Jake + Mara

9781483536071

Chapter One

At last! I’m on my way to Israel, the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Most importantly, I’ll have a chance to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We flew from Charleston today and we leave from Atlanta tonight at eleven.

I look out at the big 777 sitting on the tarmac. With those little, bitty windows it looks like a train from here. I’m tired of waiting and I wish they would get the show on the road. Finally they call our flight to get ready to board. The rich bitches, I mean, the well to do, get to board first. What I started to say was what I would have said before I became a Christian. Then, the riffraff like me is called to take our seats. Good, I’ve got an outside seat. I hate to climb over people to get in and out. Now I just want to get the show on the road. Beside me sits a kindly looking older woman and she doesn’t look well. On the other side of her is a teenager about thirteen years old. He is already half asleep.

They pull us backwards a ways until we can move on our own power. The opening of those big engines is big enough to stand up in. We taxi slowly to get in line for takeoff. The pilot announces that we are next to go. After about a minute he pushes the throttle forward and we are thrown back in our seats.

WOW! Even as big as this plane is it has tremendous power. About two miles down the runway we are airborne. We rotate when we are moving about 180 or 190 miles an hour.

The lady introduces herself as Sarah Devede. To a Jewish person the name means Princess. I could tell that she was either Jewish or Arabic just by looking at her.

She reminds me of my childhood hero, my grandmother. Sarah is a woman in her eighty’s now. Even so, you could tell that she had been a woman of great beauty in her younger days.

As the night wears on she is looking pale and kind of wan. All at once she grabs her chest and gasps. I recognize immediately that she is having a heart attack. I take a capsule from my pocket containing aspirin, and give her two of them. Take these, they will ease your pain

I get up for a glass of water and a cold compress for her forehead. I wanted to call for help, but she asked me not to. She was afraid that they would land somewhere and put her off the plane. She said if she was going to die, she wanted it to be in Israel. After a few minutes the pain let up. I continued to put cold compresses on her head for the rest of the trip. Two hours later I gave her the third aspirin.

About halfway across the ocean I was so tired of the plane that I would have swam the rest of the way if they would have let me out. After the plane landed I ask for a wheelchair for Sarah, and they let us deplane first.

Taking her through customs quickly, I hailed a taxi and we are on our way to the hospital. Once I check her in I can be on my way. Was I ever wrong! At the emergency room they ask me what was wrong with the lady. I explained that my friend had a myocardial infarction.

I said that I had given her two hundred and forty three milligrams of aspirin. As they are wheeling her away she is speaking to them in Hebrew and I don’t understand a word of it. The nurse comes over to me and says, Doctor she won’t go unless you go with her.

Doctor! I’m not a doctor I’m a Baptist. Not wanting her to have another heart attack, I go with her. When the doctor comes in I inform her again about the aspirin. You have saved her life", the doctor says to me. She looks at me.

If you’re not a doctor, how do you know the correct medical terminology?

I watch a lot of T.V., I replied.

Yeah, sure you do. She doesn’t believe me either. If I tell them that I’m a trained medical technician I might never get away from Sarah.

She’s wakes up. Hey brown eye’s how do you feel today?

Jake you’re the best doctor ever.

I can’t wait you meet my Mara.

Who’s Mara?

She is daughter and Captain in Israeli Army.

She replied.

She refuses to take any Meds unless I give my okay. No good deed goes unpunished.

Just as she is about to be released, her daughter comes rushing in like a hurricane. Mara is black haired, five foot three, and used to giving orders.

Mara, meet Doctor Jake he save my life.

I am not a Doctor Mara, but I ‘m glad to meet you. I’m a tourist.

Getting Sarah ready to leave, she implores me to go home with her for a few days just until she gets settled. I can tell that Mara doesn’t like the idea. Mara is thirty two years old and can tell already that she is a pain in the butt.

Is Mara going to be there? I ask.

Yes I’m going to be there. I have some time off coming, Mara says.

I roll my eyes as if to say yuck. Mara is taken aback. I pay you Jake.

I should get a bonus if I’m going to look at Mara for a week. I said to her mother.

Mara is shocked. You see, Mara is a real beauty, and is used to men fawning over her, this is something new to her. Men have always fallen at her feet.

We make our way out of town to Sarah’s house, fortress is more like it. She has a huge house sitting in the middle of a compound with walls fourteen feet high and five hundred feet away from the house in either direction.

You afraid someone is going to steal your Twinkie’s Sarah? She laughs and laughs. You can not be too careful in my country, Jake.

