Chapter 91

I

Niki felt better than she had in months. She had started putting weight back on and thought she looked like her old self again.

She was also in the early stages of remission, which both she and Drake were pleased with.

Niki had gotten more good news- she and Drake would still be able to have children, but Dr. Gupta wanted Niki to wait until she had been in remission for at least two years, preferably longer.

Niki decided she could live with that. In the mean time, she loved shopping for her newborn nephew.

The big night arrived to tell the Draiman parents that Niki and Drake were planning a ceremony the following spring, after Drake had gotten his degree from UT.

“I wonder what the special occasion is,” David mused as he and Jordan arrived at the restaurant a few blocks from UT campus.

“Why don’t we let them tell us, David, instead of us trying to guess,” Jordan said, patting David’s arm. “Stop trying to think you know how your daughter ticks and what her ulterior motives are, if there are indeed any.”

“You’re right, of course,” David sighed as he held open the door for his wife. “It’s enough that Sam is serious about Lauren and taking on the role of daddy to her little girl. I’m quite proud of him for that.”

“Then back off Niki, okay, love?” said Jordan; “She’s been though enough crap for one lifetime. At least we know Drake has her back.”

David then saw the young couple up ahead and the party was seated at a key table in the establishment as soon as the staff realized that the former Disturbed Ones leader was in the Campbell party.

During the appetizer course was when Niki and Drake told her parents their plans for a ceremony.  

David and Jordan both smiled broadly and David said, barely able to keep the excitement out of his voice, “You mean I can walk my baby down the aisle after all?!”

===

Nik entered the Times-Tribune building via the employee’s entrance, per Jeremiah’s instruction. When he got to Jeremiah’s office on the fourth floor, the first thing out of his mouth was, “Brother, this better be fucking worth getting up out of a warm bed with a hot wife on a cold Sunday morning for.”

“Oh, I assure you, Nik,” Jeremiah said; “It is.” He then handed Nik a folder with the printed copies of the articles that Jeremiah had found on Skylar Sullivan/Kyla Scardino and let him draw his own conclusions.

Nik read and re-read everything at least five times, just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things due to the early hour.

After twenty agonizing minutes, Nik looked up at his brother and said, “Skylar Sullivan and Kyla Scardino are the same person and she’s still alive? Am I reading this right?”

“Yes, Nik,” Jeremiah said; “You are reading all of that correctly. And, she’s coming to see me sometime tomorrow with information about the inner workings of A.R.M.”

“She’s coming here to see you?” Nik asked; “Why you?”

“I don’t know, Nik,” Jeremiah said; “I got a call from her yesterday evening just after I got here. She seemed desperate to talk to me. She said, ‘I know what really happened to Kyla Scardino’.”

“Then who the fuck was in the bathtub in Carr’s house if it wasn’t Carr or Scardino?” asked Nik.

“I’m hoping she’ll tell me.”

“I fucking hope she tells you more than that, Jere,” said Nik. “Holy fucking God! You know what you got here, brother?”

“If you say another Pulitzer, I’ll smack you,” Jeremiah said; “The story is still on hold. If she asks for anonymity, I will give it to her. She’s in a shitload of trouble, and she knows it. If what she tells me is important enough to tell CIA about, Witness Protection for both her and her daughter may be needed.”

“She has a kid, that’s what floors me,” Nik said; “And her husband is mixed race. I can’t imagine A.R.M. not knowing this.”

“Maybe that’s why her husband is missing and presumed dead, Nik,” Jeremiah said. “Maybe Scardino was forced into A.R.M. to keep her daughter safe.”

“That’s a possibility,” Nik mused. “That she was threatened with the death of her daughter if she even thought about defecting like Krysta Banks did.”

“And maybe, A.R.M. doesn’t realize she’s not the one they killed,” Jeremiah said; “But then who was that person we found mutilated in the bathtub at Carr’s place?” He shuddered when he remembered the nightmare he saw that day the previous July.

“Just let her talk,” Nik said; “I know you record all your interviews. We may find what we need to go after these scumsucking bastards.”

