Page 10 of Flash and Bang
“I should kick your ass for doing something so stupid,” he grumbled.
“Yeah, I know. But it was fun as hell.”
“Asshole.”
Carrillo’s car moved and Jarrett chuckled before pulling the Jeep up to the gate, producing his ATF credentials for the uniformed Marine. The man examined them closely then handed them back and took Thayne’s ID as well. He checked it over thoroughly and handed it back.
“Okay, sirs. Proceed after that car,” he said, after scrutinizing the backseat. The Marine pointedto Carrillo’s car and they followed her into the parking lot and pulled into a space beside hers. She met them at the back of her car. She was smiling.
“It’s only a short walk to the administrative offices where Alfie will meet us,” she said, pointing to a building flying an American flag and the red Marine Corps standard in the distance. “So, you’ve been here before, Special Agent Evans?”
Jarrett nodded as they walked. “Just once. As a stopover to a mission overseas.”
She raised an eyebrow. “A mission?”
“I was a sniper, ma’am. The Corps sent me where they needed me.”
“It sounds like an interesting life,” she said, a little note of awe in her voice.
“Interesting enough,” Jarrett replied. “But I’m happy to be working for the ATF now. At least it keeps me Stateside.”
“Are you married? I imagine traipsing around the globe must be hard on a spouse.”
Jarrett’s stomach turned a little at her question. If the truth be told, Jarrett had never considered settling down with anyone. Hell, he’d never dated anyone long enough to do so… not that marriage was ever in the cards for gay men until only recently. He glanced over at Thayne to find his thoughtful gaze on him, waiting for a response. He and Thayne were sleeping together but would he call them committed? He wasn’t with anyone else and he was comfortable with Thayne, so maybe that would fit someone’s definition as a commitment.
Though they hadn’t talked about it recently, he knew Thayne wanted him to move into his apartment but they were too new to speculate about where the whole thing between them was going. He didn’t even know if he’d consider this a relationship… outside of the bedroom and at work anyway. He did know that screwing his partner was a really bad idea but that seemed to define Jarrett’s life, right? Hewasstill alive after all the bad decisions he’d made. Jarrett was a man who truly lived life day to day. He didn’t know what the future held for them. For now, they were lovers and that was enough for him. He was pretty sure Thayne felt the same way about things. He gave Thayne a little smirk before turning back to Carrillo as he snapped out of his musings.
“No, ma’am. Never stayed in one place long enough to form them bonds to be honest.”
She nodded, seeming satisfied with his answer which relieved Jarrett since it was the only one hewas able to give. “Well, as long as you’re here, I’ll give you a little background on Miramar. The base is about 23,000 acres but it was about half that size when the US Army acquired the land during WWI. It was called Camp Kearny back then and was used primarily as a training facility for troops.”
Ada Carrillo was an interesting person and she seemed to like to chatter. Jarrett wondered whether it was because she was upset by what had happened on the base where her husband worked. Too close to home, maybe? Jarrett couldn’t be sure but he was a lover of history, so he absorbed her words like a sponge.
“Charles Lindberg’s plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, was built in San Diego and he used the parade deck here to practice take-offs and landings before the airstrip was built,” she continued. “That was before his famous solo flight across the Atlantic. The base has been used by the US Air Force and NASA and it’s been used as a Navy Fighter Weapons School as well.”
“That’s right! I forgot Top Gun was filmed here,” Jarrett said. He glanced over at Thayne who seemed to be soaking in all the information as well. He pointed his finger at Thayne. “Come to think of it, you remind me of Maverick.”
“Hey, that’s Iceman to you,” Thayne said with a grin.
Carrillo laughed. “You two are comedians.” She sobered a little as they walked along. “Unfortunately, last year, the Fighter Pilot training ended with the phaseout of the F-18s. The base has existed almost a hundred years and gone through a lot of changes over the years. First Army, then Navy with NASA in between. As for Alfie, he’s a Marine Corps aviator with the 3rdso I’m quite proud.”
“It sounds like it. Thanks for all the information, Investigator Carrillo,” Thayne said.
“Please. Call me Ada, Special Agent,” she said pleasantly. “As far as information goes, I’m an investigator. I’m a fact geek I suppose.”
They both chuckled at that. “Thank you, Ada. I’m Thayne and this is Jarrett. I’ll be nice and not tell you what I call him,” Thayne said, sounding quite amused with himself.
Jarrett looked over to find his eyes twinkling.
She snorted quietly as they walked up to the base operations office. Thayne opened the door, allowing Ada to pass through first. Once they were through security and the metal detector, Jarrett spotted a tall Hispanic man waiting for them. He wasdressed in a typical pressed and polished Marine Corps service uniform, green slacks, khaki shirt, khaki tie and tie clasp, captain’s bars, and a garrison cap, pointed on both ends. Most Marines called the cap a piss cutter and Jarrett had always appreciated that term even though he’d spent most of his Marine Corps service wearing cargos or tac pants for practical purposes. It wasn’t like anyone was going to care what he was wearing while he was lying on his belly as long as his aim was true… and it always was.
****
Captain Alfredo Carrillo bent to his wife and greeted her with a peck on the cheek and a little hug. Thayne noted his affection for her by the way he lightly caressed her shoulders with both hands. He realized that this was Carrillo’s place of work so even that small gesture might be frowned upon by his superiors but he didn’t seem to let it bother him. Ada was beaming as her husband took her hand and led her over to him and Jarrett.
“I’d like you to meet my husband, Captain Alfredo Carrillo,” she said proudly. “These are ATF Special Agents Thayne Wolfe and Jarrett Evans.”
“Hello, nice to meet you.” Thayne reached out and shook Alfredo Carrillo’s hand and greeted him.Up this close, Thayne noted the gold pair of wings he wore over a line of ribbons on the left breast of his uniform, noting his rank of Marine aviator. When Carrillo turned to shake Jarrett’s hand, he narrowed his eyes and hesitated for just a second before smiling.