Jesse McGarrett

Book 2: Chapter 6

The next morning I woke up bright and early, earlier than anyone else. It was 4:30 am. I sent a text to Steve so he could meet me for my morning run. I had 10 miles to run within 1 hour. It was painful and I hated it, but I had to do it. I put on my running shoes, shorts and a tank top, brushed and braided my hair, brushed my teeth, and walked to the start of the big trail on which I was to run. When I got there, Steve was already waiting.

Steve: What took you so long?

Me: What do you mean?  I took 15 minutes to get dressed AND walk here! That was fast!

Steve: Oh sure, for a girl.

I punched him on the arm playfully and we began stretching. Finally, at 5, we began running. As we ran, we talked about everything we could think of. Then, I brought up Grace.

Me: So you know my friend Grace?

Steve: Yeah sure. What about her?

Me: Well she's single, too. You guys should go out to eat or something.

Steve: She is pretty cute, I have to admit.

Me: So ask her to dinner!

Steve: Listen. I would love that. But right now, I just want to focus on getting you trained so you can make it home to your four kids.

Me: Grace and Charlie aren't my actual kids. Not that I love them any less at all, it's just that they have... well, um, had Rachel who was their real mom.

Steve: Just like you said they had Rachel but now they don't. Now all they have is you and they don't even know that. They think you're dead, too. You have no idea how hard it was for them to have to sit through your first funeral, and if you don't make it through the this mission, there's no way they can handle another. But I guess you don't even care about that.

I stopped running.

Me: You don't think I care? If I didn't care about them, I wouldn't have pretended that I was dead just to PROTECT them. I would've just let whatever happen to them. That was the hardest thing I've EVER had to do. I had to leave my new born twins, my husband, Grace, Charlie, everyone! And you have the audacity to say that I don't care?

Steve: If you really cared, you wouldn't have decided to go on this kamikaze mission!

Me: Would you PLEASE stop calling it that?! There's no guarantee that I'll die! Plus, would you rather me have just a possibility of dying or a sure chance of MILLIONS dying?

Steve: Listen all I'm saying is maybe you should stop putting yourself first and think about others.

Me: That's the entire reason I'm going on this God forsaken mission in the first place is to save OTHERS!

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I sprinted off through the woods that surrounded the track. I knew the woods well, as I had trained in them. Finally I made it back to the central command center of the base. I went to the private hangar that had the plane I would be flying inside it. The plane was nice, a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, but I was used to flying sea-based planes like the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighter. Most people think they're the same but that's not true. Thank goodness I was a quick learner. I was allowed to get the plane out for a private practice from 6 to 7, and I knew Steve would be looking for me, so I got in the plane and took off with the help of the hangar crew. I was furious but a little practice would surely ease that. I flew for the full hour without stopping, which most pilots don't do during practice. Finally I landed. As I took of my gear, someone firmly grabbed my wrist. I turned around, it was Steve.

Steve: Never act like that again.

Me: What are you? My dad?

Steve: No. I'm not. But you're a disgrace to him. I'm ashamed just to be your brother. You have a horrible temper and no self control.

Me: You know what? SCREW. YOU. Just leave.

Steve: Make me.

Me: Ooh so original. Let me put it this way: Leave now or I can have you escorted off base.

Steve: You wouldn't.

Me: Try me.

I grabbed the metal shackle cuffs, which are given to each officer in case an unwanted intruder gets onto our base, out of my gear bag. I firmly slapped them around Steve's wrists.

Steve: Are you kidding me?

Me: Do you see me laughing?

Steve: No.

Me: Then I'm serious.

Steve: You can't just throw me off base.

Me: Oh, but I can. All I have to do is load your stuck up self into the back of one of our passenger planes and bye bye Steve!

Steve: Let me go. Now.

Me: I'm afraid I can't do that.

Steve: You can't or you won't?

Me: You know what? Both! But we may be able to arrange something. Never talk to me like that again, and I'll forget what happened. Oh and I want apology.

Steve: Absolutely not!

Me: Then I guess I have no choice but to put you on a plane back to America where you'll be highly disrespected because of what you did.

Steve: Fine. I'm sorry.

Me: For?

Steve: I'm sorry for the way I talked to you.

Me: Good job.

I walked away and got ready for my next training session.