Chapter 9

Present – Linus and Maria – In the tunnels

I rush over to Maria as she wakes up and hold her. She smiles at me and says, "Hey handsome, what did I do to deserve this?"

I simply reply, "I'm just happy to see you're okay after getting sick from the bad water."

She asked, "Did you get sick too?"

I describe my whole ordeal with Glen, then I mention Todd's 'Manchurian Candidate' theory and Maria comments...

Linus tells me about Todd's theory and I admit, "Linus, I hate to say this but I might agree with Todd. From what I've heard of Glen and compare to what he's like now - that's a hell of a lot of change."

Then Jens gets upset...

Present – Jens, Liz and Todd – In the tunnels

I'm almost in shock with everything I've been told, especially about the Mossad Death squad looking for MY Ben. While my poor overloaded brain tries to process everything I question, "So Liz, what's Samantha doing now?"

Liz avoids looking me in the eyes and says, "Jens, you're not going to like this, but she's traveling with Stacy Summers."

I smile and hopefully ask, "So, we will soon know where Ben is?"

Liz then drops the bombshell, "No, Samantha is refusing to reveal Stacy and her location."

I jump up and yell, "What the hell! I thought she worked for us!"

Sharik begins to bark, Maria and Linus rush over and Maria asks, "Jens, what the hell is wrong?"

I complain, "Samantha has switched sides! She's traveling with that Stacy bitch and won't tell us where she is..."

After my outburst, Liz tries to explain, "Jens look, Samantha feels that Stacy is a good source of news and I agree with her on this. As a reporter she feels she can't reveal her source, which is Stacy. We're going to get daily interviews from Sam about Stacy."

I sarcastically state, "Oh yeah, this is exactly what we need - interviews with that bitch!"

Maria attempts to get me to look at the whole picture, "Jens come on, even if Stacy tries hard not to give us information, she will reveal things we can use."

Liz continues, "And we can thank Stacy for discovering the facts about the Mossad death squad and for putting up the reward for their capture."

I question, "But why the hell could she figure that out when we couldn't?"

Linus says, "Well, she does have virtually unlimited resources and from what I understand her head of security is one of the best. Hell, I even heard they kicked the Mossad's ass to retrieve some guns they had stolen from Stacy..."

I am tired of all this bickering! It is easy to see why Stacy Summers was able to do so much in such a short time. I put both fingers in my mouth and let loose with a long and loud whistle. Everyone looks at me and I sign, "There are two or more reasons that Stacy was able to outflank us and get the information on the Mossad. First, her team works exclusively for her and have one primary focus while we have had multiple foci such as too many non-productive arguments such as this one! And second she didn't have the damn drug lord trying to kill her for the past week. Jens, you need to decide what the hell you want us to do: Look for Ben or go after Megan. And now that the TSIFFTS is here you can tap into their communication skills to be more successful."

I get ready to reply to Todd when Daddy rushes into the room. Todd, Linus and even Maria move in front of me and aim their weapons at him...

Present – Glen – In the tunnels

I rush into Jennifer's room and immediately skid to a stop when I notice a bow, a M4 and a pistol aimed at me. I hold up my hands and declare, "Look, I know you all don't trust me and I'm not sure what it will take to make you all trust me again. But I have some important information that Jennifer needs to hear."

Jens steps out from behind the wall of weapons and says, "Daddy, sorry about this. They are just trying to keep me safe."

I answer, "I know that and if they did this for any other reason, I would kick their butts. Jennifer, I just received a phone call from the mental hospital and someone helped your mother escape from the hospital."

Jennifer quivers, begins to collapse and Maria catches her...

Present – Jens – In the tunnels

I can't believe it! Evelyn escaped from the mental hospital! When it rains it pours...

I pull myself together and ask, "How the hell did it happen?"

Daddy answers, "I'm not really sure."

I stand back up and order, "Linus you're a TSIFFTS member so get access to the remaining trailer they have here and see what they can uncover both about Evelyn's escape and the location of Stacy and Samantha."

Maria says, "Jens, whether you like it or not, you're wearing body armor and a helmet. Matt, Jim and I are going to be your armed escorts."

Todd signs, "Jennifer, I will use my contacts to see what I can uncover about the situation. What are your plans for Megan?"

Daddy interrupts, "Well, we do know that Megan is no longer in Venezuela. And I have a Recon team here and the three left from your team that are in Venezuela to take out the drug lord. You're welcome to all of them so what else can I do?"

Todd signs, "Jennifer, Glen needs to start vetting the 'Marines' that are here to help. Until we can ascertain they are really Marines you are in possible danger."

