Righteousness

Tom watched Special Agent Sara Dobbs until she drove off, thinking he could hardly wait for Saturday's meeting.

He went up to his hotel room and fell onto the bed exhausted. The jetlag overwhelmed him and he was fast asleep.

Sara went back to her office. It was quiet in the office and it was her favorite time to catch up on paperwork and think. David Sims... could it be Colonel David Sims, the man that helped save her life years ago? She remembered back when she was in Afghanistan and the incredible story her Captain told her.

While visiting a friend at the Pentagon, Colonel Sims was shocked and saddened to hear that a friend’s daughter, Army Lieutenant Sara Dobbs and her unit were captured and held captive for four weeks in Afghanistan. With their outlook bleak, her father, Major Lee Dobbs, called his friend, Colonel David Sims. Sims called in every favor to find the unit and rescue them.

Sara was keenly observant and seized an opportunity by over-powering the fewer guards and escaped.  They didn’t get far before they literally ran into a Special Forces extraction team who flew them to safety in an Apache Helicopter.

The morning after her transport out, Major Dobbs phone rang.  It was Sara. “Dad, I’m alright. We’re in Germany. I finally got a ride in a Nightrider and it was awesome!”

 Tears filled her father’s eyes when he heard her voice. He’d heard about the military’s new ultra-high-tech, AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters used in Desert Storm and was forever grateful. He remembered hearing the stories about the enemy fleeing for their lives when they heard the distinctive noise of the Apache.

 “Thank God, honey, are you injured?” Lee said.  “I’m coming to Germany.”

 “Dad, you don’t have to…” It was all she managed to get out when her father blurted out, “I’ll be there on the first plane, no arguments.”

“Okay, I’d love to see you, but I’m fine Dad.  Just a few bumps and bruises.”

Sara wasn’t totally truthful to spare her parents more anguish.  One of her eyes was completely swollen shut and she had many large bruises from the daily beatings of their vicious, fanatical captors.

Her parents hugged like never before as they called David to thank him for his help.

“She’s safe, David. Thank you buddy.” Lee smiled brightly, with his arm wrapped around his wife, Sue, looking into her smiling, tearful eyes.

David, back in Michigan, bowed his head, and said a prayer. “Thank God, Lee. I’m glad Sara’s safe.” David said wiping a tear. The two men reminisced as always - about the old days, wiping tears, and holding their sides from laughter. Sue happily looked up at her husband, now filled with joy. She hadn’t heard her husband laugh in a month.

After hanging up with Lee, David placed a call to his friend at the Pentagon, congratulating them on the successful mission offering his thanks and gratitude to the outstanding Special Forces team. David never told Lee the details of the rescue mission to save him more pain.  David helped design the dangerous mission and they had one shot at getting them out that night - their deep-cover source told them the terrorists had planned to relocate in the morning, executing the prisoners before they left.

David had tremendous respect for Sara. If she hadn’t taken the initiative that night, they would all be dead according to their deep cover source.

A few months later, Lee told him that Sara resigned her commission and she joined the FBI. David never doubted for a second that she’d make an outstanding agent.

It says “Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity” on the FBI’s seal in Washington D.C.