Chapter 13

"I don't want to go to the hospital," Gabi said from the reclined front passenger seat, one arm over her eyes.

"Why not?" Bill asked, distracted from negotiating the Houston freeway.

"I agree with Caleb," Gabi replied, not looking at the older man. "No one will be charged for what happened, because they'll be dead, so there's no reason to go to the hospital."

"But you should be checked by a doctor," Singer worriedly protested from the back seat.

"JJ can check me at Bran's as easily as she can at the hospital. Besides, Mary said my body is healing fine," Gabi explained. "That stuff Bran rubbed on my arms, combined with Mary's efforts, will have my physical injuries healed by this evening.

"Is Mary what you named your Companion?" Bill asked.

"Yeah," Gabi answered with a little smile. "When I was a little girl, I had a make-believe friend that I called Mary. I used to make Daddy play tea with me and Mary. Can you imagine my dad, legs crossed and sitting on the floor at a little kid's play table, all six foot four of him. Sometimes I made him pour the tea, and he was so careful pouring Mary's tea." She chuckled, reminiscing, before musing, "I wonder if he even remembers that?"

Bill's laughter at the image in his mind rumbled through the truck.

"Six foot four?" Singer moaned in despair.

Bill's laughter kicked up a notch, and Gabi even chuckled a little bit.

"I forgot that I have to figure out a name for my Companion," Singer admitted, embarrassed, and trying to quickly change the subject. "It has been pretty busy since the assassination attempt this morning. That's when Caleb did his thing with the Companions for us. Any ideas for a name?"

It never dawned on Singer that Gabi could hear his thoughts. He was new to the whole mind reading concept.

As for Gabi, she wasn't trying to listen to his thoughts, but they were just there. She was new at the mind reading stuff, too. Singer's thoughts were about shielding Gabi from further harm, but the flavors of his thoughts were what made her bask in the safety of his protection.

Gabi was a little startled at his attitude towards her rape, and wondered if it was a man thing, or unique to Singer. He was sorry that it had happened, but he didn't pity her. Singer viewed it in a very similar light to being wounded on a battle field. He viewed life as a war, and Gabi had simply been involved with one of the battles. There were warriors on both sides in the war between good and evil. Warriors on the side of good try to protect innocents from the depredations of warriors on the side of evil. He understood that most of the damage to Gabi was mental, and fully expected her to recover because he viewed her as a fellow warrior.

Singer had been very solicitous of Gabi since the rescue and during the drive. He hadn't met Gabi before today, but there was something about the young woman that captivated him. She was beautiful, granted, but Singer was sure that wasn't the reason he was feeling so captivated by her. He was feeling a connection before the rescue, when Caleb had kept Singer connected during their mental conversations. There was a clarity, and a strength in her thoughts, despite the ordeal she had endured. It was clear to Singer, based on the thoughts he had shared when connected via Caleb, that she had been physically hurt. But there was a fearless quality in her thoughts, too. They may have hurt her physically and mentally, but her thoughts said they could never keep her mentally buoyancy down. They couldn't touch the person that is Gabi. His only problem was; what if he made a fool of himself around her?

Gabi's smile grew wistful, as she considered Singer's view of her.

"He's right, you know," Mary said gently in her mind.

"I know," Gabi sighed. "But today shouldn't have happened. I'm from Phoenix, for Christ's sake! The kidnap capitol of the United States! I know that I'm supposed to be aware of my surroundings. If I had..."

"Stop!" Mary said, not quite as gently as she had spoken to Gabi before. "We'll play the 'if' game one time, then no more. Suppose you had seen them before they got to you. All that would have happened is that you may have been hurt worse when they grabbed you. Remember, this wasn't random. You were the target. There was nothing that you could have done this morning. Then I came along, and now you can do something about it. Everything before I came along is history, even if it's very recent history. You aren't helpless now, because you have me, and I think you have a very capable devotee."

"Yeah, I think so," Gabi said as she sighed in contentment.

Safety would have a whole different meaning for her in the future, but she would never be helpless again. And for now, she was safe.

"They sure bled a lot," JJ commented, looking around the foyer of her home.

"Most people bleed a lot when their throat is torn out," the police sergeant remarked dryly.

"Not if their heart stops pumping first," JJ replied, just as drily. "I'll have to show mom how that works, in case something like this happens again. It will make future cleanups easier."

"Do you expect things like this to happen again?" the police sergeant asked, his eyebrows climbing his forehead.

