Chapter 11

The Amazing Amy

For the first few weeks after the Ruiz incident Gordie stays at home under constant supervision, and having counselling sessions with a psychologist. Because of his medical training Gordie knows why this is needed so he works with the counsellor to help sort out his mental processes to get a good handle on them again. By the time the doctors declare him fit for the world again there’s only a week before the mid-semester break. Gordie talks his parents into letting him go on a camping trip in the Darunch Mountains until school restarts, and he’ll be away for three weeks.

Gordie often goes on camping holidays in the mountains. This is a favourite pastime of his, and something he does whenever he has an opportunity to do so. He enjoys the forests and mountains. He finds he can sit down to think things out when camping. His parents know this, and they’re happy to encourage it because he usually learns new skills when on these trips. He intends to use the time to commune with nature, and to get fully into a new mental balance. He chose the Darunch Mountains so he can practice his mountain climbing skills, because those mountains offer the biggest challenge and are often used for such training.

He’ll have a platoon of security personnel with him. Gordie is taller and older looking than his true age. His personal squad are all young and look younger than they are. They’ll be camping with him, and they’ll look like a group of six high-school students under the supervision of Angie. A nice small group of seven people. The rest of the platoon is out camping in squad sized units half a kilometre from Gordie’s group to practice their wood-craft and climbing skills. They’re to spread around the group, close enough for support, but far enough away for them to seem like different groups. They’ll all enjoy the time in the forest as it’s one of their favourite pastimes as well.

Senior Corporal Amy Jones is in charge of Gordie’s personal security squad, and Sergeant Philips is in charge of the full platoon. The senior Sword with the group is Senior Sergeant Angelson, Gordie’s personal medic. She’s not part of the platoon’s command structure so she doesn’t interfere with them, but she takes command in medical emergencies and anything to do with medical treatment.

The four squads travel to their camping spots in four vehicles.

Amy Jones has been in charge of Gordie’s personal squad for three years and they’ve a very good personal relationship. They often confide in each other. She’s a very nice person, lovely looks, but very shy and unsure of herself when outside of her military persona. However, she’s very good at her job.

Gordie’s camping group includes three nineteen year old male Guards (Harry, Tom, and Rob), eighteen year old Lily, twenty year old Amy, twenty-four year old ‘Angie’ Angelson, and himself. Angie is aware of the need for him not to be left alone, but she needs to maintain a clinical detachment, so Lily and Amy will be his night watch taking turns to sleep with him. He claims to be restless with the men in bed with him, and Angie doesn’t wish to add to his current mental problems.

The duties of a personal security guard aren’t easy. They have to be constantly near their assigned person, but also seem like part of the landscape and to not look like a bodyguard. One method often used is for the team to make like couples or small groups out shopping or having fun, depending upon what Gordie is doing. For security reasons they can’t tell their family or friends what their work is.

On the drive to the mountains Gordie learns Amy’s latest boyfriend, Frank, has broken up with her. He saw her down the street with Harry making like they were a couple shopping, and he went overboard with jealousy. She’s very upset about this because she thought she’d finally found a good boyfriend who’d last.

The platoon isn’t driving in a convoy, and they’re travelling several minutes apart. However, each squad, for their own reasons, decides to stop for lunch in Marley’s Landing. While there they all take time to stop at the memorial for those who died in the Marley’s Landing defence during the Dareed War. Each says a short prayer, and places a flower of remembrance at the memorial. The locals are used to many older travellers doing this, but not such young ones.

One of the locals, the shopkeeper he’s buying lunch from, realises Gordie is very young, and asks why he stopped to give homage. He points at the memorial while saying, “I never knew one of my uncles, he’s buried there. Killed in action before my parents were married. He was my mother’s favourite brother. So when I go by I pay my respects to him as well as paying my respects to all who fought here. Other relatives fought here, too. Including my father and favourite aunt, she was a very young lieutenant at the time.” The woman slowly nods, because many people across the country have such links with the town. “I live in View Port and I often eat at The Landing’s Field restaurant in Carmel, if Harry or Jessica heard I went through here without paying my respects I’d never be allowed in the place again. Let alone the tanning Mum and Dad would give me.” They all laugh, and it’s a good note to finish the talk on. They quietly finish their food and clean up their table before leaving.

The camping trip is a great success, because they all improve their wood-craft skills and Gordie has time to fully sort his mind out. Sitting on top of a mountain watching the sunrise or sunset is a great way to help sort out your mind.