Section 40

Sam and Holly took the reception given to Fiona and Mona in stride. They had great careers already and felt little pressure to rush into another Family. Neither harbored any thoughts of a relationship outside of the Clan structure. House Swenson II was as good or better than most. Or they could wait for lightning to strike if it had not already. They never considered that their arrival on the scene was as extremely unlikely as the circumstances that delivered Traci and Belle to the group.

All of the Singer girls suspected they were trying to see who could be the most blasé when, in fact, they would love to be in the crew. What girl, especially ones who had sailed and fought beside them, wouldn’t want to be included in the inner circle?

The group interactions fascinated Olivia. Their freedom was intoxicating and everyone had plenty of room to grow without restriction. For a person who yearned to excel in her field, this was heaven. She felt no compulsion to become one of the sister/wives, but she did want desperately to be part of the group. They were going places and she wanted to go, too.

The Cherokee teen prodigy was a different story. From the instant she reconciled herself to being constantly naked around the Lieutenant Commander and his family/crew, the girl was irretrievably captivated. Other than her hypnotic attraction to Phil and the extremely cute and capable girls orbiting around him, the most amazing part of the situation was how much chance and good luck influenced the entire experience.

From her posting to the Officers’ Club, to the crew being assigned rooms in her zone, to the attempts on their lives, to the investigation, to her sequestering at the motel with the Lieutenant Commander’s crew, it was all pure incredible serendipity.

Eve listened to the other girls talk quietly among themselves during the much-delayed supper. She heard everything Holly, Sam and Olivia said. She heard the musings of the sets of tiny twins that looked so much like Fiona. Snippets of conversation described several girls’ introduction into the group, eventually founding Swenson House II. She wasn’t sure what a House or a Clan was, but it sounded cool and it appeared to be one of many quietly powerful Houses worldwide.

It occurred to her that her path to the group was not that unique. The others, including the girls in school at MidCarolina, fell into he Lieutenant Commander’s world by happy accident or improbable association. What was sure was that no one who should not be here was here.

How fortunate were the two girls Polly and the Lieutenant Commander discovered in the lobby? According to the tales being told, Fiona and Mona stripped naked right there at the desk, came upstairs with strangers and naturally fell into a preordained slot in the crew. Their arrival was as unlikely as hers, precipitated by the very same collection of coincidences.

‘I must be accepted.’ Eve thought to herself. ‘A girl cannot feel this way unless it is real!’

The food made her think of her adopted mother’s kitchen near Rattlesnake Mountain. A plate piled high with ham, biscuits and gravy and collards with pepper vinegar brought the images to life. The smell of the pecan pie was almost real. She missed home something fierce. Simply remembering the folks in the old neighborhoods gave her a sense of wellbeing not available in Annapolis. The Academy was great, not bad at all, but was not home.

A crazy idea popped into her head. It was getting crowded in there by now.

Holly Redbird was from the Qualla Boundary. Sherry, Connie and Bonnie’s Mom, Carmine Blue Bear was descended from pre-Trail of Tears Cherokees who never went West. Holly knew, somehow, she was distantly related to this batch of Singer girls through the Blue Bears.

The other Singer twins, Sally and Sara, Eve’s instincts said, were really more like half sisters of April, May and the Lieutenant Commander. Twin moms, Claire and Carole Flanagan and the one Dad being Dennis Swenson? How and why exactly did she know? Those were other details to be sorted later.

Eve recognized the Redbird and Blue Bear family names. Maybe she belonged to one of the Families associated with the Swensons, Blue Bears or the Redbirds. It was possible and nothing, so far, eliminated the chance. Samantha Betancourt, related to Amy, told the girls her mother was Evelyn Reynolds. Momma Bess Blazer’s maiden name was Reynolds. The Reynolds people living near Maggie Valley were not Cherokee, but Scots-Irish from the original European settlers.

There was an outside chance that Eve was already part of the group which would explain the tremendous attraction she was feeling.

According to local lore, Eve was an orphan reared from infancy by a family named Blazer. Momma Bess Blazer said her original name was lost, but she was so earnestly innocent, they gave her the name ‘Eve’ and that her first words were of a newborn deer learning to walk. No one admitted knowing who she really was. Perhaps, no one knew who dropped her off at the little Moravian Chapel doorway. She could be a Blazer, Reynolds, Blue Bear, Betancourt, Redbird or someone absolutely different.

