Chapter 9

The group arrived back at the RV. The girls and Matt wanted to know what had happened, and what would happen now.

"The sheriff told us to move the RV to the back yard, and plug in," stated Jon, "As it's now coming up on six in the evening, we should think about food. I'm sure the girls were well taken care of, but I'm hungry," he looked quickly at Dan, then to the girls, and smiled, "but I think I want some tummy tickles first," Jonny then put his arms out to try to grab the three little ones.

The three screeched and went running over to Jason but then Jason got in on the act and grabbed Tina up, "I like tummies, they taste so good." Jason then blew a raspberry on Tina's tummy making her laugh, giggle and screech even more.

Mary and Sara ran the other way but Jonny was able to get Sara, to do the same to her. Mary thought she was smart, and went over to stand next to Cathy. Cathy just picked her up and walked to Jason.

"This one has a nice soft jiggly belly for tummy tickles and zurberts." Cathy said as she traded girls with Jason.

"Yummy more tummies," Jason said in a silly monster voice.

The silliness lasted for several more minutes with the girls getting their turn to get Jason and Jonny as everyone laughed. Everyone agreed it was needed to relieve the stress that had built up that day.

There was another surprise after they got the RV moved and plugged in where the sheriff had told them. Cindy had started dinner.

Cindy liked to cook. She had pulled out the two chickens that they had bought at Wal-Mart, the day before, but not gotten around to eating. She had fun fixing everything up, and getting them into the oven. She had just finished and was back to playing with the girls, when the big emergency had happened.

When Matt came into the RV, she sat down with him to peel potatoes. She had them going in a pot of water very quickly. She would have the girls help making salad and veggies, when things got closer to being done. She was about finished, when everyone had come back.

Cindy thought the silliness was great. She watched, but stayed hidden behind everyone, because she was really ticklish and didn't want to be tickled. She decided to busy herself, and pulled out the salad bag. She poured it into a big bowl, and added some extra things to make it go a bit farther. Then she got out some canned corn, and put it into a pot to warm on the stove.

"Did you think you could hide from us?" said a deep voice behind her.

"Yes, and you can't tickle me. I'm out of bounds when I'm in the kitchen and cooking dinner. I don't feel like being scalded by boiling water, thank you," Cindy replied.

"Oh that's easy to fix, I can just move you over to the middle of the fun and let the little ones have at you," Jason added.

"No, I don't like to be tickled," Cindy turned a bit pink, "I pee when I get tickled too much. So please, I would really not want that to happen. But if you're offering a 'Daddy hug', I'll take that."

Cindy put the spoon down, and turned with her arms out to be picked up.

"A 'Daddy hug'? Oh, sweetie, I would be very proud to give you a 'Daddy hug'."

Jason felt his heart grow even bigger with happiness, as he picked up Cindy and gave her a big hug. He glanced at Cathy who was smiling to see her daughter in Jason's arms. But he just couldn't resist, and he put his head down by her neck. As he hugged her he gave her a raspberry on the neck.

Cindy squealed and tried to get away, but found her feet on the floor again.

"Oh you! Get over there and play with the little ones, so I can finish with dinner," Cindy said while still laughing.

Dinner was served about half an hour later, and it was a big hit with everyone. Cathy praised her daughter, as she was very pleased at the amount of maturity Cindy was showing.

The little ones were all tucked in and the rest were sitting around talking or playing a card game. It was about 9:30pm when the sheriff rolled around the building, parked, and got out of his car to go over to the RV.

Dan had the door of the RV open for the sheriff, as he was closest to it.

"Evening, folks. Just thought I would stop by and make sure everything's all buttoned up."

"We closed and locked up the front of the building, and left the back door unlocked as we're setting next to it," said Jen.

"I know. I checked. William said to give you the keys, and to make a list of all the stuff you need that he has, but ... I'm not too comfortable with the next part he said."

Jason chuckled and said, "Let me guess. He's going to give us what's on our list. Well, I can tell you that won't happen. But..."

"But what? Go ahead and spit it out," the sheriff said.

"What Jason is trying to be polite about," Cathy took over, "is that we were talking. We believe that Mr. Daley's been feeling bad for some time. His living conditions are unacceptable. We're going to go in tomorrow, and give it a good cleaning.

Now it was the sheriff's turn to chuckle.

