CHAPTER 9
The first four interviews had gone rather well with only a couple of hiccups. They would see four more candidates before their scheduled lunch break at 1345 hours. The general had been informed that two new interviewees were already seated in the waiting room. He asked the Lieutenant to show in their next guest.
“Sirs, I present to you, Corporal Alyssa Renee Stall.”
The room exchanged salutes and the new prospect took her seat. Corporal Stall was one of the newer members of the Joe team and has only been with them for about three years.
“Welcome Corporal. You have a rather impressive resume for someone so new to the G.I.Joe team. Can you tell me why I should select you for this task force over all the other qualified candidates?”
The young blonde-haired soldier at first did not know how to respond. It was not the way of the Joe team to consider yourself “better” than any other member, but maybe this was to be a different kind of team. She pondered her response and nervously licked her lips.
“With all due respect Sirs, I did not think that this was going to be an individualized task force where members went on solitary missions. I was under the impression that this was going to be a new team. It is going to be a team, isn’t it? Because if it’s not, I withdraw my application.” Bulletproof showed little facial expression but had already heard much of what he wanted to hear.
“Yes Corporal Stall, it will be a team, so you need not worry about that. I was just trying to see if there is anything that makes you stand out from your peers, or makes you feel more qualified is all.”
The corporal’s posture lessened a bit at the response. She bit down on her lower lip before starting over.
“I would like to begin by saying that I work very well with my team members, and have proved to be invaluable to them at times when a forward observer was needed. My knowledge of computer programs, global satellite positioning software, and drone programming and operation has allowed me to provide a clear pathway for my strike teams to access their targets with the least amount of resistance. As a D.E.F agent, I could use these skills and others to provide surveillance of drug-torn areas, as well as gather intel on shipping routes and operations. This could assist in getting boots on the ground with minimal interference, or detection by our intended targets.”
The major nodded seeming only slightly impressed.
“And what experience do you have with the drug epidemic in the United States? Or controlled substances in general?”
She started to feel as if she was being personally attacked but did not allow that to show on her face. She took a deep breath before offering her response.
“Major, I’m not proud of the information that I’m about to share with you now, but my brother is the Cobra operative known as Blackout. Over the course of our childhood, there were times that he dabbled in controlled substances, mostly cocaine and pot, but street narcotics nonetheless. My family and I spent countless months at drug rehab facilities trying to learn ways to help him beat his addiction. I even took classes in college on drugs, their influence on society, their production, and the war on drugs. I don’t like to talk about it, but this situation and its side effects is something I hold close to my heart. It is a personal war that I have been waging, and one that I would like to continue with the help of other like-minded individuals. I am hopeful that you and your task force are the ones that help me do it”
“I thank you for sharing that with me, it’s not always easy divulging personal information to a stranger. I understand that you also have another brother on the Joe team.”
“Yes, my brother, Dwight, AKA Barrel Roll, is currently on leave. He has been working with the Sky Patrol as of late, but we speak daily.”
“Well, I am happy to know that one of your siblings is still close with you and a member of the Joe team. I appreciate your interest and just so you are aware. I will be making my selections by the end of business tomorrow. If you could please exit through the side door.” The major and General Hawk stood up in order to salute the candidate.
“Thank you for this opportunity and I await your decision, Sirs.” Corporal Stall then exited the war room.
“Who is next on our agenda?”
Major Morris flipped over the next resume.
“Captain Kenneth Rich.”
Hawk pressed the intercom and asked the lieutenant to show the captain in. The door opened and the 0-3 confidently strolled in. After a round of salutes, the officer seated himself before the committee.
“I’m so happy to have you here with us today Captain Rich. Might I start by saying that your field record is extremely impressive, as is your education. The University of Berkeley huh? It’s not every day that I get to meet with an Ivy Leaguer and a psyops officer.”
The whole time that the major was speaking, the captain was studying his facial expressions and body language, looking for the slightest signs of deception. Once satisfied that the major was indeed impressed, he answered.
