Chapter 6

Myra may have been everyone’s new favourite but she would make a few ‘friends’ too.

Time, would pass very quickly for some of our guys ... Names, places and the like would change day to day if necessary.

One in particular, a possible recruit we were watching, seemed to be willing to take jobs that were often rejected by others, I wondered why? If there was a good reason he would be the kind of addition we preferred. It would be strange that he would eventually join us, perhaps not, since this was a special business we were in. What would be different is the ‘Boy’s club’ atmosphere would change to use ‘contractors’ more.

He had a story that would touch many aspects we wanted our people to adapt to. Here is part of that story.

One job had been in a place that he had gone to a few years before, during a change of planes. Even back then though, sun and fun, were not even under the main consideration. His taking the Air France fight to Nice was a fluke. It had gone something like this:

The FA was really, really cute. I found out he felt his life was pretty much over so he had flirted with her and figured, ‘no harm, no foul’. He was younger than her, but no matter, what I heard was she was a fox. A vixen even. He was ready to find the lowest fare out of town, then, after a word or two with the desk agent, Claudette, the FA came back smiling. They were walking hand-in-hand, swinging it as they walked to the gate. Someone opened the door and both started to walk in.

His POV: I had told her a bit of my story. She knew I was running away. She also knew most everything I owned was in the luggage and bags with me. There was something about her too that made me think she could understand and relate to what I had done and why? I kissed her on the cheek, mouthed, a ‘Thank You’ and started to turn away and return to the waiting area.

“Not so fast ‘Galahad’, I need saving too!” She pulled us both into the jetway and led me to the plane. “First Class, dear. It is empty today, but since I am your FA there, I shall endeavor to keep you entertained.”

Nice’s Côte d’Azur Airport in France appeared too soon, if you ask me. The last hour or two of the flight would be something I would remember my entire life. Claudette curled up with me, covered us both with a blanket and we held each other telling each other stories of our lives. When we landed, there were tears running down both our faces. We kissed, kissed like it was the last kiss of our lives. Another FA strode in, pulled back the curtain and said, “get a room you two!”

Claudette got up and began to clean and ready for the arrival. I realized something while I was watching her. I had fallen love with her and did not know what to say or how to say it to her. Passengers were exiting. I just sat there. I did not want to leave her, I decided I would not leave her, she would have to leave me.

Taking me by the hand again, I went with her like a puppy dog following a new master. We got a few looks, a few comments and a lot of smiles.

“I live here, you know? It is not much, but we can walk to the beach!”

She did not have to say anything more. I had checked two bags. We got them and the Customs people seemed to be exceedingly nice to us. We took a cab, put my luggage away and looked at each other. “I don’t fly again for six days. Any idea how we might spend the time?”

I sure did. When she did have to leave she told me she had two long trips then was back. She would be back in five or six days. I was in France as a tourist. She handed me a piece of paper. “My brother is with the Army. While I’m gone, see him, he will help you stay here? When he does, use this as your address and myself as a contact. Once you get yourself together, I will be here waiting for you. It will be my turn for salvation.”

She and my Mom were all I had in this life. Her brother was not just ‘in the Army’ he was an officer in the French Foreign Legion. He looked at me closely, then called in a recruiter and we began to talk. English first, then more and more into French. The recruiter had been doing most of the talking, Jacque most of the looking at me. In French, he snuck in a few questions about me and what my relationship with his sister was. I decided to tell him the truth; my past, how Claudette and I had just met and the hardest for me, how I had fallen love with her.

To my surprise, he started to laugh and smile at me. “She does seem to have that affect on men. They seem to fall in love with her, but now, I think she feels the same way about you, my friend. She had not sent me anyone before. You should know, our father and mother are dead and she send you to me for my approval, you know?”

The fact that I told both men my story, that I needed a fresh start and was not French made my pre-selection easier for them. The parental consent might have been a problem, until a signed form somehow was added to my paperwork. It paid to have friends I would find out. I was sent on to Augagne for selection approval. I was at the apartment waiting for Claudette to come home to tell her the news. I had been accepted for training to become a legionnaire. I had a few days before training began. We needed to talk. I needed her to understand life together would not be easy. If I passed I would be away for five years. Would she wait for me? I would not blame her if she said no.

