Chapter 14

I

Lisa Cooper had always been an easygoing person, even when faced with tragedy. But for some reason, she couldn't shake the sense of violation she felt when a man had been found ransacking the apartment she shared with her boyfriend.

They had been on campus for finals, and Matt was finished with his. Lisa still had one more to take. They went back to their apartment near campus so she could study. The closer they got to the door, the more Matt was convinced that there wasn't something right.

Then he saw the broken doorjamb and told Lisa to go across the courtyard to a neighbor and call the police. She did, and within moments it seemed, her apartment was swarming with Charlottesville's and the University of Virginia's finest.

She had rejoined Matt as police went into their apartment with a couple of dogs, and moments later, they brought out a man who yelled some kind of nonsense about the Republic of America as he was placed into a police car and taken to the station.

Both she and Matt gave their statements to the remaining officers, and a copy would go to the U.Va police. They were advised to seek lodging elsewhere until the investigation was completed in a weeks' time.

It took two weeks to complete everything, then they were allowed to return to their apartment. When they went inside, there was still the mess the intruder had left behind for them to clean up.

Lisa had been upset by finding things broken or ruined that couldn't be replaced. Photos of her parents when they first met; the crucifix her mother always wore was broken beyond repair; some of the books that had been her mother's were torn and the pages scattered all over the living room.

She had sat in the middle of the living room's chaos and cried.

Now, three months later, Lisa still felt like the intruder had taken a huge chunk of her heart and threw it against the wall. She recognized that she needed to talk to someone about her feelings, so when the new semester started up, she made an appointment with a therapist out in town. Since she was still on her father's insurance, he would be paying for it.

Matt was her rock, however. They could talk about anything. That's what attracted her to him to begin with when they were still young teenagers. She told him things that she never told anyone else, especially about how she was conceived as a result of a rape. The man she knew as her father adopted her when he and her mother married when she was two years old.

It took her a couple more years to figure out that she might be in love with Matt. She thought for a long time, it was just friendship. Then Matt told her how he felt about her about a month before he started at Virginia. He had been visiting her family in Virginia Beach when he took out for a picnic at a place called "Mount Trashmore". It had been a former landfill that had been buried and landscaped and turned into a park. It was there that Matt told her that he was in love with her, and would she please consider joining him in Charlottesville when she graduated from high school the following spring.

"You have the grades, Lisa," he had said; "it won't be that hard for you to get in. I can't imagine doing college without you by my side."

"Matty, that is one of the schools I've applied to," Lisa said. "But I haven't heard anything back from any of them yet. Dad says it might be after the first of the year before I hear anything."

"So, if you get accepted, you'll actually attend U.Va?" asked Matt.

"I'd have a reason to," Lisa said. "Besides the curriculum, of course."

"You know how happy that makes me to hear you say that, Lisa?" asked Matt. "I feel like the king of the world!"

He then kissed her, with her responding in kind. "God, I'm a lucky guy!" he said.

"How's that?"

"I'm on my own and have the girl of my dreams, too."

"Silly Matthias..." Lisa said. "You know I love you, too, right?"

"I know," Matt said; "It's written all over your face."

"I think I know how my mom felt about my dad," said Lisa; "I miss her every day and wish I could ask her about all these changes happening in my life."

"I know, Lisa," Matt said as he took her hand. "My mom might be able to answer those questions for you. She is a nurse you know."

Lisa laughed, "I know your mother's a nurse, silly. But that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean, then?"

"That this is what it's like to 'grow up', and sometimes it's kinda scary," Lisa said; "I need a mother's advice."

"Well, hey, just by some sheer coincidence, my mom's a mother, too!" Matt said, displaying his father's silly grin. "It's perfect!"

"Matty..." she said, laughing.

Maybe talking to someone about this will help, Lisa thought; It couldn't hurt, and I need to get these feelings off my chest. Matt is patient and kind, but I don't want to trouble him with this.

===

"Twenty four people were killed last night?!" Chastity could be heard screaming from down the hall; "And three are in police custody? Can't these people do a simple job without fucking it up?!"

And the throwing of objects within Chastity's reach commenced.

Krysta ran into Chastity's office just as she broke a window with a paperweight. She could see that Chastity was in the middle of a major league temper tantrum that reminded Krysta of something a two year old would do.

"Chastity!" Krysta yelled at her; "Calm the hell down will you? This is accomplishing nothing!"