She was attempting to explain this all to Sally but her musings came to an abrupt end when The Lieutenant Commander, Connie and Bonnie Singer looked at one another, shrugging in resignation. He reached out for the sat phone May was handing him. Then it beeped.

“You’re on speaker. She didn’t make it, did she?” That’s all he said. No ‘hello’, no ‘Phil here, what can I do for you?’, no greeting of any kind. “Make sure she is honored for her service and sacrifice and that her family be compensated, as much as possible under the circumstances, for their loss.”

Libby, at the other end of the connection, spoke sadly. “Piper was a very Special Agent, Phil. A good investigator and interrogator beyond compare. We will miss her skill greatly. We will miss her sense of humor and good nature even more.”

“What aren’t you telling us, Libby?” April said abruptly. “That isn’t the real reason you called.”

“Are you getting to be like Bonnie and Connie? This farseeing is weird.”

“FYI, May handed Big Bro the phone before it beeped. She knew, too. Phil, and the twins already alerted.”

“Please stop trying to delay.” May asked with a terse tone. “We can tell it’s not good. How bad is it?”

“Damn it! OK, here’s the story.” Libby sighed in resignation. “Agent Costain did not die of her injuries. Piper was poisoned in the ICU.”

“Larry, Moe and Curly!” Sherry called out. “Where was the guard? Was he asleep? This did not have to happen.”

“None was posted. A certain administrator felt a guard was not necessary at the Naval Hospital.” Libby sounded like she was dreading the kids’ response. “The poison was extremely quick, administered by an orderly through Piper’s IV. We have him on the surveillance tapes. A rapid reaction probably wouldn’t have helped.”

“Manny, Moe and Jack! Mom is going to scalp those clowns. You know the explosion that put Piper in that room at that time was meant for us. Do they? Are we to be fatally neglected also?” May shouted. “Carole will be just as angry. They better get their act together before the Moms go nuclear.”

“Is this hospital run by idiots? A guard might have prevented it from happening in the first place.” Phil spit out with no small measure of exasperation. “Agent Costain was the person who knew where we are. Tell me what I want to hear, Libby.”

“I can’t. Until we see if the tapes have been compromised, we cannot guarantee that your location is secure. At that time, she was in and out of consciousness, doped up and was unaware of your need for secrecy. She may have revealed something when she was delirious. We just don’t know.” Libby said, expecting an explosion. “We’re doing what we can, kids. But that clearly isn’t enough. Sorry.”

“No apology needed from you. It’s not your fault, Lib. But you understand why we have a difficult time believing the know-it-all management-types are on our side. They can’t be bothered to think and listen so good people die. It sucks.” Phil said tiredly, “We will work it out somehow. Warn Max that some of the Family is coming up early. Please get Max to arrange a visit to my boat for an inspection. Nick, Adam, Dennis and Donald will probably show up tonight or early tomorrow. Our best defense is on the ‘Devil’s Darling’. We want it back.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Phil. Traci and you other kids, you all be careful. We’ll see you when we do.” She had one more idea. “I’ll try to get POTUS to move the ceremony to Camp David. Might make the scene easier to secure.”

“And he will play the ‘can’t-let-the -terrorists-make-us-change’ propaganda card.” Olivia said. “I worked in an Embassy. I’ve seen this movie before. I hate how it might impact us, but he should be seen holding the line.”

Holly chimed in. “I have to agree, Agent McGuire. Get ready for the Rose Garden or the South Lawn. If CinC feels his family is at risk, maybe at the Naval Academy. But you will have to push hard. POTUS is not a coward and will put himself in danger if the situation has symbolic value.”

“It will be what it insists on being. We have work to do.” Libby signed off.

“At least she didn’t mention that we should accept a ride to the Academy.” Sara proposed. “You think we can arrange our own getaway?”

“Depends on how deeply the local rental agencies have been infiltrated.” Nancy guessed.

“Look at the problem in the context of the location. Near DC means the Feds might be interested in who is moving who, where. The bad guys might want to keep up with car rentals to see who is new in town in case they are on a list somewhere.” Sally tried to think it through. “Everybody has a list of ‘persons of interest’. We’re likely on every list east of Tokyo.”

“So. Do we wait until tomorrow afternoon for the bus Greta is arranging, call a broker and buy one, sight unseen for delivery in the morning, or charter a city bus from the town of Bowie?” This from Sam.

