Chapter 15

I


Krysta sat at her computer all that night and into the following afternoon, as she had since she left Chastity on the floor of her office several days before. She had heard that Chastity had been released, but Krysta seriously considered not returning to work.

I've had enough of Chastity's bullshit, she thought; Her tantrums, her evil schemes, her promiscuity. Whatever she does from here on out, she's on her own. I can't babysit her anymore and keep her out of trouble.

There were many entries on search engines that Krysta found on Chastity. Most were not kind. The woman had more enemies that even Krysta realized.

But then, buried in all the information about Chastity was an article about a girl named Kathryn Hope who had given birth to a baby girl sixteen years before, shortly before the end of the Occupation. Kathryn had abandoned the child for her parents to raise. Part of the article read:

"...Kathryn signed over her parental rights without hesitation and disappeared from sight. Her father, Eric Hope, had not heard from Kathryn since then. Kathryn didn't even know her mother had passed away just months earlier. 'I'd like to be able to tell Kathryn that whatever it was that led her down the path she was on at the time she gave birth, that I'm willing to forgive her if she'd just contact me,' Hope said. 'She'd be in her late twenties by now, if she's still alive. I have searched for her for about four years because her daughter deserves a right to know why her mother walked out of her life.'

"Hope, the only son of former Occupational President Sarah Kathryn Hope, just wants information on Kathryn's whereabouts..."

With the article was a picture of Kathryn Hope as she looked at age fifteen. Krysta just about stopped breathing when she saw the picture.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed; "That's Chastity! Chastity Edwards and Kathryn Hope are the same person!"

Mr. Hope just wants information about his daughter's whereabouts? Krysta asked herself; Mr. Hope, I know where your daughter is and what she's been doing. And I'm willing to bet that you'd pay me for that information.

Krysta logged off the computer to come up with a plan.

But first, she wanted to meet with Chastity.

Instead, she would meet someone new for the first time.

===

The day that Niki told Kimber about her cancer, Kimber went right over to the clinic at Loyola and had the testing done. She gave the information that Niki gave her to the nurse, and was told that it would get taken care of.

"Is your sister older or younger than you, Miss Draiman?" asked the nurse.

"She's older by about 35 minutes," replied Kimber.

"Oh, you're twins?" the nurse asked. "Fraternal or identical?"

"Fraternal, though my father swore up and down he got us confused when we were little," Kimber said. "He even put name tags on us until he could figure us out!"

The nurse laughed. "I've heard of parents doing that, to be honest, especially with identical twins."

Kimber got out a picture of her and Niki when they were in high school and showed it to the nurse.

"You two do look a lot alike for fraternal twins. No wonder your father couldn't tell you apart!" the nurse said. "Bet he doesn't do that anymore!"

"Oh, no," Kimber said, "we made it known that we were totally different. Niki is the social butterfly. I'm more serious and reserved."

Kimber left later and headed back to work. The Times-Tribune had decided to keep her on as a part time employee after the fall semester began.

Her editor had approved Kimber's idea of writing a series of stories on Niki's fight with leukemia, and Niki thought it was a great idea. Kimber suggested that Niki keep a blog about her treatments and living with cancer, how it affected her, Drake, their parents and brothers, her friends. Niki was a little hesitant about that, but agreed to do it if it could help some other family deal with a loved ones fight.

Kimber loved having her weekly chats with Niki, and loved reading Niki's blog. Why did we waste all those years fighting? she asked herself constantly. What a waste of precious time. What if I lose Niki forever?

The idea of losing her best friend scared the shit out of her, and she was the first one to admit it.

===

Niki really liked the release that writing out her experiences gave her. She didn't feel so alone in her fight.

Drake noticed the difference in Niki's demeanor right away. She was the girl he fell in love with again, the one who ruled his world and his heart.

I'm going to marry that girl, he thought more often that he wanted to admit. And to that end, one afternoon after Niki started her blog, he went over to her parents house to talk with David.

His visit took David by surprise. Drake just didn't drop in out of the blue; that wasn't his style. David thought that if Drake came to the house, alone, then there must be something important he wanted to talk about. But even David had no idea what was coming.

"Drake, how are you this afternoon?" asked David when he let Drake inside the house. "What brings you here without Niki today?"

