Chapter Eighteen
“Did all your formal uniforms arrive okay?” asked Mike.
He and Missy had been on the phone catching up and, thanks to the messages he’d received from Major Grimes two weeks earlier, he’d known she would be needing those.
In particular, he had learned the major wanted Missy going with him that night to the formal banquet which the base commander had scheduled.
“Yeah, thanks. Being at this Air Base is a lot different than when I was in Afghanistan or Kuwait. The only uniforms I needed then were my fatigues.”
“Well, I was told your base commander likes to schedule quarterly “dining-in” banquets at Izmir and that you have one there tonight.”
Missy said, “Yeah, Lieutenant Colonel Horvath holds these for all his officers to promote camaraderie and morale, provide some socializing, strengthen bonds, recognize achievements and reinforce military traditions. He likes having all his senior and junior officers interact. Since our unit is now on his base, he wants us to be included as well. It’s one of the few instances when his people actually get to see us since we keep to ourselves so much. ”
“Well, you’re a military officer now, Missy, so you need to participate in such events. Your training at the academy did include plenty of pomp, circumstance and ceremony stuff like that, right?”
“It did and I will carry out my responsibility with appropriate etiquette and decorum. Major Grimes tells me the lieutenant colonel was quite impressed with me when I was introduced to him three weeks ago. He claims he’s sensing a higher level of respect for our team ever since then.”
Mike said, “Well, you do have a way of charming and influencing people.” Wanting to now discuss their upcoming wedding, he asked, “Are you still planning to teleport home to be with me Monday night? We didn’t get to be together during the full moon celebration due to what happened to you in Beijing. ”
“Oh, yes, I’m really looking forward to that. With the Summer Solstice on Tuesday, you know how horny I’ll be so don’t plan on getting much sleep that night.”
Mike chuckled and said, “Oh, I doubt I’ll sleep at all on Monday night.
We’ll drive down to the Thayer Hotel on Tuesday but stay in separate rooms when we get there.
” Both couples had decided to honor the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride on the night before the wedding.
Hence, Missy would stay in one room with Tracy while Mike stayed in a different room with John.
“Have you talked to my brother?” asked Missy. “Does he think Tracy has everything under control?”
“Oh, yes. She’s had some help from Sam. You know how organized Sam always is. John says those two have been entertaining him and Trevor with all the extraneous things they’ve managed to think of. This event will be an extravaganza like no other.”
“Great! I knew Tracy would get it done. My mom and Heather are feeling a little bad they’re not more involved but with this being a dual military wedding, Tracy and I wanted to avoid any family interference.
Mom got to do Heather’s wedding so she’s not as upset as I know Tracy’s mom probably is.
Even so, we know our way will result in the least amount of hurt feelings. ”
“Yeah, you guys decided on no bridesmaids or bridegrooms for the same reason.”
“How are things looking for our trip to New Zealand?” asked Missy.
“That too is all under control. Wes and Chris are really excited about flying us there and our reservations are all set. They want to bring Coop and Char if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course they do and of course I’m okay with that.
” Missy knew the guys were ready to propose but waiting for the right time.
This would be a perfect opportunity for that.
With a different thought in mind, she began saying, “I know they collected money from all our friends for this to be a gift to us, all expenses paid …”
Mike interrupted quickly to say, “Don’t worry. I made them deposit all that into our honeymoon account and everything is being paid for from that. Since your friend Mark manages all your money, that account has no limit.” Missy had asked Mark to create their honeymoon account to cover all costs.
“He has done wonders with what I inherited when I first took over as Alpha for my New England Werewolf Pack. No matter how much I manage to spend on things, my portfolio has still grown considerably.”
“Well, he has parlayed that a great deal, especially after getting your mob buddies to invest their legitimate business profits into his Mathews Management Company. Those three Roseanne Fund communities are drawing investments from lots of others as well.”
“Yes, I have to say, helping all the women who are benefiting from those communities really makes me happy. The fact there is so much success from that is very nice. Rather than being taken advantage of, they’re now protected and thriving.”
“Well, like I said earlier, you do have a way of charming and influencing people,” said Mike.
“Sal D’Amato and Ben Marchitto will be at our wedding.
So will Bruno Halloran and Billy Rosario.
John tells me they really enjoyed sitting with Robert Ulrey and his FBI buddies at your graduation so Tracy will have them all sitting together again like that at the banquet.
She’s inviting her mob buddies Vinny Corallo and Hands Harper which ought to make things at that table very interesting.
” Like Sal, Vinny headed one of the New York criminal organizations and had recently started investing with the Mathews Management Company.
“Great! But, speaking of banquets, I need to get ready for the one tonight. Mel and Ruby are waiting outside my room for me to invite them in. They think I need help with hair and makeup. Thanks to all my Russian celebrity mistress experience, I’ve become an expert at that now but since it makes them happy, I’ll let them help. ”
“Okay, Missy, have fun. You know how much I love you. I plan to show you how much Monday night. Take care!”
“Love you more, Mike!” Missy hung up and then opened her door and welcomed Mel and Ruby inside.
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When Missy and Major Grimes entered the Air Force venue, they were both wearing their Dress Blue uniforms and their green berets.
Rather than ribbons, they wore miniature medals.
They each removed their beret and tucked it against their side as they made their way into where the banquet was being held.
