Chapter 28

Oh, shit! Amy looked at me, suddenly sober, as the same thing occurred to her.

"Dad!" She said softly.

"I know Amy! Damn it, I should have seen it! She told me goodbye twice, told me to take care of her family, told me she loved me no matter what. Damn it! She was saying goodbye, because she knew she wouldn't be there when we got back! She did everything but come out and tell me." I grabbed my radio.

"Patrick, what's wrong?" Victoria looked scared.

"I'm sorry, honey, Katie is gone." I saw her panicked look. "No, she's not dead. But she won't be there when we get home."

"She's ok," Megan said. "They won't hurt her. It's not her they want. And they don't realize she would have gone there anyway." We all looked at her, as she smiled gently at us. Then she turned around, tears running down her face. I spoke into the radio.

"Paul, it's Patrick. I need the fastest helicopter you can find that can carry at least the four of us here as fast as you can, with the Angels and Firebirds for escort." If anyone wanted to take on an F-15, an F-14 and two Apaches, let them. Not to mention that Angels One and Firebird One were reporting lasting effects to Cindi's takeover of their aircraft. Their capabilities remained greatly enhanced. We didn't even know how much so far. "File no flight plan, but we're going back to the house. Get the house surrounded immediately; no one or nothing goes in or out without my permission. Get someone in there to verify that Becky is all right. See if Katie is there; she probably isn't. Protect Becky at all costs. Find Katie. Keep the police out of it, but if they get involved, tell them Katie is sick and needs medication. She is not to be harmed. Anyone that harms her will deal directly with me and they will not survive intact. Contact immigration and have them seal the borders looking for her. Tell them she is a child of a divorced couple, one of them not a US citizen, and has been kidnapped to be taken out of the country by one of them." I looked at Victoria, Amy and Megan. "Please forgive me for what you're about to hear," I looked at them, pleading. "Paul, track Katie with the DNA signature embedded in her cell phone. Don't bother to go to the office to get the signature. Use Becky's, they're identical." If looks could kill, I was dead from Victoria and Amy. They knew what implications I had just made. Megan smiled at me softly and nodded; she apparently already knew all of our cell phones were embedded with DNA tracking. "Pick up the agent that was following her. Find out where she went and why he didn't report any disappearance. Check airlines, buses and trains. She's a distinctive looking girl; someone has to have seen her. Paul, when you find her, if she is with someone, kill to get her back if you need to."

Victoria watched me with a look of confusion, shock and something, possibly admiration on her face. Victoria never complained about me; she took me and loved me as I was. However, I had long known, and we had talked about her one desire that I would be more forceful, strong, more of a take-charge person. I was at the hospital, but that was all. She was seeing a side of me that she had wished for but never seen.

"Secondary objectives: Get protection around Rebecca, Stephanie, Elizabeth, Emily, Danielle, Laura, Samantha and their families. I don't think they are in danger, but I'm not taking a chance. Also, find Rachel Thomas and get her over to the house. We have to take a chance with her. I think she may be in danger. Kidnap her if you have to, if she refuses to come." Victoria gave me an unbelieving look and started to say something, but I waved her to silence. She was starting to get mad. Amy hugged her and whispered to her, taking her mind off her anger and frustration. "Contact Joe Adams in IS. He has a way to turn a cell phone into a microphone. Have him send the maintenance signal to Katie's phone to do that and route it to Victoria's, Amy's Megan's, Becky's and my cell phones." Amy interrupted me, telling me she could do that. I looked at her inquiringly. Was there anything she couldn't do? "Never mind, Paul, Amy can do that. Hard to believe, isn't it? I guess she isn't just the useless hunk of teenage flesh I thought she was, huh?" Ow! That hurt!

"Contact Chief Haskin. Ask him how a young girl that all investigations showed was killed in a car accident is alive and well. Have him exhume the body if he has to." At this, Victoria did interrupt, a look of horror on her face.

"No, Patrick! Leave her be. I don't care about that; don't disturb my little girl's rest. Investigate all you want, but don't dig up her grave!"

