Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2007 06:29:00 +0000
From: Jacob Latson <jacob_latson@hotmail.com>
Subject: Washington Academy31

Disclaimer:

This story will describe the life of Robert David Mathews from his time as
a teenager, through prep school, and into military service.  If stories
involving sex between consenting teenagers, including both straight sex and
gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story
for your reading pleasure.  There has been minimal research for this story
therefore, names, places, dates are mostly fictitious and similarities to
real life are coincidental.  Some companies and organizations mentioned
actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and
procedures are fictitious. I was not a SEAL and have limited knowledge of
the force.  I am writing this story from imagination and a little research,
not from personal experience.

My editor, Bill, is a dedicated friend.  His improvements in my writing
style are greatly appreciated.

I really appreciate the emails from you about this story.  I've tried to
write a story that has a strong plot with characters that you can relate
to.  I may not be able to reply to all of your emails, but I want to thank
all of you for encouraging me to keep posting new chapters.

Readers, please note!  This story describes sexual events that are unsafe
in real life.  Remember to practice safe sex if you are sexually active.
Condoms should be used even if you know your sexual partner, but condoms do
not provide 100% protection from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's).
This story is fictional, so protect yourself and live a long and happy
life!

Washington Academy Chapter 31- Last Time for Everything

Robbie met with Derrick Harmon to discuss the changes in leadership for the
activities of the plebes preparing for Hell Week.  Derrick understood why
the changes were made, but wished that Robbie had continued to prepare the
plebes.

"I asked you to lead their physical training for a reason," Derrick said.
"We normally lose 20% of the plebes either before or during Hell Week.
I've watched their progress, and this class will do much better because of
the way you trained them.  You were tough but fair, and they're in great
shape now."

"They hate me!" Robbie said.  "I've turned into another Larry Cataline!"

"Don't you ever say that to me again!" Derrick fumed.  "You could never be
like that asshole!  You pushed them to achieve, and that's exactly what
they needed!  Did you ever hit them or threaten them?"

"NEVER!" Robbie replied.  "Trip and Tracker confronted me about being too
hard on the plebes, and said that the plebes hated me.  I couldn't live
with that!  This is the last time that I'll be on campus for Hell Week, and
I'm starting to feel the loss already.  A year from now I'll be a bad
memory for the plebes, and I feel like shit!"

"I want you to lead the Swamp Test," Derrick said.  "Talk to each group and
tell them the truth.  Tell them that you made them tough so they would
succeed!  Then you should be the first one to congratulate them when they
complete the final test before getting their first stripes as Cadets Fourth
Class!"

Robbie listened to his martial arts instructor and knew he was right.  He
had followed the directions of Derrick and Guy Stephens, and the plebes
were ready to be recognized as his brothers in the cadet family.

When the final day of Hell Week began, the plebes were tired and sore.
When they saw Robbie at the starting point for the Swamp Test, they
expected the worst.

"Maybe all of you hate me," Robbie began to the first group of plebes, "But
I'm not the enemy!  I pushed you hard during Summer Training so that you
could be here today at the beginning of the final challenge.  You're a
great bunch of guys, and I'll be waiting for you to finish this final test
of your courage and stamina.  I didn't accept any failure during the Summer
Training, and I won't today!  I'd suggest that we sit and meditate for a
few minutes, and then you'll all make me proud!"

The message was repeated for each group of plebes that faced the Swamp Test
challenge.  By the time the first group completed the Swamp Test, Robbie
was covered in mud from head to foot.  He had welcomed each plebe with a
big smile and a sincere hug when he congratulated them.  The plebes were
exhausted, and several of them broke down crying from the mixture of
satisfaction and exhaustion.

Guy and Derrick were recording the names of the successful plebes, and were
thrilled when all 286 plebes finished the final test and were being
congratulated by their Big Brothers.  In the entire history of the Academy,
they had never witnessed 100% completion of the final test.  325 boys had
enrolled in the selective program, and 88% had successfully made it to
become Cadets Fourth Class!  The two coaches were ecstatic!

Robbie was emotionally exhausted after celebrating with the happy and
relieved plebes.  He felt a great loss flood through his whole body knowing
that he would never again be a part of Hell Week at the George Washington
Academy.  He joined the plebes and their Big Brothers in the shower room at
the lake to wash away the mud and celebrate.

"JESUS, LOOK AT HIS BODY!" Ricky Spellman exclaimed to his plebe buddy,
Kevin Marks.

"I thought only black guys had dicks that big!" Kevin joked.

"Not his dick, look at his muscles!" Ricky replied.  "I've never seen him
nude before, and I bet that there isn't an ounce of fat on his entire body!
It's no wonder he can make us look like shit in any physical training!"

The two plebes were drawing attention from their comments, so they quickly
turned away so Robbie couldn't see the boners that they were both sporting.
In spite of their exhaustion, they were both attracted to the handsome
cadet, and dreamed of the time when they would have a body like Robbie's.

During the ceremonies to recognize the new Fourth Class Cadets, Vincent
Brown addressed the happy new cadets.  "This is a great celebration of the
graduation of the largest group of young men from 'plebe' to Cadet Fourth
Class in the 100 year history of this fine academy!" he began.  "I can't
put into words how proud I am of you for what you've accomplished.  In
later life, you'll look back to this day as the day that each of you became
a man!  Big Brothers, please present your Little Brothers to be
recognized!"

