Page 12 of Signed, SEALed, Delivered

My name is Zach Michaels. I realize you don't know me, but I received your letter by mistake. I apologize, as I didn't pay attention to the name on the envelope before opening it. I read a few lines before I questioned who you were, and it was then I checked the address and noticed you had sent it to someone else. My sad news doesn't end there, I wanted to do the right thing and make sure your Zack got his letter. However, moments ago I learned you, and apparently myself, have been unwillingly involved in an Internet scam. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your love interest, Zack Michels is a computer-generated scam. Please accept my apologies. I have included my email address if you wish to confirm this Zach Michaels is telling you the truth.

Sincerely,

Lieutenant Zach Michaels

I placed Kennedy's letter in an envelope before tossing it in the outgoing mail bin, hating the thought anyone could be so cruel as to lie to a young girl. What benefit would they have in a scam such as this? Was this a webpage decorated with half naked men posing as soldiers, tossing out lines of bullshit found in romance novels to their intended victims? Luring credit card numbers in exchange for a chance at a date with the hot guy they assumed cared for them.

Returning to my tent, deciding to do a little investigating on my own. I would need to email my brother Zane, giving him a heads up to watch out for out little sister Savannah. Last I heard, she and my sister in law, Meghan, were signing her up for online dating websites.

USA Today Fraud Report: Officials revealed today a major identity theft ring has been uncovered. This organization was spearheaded by Virginia Greyson, 25, of Charleston, South Carolina. A career criminal with a rap sheet listing repeated arrests for prostitution and illegal possession of drugs and paraphernalia.

Reports allege that Greyson created a fictitious website, MilitaryConnections.com, targeting single females and males. The reports indicated thousands of unsuspecting young men and women visited the website in the hopes of finding love with a man or woman currently serving in the US Military. Greyson would assign each of them a fictitious soldier, complete with an email and an address in Afghanistan. Several victims reported Greyson sent them an email stating their 'soldier' was being deployed. After a few days, an urgent email would be received stating their soldier's family was in trouble and monetary help was needed. Promises were made for repayment within seventy-two hours. Once the account numbers or actual money transfers had occurred, the email addresses would then become inactive. At the time of her arrest, Greyson was reported to have scammed more than two million dollars. She is currently being held without bond in an undisclosed location. Authorities are asking if anyone has joined this webpage and been given the name, Zack Michels, to contact them at the following number. Studies show that women, ages twenty-two to thirty-five, are prime targets for identity theft.

To: [emailprotected]

From: [emailprotected]

CC:

Subject: Hey, heads up!!!!

Zane,

Hey bro, attached is an article I found while I was looking for some information for a friend. One of my guys knew the girl who has been arrested for this scam. Scary how they chose a name so close to mine, which is how I became aware of this. I managed to receive a letter from one of her victims.I heard Savannah has been trying to find Mr. Right using the Internet and I want you to tell her to be careful. I hope to be home in a few months, so be ready for an ass kicking.

Kiss Meghan and the kids for me and tell them I miss them. Also, make sure to tell Mom I'm doing fine and can't wait to see her.

Your Brother,

Zach

I hit send and shutdown my laptop. I needed to get in a run, work some of this frustration out of my system. With my boots laced, I joined the other idiots as we circled the tents in the blazing desert sun. It was a mile all the way around if you stuck to the trail and not cut between the tents. You could always spot the new guys with their running shoes and earphones. Chuckling to myself as I start my run, those of us who had been here any length of time knew they didn't stand a chance in the intense heat the sand absorbed. When I first got here, I'd put my ear buds in and tried to listen to music. It wasn't too long before I threw them away from all the goddamn sand collected in them.

Starting out, I could feel the sun's heat as it pelted down on my back and the clink of my dog tags keeping rhythm for me where my music once did. As I ran, my mind wandered to Kennedy. What does she do? Is she a student, a mother, or both? Does she have an older brother to watch over her? From what little I had read of her letter, and the news report, she at least thought she had someone over here.

Movement in the corner of my vision brought me back to the sand and heat, Ramsey trying to pass me on my left, time to school the little fucker. As he ran alongside me, I took a quick left, hurdling over one of the air-conditioning units for the infirmary. When Zane and I were in high school, we would take turns trying to outdo the other while playing football with the neighborhood kids. When Zane went pro, I worked his ass hard before tryouts. Ramsey was no match for me, screaming like a little bitch when his shin hit the cover of the unit. I didn't take the time to stop and see if he was all right, fucker deserved it for thinking about Savannah.

***

Things had been quiet for the past two weeks; too quiet if you ask me. Zane had written me back, letting me know he and dad had given Savannah and Meghan a strong talking to. Seems the news report had made its way to my father's desk. If you think I'm protective of Savannah, he's one hundred times worse. As his only daughter, she may have him wrapped around her finger, but he protects that finger with his life. Curiosity had gotten the better of me and I wondered if anything new was out about, Virginia Greyson. As I signed onto my laptop, I was surprised to see I had an email from Kennedy.

To: [emailprotected]

From: [emailprotected]

CC:

Subject: Thank You.

Dear Lieutenant Michaels,

First, let me say thank you for your service. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for you, and your men, to be so far away from your families. I wish you a safe return and if you need anything stateside, it would be my honor to assist you.

As for the letter, I'm happy to say you were not the one to deliver the bad news. The day before I received your thoughtful letter, I was visited by someone from the Federal Prosecutor's office. Mr. Hawthorne arrived at the worst possible time, as my mother's bridge club was about to meet, filling me in on all of the ghastly details. Mr. Hawthorne insisted I refer to him as Steven, however, I knew my mother and her friends were listening in the next room. My mother, Claudia, is of the firm belief we address others with respect and reverence, therefore, he remained Mr. Hawthorne. Once he excused himself, leaving behind his business card, she cornered me demanding to know why a man with the government wanted to speak with me and accused me of having a romantic involvement with the gentleman. Lieutenant Michaels, the man was in his fifties, with maturity written in the lines of his skin.

It's just...my mother can be such a snob, concerned more with the activities of her friends than the relationships of her daughter. It is so infuriating when all I hear day after day is if only I were more well-rounded like my sister Caroline, I could attract the attention of a fine young man. What my mother doesn't seem to understand is the men around my age aren't interested in what a girl's IQ is, but more her bra size and how quickly he can separate her from her panties. Nothing ever seems good enough for her, regardless of how I dress or how many society chairs I occupy.

My brother, Jason, just happened to stop by at the same time Mr. Hawthorne was leaving. He isn't related to me by blood, though. His mother, my father's secretary, died of ovarian cancer when he was three. He came to live with us when his father couldn't be located. My father, who is a prominent attorney here in Georgia, filed all of the paperwork and he's been with us ever since.

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