Chapter 24

“You’ll have to get this through the school board, you know,” Terry said about fifteen minutes later.

“I think they’re all still inside. Jerry, would you ... oh. Never mind. I didn’t realize that we’d have an audience.”

When they realized we’d stopped messing around, two men and a woman walked over to us. “Other than simply saying hello inside, since we all came together, I don’t think we introduced ourselves to you, Mister Lewis. I’m Denny Fisher, President of the School Board. This is Valerie Roberson, and Greg Patterson. I take it that this little demonstration was for a reason.”

Holly came running back up with the ball in her hands. “Sorry, I’m going to have to get in shape, I guess. I shouldn’t be this winded.”

“Mostly seeing if Holly is as good as I think she is. Holly, I suspect that the temperature difference has a little to do with that. It’s about 32 out here now, basically freezing, although with the sun it feels a bit warmer. And you just left almost 90 degree temperatures on Sunday.”

“That’d do it. So, what do you think of me skills with this hand egg?”

Roberson asked, “A question, young lady. When was the first time you played football?”

Holly frowned. “Been playing football since I was a kid. But if you’re talking about a game that’s played with this hand egg, well, never have. We use proper footballs in Australia. You know, round ones. First time I picked one of these up was last night when Cal gave me one to throw at him. If it causes me problems, I’ll throw this one at him, too.”

“I haven’t had a good run, yet, unlike these three. You caught your breath yet?” She nodded. “Jerry, you hike it. Terry, Aaron, you’re the defenders. Holly, you can’t go beyond the line where Jerry hikes the ball to you. I’ll take off when the ball is hiked, and you throw it to me. I’ll start wide, and make a cut to the inside.”

Holly lined up like she’d seen me do behind Jerry, when I was tossing the ball to her. I could see the fire in her eyes as she looked first at Terry, then at Aaron. I was out like I was a wide receiver.

Holly said, “Ready, hike!” She started moving back. Aaron and Terry both hesitated, making motions like they’d just stutter stepped around a defender, then came after her.

I had taken off, made a quick move like I was avoiding my own defender, then cut towards the middle. After about three seconds, I turned my head, then raised my left hand up, one handing the football and bringing it in. I sprinted back up to the line.

“You okay, Jerry?”

“Coach is going to have a fit. She needs some training. We’ll give it to her. Right, guys?”

“You bet. Welcome to the Salthawks, Holly,” Terry said.

“Mister Fisher, members of the board ... under Title IX, Holly is going to try out for the HHS football team. Presuming she is qualified ... and I think we all just saw that she is ... I don’t think there’ll be any objections to her playing football at HHS for however long she wants, will there?”

Fisher said, “No issues with the board, of course. Our opponents ... well, it’s not like ABC’s Wide World of Sports doesn’t know where we are. Welcome to Hutchinson, Miss Awarai. We look forward to seeing you on the football field this next fall.”

Holly moved some of the hair out of her eyes. “That’ll get your blood pumping, running around like that. What are they all looking at, over there?” She motioned to the crowd standing outside our garage.

Jerry said, “I think my replacement on the JV team. Come on, let’s get in and dried off, before we freeze out here.”

The ladies had towels ready for all of us. “Nothing like working up a little sweat, to make room for a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie, is there?”

“Definitely not, Jennifer. That ... was good, just unexpected.”

Helen walked up behind me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Holly’s always been more physical than cerebral. I think a sport that’ll teach her discipline and control is a good thing.”

Beth said, “Not only that, it’ll teach her teamwork. She’s going to need it if she’s going to be a part of us next year.”

At my look, she continued, “Not that much a part of us. Just a member of our team, when we go up against the mystery of Halley’s Comet.”

“Mi Patrón, I have a question for you.” Esmeralda had walked up to me.

“Yes, Esmeralda?”

“I...” She looked over my shoulder, at Helen. “I feel like I’m back in school, when I am around your newest lady and her mother. Her skills ... can I learn them, like mi Dora has?”

I shook my head. “Your mother was the strongest of your people, before I came along. Now, of course, it is Dora. You know where I am from. I know where you are from. Helen, Gloria ... all of them ... are more closely related to me naturally. They didn’t need the stones, like Sophia or you.”

