And she was exceptionally good at distracting him, and they also didn't have a clock, or a calendar, they nearly
missed getting back in time for Hector to pick Josh up from school, but he made it. And had a nice weekend. Even
with the call from base for him to show up for his eval...or else. They'd left a couple of messages, and were bothered
they couldn't get a hold of him. Not that Hector cared. But he went, borrowing Cassie's car as Cassie came over with
the kids.
Hector wasn't sure who he felt worse for, Andi or his sisters. But his presence had been requested at a local base.
Which was too bad. He'd spend more time in his sister's car than in the office, but it wasn't quite a request. More like
an order. So, back in uniform though he was technically on vacation, he was admitted to the base. He knew this was
coming. Just one report from Baker or William, with reluctant corroboration from Swanson, and he'd be pulled into the
shrink's office. One month short of his yearly eval. He did his job, he did his job well, he wasn't really psychotic, so
everything else was NOT their business. But he walked into the office building on the base, took off his hat and
tucked it under his arm as he gave his name to the secretary, who told him to have a seat. Which he was not going to
do. So, in text book definition at ease stance, he waited for admittance, wondering how long it would take to push this
one into retirement.
Matt Schroder considered himself an intelligent man. Far above average in fact and the degrees that he had
displayed on the walls of his office tended to agree with him. He didn't have to work at a military base. He could easily
start his own practice and he intended to do just that. After he'd made a name for himself. And that meant 'case
study'.
He could, of course, find that in almost any city. But to make a real name for himself, a name other psychologists
would recognize, he needed something outstanding. And so, instead of the civilian sector, he'd decided to find it in
the military. Of course, technically, he wasn't allowed to use any of the information he gleaned here in any published
studies but there were ways around that and he was smart enough to know how to use them. So far he'd had several
interesting sessions but nothing ground breaking and so, when he'd complained to his colleagues, they'd suggested
this man.
His newest patient.
A Sgt. Hector Garrett.
The file on the man was surprisingly slim but had enough tantalizing hints and clues in it that he was a bit surprised
no one had done more with the man than give him a passing grade and pass him on. But it was the reports on the
recent event that simply set his mental 'juices' flowing.
Pleased with the arrangement of his office, he buzzed the secretary and asked her to send the soldier in.
Hector was shown in by the secretary and Hector shook the man's hand as expected, then put his hat on the chair
next to him and sat down. Close to the door. He wanted out of here. And fast. If he didn't like doctors (except for a
few, and especially one) then his view point on shrinks was even lower. He didn't say a word. He just stared at the
doctor after the customary greeting. He looked at the man, there was a certain arrogance about him. Maybe he'd
have some fun with this one, depended on how it went.
"Well," Schroder folded his hands on the desk in front of him. Already noting in the study he was writing in his head
how the man sat and which chair he'd chosen. Standoffish. Ready to leave. It might help explain the barely there file.
"Sgt. Garrett. I'm not going to insult you by pretending you don't know why you're here." The man's IQ rating was
surprising and all his evals from his superiors remarked on his common sense. "You've been through some very
interesting situations lately and your superiors want to make sure everything was still balanced with you. I've gone
over the reports but I'd like it if you could tell me what happened in your own words?"
"Okay." Hector said. "We sent a couple of warlords to the afterlife. Then we secured a refugee camp. Then we did
some spy type work in Arabia. Other than that, nothing official happened." After all, the little rescue operation hadn't
been official. "I'm balanced. Not going to kill anyone next time I stub my toe. Anything else?"
Schroder found the soldiers choice of words 'afterlife' interesting. In later sessions he'd have to dig a bit into that and
see what Garrett thought about the afterlife. It could prove to be very telling why someone that killed people for a
living thought about heaven and hell or in between.
"I wasn't particularly worried about you killing anyone for stubbing your toe." He stated calmly. "I'm actually supposed
to be exploring what happened on your 'unofficial' tour with the SAS. I've been given several reports from some of the
men you served with. Would you like to tell me your version of what exactly happened?"