“And we may find nothing that we didn’t already know,” Jeremiah said; “And I only record with the subject’s permission. I’m hoping she’ll let me.”

As Jeremiah and Nik talked further in Jeremiah’s office, one of the digital editors came up looking for him. He overheard part of the conversation between the two brothers. He didn’t pay it much mind until Jeremiah mentioned the name “Scardino”. That caught his attention.

My God! Matthew Wickes thought; Skylar is still alive! I have to be able to talk to her and tell her that I escaped from those creeps who kidnapped me and threatened her and Justina.

Wickes had to talk to Jeremiah, he realized and ask him to keep his secret.

Matthew Wickes was the name he took to keep from being found by the American Republic Movement.

Because he was, in fact, Benjamin Sullivan; missing and presumed dead for the last two years.

===

II

Kelly and Miri were packing for their trip back to Evansville. Fall break was over, but the memory of what happened during those four days would be something that both girls wouldn’t forget for a very long time, if ever.

“I have to say, Kel, that this was a rather interesting trip,” Miri said as she closed her duffle bag; “We’ve got two of the strangest family histories ever!”

“Mir, I still feel bad that all this had to happen while you were here,” Kelly said.

“Don’t be, Kel,” said Miri; “Shit like this happens all the time. It was just our turn for it to happen to.”

“Still, I’m glad that Kathryn is free of Chastity once and for all,” Kelly said; “Maybe she can finally find some peace and have a nice, boring life.”

“I’d love to go to her art showing if I could get back here,” Miri said; “As an artist myself, it’s just out of curiosity.”

“They usually have a booklet of the items in the showing, and which ones are for sale,” Kelly said; “At least the ones I’ve been to have. If Kathryn’s has one, I’ll send it to you if I can get an advance copy of it, though pictures of art don’t do the real thing any justice at all.”

“That would be cool, Kel,” said Miri. “I probably can’t afford to buy any, but it’s always nice to look.”

“I hear that,” Kelly said; “We’re just a couple of broke ass college girls.”

“We do all right,” Miri said, laughing; “Not every college kid has the families we do with the money they have. I’m on a budget because Mom wants me to learn fiscal responsibility. I actually have to submit a budget to her and my uncles every semester. That was the agreement we came up with. My cousins have to do the same thing. It’s a pain in the ass, but the lessons are well worth it.”

“Hmm,” Kelly mused, “I wonder if Grandfather will do that with me? I could ask. It’d be better than calling up every so often and say, ‘I need $100 for..’ fill in the blank.”

“I think he’d do it,” Miri said. “Your grandfather doesn’t seem like the type to just throw money away. By the way, I think Krysta is pregnant, so maybe a budget might be a good idea.”

“I’m glad you said that, Mir,” Kelly said; “I thought I was the only one who suspected that.”

“Your grandfather doesn’t know, and Krysta should be the one who tells him,” Miri said.

“Then again, I’m sure he’s not expecting to be a father again at 56, either,” said Kelly.

Miri thought on that a while. It dawned on her that her father was 56 when she was born. But, no one knew that Jack Coltrane was her father except her and her mother. Miri wanted to keep it that way, though she thought that she might tell John one day.

“Shall we get these bags out to the car, Kel?” she asked instead.

“Yeah, it’s time to get back to our boring little college girl life,” Kelly said.

And they rolled their bags out to the living room where Eric and Krysta waited.

“You ladies ready to head on out?” asked Eric.

“Yes, Grandfather, I think we are,” said Kelly.

“I’m ready to go,” Miri said; “Thank you so much for inviting me to visit. I hope I can come back and visit again soon.”

“We’d like that, Miri,” Krysta said. “You’ve been a wonderful guest and a great friend to Kelly.”

Miri blushed and mumbled, “Thank you.”

“Now, Krysta, no need embarrassing the girl,” Eric playfully chided her; “I’m sure she’s like this all the time.”

“She, is Grandfather,” Kelly said; “And her family is the same way.”

