A New Beginning – Part 2 – Chapter 15

Part 2

  

Chapter 15

 

A New Beginning

 

Cassie spent the next couple of months experimenting in her lab. She had finally built her own lab behind the Dojo on the estate. There she moved all the exotic experiments she had previously conducted at the college labs.

 

Cassie’s doctors, using various tests had determined that her visual cortex was now operating normally and that her eyes did not appear to have any damage.

 

The pain that she had been feeling was symptomatic of her cortex relearning how to see. They could not figure out why she was having problem with this. Cassie thought she knew. The cortex was interpreting her ESP sense as visual input rather than ocular input. As a result the extra signal from her eyes was being acting like noise to the visual cortex and the brain perceived it as pain.

 

Cassie tried spending an hour a day closing down her ESP senses and using her eyes.

 

Cassie sat back in her chair with her eyes open and with her ESP senses pulled completely in. She knew that in front of her was a desk with a book on it. If she tried, she could visualize it completely down to the molecule level as she had done that using her senses before closing them down. But no matter how hard she tried she could not visually see the desk and book.

 

She opened her ‘senses’ and used them to scan her eyes and the nerves connecting them to her brain. After days of doing this she was beginning to be able to see the nerve impulses from her eyes to the visual cortex.

The days, weeks, and months that she had spent exercising these senses had stretched her range and sensitivity tremendously.

 

Cassie had reached the point where she could actually sense the light photons from the desk and book entering her eyes. A side effect of this observation was that, as she had previously proved, the observation could affect what was being observed. She found this so interesting that she quit actually trying to see.

 

She held up her hand and slowly began to affect the light photons being reflected from it.

 

“Cassie!” Grace was scrambling toward her. Cassie had to really concentrate to continue what she was doing.

“Stop Grace!”

“Your hand!”

“What about my hand?” Cassie asked.

“It is gone!”

“Are you sure? Look closer.”

Cassie turned slowly moving her hand so it was closer to Grace.

“Oh, I see a wavering in the air, like a heat wave on a hot pavement. What are you doing Cassie?”

“I am experimenting with light.” Cassie said as she let go of her concentration. To Grace, it appeared as if her hand had returned. Cassie thought for a minute, then once more began to concentrate on her hand.

 

“Grace, what do you see now?”

 

“That is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. I can’t see your hand but I can see your arm and wrist where the hand is supposed to be.”

 

She reached out and ran her hand down Casey’s arm until she reached where the hand was supposed to be. As her fingers touched Casey’s hand they too seem to disappear.

 

With a startled exclamation she jerked her hand back. Grace stared at her own hand, it was all there.

 

Once more she reached out to touch Cassie’s hand. Her fingers once more seemed to disappear. This time she did not jerk them back. She moved her hand up and down and around Cassie’s hand. It was all there. Grace bent closer. She could not see Cassie’s hand or her own fingertips. But she could feel Cassie’s hand.

 

“Cassie what are you doing?”

 

“I think I am canceling the light. It really takes a lot of concentration.

All the light hitting my hand is being polarized and frequency changed about 90 degrees so the light you should see is not getting to you. I am doing it to the light before it is reflected so the reflected light is cancelled out by the incoming light. What you are seeing is like the wavy light you see from a hot road in summer because the cancellation is not perfect.”

 

“Wow! That would be great in combat.”

 

“Yes, and for spying.” Cassie stated.

 

Grace brought her hand back shook her head and returned to her station.

 

Cassie sat there scanning her hand which was fully ‘visible’ to her senses even though Grace could not see it. By simply concentrating a little harder she could sense the photon energy mass that was bouncing off her hand.

 

Cassie got up from her seat and began to set up a device to detect infrared rays. Grace joined her as she had to move some equipment from one place to another.

 

“I want to experiment with infrared; I bet that the Night Vision Device would ‘see’ my hand while your naked eyes don’t. Infrared is emitted by the source while light is reflected. Infrared is just heat being emitted by my body and is not reflected so this device should be able to ‘see’ it.”

