Fire Defender

by Rodney Hartman

  This is silly, Tess thought as she sat down next to Alec. We’re just doing homework. Despite her self-admonition, she felt her chest and neck grow warm when the worn cushion sunk toward the center of the couch, causing her right leg and hip to touch the boy’s. She felt herself grow even warmer as his body heat passed through her clothing. What’s wrong with me? she wondered. Glancing out the corner of her eye, Tess thought Alec’s cheeks were turning a little pink.

  “Uh…I,” said Alec turning to look at her before growing silent.

  Their faces were only inches apart. Alec’s brown eyes caught a glint of sunlight from the front window, revealing flecks of gold. Tess was suddenly tempted to brush a stray lock of his dark hair away from where it was threatening to fall across his left eye but forced her hand to stay at her side.

  “I, uh…,” said Alec as he stared into her eyes.

  Who moved first, Tess didn’t know, but their lips began drawing closer together as if drawn by an unseen force.

  “Do either of you want a glass of tea?” said Grandma from the kitchen doorway holding a tray with a pitcher and two glasses.

  Jerking back, Tess felt her face redden.

  Alec sat up straight as well. “Uh, yeah, Grandma,” he said looking at his grandmother. “I, uh, I think tea would be nice.” He glanced back at Tess, quickly leaning forward to stare at the computer screen. “Uh, Grandma grew up in the south, so I hope you like it sweet.”

  “Sweet is fine,” Tess said also growing suddenly interested in the computer screen. “I, uh, I spent a lot of time in Texas growing up.”

  Grandma set the glasses and pitcher on the coffee table. “Now, you kids take your time studying. I’ll be right there in the kitchen.” She winked at Tess. “I wouldn’t want anything to interrupt your studies. I’ve no doubt you’re both eager to get started on your project.”

  “We are, Grandma,” said Alec staring at the computer screen even harder. “Thanks for the tea.” Once his grandmother left, he said, “I, uh… Well, I’m sorry.”

  “About what?” Tess said trying to make the question sound innocent. She glanced out the corner of her eye enough to see the boy’s cheeks grow a dark pink. “Uh, maybe we should get started; on the project, I mean. I really do have to be leaving for work soon.”

  Nodding his head, Alec pulled up the project outline on his computer and they both got to work. Things went well, and they’d just finished what they needed to do when Grandma called out from the kitchen, “Supper’s ready!”

  The meal was simple, but there was a lot of it. By the time Tess stabbed her fork into the last bit of pot roast on her plate and shoved the savory meat into her mouth, she was stuffed.

  “More, dear?” asked Grandma holding out a platter of meat and vegetables to Tess.

  “No way, ma’am,” Tess said raising her hands in protest. “Really. I couldn’t eat another bite. It was delicious though. Looks like you’ll be eating leftovers the rest of the week.”

  Alec’s grandma smiled. “Oh, not me, dear. I eat like a bird when no one else is here. I’m dividing this up and keeping half for Alec. The rest is going with you.”

  “Thanks, Grandma, but I couldn’t—” Tess started.

  “Don’t bother trying to get out of it, Tess,” laughed Alec. “Once Grandma says something, it’s written in stone. When you get home, you can toss it in the trash if you want, but believe me, it’s going home with you.”

  The last thing Tess had in mind was throwing the delicious food in the trash. Beats cold leftover pizza any day, she thought.

  Despite a couple more weak protests, it quickly became evident Alec was right. Before long, Tess found herself in the mudroom pulling on her boots with one hand while holding a sack filled with plastic bowls of pot roast and all the trimmings. Once her boots were on, Tess looked back through the doorway into the kitchen at Alec’s grandmother cutting a large slice of pie and placing it into a plastic container.

  “Uh, Grandma,” Tess said. “How do I get your bowls back to you? Do you want me to give them to Alec at school?”

  “Nonsense,” said Grandma turning around and carrying the container of pie to the mudroom. “Alec and I always have a nice Sunday dinner after I get out of church. Why don’t you stop by after you get out of church? You can eat with us and bring the bowls then.”

  Tess had a momentary vision of herself riding up to one of the local churches on her motorcycle with the engine roaring. She smiled. Somehow the image didn’t fit. “I don’t want to impose, Grandma,” she said. “Besides, I don’t go to church.”

