EXFIL Anthony Patton (short novels in english .TXT) 📖

“I see you served in Vietnam,” I said.

He nodded. “Two tours. I know you served in the infantry as well. I bet we could show these young kids a thing or two.”

“With all this attention on cybersecurity,” I said, liking him more by the minute, “I’m beginning to wonder whether the world even needs guys like us.”

Of course, I didn’t believe it for a second but wanted to see what he would say.

“The day the world thinks it can live without guys like you and me,” he said with a confident grin, “is the day they’ll need us more than ever.”

He gestured to a photograph of himself wearing a white short-sleeve dress shirt and a wide paisley tie, standing next to an IBM 386 computer. “I worked my way around the Beltway, learned a thing or two about computers, and started my own company.”

“And here we are,” I said, cutting to the chase.

“And here we are,” he agreed. “I think Lieutenant General Lewis was right to select you for the job.”

I gave him a quizzical look, confused about why Lewis would discuss my selection with a contractor. “I’ve heard very good things about your company,” I said and walked to the door. “Where might I find a bathroom?”

As we entered the hall, he pointed to the hostess who had taken my invitation. “Jenny will show you the way.”

I shook Jim’s hand and allowed Jenny to lead me to Jim’s master suite. Her provocative strides appeared designed to entice, as was her flick of the hair and glance back with a seductive smile. As I entered the bathroom, she sat on the bed, crossed her legs, and waved as I closed the door. The lighting was dim, but I could swear she wasn’t wearing panties.

I was confident that Jim wouldn’t pimp out his staff, let alone in his master suite, but I couldn’t help but imagine Jenny naked on the bed waiting for me as I unzipped my pants and released the pressure of several drinks. The music thumped above as I closed my eyes. As I washed my hands, I found myself checking my teeth and sucking in my gut, which suggested I couldn’t resist Jenny if I were indeed fortunate enough to discover her naked in bed on returning to the room.

I reached for the door handle, unable to decide what I wanted to see.

My final analysis was that she wouldn’t be naked. I was right.

She bounced up from the bed and led me back to the party, but it was clear to me that I would have to learn to manage my thirst—for both Scotch and women.

EIGHT

As most men know and as many women are reluctant to admit, we men struggle with the transition to marriage and raising children in ways that most women do not, which is a compliment to women, by the way. Our transition to adulthood requires more trial and error, whereas women seem to bloom more naturally and organically. A popular explanation for this is that whereas women have a natural desire to select one ideal mate to produce fit offspring, men have a natural desire to spread their seed into as many mates as possible.

This battle of the sexes is rooted in the blind drive of DNA to replicate itself, but we found a way to harmonize the interests of both sides: pair bonding, later given legal status as marriage. With marriage, men and women can satisfy their natural desires and keep society on the narrow path of social progress. Married couples are more financially successful, more sexually satisfied, and more likely to bear successful children. Women face more social sanctions for infidelity, for sure, so that men can have the emotional security of knowing that they are raising their own biological children, but DNA testing has forever changed the cheating game.

In the world of intelligence, we consider it a pleasant surprise when a wealthy and powerful source doesn’t cheat. We never refuse to work with sources who cheat, but we advise them to be discreet, so as not to draw unwanted attention or put themselves in a position to be blackmailed. The most important difference, something many Americans don’t understand, was that many foreign men who cheated had absolutely no intention of leaving their families, no matter how passionate the sex was. They respected the bonds of family.

When I strayed with Jewel, I rationalized it with the belief that it was an instinctive sexual release that wouldn’t betray my love for Beth or the boys, as long as it was merely transactional, without emotional content. When I left Bangkok, I vowed that I was a new man and would leave that world behind, forever. However, when I found myself rationalizing my behavior again with Anna Stuart, I knew I was entering dangerous territory.

When Anna asked me to discuss job opportunities, I told her evenings were best because I worked during the day. This was only a half-truth, of course. I was often in the Pentagon and certainly could have stopped by to see her for coffee.

When I called her to see if she might be available for dinner, I could have been professional and selected a modest restaurant, with the proviso that we would split the bill. Instead, I made flirty chit chat and recommended a classy steakhouse, with the implicit understanding that I would pay.

Older guys flirt with younger women all the time, often with the understanding that it’s simply a case of being charming, or that it won’t be consummated.

In my case, although I assumed that a stunning young woman like Anna probably had a wealthy boyfriend and wouldn’t be interested in someone like me, I was leaving the door open for something to happen, and her tone on the phone didn’t disabuse me of this notion.

She was glad that I called, she said, and was looking forward to meeting again.

I opted for my standard civilian dress—navy blue blazer and white dress shirt, starched