“I think there is a big part of our own history that we do not know, or understand. I ... just know that we ... not just Roberto and I, but all of our people ... will support you and help you however we can.”

I felt something then. “Your mother is back south of the border, correct?”

Esmeralda nodded.

“Pass the word to her. Everyone that is worth redeeming ... and you know what I mean by that ... is to leave. Now. Get them up here, before the start of the New Year. You’re only talking about, what, three or four thousand people, total, correct?”

“Maybe a few more, but maybe not even that. Why?”

I saw Earl, talking to one of the politicians. Beth had already walked over to him, and was telling Earl I needed him. Roberto saw that and came over as well.

“You needed me, Cal?”

I nodded. “Wait just a moment, for Roberto.” He joined us.

“Why does my wife seem incredibly distressed, Mi Patrón?”

“Grandpa Earl, I need your Federal judge powers. I just told Esmeralda to get all of the members of the family that are worth redeeming up here. Not as soon as possible, but ... now, this week. Before the first of the year.”

“Patrón, you’re talking about close to four thousand people, from babes in arms, all the way up to infirm elderly,” Roberto said.

“That’s why you’ll need Earl’s help. Call it religious persecution and an imminent threat to all of their lives. Which it is. The only way we can make sure they’re safe is for them to be on this side of the US border with Mexico before the start of the year.”

From behind me, I heard Helen say, “Now that you say it, I see it. You’re right. Call them, tonight. Tell them to pack clothes, just what they need to survive, family heirlooms only. What is the name of that town, Tuck son?”

I corrected her. “Tucson. It’s a fourteen hour drive from Culiacán. I’m not seeing it. How far is it from the valley in the mountains to Culiacán?”

“Four or five hours, at least. The roads are terrible, and of course, there’s the ... oh. The cartels,” Roberto finished.

“Everybody, all at once. They’ll need about the equivalent of eighty school buses for that many people,” I said.

Earl made a motion with his hand after whistling, and Elroy hurried over, Gloria right behind him. “Time to get the old boy network activated. Major mission of mercy. There are about four thousand people about to be persecuted for their religious beliefs about fourteen hours south of Tucson. We need to get them to this side of the border by no later than noon on Monday.”

Dora came over. “I’ve been listening via Helen. Con tu permiso, I will go there, tonight, and return before dawn.”

I started to agree with her, then I felt ... almost an unspeakable horror. Helen’s eyes widened as well. “No, definitely not. There’s something ... very, very wrong down there. We’ll do it the slow way.”

Gloria had heard my last, then got a faraway look in her eyes. “The area ... Esmeralda, your people live there, hide there, because they can’t be found. There’s something ... it won’t let me see. That’s why they’ve been safe.”

“If I had to make a guess, it’s something that doesn’t let us use our powers. You come flying in ... and we don’t know how big this area is, or how far off the ground ... and your powers shut off at a mile in the sky. That qualifies as a very bad thing,” I said.

“There’s still an airport there. Get the people moving, starting to pack. Have them meet at the airport. I know someone who has a diplomatic passport that can fly in. He’s on a commission to investigate other native cultures. Send Dora with him. No one will suspect him as being American, because he’s not. Andrew, get over here!” Gloria said.

He came wandering over from where he’d been talking with some of Jennifer’s cousins. “Oh, I’ve seen that look from you before. What devious, underhanded, and completely enjoyable thing am I going to be doing now?”

“You still have your diplomatic passport with you, correct?”

“It’s in my luggage, but, of course. One certified official of Her Majesty’s government, with full rights and privileges thereof, including diplomatic immunity in all treaty countries.”

“Good. You’re flying to Culiacán, Mexico on ... Thursday, with Dora as your local guide. That’ll give my husbands all day tomorrow to organize all the US officials and bribe all of the Mexican officials they can. You’ll be escorting about four thousand people fleeing religious persecution, from that city, up to Tuck son.”

“Tucson, Dear. And of course, Andrew, the Director will disavow any knowledge. This garage will self-destruct in five seconds,” Elroy said.

“I was wondering if I’d fallen into an episode of ‘Mission: Impossible’. I don’t suppose it’d be too much to ask WHY I’m doing this?”

