\f2 }{\plain \fs36 \b\f2\fs36 Susan Jennings
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa108\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs36 \b\f2\fs36 }{\plain \fs24 \b\f2 \'a9 Morgan 1988, 1998, 2001; All Rights Reserved.
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \b\f2 }{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 1}{\plain \fs24 \f2
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan Jennings didn\'92t know what to do when she regained her senses. She was now, \softline
she assumed, a prisoner of war. She was in a POW camp, but she didn\'92t see any of her \softline
medical detail there with her. Sue had no idea how long she had been there. The last \softline
thing she remembered was an explosion in the OR \'97 the hospital\'92s Operating Room \'97 \softline
and then everything collapsed around her head. She wandered around the compound \softline
inside the barbed wire trying to get oriented. Other women seemed to be bartering their \softline
clothing, but she couldn\'92t figure out what they were getting in return.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab It was terribly hot. On the other hand it was always hot in Vietnam. Eavesdropping \softline
on a transaction she found that the girl was bartering for food. Susan had never paid a \softline
great deal of attention to the very occasional lectures on prisoners\'92 rights and \softline
obligations. After all, as a nurse she was a noncombatant. Of what earthly good could \softline
such information possibly do her? Now she was finding out.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Feeling a little dizzy, she touched her scalp and discovered why. There was a lot of \softline
dried blood and what felt like a nasty laceration on the back of her scalp. The girl she \softline
had been watching com-pleted her transaction and Susan asked her about it. The girl \softline
had taken off her bra, then put her shirt back on. She explained that there was only a \softline
tiny amount of rice given to the prisoners each day. Since she had been imprisoned for \softline
nearly three months, her bra was hanging on her now-flattened chest so it didn\'92t make \softline
any difference to her anyway. And it more or less guaranteed a full rice ration for the \softline
next thirty days.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Susan asked about later \'97 after the thirty days. The girl pointed to a couple \softline
of girls on the other side of the compound. One was naked to the waist retaining only \softline
her skirt. Others were completely naked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What do they do?\'94 Susan asked. \'93The ones with no clothes, I mean.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93They have a very stark choice. They either trade their bodies or they go without. \softline
And if they go without for too long, they have no bodies to trade with,\'94 the girl replied. \softline
She pointed out an emaciated girl crouched in the far corner of the compound. \'93I think \softline
she\'92s been here for over a year. She decided she wouldn\'92t sell her body and now it\'92s too \softline
late.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan looked around and saw a guard watching her hungrily. With her golden-blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes, she was a true beauty. Going up to the guard, she \softline
started to talk with him about rice. When she asked what her bra would be worth he \softline
replied that for her it would be a triple ration for two months. Susan accepted his offer \softline
on the spot. When he told her that she would have to take it off right there, she \softline
unbuttoned her uniform shirt, hung it over the wire and then took off her bra. At the \softline
sight of her full, firm breasts, the guard almost climbed through the fence.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Before giving him her bra she asked him how and when she would get her extra food. \softline
After looking both ways the guard said she could have some right away. Taking her bra, \softline
he gave her a handful of ration bars. Susan immediately recognized them as being from \softline
Red Cross parcels that should have been given to the prisoners in the first place.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Taking the ration bars, she realized that the guard had been a good-enough sort; \softline
there were eight of them. Making her way across the compound, she went up to the \softline
starving girl who had been pointed out to her. When she got closer, she saw that the girl \softline
was a human skeleton. Jennings doubted that she weighed even seventy-five pounds. \softline
The girl was hunkered down with her head resting on her knees.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Hi! I\'92m Sue Jennings. Who are you?\'94 she asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The girl looked up with a very vague, unfocussed look in her eyes. Susan realized \softline
with a shock that the girl was dangerously close to death. Then her green eyes focused \softline
and remarkably she even tried to smile. \'93Hi, Susan. I\'92m Ginny Cameron. I would shake \softline
hands, but I\'92m not sure I can even get up.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny\'92s body was the color of mahogany from being bare in the tropic sun for so \softline
long. Putting the girl\'92s arm over her shoulder, Susan helped her over to the side of one \softline
of the huts. Because of the time of year and Vietnam\'92s closeness to the Equator, the sun \softline
was now almost directly overhead, but she found a little strip of shade under the hut\'92s \softline
roof overhang. After gently easing Ginny Cameron down, Susan sat down beside her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Ginny, you\'92ve got to eat something! You\'92ve really carried this diet thing too far \softline
already,\'94 she said with a bright smile.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny Cameron remarkably still retained a sense of humor. \'93I don\'92t know... Sue, \softline
is it...? I think I can still spare another pound or two.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan almost cried. The girl\'92s breasts had completely dis-appeared and her ribs were \softline
so prominent she could count them just by looking. Even her thighs were now not much \softline
larger than the femur bone itself. Remembering what she knew about dieting and \softline
starvation, Susan remembered that the body first uses its fat and then breaks down and \softline
burns muscle tissue. Clearly this is what was happening to Ginny. And there wasn\'92t any \softline
muscle left.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Smiling at Ginny she said, \'93I brought you a gift.\'94 Carefully unwrapping one of the \softline
nutrition bars, she offered it to the girl.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny just looked at it without comprehension. Finally she said, \'93Are you giving \softline
this to me? Sue, I can\'92t take it. You just don\'92t know what you\'92re doing. I made a choice \softline
and I guess it was a stupid choice. So now I\'92ll die of it.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ignoring the girl\'92s words, Jennings broke off a small piece of the very rich nutrition \softline
bar and put it between Ginny\'92s lips. The girl just let it melt in her mouth. As she did \softline
a near-rapturous expres-sion appeared on her face. Susan just continued feeding the \softline
starving girl small morsels until the bar was gone. Only then did Susan notice that \softline
Ginny\'92s eyes were flowing with tears.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Sue,\'94 the girl asked, \'93why are you doing this? You know it\'92s too late, don\'92t you? \softline
I\'92ve only got a few hours left and I guess I was almost looking forward to the release.\'94 \softline
Trying to smile, she continued, \'93Starvation is a hell of a way to die, though. But isn\'92t \softline
there anything I can do for you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Smiling warmly at the girl Susan replied, \'93Yes, there is! Ginny, please keep fighting. \softline
You were a beautiful girl before and you will be one again. Please? Try to hang on?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Virginia Cameron slowly nodded her head.
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 * * *
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Over the next weeks and months Susan developed an abiding hatred for three \softline
people, all Americans: Homer Black, Colonel, U.S. Army Medical Corps, Charles Simon, \softline
Major, USA MC, and Judith Harrison, Captain, U.S. Army Nurse Corps. They were \softline
always well dressed, clearly well fed and housed outside the compound. She asked Ginny \softline
Cameron about them one day. Ginny by now had actually gained a couple of pounds and \softline
}{\plain \fs24 \f1 now}{\plain \fs24 \f2 could even move around a little.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Susan approached her, the girl smiled and asked, \'93How\'92s the camp lifeguard \softline
today?\'94 Then she frowned, shook her head and asked, \'93Susan, what are you trying to \softline
do? I heard about the episode with the guards and the male prisoners. What was that \softline
all about?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan rubbed her crotch remembering how she had taken thirty guards one after the \softline
other in order to try to save the lives of some of the men who were dying for lack of \softline
medicine. Susan was the only operational nurse \'97 or medical person \'97 inside the \softline
compound. Black, Simon and Harrison did nothing. Susan had traded her body for units \softline
of antibiotics and she still felt unclean. Now she was only wearing her shirt. All of her \softline
other garments had been traded for food and medicine which she had used for other \softline
prisoners.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After quickly telling Ginny about her experience she concluded by saying, \'93It really \softline
wasn\'92t too bad. I have a pretty liquid cunt which lubricated their entry pretty well. I\'92m \softline
all right.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at Susan, Ginny unbuttoned her shirt. By now Susan\'92s tits had completely \softline
disappeared and her skin was almost as deep a shade of mahogany as Ginny\'92s. \'93What \softline
are you doing, Sue?\'94 she demanded. \'93I know you get enough food to keep yourself fit. \softline
But I think you\'92re losing weight even faster than I did. You\'92re giving it all away, aren\'92t \softline
you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan only shrugged but did not reply. Instead she asked, \'93Ginny, what\'92s with \softline
Black and company? Why do they live so well?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It\'92s the shame of the camp,\'94 Ginny replied with a grimace. \'93I think they sign off \softline
for all the Red Cross parcels and the rest of that stuff, certifying that everything\'92s fine \softline
here in the camp. In return they get whatever they want.\'94 Then she frowned at Susan \softline
and continued, \'93Incidentally, I hear they hate your guts. Sue, you\'92re a threat to them, \softline
and they\'92ll get you if they can.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Susan looked at Ginny Cameron and realized she was truly a beautiful woman. \softline
Before she had not realized how glorious Ginny\'92s hair was \'97 a beautiful shade of \softline
auburn. She said so and Ginny gave her a skeletal smile.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You\'92re changing the subject,\'94 she accused. Looking at Susan carefully she added, \softline
\'93Susan Jennings, I want to swear a solemn oath to you. If I get out of here alive, I want \softline
you to know I will do anything \'97 }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 anything}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \'97 for you that it is ever in my power to do. \softline
I owe you my life. You know it, Sue. I just want you to know that I know it, too.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Over the previous days they had noticed that the guards had been increasingly \softline
nervous. Since the prisoners received no news of any kind they couldn\'92t identify the \softline
source of the nervousness. Just then a guard came along cracking a whip and ordered \softline
all the prisoners to assemble in the center of the compound.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan started to help Ginny to her feet but the guard pushed her away. Ginny \softline
almost made it to her feet but failed, falling back to the ground. The guard stood over \softline
the prostrate girl and held out both of this hands with all his fingers extended. Ginny \softline
was going to receive ten lashes with the bullwhip.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Knowing it would kill the girl, Susan stripped off her shirt and covered Ginny with \softline
her own body. The whip came down across her five times. Each stroke felt like a white-hot wire cut-ting into her back. After five lashes the guard made a rolling motion with \softline
his hands. Susan rolled over and bridged her body over the fallen girl. Again the lash \softline
came down, this time across her breasts, belly and loins. When the whipping was \softline
finished, Susan rolled off the red-haired girl and just lay bleeding in the dirt.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then the guard commander came up and pointed to her. Looking up she saw that \softline
a cross had been erected and it was obviously for her. Swallowing hard, Susan gave \softline
Ginny a quick thumbs-up sign. Then she threw her her shirt and said with a little grin, \softline
\'93It doesn\'92t look like I\'92ll be needing this anymore.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan accompanied the guards to the cross where she was quickly tied by her wrists \softline
to the crosspiece and left to bake in the bright sun. A guard was posted at the base of \softline
the cross to keep other prisoners from helping her in any way. Soon the pain in her \softline
shoulders became unbearable and she had difficulty breathing. After hanging there \softline
throughout the day, by late afternoon she was in a terminal stupor, very close to death.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Sounds of gunfire and nearby explosions partially roused her. Moments later \softline
American troops swept through the compound, routing the guards who had already \softline
retreated into the surrounding jungle. Susan tried to raise her head which had been \softline
lolling against her chest. She could see helicopter transports supported by gunships land \softline
and begin the evacuation of the liberated prisoners.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she felt strong arms holding her, she was just slumped against her bonds \softline
unable to move. An American was holding her while he reached and slashed the ropes \softline
holding her to the cross. By the time he got her down the last wave of assault troops was \softline
loading up. Ordering his men to run for it, he said something cryptic to them about \'93the \softline
supply point.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Rick Jackson was a major in the U.S. Marine Corps and was in command of the \softline
rescue mission. Watching the last of his men mount up, he glanced at the girl in his \softline
arms and was shocked at her condition. As the last of the helicopters lifted off, he picked \softline
the girl up and moved back the way his troops had come in, climbing one of the very rare \softline
hills in that part of Vietnam. Meanwhile, several gunships stayed close to the camp to \softline
discourage pursuit.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As he moved up the slope he felt a sharp sting in his left thigh. Although he fell, he \softline
was able to keep his body between the girl and the ground. Recovering, he put her over \softline
his right shoulder in a fireman\'92s carry and, using his weapon as a crutch, made his way \softline
to the supply cave they had used earlier.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick hoped the shot had been a lucky one. Since he had not heard the sound of the \softline
shot, he assumed it was a stray bullet and he had just been unlucky \'97 at least he hoped \softline
so. If he and the girl had been observed entering the cave it was all over. He knew the \softline
North Vietnamese had been driven back into the jungle but had not been seriously hurt.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Putting the girl down on the floor of the cave, he limped towards the rear where \softline
large piles of supplies were stacked. Locating the first-aid kit, he put it on the ground. \softline
After using his combat knife to slit his fatigues near the wound site, he poured antibiotic \softline
powder on it and tied a bandage over it. Remarkably, the wound had not bled much.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Completing the first aid, he looked through the supplies and found several things he \softline
was looking for. After first spreading a ground cloth and then a blanket, he picked up \softline
the girl and placed her on it. After pouring antibiotic powder on the vicious cuts, he put \softline
antiseptic ointment over each one. Although he couldn\'92t be sure, it seemed that the cuts \softline
had been made by a whip.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As he moved the girl, he was astonished at how thin and light she was. Carrying her \softline
\'97 even up the hill after he had been wounded \'97 had been no trouble at all. Finally, he \softline
thought to do something he probably should have done much earlier. Opening his \softline
canteen he gently poured a small amount of water into her mouth.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She gagged, sputtered, but then swallowed. Then he heard her voice for the first \softline
time, very faint and rasping, say, \'93More, please...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With her eyes now open, he found himself looking into the most vivid blue eyes he \softline
had ever seen. Gently holding her head he trickled more water into her mouth. Looking \softline
around the cave he spied a fatigue jacket which he grabbed and wrapped around her. \softline
She almost drowned in it. After putting down the canteen he opened a ration bar. Then \softline
he did for her what she had done for Ginny: He broke off small pieces and put them in \softline
her mouth. The first few she merely allowed to melt. Then as she started to become \softline
more aware, she slowly began to chew.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick found he liked holding this battered girl in his arms as she methodically chewed \softline
on the food. When he saw her jaws stop working, he had managed to get nearly two full \softline
bars of the concentrate into her. Since she had fallen asleep, he gathered her into his \softline
arms, drew her into a sleeping bag with him and then held her as she slept.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab That night one of the more-or-less regular torrential tropic rainstorms lashed the \softline
surrounding jungle. Hearing it Rick breathed a prayer of thanks hoping the rain would \softline
wash away any tracks they might have left during their escape earlier in the day. \softline
Eventually he, too, fell into a deep sleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When he awakened he found himself looking into those blue eyes again. Her head \softline
was resting on his shoulder, and he was startled to realize that his hand had entered the \softline
unbuttoned fatigue jacket and was over her breast \'97 or where her breast should have \softline
been. It was right on top of the worst of the lacerations across her chest.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When he yanked his hand away as if it were on a hot stove, she smiled weakly and \softline
said in a stronger, but still very husky whisper, \'93Please don\'92t. Please put your hand \softline
back where it was. It felt so good.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Gently he moved his hand back to where it had been. Seeing her eyes close he went \softline
back to sleep, too. Later he was awakened by her movements as she tried to reach their \softline
food supply without disturbing him. When she realized he was awake, she grinned, \softline
scrambled for a supply of food, and brought it back to within easy reach. In spite of \softline
being in the jungle, Rick realized that the dampness coupled with the cool ground \softline
temperature made it feel chilly inside the cave. The sleeping bag felt good.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she clambered back into the bag, he caught a glimpse of a shrunken and \softline
lacerated buttock. As he watched, she very carefully unwrapped a ration bar. Only then \softline
did he realize he was watching the movements of a person who was used to eating the \softline
tiniest sliver of food. Carefully she fed the bar to him in the same way he had fed her the \softline
previous day. Only after he finished his did she open one for herself. Then she repeated \softline
the process with a second and then a third. Finally she zipped up the side of the bag, \softline
carefully positioned his hand on her chest and went back to sleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab They spent the entire second day together in the sleeping bag just eating and \softline
sleeping. When Rick awakened late in the day he was startled. Susan was out of the \softline
bag, had located a tarp and draped it over the cave entrance to try to make it light-tight. \softline
Having also lighted a small gasoline lantern she was inspecting his leg. Only then did \softline
Rick realize he was feverish from the bullet wound.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan had found a much larger first-aid kit which was now lying open on the cave \softline
floor. She was hunkered down going through its contents when she felt his eyes on her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking up at him she smiled warmly and asked, \'93How do you feel?\'94 Then she came \softline
over to him with her pitifully emaciated hand outstretched and added, \'93My name is \softline
Susan Jennings. Thank you for saving my life.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick took the hand and was astonished at the strength in the grip of a hand that was \softline
almost skeletal. \'93Hi, Susan. I\'92m Richard Jackson, but everyone calls me Rick. Major, \softline
United States Marine Corps. I\'92m afraid I screwed up, Sue... Is Sue all right, or do you \softline
prefer Susan?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Sue is fine,\'94 she replied with a warm smile.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Then pretending to glare at him she demanded, \'93What do you mean, screwed up? \softline
The last thing I remember, I was playing the Christ r\'f4le in an Easter Pageant, and we \softline
had just come to the crucifixion scene. I thought it was the end of the play. Now I\'92m \softline
warm, cozy and loved.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Her face fell on the last word. \'93I\'92m sorry, Rick. I didn\'92t mean that. Anyway, I\'92m \softline
about to fix you up. I was just taking inventory. Although I\'92m certainly not a surgeon, \softline
I\'92m afraid I will have to operate to remove the bullet. If I don\'92t, there\'92s some risk you \softline
could lose the leg. I think I can do it, but you can see I have been in better shape in my \softline
life. It\'92s your leg, though, and it\'92s your choice. Do you want me to try?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He smiled to try to take the sting out of what he was about to say. \'93Aside from being \softline
Susan Jennings, a girl with the most beautiful blue eyes in the world, who are you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan was on her knees on the floor of the cave. Although she tried to jump to \softline
attention, she couldn\'92t make it. She made a little face and knelt up straight, though, \softline
saluting as she had been taught to do at Newport. \'93Major, Susan Jennings, Lieutenant, \softline
U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, certified as an OR specialist. Do I have your permission to \softline
operate, sir?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick\'92s heart flipped. Never had he met a braver person than this. \'93Go to it, Doctor \softline
Jennings,\'94 he replied with a smile. \'93You\'92ll make it. Now what do you want me to do?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan returned his smile. \'93First, try to figure out the most comfortable position for \softline
your leg. I found some morphine ampules, so I won\'92t have to be probing with you \softline
screaming in my ear.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She had all her materials and he watched in amazement as she carefully cut away \softline
his pants leg and then very gently removed the battle dressing that was still in place. \softline
Rick was surprised at the tenderness of her touch. Taking an ampule, she fitted a needle \softline
and injected his leg above the wound site. Then she went for more food for both of them, \softline
while she gave the morphine time to work. In moments they were companionably eating \softline
their nutrition bars.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she finished, she carefully scrubbed, then put her hands into surgical gloves. \softline
Even though the gloves were highly stretchable rubber, her fingers had lost so much \softline
flesh they were loose in places. Then she carefully and painstakingly scrubbed the area \softline
surrounding the wound. She had even found a surgical mask to put across her face and \softline
Rick admired how deftly she had tied it into position.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at him she asked, \'93Are you ready?\'94 Rick just nodded.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Carefully, Susan used a probe to track down the bullet hole while feeling for the slug. \softline
He had briefly told her how he had been hit, so she was not surprised when she reached \softline
the bullet just below the skin. As he had hoped, it had been a spent bullet striking him \softline
at its extreme penetrating range. It had been a very lucky \'97 or unlucky \'97 shot. Taking \softline
the forceps she followed the probe down the wound. Feeling the nose of the plier-like \softline
instrument contact the slug, she opened the nose to grip it. Carefully she manipulated
it until she could feel it fasten on the bullet. Slowly retracting the instrument, she \softline
carefully eased the bullet out.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When it finally emerged from the wound it was followed by a flow of blood mixed \softline
with pus. Then she reentered the wound with the forceps, reached the muscle tissue, \softline
very carefully locked the forceps and retracted. When the tip reappeared it held what \softline
she had been probing for: a piece of his uniform the slug had driven into the wound \softline
ahead of itself. She allowed the wound to drain while examining what she had extracted.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Meanwhile, Rick had been watching the process with interest. Susan had set up a \softline
plasma bottle beside him before beginning the operation. Now she opened the clamp to \softline
allow the fluid to enter his vein. Then she powdered the area with antibiotic powder and \softline
carefully bandaged it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally, taking off the mask she smiled and said, \'93You\'92ll live, Major. The bullet \softline
remained in one piece and I got the bit of uniform driven in ahead of it. What do you \softline
think?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Lieutenant, when did you do your residence in combat surgery? That was as nice \softline
as I could imagine. And Susan, I\'92m really serious. I\'92m not teasing you at all. They \softline
couldn\'92t have done a better job at Pearl Harbor or Bethesda. Thank you!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Rick, I guess I\'92m weaker than I thought,\'94 Sue said quietly. \'93Would you mind \softline
holding me again? I would like us both to get into the sleeping bag and sleep. And if you \softline
can bring yourself to do it again, I would really like it if you would hold my breast \'97 or \softline
where it was when I had one. Do you mind awfully?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick held her in his arms in the sleeping bag. Only then did he realize that she felt \softline
hot to the touch. In an instant she was asleep. As he began to doze off he only hoped the \softline
North Vietnamese weren\'92t pursuing too relentlessly. His hand was on her chest and \softline
gently he ran his fingertip over her nipple. Almost instantly it became turgid, and she \softline
gave a little murmur of pleasure while she held his hand in place. In moments they were \softline
both asleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The next morning Rick awakened to find the sleeping bag empty. Susan was already \softline
up and about. The tarp covering the cave mouth had been removed and the gasoline \softline
lantern had been extinguished. Cans of food had been gathered and something that \softline
smelled very good was cooking on the gasoline stove. Rick just watched Susan move \softline
around. In just a few moments she ladled the food into two mess kits and came over to \softline
awaken him. She smiled warmly when she saw him watching her and gave him one of \softline
them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Sitting down beside him on the edge of the sleeping bag she slowly began to eat. In \softline
spite of trying to eat very slowly, it was no good. Suddenly she jumped to her feet, ran \softline
to the mouth of the cave and vomited up everything she had just eaten. Looking very \softline
chagrined she returned to the sleeping bag, sat down, took a nutrition bar and very \softline
slowly and carefully ate it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab When he finished the food on his plate, she returned to the stove and turned it off \softline
completely. Bringing the pot back, she emptied it into Rick\'92s mess kit. \'93I\'92m sorry, \softline
Rick,\'94 she said sorrowfully. \'93I thought I could hold some solid food, but I guess I was \softline
too ambitious. I\'92m sorry you saw it. And I apologize for ruining your breakfast.\'94 Her \softline
face was crestfallen as she spoke.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab But then she brightened and said, \'93Rick, there are all kinds of military things back \softline
in the cave. I got some out, but I think there\'92s a lot more we could use if I only knew \softline
what they are for and how to use them.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab For the first time Rick realized that there was a light machine gun now emplaced at \softline
the mouth of the cave. Rocks had been carefully piled around to provide some \softline
concealment and some protection for the gunner. The location she had chosen was \softline
perfect, providing the broadest possible field of fire. Moreover, she had done it all quietly \softline
so as not to awaken him and managed to do it in spite of her enfeebled condition.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan, you are unbelievable! But I thought nurses were supposed to be \softline
noncombatant? That machine gun looks pretty \'91combatant\'92 to me!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Opening her fatigue jacket, his heart sank as he saw the whip cuts across her body. \softline
He motioned for her to come closer to him and she did. \'93I thought we were, too, Rick,\'94 \softline
she said softly. \'93But I\'92ve been used and abused to such a degree I\'92ve become a \softline
combatant. Rick, what do I do with the rest of this stuff?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Right now you do nothing!\'94 he exclaimed. \'93Susan, I\'92m so sorry. You operated on \softline
me like the skilled surgeon you are. Meanwhile, I knew that you were sliced to ribbons, \softline
but I didn\'92t do a damned thing about it. Lieutenant, lie down on the sleeping bag,\'94 he \softline
ordered as he opened up the zipper and spread it out flat on the cave floor.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan looked at him with an unreadable expression on her face, but then did as he \softline
asked. Taking off the combat jacket she lay face down on the sleeping bag. \softline
Remembering how she had cleaned his wound, he decided that he had to do the same \softline
thing for her. Retrieving the large first-aid kit he found the preoperative cleaner and the \softline
surgical sponges. Very carefully he started to clean out the lacerations on her back. As \softline
he worked he realized how bad the cuts were. Moreover, each cut now appeared to be \softline
infected along its entire length. Although they had all scabbed over, he began to scrub \softline
anyway. She involuntarily winced and he knew that the pain must be excruciating, but \softline
still she made no sound.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Carefully he kept at it, scrubbing each cut from end to end. As he removed the dirt, \softline
he felt like kicking himself. The dirt was probably the primary source of the infection \softline
and her resulting fever. The wounds should have been completely cleaned out much \softline
sooner. This time he did a good job and scrubbed them clean. Then he put more of the \softline
anaesthetic ointment on each cut after carefully sprinkling antibiotic powder into the \softline
cuts. Finally he put a light dressing over each one to keep any new dirt out.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When he asked her to turn over, she did. Again he found himself looking into her \softline
beautiful blue eyes, now filled with tears. Obviously the pain had been terrible as he had
worked. Suddenly it occurred to him that he was looking at a nude woman. He became \softline
aware of the small tight patch of curly golden pubic hair below her emaciated body.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She looked at him as he looked at her body. \'93It\'92s really pretty ugly, isn\'92t it?\'94 she \softline
