Images in an Album
“I’ll be back tomorrow General, after your physio session. We’ll run through those tests again, but at the moment it looks like you’ll be out of here by the end of the week, barring any complications.”
I nodded, knowing that there wasn’t much else I could do given the circumstances. It wasn’t like I could argue my way out of here any earlier.
This time I had done it to myself. No hand devices, staff weapons, or pain sticks. Nope – just a long step down from my truck and a missed landing. Yes, General Jack O’Neill, Defender of Earth and Scourge of the System Lords brought low by his own vehicle. The ignominy of being scooped up off the surface of the parking lot by a passing Airman still rankled. It took me all of ten seconds, and some rather strong swear words, to work out that I had done some serious damage to my left knee.
And now here I was, a guest of the Academy Hospital. Sure I had my own room, with a great view of the park across the road, but I would have much rather have been twenty-one stories underground in the SGC infirmary. Out of the question apparently. The physiotherapist didn’t do house calls.
Crap. No point sulking. My base didn’t need me fussing around and getting in the way, plus it wasn’t exactly set up for wheelchairs. I wouldn’t be able to even get into the control room until I was allowed to use crutches, and that would happen only if I was a good boy and did what the doctors told me.
I’m not sulking.
Damn it’s boring watching this much television in the middle of the day, although there was that strangely compelling show where that man’s wife’s sister turned out to be his brother.
Here comes lunch. Oh whoopy! Do people really eat this stuff? Hell, I’m not even sick!
I am not sulking.
I can do this.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
If I sit here any longer I’ll solidify and they’ll have to prise me out of this chair with a chisel. To think that my physio sessions are the high point of my day. How the mighty have fallen. I even went so far as to call Davis and ask for some paperwork to do, only to be told that he was under strict instructions not to bother me with any work.
I wouldn’t have been bothered.
I didn’t expect Carter, Daniel and Teal’c to visit me everyday, but I - okay, I’ll admit it - I did. Surely that mission could have been delayed. I’m certain it can’t have been as important as Carter told me when she called. Of course she hadn’t been able to give me many details over the phone, but there must have been some other team that could have been sent.
I’ve done the crossword.
Where’s Thor when I need him? A beam up, a nice rest in an Asgard medipod and I’d be as right as rain, but is there any sign of him? No. Maybe I should start to make a speech – that usually works.
Okay. So it didn’t work. And that corpsman that came in gave me a very funny look. It’s a good thing I’m a general or I’d probably be expecting a visit from the shrink any time now. Generals are meant to be indecipherable to the lower ranks. I don’t have to explain myself.
Hmph.
I’d even welcome a visit by Anise, as long as she had one of those glowy healing thingies with her.
On second thoughts – no, I wouldn’t. Some things just aren’t worth the cost.
I can do this.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Sweet!
I’ve got wheels.
The doctor brought me a wheelchair this morning. As long as I have help to get into it I can use it as much as I want. I’ve already been to the Nurse’s station and back. It’s amazing how tired I became just going that far. I need to get back into shape.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Why is it always that same corpsman? I was just seeing how many times I could spin in place before I got dizzy. I didn’t even try to explain myself. I am the Great and All Powerful Indecipherable General.
That’s it. I’m out of here.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
I knew I should have told them I was leaving the floor, but I needed a change of scenery. I decided that a quick trip to the cafeteria shouldn’t do any harm. There might be pizza. At the very least I could pick up a new magazine or paperback in the shop.
I was right, they did have pizza – except it had anchovies on it. Now I ask you, who puts little, smelly, salty fish on hospital cafeteria pizza? Maybe they were trying to drum up business by giving all the visitors stomach upsets.
I sat there for a while, just enjoying watching the passing parade. It was nice to see people other then my visitors or hospital staff. Being mid morning, the cafeteria was quite busy, with everyone, staff, patients, and visitors all taking time out to have a break. Not a lot of pizza being eaten though. See, I knew those anchovies were a mistake.
After thirty minutes and two doughnuts I had just decided to check out the latest thrillers in the gift shop when a conversation caught my attention.
“I told you I had to go back home today. I’ve got an important meeting tomorrow. It’s not like you’re really ill or something, is it.”
The voice was high and sharp, the appearance of the woman speaking matching the tone exactly. She had a long, thin nose and small, dull grey eyes. Her lips were set into what seemed, from the deep lines around them, to be a permanent state of pursed sternness. .
