Storiesonline.net
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                                 Shiloh
                               by The Scot

Copyright© Rod MacLaren, aka The Scot, 2005-2010


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Description: Chaos is a battleground for the control of Earth. It's two most powerful Hero's are dead. Bureaucracy and treachery causes Crossroads to be more a hindrance than a help. Kyle Alexander, grandson of the powerful Jonas, Lord of Shiloh, assumes Jonas' position, seeking to solve the mystery and defeat the enemy. IT'S ASSUMED YOU UNDERSTAND THIS UNIVERSE. - In limbo as of 18 Feb 2012 while a major revision is done, to be completed and posted soon.

Codes: MF cons rom het ScFi slow violent Mil
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A Story in the Damsels In Distress Universe Which was originated by Lazlo Zalezac.

This is a work of fiction any similarities between the characters, events, or locations in this story and actual locations, events, or people are purely coincidental. The characters and locations used as part of the Damsels in Distress Universe are used with the permission of the original author of the series, Lazlo Zalezac.

All rights in any media other than downloading for personal reading are reserved by Rod MacLaren.

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Chapter 1



It was the Friday before mid-terms, and Kyle Alexander was attempting to cover the front counter of CyberFun until more part-time student employees arrived from late afternoon classes. The word 'attempt' was probably a euphemism at the moment, as in addition to their being understaffed, the place was busier than he had ever seen it.

CyberFun was a very unique Internet Café owned by Kyle and his two best friends, Ryan Kennedy (also known as Brain) and Ryan's younger sister, Kathleen (or KK). Four years earlier, with assistance from Kyle's grandfather Jonas and the parents of the Kennedy children, the trio had leased an old vacant grocery store about a block and a half from the UTEP campus.

Following their business plan, they had subdivided the old store into different areas, each designed to meet a need among the college students that were their primary customers. At the front (and what could be seen through the large plate glass windows left over from the grocery store was a coffee/snack shop where you could get the latest in exotic coffees, eat a light meal, and even check your e-mail. In addition, there was a non-alcoholic sports-bar centered around UTEP Miner athletic activity, a Study Hall, and various game rooms. It was a place where you could study, take a break, get some food, play a game, watch a game or just talk to your friends, and then return to studying. Everyone had told them the idea was crazy, but they had been so successful that they paid back the family loans in less than two years.

Authors Note: UTEP The University of Texas — El Paso — The Miners.

Suddenly, Kyle's attention was drawn to the Study Hall by someone shouting. Since this area was like a library, loud noises were not allowed. In response, he ran toward the sound.

As he got closer, he could hear a vaguely familiar male frustratingly scream, "Nadia, I can take care of myself."

Kyle finally entered the door and found a guy sitting in a wheel chair. A beautiful woman was on her knees in front of the chair. Her face was turned downward, facing the floor; she was obviously sobbing. Kyle came up to tell them that they would have to be quiet or leave the room. But, as he got closer, he recognized the young man in the wheelchair.

Kyle quickly looked around the room as he tried to decide a course of action. In addition to the couple causing the problem, there were sixteen students trying to study. Distracted by the young man's outcry and the crying young woman, they now all seemed to be waiting for him to do something. Fortunately, before he could say anything, he felt a soft feminine hand on his arm. Intuitively, he realized that KK must have just arrived and had followed him back to the source of the noise.

Kyle smiled as he turned to the chestnut-haired Kathleen and asked, "KK, will you take the woman to the coffee shop and help her get calmed down? While you do that, I'll talk to her friend and see if I can straighten this out without further disruptions to everyone's study time."

Nodding her understanding, KK knelt beside the girl and comforted her. After a few moments, she helped her to stand. When the girl was steady enough, KK led her toward the front of the building.

Turning back to the man in the wheel chair, Kyle asked, "Larry Martin?"

Surprised someone knew his name, Larry looked up to see Kyle staring down at him. Kyle's face looked familiar; Larry just couldn't place him.

Not knowing anything else to do in his current frame of mind, Larry snarled, "Yeah, want to make something of it?"

"Larry, I'm Kyle Alexander. We met in Iraq, where I led a platoon that took control of a bunch of prisoners you and your group had captured."

Looking deeply into Kyle's face, Larry recognized Kyle and said, "Yeah, I remember you. Eighty-Second, Right? You had a big black first sergeant named Andrews. Everyone wanted to call him Amos."

"Yep, and he claimed he hated it with a passion. He said they were all being racist, but inside he knew they teased him because they respected him."

Larry asked, "So, what are you doing here?"

Since Kyle, Ryan and KK had not wanted it to be common knowledge that they were the owners, he replied, "I work here, as well as take classes at the university. I'm a senior. I'm working on a double major in Business Management and Computer Science."

"Well, I was able to take some correspondence and on-line courses while I was still in, so I guess technically I'm a last semester junior. I've always had a fascination for rocks, so I'm studying geology and metallurgy."

"So Larry, if I can ask, what was that outburst about earlier?"

"On my last mission, I rescued Nadia from some 'rag heads'. She was a Russian journalist. They had kidnapped her in an attempt to get the Russians to provide them with Strelas. As we were climbing into the chopper, I took a bullet in the back from a guy we thought was dead. Since then, she has refused to leave my side. She wants to do everything for me. I don't want anyone to feel sympathy for me, nor do I want her to feel like she's obligated to me."

Author's note: A Strela is a Russian shoulder-launched ground-to-air missile similar to US Stinger.

"Hey, if I was bound to a wheel chair, I could think of worse people who wanted to help me. Be glad she's not a Bulgarian shot-putter or something like that."

Larry laughed at that visual image and said, "Well, I guess that's one way to look at it. Though, at the same time, because of this injury, it makes it harder, I mean more difficult for me."

"I picked up on that. Does she get embarrassed at your erection?"

Larry hung his head and mumbled something. Kyle didn't hear the words, but from the body language, he had a pretty good idea what the problem was.

In a casual manner, Kyle responded, "So, you have no feeling below your waist. What's the prognosis?"

Surprised how quickly Kyle had guessed the real problem, Larry answered, "They've tried everything, including an experimental use of stem cells to try to reconnect the nerves, but nothing, nada, zilch. They say that if I can move my legs in a normal manner, the stem cells might work, but without feeling, I can't move my legs. I guess it's a classic 'Catch-22' situation."

"Is that frustration why you were getting angry at Nadia?"

"Not completely." Then looking straight into Kyle's eyes, he said, "I'm afraid we're falling in love with each other. Kyle, she deserves better than to spend the rest of her life with a cripple who can't give her sexual satisfaction or provide her with children."

Kyle nodded his understanding to his friend, but also caught the impatient look of some of the customers. Knowing that he had things to take care of, he encouraged Larry to find Nadia and KK, and wait for him in the coffee shop

Larry sadly responded, "Okay."

Kyle reiterated, "Larry, I'll join you and the others in a few minutes."

At the front counter, he now found two of his part-timers, with a third working the game rooms selling tokens. After taking fifteen minutes to assure that everything was under control, Kyle joined the KK, Nadia and Larry around a table in the coffee shop. As soon as he sat down, one of the waitresses brought him a cup of his favorite, a café latte with fresh ground cinnamon and a small amount of a black cherry liqueur.

As he sipped his drink, he had his first real view of Nadia. In his biased opinion, she was beautiful enough to give KK competition as to who was the prettiest female on campus. She was roughly five nine, and her figure looked well proportioned. It was obvious that she worked out on a regular basis. Her blond hair was almost white, but with streaks of gold, yellow and brown. It was styled in the 'just loved look' made famous years ago in a poster by Farrah Fawcett. He was beginning to wonder if his old friend had brain, as well as back, injuries.

KK asked, "What's going on? I thought you worked until six."

"I was supposed to, but the boss said I needed to come take care of this."

A concerned Larry asked, "I didn't get you fired, did I?"

Kyle laughed and said, "No, far from it. Maybe KK and I will share more about that later. Now, how about you two joining us for a steak tonight?"

"Yea!" came the cry from Larry and KK, but Nadia only gave Kyle a puzzled look.

Kyle picked up on the lack of enthusiasm immediately and asked, "Nadia, are you a vegetarian?"

"I'm not sure. I was born on April Fourth."

The other two started laughing at her until Kyle cut his eyes at them. At that point, they got very quiet.

Patiently, Kyle explained, "Nadia, some people in this country make a choice not to eat meat. Some from religious beliefs and others out of the belief that meat, especially red meat, is not good for you. These people are called vegetarians."

With a sly little grin, Nadia replied, "Oh, we have such people in Russia. They are called peasants."

Kyle and the other two exploded in laughter. The little Russian skunk had gotten them good.

"Then you eat meat?"

"Yes, but I don't eat piece of wood."

"A piece of wood?"

"You said a stake. Is that not a piece of wood you drive into the ground as a marker?"

The others all laughed again, but this time it was obvious that it was not directed at her.

Larry explained, "Honey, you are exactly correct. But the piece of wood is spelled S-T-A-K-E, while S-T-E-A-K is a special cut of meat from the cow. It is highly prized and very delicious."

"Oh. And I've had years of English in school. Do you think I will ever learn?"

KK replied, "Probably not, as the language seems to grow, change and evolve everyday. Just look at it this way: you will provide us many hours of joy while you learn. You are beautiful, yet you have the combination of the innocence of a little child and the mischievousness of a little puppy. In the short time I've spent with you this afternoon, I have learned that you are more beautiful inside than out."

"Thank you, KK. I can't say that it gives me a lot of hope concerning my English, but it most certainly gives me a lot of warmth in my heart. I don't really care how intelligent I sound as long as I don't become an embarrassment to Larry."

The two couples talked a while longer. KK tried to encourage Nadia, while Kyle worked on his friend. Kyle's biggest desire was to try to help change Larry's perspective regarding the whole thing. Nadia was alive because of her hero. As she had given everything she had but her body, she had fallen in love with Larry. It didn't matter to her if he ever walked again, as long as she could be by his side. As for having a baby, to her, caring for him was far more important than caring for a baby.

Larry could hear all the words, but his perspective would only let him see that she would never be happy because he was less than what he considered to be a man. In his eyes, the only reason she wanted to stay with him was pity or a perverted sense of guilt. The idea that she could love him as he was, just could not compute in his mind.

Kyle hurt for both of them, but felt that it was time to halt the discussion for the moment. The time the four of them had spent together had been good, and there was no trace of anger or pity. Kyle's biggest fear was that, if he and KK pushed any more at the moment, everything they had done to help this couple would become unraveled. He and KK had planted the seeds, but now they needed time to sprout.

Standing, Kyle said, "I hate to break this up, but I've got to take care of some things at home before we meet for diner. We can continue this later, but we need to make some plans so that I can have time to do my chores and get ready."

After discussing various options, the four agreed to meet at the 'Stetson and Spur', a good quality steakhouse near the entrance to Fort Bliss, at seven. Kyle would be picking up Kathleen at a quarter till.

It was almost five when Kyle arrived at his grandfather's house. This was where he now stayed, as his family had moved to Houston while he was in the army. They had expected him to join them there when he returned four years ago, as they had his entire career mapped out for him. Unfortunately, for their relationship, the army had taken their little nerdish puppet and had given him a backbone and the confidence to stand up to anyone. Since he wanted to attend UTEP, his grandfather had offered him a room in his house.

As he closed the door, he heard his grandfather call out, "Kyle, is that you?"

Heading toward his grandfather's voice, he answered, "Yes, Jonas, it's me."

When he entered his grandfather's office, he sat in a comfortable chair and asked, "How was your day?"

His grandfather, a semi-retired professor of history, replied, "I think these kids get more stupid every year. One even asked me today what did it matter if the South seceded from the Union."

Kyle laughed. His grandfather only taught two courses anymore. One was European History prior to the year 1500, while the other was American history through the Civil War. They were both freshman classes, which would normally be taught by a graduate student, but his grandfather claimed that 'he loved to open up minds that had been left virtually blank or distorted by a watered-down and biased public education system'.

"So how did you answer him?"

"I suggested a minimum ten-page paper, reviewing the political, military and economic situation of Europe at the time, deciding which one of the countries would have attacked our divided and weakened nation first and what life would be like for us today if that country had succeeded in destroying us as a nation."

"I bet he loved that!"

"Actually it was a she. I told her that if I was pleased with her analysis, I would drop her lowest test score. I think even she thought it was a good trade."

Jonas leaned back in his chair and asked, "Now, how about your day?"

"I struggled a little in my programming course this morning, but 'Brain' quickly pointed out to me that I branched out to get a value for a variable I hadn't defined. This afternoon, things got a little hectic at CyberFun, as we had way too many customers for the number of employees. If this continues, we may need to add some more people."

"Growth in a business like yours is good, though I'm going to miss our time together tomorrow."

"I am also, Jonas. If this paintball thing takes off, I'll hire someone else with a military background to run it. I found the perfect person this afternoon, but he's bound to a wheel chair. He was a Special Forces officer I knew in Iraq."

Jonas replied, "It sounds like he would be good. Think about it. Who knows, you might figure out a way, and people like that need to feel like they have worth, even more than the rest of us."

"I've already seen that. He rescued a Russian journalist, but ended up with a bullet in the back from a wounded terrorist/kidnapper. She has devoted her life to taking care of him, and he keeps pushing her away. Jonas, she's one of the most beautiful women on this campus."

"Is it Nadia Konnoff?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"There are not that many Russian women on this campus, and she's in my European History class. She has a degree from Russia, but wanted to start over here. She's a delight to teach and has much knowledge of the Kossacks and their influence on Eastern Europe, especially Russia. You are also correct in your description; she is a very beautiful woman."

"Well, she and Larry Martin are falling in love with each other, but Larry is fighting it, trying to push her away. Because he is paralyzed from the waist down and can't perform sexually, he feels like he is less than a man. As a result, he is convinced that eventually, she will begin to despise him for not meeting her needs sexually or providing her with children. At the same time, he is also falling head-over-heels in love with her, and it's driving him crazy."

"I can imagine. I know that sometimes I hurt so badly when I can't be around MariLynn that I can hardly stand it. Then when I'm on Crossroads, sometimes I get grumpy the last few days before we have to return to Earth."

Kyle chuckled. "I know, because you usually take it out on me. I don't mind though, as I understand. I know that soon I will have my own caretaker, and I will probably go through the same things that you do."

"Kyle, it wasn't so bad when your grandmother was alive. She knew what I was doing and supported me. When I lost her to the cancer, I went to Crossroads because I needed comfort from Maureen. Unfortunately, she sent me on a mission I wasn't mentally prepared for, and it almost got me killed. She was so upset, she resigned as a caretaker. I chose MariLynn as her replacement, and our relationship is much deeper than mine and Maureen's ever was. If anything, our love for each other may be even stronger than your grandmother's and mine."

Pausing for a moment to decide if he should say something, Jonas finally said, "Kyle, when you start your journey as a Hero, talk to Kathleen. It will be good if she understands what is going on, and like your grandmother, she will support you."

"Jonas, my dear grandfather, we're just friends and business partners."

"Kyle, I've seen you with that girl since you were six and she was four. If you two don't love each other, then there is no love in this world. That girl was made for you."

"Grandfather, we've never even dated."

"And the hours in the old club house, or the camping trips in the mountains, or the studying martial arts together. None of those were dates?"

"No! They weren't dates."

"What are you doing this evening?"

"She and I are taking Larry and Nadia out for dinner."

"And that's not a date?"

Exasperated, Kyle answered, "No grandfather, it's not a date."

Jonas smiled at his grandson and asked, "Does she know that?"

At this point, Kyle realized that this conversation wasn't going anywhere, so he just ignored the question and said, "I've got to get my shower and get ready. Will you be up when I get home?"

"No. I want to be as rested as possible before I go to see MariLynn in the morning. I don't know how many more of these trips I will make. I know it will be hard on both of us when I stop, but I want to die here, not on some unknown backward planet. This family, other than you, may not be worth much, but I feel they are at least due that respect."

"Then I probably won't see you in the morning either. The first group is due at the battle-ground at eight-thirty, and we need to be set up before they get there. Brain and I will probably meet at the shop at five-thirty. I will miss our time tomorrow. It will be the first time in four years that I haven't gone with you on a mission."

"I will miss it as well. You have worked hard though and have been a good student. You will soon take your place as a Hero, though I do hope we can have one more trip together, with you as my Companion."

Pausing a moment, Jonas continued, "Kyle, if something does happen to me, you know where most everything is hidden. My will is designed to keep the sharks off you, but be prepared if any of them, especially my sister Lucille, smells any money to be grabbed. Just keep your cool, use your mind and the tools I have given you, and you will be fine."

Kyle sat back down. He would be late, but he felt like this was important.

"You sound more concerned than normal. Is there anything I should know?"

"Do you remember meeting Gerald Jones?"

"I remember meeting him on several of our trips to Chaos."

"Gerald and I also have known one another here on earth. He passed away a few months ago. Because of our respect for each other, and the similarities to our families, we modeled our wills and instructions to our individual attorneys after each other. We both wanted to protect and preserve the portal, and our biggest difference is that his nephew, Sid, knew nothing about Cassandra, Crossroads or Chaos prior to his death."

"Okay, that makes sense. You want me to have the house, and are using the rest of your assets to make sure that happens."

"Kyle, my boy, if I had my way, you would get everything. Unfortunately, if that happened, they would tie my estate up in court so long that your beard would be below your knees before you ever went through that Portal. There are two life insurance policies, with you as the beneficiary. In addition, I have arranged through the administration for you to receive scholarships and fellowships for as long as you chose to attend UTEP, including graduate school.

"With those, this house and your thriving business, you should be well covered. There are some surprises, but they will stay hidden for a while. I would also suggest keeping as much money as possible in the corporation for a good while. My attorney, Stanley Patterson, was very careful as to how he structured the CyberFun Corporation, so let him tell you how to take money out without calling attention to it. I think your family thinks you are barely making ends meet, and it would probably be a good idea to let them keep thinking that way. I haven't done anything to correct that impression."

Kyle wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes and replied, "Thanks Jonas, though I hope it ends up being my children that finally get this house. I want to have you around for many, many years." Standing, Kyle added, "I guess I'd better get busy. I'm going to be late as it is."

Kyle went to his room and carefully picked out his clothes for the evening. To his surprise, he realized that he was unconsciously considering each item according to what KK would think.

Kyle narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin, as he thought, 'Hmm, that's interesting.'

As he considered his feelings concerning KK, he was totally oblivious that those gestures were becoming a habit when he was deep in thought. After a moment, he shook off the thought and ran down the hall to shower and get dressed.

Fifteen minutes later, he was ready to go. He gave Jonas a hug good-bye and headed for his car. As he walked toward his five year old Jeep Cherokee Sport, he realized that it really needed washing and a general cleaning. It had so much desert dust on it that only in spots could you tell it was dark green.

Kyle changed direction, and went to the side door to the garage and opened it. Because of the close sense of community in this older neighborhood, his grandfather seldom locked this door, nor would he install a security system. He claimed that he wanted it that way in case a neighbor needed to borrow a tool. Sharing like that was common here, as most everyone had known one another for years. In addition, most of the neighborhood was composed of professors and others who worked at the university. This made the Kern/Mission Hill area more like a small college town than just a small area in a much bigger city.

Anyway, Kyle went to where his grandfather kept a large box of trash bags and grabbed two. He returned to his car and quickly cleaned it out, putting trash in one of the bags and the good stuff in the other. He ran back to the garage and threw both bags into the back corner. He jumped into his car and headed off.

Deciding what he needed to do, Kyle slipped on his headphones and plugged them into his cell phone. He was passing KK's house as he called her on the phone.

She answered, "Kyle, I saw you just drive by. Did you forget me?"

"KK, I could never forget you. I just need to take care of something. I'll be back in a minute. Would you call the restaurant and leave a message for Larry to go ahead and get the four of us a table?"

"Sure. How long do you think you'll be?"

"Hopefully not more than fifteen minutes."

"Okay, I guess I'll wait on you. I haven't had any better offers for the evening. By the way, do you know a Barbara Haywood?"

"Yes, why?"

"Ryan said she called the shop right after we left and wanted to talk to you. I have her number."

"Thanks. Let me pull over so I can write it down. And, before you get jealous, she's the new head librarian. Her husband's the new assistant commander of the ROTC unit. I had invited him to join the party tomorrow."

With Kyle's revised perception of KK, he could actually sense her feelings of anxiety diminish. She gave him the number and they both lingered on the phone a moment before saying good-bye.

A few minutes later, Kyle pulled into a gas station. As he ran his card through the pump, he chose the Ultimate Car Wash option. After filling up the oversized gas tank that he had added last year, he drove around to the automatic car wash. Then, while the carwash went through its cycles, he returned Dr. Haywood's call."

"Hello?"

"Dr. Haywood, this is Kyle Alexander. You left a message for me at CyberFun."

"Yes, Kyle. Mark asked me to call you and let you know that we would love to participate with you tomorrow. Where and when can we meet you?"

Picturing the tall, graceful lady he had seen from the library, he was shocked when she said she would be a participant. For some reason, he couldn't imagine her in old casual clothes, covered in paint ball splotches.

Almost stuttering, Kyle asked, "Dr. Haywood, you do understand what tomorrow entails, don't you?"

Laughing at his reaction, she replied, "Kyle, Mark and I have done this for years. I happen to be very familiar and comfortable with firearms, and I usually hit what I'm aiming at."

"Good! Maybe with your help, we can get more women involved with the sport."

"Are you sure you want that? A team of us 'girls' might whip the men's butts."

"Actually, I think that would be great. I would love to see more women with that kind of confidence and ability. The world would be a far better place."

Barbara Haywood was impressed by Kyle's remark, but was distracted by the noise in the background.

Finally, curiosity got the best of her, and she asked, "By the way Kyle, what's that noise in the background? It sounds like you're inside a dishwasher."

"Close. I was going through a carwash. I felt my date for the evening would appreciate being able to see my car's natural color."

"Oh. Who's the lucky lady?"

"Kathleen Kennedy, also known as KK."

"Have you two been dating long?"

"I'm not sure we are dating, at least as a 'couple'. On the other hand, earlier this evening, my grandfather Jonas told me that we had been dating since I was six and she was four."

"Jonas Alexander! Now that was a not a connection I was expecting. I really like your grandfather. Despite his accent, he reminds me of an old southern gentleman. He's a throw-back to a time and code that this country will sorely miss."

"Thank you. Since he has helped raise me most of my life, I try hard to emulate him, his attitudes and his actions. Now, I hate to cut this short, but I've arrived at my destination. Do you and the Captain want to meet me behind the shop around seven in the morning?"

"That will be fine. Have a good time tonight, and we will see you tomorrow."

Kyle terminated the call and ran into the grocery store where he had parked moments earlier. He quickly chose a single red rose in a pretty cut-glass bud vase. The girl at the florist counter took his selection, added some fern, baby's breath, and a pale mauve ribbon. He paid her, stuck his receipt in his pocket and ran back to his car.

Five minutes later he pulled into KK's driveway. She ran out the door and stopped short when she saw him standing there with a single red rose in his hand.

In a demure voice he had never heard before, KK asked, "Is that for me?"

When he nodded and held it out to her, she asked, "What's the occasion?"

"I think it's the kind of thing a guy is supposed to do to impress a girl on their first date."

There was hope in her eyes as she asked, "Is this a date?"

He shocked her even more when he used her real name, replying, "Kathleen, I don't know myself. We were just always together. My grandfather informed me tonight that we have been dating since I was six, and you were four."

She smiled as she said, "I always thought your grandfather was an astute person; now I know so."

"So, he was right?"

"Most definitely. I can't remember a time when I didn't love you and dream of spending the rest of my life with you. Do you realize that I am twenty-four years old, and I've never even had a date, other than with you? I'll be right back. I want to put this beautiful rose inside."

This shocked Kyle to his very core. His friend was one of the most beautiful women in El Paso, if not the whole state of Texas. Her chestnut hair accented her emerald-green eyes and a cute button nose. She was tall at five-eight, and her slender body said more tomboy than model. To realize that she had never gone to a prom, a football game, or anything else with a boy, was an image that his poor mind could not even fathom.

When she returned, Kyle held the passenger door open for her. As she started to acknowledge his actions, it dawned on her that he had washed the car since he had driven past her house a few minutes earlier.

In a surprised tone she said, "You washed your car! You never wash your car."

"I felt that someone as beautiful as you should not have to ride in a filthy car."

With that, she pulled him close and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She pulled back slightly and suddenly decided that the first kiss hadn't been enough. She kissed him again, on the lips, this time putting her heart and soul into it. As she wrapped her arms around him, his lips and arms and heart merged with hers.

As they backed away this time, Kyle handed her his keys, saying "I think you'd better drive. I'm not in any shape to at this moment."

"What makes you think I'm in any better shape? I've waited for twenty years for that kiss."

"Because you're a woman. Women are always stronger than us weak, emotional men."

They were both laughing as they climbed into Kyle's jeep and drove off. Neither saw one of the living room curtains move back into place, nor did they hear the voice which said, "Well, it's about time."

Surprisingly, they were only about fifteen minutes late. Larry and Nadia had just been seated at a table that could accommodate someone in a wheel chair. The waitress took their drink orders, and Kyle added a Desert Blossom, one of those batter-fried onion blooms, as an appetizer. When she returned, Kyle ordered a fourteen-ounce rib eye, with baked potato and salad. KK ordered the same thing, only slightly smaller. Nadia had no idea what to order, so she asked Larry to share his with her. The restaurant had a twenty-eight ounce T-bone for two, so Larry ordered that.

For the next hour, the two couples enjoyed the food, the casual atmosphere and most of all, each other. It was in reality, an interesting study in interpersonal interaction. Kyle was dealing with the emotions of learning that his best friend and business partner was in love with him, yet he spent much of his time trying to help Larry and Nadia. Larry was trying to learn more about his new friends, yet he was also beginning to lower barriers to his emotions and feelings that were far older than his relationship with Nadia. Nadia was focused on Larry, but was being distracted by the sights, sounds, smells, and eventually the flavors that surrounded her. Kathleen was helping Nadia with her experience, yet her emotions relating to Kyle were overflowing like Coke poured too fast into a glass full of ice.

Finally, the evening was at an end. They were stuffed with food, as well as friendship. Nadia had been most surprised with the food. She had eaten at some of the finest restaurants in Russia, Europe, New York and the Middle East. By all of the standards she had ever been taught this meal was too simple and plain, only slightly above the days of the caveman burning his food over a fire outside the mouth of his cave. That being the case, maybe she hadn't evolved as far as she had thought, as the meal was a delight to both her sense of smell and her sense of taste.

Kyle paid the bill leaving a good tip. The waitress was attentive, yet she gave them space to quietly talk. He even made a short note in his PDA to remind himself to talk to KK about the young woman. She could be an excellent addition to their sports bar.

Walking out to the parking lot, Larry and Nadia entered a specially prepared handicapped van, while Kyle and KK walked hand in hand to his car. After the short drive home, the two kissed for a few minutes in Kathleen's driveway, and then he led her to her front door. There was one more of those deep, curl-your-toes kind of kisses, and then a blurry-eyed Kyle drove the two blocks to his grandfather's home. A few minutes later, he was asleep in his bed.

Kyle was surprised to smell food when his alarm went off the next morning. Stumbling into the kitchen still in his t-shirt and sweatpants, he found his grandfather placing a plate at his place. The plate contained a thick ham steak, a Spanish omelet, and home fries. A cup of lightly tanned coffee sat next to his plate. Looking close, he could even see fresh cinnamon floating on the surface. As Kyle sat, his grandfather joined him with a similar plate.

"To what do I owe this honor? I don't think you have fixed my breakfast since before I was sixteen."

"I knew you were facing a long, physical day, so I wanted to help it get off on the right track."

Taking a bite of the omelet, Kyle savored the delicate flavor of the homemade salsa, mixed with and placed on top of the fluffy egg concoction. It was truly a delightful way to start the morning.

Kyle looked his grandfather directly in the eyes as he had been taught, and responded, "Well, it is sure appreciated."

Jonas raised his eyebrows and asked, "By the way, how did things go last night?"

"Thanks to you, I may have found my life mate. Did you know that she has never had a date, waiting for me?"

"Yes, I did. Her mother told me awhile back."

Though they talked as they ate, Kyle was considering all that he had learned in the past few hours concerning his lifelong friend. He found it to be very disturbing that he had been oblivious to the whole thing. Then, when he had finished eating Kyle came around to his grandfather's side of the table.

Jonas stood and gave his grandson a big hug as he said, "Kyle, I'll miss you today. Please be careful, and know that I love you, and that I am very proud of you."

"I love you too, Jonas."

With that, Kyle headed out the door. Ten minutes later, he was pulling up to the loading ramp at the back of their operation. Brain was sitting in his car, waiting for Kyle to arrive.

Kyle exited the Cherokee Sport and walked over to his friend's Blazer. Brain rolled down the window, only to blast Kyle's ears with some country and western tune.

Ryan asked, "Hey dude, what happened with my sister last night?"

"I kissed her, why?"

"She floated through the front door like she was on a cloud or something. I had even borrowed something from her room, but she just shrugged it off. It was radically weird. Do you think she's got some disease or something?"

Kyle laughed and said, "I think it's the 'or something'. Now, let's get these trailers attached to our vehicles and check and make sure we haven't forgotten anything. We've got guests meeting us here in about twenty minutes."

"Guests! What guests? We don't need no stinking guests."

Kyle laughed and suddenly had an even funnier thought. "Brain, that Cheech and Chong line's becoming a part of our culture."

"Oh, it's more ingrained than you know. It originally was said by Humphrey Bogart in a 1948 movie."

"Are you serious?"

A female voice behind them said, "He's right, Kyle. The line came from the Treasure of Sierra Madre, but it was used in other movies, like Blazing Saddles. Cheech and Chong have used it in comedy routines, but it was never actually in one of their movies."

Kyle turned and saw that Dr. Haywood was the source of the voice, and the information. Her husband, Mark, was standing beside her. They were both dressed in desert camouflage BDUs. What surprised Kyle the most was that while he knew that Mark was a captain, his wife wore the oak leaves of a major. Kyle introduced the couple to Ryan, mentioning that his nickname was Brain.

Dr. Haywood remarked, "Now, the name begins to make more sense."

Kyle queried, "What name?"

"The limited liability partnership that owns this corporation: Warrior, Pinky and the Brain, LLP. It almost sounded like someone who 'wanted to take over the world'."

Kyle was stunned that she had even been interested, but in addition, she had penetrated their veil of secrecy.

Finally he answered, "I won't confirm or deny, but why the interest?"

"Kyle, a lot of what Mark does is top secret. When we get invited for something like this, we want to know who's really involved and if there is any ulterior motive. I've done some research on you since you first extended the invitation, and I'm quite impressed with what I have found. The one thing I was concerned about was the ownership of the corporation. Someone had gone to great lengths to hide the real owners, and that raised a red flag."

"My grandfather had his attorney do that to keep my family from learning that I was anything more than some hourly employee. I never thought about it causing anyone else any problems."

"It's not now, and we're both excited about being a part. Mark has an entire group that will be taking part."

"That's great, because we need at least twenty players to break even on this venture. I wasn't sure we would get it."

Mark replied, "Some of my people have been challenging others. I wouldn't be surprised if more than a hundred show up."

Ryan looked frightened, as he said, "I hope not! We don't have the resources for that many people."

Kyle calmly responded, "Ryan, calm down. If it happens, we'll figure out a way to handle it."

Mark smiled at Kyle's calm, assured demeanor and asked, "How can we help?"

The four of them discussed their different options and determined a course of action. Barbara, as she wanted to be called away from the library, wanted to help those in the kitchen prepare sandwiches and such for the smaller of the two trailers. At the same time, Mark helped Kyle and Ryan make sure that all the paint guns, masks, and supplies were securely loaded in the larger trailer. By seven, everything was done, and the Haywoods followed the two trailers out to the battle site.





-------

Chapter 2



Just prior to ten-thirty that Saturday morning, Jonas entered his office, and then the study that was attached. He locked the door to the study and went to the bookcase. He touched three small spots on the inside of one of the bookcases in the proper order, and the entire shelf opened into another room.

He entered and pressed the release to have the bookcase entrance close.

The room he was now in was a workshop. Here he repaired old weapons and built new ones. Underneath a corner of the workbench was a small, almost undetectable switch. When he flipped that switch, the edge of a shelf unit extended itself out, like a pocket door, but where the door normally would be, there was only a frame. He slipped on the small sapphire pinky ring he needed to activate the portal, and walked though the frame. He felt the now familiar twisting, and then he was on Crossroads.

The scene he faced was strikingly different from the bleak white walls he was used to seeing. A door opened, and MariLynn rushed into his arms. After they had kissed and had lovingly refreshed their memories of each other's basic frame, MariLynn led him into the lounge, but it was not like any room that he had ever seen on Crossroads. Inside the lounge, she led him over to a small loveseat that faced a fireplace. In moments, there was a fire going and MariLynn had ordered them up two coffees.

As they sat, Jonas pointed around the room and asked, "So, what's going on?"

His caretaker smiled and asked, "Did you know Gerald Jones?"

"Yes. We were friends on Earth, as well as on Chaos."

"His nephew, Sid, learned that there were instruction books that have greatly expanded our understanding of this place and of our role as caretakers. There are even instruction books for Companions and for Heroes."

"Then I would very much like to have one for Heroes and Companions. I also need to warn you that Kyle's next trip will be his last as a Companion. I believe that he is about ready to begin his own journey as a Hero. There may be one complication, as he has just found his true soul-mate. She has the power to stop him from coming, though for some reason, I don't think she will."

MariLynn's head was laying against Jonas' chest, while his arms held her tightly against him.

She softly replied, "That is good, because we need all the Heroes we can get."

Jonas picked up fear in her voice. This was something he had never seen in all the years she had been his caretaker. He pulled her face toward him and gave her a deep, loving kiss.

When they released, he asked, "MariLynn, is there something going on I need to be aware of?"

"It is something that we were beginning to get a hint of before Gerald died. As the months have progressed, we now know that we have a major problem. It is a slavery ring that involves as many as ten thousand. Since then, we have lost six Heroes on Chaos, and two more on Earth. We doubt that those on Earth are connected, but there does seem to be some question as to the actual cause of death."

"How are we going to handle it? No Hero can defeat those kinds of odds."

"Right now we are doing a lot of analysis and planning. Gerald had a Citadel, which now will become his nephew's. It is a fortified version of your Shiloh. Our thinking is to use it as a gathering place for Heroes, each of whom will then raise an army and lead it against the enemy. In your case, we would like you to use Shiloh to raise up a cavalry unit."

"That makes sense. Other than the Rider Clan, I have the finest horses on Chaos. We can scout, harass and turn their flank in major battles. In addition, their foot soldiers have never seen an organized cavalry charge, either with lances or sabers. The one needed ingredient I could see would be archers equipped with longbows. That is something my grandson would do a great job in developing."

"Then I am very excited. Come, let's go to bed and discuss it some more in the morning."

The couple's lovemaking that night was slow and very gentle. Jonas took longer than normal to prepare her, even though she was much more responsive and easily stimulated than Earth women. After their first time, they were both aware of his distraction.

"Jonas, you seem distracted. Have I done something wrong?"

"No, my dear. You have done nothing wrong, but honestly, I am somewhat distracted for which I apologize. You deserve all my attention, and tonight that has been hard for me to give."

Concerned, MariLynn said, "Can I ask what has distracted you?"

"Certainly. When I came here this morning, I was sure that I only would be able to go on three or four more missions. What you have asked me to do brings new and very different challenges for me to face. I am no longer fearful of a time when I must stop coming.

"The second is related to the first, but it is its own unique problem. I love you so much, and tonight, as we made love, I realized just how perfect we were together. Yet, I can't stay here or go to Cassandra, and you can't come to Earth. That thought tells me that my life will probably end shortly after I stop coming to see you."

MariLynn cringed at the thought, but realized that Jonas was probably correct. He would not live long after he stopped coming to see her. At the same time she realized that her feelings toward him were identical. At that moment, she vowed that she would study the Guidebooks very thoroughly, as well as discussing the situation with her supervisor. Who knows? Maybe she could find a way.

She worked hard over the next few minutes to help Jonas shove those feelings aside and just enjoy one another. When they were both satiated, she snuggled close and went to sleep in his arms.

The next morning, the couple picked up right where they left off. After they finished their lovemaking, Marilynn led Jonas into the shower, where they played some as well as thoroughly washing each other.

After they had breakfast Jonas asked, "With everything going on, is there a mission for me on this trip?"

"There is one that we set aside just for you. It involves a man named LaMas who has enslaved a damsel named Bethany Bookkeeper. He is not actually a part of this Slaver Guild, but he is bringing her to a slave auction which is run by the Guild. They will pass through some woods along the river, searching for a hidden ford that is used by the guild. There will likely be Guild members in the woods, but on your fast steeds, you should be able to escape. I would suggest that you have one of your ranch hands in town to grab the horses when you arrive at the bank. You can return here, while he takes them back to Shiloh."

"And when should they arrive at the general area we're discussing?"

"Just prior to lunch tomorrow."

"Then my love, I guess I must carry on. I need to get to the bank and to Shiloh today. When I return, I have a potential Hero I need to discuss with you. His situation is rather unique, but he would be a great addition to us, especially now. If there is anyone who can give us more answers, it might be good to have them join us."

"I will see what I can do. I love you, my Hero. Please be careful."

Jonas held her close and gave her a deep, heartfelt kiss. With that, he turned and went through the portal to the bank in the town of Riverview, on a planet known only as Chaos.

He stuck his finger in the appropriate slot and seconds later, his box appeared on the table beside him. He immediately opened it and removed a sword that resembled a cavalry saber. He added a dirk for each boot, placing them in a special scabbard built into his boots just for them.

Now, he felt less vulnerable. He slipped on a tunic of finely meshed chain mail and a vest of thick leather and sheep's wool. He selected a heavier knife and fastened its harness so that the knife could be drawn by reaching behind his ear. Finally, he pulled out a previously prepared money pouch and attached it to his belt, hiding it behind the silk sash that he wore around his waist."

He went to the door and asked to speak to the manager. Moments later, the man entered the room.

Noticing the weapons Jonas carried, the manager became even more attentive, asking, "How can I serve you, kind sir?"

"Sir, I have used the services of your bank for many years, both with my account and with my storage box. Soon, I may be making a long journey, and it could be years, if ever, before I return. Is there a way to transfer these items to my grandson?"

"It is an unusual request, but it has happened before, and there is a provision for it. Give me just a few minutes."

About five minutes later, the bank manager returned carrying a medallion on a chain.

He said, "If your grandson comes to me with this and gives me the codeword, we will move everything over to him, though he will get a new storage box as this one will be destroyed. You need to tell him to ask for Klovus Hissup. What do you want to use for the code word?"

It only took Jonas a moment to decide.

"It will be 'Miners Win'!"

"That is a strange codeword, but one not easily guessed by others. That is good. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Yes. Who can I see about transferring title to land?"

"Is it around here?

"It is less than a half-day's walk."

"Then I can handle it. Do you want it also to go to your grandson?"

'Yes."

Klovus replied, "Then have him bring the existing papers, and I can do it at the same time."

"There could be a problem with that. The papers are maintained elsewhere. So he may have to take care of transferring the account and then bring the papers later."

"I don't see a problem with that. Anything else?"

Jonas answered, "No, but you have been most helpful."

Klovus left the room, and Jonas resealed the box and sent it back into storage. He stuffed a small ball of bees wax up each of his nostrils to ease the stench of the twelfth-century town. That done, he left the bank and walked down the dusty street to the stables. Here he found an old man moving new straw into empty stalls.

Jonas walked up to him and asked, "Joseph, how is War Bonnet?"

"Oh, Master Jonas! I didn't know you were back. He's doing fine. My niece has been exercising and brushing him everyday. I was able to use the money you left me for that purpose to buy out her indenture. Because of that, she makes taking care of her savior's horse as something very important."

A pleased Jonas replied, "Can you have her saddle him for me?"

"As soon a she gets back. I sent her to the store for some saddle soap, but she hasn't returned."

Sensing some concern in the old man's voice, Jonas asked, "Is she late?"

"A little, yes."

"Joseph, if you are concerned, please feel free to ask for my help."

"Yes, Sire." Then pausing to get the wording correct, he asked, "Master Jonas, would you please check on my niece and make sure she is safe?"

"Yes, Joseph, I will be glad to."

Jonas walked back into town. As he approached the store, he saw two thugs loitering around the entrance. He strolled on down the street, appearing not to give the store, or the men even a glance. This was especially hard when he heard one of them mention the name LaMas. At the next alley, he turned to the right and moved back toward the store's rear door. There was another guard there.

Staying in the shadows, Jonas backed away. When he reached the alley, he moved further away from the main street and started a ground-eating lope back to the stables.

When he came into the barn as he did, Joseph asked, "Master Jonas, is anything wrong?"

"There's something going on at the store. I need an old blanket, some old sandals and a big, well-worn hat. I need to look like a poor old man. Also I need you to send a rider to bring Nathan, or one of his sons, from Shiloh. Whoever does come, I need them to wait for me at the Inn. They are not to acknowledge or approach without a signal from me. The exception would be their slipping up to the room when no one was looking. Finally, we need one or two youths we can trust to keep watch on the men in and around the store."

Concerned, Joseph responded "I'll take care of these things for you. Will my niece be all right?"

"If I can help it, yes. Do you still have the big box I gave you to keep?"

"Yes, Master Jonas. It is in that room under the saddles and stuff that needs repair."

Jonas walked to the rear entrance of the stables. It's double doors opened out into a large pasture area. Though he doubted the bird existed on Chaos, he whistled a perfect imitation of a whippoorwill. Moments later, a fine stallion, black with three white stockings and a white star on his forehead, broke away from the other animals and trotted to the barn. There, man and beast greeted each other almost as lovers.

The horse edged as close to Jonas as he could. In response, Jonas gently rubbed the star on War Bonnet's forehead and stroked his neck. As Jonas talked to him, the horse kept rubbing his shoulder against Jonas's body and nuzzling his nose against Jonas's neck, arm and hand. It was obvious that there was a very special bond between them.

Jonas whispered into War Bonnet's ear. "Oh, you've missed me have you?" Well, I have missed you, too. Now, my four-legged friend, we have much work to do for the next few days."

The horse excitedly nodded, as if he understood every word. Who knows? The way he started anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to another, maybe he did understand.

When Jonas broke away, heading to retrieve his hidden box, War Bonnet followed close behind. Carefully removing the broken items, Jonas found the long wooden crate he had previously left with Joseph. This was one of the secrets to Jonas's success over the years. He had many loyal followers like Joseph, whom he had helped in one way or another. Though no one but Joseph knew, Jonas actually owned the stable and made sure that Joseph's needs were covered. In addition, to having the followers, he had caches of weapons and money hidden all over the country.

Opening the box, he sorted through different items until he made some decisions. Picking up the first item, he fastened a leather band on the outside of his left upper arm. It contained three throwing spikes, with razor sharp points at either end. A similar one, holding five spikes, went on his right thigh. He removed the knife from his right shoulder and moved it to his front chest, with the handle angled downward, easily accessible by either hand.

From the box, he removed a similar knife and attached it to his belt. It was placed horizontally, in the small of his back. This knife was something that Jonas had made personally at the ranch's forge. Based on the materials and technology available, this was the closest thing to a real Bowie knife that he could come up with. Though it was slightly longer than fourteen inches, including its nine-inch blade, its balance made its almost three pounds feel like a few ounces. Its primary and secondary edges were like a surgeon's scalpel.

The large guard above the handle had an upward curve at the top and a downward one on bottom. These were designed to either capture the opponent's blade or to angle it away from the wielder's body. In addition, there was a strip of soft brass running down the knife's spine, from the end of the secondary, or false edge, to the guard. This would often catch the opponent's blade, even if for only for a second, throwing off his timing and making him momentarily vulnerable.

Next, Jonas took off the chain with the medallion he had been given by Klovus the Banker, placing it in his pocket. He then removed a metal chain necklace from the box, placing it carefully around his neck. The medallion, which looked like some image of the sun, was actually a Shuriken, or Japanese throwing star. The chain also had some unique characteristics as it was fastened behind the neck with two small pieces of wood. When grabbed correctly, the necklace became a garrote, with the two pieces of wood forming the handles that would fit between the fingers of his hands.

Lastly, Jonas removed a small, but unusual crossbow. It was intended only for close-range work of less than twenty-five yards, but it was actually three bows fitted together. In addition, a leather band was attached to his left leg. It was similar to the one on his right leg that held the throwing spikes, but this one contained six bolts for the crossbow. The crossbow itself hung from a lanyard that stretched from Jonas' left shoulder to just above his belt on his right side. If he let his right arm drop naturally, the crossbow was at his fingertips.

Jonas packed everything else back in the box, and was re-hiding it when Joseph returned with the things Jonas had requested. Joseph immediately noticed the changes and became very frightened.

He asked, "My master is preparing for war?"

"Joseph, when you don't have sufficient intelligence, you prepare for whatever the enemy is capable of, not what they are likely to do."

As he threw his saddle on War Bonnet's back, Jonas asked, "Do you have a pewter mug I can use?"

"Yes, Master Jonas. I will bring it right away."

Jonas finished saddling War Bonnet. From one of the saddlebags, he removed a black silk piece that fit comfortably over War Bonnet's upper forehead, hiding the star and giving the horse a more formidable appearance. In addition, there were four leg pieces that matched. These covered the three white areas on his lower legs, called socks. Finally, he removed an object from the back of the saddle. Unrolling what looked like a bed roll, it revealed a black silk cape, with a scarlet red lining and a black, wide-brimmed felt hat.

Jonas fastened the cape around his shoulders. He donned the hat, pulling it low on his forehead and basically hiding his face in the shadow. When Joseph returned with the mug, he almost dropped it. His Master was none other than the legendary 'Warrior', a man so feared by his enemies and revered by his friends, that his name was never spoken except as a whisper.

Jonas took the blanket and cut a hole in the middle, making it into a poncho. He placed it over Joseph's head, used a piece of rope to wrap around it and placed the hat low on Joseph's face. He removed a piece of cork from his saddle bag and went to the forge area. Here, he burnt the end and smeared several strategic streaks on Joseph's face.

Deciding that it was the best he could do under the circumstances, Jonas instructed Joseph in how he wanted him to shuffle slumped over along the street, never saying a word, and never acknowledging anyone. He was to keep his eyes focused downward, and his face hidden by the wide brim of the straw hat.

"Joseph, I want the town to see this shuffling, weak old man, wandering around like he doesn't have good sense. If someone thinks you are a poor beggar, so much the better. When the sun has dropped one hand, you are to end up behind the inn, waiting for my signal."

"I will try, Master, though I don't understand."

"Joseph, I won't lie to you. I'm pretty sure your niece, as well as this town, is in major trouble. My success in freeing both will depend on your acting ability. When everyone is convinced you are a harmless old man, we will trade places. It's called role camouflage, letting the enemy see what he expects to see. Now, go start your walk through town."

After Joseph left, Jonas placed the mug in his bed roll, fastened his saber to his saddle, and rechecked everything. To add to his disguise, Jonas picked up handfuls of dust and spread it over War Bonnet velvety black coat. When he was satisfied the horse looked like he had been on the road for days, he climbed astride the saddle and cantered out the back of the stables. As he got to the rear of the pasture, the gallant steed sailed over the fence and down a trail through the woods. This trail came around and met the main road, but on the other side of town. He now entered the town again, but from a different direction.

He stopped in front of the inn and stepped down. Removing his saber from the saddle, he placed it on his belt. He loosened the saddle's cinch, and strode thorough the front door. At the sight of the black hat covering his eyes and the black cape with red lining, the place turned deadly quiet.

He walked straight to the innkeeper and said, "I need a room, some food and beer."

"I have only one room available. It is upstairs in the back. It's one quad a day, including food and drink."

Handing the innkeeper the coin, he said, "I will take it. I am tired, hungry and thirsty. Can you please have the food and beer brought to my room as soon as possible?"

"Right away, sir."

An exhausted-looking Jonas started towards the steps. Turning back to the innkeeper, he said where everyone could hear, "Please hurry with the food and drink. I'm hungry, I've been riding for a long time, and I'm exhausted. I want to sleep till sometime tomorrow. Woe to the man who disturbs my sleep."

Jonas resumed his trek up the stairs and down the hall to the last room on the right. What no one else would know was that this was 'his' room. It was never rented to another guest, as Jonas was the innkeeper's partner and it had been his money that had helped the man get started.

Unlocking the door, Jonas went inside, where he removed his cape, hat and boots. Next, he removed the crossbow from the lanyard and lifted the lanyard over his shoulders. Finally, he removed the saber and laid it on the bed. Pulling a rocking chair over near the bed, Jonas sat, propped up against the bed frame.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

Removing the Bowie from his back, Jonas asked, "Who is it?"

"Your food, sir. Also, Nathan is here to see you."

Jonas unlocked the door, stepped to the side away from the opening and used his left hand to open the door. The innkeeper and Nathan, his ranch manager, entered the room and closed the door."

"Was the hallway clear?" Jonas asked, as he bolted the door.

Thomas, the innkeeper, nodded in response, as he asked, "What's going on, Master Jonas? You walked in with that cape and hat and most of the people wanted to crawl under the table. Then you acted like you didn't know me, or anyone here."

Jonas took the tankard of beer and sat it on the table next to the rocker. Using a spoon, he began to eat the excellent stew and bread, as he replied, "Thomas, we've got a serious problem here. First, let me ask you some questions. Have any strangers arrived in the past two days?"

"Yes, Sire. Three men brought a young woman in, meeting four more men in the tavern. The leader and the woman are in the middle room, with the two who traveled with him in the front. The four they met are in the room next door. Other than being a little rough with the woman, none of them have caused any problems."

Jonas looked thoughtful, as he advised, "Unfortunately, I think that's about to change. Three of the men have taken over the store, and appear to be holding at least one woman inside."

The frightened innkeeper asked, "Then what should we do?"

"Thomas, You know who the good men in this town are. Cautiously advise them to send their wives and daughters to stay at Shiloh. It will have to be done quickly and carefully, with no one looking like they are taking a trip. There should be plenty of provisions at Shiloh including bedding and clothes."

Nathan added, "We could withstand a siege for several months."

Jonas added, "Good. As for the men, Thomas, the best riders and archers should try to slip off with the women. Except for those men that can appear to be going on a hunt, I would suggest no one take anything more than he normally would if he was going for a walk."

"Nathan, my next question is, have our riders seen any other strangers in the past five suns?"

"Yes, sire. For the past two, they have counted twenty men moving around the forest near the river. They seem to be trying to quietly wait for someone, like..."

"Like an ambush?"

"Yes, that is the word you taught me."

"Good. If I don't get to Shiloh this trip, please tell the boys they did a good job."

"That will please them, Sire. You are good to your people, and they appreciate it. It is all their desire to add to your happiness and make you proud of them."

"I'm glad they feel that way. Normally, I just try to treat people like I would want to be treated. Now, did you come alone?"

"Dana rode with me."

"How is your son? He must be sixteen summers now."

Nathan smiled that his lord remembered and answered, "Yes, Sire, you are correct. He is already a man, well trained for battle, yet wise enough to know when to fight and when not to."

"Then, Nathan, you indeed are blessed to have such a son. I wish my own son was as such. Send him back to Shiloh to warn your wife and our men of those coming. He will need to take the ridge trail. When he is on his way, find old Joseph in a disguise behind this inn. He will be wearing an old poncho and hat. Have him remove them and slip him in here, with the items. You and Thomas will need to be here also."

"I will take care of it, Sire."

"Thomas, get started with the men and women, but come back to me as soon as you have told Sara. You are blessed with a good wife, as is Nathan, so use her to help you. Women gossip frequently, so it would be less noticeable for them to whisper on the street than it would men. Oh, and when you return, please bring me another serving of everything. It was excellent."

"Yes, Sire. I will talk to Sara immediately. Since Nathan came in, we can say that someone at Shiloh needs her help."

Jonas carefully let the two men out and sat quietly, deep in thought. Twenty men set an ambush in the same location where Crossroads had told him to find the damsel. Add to that, the fact that the ones he was looking for came here to Riverview, rather than crossing the river. Something was definitely 'rotten in Demark.' The thing that bothered him the most was their blatant actions at the store. Were they that arrogant, or was something else at work here?

There was another knock at the door, and Thomas announced "Sire, I have the additional food and beer you requested."

Jonas opened the door and the three men slipped inside.

Thomas said, "I'm going to need to hurry. Things are picking up downstairs, with many strangers, and several are very upset that there were no beds available."

Jonas replied, "I understand. Did you get the women out?"

"We're working on it, but Sara is trying to fix plenty of food before she leaves. We've sent word to the miller that I need his two sons to help serve. At least ten women and six men have already slipped out of town."

"Good, then I need to quickly explain something to the three of you. When I finish, Thomas can return down-stairs. Then, the rest of us can talk for a few minutes longer.

"What I wanted to cover is my grandson, Kyle. Nathan is the only one of you who has met him, as he has spent some time at Shiloh. Unfortunately, I have never introduced him to you. He will soon start traveling here and is to be treated as you would treat me. In addition, if he tells you that I've gone on my final journey, then all the property and agreements need to be transferred over to him. When he arrives, he will either come here or to the stables."

Joseph asked, "But, how will we know him?"

"Picture me thirty years younger and clean shaven, with sandy hair and blue-gray eyes. He a little shorter and lighter than me, but you can definitely can see the relationship. In addition, the first time he comes, he will be wearing buckskin colored like the season. If it's winter, it will be natural, spring will be green, summer will be a lighter tan and fall it will be reddish like the leaves on the trees. In addition, if you look behind his left ear or under his left arm, you will see a scar."

"Then we should not have any problems spotting him."

"Good. Thomas, you need to return below, but keep a listening ear."

"Yes, Sire."

Jonas unbolted the door, re-bolting it after Thomas left. He listened at the door for a moment before returning to the others.

Sitting back in the rocking chair, Jonas said, "Joseph, find the young men you had watching the men around the store, and very quietly bring them here."

"Yes, Sire."

"Nathan, ride like the wind to Shiloh. Bring two smaller riders wearing gray hoods and capes and someone about my size with one of my spare capes and hat. I also want ten archers on horseback. The archers are to be stationed in an ambush about a mile from where the road north takes a sharp left turn. I need you to bring me two matching capes for the women and similar horses.

"If I don't answer the door, leave them on the horses tied behind the inn. Be prepared, from dawn forward, as we will ride around the turn and follow you into the trees. Our replacements will then lead our pursuers into the trap. Have the archers shoot no more than twice and then disappear, along with the decoys. By the time any survivors get back to town, we will have disappeared, with you taking Joseph's niece to Shiloh, and me taking the other woman to a place of safety."

"It is a good plan, Sire, but why all the caution?"

"There is something going on that bothers me greatly. I don't know all the truth yet, but from what I suspect, all of this activity was to have me killed. They may yet succeed, which is why I went into the details concerning Kyle."

Removing the chain and medallion from his pants, he added, "Hold this for him, Nathan. There is no one here that I trust more than you, and this is the key to the kingdom."

"I will do as you say, Sire. Do you think we have war coming?"

"Nathan, my friend, I would bet on it!"

"Then I will start expanding our operations and increasing our riders. My clan is very interested in having some of our people learn from you. We will find hidden areas in the hills to grow food, and we will move as much as we can into the ice caves to the south. What kind of soldiers should we look for?"

"Archers and riders. I want a small company of infantry, but much of our war will be fought with the horse and the bow. Train craftsmen to make the longbow and the 'arrow that turns'. Send men to look for more of the 'trees that poison', as well as buy as much heavy silk thread as possible, for the strings of those bows.

Author's note: The 'arrow that turns' is one with three edges at the point and three feather fletching. Both the point and the edges of the point and the fletching have a slight coordinated angle that causes the arrow to spin in flight, like a bullet fired through a rifled barrel. The trees that poison are the yew, the preferred wood for the English Longbow. 

"If the enemy gets close, graze the cattle in some of the box canyons that lead off our valley. If we are attacked, we can stampede the cattle into their soldiers, utilizing our herds as shock troops. Increase the height of our outer wall and add several inner walls. Replace the roofs of any of our buildings that are not roofed with overlapping clay tiles. This will make it harder for them to burn us out. Think of what they might do, and then develop counter-measures. They will probably come up with something entirely different, but you will have at least narrowed their options."

"Thank you, Sire, for your wisdom. I have already learned much. We will do everything we can to protect Shiloh for you."

"Nathan, protect Shiloh for you! It may belong to me, and eventually to Kyle, but it is your home, not ours. You are not fighting on my behalf. You are fighting for your families, their freedom and their future. If it gets too bad, grab your families and flee."

"My lord, you humble me with your words, yet your heart gives me great strength and courage. It would be wise of the enemy to leave Shiloh alone."

"Nathan, I sincerely hope so, but I doubt they will. In my home, there was once a place similar to ours: a lovely land of peaceful valleys, of fertile soil and sweet water. Eventually, two armies fought there. It was the Battle of Shiloh, and was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought. I do not want your families caught in the middle of that. Now, you better leave. I have more to do in preparing for tomorrow, and I need those horses and capes here long before the cock crows."

Shortly after Nathan left, Joseph returned with two young lads. Again, the hallway was clear, as Jonas let them in and re-bolted his door. Introduced, the two boys' mouths seem to hang open in awe.

Jonas asked the first boy, "Were you watching the front son, or the rear?"

"We alternated most of the day, so that the men would not get suspicious. That was until just before dark. Another man came from the inn and told them something. The man from the back went inside. A few minutes later, four men dragged Joseph's niece from the rear of the store, and down a path to a campsite near the river."

"Did she seem okay?"

"Her hands were tied, and her feet were hobbled like a horse. She also had a rag tied around her mouth. She could only make grunting noises."

"Did anyone check inside the store after they left?"

The one named Billy, sadly looked to the ground and said, "I did. The old shopkeeper and his family were all dead."

Jonas turned to the other boy and asked, "Did you follow them, while Billy was inside the store?"

"Yes, Sire. I figured that was what you would have wanted me to do."

"It was. Can you take me there in a bit?"

"Yes. My mom is already on her way to Shiloh. I'm supposed to meet her there."

"Can you ride a horse?'

"No, but I want to learn."

"Then get your mother's permission, and Joseph here will see that you get to learn and have a horse to ride. Joseph, slip down to the kitchen and get these boys some food. Billy, if you need to run home, go ahead. Joseph, when you finish, take War Bonnet down to the stable and give him some oats and brush him down good. I will meet you and the lad there, but remember that I will still want to ride him before morning."

When he had finished giving them instructions, Jonas opened his coin purse. He gave each boy two pinches for their watching, and another for using their heads when the men left with the girl. They thanked him profusely before Joseph led them downstairs.

As soon as he bolted the door, Jonah went to his saddlebags and pulled out a pair of moccasins, as well as the pewter mug that he had borrowed from Joseph. Since he had removed his boots when he first came into the room, he slipped on the moccasins. Still carrying the mug, he went to a blank spot on the wall, triggered a release and opened a hidden door. He closed the door most of the way as he entered the hidden area, and slowly worked his way down the small hidden passageway that ran beside the other rooms.

At the first room next to him, he heard nothing and from the cracks along the floors, there was no light in the room. He moved on to the second room and heard two voices, male and female. Jonah couldn't pick out all the words, even with the mug to help amplify the sound, but it was obvious that these were not lovers. Finally, he heard the man slap her and then leave the room, slamming the door behind him.

Listening carefully with the mug to the wall and to his ear, Jonah determined that the woman was laying on the bed, just a few inches from him.

He softly said, "Bethany Bookkeeper of Cassandra, stay calm, and don't shout."

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"I am the Hero from Earth to rescue you. My name is Jonas. What are your conditions at the moment?"

"Actually, until a few minutes ago, I was being treated decently. My hands are tied, but in the front. Right now my feet are untied, but earlier they had them tied too. When Gobar leaves like that, he always sends one of his men to guard beside the door."

"You said things have changed. Do you know what has happened?"

"They abducted me not only to sell me in the slave market, but as bait for a Hero who has a place near here. Then today, some of the men with him, attacked the store and kidnapped a girl, again to try to lure this Hero into a trap."

"Do you know why they want to do this?"

"They want his place as a base of operations for this area and plan on killing him and claiming the property as their right. Are you going to still rescue me?"

"Definitely, but it will be closer to morning. I'm going to try to rescue the other girl first, as I think she's in more immediate danger."

She responded, "Please be careful. I don't want to get this close to being rescued and having a child only to lose it all."

"I will. A few minutes before I attack, you will hear some scratching in the wall like a big rat. Use it to act scared and start screaming. I want to get as many of the guards in the room as possible."

"I understand."

Jonas, checked the front room, but at the moment, it also was empty. He returned to his room and slipped off the moccasins and put on the sandals that Joseph had worn earlier. Next, he put the lanyard across his body as before. After checking its status, he attached the small crossbow to the lanyard, and pulled the blanket poncho over his head. He grabbed the big straw hat and returned to the hidden room. This time he carried a candle and turned left, not right.

A few steps further and Jonas went down a small staircase. Moments later, he exited the inn through a storeroom that was below his room. He now carried a skin of wine that he had grabbed from the rack as he went by. Staying in the shadows as much as possible, he headed to the stables. There, he found Joseph and the young lad waiting for him.

"Son," he said, "thank you for all your help. I must apologize though, as in all that was going on, I never asked your name."

"I'm not offended, milord, but honored that you would desire my help. I'm known as Jeri, the cobbler's son."

Jonas didn't keep up with much of the happenings in Riverview, but he seemed to remember something about the tragic death of the cobbler's wife. There was something about a drowning while trying to save the life of a child.

"Jeri, didn't you lose your mother some time ago? How is your family doing?"

Surprised that the man would know or remember, Jeri replied, "Yes, Sire. My sister and I are over the loss, but my father has never been the same. Because of that, plus the fact that my mother had all the business sense, we just barely get by. Milord, I love my father, but he spends most of his time now staring off into the clouds."

"Jeri, I'll try later to talk to your father and see if I can help. I also lost my wife six summers ago, so I understand. Now, I need you to lead me to the camp, and immediately head home and help protect your sister. There are evil times coming, and if you need help, talk to Joseph. If nothing else, he can get you and your sister to Shiloh. You will always be welcome under my roof."

The lad suddenly became very shy, not knowing how to respond to such a statement from such an important person.

Not knowing what else to say, he just said, "Thank you, Sire."

Moments later, the lad and Jonas left the stable and worked their way to a small campsite outside of town. It was beside a small stream that fed into the river. Jonas sent Jeri home, again thanking him for thinking quickly enough to follow these men.

When the lad was gone, Jonas squirted some of the wine into his mouth, making sure at least some hit his beard and the blanket poncho. When he was satisfied with the result, he poured close to half of the remaining wine on to the ground. He then donned the old hat, assumed a slumped over position and started meandering toward the camp site. He could see the guard, and the bed rolls of the others, but he was suspicious that it was another trap.

Therefore, he wandered all through the woods looking for others before finally 'stumbling' onto the small campfire. When the guard approached to send him on his way, the 'old drunk' offered him some wine. Not willing to refuse good wine, he accepted. When he leaned his head back to squirt some of the wine into his mouth, Jonas pulled his front knife and drove it into the guard's exposed throat.

With the guard dead, Jonas slipped into the camp. They had placed the girl in the center of a square that was formed by the fire and the three sleeping men. He would have to take out all three in order to rescue her.

The first was easy. He was laying on his back, with his head in Jonas' direction. Jonas pulled the Bowie knife from the small of his back. Quietly moving closer, he suddenly reached out and held his hand over the man's mouth and nose. The man struggled to wake up, but the sharp blade across his throat put him back to sleep, permanently.

