Chapter 2

Life became normal again. There were changes with an infant in the house, but Zane was their third child and they knew what to do.

Agents Smith and Paxton kept frequent contact to make sure they were okay and about a month after the murder, they came over to tell them it was time to go into the Witness Protection Program. With the new baby in the household, Ryan and Mandy forgot about that original conversation and reality hit them hard again.

"So where is this place?" asked Ryan. "In the middle of nowhere California?"

"No," replied Smith in her standard calm manner. "That place is closed since everyone knows about it. Seven years ago we developed a much better location."

"Where is that?" asked Ryan

"Well, it's Iowa ... but..."

"Iowa?" echoed Mandy, not liking that idea.

"I shouldn't say more. You will see. On Monday, some of our people will come over to help pack up your house."

"What about doctors? My baby needs checkups and shots," said Mandy with maternal concern.

"One of the nation's best pediatricians lives in the Witness Protection Program. He will become your baby doctor."

"Who?" asked Ryan.

"I can't say out here in the world," Smith replied.

Ryan and Mandy talked about the witness program that night. They hated the idea about being completely uprooted and cut off from nearly everybody in their life. It caused pain in their hearts. They also knew Ryan's testimony was the right thing to do. They would do it. They would move into protection. Mandy cried on that last Friday, the last day, in the house. Ryan wandered the now empty house making sure nothing was forgotten. So many memories flooded his mind. Moisture formed in the corner of his eyes. Why did he have to be the one to see the murder?

Smith drove the Sanders' minivan with Mandy and the three kids in it. Ryan was in their sedan with Paxton driving it. Another FBI car led the caravan. The moving truck containing all their possessions was behind their personal cars and one more FBI car brought up the rear. Ryan tried to strike up a conversation with Paxton but all Paxton would say is "Yes" or "No" or shrug his shoulders. Kerri Smith and Mandy talked the whole drive. The drive took just under two hours. The lead FBI car stopped at a little security shack, the driver talked briefly, and then all the vehicles pulled into the compound.

The compound was a very small municipal airport. A couple of small prop planes were at one end with a large hangar on the other end. The hangar was much larger than was needed for the planes that could land there. A couple of small administration buildings were attached to the hangar.

They drove toward the hangar and Ryan was amazed to see two massive doors slowly open. The lead FBI car pulled to the side but the minivan and sedan went into the hangar. The engines were killed. The moving truck soon followed and killed its engine. The trailing FBI car stayed outside.

"Please stay seated," both Paxton and Smith told their passengers as they exited the cars.

Ryan followed the agents with his gaze as they went to a side door in the hangar. Smith punched in a code and the door slid open. Nothing happened for a few minutes so Ryan looked around. The hangar was so dark that he could not easily perceive the ceiling. It made the large hangar appear even bigger from the inside. He wasn't sure but the walls looked as if they were corrugated with thin coils. Even the floor had that same look.

A man and a woman approached out of the side door. The woman was sharply dressed in a red skirt, white blouse, and red jacket. She had long, blonde hair and quite frankly Ryan thought she looked stunning. With her looks, she could easily be an actress or model. She looked about 25 years old. The man looked about age 25 also and wore a blue suit and tie, white shirt, and the traditional Federal agent haircut. He looked like what an FBI agent looks like.

The man got into the car with Ryan. Ryan looked back and saw the woman get into the minivan and talk to Mandy and the children.

"I'm Steve Barnett," the man introduced. Yep thought Ryan. He looked like a Steve. "We will travel shortly. I'll explain on the other side. You may feel drowsy and that's okay. I have made the trip nearly fifty times."

Steve noticed the Bible Ryan had in his hands. Mandy had Ryan carry it. It was an old Bible passed down for several generations in his family. It wasn't the Bible he used at church and he hadn't cracked it open in many years but Mandy thought he should carry this one on the trip because it represented their history.

"Do you want a pill?" Steve continued, "The first few times can feel like seasickness."

"Uh ... no thanks," said Ryan confused.

"That's fine," the agent replied. "Monday will make sure your two oldest children take one."

"Mandy," Ryan said.

"Monday," Steve said.

"Mandy," Ryan said matter-of-factly.

"Monday," replied Steve again.

"My wife's name is Mandy," said Ryan with annoyance. The FBI were sending them into Iowan oblivion and they couldn't get their names right!

"Oh!" said Steve with a chuckle and a smile. "No. Monday is my partner. She's the agent with your wife and kids. She says she was named Monday because not only was her mom on pain killer drugs during her birth, but her dad was on the drugs too. I think she is joking, but I met her parents once so I am not sure anymore."

