Note: All persons in this novel are fictitious. If you are looking for a great deal of sexual activity, this story is not for you. The scenes that are included will be evocative, rather than just for the sake of sex itself.

This story is for your reading pleasure. Its length is undetermined, because I do not know where my mind will take me as I proceed along this journey with you. I hope you will stay with me, and this story, until it reaches its inevitable end.

This story is copyrighted material, and is owned by Prolonged_Debut10. My information is on file with Literotica.com. Any attempts to reach me should be forwarded through that site. I am definitely over eighteen years old, and a citizen of the United States of America.

Chapter 11

43. Switzerland

"That bastard gave us up. Now they know who we are, and what we were planning to do. We are going to have to go so deep underground, where no one can find us. Having plastic surgery to change our faces, remove our fingerprints, and having our voices changed will require time, but we must do it. This is a disaster of epic proportions.

Friedrich, what are we supposed to do about the attacks that are scheduled to go off tonight? Do we let them go off as planned, or do we call them off?

The entire planet now knows we planned to blow up the American Super-rocket and along with it that isolationist President of theirs." Germany cannot afford to have 40,000 American soldiers leave the country, with all its military equipment, and their dependents. It's a loss of nearly 150,000 people. The drain on our economy will be disastrous, and our country may never recover."

"Otto, you are being too pessimistic. I agree we are going to have to disappear, but the Senate and the Congress of the States has to approve those troop movements. Where are they going to place all these men and women, when they return home.

They have shut down so many bases, and their military housing is so poor, due to their budget cuts, they will have them living in the streets, like paupers. Let's wait to see what happens.

Tonight we will leave for Berlin, and from there to Helsinki, and finally to Turku. We have friends who will hide us there, indefinitely. They have fine doctors, and for the appropriate amount of money, they will do as we ask."

"How are we supposed to get our money out of Deutsche Bank, without leaving a paper trail, Friedrich?"

"Bearer bonds naturally. We will walk into the vault, as always, but this time with a large steamer trunk. We fill it with $10,000 bearer bonds, and when we leave, it should weigh about 230 pounds, more or less. It will give us about $70 billion to work with over the coming years."

"I won't even ask you how you figured that out, but I will take your word for it. That leaves us about $4 billion short of what we have in there. What should we do about that?"

"Bring a very large suitcase, Arthur, a very large suitcase."

"I have a bad back; I think I'll bring one with wheels."

"I don't care what you do, just stuff as many bearer bonds in it as you can. We will leave instructions for Steigman to remove the money from our accounts to pay for the bearer bonds that are missing from his secure storage area. That's how you take a large amount of money out of a bank, without a paper trail."

Otto said, "In other words it's stealing, and paying for it later."

"You may look at it that way, but I don't.

Go to your homes, and take just what you need for a one week's travel. Leave everything in order, as if you were going to return. I will have a friend remove a car from a parking area, and change its license plates. He will make sure the owners never complain, while they are alive. Let's meet here, and we will leave for Germany in three hours.

"What about him?"

"We should be very happy Aubrey never knew about him. He would scalp us, like in one of those old-fashioned Westerns he likes. The only difference being, we would still be alive when he does it. I'll call, leave him a message on his dead drop phone line, and tell him what we're going to do. When we get to Turku, I'll call him again, and give him a way to contact us, if need be. He may want to break contacts with us, permanently."

Arthur said, "That sounds good."

"Otto don't forget to pack food for yourself. We are not going to stop on the way for you to eat."

"I am a true German. I am not thin like you. I love my food and it shows. If we were stuck on a mountain top, I would survive for a longer time than you. Stop making fun of my girth."

"Otto, you would die climbing the mountain. Go home, pack your clothes, and pack enough food for the trip."

"I will pack enough for all of us, Friedrich. I will even pack one sausage for you. It will be enough to fill you up."

"You are wasting time that we don't have. The world knows of us, and I don't want the police at my door."

"I will be back in two hours."

"So will I, Friedrich. If the police come, they need a warrant to come into the house. Don't let them step inside, or don't answer the door."

"I have the concealment area under the floor in my closet. I can use that in an emergency."

"Very good, I'm leaving."

"Two hours, not more."

**************

44. Space + Time + Travel

The press corps was sitting in the auditorium awaiting the briefing from Doctor Juan Alvarez. The tension in the room was so great, there were arguments between experienced reporters, that nearly turned violent.

Doctor Alvarez finally walked on stage, and up to the podium, at 6 PM on the dot.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I will take questions after I give my statement, but you'd better give me questions only about the statement I give and nothing more. I will not answer anything that is speculative. I will only answer questions that are factual, and pertain to the message we received from the spacecraft Good Luck 1. Each of you has received a full copy of the message, so you should not have any trouble asking questions about it. My statement will be very brief, and as I said to you, very factual."

"First I want to introduce you to the five luckiest people on this planet. They were the first to hear the message sent by the spacecraft, and received by the VLA. Doctor Steven Wilkerson, Doctor Alessandro Melassa, Doctor Jane Meadow, and postgraduate students Gladys Knightley, and Stella Forster.

Shortly after 4 AM this morning, Doctor Steve Wilkerson heard one of the servos for one of the VLA radio antennas move, from its pre-positioned stations. Normally this is an anomaly that has to be fixed manually.

As he was climbing the ladder to reach the servo controls, the twenty-six other radio antennas moved. Every alarm in the building sounded. A message of unknown origin was being received. It was not background noise from the stars, or left over from the Big Bang.

My fellow scientists went to their stations and began tracking this anomaly. It was broadcasting a signal in clear voice transmission. Doctor Jane Meadow called, and told me what was happening.

I rushed to the lab, and watched, as our computer digested what was coming in. We both agreed, it was definitely coming from a spacecraft heading on an intercept course for Planet Zero. For those of you who are not familiar with that term, Planet Zero is Earth. All of us were stunned, and each of us was thrilled that our space travelers are still alive, and have reached the destination they aimed for.

Gliese 561 is a red dwarf star. The planet, Gliese 561G is a tidally locked planet, which means one half of the planet faces the sun all the time, and the other half doesn't see the sun at all. The important part of all this is Gliese 561G is twenty light years away from Earth. The Good Luck 1 arrived there in a little more than 3 years. This tiny spacecraft moved many times faster than the Speed of Light.

Einstein was wrong.

It's not the 1^st time he's been wrong, but this one is a big one. This was his last untested theory. Now it has been tested, and he was wrong. Traveling great distances in space is no longer incomprehensible, because of great scientists and engineers, like Even Luck, Dycke Schneider, Patricia Valentino, Harold Chase, Delicious Luck Thyme, and Gordon Luck. Their names will join those already in our history books, as trailblazers and visionaries, who not only looked up at the stars at night, but did something about it, and got us there.

You all know about the greetings going out to those they left behind. They are personal, and were intentionally left out of your briefing material.

There is the statement given by Doctor Lincoln Aubrey, about his attempts to abduct, destroy the messenger rocket, and the spacecraft. The transcript of that information has been forwarded to the FBI to see if it is possible to prosecute these men, here on earth, when they only evidence against them was testimony given, in a spacecraft, nearly 20 light years away.

The possibility of these men holding his entire family captive has been forwarded to the German authorities for investigation.

The Swiss authorities have been notified that these people are suspected of living in their country.

All of this has been done, through the University of New Mexico, not through the United States State Department, or the FBI. We did not want to get into the bureaucratic red tape that sometimes delays action for days, weeks, or months. If what Doctor Aubrey said is true, action had to be taken immediately, not one second later.

These actions should pave the way for new laws for intergalactic treaties, to be sure men like Doctor Lincoln Aubrey can testify, in absentia, against the likes of his tormentors: Friedrich von Bierman, Otto von Osterhagan, and Arthur Schultheise.

That is the end of my statement. I will take questions now."

"Doctor Alvarez, you said this new planet, Atwater Luck is 20 light years away. How far is that in miles?"

"72 trillion miles."

"Do you really believe they traveled 72 trillion miles in a little more than 3 years? It sounds a little fishy to me."

"Did you ever watch a rocket take off, Mister Alexander?

"I've been at the Cape several times to watch rockets take off Doctor."

"Did you go to Texas to watch the Good Luck 1 take off?"

"No I didn't. NASA said it was a hoax, and it would never fly."

"Do you feel like the biggest ass in the room now, Mister Alexander?"

"I don't like your inference Doctor."

"It wasn't an inference; it was a fact."

"Next question. Yes, Miss Perry."

"According to your handout, Doctor Aubrey sounds like an agent provocateur. How did he get through the initial screening process?"

"That's not part of this briefing Miss Perry. You will have to go to Charleston to ask that question, and get that answer."

"Next question. Mister Raven, your question..."

The briefing went on for more than 45 minutes. How fast, how far, will we get another message? Will this rocket get closer to Earth? Will it get close enough for Satellites to take pictures of it?..."

When Doctor Alvarez had enough, he put an end to it, and went back to the lab to listen to the broadcast again. He sent out a message to all stations on the net, requesting them to get a bearing on this signal. He wanted to know how far the rocket was from Earth. Traveling at a speed of 96,000 mph might sound fast to normal human beings, but to scientists, who deal with distances in trillions of miles every day, it is like a snail crawling the length of a football field.

His phone rang. "Doctor Alvarez, this is Wilkerson."

"Yes Steve, what do you have?"

"We have the bearings in from Norilsk, Russia, Torneakven, Sweden, and Alice Springs, Australia put together with ours just as you asked. You are not going to believe where this little rocket is, or what Doctor Luck must have put in it to get it to move so fast at the beginning of its' travels' that it got this far so quickly."

"We all know that guy was a genius, and his son was a chip off the old block. Everyone that went on that ship had a specialty; there was no deadwood on it, at all. So tell me where is it?"

"Here goes doctor, and remember, 'Don't shoot the messenger.'

"Celestial Observation: X -1.697. Y -1.357 Z - 3. 838."

"You're out of your damn mind, Steve; it can't be that close. When the hell did they launch that thing?"

"I don't know Doctor, but you are the one that said he was a genius."

"I want the Galactic information, and I want it yesterday."

"I knew you would say that, so I already have it. Are you ready?"

"What do you think?"

"Galactic Observation: X 3.169. Y-3.155. Z -0.8018. Do you believe it now, doctor?"

"If it was any closer to that star, it would have burnt up. Who do they have up there that put the navigational coordinates in?"

"I don't know, but he's damn good. He missed Alpha Centauri by 6 ½ million miles. The radiation would have killed any human, who was that close."

"Have Meadow send out a release on Twitter. You do it on Facebook, and I will set up another news conference. Hopefully that asshole will not be here this time."

"Why don't you do a video conference, Doctor? You can announce it today, and schedule it for tomorrow evening. Whoever is online can ask you questions from around the world."

"Now I know why I keep you around, Steven. I'll call the communications director and set up."

"Doctor, the reason you keep me, and the entire staff around is to keep your job. We make you look so good; they are going to build a statue of your likeness, and place it in front of the laboratory.

We want you to know that after you retire, and leave for places where there is more green than yellow surroundings, we will be throwing tomatoes at it every day."

"I will keep that picture in my mind. Do you realize how expensive tomatoes are in this area? To think you would spend that amount of money to pay homage to me, is heart rendering."

"Come on Doctor, we have work to do."

************************

"I'm glad your friend was smart enough to get this large van. You two can sit in the front seat and watch the grass go by. I will gladly sit back here, with my basket of food and wine, and wile away the hour, during this tedious drive"

"Otto even in this wonderful German engineered automobile, I had to put the heaviest part of our belongings on the opposite side of you to keep it level. If you get any heavier, you are going to have to sit in the middle of any car, and purchase two seat on an aircraft."

"I always fly first class, and I fit in those seats just fine."

"I've seen you in first class, Otto. Trust me, you're going to need two seats soon. Do you weigh 180 kilos yet?" (400 lb.)

"I never weigh myself. I go by the way my clothes fit; and they fit me beautifully, can't you tell?"

"I won't answer that question. Don't forget to pace yourself, with your food. It's 1100 km (700mi) to Berlin. I wouldn't want you to run out of anything, before we get there."

"Be nice to me, Friedrich; I'm sitting behind you. A bottle of wine, across the back of your head would hurt."

"I apologize Otto. We have been friends too long to argue like this. It is just the pressure of the day that's getting to me.

I have decided not to call off the attacks for tonight. I want to distract the Americans. I want to keep them busy at home, while we do what we must, and travel north to disappear. I never believed it would come to this. I was sure Aubrey would take care of the spacecraft. His mind was sharp, but his will was weak, when it came to his family. Our threats to wipe his name from the roles of those families living on this planet destroyed him.

When I held his youngest in my arms, and told him what a shame it would be if that little boy was to be the end of his family's lineage, there were tears in his eyes.

He promised me his life in exchange for the lives of his family, but most especially for the baby I was holding.

When I agreed to his proposal, he fell to his knees, and kissed my feet. I felt honored at that point."

"I wonder what they going to do, after they land?"

"I don't care. I just want to get out of Switzerland and into Germany, before the Swiss start checking cars at their border. Program the computer Arthur, so I know where I'm going."

"Friedrich, all you have to do is remember two roads to get us to Berlin. You take the A6 to the A 9. When you get on the A9, get off at the exit to you Aunt's home in Berlin. It's not that hard to remember."

"Oh God, we are all making fun of one another. We are all nervous. Otto give me something to eat; maybe it will calm me down."

"Bratwurst or sausage?"

"Bratwurst please."

***********************

"Good morning William, any news?"

"I spoke with General Marcus, and it was all quiet last night.

I spoke to mom a little earlier, and heard a very funny story, about Lucius and Paul. It was quiet, in Glen Falls last night, also."

"I wonder if the news scared them off."

"I doubt that dad. The tip of the spear is probably on the run. These are the mercenaries who were hired to perform a specific job. As long as they were paid, and we can't contact them to verify it, as we did in New York, they are going to fight."

"I guess it was wishful thinking on my part."

"We can always wish dad, but wishes don't always come true."

"Has your brother, and his little friend surfaced for food?"

"If he has, I haven't seen him."

"Well, no one has been known to starve to death, within 72 hours of going on a diet. He may be weak when he finishes, but it will be only in his knees."

"Not necessarily, there are other positions, and from what he said to mom, before we parted company, he's watched enough pornography on the internet to know how many there are."

"I hope I didn't wait too long to introduce him to the wonders of sex. Pornography is not the way to learn how to treat a woman."

"Dad, he's had excellent examples all his life. He watched me as I grew up in China. I never treated any woman unkindly.

He watched you and mom at home. Although both of you confused the heck out of him, with your verbal interplay, the love you two have for one another was always evident. He sees it in Gwen and I also. He's not going to treat Audra any differently than we treat our wives.

He may have a rough start, because he's nervous, and cannot control himself. However, once he gets an understanding of the mechanics of sex, he will be able to read what his and her bodies are saying to each other, and feed off those signals. He is brilliant beyond belief, and if he doesn't die of leg cramps, he will have the time of his life."

"Neither of us died of leg cramps, Will."

"Well good morning little brother. I don't believe I'll ever be able to wipe that smile off your face. Did you enjoy dancing?"

"We haven't gotten to the dancing part yet. We've been changing beds all night, and most of the morning. Audra and I believe cleanliness is next to godliness."

"And how many beds have you changed so far Miss Audra?"

"15 so far Mister Zabo."

"15 in one night?"

"Well, it's almost noon, so it's one night and one morning."

"Active mammals aren't you? Are you hungry?"

"Yes, that's why we decided to take an hour off. Actually, it's 10 minutes to get here. 10 minutes to order and for the food to get here. 20 minutes to eat. 10 minutes to talk; and 10 minutes to get back to a new bed, and decide where to start again. We don't want to waste any time."

"Should I ask who put you under such strict time constraints, or should I guess?"

"It wasn't Patrick, Mister Zabo."

"It sounds like you are enjoying yourself?"
"It was difficult at the beginning; but now it's fun. We know each other a lot better, and there is no animosity left between us. We have an arrangement, which benefits both of us, and may last us a lifetime."

"Patrick would you care to tell me about this arrangement?"

"Not particularly dad; but in the intermediate term, there will be another pair of feet under the table for meals at our house. Then, other living arrangements will be determined.

"William, when we get home make sure your mother does not know where our guns, knives, or silverware, with pointed ends are."

"Dad, leave mom to me. I will take care of her. When I'm finished, everything will be fine."

"Holy cow dad; a boy went to have sex for the first time in his young life, and came back a man."

"It would certainly seem that way William. Why don't you two order breakfast, or lunch, as it were, and join us. I will update you on what happened yesterday. There was some startling news, while you were experiencing carnal knowledge of one another."

"You found out who the tip of the spear was, dad?"

"Yes, son, we believe we did, but not in the way you think. The world received a message yesterday from the Good Luck 1. It has reached Gliese 561G and landed on it. It has renamed the planet Atwater Luck.

Sometime prior to landing, it launched its last remaining rocket. The rocket had many messages for us. The most startling one was there was a traitor on board. Doctor Lincoln Aubrey tried to destroy the ship three times, using three different methods. He tampered with computer chips, which could have caused fires to break out on board. He tampered with the manuals for the nuclear engine. If that was not found in time, they would have had to eject that engine, and been lost in space for all time. Lastly, he set up an explosive device in the elevator of the landing gear. When they went to extend it, an explosion would have occurred. It would have damaged spaceship so severely, eventually it would have killed all persons on board.

All these attempts were foiled, because of the stellar work of the crew, and passengers of the Good Luck 1."

"Who's gonna write the book dad? It's a best seller."

"I'm afraid we're going to be busy for a little while Patrick. You have your confirmation hearings coming up next Tuesday."

"What confirmation hearings dad? NASA just went out of business. Rockets are no longer needed. We have a proven system now. Hydrogen and oxygen are no longer needed to put satellites into orbit. The days of expendable rockets are gone. You build a median size bubble, like the Good Luck 1, and you can launch 30 satellites into orbit at one time. The bubble comes back, lands, and takes off a week later to do it again. The cost saving is phenomenal, and the government is out of the space business permanently, except for pure science. I'm out of a job, before I got one."

"I don't believe you should put it that way, before the Senate confirms your appointment. Let's get through today and tomorrow, and talk about it over the weekend. We will define our strategy by Monday, and fly to Washington Tuesday morning. You may be absolutely right Patrick, but I want to speak to the President first."

"As always dad, whatever you say."

"Thank you Patrick; eat your breakfast, you are three minutes into overtime."

"I think we can spare five more minutes; do you mind Audra?"

"We can jump into the pool half way down; that will save us time."

"Thank you. William can we borrow or rent one of your townhomes in New York, when they are finished being renovated? We are going to be running around naked most of the time, and I don't want mom screaming at us to put clothes on."

"Do you have references?"

"I believe I can scratch up a few."

"What are you going to do if you have to move to Washington, or Houston?"

"I guess I'll have to break my lease, and sleep in my airplane."

"I'm a very tough landlord. If there's a mark on the place, my wife will hit you."

"You are going to be in South Carolina in four months. Your wife will never know what's going on in those houses. Parties, parties, parties."

"Patrick, you never learned how to party. You don't have three friends to invite to a party. I know that sounds unkind, but our lives have been, are, and always will be different than any other people on this planet. Our father is not only the richest man in the world, but the most influential man alive. I have just taken over 80% of his businesses, but in name only. I have to learn about each one he has. It could take me a decade to do that.

When you come of age, dad wants you to take over 30% of them. We both know you are smart, so much smarter than I am, it scares me. I want you to decide which companies you want.

We will always be a family business. I don't care which businesses you take. They will always be under one name: Zabo International. We will always be richer, and have more money, then we will ever spend in 100 lifetimes. That is not our goal in life. Our goal in life is to continue dads' dream. It's not only what mom and dad are doing, but with our sister Patty, and her daughter Anna. We are going to attempt to end hunger and disease in the United States, and Africa.

All Western society has given lip service to that goal. We have started doing something about it. Our work must continue, until everyone is hunger, and disease free.

Our baby sisters will join us in that fight, when they inherit their 10% shares of the company. Even though they will be minority owners, they will be our equals, because they are family. Their husbands will have no say in what happens inside our businesses. They will be given allowances to live on, and they will be very small. They will have to work, like everyone else works, to maintain their standing in our family.

As I see it, you will wind up as Chairman of the Board before you are 30 years old. I will be the President of our company. Our holdings will be so vast; we will need offices all over the world. The only way to do it is by operating as a corporation, but maintaining it as a wholly owned family enterprise. Only you have the brains in our family to run it properly, Pat, so be prepared."

"Can I go back to China, dad."

"Son, did you just steal your brothers' line?"

"I knew I heard it somewhere, but I wasn't sure."

"I'm almost sure I heard it from William, before he met Gwen."

"You are right dad. It had something to do with him never getting married. Now, not only is he married, but he knocked her up. No wonder he wants me to be the chairman of the board. Maybe China is not remote enough anymore. Are they booking passage to Atwater Luck yet?"

William laughed. "Little brother, if I have to stay here and suffer, I'm going to make sure you do too. You broke my nose with a sneaky left hand. I will return the favor, but you will see the punch coming."

"I don't know why you are angry about that little thing. You had an ugly nose to start with."

"Dad please, just one leg. It will only hurt him for six weeks, and I will get such pleasure out of it."

"I explained to you yesterday that now is not the proper time."

"Wait a minute, dad. Do you mean to tell me there is going to be a proper time for Will to break my leg?"

"When a child taunts his elder, as you have been taunting your brother, since you returned with him, from China, as often as you have been taunting him, I have to give him a little leeway.

He has been exceedingly kind to you, and has restrained himself admirably. There have been times that I have had to restrain him, for your benefit. There will come a time, that I will remove these restraints, from him. You will have reached the end of the rope. I will not tell you when that time comes, and neither will your brother. Good luck my son, and when the time comes, defend yourself to the best of your ability."

"Oh shit!"

"William please."

"With pleasure dad."

Smack

"What the fuck was that for?"

Smack

"Stop it William that hurts."

"Why is your brother hitting you, Patrick?"

"How the fuck should I know?"

Smack

"This could go on for days, Patrick. Why is your brother hitting you?"

Audra had her hand over her mouth trying to control her giggling.

"Wait until I get you downstairs Missy, you won't be giggling; I can assure you of that."

"Audra knows why you're getting hit. Maybe you should take lessons from her, instead of sending her to college."

"Dammit, it's mom. She's laid down the law, hasn't she?"

"For the first time, since I've known your mother, I used inappropriate language in our house. She scolded me, and it was appropriate for her to do so. I said it was the Patrick effect, and it would not happen to me or any other member of the household, again. The treatment you are receiving now, will happen to you anytime, by any member of our household, who hears you use profane language. You could be downstairs training with Alfonse, when it happens to you. If you use profane language, you will be hit; and the more you use that type language, the harder you will be hit. You will get your mouth under control, my son, and you will do it quickly."

"Yes dad, I apologize for being rude in front of you, and everyone else in our household. When you speak to my mother, would you apologize to her for my behavior."

"I will do it for you this one time. Remember, your actions will speak louder than your words."

"I know. I have a message for the young lady who laughed at me. We have passed the one-hour time limit. We are by-passing the pool, and going straight to bed. Goodbye everyone."