As we approach the house, five servant girls come running out. Pretty young ladies from about 18-35 years old. They’re giggling and looking at me like I’m a man from Mars.

Sarah introduces me and tells them I am American. All of them speak a little English. The next few days are uneventful and Sarah asks me, What do you think of my Mara? One of the girls rolls her eyes to the left to let me know that Mara is just through the door.

Well I tell you Sarah, If you brought Mara in and washed her face, took off them camouflage clothes, put a dress on her, she might not look too bad. But she would probably faint with a sexy dress on.

Do you hate my Mara, Jake?

No I don’t hate her, but she is the perfect type to pick on. She’s so stuck up with her nose in the air, if she went out in the rain she’d drown. Even Sarah laughed at that.

Mara comes in looking like she’s snake bit. What’s the matter Mara, did you lose your cat of nine tails?

Mother we are in real danger now. A group of terrorists are attacking houses that are isolated like ours, and I’m worried.

Don’t worry Jake can fix.

Mom Jake is a Doctor. You said so yourself.

Mara can you get me a sniper rifle, with a hundred rounds of match grade ammo, and a day-night vision scope?

What do you know about shooting a gun? Well, I know if you put one of those copper colored things into that thingamajig, and pull that littler silver handle on the bottom it makes a lot of noise and stuff.

Lord I hope he doesn’t shoot one of Mom’s servants. Mara said rolling her eyes. How long has it been since you shot a gun?

A long time, but if you put some of the kids out there to give me a little target practice…. We’ll see if I can hit one of them.

She gets a strange look on her face until she realizes that I’m pulling her chain. She calls her military base and two hours later Sgt. Major Crane arrives with the requested items. I go to the gate and let him in. Sgt. Major my name is Jake McCall.

Just call me Crane. Stated the Sgt. Major. Come with me Crane and I will show you the bird nest.

When you enter the house first thing you see is a huge sitting room with hallways running off in several directions. To the left center is a set of stairs five high that go up to a split level with rooms on either side. My room is on the left rear corner. On the roof is the Patio with outdoor furniture and in the center is a raised surface with a gondola. I named this area the bird nest. It has windows that push out in four directions. What do you think of my ambush site Crane? It’s perfect. The Sgt. Major replied.

I sit down and field strip the rifle carefully oiling and cleaning each part. I glance at Crane and he is smiling. She doesn’t know does she? She doesn’t have a clue and that’s the way I want to keep it. I replied.

He perceives by what he just saw that I am military trained.

I won’t say a word! he declares.

We shake hands like two conspirators and then he leaves closing the door behind him.

Meester Jake, supper is ready.

Thank you Febe.

Febe is the youngest of the maids and she sounds like a little girl. I go below and they have all kinds of goodies on the table. I see grape leaves with meat and rice rolled up in them. They have been slow cooked and they smell delicious. Also I see tabouli, fried chicken and hummus, and salad tomatoes. There is a bunch more stuff that I didn’t recognize. They are really spoiling me. Mara walks into the room looking very serious.

Mara how come you never got married? She looks at, shocked that I would ask that question. I mean at least one or two men must have wanted to marry you in the last few years. There were dozens of men that asked for my hand in marriage. She replied.

Yeah but they found out that they would have to take your mouth too, ha ha.

The maids are tittering until she gives them a look. Don’t encourage him! She says.

Sarah the only way you are getting rid of Mara is to burn the house down.

The girls are not used to having a man around, but at least one of them is, she’s pregnant.

She’s the oldest and her name is Risa.

As it gets dark outside I decide to take a nap. Mara wakes me up an hour later.

I must have gone to hell, here’s the Devil. What do you want?

Don’t you ever get serious Jake? She said. Sure I was serious once, back in 1906; you don’t forget a thing like that.

How are you going to watch for killers if you are asleep?

Didn’t you say they struck after midnight? It’s not midnight yet so go away.

She balling her fist as she leaves and I think she was growling too.

I fall back to sleep and awaken at ten to twelve. I’ve always had the ability to wake up when I wanted to. Making my way to the bird nest I grab the binoculars and survey the yard.

I’ve only been here a few minutes when I hear a sound in the direction of the front gate. On full alert now I look to the gate but keep my eyes turning to the sides and back also.

Presently I see two figures climbing over the front gate making some noise. They want to be heard. They think they are safe. I’m about to disabuse them of that notion.

I put the crosshairs right between the first one’s eyes, take a deep breath, let it half out, and squeeze the trigger. After being a Marine sniper I couldn’t do it any other way if I wanted too.