Her companion was an elderly man, white haired and balding slightly, his face expressionless as he replied in a quiet voice, giving a quick shake of his head.
“I didn’t ask you to stay, Emily. I was just hoping you had had time to get me the things I asked for.”
“Well, Dad, I’m sorry, but I was too busy to go do your shopping. What with driving from your apartment to here every day and then spending all my time with you, I just couldn’t fit it in.” The air of long suffering martyrdom practically oozed from every pore. She stood, pushing her chair back, and the man moved to follow her up, leaning heavily on a walking stick. She put out a hand. “No, you stay here. There’s no need to get up.” She peered short-sightedly down at her watch. “I’ll have to run. As it is I’ll probably miss my flight.” And with a dismissive wave of her hand she was gone.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe having some visitors is worse than having none.
I sat for a moment, watching the other man. He sipped his coffee, staring into space, while the rest of the world went on about its business.
Why I did what I did next, I’ll never know, all I knew was that I couldn’t just leave him sitting there and walk away.
I rolled back and manoeuvred around the table, heading for the serving line.
The man twisted sideways to avoid the coffee spilling from his cup as the table was given a hard bump by my wheelchair.
“Damn! Hell, I’m sorry.” I plastered my most contrite expression on my face. “Let me buy you another one.”
“No, no – it’s okay. I’d almost finished it anyway.” He mopped at the puddle on the table top with a wad of serviettes, just managing to prevent the liquid from dripping down onto his lap.
“I insist. Stay here, I’ll get it.” Without letting him say another word, I was off.
It only took a few minutes to organise two fresh coffees and someone to carry them for me, and I was back before the bemused expression had left his face. I nodded my thanks as the Airman put the cups on the table, and smiled as I picked mine up.
“I really am sorry about bumping you like that. I’m still getting use to this thing.”
I got a brief sympathetic look in response. “I know what it’s like. I just graduated to this myself.” He patted the walking stick leaning against his chair. “Still, I can’t complain, now I’ve had the hip replacement done I should be a lot more mobile than I’ve been in a long time.”
He gave me an enquiring look and I answered his unspoken question by touching my knee. “Finally did the knee in. I’ve been expecting it for years. Still, the doctors say it should be back in full working order in a few weeks.”
I sipped my coffee, and tried to decide how to raise the subject that had been my main reason for engineering this talk. I glanced at my watch and knew I should be getting back. I had been gone far longer than I had intended and someone was bound to have noticed.
“You late for something?”
His comment gave me the perfect opening.
“Yeah, actually no one knows I’m down here.” I gave him a sheepish grin. “But you know how it is. I got bored.”
It worked like a charm. He nodded, putting his cup back down and staring at the tabletop. “Yes, I certainly know what that’s like. I’ve been finding it really hard to occupy myself. I’m not use to sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”
I nodded. “One of the things I thought I’d do while I was down here was get a new book from the shop, but I doubt I’ll have time now. I’ll call a friend and ask them to bring one over.” I watched his face carefully for a response.
“So you live around here?’ At my nod, he continued. “You’re lucky. I live out of town. My daughter just flew home to New York, and none of my friends live close by.”
“Bummer.” His body slumped a little in his chair, and I could see that despite his daughter’s uncaring attitude, he was already missing her. “Listen, I couldn’t help overhearing the end of your conversation with your daughter earlier.” He raised his head and glared at me, but I hurried on before he could speak. “If I’m going to ask someone to get me some stuff, why don’t I get them to bring what you need as well? There’s no point us both sitting here bored out of our minds, is there?”
I watched as the emotions flickered across his face, then he gave a small smile. “I’d appreciate that, except it isn’t books I want.”
“As long as it isn’t a stripper or a sailing boat, I don’t see that there’s a problem. Why don’t you give me a list and I’ll see what I can do.”
He ran his hand through his hair, clearly thinking about my offer, and then, obviously coming to a decision, he reached into the pocket of his dressing gown and brought out a sheet of paper.
“I already have it written down. I brought some of my old photos with me, and thought, seeing that I would have plenty of time on my hands I’d start putting them in albums. All I really need is some pens. I’ve got the rest of the stuff here already.”
“Not a problem.” I was already scrolling through the choices of whom I could ask to go shopping for me. I gave my watch another glance, and knew I’d have to cut the conversation short. I gave the list a quick look – nothing there that was hard to find, in fact I could see no reason why his daughter hadn’t been able to get them for him. “I should have these by tomorrow morning. Why don’t you come up to my room and collect them around eleven. I’ll be back from my physio session by then. It’s 5C, and…” I grinned and stuck my hand out. “…my name’s Jack.”