I was not expecting who walked into the room. It was Jacques.

“I have bad news, very bad news, my friend. Claudette will not be coming back! Her plane was lost. She was coming home. Everyone was killed near the Azores.”

That feeling of being hit in the gut, all the air exiting your lungs and you leaving your body all happened to me at one time. I literally fell to my knees, shaking my head, then sobbing my eyes out. All I could start to say was ‘N ... o, N ... o’.

In one way, Claudette would always be a part of my life. She had said she needed salvation. I promised myself that as long as I lived, I would be there for anyone who needed help. I told Jacques. He merely shook his head. He drove me when it came time to report. We seemed close now. Hell, we were close now. I heard later that not many new recruits were escorted by a FFL Officer.

In 6 weeks I earned my ‘Kepi Blanc’ and later was to report to my first regiment. Those seventeen weeks of training started as ‘Hell’, then got worse. You heard the old boot camp story about how one platoon would stack rocks then another would take them back to where they originally were, well, that actually made more sense than some of the things they threw at us. Us, yep, we became an ‘us’. My new family. It just happened. Christian, Jew, Moslem made no difference. I thought sleep was something everyone ever only got an hour at a time. On our time off guess what we got; two hours at a time. Our initial duty was to last five years. After that, we had some time off and could request ‘special’ assignments and training.

I won’t bore you with stories of what we endured. Yes, endured. Think of the five or six of the worst things that might happen to you, double that and it would be the best for us, or the highlight of what we did.

After my five year contract was over, I had some thinking to do. I wanted to sound out Jacques. We had not seen each other since I entered training. I know he got reports though and I knew I was a better man now than when I had left. My name now was Marc, from Marseilles. Henri and Paul accompanied me. Each was motivated to recruit me, keep me out of trouble and especially make certain I extended my contract to the Legion. Neither understood nor ever expected a FFL Officer and a Legionnaire to grab each other in a hug, tears in their eyes. Claudette’s memory was still fresh in mind with both of us. They also did not understand why I would be expected to visit this Officers home.

When I met his wife, then saw his daughter, I knew why. Here was Claudette. Fifteen or sixteen years old, but the spitting image of her It was too much for me. It was like Claudette had returned from the beyond. Jacques looked at me, no words were needed. What he said to Monique, for that was her name, would forever play over and over in my mind.

“Monique, this is Marc, he and your Aunt were very much in love. Please do not wonder why he may stare at you, for as we have told you, you are her twin and the poor boy has not seen such a pretty girl in the desert unless in his dreams.”

He got that right. But now both he and his wife Marie were just looking at me. I of course only wanted to watch Monique. Life was not fair, now I would lose her again when I went away.

We all talked. Well really they talked, I just wanted to look at Monique. Henri and Paul would not let me go alone, but they would not enter the house. Marie went out, she motioned them out of the dark then had them sit on the porch and brought out some food. Her comments back in the house was, “You boys and your silly rules. Your just a teddy bear Jacques.”

“Don’t tell them that Marie, it’s bad enough Marc here is not afraid of me. I may have to beat you to get any respect?”

She hit him on the arm, put up her hands in a boxing stance and started to shadow box. Jacques just raised his hands and made as to surrender. It would be another five years of so that I would know some things that would change my life forever.

That visit ended too soon. I got a hug from ‘my brother’, a hug and kiss from Marie, but the crush from Monique, her arms around my neck and a kiss that sent me reeling was something I would remember until I would die.

I closed my eyes and made this moment my last with Claudette. I would never again live in the past, just this one time I thought. It would eventually be explained to me why Monique had such a deep impact on me.

Leaving was now in the hands of Henri and Paul. We had spoken of the how, why and wherefores that might happen during my decision time for extension.

Henri was ‘Para’. Everything he said could be synthesized into, ‘Para’ is great, ‘Para’ is wonderful. You want to join ‘Para’.

