*** Four ***
من هو المسؤول؟ معرفة! يفعل شيئا أن يشكل تهديدا الله يكون معك؟"
(Who is responsible? Find out! Do something that poses a threat God be with you!)
JCS, DOD, FBI, Admiral Paine, who and why? Ts sitrep
“You had a little excitement the other evening, eh, Paine?”
My eyes went wide and I know I blushed.
“Someone took a shot at you, didn’t they, did something else happen?”
I tried to recover. “Yes, Admiral Clemens, I discovered I was being followed and under surveillance myself, found out I had a driver assigned and right away some bullets fired. What is behind all this? Why do I need a driver and a guard?”
“The protection is standard procedure, I don’t know, son, there is an investigation, I have private feelers out, maybe something will turn up. We have another outing for you this Saturday evening, big time affair, lot of brass, lobbyists, more DC people and many young ladies all waiting for a shot as the most eligible bachelor making the rounds.”
I felt my shoulders slump al by themselves. The last party was painful and forgettable.
“I may have an idea to keep you from being torn apart by the anxious ladies in waiting…we need to fix you up with a date, someone to escort you, hang on your arm, keep the hungry vixen at bay.”
“ don’t know anyone, Sir, aside from my driver and she’s well, not the type, I think.”
“How about Annie? She’s attractive, shows well and is devoted to you?”
‘Annie? She works for me, I can’t have her on my arm, it would be wrong.”
“Employer, employee, oh, I think she would understand, what say we ask her?
Before I could object, he had pressed a button and called Annie to the office.
I stood there tongue tied and dumbledorfed as Admiral Clemens explained.
‘We need to have Tom out there,
before his peers, but he needs a way
to avoid the dilettantes that buzz
around.
“Well, Admirals, this girl has nothing to wear to such a classy event, not even close.”
‘Then you’ll do it?” Admiral Clemens was quick on the draw.
“Well, some clothes to wear and if Admiral Paine wants me to accompany him?”
It all got settled somehow and I later heard the five thousand dollars worth of party dresses and accessories was paid for by the CIA S&A division. At least that was first class, at least I think so.
I had noticed cattiness and envy among others during my naval career, but never was I at the center of any of it.
Annie handled it as if she had been doing it all her life. She swept into the ballroom of the mansion and virtually took over the place, guiding me expertly through the traps and obstacles but making sure the service men I needed to meet were at hand with a moment or so before the onslaught caught up with us. I sense it is a fine game for Annie who seems to greatly enjoy herself. Talking, daintily sipping, eating and gossiping right up therewith the best of them. I even began to enjoy the event with her at my side.