 

“I might be able to stop that also but I think we need a way to ‘see’ them first before I start experimenting with them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

 

 

 

Here’sThe Deal

Chapter 14

 

Here’s  The  Deal

“What…what do you want with me?” Stanley stuttered.

“I just want to talk for now.” Cassie said. “Let’s go have a cup of coffee in the Student Union.”

Cassie turned and headed toward the Student Union. Charles stepped to the side of Stanley and nudged him in direction that Cassie was going. Grace was right behind Cassie. Like always, she had her back.

The walk to the Student Union took about ten minutes and Cassie’s mind was rolling over and over that whole ten minutes. What were those images she had about her and Stanley all about? Was he one of her distant relatives on her mother’s side of the family? Yes, she had a lot of questions to get answered.

As they walked up the steps to the door into the Student Union, another student opened the door to exit. As the glass door swung open a beam of light was reflected off of it. Cassie flinched as a sharp pain throbbed through her eyes. Almost by instinct, she whipped out the sunglasses she wore to keep people from noticing her distant stare when she faced them.

Grace had noticed the flinch, “Cassie what’s wrong?”

She eased up closer to her, just in case Cassie had detected some danger that she, herself, had not noticed.

“Nothing Grace, just a sharp pain in my eyes. It’s okay. “

With that she grabbed the door handle and pulled it open as she stepped into the Union. There were students all over the place, some studying together, other playing games. In one corner a group was watching TV, while in the corner making up the coffee shop were more drinking and chatting. Cassie headed to the counter where her group placed their orders.

“My invite so I’ll pay.”

She placed a credit card on the counter. Soon all four coffees were on a tray that she picked up and carried over to a distance table with nobody near it.

After sitting, Cassie watched Stanley as they all sipped their coffee. The coffee seemed to settle him down some. “Do you know who I am?”

“Ah egh, not really, we knew some of the families were hunting for a person with your name but we did not know why.”

“Did you know of Cassandra Howly Alanson?”

“Of course, everybody in the family knew of her. She was the greatest Seer the family had produced in centuries. When she died it was a great loss to us. We did not know who she picked as her successor.”

 

“I was born the day after she died. She left everything to me. My dad is still finding hidden assets after more than 14 years. I was named after her. Now, here’s the deal.  A year or so ago I was attacked up in Idaho. There were 11 men and 1 woman. 1 man and the woman were allowed to escape. Between me and the other Deputy U.S Marshal we killed 10 men that day.”

 

“About six months ago a contract was put out on my father and mother. It was stopped. The crime family in Cleveland, Ohio that took the contract no longer exists. I talked to the local Mafia’s Don and he passed the word:’ Attack me or my family and you die and all your family and pets die.’ Now I don’t know which branch of the family you are part of, so you contact yours and let them know the same. One of these days I would like to get better acquainted with my mother’s family but right now I’m not very happy with them.”

 

“Take another look at my badge and think about what it means.” She laid her credentials open in front of him.  He absently picked them up while staring at her once more. He glanced down at her badge then looked back at her with a double take as he stared at her badge.

“Presidential! What…”

“That is correct. I am a Special Deputy US Marshal appointed by a Presidential Executive Order with the power of a full US Marshal and my jurisdiction is anywhere under the laws and jurisdiction of the United States of America. I answer only to the President not even to the Attorney General. I can call on any Federal Law Enforcement or Military to support me. One branch of my family is already in trouble because they attacked a Federal Agent. Tell your branch not to make it a twofer.”

“Well Stanley, please let me know what they have to say.” Cassie stood up with her people covering her as she left the Student Union.

It was a week later that Stanley sat down next to her in Psychology. He did a quick look around and leaned closer.

“My Grandmother told me to thank you for the warning. But quote ‘Dearie, don’t try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs.’ It was not our branch of the family. The word has gone out to all members of our branch to keep our mittens off you.”