Unfortunately, unlike the movies, men do not usually die very quietly when their throats are cut. The open windpipe makes strange sounds as the lungs try to continue to draw air. This sound disturbed the second man so that he was more alert when Jonas approached. Thus, before Jonas could kill him, he made a cry, rolled to the side, and onto his feet. Drawing his sword, he rushed to attack the 'old man' still on his knees.

Unfortunately, the waking man didn't expect a knife as big as Jonas had in his hand, nor did he expect the 'old man' to have the reach or speed that he did. As a result, he ran right into the blade, which Jonas drove under the rib cage and into the heart.

This extra time though, had allowed the already alerted fourth man to grab his sword and assume a classic fighting position. When he saw the big knife in the chest of his partner, he rushed Jonas. His idea was to attack before Jonas could withdraw the knife, stand and get into a proper position to fight. It would have been a great idea against most opponents, but Jonas wasn't most opponents. Instead of trying to remove the knife, Jonas abandoned it and threw one of the spikes straight from its sheath on his left arm. The spike went straight through the man's right eye, dropping him dead in his tracks.

He retrieved the Bowie Knife and cut the girl's bonds. As he released her gag, he explained who he was. Then directing her to destroy the campfire, he assembled the weapons, money and any other valuables he could find. After wiping clean both of his knives, he restored them to their sheaths. Everything else they rolled up inside the bed rolls. Jonas dragged the men deep into some bushes, and when they left it would have been hard to tell that it had ever been a campsite.

Carefully returning to the rear of the inn, Jonas found Joseph holding War Bonnet and two other horses. He returned to his room through the secret passage, while Joseph helped his niece with her cape and hood. Back in the room, Jonas removed the sandals and poncho, hiding them in the hidden room. He repacked everything into his saddlebags and carried them down to the waiting pair.

"Joseph, here is your mug. Please attach my saddlebags and then go around to the front door of the inn. When you hear a girl start screaming, wait the time it would take a horse to trot the length of the pasture behind the stables. At that point, I want you to start beating on the front door, demanding as loudly as possible the return of your niece, insisting that it was her you heard screaming."

Joseph looked a little uncertain as he replied, "Yes, Milord."

Jonas took Joseph's hand and said, "My friend, you can do it. Just imagine that it was her in there. And don't be shy about it; wake the whole town if you have to. Ultimately, it will be for their own good."

With much more confidence, Joseph smiled and said, "I will take care of it, Master Jonas."

Jonas told the girl, whom Joseph had now introduced as Lynn, to hold the horses and stay in the shadows until he returned. He went back upstairs and donned his hat and cape. Moving quietly along the passage, he came to the middle room. There, he squatted and started moving his fingernails slowly along the boards, making it sound like something was trying to claw its way through the wall.

When Bethany started screaming, Jonas could hear the man telling her to shut up. Instead, she just kept screaming. Moments later, there were more voices in the room, as the two front guards must have been alerted. From the light flickering along the floor, several candles must have been lighted.

Then to add to the confusion, Joseph started banging on the front door, screaming demands about his niece. Jonas could hear more stirring, and the male voices seemed further away. The girl was still playing her role to the hilt. At this point, he released the hidden door, opening it into the room with the screaming girl. He quickly sliced her bonds and started her toward the secret passage.

Once she was inside, he closed the door most of the way and blew out the closest candle. He stepped back into the shadows with his cape drawn around him and his hat pulled low on his eyes. He gave a sinister laugh, causing the leader and the two guards still upstairs to look back into the room. Discovering the girl's bed now empty, they rushed in to investigate. Jonas released the safety on the crossbow, and with three quiet 'whooshes', the men lay dead on the floor.

Jonas rejoined Bethany, fastening the door behind them. They fled down the steps and out the secret exit. Jonas quickly introduced the two women, while Lynn helped the newly rescued woman with the cape and hood. When they were ready, Jonas helped Bethany onto the horse, and they galloped out of the alley, down the main street and out of town.

A few minutes later, the four remaining guards returned upstairs, leaving Thomas the job of pacifying Joseph. When they found the girl gone and the three bodies, the alarm was sounded. Soon almost twenty riders took off in pursuit of the escaped girl. No one seemed to pick up on the fact that none of the riders were local townspeople.

Before the posse, for lack of a better term, could get close enough to see anything but the lingering dust in the air, the three joined Nathan and the decoys rode off into the dawn, headed toward the awaiting ambush.

These four now rode in silence until they reached a fork in the trail. Stopping for a moment, Jonas clasped Nathan's arm and said, "Thanks, my friend. You did an excellent job. Take good care of Shiloh for me."

Almost in tears, Nathan replied, "I will, Sire."

At that, the four split up, with Jonas and Bethany returning to town, while the other two headed for Shiloh. Before they got there, Jonas removed his cape and hat, and urged Bethany to do the same. He removed the silk pieces from War Bonnet's head and legs, replacing them in the saddlebags. He removed a vest, a large colorful silk scarf and matching sash from one of his saddlebags, giving them to Bethany to alter her appearance. Finally, he tied their rolled up capes behind their saddles.

Though the sun was up, it was still early as the two quietly rode back into town and to the stable. Inside, Jonas removed the saddles from both horses and showed Bethany how to brush them. While she handled that chore, he removed and stored most of his weapons in the box where they had been earlier. When he finished, he released the horses to the pasture and together the two walked toward the bank.

They were just a few feet from the door, when someone recognized her and cried the alarm. They rushed into the bank and into one of the rooms. Bethany locked the door, while Jonas pushed his finger into the slot. The storage box appeared and he quickly dumped weapons and money. Someone was trying to break down the door as Jonas sealed the box. Bethany grabbed Jonas close as the box disappeared. Moments later, they passed through the Portal, but as they did, Jonas could hear the door breaking. It had been a very close call...





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Chapter 3



When the portal closed on Crossroads, MariLynn greeted them both with loving arms.

"Thank you, Jonas, for this rescue. Bethany is my kinswoman, and with Gerald gone, there was no one else I would have wanted to make the rescue."

"I'm glad it worked, but we need to talk alone for a few minutes. Bethany needs something to eat, as do I. Could you get her started and bring me something in here?"

Concerned about his serious tone, she replied, "Certainly. Do you want a breakfast and what about the restoration chamber?"

"No. I need a steak sandwich and a cold beer. As for the restoration chamber, I don't need it on this trip."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

MariLynn led Bethany into the eating area.

As soon as the door closed, she turned her kinswoman to face her and asked, "What's going on here? I've never seen him act like this."

"He doesn't want to talk about it in front of me, but the entire operation was a trap; a trap to kill him and take Shiloh."

A flabbergasted MariLynn cried, "What! How? Are you sure?"

"I overheard enough to know I was the bait. The rest, he can tell you. MariLynn, we barely got out of there alive. They were breaking down the door in the bank. There is no braver or smarter Hero than Jonas, but there were times there when he was scared." Then chuckling, she added, "Then, there were also times when he was scary."

A stunned MariLynn returned to Jonas, and the two went to the lounge area. At her direction there were now two swivel rockers and a small table in front of the fireplace. A small fire provided more ambiance than warmth. A club sandwich and coffee was placed on one side of the table, while a steak sandwich and a beer were on the other side.

They both sat. Jonas leaned back with the beer and took a swallow. MariLynn was patient as he closed his eyes and took a second. By the time he had taken a third, much of the tension and stress had begun to peel from him like the clothes from a stripper. Finally, he leaned forward and took a bite of his sandwich.

As he was chewing, MariLynn asked, "Bethany said that the rescue was a trap. Was that true, and how did they do it?"

"That, my precious caretaker, is the sixty-four-thousand dollar question. They knew it was me that was coming, because the primary purpose of the kidnapping and ambush was to take Shiloh. Bethany and the kidnappers were never in that forest, but twenty killers were. Then, just a few minutes ago, you made the statement that I was the only one you would have wanted to rescue your kinswoman. The only thing I can imagine is that you have a traitor here on Crossroads."

"But that's impossible!"

"I would agree, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it might be a duck."

"Jonas, I follow your logic. I just can't imagine who, or how. I have another kinswoman who was a caretaker until her Hero was killed several years ago. She is a now a supervisor. I will talk to her, and I'm sure before it's over with, she will want to talk to you. I will suggest your earlier statement concerning a potential Hero as the reason for the meeting."

"That would be a good approach. Now, we've left our damsel alone too long. How about setting this up with a love seat, a bearskin rug, some soft romantic music, and two snifters of a fine brandy. Hopefully, that will restore our minds and emotions to where they need to be at this time."

MariLynn answered, "Why don't you bring her here? I will set it up, and go talk to my kinswoman while you two enjoy yourself. If you need anything, just call my name."

Jonas found Bethany in a few minutes and waited for her to finish eating. He led her back to the lounge and sat her before the now larger fire. The temperature of the room had been lowered to compensate. When they sat, she snuggled close to him.

He handed her the snifter and explained, "This is brandy. It's like a very fine wine, but is more potent. It is normally served in these type glasses where you can warm the brandy with the heat of your hands. This releases the aroma, which is probably its greatest attribute. The shape of the glass helps hold that aroma for you to enjoy. The brandy itself is just sipped."

As she imitated what he was doing, she discovered that he was exactly right. The smells that filled the glass were a fine ambrosia to the senses. In a short time, the tiredness, the brandy, the atmosphere, and the fact that she felt safe and secure all came together to accomplish one thing: she fell sound asleep.

Jonas carefully picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He removed her shoes and placed her under the covers. They would have more time later, but now she needed sleep.

He returned to the lounge and said, "MariLynn."

Moments later a door opened, and MariLynn and another woman entered the room. Assuming this was MariLynn's kinswoman, he was surprised at how little they resembled each other. The woman was very tall, probably more than six feet two. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties and in excellent physical condition. Her hair was black, as were her almond shaped eyes. She looked like a classic mixture of French and Vietnamese. Her shiny black hair was styled in a modified pageboy, with bangs and just a little under curl at the front. The hair in the front was about two inches longer than the back.

She reached out her hand and said, "Jonas, I'm Sharon Supervisor. I'm one of the coordinators of the operation here on Crossroads." Then pointing to her ear and slightly nodding, she added, MariLynn says you have some questions about a potential Hero?"

Jonas understood immediately that Sharon was afraid someone was listening. He turned back to the fire and discovered that the love seat had been replaced by three swivel rockers, placed around a coffee table situated in such a manner as to be easily accessible by all three chairs.

MariLynn said, "Coffee please."

In the blink of an eye, a cup of coffee appeared on the table close to each chair. Jonas leaned forward and picked his up. Taking a sip, he smiled; it was perfect.

"I may have someone who would be perfect, but I need some questions answered."

"We'll do our best."

"First, could someone be paralyzed from the waist down on Earth, yet be able to fight on Chaos?"

"I would doubt it, but the Portal would say for sure. If he wasn't capable, he would be unable to pass through it to Crossroads, or from Crossroads to Chaos."

"That makes sense. Second, can a hero's companion be impregnated on Chaos?"

"That is a good question. The rule book doesn't say." Then speaking out to the room, she said, "System, can Hero's companion become pregnant on Chaos?"

Suddenly, there were a pair of baby shoes on the coffee table.

Jonas laughed and said, "Well, I guess that answers that question. My third question is if a couple stayed for months on Chaos, would it still be only 15 minutes on Earth?"

"We've had a couple of situations years ago that lasted longer than three months. When they returned home, it was like normal: only 15 minutes had passed."

A concerned Jonas asked, "But what if the Hero's companion was several months pregnant? How would the child adapt to that time compression?"

A piece of paper suddenly appeared on the table in front of them. It displayed a large question mark. The system didn't know either.

Jonas then explained, "Sharon, my grandson Kyle, who will soon be joining us as a Hero himself, has a friend who was one of the mightiest warriors of my country. He led an elite group who operated behind enemy lines, disrupting communications and the delivery of supplies. Sometimes they had to eliminate bad people, but often they were used to rescue innocents who were held by evil people."

"That sounds like a description of a Hero to me."

"Sharon, on his last mission, he rescued a journalist, a writer of the news. She was a citizen of an old enemy of my country. Those that kidnapped her were trying to force that old enemy to provide them with weapons to be used against us. After the rescue, as he climbed into their transport, he was shot in the back by one of the kidnappers that they thought was dead. The woman he rescued is now totally committed to him, but he has trouble accepting that it's not from pity or a sense of guilt that he got hurt because of her."

A shocked Sharon asked, "He was left paralyzed? They have no means to restore his body?"

"That is correct, he was left paralyzed. Sharon, it is suddenly amazing to me that we have such advanced means to kill on our planet, but nothing to heal like you have here. To me, that is a perversion and it saddens me to realize how little we really think about the value of a human life. If we honestly cared about humanity as we claim, our medical technology would be more advanced than our military technology."

"I do not understand. How can this be? All the Heroes from your world put such great value in human life, justice and honor."

Jonas replied, "And that is why they are Heroes. But Heroes are seldom the leaders of a nation. Their sense of rightness and fair play can not deal with the political junk, greed, power lust and corruption that are involved with being a leader."

"I'm sorry Jonas, but this is most confusing. If this is true, how do the nations on Earth have quality leadership?"

"When I start looking at things from this perspective, I don't think we often have had quality leadership. Our priorities are all out of whack. We spend a hundred times more on research for new weapons than we do on medical research. I learned earlier that the entire population of Cassandra is less than a half a million. On earth, we have had battles where almost twice that many were killed. Many of those deaths were from disease or inadequate medical treatment of a non-fatal wound."

This shocked both women. 'How could a world like that produce men like Jonas and Gerald Jones?'

After taking several sips of coffee, Jonas continued, "MariLynn, you or someone once summarized this operation by saying that on Cassandra, there is such a desire for children that the women who can bear children enter a lottery, hoping to be selected. Those that are selected go to Chaos and place themselves in danger, hoping to be rescued by a Hero. If they are rescued, they come back here to be impregnated by that Hero. Once they are impregnated, they return to Cassandra, where they, and the cherished child, will be cared for by all of their society."

Both women nodded that this was so.

"Well, in my country on Earth, more than a million children a year are never allowed to be born. In addition, a woman who has a child without a husband is shunned by society. Even worse, we have millions of fathers who have abandoned their families, refusing to pay anything in support of the child. That is why I reacted so strongly in the beginning concerning not being involved in the life of a child that I produced. In a world were life is cheap, heroes by their very nature, care about lives more than the rest of society."

During this last statement, Jonas had been looking at the floor. As he had told them these things, he suddenly became ashamed to even be from such a world. When he finally looked up, he saw the two beautiful women trying to comfort each other in the midst of their tears.

When the two women finally calmed down, MariLynn looked at Jonas. The look on his face was hard to read, but it almost appeared to be disgust. She hoped he wasn't disgusted at them.

"Jonas, are you okay?" she asked.

"Not really. At the moment, I'm rather disgusted."

Both women were distraught at the possibility that their emotions had affected him this way. Though Jonas was the only Hero from Earth that MariLynn had ever known, Sharon, on the other hand, had been directly and indirectly dealing with men from Earth for many years. They both suddenly realized that Earth was a much more complicated world than they had ever imagined.

Sharon reached out and touched Jonas's arm as she said, "We're sorry if we offended you. Please forgive us."

Stunned at her apology, Jonas replied, "Forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong that I am aware of."

"Then you weren't disgusted with us for crying and comforting one another?"

"No, I was suddenly disgusted that I had to claim to be from Earth. I was also frustrated because I don't know how to change it. You are from a world where women risk their lives to try to have a child, while I'm from a world where even more women pay money, and often risk their lives, to keep from having one. I just wish we could invent a portal that could remove the fetus from the woman wanting an abortion and place it in the womb of a Cassandra woman who so desperately wants a child of her own."

At that point, Jonas could no longer hold back the tears.

MariLynn said, "Please replace these two chairs with a sofa."

Instantly, the swivel rockers that contained Jonas and her disappeared and the two were now sitting on a soft, overstuffed sofa. She then reached over and gently brought his head to her lap. While she stroked his cheek and spoke words of comfort to him, Sharon came around, slipped off his shoes and placed his legs and feet up on the sofa. Almost immediately, he drew his legs up until he was in a fetal position, and the tears flowed that much stronger. For the moment, the mighty warrior was as vulnerable as a tiny baby.

Hours later, Jonas slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't sure where he was until he felt MariLynn's fingertips stroking his cheek. He started to sit back up, but found himself completely drained. She assisted him in sitting, as Sharon brought over a container of the restoration liquid they had given him on previous visits. After a few swallows, he felt his energy levels begin to return to normal.

"Thank you, MariLynn, for your care and comfort. Sharon, thank you for that drink. I was emotionally wiped-out. I wanted to say that I was beginning to feel human again, but I'm not sure I like that word right now."

Puzzled, Sharon asked, "What word is that?"

"Human. The more we talked, the more I realized just how sick and perverse a world I live in."

"Jonas," Sharon countered, "it can't be totally corrupt to produce men like you, Gerald, your grandson, and his friend. And who knows? Maybe one day you can make a difference, even if it is to only one person."

"So you will try to help him?"

"If he can come through the Portal, we will do our best."

Suddenly, Sharon stopped and placed her hand to her ear and stared off into space.

"Then her eyes cleared and she said, "I need to take care of some things. MariLynn, I think our damsel has been waiting too long, even if she did fall asleep in Jonas' arms. Take Jonas to her, and, if nothing, else let them cuddle for a while. Also, I want you and me to talk more to Jonas during this time of impregnating Bethany. His concept of Hero raises some interesting questions."

Jonas and MariLynn returned to the bedroom, where Bethany was still asleep. Still in their clothes, they both slipped into bed with her, making her the meat of a very warm and caring sandwich. Even though she slept a good while longer, she was soon making warm, purring noises in her sleep.

When she did wake up, she was astounded to find herself surrounded in the love she felt. When they realized she was awake, MariLynn exited to allow Jonas the time with Bethany that she had earned.

The thing was that for the first time, MariLynn was feeling a slight twinge of jealousy. Contemplating this, she realized, "These feelings were not because Bethany would be getting love from Jonas; Lord no, that man had enough love in his heart for a thousand women. No, it was because Bethany would be able to have his child and I can not."

MariLynn was surprised, as this aspect had not bothered her before. This was her chosen station in life. But something changed when she had held him earlier as he let down all the walls and cried, crying for a nation and a world. That was when this suddenly became a real struggle for her.

Once they were alone, Jonas turned his entire attention to Bethany. By now, he was used to the Cassandra women, who, themselves, were used to passive men who had to be played with for hours before they could even get an erection. The women, on the other hand, had a hair trigger, without which they would never receive any satisfaction from Cassandra's version of the 'minute man'.

So accordingly, he took his time, with small little kisses that started at her toes to just below her pelvic region. Then he started again from the top, giving special attention to the area behind and just below her ears, her breasts and the area just below them, and then finally to her tiny pussy and the clit just above it. By the time he had gotten this far, she had cum so many times that she had passed out from the sensory overload. Her abdominal muscles actually hurt from the repetitive chain of orgasms.

He let her rest for a few minutes, and then he started over. This time he concentrated on her breasts and devoured them like a hungry puppy at its mother's tit. The difference in this session was that he didn't let her climax. Instead, he would bring her up the mountain only to change tempo or location for a few minutes. When she backed off, he'd start back up, each time climbing a higher peak until she could no longer take it. Screaming for him to penetrate her, he rolled over on top and slowly slid inside her soft, sweaty body. He drew back for another round, and she exploded with the largest climax of her life. He just lay there, kissing her neck and breast until she recovered.

This time he started by just twitching his cock. The feeling was nothing she had ever imagined. After a few minutes, it became a game; he would twitch and she would squeeze the walls of her vagina, contracting her Kegel muscles. This lasted maybe ten minutes and suddenly she couldn't take it any longer. She screamed and lunged upward, driving him deep into her womb. Jonas started lengthening his strokes, but not exhibiting any sense of urgency. This didn't last long, as Bethany's passion reached a plateau of almost continual organism. At that point, Jonas could not hold out any longer, painting the walls of her cervix white and planting his seed deep into her uterus."

After lying there for several minutes, dwelling in the soft afterglow of their time together, Jonas arose and slid a pillow underneath her tight little buns, hoping to help keep his sperm around the egg for as long as possible.

He let her sleep and stumbled in to take a quick shower. When he returned, she was still asleep, so he carefully tucked her in and returned to the lounge area. There he found MariLynn and Sharon deep into a discussion. He started to leave, when Sharon called him over.

"Jonas, we have evaluated some anomalies and have determined that you are right. We located the person who was listening to our conversation earlier, but when confronted with the truth, she denied everything. The problem is that our tests show that she is not lying. So, other than knowing that there is a problem, we are, as you would say it, back to square one. Would it be possible for you to write out on paper a detailed journal of this last trip, including observations and thoughts, not just events? We would also like you to give us details of what you have done to this point in preparation for the coming war, as well as separate lists of things you plan to do, hope to do, and would like to do. The reason for doing it on paper is to keep it off the computer."

"On one condition."

"What is that?"

"That I can take a copy back to Earth with me."

"I don't have a problem with that, and since the portal allows the manuals and guide books to be transported, I would suspect that it would allow these pages also."

"Then I need a secure area off our bedroom to write and where Bethany and MariLynn can join me at times. If you would, please make it a small version of the lounge, including a fireplace and the bear-skin rug. I want it locked in such a way that only the three of us can enter it."

"It will be ready within the hour."

"Good. Then, MariLynn, I need some restorative and some cuddle time with you."

For the next three weeks, Jonas never left the bedroom area. When he was not making love with one or the other of the women, he was writing. Adding to his journal, he started drawing charts of activity, maps of the area as he remembered it, and the design of several fortifications he would like to add.

During this time he had drawn close to Bethany and even closer to MariLynn. Finally, the day after he finished his journal, Bethany came in excitedly bearing the news that he was dreading. She was pregnant with twin boys. He was excited for her, but it meant that he would never see her again, and even worse, it would be two weeks or more before he would see his beloved MariLynn again.

He kissed Bethany first and watched her disappear through the portal to Cassandra. Then he held MariLynn for as long as possible. When his body said he had to leave immediately, he gave her a final kiss, grabbed his copy of the journal and the different manuals and stepped back into his work-room.

He reset the portal's frame into the wall, opened the secret door and reentered his study. When the bookcase was back in place, he opened his special safe. He sat and wrote some additional notes relating to the transfer of everything on Chaos to Kyle and some changes of certain defensive positions he would make. Finally, he put everything inside the safe and locked it.

He opened the door to his office, only to see the shadow of someone sitting in his chair.

"What are you doing here?"

In a voice he recognized, the other person said, "I came to discuss some things with you."

"I doubt we have much to discuss."

"I don't know. I understand you have quite an operation at Shiloh."

At that, Jonas sat down. This did not make sense.

Ten minutes later, the quiet of the neighborhood was shattered by the sound of a gunshot. Within twenty minutes, the police and paramedics had arrived, but it was of no use: Jonas Alexander was dead.

The coroner was immediately called to the scene and within an hour, he had ruled it a suicide.





-------

Chapter 4



Shortly before dark, Kyle and Ryan drove to the rear of CyberFun, still pulling the covered trailers they had taken to the competition site almost twelve hours earlier. Kyle activated the garage door opener on his visor, and the big metal door rolled up into the ceiling. They both drove into the building and dropped the trailers.

An exhausted Kyle said, "Ryan, we can clean this up tomorrow. I'm just too tired to deal with it tonight."

"I agree, it was tiring. At the same time, I can't believe the turnout we had. We weren't sure we would break even, and instead, we made over a thousand dollars."

"It was pretty awesome, but we've got to have more help the next time. I plan on trying to get Larry and Nadia to help. He could handle the rental of the units and judge rule violations, while she could help with the food and drinks."

"Man, if she was working behind the food counter, no one would be in the field. They would all be standing around looking at her."

Kyle chuckled, "True, but it wouldn't take almost an hour to bring the action to a close."

"I think the highlight of our day was watching Barbara and Mark work as a team. I've never seen such fluidness and coordinated actions. It was like watching two people with one mind. I sure hope they'll come back."

"I don't think we have anything to worry about with that. They had a good time, and she commented that it was the best run tourney they had ever been a part of."

Ryan handed Kyle the moneybag and asked, "I hate to ask this, but I've got a date. Could you make the night drop at the bank?"

"Sure, and I'll grab the receipts from inside also. Tell KK that I'm too tired to go out, but if she would like to come over in a little while and share the hot tub, I would love to see her."

"I'll tell her as soon as I get home. If she's like she was last night, she'll be waiting on you when you get there."

Ryan backed his blazer out of the building, and into the rear alleyway. In a moment, he was gone. Kyle backed his Jeep out and used the remote to lower the door. He pulled around to the front and parked.

He went inside and checked with his night manager. After getting a summary of what had been going on, he did a quick walk around the place while the manager prepared a deposit bag. It wouldn't be complete, but there was no reason to leave excess cash in the office to tempt anyone.

With the bag in hand, Kyle walked to his car and drove straight to the bank. He put the two bags in the night depository and headed for home, looking forward to peace and rest after the hard day.

Unfortunately, Kyle could tell something was wrong before he even entered the driveway. There was a police car parked on the street in front of the house, and two unknown vehicles parked in the driveway. There was no way for him to get his Jeep into the garage, so he parked in the street, behind the police car.

With great fear and trepidation, Kyle walked across the yard and entered the front door. The house looked like it had been ransacked. Drawers were pulled out, and the contents had been dumped on the floor. Books, sofa cushions and other items were slung around the room. Kyle could hear a woman screaming in anger in another room. He headed toward the sound, only to find his father standing next to a police officer, while his Aunt Lucille was on a rampage.

Looking up at Kyle, she screamed, "What are you doing here? Officer, take him out of here, he has no right to be in this house!"

"Aunt Lucille, I live here with grandfather Jonas. I have every right to be here. Now, what is this all about?"

The policeman began to answer when she screamed out. "Jonas blew his brains out this afternoon, so you have no home here. I want you out of my house, right now!"

Kyle's father, Roger, said, "That's why I'm here Kyle. To take you home so you can forget all this foolishness."

Kyle was stunned by the news, at the same time, the arrogance and audacity of his family not only angered him, but it also made him very ashamed.

He turned to his father and said, "Father dear, it seems you have forgotten something rather important. I am twenty-six years old, not twelve. I am a senior at UTEP, and have already been accepted to graduate school. I have no intention of going 'home' with you. Not now! Not ever!"

Roger sputtered, not knowing how to answer his son. Being the CEO of a major oil company, he just wasn't used to anyone telling him 'no'.

Kyle continued, "In addition, I have not heard that Jonas's will has been read, so how can Aunt Lucille claim the house."

Turning to the officer, he said, "And why are you letting her rip this house apart like this. Until the will is read, and the executor of the estate transfers title; this woman has less right to be in this house than I do, since this was already my legal residence. In addition, I happen to know for a fact that Jonas intended to leave the house to me."

"Over my dead body!" Aunt Lucille screamed. "This boy is not going to make off with all Jonas's money, I'll fight it in court until this house falls down around him, and chaos will follow."

The officer was taken back by the revelation that the screaming woman didn't have the right to do what she was doing. After all, she was the old man's sister. He grabbed the radio on his hip and called the station. The sergeant on the other end was not a very happy camper.

"Son, my sergeant will be here shortly to deal with this. I'll be honest, I'm in over my head. When these two came storming in like they owned the place, I just assumed they had the right to do so."

"Officer, we'll deal with that later. In addition, I want to swear out a warrant against my Aunt for trespassing, malicious mischief and willful destruction of property."

At this, Kyle's Aunt went ballistic, and his dad was incensed that his son would do such a thing. The exasperated and indecisive officer called the station and asked for two more patrol cars, in addition to his sergeant.

To add to the turmoil, KK cautiously entered the room and asked, "Kyle, what's going on here."

"Sweetheart, that's part of what I'm trying to find out, myself. I don't know all the facts, but it seems that Jonas is dead, and that vulture of a sister of his has already started circling the body. In addition, my pompous, overbearing and dictatorial father has decided that with Jonas gone, it's time for me to give up this foolishness, and move back home to Houston."

Grabbing Kyle by the arm, she said, "You're not going to leave me are you?"

He kissed her and replied, "Leave you? I want to marry you!"

His father interjected, "I'll disown you. When your little gold digging bimbo learns you are destitute, she won't be so willing to stand by you."

"Roger, you are no longer my father. I haven't taken a dime from you in six years. You haven't even sent me Christmas or birthday presents during that entire time, so I won't miss your money at all. Now, get out before I have you thrown out!"

"Kyle," soothed KK, "calm down. I know you don't want his money or his control, but if you have him thrown out, you'll dishonor the memory of Jonas."

A chastened Kyle nodded. He turned to the policeman and asked, "Has anyone notified Jonas's attorney, or made funeral arrangements?"

The policeman frowned, and answered, "The body is at the morgue; we didn't know what lawyer to call."

"Okay, we'll wait for your sergeant. When he arrives, I'll open the safe. As for Jonas's wealth, as far as I know, he didn't have much. He drew a small retirement from the military, and for the past few years, he was semi-retired from the university. He only taught two classes a day. The lawyer will have all the details, but I know there are not stacks of money or bags of jewels lying around. He may have had some investments, but I didn't know anything about them. So, as far as I know, there is no great treasure for me or for anyone else."

"But," Lucille cried, "he had to have money, because he never spent any."

"My dear sweet Aunt. Did it ever occur to you that he never spent what he never had? According to your logic, the homeless have to be the richest people in the country. Now, your nephew here, my father, is the one in the family with money. Why aren't you all over him?"

"Because your father has a wife and children, even if one of them is ungrateful. Jonas has been a widow for six years, and has no children."

Kyle was having to bite his lip. This woman had to be the most illogical person in the world. This whole thing was crazy.

Turning to the policeman, Kyle asked, "Sir, are they sure my grandfather committed suicide? From my aunt's attitude and timing, I would be very suspicious at the moment."

"Why you little son of a bitch! Where were YOU all day?"

"Father dear, are you going to let her disparage Mother like that? As for my whereabouts, I was running a paintball competition since before eight o'clock this morning. I have more than a hundred witnesses to my presence there."

A voice behind them added, "Which I have verified. Kyle, I'm Sergeant Ammons. Officer Dupree, who has made such a mess of this home?"

"The victim's sister, Sir. The young man has ordered her charged with trespassing and willful destruction of property. She told me earlier that the house was hers, and demanded that I throw the young man out. He claims that it's his residence, and that his grandfather planned to leave the house to him."

The sergeant pointed to Kyle's father and asked, "And where do you come into this?"

Roger handed the sergeant a business card and said, "I came to take my son home, getting him away from this cheap, gold-digging bimbo."

Turning to Kyle, he asked, "Son, how old are you?"

"Twenty-six."

The Sergeant sighed at the ceiling, thinking about the ludicrous actions of a father treating a twenty-six year old son this way.

He looked back at Kyle and asked, "Are you potty trained?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Do you owe this man any money?"

"No, Sir, but he's about to owe a ton of money to my future wife. Twice, he has slandered Kathleen in front of witnesses, and I will make sure that she files a slander suit against him. I also want a court order, forcing him to stay away from both of us."

"First, I have to admit that you are definitely free to live your life outside of the influence of your father. Second, as for being a witness to a slander suit, I am an officer of the court and have to testify as to what I heard him say about your young lady, and if it is unfounded, then it is definitely slander. Finally, as for a restraining order. I doubt, under the circumstances, that it would be hard to obtain. Now, how do we get in touch with the victim's attorney?"

Kyle led them to the study and removed a picture from the wall. Behind it was a small safe, which Kyle proceeded to open. Behind the small round door, was a tube roughly eighteen inches deep and six inches in diameter.

After it was opened, he stepped back and said, "Sergeant, everything that I am aware of in this house that has any financial value, is in the safe. And, before any one asks the obvious, this wall has the only safe I'm aware of. In addition, so that no one can accuse me of stealing anything, I want you to pull everything out, and catalog it. There should be a blue binder in there. That was where Jonas kept a copy of his will, along with his lawyer's business card.

The sergeant did as Kyle requested, thinking to himself, 'This is one smart young man. He thinks ahead and responds to attacks, not reacts.'

The Sergeant found the copy of the will in a blue binder, just as Kyle had said. There was a business card stapled to the front, with the name of his grandfather's attorney. A phone number was hand written on the back, along with the word, 'home'. The lawyer, Stanley Patterson, was called and advised of the situation.

Upon hearing the news, Stanley replied, "Sergeant, I will be there shortly, but I can definitely tell you that the house is to go to Kyle. There are some unusual stipulations regarding the house, so I can't reveal everything about it at this moment. I will advise you that Jonas' sister and others will be sharing the liquidated value of everything that Jonas owned other than the house, his car, and all the property therein. But, if ANY of them dispute the provisions of the will, then ALL of the money from the liquidation, not just their own share, is to be given to a specified charity."

"Thank you, Mr. Patterson," the sergeant said into the phone. "We'll wait for you to arrive."

The Sergeant turned back to the others and said, "The attorney will be here, shortly. He did assure me that this house, Mr. Alexander's car, and the contents of both are supposed to go to Kyle. The rest of the assets are to be liquidated, and divided among the other heirs. Mr. Patterson will go over it more, later. One important thing he did mention concerns a provision that if ANY of the heirs dispute the will; then ALL the money, for ALL the heirs (other than Kyle), will be forfeit, and given to a specified charity."

Kyle watched his Aunt's face turn from red to almost purple, but before she could explode in anger, his father interceded.

"Lucille! Shut up! You don't even know how much we could all lose, and if I know Jonas, he has that provision so ironclad that if you sneeze wrong, it will be enforced. I also suspect that it has some retroactive clauses that could force us to repay the money if we dispute the will after the assets have been disbursed."

"Roger. You don't understand. I've got to have this house. Er, I mean I've wanted this house for so long, and I had my heart set on it. I feel that this house represents the crossroads of my life."

Roger answered, "That may be so, but are you willing to bet everything on a pair of twos? I may not have always agreed with my father, but I always respected his mind. I can promise you that you will never beat Jonas on this. Beyond that, if you cost the rest of us our inheritance, we will sue you for our loss. Give it up, the house isn't worth that."

Turning to Kyle, Roger said, "Son, would you please reconsider having her arrested. I will hire a maid service to come clean this up, and I will repair or replace anything she has damaged."

"Father, I'm not a vindictive person. I will honor your request, but I want pictures made before it is cleaned up, and I still insist on a restraining order. KK, do you know where my camera is?"

"Kyle, how should I know? I've never been in your room."

"Oh. Okay. Then, if I get my camera, will you take pictures for me."

"I'll be glad to, but can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"Why don't I go purchase a disposable camera? We shoot the pictures, and put the camera in a safety deposit box. That way, if it ever has to be used as evidence, we have proof that the pictures have never been tampered with."

"Excellent idea! I knew you were worth having around for other reasons than your beauty."

"Thanks ... I think. I'll go get the camera and be right back."

KK headed for the front door, and met Stanley Patterson on his way in. She introduced herself and left. Mr. Patterson, having been warned about Lucille, shook his head and followed the trail of destruction and turmoil back to Jonas' office.

He knocked on the doorframe and said, "I'm Stanley Patterson, attorney for Mr. Jonas Alexander. Sergeant, I believe you called me about the will. What happened? When I talked to Jonas last evening, he was as fit as ever."

The sergeant answered, "According to the coroner, Mr. Alexander committed suicide sometime before noon this morning."

"Oh my! There was nothing in his voice last night that even hinted of such a thing."

Roger asked, "Can I ask what was the purpose of my Father's call?"

"He gave me authorization to include a previously prepared and signed codicil of his will."

Lucille snarled, "So he tried to change it at the last minute. That will give me something to fight with."

With a look of disdain, Stanley Patterson said, "You must be Jonas' sister, Lucille. I can assure you that the provision had no effect on your inheritance, it only weakened Master Kyle's."

Encouraged, she shouted, "So, the old goat wasn't going to give Kyle the house after all?

Stanley sadly shook his head and replied, "That was not it all. It was only the requirement that the deed be in two names. I can't say more than that until the reading of the will."

Stanley turned to Kyle, shook his hand and said, "Son, you have my deepest condolences. Jonas was a fine man, and we will all miss him. I've been his attorney since before you were born."

With that, the attorney turned and left, not saying another word to anyone.

Roger was more perplexed than he had ever been in his life. He was angry because his son, his only son, had defied him. Yet, at the same time, he was proud as a peacock of this same son's determination to make his own way in the world. Rogers mind seemed to be caught in a paradoxical world of mutually conflicting emotions. This was definitely something unfamiliar to the powerful executive, which added another emotion that he rarely experienced — fear.

He turned to his son and said, "Kyle, our discussion of this issue is not over, but this is neither the time nor the place. I will be staying in the Presidential Suite at the Airport Hilton, and your mother and sisters will be joining me tomorrow."

Roger turned to his Father's sister and said, "Aunt Lucille, please go home and calm down. If you still feel so strongly about this house after the reading, then I will hire an attorney to look at the will, and see if you have any grounds to make an appeal without losing everything."

"Rrrr!" she grunted, "even my own family won't respect me in this!"

Kyle replied to the twisted woman, "No more than you respect the feelings and wishes of your own brother."

At that unexpected emotional slap in the face, she stomped out of the house, muttering curses as she went. Roger turned to follow, but KK, who had just returned, asked him to please stay a minute. Kyle asked the Sergeant about the requirement for the restraining order. The Sergeant handed him a business card and said that he would get the process started. He then led the other policemen out the front door.

KK pulled Kyle aside and whispered, "Right now, I don't like your father very much, but I do love his son. I think you should consider asking your father to be involved with making Jonas' arrangements."

At that, Kyle's respect for his newly discovered soul mate increased tremendously. It was so unlike anything anyone in his family, other than Jonas, would have ever even considered.

He nodded, turned back to his Father, and said "Roger, I know there are problems between us right now, but your father and my grandfather is lying in an impersonal morgue at the moment. He deserves more respect than that. Can we set aside our differences and work together to make sure his burial wishes are carried out? In this, I want to emphasize the word WE, because I will not stand for you to do your normal, 'run roughshod over everyone involved' routine. I can't think of a more wonderful thing to give Jonas than for us to be able to do that."

Roger Alexander was floored by his son's statement. Again, he was proud of his son's desire to compromise for the sake of Jonas, though the verbal cut at the end was bothersome. He would never be that way, would he? This would require some thought and introspection, but at least it was the offer to remove one brick in the wall between them. Maybe if they could work together on this, Kyle would come to realize that all he wanted was the best for his son.

Roger lowered his eyes and nodded. "Yes, Son, I would like that very much. I would also like for you to call me Father or Dad."

"I also would like that very much, but this time you have to earn that right. Before it was something I was born with, but now that I have been disowned, I can be selective."

"Kyle, I was just ranting. I won't disown you."

"Then Roger, understand this. I have disowned you! I no longer consider you my father, nor do I consider myself related to the others in your family. You went too far when you attacked KK. For that, and the things you said, you will not be easily forgiven. Now, this could easily degenerate into another battle of the wills, but that does not do anything about taking care of Jonas's situation."

"Okay Kyle, if that's the way you want it. I'll table this issue for the moment, but please don't treat your mother and sisters as strangers. They're the innocent parties here."

"Probably not as innocent as you think, but I'll consider it for Jonas's sake. But, if they start on me about forgetting my dreams and moving to Houston, or if they say anything derogatory to, or about, Kathleen; then all bets are off. Am I understood?"

In that same conflicting of emotions that he had had earlier, Roger nodded. He would definitely have to talk to Charlotte and the girls about this, tonight. He also needed some time to think about how he would handle this situation with his son. He needed a new approach.

Roger looked around and said, "Kyle, if you're in agreement, I would say the first thing I need to do is to find someone who will come clean up this mess on a Saturday evening."

Kyle nodded, but KK interrupted, saying, "Mr. Alexander, I know that you agreed to pay to have someone clean up this mess, but if you would let me, I would like to do it. Then you and Kyle can review Jonas' will and determine what he wanted, and what you need to do."

Roger looked questioningly at his son. This deferring of decisions to others was new to him, but he was trying to work at it.

Kyle responded, "I don't have a problem with that. Besides, if KK does it, I know it will be done right. As for the other, I've had an exhausting day, and I am sure that we both can do a better job in the morning. Is that okay with you."

"Sure, Kyle. That probably will be a good idea. I'll call you in the morning, after I know your mother's plans."

"That would be fine, but why didn't she and the girls just come with you?"

"I was in Phoenix for a meeting. I had the company jet fly me here, directly."

Kyle and KK led him to the door. Roger stood there for a moment, looking at the two of them. Finally, without saying anything, he turned and walked to his car. As he drove off, Kyle closed the door and locked it.

"KK, grandfather was too trusting. Help me make sure all the locks are set, and I'll order us a pizza."

Hugging him close, she said, "Before we do, I've got to ask you, did you mean all those things you said to your father ... especially about me?"

"Every one of them, Future Mrs. Kyle Alexander ... or at least, I hope you will be."

"And why wouldn't I be?"

"There are a lot of things we need to talk about. Things that could cause you to change your mind. I don't think we should wait long, because it's not like we don't really know each other, but because we've never looked at each other from this standpoint."

"Speak for yourself! I've imagined nothing else for more than ten years. I used to dress up in my mother's wedding gown, dreaming that you were walking me down the isle."

"See! You had this secret life I never knew about. Well, in some ways, so have I. Now, let's get those locks taken care of.

-------

Lucille had not been home ten minutes when her phone rang.

The voice on the other end asked, "What did you find out?"

"The house is definitely being given to Kyle, and his father was unable to bully him into moving to Houston. Before it was over with, Kyle had disowned his father and is having a restraining order placed against me. As for the house, I was unable to discover anything about any hidden rooms. I did trick Kyle into opening the safe in front of me, and I now know the combination. But I saw everything that was in there, and none of it looked like any of the things you described."

"Does Kyle seem to know anything about his grandfather's dealings?"

"It doesn't appear so, because he seemed more upset about his father wanting him to move to Houston, than if he had the house or not. I think the house just represents that freedom from his father, and that his grandfather loved him enough to want him to have it. I even threw in the words 'crossroads' and 'chaos' into the conversation, and he never even flinched."

"So, you don't see him as a permanent threat?"

"No, and after things calm down, I'll smooth relations by being all sweetness and ashamed of my actions. That way, I can keep a watch on him and maybe have an opportunity to explore. Since the safe had nothing in it, all the information about Shiloh must be hidden wherever he has the portal."

"What about the ring? Was he wearing a sapphire ring?"

"Not only was he not wearing any ring, there was not even a ring mark on any of his finger." Then after pausing a minute, the older woman added, "Though from the looks of things, that's about to change. I think Kyle will be getting married shortly, and from her looks and the way she was clinging to his arm, she's not going to like the idea of him becoming a Hero any time soon."

"That sounds even better. All we need is another year or so, and we will dominate both Earth and Chaos. Then, if the women of Cassandra want human babies, they will have to trade with us."





-------

Chapter 5



Kyle and KK sat at the kitchen table, enjoying the last of a large pepperoni and Italian sausage pizza. Earlier, while waiting for the pizza they ordered to be delivered, they had worked together to straighten out the mess Kyle's Aunt Lucille had created.

KK got up and walked to the refrigerator to get herself another cold beer.

"You want another beer, too?" she asked.

"Sure, but let's go to Jonas' study to drink them. I have some things I need to discuss with you."

She looked at his face and saw his apprehension.

Concerned, she replied, "Okay, but this sounds ominous."

"I wouldn't call it ominous, but it is definitely not what you will be expecting."

"Well, I've known you too long to suspect that you are a girl masquerading as a boy. Hopefully, it won't be that bad."

"I hope not, too."

They walked back through Jonas's office, and into his study.

The room was a delightful vision of soft earth tones and rich handcrafted wood. There were no windows in the room, but in several gaps between the filled mahogany bookshelves, gold draperies hung from the dentil molding accented ceiling to the highly polished dark oak floors. These draperies in turn, accented paintings of medieval country scenes, as if the paintings were windows to another time and place.

A rust, red and gold Persian Rug, accented the room's center. On the side closest to the door to the office, was a mahogany Chippendale sofa. The pattern of its raw silk upholstery showed flowers of various styles and sizes; done in a blending of soft maroon, rust, soft pinks, tans and pale greens. The rich mahogany coffee table in front of it was simple, yet elegant.

On the other side of the rug, there was a matching lamp table, with a chair on each side, forming an "L". One of the chairs was a Chippendale wingback chair. It was covered in a soft rough leather, that had the appearance of buckskin. The other chair was a simpler, Martha Washington style, with a high, but not straight, back. It had inversely curved and upholstered mahogany arms; with straight legs, which were reinforced by wooden cross frames. The fabric covering this nicely padded chair, was a more refined silk in varying shades of the same color of rust tinted maroon. The room was comfortable, yet looked luxurious. What few people realized, was that Jonas himself had personally made all the furniture and bookshelves.

Kyle led them to sit in the two chairs next to the lamp table, turning his wingback chair so that they were able to more closely look one another in the face.

Pensively, KK said, "Kyle, you're beginning to worry me."

"Sweetheart, before we talk, I need your promise. This talk must remain just between us. Unless I initiate it in a conversation with another, it must remain that way forever. Can you promise me that?"

"Before I make that promise, does this involve something highly illegal, like murder?"

"Not on this Earth, and even then I wouldn't call it murder."

"Kyle, if it was anyone but you, and if it was any other circumstance leading up to why we're in this room right now; I would suspect someone was setting me up for a joke. But you're being perfectly serious."

"Sweetheart, I am serious. I am as serious as I am about wanting to marry you," he said, looking directly into her eyes.

"Then I promise to keep my mouth shut. I won't promise to believe you, but I will promise to listen, and to keep silent."

"Okay, good enough. Jonas had a secret life. A secret life that he maintained for over thirty years. In addition, for the past four years, I have been a part of that secret life. Today is the first time in those four years, that I didn't go with him on his bi-weekly journey. A journey to another place and time."

"But I usually saw you at the shop on Saturdays?"

"As strange as this sounds, the way it works is that no matter how long we are in this other place, only fifteen minutes passed here on Earth."

"What did you do there?"

"In my case, I was called a Companion. On the planet Chaos, I was like a squire to Jonas. I cooked, took care of the horses, cleaned weapons, and carried messages. I was not allowed to fight in any manner, except to defend myself. On the planet Crossroads, I mostly relaxed and studied. I was also taught by Jonas's caretaker, concerning many ways to please a woman."

"Kyle, you're going to have to be patient with me on this. At the same time, do you realize that your aunt used the words Chaos and Crossroads in her little tirade this evening?"

"No, I was too upset to pay a lot of attention to her words."

"Well, for someone who wasn't paying attention, you sure did a good job of dealing with that woman. I heard her use the word 'chaos' just before I entered the room the first time. Something about the house falling in around you. Then, when she started to say that she had to have this house only to suddenly back-peddle and say that it had been a dream of hers for years to live in this house, she used the word 'crossroads'. I caught it then, because it didn't seem to fit the sentence structure."

"You're right. Why would she have done that?"

"It sounds like she was testing you in some way, to see if she struck a nerve. Does that make sense?"

Kyle thoughtfully responded, "Yes, it does. It also raises another question. She now lives in a home three or four times as nice as this. Why would she have dreamed for years of having this place?

"I know that woman has always seemed rather flaky, with some of the extreme right-wing causes she gets involved with, but this afternoon, she didn't act like it was a desire that would break her heart should she not get the house. Instead, she acted like she was desperate to get possession of this house ... or, at least, to get me out of it temporarily. In addition, how would she have known about Chaos and Crossroads?"

Walking to the safe, Kyle said, "I need to check to see if Jonas left me any notes or anything."

"So, I take it that you lied to everyone, including the police, about another safe."

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean, 'not exactly'? "

"Watch."

Like most small wall safes, its door was round and positioned in the middle of a much larger metal plate. Kyle closed the small round door, and spun the dial, locking it. Then, he moved the outer ring of the little safe ninety degrees to the left. Pushing the dial inward, he entered a new combination. When he finished with the combination and turned the little handle, the entire metal plate opened, leaving the smaller safe intact. It was the reverse of the idea of a 'safe within a safe'.

An excited KK exclaimed, "Ingenious! I'm impressed. That is so neat. Who would have imagined such a thing?"

Looking inside, Kyle immediately saw there were several items that he had not seen there before. He reached inside and took out two bound booklets entitled: A Guide for Companions, and A Guide for Heroes. Reaching inside a second time, he pulled out three notebooks in Jonas's handwriting. They were labeled, The Attempted Trap, and the Coming Battle for Shiloh, Plans for the Defense of Shiloh and The Role of Shiloh in the Coming War. In addition, there were some maps. A smaller, unbound group of handwritten sheets that were stapled together had the title page: Notes to Kyle, if something should happen to me.

Kyle laid them all out on the table in front of Kathleen, and said, "Sweetheart, This was all put here today, after Jonas got back from Crossroads."

"Then you really were being serious, and this farfetched story is beginning to take on sinister connotations.

"KK, I was very serious. Serious enough that I suspect that Jonas was murdered. Serious enough to sleep with a gun beside me, tonight. Now, because of the titles of some of these journals, I think that it's far more sinister than I originally believed. Therefore, on Monday, I will have a security system installed. That is something I have begged Jonas to do for four years."

"Then my love," KK said, "you had better start at the top. It sounds like it's going to be a long night."

"KK, I don't know how much I can cover, but I will at least try to cover the basics. There are four planets, Earth, Crossroads, Cassandra and Chaos. Besides our Earth, I don't have any idea of where the other planets are, or if they are even in this dimension or time.

"Crossroads is the link between the other three. It has a staff of people from Cassandra to support the operation, but I don't think anything in the place is Cassandran technology. In fact, the controlling authority is most likely a computer. The one thing I do know is that their non-military technology is greater than anything I've ever seen in a SciFi movie or TV show.

"In what way?"

"You tell the computer what you want, and it just appears. It doesn't matter if it's food, furniture or even clothes. In addition, their medical technology heals broken bones, stab wounds ... whatever ... in a matter of minutes. In contrast, if you already had something wrong, like cancer, it normally wouldn't deal with that."

"What about Larry Martin?"

"That was part of what Jonas was going to talk to some people about this morning. One of my thoughts was that even if it didn't cure his paralysis, he might be able to live normally on Chaos, and even impregnate Nadia there, returning to Earth to bear and raise the child. It might be the way around the catch 22 problem with the stem cells."

Nodding she said, "That could definitely change their lives, and strangely, you have caught my interest also. Please tell me more."

"The key to everything seems to be Cassandra itself. I have never seen it, but I understand that it has been ravaged by past wars, wars that have reduced its total population to around a half million. To complicate matters, the effects of these wars have made their males weak, almost totally impotent; and quick-triggered, if and when they can get an erection at all."

"That would definitely make it difficult to rebuild their population."

"You're absolutely correct, but the problem doesn't end there. According to what I understand, the eggs of the females have an enzyme coating that usually kills any of the little spermatozoa a native male can manage to inject into her. The coup de grace, is that if, by some freak set of circumstances, one of their males does manage to get a female pregnant; any male child they may produce is sterile. Are you following me so far?"

"I'm following the facts, but I have no idea what this has to do with us."

"Just bear with me a little longer, and hopefully I can make it fit together. I don't know who discovered it or when, but they have learned that Cassandran women can easily be impregnated by human males from Earth. What is even more important, any male children that are produced are just the opposite of Cassandran males. As a result, the male population of Cassandra is slowly becoming human. As you can imagine, there is a tremendous desire among Cassandran women for the opportunity to be impregnated by a human male."

A slightly perplexed Kathleen interjected, "So, it sounds like we should have a bunch of good hearted, horny human males jump over there and oblige them!"

"Not a bad idea, but the governing authority of the 'portal' won't allow that. Instead, there are lotteries held to see which women are given the opportunity to be impregnated by a human male."

"I don't know why, Kyle, but for some reason that makes sense. Assuming that this is all true, it would keep the population relatively stable; while letting the human male children gradually move into positions of authority, rather than to create a civil war between the traditional Cassandran males and the Human half-breed males."

"That is probably a correct assessment, except that the lottery is just a start. Over a short period of time, the women that win the lottery are sent to the planet Chaos. There, she has to place herself in danger, so that a 'Hero' from Earth can come rescue her."

"This seems like a strange use of the word, 'Hero'."

"KK, it is. It is crucial to understand that the word 'Hero', as used here, is more a title than a reference to someone's character. Most true heroes are ordinary people who do what has to be done, with little or no forethought as to the danger of their actions to themselves or others. In this case, 'Heroes' that choose to go to Chaos, are purposely putting themselves in danger for various reasons. It is something they have trained for, both in hand-to-hand combat, and with various medieval weapons."

"What would be some of the reasons?"

"To many, it's an opportunity to do something good. To others, it is an avenue for adventure and sex, in the middle of a dull and boring life. Some liked the challenge of opposing someone in deadly combat. I don't know what Jonas's original purpose was; but, since grandmother died, I think it was so he could spend time with his caretaker. He was lonely, and he loved her deeply. I believe that his love was returned by her, just as deeply."

"I can see the logic in those different reasons. What happened next?"

"When the Cassandran woman is rescued, she is brought back to Crossroads, where she and the Hero have sex until she is impregnated. As soon as she knows she's pregnant, she has to return to Cassandra. The 'Hero' has to return to Earth, moments later."

"And, if she's not rescued?" asked KK.

"She will die, or live out her life as a slave on Chaos."

"Then it sounds like an attempt to find only the strongest, most determined women to conceive and raise the child. It's a kind of self-imposed Darwinian approach, using 'survival of the fittest' to produce only the strongest children. I suspect that the goal is to speed up the evolution of their species; though in actuality, it is actually applying Mendel's concepts of selective breeding, rather than evolution."

"KK, most everyone else would have listen to that discourse and said 'duh?', but I think yours was an astute observation."

"Thank you. What is Chaos like?"

"KK, it's basically a fifteenth century world. It has all the smells, diseases and disadvantages that go with such a period of civilization. It also has the brutality of an entrenched feudal system."

"Then, wouldn't it be a piece of cake for a modern man to go into that world and rescue the damsel? I don't see much challenge in that?"

"KK, your logic makes perfectly good sense, except for one thing. As I understand it, the 'portal' will not allow any weapon, or something that doesn't exist on both worlds, to pass through, in either direction. A beginning human 'Hero' starts out with nothing but his clothing. If he lives, he is able to build up a supply of weapons and money to work with on Chaos. But he can't take anything with him, nor can he bring anything back, other than the Damsel he has rescued..."

"Okay, but what about our technical knowledge? Can't someone just start making things there that are technically superior to what they have?"

"KK, I have to say, your mind is going full blast on this. From what I can tell, most Heroes do not stay long enough to do such a thing, nor do they develop the local resources. There were two older Heroes, Jonas and a man named Gerald Jones, who actually spent enough time there to build a home and begin to affect the culture. Gerald had a place in the mountains roughly two hundred miles from Shiloh, that he called the Citadel."

"What is Shiloh?"

"Sorry sweetheart, I got ahead of myself. Shiloh was Jonas's retreat. It is a large ranch/farm estate, that's a cross between an old southern plantation, and a Spanish hacienda. There are no slaves, but many people live there to provide mutual security, and to take advantage of some of the innovations that Jonas has initiated. It raises some of the finest horses and cattle on the planet, and uses modern farming concepts to produce an abundance of food. I guess that with Jonas gone, it's now mine.

"Now, back to your original question regarding more modern technology. In places like Shiloh, we have done some things, but it's difficult. We've set up windmills to pump water, and water wheels to run some machinery. But in other areas, we have more of a problem. The problem is with resources. At this point, no one has found a source for iron ore, coal or sulfur.

"No iron ore? How do they make what weapons they have?"

"They do have what is called 'bog iron', which are small nodules of a low-grade iron produced by a certain bacteria in the peat bogs. These bacteria leach iron oxide from the water in the bog and clump it together. It's a long process, but they can eventually make a decent sized piece of iron. The smelter at Shiloh produces the best iron on the planet, but it makes less than two hundred pounds of usable iron a year. And without coal, there is no way to make a decent steel."

"I can understand that, but Kyle, you also mentioned sulfur. What is its importance?"

"It is one of the three required ingredients to make gunpowder. Without it, there is no gunpowder."

"This is beginning to make more sense to me. Especially Jonas's involvement. I imagine that with him, it wasn't the challenge of the fight, or the desire for the girl, but the desire to build a better world, and to make a real difference in people's lives."

"I suspect you've nailed it, at least until grandmother died. He was always looking for ways to give his people at Shiloh a better, safer life, and they loved him for it. As for the rescues that were part of it, he also knew he was also affecting the long-term future of Cassandra."

"You said he had been doing this for almost forty years. Did your grandmother know about all this?"

"Yes, and she encouraged him to go. According to what Jonas told me, she said that the women of Cassandra needed him too much for her to hoard him. Besides, she knew that in fifteen minutes, he would be back, and when he was here, she had his complete heart."

"But what if the Hero gets wounded or killed?"

"If he gets wounded and can make it back to Crossroads, their marvelous medicine can restore him completely, but if he dies on Chaos, then he is dead."

"I think I'm following what you are saying, but what does this have to do with you, or with us?"

"I have been in training for more than fourteen years to become a 'Hero' and to eventually replace Jonas as the Lord of Shiloh."

"Would you insist, even if I disagreed with my husband going off to some other world and making other women happy and giving them babies?"

"KK, I won't go that far. At this point, I just wanted you to know what was out there, before our relationship got any deeper."

With a wicked grin, she asked, "But, what if I want it to be at least six inches deeper?"

A mock-shocked Kyle responded, "Well, you always did know how to get to the 'root' of the problem."

With a demure look, KK asked, "Is it going to be a 'bone' of contention between us?"

"I don't know, but I do think we should get something 'straight' between us regarding this issue."

"Buster, I'm in favor of the 'straight', no matter what the issue."

By this time, the tension between the couple had drained, and they were both laughing at the interchange. KK got out of her chair and climbed onto Kyle's lap. She placed his right hand on her left breast, and gave him a long, wet kiss.

Finally coming up for air, she proclaimed, "First, I have to say that as farfetched as it sounds, I have to believe you. I've known you and your grandfather too long, to accept the fact that you would tease me like that, while Jonas isn't even in the ground yet. In addition, I am positive that neither of you suffer from delusions; or at least, Jonas didn't before he died. Second, I want to read the manuals for 'Heroes' and 'Companions'. Third, I want to take one trip with you as a Companion. Then I will make up my mind. If I agree to it, then after we are married, I will go with you as often as I can."

"Can you take the other women, the violence, and the stench?"

"As long as I know that I truly have your heart, I think so. If not, then I'm not the right soul-mate for you. Kyle, I don't understand everything. Hell, I'm not even sure that I believe everything! But, from what you are saying, Jonas has been training you for this since before you were twelve. To ask you to turn your back on that, would be like asking a prince to deny his crown. And Kyle, from the sound of things, you are truly a prince of that world, and a good prince needs his princess at this side, helping to care for his people."

"Wow!" a stunned Kyle exclaimed. "This was not the response I was expecting."

"You were probably expecting a whining, selfish, manipulative woman who could only see how something like this could affect her. Kyle, we've played together since I was four. I've broken my arm following you around in a tree. I've fractured my foot trying to walk the railroad tracks with you. I broke a finger playing catch with you, when no one else was available. I'm a tomboy, not a fragile little piece of fluff. Sometimes, I've even wondered if I was born a hundred years too late. Now, what does that say to you?"

"That I need to get a newer model that's not so banged up?" Kyle said, and tried to duck.





-------

Chapter 6



Instead of attacking Kyle, KK fell against his shoulder laughing. When she had about stopped, she pulled back and looked into his deep blue eyes. They seemed to draw her deeper and deeper into a growing oneness of their very essence. If the eyes were the windows to the soul, Kyle's were huge bay windows.

Finally, she shook her head, mentally drew the drapes over those windows and asked, "Well, where do we go from here?"

Kyle answered, "I guess the first thing is to meet with Roger in the morning to begin to make funeral arrangements. My thinking is that we hang loose until after the funeral, and the will has been probated."

KK nodded, but a moment later added, "The one thing that concerns me is your aunt breaking in here while we're off with your father, or other errands. In addition, we've got a business to run."

Kyle smiled; the respect he had for her was evident. "That's not a bad idea. The whole sinister aspect of her actions concerns me. I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to break into the house while we were out. In addition, even if I contract with a security company on Monday, I doubt they could get a system installed before the end of the week."

Nodding her thoughtful face, Kathleen replied, "That's true." Then, after thinking further, she added, "You've also got the problem that a security system is not foolproof, nor is it able to take immediate action if something did happen. I would hate to have someone destroy the entrance to Crossroads while we were gone, stranding us there for who knows how long."

"So, what are you thinking in that devious little mind of yours?"

Looking indignant, his love responded, "I have you know my mind is not little. Devious, yes. Little, no. As for my thoughts, I was mentally tossing around the idea of having someone stay here for the time being. Someone like Larry Martin."

"KK, that's a brilliant idea."

Faking a look of shy humility, she replied, "Thank you. I try."

He stood and drew her to him. He kissed her soft wet lips for a long time, and after a minute, or so, her felt the tip of her tongue knocking on the door to his mouth. Surprised, he just eased his mouth open just a little, and her reaction was to push that much harder. He always heard that if you gave a woman an inch, she'd end up wanting a mile, but he would take that 'mile' any day.

After they came up for air, Kyle asked, "Well sweetheart, where do we go from here?"

"I think for right now, I go home. I don't want to, but my excited mother is just coming to grip with the idea that I have a boyfriend. For me to immediately start spending the night with him might be a 'tat' too much. I'll take those books with me, just in case I need to read for a few minutes before I go to sleep."

"That's fine. I'll try to get a hold of Larry first thing in the morning."

"Good, and I'll try to be here around eight to fix breakfast for my man."

"I like the sound of that! Do you need me to follow you home?"

Contemplating the situation, Kathleen responded, "I would normally say no, but after today, I would feel better if you did. There are just too many loose ends and unanswered questions about this whole deal."

"I agree. Let me get something, and I'll be ready to go."

Moments later, Kyle returned with an automatic pistol in his hand. He double checked that it was loaded, and the safety was on. Satisfied he was as prepared as he could be, he put the gun in his belt at the small of his back and slipped on a light jacket. Though it was somewhat chilly, the jacket was more to hide the pistol than anything. They exited the front door, and he locked it behind him. They walked to the street and kissed.

After Kathleen began to feel the chill in the air, they finally separated. Grudgingly, she got in her little Mazda Miata, while he climbed into his Jeep. Nothing happened during the three block drive to her house, and in a very short time, Kyle was back. He used the automatic garage door opener and parked next to his grandfather's Buick LeSabre. He closed the garage door and went back into the house.

In the kitchen, he cleaned up from his and KK's Pizza. After checking all the doors and windows, he headed back to the study. He moved the maps and booklets back into the safe and locked it. He also opened the door to the secret room and gave it a cursory review, but nothing seemed out of place and he could not find anything any notes his grandfather might have left. He closed the secret entrance and went back into the study, but again found nothing that gave him a clue.

Finally, Kyle went back to the scene of this grandfather's death. Checking around Jonas's desk, he found a few more small spots of blood on the floor and on the desk top. He grabbed a rag from the laundry and carefully cleaned them. Jonas's chair and a thirty-four star American Flag that hung beside the desk had already been taken out to the garage; too covered in blood to probably be ever used again. That particular flag had historical significance, as it supposedly had been used at Grant's western headquarters during the Civil War.

