Chapter 1

[Charlie writes from Preservation]

Mom Janice doesn't usually go in for blackmail but she isn't above it either. One of her conditions to leading a second European expedition was for Andrea and I to take over the task of writing a journal of the trip. We've reread all of the journals back to Grandpop's earliest. It will be an interesting task. Andrea will help me by writing some and critiquing the rest. I will critique what she writes. I've noted how mom approached the fact that married persons have sex. We will try to maintain some decorum!

Andrea and I love our Tennessee farm and hate to leave it. We have more neighbors than before because people are heading east from the middle of Protection. I studied history in our schools and thinking of heading east toward Nashville and Knoxville with those areas being considered frontier is a funny feeling. Of course, there are now people east of Knoxville. Doctor George was elected to be Director of Protection again but says this will be his last two year term. He may be serious this time. Grandpop did quit so maybe Doctor George will, too.

The Trio have spearheaded getting a second expedition to Europe off the ground, literally. They gathered most of the people, developed a route, and recruited a lot of people. They worked on Duck and Mallard improving the loads for each plane and going over the changes with Vic and Tom. They presented the complete plan to their (and my) parents. With reluctance on mom's (Janice's) part, they talked their way past the objections. To my surprise, they made Bobbi the presenter. I would have thought SJ. Jacob explained it one evening afterward. He said, "Charlie, SJ is pretty much our acknowledged spokesperson. Using Bobbi to promote this trip emphasized to Mom Janice that we really want this trip to be made. It also made her aware that we considered her leadership important."

Mom agreed to lead the expedition the night of the presentation. The family was relieved. I know I was. She knew how to keep her head though Bobbi being hurt did throw her. She started going over the list of volunteers with the Trio. To my surprise, she insisted that Andy and I join her for that discussion. One afternoon when it was only the three of us, she told us why. "Charlie, you and Andy are the face of the family's next generation. You two need to be preparing for that role and the leadership positions that you must undertake."

Andy said, "Mom, I just follow Charles. I pledged to obey him and find joy in my obedience."

I started to say something but mom got her licks in first. "Andrea." Her head jerked at her full name from someone other than me. "You have the most confidant obedience I've ever seen." She grinned. "You're as good at hand-to-hand as I am and have the looks to be bait in any situation. You also know that Charles loves you and trusts you. Unlike my husbands, Charles is more comfortable in a speaking and leading role. However, you are a team and people see you two that way."

Andy looked at me. I grinned. "Yes, Charles. We will handle it together."

Mom made it known that we were her second in command. We would fly in Duck and Mallard again. The passenger and cargo compartments of each plane were different. Mallard had a much better first aid station with more supplies and a radio extension readily accessible. Duck had lost most of its vehicles and an armored Humvee was anchored down in the cargo area. The Trio had gone over information for the gunship configuration for C-130's and had equipped Duck with some fighting capability even though we didn't know of any particular need. Mom liked all the changes. We would carry a few more people with us this trip. We would leave in early summer.

We had been in frequent contact with the people of Reykjavik and they were looking forward to our return. The people of Talinn had been infrequent in their radio use. Those in Milan didn't have a radio set up. We had left a radio and an antenna at the airport when we left though left no instruction for its use.

Shortly after the first of the year and after talking to the Icelanders one evening, we heard a weak station. "Hello, Protection. This is Guiseppe from Milan, Italy, calling you. Do you hear me?"

Andy and I had been talking to Jon with Olaf. I looked at Andy and shrugged. I said, "This is Charlie from Protection. Go ahead, Milan."

"Thank you, Charlie. We are using the antenna and radio you left at the airport. We found some old books and read up on the amateur radios. We now have the one in the community center of our village."

"That's a good job, Guiseppe. Go ahead."

"How is the young lady who was shot?"

"We almost lost her but she has now made a full recovery."

"That is good. Many of us worried about that. It should never have happened. The young men went without our knowledge and were armed with a shotgun they should not have had on their person. The man who ran out and was shot was the father to one of them. He should not have charged you. The shotgun was his."

I responded. "Guiseppe, this is good information. Please use the radio to talk to us on a regular basis. We are planning another trip to Europe this summer. My mother will again be in charge. One of her daughters and my sister was the girl who was shot. Her name is Bobbi. She will be part of the crew on the upcoming trip."

"Charlie, I hope that your people will come to see us. We want to apologize and to demonstrate our friendliness to you."

"I'm not sure. We are trying to cover new areas but I will talk with my mother about considering a side trip to Milan."

I cleared with Guiseppe and found Andrea. "Andrea, we are going to have to talk to mom about Milan. I talked with Guiseppe and he apologized over the air. We are invited back. They managed to get a radio going from what we had left."

She responded. "Charles, I have always thought she was too tough on those people. I remember the statement that the three acted without their knowledge or authority. However, that wasn't the time to discuss matters. We needed to get Bobbi out of there to save her life. We should talk to her before we talk to your mother."

We talked with Bobbi and she agreed that we needed to put Milan on the route. I explained that talking to mom first had to happen. At this point, we shouldn't do it without her approval. She wanted Andy and I to talk to our mother. We agreed reluctantly.

It was a couple of weeks before the time and circumstances were right. Mom Janice and Dad Robby had come out to visit us for a couple of days. I talked my approach over with Andrea and she agreed though admitted she would be uncomfortable while I talked to my mother. She said, "Charles, you are going to use some of the worst and best days of my life to make a point. How can I not be uncomfortable? However and after saying that, I think it may be the only approach that will work.

Chapter 2 »