“Ahh, then, she was raised right,” Eric said; “I’d expect nothing less from Julia Summers.”

Miri was getting a bit uncomfortable with all the praise Kelly’s family was giving her. She was just being herself. Still, she was glad that Kelly’s family liked her.

“I think I’ll stay behind and rest,” Krysta said now; “I didn’t sleep well again last night and I think I’ll take a nap.”

“Okay, Krysta,” Eric said; “I’ll see you when these ladies get safely on the plane.” He kissed her cheek, then took Kelly’s and Miri’s bags out to the car. The girls bid Krysta goodbye and headed outside where Eric was just closing the trunk of the car.

Once inside the vehicle, Kelly asked, “How long has Krysta had trouble sleeping, Grandfather?”

“About a month,” Eric said; “It’s hormones. Nothing to worry about.”

“Hormones?” Kelly and Miri said together.

“Yes,” Eric said; “Krysta just found out she’s expecting about a week before you girls arrived.”

“She’s pregnant?” asked Kelly.

“Oh, very much so, Kelly Clare,” Eric said; “Almost three months now.”

Eric turned the car around in the unpaved drive and headed towards the main road. Once on the road itself, he said, “We didn’t want to make a big deal of it, not with all the stuff going on the last few days. But, yes, Kelly, you’ll have an aunt or an uncle some time in April. I know that sounds odd, but I’m a pretty happy guy right now.”

“Congratualtions,” Miri said; “Kelly and I kind of suspected, but we didn’t know for sure.”

“Ahh,” was all Eric said and let the subject drop.

===

III

After he was sure that Nik had left, Wilkes made his way back to Jeremiah’s office. He saw that the office door was open and poked his head inside and said, “Hey Jere, got a minute?”

Jeremiah looked up and saw Wilkes in the doorway and said, “Sure Matt, I got a few to spare. What’s up?”

Wilkes looked around, then said, “Jere, this is kinda private.”

Jeremiah motioned Wilkes into the office and had him close the door. “Sit, Matt,” he said; “What seems to be concerning you?”

“I was up here earlier to ask you something about the run, but I saw that your brother was here so I went and took care of the issue myself,” Wilkes began; “As I was leaving, I heard you mention the name ‘Scardino’. So I stayed and listened for a few moments, then headed back downstairs.”

Jeremiah looked at the man, then asked, “Does that name sound familiar to you, Matt?”

“I know that the PIO of that Occupational group was named Scardino,” Wilkes said. “And I heard that she supposedly disappeared along with her young daughter.”

Jeremiah put his put his arms on his desk and leaned forward toward Wilkes, asking, “How much do you know about this, Matt, and should I be concerned?”

“Jere, I know more about those scumbags than I’d like knowing,” Wilkes said; “They kidnapped a man named Ben Sullivan a couple years ago because they wanted to get to his wife, Skylar. Soon after Sullivan disappeared, a body was recovered from the river near where the couple and their daughter lived. Word was that it was Sullivan’s body. A week before, Skylar and her daughter disappeared.”

“What relationship does Skylar Sullivan have to the name Scardino?” Jeremiah asked. This was the same information he had found in his research. But how does Matt Wilkes know this? he asked himself.

“Skylar’s maiden name was Scardino,” Wilkes said; “She sometimes hyphenated it with her married name.”

“Matt,” Jeremiah said, “the $64,000 question I have is, how in the hell do you know all this?”

“The body that was found in the river in New York City was not that of Ben Sullivan,” Wilkes said.

“Then whose was it?” asked Jeremiah; “And what happened to Sullivan?”

Wilkes knew he had to tell Jeremiah who he really was and hoped that all hell didn’t break loose. He took a breath and said, “I don’t know whose body it was, Jere. As for what happened to Sullivan-- he’s been in hiding for two years waiting for the perfect chance to tell what he knows about happened to him.”

“Where can I find him?” asked Jeremiah.

“In the chair right across the desk from you,” Wilkes said.