"He'll be mad as all get out, but well ... a good cleaning is a good idea ... and if his doctor ordered it, then..." he chuckled again, "how am I to go against it?" he winked at Cathy, "I also know that when a woman gets into a cleanin' mood, there's no stoppin' her. I learned that lesson some time ago, though, it took about five years after I got married," the sheriff finished, laughing.

The laughing was contagious and soon everyone was laughing.

When the laughter calmed down the sheriff continued, "I wanted to let you know that William made it through surgery just fine. He should be out in two days, unless something happens. Sadly, the docs there told me they had to make a bigger incision than they normally did. When they took out the old pacemaker, they said the leads looked burned, so they wanted to look at where they were connected. He had some small burn marks but they just washed them off and put him back together with a new one. But he's going to be fine thanks to you folks. Well, I'm off for home and the little woman, so I don't end up in the dog house."

The sheriff left just after that and the others decided it was time for bed. That was when they realized they had one extra person.

Dan wasn't as tall as Matt was so they thought they might have Cindy move Sara over and share with her when Dan suggested he sleep on the couch. Jen, Jason, Jon and Cathy looked to each other and found that would be the easiest, unless they wanted to set up one of the tents from the lower compartment.

Dan preferred the couch. After some quick changes in the back room and the bathroom, with Dan getting a pair of Matt's extra sweat pants and a t-shirt, everyone crawled under a blanket and was soon off in dreamland.

"Are you trying to get yourselves caught?" asked a voice from the dark.

"What? Who are you? What are you talking about?" Jen asked.

"Are you trying to get yourselves caught? It is a simple enough question. When you were in your training, in the military, did they not teach you anything about undercover operations?"

"That wasn't the area my team and I were in. I still don't understand what you are talking about?"

There was a pause and Jen thought she felt something pass through her mind.

"Oh, I see. Yes, you did not get that type of training. You would have if you had gone for undercover infiltration," replied the voice.

"It was my type of team that they sent in, to get that type out of hot water, when their cover was blown."

"Yes, I see that now."

"Who are you? What is it you really want of me?"

There was another pause.

"You are not yet ready for that. However, I will say that I had to take action for you, to keep yourself and the others safe. Tell the others that all of you need to come up with new names, and identities. I made it to where those that heard you today, heard something different when you said your name. Please be careful. It took a lot out of me to do that."

Jen had to think for a moment as to what the voice was talking about. Then it hit her. She and the others gave the sheriff their real names. Someone would have heard it and called to check it.

"Holy shit! We need to get the hell out of here! Those creeps could be here any time!" Jen said to the voice excitedly.

"I told you not to worry. I took care of it. However, I won't be able to do it again. The doctor comes from a family that should be able to help, but be cautious in contacting them."

"Yes, I understand. I'll have her use one of the prepaid phones to make contact if Cathy knows who to call. Thank you for what you did. I still want to know who you are, but for now I'll take your counsel."

"Good. Now rest. We both need it, after all the fun you had today."

Jen felt whatever-it-was leave her, in that dark space. She wondered just what it was, or who. Her thoughts drifted, and soon she was back in dreamland.

The next morning, for Jen, was fun. She was the first one up. After she had made her morning trip to the latrine, she went into the public area of the RV, and nearly busted up laughing. Lying on the couch was Dan, but he was covered by two little girls and their pink pony blankets.

Quietly Jen dug around and found a camera and took several shots. Tina was on Dan's chest with her lower half to the back of the couch. Mary was just a little lower on his stomach. Dan's right hand and arm was draped so he was touching both girls. Tina even had her thumb in her mouth.

Jen moved over and opened the privacy screen for the front bed. She shook Jason's shoulder, but signaled him to be quiet.

Jason didn't know what was up. He assumed that something was wrong, until he saw his two new daughters. He turned and got Cathy because she just had to see it.

Jen moved back to the back room and got Jonny so he could see and was thinking of getting Cindy when she noticed that Sara was not in her bed either. But as she turned to say something she found Sara in bed with Cindy.

Again the cuteness of it was too much and she had to have pictures of it too. That brought the others over to see what was up. That was when Matt started to turn and found he couldn't get out as everyone was standing in the way.

Jen quieted him quickly as the others moved and he got up to see what they were looking at and then Dan on the couch.

Matt had a strange feeling run through him, he had a nearly overwhelming urge to pull the girls away from the punk kid. But his feelings were pulled to something else as Sara and Cindy came up beside him and took a hand each.