Hector shrugged. "Sure. They kidnapped someone, I joined up with the others, we got her back and now I’m on
vacation." Hector said with another shrug. "Not much more to it than that. Pretty boring actually. But if nothing else, I
got to see the mountains in Africa. Big change from the desert. And found out SAS MREs are worse than the US's."
Like he was going to go into an in-depth discussion about anything, even the color of the sky, with a psychoanalyst.
"From what I understand," Schroder made a point to open one of the folders even though he had the entire contents
memorized. "The woman you rescued is living with you now. A Doctor Andromache White. Originally working out of a
Red Cross camp near where your unit was based." He looked mildly over at Garrett curious about the response.
Hector shook his head. "She's off limits." He said firmly. "You want to discuss my career and how it affects me
emotionally, fine. But you are not allowed to talk about her. You don't know her, you don't even know me. So move
on, doctor."
That was quite an interesting nerve. Schroder made a mental note of it. And how confident Garrett was about his
ability to shut things down. The man was obviously used to having his way. Schroder shrugged calmly.
"I'm sure she's a wonderful woman." He left it noncommittal even though he was already planning follow up meetings.
Perhaps with both of them next time. Or just her. So many options at this point. He moved intentionally to his next
subject, making the connection obvious.
"Still, it must have been difficult for you. First losing your mother and then the possibility of losing another woman you
cared about. There's been some concern that your - methods in your last mission might have been a result of that.
What would you say?"
"I'd say my mother died when I was five. As my files say. I'm a grown man now." Hector said. "And there wasn't a
chance that mission wasn't going to go as I wanted it. Next?" Hector was close to walking out at this point. Bringing up
Andi, then his mother, then Andi again in one breath. Even if there might have been a good point in there, this doctor
was hardly the one he wanted to discuss it with.
It was like a scab, Schroder though with delight. Just waiting to come off. Not an attractive comparison and he'd have
to think of a better one when he was writing, but a fitting picture all the same. "Control is very important to you." He
agreed calmly. Willing to shift the subject to a new area he didn't mind exploring either. "In your report it says you did
several things without clearing them with your superiors first. I understand that Delta are taught to think
independently. But why didn't you at least suggest your plans before you went through with them? I believe that's not
only expected, it’s required."
"Only when you're officially part of an op. I wasn't." Hector said. "I was there without sanction from my government,
therefore they are not responsible for my behavior. Therefore, it’s not their business. I didn't get killed, the body
count was more than acceptable, and I didn't hurt any international relations."
Well, not the gut kick reaction he'd been testing for but at least the man was doing more than grunting 'off limits'. Not
that he wouldn't come back to those 'off limits' of course. But for the moment... "It’s noted," again the shift in the
folders, "that you used some rather dramatic methods. They've even been labeled 'extreme' in one case. Do you feel
justified in your methods or have you thought of how you might do things differently since?" Which was actually a
question he was supposed to ask. More along the lines of what the military brass was concerned with. Or rather what
they'd look like if the general public got wind of some of those methods. Garrett spilling about any of it seemed to be
more of a concern than how those actions affected Garrett in the first place.
"I did what I had to do, it was effective. I don't second guess." Hector said. "So, no. I wouldn't." Except maybe smack
Baker around less. But that at least he was sure didn't make it into the file. “We were all professionals. What you got
was shop talk. Doesn't go any further than that." Hector knew what the real question was. "Is that why I'm here? To
make sure I don't write a tell all? I won't. Not into them. I'll keep my mouth shut like a good little Delta and the world will
keep turning. You can quote me too."
"Why thank you." Schroder commented mildly. "If asked, I will." The man had defenses. Oh, did he have defenses.
But the secrets that must hide behind them. "Now it also says here that you somehow stumbled across the rebel
leader and killed him. Was that an intention all along?"
"No. I did it on a whim because I was bored and wanted to stir things up." Hector said flatly. "What can I say? I'm a fun
loving guy."
