by Darrell Bain
"Got it, I guess, but damn it all, are we never going to have any peace again?" Elaine said angrily.
"Yes. You will, I promise," Gene said. "In fact, Sammie, why don't you go back inside and move around some, make some noise so no one will suspect we're out here talking. Will you do that, please?"
"Okay, just tell me later what you talked about."
"We will."
Samantha cocked her head in a good imitation of how Shufus did when he was questioning something. She said nothing else, though, and went on inside.
Gene continued, "Neither Jennie nor I can tell you anything else for the moment for fear you'd let it slip accidentally, not that I know much anyway. Just hang in there and Jennie and I will do our best to take care of you and get you out of here as soon as possible."
"Suppose you can't, though?" Ronald said.
Gene smiled mirthlessly. "Jennie isn't the only one who has enough influence to get you to safety. I have a few contacts of my own, independent security specialists, like myself. I've already put in a call to three of them who owe me a favor and they should be arriving within a couple of days. One way or another the NSA isn't going to get its hands on you. You'd never see the light of day again if they did." His aura of disgust resembled that of a card player who had just lost a full house to a straight flush--or worse. Ronald's wasn't much better. Elaine looked scared and angry at the same time.
Samantha came back outside in time to hear Gene's last statement. She knew about the NSA but had no idea of how far it could reach or how ruthless it could be when it decided to perform certain actions.
"You and Jennie won't let them get us, will you, Gene?"
"Only over my dead body, Sammy," he said grimly.
"It would be over Shufus and Fussy's body, too. Anyone who tries to hurt any of us will have to deal with them. And Caw-Caw, too!"
Ronald looked closely at Gene's expression and approved, but it didn't completely satisfy him. "Gene... Jennie, Elaine and I realize, and have for some time that there's more going on than we know about. Our prime goal is protecting Sammie, though. Should we let her keep seeing Ray or stay home all the time? Or should we just get out of the house right now before those people come for her?"
"If she sees Ray, have him come here. I'll follow you whenever you have to go shopping or there's some other errand you have to run. I'd suggest that Sammie not attend any classes and that you and Elaine take her to work with you until I get some more help here or Jennie gets approval to bring you in.
Just a minute, Gene," Elaine said. "Not so fast. We need to think about this some more. I believe we need to know where we'd be going and what agency would be taking us in before we do anything. I don't want us jumping from the frying pan into the fire, so to speak."
"I wish I could tell you, but I can't," Jennie said. "In fact, I don't even know why my boss thinks Sammie is so important, although I hope to find out eventually. Right now it's above my pay grade, though. All I can tell you is that I trust him and believe he wants only the best for Sammie and for you two as well. I'm leaving here in a few minutes and if at all possible I hope to be back by tomorrow evening but it may be the day after. I'll have to talk to my boss in person. The NSA claims they've quit listening to our phone conversations but I don't trust them, not even with two way encryption of conversations."
"Give us until tomorrow evening," Ronald said. "We'll talk about it at work and have an answer for you by then. Is that okay with you, hon?" he looked to his wife.
She nodded but said nothing else for the moment.
Gene stood up to go, as did Jennie. Gene said, "As is, I believe we have some time before they'll do anything. All of you stay together, but go ahead with your normal activities. Either me, or my friends when they arrive, will be watching even though you probably won't see us. In the meantime, the sheriff told me he'd assign deputies to keep an eye on the house 24/7 despite me not being able to tell him why it's necessary. Anyway, go ahead and talk about it but we both strongly advise you to leave with us."
"We'll do that, but we want to know more, and the sooner the better."
"You will. I promise."
***
Samantha's "romance" with Ray had continued, but hadn't progressed much further. However, they had come to be thought of as a couple. That, in turn, precluded becoming involved with any of the other boys or young men from her classes, or those she had met in church on the infrequent occasions the family attended services. She knew that neither of her parents were particularly religious, but they felt that she should continue to be exposed to the more common religions as a bulwark against the hate-mongers like the ones who had yelled and cursed in front of their home in Lufkin. Even if she did want to break it off with Ray and pursue one of the others who she thought would be glad to step into his place, she didn't want to become involved with anyone else. Not when she knew they would be moving again soon.
She thought they were probably going to leave in the very near future. At night she could hardly sleep for wondering who Jennie worked for and where they would be going and what they would do when they got there. If nothing else, she thought, it kept her from worrying about the NSA minions who had bugged their home, including her own bedroom.
Her fifteenth birthday was a couple of months in the past and her body had continued its development. She was looking more like a young woman than a teen. She knew she attracted attention from males without even intending to. It gave her more confidence in herself but had done nothing to break the cycle she'd been in. The real high points of her life the last months were when Whit called on her to assist him, and her correspondence with Jennie, Betty and other friends on the internet.
She liked Jennie and had followed some of her advice concerning her studies, along with that of Dr. Summers and Whit. She had already moved beyond the local home-schooling environment and was taking first and second year college courses at accredited universities through the internet. Everything was going to change now. She could hardly wait.