JJ let her eyes take in the scene again, as she said, "This was a home invasion. Based on what my mom said, they were after my son. They were willing to kill mom. I also found out another attempted kidnapping of my daughter was foiled, up in College Station. Those three kidnappers are in police custody. I was also the target of a kidnapping attempt at the hospital, about the same time this and the College Station attempt happened. Two of them, at the hospital, got away, and the third is in the hospital, under police guard." JJ met the sergeant's eyes before saying, "Someone is targeting my family, so, yes, I expect something like this to happen again."

The sergeant's eyebrows rose higher, as he asked, "Do you have any idea who would target your family?"

"My husband works for the State Attorney General, and leads the Task Force on investigating terrorist threats in the state," JJ answered grimly. "I'm sure, when you check these men, they will all have Islamic associations. Members of the Task Force are on their way. They will have more information for you."

The sergeant got his surprise under control and asked, "Do you think your family should go into a protection program, at least in the short term?"

"That's not going to happen," JJ replied. "Caleb, my husband, has been training all of us in self protection. We aren't running," she stated flatly. "We'll go to my Uncle's tonight, or until this mess gets cleaned up. My daughter will meet us there. Caleb is on a case that is probably related to this, but he should be coming in later tonight. Dad will meet us there, too. He's with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, but was with my husband today. They were rescuing another young lady that wasn't so fortunate as to escape a kidnapping attempt."

"What the hell is going on?" the Sergeant asked.

"Ask the Task Force members when they show up," JJ answered, as she turned away to go find Blake. "Maybe they can explain it better. Personally, I think our whole country's under attack, and no one will admit it," she said over her shoulder before she disappeared through the door.

JJ arrived in time to hear a detective questioning her mom.

"You killed two men with a spatula?" the detective asked incredulously.

"It was the only thing that I had," Collette said defensively, before shrugging. "It was a heavy-duty acrylic spatula. Last summer, my son-in-law sharpened the handle to break up some ice. We had just moved here, and hadn't adjusted the icemaker controls for the humidity. It still worked as a spatula, so they kept it. I'm glad I had it."

"But ... a spatula!" the detective said, shaking his head.

"Detective O'Connell, I've been a police officer's wife for nearly thirty years," Collette said. "In that time I have been subjected to more self defense classes than I could shake a stick at. Everyone gets worried about the poor defenseless policeman's wife. I don't know if you're married or not, but let me tell you something. Women are not defenseless. If I hadn't had that spatula that Caleb sharpened, I would have used something else."

"What did you do to my spatula?" JJ asked her mom, via their Companions.

"Blake pointed out that the police would want to know what killed those men," Collette answered silently. "I used the armor to shape the handle of the of the spatulas to match the armor spike that I used. The armor created enough pressure to reshape the handle. I'll have to congratulate Bran. That armor is remarkably functional."

"Couldn't you have found something besides my spatula?" JJ asked, her tone of thought making it clear that she was still trying to decide if she should laugh, or be upset.

"Is Blake okay?" JJ asked aloud. "Where is he?" she asked, not waiting for an answer.

JJ already knew that Blake was in the kitchen, and that he was okay. One thing she had learned from Caleb was to present the image that people expected to see. Right now, the police would expect to see a concerned mother looking for her son.

"I'm okay, Mom," Blake said from the doorway. "Those guys must have been on some kind of drugs. They were talking about monsters and things."

"That is pretty strange," Detective O'Connell admitted.

"How long before you are finished with Mom and Blake?" JJ asked. "I want to get them out of here. We'll be staying at my Uncle's house until our house gets cleaned up."

"I'm finished now, but I'll need them to sign a statement tomorrow," Detective O'Connell said with a sigh. "Maybe the State Task Force guys can shed more light on this. I agree with your mom. This doesn't feel like a simple home invasion."

The Detective was still shaking his head, and muttering about adding a spatula to his list of lethal weapons, when they left the house.

"Captain Connor?" a female voice asked when Caleb answered the phone.

"Yeah," he answered irritably, having been distracted from the text message he had just received about a problem with the warrant to search the ranch.

"I'm Sheila Morrison with Child Protective Services," the woman explained, not seeming to notice his tone of voice.

"Okay. Excuse me, but I'm kind of busy right now," Caleb explained in frustration. "Do you need something now, or can this wait until later?"

"I was told to contact you, Captain, if a suitable short-term foster home couldn't be found," Ms. Morrison said frostily. "I'm calling about Cindy Stovall. There is no temporary family setting to place her in. Under the circumstances, and since she is a runaway, I'll place her in the Juvenile Detention facility until next week. I have contacted you, as instructed. I am sorry for bothering you. Goodbye."

"No! Wait!" Caleb yelled into the phone.

There was a pause before the woman answered, "Yes?" in a tone that said Caleb was lucky she had graced him with an answer.

