Free The 13: Fall by Robbie Cheuvront, Erik Reed, Shawn Allen

plane took off and climbed altitude. After five minutes, the captain came on the loudspeaker and announced they were at cruising height.
    Taylor unbuckled her belt and stood up.
    “I’m gonna go freshen up. Been a long morning.”
    She made her way back to the rear of the plane and into the lavatory, leaving Keene and Boz to themselves. Several seconds passed before either spoke.
    “So, chapy, what’s an ex-Ranger like you doing in a place like this?”
    Boz smiled. Keene tried to get a read on him, but there was nothing.
    “Haven’t been called that in a while,” Boz said. “Guys in my old unit used to call me that. Even before I went into the pastorate.”
    “Yeah,” Keene said, “we used to call all you Bible-thumper guys chapy.”
    “Bible thumper. Interesting,” Boz nodded. “So these guys, these
Bible thumpers
… Ever see any of them running around beating on their Bible?”
    “What?”
    “I mean, you call us Bible thumpers. Ever see anyone running around beating on their Bible? You know … smacking it around?”
    Keene chuckled. “Nothing personal. It’s just an expression.”
    “You think your president is a
Bible thumper
?”
    “Look,” Keene said, “the president is my commander in chief. What he does on his own personal time is his business. It’s just a joke. Lighten up.”
    “Jon—you mind if I call you Jon?”
    Keene shrugged. “Whatever you like. Mind if I call you chapy?”
    “Not at all,” Boz said. “I’m not here to watch over your every move. I’m here because your commander in chief asked me to help out. Regardless of what you think, I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. And the two of you if need be, for that matter.”
    Keene let that hang there for a moment. The guy was a former Ranger. He was Special Ops. And so it wasn’t a matter of whether or not the guy could handle himself. It was a matter of why he was here in the first place.
    “Let me ask you something,” Keene said.
    Boz nodded.
    “Why
are
you here? I mean, what do I need you for?”
    Boz smiled. “I’d like to think that I’m here for several reasons. The first of which is probably you.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Not what you think. We can talk about that later. Right now, you need to know that I, and the president, think that this is not as black and white as you think it is. And I know you’re probably going to think I’m crazy, or he’s crazy, but I’m not convinced this guy is a terrorist.”
    “Then what is he?” Keene asked.
    “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Boz said. “But right now, I have insight into how this guy thinks. And if you’re going to track him effectively, you need me.”
    “And why do you have insight into this nut job? You a nut job, too?”
    “You married?”
    “Was. What’s that got to do with anything?”
    “Yeah, I know about your first wife. I meant now. Married? Anyone special in your life?”
    Keene sat up straight. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. He didn’t bring up the past. “No. Not married.”
    “It’s hard, isn’t it?” Boz asked.
    “What’s that?”
    “Losing a wife like that. I’m sorry.”
    Keene was now starting to get agitated. “Nothing to be sorry about. She was killed by a terrorist.”
    “Uh-huh,” Boz said.
    “And now I hunt down terrorists and kill them back,” Keene said. “It’s that simple.”
    “Is that why you joined the CIA after you left your unit?”
    Okay
, Keene thought,
now this guy is really starting to make me mad.
“You trying to shrink me, chapy?”
    “Shrink you?” Boz laughed.
    “Yeah, you know. Like a psychiatrist, a shrink?”
    “Oh.” Boz chuckled. “No, I’m not trying to
shrink
you. Just trying to get to know you.”
    “Well, don’t,” Keene snapped. “I don’t live in the past.”
    “Fair enough. You and I actually have a lot in common. I don’t live in the past either. Doesn’t do you any good.”
    “Exactly.”
    “You know I lost