Schroder shot the soldier a look. A calmly disappointed one that stated the sarcasm was unnecessary. "I'm sure you
are." He stated mildly. "However this was also the man that took Andromache away from you. The same way another
man 'took' your mother away from you. Was your running into him accidental after all?"
"So are you trying to say in a fucked up psychobabble way, that because I can't kill my father I decided to get
Freudian and take it out on an evil warlord?" Hector said and shook his head. "I'm disappointed, Doc. I expected
better."
"Did you?" Schroder was pleased he hadn't had to spell it out for the man. IQ certainly wasn't lacking. He sat back in
his chair. Today's session was all about planting seeds he could come back to later really. "Well, what did you expect
then?" He asked, honestly curious.
"Something better than laying all my decision making on my childhood. Thought Freud was out." Hector said with a
shrug. "What's next? I joined the military and went special forces because you think my mother either breast fed me
too long or not enough?"
"Actually, I hadn't given much thought about your mother's breast feeding habits." Schroder remarked. "But yes,
there is a school of thought that likes to theorize that most of our actions and future patterns of behavior are already
firmly in place by the time we reach a young age. Usually five or seven. If you'd rather we look into your recent past
as motivation for your actions, we can do that instead however." He rested his hands on the desk again and,
apparently out of the blue asked: "How is Andromache adjusting to her visit here? Seem to be enjoying herself?"
Hector didn't even blink. He'd been expecting that. "She's enjoying her vacation." He said. "As am I. Or I was. Until
now. Anything else, doc?"
"Just curious." Schroder answered mildly. "She's been through a very traumatic time. Sometimes being moved
actually increases the trauma by taking familiar patterns out of the victim's life. I wanted to see if that had been the
case with her. It’s reassuring to hear that it hasn't." As if either of them believed that. "It wouldn't be very healthy if
she was having some of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Disorder and trying to work through it without professional
help because she felt limited in her options."
"Doc, I know more about PTSD than you do." Hector said. After all, his whole career he'd been told what to watch out
for in himself and his chalk. "And she's not your concern in any case. Look, point blank. Am I cleared for duty or not?"
He really did want to interview this woman. Just because her counterpoint had to be fascinating. He'd just have to find
another way to do it. He linked his fingers together in front of him. "Well, that is what we're here to figure out, isn't it?"
He asked. Not about to let a fish off a hook so easily. He really would have to think of a title for his piece. Something
with 'military' in the title to catch attention. "Are you eager to return to active duty?"
"Always." Hector said. "I get off on it. It’s a control thing, you understand. Not to mention the anger management I get
from it. You'd be amazed. I like putting my self in precarious situations and chance the fact I might get killed at any
time for the sole reason to see you enjoy your freedom." At least the last part was true at any care.
"Well, it’s appreciated" Schroder answered without sarcasm. Deflecting the attack. And he suspected Hector might
have some truth behind his words despite thinking there wasn't. Anger management could quite possibly be an issue
with the man. He could see it every time he brought up the female doctor. He skipped that part for the moment
though. "I understand the control issue." He stated calmly. "It’s actually quite common. Feeling the need to be present
at all times to make sure things turn out as you wish them to. Quite a large number of people operate based off of
that assumption. Most don't get to affect things as big as world issues though. And who, after all, enjoys things being
out of their control?" He asked calmly. Which brought them right back to the entire way Garrett had handled the
situation.
"Thanks for the bit of trivia." Hector said. "I'll pass it along to a friend. He likes things like that. So did you pay an
obscene amount of money to learn to spout that off?"
"Would it bother you if I did?" Schroder asked with a chuckle, leaning back in his chair again.
"Your money. Not mine. Just you could have learned that off Dr Phil and spent your money on something else."
Hector said. "Now can we wrap this up? Because if you're so concerned about Dr White, I'll have you know I stranded
her with my sister, niece and nephew and I should go liberate her from their Southern clutches."