Major Grimes was clean shaven since he’d no longer considered the beard he’d worn for years to be necessary once he’d been promoted to major. Missy had her hair up in a sophisticated style and with only minimal makeup she managed to look gorgeous.
There was a short receiving line as Lieutenant Colonel Horvath had invited Colonel Prusik to be a special guest whom he wanted to introduce to everyone. The colonel commanded the Air Base Wing over at Incirlik Air Base.
When Missy and Major Grimes were presented to Colonel Prusik, the colonel was not surprised to see them.
He had been briefed about that top secret Special Forces unit now operating from Izmir and about the second lieutenant now serving as its executive officer.
After being introduced to them both, he looked directly at Missy and said, “Colonel Horvath tells me you recently graduated from West Point. He also explained you’ve been assigned to your Special Forces unit for the past three years, concurrent with your assignment at the academy. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that.”
Major Grimes said, “Sir, the lieutenant was part of an Army special study.”
“Oh, Colonel Horvath explained all that. Women in combat. Obviously she performed rather well in order to earn all those medals she’s wearing.” Looking into Missy’s eyes, he asked, “Will you be joining us at our table tonight? I really would like to hear more about your unique situation.”
Missy smiled and glanced over at Lieutenant Colonel Horvath. Then she looked back and said, “Major Grimes and I are happy to sit wherever the Air Force wants us.”
The lieutenant colonel said, “Relax, lieutenant. Assuming my aide arranged the seating plan per my instructions, you both are at the head table tonight. Colonel Prusik and I talked about you earlier and I promised him I’d arrange for that.”
Missy and the major then continued inside, making way for the others in line behind them. Speaking in a low voice to only the major, Missy said, “Wow! You said you’d been sensing a higher level of respect for our team lately, but this? We are being honored.”
“I admit I’m surprised at that. Yes, it seems we are. Colonel Horvath may have been talking to some people up at EUCOM after he got a look at you. Now he wants to show his boss how much he appreciates having us at Izmir.”
They walked amongst the others and Missy noted there were many female officers there, at least twenty percent.
When several made a point of coming over to meet her, she realized that Lieutenant Colonel Horvath had obviously talked about her to everyone in his command in addition to Colonel Prusik.
Since she had been busy over in Russia, both on that mission with her team and then in her role as a spy, she had not been seen by anyone in the Air Force since that one meeting three weeks earlier.
Evidently, the word about her had spread and everyone was curious.
It didn’t take long before a female officer whom Missy recognized from her one earlier visit came over and introduced herself as Captain Sofia Petrova.
She was very attractive with blond hair and blue eyes.
She was Lieutenant Colonel Horvath’s aide and she assured them that she had arranged for them to sit up at the head table.
She then stayed close to them both afterwards.
When it was finally time for everyone to take their seats, Missy found herself sitting right next to Colonel Prusik on his left.
Lieutenant Colonel Horvath was on the colonel’s right.
Captain Petrova was on her left with Major Grimes sitting a few seats down to the right of Lieutenant Colonel Horvath. Clearly, Captain Petrova had an agenda.
After the usual toasts had been given and the food was finally served, Missy learned she was correct.
Captain Petrova leaned towards her and said, “I got permission from Colonel Horvath to sit next to you. He tells me you speak Russian and that happens to be my first language. My parents are both Russian but moved to the U.S. when I was three.”
Missy smiled at her and in Russian, she asked, “Does the Air Force have you acting as interpreter?”
In Russian, Captain Petrova replied, “Only on rare occasions but having that as a second language was helpful in getting my current assignment. I’ve been told the higher ups consider it very strategic, especially for here in Turkey.”
Missy nodded and said, “While it’s not a dominant language in Turkey, I understand at least six hundred thousand Turkish people do speak it.”
“Yes, you are well informed, Lieutenant McCrea,” said Captain Petrova with a smile.
They continued chatting in Russian for a few minutes while they slowly ate some of the delicious food which had been served.
Then Colonel Prusik interrupted them to say in English, “While I don’t understand what you two ladies are saying, I recognize you are speaking in Russian. ”
Missy turned to him and in English she said, “I always enjoy finding others who I can talk to in one of the languages which I learned at West Point.”
The colonel nodded and said, “Colonel Horvath did mention you know several languages. Did you merely study them or did you actually become fluent in them?”
“Oh, I am fluent in Spanish, Pashto and Farsi in addition to Russian,” explained Missy. “Knowing languages is especially helpful for being in the Special Forces.”
“I see. I would be interested in hearing more about your situation, serving in combat with the Special Forces while somehow also going to West Point. I understand you were in Afghanistan during Campaign Angel’s Wing.”
Missy nodded and said, “While I can confirm that to be true, I can’t really say much more than that. Everything I was doing there is still highly classified.”
They then conversed back and forth, with Missy telling the colonel about spending her summers in the Mid-East while then attending both West Point and the Naval Academy during the school year.
She also spoke with Captain Petrova some more, always in Russian.
By the time the evening had ended and she and Major Grimes were riding in his car back to their own headquarters, she was feeling quite drained mentally.
When Major Grimes heard her admit to that, he chuckled and said, “This evening was quite an experience, Missy. As always, you did great. Making nice with the Air Force is all part of the job here. It’s also all part of making a good career in the military.”