As he looked at the arrangement of everything, Kyle realized that Jonas had turned to the side of the desk, facing the painting on the opposite wall ... the painting of a land and building that intentionally looked very much like Shiloh. His grandfather had commissioned the talented young student to do the watercolor picture, and had worked very hard with the artist regarding the picture's details. If you looked carefully, you could see an excellent likeness of his grandmother standing at the left of the front door, waiting to welcome her husband home. In the porch swing was another woman who looked a lot like MariLynn, Jonas's caretaker and lover on Cassandra.

Imagining his grandfather staring at the picture, as he often did, brought a flood of tears to Kyle's eyes. From a romantic sense, the scene might have been a positive memory for Kyle, except for the strange circumstances of the suicide, if that was what it really was. He was really struggling with the issue, as the timing of everything caused nothing to make sense. Through it all, there was one thing certain in Kyle's mind. If it was suicide, when Jonas put the gun in his own mouth and pulled the trigger, he died happily thinking of being with the two women who were so important in his life.

The more Kyle stared at the picture, the more peace he had about the whole ordeal. He did make one firm determination though; he was going to have the artist add Jonas to the picture, riding up on a horse that looked like War Bonnet.

Kyle made a quick scan of his Grandfather's desk top and the various drawers, but nothing seemed out of place, nor did anything seem to be missing. Though there seemed to be no reason for it, Kyle felt in his heart that there was something important here that no one had picked up on.

Even though it was late, Kyle felt he needed to look further. He pulled his own desk chair into his Grandfather's office and sat there, trying to analyze the situation. Applying the skills Jonas had taught him, he attempted to see the room through Jonas's eyes.

Kyle's first question was why did Jonas choose this room to end his life. He spent far more time in the library, and why not the bedroom or even the garage. Was it as simple as viewing the picture as he prepared to leave this world, or was there more to it than that.

If there was a significance, how could he figure it out. After all, the police had been in here all afternoon.

Not having better idea of how to approach the mystery, Kyle sat at the desk, just as he had seen his Grandfather do so many times in the past. As far as he knew, Jonas only used the desk for three purposes: To pay household bills, to grade papers and to use the computer for email, Internet research, and to work on a book about the Civil War, which Jonas had often called the uncivil war.

What his Grandfather was looking at was a contrast of then and now regarding troop training and the role (or lack of one) of non-commissioned officers, on both sides of the conflict. It was his view that the almost exclusive use of officers and their elitist ideas, minimized the role of the non-coms, especially sergeants, and that this snobbery actually lengthened the war by at least two years and caused at least two hundred and fifty thousand unnecessary deaths. From what Kyle had read, it was enlightening and would be of a high value, but only historians. It was not the kind of thing someone would have wanted to steal, and unless you were a civil war officer, it really had nothing controversial in it.

Kyle asked himself, 'What else is here.'

He checked the caller id on the telephone. The last call was from Kyle's cell three days earlier. Instead of an answering machine, Jonas had a service though the phone company that would pick up, even if the phone was in use. He checked that, and again came up blank. The only thing the Kyle see was left was the computer.

He opened up the specially built cabinet beside the desk and realized that the computer was already on, though, as he realized a few seconds later, the monitor was turned off. Then he turned on the monitor, there was a dark screen asking for the user to insert a bootable disk. Checking further, he soon realized that the hard drive had been wiped clean. It made little sense, but at least it was his first clue. The major problem was it raised more questions than it answered.

After turning off the computer, Kyle turned off the office lights and rolled the chair back to the desk in his room. He walked back to his Jeep, pulled his backpack out of the back, and returned to his room. He sat at his desk, removed his laptop from the backpack and plugged everything in, including the patch cable that connected him to the small peer-to-peer network that Brain had set up for them. There was a server in the hidden room that they both shared for extra storage or for backups. In addition, he and his grandfather shared printers.

Kyle started booting up his laptop. Instead of waiting, he went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. Since coffee was not available on Chaos, he had gotten used to drinking tea as well as his normal cinnamon latté. Tonight, the tea just seemed to be more appropriate. He returned to his logon screen. He entered his username and password and let the system continue to boot up.

When it finished, Kyle immediately checked his email account. There were several notes from classmates, some spam and a good night lover wish from KK. He checked the shared drive on the server and discovered a new hidden directory. It contained an encrypted compressed file, but none of his or Jonas's standard passwords could open it. Anything further would probably require Brain's involvement, so he decided to let it go for the moment. As a safety precaution though, he did burn a copy of it to a CD. When the copy was finished, he went out to the garage and placed the CD under the right rear floor mat of his Jeep.

With that done, he brought everything down, rechecked the doors and windows, turned out the lights in the rest of the house and headed to take a shower. As he stripped off his jeans and the 'Miner's" sweatshirt, he placed the Colt M-1911 forty-five automatic on the night stand beside his bed room. He jumped into the shower, and a short time later, he returned wearing fresh briefs and an over-sized "v" necked t-shirt.

He set the alarm early and turned out the lights. He just lay there for a while, because he was still trying to deal with the realization of all this. When he finally did drift off, he slept soundly.

The alarm went off at seven, but Kyle hit snooze and fell back asleep. He did this several times until he was awakened by the ringing of the door bell. He rolled over and looked at the clock. It was seven forty-five. He slipped on some dark gray slacks and a pink oxford shirt and headed for the door.

He opened it, and there stood a radiant KK, wearing a teal silk blouse and a buckskin colored prairie skirt that had a print of pastel Indian symbols. Her dark chestnut hair was fixed differently, framing her face and drawing more attention to her emerald green eyes. Her eyebrows were more defined, and she wore just a hint of makeup.

He was stunned by her appearance, but she did not seem to be at all offended. She reached up and pushed against his chin to close his gaping mouth. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled herself close. After a minute of holding one another, she pushed him on into the room, kicking the door shut behind her. As it slammed shut, she stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a cartoon kiss. That's a kiss where the steam whistle goes off, as well as the bursting fireworks and the guy can only stand there with a silly look on his face while stars circle around his head.

While he was still standing there in shock, she proclaimed, "Good Morning, my soul mate. Did you sleep good?"

Beginning to recover, Kyle answered, "After I finally went to sleep."

"Knowing you, I suspect that you were taking this whole thing apart in your head most of the night."

"KK, let's just say that I need to discuss some things with you later. How about you?"

"Not as well as I would have liked. I started reading those manual. The more I read, the more I began to question if I could knowingly be a part of something like that."

"Well, your appearance doesn't give the impression that you're in that kind of turmoil"

"I'm not anymore. I've made the decision that we were made for each other, no matter what planet we're on, or what universe or dimension we're in. I also discovered that my mother was surprised to find that I came home last night, and had expected that I would have stayed here and comforted you during this time. She pretty much told me that I had her permission to stay with you."

"KK, I've always like your mom, but that surprises me as much as it does you."

"She sends her condolences by the way. She heard about it thought the neighborhood 'grapevine',"

"I'll make sure to thank her about that, as well as some other things. Now, what do you think about her saying that about us?"

"First, she said she had felt for years that we were meant for each other. Especially if your 'nose in the air' parents left us alone."

"Nose in the air?"

"She says they are such snobs that she can not understand how they don't drown in a heavy rainstorm. And, to some degree she, she's right. I don't have the right pedigree. and my mother's a divorcee, raising two children."

"Well sweetheart, you have the right pedigree for me, and I'm not worried about money."

"Speaking of that, I want to talk to you about the yesterday's conversation with your father. Let's go to the kitchen where I can prepare that breakfast I promised you, and we can talk while I work."

"KK, I can just eat cereal. I don't have to have a big breakfast."

"Kyle, this is important to me, and besides, you need a healthy breakfast, especially today."

"Okay, have at it."

With this huge mischievous grin, Kathleen replied, "Thank you. I think we have just had our first marital discussion, and you wisely let me win. If you keep that up, I think we will have an excellent marriage in front of us."

Staring into Kyle's confused face, she excitedly said, "That was for that comment about a 'newer, less beat-up model'."

This caused both of them to laugh and hug each other. She grabbed his waist and moved him toward the kitchen; the kitchen that had been a major part of their lives, even when they were very young. His Grandmother seemed to always have just made cookies or a cake or something that she had wanted them to taste. And they always got to clean the bowls and mixer beaters. The memory of a younger Kyle, sitting at the table with a stainless steel mixing bowl over his head, licking the chocolate cake batter inside, almost make her laugh out loud.

Shaking the thought from her mind she asked, "Kyle, have you tried to call Larry yet?

"No, I kept hitting the snooze button on the alarm until some luscious dream appeared at the front door."

"You must have really stayed up late last night. That is very unlike you."

"I know, but I just had too many unanswered questions. It was not easy to go to bed at all."

"Did you get any answered?

"Some. I feel pretty confident that he did kill himself, but I just can't get my finger on the reason why. I just can't imagine it being something he would just up and do."

"I can understand. I think I will miss him almost as much as you. Did you know that, when he and I talked recently about our relationship, I asked him, the if we ever did get married, to give me away. He was much more important in my life than my own father."

"I wouldn't want to say this in front of my father, but he was that important to me, too."

"Enough of this for right now. Why don't you call Larry, while I get some coffee on and get started with breakfast. Then, if we have time before anyone else arrives, I need to talk to you about some things."

"Sure. Let me go find Larry's number.

Kathleen turned on the coffee maker. While it was heating, she found the coffee and added it and water to the coffee maker. Once it was started, she checked out the refrigerator and found eggs and bacon, while in the freezer, she found some frozen shredded potatoes for hash browns. Hanging in the pantry, she found a tier of wire baskets holding things like fresh onions.

She poured some oil in one frying pan and started it heating. She peeled and diced one of the onions and placed several handfuls of the potatoes in to the now hot oil. She reduced heat somewhat and added the onion and some salt and pepper. She setup the bacon to be cooked in the microwave and started it.

She checked the hash browns and they were ready to turn. Using a nylon spatula, she made sure the potatoes were free and grouped together well. Then, with a quick flick of her wrist, the potato-onion mixture did a half somersault, ending back in the pan, but the uncooked side was now at the bottom, awaiting the additional oil needed for it to reach a rich golden brown. She added the oil and grabbed another frying pan from the rack underneath the cooking island. She sprayed the pan with a light oil base and placed it on another burner.

She checked the bacon and gave it another minute cooking time. Coming back to the hash browns, she gave them another flip and reduced the head to low. By this point, the frying pan for the eggs was hot. With a seemingly fluid motion, she used her right hand to start cracking eggs on the side of the pan and empting them into the light oil film. Thus, when Kyle returned, both their breakfasts were sitting in plates on the table. She had two cups of coffee poured, as well as a small glass of orange juice.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I could get used to this really quickly. Even my eggs are the way I like them."

"I know, I watcher my mom fix them for you for almost twenty years, and I have preparing for this day for at least ten years. Now, what about Larry?"

"He said they would be happy to housesit. They should be here in an hour."

"Great, anything else?"

"Not that I'm ready to talk about at the moment, though I might well have some things to discuss later."

"About us, or about Jonas?"

"About Jonas. As for as I'm concerned the only thing I think we should discuss is a date."

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

He grinned, reached over and kissed her, and said, "I'm talking about a wedding date?"

She was more surprised that she would have thought, when she answered, "Oh!" Regaining her composure, she added, "Kyle, that is part of what I want to talk to you about."

With a little fear in his voice, Kyle replied, "And how is that?"

"There are a couple of things. First, I'm still a virgin, and after you father's remarks yesterday, I want to remain one until after the funeral. At that time, I want to get checked by a gynecologist and get a prescription for the pill. The doctor's testimony would do a lot to undercut your father's accusations, if I do end up suing him."

"I understand and agree with you, though I will correct you in one area. Unless we see a major transformation, you will be suing him."

"Well, I just didn't want to get us started off on the wrong foot."

"And what part of him calling you a 'cheap, gold-digging slut', do you find fits the right foot."

"Well, I am cheap. I'm probably the most bargain conscious woman in this town."

Kyle grinned and shook his head. "Honey, that's not the kind of cheap he's talking about."

"I know, but I'm trying to keep this lite. That's part of why, as much as I want to give myself to you today, I want us to hold off until I can have an exam so that a doctor can testify as to my virginity."

"KK, I can live with that, and I think he should be put in his place. In addition, I suspect that the rest of the family will be deserving also."

"Good. Now, I do have one question. When he made the gold-digging comment, why didn't you straighten him out? I own a third of a very thriving business. I don't think that disqualifies me as a gold-digger?"

"Sweetheart, Jonas specifically warned me about letting my father know that I was one of the owners. As far as he's concerned, I work there part-time while going to school. That's why I take home such a small salary and leave the rest in the company."

"Why would Jonas ask that. It seems to me he was very proud of what we had done, especially you, since it was your idea to begin with."

"I know he was, but he also knows his son better than anyone, even my mom. That doesn't mean he respected him, it just means that he understood him."

"Okay, then I'll follow Jonas's wishes at this point."

"Good, why don't you clean up in here and give me a chance to finish getting ready. I'll meet you in the study when we finish."

"I'll be there in about ten minutes."

Kyle returned to his bathroom, which was attached to his bedroom. He used his electric razor smooth off his face, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. He returned to his bedroom, where he put on his socks and a pair of black casual loafers. Looking in the mirror, he added a black string tie, with a silver slide made like crossed miner's picks. He looked sharp and respectable for El Paso, though he was sure that some comment would be made about not being respectful of Jonas and wearing all black.

With that, he joined KK in the study. He went to the wall, and opened the smaller safe and removed the will. He relocked the safe, and they sat down and browsed the document, looking for instructions regarding burial wishes. As strange as it seemed, there weren't any. They went over it again, but still found nothing.

They were still discussing it when pandemonium broke out. Larry and Nadia, arrived, followed almost immediately by Robert and Charlotte Alexander, Kyle's parents. Then, while awkward introductions were being made, the phone rang.

Acting as mistress of the house, Kathleen answered it, saying, "Alexander's residence."

The voice on the other end of the line said, "I'm sorry, but I'm trying to reach the grandson of Jonas Alexander, and I have lost the paper with his name."

"His name is Kyle, and he is here. Who should I say is calling?"

"This is Matthew Warden of Warden's funeral home."

"Sure, I'll get him."

Kathleen grabbed Kyle and explained who was on the phone. He grabbed the cordless phone and excused himself, heading to his bedroom for some privacy.

Kathleen joined the others in the living room, assuming the role of hostess. Instead, of sitting, she asked if anyone would like some coffee, or something else to drink. Everyone thanked her and expressed a desire for a cup. Kyle's mother even asked if she could help. A very surprised young lady thought to herself, 'This meeting is definitely not going the way I was expecting.'

Charlotte Alexander followed Kathleen into the kitchen.

Once inside, she asked, "Kathleen, do you know why Kyle invited those strangers here at this time?"

"Yes Ma'am. They are going to act as security while we're out. Kyle was afraid his aunt might return and do 'I don't know what' to the place, while we were making arrangements."

Charlotte smiled and said, "Robert said that she did get a little out of hand. yesterday."

In a very serious tone, Kathleen answered, "Mrs. Alexander, if that was a 'little out of hand', then the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center could be called a minor aircraft accident. The woman was irrational and totally out of control."

"First, Kathleen, since I understand you will soon be part of the family, please call me Charlotte. Second, as far as I'm concerned that woman has always been a flake, and some of the ways she has tried to raise money for her extremist causes border on blackmail. I had a feeling that there was more to it than Robert described. But, lastly, how can someone wheelchair bound be able to protect this place?"

"Charlotte, Larry is a retired Special Forces officer, with metals like you wouldn't believe. Did you notice that Nadia was Russian?"

"Yes. I figured she must have been one of those mail-order brides or something."

"Charlotte, she was one of Russia's leading journalists. She was kidnapped by some al Qaeda terrorists, who were trying to get Moscow to give them a bunch of the Russian version of the Stinger shoulder ground to air missile. They were going to use them against our military in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus against airliners here in the United States. Larry led a Special Forces team in to rescue her, and after a successful rescue, he got a bullet in the back as he climbed back into the chopper. It left him paralyzed, and she won't leave his side."

"What a tragic love story, yet I could see my son trying to help them. He always has been drawn to those who were regular, good people, rather than the social elite."

"Charlotte, I'm not sure if I should be insulted by that statement."

"Kathleen dear, Robert may try to humiliate you, manipulate you, or buy you off, while our spoiled excuse for daughters may attack you. Over time, I think you will find me your ally, and I would like to be your friend."

"But why does he want to do these things to me or to Kyle. He really doesn't know either one of us, which is as sad statement about a father and his son."

I agree with you, but you see, my dear, you don't fit Robert's nice neat agenda for his son. Of course, he is so blind that he can't see that neither does Kyle. Trying to force Kyle into what Robert wants would be far more than trying to push a round peg into a square hole. It would be more like trying to force a round peg into a square peg, or a solid piece of wood. Kathleen, I happen to love my son, just as he is, and all I want is for him to be happy.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. I know we need to get them the coffee, but this entire conversation has left me very confused. This is not at all what I expected. In addition, you've been gone from the area for years. How do you know about me, and if I'm a good person for your son."

"Jonas said so, and I have always respected Jonas's opinion. Usually, more than I would trust Robert's. In some ways, I may have loved that old man more than I do his son, my husband."

Charlotte and Kathleen had been moderately successful in preparing the coffee as they talked, so they did not draw any questioning glances when they returned. They were still in the process of passing out cups when Kyle rejoined the group.

"Well," he said, "it looks like this is one item that won't be as much of a chore as we expected. Jonas had already made all the arrangements, but the owner of the funeral lost my name and could not locate me to release the body."

Robert seemed let down and asked, "Well, is that it?"

"Not exactly. Even though Jonas went over all of this with Mr. Warden over a year ago, Mr. Warden would still like for us to review everything and make sure we're happy."

"Kyle, that sounds reasonable. What needs to be done first."

"We need to meet Mr. Warden at the morgue and sign the release form. Then we can go back to his facility and review what Jonas's had planned."

"Okay, Son, and I understand the reason for Larry and Nadia being here. Aunt Lucille was a bit much yesterday. Do you want to change before we go?"

Kyle looked at KK and rolled his eyes. After a moment, he turned to his father and asked, "Robert, why would I need to change? Did I spill coffee on my shirt, or something?"

"I just thought something black would be more appropriate for mourning."

"Robert, if it was your funeral, I would wear black, but your dad would get up out of the casket and walk out. He didn't even wear black to grandmother's funeral, and I'm not positive, but I don't think he even owns black suit."

Charlotte exclaimed, "That does sound like Jonas. Kathleen, while 'Mr. Black is respect' here goes with Kyle, how about going with me and the girls to get something more appropriate for Jonas's funeral. It would help me and also give the girls a chance to know you before the surprise is dropped on them?"

Robert asked, "And what surprise is that?"

"The announcement of Kyle and Kathleen's wedding."





-------

Chapter 7



An indignant Robert looked harshly at his wife and asked, "You're not going to support this wedding, are you?"

"Robert, WE will talk about it later! This is not the time or place."

"Charlotte, will you at least answer one question?"

"As long as we can remain civil. Your father was too good a man to have this time become a battle royal."

"Why would you support their marriage?"

"Robert, I don't think you want to hear the answer."

"Yes, I really want to understand."

"I think that she will make him happy enough not to need a mistress. That alone would make her a better wife than I am."

"Charlotte! What are you talking about?"

"Robert, darling, do you really want me to start naming names in front of everyone. I know about everyone of your peccadilloes, but I have stayed with you in spite of them. Please don't bring that lifestyle down on your son."

Robert turned beet red and you could almost see the steam coming from under his finely starched collar.

Before he could open his mouth, Charlotte grabbed Kathleen and headed out the door. 'Where did I get the guts to say that? I guess old Jonas's legacy still lives, even after he has died.' She had another surprise though when she go to Kathleen's car; she wasn't prepared for it to be a two seat sports car.

As she stared at the highly polished midnight blue convertible with tan leather seats and a matching tan top, Charlotte remarked, "Kathleen, the girls will love your car, but we can't all four get in it."

KK thought a moment and answered. "As I see it, we could borrow Kyle's Jeep, use Jonas's Buick or rent a car."

"Kathleen, after what I said in there, I don't want to go back in there for a while, nor do I want to set you up to catch more of his wrath. I'll call the hotel and have them get us a limo and driver. It will probably be waiting on us when we arrive."

"If that's what you want. If you had rather rent a car, I don't mind driving us around town."

The two women climbed into Mazda Miata.

Charlotte answered, "Well, I'm thinking the limo for several reasons. It gives me the perfect opportunity of pointing out your Miata, as the reason for the limo. It's not a Benz, a Beemer or a Jag, but either one of my daughters would cut off a finger if their father would let them have something similar. Therefore, it will immediately elevate your status with them.

"Another reason is that we can't really chat if you are concentrating on driving, and I was serious in wanting to get to know you. In addition, I want my little snobs to get to know you, too. Maybe some of your nature will rub off on them. God knows, something needs to.

"Third, we won't have to look for parking places or carry around all the bags. We can leave our purchases at each store and the limo driver will pick them up and pack them in the trunk for us."

"Charlotte, your logic makes perfectly good sense. Let's go for it."

"Good! Now, Kathleen, please don't take this as a negative, but how much do you know about the better women's shops in town. I suspect you could look better dressed at the Gap that my daughters could from the most exclusive shops in town. The problem is that the Gap is too plebeian for their taste, and they would simple go nude before they would shop at Wal-Mart or Target."

"I'm glad you worded it that way, as I was already feeling overwhelmed and insecure. To answer your questions, I doubt I could even find the Gap. Over half of my clothes, I have made myself. So, as for as exclusive shops, I don't have a clue."

"Do you really make you own clothes? How simply delightful to have that much talent and ability. Indulge me in one thing though."

"Sure. What do you want me to do?

"Instead of telling them that you sew, tell them you have most of your outfits custom made. It will be our little joke, but it will set them up rather well. Even they can't have their clothes custom made. When they start bitching that you have something they don't, I'll buy them a sewing machine.

KK giggled. This woman was shrewd, smart and funny?

Charlotte laughed too, and then continued, "I have the hotel concierge get us the limo but also a list of the better places."

This panicked KK. "Charlotte, I can't afford to shop at places like that. I'm not poor, but I'm still working my way through college."

"Relax child, everything will go on my credit card and Robert won't know the difference. Today is my treat."

Feeling rather awkward, KK answered, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to cause you trouble."

"Don't worry about it. Most of the money is mine anyway."

"I'm confused. I thought he was the big executive?"

"He is, and he's good at it. That's why I put up with his affairs. See, my grandfather was a wildcatter. Do you know what that is?"

"I think so. An independent speculative oil man."

"That's as good a definition as I've heard. Anyway, my Papa, as I called him, hit it big and founded the company. The lawyers convince him to set up all the stock in a perpetual trust. I get current income, but I can't touch the stock. But, what I can touch are the proxy certificates, which allow me to vote the stock. Now, by the time he died, Papa didn't own all the stock, but I still have the largest single block, around thirty-five percent."

Now, more enlightened, Kathleen said, "So he's the CEO of a company you basically control, but can't own. He makes a big salary because he generates sizable dividends to you and the other stockholders. As a result, in a mercenary sense, you put up with his affairs because he generates a large income for you."

"It's not quite that cut and dry, nor that cold and calculating. There are some other reasons I can't talk about."

"But what about your daughters. I can tell you're nothing like you describe them.?"

"We're almost to the hotel. I'll explain more later, but the essence of it is that Robert has forced them into the image he wanted, and I have been unwilling to stand up to him about it."

"But why?"

"Kathleen, I will explain it sometime in the future, but at my own choosing. This is neither the time or the place."

A frustrated and impatient Kathleen reluctantly responded, "Yes, Ma'am," as she pulled into a parking spot.

-------

It took Robert several minutes to calm down after his wife left. She had humiliated him in front of his son and strangers. What was even worse was the implication that she knew all about his little secret affairs.

Finally, he looked at Kyle and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

"Give me one second," Kyle responded.

With that, he went to the telephone and contacted Mr. Warden at the funeral home. He advised the funeral home owner that they were leaving for the morgue and made sure of the directions.

When he finished, Kyle walked back to his bedroom and returned with the Colt forty-five and two spare clips.

He handed them to Larry, and said, "I don't expect you will need these, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"Don't worry, Buddy, we'll take care of the place."

"Thanks."

With that, Kyle followed Robert out to Robert's rental car. They drove to the morgue with little talk between them, other than Kyle giving directions.

Mr. Warden was sitting in the waiting room when they arrived. Kyle found him to be a pleasant little man, with a manner that quickly put you at ease. He seemed to have that unique blend of being all business, yet appearing to be laid back with no worries. After the introductions were made, he guided them through the process of getting Jonas's body released.

That done, Matthew Warden spoke some words of comfort and condolence to them. Kyle noted that though Mr. Warden was in this business, his expressions of encouragement and compassion seemed more personal than professional. Later, Kyle would learn that Mr. Warden and Jonas had known each other for more than twenty-years.

While Mr. Warden had been talking to Kyle and Robert, two of his employees had moved Jonas's body to the hearse. When they were finished, Robert and Kyle followed them to the Funeral Home. Neither said a word to each other the entire time trip, but Kyle did seem to notice that Robert was deep in thought.

When they arrived, the employees carried the body into the work area in the back, while Mr. Warden lead the estranged pair to the showroom. Here, he showed them the bronze colored casket that Jonas had picked out, along with some other items. Neither Kyle, nor Robert had any alternative suggestions. In addition, due to the nature of Jonas's death, no one objected to a closed casket funeral.

The discussion concerning the funeral itself, caused a minor conflict, as Robert wanted to maximize the fact the Jonas was a veteran, and the winner of the Silver Star for some action in Viet Nam. Kyle, instead wanted to put most of the emphasis on Jonas as a teacher and expander of minds.

Ultimately they compromised, by having an honor guard and someone from the ROTC Department read the citation that went with Jonas's medal. Since this was a link between the military and the University, this person would lead the audience into making the transition from Jonas as veteran, to Jonas as professor. He was then to open the door for testimonials of Jonas, the teacher.

Kyle suggested Mark Haywood, the assistant commander of the Army ROTC detachment at UTEP, and Robert agreed. Having met Captain, Haywood, Kyle was sure that he could help the audience make the connection that Jonas was always a hero, though Kyle knew he couldn't tell these people just how great a hero this man had been.

Jonas had already given Mr. Warden a list of who he wanted as pallbearers, though Kyle recognized one problem immediately. One of the men listed was Gerald Jones, who was deceased himself. Kyle started to propose that Ryan fill the spot, but instead suggested that Gerald's nephew Sid, be selected. Robert objected, feeling that it should be a family member, but he gave in pretty quickly when Kyle pointed out that Jonas had excluded all family, including Kyle, on the original list.

Finally, at the gravesite, where Jonas would be buried next to his wife, there would be the folding of the flag, the traditional twenty-one gun salute and a piper playing Amazing Grace and then Taps. When they finished, Kyle had a peace in his heart about the entire program.

When they left the funeral home, Robert suggested they eat lunch somewhere, as the women would not be finished for some time. Kyle agreed, but was surprised when his father suggested that they eat where Kyle worked.

-------

Kathleen stayed in the Mazda, as Charlotte entered the front lobby of the upscale hotel. A few minutes later, she returned with two young women. The older one was tall and slender, with short sandy blond hair, streaked with strands of a lighter blond. It was cut in a layered style that came to just above her shoulder and flipped to the side over her left eye. This caused it to frame her round face and emphasized her cold blue eyes. She was wearing designer jeans, a dark blue silk blouse and some beige and white athletic shoes that had a gold 'DG' sewed in the side. Kathleen would later learn that these were two hundred dollar shoes and the initials stood for dolce & gabbana.

The younger girl had more oval face and darker skin. Her copper-colored curly hair came barely below her ear. Her hair and make-up accented her vibrant green eyes. She was shorter and a little heavier than her sister, but she was still reasonably thin. She was wearing an embroidered turquoise silk blouse with a buckskin leather skirt and some casual Tod's shoes that matched the blouse.

When they approached, the younger one said, "Bitchin' car."

The older girl responded, "I agree, but Daddy says that's beneath us."

"Kathleen," Charlotte said smiling, "I would like you to meet the rest of our family. This is my oldest daughter is Felicia, who is a junior at UT-Austin, while Courtney is a senior in a private school in Houston. Girls, I would like you to meet Kathleen Kennedy, also known as KK. She is Kyle's fiancée."

Felicia immediately asked, "Any kin to the political Kennedy family?"

Kathleen responded, "Not likely, nor am I connected to anyone rich or famous. My mother is a divorcee, and I have an older brother named Ryan. I am a senior at UTEP here in El Paso and the only thing I have going for me is that I happen to love your brother very much."

Both girls were taken aback. Finally, Courtney responded, "You don't mince words, do you?"

"Courtney, yesterday, your father called me a cheap, gold-digging slut. At the same time, I have been warned that you two are some of the most arrogant, snobbish bitches in this state. I just thought I would clear the air in the beginning, rather than having everyone spending the afternoon, trying to pry the information out of me."

Felicia laughed and said, "And I can see my red-faced father blowing his top right now. You are everything he resents in a strong woman. I think you might be good for this family."

A shocked Charlotte responded, "I agree with you, but I never thought I would hear those words from you."

"Mother, dear, like you, we play the game to keep Daddy happy, but as much as we can, we stick it to him. Haven't you ever noticed that we are seldom bitches to you and Kyle, but we give Daddy fits at every opportunity. But, we do it with our rich, bitch style, rather than rebellion."

Turning to Kathleen, she pronounced, "Welcome to the family, sister. Now, our first job is to help you learn to also be a 'rich bitch' to Daddy."

Courtney was nodding her head, in agreement.

"Thank you both for the welcome, but I don't see my ever being a 'Rich Bitch', nor will I ever please your father. What's more is that I don't care. I'm not marrying your father, I'm marrying Kyle, and that's who I want to please."

Courtney smiled impishly and asked, "How long have you been dating?"

"Courtney, Kyle and I have been playmates and best friends since for twenty years. Only this past Friday, Jonas told Kyle that the two of us were meant for each other."

Felicia remarked, "I remember you now. You were a dirty little freckled face kid that came over and played with Kyle at Grandfather's. The only way we knew you were female, was the little 'doggy ears' hair style you wore most of the time. No offense, but I thought at the time you were as cute as a little puppy. You've moved beyond the cute to the beautiful."

Charlotte, interjected, "And that is why we're going to do some serious shopping this afternoon. Kathleen's beauty and charm will be enhanced by what we get for her this week, and though he won't know it, Robert is going to pay for all of it." Looking up and seeing the waiting limo, she added, "Girls, I think a chariot is here."

-------

Robert drove, following his son's directions. He had decided to change tactics while they were at the funeral home, as he realized how easy Kyle had compromised, when not facing a direct confrontation. As a result, he tried to draw his son into general conversation. He even had Kyle give him a tour of the campus.

When they finally reached CyberFun, it was packed. The Miners were playing the UConn Huskies in a major basketball battle, and the sports bar was filled to capacity. Additional tables and chairs, as well as another big screen TV setup had been set up in an adjacent game room The room had been temporarily cleared, with the games moved to one of the other game rooms.

As they walked in, the hostess rushed to Kyle and said, "Boy, am I glad to see you! The temporary extension to the Sports Bar is almost full and the people are still coming. I'm trying to keep a good count, but I scared that we might exceed capacity and get in trouble with the fire department. Also, We need another cook and at least four more waiters. I tried to get KK and you, but both of you had your cell phones off."

"Pat, this is my father. My grandfather, his father, died yesterday. We've been making funeral arrangements, and KK is with my mother and sisters shopping for something to wear to the funeral."

"Oh! Wasn't your grandfather, Professor Alexander in the History Department?"

"Yes, he was."

Before Kyle could say anything else, Pat walked over to the TV remote and muted both sets. As the crowd immediately became unruly, she announced the news about Professor Alexander. The crowd's reaction was immediate and solemn. There were bowed heads and tears in many eyes. The major party atmosphere was completely gone.

Kyle turned to an amazed Robert and said, "You want a testimony of your father's affect on people. I couldn't have staged one any better."

Stunned, Robert responded, "I never had any idea. To me, it was just what he did."

"Well, it wasn't 'just what he did', to him. Their respect will tell you that."

At that, Kyle went to the front in front of the TV, where the pre-game show was almost over.

Shouting for everyone's attention, Kyle announced loudly. "My Grandfather might be gone, but his legacy is still with us. He was a 'Die Hard Miner'! a 'Hard Rock Miner'! For thirty years, he was a UTEP 'Miner'! We appreciate and understand your feelings, because as deeply as you feel, it only scratches the surface of our loss. BUT, today, let's celebrate his life and his memory, and urge our Miners to beat the Hell out of those Huskies!"

The initial cheer in response was almost deafening as the audience responded favorably to Kyle's statements. As the noise level of the crowd slowly returned to what it had been before the announcement, Kyle returned to where Robert was standing and turned the volume back up on the TV's.

Turning to Pat, he pulled her into empty area with Robert following, and said, "Pat, go back to the 'nerds in the game room and offer anyone willing to help serve, thirty dollars for the three and a half hours, along with a free steak dinner for two on Thursday night. Also, call KK's mother and ask her to pick up more ground chuck and stuff and come in to help cook. That should help. If my dad won't mind, I'll take over the register, which will free up another person."

"That will help."

"Under the circumstances Robert, do you mind if I do this."

"No son, I understand more than you know, about having to put your job first."

"Thanks. I know I'm only a part-time manager, but these people have been good to me. I have to help."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kyle responded, "I don't know, let me see." "Pat!" he shouted.

His shout caught her just as she was leaving the room, and she returned to where the two men were standing.

"Yes, Kyle?"

"How we doing for pizzas and wings?"

"Nadda. We ran out almost an hour ago, and they've been so busy in the back with the hamburgers, that they haven't been able to work on more of either."

"Thanks."

Pat headed out to do what Kyle had asked, and Kyle pulled his cell phone from the holster on his belt. He hit a speed dial number and held the phone to his ear.

After a couple of rings, Robert heard someone say "Tony's Pizza."

"Tony, it's Kyle at CyberFun. Are you real busy?"

"The lunch crowd is tapering off, and we won't have anything but a few walk-ins until dinner."

"Then what will you charge for ten large one topping pizzas"

"For you, six fifty each."

"How about a minimum of twenty, picked up five at a time."

"Oh, so I can spread the work out better. Good idea. I'll charge you five even.

"Then get started with a mixture of the basics, Extra cheese, pepperoni and mushroom."

"Kyle, right now, we've been selling more sausage, than mushroom."

"Okay, then we'll go with sausage. Now, what about wings?"

"We've got a hundred or so in the oven and another hundred ready to cook. We expected to sell a bunch at lunch and didn't. How about twenty dollars for both batches?"

"Sold, I'll send my father down in a few minutes to pick up the first batch of wings and the first five pizzas. How much, and I'll send a check with him."

"Kyle, I trust you. We'll settle up next week."

"Fine, but I just had another idea. What if you prepare the pizza's but don't cook any but the first batch and don't have to cook the second batch of wings?"

"I can take off another twenty percent and have it all ready by the time your father gets here."

"Then do it."

Turning back to his impressed father, Kyle said, "Were you able to follow that?"

"Pretty much so. How are you going to market them, since they won't be to order?"

"It will be a 'House Special', with the pizzas going for a dollar and a quarter per slice and the wings twenty-five cents each."

"That's not a bad mark-up at six slices per pizza."

"It's even better at eight," a cheerful Kyle responded.

Kyle drew Robert a map to the small family pizza shop that was roughly five miles a way. It was at the edge of a residential neighborhood, and they were never in competition with each other. Kyle also showed Robert where to park in the back of CyberFun, and how to access the kitchen.

After Robert drove off, Kyle returned to cover the front counter, and one of the waitresses brought him a cup of his favored cinnamon latte.

Since almost no one was leaving during this time, Kyle was able to relax for a few minutes and gather his thoughts.

Robert, on the other hand, was doing anything but relaxing, as his mind was going 'a mile a minute'. What he had just watched was awesome. Kyle was everything he could have wanted in a young executive. Faced with a crisis, he kept his cool and restored calm in those around him. He quickly developed solutions, delegated the work and figured a way to make even more profit for the company. In addition, the use of a non-competitor during his off-peak time was brilliant, as they both profited from the transaction. He had to find someway to get that talent into his company, as it was just too valuable for a little place like this.

At the same time, Robert had also to admit that whoever owned that place was sitting on a gold mine. Earlier, he had been able to quickly estimate that the place must be netting at least three million a year, and with some improvements, it should be able to net at least five million. In addition, it was a concept that could be cloned to college campuses around the country.

"Hummm," he thought to himself, "maybe there's a way I can accomplish several things at once."





-------

Chapter 8



Robert had no problems with the directions, and in less than twenty minutes, he was back at CyberFun. Parking in the rear where Kyle had directed, he brought in the cooked batch of wings, and notified the kitchen staff he was back. Three young men and a girl went with him to get the rest of what he had picked up.

When they finished, Robert joined his son at the front counter, but on the way there, he noticed that a significant transformation had occurred. A dividing wall had been removed, making the casual coffee area now part of the Sports Bar. In addition, more flat panel monitors had been brought in and four of them were connected into a large rectangle to make an even larger screen. The big surprise was that somehow the monitors were now inter-connected to create one life-sized screen, instead of four copies of the same picture. Robert didn't even realize that something like that could be done.

Since all the 'game nerds', as Kyle called them, were now helping serve, another game room had been closed down and all that equipment was moved to the back. Again, the walls separating these two game rooms were removable. As a result, there was now a huge room of several hundred people enjoying food and drink, and the mass 'school spirit' emotions almost turned the place into a feeding frenzy. Just watching the kids eating, laughing and enjoying the game made him realize that he was probably going to have to go get more food before it was all over.

When he got to his son, he found Kyle talking to a couple of the employees. Sensing his presence, Kyle looked up and saw Robert.

"Any problems?" Kyle asked.

"None, except that I suspect that we might need to get some more food before the day's over."

Kyle replied, "Well, the game will be over in less than an hour. If we win, then I would agree. If we loose, most of this crowd will disappear, and we will be in a mad rush to reset the game rooms for those who want to bury their loss in cyber activity. Let's go back to the office and get a bite to eat. I'll get Sara to cover the front."

Kyle walked over to one of the hostess and said a few things to her. She smiled and headed to the front counter. Kyle returned and led his father to an office in the back. Inside, there were three desks covered with neatly arranged stacks of paper, as well as a flat screen computer monitor. To one side, there was a round conference table

As they sat down in two of the chairs around the table, Kyle said, "They're bringing us some food in a few minutes."

Robert nodded acknowledgement, and then asked, "Returning to our previous discussion, what about those that want some other way to bury their loss?"

"You mean, like, over six or eight beers."

"Something like that."

"Then they will have to go somewhere else. We sell nothing alcoholic, except coffee with small splashes of some of the flavored liqueurs. The amounts are so small that the state decided we don't even need a liquor license."

"Why not sell beer, it would seem it be a goldmine?"

"It was discussed, but then the owners decided that the potential risks were higher than the potential revenue. As of now, we don't have to deal with ID's, especially trying to see what's a fake and what's not. We don't have our equipment damaged from drunken fights. Finally, since almost seventy percent of our basic clientele is under the age of 21, we would loose far more customers than we would gain."

"And what do you think of that?"

Kyle answered, "Now, if it was me, I would open up a sports bar a block or two away that did sell beer, pizza, sandwiches and even steaks, but it would have no games. I would just make sure that they were two separate corporations, with what appeared to be separate ownership. In addition, I would make them seem to be competitors, rather than related sites."

Puzzled at that answer, Robert asked, "And what would be your reason for doing that?"

"It's a marketing approach. That way each would develop their own core customer base and maybe even some rivalry. Then I could rouse one against the other, to develop friendly, but fierce competition, with each side trying to prove that they were better than the other."

"Interesting. Can you give me an example?"

"Sure. Yesterday, we had our first paint ball tournament. It started out as a friendly battle between the nerds and the jocks, but then Marc Haywood, — you remember, the Captain I recommended to read Jonas' citation — brought in a group of his ROTC students to challenge all comers.

"So how did it work out?"

"The nerds beat the jocks but then the ROTC group kicked everyone's ass. That was primarily because of Captain Haywood and his wife. They're so good it's spooky."

"How about financially. You said it was your first venture."

"We netted more than a thousand, but of course that's small change to you."

"That may be true, but to quote the late senator from Illinois, 'a million here and a million there, and soon we're talking serious money'."

Kyle laughed and asked, "Did he really say that?"

"Yes, and the worst part is, I think most of congress believes it. Kyle, the amount is immaterial, it's the concepts. If you ever get to where I am, the money just becomes a way to keep score. Because of that, I'm probably more impressed with a wacky idea, properly marketed, that nets a thousand, than an operation that's supposed to make ten million in a year and actually makes eleven."

"You know Dad, I wish we had been able to talk like this over the years, instead of during a time like this. For the very first time, I feel you're honestly interested in what I think, rather than how you can make me into a copy of yourself."

Robert protested, "But I only wanted what was best for you!"

Kyle sadly shook his head and said, "Robert, let's not go back there right now. We've had the best day I can remember, and I don't want to start the war all over again. Let's just say that we both have different standards of what is 'best for me'."

Fearing going back to the battle they had yesterday, Robert nodded and said, "I guess that would be an accurate statement."

The next few minutes were an absolute silence, as both sides were uncertain what to say if anything. Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a knocking at the door.

Kyle loudly responded, "Come in."

The girl Kyle had spoken to earlier came in with two thick rib eye sandwiches and two cold 'longneck' beers. She sat them on the table and made a quick retreat, closing the door behind her.

"I thought you said you didn't serve beer?"

"We don't. But that doesn't mean we don't keep a few in the cooler for personal consumption."

Robert took a bite of his steak and almost passed out from the joyous flavors that filled his mouth. It was so good, he almost hesitated to take a swallow of the beer, as he was afraid it would wash away the wonderful flavors.

"Kyle, this is a great sandwich!"

"Thanks, I will pass that on to KK. It's her recipe."

"Is this on the menu, or just something made for you and me?"

"It's on the menu. We buy whole steers from a rancher up the road. We prepare it and let it age. We sell the other steak cuts and the short ribs to some of the local restaurants, keeping just the rib eye. The rest of it, we turn into hamburger."

"So, what does it cost you?"

"On an average, after selling the other steaks, we pay less than two dollars a pound for the rib eyes and around a dollar a pound for the hamburger."

"And you sell it for what?"

"A third of a pound burger is four bucks, a half pound burger is seven and a rib eye sandwich like you're eating is twelve. There is also a smaller, four ounce rib eye that we sell for five."

"A two dollar piece of meat for twelve dollars? Even taking in the cost of the bun, toppings and cooking, that is an awesome markup."

"Yes, but you're not figuring it right. We pay two dollars a pound, but that sandwich is only a half-pound of meat. Yes, the markup is rather excessive, but we have found that it's the ideal prices for our customers."

"What about the difference between the two rib-eyes? Usually you pay a little less per pound for the larger sizes. You seem to be bucking the trend."

"Well, I looked at it this way. If you're getting a rib eye rather than a hamburger, you're interested in taste. Now, an eight-ounce piece is going to taste significantly better than a four-ounce piece. In addition, the larger piece gets KK's special seasonings, while the smaller piece gets get salt, pepper and a little garlic powder."

"I follow your logic. What are your results?"

"On average, we sell twenty of the larger sandwiches for each one of the smaller."

"That, Son, is impressive."

Over the next few minutes, they talked casually, but Robert kept interjecting different problems he encountered at work, asking Kyle for his opinion. What he quickly learned was that in almost every case Kyle would have handled it almost exactly opposite from how he had handled it. At the same time, as Kyle explained his logic, Robert realized that his son's off the wall approaches would have actually yielded superior results.

Therefore, by the time the meal was over, Robert was almost sullen. He was proud of his son, yet he was also jealous. He wanted his son even more for the company, yet he was also frightened as to what might happen when Charlotte and the board of directors found out what a business genius Kyle was. 'This is going to require more thought.'

In that much darker mood, Robert returned to Jonas' house. After dropping Kyle off, he headed for the bar at the hotel. He was ready to get quite drunk.

Kyle unlocked the front door and entered the house. He was carrying two Styrofoam containers which held two steak sandwiches for Larry and Nadia. He called their names, but there was no response.

Since he could hear their voices, he followed the sounds out to the back patio. Here, he found them huddled around a four foot square piece of plywood that was balanced on top of a five gallon bucket that had once held drywall mud. There were piles of sand and small figures. He finally recognized them as old toy soldiers Jonas kept in the garage for some of the smaller children to use in what had become 'the neighborhood sandbox'.

Enthralled by what he was seeing, he stood there and watched. When he realized that they had one of Jonas's books open and had laid out a battlefield similar to the one in the book, the scenario began to make sense. Listening with fascination, Kyle quickly learned that they were arguing the proper tactical usage of each side's cavalry.

Finally, as Kyle was about to announce his presence, Nadia said, "Nyet! Nyet! You are thinking too much as an 'Ape fighter', not as a cavalry officer."

"An 'Ape fighter'?"

Kyle announced his presence by saying, "I think she means 'guerilla'."

Larry whipped his upper body around; the automatic pistol appearing abruptly in his hand. He relaxed and set the pistol back down when he saw that it was Kyle. He was happy that Kyle had returned, but he was somewhat embarrassed that his new friend had been able to enter the house without either him or Nadia hearing anything.

"I brought you both something to eat, but I'm also fascinated with what you were discussing. Did you know that the use of cavalry was one of Jonas' deepest passions."

Taking the offered sandwich and feeling better for not being chided by Kyle, Larry replied, "Really. I never took a class from him."

Nadia added, "I had him this semester. He understood the Cossacks better than the Russians did."

"Nadia, he would. He probably knew how to use cavalry like the Cossacks and the American Cheyenne better than anyone else alive. At the same time, Larry, he would have easily understood your guerilla ideas, for he wouldn't have seen them as different choices, but would have used them as a combined strategy. A good way to understand what he thought would be to study Lee's use of the talents of men like J.E.B. Stuart and John S. Mosby."

Larry replied, "I know of Stuart and have studied the ideas of Mosby, but I don't understand the difference."

"Mosby led a small group of Confederate Cavalry, but was continuously reinforced by civilian partisans. These small groups often conducted several raids in a single night. They were never used in a full battle. Instead, they were used to scout and track the enemy formations, as well a to harass the enemy with small, quick skirmishes, and to disrupt and destroy the enemy's chain of supplies and communications.

"Stuart, on the other hand, was 'pure solder', and though his men did perform some scouting functions, they were used more to quickly reinforce a weak spot in the Confederate lines, or to exploit a weakness in the Union lines. Their rapid hell-bent-for-leather attacks, using sabers and multiple pistols per man, could quickly demoralize the enemy's infantry, causing a panicked retreat. This was especially effective with surprise attacks at the enemy's flank."

Nadia nodded and said, "That was common Cossack tactic."

Kyle added, "As it was with the Cheyenne. It was also a great tactic used by Patton's Tank Corp in World War II, though he used tanks rather than horses. There is an interesting little known fact that as a boy, Patton spent months with Mosby. I would love to have a tape of those conversations."

With a faraway look in his eye, Larry added, "So would I. So would I."

Kyle stood and said, "Enjoy your sandwiches, and there's beer in the fridge if you want some. I need to make some phone calls concerning the funeral. In addition, there's plenty of room if you just want to stay here for right now."

Larry responded, "Kyle, I appreciate it, and I'm glad to be of help, but I think we'll do better staying at our own place."

Kyle retreated into his grandfather's office and found his uncle's address book. Taking the proposed list of pallbearers from his pocket, he started making calls. When he got no answer from the first two, he got concerned. What if someone was systematically removing all of his grandfather's friends? He was just about to dial the third person, when the phone rang.

"Hello," he answered.

"Kyle, it's Barbara Haywood. I just found out about your grandfather. Are you okay?"

"I'm struggling with the loss, of course. It took me a good while to believe that he really did kill himself, and I still don't know why?"

"Is there anything Mark or I can do?"

"Actually there is. I don't know if you know it or not, but Jonas was awarded the Silver Star for action in Viet Nam. We would like a military funeral, and would like Mark to read the citation during the funeral. We also thought he would be a good person to help make the transition from seeing 'Jonas the warrior', to 'Jonas the teacher'. Does that make sense?"

"It makes plenty of sense, and I assure you that Mark will be happy to be a part. When do the two of you need to work out details?"

"Probably tomorrow, Barbara, as today has been a long and tiring day. It looks like we're going to hold the services Wednesday afternoon. That should allow most of the students that want to come, the opportunity to do so."

"Kyle, since you alluded to a military funeral, are you going with a bugler or a piper?"

"A piper, if I can find a good one."

"I know a great one, and he will be honored to do this for you."

"Thanks Barbara! That will help a lot. This gets two major items off my list."

"I'm glad we can help, and don't hesitate to contact us if you need anything else."

"I'll do that."

Feeling better after that phone call, he tried the next number. He had already dialed it when he realized that it was Gerald Jones' number.

A male voice on the other end answered, "Hello."

Kyle quickly replied, "Is this Sid Jones?"

"It is, but I'm not buying anything."

"Sid, I'm Kyle Alexander, Jonas Alexander's grandson. My grandfather was a good friend of your Uncle Gerald, both here and in places where Heroes go."

"I have heard of your grandfather. How can I help you?"

"Sid, I'm not sure why, but my grandfather committed suicide yesterday morning. He had already made funeral arrangements, and had listed your uncle as a pallbearer. I would like you to take your uncle's place."

"When is it scheduled and where?"

"I'm not sure the actual location, but it will be here in El Paso, on Wednesday afternoon."

"Call me back with specifics, but I will be there Wednesday morning. I will probably get a hotel and spend the night."

"It maybe rather 'chaotic' here, but you're welcome to stay with me at Jonas' home."

Picking up on the play on words/double meaning, Sid replied, "I just might do that. How are you doing?"

"Not well at the moment. He and I were very close, so I miss him. I am also at a major point in my life where I have to decide which direction to take."

"I understand, we all seem to face those 'crossroads' at least once in our lives."

Kyle replied, "Well, to quote Yogi Berra, 'When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"

Both the young men laughed at the absurdity of the remark. Kyle gave Sid his phone number, cell number and email address, and Sid gave Kyle his email address. They again remarked about looking forward to meeting each other, and hung up.

Kyle returned to check on Larry and Nadia, and found that they were ready to leave. He helped get Larry's wheel chair down the two steps, and promised to have a ramp built as quickly as possible. Larry thanked him for the consideration and for calling on them to help. Using the chair lift to access the van, he and Nadia headed back to their apartment.

Before Kyle could make it back into the house, KK's dark metallic blue Miata whipped into the driveway and pulled to a stop just a foot or so away. As soon as she got out of the car, she jumped into his arms.

"Have you missed me?" she asked.

"More than you know. How was it with Mom and the 'Brats'?"

"Much better than I would have ever imagined."

A concerned Kyle said, "That's a surprise. They're not changing you into their image, are they?"

"Never happen!" she reassured him. "But your Mom is nothing like I expected and I discovered that your sisters' 'bitchiness' is their way of rebelling against their father."

"So, what all did you get?"

"We found this cute shop that had all sorts of stuff that was 'just me', and your mother insisting on paying for everything, including my wedding dress."

"I'm glad, but I hope she didn't preclude your mother from enjoying being a part of that."

"No, we had mom come join us. Charlotte even helped her get a 'Mother of the Bride' dress. I've also asked Felicia to be my Maid of Honor, and Courtney to be one of my bride's maids."

Shocked, Kyle responded, "Wow! That must have been some afternoon. But, why the two 'brats'?"

"Well, I don't have that many girl friends, and we just hit it off. I am also planning on asking Nadia. Besides, we thought it would really piss your father off."

"It will. That it will. Now, to change the subject, have you eaten?"

"Yes, and I picked up something for you. It's in the boot."

"The boot?"

"That's what Courtney says is the proper name for a trunk on a sports car."

Kathleen opened the trunk and the rich smell of barbeque sauce and mesquite grilled ribs filled the air.

Kyle pulled her into his arms and gave her a big hug. Twirling her around in the air, he continued to hold her close.

She was dizzy when he finally put her down, and it took a minute, or so, for the world to stop spinning.

When she was finally steady, she looked into Kyle's eyes and laughingly said, "I've always heard that the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. From your reaction, I would say that is no longer a theory, but a proven law."

Kyle removed the platter of ribs from the 'boot' and replied, "You just might be right."

She grabbed the side dishes, closed the 'boot', and the two headed joyously into the house.

From down the street, a man dialed a number on his cell phone, and advised the woman who answered that the cripple and his girl were gone, and the boy's girlfriend had just arrived.

"Good. Just stay on station and watch for anything unusual."

"Are you expecting trouble?"

"No, but I want you there if there is."

Inside the house, the couple sat at the dining table and KK pleasantly enjoyed watching her man eat. Though she had not cooked them, she just instinctively knew what would be special for him tonight.

After he had demolished several ribs, she asked, "Well, how did it go with your Father?"

"Surprisingly well. He even wanted to see the campus. Then he wanted to go to CyberFun for lunch. That turned into a real 'zoo'. For a while there, I even had him running errands."

"What was going on? Mom said you had called her in to help for a while."

"Today was the UTEP — UConn basketball game."

"That was today? With everything else happening, I forgot all about it. I bet it was crazy, especially with Ryan in Phoenix."

"Yeah, and the CyberFun staff couldn't reach you, Ryan or me, so they were trying to cover the best they could. I had cut off my cell phone during the meeting with the funeral director and forgot to turn it back on. When I got there and saw what was happening, I just took over. I even sent Robert to get wings and pizzas from Tony's."

"I bet he loved that."

"Actually, I suspect seeing me take over like that, impressed him. We talked for another couple of hours and never had another harsh word."

"Awesome. I bet that was a first."

"Sweetheart, if it wasn't, it was close.

"So, how much business did we do today?"

"I really don't know, but we had to take out four dividers, empty two game rooms, and hire all the 'game room nerds' to help serve. I bought two hundred wings and twenty large pizzas from Tony. In addition, I think your mother had to buy at least thirty pounds of ground chuck, just to hold us until we could thaw some more."

"That does sound impressive. Did you dad say anything?"

"He did compliment us for the set up, especially the joining of the four screens together. Mostly though, he spent the time asking my opinion of other situations, rather than remarking about ours."

Kyle finished eating, leaving only two ribs and some partial containers of sides. KK put those in the fridge, while Kyle put everything else in the trash.

When she returned to the table, she asked, "What are our plans for the evening?"

"I need to try to call the other pallbearers on Jonas' list. Then I wanted to look at the papers in the safe. I'm still searching for why Jonas did this. I also want to try to break the encryption of the file Jonas placed on the server."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Probably read more about what's required of a Hero and a Companion."

"I'll do it, but it's not going to make a difference. I'm your partner, no matter what."

The two adjourned into Jonas' office, and Kyle began to make the calls. This time, he quickly reached each person. They all expressed their sympathy and agreed to be a part of the service. Kyle made sure each had all the basic details and his numbers and then went on to the next one. It didn't take long, as there were only six, and he had already talked to Sid.

With that done, he opened the safe, getting out all the new documents. KK put her book down and joined him. Together, they carefully reviewed them. They gained a lot of information about the coming war, and learned of the attempted assassination. They spent even longer studying Jonas' plans for defending Shiloh. As they read them together, this whole thing became more and more real to KK. Surprisingly, instead of fear, she felt excitement and a strong urge to begin.

The one thing they did not find, was any clue as to why Jonas would commit suicide, especially at this time. After reviewing everything, Kyle and KK returned the papers to the safe, which he locked and hid.

A disappointed Kathleen asked, "Well, Darling, what else shall we try?"

"Let's go to my bedroom."

A grinning young woman interjected, "I like that idea."

Kyle grinned back and said, "Maybe in a few minutes, but I first want to take a look at that hidden file on the server. Also, what time do you need to be home tonight?"

"Mom's not expecting me home. She expects me to spend the night with 'my man'."

"Hmmm! Then let's do a quick look at the file and then get close and cuddle."

"I'm all for the getting close and cuddling."

Kyle led the way into his room. He sat at his desk, and she pulled up a chair beside him. He booted up his laptop, quickly checked his email and then used explorer to access the server. When he did, his face went white.

"Kyle, what's wrong?"

"The file is no longer there."





-------

Chapter 9



KK asked excitedly, "What could have happened to it?"

"I don't know, but I'm glad I made a backup on a CD. I need to talk to 'Brain'. Do you know if he's home?"

"I'm not sure. He flew up to Phoenix very early this morning, and was scheduled to come back tonight."

"What was he doing up there?"

"According to what Mom told me, he was meeting with some of the professors at Arizona State to discuss their Doctoral Program in Computer Science."

A puzzled Kyle said, "I didn't realize he was considering ASU."

"He wasn't. This opportunity came up Saturday 'from out of the blue'. One of his current professors recommended him for a fellowship grant last week. He was afraid you would get all worried, so he wanted to hear them out before he mentioned it to you."

"Why would he be afraid I would get worried?"

"I didn't get a chance to ask, but I assume it has to do with the three of us going separate ways. Except for your time in the Army, we've been almost inseparable for most of our lives.

"KK, we all grow up into adults, with adult lives to live; I'm okay with that. I will say that it would be easier for me to have Brain move on, than you."

Grinning, she replied, "Oh, I'm moving on in my adult life, also. I'm just taking you with me."

Kyle smiled in return and said, "I guess that's true. Instead of my best friend, you'll be my wife, my lover and the mother of my children."

"I may be all of those, but more than anything, I never want to stop being your best friend."

"Kathleen Kennedy, soon to be Alexander, I definitely like the sound of that. Now, let's call your house and see if he's home. If he's not too wiped out, I would like to talk with him about that file."

Nodding her understanding, Kathleen picked up the phone and dialed her mother's house.

Her mom answered, and KK asked, "Mom, is Ryan home yet."

"He got in just a little while ago. He turned his computer on and went to take a shower. Since I no longer hear the water running, I would guess he's finished. Do you want to talk to him?"

"If I can."

After some discussion in the background that Kathleen could not follow, her brother came on the line.

Finally, he said, "Hi, Sis. What's going on?"

"Kyle and I need you to come over here, ASAP."

"Sure, just let me check my email to make sure there's not a crisis somewhere."

"Well, you could say we have one here, so just come as soon as you can?"

Less than fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. Kyle answered it with his left hand; his right hand held his .45 caliber automatic tightly against his pants leg. Seeing that it was his friend, he released the chain lock and let him in.

Ryan entered holding several CD's and asking, "What's going on with Jonas?"

A surprised Kathleen incredulously asked, "Didn't Mom tell you?"

"Tell me what? She was so tied up with some of her friends talking about some wedding, that she hardly spoke a word to me."

Following what must have happened, Kyle interjected, "'Brain', Jonas committed suicide yesterday, while we were involved in the paintball tournament."

Ryan turned white as a sheet. He looked as if he could barely stand. Kyle put the forty-five in the hollow of his back, under his belt, and helped lead his friend to a chair.

Kathleen asked, "If you didn't know something about his death, why did you ask about him?"

"His computer alarm was activated."

A puzzled Kyle narrowed his eyes and asked, "Computer alarm?"

"When I set up your network, Jonas was very concerned about security. There are some hidden cameras here, along with several 'traps' set up in the computer. If those traps were sprung, or if Jonas initiated a security shutdown, then the system would automatically initiate a hidden and encrypted zipped file on the server, while also wiping his computer completely clean. So clean, even the FBI's experts could not recover even a single word.

It would also send an email to me containing a coded message. This message would notify me that the security feature had been activated and provide me with the password to actually open the file."

An enlightened Kyle said, "Then that's where the hidden file came from on the server."

"Oh, you found it? Did you try to open or copy it?

"I tried to open it, but I didn't have the password. I did make a CD and put it under one of the floor mats in my Jeep."

"Even if you now had the password, that copy is worthless. The files inside the copy talk about a lot of things that sound important, but Jonas prepared it as a 'red herring'. At the same time it seemed to copy the file for you, a real file transfer to a remote ftp site began. When it finished, the file was removed from the server.

"When I got home tonight, I booted my machine like normal. Then, while I was getting my shower, the security program checked the ftp site. Seeing Jonas's backup, it used a special code that overruled the security features and automatically copied the file and into a separate partition on my hard drive. "

KK replied, "I don't know about you, husband-to-be, but I'm impressed."

"So am I."

A shocked Ryan 'the Brain' looked back and forth between his sister and his best friend several times before he asked, "Mom was talking about your wedding?"

Kyle smiled and said, "'Fraid so. Are you willing to be my best man?"

"More than willing, but is Dad willing to give her away?"

"I think so. Mom has already told him."

"Really! I didn't know they were even on speaking terms."

"You haven't heard her 'dis' him either, have you?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but you're right. What happened?"

Kathleen explained, "About three months after he left us, she cooled down enough that they could sit down and talk. Listening to his side, she realized that she had been wrapped up in us kids for so long, she had not been the wife she should've been. She told me later that Dad didn't leave her for another woman; she had driven him to her. The divorce settlement was fair, and Dad has always helped when things got tight. Who do you think's been paying for our school?"

"Wow! Then that'll probably make my next decision a whole lot easier."

"What is that big brother?"

"The opportunity at ASU is a fellowship-work/study program, offered by the company Dad works for. In addition, Dad has offered to let me live with them. I'll have my Masters at the end of this term, and I would start classes in the fall. At the same time, I would begin working for the company this summer."

"What about CyberFun?" Kyle asked.

"How 'bout I give my share to the two of you as a wedding present?"

"Brother, that's generous ... too generous. That place is potentially worth several million!"

"Maybe so, but only if you two work your butts off. I'm not going to let you do all that, and then just reap the unearned benefits. I'll sign my share over to you this week, and I'll never look back. Getting my PhD and doing advanced computer research is what I want; not running CyberFun, no matter how profitable it is. Someday, if I need help, just remember what your po' brother did."

Kyle looked at his future bride for what seemed like an hour. Finally, she nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Brain, if that's what you want. Now, fill us in about this mysterious file."

"If I had been here, I could have filled in the correct password. That would have disarmed the encoding, as well as prevented the moving of the file to the ftp site. After talking to you, I saw Jonas's email. When I opened it, I realized the security option had been activated. When I checked my special partition, I saw the file, and knew that someone had tried to read or copy it from the server."

Holding up the CDs he had in his hand, he continued, "I opened the decompression program, entered the password and unzipped all of the files that were updated on Jonas' computer on the date of Jonas's email. I then copied all those files to these."

Reflecting back to something Ryan had said earlier, Kyle asked. "You mentioned security cameras. Was one of the cameras, in his office?"

"Yes, behind the picture of the old western ranch house."

A surprised Kyle exclaimed "Really?"

"Here, I'll show you."

Kyle and Kathleen followed her brother into Jonas' office. Once there, he pointed to a spot among the trees and rocks near the right edge. Then, carefully removing the picture from its hanger, he showed a wire coming out of the wall.

"This is a wide angled camera attached to fiber optic interface and cable. This cable, and the others like it, go directly to a processing unit. That unit feeds into the server as part of the network feed."

Trying to work through all this information, KK asked, "How easy would it be to spot any of this?"

"All the cameras and wiring are imbedded in the walls, as well as the processing unit. Unless they knew it was here, someone would have to knock down all the walls to locate any evidence that it even existed."

Kyle responded, "Well, I suspect that we will know a lot more of this situation once we have studied those security videos,"

Then, looking at his watch, Kyle added, "Guys, it's after midnight, and we all have classes tomorrow. What's worse is that midterms start the day after. As much as I hate to delay looking at this stuff, we need to wait on this for a few days. We are all too close to graduation to get distracted and lose focus."