Schroder had actually cleared his entire day after this interview so he was in absolutely no hurry. But... "If you need
to, we can reschedule." He suggested comfortably. He certainly planned on quite a few more sessions anyway. If
Garrett actually wanted to volunteer, all the better. He felt as if he was getting somewhere. Not far but it was a start
and this session was simply about planting seeds to harvest at a later date. "I can understand how you'd still be tired
after all you've been through. I'm perfectly content to reschedule if it would be easier for you."
"No, no reschedule." Hector said. "I don't do shrinks, and I don't appreciate having my mind picked apart so you can
get published. Find someone else. Now, are we done or not? Because I'm not comfortable with you." Hector said.
That was the trump card. He could always go through this again with someone not so arrogant later. Would take a
while to find someone else gullible enough to take him on, but still.
"Uncomfortable?" Schroder sat back in his chair and thought over the choice of word. "Why do I, specifically, make
you uncomfortable, do you think?" He asked calmly.
"Because you're getting off subject." Hector said. "You're supposed to determine if my chosen career is affecting me
adversely to the point where I'm a danger in society, not evaluate my relationship with my great aunt's cat."
"I didn't know your great aunt had a cat." Schroder commented mildly. "Though if you think that's relevant we can
certainly discuss it." Oh, Garrett was a tough nut to crack and was fighting it. But he had a great deal worth digging
that extra mile or so for. You could just feel it under the surface. "Of course, isn't a good indicator of whether you're a
menace to society or not how you feel about your family and friends? Wouldn't it make sense to look into those
subjects for evaluations?"
"I feel fine about my family and friends. I wouldn't do anything to hurt any of them." And for some illogical reason, just
the insinuation that he would made his jaw tighten and his eyes narrow. "Or endanger them. I'll admit it. I'm protective
of them all."
Well, he was supposed to be evaluating societal dangers too. He supposed he could take a brief tangent. "Enough to
kill for them?" He asked mildly. Knowing, at least in one case, the man already had.
"If it comes to that." Hector said. "But if they've been endangered to that degree, obviously it’s not uncalled for. The
real world isn't like this nice and clean office of yours. It’s a darkly dangerous place where you've got to do what
you've got to do. Why? Are we back to Wekesa already?"
"I was thinking more of the unsuspecting, faceless man harmlessly leering at your girlfriend in the store." Schroder
answered calmly. "But if you'd like to talk about Mr. Wekesa we can."
"No. I don't want to talk about Wekesa." Hector nearly growled. "What I want is to get out of here and continue on with
my life." He really wanted to pace. Since he couldn't wipe the smug look off the doctor's face. But he stayed seated.
He considered the growl progress. Interesting progress but progress all the same. The trick was to figure out what
had triggered the growl. And then dig there. "Tell me," he suggested. "About the world outside my 'nice clean' office?"
"Why don't you just watch CNN?" Hector snapped. "It’s dirty, it’s dangerous, and it’s filled with people who make their
own rules. It’s full of starving orphaned children, raped women and powerful psychotic men. It’s full of people who put
their lives on the line to try and make a difference, in any way they can. That world doesn't exist in this room, so don't
pretend I can just talk about it and have you understand."
That was the reason soldiers had to be evaluated yearly. Because, after enough of doing what they did, and dealing
with it, that kind of world was all they saw. Even in their own neighborhoods. Even in their own families. Which lead to
what happened when they tried to 'fix' things. Did most soldiers end up that way? No. But there was a smaller
percentage that did. And that was why people like him were here. The required tangent had actually turned
interesting in this case. "Is my office the only place that world doesn't exist?" He asked mildly.
"No." Hector said, refusing to fall into that trap. "As soon as I take off my uniform, that world fades into the
background." He nearly smirked at the shrink. Oh he knew the games. "I fight the good fight, do my best to clean the
world up, but I'm not superman. I can't do it all and I don't pretend that I can."