"Well, David," Drake said, not the least bit nervous about what he was going to ask David; "Niki is the reason why I'm here."

"Is she okay?" asked David.

"She's fine," said Drake; "She's been doing well with her treatments, and loves it that Kimber calls her every week."

"That's good," David said; "I'm glad they ironed out their differences. I'm sorry it took Niki getting sick for it to happen though."

"There's a reason for everything that we don't know the exact meaning of right now," Drake said.

"This is true," David said; "So, son, just why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you alone, David. Man to man," said Drake.

"About Niki," David said.

"Yes."

"Let's go up to my office then," David said as Drake followed him up the stairs.

Once seated in the office, Drake came straight to the point.

"David," Drake began, "I've been with Niki for three years now, and I care for her very much. The reason why I am here this afternoon is to tell you that I am planning to ask your daughter to marry me, and I'd like your blessing before I do so."

David, understandably, was speechless. He never saw that coming. When he found his voice, he said,

"You're absolutely sure you want to do this, in light of Niki's illness?"

"Yes, David," Drake said; "I had been planning to ask her before she lost the baby. Then all this happened and I thought it wasn't a good time. But I am absolutely sure that I want to make Niki my wife. She's been there for me, and I'm in this relationship for the long term. So, David, do I have your blessing to marry Niki?"

David had mixed emotions. He knew that Drake was sincere, but this was his little girl they were talking about. He wanted nothing more than for Niki to be happy, and she was happy with Drake.

"Drake," David said; "I'd be honored to have you as a son-in-law. So, yes, you have my blessing to marry my Niki. Does she know you're doing this, or asked you to do this?"

"No on both counts," said Drake. "This was all my doing. I know that you and Jordan like me and that I'm good for Niki. But it's never a given that you'd approve of me marrying her. That's why I wanted your blessing."

"I appreciate that you are that kind of man, Drake," David said; "We're raising our boys that way. They'll be expected to get the father's blessing before they marry. Call me a throwback if you must, but there are too many marriages that break up over family issues like the parents not liking their daughters choice of mate. I'm still impressed that you asked my permission to date Niki because she was 16 when you met. You didn't need to, but I'm glad you did."

"It was the right thing to do because by the laws in the U.S., I was considered an adult and Niki a minor," Drake said. "I didn't want to find myself deported because of it. Almost being deported over a clerical error was bad enough."

"All because someone misread information," David said; "I have a former girlfriend, someone I met long before I knew Jordan, whose son-in-law was from Australia, and the Illegal government tried to deport him and his entire family, though his wife and children were all born here. They had to go into hiding until it got cleared up. So I know how nerve wracking that must have been for you."

"I know who you're talking about," Drake said; "He's a hero in Sydney, where he's from, because he stood up to an illegitimate government. The rest of the world was shocked when the Occupational government took over here because the U.S. was considered coup proof."

"And that's what it was, a coup," David said; "Now there's a group of like minded people who want to try that again. The military is taking charge of stopping them."

"I hope they're stopped in their tracks," Drake said; "If it were to come to pass, I'll take Niki to Australia with me to protect her from it. Married or not."

"And you might not get to return," David said; "and Jordan and I may never see our daughter again. So if the government wants my help, I'll do it. They've already recruited my stepdaughter and two of my former wards, so it's only a matter of time."

"This is true, David," Drake said. "If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"I shall," David said.


After Drake left, David remained seated in his chair. He had come to the realization that his daughters were adults, and that they're living their own lives. Now, it looked like Niki was getting married.

David liked Drake. He was a good man. He'll be a good husband, too, he thought.

===

Kathryn Marie walked into the A.R.M. offices that her captor worked in. She had read the material about the group that Chastity had in her office at the townhouse, which led her to the group's official website. What Kathryn Marie read shocked her. This is everything Mom and Dad are against! she thought; They wanted nothing to do with her grandmother, Sarah Kathryn, because she was the Occupational President.

Kathryn Marie was not surprised about Chastity's involvement, however. Chastity always did the exact opposite that Kathryn Marie did. Kathryn Marie wanted to wait until marriage to have sex; Chastity wanted it, and everything else, immediately. Chastity was out of control; Kathryn Marie was rational.

