Page 76 of The Flame of Carson
“Riding a desk, you mean?”Gage finished.She nodded.“I don’t know.When we leave here, I’ll go back to the office and give Ethan the doc’s papers and we’ll see what he wants to do.Then I’ll continue on with my day.”
“All right then.Just call or text me around lunch and we’ll go grab a bite.And yes, I’m still picking you up after work.It’s still my turn to pamper you.”She grinned, squeezing his hand, causing him to laugh.
“Then tonight, since we have the doc’s sign off and it’s Friday, I can pamper my woman again.Damned near a month without ravishing you the way I want to suck balls.”He added.
“You got that right.”She agreed, leaning in and kissing him sweetly.
Dennison cleared his throat when he walked back in.“I guess I know who you have to thank for the speedy recovery Mr.Carson.Nothing can speed up a man’s recovery than the love of a good woman.”
Gage grinned and draped his arm around Stacey.“My dad says the same thing.Now, I know what he meant.”
The three shared a laugh as Gage took the papers and signed them.Dennison gave him the copies to take to Ethan, before bidding the couple good day and reminding Gage to still take care with his ankle for the next week or two.Arms around each other, Gage and Stacey left the office and headed to the parking lot.
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Ethan frowned moreas he read.First thing that morning, he had received a certified parcel from Major McCandles.It was Gage’s complete Marine file.Everything from his first day at boot camp in Paris Island straight through until he was discharged.For the last two hours, Ethan had been dissecting his second-in-command’s military career.That lump still did not sit well with him, but his gut still said this was the way to go.He was pulled from the file by a knock at his closed door.
“Yeah?”Ethan called out, closing the file and slipping it under a folder.
“Hey Boss Man.”Gage said, walking in.“Everything okay?You don’t usually close your door.”
“Yeah, I know.I...”Ethan began but stopped.Should he tell Gage?
Gage stood there studying his boss, his team leader, his best friend.He could see the internal debate that Ethan was having.“It’s about my past.Isn’t it?”
“Gage...”
“Ethan, the other night while Stace and I were in bed I got to thinking,” Gage began, sitting in one of the visitor chairs.“I was thinking that this fucker is two steps ahead.That’s telling me he knows enough about me at least, to do that.Which isn’t easy as we know.It also got me thinking, what if this guy is someone from MY past.My past before I met you or the others.Before I joined MARSOC.”
Ethan leaned back in his chair and sighed, “Danny mentioned a similar idea last week.I’m still kicking my own ass for not thinking it myself.I...Gage, I reached out to Major McCandles.”
“I see, and I’m guessing the Major sent you my complete Marine record from start to finish?”When Ethan nodded and pulled out the thick folder, Gage chuckled.“That sounds like him.McCandles never did anything halfway.If he does something, he does it all the way.I get that you still want to keep me on the outer loop, but know that if you need to run anything about my file by me...”
“I have spent the last two hours going through stuff with a fine-tooth comb.I’m maybe halfway through.I knew you were a decorated Marine before you joined MARSOC, but I had no idea just how much.You have more commendations here than...well anyone I’ve seen.”Ethan interrupted.
Gage shifted in the chair and cleared his throat, “It’s not that big of deal.I just did my job.”
“Brother, you have no reason to feel embarrassed for being commended by your CO’s.You hear me?That means you did your job and did it the right way.I’m starting to see why you were recruited heavily by MARSOC.You know your shit, course I knew that before, but from what I’ve read through so far, a lot of the higher ups were watching you.And not just from MARSOC either.”Ethan said, trying to ease his friend.
“I’m not embarrassed per se, it’s just...hell, you know how it is.You, me, the others, we all volunteered to join the Marines and for varied reasons.I mean, we all felt the call to serve I know, but as individuals, we all had different reasons.To us, the Corps was only a chapter in our lives, not the whole story.”Gage sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah, I know.Anyway, I think I know what you were offering before I butted in.Now, nothing is screaming at me.As for you being on the outer loop, I’m not so sure if that’s true anymore.”Ethan replied.
“How so?”Gage inquired, lifting an eyebrow.
“Now that we think we know where this guy is going, you’re not in the fringes, but not smack in the middle either.For now, we’ll stick to the revised plan.”Ethan then frowned.“Where is your cane?”
Smirking, Gage, held out the paperwork from Dennison.“My super healing genes kicked in.Dennison cleared me about half an hour ago.He still wants me to baby my ankle and I promised I would talk to Lance about some exercises to help restrengthen it.”
Ethan smiled and took the papers.“I’m glad to hear that buddy.Well, this won’t change too much except now you’re not chained to your desk.But until Lance clears it, I agree with the doc, and you take it easy on the ankle.”
“You got it boss.”Gage chuckled.
“As for your file, I won’t keep you out there.You know your time in just as good as we all know our own.As I said, so far, I’m not hitting anything that’s triggering my ‘Spidey sense.’The second I do though, I’m calling you and the others.Even Danny.I think having that outside view of his could help.”Ethan said.
“I agree.Since he’s joined, he’s been able to see things from a different perspective.In this situation it could be the break we need.”Gage nodded in agreement.
