Page 24 of Call Sign: Thunder
"But, Captain, our weekend started twenty minutes ago."
"You're a marine, Johnson. That's a bit more important than getting drunk and laid."
The newest class of pilots to hit the base’s flight school gave Zach expectant looks. He caved. "Fine. Get the hell out of here, but we'll start at oh-eight-hundred on Monday morning. Don't be late this time, Johnson."
"Yes, sir!" Eleven young men in uniform jumped up and dashed for the classroom door, hoping to escape before their flight instructor changed his mind.
Zach watched them hustle out with a nostalgic grin on his face. It wasn't too long ago he'd have been heading out with them. Only as he watched the last man exit did he notice his friend Rock at the back of the room leaning against the back wall, his muscular arms crossed.
Fucking great. Here comes my next lecture.
Zach turned his back to his friend, trying to look busy putting away the props he'd used in class that day. He was pleasantly surprised at how much he was enjoying spending time in a classroom instead of in the cockpit.
"You can't keep hiding from me," Rock pressed.
Zach chuckled. "You must think I suck at hide and go seek if you think this is where I'd choose for my hiding place."
Rock's voice was serious. "Grab your coat. The temp has dropped. You'll need it tonight."
Zach pressed down his anger. "I have plans."
"Bullshit. You're gonna stay home and sulk again."
"Shows how much you know. I wallow. I don't sulk."
"Call it whatever the fuck you want. You're not doing it tonight. That hot little waitress, Patty, from the diner and her best friend are meeting us at Charlie's Pub in an hour. It's time you get back on the horse."
"Nice, Rock. Did you take out an ad looking for someone who will give me a pity fuck?"
His friend had moved closer, grinning. "Lucky for you, you haven't totally killed your playboy reputation yet. There's a long line ready to start queuing up as soon as you report for active bed duty again."
"What a relief," Zach countered with sarcasm.
The two men had been shooting the shit and hadn't noticed the third man who'd slipped into the room.
"Captain Garrett, I was hoping I could have a word with you."
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He'd replayed their last conversation over in his head so many times, he had it memorized.
Rock faced the door and Zach saw anger in his friend's eyes as he threw a death stare at Senator Benson.
"It's okay, Rock. I'll catch you next week."
Rock looked like he wanted to argue, but eventually sighed instead. "This isn't okay, you know. You should tell him to fuck off."
There was no way in hell Zach would do that. Was he pissed? Sure. Did he want to punch the man in the three-piece suit? Absolutely. But finding out any scrap of information on how Allie was doing outweighed everything else.
Rock hadn't budged. He waited expectantly, as if his friend would throw a punch and when that didn't happen, his face fell with defeat. "Get your head out of your ass, Zach. This isn't going to help."
Zach was pretty sure he was right, but it didn't matter. "Go home, David."
His friend took the hint, stomping off toward the door, stopping briefly to stare down the unflinching senator just inside the door.
The men squared off in a stare down the second they were alone. Zach's mind raced to come up with reasons Allie's dad might have for seeking Zach out four months after he'd whisked his daughter away in the dark of the night without even allowing them to say good-bye. Every reason he conjured was worse than the last.
The senator finally broke the awkward silence which a surprising confession. "I screwed up."
He should be relieved the asshole was coming clean. Instead, deep anger flared instead. "You think?" Zach shouted before taking a deep breath to calm his nerves enough to ask the question he was desperate for an answer for. "How is she?"