She had been shocked at the face she saw in the mirror. This is Chastity's face, Kathryn Marie thought; she's even taken that from me, too!

Kathryn Marie, who wouldn't have hurt anyone, wanted to kill Chastity and take her life back. She realized that in order to do that, she'd have to kill herself. I just want to be free of the prison Chastity keeps putting me in once and for all, she thought. But I don't know how to end Chastity without ending myself.

She sat at Chastity's computer and the first thing she saw on the screen was the last thing Chastity worked on: a list of operatives that had been killed by the Movement's enemies, known as The Triad.

Why is she trying to kill people who've never done anything to her? Kathryn Marie asked herself. Her "operatives" must not know what they're doing if three people can get close enough to them to kill them.

Kathryn Marie was sickened by Chastity's bloodlust, her evil, her plans to stage a second Occupation and imprison people who didn't agree with her or were considered Undesirables. I have to fix this somehow, but I haven't a clue as to how.

Just then, she heard a voice behind her say, "Good morning, Chastity. It's good to have you back."

Kathryn Marie turned around and saw a woman about thirty standing just inside the door.

Krysta knew immediately that there was something very wrong with Chastity. She didn't seem like herself; she didn't look like herself, either. Krysta couldn't place it.

"I'm not Chastity," Kathryn Marie said; "I'm Kathryn Marie. What's your name?"

Krysta just stared. She realized with shock what was going on.

Kathryn Marie was Eric Hope's missing daughter. Chastity Edwards was another personality sharing this girl's body and mind.

"Krysta. Krysta Banks," she said.

A split personality! My God, Krysta thought; I must protect her from Chastity's life! I must protect her from...Chastity.

===
II



It had been several weeks since Julia and her family arrived at Jack's place, and everyone was in a new routine now. Before the sun was even up, everyone in the house was, and went out to the barn to complete their assigned chores. Julia had set them up like the chore chart at home, but instead of "Take out trash", it was now, "Clean bull's stall", or "Gather eggs from henhouse".

After the barn chores were done, Julia conducted training with each of the kids. Miri and Jaime were doing well with the various firearms they were using; Zach's abilities with his crossbow training were going well. He was way ahead of most adults and could use several types of crossbows. He was also still getting training with firearms, knives and daggers.

Rachel was getting pretty good with the handguns her mother trained her with. Julia saw a lot of herself in Rachel's ever-expanding abilities. Julia often wondered if she was training another SpineSplitter: a petite girl who had amazing weapons and survival skills. Rachel took to the training, then wanted to learn more.

"Rachel, I can only teach you so much," Julia told her youngest daughter one morning after her firearms training. "It's nice to see you practising what you've learned."

"But you'll teach me what you can, right?" asked Rachel.

"Of course, Rachel," Julia said; "Just like I've been doing for your sisters and Zach."

"Okay," Rachel said.

After training, Julia allowed the kids to take a two hour nap, if they wished. Lessons started promptly at 10am, and Julia taught all subjects, including math, science, English, writing, and study skills.

Jack was impressed with Julia's organizational skills, noticing that she kept detailed notes on each of her children's academic progress.

"How did you learn all that?" he asked her.

"It's what my guardian, Kiera, did after we were through with our lessons," Julia said; "Every month, she was required to send in a status report with our current progress reports. Since I can't really do that, I keep notes on the kids progress, file them by month, then when we return home, I'll turn them in. The state will decide from there if they're making sufficient progress. If so, Miri will go to college in the fall, and the others will probably jump some grades ahead of their peers."

"It's admirable that you're so dedicated to their education," said Jack. "I know that's why you turned out the way you did, because Kiera was just as dedicated."

"Kiera was a teacher by profession," Julia said; "I'm not. I had to have training just to homeschool the kids. Ryan and I both went through the training and started homeschooling Miri when she was four. I stopped when Rachel was born so early, because she needed so much care. I was sending Jaime to kindergarten anyway, so I enrolled Miri in school as well. She was not quite eight years old and was doing fifth and sixth grade work. Jaime got promoted out of kindergarten the first week and placed in first grade. She was in first grade for about four days. She then was promoted to third grade. At five. The school didn't know what to do with either of them."

"Where did they end up, then?" asked Jack.