“Normally, I would try to get Nick on the case, but the opposition knows his face by now.” Karen shook her head. “Anything he did would be seen and tracked to us. If we could get him to arrange a ride from Scarboro, it would be no better than Greta’s bus from Poughkeepsie.”

“Could we buy a bus in Raleigh or Richmond, then have it driven here?” Eve posited.

“Maybe Richmond. My family might arrange the acquisition and have one of my cousins, Sonya Brinkley, drive it up.” Sam had a good idea. “That branch of the family is small and mostly teaches in primary schools. Sonya drives a school bus and attends the School of Pharmacy at VCU.”

“Could she just check out an activity bus for a day?” Dana asked. “But that would endanger her and the extended family. Nothing is a good alternative to waiting for Greta’s bus.”

That caused a moment of thought, some trying to think of alternatives, some weighing the chances of success.

“I can call Mom and see if it can be hurried without trashing the cover story.” Willy offered after a minute of silence. “Unfortunately, that removes a layer of insulation between us and N-Sor Properties.”

“Why bother?” Melody inquired. “Sorry, Willy. I didn’t mean it that way. I meant that everything my parents do at the pharmacy, if it is prescriptions, gauze wraps, nail polish or batteries, has a definite paper trail. How does your Mom basically distance herself and the pizza place enough to get a bus to Maryland from north of NYC in 36 hours, undetected? It’s a big venture at best with no room for shortcuts.”

“I’m thinking if I had it to do, I would get a non-family colleague, maybe another member of the restaurant association, to make the calls from some third location.” Willy smiled. “I’ll bet Mom called someone in White Plains to reserve the vehicle in Poughkeepsie, asking the White Plains contact, just another pizza shop owner, to claim a breakdown stranded the ‘Introduction To Yoga 101’ class from a private girls’ school in Spartanburg. It will have been an unsanctioned trip into the land of the heathens and shameless sinners, hence keeping the operation on the QT.”

“That is convoluted and loony enough to work. Skipping steps raises questions or leaves gaps in the camouflage. The heathens and sinners part is accurate, but that’s us being us.” Melody giggled.

“You forgot about the tramps, trollops and pagans.” Karen complained just before she cracked up. “Don’t leave anyone out.”

“Phil will have to masquerade as the morally challenged driver who screwed the old bus, which ought to be on a flatbed truck back to the school.” Melody added after Karen stopped tickling her.

“Type casting.” Sally and Sara said in unison. “He’ll be perfect.”

“That might work, though my commercial license is from NC, not SC.” Phil grinned, “I can be a hired driver from Gastonia, but the license has my name and address in Scarboro. No go, if it has to be official.”

“I can ask her to pay enough up front to discourage probing questions.” Willy laughed out loud. “Two things any New Yorker knows: money and silence, especially in the transportation industry.”

“I love that about New York. The rules are hard to learn, but once you do, you’ll live forever.” Zina swore. “Screw up and you will be forgotten inside 72 hours.”

“If getting a bus on the sly is the problem, I might can help.” Mona spoke up. “This is our neighborhood, after all.”

Phil paid attention. “Obtaining a bus, Mona, isn’t the actual problem pre se. We need to be on our vessel, the ‘Devil’s Darling’. How we get there is the main issue. So, talk to us. Can you help?”

“The Inn has a respectable Guest Services Tour Bus. It ought to hold everyone and all your stuff.” She answered quickly. “Thanks to some weird exemptions and questionable, but official, endorsements on her student visa, Fiona is approved to drive it.”

“In fact, I can drive it quite well, if you please.” The Scottish redhead laughed. “Mona can assign you the bus tonight for a tour of the Naval Academy area if you initiate the request. I’ll drive since I’m on the ‘approved’ list. Who would associate it with us?”

“So, we can leave all official like and not attract attention?” Sally voiced. “Not bad. We’ll be just another sightseeing tour for registered guests at the Inn. Let Greta keep to her original plan as a fall back.”

“How do we get through the gate without alerting the guards?” Holly wondered. “Then there’s the patrol at the Santee Basin pier. The strategy is the devil in detail.”

“One advantage, we do have rank. The gate guards usually don’t. We can put on the uniforms on the tour bus.” Phil played tactician. “Once we’re at the Field House, we go aboard. It’s my boat. Who could stop us? Who would try?”

“Anybody who might try will be automatically suspect. The only reason to stop or delay us is because a moving target is harder to hit. They will be looking for a cheap shot.” Sherry did the math. “I’m in favor of drawing first.” Belle, Olivia and Holly agreed.

