don’t interfere with my people.” He turned and walked out of the office. LTC Mitchem wasn’t fazed by Jamison’s actions.
Mitchem started speaking. His tone was cold, “You’re going to be helping my team on this project. All of these scientists and techs are highly trained in their specialties. You’ll do exactly what they tell you to do.I’m fairly sure that most of this will be over your head, so don’t interfere with the engineering team. If you break anything, you’re liable for it. If my team gets hurt, you’ll be brought up on charges. If you’re insubordinate to anybody, you’ll be dealing with Mr. Jamison and me. Are there any questions?”
Mike was livid, and he was sure it showed on his face. He had never been talked down to like that in his life, not even in the Rangers, where discipline was paramount. He knew that these men outranked him, but he was here at their request. He and his team were doing these Air Force people a favor. Hell, Special Operations Command was doing them a favor. The disrespect that was directed towards his team made him want to snap Mitchem and Jamison’s necks. Everett reached over and placed his hand on Mike’s arm. Mitchem noticed the movement.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
Mike swallowed his bile and calmed down. He let his breath out slowly before he answered. “No sir, there is no problem.”
Mitchem took in the group. He nodded then turned around and left the room. Mike sat there for a moment, then noticed that everybody was looking at him.
Rob spoke first, “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, that was weird.”
Mike turned to Dickenson, “What the hell was that.”
Dickenson put his finger to his mouth, indicating that everybody should have patience. He waited until he heard the heavy security door open and then shut again. He stood up and walked to the door. He looked out into the hall. Evidently he didn’t see anything. He closed the door.
Dickenson turned back to the team, “Gentlemen, I’m sorry for the command team. They’re, . . . , problematic at times.”
Mike stared at him. “Really, you call that problematic? I call that psychotic.”
Lieutenant Pang tried to hide her smile behind her hand. It was evident that she agreed with Mike’s assessment. Captain Dickenson looked at her with daggers coming out of his eyes.
Pang tried to recover, but she couldn’t. She started laughing.
Everett looked her over, “This is funny Lieutenant?”
She shook her head, “No, I’m relieved to know that others think that Jamison is nuts.”
Dickenson spoke, “Ah, lieutenant, I don’t think that is helping.”
Mickey asked, “Do you think that’s normal? The way Jamison reacted to Mike?”
Dickenson couldn’t argue Mickey’s point. His posture deflated. “Guys, I’m sorry about Director Jamison and LTC Mitchem. I think Mitchem is just trying to keep his job. Jamison is the real problem.”
Mike wasn’t sympathetic. “You could have warned us.”
Dickenson looked at him, “Not with the Airmen around I couldn’t. We have the luxury now of being in a room with a closed door, and Mr. Landberg is the only person in the other room. And he’s very good at keeping secrets. Jamison is touch and go. Some days he is okay. Some days, not.”
Mike looked at Dickenson and Pang. “How the hell does somebody that idiotic get put in charge of a program this big?”
Dickenson sat down, and spread his hands, “We have no idea. He’s a smart guy, like science smart, but he has problems with people that aren’t on his team. I think he is high functioning Autistic. He speaks geek speak with the team, and he does well with his boss, but he has problems when he thinks somebody isn’t giving him respect.”
Mike looked at Pang, hoping for more information. She looked back at him, “I just work here.”
Mike
Mitchem started speaking. His tone was cold, “You’re going to be helping my team on this project. All of these scientists and techs are highly trained in their specialties. You’ll do exactly what they tell you to do.I’m fairly sure that most of this will be over your head, so don’t interfere with the engineering team. If you break anything, you’re liable for it. If my team gets hurt, you’ll be brought up on charges. If you’re insubordinate to anybody, you’ll be dealing with Mr. Jamison and me. Are there any questions?”
Mike was livid, and he was sure it showed on his face. He had never been talked down to like that in his life, not even in the Rangers, where discipline was paramount. He knew that these men outranked him, but he was here at their request. He and his team were doing these Air Force people a favor. Hell, Special Operations Command was doing them a favor. The disrespect that was directed towards his team made him want to snap Mitchem and Jamison’s necks. Everett reached over and placed his hand on Mike’s arm. Mitchem noticed the movement.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
Mike swallowed his bile and calmed down. He let his breath out slowly before he answered. “No sir, there is no problem.”
Mitchem took in the group. He nodded then turned around and left the room. Mike sat there for a moment, then noticed that everybody was looking at him.
Rob spoke first, “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, that was weird.”
Mike turned to Dickenson, “What the hell was that.”
Dickenson put his finger to his mouth, indicating that everybody should have patience. He waited until he heard the heavy security door open and then shut again. He stood up and walked to the door. He looked out into the hall. Evidently he didn’t see anything. He closed the door.
Dickenson turned back to the team, “Gentlemen, I’m sorry for the command team. They’re, . . . , problematic at times.”
Mike stared at him. “Really, you call that problematic? I call that psychotic.”
Lieutenant Pang tried to hide her smile behind her hand. It was evident that she agreed with Mike’s assessment. Captain Dickenson looked at her with daggers coming out of his eyes.
Pang tried to recover, but she couldn’t. She started laughing.
Everett looked her over, “This is funny Lieutenant?”
She shook her head, “No, I’m relieved to know that others think that Jamison is nuts.”
Dickenson spoke, “Ah, lieutenant, I don’t think that is helping.”
Mickey asked, “Do you think that’s normal? The way Jamison reacted to Mike?”
Dickenson couldn’t argue Mickey’s point. His posture deflated. “Guys, I’m sorry about Director Jamison and LTC Mitchem. I think Mitchem is just trying to keep his job. Jamison is the real problem.”
Mike wasn’t sympathetic. “You could have warned us.”
Dickenson looked at him, “Not with the Airmen around I couldn’t. We have the luxury now of being in a room with a closed door, and Mr. Landberg is the only person in the other room. And he’s very good at keeping secrets. Jamison is touch and go. Some days he is okay. Some days, not.”
Mike looked at Dickenson and Pang. “How the hell does somebody that idiotic get put in charge of a program this big?”
Dickenson sat down, and spread his hands, “We have no idea. He’s a smart guy, like science smart, but he has problems with people that aren’t on his team. I think he is high functioning Autistic. He speaks geek speak with the team, and he does well with his boss, but he has problems when he thinks somebody isn’t giving him respect.”
Mike looked at Pang, hoping for more information. She looked back at him, “I just work here.”
Mike
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