“Aw. The smell,” the corpsman said looking. He shot a look at the others in the room, and a smirk.
“Confirmed, Washington. This is your guy,” replied Lance over the satellite feed. “Luck of the Irish on his ass.”
All eyes in the room went to Emily as she sat smiling ear to ear.
“That’s interesting, Emily, that you… knew that,” Robert told her, attempting to hold back his rare smile and laughter.
“Belt up and shut it,” Emily replied back, winking at him.
EPILOGUE
Mark handed him the velvet engagement ring box, and Ford slipped it under the white bed sheets out of sight. “We nearly lost you twice, kid,” Mark told Ford.
“I feel very blessed to be here. Downright lucky. If there is anything I learned up there in the mountains, it’s priorities on the important things in life. First, that I’m done drinking. Acted like a cleansing program up there. I don’t know, maybe like AA. You know, Alcoholics Anonymous. Second thing was about family and doing things now, rather than waiting,” giving him a head nod. “Thanks for fixing the diamond.”
Ford’s trip through the mountains, both mentally and physically, was as close to the Greek mythology “katabasis” as someone could get. Katabasis, meaning a journey of “going down” and returning stronger after the event, was one of textbook resilience. With no distractions and plenty of time to think things through, Ford had the opportunity to work out his demons and place true importance on things in his life. The crash provided his own twelve-step program. He was able to get rid of baggage and any thoughts of overinflated ego, leaving him isolated in the wild with himself, the real and raw Ford Stevens.
“I’m sure it did feel like a dry-out. Plenty of time to think about life and decisions. You know, your future…” Mark quietly shared with him. Mark took off his bowling shirt, revealing a purple camouflaged T-shirt.
Psychologists have talked about behavior change in this manner and many agree that it’s hard to do. Replacing old habits with new ones made substantial changes in Ford’s brain, allowing him to do something with his time on the mountain instead of drinking: reflecting on life to date, singing songs from his Notre Dame days and thinking about his future.
“Jeez, nice purple shirt, Mark.” A few seconds passed. “I’m sorry I missed Pinky’s funeral. Glad you guys could find her, get her remains. I’m sure her parents were upset, but hopefully just a little bit satisfied about the closure,” Ford told him.
“We all attended. Not a dry eye in the place. Her family knows you did your best.”
“Any indications of what caused it? The rollback and shutdown?”
“We’d have to ask Robert. He just got back from a collection and destruction mission to see what he could find in the wreckage. I do know you climbed plenty of terrain without a lick of climbing gear. Really impressive, Ford. Robert will be here soon, and we can ask him.”
Ford nodded. “Thanks,” he relied quietly, feeling fortunate to have lived.
“Got to get you back up flying!” Mark told him, with a tone of sarcasm.
Ford lay in his hospital bed, recovering slowly, having lost nearly thirty-five pounds, a toe, and the tip of an ear; nearly died from kidney failure; and suffered the loss of a crew mate. His maggots were so bad that his groin and rectum had to be packed with ground beef to lure them away, a rare but real medical procedure.
“Mark. I know. Need a break from flying to just sit here and recover. Drinking this blue Pedialyte here. What do ya think?” Ford asked.
“I think we can arrange that, Major,” Emily told him as she walked in from the hall with her gigantic smile. “How are you doing, Ford? Better today, love?”
“Hey, Em. Yup, doctors think I can start physical therapy across the street next week. Kidneys and blood work looking much better, too.”
Ford’s parasites, or worms, were the one of the last items he was having trouble getting rid of. Discovered in his stool sample, and picked up by unwashed food and undercooked meat, they took some time to get rid of from his body.
A few seconds passed, then, walking into the room and surprising Emily were her parents, along with Ford’s parents. “Hello, Emily. Hi, Ford,” the parents said, greeting everyone in unison.
Emily was shocked. “Hi, what… what’s going on? Everyone is here?”
“Emily,” Ford said, clearing his throat. His sunken face displayed a slight look of embarrassment.
“Yes… why are you acting weird?” Emily asked.
“Emily, we both love each other. And I wished I had done this earlier, but was distracted by Wu’s passing,” Ford explained. He took out a box from under the sheets.
“I want to spend my whole life with you. Your parents blessed what I am about to ask you. And if I could get out of bed and down on a knee without this IV in my arm, I would,” Ford told Emily, taking the box from its hiding place. “Em, will you marry me?”
Emily blushed, and her eyes were full of tears of joy. “Yes, mate, I will marry you. Yes.”
The Bethesda hospital room erupted in cheers and clapping. Little did they see that Cal Burns had walked in, too, smiling and happy he was able to see his team smiling again.
After all the congratulations went by, Cal went over to Ford.
“How’s my favorite Air Force Reserve pilot?”
“Hi Mr. Burns. Recovering slowly, but I’ll make it. Medicines make me feel dopey at times, but I’ll recover.”
“Good to hear, Ford. Well, when you’re ready, I’d like you to come to the Pentagon and work with me. When you’re fully recovered. Be my military assistant, OK? At Headquarters Air Force. That’s if you want to do it.”
“I would be honored Mr. Secretary, but Air Force Reserve just offered me command of a squadron. Tankers at Niagara flying KC-135s.” Ford replied. “But thank you.”
“Buffalo Niagara Falls area?” Cal said, nodding his head. “Great people, excellent unit to lead. Good for you, Ford. I’m happy for you,” he said, placing his hand on Ford’s shoulder.
“Thank you, Mr. Burns. We’d like to settle down. Considering living on the Niagara River, north of the falls. Perhaps Lewiston or Youngstown, New York.”
“Can’t forget the Bills. Jim Kelly territory.”
“Since this has happened, it’s allowed me to think a bit. My brother Charlie will be getting his pilot wings soon, assigned to Niagara to fly as a lieutenant, so it’s a good fit for us all.”
Cal understood, shook hands, said his good-byes, and nodded twice to Mark that he wanted to talk to him in the hallway. Standing in front of infamous orange fluorescent sign of the Navy SEAL Lt. Jason Redman hanging in the hallway, the two men looked at each other.
“Mark, need you do something for me. I know you’re at DIA still, but I need you. A few things,” Calvin said, hesitating.
“Me? OK. What is it?”
Calvin pushed out a long breath. “Does he know?” asking, with his demeanor and tone changing. He was as serious as a heart attack now.
“Know what?”
Calvin just stared at him, drilling a bore through his eyes.
“You know what I’m referring to.”
“No, sir, Ford doesn’t know yet. Still med’d up. I’ll tell him once he recovers more and the reason why. No one knows actually.”
Calvin nodded a bit. “All right, all right. Just tell him once he settles up there at Niagara. Next item. Write up a memo for me, make it effective today,” Cal told him.
“Memo?”
Cal waited for two nurses to pass by, then said it quietly. His personal protective detail was looking strangely at him from down the hall. “Look, Operation SANDY BEACH is over. Effectively immediately, get rid of all our freaking stealth jets from the museums. The black jets from Air Force Wright-Patt, like the damn SR-71, stealth fighter, and bomber, and U-2 and all of it. All gone. Done. Get rid of those freaking things in the memo, and I’ll facilitate the political fallout. Got it?”