  “Don’t go to church,” said Grandma as she handed her another sack with the container of pie. “Well, we’re just going to have to work on that, aren’t we? Then maybe between the two of us, we can get Alec involved back in church. Now that he’s a big football star, he thinks he doesn’t—”

  “Grandma, please,” said Alec turning red once again. “I told you I stay up Saturdays studying. I have to sleep in late on Sundays. It’s the only day I get to rest.”

  “Ha,” said Grandma giving Tess a wink. “He thinks I’m too old to know what he means by studying on Saturday night. He forgets I was young once too. That’s all right. I always say you give kids a solid foundation, and they’ll come back sooner or later.”

  Tess looked back and forth between Alec and his grandmother. She got the feeling the two had discussed the subject more than once.

  Grandma looked away from Alec and gave Tess another wink. “Anyway, dinner’s at two on Sunday. I’ll expect you here then, dear. We’re having fried chicken, and there isn’t anyone in the county who makes fried chicken better ’n yours truly.”

  “Uh…,” Tess said wondering how she’d gotten into this. She liked Alec and his grandmother, but things were moving a little too fast. She was well outside her comfort zone. “There’s my dad. I couldn’t leave—”

  “Bring him with you,” said Grandma. “There’s always plenty.”

  Tess heard Alec sigh. When she looked at him, he gave her a grin.

  “I told you what happens when her mind’s made up, Tess.”

  Admitting defeat, Tess said, “All right, Grandma. I’ll be here, but it’ll just be me. Dad’s, uh… Well, he likes to hang around the house on Sundays.”

  “Then I’ll see you at two on Sunday,” said Grandma holding out her right hand. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, young lady.”

  Tess reached out with her right hand as she held her bag of goodies up with her left. “Believe me, the pleasure’s been all—”

  As soon as her right hand grasped the old woman’s, a shock ran up the length of Tess’s arm. The shock didn’t hurt as much as it surprised her. Jerking her hand away, she dropped her bag of leftovers on the floor. One of the plastic lids came off, spraying brown gravy and vegetables onto the mudroom floor. Tess ignored the spilled food. A flash of blue on Grandma’s right ring finger drew her attention. For the barest instant, she glimpsed a dull-silver ring with a blue gem on the old woman’s finger, then the ring vanished. Looking at the old woman’s face, Tess opened her mouth to apologize. As soon as she saw Grandma’s wide-eyed expression, she closed her mouth and followed the woman’s gaze straight to her own right hand.

  Staring at her own ring finger, Tess looked at the dull-silver ring. The ring’s yellow gem was shining brighter than she’d ever seen it. It’s almost as if she can see my ring, she thought. That’s impossible. No one can see it except me.

  “Grandma; Tess,” said Alec in a high-pitched voice. “Are you all right? What’s wrong?”

  “Oh dear,” said the old woman as she took a step back and stared at the right ring finger of her own hand. “It can’t be now. I’m old. I never…” Grandma’s voice trailed off to nothing as she raised both hands to her mouth and continued staring at Tess’s right hand. The old woman took another step back and staggered.

  “Grandma, are you okay?” said Alec as he reached out to steady her.

  Guiding the old woman back
into the kitchen, he helped her into the captain’s chair at the end of the table. She didn’t resist. Unsure what to do, Tess followed them inside feeling helpless and very confused. She saw Alec point at the sink on the far wall of the kitchen.

  “Get a glass of water,” he said.

  Grateful for something to do, Tess ran the four steps to the kitchen sink and grabbed a clean glass from the drying rack. As she filled the glass from the faucet, she glanced through the double window over the sink and noticed a black SUV pulling slowly past the home’s gravel drive. She could just make out a man in a dark suit with his cellphone pointed at the farmhouse. The man seemed to notice her at the window and then pulled the cellphone back in the passenger window as the vehicle sped up, driving rapidly back up the street.

  Water overflowing from the glass’s rim brought Tess back to her senses. Shutting off the water, she dumped the excess out of the glass and hurried back to the table. Alec took the glass from her, raising it to his grandmother’s lips. As soon as he did, the dazed look on Grandma’s face vanished. She pushed his hand away.