Schroder tipped his head. The first indication that he was thinking. Because he didn't think the man in front of him did
believe that, when push came to shove, he really couldn't pull off miracles. Part of needing to be in control was about
having the impossible faith that, if you were in control, somehow everything really would turn out the way it was
supposed to. And Garrett struck him as needing that control very strongly. "That's a very good answer." Schroder
stated. "I'll include it with the 'good little Delta' comment in my report." He wasn't getting where he wanted to go and it
was a bit frustrating. He knew it was there. He just hadn't found the right path to the real Garrett yet. But he had come
close several times. Sitting back in his chair, he asked casually:
"So what do you plan on doing with Andromache now that you're both in the country? Any plans?"
"Obviously we're going to have a huge wedding, I'm going to paint my fence white, we'll have 2.5 kids and I'll drive a
station wagon." Hector said. "In other words, none of your business."
Schroder nodded. "Again - not what I was asking but very informative all the same. Thank you." Wondering what kind
of marriage two such interesting psychological specimens would make. It could be a case study in itself he was sure.
But before he got ahead of himself... "I was actually curious as to whether you'd both planned to see more of the
country or were simply going to stay close to home this time. There's quite a bit of America worth seeing if you
haven't before. So," he folded his hands on the desk. "Is Andromache going to stay behind here if you go back to
active duty?" He didn't know if Garrett knew that answer yet or not and the answer wasn't really the point. The point
was it was a possibly prickly situation and he wanted to see what happened when he touched it.
"None of your business." Hector said. "My personal life is off limits. Remember? Besides, I don't make decisions for
her, and I don't have to report her decisions to you."
He believed that was called a 'wall' and Garrett had just slammed it down fast and hard. Which meant he had been
right and behind that wall was something of interest. How to get to it was the real puzzle though. He kept getting close
but never close enough. He suspected the key was the man's girlfriend because the mention of her seemed to bring
things to the surface very quickly. He decided to change tactics for the moment. "You have nieces and nephews,
don't you?" he asked, sitting back. "Have you gotten the chance to see them yet?"
"Of course I have." Hector said. "I love them and they adore me. Why wouldn't I see them every chance I get? Either
you're still being a little squirrel and looking for nuts or you haven't the slightest clue what to think of me." Either way
amused him.
Schroder's smile was small and private. "A squirrel?" He asked mildly. "That's a first." He admitted. "No, I'm not
surprised. Children are wonderful. Much more open and honest than adults." Which is why he hadn't taken that
branch of psychology. That and the fact he would have felt ridiculous with puppets doing all the talking. "If you've
seen your nieces and nephews, you've also seen your sisters and brother too I assume? Everyone enjoying meeting
your new girlfriend?"
"They're all having a wonderful time. She's enjoying her time in America and my brother and I are going to strip club
to pick up some dancers later. Want to come? You seem a little uptight." Hector said flatly. "My family is my business,
not the military's."
"I appreciate the invitation. I'd enjoy coming along." Schroder agreed calmly. What he believed was referred to as
'calling someone's bluff'. "It would be a nice chance to meet your brother as well." He was, slowly but surely, working
his way through Hector's family and eliminating the ones that didn't cause the 'hot button' reaction. Children? No.
Brother and sisters of the family? possibly. Andromache? He was fairly sure that was a yes. And he hadn't even
gotten to the step mother and father yet. "Is your brother meeting you here or are you simply meeting him at the
club?" he asked.
Hector scowled. "I was being sarcastic." He said. "I get along with my brother. But we don't hang out too much. He
thinks I'm too grown up and I think he's too immature." That one was fairly innocuous, so he didn't mind giving the doc
that one.
Brother? No. "You are several years apart." Schroder agreed, with a flip to one of the folders. "It’s a common
occurrence to feel the gap during certain points in your lives. Do you find it easier to relate to your sisters?"
"I've got a sister younger than Pete." Hector shot back. "As you can see in my file for next of kin. Cassie is one year
younger than me. The next came when I was eight, and so on and so on. Why do you ask me questions you know the
answer to?"
