An ex-U.S. Major called James Cairns is escorted to a military court to face Judge Parker regarding his release from a military jail after serious acts of treason against the United States. Cairns becomes frustrated at the very mention of John Raven’s name. After Judge Parker notices Cairns’ volatile behaviour, he gives the order for him to be transported back to the U.S. to be placed into another military compound for an additional two years, and his attitude after this period of time passes will determine whether or not James Cairns becomes a free man. Although Cairns accepts Judge Parker’s decision, he knows that it will only be a matter of time before he will be able to escape and be united with the Iranian president. Whilst spending time inside a military jail, he made contacts in the Middle East, secretly instigating with President Modarres, who, with the help of the Russians is planning to annihilate the U.S. by using nuclear missiles, and then take Kuwait by storm and hold the remainder of the world for ransom. Christmas is approaching rapidly and John Raven is looking forward to celebrating this special time of year with other members of the family. When the New Year arrived, Raven had arranged to train Unit Expendable and then retire from the military force for good, which pleases his father, Richard. He later fi nds out that Captain Weller is going to miss this Christmas because of special I.T. tasks that have to be undertaken on the U.S.S. Kennedy and U.S.S. Blue Ridge, positioned somewhere in the Gulf. Knowing that John is going to retire from the military, she propositions him, suggesting they get back together to enjoy the rest of their lives. After an emergency cabinet meeting, the President of the United States tells the world that she and the Secretary of State, Sarah Johnson, will visit Iran on the 29th of December to hopefully achieve a diplomatic solution.

One Time Too Many

His Own Blood, Part 3By Richard Crombleholme

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Richard Crombleholme
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-1569-6

Contents

Chapter 1. Acknowledgment.................................1Chapter 2. Introduction...................................3Chapter 3. A Traitor's Release............................9Chapter 4. Military Court Appearance......................18Chapter 5. Admiration.....................................30Chapter 6. Home Life......................................36Chapter 7. Being Honest...................................48Chapter 8. Visiting Special Friends.......................51Chapter 9. Work Pressures.................................65Chapter 10. Induction.....................................79Chapter 11. Military Diversion............................100Chapter 12. Conflict......................................105Chapter 13. Aftermath.....................................115Chapter 14. Communications................................120Chapter 15. Emotions......................................129Chapter 16. Travelling....................................143Chapter 17. Visiting John & Louise........................158Chapter 18. Heart-to-Heart Discussion.....................173Chapter 19. Military Transportation.......................183Chapter 20. Arrival.......................................195Chapter 21. Proposal......................................204Chapter 22. Shock.........................................216Chapter 23. Emergency Cabinet Meeting.....................221Chapter 24. Christmas Day.................................228Chapter 25. Frustration...................................249Chapter 26. Face to Face..................................262Chapter 27. Unit Expendable...............................266Chapter 28. Blessing......................................277Chapter 29. Collection of John Raven......................281Chapter 30. Trip to Iran..................................292Chapter 31. Weak & Vulnerable.............................304Chapter 32. Devastation...................................310Chapter 33. Patriotism....................................323Chapter 34. One Man Alone.................................332Chapter 35. Pre-Warning...................................338Chapter 36. Warzone.......................................351Chapter 37. Destruction...................................363Chapter 38. Lost Seal.....................................377Chapter 39. Sorrow & Disagreements........................389Chapter 40. Infliction....................................396Chapter 41. Decisions.....................................410Chapter 42. Day of Reckoning..............................422Chapter 43. Flashbacks....................................444Chapter 44. Truth Hurts...................................452Chapter 45. Home Coming...................................458Chapter 46. Last Goodbye..................................466

Chapter One

A Traitor's Release

After the threat from Iraq and Russia had passed by, thanks to John Raven, Kuwait was perceived to be a much safer place to be at for the U.S. soldiers and the civilian people they were now protecting. That was at least until two military police officers were instructed to release from prison one of their own officers, Major Cairns, and escort him back to the military courtroom where he was going to find out the verdict on his future.

Footsteps could be heard, in the distance, making Cairns look up and glance at the door. For a moment, he paused from typing at the keyboard, which made one of the guards say, "Cairns! You ought to go back to your cell, because today is the day you find out your fate."