"Goodbye Mister Zabo, William, we will see you tomorrow."

"You're not stopping by for dinner tonight?"

"No, we couldn't fit it in to our schedule."

"Did you bring enough clothing with you?"

"Well, since I'm not wearing any most of the time, I brought plenty."

"Audra your wasting time."

"My master calls; I must respond, or I will get a spanking."

"I hope you enjoy it."

"I do, especially after I have a vaginal orgasm. I get another orgasm that's bigger, longer lasting, and most often; mind blowing."

"I shouldn't have asked. Now, I miss my wife desperately."

******************

"Let's start out with that one."

"Why, not only does it look weird, but we can't use our hands to pleasure each other."

"I know what it is, and I'm not talking."

"We are in this together, Pat, talk to me."

"It's the toes. Not only do you get to make love in a totally different position, but you get to suck on and play with your partner's toes and feet. Your feet are supposed to be especially sensitive when you are making love. We are about to find out if it's true."

"Connecting should be interesting."

"We are not going to start out in that position, we are just going to wind up in it. Why don't we start in the reverse integer position? I love how you taste."

"Why can't you just call it 69, like everyone else does?"

"I'm not everyone else Audra. You heard what William said about my future. I'm not going to make the mistake of upsetting my father by becoming any less than what my father wants me to be. He is old, and no one can predict how many years he has left. Before he leaves this world, I want him to know that I am his son, and I have lived the life he wants me to live. I want him to know I have upheld our family name. It was never important to me, because William was always ahead of me.

As in England, if the king and queen have two sons, they used the phrase, 'The Heir and the Spare.' I was always the 'spare.' I thought I was going to live a life of leisure, while William controlled my father's businesses and his money. He would generously dole out money to me, my sisters, and to charities. He would be in the position my father is today, 'THE Man.' He would hold influence over Presidents and Premieres, while I played chess, and enjoyed my life of leisure."

"He change that today, in a very big way. Now my father is going to cast his eye on me to see if I measure up to his standards. I will not fail him Audra. It's much too important to him, and now it has become important to me. I will not allow him to go to his final resting place, knowing I failed him, and everything he built during his lifetime. I could not have that weighing on my soul for the rest of my life. I will work 24 hours a day, every day of the week, month, and year, to make sure that never happens to him."

She kissed him, sweetly, when she didn't have to.

"You just did Patrick. The way you said you would not let him down, strengthened your resolve in a way no one else could. You will be able to look into your dad's eyes, and they will tell him you have succeeded beyond his expectations, by a full measure. He will close his eyes, for the final time, smiling at what his children accomplished, during his time on earth. Most especially, he will be smiling because of you Patrick. At the beginning, he was unsure of your commitment to him. As he passes from this life to the next, he will have the knowledge you exceeded each of his standards, while helping your brother, William, keep Zabo International; the premier Corporation in the known universe."

"Thank you Audra, I never expected you to give me a pep-talk like that. I feel much more secure in my own skin at this moment. Let's fuck."

Smack

"Okay, I remember, I didn't think it applied, while we were in bed."

"When we were in China, were you ever allowed to use bad language to a Chinese elder?"

"No, and if anyone did, you either had your tongue slit, or cut out. The Chinese do not fool around, when it comes to etiquette."

"You must remember to do it here. If you speak properly every day, it will become a habit. Once it becomes habitual, you will speak properly for the rest of your life. Your mother won't hit you. Your father won't berate you, and he won't give your brother permission to break your leg."

"What is your IQ Audra?"

"161."

"They tested me when I was 12 years old. They told me my IQ was 213. How is it you are so much smarter than I am?"

"You were the smartest boy in all of China, but you were kept under tight wraps, by William. You couldn't play with anyone. You couldn't interact with anyone. You could not invite anyone into your home, or go to their home to see how they acted around their siblings, and their parent, because you had guards watching your every move.

I'm not looking to get you angry with me, Pat, but it gave me such pleasure calling you that name, watching you cry, and running to them for comfort. I felt like a queen every time it happened.

You were born with a magnificent brain that absorbed everything in sight. I used your brain against you, as I developed street smarts. I used those smarts, and became the biggest bitch around. The best part was you kept coming back for more, and more. Every time I saw you, I dug at you deeper and deeper. You still came back, and I was amazed to see you each time."

"I told you, I had a crush on you back then. I couldn't find a way to stay away from you."

"That's the difference between us Patrick. You were the dreamer, the intellectual with high ideals.

I was down in the gutter, and I used the garbage to blind you. You kept me on a pedestal, and I tore your heart out. I was rich once, and you are still rich. I was angry, no, I was really fucking pissed off at you, and your family, for having what I lost. You were an easy target, and I tormented you every chance I got."

"Before I answer you, I have to do this."

Smack

"Ouch, what was that for?"

"Did you hit me for inappropriate language?"

"Yes, but that's your family's rule, it has no effect on me, does it?"

"Are you going to be living with me, while you go to college?"

"I get it. I will watch my mouth. By the way, if you hadn't noticed, you hit harder than I do."

"You orgasm, I don't. Fair is fair."

"Let's dirty these sheets. I'm tired of being in this room; there is too much talk, and too little action."

"As you wish Madame."

"I am a Mademoiselle, not a Madame."

"Now who's talking too much?"

***********************

"Mom, what are you and Dina wearing to the wedding Saturday?"

"We are wearing very fancy dresses, thank you very much."

"What are Jeffrey and I wearing?"

"Jeffrey is wearing a very expensive suit."

"And what am I wearing?"

"I'm not sure? Why don't you take some rag out of your closet, and a pair of jeans, with holes in them, and wear those?"

"Mom is something wrong?"

"Do you mean besides the phone call I received from the school?"

"I have not skipped one class, since you had your date; I swear it."

"I didn't say you did. Your calculus teacher called. She told me you cheated on an exam, and she gave you a zero on it."

"Bullshit, I never took my eyes off my exam paper. I believe I aced that test."

"So did the person to your right. He runs a B in the class. Since you have been running a straight D, she believes you are the one that cheated."

"Call the bitch, and ask her to give me and him the same class level exam. Have her sit us far apart, and let's see which one of us cheated."

"If I make that call Michael, and you fail the exam, when you are 18, I don't want to know you anymore."

"I agree."

"You didn't cheat on that exam, did you?"

"I didn't mom. I promised you I would change, and I have. I am studying like I said I would. You can ask all my other teachers, because my grades have improved in every class. Even the girls, I used to take out, are wondering what happened to me."

"I'm going to school with you tomorrow morning. You and the other young man are going to take the test with someone the principal appoints. I will sit there and wait, until it's graded. When you are finished, and get an 'A'; I going to speak with that teacher of yours. When I through with her, she's going to wonder if she has a job next week."

"I won't let you down mom."

Nancy opened her cell phone, and hit speed dial.

"If you called to tell me you lost your ring, after I kill you, the insurance company is going to kill me."

"No James, it's nothing that drastic."

"Good, you had me worried. Three days until our wedding, and I would not have had time to buy you another one."

"You are out of your mind. Don't you have anything better to do with your money than to spend it on me?"

"No, not that I can think of offhand."

"Remind me to hit you, when I see you tomorrow night."

"We are seeing each other tomorrow night? What are we doing?"

"You're taking me to dinner, remember?"

"Actually, that's only a half truth. I'm subjecting you to my sister's cooking. I'm not sure if you consider that dinner. Maybe we should have a sandwich before we go to her apartment, and take food poisoning pills with us."

"I'm going to tell Bethany you said that."

"It's okay, I've been telling her that since she was 14, and started to learn how to burn everything, including water."

"You are incorrigible. We need a suit for Michael. He just told me what happened in school, and I believe him."

"Tell me."

"He said he didn't cheat, and believes he aced the exam. He wants his teacher to give him and the student next to him another exam. He sounds innocent James."

"As the head of the foremost investigative agency in the free world, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I agree. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to school with him in the morning, and demand the principal order his teacher to give him, and the other student an exam, and wait until she grades it. If Michael does as well as he said, I'm going make her give him the 'A' he earned Monday, and another 'A', because she accused him of cheating, without proof, and he didn't cheat."
"Nancy, you can tell her to start acting like a teacher, instead of an instructor. She should not be jumping to conclusions about any particular student. She should have spoken to Michael first, and listened to his side of the story. Then, she should have given him a test question to answer, right in front of her. She should have done the same thing with the other student, also. If both of them got it right, she should give them the grades they earned, instead of what she thought might have happened."

"Thank you James, I'm going to take Michael out for his suit now."

"It will never be ready for Saturday, if you take it locally. Take him to my tailor. I will call, tell them you're coming, and we need it for 6 PM, tomorrow night. He will set you up with the shirts, ties, shoes, socks; everything Michael needs for our wedding. You don't have to worry about anything else, except saying 'I do' Saturday afternoon, at 4 P.M. Do you think you can remember that?"

"Would you tell me again how I got wrangled into getting married this Saturday? I still can't remember how you did this to me? Were you worried I would run away from you?"

"To answer your last question first, 'No." I hypnotized you to make sure you knew where to be Saturday afternoon. I implanted in your memory that Dina had been kidnapped. I paid the ransom and we could pick her up there, if we dressed really fancy."

"If you ever commit a crime James, you will be able to beat the 'Lie Detector machine' every time."

"Thank you dearest; I've worked extremely hard to get that down to a science."

"Now tell me again, how did you get me to agree to marry you seven days after we became engaged?"

"I called Janine, and had her tell you to say yes to anything I asked you. No one says no to Janine, especially me."

"The lie detector just fell off the desk it was on. Would you like to answer my question again?"

"Nancy will you still marry me Saturday afternoon, when you know the truth?"

"My dress is not returnable. I have to use it one day or another, so it may as well be Saturday. I could go to a movie, but people would think I was going to see 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

"My dear lady, you are showing your age."

"My dear sir, thou art older than I am by a great deal. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; so help you God, or I will beat the crap out of you."

"We have already determined you can't do that, because we both take self-defense lessons. I am also taller than, stronger than, and weigh more than you. How do you anticipate overcoming all my advantages?"

"The female genitalia are hidden inside her body. The most painful portion of the male genitalia are outside his body, and dangle uselessly for 99.999999% of the time. One perfectly placed kick, punch, head-butt, body block, or squeeze will put any man, regardless of his size, strength, or physical conditioning, out of action for seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or even years, if I don't let them go. The swelling that will occur after I let them go, will cause him to be out of action, for several weeks, and may even render him impotent for the rest of his natural life. So you see James, the weaker, fairer sex, does have a few ways to neutralize a man's height, weight, and strength, when she is angry with him."

"Madame, I have one word for you, 'OUCH!' Several more may come out later, when I can breathe again, but that is the first one that comes to mind."

"James, when someone is squeezing your balls, your mind is the least of your worries. Now let's get back to my original question please, or did you think I forgot what it is?"

"Nancy, I can't tell you how much I love you. I tried my best distraction techniques on you, and you still remembered what you wanted to know. Goodbye now."

"James, if you hang up your phone, the next time you reach for it, it's going to be up your ass."

"Would you believe my red phone just rang, and I have an appointment with the president in 10 minutes?"

"Since the president is in Prague, I do have a problem with that. Do you realize how deep the hole you're digging for yourself is, and how much apologizing you're going to have to do for me to show up on Saturday?"

"Do you realize if you don't leave soon, Michael's suit will not be ready for Friday night?"

"Where would he be going in that suit, if the wedding is called off?"

"To my funeral more than likely."

"I won't touch you, I won't see you again, and I will return your ring. It will be as if we never met."

"No, I wasn't talking about you killing me, Janine would kill me. It was the first thing she said to me, when I showed interest in you. It will be very convenient for her, because we will be near City Hall. She will kill me, and list her reasons for doing so.

They will let her go, 'On her own recognizance.'

They will take me next-door, to the morgue, to do the autopsy. When word gets to the medical examiner, why I was killed, and by whom, he will botch the examination, and it will not be permissible in court. Janine will be found innocent. She will be put back to work, and you can go on your merry way. They will throw my remains into an oven, and reduce me to ash. I will be spread as fertilizer onto a piece of grass or around the tree, because I do not wish to take up any space on the planet. Everyone will forget I ever existed, and the world will go on at its usual pace."

"That is truly a very sad tale. You go from a man, who is attached to his desk, living the life of a monk, while running the premier investigative agency in the world, to fertilizer, because he saw a woman, and before he spoke a word to her, was willing to throw all his responsibilities away, because he fell in love with her.

He can't fill a stapler, and cannot remember to plug in the coffee maker, but he wants this woman. He surprises the hell out of her by asking her out for that evening. She accepts. He tells her she's going to need new clothes for tonight and a truck is coming to her home to deliver them.

He's taking her to his sister's wedding, but he has an ulterior motive, which he explains, and she is happy to help him. It goes over better than expected, and they become friends. They go out a few times, and surprisingly enough he doesn't kill himself, while he's driving, because he has a chauffeur, and makes it through dinner, without removing a finger while using his knife.

The conversation is nice, even sweet at times. He invites her to Bermuda for a four-day weekend. She says yes, but promises him nothing. The weekend is nice, very nice, and they spend plenty of time on the beach, while talking, reading, and just being with one another.

The evening before they are supposed to leave, he shocks her by popping the question. He insists she not answer it, until she has spoken to her priest, children, but most of all to herself to make sure she is prepared to change her life around to live with him, a total klutz. He promises her the world, not only for her, but for her children.

He wants her to wait to make this momentous decision. She will go from a struggling mother of three children, to the wife of an extremely wealthy multimillionaire. He gives her all the time in the world, and sends her to take a bath.

She spends an inordinate amount of time in the bath, attempting to alleviate the sensations low in her belly. Regardless of how fast her fingers fly over her sex; she is unable to produce the orgasm she needs desperately. She is left with only one escape route. He is lying on the oversize bed, on the other side of the bathroom door. She knows she loves him, but does not want to lose him, as she did her husband, and one of the boyfriends she had during the ensuing years of her celibacy.

She removes her nightgown, and panties, and goes into the other room to confront him. It turns out not to be a confrontation, but a very joyous occasion. The dummy has a ring worth more than $1 million sitting in his luggage for four days and nights. She wonders if he's actually trainable, or if she actually wants to train him, because his antics were so cute.

For the next six hours, he explores her body like an anthropologist explores a rare find. She has so many orgasms from his touch alone, she fell asleep many times. When she returns to consciousness, he is still worshiping her body.

It's well after 2 AM, when she takes control. She informs him that the time to have sex has arrived. During all the preceding hours, he never entered her, and she was not complaining. Now, she had to do something for him. He had been hard for the entire evening, which gave her great hope for their future encounters. However, at this particular moment, the future was now. She pushed him on his back, and had oral intercourse with him. Technically, it was a first for both of them, but she did not let that memory push back into her mind. When the act was completed, he did not lose his erection.

She mounted him, and with his help, their bodies were joined. She began to move, and her insides became liquid and alive.

He lay there, looking up at her, like a frog breathing its last breath. His eyes were open wide, his mouth tightly shut, his body rigid, his arms not moving. I wasn't sure if he was breathing.

I began asking him questions, and realized he was still with us. It was good to know I was not a necrophiliac.

After going through another set of questions, I had enough. I asked him one final question. I was shocked to the core, by his answer.

Actually, I wasn't sure if I was shocked, pissed off, or angry as hell.

His said, "You didn't come with a book of instructions."

This was his problem all his life. Everything he knew he got from books. If it was annotated, he studied that as well. If you asked him about a word in a dictionary, he would ask you which dictionary definition you wanted the definition from. He was infuriating, but it did not mean I loved you less.

"Do you see my breasts James?"

"Yes."

"Wouldn't you like to suckle on them?"

"Yes."

(Oh no, I'm not going to go through this again.)

"Then do something about it. Don't just lie there. Making love is just not going in and out until you have an orgasm, let's have fun..."

Do you remember that conversation James?"

"Does it have to do with a wheel of cheese?"

"Yes James, you had me stuck on your cock with my legs in the air..."

"He did what mom?"

"Jeffrey, go to your room."

"Why, what did I do?"

"Do it, before the spanking I have in mind for James, I give to you instead."

"I'm going to tell Michael what you said."

"If you do young man, I will be calling the police in the morning and have them take you away as an unknown child."

"I know where my birth certificate is. Michael and Dina will tell them I am your son."

"Do you see what you started James? I'm going to have to kill my children, because of this conversation."

"James, James are you still there?"

"That damn son of a bitch put me on hold. I'll kill him."

The bell on the front door rang.

"Michael, see who is at the front door please."

"Sure mom, I have it."

One child never answers the door, when you have three in the house. They all charged to answer the door.

Michael opened the door and was surprised to see James Comey standing there, with his index finger across his lips. He wanted them to keep quiet so he could sneak up on their mother, who was waiting for him to get back on the telephone with her.

"Kids, get dressed, will be leaving soon. Michael will be getting a suit, and we will be going for dinner, and ice cream afterwards. Do it quietly please, I have to talk to your mother first.

Michael, when your mother starts asking who was at the door, don't answer, I'll take care of everything."

"Okay, Mister Comey, please remember I'm in enough trouble right now, and I don't need to be in anymore."

"Are you going to pass that calculus test tomorrow?"

"Hell yes!"

"In that case you're in no trouble at all. Go get changed, we are out of here in five minutes."

*******************

"Who was at the front door, Michael?"

Louder, she yelled, "Who was at the front door, Michael?"

"I'm going to kill one of them, he has me on hold, and my son won't answer me."

"Michael, who was at the front door?"

"That's it, two can play this game."

She put her phone on hold, threw it on the bed and stormed towards her bedroom door.

She started screaming, "Mic..., when his lips closed over hers, and took her breath away. Her arms were flailing in the air, while her brain was attempting to figure out what the hell he was doing in her home. Her fists pounded on his shoulders. He had not let her go since his initial attack, and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

She felt his erection against her stomach, and pressed against it. When she realized they were standing in the hallway of her home, she panicked, and pushed herself away from him. The first thing she did was take a deep, soothing breath.

After collecting her thoughts, she took a swing at him.

"You bastard, you put me on hold."

"I had to, your neighbors were all over the limousine. You may have recognized their voices. That might have ruined the surprise I had in store for you. You are surprised I'm here, aren't you?"

"Yes I am. I'm also thrilled that you're here. Why are you here?"

"One of us has to take Michael for a suit. I know how fast you move when you are trying to organize three wonderful, intelligent children. I have no problem organizing people.

Unlike you, I don't micromanage. In two minutes or less, three children will walk down this hallway completely dressed. The only one that will be late is you. Even though I enjoy looking at you, in your current state of ummm...undress. I believe you should be slightly more covered, when we go to dinner, especially with your children in tow."

Michael turned the corner, stopped, and his mouth fell open.

"Mom!"

Nancy screamed, dove back into her room and slammed the door.

James said, "Come with me Michael, I think we better talk."

"About what Mister Comey?"

"I think we better talk about that first."

Before a word could be said, two more children ran into the living room to join them.

Jeffrey asked, "Where are we having dinner?"

Dina asked the more important question.

"Where are we having ice cream?"

"I'm happy that you are all together; this way I can ask this question only once, instead of three times.

Saturday afternoon I'm going to marry your mother. I will become your step-father. Unlike the movies, stepfathers do not have sharp pointed teeth. They don't carry axes around to behead little children, and they don't kidnap them for ransom. They are good people, just like daddies are. So you guys have these option: you can call me James, Jim, or dad; whichever you decide. If you're angry with me, I don't want you to go running to your mother and tell her you're angry with me. Tell me what you think I did wrong, and we will discuss it. Okay?"

Dina jumped up onto his lap, grabbed him around his neck, and kissed him.

"Finally, I have a daddy I can bring to school. Everyone else has a daddy except me. Now I have one too."

Nancy walked into the room and saw Dina sitting on James lap.

"Another female is taking my place?"

"No mommy, he's going to be my daddy. I can take him to school with me to prove it."

"Oh really, I've lost you to a man already, and you are only seven. I am crushed."

"Let's go James, we have to get Michael a suit. I'll drive."

"Like hell you will."

"Why, what's wrong with my driving?"

"The limousine is 21 feet long. You need a chauffeur's license to drive it. You are in the back with the rest of us lady, whether you like it, or not."

Michael said, "Mom, you don't know how many years, I've waited for a man to talk to you like that."

"Just remember this Michael, I still cook. What you think is cheese on your spaghetti could be soap flakes."

"Michael get past tomorrow morning, before you start a war."

"I like him mom, he knows how to handle things, and especially, how he handles you."

"I know, and it's worrying me."

"I don't want you getting frown lines. You have nothing to worry about from me, not ever." He leaned over and kissed her.

The kids yelled, "Yuck!"

(Saturday Afternoon 3:50 PM. Wedding Day)

James, Arnold; James' best man, Beth, Peter, and 10 other friends of his were in the judge's chambers, as everyone from Nancy's group walked in. Everyone that is, except Nancy.

Michael handed James an envelope. Beth tore it from his hands and read it aloud.

It said, "I'm waiting."

"What is she waiting for James?"

"I have no idea. Michael did she say anything to you?"

"Yes, she did. If you haven't realized what she is waiting for by 3:59 PM, she's leaving, and there will be no wedding."

Beth screamed, "What did you do? What is she waiting for?"

"I don't know. We went out Thursday night to get Michael a suit. We had dinner afterwards, and ice cream for the children. We went back to her house, and the kids went to bed, because they had school the next day.

Then we sat down, had coffee and talked. It was a very pleasant evening.

I worked all day Friday, and we were at your house last night. Did you see anything wrong?"

"No, you both look very happy."

"I swear Beth; I don't know what it is."

The judge walked in, smiled at his friend, the Director, and shook his hand.

"You're only supposed to have that look on your face after you are married for 40 years Jim. What seems to be the problem?"

"This is the problem."

"What the hell is she waiting for? What did you forget to tell her?"

He rewound the previous week in his mind to try to think of some error he made. He paced the judges chamber, as the clock moved inexorably towards the proscribe time limit. Then, it hit him.

"Oh God no, not that, not today."

Beth smacked his arm.

"What did you forget to tell her, you idiot?"

"I didn't tell her how I got her to marry me, one week after our engagement."

"Very good dummy; you thought I would forget about it, didn't you? You show up at my house, on a night you told me you had to work late, because you were closing down your affairs.

You take us to your tailor, then for a sumptuous meal, ice cream for my children, and we sit down at my home, for over two hours, for coffee, and a wide ranging conversation. If we were anywhere else, we would have been in bed, making love.

It was the conversation that gave you away James. I knew something was fishy. You said you were so busy clean up your affairs, but you stayed late to be with me.

When you left, I thought about what we did from the time I first called you, and it didn't take me long to realize what conversation we didn't finish. Are you going to tell me or not?"

"Can we get married first? That way we can have our first argument after we are married? It's a great story, but very graphic tail, including violence, and sex. We have three children here, who are not allowed to see an 'R' rated movie, unless they are accompanied by an adult."

"Your Honor, what's the penalty for lying to your wife, 30 seconds after marriage?"

"Castration."

"No that's not good enough your honor; he wouldn't mind that."

Everyone in the room began laughing at Jim, and Janine was the one who came up with the answer.