===

IV

“Will you two stop fighting for five seconds and get in the car so we can get Miri from the airport?” Julia asked Jaime and Rachel. Her two daughters had been arguing about who was going to sit in the front seat on the way to the airport. Rachel thought she should because she was the youngest; Jaime thought Rachel was still too small to sit in the front seat.

The girls trudged out to the Tulsa and they got in the back seat along with Zach, who just rolled his eyes at what he thought was his sisters’ lame argument.

“If Miri and Kelly’s flight doesn’t get in til 5, why are we leaving at 2?” the boy asked.

“Because it takes about 90 minutes to get to Chicago,” Julia said; “And we might grab something to eat when we get into the city. Then we have to find parking, then find the gate they’re getting off the plane at, then wait.”

“How boring,” Jaime said.

“Sorry, James, that I can’t make it any more exciting for you, but you were not going to stay behind today,” Julia said. “Now, can we go without any more unpleasantness?”

They got to the airport with plenty of time to spare after getting something to eat near the Times-Tribune building. “Can Uncle Jere come with us for lunch?” asked Rachel.

“I’m sure Uncle Jere is very busy trying to get the paper posted, Rach,” Julia said; “It needs to be posted by 5pm.”

“Oh,” was all Rachel said.

Parking didn’t take as long as Julia feared, and once she parked and got the ticket marking her location in the lot, the family went into the terminal to await Miri’s flight from Buffalo. From the airport, they would drop Miri and Kelly back at school, then head back to Belvidere.

The plane had just taxied to the gate, but the passengers had not yet deplaned. “Looks like we got here just in time,” Julia said.

“Where’s Miri?” asked Rachel as she saw the first passengers file off the plane.

Jaime stood on her tiptoes, and thought she saw her sister in the distance.

“Is that her over there? With the blonde girl? Yes! Yes! That’s Miri and Kelly!” she exclaimed.

As Miri and Kelly approached, Julia realized they had not yet seen her or the family until Miri shouted suddenly, “Mom!” and ran over to where her mother and siblings waited. Kelly jogged to keep up with her friend and roommate.

“Mirielle! It’s so good to have you home!” Julia said as she hugged Miri; “And Kelly as well. How was the big trip?”

“Well, it was,” Miri hesitated, then looked over at Kelly, saying, “would ‘interesting’ be how you’d describe it, Kel?”

“Oh, definitely,” Kelly said; “It was certainly that!”

Julia picked up on the girls hesitation, and got the weird feeling that there was more to the story than the trip was “interesting”. She let it go and made a mental note to ask Miri about it later.

“Do you ladies want to eat first, or go straight to campus?” asked Julia as the family headed to the baggage claim area.

“I’m starved,” Miri said, laughing; “That food on the plane was a joke!”

“I could eat,” Kelly said; “And Miri’s right about the food on the plane. If they thought one measly ‘sub’ would fill people up until they got to their destination, they’re sorely mistaken! And Miri didn’t get the Kosher meal she asked for, even though it was part of our reservation.”

“Well, then,” Julia said, “We’ll have to fix that. There’s a great place not far from here, and they serve everything anyone could want. It was my mom’s favorite place to eat in Chicago when I was growing up.”

“I’m so hungry,” Miri said; “I could eat...” she looked at Jaime for a brief moment, then said, “a horse.”

“Eww, Miri, that’s gross!” Jaime said. Zach and Rachel just giggled. Even Rachel knew that Miri was kidding, whereas Jaime took anything about horses seriously.

“Well, then, let’s go,” Julia said; “Your sister and Kelly have classes tomorrow, and they’ll need their beauty sleep.”

And off they went.

===

Kyla lay awake while Justina napped. She worried about what Jere Donovan would think about her story and whether he’d believe her.

She needn’t have worried. She had no idea that the seeds to her story were being sown by the only other person who knew the whole story. Donovan would believe her.

Kyla and her daughter would be reunited with someone who should have never been spirited away from them to start with.

And it was their story that Jere Donovan was having trouble wrapping his mind around as Kyla finally gave into slumber that Sunday afternoon.

===