asked softly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What is?\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93My body. It\'92s the sorriest excuse for a female body you\'92ve ever seen. Rick, thank \softline
you. I know how hard it is to do what you are doing. It\'92s really terrible to have to work \softline
on an ugly body, and they don\'92t get any uglier than mine. Thank you for not laughing \softline
\'97 or vomiting. Either reaction \'97 or both \'97 would be entirely appropriate.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Rick, I think a couple of the ones in front are the worst. Particularly the one across \softline
my breasts \'97 or where they used to be. It\'92s pretty bad with infection. Why don\'92t you \softline
let me do them myself? You already did the hard ones on my back that I couldn\'92t reach. \softline
But I can reach these just fine. And you have to be getting sick just looking at me!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick came closer to crying at that instant than he had since he was six years old. \softline
This girl who had nursed him was offering to clean her own terrible wounds \'97 an \softline
extremely painful and nearly impossible process \'97 just so he wouldn\'92t have to look at \softline
them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Lieutenant, you are the bravest person I have ever met \'97 and possibly the \softline
dumbest! Now just lie back. I found something for you to bite on. I know it hurts like \softline
hell.\'94 Suddenly Rick\'92s face brightened and he exclaimed, \'93Wait a minute! How about \softline
me giving you a couple of shots of morphine while I clean you up?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you, Major,\'94 Sue replied warmly, \'93but I would rather you didn\'92t. I will take \softline
something to bite down on, though.\'94 He gave her a strip of leather he had cut off a bag \softline
in the back of the cave. She bit down on it, made a face, and then bit down again. She \softline
nodded her head indicating she was ready and he began to clean her wounds.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The worst cut was indeed the one across her breasts. Where it went over her left \softline
breast, he realized it was almost half-an-inch deep. After opening the cut he watched \softline
blood flowing down her side as he scrubbed all the dirt out of the deep cut. He followed \softline
the same procedure he had on her back. He scrubbed out the cut, put on antibiotics, \softline
then ointment, and finally a bandage. He was shocked at how quickly the bandage \softline
across her breasts became blood-soaked. Although he had the plasma bottle set up \softline
hanging from a forked stick, he didn\'92t know what to do next.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan took the needle from him and, to his amazement, managed to find a vein in \softline
her left arm. Carefully, she inserted it using her right hand. When it was fully in place, \softline
she fainted. Rick had watched the process so he released the clamp on the bottle and let \softline
the plasma flow. When it was drained he carefully removed the needle. Positioning her \softline
in the sleeping bag, he climbed in beside her. In just a moment he was also asleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The next days were spent preparing to defend the cave. Susan\'92s fever was reduced \softline
but her temperature was still not back to normal. Nevertheless, she positioned a large
number of Claymore mines around the approaches to the cave, making trip after trip in \softline
spite of her weakened condition.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick was amused. She had looked for trousers but couldn\'92t find any. Similarly, \softline
although there were several pairs of combat boots, there were none nearly small enough \softline
to fit her dainty feet. She told him that American women\'92s boots were highly prized by \softline
the North Vietnamese because only American women had feet small enough for their \softline
boots to fit the guards\'92 feet.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan set up a number of mines with trip-wire detonators and others that would be \softline
fired from the cave. She was meticulous about concealing the detonator wires.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Their cave overlooked a roadway leading to the prison camp and commanded a road \softline
bridge over a small gorge. Rick showed her how to apply C-3 plastic explosive to a bridge \softline
and how to wire in the detonators. As he watched, she scrambled around the structure. \softline
Suddenly he wondered if he had lost his mind. Although he had a leg wound, he could \softline
move around and realized he should. Instead, their perimeter defenses were being \softline
installed by a girl who was lacerated, feverish, and emaciated.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Slowly but surely all the munitions in the cave except for the small-arms \softline
ammunition were sited. Although they had a radio, it didn\'92t work. Rick suspected that \softline
it just needed fresh batteries.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally, Susan made her way back to the cave and just collapsed. Smiling at him she \softline
pretended to complain, \'93I\'92m going back to the OR! There\'92s no heavy lifting. Rick, I\'92m \softline
sorry I\'92m so badly out of shape.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He had regularly checked her over and was keeping his fingers crossed. It was clear \softline
even to his untrained eye that she was going to have scars across her body from the whip \softline
marks. He only hoped the Navy had skilled plastic surgeons who could put her back \softline
together again.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at her, he gave her a full-bearded smile. She just smiled back, then \softline
unbuttoned her combat jacket exposing her entire body. Rick suddenly realized she was \softline
starting to look more like a woman again and less like a skeleton. Reaching out, he felt \softline
her chest. Now he could even feel a slight rounding where her breasts should have been \softline
and felt her nipple harden under his rough fingers.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Since there had been no chance to wash he knew that he stank to high heaven. Now \softline
his beard was only a little darker than Susan\'92s hair. While his hair was brown with gold \softline
flecks, hers still was liquid gold in spite of all the dirt. He was startled to realize that her \softline
pubic hair almost exactly matched the color of the hair on his head.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Shaking his head to try to quell his sexual thoughts, he asked, \'93Have you seen any \softline
batteries back there, by any chance? I think our radio would work if the damned \softline
batteries weren\'92t dead. As it is our evacuation chopper is nearly two weeks overdue.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan got back on her feet and went to the back of the cave. After rummaging \softline
around in several containers she came back with two handfuls of batteries. \'93Are these \softline
the right size? And do I have enough?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Rick glanced at the batteries, opened the battery box on the radio and loaded in eight \softline
fresh batteries. Going to the front of the cave he extended the antenna. When he spoke \softline
into the microphone and gave his call sign he was surprised at the instant response he \softline
obtained. The reception was outstanding because there was an AWACS plane on station \softline
almost directly overhead which picked up his transmission and in moments patched him \softline
through to headquarters in Saigon.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick quickly explained their situation, and a pickup was scheduled for the second \softline
morning at dawn. After having felt abandoned, he was relieved to learn that the AWACS \softline
would maintain position and monitor their radio frequency continuously until they were \softline
picked up.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab That evening Susan picked through their food supplies looking for the very best of \softline
the remaining food. Since they would only be staying one more day, they could really \softline
feast. She had now recovered enough in just the few weeks so that she could eat normal \softline
meals although she still could not eat very much. Carefully she cooked the food and then \softline
they sat side by side on the sleeping bag \'97 she now thought of it as their home \'97 and \softline
ate in companionable silence.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick had been watching her as she prepared their dinner. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Here is a truly remarkable \softline
girl,}{\plain \fs24 \f2 he thought. Try as he might, though, she would not let him do any cooking in the \softline
cave, and he had to admit that the food she served was far better than anything he had \softline
ever eaten in the field even though it came from the same containers.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Later that night they were lying together in the sleeping bag and his hand was over \softline
her breast where she liked it to be. Now there was even a small bulge since she had \softline
started to regain some of her lost weight. Turning her head to look up at him Susan \softline
asked, \'93Rick, would you do me a great favor?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking down at her Rick was startled to see that there were tears in her eyes. \'93Of \softline
course, Sue! Anything. What is it?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Swallowing hard and with her tears beginning to flow she said softly, \'93Rick, would \softline
you please make love to me? I know the whole idea has to be repulsive to you...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she proceeded to tell him how she had regularly been fucked by the guards, \softline
including the time with thirty of them at once. She spared herself nothing and seemed \softline
to be trying to emphasize how vile she had been. Listening to her tale, it was all Rick \softline
could do to keep from starting to cry himself. She concluded her tale of self-degradation \softline
all focused on trying to get food and medicine for her fellow prisoners.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally she said, \'93I\'92m emaciated, ugly... There\'92s not a single reason I can think of, \softline
except... Rick, I really need to know if I\'92m still a woman. I need to know if I\'92m capable \softline
of pleasuring a man. Please take me!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Taking her into his arms, he slipped off her combat jacket. Then Susan unzipped the \softline
sleeping bag and helped Rick off with his clothes. He made a wry face as he smelled the \softline
rank odor of his body when she removed his underwear. When he commented on the \softline
stink all she said was, \'93It\'92s a real man\'92s smell.\'94 Finally he was undressed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Then Susan looked down at herself and then at him. Kneeling between his spread \softline
legs she bent over, took his prick into her very thin hands and began to kiss and suck it. \softline
In just moments his cock was in a raging erection which she kissed tenderly. Lifting her \softline
head she said softly, \'93Rick, I\'92ve been beaten on my back and chest. You have a bad leg. \softline
May I be on top? That way might be less painful for both of us.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Bending over, she kissed him on the lips. Trying to be careful of her cuts he held her \softline
and returned her kiss. Although he now knew exactly where all of her cuts were, tonight \softline
she didn\'92t care about the pain at all. It was clear that she wanted to be held tightly and \softline
kissed with as much passion as Rick could muster.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As their lips met, Rick suddenly realized it was the first kiss they had ever shared. \softline
In spite of sleeping together with his hand on her breast they had never kissed before. \softline
The first kiss was unbelievable for them both. Initially it was filled with warmth and \softline
goodness and love. Then the passion increased and just flowed in rivers between them. \softline
There was a flow of electricity that almost knocked Susan over, and }{\plain \fs24 \f1 ringing}{\plain \fs24 \f2 bells that \softline
they both heard. As they continued their kiss, Susan could feel Rick\'92s already immense \softline
cock get larger still.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Carefully she took it and positioned it at her vaginal opening. Slowly she lowered \softline
herself down on it, impaling herself on the giant pipe that ripped her insides. Even \softline
before they shared their first kiss Susan\'92s cunt had been flowing with her juices. Now \softline
they were flowing in a flood to lubricate the passage of the ravaging cock. She had never \softline
had an experience like it in her life.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab For his part Rick had never had such an experience either. Susan was still \softline
emaciated. She had no tits, no hips, and no legs. All she had was skin and bones. Her \softline
thighs were still like pipe stems, yet it was almost as if she were worshiping him with \softline
what little was left of her body. The feelings she was able to create with her cunt were \softline
utterly marvelous.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Although he could feel his cock stretching her insides, Sue seemed to revel in it. She \softline
made ecstatically happy noises deep in her body as she just rose and fell on the impaling \softline
weapon. He felt her reach an orgasm with her pelvis moving by itself as she let out a \softline
scream of pure joy. Sweat was starting to pour off her body as she regained control and \softline
then continued to fuck herself. She reached a second orgasm, a third, and a fourth.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Now it was almost continuous but still, incredibly, whenever Rick felt that he was \softline
about to release she would subtly change her tempo so that his need to cum receded. \softline
Finally she could control it no longer. Dropping all her weight on him she drove his cock \softline
as deep into her body as it would go just as it began to pump his cum into her. Again she \softline
let out a wordless scream of pure joy as she felt him flood her insides.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she could take it no longer as her nervous system shorted out from the sensory \softline
overload. She collapsed on his chest in a dead faint.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Although his cock was still inside her, he pulled the sleeping bag over them, zipped \softline
it up, and just held her close. Gently he rolled on his side while his cock continued to \softline
impale her. In moments they were both sound asleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Early the next morning the first of the Claymores exploded, jerking them both \softline
awake. Rick scrambled for the light machine gun while Sue reached for her combat \softline
jacket. Peering over their homemade parapet of rocks they saw that a small patrol had \softline
been wiped out by the well-placed mine. Unfortunately, the patrol had been on the path \softline
which led right to their cave. Although the mine had done its work well, the explosion \softline
had brought the prison camp, less than half-a-mile away, alive with a rush. They could \softline
hear the sounds of heavy equipment \'97 presumably tanks \'97 starting up.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick picked up the radio, punched the \'93Talk\'94 button and said, \'93Mayday, Mayday. \softline
This is Gopher One. It looks like we shook up the hornets\'92 nest and the hornets are out \softline
in force. Any available air support would be greatly appreciated.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The AWACS controller responded immediately with the welcome message that air \softline
support was on the way. Both fighter bombers and helicopter gunships were inbound \softline
and Rick was requested to mark their location with smoke. Locating a Very pistol he \softline
fired red smoke flares in the agreed-upon patterns.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Meanwhile, while they were talking, Rick could hear the sound of tanks moving \softline
down the road toward the bridge. Susan had already wired down the contacts for the \softline
bridge charges to the detonator. While Rick scrambled to get dressed he could hear \softline
Susan saying, \'93Come on... Come on... Just a little bit more... a bit more... Now!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She screamed the last word and twisted the detonator as the first tank was about to \softline
clear the bridge and the second had just gone out on the span. There were huge \softline
explosions at both ends of the bridge. The span just tiredly collapsed in its center and \softline
fell into the river below taking the tanks and accompanying troops down with it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to Rick, Susan was beaming with pride as she asked, \'93Was that okay, Rick? \softline
Did I do it right?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It couldn\'92t be better!\'94 he exclaimed. \'93But let\'92s keep a sharp eye out. They almost \softline
certainly know where we are now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After the bridge was blown, all hell broke loose. Wave after wave of assaults were \softline
launched at their positions. The first few were broken up by Susan\'92s remotely-fired \softline
Claymores. Others were broken up by the fighters and gunships that were flooding the \softline
area like angry hornets. But still the attacks continued. Rick was utterly astonished at \softline
Susan\'92s strength and stamina in spite of her still-emaciated condition. Watching her \softline
handle the machine gun she reminded him of an Amazon. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 An emaciated Amazon,}{\plain \fs24 \f2 he \softline
thought. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 That\'92s certainly a contradiction in terms! }{\plain \fs24 \f2 And yet it was true.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab While just snatching at the nutrition bars and sipping water, they beat back attack \softline
after attack through the day and then into the night. Finally at dawn \'97 it was the day \softline
they were supposed to be evacuated \'97 the North Vietnamese launched an all-out assault
preceded by heavy mortar fire. Finally their luck ran out. A mortar round exploded \softline
inside the cave and shredded Rick with shrapnel.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she saw him hit and drop to the ground, Susan went berserk. Grabbing an \softline
Armalite and a sack of grenades, she charged the attackers, cutting them to pieces. \softline
Although she was hit three times herself, she neither knew nor cared. All she knew was \softline
that the man she loved more than life itself was dead. Between the Armalite and the \softline
grenades, there was not an enemy left alive when the Marine Rangers arrived moments \softline
later.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan saw them arrive, motioned toward the cave mouth and then collapsed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 }\page
\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 2}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick Jackson was passing his secretary\'92s desk when he heard her say, \'93I\'92m sorry, \softline
Miss Jennings. Mr. Jackson is not taking your calls...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He stopped short and screamed, \'93Don\'92t let that person hang up! Is that Susan \softline
Jennings?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes it is,\'94 Annette Richardson replied in a bored tone of voice. \'93The silly thing has \softline
been calling for weeks. All she says is that she knew you in Vietnam, but she would not \softline
tell me what she wanted to speak to you about. I told her you had no interest in talking \softline
with her.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You\'92re fired!\'94 Rick exploded. \'93Collect your pay and get out of here now! And if you \softline
lose the girl on the end of that line, I\'92ll not be responsible for your safety. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Am I making \softline
myself clear?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2 he screamed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Miss Richardson was stunned. Holding the receiver in her now-shaking hand she \softline
said, \'93Miss Jennings, Mr. Jackson will take your call. Please do not hang up!\'94 She \softline
murmured a small prayer with the last words.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Before she had finished speaking, Rick, who had dashed into his office and picked up \softline
the phone, was on the line. \'93Sue, is it really you? Where are you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The voice at the other end of the line sounded tired and defeated. Speaking as if by \softline
rote she said, \'93Mr. Jackson, I don\'92t think you remember me, but we met in Vietnam. \softline
Would it be possible for me to make an appointment to see you someday? Miss \softline
Richardson has already told me how very busy you are...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan, my darling, where are you?\'94 Rick interrupted.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He had remembered her voice instantly even though it had been over four years. \softline
But something was very wrong. It was almost as if she did not hear a word he said. \softline
Susan sounded like she was reciting memorized lines.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I\'92m... I\'92m downstairs at a pay phone...\'94 Just then Rick heard the characteristic \softline
sound of the pay phone collecting its initial deposit.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Before the connection was broken Rick yelled into the receiver, \'93Susan, I\'92m on the \softline
fortieth floor. Please come up immediately. Please!\'94 The connection clicked off and he \softline
did not know if she had heard him or not.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick immediately called the reception desk on the floor. Although he didn\'92t even \softline
know the receptionist\'92s name, he did know she was like Cerberus at the gate. No one \softline
ever got past her. She answered his direct line instantly, \'93Yes, Mr. Jackson, how may \softline
I help you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93A Miss Susan Jennings is on her way up to see me. First, you are to escort her in \softline
to me personally regardless of how she may look. Second, call security downstairs \softline
immediately. Alert them to Miss Jennings\'92 presence. Have them bring her up here if, \softline
by some chance, she did not hear my invitation.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab After taking a deep breath he continued, \'93Miss Richardson has just been fired. She \softline
has been screening Miss Jennings away from me for weeks.}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 There is nothing more \softline
important to me than seeing that girl again! }{\plain \fs24 \f2 Am I clear?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He could hear the receptionist swallowing very hard and then saying that he was \softline
being very clear indeed. Then he called Personnel \'97 }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Human Resources, these days, }{\plain \fs24 \f2 he \softline
thought with a grimace \'97 and told them to send up a new secretary for him \softline
immediately. He also informed the director that Annette Richardson had been fired for \softline
cause: gross misconduct. He slammed down the phone again as the receptionist escorted \softline
a girl into his office.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick\'92s heart did a somersault. He met Susan at the office door, thanked the \softline
receptionist and told her that he was not to be disturbed under any circumstances. \softline
Meanwhile Susan was just standing at the threshold looking bewildered. When he \softline
finally focused on the girl, he was shocked. Although it had been over four years, she \softline
looked little better than she had in Vietnam. Her clothes were rags. As he looked at her \softline
he couldn\'92t even talk. All he did was gather her into his arms and hold her tightly. As \softline
he did he realized how frail her body still was. It felt like he was embracing a skeleton. \softline
Still he tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. At least it was supposed to be gentle. \softline
Instead, the instant their lips made contact he again felt the same incredible electricity \softline
flowing between them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Releasing her finally, he helped her over to the sofa and then picked up his phone. \softline
A girl answered when he buzzed his secretary\'92s line. He told her to have his car brought \softline
around immediately and to cancel all of his engagements until further notice.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As he was speaking to the woman, he saw Susan slump over on the sofa. Gathering \softline
her up in his arms \'97 she was now unconscious \'97 he carried her out to the elevator. He \softline
was only dimly aware of the shocked looks in his direction coming from company \softline
employees to whom he had always been the soul of propriety. Here he was now carrying \softline
a ragamuffin \'97 a homeless woman of the streets \'97 in his arms. When his private \softline
elevator reached the basement garage his limousine was at the door waiting. After \softline
gently putting Susan into the back seat, he told his chauffeur to take him back to his \softline
apartment as fast as possible.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As the big car started to move, Rick picked up a car phone and called his private \softline
physician, Tony Burke. When the doctor was on the line he said, \'93Tony, it\'92s Rick. I\'92m \softline
on my way to my apartment and unless you\'92re in the middle of open-heart surgery I need \softline
you right away. Can you come?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony was hearing a tone of concern in Rick\'92s voice that he had never heard before. \softline
Sensing that something was very wrong he said he would be right over. After canceling \softline
the rest of his morning appointments he ran out to his car.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Rick and Susan reached the apartment, he carried her to the bedroom and \softline
gently lay her on the bed. As he did, he was again astonished at how little she weighed. \softline
She was as light as a feather and apparently not much heavier than she had been after \softline
starving herself in the POW camp. He could not understand it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab As he began to strip off her clothes he found that she was wearing next to nothing. \softline
There was a ratty coat, a worn dress several sizes too large \'97 and nothing else! There \softline
were no underwear nor shoes. Her bare feet were filthy from walking the Los Angeles \softline
streets. From the callouses on them it was apparent she had been doing it for some time. \softline
Both garments appeared to be Salvation Army rejects.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After disposing of the clothing remnants, Rick went into the bathroom and ran the \softline
tub. As it filled he had his first chance to look at the girl he loved \'97 and he was \softline
appalled. The scars on her body from the whipping were still prominent. But now, in \softline
addition, he saw signs of at least three bullet wounds in her right shoulder displaying the \softline
characteristic inward pucker.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After checking the temperature of the water he carefully carried her into the \softline
bathroom and gently lowered her into the water. The contact with the water caused \softline
Susan to begin to revive.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He held her as her eyes blinked open and she asked softly, \'93Where am I?\'94 as if being \softline
naked in a bathtub was an everyday occurrence.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You\'92re in my apartment, Susan Jennings,\'94 Rick said softly. \'93I\'92m Rick Jackson. Do \softline
you remember me?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Instead of immediately answering, she just held out her arms to him. Kneeling on \softline
the floor he again held her close and softly kissed her. Again he felt the same electricity \softline
but now that she had regained awareness, it had far more power than it did earlier.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After feeling her lips move on his he could hear a warm murmur from deep in her \softline
body. \'93How could I ever forget?\'94 she replied softly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Do you feel better? Would you like to wash your hair?\'94 Rick was beside himself, \softline
not knowing what to do. \'93I\'92m pretty sure I have some woman\'92s shampoo and stuff,\'94 he \softline
added. \'93I was going to try to do it for you, but I\'92m sure I\'92m even worse at washing a \softline
woman\'92s hair than I am at cleaning out cuts. Would you like to try yourself? Can you? \softline
Are you strong enough?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you so much!\'94 she exclaimed. \'93It has been }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 so}{\plain \fs24 \f2 long. But I\'92m sure I\'92ll be able \softline
to do it.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After getting the shampoo and conditioner Rick started draining the tub and then \softline
turned on the shower. When she began to wash her hair he left the bathroom but \softline
listened carefully at the door fearing she might faint again.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He heard the shower shut off and the hair dryer start when the doorbell rang. It was \softline
Tony. Rick quickly briefed him on what little he knew of Susan\'92s background and then \softline
took him into the bedroom. As they entered Susan was just emerging from the \softline
bathroom wearing a terry robe that had been hanging behind the door.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan,\'94 Rick said brightly, \'93I would like you to meet Tony Burke. Tony is my \softline
personal physician and I asked him to come over to examine you. Will you permit him \softline
to?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Sue just looked at him in a strange way, let the robe drop to the floor and then stood \softline
up straight with her arms at her sides.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony took one look at the revealed body and pulled the covers back from the bed. \softline
\'93Get in here, young lady,\'94 he ordered. \'93Now!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan was startled by the tone of his voice but instantly obeyed. Lying on the bed, \softline
she looked up at Rick sorrowfully. He didn\'92t understand the significance of the look she \softline
was giving him. What she was trying to communicate was that it wasn\'92t her idea to dirty \softline
his beautiful bed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony gave her a thorough examination, inspecting her body very carefully. Then he \softline
asked her to roll over on her stomach because of what he had learned from Rick about \softline
her scars. The five on her back were nearly as prominent as those across the front of her \softline
body. Susan\'92s skin color was shocking. She appeared jaundiced and was sickly pale.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After completing his examination he made sure the drapes were drawn to darken the \softline
room. After pulling the covers up over her shoulders they withdrew from the room \softline
quietly closing the door behind them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Sitting in the library, Tony just shook his head and said, \'93Rick, never in my \softline
professional career have I seen a girl in as bad shape as she is. She is suffering from \softline
dangerous malnutrition. She has wasted away to just skin and bones.\'94 Looking at his \softline
friend he said, \'93Rick, I have never seen you react like this in my life \'97 to anything. You \softline
really care about her, don\'92t you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Tony, I wouldn\'92t be alive if it weren\'92t for that girl. She saved my life \'97 twice! And \softline
in less than three weeks. I have never met a finer human being in my life.\'94 Rick paused \softline
and then continued in a very quiet and near-reverent tone, \'93And I love her more than \softline
life itself!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Ah, hah! A mystery solved. Rick, you\'92ve done nothing much the last few years \softline
except make money \'97 in enormous piles! I have never seen you socialize \'97 ever. And \softline
you sure as hell aren\'92t gay. What happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Tony, I was shot up in Vietnam. You know that. You\'92ve seen the scars. What do \softline
you think of my leg?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93A competent surgeon extracted the bullet. It\'92s no big deal for a modern hospital. \softline
But why do you ask?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Because she\'92s the competent surgeon and the \'91hospital\'92 was a cave in the jungle. \softline
She operated by lantern light, while running a burning fever and weighing about ten \softline
pounds less than she does now.\'94 Shaking his head, Rick continued, \'93You see those scars \softline
across her body? They were open wounds that day. The one across her breast was \softline
nearly half an inch deep. And she operated by herself. There was no one there except \softline
