can give you the highest-level clearance. You can work on your own schedule. About the crap pay… well there is not much I can do about that, but I don't think you actually need the money."
"Why are you so eager to keep me around. That bit of skill I showed shouldn't warrant this kind of attention?"
"No, it doesn't. Be we also noticed the improvements in Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie after you spent a day with them. And I have long been aware of your relationship with Dasher. And his capabilities have exceeded all of our expectations. But that isn't it either. Last week I spoke to your father. He told me that if I give you another ten years, you might even surpass him."
"Wow, he thinks so poorly of me."
"Ha, ha, ha, your attitude is the same as his. He hasn't told me exactly what it is you do in your free time or how you train yourself, but he did impress upon me that your existence is critical. The only time I saw that man be humble was when he said that in the scheme of things, you have saved more lives than he has."
"Oh."
"Ha, ha, so what do you say. Will you keep working here? I have been approved to give you an official military rank with no strings attached. All the perks but none of the draw backs. We simply want you around when you have time and to make it so that no one else can claim you."
Gerald thought it over for a moment. "Alright. But don't blame me if you go back on your promise."
"No, never. I know better than to break my word when dealing with an Acers."
"Good. Now I need to go meet up with my editor. I got a new book to submit."
"Good luck with that. Oh, did you know, that your father reads every word that you put out? He is a very dedicated fan."
Gerald nodded and left the room while mumbling under his breath. "I doubt he is a fan, he is studying."
Gerald took the lift back to the surface level. Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie were waiting for him when he arrived.
"I am guessing everything went well. I was just given a new credential packet that I am supposed to pass to you." Charlie said while handing over a folder.
Gerald took it and opened it up. The others saw Gerald pick up his new military identification. Since the back was to them, they didn't know what it said, but they could tell it was more than just a civilian's consultant badge.
"He, he, looks like you will have to salute us when we walk by now." Alpha said with a smirk.
"Yeah, I am not sure about that." Gerald said as he turned the I.D. around.
They read the rank. Major General.
"What the hell?" Alpha cried out.
"How are you ranked above us?" Charlie said with confusion.
Bravo just nodded. The two turned to him when they realized he wasn't curious or confused. "Would you feel comfortable if he was ranked below us? That wouldn't make sense."
"But we put in the time, while he just jumps straight above us on his first day." Alpha whined.
"Can you really call his situation ordinary though?" Charlie said.
"I don't think you will have to salute me. This thing says I'm in the marines. Aren't you guys army?"
"Doesn't matter. Army salutes all superior officers." Alpha said with a pout.
"I don't think it matters." Bravo said. "You aren't supposed to salute officers in civilian clothes, and it doesn't look like he was issued a uniform."
"Ah, that's right." Alpha said with a smile. "No salute for you."
Gerald chuckled and shook his head after putting his I.D. into his wallet. "It's all just a bunch of nonsense. I am only in the military in name. Nothing will change. My papers say that I am on loan to the Calamity Unit and can't issue orders without approval from the officers in charge. Which would be you all."
"And we can't give you orders because you outrank us. Even if you are on loan." Bravo said.
"But it isn't just nonsense." Alpha said as he took the papers from Gerald hands. "Look." He said while pointing to the papers. "Your I.D. should be a qualified license for tanks, ships, airplanes, helicopters, trucks and all sorts of vehicles. And the I.D. should make it legal for you to carry weapons and ordinance. As long as those weapons don't violate the requirements of the world courts."
Gerald raised a questioning eyebrow.
Charlie answered. "You can't have biological weapons, chemical weapons, three sided daggers and what not."
"Oh. That makes sense." Gerald said. "Well… No offense, but I have seen enough of you guys, I am heading home."
Alpha handed back the paper. "It says you can keep that car if you want."
Gerald shrugged and took the non-descript car with military plates out of the military base.
As he was on the road home, his phone started ringing. He recognized the number, or in actuality, the lack of number.
"Hello mom."
"Hi sweetie. Your name came across my desk today."
"Oh yeah? That's odd."
"Is it now?"
"I guess not."
"Don't be a turd and talk to me. You are a marine Major General now. Things like that don't just happen overnight, but somehow it happened for you."
"Well… What can I say? I did a favor for someone and they added my name to a registry as a civilian consultant to help me out, but it got the attention of the Secretary of Defense and then-."
"Enough said. He and your father have always been as thick as thieves. I can guess the rest."
"I am sure you could have guessed all of it. So what's up? How are you?" Gerald asked.
"I am not doing well."
"What-. What's wrong? Do you need help?"
"It's terrible…"
"Talk to me. Maybe I can help."
"Okay, my problem is that my good-for-nothing son never calls his dear and caring mother. He doesn't even call to tell me that he now has a girlfriend. I have to hear about it from his sister. Can you imagine, a child that hates his mother so much that he doesn't even call or tell her about the things happening in his life."
"Mom, come on. Aren't we having dinner next week? I was going to tell you then. Besides I have been busy. I had work I couldn't get out of."