“Scott.” He gave it a firm shake, grinning back. “Pleased to meet you, Jack. I would give you the money now, but I didn’t bring any with me.”
“Don’t worry about it. You can pay me when you come and collect them.”
We left together, parting at the elevator, and I headed back to the joys of daytime television.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
I was right, they weren’t very impressed with me when I got back to my room, but it wasn’t like I had missed anything important – just a couple of pills – so I couldn’t see their problem. I completely ignored the sound of grumbling that followed me as I pushed myself into my room and shut the door, pulling my cell from the drawer of the bedside cupboard. It was the work of only a few minutes to arrange for someone to get the items on Scott’s list and deliver them to me.
Apart from several phone calls, from various people checking on my progress, the rest of the day was uneventful. The call from George Hammond was the high point for me; we spoke for about twenty minutes, while he told me about his family’s trip to Washington and how much the girls had grown. I told him about Cassie’s latest email, and compared worries about her new boyfriend – some philosophy major she had met in one of her courses. After mutual agreement that philosophy wasn’t much of a career path choice, we said our farewells, and I got ready for a fun filled afternoon of sweating and groaning with my physiotherapist.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
“Knock, knock.” Scott poked his head around the door.
“Come on in.” I beckoned him forward, while repositioning myself on the bed, grimacing a little at the stiffness in my knee. I had pushed myself as hard as I could, despite my therapist’s protests, and now I was paying the price.
“You okay?” Scott frowned as he sat in the chair I indicated. He placed a large plastic bag down on the floor beside him, and leaned back.
“Yes, fine. I’m just a bit sore after being put through the wringer by the mistress of pain,” I answered, reassuring him. “I’ve got the pens here.”
I handed him the bag, knowing the receipt was still in it. There would be no point insisting on paying for them – it would just embarrass both of us when he refused to let me. I couldn’t help smiling as he pulled out the receipt and took a wallet from his pocket, counting out the few dollars he needed to repay me.
“What’s in the bag?” I asked, as I put the money into the drawer.
Scott bent and picked the bag up. “I thought you might like to see what I was working on.” Then he looked up, hesitating. “That’s if you want to. I don’t want to inflict my photos on you if you have other things to do.”
“No, that’s great. I’d enjoy that.”
He grinned, and I was glad I had agreed. It was obvious that having someone to show his photos to would give him a great deal of pleasure and I wondered how much interest his own family had shown in them.
He pulled a large album from the bag, its blue cover shiny with sparkling newness.
“Hey, Jack. We’re back.”
Suddenly the small room was crowded with people. Daniel was first in, looking happy and rested, making a nice change from the normal state my ex-team returned from an off world mission in. Carter was next, closely followed by Teal’c.
“Guys! I didn’t expect to see you.” I turned to Scott, motioning him to stay seated as he stood, ready to give his chair to Carter. “Let me introduce you to Scott, a fellow inmate of this fine establishment. He was about to show me some of his photos.”
“Oh – can we see them to? Where were you stationed?”
Scott smiled, in a rather surprised manner, at the genuine tone of enthusiasm in Carter’s voice. “After ‘Nam I was an instructor at the Academy until I retired.”
Damn! That was unexpected.
Daniel came and perched on the end of my bed. “Really? Then you might know Sam and Jack then.” He then put his hand out, and did what I should have done when they first arrived, introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Daniel Jackson, this is Samantha Carter, and the quiet one is Murray.”
I searched Scott’s face for any sign of familiarity, as he shook Daniel’s hand and nodded in response to Teal’c’s slight bow, but came up with nothing. He looked to be about twenty years older than me, so he was the right age to have been at the Academy when I was there. Then I realised I was missing one vital piece of information.
“Scott, you never did tell me your surname.”
“You didn’t tell me yours either, Jack. Master Sergeant Scott Corbett.”
I had a sudden flash of staggering off a bus, the remembered feeling of uncertainty and trepidation as vivid as on that day long ago, and being told to drop and do push ups in the mud of a rainy winter’s day.
“Oh for crying out loud! I don’t believe it!”
“Sir?”
“This is my drill instructor, Carter. The man that made my life hell for weeks.” I sat back, stunned. He hadn’t changed that much – still held himself as ramrod straight as he did then, it was just the totally unexpectedness of meeting him again that had stopped me from recognising him.