  “I’m not sick, and I’m sure as hell not thirsty,” said Grandma. “I was just a little surprised, that’s all.”

  “A little?” said Alec. “I thought you were having a heart attack or something.”

  The old woman gave a half-hearted smile. “Not hardly. I’m probably healthier than you, young man. I was just surprised.”

  The old woman shifted her gaze to Tess. “How long have you had your ring?”

  Tess felt her eyes widen. “My ring?”

  “Yes,” said Grandma. “Your ring. I felt it. I saw it. I know you saw and felt mine as well. How long?”

  * * *

  A mile down the road, Cynthia turned the SUV onto a dirt trail leading into a thick set of trees. She shut the engine off and looked at her companion. “You made it too obvious. The girl saw you. I told you to be discreet.”

  “Relax,” said Mick. “She didn’t see anything. I was just taking a picture. It fits in with our cover story.”

  Cynthia stared at the big man long enough that he turned and looked out the window.

  After a few seconds, Mick turned back to look at her. “You’re right. I should’ve kept my arm inside. I don’t know what the big deal is though. Seems to me we’re wasting our time and talents watching some old lady and her kid. What’s this all about anyway?”

  “Questions can get you in trouble,” Cynthia said knowing full well she’d almost crossed the line the previous night with Colonel Harrison. “You might get answers you’d be better off not knowing. As it is, I asked the colonel the real reason we’re here.”

  Mick stared at her. “And?”

  “Are you sure you want to know?”

  Mick nodded, looking less than certain but nodding anyway.

  “Very well, but once I tell you, there’s no going back. Three of the colors are on their way to take charge of the operation. You’ve never worked with them. Believe me, you don’t want to make any mistakes when they’re around. They aren’t on the forgiving side.”

  A drop of sweat rolled down Mick’s forehead.

  Good, Cynthia thought. He’s heard stories. That may help keep him in line.

  Mick wiped the drop of sweat away. “Uh, so what do we do now? I mean, if the girl tells the others about our vehicle, they’ll be on the watch for black SUVs, won’t they? Should we ditch this for something else?”

  Cynthia shook her head. “No. For one thing, it would be best not to let the colonel know we might have drawn suspicion. At best, he’d have us leave and reassign us to another operation. This is where we need to be. Something big is going down, and I want to be in on it.”

  “How are we supposed to follow the old lady and the kid if they’re looking out for our car?”

  Cynthia smiled. “You’re new. The colonel gave me free rein on using assets. We’re going to use some of them tonight.”

  “What assets?”

  Cynthia laughed. “You’ll see. You might not like what you see, but you’ll see nonetheless. In the meantime, try to be more discreet.”

  Chapter 10 – Two Rings

  _______________________

  Alec glanced back and forth between Tess and his grandmother. They both seemed to be staring at each other’s right hands. He looked at their hands as well. Neither of the women was wearing a ring. His grandmother wasn’t even wearing her wedding band. He’d seen her place it in her jewelry box after his grandfather’s funeral five years earlier.

  “What rings?” Alec asked feeling left out of the conversation. “What are you talking about?”

  Tess looked at him before looking back at his grandmother. “You can see my ring?”

  “Not now,” admitted Grandma, “but I saw it when our rings touched. How long have you had it?”

  Alec turned his attention to Tess. She no longer looked the part of a tough girl. He thought her eyes looked more like a scared rabbit’s and half expected her to turn and run.

  “Sit, dear,” said Grandma. When Tess didn’t move, Grandma pointed at an empty spot on the bench opposite Alec. “Please.”

  A little reluctantly, Tess took a seat. Alec tried to catch her eye, but she only had eyes for his grandmother.

  “Believe me, dear,” said Grandma, “this is as big of a shock to me as it is to you. My ring’s been in my family for nigh on two hundred years. I thought it would be for another two hundred. I thought there would be time to—”

  “What ring?” Alec broke in, unable to stand it any longer.

  Grandma gave him the knowing smile she used to give him as a young child when she was pulling a fast one on him. She twisted at her right ring finger with her left hand just as he’d seen her do so often in the past. This time she pulled down on her right finger. As soon as the fingers of her left hand were clear of her right, he saw a flash of silver and blue. As he watched, she deposited a dull-silver ring with a single blue stone onto the table.