the two of us. She is a Navy nurse. Then beginning the next day she started to play \softline
Amazon. I was the commander of a Marine Ranger unit. But I just watched while she \softline
set demolition charges and land mines while being in even worse physical condition than \softline
you see now.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93After I took a mortar hit, my men tell me she absolutely went berserk! Although \softline
she took three bullets, she absolutely wiped out the attacking enemy force. My men \softline
counted seventy-seven dead, but that\'92s incomplete. My sergeant carried her out along \softline
with me. I was still unconscious when I was evacuated back to Pearl Harbor. That was \softline
the last time I saw her until today.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He looked intently into Tony Burke\'92s eyes, seeming to force the man to understand. \softline
\'93Seventy-seven enemy makes Sergeant York look like a piker. Do you understand, \softline
Tony?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I understand,\'94 the doctor replied softly. \'93Look, Rick, there\'92s a guy I want to get on \softline
her case. His name is Mike Chapman. He\'92s the finest plastic surgeon in the world. I \softline
want him to operate on those scars.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Tony looked puzzled. \'93There\'92s one thing I don\'92t understand, though. Those \softline
wounds are from enemy action and our military people are very good at treating that \softline
sort of thing. Rick, I don\'92t think she was ever treated. In fact, from the way she moves, \softline
I wouldn\'92t be surprised if she\'92s still carrying some enemy metal in her body. Whatever \softline
happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just shook his head and said, \'93That\'92s the problem, Tony. I don\'92t know! I\'92ve \softline
been thinking of her every waking moment for years, hoping against hope that she was \softline
still alive. This morning I fired my secretary. She had been told repeatedly that I \softline
wanted to see or talk with anyone from Vietnam in hopes of getting some word about \softline
Susan.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Apparently I didn\'92t make myself too clear because this morning, entirely by \softline
accident, I find out that Susan herself has been trying to reach me for weeks but that \softline
idiot secretary was intercepting her calls.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He just shook his head and then continued, \'93I think I know Mike Chapman. I\'92ll call \softline
him. But what about right now? What should we do?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony checked the phone book for a number, placed a call, ordered, gave Rick\'92s \softline
address and hung up. When Rick looked at him quizzically, he grinned and shrugged. \softline
\'93Rick, aside from surgery to handle the scars and the apparent slugs, Susan needs to be \softline
built up. I just ordered a gallon of Jewish penicillin, otherwise known as chicken soup \softline
with matzo balls.\'94 He shook his head and added, \'93And you know what? I was reading \softline
an article a short time ago that reported researchers have found significant medicinal \softline
properties in the stuff! Anyway, it can\'92t hurt and will probably help. That girl needs to \softline
regain her strength before anything else can happen.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony\'92s face became serious as he continued, \'93Rick, can you leave Susan alone for a \softline
while? The operations on those scars are going to be very time-consuming and painful. \softline
Beyond that, though, she\'92ll look a lot worse before she looks any better. What I\'92m \softline
suggesting is that you get her on her feet and then leave her alone for a while \'97 possibly \softline
as long as a year. Could you do that?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Rick looked crushed. \'93My God, Tony! I\'92ve lost her for over four years already. I \softline
don\'92t even know where she\'92s been. Why do I have to leave her now? She\'92s going to need \softline
care. You said so yourself.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tony looked very unhappy with what he had to say. \'93Rick, I\'92m assuming you\'92re in \softline
love with her and she\'92s in love with you. It\'92s obvious that she has no regard for herself \softline
at all. She acts like her body is a trash can. I think it would be much better if you could \softline
stay away until she\'92s back together. I think she wants to be physically attractive to you. \softline
Will you let her be? Do you understand?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just nodded miserably.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Tony left, he went into the bedroom and just sat on the edge of the bed in the \softline
dim light just looking at the sleeping girl he loved so much. When the doorbell rang, he \softline
was still sitting there. The soup even came with instructions on reheating it. Rick \softline
tipped the man twenty dollars and made arrangements for daily deliveries until further \softline
notice.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Rick heated up a large batch and ladled some into a soup dish. After carefully \softline
putting in two matzo balls he carried it into the bedroom. Turning on a light away from \softline
Susan\'92s head was enough. He saw her eyes blink and then open. Smiling at her warmly \softline
he said very quietly, \'93Hi. How are you feeling now?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She tried to grin but her face dissolved into tears. Only her face was showing from \softline
under the covers. \'93Mr. Jackson, why do I always look like something the cat wouldn\'92t \softline
touch when you see me?\'94 She tried to get out of bed but he held her down.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan, please just lie still. I have something the doctor recommended. Do you feel \softline
like eating? I don\'92t know how it compares in nutrition to those bars we had in Vietnam, \softline
but I\'92m sure it tastes better.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He gently lifted her up to a sitting position and again almost cried when he saw her \softline
scarred chest with her almost-vestigial breasts. Remembering Tony\'92s comment about \softline
her self-esteem, he noted that she made no effort to cover herself. Carefully he spooned \softline
the soup for her. After she tasted the first mouthful he was rewarded by a look of joy on \softline
her face. After going through three full bowls he could see her head nodding and her \softline
eyes starting to close as exhaustion again overtook her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Disposing of the soup dishes he undressed and climbed into bed with her. With his \softline
arm around her body he held her close. As she had done in Vietnam, she put his hand \softline
on top of one of her scarred tits and immediately fell asleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 }\page
\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 3}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The next morning Rick initiated a pattern that he continued for the following week. \softline
He just continued to heat more chicken soup and feed it to her. Between times she slept, \softline
often with him in the bed beside her. Although it might have been his imagination, Rick \softline
felt that Susan slept much more soundly when he was lying next to her. He came to love \softline
the feeling as Susan would almost awaken, rub her body against his, and then relax \softline
again back into a deep sleep when she found he was still beside her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After nearly a week spent in bed Susan started to take an interest in her \softline
surroundings and Rick thought it was time to try to find out what had happened. He \softline
had ordered some clothing for her from a mail-order house and she was now sitting \softline
opposite him at the breakfast table wearing a blue flannel bathrobe with her monogram \softline
on it that he had bought for her. Rick was pleased to see that her color had improved \softline
significantly. She seemed to adore her new robe.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Sue, where have you been for the last four years?\'94 he asked softly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She tried a little smile and replied, \'93I really don\'92t know. I guess I started to figure \softline
out where I was a couple of years ago. Between that point and the time we were \softline
together, there are just brief episodes I can dimly recall. For example, I think I was \softline
court-martialed. I must have been, because I was dismissed from the service and that \softline
can only happen in a general court-martial. I can\'92t remember anything about it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I... I\'92ve been subsisting. It seems there were a few antiwar groups that wanted to \softline
make me a heroine but they found I wasn\'92t antiwar.\'94 She smiled faintly and added, \'93As \softline
a matter of fact, I was pretty bloodthirsty.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She looked at him and changed the subject, speaking very softly. Her words almost \softline
killed him: \'93Mr. Jackson, could... could I be your... maid? I realize I don\'92t know very \softline
much about housekeeping and I certainly can\'92t do very much yet, but if I could just stay \softline
here with you, as soon as I\'92m able, I\'92ll take care of the apartment and cook and... and... \softline
perform any services you might want.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She looked at him with an intensity that almost made him cry as she repeated,}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 \'93Any \softline
services I am capable of performing}{\plain \fs24 \f2 . Do you understand?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick\'92s heart turned over. Being very careful with his choice of words and \softline
recognizing the sense of total defeat in the girl he changed the subject and asked, \'93How \softline
did you find me, Susan?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I saw your picture in the paper a few months ago. I just hoped you might remember \softline
me. How did you find me, Mr. Jackson? The last few days have been just a vague blur.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Again his heart lurched. \'93Susan, you found me. But I think you just answered a \softline
question I had. Do you remember talking to me on the telephone?\'94 She just shook her \softline
head, no. \'93I didn\'92t think you did,\'94 he continued. \'93You did, though. You sounded like \softline
you were just reciting lines and weren\'92t hearing my replies. I guess you weren\'92t, were \softline
you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Again she shook her head. Then she gave him a very small but very warm smile. \softline
\'93Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for the beautiful bathrobe. It feels so good against my skin. \softline
It\'92s the very first clothing of my very own I\'92ve had since I was kicked out of the Navy. \softline
I\'92ll pay you for it as soon as I can earn some money.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Again Rick\'92s heart turned over when she continued, \'93Of course, it\'92s so much nicer \softline
than anything I would have bought for myself. It\'92s much too nice for a maid to be \softline
wearing.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick excused himself and went to the telephone. First he called his office and asked \softline
for his security chief. \'93Brad, this is Jackson. I know you have great connections in \softline
Washington. I need a fast check run. There was a general court-martial in the Pacific \softline
\'97 I\'92m guessing it was between three and four years ago, and probably in Subic Bay. The \softline
defendant was Lieutenant Susan Jennings, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. She was convicted \softline
and dismissed from the service. I want everything you can get on the trial and its \softline
outcome, and I want it fast. Understand? Call me at home as soon as you get anything \softline
at all.\'94 The instructions were acknowledged and he hung up.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then he placed another call. A voice answered, \'93Cameron residence.\'94 Rick \softline
identified himself and asked to speak to Ginny. Moments later she was on the phone. \softline
Ginny Cameron was far better known to the movie-going public as Marcia Matthews. \softline
Now rated the top female box-office star in Hollywood, she had just received an Academy \softline
Award nomination for her latest film, a motion picture that had been financially backed \softline
by Rick Jackson.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She had first contacted Rick nearly three years earlier as a result of a search she had \softline
been conducting. She, too, had been desperately trying to find Susan Jennings. \softline
Subsequently, Rick had made tens of millions of dollars backing two of her films.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Hi Rick! What\'92s new?\'94 she asked brightly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Ginny, are you still... friendly... with that overpriced meat cutter?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He could actually hear her grin over the phone. \'93If you are referring to Dr. Michael \softline
Chapman, Fellow of the American Academy of Plastic Surgery, the answer is yes. Why? \softline
Did you crack up one of your fancy sports cars? Need a little repair work on your face, \softline
perhaps?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick realized with a start that he had already relaxed. He realized it was the effect \softline
Ginny always had on him. Moreover, he realized that her incredible personal warmth \softline
that came across in her films was, along with her incredible beauty, substantially \softline
responsible for her motion picture successes.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It\'92s not for me,\'94 he replied. \'93Do you remember a girl named Susan Jennings? I \softline
think I heard you mention her name once or twice.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab There was an immediate stillness on the line. When Ginny spoke again it was in a \softline
hushed and near-reverent tone. \'93Rick, did you find her?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Honey, believe it or not, she found me. And Ginny, she\'92s really in very bad shape. \softline
She needs help... an awful lot of it.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He took a deep breath and continued, \'93Look, I\'92ve been teasing you about Mike for \softline
a long time but I know he\'92s the very best there is at what he does. I know he\'92s booked \softline
for fifteen years in advance, but do you think you could get him to take a look at Susan \softline
and try to work her in? Money }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 is not }{\plain \fs24 \f2 an issue!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny remained silent for a few moments longer. When she finally spoke it was \softline
almost as if she hadn\'92t heard a word Rick had said other than Susan\'92s name. \'93How soon \softline
can I see her?\'94 she asked in the same reverent tone.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Could I bring her over to your place sometime today? Would that be possible?\'94 he \softline
asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Could you bring her over right now?\'94 she replied. Again, there was the same \softline
strange voice tone.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93We\'92ll be over in less than an hour, if that\'92s convenient,\'94 he said.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Any time would be convenient,\'94 she responded and then hung up.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Returning to the kitchen he found Susan still sitting patiently at the kitchen table. \softline
\'93Susan,\'94 he said, \'93this apartment is really kind of small \'97 there\'92s only one bedroom. \softline
But I know a big movie star named Marcia Matthews who might be able to use you as \softline
a maid if you\'92re willing. Are you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab His heart sank as he saw the light in her eyes suddenly die. Then she smiled very \softline
weakly and said, \'93Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for caring. I\'92ll try to do my very best for Miss \softline
Matthews. When can I meet her and how do I get to her house?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Suddenly Susan\'92s face fell. \'93Could I borrow some money? Maybe five dollars? I\'92ll \softline
ask Miss Matthews to send it back to you from my very first paycheck. It\'92s... It\'92s a little \softline
hard getting around in Hollywood using public transportation.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Suddenly she began to weep in a hopeless-sounding fashion. He tried to take her \softline
into his arms, but she wouldn\'92t let him. She just sat upright on the kitchen chair with \softline
tears streaming from her eyes. Looking straight ahead, she said, \'93Sir, that won\'92t be \softline
enough. I need a lot of money. Maybe even fifty dollars. I have no clothes. I looked \softline
around, but I guess you threw out what I was wearing when you met me. All I have is \softline
this beautiful bathrobe.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She immediately thought about returning it to the store and using the money to buy \softline
a blouse and skirt. But then she realized that it was monogrammed and was probably \softline
not returnable. To her the problem was insoluble. Fifty dollars was more money than \softline
she had had in the entire previous year.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Meanwhile Rick was close to tears again. The pain and humiliation that this girl had \softline
suffered and was still experiencing was inhuman. Leaving the room for a moment, he \softline
picked up some things and returned with three large boxes in his arms. \'93I think you\'92ll \softline
find something here, Susan. All of these things are yours.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Susan opened the first box and found brand-new women\'92s clothing \'97 mostly sporty \softline
things \'97 in the smallest sizes available. Dropping the robe to the floor, she put on a \softline
blouse and skirt. Even though it was the smallest size the company made, the skirt \softline
almost fell off her body. She was slim-hipped, but all that showed were her very sharp \softline
hip bones. After he located a couple of safety pins Susan was able to pin the sides \softline
enough for it to stay on.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she looked up at him with tears streaming from her eyes. \'93There\'92s no way I \softline
can thank you, sir. No way at all! These are very expensive, I know. Far more \softline
expensive than anything I would ever think of buying. May I return some so I won\'92t owe \softline
you quite so much money? I won\'92t ever be able to wear them all, anyway, and it will take \softline
me years to earn the money I owe you already.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick could scarcely see through the tears that suddenly clouded his eyes. Instead he \softline
helped her pack a couple of small bags with the things she thought she might need and \softline
then carried them down to his car. After helping her in \'97 and getting a curious glance \softline
from Susan in the process \'97 he got behind the wheel and headed over to Beverly Hills. \softline
Soon they reached the gates of Ginny\'92s estate. Rolling up the driveway, he stopped at \softline
the gracious entry.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As he got out, the front door opened. It was Ginny who stood waiting as he helped \softline
Sue out of his car. Tears were rolling unchecked down her cheeks in twin streams as the \softline
girl was helped up the steps.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan extended her hand and said, \'93Good morning, Miss Matthews. Mr. Jackson \softline
said you might consider hiring me as a maid.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan was dumfounded when the beautiful woman ignored her outstretched hand \softline
and instead took her into her arms and just held her close. Sue looked into the woman\'92s \softline
eyes and a light of recognition went on in her brain. She was looking into such familiar \softline
brilliant emerald-green eyes and seeing hair that was a glorious shade of auburn. \'93You \softline
aren\'92t... You can\'92t be... Ginny?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At the sound of her name, Ginny Cameron completely lost control and started to \softline
bawl like a baby. Susan could feel her head nod as she just wept uncontrollably. Susan \softline
wrapped her arms around the woman and tried to comfort her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab This caused Ginny to forcibly pull herself together. \'93Susan Jennings, you haven\'92t \softline
changed a bit! You\'92re still trying to protect me and comfort me, aren\'92t you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Embarrassed, Susan just shook her head. \'93No, ma\'92am, Miss Matthews.\'94 With her \softline
face falling she added, \'93I do apologize for the familiarity, though. Maids certainly don\'92t \softline
hug their employers.\'94 Then, with a small, very shy little smile she added, \'93But, Miss \softline
Cameron, you look simply exquisite! I\'92m so very happy for you!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab It was only through an enormous effort of will that Ginny did not dissolve into tears \softline
again. Putting her arm under Susan\'92s she escorted her through the house and out onto \softline
the pool terrace. There a tall, very handsome man was standing waiting for them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Susan,\'94 Ginny said, \'93I would like you to meet Mike Chapman, a very dear friend \softline
of mine.\'94 Looking at him tears started to flow as she said, \'93Mike, I don\'92t know how to \softline
introduce Susan to you.\'94 Her voice broke and she began to cry again. \'93Darling, but for \softline
Susan I would have been dead four years ago. What can I possibly call her?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan extended her hand and said diffidently, \'93How do you do, Mr. Chapman. I\'92m \softline
very pleased to meet you.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike knew something of Susan\'92s background and so was watching her closely. As \softline
a result, he was able quickly to grab her the instant he saw her knees start to buckle. \softline
Helping her to a chair, he took a glass of water and held it for her while she sipped.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking up at him gratefully, she softly added, \'93Thank you, sir. I guess I\'92m not as \softline
strong yet as I thought I was.\'94 But then with a smile she continued, \'93But I\'92m sure to \softline
be ready to go to work as Miss Matthews maid in just a day or so.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike\'92s heart twisted listening to this poor tortured girl. As a plastic surgeon he was \softline
expert at judging bone structure and unchangeable physical characteristics. Looking at \softline
her closely he instantly concluded that Susan should be a very beautiful woman. He \softline
said, \'93Susan, I\'92m a plastic surgeon. Ginny tells me you have some scars that should be \softline
tended to. May I examine you now, please?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Again his heart was wrenched by her reply: \'93Of course, sir, but it\'92s really very \softline
premature. I had them looked at in a city hospital once and it will take years and years \softline
for me to save that kind of money...\'94 Suddenly her eyes widened and she asked, \'93Are \softline
you Dr. Michael Chapman?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He nodded and she just shook her head steadily. \'93Thank you, sir, but no. I\'92ve heard \softline
of you \'97 I guess everyone has. You are the very best in the profession. I couldn\'92t earn \softline
enough in my lifetime to pay your fee to remove even one of the scars. I am... I was... a \softline
nurse. The scars are really pretty bad.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she brightened and continued, \'93But they don\'92t show at all, so there\'92s really no \softline
need to bother.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike decided to try a different tack. \'93Young lady, you are coming with me to a \softline
bedroom to be examined. I cannot accept no for an answer. Ginny introduced me as a \softline
friend. Actually, I am her live-in lover and am slowly breaking down her resistance to \softline
the idea of marrying me. Your reappearance will certainly help. However, if I don\'92t at \softline
least get to look at you, I get kicked out on the street. Since I can\'92t live without being \softline
able to make love to Ginny\'92s glorious body, I\'92m afraid it\'92s either you or me. And I\'92m \softline
bigger than you are. Now let\'92s go!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He helped her to a spare bedroom and watched as she took off her clothes. Rick and \softline
Ginny followed them into the room but stayed in the background while Mike took out \softline
a pair of magnifying eyeglasses and carefully examined Susan\'92s scars. Then he pulled \softline
down the bed covers, motioned for her to get in, and then gently tucked her into the bed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab When the three reached the terrace, Mike breathed a heavy sigh. \'93That is as bad as \softline
anything I have ever seen in my life,\'94 he said. \'93And that includes pictures in the medical \softline
books, as well. What happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Although she was quietly crying Ginny looked up at him and said, \'93That poor kid! \softline
Mike, those scars should be mine! We were both prisoners in a North Vietnamese POW \softline
camp. We were ordered to assemble in the center of the compound for some reason. I \softline
got up, but fell down again. I was in pretty poor shape at the time. A guard was going \softline
to give me ten lashes with his bullwhip. Before he could swing it, though, Susan covered \softline
my body with her own. First, the guard gave her five lashes across her back and then \softline
motioned for her to roll over.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She looked at him with her green eyes melting with tears and continued, \'93Mike, she \softline
turned over and bridged her body over mine. Blood from the cuts on her back was \softline
dripping onto me, but she held herself above me with her arms and legs to keep from \softline
putting any weight on me. Can you imagine?\'94 Tears were pouring from her eyes as she \softline
continued, \'93I could feel her shudder each time the whip cut into her body.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When he finished, the chief guard motioned towards a cross they had erected in the \softline
yard. I suspect it was Black and his friends that set that one up. At any rate, Susan saw \softline
the cross, smiled, and then gave me her shirt saying she wouldn\'92t be needing it anymore.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93They tied her to the cross in the morning. That afternoon Rick and his men raided \softline
the camp. The last thing I saw was the cross standing bare in the compound. Rick had \softline
already taken her down. It was the last time I saw Susan Jennings until this morning.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She looked up at him with hope in her eyes, but with tears streaming down her \softline
cheeks and said, \'93Mike, if you will help that girl, I will do absolutely anything you ever \softline
want. Anything! I will be completely available to you for any purpose whatsoever.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With her eyes gleaming she asked, \'93Am I making myself clear, Mike? Absolutely \softline
anything! Forever!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to Jackson she said, \'93Rick, how can I sign over all of my rights to the films \softline
I\'92ve made to Susan? If it weren\'92t for her I wouldn\'92t be here and there wouldn\'92t be any. \softline
Can you do that for me?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just shook his head doggedly and said, \'93I could, Ginny, but I won\'92t. Believe me \softline
when I say she doesn\'92t need money. She has all she could possibly use. Mike, if you can \softline
make her whole... If you can even make her a little better... There is no price I will not \softline
pay. I will give you absolutely anything! Mike, for the love of God, please help her,\'94 he \softline
cried.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Chapman had been looking from one to the other. Without responding directly to \softline
either of them he picked up the phone and called his hospital. He spoke to the hospital \softline
administrator and asked for the surgery to be set up for a very special operation. He \softline
ordered his full team to be ready for the first operation beginning the following morning. \softline
Surgery could take as much as three successive days for the first phase alone.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab After listening to the administrator\'92s reply he said, \'93Incidentally, there will be no \softline
fee either to me or to the hospital. I\'92ll pay the rest of the surgical team myself.\'94 The \softline
administrator was obviously objecting, but Mike cut him off. \'93I have generated more \softline
revenue for your damned hospital than all of your other surgeons combined! And if you \softline
ever want me to operate there again, this one is on you. Is that understood?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He hung up the phone and glared at the other two. \'93As for you, young lady, you can \softline
start preparing that trim little ass for our wedding. Clear? We will be married in eight \softline
or nine months. Susan Jennings is going to be your maid of honor whether you like it \softline
or not. And her beauty is going to put yours in the shade! When I get finished with that \softline
girl, she\'92ll be ready to be chosen Miss Universe. It could even me Miss Nude Universe \softline
if there is such a thing.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Wheeling on Rick he continued, \'93And as for you, Jackson, I don\'92t want to hear one \softline
more fucking word about money. With the matrimonial concession I just won from my \softline
friend here, I\'92m more than happy.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking back at Ginny who had brightened appreciably he added, \'93I\'92m disappointed \softline
in you. My darling, I don\'92t think you even knew it, but I did. Susan Jennings has been \softline
the impediment to our getting married. There is one thing that bothers me, though, and \softline
it bothers me a lot. I\'92m almost certain there is still metal in her body. We\'92re setting up \softline
a CAT scan to find out for sure. But why is it still there? What happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick had been watching and listening carefully. Shaking his head in frustration he \softline
said, \'93I don\'92t know. I did learn this morning, though, that Susan was court-martialed \softline
and dismissed from the service. How, why, and on what charges, I have no idea. I\'92m still \softline
trying to find out. I do know that it had to have been one of the greatest miscarriages \softline
of justice in the entire military history of the United States. I am going to get her case \softline
reopened as soon as possible.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After listening carefully to the two men Ginny reentered the conversation. \'93I have \softline
an idea. First, though, Rick, could you see if your guy has learned anything?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick called his security chief again and asked, \'93Brad, what did you find out?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Chief, you stepped into something. Is it important?\'94 he asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It is the most important thing in my entire life,\'94 he replied. \'93Now what\'92s the \softline
story?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The story is that there is no story,\'94 the man replied. \'93I can\'92t find out a single thing \softline
except that it apparently did happen about as you suspected. Everything else is up for \softline
grabs.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I can\'92t even find out for sure where it happened, although I\'92m pretty sure it was at \softline
Subic Bay. But, Boss, these things are all supposed to be a matter of public record.\'94 He \softline
paused for a moment and then continued, \'93I do know one thing, though. The name, \softline
Susan Jennings, is poison! I started by playing dumb. I said it was a standard pre-hiring \softline
check and was told not to hire her \'97 for }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 any}{\plain \fs24 \f2 position! Christ, Chief, I never got that
strong a reaction when I was checking on a convicted murderer. Something is very odd... \softline
and for my money, very wrong.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick told the other two what he had just learned. Looking at Ginny he asked, \'93Okay, \softline
what\'92s your idea?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at them very seriously she said, \'93I suspected something like this. Let\'92s face \softline
it, Rick. You and I have been turning over every rock for years trying to find out \softline
anything. We couldn\'92t even find out if she was alive. Now you learn that any \softline
employment check gets a flat no. Your security chief is right, too. Hell, there are \softline
convicted child molesters driving school buses, so when an official government agency \softline
\'97 the United States Navy, yet! \'97 says \'91Hell, no!\'92, who\'92s going to argue?