Stanley sat back up straight and ignored her for the reminder of the class.

 

 

Over the next month Cassie threw herself fully into her studies.

Periodically in that same month she would have flashes of pain in her eyes. They came and went, and slowly they came more often.

It seemed to her that as she worked more and more in the labs and stretched her ‘sensing’ abilities she was able to see deeper into the sub-atomic particles space.  She soon found that Heisenberg was right: there was no way to fully separate the observer from the observed event. Too many of her experiments on the sub-atomic level did not conform to the known observation of reputable scientists.

Soon she began to do secret tests that she did not record for the school. Cassie made sure that they were all done out of sight of any security video camera and when no other lab workers were present.

One day a disk of aluminum weighing about half an ounce floated from her lab table up to the ceiling where it hovered for ten minutes before slowly floating back down.  Cassie was alone in the lab at that time except for Grace who was standing against the wall behind her.

When they left that night to return to the estate Grace quietly asked her, “How did you make that disk float?”

Absent mindedly and without thinking Cassie answered, “It’s a diamagnetic effect, though Aluminum is not magnetic under an intense magnetic field the electrons in its molecules will align with the magnetic fields and float.”

The silence was almost deafening. “But Cassie, there was no magnetic field. I watched everything you did. You did not setup any electro-magnetic apparatus. All your equipment was for measuring effect not for causing any.”

Cassie turned her head slowly to face Grace, then she winced closing her eyes momentarily. “I forgot for a minute that you were there. Grace, you guys are not to mention or record anything strange you might see involving me and my labs. Like the floating disk.”

“Cassie are your eyes hurting again?” Grace asked.

“Yeah, every so often I get a flash of pain in them and then it goes away.”

“When was the last time you had them checked?”

“When I was twelve: we gave up on the Doctors ever finding out what happened or being able to help. After two years of testing they had no more idea what was wrong then they did the day it happened.”

“That might have been so then, but it’s been almost 5 years and they are now starting to hurt. Cassie you need to see a Doctor again. What if this happened during an incident? If it makes you flinch at the wrong time a bystander could get hurt.”

 

Cassie sat still, thinking.  Grace was right. She would, personably, rather not see any Doctor ever again. But she could not take the chance on hurting an innocent bystander. “Control.”

“Control online, go ahead Shadow.”

“Staff Sgt Schultz, Please.”

Staff Sgt Schultz, online.”

“Schultz, get my medical records forwarded to an ophthalmologist and make me an appointment.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Control offline.”

“Control breaking it down. Offline.”

“You are right Grace, thanks.”

With that Cassie leaned back in her seat and ‘looked’ at the aluminum disk in her briefcase sitting on the floor of the Tahoe. As she watched it, it slowly lifted up from the bottom of the sleeve it rested in and floated edgewise up until it pushed on the closed flap of the case. She continued to watch as the pressure built and the case began to float up under the pressure.

Grinning to herself, she slowly released the disk and the briefcase settled back to the floor.

 

 

 

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My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III a ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

Contracts and Contracts

  Chapter 13

 

The first thing Cassie did after leaving the hospital was wave goodbye to the DHS agents as they scattered to find and pickup all the workers in the Nano-biological lab.  The next was head to the Office of the Chancellor of the college. She had advised Clint to be there when she arrived.

 

Luckily he was in town already as her scan of the estate had shown him kissing Julie at the estate before her Dad had called him to come to the hospital. Cassie had redirected to meet her at the Chancellor’s office and they met in the hallway leading into the Chancellor’s office. He had Lt. Colonel Woods with him. He grabbed Cassie as they met in a hug.

 

“Cassie the last I heard before George called me, you were still unconscious in the hospital!”

“Well you know me, I recover quickly. We need to get this contract implemented. Stupidity on the part of those people in the lab caused the explosion I walked into. They not only violated security protocol, they violated fire codes and safety code out the ass!”