Chastity didn't seem to hear her, but kept up the throwing, screaming, cursing, and destruction unabated.

Krysta continued to try and talk Chastity out of her tantrum, as she had countless times before. This would not be one of those times she succeeds.

Chastity looked at Krysta with such a look of hatred and evil, that Krysta was actually frightened of her.

"You whore!" Chastity said to Krysta in a voice cloaked in venom; "You lying, cheating, fucking cunt! How dare you speak to me in that tone of voice! This is my show, and I'll run it any fucking way I want! I should fucking kill you! You've betrayed me for the last time, bitch! You hear me, bitch! I'm going to make you wish you were dead!"

Chastity then got up off the floor and charged at Krysta. As Chastity got to where Krysta stood, she started swinging at her.

Krysta grabbed Chastity's long hair, wrapped it around her hand while Chastity still spewed hated and venom at her, pulled Chastity to the desk, and smashed Chastity's head on it, knocking her out. At this point, if Chastity died, Krysta no longer cared. She had had enough.

Krysta pushed Chastity's unconscious form to the floor, littered with broken objects and broken glass, and left her there.

She walked down the hall and told the secretary that Miss was in need of medical assistance, and, "I'm leaving for the day. I've had enough of Miss and her tantrums."

Krysta walked out the door, got in her car, and swore that she would find out more about the woman she thought she loved.

She would not like what she found.

===

As promised, at noon central time, a miliary transport vehicle approached the gate to the Draiman compound. The driver asked to be allowed beyond the gate to conduct official business. David buzzed him in and the gates opened.

"The transport is here," he said to Julia.

The kids were antsy and Rachel was scared out of her mind. When she was, she reverted back to a habit her parents broke her of when she was three: sucking her thumb.

"Take your thumb out of your mouth, Rachel," Miri admonished her little sister; "You're not a baby any more!"

Rachel said nothing. She continued to suck her thumb.

"Miri, leave her alone," Julia said. "This is not an easy situation for any of us."

"Yes, Mom," Miri said.

The soldiers, who were in battle fatigues, reported directly to Julia. The leader of the group said,

"Mrs. Summers, I'm Corporal John Crossley from San Diego, California. It's an honor to be of assistance to a heroine of the Resistance."

"At ease, soldier," Julia said; "I'm just a civilian. And I've never been comfortable with being called a heroine of anything. Call me Julia. These are my children, Mirielle, Jaime, Zach and Rachel. We'll address you as Corporal if military etiquette dictates it."

Crossley didn't know how to take that at first. Then he smiled. "Of course, Julia. As long as I'm on orders to assist you and your family, 'Corporal' will be fine."

The other soldiers silently grabbed the luggage and cases that contained their weapons and loaded them in the back of the truck. The family would travel in another vehicle.

"We should be at Lackland at 1300," Crossley told Julia; "A flight to Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming will be waiting. Once at Warren, another transport will take you to your destination."

"Thank you, Corporal," said Julia.

Miri sat there, not feeling so angry and afraid. Wyoming was where Jack lived. She wondered if that was where they were going. She was sure her mother would tell them at some point where they were going to hide.

And Corporal Crossley was kind of cute, she thought.

===

Nik's phone rang as he tried to sleep. He answered it, "San Marco. Speak to me."

"Major, the transport has picked up Mrs. Summers and her family, and are en route to Lackland, sir," the enlisted man at the other end of the line reported. "A plane headed for Warren Air Force Base is waiting for their arrival, sir."

"Very good," Nik said; "Have someone at Warren call me when they get there. I won't need to speak to Mrs. Summers as I'm not supposed to know where she and her family are going into hiding."

"Yes, Major," the enlisted man said and hung up.

Nik put the phone back on the bedside table and turned over to try and get some sleep from his all night adventures, and three tongue-lashings.

KateLynn and the boys were at Peter's physical therapy appointment, where Peter hoped to get some good news.

Nik thought about KateLynn and everything he'd put her through in the nearly nineteen years since they married when he was eighteen and she was twenty. He had no idea what he'd do without her. He'd almost lost her twice: once to a staph infection she contracted shortly after Daniel was born; and once to his own stupidity.

Now, he wanted her to be in that bed with him, because she alone had the ability to calm his fears.

Instead, he fell asleep.

He was still asleep when KateLynn returned home with the boys. Peter and Danny were in their rooms, doing homework.

