“Here's the very bad part of this story. Unbeknownst to anyone, including me, they've had a network of some sort already embedded here on Earth. It's turning out to be much more extensive than we first thought. Sam, I'm sorry to say that the attack that claimed Angela was orchestrated by them. You were the intended target, which is probably the only truth you were ever told. On the surface it seems to be a retaliation for what happened to their operative. Colin is still investigating if there's an ulterior motive behind it because he's convinced they wouldn't be so reckless.”
“We had no idea they were already here,” Susan continued as she gently rubbed Sam's shoulder.
“Are you working with Blanchard?” Sam asked Susan.
“No, she's with me,” Neil replied. “Sam, Susan is rather special. Not even Merrill knows about who she really is. She came to us when she was nine years old, sent by that hidden race who maintains a small network on Earth. We call them The Watchers. They reached out to me while I was part of a secret fact-finding committee back in 1982. It was arranged for one of them to be inconspicuously placed near me - a nine-year-old orphaned niece who wouldn't draw too much attention. My wife and I raised her, but kept her at a private boarding school throughout her high school years. It was to keep her out of sight and give her exposure to our culture while she slowly assumed her Watcher duties.”
Sam turned to Susan with a bewildered expression. “You're not from Earth?”
“Sort of explains a lot, huh?” Susan answered with a bemused grin.
“Sam,” Neil continued, “I worked with your father. We were part of that secret committee back in '82. After he and your mother died, I took it on myself to watch out for you. I made sure you made it through college, got your first job, and even helped set you up with your old housemates. How do you think you guys found that nice rental house in Lexington? To be honest, I had hoped that you would've attached yourself to that church group more than you did.”
Neil paused as he shared a smile with Susan. “I put Susan in your life to help keep an eye on you. I also arranged for your name to pop out in the Blanchard recruiting system. You scored pretty high in their screening criteria, but I tweaked it a bit to make you stand out enough to make the list. Only a little bit, though. So you see, Sam, you've been part of this for a lot longer than you realize. But I had no idea you'd end up playing such a pivotal role so soon.”
Sam sat in stunned silence. Susan gently rubbed his shoulder.
“Colin, let's let them have a minute. We need to talk with Laura.”
Neil and Colin left the room. Sam continued to sit in a silent funk with Susan. After a minute, he finally turned to her.
“How much of it was real between us?”
Susan gave him a warm smile. “Hardly any of it was an act. Neil considered it a miracle how we got along so well.”
“What are you, exactly?”
Susan laughed. “Totally human, with a little adjusting. I was nineteen when I was chosen to come to Earth. Most of my life before that was spent in sort of an education convent where we studied the histories of all the races, including Earth.”
“Didn't Neil say that you were nine when you came here?”
“Before I started my assignment with Neil, I went through an age regression procedure. I was reset back to a nine year-old girl.”
“So, you're saying you're actually over ten years older than me?”
Susan laughed again. “Yeah, surprise. I went through a procedure that manipulated my genetic code. Not only did I have to become younger, but they needed to make subtle changes to my appearance so I'd fit in better here. Only slight changes, because we really don't look much different to begin with.”
“So you can live longer?”
“Not really. It's a technology that my people restricted many years ago because we lost control of it. Far too many tried to extend their lives past what the human brain could endure. Then there were the horrible physical side effects of multiple age resets. Our leaders severely limited its use.”
“But it worked for you, right?”
“Yeah, but resetting someone back before puberty can be exceptionally dangerous. I was put into stasis for three months while they made the adjustments. When I woke up, I was nine again. I was lucky that I came through it with minimal complications. I'll tell you, it sucked that I had to go through puberty twice. The second time hit a bit later than the first, probably as a side-effect. My physical characteristics are a bit off too. I got gypped. The last time I was nineteen, I was a bit taller and had a few more curves. That's why I'm kinda sensitive about that, as you've probably noticed.”
“You've always looked fine to me.”
Susan smiled and put her hand back on his shoulder. “You were always so nice to me about that.”
“What about things you told me, like Jeremy?”
“That really happened. Even though I was technically older, Jeremy and I shared a strong bond because we were both outsiders who couldn't quite fit in. I knew why I was different, but he had a harder time. I was happy to help him through it, but it almost tore me apart watching him die from something my people could easily cure.”
Sam sighed. “What about you and me?”
“I really meant everything I said to you, Sam. You are my Jeremy. You are the closest friend I have, and probably ever had. I hope the truth behind why I'm here doesn't make things too awkward for us now that I've ruined my little sister image.”
“Well, it's going to take some time to get used to.”
“Sam, I really want things to be good between us.”
“Well, I still see the same Sues I've always known. You’re still my best friend. We'll just have to take things as they come.”
Susan smiled. “Fair enough.”
“Will you have anymore side effects from this procedure?”
“Side effects usually present within five years of a reset. And no, I don't have any special super-powers or anything. I'm a bit smarter, but I'm really no different than anyone else. My periods come every month and I suffer through PMS like any other woman. What you see is what you get.”