"At a special school for the gifted that was on the former Disturbed Ones compound," Julia said; "They were the youngest students there. I sent Zach there from first grade on. He's ten, and should be in fifth grade. He's currently doing high school level work in everything. Rachel's is ready to do high school level work, but I want to wait til she's nine to do that."

"You got yourself a crop of intelligent kids," Jack said admirably; "And Ryan's skills with computers only helped them, didn't it?"

"It did," Julia said. "But sometimes, I wish that we were all normal and boring. Maybe we wouldn't be such targets if we were."

"Normal and boring have their place," Jack said as he poured Julia another cup of coffee; "I guess if you've never been quote/unquote normal, then you don't know how most people are. I know you do, because I've seen your compassion first hand."

Jack placed his hand on top of Julia's. She looked at him and smiled.

It was her compassion that told him years before that he could trust her. It was what made him fall in love with her.

"Julia," he said softly; "I don't know if I can keep my feelings for you a secret from your kids. I'm sure they've noticed by now."

"Miri has, I know, because we've talked about it," Julia said; "The others haven't to my knowlegde."

"I can't pretend I don't love you, Julia, because I do," Jack said. "You've been under my roof for nearly six weeks, and I can't stand not being able to touch you intimately.

"The kids are in their rooms, doing homework, Jack," Julia said; "And I want you, too. Please, Jack...please love me..."

Jack led Julia to his bedroom and locked the door. Soon they were undressed, making love. Jack still marvelled at Julia's perfect and petite body, especially when she rode him like she was doing now.

"God, baby..." she cried out softly, "I can't get enough of you...you do things to me I've fantasized about since the last time we saw each other. Please, Jack...just love me."

"I do, Julia, you know I do," he said as he turned her over on her back and loved her. "I always have, I always will, no matter what happens. My beautiful, precious Julia..."



As she was walking up the hall to the kitchen to get something to drink, Miri thought she heard something coming from Jack's bedroom. Voices. Jack's voice. Her mother's voice. Low, intimate, punctuated by a cry. Miri knew exactly what was going behind that closed door.

"Mom, you and Jack still have feelings for each other, don't you?" Miri had asked a few nights prior.

"Yes, Miri, we do. I'm not going to lie about that," said Julia.

"Does that or will that include sex?" Miri asked, knowing that it was probably a questions she really didn't want to know the answer to.

"I don't know, Mirielle," Julia said; "I guess we'll cross that bridge when and if we come to it. Is that something that's going to bother you?"

"No, Mom, it's not going to bother me," Miri said; "You've been trying to hide that fact from us though. I don't think anyone else has picked up on it, but I have. If you two need a roll in the hay, then by all means do it and stop denying each other because of us."

Julia was surprised by Miri's observations, despite the fact that she had not had intimate experiences yet. She knew that day was coming sooner than she'd like.

"We'll see," Julia said; "Personally, a literal roll in the hay doesn't look too appealing however."

Miri rolled her eyes; "Mom..." she said, laughing.



It's about dang time, Mom, Miri thought as she walked past the bedroom and continued on to the kitchen. Dad would have wanted you to move on. He'd want you to be happy.

Miri wondered briefly if she'd ever hear from John Crossley again.

===


Nik's phone rang while he was en route to Belvidere to make sure that Julia's business was running smoothly. As he parked, he answered the call.

"San Marco. Talk to me."

"Major," a female Corporal said on the other end, "A Corporal Crossley is seeking permission to speak with you."

"Does the Corporal have a first name?" asked Nik. He hated it when servicemembers were referred to as "Rank/ Last Name", because there may be other servicemembers with the same last name and rank.

"Yes, Major," the Corporal said, flustered; "Cpl. John Aaron Crossley, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas."

"And the reason he wants permission to speak with me?"

"Apparently, Major, he's befriended your niece Mirielle Summers and wants permission to communicate with her," the Corporal said.

"Find out more information about Cpl. Crossley," Nik said; "If he's in the service, he's an adult. Miss Summers isn't even 16 yet. I want to know why he wants to communicate with her."

"I'll send word to his C.O., Major."

"Have his C.O. call me directly, please?" asked Nik.

"Yes, sir," the Corporal said. Nik then ended the call.