  Alec stared at the ring. The blue gem seemed to glow in the kitchen’s florescent overhead light.

  “This ring, Grandson.”

  “I-I don’t understand,” Alec said. “Where’d you get that? You didn’t have it a second ago.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Grandson. I’ve had it for over sixty years. My great-grandmother had it before me, and her great-grandmother before her. I was hoping to give it to your child one day, but—”

  “My child?” Alec said latching onto the words. “I’m not even married.”

  Grandma gave a nervous laugh. “No, you’re not. I thought I still had years. I thought my task was just to care for the ring ’til I passed it on, until it was needed some time far in the future. I thought… I thought that time would be long after I was gone from this old Earth.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I was wrong.”

  Glancing away from the ring on the table, Alec looked at Tess. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”

  Tess looked less frightened now. She shook her head, sending blonde hair across her face. Brushing the strands away with her left hand, she stared at her ring finger. As far as Alec could tell, her finger was unadorned. After his grandmother’s trick with her ring, he wasn’t quite as sure of Tess’s lack of jewelry as he normally would have been. He stared hard at Tess’s finger but still saw nothing.

  “So, you’re telling me that you don’t know what Grandma’s talking about?” Alec repeated hoping to prod the girl into saying something.

  Looking up into his eyes, Tess said nothing for several seconds. Then she nodded her head and tugged at her right ring finger with her left hand. Alec saw a flash of silver and yellow. Moving her left hand over the table top, Tess gently deposited a dull-silver ring with a yellow gem next to his grandmother’s ring. The two rings seemed to draw closer to each other. Alec blinked his eyes. The rings were still the same distance apart.

  “They’re identical except for the color of the gems,” Alec said. “How?”

  “
No,” said Grandma. “They’re not the same. Look at the bands.”

  Bending lower to see the gray bands, Alec noticed intricate engravings on each. The designs extended all the way around the bands.

  “It looks like drawings of shields on your ring, Grandma,” Alec said as he continued staring at the rings. “I can’t quite make out the design on Tess’s.”

  “They’re flames,” said Tess. “It took me a while to figure them out, but once I did, it’s easy to see.”

  As Tess spoke, Alec began to see the curvy lines as flames. The more he stared, the clearer the design became. “So…you’ve both got similar rings. Are you trying to tell me you’ve both been wearing them all along?” He looked at Grandma. “Is that why I’ve seen you twisting at your finger sometimes? I noticed Tess doing the same thing at the library.”

  “Bad habit, I guess,” said Grandma. “The shield design is on the inside of my ring as well as the outside. It itches sometimes. Moving the ring around helps give me a little relief.”

  “Same here,” admitted Tess staring at the two rings. “I guess I’ll have to be more careful in the future. The ring was my mom’s. It’s all I’ve got to remember her by.”

  Alec watched his grandmother reach out and gently take Tess’s hand.

  “Didn’t your mother explain the ring before she gave it to you, dear?” asked Grandma.

  Shaking her head, Tess picked up her ring with one hand. She held it in front of her face and stared at it for several seconds. Alec noticed her eyes turn shiny, but no tears escaped.

  “When I was nine,” said Tess in a whisper so low both Alec and his grandmother had to lean forward to hear, “my parents and I were on a charter flight to Dallas. Some kind of business trip for my dad, I think. I fell asleep. Sometime during the flight, I woke and looked out the cabin window. I saw…something on the plane’s wing tearing at the engine.” She shook her head as if coming out of a dream and looked at Alec before turning her attention to Grandma. “I don’t know what it was. I was only nine. I remember it was big and had wings kind of like a bat’s. It looked at me. It…” She shivered. “Anyway, I remember seeing smoke and fire coming out of the right wing. The plane began spinning. Somehow the pilot leveled the aircraft. Dad was in the cockpit helping. I remember looking out the window and seeing the ground real close. There were a lot of rocks and brush. Mom grabbed my right hand and shoved this ring onto my finger. The last words she ever said to me were ‘Never take this off.’” Tess turned away from Grandma and stared at the ring for a couple of seconds before looking at Alec. “I haven’t until now.”