“I think Lt. Betancourt has the rest of the plan.” Phil yielded the floor to Samantha.

“After our escape, go to Patuxent River NAS and hang with the same guys that cleared the way to get here.” She grinned. “They like us. When we’re around, they get to play with the grown-up toys. Their security is impregnable and a bunch of us are Navy. We have six Ensigns, a boatload of non-coms, specialists and officers in other branches. Belle is a lieutenant in the Coast Guard, Sherry is a Marine lieutenant, I’m a Navy lieutenant, Lt. Holly is an Air Force pilot and Phil is a Navy Lt. Commander with White House level clearance and Captain of a wet dream of a boat. We work for and answer to POTUS. We’re the All Stars. What’s not to like?”

“Will you be able to contact Capt. Mayfield?” Belle asked. “He ought to be able to smooth the way to the testing facility. Or should we ask Max McGuire after we are under weigh?”

“We do both.” Phil responded, unconsciously making the decision final. “Traci, call your Dad. Talk first and instruct him to mention no names. He is to get to a proven secure area and call you back. Take the call when we are on the road. We’ll break the news then. It’ll be too late to turn back.”

Turning to Samantha. “You do the same with Derrick Mayfield. Zina will be able to help. Her Mom probably has his private number if you don’t. Tell the same story Traci will tell Max. Ask about security before you say where we are going. If it can’t be ultra secure, say nothing further.”

“Polly, get Fiona and Mona dressed at least enough to get the tour bus.” Phil continued apace. “Fiona, you and Polly bring it to the back door. Mona, you come up here to let us know when it is ready.”

“The rest of you babes, gear up. We are leaving as soon as we can.” He smiled. “Polly, you can’t go back to the lobby naked. Put some clothes on. The streaking dare is over. Dana and Emily, you have to get dressed also. As much as I love to see you naked, you all may need the armor.”

He gave the enabling plastic to the three girls with their marching orders. “We need more concealing misdirection. Do not tell your roommates that you are leaving with me on the boat. I will pay your share of the apartment for the remainder of the lease. I’ll pay theirs, too. Tell your parents after we’re gone.”

“Are we giving notice?” Mona wondered. “If so, Fiona and I should let our supervisors know so the Inn will be staffed tomorrow morning and the food will be delivered.”

“After then, the managers can shift personnel to fill the gaps.” Fiona chuckled. “I won’t miss it. The job, that is. My parents send lots of money I never spend anyway. Mona has as much as I do. Her Dad is a stock trader, investment banker, money printer or something.”

“And Mom is a orthopedic surgeon.” Mona said honestly. “Everyone goes to conventions or as Dad calls them, deductible vacations. That’s how we hooked up. Anyway, spending more would make Leslie and Mindi feel bad, so we limit expenses to our earnings here.”

The tour bus rental did not take long. Phil’s magic bankcard took care of the charges and reservations at the Inn for another two days. By the time Mona returned to the conference room, Phil and the crew were ready to roll out.

“Polly and Fiona will be waiting at the service entrance.” She announced. “The bus has tinted windows so changing into our uniforms will be private.”

“Good.” Phil nodded. “OK. From now until we get to Pax River, it’s all about timing and nerve. We’ll delegate tasks in transit while Traci, Sam and Zina make the calls. Then on arrival, we brazen it through the gate, go straight to the Basin, light up the outboards and split.”

He had another thought. “Holly, call Special Agent Elizabeth McGuire. Find out if the records at the Basin pier are clean. It’s best to know going in if we have to sweep for bugs or bombs. I swear if they have fucked with my boat, I will make damn sure they won’t continue to waste perfectly good space on this planet.”

The crew was loaded and in motion within ten minutes. Phil spoke as they dressed for trouble. “Act like we are supposed to be leaving at twilight and they won’t question it. Act timid or hesitant and they will cause delays just because they can. Even worse, they will ask someone, surely the most wrong someone possible, for permission to let us leave. I won’t let that happen.”

He was quiet a few minutes to dress and arm himself. “Even if people object, we leave anyway. Period. I seriously doubt the imbedded bad actors are stupid enough to fire on the Presidential Banner at the United States Naval Academy, of all places.”

He looked at Fiona and Mona. “Rocketeers, you are in charge of these two. Make them bullet proofs they can back you up at the Hellfire battery. Prep and warm it, ASAP. Olivia and Sam, you are with Belle and Sherry. You are now sharpshooters and snipers. Holly, stick to the Motor Maidens. You watch their backs. Choices are RPGs, shotguns or M-16s. Help with the Evinrudes.”