Each Big Brother led his Little Brother up to Chancellor Brown, and
announced the full name of the plebe.  The Amphitheatre was filled with
celebration when the last plebe received his Cadet Fourth Class insignia
that included one stripe.  The soft drink machines were opened, and the
cadets celebrated before the large banquet would begin.

Robbie was standing with Tracker and Trip when the former plebes came up to
him and thanked him for getting them ready for Hell Week.  Robbie lost
track of the hugs that he got, and celebrated with his new cadet buddies.
It would be the last time that he was present for the special ceremony, and
he choked back his emotions.

"Life goes on!" Tracker said when he realized how emotional Robbie was.  He
and Trip shared Robbie's feelings about their time at the academy now
heading towards the end.  They all wished that they were the new Fourth
Class Cadets and were just starting their life on the campus.

"It's not the end, it's just the beginning," Guy Stephens said to the three
First Class Cadets.  "The path of life has many challenges for you men, and
I'm proud of all of you!  This is the year that you demonstrate the ideals
that you've learned to the other cadets who will follow in your footsteps.
Be proud of what you've accomplished, and I know that this will be a great
year for all of us!"

Robbie was in orbit on his 19th birthday when his aunt and uncle presented
him with a bright red Corvette convertible.  No other cadet on campus had
two vehicles, and everyone was jealous when they saw the new 1996 Corvette
that had just been released for early production.  Everyone wanted to ride
in the muscle car, and Robbie was happy to grant their wishes until he was
running out of gas.  He celebrated his celebrity status and knew that he
would only drive the Corvette during the warm months of the year.  He still
loved his Blazer, and knew that it would always get him back to the academy
during any foul weather.

Jennifer had graduated from high school, and was enrolled at the University
of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  She refused to attend her high school prom
because it was scheduled on the same day as the Championship baseball game
in May.  Several boys in her high school had asked her to go to the prom,
but she only wanted to be with Robbie.

Robbie had his own awakening, and lost interest in the girls in Traverse
City.  His trips to the Storage Room also ended when he doubled his efforts
to be in top physical condition.  He was convinced that Jennifer was worth
waiting for if she would wait for him to enlist in the Navy and serve his
country.

Guy Stephens was right with his prediction that this would be a great year
for the Academy.  He wasn't surprised when Robbie was elected team captain
of the football team, and led his buddies to another State Championship.
When basketball season began, Robbie was again recognized by his teammates
and was honored with being the team captain.  The basketball team matched
the football team in going undefeated and winning the State Championship.

Robbie was thrilled when Tracker ran into their dorm room with a letter in
his hand and announced, "I'VE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY!"

Robbie and Trip knew that Tracker had been selected to the All State and
High School All American football teams in the quarterback position, and
celebrated with their buddy.

 Trip had been accepted into the Harvard Pre-Law School, and had mixed
feelings about leaving the Academy.  He would be separated from Mark
Jenkins, and cherished every moment that he spent with the guy that was
already his life partner.  He and Mark had revealed their relationship to
their parents, and were overjoyed that all of the parents accepted their
lifestyle and choice of partner.

Robbie was still receiving martial arts training from his uncle, and was
excited about his progress.  Uncle Dave had finally admitted that Robbie
was now his equal in his fighting skills, but Robbie always held back when
they sparred.  He knew that his uncle had slowed down with his advancing
age, and out of respect, he refused to take his uncle down.

David Mathews made one last futile appeal to his nephew to accept the
appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, but he already
knew that Robbie would not agree.  He reluctantly agreed to a delayed
enlistment in the Navy that would take effect when Robbie graduated from
the Academy.  Because Robbie was 19, no parental approval was required.

When the baseball team started practicing, the players elected Robbie as
the team captain, but he refused the honor.  Baseball was his best sport,
but he thought of Drew and demanded that his teammates make a different
choice.

"Only one cadet in the history of this Academy has been the team captain in
three sports, and that was my Big Brother," Robbie said softly.  "I'm
honored that you voted for me, but I just can't accept.  Drew's still with
me, and I nominate Tracker to be our team captain."

The players finally agreed after pleading with Robbie to change his mind.
Coach Terry Pahls had been watching his players select a team captain, and
respected Robbie for his refusal.  Robbie was a born leader and deserved
the honor, but he wouldn't interfere with the negotiations of his players.
He had hopes for a "three peat" by winning another State Championship that
would match the school year when Drew Anderson had been the leader.

Jennifer Anderson had left the U of M campus to visit her parents and was
helping her mother prepare the evening meal by making a salad.  Tom
Anderson walked into the kitchen and began talking to his wife and
daughter.

"Some guy is here and he asked my permission to take you on a date," Tom
said to Jennifer.

"What kind of loser asks a girl's father?" Jennifer asked.  "He must be a
total geek!"

Tom acted nonchalant and said, "He seems like a decent guy."

"If he's still here, tell him to go to the dog pound to find a date!"
Jennifer added.  "He might find a suitable match there!"

Carol Anderson looked at her husband and could see tears welling up in his
eyes.  She knew that her husband was up to something.

"Thomas Andrew Anderson, you're up to something!" Carol said emphatically.
"Come clean, NOW!"

"Well, actually he isn't a geek," Tom said.  "He's about 6 feet tall,
weighs about 190 pounds, has blonde hair, blue eyes, drives a Corvette, and
mentioned some dance called a Grad Ball at an academy up north!"

"ROBBIEEEEE!" Jennifer screamed.  She ran out of the kitchen with her
parents following behind her.

"You're such an asshole!" Carol said to her husband.

"I might be an asshole, but I'm YOUR asshole!" Tom replied.  "Let's go spy
on them!"