KateLynn sat on the bed and watched Nik sleep. She could see by the the look on his face that whatever was going on in his head was in his dreams.

She took off her shoes and got under the covers with him. "Nik, it's okay baby," she whispered to him; "tell Katie what's wrong."

"Katie?" he said in his sleep, "is that really you?"

"Yes, Nikolai," she said, "it's really me."

"Don't let them take me, Katie!" Nik cried out in his dream; "Please, Katie!"

KateLynn recognized the nightmare Nik was having. He was a prisoner of war during the Occupation and the New Army was dragging him away from her. And she wouldn't say anything to keep it from happening.

"...I know I've made you angry..." Nik said.

"But it's over now," KateLynn said; "All is forgiven."

She cuddled up against him, and he seemed to calm down. "Shh, Nikolai, I'm here for you, baby..." she said.

KateLynn worried about Nik sometimes, especially when he had nightmares like that. Nothing he could ever do could shake her faith in him, make her love him any less. Now this CIA thing, and his being recommissioned at his request, only made her stronger and their marriage stronger.

"I love you, Nikolai," she whispered to him as she lay her head on his chest and drifted off to sleep.

===
II


The convoy from Austin arrived at Lackland at 1pm on the second. After listening to her three younger children complain about being bored (Miri was having a nice conversation with Corporal Crossley), Julia didn't have high hopes that the plane ride would be any less boring. That was, until she saw the plane that would be taking them to the next stop: none other than Air Force One.

"We're going to Warren on Air Force One?" asked Julia.

"It's only Air Force One when the President is on board," Julia was told by the steward waiting to board the plane along with Julia, her family, Corporal Crossley and two other soldiers; "Air Force Two when it's the Vice President. Just another plane with civilians on it."

"Cool," Miri said; "Bet none of my friends can say that!"

"Miss Summers, I believe you will be very comfortable on board," the steward said; "There will be meal service on board, and your family's dietary needs have been taken into consideration."

"Thank you," said Julia. "We all greatly appreciate it."

"What are your family's dietary needs?" Crossley whispered to Miri.

"We don't eat pork or pork products," Miri whispered back.

"Are you Jewish?"

"No, but Mom's stepfather is," Miri said; "I've never eaten a pork chop. I have no desire to. I love turkey bacon, though."

"Oh. Reason I ask is because I'm part Jewish," Crossley said; "I was raised in both the Jewish and Christian traditions."

"You and my Granpa David would get along famously, then," Miri said.

Soon, everyone was on board and secured into their seats. Miri and the corporal continued their conversation after his duties on board were completed. Once they were in the air, Miri found out a lot about Corporal John Crossley from San Diego, California.

One was that he like to draw. He drew everything. He even had others offer to pay him to draw things for them. He liked to draw people, cars and landscapes.

Another was that he loved to read, though his reading list of late was military manuals and study materials for the next rank.

She discovered that his birthday was three days before hers, but he was five years older than she was.

"Where do you go after you're done babysitting me and my family?" asked Miri.

"Back to Texas," Crossley said; "I'll be stationed at Fort Hood upon my return. And by the way, we're not 'babysitting' you and your family, Miri. We're protecting you."

"I know," Miri said; "but it feels like to me that we are, all because of what Uncle Nik says."

"Uncle Nik? Is he Army?" Crossley asked.

"Oh, yeah," said Miri; "He spent like ten years on active duty, then resigned his commission two or three years ago to go back to civilian life; then about three days ago, he 're-upped' and they made him a Major."

"Wait," Crossley said; "Your uncle isn't Nik San Marco, is it? Major San Marco?"

"One and the same," said Miri.

"I had no idea!" Crossley said; "I know he gave the orders to accompany you to Warren, but I didn't know you were related!"

"Not by blood, no," Miri explained; "He and my mom were raised together when they were kids. His parents got killed by the Illegals, and kidnapped his older sister. My grandmother was Jordan Terranova and she was thrown in prison for having a relationship with one not of her faith. She was pregnant with my mom at the time. After Mom was born, she was smuggled out of the prison hospital by Morbus. The San Marcos took her in when she was two weeks old. Uncle Nik went to live with them when Mom was about a year old, and since he had no family, they adopted him as their own. Mom, and my uncles Jeremiah and Joe Donovan, had living relatives, and were the San Marcos wards."

