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s demeanor and personality in general totally changed. He was no longer buoyant and carefree. Rather he become stoic and even a little emotional. It was a side of him that she had never seen before.
"Did I ever tell you why I joined the military?" Clint asked. They were standing in the center of the great structure, with the sunken the ship directly below their feet. Clint had stopped moving and was staring down at the hunking mass of metal.
"No actually... I don't think I ever..." It was odd, but Olivia had just realized that she had never asked him why he had. She joined the Navy initially because they offered the best scholarship, only falling in love with the ways of the military after several years. She had assumed Clint was the same.
"My grandfather was on the Arizona when it was hit." He spoke barely above a whisper, as if he were talking to himself rather than her. "It was my father's tenth birthday. The ship went down before 9am. He never even had a chance to call or send a letter or anything. He was never given a chance. My father never joined the military because of that. He blamed the US, you believe that? Me though, I knew who the real enemy was. And it wasn't just the Japs. And it isn't now. It's anyone who threatens our way of life. Anyone who stops a father seeing his son on his tenth birthday. You know?"
"Is that why you joined the SEAL's?" Olivia asked. She too spoke in a whisper, not sure what else to say. Clint's voice trembled as he spoke, indicating he was on the verge of tears. She had never seen him so vulnerable.
"I remember there was this kid in my class who was bragging one day about how if he got good enough marks he would never have to see battle. Like that was a point of honor or something? It was because of that... that was when I realized that I was in the wrong place. The next day I dropped out and joined the SEAL's. At least as a SEAL I can make a difference, a real physical difference. Even if I don't have the title. I've never once regretted my choice either."
"Never?"
"No, not never. My only regret was leaving you." He had stopped looking down now, his body turned to face Olivia. There were tears in his eyes and Olivia couldn't think of a single time she had ever seen him cry before. "I made a choice that day, the military over you. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Hopefully... hopefully it's one I won't ever have to make again."
If there was any doubt as to how Clint felt about Olivia, it was vanquished in that moment. As she watched him, tears near brimming in his eyes, she didn’t know what to say. Or if any words would do. So she said nothing. Instead she walked up to Clint, threw her arms around him and hugged him. And he returned it, holding her in his strong embrace.
And there they stood for an immeasurable length of time. It may have been seconds. It may have been minutes or even hours. It didn’t matter. She was happy to hold him and clearly, he was more than happy to hold her right back.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Brian was already at the café when Olivia arrived. He was sitting alone, sipping on a cup of coffee, his eyes glancing from left to right. He looked nervous, Olivia thought, like he was the one on trial. That was the first sign that things weren't going to go to plan.
Her goal was keep the proceedings as casual as she possibly could. Although she was interviewing the young Lieutenant in an official context, she knew how intimidated soldiers could become by these types of proceedings. And although she was after the truth, wanting to keep emotion out of it, she also knew that Brian and Clint were good friends. As such she suggested the cafe, hoping that would alleviate some of the formality.
But as pointed out, by the way that Brian's knee furiously bobbed up and down as he waited, she guessed that he were as nervous as he would have been had they met in a more offical location. She just hoped it didn't do anything to effect his testimony.
"Brian Fischer?" She asked as she reached the table.
"Yes ma'am," he offered, standing up the moment she spoke. Leapt up more like it. He really was nervous.
"Please, take a seat," she said as she sat down. He followed suit, very quickly sitting down. It was only when he was seated and presumably comfortable that she continued. "So, Mr Fischer, as I'm sure you know I'm here to ask you questions pertaining to the incident that occurred with Clint Reese."
"Yes ma'am. Lieutenant Commander Randall filled me in."
"Excellent. This should be nice and simple then. Why don’t we start with how well you know Clint Reese. Just so I can get a sense of your relationship."
"Oh... well me and Clint we go a little ways back. I actually tried out for the SEAL program the same time he did. Didn't get through obviously. But it was also him that suggested I join the Coast Guard as a rescue swimmer. I was always a good swimmer." Much to Olivia's relief, he seemed to calm down a little as he spoke.
"So you would say you're good friends?"
"As good as one can be I suppose." She was certain but she thought she heard him choke up. Maybe it was just her imagination.
"Excellent. Now, how about you go over that day? Leave nothing out."
"OK. Ah well... We – that is me and the other guys on the Guard had some drills we needed to run. Just some touch up exercises – that is exercises aimed at touching up some skills if you know what I mean?"
"I do," Olivia responded, offering him a warm smile. He was getting nervous again, she could tell.
"We needed to use a submersible and I suggested to Randall – Lieutenant Randall, that we ask the SEAL Vehicle Delivery Team if we could use theirs. Randall – Lieutenant Randall, said that I was going to have to ask, as I knew Clint. So I asked and Clint said it was fine as long as he came along. Just to watch and make sure we treated his vehicle with respect – which is right for him to do."
"It is," Olivia agreed.
"Anyway all was fine. We used it like we said and nothing was amiss. It was nearer the end of the day when the other three guys were doing some diving drills. They came up for air and told us they'd found the Japanese sub."
"And what was the initial response by you? What did you suggest that you and the team do?" She asked.
It took him a moment to answer, as if he were trying to think of the best way to frame his response. "I said we should call it in. Clint explained to us what it was and I thought maybe a salvage team should come and collect it. But when I suggested that, Clint said – I want to get on the record here that Clint never meant for anything to happen," Brian rushed through. "He just thought that... he thought it would be OK if we took a look first and then maybe, if it seemed possible, we could salvage it ourselves."
