Page 161 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“You were amazing in there, Rod.” Wyl stood at the urinal. “I’m so proud of you. Your communications with the general were direct and respectful. You really know what you’re doing in this meeting.”
“You give me more credit than I deserve. I’m quaking in my boots. Well, if I had boots. But I’m not the only one who is uneasy. I can tell you are full of unanswered questions; you probably don’t know how to ask at this point. Remember, I’m here with you. I have your back. If you get tense, think of me holding you in my arms.”
Wyl glanced at his husband as he zipped his pants. “You appear so calm. How do you do that?”
“Babe, we’re in the Pentagon, which is enough to make anyone nervous.” Rod zipped. “But we’ve been chosen for this mission. The general’s confidence in us tells me the U.S. needs the skills we possess individually and as a couple. I figure we need to do what we can.”
“You’re being courageous through this,” Wyl said as they washed.
“What choice do we have? Move to Canada to avoid the draft?” Rod chuckled. “That’s so 1960s.”
Wyl laughed. “No… you’re right. But General Steinburg’s reminder of Italy took me back. He said both men in Ireland were considered dangerous. I thought I had left all that behind me. But now here we are, again facing dangerous men, only this time in Ireland.”
Rod pulled Wyl into his arms. “Think of everything we’ve been through already. Nosy employees at the college, your brother’s death, a meddling ex-wife with an agenda, a Marine buddy with a closed mind, a ranch hand whoain’t workin’ for no queers, and me almost dying in San Francisco. We survived all that, so we’ll be fine through this. Remember, you didn’t know what dangers you faced in Italy. In this mission, we are aware of the dangers and possess the skills and knowledge necessary to help us survive. We can face anything as long as we’re together.”
Wyl closed his eyes and inhaled. “I love you, Roddy,” he whispered.
“I love you more.” Rod gave Wyl a quick kiss, and they returned to the general’s office and took their seats at the table.
The general motioned to the items laid out for them. “New passports for each of you. Rod, your passport reflects your Sterling surname. Wyl, upon your discharge, we canceled your military passport. This is a civilian passport.”
“Thank you, general, sir,” Wyl nodded.
“Yes, thank you, general,” Rod followed Wyl’s lead and nodded.
“Let’s talk mission specifics, gentlemen. We want you to infiltrate MacGowan’s organization, break his code, and stop whatever plan is in place.”
Wyl’s head spun. In all his years in the Marines, he’d never been in a situation to ferret out criminals. This mission sounded more like a secret agent movie, with car chases, gunfire, and bad guys in dark alleys. He glanced at Rod, and his stomach tied in a knot. He needed to protect his husband. Rod had no military experience. How could he possibly survive this mission? Losing Rod was not an option.
“General, please excuse the inference, but this mission comes across like a Bond film.” Wyl glanced at Rod again. “Neither of us has experience in espionage. And on top of that, we’re dealing with experienced criminals who will think nothing of putting a bullet in us. How can we prepare for this mission, and what support can we count on while in Ireland?”
The General leaned forward, forearms on the table, fingers laced. “That's an excellent question, Wyl. Rod, what are your concerns?”
Rod cleared his throat. “I assume both of us are thoroughly vetted, or we wouldn’t be here now.”
The general nodded.
“If I may be so bold, General, you know of my lack of military experience. My top priority will be keeping this guy safe.” He thumbed toward Wyl. “I know how to use a gun, but holding a gun in my hand to shoot at a target and effectively using it to defend against an attack by experienced criminals is unlikely to yield desirable results. Plus, this is a military operation for which I have no experience. Am I being drafted?”
The general smiled. “I’m glad to see you two are thinking about survival. You both ask valid questions. Let’s cover the question of military service. Wyl, you are being recalled to active duty. Rod, you are drafted, although not in the typical sense. Wyl, you know from your experience in the Marines that military men have identification. That includes insignias indicating rank, dog tags, name badges, and uniforms. For this mission, we want you both to appear as citizens. Therefore, I have dispensed with the usual military protocol. While in Ireland, you will use your civilian identification items, such as your Texas driver's license and civilian passport. You will not have a uniform. But that being said, given the nature of this mission and the risks involved, I have assigned each of you the rank of Colonel.”
Wyl gasped. “General, sir, a Colonel is usually a base commander. We have nobody to command.”
“This country is asking a lot of you. I can’t write you a fat check. A check I don’t believe either of you needs. But I can give you the honor of a rank that matches not only the skills each of you brings to the table but emphasizes the worldwide criticality of this mission.”
Rod leaned over and whispered, “You okay, babe?”
Wyl smiled. “Fine. I was surprised.”
“General,” Rod said. “Thank you for the vote of confidence. But can we turn to the topic of training?”
“Of course. Rod, you will spend two weeks at Quantico, where we train Special Operations Forces. You will learn standard military protocol and proper weapons handling in the first week. In the second week, you both will train at that facility. You’ll learn to think on your feet in tense situations and how to use a weapon to defend yourself against threats to your life. We will train you in hand-to-hand combat in the event of physical encounters. We won’t subject you to demanding physical exercise training. Still, you’ll handle anything you encounter in Ireland.”
Wyl cleared his throat. “General, what about bringing my specific computer skills up to date? Will I have a chance to do that as well?”
“Of course. Wyl, your training will occur here at the Pentagon for the first week. You will focus on refreshing your cryptology skills. We have a class of promising young recruits who will enjoy having you in their presence. And speaking of cryptology, since we don’t want the world to know that skill is part of your background, you are a cybersecurity expert for this mission. It will keep your true skills from unscrupulous ears but still give you access to the information we believe will help solve the crime.”
“That makes sense, general,” Wyl said. “What kind of support can we expect in Ireland, sir?”