Paul on the other hand was very different. He did not talk about the what or why his selection was superior, rather he tried to get me to convince him to give me ‘a chance’. Henri was probably a ‘salesman’ in a previous life. What was clear though was that no one made it as far as they had by being a fraud. The Legion would have weeded out people like that long ago.

Things were changing for the Legion too. Early in 2013 the US Marines had assigned teams to augment the FFL forces. SAS and Royal Marines too now fought with the FFL, especially in the ‘Sandbox’ (Afghanistan). What was new was what Paul was recruiting for. I found out that even he did not know exactly what was going to happen He had been given a series of requirements to look for in people. They were very simple: One ... Follow Orders Two ... Not fear death Three.Never betray a ‘brother’ Four ... Never be taken ‘alive’ Without Claudette I almost wanted to add another, ‘to know things worse than dying!’.

I would end up working for a time in the US, more a guard sort of.

There was a poem, maybe even more, about the ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’, stories about ‘The War of Northern Aggression’, even songs about what a Zulu Warrior might have felt when charging against a rifle with only spear and shield, that was the quality this group were looking for.

I did not think anything could be more difficult or demanding than the Legion had been. I survived that, I thought, so anything else would be easy, I would be so wrong.

A trip to Paris was the next step. This was not unusual for many of our specialized training was centered in Paris. When we took a turn away from the city to a military airport, I got a bit worried. Paul bid me farewell. He meant until next time, didn’t he?

There were 6 of us on board. No words were spoken, it was like someone had placed tape over our mouths. That couldn’t happen, could it?

Well, it did for real before we landed. A hood was placed over our heads, tape over our mouths and our wrists and feet were tied together. I, at least, was carried of the plane when we landed.

From the sounds I was bundled up in a jeep or 4-WD truck, carried again to a helicopter then dumped from some height into water. Does the saying ‘Sink Or Swim’ apply here?

With a hood and such a graceful entrance into the water, one has no perspective as to what is up or down. I just let my body go, it righted itself and within a few seconds I began the trip up to the surface and air.

Hoods are a help going up. They keep the water out. On the surface, they also make it difficult to get air. The tape over the mouth is not a help either. The only thing needed first is not to panic. Next, to tread water and try to stay afloat. Small moves then to see how far from land or a rock you are. Once somewhere stable, get the damn hood off. Once you can see, bend, stretch, contort, whatever it takes to get the tape off was next. From then on, with teeth free the rest just takes time. Again, no panic. A little bit of luck would help.

Hood, mouth, hands, in that order were my priority. Land, dry land was the goal for survival. Survival, that’s what this was about. In the FFL, that was the point of everything we did. Snow, sand, water, ice and hostile environments (read: bad guys) there was only one thing which was important; to stay alive and follow the ‘Code’.

The need for sleep soon reared its ugly head. It would have been better if we were on land. We had been awake almost 40 hours now, not including the brief sleep spells we got on the plane. I should have known better when they kept asking things and waking us up.

To sink down, lose air and get salt water in your nose, mouth and eyes was a very effective wake up, for a while. The ‘Dead man’s Float’ ended up as the best way to sleep yet stay afloat. I never thought heaven would be found just by sleeping.

I thought it was a bad dream, a nightmare, as air rushed out my mouth, then my lungs, as I was pulled down underneath the water. The story of Moby Dick and Captain Ahab, came to mind.

It was my last thought before everything went black.

They said, ‘Welcome back’ in some language I did not really understand. From my caretakers, it might have been Chinese, Japanese, Korean or some other Asian dialect. I got a pill, some un-salted water and my IV had something shot in it that brought blessed sleep.

It did not seem that long I had slept, but they told me I was out for more then 30 hours. I never thought ‘water-boarding’ would have so much to it. The thought this was ‘Gitmo’ came to mind too.

When several people walked into my room one day, I had a feeling that I had not had since I walked into the house to see my sister being raped and murdered. It was a combination of fear and rage, for I recognized one of the people.

He was my ‘enemy’, my reason for all this pain and suffering.

