SEALs

Chapter Nine

The California sun was hot against the back of my neck as I stepped out of the black car that had picked me up from the airport. I looked up at the building in front of me, three stories tall but unable to give me shade. Of course I had felt worse heat in Africa and South America but there was another reason why I was sweating and hot.

Commander Highland had called me to the Coronado Naval Base a few days after my team had come home. I was hesitant to leave Chicago, especially since Ali was still in the hospital, but after thinking about Frank and Joe's futures I decided I had to go alone.

Just thinking about my teammates made me remember our time in Tembo Bara. After Ali had been taken over by the doctors I called Mamun to check in on the real mission. I was surprised to learn that the president's plane had been delayed for a few hours due to weather and everyone was still waiting at the airport. Moony told us he wouldn't get into the country until an hour later. I couldn't believe our luck! My luck! We could still make it to the airport and report for duty. No harm, no foul.

We got a pick up from another trusted SEAL member. He promised to keep his mouth shut if we filled him in on our "adventure" as he called it. Mamun had definitely spilled. To how many people I didn't know, but I was happy as long as it never got out to the higher officials. If someone blabbed then we'd be fucked.

My team arrived on the airstrip and met up with Moony who begged for details on our mission and the well being of Ali. I hated leaving her behind but I had to come if I wanted anymore time with her in the future and I had a hell of a lot of plans for us.

The presidents landing went as planned and he was safely delivered to the parliament buildings. As soon as the motherfucker was inside the building I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. This meant that we could finally go home. We'd done our time and our duty in Tembo Bara. If we were lucky, we could be on the next flight back to the States without any talks with the Commander. After we left the next troop would take our place for a few months until we'd be called out again. But that wasn't going to be me. I knew then that I would ask for a stateside job. I'd go to medical school and take care of Ali. There was no way I would leave her after all we'd been through.

But here I was in Coronado without her beside me. She was still on bed rest in the Chicago hospital. She had been stuck in that bed ever since they had flown her over from Tembo Bara, which had been days ago. I wouldn't say I was angry but I would admit I was a little frustrated.

Ali was just so fragile. She had bruises almost all over her body, which were healing well, but it was the internal bruises that were the worst. I'd sit in her hospital room, just watching her sleep, when she'd suddenly start to shake violently and cry out for help. Every time I soothed her into slumber again I would feel that pang of guilt and uselessness. I could do nothing to make it go away. She would always be scarred.

So not only was I frustrated about my inability to heal Ali but I was also frustrated about getting close to her. I was a fucking man for Gods sake! Having been through so much trauma in Africa, I'd hoped that coming home would heal her but that was too fantastical. This was reality and I knew that I'd be getting nothing but soft kisses and touches until she healed. Was it wrong to hope for a speedy recovery so we could become intimate? Yes. But I felt it anyway and my testosterone filled body agreed with my need for female flesh.

I stepped inside the building, yanking off my sunglasses and pocketing them before taking in my surroundings. I knew this place well. After all, I'd trained here years ago. The whole lobby area looked the same with the modern deco and the visitors milling around. The part of the base I knew the best was the training areas. With the sandy beaches just off our living quarters, I always remembered waking up to the sound of the waves…and our instructors yelling right in our ears. "Wake up you dirty sacks of shit! Get your fat asses out of those beds!" Ah, the good old days.