Chapter 11

The taxi wasn't really a cab type vehicle, but an older 'conversion' van. The interior had been altered so that the middle set of seats faced to the rear of the vehicle, with a small table between them and third rows of seats.

The three of us boarded but before I was able to instruct the driver as to our destination, Adin asked if we could swing through the local Burger King.

"Honey, I 'm sick of hospital food! I would love a Whopper with fries. Do you mind?"

I leaned over and kissed her and then said, "No, of course not," as I was so very thankful to have my beautiful wife back.

After using the drive-through, we headed for home—I placed strong wards around the van as we traveled. I then clouded the mind of the driver, so that we could have privacy as we discussed our next move.

I opened the discussion, saying, "I think that we're vulnerable, now, and should vacate the campground right away."

Adin and Ryn just sat deep in thought as a good five minutes passed.

Ryn said, "I agree with that as far as it goes, but there is a reason that the FBI has had such a strong yet strange interest in this whole affair."

Suddenly, Adin looked up and asked, "Have you set wards around Rose?"

Feeling as if ice water was being poured down my back, I immediately set several layers of protection around our home.

"Done!" I said.

"I hope it was soon enough," Adin said pensively. She then brightened and continued, "Anyway, I think that we should still buy the property and build the house; but with the addition of our own bunker system, deep under the old WW II stuff. This location is still a good place for us, as a main base."

I leaned back, thinking.

Ryn spoke up and said, "I agree with Lady Adin. With the proper wards in place, this will be a fine base of operations."

Adin looked shocked and asked, "Lady? Where did that come from?"

Looking chagrined Ryn said, "Well, you are 'my Lord's' wife. Also, after talking with you last night, it just seemed appropriate."

"But I'm just a slave!"

"No! You were 'just a slave.' Now, you are far more!" Ryn said with authority.

"Though I agree with Ryn, we must not use such terms in public, it will only draw unwanted attention. Is that clear?" I said.

I looked from one to the other. They both nodded.

"Now that we're getting near home, I'm getting that bad gut feeling again ... So, Ryn; away. You, Adin, are to stand behind me. Is that clear? You are my center and I don't want you getting hurt again, I need you whole."

"Yes, Ma ... umm ... my husband."

"Very good recovery," I said with a wink as I drew my wife to me.

Adin settled down against me, and rested her head on my chest. I concentrated on the feelings in my gut, and reached out with my mind. I saw that there were three SUVs with blacked out windows, moving toward Rose. I now knew for sure that these FBI Agents were dirty!

After a quick thought I changed the wards to act like a very loud burglar alarm, with one additional feature. The ward would send a strong Taser like shock into anyone that touched Rose. I also added an optical reader near the front door. Next, I made a call to another denizen of the campground. He was also the head of the State Police. He and I had hit it off.

"Hey, Barney! It's Kade."

"Well, Kade, it's good to hear from you. Martha and I were real worried about that sweet little wife of yours, how is she doing?"

"She is getting better, Barney. Look, I hate to bother you but I'm in a spot of trouble. I could sure use your help."

I could almost feel the man change and go all business as he asked, "What kind of trouble, son?"

"For some reason unknown to me, there is a bunch of dirty FBI Agents after us. As I said I don't know why but they are about to break into my Rose."

I said this as the cab rolled to a stop at our campsite.

"I'll be right there!"

Suddenly, the air was split with the tremendous wailing of our 'burglar alarm.'

There were two men lying on the ground at the garage door, and two more men at the front door. One of the two that were at the front door, was on the ground. The other was muscle-locked to the crowbar that was jammed into the opening between the front door and the doorframe. The remaining four Feebies were dancing around with their hands over their ears, trying to reduce the pain caused by the extremely loud sound of the alarm.

I scanned them all. I found that three of the men were carrying dealer-sized bags of three different types of drugs, while a fourth man was carrying a satchel filled with cash. I magically exposed all of the contraband.

At the same time, I conjured four sets of earplugs. I gave two sets to Adin, and pointed at the poor cab driver. She nodded, put her plugs into her ears, and then gave the driver his set. The man took the earplugs and put them in with a great show of relief. In the meantime I used my set of plugs, and waited for Barney. Three minutes later, he drove up and I gave him his set.

I don't know how he did it so quickly, but he was in full uniform, and in his official car. Let me tell you, that that man was the very personification of the term: 'spit and polish.' He was magnificent: knife edged creases on his trousers, with all of his brass and his shoes shining brightly in the sunshine.