He must have been on the detail that accompanied Julia's family to Wyoming, Nik thought. He must have been quite taken with Miri to take steps to try and remain in contact with her. However, I have to know if his intentions are honorable.

Nik walked into Summers Tech Systems and spoke with the woman that Julia put in charge of the daily operations. All the employees were told was that Julia and her family were on an extended vacation, and that her brother Nik would check on things from time to time.

"The new software we've been working on is about to go to market, Nik," she said. "Julia will be very pleased. If you speak to her, please let her know."

"I certainly will," Nik said; "I should be talking to her soon. She has needed this time off for a long time, and since she's homeschooling the kids again, they made it a learning experience."

"That's good. I hope that is the break they all need," the operations manager said. "It's been a rough time for them."

"Yes, it has," Nik agreed; "And she recently learned that her sister in Austin has cancer, so it seems that Julia and her family just can't cut a break."

"This the twin to the one who lives here, right?" asked the operations manager.

"Yes," Nik said, "she is."

After their chat, Nik left to return to Chicago. He was due for some good news himself.

===

Kathryn Marie was getting the hang of Chastity's life, and she didn't like it very much.

The men who came to visit who they thought was Chastity were just like Chastity was: mean, evil, depraved... and wanted sex more often than Kathryn Marie was comfortable with.

Krysta had been a great help to her, trying to keep the flow of men down to a trickle by explaining that "Chastity's concussion has taken a lot out of her, so give the woman a break. She's just not feeling like herself."

Kathryn Marie was grateful for Krysta's assistance. She had even arranged for Kathryn Marie to "work" from home, while Krysta did the day to day stuff at the office.

One of the things that Kathryn Marie wanted to know was why Chastity was so obsessed with "The Triad".

"They were the three main people who ended the Occupation in 2019," Krysta explained; "and Chastity believes that if they weren't in the way, then achieving our goals would be easier. She has sent numerous operatives out to distract them away from our cause, but they usually end up being killed or arrested. Chastity doesn't allow failure."

"The Occupation was wrong," Kathryn Marie said. "It took away freedoms from the many so that a few select people could have all the power."

"I agree, but Chastity," Krysta sighed, "she's all about power. She doesn't care who she hurts. She wants power at all costs."

"I know," Kathryn Marie said; "that's why she took over my life."

"When you were in the hospital, Kathryn Marie, did any doctors talk to you about multiple personality disorder or split personality?" asked Krysta.

"No, I don't think they did," Kathryn Marie said; "That sounds like my problem though. I've always fought with Chastity about everything. I don't have the strength to defeat her."

"Would you like to see someone about that, Kathryn Marie?" asked Krysta. She had no ulterior motive in making the suggestion. Krysta felt kind of protective of Kathryn Marie. Chastity was Kathryn Marie's impulsive side, and made herself known at a time that Kathryn Marie was vulnerable. That made it easy for Chastity to rob Kathryn Marie of her own life.

"I don't know," said Kathryn Marie; "I'm kind of scared to. I don't remember what it was like before Chastity took over. But I want Chastity to go away forever and fix all the things that she broke."

Krysta saw that Kathryn Marie was confused. Chastity became an adult in Kathryn Marie's body, while Kathryn Marie remained essentially a 14 year old girl.

"I'll tell people you're taking a well deserved vacation," Krysta said. "You need to find out if there's anything that can be done to end the conflict in your life."

"Krysta, I'm scared."

"I know, Kathryn Marie," Krysta said. "Chastity will be angry to find you've come back, and I've seen her get angry. It's not pretty. You're more rational and in control. Everyone has both sides in their makeup, yours just became two very different people."

"I hate Chastity," Kathryn Marie said. "I want to kill her."

Krysta knew that emotion all too well. But in order to save Kathryn Marie, Chastity had to be tamed somehow. She thought that maybe, her father may be able to help.

She was still working on that.

Kathryn Marie, meanwhile, needed to be protected. Krysta would do her best to keep the vulnerable girl away from the woman her captor had become.

===
III


Sandrina and Danica found that they were having fun at school, and that the experience of being away from their families were made easier by having each other to lean on, and having their aunt and cousins as emotional support.