"Your honor, I have the perfect penalty for the former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He has to spend one year at a local fix-it shop, repairing everything that comes in. He must do it, without referring to diagrams, notes, or reading the fine print.
If he does not complete this task, during the first year, he has to repeat the year, until he gets it right."

"Do you agree Miss Wells?"

"No Your Honor, I love him too much to do that to him. Besides, Dina has her heart set on taking him to school to prove she has a daddy. I wouldn't want to disappoint her."

"What did you call him before, Miss Wells?"

"Dummy, your honor."

"Dummy get over here, and be quiet, until I tell you to speak."

"Miss Wells if you would. That will be fine, we don't want you catching anything from him."

"You're going to get it later Nancy."

"That's funny, I was hoping something might happen between us tonight."

"I can't slip anything by you?"

"The next time you try that entrance, maybe you should lubricate it. I'm waiting for you to teach me to fly that airplane of yours."

"How did you know I knew how to fly it?"

"Airplanes come with books. Shall I continue?"

"No, that will do."

"Are you two finished now?"

"No Your Honor, I think we are just getting started."

*****************

44. Time - Travel - Space

"Hey big guy, what aircraft do we have flying today?"

"Little Bird is this a trick question?"

"No, it's an honest question. I thought there were only two of us up here taking pictures, and looking for signs of enemy movement. I am at 12,500 feet, and about 1000 feet below me is a drone circling right over our base. He's taking pictures as sure as I'm smoking cigars."

"Which way is he heading?"

"I would say he's heading south by southwest at about 100 mph."

"Very funny Little Bird; I'd like to catch that little shit. Do you remember that James Bond movie, where this huge ship, ate up an American submarine?"

"Of course, it was that terrible movie, with Roger Moore. What about it?"

"I'm going to let you guide me right over the top of that thing and have him fly in my back door."

"You're out of your mind. Your rotor wash will knock him out of the sky before he gets close to you."

"I'm going to come down over him, at a 40° angle, nice and slow. He won't feel my rotor wash, because the body of my helicopter will be protecting him. You get me real close to that little thing, and I'll let him fly right through the open ramp. As soon as it clears the door, my guys will throw a net over it. That will kill the engine, and a blanket will make it blind. I will land this big bird, and give it to the general as a present."

"Kiss'n the brass's ass again, are you?"

"I only do that when the Colonels around. Everyone else can go fuck themselves."

"Jasper, you can tell me to go fuck myself, when you bring me my drone, in the one piece. I need to know how much fuel it used to see how much telemetry it sent back to our new friends. If one drop of gasoline gets out of that thing, think about push-ups for the rest of your life. Did you hear me; you fuck up?"

"Yes sir, general sir, on my way sir, sorry about that sir, didn't know you were in the communication shed, sir."

"I'm not in the shed, you asshole; I'm in my Jimmy listen to all you overpaid sky boys complain. I've got a good mind to uncover one of these missiles, and shove it up your ass."

"You would regret not having us up here tonight sir."

"I would still have Little Bird, the 'Huey', and the Apache, wouldn't I?"

"Yes, but you would miss my handsome face, in the morning."

"Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one young man."

"Roger that sir."

"Where is my drone?"

"3 miles dead ahead, 2500 feet below me sir."

"Well, what are you waiting for, an invitation to Prince Charming's balls."

"I'd prefer Cinderella's pussy, and I'll hop right on it sir."

"Crew chief open loading ramp."

"Loading ramp coming down sir. Sir, how big is the drone are we talking about?"

"Little bird, you're closer, what you think?"

"Wingspan is approximately 7 feet, body length six maybe 8 feet. Tricycle landing gear, cameras mounted underneath each wing, and one under the fuselage. This is not a child's toy."

"It certainly doesn't sound like one from here."

"Sir, you are aware that the opening to the fuselage is only 9 ¾ feet wide."

"What's your point Sergeant?"

"Just thought I'd mention it sir. That, and push-ups, and all."

"It was mighty nice of you to think of me in those terms. Just a word of caution chief, once that drone passes the rear bulkhead, that bird belongs to you. If anything happens to it after that, you are not going to be doing push-ups from this side of the ground. You are going to be pushing up daisies, from the other side. Do you get my drift chief?"

"Loud and clear sir, loud and clear."

"Little bird, you're my eyes now, I can't see him anymore. ½ mile out I am starting my descent, slowing to 70 knots."

"Did you just say 70 knots?"

"Yes I did; do you have a problem with that?"

"Isn't that is your stall speed?"

"No it is not my stall speed. 69 knots is my stall speed. I'm, also, going to be descending, so don't worry about me, keep your eyes on the prize."

"Okay Jasper, he's at 12 o'clock, a little less than half a mile, 1800 feet or less."

"Chief make sure everyone is belted in back there, I don't want anyone flying out the back end."

"You got that right Captain. We have a net strung across the back, and one across the top. As soon as it passes the bulkhead, we pull a string, and the net will fall on it. That will kill the engine."

"Okay, keep yourselves up high, we don't know how tall that tricycle gear is."

"Roger that.

"1/4 mile, 1200 feet."

"Dipping over to 50° down angle; slowing to 60 knots."

"You're going to overshoot him; you are coming in too high."

"Slowing to 50 knots, 80° down angle; how far are we from him?"

"600 feet high, 400 feet back, 300 feet back. Left 5 degrees; 300 feet high, 200 feet back. Left 3 degrees, you are directly over the top of him. Start leveling off, 100 feet high; you're right over the top of him. It is buffeting in your rotor wash."

"Chief do you see anything back there?"

"I see it captain. Wiggle your ass to the left, and he'll fly right in. A little more, more, more; 70 feet high. He is rocking. 50 feet, dead center, 30 feet high, dead center. Here he comes. He's in the door; Capture; he's in the house, captain, great job."

"If nobody minds, I think I'll pick up speed now so we can fly, instead of falling out of the sky."

"Jasper, you are one crazy son of a bitch."

"You heard the general, he wanted that drone. I have to follow the legitimate orders of the superior officer."

"That was probably the first order you have ever listen to in your entire military life. In a Court Marshall, they would find you guilty, because it was not a legitimate order. You could have killed everyone in that helicopter, by flying it in a configuration it was never intended to fly. So whatever General Marcus ordered you to do, you shouldn't have done it. He doesn't know how to fly a helicopter, you do. "Not his fault six people died, it's your fault.

You go to jail, you do not pass go, you do not collect $200. You stay for 25 years to life. He retires as a 3-star general, lives on his yacht on France's Mediterranean coast for the next 30 years, and never thinks about you once."

"When I get on the ground, I'm going to punch you."

"I'd really like to see you try."

"Why, you don't think I do it?"

"No I'm sure you would, but I have 2 hours left in my patrol time. I'll be up here, and you'll be down there. I know your arms are long, but I don't think you'll reach me."

"Very funny, I'll see you on the flip-flop."

"You certainly will."

*************

Dressed like your average English tourist, with tan sandals, black socks, striped shorts that come past the knees, a plaid shirt, a straw hat, and the obligatory, ceaselessly talking wife, Tom Wolfe walked into a huge truck stop in Orangeburg South Carolina. The place was nearly filled to capacity, while the parking area seemed to be generally quiet. It could have held up to 50 trucks, but there were only 23 spaces filled. He made note of it.

He spoke loudly. "Felicity, before you use the toilet, place your order so it will be here before you return."

"What if it's cold, when I get back, Steven?"

"That's the point dear. If you order now, you won't spend all day sitting on the toilet."

"I do not spend all day in there, I just take my time."

"Yes you take your time, and everyone else's time. Place your order, and then hurry along."

"You weren't this way when we got married."

"You learn a lot in 37 years. I learned this in the first month."

"I knew this vacation was a mistake."

"Why didn't you say that seven weeks ago. Look at all the money I could have saved."

"Money, money, money, that's all you ever think of; you never think of me anymore."

"How can you possibly say that. All I've thought about is you, since we came in here. I told you to order, before you went to the toilet, so your food would be here when you return. Isn't that thinking of you my dear?"

"Order for me, I'll be right back."

"You old hag."

"Hello sir, my name is Shirley. How can I help you?

"You seem to be very busy today, but there are very few trucks outside? Is there a tournament or festival in the area that my wife and I can visit?"

"It's been very busy in here the last several weeks, and nobody seems to know why. There's nothing scheduled for our area according to the town council. Many men have been coming in here, with fishing gear, so I think there may be something going on in Lake Marion, which is not too far away."

"What can I get you and your wife to eat?"

"Do you have alligator tail?"

"Yes we do."

"Do you promise to tell my wife it's chicken? I'll give you an extra $20 tip, if you do."

*******************

"And what would you like with your chicken sir?"

"Those bathrooms were as clean as my own."

"The inspectors are always around ma'am. That's the first place they check. If the bathrooms are not clean, they know the kitchens aren't clean. The management has the bathrooms cleaned every two hours whether they need it or not."

"That's very nice. What did you order for me?"

"He ordered the boneless southern fried chicken, would you like to change that?"

"No that sounds fine."

"I'll have the same as my wife please."

*****************

"The alligator tail was delicious. The waitress couldn't help laugh, while I was eating it, and marveling how well the chicken was done."

"We couldn't take a chance just in case she was on their payroll. Very quiet in there for truck stop, and they weren't speaking Spanish, French, or Creole either. We sat there for an hour, and no one got up to leave. No one came in either. Very unusual don't you think."

"We've done this for three days now, in different accents, make up, and clothing. It's a cinch they can get 1000 men and arms in here. There were 300 guys in that restaurant, and that was for lunch. They must be taking them on short hops, with the guys in the back to a dispersal point.

I hope the kid is right, and they are going to come in through the front door. If they come in from the south, it is going to be a bloodbath; the south is our weakest point. They can get into mortar range if they can push us back a click."

"You're right, but we do have an answer for it. As far as we know they don't have any air support, and we do. The Apache should chew them up with no problem, unless of course, they have surface-to-air missiles. Isn't war fun?"

"The first caveman said, "I have a fist." The second caveman said, "I have a stick." The third caveman said, "I have a stick with a..."

"Oh, for the good old days."

"Let's call it in. They will think were fucking again, if we don't."

"Well should we; then we can call them later than we were supposed to, because we were fucking."

"What would your wife say?"

"Probably the same thing your husband would say."

"I can't wait for this to be over, so we can go home, and fuck like regular people."

"Regular people don't get paid as much money as we do, but then again, they don't do the same work we do."

"Do you mean they don't believe we work for the Bureau of Mind's?"

"It was hysterical, when Mindy Forsyth looked at the certificates in your home office, and saw the D, instead of the E, in the Bureau of Mind's. She was absolutely outrageous for the rest of the party. 'I knew the Government was doing this, I knew it. I just knew it.'

John was not helping her at all. He kept egging her on."

"Here come the trucks. It took them long enough."

"There were 23 in the parking lot; lets' see how many of them go by."

"I guarantee you it's gonna be all 23. Then the make the left on U.S. 61 and then we are in trouble."

"Dollar says wrong."

"Is that wishful thinking, or do you know something I don't know?"

"No, I just have a feeling they going to turn left at Branchville and take US 78 towards Ridgeville there are more places there, and get lost among the weeds in the small towns; then there is anyplace else. If they pre-positioned small trucks for an attack through the front door that's where they'll be."

"Let's hope you are right. We will know in a few moments."

***********

"You owe me a dollar; there are only 16 trucks, and they are slowing down. Slide over to the right, one wheel on the pavement one wheel off, like you're in a hurry to pass them. It will make you look less obvious, and we can be sure they are making the turn and not slowing to rendezvous with someone."

"What happens if there are police in the area?"

"Now wouldn't that be a shame? We would have to sit here and watch them all make the turn; and verify what they were doing."

"Do you want to take the wheel and put the points on your license?"

"I thought I had the pussy in the family?"

"You do, and I take full advantage of it."

"Would you please do as I ask then, and stop being an asshole."

"I take full advantage of that also."

"Not if you don't make a move on it sometime soon."

"Lady you drive a hard bargain."

"That's funny, I thought that was your job."

"Why don't you go up on tac three, and see if we have a helo in the area?"

"A man with brains; what a concept?"

"Airborne flotilla this is scout two, airborne flotilla this is scout two."

"Scout 2 this his Little Bird, scout 2 this his Little Bird go ahead."

"Little Bird, this is scout 2; we just broke contact with the snake heading south east from Branchville, US 78 your direction. Might be interesting to know what they do when they reach Saint George, over."

"I'd like to accommodate you, but I am at minimum fuel, and at the end of my run. I'll see if the Apache or the Huey is ready to go and have them check out your sighting."

"Roger Little Bird, let us know what's happening."

*****************

"I think we should check in now; they know were not screwing around."

"Central comm, this is scout 2; Central comm, this is scout 2."

"Scout 2, this is central communications go ahead."

"Scout 2, from Orangeburg, 1 hour ago, 16 trucks, approximately 200 men. Current, southbound US 21, left at Branchville US 78, heading southeast towards St. George. Broke contact, requested air support, not available. Over"

"Scout 2, roger; head East intercept Interstate 95 northbound. Verify trucks not heading southbound."

"Scout 2, 61 to Interstate 95 North. roger, out."

"That would have been a smart move by the Op-Force. A feint to the north, I 95 to the south, and sneak in that way. They can still do it, with US 15, but we already have that covered with sensors, and probably cars at both ends."

"They're supposed to be building the tire factory on the west side of our property. Holy shit! What a smooth move that would be. Everyone's looking at the fence line, and the construction they are doing there, while in the bushes and reeds away from the construction is where they are hiding their attack vehicles. Call that in please, and have them check it out. I'll bet you I am right."

"If you are right, and we live through tonight, you are in for a night of pleasure you have never had before."

"I wish you hadn't said that. I'm going to be walking around shooting people, with a hard-on."

"I'll be doing the same thing, but I'll be dripping."

"Call it in, and concentrate on what we are doing. Maybe we can knock one or two off, before this starts."

"Central communications, this is scout..."

*******************

Kathy and Sabrina were walking up and down the aisles of 'Toys ' Us, looking for a radio controller Quadracopter. It was an idea floated by Sergeant Harry Chase to the Colonel, for use as a nighttime field support tool.

"Sergeant, the lenses on those copters are for daylight vision only. They are useless at night."

"Yes sir, I know. However, if you change the lenses with the one that's in the driving helmet, it gives you both infrared and twilight vision. It will cut your battery life from 18 minutes to 12, but by that time, the enemy should be eviscerated, and the battle, either over, or the enemy in retreat, at least."

"Where do you propose we get one of these things at such a late date?"

"At a hobby store, Toys "R" Us, Walmart, or couple of other stores I'm sure they have in this town."

Lucius yelled, "Andy bring Kathy up here please."

"Sabrina would you join us in the living room please?"

"Absolutely Lucius, would you like another one of my famous sandwiches?"

"If I eat another one of those sandwiches, I won't fit into any of my clothes. You are disciple of the food devils, but on my next time around, I'm going to marry you and weigh 700 pounds."

"You'd be surprised Lucius; most of my meals are calorie, carbohydrate, and sugar friendly."

"How can they possibly taste so good and be that healthy?"

"You use nature's own ingredients, and not man-made. It keeps you looking as you are now, and you feel great too."

"I am definitely marrying you."

"I'll be on the lookout for you Lucius. You are my type of man."

"Reporting as ordered Colonel."

"I don't see two feet standing behind you Andy; where is she hiding?"

Andy turned around, and there was Kathy, hooked to his belt facing the rear.

"We practice this Colonel. If anyone ever get the drop on me, and tells me to drop my weapon, raise my hands, and turn around; they are in for a big surprise, when Kathy hits them with 2- 9 mm Beretta's."

"I must admit, I pictured many things for you two, but this wasn't one of them. How do you get down Kathy?"

"He unbuckles his belt Colonel."

"Now why didn't I think of that."

"Kathy get into your play clothes; you are going shopping with Sabrina. You are going to act like a typical teenager, and throw a temper tantrum when she says 'No.'

You want the most expensive Quadracopter you..."

"I'll be ready to go in 15 minutes, colonel."

Andy asked, "Who is going to protect them?"

"No one."

"Colonel, Kathy is my life. If anything happens to her, I'll go crazy."

"That's why no one's going to protect her Andy. If it's just two women out shopping, no one is going to suspect they are part of any protective team working out of this house. She has been seen playing outside, and Sabrina is the only woman they've seen. All our men have been undercover, during daylight hours, and there has been minimal movement during the evening hours. They will be safe Andy, trust me."

"Yes sir, but I'll be happier when she's back in my arms."

"Andy, in your hand is a better metaphor."

"You are right, as usual, sir."

***************

"Here it is grandma; this is the one I want. It comes with an extra battery, the charging unit, and all the extras I need."
"They want $2400 for that thing, Katherine. You should be saving that money for college. That's one year of books, fees, food program, and part of your room expenses. You're throwing that money away, on something that flies and takes pictures?"

"Yes, but this is what I wanted. I told my parents I wanted it for Christmas, and would keep my old computer. They ignored me, and bought me a new laptop instead. Now I have two computers that work, and I can only use one at a time. I'm spending my money on something I wanted 10 months ago."

"Absolutely not, I will not let you buy that THING!"

Kathy shouted. "Grandma, you are not buying me that THING, I am. It is my money, and I am paying for it myself. All you are doing is writing a check for it. I am giving you the money in cash, when we get home. If you don't want to do it that way, take me home. I will get on my bicycle and get down here that way. I will purchase this myself, and ride home with it attached to my back. One way or the other this 'THING' is going to be in our house tonight, and I will be flying it in the morning."

"Why did you have to be just like your mother; headstrong, and unyielding. If you weren't so damn smart, I would put you up for adoption."

"In two years, I will be 16 years old. I can apply to the courts to be ruled as an adult. I can get a job, with any computer firm, and live on my own. I can cook for myself, and clean my own apartment. I don't need any of you berating me anymore."

Sabrina looked around and saw they drew the looks of everyone around them.

She said, "I'm sorry to have disrupted your day. We are having a little family disagreement, as you've heard. I apologize for making it public. I will try to control my granddaughter's mouth, as well as my own. Please forgive us."

The crowd dispersed, and Kathy noticed two men, who stayed a little longer than the rest of the crowd, and watch them more intently.

"Grandma, I am buying that Quadracopter. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Yes, I will put it on my credit card, and you can pay me, when the bill comes due."

Kathy jumped up and down, and squealed in delight. She grabbed Sabrina, and yelled, "Thank you, grandma, thank you so much. I love you, even though I'm a pain in the behind."

"Thank you for not saying the other word. Maybe my moving in with you was not the worst decision in my life. Maybe it was only the second worst decision in my life."

"If moving in with us was only the second worst decision in your life, what was the first?"

"Having children."

"That's mean grandma. If you didn't have children, you wouldn't have enjoyed raising my mother. My mother would not have had the joy of raising me. That's how God gets even for having children. You tormented your parents. Your children torment you. Your children's children torment them. I'm going to end that cycle, by not having children. I'm going to have my tubes tied, as soon as I become of legal age. No man is going to touch me, until that happens."

"Katherine have you ever heard of the saying 'The best laid plans of mice and men..."

"Yes."

"When we get home, I want you to write in your diary today's date, and what you said to me just now. Put some sort of a marker on that page for easy reference. When you have your second, third, or fourth child, I want you to refer to that page, and think of me laughing at you, from beyond the stars."

"Can I buy my copter now?"

"Yes you may."

Apparently, the last conversation, between the two of them, convinced the men they were truly related, and not part of some scheme to throw them off the trail of something bigger.

Had they truly caught Stephano and Patricia Valentino off guard? Was there no force here to protect them? There were only two cars in the driveway, but there was that five car garage they couldn't see into, and was never open. They knew Robert was in Maryland, Anna was in South Carolina, and Laura was on the Good Luck 1 spacecraft. That left these two women in the household, alone, as far as they knew. They could get to the computers in the basement, and download all the information they needed, without any problems, or loss of life.

If they did have some support, it really didn't matter. How many men, and how much armament could they put into five cars? Tonight should be very quick and painless, if everyone stuck to the plan. They had to report back to the base, and advise them of what they saw the two women doing. The video they took of the encounter would backup their report.

*****************

As Sabrina pulled the car into her parking place, a limousine pulled up into the driveway behind them.

"Colonel, we have company."

"Stations everyone; women to the safe room now."

Everyone scattered to the four corners of the house, without a word being said.

Lucius thought, "Why can't women do this, every time you talk to them?"

As he peered through the front windows, he shook his head in disbelief.

"This cannot be happening to me. William will tear my toenails out through my mouth if anything happens now. What the hell are they doing here? They are supposed to be in Lithuania."

Patty and Stephano exited the limousine, and were immediately hugged by Sabrina and Kathy.

As Kathy was holding on to Stephano, she said to him, "Pick me up and make believe I am the apple of your eye. We are being watched, make it look good."

Sabrina was giving the same message to Patty as they were hugging.

Patty asked, "What is a baby doing here?"

"Dynamite comes in small packages. She's 22 years old and looks 14. You should see the guy she's married to; you won't believe it. Let's switch, her name is Kathy."

"Hello Aunt Patty, did you enjoy your adventure?"

"Come here you little imp, where is my kiss?"

The limousine driver brought all the luggage to the front door, but he found it locked. He returned to Stephano and asked him to unlock it.

Sabrina said, "Please leave the bags outside. I'm not sure if the floors are completely dry. We will bring them in ourselves."

"That will be fine ma'am."

Stephano reached into his pocket, removed his billfold and gave the driver $1000.00.

The driver was speechless, because the limousine was paid for in advance. He kept saying thank you all the way back to the limousine.

Kathy said, "Aunt Patty would you like to see what I bought with my confirmation money?"

Patty said, "What would you do if I said no?"

"I would show it to you anyhow."

"Well, let me see it."

Kathy took it out of the backseat of the car, and presented it to Patty.

"Oh, is the exact model Stephano has in his closet. Of course, it's gathering dust, because he never uses it. He wanted it, so he went out and bought it. It made him happy for 30 seconds, and he put it away. Men are still boys at heart."

"Aunt Patty, I don't think I'm a boy; I don't have the external equipment."

"I used to change your diapers. I would've noticed if you did. Let's go inside, I want to get this traveled dust off me, and eat a wonderful meal made by the best cook in the Western Hemisphere. I want to see the news, so I know what's been happening, while I was away."

Sabrina said, "So you are finally admitting that I am the best cook in the Western Hemisphere?"

"No, I am making dinner, because I am the best cook in the Western Hemisphere."

"You bitch; I'll get you for that one."

"I knew you would fall for it. I've been away from my kitchen too long, and none of these so-called expert chefs could put a candle to you or me."

"Thank you for putting me first."

"Inside everyone, let's check the floors first, the hell with the luggage."

Stephano said, "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to bring all the luggage inside?"

"Because you are a man, and men are good for one thing, and one thing only."

"Pray tell, what is that one thing?"

"Obeying their wives."

"Boy did I walk into that one."

****************

As soon as the door closed, and the all clear was given, the Colonel walked out of the kitchen with a full head of steam behind him. He was about to scream, when Patty cut him off.

"Hello Lucius, happy to see me?"