Cairns heard what the guard had said and moved his eyes, watching him closely. He blinked, replying, "I'm going nowhere until I have finished this!"

The guard, who was somewhat concerned, shouted back to Cairns in a disgruntled voice asking, "Finished what? You're fortunate be able to use a computer with what you have previously done. What is it; you're doing on that computer?"

Cairns stared hard, starting to snigger, which made the guard casually walk across and look at what Cairns was doing. Staring at the screen the guard asked, "Are you wasting everybody's time? You type, yet there is no text. You are an eccentric guy."

Cairns, cunningly narrowed his eyes, sniggering again, and replied, "I don't know about being eccentric, but I know I'm clever."

The guard placed his hand out wanting to turn off the monitor. Cairns stared menacingly at the guard grabbing his wrist tightly, saying, "I haven't finished my work yet!"

Not impressed by Cairns' actions, the guard stared back replying sternly, "Let go of my arm now!"

While easing his grip on the guard's arm, Cairns bawled out, "I need two more minutes! That's all, just two more minutes!"

The guard frowned, feeling suspicious while looking back at the screen. With seeing nothing, made him ask with concern, "What are you up to, Cairns?"

Before Cairns could answer, Major Higham walked into the room speaking sternly, "Cairns! The military police are on their way to escort you back to the court where you will be left to find out what fate has in store for you."

Cairns heard what Major Higham had mentioned, while releasing his grip on the guard's arm. Looking at the guard and then at Major Higham, he replied, "I will just shut down my computer and log off for the last time."

Major Higham, looking down at him replying, "With what you have done to your fellowmen, you shouldn't be allowed to use one of these machines again."

Cairns, while listening to the Major's last comment, narrowed his eyes slightly, knowing inwardly that Major Higham was indeed relating about the treason he had performed against his own country. Thinking back to how he had been captured, still feeling much hatred for John Raven, he slowly turned to listen to the Major say, "You will most probably end up back in civilian life, when the force will want to give you a head start in something you seem to be good at and will most likely use to your advantage after entering back into civilian life."

Cairns, smirking replied, "That's possible."

Major Higham, who was glaring at Cairns, remembering what he had been placed in jail for, said, "Shut the computer down immediately and go back to your cell."

The guard watched his reaction, with Cairns just nodding his head in agreement. Major Higham turned with the guard starting to walk away from Cairns. Cairns highlighted the white text showing on a white background, and selected black from the paint palette making the text visible.

Major Higham, who was standing at the door speaking with the guard, paused for a moment and shouted across the room at Cairns, "Cairns! Move your butt now!"

Cairns placed his cursor on the send button and sent the e-mail, watching it travel. He had just typed to the Iranian president through a third party, which made him produce an evil grin. He then went into his sent item box to delete the message. Next, as requested by the Major, started to shut down the computer where there was no trace of his actions.

The guard casually walked over to Cairns, noticing the computer had now been switched off, making him say, "Today could be a new beginning."

Cairns sat there just looking straight ahead nodding his head agreeing. He then stood up waiting for the guard to escort him back to his cell, knowing that he had finished everything to ensure he had the future he had planned meticulously while being inside this military jail.

In the blurring heat, the M.P. officers travelled to the military prison in Kuwait. They were discussing that they could not understand why Major Cairns performed acts of treason against his own nation. He risked his family, his high profile job, his pension and his future for the greed of more money than he could imagine. All this, which had been offered to him previously by the Iraqi president, and General Luchinski, for inside information received about U.S. soldiers, who were embarking on many missions to try and rescue their colleagues.

Captain Weller, only found out about his wrong doings, when she started to ask questions to different people at the Kuwaiti Allied Control Centre, which, to her surprise, resulted in some important information being received by e-mail at one of the operatives work stations. At the time, Raven watched her movements with intent. At this point, when Major Cairns didn't want to explain these strange happenings, it was apparent to Raven that the men he had trained, Unit Invincible, had sadly been sold out. Raven reacted by clenching his fist and hitting Major Cairns in the face hard for being a traitor against his own nation.