Daddy agrees, "Yes Jennifer he's right and I will setup interviews with the officers and then have them interview their men. But what are you going to do?"

I smile at Daddy and say, "I need to get out and thank all the 'Marines' that came to help me and start getting some contractors here to look at refurbishing the cabin."

Just then the door bursts open...

Present – Jack and Masha – In the medical plane

The antibiotic is working and I'm feeling a whole lot better. I look at Masha and suggest, "how about we get out of this damn medical plane."

Ivan agrees, "Hospital bad! Gapa, better we go!"

Before we leave I need to be assured Jack isn't going to seek retribution on Glen so I question, "Jack what are your feelings toward General Donaldson?"

Ivan blurts out, "General is poopy head!"

We begin to laugh so Ivan repeats, "Poopy head!"

Jack answers, "Well, Ivan is right. He is a poopy head and Masha you're right I haven't forgiven him yet, but I do need to forgive him. Until then I think the best thing to do is avoid him."

I know my husband and for him to admit his feeling on this is a major victory. I suggest a course of action, "Shall we find Jennifer and determine how things are going?"

Jack grins at me, "In other words, you want to keep me busy while you do the things you do when you're not being a soccer mom."

I smile at my husband and answer, "Sometimes you are too smart."

We leave the medical plane and head toward the tunnels...

Present – Zarika and Yasmeen – In the medical plane

Yasmeen falls asleep after pushing the button and taking more pain medication and a nice doctor offers to change my cast. We walk to a different part of the airplane and he asks, "How did your arm get broken?"

I answer, "I was shot the day the army attacked the cabin."

He states, "Didn't you hide inside the cabin?"

I proudly reply, "No sir, I was fighting with the rest of my friends."

He continues, "Who taught you how to fight?"

I smile and say, "My future husband, Ben Blaine."

He provides information about my cast, "Well we'd better x-ray your arm first before we take the old cast off. I want to see what we are dealing with."

He covers me with a very heavy lead robe, walks behind a barrier, there's a noise then he walks back out and says, "I thought Jennifer Donaldson was going to marry Ben Blaine?"

I answer, "Ben Blaine is betrothed to me and Yasmeen."

He looks at the x-ray and advises, "Well, it's not healed enough yet to remove this cast. Why don't I get a nurse and see if she can help you clean this one."

I ask, "Might I wait with Yasmeen for the nurse?"

He answers, "Sure, I will send her over to you."

I go back to Yasmeen's bed, see she is peacefully sleeping and I wonder about her comments on having babies...

Present – Mira, Alexi and Ira– At the fertility clinic

We ex-filtrated the doctor's office after making certain Irinka is slumbering peacefully. After a transverse to the fertility clinic's main storage area, we find the storage technician and demand, "We want all of the male procreation component in storage location Alpha Bravo twenty-three transferred into a storage vessel."

He begins to complain but I raise a short sword and explain his limited choices, "Do this or forfeit your life."

Alexi observes as he begins to make the component transfer then states, "Mira, he is not accessing the correct sample."

I glance at Alexi and question, "Are you capable of operating the equipment?"

He affirms his ability so I strike the technician with the flat side of my short sword, rendering him unconscious with a promise of excruciating pain upon his awakening.

Alexi makes the desired transfer, then we proceed to obtain all the embryos which were created using my Ben's male procreation component and we dispose of them.

The task is almost complete when a security guard enters the room with a pistol and demands, "Freeze or I will fire..."

Present – Ben – On the road

The truck stops, I wake up and notice we are in the parking lot of a Ranger station. Gus comments, "Seems like you had a pretty good nap."

I yawn and agree, "Yeah, it was better than most."

Gus continues, "Well come on, let's get you some supplies."

I grab my pack, follow him into the Ranger station and get the surprise of my life. The Rangers begin to thank me for saving Bob's Country Bunker and helping to fight the damn Mexicans and forcing them back across the border. I think, great this is all I need, more 'hero' worship. I now wish like hell I never had told Gus about helping Bob.

The commander motions to me and asks, "Son, you have a minute or two to talk?"

I reply, "Yes sir." And we head into his office.

He walks behind his desk, motions to his chair and says, "Take a load off."

I wonder what the hell he wants, but sit down and wait. He smiles at me and says, "You know the mistake Rex made with you has haunted him his whole career. But it sure as hell helped to turn him into the Ranger he is now."

I think about my response and reply, "I understand because it did the same thing for my life."

He adds, "I heard what you did for the truckers and what you did in Austin, and Gus told me about you saving Bob's Country Bunker."