Ryan nodded agreement and said, "Then I'll head home. What do you want me to do with these CD's?"

"Do you still have the original data on your computer?"

"There, and on my ftp site that's physically located on a friend's computer in Canada."

"Then leave me the CD's. I'll hide them in a safe place 'till we get past the funeral and exams."

Turning, he pulled his future bride to him, giving her a deep hug and kiss.

"KK, as much as I was looking forward to tonight, I want you to follow your brother back to your mother's. I don't want to, but I think it best to postpone our personal plans for a few days."

"But, I wanted to sleep next to you tonight."

"Sweetheart, I wanted that, too. I just feel it will be best for our long-term future. I'm sure that many people, including my father, expect just that. I think we need to keep them guessing for a while."

"Okay, but I don't like it."

"Neither do I, but I'm trying to think with the big head right now, instead of the little one. At the same time, I had been thinking of waiting until after graduation to have the wedding. Now, I'm thinking we need to move it up some. Let's talk to our moms and see what they think."

"With that kind of promise, I think I can wait a few more days. Let me get my bag from your room."

A short time later, Ryan and Kathleen headed home. When they first arrived, Beverly ... their mother ... thought Kathleen and Kyle were having problems. She felt right about them as a couple, though she hadn't been overjoyed about their sleeping together. Quietly accepting would have been a more apt description.

When Kathleen explained Kyle's reasoning for her returning home, and the early wedding date, Beverly was so impressed with him. He wasn't just after a little romp in the sack. He wanted a long-term relationship. What was even more important, was his determination that he protect her reputation from those like his father, and from the other tongues that would wag at the idea of a sudden wedding.

"My daughter, I'm proud of the maturity and patience that both of you have shown. Now, run off to bed. You have classes in the morning."

Kathleen gave her Mom a kiss on the cheek and replied, "I will, Mom ... and thanks."

Kyle awoke early the next morning, to the ringing of the phone. Looking at the clock radio beside his bed, he saw that it was almost thirty minutes earlier than normal. After several attempts, he answered.

Thinking it was KK, he answered, "Good morning, Babe."

Robert Alexander replied, "Sorry, Son, but it's Dad. I would have assumed she was already there."

Starting to get angry, Kyle lashed back, "Robert, we have never slept together, and don't intend to until after the wedding. In addition, as far as I know, she's still a virgin."

"Son, forgive me. I was out of line, both on my statement when you answered, and my calling her names yesterday. I may not be happy about the marriage, but I will apologize to her as soon as I see her.

"Now, what I was calling about so early, is to let you know that a security guard will be arriving in a few minutes to watch the house. The more I thought about the way Lucille acted, the more I felt that you were right to have it guarded while you are not there. As for your friend, I feel he is very competent, but he has to attend classes, too."

Stunned, Kyle replied, "I accept your apology, and the security guard. I will even agree that you have a right to not approve of my choice of a mate. You are free to feel however you like, as long as you recognize that I'm an independent twenty-six year old adult, not a dependent sixteen year old kid."

"Son, that's a point that your mother and sisters have been beating me over the head with all night. I may feel you could have done better, but it is your choice. In addition, I have to concede the point that Charlotte and your sisters have repeatedly made; you could have done a lot worse.

"Now, you need to be prepared to let him in when he arrives. He should be in an "Arnold's Security" uniform. His password will be 'Laddy', the name of your first dog."

"Thanks, Robert."

Tearfully, his father answered, "You're welcome, Son. Hopefully, one day our relationship will be restored to where you can again call me Dad."

Kyle replied, "If we can co-exist like we did yesterday, we're off to a good start. For the first time I can remember, you listened to my ideas with respect. What was even more important, was that you seemed to accept that we could look at things differently, without either of us being wrong.

"If we can continue along that line, and you can let me live my life without trying to buy or intimidate me, then I would say that the timeframe to reach that point might be a lot shorter than you think."

A surprised and pleased father started to say something about always listening, but caught himself. Instead, he said, "I'm trying, Son."

"I can tell. Now, let me go. I have to leave for class in less than an hour."

Kyle hung up and went straight to Jonas' office. He made sure everything important was locked inside the larger safe.

From there, he started some coffee, along with a breakfast pizza from the freezer. He had begun putting his books his backpack, when the doorbell rang. He opened it to find a man about thirty, wearing an "Arnold's Security" uniform.

The man said softly, "I'm Mike Barlow. I'm here to protect the house while you are out. Beside watching out for your dog, Laddy, is there anything else I need know?"

Kyle held out his hand and replied, "Good Morning, Mike. I'm Kyle Alexander."

Properly introduced, Kyle ushered Mike into the living room. He quickly filled the guard in on what had happened, and what was expected. Then, while Mike familiarized himself with the place, Kyle showered, shaved, and finished getting himself ready for school. A few minutes later, he drove off with his coffee in a travel cup, munching on a piece of the breakfast pizza.

When Kyle reached the UTEP Campus, he ignored the student parking lot. Instead, he pulled around to the back of CyberFun, and used a remote to open one of the two rollup doors. He pulled in, parked and headed for the other side of the building. Once there, he exited through a non-descript side door and walked the rest of the block to the campus.

Since he had a few minutes before his first class, Kyle went straight to check his mailbox. For the first time that he could remember, it was crammed full. As he looked through the pile, he found that most of it was notes of sympathy concerning Jonas. He was so overwhelmed with what he found, that he almost missed the note from his Dean's office, advising him of an appointment with the Dean. He was supposed to be there in just ten minutes.

He arrived on time, but was pretty much out of breath. As he recovered, the Dean's secretary led him to a large conference room. At the table were all of his professors, his faculty advisor, the Dean of the Business School, and seated at the head was the 'Grand Old Dame', the President of the University.

As he sat, she arose in regal splendor, reminding Kyle of what Queen Victoria must have been like. Loved and respected by all, she was the heart and soul of UTEP.

"Kyle," she softly said, "we've asked you here this morning primarily to express our grief at your Grandfather's passing. Now, none of us know the reason he would have done such a thing as take his own life, but we have too much respect for him to judge his actions. I don't know if you were aware of it, but he wangled an agreement out of us that allows you to freely continue your education here for as long and far as you wish to take it."

"Yes, Ma'am. He informed me the night before he died."

"Good. Do you know when the funeral is planned?"

"Yes, Ma'am. We set it for Wednesday afternoon, as we felt it would be easier on the students that might want to attend."

"Excellent, we will let the students know the schedule. Any that want to attend, will be excused. We will also reschedule any exams that were scheduled for that time."

"I am sure that the students will appreciate that."

The Dean added, "Son, your grandfather touched a lot of people on this campus. Though he was not in my department, I can tell you that he will be sorely missed."

Changing the subject, the regal lady said, "Kyle, the other thing we wanted to discuss involves your mid-terms. We know you have a strong GPA, but several have expressed concern about you trying to deal with this and take exams at the same time. Personally, I don't see how this could not effect you.

"Therefore, your Dean and I have proposed that your current classes be moved to 'independent study' status, for the rest of the semester. Some projects and reports will be substituted for your exams. This will allow you work at your own pace, give you time to grieve, as well as to get your grandfather's affairs in order."

Kyle sat there with his mouth standing wide open. He was so stunned he didn't know how to answer. Finally, he tried to look at everything involved, and realized what he needed to do.

"Madam President, Dean, this is far beyond anything I could have imagined. I was just hoping that I could get a couple of my professors to give me an incomplete and let me take the mid-term a few days late. I could have never imagined something such as this. But, I do have a request."

"What is it, Kyle."

"Kathleen Kennedy and I are getting married in a few weeks. She was as close to Grandfather as I was. Could we get her into the same deal?"

The Dean looked at him for a moment and said, "Kyle, on one condition."

"And that is?"

"That we all receive an invitation to your wedding."

A smiling Kyle answered, "Then, consider it done."





-------

Chapter 10

With that agreement, the Dean said, "Kyle, I want you and your fiancée to take the rest of the week off. I and your advisors will work with each of your teachers develop to the goals needed for your 'independent study program'. Once those are established, your curriculum will be modified accordingly. Let's set up a meeting in my office next Monday, at eleven. In that meeting, we will review the plan with you and make any additional modifications, as needed."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Then I suggest you contact Kathleen, while the rest of us get back to work."

Kyle reached for his cell phone, but his call was delayed. It seemed that everyone wanted to stop on the way out to give him their personal condolences. When President Narduchi stopped, she gave him a hug and handed him her business card.

"Kyle, my home number is on the back. If you need me for anything, please call. Your grandfather was very special to me, and to this university. Can you tell me anything regarding the funeral plans?"

Kyle summarized the arrangements, including the use of Captain Mark Haywood to read the citation that went with Jonas' Silver Star. He also explained their plan to have Captain Haywood begin the transition that would shift the emphasis from 'Jonas, the warrior' to 'Jonas, the educator'. Once the Captain began, it would be concluded with testimonies for some of his grandfather's students.

She turned very serious, and said, "I like the idea, but don't carry it too far. Jonas was always a warrior, whether the battlefield was in Southeast Asia, or in the classrooms here at UTEP. He was constantly battling ignorance, indifference, and faculty insensitivity."

Not knowing what else to say, Kyle responded, "Yes, Ma'am."

She started out the door, but suddenly stopped and said, "Could you and Kathleen meet me at the Japanese Gardens and Tea Room, on North Mesa, at two-thirty? I think you will find that it will definitely worth your time. In case anyone needs to know, you should be home around seven."

"I'll have to check with her, but I'm sure we can."

"Good! I look forward to it. If anything comes up though, please call my office.

"Yes, Ma'am."

As she made her exit, Kyle hit KK's speed-dial number on his cell phone.

"I can't talk, but for a minute. I was called out of class and told to go to the Dean's office."

"I'm already there, so I'll wait for you to get here."

"Are we in any trouble?"

"No. Everything's copasetic."

A relieved Kathleen said, "Thanks, I was feeling so stressed. Having you there will help. I should be there in about five minutes."

Kyle ended the call. Picking up his backpack, he made his way back to the Department Secretary. He explained that he was waiting for Kathleen Kennedy, and then took a seat.

Moments later, KK came breezing through the door. When Kyle stepped up and gave her a hug, the glow on her face lit up the entire room.

"Now, what's this all about?" she asked.

"I'd better let the Dean explain it, as I might miss a point or two. All I can say is that we had to do some hard bargaining to get this to come together."

Smiling at what Kyle had said, the secretary said, "Kathleen, the Dean will see you now. Kyle, you can go back with her."

She led the couple down the hall to the Dean's office and ushered them inside.

The Dean stood up, reached across his large walnut desk, and shook their hands. When that formality was completed, he invited them to sit in one of the leather wingback chairs that were arranged in front of his desk.

"Kathleen, we had a meeting with Kyle earlier this morning. Besides expressing our condolences regarding Jonas, we also determined that Kyle needed time to get over the shock. He needs to be able to grieve, as well as to put Jonas' affairs in order. Since he will get his Bachelors Degree at the end of this semester, we decided to shift him to an 'individual study program', to complete his current classes."

Puzzled as to how this affected her, Kathleen said, "That sounds very generous and compassionate."

"We thought so too, but it seems Kyle wanted to something extra. After some major negotiations, we ending up making a deal that included you."

"Me?"

"Yes, because of your engagement to Kyle, and your long-term relationship with Jonas, we will do the same for you. This means that you will not have to attend any classes for the rest of the semester, nor will you have to take any exams. We'll put together a program by next Monday. You will work with your teachers individually, do independent reading, and prepare some reports and special projects. Does that sound good to you?"

"It sounds very good, Sir, but what did we give up in these negotiations?"

The Dean grinned and answered, "Well, we tried for your first born, but Kyle didn't seem to like the idea. Ultimately, we ended up settling for an invitation to your wedding."

The concerned woman suddenly burst into laughter.

Giggling, she responded, "We might have to stand some cousins along the wall, or something, but we'll find a way to squeeze everyone in."

"Good. Now, you two get out of here. Except at the funeral, I don't expect to see either of you before Monday morning."

"Yes, Sir," the couple answered in unison.

They obediently left the Dean's office. As they walked down the hall, Kyle reached over and held Kathleen's hand. After they exited the building, she held her arms parallel to the ground and spun around several times.

"Kyle, I don't know whether to cry for Jonas, or shout for joy that we're getting married."

Leading her over to a nearby bench, Kyle said, "Sweetheart, over the next few days, you will probably do a lot of both. The key thing we have to remember is that major planning, and a lot of effort, by a lot of people, will be required to make this happen."

"I know. Most people take three months, to a year, to organize a wedding. We're talking just a few weeks. What do you think we should do first?"

"KK, my suggestion would be to set up a meeting with your mom and mine. I would get them to discuss the number of people that will be invited, and what your budget will be. Remember, the cost of the wedding is normally your parents' expense, but ultimately, it's all about you, and what you want."

"Kyle, I understand what you are trying to say, and you're right about the wedding being for me. At the same time, I have to take your families economic and social position into account. This is hard, as I just want for us to get married. I'm not interested in 'circus' for a wedding, nor do I want my parents having to go into debt to pay for it."

"I feel the same way, but that's why you need to talk to them, and only them. Get a budget figure they're comfortable with; that will be you basic budget. Then, while you are still together, and everyone's mind is on the subject, explain to them that we will cover any expenses incurred beyond that total."

"I know what you're saying, but I can foresee their pride getting hurt."

"I can too, but express your heart and your fears. Reassure them that we have the money to help, if needed, and work to transform that hurt pride in themselves into an honest pride in their daughter. Make them realize that you may run into something that is important to you, but you don't want them hurt financially because of it."

"Kyle, this is a very good idea, and a good way to approach a potentially complicated situation. Any other suggestions?"

"Yes. One of your very first priorities should be to hire a good wedding planner. She will be worth her weight in gold, so don't get a fat one."

Laughing, Kathleen said, "I think that's good advice ... the wedding planner idea, I mean ... not the 'not fat' one. Just you wait! Someday, I'll get you for that."

Kyle chuckled in response to her antics, and bent over and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I figured you would. Come on, let's get out of here."

"Okay, I'll call Mom when I get to my car. She can get things started, even before I get home. Now, what are you going to do while we plan the wedding?"

"I'd like to get our rings, but that's really something I think we should do together. I guess I'll check with the lawyer concerning any possible issues. Beyond that, I would like to study some of those files from Jonas' computer, as well as some of his notes that are in the safe."

"You're not going to buy a ring and get on your knees to ask for my hand in marriage?"

"KK, I think we're a little past that. It's also probably too late to ask your father for his permission."

Looking a little pouty, Kathleen said, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Just remember that failure to ask does not give you permission to return the 'merchandise.' It also sounds like we're not going to have much time together today."

"Actually, we've got a late luncheon appointment with Dr. Narduchi. I'll pick you up at your house at two-ten."

A very surprised Kathleen exclaimed, "Dr. Narduchi? Any idea what she wants?"

"Nada, but it seems she was a lot closer to Jonas than we realized."

"Were they lovers or something?"

"I doubt that, but I think they were very close friends."

Having reached where she had parked her car, she gave Kyle a kiss goodbye. She unlocked the Miata and let the top down, putting her backpack into the small space behind the passenger's seat. She climbed in, buckled and slipped on the headset for her cell phone. She was talking to her mother before she left the parking lot.

Kyle proceeded to CyberFun, and went into his office. He checked his

messages, pleased that there were no surprises. He looked through his wallet and found the card from Jonas' attorney. A secretary answered, but when he told her who he was, she put him straight through to the lawyer. They talked briefly, and Kyle explained the reason for his call.

"Kyle, right now everything is on schedule. You should receive a registered letter tomorrow informing of the reading of the will on Thursday morning. Beyond that, we can do very little until after the will is read.

After they hung up, Kyle started to head to his car, but decided to make the bank deposit while he was in the area. He opened the safe and removed the deposit bag. He went over the register receipts and counted the money. When the deposit was finished, he checked his change bag to see if he needed anything. He decided that he needed three rolls of quarters, and two packs of one-dollar bills.

To keep his record keeping correct, he pulled a hundred and thirty dollars from his change fund. He put the change bag back into the safe and locked it. That done, he gathered his backpack and the deposit bag and headed for his car.

He started the jeep, remotely raised the door, and backed out. He lowered the door and drove the three blocks to the bank.

Instead of using the drive thru, he parked. Inside, he went to the first open teller. When she recognized him, she retrieved the deposit bags from Friday and Saturday from the night drop. He unlocked them, and gave her all three deposits. He also gave her his change requirement and the cash to cover it.

The teller asked, "Where's Kathleen today? She usually makes the Monday deposits."

"She's busy starting to plan our wedding."

The surprised teller almost screamed in excitement as she exclaimed, "Tell her that Margie said, 'Go Girl!'." She paused for a second and added, "Of course to you, I'll just say, congratulations."

"Thanks, and I'll give her your message."

Margie returned to the job at hand. She made the change and ran the deposits through the bank's system. When she finished, she gave him the empty bags, the change and the deposit receipts. Looking at the deposit slips as he left, he was surprised to find that the total of the deposits was for more than forty-five thousand dollars.

Kyle returned to his car and started back to CyberFun to leave the change. Instead, he altered his plans, and headed back to his home. They did not need the change immediately, so he could wait until later to take it back.

When he arrived home, he remotely opened the garage door and pulled into the garage beside his grandfather's Buick. As he stepped out of the car, Mike Barlow opened the kitchen door; his pistol held in a ready position.

Returning the pistol back into its holster, Mike said, "I thought that was you that drove up, but felt I'd better make certain. Are you going to be staying?"

"Only for a while. Why?"

"I didn't know if you still needed my services."

Kyle followed the guard through the kitchen door, and said, "For the next few days, I think I would like you to be here during the day, even while I'm here. I'm going to be doing a lot studying. When I do that, I tend to lose track of what is going on around me."

"I understand. My wife says I do the same thing."

"Really? Are you currently in school?"

"No, I'm having to stay out a year and work. My wife had our first child about three months ago. I would have been a junior in Criminal Justice."

"Well, don't give up on it. I spent 4 years in the Army before I actually started college. It's been a long haul, but I will finally graduate in May. I'm headed to Jonas' office to study, do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine. Also, there was only one call. It was your father making sure I got here okay."

"Thanks, Mike. I need to leave here at two. Would you knock on this door, and let me know when it's a quarter 'till?"

"Sure. I can do that."

Kyle left Mike sitting in the living room. He went first to Jonas' office and dropped off his backpack. From there, he went to his bedroom and retrieved his laptop and headphones. Returning to Jonas' office, he locked the door.

He sat the laptop on the desk where his grandfather normally sat. Thinking about Jonas's death, there were tears in his eyes as he transferred the Ethernet connection from his grandfather's computer and turned on the laptop. While it was booting up, he opened the larger safe, removing the four CD's that Ryan had given him the night before.

Sitting back at the desk, Kyle inserted the CD that Ryan had labeled as number one and reviewed the directory, making notes as he went along. It contained nothing but MPEG video files, one for each camera.

He replace number one with the one marked number two. The directory showed more of the same, except for one text document, entitled "for_kyle".

Feeling that it was very important, Kyle immediately opened the file.

Dear Kyle,

I hate to have sprung such a gruesome surprise upon you, but I felt it was for the best. I hope after you read this letter, you will not only understand what I did, but it will also help you to better prepare yourself for the future.

I went to Crossroads this morning, as planned. From there, I went to Chaos to rescue a 'damsel' who was being taken to a slave market. I was successful in my rescue, but there was a serious problem. The entire operation was a trap to kill me and take over Shiloh.

What is worse is that the attempt was being choreographed with assistance from people at Crossroads, as well as some link to Earth. To complicate matters even more, my sister is involved in some way.

I know that this is a hard accusation, but there is no other explanation. When I returned, there was someone waiting on me in my office. I don't know what his real name might be, but I knew him as Carl. He was a Hero that disappeared on Chaos almost five years ago and was assumed to be dead. If that wasn't enough, he knew of the failed attempt on my life.

In our conversation, he blatantly told me that he wanted Shiloh, and would do anything he had to do to get it, including destroying you and your family. In saying this, he revealed knowledge that could have only come from your mother, or Lucille. I know you now have to be curious about that information, but it will have to come from Charlotte.

The final straw was that he gave me a twenty-four hour ultimatum: surrender Shiloh and agree to stay out of Crossroads and Chaos, or he would take me back, kill me in public, and take possession by right of victory. He also threatened to reveal information that would destroy you and your family. To at least put a crimp in his plans, I had to remove myself from the equation.

Kyle, I don't know all the facts, but it looks like a major war is brewing on Chaos. What's worse is that there are links to Earth that make no sense, unless there is another portal ... one that bypasses Crossroads, and goes directly to Chaos. In addition, I can't imagine what anyone on Earth would want with Chaos, other than some megalomaniac who desires to rule a world.

Now Son, I have put in place the means to transfer Shiloh and all my wealth on Chaos to you. You need to go to Riverview, wearing buckskin according to the season: natural for winter, green for spring, light tan for summer or reddish for fall. Once you arrive, go as quickly and as cautiously as you can to the stable.

Tell Joseph who you are. He has ways of verifying that statement. If something has happened to him. Go to Thomas at the Inn. Then, as quickly as you can, get with Nathan. He has a medallion that you need to take to Klovus Hissup at the bank. With that medallion and the code word 'miners win', he will transfer what's in the bank to you. In my bank box, you will find a ledger that lists all the Chaos property I own, or in which I have a partnership interest.

Kyle, I have already put some things in motion regarding the coming war. In addition, I brought back several books which I wrote after I returned to Crossroads. These should give you everything I know, or even suspect.

Also, included in those books are my basic war plans. You need to review them for two reasons. One is that, with what I have learned upon my return, the enemy may already have copies of those plans. Second, each person is different, and I would not want you saddled with a battle plan that does not fit you.

Finally, I have made a big deal about making sure you have this house, though I have added a wrinkle by actually giving it to you and Kathleen. Now, with my sister's involvement in this situation on Chaos, you may need to make a deal with her.

The best thing you could do would be to find a way to disappear, or at least be hard to locate. I have a place in mind, but it will have to be revealed to you by another.

If you decide to sell her the house, there are three key things you need to do. Remove the portal, the stuff from the safe, and the contents of my workshop. I would also like any of your grandmother's things, and my historical artifacts removed. Nothing else there is worth the danger my sister may bring you.

With all my love and confidence,

Jonas.

A stunned Kyle sat at the screen and stared for a good while. He needed to review the video files for a picture of Carl's face, but for the moment, he just could not do it. He was just too emotionally overloaded.

Finally, he printed a copy of the letter and put it his backpack. He put the CD's, back in the safe and locked it. After making sure everything was secure, he grabbed his backpack and his laptop and left the office.

Mike looked up from his reading when Kyle entered the living room, and asked, "You're finished?"

"Let's just say I've absorbed all that my little mind can handle at the moment. I think I'll knock around for a bit before I head back toward school."

"I understand. I seemed to always do better on my exams if I relaxed for a bit between studying and taking the exam. I always liked to go play some of the games at CyberFun. Are you familiar with it?"

"I'm a part-time manager there, so I'm not sure how much I would be able to relax there."

"Right. Well, good luck. Oh, how late do you want me to stay?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd like you to stay until I return. You get paid by the hour, don't you?"

"Yes, and they charge that same time to you, just at a higher amount. As for my schedule, I just need to let the office and my wife know."

"Good. Then, I will see you later."

Kyle headed back to his jeep, and drove to Kathleen's home. He found several unfamiliar cars parked in the driveway, so he parked on the street. Exiting the car, he had made it almost halfway across the front yard, when a blur ran out the front door and jumped into his arms.

"Oh, Kyle! I am so excited. Thing are moving so quickly about the wedding. It's just blowing me away."

At that point, she noticed his sad and serious countenance.

"I didn't expect to see you until later. Is anything wrong?"

"Just some surprising developments. Is my Mom here?"

"Yes, as well as your sisters. You could not imagine how well the three of them have worked with Mom and me. I think we've already accomplished a week's worth, just this morning."

"Great. Unfortunately, I need the three of us to discuss some issues. Is there somewhere private where we can talk?"

"My neighbor, Helen, is here helping. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we used her back deck."

"Then let's do it."

Kathleen ran inside the house, returning a moment later with Charlotte Alexander following closely behind. Charlotte gave her son a quick hug and a kiss before the two of them followed Kathleen to the rear of the house next door. Because the people had a hot tub, there was an area on the deck that was blocked off from outside view. Kathleen led them inside that area, where they all sat in chairs placed around a small table.

"Son, what is this all about?"

"Mom, I know why Jonas committed suicide. A short while ago, I found this letter."

He handed Charlotte the letter. She and Kathleen read it together. When they finished, his mom was as white as a sheet.

Looking across the table at her son, Charlotte said, "I don't know what a lot of this means, but it's obvious that he felt Lucille was involved. In addition, they were trying to use a family secret to force him to give in to their demands. He died to protect you and this family, as well as to preserve his legacy for you."

"Mom, do you know what the family secret is?"

"Yes, but promise me that you won't ask for details right now. I know I should have told you this a long time a go, but I could never figure out what to say, or how to say it."

Kathleen interjected, "Charlotte, the simple straight truth is usually the best. At this point, prolonging the secret will only make things worse."

"Kathleen, you're correct. Would you go ask the girls to join us, as well as your Mom?"

"Sure, I'll be right back."

Knowing that his Mom was hurting, he tried to comfort her while they were waiting on the others. Charlotte, fearing his rejection and ire, just could not be comforted. Minutes later, Kathleen returned with her Mom and Kyle's sisters. By this time, tears were running down Charlotte's face.

Concerned at her mother's appearance, Felicia asked, "Mom, what's wrong? Has something happened to Dad?"

"No, but I need to reveal a secret to all of you. All I ask, for now, is that you don't press me for further explanation. Just accept the truth, and please don't hate me."

Kathleen's mom asked, "Charlotte, do I need to be here?"

"I think so, as it concerns your daughter's future."

"Okay, if you think so. As for respect, I don't think there is much you could say that would change the respect I have for you."

"Thanks, Beverly."

Courtney added, "Mom, we feel the same."

Charlotte answered, "Good, that means a lot to me right now."

Then pausing for a moment or so to build her courage, she said, "Robert is not Kyle's father."

Almost in unison, everyone said, "What?"

A shaken Kyle then asked, "Then who is?"

"Jonas."


-------

Chapter 11



At his mother's shocking revelation, Kyle's mind screamed, 'JONAS WAS MY FATHER!'

Though his mind was going like crazy, Kyle and his sisters were speechless. Kathleen and her mother listened without judgment.

Finally, Kyle asked, "Mom, what happened?"

"Remember, I asked that no one press me for the details," Charlotte said. "If I ever tell this story, it will be in front of Robert, not behind his back like a common gossip. Now, if you love me, you will honor my request."

Felicia pulled her Mom close, and comforted her.

As Charlotte began to relax in Felicia's arms, Courtney asked, "Mom, what about Felicia and me?"

"Honey, both of you are Robert's children. Of that there is no doubt."

"Damn!" responded Felicia. "For a few moments there I had hope."

"Felicia! Robert is Jonas and Wanda's son, and they were two of the finest people that ever walked on this earth. Robert's problem isn't genetic, nor do I feel that it was caused by the way he was raised. Somewhere, at sometime, someone or something, caused Robert to reject all that his parents believed. From that rejection, he pushed to be just the opposite by becoming a selfish, self-centered, status hungry, ostentatious snob."

Author's Note: Wanda was Jonas' deceased wife.

Courtney giggled and said, "Mom! Did you have to be so restrained in your description? Surely, your emotions are more intense than that?"

"Well, I guess I could have added 'Asshole'!"

Felicia and Courtney broke up in laughter, and Kathleen pulled Charlotte into a reassuring hug.

When things calmed down, Kathleen asked, "So, where do we go from here? Other than Robert, can anyone in the family be hurt by this revelation?"

Charlotte lovingly patted Kathleen's arm and thought over the various possibilities.

Finally, she said, "Other than Robert's salary and his personal investments, the bulk of our wealth is mine, or at least it is in a trust of which I'm the beneficiary. If Robert divorces me, he gets nothing. If he spurns Kyle, Kyle loses little, if anything. If the story is made public, it may hurt Robert's social image, but it's liable to actually help mine. You girls might get some kidding at school, but beyond that I don't see us really being hurt."

A puzzled Kyle asked, "Then why would Lucille make such a deal of it, and why would it affect Jonas to the point of him committing suicide?"

"Son," Charlotte answered, "I doubt if either Lucille, Jonas, or the guy who delivered the threat actually understands our situation. I don't go around broadcasting it, and I'm sure that it's not something Robert would want to become common knowledge. It would damage his image of being a powerful executive who clawed his way to the top."

Kyle looked at his Mom and questioned, "So, we just ignore it and wait for it to either explode, or go away?"

"No. After the funeral, I'll have a quiet conversation with Robert and tell him the 'facts of life'. He may still overreact, but it won't be in front of others, nor will he be goaded on by that 'Bitch-Aunt' of his."

Charlotte paused, and her face suddenly became much more serious as she quietly said, "Kyle, I have to be honest. I'm far more concerned by Jonas' remarks about 'disappearing'. It sounds like he feared far more than just his fatherhood being revealed. Knowing Jonas, this makes me very frightened."

Kyle pulled his fiancée close to him and said, "I hadn't thought about it like that, but maybe I should start to find ways to protect KK and myself."

His mother nodded and said, "Son, if you need my help, it's yours."

"Thanks, Mom." Then, glancing at his watch, Kyle added, "Right now, KK and I have an appointment, and I need to drop some change by my office."

Leaving the rest puzzled by this sudden announcement, Kyle and KK ran back to his Jeep, and headed for CyberFun. At ten after two, the couple pulled up at the front door of their business. While Kyle waited in the Jeep, Kathleen grabbed the deposit bags and the change, and ran inside. Less than seven minutes later, she returned to the Jeep, and they headed for the Japanese Gardens.

Two minutes prior to the appointed time, the young couple pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. They entered the building and looked around, but did not find Dr. Narduchi. Kyle suggested they get a table that could be easily seen from the front door and wait for her to arrive. Kathleen agreed and explained the situation to the hostess, who led them to a table that satisfied their requirements.

When the waitress arrived, Kyle said, "Would you please just bring us a couple of Cokes. We'll order when the third member of our group arrives."

The waitress nodded her understanding, and a short time later she returned with their drinks. Then, while they patently waited for Dr. Narduchi, the couple talked about the wedding, the turn of events regarding Jonas' note, and the beautiful décor of the restaurant.

After about twenty minutes, Kyle was beginning to worry that he might have misunderstood Dr. Narduchi's instructions. As he looked around to make sure they had not missed each other, an elderly Asian gentleman approached carrying menus.

When he attempted to hand Kyle one of the menus, Kyle said, "I'm sorry. We're waiting for a third member of our party. We'll decide what to order when she arrives."

Ignoring Kyle's response, the man set the two menus on the table beside the couple.

He then bowed. and said softly, "Please, Kyle, wait until I leave the table, but it is important that you look at the menus. You should look first, and then your fiancée."

Kyle was stunned that the gentleman knew his name, as well as the fact that KK was his fiancée. As a result, he did not fully grasp the situation until the older man had disappeared into the rear of the restaurant.

He looked at Kathleen's face, and saw the same confused look as he probably had on his own. Finally, he picked up the menu as instructed. Inside was a note that read:

Kyle, you are being followed. Kathleen's menu has my handicapped tag that hangs from the mirror. Wait a few minutes, and head for Sunland Park Mall. Go to the upper level, and use the tag to get a parking place as close to the Food Court entrance as possible. Go to the Diamond Emporium, but exit immediately through the door closest to JCP. Go into JCP, and down to the lower level. Exit JCP out the side entrance. I will be waiting for you.

PN

When he finished reading the note, Kyle palmed it.

He then looked up at his sweetheart and whispered, "KK, there is one of those handicapped hanger tags inside your menu. Slide it out into your lap, and hide it carefully in your purse."

A concerned and somewhat confused Kathleen replied, "What's going on, Kyle?"

Kyle reached out and took her hands as if he was talking about something romantic, and said, "My menu had a note that appears to be from Dr. Narduchi. She says we are being followed and has given me instructions for 'ditching' our shadow. We're to meet her at Sunland Park Mall."

Kathleen nodded and followed his earlier instructions, letting the tag fall into her lap. She started to place it in her purse, realized that doing so might call attention to it. Thus, while still holding the menu up in front of her, she unbuttoned one of the lower buttons of her blouse and slid the tag inside.

She re-buttoned her shirt, and said, "We can leave when you're ready."

Kyle called the waitress over to get the bill, but the girl said there was no charge. He left a couple of dollars as a tip, and the couple held hands, while they walked back to his Jeep.

By all outward appearances, they were completely oblivious to their surroundings, but both quickly spotted the gray Pontiac Grand Prix parked in the rear. They also noted that car contained only the driver.

Kyle exited the parking lot and turned left, headed back toward the campus. After going a few hundred yards, he turned right onto Executive Center Boulevard. When he reached the Interstate, he turned north. At Sunland Park Drive, he exited to the right and turned immediately into the shopping center.

Following the instructions on the note, Kyle headed to the entrance closest to the Food Court. He found a handicapped parking spot just a few feet from the door, and parked. Kathleen, in the meantime, removed the handicapped tag from inside her shirt, and hung it from the mirror. They quickly exited the vehicle, and headed inside.

Holding hands, the two walked quickly, but were careful not to attract attention. Following their instructions, they passed through the Food Court. On the way to the jewelers, Kyle's eyes were drawn to a small shop that featured paraphernalia relating to the various college and professional sport teams of Texas. Deviating slightly from the plan, Kyle led Kathleen to make a quick detour into the store.

At Kyle's direction, they quickly purchased two Blue and Orange UTEP jerseys with matching baseball caps, and sunglasses. Then, they each used one of the dressing rooms to quickly change into the new jerseys and put their old tops in a shopping bag. Additionally, Kathleen shoved as much of her hair under her cap as possible. Donning their sunglasses, they continued their journey.

Trying to look like just friends, Kyle and Kathleen no longer held hands. When Kyle casually caught their reflection in one of the store windows, he realized how much their appearance had changed. With that information, he decided to bypass the jewelry store, and headed directly to the designated exit in the lower level of J C Penny's.

This particular exit was primarily designed to enable customers to pick up larger items. As a result, it had a covered drive-thru area that was heavily shadowed. When Kyle could not spot Dr. Narduchi in the shadows, he removed his hat and sunglasses to get a better look.

Hesitantly, a silver-blue Suburban with darkly tinted windows pulled away from the curb and moved toward them.

As the SUV pulled along side the couple, the passenger window lowered and Dr. Narduchi said, "Quickly, jump into the back!"

Kyle and Kathleen followed her instructions, and the vehicle exited the area, heading back to the Interstate. As he looked at the driver, Kyle realized that the elderly Asian gentleman from the restaurant was driving. The thing was, he now looked at least thirty years younger.

Dr. Narduchi was sitting in the front passenger seat wearing jeans, a casual blouse and boots. Her hair was no longer in its normal tight bun, but instead it was now in a ponytail. In addition, her hair looked less gray, and had more of a frosted appearance. Her facial features also seemed softer, giving her the appearance of being ten to fifteen years younger than she normally looked on campus.

"Kyle," said Dr. Narduchi, "I like your inventiveness in changing your appearance, but you should've still followed my instructions regarding the jewelry store."

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I thought we would look strange going in there in these outfits. I didn't want to arouse the attention of the mall's security."

"Good thinking. However, in this case, we had someone in the jewelry store who would have alerted us if your tail was still there. I guess in the future I should be more specific when something like that has been arranged. I'm just not used to working with someone so young and untrained, yet who has such a good instinct for 'tradecraft'."

An inquisitive Kathleen asked, "What is 'tradecraft'?"

The older woman smiled and answered, "Kathleen, it's the basic tricks and tools of covert or spy-type operations."

Trying not to let Kathleen go off on some tangent, Kyle said, "If it's okay to ask, Dr. Narduchi? What's going on?"

"Kyle, when we're away from school like this, please call me Paula. That includes you too, KK."

A surprised Kathleen exclaimed, "You know Kyle's nickname for me?"

"My dear Kathleen, I know an immense amount about both of you. You see, while Jonas and I were never intimate, we were very close friends. Our friendship goes all the way back to Viet Nam, where a patrol he led stumbled upon a group of NVA. They had ambushed my vehicle and were cutting those of us trapped inside to 'ribbons'."

Author's Note: The NVA was the North Vietnamese Army — These were regular soldiers and were better trained and armed than the members of the Viet Cong.

Kyle queried, "You were in Viet Nam?"

"My husband was the US Agricultural and Mining Attaché. He really did a good job in that area, but his primary role was 'cover' for me, as I was worked with the CIA. My specialty was picking the brains of the wives and mistresses of high ranking governmental leaders and senior RVN Army officers. Li Quan, our driver, is the son of my driver from that time. I rescued his entire family when Saigon fell. It was Li who spotted your shadow at the restaurant."

"So, what happens now?" Kyle asked, with Kathleen nodding her agreement to the question.

"Kyle, I'm going to take the two of you to a special place. Once we're there, I'll explain more. Now, Kathleen, tell me more about your wedding plans."

For the most of the next hour, Kathleen and Dr. Narduchi discussed wedding ideas. Kyle listened somewhat, in case he was asked a question, but mostly he watched the passing scenery, as the car moved northward along I-25.

-------

It took the driver of the gray Grand Prix several minutes to locate a parking space. As a result, by the time he entered the mall, the couple were completely out of sight. Hoping to spot them in one of the stores, he walked quickly through the mall. When he had been unsuccessful in finding them after looking for over thirty minutes, he reluctantly, and a little fearfully, used his cell phone and called the woman to whom he reported.

"This is Blake. It looks like I lost them at the Sunland Park Mall."

In a surprisingly calm voice, she replied, "Did they appear to be trying to get away?"

"No, Ma'am. They went to a restaurant, and held hands across the table as they talked and drank a Coke. After declining to order from the menu, they paid for the drinks, and left. From there, they went immediately to the mall. They did not speed or take any evasive actions.

"When they arrived, they found a parking place much closer to the entrance than I could get. I watched them enter the mall holding hands. They did not seem to be in a rush, but by the time I could park and go inside, they had disappeared. I've looked for more than thirty minutes, but I haven't found any sign of them."

"That's a big mall, and from the sound of things, you've done all you could. I know they are now engaged, so it is likely that they were shopping for rings, or something related to the wedding. Just watch their car and call me when you regain surveillance."

Relieved, the shadow assented, and returned to his car. After driving around for more than twenty minutes, he finally found a parking spot that would enable him to observe Kyle's car. He kept his car's engine running, and the air conditioning on. He knew that he was taking a slight risk, but at his present distance from Kyle's Jeep he thought it to be minimal. Besides, it was damned hot.

-------

At the same time, another young couple sat in the parking lot of the same mall. They were in a dusty, beat-up pickup. When Kyle's shadow parked and went inside, the young man pulled up to the curb and let the young lady out. He drove around until she returned to the entrance where he had let her out to follow Kyle's shadow.

Climbing back into the truck, she remarked, "He's lost them and is reporting in. He'll probably be coming this way in a few minutes."

"Call it in," the driver instructed. "I'll find a position where we can watch both vehicles."

The young woman hit a speed dial button on her cell phone.

When the call was answered, she said, "Major, their surveillance lost them at Sunland Park Mall. We're going to set up and observe both vehicles."

The voice on the other end of the line said, "Good, let me know when the situation changes."

"Wilco, Major."

-------

As short distance from the mall, Dr. Narduchi's Suburban crossed the Texas border into New Mexico. When they passed the city of Las Cruces, Kyle was somewhat surprised at the distance they were traveling. He could not imagine what out here was worth this trip.

A few minutes later, they reached Donã Ana. Here they exited the Interstate and turned left. After several turns, the Suburban crossed a bridge over the Rio Grande River. They turned back north and traveled for close to ten miles before they turned right onto a gravel road.

As the road began to climb, Kyle noticed that it led into some hills that were higher than anything around them. Finally, There was another left turn, and moments later, they pulled into a garage that appeared to have been dug into the side of the hill. The driver used a remote device to raise and lower the door.

Inside the enormous garage, Li stopped the SUV near a set of stairs. Dr. Narduchi opened the front passenger door, and stepped out into a well-lighted area large enough for ten vehicles. Li stayed in the car, but Kyle and Kathleen joined Dr. Narduchi.

Smiling, she encouraged the young couple to follow her, as she walked over to the steps. The three climbed the steps and entered into a magnificent cedar and glass house that had been built on a ridge overlooking the river.

The house was bright, using both natural light and miniature incandescent floods to draw out the beauty of the wood. The mission style furniture accented the spacious and simplistic styling found throughout the house. The walls were decorated with paintings of Civil War battle scenes and portraits of heroes from both the North and the South. These were complemented by brightly colored blankets hung as tapestries. The most dominating decoration, if one could call it that, was the view of the river below through the wall of tinted glass.

"Paula, it's beautiful!" exclaimed Kathleen.

"I agree," Kyle added, "I don't know why, but I can see a lot of Jonas in this."

"You should, since he built this place."

"Jonas built this? When?" he asked.

Paula replied, "He was almost finished when your Grandmother died. This was to be their retirement home."

"But Paula, it doesn't show up on any list of assets I've seen."

"It shouldn't. Jonas' name does not show up anywhere relating to this property as it was deeded to a trust as soon as it was completed. He also included sufficient funds in the trust to cover taxes, utilities, and repairs for an indefinite period. If things keep going like they have been, we may never need to touch the principal."

A puzzled Kyle asked, "And what is your involvement?"

"Kyle, Jonas appointed me to be the executor of the trust. It is my responsibility to hold it for you and your future family. It can never be sold, used as collateral, or put in your name. On the other hand, at the discretion of the executor, it will be available for you and your descendents to use, for as long as it exists."

Kyle and Kathleen were still recovering from what Dr. Narduchi had said, when he asked, "So, this house is for us and our family to use, but not own?"

"For as long as you live."

Waiting for 'the other shoe to drop', Kathleen asked, "Paula, what do you mean, 'at the discretion of the executor'?"

"It means that I, or my successors, have the right to say no to someone we feel is unworthy. We would not pass it on, for example, to someone who tried to stay high on drugs all the time, or someone who was in repetitive trouble with the law, or a widow who was self-centered, shrewish, or just a plain bitch."

Kyle asked, "Could you expand on that, and who chooses your successor?"

Paula responded, "Kyle, the easiest example I can give you, is your father. Robert, for several reasons, is simply not acceptable. As for my successor, that choice, along with two alternate executors, is for you and me to make. There are provisions to cover a possible situation where the executor and both alternates die before a successor can be named, but we don't need to go into that right now."

Kathleen asked, "Who else knows of this place?"

"Just my husband and the Lopez family down the road. They provide lawn care and general maintenance, including the pool and hot tub. The father and his eldest son also provide security for the place. The women come in twice a week to clean. They also cook and can provide child care, if needed."

"And we will be paying them for these services?"

"No, Kathleen. The trust provides them with a house, and a decent salary, whether you use their services or not. Hector Lopez, the father, was a favorite student of Jonas'. After Hector graduated, he joined the El Paso Police Department. A few months later, he was shot during a robbery at a convenience store. He killed the robber, but took a round in the shoulder which cost him most of the use of his right arm. Unfortunately, because there was some controversy over whether the shooting was justified, he was not given a full pension. Jonas set him up here to provide for him and his family."

Kyle asked, "How can he provide security and maintenance with his right arm so damaged?"

"What he can't handle, one of his seven children can. As for security, from what I understand he has worked and practiced daily drawing and shooting left-handed for several years. He is now more proficient with a pistol than when he was on the force."

"Impressive!" was Kyle's response.

Dr. Narduchi then asked, "Now, do you want this place?"

Kyle looked at his bride-to-be, and she nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am. We would love to live here!"

"Outstanding! Here are the keys, and I'll give you the two garage remotes when we return to the car. On the way out, I'll introduce you to the Lopez family."

Kathleen asked, "What do we do about furniture and such?"

"You can always add to it, but it comes fully furnished, even down to a pretty good wine cellar. There is even a dumb waiter in the garage, next to one of the parking areas. You can place your groceries or whatever inside, and press a button. It will move them up to the kitchen for you to put away. I can tell you from experience, it sure beats carrying the bags up those 'bloody' stairs."

Paula led them into the kitchen and showed them where the dumb waiter and its controls were located. When they returned to the basement, she showed them where the corresponding opening and controls were located.

Kyle noticed something and said, "There seems to be an extra control here. Do you know what it is?"

"Yes, it leads to the sub-basement. You have to turn off the circuit breaker labeled 'garage doors', in the breaker box on the wall over there. Come, I'll show you. I almost forgot about it, but Jonas said it is very important."

Paula walked over to the breaker box and flipped the garage door circuit breaker to the 'off' position. She moved over about four feet and pressed what appeared to be the heads of two nails. Immediately, a panel of what appeared to be solid rock moved to one side. Displayed there, was a well-lighted, extra wide set of steps leading down.

At the bottom of the steps, Kyle found a vastly enlarged version of Jonas' 'work area'. The only thing missing was the tools and various weapons presently in Jonas' shop.

He walked to the bench and pressed a hidden button, located exactly like the one at his house. When he did, a small section of a wall opened and two prong-like pieces slid out. They were identical to the holders of Jonas' portal. All that was needed was the portal, and they would be in business.

"What's that?" asked Dr. Narduchi.

Kyle answered, "That is the holder for some very special equipment of Grandfather's. All I will need to do is unplug it at the house, and plug it in here. It looks like Jonas pretty much thought of everything."

"So, when will you be moving in?"

Kyle answered, "We may start moving some things here tomorrow, but my guess is we'll start after the reading of the will on Thursday."

"Well, Kyle and Kathleen, I welcome you to what Jonas called 'Missionary Ridge'."





-------

Chapter 12



Kyle, Kathleen and Dr. Narduchi, returned to the garage area. The two women headed for the SUV where Li Quan waited patiently. Kyle closed the door to the hidden stairway and restored the breaker for the garage doors to the 'on' position. When that was finished, he joined KK and Paula in the Suburban. Once Kyle was safely buckled, Li drove them back outside, using the remote to open and close the garage doors.

As they drove toward the Lopez home, Paula placed the two remotes for the garage doors into a small box and gave them to Kyle. A few minutes later, they stopped in front of a home which was styled after the old Mexican Haciendas still found scattered around the area. A low adobe wall surrounded the house, with an arched entrance into the grounds. The adobe house was built in a 'U' shape, the center of which contained a courtyard with a small fountain.

As everyone but Li climbed out of the Suburban, a teenaged girl stepped out of the shadows. She had an automatic shotgun cradled in her arm.

"Good afternoon, Dr. 'N'. Mom and Dad have taken the other children shopping."

"So you had to stay and stand guard?"

"Pretty much so, though I did have a few chores that needed to be done."

"Varena, I want you to meet Kyle and Kathleen. Kyle is Jonas' grandson and the new patrón. Kathleen is his soon-to-be bride."

The young girl leaned the shotgun against the wall and actually curtsied.

"Welcome to Missionary Ridge, honored Kyle and Kathleen. Will you be in residence, or just using it as a weekend retreat and vacation home?"

Kyle smiled as he answered, "At this point, it will be our primary home. We intend to move later this week."

"Wonderful! It will mean a lot to my family to have you close by. I hope you will be satisfied with our service."

"Varena," Kathleen said softly, "I'm sure we will. We are not 'hard to please' people."

"Good! I'll tell Mom and Dad about you, and that you'll be moving into the house in a few days. Also, Dr. 'N', if you could wait a moment, I have something inside for Li."

"Sure, we can wait."

Paula turned to Kyle and Kathleen and suggested that the three of them should wait in the car. The teen ran inside the house and returned a few minutes later, carrying a small gift bag. She came up to Li's window, which he lowered.

"Mr. Li, you've always given us kids birthday and Christmas presents. A little bird told me it's your birthday next week, so this time I have a present for you."

Obviously moved emotionally, Li said, "Thank you, sweet Varena."

Varena asked, "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

"In front of everyone?"

"Please."

He opened the gift bag and held a small quilted item shaped like a cup.

When he looked puzzled, Varena said, "It's to cushion your leg against your prosthesis. I found the design on the Internet and made them myself. There's one for every day in the week."

Li was almost in tears as he said, "Varena, it is a most thoughtful and special gift. If it works, it will make my life much more bearable."

Kyle looked puzzled, and Dr. Narduchi picked up on it.

"Kyle, as the result of an anti-personnel device planted by the Viet Cong, Li lost his left foot when he was six. He has a prosthesis, but it hurts him to stand or walk very much. That's why he normally waits for me in whatever vehicle we happen to be driving. This little present may well give him less pain and more freedom."

"Was it a mine?" asked Kathleen.

"No," Dr. Narduchi answered. "It was a Punji stick dipped in shit planted in the village's rice paddy. It took his family more than a day to get him to a hospital. The resulting infection caused the doctors to have to amputate his foot."

Author's note: punji sticks are dried bamboo slivers, dipped in human excrement and planted at an angle. They were indiscriminate as to whom they hurt, and unless treated within twenty-four hours, amputation is usually the result. The VC or 'Charlie' had a bad habit of using these to draw evacuation choppers into range for an ambush.

The saddened group headed back to El Paso. Fortunately, within a short time Dr. Narduchi was able to lighten things up a bit. As a result, she and Kathleen returned to their earlier conversation concerning the wedding.

Kyle, meanwhile, leaned back and closed his eyes. He appeared to be asleep, but his mind was very active, trying to organize all that needed to be done over the next few days. By the time he and Kathleen were dropped off at the mall, he had developed a pretty well-defined plan.

Before entering the Mall, Kyle used his cell phone to call Ryan.

"Hey, Kyle!" Ryan exclaimed. "Where've you been this afternoon?"

"Looking at some property. I may decide to sell Jonas' house after all."

"Kewl! So, what's up?"

"Ryan, are you free tonight?"

"Sure. I was going to work at CyberFun, but since I transferred my share of the partnership to Kathleen this afternoon, I made Ruth the temporary night manager. Watcha need?"

Kyle gave him a list of materials that were needed, and the need for total secrecy.

Ryan responded, "I can handle getting the materials without a problem. I'll use the small utility trailer to carry the bigger items. What's the best way to get this stuff to your house without being observed?

"Remember our secret trail through the hedge?

"You mean that pathway we used as kids is still there?"

"Yes, and it leads right up to my window. If you start at that area between the Harrelsons' and the Abbots', you can make it all the way without anyone seeing you."

"Kyle, I don't know what you're going to do with these supplies, but it's going to take more than one trip down that path to deliver them."

"Good point. I suggest that while you're shopping, you pick up some groceries and add everything but the wood to those sacks. Then, you can just bring the long pieces to my window, and bring everything else through the front door as part of the groceries."

"I can do that, no problem. When do you think you'll be ready?"

Kyle answered, "Sometime after it gets dark, but stay in your car until I call you."

"Will do."

After Kyle hung up, he and Kathleen entered the Mall. The first thing they did was to go to the public restrooms. They changed back into their regular shirts, putting their 'disguises' into their shopping bags.

For the next hour, the couple held hands, as they window-shopped their way back to the food court. Along the way, each stopped a couple of times to add to their purchases.

When they reached the food court, Kathleen said, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"I'm getting that way, too. Should we get something while we're here?"

Kathleen leaned into Kyle's chest and snuggled a moment before she said, "I love the way you think. I want a Philly cheese steak sandwich, how about you?"

"I think I want some Bourbon Chicken and vegetables."

"Do you think it's safe to split up to get our food?"

Kyle replied, "I think so. The two places are not that far apart, and I should be able to watch you the entire time."

"What about our shopping bags? I don't think either of us could handle them and food, too."

"I hadn't considered that. Why don't we get a convenient table and take turns getting our orders. I don't mind getting both our orders, but I'm not sure if I could tell them how to prepare that concoction you eat."

Faking a playful pout, Kathleen replied, "It's not really that bad."

"Chili peppers and cream cheese? I'm not sure what else you add, but it's like no Philly cheese steak sandwich I've ever eaten. Oh hurry! There's a table that's perfect."

The couple grabbed the table, and Kathleen headed to get her sandwich and a drink. She also returned with some delicious smelling shoestring fries. Kyle went to the Cajun Shack and got his food. It was as good it looked.

The couple talked about many things as they ate. The time flew so quickly, that it seemed like it was only five minutes later when they disposed of their trash. They placed their trays in the holder on the top of the trash container.

Still holding hands, they exited the Mall and returned to Kyle's Jeep. He loaded all their shopping bags into the rear while Kathleen buckled in. Moments later he joined her, and they quickly headed back to Jonas' house.

As Kyle drove down N. Mesa, their shadow in the gray Grand Prix was three cars behind them. Two cars behind the Grand Prix, a beat-up old pickup completed the train. Before they had left the Mall parking lot, each 'tail' had reported their current status to their 'controls'.

It had just turned dark when Kyle reached his home. He used the remote to open the garage door, and parked next to Jonas' Buick. The garage door was still closing when Mike Barlow opened the kitchen door. While Kyle greeted the security guard, Kathleen started removing their purchases from the back of the Jeep.

"How did everything go today, Mike?" Kyle asked.

"No problems. You had a couple of calls, but I let the answering machine take the messages."

"Thanks. Mike, I want you to meet my fiancée, Kathleen Kennedy."

"Miss Kennedy, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you, Mike. I feel the same."

Mike asked, "Kyle, do you need me anymore tonight?"

"No. You can head home. I won't need you tomorrow until one, but I definitely want you here at least through noon on Thursday."

"That's good. I'll advise the company when I call in to 'clock out'. I'll see you at one, tomorrow afternoon."

"Fine, Mike. You have a good night."

"You, too."

Kyle picked up the rest of the bags and closed the rear of his Jeep. When he reached the living room, Mike had just left, and Kathleen was locking the front door behind him.

"Do you want something to drink?" asked Kathleen.

"A cold beer sounds awfully good at the moment."

"One cold beer coming up."

As KK headed into the kitchen, Kyle used his cell phone to call Ryan.

When Ryan answered, Kyle said, "We're home."

"I'll be there in a few minutes, but I'm still going to need to make more than one trip. We forgot the bulkiness and weight of the sheet of plywood, as well as that large piece of glass. There's no way I can bring the wood strips and those two pieces at the same time."

"I'd forgotten all about them. I guess you could bring the wood strips and pieces of trim to my window. I'll go back with you to get the plywood and the glass."

"That'll work. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kathleen returned with his beer, as well as a glass of white wine for herself.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Sweetheart, I'll explain in a little while. Right now I need to get prepared for Ryan."

"Okay, while you're working on that, I'll make the three of us a treat. Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Yes, but I'll warn you ahead of time, it won't be a pleasant job."

"So, what is it?"

Kyle led her back into the garage. In a back corner, was a large tub full of water and a large piece of cloth.

"KK, this is the flag that was behind Jonas when he killed himself. A large amount of his blood and tissue ended up on it. I put it in to soak, but I didn't know what else to do to it. Just remember, it's old, fragile and very valuable."

"I don't think it will be a problem, but I'll need some of my Mom's stain remover. If you'll give me the keys to your Jeep, I'll go get it."

"KK, since we know that someone's tailing us, I don't have a good feeling about you going out alone. Do you think she would mind bringing it to us?"

"All I can do is ask. If she isn't willing, I can get Ryan to run me home when he gets here."

"Then, Sweetheart, I'll leave it in your capable hands."

Kathleen called her mother, while Kyle went to his bedroom. There, he turned off all the lights except a night-light. Next, he opened the window and removed the screen, which he propped against the side of the house.

"Kyle, are you ready?" came the whispered query from Ryan.

"Yeah, except for turning off this night light."

Kyle turned off the night light and almost immediately, Ryan was standing just below the window. Carefully, he handed Kyle several long pieces of one by one strips of wood, along with several pieces of various kinds of molding.

When the last of it entered the house, Ryan said. "That's it for those pieces. Are you ready to help me with the plywood and the glass?"

"Sure," Kyle answered.

Kyle climbed out the window, disappearing into the middle of the double row of hedges. As in their earlier childhood make-believe games, the 'warrior' and the 'brain' once again traveled quietly along their secret path. They moved quickly from one back yard to another, yet were never seen by anyone.

Almost a block away, they exited the hedges and went to where Ryan had parked. At first, they thought to each carry one of the four by eight sheets, but realized it was too difficult. As an alternative, they placed the glass on top of the plywood and carried the two pieces, one on top of the other. With Kyle carrying the front and Ryan the rear, they went slowly between the hedges. It took them longer, but they made it without any mishap.

Arriving back at Kyle's window, they learned they had another problem. Neither the glass, nor the plywood would fit though the window.

Kyle climbed into the window and asked, "Ryan, would you help me with this screen?"

As the two buddies replaced the screen over the window, Ryan asked, "What do we do about the plywood and glass?"

"I guess you'll have to carry them one piece at time, but only to the rear door of the garage. I'll have Kathleen open it for you. Just set them inside the garage and come to Jonas' workroom."

"Workroom?"

"Where the server's located."

"Oh, okay."

Kyle closed the window and the blinds. He turned the light back on and went to find Kathleen. He didn't realize it at the time, but she had been standing behind him when he gave instructions to her brother. Therefore, when he did find her, she had already opened the rear door of the garage.

Ryan finished moving the two large panels, and Kathleen immediately closed and locked the door. That done, the brother and sister headed to meet Kyle in the workroom.

When they arrived at the library, the secret door was open, and Kyle was sitting in one of the chairs in the library.

"Ryan, do you want a beer or something?"

"Thanks, Kyle, but I'm okay right now. So, tell me what's so secretive."

"Both of you get comfortable, and I'll try to fill you in."

"Does it have anything to do with the bedlam that's been going on at home all afternoon?"

"Maybe a little, but that turmoil is probably more related to planning a wedding."

Ryan nodded in understanding and said, "Then lay it on me!"

"To begin with, we've had some rather shocking revelations in the past twelve hours, and that doesn't even count that we won't have to go back to class to finish our degrees."

"No classes? What about exams?"

"We're going to finish under an independent study program that will let us go at our own pace, doing projects and reports, rather than tests."

"Wow! Who was behind that idea?"

"Dr. Narduchi."

"No Shit!"

Kathleen added, "Not only that, but it seems she's the executor of a trust which Jonas set up several years ago. This trust holds the deed to a very special house that Jonas intended for us and our children."

A puzzled Ryan asked, "Then, what are you going to do about this house? Kyle, I know that Jonas expected you to live here because he mentioned it several times when I was setting up the network. He wanted to make sure you'd have what you needed once he was gone."

"That's part of the shocking revelation. We now know why Jonas committed suicide, and to some degree who pressured him. You see, there was a family secret that they threatened to reveal."

Ryan looked incredulous when he asked, "What family secret could be that bad? Someone in the family killed JFK?"

Kathleen responded, "No, nothing like that. Just the fact that Jonas was Kyle's real father."

A stunned Ryan said, "I bet that was a shocking revelation, but why commit suicide over something like that?"

Kyle responded, "There were some other threats, but he felt that this was the best way to protect me. Not just protecting my reputation, but my heritage and maybe the future of the world. There was a note from Jonas on one of the CDs you brought over last night. In that note, he gave a lot more information than I am sharing with you, but he did say that he feared for my and KK's safety. Then this afternoon, we discovered that we were being followed."

"Shit! The fun begins about the time I'm headed off to ASU. So, how does this relate to the stuff I brought over tonight?"

"I'll get to that in a minute, but weren't you supposed to bring some other items mixed in with some groceries."

"Fuck! I forgot. Everything's still in my Blazer. I'll slip out the back and bring the car around to the driveway. Can you guys give me a hand when I get back?"

Kathleen replied, "Sure, but watch out for Mom. She'll be coming over in a few minutes."

The three walked to the garage, and Ryan slipped out the rear door. As soon as he was gone, Kathleen relocked the dead bolt. She and Kyle returned to the kitchen, and she pulled some fresh baked brownies out of the oven. As soon as he saw them, Kyle fixed both of them a Coke.

As she sat the brownies on the bar and pulled up a stool, Kathleen asked, "Now, what's going through that handsome head of yours?"

"At the right time, I'm going to sell this place to Lucille. I want to protect and remove the things we need to take with us."

"I can follow that."

"So, what is the most important thing we need to move from this house to the new house?"

"Sweetheart, I'm not usually this dense, but I have no idea where you are taking this conversation."

"Sorry, KK, I figured you would pick up on it faster. What we have to protect is the portal, and all evidence that it ever existed. To do this, I need to move it to the new house, and I need to do it without the transfer being noticed. I gave it a lot of thought on the way home this evening. I finally came up with an idea of how to hide it in plain sight."

Kathleen's raised her eyebrows and asked, "And how will you accomplish that, oh wise and stealthy one?"

Kyle laughed and said, "Let me preface my answer with another question. Would it be out of character for me to abandon this place and take none of Jonas' pictures or other memorabilia?"

"It would be very out of character."

"What I'm going to do is complete a project that had been in Jonas' mind for a couple of years. With Ryan's help, I'm gonna build a display case for some of Jonas' Civil War weapons, along with some other things he collected from that war. I plan on using the portal frame as part of the display case."

"That makes excellent sense. How big is this portal?" she asked.

"A little larger than six and a half feet by three feet. We'll remove the portal from its holders. Next, we'll cut that sheet of plywood to be slightly bigger than the portal. We can then use the one by twos to hold the portal and disguise its appearance. Add the glass and the molding, and it would make an excellent display case."

"I think I follow, but what Civil War stuff will we be displaying?"

"For a background, we'll use that Union flag you're trying to clean, along with a Stars and Bars Flag (Confederate battle flag) that Jonas has stored in his workroom. On top of the flags, we'll display some of Jonas' collection of pistols, rifles, sabers and various uniform paraphernalia from that period of history."

"Kyle, that's an excellent idea and it's 'so Jonas'. In addition, when we get into the new house, we'll take off the molding, pull out the portal and reattach the molding. This display can sit right over the mantle, and no one but you and I will ever have any idea what actually transpired."

"Actually, you just made my idea more complete. I never even thought about actually using the display, but I really like the idea. I will warn you that we have some other things that need to be done before the reading of the will."

"Such as?"

"Moving everything from the workroom to the garage. Since it is mostly tools, there shouldn't be much argument about me wanting them. In addition, certain pictures will need to be removed, along with any cameras that are hidden behind them. Of course, any holes where the cameras were placed will need to be patched. When we get this done, I want Ryan to reposition the cameras we removed, and re-link them to the server. Then we'll attach them to a wireless router."

"What will this do?"

"KK, if we set it up right, we can store video and audio records of everything that happens in this house on the server. Then late at night, or even in the middle of the day, we can park a few houses away, connect a laptop to the wireless network, and transfer the information stored on the server to the laptop. Everything would be in the hidden room, or connected to it via fiber optic cable, and none of it would be wireless except for the router. No bug detector in the country would pick up on this setup."

"And what if they don't use the house?"

"These people are going to at least want to look for Jonas' portal and any notes that he has. While they're doing that, we should be able to gain some information."

"And when they find the camera and the hidden room? You know they eventually will."

"I'm sure they'll be royally pissed, but I'm betting that will come later, rather than sooner. In the meantime, we'll have pictures of those involved, and hopefully, we'll be able to unravel some of their secrets."



-------

Chapter 13


A short time later, Ryan returned with his car and the 'groceries'. His mother had already arrived with the stain-fighting laundry products. She returned to her home, while the three 'youngsters' brought the bags from Ryan's Blazer into the kitchen. Once everything was inside, the three prepared to work late into the night.

