Are You Sure?

317.

By design the debrief has created a completely fresh and organic shopping list. Even without the now cumbersome overbalance of our new 'management' at the White House, this list would take months to thoroughly comb. There was a time when such a compilation would dictate our activities, wag the dog, but in these politically charged - optics are everything - days, the kingdom of the deaf is ruled by the sound byte. We have been assigned the chore of increasing the prevention while decreasing the profits, both economic and social, of those willing to try their hand in the enterprise of domestic terrorism. Simply put, several of our battle-tested, tried and true, standard operating procedures are now rated by the current vanguard as 'too slow to show'; or what we have come to call Triple Ts: tactics taking time. Worse, there seems to be a prevalence of deaf ears when we attempt to educate them on the value of patience.

As is her managerial style, Julie, upon completion of the team's depositions, assigns the paperwork to the industrious temp and grants us three days of rest and relaxation. Three whole days! She includes the postscript that as a result of our high-profile work in the Hartaugh take-down, we need to keep a clear view of our sixes at all times, stopping just short of reminding us of the potential for catastrophic retribution lurking in the shadows. Nobody knows this better than Saunders and myself, yet it remains a jarring emotional fact. I silently applaud Julie for her digression in leaving our specific example out of her closing commentary.

As much as our fatigued bodies and overworked minds need the break, we all pack the homework assignment for review. Julie has asked us for our input. Due in three days is a one page summary of the 'most influential' actions we could take to achieve our new directive. As I pack for the glorious two days at the cabin I have already begun the process of indexing the root causes of our homegrown terrorist problem:

Poverty
Inequality
Globalization
Technology
Energy
Oil
Islam
Psychopathy

What is to be done when individuals, with pre-meditative, systemic ideologies feel violence to be their last, best resort? Maybe the Brit's idea, however trite sounding, of Prevention, Pursuit, Protection and Preparedness is something to consider as an actionable response on our parts.

I am thinking that a "Talk to Me' policy of earnest listening, way before counseling, might go a long way towards our deeper understanding of the terrorist mindset. The totalitarian capitalists, conservatives, and hard-liners would give that about as much consideration as salary-caps, open boarders or political compromise.

So lost in this daydream scenario that I hadn't heard Mustang knock, and then enter, I am startled by her second request about my current situation.

"Are you going to be OK at the cabin?" She asks in an even monotone.

"Sure why?"

"Thought maybe we could use the time for some deep therapy and give that right side of yours a little challenge."

"Very kind of you to offer, but I'm sure you have things to do and places to go. Take the time, rest up."

"Two intensive days of specific deep therapeutic tissue work, might be the most important thing you could do with a long break, maybe the last one for a while. Last chance or I'm heading home."

I look at her. What a diamond in the rough. She has been involved in my rehab from the moment I first opened my yes after the six-month nap, then she volunteers to be part of our team, quickly establishing herself as capable and fiercely competent. Now she wants to put my needs before hers in as compassionate an offer as I can remember.

"You sure?"