One of the men who had entered, handed me a silenced pistol. “Kill him!” came the command. I hope I did not delay, in a second or two I emptied the rounds as fast as I could into his face.

The three men just nodded, then bowed as they left the room. “There remains nothing for you now but to serve us, is this not so?”

“Yes.” It was all I could say as I collapsed back into the bed.

They had fulfilled my greatest wish, second only to bringing Claudette back to life. Yes, they had given me my heart’s desire, I now would do whatever they asked of me, anything and everything.

This is how it began: A lot had happened these last five years for me. Going back home held mixed emotions for me. As man of the house I took the only real option open, ‘The Foreign Legion’.

$178.76 a month would not seem like much to many people, but in the West Virginia mountains it allowed mom to live a comfortable life when combined with Social Security and food stamps. I also got something from that decision, experience and confidence.

The five years went fast. One thing I did not need very much skills training, which was learning how to shoot, or more accurately, how to kill.

There were many things promised if I would re enlist. An old Sgt. had told me that with my skills, I could make a lot more money working ‘off book’ sort of speaking, and for people who were looking for a few men who could keep their mouth shut and complete the mission.

I was not too convinced that was the way to go until the old man handed me an envelope with an address, a phone number and $10,000. It was more money than I had ever seen or held in my entire life. That was now almost 3 years ago. I took the money, called that number and never looked back. During my first break, the first thing I did was head home, handed Mama most of the money and told her to now try to enjoy life a little more. For me, the $15,000 I received each month would create a nest egg I could not get anywhere else. Rocco, my team leader, had advised me to bank the tax free money and keep any options open by living and staying at one of the safe houses they kept. Everything would be considered an operating expense, in exchange, the team would provide me more choices of assignments.

When I was informed my mother was ill, I expected there would not be any sympathy or understanding from the team. I was wrong. When Rocco sat me down, asked a few specific questions and several personal questions, I had never expected the big man to just nod his head, hand me an envelope and tell me I had 90 days ‘hardship’ time coming. $90,000 was in the envelope. “Take care of her buddy, leave everything ‘ship shape’ then come back, we will have plenty of work for you.”

Rob had heard the group he was in, ‘took care of their own’. He also had heard that the fees and rewards received were a lot more than their monthly paychecks amounted to. He now felt he knew what that extra was being used for. He never really cared, the monies he got, room and board and ‘special’ proceeds like this was an intelligent way to run an organization. He wondered if death or disability might also warrant something.

One of the guys drove me to the airport. We had a number, business address and mail/email located in the states. Almost all our assignments were elsewhere and one learned several languages over time, if not from the assignments then from the various team members.

We had French, American, Canadian, Aussie, South African, Russian, Slav, German, Thai, Laotian and a few Nordic troops, mostly shooters.

I landed at Dulles, got a rental car, a nice Mitsubishi that seemed to ride far better than I expected it to. National had a no mile fee option and that seemed the right choice for me. It was a tossup to fly to Ohio or PA then drive to West Virginia. I drove instead from Dulles. It was getting late but I wanted to get home.

On the way, just ahead, I saw an old battered pick-em-up truck. The bonnet was up and although one of the parking lights were on, it did not look like it was going anywhere. When we were not on assignment, it was SOP to be ‘naked’, especially in some countries that were ‘phobic’ about guns. Knowing better but since this was so close to home, I stopped to help.

A leggy blond, short shirt, revealing tank top and bare feet got out. I listened to her comments about the ‘Damn truck’ dying then it hit me, she was Laura, my neighbor Laura. We had gone to school together.

“Hi stretch, long time no see! You need help?”

“Robbie, Robbie Slaughter? Heard you left a while back! You here for your Mama?”

“Yep! Sort of didn’t hear much other than she was ill!”

“Robbie, she got real sick. Sis and I tried to see to her, even stayed with her towards the end. Doc Wilson came around and we even drove her up to the hospital in Evansville. She didn’t last long though. They never said what she had but whatever they gave her worked, she did not seem to have a lot of pain. She gave me some things to give to you as well as a bunch of papers and a lockbox of sorts. Your Mama was a good woman Robbie and when you left we all made sure she always had help and some company. Cindy and Rachel went over there to study and make sure she ate and had food. We may not have a lot up here Robbie but we take care of our own.”