Robbie was waiting beside his hot car when he saw Jennifer running out of
the front door.  He opened his arms and Jennifer jumped up and wrapped her
legs around her boyfriend.  He could see tears of joy in Jennifer's eyes
when he hugged and kissed his girlfriend.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were coming here today?" Jennifer sobbed.
"I LOVE YOU!"

"I wanted to surprise you," Robbie said softly.  "Don't you like
surprises?"

"I love any time that I can be with you!" Jennifer replied.

Carol and Tom watched the happy couple in the driveway, and shared their
joy.  They waited a few minutes before joining the teens to hear the
details of the special date.

Robbie held Jennifer's hand and listened to Carol and Jennifer when they
described how Tom had helped pull off the surprise.

"So, Jenny Kay, I'm a geek and can only date dogs?" He teased.  "I'll make
sure that we have some Alpo at the Grad Ball for you!"

"I'll eat it!" Jennifer teased back.  She listened to Robbie describe the
plans for the graduation party, and was excited about shopping for a formal
dress to wear.

"I know you remember the Adams family," Robbie said.  "They have graciously
offered for all of you along with my aunt and uncle to stay at their home
out on the peninsula."

The four happy people shared in the joy of planning for the date and
couldn't wait for the day to arrive.  Robbie and Jennifer left for a drive
in the Corvette, with Tom and Carol making plans for the trip to Traverse
City.

Robbie knew that the Andersons had accepted a settlement in the lawsuit
against the furniture company of over 30 million dollars.  It wouldn't
bring Drew back, but it would certainly keep the greedy from making the
same mistake again.

Robbie fought back the tears when he walked up on the stage in the
amphitheater to accept his diploma.  He knew that his days at the beautiful
academy were coming to an end, and he felt that a part of him would always
remain there.  His dress white uniform was covered with ribbons and medals
that identified the many honors he'd achieved.  He listened to Chancellor
Vincent Brown listing his accomplishments and was embarrassed.

"Never in the entire history of this fine Academy has a cadet held the
Martial Arts Championship for four years," Chancellor Brown began when
Robbie walked up to the lectern.  "Robert David Mathews has achieved that
goal along with 4 varsity letters in football, 4 in basketball, 4 in
baseball, along with being team captain for football and basketball and
finished 10th academically in his graduating class."  He returned the
salute of the handsome cadet, handed him his diploma and then hugged
Robbie.  "I'm proud of you!" He whispered to Robbie.  "Be careful and make
us all proud of you like we are today!"

Tom, Carol and Jennifer waited along with David and Marie to congratulate
Robbie on his accomplishments and his graduation.  Of all of the cadets in
the graduating class, Robbie had the most ribbons and medals, and they all
wanted to help him celebrate.

Jennifer hugged Robbie and gave him a kiss when the graduation ceremony
ended.  She held his hand and asked him to describe each ribbon and medal
and what they signified.  She was proud to walk around the reception with
Robbie and beamed when he introduced her to everyone as his girlfriend.

The Grad Ball was a spectacular event.  Robbie's mouth dropped to the floor
when Jenny Kay walked down the spiral staircase in the Adams' home.  Her
hair was styled in a French braid and her blue formal gown accentuated her
perfect body.  He was at a loss for words when he saw her and stammered,
"You.... you're...., you're beautiful!"

Aaron and Richmond Adams were standing beside Robbie and shared in his
opinion that Jennifer was the most beautiful girl in the world!

"You're the luckiest dude in the world!" Aaron said to Robbie.  "She's
gorgeous!"

"You better have some condoms in that limousine," Rich whispered to Robbie.
"I'd eat her right here in front of everyone!"

Robbie laughed, and watched Jenny Kay walk down to meet him.  He knew that
his uncle and Tom Anderson were taking photos and a video of the special
event, but ignored the flashing lights to hand Jennifer the corsage of
white roses and a blue ribbon that matched her long dress.

Most of the First and Second Class Cadets had dates for the Grad Ball, but
many cadets attended without dates.  Trip and Mark Jenkins came as a
couple, but avoided any open display of their affection and only danced
with girls.  The cadets without dates were happy to dance with the
beautiful girls, and no cadet was left out of the festivities.

Tom and Carol Anderson stood on the mezzanine with David and Marie, and
enjoyed watching the handsome cadets dancing with the beautiful girls.  All
of the cadets were wearing their dress white uniforms, and it was a
stunning event to witness.

"I can't help but think of Drew when I'm here on the campus," Tom admitted.
"He should have danced with Allison and then married her."

"How is she doing?" Marie asked Carol.

"She's in college now and has a boyfriend," Carol replied.  "Tom is
covering her college expenses out of the settlement from the furniture
company and their insurer.  She stays in touch with us, and said that she's
engaged.  Tom set up a trust fund for her with 2 million dollars from the
settlement."  She hid her true feelings that she was still sad that her son
hadn't lived long enough to marry Allison and bless them with
grandchildren.

"You know that we donated 10 million dollars to the scholarship fund here
at the Academy," Tom added.  "With the 5 million from you, a lot of boys
will be able to come here and become mature men."

When the dance ended, Robbie left Jennifer at the Adams home before
returning to the campus.  Many cadets found the time and place to have sex
with their dates, but Robbie and Jennifer restrained their urges and
pledged their fidelity to each other.

"I don't want you to enlist," Jenny Kay admitted to Robbie.  "I'm worried
that something bad will happen to you."  She had lost her brother, and
feared that Robbie would be taken away too.