Since the primary reason for the display of Jonas' Civil War weapons was to hide the portal frame, Kyle reminded his bride-to-be that her brother did not know anything about it, or about the other worlds. Still somewhat skeptical herself, but trying to please Kyle, Kathleen distracted her brother with the brownies she had taken out of the oven about fifteen minutes earlier.

While the two siblings were in the kitchen, Kyle removed the portal frame from the wall and placed it under one of the workbenches. He also removed the wiring and nailed shut the small door that had previously hidden the portal within the walls of the room.

Kyle had just finished when Ryan and Kathleen joined him in the workshop.

"What should we do first?" asked Ryan.

Kyle answered, "Let's start moving some of these tools that we won't be needing right now, out to the garage. This will get them ready to be moved and will give us more room in here to work."

Kathleen nodded her agreement as her brother responded, "That makes sense to me."

It took the three of them the better part of an hour, but when they were finished, there was a surprisingly large area of various tools now sitting in the back of the garage. In addition, there were boxes of various hardware items that Kyle had chosen not to sort at the moment. Also, on one of their return trips, they moved the previously smuggled sheets of plywood and glass from the garage into the workroom.

When the tool movement was completed, Kathleen suggested, "Why don't we stop in the kitchen for a few minutes? We can catch our breath and eat a brownie, or two."

Ryan responded, "Sounds good to me."

Kyle grinned as he added, "I'll listen to any suggestion that includes some of KK's brownies!"

As the trio enjoyed their break, Ryan asked, "Now, what's so secretive about this project that we have to rush to have it done in the middle of the night."

Kyle paused before answering, but before he could say anything, Kathleen asked, "Brain, do you understand what it means to hide something in plain sight?"

"You mean placing something valuable in such a way that, even though anyone can see it, they would never consider it worth much?"

"You got it. There are some things Jonas had here that were worth a lot of money. If Kyle made a big deal about having the items, someone, like his aunt, might get suspicious and try to cause problems. This way, we'll make something that looks like something that Kyle would have helped Jonas build, and Kyle can explain he wants it for sentimental reasons."

"Ah, that makes sense. I know Jonas told me once that the Union flag behind his desk was priceless."

Kyle added, "Because of its heritage, it is. That flag flew outside of Grant's headquarters the entire war, even when the headquarters was nothing more than a tent. I have the documented proof, and there is not another flag in the entire world that can make that claim."

"WOW! After seeing the prices of some of the stuff being auctioned on the Internet, I can just imagine what you could get for something like that."

Kyle responded, "Ryan, Jason turned down a hundred grand from Grant's Presidential Library. I can't even imagine what some rich collector might be willing to pay."

"Then I definitely think that all we're doing is worth it. Besides, I'm pretty sure Jonas wanted you to have it anyway."

"He did, and not so that it could be sold in order to make me wealthy. I want to preserve it as part of who he was. Now, we need to get busy. If you and KK will go get the wood out of my bedroom, I'll finish clearing off the workbench to give us a good place to work."

Ryan stood, took his sister's hand and said, "Come my dear sister. Our Lord and master has decreed a glorious task for us to perform."

They were all three laughing as they headed to the interior of the house. Kyle went to the workroom and started cleaning off the workbench where they would be building the display case. Before Kyle could finish, Kathleen and her brother returned to the workroom carrying the pieces of wood that had been placed in Kyle's bedroom just a couple of hours earlier. When the workbench was clear, Kyle and Ryan retrieved the portal frame from where Kyle had placed it earlier.

"What's this?" Ryan asked.

"It's something Jonas had lying around. Since it's already squared up, I thought we could use it for the core part of the frame. It should fit just about right and will sure speed things up a bit."

"Sounds good to me. What's our first step?"

Kyle answered, "KK, how is that flag coming?"

"It's in the dryer on the 'gentle' setting. Unfortunately, some of the blood stains did not come out, no matter what I tried."

"Is this the Grant flag, and what blood?" asked Ryan.

"Yes, it was the flag from the wall beside Jonas' desk. It had some of his blood and stuff splattered on it."

Ryan turned a bit green as he thought about what Kyle meant by 'stuff''.

"Yuck! I wish I hadn't asked."

"I know, Kyle replied, "but I thought we could should use it, along with a Confederate 'Stars and Bars' battle flag for this montage of Jonas' Civil War souvenirs. Everyone's eyes should be drawn to the weapons and other items and never see the flags as anything more than a backdrop."

"I follow what you're trying to accomplish, and it sounds just like something Jonas would do. With this setting, I don't think some dried blood will make any difference. In fact, it makes that old flag more like it had been in a battle. What about the extra material, though? You're not planning on cutting the flags, are you?"

Somewhat ashamed that he had not thought of this, Kyle replied, "I really hadn't given it any thought, but you're right, we can't damage these flags. They're part of history."

Listening to the others discuss the problem, Kathleen looked at the frame and suddenly had an idea.

"Hey, gang. What if we just made an outer frame and tucked the unused part of the flag into the gap?"

Kyle replied, "I'm not sure I follow. Will you draw us a picture?"

"Sure."

Both young men were somewhat spellbound as they watched Kathleen lay out the perfect solution. Kyle was especially pleased. Her idea would completely hide the portal, yet make it extremely easy to remove.

Ryan was the first to speak, saying, "I think it will work."

Kyle added, "I'll go a little stronger than that. I think it's brilliant."

Pleased with their response, Kathleen turned to her brother and said, "Ryan, except for a few areas, I think this is something Kyle and I can do. I know he has something else that needs to be done. Why don't you work on that, while I help him with this?"

"Sure, Sis. Kyle, what do you want done?"

Kyle explained his idea for moving the cameras and retrieving the images that would be made in the future. Ryan listened and nodded his understanding as his best friend explained his idea.

When Kyle finished, Ryan looked at his watch and said, "It's only nine fifteen. Let me make a phone call."

When he returned, Kyle and Kathleen were busily measuring and marking the pieces of wood that needed to be cut.

"I just talked to Mr. Saunders next door. He's been wanting me to set him up a computer and connect it to the internet. I just gave him a price he couldn't resist."

Puzzled, Kyle asked, "But, what does that have to do with this?"

"I'm going to set him up with a wireless router. We'll set up a laptop that can receive the feed from all the cameras and upload the images to the internet in real-time, using his wireless connection. This way, we can avoid having to sneak back here to retrieve them."

"Why buy a laptop?" Kyle queried. "Why not use the server we have now?"

"First, it's big enough to be easily found, and second, it's noisy and susceptible to power flickers or outages. I can set the laptop up in the crawlspace or the attic and tap into the house current and the feeds from the camera. It won't be easily found, and with a second battery, it could last for hours if the power went off, yet it would recharge itself as soon as the power came back on."

Kyle thought for a moment and replied, "Do it. Where will you get the laptop?"

"Would you believe I purchased a new one at Fry's while I was in Phoenix. I'll use it and get another one when I get back to ASU in a couple of weeks. I'll get the cameras moved that require it, though I think we can eliminate more than half of what we currently have."

"What about the cabling and patching the holes?"

"For most of the ones I'll be removing, I was only using Cat5 cable. I can tape and tie off the power feeds and just leave all of it inside the wall. From there, I won't have a lot to patch. The original paint that was used on the walls is still in the garage, so we can probably cover the patches without repainting the entire room. I should be able to finish everything but touching up the paint before midnight."

Kathleen interjected, "Ryan, we can handle the paint in the morning."

A very pleased Kyle replied, "Then have at it. KK and I should also have everything but the staining and cutting the glass finished by the time you're finished with the cameras."

Ryan nodded his acknowledgment. At the same time, he looked at what his sister had laid out for the display case.

"Buddy, are you open to a suggestion?" Ryan asked.

Kyle responded, "Sure. You've been batting a thousand so far tonight."

"Don't stain it and don't use the glass. Instead, drape some of the excess flag over the wood and leave the glass off. It will only reduce the effect. What were you going to use to fasten the items to the plywood backing?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but I guess some wire."

"I would use monofilament fishing line. It can be pulled through the flag with a needle and it will not only keep from damaging the flag, but will be difficult to spot. My rod's in the back of my Blazer and it has some special line that's thin and extra tough. You might need to use four or five pieces on that old Sharps Carbine, but the rest of the stuff could be fastened with just a couple of pieces."

Kathleen said, "I think it's a good idea, though we'll probably need you help when we get to that point. I heard you tell Bobby McIntire that the line was a real bitch to tie."

"You've got that right, but it's stronger for the size than anything I've ever used before. KK, how about walking out to the Blazer and help me bring my stuff inside."

"Sure," she replied.

While Kathleen and her brother went out to his SUV to get his laptop, fishing rod and need supplies, Kyle started make the initial cuts he wanted. He was deeply into it when his friends returned.

"What do you need me to do?" asked Kathleen.

"Let me finish this real quick and then we can cut the plywood backing. When that's finished, I want you to start laying out where you think the different pieces need to be placed. When we're satisfied, I'll drill the holes for the fishing line."

"Okay. I'll start playing with some drawings while you get that done."

Kyle finished cutting the pieces of wood that would surround the portal, and used a router to cut grooves that the back would slide into. Finally, with a miter saw, he made the forty-five degree cuts that would allow the pieces to be squared up. After checking the square, he had Kathleen hold the pieces firmly in place as he used some carpenters glue and some brads from the compressed air nail gun to put all the sections together, with the exception of one long piece, which was to be connected with small screws once the back was in place. This would enable the display to be removed from the frame if the need ever arose.

As they were doing this, Kathleen said, "Kyle, this piece doesn't seem to fit as snug as the others."

Looking at where she was indicating, he responded, "You're right. It looks like the saw slipped a bit when I was making that cut."

Kyle quickly cut another piece, and soon everything was square, just as it should be. With the outer frame now completed, he marked off the plywood and cut it to fit the frame. Before he turned it over to Kathleen, he checked the fit. It slid smoothly into place.

"Here you go, Sweetheart. It's now ready for your magic."

With Kyle's help, Kathleen moved the plywood piece into the study and placed in on the empty top of Jonas' desk. Then, following her rough sketch, she started placing the various Civil War items on the board. Kyle, not having anything to do at the moment, walked over to Jonas' desk and watched her work.

There was a Sharps Carbine across the top, while a Springfield, with bayonet, faced the opposite direction at the bottom. In the middle were two crossed swords, one with USA on the scabbard, while the other had CSA in almost the exact same spot. On each side of the swords, Kathleen placed antique cap and ball pistols: a Remington 44 on the Union side, and a copy of Navy Colt 36 manufactured in 1860 by Griswold & Gunnison in Macon, Georgia, on the Confederate side. Beside each pistol, she positioned its holster, an ammunition pouch, a cap pouch and a power flask. All of these items were attached to a gun belt, which displayed the appropriate buckle.

As she laid out the various paraphernalia, Kathleen explained, "I thought we would overlap the flags at the diagonal and then place all the Confederate items on top of the Confederate flag and the others on top of the Union flag."

Kyle looked at what she had set up and pictured the end result in his mind.

Pleased, he answered, "It looks good. Let's do it."

Before they went any further, Kyle retrieved his digital camera and laptop from his room. After taking several shots and downloading them to the computer, he displayed the pictures and the couple chose the one that seemed to give them the best perspective. This would provide him a frame of reference as they fastened each item to the sheet of plywood.

Kathleen next took a small, fine pointed marking pen and the two of them decided and marked where each point of attachment would be. Once that was completed, they removed the items from the sheet of plywood and carefully carried them back into the workroom. Then, after also carrying the plywood and computer into that same workroom, Kyle got his portable drill and a very small bit, and began drilling a hole where each point was marked.

He also drilled holes where the line would be threaded to hold the flags in place.

As he finished, Kyle said rather loudly. "Ryan, we're ready for your help."

Ryan returned to where Kyle and Kathleen had been working and reviewed the picture and the holes while Kathleen looked though a sewing tin in Kyle's bedroom for a needle large enough to handle the fishing line.

As she was returning, she heard her brother say, "I think this looks good, but I would go ahead and place it in the frame before you continue."

"I guess it would be better to do that now," replied Kyle.

With the three of them working together, the plywood back was moved into place. It was lined up and it slid easily into the groves that Kyle had cut earlier with the router. Kyle added the top piece, which was fastened with some small screws, rather than glue and brads from the nail gun.

With the back now attached to the frame, Kathleen and her brother carefully stitched and tied the pieces of thin fishing line to attach the partially folded flags to the board. The way the flag was installed, it allowed the material to fit loosely, giving a billowy appearance rather than a tightly stretched look. The unused portions of the flags were worked into the gap area that hid the portal, and as a result, the display would actually look slightly better when the portal was removed.

When the flag portion was finished, Kyle and Ryan propped it against the wall and the three backed away to critically look at the finished product. If there was a problem, this was the time to rectify it, not after all the various objects had been attached.

After several minutes of quiet observation, Ryan remarked, "I think it's good. It's basically symmetrical, but not perfect. What's more, I really like the overlapping, three dimensional look."

Nodding, Kathleen replied, "I was thinking the same thing. It's got the look and feel of something natural, not sterile and cold like you often find in a museum."

Kyle enthusiastically responded, "I agree with both of you. Let's get this finished."

Looking at the picture on the laptop, they began replacing all the items according to the picture. It didn't take them long to realize they had a problem.

"Rats!" exclaimed Kathleen. "The rifle with the bayonet is too long."

"Sis, why don't you just remove the bayonet and place it just below the where it would normally fit. Its position would be obvious, yet it will show that the gun could be used with or without the bayonet."

Kathleen looked expectantly at Kyle, who said, "KK, it sounds logical. Let's get it place and drill the additional holes."

Over the next forty-five minutes, they worked to get the items attached with the fishing line. It took them a few minutes to work out a routine, but in a short time, Ryan was able to leave the remainder to Kyle and Kathleen and return to work on moving the video cameras and patching the old holes.

Shortly before one AM, everything was finished, and all three felt good about what had been done. What's more, they knew without a doubt, that Jonas would have been pleased with their efforts, and that made them feel even better.

Tearfully, Kyle brought the moment to an end saying, "Gang, we're almost finished for the night, and I for one, am ready for bed. Ryan, I need you to clean up where we both were working, while KK and I load some things in Jonas' Buick."

"Sure."

Ryan grabbed a trash bag and the shop-vac and began to remove trash and debris from the workroom, and where he had worked on moving the cameras. At the same time, Kyle and Kathleen went to the safes, and opened the larger one. They loaded everything into a box and carried it out to the garage, where it was place in the trunk of Jonas' Buick.

"KK, I want you to drive this home tonight, and be sure to park it in your garage. Ryan can help you move the box into the house and hide it in your room."

"Okay, Kyle. I can do that. What about in the morning?"

"Come on over early, driving the Buick back to keep down questions. I would also bring something dressy, just in case, since I'm not sure what all we'll be doing since the funeral is not until Wednesday afternoon. I'm sure the family will be here, though I doubt it will be early. I'm also expecting an out of town guest, but I imagine it will be later in the day. If he doesn't arrive on time or if he stays somewhere else, I thought about inviting Larry and Nadia to eat out with us, tomorrow night."

"Who's the guy coming from out of town?"

"His name is Sid Jones. He's the nephew of one of the men Jonas had selected as pallbearers. His uncle died just a short time ago. I've never met Sid, but I did meet Gerald on Chaos a couple of times. I convinced Robert that Jonas would have wanted Sid to take his uncle's place."

Kyle was interrupted at that point by Ryan clearing his throat.

"Kyle, I need to get KK home and get some sleep. I've got an exam in the morning."

A concerned Kyle said, "Ryan, you should have told me. I would have done this at another time or gotten someone else to help."

"Don't worry about it," replied Ryan nonchalantly. "I'm not worried about the exam. I just don't want to be too sleepy to think straight."

Kathleen gave Kyle a hug and a kiss and headed out to the garage. A few minutes after she and her brother left, Kyle turned out the last of the lights and went to bed.

--

Earlier that afternoon, Robert Alexander was in downtown El Paso, sitting in the office of a business broker. The two had not met previously, but the broker, John Albright, had been highly recommended. The two had been going through a 'get to know one another' time of general conversation.

Finally deciding he should find out what this 'big city oil man' really wanted, John asked, "Robert, we've talked about the weather, our families and the government. Now, tell me what's really on your mind."

Pleased at the man's frankness, Robert responded, "There is a business out near the University called CyberFun. Are you familiar with it?"

"I know of it. Its success has surprised a lot of people. I guess no one else saw something like that as an opportunity. Besides, how many college kids have money?"

"Well, from what I saw yesterday, a lot of them. That place must have netted twenty to thirty thousand in eight hours."

"Really, how certain are you of this?"

"My son is involved in their operation as a part-time manager. I went there with him for lunch, yesterday. They were so busy, even I got drafted into helping."

The broker's interest was definitely piqued at this point, so he asked, "And what are your thoughts?"

"I guess I have several. First, with a more experienced management team, I think it be even more profitable. Secondly, I think this concept could easily be franchised, or at least copies could be setup near college campuses around the country."

"So, you want to buy the company?"

"Yes."

"If you don't mind me asking, why don't you just set up a similar operation on other campuses? I don't want to shortchange myself out of a commission, but if your goal is to create a chain of these ... restaurants? stores? activity centers? or whatever you want to call them ... then it seems to me that you're buying something that is not really necessary to achieve that goal. Are there other reasons?"

Pausing to decide what to say, Robert finally answered, "Yes. I watched my son operate and saw how he thought. He has too great a business mind and leadership ability to waste his time with something that small. I want to get him to Houston and out into the world as a troubleshooter for my company.

"He's also marrying a girl that works there with him. Though my wife disagrees, I don't think she's the right girl for him. If I can do this fast enough, I may be able to get control of the company and disrupt their finances until I can get him away from her."

Stroking his chin, John replied, "Now, all this makes sense. What do you propose?"

"I want to make the owner or owners an offer that they can't turndown, but they have to be willing to close this week."

"This week? Are you out of your mind? What about due diligence, an audit of the books, a search for unrecorded liability, or an inventory count?"

"My offer is for twenty-two million for the company name, the non-cash assets and binding employment contracts on management, except for the current owners. From them, I want a five-year non-compete agreement. In addition, I will cover your fee, but they must settle all liabilities from the twenty-two million. My suggestion would be to put two million in an escrow account to cover any liabilities incurred prior to closing."

A shocked John Albright exclaimed, "Twenty-two million. I guess that would definitely get their attention, as well as mine. Do you know who I need to contact?"

"From what I can discover, it's a corporation whose stock is owned by a Limited Liability Partnership. Unfortunately, I can't find out who the partners are, but here is the card of the attorney who is their resident agent. By coincidence, he also happens to have been my father's attorney."

Looking at the card he had been handed, John nodded as he responded, "I've had dealings with him in the past. He's probably one of the best in town. He also has a reputation of being fair and honest, which is rather rare in his profession. Let me get a contract for you to sign, authorizing me to act on your behalf on this matter. Then I'll call him immediately."

Robert replied, "Excellent, but I don't want my name mentioned. Here is a card for the corporation that will actually be acquiring the company."

John took the card and read aloud, "Offshore Drilling Support, Inc.?"

"Yes, it's a little side company of mine. I use it to bury money that I don't want my wife to find."

Nodding his understanding, John called in his secretary and gave her the basics of the agreement. When it was finished, both men read their copies and signed them. They then exchanged copies, and signed those also. A few minutes later, a very happy and excited Robert Alexander headed back to the hotel that housed his family.

--

Shortly after one AM that Tuesday morning, a middle aged man driving a blue Ford Taurus pulled over to the curb about four houses up the street for Jonas' house. After turning off his light and the engine, he used some very powerful, light-enhancing binoculars to recheck the house. Satisfied with what he saw, he called someone on his cell phone.

"This is Mick. Just followed the girl and her brother back to their house. Subject appears to have gone to bed. Do you want me to say here, or head 'back to the barn'?"

"Stay in position another thirty minutes. If no activity or lights are spotted in that time, go ahead home. We'll have someone monitoring the house in the morning."

--

A bit after six the next morning, Kathleen returned in Jonas' Buick and pulled it into the garage. Using the key that Kyle had given her, she entered the house and slipped quietly into his bedroom. Feeling mischievous, she removed her clothes and climbed in beside her fiancé, cuddling close to his backside. When he didn't stir, she propped herself up and started tracing the outer edge of his ear with her tongue.

Finally, Kathleen's actions began to affect Kyle ... in several ways. He sleepily rolled over and reached out with his hand to stop whatever was tickling his ear. When his hand found her naked breast, his eyes immediately popped open. His stunned look caused Kathleen to begin giggling.

"Wha ... at's going on.?" Kyle stuttered.

Laughing at his reaction, Kathleen responded, "I came over this morning to help finish up from last night. When I saw you still sleeping, I wanted to feel you close."

Kyle turned further over and began exploring her body with his hands as he said, "Mmmmmm, I like 'close'."

"I do, too, but I'm afraid it will have to wait a while. There are some homemade sausage biscuits in the kitchen, and we have a lot of work to do. We need to finish the patching and painting before anyone else arrives."

Giving her breast one more squeeze, Kyle replied, "Well, if you're going to be a slave driver about it."

As Kyle climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom, Kathleen said, "You know I'd rather be doing this with you than all this other 'stuff'. Unfortunately, we have to be adults about this, focusing on what has to be done rather than just our own personal gratification."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't have to like it. That's the argument Robert would have made."

"Maybe, but Kyle, that's his solution about everything. Your rebellion was not about being a responsible adult when needed, it was about being forced to be that way all the time, and in his mold."

Kyle had shaving cream on his face as he stuck his head back into the bedroom. He was surprised to see that Kathleen had already dressed.

"You know, KK, that's a very astute observation, and it's dead on the money. I just never thought about it in those terms. I guess part of the problem is that his life is filled with emergencies."

"Kyle, all companies have some emergencies. When one has too many that require the direct involvement of the CEO, then he's either a control freak or an adrenaline junkie."

"WOW!! You don't mince words, do you?"

"Not when it comes to something like that. I just shudder, thinking that he might make you into the same thing."

"If he had his way, that's exactly what he would do."

Kyle returned to his shaving, while Kathleen made up the bed. Then, while he dressed, she went into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. She had brought two Styrofoam cups of hot coffee from home, but she knew more would be needed as the day progressed.

As she was finishing, Kyle entered the kitchen. He was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt with part of the arms cut off. He sat at the table and opened the bag Kathleen had placed there a few minutes earlier. The biscuits were no longer 'piping hot', but they were far from cold.

Between bites, Kathleen asked, "What do we need to do and in what priority?"

"I guess sanding and painting the places Ryan patched last night would be the first priority, as it will take a while for the paint to dry. I guess the second highest priority would be to make a list of the items we want to take with us. I'd like to get that all done before anyone else arrives."

"That makes sense. How do you want to do this?"

"Let me fix you up with a sanding block. You can start smoothing the surface while I find the appropriate paint and get it stirred."

"Then, let's get busy," replied an enthusiastic Kathleen.

The couple got started and quickly made two important discoveries. Firstly, the same paint had been used in all the rooms that needed patching, and secondly, Ryan had done a superb job in smoothing the surface the previous night. Because of this, they finished the patching and painting a few minutes after eight, and by a quarter to nine, they had completed the list of items that would be excluded in the offer to Lucille.



-------

Chapter 14


Kyle carefully looked over the list he and Kathleen had prepared concerning the items they wanted to take with them if they sold the house to his aunt ... Suddenly, a funny grin came over his face, and he added some additional items to the list. Curious, his bride-to-be peered over his shoulder to see what he had done.

Puzzled by what she saw, Kathleen asked, "Why do you want the door to the guest room closet, or the full length mirror from Jonas' bedroom?"

Kyle chuckled and answered, "I want to give her some arguing points that she can win, as well as planting some false clues. I think it will be hilarious to watch them tear that closet door apart trying to find a hidden portal. As for the mirror, it was the only other thing in the house I could think of that might hide a portal, yet would not be accidentally activated by someone wearing a sapphire ring."

Kathleen replied, "I follow what you're doing, and if you give vague enough reasons, they won't be able to know for sure if you know what's going on, or where the portal is located. As for watching, are you thinking about having Ryan set up another camera in there?"

"I think another camera in there would be a good idea, but for more than just entertainment. In fact, I think we should also add sound to a few of the areas being viewed by cameras"

"So, you think we might pick up addition information from listening, rather than just observing what they've found?"

"Definitely, especially when they don't find what they're expecting. In their anger and frustration, they might reveal information we would never get otherwise. "As for keeping them guessing as to what I know, or don't know, I think your idea is a good one, but only to a point. If whoever is involved in this does have access to people on Crossroads, then they are likely able to find that I've been there as a Companion. Of course, Companions are of such low status that it is likely that nobody but MariLynn would know my real identity, or that Jonas had even had a Companion."

"That makes sense. So, what's next on our agenda?"

"I guess I'll take a shower and change out of these work clothes. No reason to advertise that we've been working on things in the house, especially not today."

"I'll get my clothes out of Jonas' Buick and do the same. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kyle headed for his bedroom and started the water in his shower. Before he actually entered the shower, Kathleen came into the bedroom with her clothes. They hugged for a few moments, and then, while Kyle showered, shaved and brushed his teeth, Kathleen changed into a white peasant blouse with yellow, red and green embroidery around the neckline and sleeves. Below this were a pair tan khaki slacks, and everything was accented by a buckskin vest, with red, turquoise and gold trim.

Kyle tried to hurry through everything, but by the time he finished and returned to his bedroom, it was empty. He started to call Kathleen to see where she was, but stopped when he could hear voices coming from the main part of the house. Walking toward the sounds, he entered the living room and found his parents, as well as his sisters.

"Good morning, all. You're up early this morning."

Robert replied, "Charlotte and the girls want to work with Kathleen some more, concerning the wedding, while I wanted to discuss some more business ideas like we did yesterday. I think we've got plenty of time to for all of this before we need to go to the funeral home."

"Robert, I don't have a problem with that, but why are we doing the funeral home bit when we're not allowing the casket to be opened? I'm sure it was discussed earlier, but it just went over my head."

Flustered because he really didn't have a good answer, Robert sharply responded, "Because it's traditional."

Becoming irritated himself, Kyle responded, "And if we were in Ireland, I guess we would be having a wake and getting falling down drunk. As for the funeral home, who's going to know to be there?"

"Kyle, it was included in the obituary, yesterday. It said that the family would be greeting well-wishers this afternoon, between three and seven." Then in a moment of humility, Robert added, "Honestly, Son, I assumed you had them put it in there."

"No, but if it's been published, then I guess we had better show up. I also apologize for the way I initially responded. I also made an assumption and thought that you made your own arbitrary decision on this. Will you forgive me?"

Surprised at his son's response, Robert quickly replied, "Sure, Son. Especially since it sounds like something I would do."

Charlotte had watched with trepidation as the confrontation between her husband and her son developed. She was afraid that all the gains that had been won over the past two days could dissolve right in front of her, and she knew that if it did, the two might never be reconciled.

Thus, when the argument fizzled, she breathed a sigh of relief and announced, "OK, girls. We're already late, so let's hurry and get to Kathleen's house. The wedding planner is supposed to be showing us suggested locations for the ceremony, as well as the reception."

After the girls left, Kyle poured himself another coffee and asked, "Would you like a cup?"

"Yes, Son, I would."

"How do you like it?"

Robert was trying to be patient, as he understood that this formality was a prelude to restoring the relationship between the two. This type of casual conversation as a prelude to serious business discussions went against his very nature, but he'd found that it was especially common in other cultures. Therefore, over time, he had finally gotten used to the idea and could discuss the weather, family, politics or the breasts of the redhead down the hall, without passing on to others his feelings of impatience. It wasn't that he wasn't impatient and frustrated of the whole concept, it was only that he had learned to hide it from those with whom he was meeting.

Still uncertain how to proceed, Robert replied, "I guess I'll have it the same as yours."

Moments later, Kyle sat down at the table and slid a cup of coffee in front of the man he had grown up believing to be his father.

"Here you go, Robert. I hope it's not too different for you."

Robert looked at the cup and could tell just by looking this was very different from what he what he normally drank.

"It sure smells different. What is it?"

"It's a cinnamon-cherry latte. I use freshly ground beans from Hawaii to make a very strong, thick coffee. Then, instead of water for the bulk of the liquid, I use a heavy cream. To that, I add a small amount of Crème de Cerise, and top it off with some freshly ground cinnamon." "It seems like a lot of work for a cup of coffee, and what is that Cream de something?" "Crème de Cerise is a black cherry liqueur. It's seldom used in this country, but it has been around France for hundreds of years. As for the preparation, you're right, it does take a few minutes, especially at home. That's why I usually only have a cup at breakfast ... or when I want to relax and enjoy it, and the people I'm with."

Robert was pleased that his son had wanted to share this and responded, "Then based upon that information, I will be delighted to share a cup."

Raising the cup to his lips, Robert breathed in the varied aromas that arose from the strange coffee and was surprised to discover they were quite pleasing. Finally, with a lot of uncertainty and apprehension, he took his first taste.

Shocked would be the best word to use in describing Robert's immediate reaction. He couldn't fathom how a simple sip could explode into such a rich melody of flavors, each in perfect harmony with the others. If this had been a song, he would compare it to listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

"Outstanding!" Robert proclaimed as he looked up at his son.

If the coffee had been a surprise, the look on his son's face was beyond his comprehension. Kyle was smiling, which for him was not that unusual, but also his face displayed a look of anticipation and hunger. Finally after his second sip, Robert realized that, in spite of his rebellious nature, Kyle desperately wanted his approval.

"Son, I can now understand why you would want something like this when you need to relax. It's better than a cold mug of beer."

A very pleased Kyle responded, "I'm not sure I'd go that far, though I guess it could depend on the beer you're drinking."

Robert laughed and said, "If you can teach an old dog like me about coffee, maybe you and I need to do some taste testing of various beers. I do know that I would like you to teach Charlotte and my secretary to make this."

"I think that can be arranged. Now, what are some of the problem projects you wanted to discuss?"

Thus the two of them launched into some long discussions regarding various problems that Robert had either recently resolved, or was currently facing. With Robert taking notes and the two enjoying another cup or two of Kyle's special coffee, the conversation lasted for more than two hours. It would not have stopped even then, except Kyle's cell phone began ringing 'That Girl', which announced that the call was from Kathleen.

"Yes, KK." Kyle answered.

"Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Sure. Over the phone or do you need me to come there?"

"Are you familiar with St. Francis on the Hill?"

"On Escondido?"

"That's the one. It's where we've tentatively decided to hold the actual wedding ceremony."

"And you want my approval?"

"That, and something else has come up that we need to discuss. Something that's extremely urgent."

"Okay. I'll meet you there in ten to fifteen minutes."

Kyle terminated the call, looked at Robert and asked, "Will you be all right for a bit? KK wants my approval on the church, so I need to run meet her there."

"Sure, Son. I have a bunch of calls I need to return, anyway. Besides, I didn't think you wanted to leave the house unguarded."

"Thanks. The security guard from yesterday will be here at one, so if you need to go get a bite to eat after he arrives, that won't be a problem. Besides, I doubt this will take that long, unless they have multiple places to show me."

Both men stood and stared at each other for a moment, before Kyle turned and headed for his jeep. Before he was out of the driveway, Robert was discussing current crises with his secretary.

A few minutes later, Kyle turned into the church parking lot, and parked next to Kathleen's Miata. His mother and sisters were sitting in a Lincoln MKX parked beside it.

Walking over to the Miata, Kyle gave Kathleen a kiss and remarked, "I didn't know they were going to be here."

"Is that a problem?"

"Only in that I hoped to have a few minutes alone with you."

Kathleen smile and said, "Sweetheart, it won't be long before we will have plenty of time to be together, but we need to make some decisions regarding the wedding, as well as discuss a phone call I received about ten minutes before I called you."

"Which do you want to do first?"

"Because of the urgency behind this, I think you need to call Stanley Patterson and get the facts straight from him. When you finish, we can talk."

"I can't imagine it would have to do with Jonas, as he would have called me first. Other than that, I can't fathom what it could be."

Frustrated at his not calling immediately, Kathleen exclaimed, "Kyle, stop speculating and call. You're not going to guess it, anyway."

Looking like a chastened child who had had his fun spoiled, Kyle pulled his phone from his belt and dialed the attorney's office.

"Patterson, Henry and McLain. Can I help you?"

"Stanley Patterson, please."

"Who should I say is calling?"

"Kyle Alexander."

"Oh, Mr. Alexander, please accept my condolences regarding your grandfather. I thought a lot of Jonas."

"Thank you. I, for one, thought he was special."

"He was. Kyle, please hold a moment while I get Mr. Patterson."

A moment later, Stanley Patterson said, "Good morning, Kyle. I assume that you've talked to Kathleen."

"Only that there was something urgent to be discussed. Basically, she said I needed to hear this from you before she and I could discuss it."

"Well, Kyle, I guess she's afraid of something getting lost in the process. What has her so riled up is that I received a call this morning from John Albright, a well-known business broker here in El Paso. He has a buyer interested in Cyberfun."

"Mr. Patterson, I'm sure she told you we weren't interested."

"She did until she found that the offer was for eighteen million dollars."

A very pale Kyle slid down the side of Kathleen's Miata before he ended up sitting on the ground, with his back to the car's door. Unfortunately, in this position, Kyle had effectively trapped a concerned Kathleen inside her own car. Thinking quickly, she threw the car's convertible top back and climbed out of the car. In spite of her haste, she found Charlotte had already reached her son and was trying to make sure he was okay.

"Eighteen million?" Kyle asked in a shaky voice, hoping he had not misunderstood what the attorney had said.

"Kyle, that was his opening offer. I suspect he's willing to go higher."

His head beginning to clear a bit, Kyle asked, "What are the provisions?"

"They want the name, the non-cash assets, non-compete agreements with the principals for five years and five year contracts with all the non-owner management people."

"What about the liabilities?"

"The buyer will pay the broker's fees and the still existing corporation pays off any outstanding debt. He suggested that two million be set aside in escrow to cover the debt."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, and this is the part that makes the least sense. They insist that for any deal to take place, we need to close this week."

"Dayum! No wonder KK needed me to come immediately. What about due diligence, review of the books, list of the assets, review of the lease, and stuff like that?"

"Kyle, it's a straight up and down deal. None of that comes into play."

A totally shocked Kyle asked, "Mr. Patterson, have you called Ryan?"

"No, just Kathleen."

"Kyle," Kathleen interjected, "I called him and informed him of the offer. His response was that it was our decision, and our money. He said that he had signed over his portion of the LLC to us before the offer was made, and thus it was our decision and our money."

"Was he upset at not being included in the potential profits?"

"Nope. Just pleased for us."

Speaking back to Mr. Patterson, Kyle explained, "Thanks for your patience. Kathleen was bringing me up to date on her conversation with her brother."

"That's not a problem. Now, what do you want me to do?"

"Let us discuss the offer for a few minutes, and we'll call you back."

"That's not a problem, and Kyle..."

"Yes, Sir?"

"Would you and Kathleen please consider calling me Stanley? You're at a level with Jonas, now, and I would prefer it."

"Sure, Stanley, we can do that. We'll call you back, shortly."

As quickly as Kyle folded the phone back into the off position and placed it on his belt, his mother asked, "Kyle, are you okay? You looked like you were in total shock, has someone else died?"

"Mom," a still shaken Kyle answered, "someone has offered us a large amount of money for Cyberfun, but they insist on closing this week."

A puzzled Charlotte queried, "What do you mean offered you a lot of money for that company, and how much money are you talking about?"

Realizing that he had said too much, Kyle sheepishly looked up at Kathleen and said, "Sorry, Babe, I think I let the cat out of the bag."

"Kyle, my husband-to-be, I don't think we have to hide this from Mom and our sisters. Charlotte, Kyle, my brother Ryan and I started the company and we're the hidden partners behind the corporate structure. It became just Kyle and me just a few days ago, when Ryan gave us his interest in the partnership as a wedding present. As for how much money, the initial offer was for eighteen million for the non-cash assets, the name, and a 'non-compete' agreement."

Pleased that Kathleen would already feel like that about her and her daughters, a large smile emerged on Charlotte's face. This smile was reinforced as the realization began to take hold that her son and future daughter-in-law were far more successful in business than anyone could have imagined. As this information began to solidify in her conscious mind, Charlotte's thoughts turned to the offer that Kyle and Kathleen had received.

Suddenly, her face turned hard and she said, "If I didn't know better, I would bet Robert was behind this. The timing would be perfect to disrupt your lives and to attempt to force Kyle back to Houston, and without Kathleen. The problem is that I control the purse strings, and there is no way in hell that he's going to get money like that from me. Secondly, I can't see what he would hope to gain in buying you out like this."

Deep in thought, Kathleen asked, "What if he doesn't know we're the owners? At Jonas' direction, Stanley Patterson set up the corporation so that a limited partnership owns the stock. In this state, the major stockholders, officers and directors of a corporation are a matter of public record, but that's not true for those involved in a partnership. What if all he knows is what Jonas recommended; that we appear to be nothing more than part-time managers?"

His anger rising, Kyle asked, "KK, didn't Stanley say that the offer required contracts with non-owner management? If Robert doesn't know, then he could be trying to get the two of us under contract. With those contracts, he could require me to work with him in Houston, while having you continue to work here in El Paso."

Watching all this interaction between their mother, Kyle and Kathleen, Felicia and Courtney had exited the Lincoln to find out what was happening. They joined the others in time to hear about the offer, and though they had yet to say anything, they were fully in the middle of the discussion. This changed after Charlotte stated her reservations concerning Robert and the amount of money involved.

"Mom, what if he's tucked some away without your knowledge?"

"Courtney, that's a good question, but how could he squirrel away that much money? That would be his total net salary for more than ten years."

A frustrated Kyle exclaimed, "Enough of this speculation. What should we do about the offer?"

Charlotte, the businesswoman, grinned and said, "I knew my son would have his priorities right. First, I ask both of you, how important is the business to you?"

Kathleen responded, "Charlotte, we've never really discussed it in that fashion, but I would guess neither of us considered Cyberfun to be a long term aspect of our lives. In the beginning, it was fun for the three of us to work together to bring an idea to reality. In addition, we've gotten to know some great people, provided a needed service to the UTEP community, and made a decent living out of the whole thing. Kyle, would you agree?"

"Yep. In the beginning, it was more to validate our ideas and to prove to ourselves that we had what it takes to make it in the world. With Ryan and KK's dad walking out on the family so long ago, and with Robert trying to force me in to his mold, we all needed to see something tangible and positive in our lives. I would say that for most of this year, we were just caught up in what was happening, and not really enjoying it."

Listening carefully at all this, Felicia asked, "Then, what would you have to lose by taking the money and retiring to do whatever you wanted? What's funny is that being owners, if this is Daddy dearest, he's unknowingly excluded you from the employment contracts. As a result, instead of gaining control over you, he's actually set you free, and has provided you with the financial security to prevent him from ever controlling you again."

Courtney added, "I agree with Felicia, and if it is Robert, he's screwed himself big time by trying to meddle in your lives."

At this point, a very angry Charlotte declared, "And if it is Robert, I'm going to want to know where the money came from, and how much has been hidden. I'm trying not to jump to conclusions here, but this is very disturbing. Now, in that light, I would also agree that you should get the best deal you can and go with it. Also, did your attorney give you any indication as to who the proposed buyer might be?"

"All he mentioned was a local business broker."

Beginning to feel better, Kyle struggled to stand up.

Kathleen reached down and helped him, as she asked, "So, what do we do next?"

"I guess it's time we started doing some horse trading, and, just for the record, I do think Robert's behind this."

Charlotte looked puzzled at Kyle's strongly worded statement concerning her husband and asked, "Kyle, on what are you basing that opinion? I know he likes to have leverage on people, but it seems to me that this would be beneath his Harvard generated persona. "

Kyle responded, "Mom, we all know how proud Robert is of his Harvard education, but over the past few days he and I have spent hours discussed various business problems, both real and hypothetical. From this, I can tell you that he and I are so far apart it's not even funny. In fact, after listening to his ideas, I can't imagine he's done as well for your father's company, as you seem to think he has. In our discussions, I found him to be without morals or compassion, and his ego is the size of Texas. What really surprised me was he views about money, as he's not greedy in the sense of Scrooge. Instead, to him, it might as well be Monopoly money. It's simply a means to keep score, as well as to buy influence and prestige.

A concerned Charlotte looked her son in the eyes and asked, "Is he really that bad?"

"Mom, on a scale of one to ten, I would rate his general respect for women a 'two', at best, while his views of minorities and those who struggle financially would be less than a one. In fact, I suspect that, if he had his way, we would overturn the thirteenth amendment, and re-establish slavery. I'm just thankful to know that he's not my real father."

"So you're not mad at me about that?"

"No, Mom. I'm not mad. In fact, I'm relieved."

In unison, his sisters responded, "Gee, thanks! That leaves us stuck being his daughters."

Charlotte turned to them and said, "Yes, but I'd say you take more after me, than him."

At this point, an impatient Kathleen asked, "Listen everyone! Let's get back on the subject, here. What are you going to do?"

Kyle pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and as he hit redial, answered, "Make a counter offer. As we said, this was their opening offer, and I'm sure that it's much lower than their final offer."

"Patterson, Henry and McLain. Can I help you?"

"Stanley Patterson, please."

"Who should I say is calling?"

"Kyle Alexander."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Alexander. He'll be right with you."

Moments later, a voice on the phone said, "Kyle, this is Stanley. Any decision?"

"Yes, but I do have a couple of questions. Do we know who the offer is from, and do you think anyone knows we're the actual owners?'

"Kyle, he didn't mention the buyer's name, but it would show up on an actual offer. As for knowledge of your identity, I would seriously doubt it. In fact, he seemed to be fishing for that very bit of information."

"Then, let's make sure it says a secret. As for the offer, counter with twenty-five, and they can negotiate their own employment agreements, as presently there aren't any. In addition, I want you to hold the escrow money."

"Okay, I'll call him right back."

Kyle hung up and turned to the four women in his life and said, "While we're letting Stanley do his thing, show me the church."

-------

As the group entered the church, a man in a small SUV about a hundred yards away lowered a camera with the extra long lens and dialed a number on his cell phone.

It rang twice and a voice answered, "Report."

They were talking in the parking lot for a long time. They just entered the church. From the way it looked, the young man just received some bad news."

"Which church?"

"Sorry. St. Francis on the Hill."

"Good. Continue to observe."

-------

About thirty minutes later, Robert Alexander answered his cell phone. He had just returned to his father's study and was sitting at the desk, staring at the painting on the far wall. Though Robert would not have understood what it symbolized, it was the painting that Jonas had commissioned to look like Shiloh.

"Robert, John Albright."

Frustrated with the business broker's familiarity, Robert responded rather strongly, "Yes, MR. ALBRIGHT. Have you approached their attorney yet?"

"I called him first thing this morning and made an offer for eighteen million. I figured to start low and give them some room to bid the price up."

"Logical. What was the response?"

"I think the offer coming 'out of the blue' as it did, shocked Patterson. At least I got his attention! Ten minutes ago, he called back with a counter of twenty-five million. There is one problem, though. They don't have any employment contracts with their staff. Since part of this objective was to get control of your son, does this change anything?"

Robert was silent for several minutes, thinking though various scenarios in his mind.

Finally, afraid the call had been dropped, John Albright asked, "Robert? Are you still there?"

Too deep in thought to be offended at this seeming faux pas, Robert replied, "I'm still here. I was just considering my options. I guess, if both of them get fired, that would disrupt their wedding plans. Also, I'll try to put the word out that he's unemployable. Thus, when he runs out of any other options besides flipping burgers, maybe he will be more inclined to come to Houston and work for me. Go ahead and accept their number, but it requires that the closing must be at tomorrow morning at ten."

A surprised John Albright asked, "Can the paper work be prepared and reviewed in that short of time?"

"Sure, since there are really no special provisions. Most lawyers have 'boiler plate' software to produce this kind of thing in minutes. They just take days to make it look like they've earned their money. In fact, why don't you have their attorney prepare it and fax a copy to my attorney for review this afternoon."

"Okay, I can do that. Anything else?"

Robert responded, "Yes, there is. Since I need to remain in the shadows, and you're the only contact person they have concerning the buyer, I want you to handle the closing for me.

John cautiously answered, "I can do it, but I'd rather you at least review the documents."

"I understand, but you'll be only acting as the agent of the company to make sure the provisions of our offer are carried out. Also remember, my attorney will be reviewing the contract prior to closing."

Then, in response to the agent's uncertainty, Robert asked, "John, if it would help, I'll have the man who fronts as CEO for the company send you such a statement in writing. He can fax it to you this afternoon, and overnight the original. I can have it to your office by eight-thirty in the morning."

"That would make me feel a lot better."

"Good. I'll call him as soon as we hang up. Oh, by the way, he need your and the closing attorney's banking information and routing number. With this, we can wire the money to the attorney at the time of closing, We'll also wire your commission to you as soon as the closing is finished."

Thinking about the two and a half million dollars, John did not ignore Robert's earlier subtle chastisement and said, "I'll get right on it, Mr. Alexander."

Robert terminated that call and immediately called Brian Smiley, the official head of his 'hidden' company.

"Offshore Drilling Support. How may I direct your call?"

"Janet, this is Robert. I need to talk to Brian."

"Sure, Mr. Alexander. He'll be right with you."

Moments later, Brian Smiley answered saying, "Good morning, Robert. What can I do for you this morning?"

"Brian, I'm buying a new business here in El Paso. It's called Cyberfun and will be owned by ODS."

"Okay, but it sounds more like a place for us to visit, not a business to own."

"Believe me, Brian, those people are sitting on a gold mine and have no clue of it's real worth, much less of it's potential. There's also some other reasons, but they're personal. Now, to move this forward, I need you to prepare a restricted power of attorney for a Mr. John Albright, authorizing him to handle the closing. It should also include a statement to hold him harmless, as long as the provisions of the sales agreement are followed.

"Who's this Albright character, and how do I contact him?

"He's a business broker here in El Paso. You should be able to get that ex-hooker at the front desk to stop filing her nails long enough to look up his number."

Angry over Robert's description of his girlfriend, Brian disdainfully asked, "And what should I do with it, Master."

"Call him and establish contact. He's also supposed to be getting their lawyer to fax a copy of the contract this afternoon. Have him send it directly to Phillip, but warn Phillip that it's coming, as we're looking at a closing at ten in the morning."

"Ten in the morning? Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not kidding. Unfortunately, it has to be this way to fit my time schedule."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, Albright is supposed to give you the banking information regarding the routing of funds to the attorney, as well to himself. We'll need to wire twenty-five million to the lawyer at the closing, and two and half million to Albright when the deal is signed."

"Robert, we don't have near that much available cash at the moment. We just had to fork over a bunch on drilling equipment, and we transferred over forty million to some of your offshore accounts, last week."

"Not a problem. I'll just transfer some of it back to you in the next hour or so. I just need you to take care of these agreements with Albright. Fax them this afternoon and overnight a set of originals for eight-thirty delivery. Brian, this is crucial, so don't mess this up."

"I still don't understand, Master, but I'll follow your directions to the letter."

"See that you do, or you might find that your cushy job is just as much vapor as the company you run."

"Yes, Master."

"Also Brian, lose that attitude, or you'll find yourself back tending bar. Capiche?"



-------

Chapter 15

The telephone conversation between Robert and Brian continued for a few minutes, mostly relating to other matters. When the conversation ended, Robert retrieved his laptop from the living room and set it up on Jonas' desk. He connected it into the network with a patch cable, which he carried while traveling. Once the computer finished 'booting up', he logged onto the Internet.

While waiting for the system to go on-line, Robert glanced at his watch and realized that the security guard was due to arrive very shortly. Since he didn't want anyone to accidentally observe what he was doing, he waited for the guard in the living room. A few minutes before one, the front doorbell rang. Robert went to the door and found the young security guard whom he had briefly seen the day before.

"Mr. Alexander, I'm Mike Barlow. Kyle told me to return at one, today."

"You know who I am?"

"Yes, Sir. Kyle pointed you out yesterday, and I've found it's always good to remember the face of the man who pays the bills."

Robert answered and asked, "That makes sense. Have you eaten yet?"

"I've had a little something. Why, do you need something?"

"Actually, I'm in the middle of some confidential business calls. If I pay for it, as well as your time, could you go get us something?"

"Sure, I can do that. Anything particular?"

Handing Mike a twenty, Robert said, "Well, I'm having to watch my weight and my salt. How about something chicken or turkey on wheat or multi-grain bread? You can get whatever you want, but give me at least forty-five minutes before you return."

"No problem, Sir. I'll be back by two."

As the young man returned to his car and drove away, Robert re-locked the front door and returned to his father's study. Then, for the next thirty-eight minutes, he logged into various banks around the world and began moving money. He had just finished closing down his laptop when the doorbell began ringing for a second time.

Robert verified that it was the young security guard and unlocked the door. Mike entered the house carrying a plain white sack and a drink in a Styrofoam cup.

"I didn't know what you wanted to drink, but I took a chance on iced tea," explained Mike.

"That will do. Unfortunately, I just remembered that I'm running late, so I'll take it with me back to the hotel. I do appreciate your getting it for me ... and keep the change."

"Thanks for that, plus the lunch."

"You're welcome. Now, I need to rush. If Kyle or any of my family asks about me, tell them I've headed to the hotel to change. I'll meet them at the funeral home shortly before three."

"No problem, Sir. I'll take care of it."

Robert left, and a few minutes later, three cars pulled into the driveway: Kyle's Jeep, Kathleen's Miata and Charlotte's rental Lincoln. The girls grabbed several bags from the trunk of the Lincoln and headed into the house. Observing the group's arrival from the window, Mike met them at the door and helped them inside.

Charlotte looked around for a moment and asked, "Is my husband here?"

Mike answered, "No ma'am. He left just a few minutes ago. He did say to tell you that he had gone back to the hotel to change, and that he would meet you at the funeral home a little before three."

Charlotte replied, "Well, I had some clothes for him, but if he wants to do it on his own, then let him. Okay girls, let's go to Jonas' bedroom to get changed. Kyle, we'll see you and Kathleen in a few minutes."

"Okay, Mom," Kyle answered as he took his fiancée's hand and headed toward his own bedroom.

Once there, the couple spent a few minutes just holding one another and softly kissing various exposed areas of the other's body. They both enjoyed it immensely, and the temperature in the room seemed to increase, as did their passion.

Finally, Kathleen forced them to separate, saying, "Kyle, sweetheart, we had better return to getting dressed, or we may be in here for several hours."

"I know you're right, but it is hard at the moment."

Kathleen giggled and said, "Quitting is not the only thing 'hard', at this moment."

Kyle blushed as he replied, "This is true. This is true."

"Now, young man! You march yourself into that bathroom and get a quick shower. That will give me a little time to get ready myself."

"Okay, but I won't take long."

Kyle grabbed the clothes he wanted to wear and headed into his attached bath. As soon as he closed the door, Kathleen opened a shopping bag she had carried in from the car. She quickly slipped on the dress, along with thigh-high stockings and some shoes from another bag. Then, using the training she had been given during the previous day's shopping trip, she applied just enough makeup to accent her face and the clothes she was wearing.

True to his promise, Kyle finished so quickly that she barely had time to take a hard look at herself in the mirror. Even so, she was a little stunned at the image that reflected before her eyes.

When Kyle opened the bathroom door, he was more focused on the closet door than on Kathleen, as he said, "I don't know why you and Mom wanted me to wear this grey suit, but I need you to help me select a tie to wear with it."

"Sure. What about the maroon and black? I think it would provide a good contrast."

Kyle selected the recommended tie off the rack and turned toward the mirror to tie it in a traditional Windsor knot. As he wrapped it around his neck, he looked to the mirror, only to be shocked to see the reflection of a vision in a grey business dress standing behind him. He slowly turned to face Kathleen ... all thoughts of a tie, or a funeral, had completely vanished from his brain.

"Dayum, Woman! You sure do clean up nicely."

Kathleen giggled briefly at Kyle's comment and asked, "Is that like saying that you don't sweat much for a fat girl?"

"Not even in the same league. Honey, I've always considered you to be cute and pretty, but you're absolutely gorgeous in that outfit. Yet, gorgeous is not sufficient. I could also have to add radiant or stunning, but they are all incomplete adjectives without the words sophisticated, feminine and even sexy."

"Why, thank you, kind sir. You sure know how to boost the ego of a tomboy trying to become a woman ... your woman. A woman worthy to stand at your side, whether it's at a funeral procession, a gala dinner party, or on the battlefield."

"KK, the best thing I can say at the moment is that you have exceeded all expectations, and I would be proud to have you by my side, wherever that may be."

"Then, sweetheart, you had better get that tie finished, as I want to show the world this version of Kathleen Kennedy, soon to be 'Alexander'."

A short time later, the young couple joined Charlotte and her daughters. Bidding good-bye to the young security guard, the five climbed into the Lincoln, and with Kyle driving, they headed for the funeral home.

At a quarter to three, they pulled into their previously assigned parking place. Ever the gentleman, Kyle helped Kathleen, his mother and each of his sisters to exit the car, and then, as a group, they walked to the front doors. When they entered into the somberly decorated building, the first person to greet them was the owner, Matthew Warden.

Holding out his hand in a friendly manner, he said, "Good afternoon, Kyle ... ladies. Will you please follow me?"

Mr. Ward led them down the hall and ushered them into a room filled with flowers and a closed grey casket. There were so many floral arrangements, Kyle was sure they could have opened their own florist shop. Then, as Mr. Ward introduced himself to Charlotte, Kathleen and the two young girls, Kyle separated from the others and began looking at the various wreaths and other arrangements, trying to remember who had sent what flowers.

A gentle voice came from behind Kyle, saying, "Don't worry about who sent what at this point, Kyle. Part of our service is an album showing each arrangement, and who it was from."

"That's not a bad idea, though I've never heard of anyone doing that before."

"Nor have I, but one of our staff came up with the idea, and we think it's a great service to our clients."

"Mr. Warden, I wholeheartedly agree. Now is the time I need to be grieving for my loss, allowing others to comfort me and comforting others as needed. In a few days, when everything calms down, I would be kicking myself for not having taken those pictures."

Having caught up with Kyle, Kathleen interjected, "In one way, I can't believe all of the flowers, but at the same time, I know how much Jonas cared about people. I guess this is just their way of acknowledging his influence in their lives."

Kyle nodded in agreement, as he added, "Yes, and if the truth be known and everyone he had helped could have sent flowers, we wouldn't have had room for them in this place. In fact, I find it strangely comforting to realize that a lot more people than just you and I will miss him. He was a most unusual man, and the world has lost one of its greatest heroes."

Charlotte, who had quietly joined the two men, asked, "Son, I know Jonas received a medal for bravery in the war, but why would you call him a hero?"

"Mom, heroes come in all shapes, sizes and occupations. In Jonas' case, he was the biggest hero to his students because he genuinely cared about them ... each of them. He was far more than a teacher of history, as he sought to open their eyes to see the world, not only as it was and is, but as it can be. He opened their minds to question what is truth, and to see history not as just facts and dates, but stories about real people, with real fears, pain, and sacrifice. He humanized history, and I believe he made the students more human in the process. That, is the hero that this world will greatly miss, and whose shoes I someday hope to fill."

A surprised Charlotte responded, "Kyle, I knew Jonas for over twenty-five years, but I just learned far more about him than I had in all those years. I just hope you can pursue your dream and follow in your father's footsteps."

When Charlotte uttered those words, she was not aware that her husband was in the process of joining them. Thankfully, the only thing he heard was the part about 'following in your father's footsteps'."

Thus, everyone was a little shocked when Robert placed his right hand on Charlotte's shoulder and his left on Kyle's and said, "Son, I hope you are listening to your mother. She's giving you good advice."

After a moment of panic of what Robert might have heard, Charlotte realized that he had to have only picked up the very tail end of their conversation. As the panic subsided, she suddenly had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the irony of what had just transpired. Robert thought she was encouraging Kyle to work with him, while she was actually encouraging Kyle to pursue his dream of teaching history at the college level; something that Robert would have thought to be a complete waste of time.

Fortunately, before the conversation could go off on a tangent, discussing a subject that was inappropriate for the moment, Mr. Warden reappeared.

He directed the family to a row of chairs just inside the entrance of the room and said, "It would be helpful is you could please sit or stand in this area as much as possible. When you're ready, I'll open the doors and let those who have come to pay their respects to enter."

Robert, as Jonas' son, stood at the head of the group. Charlotte was beside him, with Kyle, Kathleen, Felicia and Courtney standing in a line beside them. At a nod from Robert, Mr. Warden opened the double doors that led from the hallway and the five family members were overwhelmed at the size of the group waiting to share their grief, as well as an occasional anecdotal experience from their interaction with Jonas. And, except for a few brief interludes, the people just kept coming. At six, when the 'showing' was supposed to end, there were still more than a hundred people waiting in the hall.

Mr. Ward approached the family and asked, "How do you feel we should handle this?"

Robert, moved by all he had seen and heard that afternoon, replied, "I honestly don't know. I'd hate to turn away anyone who wants to honor Jonas, but I'm totally exhausted."

Kyle looked questioningly at Kathleen, who guessed what he was considering and nodded.

"Robert, Kathleen and I can stay a little while longer. Why don't you take Mom and the girls out to eat, and then back to the hotel? Mr. Ward can cut it off to those who are here now, and anyone else can just see us tomorrow at the service."

Without asking his wife or daughters their opinion, Robert replied, "Thanks, Kyle, we'll do just that and see you at Jonas' house shortly before noon."

Kyle noticed his mother and sisters were about to protest, but he just gently shook his head. Thus, they followed Kyle's direction and went quietly behind Robert.

"There go three unhappy women," observed Kathleen.

"I know, but I didn't want to see another family fight start in the middle of all this, as it would only bring dishonor to Jonas and his memory. I suspect Robert's going to have a rude awakening when things finally get calmed down."

Kathleen giggled as she said, "Yep! I'd bet on it."

It was close to seven thirty when the last of the mourners left the funeral home, and Kyle and Kathleen were about to drop.

"Kathleen, I don't know about you, but I'm glad that's over. I'm exhausted."

"Me, too. In fact, the only thing that kept me going the past thirty minutes was the realization that Robert would never have a turnout like this."

Kyle chuckled, as he said, "Not unless he paid them."

Kathleen agreed as they headed for their car. Suddenly, Kyle realized that the Lincoln was no longer where it had been parked.

"That son of bitch!" Kyle exclaimed. "It looks like Robert took everyone home in the Lincoln and left us here with nothing. I'll see if I can call a cab."

Taking his cell phone from his coat pocket, Kyle realized that it was still turned off. He turned it on and called for a cab to pick them up at the funeral home.

"Sir," responded the dispatcher, "I've got a cab less that two miles away. He should be there momentarily."

"Thanks, we appreciate it."

As soon as Kyle hung up, the phone started beeping, saying he had seven missed calls and two voice mails. Seeing that all the missed calls were from the same number, Kyle dialed it immediately.

The person answering said, "Stanley Patterson."

"Stanley, this is Kyle. Have you been trying to reach me?"

"YES!" the lawyer exclaimed. "I've been in a panic. They accepted our offer and want to close at ten-thirty in the morning. I need a power of attorney to handle the transaction for you."

"Stanley, we've been at the funeral home greeting mourners. As for a power of attorney, you already have one from the corporation. We did it when you set up the LLC. Shouldn't that cover you for both entities?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way. I assumed you would take the money personally."

"We will eventually, but only after it's no longer traceable to us. Now, did you get any information on the buyer, and are you satisfied with the terms?"

"Kyle, the buyer is a limited liability company named, Offshore Drilling Support, and they had me prepare the documents. I had to fax a copy to their attorney in Houston, but I've already got an approving response. This is the strangest thing I've ever handled."

"Stanley, if my intuition is correct, then the reason why it's so strange is that it's not really a business deal. Instead, it's an attempt to separate me and Kathleen, as well as to get me to move to Houston and work for Robert."

"With the timing of everything and the rush to make a deal, you may well be right. It makes you almost think Jonas had 'second sight' the way he had us set everything up."

"More likely, it was because he knew just how sneaky, underhanded and manipulative his son could be. Robert's much more like my Aunt Lucille than he's like either Jonas or my grandmother, Wanda. Now, our cab just arrived. Do you have anything else for us, tonight?"

"No, I don't think so, and I'm sorry that I didn't think things through on the business structure and the existing power of attorney. I guess the strange way this has all happened has befuddled me a bit. Also, please forgive me for not being at the funeral home this afternoon."

"Stanley, it's perfectly alright. Now, get some rest, as I need your mind to be clear and sharp tomorrow."

"Okay, I will. Anything else?"

Thinking for a moment, Kyle responded, "Yeah, I need to warn you to be prepared for some surprises Thursday regarding the house."

"Your Aunt Lucille?"

"Yep, but not what you're expecting. I'm going to use the sale of the company and my losing my job to justify changing my mind and sell her the house."

"Isn't that going to be contrary to your grandfather's wishes?"

"I've since learned that Jonas made a provision in case she pressed the point. After this is over, I'll share with you what I can."

"Okay, though I'm still somewhat confused. I'll see you at the funeral."

Kyle closed the cell phone and opened the cab door to let Kathleen enter first. Kyle then joined her, and once they were both situated, Kyle gave the driver the address. Within fifteen minutes, they pulled into Kyle's driveway, and Mike, the security guard, met them at the door.

"Is everything okay?" Mike asked. "You were gone much later than I expected."

"Sorry Mike, but a lot of people showed up to express their condolences. I hope that wasn't a problem."

Mike grinned and replied, "Not since I'm being paid by the hour, and right now, I need all the hours I can get."

"Then, why don't you come over around nine in the morning? The funeral's not until two thirty, but since my father's paying, let's pad the bill a bit."

"You don't sound like the two of you get along very well."

"Mike, that would be an enormous understatement."

"Well, he was nice enough to me this afternoon. He had a bunch of calls to handle when I arrived, and he sent me out for some food for the two of us."

"And he paid for yours?"

"He gave me a twenty and told me to keep the change. It was almost a ten dollar tip, plus I was on the clock."

"Hummm," Kyle replied as he stroked his chin. "Very interesting."

Mike left moments later and Kyle and Kathleen fixed them something to eat.

"Kyle, I don't know about you, but I'm too exhausted to go home. If we sleep together, can you preserve my honor for a few more days?"

Too tired to disagree, Kyle replied, "Then, you better call your mother so she won't worry. At the same time, I don't know what happened to Sid. I offered him a place to stay, but I'm really too tired to greet anyone at the moment."

"Kyle, sweetheart, didn't you say you also had some voice mails. Maybe he left you a message there, or on the answering machine."

"Thanks, I forgot about that. Why don't you grab a shower while I check?"

A few minutes later, Kyle joined his fiancée. Kathleen was dressed in one of his t-shirts and was standing before the bathroom mirror, drying her hair.

"Any luck?" she asked.

"Nope. One was from Stanley about the sale, and the other was from Larry."

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to know if we still wanted him and Nadia to guard the house during the funeral. I called him and let him know that Robert had hired a security guard."

"Was he upset?"

"No. It sounded more like he was relieved. I suspect that Nadia wanted to come to the funeral."

"What about the answering machine?"

"Nada."

"Then let me get my shower, and we can head to bed. It's been a long day and tomorrow's going to be worse."

Kyle headed into the bathroom and got a quick shower. When he finished, he was too tired to dry his hair. Joining Kathleen with a t-shirt and some loose shorts, he turned out the light and climbed into the bed. Kathleen snuggled her butt up next to him and he wrapped his left arm over her torso, gently stroking her left breast. The nipple quickly became hard and pointed, but they were both too tired to do anything about it.