"Jordan Terranova has been married to David Draiman for years now," Crossley said; "Wow! That just blows my mind! You're practically royalty to a lot of people, Miri!"

"It's something we don't try to play up," Miri said. "Mom hates being referred to as a heroine. She did what she thought was right, and toppling the Occupational government was the right thing to do."

"Just so you know, Miri," Crossley said, "nothing we spoke about leaves this plane. It's part of protecting you and your family."

"Good," Miri said; "because I think I've said way too much as it is."

"Nonsense," Crossley said; "It's all part of getting to know a little bit about each other. No harm in that. Besides, you're very nice, very intelligent, and very pretty. If things could be different, and with your mother's permission, of course, I'd ask you out."

He saw Miri blush a shade of red that almost matched the color of her siblings hair.

"I don't know what to say," she said, embarrassed.

"Just know that some 20 year old Army Corporal thinks you're quite a catch."

"No guy has ever said that to me before," Miri said. She caught her mother looking over in her direction and smile, then went back to whatever it was she was reading.

"I find that hard to believe," Crossley said. "How could a guy not notice how pretty you are?"

"Because boys my age are stupid," Miri said; "Granpa David says that they need to be knocked upside the head with a two-by-four."

"Bet no one pisses off Granpa David, huh?"

"Not unless you have a death wish!" said Miri, laughing. "He's very protective of his girls...my mom, my aunts, me and my sisters and female cousins. And Nonna Jordan of course."

Soon the plane landed at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Summers family's belonging were transfered from the plane to a waiting truck. As with the trip from Austin to San Antonio, the family was placed in a second vehicle. Miri found it hard to say goodbye to her new friend, John. She suggested that he get permission from his superiors to contact her Uncle Nik. They both wanted to keep in touch. Miri feared that John wouldn't be able to and forget all about her.

The young corporal would play a big part in her life, but Miri, of course, didn't know that yet.

In fact, neither did he.

===

"How was your appointment today, Lisa?" Matt asked as he came in from his night class in Molecular Biology.

"It was okay, Matt," Lisa said; "I think this will help me a lot. I've been through much heavier stuff than having my home broken into, but for some reason, this really bothers me."

"I understand that, because I felt a sense of being violated, too," Matt said; "At times, I still feel it. But I can't let it rule me or rent space in my head."

"I know I shouldn't either, but it bugs me that it still bugs me," said Lisa.

"Let's not think about it right now, okay?" asked Matt. "Tell me about your day."

"Same old same old, Matt," Lisa said; "It's only the second week of school and I have a shitload of homework. Taking 21 credit hours is going to be the death of me!"

"But you took 21 credit hours last semester and made the Dean's List," Matt pointed out. "I didn't even do that!"

"My major isn't as hard as yours is, I guess," Lisa said.

"You're a freakin' Biology major, Lisa!" exclaimed Matt. "That's no walk in the park. And making the Dean's list in your second semester is no mean feat!"

"Thanks, Matt. I need all the encouragement I can get," Lisa said. "From Dad is one thing, from you it means something."

"You still feelin' a li'l discouraged Lisabeth?" asked Matt.

"A little, yes," Lisa said; "In most of my classes I'm either the only female or one of two or three. All my profs are male. They all look at me and go 'well, ain't YOU somethin'.' I have to work twice as hard to get half as much done."

"And you still get better grades!" Matt said. "But I know what you mean. In the class I had tonight, there's one female, and she's not stupid. She can do that class in her sleep!"

"I'd like to meet her, then," Lisa said, laughing; "so I can have someone to commiserate with."

"We have to get into study groups next week, I'll see if she wants to be in mine," Matt said. "In the meantime, what's for dinner? I'm starved!"

Lisa looked her six-foot-eight-inch boyfriend and retorted, "You're hardly starving Matthias San Marco! I made meatloaf, by the way."

"Awesome!" Matt said; "Have I told you lately that I love your meatloaf?"

"Not really."

"Well, I do," Matt said; "And I love you even more!"

"I'll heat it up and you can enjoy it to your hearts content while you study," Lisa said; "I have to get back to my shitload of homework. Then maybe we can do something else later, mmmkay?"

Matt kissed her and said, "Okay, baby."

===

When she woke up in the hospital, she thought, how did I get here?

She tried to sit up, but her head throbbed like it was being beaten like a bass drum. She lay back down and the throbbing subsided somewhat.

A nurse came into the room and asked, "How are you feeling today, Ms. Edwards?"