"We've talked about this before," Robbie began.  "I need to enlist to repay
this country for the life style that we both enjoy.  I'm excited about
going to basic training, but I'm sad that I'll never be a cadet again.  The
Academy has changed my life, and I can never repay the faculty for what
they did for me.  The Academy brought us together, and Drew's watching us
right now to make sure that I don't jump your bones!"

"I still dream about him," Jennifer admitted.  "Sometimes the dreams are
nightmares about his death, but others remind me of the good times we
shared.  He'll always have a place in my heart!"

"Mine too!" Robbie admitted.  "Goodnight, Jenny Kay.  I love you!"  He gave
Jennifer a kiss and left in the limousine for the return trip to the
Academy, knowing that he had to pack to leave for basic training.  During
the trip home, he shed tears about the end of his life on the campus and
for his Big Brother, Drew.

Robbie was up early the next morning, and packed for his trip to Boot Camp
at Great Lakes, Illinois.  Trip and Tracker were sad to see their buddy
leaving so soon, but helped him pack and shared memories of their times
together on campus.  Robbie was the first cadet to leave after the
graduation ceremonies ended, and waited for his aunt and uncle to arrive to
drive him to Illinois.  He had sold his Blazer to Paul Beck, but insisted
on keeping the Corvette at the home of his aunt and uncle.  He was ready to
leave when two important people came into the room.

"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye to us, were you?"
Derrick Harmon said.  "Guy and I are sad to see you leaving, but we know
that you're ready for anything that the Navy can throw at you!"

Robbie hugged his two coaches and shared his feelings of excitement and
loss about leaving the Academy.  The two coaches had prepared him
physically and mentally for the challenges of being in the military, and he
voiced his appreciation for their time and effort.

"Remember, don't display your martial arts expertise unless absolutely
necessary!" Derrick advised.  "Don't volunteer for anything!  They'll try
to break you, but I know that you can handle Basic Training without any
problems."

"Eric wanted to be here today, but I wouldn't let him cut school," Guy said
about his son.  "You won't have much free time, but please stay in touch
with us.  You're part of our family, and we love you!"

"I said goodbye to Eric yesterday," Robbie replied.  "The word 'Thanks'
doesn't seem enough for what you did for me.  I'll do my best to make you
proud of me!"

"We already are!" Derrick replied.  "Now get your ass out of here before
you make us both cry!"

Robbie hugged the two coaches and his roommates before grabbing his duffle
bag to walk down the steps and away from the George Washington Academy.
Tears flowed down his face when he waved goodbye to his cadet buddies at
the front of the Jefferson Dormitory.  A new chapter in his life was
beginning.

Eight weeks later, Robbie had completed Basic Training and was promoted
from Seaman Recruit to Seaman Apprentice.  Normally the graduating sailors
were given leave to go home and visit their families, but Robbie was
transferred to Coronado near San Diego, California.  He was excited about
starting the SEAL training, and shared his emotions during phone calls to
his aunt and uncle and Jenny Kay.

David was very upset that Robbie wasn't coming home on leave before
starting his intensive training.  He and Marie missed their nephew, and
wanted to celebrate his graduation from Boot Camp.

Jennifer missed Robbie and worried about his path in life.  She cherished
the phone calls and longed for the opportunity to hold Robbie in her arms.

Robbie was learning a ton of acronyms that are common in any branch of the
military.  Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months while he
struggled with the intense physical and mental training.

His training began with BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) that took
26 weeks at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado.  That was
followed by SQT (SEAL Qualification Training) for an additional 15 weeks.
During his months of intense training, his body and mind were taken to the
breaking point, but he used the meditation skills he learned from Tracker
to survive.  Nothing that his uncle or the two coaches had told him about
the SEAL training had prepared him for being totally exhausted and
challenged by the trainers.

During one of the martial arts sessions, he was selected to be the punching
bag for the Master Trainer.  He didn't know at the time that some special
visitors were watching the training, but he focused on the challenge of the
trainer.

"I'm armed with a Mark 3 knife, and I challenge you to defend yourself!"
Lieutenant Wilson Jackson said to Robbie.  "A SEAL will not always have a
weapon, so let's see what you can do!"

Robbie left the safety of his recruit buddies and walked into the circle of
battle.  He focused his mind on the extensive training from his coaches and
uncle, and faced the Master Trainer.

Wilson moved to attack the recruit, knowing that his superior skills would
humiliate Robbie in front of everyone.  It was an important lesson for the
recruits to see how much they needed to learn to survive on SEAL missions.

The special visitors knew that Robert Mathews would be selected for the
demonstration, and wanted to see what he could do against the Master
Trainer.

Everyone was shocked when Wilson's initial moves were blocked and
neutralized when Robbie revealed his martial arts training.  The Master
Trainer was quickly disarmed and knocked to the ground, with Robbie holding
the knife to the throat of his trainer.  Robbie held the trainer down until
he heard the whistle blow that ended the demonstration.  He stood up and
expertly threw the Mark 3 knife into the heart of the bayonet dummy that
was displayed at the side of the field.  He was pumped from the first time
that he had revealed his advanced training, but didn't want to be arrogant.
He offered his hand to Wilson and helped the trainer stand up.

"HOLY FUCK!" Lieutenant Dan Tobin said to his two buddies.  "DID YOU SEE
THAT?"

"We told you that he's fantastic!" Casey Miller replied.  He reminded his
CO (Commanding Officer) about Robbie's display of martial arts training at
O'Hare Airport in Chicago during the Thanksgiving Holiday in 1993 when
Robbie had kicked the ass of the drunk at the ticket counter.