 

“Colonel, be sure there is a section giving Security the right to close a lab down if at any time it is felt that the safety of the workers, students or civilians are in anyway endangered by the lab.”

 

“Clint while it will not be in the contract, I have to have a firewall between me and the labs I work in. Somebody has to be given the authority to shut me down. I want authority over all security and their functions except for one section which can step in and close me down and shut me out of the building until further evaluations.”

 

“I can add that into the contract also Ma’am.” Lt. Col. Woods stated.

“It’s a normal section where owners of a business for one reason or the other have become security risks and need to be shut out of top secrets facilities they own.”

 

“Good! We are very lucky. If the other Labs have been operating with the same lack of safety as that Nano-biological lab, this whole part of Virginia might have been destroyed.”

 

“Any experiments that combine nano and biological combine elements will be treated as class IV biological hazards from this time onward!”

Cassie entered the Chancellor’s office under a full head of steam. Clint and Colonel Woods followed in her slipstream.

 

The final contract had all her suggestion included. However, the Chancellor explained that they did not have the money or budget to build two new building for research. Cassie negotiated a 2^nd contract whereby CHH holding would buy the land and build the new research buildings and lease them to the College for a nominal amount.

 

_____________________

 

Over the next weeks CHH Security swarmed over the Research Building.  Two new building were being built. One would be for all non-biological and non-nanotech experiments. The other was built outside the town for all hazardous experiments. This building had a large underground component.

 

That had been the only way she could get the college to move the research they were doing on campus without a big uproar.  DHS did not wish to alert anyone to the possibility that the USA had developed nano-dissolvers. It would start a new arms race. DHS finally notified her that all persons involved in the nano-lab were accounted for or presumed killed in the accident. It was an accident. Interviews with people not present at the time and who survived, gave a list a mile long of safety violations in the lab.

 

Security on the site was still intact. All information on exactly what they had been doing had been destroyed by the heat and the nano-dissolvers. None of the survivors had any detailed knowledge of the experiments: how, what, or any idea how to duplicate them.

Cassie even though in the middle of the semester had been slowly moved into new courses all of which were very advanced and fast paced.  She was working at her top speed; her mind being stretched in a dozen different directions daily.

By the next semester almost all her courses were classed as Special Topic at senior level at a minimum. She was being immersed in math and physics as well as the cutting edge in Nano-technology.

 

Three times a week her sensei made sure she did an hour of intense workout in the dojo. More than a year quickly passed after the nano-lab accident happen.

 

Cassie entered the psychology class room at the beginning of the new term for the last elective in the humanities that she would need to take.

 

Charles took a seat near the entrance to the classroom while Grace followed Cassie to a seat in the rear. All three blended into the campus scene like any other students. Slowly the room filled up. This room was one of the larger of the small classrooms with a maximum seating of 40 students. A young man entered the room and looked around for a seat. There were only a couple of empties left and the two near the front were grabbed by two coeds who had entered in front of him. He quickly made his way to sit next to Cassie.

 

She scanned him like she had every person that had entered the room. He was unarmed; or rather he had no weapons on him. From the turning heads of all the coeds as he went pass them, he obviously was well armed for the war of the sexes. Cassie could sense that he was well built, over six feet tall, about 185 lbs and it was all muscles.

Cassie brought her attention back to the front where the professor that had just entered the room, opened a binder and began to call out names. When her name was called the man next to her jerked slightly and his head turned to look at her. Then his name was called. “Stanley Howly?”

 

“Here Sir.” He answered.

 

At that Cassie could not help herself she turned to face him. In a quiet voice, almost a whisper, she said, “Howly?” Suddenly and so quickly that she had glimpses only, she saw a hundred images flash through her mind. What she could see though showed her and this stranger together and they encompassed many years as she could tell that they were older in each vision.  She sat in a daze for the rest of the class period. Finally, she shook herself to awareness as the class was dismissed. She had no idea what the professor had said or any class assignment. That did not matter because it was recorded and she would examine it later.