The girls were each asked to join sororities, but each declined for various reasons. Danica declined because when she went to check out ones she was interested in, she was appalled that the sisters made hateful and hurtful remarks about people who were "different". One girl, who was in several of Danica's business classes, constantly made fun of people with mental and physical problems, without regard to who was listening. Since her sister Kendria was struggling with Traumatic Brain Injuries, Danica was turned off by this classmate and her unchecked opinions on issues she knew nothing about.

When Danica was asked why she declined the eventual invitation, that's exactly what she told the invitation committee in her written statement as to why she was no longer interested in joining:

"Several sisters speak of issues and subjects they have no first hand knowledge about, and make disparaging remarks about those who are not like them. I personally have first hand knowledge of how Traumatic Brain Injuries affect an individual as my younger sister is still recovering from a car accident where she received such injuries. I don't take to that kind of ridicule and will not be associated with those who indulge in it.

Thank you for your kind invitation to join your organization, but at this time, I must decline. -- Yours very truly, Danica A. Donovan"

Danica later heard that several sisters in the organization were asked to leave for personal reasons. The classmate who had initially extended the invitation to her was one of those who were dismissed. Shortly after that, the girl left Georgetown all together.

Sandrina, on the other hand, thought sororities were stupid, elitist, and filled with young women only looking to snare a husband. "I came for an education," she told Aunt Natasha later, "not to find a rich husband."

"Sadly, Sandy," Natasha had said, "that's all some girls go to college for. They pretend to be students, and actually do some of the work required of their majors, but when they find Mr. Right, they get married and leave. I saw a lot of that as an older student. I had a job and a family, so I had to succeed in school."

But, it was something that both Sandrina and Danica experienced that finally convinced them that they needed to be on their guard, even on campus.

It was late in September and Danica was waiting for Sandrina to get out of an afternoon class so they could grab a bite to eat and study in the library.

Danica thought she saw someone around the area where she was sitting inside the Fine Arts building, and tried to dismiss it, but couldn't shake the feeling that she, and maybe Sandrina, were being watched.

When Sandrina came out of class, Danica mentioned her suspicions to her, and Sandrina thought that maybe they should just leave and see if someone was following them. At one end of the building, there was a door out to the parking lot where Danica had parked her car. As they approached that door, they heard behind them,

"Miss San Marco, Miss Donovan, so nice to finally see you on campus."

They looked at each other, then turned around to see who was speaking to them.

The man standing there was someone neither girl recognized. "Do we know you, sir?" asked Danica.

"Not yet," the man said; "but you will. I've been following your adventures on campus and around town very carefully."

"Why have you been doing that?" asked Sandrina.

"Because my boss asked me to," the man said. "And I like young women like you. I think we could be good friends."

The man, who was at least as old as Danica's and Sandrina's parents, advanced toward them menacingly. He then grabbed Sandrina by the hair and told her, "Scream, bitch, and I'll make sure your little cousin Viktoria dies a violent death."

He then used his free arm to grab Danica's arm and pulled them both towards an empty lecture hall. Danica noticed that he didn't lock the door, so there was a means of escape.

He forcefully threw Danica against a row of seats and told her to not move. Meanwhile, he was trying not too successfully to force Sandrina to the floor. He was displeased that the tall blonde girl was fighting him tooth and nail.

Sandrina told Danica, "Run! Get help!"

Danica ran back to the unlocked door, and just as she was going to reach for it, she heard a bullet whiz by her head and strike the wall. She fell to the floor, making it appear that she had been shot.

"You bastard!" Sandrina screamed at him, "You shot her!"

"Yes, and you're next Sandrina," he said.

Oh, I think not, asshole, Sandrina thought.

She managed to break free from the man's grip and ran towards a short set of stairs that led to offices below ground level. The man grabbed her again and tried to force her to the stairs. He was shocked that the girl could fight so well against a stronger opponent.

Danica got up from the floor and approached the man and Sandrina from behind. The man was unaware that Danica was behind him, though Sandrina had seen her. In the ensuing chaos, Danica managed to get the man's weapon and Sandrina was able to free herself from the man's grasp. Before the assailant knew it, Danica had pushed him. He lost his balanced and fell down the short flight of stairs. As he lay moaning at the bottom, Danica aimed his gun at him and said,

"You even think of getting up from there, and I'll shoot you!"