Carl Jenkins added his comments about Robbie's progress in the SEAL
training.  The two SEALs had been in touch with Derrick Harmon and knew
when Robbie would be tested.  They hoped that their CO would consider
Robbie to replace a team member in the future.  SEAL missions were
dangerous, and new team members were needed about every six months due to
injury or ending their tour of duty.

Wilson Jackson was embarrassed in front of the huge audience, but he
marveled at the superior martial arts skills of the recruit.  He pulled
Robbie aside and asked him where he learned the advanced moves that he had
never seen before.

"I'm not supposed to reveal anything about my past," Robbie replied to his
trainer.  "Are you asking me to break that rule?"

"YES!" Wilson said.  "I could tell that you've been trained when you were
in the first few weeks of SQT, but I wasn't prepared for what you just did
to me.  Who trained you?"

"I don't know if you'll recognize the names, but I'll trust you to keep
this information a secret," Robbie replied.  "I graduated from the George
Washington Academy in Northern Michigan where Guy Stephens and Derrick
Harmon got me ready for Boot Camp and BUD/S.  Coach Harmon used to be a
trainer like you, and both coaches are former SEALs.  My advanced training
came from my uncle, Navy Captain David Mathews."

Wilson laughed and realized that Robbie had been trained by three of the
best SEALs in the history of the Navy.  "Everyone who has ever worn the
Trident knows about David Mathews!" He said.  "He was the Best of the Best,
and now I know why you knocked me on my ass!  I've been set up!"

Robbie laughed and enjoyed the private conversation with the Master
Trainer.  He promised to show restraint in future martial arts training,
and was pleased that Lt. Jackson promised to keep his past a secret.

At the end of SQT, Phase Two of Robbie's intense training began.  He was
now proud to wear the Trident that signified that he had passed the
required training to join the elite corps.  Instead of going home on leave,
he was ordered to ULT.  Unit Level Training lasted for six months, and
Robbie was trained in the core mission areas of Land Warfare, Close
Quarters Combat, Urban Warfare, Maritime Interdiction, Combat Swimmer, Long
Range Interdiction, Air Operations, Special Reconnaissance and Maritime
Operations, and Advanced Marksmanship/Heavy Weapons.

David and Marie were upset that Robbie hadn't come home on leave for over a
year.  David made calls to his contacts in the Navy, and was frustrated
when he learned that Robbie had declined the offered "leaves" to accelerate
his training.

"This is my fault!" David said to his wife and the Anderson family during a
meal at a local restaurant.  "I should have stopped him from enlisting!"

"Do you think that he would have listened?" Jennifer asked.  "He's living
his dream now, and I'm proud of him!  We'll all have to settle for the
emails and phone calls until he finds himself.  I'll wait for him for the
rest of my life!"

"She's right, David," Marie said.  "He loves and respects you, and is
following in your footsteps.  I miss him terribly, and can't wait to hug
him and see that Trident on his uniform!"

At the end of 1997, Robbie had completed Squadron Integration Training
(SIT) a 6 month block of advanced training to integrate all of the previous
training along with advanced training in medicine, language, and
cryptology.  He passed the final Certification Exercise (CERTEX) and
wondered where he would be deployed.

He was surprised to meet Lt. Dan Tobin and renew his friendship with Casey
Miller and Carl Jenkins when the three SEALs came to his barracks.  Showing
the proper respect, he saluted Lt. Tobin and then relaxed when the handsome
officer asked him if he was interested in a trip to Los Angeles.  He needed
some time away from the Naval Base and was pleased that the lieutenant told
him that they would all wear "civvies" or civilian clothes.  Robbie didn't
know it at the time, but he was going to be tested to see if he was ready
to join Eagle Team.

He met the three members of Eagle Team, officially Team 28, and was
impressed with the physical condition of the trio of SEALs.  He was
surprised that they were all boarding a privately owned helicopter for the
100-mile trip from San Diego to Los Angeles.  He started to question his
new friends, but decided to keep quiet.  He remembered what Guy Stephens
had said to him after the fight with Jermaine Bryant back at the Academy.
"Things are not always what they first appear to be," his coach had
advised.  "Wait until you have all the facts before you make a decision to
unleash your martial arts expertise".

He knew something important was going to happen when the helicopter settled
down in an empty field where an extended van was waiting for them.  He
looked at Lt. Tobin for information, but only saw the focused stare of a
trained SEAL.  Now he knew that this was not going to be an ordinary
excursion into town for beer and friendly talk.

The four SEALs got into the van without saying a word to the elderly
driver.  When the doors closed, Robbie was concerned that he was getting
into something dangerous that might get him dishonorably discharged from
the Navy.  He decided to trust the officer and his two friends.

"I need to take a leak," Robbie admitted to the lieutenant.

"No problem," Lt. Tobin replied.  "We'll be at a bar real soon and you can
'drain it' there."

The van sped through the streets of Los Angeles to a neighborhood that
looked seedy to Robbie.  His bladder was demanding attention, and he hoped
that he wouldn't pee in his pants before they got to the bar.  He looked
out the tinted window of the van and saw the dregs of the earth plying
their trades on the darkened streets.  He saw prostitutes, drug dealers and
street people, and wondered why they were in an area that had only Spanish
names on the stores, bars and hotels.

"Put these on and don't take them off until I tell you," Lt. Tobin said
calmly to Robbie and the other SEALs.  They had just pulled up in front of
a nasty looking bar with "Latina Casa" on the dilapidated sign over the
front door.  He was now on full alert when the SEALs got out of the van
after putting on the latex gloves and watched the van leave.