Scott smiled, totally unrepentant. “Well, it was my job, Jack.”
“O’Neill – Jack O’Neill. I doubt you’d remember me though. You must have trained hundreds of cadets over the years.”
He nodded, then opened the album that still rested on his knees. “I have to admit that I’ve never had a good memory for names, but what I do have is a photo of each cadet unit I taught.” He started turning the pages, and my friends leaned in. “When were you there, Jack?”
“Early seventies.” I couldn’t help it; I pushed myself forward in the bed trying to see around Daniel’s arm. “Shove over.”
Daniel pushed back. “For goodness sake, Jack, what are you? Five?”
I elbowed him in the side. Just a tiny bit.
“No, but I am a sick man.”
“You told me you weren’t sick, so stop it.”
“True, but I’m also the general, so move over and let me see.”
There was a thud as the book shut, and I looked up into the grinning face of Sergeant Corbett. “Now boys, stop fighting or I won’t let you see the photos at all.” He shook his head ruefully. “You’re worse than my grandchildren.”
“Indeed.” Teal’c’s sombre tone was accompanied by an amused laugh from Carter.
I crossed my arms and glared at them. “Am not.”
“Neither am I.” Daniel indignantly echoed my words. “Anyway it was Jack’s fault. He pushed me.”
“Did not.”
“Did too.”
It was very hard keeping a straight face, and I knew Daniel was finding hiding his laughter equally difficult.
God, I had missed them.
“General you say, Jack?” At my answering nod, Scot shook his head, bemused. “Wouldn’t have thought it.”
“He’s not your average general, Scott.” Daniel moved over as he spoke, giving me more room.
Scott had just opened the album again when the shrill beep of my cell echoed from where I’d put it, and I pulled it out from under the pile of magazines, giving a sigh of frustration.
“O’Neill.” I listened as Walter gave me the news that SG-1 was back early due to adverse weather. Where they were back early from he was careful not to say. I thanked him politely, and ended the call, before giving Carter my best stern look.
“So I take it you didn’t tell Walter you were coming here, Colonel. He might have had important papers to deliver to me.”
My stern look obviously wasn’t working anymore, because she just grinned and shook her head.
“No, sir. I’m under strict instructions not to bring you any work.” She didn’t look at all contrite.
“And who’s instructions would they be, Colonel?” I emphasised her rank, but still she grinned.
“Oh, from someone much higher than you, General. Much higher.”
“Come on Jack. I want to see the photos.” Daniel gestured towards the album. “I want to see what you looked like when you were young and innocent.”
“I do not believe that O’Neill was ever innocent.” I swear I caught the smallest trace of a smirk on Teal’c’s lips.
“Okay, let’s see.” Scott turned the pages. “You should be somewhere in these photos.”
I peered down at the images of fresh young faces standing self-consciously in line and smiling for the camera.
And there I was, just as young as the others, but already looking at the world through cynical eyes. Teal’c was right – I definitely hadn’t been innocent. I put my finger down on the picture.
“That’s me.”
They all crowded in. Teal’c was trying desperately hard not to show his interest, but he was as eager as the others to see my younger self. Carter and Daniel were smiling and I caught them giving each other knowing looks.
Damn – I’d have to tell Scott not to let them get copies.
“That’s you?” I looked up again at Scott’s words. “I think I remember you.” He was frowning slightly, as if he was trying to reconcile the brown haired, carefree face in the photo with the gray haired, lined one in front of him.
“So tell us what Jack was like.” Daniel was smiling, and I couldn’t help laughing at his eagerness.
“Oh, come on, Daniel. You don’t want to hear this. I was just one cadet of many. Nothing special.”
“Wait! Got it.” Scott clicked his fingers, grinning. “Now I remember. You were drunk when you arrived. You could hardly stand up straight when you got off the bus.”
“You made me drop and do push ups before I’d even taken two steps. You didn’t give me time to stagger.” Then I saw their faces and hurried on. “And I wasn’t drunk. I was just a bit fragile.”
“Fragile, O’Neill?” Teal’c inquired in his normally calm voice, but his eyebrow was twitching as if it just itched to go up.
“My friends gave me a farewell party the night before I was due to report in.” I grinned broadly. ”It was a good party.”
“Uh huh.” Daniel was sniggering. He seemed to snigger a lot lately. Very unbecoming in a grown man. And as for that giggling Carter seemed to be indulging in so much lately…
“It was raining. Pouring down. The ground was very muddy.”