“Because I see something very bad happening to all of Esmeralda’s family, that live in a valley near Culiacán, if we don’t get them to the United States by the end of the year.”

Andrew nodded slowly. “My wife and cousin told me what they did while I went home to help if there was an issue with getting Holly. I’m a little like them; too old to get on me knees. But what they said applies to me as well; to all our people. You’re our King. So as you command, so let it be done.”

That sort of put an end to our Christmas celebration, and it definitely wasn’t on a high note.

There was one bright note, when Elaine showed up, and the round of congratulations started again, but all in all, I wasn’t in the mood any longer, and it showed.

I went back to our house before everyone left, even. Harry found me over there a few minutes later, sitting in a chair, just staring at the TV, even though it wasn’t turned on.

“So, I’ve heard. Sucks, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, pretty much. Sorry for bailing, but I don’t think I was going to be a very good host any more.”

“Understandable. Welcome to phase two of growing up, and that’s learning about both command and delegation. You’ve got to go to Florida tomorrow, and you’ll be there for a couple of days. From what I gather, you now have yet another power that you had no idea you had, although I suspect it’s simply because you were so in tune with Helen at the moment, and somehow you picked up her ability.”

“Did you come up with that one on your own, Harry?”

“Once I heard everything, on my own. You’ve got so many powers now, and you don’t really KNOW how you have them, or what all they can do. You’ve got theories, but we’ve sort of been making this up as we go along. You’re not going to have that luxury for much longer. Effective next Friday, you’re out of here, for a long time.”

“I know. I think that’s part of my problem. This is ... home.”

He got up, went into the kitchen and got a bottle out. “Jennifer told me where this was. This is something you sip, not gulp.” He poured two fingers worth into two glasses, put a single ice cube in each glass, then handed one to me.

“I figure you’ve got the body mass to handle this, and if you’re getting an introduction to good drink, then a twelve year old whiskey is the way to do it. The ice will help release the aroma and flavor as it melts,” he said.

“And why is it that you’re plying me with spirits, Mister Watson? Do you have designs upon my body?”

Harry laughed. “No, I’ll leave those to your women, thank you. I saw some of those presents you got for them. They’re going to enjoy showing those to you later, if I don’t miss my guess.” He shook his head, then held his glass up to me. “Cheers, and Merry Christmas to the son I never had.” He nodded his head at me.

“Thank you, Harry. I appreciate that. Cheers.” I touched his glass with mine, then took a sip. “Wow! That’s got some taste to it!”

He’d taken a sip as well. “Ah, yes. Some people have to acquire the taste, some come by it naturally, and some just never do get it. A bad whiskey can taste a lot like cough medicine; just flavored alcohol. A good whiskey, like this is, will let you taste the peat, the char of the barrel, and whatever else they put in it, while the alcohol doesn’t burn. A great whiskey ... and that’s one you don’t put on ice ... will make your taste buds dance. That’s typically one that’s between twenty and eighty years old.”

“I never realized you knew so much about whiskey,” I said, taking another sip.

“Yeah, well, there’s things in my past I still don’t talk about much. Or at all. Meeting Elspeth really did save my life. But enough of this maudlin stuff. Isn’t there a game on TV or something we can watch?”

I reached out, floating the remote for the TV over to me. We’d just missed the Blue – Gray game, and I flipped channels. I stopped when I recognized Karol.

“In other news from around the world, even though he held Christmas Mass last night like usual, the Pope held another Mass in Saint Peter’s Square today. Apparently the reason behind this unusual change was due to the Messenger from Above. Live from Rome, here’s Angelo Barticelli.”

“Thank you, Andrew. I’m here in Vatican City, where you can still see the crowd behind me, lined up for blocks. They’re calling it the Miracle of the Messenger. Here with me is the head of the Congregation of Bishops, Cardinal Bernardin Gantin. Thank you for talking with us, Your Eminence.”

