Chapter 7

Ft. Stockton, Texas...

Nelda stood in front of the stove stirring the large pot of beans made to Magda's recipe and singing. After putting the lid back on the beans she opened each of the four ovens and checked the green beef enchiladas to see how they were doing. Last night the family had listened to music and danced. It had been the first time she had ever slow danced with someone but it had been a special someone. Nelda looked down at the ring on her finger and sighed. "Please don't let this be a dream," she said to no one. Except someone had heard her, someone was watching her. Watching her and smiling as Nelda recalled a song from an old movie, "I could have danced all night," she sang as she waltzed over to the table where little Meredith lay in her infant seat.

"Could you really have danced all night?" Jim asked watching Nelda jump.

"Were you spying on me?" Nelda asked smiling as Jim put his arms around her and the two of them danced around the kitchen. "Oh Jim I'm so happy, you and Sara have made me feel alive."

Sara walked into the kitchen and Nelda and Jim opened their embrace and the three of them repeated what they had done last night with limited success, three way dancing. An oven timer went off and Nelda kissed Jim and Sara and went to start checking ovens. "It's ready," Nelda said, "Jim, would you call everyone please."

Jim walked over to the panel and pushed the intercom button, "Supper is ready, come get it while it's hot." In a few minutes voices and laughter could be heard coming from every direction as all headed towards the kitchen. Nelda pulled the hot pans from the ovens and sat them in the commercial sized food warmer. Jim grabbed the big bean pot and sat it on the low table; he hung the ladle used to dip the beans out and stepped back to watch the onslaught. Finding himself between the two women that he loved he reached out and put an arm around each of them. He was rewarded by two big beautiful smiles, 'life' he thought didn't get much better than this.

The alarm went off, "That's probably Dad," Don said as he walked over to the touch screen in the breakfast nook. A few minutes later the computer confirmed Jack driving and four other occupants.

Don smiled and laughed, "What is it?" Jim asked.

"That code that Nancy wrote that's making the sensors query the past readings and compare them, look at this. The computer is positive that Jack is driving, Shelley is sitting next to him and Jill is beside her. The back seat is Beth behind Jack and Tammy beside her and the computer is ninety nine point nine percent sure." Don was shaking his head, "Nancy come take a look at what your software is doing."

Nancy walked over to the touch screen. After pushing her glasses up she punched up a screen neither Don nor Jim had ever seen, Nancy ran her fingers down the columns of numbers, "Don, can you write down lines sixty through seventy seven, and one hundred through one eleven." Nancy pulled up still more screens and Don and Jim stood there amazed at the thirteen year old's knowledge of the system. "Okay, I'll rewrite that after supper."

"Nancy sweetie, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly was wrong with the ID," Don asked.

Nancy pushed up her glasses again and sighed, "Well the system has enough data that it should have been one hundred percent sure on Jack's and since Shelley's head doesn't come above the dash it should have been a lot less than ninety nine point nine percent sure, which should have raised the threat level"

Don smiled, "Well be sure and document your changes and give me a copy of your code."

"Sure thing," her glasses slipped down again, "but why do you want a copy of the code."

"Because miss smarty pants we have to get your code through the patent office," Don laughed at the look of awe that Nancy gave him. "Nancy, as far as we can find no one has ever used the method that you developed to 'teach' the system. Kim thinks your method will go a long way towards artificial intelligence. In fact Kim wants to move the security system over to the Beowulf cluster. What do you think of that?"

Nancy's face lit up as a huge smile split her face and she pulled Don into a hug, "Thank you for saving us and letting me live in this wonderful house."

Any further conversations were interrupted as two little imps came running into the room followed by Beth, Tammy and Jack, "Sorry we're late, I had a phone call just as we were walking out the door," Tammy explained.

"Well George, D, and Matt haven't made yet either," Amber added. The alarm went off and Nancy jumped in front of the touch screen and started switching from screen to the next reviewing the data just as another alarm went off. "Are they coming out in separate vehicles?" Jim asked.

"No," Nancy was studying the screen intently, "Oh, okay, no, the second vehicle that's coming is Jack Rimes'," As the two targets passed the next set of sensors the computer identified George, D, Matt, Jack, and Zara, but there was one other person in the car with Jack and Zara and he was very anxious. "Guys, there's a problem." Nancy looked up at Jim and Don, "The unidentified person in the car with them is very nervous, the computer has rated him as a high threat." Don and Jim walked over to a wall panel and put their hands on the screen and then repeated their names. The panel opened and they took out a pistol each. "Don, what do we do?" Amber asked.

"Where do you want me?" Jackie asked.

Don looked at Jim and he nodded, "Everyone to your places, Jackie, would you stay with the girls." The table emptied but in a smooth orderly manner just like it was one of the many drills that they practiced.