After being told the truth that John Weller-Raven was indeed his own blood, it forced this legendary soldier after pressure from Captain Weller, to have to come back to the warzone and fight for his country and protect the son he never knew.

Major James Cairns knew the time for his release had come. Relishing the thought of the military police officers wanting to escort him back to the courtroom, suspecting that he would have to listen to a lecture and be told how disappointed everybody was in him, when he could have progressed further.

With being in prison for a considerable time, Cairns' appearance had changed. He refused to have his hair cut frequently. Where he was once clean cut, and clean shaved; now he had scraggy greasy long hair that appeared to hang over his face and down onto his shoulders. He grew stubble altering his appearance, making him look even more intimidating and possibly more menacing.

In prison, he made friends and became the ring leader for the bad people, where they would come to him if anything untoward was happening on what had now become his patch. He was reluctantly allowed to attend different courses to enable him to try and live a normal civilian life when finally released from prison and kicked out of the force. What the military failed to realise, Cairns was a clever devious type of person who shouldn't have been granted access to use a computer. When the military staff thought that he was making an effort to try and redeem himself, he was contacting high influential people in Iran, sometimes through third parties. These people assured him with disguised returned messages that they would help him in return for the valuable information they could use against Kuwait, that seemed to be the subject of more hostility.

Some of Cairns' fellow inmates came to wish him well as he packed a few belongings. Cairns casually looked behind him, piercing his military inmates with his eyes, choosing not to reply. Instead, he turned to carry on packing what few possessions he had, waiting for the military police to arrive and escort him to find out what his destiny now held. After placing everything into his bag, he sat on the bed with his head low looking at a photograph he was holding of his family. Many memories came flooding back, making him become somewhat solemn, knowing that he may never see them again because of his previous foolish actions.

The military police arrived at the prison, with the guard on duty saluting them, then raised the barrier to let them through knowing who they were now coming to collect. They drove to the opposite side of the sector to park the vehicle. While climbing out of the open topped jeep, one of the M.P. officers reminded his colleague about the time this man was the instigator for the enemy, which at the time was Iraq and Russia, resulting in several U.S. soldiers either being captured, or worse still, being killed.

His colleague didn't reply. He just recalled those past horrific events when U.S. soldiers were killed on television. Some, like John Weller, who is still with us, also suffered torture during that time. Others like Tony Hindle, have now left this world and are resting in peace. Through the evil sadistic actions of James Cairns, these U.S. soldiers who could have evaded torture were sadly cheated of their lives. The American people could not forgive this man for what he had done to his own people. In their mind, they could only come to the conclusion, once a traitor always a traitor!

Walking down the corridor together they approached Major Higham. Coming closer they stopped, saluting him. Looking sternly at the military police officers, he asked, "Are you here to collect Cairns?"

One of the M.P. officers, called Scott Sinclair replied, "We are sir. We have instructions to escort him back to the military courtroom."

Major Higham pushed his chair back deciding to stand up, yet still giving a stern look to the military police officers, he said, "People like this, who are traitors against their own country should never be released!"

The military police officers were nodding their heads agreeing as they proceeded to follow Major Higham to Cairns' cell. Walking to the cell Cairns was being held at, other prisoners watching in anticipation started to shout and jeer. Cairns ignored the shouting by remaining seated on the bed with his head down still looking at the photo of his family, with his long scraggy hair hanging over his face. In the distance, he could hear the footsteps becoming louder, but still he didn't move. He sat there with a sorrowful face looking at his family while thinking back to his foolish actions, which was for them, so they could enjoy what he thought would be a better life.

Major Higham, followed by the military police officers arrived at Cairns' cell. A guard standing nearby was ordered to unlock the caged door. In doing so, he too stared at Cairns as he searched through his bundle of keys, feeling disgust with the previous acts of treason he had performed. With all this happening, Cairns didn't raise his head; he kept it lowered with his hair hanging down in front of his face.

When the caged door had been unlocked, the bolt clattered has it was pulled across horizontally so that the door could now open. The prison officer, followed by the two military police officers, walked into the cell looking down at America's most hated man. They all looked at him sitting there on the bed with his head lowered, refusing to acknowledge the military personnel standing in front of him.