Shortly after eight the next morning, the pair were awakened by the incessant ringing of the telephone.

"Hello," Kyle answered in a groggy voice.

"Good morning," proclaimed a bubbly Charlotte.

In a voice that imitated 'Eeyore' from Winnie the Poo, Kyle replied, "If it is a good morning ... which I seriously doubt."

"Son, it's not that early. Anyway, Robert is running us out of here while he takes care of some business. I thought we could come over and bring some breakfast with us."

"Sure, Mom. If you want to, bring your clothes for the funeral. Then, you won't have to go back to the hotel before we have to go to the funeral home."

"Since we did that yesterday, I don't see it being a problem, though I'll let Robert know what we're doing."

"That's fine. We'll see you and the girls in a few minutes."

Kyle sat the phone back on the nightstand and rolled over on his back. Kathleen rolled to face him and laid her head on his chest.

"I take it that that was Charlotte?"

"Yeah. Robert says he needs to take care of some 'business' and wants them to leave the hotel suite."

"Is that normal?"

"For Robert, it actually is. He doesn't like any possible distractions when he's dealing with company problems over the phone. Anyway, we need to get up and dressed, as they'll be here shortly. Oh, I almost forgot; they're bringing breakfast."

At ten till nine, Charlotte, Felicia and Courtney arrived and found the young couple in the kitchen. Kyle had just started some coffee, so for a brief moment, things were mildly chaotic in the kitchen.

At nine, things started to get more hectic. It began with a call from Sid Jones.

Kathleen answered it and said, "Hello, Alexander residence. May I help you?"

"Yes, Ma'am. This is Sid Jones, can I speak to Kyle."

"Certainly, Sid. Let me hand him the phone."

Kyle accepted the phone from his fiancée and said, "Good morning, Sid. Did you get in okay? I kind of figured that you would be staying here last night."

"I got in late. I sent you an email with the details. Anyway, I'm here. What time is the funeral, and where is it to be held?"

Kyle gave him the details, and with no further conversation, Sid hung up.

Setting down the portable phone, a concerned Kyle remarked, "That's strange. The last time he and I talked, it was a very friendly conversation. That one was just cold and abrupt."

"That is strange. Do you have any idea why?"

"No, but he said he sent me an email. I never got a chance to check my computer last night."

Kyle headed to his computer and when he returned, there was a look of concern on his face.

She pulled him aside and asked, "Kyle, honey? Are you all right?"

"The email from Sid said that he came by last evening and found the house was under surveillance. He acknowledged that we needed to do some planning, but it would have to be after we lost our tail. That's the second time we've been told we were being followed, or observed. I don't like the way this seems to be heading."

A concerned Kathleen replied, "Neither do I. What do you suggest?"

"Well, my first guess would be to run this by Dr. Narduchi. As she demonstrated Monday, she definitely has some experience in that area. The key is, do we try to get rid of them completely, or do we just try to get free for a meeting with Sid?"

"Kyle, as much as I would like to eliminate the situation, that won't happen until we can disappear indefinitely, and that won't happen until after the wedding."

"I think we can probably arrange that, especially after we return from the honeymoon. Speaking of that KK, where would you like to go?"

In a shy smile, Kathleen replied, "The bed of our new home."

Kyle grinned at his wife to be and replied, "I think that can be arranged, but are you sure you don't want to go on a tradition honeymoon?"

"Yes, I'm very sure. Those things just aren't important to me, while getting established in our new home is. I'm sure well make plenty of trips in the future, but in the meantime I want to make love to my husband, not fly off to some exotic location. Besides, too often today, the honeymoon is used to help the couple become closer in their relationship, and other than the physical aspect, I can't see how we could be closer than we are."

Kyle contemplated what his bride-to-be had just said and then nodded as he said, "You are probably right, at that. Being best friends for more than twenty years gives us a perspective of each other that few others would have. Of course, you have learned two major secrets in my life ... one of which was a secret even to me. I don't think there are any other surprises, but you can never be sure."

Giving Kyle a reassuring smile, Kathleen replied, "If there are my Sweet, we'll weather them together. We are a partnership, and have been for a long time."



-------

Chapter 16

At that point, the growling of Kyle's stomach broke the mood, and Kathleen started laughing at the humor of it.

"Why is my stomach growling so funny?" asked Kyle.

"It wasn't the growling, it was the timing. Come on, your mom and sisters have probably been waiting on us to eat."

"We love you, but not that much," came a shout from the kitchen.

Kyle and Kathleen entered the kitchen to find that his mother and sisters were almost finished. On the table were the remains of a deep-dish breakfast pie — a crusted quiche containing eggs, sausage and bacon pieces, as well as cheese, onions, and shredded style hash brown potatoes. All this was blended together in a sauce and baked. It was one of Kyle's favorite breakfast dishes.

"Mom, how did you have time to make this?" Kyle asked.

"I gave the chef at the hotel the recipe and asked him to prepare it as a carry out. I thought it might help your day start out on a brighter note."

"Thanks, Mom, it will. It definitely will."

Just as they started eating, Mike, the security guard arrived. He declined their offer of breakfast and went into the living room. Once there, he sat and watched TV, as well as periodically monitoring any activity occurring around the exterior of the house.

As Kyle and the others ate a casual breakfast, Kyle's mom kept discussing wedding plans and asking a lot of questions about the couple's plans for the future. At first, Kyle was a little upset by her sudden noisiness, but after a few minutes, he realized she was trying to distract him for some of the sadness that was coming. Even Kyle had not thought about the emotions he would encounter in losing his 'baby' ... the company ... the same day he would bury the man he loved more than any other man in the world. Fortunately, his mother had.

As a result of this distraction, it was almost eleven-thirty when they were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.

"Alexander Residence," proclaimed KK.

"Kathleen, this is Stanley. I need to talk to Kyle. Oh, by the way, the closing has been completed."

"Great! Here's Kyle."

Kathleen whispered, "Stanley," as she handed Kyle the telephone.

Kyle nodded and said, "Yes, Stanley, what can I do for you."

"Kyle, we just completed the closing, and I need you to meet me at Cyberfun to open the safe. I've already instructed the manager on duty to close out all the registers and prepare an inventory of all salable items. I'll take the money from the safe, the current receipts and the drawer cash and hold it until you are in a position to work on it. As for the inventory, once the numbers are totaled, the buyers will issue an additional check to cover that."

"Sure," responded Kyle. "I'll be there in less than fifteen minutes. I need to get my backpack out of the office anyway. Do I need to bring Kathleen and my keys?"

"They haven't asked for them. Until they say otherwise, or until you resign, you're still an employee."

"Okay then, I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kyle hung up the phone and announced, "I've got to meet Stanley at the store. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Give me a minute," answered Kathleen, "I want to go with you."

"Ok, but hurry. Stanley is already there, waiting for me."

The couple jumped into Kyle's Jeep and headed toward the University and Cyberfun. Along the way, Kyle reminded her that they were to keep the persona of employees, not the prior owners. In less than fifteen minutes, they arrived at the store, parking in the back. Using Kyle's key, they entered the rear door and headed for the office. Before they made it to their destination, they had to pass through the fairly crowded sports bar area. Here, they found Stanley, as well as two people they had never seen before.

The man appeared to be in his early thirties, with sun streaked light brown hair and a body that appeared to have been physically fit in the recent past. Unfortunately, it now seemed to be going soft from lack of consistent exercise. The man seemed to be trying to imitate the Don Johnson look, with slacks, a pastel tee, a linen sports coat, and expensive loafers with no socks. Unfortunately, on him, the look didn't work.

The woman with him was a bottle blonde, with big tits, a tightly fitted dark blue silk dress with too much cleavage and a hem that was only about two inches below her crotch. Added to this was a six-inch slit up each side and four to five- inch 'fuck-me' pumps. If this wasn't bad enough, she was smacking on a large wad of gum. Kyle's initial thought was this was some kind of joke, but he soon found out differently.

Stanley led the new couple to where Kyle and Kathleen were standing and said, "Thanks Kyle for coming so quickly. This is Brian Smiley and Janet Hobbs from ODS, the new owners of Cyberfun. Brian, Janet, this is Kyle Alexander and his fiancée, Kathleen Kennedy. Though they only work part time while attending classes, they have been with the company from the beginning, and have been an integral part of its success."

Kyle and Kathleen held out their hands to greet the new owners, and were shocked when they were obviously rebuffed. Others in the room also noticed the obvious actions of the new owners.

"Would you please open the safe?" asked the man in a rather gruff voice.

"Sure," replied Kyle.

The five walked into the office, where Kyle opened the safe and started removing the items inside.

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Alexander," announced Brian. "Mr. Patterson can handle things now. Instead, would you two join me in the main lounge? I want witnesses to hear what I have to say."

A puzzled Kyle responded, "Sure, no problem."

A curious Stanley Patterson ignored the safe a moment and followed to the door so that he could hear what was about to transpire. At the same time, he was blocking the only entrance to the office, so that the money in the safe was reasonably secure.

After signaling for quiet in the room, Brian announced, "My name is Brian Smiley, and my company ODS is the new owner of Cyberfun. It is our intention to continue to provide the same quality service and food as you have experienced the past, though there will be some changes. We plan to add beer to the menu and some sexier costumes for the waitresses. In addition, we will be expanding the study area's resources, though we will now be charging a minimum fee for its utilization. We also plan to add more games to the video area, including video poker. I hope that this will add much to your pleasure and relaxation."

Pausing for effect, Brian then continued, "Now, with all this, I want everyone to know that we have information leading us to believe that Kyle Alexander and possibly Kathleen Kennedy have been embezzling funds from the store's operations. This information will be turned over to the District Attorney, but in the meantime, the two are now fired for cause and are to no longer have access to these facilities. As soon as they remove their personal items and turn over all keys, they will be ushered out, never to be allowed to return. A court order will be issued later this morning to enable the police to enforce this, and they can probably expect to be arrested no later than tomorrow. Oh, and any employee who speaks to them is considered fired."

Kyle was totally shocked and Kathleen was furious. Just as she started to respond, Stanley caught her attention and slightly shook his head.

Trusting Stanley's judgment, she instead turned to Kyle and said, "Come on. Let's get our stuff and blow this place."

It didn't take the couple long to gather their personal items, but it took another few minutes for Brian to review them to make sure they didn't have anything that might have belonged to Cyberfun. Finally, they handed their keys to Stanley, as an act of defiance against the new owner, and started toward the back door.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Brian.

"Our car is parked in the back."

"You are to go out the front door. If your car is in the back, you can just walk around the building. I don't trust you not to damage or steal something as you leave."

Knowing that either Kyle or Kathleen, or both, were about to explode, Stanley interjected, "Come on kids. I'll take you around to your car."

Once the three reached and had entered Stanley's Mercedes, Kyle asked, "What the hell is going on, and why did you tell us to keep our mouth shut?"

As Stanley drove the car to the rear of the building, he said, "Kyle, Kathleen, I hope you know I will never try to lead you astray. Right now, just trust me and blow it off. It's an obvious attempt to discredit you and make you unemployable, which strongly implies that Robert is behind this. Thus to keep the pot stirred, and Robert confused, act as if nothing happened. Since they don't know that you WERE the owners, they are digging a deeper and deeper hole for themselves. So, just leave it in my hands, even if they actually get around to arresting you."

"Stanley, you realize you're asking a lot?"

"Yes, but I don't want to tell you too much detail concerning ideas at the moment, as it might change how you react. Instead, I want you to seem somewhat miffed at the accusation, yet portray an innocent confidence that nothing will really happen. You may also want to occasionally seem to be a little short with each other for the next few days. This will encourage Robert, and I want him and his cohorts to keep pushing this until I'm ready to strike."

Turning to Kathleen, Stanley asked, "Isn't your brother considered a computer genius?"

Smiling, Kathleen asked, "Are you asking if he's an accomplished hacker?"

With a rather feral grin, the little man responded, "Let's use the term digital investigator."

Both Kyle and Kathleen laughed at that, and Kathleen replied to the affirmative.

"Do you think you could get your brother to see if he can find a solid link between this Brian Smiley and Robert? It will go along way in solidifying my trap."

"I can try," she replied.

"Good. Then I'll see you at Jonas' funeral this afternoon."

Kyle and Kathleen exited Stanley's luxury sedan and returned to Kyle's older Jeep. Then, as the couple followed their lawyer back to the main street, the irony of that situation hit Kathleen, and she started laughing. They were almost home before she could stop enough to explain it to Kyle.

"Kyle, we are now multi-millionaires, worth a hell of a lot more than Stanley. Yet we are driving your old Jeep ... a stripped down version of the crossbreeding of an SUV and a box, while our lawyer drives a seventy-five thousand dollar luxury car. Just the irony of that struck me as hilarious."

"Do you want me to replace the Jeep?" asked Kyle.

"Not really. I would like us to keep as low a profile as we can. The fewer people who realize we have money, the more normal our lives will be."

"I agree," responded Kyle. "Now, what do you think that mess at Cyberfun was all about?

"Well, it was obviously intended to discredit and humiliate us, though I'm not sure for what reason."

-------

Back at the hotel where Robert Alexander and his family were staying, Robert was talking to Brian Smiley on the telephone.

"So you fired them in front of a group and accused them of embezzlement. Excellent! While I'm at the house this afternoon, I'll take the two bundles of cash I've placed in a Cyberfun envelope and hide them in what used to be my Father's office. When the police arrive with a search warrant, finding the hidden money should provide the DA with enough evidence to at least bring an indictment against Kyle."

"It should," replied Brian. "I just don't understand what you plan to gain from having your own son discredited and then arrested."

"Actually, I expect to achieve several things," gloated Robert. "I'll get my lawyer involved to cast enough doubt in the mind of the jury over the money to keep Kyle from being convicted, but not exonerated. This should elevate me in the eyes of my wife and daughters, but also allow the stigma to keep Kyle unemployable. Then his only job option will be with me in Houston, and part of that job's requirement will be the ditching of his little bitch here in El Paso."

"I can follow everything except the girl," said Brian. "Do you hate her that much?"

"Not really. She's actually a good kid. The problem is that I have plans for Kyle to marry the daughter of one of my competitors. He and I plan to use their marriage as a basis for a merger that will ultimately give me, not my wife, control of the new company's stock. Unfortunately, the key to the merger is Kyle and his daughter's marriage."

"You mean that it's your wife who controls your company?" asked a surprised co-conspirator.

"Yes, and you can not imagine how much that has chaffed my ass over the years. I would love to just dump the bitch, but I can't as long as her stock controls my employment status."

-------

When Kyle and Kathleen returned to the house, their mood was rather subdued. At the time, Charlotte, Kyle's mother, assumed it was just the combination of losing Jonas and selling Cyberfun so closely together. Thinking things would soon improve, she concentrated more on getting the catered food from the hotel set up for her family, or for others who might drop by.

This easygoing attitude was suddenly changed when she heard some sharp words between the couple, causing both of them to disappear into different rooms. As she thought about it, she hadn't noticed the couple touching each other or kissing since they returned.

Now concerned, she delegated the set up to her daughters and she headed to Kyle's room. Even while she walked in that direction, Kathleen was on the cell phone to her brother.

"Brain, are you here or in Phoenix?"

"I'm at Mom's, getting ready to go to the funeral. What do you need?"

With a slight tone of desperation in her voice, Kathleen said, "Kyle and I need your help desperately, but it might cause you to miss all, or at least part of the funeral."

"Sis, right now, most people don't even know I'm in town. I doubt if anyone but Jonas would miss me. Now, how can I help?"

"We need two things. The first one is to find Robert's laptop and back it up. The second one is to search that data, as well as the surveillance data stored on the server here in the house, for anything that might imply he was part of the purchase of Cyberfun."

"That shouldn't be a problem unless he left his laptop in his hotel room. Why the sense of urgency?"

"Well, the sale went through this morning, and a short-time later, Kyle and I were publicly fired by the new owners, as well as being accused of embezzlement."

"Shit!" exclaimed Kathleen's brother. "If he's behind this, I'll fix his little red wagon!"

"Ryan, you would just have to get in line. Especially since Kyle's mom is the one who really owns the stock that keeps Robert in power."

"Ooooooo! Now that is something I didn't know. If he IS behind this, when she gets through with him, Robert will be joining the ranks of the homeless."

"Interesting observation, brother of mine. Do you think he has some money socked away to cover that contingency?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Then, see if you can find it. Charlotte has already said she keeps such a tight reign on the purse strings that he should not have been able to squirrel away more than a few thousand. At least not legally."

"Okay then, I'll be over as soon as you leave for the funeral, but what will I do if Robert's laptop is not there?"

"I'll get one of Kyle's sister's keycard and leave it on top of Kyle's dresser. Also, there is a security guard here named Mike. I'll make sure he knows you're coming. Just be sure to bring your driver's license for identification."



-------

Chapter 17


Charlotte knocked at the doorway to Kyle's bedroom. When he looked up to see who was there, she felt pain emanating from the depths of his soul. She had never seen her son like this before. Being a good mother, she naturally tried to console her son, even if she was in the dark as to the problem.

She sat beside him and wrapped him in her arms as she asked, "What's wrong, Kyle?"

"We went down to open the safe for Stanley. The new owners refused to even shake our hands. What's worse, they fired us in front of all the customers and employees, accusing us of embezzlement. I'm sure it's part of Robert's sick scheme, but it still hurts. Many of those people have known KK and I since we first opened our doors."

"Why would you think Robert would do something like that? That seems over the top, even for him."

"My suspicion is that he wants to make your company my only option for employment, and ditching KK would be one of the requirements for the job. What I don't understand is why he dislikes her so much?"

"I'm beginning to question that myself. My asshole husband is like how that

'Red October' movie described a Russian... 'he doesn't take a dump without a plan'. Getting you to Houston, I can understand. I would love to have you there, myself, but I see no rhyme or reason to break up the two of you. Especially after seeing how beautiful and sophisticated she can be when the situation calls for it."

Kyle cracked a brief smile as he responded, "She does cleanup well, doesn't she?"

"All I can say son is that she sure surprised the hell out of me. Not only that, but your sisters and I already consider her more a part of this family than Robert will ever be. If he thinks he's going to railroad the two of you on this, he will soon find me 'kicking ass and taking names'."

"Thanks, Mom. You don't know how much your support helps. Just don't get discouraged if things get worse before they get better."

"How is that?"

"Our attorney thinks they will try to have us arrested. In fact, I wouldn't put it past Robert to have me arrested during the funeral."

"What has Stanley advised you to do?"

"He says we're to stay cool until he can strike, but at the moment, I'm feeling like a tethered goat that's bait for a tiger. What's worse, I think I'm handling this better than Kathleen."

"Why would that be?" asked Charlotte.

"Mom, KK's mom often assists in the kitchen when things get hectic. Because of that, a lot of those people know her, and know that she's KK & Ryan's mother. Kathleen feels that this could discredit Beverly and throw her back into depression."

"Ouch. I guess I need to go see Beverly as soon as the funeral is over."

"Mom, I would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes and call her now. Invite her to come with us or go with you somewhere after the funeral. It's taken us a long time to get her out of the bottle, and if she goes back, we may never do it again."

"I didn't know about that aspect. Thanks for the warning, as my normal thing would have been to invite her out for a drink. I'll come up with an alternative plan as she and I talk, but you need to go ahead and start getting ready."

"Okay, but one quick question. Do you happen to know where Robert's laptop will be this afternoon?"

"Unless he brings it here, which I would seriously doubt, it will be on the desk in our suite."

"Then, if I may, I need your room's keycard, along with a note authorizing Ryan Kennedy to access your room?"

"If you're going to have Ryan check it out, the password is GreedIsGood."

"Are you shitting me?"

"No, he thinks of Michael Douglas' character as his hero."

"And you knew this?"

"He didn't tell me, but I saw him enter it one night."

"And you let him continue to run you grandfather's company? Mom, you're causing me to lose respect for you, moment by moment."

"Okay, maybe I am a dumb blond, but until you said something, I had kept the two separate in my mind. Now, I don't know what to do."

"For the moment, concentrate on encouraging Beverly and let's get past this funeral. I have a feeling that the next two days are going to be rather wild. After that, I suspect that the problem with Robert may work itself out."

"I agree concerning Robert. I'm now worried about the company."

"You know something funny, Mom?"

"I could use a laugh at the moment."

"Robert could get his wish about getting me involved with your company ... as his replacement."

"You would do that?"

"It's something KK and I will have to consider, at least on a temporary basis. I can assure you of one thing, though, there will be some wholesale changes made concerning the company's structure. KK had an astute observation yesterday. Robert is either a control freak or an adrenaline junkie. There is no reason that he should have so many 'emergencies', even in a company the size of yours."

"I really was blind, wasn't I, Son?"

"Maybe, to some degree, Mom ... but if you can't trust your mate, who can you trust? You had different priorities and goals and expected him to carry his end of the deal. If anyone was to blame, it was me. Instead of going to you with my reservations and concerns, I rebelled and fled Houston."

"I don't know if it would have made a difference, Kyle. You didn't have any facts to support your feelings, and I would have just dismissed them as part of your animosity toward Robert. Now, though we don't have all the facts, we have enough for me to pull the plug. While you get ready for the funeral, I'm calling my attorney to start divorce proceedings."

"Won't he end up with half of your assets?"

"Prenuptial agreement says he gets one million if I initiate the proceedings, and nothing if he initiates them. In addition, if he's convicted of a felony, he loses everything. I have a feeling I'm not going to owe him a cent."

"Okay, Mom. I'll get ready in a minute, but I need to go apologize to Kathleen."

When his Mom left his bedroom, Kyle went to the guest room door and knocked.

"Who is it?" asked his crying girlfriend and partner.

"It's me," Kyle responded. "I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait, I'm really not in the mood to see you at the moment."

"No, Sweetheart, it can't wait. I just had a talk with Mom."

Kathleen slowly opened the door. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were damp.

Kyle entered the room and closed the door. He immediately took KK into his arms and hugged her.

After a long minute, he softly kissed each of her eyes before softly saying, "I think we can tone it down some. Mom is pissed at Robert to the point of divorce, and will be immediately receptive to anything that Ryan discovers."

"Kyle Honey, I'll still be hurting a lot over the humiliation, but at least I won't have to act like I'm angry with you."

"Good, but there is something from Mom and my conversation you need to start thinking about."

"And that is?"

"I'll probably have to take Robert's place ... at least for a while."

"But, what about our new home, and our own goals and dreams? What about fulfilling your destiny and your promises to your grandfather concerning Chaos?"

"How we approach this, and developing our goals and plans are things we need to discuss in the future. As for as Chaos is concerned, remember that time there is different. No matter how long we are there, only fifteen minutes pass here on Earth."

Kathleen managed a small smile as she said, "Thanks, my sensitive warrior, for the assurance and for keeping me centered. Now, let's finish getting ready."

Kyle returned to his room and started to dress. Then, he suddenly sat down heavily on the side of the bed and slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. He immediately grabbed the phone and called Ryan's cell phone.

"Yeah, Kyle. What you need?"

"Robert has already left here, and Charlotte says his laptop is in their room. I have a note from her giving you permission to enter the room, her keycard and the laptop's password."

"That's a good start."

"I agree," replied Kyle, "but we missed something important. You need to get over here and start reviewing our own computer for anything he might have done or said while he was here. The security guard says that Robert made a lot of calls yesterday, and even sent the guard out to get him a sandwich, which he never ate. What's more, Mike, the guard, says that Robert gave him a nice tip."

"That doesn't sound much like Robert, does it? I'll be right over."

"I'll let Mike know you're coming, but you might want to slip in through my window. You can access the computer from there."

"That would be faster, but I can also access it from here. I didn't get to say anything the other day, but I was even able to set the system so that it could be monitored real-time from a remote location."

"Even better. What do you want me to do with the keycard, note and password?"

Rather than anyone at your place seeing me, why don't you put everything in an envelope and leave it on the window sill in your bedroom. I'll do a quick check of the security data and then head that way. If you leave for the funeral before I arrive, I won't miss you by much."

"That sounds like a good plan," responded Kyle. "Do you think you'll make it to the funeral at all?"

"I hope to, as I thought a lot of Jonas. At the same time, I feel that he would understand the importance of what I'm trying to do."

"I'll have my cell turned off during the funeral, so, if I don't see you there, I'll call as soon as I can get free."

Kyle ended the call and quickly finished getting ready. As was typical, he was still the first person finished, though the women were not far behind him. The last one to appear in the living room was Kathleen.

Charlotte looked at her future daughter-in-law as she entered the room and was very pleased. Kyle had chosen well; the young woman was as graceful and beautiful on the outside, as she was intelligent, compassionate and loyal on the inside.

"Young lady," she said to Kathleen, "you are going to turn the town of Houston on it's ear."

"Thank you, Charlotte, though I'm still not sure about moving to Houston. This area is the only home I've ever known, and I love our dry climate and our mountains. Houston is the exact opposite, with flat terrain and high humidity."

"Kathleen, there are plenty of ways to resolve that problem. Besides, I have a feeling that Kyle will straighten out the mess so quickly, that we won't need him except in an advisory capacity. On top of that, we have plenty of fast jets in our fleet. They can bring you home as often as you need."

"Thanks," KK said with a smile, "I hadn't looked at it like that before."

"I'm glad I could help expand your vistas. Remember, problems aren't necessarily barriers; look at them from a different perspective, and they can become opportunities. Now, as positive as this has been, we need to leave immediately. Are you two riding with us?"

Kyle responded with a tone of bitterness, "No. Well take the Buick, as I don't want to find myself stranded again."

As they walked out the front door, Kyle's mother asked, "What do you mean stranded again?"

"Mom, we rode with you to the funeral home yesterday. When Robert took you and the girls back to the hotel, he took your car. We had to call a taxi."

"I'm sorry, Son. That was probably my fault."

"Mom, let's cover this later, but Robert knew we had ridden with you ... I informed him of that, myself."

They then got in their respective cars and drove to toward the church where the funeral was to be held. As soon as they turned the corner, Robert pulled out of a parking place down the street and drove to the house. He quickly ran to the house, where he was greeted by Mike.

"Hi, Mr. Alexander. You just missed them."

"That's all right. I'll catch up to them in a minute. I just need to get something of my father's from his bedroom. It was something of my mother's that he wished to have buried with him."

"Okay, it's your father's house. Go get what you need."

With Mike staying in the living room, Robert rushed toward the back of the house, but instead of entering Jonas' bedroom, he entered Kyle's. He slipped on some latex gloves from a pocket and quickly removed a thick envelope from his inside coat pocket. He carefully lifted up the mattress, making sure that nothing was disturbed and slid the envelope between the mattress and the box springs.

Robert returned to the front room and assured Mike that he had found what he needed. As he drove quickly to the church, he smiled, knowing that all his planning and efforts would soon bear fruit. He walked into the church about seven minutes after his family, but still fifteen minutes before the service was to begin.



-------

Chapter 18


After joining his family, Robert attempted to hide his excitement. He was now certain that the achievement of his twin goals of getting his son to Houston, as well as separating him from Kathleen, was clearly in sight. In addition, after spending time with Kyle over the past few days, Robert firmly believed that Kyle's business abilities would make him look even better to the shareholders. With them happy, they could negate the control that Charlotte's stock had given her over the years ... maybe even enough to allow him to put his own slate of directors on the board.

As a part of this, just before he left hotel room, Robert sent an e-mail to Mark Keller of Texas Gulf Oil. It contained a warning about the negative publicity that was about to hit, regarding Kyle. He assured his friendly competitor that all the charges were phony and were just part of his plan to match Kyle with Mark's daughter. He had also e-mailed Brian, informing him that the money was about to be planted and instructed him to relay their suspicions to the District Attorney in such a way that they would easily find the doctored evidence.

The funeral had gone as expected, though Robert was still amazed at the outpouring of love and respect expressed by the overflowing crowd, a large number of whom were young people. At the end of the church portion of the ceremony, Robert found himself surrounded by people offering their condolences and pouring forth accolades for Jonas. Though he wanted to feel pride in their heartfelt expressions of grief and praise, Robert found he could not accept what he didn't understand, and he did not understand what great things his father could have done. Hell, the man was nothing more than a teacher.

When Robert was finally able to break free, he could not find the other members of his family. Assuming they had taken another vehicle to the cemetery, he rode alone in the limo assigned for immediate family. Of course that didn't really bother him, as he was seldom around them, anyway.

He did feel more assured when he saw his daughters standing beside Kyle and his soon to be ex-girlfriend. He was puzzled why he didn't see Charlotte.

'Who knows, ' he thought, 'she may have become overcome with grief and had to return to the motel."

The minister said a few more words of comfort to the family. The military escort folded the flag, and gave it Kyle. This was followed by the traditional pouring of a handful of dirt into the tomb by the family, the three-volley salute and finally a piper at the top of the hill playing a mournful rendition of Amazing Grace.

Momentarily distracted by all the activity, when Robert looked back to where Kyle and the others had been, he was surprised to find they had disappeared. This departure from what he expected, made him uneasy. Well, if truth be known, like most 'control freaks', anything outside the norm and outside his control, made him uneasy.

With few other options, Robert rode back to the funeral home in the Limo. He then drove to Jonas' house, expecting to find his family there. Unfortunately, when he arrived, the only one there was the security guard.

"Mike, have you seen or heard from any of my family."

"No, Mr. Alexander. I haven't seen or talked to a soul since you left."

"Okay, then maybe I should check the hotel, or their cell phones."

Robert called every number he could think of, but no one answered any of his calls. This was really puzzling him, so he went the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sat at the kitchen table and tried to figure out what was happening.

Lost in his thoughts, Robert almost didn't hear the ringing of the doorbell. When he heard the door open and voices, he decided the security guard must have answered it.

"Mr. Alexander," Mike spoke from the doorway. "There are two policemen at the door with a search warrant."

Robert gave a little smirk before putting on a somber face. Deciding he had the proper look and attitude, he followed the guard to the front foyer.

"Mr. Kyle Alexander?" asked one of the two plain clothed officers.

"That's my son, officer. How can I help you?"

"We have a warrant to search the house, and especially in his room."

"Officer, I'm sure Kyle has nothing to hide. I'll show you which is his room."

Robert stood at the door and watched the two men methodically go from one end of the room to the other. Finally, one of the two checked between the mattress and box springs and found the envelope. He carefully checked inside and nodded at his partner.

"What did you find?" asked Robert.

"I'm sorry sir, we can't divulge that information."

At the same time, the other officer called someone on his cell phone.

"We found it, Sir. Where do you want us to go from here? Okay, Sir, we'll do that."

The man ended the call. He then looked back to Robert.

"Sir, do you know where we can find your son?"

"No, Officer. We just buried my father this afternoon, and Kyle disappeared right at the end. Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"At the moment, we just want to talk to him. Do you know what kind of car he was driving?" asked the other cop.

"Not for sure. Let's see which car is in the garage."

The three men walked through the house to the interior entrance to the garage. There was a number of boxes, some tools and some pictures sitting along the back wall, but the only vehicle found was Kyle's Jeep.

"Well, his Jeep is here," said Robert, "so the must be driving my father's car. It's a beige Buick, but I have no idea as to which model, or what year."

"Sir, that at least gives us a start. Do you know when he'll be home?"

"Not really. I don't understand why he's not already here. I do know he should be at Stanley Patterson's office at ten in the morning. That's when my father's will is to be read."

One of the officers made a note in his little notebook, while the other one thanked Robert for his cooperation.

As soon as the police left, Robert decided to let the security guard go home. Robert expected Kyle to show up at any minute, but would spend the night in his father's house if he had to.

Once he was alone, Robert wanted to dance and cry out George Peppard's favorite line, 'I love it when a plan comes together'.

By ten that night, Robert was getting concerned. Kyle still had not returned, nor could he locate his wife and daughters. He had even tried calling Kathleen and her mother, but no one was answering their phone. Hoping that his son hadn't fled thinking he was facing jail, Robert was beginning to have doubts about his supposedly foolproof plan.

The next morning, Robert was almost in a panic. He couldn't get hold of any of his immediate family. He couldn't even reach his friend Brian at ODS. Finally, he called the security company to make sure Mike was coming today. After all his previous failed attempts to contact his family and Brian, just hearing a voice on the other end of the line encouraged him somewhat. The receptionist assured him that Mike was on his way.

By the time Mike finally arrived, Robert was ready to leave immediately for the reading of the will. They each exchanged a brief greeting before Robert raced to his car and drove off.

As he reached Stanley Patterson's office, Robert thought to himself, 'Now, maybe I'll be able to find out what's going on.'

Since he was a few minutes late arriving, Stanley's secretary immediately led Robert into a conference room. As he entered, he was surprised to find no one there but Stanley and Jonas' sister, Lucille. He slowly lowered himself into a chair, still trying to get a grasp of the situation. He was also surprised at how calm his aunt was, especially after the way she had acted at the house.

As soon as Robert was seated, Stanley began to read the will. Since he had already heard Stanley's summary from Saturday, Robert was only half-listening. Well, only half-listening until Stanley stated that the house was not just left to Kyle, but to Kyle and Kathleen jointly. One other provision, which was somewhat of a surprise, was that Wanda's wedding rings were to go to Kyle, to be given to his bride.

The final surprise was in the way that Jonas had deemed to split the net proceeds of his other assets between Robert's family and Lucille. He had declared that Robert's half was to be divided equally between his son, Charlotte, his daughters, Kyle and Kathleen.

Robert didn't catch the separation between Kyle and his daughters, but Lucille did. She was well aware that Kyle was Jonas' son, not Robert's. As for her calmness, Stanley had already informed her that Kyle was facing potential legal problems and had decided to sell her the house. The price was somewhat inflated, but she would have control of the portal. Kyle's only request was to exclude his own possessions, Jonas' tools, some pictures and other decorations. She was so excited to get the house, she never thought twice about rejecting such an emotionally logical request.

Thus, when Stanley presented Robert a check for a little over twenty-three thousand dollars, the reading of the will was officially ended. Stanley would use Lucille's portion as part of the payment for the house, and he would disburse the remaining funds later, or through the mail.

Robert stood to leave, but noticed that the lawyer and Lucille were now discussing the paperwork on the house. Since that didn't involve him, he returned to the lobby, heading for his car. There were three men waiting as he entered the room. Two of them immediately stood and revealed their badges.

"Mr. Alexander, we'd like a word with you."

"You're looking for my son, Kyle. I'm Robert Alexander."

"No, Sir, it's you we're looking for. You're under arrest for embezzlement, conspiracy to deny someone their civil rights, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit security fraud," the officer informed Robert. Actually there were a whole slew of other state and federal charges Robert would eventually be charged with.

"Now, you have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions," the officer continued, "anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Do you understand?"

A shocked Robert answered, "Yes."

"Good, then let's go to the station," the officer said as he and another of the three started to escort Robert from the lobby.

The third man waiting now stood and asked, "Could you wait one minute?"

The officer nodded and the third gentleman turned to Robert and asked, "Mr. Robert Alexander?"

Puzzled at this because his identity had already been revealed to the two policemen, Robert answered, "Yes."

The man then handed him a folded document and said, "You have been served."

-------

The events leading up to this point began the previous day at Jonas' funeral. Kathleen's brother, Ryan, slipped into the church just prior to the end of the service and pulled Charlotte, Kyle's mother, to the side. Their stepping back toward the restrooms basically went unnoticed.

"Ryan, what's so all-fired important that you had to pull me out of the service?"

Ryan handed her several sheets of paper and answered, "Read these two emails I found on your husband's computer, and you'll understand. I have a lot more information, but I figured these samples would thoroughly get your attention."

By the time she finished the first e-mail, the one to Mark Keller at Texas Gulf Oil, she was seething. When she finished the one to Brian Smiley, she was ready to kill.

"Ryan, you did the right thing. Now, I need to speak to my eldest daughter, and I need you to find Stanley Patterson. We need him to meet us somewhere immediately after the church service. Where are you parked? I'll need to ride with you."

"Because I arrived late, I actually parked just off the street in front of the church. Where do you want to meet Stanley?"

"Wherever you choose. I'll meet you at your car."

Charlotte waited at the rear of the church as the casket went by. It was followed by Lucille, Robert, Kyle, Kathleen and her daughters, along with a large number of well-wishers. As her family went by where she was standing in the shadows, Cathleen slipped next to her oldest daughter.

"Felicia," she whispered, "I need you to tell Kyle to drive to the cemetery in his car, not the limo, and I need you and Courtney to ride with him. Call me on your cell phone once you're in the car, and I'll explain. Oh, and don't say anything to your dad about this ... just do it."

Felicia smelled intrigue, and from the look on her mother's face, she knew her mother was deadly serious.

"Okay, Mom. Not a problem."

As her daughter responded, Charlotte noted the coffin was being turned to the right to be wheeled to the waiting hearse. Thus, when the others followed into the same hallway, she continued straight out the front door. Once separated from the others, she moved quickly to Ryan's Chevy Blazer.

As she reached the car, she heard the door lock click. She got in and slid low in the seat to minimize the chance her husband might see her. Moments later Ryan opened the driver's door, started the car, and quickly drove away.

After they had driven a block, Cathleen straightened out of the slumped position. A block later, they pulled into a small strip mall and waited. Within five minutes, Stanley Patterson pulled up on Charlotte's side of the car.

They both lowered their windows and Stanley asked, "Mrs. Alexander, what is this all about? Does it have to do with Kyle?"

"Yes, and please call me Charlotte. With my permission, Ryan has gotten into my husband's computer and found out what they are trying to do to Kyle and why. I felt that we needed to get you involved as soon as possible."

"Yes, you did. Do you have anything I can show as basis for a search warrant?"

She handed him the sheets Ryan had given her earlier.

At the same time, Ryan said, "Stanley, these are just two examples from his laptop. There is plenty of other evidence, also. This is about much more than breaking up Kyle and my sister, or getting Kyle to work with his father. Robert was stealing millions from what is primarily Charlotte's company."

"Okay, since it's just down the street, let's go to my office. I need to make some calls."

Before he could roll up his window and drive away, Charlotte asked, "Stanley, I know Texas has a waiting period before marriage. What about New Mexico?"

"New Mexico has no waiting period and no blood test. Are you going to tell those kids to go get married?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. We can still have the planned church wedding in a few weeks, but I want them to tie the knot before Robert can try some other shenanigan to keep them apart. Especially now that I know why the asshole has been trying so hard to keep them from getting married."

"Good, but tell them to call me as soon as it's done, as I will need to change certain documents before tomorrow's reading of the will."

On the way to Stanley's office, Charlotte's cell phone began to ring.

Seeing from the display that it was her daughter, Charlotte answered, "Felicia, are you and Courtney with Kyle?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Now, can you tell us what's going on?"

"Not at this point, other than your father's been a very bad boy. What I do want you to do is tell Kyle and KK to go to New Mexico after the burial and get married. We'll still have the church wedding, but I want them legally married, today. Is that clear?"

"The instructions are, but the reason's aren't. Hang on one minute while I tell Kyle."

Charlotte could hear some muted talk in the background, and then she heard Kathleen, having taken the phone, ask, "Charlotte, what's going on? And why New Mexico?"

"Your brother learned why Robert has been trying so hard to separate you two, and I want to suddenly make that task a whole lot harder. That is of course if you're still serious about marrying each other."

"Oh, we're very serious. I was just looking forward to the wedding we had planned."

"So am I daughter, so am I. We can still have that, but this is just to protect you legally. As for why New Mexico, they don't require blood tests or a waiting period like they do in Texas. You go to the county clerk's office, fill out a couple of forms, pay your fee and they issue you a license. At that point, any justice of the peace or judge can perform the legal ceremony."

"If it's legal, does that mean that I can finally give myself to Kyle?"

"It sure does."

"ALL RIGHT!" KK exclaimed. Then, as an after thought, she asked, "Would it be all right for my mom to go with us?"

"Sure, and I want the girls to stay with you, also. I just wish I could be a part of the ceremony, but I need to be in the middle of this here."

"Mom, do Kyle or I have to worry about spending time in jail?" asked a now more solemn Kathleen.

"That's part of why I need to be here, to keep that from happening. In addition, I wouldn't be surprised if within twenty-four hours, this entire town doesn't know that the whole thing was a sham. Your good name will be restored, and your mother can hold her head up high."

"Can I tell her that?"

"Yes, but you need to caution her not to tell ANYONE before the official news release. It won't change the clearing of your names; but it might allow Robert time to suppress evidence, or to flee the country, and we don't want that."

"Well, I sure don't want that to happen. I hope he rots in jail."

"KK, from what I'm seeing here, he just might."

-------

At the gravesite, while Kyle and his sisters were throwing handfuls of dirt on top of the casket, Kathleen eased next to her mom.

Feeling her daughter's presence, Beverly whispered, "Have you seen Ryan?"

KK whispered back, "No, but I know where he is, and he's okay. I'll tell you more later, but I need you to go immediately to your car and follow Kyle's car."

"I'll be ready after I speak to the family, and especially to my friend, Charlotte."

"Charlotte's not here, and she's the one who has told us to leave immediately. Mom, this really is important, but I can't say more at the moment."

"Oh! Well, if that's what Charlotte says to do, I'll go straight to my car."

"Good. We're in Jonas' Buick, and I can already see Kyle and his sisters heading toward the car. Now hurry!"

-------

Charlotte and Ryan sat in front of Stanley Patterson's desk as he talked with someone in the district attorney's office.

"Adam," Stanley exclaimed in frustration, "I'm not trying to circumvent the judicial system. I'm just telling you that there are facts in this case of which you are unaware ... facts that will alter everything you're thinking."

"Stanley, you're just wasting your time on this. We've got solid evidence obtained via a legal search warrant. As far as I'm concerned, the young man is guilty."

"Guilty of what?"

"Either embezzlement or theft, take your pick."

"And from whom did he steal the money?"

"Look, this is the last I'm going to say about this outside the courtroom. He stole the money from his employer, Cyberfun."

"Adam, if this goes into the courtroom you are going to be the biggest joke in the state of Texas. I wouldn't be surprised if your law school didn't demand your diploma back."

"Okay, Stanley, give me one fact that would accomplish that?"

"That's easy. Until two days ago, Kyle and his soon to be wife were the ultimate owners of Cyberfun. They can't have stolen from themselves."

A very subdued prosecutor sighed and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course. I'm the one who set up the corporate structure to hide their ownership from Kyle's father. What's more, I have photographic evidence showing that same father planting the envelope between the mattress and box springs of Kyle's bed."

"All right, Stanley. You've made your point. When do you want to get together, and why would a father do this to his son?"

"The when is: immediately. There are some other serious crimes here, and we need to have warrants issued as soon as possible. We may even need to pull in the FBI, as I think there are likely to be federal charges involved. As to the why, that's simple. Greed."

"If time is an issue, then come on to my office. While you're on your way, I'll make sure we have some staff to stay and help, along with warning one of the judges that we'll need him to issue various warrants this evening. What about the Feds, should we get them involved in the beginning?"

"What, and have them fuck this up. My thought is that, unless we need a Federal search warrant to obtain information where no state statute was involved, we just hand them a nice gift at the end."

"They'll love that."

"I'm sure they will, but Adam there is one requirement from our side."

"And that is?"

"No plea bargain for the father. This guy gets the book thrown at him. Probably, with the evidence we have, there may not be a need. As for the others, if you decide to give a reduced sentence to any of them for collaborating or expanding the evidence, I won't have a problem with it."

"Stanley, I'm not happy that this guy thought he could make a mockery of this office, so I'll make sure your request is honored, at least for the crimes that occurred within our jurisdiction."

"That's a thought I didn't consider, Adam. It might be good to have a representative of the Rangers present also."

"Okay, I'll get started. When do you think you'll get here?"

"I don't know with the traffic, but we're leaving my office as soon as I hang up."

-------

Beverly, Kathleen's Mom, quickly entered her mini-van and pulled out onto the narrow pathway that wound through the Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Just before she reached the main gate, she spotted the Buick containing Kyle and her daughter. She followed it onto Fred Wilson Avenue, and then onto the Patriot Freeway. When they reached I-10, she thought they were heading back toward home, but when they passed the Sunland Park exit, she was totally lost as to what was happening.

By the time they reached New Mexico, Beverly did something unusual for her. She used her cell phone to make a call while driving. Calling her daughter in the car in front of her, she became frustrated when the call went to voice mail. At that point, all she could do was to continue to follow.

A few minutes later, her phone started to ring.

Not taking her eyes off the road to see the display, she just answered, "Hello."

"Mom, I'm sorry I couldn't take your call a moment ago. I was on the phone with the Dona Ana Clerk of Court in Las Cruces. I was getting precise directions and checking their hours."

"KK, what's going on?"

"Mom, we don't know for sure, ourselves. But Charlotte told us on the way to the cemetery to leave as quickly as possible after the interment, and go to New Mexico to get married. We wanted you to be a part of our wedding."

"But what about your existing wedding plans?"

"We'll still have that as planned. But from the way Charlotte was directing us, I think there is a reason to be legally married as quickly as possible. That's why she's sending us to Las Cruces, as New Mexico doesn't require a blood test or a waiting period."

"Well, I trust Charlotte's judgment, and if she thinks it's necessary, then tell Kyle to kick that Buick in the ass and get us there. He could be driving at least ten miles an hour faster than he is. Probably even fifteen."

Kathleen laughed at her mother's remark and replied, "Okay, I'll tell him. I did sweet talk that old man into keeping his office open a few extra minutes, and he's having a judge friend of his waiting with him. We should be there in about twenty minutes."

At the southern edge of the city of Las Cruces, I-10 turns west, while I-25 splits off and continues it's northern journey to the lower half of Montana. Kyle stayed on I-10 until the third exit. Turning right, he traveled about a mile before reaching a nicely designed courthouse on his left. They ignored the main entrance, and went to the north end of the building.

The clerk of court's office was the second door after they entered the building and, true to his word, the man was waiting for them. He even had the forms already filled out, based on information Kathleen had given him over the phone. All they had to do to get their marriage license was to present their IDs, sign the forms, and pay the twenty-five dollar fee.

As soon as that was done, another man stepped forward and was introduced as one of the county justices. He performed a quick ceremony. With each of the couple responding with "I do" and Kyle slipping his grandmother's wedding rings on his bride's finger. The judge then pronounced them man and wife. At that point, there were hugs, kisses, and tears in abundance.

As they exited the building, Kathleen remarked, "I just wish Jonas could have been here to see this."

Kyle replied, "KK, I felt both his and grandmother's presence. They were both here."

As the five stood beside their car, Kathleen turned to her mom and said, "Mom, Kyle and I would like to be alone tonight. Do you mind taking Felicia and Courtney back to El Paso?"

"Not at all. Girls, do you want to stay with me until Charlotte can pick you up, or do you want to go back to your hotel."

The two girls looked at each other, and then Felicia answered, "We would love to stay with you. Your house just feels so much warmer than that hotel, and we're not talking about the temperature. Sis and I are now a little jealous of our new sister because she was able to grow up in such a loving environment."

Almost blushing from the effect of Felicia's words, Beverly herded them into her mini-van, and headed back to El Paso. At the same time, Kyle called his mother and let her know the couple was now husband and wife. She told him that she would also let Stanley know.

"Is Stanley with you?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, we're on the way to the District Attorney's office to nail my husband's hide to the barn door."

"Then let me talk to him a moment."

"Congratulations to the bride and groom," their attorney announced as he took over Charlotte's cell phone. "Now, you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes, I want you to sell the house to my aunt tomorrow after the reading of the will."

"Kyle, are you sure? Would Jonas be okay with that?"

"Yes, because I've learned he anticipated that might happen and made other arrangements. I also know he felt she had betrayed him, and that was part of why he committed suicide."

"Oh," said the attorney, not sure of how else to respond. "Then you're sure it was really a suicide?"

"Yes. I wasn't aware of it, but Jonas had Ryan install hidden video cameras in certain rooms in the house. I won't go into the details, but he chose suicide to protect me and my mom. He was a hero, even to the end."

"So, this is where some of the evidence against your father came from?"

"Yes, but it more told Ryan where to start. He's the one who put everything together. I've not seen any of it, nor was I aware of any hard evidence until this conversation. The last time I spoke to Ryan, all we had were suspicions."

"Well, let's just say that we've probably only seen the tip of the iceberg. And from all indications, the iceberg is huge. What's really funny, is that your father's smug arrogance and feeling that he was smarter than anyone else is going to be his undoing."

"Stanley, under attorney-client privilege, Robert isn't my father. Jonas was. Mom won't tell us all the details, but she told us after Jonas' death. That was where Lucille betrayed him, and keeping it a secret was part of the reason for his death."

"Well, that sure explains one thing. Jonas always separated you from the girls in every legal document and in all related provisions of his will. I thought it was because you were estranged from your father, but it was to protect your legal rights if this truth ever became known. Now, how do you want to handle this, concerning the house?"

"Use my potential legal troubles as a basis for my willingness to sell. I would like to start at two hundred and fifty thousand and fifty thousand for the contents. You can negotiate down from there, if necessary. Hopefully, I set the value at the point where she will have to think twice about trying to bargain the price downward. Of course, that excludes my personal possessions, Jonas' tools and some pictures and paintings that are valuable to me because Jonas cherished them. None are by famous artists or anything like that. The only jewelry I want is Grandmother's wedding rings, which I've already given to Kathleen."

"They were already willed to you, so that won't be an issue. Have you removed the stuff you want from the house?"

"No, but it is all in either my room, or gathered near the rear door of the garage. I wanted Lucille to have the chance to look through everything if she insisted on a review. I doubt that she will, as she will be so pleased about not having to fight me over the house, she probably won't even consider it important."



-------

Chapter 19


Kyle ended the call and hugged his new bride, asking, "What do you want to do, now, Mrs. Alexander."

"Besides lose my virginity? I guess, go to our new home."

"I like your plans, but I think we have a problem."

"And that is?"

"From what I remember about our tour of the house, there are no linens, kitchenware, or food in the house."

"Let's call Dr. Narduchi and make sure, as well as advising her that we will be moving in much sooner than expected. If you're right about that stuff, we can stay in a motel tonight and shop for the house in the morning."

Kyle called Patricia Narduchi, the trustee of the house Jonas called 'Missionary Ridge'. The trust had been created to care for and to oversee the property, which, with an occasional exception, would be used by Kyle and his descendents. She quickly verified that Kyle was correct about things needed for the house.

"Kyle, you and KK should probably review the entire house for things you will need. The house has never been lived in, and I've never done a thorough inventory. By the way, what happened to you at the gravesite? A lot of us wanted to express our condolences, but you just disappeared."

"There's some things going on at the moment that will probably hit the news within the next three days. Thus, for several reasons, my mother ordered us to run to New Mexico and get married."

"Well, congratulations to both of you, but you were a bad boy. You didn't honor your agreement concerning inviting us to the wedding."

Kyle chuckled, "Today was just to get the legal side of it covered. They are still planning the church wedding in El Paso in a few weeks."

"Okay, I guess I'll have to accept that. By the way, have you talked to Barbara Haywood?"

"No ma'am. Why?"

"She asked this afternoon if I knew where you had gone, and she seemed rather agitated."

"And that woman doesn't normally get agitated," replied Kyle. "I'd better give her a call."

"Do you have her number?"

"I think I have it in my phone's memory."

"Well, if you don't, call me back."

"Oh, one more thing. The keys and the remote you gave me are in my jeep, which is back at Jonas' old house. Is there a keypad and code I can use to get inside?"

"No, but Hector Lopez has a key. He can let you in and show you how to raise and lower the garage doors manually."

"Will he know who I am?"

"He has seen a picture, but you met his daughter when you visited. She will verify your identity."

"With her being in school, we probably ought to make a short visit this evening."

"That might be wise," Dr. Narduchi agreed.

When Kyle ended the call, Kathleen asked, "Who was agitated?"

"Barbara Haywood. She seemed upset when we disappeared?"

"I know she's the head librarian, but why should that bother her. Does she have a crush on you, or something?"

"A crush? No. As I sense it, she is madly in love with her husband. He's the captain who talked at the funeral about Jonas' medal from Viet Nam, as well as about his effect on so many of his students. I do think of her as a friend though. Also, I learned last Saturday that, while her husband is a Special Forces captain, she's a major."

"And Special Forces majors don't get easily agitated." Kathleen replied with some degree of force.

"You got it, Babe. I got the feeling, after watching her and her husband in action last Saturday, that she could take on a group of 'rag heads' with a fingernail file and not even chip a nail."

"Then call her. Even if it's not too important, it could at least put her mind at ease. That's important too, if she is a friend. Why don't I look for a motel for us, while you talk to her?"

The couple got into the Buick, with Kathleen driving. As they turned back toward the interstate, Kyle reviewed his call list and found the number for Barbara Haywood.

"This is Barbara. Is that you, Kyle?"

"Yes, ma'am. Dr. Narduchi sensed your concern after the funeral."

"Yes, you disappeared, and we lost you. I was concerned you and Kathleen had been snatched."

"Barbara, it sounds like we need to talk. The problem is that we're trying to stay hidden for a little while, both because of my father and because of some strange events surrounding Jonas' suicide. I have been warned by several people that I was being watched. Were you responsible for that?"

"No, but we were watching those who were watching you. And you are correct, we do need to talk. Where can we meet without being observed?"

"Why don't we meet tomorrow where we spent last Saturday? That isolated area should reveal any prying eyes, and keep away listening ears.

"I agree. That's a good choice. What time do you want to meet?"

"Say fifteen-thirty. You can bring your husband, and I'll bring my wife."

"Wife?"

"That's where we disappeared to this afternoon?"

"Well, congratulations are in order!. Mark and I wish you the best. Is there anything you need?"

"Yes, ma'am, but I don't expect it to be a present. I know this is probably stretching our friendship, but based upon your remarks and concerns, I would like to have two .40 caliber Glocks, one compact and one sub-compact. Several spare clips and several boxes of ammunition would be good, too. Some 'take-down' and some standard ball for target."

"I can handle that. How about shotguns and long guns?"

"I don't have anything at the moment. I had a M1911 in my bedroom, but I don't have it with me, and to be honest, I'm beginning to feel a little exposed."

"Kyle, I'm sure Mark and I can come up with some things that will help remove that feeling of 'being naked'. Just be careful in the meantime."

"I will, and thanks."

Kyle ended the call and turned his attention back to their surroundings. Kathleen had already exited the interstate and was turning down a road with a lot of commercial lots for sale, as well as several buildings under construction.

"Where are we heading, Babe."

"A sign on the interstate pointed to a Springdale Suites down here. I thought we'd check it out. What's the story on Barbara? And did I understand you were asking her to get us some guns?"

"Yes, when she confirmed that something has been going on. Barbara also confirmed that someone has been shadowing us. She and Mark have had people shadowing the watchers. Since she was so concerned about us, I felt it would be better to get some personal protection. Besides, it's not like we don't have the money to pay for it."

Kathleen pulled into the entrance of the hotel and parked. They entered and found the place to be clean and functional. You could not classify it as a five-star hotel, but they didn't care. It would definitely meet their needs and it was far enough off the beaten path to provide some element of anonymity.

Kyle registered and paid for the suite with cash. As everything was being processed, Kathleen asked about a good place to eat.

"Do you want fast food, a main meal, or something in between?"

"I don't know about my new husband, but I want a good piece of beef."

"The Cattle Barron on Telshor would probably be the best place. They have good steaks and an excellent prime rib. Here, take this map. It will show you how to get there."

"Kyle?" she asked, looking at him questioningly.

"Babe, I don't have a problem with it. The next question is; do we eat first, or go see the new house?"

"I'm too hungry to not eat first, so let's delay going to the house."

They drove straight to the restaurant. It was early enough not to have a long wait, and they were served quickly. When they left, feeling stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey, it was still daylight when they headed to the house.

Since that area of New Mexico was still unfamiliar to them, they were surprised to pull up to Hector Lopez's house less than twenty minutes later. As Kyle and KK exited the Buick, a man in his late thirties or early forties stepped out the door carrying a shotgun.

Before they could identify themselves, Varena came running up from one of the outbuildings and cried, "Papa, Papa, this is our new patrón, Kyle. He is Jonas' grandson."

The man smiled and moved the shotgun to the crook of his left arm. With his right arm now free, he reached out his hand.

"Welcome to Missionary Ridge, patrón. Come, meet my family."

With great pride, the man introduced each member of his family, and Kyle introduced his bride. As each male was introduced, he reach out to shake Kyle's hand and to kiss the back of Kathleen's. As for the females in his family, they all curtsied.

Kyle explained what they needed, and Hector quickly had one of the children bring them an extra key to the house. With the key in hand, Hector climbed onto an ATV and led the couple to the house. He opened a standard door beside the garage doors, and then showed them how to raise and lower the larger doors.

Once they were inside, Hector gave Kyle the spare key he had used. After a general discussion of the couple's plans, he revealed where some of the supposedly missing items were stored. Once Kyle felt they had everything under control, Hector returned to his home, and the young couple went through the house making lists of needed items, both immediate and future.

It was totally dark when they finally locked up and headed back to the motel. As they passed the Lopez's house, the front porch lights flashed twice. Kyle assumed it was an acknowledgement that they were aware of Kyle and KK's departure.

As they drove back to the motel, KK asked, "Didn't all that hand kissing and curtseying bother you. I was surprised that you didn't put a stop to it."

"I guess I've gotten used to it at Shiloh. You have to understand, it's part of their culture, and it stems from a feudal heritage. They know we are not their lords and masters, but, at the same time we are providing them a nice place to live, food on their table and a nice income for little work. So, it helps their pride to see us in that way."

"I don't understand. How does it help their pride?"

"In a feudal system, the people were tied to the land. They provided a service to their patrón, and the patrón took care of them. By doing their best to please their patrón, they could feel honor and pride. Without that view, they would see what Jonas set up, and what we're continuing, as charity."

"And charity destroys that sense of pride?"

"Exactly. It bothered me at first on Shiloh. I was afraid that Jonas had set himself up as a minor king, but after he explained everything to me, it made perfect sense."

"But why haven't I seen this among other Hispanics in the area?"

"Primarily because, at one time, Hector's family was likely tied closely to one of the larger Haciendas ruled by a Spanish Hidalgo, or nobleman. Their ancestors may have even been brought here from Spain. In contrast, most of the Hispanics we see today are mestizos. The mestizos' heritage is more Aztec and other Indian, rather than a Spanish one."

"Kyle, I'm not sure I'm following what you're trying to say."

"Okay, let me put it like this. Compare a typical Texan with someone from Boston, Philadelphia or Virginia whose family came here from England prior to the Revolution. We are all Americans, but our culture is entirely different. All of these Hispanics speak Spanish, but their culture, shaped by their heritage, is drastically different."

"Now, it's making sense. Is it the same way on Chaos?"

"Not with everyone, but it is for most of the families that are part of Shiloh. It also stems for their love and respect for their patrón. In a way, they actually see themselves as part of his family, and when he is respected, they are respected."

"I understand, but it seems so ... so un-American."

"Why? They're not slaves. They're free to leave if they want to. We don't tell them what to believe, who to vote for, or who to marry. I don't even require them to refer to Jonas or me as Patrón. So, to me, it is nothing more than calling me 'honored and respected Boss'."

"I guess it's always been my view that we are all equal. For some reason, I feel this sets us up in a higher class than them."

"KK, how did you feel when Dr. Narduchi asked you to call her Patricia?"

"Awkward. Oh, I get it. I didn't have a problem as see her as someone better than me, but it was by my own choice, not something that was forced upon me."

"I think you're finally getting the picture. We elevated her to a higher place in our minds because we felt she was worthy of the respect, not that we were lesser people."

"Or a lower class."

"Exactly. The difference in the US today, is that respect is not hereditary ... it has to be earned. Now, to the Lopez family. We have that respect because of Jonas and because Dr. N vouched for us as good people. If we started acting like assholes, then either the title, or the family, would disappear.

"It will be the same way at Shiloh. If we were uncaring and abusive, then the only way we could keep our people would be to turn them into slaves, and that is what those who are trying to take over the place intend to do. According to Jonas' notes, more than ten thousand free and independent people on that planet have been recently turned into slaves. If Jonas is correct, and there's a link to Earth, then ultimately, that's also what they plan to do to us."

"So you think that the outcome of the war on Shiloh could affect us here on Earth?"

"That was Jonas' conclusion. And remember, it was someone here on this planet, who forced Jonas to the point of suicide to protect those he considered family on both planets."

"Wow! Kyle, that sure changes my perspective. Going to Chaos is no longer a 'we'll see' proposition. It's mandatory."

After a pause, Kathleen asked, "Now that decision is firmed up, where do we go from here?"

"I think our first priority is to get things in order here. I don't won't to take long, but it will eliminate some outside distractions. It will also give us a chance to recruit Larry and Nadia, and do some planning."

"Wouldn't a delay throw off those watching us here, as well? Looking at it from their perspective, I would expect you to immediately head to Chaos. If you don't, then they may figure that either you were ignorant about the portal, or that your new wife wouldn't allow you to put yourself in danger just to impregnate another woman."

"And what does my new wife think about that?"

"Kyle, we fight the battle together, and as long as I get the rest of you, then I'm okay. Besides, from what I've read and from what you've told me, the future of an entire world hangs in the balance. It makes me feel rather selfish to try to keep you all to myself."

Just as they reached the outskirts of Las Cruces, Kyle's cell began to ring. Rather than be distracted in an unfamiliar area, he handed it to Kathleen. She read the ID and saw that it was Charlotte.

"Hi, Mom. How are things going there?"

"Excellent. They are satisfied that Kyle is innocent of all charges, and my soon-to-be ex-husband is going to spend much of the rest of his life in jail."

"I like the sound of that. Mom, I was wondering, what's going to happen to Cyberfun?"

"What was decided is that the two of you sold it in good faith. Therefore, the money you received is yours and everything else follows according to the original deal. What is really the issue for the court to decide is, does my company own it, since it was purchased with stolen money, or will it be owned by Robert's shell company which will be owned by my company. I guess, either way, it will effectively stay in our family's control. In fact, Felicia has requested that she transfer to UTEP and help run it."

"Mom, with us in the area, it might be good for her. I would suggest getting my Mom to help her, because Mom already knows the people, the kitchen, and how to order supplies."

"Then, why don't I make Beverly the manager?" asked Charlotte, "and let Felicia be her assistant?"

"Because Mom wouldn't accept it. She doesn't have the confidence. In addition, I think our being students increased the loyalty of our customer base."

"Do you really think Felicia could handle it?"

"From what I've seen from her over the past few days, I think she can. Especially with Mom assisting. Being Kyle's sister, will also help her. When the truth comes out and everyone hears that Kyle was innocent, having her take over will just reinforce the fact of his innocence. Knowing those students, they will rally around her to show support for Kyle and me."

"Does Kyle agree?"

"He's nodding his head, so I would say so. We've just pulled into the motel, so I'll let you talk to him."

"Hi Mom, are you okay?"

"Kyle Baby, I can't remember when I have felt better. My only concern now, is what's going to happen to the price of the stock when this gets out."

"Mom, go to the board and to the stockholders and be proactive. Tell them the truth, including that, at the moment, you don't know how big a hit the company will take."

"Are you sure? The price will fall like a rock."

"Yes, but only for the short term. People tend to overreact at a time like this. Then, when it about hits bottom start buying! Have Stanley use some of that money we received from Cyberfun and the sale of Jonas' house to buy up all we can."

"Why would we do that? We already own forty percent."

"Mom, the trust owns forty percent. I'd like to see us get our personal share up to about the fifteen percent level. Then, when I get the company turned around, the stock will be worth more than it is today. Since neither of us are employees, nor do we own any personal stock, it doesn't have to be shown to the public that we're doing the purchasing ... at least not until we hit the five percent threshold. As for someone to take Robert's place, just say that we're actively seeking a new CEO, and that your son who is just graduating from UTEP will be assisting in the interim."

