Between Right and Wrong by Bret Stubbs

Author:Bret Stubbs [Stubbs, Bret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-19T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Sunday morning found Phil and Roo on the lake with duck decoys out, awaiting the legal shooting time. It gave Phil time to reflect on the last few weeks. He had already sent the Gent a cancellation of his magazine description which was the agreed upon method of quitting that service. The relationship had started quite absurdly. Phil had been at a conference for work and had gone to a training class offered to ex-military only. An envelope had been left in Phil’s briefcase that provided the offer. Phil had been restless and was missing the excitement and fulfillment of special ops. From the beginning it was clear the program was to rid the world of unrepentant child molesters. From the beginning it was clear there would be lots of work and expectations of full success. Stranger still, Phil pondered, was the quiet confidence the ‘Gent” had always exuded and the unthreatening way he communicated and reacted the few times they actually talked.

Phil’s attention was re-directed by the quieted alarm from his phone that told him it was legal to shoot. Roo was on his dog stand over the water, looking up in the sky for ducks flying over and wagging his tail. The lake had a calming serenity, an ancient feel that touched one’s soul and let the rest of the world disappear. The smell of the dirt and the trees agreed with the skin and bone of one’s body. The water’s gentle rustling and tiny waves seemed to tie a human and the earth together in a way that was meant to be from the beginning of time. It did not matter whether the ducks flew or not; time spent in this solitude had an effect on the mind like no other experience.

In this place far from street noises and buildings, a person could hear the birds fly before they could be seen; their acrobatic turns and dives practiced perfectly. With grace, these international travelers weaved through the trees and the brush to land exactly where they aimed. But with power could they launch their bodies back out of the water and into the air, reaching full speeds in a matter of seconds.

It was a successful day of hunting. By noon Phil had put the boat up, cleaned the ducks, put the meat in the freezer, and taken a shower. Roo was in the back yard curled up by his favorite tree sleeping off the hard work he had done. Knowing he could not avoid the inevitable, he dressed for the drive across town to meet Tom and Mike.

Phil arrived at the building early and was escorted to Mike’s office by Tom, who met him with a hand shake and a smile. “Glad you made it Phil.”

“You think I would change my mind?” Phil looked for a facial reaction from Tom but didn’t get one.

“No, I didn’t. You were always the most reliable one, even when we were first recruited. But you never know.” His voice trailed off as if he were sorry he said it.

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