ShadowShot : L'enfant Guerrier Read online

  This caused concern for the Frenchman and for me. There was the possibility of some of our own men betraying us for contract money. Of course this would not be tolerated by the Commanding Officer, but money can change loyalties. He called us into a meeting. He explained that the dead Belgium’s brother was also expected to be here within a couple of weeks. The Frenchman only had a month of his contract left and I had about a year.

  The Commanding Officer said, “Under the circumstances I think it best that I release you from service. You have done well and if I had commendations to award, you would get them.”

  Instead, we were offered an early out with a cash bonus. We were to fly out in two days. He suggested that we separate and stay low until the whole incident blew over. He thanked us and we shook hands.

  The Frenchman and I flew to Marseille where we split up, but not before making a plan. We would not be in contact again with the exception of hearing about someone getting close to us. We made a code through the Frenchman’s sister.

  I thought the best thing I could do was to keep moving around a lot. I could go home of course, but I didn’t intend to leave Europe. For the next few months I traveled around Scandinavia and middle Europe. I tried to keep moving from one place to the next. At first, I was a little concerned about the contract. Then there was the Belgium’s brother, but as the saying goes, I was young and dumb. I had lots of jingle in my pocket and I didn’t have time to worry about anything.

  I thought maybe I would go to Spain. A big city would be best, but after awhile, I decided on Paris. I loved Paris. There was really nothing to connect me to Paris even if the rebels or the Belgium’s brother were still looking for me. I had only been recruited from there. I settled into a small one room with kitchen. I bought a motorcycle, but at first spent a lot of time at home reading and relaxing. After awhile, I started going out and meeting people.

  Perhaps it was my short-lived career as a Merck but I had gone from being a young man to being an adult man. Moreover with that came the realization that women were very attracted to me, which wasn’t really difficult to understand, if I do say so myself. I was certainly handsome enough, physically fit and charming. Most of all I was a gentleman; to the credit of my mother and grandmother. I had my father Frank’s sense of humor.

  Before my return to Paris it was my nature to be shy around women. I found it difficult to approach a woman and start up a conversation. Now all that had changed; it was the other way around. Women were approaching me and I didn’t mind a bit. I had taken the job working at parties, bartending, not because I needed the money but because it was a good way to meet people. After a short while I stopped working at parties, I was now being invited to them instead.

  8

  ANGELINE

  Early1962

  During one of the parties I met an American. He was an older gentleman who introduced himself as George. He was a very attractive man for his age, easy going and friendly. It was starting to get late and the party was winding down. George and I were standing at the bar having a drink when he said, “Do you see the attractive lady sitting over there? She seems lonely or maybe even sad. You should go over and introduce yourself.”

  I had noticed her when she came in a little earlier. She was very attractive. She looked about forty years old and was well dressed. I thought that she wouldn’t be interested in me. “She’s older than I am and looks like she’s very well-to-do.”

  George encouraged me further, “She has looked this way a few times. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

  “I suppose. Do you know who she is?”

  George said that he didn’t know anything about her. “It’s up to you Jack but that kind of woman could open some doors for you.”

  I figured what have I to lose. The worst she could say is she’s not interested. I went over and introduced myself. I asked if I could get her a drink. She said, “Yes,” and we struck up a conversation. Talking with her was easy. She seemed interested in what I had to say. She explained that she had just recently broken up with her lover and she was a little sad. We easily got lost in our conversation. It was a surprise when we realized that almost everyone had left the party, including George.

  She told me that it was late and she should be going home. She mentioned calling a taxi, and then asked if I had a car to drive her home.

  “I don’t have a car but I do have a motorcycle, if you wouldn’t mind riding on it.”

  “Oh what fun! I love motorcycles that would be wonderful.”

  When we got to her apartment, she asked if I would like to come up, which I did. After another drink, she asked if I liked to dance.

  “Yes I love to dance.”

  “And will you dance with me?”

  “It would be an honor.” She put on a record and we danced right there in the living room. When the record stopped, she looked at me, smiled, and asked if I would like to make love to her?

  I eagerly replied, “More than you could possibly know!”

  After we made love for the second time, I found it hard to fall asleep. I was very excited. I had never been with a woman like this. She was extraordinarily beautiful. I knew that many women, especially slightly older ones, could look good with clothes on, but naked it might be a different matter. Her name was Angeline. She was even more beautiful naked than dressed. I laid there on her bed wondering if she’d want to see me again. I hoped so. We hadn’t really talked much about our lives yet. I knew she might be married and just needed a fling. However, if she wanted to see me again I would like that a lot.

  She was lying next to me sleeping, naked and beautiful. God I loved Europe! I took my left hand and gently started to stroke the inside of her thigh, while my right hand stroked her hair. She kept her eyes closed, smiled and took my right hand in hers. She put it to her lips and started to nibble on the inside of my palm. I was as hard as I thought I had ever been. She was on her side. She took me in her hand with a slow caressing movement that was rotational, from the bottom of my member all the way up to the top. She caressed it repeatedly. When she could see that I couldn’t stand it any longer, she rolled over on top of me. She pressed her lips on to mine, sat up, and put me inside of her.