There was more. “Emily, you and Zina are pure snipers. If things get hot, cool them down. You will know who to take out of the equation and how. Cannoneers, you know the drill. Sally and Sara will keep the belts coming. Everyone else will go to regular battle stations. Eve, you are with Karen and Marcie. Bridge crew, we will light her up as soon as we can. Motor Maids, be ready to respond in a second. April, you are at the scanner desk. I want all ears and eyes hot and searching for anything, dangerous or not. May, talk to SingerSat. If the bird sees it, I want to see it.”

Fiona drove slowly as the group made their plans. Since her path was kind of indirect, not predictable, the girls had time to get some answers before the bus approached the gate nearest the docks; Phil let Eve give directions. She was most familiar with the roads and knew the shortest routes on base.

“One more reminder. Make sure the Rocketeers get all telemetry. Sonar, radar, video and satellite feeds. Traci, suck the DoD birds dry. For you all, if challenged, ask them to stand down. Be polite if you can, but it is not paramount. Tell them not to be a hero. We are not in their chain of command. If they resist, make them go away.”

Max was on site to deflect official flack if necessary. Nick had arrived and found nothing on board. Libby insisted that no one had tampered with the records or the ‘Devil’s Darling’.

“The tapes are clear and uninterrupted. The boat is safe.” Traci was told.

The parents were in transit. Life would get interesting tomorrow for many unsuspecting DC bureaucrats. Too bad,

Sam got word from Derrick Mayfield that the ‘Darling’ was clear to put in at Pax River Naval Air Station. They would be welcome as long as they understood that they were never there, never saw a thing. Life was getting better.

“Polly and SuLing, you two are to watch people watching us. If you see something suspicious, sing out. Or deal with it in a judicious manner.” Phil and the two girls grinned.

“Thank you, big guy. I haven’t bent a terrorist all day.” SuLing laughed. “Wouldn’t want to get out of practice.”

Polly really laughed. “SuLing needing to bend terrorists is really scary. The worst of the bad guys does not want to be her practice dummy. Ask the casualties at the Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital about her judiciously shortening their pricks. Almost as bad as Bonnie threatening to pop their eyeballs.”

“Hey, leave me out of this. I was just having some fun. SuLing is for real.” Bonnie squealed. “Connie and I will quietly monitor the psychic plane to look for trouble. You and SuLing can torture as many as you wish.”

“Phil, we are within a mile of the gate. Lets trade seats.” Fiona called back. “My accent and the late hour do not equal local Annapolis tourist bus.”

He and the redheaded Scots girl switched places and drove toward the gate. “Stay frosty, girls. We got this.”

The guard on duty, as expected, flagged the bus to a stop. Phil and Sam showed ID and requested permission to enter and proceed to the Field House. The guard not only recognized them, but passed the bus through with no hassle.

Middie Risingfawn gave Phil and Sam some good advice. “If they give you any lip at all, threaten to give demerits. Marching in the rain while everyone else is in town having a good time is no fun. Demerits get you rotten duty and plenty of it. It’s bad enough that upperclassmen love to toss them like confetti. Real Navy demerits will get your career hammered. Even the six tiny twins are ensigns, rank earned in battle, promoted by the CinC. They could crush any student here.”

Eve laughed. “They will get agreeable real quick. Trust me. If they don’t, shoot ‘em for being too dumb to live.”

“Or let the twins school them in proper manners.” Sherry’s voice rang out from the rear.

Precisely as predicted, nothing for which they planned happened. One poor underclassman patrolling the pier needed intimidation, but Sgt Emily Thompson, USMC, was up to the task. Channeling Gunny Pierson, the 5’10” Amazon dressed the poor guy down mercilessly. Before she was through, Eve and Sam were choking back the laughter.

The guy even untied the mooring lines and pushed the vessel clear of the dock. The crew hopped to the assigned tasks immediately. Five minutes later they were in the middle of the Severn turning starboard. The crew was fully armed, armored and in closed circuit communication.

Phil called general quarters and the crew went on high alert. “Give me a sit rep, people.”

“Missiles ready. Scans clear.” “Quad 50s loaded.” “Radar and sonar active. Reading no immediate danger.” “Engine readings nominal. Tanks topped off.” “Sat feeds nominal, videos good.” “Weapons locked and loaded.”

