Chapter 8

“You do understand that you are obstructing justice here,” Jake told the guy behind the counter. It was strange that no matter how obstinate this guy was being it was actually something of a relief. Of all the things that were so crazy and backwards on this damn planet it was really nice to know that sleazy motel owners were the same from one end of human space to other. In fact, with this guy, if you looked up the definition of hotel clerk you would probably see his picture. He was fat, unkempt, and had a generally bad disposition when he wasn’t outright ambivalent.

The guy also had the nasty habit of swatting at pesky little insects right in the middle of a sentence. The guy did it without even glancing to see if hit the target and Jake had to wonder if he even cared. It was for certain that he did not care about Jake’s badge, either of them, so why should a few insects bother him?

Jake forcefully asked the guy, “You do see that it’s a real badge, right?”

The man looked to the parking lot just outside of his crappy little office. Then he looked again only this time it was too Jake’s left instead of his right. All the clerk saw were too women, one that looked like a gang member and the other was probably a hooker, and they were getting in a car and driving off. What the clerk did not see was, “well you got a badge but I don’t seen any Germans with you.”

“Maybe that’s because I’m not a German,’ Jake growled. He pointed out, “I’m a Colonial Agent.”

The man was definitely unimpressed as he slumped on his stool, crossed his arms, and then pointed out, “well that would mean you have colonial money.”

Jake shot back, “I’m also a US Deputy Marshall.”

It did appear that the clerk was far more interested in the fact that Jake was an American. He even smiled and acted as if it that were important. Then he said, “American Express is even better.”

Since Jake did not ever remember actually having to bribe someone before this, it took some of the novelty out saying that it was the first time that he had done it with a travelers check. In the end, he got the door code and that was all that mattered. He had to actually walk all the way around the hotel before he approached the room. It was clear that his quarry had specifically asked for the room he was staying in. It had pretty good fields of vision and an excellent command of the adjoining parking lots. The guy was not making it easy on Jake. Even so, Jake still found a blind spot and made it to the door undetected.

Jake could hear a video monitor that was on inside the room. It was cranked up pretty loud and Jake could tell what show it was. It was that stupid game show that Jake only knew about because sometimes Calvin would be watching it down in the commissary, at his desk. Jake hated game shows and really wondered how anyone could find that kind of stuff entertaining. In this case though, he mumbled, “why does that figure.”

Jake drew his weapon. He held his phone by the door and punched the app for the room key. The door clicked and then Jake let his breath out. He slid his phone back in his jacket pocket and then kicked the door in the rest of the way. He went in with his weapon leveled and sweeping the room. There should have been only one occupant but, Jake did not see him. There was a little fold out tray, at the foot of the bed and in front of the video screen. There were some canned goods laying around and even a half eaten one on the tray table. In the few short seconds that Jake got a glance, he also noticed some bottles laying around the floor, although, Jake thought, they did not appear to be of the alcoholic variety.

The guy did show up though. He had been behind the door. Jake realized this as it came flying back towards him on a bounce off. The man was not using it as a weapon but, it seemed more for his own cover. What he was using for a weapon was two clasped fists that he swung down on Jakes right arm, the one he was holding the gun with.

That tactic might have worked but, Jake did not resist and, usually, such things as blunt force attacks not only expect the target to push back but, they even require it. Instead, Jake rolled his arm down in the direction of the swing. His attacker lost his balance from his own momentum and stumbled forward. Jake rolled past the guy as he did and then, with that same gun hand, landed a blow right on the back of the guy’s head. The man went slamming down with some force but, it was ok, since he hit the bed. He almost slid off the other side but did eventually stop.

Jake kicked the door closed and then lined up the front side of his weapon at the new aiming point that he had just left on the back of his attackers head. Then he forcefully demanded, “all right. You mind telling me what the hell is going on here?”