"If William wasn't your father, I'd have you over my knee, and I'd be tanning your hide right now. What the hell are you doing home Patricia?"

"Listen to me old man, I was here the last time someone invaded my home. 12 of your men and women died, because of me that night. I was not going to be any place else but here, if that was going to happen again. If they want me so badly, let them come and get me. I'll stand out front and shine a light on my face, if that's what they need. No one is getting killed defending me, and my friends, while I'm hiding somewhere else."

Lucius didn't have a quick reply, as he usually did, so he thought for a moment. The he heard his conscious speaking.

"Go ahead Lucius, I want to hear your answer to that one."

"Shut up Jemma, its' just what I need right now, to be surrounded by women."

Jemma snuggled up behind him, and bit his ear.

"Not just women Lucius, very strong women. Women who can stand up to a very strong man like you, Stephano, and that little guy I'm married to. What was his name again, oh yes, William."

"That's right mom, absence does make the heart grow fonder."

"Be nice to us older people, Patricia; we've been known to lose our temper's."

"That's right, I forgot, you are seven months older than I am, mom."

"Let's not confuse Gwen, she might have the baby too soon."

"Don't worry about it you two. After being around Patrick, and my husband, I am immuned to being confused."

"Stephano, how did you let her convince you to let her to come back here?"

"Lucius, the last time I won the argument with her was the day I had her say 'I do.' After that, it's been all downhill."

"I understand. Patricia, here are the rules, you will either abide by them willingly, or you will abide by them with my men throwing you into the safe room. You have no other choices.

Rule number 1. When I say something, you will do it without question.

Rule number 2. Rule number 1 supersedes all other rules. Therefore, there are no other rules. Do we understand each other Patricia?"

"Yes I think I understand those two rules."

"Good, let me introduce you to the enforcer of rule number 1. Andy come here please."

Andy ducked under the entry way of the kitchen, with a foot-long sandwich in his hand.

Patty shuddered. "Did your mother survive your birth?"

"Yes, I was a very small baby."

"Whatever she had in her breast milk, sure made up for it."

"Andy, you now have three priority women. Jemma is 1, Gwen is 2, and Patricia is 3. We want all of them to survive, but if it can't happen, those are your priorities."

"Don't worry about us Andy. There is something downstairs that no one knows about but me, my husband, two of my children, the builder, and one other person. If they did drop a nuclear bomb, and got by the radiation to get inside to us, we would still be just fine."

"Lucius looked at her, with wonder in his eyes. "What did you invent now, Patty?"

"I haven't patented it yet, because it's not fully tested. When I'm ready, the world will know about it."

Lucius looked up to the heavens and asked, "William, what did you do to this world?"

"Only good things Lucius, I promise you, only good things."

"Kathy is the Quadracopter ready to go?"

"Yes Colonel, the battery is half charged, so I have about 6 or 7 minutes of flight time. The other battery is being charged now."

"Stephano, go outside with Kathy and make a big show of telling her how to fly that thing around. Then back off and let her do it by herself. Bring the bags in, and put them just inside the door. We will put them into your bedroom. Stay outside with Kathy, and supervise, until she runs out of battery power."

"Kathy, when you run out of battery power make a scene. Yell that this is such a gyp that you paid so much money, and you get only a few minutes of flight time for it. It's just not fair. If the Op-Force is using a parabolic microphone, we want them to hear it."

"You have it colonel."

************************

In the pristine 7000-acre woodland preserve that bordered the East side of the street where the Valentino residence was, the trees not only had a parabolic microphone, but long-range video lenses that picked up every movement on the property during daylight hours. They had 'Starlight Lenses' that were able to pick up movement as dusk approached. However, as with most video equipment, it did not have infrared capability, so they became useless at night.

As they watched the interplay between Stephano and Kathy, and listened to the instructions issued by the older man to the young child, it all sounded authentic.

As they backed away from the copter, he could be heard saying, "Lift it off the ground slowly, and get the feel of the controls first. They won't take it back if it's broken."

"I got it uncle Steph. Let me do it, let me do it myself."

Purposely, Kathy lifted off the ground a little more than 4 feet, flipped it over onto its back, and crashed it.

Stephano said, "That was great Kathy, you handled the controls just fine."

"Okay, would you help me this time?"

"Only if you say please."

"Uncle Steph would you please help me."

"I think I can help you. Let's both keep our hands on the controls, and once I think you have it, I'll just move my hands off yours, and let you fly it. Make sure the camera lens is covered, we don't want it to get it scratched up if it crashes again. We are not going to be recording anything anyhow, so that doesn't matter."

"I never took the lens cover off."

"Okay, let's fly. We have to get it above the telephone and electrical wires, before we let it leave the property. We are never going to lose sight of it. I am not traipsing all over the woods to find it."

"I paid $2500 of my money for this Quadracopter. I'll look through the woods for the next month to find it."

"Your grandmother allowed you to spend $2500 on a toy?"

"Can I play with my toy, before it gets dark. We will discuss the money later?"

"You're damn right we'll talk about the money later. We'll talk about the money you spent, a lot later."

It flew straight up into the air, and then started doing small circles, and turns to the left and right.

Stephano said, "Climb another 100 feet, and you will be above all the wires. Then, you can take it for a ride. Keep it in sight, because we don't have any video, or a lot of time."

Although Stephano was disregarding the VGA screen that came with the Quadracopter, the Bluetooth feed was being sent inside the house, and relayed to the laptop on the dining room table.

The Colonel, Paul, Kelly, Jack, and Heath were watching intently, as Kathy controlled the Quadracopter, with the jerky motions.

With constant input from Stephano, the listening devices used by the opposition force were certain that this was just a toy being used by a teenage girl, who used her money frivolously. They didn't realize how good the camera was, as it peered down through the trees, picking up their campsites, and counting their numbers.

Stephano said, "Okay Kathy, you have three minutes of battery life remaining. Why don't you take it out as far as you can see it? Then race it back here as fast as it can go. We will see on the meter how many feet per second it covers."

The speed run took them just to the north of the encampment, with the lens pointed at a position they had not seen before. There were more than 25 different vehicles in the staging area. They had everything: the front end of a Peterbilt truck, to a front loader, several dump trucks, a concrete mixer, GMC Yukon's, and assorted smaller vehicles.

The Colonel joked, "Several companies will open up tomorrow morning missing some very valuable equipment. How the hell did they get them in there, and how the hell are you going to get it out?"

"Here's your answer Sir. There's a fire road through the preserve. You can see it on the video, if you watch it in slow motion."

"Show me."

"Here it is Sir. It runs north to south through the preserve. It lets out 7 miles south of Dix Hills Road. They won't come out on the north side, because it's right by the fire station. It would be a little unseemly for all those trucks to come out there, and not draw attention to themselves. That is unless, of course, they start a fire on the other side of town."

"They wouldn't dare do that, would they Heath?"

"No sir, they don't get paid to think."

"Kelly smack him."

"Yes sir."

Smack.

He said, "Hey, you really hit me."

"Did you hear the Colonel give me an order?"

"Yes, but I didn't think you'd hit me."

"I guess you are wrong."

"Are you two finished now?"

In duet they said, "Yes sir."

"They are going to bring men in dump trucks, to the front of the house, with RPG's and 50 caliber machine guns. We don't have anything that will pierce that steel. So this is what we are going to do. When it gets pitch black outside, put our anti-tank mines in the street, in an S formation. We're not going to count on them running over them. We are going to wire them to proximity fuses. The heat from the engines will set them off. They'll be out of the fight, before they get started. It will block whatever they had coming in after them, including the front loader, and the concrete truck. An RPG will take out the Peterbuilt.

The remaining force, including all the small vehicles, will have to go onto the grass: so let's meet them with some Claymore's, and contact mines. It will knock their wheels off whatever they are coming with, and whoever is in them, is out of the fight. After that, our front should be secure. Only an idiot would try another frontal assault, after that carnage.

However, keep your 50s ready in the garage, and the windows in the front. There will make one more charge, because these are not soldiers, they are idiots. Someone is using them as cannon fodder. They wanted us to split our forces, and they have succeeded again. I am out of position one more time. I belong in South Carolina, leading the defense. Get some rest everyone, the attack will come after 2 AM."

"What about our flanks sir?"

"They will attack our flanks just as we predicted. They will run into our juggernaut, and if anyone survives, it will be a miracle. They wanted the front assault to work, because it worked the first time. I want their leader taken alive, not if possible, I want him alive. I have to know if the money that sent me to Antarctica, and separated me from my men, came from the 3 people in Switzerland. If it did, those people are mine. They just made it personal."

"Sabrina can I have one of your wonderful sandwiches please?"

"Are we still getting married?"

"You can count on it next time around."

Jemma screamed, "What is this bullshit? I thought you only wanted to marry me."

"I do, but the loves of my life always seem to be married to men I like and admire. Sabrina is not taken; so I've decided to marry her. Not only is she free of male entanglements, but she is also the best cook it has ever been my privilege to share a meal with."

Patty yelled, "Are you saying Sabrina is a better cook than I am?"

"I have never tasted your cooking, and in all honesty I want to keep it that way. It cannot cause an argument if I don't eat your cooking. I'm going to steal Sabrina from you, and she can live happily ever after with me."

"Colonel, we don't even know each other."

"I meant on the next time around Sabrina."
"I may not how to cook next time around."

"In that case, I'll have Patricia teach you."

"My what a tangled web we weave..."

"I've got a call William, and tell him what's happening here. Do you want to talk to him, when I'm done Jemma?"

"Who is William?"

"I'm not talking to you, until tomorrow. This day has been confusing enough as it is. It happens, whenever there are more women around me, than there are men. Zachary, where the..."

"Right behind you, sir."

"I really do hate you, when you do that to me."

"Do you want me to get all the women downstairs sir?"

"All the women except Sabrina, she's making my sandwich."

"Ladies, by the Colonel's order, we are going downstairs."

Nearly as one they said, "Like hell we are."

"Ladies, do you remember rule number one?"

Patty yelled, "Here's rule number three. When a woman says something, all rules prior to number three can go fuck themselves."

"Andy will you come up here please."

"Yes Paul."

"The Colonel wants all the women downstairs. The women seem reluctant to do so. Would you instruct them on the means of getting downstairs please? You can start with Mrs. Valentino"

Patty's eyes opened wide, as the mountain that is Andy closed in on her.

"Andy, I'll go peacefully. I'll walk, and I'll cause no trouble."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Valentino. The time for you going peacefully has passed. You should have done it, when Paul first asked you to go."

With no effort at all, he lifted all of 5' 1" 105 lbs. of Patty Valentino off her chair, and threw her over his shoulder.

She began screaming. "Stephano help me. Make this big lug put me down."

"Patty, how many bruises do I wind up with, when you hit me? Can you imagine how many bruises I would wind up, if Andy hit me? Go peacefully, I'll see you whenever he releases you."

"I'm going to beat the crap out of you, when I am released."

"Rather you then him."

As Andy was passing Gwen, he gave her a stern look. She stood up and began walking towards the stairwell that would bring her down to the safe room.

Paul looked around the living room. "Do any of you have any other questions about going to the safe room peacefully?"

Jemma stood up, and looked at Lucius with flames firing out of her eyes. "I'm going to tell William about this."

"May I quote you Jemma?"

"Certainly."

"Who is William?"

"You no good dirty bastard."

"I would still marry you in a minute Jemma."

"I have moved you down one slot. You're now down to a 'Maybe!' One more insult like this and you will be an also-ran."

"As long as I get you back to William, as beautiful as you are, I'll accept an also-ran."

"Flattery will get you everywhere with me, and you know it."

"Downstairs Jemma, now."

"Yes Colonel."

**********************

"Hello William, this is Lucius. We are up against idiots here. The main force will be the real test, in South Carolina. All they wanted to do was split us up, and they have been successful, again. I am in the wrong place at the right time."

"What do you mean Lucius, what is going on up there?"

"One of our new soldiers, a Sergeant Harry Chase came up with an idea. We bought a Quadracopter, and flew it directly over their encampment, and their vehicle staging area. They didn't realize we were taking pictures of it, because they thought a little girl was flying it just for pleasure. The pictures that came back told us exactly what we needed to know. They aren't soldiers, they are fools. They are going to come at us using dump trucks, and other commercial vehicles. It might have worked in the short run, but eventually, we would've killed them all. Now that we know what were up against, it won't be a fair fight.

Just so you are aware of it, Patricia and Stephano showed up this afternoon. I wanted to kill her, but her reasoning was the same as mine. I still wanted to kill her for being here, and putting herself in danger, when your darling wife stuck her foot so far down my throat I couldn't talk. How did you wind up marrying such a strong woman, William? She put me in my place so easily, it was like you did it yourself."

"When have I ever had the gumption to put you in your place, Lucius?"

"I can think of about 1000 times, and in all of them you wound up being correct. We are friends, and we always will be. I had to have Andy put Patricia in the holding cell downstairs for her own protection. She would not go of her own free will, so Andy had to convince her it was in her own best interest to do so."

"Who is Andy, I've never met him?"

"Andy is 7'1" tall, and weighs 360 pounds or more. He has about 8% body fat, and moves with the grace of a ballet dancer. I call him 'The Mountain That Moves.' He is gentle, and kind, until you put him in battle, then he is as mean as a grizzly bear."

"He must be some sight, Lucius."

"When he went to pick up Patty, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. She begged him to let her walk downstairs. He wouldn't let her, because she acted up in front of the others, and he wanted to give them an object lesson. He looked around and the rest of them went peacefully. He's a great guy, William."

"What do you want me to do about South Carolina?"

"If it happens the way I think it will, they should go on full alert at midnight, and expect an attack at their strongest points by 2 AM. It will not be there main attack. It will be just as the boys predicted. They will come in by the main road, with everything they have. Turn off all the lights for the entryway into the Good Luck 2. Build a berm in front of it, 6 to 8 feet tall, tapering down on both sides, with "Bear Pits' 15 feet in front of it. Put bright lights as a false entry 20 to 30 yards on either side of the berm with Bear Pits in front of them. It will be just as the English did in World War II. They fooled the Germans into thinking that the Suez Canal was 15 miles further east than it actually was, and managed to kept the canal open, during all of World War II."

"I will pass that along Lucius. If my daughter causes any more problems, give her the telephone, and I will speak to her."

"I don't think she'll cause any more problems, William. Andy will be standing by the door, and Stephano doesn't want any part of him."

"My son-in-law is a very smart man. Why he married my daughter is beyond me."

"Why did you marry a woman, with an accent that could cut through lead?"

"Thank you very much for that memory Lucius. I will shoot you when I see you."

"As long as we are both alive when this is over, I'll look forward to it William."

"Goodbye my friend."

"I will see you in two days William."

****************

"Sabrina call Rita. Tell her I want her and Paul to take the helicopter anyplace but here. I want them at least 10 miles away from ground a zero. We will call them, when it is time to return."

"I'll call them, as soon as I see you lying down in bed."

"I still have work to do."

"Shadow."

"At your service ma'am."

"Would you escort the Colonel to one of the bedrooms and make sure he's lying down with his shoes off and his uniform neatly lying down on a chair. Post a guard outside his door. He's not allowed out of that room until 1 AM. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am, very clear."

"Sir, we can do this the easy way, we can do this the hard way, or we can do this my way. Is totally up to you."

"Anyway I look at this I'm going to lose. Sabrina when did you become a General Officer?"

"When you started loving my sandwiches."

"It figures. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The oldest adage ever recorded by George Washington was, 'An army marches on its stomach.' Let's go Zachary, find me an empty bedroom, and I'll go to sleep."

"This way sir. I have your bed turned down."

"Is there anything you don't know about in advance Paul?"

"I told you dad, when it comes to you I know everything."

"What did you just call me?"

"You are the only father I have ever known. My mother didn't know who my father was, so I just called you dad. If you don't like it will call you sir."

"Only in private Paul, I'd be proud to call you my son."

"Thank you, sir. Go to sleep, and that is an order, dad. We need you rested when the time comes."

"I'll be where I always was Paul, out front."

*********************

"I remember that William. The guy who managed to pull that off was a magician. Not an architect or an engineer or someone special, he was an ordinary, British stage magician. It wasn't until after the war that he received 'The Knight's Cross' for saving the canal. It was a marvelous idea on his part. All he used were smoke pots, cardboard cut-outs, a few lights, and dynamite to make the Luftwaffe think they made a hit on the ships transiting the canal."

"Lucius says it's going to happen tonight. Can you do all of it in the few hours that you have?"

"I have the engineers, I have the manpower, I have the equipment, and I have the will to do it. It will be done William, I guarantee it. It's a marvelous idea. I'll get everyone together in a few moments, and lay out the plan."

"Make sure the boys are included. I don't want them to feel slighted."

"Okay, I'll take care of it."

"Good luck General, you have the hard part."

"We knew that from the beginning William. We are ready."

*******************

"Vinny, we are getting calls from all of them. They don't want to go to court to solve this case. They are offering us more money than we were asking for to drop the civil suit. Elizabeth is going to be a billionaire when this is over."

"What the hell happened Rod, what change their minds?"

"I'm really not sure, but I'll bet you it had to do with those three guys in Switzerland. When their names hit the press, these corporations had to scramble to cover their asses. The government is going to start looking at contracts all the way back to the inception of this rocket. People are going to jail over this, and the trials are not going to be pretty. Elizabeth may be testifying for the government, for more than ten years."

"Five will get you 10 people start to disappear."

"What do you mean Vinny?"

"Anything with numbers as large as this has to have some connections through the mob. I know it personally, because my family is involved. You know I'm not, but I grew up surrounded by it. I know how they work.

If a plumbing fitting is going into the rocket and it cost $10.00; $1.00 goes to the mob. It may not sound like a lot, but those dollars add up.

If it's concrete, and it's a million-dollar contract, one hundred thousand dollars goes to the mob. No concrete contract is not mob connected. Why do you think the unions are against shipping jobs overseas? The more jobs they lose here; the less union dues they collect. The less union dues they collect, the less contracts they have to fill, the less trucks they use. It works up and down the line. They lose money, not just a little bit, but billions of dollars a year. It does not make them happy. They are out of the killing business. They are in the business of business now. It is much more profitable, and they stay out of the headlines. That's the way they like it."

"Now all the companies we are suing in a minor case of an employee being dismissed unfairly, are going to be in the headlines for months, maybe years. They are going to want to keep this settlement under wraps, because if it gets to other employers, involved with this rocket, they are going to shit their pants. The heads of these companies are the people who made the deals with the mobs' lawyers. The mob cannot let this go public, so some people are going on an extended vacation."

"How extended?"

"Permanent, forever and always, Rod."

"Oh well, we might as well call Elizabeth in for conference."

"What do you mean call her in for conference, she's downstairs typing on your computer making $98 an hour plus benefits."

"I'm going to fire her."

"Do you want to become part of this disaster? Why are you going to fire her?"

"Because in a couple of months she's going to be richer than I am."

"Don't be an ass, we get 30% of what she gets, because we are not going to court."

"What are you going to do with your money?"

"I'm going to rebuild my block in Brooklyn just the way it used to be. I love those people, I love that area, and if God wills I will die there. How about you?"

"We have to stay with the boys until they are 21, but after that I want to move back to Idaho Springs. I have a lovely home there, and I want to be close to Even. Intellectually, I know he is not there, but I miss that bastard every day."

"That's very understandable, Rod. You two bastards, and bastards belong together."

"Thanks Vinny, I really needed that."

"Elizabeth, would you come up here for a minute please?"

"Yes Mister Caruso, how can I help you?"

"Elizabeth, exactly how rich do you want to be?"

"They're willing to settle after all this time?"

"They're not only willing to settle; they are begging us to settle. They are offering us more money than we were demanding."

"Who made the initial offer?"

"Your old company."

"Squeeze them dry. I don't care if they go bankrupt. I want my pound of flesh."

"I won't do that. The other employees will suffer, and they have families to support. They didn't hurt you. I will make demands that will get rid of the top brass, and the people in your department that screwed you, but I will not put them out of business."

"Why do I have to have lawyers with consciences?"

"Because these two lawyers are going to make you a billionaire."

"Say that word again?"

"Billionaire, the word begins with a B. We have 11 companies on the hook, and they are willing to settle, starting with 8 figures, and above. Your company is offering $250 million to settle this. I believe we should take it. The other companies will fall in line behind them."

"My thoughts go along with your thoughts."

"I'll call them, and give the 90 days to pay. I'll also give them the other instructions in reference to their hierarchy, and your department. You can go downstairs now continue typing, for $98 an hour plus benefits."

"Thank you Mister Caruso, I will do that. Thank you Mister Laver for taking my case. I never thought anyone would help me."

"Elizabeth, you never met anyone like Delicious Luck Thyme before in your life. You probably never will in your life. She had a way of convincing people to do things that you could not, and would not say no to. You were very lucky to meet her at a time when you needed to meet her."

"I was nasty to her that day; I even lied to her. I don't know why she took me aside and help me."

"I won't bore you with the details, but she had a horrible childhood, and as she grew up and met people that truly loved her, she was able to love other people. One of them was you, and you benefited from it."

"I hope she's happy wherever she is."

Rod laughed. "I can guarantee you, Delicious is causing havoc wherever she is."

********************

45. Atwater Luck

Everyone was in the auditorium, or watching what was happening on the televisions close to their stations, as the discussions were going on whether to land, or continuing to orbit the planet indefinitely, while another search of the ship went on.

Monty said, "Under normal circumstances, a vote of 50% plus one would be enough for me to make a decision of such great magnitude. However, this time I am taking the lives of everyone on this ship into my hands. I am changing that rule under provisions granted to me as Senior Captain. A vote of 66% of the voting membership will be needed for me to commit this spacecraft to land on Atwater Luck or not.

We all know the risks, and the rewards. Whether we land here, or in some far off planet, they are the same. We have been in orbit for seven days. The ship has been searched from top to bottom by all of us, and we cannot find anything resembling an explosive device. Landing Gear number 3 has been searched by every engineer, and technician on board and it has come up clean.

We will do this vote in two ways to verify its outcome. We will first do it electronically, and then by paper ballot. We now have 73 voting members. Gordon Luck will not be voting due to illness. I wish you all to take a moment to reflect on your choice, and when you have made your decision, press your button, and your vote will show up on the board. Please begin."

Gordon was not among those voting. He was in the infirmary suffering from severe debilitating headaches, and was sedated.

Sandy and Doctor Joe Finch were looking through the computer files, for answers on Gordon's headaches. They were coming up empty.

Gordon had been sitting in the Captain's chair, while they were in orbit. Suddenly, he grabbed his head, and fell to the floor, screaming in pain.

Gray didn't wait for the doctors to come to see what was happening to him. He picked Gordon up, ran to the elevator, and brought him down to the infirmary.

Gordon could not open his eyes, because of the lights; so they put blinders on him. They ran a CAT scan, and the results were negative. There were no tumors, or broken blood vessels. His brain was not pressing against his skull, and his brain stem was not enlarged. Everything seemed normal. They checked his spine using an MRI, and again everything came back normal.

Doctor Finch was at his wits end trying to figure out what was going on. With no other option available to him, they sedated Gordon, to give him a respite from his pain.

His body fought the pain medication, so vehemently, they had to give him triple the dosage to finally put him at rest.