She gave the nurse a confused stare, and thought, Chastity has done it to me again. I wish I could kill the stupid bitch.

"Are you all right, Ms. Edwards?"

"My name isn't Chastity Edwards," she said; "It's Kathryn Marie Hope."

It was the nurse's turn to look confused.

"What happened to bring me here?" Kathryn Marie asked.

"Your chart said you hit your head on a table or desk and were knocked unconscious," the nurse said.

"How long ago was that?"

"Four days ago."

"Who brought me here?"

"An ambulance brought you here from your office is what I was told," the nurse said. She was clearly shaken.

"That's weird, because I don't have an office," Kathryn Marie said.

The nurse said she'd get a doctor to come in and talk to her, then left the room white as the uniform she wore.

"Wow, that nurse was weird," Kathryn Marie said to herself. "She must need some rest."

She wanted to call her parents, but she wasn't sure of the phone number. She wanted to see the baby girl that Chastity took away from her.

Chastity has ruined everything for me, Kathryn Marie thought. I wish I could just kill her. Maybe I can make up for all the evil she has done if I could.

Kathryn Marie sighed. She couldn't believe that she was able to escape the prison that Chastity kept putting her in.

Maybe I can stay out for good this time, she thought.

She remembered the day that Chastity stole her life from her and placed her in that prison. She was 14, and she had gone to a party, against her parents wishes, with a friend and the friend's older sisters. There was a lot of drugs, and a lot of easy sex. Chastity saw this and told Kathryn Marie, "This is my kind of party, sister, so get the fuck out of my way."

"No! I won't let you do this!"

"You will, and you'll like it. Besides you won't remember any of this anyway. I have a nice dark place to put you while I have fun," Chastity told her.

The next thing that Kathryn Marie remembered was being in a hospital, having a baby. She was 15. Her parents were upset with her and she didn't understand why. Chastity had gotten Kathryn Marie in trouble and made her take the blame for it.

Kathryn Marie was only told that she had a baby girl. She wanted to name her Kelly. But Chastity stuffed her back into that dark prison and kept her there for years. The next time Kathryn Marie escaped, she was married to a man she didn't know. Chastity had done that to her too.

Every time, Kathryn Marie thought she'd win and be able to stay out of Chastity's prison. But it was never to be. Chastity always won.

Not this time, Kathryn Marie said to herself; It's my turn to fix all the stuff in my life that Chastity broke.

Even if that meant being called by her jailer's name.

===

The ride to their final destination was long, boring, and Miri desperately wanted a book to read. Anything to keep from looking out the window at the nothingness that passed by.

Before she could say she was bored, Rachel said it first;

"Mom, I'm bored. There's nothing to look at out there. I hope where we're going has more than this," the eight year old said.

"I know this is not the most fun trip we've been on," Julia said, "but we just have to bear with the boredom a little longer."

"Mom, aren't you bored?" asked Zach.

Julia looked at her son as if to say, kid, you have no idea how boring I think this is.

"Maybe a little," Julia said. "It will be worth it when we get to where we're going."

"Where's that going to be, and when are we getting there?" asked Jaime, stifling a yawn.

"Another hour to your destination, Mrs. Summers," the Private First Class driving the van they were riding in said before Julia could answer the question herself.

"Can we stop and get something to eat or drink?" asked Rachel.

"We can," the Private said; "but I'll have to get anything you want to eat or drink."

"I guess a bathroom stop is out of the question," said Miri.

"Do you have to go?" her mother asked.

"No, but what if the others do? It's not like we can all whiz in an empty bottle like Dad showed Zach on that last camping trip we took before he died," Miri said.

"True, true," Julia said. "Okay, does anyone have to use the bathroom before we go anywhere else?"

She saw that Jaime and Zach nodded no; but Rachel had a look on her face like she had to, but was trying to hold it.

"Rach, if you have to go," Julia said, "I suggest you go now. Put your hat and sunglasses on and I'm sure the Private will take you."

"I do have to go, Mom," Rachel said, putting on her ballcap and sunglasses.

"I'll take her in and wait for her," the Private said.

"Thank you," Julia replied. "Rachel, be quick about it."

"Yes, ma'am."

Rachel and the Private were back within five minutes with two bags of snacks and drinks.

"How much do I owe you for all that, Private?" asked Julia.

"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Summers," the Private said; "The Army will reimburse me."