"I'm sorry for being short with you. I'm on a case that isn't going well, and this has been a rough day," Caleb explained hurriedly. "She can stay with us until after the weekend. Next week, after the holiday, we will have time to work on a permanent solution for her."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Ms. Morrison informed Caleb. "I am only authorized to place her in a certified foster home."

"Then get a temporary certification," Caleb ordered. "I work for the Attorney General's office. My wife is a doctor. If you need someone to vouch for me, I can get the Governor, or Senator McGowan to do so. That girl has been through too much already, and she's a witness in an ongoing terror investigation. Placing her in Juvenile Detention would be adding insult to injury, and could jeopardize the investigation."

"Child Protective Service doesn't work like that, Captain," the woman said coldly. "She is a runaway. Maybe spending a weekend in Juvenile Detention will make her think twice about running away again."

"Do you even know why she ran away?" Caleb asked, incredulous.

"It doesn't matter why she ran away," Ms. Morrison explained, her tone haughty.

"She ran away because her mother's boyfriends decided Cindy's bed was included in the sleeping arrangements." Caleb said sarcastically, fighting to keep his temper in check.

"Runaways are notorious liars," the woman stated, not bending an inch.

"I investigated, so I know that is the reason she ran," Caleb stated coldly. "Now, unless you have also investigated, and discovered something different, you will either find a suitable temporary foster home, or make arrangements for Cindy to stay with us over the weekend. If she goes to Juvenile Detention, she will be out within an hour. Also, by the end of that hour, you will be in jail for child endangerment and obstruction of justice. Do you understand me, Ms. Morrison?"

"Yes, S ... Sir," the woman stammered.

Bran met Gabi with a hug when she preceded Bill through his front door.

"I'm so sorry, Gabi," Bran said, his voice cracking. "I should have gone with you to work. It never occurred to me that something like this would happen."

"It wasn't your fault, Bran," Gabi said, returning the hug. "Everything's okay, now."

"Bran," Bill said, following Gabi through the door. "This is Sam Manheim. Everyone calls him Singer. He helped us get Gabi back, and he became part of our little group this morning. He should become active sometime between six and eight this evening. Caleb wants him to stay out of the line of fire until he is 'ruggedized' and has some armor. His boss, the Senator, is supposed to be here soon too. Scotty and his other guard will need the same work-up."

"Not a problem," Bran said, releasing Gabi.

His eyes were bright with unshed tears. He liked Gabi, and the thought that she could come to harm because of his actions, or inaction, really bothered him.

"Bran," Gabi said sharply. "I said it wasn't your fault, and I meant it. Your presence would only have given them a chance to hurt someone else. They were waiting for me. Now, I don't want to hear you worrying about it anymore. Don't forget, I have a Companion now, too, and your thoughts are as clear as your words."

She softened the rebuke with another hug.

"Okay, Gabi," Bran said softly, returning the hug. "Can I at least feel bad that it happened at all?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"I guess so, since you will anyway," Gabi conceded, smiling as she released Bran.

Bran turned to Bill and Singer, holding out his hand and saying, "It is good to meet you Singer. I'm Bran Hawthorn, Bill's brother-in-law. Thanks for helping Gabi."

"It is good to meet you, sir," Singer said, clasping his hand. "And helping Gabi was my pleasure,"

"Is that Scotty?" Bill asked, hesitating as he was about to close the door.

A limousine had pulled into the driveway.

"That's him," Singer said with a smile.

"He really likes to travel in style," Bran observed.

"He really doesn't like all the pomp, but he tries to act the part most of the time," Singer agreed. "He said that if people don't see what they expect, when they see a Senator, it will make them uncertain. Uncertainty loses elections. Believe me, Senator McGowan is not the limousine type. Riding in one does create a certain perception that he tries to maintain."

Flan got out of the driver's seat, and only opened the back passenger door for Scotty after carefully surveying the area. They exchanged a few quiet words before the two men hurried toward the front door.

Everyone was introduced, as they migrated to the kitchen, before Scotty groused, "Caleb said we should wait here. Unfortunately, I got a call from DC as we pulled into the driveway, and I can't wait. I need to get back to Austin. There's some kind of a problem with warrants that Caleb needs. He said that it was pretty important that we stop and give a blood sample. Is this about that armor you two cooked up?"

"Not exactly," Bran said. "The blood sample is needed to code internal nanobots. It will take about an hour for them to be ready. The armor is strictly a host/Companion mind issue. DNA isn't needed for them: just an active Companion. Let me get my equipment to get a drop of blood."

"I can't wait an hour," Scotty said, shaking his head in frustration. "How about we let you get the blood that you need, and we'll come back for the treatment."