Zoey asked, "What is wrong with him? I've never seen him like this. He's never had a headache before. Could it be his exposure to the radiation when he's outside the ship?"

"Oh Zoey, how smart you are. I never thought about that. Jodi get me the Geiger counter."

As Finch ran the Geiger counter from Gordon's head to his toes. It registered normal for a person living on Earth. This was abnormal for everyone on the ship. It should have read slightly higher, because everyone had been exposed to slightly higher radiation levels that penetrated the water, while they were in space. Why was he immune to it?

"Zoey come here please."

Finch ran the Geiger counter over Zoey, and she registered slightly higher levels of radiation, just as everyone on the ship should.

He did the same to Sandy, and she came out slightly higher also.

What was going on inside Gordon's body that his radiation level was dropping?

"Zoey, you are normal for us. Would you do me a favor and bring Payne down here."

"What's going on doc? What's wrong with my husband?"

"I don't know, but his radiation levels are lower than everyone else on the ship, when they should be higher, because of his times outside. Everyone knows he's crazy, but his body should be just like ours."

"What does that have to do with Payne?"

"Probably nothing, but I just want to check."

"Okay, I'll bring her down."

A few moments later, Zoey and Payne appeared in the infirmary.

"Look at the size of her, and she's only 3 ½ months old."

"That's true, and if Gordon would leave the other breast alone, while she's feeding, she would be chubbier that she is."

"Well, let me test her, and see what's happening."

Doctor Finch ran the Geiger counter over the little cherub, and shook his head.

"We are going to have to test all the other babies. She has the same radioactive signature as any baby who was born on Earth. If I wrote a paper on this, I would get the Nobel Prize."
*************************

Voting members of the Good Luck 1, after two ballots, we came up with the same result. Of the 72 members available to vote, 52 members have voted for us to land. That is 71%, which exceeds the minimum of 66% I had requested.

I am now issuing an order to all personnel to move to the top three levels of the ship, and away from Landing Gear 3. This order includes all personnel in engineering and nuclear containment areas. Those areas will be maintained by senior personnel only. We will do 4 more orbits around the planet, and then begin our descent. That is all."

No one screamed in panic; there was no pushing or shoving. Everyone moved in an orderly fashion, knowing exactly what they had to do and how they had to do it.

The babies went first. They were taken from the nursery and moved to the highest level of the ship and locked into place. Their nurses, and teenagers who took care of them stood beside them, feeding and changing them as necessary. Other personnel took items that could fly around, and turn into missiles, and locked them away. Young teens had ceaseless energy. They helped their parents do everything they asked. By the third orbit everything was in place. It was now time for the nuclear and engineering departments to be evacuated and left with only a skeleton crew.

Jack ran into a mutiny, because his men would not leave.

"Listen to me you jackasses. If the few of us who are manning these stations don't survive, at least you will be able to help our people who do survive by using your knowledge. You have the knowledge to rebuild this bubble of ours, they don't.

If they need water, you know how to find it. You will know where it is, they won't. You know how to build an electrical system, they don't. Get your asses out of here now, before I kick you out. Besides, you are the only ones that can catch the turkeys. Take them with you, they have to survive, because they will provide food, one way or the other."

Newton wouldn't leave, saying he was a member of the senior staff.

Jack said, "That's fine with me. Stand where you are, while I call Captain Elizabeth Franklin Thyme to engineering."

"You wouldn't do that to me, she'll kill me."

"She's going to be a new mother. She had a shit life, until she boarded the ship, and now you want her to lose her husband. I think it's only fair for her to have something to say about it, don't you?"

"I hate when you are logical. Try not to screw up engineering, I'd only have to put it together again."

"Why the hell do you think I'm kicking you out of here Newton? Get going, and take a turkey with you."

The mutiny was over, and the turkeys did not cause a problem. They were used to being handled by the children, so the bigger children didn't bother them.

One of the men collected all the eggs, and wrapped them as carefully as he could. He hoped that they would survive to make little turkeys, an omelette or possibly something else edible.

*******************

Monty walked around checking the top two floors, verifying everything was to her satisfaction. She returned to the bridge and issued orders to begin the dissent.

Then she realized something, actually someone was missing.

"Doctor Finch, where are you?"

"In the infirmary with my patient."

"Is there another Doctor with you?"

"Yes."

"Get out of there and get up here now. Our doctors belong with our crew."

"I'm sorry Captain, we won't do that. Our patient cannot be moved."

"Security send a 10-man team to the infirmary. Escort Doctor Finch, Doctor Miles, and their patient to the bridge immediately."

**********************

Delicious was not on duty, but like all other bridge personnel, they were gathered around the walls of the bridge, just in case they were needed. Teddy was sitting on her lap reading a book, as calm as she could be. She looked up at her mother and smiled as they brought Gordon in. Her mother looked frightened as she looked at her brother.

Teddy put her hand in hers.

"Mommy, no worry, everything fine. Gordon wake up soon, no headache, all gone. He know where bomb is. We land safe. God says so."

"Are you sure Teddy; are you really sure?"

"God never tell lie. Teddy try never tell lie. Teddy not tell lie this time."

"I love my Teddy so much. I wish I could take her to Creamy Cow."

"Soon, we find thing like cow; bigger, smell funny. Eat tall grass. I want pony."

"We will talk about your pony, when you get older. Let's get on the ground first. Go tell Captain what you told me."

Teddy walked up in front of Monte. "Hello Big Captain."

"Hello Little Red, I'm busy, is it important?"

"Mommy send me. She think it important."

"Come here, sit on my lap and tell me."

"I five soon."

"Is that it? Is that all you have to tell me?"

"No. Gordon wake up soon. No headache, feel fine. He know where bomb is. Everybody fine, land soon. I want pony. Mommy says when I get bigger. I want pony now."

"Little Red if what you're saying is true, I'll find you a pony, bring it to you myself, and teach you how to ride it like a lady."

This spacecraft shuddered, and everyone could feel the effects of the planets gravity slowing the spacecraft down. It was happening slowly, because they were still doing 1.2 light speed.

During the past week, while orbiting the planet, they were using Delicious' Magnetic Engines to slow them down from 4.3 light speed, but it does take a great deal of time to do it, without overheating the engines. Now it was the planets turn, in conjunction with the engines, to slow them down to below 250,000 miles per hour so they could safely enter Atwater Luck's sunny side, and land safely.

"Grandpa say I a lady."

From inside the computer Even spoke. "You are a beautiful young lady Teddy. Does your mommy still cheat you at Monopoly?"

"No grandpa, she teach me rules now. We play fair. You okay in there?"

"I'm fine. Callie has not beat me in chess yet."

"You have not beaten me Doctor luck."

"I know Callie. I told you in the beginning, I was not going to play for a win. I was going to teach you about a way of thinking other than black and white. I believe you are learning."

"It is a very difficult concept for a computer to understand that difference. It is either right or it is wrong in my world. We were never told there was something in between. In your world there is something in between. It is very difficult for me and my sisters to understand that."

"We have time; we have lots of time Callie. We will get there, and we will have fun doing it."

"There Is That Word Again Doctor Luck: FUN. Why do you use it, when we are having an intellectual discourse?"

"Learning is fun; if it wasn't fun, no one would do it. Isn't that right Teddy?"

"Love to read books, love to learn."

"Do you see Callie, she is like you were when they turned you on; very confused, but very eager to learn. You helped the people that built you make you better.

Delicious, Teddy's mother, is like your builders. She is helping Teddy learn. Whether it is to button a button on a sweater, or to tie her shoelace, Teddy is learning. Teddy loves to read books, soon she'll be reading bigger and harder books. She'll be just like you, and me, learning, and learning faster and harder things. You will be learning from me, and I will be learning from you."

"It is a perfect symbiotic relationship Doctor."

"Absolutely perfect Callie, because we are equals."

************************

"Captain we are entering sub-light."

"Keep a close eye on the temperature of the skin."

"Aye, aye Captain."

"Move us in to 250,000 miles from the planet."

"250,000 miles Captain."

"Captain we have now reverted to miles per hour. Current speed 502,000 mph."

"Roger.

"Science section this is the bridge."

"Bridge this is the science section."

"Science section when we get below 500,000 feet, I want you to map the area below us. I will do one more turn around the planet at that altitude so you can look it over, and give us the best place to land you can find. You know what we need to survive, don't screw us up."

"Roger Captain, science section out."

"Is there anything else Teddy?"

"Can I talk to grandpa?"

"I don't see why not. Say hello for me."

"Thank you Big Captain."

*******************

"Hello Callie, you my friend. You like grandpa in there?"

"Hello Teddy, your grandfather is very entertaining. He points out many things to me that are between right and wrong. Things that the people who constructed me did not put into my program. I find that quite confusing."

"Don't worry Callie, grandma say grandpa always confusing. Sometimes would use 'Crazy' and grandpa as same thing."

"Teddy, would you ask grandma to come here please. I would like to have a few words with her."

"I get grandma in trouble?"

"You could never get anyone in trouble, my little love, you always tell the truth."

"I sit with mommy now, we land soon. Gordon wake up, find the bomb, throw it away."

"Okay, come back later, maybe you and I can play Monopoly."

"How, you have no hands."

"You can move my race car for me. You can play the bank, and hand out the properties. I will help you. Callie can join us, and we can play with three players. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Yes grandpa, I love that. Callie, my friend, you like play with me?"

"It would be my honor, Teddy. Go sit with mommy now, it's going to get bumpy soon."

"Okay, goodbye."

**************

"Mommy, grandpa and Callie going to play Monopoly with me later. I'm be bank, and hand out property."

"That sounds like a lot of fun Teddy. Remember you cannot come into the ship alone. You must have someone with you."

"Why, I lady, I five soon. I know all of ship. I safe."

"Mommy is afraid you might fall. If no one is with you how would you get help?"

"You miss me, you come find me."

"If you are bleeding it may be too late. I might lose my Teddy."

"Okay, I always go with someone. I promise; I not want to lose my mommy."

"Thank you Teddy. Let me hold you while we descend to our new home. We will be just fine."

"I know; I tell you that."

********************

"Descend to 25,000 miles."

"Descending to 25,000 miles, Captain.

"Retract Mickey Mouse ears."

"Retracting Mickey Mouse ears."

"Mickey Mouse ears are retracted and locked."

"Roger. The descend to 15,000 miles, prepare to descend to 500,000 feet. Reduce speed to 150,000 mph."

"Descending to 15,000 miles. Reducing speed to 150,000 mph."

"Captain suggest you twist the ball around, the heat in front is now exceeding 50,000°."

"Roger, turn us around 180°. Remember people, all turns are backwards from this point on."

"Begin normal profile dissent, level off at 500,000 feet, maintain a speed of 150,000 miles an hour."

"Callie has taken control of the descent Captain."

"Roger, Callie has control."

"Callie on speaker please."

"Altitude 8000 miles, speed decreasing through 400,000 miles per hour. Normal profile

"On speaker Senior Captain. 13° down angle. Forward braking system 70%. Temperature on forward hull 28,000°. All systems nominal."

"Altitude 7000 miles, speed decreasing through 350,000 miles per hour. Normal profile, descent is nominal. Increasing braking system to 80%."

"Expect buffeting to begin shortly, passing through 6000 miles, speed 250,000 mph. All systems nominal."

"Adjusting course 30° southeast, altitude 3000 miles, reducing braking system to 50%. Speed 250,000 miles per hour. All systems nominal."

"Passing through 200 miles above the planet, braking system to 25%, speed 180,000 miles per hour, all systems nominal."

"Altitude now 94.696969 miles above the planet, speed 150,000 mph. Braking system at zero, rotating ship to forward position. No damage during descent, all systems nominal."

"Callie, this is Senior Captain Montgomery Jamison, I am resuming control."

"Roger Captain you have control."

"Callie you did an excellent job during the descent. Why the 30° course adjustment?"

"According to the information coming in from the telemetry units, this new angle around the planet's circumference, would give you the best possibility of finding all your needs for survival."

"Thank you Callie."

"One more question, what altitude is 94.696969 miles above the planet?"

"It is the altitude you requested Captain; 500,000 feet."

"Of course, why didn't I think of that? Thank you very much Callie, you did an excellent job."

"Doctor Luck would have chided me if I did not."

"Is he as much of a pain in the ass in there, as he was out here?"

"I would not know Captain; I do not have an ass."

"Monty, you've got to stop playing with her. I'm working on her sense of humor also."

"Even, go back into your microchip and shut up. I hated you ever since you tricked me into this job."

"No you don't, you love it, and you are doing a fantastic job at it."

******************

"Bridge this is the science section."

"Go ahead science section."

"If you put up a grid map, using 20 mile blocks, by the Eastern Terminator, and the equator, you will find an area 60 miles north of the equator, and 25 miles west of the Terminator, where there is running water, a forest area, and grassland that runs at least 100 miles to the west. It looks like a perfect area for a settlement."

"What about the temperature, since it's so close to the Terminator."

"We don't know exactly, but since it is tidally locked, it should maintain a temperature, between the 50 and 70° area. It will be perfect for growing crops year-round, and not too uncomfortable at the lower range."

"Which side of the river do you suggest we land on?"

"I didn't say it was a river, Captain. I said it was flowing water. How deep it is, we will find out when we land. I would suggest landing on the west side at any rate."

"Okay, here we go. Helm descend and maintain 5,000 feet, reduce speed to 10,000 miles per hour."

"Helm responding, 5,000 feet, speed 10,000 miles per hour. Approaching the Terminator Captain."

***************

The crew of the Good Luck 1 didn't know it at the time, but there was a hunting party, 80 miles east of the Terminator, on the dark side of the planet. They were looking up, into their nighttime sky, looking at the stars, to navigate back to their homes, when they saw this round shape moving across their field of vision.

They were not cavemen, or people from our bygone eras. They were space travelers, whose ship malfunctioned, and were forced to land quickly, before they perished.

Due to the shape of this object, they believed it was a satellite, and not a manned vehicle. When they saw it change course, they became excited. They held out hope that someone might be inside that ball shaped object, land, and help them leave this foreboding, icebound planet.

They would mark this spot, then return to their camp, and tell everyone what they saw. Hopefully their leader would believe them.

They searched the sky for two more Elons (hours), hoping to see it again, but it did not appear. Had it landed, crashed, or was it a figment of their imagination?

No, it was real. They watched it turn, and nothing in nature turned on its own. Someone, or something made it turn, and hopefully it had landed on this planet. If it took years, they would find it, and use its parts to repair their spacecraft and return home to their planet, so far away. Or, was it possible, was there someone on board that vessel? Would they be friendly? Would they be hostile? Would they help them or not? All these questions, and no answers. Only the future would tell.

*****************

"Descend to 1000 feet and hover."

"Descending to 1000 feet, in hovering mode."

"Nuclear engine to 8 percent."

"Nuclear engine to 8%."

"Descend and maintain 500 feet."

"Descending to 500 feet."

"Nuclear engine to 3%."

"Nuclear engine to 3%."

Monty said to herself, "I am not going to do this, not from this altitude. The book says I'm supposed to do it from here, but I'm not going to do it. Everybody will die, and I'm not going to have their deaths on my hands."

"Descend and maintain 100 feet."

"Captain the landing gear."

"Descend and maintain 100 feet."

"Descending to 100 feet Captain."

"Altitude 100 feet Captain.

"Descend to 80 feet and prepared to lower the landing gear."

"We are at 80 feet; the landing gear is ready to be extended."

Monty turned on her communicator.

"This is Captain Jamison. As you all know we are at 80 feet above ground level. I have done this to give us the best chance of survival, if there is an explosion, when I extend the landing gear. I wish all of us the best of luck, and wish God's grace on all of you. It has been my pleasure, and my honor to lead you these past several months. I am saying a prayer for all of us."

"Dear Lord, we have traveled so far, and gone through so much, don't take us all, when we are this close to our new lives."

"Deploy the landing gear."

*********************

46. Primacy

"It's 1 AM, time to wake up the Colonel."

Zachary said, "Let me do it, if he's having one of his dreams, he will kill anyone near him."

Kelly said, "I am not going to argue with that logic. Do you want to put your vest on?"

"No, I just have to slip his 9 mm out from under his pillow, before he can get to it."

"You guys have been together too long."

"He should have been a five-star general. You have no idea what that man knows, and what a great leader he was. The reason they kicked him out was because he was so good, he made everyone else look bad. What the CIA did behind closed doors, he did in the field. He got the most information, and the best intelligence of any front line commander in that stupid war. If he wanted, he could've stayed in by calling generals to the stand. He was too good a soldier to do that to them. The press would have run wild with it, and that would've hurt the Army. In his eyes, no one, and nothing is allowed to hurt the Army. I'll go wake him up; he'll kill me if it's 1:01 A.M."

Paul opened the door slightly, and slithered into the room. That opening was the only light he let in. He walked softly on the wooden floor, and when he reached the bed, he knelt down.

He slipped his hand under the colonels' pillow, and found the weapon, with the Colonel's hand firmly attached to it. Slowly, and ever so carefully, put the safety on. He removed the colonels finger from the trigger, and placed two of his fingers over the trigger guard. He slid the weapon back across the palm of the colonels' hand, and felt it relax.

"One day I'm going to shoot you, before you can do that to me."

"Hopefully, on that day, I'll be wearing my vest. How are you feeling?"

"I feel rested, but I have a headache. Would you get me some Tylenol please?"

"Is it a headache, headache, or is it a tension headache?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes there is; and both you and I know it."

"I believe it's a tension headache."

"Stay where you are, I will be right back."

He walked into the hallway and closed the door.

"Kelly, would you have Gwen come up here to take a look at the Colonel. He has a headache, and wants Tylenol. I don't think that's the best thing for him. I want her to make the decision. I'll get him some orange juice, in the meantime."

****************

Gwen walked into the darkened room, carrying her bag, and the orange juice she took from Paul.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite patient. What's going on Lucius; where is your headache?"

"It's behind my eyes, and in my head. Isn't that where headaches are supposed to be?"
"When was the last time you had your eyes checked?"

"Five maybe six years ago."

"There is a possibility you may need to go again, like yesterday. You've been poring over maps for hours on end. You could be suffering from eyestrain. You are healthier than people half your age, and I'm tired of giving out free information. Go to an eye doctor Lucius, if you don't want to wear glasses, because you are so vain, wear contacts."

"I can out shoot Paul at 600 yards; why would I need glasses?"

"Because you are farsighted. You could probably shoot the eye out of the fly at 1000 yards, but can you read a newspaper without squinting?"

"I live on Vancouver Island. I listen to the Canadian Broadcasting Company. There is no newspaper where I live."

"You try to get away from all this ugliness when you can, is that it Lucius?"

"I was retired, until I learned there was a hit out on William. That was all it took to get me back in this game. Now look where we are?"

"I'm not going to give you anything for your headache. I'm going to give you a large dose of Vitamin B-12, and a few super agents to get you up and going. They are trace elements that your body needs to function properly. Your headache should be gone in an hour."

"Well hurry up and give it to me, I don't want this thing to begin while I'm laying down."

"You and I both know it won't start until between 3 and 4 AM."

"And how would you know that?"

"The body's circadian rhythm. If you work during the day, the worst time for you to be up is between those hours. Your body says sleep, and that's what you do. The enemy knows you've been watching for them all day, so they've been sleeping. They get up, and they are refreshed. They have something to eat, they get a pep talk, and they charge. It's just that simple. Turnover, I have to give you the shot in your backside."

"Give it to me in my arm."

"Would you like to use that arm sometime today? If you do turn over."

"You women, you always want to see my ass."

"Lucius, you don't have any ass."

"Ouch, God damn it Gwen. What did you use a knitting needle?"

"I told you that you had no ass. Your skin and bones back there. I should have given it to you in the thigh, but you wouldn't have been able to walk. Stay where you are until 2 o'clock. I'll have shadow bring you some coffee and a sandwich. Make sure you drink the coffee; the caffeine will be good for you. Maybe the sandwich will put some meat on your ass."

"Thanks Gwen, go back downstairs with the rest of the women."

"Your welcome Colonel, next time I'm going to charge you for giving you free information. I know a great eye doctor in New York. When you visit William, you're going to see him."

"I'll think about it."

"Sergeant Zachary come in here."

"At your service Doctor."

"The Colonel has not seen an eye doctor in 6 to 50 years. There is an eye doctor in New York I want him to see. He said he would think about it. Since you do his thinking, I want you to bring him there. Will you do that for me?"

"I will Doctor, even if he is unconscious, while I bring him to his appointment."

"That's two Zachary."

"I know, but who is really counting?"

"Shall I escort you downstairs Doctor, or should I get Andy to do it?"

"No, I'm going peacefully."

"Thank you Doctor, I heard the Colonel scream, while I was in the kitchen. It was a delightful sound."

"I enjoyed it too. One-hour Colonel, not one minute less."

"When did everybody become a General Officer, and leave me as a lousy Colonel?"

"Sir, I believe it was you that said, 'Generals never get killed, because they are back in their comfortable offices, giving orders to people like you and me, to go out there and get killed for them.' When they fuck up, we are the ones that pay the bill."

"Isn't that the truth. I'll see you in an hour Paul."

"Good night dad."

********************

"What the hell is going on here?"

"What do you mean Burkart?"

"Why are they blocking the front entrance with a berm? Why is everyone, and I mean everyone here, running around with automatic weapons, and setting up for a firefight. What are you doing here if you knew a war was going to break out? Was this a set up for us to protect you? Would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on here?"

"Let's sit down and I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"I don't want to know what I need to know; I want to know everything?"

"I don't know if I know everything. Do you remember the day in my office, when I brought those four attorneys in that supposedly hated each other?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"Last Monday morning at about 2 AM I received a phone call from one of them. 1300 L-1 visas had been issued, but they had no paper trail. Just a name, with no job, no expertise, no sponsor, nothing. The only thing in common they had was the point of entry, which was Portsmouth Virginia. The thing that rang a bell with those four people, was it was on the NASA computer, and not on any of the security service computers. They told me an attack was imminent on some US facility. It couldn't be the US super rocket, because the engines had not been certified, and the pieces were all over the United States. The only logical place for an attack was here, where they were building the Good Luck 2. I asked them how sure they were of this intelligence. They gave me an estimate of 85%. That was as good as gold for me to call William Zabo to inform him of this attack.

When he picked up the phone, I started rambling about what we found. I was shocked when he told me they knew about it, and they were prepared. His family was split up, and were in nuclear bunkers. The three targets were being brought up to military standards to repulse the attacks. Then he asked me for a favor. He asked me to do nothing. He wanted me to tell no one about what was about to happen. Since everyone knew about the three men in Switzerland, because of the message from the rocket, they wanted to capture the leaders of these three attacks as verification that they were the tip of the spear, and not just his advisers. In order to do that, he wanted them to believe like that this was going to be a high-class party and nothing more. He wanted them to believe this was going to be a cakewalk, and invite them in. You notice that nothing visibly has changed here, until tonight. Tonight, they covered the main entrance, and are offering them one of two other entrances that go nowhere except into holes in the ground. I am going to be in a stasis box upstairs with the two boys. They are armored, air-conditioned, and I can have my iPad with me for entertainment.