Where had I heard that before.

“Laura, I thank you. I never knew she was feeling poorly. I tried to send her money when Daddy left us. I guess I should have stayed closer.”

“Robbie, don’t you go blaming yourself. Your Mama was so proud of you. Whatever money you sent must have been enough because she never complained, nor did she seem to be in need for anything. As I said the girls made sure she always had someone to talk to and went over couple days a week. She came over every holiday too. Could you give me a ride home? Kevin is working tonight. He is a Deputy now and as soon as we can save up to get a place or Cindy and Rachel move out, we are getting married. I am guardian for them for a while yet, Cindy is 16 and Rachel 14 so they will probably find somebody soon. I’ll call Kevin when I get home. Cindy can make you dinner while Rach fixes up your house for you.”

“Sure Laura, I really appreciate everything you and the girls have been doing.”

We pulled into the driveway of Laura’s home. I was right next door. Two girls ran out. These must be Cindy and Rachel but I did not remember them. If they looked like they did now, I surely would have. What a difference, 4 or 5 years made for a teen. I had to take a gulp or two. Laura looked at me and giggled. “Maybe they’ll find someone sooner than I thought.”

“Huh” I mumbled, just staring at the two girls bouncing towards me.

“Sis, you brought us a present, and it’s not even our birthday!”

Laura went inside the house to call Kevin I guess. Each of the lovelies took an arm and started to pull me towards the house. I heard, Laura. “Easy you hussy’s, that’s Robbie our next door neighbor. Ellen was his Mama. Cindy make him some dinner, Rach go next door and get his bed ready.”

I think I heard her say, “she’d be ready in bed for him as soon as gets there.” Wonder what she meant by that?

As Cindy was feeding me Kevin drove up. Laura gave him a hug and a kiss. I had a few ideas then. That phrase, ‘We take care of our own’ kept playing in my mind.

I ate but really did not notice Cindy holding my hand and leading me to my house. I thought I heard giggling though. When we entered, four hands undressed me and pulled me under the duvet into the bed, I must have been asleep before my head hit the pillow. I woke the next morning to the smell of coffee, real coffee and the sound of bacon frying. Not quite certain about all the details but I did see a goddess sitting on the bed just looking at me. “He’s up Cin.” I had to check a few more times to see if she was real.

It might have been more pleasant if I did not have to use the bathroom so badly now. That morning might have been more sedate too if I were dressed or if that angel on my bed wore more than that see thru top.

“Does our little boy need any help this morning Robbie?”

“Oh man!’ I thought. If she was only 14 I now feared what the 16 year old was like. Rachel held a robe. She held it up. I heard her say. “Here Robbie, eat then we’ll get you a shower. We promised Ellen that we would be here for you whenever you came home. We take care of our own Robbie.”

There it was again. Everything just seemed to go black. Tears streamed from my eyes. When I woke up, my head rested on a lap and another set of hands were rubbing my eyes and face with a cool wash cloth while another hand kept stroking my temples. A soft voice kept whispering that everything was going to be okay.

My guilt for leaving, Mom dying, suffering who knew what and all alone. Then I remembered, she had not been alone. The phrase, ‘We take care of our own’ became like a mantra now.

A glass of water, then juice seemed to appear at my lips. I must have been dreaming but seemed to remember the feel of soft lips on my face interspaced with warm salty tears. I was asleep now, dreaming that I had died too and everything was going to be fine.

When I woke up, it was daylight still. The room was my old room. The window was broken, covered with a plastic sheet. Dust, dirt, leaves and some old yellowed bed sheets were tucked away in the corner. Those on which I now lay were fresh smelling and clean.

I heard again. “He’s up!” This time Laura, Cindy and Rachel all walked in. I pulled the duvet up a bit higher. I still had no clothes on.