"I guess that will be okay," Bran said with a shrug. "Maybe you'll be ready for the armor then, too," he said, before disappearing through another door.

Scotty looked at his two guards thoughtfully before saying, "I want one of you to stay here. The other can fly back to Austin with me."

"I don't mind staying," Flan said, with a shrug. "I'm getting tired of flying. I've still got creases on my butt from flying down here."

Singer glanced at Gabi before quietly saying, "If you don't mind too much, I would like to stay."

Scotty saw the glance, and stifled a smile. Singer was very discriminating about who received his affection. Scotty viewed both young men as the sons he never had, and he was glad that Singer may have found a match.

"That will work," Scotty agreed, winking at Flan.

Flan hadn't missed Singer's glance either. He was openly grinning.

"That just doesn't seem fair to me," Flan said with a twinkle in his eye. "You get to stay here with the pretty girl, and I have to go with the crusty old man."

"I'll have you know that I'm not crusty," Scotty said pompously. "I take a shower every day to avoid that condition, and I'll only look old on the outside, pretty soon."

Gabi snickered at the interplay. They were obviously men that had a deeper relationship than just guards and boss.

"You have to stay with him until you learn to get out of the way of bullets," Singer rebutted Flan. "It must have really upset you to have to wash the blood off this morning. Your weekly bath wasn't due for another two days. Besides, I like the pretty girl's company."

Their banter was interrupted by Bran returning. Each of them got a finger prick, and a drop of blood from each was placed on a glass slide that was already marked for each man. Bran certainly didn't want any accidents caused by mixing up the samples.

Scotty and Flan were getting ready to leave when they were met at the front door by JJ. Introductions were made again. JJ and Blake had met Scotty and his guards before, but Collette had not.

Kim and Joyce weren't far behind, and arrived about the same time Scotty reached his limousine.

"This place is like Grand Central Station," Bran complained good naturedly.

"Maybe I should stay too, boss," Flan said, eyeing the tall, slim red-head with Kim appreciatively.

Scotty sighed before turning to Kim and asking, "How long are you and your friend staying?"

"Joyce is staying until after New Year's," Kim replied with a smile. She had noticed her friend's interest in the big body guard, too.

"Good," Scotty said dryly, eyeing Flan. "We'll be back long before then. Everyone can get better acquainted then."

"Sure, boss," Flan answered, blushing all the way to his hairline.

"Has Branch, or Gabi's kidnapping, changed the plans for tomorrow night?" Kim asked. "Are we still celebrating New Year's Eve at Refugio East?"

"I will not let some mad man cause my restaurant to fail," Gabi stated with determination. "Refugio East will be open, and I will be there. If anyone else wants to hide, that will be their decision."

"What are you ladies talking about?" Scotty asked.

"We are celebrating New Year's at Gabi's restaurant," Kim explained. Our group is getting too large to celebrate at someone's house. Besides, Gabi has to be there, so the rest of us might as well be there too. Didn't Caleb say anything about it?"

"New Year's Eve parties have not been at the top of anyone's priority list today," Scotty said drily. Turning to Gabi he asked, "I will have an announcement to make, and tomorrow night is as good a time as any. Assuming that I'm invited, would it be acceptable if I also invited a few members of the press?"

"I don't think inviting reporters would be a problem," Gabi said, sounding uncertain. "We should have plenty of room."

"What announcement do you need to make?" JJ asked curiously, wondering which decision had been made since that morning.

"As you know, I've been planning to retire, after this term," Scotty said, his tone of voice dry, making it difficult to tell if he was happy or sad at the turn of events. "That has been public knowledge for a while now. Caleb convinced me not to retire, and to throw my hat in the ring for President."

"You're going to announce that, in my restaurant, on New Year's Eve?" Gabi asked, her eyes wide and incredulous. "That would put Refugio East on the map, nationwide! Not just in Beaumont! Thank you!" she blurted before rushing to Scotty and hugging him.

"You're welcome, but we've got to go," Scotty said gruffly, untangling himself before opening his own door. "The quicker we get this warrant snafu straightened out, the quicker we can get back."

"Um ... Would it be okay if I invited my little brother?" Flan asked hesitantly. "We had planned on spending New Year's Eve together."

"Sure," Gabi gushed.

"Now that the guest list is arranged, can we go?" Scotty asked, mostly in a joking tone.

Flan hurried around to the driver's door, and only paused for a moment to flash Joyce a quick smile before ducking inside. Moments later the limo was disappearing down the street.

"He was kind of cute," Joyce said casually.

"He has to be a good guy, too, if he's working for the Senator," Kim remarked, turning towards the house. "Senator McGowan used to have Secret Service guards. He got his own after the shake-up at Secret Service."