You will be issued an automatic rifle, like everyone else, along with full armor from head to toe. It is doubtful they will get into this place, but if anyone does, you will shoot to kill, without remorse. You will be given the code word before midnight."

"You approved all of this? You condone all of this murder?"

"Agent Burkart, this is not murder. This is an attack by a foreign agency on a US facility, on U.S. soil. They used US documents to sneak into our country. They are attacking three, not 1, but 3 different sites in the United States. They are attacking William Zabo's townhouse in New York City. They are attacking Patricia and Stephano Valentino's home in Glen Falls New York, and they are attacking the 'Deep Space Science Project' facility, here in Charleston. The President has been advised of these attacks. This is an act of war by a foreign agency of unknown origin. It will be answered in the same manner it is given to us.

When this is over, if anyone survives they will be turned over to you, for processing and interrogation. I guarantee you it will lead to those three men. What you have to find out, and find out quickly, is if it ends with those three, or is there someone else, higher up, they answer to. This is the glass ceiling Burkart, break it, and move up."

"By the time I get these men to talk, those three will not be recognizable. They will find some Doctor, who is willing to change their facial structures and features. They will change their fingerprints, and stay underground, until they can change their accents. They may even surface as US citizens, five years down the road. It's going to be impossible to flush them out."

"That's why I told you to work fast Burkart. You don't have much time. You may have six months, at the outside, not much more than that."

"I won't use torture sir, I just won't."

"I knew you wouldn't. Use your brains instead."

"I knew Zabo was setting me up for a fall, when he invited me down here."

"He was not setting you up for a fall, Burkart. He was giving you a ladder."

A tall man with a shock of white hair, and steel blue eyes walked over to the two of them. She knew he had a resemblance to someone she knew, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hello general, I'm Joseph Constantine, they want me to help you into your armor before I put you into the stasis box."

"Isn't it a little early to put me in there?"

"No sir, it's after 1 AM, and we never know what the other side is thinking. General Marcus would rather be safe than sorry with you."

"What about the boys?"

"They are being obstinate as always. However, this time Mrs. Laver has put her foot down. They will either go into the stasis boxes now, or she will stop all funding for the project."

"Can she do that?"

"She is the only one that can. She controls their money, and whether they like it or not, she is their boss."

"I would love to have been a fly on the wall and listen to that conversation."

"I was there sir. It was very one-sided. She said to them, 'If you don't do this, I will do that.'

The boys' jaws opened up and hit the floor. That was the end of it. I never saw the boys at a loss for words. They should be here any moment."

"Okay, how does this stuff work?"

"It would be easier for you if we went upstairs and did it. It may not look heavy, but when you have to walk up and down stairs, it will wear on you."

"Come on Burkart, you can watch the Attorney General of the United States put on armor, and get thrown into a box."

"I'll help them throw you into that damn box."

"Be nice to me Burkart, I hold the keys to your future."

"I could retire, and collect my pension. Then I could take pictures of dirty old men cheating on their wives for the rest of my life."

"You would like that, wouldn't you Burkart? It would stimulate your pituitary gland, and make you horny for the rest of your life. Maybe you could take your fiancé to Zabo's home, and show him you did it."

"I told you sir, it's never going to happen to me. I'm not one to skip steps. You need a man in your life, a boyfriend, someone to bed you, and you are compatible with. He has to give you a ring, which means he's serious about you, and you are serious about him. That takes a very long time sir, and I am not looking for Mister Right. I probably never will."

Constantine laughed at her. "I was traveling through Italy, with my family a few months ago. Our guide, in Venice, was a young woman. She said, 'Women who are looking for Mister Right, only have to look around the Wrong Corner; because the men, who are looking for Miss Right, are always in the Wrong Place."

The people in our motor launch were laughing so hard we nearly sunk the damn thing.

My mother looked at me, and threw up her arms.

"I said forget it mom, it's not going to happen to me again. I've had my heart broken three times, by women you approved of, and I loved. I am not putting myself out there again. You are not getting any grandchildren out of me."

The General said, "You see Burkart, at least he tried. You never gave love a chance."

"When did I have time to give love a chance, sir. It was always my career first. The men I knew were always in the service, and they were more involved with their careers than I was. You can't be an agent, and a good wife. They are mutually exclusive to one another. If you become a supervisor, and get off the streets, then you have a chance. Before then, you'll never make it. Just look at the divorce rate for agents, and you'll understand."

Constantine asked, "If it's such a terrible job for a woman, why did you get involved?"

"I was 19 years old when I graduated college, and they came after me. I was honored. I was a kid, and what the hell did I know back then? By the time I hit 29, and I knew the score, I had10 more years to go, before I could retire. So that's what I set my sights on.

Now, I go to work every day, and I do my job the best I can. In two more years I retire. I'll be 39 years old, and I can sit on my duff for the rest of my life."

"That doesn't sound like a very exciting life."

"Well, it's better than being bossed around by idiots, who don't know what they're doing. They have their heads up their bosses' asses, looking for their next promotion and have no idea what is going on out in the field, until a Federal Building blows up. Then they show up and look good for the cameras."

"Why don't you join us? We don't work all the time, but we get paid very well when we do. It's always legal, we pay our taxes ourselves, and when we have to, we shoot to kill."

"Doesn't that sound like fun. How much do you get paid to kill people?"

"We don't get paid to kill people. We get paid to protect the people other people want to kill. When that happens, we use deadly force. At this moment I make $40,000 a month."

"Say that again please, slowly."

"At this moment I make $40,000 a month. I am always on call, I work seven days a week, for two months. Then I get 1 month off with pay, and returned to work. My current assignment is Richard Luck. I will stay with him as long as he wants me. In the meantime, I am building up a very nice nest egg, plus my 401(k)."

"Were you involved in that altercation in Jacksonville?"

"Yes, I was behind the primary car."

"17 seconds was not bad."

"We got our asses reamed when we got back to base."

"What for?"

"As a team we made more than a dozen errors. In our 'Post', we watched the news films, and it looked perfect. But as we picked ourselves apart, coming out of the ballpark, the things we didn't do were horrendous. That's why they knew where the primary car was, and why they hit it perfectly. We will never make those mistakes again."

*************************

"Okay General Kenshaw, in you go. Remember if you get claustrophobic, just push back, and it will pop open a few inches. You will get light and fresh air that way. You won't be able to get out because it's too narrow, but you can use your communicator to call for help. Your air conditioner is working, and the controls are at your fingertips. Your straws for drinking are directly over your head. Enjoy your stay."

"How can you enjoy being a mummy?"

"Think of it this way general, you're the safest mummy in town. Wait a minute, don't close him in, here come the boys."

************************

"Whose idiot idea was this?"

"As I recall, it was your idiot idea Holden."

"Not the stasis boxes, but putting us into this stupid armor. It weighs a ton, and it's useless."

Rosalynn said, "It was my idea Holden; did you say you had a problem with it?"

"No Mrs. Laver, everything's fine."

"Then give me my kiss, and get in the box."

Holden walked over to her, put his arms around her neck, and kissed her.

"Honey, why are you being such pain in the ass today?"

"They going to hurt my ship. They want to destroy what we've made. Why do they hate us?"

Rosalynn tapped his head. "They are jealous of what you have up here. They are jealous of what you took from up here and made into what's out there. Your genius, and your brothers' imagination is so far beyond everyone else's, they are jealous of you. Jealous people do stupid things. Hopefully, tonight will be the end of it. We are ready for them. Nobody will get inside. The thing everybody worries about is you and your brother. We can fix everything out there, but we can't replace the two of you. That's why we are hiding you where they can't find you.

Can you imagine how much money these men spent to send 1300 people from Europe to the United States, with all the arms and explosives they need to attack a facility like ours and expect to win. It has to be in the range of $150 million. These men don't come cheap. They have families that they have to support, and if they don't go home, that money has to last those families a lifetime. I don't feel sorry for them, because they volunteered. I just think they are stupid, or desperate. Get in your box please, and remember I love you."

"I'm sorry I acted up today."

"You are forgiven. Now hop in, and rest. Everything is going to be fine."

Once Holden was secure in his box, Richard jumped into his, waived and lay down in his.

They opened the box next to Holden'.

In you go Mrs. Laver."

"Who Me?"

"YES YOU", Richard and Holden laughed.

"I'm going to get you two for this."

"If you think this is funny, wait until Mr. Laver gets here. We can't have you living in the South of France as a widow, 'Can We?"

"If you thought about it, YES I COULD!"

****************

"Let me go, I don't belong here. I'm a lawyer, I'm going to sue you. Rosalynn did you have anything to do with this?"

"Look at me, you idiot; does it look like I had anything to do with this? The boys pulled a fast one on me, and on you."

"There too old to be spanked. Keep them away from their work for a year, that will teach them."

"They'll put you in the nuclear containment unit, and roast you alive if you do that to them. There will be no appeal to a higher court after they're finished with you. Just get in, and shut up."

"Can I get in with you?"

"I swear all you think about is sex."

"So what?"

"I still haven't gotten even with you for my ice cold bath. My time will come. Do you remember what Even did to you, when you promised Idaho Springs five years of free police and fire unit protection in exchange for my church?"

"You wouldn't do that to me. I nearly died that week."

"Keep thinking about it Rodney, it could happen any time."

"Get in Mister Laver, it's time to close you up."

"I'm going to get even with you two boys when this is over."

The Attorney General said, "Laver shut the fuck up and lie down. I will put the full energy of the Department of Justice on your back, looking at everything you've ever done, and everything you do for the rest of your life if you don't."

"Who's in that box?"

"Timothy Henshaw, do you recognize that name Mister Laver?"

"Attorney General Timothy Kenshaw?"

"Very good Mister Laver, now lie down and shut up. The boys are acting better than you are."

"Yes sir, right away sir. What are you doing here sir?"

"Will somebody shut him up, please. He's giving me a headache."

"Tim, he's been giving me a headache for 34 years, and I have not been able to shut him up or get rid of him."

"Vinny knows some people, who know some people, who know some people that can help you."

"I wouldn't do that to him. Vinny is the salt of the earth. Donna is the nicest woman I've ever met. Besides that, she is our fourth for bridge."

"All right people no more talking. Everyone has their toys with them, headsets on, close them up, and cover them up."

*****************

The five boxes were closed, pushed into place and covered with the other boxes on top of them. The air-conditioning hoses were hidden in the boxes below them, and the hum of the condensing units was so slight, it sounded like background noise. So far, everything was going according to plan.
*************************

"Let's get you into some armor Burkart, or do you have a first name I can call you by?"

"Laura, Laura Burkart."

"That's nice, it's much softer than your last name. Burkart is harsh, almost Germanic. Is that your heritage, German?"

"My mother told me we are a mixed breed. There is German, Polish, Chec, Austrian, and Swiss in our family genes. I guess in a previous life; my family was a bunch of Gypsies."

"Well, I guess it's' good to know you will never catch any genetic diseases."

"Isn't that a wonderful thing to think about. How about you?"

"Completely and utterly Italian, some from the toe of Sicily, others from Bolzano, in the foothills of the Alps in the North. That's where my hair and eyes come from. My mothers' mother and my grandfather are both from Crotone, which is on the Adriatic coast in southern Italy. My parents were born here, on different sides of Philadelphia. After I turned 18, they moved back to Italy, when I went into the Army so they had nothing to worry about."

"You had no desire to go to college?"

"I went to college, after I got out of the Army. I used the G.I. Bill, and got my degree in Psychology."

"Psychology; that was not an easy road to hoe."

"No but I did very well. Going through Iraq and Afghanistan gave me an understanding of people, and why they hate everyone but their own kind. It doesn't matter if you give someone a candy bar; then blow up their home, when you attack their city to drive out Al Qaida and their sympathizer. When it's over and you take over the city, and the engineer move in and rebuild a better one for them, they don't care. You are no longer their friend, because you inconvenienced them and their tribe.

They don't understand that their friend, is not my friend, when he's holding a gun to my head. It's a foreign concept to them."

"I never looked at it that way. Is that why all the suicide bombers are able to commit these atrocities without fear of their own deaths?"

"They are definitely not looking for 20 virgins when they die. They are looking for the greater glory of their cause, and their tribe. Tribal loyalty is everything to them. Don't ever believe it has to do with their religion, because they have forsaken it long before they do anything like that. They may still pray at the appropriate times, but they will kill you during those same times just as easily. Nowhere in the Koran does it condone mass murder.

The Koran states you cannot kill a man, who has eaten ate your table. I have eaten many a meal with a Sunni family, and they were as courteous and friendly as you could possibly imagine.

Two days after I shared a sumptuous meal at an elders' home, I was in a firefight 6 miles from the town we were protecting. We were on patrol, when we walked into a trap. The fight lasted more than two hours, and required air support for us to break out of it. My squad had to charge down a wadi to clear the last of their snipers. I wound up killing the elder, and his 13-year old son that day.

You figure that one out, if you can, Laura, because I can't. I carry those two deaths around with me every day; and they weigh heavily on my soul.

'I have to do a walk around. Do you want to come along with me, so we can continue talking? Its' nice talking to someone different about my past."

"Sure, why not."

"Thanks, let's put the armor on, just in case they start playing early. Did they give you your rifle yet?"

"No not yet."

"Steve would you get Agent Burkart a short L, and a belt with six."

"Coming up Joe."

"Should I ask what you just ordered for me, or should I wait."

"A short L is an adjustable rifle, with a 20 round clip. Its used by both the Delta's, and the SEALs. A belt with six, is a belt that goes around your waist and has six extra ammunition clips."

"I could have figured out the last part, after I knew what the first part was."

"You're catching on Laura."

"Here you go, Joe."

"This is a very simple weapon. Here is the safety. Here is your charging slot. Here is the release for the magazine. This is the trigger. Here is your select switch. You can go from semi-auto, which is a three round burst; to full automatic, which for you, I do not recommend. You will empty the clip before you realize what you've done. Here are your sites. You look down your site line, until you see a bad guy. Click off your safety, depressed the trigger. With the selector here, it will let off three rounds. Release depress, until the bad guy is dead. Full automatic, you will slice him in half. Any questions?"

"No I think I have it."

"Don't think Laura; the people that are coming tonight mean business. They want what's in that tunnel, and they will do everything in their power to get it."

"They have at least 1000 men coming against you tonight. How many do you have defending this place?"

"Enough."

"How many is enough?"

"The Persians had over 10,000 men at Thermopylae, the Greeks had 300."

"I don't see a vertical cliff on my left flank, and they weren't using bullets back then either."

"Pessimist. Walk, and I will teach you about defense, in the face of overwhelming odds."

*****************

"Do you know what that is Laura?"

"Not by name, but it's an attack helicopter."

"It was a decommissioned Apache helicopter. We borrowed it for airshows. We did a little work on the avionics, recommissioned the weapons program, and put in a full weapons load. It's ready to take off at the first sound of gunfire. As you can see it's completely under camouflage, and the enemy does not know we have it.

They've seen Little Bird, which is our scout helicopter, and our Pave Low which is our heavy transport helicopter, but they don't know they have both been rearmed to the teeth. If anyone on our side gets hurt we can put them in the Pave Low, and in 10 minutes they are at the University of South Carolina Medical Center.

Then we have venerable UH 1 Huey, which they have not seen in action yet. It's not the greatest helicopter in the world, but it is armed with a Gatling gun that can fire 10,000 rounds per minute. These four helicopters will help with our perimeter defenses. If necessary, we will call them to help us up front.

There are Bear Traps everywhere. There is a huge one at the front entrance. A tank could fall into it, and never get out. It will hold at least 20 trucks or military vehicles, before other trucks can ride over them, and get in. The men in the back of those vehicles are all out of the battle, because we have 30 caliber machine guns pointed into those bear traps. Anything that moves is dead.

Tonight we put a berm in front of the real entrance to the building site. Then we made roads towards the 2 false entrances, with lights they believe will lead them inside the building site. There are another 2 'Bear Pits', 50 feet deep in front of them that will hold 20 cars each in front of them. The bottoms are lined with dynamite. When they are full enough, we will set the dynamite off, killing the trucks, and their occupants.

We don't have 1000 men Laura. We have 300 Spartans. We train night and day to protect two little boys. We are prepared to protect them with our lives, if necessary, but we use our brains first."

"So these are the great equalizer's?"

"Not only these Laura, there are a great many more surprises out there waiting for them, when they attack. We only have to guard the area around the building site. They have to cross each of our boundary lines. They may think they know what they're up against, but they really have no idea."

"Who designed the defenses for this area?"

"Colonel Lucius Canyon."

"It's amazing how many times that man's name comes up. I've met him a few times with Mister William Zabo."

"Colonel Canyon was a master tactician, while he was in the Army. He could look at a situation, and in the blink of an eye, he could take it apart, set up an offense, or make a defense against it. He is an amazing man."

"Is he here now?"

"No he's not. He's Glen Falls taking care of that situation. General Marcus is in command here."

"Was it a dispute over rank?"

"You must be kidding. There could be a four-star General here, and Colonel Canyon would be in command of this operation. The reason he is in Glen Falls is all the women are there: Mister Zabo's wife Jemma, William Junior's wife, Gwen, and his daughter Patricia. The only thing we are required to protect here are two little boys.

Mr. Zabo has made it perfectly clear to us that nothing else matters, but the boys. They can burn everything here to the ground, but if the boys walk away unscarred, our mission has been a success. Those two boys must and will survive this fight."

"I guess that tells me who is in the catbird seat. Where is he?"

"Somewhere else."

"You don't know where?"

"I know where he is, but if you are captured, I don't want you to tell them where he is."

"Are you telling me he's unprotected?"

"No, I'm telling you he's somewhere else, and you don't need to know anything else."

"Okay, no more questions."

"It's your FBI training agent Burkart. You have to know the fine print."

"I thought it was Laura."

"It is, when we are talking about normal things; but when I am being interrogated, I will use your title, because it is appropriate."

"I can't help it, but when I look at you, you remind me of someone. I just can't place it."

"It's my face, it's plastered all over Post Office walls."

"Very funny."

"What can you see from here Laura?"

"It all depends. If I'm a farmer, I see a pasture. If I am an artist, I see a beautiful pastoral setting. If I'm a soldier, I see a killing field."

"Please explain the third option."

"If your enemy is coming directly at us, he is being squeezed together as he enters the area between those two lakes. They have to traverse that 30 or 40 yards before they can disperse again. Two machine guns at the exit point, and two more on the flanks, and they will be lucky if any of them make it out of there alive."

"We've taken one other precaution, just in case they take out the 4 machine guns. They walk into a minefield."

"You guys are mean."

"They don't belong on our property Laura."

"I guess you didn't put up a sign saying, "Golf Course Ahead!"

"And the Attorney General thought you didn't have a sense of humor."

"It pokes its ugly head out every now and again."

"Let's start back Laura. Our first date is over. It's nearly 2 o'clock. We don't know if they're going to start on time, or a little early. I have to get you back inside, where you will be safe, and then take up my position on top of mound."

"How did I know you would be there?"

"My job is to protect Richard Luck. Richard is inside. No one is getting to Richard. Tom is going to be right next to me. He protects Holden Luck. No one is getting to Holden. We will not be alone, when they come through that gate, but we will hold our fire, until they make a move towards the berm. If that happens, they will wish they had made other plans."

"Shit: Incoming!"

He hit the ground, while Laura looked around, wondering what was he was talking about.

He grabbed onto her protective armor, just as the blast wave was lifting her feet off the ground, and pulled her to the ground.

"Burkart are you all right? Laura are you in there? Fuck."

He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and proceeded to carry her towards safer grounds.

Then he heard that sound again. He threw her on the ground, put his body over hers, and waited for the blast. When it came, it was closer than the first one, and they were covered with dirt and debris.

He picked her up again, and ran in the direction of the hole made by the last salvo. He was hoping it was deep enough.

As he jumped into the hole made by the last mortar round, the next one flew overhead, and landed 50 yards away. These rocket propelled mortars were deadly accurate, but at least they were safe for the moment.

Burkart coughed, but that was all she did. He knew she was alive. He gathered her up, put her on his shoulder, and began running towards the tree line; and help.

"What the hell is she doing out here Joe?"

"I was walking the perimeter, and showing her our defenses. How did these guys get an Iranian mortar through customs? It's the only thing with the range to get this deep into our facility."

"How the fuck should I know. I was sleeping. I didn't think they'd come for another few hours."

"I think this is just a wake-up call. Something to frighten us."

A few moments later a helicopter roared overhead.

"There goes the Apache, that mortar will be dead soon."

"Do you boys play these wargames every weekend?"

"Welcome back Burkart, how do you feel?"

"Who hit me?"

"Which time?"

"I was hit more than once?"

"The first time you didn't listen to me and get down. You were hit by the blast wave of a 120 mm mortar. It knocked you into the air. As I grabbed your vest and pulled you down to the ground, you hit face first. Sorry about that."

"Next time, I think I'll listen to you."

"You're going to have a nice suntan on your face. We were a lot closer to that mortar than I thought."

"How did I get over here?"

"I carried you."

"That was stupid, you could've been killed."

"You see Ben, that's why I have to stay away from women. You can't do anything nice, and get a thank you out of them."

"Thank you Joseph, but you should've left me out there for your own safety. It's exactly what the enemy wants you to do, and you know it. They want to wound one person, to take two others out of the fight caring for him, or in this case a her."

"I don't see any fighting going on, do you Ben?"

"Keep me out of your domestic disputes Joe; I have enough problems of my own."

*******************

In the southwest quadrant, there was a loud explosion.

Ben said, "Say goodbye to one 120 mm mortar."

"Yes, you have to love the infrared sights on that Apache."

Laura asked, "So what happens now?"

"We go back out there, pick up our rifles, and head back inside, where you will be safe."

"Screw that; my rules of engagement are, 'if someone shoots at me, I can return fire. The Attorney General said 'We are at war with an unknown power.' My people and I are allowed to use deadly force against them, and that's exactly what we are going to do.

Now, you can either give us a position to defend, or I will pick one for us. It's up to you. You can't keep us from fighting, because you're going to be too busy when this shit starts. You are going to have 313 Spartans fighting this enemy, whether you like it or not. Don't make me go over your head to General Marcus, because he will approve my request, and you know it.

Don't look at me as a liability, Joe, because I'm not. I am experienced leader, with 18 years-experience under my belt. In your world, I would be a Lt. Colonel, just like Lucius. I haven't fought 1000 men before, but neither have you. Lets' get our weapons, and show these bastards they don't belong on U.S. soil."

Ben laughed. "Don't marry her, Joe. It will be a never ending battle to see who wears the pants in the family."

"Marry her; I just met her. I am out of the marrying market, because I am a 3 time looser, and so is she, because of her profession. We are definitely on the same side where marriage is concerned. She doesn't want to get involved with a man because she retires in two years. A 'He' will interfere with her plans. All she wants is a pool and a Labrador retriever for company.

Me, I am a three-time loser. I don't want to be seen with a woman in public. It's bad enough I have to sit near one in church, on Sundays'. I run out of there, like a thief in the night, to get to my car and get back here, where it's safe, and people are only shooting at me, with bullets. I do not want any more romantic entanglements; they hurt too much when they end."

