Chapter 1

'Damn it!' Finally I'm free of those 'assholes'. In fact, they were pretty good to me, but still; if I lived or died probably meant nothing to them. We said our good byes. Right, more like a few "No's" followed by "Hell No" and I drove off in my 4-wheel truck to the small but well appointed house near a National Park in Virginia.

I stopped by 'Da's'(Da Dominica's) in Tyson's Corner, for a drink or two and to say hello and see some of the 'good' and 'bad' guys. You never want to burn bridges. Dom, Mac and Bill were there, so were a few 'Spooks' and their ADD Jim. The 'General', 'Ollie" and 'Fern' seemed to be waiting for someone; they were at a separate table. That was some of the charm of the place, all the 3 letter agencies were always around, 'NSC', 'CIA', 'NSA'. 'DIA', and a few lesser known ones that did not have a name.

I was not a 'player' but was tolerated because no one really knew 'who owned me' and how much I really knew about them. 'Oh the webs we weave'. I had been followed several times, when I was let onto, Army, Marine, White House, Navy and NASA sites it got confusing. No one claimed me, there was no rank, ID or Serial number to follow just a Social number any civilian would have, so how could I go everywhere so easily?

Access to Snake River, SRS, Hughes and Nellis AFB sort of 'broke the Camel's back', I stated getting 'visits' and lots of questions. After about 200 hours of 'interview' tapes, videos and 'applications' for possible work or assignments, my references remained the same, I was a 'Consultant'; anytime, anywhere, anything as long as it was 'Legal'(Some have their own definition of that means).

All that was over, or so I thought, and at that time it was. My trip home would change that. It was after 9 PM and a little cold and wet, since it had rained earlier that evening.

I took a back road off the Expressway, turned the opposite way from 'Wolf Trap' and decided to get a few things in town before heading home. Never made it. Ahead a car was on it's side, smashed up with lights on, wipers running and horn blaring. Someone was inside. A small, but very sharp knife made short work of a ton of airbags. Under the mess and powder was blood and a body with long, silky blond hair. I tried to get her out. Tried lifting her and found she was pregnant.

Two choices call and wait or get her/them to a hospital. Leaving was not an option, it was obvious that whoever had hit her car, had done just that though. I did not even have a chance to choose something, when a Voice, yes a Voice I knew said something I will always remember. "We'll get her! Meet up at XYZ Hospital. We take care of our own, you are still one of us, Right Jack?"

Got to love them guys. It seems with no delay or questions asked, the girl had been moved to an OR. While I waited, my Voice told me the perp who hit her had been found and would have the 'pleasure' of 'our' company when she got out, if she got out. If not it would be just me. He merely asked again if I was one of them or not. I could only shake my head and whisper "Yes". He placed a hand on my shoulder then left. A nurse and Doctor came over and sat down on either side of me.

"It's hard to say, buddy." There is a lot of damage, she lost a ton of blood and we are just pouring more into her. I need to know something, Son."

"What?" I asked.

"If we take the baby, it is too small and will die, but she will stand a better chance to live. What do you want to do?"

"Doc, I don't even know her name. I was driving home and just saw her car."

"Ahh, your 'friends' sort of made it 'Top Priority' and we thought she belonged to you when you showed up."

"Doc, I can't tell you what to do. I can ask that you do for her, and her kid, the same as you would do if she was your daughter. I just can't imagine anyone doing this to her and then leaving."