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

Epilogue

“I ’ve met someone,” the president said to him.

“Hallelujah!” he answered and then leaned across the desk to give President Collier a high-five. “So when do I get to meet her?”

“Not so fast. She might change her mind after she meets you.”

“That’s funny. You’re the fuckin’ President of the United States—what could I offer?”

“Suppose that’s not important to her?”

“Then I’d say she’s a good woman. Not a gold digger. I’d probably get along with her well. So would Moira.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I think I’m going to keep it on the down-low for a bit until I’m secure enough in our relationship. Besides, we have other dragons to slay, my friend.”

Dimitri knew he had more to tell him than just the president falling in love. It had to be a bigger reason than that. Now his stomach gurgled the morning double espresso he’d had. The two of them stared each other before President Collier stood up and looked out the oval office window made so famous by presidents in the past. Dimitri knew that view would always remain in a man’s (or woman’s) mind long after the presidency was over, as they pondered on their administration, the pluses and minuses, successes and failures. And of course those who perished in the fog of war as these things were planned, executed, and either failed or succeeded.

It was an army of people, Dimitri now knew, not just one man. But it took a strong man to lead the pack. It also took a strong man to lead the “troops” like Kyle had done when he was on SEAL Team 3. He hoped his successes for the president were half as brilliant as Kyle’s leadership was. He made a note to bring Kyle to D.C. to do another introduction. He’d like him to be part of the team that tried to ride this bucking bronco of a nation. It was like the Wild West all over again. Enemies came from all over the world now. The people and the troops wanted peace, but what they demanded in governance sometimes took violence.

Nobody, if they were sane, wanted bloodshed.

But there were so many evildoers out there, raising bands of up-and-comers—“The Devil’s Brigade,” as his pastor once said.

“Lay it on me, then,” Dimitri said to the president’s back.

President Collier turned and re-seated himself. “You remember our discussion some months ago about more men to help you out.”

“You’ve got Silver Team.”

“Silver Team doesn’t work for me. They work for the Executive Branch, which I’m part of. But the vice president is in charge now, more than I ever was.”

There had been a slight shift, Dimitri acknowledged. President Collier had somewhat distanced himself, and now he saw it was by intention.

“Was wondering about that.”

“Figures it wouldn’t have escaped your scrutiny. The long and short of it is I need people who work for me.”

“Just what do you have in mind, sir?”

“You tell me if I’m wrong, but over my next two years in office—because I have to start campaigning if I am going to run again, and I was planning on doing it—will former Senator Goldberg will be satisfied sitting in prison? He owes a lot of favors, even though he is behind bars. That won’t last forever. I have it on good authority he is mounting a campaign against me or throwing his backing to a Never-Collier group. I have a feeling it will get bloody. I’d like to survive. But I’d also like to see what the odds are. Can you give me your impartial opinion of that?”

“What, now? Right now, sir?”

“Think about it. Think about it hard. If you don’t want to risk it—”

“Fuck that, sir. Risk isn’t the issue.”

“No? How about your happy married life with Moira, the family vineyard, and the future babies I know you’re going to spawn?”

“Of course that’s important to me, sir. That is the most important part of my life. But I owe a debt of service to you, the oath I took when I got my Trident. As in the prayer, ‘I am that man.’ I intend to always be that man. What kind of a husband or father would I be if I quit? And do you think for one second I’ll ever retire? Why, they’ll be stripping me of my wheels as I try to navigate up and down the halls of Congress, the White House, or wherever I’m sent, hitting people with my cane and using my dementia as a tool to get them all cleared out, put behind bars, and forced to leave the innocents alone. I can never finish this job, sir. No such thing as quitting. And frankly, I’m surprised you’d think so.”

Collier laughed, more like a rolling, boiling wave of insanity. The same one Dimitri felt.

“We’re both snagged by the same hook, aren’t we?” he asked.

“Damn straight. Probably why we wear the same underwear.”

Collier had fun with that one. “Same pajamas too, I believe.”

“When they stop making them, I’ll be hiring it out, and I’ll give you my tailor’s information.”

“I would expect no less.”

Dimitri didn’t mean to check his watch and squinted as he looked back up at Collier. “Sorry, sir, I promised—”

“No need to explain. I know you didn’t plan on a long meeting, and I would have told you so. So think about it. Give it all some thought. Be warned, now this man is in love,” he said as he held his right hand over his heart, “which makes him a special kind of fool and highly vulnerable.”

“I got you covered. Two failed marriages and one awesome one, the one I should have started with. I know all about that.”

“You think about it. I need your take. I don’t want Moira involved until we are straight on the boundaries, the plan, and more of the details. It will involve you recruiting others, but don’t rob the Teams, even though you trust them. I get that. I don’t want to rob Silver Team either. We can use them maybe, but with restraint. You think about the plan, the strategy, and then get back to me in a week or two. I’ve got to put a few things in place if I’m going forward, so I have limited time. You think about it and then let me know, okay?”

“It’s an honor to be considered for this. I will give it my full attention.”

“As much as you can. Don’t start lying to me, Dimitri. I know where your loyalties lie. And you have to understand the risks she’ll take as well. She’s always an unofficial part of the team because she’s with you.”

“I wouldn’t be able to keep her away from it. You know that.”

“But let’s not get her involved until we talk next, okay?”

“Agreed.”

Dimitri stood, and the two shook hands.

“I must have been born under a lucky star finding a friend like you, Dimitri.”

“We both did. I’ll get working on it. Can you give me a hint what I’m looking at?”

Leaving Dimitri standing, Collier flopped back into his leather chair, smiling. He leaned forward on the desk, hands folded. With a square jaw and baby blues, he made ladies swoon, even more handsome than he’d been when he was freshly sworn in. He said, “All out political warfare, Dimitri. We’re heading toward scorched earth, but we’re going to have a huge fuckin’ fire truck and equipment, and if we’re lucky, we’ll get that fire put out before it gets started. That’s what I want from you. Find the evildoers, root them out, and clear the way so we can protect the country. The ones we’re warring with don’t care a damn who they hurt. They’re after power over the people, not the love of the people.”

Dimitri smiled at this. “Then, sir, they are able to be defeated.”

“Good over Evil,” they both said in unison.

“But we got to know first where we stand, and where the caves, holes, bunkers, and allies are on the other side. We gotta know who the enemy is.”

“That’s what I do.”

Dimitry gave him a casual un-requested salute and began exiting the Oval Office. From behind, he heard President Collier call out, “I think it was the red, white, and blue boxers you sent me. My magic charm.”

Dimitri left the office, the hallway, the elevator, the foyer, and the street outside laughing to himself.