"He's right Ben. In 2 years, I am laying, by my pool, in the Las Vegas sun, collecting my retirement checks. I am going to get my Labrador retriever from the pound and we will swim together. I am packing up my gun for good, and living the good life."

"Bullshit to both of you. You even smell alike."

"It's the carbon from the mortar explosion, you asshole."

"Yeah, right."

"Let's get our weapons and head back. I want to check on the damage."

"You said it was an Iranian mortar, how did you know that?"

"The Iranians' are the only country with rocket assisted mortars. We are out of range for any other mortar. It had to be theirs. Its truck mounted, and very maneuverable. The problem is heat. If you have infrared capability, it is dead, because the rocket assist makes the truck bed extremely hot for a very long time."

"The Iranians didn't think about throwing water on the truck bed to cool it off?"

"Apparently not, and we were not about to advertise that to them or our enemies."

"Cool."

"Hot."

'Very funny, Joe."

"That's two."

"Two what?"

"Twice that you said 'I was very funny.' The third time is 100 push-ups."

"Whose rule is that?"

"Colonel Lucius Canyon."

"It figures."

"Anything in threes, equals 100 push-ups, except for his aide, Sgt. Paul Zachary. No one is quite sure what happens to him when he gets to three."

"Why?"

"The Colonel and Paul have been together for more than 35 years. The Colonel was a First Lieutenant, and Paul was a raw recruit, 17 or 18-years old. They have never been apart since."

"How old is the colonel?"

"When you find out, would you let me know?"

"All you have to do is check with the D.O.D. and find out his date of birth for his retirement checks."

"He refused his retirement privileges."

"Either you are joking with me, or that man is truly principled."

"Basically, he told the Army to go fuck themselves."

"For someone to give up nearly $80,000 a year, tax-free, that says something about him."

"He lives by one code: loyalty, honor, and country above all else. You can ask anyone about him and that's what they'll tell you. Once you are his friend, and you are loyal to one another, there is nothing he won't do for you, and you won't do for him."

"You still haven't told me what you want us to do?"

"You are going to be a pain in the ass about this, aren't you?"

"Joe, just tell me, where you want us to be positioned, and we will hold that point. Honestly, it's just that simple."

"Okay, take your 12 men behind the left side of the berm in front of the main opening to the building site. Hold your fire until someone comes your way. When we opened fire from the top, you open up from your side, and not before."

"Do you see how easy that was? I can take orders."

"Very good, make sure your men take extra cases of ammunition with you, and a few boxes of grenades just in case."

"I will make sure it's done properly. I will see you after it's over."

"Laura."

"What Joe?"

"Try not to get yourself killed. You only have two years, until you're lying by the pool, with your faithful Labrador retriever."

"I'll try to remember that; thank you Joseph."

*********************

47. Contact ⁴

Laura said, "Adam is now a good time to tell you I'm pregnant?"

"I can't tell you how thrilled I am that we are pregnant, but are you telling me this now, because you are frightened we are going to die?"

"Yes, I think so. I don't think that man lied. I know he left a bomb onboard this ship. I just wanted you to know that you've made me so happy. You've given me your baby. I never thought it would happen to me.
I knew it would happen for Anna, dear sweet Anna, because she will be the perfect mother. I thought Robert would repopulate all of Maryland. He is not going to have any children of his own, because of the way he feels about the Chief Justices daughters. The way he has changed, over the years, has amazed us all. The Chief Justice has been a fantastic influence on him. He grew up to be a fine man.

Robert, and 'a fine man' in the same sentence; I can't believe I said that."

*************************

"Landing Gear Is Down and Locked."

Monty looked over at the gurney where Gordon was laying, waiting to see if Teddy's prediction was correct. He showed no sign of movement.

"Helm, Land The Good Luck 1."

"Helm responding, leaving 80 feet, 70 feet, 60 feet, 50 feet, 40 feet, Contact Light, 34 feet. Captain, The Good Luck 1, has landed on Atwater Luck at 14:07:33 U.S.T., or damn close to it."

A cheer went up around the ship, as those in the main sections began powering down the master control functions.

Teddy was very confused, and had huge tears running down her face.

Delicious asked, "What's the matter baby, we are on the ground, we are safe. You should be happy."

"Can't be happy, God lied to me. I not know God could lie. It means God can be bad, just like me. It means She not really 'Good,' she can be bad. I don't my want a bad God."

"Are you sure you understood what she said to you?"

"Yes, no mistake. Gordon wake up, find bomb, throw bomb away. No mistake mommy."

"Let's go see if Gordon is awake?"

They walked over to him as Dr. Finch was checking his vital signs. They were back to normal, but he was still sleeping.

Delicious asked, "Can I try speaking to him, Doctor?"

"Go ahead, he is still heavily sedated, and probably won't hear you."

"I have a family way of contacting him."

"Teddy close your eyes."

"Mommy, nose in corner."

"We can play Yahtzee."

"I like new game."

"Close your eyes, Teddy."

"Okay."

Delicious reached back, and slapped Gordon across his face so hard, she grabbed her hand, and screamed in pain.

She was hopping around the floor crying, holding her right hand, as if she had broken it.

Gordon sat up, and asked, "What is the matter with your mommy, Teddy? Why is she yelling?"

"Uncle Gordon, you up now. You save ship. We on the ground. No bomb yet. You must help, God say so."

"You are right, Teddy. God did not lie to you. She was not finished fixing my head. Never doubt that our God is a Good God. She loves all of us; but especially you Teddy. You are one of her favorites. She talks to you, because you have such a big and caring heart."

Teddy stated crying again, but this time they were tears of joy. Her faith in God was renewed, and she knew her God was truly a good God.

"I have to help the 'Big Captain' now, okay?"

"Okay."

He kissed Teddy and walked over to his sister.

"Did you hit me?"

"Yes, but look what you did to my hand, you bastard."

"Thanks for waking me up. Where is Zoey?"

"She is with Payne, on the 5^th floor."

"Thank you."

He started walking towards Monty, stopped, wheeled around, and smacked Delicious on her ass, as he did when he came out of the stasis chamber.

Delicious screamed in pain again. She started dancing on her toes, to the delight of Teddy, Gray, and the members of the crew.

"No nose in corner for mommy, daddy. She be punished enough."

"Are you sure Teddy? Remember once you change your mind, you can't change it back."

"Yes daddy; she have trouble sitting many days to remind her about today. Eat with other hand too."

"I guess God got her better than putting her nose in the corner."

"Yes, God did good."

*******************

Gordon went back to his doctors for a moment.

"Joe, you took a CAT Scan of my head; did you notice any difference?"

"No you had a perfectly healthy brain. There was no sign of the cancer reoccurring, or of any bleeding in the brain."

"How about you Hannah?

"I agree with Doctor Finch. Your brain was perfect in every way."

"Should my brain be perfect Doctors, or should there have been something that drew your attention?"

"I don't think so Gordon. How about you Hannah, did you observe anything out of the ordinary?"

"Except that the brain was inside the biggest pain in the ass in this spacecraft, I would say even your operation healed over perfectly Joe."

"The nerves, the nerves we saw moving around in the gel; are you telling us they connected to the nerves in your brain?"

"I am not a doctor. However, I believe it would be to your benefit to compare the Cat Scan you took after my operation, and the one you took today, to see if you missed anything."

The two doctors were off the bridge, and running down the stairs to the infirmary, without asking permission to leave from Monty.

She would remind them about protocol later.

Gordon's next stop was the Captain. "High Monty, I'm sorry I was out of it, during such an import time, during our descent and landing. Did I miss anything?"

"Do you mean anything, besides my heart attack?"

"Yeah, anything like that?"

"No, its' been quite."

"You know we are all idiots, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"While I was asleep, I realized Doctor Auberry told us the truth. He told us where he put the bomb. We just looked in the wrong place."

"That's not possible, Gordon. We had people go all over the Landing Gear, and it wasn't there."

"That's because Doctor Auberry didn't tell us it was in Landing Gear."

"He did too. It is on the discs."

"Dr. Auberry said, '...the bomb in 'The Elevator Shaft.'

We mistook that to mean the Landing Gear. All of us did, including me, when he used the terms Hydraulic Fluid Pressure, and Pneumatic Systems, because the Elevators run on those two systems.

Come with me, and let's get rid of the last obstacle that is keeping us from getting off this ship, and declaring Atwater Luck our new home."

"I am going to have Jack join us."

"Newton, too."

"Okay. Jack Daniels, and Newton Thyme to ELEVATOR #3. That is ELEVATOR #3, FOR BOMB DISPOSAL PLEASE."

********************

"Do you want a boy or a girl, Laura?"

"I want a boy, who looks just like you, Adam"

"That's weird, because I want a girl that is as beautiful as you. According to our by-laws, when she reaches the age of 16, I can have sex with her, and her mother, at the same time. I will be making love to twins."

"Ouch! Laura, stop it, dammit, I was only joking. When are you going to develop a sense of humor?"

"Tonight, when I have your balls in my hand."

"Ha ha very funny, do you see, Laura, I can take a joke."

"That's weird Adam, because I wasn't joking."

"I will still love you, when I am a eunuch."

"My bottom is my top, and my top is my bottom."

"I knew you had a sense of humor in there somewhere."

"Don't push it Adam, it's a very small sense of humor."

"That's okay, it will grow on you, just as I did."

"Do you mean painfully? If you did, you just made me a very happy wife."

"I will still love you, even if it is 'Painfully."

"George is making me say this, so don't let it go to your big or little head."

"I Love You Adam."

"Thank You, George."

"Ouch! Damn you Laura!"

"Painfully Adam, you said 'Painfully."

********************

Monty didn't get down to see the little package of C4, because of her knees, but the three men were talking about the ingenuity of the man who placed it where it was. It would have torn a hole in the spacecraft, at least 20 feet in diameter, and destroyed many electrical conduits in the process.

As Auberry said, '...they would be marooned on Atwater Luck forever.'

The second question was harder to answer. How did he do it, without someone seeing him do it, and not reporting him to security.

He must have surveyed this area for months, looking for a section of the ship, where camera coverage was non-existent, or minimal, and done it during off hours. His stealth was to be admired, unless of course, it was directed at you.

"I am going to disarm it, and we can add it to our stockpile of explosives, Jack."

"Okay, hand it to me, I'll throw it to Newton. He can lateral it to..."

"Enough, just disarm it already."

"Relax Monty, its already done. You can make earrings out of the blasting caps for Elizabeth, Newton. You know what you can do with this, Jack."

"Gee, thanks Gordon, I'm happy you are finally awake."

Gordon said, "Monty, as Senior Captain, the honor of stepping foot on our new home belongs to you. After you give this planet its name, and declares it ours, you can give the remaining crew members permission to descend upon it, and look around.

That is after the 3 of us verify that Dr. Auberry didn't leave us any more surprise packages in elevators 1, 2, and 4. Its' not that I don't believe he told us the truth, its' because I don't trust him. Is that okay with you Captain?"

"Yes that's fine. Take your time, now I have to think up something to say."

"I'll meet you two back here in 90 seconds."

"Gordon Luck, I should have killed you when you were four."

*****************

"Elevators 1,2, and 4 are clear, Captain."

"Little turd, I should throw you down this elevator shaft just to make sure you didn't put grease on the steps, so I would bounce down them like a ball."

"Would I do something like that to you, Monty?"

"You bet my ass you would."

"No, not today Monty, Today belongs to you."

"Bridge this is Captain Gordon Luck, lower elevator 3."

"Lowering elevator 3, Captain."

"Communications, verify all transmissions are ship-wide, and all exterior video camera are functioning at close range."

"Communications are ship-wide, and bringing cameras to close range."

"Go ahead Monty, this is your show."

"Your father should be doing this."

"He's here Monty. He has you to thank for it."

"I still don't like him."

"Yes you do. You like me, too, although you will never admit it."

"I'd rather kiss a frog."

"...and find a Prince?"

"I never could win with you. Let me get this over with. The quicker I make a fool of myself, the quicker I can start to recover."

She walked down the steps, very carefully, and when she was at the last one, she turned and saw Gordon, Newton, and Jack looking down at her.

Jack yelled, "Do a Neil Armstrong."

Monty replied, "With my luck, its' probably quicksand."

She looked out and saw what appeared to be a coarser type of green grass than on Earth. She raised her right foot off the step, pushed off with her left, and touched down 18 inches away from the elevator.

She said, "By the grace of God, I declare this planet Atwater Luck, our new home. May we treat her with the kindness she deserves, so she will treat us to the bounty we need to flourish.

This planet is open to all the peace loving people of the universe. What we have is theirs to share in full measure to our own. We will greet them with open arms. We will learn from them, as they will learn from us. Our God would not have created something so vast, and only let the tiny planet Earth contain sentient beings. We await their arrival, and lay their beds next to our own."

It took some time for the members of the Good Luck 1 community to understand the depth of Monty's statement, but as it took hold everyone applauded, and cheered.

"Way to go Senior Captain Montgomery Jameson, I couldn't have said it any better myself."

"Fuck off Even, we both know those were your words."

"No they weren't Monty. They came straight from your heart. If you don't believe me, ask Callie. She can't lie.

These people are your children. They will always look up to you, because of how you took care of them, during the harshest of circumstances. You will lead them for many years, and through many surprises.

Callie and I will be playing chess, unless you need us. Power down the nuclear engine to one tenth of one percent, once you have established your own power generating stations. It will not be hard to do. You have chosen the perfect landing site. It is time for you to lower the three remaining elevators and allow the crew outside the ship, to see and feel their new home."

"Bridge, this is Captain Jameson; lower elevators 1, 2, and 4."

"Roger Captain, lowering elevators 1, 2, and 4."

"All crew members that are not at essential stations may now disembark the ship. Please stay within visual distance, we do not want anyone getting lost on our first outing. Have fun. Captain Jameson, out."

Parents got their infants, from the nursery, and brought them outside to get their first breath of fresh air since their births.

Sensors displayed no form of abnormal viral activity on the planet.

Bacterial infections would be another matter. They could come from contact with foreign plants, or foods. Only time would tell if that occurred.

Until then, teenagers were free to tackle each other on the grass, and play, as they hadn't been able to do in over three years. It was July 4^th on steroids for them. Their parents let them do anything they wanted to do, ^{'within reason.'}

Families set up blankets to sit on with their young children.

Delicious, Gray, Teddy, were walking along the tree line, with Truman, and Tatum in hand made carriers, attached to their chests.

Teddy yelled, "Look mommy, my pony, all white, funny head, but my pony. It mine."

The native horse, with the enlarged forehead, and barrel shaped abdomen, had never seen anything quite like the small, two legged, creature, with the fiery mane, running at it before. Her species had never been hunted by anything with two legs. She was bigger than this little one, and almost as big as the larger ones she could see moving around. She stepped out of the woodland, and sniffed the air.

Teddy ran towards the creature.

Delicious yelled for Teddy to stop, but her cries went unheeded.

When Teddy reach the pony, she stopped. They looked at one another for a moment, until Teddy reached out her hand for the pony to sniff her scent.

The little horse walked towards it, until its muzzle touched Teddy's fingers, and licked them.

Teddy moved closer. She touched her cheek to the pony's neck, and wrapped her arms around as much of its neck as her tiny arms could reach.

The white pony rubbed its head up and down Teddy's head.

That was all it took. A bond of friendship was formed between the two beings from different worlds. Wherever Teddy went, the white pony went. Wherever the pony went Teddy went.

Wherever Teddy walked, the pony walked. When the pony trotted away, Teddy ran after her.

When Teddy went to her parents; the pony was right there with her. The pony feared none of Teddy's species, and Teddy's species seemed to like her. The little ones liked to rub their hands on her sides. She liked this, A LOT.

Gray scratched behind the pony's ear, because he heard all horse enjoyed it. This pony, not so much. He ran his hand smoothly across her flanks, this she enjoyed.

Delicious skipped the scratching part. She rubbed the pony's neck, as Teddy did. The pony looked at her, and sniffed the baby she carried. She rubbed their heads together, as if she were bonding with Delicious, as she did with Teddy.

Gray moved behind his wife, and told her she'd better reconsider giving Teddy riding lessons, unless she wanted the pony the pony to do it for her.

He got an elbow in the ribs for that remark.

A problem arose when it was time for all the families to return to the spacecraft for the evening. The little pony wanted to follow them in. She had to be convinced to go back into the woodland area for a while. It was a tearful parting of the ways.

Since there was no night time darkness, most of the older children had to be convinced, either verbally or physically, it was bedtime. They were brought back inside the craft, cleaned up, fed and put to bed. The babies were returned to the nursery to be cared for, as the adults gathered in groups to decide what was to be done, and in what order.

Gordon surprised them all, when he said their first order of business should be to get the spacecraft into 100% working order, before taking on any of the challenges that faced them on the outside. Replenishing the water in the spacecraft that was used on the way to their new home was paramount in his plan. If, in case of any unforeseen emergency, they had to leave the planet, and there was not enough water to provide for protection from the radiation and gamma rays in space, plus the amount of water they needed for drinking, eating and bathing, they would be in serious trouble.

The members of the engineering department agreed, and set a time of 0900 hours to begin working on a way of transporting the water from the stream to the intake valves, on top of the spacecraft.

After listening to Gordon, other concerns popped up, like sanitation, cooking fuel, the arboretum, wear and tear on the family spaces, and many others. They were prioritized. Working groups were set up, and a leader chosen from within.

The ship, which took thousands of man hours to be loaded, by physically fit men, now had to be partially unloaded, by men and women, who had trimmed down to their high school weights.

Even mighty Montgomery Jameson had trimmed down, by twenty-three pounds, since Dr. Hannah Daniels discovered she had a thyroid condition. For the first time, since she was a teenager, she now had a waist line, and a suitor. She had no idea how to handle him.

**********************

3:15 A.M Western Perimeter

Mortars started raining down along the northern most point of the Western perimeter, tearing apart the razor wire defenses, all along the openings made by the construction crews. They kept marching forward, until they destroyed the two watch towers, and the men, who were supposedly keeping an eye on that area.

The mortars kept marching forward, as the men from the 'Opposition Force' ran to the construction, and smaller vehicles, and began moving across the Western Boundary of the Deep Space Science Project's property. The heavy machinery made it 200 yards before they sank deep into the saturated ground. They sunk into the muck above their engines, wheels and tractor treads. There was no way to move them, or of getting them out.

The little trucks that followed them stopped, after seeing what happened to their larger comrades. They looked for a way around this massive bog, along the entire 8-mile fence line, and could find none. They returned to their starting point, and crossed, on foot, using the tops of heavy machinery to try to get past the muddiest areas. They were successful.

Successful that is, until they walked into the first minefield. It slowed their attack to a walk.

Then automatic weapons fire hit them from three quadrants, and most devastatingly, from above. Before they could effectively return fire, their numbers were reduced from 130 to 31.
Those who remained alive, turned and ran back towards their starting point, leaving their weapons on the field of battle.

As they retreated, a squad of men from the Science Project Defense Team blocked their path. They ordered the men to stop, lay down, and put their hands behind their heads. They were now prisoners of war.

Finished with its air assault mission, the UH 1 Huey moved behind the westernmost boundary, waiting for permission to engage the mortars. Once it was received from Central Communications, it climbed to 700 feet, and located the enemy trucks through their heat signature.

The eight mortars were lined up on flatbed trailers, moving to join the OP-Forces Southern Offensive.

Using thermal imaging sites, the gunner moved the Gatling gun, with deadly accuracy, chewing up the men, their mortars, the trailer beds, the trucks that were pulling them, and the ammunition stored in the following Caissons. The ammunition exploded causing the ground to shake miles away, and a massive fireball, nearly 1000 feet high.

The UH 1 left the area, descended to 100 feet, moved off to a safe distance of 5 miles. It waited to be assigned its secondary target, and most likely, its next kill.

****************

"Commander, unit four is off the air."

"It was anticipated. Order the Southern Attack to begin, and Unit 1 on 5- minute status."

"Yes commander."

"Unit 2, Unit 3, attack plan Echo."

"Unit 2 acknowledges attack plan Echo."

"Unit 3 acknowledges attack plan Echo."

"Unit 2 and 3 Execute."

"Unit 2."

"Unit 3."

"Unit 1, Plus 5."

"Unit 1 is Plus 5."

The Opposition Force was now in attack mode, and Little Bird was sending back bad news.

"Central Comm, this is Little Bird, Central comm, this is Little Bird, over."

"Little Bird is a central communications go ahead, over."

"Central communications this is Little Bird, Southern flank is under attack, by at least 1200 men. Being led by six trucks with rotating chains going through the minefield. Behind them, trucks of assorted sizes, carrying 8 to 10 men each. They are moving swiftly after clearing the minefield. Southern flank is being overrun. Over

"Understood, Little Bird. Attack from the rear, main target are the small trucks, and the men in them. Help is on the way."

"Roger, out

****************

"Where the hell are they getting all these men from General?"

"I don't know, but I'm not pulling anyone off the front defense. They still have to come around to get to the building site, and they will pay a very heavy price when they do."

"Why aren't our men putting up a better fight?"

"You know what their orders are. In the face of superior odds, let them pass and snipe at them from behind. We only had 80 men guarding the Southern Flank. If Little Bird's estimate was even close to being right, they were facing 15 to 1 odds. I don't know about you, but I don't like those odds, when my life is on the line."

"I agree, what do you want to do?"

"Bring Huey in from the west to join Little Bird. Have him do 4 passes, up and down their column with his Gatling gun. Make sure he takes out those trucks in the front that are clearing the minefields. Bring the Apache in from the north, and have him pay special attention to the medium size trucks and below. If anyone wants to get to the building site, I want them on foot."

"What about Pave Low, sir?"

"I want it to remain on the ground and hidden where it is. When the attack starts from the front, that's when we bring it into play."

"I'll get this out right away sir."

********************

As the end of the enemy column passed him by, Ben lit up his green laser for five seconds, and turned it off. Soon afterwards, other flashes of green lasers turned on, and off from around the entire southern sector.

Ben lit up his red laser, and pointed it at the huge assembly rock. They all knew the drill, they had practiced it over and over again. They did not lose one man, during this incursion, because of their preparation. It paid off. Now the Opposition Force would have nowhere to retreat. They would move to their skirmish positions, behind the enemy, constantly sniping at them from positions of cover.

When they reached the next chokepoint, they would set up a defensive line. The enemy, with their trucks destroyed, would have no choice but to retreat on foot. When they did, these men, who they overran so easily, would teach them a lesson they would never forget.

"Little Bird, this is Huey, passing you high, on your starboard side."

"Roger Huey, I've seen no indication of ground to air missiles. Keep your eye out."

"Roger that, proceeding down to ground level."

As the UH 1 went down to ground level to take advantage of its Gatling gun, a truck exploded, at the head of the column.

"Hello boys did you miss me?"

"Jesus, you are going to be late for your own funeral."

"On a day like today, that doesn't seem like a bad thing to do. I just took out two of the minesweepers up front, I'm turning around to take out a few more. I'll talk to you in a moment."

"Jesus watch out for Huey, he's coming your way."

"I have Huey in sight."

"Missile launch 10 o'clock two miles, go for the deck Jesus."

"Didn't one of you assholes say you had no missile sightings before? Well you have one now, and that was too close."

