I Earn My Keep

By Lon Maisttison

She is smart, beautiful and very successful at winning international real estate contracts for her family’s company. But, while on business in Paris, she is kidnapped by her rival competitor to remove her from a three billion dollar New York / Paris real estate contract. Her father is old army buddies with the Commander of Air Rescue Special Forces and they send their best commando to rescue her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lon Maisttison
• Release date: Mar 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466099784

Lon Maisttison

Lon Maisttison is a retired Southern Indiana boy who enjoyed a 43-year career in Electronics Engineering with 20 years spent in England working on Government contracts.It was during his last assignment in England (1993 to 2003),that the idea for Air Rescue Stories was conceived from day-dreams formulated in the imaginative mind of author Lon Maisttison. The author visualized these day-dream stories based against real life events happening throughout the world and injecting his own 20th century Ninja action hero. A Ninja that was not based on Western Movie type of fighters, but the original fifteenth century Japanese stealth warrior, who specialized in covert assassinations for a paid fee for services. These fifteenth century Ninja’s utilized stealth; the art of being undetected, invisible to their target, which became the basis for the Air Rescue Stories.This theme created the action hero Jimmy West – The Stealth Warrior. An action hero who is paid a million dollars a mission to infiltrate a location, knocks off all the guards with a blowgun and tranquilizer darts, secure the kidnapped person and leave silently.During the late 1990‘s, the author started compiling stores on his home computer into a written outline format about the visualized day-dream stories of that day. For years the day-dreamed stories remained dormant on his home computer until 2003 when the author came back to the United States and contracted a virus that attacked his heart that developed into congestive heart failure (CHF). During that year of recovery from a heart function of 10%, the author started researching the Mediterranean Diet to survive CHF. This research work lead to the book titled: “The Kissed of Death – Congestive Heart Failure.” So, the author made himself a promise to continue writing about CHF and in addition, started a new hobby, writing books about Air Rescue. This lead to the first book titled: “The Two Sisters of Kuwait,” written from stories developed in England.Since 2003, new day-dreamed stories began about Air Rescue with the creation of Global Rescuer, a helicopter support ship, which used hologram displays to disguise its identity i.e. stealth. In addition, four robot based fast attack gunships was created, which use voice commands, supercomputers to fly the gunship. Later, Skyspy and Gunrunner was created, both are robot aircraft. The ship/gunship creation opened an endless avenue of new stories based on Strike Force Rescues i.e. attack gunships and rescue helicopters.For the past seventeen years, these simple ideas and dreams have created fourteen books composed of one short story, six novelettes, three novellas, four novels and four novel versions of “Kissed by Death.”

Book preview

Introduction

Air Rescue began as a helicopter rescue business. Later, Air Rescue Special Forces was established to rescue kidnapped businesspeople for large fees…. i.e. The Stealth Warrior Jimmy West…Next, Global Rescuer was created, a clandestine ship and the fast attack gunship was born to support rescues…These are the cloak and dagger stories of Air Rescue.

*****

I Earn My Keep

The story begins with Global Rescuer 150 miles off the coast of the Straits of Gibraltar with some of the crew, including the Captain, in the middle of a poker game.

Full house, kings and queens, commands the Captain in a loud voice as he lays his cards down on the table.

That beats my two pair; replies Jimmy as he throws his cards into the pile of cards on the table.

Captain Cork stretches his arms out across the table and pulls in all his winning chips.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, it’s about time I won one, he replies.

Captain Cork reaches out across the table again and pulls in all the cards towards him.

He collects the cards together and arranges them.

Tap, tap goes the card deck as he bangs it on the table.

He splits the deck into two halves.

Flush goes the deck as he shuffles them.

Flush goes the deck a second time as the Captain reshuffles the deck again.

Ok…. who’s in this game? asks the Captain.

I am in, me too, clink, clink goes the chips on the table as everyone throws in their money.

Shuffle, shuffle goes the cards as the Captain splits the deck of cards again for the last time.

