Friendship is a cherished and highly coveted quality, yet it is rarely ever properly expressed or truly put to the test. In Hands of Honor, the interlinking friendships of three men are put to the test when the friends-Marcos Bakoos, Major Johnson and Ben Irons-take off for a fun-filled and much-deserved New Year's vacation to Marcos's hometown of Beirut, Lebanon. Before the festivities begin, suspected Islamic terrorists hijack their flight. Marcos, a lieutenant in the Lebanese Army and the son of Lebanon's president, is kidnapped and held for ransom. Major and Ben must use their skills acquired in Army Ranger training to free Marco. They reach out to a mysterious acquaintance from their past to pull off a daring rescue attempt. Breaking with protocol and violating direct orders from their superiors, Major and Ben risk their lives for that of their friend, understanding that true friendship supersedes rules and regulations. During their mission, they realize their actions are tangled in a dangerous web with ancient ties. They discover the incident surrounding their actions is but one part of a grander plan-the outcome over which they have no control.

Hands of Honor

By Terron Sims II

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Terron Sims II
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2455-1

Chapter One

Fort Monmouth is located on the Jersey shore, conveniently one hour south of New York City and one hour north of Atlantic City. The Jersey shore is a popular summer haven for young adults and families from New York, New Jersey, and the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Fort Monmouth is a very small, obscure post that most individuals, including many active duty Army personnel, do not know exists. For the past several years, the Army has been transitioning to civilianize the instillation. The two major units at Fort Monmouth are the US Communication and Electronic Command (CECOM) and the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS).

The mission of the United States Military Academy Preparatory School is to provide academic, military, and physical instruction in a moral-ethical military environment to prepare and motivate candidates for success at West Point. Cadet Candidates, as the Prep School's students are referred to, are specifically chosen because they posses leadership potential, yet lack the full academic skills needed to achieve success with the Academy's rigorous academic schedule. The majority of the Cadet Candidates graduate in the top of their high school classes, possess outstanding physical abilities, demonstrate strong leadership potential, and have a strong desire to attend West Point. By attending USMAPS, The Military Academy provides the Cadet Candidates an opportunity that they would otherwise have not received.

The Prep school is comprised of a three-company battalion: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. It receives between one hundred fifty and two hundred Cadet Candidates every July. The Department of the Army mandates that the Prep school admit a minimum of a fifty one percent US Army soldier population that consists of regular Army, National Guard, and reserve soldiers. The other forty-nine or less percent of the incoming Prep school class come straight out of high school and college. The large majority of the high school students are athletic recruits. The others are "regular" high school kids who West Point feels have what it takes to achieve success at the Military Academy, yet need an additional year to sharpen their math and English skills. Though the majority of the incoming high school students are athletic recruits, they are still required to meet West Point's demanding application requirements.

15 April 2000, 2000 hrs: Cornwall, New York

Due to the recent events that occurred at West Point this past winter, the Department of the Army (DA) had initially decided to not allow Major to serve as a graduate assistant (GA) basketball coach at USMAPS. With the Army's officers' corps numbers so dramatically reduced for the next four years, DA felt it unwise to waste a perfectly good new second lieutenant for six months coaching basketball. Needless to say, West Point has a way of getting what it wants, when it wants it.

This particular evening, Major is at Coach Patrick's house watching basketball and eating pizza. The Army men's basketball team lost in the first round to John Chaney's Temple University Owls in a tough defensive battle. Now home, the basketball team does like the rest of the nation: watches the NCAA tournament on TV.

Being the competitors that they are, the Army team was disappointed in the loss, but not terribly so because they had accomplished their goal of winning the Patriot League tournament; thus, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Now, like their football brothers who played their hearts out in the Independence Bowl against Auburn during the `96 season, they too have rings.

While intensely watching Duke battle it out on the hardwood against Florida, Coach Patrick takes a moment to ask Major, "Do you want to GA at the Prep?"

The question shocks Major and ensues in him a feeling of extreme joy. Calming down from his excitement, Major asks, "Can I call my dad real quick?"

"Of course," Coach Patrick replies.

Major leaps to his feet and heads for Coach Patrick's telephone, which hangs on the kitchen wall. He lifts the receiver to call his dad, COL Sydney Johnson, USMC. After three rings, a male voice answers the telephone from the other end.

Recognizing the voice, Major says, "Dad, Coach just asked me to GA for him down at the Prep,"

"For how long?" COL Johnson asks.

"Six months."

"What about your basic course?"

"I'll report to OBC in January."

"Is that going to affect your promotion to First Lieutenant?"

"I already checked into that. It doesn't. All of the guys who've done it in the past were promoted on time."

"Do you really want to do this?"

"More than you know. I've wanted to be a GA since I went to the Prep."

"Well, I don't see why not."

"Thanks a lot, dad! I really appreciate it. I'll talk to you later."

"All right, Milton. You take care."

Major returns the telephone to the receiver and says to Coach Patrick, "I've got you, Coach. My dad says it's cool."

"That's great!" Coach Patrick exclaims. "I want you to see me everyday so we can run through drills and watch some film."

"Good deal. I can't wait! You know. I always wondered what goes on in that crazy mind of yours when you're breaking down film."

16 April 2000, 1430 hrs: West Point, New York

It is the early afternoon at the United States Military Academy. More significantly, it is the coldest month of the year in upstate New York. Being a Cadet during the winter is extremely unpleasant because the issued uniforms do not do much of a job of keeping one warm. The thickest coat that is issued to the Cadets is a wool overcoat. Most Cadets, when it is extremely cold out, wear either their gray jacket or, if they have one, their varsity sweater underneath.

Weather wise, it is an average day at West Point. The sky is gray to the point that one is unable to tell wether it is covered in an enormous blanket of gray clouds or if the sky itself has changed colors to adjust to the cold temperature. The air is so crisp that the lungs seem to feel every frozen molecule that enters the body.

There is hardly a soul walking in Cadet Area, not counting the numerous construction workers who are rebuilding the Mess Hall, Washington Hall, and Eisenhower and MacArthur Barracks. The majority of the Cadets are either in class or relaxing in their rooms. If it were warmer out, some of the Cadets would be outside playing basketball or soccer, or just lying out somwhere enjoying the nice weather. But, since the weather is not nice, it is more comfortable just staying in their rooms.

Major is one of the few Cadets who is currently out of his room. Being that he has to meet with Coach Patrick in about an hour, Major is taking care of some personal business that he can only handle during his precious time off after lunch. Major heads for Grant Barracks so he can get dressed for practice. Passing by Nininger Hall, Major just happens to run into his company tactical officer (TAC), MAJ Weiss.

"How's it going, Major?" MAJ Weiss asks as he stops to speak to his former commander.

"Not bad, sir. You?" Major asks.

"Everything is good. I'm glad I ran into you."

"Why's that sir?"

"I just returned from a meeting and saw that you're on the list to GA at the Prep school."

"Roger, sir."

"Why do you want to do that?"

"I've wanted to do that since I went to the Prep, sir."

"I don't...