Chapter 2

Present – Mira – At the cabin

Ms. Morgan and Ms. Donaldson have performed a most amazing act and I will be forever indebted to them. They have presented me what I have needed most: An end to my life with my twin sister Irina (who I will always hold dear in my heart) and the opportunity to start life anew. Hopefully I will commence my improved existence with the children I wish to conceive.

I arrest the eyes of each individual and gratefully acknowledge their contributions, "Thank you my family and friends for this honoring of my beloved sister and thank you Ms. Morgan for your words. Yes, my sister Ira is not truly terminated! She will continue to live in all our hearts. Now if you would not mind I would like some time alone with the monument to my sister."

They all smile, nod and quietly leave me as I wished. I lie on the ground, beside my sister's memorial, stroke it and remember her, complete with all the occurances we experienced together then I slowly drift off to slumber...

I awaken sometime later to the mournful sound of a dog howling.¹ There is a slight mist and I observe a shadowy figure cloaked in the mist. I immediately arise to my knees, cross myself and command, "Be gone evil spirit - back to where you originated."

¹ In Mira's culture, and some others, when a dog howls it means there is a death or the dog has seen a ghost.

Then something amazingly, unthinkable occurs...

Present – Liz – At the cabin

It's getting late, the sun is down and a light mist has crept down the mountain. I worry about Mira but as I look outside, I can't believe my eyes and I yell, "Everyone outside - right now!"

Then I run out the front door.

Present – Jens – At the cabin

I've been busy looking at all of Ben's clothes that are still stored here. I remember how sexy he looked in his dress blues and realize that part of his life ... of my life ... of our lives is gone forever.

I begin to set up my room (which should be our room) when Liz yells about getting outside. I grab a rifle and head toward the front door.

Present – Jack and family – At the cabin

Damn this is a great cabin and reminds me of the times I'd spent here with Ben between missions. And after it was destroyed, Jens did a great job having it rebuilt so it was even better. I'm reconnecting with Masha after she did the video analysis and she admits, "Jack my husband I have not been totally honest with you."

I hug her and reply, "Masha, I don't care about who you were or what you did in your past. What I care about is our future."

She starts to cry and then we hear Liz yell about heading outside. I order Masha, "You stay here and keep Ivan safe. I'm going to see what's going on."

She replies, "No my husband, from now on we do everything together."

Alexi and Ivan have become great friends and are playing on the floor. Alexi offers, "Do not worry. I will stay here and look after my younger brother."

I grab a rifle from the doorway and see my lovely wife Masha pull a pistol from her purse. I remark, "That's a sweet Tokerev, you don't see many of them in hard chrome."

She grins at me, "I hope, my husband, that you will not be seeing it very often."

Present – Bernie – At the cabin

I've been thinking about ... well I've been thinking about Liz. We've had a great friendship since before she left CCCN and helped me escape with her. I've always wondered if there could be more between us. I mean in many ways we are already like husband and wife...

My thoughts are interrupted by Liz yelling about getting outside. I jump up to see what the hell is going on now...

Present – Linus – At the cabin

We're doing our damned best to break or wear out the bed. Damn! Matt was right - there's nothing like a Latina lover. Yes Maria has a fiery personality and she's used it to set me on fire. It's been a long time, no that's not right - I've never felt like this for any other woman.

We are regrouping for another round when we hear Liz yell something. I look at Maria and say, "I think we need to see what's going on."

She grins at me and replies, "You'd rather do that than this..."

And Maria is right, I forget all about seeing what the yelling is about for right now...

Present – Matt and Jim – At the cabin

We're in a hell of a nice kitchen just polishing off our third hamburger when we hear Liz yell, "Everyone outside right now."

Jim says, "Shit what's going on now?"

I answer, "I don't know, but I'm taking a rifle."

Present – Byron and Thom – At the cabin

We're in a nice as hell library which has about every game imaginable and an even better collection of books. I know where I'm going to be spending most of my time.

After all the grief Thom has been giving me on the trip here about my 'wife', I really enjoy saying, "Fifteen-two, Fifteen-four and the rest don't score. If I'm not mistaken that's the game again."

Thom complains, "Dammit Byron, you have to be cheating somehow."

I grin at him and argue, "No way Thom, you know I'm better at cribbage than you are. Want to play another game?"

He grins but says, "How about we switch to chess."

I wave my hand and comment, "Unless you've been practicing you're going to lose again."

Thom grins and tries to get to me, "Don't you think you should be checking on your wife?"

I get ready to lay into him when we hear, "Everyone outside, right now."

I look at Thom and question, "You think trouble followed us here?"

He replies, "I sure as hell hope not, but this place is a bunker so I'm not worried."

I grab my rifle, Thom grabs his pistol and we head toward the door.

We get to the doorway but it's a huge traffic jam. Thom yells, "What the hell is the emergency?"

Jennifer says, "I don't believe it."

Matt yells, "Neither do I."

Jack says, "I can't fucking believe it."

And I order, "Get out of the way and let us see."

We all boil out of the cabin and see Liz and Mira and ... I can't believe it! I tell Thom, "That has to be Mira's sister Ira."

Jennifer says, "Yeah that has to be Ira. I thought she was dead."

Then Jennifer notices something else and yells, "Oh My God, where did you come from!"

Then she takes off running...

I look at Thom and ask, "What the hell is Jennifer all excited about?"

Linus walks up behind us and laughs, "Shit where did he come from?"

I question, "Ben?"

Linus answers, "I wish it was Ben but hell no. It's that damn dog that Jens adopted..."

Jack finishes, "Yeah, on the mission to rescue Ben. What was its damn name?"

Masha remarks, "It reminds me of the dog in the famous Russian movie The Heart Of a Dog. It is one of Ivan's favorite movies. The dog was named Sharik."

Linus and Jack agree together, "Yeah that's the name she called him!"

We see Jens crying and hugging the dog while Liz, Mira and Ira are crying and hugging each other.

Thom looks around and states, "How the hell did Ira and a dog sneak up on us. Wasn't anyone standing watch?"