"Ignore the exhumation request, Paul. But find out what is going on. Did she really die? I want answers, and I want them before I confront whoever has her. And Paul... be careful. Katie might have disappeared on her own. No, she's not under suspicion. But if she did disappear voluntarily, there's a compelling reason." I called Becky's cell phone. She answered on the first ring.

"Becky, honey, are you all right? How are things there? We're on our way back. May I speak to Katie, please?"

"Katie's not here. Did you guys have a good time? I missed all of you!" Things sounded ok.

"Did Katie say where she was going, or when she'd be back?" I didn't want to alarm her.

"No, she said she had some things to take care of. Is everything ok?" Becky didn't sound worried.

"Some men are going to be there soon, to check on you and watch the house. It's ok; I sent them. If you have any questions, call me before you do anything. Don't leave the house until I get back, sweetie." There was a pause.

"Daddy, come on home. Katie will be ok. She's not in danger. She would've gone with them voluntarily, but they didn't know that." Seems this wasn't a surprise to either Becky or Megan.

"Do you know where she went, Becky?"

"No. She'll contact us when we're to follow."

"I'm not waiting for that, Becky. I will find her." I was determined.

"That's ok, Daddy. Cindi has saved you now. There are no other things that have to happen now. You can take any actions you want. From now on, none of this has ever... come on home, Daddy." I contacted Paul again.

"Where is that helicopter?" Five seconds later, I heard and saw it coming over the hill. We piled in and headed for home. We did little talking on the way home. It's very noisy in a helicopter. Amy and Megan took turns sitting on my lap, cuddling. Victoria held my hand all the way home, her head on my shoulder, giving me strange looks periodically. Maybe she wouldn't kill me after all.

Once we got home, we unpacked everything and everyone gravitated to the living room. Samantha was at work and there was no sign of Rachel Thomas, although Paul told me she was there. We all sat around, listening to the update of what he had found out.

"It seems Katie has just disappeared into thin air," Paul informed us. "No one has seen her. Her tail was found walking on the street, convinced he was still following her. I had Becky check him out. His mind had been manipulated and he still saw her shopping. Becky says it was Katie that did the manipulating. Other than one report of seeing her with three men, walking with them, apparently not being forced, there is no sign of her. It seems she left voluntarily. We have no idea where she is." Megan looked surprised at that. She looked like she was going to say something, but Victoria interrupted.

"I think it's time I found out what's going on here. It seems everyone knows who you are except me. Let's talk. I think it's time we both told the truth." I knew that tone of voice from her. 'No' was not an option. She did smile warmly at me though. Captain Jensen, the big chicken, excused himself and left the room. Everyone else settled back to watch the show.

I didn't know where to begin. Where do you start to correct years of cover-up? I'm sure Victoria realized the problem, having the same one herself, and that's why she was being reasonably nice about it. I decided it was easiest just to go all at once. I opened my wallet and took out a '24' card and handed it to her. She looked at it carefully, and then looked up at me questioningly.

"Are you telling me you work for '24'?" She asked. There was something in her voice, the look on her face that I could not read. "How long have you been employed by them?" Amy laughed; Victoria looked over at her, confused.

"He doesn't work for '24', Mom; he is '24'. He started it, owns it, and runs it." I had known for a while that Amy was very proud of this part of my life. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to express that. I watched Victoria closely. Victoria blinked twice, and then seemed to come to a decision.

"I would love to hear the story of how that came about! But first, nature calls." She smiled at me sweetly. "I will be right back." She got up and left the room.

Amy had been leaning negligently against the wall, opposite the door. I had noticed over the last couple of months that this was second nature to her. She always faced the door, back to a wall. She seldom did anything that occupied both her hands. I noticed now that she straightened up slightly, hands free at her sides. She looked at me and shrugged slightly. I noticed her eyes had brightened considerably, and she seemed very alert. Something had tripped her alarm. Megan had left the room shortly before to take care of something. Becky slowly, unobtrusively moved to the other side of the room, away from me. I saw her and Amy looking at each other. I was pretty good at recognizing non-verbal communication between them now, and it was occurring big time. For some reason, they were not including me. Then I saw Victoria walk back into the room, stop, and level a gun at my chest. She looked at me with big, sad, moist eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Patrick, but I am going to kill you now," she said in a flat, monotone voice. She looked like she meant it, too. I think she was the only one in the room that was surprised when she heard the soft click of a gun safety being taken off. She turned her head slowly to her left, and looked into the barrel of a gun, pointed at her head, held steadily in Amy's more than competent hands.