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Mike, what is your professional opinion of Susan\'92s health right now? Specifically, \softline
is she in shape to meet the press at a press conference? Could she take the physical \softline
strain?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Chapman swallowed hard, shook his head and said slowly, \'93That is the toughest girl \softline
I have ever seen. The short answer is that I believe she can. But I don\'92t know if she \softline
would be willing. Why don\'92t you ask her?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Entering the house, Ginny went to the guest room where Susan was now sound \softline
asleep and opened the curtains slightly to admit a little light. When she sat on the edge \softline
of the bed, the slight additional weight was enough to awaken the girl. As soon as Susan \softline
realized where she was, she tried to scramble out of the bed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Cameron held her back and, as she did, was appalled at how emaciated the girl was. \softline
\'93How do you feel, Sue?\'94 she asked softly. \'93And are you up to meeting a few people this \softline
afternoon? And following my lead with them, regardless?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan just smiled and stretched. \'93Ginny, this bed is so utterly delicious! And I feel \softline
so much better now. Pretty soon \'97 tomorrow, maybe \'97 I\'92ll be ready to go to work for \softline
you. But what would you like me to do? I think I could be a pretty good lady\'92s maid. \softline
I can bathe you and help you dress and... and... help get you prepared to receive Dr. \softline
Chapman.\'94 Her eyes sparkled as she continued, \'93I\'92ll bet he\'92s just great with you in bed, \softline
isn\'92t he?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Suddenly Susan reddened as she realized what she had just said. In a subdued voice \softline
she finished, \'93Would you like me to wear a uniform?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tears began to flow unchecked down Ginny\'92s cheeks. With a shake of her head she \softline
exclaimed, \'93I don\'92t know what Rick Jackson told you or why! But that\'92s about enough \softline
of this ridiculous nonsense. You are my house guest.\'94 She stopped, looked up at the \softline
ceiling and shook her head. \'93No, that\'92s not right, either. Let me say it differently: \softline
Susan, this place and everything in it are yours. I will sign over my bank accounts to you \softline
and give you everything I own. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 You}{\plain \fs24 \f2 work for }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 me?}{\plain \fs24 \f2 The very idea is ludicrous. What \softline
idiocy!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab With green flame coming from her eyes Ginny concluded, \'93Now, once and for all, \softline
knock off this shit and answer my question. Do you feel able to meet with some people \softline
a little later this afternoon?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab All the while Ginny had been speaking, Susan had just been steadily shaking her \softline
head from side to side. When Ginny finished, she said, \'93You can\'92t be serious. The \softline
answer is that of course I will meet with your friends. Ginny, I belong to you. I will do \softline
absolutely anything and everything you ever ask of me. So the answer is, of course!
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Beyond that, we\'92ll talk. But I will not accept charity. If you will not allow me to \softline
work for you, I\'92ll have to go back to the street.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Now the flow of tears gave way to \softline
hopeless-sounding weeping.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan, remembering the starving girl in the POW camp who only hours away from \softline
death by starvation could still joke, was shocked. With her eyes wide she asked, \'93What \softline
did I say, Ginny? I didn\'92t mean to hurt you. I\'92ve always tried as hard as I could to \softline
protect you from any hurt. What did I do?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny just yanked the covers off Susan\'92s emaciated body exposing the still-very-prominent scars from the bullwhip. \'93You sure did, didn\'92t you?\'94 she cried. \'93Darling \softline
Susan, these scars should all have been mine. Of course, it wouldn\'92t have made much \softline
difference, because I would have been dead, right? I could not have survived, could I?\'94 \softline
Susan started to shake her head when Ginny took her by the shoulders, shook her and \softline
screamed,}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 \'93Could I?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan, totally bewildered, just shook her head as she looked at her dearest friend \softline
with tears streaming out of control down her cheeks. \'93But you won\'92t let me do anything \softline
for you, will you?\'94 Ginny demanded. \'93Nothing! All I hear is this... this }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 insanity..}{\plain \fs24 \f2 . about \softline
being my maid. My maid, for God\'92s sake!
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan Jennings, you don\'92t seem to understand that my life has value to me even \softline
if it has none for you. You gave me my life, but you refuse to allow me the tiniest \softline
expression of my gratitude. Jennings, you are just incredibly selfish! I just want you to \softline
think about that.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With that Ginny stormed out of the bedroom slamming the door behind her. As the \softline
door closed, Susan was still sitting on the bed with a totally bewildered expression on her \softline
face as tears still flowed down her cheeks.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny ran out on the terrace sobbing uncontrollably with tears running unchecked \softline
down her cheeks.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike Chapman took her in his arms and held her close as she cried like her heart \softline
was broken. While he held her close he saw Susan, now dressed, padding barefoot out \softline
on the terrace after her. \'93What\'92s wrong, my darling?\'94 Mike asked softly with his mouth \softline
almost in Ginny\'92s ear. \'93What happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Ginny\'92s voice, although muffled by his shoulder, was still clear. \'93Mike, I love that \softline
girl so damned much! Every time I look at her I want to cry. I want to do everything for \softline
her, because I love her so much, but she won\'92t let me do anything! Nothing at all!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then pulling away from Chapman\'92s shoulder she glared at Rick Jackson and \softline
declared, \'93And it\'92s your fault, too, God damn it! Jackson, what was this idiocy of Susan \softline
being my maid? She got the idea from you, you idiot! Now what am I going to do?\'94 she \softline
asked with her fists on her hips and green fire streaming from her eyes in Rick\'92s \softline
direction.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Kick me in the ass, please?\'94 Susan said softly from behind her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Hearing her, Ginny spun around and saw Susan with her eyes wide and a very \softline
sheepish little smile on her lips. She continued softly, \'93That\'92s something you could do. \softline
But please be careful. I\'92m so bony \'97 there\'92s no padding left at all \'97 that you would \softline
probably hurt your foot.\'94 With a plaintive little smile she concluded, \'93Ginny, can you \softline
ever forgive me?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With an exasperated shake of her head Ginny gathered up the frail girl and sat down \softline
beside her on a love seat. \'93There you go again!\'94 she complained. \'93Can }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 I}{\plain \fs24 \f2 forgive }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 you?}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \softline
Sue, please just say that you\'92ll stay here with me? I\'92m not making a film right now, and \softline
I have all kinds of time. I will visit you in the hospital after Mike operates. He has \softline
already scheduled two sets of operations.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Glaring at Susan she continued, \'93And right now he is so damned mad he might carve \softline
his initials in both of us. I\'92ve never seen him as mad as you made him this morning. \softline
You started it, too, when you said he couldn\'92t operate because he was the best and you \softline
couldn\'92t afford him. I offered him anything if he would operate,\'94 she said and then with \softline
a little grin, \'93Even my no-longer-virginal body. Then your friend, Rick Jackson, who, \softline
by the way, made }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Forbes}{\plain \fs24 \f2 top ten among the richest people in the United States, said he \softline
could have anything at all.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Glaring at Susan she asked, \'93What do you suppose Mike replied?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan\'92s eyes were wide with wonder. She could only shake her head.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I think his response was something like, \'91Fuck you all!\'92\'94 Ginny continued. \'93He\'92s \softline
doing it for no fee. Except one,\'94 she added with a little smile. \'93I am going to marry him, \softline
but I was hoping to do that anyway. Now, Susan Jennings, do you have any problem \softline
with Dr. Michael Chapman, FAAPS, operating to remove those ugly scars?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With a kaleidoscope of emotions racing across her face, Susan just slowly shook her \softline
head and finally said, \'93Do you mean to say he was mad \'97 }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 at me!\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Dr. Chapman spoke up. \'93You\'92re damned right I\'92m mad at you. Of all the stinking \softline
nerve! You save the life of the girl I love more than anyone in the world \'97 a girl I love \softline
more than life itself. A girl who wouldn\'92t marry me \'97 and I\'92m not sure she even knows \softline
this herself \'97 because she was trying to find you.
}\sect \sectd \ds1\sbknone\pgndec\headery1440\footery1440\endnhere\endnhere
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\posxr\nowrap \plain \fs20 \fs20 {\field{*\fldinst { PAGE }}}
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93If Ginny Cameron is more important to me than my life, you, Susan Jennings, are \softline
similarly more important to her. She utterly adores you! And then you have the nerve \softline
to refuse to let me operate because I\'92m too expensive. The hell I\'92m too expensive.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Wheeling around toward Rick he demanded, \'93Jackson, give me a dollar!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick looked bewildered but gave Mike a dollar bill. \'93Okay,\'94 he said, almost to \softline
himself. \'93Now you\'92re prepaid. Jennings, you are a nurse. Do you think ten cents a scar \softline
is too much? If you do, I\'92ll refund the difference.\'94 Glaring at her he demanded, \'93Well? \softline
What do you say?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan could say nothing. All she did was continue to slowly shake her head as if she \softline
were trying to clear it. Finally she said softly, \'93I give up. I seem to be insulting people \softline
left and right this morning by refusing help.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With a very bright smile she continued, \'93So thank you, Dr. Chapman. It would make \softline
me very happy for you to operate on me and remove these scars.\'94 Her smile was the first \softline
real smile they had seen. Now Susan\'92s face just glowed with pleasure.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Returning the smile, Ginny picked up the phone. Reaching a studio publicist, she \softline
announced a press conference at her estate for that afternoon. Then she gave the \softline
woman a list of the media people she wanted to have invited. When the publicist \softline
responded that there wasn\'92t enough time and, besides, she was booked for the afternoon, \softline
Ginny acidly replied that it was fine because she wasn\'92t invited, anyway. She slammed \softline
down the phone and just glared at it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Moments later it rang. The woman had called the studio front office in a panic and \softline
the studio president was on the line for Marcia Matthews. Ginny just passed the receiver \softline
to Rick while Susan watched in bewilderment, not understanding anything that was \softline
going on.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Taking the phone Rick said, \'93Charley, this is Rick Jackson. You know who I am, I \softline
hope. Now what\'92s the problem?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Well, yes, sir. I certainly know the name,\'94 came the reply. \'93But what do you have \softline
to do with Marcia Matthews?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I don\'92t have very much to do with Marcia, Charley, but I have a great deal to do \softline
with you.\'94 After a very slight but pregnant pause Rick continued, \'93Who owns the \softline
studio, Charley?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Why... Why a conglomerate of some kind,\'94 the president stammered. \'93I see a vice \softline
president of the company nearly every month. I think it\'92s called Arjay Enterprises, or \softline
something like that...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It\'92s easy enough for you to check, Charley,\'94 Rick interrupted, \'93and frankly, I\'92m \softline
surprised you haven\'92t done it long before now. I would think you would be more than \softline
mildly curious about who it is who\'92s signing your paychecks. If you did check, though, \softline
you would find that Arjay is derived from initials... Mine! In other words, Charley, I \softline
}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 own}{\plain \fs24 \f2 the joint. Now what, exactly, did you want to speak to Marcia Matthews about?\'94
}\sect \sectd \ds1\sbknone\margbsxn1080\pgndec\headery1440\footery1440\endnhere\endnhere
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Well, sir, it\'92s this press conference thing. I mean we try to humor our big stars, \softline
but...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Charley, you are humoring }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 me!}{\plain \fs24 \f2 If you don\'92t, you\'92re through, effective immediately. \softline
In just a few minutes your replacement will be taking over your office and he or she will. \softline
Am I making myself clear?\'94 Jackson demanded.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After a momentary pause he continued, speaking almost to himself, \'93You know, one \softline
of the nice things about owning the joint is that I can make things happen once in a \softline
while. Now Marcia gave that broad a list of people she wants to have out here this \softline
afternoon. I certainly hope she took good and complete notes. Because, Charley, if they \softline
are not all out here, you will }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 both}{\plain \fs24 \f2 be looking for jobs.\'94 After another pause he concluded, \softline
\'93You know, I think today would be a good day for you and your friend to call in your \softline
chits. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 All of them!}{\plain \fs24 \f2 Understood?\'94 With that he slammed down the receiver.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan\'92s eyes were wide and she was shaking her head. \'93Richard Jackson, you were \softline
terrible! You terrified that poor man. I have never seen you act mean to a living soul \softline
before, but you were awful!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93He\'92s not poor,\'94 Rick replied with a grin. \'93I pay him half-a-mil a year plus bonuses. \softline
On the other hand, your auburn-haired friend here has made almost $75 million for me \softline
last year alone. Given a choice... That\'92s irrelevant, though. Sue, you are more \softline
important to me than life itself. No one \'97 }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 no one}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \'97 is going to get in the way of you \softline
receiving all the help you need.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then with a wry grin he continued, \'93Besides, you haven\'92t taken the trouble to get \softline
to know me very well.\'94 Looking at her with love in his eyes he said, \'93Do you realize you \softline
have only known me for about four weeks \'97 total! And that has been spread over more \softline
than four years.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The four sat on the pool terrace and discussed arrangements for the afternoon press \softline
conference. Before they got started in their talk Rick was on the phone to his security \softline
chief who gave him the information he was looking for before the press conference \softline
opened.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab While he was talking, Mike Chapman was studying Susan carefully and began to feel \softline
better. She had reflected on the things both Rick and Ginny had said to her and already \softline
she was feeling better. To Mike she seemed to blossom like a flower in the sunshine.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab But then Chapman kicked Ginny in the foot and whispered, \'93Just because you\'92ve \softline
started to brag about now being big enough to start thinking about a diet, there are \softline
others here who need to eat... and eat often!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny Cameron was chagrined. Going out to the kitchen she asked Maria, her \softline
Mexican cook, to prepare huevos rancheros \'97 a spicy Mexican egg dish. Susan tried it \softline
and liked it very much. When Ginny asked her if it wasn\'92t too spicy, perhaps, Susan\'92s \softline
response was that she was used to eating anything edible and more than a few things \softline
that weren\'92t.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Maria served Susan another small meal just before the press conference was due to \softline
begin.
}\page
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 }{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 4}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The press began to arrive at the estate shortly before the appointed hour. Ginny was \softline
pleased to see that two of the network-affiliated Los Angeles television stations had sent \softline
out film crews. Moreover, in addition to the usual motion picture industry reporters, \softline
there were a few from the regular news desks.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Chairs had been set up on the pool terrace for the conference. A rostrum with a \softline
microphone was set up in front. Taking her position there, Ginny opened the session. \softline
\'93Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for coming. I am Marcia Matthews,\'94 \softline
she said with a warm smile. \'93The reason for this press conference has nothing to do \softline
with motion pictures, but a great deal to do with me. As many of you know, my real \softline
name is Virginia Cameron, known to my friends as Ginny. I\'92m a newcomer here to \softline
Hollywood. In fact, aside from believing myself to have been incredibly lucky, I\'92m still \softline
not sure how I got here.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Before arriving in Hollywood, I was an officer in the Army serving in Vietnam. \softline
Over five years ago I was captured by the enemy when a helicopter in which I was \softline
traveling was forced down. I was held in a prisoner-of-war camp for over a year. Near \softline
the end of my stay I met a person who I want you all to meet today.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny paused, backed away from the rostrum and stood with her head up straight. \softline
Only then did the reporters realize there were tears flowing in twin streams from her \softline
eyes. Then she said, \'93Before I continue, though, I am going to do something I have \softline
never done before. I am going to rely on your discretion about what you see and how you \softline
might use what you see and hear here today. Of course, the news judgment is entirely \softline
in your hands. I cannot and will not stop you from using it in any way you see fit. I have \softline
been candid with you in the past,\'94 she said with a warm smile, \'93and you have never let \softline
me down. I am counting on you again today.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny took a deep breath and continued, \'93Now for the \'91first\'92. I am going to pass out \softline
the first nude pictures ever taken of me. In a sense they are pornographic \'97 what they \softline
depict is obscene. I will come back to that after you have a chance to see them.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she passed out full-color photographs of herself \'97 front and side views \'97 \softline
taken in the hospital immediately following her rescue from the POW camp and return \softline
to Saigon. All that was recognizable as Virginia Cameron was the hair color and the \softline
intense emerald-green eyes.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike Chapman, as a plastic surgeon, could recognize Ginny in the pictures but even \softline
he gasped.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93That\'92s sort of how I looked when I first met the person I referred to earlier,\'94 Ginny \softline
continued, \'93Except, thanks to her, I weighed about five pounds more in the pictures than \softline
when the two of us first met.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking around the group of reporters she asked rhetorically, \'93Are these pictures \softline
pornographic? I think they are. They certainly depict man\'92s inhumanity to man. But \softline
God knows I was not in a sexy pose. In fact, it\'92s no pose at all. Although it\'92s been quite
awhile since I saw these photos last, I can still remember when they were taken. The \softline
photographer wasn\'92t sure I could even stand up unsupported. I could. At any rate, after \softline
I was released from the hospital, I slowly regained my weight, and then \'97 as we love to \softline
say here in Hollywood \'97 the rest is history.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Now I want to tell you about the other person. Her name is Susan Jennings. While \softline
I was waiting for you to arrive, I was thinking about my remarks, and so I was trying to \softline
think of appropriate words to describe my relationship to her.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny\'92s eyes were flowing with tears now and her voice broke, but she recovered \softline
enough to continue, \'93All I could come up with was a line from the Gospel of St. John}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 ,}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \softline
\'91Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for a friend.\'92 Well,\'94 Ginny \softline
continued while using every ounce of her remaining willpower to continue to speak, \'93I \softline
guess Susan must be my friend. She literally laid down her life to save mine. Susan, \softline
would you please come up here?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan walked up to the front of the area and joined Ginny. Rick brought up a chair \softline
for her to sit on since Mike had urged her to remain seated as much as possible. \'93This \softline
is Susan Jennings,\'94 Ginny Cameron continued. \'93When I first met her, I was literally \softline
hours away from death. I remember vividly what happened next. Susan had traded her \softline
bra to a guard for food bars. The bars were taken from Red Cross parcels we were \softline
supposed to get but never did. You see, the way things worked in the camp was that girls \softline
traded their clothing for food. When there was no more clothing, they traded their \softline
bodies. A couple of us were probably fools. We decided it was better to go hungry.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I am here to tell you that starving to death is not a pleasant way to go. I didn\'92t go \softline
the sex route. When I realized I was going to die and changed my mind, it was too late. \softline
By then I no longer had a body left to sell. Since all the prisoners were in the same boat \softline
\'97 starving \'97 it was live and let live. Or, more accurately, die and let die. The only way \softline
someone could help another was by going without.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93That is exactly what Susan Jennings did for her entire stay in that prison camp. \softline
She went without so that other prisoners might survive. To put it into perspective, I was \softline
imprisoned there for more than a year, while Susan was there less than three months. \softline
Nonetheless, when we were rescued, she weighed even less than I did. On the other \softline
hand, there were probably at least fifty more prisoners still alive than there would have \softline
been without her.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Although tears were still flowing, Ginny had now regained control. Standing up as \softline
straight as she could with her shoulders back and her tits upthrust she looked incredibly \softline
beautiful. The news people were all hanging on her words. Clearly, this was a very \softline
different Hollywood press conference.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93On that first day, Susan Jennings brought a nutrition bar over to me. She fed it to \softline
me a tiny piece at a time. She just put a tiny piece in my mouth, let it melt, and then did \softline
it again. She continued until the bar was all gone. Susan saved my life. And there was \softline
so much more. One day Susan took on thirty camp guards sexually one right after the \softline
other. Why? To get some medicine to try to save the lives of some of our dying men.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Finally, there was the last day. The guards ordered us to assemble in the center of \softline
the compound. I never did know why. At any rate, I fell trying to get up. The guard \softline
indicated I was to get ten lashes with his bullwhip. My thought was that at least it \softline
would be a faster death than starvation. But the next thing I knew, Susan\'92s body was \softline
extended over mine, covering it. She was doing what amounted to a pushup to keep her \softline
weight off me. I could hear the whip crack and slice into her body. After five lashes the \softline
guard ordered her to turn over. Then she bridged her body \'97 sort of an upside-down \softline
pushup \'97 and held it while the whip cut into her five more times. She cringed at the \softline
cuts but didn\'92t fall on me as the whip sliced into her flesh. Meanwhile, I was below her \softline
with the blood from her back dripping onto my body. When it was all over, she was \softline
ordered to be crucified!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Now Ginny\'92s eyes were blazing with an emerald fire. The TV cameras were rolling \softline
and the still photographers were taking their pictures. Ginny looked like an Amazon \softline
warrior at that moment. \'93You heard me right. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Crucified!}{\plain \fs24 \f2 Sue looked at the cross and \softline
knew it was for her. She gave me the last item of her clothing, the shirt off her back, \softline
with the comment that she wouldn\'92t be needing it any more.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93They hung her from the cross. They did not nail her to it the way the Romans did \softline
it two thousand years ago. They tied her to it. For reasons I won\'92t go into, it is just as \softline
lethal with rope. That was the last time I saw Susan Jennings until this morning,\'94 \softline
Ginny concluded. The tears were now uncontrolled but she was able to gasp out, \'93She \softline
was hanging on that cross, dying for me!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny took a couple of deep breaths to try to regain control. Then she reached below \softline
the rostrum, pulled out a khaki uniform shirt and opened it out. \'93I found this in the \softline
back of one of my drawers today,\'94 she said. \'93It is the shirt Susan Jennings was wearing \softline
that day. You can even read the name inside the collar, neatly stenciled in indelible ink, \softline
JENNINGS. This morning I found something else I had never noticed before.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Opening the shirt, she spread it over the front of the rostrum so the reporters could \softline
see more clearly and pointed out marks on the shirt that appeared to be rust stains. \softline
\'93These look like rust stains, don\'92t they?\'94 she asked. \'93They are not. It is Susan\'92s blood. \softline
It dripped off her back onto me as I lay on the ground beneath her. Then it must have \softline
been soaked up by Susan\'92s shirt when I put it on as she was being hung on the cross.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to Susan she said quietly, \'93Sue, please take off all your clothes.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Without a moment\'92s hesitation, Susan dropped her skirt, shrugged off her blouse \softline
and stood before the group completely naked. There was an audible gasp as the \softline
reporters and cameramen saw the vivid scars crisscrossing her body. \'93You see the scars \softline
from that bullwhip,\'94 Ginny continued. \'93I am asking if there is a photographer here \softline
today who can photograph her body better than that sailor was able to photograph mine \softline
in Saigon.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You see, beginning tomorrow, Susan will have a series of operations to try to erase \softline
those scars. But I don\'92t want them forgotten. There is some unfinished business here. \softline
I heard gasps from many of you when you first saw Susan\'92s body. I don\'92t know if you
were reacting to the scars, to her emaciated condition, or to both. You see, Susan \softline
Jennings is the reason I invited you all out here today. There are a number of \softline
unanswered questions. I will list some and my friends will add to the list.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93First, why is she still scarred? Why wasn\'92t she cared for in a naval hospital after \softline
she was rescued? We just learned today that she was dismissed from the service. That \softline
is the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge but applicable to officers. How, when, \softline
where, and for what reason was she court-martialed? Only a general court-martial can \softline
order dismissal, but we cannot find out anything. Keep in mind, the record of trial is a \softline
public document. Why is it hidden?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to her side where Mike was now waiting she continued, \'93I would like my \softline
fianc\'e9, Mike Chapman, to speak to you. As some of you may know, Mike is a plastic \softline
surgeon practicing here in Los Angeles.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab One of the reporters asked, \'93Is this Dr. Michael Chapman?\'94 When Ginny nodded \softline
agreement, the reporter spoke for the benefit of his colleagues, \'93For those of you who \softline
may not know it, Dr. Chapman is generally regarded as the finest plastic surgeon in \softline
Southern California, and many believe he is the finest in the world. Doctor?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you very much. With my surgical team I am going to begin operating on \softline
Susan Jennings tomorrow. I can\'92t tell you how long the whole process will take nor how \softline
successful it will ultimately turn out to be. But we are going to try like hell. On the \softline
other hand, I will also say that this surgery should have been undertaken years ago, \softline
almost immediately upon her release. What should have happened was she should have \softline
been physically built up from her starvation and then operated on. The probability of \softline
successful surgery was much greater then than it is now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike Chapman took a deep breath and continued, \'93There\'92s much more, though. In \softline
addition to the scars that are so visible, I am almost certain that she is still carrying \softline
enemy bullets in her body from the day of her rescue years ago. We have scheduled \softline
Susan for a CAT scan later today to confirm, but I am virtually certain right now what \softline
they will reveal. We know Susan was hit by enemy fire just before she was rescued. It \softline
now appears that the enemy bullets were never removed. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Can you believe that?\'94 }{\plain \fs24 \f2 Mike \softline
nearly screamed. \'93They don\'92t do that with murderers, for Heaven\'92s sake.\'94 His gray \softline
eyes were fiery as he exclaimed, \'93Do any of you care!?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab There was a growling sound from the assembled news people. Evidently they did \softline
care, and some of them cared a great deal. Meanwhile, a photographer had taken Susan \softline
away to arrange lights and reflectors to properly photograph the scars on her body.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Mike introduced Rick Jackson, a newsman muttered to a colleague sitting \softline
beside him, \'93She may not have many friends, but the ones she has have enough \softline
horsepower to move an army!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick got up in front of the group and said, \'93I first met Susan on the day Ginny \'97 \softline
Marcia Matthews \'97 just described. I commanded the rescue unit that assaulted the \softline
camp. It was I who cut her down from that cross. At the time I thought I was retrieving
a dead body, but when I reached her I could feel her heart still beating and then her eyes \softline
opened. Since the evacuation was in its last stages and there wasn\'92t time to get her to \softline
a chopper, I carried her to a cave we had found and had used to store supplies before our \softline
assault. On the way back up to it I was hit in the leg by a nearly-spent bullet. We \softline
reached the cave, I put a combat dressing on the wound and then spent the next couple \softline
of days just feeding Susan.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Then, in spite of her own emaciated and feverish condition, she noticed that I had \softline
a fever. Under the circumstances, I must have had a pretty good one. Anyway, she \softline
examined my leg and prepared to operate. You saw the picture of Ginny. That is \softline
roughly the way Susan looked except that those whip cuts across her body were new. \softline
There is one you may have noticed that runs across her breast that was nearly half-an-inch deep. Nevertheless, she operated on me one night using our first-aid kit and a \softline
gasoline lantern.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93When I asked a surgeon about the wound later, his reaction was that it should have \softline
been reasonably routine for a well-trained surgical team in a military hospital. When I \softline
explained the circumstances of the surgery, he said that under such conditions successful \softline
surgery was impossible. It flat-out could not be done! But of course it was.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick turned, looked towards Susan and winked at her. He was overjoyed to see her \softline
wriggle with delight and grin back at him. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 God, I love this girl! }{\plain \fs24 \f2 he thought.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning back towards the news people he continued, \'93I spent the next few days \softline
explaining to Susan how our demolition toys work. She put out all our Claymore mines \softline
and wired a road bridge with demolition charges. Just before we were due to be \softline
extracted, a patrol triggered one of the Claymores. The next thing we knew, we were \softline
under heavy attack.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick stood back from the microphone for a moment and shook his head as he \softline
remembered. Then he continued, \'93What does Susan Jennings do? Well, she blows the \softline
bridge. As neat a job as I have ever seen, by the way. She blew off both ends and the \softline
span just dropped into the river. She timed the explosion so she could take two enemy \softline
tanks along with the span itself. Then she opens up with machine-gun fire. I didn\'92t \softline
keep my head down the way I should have, so I take a big hit with shrapnel from a \softline
mortar round. My sergeant told me later that she went berserk and charged the enemy \softline
with grenades and an Armalite.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93When the detail arrived, they counted seventy-seven bodies, not counting the tank \softline
crews and the infantry carried away with the blown bridge. When the choppers got us \softline
all back to Saigon, Susan was whisked off and I was evacuated back to Pearl Harbor. \softline
That is all I know \'97 from back then.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Today, I found out a few more things. Someone in Washington is out to make \softline
Susan Jennings\'92 life miserable. If you try to check her references \'97 as one of my people \softline
did earlier today \'97 the word is, don\'92t hire her... for }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 anything! }{\plain \fs24 \f2 In fact, one guy tried to \softline
substitute an ex-con with three felony convictions. So Susan is worse than a felon who \softline
is a three-time loser. But why?
