Shadows of the Past (SEAL Brotherhood: Shadow Team #1)

Chapter Nineteen

D imitri came to the conclusion that it was all just one big chess game. There were times when he thought they were in charge and times when they were, but things always worked out how they did with very little effort on his part. All the effort was in the training, in the mental mindset to be prepared.

He knew the country wanted easy solutions where no one got hurt, everyone got along, people spoke to each other in a civilized manner, business people were out to improve the lives of the country, and where politicians cared about what the people wanted and not how much money they could line their pockets with and get away with it. The government was set up so as to work in secret and not get caught.

As security operators, they had to wade through all this, all the cross currents and hidden agendas. He’d thought Moira’s family was full of crisscrossing and counter-purpose. Much of what they did was for survival, and Dimitri didn’t like it but could understand. Like the “freedom fighters” fighting for the tribe, for the militia who had the best chance of protecting and supporting their families. They went home to those little kids at night and prayed for a better world for them. They showed their adoration, and he complimented them in how well they did the little things kids could do to help their father desperate to carve out his little patch of peace and the sense of home.

But secretly, Dimitri understood these men and knew, as they looked into the faces of their loved ones, they hoped for them a different life than they had been given. Dimitri also hoped they wouldn’t have to fight for the safety of their children one day.

Courage was in short supply all over the world. Heroes, true heroes were few and far between. Most of them, just like his father’s story of the Greek patriots, died in the process, died to be an example, but they really had no real chance to make a difference in the world’s evil stage or the power of the evil ones who used and had no heart.

He didn’t like killing these men when he had to protect his men, a school, or to keep them from terrorizing others, people he didn’t even know. But men who he did know did lose their lives and didn’t come home to their little ones, just like the freedom fighters. It was an endless cycle of death and destruction, and there were those few who could do something about it and didn’t.

One thing he agreed with, however, was that anyone who took an oath of office or took an oath to wear a uniform to protect should honor that oath.

So women, other men, the elderly, children, and youths coming up in age could look up to those few, those heroes who did things even at the expense of their own lives and find comfort. But one thing they never would do?

They would not stop telling the truth or fighting for what was right.

Moira wasn’t a fighter by nature, but she’d become one through circumstance, taught by her culture, the people she grew up with, and growing up in California as a free-spirited young woman running up and down her father’s vineyard, that he ultimately lost. She saw the promise of what could be. She could have exited that quest at any time. She could have joined the ranks of those smug wine tasters with their perfect sweaters wrapped around their shoulders, the white Fedoras, and loafers without socks. No one would have thought ill if she took that path.

But instead, she chose another person to follow. Someone she knew would never let her down—who might disagree with her, sure, but who would do anything to bring her back, bring her home, save her family, and always do the right thing. And then they could argue and debate the logic of it, whether or not it was wise. That was a conversation for another day.

She chose a partner who wore red, white, and blue boxers, and kewpie doll pajama bottoms, who was a strong warrior with a stronger part—his heart. In that, he knew for certain, he was unwavering.

He could never have replaced her, no matter how many years he may have looked. He knew this now. There was only one Moira.

In the weeks that followed, she even argued with an angry president to his face, and just when he was about to agree with his secret service employees she needed to be tossed from the Oval Office, he saw what she was all about. She was the other side of what Dimitri was. She was the soft to his hard. She was the pliable to his inflexibility. She held the line when he was considering the options and just chose the right path, time and time again. His job was to make it work, somehow, and keep them all safe.

President Collier called him late at home one night. Dimitri always held his breath when he got these calls. Was he considering giving up the fight? Stepping down? They’d done so much together—putting the former SEAL Senator behind bars and bankrupting a corrupt arms dealer who had been supplying most of the world with weapons and was single-handedly responsible for more loss of life than any other man on earth. They’d cornered him in a firefight and took him out. The DNA samples proved that, just to be doubly sure. They’d clipped the wings of two embarrassed capos in Italy, one who managed to just barely hang on to his Ministry.

But Dimitri knew all of them were getting tired of fighting. It was worth it but they were tired. When would they have the time to enjoy those freedoms they’d fought so bravely for? But if they quit, who else would do it? Only one out of a million stood up and said “enough.” All those brave young men and women who followed believed they couldn’t solve it but they could pave the way for better times ahead.