 

Stanley Howly had jumped up and was headed out the door into the hall before she could get her stuff back into her bag and get up herself.

“Let’s go, fast.” Cassie said hurrying into the hall herself. Her team rushed to keep up with her. Stanly was headed out of the building. As he exited he pulled a cell phone out of a pocket and began to dial. He paused after stepping out of the building blending into the crowd of students. But Cassie never lost him.

“Charles, that student sitting next to me in class: I need to talk to him, get in front of him in case he takes off. Grace flank to the left. I’ve got this side and the right flank.”

 

Cassie closed the distance between her and the male student. Charles pushed past the student until he was on the other side while Grace seemed to be wondering off to Cassie’s left. While not a box he was now approximately the center of a triangle.

 

”Stanley Howly, I would like to talk with you.” Cassie said as she reached touching distance of him.

He jumped and twirled to face her. His eyes widened and he began to back up. He came to an abrupt stop as he had backed into Charles. Cassie threw back the left side of her school jacket showing her Marshal’s credentials and her gun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III an ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

 

 

 

 

Nits and Nano

Nits and Nano

 

   Chapter 12

 

  

Cassie’s next couples of days were busy. The security breach happening right before the holidays had been a lucky stroke. The student body was busy getting ready to head home and the excitement of missing instructors and professors could be overlooked.

 

The former security chief was removed and he was informed that DHS would insure that he would never again work in any form of security. Three prospective new chiefs were brought in for interviews. Cassie was part of the interview process and she found she could use her deep scanning abilities to determine when they lied.

 

Then she used a form of binary search to narrow the lie down to the truth.

 

“Sir, looking over your application and resume I am sure that you lied to us. Now, some lies are harmless; others are not as harmless, as I’m sure you know. So let’s determine which are which. I’m going to ask a few questions. Failure to answer will be a ‘no’ so there will be no unanswered questions.

 

“Have you ever committed a felony even if nobody else knew of it?”

“No I have not.”

“Was it a violent felony?”

“I have not committed a felony!”

“Was money involved?”

He just sat there with his mouth closed.

“Was it sexual in nature?”

“Was a member of your family involved?”

“My opinion is that we turn this applicant down, he is most likely a sexual predator. He would use his position to force female employees into sexual liaisons.”

 

“Who do you think you are? I have never committed a felony!”

 

Cassie stood up and leaned toward the man, “I am Special Deputy US Marshal Howard! When you leave here, I will institute a deep background search of you and any sexual crimes around you.” She had, without thought, thrown back the left side of her jacket where her badge and credentials hung along with her pistol.

 

He stared at her left hip, turning pale as he did so. Then he turned and rushed out of the office.

 

Cassie sat back down. Her face focused on the door that had just slammed shut.  One of the assistants to the DHS agent in charged was talking on a phone in the corner. He hung up and bent to whisper to his boss.

 

“There have been three sexual assaults and murders of female employees that worked with him. We have notified the FBI of our suspicions. But how did you do that?”

 

“You ever see that TV show ‘Lie to me’?” 

“Well by telling him that saying nothing was saying ‘No’ he was forced to try to answer, but I could tell when he thought he was telling a lie.”

 

“By continuing to ask questions, I narrowed down his lies. He knew he had committed a felony. It was violent, but did not involve money. It did involve sex, but was not on a member of his family which is the most common sexual violence.”

 

“The background report showed he had never had a complaint filed on him; nor been part of an investigation in relation to a crime.  I am betting that a deep background with these suspicions will show that other females have been assaulted and murdered at other jobs where he has worked.  He has to move along though or suspicion would finally narrow to him. ”

 

“Marshal, this one interview with you present, would pay for your inclusion if we had to hire you to participate.”