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Another thing,\'94 Rick Jackson continued. \'93How was she court-martialed? Who \softline
certified her as medically fit to stand trial and participate in her own defense? What \softline
were the grounds for the court-martial? Marcia has given you that list.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What I would like you to do is this: There is a toll-free telephone number that we \softline
would like to have broadcast across the entire country. We would like to hear from \softline
anyone who was in that prison camp over the range of dates when Susan was there. The \softline
dates will be given to you. We want to hear from absolutely anyone! There is another \softline
phone number at which we will accept collect calls from anywhere in California or from \softline
overseas.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93We are trying to rectify a terrible miscarriage of justice. I have here a sheet of \softline
paper with all of the relevant names, dates, and telephone numbers. I hope you will use \softline
them in your stories, and I certainly hope that you do a story on today\'92s events and that \softline
the stories run. Thank you for taking the time,\'94 Rick concluded.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab While he was concluding his talk, Susan had rejoined the group and was sitting \softline
behind Rick. When he sat down and Ginny rose to close the session, one of the reporters \softline
asked if Susan would answer a few questions. Ginny looked at Susan who smiled and \softline
nodded her head vigorously. Susan rose and took Ginny\'92s place behind the microphone.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab One of the reporters asked how she had been captured. \'93I was in our operating room \softline
and something hit the roof,\'94 she replied. \'93The next thing I knew I was in the POW \softline
camp. I don\'92t even know how long I was there before I regained my senses.\'94 Looking \softline
around the area she asked, \'93Any more?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Another reporter rose and asked, \'93Miss Jennings, Mr. Jackson says you were \softline
reported as going berserk. Do you remember it? If so, what happened?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She grimaced and said, \'93I remember some of it. I remember seeing Rick hit with the \softline
shrapnel. I immediately decided that I didn\'92t care to go on living so I might as well take \softline
as many of them with me as I could. I may have been out to avenge Rick as well. It was \softline
really a pretty stupid thing to do, I\'92m afraid.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab A reporter from a TV station asked, \'93Susan, it\'92s pretty obvious that your friends are \softline
working very hard for you. In light of their efforts, what are your thoughts?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I don\'92t really have any,\'94 Susan responded. \'93Until a couple of days ago I was just \softline
wandering around LA, being rousted constantly. Finally I was able to contact Mr. \softline
Jackson and suddenly everything changed. It appears that I have some very good friends \softline
who want to take care of me. There is really nothing more I can say.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The reporter followed up with another question. \'93Miss Matthews believes you saved \softline
her life in the prison camp. Do you feel that you did?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93No, I really don\'92t,\'94 Susan replied in a decisive tone of voice. \'93She saved herself. \softline
I did a couple of little things to try to help her, I suppose, but that\'92s all.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Susan smiled an incredibly warm smile that instantly won over the audience \softline
and continued, \'93I remember vividly the first time I met Virginia Cameron. She was in
terrible shape \'97 professionally, I gave her only hours to live \'97 yet she could still crack \softline
a joke. I said something stupid like, \'91Haven\'92t you carried your diet a little far,\'92 and she \softline
came back with, \'91I think I can still lose a couple of more pounds.\'92 That is an indomitable \softline
spirit we cannot afford to lose. I just helped a little,\'94 Susan concluded.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The reporter persisted, \'93Did you cover her body with your own to protect her from \softline
the guard\'92s bullwhip?\'94 Susan nodded. \'93Why?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Because a whipping would have killed her,\'94 Susan replied. \'93I thought I could make \softline
it. And as you can see, I did,\'94 she concluded with another smile.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that point the entire group rose to applaud while the TV announcers spoke \softline
quietly into their microphones. There were few dry eyes in the crowd as they did. In a \softline
short time the press had left and Ginny asked Maria to bring out more food for \'93the \softline
starving one.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Maria, who was close to two-hundred pounds, took it as a personal challenge to put \softline
some meat on Susan\'92s bones.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The four were now sitting around the table beside the pool when Susan looked \softline
longingly at Rick and then said sadly, \'93Rick, could you do me a very great favor? You \softline
have only seen me as a physical wreck. Would it be possible for you not to see me for a \softline
while? I\'92ve seen some of these plastic surgeons\'92 work and it usually gets much worse \softline
before it gets any better. I... I... I don\'92t want to lose you forever, Rick.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She smiled at him warmly and he could see that her eyes were full of tears. She was \softline
just moments away from breaking down completely. Nevertheless, she continued, \'93I \softline
must admit, though, you\'92re awfully hard to discourage.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Before responding to her request, there was one question Rick had to ask: \'93Susan, \softline
girls have been making a living on their backs for a long time. You used your body to \softline
help others survive in prison. Why did you starve here in Los Angeles, now?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking steadily directly into his eyes Susan replied, \'93There are two reasons. First, \softline
I kept hoping, \'91Today will be the day.\'92 I had no such hope in Vietnam. Second, I have \softline
not been with a man since you.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As Rick remembered their one time together, his eyes misted and he could scarcely \softline
talk. He just shook hands with Mike and kissed Ginny Cameron on the cheek. \'93Take \softline
good care of her, please? But I\'92m sure you will.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then he crouched beside Susan\'92s chair and took her head in his hands. Turning her \softline
face toward himself, he could see the tears now streaming from her eyes. Then he kissed \softline
her tenderly on the lips. It was a kiss full of love and promise, and again he heard the \softline
bells.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jumping up, he went through the house and out the front door. Sitting behind the \softline
wheel of his car, he waited for the tears to abate enough for him to see to be able to \softline
drive.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 }\page
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{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 5}{\plain \fs24 \f2
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab That evening Mike and Ginny drove Susan to the hospital where the CAT scan was \softline
scheduled. When they arrived, Mike was joined by a friend, John Roberts, a top general \softline
surgeon. The two doctors met the radiologist-CAT operator in the control booth and \softline
Mike told him where to start looking. Almost instantly the CAT revealed three \softline
imbedded bullets in Susan\'92s right side and shoulder.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Roberts did not believe his eyes. \'93Mike, I was wondering what you have been \softline
smoking when you called me,\'94 he said. \'93These bullets are easily operable \'97 or were. \softline
I have never seen or heard of anyone leaving military service with removable enemy \softline
metal still in them. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 No one! Ever!
}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 \tab }{\plain \fs24 \f2 Turning to the CAT operator he said, \'93Hal, can you get me the exact coordinates on \softline
those three? I want to look at her and then maybe get some x-rays.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Chapman had arranged for the best room in the hospital for Susan now that she was \softline
his patient. Although the administrator had screamed, Mike had merely pointed out \softline
that his patients were always in the best room so there was no problem. When Susan \softline
was wheeled back into her room, Mike and Ginny were waiting for her. Ginny had \softline
already taken charge. After checking Susan\'92s hospital schedule with Mike she had made \softline
some special arrangements. A few minutes later one of her friends, Jim Reading, a top \softline
Hollywood hair stylist came in.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Like Mike Chapman, he was used to recognizing raw material. He could see that \softline
Susan could be even more beautiful than Ginny when she recovered, and he said so.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He thought he might provoke a reaction from Ginny and did, but not the one he \softline
expected: \'93Oh, Jim! Do you really think so?\'94 she exclaimed. \'93I do, too, but I\'92m \softline
prejudiced.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The hair designer was baffled but Mike whispered to him to watch the late news on \softline
TV or read the papers in the morning.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Jim took Susan over to the sink and his assistants descended in force. Mike \softline
thought they were trying to drown his patient but Ginny said, \'93It\'92s good for you to see \softline
this, Mike. It\'92s some of the garbage you are going to rescue me from.\'94 She looked at him \softline
lovingly and said, \'93Michael, darling, I am going to be making babies for us as fast as I \softline
can. Do I have to keep on working in films, too?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike took her into his arms and melted his lips on hers. After easing away and \softline
regaining her breath, Ginny looked over at Susan and said, \'93She\'92ll live \'97 through that, \softline
anyway.\'94 He kissed her again, more hungrily this time. She whispered, \'93I thought I \softline
took good care of you already today.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But that was this morning,\'94 he complained. Then he whispered in her ear, \'93And \softline
in the meantime I\'92ve made all kinds of warm cum to flood your insides. Interested?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny made warm noises deep in her body and rubbed her body against his now-engorged cock and muttered, \'93Yum! I can hardly wait.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93I adore you, my darling,\'94 Mike said.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then he told Ginny about the bullets in Susan\'92s body. \'93Honey, that girl must be in \softline
continuous agony. And yet she almost moves as if there is no problem. You only notice \softline
it if you carefully look at her movements on each side independently.\'94 Shaking his head \softline
he continued, \'93You know, John Roberts admits he only came over to humor a friend. He \softline
just flat could not believe a veteran could be discharged with removable bullets still in \softline
her body. Now he believes, and it\'92s not at all funny. He is going over some x-rays that \softline
were just taken and then will be joining us. We are going to go in together. Given where \softline
the bullets are, I\'92m assuming he\'92ll be going in from the front. That poor girl is really \softline
going to get a working over.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jim Reading and his people left to be replaced by Penny Watts, a senior makeup \softline
artist. The woman looked over Susan very carefully and finally nodded her head \softline
decisively just once. Turning on Ginny she pretended to glare and said, \'93Marcia \softline
Matthews, for chrissakes will you quit wasting my time. This girl could use a manicure. \softline
She needs some sunshine \'97 she\'92s too pale. She could wear a little lipstick if she wants \softline
to really go hog-wild. Full stop!\'94 Penny just shook her head and continued, \'93Marcia, she \softline
is going to be utterly gorgeous. I thought you were the last of the makeup artist\'92s \softline
dreams, but now there\'92s another: her. But where in heaven\'92s name did you find her? \softline
And what are you two playing in? I assume you\'92re both starring in the same film, aren\'92t \softline
you? And could I please get the assignment? Please?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny just smiled and replied, \'93Susan is not even in the business, Penny. She is \softline
here for some very serious surgery. But could someone give her that manicure you \softline
mentioned? I think it would cheer her up.\'94 The woman smiled and made a thumbs-up \softline
sign. Moments later a manicurist came in and started to work on Susan\'92s hands.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab By the time she finished, John Roberts had joined them and waiters from Maxim\'92s \softline
produced a catered dinner for the foursome. They were seated around a rolling table \softline
with Susan wearing her new bathrobe. She looked beautiful with her hair now \softline
glistening with its natural highlights.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93How do you feel, Sue?\'94 Ginny asked. \'93Is there anything else you want? Anything \softline
at all?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan smiled warmly and slowly shook her head. \'93Ginny, everything is just perfect. \softline
I can\'92t thank you enough.\'94 Then the smile turned into a very cute grin as she added, \softline
\'93Miss Cameron, could I make a short video tape? With me kneeling on the floor and \softline
bowing until my forehead touches, thanking you? That way when these things come \softline
along, one right after another, I can just point to the VCR, roll the tape, and save a lot \softline
of wear and tear on a bod that can\'92t take a whole lot more right now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny just delighted at her good spirits and the return of her sense of humor. Susan \softline
continued, \'93I have just one question, though. How much did you have to pay those \softline
people, and how much rehearsal time was required for them to get their lines down? \softline
That is the right phrase, isn\'92t it? \'91Getting the lines down\'92?\'94 Ginny looked at her
puzzled. Susan explained, \'93You know, Ginny! All that garbage about my hair, makeup, \softline
and the rest. It was a real hoot!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally realizing what Susan was talking about, it was Ginny\'92s turn to shake her \softline
head and laugh. \'93I hate to ruin your day, honey,\'94 she said, \'93but it was all honest. Jim \softline
Reading was in absolute raptures over your hair. When he was leaving he asked me to \softline
tell you that he would consider it a personal favor if you would allow him to continue to \softline
handle your hair styling. That\'92s not bullshit, either. You\'92re not in the trade, so you may \softline
not know that Jim has four or five Oscars for hair styling. He\'92s considered the very best \softline
in the business. Oh, it\'92s all free, by the way. He says women like you are great \softline
advertising for him.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny laughed again as Susan\'92s jaw dropped. She exclaimed, \'93You can\'92t be serious! \softline
If you are, he\'92s crazy! He\'92s nuts! Certifiably insane! }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Me?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny was now laughing so hard she could no longer even talk. All she could do was \softline
to vigorously nod her head up and down while she howled with laughter and tried to \softline
regain control.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally she was able to say, \'93My darling Susan, that is the highest praise there is. \softline
Honest. Ask Mike. Those people know heads and faces. They are real pros. They see \softline
the structure and the raw material. If you ever want to really roll on the floor laughing, \softline
just get a group of hair stylists and makeup people together talking about the stars they \softline
have worked on. Talk about seeing it warts and all! And they will be delighted to tell \softline
you exactly were every wart is and describe it in detail.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan just shook her head in disbelief and turned to the other doctor. Her face grew \softline
serious as she asked, \'93Dr. Roberts, what\'92s the word? I guess the bullets have to come \softline
out, don\'92t they?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Roberts was developing an appreciation for the incredible courage of this girl. \'93Miss \softline
Jennings,\'94 he replied, \'93they have to come out. You\'92re in constant pain, aren\'92t you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab In response Susan shrugged her shoulders. When she did Ginny saw what Mike had \softline
seen earlier. Her right shoulder moved differently from her left. \'93It\'92s okay, Doctor,\'94 \softline
Susan replied. \'93I\'92m used to it, anyway.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Roberts raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically. \'93Young lady, you are lying. \softline
Should I get a dolorometer?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan\'92s eyes widened and she said softly, \'93No, Doctor. Please don\'92t waste your \softline
time.\'94 Then she tried to grin and continued, \'93I give up. I guess it does hurt pretty bad. \softline
But I really am used to it, though.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Hearing of a dolorometer, Ginny whispered a question to Mike asking what a \softline
dolorometer is. He explained it was a machine that measured pain. It was attached to \softline
a part of the body away from the suspected pain source. Then the pain was increased \softline
until the patient could feel the machine-induced pain rather than the internal \'97 or \softline
external \'97 pain source. Based on Susan\'92s reaction, the pain must be continuous and \softline
agonizing.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Mike turned to John and asked, \'93Which way are you going in? From the front?\'94 \softline
Roberts nodded. \'93Okay,\'94 Mike said, \'93How do you feel about it, Sue? You\'92re a nurse so \softline
you know what\'92s coming up.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan smiled ruefully, nodded her head and said, \'93I guess I\'92ll manage. And thanks, \softline
guys.\'94 Turning to Roberts she said, \'93Doctor, I haven\'92t had a chance to even talk to you. \softline
I guess you\'92re going to take out the metal, but I really don\'92t have any money yet. So... \softline
So could... could...\'94 Susan stammered, \'93Could you submit your bill in sort of bite-sized \softline
pieces?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab John Roberts looked at her with tears forming in the corners of his eyes. His voice \softline
cracked when he asked, \'93Susan, do you have a penny?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She was puzzled but looked in her purse. It was part of a brand-new outfit Rick had \softline
given her. There was a loaded change purse in it. She took out a penny and gave it to \softline
him.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at her solemnly, he carefully put it in his pocket. \'93Do you need a receipt for \softline
tax purposes, Susan?\'94 he asked. \'93You are now prepaid in full for the surgery. Thank \softline
you very much for your prompt payment.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Dr. Roberts, you can\'92t be serious!\'94 Susan exclaimed. \'93You... you\'92re famous! I owe \softline
you,\'94 she insisted.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Like hell you do!\'94 he instantly responded. \'93I happen to know what you\'92re paying \softline
Mike Chapman. I just scaled my fees to his. If he\'92s getting ten cents per scar, even one \softline
cent for a few stray bullets is much too much.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at her intently now he asked, \'93How did you get them, by the way? They \softline
have obviously been there for quite a while.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny quickly told him the story of the prison camp, the crucifixion, the breakout \softline
and the aftermath. She watched his tears start to flow uncontrolled as he realized his \softline
patient had carried the bullets in her body for almost four years. Reaching into his \softline
wallet he took out a ten-dollar bill and gave it to Susan. \'93I made one of my usual billing \softline
mistakes, Miss Jennings. This is your overpayment, refunded.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking at her closely, he nodded his head and said, \'93Susan, I owe you more than \softline
mere money. You are a credit to this country, to the nursing profession, and to the \softline
human race. I consider it a great honor and privilege to be allowed to operate on you. \softline
Believe me when I say it is worth a very great deal to me.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan studied his face very carefully and finally realized that Roberts was totally \softline
serious. Tears started to flow down her cheeks and she stammered, \'93Thank you, Doctor. \softline
I don\'92t know what to say except thank you. It\'92s inadequate, I know, but... but... \softline
Thanks.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He kissed her on the cheek and said he would see her in the operating room the next \softline
morning.
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab While Ginny was waiting for Susan to be brought back to her room from the \softline
recovery room the next afternoon, Mike came in looking for her. When he entered, \softline
Ginny was scared and gasped in dismay when she saw tears running down his cheeks.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What happened, darling? What went wrong?\'94 she asked while a sense of pure panic \softline
threatened to overwhelm her. Something had gone terribly wrong with the operation.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Mike just shook his head and said finally, \'93Those bastards! And I\'92m talking about \softline
my surgical team, darling. Susan is fine. But those idiots saw the TV news last night \softline
that we missed. Anyway, there was a big story about Susan and her wounds. When they \softline
learned that she was our patient today they refused to submit bills or to accept any \softline
payment at all. They are working for nothing \'97 every damned one of them! Even \softline
Carmen Gar\'e7ia, for God\'92s sake, and she is supporting three children. Even though she \softline
desperately needs every penny, she flat refused!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that, Mike completely lost control. He was on his knees with his head cradled in \softline
Ginny\'92s lap while she stroked him and made soothing sounds to comfort him.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Later Ginny was sitting in a chair beside Susan\'92s bed. The girl\'92s body was bandaged \softline
like a mummy\'92s and she was just coming out from the anaesthesia. When Ginny saw \softline
Susan blink and open her eyes, she went to the bedside with a glass of water and gave \softline
her some through a straw. Susan just smiled her gratitude.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93How do you feel, sweetheart?\'94 Ginny asked softly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Since you ask,\'94 Susan replied hoarsely, \'93I feel like I\'92ve just been run over by a \softline
truck. And, Virginia Cameron, I am giving you fair warning right now. Your fianc\'e9 is \softline
a sadist.\'94 With her eyes wide and with a completely straight face, she continued, \'93It was \softline
painful for me, Ginny, but I found out in time. You should immediately throw Michael \softline
Chapman out in the street and have nothing further to do with him. Why... Why a man \softline
who would do to me what Mike just did would be whipping you every week. He would \softline
tie you to a whipping post and stripe your back and your chest. I have saved you again, \softline
Ginny. Aren\'92t you glad?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 \'93Do you really think he will?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2 Ginny exclaimed eagerly. \'93Boy, I can hardly wait. \softline
Just think! Those lovely stripes on my body... The joy of feeling him crush my \softline
wounds...\'94 With her eyes as wide as saucers, she repeated, \'93Golly, Sue, do you really \softline
think he will?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She had to hold Susan carefully as the girl began to laugh but at the same time \softline
aggravate her surgical wounds. The two young women were both crying and laughing \softline
at the same time. When she regained control, Ginny carefully stroked Susan\'92s forehead \softline
with a cool cloth and watched her fall asleep.
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab A week later a limousine pulled up in the hospital\'92s driveway to pick up Susan and \softline
take her back to Ginny Cameron\'92s estate. Once there she began a program of exercise, \softline
diet, and sunshine after the bandages were removed. Meanwhile, Maria continued to \softline
feed her many times each day. A few weeks later, after the worst of the surgical cuts on
her chest and belly were sufficiently healed, she returned to the hospital where Mike \softline
operated a second time, this time on the scars on her back. Both operations were \softline
completely successful, as was John Roberts\'92 operation to remove the Vietnamese bullets. \softline
Susan even had the bullets in her top drawer. Periodically, she and Ginny would kid \softline
about what she might be able to make out of them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab As the long recovery process began, Susan was delighted and gave thanks to God for \softline
her association with Ginny. The girl was a tower of strength for Susan who realized that \softline
she loved Ginny as a beloved older sister. The girls had become utterly inseparable to \softline
such a degree that one evening Susan asked with her eyes wide if Ginny wanted her to \softline
keep her company in bed and give her advice while Mike Chapman was plowing her \softline
vaginal canal. Both Ginny and Mike cracked up with laughter while Susan just looked \softline
from one to the other with a puzzled look on her face as if she could not understand what \softline
could possibly be so funny.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Meanwhile, the press coverage of the Susan Jennings story increased in intensity. \softline
There had been intense public interest and an outcry aroused by the first stories. \softline
Responding to the public reaction and interest, the media maintained the pressure. Rick \softline
Jackson got a call from an Orange County Congressman wanting to know what had \softline
happened. The representative, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, \softline
talked with his chairman. The Navy Department was contacted by a committee staffer \softline
and then all hell started to break loose.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab In addition to his masterful job feeding new information to the press, Rick was also \softline
following up on all the contacts coming in on the telephone lines in response to the \softline
stories. In addition to recording their stories, Rick also fed juicy tidbits to the press to \softline
maintain the media pressure. Within three weeks of the first story breaking, he had \softline
talked to virtually every person who had been held prisoner in that compound. The \softline
stories he heard merely confirmed what he already knew from Ginny and Susan. To a \softline
man \'97 or woman \'97 they offered to go anywhere to testify in Susan\'92s behalf. Many \softline
refused any offer of payment, insisting on paying their own way.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally, Rick put in a call to the White House. A couple of hours later he was \softline
speaking to the President who had returned his call. Quickly he explained the situation. \softline
The President was aware of the Congressional inquiry and had already determined to \softline
be out in front. This man took his r\'f4le as Commander in Chief of the armed forces \softline
seriously. After hearing the story, the President asked Rick if he would come to \softline
Washington to head up an investigation on his behalf. Rick immediately agreed and was \softline
on the red-eye to Washington that night.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick found the subsequent events amusing. Or they would have been had they not \softline
had such a terrible impact on the woman he loved. When a colonel is burying a captain \softline
\'97 or a lieutenant in the Navy, the equivalent rank \'97 it is not difficult. And if the cage \softline
starts to rattle a little, everyone just holds on tight and waits for things to quiet down \softline
again. But when the Congress and the White House become interested, the rats begin
to run for cover. Because of the mixture of services, Rick\'92s was a Department of Defense \softline
investigating team.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He derived bitter amusement from the events. Because of his shrapnel wounds Rick \softline
Jackson was now a major, United States Marine Corps, Retired. But as chairman of the \softline
special presidential investigating committee, he outranked the Chief of Naval Operations \softline
and the Army\'92s Chief of Staff. As a result, Susan\'92s \'93lost\'94 court-martial file was quickly \softline
found. He and his people carefully reviewed it, interviewed a number of the witnesses \softline
Rick had previously located, and then reported back to the President.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The Secretary of Defense then ordered that a special Court of Inquiry be convened. \softline
Miss Susan Jennings, Brigadier General Homer Black, Lieutenant Colonel Charles \softline
Simon, and Major Judith Harrison were named as parties to the inquiry. Black, Simon, \softline
and Harrison were frozen in place. They were not allowed to change their military \softline
status in any way pending the findings of the court of inquiry which was scheduled to \softline
convene in Los Angeles at the call of its president, a Navy vice admiral. The court panel \softline
was composed of two- and three-star flag officers from both the army and the navy.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick had occasion to meet with the court\'92s president, Vice Admiral Charles F. \softline
Adams, at the Pentagon. Admiral Adams was surprised to see that the head of the \softline
investigating committee \'97 about whom he had heard so much \'97 was only in his early \softline
thirties. Adams also knew that Jackson was a highly-decorated combat Marine, and was \softline
also one of the richest men in the country. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 A very interesting combination,}{\plain \fs24 \f2 he thought.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick sat down across the desk from the admiral. \'93I\'92m Rick Jackson, Admiral \softline
Adams,\'94 he said. \'93I understand you wanted to see me.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The admiral looked at him thoughtfully and then said, \'93Mr. Jackson, what are you \softline
after? Why are you involved in this affair? What are you trying to do?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams saw Jackson\'92s eyes turn steel grey \'97 and become as cold as an iceberg. \softline
\'93Admiral, my interest is to see that justice is done. From our investigation, the \softline
defendant in the court-martial, Miss Susan Jennings, was in no condition to do anything \softline
\'97 least of all, participate in her own defense. The defense counsel appointed to serve \softline
was the most junior lawyer on the base.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams recoiled from the piercing look in Jackson\'92s eyes as he continued, \'93It wasn\'92t \softline
a trial, it was a railroad! They railroaded a girl out of the service who deserves medals \softline
for gallantry, heroism, and selflessness. She most assuredly did not deserve a court-martial. Admiral, I don\'92t want to prejudice you, but I\'92m sure it will all come out. We \softline
have located everyone concerned and have taken steps to ensure their availability. When \softline
do you intend to convene the court?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Why... in two weeks,\'94 Adams replied in some surprise. \'93But of course I am moving \softline
the trial back here to Washington.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Wrong, Admiral!\'94 Rick exclaimed while shaking his head. \'93You will convene your \softline
court in Los Angeles at the Federal Court House on February 1, next year.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab The admiral was stunned. He was being contradicted by a mere major. \'93Why... Why \softline
that\'92s ridiculous! It will be here in two weeks...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Wrong!\'94 Rick was glaring at him now as he continued, \'93I\'92m afraid you didn\'92t read \softline
your letter of appointment too carefully. For if you had, you would have seen that \softline
convening the court is dependent upon the availability of Miss Jennings. She will not \softline
be available until February 1, and then only in Los Angeles, the site named for the court \softline
in your orders.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Admiral, this girl was railroaded once. It will not happen again!\'94 With fire still in \softline
his eyes, Rick regained control and asked in a calmer tone, \'93Now why don\'92t you reread \softline
your orders?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The admiral did, slowly. Then he read them again. His blood pressure was rising \softline
as he said, \'93But this is ridiculous! She... She\'92s only a civilian! This cannot be.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick shook his head again and said, \'93It can be and it is. You noticed that the order \softline
is signed by the Secretaries of the Army and the Navy and countersigned by the \softline
Secretary of Defense. Do you care to argue?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams now looked thoroughly defeated as Rick said, \'93I thought not. I look forward \softline
to seeing you again in Los Angeles. Good day, Admiral.\'94 Rick left a very deflated vice \softline
admiral sitting in his office as he quietly shut the door behind him.