Julia nodded as the Private helped Rachel back into the van and handed the snacks and drinks to her.

After having something to drink and something to snack on, everyone in the back two rows were sleeping except Julia and Miri.

"I'm still bored, Mom," Miri said; "I should have asked for a magazine to read."

"I know, Miri, but it's not much longer to where we're going," Julia said.

"Where are going, Mom?" asked Miri.

"To stay with a friend of mine from a long time ago," Julia said; "He's graciously agreed to put us up for as long as we need. He's actually looking forward to it."

Miri leaned close to her mother and whispered, "Is it Jack?"

Julia nodded in the affirmative. She put her finger up to her lips and said, "Shhh..."

"Gotcha."

===
III


The day began like any other day in the sixteen years he'd lived in the house outside Riverton. He went about his chores about the barn and the fields like he did everyday.

Jack pushed the fact that Julia and her family were coming later that afternoon to stay with him for an indeterminate amount of time from his mind. Or tried to.

He fed the animals, cleaned out the bull's stall as he grazed, gathered up the eggs the hens laid that day, and milked all four cows by hand. By 10am, he was finished. He returned Sarge to his stall. The Longhorn gave a low moo, as if he knew something was going to change.

"Yep, ole boy," Jack said, "we're having some young'uns come stay with us for a while, and their mother has assured me that they will help around the barn. You be nice to 'em now, Sarge, okay?"

"Mooooo..." was all Sarge said.

Jack then looked up and saw the cloud of dust in the distance. That has to be them, thought Jack. He looked at his watch; it was nearly 6pm. Right on time, he thought. He went inside to put dinner on. On the menu that evening was beef meatloaf, mashed potatoes, spinach and dessert. He put the two loaves in the oven, set the timer for an hour, and went outside to await the caravan.

===

After a few days, Kathryn Marie, posing as Chastity, was released from the hospital.

The only thing was, she didn't know where "home" or "work" was. And she couldn't drive the standard transmission car that Chastity owned.

She then remembered that she had Chastity's indentification in her purse. She took it out and read the address on it. "Oh," she said to herself, "that's where I live." She chuckled to herself.

Kathryn Marie looked up the local taxi service and requested a cab. Once it arrived, she gave the cab driver the address she'd found on Chastity's driver's license, and soon was brought to a townhouse in the affluent part of town.

Oh, my... she thought.

After she paid the driver, Kathryn Marie fished around in the purse for a house key. She'd found a set of keys and hoped one of them opened the front door.

She chose the key that most likely would be a key to a home, tried it, and the door opened. As she stepped inside, she was absolutely floored by how the house was decorated. Chastity can't possibly afford all this, Kathryn Marie thought.

She had no idea how right she was. Kathryn Marie didn't know that Chastity's salary at her "job" (whatever that was) didn't pay for this house and everything in it. A series of "sugar daddies" did.

And some of those sugar daddies were expecting a lot from Chastity that Kathryn Marie wouldn't be comfortable doing. Whatever it was, Kathryn Marie thought, I'll do it, but I don't have to like it. Just to be able to fake it.

She went to the bedroom and saw that the bed had been made, fresh flowers were placed in a vase on the vanity, and her clothing had been laid out on a nearby chair.

"Chastity has a maid?" Kathryn Marie said aloud. She then looked around to check and see that no one overheard what she just said.

She looked in Chastity's closet and saw the expensive suits and dresses, many with price tags still attached from stores in New York City.

Kathryn Marie thought she has stepped into a fantasy world. Cars, clothes, the house, domestic help... Kathryn Marie couldn't even conceive of having these things.

However, every fantasy has a dark side, and Kathryn Marie would soon find out how dark it was.

===

Jack heard Tripod barking long before the convoy reached the front of the house. The dog was jumping up and down and barking his head off as he was prone to do when excited about something.

"Boy, will you calm down?" Jack yelled as Tripod kept up the barking/jumping happy dance. Tripod even added what sounded like whining to the exercise as well. Seeing that hushing the dog was futile, Jack checked on the dinner and the timer was just about to go off on the meatloaves. When it did, he turned off the oven and left the loaves in the oven to cool down.

Sooner than he expected, he heard a truck sound its horn at the front of the house. Jack looked out the window to see a military vehicle pull up; right behind it was a fifteen passenger van with blackened windows.