 

Days later none of the applicants had been found acceptable, though none was as spectacularly denied as that first one. However, serious questions rose on the suitability of any of them.

 

“Marshal Howard, could you take over the position of security chief here?”  The DHS AIC asked her.

 

“No Sir, I have a full load about to hit me. Within a year and a half I will earn my BS and have half my MS done. I’ve got a proposal for you, though: Contract with CHH Security and Protection to handle the security here on site. The President of the company is a Special Deputy US Marshal; the Chairman of the Board is also. The company does close scrutiny of all its employees with spot checks of background routinely.”

 

“See if that would be feasible?”

 

He sat there thinking, and then he looked at her as his eyes widened. “That’s you! You are the Chairman of the Board.  So we would basically be contracting with you!”

 

Cassie smiled at him. “But not with me personally! We use a military ranking system; Clint Wilson is DOA, Director of Administration, and is President of the company and a Special Deputy US Marshal. He is the effective commander. I’m in charge of SOC, Special Operation Command, as well as the Chairman of the Board. He does not give commands to me, and I make suggestions to him.”

 

 

“I would not have supervisory oversight of whoever he puts in charge. That person would be in charge of the site.  Since I will be working the lab as a scientist and not a security person, we need a ‘Chinese wall’ here so I am not in a conflict of interest.  I certainly can report anything I see to Clint for follow up by the Security team.”

 

 

“Let me kick this up the ladder to my boss. It’s for sure that with you doing observation it would be a lot harder to pull what was going on here again. We busted three separate industrial espionage and two foreign espionage operations in this one sweep.”

 

Cassie thought that there would be no decision made until after the New Year, so she prepared to wait. This did not mean she sat back relaxing until she heard back. It meant that she concentrated on her studies. Her Graduate Tutor was now on her payroll as a temporary hire. She found him a room at her main house and saw to it that he made it to his classes. But approximately eight hours a day he lectured her.

 

In her one nanotechnology class she saw a shortcut for binding elements closer together. The instructor ignored her suggestion.  

 

Cassie took a couple of hours in the Research Building to run her math past the computer and it checked out. The next day, in her weekly meeting with the Dean of the Physics department, she showed him her printouts and what she had suggested to her instructor.

 

Over the next week her paper was published in the Nanotechnology Under-Review magazine. The Dean’s name was below hers. That did not bother her as the magazine would have never considered publishing it with just her name on the paper. The College applied for a patent. The college legal agreement with its researchers was 50% to the college and the other 50% divided equally with all the participants in the research. This did not bother Cassie at all; she was here to learn.

 

Knowing how much she was missing being with her family over the holiday, Cassie took care that as many of her people as possible were given leave over the holidays. That turned out to not be as many as she had first thought. The majority of those working for CHH were without families.

 

Cassie suggested to Clint that maybe a Christmas festival be held on the estate. For the next three weeks the estate got very quiet with no construction. She had no school except that she would go into the Research Building two or three times a week to keep up her oversight of the remaining security onsite. This security was temporarily in place from DHS.

 

Then the accident happened.

 

_________________________

 

 

Cassie slowly regained consciousness. Her head ached, as did her whole body. She automatically reached out to scan and she screamed. She felt compressed, as if the world had fallen on top of her. She blanked out.

 

In the distance she heard a voice, “Cassie, oh Cassie sweetheart. I am here baby. I am here.”

 

Well of course she was. Her mother was always there for her! Cassie felt her hand being squeezed tightly and squeezed back.

“She’s waking up!” she heard he mother scream.

“Sarah dear, don’t get excited.” Her dad said.

“She squeezed my hand, George!”

“Good! I have been scared. She has been unconscious for days. The Doctors said they can find nothing wrong, but a heck of lot they know!”

 

“Yeah, George our girl is unique.”

“I can hear you.” Cassie mumbled.

“Oh My God! Did you hear her George?”

“I heard her!”