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{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 6}{\plain \fs24 \f2
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{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab It was mid December now, and Susan\'92s bandages had long since disappeared. She \softline
was moving freely now that the pain from the embedded bullets was gone. Moreover, \softline
she and Ginny had continuing competitions in everything from weight lifting to tennis, \softline
to swimming, to golf. The love and mutual respect between the two beautiful young \softline
women was a delight both to them and to everyone with whom they had contact. All of \softline
Ginny\'92s friends knew the story well and they all rejoiced in the way Susan had \softline
blossomed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When the two young women went out together which was often, they attracted the \softline
stares of everyone around. First, at five feet eight, both women were quite tall. Beyond \softline
that, though, their figures were utterly perfect and they were incredible beauties, \softline
Virginia Cameron with her magnificent auburn hair and emerald-green eyes, and Susan \softline
Jennings with her hair like newly-minted yellow gold and the most brilliant blue eyes \softline
anyone had ever seen.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Moreover, the two women truly adored one another and took every opportunity to \softline
exchange kisses. Whenever their lips met, the two both felt an incredible flow of the \softline
purest love and joy. Finally, both women were very intelligent, well read and very well \softline
informed. Before long the two found themselves temporarily in demand for appearances \softline
on daytime talk shows \'97 until it was learned that neither woman was at all \'93politically \softline
correct.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Late one afternoon Ginny said, \'93Let\'92s go inside, shall we? In spite of almost being \softline
Christmas, it\'92s awfully hot.\'94 With a grimace she added, \'93In fact it reminds me of that \softline
late, unlamented POW camp.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Going into the cool house they went on to Ginny\'92s bedroom. Once there, Ginny \softline
suddenly stopped in front of a full-length mirror. Susan had to stop suddenly to keep \softline
from walking into her. Since both women were nude having been soaking up the sun, \softline
Ginny just said casually, \'93Take a look. You don\'92t really look half bad, little sister.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The two girls had been tanning nude, Ginny because she liked to, and Susan because \softline
Mike was concerned that the tiny scars from the surgery might be revealed as white lines \softline
on a tan. They were not. His work had been utterly perfect: There were no marks of \softline
any kind showing on Susan\'92s now-perfect body.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan looked at her reflection in the mirror and was stunned. She did not recognize \softline
the girl looking back at her. The girl in the mirror had perfectly formed tits with tiny \softline
up-thrusting nipples. Her stomach was flat, her hips were slim, her buns were small and \softline
tight, and her long legs were feminine perfection. With her golden tan, and hair the \softline
color of newly minted yellow gold, Susan was a vision in shades of gold. The only color \softline
was the incredibly bright red of her lips \'97 even without any lipstick \'97 and the brilliant \softline
blue of her eyes.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan Jennings was now utterly exquisite and, in a whisper, Ginny told her so.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Then to Ginny\'92s surprise she could see tears forming in the corners of Susan\'92s eyes. \softline
Turning to Ginny she hugged her tightly and exclaimed, \'93Oh, God! Thank you. Ginny, \softline
do you think he\'92ll like me now? Do you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Who\'92s \'91he\'92?\'94 Ginny asked professing ignorance with a puzzled look on her face.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Virginia Cameron, I will cheerfully kill you right now,\'94 Susan said in a flat tone of \softline
voice. Then folding her arms on her chest she cocked her head and looked at Ginny \softline
thoughtfully. After a few moments she nodded her head firmly just once and said, \'93Yup. \softline
I knew it. I should have eaten the damned nutrition bars myself instead of wasting them \softline
on you. This is all it got me.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Dropping the act, Ginny enveloped Susan in her arms, hugged her tightly and then \softline
melted her lips against hers. There was an instantaneous two-way flow of pure love as \softline
the two women poured out their hearts to one another.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab In a whisper Ginny said, \'93My darling Susan, I adore you. I hope you know that.\'94 \softline
Then pulling away she pretended to glare at Sue and said in her normal tone of voice, \softline
\'93Susan Jennings, what }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 is}{\plain \fs24 \f2 your problem? He loved you in Vietnam when you were cut \softline
to ribbons and as thin as a rail, didn\'92t he?\'94 Susan just nodded once. \'93He\'92s not blind,\'94 \softline
Ginny continued. \'93You are one of the most beautiful women alive in the world today. \softline
I know he will love you!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Apparently changing the subject, Ginny said, \'93Incidentally, before I forget, Mike and \softline
I are going off to the Islands \'97 }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 without you!\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2 she said with her nose in the air.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She sniffed and interjected, \'93This is to show that I can too make love to Mike \softline
Chapman without you giving me directions!\'94 Then she just hugged Susan tightly and \softline
kissed her again murmuring, \'93I adore you, Sue.\'94 Back to her original line she said, \'93It \softline
will be a sort of pre-wedding honeymoon. Since we want to give Maria time off to visit \softline
her family in Mexico over the holidays, the house will be sort of empty.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Anyway, I checked with Rick Jackson and he said his apartment is empty. He has \softline
been traveling a lot and he would be very happy to have you use his apartment while we \softline
\'97 and he \'97 are gone.\'94 With her eyes wide she asked, \'93Sue, do you mind?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Of course not, silly!\'94 Sue replied with a grin. \'93When can I get into his apartment? \softline
And where is the key, for that matter?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny swallowed hard, reached into her purse, and pulled out a ring of keys. \'93This \softline
is the key to the apartment,\'94 she said. Pulling out another she continued, \'93This is the \softline
key to the BMW, and this is the one for the Porsche. I would drive the Bimmer myself \softline
\'97 it\'92s much easier to handle. Both are ready for you now, though, and the choice is \softline
yours.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Going through an envelope she had produced she added, \'93Oops, I forgot something. \softline
This is for you, too. Rick said you should open your own bank account.\'94 Then she \softline
passed the very fat manilla envelope to Susan.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab The girl opened it and found a stack of one-hundred-dollar bills. It contained five \softline
hundred \'97 there was fifty thousand dollars. Susan looked at the money and then up at \softline
Ginny, utterly bewildered. \'93I can\'92t take this, Gin. Really, I can\'92t.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Ginny just slowly shook her head and said, \'93Sue, you really can\'92t appreciate how \softline
much money Rick Jackson has. Suffice it to say a lot more than this just spills off the \softline
edge of the table every day. To him, that is a couple of days\'92 grocery money. Okay? \softline
Please use it like it is. Please?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan packed her things, kissed Ginny and Mike, and remembered to wish Maria \softline
Merry Christmas in Spanish. Maria smiled broadly when she heard, }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Felices Navidad!}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \softline
and gave Susan a warm kiss.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The se\'f1orita is very beautiful. You always very beautiful, but now...\'94 She gave \softline
Susan another warm kiss and retreated to the kitchen with tears streaming down her \softline
cheeks.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Susan Jennings arrived at Rick Jackson\'92s apartment, she didn\'92t know what \softline
to expect. She found it had been completely redecorated from the time she had been \softline
there before her operations. It was spotless. Since there was only one bedroom, she \softline
unpacked there. Finding a whole empty chest of drawers, she carefully unpacked her \softline
new clothes. Now she was wearing sizes she had last worn just before going to Vietnam.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan spent the next few days stocking the apartment. While doing it she found a \softline
note from Rick suggesting that she open an account at the bank branch across the street \softline
from his apartment. The manager\'92s name was Mr. Smith. He turned out to be very \softline
nice. He told her that there was already money at the bank waiting for her. Moreover, \softline
he said, the headquarters branch was transferring money to her account at the rate of \softline
$50,000 per week and Susan had not even signed the bank\'92s signature cards yet! Poor \softline
Mr. Smith was terribly upset. After Susan carefully signed all of his forms he felt much \softline
better. Finally he gave her all the charge cards and bank ATM cards made out in her \softline
name that had been waiting there for her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan decided to buy a Christmas tree. She could not even remember how long it \softline
had been since she had had the last one. After calling several places listed in the Yellow \softline
Pages, she finally found a place that claimed to have a lovely blue spruce. At least they \softline
said it was lovely, and when she saw it, she agreed it really was. After buying lights, \softline
ornaments, tinsel and a Nativity set, she was about to return to the apartment when she \softline
saw something else.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab On a whim she bought a set of Lionel electric trains. It was complete, so over the \softline
next few days she worked on her tree and her electric trains. It was truly a labor of love. \softline
Sue managed to assemble the train with its switches and men and dumping cars. Then \softline
she spent hours on her knees playing with it under her now-beautifully decorated \softline
Christmas tree.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally she went food shopping. With all of her preparations complete, she even \softline
spent two full days making and decorating Christmas cookies. Susan was delighted to
find that the apartment now had a fully-equipped gym she could use for her daily \softline
workouts. Otherwise, she thought, she would have blown up like a balloon.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Shortly before Christmas, acting on a whim she called Jim Reading, the hair stylist \softline
who had worked on her in the hospital. He remembered her instantly and asked when \softline
he could work on her hair again. Susan told him that was why she had called him. He \softline
told her to come right down to the studio, so she did.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she arrived, he looked at her and just shook his head. \'93Susan Jennings, you \softline
are incredibly, utterly beautiful! It is a real pleasure for me and my people to have the \softline
opportunity to work on you. Come on in!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He worked on her for three hours. When he finished, he spun the chair around so \softline
she could see herself. Susan looked at her reflection and was disappointed. \'93Jim,\'94 she \softline
said, \'93It.... It... It still looks like... me. Aren\'92t you going to do something dramatic to \softline
make me look beautiful... or something?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Reading just smiled and slowly shook his head. \'93Susan Jennings, we do that a lot. \softline
Sometimes, even, because the r\'f4le requires it, we might even cut off all the hair and \softline
shave a skull. Far more often, though, we work to draw attention away from something. \softline
You are as genuinely beautiful a girl as I have ever seen. Incidentally, that includes \softline
Marcia Matthews who had the natural-beauty record around here until you appeared.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He shook his head and continued, \'93Just look at your hair. It is full, full-bodied, \softline
naturally wavy... It is just exquisite. I hope you like the way I styled it. I think you \softline
should have a little more than ordinary length, but I guess I am prejudiced. I would like \softline
to see you as Lady Godiva naked with only your glorious hair falling all the way down \softline
to your waist!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Reaching out her hand, Susan took his. \'93Thank you, Jim. It really does look \softline
beautiful. And thank you for the kind words.\'94 Then with a little smile she asked, \'93Now \softline
how much do I owe you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Not a penny! It\'92s been a real pleasure for both me and my people. Incidentally, \softline
speaking of pennies, Penny Watts, the makeup director you met at the hospital, knows \softline
you are coming in today. She asked me to ask you to do her a big favor and please stop \softline
by her place before you leave. Do you have a few extra minutes?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan told him that she had no plans at all. After thanking him again and wishing \softline
him a merry Christmas, she went off to find Penny.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Following Jim\'92s directions, a few minutes later she knocked on Penny\'92s door. The \softline
woman opened it, took her hand and then set her in a makeup chair. One of her people \softline
started giving Susan a manicure while Penny worked on her face. There were hot \softline
towels, cold towels, packs of every kind \'97 in short, everything. Susan decided that this \softline
time they were really going to do a job. She giggled as she felt her shoes being removed \softline
so she could be given a pedicure. There was a great deal of discussion regarding the \softline
precise shade of nail enamel to be used. Of course, Susan was not consulted.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Finally they finished and Penny whipped the sheet off Susan\'92s body with a flourish \softline
and spun the chair so she could see herself in the mirror. Susan\'92s face fell when she \softline
looked at herself. It was the same face she always saw in the mirror; there had been no \softline
change. Looking down at her fingertips, she saw that her nails were a beautiful \softline
Christmas red, and there was a tiny bit of the same color on her lips, but that was all she \softline
could see.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But... but what did you do, Penny? Why don\'92t I look different?\'94 Susan asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The woman just smiled warmly and said, \'93I cleansed your face, freshened it, dried \softline
it, put a tiny bit of powder on the tip of your nose and tinted your lips. You\'92re done.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With a broad smile she continued, \'93I understand you had a similar conversation with \softline
Jim. All I can say is women wear makeup because they have to, not because they like \softline
to. Susan Jennings, if everyone who came in here was like you, I would be out of \softline
business. Fortunately, almost none are. There are only two that I know of: you and \softline
Marcia. And I suppose it\'92s only right that the two most beautiful women in Hollywood \softline
are best friends...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Suddenly Penny interrupted herself. \'93No!\'94 she exclaimed. \'93You\'92re not friends. \softline
You\'92re... you\'92re... sisters!\'94 With a delighted look on her face, the woman clapped her \softline
hands and exclaimed, \'93That\'92s it, isn\'92t it? You adore each other, don\'92t you?\'94 Then she \softline
shook her head slowly and continued, \'93You know what? Even sisters doesn\'92t quite do \softline
it. The intensity of your love for each other is truly remarkable.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Taking Susan\'92s hands in both of hers, Penny just looked intently into Susan\'92s eyes. \softline
\'93You offered your life to save hers, didn\'92t you?\'94 Susan tried to demur but Penny \softline
insisted. Finally, with the greatest reluctance Sue nodded her head just once.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Changing the subject dramatically, Penny asked innocently, \'93By the way, who is the \softline
poor guy?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Pretending ignorance, Sue just shook her head. This, in turn, caused Penny to \softline
archly raise an eyebrow. \'93Young lady, I should have said it earlier. You look utterly \softline
spectacular right now. We were all so delighted to hear that the operations were \softline
completely successful. Now the perfection of your body matches that of your face.\'94 \softline
Shaking her had sadly, Penny said, \'93The poor guy! He doesn\'92t have a chance.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What poor guy?\'94 Susan asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The poor guy you\'92re getting all fixed up for. Will you see him on Christmas?\'94 Penny \softline
asked shrewdly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan\'92s face fell as she replied, \'93I don\'92t know, Penny. Honest. I really don\'92t. I \softline
desperately hope so, though. But why do you ask?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Because the poor slob doesn\'92t have a chance.\'94 Then she gave Susan a small bag and \softline
said, \'93I have some more lipstick and nail enamel for you to take home. I\'92ll see you in a \softline
month or so. Just call Jim Reading and he\'92ll let me know you\'92re coming. And, Susan, \softline
have a very merry Christmas!\'94 Like Jim, Penny waved away any payment.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab When she got home, Susan looked at herself carefully in a mirror and decided she \softline
looked very good. Only then did it occur to her that she was pleased with her appearance \softline
and really had not been for years \'97 since before she had been sent to Vietnam.
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 * * *
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally it was Christmas eve. Susan was curled up in a chair reading a book \'97 or \softline
trying to. Although it was a very good book, she was unable to get into it. Instead she \softline
found that her eyes were just moving across the lines of type while her brain was \softline
preoccupied with thoughts of Rick Jackson. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Please, dear God!}{\plain \fs24 \f2 she prayed, }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Make him \softline
come to see me}{\plain \fs24 \f2 . Checking her watch she found it was already after eleven o\'92clock. She \softline
had just about given up hope when there was a knock at the door. Catapulting herself \softline
out of the chair, she ran to the door and threw it open. Rick was standing there in the \softline
hall.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When the door was thrown open, Rick could only stare at the golden-blonde \softline
apparition standing in front of him. Then there were the most brilliant blue eyes Rick \softline
had ever seen on anyone. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Thank God that the hair and eyes don\'92t change,}{\plain \fs24 \f2 he thought. \softline
}{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Otherwise I would never recognize her}{\plain \fs24 \f2 .
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With a little smile he said, \'93Hi, Susan. Do you remember me? I know it\'92s awfully \softline
late, but may I come in?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Instead of stepping back to welcome him in, Susan hurled herself at him, threw her \softline
arms around his neck and began to kiss him. As she worked her lips on his and the \softline
electricity flowed between them, he could feel her trying to mash her body against his. \softline
He almost fell over from the power of her unleashed passion. Finally they separated to \softline
breathe.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With her lips only inches away from his ear she whispered, \'93Welcome home, my \softline
darling. Merry Christmas!\'94 Suddenly Susan completely lost control and started to cry \softline
like a baby. \'93Oh, my darling, I love you so!\'94 she cried.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick lifted her up in his arms, carried her to an easy chair and sat down with Susan \softline
on his lap.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Immediately she began to undress him, throwing his clothes on the floor. Then she \softline
stripped off her own things and moved as far from him as she could while still sitting on \softline
his lap. \'93Do... do... do you approve, my darling?\'94 she asked. \'93How can I be better for \softline
you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just looked at the utter perfection of Susan\'92s fully revealed body. Reaching out, \softline
he began to just lightly run his fingertips all over her. For her part, she just closed her \softline
eyes and reveled in his wonderful touch. Now Susan was completely naked while Rick \softline
only had his pants on. Again he picked her up and carried her, this time into the \softline
bedroom. With a giggle, while still being held in his arms, Susan pulled the covers off \softline
the bed. Rick laid her down on it but then, to her dismay, disappeared from the room.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab A few minutes later he reappeared, this time with a bottle of champagne in an ice \softline
bucket along with two flutes. He had also shed his trousers so now he was only wearing
his shorts. Setting down the beverages, he stripped off his shorts and just stood beside \softline
the bed with his cock now huge and proudly erect. \'93Do you approve, my darling?\'94 he \softline
asked, repeating her words from a few minutes earlier. \'93How can I be better for you?\'94 \softline
he asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93If you really want to know,\'94 she replied with a wonderfully salacious grin, \'93you can \softline
make love to me right this instant!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He jumped onto the bed, took her into his arms and began to kiss her soft lips. As \softline
he did, Susan maneuvered her body to enable her to ease his cock into her sopping wet \softline
sheath. When he entered her, she increased the intensity of her kisses and made \softline
wonderfully satisfied noises deep in her body. In spite of their shared desire to prolong \softline
their initial lovemaking, their passion was too great. In just moments, both were in the \softline
throes of uncontrollable orgasms. His cum flooded her vaginal cavity and the power of \softline
her own orgasm caused her to lose consciousness. Still wrapped in each others arms, \softline
they went to sleep with the champagne sitting untouched beside the bed.