“Yes, I graduated Magna Cum Laude, University of Berkeley, but we are not considered an Ivy League School, Sir. The Ivy League schools are located in the eastern part of the United States and include such schools are Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Columbia.”
“Oh, I apologize. My mistake.”
The psyops officer could tell that the error was genuine and unintentional.
“It’s a common mistake, Sir. One that you’ll never make again I’m sure.”
Bulletproof paused momentarily and made a notation on the candidate’s resume.
“I see...So Captain Rich, could you tell me why I should select you for this task force over all the other qualified candidates? What makes you stand out?”
The captain considered the question and could tell right away that his interviewer was presenting a question to which he was expecting a specific response. He took a few moments and after replaying the questions over in his mind, started his response.
“I believe the question should be, ‘why do you feel I would be a good candidate for this task force?’ Because after all, it was you who asked me to come in for an interview today.”
Bulletproof had not prepared for the response given and his facial response indicated his level of perturbation, but his interviewee was not wrong, and he should have expected as much from a psych major and a social worker. The police detective had had some deception training over his career as well and did not plan on being shown up by the Berkeley graduate. He knew the reasons he had chosen his file from amongst the resumes but had no intentions of divulging that information to him. He valued his experiences as a social worker and crisis counselor and knew that his insights into the field could be of use in structuring the outreach program that would provide help for recovering addicts and their family members. He viewed him as the most qualified but was also aware of the fact that other candidates possessed similar qualifications as well. He put on his best expressionless face then turned to address the 0-3.
“Listen, Captain Rich, I have eight other highly qualified candidates scheduled for today, and I have already interviewed you and five others. Don’t go inflating your ego, Mr. Freud. You’re here out of a courtesy to your commanding officer and nothing more. If you’re looking for recognition and someone to sing your praises, you’re barking up the wrong tree!”
The psyops officer was taken a bit back at what he perceived to be a truthful proclamation. He slouched his shoulders slightly, but only for a moment. Bulletproof’s astute perception caught this, and he thought he saw just a hint of humility and redemption in the previously cocky candidate.
“I will be making my final decision on task force members by the close of business tomorrow. Do you have anything else to add soldier?”
Captain Rich’s posture once again exuded confidence and pride.
“No Sir. I await your knowledgeable decision, and thank you for considering my services for this important team.”
“Thank you again for offering your insights and please exit by way of the side door.”
The trio in the room then stood and a salute ended the interview. As the psyops officer exited the room, General Hawk turned to his interview partner.
“You went a little harsh on him no?” Bulletproof scoffed for a second and then replied.
“I had to show him who was in charge, and make sure that he could follow orders and respect the chain of command.”
“And? Did he pass?” The general inquired.
“I might be able to work with him, but I still have some others in mind as well. You’ll just have to wait like everyone else.”
The general dismissed the comment having a pretty good feeling about the captain and instead inquired about the next candidate.
“So who’s up for interrogation next?” General Hawk smirked a bit after saying it.
“I’ve got Corporal Christopher Lavigne up next. Didn’t know you had an MP on the Joe roster.”
“The nice thing about the Joe team is we have a little bit of everything, we don’t discriminate against talent.”
He pressed the intercom on his desk and asked Lieutenant van der Ness to show in the next applicant. The door opened and the secretary showed a very clean cut and polished military police officer inside, accompanied by a large German Shepherd. He was the mirror opposite of Sgt. Perlmutter in appearance, but no less qualified or talented. The two interviewers stood and saluted to which the corporal promptly returned the gesture. The three then sat down to begin the interview.
“Welcome Corporal Lavigne, it is my pleasure to meet with you after having gone through your more than impressive resume. I will ask you the same question that I’ve asked all the previous applicants. Why do you feel you are a better fit for this task force than all the other applicants I’ve met with so far?”
The MP didn’t answer at first and simply looked down at his dog almost as if he was expecting him to answer for him.