Sam smirked. “I really didn't need to know all those details.”
Susan laughed. “Got you again. I always love to see that wonderful, perplexed expression.”
“How long will you stay?”
“You're stuck with me for a while. Probably for good. Most in The Watcher program stay here their entire lives. It's mainly because they don't want to go back. Our cultures are very different, so adjusting back after a long-term stay can be an issue. They also prefer that we stay because of the risk of bringing back diseases they may have no resistance against. Of course they could always come up with immunizations, but that would mean everyone would have to be immunized for something only one of us brought back. It makes it a little impractical.”
“I never would've thought of those things.”
“My people have been doing this for a while.”
“So, who's this race that's been coming here to make trouble for us?”
“We know very little about them.”
“Seriously? I thought your people were supposed to be on top of stuff like this.”
“Sam, the number of nations and races in my old neighborhood is over twice that of Earth. And when I talk about my old neighborhood, it's not just one planet. It's dozens of planets and numerous artificial colonies. It's hard to keep track of them all. Some aren't even aware of each other. We're still the only ones who have comprehensive knowledge of the human race in both regions of the galaxy.”
“That's pretty mind-blowing.”
“You wanted a peek down the rabbit hole. Welcome to Wonderland, Sam.”
“I hope it doesn’t involve any more kidnappings. I'm only good for one save.”
Susan sighed. “If Carlos had known what he really had, I probably wouldn't be here talking to you.”
“How did he get involved in this?”
“I have no idea. It
was a total surprise for me, too, but something was really off about him.”
“You think?” Sam cynically retorted. “It's like he was someone else. It scared the shit out of me.”
“I'm thinking it could be some sort of psychotropic drug indoctrination. It's something that would make him susceptible to recruitment and usually presents as an extreme personality change.”
“That's my thought, “ Neil said from the entryway. “Sorry to rush things, but it sounded like you two got things straightened out.”
“We're cool,” Susan concluded with a big grin.
“But if Carlos was brainwashed, why did he change his mind and let us go?” Sam asked.
“Psychotropic drug regiments aren't foolproof,” Susan explained. “It's possible for strong emotional attachment to selectively override the effects.”
“Selectively? How does that work?”
“Hey, even our technologies aren't perfect. The human brain is far more complex than even our best scientists understand.”
“We need to get everyone moving,” Neil said and turned to Susan. “Colin is going to take you and Laura home. He'll assign extra protection, but I think you're both going to be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Sam anxiously asked.
“Sam, they caught us by surprise, but Colin's prepared now. If he says it'll be safe, then you don't need to worry.”
Susan rose with Sam and gave him a hug, followed by a kiss on his cheek. “Goodnight, my hero. We'll talk later.”
“Sam, Hank and Eva will take you back to your apartment and stay with you. Colin's people have already made a sweep and it's clear. We'll be in touch, probably tomorrow morning.” Neil paused and looked to make sure Susan was gone. “Thank you again for going after her. She's very precious to me.”
“To me, too.”
* * *
“So, we ride again,” Hank joked to Sam as they drove back to his apartment. “Oh, and by the way, the strong quiet one here is my new partner, Eva Castilo.”
“Nice to meet you, Eva.”
“Yeah,” Eva grunted.
“Don't take it personal, kid. Eva's just an insufferable bitch since she got demoted to ground-pounding duties.” Hank paused and glanced to Eva. “But she's been behaving. You guys actually ran across each other before.”
“When?” Sam asked.
“Eva's a pilot. She was flying that fighter-jet the day we got shot down.” Hank glanced over to her as she turned away. “She's just a bit pissed at you over what happened that day.”
“What did I do?”
“You want to tell him?” Hank prodded Eva.
“Bite me,” Eva snapped.
“How can you possibly hold that against him?”
“Hold what against me?” Sam asked.
“Kid, you're the only one on Earth who's bagged an EC,” Hank explained in a taunting tone aimed at Eva. “Eva's a little jealous of that. You see, she's a highly trained air jockey; one of the best out there who can drive just about any fast-mover. Used to be real good with eagles and lawn darts. She's logged a lot of hours on the most advanced fighter-jet ever made, slinging the most sophisticated ordnance any military has ever seen.”
“Shit ordnance,” Eva corrected.
“Point taken,” Hank agreed. “But in the end, some rookie desk jockey who wasn’t even part of The Initiative was handed an idiot stick and took down the first EC with one lucky shot. That would be with a simple, fucking bullet, mind you. Yeah, I'd say that's a whole lotta' suck for Eva to embrace.”
Eva said nothing as they pulled into the parking lot.
“Colin's team has already cleaned up,” Hank said as he pointed to an empty side parking lot.
“So soon?” Sam asked.
“You actually made it pretty easy,” Hank explained with a smile. “You made sure the body stayed in the car. All we had to do was to tow it and wash a little blood away from the pavement.”
“Did he have a family?”
“Let's not dwell on that right now,” Hank said as he parked the SUV. “I hope you have something good in the fridge. I'm a little hungry.”