“It is my pleasure, my son. This will enable us to get the word out easier, after all. The Holy Father and I were visited early yesterday morning by the Messenger from Above and three of his disciples. He apologized to us, for his treatment of us, as his technology made him forget that we had to take things on faith. He confirmed to us that Jesus of Nazareth truly did exist, and he called him a Messenger, truly able to heal the sick and raise the dead, and more importantly, that Christ himself rose from the dead as we have been taught.

“At the same time, he reminded us that Jesus was Jewish, and we should be closer to those of that religion. Later today, I’ll be flying to Jerusalem, to start those talks.”

The reporter said, “Why are there still hundreds of people lined up behind us, with the Mass having ended hours ago?”

“The Messenger gave the Holy Father a gift. By touching him ... shaking his hand, and not kissing his ring, as is usually done when meeting him ... the Holy Father is able to share that gift with the people. Even if it takes only three or four seconds per person, that’s still 900 people per hour. There were over 3,000 people that witnessed this Mass, and the Holy Father will share that gift with all of them.”

“The people I’ve talked to, those that have already done the unprecedented and shaken the hand of the Pope, are calling it the Miracle of the Messenger. Can you explain to our audience why?”

“I have felt it myself. It is a part of the First Peoples of this World, those who predate any civilization we know of, when the world was a garden. The peace, joy, and love you feel are ... almost indescribable. I truly know, having experienced that, why the Messenger from Above came here. End the fighting, and live in peace. We are worthy to do that, to join his Galactic Union, if we do that.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence. Andrew, I’ve interviewed more than three dozen people, chosen at random, who’ve felt honored that they were allowed to shake hands with the Pope, and then overwhelmed by the feelings they got from doing so. Their descriptions all match those of what Cardinal Gantin just told us. Another mystery from the Messenger, but one that brings us hope on this Christmas Day.”

I clicked off the TV. “Must be a slow news day or something.” I took another sip of the whiskey.

“Well, at least you’re starting the boy off with something good, rather than rotgut. Got any more of that?”

“I left the bottle on the counter with a third glass. I had a feeling you’d be over before too long. How much of the news did you see?”

“Enough. Gloria told me what Helen had given you to take to the Pope.” Elroy didn’t put as much whiskey in his glass, but did put a couple of drops of water in it. “Just for your education, a few drops of water can do the same thing as an ice cube. And good ice is the key. You want filtered water, but not distilled, or good well water. Fortunately, our water here gets filtered through lots of sand before it ends up in the city system, since I know you’re on city utilities here.”

He moved over to sit where he could look at me. “Merry Christmas, men.” He raised his glass in our general direction, then took a sip. “I remember in ‘44, how fucking brutal that winter was. Our unit had moved up to Southern France to support Operation Dragoon ... the Champagne Campaign. We were busy pulling scrap back from that ... mostly German units that had been overrun or overwhelmed because they were second rate troops down there. Only reason we went in there in the first place was because we’d met so much resistance in Italy that the French wanted to be heroes and go liberate more of France, instead of actually fighting.

“So, we’re in sunny southern France, which wasn’t that sunny. I still remember loading up some tanks that we’d found that were leftovers from the First World War that we’d found abandoned in the woods. Steel was steel, even if the boys inside were all skeletons now. We’d made it up to Switzerland, and we were supporting more than one Army group by that time, because we’d linked up with the boys that had come ashore at Normandy. The way the Germans were falling back, we thought the war was about done, other than the clean-up. We should’ve known better.

“Earl, Harold, and I were all squad leaders at this point, still in the same company, but we each had our own recovery units. Word came down about the Ardennes, about what Patton was going to be doing. Our battalion commander split the unit on his own, left two of our companies to do what they were doing, and had the rest of us haul ass north, to help Patton. There’s one minor detail we’d learned in recovering tanks and trucks and other stuff. A lot of time it wasn’t really scrap, there was just something broken and you could spend a couple of hours working on it, since you weren’t getting shot at, and fix the damn thing up good as new. Sometimes what was broken was the crew, of course, if someone had dropped a grenade in an open hatch. Tank would still run, just the crew was dead, but no one knew it, because the tank would run out of gas.

