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Chapter 13

Ghost Caller

Star Gazer and Tail Gunner drove back to the San Diego naval station surface warfare base, and the Navy SEALs security force gave them entrance to the base. They drove south across the base down to the service piers and backed into the parking spot in front of pier 7 main gate. Star Gazer took a deep breath, looked over at Tail Gunner in the passenger seat, and said, “Let’s do this quietly.”

Tail Gunner picked up his radio and called out, “Ghost, are you there, baby?”

The reply was “That’s just creepy. I’m here.”

Tail Gunner said, “Ghost, go to McDonald’s on base for dinner. I will meet you there, okay?”

Ghost replied, “Okay, I will be there in five minutes.”

* * * * *

Star Gazer and Tail Gunner saw Ghost walking halfway down the pier and watched from the front seats of the emerald-green Benz plated to DIA 5.

Star Gazer teared up and said, “Hello, baby brother.”

Ghost passed through Navy SEAL security and exited the security manway gate turn style. He walked to the right toward the McDonald’s restaurant on base. Star Gazer and Tail Gunner drove to their right away from Ghost to not alert the Navy SEALs what they were about to do, kidnap Ghost back from them. Star Gazer drove quickly around the base and pulled up by Ghost on the side road to McDonald’s. Tail Gunner rolled down his window and said, “Get in, Ghost, now.”

Ghost got in the back seat behind the tinted windows and put his seat belt on. Star Gazer drove the Benz up to the second base gate and floored it passed the Navy security guard at the gate. Star Gazer turned the supercharger on, and the twin-turbo spooled up to full throttle, and the Benz flew through the open gate at seventy miles per hour. Star Gazer ran the red light at ninety miles per hour and went through the traffic intersection, squealing and smoking the tires, and slid the Benz sideways let off the throttle. The Benz straightened out, and he hammered it again.

Ghost replied, “Your friend drives fast, Tail Gunner.”

Star Gazer slowed and turned left and sped down the street toward the Coronado bay bridge entrance away from the Navy base. At the red light at the intersection to the bridge, Star Gazer turned around in his seat and said, “HI, Ghost.”

Ghost screamed, “Star Gazer! Holy shit!” They hugged, and the light turned green. Star Gazer obeyed the speed limit across the bridge and watched the rearview mirror for a tail following. They drove down Silver Strand Boulevard, passed the SEAL base and straight into the Marine base in Coronado. Star Gazer drove through the Marine base gate. He honked the horn for fifty yards to get the Marine’s attention. When they pulled up outside the chow hall, the Marines were outside, waiting to greet them. Star Gazer was out first and handed the keys to the Marine colonel. Tail Gunner got out next, and Ghost got out of the back right door last.

The Marine colonel said, “Welcome home, Ghost.”

Ghost cried, “Grandfather,” and ran to the Marine colonel, and embraced him.

The Marines took Ghost to the Marine medical center, and Ghost was surrendered to the Ghost Recon medics for treatment and observation. Star Gazer and Tail Gunner went to their hybrid containment in the chow hall—a massively strongly built hybrid bedroom, and lay down together in bed and fell asleep. They both cried softly until they finally fell asleep. Eight hours later, Colonel John Force walked Ghost into the hybrid containment bedroom, and he jumped into bed with Star Gazer and Tail Gunner.

Marine One Colonel John Force said, “Good night, boys, and welcome home.”

The boys replied, “Good night, Grandfather Force.”

Colonel Force closed the containment door and locked them inside their room and walked away with tear-filled eyes. Ghost was medically cleared in eight short hours in full health and ready for service. The Marine One command transported the boys to Washington, DC, for the MI-45 congressional debrief for their missing nine and half years four days later.