"Let's go have a beer and enjoy the culture of East Los Angeles," Dan said
to his friends.  "Mathews can take a leak while we enjoy a few Coronas!"

Robbie knew that the East Los Angeles area was the densest area of gang
activity in the entire country, and was the toughest area for any form of
law enforcement.  When he walked inside the dingy bar, he saw the stares
from the seedy men inside.  He wished that he had drained his bladder
earlier and didn't want to leave the relative safety of his friends to go
to the men's room.  The toilet was filthy and he was relieved that he was
wearing the latex gloves when he pushed open the door.  He quickly went to
the urinal and released the contents of his bladder.

Dan Tobin ordered 4 Coronas from the nasty looking waiter and told him to
leave the caps on the bottles.  He didn't want any chance of the waiter or
bartender putting anything in their drinks, and leaned back in his chair to
look around the room.  He nodded to Casey Miller to follow Robbie to the
men's room when he saw two nasty looking guys with tattoos all over their
faces and arms head towards the toilet.

"We don't like your kind around here!" the nasty waiter said when he
slammed the bottles of imported beer on the table.

"Thanks for the kind welcome!" Dan replied while handing the obvious gang
member a 20-dollar bill for the beers.  He had to yell over the sounds of
the Latin music that was blaring out of a jukebox that looked like it had
been through a war.

The two SEALs were on alert, but appeared relaxed while they surveyed the
dingy bar.  They quickly sized up the occupants and determined which ones
were probably carrying firearms.  Shit was going to hit the fan!

Robbie had finished urinating and looked at the broken sink.  He decided
not to try to wash his hands in the black crud that coated the sink, and
turned to join his buddies when two men came through the door.  He quickly
realized that the two men weren't there to welcome him to their bar.

 "Usted va a aspirar mi pene!" the first ugly man said.  Robbie knew enough
Spanish to understand that the ugly man expected him to suck his dick.
"Entonces usted tomara mi pene encima de su asno!"  The final order was
that the degenerate was also going to fuck Robbie in the ass!

"¡Va la cogida usted mismo!" Robbie replied, using the best Spanish that he
could remember.  His message to "Go fuck yourself!" met with instant anger
from the two gang members.

Robbie bristled with anger that his SEAL friends had left him alone in a
dangerous situation.  He saw both men pull out switchblade knives, and
braced himself for a dangerous fight.

The first man lunged at Robbie and wasn't ready for the attack of the
trained SEAL.  The knife was quickly kicked out of his hand and he was
slammed against the wall by a vicious kick to the chest.

Robbie knew that the kick would stop the man's heart and result in almost
immediate death, but extreme force was needed for him to save his own life.
He faced the second man and narrowly avoided the blade of the knife when it
ripped through his shirt.  He spun around and kicked his attacker in the
face, catching the knife in midair when the blow crashed the man against
the toilet stall.  Instinct took over, and he slashed the man's throat and
then buried the knife in the chest of his attacker.  Adrenaline rushed
through his body when he wheeled around and saw Casey Miller standing in
the doorway.

"WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU HELP ME?" Robbie screamed at his SEAL buddy.

"You didn't need my help!" Casey said calmly.  "Let's go see how our
buddies are getting along with the rest of the locals!"

Robbie was furious!  He had just killed two men, and knew that his SEAL
career was over!

"Walk slowly so you don't attract any attention," Casey said calmly before
they left the two dead men in the filthy toilet.

Robbie followed Casey out of the toilet and glared at Dan and Carl at their
table.  He wanted to run out of the bar, but felt Casey push him down on
the empty chair.

"How'd he do?" Dan asked Casey with a calm voice.

"Okay," was the simple reply.

"Sit down Robbie," Dan said over the loud music.  "You might need this."

Robbie was surprised to see Dan hand him a Mark 3 knife from the pocket of
his jacket.  He was angry that he had been setup by his new friends, and
wanted to get the fuck out of the bar.

Dan noticed that two more men had headed for the toilet, and said calmly,
"It's Showtime!"

When the two men ran out of the toilet screaming in Spanish, the entire bar
erupted.  Four martial arts experts went into action, and gunshots rang out
from every part of the bar.  Three of the SEALs pulled out 9 mm
semi-automatic weapons and began firing at the occupants of the bar.

Dan was reloading his handgun when he yelled to Robbie, "Get the
bartender!"

Without any reservation, Robbie threw the Mark 3 knife with precision,
hitting the fat bartender in the middle of his chest.

Casey Miller jumped over the bar and retrieved the 12-gauge shotgun that
the bartender had dropped.  It was an illegal weapon with a 25-round
magazine that looked like the old machine guns that were famous in the days
of Prohibition in Chicago.  In fluid motions, the four SEALs attacked the
gang members with a vengeance that could only be described as a massacre.
Robbie had broken a chair over a man's head and grabbed the handgun that
the man had dropped.  He emptied the 14-round clip before using the gun as
a weapon to crush the skull of one of the few remaining Latinos still
fighting.

"Clear!" sounded above the Latino music that was still coming out of the
jukebox, even though several bullets had hit the machine.

The three SEALs shouted "Clear!" when they realized that all of the
attackers were down.

The magnitude of what had transpired shook Robbie to the core!  Dead and
moaning bodies covered the floor along with broken furniture and glass.