“Probably best to order out for something.”
Hank shut off the engine and Eva turned to Sam. She held out the handgun she took from him earlier. “You might need this. Just keep the damn safety on and try not to accidentally shoot anyone.”
“Oh!” Hank blurted to Eva with a chuckle. “That was just cold.”
They got out, and after getting a wave from a shadow in a parked car, they carefully made their way up to Sam's apartment. Sam tucked his gun away as Hank slowly walked up the stairwell. At the top, he waved Sam and Eva up. Hank gestured for the keys and Sam tossed them over. Eva entered first and checked everything out before signaling Hank and Sam in.
“We're clear,” Eva said as Hank closed and locked the door.
Hank pulled out an electronic hand-held device and turned it on. “I'm going to sweep for bugs again, just to be sure.”
Sam and Eva walked into the living room as Hank went to work.
“Just so I don't accidentally shoot anyone,” Sam said to Eva as he handed his gun back to her. “Look, I'm really sorry if I made you angry.”
Eva took his gun and sat on the couch. “Oh, forget it. Hank's right, I'm just being a bitch. I'm just pissed off for being grounded.”
“Why did they ground you?”
“I belted the crew chief after I landed the day you got shot down. The little ass-wipe made a crack about missing my shot. God, I was in perfect position and had a solid lock when I fired. My fucking missile went weasel and almost took you out.”
“Weasel?”
“It means my missile lost its target lock after I fired it. It tried to reacquire, but you basically have to stay out of its way until it blows itself up. I swear those bastards were actually trying to lead it into your plane.”
“Thanks,” Sam replied with a cringe. “Yet another way I almost died that day.”
“It's the second time I've tried to shoot one down and whiffed.”
“Second time?”
“The first was a little over a year ago. We were still in the X99A prototype back then, so they wouldn't let me get in too close. I engaged at long range. Both missiles missed. One malfunctioned and prematurely detonated while the other streaked off until it self destructed. I heard it put on a nice show in the night sky. Sort of like a shooting star.”
“Shooting star? When did it happen?”
“The end of last June. I was vectoring in east high over the Green Mountains towards Boston before I took the shot.”
“Was that on the twenty-fifth?”
Eva straightened up a bit. “Yeah, it was.”
“No shit! I was star gazing with a friend that night in New Hampshire, and I think we were right under you. We heard what sounded like a clap of thunder, and then saw something that looked like a shooting star.”
Eva's expression dropped. “No fucking way! That would've been my first missile exploding.”
“Are you serious? It really was you up there?”
Eva leaned her head back. “Shit, it figures.”
“Yeah, but would you believe that the friend I was with that night was the same guy who kidnapped Sues tonight?”
Eva blurted a chuckle. “Christ, and I thought I had shitty luck.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sunday, July 23, 1995
Regal Apartments– Lowell, Massachusetts
Hank and Eva spent the night trading shifts to watch over Sam. They made their exit the next morning as Colin entered and made one last sweep for listening devices. Sam kept himself occupied by making some coffee.
“Are we in the clear?”
“Everything looks good,” Colin reported as he emerged from the bedroom. “You have to keep checking because some listening devices are designed to stay off until certain times to avoid detection. Others are activated by noise.”
“When's Neil coming?”
“He s
hould be here soon. My people will escort him up.”
Sam poured himself a cup of coffee. “Are you sure you don't want any?”
“No, I've had enough already.”
“What did you end up telling Laura?”
“The corporate espionage cover story, which is the same spiel Merrill gave you. It fits with what she overheard with Carlos last night.”
“Except that it hardly explains how Carlos got involved, right?”
“I think the cover story will still work for us. Just avoid talking to her about any details.”
“Did you know about Susan?”
“Not until Neil told me about her at your old place. I do remember her when she was younger, though. She was always a quiet, sweet little girl.”
Sam took a drink of his coffee. “What happened between Neil and Mr. Drake?”
“They were a great team at the beginning. Neil was the brains and Drake found ways to get it all done. Eventually, Neil started wondering how Drake was getting it all accomplished. Drake told him, and Neil didn't like the answers he heard. Neil's wife also got cancer around that time and didn't last long. Everything seemed to fall apart soon after that. Neil left and went Elvis on us. Not even the NSA could find him. I didn't hear a peep from him until you slipped me that note with his phone number.”
“Was Mr. Drake doing anything wrong?”
Colin paused and grimaced. “Nothing technically illegal, but he's very good at working the angles and pushing the limits. Neil always had a more simplistic definition of right and wrong. He's deeply religious and takes ethics seriously. When he left, Merrill took it pretty bad. He was convinced that religion had poisoned Neil's thinking, and swore never to trust anyone religious again.”
“So that explains it.”
“It's all a big shitty soap opera, if you ask me. If they weren’t so damn old, I'd lock them in a room with boxing gloves and let them beat each other senseless. They need to get it out of their systems if we're going to make the kind of progress that's needed. We need both of them back doing what each of them does best.”
The Initiative: In Harm's Way (Book One) Page 23
