Dick Couch: Out of the Ashes

Laurie had told her about her termination at the Center for Naval Analyses and Sandee had formerly resigned her commission, so they were both officially unemployed. Washington was arguably the most recession-proof city in America. They both decided they would look for work here, and Sandee’s husband had already secured a promise from KPMG they would transfer him to Northern Virginia when the time came. They had agreed to meet for beers at Clyde’s in Georgetown, one of Sandee’s old haunts from her Naval Academy days. Laurie knew the bar as well.

They sat in a booth talking about job prospects and a million other things. Sandee was staying with Laurie and they had arrived by taxi. They intended to cab it back once they closed down Clyde’s, or were thrown out. The beer flowed freely.

Neither were heavy drinkers but this occasion was unique. Immediately, they fell into a conversational world of their own. They talked of the crash, the capture and interrogation by the prince and his men, and their abrupt career terminations. All this brought them closer, closer than sisters. It was talk, more beer, and more talk. They were so engaged they failed to notice the large man who was watching them from the bar until he appeared at the end of their booth. They looked up together, mildly annoyed at the interruption.

“Ms. Phillips, Ms. Barron, good evening.”

“How do you know our names?” Laurie asked.

“Oh, I know a great deal about you two, as does my employer.”

Now on guard, Sandee replied, holding up her left hand, “Hey, I’m married, see? And you’re not my friend’s type.”

“Forgive me, ladies; it was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. I understand that you are both looking for work, and I have something that might interest you,” Brian Dawson replied. “Mind if I sit down?”

Sandee and Laurie were surprised enough by Dawson knowing their names they sat in stunned silence as he pulled a chair up to the end of their booth.

“Have either of you ladies heard of an organization called the National Crisis Management Center?”

Silence.

“I didn’t think so. I can’t tell you much here in a restaurant, we need a secure space for that, but I can tell you the gentlemen who snatched you out of Saudi Arabia belonged to our JSOC cell. We operate internationally, and now, domestically, and we like to recruit people who don’t mind throwing the rule book away when it’s absolutely necessary. You two seem like our kind of people. Interested in learning more?”

Laurie and Sandee just gaped at Dawson, then at each other.

DICK COUCH graduated from the Naval Academy and served as a Surface Warfare Officer and SEAL Platoon Commander in Vietnam. Dick enjoys a unique relationship with the U.S. Special Operations Command and has documented the special operations training venues for SEALs, Army Special Forces (Green Berets), Rangers, and Marines.

GEORGE GALDORISI is a career naval aviator. He has written eight books, including (with Dick Couch), the New York Times bestseller Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor.