The Boys in Blue

The mood around the dinner table was subdued that night; Terry had gathered the girl's and had a long talk with them, which seemed to have lifted their spirits a little.

Finally, Robert decided something had to be done.

"Right no more moping, you girl's, go and put something sexy on, were going to Tessie's, we men need a little excitement in our dull, mundane life. I'll ring for a mini bus you have thirty minutes."

The girls disappeared up stairs whispering to each other, while the men gathered around the bar smiles on their faces.

When the girls reappeared they had all opted for minis, Terry was wearing a scarlet halter above a black full skirted mini that hung low on her hips, her midriff bare.

She came over to him to accept a drink, and he noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra her nipples prominent through the thin material, none of the girls was he saw.

By the second of Tessie's rum punches they all began to relax, the girls were dancing to the calypso music, the men joining them on the slow ones. But gradually the beat became faster has the music began to change to the tribal rhythms. Robert sat back a satisfied look on his face, as he watched the girls cavorting on the floor. When they returned to take a drink he noticed that Terry's halter was sticking to her by her perspiration her breasts in sharp relief; he saw that all the girls had the same problem.

"Bloody hell," Bill said, "it's like a wet tee shirt contest with them," he groaned.

By the end of the night when they returned to the table they were all glowing with perspiration their chests heaving at their exertions. Robert ran a finger over Terry's belly then tasted it, the taste of salt predominant. The halter was mouldered to her breasts. She knows what effect this is having on me he knew, they all do he realised.

Back at the villa, Sue announced that they should all go for a swim in the sea. Terry said to go ahead that she would bring some towels down. They all trooped down to the beach leaving him and Terry to bring the towels.

He took the towels from her arms and placed them on the table, and then kissed her.

"Thank you darling," he whispered.

"What for," she asked.

"For geeing up the girls."

She smiled; he knew what she had been doing to bring the girls out of their mood'

"And this is for geeing me up," he said kissing her again, as he removed the halter.

"No Bobby let's take the towels down," she set of with them leaving the halter behind.

On the beach, she left the towels by the steps taking one she moved to the shadows cast by the palm trees spreading it, after removing the mini she laid on it, her arms above her head waiting.

He was laid with his head on her chest muzzling her nipple his body coming back into control. "We can go for that swim now; I think I need it," she murmured, "but I don't think we can use the towel to dry off with, it's already wet," she chuckled.

"Well by the sound of the seabirds we won't be the only ones with a damp towel."

"What seabirds its past midnight, the only sound is...oh funny," she laughed.

Over the next few weeks, they gradually shook of the gloom of Bob's death each was grieving for him in their own way.

Alan had phoned again saying that all the aircraft had now been modified, and the three were back under taking missions.

"Robbie I think we need to get Dave, Dick and Jim back sooner than we had planned, at the moment they're putting in three sometimes four missions a day, with Bob's absence they are desperately short handed, as well as being shaken by Bob's death."

"It's only my view Sir, but if they have SAM's and are specifically targeting A10's then I think we should hold the new boys back a little longer. Let me Tim, Bill and Tom go back over until the quite period starts in November. It will give Dave and the others a chance to select a replacement from amongst the new intake and catch their breath."

"I didn't want to suggest that Robbie, but it's is my view too, when can you get back to the UK?"

"We would have to book the flights, say two or three days."

He managed to get the three together while the girls were chatting telling them what Alan and he had said, asking them how they felt about it.

Without hesitation, they all agreed.

"Look there's no need for the girls to come back, there better of here together, do you agree," he asked them.

They all nodded. "Right I'll check for flights and then we can break the glad tidings to them."

The girls knew something was wrong by their faces when they came back. Robert didn't prevaricate but came straight out with it.

"We have been recalled, we leave day after tomorrow at two."

Their faces said it all, but it was Terry who took control of the situation.

"I'd better help you pack, come on girls let's give them a hand."

He'd never felt prouder of her, of all of them as they rose and made their way inside.

The next morning they were all going to go into town to pick up things the boys would need over there. He was in the study ringing for a minibus, when he put the phone down it rang.

It was Pearl "Bob," her voice sounded strained, '"Terry told me you have to go back, and what has happened over there. I'd like to see you if that is possible before you go please."

He thought for a moment, remembering what she had done for him.

"I was going out with all the others, but I could make an excuse and see you at the Port in say an hour."

"OK, Bob I'll be waiting there."

He went downstairs and told them he had forgotten about the boat and would have to de-commission it before leaving and that Terry knew what he needed.

He watched has the minibus drove off before climbing into the Range Rover.

He parked up alongside her Saab and walked down to the quay; she was waiting by Tomic. They never spoke until they were in the cabin; then Pearl rounded on him.

'How dangerous will it be for you now, with these new weapons they have'? She asked anxiously.

'Hardly any at all, we are ready for them'

She stared into his eyes, to see if he was lying. He smiled back looking at her; she was in tight white short shorts with a black halter and trainers on her feet.

"I needed to see you before you went back, to clear the air between us," she whispered,

"What we did at the time, when you came back, I don't regret. You needed something like it to get your head back in gear, and I went along with it. But things have changed Bob; Jeremy wants us to try for another child, and I want that too."

He looked into her eyes, seeing the anguish in them. What was upsetting her he wondered?

"That's great news Pearl," he murmured.

She turned her head to look out of the cabin windows, "Bob we need to stop whatever there is between us now. I never intended to get involved in an affair, and that's what will happen if we go further. I have discovered feelings for you that go beyond friendship. I can stop them now before they get too strong, but I need your support in this."

He stood trying to get his thoughts in order, looking at the back of her head. Pearl had been there for him when his life had seemed broken. She had forced him to see reality and snap out of his self-pity, at the cost off using her body to achieve that end.

In doing so, he had found a depth of feeling for her that went beyond friendship, it wasn't love in the way he loved Terry, but something more... Gratitude, that was it, he suddenly realised.

She had given him back his life, and his wife.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her around to face him. He lifted her chin to look up at him; her eyes were glassy from repressed tears.

"Pearl, you're quite right in that what we have between us, goes beyond mere friendship.

It's the kind of love that exists between very close families. I don't want to hurt either you or Jeremy and especially Terry, I love you all too much for that to happen. I'll always be here for you, you know that."

She gazed into his eyes; her bottom lip quivered with suppressed emotion.

"Bob....thank you for understanding."

She lifted onto her toes and kissed his nose, then turned and left.

He stood watching, has she reached her car and drove away.

He knew in his heart that Pearl could never replace Terry in his affections, but she would always have a part of it.

He began closing the boat down.

That night in bed, he explained the situation to Terry; regarding the tour, he knew now that she could handle it if she knew; it was the not knowing that distressed her. The girls had reluctantly agreed to stay on for a few more weeks, which would mean they could support each other.

"Bobby I'm not going to ask you to be careful over there, I know you will. I don't want you to worry about me. Just concentrate on your job and bring them all back. You know I'll be here waiting for you."

Chapter 44

The four made their way to Steve's office in the Operation's building, weary after over twenty hours of flight, from Barbados and then Kandahar. Broken by a few hours at Fenton to pick up their gear

Mike was with Steve when they entered; Steve began.

'At the moment we still have not traced who is, or has supplied the SAM's, although we have a good lead. Stingers have been ruled out. Our best guess is that either SA-7s or more likely SA-14s were used.

Russia supplied them to Egypt and Syria during their run in with Israel; we think they came from there. No arms dealer would sell them in their right mind knowing how the secret services would react. So it has to be a fanatic with a pathological hatred of the West. We have it narrowed it down to two suspects, one in either country. But these men still like to make money; you could say that takes the edge of their hatred. We have established that if such weapons came on to the market the asking price would be in the region of a quarter of a million dollars.'

Mike took over.

'Since they have lost this year's revenue from the opium, their cash flow has been sadly depleted, there can't be much left of last year's cash. We don't suspect that they could afford too many at that price. At the moment, the Egyptian is being entertained by a foreign group of the secret services. For obvious reasons, I can't say more than that. Suffice to say that what they are interested in, is how many weapons were sold, and how they got into the country. The Syrian was picked up twenty four hours ago and is being transported to an interrogation centre; we expect to have answers within three days.

All the A10s have been upgraded," Steve said, "The SA-7 and 14 are heat seeking missiles; it takes a skilled operator several seconds for it to lock on to a target before it can be launched. Your threat systems will let you know as soon as one is switched on, prior to launching, it should give you five to ten seconds' early warning. They have been fitted with the latest flare cartridges that far out rate the heat from your engines.

The fact that they are so willing to spend this sort of cash shows what a significant threat the A10 poses to their operations, I suppose that must be a compliment of sorts to you."

"Do you have any idea what area they are likely to be used in?" Robert asked.

"Not really," Steve answered, "the one that took out Bob was fired up by the dam."

"What about the one's firing, they must have had training in their use," he asked again.

"We suspect it was Iranian either using them or have trained them," Mike replied.

They found Dave, Dick and Jim in the mess having a beer; they're flying over for this tour. All three showed the strain they had been under.

"Sorry, Robbie to have dragged you back early," Dave said with an apologetic smile that didn't quite work.

"Don't worry about it Dave, you all have been in the thick of it," Robert said.

"You'll have to watch out, their cute, you never know when they are setting you up, we had another fired at Dick two days ago, the flare took it out," Dave said.

"Did you get him?" He asked.

"No, he fired it from a compound with civvies all around, Robbie," Dave continued hesitantly, "I hope you don't mind, but I'm seeing Marge when I get back."

Robert smiled, "not at all Dave, but if I can give you some advice I should eat lots of steaks, it's been my experience that those Highlanders can be quite wearing."

Once back at Camp Bastion, Robert called the three together for a meeting.

"Until the threat from the SAM's has been neutralised we will fly in pairs the lead aircraft undertake the orders of the LAC, but the second has only one job. If an SAM is launched, his job is to kill it. The lead aircraft can take care of it's self-regarding the inbound missile. Needless to say, the second aircraft has to fire with pinpoint accuracy there may be civvies about. So who wants to do what?"

It was quickly established that Robert and Tim would fly shotgun, their being the most accurate with the 30mm canon.

Four days later he received a coded message from Steve, three launchers with three missiles each had been sold, along with information of how they had entered the country. It ended that the Syrian was now out of business, permanently.

To draw the Taliban out Robert asked Steve to leak the fact that the people responsible for their loss of opium were now back flying at Bastion.

It didn't take long for the Taliban to react. Three days later a missile was launched at Tom whilst attacking a Taliban position near a village. Tim had spotted the flash from the missiles rocket motor on top of a flat roof building and reduced the firer and launcher to pulp with a twenty round burst. Tom deployed his flares banking tightly as the missile exploded on one of the flares.

For the next two weeks, the Taliban laid low regarding their SAM weapons although they still had missions to fly.

He and Bill were flying cover for a ground convoy when it entered a narrow valley, half way along it; it came under fire from the enemy firing RPG's and small arms fire.

Bill dropped down to begin his attack run, Robert two miles behind covering him.

His threat warning lit up; someone had switched on a launcher; he searched the area but could not see anything other than the rocks. Then he saw the smoke emanating from between two large rocks he switched over to a Hellfire getting a lock on the rocks and fired. As the smoke cleared he saw a figure crawling out from the remains of the rocks dragging what could only be a launcher behind it, he switched to gun, and the figure disappeared into a pink mist as the 30mm canon shredded it and the launcher. That's for Bob you bastard; he thought as he pulled up.

"Nice one Robbie," he heard Bill's voice over the radio.

For the next six weeks things quietened down the Taliban was nursing their wounds, but they all knew there was still one launcher not accounted for.

He had managed to contact Terry on one of the rare trips down to Kandahar on the laptop.

When her face appeared on the screen, he could only stare at her for several seconds.

"God you are so beautiful," he murmured, "I don't deserve you>"

"Funny I was just thinking the same about you," she said softly.

"How are you darling still missing me I hope?"

"Every minute of the day, and then some, do you miss me?'

"You'll never know just how much, have I told you how much I love you Mrs Barlow?"

"Not today you haven't but it's nice to know darling."

He changed the subject his heart aching for need of her.

"I understand Dave has been seeing Marge."

She smiled, her dimples, which he loved, showing.

"Yes I told her about the motel, it seems Gale and Dick has been using it too. It must be costing her a small fortune to keep coming down from Scotland."

"Well she's keeping up the tradition," he said

Her eyes looked puzzled.

"You know anything for the boys in blue."

"Oh, you are such a fool Bobby, but I love you madly," she said chuckling.

"How are the other girls holding up?"

"Oh, we meet quite regularly and have a little weep over a bottle of wine; we are thinking of buying shears in Duracell, the amount of batteries we seem to be using," she said a sly smile on her face.

"I don't wish to know that my wife is having an affair with a black plastic vibrator."

"So when do I get to use the pink one," she whispered.

"In three weeks' time if you are a good girl."

"But I don't want to be good; I want to be very, very bad, lots of times," she whispered again.

She's whispering a sure sign that's she's getting turned on, and it's turning me on as well, he thought.

"Terry," he moaned, "the water isn't cold over here, give me a break."

"I'm sorry darling, but you do bring out the beast in me."

They talked for another half hour, with Terry ending by saying.

"Tell the boys the girls send their love, but can't wait to receive it back in person."

Over the next week, Camp Bastion was subject to two attempts by suicide bombers trying to ram the gates in pickup trucks. Both attack failed when the soldiers guarding the gates opened fire detonating the bombs a hundred meters from the gates.

The pilots knew that the Taliban must use the last launcher soon; the Afghan winter was starting, and they would be moving back into winter quarters soon.

It came on their last week of deployment.

Bill had just cleared the runway, and Robert was close behind when the threat screen lit up. Bill was climbing his under carriage just closing when Robert saw the missile launch, fired from two miles away from the walls heading straight towards Bill.

Bill's reactions were instantaneous; he couldn't obviously see the threat the missile being below him. He cut his thrust, almost stalling the A10 and dived into the path of the missile has it was passing his cockpit; the missile arched upwards and started to loop over, to re-acquire a lock.

Robert cut the thrust to his aircraft, dropped the nose and made a tight bank to the left releasing flares has he did so. He glimpsed a dust cloud rising from the desert floor, and Bill's A10 banking right has he released flares. Robert's threat alarm was pulsing faster now. He resisted the overwhelming temptation to push the thrust lever through the gate, knowing his heat signature would dramatically increase. But continued to bank tightly, the increased volume and rapidity off the threat alarm could only mean the missile was locked onto him,

He felt a slight shuddered go through the A10 and the control column shook, for a moment he thought he had been hit, but then realised that a flare had taken it out, but it had been close.

Back on the ground he got the whole story from Bill.

"If he'd waited for another twenty seconds before firing he would have had a clear shot at the engines on full take off boost. As it was, the threat alarm indicated he was in front of me, so I cut the thrust and dropped the nose down gambling that the missile wouldn't have armed itself yet, it must have lost the lock for a second or two. Anyhow when I dropped the nose I saw the rag head standing there with the launcher still on his shoulder. I just depressed the trigger and walked the shells up to him; all I saw was a pink smudge has they hit him. I saw the missile lock on to you Robbie; it was fifty yards of off you when the flare took it out."

They waited until the ground crew refuelled and rearmed the A10s before taking off to complete their original mission. Both pilots relieved that the missile threat was now over.

Chapter 45

Four tired but happy pilots were directed into Alan's office; an RAF mini bus had picked them up from Brize.

Alan came straight to the point after congratulating them on the success of the last tour.

"The A10 has proven to be an unqualified success, so much so that another squadron is to be formed. There's going to be changes to the structure, Robbie I'm afraid you have flown your last mission over there. You are to be promoted to Wing Commander; your main role will be to bring the new squadrons up to scratch.