"This is the asshole that we're looking for!" Dan said to his accomplices
while dragging a wounded man to the bar.  He threw the man on the bar and
retrieved two bottles of alcohol that he dumped on the injured man.

Robbie stood in the middle of the carnage, and couldn't believe what he was
seeing!  Some of the gang members were still alive, but none of them could
reach a weapon to fight the four SEALs.

He watched Casey and Carl join Dan in breaking bottles of liquor against
the walls of the bar area.  His feet were slipping on the floor that was
coated with a mixture of blood and alcohol and he just knew that he and his
accomplices would end up in prison on death row.

"Time to leave!" Dan said.  When he got to the door of the bar, he lit a
Zippo lighter and tossed it into the massacre scene.  The igniting alcohol
sent a blast of air out of the bar that nearly knocked Robbie over.

Robbie wanted to run away, but he knew that he would never make it out of
East Los Angeles alive. He could hear the screams of the dying gang
members, and his body was filled with dread for what he had done.  He was
furious with the three men, and was ready to unleash his martial arts on
them for getting him involved in the gang war.

Dan saw Robbie turning to leave his group and quickly ordered him to turn
around.  He saw that Robbie was ready to kill him, and he knew that he had
to diffuse the situation.

"Don't judge what just happened until you know all of the facts!" Dan
ordered.  "We've got to get the fuck out of here before all Hell breaks
loose!  Trust me!  I'm your CO!"

Robbie remembered what Guy and Derrick had told him about not jumping to a
conclusion before he had all of the facts.  He couldn't imagine what Dan
would say to justify the carnage in the bar, but he knew that he had to go
with the other men or die at the hands of angry gang members.

The bar was engulfed in flames when the extended van skidded up to a stop.
Four men jumped inside and noticed that the seats and floor of the van were
covered by a large plastic drop cloth.  Without saying a word, the elderly
driver sped away from the scene without making eye contact with any of the
crowd milling around on the streets.  It looked like at least 100 people
were running to witness the fire, but they couldn't see inside the black
van because of the tinted windows.

Casey Miller punched the buttons on a boom box, and the sounds of "Another
One Bites the Dust" by Queen filled the inside of the van.  Carl handed
everyone a cigar while the van sped out of East Los Angeles.

Robbie accepted the cigar, but didn't accept a light from Casey.  He was
confused how the three guys could act so calm after the carnage in the bar,
and watched Dan administering first aid to Carl and Casey.

"Tell him!" Dan said to Casey.  "He deserves to know why we did that!"

"Jose Ramos and Joseph Marshall were police officers assigned to the area
we just left," Casey said to Robbie when the boom box was turned off.
"They were trying to clean up the gang activities in that neighborhood, and
were slowly convincing some informers to divulge who the gang members were
who were terrorizing the population.  The Avenues or Avenidas Gang is the
most violent and feared by everyone, and their leader, Juan Salanda wanted
to scare anyone away from cooperating with the police.  The gang surrounded
the police cruiser and wounded Jose and Joe before dragging them out on the
street.  They tied up the two wounded officers and then strung them up by
their feet from a light pole on the same street that we just left.  They
butchered the two cops by cutting off their balls in front of the local
residents.  They screamed obscenities in Spanish and then Juan doused the
dying officers with gasoline and burned them alive!  The Avenidas Gang
members forced the people to watch the police officers die a horrible
death, and vowed to do the same to any informers."

Robbie was afraid that he would throw up when he listened to Casey describe
the horrible death of the two police officers.

"Couldn't the police do anything to the gang members?" Robbie asked.

"No one would talk!" Casey replied.  "Would you risk that same fate
happening to your family?  The only information that the police could get
was from people who refused to testify against the gang members.  Just so
you know the whole story, Joseph Marshall was my cousin!"

Robbie tried to process the information from Casey and looked at his SEAL
brothers.  Now that he knew the reason for the "mission", he was still
upset, but now was angrier at how things could be so bad in any part of the
United States.

"I'll take that light now," Robbie said to Casey.  He puffed the cigar and
tried to reason away his sick feelings that he would end up in prison for
killing so many men.

"We found out that the Avenidas Gang was having a meeting of their leaders
at that bar tonight," Dan said.  "We wanted to see how you would handle a
mission before we decided to ask you to join the Eagle Team.  We knew that
you were good with a knife, but I was surprised at your accuracy!  What do
you guys think?  Is Mathews going to be Eagle 7?"

The other two men agreed with Dan's evaluation of Robbie's performance
under extreme danger.  They all wanted him to be the replacement for Tom
Jeffries who had been wounded on their last official mission.

"This is a Monte Cristo cigar!" Robbie said to his buddies.  "Where'd you
get them?"

"I see that Eagle 7 has some refinement in his background!" Dan joked.
"Not too many people can recognize the expensive Cuban cigars, but you did!
Congratulations!"

"What about our driver?" Robbie asked.  He was concerned that the elderly
man could get them arrested if he repeated what he had just heard.

"Let me introduce you to retired Commander Mike Collander," Dan began.
"Mike was one of the best SEALs in the Navy, and used to oversee the
training at Coronado.  Hey Mike, do you remember Captain David Mathews?"

"David is still a close friend of mine," Mike replied.  "He was the best
martial arts trainer that we ever had!"

"Meet Robbie Mathews, his nephew!" Dan said to the driver.  "This runt just
proved his mettle in our first mission together!"

"How did you know about my uncle and DON'T call me a runt!" Robbie asked.
He knew that the Navy always kept background information a secret, and
wondered how Dan had found out about his uncle.