The man got up, and Danica shot him in the shoulder.

During the scuffle, campus police had entered the lecture hall and saw the struggle between Sandrina and the assailant, and witnessed Danica taking the man's weapon. On the floor below the lecture hall stage, the man moaned in pain.

One officer took Sandrina and Danica outside the room to get their statements and offered to call someone to pick them up.

"I'll call my aunt," Sandrina said; "I don't think Danica is in any shape to drive right now."

However, Sandrina could barely keep her hand still long enough to find Natasha's number in her phone. The officer offered his help, asking Sandrina for her aunt's name.

"Natasha Vincent," she said; "I think it's listed under 'Aunt Tash'."

"Doesn't she do firearms instruction at the Capitol Area Gun Range?" the officer asked. "She's really tall and really blonde like you are."

"She has done firearms training there," Danica offered, "but not since Sandrina and I have been staying with her."

"Are you two related?" the officer asked, looking at the two of them.

"By blood, no," Sandrina said; "Natasha is my biological aunt. My dad is her brother. My dad and Danica's dad and uncle were raised together, along with our Aunt Julia."

"Ahh, I see," he said. "Natasha went to school here about a decade ago, I understand. She had little kids then and was working for the government."

"Well, the kids are twelve now, and she's pretty much retired from her government job," Danica said. "She still does some consulting, but pretty much has her hands full with her kids."

Just then, there was an answer at Natasha's.

"Hello?" asked Nikolai.

"Nikky, it's Sandy. Is your mom there?"

"Yeah, Sandy, I'll get her," the boy said.

While she was waiting, Sandrina told Danica, "Aunt Tash isn't going to like this at all."

"I'm not going to like what, Sandrina," Natasha said.

===

Nik got the information about Army Corporal John Aaron Crossley he had requested, and he liked what he read.

The Corporal's statement was this: "Mirielle Summers and I had a nice chat while we were transfering her and her family to their new location. We have a lot in common, and I find her attractive. I know she's only 15 years old, and I have no plans to date her at this time. I just want to be her friend. There is no ulterior motive on my part. If the Major wishes that I not contact Mirielle, then I will abide by those wishes. He may want to explain to his niece why I haven't tried to maintain contact with her in that case."

How nice, Nik thought. He wants to be her friend, he finds her attractive, and he's not the horndog type. I might just allow this young man to write to Miri. It will make her happy to have some kind of normalcy in her life right now.

Nik sent back a message to the Corporal's Commanding Officer that he would allow the corporal to open a dialogue with his niece if the corporal doesn't mind having his communications monitored.

If he really wants to stay in contact with Miri, he just might agree, Nik thought.


A few days later, Crossley's CO called the Corporal into his office.

"Crossley, I have received a communication from Major San Marco," the CO said, "and he has given his okay for you to contact his niece. There are, however, some rules you'll have to follow because the girl is still a minor."

"I understand, sir," Crossley said.

"First, you will bring completed communications to me first, so that I can be assured that you're not trying to do something stupid like getting her to run away from home or engaging her in inappropriate behavior," the CO said; "Second, you may enclose one photograph of yourself in uniform if you wish. Third, if she asks that you not write to her anymore, then you must respect her wishes. If her mother asks that you not contact her daughter, you will stop immediately. These rules are to protect both you and Miss Summers. Am I understood, Corporal?"

"Yes, sir," said Crossley.

"I suppose you already have a letter written to send already, haven't you?" asked the officer.

"Yes, sir," Crossley replied, "I do."

"I thought as much," the CO said. "You probably have it with you."

"Yes, sir. I haven't sealed it yet because I figured that either you or the Major might want to review it first."

"Leave it with me," said the CO; "If you hear nothing from me, then it's being sent."

"Yes, sir."

After Crossley left, the CO took the letter from its envelope and read the first line,

Mirielle-- It is 1835 (6:35pm) on the day after you arrived at Warren. I am headed back to Fort Hood this evening. I'm writing this now in hopes I am granted permission to write to you...

The CO put the letter back in the envelope and sealed it. He smiled.