"Pah, yeah right. No one has been able to make you do anything you didn't want to. But this son of mine can't even be bothered to call his mother just to say hello."
"Okay, okay, I am sorry. I will try to call you more."
"Good. So tell me about this girl."
"How did Kelly even find out I have a girlfriend? Last time we talked, I specifically told her I didn't have one."
"Her agency was looking into you and she got her hands on their surveillance photos."
"Something that I should be concerned about?"
"No sir Major General." She said playfully. "They are just curious about their agent's brother. Anyways. She told me that you were having a lady friend stay at your place. Sounds like a girlfriend to me. Tell me something about her."
"She is nice to me. But I bet you know more about her than I do."
"He, he. She seems like a good girl, nothing to worry about, as long as you are happy."
"That's what my gut told me. Besides I checked her out before I hired her as my editor."
"That's good practice, you should bring her to dinner next week. Your sister will be there too."
"I don't know about that. Seems pretty early to meet the family."
"Your choice, but I can't say for sure that Kelly won't try to go meet her on her own."
"Yeah, yeah, I understand."
"Good, well I got to go. See you next week."
"Okay. Bye, love you mom."
"Love you too."
Gerald pulled into his apartments garage and parked before heading up to his place.
He then made himself some dinner and poured himself a drink. He brought his laptop out of his bag and set it up in front of him and his meal.
*Ding* *Ding*
An alert popped up in the screen. He clicked and a video call connected.
Amy was on the other side with her dinner set up before her.
They both raised a glass and bumped them against the camera as they toasted.
"How was your day?" Gerald asked.
"Eh, it was good. I found out some information about the movie, but lets eat first. I am starving."
"Me too, it was a long day."
"Did your trainees give good results in the assessment?"
"Yeah, it wasn't bad. 85% passed."
"Wow, that's more than you expected. You must be really good."
"Not bad, they kind of made my position permeant though. They made me a Major General in the Marines. It's actually a really high rank."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, they backdoored me into the military and gave me a rank without any responsibility."
"He, he, that gives me a good idea."
"What might that be?" Gerald asked.
"Next time we meet up, you can wear your uniform and you can interrogate me."
Gerald chuckled. "Would you like that?"
"He, he. You can interrogate this naughty terrorist by any means necessary. Do you think you can force a confession out of me? Maybe you might even have to strip me down to check that I am not hiding anything and then tie me up so I don't resist."
"I think I could do that." Gerald said with a smirk.
"And then-."
"Don't say anymore." Gerald interjected. "It will be hard to sleep tonight if we keep talking about this while your away."
"He, he, okay, I will be nice." She said with a wink as they kept eating.
After their meal, Amy brought up the topic of the movie.
"So I found out it has nothing to do with the company I work for. That was a relief. But it does involve your old publishing company. They are in partnership with Big Deal Films to produce the movie. Yesterday I had an appointment to see their Film Media director, Tom George."
"Tom George? That was the guy who used to be my editor."
"Apparently he is a Director at his company now. Anyways, once I signed in with the receptionist and told them my reason for visiting, they kept giving me B.S. and pushing my appointment back. Eventually they closed and I still didn't talk to anyone. I waited on hold for about two hours today, but I was never given another chance to make an appointment. Those meanies just keep giving me the runaround."
"Okay, thanks for the information. I will deal with it from here."
"Do you need me to help you find a lawyer?"
"Nah, I am not going to go that route yet."
"If those guys won't meet with me, I doubt they will meet with you."
"That's probably true. But I wonder if the people they are partnered with 'Big Deal' know that they are making a movie illegally."
"Ah, I didn't think about that. That's a good idea. Wait… does that mean you are going to come out here?"
"Yeah, how else will I deal with these thieves?" Gerald asked with a smirk.
"Ha, ha, great. I can't wait. You can stay at my place. I will book you a flight right now."
"Hey, hey, hold on a second. I am not going to fly. It is only half a day's drive."
"It is only a two hour flight. Why not fly?"
"I like to imagine myself as the main character of my stories."
"So…"
"Come on, you have read enough books. What happens when the main character gets on a plane? Something always goes wrong. Its hijacked, the pilot gets sick, dragons appear in the sky. Something always goes wrong."
"Psst. Oww, oww, oww."
Amy was taking a sip of her wine when she started to laugh and launched it out of her nose. Unfortunately, the alcohol burned.
"Oww, oww, you dummy. That hurt." She said while wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry, but it is true. I prefer to drive."
"Fine." She said while wiping up her desk. "When will you come out."
"I will be there tomorrow."
"What?!?!!? Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, is that a problem?"
"NO, no, no, that's fine. But I have to clean up my room. It is such a mess. Ah, I have so little time."
"Ha, ha, that doesn't matter." Gerald said with a laugh.
"It does to me."
*Smooch*
She made a kiss towards the camera. "I have to start cleaning up. Text me when you get here." She said before closing the video chat.