Cassie felt kisses being pressed on both sides of her face. The pain had subsided. There were just a few aches. The headache was almost gone. She slowly opened her “eyes”. There were her Mother and Dad. She sighed in relief. She remembered the pain that had hit her when she had first tried to scan. She remembered how she had overdone it and lost most of the ability until she had learned to push just so far, and then relax before trying more.

 

Cassie extended her scan further and further but slowly. She gripped her mother’s hand tightly. “Cassie! Please dear, not so hard.” She heard as if from far away. She was in the Hospital near the college, but she had reached all the way to the college with her normal 360 degree scan. That was over 3 miles! Normally she could only scan this way to a distance of half a mile.

 

She then began narrowing her scan down and reaching in the direction of the estate which was nearly 15 miles from the campus. ‘Oh My God!’ she thought, as her scan ‘saw’ the whole estate and then began to pick out details. Clint and June were hugging. ‘Wait! When had June arrived here?’

 

“When did June get here? I thought that she was not coming until around April?”

 

“June? Who is June? Cassie?” her mother asked.

“Egh, she was my assistant up in Idaho, she is Clint’s girl friend.”

 

“I have not met her Cassie, so I don’t know when got here. Is she outside?”

“No, she is at the Estate.” She smiled, “She and Clint are kissing.”

 

Cassie heard the steady beeping from the medical machines that were all connected to her. Neither her mother nor her father said a thing. Cassie did what had become a routine habit the last month or so; she scanned herself.

 

The muscles of her body were all recovering from bruising. Some of her organs had taken a beating as well. In fact her body appeared like she imagined one would look like after a real hard beating. “What had happened to her?” she wondered. What about her sensitivity? Had it changed? She reached for the pendant that she wore, feeling for the boundary between the gold and silver that it was made from.

 

Her scan slid right along the boundary and went deeper then she had ever gone. It was empty. There was nothing there except for a few strange things that came and went with no apparent movement. Then she ‘saw’ it: a massive object. Then it hit her, this was an atom of gold! She looked closer and it grew as her scan got narrower. She saw the neutrons and protons that made up the nucleus of the atom and the empty space between them.

 

She saw the 79 electrons.  They were there, then gone as they shifted orbits; there was no actual movement. One moment they were in one orbit then they were in another! It was the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle in action.

 

She felt a sharp pain in her face and pulled her awareness back. “Cassie! Come back here!” Her mother was almost screaming in her ear.

 

“Mom! What are you doing? That hurt!”

“Cassie you just seemed to fade away! It scared me!” Her mother was crying!

 

“I’m sorry mom. But my sight has changed; its range has increased tremendously and my sensitivity has increased by orders of magnitude. What happened to me?”

 

“There was an accident at the Research Building you were in. The DHS thinks somebody may have put a bomb in place, maybe one of the disgruntle ex-employees or one of the applicants that got turned down. They have been as anxious as we were for you to wake up. They are hoping that you can shed some light on the problem.”

 

“Well, first, it was not a bomb. I remember that I scanned the whole building before entering it. I would have spotted a bomb. I had no feeling of unease, like I usually get when someone is about to do something against me. So it was not an overt act. I was doing a walk through.”

 

“I go to each floor, walking into each office to check if everything is on schedule and to ask if anything unusual is going on. A lot of the lab workers don’t like it. They think I am being nosey as they don’t know what my real position there is.”

 

“I had just entered the nano-biological lab where they are working with using biological material to work on the nano level; retroviruses and such. I had a feeling that they had been hiding something from me over this last month.”

 

“Grace! She was with me! What happened to her?”

“She’s okay Cassie! She hardly got hurt; she had your back and the thing that happened came from in front of you. We, your Dad and me, did not know where you were when this happened. They have not told us.”

 

“Grace has been kicking herself. She keeps saying that she was your shield and that she should have taken it, whatever it was.”