"To hear your reactions." Schroder answered calmly. "You and I both know you learn more about a situation by
listening to someone in it describe it than by reading reports." Sisters? Possibly. Though he'd named the one closest
to him without a flinch. And he still had yet to do that in regards to the female doctor. As if he had to protect her very
name. Which was why, of course, Schroder kept using it. "For instance, I could read about your father. But I'd be
more curious to hear if you've seen him since you came back."
"I've seen him." Hector said and got up and looked at the diplomas. ""So was it fun? All those years at school?" He
asked, knowing how long one had to go to school to be a doctor.
Father? Yes. "It was." He answered candidly. "The human mind is a fascinating subject and there's no end to the
variety of ways it approaches any situation at all. Some people never graduate, simply filling up on all the courses
available and then moving on to the next college." He shrugged. "I however did graduate." He sat back comfortably in
his chair. Took a guess. "So - has your father met Andromache yet?"
Hector turned around and glared at the man. "Nice try. But that's off limits. My father, my sisters, my mother, my
girlfriend." He said.
“You're extremely protective of them." Schroder commented, still sitting back in his chair. Though Garrett's glare was
nothing to sniff at and thankfully being delivered from all the way across the room. He didn't - think - Garrett had ever
attacked a psychologist before. At least there weren't any reports. That he'd seen. Though he was starting to
understand some of his colleagues’ comments. Still, it didn't matter. He was getting somewhere. They hadn't. "Talking
about them is hardly going to harm anyone." He stated calmly. "It might even help sort things out by vocalizing them.
I'm hardly going to tell your neighbors what you tell me here."
"I have everything sorted out." Hector said. "I don't need help with that. It’s all simple and all makes sense to me. If
that's not good enough for you, well, it’s not your family so nothing to worry about."
Schroder leaned forward and folded his hands on the desk. "So," he asked patiently. "Explain it to me then. I'd
enjoying hearing how you've managed to work all the tangents of your life into something simple." The man was lying.
Or arrogant. And he actually suspected both. As well as suspecting Garrett was trying to annoy him and also
throwing up another wall to keep him from digging. And, in the end, it wasn't really going to slow him down.
"Easy. I have a father, four sisters, one brother, three nephews, three nieces. Fourteen cousins, a handful of aunts
and uncles. Two surviving grandparents, one set of great grandparents. It’s all easy. My family tree is fairly simple."
Hector said. "Or do I need to draw it out for you?"
"You could." Schroder refused to let the sarcasm effect him, instead pulling out a clean sheet of paper and a pen and
laying them on the desk. "Though I was more curious of how you'd managed to simply your life and family into
something that was easy to understand and didn't have any problems."
"Everyone has problems." Hector said. "That's what makes us human." Then he drew his family tree, labeling
everything simply Great Grandmother down to nephew. "There. See? Easy."
Schroder took the paper and looked at it. Because it had been drawn quite clearly. But because he'd also taken
several courses in reading people's handwriting and this was informative too. He didn't swear by it, of course, it had
always seemed a bit hocus pocus to him. But it did raise some interesting thoughts. "Thank you." He stated, setting
the tree on top of one of the folders. "It is very informative. Now - you claim everything is simple. Tell me, if you were
me, what should I be worried about that might cause problems in either your job performance or your social
interaction with non-military society? I want your honest opinion because what happened in your last mission isn't
something that can simply be ignored."
"I would worry most of all of unleashing someone like me upon civilian society without a military fall back." Hector said,
a silent warning about trying to drum him out of his job. "After all, I don't have many marketable skills, wouldn't you
think?"
His position? yes. "So you think the real threat here is what you might do if allowed out into the civilian world?"
Schroder asked mildly.
"I think the real threat is what I might do if this whole waste of time doesn't end." Hector said. "Secretary's gone home,
cleaning guys aren't here yet..."
"Oh, I can guarantee it’s not a waste of time." Schroder assured him calmly. Not the least worried about whether the
woman who was at the front desk had gone home early or not. He didn't pay her salary. "But just out of curiosity, what
would you do?" He asked calmly.
"I could do anything." Hector said. "So let's not tempt fate, shall we? After all, you've already made it clear you think
I'm an unbalanced closed off wreck."