His corporal was smitten with the girl, and the CO remembered his first love fondly. He hoped that Crossley and Miss Summers had a long friendship. He was impressed that Crossley wanted to gain permission before writing to the girl. Maybe God will smile on them, he thought.

He then got up from his desk and decided to take his girl out for dinner and a movie, just like they did when he was a young officer and she was a college girl.

"God, that was so long ago," he said aloud as he walked to his car; "Maybe we can go see that new movie in town, instead of on post."

The thought of it made him smile.

===

It was Miri's job to clean out the stalls and pens, a job that was truly disgusting. She had no idea that animals pooped that much. Part of that job was to let the animal whose pen she was cleaning out to the pasture to graze. This morning, it was Sarge, Jack's Longhorn bull.

"Sarge, I wish you could be house broken," Miri said as she led him out to the pasture to graze with the cows whose pens she had just mucked out. "Because cleaning up after you and the cows is really and truly gross!"

"Mooooo..." was Sarge's reply.

She then led the four cows back into the barn so Jack could teach Zach and Rachel how to milk them. "Okay ladies," she said to them, "be nice to my little brother and sister. They're going to take care of that fullness in your udders."

She got a chorus of moos on that.

Miri then went back to Sarge's pen and cleaned it out. The manure would be used as fertilzer later. She laid fresh straw on the floor of the stall, gave him water, and put fresh feed in his trough. Then she had to lead him back inside.

Except he wasn't quite ready, so Miri waited for him to finish eating or whatever he was doing out there beside pooping up a storm.

Sarge seemed to think he was being watched, so he turned his massive body around and looked at Miri. "Moooo..." he said.

"You ready to go back to a clean pen, big guy?" she asked him. She walked back toward the barn, and Sarge followed her like an obedient puppy. Miri let him into his clean stall (which would stay clean for about five minutes), and he happily drank the water and ate the feed. Miri locked the door behind him, and he mooed at her as if to thank her for taking care of his needs.

"You're welcome, Sarge," Miri said; "If you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower because all I can smell is poop."

As she walked by where Jack was supervising Zach and Rachel's attempts to milk the cows, he said to her, "You're doing a good job with that, Miri. Sarge seems to like you kids a lot."

"He kind of scared me at first because he's so big!" Miri said. "But he's really a sweet animal."

"He's pretty docile until someone riles him up," Jack said; "I thought he was going to hate all the shooting going on around here with your mom training you, but he's taking it well. He probably thinks you all need to be protected."

"Almost like I could say, 'mess with me and I'll turn the bull out on your ass!'," said Miri, laughing.

Jack laughed as well. "And Sarge would probably be happy to scare some poor soul who dared hurt 'his' kids."

"I hope we don't have to test that theory out anytime soon," Miri said; "But now, I have to take a shower. I smell like the manure pit out back."

Miri went into the house, while at the barn, Jack still couldn't believe that the tall brunette who just left was his child; that he and her mother created her. That Julia was back in his life for a little while.

He knew that one day, he'd have to let them go back to Chicago. He wanted to marry Julia, but he was afraid of dying on her. She'd already lost Ryan. Jack couldn't bear it if he caused Julia any pain. He remembered how hurt she was when she asked why he didn't tell her his real plans for his disappearance sixteen years before. The look on Julia's face had broken his heart. He swore he'd never cause Julia any more pain.

I'm still too old for her, he thought. But I will always love her.

===

Miri felt worlds better after getting her shower and throwing her work clothes into the industrial sized washer that was in the barn. She braided her hair loosely while it dried and went to grab breakfast.

"Miri," Julia said, "a government courier was just here and dropped off some papers for me, and this was in the bundle." She handed Miri an envelope. Miri recognized the name immediately.

"John got permission to write me, Mom!" she said; "I'm going to read it in my room, okay?"

"Okay, sweetheart," Julia said as her oldest daughter left the room.

Once in her room, she practically tore open the envelope. As she read, she smiled. John still wanted to be friends and talk about the things they had in common.

I'm sorry if it seemed like a long time between the time I write this letter and the time you received it; I'm not sure as I write this if I'll even be able to send it, but just writing it makes me feel better, and I hope that someday soon, you'll get to read it.

Reading John's letter made her happy. Miri decided that she'd write back right away.

She wondered though if she'd ever see him again.

===