“Mr. President?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“I share your frustration, sir.”

He waited, because this was the president’s dime.

“Do you have any other men in your family? Any brothers?”

“My Team are my brothers, the SEAL Teams.”

“But why did you turn out that way and Nathan turned out the other?”

“When opportunity showed up, he showed his colors. He stopped holding his Trident high, quit holding his moral code above all else, and he caved. I understand it, sir. Not uncommon. What is uncommon is when someone stands up and says no. Much harder.”

“Much harder.”

“So you’re looking for more men?”

“We have Silver Team. An outstanding group. We need more. And we need more women like Moira.”

He wasn’t sure how to react.

“I agree with you there, sir. But you can’t have her.”

He chuckled. “No, no worries there. I’m happily married. I was just thinking how fortunate you are, having met someone like her.”

He was full of regret, perhaps? Reconsidering his choices? What was going on with him? “Can I ask you what brought this up, why the phone call?”

“I called to say thank you, Dimitri. I’m grateful for you, for both of you. You are my moral compass. You help me keep my head in the game. At times, I’m not sure, but you never let me down. Do you know how many people in the world I can say that about?”

“Ten? Maybe fifteen?” Dimitri was trying to think how many people he knew he could say the same.

“One. Only one. That’s you, my friend. Together, Dimitri, I want you to help me bring back that shiny city on the hill, the dream of visionaries and people of courage who answer that call when they could go the easy route. Will you help me?”

“I would be honored.”

They planned a wedding in the vineyard her father used to own, a vineyard that hired back the former owner to be their general manager. They would do something small and private for his parents, since his Mom was barely hanging on, and might not even make it that long. And, he didn’t want the aunties spoiling Moira’s big day. It was, after all, his big day too!

Like everything she touched, it was magic, how she planned, how she put together all the moving parts like a passion play, orchestrating the colors, the flowers, the music.

He could watch her do anything the rest of his life. But he most enjoyed this phase. It wasn’t the end of an era but the beginning of a new one.

Even the president was going to come.

One afternoon they received a package, a pre-wedding present, as it was labeled, from the ladies on Capri. He held his breath and handed it to Moira.

“I have a feeling this is for you, Dimitri,” she said, as she handed it back.

“But I’d rather you open it.” He handed it back to her.

“Absolutely not. You want to test me on this?”

“So you know what this is?”

“I do not.” She smiled at him. “You don’t believe me?” She handed him back the package.

Resigned, he sat on his living room couch, next to her, and began opening the package. It was wrapped in a large plastic parcel bag, and inside re-bagged, and taped to oblivion. It felt squishy, so didn’t think it was fragile, but still, was careful.

Moira got him some scissors to navigate through the heavy packing tape.

Inside, wrapped in pink tissue paper dotted with red hearts were several feather boas, in the colors red, white and blue. One even was adorned with glittery stars. The note attached read:

For your big day, big hunk. Go wild. Reveal your inner awesomeness. Embrace the suck and come see us when you’ve perfected all those moves we taught you.

It was signed, Your Fairy Godmothers. Several had kissed the note and left lipstick smears.

“That’s a challenge, Dimitri,” she giggled.

“I think I’ll hang these over the bedpost when we get one of those big beds I’m looking at. It’ll be our good luck charm. But there’s no way in Hell I’m going to wear this standing before the gathering, or any of my SEAL buddies. No way, Moira. If that’s a dealbreaker, then the wedding is off.”

She threw them around her neck and strutted back in forth in front of him.

“I think the bedpost is a good spot for it. I might use it as a prop.” She raised her tee shirt, revealing she wasn’t wearing a bra. “Would you mind?”

Days later, Dimitri made a trip to Walmart and picked up a special-order package. He wrapped it and sent it with red, white, and blue wrapping paper he knew would be opened by Secret Service. But he was feeling grateful today as well and sent his friend something he needed.

He grinned picturing President Collier opening the wrap and finding a pair of red, white, and blue kewpie doll pajama bottoms and two pairs of stars and stripes boxers.

The overall cost was less than fifty dollars, but their friendship was priceless.