As soon as the dust cleared, two Army enlisted men emerged from the truck, and two more exited the van. Jack came out to the porch to greet them.

"John Christofferson?" one of them asked.

"That's me," Jack said.

"Sir, we have brought your guests to you safe and sound from Austin, Texas," the Army Specialist said; "a second van containing the family of Julia Summers will be here shortly. The van you see here is a decoy. An identical one carries the family."

Just as the Specialist finished speaking, a second van, identical to the first, indeed pulled up next to its twin. One driver, a Private First Class, emerged from it.


Julia could see the driver of their van speaking with an Army Specialist and Jack. She turned to her children and said,

"Until he says otherwise, our host will be addressed as Mr. Christofferson. He will show you to your bedrooms and you are to make them as comfortable as you see fit. Jaime and Rachel, as we've discussed, you'll be sharing a room. Miri and Zach will have their own rooms, and I'll have my own room. Also, as we've discussed, helping out on the property will be part of your homeschooling lessons. Mr. Christofferson will show you the proper way to help take care of the animals. Am I making myself understood?"

"Yes, Mom," they said.

"Good," Julia said; "Remember, we are guests in his home, so his rules are to be followed at all times." She paused, then, "It's time to get out and meet our host."

The PFC came and opened the van doors and let Julia and the kids out. Soon they all stood in front of the house that would be their home for who knew how long.

Julia greeted Jack, then introduced each of the children to him.

As Julia did so, Jack marvelled at how tiny Rachel really was. He knew she was eight years old, but she looked about two years younger than that with her braids and the light coating of freckles on her face.

Zach, even at ten, was going to be very tall when he became a teen, Jack thought. He had the long legs and arms, and guess that he was probably slightly taller than other boys his age.

Jaime was the one who looked the most like Julia, though taller. Like her younger siblings had red hair.

It was Miri that caused Jack to take a breath, however. She was very tall, he thought, with her dark hair and eyes complementing her features. She definitely was the girl he met at the cemetary nearly eight years before, only older. She resembled her mother strongly, but he could see his contributions to her makeup as well.

"Well, it is certainly nice meeting you all at last," Jack said; "Your mother has already told me so much about you that I feel like I know you already."

Just then, Tripod ran around from the back of the house and barked excitedly at the children.

"Tripod, hush!" Jack said; "We have guests."

"Why's his name Tripod?" asked Rachel.

"Because he's only got three legs, Rach," Zach said. "Like the tripod you put a camera on."

"Oh," Rachel said. "He's a pretty dog."

Tripod responded to that compliment by wagging his tail furiously.

"What would you like us to call you?" Miri asked Jack.

Jack thought about it, then said, "Jack is fine. It's the name I've been called my whole life."

"I thought your name was John," said Rachel.

"Jack is a common nickname for John," Jack said; "My father's name was also John, so I got called Jack so that we'd know who was being spoken to. Can you imagine if we'd both been John, and my mother called for John and we'd both say 'What?'."

"That would be confusing!" Rachel said. Jack laughed. This girl has the same spunk her mother has, he thought.

"I have dinner ready if anyone's hungry," Jack said.

"I'm starving!" Zach said;

"Let's go into the house, and I'll show you to your bedrooms, then we'll have dinner. Is that agreeable to everyone?" asked Jack.

Everyone nodded their heads yes. They all trooped inside, with Miri taking up the rear. Once inside, she spied a photograph of a girl about her age, and thought there was something familiar about her. She stopped and looked at it for a second, just long enough for Jack to notice.

"Who's this girl?" asked Miri.

"My daughter, Celine," Jack said; "She died several years ago in a plane accident with her husband and infant daughter."

"Oh, how sad!" said Miri. "Mom would absolutely die if something happened to one of us!"

"I truly understand that, Miri," Jack said. "Her mother was inconsolable over her death for months afterwards."

"I'd like to learn more about you," Miri said; "when the time permits, of course."

"I know that you must have questions about this big blank spot in your life," Jack said; "so you can ask me almost anything."

"I'll keep that in mind," Miri said. Jack then led her to her bedroom and left her to get settled.

She sat on the bed, wondering what her father would say about her meeting Jack.

He'd want me to know, she thought; Dad would let me were he still here.

Miri swore if Jack did anything to hurt her mother, she would get her revenge.

Instead, she'd find out more about who she really was, though no one could replace her father, the man who raised her until he died, in her heart.

"Miss you, Dad," she whispered.

===