"They're going to want to know about your experience. What should I tell them?"

"The truth ... that I have been the part time assistant manager of a restaurant. If that don't instill confidence, I don't know what will."

Charlotte actually giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Son, you are so bad. You know exactly how they will react to that piece of news."

"Yes, but it will be the truth. Now, if Stanley is with you, let me talk to him."

A slightly smug sounding attorney said, "Well, Kyle, I told you not to worry. I knew the moment they started that embezzlement crap we had 'em by the shorts. I figured the least that would come of it was a slander suit. My problem was that I had no idea just how deep this cesspool really was. The funniest one to me, was Ryan getting a picture of Robert planting the money. I thought the DA was going to swallow his teeth."

"Stanley, I haven't heard about that one. Ryan did what?"

"Do you remember leaving Ryan the envelope with the passkey and authorization for Charlotte's room?"

"Yes."

"Well, Ryan had come to your bedroom window to pick it up and there was Robert, pretty as you please. Ryan thought quickly enough to record it on his cell phone. He recorded Robert, envelope in hand, placing it where it was later found. It was priceless, and removed any doubts about Robert being actively involved in trying to discredit you."

"So," asked Kyle, "what happens now?"

"They've already used a warrant to pick up Robert's laptop, along with his desktops at home and the office. Robert's secretary has been sent on an extended vacation. The people from the shell company, and their computers, have been picked up. Police detectives here and in Houston will be working all night digging through the files."

"If Robert gets wind of this though, he'll flee."

"We're trying hard to keep him isolated. But, if he does flee, he won't get far. His offshore bank accounts have been frozen, and his credit and ATM cards have been cancelled. Charlotte has even gone so far as to close out their joint account and to open a new one in her name only."

"That will probably do the trick. When are they going to lower the boom on him?"

"Tomorrow, after the reading of the will. We are trying to have Charlotte's divorce papers served on him at the same time."

"I just hope that I can sit through the reading of the will without killing his ass."

"Kyle, I don't want you there, tomorrow. It's not necessary. The only one we want there besides Robert and myself, will be your Aunt Lucille."

"Speaking of her, have you called her about the house?"

"Yes, and she didn't even quibble over the price. She will be bringing a cashier's check in the morning. As for the stuff you plan to exclude, she said, and I quote, 'That's okay. Kyle's a good boy. He won't cheat me'."

"Damn, that sure is a long way from her attitude on Saturday. How do you suggest we handle it?"

"Is that guard still working?"

"I assume so."

"Then, we'll use the same idea that Kathleen came up with to document the contents of the safe. You can get some disposable cameras, and have the guard take pictures of everything removed from the house. I can pick up the exposed cameras after I finish with Robert and Lucile, and store them in my big safe for a while. In fact, I'll set a time limit in the contract for Lucille to review them."

"I can see that working, except I won't be going anywhere around that house. Is Ryan there?"

"No, he's already left."

"Then, I'll track him down and get him, or someone, to move everything into storage. They will also take care of the disposable cameras. I'll check in with you after lunch tomorrow, but KK and I will both be available by cell if you need us."

For the past few minutes of the call, Kyle and his bride had been sitting in front of their hotel. As they walked across the parking lot, the phone started ringing again. Checking the ID, it was Stanley."

"Yes, Stanley? You do realize this is supposed to be our honeymoon?"

"I'm sorry Kyle, but I just realized we have a problem. I need 'power of attorney' papers for you and Kathleen, in order to transfer the house to your aunt."

"Won't the ones you have work?"

"No, because they just authorized me to act for your LLP. I'm going to need new ones for the two of you. I'll also need a copy of your drivers licenses and your marriage license."

Getting frustrated, Kyle sighed and asked, "Do we need to drive down to your office?"

"I don't think so. Can the two of you meet me at the El Paso Country Club in an hour?"

"Make it an hour and a half. If I don't get at least some cuddle time with my bride, I'm going to go nuts."

Stanley laughed and replied, "Okay, I get the picture. I haven't eaten dinner yet, and I still need to prepare the forms, so why don't we make it two hours."

"Stanley, that's going to make it awfully late. Why don't we meet in the morning at the MickyD's on Sunland Park Drive? I can have copies made here of the documents you need. I'll bring them with us."

"That will work, as I can cut down Doniphan and get on the Interstate from Sunland. Say eight-thirty?"

"That'll work.

By the time Kyle ended this call, the couple were back in their hotel room, or suite, as it was designated.

Kyle looked at his bride and said, "Babe, I need to make one more call. Why don't you start your shower? Hopefully, I'll be quick enough to join you. After that, we'll see what we can do about curing you of that dreadful virginity."

"Are you calling my brother?"

"Yes, I need someone to get my stuff from the house and into storage."

"I would say that was worth another phone call. Just don't take too long."

Kyle dialed his friend.

"Hey, Kyle. Congratulations again."

Hearing a lot of noise in the background, Kyle asked, "Where are you?"

"At Cyberfun. Charlotte asked me to reassure the staff regarding the future and to introduce your sisters. It's a good thing I came. These people were all ready to quit, and we only had about half our normal customers. I think Robert's buddy ended up alienating himself, rather than humiliating you."

"Hopefully they'll come back."

"It's already started. Those that were here, figured out quickly that something positive was happening, and your sisters have been charming the socks off everyone. People started calling their friends and, the next thing you know, we're having a celebration. The funny thing is that almost none of them know why we're partying."

"Ryan, they're college students! They don't need an excuse or reason to party."

"That's true. Now, did you need something? Courtney is trying to get my attention."

"I need my personal stuff, and the stuff we put in the garage the other night, moved into storage somewhere. I also need you to get some disposable cameras and have the security guard take photos of everything that's removed."

"I thought your problems with Robert were about over?"

"Remember, Robert wasn't the only problem."

"Right. As for in the morning, I have an exam at nine. When do you want it done? And would Mom's garage be a okay temporary storage location?"

"It needs to be done after Robert leaves for Stanley's office, which should be around ten-fifteen. Yes, your Mom's garage will be fine, but I need you to carefully lay that civil war thing we did the other night in the back of my Jeep, and then place my clothes on top to cover it. You'll need to also move my Jeep to your house. I'll try to pick it up, along with my clothes, sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"Disposable cameras, Civil War thing, clothes. Got it. Now, what will I do with the cameras?"

"Tell Mike to hold on to them until Stanley comes to get them."

"What if Robert gets there first?"

"Ryan, Robert probably will be going directly to jail without 'passing go'. What's more, there won't be any 'get out of jail free' cards for this one, either. Now, are we straight? Your sister's been waiting for me in the shower for so long she's probably starting to look like a prune."

Shit! Kyle, that is WAY too much information concerning my sister. Don't you know that older brothers like to think of their sisters as permanent virgins?"

"And when she has a baby?"

"It's called the 'immaculate conception'," laughed Ryan.



-------

Chapter 20

After ending the phone call to Ryan, Kyle hurried to join his new bride in the shower. As he stepped behind the curtain, his eyes feasted on the wet beauty that stood before him. Kathleen almost chuckled at the look on his face, but she instinctively knew that something like that would completely destroy the moment. Instead, she moved close, wrapping her arms around his narrow waist.

Breaking out of his stupor, Kyle slowly used his two index fingers and moved the wet hair behind her ears. He then cupped her face in his hands and pulled her into a long, tender kiss that left the two of them breathless. Noticing that she had closed her eyes during the kiss, Kyle softly kissed each eyelid, moving from left to right across her face. His kisses then continued, going first to the tip of her noise, back to her lips for a soft kiss with no tongue.

Next he moved to her right earlobe, which he gently sucked. Slowly, he moved behind the ear, softly kissing down her neck and out to her shoulder. Kathleen was so turned on she was beginning to get chill bumps. Expecting Kyle to move to her breasts, she was surprised when he turned her around and held her back to his chest. In this position, he gently cupped her breasts with his hands as he continued to kiss on her neck. He also began to add small nibbles in among the kisses.

Kathleen's mind was overwhelmed by her emotions, and her legs were beginning to feel as if they were made of water. When she felt Kyle's body separate from hers, it took her a short time for her mind to register the fact. As she became more aware of her surroundings, she felt Kyle's fingers in her hair, slowly moving in soft and tender swirls. This continued for a short while before it dawned on her that he was shampooing her hair. What really floored her was the realization that it was the most romantic thing she had experienced so far this evening.

Protecting her eyes, Kyle rinsed her hair thoroughly before repeating the process. After the second rinse, he applied a small amount of conditioner and then proceeded to wash the remainder of her body, giving the conditioner time to work its magic.

"I can't believe how turned on I am!" she advised. "My body and mind are screaming for you to take me right here."

"Babe, that would not be a good idea for your first time. Just be patient, it will come soon enough."

"Kyle, you big lug, thirty seconds ago would not have been too soon."

"Well, let me wash quickly and we'll rinse out the conditioner. We can then dry off and move to the bed."

"Whoa, Buster. I've got to at least reciprocate by washing you."

"Why don't we catch most of that in round two. You can wash my back and cock, and I'll quickly wash the rest. I don't want you to be in here so long that you lose most of that wonderful lubrication that you have been producing for the past few minutes."

"Okay, I'll settle for your compromise."

The couple proceeded as planned and soon each was working hard drying the other with a big, fluffy towel. Kyle paused long enough to grab KK's comb and run it through her hair while it was still wet. This act touched Kathleen far more than she would have thought, because, even though he was hard as a nail, he still thought of her needs before his.

Satisfied that her hair would at least not end up in a rat's nest of tangles, Kyle led Kathleen to the downturned bed. After laying her down in the middle of the bed, he cuddled close before he picked up where he left off before he started washing her hair.

Slowly kissing her along an imaginary line from the hollow of her shoulder to her swollen breasts, he ramped up his wife's anticipation to the point she could feel a small orgasm building in her body. Only this did not feel like anything she had ever produced with her fingers.

Instead of focusing on her nipples, Kyle instead focused on the area around her breasts, especially on the underside. When he suddenly moved up and gently bit her turgid right nipple, her mind seemed to shatter with the explosion that occurred over her entire body, not just in the area around her vagina. When he moved over and did the same thing to her left nipple, her body gave a slightly subdued encore performance.

At this point, Kathleen expected her husband to move down and take her virginity, but instead he gently lay his head on her stomach and blew air across her navel. A few minutes later, Kyle finally began to move south, but with his tongue and lips. Of course, it didn't take her long to decide that this was not necessarily a bad thing.

As Kathleen felt her body begin the ramp-up to another orgasm, she realized that Kyle had given her body time to enjoy the after shocks of her two large feminine 'earthquakes' before moving forward in their lovemaking. The feeling of closeness and the blowing across her navel had kept her just sexually excited enough for him not to have to start the next round from point zero.

When Kyle finally reached her widespread legs, he again surprised her by focusing first on the inside of her thighs, giving both of them the same treatment he had early given her neck and shoulder. She could have never, even in her wildest dreams, considered how much these soft kisses affected her.

Kyle, by moving over and doing the same to the lips of her pussy, had moved their lovemaking to an entirely different plain. She was now to the point of excitement that she could feel the lubricant her body was producing form little rivers, flowing downward over the bottom of her ass and onto the sheet below.

For more than ten minutes, Kathleen's lover licked, kissed and probed her pussy with his tongue, slowly bringing the pressure in her sexual boiler to the point of rapture. When he wrapped her clit with his lips and beat it with his tongue, the safety valve popped. Thus, in the midst of another massive 'little death', KK rolled her eyes until only the whites could be seen, and passed out.

When she regained consciousness a few minutes later, Kathleen found Kyle gazing into her eyes and gently stroking the left side of her face. The love she saw in his face and eyes erased any fear she had about the transition of their relationship, or their future together.

"Kyle, does it get any better than that?"

"I can't say for sure, because I'm not a woman. I just know that from my standpoint, the next step is extremely rewarding."

Softly grasping Kyle's cock, his bride asked, "Do you need me to do you with my mouth?"

"Not this time, KK. In my world, the wedding night should be all about your pleasure, not mine. Besides, I can't imagine myself getting any harder than I am, and I want my first load to go into your pussy, imagining I'm planting my son in your fertile womb."

"Is that what you want? To put a baby in my stomach?"

"Eventually, but for now, I just want to practice. After all, practice makes perfect."

KK laughed softly and said, "And I DO want to make perfect babies for you."

"Then are you ready for our first practice session."

"My husband, I've been ready, though I do have a question."

"And that is?"

"I know how little you've dated, at least while you weren't in the army. Where in the hell did you learn what all you've done to me?"

"Jonas's caretaker on Crossroads decided that part of her job was to teach me how to satisfy a woman."

"Well, she did such a good job that when we get there, I'm going to give her a kiss in appreciation. Now, show me some more of what she taught you."

Kyle moved over on top and placed his cock just at the lips of her leaking, steamy caldron. Then, keeping as much of his weight off her as possible, he began to slide forward. It did not take him long to reach the barrier of her maidenhead.

At the sudden feeling of pressure, KK unconsciously tensed, but after Kyle just continued a mild pressure against it, she slowly relaxed. This relaxation was also precipitated by the tender expressions of love he softly whispered in her left ear. All this stimulation combined to create the beginning of another quake, and when he nipped the bottom of her left breast, she exploded. Then, like a crazy Hawaiian surfer, he rode the crest of the resulting tsunami all the way to her cervix. Her virginity was gone, and all she had felt was pleasure ... mind shattering pleasure.

Kyle again waited until the aftershocks ended before he started moving within her. Her warm moisture and the feel of her arms and legs wrapped around him were almost more than he could take.

"Kyle, you feel so good in me. Your hardness fills me more than I could have imagined, yet it has a soft, velvety texture that I could have never imagined."

"You also feel wonderful, my lover, my wife, my best friend. I am now sensing emotional links to you I've never felt before. We've known each other most of our lives, yet these are links I've never felt with any other person. Maybe there is something to the idea of two becoming one."

"I agree, but Kyle, please don't hold back for me. I don't know if my body could take another one of those tonight. I just want to feel your body softly loving mine, and then feel your semen pour into my body. That would be the perfect end to a perfect evening."

A few minutes later, she got her wish, and the two quickly drifted into a deep sleep, still in each other's arms.

-------

The next morning, Kyle realized that he had forgotten to request a wakeup call. It was already after seven when the need to pee became sufficiently strong to bring him out of his slumber. He was groggily returning to rejoin his wife in bed when the clock beside the bed got his attention. Instead of getting under the covers, Kyle sat on the edge and leaned over. He kissed Kathleen until she was at least partially awake.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know I need to wake up cuddled next to you?"

"KK, if I got back under the covers, we wouldn't leave here for at least two hours. Instead we need to leave to meet Stanley in less than an hour."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I just realized I forgot the wakeup call when I saw the clock as I was returning from the bathroom. My taking a minute to wake you up with kisses was a compromise."

"A compromise?"

"Yes," Kyle laughed. "My choice was between climbing back into the bed and forgetting about our meeting, or popping your beautiful ass with a wet towel."

Kathleen glared at Kyle as she responded, "Good choice, Buster. I thank you for your compliment about my butt, but remember, and remember well ... I do not respond well to wet towels, cold water, or hard slaps applied to my gluteus maximus. And that applies, whether I'm asleep or awake."

"I'll take that into account for the future, though I will warn you that I take after that rabbit cartoon character?"

Trying to figure where Kyle was going with this, she asked, "And how is that?"

"If I duze it I get a licking ... I duze it."

Remembering the quote, KK laughed and said, "You goof. Now let me out of this bed. We both need a shower, and I need more time than you to get ready."

"Should we take another shower together?"

"Not if you want to get out of here in less than four hours. Now, go shave while I have my shower. I smell like I made love for half the night."

"You did," laughed Kyle.

KK grinned and replied, "You're right, I did, and I'm sure that Stanley knows it too. At the same time, I don't want to advertise it to the world."

With that, Kathleen gave her husband a toe-curling kiss and jumped from under the covers. She looked for some fresh clothes and realized that they didn't have any."

"You know what we forgot?" she asked Kyle.

"What's that?"

"We don't have any fresh clothes or toiletries. We can use the motel soap and shampoo, but we'll have to wear yesterday's clothes."

Kyle slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand and exclaimed, "You're right. We should have picked up some things last night, but our minds were too distracted by other issues ... like the new house, sex, guns, sex, getting the old house emptied, sex, food, and of course, let's not forget ... sex."

Kathleen laughed at her sweet man's antics and answered, "Yes, let's not forget the sex. Though, as good as it was last night, I seriously doubt we could have, even if we wanted to."

"True, but now we need to quickly get out of here. We can go shopping for some new clothes after we meet up with Stanley. Also, remind me that we need to get some things copied at the front desk."

As she stepped behind the curtain into the steaming shower of water, KK looked back at her husband and said, "Don't forget we need to get some things copied at the front desk."

Before Kyle could throw anything at her, she ducked her head back into the shower.

"Grrrrrr!" was Kyle's response.

-------

Even though they were late waking up, the couple actually reached their rendezvous point with Stanley almost fifteen minutes early. As they pulled into the parking lot, Kyle noticed a sign advising that the fast food restaurant had wi-fi connection. So, when they went inside, Kyle took the laptop he had stored earlier in the Buick's trunk.

Then, while KK ordered food and drinks, Kyle booted up to check his e-mail. Most of it was either spam or notes from friends and classmates expressing either sadness over his grandfather, or concern regarding the accusations the previous morning at Cyberfun. One of those emails was from Larry Martin.

The really important one was from Sid, who advised that he had to fly back home around noon. He expressed the need for them to still get together for a few minutes and gave Kyle the phone number for his room.

Kyle pulled out his cell phone and called the number immediately.

"Hello," answered a voice that sounded still groggy.

"Sid, this is Kyle Alexander. I apologize if I called too early."

Looking at the clock beside the bed, Sid responded, "No, it's not to early, and I needed to wake up. What happened to you after the funeral yesterday? I was hoping to speak to you, and suddenly you were gone."

Kyle explained all that had been going on and their quick trip to New Mexico.

"Bummer, Dude, about your father, though I guess congratulations are in order regarding the wedding."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. She's a very special lady."

"Kyle, the question that immediately comes to my mind is, does this change the reason for even having our meeting?"

"You mean, do I still plan on returning to Chaos?"

"Yes."

"I not only plan on going, but KK will be going as my companion."

"Man, do you really think that's a good idea, especially with this being your first trip?"

"But, it's not my first trip. I've made numerous trips as Jonas' companion. I've discussed everything with her, and Jonas even brought a companion manual back on his last trip. She's already read it from cover to cover."

"And she's not jealous about your impregnating another woman?"

"Sid, her response was 'we're talking about the survival of a world here, there's no way I could be that selfish'."

"Damn, man, she has to be, as you said, a very special lady. How will she handle the conditions there, and how will she react to your caretaker?"

"Sid, KK may be a special lady, but she's also a tomboy, and has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We've camped together, hiked the desert together, and even studied martial arts together. She's not a dainty little piece of fluff that will come apart at the lack of modern conveniences, or the sight of blood. The caretaker part I'm a little unsure of, but she's aware of what is involved and hasn't given me any sign of alarm over the matter."

"It sounds like you've found your ideal partner. I hope someday I can find my own. Now, how can we get together before my plane leaves?

"What motel are you staying at?" asked Kyle.

"The Radisson at the airport."

"There's a MickyD's just down the road. We'll meet you there in around an hour."

"Okay, but watch for a tail."

"I think we've shaken him, but just in case, we'll drive around twice and you can see if anyone follows us through the second time."

"That should work. How will I know if it's you?"

"Park as close to the main entrance as you can, but preferably across the driveway. We're in a cream colored Buick Park Avenue, and as we drive through, KK will scream out the window, 'Go Miners'."

Sid laughed, "I shouldn't have any trouble identifying you under that situation. I'll see you in about an hour."

When Kyle looked up from the call, he realized that Stanley had already joined them.

"I apologize, Stanley, I was so caught up with the call, I didn't see you arrive."

"That's okay. Kathleen met me at the door to give you a some privacy. I just sat down."

"Now, what do we need to sign?" asked Kyle.

"These two forms give me power of attorney regarding the sale of the house and the furnishings. This form is a quitclaim deed, and you both need to sign it. Also, I need the copies of your driver's and marriage licenses."

"Here are the copies," KK said as she handed them to their lawyer, "though I can't imagine why I need to be involved in this."

"Because Jonas left the house to both of you, though in his will he used your maiden name. That's why the copy of the marriage license is needed. It's to document my basis for listing you on the deed transfer as Kathleen Alexander, and not as Kathleen Kennedy."

Surprised that Jonas had left half the house to her, Kathleen responded "That's a surprise, but now the rest of it makes sense. By the way, will we have to pay taxes on the sale of the house?"

"No taxes, as your basis is the value at the point Jonas died. Since that was less than a week ago, the selling price establishes the value. As for why he did it that way, according to him, it was intended to keep the two of you connected ... even if Robert was able to entice Kyle back to Houston. Now, one last thing, as I've got to get out of here, or I'm going to be late."

With that, Stanley removed an envelope and a folded sheet of paper from his inside coat pocket, and handed it to Kyle.

"I thought you might need some cash, so this is a loan from me. Sign the attached note, and I'll reimburse my self from the proceeds of the house sale."

Opening the envelope, Kyle was surprised at the size of the stack of hundreds and twenties that were enclosed.

"How much is there?"

"I thought a nice round number would be the easiest to work with ... twenty-five thousand. Now, sign the form and let me get out of here."

Kyle signed the paper and stood.

Then, while Kathleen signed it, Kyle offering his hand to the lawyer and said, "Thanks Stanley for taking such good care of us."

KK also stood, but instead of a hand, she kissed the older lawyer on the cheek and said, "I agree with Kyle, and in my mind, you've become more than a lawyer, you're a trusted friend."

Stanley was a little teary-eyed as he placed the paper back into his coat pocket and responded, "I hope I'm your friend, as you are two very special people. Mazal Tov.

As he headed for his car, KK asked Kyle, "Do you know what that last thing he said means?"

"I think it's a Jewish expression of congratulations and good-luck. I suspect it has even more significance when spoken to a non-Jew."

"You know, Kyle, that means a lot to me."

"I agree, and I believe we mean a lot him. I hope we're a part of each other's lives for a long time."

"Me too, but let's change the subject. I knew you were calling Sid, that's why I kept Stanley distracted near the door. What did you two work out, if anything?"

"We're meeting him at the MickyD's near the airport as soon as we get there."

"Then, let's eat these breakfast sandwiches and get on the road. Imagine, going from one MickyD's to another. Our stomachs may never forgive us!"

-------

A short time later, Kyle and KK exited the interstate onto Gateway Boulevard and then turned left onto Airway Boulevard. The entire time they had been traveling, KK had been scanning for any vehicle that appeared to be following them.

When they reached the entrance to the fast food restaurant, KK rolled down her window and started screaming "Go Miners" like a typically excited college student. Of course, the clothes and car did not fit that image, but it had the desired effect.

Kyle drove through the parking lot before making a loop back and parking. Because of the light traffic and the absence of another vehicle moving in the parking lot at the same time, it did not take Sid's help to see that they were free from any tail.

The young couple exited the car and headed inside, with Sid following right behind. They each got drinks and headed for an isolated table near the children's play area. They introduced each other, before sitting and discussing the building crisis on Chaos.

"Kyle, before we go too far, you do realize that we won't be allowed to fight together?"

"Yes, but I had some information that I thought was crucial, and it might save your life."

"I like that idea."

"I thought you might, but I suspect you won't like all that I have to say."

"How is that?"

"There are actually two groups of slavers, though they are both under a worldwide group of leaders. The group in the heartland, which is closest to Gerald's Citadel, has two primary purposes: the raising of food and as a distraction from the real objective."

"Okay, I'll bite. What is the real objective?"

"The taking over of the Earth and the other three planets."

A stunned Sid asked, "How do they hope to do that?"

"Someone has discovered a portal that bypasses Crossroads, allowing people from here direct access."

"Shit! What about guns and stuff?"

"From what Jonas was able to discover, for something to move between worlds, it had to exist on both worlds. Explosives, gunpowder, and plastics won't pass through the portal because key elements don't seem to be found there."

"That's a relief."

"Jonas also suspected that there are limitations to the size of the portal and how many may pass through within a particular period of time. He came to that conclusion not from empirical evidence, but from some introspective analysis. Basically, if they could have done it, they would have already done so."

"Do we know where this portal is located?"

"No, but from the way these people seem determined to get control of Shiloh, I suspect it's somewhere nearby."

"Shiloh?"

"Yes, just as Gerald called his mountain fortress The Citadel, Jonas' place was a large ranch south of the town of Riverview. By Earth measurement, it encompasses almost six hundred square miles, and the people that live on it number more than a thousand. It is basically it's own, self-contained country."

Sid shook his head, "A thousand would not be enough soldiers to hold that much territory."

"First, almost the entire group are either cavalry or archers ... archers trained with the local equivalent of the English Longbow. As for holding it, we only need to hold the area around the ranch house, the rest we will defend with quick strikes, mostly against their communication and supplies."

"Guerilla warfare?"

"Let's call it unconventional warfare in this instance."

"A rose by any other name."

"Maybe, but in this situation, it will be an especially thorny clump of running/climbing roses. In fact, I would call it more of a briar patch."

Sid laughed, "So everywhere they turn, they get stuck. Where did you come up with this plan."

"Actually, this is Jonas' plan. He was training and developing these people for years. Not specifically for this group of slavers, but for the day when someone would decide to try to take Shiloh. As to the source of the idea, I would suspect it came from two places. First, Jonas was an Army Ranger in Nam, and second, as a history professor whose special area of study was the American Civil War, he was an avid student of the Confederate Colonel, John Mosby."

"I've heard the name, but I don't know anything about the man."

"Personally, I think he's one of the most fascinating characters this country has ever produced. Read up on him some day. It will blow your mind. He was so far ahead of his peers, you would almost suspect some sort of time travel or 'Quantum Leap' kind of thing."

"Kyle, I just might do that. Now, back to the war, how should we handle it."

"You go on to Chaos as soon as you can and start raising an Army. I want you to start to retake the heartland, and we'll turn the tables on them."

"How's that?"

"We'll make the heartland our distraction and get them so focused on you, they won't notice me arriving and getting things organized to start hitting their mines and supply trains."

With that, the three wished each other good luck and headed for their cars.



-------

Chapter 21



As the couple watched Sid drive back toward the Airport, Kathleen asked, "What do we need to do next?"

"Well, we need to meet with Mark and Barbara Haywood at three-thirty, and the rendezvous location is on this side of town. Why don't we find someplace to shop and get what we need for the house? We can get everything but the cold stuff before we meet. Once we've delivered what we purchase this morning, along with the guns and ammunition we get from the Haywoods, we can come back to Las Cruces for the rest."

"That works for me."

Kyle soon found a Super Wal-Mart, and they shopped for more than three hours without getting any grocery items.

"Kyle, you've heard the expression, 'shop 'til you drop'?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I've reached that point. Would it disrupt our plans too much if we take a break, get some lunch, and just chill a while? I'm mentally and physically exhausted, and if I have to make another decision for a while, I think I'll lose it."

"To be honest, I'm about to drop, myself. There's a Luby's not far from here. Would deciding what to eat overtax your brain?"

"I don't think so, and that's a pretty good choice. They always seem to have great food for a cafeteria, and they aren't liable to push us out while we relax. The problem is that I would like to get into some more comfortable clothes."

Kyle nodded saying, "Me too. Let's pay for this stuff and arrange to go into the bathroom and change. We can probably get someone from the service desk to watch our buggies, and even if they won't, I can watch the carts while you change. Then we can swap."

Kathleen grinned at Kyle and replied, "Husband, I'm not into swapping!"

Kyle was concentrating so hard that it took several seconds for what she said to penetrate, at which time he laughed out loud and kissed her on the cheek.

The couple went through the register, paying for everything with the cash they had gotten from Stanley. Kyle fully expected the two carts to total more than a thousand, but was pleasantly surprised to see it come to less than six hundred dollars.

Next, they approached the person supervising the registers and explained their need to change. She didn't have anyone free to watch their carts, but she verified their receipt, and let them go into the bathroom one at a time to change. The bathroom was located only a few feet away from where they were able to park the carts.

In a lot less time than Kyle would have thought, the couple had changed their clothes and had loaded their purchases into the trunk of the car. Once that was done, they headed towards the closest Luby's Restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, they went through the line and selected their food. After paying the cashier, they found a quiet, out of the way table where they could talk. Their leisurely meal was delicious, and they even went back for a dessert.

During the meal, the two discussed their plans for the future, including the war on Chaos and what they planned to do with their lives on Earth. They were each surprised that the other ultimately wanted to work with college-aged kids; Kathleen desired to do something in counseling, while Kyle wanted to follow Jonas and teach history. Of course, they both realized they would need to help his mom's company for a while, as well as to continue their education into graduate school.

At three-thirty (1530), Kyle pulled the Buick off Trans Mount Drive a short distance from the Archeology Museum and into a dirt parking area. At one side there was a single lane dirt road that led to the area they had leased for CyberFun's paint ball battles.

Kyle started to drive down the road, but after a few feet, he stopped and reversed into the parking lot.

Kyle explained, "I've never been back there without four wheel drive and a high axle. I don't trust taking this land yacht back behind the ridge."

"I can't fault you there, what about Barbara?"

"Hopefully they haven't arrived yet, as they're likely checking our back door. If they don't show up in ten minutes I'll call her cell phone."

It was a little over seven minutes later when Mark and Barbara arrived. The four exited their cars and Kyle introduced everyone and explained why he hadn't driven behind the ridge.

Barbara replied, "That was rather smart of you, Kyle, but I don't think we want to transfer a bunch of guns in the open."

Mark added, "It would also be a good idea if we got our women out of this heat while we talk."

Kyle looked questioningly at KK, and she nodded.

"We have a place to go, but at the moment, we don't want anyone, friend or foe, to know its location. Follow us until we get closer, and at that point, we'll blindfold the two of you, then I can drive your car and KK can drive mine."

Mark looked a little frustrated at not being more fully trusted, and asked, "Do you really think that's necessary?"

"Mark, my grandfather's own sister just betrayed him and caused his death. At this point, trust is fragile and in rather short supply."

Barbara touched Mark's arm and said, "Honey, he's right. We've started to develop a friendship, but he doesn't really know us, and Kathleen has just met us. I don't think under the circumstances he's being unreasonable. In fact, under similar circumstances, I'm not sure we'd even be that trusting.

Mark nodded in agreement and said, "Then, I suggest we not wait to split up, but to do so now. I can ride with Kyle, and you can ride with Kathleen. When we reach the place where they want us to go 'blind', we can put something over our eyes until we reach our final destination."

Kyle replied, "That works for me. He then asked Kathleen, "Sweetheart, do you have anything we could use for blindfolds?"

"No, but we can easily stop along the way and pick up something."

Kyle walked to the Buick and pulled out a map of the Las Cruces area he had picked up the night before. He spread it out on the hood of the Buick and reviewed it, as well as some notes they had made. These notes covered locations of places like the two Wal-Marts, major grocery and drug stores, as well as the Hospital.

Once Kyle had determined a plan of action, the two couples split up between the cars. As they drove across the mountain and toward the interstate, an added benefit of the division was discovered. It allowed Kathleen and Barbara, as well as Kyle and Mark to get better acquainted with their counterpart.

When they reached the spot on the South side of Las Cruces where Interstate 25 separated from Interstate 10, Kyle continued northward on I-25. At the second exit, they turned left and straight into a Wal-Mart. They parked, and the two women went inside to find something useable as blindfolds.

Kyle and Mark stayed in the Haywood's SUV and continued their conversation, much about how each couple met and fell in love.

"Mark, how did the two of you end up at UTEP?"

"Kyle, I'd rather the four of us be together to discuss that, but I can tell you it is directly related to the events of the past week."

Then, switching subject, Mark reviewed a list of the weapons and related ammunition he had for Kyle. It was a pretty impressive list.

"And how much do I owe you for all that?"

"At the moment, that's an open question. If it turns out that we can work together on our common problem, then all of this will be designated as 'field equipment lost in action'."

"I'm not sure I understand," responded Kyle.

"It means that the government just writes it off and it becomes yours for being part of the team."

Kyle replied, "Mark, please don't take offense, but I'm somewhat skeptical about the government getting involved in this."

"I can understand your fears, but please withhold judgment until the four of us can talk."

"Okay, I can do that."

Afraid to say anything more on that topic, Kyle returned to the subject of the weapons and how they should be used. Before they finished, KK and Barbara joined them with a small plastic bag.

"We found the perfect thing," exclaimed Kathleen, "they're nightshades to keep out the light while you're trying to sleep."

"Okay, with KK and I driving, we can't see if you're cheating, so we're going to have to depend on your word as officers to stay with the program. If we feel you have done otherwise, then any future alliance is immediately aborted. Am I clear on that?"

Barbara answered, "I understand, and you have my word."

"Same with me," added Mark.

With the blindfolds in place, Kyle led the two cars out of the parking lot and through several turns and cutbacks. Once he felt his passenger would be totally confused, Kyle tuned North on Valley Drive. He had decided that this route would be harder than the interstate route for someone to follow by sense of direction.

At Dona Anna, he turned left, crossed the river and then took the winding trails back into the hills overlooking the Rio Grande. As they passed the Lopez's house, Varena came out on the porch and waved. Kyle pulled up to the garage doors.

Remembering he still did not have the remotes, Kyle told Mark, "We're here, but I've got to open the garage doors and the remotes are in my other car. Just hang with us another minute or so, and you can take off the blindfold."

"I don't have a problem waiting, but I have to admit you have me totally turned around. Except for the driving time, we could even be in Mexico City."

Kyle laughed at Mark's remark and replied, "I can at least tell you we haven't gone that far, though I won't tell you what side of the border you're on."

Kyle climbed out of the car, opened the small door and activated the garage doors. Moments later, both vehicles were inside and the garage doors were lowered.

"Okay, you can remove the blindfolds," announced Kyle.

Mark and Barbara did as instructed and blinked several times trying to get their eyes adjusted. The garage area wasn't very brightly lighted, but there was still a lot more light than what they had experienced for the past thirty or forty minutes.

Noticing the rock walls, Mark asked, "Is this cut into a mountain, or something?"

Kyle replied, "From what I understand, the entire structure is built inside the mountain. Only the glass area is in the upper area is open to the outside, and it's recessed. Supposedly, if you don't know where it is, you can't find it."

Barbara added, "Well, it does make a handy retreat, but are you going to live here in this open area."

"Don't be silly," answered Kathleen. "Follow me upstairs and I'll give you the grand tour."

Kyle was bursting with pride as his wife played the perfect hostess, and the Haywoods were blown away by the living area of the house.

"KK, Kyle, this is beautiful," exclaimed Barbara as KK showed off her new home, "and I'd kill for that kitchen. When we finally get where we can build a house, I would like to use that as a model."

Kyle responded, "I think that can probably be arranged. Now, before we talk, let's show you one more thing."

Kyle and KK led the couple into the smaller observation room with its glass wall overlooking the river on one side of the room and a huge stone fireplace on the other. The Haywoods were speechless.

While Mark and Barbara recovered from the sight and feel of the room, Kyle turned the gas logs on low and got the couple seated. Kathleen took drink orders and headed to the kitchen.

When she returned and had served everyone, she asked, "Well, what do you think?"

Barbara replied, "The best word I can think of to describe this place is 'awesome'. I'm not sure I would want others to know about it, even without trying to keep a low profile."

"I'm still in a state of shock, myself," said Kathleen. "Now, to get away from the house talk, you wanted to discuss some other things with us."

Mark looked to Barbara for direction, and then took up the discussion.

"Kyle, let me tell you what we know, and why we're here. I'm not going to ask you to reveal or confirm anything, though feel free to share anything you're comfortable with."

"Okay."

"As you have probably figured out, we are special forces officers. What isn't obvious is that we have specialized in counter terrorism and counter insurgency activities. Because of the limitations placed upon the military by the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, we have been placed on inactive duty and assigned to work with both the Texas Rangers and the Justice Department. In a convoluted way, we are army officers, assigned to federal and state law enforcement divisions, and are acting as army officers for a disguise."

Kyle laughed and remarked, "That's a twist if I ever heard one."

"Well, in a way, it makes us less of a threat to the people we're investigating. As Army, we have no legal authority in this country. Any evidence we gather as Army Officers, would be thrown out."

"Now, this is starting to make sense," said Kyle.

KK shook her head and remarked, "I'm glad it makes sense to you, Lover, because I got lost when Barbara said, 'as you have probably figured out'."

Everyone chuckled at KK's remark and then Kyle nodded for Barbara to continue.

"Now, with Mark assigned to the University's ROTC program, I had to have a job as a cover. Since I have a degree in Library Science, it was logical for me to work in the library. At the same time, the existing head librarian was taking a leave of absence, so Dr. Narduchi thought I would be an excellent temporary replacement."

Kyle responded, "I'm following you so far, but why are you actually working here in El Paso, and how does it connect to what happened to Jonas?"

"There is a radical, right wing group based in the area that has been making some astounding claims. Your Aunt Lucille is part of the leadership core of that group."

Lowering his eyebrows, Kyle asked, "What kind of claims are they making?"

"Futuristic weapons that the Army can't match, miraculous healing, abundant food and a vast number of women who want to get pregnant. Normally, we would ignore such rumors as baseless, but some powerful people have joined them recently ... along with some who are very dangerous."

Kyle reached into his pocket and unfolded a picture from his billfold.

"Is this one of them?" asked Kyle.

"Yes, that's Carl Edmondson, and he happens to be in all three categories: core, powerful and dangerous. Where did you get this picture?"

"It came from a hidden surveillance camera in Jonas' office. Edmondson met with Jonas just minutes before my grandfather committed suicide."

"Then, do these rumors have any validity?" asked a very concerned Mark.

"I don't know about the weapons end of it, but the rest is a very valid possibility. My problem now is deciding how much information I can share."

Barbara interjected, "Kyle, if it would help any, tell me as a librarian about a story you've read. I promise you that nothing will go beyond this room, no matter how bizarre your story."

Kyle looked at KK, who nodded her assent.

Responding to his new wife, Kyle said, "Just please don't get angry with either me or Jonas, as you will be hearing some of this for the first time."

"Don't worry, Kyle. This is now as much a part of me as is it is a part of you."

Feeling awed at his wife's declaration of commitment, Kyle smiled and turned back to Barbara and Mark.

"Once upon a time," Kyle began, "there was a planet which experienced a great world war. During the war, a mutation occurred which made the coating around their women's eggs almost impenetrable by their male's sperm. The birth rate dropped drastically, and most male offspring that did occur were sterile."

Imagining the situation and having the desire for her own children in the future, Barbara declared, "How awful! Was there a solution?"

Sensing his wife's emotions, Mark reached out for his wife's hand before saying, "Kyle, please continue with your story."

"The next part of the story is rather vague, as we really don't know much about the who, when, where, what and why - or even the how. The end result is that someone learned that human males could successfully mate with these women and produce offspring who were fertile, but were also superior to their peers, both physically and mentally, as well as being more emotionally stable.

"The only thing that has kept these children from dominating their society is the selection process. My grandfather felt strongly that the half human children will one day rule their planet, and suspected that whoever set up the process designed a way to make the transition a slow one, and at this point, a peaceful one."

"Where is this world?" asked Mark.

"I don't know. In fact, as far as I know, no human has ever set foot on their planet. As for the weapons mentioned earlier, they may be from that planet, but for some reason, I seriously doubt it."

A puzzled Barbara asked, "Well, if males from earth don't go there, then do the women come here? I don't understand the logistics here."

Kyle took a deep breath and explained, "Picture three locations, in addition to earth. For simplicity sake, we'll call the primary world Alpha, which is the world I described earlier. The second, we'll call Beta. It could as easily be a space station as another planet; there is really no way for us to know. The final planet we'll call Gamma. Gamma is a world currently locked into the middle ages.

"The women of Alpha desiring a child enter a lottery. If they are chosen, they are transported to Gamma, where they face a vast number of diseases and hardships, as well as potential slavery. They all experience these trials in varying degrees, but they must try to survive until someone from Earth comes and rescues them. Sadly, not all of them make it.

At the same time, volunteers from Earth, known as Heroes, travel through a gateway to Beta, where they are greeted by their personal caretaker. This person has dedicated her life to love and support her Hero, providing him comfort and pleasure prior to his trip to Gamma, as well as helping him select the Damsel he is to rescue and even provide intelligence relating to what he is facing. She also sees to his health needs once he returns, as well as helping him impregnate the Damsel. I guess you could see her as a combination of mistress, aide-de-camp and G-2."

"G-2?" asked Kathleen.

"The Intelligence person," answered Mark.

"Thanks," replied KK.

Returning to their main topic, Barbara asked, "And for this, she gets to have her own children by this Hero?"

"No," Kyle responded. "There might be some way to game the system, but primarily, her actions are a labor of love for her Hero, as well as for the women of her planet."

"Impressive," Barbara exclaim. "So after the Hero goes to Gamma, what happens?"

"Once she has been rescued, the couple escapes to Beta, where the superior medical abilities on Beta can restore their health, heal wounds, and even replace lost limbs. Jonas once told me that as long as the person was still breathing upon returning to Beta, he or she could be made whole again."

"That's incredible. What happens then?"

"The rescued and the rescuer have sex until she is pregnant. As soon as the woman confirms her pregnancy, she is immediately transported back to Alpha, and moments later, the male must return to Earth. Of course this is just a simple summary, as it is much more involved than this quick explanation."

A stunned Mark stated emphatically, "Kyle, if anyone else had told me this story, I'd be laughing all the way home, but you fully believe these places exist."

"Mark, I've been training for this since I was ten. I've been trained not only in martial arts, but also swordsmanship, archery, knife fighting and survival techniques. My lessons also covered military tactics and leadership. For the past four years, I have also gone to Gamma with Jonas as his Companion, something akin to a squire. Last Saturday, when we had the paintball competition, was the first time in those four years I didn't accompany him."

"Oh my!" exclaimed Barbara. "No wonder his suicide was so devastating for you."

"Barbara, I don't know what might have happened if I had gone. You see, Jonas returned, went into his office and found this Edmondson sitting at his desk. A few minutes after Edmondson left, Jonas shot himself."

"Do we know why?"

"Yes, part of their conversation consisted of threats, and part of it was an attempt at blackmail. Jonas saw his death as the best solution to protect me, the family and my heritage."

"Kyle, I have a question. How could you go so often, and still be here for your job and classes?" asked Barbara.

"Oh, I thought I told you. No matter how long you're in these other places, only fifteen minutes will have elapsed on Earth."

Mark looked a little ashen as he said, "Taking this story at face value, how does this connect to Carl Edmondson?"

"According to the notes Jonas made just prior to his death, he suspected that there might be another gateway; one that directly connects Gamma and Earth. At the moment, we don't have a clue where either terminus is located, but we have a suspicion that one on Gamma is located in a particular area. Unfortunately, that area consists of several hundred miles of rough, generally unexplored terrain.

"What ties this together, is that at one time, Mr. Edmondson was one of these Earth travelers. He killed some innocent people just for the joy of the kill and was banished to live out his life on Gamma. Now, he's suddenly back on Earth, and there is no record of his going through Beta to get here."

"Is that what caused Jonas to suspect an Earth-Gamma gateway?" asked Barbara.

"Yes Ma'am."

Mark asked, "And how do you see this gateway fitting in with the claims of this radical group?"

Kyle replied, "A major war has begun on Gamma, initiated by a group intent on enslaving the population of the planet. One part of the group is taking over the heartland of the continent with the purpose of producing vast amounts of food, while the second part is capturing people to work as slaves in their mines. Jonas' notes gave no clue of what was being mined, or what would be of such value on that backward planet."

"Could they be bringing stuff back to Earth?"

"Not through Beta, but possibly through the second gateway."

"The guns and such we brought, are they to help in the war on this other world?"

"No, they were for the reason I said, to help protect us and this house. From what we've been able to determine, if something doesn't exist on both worlds, it can't pass through the gateway. Some of the key elements needed for the guns, ammunition and explosives, don't seem to exist on Gamma."

"Kyle," said Mark, "earlier, I asked for you to join us. Now, instead, I need to learn what we can do to support you."

"The first thing is your silence regarding the science fiction story you've heard tonight. Besides, I might decide to turn it into a novel, and I wouldn't want others to know about it beforehand."

Barbara responded, "That was understood when this conversation started."

"Second," continued Kyle, "is for your team to continue it's investigation, but to pass to us any information you feel could be relative to our off-world activities. At the same time, we will do likewise."

"It sounds workable to me," answered Barbara. "Can we be of any help there?"

"Not really, and the reason is that you have not trained for that type of situation. I don't want you killed on your first visit. Also, remember the sexual aspect of this entire thing. It's far more involved than just a visit to a backward planet."

Barbara thought a moment and then responded, "Kyle, based upon your information, we'll do as you ask as for as remaining silent about this bizarre interstellar configuration. Besides, if we put it in our report, we'd probably find our self in a padded room somewhere. As for support, tell us what you need and we'll try to provide it."

"In that case, Major, I think you can consider us allies, if not team members."

"I can live with that, but I would like to hear what Kathleen feels about your having sex with this caretaker and impregnating the Damsel? I seriously doubt I would be able to accept Mark doing such a thing."

"Barbara, when Kyle first made me aware of the situation, I was jealous and incensed at his audacity. Later, as I read more and we talked through the situation, I realized I would not be in danger of losing Kyle to these women, as well as coming to the conclusion that under these circumstances this was the right thing to do.

"Besides, two people whom I thought a lot of showed me that it could work. There was a picture on the wall in Jonas' office that showed two women waiting on the porch of a Spanish hacienda. If you look closely, you can see that one of the women was Jonas' wife, Wanda, and Kyle tells me that the second woman is MariLynn, Jonas' caretaker. Though never actually meeting his caretaker, Wanda knew and supported Jonas' action for virtually their entire marriage. With that model, I can do no less."

A perplexed Barbara interjected, "That sure enhances my understanding to the situation you're describing, but I still don't know if I would be strong enough to actually go through with it."

"Barbara, Kyle told me that the two women exchanged letters on every visit until Wanda's death. From this, I realized that I could do a lot of things I didn't think possible, if I was willing to look at the total picture. Jonas did not do these dangerous trips to get laid, but to save a world. I can't expect my husband, by his very nature, to do any less. The one difference is that I won't be sending letters, I'm going to be sending myself, as Kyle's Companion."

After that, the subject was temporarily dropped so that Mark and Barbara would have time to dwell on all this. Instead, the couples chatted a while longer about the house and Kyle and Kathleen's plans for the future. Finally, as the sun began to set closely in the west, Kathleen led Barbara up to the observation deck. The two women were treated to a delightful display of colors framing the distant mountains. While the women were enjoying the sunset, Mark and Kyle returned to the garage where Kyle and KK's purchases from the morning were loaded into the dumbwaiter and moved to the main floor. The guns were moved from the Haywood's Land Cruiser and placed on a workbench, with the ammunition stacked underneath.

Once everything was moved, Kyle loaded everyone back into the vehicles, and using the same blindfolds, they drove back to the Wal-Mart parking lot in Las Cruces. After the blindfolds were removed, the Haywoods thanked Kyle and KK for the afternoon, wished their young friends the best, and began their return journey to El Paso.

As their new friends drove away, Kathleen asked, "What was the deal about Alpha, Beta and Gamma?"

"It was part of my own security. If those names show up in any conversations apart from a direct discussion with the Haywoods, we'll know they talked about this to others. When we initially talk to Larry and Nadia, we'll do basically the same thing, but with different names. It's a deviation off what Clancy called a Canary Trap."

Kathleen gave her mate a big hug and said, "I knew you were smart."

Kyle and KK went inside and purchased the groceries they had omitted on their first shopping trip, and, in little over an hour, the couple were back in their hidden retreat.

Once everything was put away, Kyle and his bride stood before the glass wall and enjoyed the spectacular night view from the high ridge overlooking the Rio Grande River. They were, at least momentarily, free from the mental and emotional weight they had been carrying for the past few days. They were HOME and none of their adversaries knew where they were.



-------

Chapter 22





Notice to my readers:

I first want to apologize for my year of silence. It was a very rough period, but I'm glad to be back among the 'living'. The best way I can describe that period would be living in a thick fog. As to this story, before writing this chapter, I corrected a lot of errors in Chapter 21, so most will want to reread it.



While Kyle and KK were beginning their honeymoon, Carl Edmondson was on the phone to Kyle's aunt, Lucille.

"So Lucille, I assume you were able to complete the purchase of the house. When can we take possession?"

"Effectively, we already have. I have the recorded deed, the keys, and everything Kyle requested has been removed. I've even had the locks changed and an alarm system installed."

"Excellent! What all did the kid take with him?"

"It was just what was agreed to; the boy's clothes and personal items, Jonas' tools, and some pictures and mementos. There was nothing that I could associate with a portal."

"Did you actually look over the stuff?"

"Yes, I got to the house about the time they were finishing loading. I asked to review everything, and the young men willingly agreed."

"Young men? Your nephew wasn't there?"

"No. I haven't seen him since the funeral, yesterday. The attorney did mention something about some possible legal problems as the reason Kyle was willing to sell me the house. Maybe he's hiding from the police."

"Well, none of my people know where he is either. Do you think we should try to reestablish surveillance?"

"To be honest, I can't imagine why we would need to waste our time. It's obvious that he has other issues to deal with and is no longer a potential danger to us."

"Lucille, I don't know why, but I don't think we've seen the last of this kid."

"Carl, do we have any knowledge that Kyle even knows about the portal?"

"My sources say that a man often traveled with Jonas as his companion, but we have no way of determining if it was your nephew. Though, since this companion was described as older, and due to Kyle's business activities at those times, it is highly unlikely for it to have been the boy."

"Well, we sure put out enough suggestive comments to stir a reaction from Kyle, but we never even got a twitch. I thought he might know something the way he reacted to my trying to claim the house, but I later realized it was a reaction to the news of my brother's suicide and my insensitive manner in trying to locate the portal. I have to admit, I botched that part rather badly, but it seems to have all come out okay in the end."

"I guess you're right, Lucille. I'll pull back surveillance on the kid and concentrate on the house. We still want to find the portal, along with your brother's notes and sapphire ring."

-------

After a wonderful night in their new home, Kyle and Kathleen worked hard getting the house in order and preparing a list of things they needed.

By late afternoon, they pretty much had things under control in the house. Relaxing with Cokes at the kitchen table, they discussed their list for several hours, eating a light dinner as they worked.

Later, Kathleen said, "If we used the same process we did with Barbara and Mark, do you think we could show our families our new home?

"I think it would be a great idea. In addition, we can probably get them to do some of this shopping for us. For at least the next several weeks, I want to minimize our exposure to the outside world."

"I agree, and that fits what Dr. Narduchi was strongly suggesting by freeing us from our classes and bringing us out here when she did. In addition, the way she helped us lose that tail gave her a lot of credibility as far as I'm concerned."

KK responded, "I have to say that I was rather impressed by her background and her relationship with Jonas. Anytime that woman wants to talk, I will listen, and I'm pretty much ready to add Barbara Haywood to that short list."

"Sweetheart, I'm getting strong feelings about adding both of them to the list."

Kyle continued, "One of the first things I think we need is a new vehicle. I was thinking about a big SUV like a Suburban to give us the ability to transport more people or supplies. Do you want to go pick one out?"

Kathleen responded, "I agree with the idea, especially if it has heavy window tinting. Now, should we purchase it, or should it be owned by Charlotte's company so it's not directly linked to us?

"Good idea, but I don't think having the Oil company purchase the vehicle would be the best option as there would be tax and stockholder interest issues that could cause Mom numerous problems. In addition, a diligent researcher, or someone like my aunt, could easily tie the car to us. Instead, I may ask Dr. N if it could be purchased and owned by the trust."

"That would work, and even if she didn't want to purchase it through the trust, I'm sure she could find a workable alternative. Why don't you call her while I talk to our moms?"

Looking at the time on the microwave, Kyle responded, "It would be better to wait until morning to call. It's getting pretty late."

Looking at the clock, a surprised KK said, "You're right. I had no idea it was after ten. Do you want something to eat or drink while we relax our minds?"

"I'd love a dish of ice cream."

"I could go for that too. What flavor?"

"Some of that Summer Peach would be perfect," replied Kyle.

"Okay, I'll get that for you and a dish of cookie dough with chocolate syrup for me."

While KK was getting the dessert, Kyle checked the security monitor and verified that all the alarms were activated. Once both finished their tasks, the couple cuddled on the sofa in front of the beautiful stone fireplace and watched the gas logs until they fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Kyle wasn't sure what had awakened him. It could have been a full bladder, the morning light streaming through the large glass wall, or his wife's soft giggling.

Kyle opened his eyes and stared into his bride's, asking, "What's got you in such a good mood this morning?"

"I awoke to realize that we're such an old married couple that we fell asleep here on the sofa."

"I'm not ready to go that far, but you do realize that we've been together for most of twenty years? That would suggest that this relationship is definitely not built on sex."

"No it's not," KK replied, "but if I have anything to say about things, it will be a key ingredient for the next fifty years or so."

Kyle laughingly agreed with her as he hurriedly headed for the closest bathroom. Moments later, he heard her enter the one down the hall.

A short time later, the couple met back in the kitchen. Kyle started their coffee, and KK placed some English muffins in the toaster and some frozen sausage patties in the microwave. At KK's request, Kyle found the jar of strawberry preserves they'd just purchased, and in a few minutes they were eating.

"This is a good, quick and easy breakfast," KK commented, "but I'd really like to have more fresh fruit in the future."

"I agree, but I don't want what passes for fresh from some big box store or grocery chain. We need to ask Hector or his wife where we can get what truly fresh fruit and vegetables."

"Maybe we could get them to purchase some for us, as well as meat. We could cover part of their grocery bill for helping us."

"That's an excellent idea" replied Kyle. "It would also reduce the chances that we might be spotted by those looking for us, as well as help Hector's family without it appearing to be charity. Though I don't really know Hector at this point, I suspect that charity is a major issue to him and his Hispanic pride."

"Good point, and one we need to remember. Since they have used the term patron several times, I think I should do some research on the traditional meaning and related life style."

"As a part of your research, you might want to check with Maria Sanchez at CyberFun, because I've heard her use the term before."

"Thanks, I'll do that. What about calling Dr. Narduchi and discussing the Suburban?"

Kyle searched his pack and found the card given him by the President of the University. As he looked at it, he found he was still awed by her involvement in his and KK's lives. Realizing that his thoughts were drifting, Kyle refocused his mind and called the private number written on the back. When the call went directly to voice mail, he left Dr. Narduchi a message.

Kyle rejoined his bride and found her transferring their list of needed items to an email; embellishing the descriptions, colors, sizes, etc as she typed. He became so engrossed in what she was doing that he was momentarily disoriented when his phone started ringing.

Finally, on the third ring, he answered, "Kyle."

"Kyle, this is Patricia Narduchi. You called?"

"Yes ma'am. We're pretty much settled into the house and are trying to stay as lost as possible."

"Under the circumstances, that's probably a good idea."

"We were thinking that something like your heavily tinted Suburban would make it harder for someone to spot us on the road, as well as being large enough to bring family, groceries and other items out to the house."

"Excellent idea, though I would also suggest a driver. Remember, the tinting is great, but it doesn't keep people from seeing who's in the front seat."

"It helps our decision that you agree. Do you think if we paid for it, it could be owned by the trust to keep people from linking it to us?"

"Kyle, I think in this case, Jonas would want it to be bought by the trust and I may have a solution for both vehicle and driver. It seems that certain state security chief from an eastern European country has recently met an unfortunate end. Since I purchased my Suburban because he vowed to have my head, I no longer need such a heavily armored vehicle and can sell it to the trust. As for a driver, Hector has a cousin..."

Kyle laughed, "Don't they always 'have a cousin'?"

"It sure seems that way. Anyway, Hector approached me more than a week ago to see if I could help his cousin. It seems that the guy was working undercover in California before he was compromised. Needing to leave the LA area, he came back here where he grew up and where he still has family."

"Patricia, I think we should definitely talk to him. What about his family and when can we have access to the SUV? We need some things from town, as well as bringing some of our family out here for a visit."

"Since I can get a new vehicle for me this afternoon, I should be able to have him there within an hour."

"Great. We'll look forward to seeing him. By the way, can you give me any additional background information?"

"His name is Frederico Mendoza, but he's usually called Sonny. His wife's name is Angelica, and they have two teenage sons, Carlos and Raùl. Sonny served in the Marines and spent twelve years undercover as part of the Orange County Drug Task Force. That's all I have listed, but I'm sure he can add a lot to that."

"What about housing for them?"

"If you hire him, we'll expand the Lopez compound. I'm sure they have some relative that can get something built in a few weeks."

Kyle laughed and said, "It will be built even faster if Sonny and his family are living with the guy."

"You got it." Patricia Narduchi replied, adding her laughter to Kyle's.

Getting serious for a moment, Kyle said, "Stereotypes aside, I will say that these Hispanic family groups can be some of the hardest working and most loyal people on the face of the earth."

"I have to agree with you, though I still have to say that some of their cultural idiosyncrasies can be funny."

"True, but so are ours; Jeff Foxworthy's stand up routine is a prime example."

"Kyle, I don't think you could ever classify either of us as rednecks."

"Well, the directions to our house DO include turning off the paved road."

At that point, the refined and dignified university president started laughing and was still laughing when she hung up. Kyle laughed at the realization that at least he didn't have to explain the punch line.

Returning to KK, Kyle found her talking to her mother. It only took him a moment to realize that actually she had both moms on a conference call discussing the lists that had been emailed to each of them. Since there was nothing he could do at the moment, he drifted back to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

This time, Kyle took his time and he made his favorite latte for both of them, omitting the black cherry liqueur in KK's. He took the two cups and joined his wife just as she was concluding the conversation. KK was lost in thought as she accepted the cup without comment and took a sip.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide and a smile broke through as she exclaimed, "Oh, you dear sweet man, you made my special latte! Who knows, in a year or two I just might have you housebroken."

"Be careful now. You know you can never fully tame a wild animal."

Kathleen laughingly replied, "I don't want to ever fully tame my tiger, especially in the bedroom or concerning the protection of our family. Now, cleaning up his messes and closing the toilet seat is another matter."

"I'll have you know that I've already cleaned up the kitchen after making the latte."

KK grinned and said, "See, I told you it was working."

To let him know she was teasing, KK grabbed her husband and gave him a kiss that left no doubt as to where he stood in their relationship. To feel that much love was a pretty heady feeling.

"So, how did things go with our moms?" asked Kyle.

"It went very well. Mom went with Charlotte and Felicia to CyberFun this morning to help reestablish order and make sure everyone knew what had happened. Using the need for continuity of how CyberFun operated as a basis, Charlotte convinced my mom to accept the position of Kitchen Manager, as well as being Felicia's assistant. With both of us kids now out of the house and the raise that will accompany the promotion, maybe we can now get Mom to move out of that neighborhood before it starts to really decline."

"I agree that getting her out of the neighborhood would be a good move. You can already see the first signs of problems there. What about the lists?"

"They don't see a problem. Mom and Felicia are going to Sunland Park Mall, while Charlotte and Courtney are going to Kohl's at Bassett Place for the linens and towels, along with some of the kitchen stuff. Each group will be looking for the best deals for the best quality items. Then they'll coordinate their purchases using a master list and their cell phones. Charlotte also made a big point of Mom and Felicia getting to know one another."

"Those two will make a good team, and Mom's smart enough to know the need for their bond to develop. By the way, I didn't know your mother had a cell phone."

"She didn't because she couldn't justify the expenditure. My guess is that Charlotte or Felicia insisted Mom take a company phone as part of her new position."

"That does make sense, but what about our phones. Do we need to get new ones since these belonged to CyberFun?"

KK looked surprised at her husband and said, "Kyle, the LLC owns these phones, and we didn't sell the LLC, only the assets of CyberFun. Just the same, we might want to make some changes for security purposes as well as doing something about internet access. I had to download the lists to my phone and send it as an attachment."

"Duh!" laughed Kyle. "I knew we only sold the assets of CyberFun, but my mind has difficulty not treating them as one entity, like we did before."

"Well, I guess they were for all practical purposes until the asset sale, but at that point, the LLC continued without most of its assets."

"I wouldn't exactly say that. We still have the cash received from the sale, and that's a pretty substantial asset."

"True, and sorting this all out for tax purposes will be a mess."

"KK, I'll agree with you on that. This is one return I'm glad I won't have to prepare."

After a few moments of silence, KK asked her husband, "When do you think we need to go to Crossroads?"

"Soon, though my current plans are to first get the things we need for the house and show the place to family. Then, we need to get the portal set up and make sure that we have security in place while we're gone. I know that Hector is protecting the entrance, but I would be happier if we had someone armed actually in the garage covering our return."

"Will the portal be in the garage?"

Kyle responded, "Actually, there is a basement below the garage. The portal will be located there, but there is no way to get to the basement except through a hidden entrance. That way, anyone attacking us would have to overcome the armed resistance in the garage, and then locate the access to the hidden steps leading to the basement. Of course, while we're gone, the portal will be in the open, but the rest of the time, it will look like part of the wall."

"And if the power's cut while we're gone?"

"A propane powered generator automatically cuts in if the power goes down for any reason. Jonas even hid security cameras in the garage and the house and they can be accessed from the basement. That way we can know what we're facing when we return."

"It sounds like your grandfather thought things out pretty thoroughly, but remember, even with all those security measures, we have one ace in the hole."

"And that is?"

"The enemy only has fifteen minutes to invade, defeat the guard and try to locate the portal. After that, we'll be back and the portal will be securely hidden. Even Mission Impossible allowed more time than that."

Kyle laughed at the thought and responded, "It would truly be a 'mission impossible'."

"Yes, and in addition, with the camera setup, we can stay hidden in the basement if the opposition is too great."

"That's true, and it might be prudent to store some emergency provisions and extra weapons down there, along with a secure means of communication. We may never use the supplies, but it's wise to plan for that possibility."

Before either could add to the conversation, they were interrupted by a distinct chime. A few seconds later it was followed by another, slightly more intense tone that grew progressively stronger. Kyle ran to the security room and focused one of the external cameras on the area of the road approaching the entrance to the garage. The screen showed the front of a black Suburban with a UTEP Miners tag fastened below the front grill.

Using the zoom feature, Kyle did not recognize the man driving, but Hector Lopez was sitting in the passenger seat. Considering it was highly likely that the driver was Sonny Mendoza, Kyle pressed the button to open the garage door to let them enter. He turned off the alarm and moved his Glock .40 from the security console to the small of his back.

KK stuck her head in the doorway and asked, "Mendoza?"

"I think so, as Hector is with him. Get your pistol and let's go meet our potential employee."

The couple came down the steps to the garage and walked over to the two men waiting beside the black SUV. Hector was built like a fireplug, standing 5'10" and weighing a solid 190 pounds. His skin was the weathered brown found on most Hispanics in the area, as was his slicked back, black hair and almost black eyes. He was dressed as a common laborer, wearing well-worn jeans and a chambray work shirt, along with heavy work boots. According to Dr. N, Hector was in his mid thirties.

Sonny, on the other hand, was taller and only weighed around 170. His hair was styled in a more traditional Anglo manner, and a light frosting had been added to make it appear that he was beginning to grey. His skin was lighter and softer and his eyes were actually hazel. He still had some Hispanic features, but they were not very prominent.

