This is a work of fiction, and as such the characters are not bound by the usual dictates of modern society. Unsafe sexual practices can be undertaken with impunity only in the world of fantasy. In reality, it is your obligation and your right to play safely, sanely and healthily.
I hope you enjoy my work, and if you have any comments, or ideas that may inspire new work, please feel free to contact me - all E-mails will be answered to the best of my ability.
I would like to thank all of you that wrote and told me how much you like the story. Keep the letters coming.
*
"Are you going out of your mind? How could you ever agree to do something like that?" Richard screamed at the top of his voice. "You're pulling my leg! You have got to be joking. Ibrahim is right; they are going to cut your throat. No! No! I won't have you shacking up with some Arab bitch, even if it is for 'God and Country'. We are one you and I, or at least I thought we were."
It was late at night and they were sitting in Richard's old bedroom out on the Island. "Can you keep it down? I don't want your mom and dad to hear or know about any of this, yet." Joseph whispered, placing his fingers over Richard's mouth. "Just listen and keep an open mind. This may turn out to be the answer to our problems. We will be able to see each other more often then we do now and since I will work in the Metro area, I will not have to go overseas. I can serve out my duty time stateside and be with you."
"Yes I see that, and that part is great, but what about HER?"
"To tell you the truth - I don't know." Joseph admitted. "I'm not going to lie to you. From what I was able to gather, she is very charming, but you know I love you and she is just a means of getting to be with you more often. It is just like agent Barns said, some men fight for their country with a gun at their shoulder ---your gun is between your legs."
"If I asked you not to do this..."
"Don't, please don't ask it and stop worrying it will be OK." Joseph begged.
"But what if I were to insist! If I were to tell you that it was either give this thing up or give me up. Make a choice! What would you do?" Richard asked.
"In that case my love-----I would have to give it up. I would not do this without your blessing, Rich, darling, you mean too much to me now."
Richard grabbed Joseph in his arms and kissed him hard. His mind going over every thing his lover had told him. He told himself that Joseph could have done this without even telling him. What would I have known? We just see each other on some weekends. He could have kept all of this to himself and just lived a double life, but he chose to confide in me and not hide anything. After all it's not that he loves another man.... If I don't agree to this I might loose him. And I don't want that. It was then that Richard made his decision.
"Joseph I love you and only want you to be safe and happy. I trust you enough to know that you went over this and examined it from every possible angle and that you think you can pull it off." He said. "I'm still leery of it, but at least I'll have you within arms reach and not have to worry about you going overseas and being blown up on some street corner in some distant hell hole. My biggest worry has been that you would be killed and your body shipped back and that I would never know it. They only notify your next of kin, not your lover."
"You need not have worried about that, my love, I have had you listed as my next of kin along with my adopted parents. So they will notify you as well in any event."
Joseph had thought of this from every possible angle. After the conversation on Monday with Agent Barns, he had called the New York office of the FBI, Tuesday and was told that Barns was legitimate and that he worked out of Newark. He then called the Philadelphia office to double check and was told the same thing, that Barns was a certified agent and they were aware and supported what he was doing. Joseph then called the Newark office and was immediately directed to Agent Barns's office where an appointment was setup to meet on Wednesday at 2 P.M. Everything was cleared with his C.O. and Agent Barns sent a car to pick him up.
At 2 P.M. he was ushered into Barns's office where he was introduced to two other men. One of them was a Mr. Philip Jackson who was Barns's supervisor. The other man was Mr. Steward Cook, the director of the north Jersey area office. After the initial greetings they got down to business. Joseph lost track of the time as the four of them talked for hours until about 6 p.m. when they sent out for dinner and moved the meeting to a conference room in order to eat and continue to discuss the situation. The four of them sat most of the time, except when the discussion got hot and then one or two of them paced back and forth. They tried to go over every possible problem. For one solid hour they discussed the pros and cons of Joseph leaving the Army and coming to work for the FBI. It was finally decided that this would be too risky and might raise the 'Red Flag' in some quarters. For now he would continue at the school. After graduation they could and would arrange for him to be posted to the School, where he would be carried as a part time instructor on detached duty to study Arab Culture. As an instructor, if he needed a car and an off base apartment it would appear normal for him to have these. His appointment to the position would also 'appear normal' as it was expected that he would graduate as one of the top students. The continuing need for teachers of Arabic almost guaranteed that he be retained at the school, where he could train others and not waist his talent overseas.
The main sore point and bone of contention, turned out to be the amount of control needed to 'handle' him. They discussed how closely they wanted to monitor him. He pointed out that his need for freedom of movement was vital to gaining the needed information. He insisted that he was not to be bugged or monitored in any way. He would report anything that he heard to them either in person, after setting up a meeting or if need be by phone. He would call Barns every day and by use of a catch phrase inform him if he was ok or if he had run into trouble by not using it. Above all the girl was not to be followed or interfered with. His romance with her was to be private. Again Joseph stressed that the father would be a problem.
"You are going to have to deal with that as best you can," said one of the bosses. "You know what you have to do. We are all grown ups here and we know it is part of the culture."
"Whose culture?" Joseph asked. "Arab or American?"
"Arab culture you idiot." Philip said thinking that Joseph was fooling around.
"I didn't know that Jay Edgar Hover was an Arab." Joseph offered.
"Touche! Now that's very funny. However, I'm sure Joseph will rise to the occasion." Barns smiled and changed the subject. "Are you going to need a car?"
"I think so. Yes! I will need one. Something fast and fancy." Joseph said, his mind toying with the idea of a fast sports car.