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 * * *
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan was awakened on Christmas morning by a wonderful sensation. Although the \softline
couple had fallen asleep wrapped in each others arms \'97 or, more accurately collapsed \softline
from sexual exhaustion \'97 as she became more aware she realized that again her head \softline
was on Rick\'92s shoulder and his large hand was cupping her right tit. Her breast, now \softline
very firm and full, was being gently squeezed. Her hand was on his so she pressed down \softline
causing him to squeeze her breast even harder.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking up at his face she whispered, \'93My darling, this is a first for you. There is \softline
really something there to squeeze this time. Do you like it?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93My darling, I love you,\'94 Rick said softly. \'93I have from the very first day. You are \softline
so incredibly beautiful, but you always were. I remember a girl who was so badly cut up \softline
she couldn\'92t bear any physical contract, yet wanted to make love with me. There has \softline
never been anything like it in my experience,\'94 he whispered.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Sue, the operations were really for you, not for me. I now know that you have been \softline
in intense pain from carrying those bullets around for years, and I\'92m so happy for you \softline
that they \'97 and the continual pain \'97 are gone. But, darling, as far as appearance, I love \softline
you however you look.\'94 Then looking deeply into her eyes he asked, \'93Do you remember \softline
what you did that time in the cave?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You mean getting on top?\'94 she asked lovingly. \'93Impaling myself on that gigantic \softline
thing between your legs? Splitting myself in two? Is that what you mean?\'94 Rick was \softline
concerned about her characterization of the size of his sex. He knew he was large, but \softline
now he was concerned. Before he could say anything, though, she said, \'93Of course I \softline
remember. How could I ever forget?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then sweeping off the covers she knelt astride his body and asked, \'93Would you like \softline
me to do it again?\'94 Without waiting for a reply, she slid down on his body so she could \softline
take his cock into her mouth. Kissing it and sucking it caused it almost instantly to
extend to gigantic proportions. Meanwhile his fingertips were roving all over her \softline
incredibly smooth skin and feeling her muscles right below the surface of her satin skin \softline
respond to his touch. Moving back up on his body she carefully positioned the red head \softline
of his raging erection at the mouth of her vagina and then eased herself down on it. She \softline
could feel her cunt being stretched to accommodate his huge girth, and later, as she took \softline
its great length inside her, Susan could feel it stretching her cunt in length as well.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Darling,\'94 Rick exclaimed, \'93I\'92m ripping you in half!\'94 With that he tried to lift her \softline
off him to relieve her pain but she wrapped her legs around him and refused to budge. \softline
\'93Please stop, Sue! You\'92ll be killed.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I will like hell!\'94 she exclaimed. \'93Richard Jackson, when I was starving and was \softline
tempted to try to sell my body, I remembered this. If I could take you when I was \softline
nothing but a torn-up bag of bones, I sure as hell can take you now. And I did!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She wiggled her internal muscles and just reveled in the feelings in her cunt. \'93My \softline
darling, I can\'92t tell you how wonderful this feels.\'94 Then she leaned forward and kissed \softline
him softly. Again there was the electricity flowing between them. \'93Merry Christmas, \softline
my darling,\'94 she whispered. \'93Can my body be my present to you? You\'92ve been running \softline
your fingers over me, but you haven\'92t really felt the merchandise. I think it\'92s pretty nice \softline
now. I just hope it\'92s nice enough for you.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Sitting up straight while still impaled on his raging cock, she cradled her tits and \softline
said, \'93My boobs are nice and firm, although you probably want them bigger. Do you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick caressed her body, moved her hands away, and cupped her beautiful tits in his \softline
own. As he seemed to weigh them in his hands he looked thoughtful. \'93These are pretty \softline
good. In fact, Sue, they are utterly perfect. I love you this way.\'94 Then he smiled softly \softline
and added, \'93But I love you any way.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then his face grew serious and he looked up into her eyes. \'93Darling, there was \softline
something else you said at the press conference. You said you went berserk when I was \softline
hit by a mortar round because you didn\'92t care to go on living. Did you really mean what \softline
you said?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, I did,\'94 she replied softly. Then she leaned forward with his cock still splitting \softline
her insides so that she could hold him close. \'93Rick, I love you more than life itself. \softline
When I saw you hit and go down, I thought you were dead. At that point, life was no \softline
longer worth living. I had lost you.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Raising her head again, she looked into his eyes and said, \'93I asked you before, Rick, \softline
but I was a wreck, then. My darling, may I continue to live here with you? Could I be \softline
your cook and housekeeper and maid and...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He just sadly shook his head and said, \'93I\'92m sorry, Susan, but my wife wouldn\'92t like \softline
it, I\'92m afraid.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that instant, Susan almost died. Rick\'92s heart turned over as he saw her eyes \softline
instantly go dead. \'93But... but... I could be her maid, too,\'94 she said slowly. \'93I could
prepare her for your glorious cock. I could clean out her cunt with my mouth... Ginny \softline
says I am really very talented...\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Susan,\'94 Rick interrupted, \'93did you say you would do anything to make me happy? \softline
Anything at all?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Of course, Rick,\'94 she replied, puzzled.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93That\'92s what I thought you said,\'94 he continued. \'93That\'92s why you\'92re going to be my \softline
wife. We will get someone else to be the maid, the cook, and so forth. You, wench, will \softline
spend all your time in bed with your legs spread wide!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Pretending to glare at her he said, \'93And for that matter, young lady, I think you \softline
have something of mine inside you. Are you }{\plain \fs24 \f1 just}{\plain \fs24 \f2 going to sit there?\'94 Susan grinned and \softline
began to move her pelvis slowly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab For Rick it was as if his cock were enclosed in a very tight, very moist glove. He \softline
could feel the walls of her vagina rhythmically squeezing his trapped cock and creating \softline
the most marvelous sensations as she did. Continuing, she reached one orgasm, and \softline
another, and still more. Yet at the same time, whenever Rick would get close to \softline
achieving his own release, she would subtly change her tempo to prolong her pleasure. \softline
Each time Rick felt he was going higher and higher. He felt he had to obtain release or \softline
he would internally explode, but she kept him from it, although his internal pressures \softline
continued to build reaching intolerable levels.. Finally, even her changed motion could \softline
no longer control him and he exploded inside her. When he did, the incredible \softline
sensations caused both of their nervous systems to short out. Both Susan and Rick lost \softline
consciousness, with Susan just collapsing on top of him.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Later they regained consciousness but remained the way they were. The two giggled \softline
as they reached down to try to rescue some bedcovers and finally recovered enough to \softline
cover and warm them both. At that point they went back to sleep with Rick\'92s cock still \softline
inside her.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When they awakened, they were still wrapped in each others arms. Without moving, \softline
Rick said, \'93I\'92m waiting for my answer.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What answer, darling?\'94 Sue replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93If you will marry me,\'94 he explained.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But darling, I gave you my answer, or at least my cunt did. Of course I will marry \softline
you. Anytime at all.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally he withdrew and they rolled on their backs. Susan took his hand, placed it \softline
on her favorite location cupping her tit, and with her hand on top very lightly stroking \softline
the back of his. In just moments they were both back to sleep.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Rick next awakened he realized that the bed was empty. Going into the \softline
bathroom he showered and shaved, then put on a bathrobe and went in search of Susan. \softline
He found her in the kitchen naked, just putting the finishing touches on a breakfast \softline
feast she had prepared.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab When he came in she just stood up straight and put her shoulders back to cause her \softline
tits to thrust upward. Taking her into his arms, he melted his lips to hers while he ran \softline
his fingers over the satin smoothness that was her body. Then holding her face between \softline
his hands he whispered, \'93Susan Jennings, you are beyond belief. You are so beautiful, \softline
it\'92s sinful!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Again they kissed and he could feel the love just flowing between them. When he \softline
saw that her eyes were shining with tears, he asked her what was wrong.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Nothing, my darling,\'94 she replied. \'93I am just so happy I can\'92t stand it. It almost \softline
hurts! I love you so much I\'92m afraid my heart will burst from sheer happiness.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Pushing him away she smiled warmly and said, \'93On the other hand, I\'92m afraid you \softline
might think that I\'92m trying to starve you. Since I know firsthand how painful that can \softline
be, I took steps. I hope you\'92re at least a little bit hungry.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When he replied that he didn\'92t want food, he just wanted her, Susan grinned and \softline
said, \'93But, sir! I am the dessert course.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab They spent an utterly delightful Christmas day. At Susan\'92s insistence they got \softline
dressed and went to Mass. As they walked toward the nearby church, Rick realized it \softline
was the very first time he and Susan had ever walked together. With her long legs and \softline
naturally long stride, she maintained his natural pace with ease. In fact, it appeared to \softline
be hers as well. It was amusing to see the reaction of people they passed on the street. \softline
Both men and women were utterly dazzled by Susan\'92s incredible beauty, heightened \softline
today by the great love she was feeling for Rick which made her more beautiful still.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab For her part, she was utterly oblivious to the looks she was receiving. All she cared \softline
about was the man whose arm she was holding. During the Mass at the point where the \softline
priest asks the congregation to exchange a sign of peace, Susan turned towards Rick who \softline
had his hand out. Ignoring his hand, she rested her hand lightly behind his head, cocked \softline
it slightly, and then kissed him with all the power she could unleash.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Poor Rick almost passed out. When she removed her lips she continued to hold him \softline
until his eyes focused again. Then she asked innocently, \'93Was that peaceful enough?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Returning to the apartment, Rick discovered the electric trains and spent most of \softline
the rest of the day playing with them. He claimed it was the greatest Christmas gift he \softline
had ever received since he was eight years old.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But, darling,\'94 Susan protested, \'93they\'92re mine, not yours!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just grinned.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Whenever she could pry him away from the toys, Susan took him into the bedroom \softline
to make love. Once, though, she just lay with her back on the floor and her pelvis \softline
supported with a couple of pillows. While Rick continued to play with the trains, she \softline
eased his cock into her cunt and murmured, \'93Now we can both play.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Later Susan served the dinner she had planned in her mind for weeks. Although she \softline
had originally intended to wear a beautiful dress she had bought just for the occasion,
she ended serving the dinner nude. Rick found he adored being able to look at her \softline
gorgeous tits with their tiny pink nipples staring at him from across the table.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally late that evening they were in bed together after the most exquisite \softline
lovemaking of the day. Susan had her head on his shoulder and his hand was cupping \softline
her breast while they both regained their breath.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally Rick said, \'93Sue, you didn\'92t even ask me what I was going to give you for \softline
Christmas. Aren\'92t you even interested?\'94 He sounded like his feelings had been hurt.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan was now sufficiently confident in his love that she teased him. \'93I am \softline
interested, Richard, but I am no longer speaking to you. You stole my electric trains!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93If you\'92re not speaking to me,\'94 Rick replied skeptically, \'93What was that action a few \softline
minutes ago?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93That,\'94 she said with her nose in the air, \'93was my cunt.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning her head to be able to look directly into his gray eyes she said, \'93And I\'92m \softline
mad at you about that, too. Before you came, Richard Jackson, my cunt was a nice, \softline
sweet, petite size. Now, in only twenty-four hours, it\'92s extra large. You are stretching \softline
me completely out of shape!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She sniffed and then returned to his original question. \'93Regardless, I do not talk \softline
with my cunt, I talk with my mouth. And in spite of being stretched out of shape, my \softline
poor cunt is on very warm, close, and loving terms with your magnificent cock. It feels \softline
utterly glorious, even though I probably won\'92t even be able to walk tomorrow.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With her nose in the air, Susan sniffed loudly and continued, \'93Nevertheless, you \softline
stole my electric trains! I don\'92t think I will ever speak to you again. They are the only \softline
electric trains I\'92ve ever had.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Rick just grinned, slid towards the side of the bed and took a gaily wrapped little box \softline
from the drawer in the night table. Giving it to Susan he said, \'93My darling, I am still \softline
speaking to you, and I have something for you. I hope you like it.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab She opened the box and found an utterly magnificent diamond engagement ring. \softline
Slipping it on the third finger of her left hand, it fitted perfectly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then he kissed her passionately and asked, \'93Will you join me on a trip to Hawaii? \softline
I thought we might go out for New Year\'92s and spend a month or so. Interested?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93My darling,\'94 she replied softly, \'93I am interested in absolutely anything as long as \softline
you are with me. It sounds utterly divine.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then she pretended to glare at him again and added, \'93I\'92m still not sure I forgive you \softline
for stealing my electric trains, though.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 }\page
\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Chapter 7}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The special Court of Inquiry convened on February 1 at the Federal Court House in \softline
Los Angeles. Vice Admiral Adams was annoyed to find that the press was present in \softline
force. This was beyond his experience because first, military courts usually convene on \softline
military posts to which civilians do not normally have access, and second, because there \softline
is usually no civilian press interest at all. After Adams called the Court to order, the \softline
letters of appointment were read and the Law Officer announced that the Court was in \softline
session.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The first witness called was Lieutenant Commander Warren Judkins who had served \softline
as trial counsel at Susan\'92s trial. The trial had been held at the naval base at Subic Bay \softline
in the Philippines.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan\'92s attorney, Jack Smithson, began the questioning. Each of the parties could \softline
be represented by individual counsel and all were. \'93Mr. Judkins,\'94 Smithson began, \softline
\'93What were the charges and specifications under which Miss Jennings was brought to \softline
trial?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She was charged with consorting with the enemy,\'94 Judkins replied proudly. \softline
\'93Specifically, she used sex to obtain special favors while held in the prison camp.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Who preferred the charges?\'94 Smithson asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93They were preferred by the other parties sitting over there,\'94 Judkins said.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Commander, who were the supporting witnesses?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Judkins looked surprised at the question. \'93There weren\'92t any. It wasn\'92t necessary.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I see,\'94 Jack said thoughtfully. \'93Tell me, what was the physical condition of the \softline
parties in this court? How did their appearance then compare to their appearance \softline
today?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Well, Miss Jennings looks like she\'92s gained a little weight,\'94 Judkins replied, \'93and \softline
the other three look like they have lost some.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93So Miss Jennings was thinner at her court-martial four years ago,\'94 Jack continued. \softline
\'93How much thinner?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Oh, a lot,\'94 Judkins replied with some enthusiasm. \'93Actually, you see, she caused \softline
us a problem. The accused has to appear in court in uniform, and because she was so \softline
thin, they had to race around and have one specially made for her. There was no \softline
standard size small enough to fit her. That\'92s around, sir,\'94 he explained. \'93Not up and \softline
down.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I see,\'94 Jack continued. \'93How much did Miss Jennings weigh at the time? You said \softline
she was very thin.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I think I remember hearing she weighed seventy-five or eighty pounds. Something \softline
around there.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Do you know how tall Miss Jennings is?\'94 Smithson asked. Turning to Susan he \softline
asked her to stand. She looked utterly magnificent as she stood facing the court. With \softline
her deep golden Hawaiian tan, coupled with her perfect physical condition, she was an \softline
unbelievably beautiful girl.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I guess she\'92s five seven or eight \'97 around there,\'94 Judkins replied. Jack indicated \softline
for Susan to be seated again.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Smithson had initially appeared to be almost bored with the proceedings and \softline
Judkins replies to his questions. Suddenly his demeanor changed totally. Now there \softline
was fire in his eyes as he said, \'93Judkins, where is your brain? You have just testified \softline
that the charge against Miss Jennings was \'91consorting with the enemy\'92 to obtain special \softline
favors! Then you tell the Court that a woman five feet eight inches tall \'97 her correct \softline
height, by the way \'97 weighed seventy-five to eighty pounds. Judkins, that is about \softline
twenty-five pounds or so below the }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 minimum}{\plain \fs24 \f2 weight for that height. You then say that \softline
the complaining witnesses were all }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 heavier}{\plain \fs24 \f2 than they are now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Barely able to control the disdain in his voice, Smithson concluded, \'93I ask you, man, \softline
who looked like they had been receiving special favors? Miss Jennings or the other \softline
parties?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The others?\'94 Judkins replied with the question mark obvious in his voice.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jack was now disdainful. \'93I am not testifying, Mr. Judkins. You are. What do }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 you}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \softline
think?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The others did, sir,\'94 Judkins stated firmly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you, Mr. Judkins,\'94 Smithson said. Then, changing the subject he asked, \'93Is \softline
it not a part of the responsibility of the trial counsel to ensure that the accused is capable \softline
of standing trial? Of participating in her own defense?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, it is, although we don\'92t pay much attention to it. It has sort of become a \softline
part of the defense counsel\'92s job \'97 at least it was out at Subic,\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93And who was the defense counsel?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I believe it was William Devers, sir.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What was Mr. Devers rank at the time?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93He was an ensign, sir. I think he had been at Subic for about a week when he \softline
received the appointment.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Did Mr. Devers raise a question about Miss Jennings\'92 capacity to stand trial?\'94 Jack \softline
pursued.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, he did,\'94 Judkins answered. It was obvious that he was now becoming very \softline
nervous as the significance of his own testimony sank in.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What did Mr. Devers say?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93He said that Miss Jennings had three untreated bullet wounds and was suffering \softline
from extreme malnutrition. He said he was unable to interview her. She just kept \softline
saying the same few words over and over,\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What were the words?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She just kept saying, \'91He\'92s dead,\'92\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93As trial counsel representing the government, what did you do?\'94 Smithson asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I took it to the staff judge advocate and asked for an opinion,\'94 he answered.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93And what was his expressed opinion?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93He said it was the usual stall. He pointed out that she was merely a nurse \softline
lieutenant and there was testimony from both a colonel and a major. I was ordered to \softline
proceed with the trial. Devers was ordered to shut up or face court-martial himself for \softline
insubordinate conduct.\'94 At the end of his statement Judkins was speaking slowly and \softline
softly as the real meaning of his own words finally sank in.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Did you get a medical opinion, Mr. Judkins?\'94 Jack pursued.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93No, sir, I did not. I was ordered not to by Commander Henderson, the staff judge \softline
advocate. He said we had to wrap up the trial quickly because he had a pigeon in Colonel \softline
Black and he was going to take him to the cleaners. And he did, too,\'94 Judkins concluded.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You said, \'91take him to the cleaners.\'92 What, exactly, do you mean?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93He \'97 Commander Henderson \'97 was going to take him on the golf course. And he \softline
did, too! He took him for almost five bucks!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93In other words, Mr. Judkins, Miss Jennings was railroaded to allow Commander \softline
Henderson to win less than five dollars from Colonel Black. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Her life}{\plain \fs24 \f2 wasn\'92t worth five \softline
dollars? Is that what you are saying, Mr. Judkins?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jack Smithson, a very experienced trial lawyer and court-martial specialist, was \softline
almost screaming. He had never encountered such inhumanity in his professional \softline
career. Wheeling around to address the court, Smithson requested that Judkins be \softline
named as a party at interest. Adams curtly nodded while Judkins turned white.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Smithson called Commander John Henderson as his next witness. After being \softline
sworn, Smithson asked him about the Jennings trial. The officer, acting bored by the \softline
whole thing, claimed it was strictly routine. It was similar to dozens of other cases. Jack \softline
asked him to name a single similar case but he could not. Then he asked if Henderson \softline
had asked for and received any medical input. The commander could scarcely control \softline
a yawn when he replied that doctors were always bleating about something.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jack then asked about the bet and Henderson said he had taken the colonel for \softline
almost five dollars. \'93You mean to tell me that a girl\'92s life is worth less than five dollars? \softline
Commander, what kind of man are you?\'94 It was all Smithson could do to control the \softline
rage that was seething inside.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Turning to Adams he said, \'93Admiral, I am formally requesting that this court name \softline
Commander John Henderson as a party in this inquiry.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Henderson suddenly went white as Admiral Adams, with scarcely a glance at his \softline
fellow court members, immediately named Henderson as a party at interest. Henderson \softline
was not reassured when he looked into the eyes of the members of the court. All of their \softline
eyes were as cold as death. It was obvious that the Admiral and his fellow members were \softline
utterly appalled at what they had heard that morning.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Next, Jack called Dr. Oliver Wainwright, the physician at Subic Bay who had \softline
examined Susan. He testified that he had been forbidden \'93by higher authority\'94 to \softline
operate to remove the bullets from Susan\'92s body. He was ordered to prepare her to \softline
stand trial immediately. Citing professional ethics and The Uniform Code of Military \softline
Justice, Wainwright had refused.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jack asked the doctor about Susan\'92s physical condition at the time. He replied that \softline
she weighed seventy-two pounds and was suffering from extreme malnutrition. In \softline
addition, she had severe lacerations front and back that he was also forbidden to treat. \softline
Finally, there were the new bullet wounds. All he was allowed to do was the bandage \softline
them while the bullets remained in her body. His commanding officer, Captain Warren \softline
Holmes, had taken over the case. Wainwright had resigned his commission as a result \softline
of the Jennings incident.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Captain Holmes was then called as a witness. When Jack asked him if he had \softline
examined Miss Jennings, he replied that he had not. Jack then asked how he could \softline
possibly refuse permission for Dr. Wainwright to operate. Holmes said that Black was \softline
a friend of a friend and told him that Jennings was a malingerer. That was the basis for \softline
his action.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93In other words, Captain, you took the work of a friend of a friend \'97 who is not even \softline
a physician, by the way \'97 in preference to the word of a doctor on your own staff who \softline
had examined and was treating Miss Jennings.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But }{\plain \fs24 \f1 Wainwright}{\plain \fs24 \f2 was only a reserve officer,\'94 Holmes protested. \'93What could he \softline
possibly know?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Holmes, too, was immediately named a party to the court. Hearing the Admiral, \softline
Holmes suddenly went as white as a sheet and glared at General Black.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When Admiral Adams recessed the court for lunch, Susan met Rick at the back of \softline
the courtroom. Pulling his head down to hers, she melted her lips against his and then \softline
began to work her tongue into his mouth. Again there was a jolt of electricity and the \softline
beautiful bells.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Hello, future husband,\'94 she whispered, as she supported herself with her arms \softline
around his neck. As usual, her knees had been turned to water by their kiss and Susan \softline
was not sure her legs would even support her weight.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Boy, do you ever lose on that deal, lady,\'94 Rick replied with a grin. \'93You get a beat-up, shot-up, ex-Marine for a husband, while I get the world\'92s most beautiful woman as
my wife.\'94 Pulling her body close to his, he could hear the wonderfully warm and happy \softline
sounds Susan always made deep in her body whenever her body was being crushed to \softline
his.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab While she mashed her tits against his broad chest, she moved her pelvis against his \softline
private parts that were vainly trying to become erect in spite of being trapped in his \softline
shorts. Lifting her chin up he kissed her softly again and again their love for each other \softline
just flowed between them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93How do you feel, darling?\'94 he asked. \'93I guess I have to be appalled. About the only \softline
guy who is looking good is Wainwright, but I sure wish he had been able to blow the \softline
whistle on the rest of these creeps. I suppose that\'92s asking too much, though.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab They met Jack Smithson and went to a nearby restaurant. Susan shook her head \softline
sadly and said, \'93The thing that makes me so mad is to think that I spent four years in \softline
misery for less than five dollars. Jack, you\'92re experienced in this sort of thing. What \softline
happens now? And what\'92s likely to happen to these people?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93There are going to be a stack of courts-martial coming out of this one, Susan,\'94 he \softline
replied. \'93Their answers are utterly appalling. I think you probably could see that at \softline
least a couple of members of the court were physically sickened by what they had been \softline
hearing. I think I\'92ll jump back to Vietnam this afternoon. My plan is to start with \softline
Ginny Cameron, follow with a number of ex-prisoners, and then close with your \softline
testimony. I guess you will be testifying in a few days.\'94 With a little smile he asked, \softline
\'93How does that sound to you?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It sounds okay to me, Jack,\'94 she replied. \'93But, Rick, I have shown terribly poor \softline
judgment where it comes to taking care of myself over the last few years, so what do }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 you}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \softline
think?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Honey, I think the whole thing is coming apart on them,\'94 Rick answered. \'93I agree \softline
with Jack. Your case couldn\'92t have started out any better. Already it has been \softline
established that you were seriously wounded, cut up, and down to only seventy-two \softline
pounds, for chrissakes. Their big problem was getting you into a uniform. It has been \softline
established that you were seriously wounded and no one did anything. Finally, by \softline
Judkins own admission, you could not assist in your own defense.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Taken together, the testimony so far is utterly disastrous for the others, \softline
particularly Black\'92s Navy friends at Subic. A number of careers are going to crater on \softline
this one, and some people are headed for prison. But I think a great many other people \softline
are going to have a hard time living with themselves when they realize the significance \softline
of what they have done, or allowed to be done.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Back at the courtroom, when the court was called back into session, Jack asked for \softline
Virginia Cameron to be called to testify. After she was sworn and took her seat, Jack \softline
began his questioning. \'93Miss Cameron, when, where, and under what conditions did you \softline
first meet Susan Jennings?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Ginny told how she had been a first lieutenant in the army and the circumstances \softline
of her capture. She explained in detail how the camp operated \'97 the grossly inadequate \softline
rations, the trading of clothing and then sexual favors for enough food to survive on. She \softline
told how initially she had been unwilling to make such a trade. By the time she realized \softline
she was headed for death from starvation, she no longer had a body to trade with. She \softline
first met Susan after she had been a prisoner of war for over a year.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Miss Cameron,\'94 Jack asked, \'93what was your physical condition on the day you met \softline
Miss Jennings?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I was dying of starvation,\'94 Ginny said flatly. \'93I would have been dead in a matter \softline
of hours, had it not been for Susan.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab General Black\'92s lawyer was on his feet at that point. \'93I object!\'94 he exclaimed. \'93That \softline
is an uninformed conclusion of the witness. She has no basis for making such a \softline
statement.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Jack told the court that the medical basis would be established by subsequent \softline
medical testimony. He pointed out that at the time of her rescue Virginia Cameron \softline
weighed only seventy-one pounds. He was allowed to continue the questioning subject \softline
to it being stricken if the basis for it were not established later. He continued, \'93What \softline
did Miss Jennings do that first time you met?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She gave me \'97 or, more accurately, fed me \'97 a nutrition bar from a Red Cross food \softline
parcel. I told her she shouldn\'92t. I had made what was by then an obviously poor choice \softline
and I would have to die with it.\'94 Holding her head up straight, there were tears flowing \softline
from her eyes as she concluded, \'93Susan Jennings forced me to go on living!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Miss Cameron, did you know Colonel Black, Major Simon, or Captain Harrison at \softline
that time?\'94 Smithson asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, I did. More accurately, I knew of them. They were never in the camp itself. \softline
They lived outside the wire. I hated them all, and I still do,\'94 she said flatly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Why is that?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Colonel Black \'97 now General Black \'97 was the senior POW officer. In that \softline
capacity he had the responsibility to try to obtain humane treatment for the prisoners. \softline
As far as any of us could see, he did nothing! The only person who did anything \'97 and \softline
she did more than everyone else combined \'97 was Susan Jennings.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Would you please tell the court about the events of the last day you spent in the \softline
prison camp? The last time you saw Miss Jennings in Vietnam?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab First, Ginny told about the guard preparing to lash her with his bullwhip and how \softline
Susan had shielded her body with her own and had been cut to pieces. Finally, she told \softline
how she had been given the shirt off Susan\'92s back when she was about to be crucified.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At this point Admiral Adams interrupted. \'93Miss Cameron, really! This is a Court \softline
of Inquiry, not a court-martial. As a result, a broader latitude for questioning is
permitted, but there are some limits. This is clearly beyond those bounds!\'94 Shaking his \softline
head he concluded, \'93Crucifixion, indeed!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93You heard me correctly, Admiral!\'94 Ginny exclaimed with green flame flashing from \softline