***
"Mr. McAllister, you really need to get that family away from where they are now, and I mean soon," Jennie said firmly. "Whoever bugged their home is bound to notice that they aren't acting quite normally before long and decide to move in. In fact, they'll probably come for them soon regardless, now that they've bugged them. You know they won't be able to act normally, no matter how hard they try." She sat in an intimate corner of his office, across a coffee table from him. Her expression was grim enough to show how worried she was.
"I realize that, Jennie. In fact, the moment you told me their home was bugged I was convinced it was time. I really did want to wait until she was sixteen, at least, but I see now that it's not possible. In fact, there's someone here who's been after me to have her brought in." He smiled as if hiding a guilty secret. He was but it wouldn't be for long. As soon as Jennie was on her way he intended to call Juan in and tell him to get ready to meet the subject of his project. His most important project, that is. Samantha wasn't the only subject his attention was devoted to.
"Oh? Who might that be? And as far as that goes, can't you give me just a hint of something that might be useful in convincing them to come with Gene and I?"
He didn't know what to tell her. So far he hadn't allowed anyone who worked outside the confines of his little hidden part of the agency to see the videos and still didn't intend to. He knew he had to tell Jennie something, though. She deserved some specific reassurance, no matter if she couldn't be told the whole truth yet.
"The security of the nation comes before all else, Jennie, so you're going to have to stay curious a little longer. That's how important this is. Certainly Samantha is very important, but she isn't the only player in this project."
"So what do I tell them?"
He began rolling a pencil between his palms while he stared at a point somewhere above her head, giving Jennie some hope. When he looked down, he said, "You realize that you and your husband are going to be as much at
risk as Samantha and her parents until you all arrive safely here? Oh and congratulations, too. I'm happy for both of you."
"Thank you. Still, can you give me something to convince them? They were still undecided when I left. So why not make your happiness for us extend to making room for the family here? Quarters and all the amenities as well as jobs for Ron and Elaine. And... "
"Yes?"
"Could Gene and I possibly come in out of the cold and work here with Sammie? We both think the world of her, and her parents, too, for that matter."
He had to chuckle at her anxiety despite how serious she was. "Alright, Jennie, you win. You and Gene bundle them up with enough of their possessions to carry them for a month or two, then get yourselves and them on their way here. Use a contractor to put the rest of their goods in storage and we can arrange for them to be recovered later."
"You mean it?"
"I do. You've convinced me."
"Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." She got up when he did and then left a very surprised Anton McAllister standing bemused in his office and rubbing his cheek where she had kissed him. It made him wish he could afford a dozen more agents like her. Black funds were limited, though. Draw on them too heavily and it would also draw attention to him, as sure as a larger magnet would attract more iron filings.
***
Ronald and Elaine were having one of their rare drinks while sitting on their front porch after supper. It was a comparatively balmy, pleasant day for the season, belying the serious nature of Samantha's future. It was the same evening that Jennie was speaking with her boss and Gene was parked near the Douglas home and talking by phone to the three security specialists he had induced to help him. He was asking when he might expect them and they were discussing itineraries, hoping to arrive the next day but making no promises because an early gulf storm had grounded air traffic in their area. Samantha had gone to her room with Shufus and Fussy while Caw-Caw was outside in a tree and enjoying the weather, too.
"You know, hon," Ronald said, "I hadn't realized how much we were holding back Sammie's education while we were in Alaska. I think now that we should have moved back to the lower states much earlier than we did."
"Hindsight is always so accurate, isn't it?" Elaine replied. "There's so much we could have done for her back then, isn't there? And I have to admit, much of it was my fault for not believing in her talent for so long."
He inched her skirt up and caressed her knee, then her lower thigh. "Like you just said, hindsight is so accurate. Neither of us are that much at fault. I do think we need to be considering what we should do now, though. It's hard to realize it, but our little girl is growing up and we had to move here before we learned what a high IQ she has." He carefully avoided mentioning her exceptional talent with animals, knowing whatever they said might be recorded even on the porch and if so, would be played back to the ones who had placed the bugs in their home.
She covered his hand on her leg with her own. "You know, she could actually start college now, couldn't she? Not only that but she could get credit for the courses she took on line if she took the university tests. She'd pass them, too."
"Uh huh. That's why I said we need to begin thinking of her future and not waste any more time."
"There's something else, Ron. She's been seeing Ray for months now, but I haven't noticed any overwhelming affection she has for him. Have you?"
"No. Nor with anyone else, either. Let's face it. She's outgrown this environment, but if we move to anywhere with a higher population she's sure to be recognized. That whole business we've been through would start all over again before very long."
"But if we don't, it's going to stunt her social growth. In fact, it already has. I'd like to have us move and just take our chances, but... Ron, if we did and something happened to her, I'd blame myself the rest of my life. And so would you. I guess we'd better take the offer of that agency's protection even if we don't know what it is."