"I think you're closed off." Schroder pointed out. "I don't think you're a wreck. And we're here to determine if you're
unbalanced or not, aren't we? I'm not the enemy, Sgt. Garrett. I'm assigned to help you work through the
consequences of your last mission and to make sure you're ready before you go on your next. By any standards
what you just went through was traumatic, damaging, and possibly a little confusing." He wasn't going to get a paper
out of the incident. He was going to get it out of the man. But if they had to work through the incident first to prove he
was trustworthy and knew what he was doing, it was perfectly acceptable. "A woman you care about was put in a very
bad situation. Not the first woman in your life you care about to be that way. Chances are very high it’s hurt her
inside. And that you are aware of that. Chances are also very high that it hurt you inside. And you would be aware of
that as well. Now you've taken her away from everything she knows and is familiar with. She'd now in an entirely alien
environment, forced to rely solely on you for familiarity and comfort. This could actually have been a very selfish,
manipulative move of yours to win her entire affection firmly for yourself by forcing her to have to transfer what she'd
already given to others to you for her emotional survival. But I think it might also be because you couldn't bear to let
her out of your sight and are even now using another set of your 'eyes' in the form of your sister to make sure she's
watched. The past you grew up with is affecting the way you relate to her and your situation now. You don't want to
hurt her, that much is obvious. So perhaps you should let me work with you and open up some of the issues you've
avoided dealing with so that you're future relationship with her is both healthy and balanced instead of potentially
marked with pitfalls."
"So if I bare my soul to you, somehow I'll have a picture perfect life, my dog, should I ever get one, will never get hit
by a car, no one will get sick, the weather will be wonderful and we'll all spend every vacation in Disney world...
cheaply?" Hector shot back. "You've got to be kidding me. I'm not ready, yet, for my next mission. Hence the vacation.
She's not in Africa because in every shadow she saw Wekesa. Here she doesn't. My home has always given me
peace and if by sharing that with her I grant her a bit of peace herself, then by all means. Call me a selfish
manipulative bastard. I don't care."
"I didn't say that." Schroder corrected calmly. Because he would not - under any circumstances - raise his voice. "Nor
did I promise cult like miracles. That's not what people in my profession offer. What I did claim was that you, like
everyone else as you've pointed out, have issues and stumbling blocks in your life that you need help resolving.
Unresolved they could easily lead to poor choices made with the best intent or situations you don't wish to find
yourself in. My services are necessary because, quite obviously, if you could untangle these unresolved issues on
your own, you would have already and they wouldn't be there anymore for me to point out. Now," he tapped absently
with his pen. "Did you want to sit down and begin or shall I continue to feint until you do?"
"Your services are necessary because my government deems it so." Hector said. "Your services are to judge me fit
or unfit for my next assignment, not psychoanalyze me. People solve their problems on their own. It must pain you to
hear that, because it might mean no new Lexus for you, but we are capable of self sufficiency."
Schroder bit back the sigh. Barely but he managed. Because he was already suspecting the Garrett also had issues
with anyone he thought was too well off in life and probably hadn't earned their way so much as paid for it. And he
refused to accept or deny those assumptions because it wasn't the point. "If people were capable of self sufficiency in
all areas, you wouldn't need to bring your girlfriend back with you. And she wouldn't have needed to come. And
people wouldn't constantly need people in my profession to look at their problem from a secondary, untainted view to
help them. And our government wouldn't think it necessary that you come in for these talks. But the answers to all of
those statements is it’s obviously not true. You're far from emotionally or mentally stable and clever enough to both
realize it and cover it up." As soon as he said the words he regretted them. But not because they weren't true. Simply
because it showed a lack of control and professionalism to state it. He did not however, apologize for the statement. It
was after all, quite true and Garrett would both realize that and know any apology was a sign of weakness.
"However," he continued, voice slower. "That is the reason you're here. And what we're going to work through."