"No Mom, you're not," Amy said softly. Victoria's eyes opened wide for a minute, then she smiled slightly.

"I was impressed with your marksmanship before, Amy. However, do you have the mental toughness to shoot me in the head? It's different when you watch them die. Can you shoot your mother?" Amy turned and looked at Becky.

"Show her." Becky looked confused. "Show her what I can do." Becky looked pale.

"How do you know about that? Your mind was wiped!"

"Come on, Becky! Do you really think I am that clueless? I know all about it. Show her the sparring and the target practice. Then show her the room with ten men. Come on, Becky; don't make me kill my own mother!" Amy was begging Becky, trying a find a way out.

I saw Becky's head tilt slightly. Victoria's eyes defocused slightly, but not enough to affect her concentration. Then, after a few moments, I saw her look at Amy, a look of horror on her face. Her reaction wasn't what Amy expected.

"Oh God, Amy, what have they done to you! I'm so sorry, sweetie, but please, put down your gun. Don't let them ruin your life like they have mine!"

"They've done the same thing to me they did to you, Mom, only they've gotten much better at it. And I should let you ruin my life as I watch you kill my father? Not likely, Mom. I will kill you, Mom. I will cry myself to sleep every night for the rest of my life, but I swear, if you put so much as a fraction of an ounce of pressure on that trigger, I will kill you. Believe me, Mom." I surely did. "Why are you doing this, Mom? He's the man you love."

"He's '24', Amy. They're evil. They must be destroyed. Don't you understand? You know nothing about them!" Victoria was getting upset.

"Who told you '24' was evil, Mom? What do you know about them? I've known who Dad was ever since shortly after the Fair incident." That caused me to raise my eyebrows. Certifiable genius. "I found out everything I could on them. Mom, they're not evil. They only accept cases that are for good. The list of people they have helped is huge. Who do you think saved you in San Francisco? Who do you think avenged that? Dad and I personally took out that cell. Except for the intervention of Becky, Cindi, and Katie, he would've died avenging what they did to you. Why do you think he knew where you were to react so fast? He has had us all followed for months, after Cindi's death, to protect us. You have a strange idea of evil, Mom. He's the best, the most loving man I have ever known. The best you have ever known. I've felt your love for him. Can you live with yourself if you kill him? Moot point, because I won't allow it. Put down the gun!"

"But '24' killed Julie!" Victoria wailed. "How can they be so good if they killed a six year old girl? One of the sweetest little girls I've ever known. She never hurt anyone. She was my life! They murdered her! How can he be good?" She was really upset now, tears running down her face. I spoke for the first time.

"Is that who you think killed Julie? Who told you that? I didn't start '24' until four years after Julie's death. It didn't even exist then!" I was trying to restore some semblance of sanity here. Victoria ignored me, concentrating on Amy. This was quickly becoming a nasty situation. I reached out to Becky.

'What's going on, Becky?'

'Amy has been programmed to defend you at all costs. She will shoot if Victoria tries to fire. I don't know about Victoria, but her actions seem to emanate from that black area in her brain. I believe Victoria will shoot you.' Unflappable Becky sounded terrified. Obviously, this was not one of those things they knew about that was supposed to happen.

'Who programmed Amy? Can you reverse it? I can take care of Victoria; she won't shoot me. But we have to do something about Amy.'

'Cindi programmed her. It would take me too long to reverse, if I could. Katie might have been able to do it. I'm scared, Daddy. This never... '

Damn. The two people that could help us weren't here. Well, they were mind readers, so let's give them something to read. Supposedly, distance made no difference.

'Cindi! Katie! Help us!' It wasn't until much later that I realized I should've been much more specific. I heard the two voices answer in my head.

'All you had to do is ask.' I expected something dramatic to happen. What happened was that Megan walked back into the room.

Much later, I realized that Victoria started what happened next. The actions that followed changed all our lives forever. Somehow, Katie and Cindi knew that, and knew this was the best thing to do. It was hard to accept that, however, as the events unfolded at lightning speed, one after another.