The Captain starts dealing out cards to everybody at the table as they all settle down to another hand of poker.

After the Captain dealt out the fifth card to everybody, he laid the remaining deck down on the table in front of him and picked up his five cards.

We have been sailing now for about 16 days and have crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice. Our story began in Alexandria, Egypt as the ship made a port of call to have a belated birthday dinner for the Science Officer. During dinner, a crewmember spotted a terrorist attending a party in the restaurant, who was wanted dead or alive by the United States for 10 million dollars. Puzzled by his boldness for coming out of hiding after six years, Captain Cork decided to follow him in hopes of collecting the reward. But the terrorist had other ideas and boarded an ocean-going yacht, and sailed out of the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States with Air Rescue in pursuit.

Using high-tech spying drones and good old fashion cloak and dagger work by Jimmy, that’s Jimmy West, the Stealth Warrior, we soon discovered that the terrorist was on a suicide mission with three homemade one kiloton atomic bombs. To save the three American cities of New York and Washington DC and the town of Myrtle Beach from destruction by atomic bombs, Air Rescue resorted to using the Fast Attack Gunships to stop him.

Madam President was so happy with what we did that she personally flew out to the ship to thank us. In addition, she brought along a check for $15 million dollars; $10 million for getting the terrorist and $5 million for a bonus for our work in stopping them.

Shortly after her visit, we left the United States and headed back for Europe. We have been sailing now for 5 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean and are currently 150 miles west of the Strait of Gibraltar.

How many cards Jimmy?

I’ll take three.

And you Roy?

I’ll take two.

I am staying on my hand, replies the Captain.

O-wow, responds Jimmy, Do we have a nice hand?

You will have to pay to see it, said the Captain.

Ok everybody; I am raising the pot by two chips, replies the Captain.

Man, are we the last of the big spenders, says Jimmy.

Captain, I’ll raise you another two chips.

Everybody throws in two more chips.

Ok Captain let’s see what you have? says Jimmy.

I have a full house, answers the Captain.

Me too, replies Jimmy, What’s your highest card?

Queens, replies the Captain.

Kings for me, Jimmy answers.

Roy speaks up, real good guys but read them and weep.

I have four aces as he lays his cards down on the table.

Well, that sure in the hell beats me. says the Captain.

Me too, replies Jimmy.

At the Comm’s Officers position…. ring-ring, ring-ring, ring-ring goes the satellite phone.

The Captain looks over at the Comm’s officer’s position as he answers the phone.

Global Rescuer, replies the Comm’s Officer.

Hi Frank! How are you doing? asks the Comm’s Officer.

Yes! The Captain is right here, hold-on, replies the Comm’s Officer.

The Comm’s officer turns to the Captain.

Captain! It’s Frank in England.

Thanks, replies the Captain.

Count me out of the next few hands, instructs the Captain as he throws his cards in the center of the table.

The Captain takes the phone, yes Frank, what can I do for you?

"How’s it going Captain?

Welcome back to Europe.

Good job to everybody on Global Rescuer, responded Frank.

Thanks Frank.

The Captain turns to everyone around the table, Franks says good job everybody.

Thanks Frank, they all yell.

Did you hear that Frank?

Yes Captain, thanks.

Is Jimmy still onboard Global Rescuer?

Yes, he is….In fact, he’s sitting right here at the table.

Ask him if he is interested in a rescue?

Tell him she is very beautiful.

Ha-ha, laughs the Captain, nothing like a little enticement.

Jimmy….Frank wants to know if you are interested in a rescue.

He said to tell you, she is very beautiful.

Jimmy speaks up so Frank can hear him on the other end of the phone.

"Yes Frank," answers Jimmy.

Did you hear that Frank?

Yes, I did, yells Frank…Excellent!

Captain, what is your current position?

We are about 150 miles west of Straits of Gibraltar.

Ok, replies Frank.

How long will it take for you to get to Villefrenche, France?