Barney pointed at Rose and made the 'cutthroat' sign, under his chin. I nodded. I calmly walked over to the optical reader that was next to the door, and let it do its thing. The man that was muscle-locked onto his crowbar sagged to the ground, as the power went off. Then the loud wailing stopped. The sudden quiet was surreal! I looked around and found that all of the Feebies were down on the ground, now.

I walked back to Barney and said, "I think that you should take a look at the stuff that is in plain sight. Barney nodded and went over to the men that were lying next to Rose. He bent over and, without touching anything, inspected the Baggies that were sticking out of the pockets of the Agents. Next he went to the gym bag with the broken zipper. It was easy to see that the thing was full of bundles of money.

Barney stiffened and came back to me. He stood in front of me for a few ticks and then asked, "They haven't been inside have they?"

"No. They were just starting the break-in when we arrived. The cabbie is a witness, so I've asked him to stay. He can verify that the guy with the crowbar was standing next to the door, locked onto the crowbar by the electrical shock. The other three near Rose were down from the Taser effect of the alarm system. The last of the bunch were pretty much where they are now but standing, at least until the sound knocked them out."

Barney nodded again.

"May I ask you a question, Barney?"

"Sure," he said.

"Why is it that you haven't called for the medics yet?"

"Your system isn't designed to be lethal, is it?" Barney asked.

"No! Of course not ... Ohh ... I see ... I think."

Barney, looking as if he had eaten some bad fish, said, "There is nothing I hate more than dirty cops, be they locals or Feds. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get my people, here. Then I have to notify the locals," he said as he took a step away from me, and hit the speed dial on his cellphone.

I walked back to the cab, and got in next to my wife.

"Look, Mister, I need to get going. I'm going broke just sittin' here."

"I'm afraid that you're stuck here with us. This is a crime scene, now, and you 're a material witness."

"Awwww, geeeeezz!" he said as he hit the steering wheel with his fists.

"What's your name?"

"Tony, Anthony Piesso."

"Okay, Tony, answer me this, How much did you make on the best day you've ever had?"

"Well, there was this one time before me and Michelle got hitched, that this guy wanted to go to Atlantic City for the weekend. He gave me a two grand for the trip. Why?"

"Well, since it is sort of my fault that you're here; I will pay you a retainer of two thousand dollars to stay here, and cooperate with the police. How is that?"

Tony's eyes almost popped out of his head and he started coughing, violently. He had swallowed his chewing gum. I pounded his back until he could talk again; but instead of talking, he burst into tears.

We were taken aback, and Adin asked, "What's the matter, Tony?"

After a good five minutes of heart-rending sobs the man calmed and was able to speak again. He explained what had brought about his breakdown.

"I married the best damn woman in the world, and we been happy, ya know? She gave me two wonderful loving kids and we raised them as best we could. My Michelle is a saint, putting up with a dumb jamoke like me. I mean I ain't smart or good lookin' like the guys that used to ask her out back when we was datin', but she chose me. I tried to give her what evah she wanted, but she just said that it was my love, not things, that she wanted. God knows I give all the love I have ta her!

"Anyway, a few months ago, she starts actin' all tired like. Not after a long day, but all of the time. Then she started to forget things, and talk funny sometimes. I wanted her to go to the doc's but she fought me. One day last month, she just fell over. Let me tell ya, I wasn't waitin' on no ambulance! I scooped her up in my arms, and put her in the back seat, there. Then I got her to the hospital, quick as I could."

Tony broke down again. It was obvious that he had been holding this all in for some time. Now ... now it was all coming out. Adin was silently weeping with Tony as we listened to his tale of woe.

The poor man got control again, and said through a wail of pain and sorrow, "My Michelle ... My beautiful angel has an inoperable brain tumor! She has, maybe six months, at most ... The only thing that she wants, is to see her mom one last time; but getting her mom here from France, is expensive, and what with all of the doc's bills ... well..."

This time, when Tony broke, it was a complete breakdown! The man's pain was so great that I have to admit that we broke right along with him. I let things go for about fifteen minutes, and then sent calming thoughts to Adin and Tony. I must admit that it took some magic for me to calm myself, too.

"Tony, you need to call your family, because you're going to be quite late getting home..."

"But..."

"Tony, I can guarantee that it will be well worth your while."

The man turned toward me and looked me in the eye. He then nodded and got his cellphone out. He must have gotten his wife because the tenderness and love that I heard in the tone of voice he used, broke my heart all over again. Then the tone changed to one of alarm.