DP chuckled and said, “That’s why I wanted you to work here. No hassles and you do a good job. Glad to have you aboard.”

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

As soon as I got settled in my room, I went looking for Greg Stout and Jason Roche. It would be comforting to see someone I knew from the States. This place was so alien to me. The base was a hard and dusty plain surrounded by the Hindu Kush. Sometimes, when the wind blew from the mountains, it was like getting a blast of air conditioning.

It wasn’t hard to find the two retired law enforcement men. I led them over to a coffee shop near the PX where Vicki had said to meet her. I made the introductions and everyone exchanged numbers. Mainly, I was showing off that I had made some friends.

Stout insisted on giving me a quick walking tour of the base. We left Vicki with her week-old copy of the Chicago Tribune and headed out.

I could tell the pleasant, retired detective had already lost weight in the few days he’d been here. Their direct commercial flight was a lot more efficient than my free military flight. They were already old pros working on Bagram Air Base.

Stout pointed over the cement barriers that surrounded the entire base. “Over there is the ancient town of Bagram. It may not look like much, but it was here before London was much of a going concern.”

I’d seen a bunch of contractors, some in company uniforms, but most in regular clothes. The one thing they almost all had in common was a sidearm. I had to ask, “What’s with all the guns?”

Jason said, “Every contractor has the option of carrying a personal weapon. They have to go through training and prove they know how to use it. I think it goes back to an infiltration where the terrorist was able to shoot a number of contractors. Whoever runs the administration decided it was better to have more weapons than fewer.”

“Doesn’t that lead to violent confrontations between the contractors?”

Roche smiled. “I asked that same question. They told me none of the contractors would risk getting booted from this kind of job and pay. Besides, without alcohol available, it seems like everyone stays relatively calm. What’s that old saying? A well-armed society is a polite society.”

Stout pointed out a relatively short air traffic control tower in the center of the base, nowhere near a runway. “That’s the old Russian air tower when they used the base during their invasion of Afghanistan. There are some more Russian buildings way out on the corners of the base. Most people just call them the Russian ruins. The tower now hosts ceremonies and parties.”

Roche laughed. “The other ruins are way the hell out by the detention facility at the perimeter.”