Code Breaker

3

Three years later***

"Hey, Adamson! You are wanted by Captain Warner! ASAP!"

"Thanks, Buckley! I'm on it!" Corporal Buckley went back to his post as I make a u-turn and head for my commanding officer's office.

I stand at attention outside his door until I'm told to enter. I step inside and continue the proper stand until told to be at ease. Warner is a known hard ass. He won't let me be at ease. It's an ego boost for him. A common assumption is that he is trying to make up for his stature. I call it 'little man syndrome'. I can't stand the chauvenstic prick! He's the reason the I'm not re-enlisting if I can't get transferred.

He leaves me standing there for twenty minutes before saying a word. "It has come to my attention that you were in a fight when you went home."

"Sir, I have not been home in over a year. There were no fights when I went home last."

"I'm talking about your first trip home. Three years ago. Explain to me why I should not give you a dishonorable discharge."

"Sir, that male called me and threatened to kick my ass. He likes to abuse women. It was my duty to women to show him that he can't beat all of them. Quite frankly, it wasn't really a fight."

I feel a presence behind me. If I turn, I will be in trouble. Serious trouble! So I stand at attention. "I want the details."

"My little brother called me. He was wanting advice. His girlfriend had told him that she was pregnant. He said that he always used protection because he didn't want a baby while he's in high school. He asked me what to do. I told him that I will check into it. I called her and a male answers. She was in the shower. I heard him tell her that she was needed on the phone. That it may be about their baby. She got out of the shower and decided to kiss him before taking my call. I informed her of who I was and that she was busted for cheating on my brother. She hung up. I called my brother and reported my conversation with her and her lover. We hung up when she called him. A little while later I get a call from her phone and it was her baby's father. He said that he wished that I was there so he could kick my ass. The following weekend I granted his wish. I called him from the airport and told him where to meet me. My brothers picked me up and we went to the abandoned mine.

I made my brothers stay out of it. The male brought the girlfriend along with him. She had a black eye. The male got into his stance, with his fists up. I circled him. He opened his mouth and started to speak. I threw a throat punch. He ran at me, like a dumbass." I paused as I realized that was NOT the way to talk to my superior. "Apologies, sir. He ran at me and I side step. I bring up my knee to his gut. He went down face first. I gave him two options. Get up and drive away. Or I start fighting him for real. He got up and left. I went home to my family." I stopped talking and waited on the next question. It took a while.

"You went through the code breaking quickly. How many languages do you know now?"

"Eight, sir."

"Name them!" Came from behind me.

"English, Spanish, German, Arabic, French, Russian, Portuguese, and Chinese. I'm currently working on Korean."

"Why those languages?" Came from behind me again.

"Spanish and French I learned in high school. Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Russian, because I see them as crucial in being knowledgeable on what they are, or may be, doing against America. Portuguese just because it was there."

"How did you learn so many?"

"On my computer. After I get off work, I spend an hour or two learning."