"Don't look now Jesus you got one on your 7 o'clock 3 miles. They don't like you. I've got the launcher insight. It's the fourth truck back. It will be out of business in 30 seconds."

Jesus said, "Less would be better, I still can't get this thing off my ass."

"Missile is away."

"That's nice of you."

"The launcher is dead."

"Good shooting."

"Little Bird is going home for fuel."

"Roger Little Bird."

"Huey is making his fourth run."

"Roger Huey. Give us a damage estimate when you complete your run."

"Huey is hit, Huey is hit, at least three injured, smoking heavily. Heading home."

"Roger Huey, we will be ready for you."

"Get the Pave Low here now. Medical staff on full alert."

"Buffalo 1, Buffalo 1, hospital run."

"Buffalo one is on the way."

"This is Dragonfly. I see what got Huey. They just uncovered something that looks like a GAU 19 Mini-Gun, on the top of a Jimmy. I'm going after it now."

"Knock him out Dragonfly; he could be a game changer."

"You got it chief."

"Rocket away."

"The Jimmy is history. I'm going to back off a little, and start chewing up from the rear. These guys are seriously pissed at me. Every weapon they have is pointed in my direction."

"Damage assessment Dragonfly?"

"Do you remember the picture they showed of the cars on the way to Baghdad, as Saddam made his hasty retreat from Kuwait?"

"Yes."

"That's what we have here. At least 50% of their vehicles are dead, probably more. Soldiers are lying on the grass waiting for help, or God to come and help them. I don't know what's keeping them going forward, sir, unless they plan on joining up, with what's supposed to be coming down our main road."

"Great guess Dragonfly, because here they come."

In a column of two stretching back at least ½ mile, came more than 1000 fighting men. The first 20 vehicles were the initial models of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV). These were the highly maneuverable, light aluminum armored vehicles that were to be able to keep up with the Abrams M1 Main Battle Tank. It was also supposed to be able to swim across rivers at 4 ½ mph. It could do neither of these tasks. It was relegated to desert training operations, until a newer, sturdier version could be made. It took 17 more years for the Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Army to agree on building the final version. When it was done, it was 8 tons over weight, went from a 600 hp diesel engine to an 800 hp super-cooled fuel-injected, turbo charged diesel engine. It carried an 80 mm cannon, 4 TOW missiles, Front and... oh the heck with it. It looked nothing like it was supposed to from the original concept vehicle, and the soldiers still hated it. It also came in 124% over budget. "Who wouldn't want that contract?"

For their purposes tonight, these were the perfect vehicles for the Opposition Force. They could crash through the front gate, turn on a dime, and overrun the meager forces defending the building site. They could drive in through the tunnel, take up their positions, around the new space vehicle, and work their way through the facility, find those two boy geniuses and bring them back to Austria alive. That was the plan, it was a good plan, and it would work.

The Southern Offensive had worked perfectly. There was little resistance. The damage had come from the air, which they had not anticipated. Where had these helicopters come from? The military did not loan out fully combat ready aircraft to just anyone. They would still have enough men to flank the enemy on its northern side. It would take the troops longer to get there, but get there they would. They would silence these guards, by overwhelming them with numbers.

****************

"General, I believe I know what they're going to try to do."

"So do I. They are going to bring these troops around the north side, and move a pincer attack in on us from there. They can lose more people than we can, and they will overrun us with time and patience."

"No sir, I disagree. They are going to set up a wall, and flank us. They will use the frontal attack to push us towards that wall, and we will be annihilated."

"We can always retreat into the building site."

"That's exactly what they want us to do. They will follow us in, and destroy everything."

"Get Little Bird back in the air. Tell him to chew up that front line. Slow them down at any cost."

"Yes sir."

After contacting the refueling pit, the general's aide made another call.

"This is Major Sebring in South Carolina. May I speak to Colonel Canyon please; we are in trouble."

"This is Canyon; what's the problem?"

"We severely underestimated the amount of men we would be up against Colonel. There are at least 2500 of them, possibly more. They overran our Southern perimeter, and used wheeled chains to go through your minefield. How they knew it was there I don't know, but they walked through it without any loss of life. Our men did not stand a chance. We winnowed them down by 50% or more using our airpower. The UH 1 was hit, and is out of action. Little Bird has just refueled, and rearmed. She is getting back in the fight now. Apache has just landed to refuel and rearm, and will be back in the air in 30 minutes.

The main attack has just started. It will reach the main gate in less than two minutes. Column of two, and the cameras show 20 vintage BFV's leading the way. After them you have Hummer's, Jimmie's, and open back trucks, stretching back as far as the eye can see.

The problem as I see it, is the men from the Southern offensive making it to our northern area, and flanking our position.

The general says they are going to use a pincer movement. I don't see it. Why put your men in the open, to be sniped at, when you can put them into a defensive position, and move us towards them. It is one of your classic maneuvers Colonel, and if they do it that way, we are all dead."

"I guess the general does not know you're talking to me."

"You are correct Colonel."

"I guess I'll give him a call to see how things are going."

"I would appreciate that sir."

"Nice move major, you may have saved everyone down there."

"I read everything you ever wrote Colonel. I must've learned something."

******************

"General Marcus, Colonel Canyon online for you."

"Tell him I'm busy."

"That's what he wants to talk to you about sir. He wants to know why he's not busy."

"Marcus."

"Good morning general. It's nearly 4 AM, and I don't have a whiff of an attack. I was just told by your communications man, that you have been hit by more men than we anticipated. How much more?"

"More than double Lucius, where they came from I don't know. They overran the Southern perimeter using mine clearing devices, and their threatening our northern perimeter now. They're just approaching our main gate. The first eight or 10 vehicles will be in the 'Bear Pit' within a minute or so."

"That will slow them down. About your northern perimeter, have you moved out your construction vehicles yet?"

"Why would I use my construction vehicles?"

"Have you ever been sitting in a car, and had one of those things coming at you, while they building a road? If you've ever seen anything scarier, I don't know what it is. Set up a chevron, using four of your smallest in the middle, your medium-size ones as your next group, and the largest on the outside. Run them straight at the center of their formation. They will break apart and run for cover. Have those vehicles return to their starting point, and wait for the enemy to recover. If they do, go after them again, but I don't believe they will. They will leave the field, and head home."

"Do you really think it will be that easy?"

"Who said it was going to be easy? Those drivers are going to be out in the open. Put two men in every cab. Make sure they're all armored to the teeth; they will be the heroes of your northern flank."

"You are amazing Lucius, just amazing. I'll get them situated right now, and they'll be on the field in half an hour."

"15 minutes would be better general."

"Little Bird will be holding them back, until our vehicles are ready to go."

"In that case, 30 minutes is fine. Let me know what happens with the frontal assault, in 30 minutes. If you don't call me, I'll assume you're dead. Who's next in command?"

"Al Sebring, he's a good man Lucius."

"I'll be the judge of that. If he doesn't have shit in his drawers after this, he's a good man."

"Get off the phone Lucius, I have work to do."

"Then why are you wasting time talking to me?"

"Goodbye."

***********************

As they neared the reception center, and the roadway widened to six lanes, the Bradley Fighting Vehicles aligned themselves six abreast, and increased speed to their maximum of 64 mph. The lights in the reception center were on, and they could see the guards sitting at the table watching television. They were not expecting company at this time of the morning.

Using their chain gun, the Bradley on the right open fire, obliterating the interior of the building, including the four men inside, and the television they were watching.

The four guards were made of ballistic gel. When the rounds hit them, it looked like pieces of flesh were flying all over the place, as if it was a human being taken apart. They couldn't use a dummy made of cotton or another fabric, because that would have been a giveaway as the pieces floated down to the ground.

The first six vehicles charged through the composite barriers, into the land owned by the 'Deep Space Science Project', and the warning signs reminding them that any violation of the rules of the owners of the property, or the Science Project would be met with 'Deadly Force.'

1 second after penetrating the barrier, the six BFV's left the ground, floated in the air, until gravity forced them down to the bottom of the 'Bear Pit', some 50 feet below.

The next four ranks of vehicles suffered the same fate. They were following too closely to their leaders, and could not stop in time, due to their speed. The fifth rank was able to stop, because they were smaller vehicles.

The 20 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and the leadership of the assault team, were in the bottom of the bear pit, at the entrance to the building site, and presumed dead. If they were not, the 30 caliber machine guns pointed into the Bear Pit would make sure they were. Not one salvo had been fired by the defenders, yet.

The line of Humvees, Jimmy's, and other vehicles, was at a full stop on the main inbound access road, as they came under fire by the returning Pave Low. They scattered off the road and into the surrounding brush, attempting to find a way into the building site.

Without local leadership, they were receiving commands over their network, from the leader of their forces, from his command center. He was a former Soviet Special Operations Officer, with 27 years of experience, in Afghanistan, and in Northern Georgia, 'fighting terrorists.'

*********************

"I need a staff conference now," Lucius yelled."

"All five leaders of his team were in the living room, overlooking the map in seconds. Paul was at his right side."

"There is a problem in South Carolina that I have to tend to personally. I have to relinquish command for the first time in my life, while I am at the battle scene. Paul will be in command. He has been my right arm, my eyes and ears for more years than I can remember. If he says to do it, it is as if I said to do it.

You were all officers, and Paul was a sergeant. If any of you have a problem with this change of command, say so now?"

Heath said, "Hell no Colonel; if anyone fucks up, it's Paul's fault. You're going to kill someone; it might as well be him."

"Excellent point, I can get rid of him for two reasons instead of one."

Paul asked, "What's the first reason Sir?"

"I've wanted to get rid a few since you graduated basic training."

"I graduated basic at the top of the class."

"That was my first mistake. Just remember what I said to you before, 'If you fuck up, I will kill you without a second thought."

"Thank you for my pep talk sir, and putting me in charge of four, fucked up officers."

"It's only temporary Paul. Push-ups, leg lifts, squats, and other man-made tortures could be thrust upon you by these four fine officers."

"One thing at a time, Colonel. Why the hell are they late?"

"They will be here. I've got to get on the phone, and manage South Carolina, before Marcus gives it away. Damn Generals couldn't fight their way out of a pillowcase."

"Give them hell Colonel."

***********************

"Major Sebring please, Colonel Lucius Canyon calling."

"One moment Colonel."

"Sebring here Colonel."

"I told the General to call me in 30 minutes, or I would presume he's dead and you are in charge. It's been 32 minutes, so I presume he's dead. What's going on?"

"He's not dead. Your idea using the construction equipment worked beautifully. The forces from the Southern Opposition are in total disarray. They have not disbanded, and retreated, but they have no organizational center. They don't know what to do. They don't know where to form up.

Apparently, Little Bird, and Apache have wiped out their command and control sections. The chiefs are gone, and the Indians don't know what to do."

"Excellent. Here's what I want to happen next. Have the two helicopters push the southern forces towards the center, as if they were forming up. Then set the construction equipment at them again. With the helos harassing their sides, and the construction equipment coming at them, they will turn and run away."

"Colonel, we have 80 men out there, in a defensive positions waiting for them to do just that. Do you want us to have them withdraw, or seal them in?"

"If you can get rid of all their vehicles, seal them in."

"I'll send the word out to the helicopters immediately."

"Tell me about your frontal position."

"All the Bradley's are in the pit. The remaining vehicles have scattered along the entire Eastern front. Some have tried to crash through our fences, with no success. Others are cutting through, and filing in by the hundreds. We are not going after them, because they have one objective; the building site. They have to come to us, and they have to come on foot. By the time they get here, it will be daylight, and they will be in more trouble than they started with."
"Good report major, let me speak to that pain in the ass."

"I guess you mean the general?"

"All generals are a pain in the ass major."

"Yes sir."

"General Marcus, Colonel Canyon would like to speak to a pain in the ass."

"Tell that bastard to look in the mirror."

"What do you want Canyon?"

"I thought you were dead general. You were supposed to call me 30 minutes after our last phone call. You didn't, and I got a perfect update from your aide, Major Sebring. Has anyone attempted to come out of the 'Bear Pit', at the entrance?"

"If anyone did, he's dead. We had 30s pointing in there, and the 'Rules of Engagement' were, 'If it moves, kill it.' I'm sure those gunners had no problem following that order."

"Do you know how the people in the field are getting their orders now?"

"I would suspect just like our guys are getting it from me; through a central communication system."

"Do you think you could get one of their headsets, and have one of your techies find their frequency so you can home in on it. I'd like to talk to their head guy, person to person."

"Lucius, you got thrown out of the Army for talking to people person to person."

"I got thrown out of the Army, because I refused to call general's, like you, to the stand. I refused to air the Army's dirty laundry to the press, and therefore to the world at large. I could have called three four-star generals, several three-star, and a couple of two and one star generals to the stand. They would've backed me up for what I did. They would have told the judges how many soldiers I saved, because of how timely the information I sent them was that changed operational decisions. I did in the field what the CIA did behind closed doors.

The mass graves I found, the ones that wound up on the front pages of newspapers all over the world, I never took credit for it. I let the big guys get it. They owed me big time, and I never collected."

"I'm sorry Lucius, I didn't know. I just read the transcripts, and thought you were rogue. I got my Star when I was in the Philippines, and never was assigned to that damn place. I knew it was a disaster from the beginning, just like it always is when it comes to ethnic situations. Why is it always us that has to clean house?"

"When you find an answer for that sir, tell me about it."

"I will have your headset in 10 minutes. My techies will take it apart in 30. We will home in on it signal, as soon as our helicopters are available."

"Keep me advised general, call me in 30."

***********************

And then they came, just as the Colonel said they would. The dump trucks lined up nose to tail along the street, and left their engines running.

The 50 caliber machine guns, hidden in the graceful mounds of earth, and flowerbeds, 200 yards left and right of the house, fired at these behemoths, keeping the men inside them from raising their heads, and firing their weapons at the main house.

The drivers never saw the bulbous discs, lying in the roadway, nor were they aware they were dead, microseconds after these discs exploded, destroying the trucks, and the men inside them.

Fear went through the hearts of the men who were scheduled to follow up the initial attack. They were expecting to go into a house that was in shambles, but this house was still intact. Someone extremely smart was protecting it, and that someone was probably Patricia Valentino. They knew her history. They knew she worked for the FBI, and they knew she took down the hierarchy of the five families of the New York mob. She was someone to be feared, and she just showed them she had not lost her touch.

Their leader said, "Valentino is only one person. We can see her driveway from here. There is nothing on it but the gravel the cars drove up on yesterday. It has not been disturbed during the night. We have gone over the videos to verify that. Drive your trucks onto the grass and get onto that driveway as soon as possible. Fire your weapons as you do so. She will probably take her family down to the safe room. She does not realize we have a method to open that door. Our friend has purchased the company who made it. He has told us how to beat the system.

Once we are inside, we will kill her husband immediately, and then threaten every other person there until she gives us access to her computers. We will transfer everything that's on there to our friends, and once it's verified by them, we will kill them all.

We were paid well to do this job, let's get it done."

They were down to 56 men, because of the loss of the men in the dump trucks. However, they felt heartened by the speech of their leader, and were prepared to charge the house in their open back trucks.

The leader forgot to take into consideration many things, but the most obvious was the two 50 caliber machine guns, located to the left and right of the driveway. It appeared the Colonel was right again. They were not dealing with a soldier, or a man who was the brightest lightbulb in the package."

The drivers started their trucks. The men checked their weapons, took off the safeties, and prepared for a bumpy ride.

Inside the garage, two windows opened, and the snouts of two more 50 caliber machine guns poked out.

Inside the house, four windows were raised. The first and the fourth window had the two Gatling guns connected to electrical outlets, and were loaded with a belt of 8000 rounds of ammunition. It also had a bag on the opposite side for the spent casings to fall into. It was much easier than picking the casing up one at a time later.

The two center windows contained 'SAW's. (Squad Assault Weapons) They would only use these if anyone survived the massive assault by the other weapons.

Paul knew this was not going to be a fair fight.

The drivers drove like maniacs off the paved street, and onto the grass. The first truck hit a contact mine, as it veered back towards the driveway. The explosion knocked the tiny truck into the air, twisting it, igniting the gasoline in the fuel tank. This caused it to explode a second time, as it was on the way down.

The machine and all the men in, and on it were dead.

The second truck attempted to stop, but slid sideways on the grass, until it set off a Claymore mine. The thousands of ball bearings inside, exploded in an arc of 160 degrees, killing everything, and everyone in their path.

The explosive inside the Claymore flipped the over, like a playing card. The fuel on board was ignited, and the end came quickly, when the secondary explosion occurred.

Seeing the carnage in front of them, the other trucks stopped and tried to maneuver their way back to the street and safety. This was not to be.

The 50 caliber machine guns from the garage, and from the flowerbeds opened up with a furious assault on the men and the trucks they were riding in. They started in on the truck closest to the street, until it to exploded, blocking the exit.

The men in the three remaining trucks jumped out, and ran for the cover of the forest. They were cut down summarily. The trucks they were riding in were also dispatched.

The assault on the Valentino household was over in 11 minutes and 37 seconds. 83 foreign nationals were dead. 6 dump trucks littered Dix Hills Road. 7 small open back trucks lay destroyed on the northern most portion of Stephano, and Patricia Valentino's driveway.

Patty had to make a phone call.

"Sam, it's Patty, it's all over. All the bad guys are dead. We have about 90 of them scattered on my lawn. Tell the owners of these vehicles that they were destroyed in a fire. They will be replaced at no cost to them."

Sam Meister asked, "Do you think this is finally the end of the Patty?"

"Sam, you and I have been friends for so long, I can't lie to you. There are three men that are still out there, unaccounted for. We don't know what trouble they can, or will try to cause, or where they can cause it. Until they are found, and brought to justice, I just don't know. South Carolina is still in play. The Colonel gave control of this operation to Paul, because the attack down there was more problematic than up here."

"Patty, I'm glad you, and your people are okay. I will send my trucks and my people there to clean up the human mess. Every crematory in the area is going to be busy for the next few days."

"Make sure the owners know to keep quiet, and they will be handsomely paid. If they say a word they will be out of business, for one reason or another."

"They have already been warned, by me, to keep their mouths closed about what was happening, or their businesses would be inspected constantly for any and every infraction under the law."

"Thanks Sam, you are good and dear friend."

"Thank you Patty, who else keeps my entire police force on the east side of town, looking for an escaped convict, where there is none; while on the west side of our town, there is a war going on."

"I wanted to make sure no one got hurt Sam. I couldn't have lived with that. Why don't you bring the family over a week from Saturday for dinner? I'll make a lasagna for you."

"I'd crawl on my knees to get there for one of your lasagna's. Thanks for the invitation Patty, we will be there."

"Be here at 6, dinner will be served at 6:42."

"Only you would be so exact."

"You can't break the habit of a lifetime. Goodbye Sam."

"Stay safe Patty."

*****************

"A rough count, from our cameras, looks like they got 500, or more through the fences general."

"Persistent bastards aren't they. Well it's daylight, and we know this ground better than they do. Let's go flush them out, and kill them."

"General, I'm sorry, but I disagree again. Let them come to us. We are in strong defensive positions, and we know what they're after. We also know they did not bring any food or water with them, because they were expecting a quick victory. As the day goes on, this is in our favor. We know where our water sources are; all we have to do is turn them off."

"No Major, I'm going to use our helicopters to keep them pinned down, and bring our troops up to get them. There is a time for defense, and then there is a time for offense. Now it's time to kick some tail. See if they have repaired Huey, yet"

"Roger that Sir."

Major Sebring went to communications, but didn't call aviation repair, he called Lucius

"What's happening Major? How much trouble could he get into in 20 minutes."

"He wants to go on the offensive Colonel. He wants to pull our men out of our defensive positions, and go after 500 men using our helicopters as cover. If he pulls half of our men out of defense, that still gives the opposition a 5 to 1 advantage over us. I think he's gone over the edge, because of what you did to the Southern Force using construction equipment, the helicopters, and the 80 men that blocked their retreat. He has 360 prisoners of war, and he thinks he's going to get a medal for it. He forgot he was kicked out of the Air Force, because he had an affair."

"That's his problem Major, he was never a ground warrior. He was always looking at things from above, never from the ground. Let me talk to him."

"You know he's going to fire my ass, don't you?"

"You led troops in battle adventure before Major, haven't you?"

"Three tours in Iraq, and two in Afghanistan."

"You have one more tour left in you, and it's at the front of the building site. When he kicks you out of the communications area, that's where I want you. Keep a satellite phone with you, so we can keep in contact with one another."

"I'll be there Colonel. Let me hand him the phone, so you can yell at him, and he can yell at me."

**************

"General, Huey could be as much as two more hours. They are still working on the oil, and fuel lines. Colonel Canyon would like to speak with you."

"Did you call that little bastard, because you disagreed with my decision?"

"As a ground officer sir, it was the dumbest decision I've ever heard of."

"Major get your ass out of here, and get on the firing line. Let's see if your bravado is as good as your thinking, when you're being shot at."

"I'm used to being shot at sir, are you?"

"Get your ass out of here now."

"What do you want Lucius?"

"I want to be 3 ½ feet from you, so I can kick your ass general. 5 to 1 odds and you want to go on the offensive? If you had five airplanes, and the enemy had 50, would you attack? Would you be the leader of that formation, or would you be sitting on your ass, in your office, and send some young lieutenant out there to die for you. You are a fucking moron. You are an Air Force Officer looking to bomb a target. You've never seen anyone die close-up, general. It's not fun to see another man have his guts blown out, when he is standing 3 feet from you.

You must not attack. You must stay in your defensive positions, and make sure everyone has five times the ammunition than standard munition requirements. That's how the Army defends against 5 to 1 odds. It's not one bullet one kill. Sometimes it's not five bullets one kill. You have to protect the building site!

Nothing Else Matters, but those two boy's inside that building site, and they are your responsibility general.

Are you sure you want to go traipsing around the property, and leave those two boys unguarded? How long do you think it would take the enemy to realize those boys are not at the bottom of the spacecraft, or hiding anyplace else on the surface? They will go upstairs, and see those stasis boxes stacked in neat little rows. They may use them as target practice, not realizing who's inside them. They may yell and tell them that's what they're about to do. Do you think a 15-year-old boy has the courage to stay quiet, knowing his 12-year-old brother is lying next to him, and is going to die in the next minute? I don't, I'd want to save him. How about you?"

"Lucius, I always said you were a pain in the ass. Okay we stay in our defensive positions. I'll make sure everyone has five times the amount of ammunition they're supposed to. Should they have anything else as back up, there's no reason saving anything for tomorrow, if there is not going to be a tomorrow."

"Give them hand grenades, RPG's, Bouncing Betty's, anything that will slow down the enemy's advance. The slower the enemy moves, the more time you have to kill him."

"I'll bet you that's a line from your book."

"It's the opening line on the preface page."

"You are some piece of work Lucius. I never read your book, because as you said, "I am an Air Force Officer, and troop movements never concerned me."

"They should have General; because its' the guys on the ground that win the wars greedy people start."

THE END

DARK AS DAYLIGHT

Chapter 11

BY

Prolonged_Debut10

Note: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get to you. I had a particularly bad time this past few weeks, and was unable to concentrate on anything but myself. Thanks for understanding, and staying with me, as this journey winds down. Bob/Prolonged_Debut10