“Robbie, if your doing that for sake of the girls, it’s too late. They have been washing, caring for your needs and seen you were taken care of in every manner all day and night yesterday, and if I know my sisters it was done with love not lust Robbie. Frankly I’m a little worried, if Kevin finds out he may want to marry both of them and not me. Damn boy, it was like lions protecting cubs, they did not want to leave your side.”

By the look on their faces, I just knew now those were not all dreams after all.

Getting back to the living, I had suddenly seem to have gained two sidekicks. Laura came in one day with a box, some papers and items, things Mom had given her to give to me I guessed.

In the box was some money I had given her, her wedding ring and a note for me. I took the note, then handed the box to Laura telling her it was for her wedding. She and Kevin should hurry up before he found out about her sisters. That I was keeping them now that I had found them. I never knew it might have been prophetic.

Laura cried. It was a simple ring, maybe not even a real diamond, knowing my dad. Laura held it up, called out to the girls and continued to cry. She ran to the phone and called Kevin.

While we waited, I thought, ‘What the Hell, in for a penny.’

When Kevin showed up.(We did not have much crime here.) Laura nearly knocked him over when she jumped on him, shouting and holding up the ring. “Look what Robbie gave us.” then handed him the box.

His eyes got quite big, he watered up, saying that “we could not take this!”

“Yes we can. Your single days are over buster, as soon as we find someplace to live. I’m not letting my sisters get close to you now.”

This seemed to work out perfectly.

“I started my practiced speech. “Laura and Kevin would you both do me a huge favour?”

“Well Robbie, what other damage you plan on doing? Isn’t hog tying me to this gal enough for one day?” He was kidding, I think, since he held up the box of money and winked at me, a huge smile on his face.

“I have to leave again. I’ll pay my respects, go into town and settle up anything mom had owed and see John about anything I need to do.(John was the lawyer in town.) Laura, I hate to ask, but would Cindy and Rachel be old enough and it Okay to just move in and take over my house? I have no idea when I will be back or ever. If I, for some reason don’t or can’t be back in 7 years, see John in town. The house and some things go to the girls and there will be something for you and Kevin too.”

Those damn tears again, this time followed by a hug and kiss while poor Kevin just looked dazed. ‘Why?” Laura asked.

I now readily answered. “Because, we take care of our own and you four are all I have to worry about.” Kevin wanted to know more. I took him aside and just told him that I was not a criminal and was not breaking any US laws. Hell, I figured some of our assignments were being funded by Uncle Sam even.

I got a nod from Laura and another kiss. “Let me tell the girls Robbie, if you do it, they will tear your clothes off and never let you leave. I suspect you may have started something with those two you will have to work out eventually, yourself. She was correct. Eventually.

I did the best and worst thing that day. I asked Cindy and Rachel to go into town with me. Why? I knew why, but did not want to admit it, especially to myself. I was in love with them, both of them and I had just really met them as teenagers, a few days ago. It just happened. I knew I had to leave soon or I never would, seeing Monique long ago had started that same feeling in me. I decided they would be my reason to come back some day. Alive I hoped. Even if they then had their own lives and loves, I could always pretend I had something to come back to. I had seen too many of those who went crazy, were KIA or cost the lives of some good men in their quest to die. I needed something if I was ever to not be like them.

“Thank you Robbie. Sis told us about everything you have done for her and Kevin. They are going to see how much it will cost to get the truck fixed up. Jeb is going to tow it in today.”

I knew Jeb well. We had all gone to school together. Jeb would want to keep anything he could running, no matter how much repairs were needed. I figured we had another stop to make in town.

We saw John. He expressed his sympathy. It seems Mom had arranged for him to clear up anything she still might owe in the event of her death. John told me what was left, agreed to change title to the house and was a little amazed when I asked him to put it in Cindy’s and Rachel’s name, even though they were so young. No problem he said and had me sign some papers. I asked him to draw up a will for me to sign before I left. Again, he seemed to almost want to say something before agreeing, after he wrote down what I wanted. Besides my heirs, I wanted an endowment for one full scholarship for someone in town, anyone Laura, Kevin, Cindy and Rachel would agree upon.