At Scott’s deadpan words my so-called friends finally dissolved in peels of laughter.
“Oh for crying out loud!”
“Sorry, sir.”
She didn’t look sorry.
“Do you have more tales of the young Jack O’Neill?” asked traitorous Teal’c.
“Let me think.” Scott was still grinning. “I seem to remember something about an inspection and women’s underwear.”
Oh crap!
I don’t think I’ve ever spoken so quickly.
“No, no, no.” Oh god, Jack, engage brain. “No, no, no.”
“Jack? Are you all right? You look like you’re in pain. Can I get you some water?”
Daniel is getting so much better at sarcasm. That’s right, laugh it up Space Monkey. I have many ways to make you regret your words.
“Do go on, Scott.”
He was SO dead.
“I’m not sure if I should go into details, given Jack’s current rank.”
I could have kissed him.
“Suffice it to say, it was a uniform inspection.”
I groaned. They all laughed. Carter looked stunned.
Finally, when I could be heard over the gales of hysterical laughter, I attempted an explanation.
“It was a bet. We didn’t know there was a surprise inspection that morning.”
“I hope it was worth it, sir.” At least Carter looked sympathetic. She turned to Scott. “Got any photos?”
Et tu, Carter?
“No, Colonel, but I can tell you that it must have been damned uncomfortable to run five miles in a G-string while carrying full field kit.”
For a minute, I thought of calling for a nurse to bring bedpans. They were laughing so hard it looked like they were going to pee themselves.
“That’s right. Enjoy yourselves at my expense. But just remember – next week I’ll be back to being your boss.” I smiled. The smile I gave Goa’ulds, aliens that poke me full of holes, and traitorous friends.
They sobered remarkably quickly.
Good.
Then I caught Daniel’s eye, he caught mine, and we both doubled up, giggling and snorting like teenagers.
“There’s something else I remember.” I paled slightly when Scott spoke again.
Not the incident with the tennis racquet, please!
“Jack was one of the best students I ever had. He could run rings around the rest of his class when it came to the obstacle course, and I seem to remember he topped his class in just about every subject.”
“Every subject?”
No need to sound so surprised, Carter.
“Come on, I thought you were going to show us your photos.” I pointed at the album lying forgotten in his lap. “Put it up here. When did you retire?”
He answered me as he found a spot on the bed to put the large book. “It’s getting on for twenty years.”
“So there won’t be any photos of Carter in there. Unless she’s been lying about her age all this time.”
“If she has, she’s kept herself in much better shape than you have, Jack.”
Hmph! Daniel is SO going to pay when I get out of here.
I rubbed my knee, and bent forward to join my friends as Scott turned the pages.
o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
It was three days before the ex Master Sergeant visited me again. He appeared at my door just as my lunch was being cleared away.
He moved into the room, speaking as he did so. “I’ll be out of here soon. They’re releasing me in a couple of days.” He looked pleased, but there was something else there, something in his demeanour that sent warning signals down my spine.
I stood, gesturing to the small suitcase that was open on my bed. “I was going to come find you. I’m going home tomorrow and I wanted to say goodbye and wish you luck.”
He nodded and smiled, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. Probably not looking forwarded to going back to an empty house.
I knew what that was like.
I limped over to the chair near the window, and gestured for him to pull the other one over. He did so and sat, looking out at the park.
“When are you going back on duty?”
I smiled, surprised at how much I missed the base. “In a week. Light duties only of course, but there aren’t really any other sort for me these days.”
“I never did ask you where you were stationed, Jack.”
“I’m at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.”
“Norad? I’m surprised.”
“Really? Why?”
Scott didn’t answer, turning away from the view, and giving me a searching look.
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, feeling his eyes on me, and reached down to massage my knee.
“Is it hurting?”
I mumbled something non-committal and there was a there was a pause, long enough to become a little uncomfortable, before he continued.
“I found another photo, Jack.”
He pulled a picture from his pocket and handed it to me. I found myself looking once more at my younger self, but this time it was different. This time there was no hint of innocence in the face. I was unsmiling, obviously unaware the photo was being taken, my mouth set in a thin line as I stood, talking to an officer.
Ramsey.
I suddenly wanted Scott out of there. Wanted to be alone.
Shit!
The flash of memory was almost physically painful.
The arrival of a nurse solved my dilemma. With a few stern words about visiting hours and the need for patients to rest, with ruthless efficiency she began to usher Scott out of the room.
