That had been just four weeks before. He understood then, that they would be going to the Mediterranean, but things had suddenly changed. Now he would now be the Flag Lieutenant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Jeffers was having a hard time realizing what a big change that might mean.
“You all set?” Hammond asked from the window seat as Jeffers shoved his tablet device into the seat in front of him.
“Yes, sir. Now we just have to change planes in Dallas,” Jeffers said. “Once we get to DC, there will be a car waiting to take us to the Navy Yard. You are all set up for a room in senior officers’ quarters and I got one at the bachelor officers’ quarters down the street. I also got everything arranged for you to get a ride every morning for the first week or so into the Pentagon. Tomorrow morning it will pick you up at 5 am. That should get you there in time for the morning brief. After that, we’ll just have to see how the schedule shakes out,” Jeffers said.
Hammond chuckled. “You really are trying to think ahead. You going to be riding in with me each morning,” he asked.
Jeffers shook his head. “No, sir, I plan on being in the office at least a half an hour ahead just to make sure your chair has been dusted. I wouldn’t want you to soil your whites before the big meeting,” he said with a grin.
Hammond almost let out a howl of laughter, but caught himself and sat back with a smile. In just a week of working together, the two men had become very accustomed to working with each other and had become a well-oiled team. He liked Jeffers dry sense of humor, but even better, he liked how he worked. Jeffers used his brain to get things done. He never pushed the weight of his office around, but always was able to get the job done. Even the rest of the staff had liked working with him. Brian Davis was right about the young man. He would eventually become a flag officer as long as the Navy didn’t screw things up.
Hammond looked back at Jeffers. “What are you going to do about transportation? I’m planning on buying some sort of car once I get there.”
Jeffers shrugged. “I put my car on the train yesterday. According to the schedule, it should get there sometime next weekend. I can pick it up in a place called Lorton. Then, at least, I won’t have to be stuck in the Navy Yard all the time,” he said.
“Good idea. What kind of car is it?”
Jeffers chuckled. “Just an old beater I picked up a few years ago from a friend of the family. It’s a 2001, but I kind of got myself attached to it. As long as it gets me back and forth, I’m happy. As a bachelor, I like getting out and traveling around some on the weekends when I don’t have to work. I just jump in the car and take off. I get to see a lot of stuff doing that,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“I sometimes do the same thing. You’ve seen the Olds. I used to go on some day trips. Not so much now though. A family will do that to you,” he grinned.
They were interrupted as the pilot welcomed the passengers aboard and the cabin attendant began his usual routine. Within a few minutes the plane had lifted from the bumpy runway and was clawing into the morning skies.
After the seat belt light blinked off, Hammond turned to Jeffers again. “What do you think about the assignment I mentioned?”
“I actually talked for a few minutes to Admiral Styles’ aide, a Lieutenant Grant, yesterday. He said they had selected four flag officers to make up the team to look at what’s going on,” Jeffers said as he reached for his tablet and switched it on. “Admiral Lockwood is an aviator, Admiral Grimes is surface, Admiral Best is intelligence and General Westin is a Marine. So far, they have met to discuss the mission but that’s about all. There is another meeting scheduled for Wednesday at 0900 in your office. I told Grant to keep the meeting on the schedule. I figure if we need to change it, we can do that almost anytime.”
Hammond nodded in agreement. “Seems a little strange that it’s such a small group,” he said.
“I agree. But listening to Grant, he called it Styles’ ‘usual group.’ Grant also insinuated that Styles liked things a certain way and for things to come out as he expects. From what he was telling me, it sounded like Grant was used to working long hours and couldn’t wait to get away from that office. I kind of felt sorry for him,” said Jeffers with a slight sigh.
Hammond shook his head. Too often senior flag officers might look for the easy way out of a situation. Having friends he could count on to back up his ideas was one of the signs. Long hours for the staff was another indicator. Hammond had heard of Styles’ climb to the top. Granted, he was a dedicated and hardworking officer, but it appeared his ego had risen with his rank. He had run into that in the last war. “What do you think about this group?”
Jeffers shifted in his seat slightly. “I think it needs more. I noticed there are no submariners in the group, no supply types, and all of them have been in flag positions for the last eight years at least. That means no current operators. I would recommend a few captains and commanders just to round it out some. But there’s something else that’s bothering me,” Jeffers said leaning in a little closer. “If this is supposed to be a group looking at how we might respond to a Russian outbreak, why are there no Army or Air Force types in the group? Even if we are just looking at a Navy response, we will have to take their needs and efforts into account. If it was left to me, I would drop some of the flag officers and widen the scope. Let’s give the powers that be a real detailed scenario instead of just another study,” Jeffers said. He wasn’t too sure that he hadn’t overstepped his bounds with what he had said.
Hammond saw just a glint of concern in Jeffer’s eyes. He smiled at the man. “I think you’re right. You can’t be in somebody’s yard and not play with them. How about we get the Chief of Staff to get a few people lined up to join us at that Wednesday meeting. Ask if the Marine might be changed to Richardson. I’d like her opinions. Tell him to add those captains and commanders. I like the idea,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “Did they say it was okay to use these?”
Jeffers nodded.
Hammond pulled up a number from his contact list and placed the call.
Perry Johnson was sitting in his recliner watching a ball game when his cell phone rang. He was surprised it was from Hammond. “Roger, I thought you weren’t getting in till tonight.”
“I’m not. We are currently over Nevada, I think. I needed to ask a question. Should this team not include all the services?” he asked.
Johnson thought a moment. “You know, it should. I’m not sure how far it’s gone, but now that I think about it, maybe it should be more of a defense level effort. I’ll talk to the Secretary in the morning and get it straight. I still want you to do it; just make sure the skids are greased. Got some people in mind?”
“No, but my aide and I are discussing some things and I wanted to make sure we were on the right track,” Hammond said.
“No problem. Glad to see you’re already on it. We’ll talk more tonight at dinner.”
“Thanks Perry. I’ll see you tonight at seven,” said Hammond as he turned off the phone. “It seems you and the CNO think alike,” said Hammond with a grin as he turned toward Jeffers.
“I like being in good company,” Jeffers grinned.
“Now, what say we talk a little about what you think about how and what will happen,” Hammond said as he sat back in his seat. The two men talked quietly for the remaining two hours of the flight.
Bugayev eased his scooter into a space just in front of an apothecary just outside the city center. It was an older building from the early nineteenth century. There was the shop downstairs and three stories of flats above it. The front of the building had once been decorated in the older European style, but most of the ornate trappings had long since faded. It was dusk, and the lights had been turned on inside the shop. He could see a few people inside at the counter.