The confusion caused a welcome break in the stress and tension. Ryan instantly liked Steve Barnett better than Kyle Paxton for the simple fact that Steve would talk.

"Here we go," said Steve, touching his earpiece. The hangar darkened as the big doors behind them closed. It became completely dark.

Ryan couldn't figure out why Steve nudged him.

"Wake up, Ryan. Wake up," said Steve.

Ryan's eyes bolted open when he realized he fell asleep. How did that happen?

"How long was I asleep?" Ryan asked.

"Only a minute."

A ray of light penetrated the hangar and then more light as the big doors reopened in front of him. Ryan looked back. There was no way the moving truck could be turned around inside the hangar. What was going on?

The vehicles started up and pulled out of the hangar. The hangar was now part of a small office building complex that was surrounded by a fence. The sedan and the minivan pulled into a couple of parking spaces in front of a two story building.

"Follow me, sir" said Steve. Monday apparently said the same to Mandy and the kids.

Steve looked at the driver of the moving truck. "Just a minute," he told Ryan. He walked over to the driver. Ryan overheard him say "Set up in C17."

Everyone went inside and Monday said, "This way, please."

They crammed into an elevator and went to the second floor. The doors opened to a short hallway with four doors. Steve was the first out. He opened the second door on the right. "This one has a better view."

Ryan and Mandy were surprised to discover the door opened into a three bedroom apartment.

"Is this where we are going to live, Monday?" asked Mandy.

"Oh no," replied the beautiful agent. "Just a few days during indoctrination. We need to let you know what to expect and what is going on."

Steve said, "The truck is delivering your stuff to your new house. They'll set everything up. If you prefer the furniture rearranged later, we will do that for you."

"Yes," added Monday. "However you like."

"We need to check you in with some paperwork to give to our bosses," said Steve. "Settle in, take a nap, watch TV, whatever. We'll be back in an hour."

"Can I watch TV?" said Zach.

"Sure," answered Ryan.

In the large master bedroom was a crib. Mandy laid little Zane down. Ryan opened the curtains to find a balcony. He slid open the door and stepped out into the air. He saw homes and streets. Suburbia.

"What's going on, Ryan? How did we get here?" asked Mandy when she stepped out with him. She put an arm around his waist and cuddled. He wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer.

"I don't know," he said.

Agent Monday Morse and Agent Steve Barnett sat at the dining room table with the couple. Little infant Zane's head was underneath a baby blanket as he suckled on his mother's breast.

"Welcome to the Witness Protection Program," said Steve cheerily. Too cheerily for Mandy. It was only a couple of hours here and she already felt homesick.

"Where are we?" said Ryan, "and how did we get here?"

"Welcome to Iowa," answered Steve in continued cheeriness.

"Iowa?" said Ryan with unbelief.

"The question you won't think to ask is 'When are we?'."

Ryan and Mandy looked puzzled.

"Welcome to the year 1879, Sanders family. We discovered that when we time travel we can also teleport to locations. We can't seem to teleport in current time."

Ryan looked out the window past the fence at the modern streets and houses with cars in their driveways.

Monday spoke. "You're thinking 'What is a modern day town doing in the middle of 1879?'. The FBI reasoned the best way to protect people is to put them some place where absolutely no one would think to find them. That's back in time."

Mandy asked, "Won't we mess up the future by contact with people that live in this day?"

"Yes," answered Steve. "If we had contact. This town is surrounded by a force field. On the outside, this force field, the grid we call it, looks like a steep hill. Indigenous people just walk around it."

"No one ever tries to climb the hill?" asked Mandy with interest.

"The grid will shift and force the person to slip down," answered Monday. "We also have cameras embedded in the grid all over. We can see what is going on."

"And if a rock hits the hill?" said Mandy.

"Depends on the location," said Monday. "If the simulated terrain shows that a rock should stay on the hill, then the rock gets stuck in the grid according to normal physic principles. The grid has an algorithm to slowly push the object out within 24 hours. We want the grid clean, so it operates at top efficiency. Scientifically, the grid is not technically impenetrable, but extremely improbable. We are safe. The outside of the grid will fool everyone as just an extreme hill. The building behind us contains the field matrix and the small building by that is the powerhouse with the generators. Actually, my primary job is monitoring the grid. I enjoy it. I only work with Steve when there are new residents arriving such as yourselves."