Nancy switched the touch screen back to the security screen and walked to the kitchen access and opened the hatch. Just before going into the Jefferies tube she turned, "Please, Jim, Don, be careful don't take any risks." Nancy went into the tube and closed the hatch behind her.

Don turned to Jim with a nervous laugh, "One thing about it no one could get Nancy out of that maze of tubes if she didn't want out."

"Yeah, she knows those tunnels as well as you do." Jim said as George and company came in, "Quickly, come on in there may be trouble." Don and Jim led George, D, and Matt to the library and into the secret room.

Matt noticed the pistols strapped to Don and Jim's legs, "What's going on?"

"There is someone in the vehicle with Jack and Zara and the computer has him listed as a high threat." Don explained. George and Matt walked over to a touch screen and put their hands on it and identified themselves. A panel similar to the one in the kitchen opened and George and Matt took out pistols and strapped them on after checking the clips and chambers out. Don picked up and handset and spoke into it.

In the safe room off the master bedroom Amber picked up the handset, "Yes we're in and locked down, but Nancy is not here and Ann is worried." Don told her that Nancy had gone into the Jefferies tubes. Amber relayed the news to Ann who sighed in relief knowing no one but Don knew those tunnels as well.

Jack Rimes drove up to the front door not at all sure how his guest would be received. His first hint should have been when the front door opened on its own. Zara went ahead anxious to see the girls again. They had only gone a few feet down the entrance hallway when Jack heard a door close right behind him. The intercom came to life, "Jack, Zara are you all right?"

Jack realised that the computer had picked up on his passenger's anxiousness, "Yes, say guys I'm sorry I didn't think about his worry causing you guys a problem. I brought Reagan Penn out, Jim are you there?"

Jim came on the intercom while Don called Amber, "I didn't recognise him, hang on we're releasing the doors." Jim and Don reset the system, Jim keyed the intercom, "Nancy, everything is all right, let's eat before it gets cold."

Everyone began filtering back to the dining room. Three more plates were added and the food warmed up. Reagan was introduced to everyone and was surprised to find everyone accepting him.

Supper conversations quickly turned to the events of the next few days. Tomorrow everyone would be heading to the Bar None Ranch for the feast and weddings. Then three days later George and D'Sandra, Jim, Sara and Nelda, and Don and the girls would be getting married.

The next morning Jim, Reagan, Jackie, and Don took the Topkick and the pickup and hooked up the trailers. Jim, Sara, Nelda, and little Meredith would be sleeping in the roping trailer; it had living quarters in the front and room to haul four horses in the back. They would use Don's one ton pickup to pull the roping trailer. The Phillips' gooseneck flat bed trailer held ten yurts that Jack had bought from an outfit that was going out of business in California. The yurts were supposedly relatively easy to set up and a lot nicer to stay in than a tent. Since the yurts were more bulky than heavy Jack had brought his three quarter ton pickup to pull it.

Don's Topkick was tied onto the big stock trailer and then loaded with horses. Since the camping area was a good ways from Scott and Angie's house they had decided that the horses would be better for transportation than stirring up the dust with cars and trucks.

It was a little after nine when the convoy of pickups, trailers, and the van pulled away from elder Phillips' house headed for the highway. When they got to the highway there were three big fifth wheel travel trailers and a new Southwind RV waiting for them. The girls saw the petite blonde and the older couple and bailed out the vehicles they were in and ran to meet them. Don, Ann, and Missy watched and waited as the girls renewed their acquaintances. At some point Amber turned looking for Don and motioned for the three of them to come over, "Jill, Connie, and James, this is our husband Don and our two other sister/wives Ann and Missy."

After half an hour of visiting Jack's bullfrog voice called an end to the roadside reunion. He reminded them how far it was to the ranch and what all they had to do when they got there. It took him ten minutes but he finally got everyone in a vehicle and got them back on the road. Two and a half hours later they were pulling up to the ranch house.

Scott showed the RV and the travel trailers the new camping area and all but Jim pulled in. Jim drove up to the horse barn and Don helped him unload the horses and the tack. After the horses were taken care of Jim pulled the empty trailer into one of the levelled pads that Scott had built and unhooked and levelled the trailer. Meredith was fussing after being shorted on her nap but a quick diaper change and Nelda's breast put her back to rights. Jim, Sara, and Nelda carrying Meredith walked over to where Jack was setting up the Yurts.

The ten Yurts that Jack had bought were supposed be easy to set up, Jack wasn't so sure. Four of the Yurts were twenty footers, three were twenty four footers, two were sixteen footers, and one was a thirty footer. Don and the girls were going to stay in one of the twenty four foot jobs so they decided to try setting up one of those first. Four hours later they had finished, but at the same time they had learned a lot. Using what they learned they put two more up before dark.