In contrast to his cousin's laborer appearance, Sonny wore dark green khakis, a light green and tan sport shirt and a tan linen sports coat. As the two men turned toward the approaching couple, Kyle could see a portion of the shoulder holster beneath Sonny's jacket. Kyle's initial impression of Sonny was that of a successful businessman beginning to reach middle age. It would be an excellent disguise for the man.

Kyle initiated the conversation by saying, "Good afternoon, Hector. This must be Sonny."

"Si, patrón."

Kyle reached out and shook Sonny's hand, saying, "Sonny, I'm Kyle and this is my wife Kathleen, or KK. It's okay if you want to follow the patrón tradition, but we'd just as soon set it aside. It seems important to Hector and his family, so we live with it."

"Thanks for handling that in such a sensitive manner. Yes, I grew up in a house that supported a traditional patrón, but I've been gone for so long that it's not something I would do automatically."

"Good," Kathleen responded as she also shook Sonny's hand, "because I do have some basic problems accepting that we're better than anyone else. For various reasons, Kyle can easily accept the term for what it is, but it still makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable."

"You and Angelica should fit together well, because she feels the same. Coming here and staying with some of my family has been something of a culture shock for her."

KK smiled and said, "Then we should definitely get together soon. Now, what do you understand about the position that is available?"

"According to Dr. Narduchi and Hector, you need a combination driver and security guard while you are off-site. In addition, I would be assisting Hector with security while you are home. No mention was made as to the opposition, but since that vehicle is pretty heavily armored, I suspect it could be substantial."

KK responded, "Sonny, I think the four of us should head upstairs where we can sit in a more comfortable setting. We'll explain some things while we enjoy a little refreshment."

With that, Kathleen led the way to the great room, with her husband bringing up the rear. Setting everyone before the wall of glass, she took drink orders and retired to the kitchen to prepare the drinks and a few snacks. Kyle used that time to begin to explain things to Hector and Sonny.

"Sonny, I suspect that Hector knows some of this, but I seriously doubt he has the complete picture. First, I know that this house and grounds are impressive, but we do not own any of this, including that black Suburban that you were driving."

Kyle could immediately sense surprise by both men, so he elaborated.

"Several years ago, this place was built by my grandfather as a retirement home, but my grandmother died of cancer before it was finished. My grandfather completed the house but never lived in it. Instead, he created a trust to enable future generations of his family to utilize it as either a vacation home or a primary residence. It is this trust that pays your salaries and covers the basic operating expenses of what my grandfather named Missionary Ridge.

"To put things in perspective, we buried my grandfather just a few days ago, and KK and I were wed and moved in here the same day. Since his death, we have learned that a radical militia group is trying to locate some of my grandfather's possessions, and one of the leaders of the group is his own sister. It was her betrayal that led to his suicide, and at this point, this group is the only known opposition."

Sonny queried, "So, we're not looking for some hit squad sent by a drug gang, or something of that manner."

"Not at this point. In addition, due to the deeply entrenched racial hatred within this group, I would seriously doubt they would hire such to try to catch us. That doesn't mean the idea is impossible, just highly unlikely. Also remember, at this point they want to catch one of us to learn the items' location. Later on, when we start stepping on some toes, that is very likely to change to a desire to see us terminated in an extremely vicious manner."

Kathleen returned, sat the drinks and snacks, on the coffee table and said, "Sonny, Hector, at present we have disappeared and there is no paper trail to this house or to the car you just delivered. A major part of your job is to see that that status is maintained for as long as possible. The rest of your job is to make sure that, if we are located, the militia group is unable to take advantage of the information."

Hector, who had been quiet during much of the conversation, asked, "Is this group one of those who talk a good game but come up short on action?"

"Hector," answered Kyle, "this group is heavily funded and have some very influential supporters. They want to take over the Federal and State governments and turn all who are not traditional WASP's into slaves. It is serious enough that the Texas Rangers, the FBI, Justice and Homeland security are all working together on this. In fact, there is even a Special Forces Counterinsurgency group placed on temporary assignment to the Texas Rangers. Believe me, someone doesn't think they are a just a paper enemy."

"Patrón,  I may look and sound Mexican, but I am a third generation American, and I love this country. Count on me and my family to do our part."

Sonny added, "Believe it or not, if we do our jobs correctly, this will be far less dangerous than what I faced in California. I'm in."



-------

Chapter 23

Kyle exclaimed, "Wonderful! I'll notify Dr. Narduchi that you're on the payroll as of this afternoon. We'll also immediately start setting up some housing for you and your family."

"That would be appreciated, as we are currently crammed with two other families in a three bedroom trailer."

KK shuddered at the thought, but with a woman's insight she asked, "Since it will be your home, do you have any preferences or suggestions?"

"Actually, Angelica and I were attracted to a modular home manufactured in Albuquerque. Its exterior is that of a traditional Mexican hacienda and would fit well with Hector's house. If we set it up properly, we could have a plaza between the two houses and make the access to this house even harder to spot from the road. It would also be easier to defend your house, as anyone trying to get back here would be caught in our crossfire."

Kyle nodded approvingly and said, "On that basis, I want you to start developing your plans, both for the house and the surrounding grounds. I'll advise Dr. Narduchi of our tentative plans when I let her know you've joined our little band of merry men."

"That would be appreciated. Do you think she would actually help us get a home?"

"Instead of just helping, I suspect she'll have the trust purchase it."

"Why would she do that?" asked the puzzled ex-cop.

"I think the security angle will play a part in it, but it's also a matter of convenience. If we have to go somewhere, we won't have to wait for you to arrive, and by living here you can have more of a life with your family when you're not needed."

"When you look at it that way, there's a lot more to this job than it seems."

"There is, but mostly because you'll be on call twenty-four seven. As for actual work, I suspect that you'll probably average less than twenty hours a week."

Sonny responded, "Believe me, no matter what the reasoning, my family greatly appreciates the opportunity to have a somewhat normal life; a lot more normal than we've had in the past. Allowing us to chose the house and the landscaping makes everything even better. Are there any suggestions you can make, since it will be built on trust property?"

"I haven't discussed it with Dr. N, but I would want you to consider energy and water conservation, in addition to security."

"Security?"

Sonny, you've already mentioned this to some degree in making our house more difficult to see and utilizing a crossfire. You can also use landscaping to help funnel anyone attacking us into preset fields of fire."

"From my time in the Marines, I understand the use of terrain to determine fields of fire. I'm not sure how that plays in what you have just said"

"Sonny, the security part of the landscaping is taking the same idea, but instead of evaluating the existing terrain and making the best of it, you will be designing things to be most effective for you. Small berms placed correctly can deny the enemy good firing positions and thickly planted thorn bushes in a hedge can be more effective than razor wire. Another example would be using concrete benches and statuary placed in a way to slow down an attack by vehicles. Make them slow down and have to go around things instead of being able to rush straight to the objective. I guess you would liken it to the English castles, with moats, sharp turns at the entrances, and hedges formed into mazes."

"Okay, that makes sense. What about the rest."

"Energy conservation could be nothing more than placing the house where it avoids much of the harsh summer sun and cold winter winds. It would also include planting trees that can help accomplish your goal of limiting extremes in the weather. As for water conservation, look for ways to hold as much water from our infrequent rains as possible, as well as finding ways to utilize that water more than once. When you're ready, I'll try to get you some help."

Sonny responded, "I think I understand. In fact, I was envisioning actually backing the house up to the ridge opposite Hector's house. That would shade much of the house from the late afternoon sun. Some trees or a wall on the north side could reduce the effects of the winter wind."

"That's the right idea," responded a pleased Kyle. "You might also consider excavating part of that ridge and incorporate the cool rock into part of the house. You might do that for a family room and possible even a garage."

Sonny nodded thoughtfully as he tried to picture what Kyle was describing.

Changing the direction of the conversation, KK asked, "Hector, do you have a garden?"

"Si,  We have a small one for peppers. Las Cruses has both a co-op as well as a farmers market where we can get fresh local vegetables, and much of it is organically grown. If we wanted to expand our own food production, we have been told that there is water about a hundred feet below us. I don't know how potable it is, so that's why a well was never drilled."

"What about fresh meat?" asked Kyle.

"Patrón, I buy a young steer from my uncle about twice a year, and my sister down the road has plenty of chickens and eggs. For other things, there are several butcher shops in Las Cruses, though I have found the quality of one to be much higher than that of the others. It's slightly more expensive, but not more than a few cents a pound."

"Hector, in keeping to our object of staying out of sight, could you consider including our needs in your purchases. We would reimburse you, and also cover a portion of your costs as compensation."

"I will check with Adalina, but I don't see a problem. In fact, if we can buy for the three families, we can probably get a break on the price."

"What about freezer and refrigerator storage?" asked KK.

"All we have is a small chest freezer and a normal refrigerator/freezer," answered Hector.

KK responded, "How about our having a walk-in freezer and cooler built in that massive garage below us. With the propane generator we don't have to worry about a power outage, and we all have easy access. That will enable us to purchase our meat and produce in bulk without taking up additional space in our homes."

Kyle added, "We can also get a few golf carts for the compound to make it easier for everyone to run to the basement to pick up food as well as increase interaction between our families.

Hector grinned and replied, "I think both are wonderful ideas. Could we also include a workplace for canning and freezing some of the fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a storage area for the items that are canned? This is something Adalina and Varena have wanted for a long time."

"Hector, I'll see that it happens, even if Kyle and I have to pay for it ourselves. "Also, please tell your wife that I may not know much about canning and freezing food, but I am willing to help."

"KK, I think she will be very happy to hear that."

A surprised Kathleen remarked, "You called me KK."

Hector smiled and said, "That is because you are becoming family. We work for a Patrón; we work with family."

"Oh."

Pleased with the attitude of his new bosses, Sonny asked, "So, what do we need to do at this point?"

Kyle answered, "I'd like you to look over the weapons we've acquired and make any suggestions and requests for what we might need. In doing this, you need to consider that we have a limited access to actual military weapons. Hector, do you know anyone that could build and equip what we just discussed for the garage?"

"I think so. I'll have to make some calls."

"KK, while he's doing that, could you call Dr. N? Let her know about Sonny's employment and advise her of what we've discussed regarding the garage. Like you, I expect to pay for it, but I think we should have the trust's permission. We also need permission to build a server room, a couple of additional storage areas, and a wood shop."

"OK, what about our moms?"

"Check with them on their progress and when we should expect to pick them up. Sonny and I should be free in just a few minutes."

KK snapped to attention and saluted as she said, "Consider it done."

Kathleen quickly discovered that she couldn't hold a straight face and moments later burst out in giggles. This caused the others to start laughing. Kyle, Hector and Sonny headed for the garage, while Kathleen found Dr. Narduchi's private number and gave her a call.

When they reached the garage, Hector headed back to his house to share the news with his family, while Kyle led Sonny to the workbench holding the weapons and ammunition acquired from Barbara and Mark.

Sonny reviewed everything before saying, "Impressive start, but I would like to get some radio controlled claymores, combat shotguns and several additional weapons, preferably MP5's, M4's, or a combination of the two. What you have here is good for long range or short range. What I want is some mid range weapons, along with more short range. If too many of the enemy get close, we could be overwhelmed. Also remember that, even with what I'm proposing, we will need people behind those weapons."

"Sonny, I was in the Army and rated expert with both the M16 and the M9. KK and I have been shooting since we were preteens, and we are both carrying Glock .40's – she has the model 27, while I have the model 23. They are both loaded with Hydro-shocks. In addition, we are both experts with a bow and have had years of martial art training."

"That's a good start, but we may need some to be able to call on some additional help. From your statement, I'm assuming both of you are black belts."

"No belts, as we were not in it for the competition. I also have years of training with the sword and dagger, both individually and together. KK's deadly with throwing knives out to thirty feet, and my favorite weapon is the Kettukari, or fighting staff."

"Man, you're into some heavy shit. I have a buddy on the force in Orange County who had a similar background. I asked him once why he did it, but I got some strange look, a smile and then he told me that I wouldn't believe it if he told me."

"Interesting," remarked Kyle. "I think I'd like to talk to him sometime."

"So would a lot of people. He disappeared about six months ago, and no one has seen or heard from him since. What was really strange was the house was all locked up from the inside and nothing seemed to have been touched. Even his keys, wallet and weapon were sitting in plain sight."

Before the conversation could progress, KK bounded into the garage and announced, "Everything's fine with Dr. N, including the trust paying for everything. In addition, our moms will be ready for us within the hour."

"KK, I need you to ride in the front to free up passenger space. How about grabbing something that will help distort your features?"

"No problem. I've got just the thing upstairs. I'll be right back."

"Bring your laptop," Kyle shouted to her as she headed back up the steps.

Kyle turned back to Sonny and asked, "I noticed earlier that you were carrying. Do you know what the rules are in New Mexico?"

"I'm on reserve status in California, so I was able to automatically get a New Mexico license. From what I was told, if you have a Texas permit, New Mexico will automatically honor it."

"Good. That means that KK and I are both covered for a while."

Moments later, Kathleen came back down the steps carrying her laptop and wearing a big floppy hat and large round sunglasses. Kyle doubted her mother could have recognized her in that outfit.

Opening the passenger door, KK asked, "Do we need to get a garage door remote from the Buick?"

"Dr. Narduchi gave me one," answered Sonny.

"Then let's get this show on the road," she responded.

Sonny turned the SUV around and drove straight out the garage.

When they reached the town of Dóna Ana, Sonny asked, "Where are we going?"

KK answered, "The first stop is the lower level of Sunland Park Mall. My Mom and Kyle's older sister, Felicia, will be waiting at the Sears entrance closest to Macy's. As for Kyle's Mom, Charlotte, and his other sister, Courtney, all I know is that they're in Bassett Place Mall. I'll find out more when we get closer."

As Kyle sat in the rear of the black SUV, he thought further about some of his and KK's conversations. Suddenly, some of the pieces fell together and he realized that their cell phone were a weak link in their security efforts.

Thus, even though they were more than ten miles from the Missionary Ridge, Kyle had a lot of apprehension when he decided to use his phone, but he hoped that keeping the calls short would help.

The first call was to his Mom.

"Alexander," she answered.

"Your favorite son has a couple of quick questions."

"OK."

"Since we're going to be on call to the oil company, do you think we could receive company phones?"

"Definitely."

"Then, who's the carrier?"

"Verizon."

"What about internet?"

"I think that would be crucial. Do you want me to have phones sent to you from Houston? We can overnight them to be here tomorrow and do you want to keep the same numbers."

"Different numbers would be smart. I need two 4G Android smart phones with Houston or Dallas numbers. Mr. Frederico Mendoza will pick them up at the FedEx office in the morning, unless I hear from you otherwise. Also could you please have your phone guru call me ASAP, especially before those phones ship?"

"Sure, I'll get things started and have Dennis Chapman call as quickly as I can locate him."

"And Mom, I don't want either of our names associated with those phones, even on your internal paperwork."

"I'll get it done, but I'm going to want some explanation when we get together."

Kyle ended the call and asked KK to get her brother on her phone. Moments later, she handed her phone to her husband.

"Ryan, don't you have Skype on your laptop?

"Yes, my user name is Brain222."

"Can you get set up? I'll call you as soon as we can locate a WiFi hotspot."

"Okay. I'm free the rest of the evening. Talk to you shortly."

When Kyle returned her phone, KK asked, "What's going on?"

"After we left the house, I realized we've got a potential security problem with our cell phones, and I'm trying to do something about it. Sonny, I need to quickly purchase a computer headset with the ability to talk, as well as listen."

"You're going to use Skype to cover your calls?" asked Kathleen.

"I'm thinking of trying to use it as much as possible."

"That's a pretty smart approach." added Sonny, "I don't know why we didn't do something like that in LA. With so many hot spots around, it would have been simple to do."

"What set this off?" asked KK.

"You're talking about not having internet capability. I knew we were too far out for DSL or cable, and having a T1 line to our home would not only be expensive, but could draw attention to us. Then, I vaguely remember reading that Verizon had built a LTE 4G network along the I-25 Corridor. The article also claimed that their 4G android phones could be used to create a localized WiFi hotspot."

"I follow that, but what about our old phones. I thought we didn't need to do anything?"

"As for ownership, we didn't need to make a change, but then I realized that our phones could potentially be used to locate us. That created the need for new phones and new numbers. In that same thought, I realized that the phones needed to be kept out of our names."

"That makes sense, but I would have thought we'd gone with prepaid disposable phones in that case."

"At the moment I don't think they come with the higher level 4G service, and we need that. What I need to check out concerns the ability to track us from our voice mail. If it can't be traced, then I plan on keeping our existing phones for a while but with the batteries removed. Thus, when people call the old number, it will automatically go to our voice mail, which we can access from the new phones, or from Skype."

"I'm following all this, but what about our desktops. Are we going to have to buy wireless cards for them?"

"That's one of the things I want to discuss with Mom's phone specialist. I seem to recall that there are now 4G routers that will handle WiFi, in addition to one or more Cat5 connections."

"What about the speed of the connection?"

"According to what I read, the 4G data transfer rate is better than DSL."

"Cool."

Sonny pulled into a small strip center and found a small computer repair and supply operation. Kyle made sure he understood what they needed and gave him some cash.

While waiting for Sonny to return, Kyle noticed a MickyD down the street advertising WiFi availability. It would be the perfect place to connect with Ryan. A few minutes later Sonny returned with the headset Kyle wanted, along with his change.

"Thanks, Sonny. Now, we need to pull into that MickyD's down the road and get as close to the glassed in area as possible. While I'm setting up Skype and talking to KK's brother, could you please get us a couple of cokes, along with something for yourself?"

"Sure. Also, please understand that I try not to listen to the details of your conversation, but if you can get this internet set up in your house, I know I would like your help to add it to my house, and I suspect Hector will also. Angelica and I will use the internet some, but it's a necessity for our kids."

"We can do that, but also remember that both KK and I are graduating seniors from UTEP and both of us are planning to go to grad school. If any of your or Hector's children need some help with school, please don't hesitate to call us. We will be traveling part of the time, but even then we may be able to help."

"Thanks, Kyle, KK. I know it will be greatly appreciated, as we all want our children to do better than we did."

Sonny found the perfect spot to park, and Kyle could immediately access the internet; the WiFi signal was at maximum.

KK handed Sonny some money and asked, "Could you please get me a hot-fudge sundae with nuts, instead of a drink?"

"Sure. Kyle?"

"Medium coke and, if they have them, I'll take three oatmeal raisin cookies."

Sonny headed inside, and Kyle focused on getting Skype set up on the computer. Finding that he could get an unlimited account for almost nothing by prepaying for a year, Kyle used PayPal to complete the transaction.

Using PayPal also reminded Kyle of another security matter ... credit cards. Thus, while he was calling Ryan, he transferred fifty thousand to his PayPal account and ordered a second debit card in the name of Kathleen Alexander to be sent to CyberFun. They could get it from KK's mother or Felicia later.

Ryan answered his computer and asked, "What's going on?"

"I'm primarily dealing with some security issues, but I need some help from you on another matter."

"Sure, what do you need me to do?"

"Have you seen any signs of anyone following you or watching the house?"

"No, and Barbara Haywood sent someone around to make sure there were no tracking devices or bugs on any of the vehicles."

"Good. Can you leave now?"

"No problem."

"In that case, how about taking my Jeep and meeting us at Sunland Park Mall."

"Sure, where do I go and are you in Jonas' Buick?"

"Go to the Sears entrance on the lower level closest to Macy's and watch for both us and your Mom. We'll be in a black Suburban, but don't look for either KK or me to be driving."

"Black Suburban driven by a stranger. Any other identifying information?"

"It has a UTEP tag on front and the front passenger is wearing a big floppy hat and oversized sunglasses."

"Is my sister using that old disguise? It's a good thing these clowns aren't family, or she would have been busted for sure."

Kyle was laughing at his brother-in-law's remark as he said, "Don't forget you're going to need both the front and back seats, so make sure they're free. Do you have any more room in the back?"

"Some, as most of the stuff from Jonas' house is now in our little trailer."

"Good. If you would, bring it all and fill up on the way. You've got a ways to go and that car sucks gas when you're pulling the trailer."

"You got that right! I should be there in twenty minutes."

Kyle terminated the call and put the laptop to sleep.

KK asked, "Sweetheart, could you fill me in on your conversation? I could hear your half, but it still left a lot of gaps.'

"No problem. Ryan said that he's not had anyone following him or watching from the street. Also, Barbara sent someone by to check for bugs and tracking devices, so we can be pretty sure my Jeep is clean. He has everything from Jonas' house in the back of the Jeep, or in the small trailer, and I'm having him meet us where we're picking up Felicia and your mother. We'll get as many of their purchases as possible in the Jeep, and I'll drive them to the house while you and Sonny go pick up Charlotte and Courtney."

"Why split up, and why do you have to drive?"

"As for as splitting up, I realized that we're probably going to have a tight squeeze to get everyone and their purchases in this vehicle, so having the Jeep will allow us more room, and I was going to drive because of the trailer. Everyone else needs to be blindfolded."

"Kyle, this is our family. Don't you think blindfolds are a little extreme?"

"Sweetheart, I'm not worried about our families hurting us in that aspect. I'm worried if someone decides to snatch them for the information. This way, even under some truth drug, they can honestly say they were blindfolded and have no earthly idea where we're living."

"Sorry, I hadn't thought about it in that way. All this intrigue and paranoia is hard for me to accept."

"KK, I understand, but due to all the unknowns, I have to keep asking myself, am I paranoid enough?"

Kathleen suddenly realized the stress her husband was under. He might be a warrior, but he was no security expert. He was doing everything possible to protect her in this time of turmoil, and all she was doing was making it worse by doubting everything and pushing for normalcy. Their married life was not beginning like she had expected, and at some level, her mind was rebelling.

"Kyle, I'm sorry for not having my head on straight. You're doing your best and pushing yourself to go much farther than that. This is not the way I expected our marriage to begin, but that's not your fault. All of this was thrust upon you by others, and I've not been the helpmate you need me to be. I promise I'll do better."

Separated by the back of Kathleen's seat, Kyle couldn't pull her close to offer comfort. Instead, he held her right hand in his left and gently squeezed. In addition, his right hand gently stroked her cheek as he offered soft tender words of comfort. After a few moments she began to regain her perspective and squeezed his hand in return. He was wiping the tears from her eyes when the SUV entered the lower area of the mall, and Sonny parked where they could easily watch the area where they expected Beverly and Felicia to appear.

"My precious Kathleen," Kyle said in a soft, soothing voice, "I'm not sorry I married you, but I am sorry that you were thrust into a war in this manner. For any new bride this is a nesting time; a time for getting your new home in order and celebrating life with your family and your husband. Instead, we are discussing security issues and hiding from people who would not only destroy us, but our nation. No young bride should have to face something like this."

Through her tears, Kathleen explained, "Part of my problem is dealing with the unknown. This is worse than facing an overwhelming force. We don't even know if they're still seeking us since they purchased Jonas' house. It's all so nebulous."

Afraid to say anything more on the subject in front of Sonny, Kyle asked, "Sonny, could you step outside for a moment. I need to explain some things to my wife in private?"

"Sure," answered the driver as he exited the SUV and closed the door.

Kyle looked at his wife and said, "Sweetheart, everything you have just said is true, but also consider that the moment we step though the portal our status changes drastically with these people, and I seriously doubt that the threat will be tentative. Much of my current effort is to get us ready for that time while things are quiet and temporarily off their radar. It would be a disaster to try to do these things once the shooting starts. Part of that preparation is to limit their ability to hit us, as it's hard to shoot us when they don't know where we are, or to have to fight a major battle just to get to us."

"Thanks my warrior for helping me to see the whole picture, as well all your efforts to keep us safe. I want to do some shooting tomorrow to help get myself into battle mode."

"Speaking of battle mode, I'd like to find some horses we can ride before we get too rusty."

"Maybe Sonny could help us. His family seems to be into about everything in our area."

Kyle nodded his agreement as he tapped on the window and signaled Sonny to re-enter the vehicle.

As the driver opened the door and climbed in, Kyle asked, "Sonny, do you have any family who raise horses?"

"Not really, what are your thoughts?"

Not wanting to explain about Chaos, Kyle answered, "In the past, I've found mentally returning to our old west roots can help me focus on what it takes to survive."

"I might have a possible solution. Let me check on something tomorrow, and I'll let you know."

An excited KK interrupted, "Here comes Ryan, and Mom just stuck her head out the door."

Praying that his decision would not come back to haunt them, Kyle looked at his bride and said, "Baby, I'm changing plans. I want you to ride with Ryan, Beverly and Felicia. You can direct your brother to the house, though I still want Beverly and Felicia blindfolded."

"Are you sure?"

"Mentally, no, but in my heart, I think it's the right thing to do. Besides, in a day or so, Ryan will be back in Phoenix."

"Okay, but since we'll be getting home first, do you want us to fix a meal?"

"I thought we'd pick up some spicy fried chicken in Las Cruses. How about preparing something to go with it?"

"Potato salad or smashed potatoes and gravy?"

"Either, along with a vegetable or two."

Sonny exited the SUV and introduced himself to Ryan, Beverly and Felicia. Then, as he helped Ryan load the Jeep, he advised Ryan of the plan. Almost everything the two women had purchased was able to be loaded into the Jeep, leaving only two bags and some down pillows to be placed in the rear of the Suburban.

Kyle kissed his wife and said, "Please be careful, and don't be afraid to use that pistol if needed."

"Okay and same back at you. Speaking of my pistol, do you know what the New Mexico rules are concerning concealed weapons?"

"I checked with Sonny while you were getting your hat. There's an agreement between the two states to honor each other's permits."

"Thanks for checking. Knowing I'm not going to jail if we get stopped is a good feeling."

Sonny and Kyle watched the Jeep head north from the parking lot before they headed toward the other mall. Before they reached the interstate, Kyle's cell phone started the song signifying an incoming call.

Not recognizing the number, Kyle answered in a deeper voice with a simple "Yo".

"Kyle, this is Dennis Chapman. Your mother wanted me to call, so how can I help you?"

"Did she request the phones?"

"Yes, but I can't get them until tomorrow afternoon."

"I can probably live with that, but I need to work through some things with you, and I don't want to use the cell phone. Do you use Skype?"

"No, but call me back using this number, as it's a private secure line within the company. I should be free for about an hour."

Kyle replied, "Will do," and hung up.

"Do I need to find another location where you can use your laptop?" asked Sonny.

"Yes, but I suspect the closest one will be around Executive Center Drive and Mesa."

"Then that's where we'll go."

Thus, six minutes later, when the SUV pulled into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant advertising WiFi, Kyle already had KK's laptop up and running. Even before Sonny parked, Kyle was already logging in to Skype.

"Dennis Chapman."

"Dennis, Kyle Alexander. Can you hear me okay?"

"Five by five. Now, how can I help you?"

"First, I had to make a quick decision about the phones, so I need to verify my coverage."

"Sure, give me your address."

"For reasons I can't explain, that's not possible at this point. Let's just say on the west side of the Rio Grande above Las Cruses."

"How far west and how far north?"

"No more than five miles west and twenty-five miles north."

"There may be a few weak areas, but Verizon has that area pretty well covered with their LTE towers."

"Good. I thought I remember reading something about it recently, but I wanted confirmation. Now, my second question concerns WiFi. We have two desktops and two laptops, but we are too remote for either DSL or Cable. Is there a G4 device available that will let us use Cat5 connections as well as in-house WiFi?"

"Using the LTE network?"

"Yes."

"I know of one device that'll work for at least one desktop, but I can check around for one that has more than one Ethernet connection. If nothing else, we could use a small cheap router to slave off the wireless one."

"Good, either idea will work for us. My next question concerns my current phones. If I removed the batteries, could we still be tracked and for how long will calls keep going to voice mail?"

"Now, you're really making me curious. Without a battery, you can not be tracked unless the phone had been previously set up with a small secondary battery. The FBI has used that concept in the past to monitor certain Mafia leaders in NY. As for the voice mail, it will continue as long as you pay the bill. Remember though, most companies only keep such calls for a week to ten days."

"That's good to know. Now, my final question for the moment concerns remote signal boosters. Part of my property is so surrounded by rock that no signals can reach it. Is there a way to set an antenna/booster up on higher ground?"

"That depends on whether the rock prevents the signal from reaching the booster. How far a distance are you thinking about?"

"No more than five hundred feet"

"It wouldn't be a cheap solution, but there is a way to connect a repeater to a repeater/antenna that is within a thousand feet."

"Can the connecting cable be buried?"

"I don't know of any reason why not, but remember that the antenna/repeater will have to have power. Also realize that it will boost more than just the signal received through the cable. It will work for every phone within a thousand yards."

"That's even better. How quickly can you get the items here?"

"The phones will be there day after tomorrow. The repeaters and supplies should be there within a week."

"Excellent. Man, I really appreciate your help."

"I'm glad I could meet your needs, and from what your mom has said, welcome to the company. Now, before you hang up, let me review this. You want two 4G Android Smartphones with unlimited phone and data link usage. You need both wall and car chargers and you want both phones to have Houston numbers. You want a 4G WiFi setup with the ability to connect at least two devices via Cat5 cable, and you want the remote antenna/booster combination set up we discussed."

"That sounds perfect, except remember our names don't appear on any paperwork, and I would like the outgoing caller ID blocked."

"Thanks for reminding me on that. What about color choices if I have any options?"

"I don't care about mine, but the second phone is for a female."

"Gotcha, I'll see what I can do."

"Dennis, I have no doubt of that and I really appreciate your time."

"Kyle, it was my pleasure, and again, welcome to the company."



-------

Chapter 24


Kyle terminated the call and immediately called his mother's cell phone.

"Charlotte," she answered.

"It's your favorite son again. We're about fifteen minutes from you. Where do you want to meet?"

"If we can have twenty minutes, I'd like to pick up some additional things at Target. Can you meet us at their front entrance?"

"Sure. Look for a black Suburban with a UTEP Tag on the front, but you won't recognize the driver."

"You can explain about that later. Did Dennis get up with you?"

"Yes, and he was very helpful."

"I'm glad. Have you already picked up Brenda and Felicia?"

"They are already on the way to the house, so it will be just us."

"Great, that will give us more room for the things we bought. See you shortly."

With that, Charlotte hung up. Then, while Kyle terminated the Skype session and closed the laptop, Sonny pulled out of their parking place. When they reached the Interstate they found that the traffic was already beginning to pick up, causing their trip to the second mall to take a little longer than expected.

When Sonny pulled up to the front door of Target, Charlotte and Courtney came out, each pushing a cart. In addition, three target employees had more carts. Observing their surroundings carefully, Sonny hit the button to open the rear doors and exited the SUV. He quickly introduced himself to Kyle's mother and sister before helping everything get loaded in the back.

When the loading was complete, Charlotte thanked her helpers and gave each of them a twenty for a tip. Sonny opened the doors for the women and then returned to the driver's seat. Charlotte, uncertain what was going on, noted that he had maintained the look of an eagle the entire time. As soon as everyone was buckled, he started toward Kyle's home.

As they headed for the Interstate, Sonny asked, "Kyle, do you want me to pick up the chicken at Bojangles, or at Popeye's in Las Cruses?"

"I'd rather have Bojangles, but it wouldn't be as good by the time we get home. I think getting it in Las Cruses would be the far wiser choice. We may also need to get some night shades for Mom and Courtney."

Charlotte interjected, "In case you needed to do something like blindfolding us, I purchased some scarves that should do the trick."

"Good thinking Mom, and please understand that this is as much for your safety as ours."

"Son, I don't understand any of this, but for the moment I'm going with the flow. I just figured that your problems would be solved when Robert was arrested?"

"I can't explain a lot at the moment, but this has nothing to do with Robert. Instead, it's related to Jonas' suicide. It seems that the people who tried to blackmail Jonas are looking for something he had. We hope that by selling the house to Lucille we've escaped their detection. Now, we are trying to disappear until the problem is resolved."

"And this car and Sonny is part of that?"

"That and whole lot more, and it's all from Jonas."

"Jonas?"

"It seems that he had made provisions that were outside his will."

"Is that legal?"

"It's part of a trust he set up. The trust is designed to provide the use of certain assets to Jonas' descendents, but it maintains ownership of those assets."

"Then why you and not Robert?"

"Jonas and the trustee decided that Robert was not worthy."

"Really?"

"Their exact words."

"That's pretty pathetic isn't it?"

"Mom, I just hope I bring sufficient honor to Grandfather that I erase any blight on the name that was caused by Robert."

"Kyle, I think you can do that by just continuing to breathe."

For the next few minutes, Kyle, his mother and his sister discussed their day. It was pleasant and loving in a family way, and Kyle was amazed how different things were now that they were free of Robert's shadow.

Before they realized it, Sonny was exiting the interstate in Las Cruses. Charlotte gave him some money, along with the order, and soon they were headed back on the Interstate headed North.

Without prompting, Charlotte pulled out two scarves and handed one back to Courtney. Then with Kyle's help, the blindfolds were quickly in place. It was less than fifteen minutes later when the SUV pulled into the garage. Felicia ran down the stairs to help bring the chicken.

Wanting his mom and sister to experience the full effect of the place, Kyle had them keep their blindfolds in place for a few more moments. As soon as Felicia saw what her brother was doing, she took the boxes of chicken and biscuits and rushed back upstairs to warn Kathleen and Brenda.

Kyle and Sonny helped to two blindfolded females toward the stairs, and as they walked, Kyle asked, "Sonny, do you want to head on home, or would you like to eat with us?"

"My family is not expecting me until late tonight. I figured I would drop your guests off at their cars and see them home before I head to where we're staying."

"Well done, but this just emphasizes why we need you moved here as soon as possible."

"I can't disagree with you," Sonny responded.

At the top of the stairs, the family guided Charlotte and Courtney to the entrance of the great room and had them remove their blindfolds.

Mother and daughter blinked a couple of times and then focused first on the wall of glass and then to the beautiful rock fireplace that stretched from floor to ceiling.

"Wow!" exclaimed Charlotte, "that view is awesome."

"I agree," answered Courtney.

"I think we all had the same feeling the first time we saw it," added Kathleen. "Come; let me give you a quick tour before we eat. You can look more in depth after we eat."

The tour started in the well designed kitchen and ended up in the master bedroom, where the oversized bed elicited numerous comments. Felicia discovered the huge bathroom with its hot tub, but failed to pick up on the shower large enough for four.

Brenda, on the other hand was excited by all the closet space and the lush soft mauve carpet in the bedrooms. The rest of the house had either hardwood floors or tile.

Though the meal was a simple one, they ate in the formal dining room, as it was the only place large enough for the entire group. The conversation was spirited, ranging from teasing the young married couple, to the afternoon's purchases and obviously including some probing to learn more of what was behind all this mysterious need to hide. It was especially frustrating for the mothers when that information was not forthcoming.

Shortly before 2200, Kyle and Sonny loaded the moms, sisters and brother into the Suburban and made sure everyone was blindfolded. Kyle made sure he had Sonny's cell phone number and then cautioned everyone about giving out any information concerning the couple.

Sonny said, "Kyle, I'll see you around 0930."

Kyle nodded in agreement, and Sonny drove off into the night, closing the garage door behind him.

Kyle turned off the lights in the garage and headed upstairs. He entered the great room and found his wife relaxing before the fire.

"Well, how do you think it went?" he asked.

"I think it went much better than I expected, but I could tell the curiosity was killing them. Even my brother was affected by the intrigue."

"I know, and it's probably the only secret he and I have never shared. What's worse is it's a secret that we really can never reveal. Hopefully, we can find some way to turn this back on the militia group without exposing the portals."

"What about explaining things the way you did to Mark and Barbara, which I thought was rather ingenious."

"Thank you. The problem is that the way it was handled gave the two of them an explanation that could be easily denied, especially in an official investigation. I don't see our mothers and siblings taking it that way."

"True, but didn't Wanda know about Jonas' adventures?"

"Yes, she did."

"It may be a while before we can say anything, but eventually we may have to tell them the truth."

"Okay Sweetheart, I can see where you're coming from. I'll be open to explaining more in the future, but I hope that we don't have to add that complication to our lives. Now, do you want to go on to bed or what?"

KK answered, "I'd like to read more in the Handbooks. I think we need to make a little trip in the morning to talk to some people on Crossroads."

"I know right where the books are. I'll be back in a minute."

Kyle ran down to the garage and retrieved the two manuals from his backpack in the truck of the Buick. He had mixed them in with his textbooks to hide them from prying eyes. Returning to his bride, he handed her the companion handbook and sat next to her with the handbook for heroes.

"You know Kyle, the last time I picked up this book I thought you were off your rocker. Now, I'm reading it like it was just below the Bible in importance."

The newlyweds sat in front of the fireplace and read for more than an hour. Though they were barely halfway through the manuals, they realized they were fighting a losing battle with the 'sandman'. Each inserted some form of bookmark and they headed to bed. They did not make love, but they did fall asleep in each other's arms.

Kathleen woke first the next morning. Feeling that immersing herself in his essence was the most important thing she could do at that moment, she let him sleep as she held him close and listened to his heart beat. Kyle's smell filled her olfactory sensors, and the touch of his body caused tingles wherever those meetings of the flesh occurred.

'If I was a cat, ' she thought, 'I'd be purring loud enough to wake the neighbors.'

After a bit, Kyle suddenly open his eyes and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as he threw back the covers and headed for the bathroom. It was not the most romantic way for a couple to start the morning, but Kathleen had read enough to understand that it was a necessary part of the early morning life of an adult male.

Understanding that her husband had to pee first thing was one thing, but she became a little miffed when she heard the shower begin. That feeling was quickly squelched when Kyle returned to the bedroom to escort his wife to her morning shower. It was even better when he joined her and began to wash her hair. Sadly, the couple didn't linger for morning love making, but the emotional fulfillment that Kathleen felt when they finished was almost as good.

As they dressed, Kathleen asked Kyle, "What would you like for breakfast?"

"We may need something additional later in the morning, but I was thinking of some fruit and cereal. My goal is to be finished with the manuals before Sonny arrives and then head to Crossroads while our two guards discuss housing and security issues."

After finishing her Manual, Kathleen asked, "Will we have to go to Chaos this morning?"

"I don't think so. According to Jonas, the first time a new Hero arrives on Crossroads, it is more of a 'meet and greet' time, as well as the time when he chooses caretaker. In normal times, this must be done before the first mission, as she has to research and help the Hero select his mission, as well as to help him prepare for it. That preparation can include weapon training and clan etiquette, but it also provides information and insight to help that mission be a success. This time there are some differing circumstances, so I'm not really sure how thing will be played out. If nothing else, I'll grab your arm and step back through the portal."

"Isn't that contrary to what is needed?"

"It is, but there is also the fact that they need me more than I need them. If they can't work with us to resolve the issue, then we need to play a little 'hardball' until they are willing to find a reasonable compromise or explain the real significance for the rule."

"That makes sense, so I will follow the lead of my great and wise master."

"KK, you need to understand that on both worlds, that is all you can do. On Crossroads, as a companion you are almost invisible to their eyes, while on Chaos, you have no status because you are a woman."

"I could see that for a medieval world like Chaos, but why that reaction on Crossroads?"

"I know that I was treated better by MariLynn because of my relationship to Jonas, but I observed other companions who were treated as if they were a lower class of humanity. I suspect that the primary reason is that this entire setup centers on their Knight in shinning armor ... the Hero. The companion on the other hand is nothing more than a squire or servant, intended to do menial tasks such as cooking, washing and caring for the Hero's horse. From what I observed from some of the Heroes who had companions, that was also how they were treated by the Hero."

"Then why would anyone become a companion?" asked Kathleen.

"Probably for the same reasons that in the old days, young men sought after such positions from the Knights of the Realm ... adventure, travel, education and the desire to someday follow in his Knight's footsteps. In some ways, my initial desires were not very far from theirs, but over time, my deep love for my grandfather and what he stood for left those desires in the dust."

"I can see that, but isn't it ironic that the deep love and the relationship between the two of you eventually led to you to be able to fulfill those desires."

"True, but I would rather have Jonas."

Kathleen, feeling the immense emotion surrounding those words held her husband close and let him cry.

A short time later, Kathleen heard the alarm followed by the opening of the garage door, which automatically shut off the alarm. Moments later, Sonny called from basement advising that he had arrived.

"Sonny, can you come up here a minute?" Kathleen shouted back.

Fearing there might be a problem, the young guard/driver ran up the stairs and entered the great room. At that point, he had not drawn his weapon, but his hand was on the butt, ready to bring it into action it at a moments notice.

When Sonny entered the room, he found a crying Kyle being comforted by his wife.

"Is everything okay?" Sonny asked.

"Kyle is missing his grandfather. I think with everything that has happened in the past week, this is the first time he has allowed the reality of his loss to really manifest itself."

"It is good to cry and mourn for family. It is even better when friends and loved ones support and comfort him. Do you need me up here, or is there something I need to be doing?"

"Kyle had said something about you and Hector getting together to determine where to place your new home, as well as to start planning for the defense of the compound."

"We can do that, but hit the alarm button if you need me."

"I'll do that, but also remember that while you are planning our defense, you are still our primary line of defense. Therefore, stay armed and stay alert."

Sonny grinned as he saluted and said, "Aye, aye Boss Lady."

By the time Sonny had joined Hector outside, Kyle had stopped crying, though his eyes were still full of tears.

"Do you want to press on or wait?" asked Kathleen.

"We need to get this initial trip behind us, so I think we should proceed as planned."

"What about a new caretaker? Do we continue with MariLynn, or do we need to select someone new?"

"That's a good question KK. I know her and she knows me, but at the same time she almost led Jonas into a trap on his last trip. From Jonas' notes, she was either part of it, or easily manipulated by someone else. I don't think I feel comfortable with either circumstance. In fact, I would prefer someone who is new to her role, but no matter what, I'm more interested in her intelligence and attitude than her appearance."

"With me beside you, I should hope that would be your criteria," Kathleen teased.

With that, the couple journeyed down to the secret area below the basement. There Kyle gathered the appropriate notes from the safe and slipped on his grandfather's sapphire ring. He pressed the hidden switch to extend the portal frame from the wall and held Kathleen's hand as they stepped though onto another world.

"Oh my!" proclaimed Kathleen, "it really is true."

"Did you doubt me?" asked a slightly concerned Kyle.

"In my heart no, but to be honest, my head still harbored some doubts."

Kyle chuckled, "I can imagine."

At that moment, a door slid open and an excited MariLynn entered the room to great her hero (the computer picked up that it was Jonas' ring and portal). Her surprise and disappointment was very evident.

"Kyle, Jonas said you would soon start your journey as a Hero, but he made it sound like it would be a while before that happened. Also, who is this beautiful creature you have brought with you?"

"MariLynn, this is my companion and my wife, Kathleen."

"Oh, this is most unusual. I don't know if it is allowed."

Kathleen responded, "MariLynn, I've studied the manual for companions from cover to cover and nowhere is a gender specified."

A flustered caretaker exclaimed, "I'm glad you've studied the manual, but I must still get my supervisor involved."

"Is this the same supervisor that met with Jonas on his last trip?" asked Kyle.

"Yes it is."

"Good, as we need a meeting as quickly as possible, and it needs to be shielded as thoroughly as possible."

MariLynn's frustration turned to anxiety, as there was a very ominous tone in Kyle's voice.

"Follow me," MariLynn replied. "I'll help you get comfortable while Sharon is called to join us. Is there any refreshment I can get you at the moment?"

"No thank you," replied Kyle.

MariLynn led the couple into a comfortably decorated room with a nice leather sofa placed in front of a stone fireplace. There was a matching wingback chair placed at each end of the larger chair. They were positioned several feet closer to the fireplace and turned sideways so that who ever sat there could easily see the fire, as well as anyone sitting on the sofa. There was a long coffee table placed parallel to the sofa and lining up with the two smaller chairs to make a box.

MariLynn then left the room, only to return a short time later with another woman.

"Kyle, I'm Sharon Supervisor. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes ma'am, though before we start, I ask that you verify that this room is shielded from intrusion or monitoring."

"Computer, has this been done?"

"It is now. There were three listening devices hidden in the room, but I have rendered them temporarily inoperative."

This news seemed to cause a significant shock to both of the Cassandran women.

"What is the source of the devices and who was listening?"

"That information has been hidden from my sensors."

Sharon was now very concerned and asked, "Computer, who would have the capability to do such?"

"Only someone at your level or higher. There are currently nineteen on Crossroads with that ability."

"Who are they and where are they located?"

"I'm sorry, but your clearance does not allow us to provide you with that information."

"Can you notify the Council?"

"Not without further information to determine if the request was necessary. If you wish, I will record this meeting and transmit it to one of the Council."

"Is that satisfactory to you?" Sharon asked Kyle.

"I guess the problem is that I have more information regarding the situation than you do, but I have the distinct feeling this is a 'Nero Moment'.

"What is a 'Nero Moment'?"

Kathleen snickered as Kyle answered, "Everything around us is burning and we're doing nothing but fiddling around."

"I do not understand," replied an exasperated Sharon Supervisor.

Kathleen explained, "In ancient times, the Roman Empire ruled much of the known world, and the City of Rome was the capital city of that Empire. One of its emperors was Nero, who according to legend became angry at some of the legislative leaders who tried to restrict his power. In retribution, some historians of the time claim that he had parts of the city set on fire and then stood on a hill overlooking the devastation playing a stringed instrument and singing songs. In later renditions of the story, someone made a word play on the phrase 'fiddling around' and changed the stringed instrument to a violin, which is also known in more common terms as a fiddle. A Nero Moment means doing nothing or a meaningless activity while chaos occurred all around those involved."

"From this, I understand that you feel we are not taking your situation seriously. Perhaps, if we knew more of what you know, we could stop 'fiddling around'."

Kyle replied, "I can accept that." He then placed the picture of Carl Edmondson on the coffee table and asked, "Do you recognize this man?"

As MariLynn looked questioning at the image, while Sharon's face turned dark with hatred.

"I recognize him. Carl Edmondson was, as you would say, a sadist bastard who enjoyed brutal torture and murder of innocent civilians. He was banished to live his remaining days on Chaos. This picture has him somewhat older than I remember him, so where did it come from?"

"It was taken by a security camera in Jonas' office less than a week ago. In addition, it was taken just minutes before Jonas committed suicide."

To emphasize his point, Kyle laid a photograph of Jonas' body on the table next to Edmondson's picture. The graphic picture of Jonas shocked both women, and even affected Kathleen who had already seen it.

"Oh no!" cried MariLynn, "not Jonas."

Kathleen quickly moved beside the distraught woman and began to comfort her. Sharon pushed aside her own shock and requested something from the computer. As small glass of a light blue liquid appeared on the table and instinctively Kathleen attempted to get MariLynn to take small sips.

Satisfied that Kathleen was dealing with Jonas' distressed caretaker, Sharon turned to Kyle and said sadly, "I think I'm beginning to understand your concept of a 'Nero Moment'. Can you give me more information?"

"Have you read the report of Jonas' last rescue?"

"Of course. It was pretty much a normal action."

"Can I see a copy?"

"Sure. Computer, please provide a copy of Hero Jonas' last mission report."

A moment later, a five page document appeared on the table in front of Kyle. He picked it up and began to read. The further he read, the angrier he became. When he finished, he leafed through the material he brought with him from Earth.

"Sharon, here is a copy of Jonas' original report. As you will notice, it's much thicker than the one provided by the computer."

Sharon slowly read through the documents given her by Kyle and at several points compared the two documents. The shocked look on her face gave Kyle a little more confidence that she was not involved in the traitorous acts, or the subsequent cover up.

"I now remember discussing this with Jonas, though I don't why I didn't remember it before you pointed it out to me. It was almost like a fog had surrounded that portion of my memory and hid it from me."

In an authoritative voice, Sharon barked, "Computer, give me the location of Carl Edmondson, exiled Hero."

"I show observation reports for nine locations in the past month. I show nothing concerning his being exiled."

"What!" shouted Sharon, "you have no record of his trial and exile?"

"I show him on an inactive status, but I have no record of a trial or an exile. I do puzzle why he would be on Chaos if he's in an inactive status."

"Computer, do a complete scan of Chaos and tell me Carl Edmondson's present location."

"Who?" replied the computer.

"Carl Edmondson," Sharon shouted.

"Who is he?" asked the computer.



-------

Chapter 25


Kyle stood, took Kathleen's hand and said, "Let's go home, KK. I don't like the way this is developing."

MariLynn jumped quickly from her chair and moved between the couple and the portal. There was a weapon of some kind in her hand.

Tears were streaming down her face as she cried, "It wasn't supposed to be this way, but you can't leave. If you do, it will mean that Jonas died for nothing."

"MariLynn, What are you doing?" asked Sharon Supervisor.

"I'm holding them until Carl sends someone for them."

A stunned Kyle asked, "MariLynn, I thought you loved Jonas?"

"I do, did, I don't know. This wasn't the way things were supposed to happen. Carl said he had information that would cause Jonas to just give him Shiloh and keep him on Earth until I could join him."

Kyle responded, "The information was that I was actually Jonas' son, and Carl threatened to use that to destroy my family. The problem was that Jonas was too much of a hero to give in to someone like Carl. Since Carl really didn't have a Hero's character, Carl never imagined that Jonas was willing to take his own life to save his family. Jonas was a Hero to the very end."

"That may be true, but it doesn't resolve the issue."

"And what is the real issue?" asked Kyle.

"This whole stupid system; it's cruel and inhuman, and it has to be changed. Carl convinced many of us on Crossroads that he could disrupt things to the point that the system could be changed."

"And what would you like to see changed?" asked Sharon.

"We spend years taking care of our Hero. In many cases, we're more of a wife to the Hero than his real wife at home, if he has one. We comfort, heal and help them plan missions. On each mission, we live in fear that they will not come back to us. The very nature of this setup makes it almost impossible not to fall in love with our Hero, yet we can never complete our lives together, nor can we have his children. Can you imagine how hard it is to watch the man you love impregnate woman after woman, yet we're never allowed that privilege?"

"And do you honestly think a man like Carl Edmondson would make things better?" asked Kyle.

"His caretaker Alicia says that was his intention. She told us that some of the senior staff got wind of his plans and made false reports of his activity on Chaos. Reports that made him seem cruel and heartless. She found a way to create another portal and got him back to Earth. Since then, he's been working hard to free us caretakers from our slavery and to enable the women on Cassandra to freely have babies without the dangers and waste of time created by Chaos."

"So, you took over the computer system and used that to misdirect at best, or cause the deaths of both Damsels and Heroes?"

"As Alicia explained it, those deaths were just collateral damage ... sad, but necessary for us to achieve our goals. Now Kyle, I'm afraid that you and your new wife will become two more unfortunate deaths to enable us to have control of Shiloh."

"And why is Shiloh so important?" asked a frightened Kathleen.

"Carl says it's the key to control almost a third of Chaos. Once we have Shiloh, then we can gain control of Hero Sid's Citadel and Hero Joe's stronghold."

Suddenly there was the sound of a chime and MariLynn said, "Carl has just arrived. All other portals have been locked out."

"I'm afraid you're wrong about that," proclaimed Barbara Haywood as she stepped through the doorway and fired a taser directly into MariLynn's back.

Barbara was followed by her husband, Mark, and by Kyle's friend, Larry Martin. Even more surprising was that all three were armed with assault rifles.

A surprised Kyle asked, "Barbara, how did you get here with Earth weapons, and how is Larry able to walk?"

At that moment MariLynn disappeared, and three aliens materialized in the side area between Kyle and his friend. They were each obviously different species, as the short stocky one was covered in grayish-green scales. His hands only had four short, stubby fingers and instead of an opposed thumb, two of the fingers seemed to be opposed to the other two.

The one to his right was very tall, close to eight feet in height, and was very thin. His pale blue skin was somewhat dimpled like a golf ball, and a ring of orange feathers circled his neck like a collar. His five fingers were more like that of a human, but seemed to have an extra joint.

For some reason, Kyle felt that the third alien was female. She was somewhat over six feet tall, and though slender, she was not near as thin as her blue companion. She was covered in a fine fur arranged in a patchwork of tans, blacks, orange and whites that was not unlike that of a calico cat, except that each patch was a solid color. There were other feline aspects displayed, such as the small pointed ears at the top of her head and the teeth at the front of her mouth were thin and pointed, like needles.

In a deep rumbling voice that reminded Kyle of a distant thunderstorm, the first alien answered, "Because we brought them here. We've been monitoring the situation for months, but we didn't have enough hard facts to really make the changes that need to be made. We healed your friend on one of our ships and then brought all three here to help us. Since they all exhibited the kind of Hero qualities found in your grandfather, we believed they could be trusted to both assist us and to keep our secret."

"Who are you?" asked Sharon, once she overcame her shock and could talk.

"The three of us were appointed by our governments to oversee this operation. We are the ones whom you call the Council."

"But, I've seen the Council, but they looked nothing like you."

"What you saw were computer created images. It was felt that you would co-operate more easily with those who appeared similar to you, rather than relate to us as we really are. We now see the folly of that thought, because some of you questioned why we had any right to dictate how things were to be done."

"But why would you have control of this facility?" asked Kyle.

"Because our peoples created this place and set up the current Damsel/Hero system to try to save a dying planet, as well as to help improve the lives of people on another world."

The feline alien added, "Our peoples are traders and explorers. The K'rling," pointing to her reptilian companion, "first found Chaos more than a million of your years ago. It was a single planet circling a surprisingly stable young sun. What made it unusual was the fact that the planet could not have been created by that sun. What made Chaos really unique was that it did not originate as a molten or gaseous blob, but from the repetitive collisions of spatial objects, each adding to the mass that slowly increased over time. It was that jumble of various masses that inspired the name, Tyrlvn, or Chaos in your language."

The K'rling added, "Because of that uniqueness, my people decided to attempt what you would call terraforming. An atmosphere was formed, during which additional gasses and fluids were released from the frozen rocks that made up the basic structure of the planet. In addition, because the planet had no molten core to maintain warmth, a thin vapor cloud was created to help hold in the planet's heat while mitigating harmful radiation from its sun. After much study, it was decided that the climate here was best matched by that of Sol 3, and flora and fauna were both transplanted. Some did well, while others seemed to find something missing in their new environment and did not survive."

The tall blue alien added, "The K'rling asked my people, the Jrkopy, to assist with adding a population and culture to the planet. After the work the K'rling had already done, we decided to transplant people from what we determined was the most stable group on earth at the time, which would have been around 1230 on your calendar. Thus we transplanted scattered villages and farms from between England and the Steppes of Russia and placed them, their homes, shops animals and even their crops in various locations around the single continent of Chaos. The only thing we did not bring were the churches, priests and the upper echelons of their political system. Religion was completely removed from their memories, but the idea of feudal lords, who lived elsewhere and seldom bothered the general population was planted in the peoples' minds."

The feline then explained, "We, the Mewor, are trader/explorers, searching for new planets with which to establish trade. Five hundred and sixty cycles ago, one of our ships discovered Cassandra and approached it regarding trade. Without any attempt to communicate with the ship, the planet launched hundreds of nuclear rockets at the ship. In our ship's defense of itself, the combination of explosive materials created a radiation cloud that began to make physical changes in the DNA of the Cassandrians. Eventually, these changes made it almost impossible for the females to be impregnated by Cassandrian males, and almost emasculated these males concerning their ability to sexually please their females. It is also slowly reducing their ability to lead, and it is now estimated that in less than a hundred cycles, the true Cassandrian males will all be dead or suffering from severe dementia.

"In trying to help the remaining Cassandrians, we sought ideas from our long time allies and trading partners, the K'rling and the Jrkopy. Since the Cassandrians were found to be genetically compatible with humans, the Jrkopy suggested we bring all the females to Chaos. We carried a few to the planet to see how it could work, but we were surprised at what we found when we arrived."

The Jrkopian took over the conversation and said, "During the almost seven hundred cycles since we had populated Chaos, the radiation had altered the DNA of the people. One of the changes seemed to be the removal of that spark of intelligence that made humans creative. That is why the planet still dwells in the middle ages. Another change made them sexually incompatible with humans from other planets, which is why the act of sex causes such a burning sensation. We later learned that pheromones produced by Cassandrian females can cause certain Chaosian men to irrationally want to possess them, yet are almost driven mad by their inability to mate with them without the burning.

"Once these facts were known," explained the Meworian, "our social scientists developed this system to utilize Earthmen to impregnate the Cassandrian women. The struggles and efforts of the Damsels assured that their children would be cherished and not be taken for granted, while the efforts and sacrifice of the Heroes assured that they were impregnated by the best men available. This also enabled the slow shift of power from the Cassandrian males to the human- Cassandrian males. Before this recent outside influence, we were projecting that there would be sufficient number of the new males to begin to assume control of the planet within seventy cycles.

"There were two additional aspects to our plan that involved earth itself. The rescues by the Heroes provided an emotional and physical outlet for many of the best men on earth, and their interaction with the people on Cassandra, Crossroads and Chaos was believed to help prepare a core of group of leaders who would one day be faced by aliens visiting Earth. We were hoping that these people would help prevent a reaction like that of the Cassandrians."

"How were these recent events allowed to happen?" asked Kyle.

The Meworian answered, "We set up the current system just over two hundred cycles ago. Crossroads was established on a habitable moon near the center of the triangle formed by Earth, Cassandra and Chaos. The portals and rules were established, the supervisors who would oversee everything were trained and a computer was built to help them carry out their task. We have checked on things every few cycles, or when we were notified that a problem existed.

"Everything went smoothly until four cycles ago. We still don't know who the ultimate leaders of this rebellion are, but MariLynn and many others like her were pawns in a much deeper game of intrigue than they imagined."

"How is that?" asked Kyle, with Barbara and Kathleen nodding in their agreement to the question.

The Meworian explained, "Someone with more authority than anyone currently on Crossroads has sold out Chaos to three groups, with each one taking a third of the planet. One of those groups was led by Carl, as you discussed earlier, one group was actually a multinational agricultural corporation, and the third to a group of extremists who are seeking a home of their own and a people to enslave. As part of this purchase, each group was provided their own private portal between Earth and their area of control on Chaos. In addition, some of the people on Crossroads have used the present computer to feed these groups information that relates to their areas of control."

"How can the situation be corrected? Can you disable these portals, or tell us where they are?"

"Unfortunately, not at the present time, as we need to learn the identity of those who are ultimately behind this problem. In addition, we need to locate those on Crossroads and Cassandra who are aiding these groups. Instead, we have decided to make some changes."

At that moment, another person exited the portal. She was a gray haired human female who appeared to be in her sixties. She was slightly above average height, and at least ten pounds overweight. She was dressed tastefully, and her manner seemed to exhibit nothing but class.

The Meworian explained, "This is Mistress Eva and she's the key element of one of those changes. She's a retired administrator from the planet Glorvia, and has volunteered to take over as the chief executive of Crossroads. In addition to her many cycles of experience as a leader, she is a talented empath. To assist her, the existing computers will be replaced with multiple AI systems, each responsible for different functions on Crossroads. There will be a level of redundancy and internal review of the other units, but all the units will answer only to Mistress Eva, or to the three of us as a group.

"Secondly, since the groups seeking control of Chaos have their own direct portal, we are providing a similar link between your home on Earth and Shiloh until the power of the three groups is broken and their portals destroyed. Placing the ring on your right hand leads to Shiloh, while wearing it on your left brings you here. There will also be a means of communication so that Mistress Eva can summon you to Crossroads."

Kyle asked, "What about the Hero and Companion rules? Will they change also?"

Mistress Eva spoke for the first time, saying, "When the link with earth was originally made, a dampening field was set up around the planet preventing the functioning of gunpowder and similar propellants and explosives. It will continue to make these weapons inoperable.

What has changed is that sexual relations between Earth humans on Chaos will now be without pain, but pregnancy will be prevented due to the temporal fields that are part of the portals. This also means that a pregnant woman will not be transported in either direction. Other weapons and improved materials can not be brought through the portals, but plants and animals should not be a problem. We do ask you to be careful about importing highly invasive species, as we don't want rabbits overrunning the place as they have in the country of Australia. Beyond that, I can't think of anything else that is pertinent."

"So Kathleen, Barbara, Larry and the others can all work with me? Will we still have to rescue a damsel before we can return to Earth?"

"Firstly, yes to everyone being able to work with you, though Major Haywood and her husband will be primarily focusing on shutting down the three groups on earth and destroying their portals. As for rescuing Damsels, we can request your assistance if someone ends up in the area around Shiloh or if I contact you for emergency assistance in another area, but otherwise you are free to focus on your enemies."

"What about medical care?" asked Kyle.

"If you can make it to a bank, you will be transported to Crossroads in the normal manner. Once here, you will be immediately placed in a healing chamber. After you've recovered, you will have to return to Earth before returning to Shiloh. This is to restrict all other portals from linking to either of yours. In addition, there will be no link between the portal at Shiloh and Crossroads. If we summon you, you will have to return to earth, switch the hand wearing the ring and then come here."

"Except for the three groups, will Kyle have the only direct portal?" asked Barbara.

"At the moment, but the same thing may be offered to Sid and some other Hero Leaders who have established their own permanent fortress on Chaos."

Kathleen asked, "What about the restrictions on caretakers that MariLynn discussed earlier? I don't agree with her methods for solving the issue, but it's still a serious issue that needs to be addressed?"

Mistress Eva answered, "Your point is valid, but I'm not ready for wholesale changes in the current rules, as to do so would validate the actions of the rogue caretakers and supervisors. What I will do in the meantime is to watch for specific couples who deserve a little relaxing of the rules."

Barbara asked, "I know that one of the things Carl is promising involves advanced weapons. Does anyone have a clue what he's talking about?"

The Meworian answered, "There are no weapons today at any of these three locations that are more advanced than what your people presently possess. If he's making that promise, it is not from this operation."

"What about the weapon the MariLynn was using to threaten Kyle and Kathleen?" asked a skeptical Mark.

The Meworian answered, "It's actually a medical device similar to the one your wife used to subdue her. In Earth terminology, it was a stun gun and totally unable to cause permanent harm."

"Where is the portal located at Shiloh?" asked Kyle.

"There is a storage room in Jonas' office in the main ranch house. The portal has been added to the back portion of the room."

"Will we all be given rings, or just our men?" asked Kathleen.

"That is a good question," answered Mistress Eva. "I will have to contemplate the options and their ramifications. I will send you an answer by email to earth, or by personal messenger to Chaos."

"What will I be doing?" asked Larry.

"That is for you as a team to work out," answered Mistress Eva. "Though Shiloh belongs to Kyle, we view the three couples in a sense as a single entity. At the same time, I would imagine that Kyle already has specific areas for you to concentrate your efforts."

"What should we do now?" asked a still confused Kyle.

The K'rling answered, "My suggestion is for you and Kathleen to return to your home. We will transport the others back to the place and time they were at when we brought them to our ship. The only difference is that Larry's paralysis will be gone, as if one of the Earth doctors experimental treatments actually worked. Larry, you will need to work at getting yourself back in shape, as we did not choose to do that for you.

"Yes Sir," Larry respectfully answered.

"I would also suggest that once you return to Earth, the six of you need to get together and do some planning."

"You mention six people, but I only see five," observed Larry. "Who's the sixth?"

Kathleen giggled and said, "You ninny, she's talking about your mate, Nadia."

"My mate?" questioned Larry.

Kathleen answered, "Larry, she was your mate from the first time we met. It was obvious to everyone but you. You were too blinded by self-pity to see the truth. Well, that injury is gone, and you don't have an excuse anymore, so get with the program."

With that, Kathleen grabbed Kyle's arm and pulled him toward the portal. In moments the couple were gone, and seconds later, only Sharon and Mistress Eva remained.


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Incomplete and Inactive
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Posted:  2005-10-31
Last Modified: 2011-08-21 / 09:25:47 pm
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