“I would never claim to be better than any of my teammates. We might possess a different skill set than them which could allow us to work together better. Having had a previous career serving on a K-9 unit, we have had multiple opportunities to hone our skills at seeking out various controlled substances. We also know the workings of the criminal mind having conducted various interrogations. My testimony, as well as Order’s nose, have been instrumental in putting away several infamous drug dealers. Our skill set has successfully put them away behind bars for a long time to come. Does this make us better? I don’t think so. I think it just makes us a little more prepared and better suited to assist our squad.”
He answered with a degree of confidence, but Bulletproof couldn’t help hearing the similarity to Cheech Marin in his voice.
“I see, so what was the longest sting operation you’ve ever been a part of?”
“We’re not really the ones who go undercover. We’re the ones called in to help clean up the mess, and Order and I are very thorough. If we’re on the job, no stone is left unturned.”
The veteran DEA officer had already met with a K-9 officer earlier and was not taking much of a liking to this one. He seemed a little too rigid, and the more he spoke, the more he continued to fight back the urge to call him Cheech.
“And how long have you been partnered with your dog?” The question took a little time for him to process.
“Partnered implies a marriage. We’re not married. That would be weird. We have been working together for forty-nine years now. I’m getting close to retirement age you know.”
Major Morris grimaced at the remark and offered little more than an audible MmmHmm.
“I’m speaking for Order Sir. You do know that one human year is equivalent to seven dog years?”
“Yes, I got that. I just didn’t really find it funny. I will be making cuts and selections by the end of business tomorrow. Thank you once again for expressing your interest and sharing your abilities. Please exit through the side door.”
The three then stood, saluted and the MP left the room. Bulletproof looked over at Hawk.
“What is it with these corny jokes? Is he always like that?”
General Hawk smiled.
“You’re lucky. He usually makes the dog answer all his questions. I was actually quite surprised. He usually likes speaking in the third person, like he’s some sort of pro-wrestler or something. It was rather odd that he chose to speak as a collective today.”
“You’re kidding right?”
“Would I kid you about this? On the plus side, he really is the ideal soldier. Good at taking orders and following through. He’s just a bit odd at times.”
The narcotics officer looked to his watch and then flipped over the next file.
“You don’t say. Anything odd I should know about the next interviewee? I’ve got Specialist Tormod Skoog on my list.”
General Hawk shifted slightly in his chair before answering.
“SPC Skoog comes across as a little clumsy, but don’t let that fool you. He is as cool as a cucumber under pressure, but I’ll let you be the judge. Shall I have Lt. van der Ness show him in?”
“I can’t wait.”
The door opened and a tall, kinda lanky young man walked in. They both rose and saluted.
“Welcome Specialist Skoog. Please make yourself comfortable.”
The young man attempted to move the chair out further from the desk but instead succeeded in placing the chair down on his foot. After pulling his foot out from underneath, he almost fell backward into the wall.
“I’m terribly sorry, Sirs. My inner zen is a bit off today.”
Bulletproof didn’t seem to mind and simply motioned for him to take his seat once more.
“So, Specialist Skoog, I see that you’ve spent some time in Tibet. Did you learn anything from the monks that would make you the best candidate for this task force?”
“The Tibetan monks taught me the way of spiritual enlightenment and how to achieve inner peace. This has been of great importance to me, as I spend many of my days defusing explosives and disarming detonators. I know, I may come across as unbalanced, but I assure you, Sir, my entire body is in tune when I’m working, and if you’re aiming to go into a possible meth lab, I’m your specialist. Don’t doubt that for a second. I’m also really good with car bombs. I understand that those are quite popular with the drug cartels.”
The DEA officer couldn’t argue with him on either of those points, and he seemed like a nice enough kid.
“How are you with robots?”
SPC Skoog was quick to answer.
“I’ve worked with several in high risk areas, they’re useful, but my hands are still steadier. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to using them, but someone else has to transport them to the site. Last time, I dropped a very expensive crawler unit, which resulted in me having to go in on my hands and knees to diffuse the detonator without it.”
He smiled slightly and shrugged while delivering his response.