"I agree, but we can't play mother hen and daddy rooster for much longer, not and do right by her. If the agency will offer her more schooling, I won't worry so much."
She leaned against him and kissed his neck. "Tell you what. Let me talk to her and see what she thinks, or would think, about staying here until she's sixteen then move to a big city. How does that sound?" She winked so that he would be sure to know she wasn't being serious. They wanted her out of the present environment as soon as physically possible. In fact they had hoped Jennie would be back this evening but so far she had neither shown up nor phoned.
"It sounds like a better idea than I've come up with. See if anything is bothering her while you're at it, too. She's been acting kind of morose lately. It's probably just the environment, but it could be something deeper we could help her with. She'd be more likely to open up with you than me."
"Only if it's boy trouble. Otherwise she relates to you just as well, if not better. You were the one who believed in her affinity for animals long before I did, remember." Everyone knew she had a way with animals. She wasn't revealing any secrets there, even if they were being listened to.
"Okay, but you try first. Another drink?"
"No, let's go to bed and snuggle and giggle and act like teenagers for a while. Tomorrow's Saturday and Sammie hasn't any plans that I know of. After breakfast you go find something to do for a couple of hours and I'll talk to her. When you get back we'll all talk if Sammie wants to. I think she will."
"Suits." He stood up and offered her an unnecessary hand up. He called to Caw-Caw and motioned to the door, indicating they were closing it for the night. The crow flew inside as the door opened and on back to Samantha's room. They went off to their bedroom with his arm around her waist. They both were smiling and mildly inebriated, just enough to relax them and provide a good basis for Elaine's suggestion, but any giggling was carried on in very low tones and their amorous activities were almost entirely soundless and carried out under the covers. Gene had said that the devices in their bedrooms were only audible but neither wanted to take chances.
***
Samantha was indeed somewhat depressed but not in the classical sense. She lay in bed, unable to sleep and thought back over the last conversation she'd had with Ray. He had invited her over to watch how he initiated a relationship with the wild horses his father bought and he tamed for riding. For one reason or the other she had never been present when they received a new shipment of horses. He came to get her in his rejuvenated pickup. On the way back to the ranch she thought he seemed even more inhibited than usual, as if there was something he wanted to tell her but didn't quite dare. She let it ride, knowing him well enough by now that she thought whatever was bothering him would come out eventually.
In the meantime she was wondering if their relationship was ever going to go anywhere, to progress to a more intimate level. She rather doubted it. There was still no real sparkle of romance between them, at least not from her vantage point. It simply wasn't how she thought romance should be. She had even begun thinking it was time to break it off between them, even though she knew it would hurt him. On the other hand, probably it would be best to say nothing and use their move as an excuse.
They walked to the corral together and leaned on the high-railed fence. He propped one foot on the lower rail and warned her not to talk while he waited patiently until one of the wild horses came near. He had broken a couple of apples and lain them atop the two nearest supporting posts. Eventually one of the horses ventured closer, lured by the aroma of the apple. He called out to it in a soft voice. The horse shied away but then came back, nearer and nearer as he continued to talk to it.
Samantha could understand the reaction of the horse clearly, just as she could with other animals. There wasn't much he did differently than she would have, except that he never asked a horse what its herd name was. An hour later he had the horse, a young mare, out of the corral and was on its back, guiding it only with his knees. He climbed off and back on it a half-dozen ti
mes, then talked the mare into accepting first a bridle and then a saddle. He rewarded her with bites of an apple or carrot each time. He made the whole process appear so simple and natural that the result seemed almost inevitable. Samantha thought she could have done it much quicker, though.
Finally he said, "That's all I try to do for the morning. This afternoon I'll repeat the whole sequence again, then reinforce it a couple more times during the next week or so. I always do it with the other horses watching so they'll understand what's going on and that it won't hurt them." He smiled sadly. "The only bad part is sending them off to the auction and not knowing what kind of owner they'll get."
She understood that perfectly. After helping Whit treat an animal she always tried to follow up on its progress in being ready to be returned to the wild.
"Ready for some lunch?"
"Sure. I need to get home early, though."
"That's okay. Nothing much interesting happens the rest of the day."
They had sandwiches, cleaned the kitchen and sat in his pickup for a half hour or so, kissing occasionally and not saying much. She waited patiently, suspecting he was going to tell her something he thought important. She hoped he didn't intend to tell her he loved her, because she knew she couldn't reciprocate the affection.
"Sammie, if I told you a secret, would you promise not to ever repeat it to anyone unless I tell you it's okay?"
"I guess so, as long as it's not something illegal."
He gave a shallow laugh. "It's not. The thing is, I... I can talk to horses and they understand at least part of what I say so long as I'm patient. They answer me, too, just like a person would. Well, not exactly like a person because they aren't that smart, but they do talk back to me in their own language and I understand them, mostly. That's what I was doing this morning."
He gave her a quick, apprehensive glance from his place in the driver's seat when she didn't answer immediately. "Don't you believe me?"