  We awakened late the next morning. Angeline said that she would have to leave soon to go visit a friend that was ill. She asked if I would like to come back in the evening. She would make me a nice dinner and we could spend the night together again if it pleased me.

  All that day I was walking on air. I bought a very nice bottle of wine. I also got myself a new outfit and a haircut. In the afternoon I took a nap, so I would be fresh possible for the evening. I fell asleep thinking about Angeline. I liked that name. It had a nice ring to it.

  I wondered if I would see George again. I wanted to thank him. Without George’s goading, I would have never met her.

  The second night we had a candlelight dinner, and then we danced again. “Jack you dance beautifully. Did you take lessons?” she asked.

  “No, I guess I enjoy dancing and you make it easy.”

  Angeline asked me if I knew Latin dancing. She said that she wanted to teach me and excused herself for a moment. When she came back she started kissing me and undressed me right there in the living room.

  When she had my clothes off, she took my hand and led me to the bathroom. She had drawn a bubble bath in a large tub. She let her negligee fall to the floor and slipped into the water. I stood there looking at her for a moment. She looked up at me and smiled.

  “Are you going to join me?”

  I said, “I just want to savor this moment. You are so beautiful.”

  “Jack, you make me feel beautiful.”

  I slipped into the tub facing her. I held her lovely foot and started to kiss first one then the other. I put my hands under both of her thighs and lifted her up out of the water. She wrapped her legs around my shoulders and pulled my head between her thighs. She started moaning and her body shook. We played in the water for a couple hours making love an
d talking. We told each other about ourselves, and talked about the philosophy of life.

  I was certainly enamored with her. I knew enough not to push myself on her too much. I would’ve liked to see her as much as possible, but she seemed content with a couple of nights a week. That was okay with me. I wasn’t about to let myself fall in love. However, I always looked forward to our time together.

  A couple of weeks later, I was at a party by myself when I met George again. I was glad to see him and said that I wanted to thank him for encouraging me with Angeline.

  George smiled and said, “That’s really great, are you going to see her again?”

  “Yes we’ve been seeing each other a couple times a week. It’s been wonderful.”

  This was pretty much the beginning of my friendship with George. He started inviting me to other parties and introducing me to people. He was a good man to know and he seemed to like me. We got along well. I had always been more comfortable associating with older people. I knew how to listen and learn.

  Over the next couple of months I saw George a lot. There were always parties and dinners. I was constantly meeting new people. If I had to be in a city, this was the one. It was especially nice now that I had some money to burn.

  I would see Angeline a couple of nights a week. Some weeks it was three nights. She never seemed to mind if I was out on the town or with someone else. A few times I tried to broach the subject of our friendship. It was obvious that she was content the way things were. When we were together she was always completely attentive to me.

  She was very sophisticated and regularly took time to coach me in a variety of ways to please a woman. She felt there were things that a young man needed to refine; qualities like etiquette, manners, and social order. She explained that this was necessary if I was to thrive in the capricious Parisian social order. My favorite teachings to say the least were the many extraordinary ways she taught me to please a woman.

  She never seemed to run out of new ways to make love. Bringing pleasure was her expertise. One occasion when I came to her apartment, some of the furniture in the living room had been moved back. There was a large soft pad in the middle of the floor. She smiled and said, “I have a surprise for you my love.”

  Angeline had never used the word love before and she actually blushed even though I knew that she had only used the word in a lighthearted manner. First we had a nice dinner and then I found out what she was planning.

  She undressed me and then rubbed scented oil on me. She asked me to do the same for her. We made love slipping and sliding, winding and curling around each other. It was amazing and erotic.

  On a separate occasion with the same pad, she introduced body paints. We painted different designs and patterns on each other; whatever struck our fancy. When we made love the colors ran into collages.

  Angeline once asked me if I was interested in theater. She said, “In this life, one may find it useful to know the method of an actor. Learning to master the skills of a good showman is valuable. You can entertain, persuade, or fool another. It might save your life someday. So tonight I would like to stay home and give you a screen test. I will choose the script and we will act it out together. To make it as real as possible we will only speak in a manner that would be appropriate for the scene. We shall dress in costume, and I promise you it will be very erotic. Are you ready?”

  What could I say? Even if I were not, I would not wish to appear to be droll. Besides, everything that Angeline did was always fun. She explained that my role would be that of a slave purchased from the market of an ancient city. I was certainly challenged.

  On our next evening together she wanted to engage in the role-playing game again. I was a little bit unsure. She laughed and said, “It’s your turn to be the master.”

  Angeline put me into a privateer outfit and she played the role of an imprisoned aristocrat’s daughter. I was supposed to have captured her after pillaging and sinking her father’s ship. She was in transit to Spain and now she was my slave. I definitely intended to lord over her. And that is exactly what I did.