“I’m sure that could be arranged, if you are chosen for the team. Or we could just make sure that the carrying cases come with wheels. Speaking of which, I will be making my decisions by the end of business tomorrow. Thank you for coming in and expressing your interest. It really was a pleasure meeting you SPC Skoog. Please exit through the side door on your left.”
The three then rose and saluted. As he turned towards the door, he tripped over his chair and fell flat on his face. He jumped back up almost as quickly.
“Sorry Sirs.” He then exited the room.
There would be one additional interview before their scheduled lunch. So far, the early morning interviews seemed more impressive than the late morning ones.
“Who's next on your list major?”
He flipped over the next folder having been looking forward to this next interview since last night.
“I’ve got a Sergeant Paige Adams, urban warfare specialist.”
“I’ll have Lt. van der Ness show her in right away.”
The general had chosen to take a passive role in the interviewing process, wishing to only oversee. He had already narrowed down the list of who he considered to be the most qualified applicants. He didn’t want to further skew the process by asking any leading or revealing questions.
The door opened and a rather tall, fit, plain looking brunette entered in an army uniform. The three saluted and then were seated.
“So Sgt Adams, I’ve read through your file and must say that your track record is commendable. I admire your work, and am impressed with the diversity of the locations you’ve been assigned to. Infiltrated the Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel, several major heroin busts in Syria and Iran, shut down an illegal oxi manufacturing plant in Brazil, and the list goes on and on. You’ve carried out some tough assignments! Can you provide any other reasons why you feel you would be the best choice to join this task force?”
The young sergeant thought for a second.
“Thank you Major Morris for that, but I’ve been following your career and have to give you credit as well. Detroit, Michigan is not an easy place to wage the war on drugs. Neither is Miami, Central America or Mexico, but please don’t ne offended. I’ve led task forces in places that make Detroit and Miami look like a country club. Afghanistan, Mogadishu, the Philippines and Colombia would make your head spin. Ever kick down the door of a meth lab in Pakistan? I watched while two of my closest compatriots were beheaded on internet television, because I was on the other side of the globe handling a different situation. The war on drugs extends well beyond our borders, and you will need someone with worldly experience, who is a fierce fighter and calm under extreme pressure. I thrive where most others crack, fall apart, or curl up into a little ball in the corner and cry. Together, I feel we could really make a difference and take out some of these major world drug players. In the process, we will be cleaning up our streets back home and making the world a safer place.”
He was a bit put off at first by her arrogance, but her willingness to be a team player and appreciation for his experience in the field, made her shine as an elite candidate. He put a large star next to her name before asking his next question.
“How well do you handle sarcasm?”
She looked at him and smirked.
“Better than most. I’m really good at dishing it out, but I can also take it. How about you?”
She raised her eyebrow while delivering the response. Bulletproof put his pen down and looked up at her just in time to catch the gesture.
“I never use it.” He delivered his response completely dead-panned. She appeared surprised for a split second until he ended with: “Less than a dozen times a day.” With the tension finally broken, the three enjoyed a quick laugh.
“Well, I must say it was a pleasure to finally meet the soldier behind the resume. I will be making my final decisions by the end of business tomorrow. Thank you for coming in and expressing your interest. Please exit through the side door on the left.”
The three then stood for a salute and Sergeant Adams exited the interview room.
“Time for lunch Major?” Earl looked up at the clock and then down at his interview schedule. “We’ve got at least an hour before the next scheduled interview. Come on, I’ll treat you to lunch.”
“You’re on! After the last three candidates, I’m famished. I thought you handpicked the best of the best.”
General Hawk paused for a second and then realized where it was coming from before commenting further.
“I did. But seriously, what did you think I was really going to do? Hand over all my best operatives to you just because POTUS told me to?” The general then clapped the major hard on the shoulder and they both laughed. “Come on let’s go get a burger. We need to fuel up for the next round. So just how many more interviews do we have left?”
“I’ll tell you after you get me that cheeseburger.”
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