Melvin had been at the private auction as security for 7 hours now, filling in for a man who had a case of food poisoning. He was no stranger to last minute details. Just wished he had a little more notice to work with this new team. Don't sweat the small stuff he told himself. Everything is small stuff.
The VIP was not into hiding his guns for hire behind suits and sunglasses. The contracting agency was specifically asked for the security contractors to look as obvious as possible. So today Melvin and his four person team was in jeans, button up shirts, desert boots, level IV coyote plate carriers, pistols, and tricked out carbines. This was very much not the norm for this profession outside of the PSD realm in war zones. He kinda felt exposed for some odd reason. However, it did project an image for people not to try anything silly.
The rest of his team consisted of three men and a woman he had worked with in the past. Adam Douglas was the next in the chain. The average height but thick muscled native American wearing a faded Mossy Oak ball cap stood at Melvin's 12 o'clock across the large room. A former deputy sheriff and Operator on his department's SWAT team he had the ability to get along with anyone or beat them into the ground. At the side exit of the room was Erick Tobon. The former Colombian national worked for DEVGRU before getting out and going private. His full head of hair and long black beard made him look more like a Taliban militiaman than a contractor. He was the team's medic. The group's Designated Marksman Sam Mur was on the second floor overlook. The former member of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children was no nonsense and all business. You did not want to be on the business end of his scope. Rounding out the group was Jennifer Darty. She was the only non law enforcement or military background in the bunch and was at the podium nearest to the auction staff manager. She started off and was still a bodyguard by trade. The carbine in her hands kept most single men at a distance from hitting on her.
The crowd was not very large. However, it contained more millions of dollars per person than any other crowd he had been outside of. The man behind the whole auction, Jonathan Beckett, was working the crowd. Behind him were three cabinets of the hardest to find antique firearms and one of a kind items. Estimates were that the end of the auction would net 120 to 200 million dollars. One of the more interesting items was one of the gold plated AK-47s belonging to Saddam Hussein. Another was General Robert E. Lee's 1860 Colt Army revolver. Melvin knew better than to ask where some of the items came from. However, he was curious.
Melvin has noticed the dark haired woman from the distance looking at him from time to time. He had seen her several times over the course of the day talking to people and signing books they brought up for her to autograph. He didn't recognize her. But, she did seem familiar...........
Monday, November 4, 2013
Training in the hills Day 3: Are we there yet?
Morning routines out of the way I began to wrap up camp. I did everything I could to remove as many traces as possible that I was there. I would take ALL of my trash with me on the pack other than what I had buried. I poured enough water on the camp fire location turning it to mud and stirred it with a stick. I did not want to be responsible for causing a forest fire and not being allowed to come back onto the property.
One thing that I can say about this trip is that ounces equal pounds and pounds do equal pain. The deep cycle battery was heavy to carry and added more discomfort than I needed. Odds are it may not be brought on the next trip. What I will bring is the small solar chargers such as the Kodak and the Solio Classic.
I managed after a downhill trek to get back to my parked truck and unload my equipment. I was tired but I had a big sense of satisfaction.
I managed to do three days and two nights on my own and actually was fairly comfortable during the hottest part of the Summer. I was able to see what I should and should not take with me in that time of the year. My next trip will be during the winter for the same amount of time.
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