"Casey and Carl saw you in action at the O'Hare Airport, and we've been
watching your progress throughout the past year and a half!" Dan replied.
"When we saw you take down Wilson Jackson, we knew we had found someone
that we wanted for our team.  You may not know it, but your uncle has been
informed of every phase of your training, but he'll never admit it to you
or anyone else.  Captain Mathews is still one of the main advisors to the
entire SEAL Force!"

Now Robbie was truly shocked!  His uncle spent a lot of time in his home
office, and no one was allowed to interrupt him if the door was closed.
Now he knew why!  He wondered if his uncle would find out about what had
happened tonight, and hoped that he didn't.

"The Eagles have landed!" Mike Collander said into his cell phone when he
was near the empty field where the mission had begun.

Seconds after the four men exited the van and watched it drive away, they
heard the sound of the chopper approaching in the night sky.  The pilot
kept the blades whirling while the passengers jumped inside.

"Strip down and throw everything in the plastic bags," Dan ordered.

"Everything?" Robbie asked.  He knew that his shoes and outer clothes were
splattered with blood, but he didn't understand the order from his CO.

"This will be the first time that we see your 'pocket rocket' but it won't
be the last!" Dan teased.  "Every SEAL team is a tight group where we know
everything about our brothers.  If one of us gets a pimple, every Eagle
will know about it, no matter where it is!"

Robbie followed the lead of his commanding officer and put all of his
clothes in one of the plastic bags and wrapped a large towel around his
body to keep warm.  It took less than 10 minutes before the chopper circled
a large estate on the outskirts of Oceanside, California.  Robbie could see
a large fire burning behind the huge home and wondered where they were.
One thing that he had learned for his entire life was that he should follow
orders.

"Let's go guys!" Dan ordered.

Dan and Robbie grabbed the large plastic bags and handed them to two men
waiting on the lawn of the secluded home.

Robbie saw the two men carrying the bags towards the fire, and he correctly
guessed that more evidence was going to be immediately burned.  He followed
Dan into the home and into the master bedroom where a large shower was
already warming up.  It was a tight fit, but all four men quickly washed
away any remnants of blood.  He followed the instructions of Dan in closing
his eyes so he could be sprayed with a diluted mixture of hydrogen peroxide
when the shower was turned off.

"This will remove any remaining blood and help sterilize any cuts," Dan
said.  He sprayed Robbie and sent him back in the shower to rinse off.

Robbie was amazed to see that Carl and Casey had bleeding wounds that
needed medical attention, but neither guy seemed phased by being wounded.
When he got out of the shower he saw a pile of clothing for him to wear.
Everything fit perfectly, right down to the boxers and tennis shoes.

He saw a man coming into the bedroom and saw Dan motion to the man to
attend to Carl and Casey.

"Let's join the party!" Dan said.  The guys followed him through the large
home and into a game room where two card tables were set up.

Robbie was surprised to see three young men who were obviously his
teammates on Eagle Team sitting and playing cards with some older men.
Larry Holcomb, Adam Baker, and Jefferson Davis didn't get up and introduce
themselves, but they nodded to their teammates and continued playing poker.
He had heard their names from Dan, but had never been formally introduced.
He correctly guessed that Jefferson was the black man.

"Eagles, let me introduce you to our host, Jules Gulliver, Commander of the
California Highway Patrol," Dan said.  "Next to Jules is Malcolm Baxter,
Mayor of Los Angeles, Jim Balcom, District Attorney for Los Angeles, and
the man who helped Carl and Casey is Dr. William Medford."

Robbie had lost track of the times that he was shocked since he left the
barracks at Coronado.  Now he was sitting down to play cards with some men
who could put him in prison for the rest of his life, but his Eagle buddies
all seemed relaxed and accepted the offers of alcoholic beverages.

"What took you guys so long?" Mayor Baxter asked.  "You guys went out for a
smoke and messed up our poker game!"

He was continuing to harass the new arrivals until his cell phone rang.

"Baxter here," he said.  "I see!  I'll be right there!"

"What's the problem, Malcolm?" Jules asked.  "I was just starting to get
some of my money back from you, and you find some lame excuse to leave when
you're ahead!"

"We had some gang activity in East Los Angeles tonight," Malcolm replied.
"It looks like the Toonerville gang wiped out the leaders of the Avenidas
Gang, and torched their headquarters.  Sorry guys, but I have to leave to
investigate!"

"We can still keep two tables going," Jules replied.

Jim Balcom got a similar phone call and excused himself to return to his
District Attorney office in Los Angeles.  He knew that he would be spending
a long night to determine what happened.

Robbie followed the directions of Lt. Dan and sat down to play poker with
the remaining officials.  He was confused, but realized that the
dignitaries were a perfect alibi if any witnesses could identify him or his
Eagle brothers.  After playing for about an hour, the games broke up and
the eight Eagles jumped into a Navy Suburban to return to Coronado.

The planning for the "hit" on the Avenidas Gang was well done and executed
to perfection.  Carl and Casey had minor injuries that only required a few
stitches from Dr. Medford.  Robbie headed back to his barracks with a new
appreciation of how a mission would be planned and carried out.

Stay Tuned!!!!

Authors Note: This entire story is FICTION!!  I do not want readers to
"flame" me for involving the Navy SEALs in vigilante actions!  The Navy
SEALs are the finest Special Forces in the world, and deserve our praise
and gratitude.  Read my disclaimer at the beginning of this chapter and
take it to heart!  No animals were harmed during the writing of this
chapter!!

Jacob_latson@ hotmail.com