"He was having nightmares last night," Sara said quietly, "Tina and Mary couldn't sleep because of them so they went to lay with him so they could make the bad dreams go away."

"Don't worry, Matt. You're still their big brother," said Cindy as she giggled.

This of course woke the three on the couch.

Tina was the first to wake. She lifted her head and looked around at everyone, smiled, and laid her head back down.

"He makes a really good bed. Better than that other one. Can we keep him, so I can sleep on him some more."

"Ya, he's soft in all the right places," chimed Mary, then she giggled.

"That's kinda up to him sweethearts, but why don't you get up, and get into the bathroom? Then Cindy can get you dressed in the back."

Both girls scrambled off of Dan, which woke him. He let out a groan as a knee went where it wasn't supposed to go.

Tina turned and said, "Sorry, Dandan."

"It's ok," Dan replied then looked around and realized where he was. "Oh ... ummm ... I ... they..." he stammered.

"Dan, it's all right. Sara told us you were having some trouble sleeping," Jen started and then sat down once Dan had sat up. "We all know things have been hard on you for some time. What with yesterday, I'm sure it didn't help. But I want you to know if you need to talk out these bad dreams, you can talk to any one of us."

"Thanks, I'm sure it was the stress of yesterday that did it. Usually, though, I get them just before my dad gets home from where ever it is that he goes. I just wish I had the guts to go with you guys, but my old man will come after me. He did that the last time I tried to leave. I was 10 at the time," Dan said with a sad and scared feeling.

"Well, you have two more days to not worry about it," Jason added.

"And if he shows up sooner. Well ... he just might get put through the Marine Corps' 'extra special boot camp training session, '" finished Jonny with an evil smile, like he could just envision what he would do to the man.

"Speaking of training, Cindy, put on some sweats and t-shirt, then meet me outside. I need to evaluate your training and see where you need to continue," then Jason continued, "Sara, Mary and Tina your welcome to watch, and workout with us. We'll start teaching you, too. Matt, you and Dan might as well join us, unless you want the job of KP?"

Matt looked at Dan and Dan at Matt.

"I'll do breakfast, but I don't think I need Dan. There's really only room for one butt in the kitchen, so that will be mine. But I'm not doing dishes," Matt replied.

"I'd like to learn anything you guys might have to teach and I'll even take dish duty, when the food's done."

"Great! Let's get to it then," Jason said and headed for where his clothes were kept.

The others took off to do the same, and twenty minutes later they were outside, ready to go.

Everyone started out doing some stretches then Jason took Cindy off to the side while Jon did the same with Dan. Jen and Cathy had the three little ones with them and it wasn't long until Jen had the four standing in standard forms of karate, judo, and tie-quan-do.

After about an hour Matt called from the RV that breakfast was ready. The girls were of course the first to reach the doorway and would have just ran to the table when Cathy called out for them to go wash up.

Jon and Dan came in next. Dan looked tired but he had learned several things that would help him against his dad and some of the others, if he needed that kind of help. Jon was happy that Dan now had a way to protect himself and planned to work with the kid again.

Jason and Cindy came up last, with Cindy on Jason's back. He was acting silly and he loved it. He announced to everyone that Cindy was good and at about a green belt. He would continue to train her so she could reach at least her brown belt.

Breakfast was pancakes and sausage, with fruit, juice and milk. Matt had even made letter pancakes for the girls. He got big hugs from all of them for it, including Cindy, which put a silly smile on his face for the rest of the day.

Once the food was done and Dan was busy doing the dishes, Cathy decided to tell everyone what they would be doing that day.

"First I would like to go through the store, and wipe down everything out there. Then I'll make a list of some of the stuff that I would like to get. I'm hoping I can find some paper for that defibrillator. I really wanted to run a strip from that, when Jen was connected to Mr. Daley. Some of the readings were incredible. It would do a lot for what we need for starting our study of what all of you can do.

"I may even have the girls help me do that, as dusting is easy, and it will keep them busy. I'd like for you guys to start in the living room, taking all the garbage out, and then stacking and tying up his papers and magazines. We'll move them to the trailer. I was thinking you can just move right on through the kitchen when you're gathering the garbage. By then I should be done in the front of the place.

"I'll take over, and really give that kitchen a good cleaning. Jen, I know it's probably the worst room in the place, but I was thinking you could start with the bathroom. Maybe even a little in the bedroom but to me bedrooms are more private, and I'm not really wanting to do a lot in there."