Major Higham asked Cairns with concern, "Why are you not wearing your military uniform?"

Cairns didn't answer. He just sat there with his head lowered still looking at the photograph, making John Radford, who was the other M.P. officer say, "He isn't worthy of wearing the U.S. military uniform anymore!"

Cairns heard the snide comment made by Radford, but chose to keep silent and remain seated with his head lowered still staring at the photograph of his family, he had so sadly lost.

Major Higham gave an arrogant stare to his colleagues, and then turned to look back at Cairns, replying, "If he has to go to the courtroom representing the U.S. Green Berets, I want him to look smart and presentable! This man has already received special privileges, including using a computer, attending several courses, and letting him grow his hair when he refused to eat food. Without any negotiation, he will enter that courtroom in a respectable way!"

The military police officers didn't respond to Higham's last remark. They just watched Cairns move his head ever so slightly with his hair hanging over his face, listening to him say, "I left the force the day I was put in here! I'm dressed for court, because they're only going to lecture me, telling me what I could have achieved. I won't need to hear it! I won't be putting my uniform on ever again! Understood?"

Major Higham stood there frosty faced after listening to Cairns' outburst. He moved his eyes away from Cairns' face, noticing that he was looking at the photo of his family. He pulled from his pocket a newspaper cutting, walked a little closer towards Cairns, gracefully handing it over to him to look at. Not sure what it was, Cairns placed the photograph of his family down onto the bed to accept the newspaper cutting and start unfolding it. When a picture of John Raven had been showed, it infuriated him when he realised who it was. In anger, he stood up tearing the newspaper article of Raven up into bits in temper. He looked back wide eyed through his hair, paused for a few seconds, raised his arm and pointed his finger at all the military personnel, saying in an angry voice, "You just don't get it!"

The three men holding stern faces were waiting in anticipation for whatever else Cairns may have to say to them. Cairns pointed at the newspaper he had just torn up and said in an angry voice, "If it hadn't been for him and that bitch, Captain Weller, I wouldn't be here today. One day, revenge will be so sweet! I have already told him some considerable time ago when I had been arrested for working with President Rashaid and General Luchinski, that soon it will be one time too many. John Raven's day of reckoning is coming!"

All the military personnel stared at Cairns wide eyed at how he could insult a well-known legendary soldier, making Radford become protective and have to say, "John Raven is an elite U.S. Green Beret whom the United States of America is proud to call up on several occasions!"

Cairns, slowly turned his head to face Radford, looking through his scraggy hair, paused, produced a menacing stare, replying in a disgruntled way saying, "Raven will die!"

Hearing this, all the military personnel narrowed their eyes angrily, but chose to keep their hidden emotions that were now flowing through their body under control. Major Higham took another couple of paces closer to Cairns while glaring at him, making Cairns say, "You don't frighten me, soldier!"

Major Cairns didn't reply at first. He looked sternly into Cairns' face hard, deciding to reply back to his outburst by saying, "If you want to get out of here, I suggest that you place your military uniform on!"

Cairns thought for a few seconds, glanced at the military personnel, reluctantly deciding to give in. He nodded his head slowly deciding to agree, knowing that his actions could affect the outcome of his future. The military police officers grabbed Cairns, escorted him to the showers, and told the staff there to clean him up. They sniggered as they watched Cairns being hosed down from head to toe while moving along the shower section. When he had finished, he walked out of the other side with Sinclair, still glaring at him, offering Cairns a towel and then pushed it into his stomach, wanting him to take it from him. Cairns noticed the M.P. officer had a little arrogance showing. He gave a short sharp stare back, before starting to dry himself with the towel.

The military police officers escorted Cairns back to his cell, waiting patiently for him to get dressed appropriately for his court appearance. Cairns went to the mirror, placed his hands through his hair, then started to comb it neatly and place it into a pony-tail. Watching these actions made Sinclair say in disgust, "You ought to take a long hard look at yourself when you look in the mirror!"

(Continues...)

Excerpted from One Time Too Manyby Richard Crombleholme Copyright © 2011 by Richard Crombleholme. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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