The round goes off and he never knows what hits him. I could tell him what it was. It was a 7.62 boat tailed sierra.

The other one raises his hands. Makes a good target, so I shoot him. Wonder what he wanted?

Immediately I turn around and sure enough eight more are coming down ropes at the back fence. I’m going to wait until they all get on the ground before I start firing. One of the men makes a gesture and that lets me know that he’s the one in charge. I believe they think that the two men in front have my attention, but SURPRISE!

When the round hits the man making the gesture, he is thrown backwards violently. There’s no where for the rest of them to go and I don’t stop shooting until all eight are down and not moving. I systematically killed them all.

I see bullet holes in my hiding place but I was so busy I didn’t pay any attention to some of them firing back.

Mara comes rushing through the door all breathless and excited.

What’s happening?! what’s happening?!

Mara stammers. I just wanted to see how loud this fire stick is, I reply.

She grabs the binoculars and scans the yard. There’s bodies all over the place, she says. Must be somebody looking for a place to sleep. I replied back to her.

How can you joke at a time like this?

It’s easy. Did you ever hear the one about a man that lost both legs? They ask him how he was and he said, Well I can’t kick."

I’m going to call General Zadock.

Are you going to stay up here Mara?

I might as well, I can’t sleep now.

Good I’m going to bed. So I did.

I’m asleep about an hour and Mara is waking me up again.

Did anybody ever say anything about your bedside manner Mara?

Come down stairs and meet the General. When I walk into the living room she says, Jake meet General Zadock and Major Silva she growls in my direction.

This is a hard place to get any sleep General, I say shaking hands with the two of them. Jake I’ve never seen such a display of marksmanship in my life. Said the General. You shot ten terrorist at night between the eyes at five hundred feet. Stated Major Silva. I call that magnificent shooting.

That just shows you what a bad shot I am General, I was aiming at their ankles. One thing you should know about Jake, General, he is never serious. The General laughs uproariously.

Did you give any thought to taking a prisoner? the Major asks.

If the Lord wanted somebody to come over here and shake hands with these terrorists he wouldn’t have sent a Marine sniper, Major. Mara’s mouth drops open and she looks at me flabbergasted. For once she is dumbstruck. I thought you were a doctor?

Has Mara been spreading lies again?

I look out the window and the general’s men are loading up the bodies of the terrorists. The General came up to me and handed me a beautiful silver 40 caliber automatic handgun. This is a gift of appreciation from the Israeli military, the General says.

It’s beautiful. I will treasure it General.

This one man looks like he was holding his hands up, says the Major.

Did he try to surrender? The Major asked. I don’t know, I don’t speak Arabic. I don’t believe the Major is a fan of mine.

Sarah comes into the room all sleepy eyed. What’s going on? she says.

We have been entertaining the local terrorist. Mom, Jake killed ten men that climbed into the compound, Mara says.

You killed ten all by yourself? she asks me. Well I know it wasn’t a fair fight, but I had one eye closed.

General Zadock laughs again, but the Major isn’t laughing at all.

Let me know if you need anything while you’re in my country Jake.

Thank you General. Right now I’m trying to get time to visit Jerusalem.

Jake, Mara and I want to reward you, so Mara will drive you any place you want to go. That’s not a reward, that’s a punishment. She won’t bite you, Sarah says laughing. No but I might bite her."

Give me a few minutes to change. she says.

I want to walk around Jerusalem, Mara so find a place to park near the Jaffe gate.

After we get parked, I start walking around the left wall of the old city. Eventually we come to the Damascus gate.

Mara, just a little ways from here was where Jesus was put on the cross.

As we approach Golgotha I’m astounded to see that the Arabs have constructed a cemetery on top of Golgotha hill. And somebody has built a bus station at its base. If we defiled a religious site of theirs like this, there would be war. But they don’t respect ours.

We’ve been walking now for three hours and Mara is getting tired and hungry. Jake maybe you Christians don’t have to eat, but Jews do. Anybody dumb enough to get lost in the desert for 40 years don’t deserve anything to eat, I reply looking at her.

We walk by the Garden at Gethsemane and I walk up the steps to get a better look. There is a Church built to the right side of the garden and as I walk in the garden itself, I marvel that I might actually be walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Looking up the hill, I can see some of the Mount of Olives, later I want a better look.

Jake there is a great Café just inside this next gate. Let’s go eat. Mara said to me.

I guess the only way to shut her up is to feed her. When we come to the Café, she practically drags me in. The door we enter is one of two. There is also a door about fifty feet to our left. Our seating place is in a little alcove off the center back about ten feet.

We place an