Megan walking into the room distracted Victoria. I think she thought Megan was threatening her. She had seen her handle a gun and assumed her training was the same or better than what she'd seen in her mind of Amy's training. As she turned to look at Megan, her finger, accidentally, I believe, applied pressure to the trigger of her gun. Amy saw it, fired, and started crying; the realization that Amy had fired caused Victoria to fire at the same time.

Megan was not standing still, doing nothing, however. I believe Cindi and Katie sent her in response to my request. I saw four bolts of purple energy erupt from her with amazing speed.

Sometimes, events are shaped by little actions from before that seem to have no importance at the time. The cleaning crew had been in, and had moved the furniture to vacuum. They hadn't put the chair near where Victoria was standing back exactly where it had been, exactly where Megan knew it had always been. The first bolt hit Victoria squarely, and, I believe, was intended to throw her against the wall, to get her out of the way. However, it threw her against the chair instead, stopping her from going as far as intended. The second bolt hit the bullet fired by Amy, knocking it out of the intended path. I think the energy required to fire four bolts at once was what kept Megan from disintegrating the bullet. I watched in horror as the bullet hit Victoria in the stomach, being deflected enough to avoid her head. The third bolt hit the bullet from Victoria, deflecting it into the wall inches from my head. The fourth bolt slammed Amy against the wall, encasing her in purple energy and holding her there.

I saw Victoria slide to the ground. I realized that Amy had not had time to change the bullets loaded in her gun from our action before in the woods. Paranoia from being out in the wilds so far from help had caused all of us to load Predator bullets in our guns. The effect on the wall from the bullet hitting it confirmed that was what everyone was still firing. Seldom did anyone survive a Predator. There was blood everywhere; Victoria was losing a lot, and fast. I raced over to help her, but Megan was already there, tears pouring down her cheeks as she realized what she'd done. It wasn't her fault, but that didn't make it easier on her. She looked at the wound, then raised her head and shouted loudly.

"Cindi! Save her, please!" Cindi answered immediately, this time not in our heads, but aloud.

"I can't save her, Megan. Only you can. I'll help you, but I can't do it. You know the rules. You knew this was coming someday. You must do it!" Cindi was calm, but forceful.

"I can't do this! It's too hard! I swore I would never do it again! Do you know what it will do to me if I start doing this again! Please, Cindi, save her. I can't!" Megan sobbed.

"It's too hard? Harder than watching your Daddy's face every day for the rest of his life every time he looks at you, knowing you let his wife die? Harder than letting Amy live the rest of her life with the knowledge that she killed her mother? How long do you think they will survive that, Megan? Being a Helper isn't about doing the easy things. It's about helping, when it's needed, regardless of the price. You have a decision to make, soon. She's dying, Megan; she won't last much longer. Not making a decision is making a decision." Cindi's voice dripped with emotion. "Please, Megan, save my Mommy!"

I saw movement in Amy's direction. I looked over in time to see Amy concentrate, then the purple force holding her shattered in a million little fuzzies. She ran over, knelt beside her Mom, and looked at Megan, eyes wild and tear-filled.

"Please, Megan, save my Mommy! I'll do anything you ask, just save her! Please don't let me have killed her!" She grabbed Megan's shoulders, begging her.

"I can't! I can't do it! You don't know what you are asking!" Megan was hysterical. Amy looked determined, and sad.

"Then I will," she said quietly. Amy laid her hands on the wound in Victoria's belly, and applied pressure. She concentrated, and a green glow surrounded her and Victoria. Becky screamed.

"NO! AMY, NO!" She looked at me, panic in her eyes and voice. "Stop her! She can't save her that way! She will only transfer her energy to Victoria and they'll both die! Megan, please!" In her excitement and distress, she ejected a stream of orange energy that struck Megan, jolting her from her hysteria. Megan looked at what was happening, realized what Amy was doing, and moved to intercept her. She gently removed Amy's hands from her Mom, kissed Amy gently, and gently pushed her away.

"I'll save her, Amy," she whispered softly. "But you'll have to save me, then, someday, because I know where this leads to. Help me, Cindi!" she cried, then laid her hands on Victoria and concentrated. The effects were amazing.