I stared at the photo.
“Mind if I stay.” My visitor’s quiet voice came almost as a shock. ”I think we need to talk.”
“Sorry. No you can’t.” The nurse cut across my answer, but I ignored her, surprising myself with my response.
“Sure.”
“He can’t…”
“Yes, he can.” My tone brooked no argument, and she gave an irritated huff and left, shutting the door behind her with more than usual force.
I eyed the man sitting in the chair beside my bed, waiting for him to speak.
“I remember you. It all came back to me when I saw this photo.”
“It did?”
“Damn right it did. I even followed your career for a bit until you dropped out of sight.”
I watched his face, seeing the emotions flicker across it, before he straightened and turned back to the window, only his profile showing. The more I looked at him, the more the memories came back – some good, but some very bad – and I wondered if he was doing the same.
He broke the silence first.
“So your friends don’t know?”
I stared back at him, my face impassive, trying to relax. “Know what?”
He scrubbed his right hand over his face, suddenly looking every inch his age. “I made it a point to find out. Hell – when one of my boys suddenly vanishes for weeks and comes back a changed person, of course I’d try to find out why. The first time I couldn’t get any answers, but then when it just kept happening, and you were fast tracked through the course, I called in some favours.” He paused. “I didn’t like what I discovered.”
My heart sank, but I tried to keep up the pretence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you do, Jack.” His tone broached no argument and I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “I needed to know.”
There was no point in carrying on with the charade, so I didn’t try. I looked up.
“Why?” I could see the puzzlement in his eyes, so I clarified. “Why did you bother?”
He echoed my word. “Why? Because I could see what it was doing to you. Every time you came back you isolated yourself a little more from your classmates. You were a good kid. Top in your class, the sort that could do anything you set your mind to.” He shifted, and sat forward, lowering his voice. “I often wondered if you volunteered.”
“Shit, no!” I couldn’t help recoiling from him, regretting it the minute the muscles in my knee reacted to the sudden movement. “Shit, if you had any idea what they got me to do, you’d never have asked that question.”
“Sorry.” Scot leaned forward, patting my arm in an obvious attempt to try and relax me. ”It’s just that you were such a promising kid and I thought you were throwing it all away, getting into that whole murky world of missions not talked about and never reported. Then after graduation, you were posted to Ramsey’s unit straight from the Academy, I just assumed you had been chosen for a reason.” He lowered his eyes and looked uncomfortable. “Colonel Ramsey had a certain reputation. Then you dropped out of sight, and I just forgot about you, and went on with my job. For a while I watched the notices, but I never saw any mention of you, and in the end I stopped looking.”
I swallowed. Ramsey had approached me to join his team while I was still a cadet. At first I assumed it was because of my ‘special duties’, but then I found out that he knew nothing about the covert missions I had already been sent on even before I graduated. I suppose I was an expendable commodity, albeit one with a very peculiar talent for dealing with the government’s dirty laundry. I was flattered by Ramsey’s attention, thinking that he wanted me because of my marks. Even after what I had done, I was still just a naive kid, and I accepted his offer. It didn’t take me long to work out that Ramsey’s interest in me wasn’t anything to do with my combat skills.
“What happened to you, Jack? Where did you vanish to?”
I shook my head and smiled a grim smile, thinking about death and killing and torture. Thinking about parachutes that don’t open and endless stretches of desert, and the sounds of despair of men without hope and without freedom. Thinking about a snake digging its way into my mind, piece by agonising piece.
“You know I can’t answer that, Scott.”
“I have to admit that I never expected to see you again, but here you are – a general. It seems to have all worked out in the long run.”
I held the photo back out to him. “Yes, it has.”
He pushed it back at me. “Do what you want with it, Jack, it’s yours.” He rose, putting his weight on his walking stick and pushing himself up. “I’m glad we met again, it brought back some good memories.”
I nodded, rising with him to walk him to the door. He was right, it had.
“I never did tell your friends about the incident with the tennis racquet.”
I laughed as I closed the door after him. That was one story that would never be told as long as I had breath in my body. No way.
The photo of me with Ramsey lay on the table by the bed. I picked it up, looking at it, and now understanding what I had been too young to see at the time – Ramsey’s predatory smirk.
I shuddered, and then I took hold of the top of the photo and tore it down the middle. Placing the two halves together I tore it again, and repeated my actions until all that remained of the picture were tiny, tiny pieces.
Then I flushed it down the toilet.
The End
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