“We linked up with Third Army.” He paused, taking another sip. “By this point, we were strung out like you wouldn’t believe. But we weren’t recovering scrap. We were stopping at a broken tank, doing whatever was needed to fix it so it could drive and shoot, and then getting it back on the road. It didn’t matter which side, either. We’d slap a star on the side of a German unit if we could fix it, and get it in the column, too. I’ve mentioned in the past that Eisenhower remembered me, even if he hated George Patton. Patton did something no one thought he could do, relieving Bastogne. Probably a fourth of our field artillery was being pulled by German trucks before we were done. By the time the Germans called it quits on that battle...”

He paused, blinking back a couple of tears. “We’d lost about a third of our company. But we’d put two full fucking tank battalions back into the war!” He took a larger drink.

“Jesus, Elroy, I never knew that about you, Earl, and Dad. No wonder Eisenhower remembered you. Cal, I know you’ve read the books to know what a tank is. You may not have read about order of battle, what makes up an armored company. You’re talking about eighteen tanks per company, four companies per battalion. That’s ... shit, that’s two-thirds of an armored division!”

“Frozen fuel lines ... busted filters ... broken tracks ... it was so cold that Christmas. We’d stopped to work on a truck, it looked like a couple of guys were laying on the ground under it, working on it. I asked them if they needed help, and they didn’t answer. I got down under there with them, because I knew sometimes people would get deaf. They’d been working on it, all right. And froze to death while doing so.”

“So, yeah, boy. You get the Pope working with the Jews. End the fucking fighting. End fucking wars. Do whatever it takes.”

I was quiet for several minutes, taking a couple of sips of my glass. “Grandpa, there’s going to be fighting, more of it. I think that’s what I saw, happening in Mexico. The military of the US and Russia are listening to the words of the Messenger, to my words, about destroying the drugs. They’re going to go in and do that. More people are going to die.”

He let out a big sigh. “Then that’s what it’s going to take. I heard about the whole Nazi gold thing, your worry about ethics, comparing yourself to Hitler. Human nature’s a bitch at times. The only ones who think that you can make an omelet without breaking eggs are a bunch of idealists that don’t understand people, understand us. We need a challenge of some kind. That’s hard-wired into us. You keep doing what you’re doing. I know what you’re worried about now, from that TV report. There’s no Galactic Union out there. You get us past this bullshit, we’ll go out to the stars and we’ll MAKE a God damned Galactic Union.”

I realized that my glass was empty. I also realized that I couldn’t feel my feet. “I’m quite sure that we can do that, when it becomes appropriate. However, I have a bit of a more demanding issue. I feel quite fine from a mental perspective. Physically, though, I’m not sure I can even stand. And I sure don’t want to use any of my powers, because I don’t know that I could control them.”

“That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Nerve gas didn’t affect you, you can be in the vacuum of space, lit on fire with a flamethrower, shot with missiles, and swim at depths that would crush a submarine. And two lousy ounces of whiskey messed you up?”

“I think I have the answer for that,” Mike said. “Voluntary versus involuntary. Just as your ladies can lightly smack you without injury to themselves, but if they hit you full force, your body responds automatically to prevent any injury to you. The setting is important, as is the stress factor. I suspect that if you were participating in the kind of contest that I was told Earl, Elroy, Andrew, and Jeffrey did, that you would not feel any effects whatsoever. Because this is a family setting and it is quite appropriate for you to feel some effects without losing mental control, that’s what you’ve done.”

I closed my eyes, took a couple of deep breaths in and out, and then felt fine again.

“You’re right, Mike. I’m not feeling any adverse effects now.”

I got up from where I was sitting, then held my hand out for Elroy. He took it, thinking I was going to shake his hand. I pulled him up out of his chair, then wrapped my arms around him.

“My biological grandfathers are dead. I’m glad I have you and Earl in my life to give me good advice by telling me stories. Thank you, and Merry Christmas, Grandpa.”

Once Elroy was done crying, the three of us went back over to finish helping clean up, and to bring presents over to our house. I spent a couple of hours with Toby in our garage, helping him set up the electric racetrack he’d gotten, then playing slot cars with him. This was vaguely similar to a toy I’d had, but ... honestly, this was more fun.

I wondered if our civilization was that much more advanced than this one, if we didn’t know how to have fun like this.