We can be there early AM in the morning.

Good, good, good, replies Frank.

Here is the situation.

An old Army buddy’s daughter has been kidnapped from a Paris hotel and our communications techie from Tell-a-Tec; our telecom partner, has traced her cell phone to a Villefrenche address and I need Jimmy to go and have look see.

Her name is Gloria Winterman.

Now… suspecting that Jimmy would take the mission, I took the liberty and had a silver locket of Gloria’s sent down with the Shorts Aircraft to Nice Airport for pickup. Give it to Jimmy so she will know that Jimmy has been sent by her dad to rescue her.

Roger, replies the Captain.

Do you have a pin?

I have an address for you.

Roger go.

"The address our techie traced her cell phone to is called Villa de Glassis which is located on Avenue Auguste de Sole off of Avenue Leopold II in Villefrenche, France."

As the Captain was writing down the address, he was also speaking out loud.

When the Captain said Villa de Glassis, the poker game came to a sudden stop and all eyes focused on him.

Roy, you worked in the Villefrenche area up to a few years ago? replies Jimmy.

Yes, and I used to work at a villa down the street from that house. I knew the family before it became Villa de Glassis, answers Roy.

I took care of security at several of those villas including the villa Lady Grace owned until she died.

Then the Glassis family bought the property.

I know the place quite well.

Frank! Yes Captain.

Roy knows the place. He did security for the previous family before it was sold to Glassis.

'That’s a stroke of luck."

Okay, we don’t need to scout the house out, replies the Captain, we’ll get Roy to go over everything relating to the villa.

Ok Frank, we will contact the techies and get the latest data from them and check out the address. We’ll get back with you later tonight.

Roger Captain.

They both hang up from the satellite call.

Okay guys, we need to go to work, commands the Captain.

Comm’s! Get with George at Tell-a-Tec and get the latest status on Gloria Winterman’s cell phone calls.

Roger Captain.

Jimmy! You and Roy get together and have Roy go over everything you need to know about the area and the villa.

Roger Captain.

Thunderbrit! You and Lightning get with the pilot of the Shorts Aircraft that flew into Nice Airport this afternoon from England.

Roger Captain.

Now Thunderbrit! Make sure you collect the locket from the pilot and give it to Roy, so Roy can pass it on to Jimmy.

Roger Captain.

Roy!

Yes Captain.

After you finish briefing Jimmy, hitch a ride with Thunderbrit and Lightning to Nice Airport and rent a car at the Airport. Later, meet up with the girls at the private airplane terminal and get the silver locket from them for Jimmy.

Roger Captain.

Now before you leave with the girls, get some money and a credit card from the Purser to cover your expenses.

Ok, Captain.

Then Roy, I want you to find a quiet, secluded spot in Villafrenche where we can dock a launch in the early hours of tomorrow morning, and no one will ask any questions.

You know what I mean?

Roger Captain… I know of such a place.

Good! Also take one of the ships walkie-talkies with you.

Roger Captain.

Ok everybody…. any questions?

Have I covered everything?

The Captain looked around at everybody and no-one spoke up.

Ok, let’s go to work, replies the Captain and the meeting breaks up.

*****

It’s now after mid-night and the Captain has assembled a small group together to go over last-minute details.

Comm’s Officer get Frank in England on the Satellite phone for our little meeting, commands the Captain.

Roger Captain.

It’s about five minutes later.

It was early in the morning in England when Frank got the satellite call… Frank this is Global Rescuer, the Captain wanted to know if you’re interested in our meeting to go over data for the mission.

Yes, replies Frank.

Dave got up when he heard the phone ringing, wondering if there was any news about his daughter. He sat down near the phone listening.

Dave you can listen, no problem. But just remember, what you hear in this meeting never happened, replies Frank.

I understand, replied Dave.

Captain, I have Frank on the Satellite phone.

Ok, replies the Captain…. Put him on speaker phone.

Roger Captain.

"Hi Frank! Welcome to our little