Chapter 1

Alone, Then Again, Maybe Not

Life is shit, then you marry it.

All the warning signs were there, the late nights, trips over the weekends, missing money and that, tell-all, the look on her face.

Not that there was any one thing to blame. We started to drift apart soon after the wedding, like 3 days after or so. It did not take a rocket scientist to see it coming.

Little things told the tale, I broke her ribs, she shot me in the face, the lawyers called it irreconcilable differences.

She got the house, the car, the coins and to make it fair, I got the bills. Yes, we had great lawyers, but I was free. Things were looking pretty bad, the face I put on at the Agency was just that, a face. How do you do your job, and still feel sorry for yourself?

She was daddy's little princess. To this day her Daddy swore he was not a 'made man', but 24 uncles, cousins and nephews seemed to run various 'family' businesses around town.

The combination of 'good guy' and 'bad guy' seemed to result in a sort of 'Limbo' with questions being asked by both sides. I had been raised to respect both sides of the law.

In reality, law enforcement was often as corrupt as the criminals they were supposed to be going after. It was no different at the 'Agency'. Money corrupts, money and power corrupts, absolutely.

There were only a few ways to get out of the 'Agency', die or meet with an accident. I searched for another alternative.

My friendly Exxon Thrift Mart provided the solution, money. The Lotto and power-ball were not record setting, but it was enough for me to 'pay' some higher-ups to place me in a 'deep-cover' scenario. Now I just had to get lost, never to grace the 'Halls of Langley' again.

I had read a story about a guy who struck it rich, raised a family and never seemed to want to leave his mountain. Maybe that was some TV show, whatever, it sure was nice to be able to live a simple life.

One thing I knew what I wanted was to blend in, this ruled out the 'For-No-Go' destinations.

There were several places where it would be easy to start over. The West, Appalachia, Alaska, and the border areas, both North and South came to mind. I wanted to be far away from urbanization, yet close enough to stores, airports and those things many of us deemed as 'necessities'. Virginia, that was someplace to start, all my ID's and paperwork said that Virginia was my home.

With my new wealth safely in my domestic and off-shore accounts, taxes paid and a large bundle of cash and pre-paid credit cards I went to my local, friendly RV and Trailer yard. I fell in love with a 53", luxury demon, named, 'Rover". One look and I just knew this was it. It was silver and gold, had beds (4), bath, kitchen, awnings, hot tub, power, TV, Wi-Fi, etc. At nearly $180,000 it was everyman's dream.

Remembering why I wanted to getaway and blend in, the 2-year old, 35' tag-a-long trailer, with a few costly but hidden options would do nicely, thank-you-very much.

I was recommended to a Toyota dealer, who soon had me buying a 3-year old Tundra with everything I would need for towing my new 'Beast'.

Being used, it even had several Virginia Park stickers, an assortment of maps, and that 'god-send', a GPS system. A quick trip to 'Hunter's World', 'Wally's Catch and Release Land', and good old Wal-Mart and I was ready to go, mmm, where, I was not sure yet.

I kept my apartment, had a service collect my mail, clean and make it appear all was normal at 123 Vista Drive. Meanwhile I headed South, on my way to a new and boring life. Just the way I wanted it.

About two-hours out, there was not much traffic between Tyson's Corner and Richmond. My kind of place, now if I could replace 'Chicago' with 'Stillwater Junction' circled on the old map; this might be a good place to start.

I pulled into a rest stop, saw another trailer parked and asked that age-old question, 'How y'all doin'.

When they decided that I was not going to rob them or do worse to the women, they politely told me to 'git'.

Luckily there was a full-serve Mobil station a little way down the road. The cashier there, a pretty young thing, answered my basic questions. Stillwater was a nice small town, take the road left about 15 miles and you'd be in town, there were two or three bed-and breakfasts and if I needed a place to stay, she and Rose, her BGF, would be very happy to help me out for the night.

It was less that three hours on my new life venture; and already it looked like I might have the first two members for my harem, that is if her BGF looked anything like this one here. Stillwater Junction it was then.

After paying for the fuel, some snacks and cold drinks, Sheila took my hand an I found her address and phone number on the torn slip of register tape. "In case you need help" she purred.

This was not what I had expected in a small town, she was very 'friendly' and gave new meaning to 'Southern Hospitality". I wondered if you had to be 16 or 18 to work in these places.

If I had not been looking, I would not have seen the turn-off, just the place I wanted, dull, quiet, and out-of-the-way. All seemed right with the world, then I spotted the 'beater' with the hood raised and doors open. I was worried a might, placed my Sig-Sauer 40mm close-by and proceeded ahead, slowly.

Things became less threatening when a little lady, followed by 4 very small shadows came near the road. "Please mister, we've been stuck here for hours. Can you give us a ride into town? Maybe Jake can work his magic again, but I think 'Betsy' has given-up-the ghost' finally.

They were drenched, dirty, and looked like Hell on a bad day. The smallest shadow, ran up to the window, took my hand and looked into my eyes with her clear blue eyes. "Please mister, Can you help us?"

What do you say to a little cherub like that? "Sure Honey, get your stuff, you girls ride in the back and let your mommy ride up front. I'm new here, how far into town?"

"I'm Jenny, my tribe here is Mandy, Beth, Heather and Elvira, they are 9, 12, 13, and 15. We don't mean to be no bother but we needed food, and Elvira here, was getting her woman time."

"Jen, I'm Nick, and I'm sorry you had all this trouble. Would it help if we did the shopping and I get something for the girls before we head back, or would your husband be upset, we just meet so I understand what can happen. I have a cell phone if you need to call him. I am planning to settle here for a bit and could really use you and the girls and your husband too, to show me around."

"Hell's Bells Nick, I've been on my own such a long time that any trip in a car or truck that works is like a vacation. Richmond, is about 17 miles to the left or there is a gas mart to the right, but they may not have the right things for Elvira"

"Richmond it is then, buckle up, you girls need to share and if your real nice, lunch is on me."

Jen and I did not say much. Whatever silence there was questions were hurled at me from 4 tireless minxes. The fact that some girl, Sheila, told me about Stillwater Junction was received with mixed responses. Jen it seemed, knew Sheila and just shook her head. I did not mention that she gave me her address and phone number and an invitation to spend the night.

Just outside Richmond we came to a new mall, Wayfarer's Pride it stated. It looked brand new and had acres of stores and even 3 hotel/motel sites, good, better and best it seemed.

Jen, turned and mentioned that she could not afford the prices that they charged here, that there was a Discount Dell a little further up ahead.