“Phil, we are being scanned.”

“All sensors go passive, now. Listen and watch.” Phil ordered all stations. “Origin and direction? Talk to me, Marcie.”

“East and north of the Academy. Center of shipping channel. No transponder signature. Reads as medium strong commercial radar, Raytheon. Narrowed beam. We are the target. No voice. No response to standard hail. Sweeping dial to eavesdrop on their comms.”

“Rocketeers, locate and lock on the source.”

“Aye.” A few seconds passed. “Source acquired. Locked. Enhanced Hellfire targeted and hot. On your command.” Nancy answered.

“Chit-chat on same frequencies used at beach assault.” Marcie said. “Recording.”

“Sam and Olivia, to the bridge.” They trotted to the wheelhouse. “Conclusions?”

“A thought, Captain.” Olivia spoke. “Someone at the Academy ratted us out. In my opinion, our departure was too easy. This is a set-up.”

“Agreed.” Sam added. “Not by parties with whom we had previous contact. Otherwise our previous location would have been compromised and eliminated. The Inn is a softer target. Informer saw us depart the Basin.”

“Had to be someone ranked high enough to block official interference.” Belle offered from the rear. “Who was acting as harbor master? A stand-down order would have to go across that desk.”

“Mona. Are you listening?”

“Yes, Captain Swenson.”

“Use a sat phone. Contact your friends. Tell them one of our staff will abandon the tour bus tomorrow in the IHOP parking lot at 85th Avenue near Annapolis Rd.” He grinned. “May. Call Nick. Have him sterilize and move it tonight.”

“Phil. Our shadow is following, keeping a constant six mile gap. No ID, no response to our hails.”

“I don’t like this at all.” Phil called all hands. “OK, people, we’re going to smoke them out. Traci, take the helm. Heading due south, 30 knots. Engines, engage outer pair. Keep the center engine in reserve.”

He remembered a certain conversation. Seven-mile gap? Torpedo range? Crap. “Sensor Desk. Wake up the fancy sonar. Look back. Feed all data to the Hellfire battery. Joanne, you are on anti-torpedo duty. I have a feeling. Nancy, you are going to end the source.”

Traci pushed the throttle to 30 knots. “Thirty knots and holding steady, Phil.”

“Thank you. Engineers, stay frosty. We will go to warp five soon.”

“Unidentified shadow matching speed. Still refusing to answer hails. On other frequencies, not encrypted, they are talking to co-conspirators, getting orders to follow for 10 miles, then take us out.” Marcie laughed. “That will be more difficult than they anticipated. Do the idiots think we are deaf?”

He took the helm. “I will slow to a near stop. Nancy, destroy that ship. Focus radar and sonar to spot the torpedo I’m sure will be inbound as soon as we fire the first missile. Joanne, take it out”

He disengaged the props and let the ‘Darling’ drift to a near stop. “Our shadow mirrored your move, Phil.” Marcie reported. “Chatter sounds curious and worried.”

“Assholes should worry. Make ‘em pay, Nancy. Fire one.”

“With pleasure, Captain. One fired! This one’s for you, Raj.” Three seconds later, the missile was at Mach 1.3 and soaring north. A large explosion followed in two ticks. “Fish food.”

“They fired the same time we did. Tracking inbound fish.” Joanne reported. “I got this.”

“When you are ready, Joanne. Fire at will.”

“Two away.” A serious plume of water shot skyward seconds later. “Threat neutralized.”

“April, get Mom and Dad on the phone. Tell them I will conference call later. Stay available. Traci, tell Libby what just happened, our response and the end result. Suggest informer at the Academy. May, call Emme Bishop at the White House. Tell her the same. For her ears only add that we will await instructions from POTUS at Pax River NAS.”

“May, you and Karen email or text all the other Moms. Explain that we are OK, so far, but the danger is not over. Attempts on our lives since we arrived at the Naval Academy include the poisoning at the Officer’s Club, the bomb on the bus and the torpedo attack in the Bay. Timing leads to leak at the Academy.” Turning to Marcie, “What’s happening out there, bystander-wise, Chief Patterson?”

“Extreme curiosity, mostly. Others saw what we saw, not so clearly, but saw something. Two explosions in rapid succession, then nothing.” Marcie shrugged, listening. “Most assume naval exercises in the Bay. Harbor Control and Coast Guard communication is missing or silent. That does not seem normal.”