The guy groaned and then looked back at Jake with a sneer. He reached and felt of the back of his head and seemed at least a little bit thankful when no blood came back on his fingers. Jake angrily told him, “no blood but it did leave a mark. It‘s better than you deserve too.”

The guy complained but only mildly so, “that hurt.” Then he easily slid around on the bed and wound up sitting back by his tray where he went back to peacefully eating his canned fruit. He did mention, “took you long enough. I was starting to get bored.”

Jake slipped his weapon back in it’s holster and then demanded, “what the hell are you doing here Jamie?”

With a mouth full of canned fruit the guy replied, “what? A guy can’t come see his big brother sometimes?”

“They usually can’t when their dead,” Jake replied with no small amount of hostility. “The last we heard of you, some big caliber artillery piece had turned you into a gazillion pieces.”

“Yeah,” replied and unrepentant Jamie, “well I didn’t die. I just kind of, you know, changed jobs.”

Jake took a few careful steps towards his little brother. He was still having a problem believing that they were standing here in the same room. The only consolation being that now he was sure he wasn’t crazy. That was not only Jamie he saw back at the airport but, now, it was obvious that Jamie had wanted Jake to see him. Of course, the consolation was a small one because, if what Jamie said was true, and it obviously was true because he was sitting right here, then that meant, “you went rogue? You turned Merc?”

“Oh hell no,” Jamie said as he still sat there eating his fruit which, now Jake could see were prunes. Jamie then explained in a very unconcerned voice as he still watched TV, “that’s just my cover. You know what they say Jake. Old SEAL’s never die and go to heaven, they go to Langley, Virginia instead.”

Jake squinted and in an accusing tone he replied, “you’re working for the CIA?”

Finally, Jamie looked up at his brother and winked. Then he said whimsically, “they got better dental.”

His brother’s care free attitude was not good enough for Jake, “you been alive all this time and you never even told Mom and Dad? You just let them go on thinking you were dead, all this time?”

“Oh yeah right,” Jamie replied as he bugged his eyes out, “like you’re one to talk Jake. When’s the last time you talked to Dad?”

Jake snapped right back with, “just before I left to come here.”

Jamie only shook his head and laughed at that, “cause he got you this job. How long had it been before that?”

“That’s not important,” Jake came back. “At least they know I’m alive. The only word they got from you in the three years you were gone was a ‘Dear Sir or Ma’am’ telegram and a folded flag.”

Jamie slammed his spoon down in the nearly empty can and then turned his attention on his brother, “oh yeah right Jake. Like what did I ever owe them anyway? They gave me a girls name and then put me in the Navy.”

“Hey,” Jake reminded him, “you went to Annapolis so don’t start that crap. You were the one who wanted to be a squid.”

“Oh Right,” Jamie said sarcastically, “just like you asked Dad to go to West Point. As I recall, if the secret service hadn’t found you, in that little dump outside Buffalo, you might have actually made it to Toronto like you planned.”

“I was wrong Jamie,” Jake told his brother.

“No, Dad is just an ass hole,” Jamie shot back. “You know that just as much as I do.” Jamie stood up and gestured to the room they were standing in, “here we are. The sons of one of the most powerful Senators on the hill. The only problem is, where is here Jake? What? You think he actually did you a favor by getting you this job? From what I’ve seen of this shitty little planet, so far, I don’t think he did you much of one.”

Jake backed off and tempered his voice, “what are you doing here Jamie?”

“I don’t know yet,” Jamie replied as he opened up another can of prunes and started eating.

That remark caused Jake to lean over and pick up one of the empty bottles on the floor. It was fruit juice, specifically of the prune variety. Jake mumbled, “well I can still see you’re impatient.” Then in an accusing tone Jake asked, “why didn’t you just buy some laxatives at the duty shop?

Jamie actually laughed at that, “duty shop. That’s funny. No, I would have except these taste better.”

Jake mumbled again, “and I can see your bad taste hasn’t changed any ether.”