  Angeline introduced new games and scenarios often. We would dress the part and role-play the actions. I learned to get into the part and live it. I enjoyed pretending and attempting to speak the unusual foreign accents and mannerisms required by our scripts.

  I was ahead of the curve for a young man of my age in the art of being a gentleman, due to the tutoring of my mother and grandmother. What I lacked, however, was practical experience. Engaging with a sophisticated woman is demanding, especially one like Angeline. She was so graceful. Her beauty was captivating. When she walked into a room every man wanted her. The women would gaze with envy. She ensured that I learned how to perform, in a manner appropriate to the situation.

  Being with Angeline was a banquet of experiences. If I entertained any thoughts about there being more to the relationship, it was dismissed. After our first month together, it was clear to me that this is how she wanted it. I really had nothing to complain about. I had the best of all worlds. We would go out or stay in, but we would always make love and it was always incredible. I would have the rest of my time free to do whatever I pleased.

  She was a woman who was accustomed to the finer things. She expected that a man would always pay for outings. I always insisted on paying for our dates, parties, and dinners. However, after all this time, I did start to get low on money. I laughed to myself and thought maybe I could gigolo for old women; not really a very attractive proposal.

  I was seeing more and more of George. We would hang out together often. We enjoyed each other’s company. Considering all of the acquaintances I had made, Angeline and George were actually my only real friends in Paris.

  I, as a young man will do, forgot about the Belgium from the job in the Congo. I forgot about the contract. My life had become too interesting. The jungles of Africa seemed so far away and remote. Living in Paris I lost the sense of danger from being found.

  Spring had come to Paris and it was a beautiful. I had been seeing Angeline now for three months. On this evening I was to pick her up. We were to go to dinner. When I got to her apartment there was a note on the door. It simply read, “Jack, the landlady has the key.”

  I knocked on the landlady’s door. When she opened it, my instincts told me right away something was wrong. She shook her head and gave me the key, pointing to the room up the stairs. When I opened the door there was no furniture. Everything was gone except one table. There was a solitary envelope.

  “My dear Jack,

  I am so sorry to say goodbye to you in this manner. It is really the only way. I couldn’t bear to look at you while I was telling you goodbye. You are a wonderful young man, and assuredly the best lover that I’ve ever known. I’ve enjoyed every moment with you. However, I have another life. Now, that life takes me away. I believe you sensed that there was no possibility of a future together. Please understand nothing that you’ve done was wrong. If I were ever to settle down with a man, it would be you. I don’t think that it’s your time to settle down with a woman yet. I know that you still have many adventures ahead. I cannot say that I love you because I don’t believe I’ve ever been in love. I will say that I loved every minute with you. My lovely Jack, don’t think of this as an ending but a beautiful fleeting affair. Take care of yourself dear Jack.

  P.S. I am sorry, but my name is not really Angeline.”

  I felt sick. I was glad that I had taken a taxi instead of my motorcycle. It was raining. It felt good to walk in the rain. When I was sufficiently wet, I walked into the first bar that I found. I went up and ordered a drink. I had the letter with me. I pulled it out of my jacket and read it again. At first, I felt angry. This was no way to end it. I deserved better.

  After the second drink, I realized she was probably right. I would not have wanted to let go. I knew all along that someday it had to end. Well I was going to miss her. I tried to think of clever things to say to myself. I thought every dog has his
day. There are more fish in the sea. Or was it, there are more fish in the Seine?

  I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever find a woman like her again. I ordered my third drink the bartender who had a kind face said, “Lost love?”

  I nodded my head yes.

  Seeing the note in my hand he said, “I think you Americans call that a Dear John letter no? Is that your first one?”

  I nodded.

  “Well then the next one won’t be so hard to take. This drink is on me.”

  How is it that bar tenders always know what’s happening. Business was slow that night, so we talked for about an hour. The bartender said that he had been in the war and had known many Americans. We had a good conversation and soon it was time for me to leave. I thanked him for being there and gave him a good tip. I was tired. I went home and went to bed. The next weekend I called up George and we made a plan to go to dinner. After dinner he took me to one of the never-ending parties. I wasn’t really in the mood for it, but it was nice to be with George. I knew it was good for me to get out as well.

  9

  MY NEW CAREER

  The following week, George asked me to join him at a café. He had arranged a meeting with a person he wanted me to meet. I asked why, and he told me it was a surprise. When I arrived, George was sitting with another gentleman. The man was dressed in a business suit with dark glasses. He greeted me with a handshake that left my hand smelling of his cologne. He sat well back in his seat and appeared to look me over. I was slightly offended, and I found myself using my new acting skill to disguise my reaction. After a quick round of small talk about the weather, he started in on the purpose of the meeting.

  “Our mutual friend here has spoken well of you. I would like to offer you a job.”

  I glanced at George. He wasn’t smiling. He only nodded to urge me forward. I was reminded of the day, I met Angeline.