"Long before psychiatry was developed, people relied on themselves, or each other. I don't need a secondary view. I
know my problems, and I know my issues. There's really no working through them. I've accepted them and I've moved
on. Dwelling solves nothing except waste both our time." Hector said. "Why are you making this so difficult? Just write
down that after a short rest, Sgt Garrett is cleared for duty."
"Because I don't believe that after a short rest and a bit of staring at your navel you're going to be all right to cleared
for duty." Schroder answered sharply. And it was nothing but the truth. As unresolved as Garrett was at the moment,
it wasn't as if his job and the positions it placed him in were going to make the problems any easier to deal with. In
fact they could only exacerbate them. He realized he was losing the possibility of any paper out of this but at the
moment, he was dealing with a more immediate and focused issue. "As of now, I don't feel comfortable clearing you
for a return to duty. Especially when I don't see how a 'little rest' will change what you're refusing to deal with
anyway." He stated flatly.
Hector shook his head. "Fine. What am I refusing to deal with?" He'd bull shit the hell out of this shrink if he had to.
He'd done it before. He was just hoping he wouldn't have to this one time.
Schroder looked at Garrett. Wondered if the man had paid any attention to those degrees on the wall. And still
thought he was going to believe it when the soldier simply surrendered like that. Dr. Phil at least had an easy job of
pre-written drama for a 45 minute period complete with editing. "All right." He answered firmly. "Tell me if your
girlfriend and father have met yet."
"Yes. They have. My newest nephew's christening was held off until I could attend. Which we did. They had a
pleasant conversation. Then we ate and excused ourselves from the rest of them because they started breaking out
the moonshine. I don't drink. I don't like the taste of it and it's never interested me." Hector said, still standing. "That's
not an unresolved issue for me, that's an unresolved issue for you. Now who's being selfish and manipulative?"
Schroder sighed. Actually sighed and didn't realize it. "She's linked to how you're going to view your enemies from
now on." He stated. "And in a way, your father is a measuring stick for that. Not a good one but better than me trying
to find someone more suitable. Each time you go into your position now, and it bears even the slightest resemblance
to what happened to her, you're going to react as if it was her. Because you're going to put whoever the victim was in
her shoes and feel what it feels like. But you can't react that way. You have to go back to seeing it logically and
clinically as much as possible. Or you're going to get not only yourself killed but possibly the rest of your team and
the victims killed. That's what our government is worried about except they're not as articulate as I am. They just want
to know if you're going to go - I believe the term is "rambo" on a mission or not. Or on a suspect for that matter. And
right now, I don't know if you might find something that pushed you to that breaking point or not. So - " he sat back in
his chair. "Go home. Take your rest. Do whatever it is you think is going to make your problems not be problems
anymore. Call me when you've finished your 'little rest'. And then tell me why you've decided why you're ready for
combat again. And Sgt?" He shook his head. "You don't think you need anyone but she's been traumatized too.
Psychologists can help with nightmares as well as evaluating combat readiness. I hope you don't shut the option off
to her simply because you don't think you need anyone." He gestured. "My card is out at the front desk."
"I didn't say I didn't need anyone. I said I don't need you." Hector corrected. "If Andi feels she needs to see a shrink,
I'll find her one. One not associated with the military. She won't base her judgment on me. I'm the one who doesn't
like doctors either and has to be dragged by MPs for my physical. Don't underestimate her intelligence or her
common sense just because you doubt mine."
"Don't underestimate the influence your opinions have on her either. You're all she has that's familiar now." Schroder
replied. "She has nothing to turn to if she loses you." Girlfriend? Definite yes. And probably pointless now. How did
the man manage to dodge around so well and snap defenses in place enough that even he, with all his training,
wasn't going to get the information that was there, just under the surface, out of him? There had to be a way through.
Schroder just couldn't see it.
“Fine, you win. I'll talk to her about that." Hector said. If Andi needed to see a shrink, he wasn't above dragging her if
it was for the best. "But as far as we're concerned, I'll call you in a couple of weeks and tell you why I'm ready to go
do my job, so don't lose that paper. You'll need it."