That night, the ladies modeled the presents I’d gotten them for me. Silk pajamas and robes, in various colors and patterns, but each designed to contrast and compare with the skin tone of the wearer.

“Hand wash only for those. They’re four hundred thread count. Same with the panties that I got for each of you. I know that...”

I didn’t get to say anything else, as I was attacked by a horde of women. The silk articles of clothing were very delicately placed aside before the rest of the activities for the night proceeded to their successful conclusion.

Dora left early, to go to her parents and coordinate. Joaquin was also going to Mexico with them, to help coordinate on the ground. For the first time since I landed here, I felt helpless. This was something out of my control, both as Cal and as the Messenger, and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it.

Mike Douglas knocked on the door while we were finishing breakfast. I let him in.

“Ah, good, I was hoping you were here. First, I wanted to go over the schedule with you for the next few days. Dave flew with Greg to New York this morning to pick up Mister Steiner, but they’ll be back in time for Greg to fly you, me, Brad, Eric, Randy, Chuck, Angela, and one only of your ladies to Florida. The last I’d heard from them it was Jennifer that was going, is that right?”

I looked around, while my girls all nodded. “Apparently that’s right. I didn’t know that.”

“Good. We’ll leave here at three, that’ll put us on the ground locally shortly after six. Second, we’ll arrive at Palm Beach International, be picked up by an executive limousine, and taken to the Marriott, near corporate headquarters. That’ll get us there in time for the first dinner party, that starts at 9. Formal, black tie for all clients. You’re going to meet ... well, a lot of people with more money than you have tonight, from around the world.”

“Third, Thursday morning starts with the golf tourney after breakfast; that’ll go until about 2. Clients, with their individual protectors only. The rest of us will be in corporate meetings regarding our projections for next year. That’s why Eric’s going. He’s going to be in charge here after you move, while Brad will be in charge in California. I’ll remain your overall client supervisor.”

He laughed. “I’m looking forward to springing on corporate about Vance and Riley. They’re going to do backflips, because you’re already the number seven largest account we have in this country, number sixteen in the world That should bump you up a couple of notches. After the golf tourney, you’ll have an hour to relax. Fourth, the friendly competitions begin at three, and go until seven. Clients are NOT allowed to participate in the live weapon competitions, but can watch. They are allowed to participate in the hand to hand competitions, as I’ve previously mentioned to you.”

“After that, two hours to get ready, then the real party begins. Not formal, but still dress nicely. There will be awards presentations to various members of the organization. It should go on until sometime around dawn, depending upon how much dancing there is after the party. There will be an open bar. Some of the clients will get drunk off their asses, especially the ones from the middle-east. There will be some people trying to start fights. Just part of it, unfortunately. Please don’t kill anyone if you can avoid it.”

I’d been listening to him talk while finishing breakfast, but stopped with my glass halfway to my mouth at the last. I turned my head to look directly at him, and saw that he was quite serious.

He nodded. “Some of our corporate clients are oil sheikhs, worth tens of billions of dollars. I’m not going to say that one of them might offer to buy Jennifer from you, but it could happen. That’s one reason for only one of your ladies going. A full harem like you have ... no offense intended by that description because we here all know better, but that’s how it would appear to someone who doesn’t know you ... and there’d be serious offers for purchase or trade.”

“Toto, I don’t think we’re going to be in Kansas,” Jennifer said with a laugh.

“That’s for damned sure, Jennifer,” Mike said. “If nothing else, this will be an education for Cal. Anyway, Friday afternoon will be personal time. For some people, that’ll be sobering up, mostly. For others, there’ll be trips to the ocean and around the area. Then, finally, Friday evening at six is the actual Christmas party. Bonuses will be distributed, clients will be recognized, and corporate will give a nice speech or two. That’ll continue until about ten, with the dinner. There’ll be door prizes for both clients and employees. After dinner, there’ll be activities. Casino gambling is not legal in Florida. I mention that only because there will be an open casino for clients. It’s up to you, but losing ... or winning ... a couple of million at that can make you friends. Either way.”

“Finally, we’ll head home Saturday morning, and should be here by noon. That’ll give you time to rest from the trip for the afternoon, anyway, before you head out Sunday.”