her eyes. \'93Crucifixion! As in being hung on a cross until dead. I saw her put on it, and \softline
I watched her hanging from it while slowly dying, all day long. Neither I, nor any of the \softline
other prisoners, could do a thing to help the girl who had saved so many of our lives. \softline
Another witness will testify that Rick Jackson cut her down from the cross, thinking he \softline
was recovering a corpse. You heard me correctly, Admiral: crucifixion!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93But Miss Cameron,\'94 the admiral protested, \'93This is ridiculous! There are rules. \softline
There is the Geneva Convention.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93That is correct, Admiral,\'94 Ginny responded. Then with the green fire again in her \softline
eyes, she glared at him and asked, \'93Does the Convention permit starving prisoners? \softline
Does it permit slicing them to ribbons with a bullwhip? Does it require them to sell their \softline
bodies to get Red Cross \'97 yes, Admiral, Red Cross \'97 medical supplies for dying \softline
prisoners? }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 Does it Admiral?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2 By this time Ginny had nearly lost control and was \softline
screaming.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams called for order as attorneys for the three parties from the prison camp \'97 \softline
Black, Simon, and Harrison \'97 all objected. Jack Smithson waited for the uproar in the \softline
court to die down. When it finally did he asked for and received permission to excuse \softline
Miss Cameron in order to call other witnesses to testify on the same points.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab One after the other, the witnesses Rick had located were called to the stand. The \softline
testimony ran through the afternoon and continued for the next three days. It was \softline
obvious that the court members were being sickened by it.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Perhaps the most memorable testimony was given by Donald Clinton, formerly a \softline
sergeant in the Marines. After being sworn and taking his seat, Jack Smithson asked, \softline
\'93Mr. Clinton, did you know Miss Jennings in Vietnam? If so, when, where, and under \softline
what circumstances did you meet her?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Clinton was a big man, standing six feet three and weighing 220 pounds. He had \softline
brown hair and warm brown eyes. \'93I met Miss Jennings when I was a prisoner in the \softline
same POW camp where she was kept. She saved my life,\'94 he said simply.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Would you please tell the court how she did that,\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, gladly!\'94 Clinton replied. \'93You see, sir, I had been wounded before being \softline
captured. There was an infection that was killing me. The only way to handle it was \softline
with antibiotics, but, of course, there were none available for the prisoners.\'94 Tears came \softline
to the corners of his eyes as he continued, \'93Miss Jennings learned about me. She offered \softline
her body for antibiotics. But to punish me, they made me watch.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to the Admiral he said, \'93Sir, can you imagine? I am laying on the bare \softline
ground beside Miss Jennings. The first guy comes up and she extends her hand. After \softline
he gives her the medicine, she spreads her legs wide and welcomes him inside. This \softline
repeats for three more. Each time she received the antibiotics first. Each time while
they are taking her she is holding my hand and squeezing it. When they are finished, \softline
with their cum still dripping from her vagina, she takes the antibiotic and gives me the \softline
first injection.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that point Clinton lost control. \'93Can you believe it? While she is injecting the \softline
lifesaving medicine she\'92s apologizing to me for being so morally filthy. She wouldn\'92t \softline
have even touched me except there was no one else who knew how to administer the \softline
medication. Can you believe it? She saves my life, and then apologizes!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Leaving the witness stand, he went to where Susan was sitting, knelt down on the \softline
floor, took her hands and kissed them. While he was on his knees, a lovely woman with \softline
twin girls about seven years old joined them. Clinton had his head on Susan\'92s lap, \softline
unable to control his tears.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab One of the little girls \'97 they were identical twins with gorgeous blonde hair and blue \softline
eyes \'97 said, \'93Good afternoon, Miss Jennings. My name is Cathy Clinton, and this is my \softline
twin sister, Christine. We want to thank you for saving our daddy\'92s life. If it hadn\'92t \softline
been for you, he would not have come back alive. And since our mommy loves Daddy so \softline
much, if he had died, we are sure she would have died very soon, too. So you see, Miss \softline
Jennings, you saved four lives, not just one.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking into Susan\'92s beautiful eyes she said, \'93Could I give you a kiss? Please?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab In the meantime the woman had helped Clinton to his feet. Susan reached out her \softline
arms and took both of the little girls in her arms together and then melted her lips \softline
against theirs.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When they finally parted each girl was sitting on one of Susan\'92s legs while facing the \softline
other. Chris Clinton said, \'93Sister, Miss Jennings is a saint. No human could possibly \softline
kiss like she does. Her kiss is just pure love, grace, and goodness. She is a saint!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93No, sister, she is not,\'94 Cathy replied. \'93She is one of God\'92s angel\'92s come down to \softline
earth. Not even a saint could be as pure and sweet and wonderful as she is. She is an \softline
angel! Did you look into her eyes? All you can see is purity and love.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Her sister thought for a moment and finally agreed. Susan was an angel.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan just hugged them both tightly, kissed them again, and then very gently set \softline
them back on their feet. The two little girls were utterly glowing with joy.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that point their mother, Claire Clinton, gave Susan a check. Susan almost choked \softline
when she saw that the check was for more than one million dollars. }{\plain \fs24 \i\f2 \'93What is this?\'94}{\plain \fs24 \f2 she \softline
exclaimed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It\'92s your dividend check, Miss Jennings,\'94 Claire replied. \'93You see, Don has been \softline
very successful since he was discharged from the Marines. Since none of us would even \softline
be alive if it had not been for you \'97 my daughter was correct, I\'92m afraid \'97 Don and I \softline
have given you one-third of the shares in our corporation. This is just your dividend \softline
check for the last two-and-a-half years.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Although Susan tried to resist, the Clintons would not hear of it. She still had their \softline
check in her hand when they left. Jack Smithson said nothing. He just looked at the \softline
members of the court who were all in a state of near shock.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab More witnesses were called to testify. Several of them had to be forcibly restrained \softline
from attacking the former senior camp officers.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally Jack addressed the court and said, \'93Gentlemen, I have here a list of seventy-three additional witnesses who are prepared to testify similarly. Admiral, you did not \softline
believe Susan Jennings could have been crucified. There are thirty-five more witnesses \softline
who will say that she was and testify that they saw her dying on that cross all day long. \softline
Of course, the testimony is highly repetitive.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab With a deprecating little smile he asked, \'93It may be presumptuous of me, but may \softline
I ask the Court if it needs to hear any additional witnesses testify to the pattern of \softline
prisoner abuse?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams looked at his colleagues on the court. All were senior officers with extensive \softline
combat experience. All looked ill. Every officer shook his head, no. \'93Mr. Smithson,\'94 the \softline
admiral replied, \'93You have made your point. Do you wish to recall Miss Cameron at this \softline
time?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93No, sir,\'94 Smithson responded. \'93Before I do that I would like to introduce testimony \softline
on her physical condition at the time she was liberated and testimony bearing on her \softline
starvation. I would like to call the senior medical officer who examined the freed \softline
prisoners when they were returned to Saigon, Lt. Col. Douglas Evans.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Colonel Evans was called and sworn. Jack asked him about the general condition \softline
of the repatriated prisoners. His reply was that, with three exceptions, all were \softline
emaciated. He took out a table from his pocket and said that, based on the time of \softline
imprisonment compared to estimated weight at the time of capture, the prisoners were \softline
losing five to ten pounds per month of captivity.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Doctor, you said there were three exceptions. Who were they, and in what way was \softline
their condition exceptional?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The exceptions were the three people sitting over there: General Black, Colonel \softline
Simon, and Major Harrison. They were all, to a significant degree, overweight. There \softline
was one other factor. Those three were quite pale. The fact stood out because all of the \softline
other ex-prisoners were sunburned. If their skin tanned, they were burned nearly black. \softline
If it did not they were severely sun blistered. Several required lengthy hospitalization \softline
for burn treatment.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Doctor,\'94 Smithson asked, \'93did you examine Lt. Virginia Cameron?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, I did,\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What did you find?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab Consulting his notes Evans said, \'93Miss Cameron weighed seventy-one pounds when \softline
she returned to Saigon. Her normal weight is in the 115 to 120 pound range, and it \softline
could be more.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Doctor, did you inquire about her condition? And how was her morale?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Her morale was incredibly good,\'94 he replied. \'93She had a single all-consuming \softline
interest: the whereabouts of Lieutenant Susan Jennings. She told me how Susan had \softline
\'91fattened her up\'92 \'97 her words, sir. Her physical condition, though, was appalling. She \softline
said that she had gained perhaps five pounds in the few months prior to her rescue and \softline
there were medical signs that supported her statement. If it was so, however, I find it \softline
hard to believe that she remained alive.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After questioning Evans about his education and professional qualifications to \softline
establish him as an expert witness, he asked, \'93Doctor, in your professional opinion what \softline
would Miss Cameron\'92s condition have been had she weighed five pounds less \'97 or \softline
sixty-six pounds?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She would have been dead, sir. Or so close to it, it wouldn\'92t make any difference. \softline
The short answer is that she would have been dying. Death would have been a matter \softline
of minutes \'97 at most a few hours \'97 away,\'94 he replied.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you, Doctor,\'94 Jack said. \'93There is just one more question. I show you a \softline
uniform shirt and ask if you recognize it?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, I do,\'94 Evans replied. \'93It is the shirt Miss Cameron was wearing when she \softline
was returned to Saigon. I remember the identification, JENNINGS, marked inside the \softline
collar.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Doctor have you seen this shirt since that day in Saigon?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, I did. \'93I saw it again a few weeks ago when you brought it to me. You \softline
asked me to have tests run on some stains that I had not noticed before.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Doctor Evans, did you have the tests run, and, if so, what did you learn?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The tests were run, sir. These stains \'97 he showed the inside of the shirt to the \softline
members of the court \'97 are human blood. It has been tested by the FBI laboratory in \softline
Washington. There is a positive match and a positive identification. The blood is Susan \softline
Jennings\'92. The lab dated the stains to a period of time centered on the date of the \softline
prisoners\'92 release.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Thank you, Doctor. Are there any other questions?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab A member of the court asked, \'93Doctor, is there any doubt about this identification? \softline
What is the chance for error?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Essentially none, sir,\'94 the doctor testified. \'93The FBI lab is certain the blood is Miss \softline
Jennings\'92.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Next, Jack recalled Ginny to the stand. She testified how, while Susan was being \softline
whipped while shielding her body, she was aware of blood dripping onto her body from
Susan\'92s lacerated back. \'93I didn\'92t realize until a short time ago that the shirt had \softline
mopped up the blood that dripped from Susan onto me.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93It has come out in previous testimony that you weighed seventy-one pounds at the \softline
time of your rescue. Could you describe for the court you appearance at that time?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I can do a lot better than that,\'94 Ginny replied with a little smile. \'93Photographs \softline
were taken of me at the time and I have copies with me.\'94 She produced a set which were \softline
labeled for identification and then accepted into evidence. \'93If the court wishes,\'94 she \softline
continued, \'93I am willing to strip here now so the members can see the difference in my \softline
appearance, then to now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The pictures were passed from hand to hand among the court members. Jack could \softline
see the looks of revulsion as the officers saw the pictures of Ginny as just skin and bones. \softline
Jack asked if there were any other questions.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After checking with the other members, Adams shook his head. Then he said, \softline
\'93Thank you, Miss Cameron. On behalf of the court, I want to thank you for coming in \softline
to testify. I also want to express our pleasure that you have recovered so well from your \softline
experience. There is just one more thing: When did you next see Miss Jennings?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I saw her early last year, sir. Mr. Jackson brought her to my home.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What was her condition at that time?\'94 the admiral asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93There will be medical testimony on that point later. However, she weighed eighty-five pounds. She was still heavily scarred from the whipping years earlier. And she was \softline
the person who save my life and almost lost hers in the process. She was abandoned on \softline
the streets!\'94 Ginny wailed.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Witness followed witness. Mike Chapman testified and introduced the photographs \softline
of Susan taken at Ginny\'92s by the press photographer. The pictures clearly showed both \softline
the lacerations and the bullet wounds. He stressed that it was over four years after the \softline
event.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab John Roberts told of the operation to remove the bullets form Susan\'92s body and how \softline
the bullet removal had been greatly complicated by the length of time they had been \softline
allowed to remain there. Finally, he stressed in his testimony the continual excruciating \softline
pain Susan had been living with because of the bullets\'92 presence.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally Jack called Rick Jackson. After being sworn, he testified that, as a Marine \softline
major, he had been in command of the Ranger unit assigned to free the prisoners in the \softline
POW camp that reconnaissance had finally located. He described how he cut Susan free \softline
from the cross and carried her to the cave. He told how he had been hit in the leg during \softline
the escape, and then how, in spite of her appalling physical condition she had operated \softline
and removed the slug. Then he told how Susan had mined the bridge and the \softline
approaches to their cave, located their other defenses, and then how she had fought off \softline
repeated attacks. Finally he was excused.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab The next witness was Marine Senior Master Gunnery Sergeant Horace Brown. \softline
Brown was now serving in the commandant\'92s office as the senior noncommissioned \softline
officer (NCO) in the Marine Corps. He had been the senior NCO on the raid to free the \softline
prisoners and later on the pickup mission. He was the man who had carried Susan to \softline
the helicopter.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Sergeant,\'94 Jack Smithson said, \'93would you please tell the court in your own words \softline
what you saw on the mission to pick up Major Jackson and Miss Jennings?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir,\'94 Brown began. \'93We came in low in the choppers, in from behind the hill \softline
in which the cave was located. As we cleared the ridge, a person came charging out of \softline
the cave and attacked the enemy massing further down the hill for a final assault on the \softline
cave. But she hit them first. She \'97 it was Miss Jennings, of course, sir \'97 hit them with \softline
an Armalite and grenades. By the time we got on the ground it was all over. The enemy \softline
were all dead.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Did you count the enemy casualties?\'94 Smithson asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, we did,\'94 he replied. \'93There were seventy-seven enemy dead at the location \softline
of her firefight. Then there were lots of other casualties all over the place. She had \softline
emplaced a light machine gun at the mouth of the cave that did a lot of damage. Then \softline
there was the characteristic pattern of exploding Claymores that took out a bunch more.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I reached Miss Jennings as she started to collapse. The right side of the combat \softline
jacket she was wearing was just soaked with her blood. She was losing consciousness, \softline
but I could hear her say, \'91Get Rick\'92s body. It\'92s in the cave.\'92 A couple of my men went \softline
to retrieve the body, but then we found he was still alive. Anyway, we bailed out as fast \softline
as we could to get them both back to medical care. After all, sir, our primary mission \softline
was to get them out, not waste time counting bodies. So we did.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What happened to Miss Jennings when you got back to Saigon?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She was rushed off in an ambulance. We thought she was being rushed to the \softline
hospital. It\'92s certainly where they should have taken her.\'94 Brown shook his head like \softline
a bear and continued, \'93I expected to be a part of a big award ceremony for her, sir. We \softline
never saw or heard of anything like what she did that day.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Looking over at Susan he smiled and said, \'93Miss Jennings, I guess I\'92m not supposed \softline
to say this, but over the last few weeks I have heard from almost all of the men who were \softline
with me that day on the pickup mission. They all asked me to give you our very best \softline
wishes, and to express their pleasure that you look so good now.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab In spite of his dark complexion, everyone in the court could see Horace Brown \softline
blushing as he added, \'93And, Miss, begging your pardon, convey our love.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Brown was a very big man \'97 nearly six fee four inches tall and weighing 245 pounds. \softline
He joked about his name, claiming that it should be Black because he was as black as the \softline
ace of spades.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Aside from her wounds, what sort of condition was Miss Jennings in?\'94 Smithson \softline
asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93She was emaciated, sir. I swear, she didn\'92t weigh much more than one of our \softline
combat packs. I didn\'92t realize how light she was and almost threw her into the air.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Taking a chance with the court, Smithson asked, \'93Sergeant Brown, are you a good \softline
judge of weight?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I think so, sir,\'94 was the reply.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Then, Sergeant, would you be willing to pick up Miss Jennings now and estimate \softline
her weight?\'94 Brown looked at the admiral who looked back and forth at his colleagues. \softline
Then he shrugged and indicated it was all right. Brown got up from the witness chair \softline
and went to where Susan was sitting. She rose and smiled at him. Then he picked her \softline
up effortlessly in his arms. It was so effortless, he even bounced her a little.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then Susan wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, \'93I never had the \softline
chance before, Sergeant. Thank you for saving my life.\'94 Then she melted her lips \softline
against his. The power of her kiss almost caused the huge man to fall over.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Brown put Susan back on the floor, handling her as if she were made of the finest \softline
china. Then he just ran his fingers over his lips and stared at her. He put out his hand, \softline
Susan took it firmly and looked up at him. \'93Miss Jennings,\'94 he said, \'93Thank you for \softline
coming back to us. And I\'92m so happy you\'92re looking so well. You are the most beautiful \softline
woman in the whole world!\'94 Brown returned to the witness chair.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93How much do you think Miss Jennings weighs now?\'94 Jack asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Well, sir, she is in utterly perfect condition now! I would estimate about forty \softline
pounds heavier than she did then \'97 between 110 and 115. I would estimate 112.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan grinned at him and said, \'93It was 112 this morning \'97 but that was before \softline
lunch.\'94 Brown was excused and Jack proceeded with his presentation.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Stacks of signed forms from the Red Cross were introduced in evidence. They were \softline
forms certifying receipt and distribution to the prisoners of various parcels that had been \softline
flowing to the prison camp in an uninterrupted stream. All were certified by Black with \softline
either Simon or Harrison concurring.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally he called Susan to the stand. She told of meeting Ginny and other events in \softline
the camp. Then Jack brought the questioning around to the court-martial charges. \softline
\'93Miss Jennings, you were found guilty by a General Court-martial of \'91consorting with \softline
the enemy.\'92 Did you ever have sexual relations with the guards?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Yes, sir, I did,\'94 Susan held her head up straight and said quietly. \'93I did it \softline
frequently.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93For what purpose?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Usually to obtain medical supplies. Sometimes it was for food,\'94 she replied calmly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93Mr. Clinton was made to watch while you had sex with the guards to obtain his \softline
medicine. Was that a common occurrence?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93For the last half of my stay it was,\'94 Susan said calmly. \'93One of the guards said it \softline
was Judith Harrison\'92s idea. She wanted all the prisoners to be able to see my filthy \softline
cunt.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab If anything, she held her head up even higher as she continued, \'93I believe it \softline
backfired, though. Mostly, I could see the men crying as they realized what I was doing. \softline
And in spite of my filth, mostly they wanted to kiss me to thank me,\'94 she said.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93How much did you weigh when you were taken prisoner?\'94 Smithson asked.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I\'92m not sure, sir. I guess between 115 and 120. That was my normal weight range \softline
at the time.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Therefore, Miss Jennings, you were convicted of \'91consorting with the enemy\'92 to \softline
obtain preferential treatment. Yet when you were rescued you weighed seventy-two \softline
pounds, a loss of at least forty. Moreover, your body was cut to ribbons and you carried \softline
three bullets in your body. In your opinion, Miss Jennings, is this preferential \softline
treatment?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 {*\bkmkstart BM_1_}{*\bkmkend BM_1_}\tab Susan just shook her head.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93What do you remember of your court-martial?\'94 he asked quietly.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Nothing at all, sir,\'94 she replied. \'93I was not aware of anything. I guess it was a year \softline
or so afterward that I learned it had happened.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab At that point Admiral Adams abruptly adjourned the court. While the rest of the \softline
people left, he asked his fellow court members to stay for a few minutes.
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 * * *
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The next morning when Admiral Adams called the court to order, Jack prepared to \softline
resume his examination of Susan. Instead, the admiral held his hand up in a signal to \softline
stop. \'93Mr. Smithson,\'94 he said, \'93We would like to interrupt these proceedings.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Turning to the others he said, \'93General Black, do you, Colonel Simon, or Major \softline
Harrison, have anything you would like to say to this court? If you do, this is your \softline
opportunity. However, it is my duty to warn you now that anything you say may later \softline
be used against you in court-martial proceedings. Do you understand?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Black looked thoroughly defeated. He looked at his partners, then told the court \softline
that he understood his rights and declined to make a statement.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After asking the other parties if there was anything they wished to add to their \softline
testimony and receiving negative replies, Adams looked at his colleagues and received \softline
an affirmative nod from each of them.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then looking at Jack he said, \'93Mr. Smithson, thank you for your excellent \softline
presentation and for all the help you have provided to this court. We have heard enough.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93It is the finding of this Court of Inquiry that Brigadier General Homer Black, \softline
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Simon, and Major Judith Harrison be held for trial by \softline
General Court-martial. There will be an array of charges beginning with consorting with \softline
the enemy and including the attempted murder of Lieutenant Susan Jennings, U.S. \softline
Navy Nurse Corps and First Lieutenant Virginia Cameron, U.S. Army, retired.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93General Court-martial charges will also be brought against Lieutenant Commander \softline
Warren Judkins for dereliction of duty, obstruction of justice, and attempted murder. \softline
Similar charges will be filed against Commander John Henderson, along with a few \softline
more. Similarly, charges will be brought against the then-Medical Director of the Naval \softline
Hospital at Subic Bay, Captain Warren Holmes.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93This brings us to Lieutenant Susan Jennings. It is the unanimous finding of this \softline
court that Miss Jennings\'92 conduct was exemplary. But words fail the court. Exemplary \softline
means, according to a dictionary we consulted last night, \'91worthy of imitation, \softline
commendable.\'92 That definition does not do it! It does not fit the circumstances of Miss \softline
Jennings\'92 actions. One cannot expect anyone to sacrifice her life for others, and yet that \softline
is exactly what Miss Jennings did. Dozens of witnesses listed hundreds of vivid examples \softline
of her doing just that. We can only stand in awe.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Then there is the episode at the cave and her attack on the enemy forces. Standing \softline
alone, it is worthy of the highest honors this nation can bestow. Taken with the other \softline
events, and coupled with her ruined physical condition, words fail us. They are totally \softline
inadequate to the task.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Finally, there is the disgraceful series of events including the court-martial and its \softline
aftermath. We can only accept it for what it is: a nation\'92s utter disgrace! We have \softline
already named several people who will await trial by courts martial. There will be more: \softline
The people who prevented you from being treated, and those who prevented you from \softline
getting any kind of job. The people who so obviously wanted you dead, buried, and \softline
forgotten. I promise you, we will bring them to justice.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Sitting up as straight as he could, Adams continued, \'93The findings and sentence of \softline
the Subic Bay court-martial are hereby set aside. The court will urge that a Presidential \softline
pardon be immediately given to Miss Jennings. You are hereby immediately reinstated \softline
in your former rank with all back pay and allowances to the time of that court-martial. \softline
We can only offer our deepest personal and professional apologies to you for the \softline
incredible pain you have been made to suffer for so long.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Finally, Susan, we humbly beg you to forgive us for what has been done to you. We \softline
cannot ask. We have no right even to mention it. And most certainly, you should never \softline
forgive us.\'94 Adams looked into her brilliant blue eyes and smiled. \'93We believe you will, \softline
though. You should not, but you will. Why? Because of the person you are: A person \softline
who cheerfully sacrifices her life for others.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Miss Cameron \'97 who, as Marcia Matthews has achieved brilliant and well-deserved \softline
success in the films \'97 said it best: \'91Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his \softline
life for a friend.\'92 She is right, of course. Susan Jennings, on behalf of myself, the fellow
members of this court, and the people of the United States of America, I can only say \softline
humbly, thank you.\'94 Tears were streaming from his eyes and it was all he could do to \softline
say, \'93This court is adjourned.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Tears were streaming down Susan\'92s cheeks as she was mobbed at her table by well-wishers. Finally she was able to get free. Going up to the court she thanked each \softline
member individually. In each case the officer blushed. Finishing with Admiral Adams, \softline
she said, \'93Thank you, Admiral. I cannot thank you enough.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Adams looked at her and just shook his head. \'93Susan, you are doing exactly what \softline
I expected you to do. However, my dear, there is one more thing. You can sue the \softline
government for millions of dollars, and you should. What happened to you was truly a \softline
national disgrace. You suffered to a degree and in ways that are utterly barbaric.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He smiled warmly and continued, \'93Now you are the most beautiful woman any of \softline
us have ever seen. You are utterly exquisite. I want to wish you every possible \softline
happiness \'97 happiness few people have ever so richly deserved.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab When she kissed him full on the lips, Adams almost fell over from the incredible \softline
power of Susan\'92s love.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 }\page
\pard \fs24\qc\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 Epilogue}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Susan Jennings was standing on the reviewing stand at the U.S. Naval Base at San \softline
Diego. The stand was draped in bunting and faced with the seal of the President of the \softline
United States. Wearing her new white dress uniform as a Commander in the U.S. Navy \softline
Nurse Corps, she looked gorgeous with her glowing tan, golden hair, and brilliant blue \softline
eyes. The President had just awarded her the Purple Heart.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Then he smiled at her and addressed the crowd. \'93Ladies and gentlemen, we are her \softline
today for a unique event. The rarest award for valor in our armed forces is the Medal \softline
of Honor. It is the highest award for bravery in combat our nation can bestow. In \softline
modern times a tiny handful of people have received it twice. Never in our entire history \softline
had anyone received two of these medals at once.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93History is being made here today. It gives me great pleasure to award to \softline
Commander Susan Jennings, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, retired, two Medals of Honor. The \softline
first is for her work in a prisoner-of-war camp in which she saved the lives of hundreds \softline
of her fellow prisoners with a total disregard for her own. Facing me this morning are \softline
over 300 people who were her fellow prisoners in Vietnam. They have come here on \softline
their own to pay tribute to the woman to whom they owe their very lives. There is \softline
nothing more I can say.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93The second medal is for bravery and gallantry in action against the enemy in which, \softline
again with a total disregard for her own life, she singlehandedly attacked and wiped out \softline
an enemy force of seventy-seven men. Commander Jennings, please step forward!\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab He hung the two medals around her neck side by side. Then he took her in his arms \softline
and kissed her on the cheek whispering, \'93Susan, I read the entire transcript of the trial. \softline
I can only pray that you have many children and just a tiny bit of their mother\'92s \softline
incredible courage rubs off on each of them. Thank you.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab The band struck up and the command was given to pass in review. Susan saw the \softline
first detachment was from the Marines. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she realized \softline
it was commanded by Rick, back in uniform for the day. His chest was also shining with \softline
medals, including the Navy Cross. In the first sergeant\'92s position was Horace Brown \softline
who gave her the most impressive salute she had ever seen. Then she was stunned to \softline
realize that the navy contingent was being personally commanded by Vice Admiral \softline
Charles Adams. Tears started to stream down her cheeks as she realized the extent of \softline
this personal tribute.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Finally, it was over. She met Rick Jackson who was with Sergeant Brown. When \softline
she came up to them, Brown again gave her a meticulous salute to convey the depth of \softline
his respect for her. She teased them by saying it was a good thing they were together, \softline
because all she had to do was look for the biggest person present and there the sergeant \softline
was.
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab After giving Rick a very warm kiss, she said with a big grin, \'93Guess what?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \ul0 \tab \'93What?\'94 he responded, returning the grin. \'93Except that the Commander looks \softline
absolutely gorgeous \'97 and, of course, now outranks me.\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93I just got my check,\'94 she said. \'93The President brought it out with him. Apparently \softline
they backdated a couple of promotions so I got over $200,000. Now, along with the \softline
Clinton money, I can even afford a wedding dress. But darling, are you sure you still \softline
want to marry me?\'94
}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab \'93Are you kidding?\'94 Rick asked incredulously. \'93Wait till I get you home! Damned \softline
right I\'92m sure.\'94
}\pard \fs24\qc\sa84\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 }{\plain \fs28 \b\f2\fs28 The End}{\plain \fs24 \f2
}\fs24\pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
{\plain \fs24 \f2 \tab Let me hear from you. }{\field{*\fldinst { HYPERLINK "mailto:morg105829@aol.com" }}{\fldrslt{{*\cs2\ul\cf2\f2 morg105829@aol.com}}}}{\plain \fs24 \f2 \pard \fs24\qj\sa72\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx4680
}