 

“Wait…” Cassie did another scan of her body; this time she used her new sensitivity. There deep within her very cell structure was what appeared to be a virus. It was everywhere. The virus had crossed the brain barrier and every neuron had the virus inside of it. Her body was saturated with the virus. She could not find a single cell of her body that did not have the virus inside it. She looked closer, even the bone cells!

 

When she really took notice, she saw that her teeth were repairing themselves. Where she had had fillings, the fillings were being pushed out of the previous cavity and the teeth were filling in the old cavity with new dental growth.

 

A closer examination of the DNA helix within her cells showed that they were now undamaged. The DNA in the cells are under tremendous stress, with the need to split with every cell duplication. Solar radiation, cosmic radiation and normal background radiation could all cause mutation of the cells.

 

Now hers were completely undamaged. Every cell in her body was healthy. This was not normal. Just walking out in sunlight would normally damage thousands and thousands of skin cells.

 

Cassie reached out to the Research Building and scanned it thoroughly. The Nano-biological lab was completely destroyed.

The center of the destruction appeared as if a thousand gallons of hydrochloric acid had been dumped on it. But then as you got further from that center it began to appear as if a bomb had exploded and not just dissolved.  It reminded her of what the science fiction writers had portrayed as what an attack of nano dissolver would do; except where an explosion seemed to have happened.

Then she had it. The nano-bots dissolvers had released a lot of energy when they had taken apart the molecules at the center. The sudden release of energy was like an explosion!

That was why the DHS thought a bomb might have gone off.  Her scan found no nanobots roaming the building. Cassie thought for a minute. She hoped that all the documentation had been destroyed. If what had happened to her was as powerful as she feared, it would be too dangerous to the human race for this technology to be released at this time.

 

That virus was repairing her body completely; she expected that it would soon lead to her vision being repaired if it was not a psychological condition.

 

“Mom, get me out of here before the doctors learn too much about me. Where are my things, credentials and my guns, my comm units?”

 

“Your people took them.”

“Get Clint dad, tell him I have to get out of here now. If he objects, just say ‘Security’ that should get him moving.”

“Tell Schultz to get me fully dressed as soon as possible.”

Cassie lay there observing her Dad in action. As soon as he finished with her people he started on the Hospital.

 

Five minutes after he started making phone calls, SSgt Schultz, Cpl. Perkins and Sgt Townsend entered her room.

“Where have you people been? I am laying here stark naked! Where are my guns?”

“We were down the hall in a waiting room, with the door to your room under our surveillance.” SSgt Schultz told her.

 

Grace handed her the backup holster with its Glock. Cassie ejected the magazine and un-chambered a round.

Clicking the magazine back into the pistol she chambered a round then ejected the magazine and loaded the loose round back into the magazine then reseated the magazine. Now the pistol was loaded and she was ready. A nurse rushed into the room

 

“All of you people have to leave!”

 

Sarah looked at the nurse and said. “Yes we know and we will as soon as you get my daughter unhooked from all these machines. Then we will all be going.”

 

“What! She can’t leave. The doctors have not released her yet.”

“In about 5 minutes we all are leaving. If you do not have her off those machines we will sue this hospital for every dime it has ever made and will make in the future. We might settle for ownership, and then we will bulldoze it to the ground.” George, her father, said.

 

The nurse turned and ran from the room. Minutes later she returned with hospital security guards. “Now, you people will get out of this room!”

 

Cassie looked at Schultz and reached out her hand, ”My Credentials.”

 

Schultz opened her ever present briefcase and took out her credential case and handed it to Cassie.

 

Cassie held them up facing the security guards, “You are interfering in a Federal Investigation and will be charged with Federal Obstruction of Justice, a 5 to 10 years sentence. I suggest you get out of here now. DHS should be somewhere in the building and they are not as nice as I am.”

 

“Nurse, get these things out and off of me. Now!”

 

Nobody moved for a minute. Then a voice from the doorway spoke up.

 

“I am Special Agent in Charge Blake of the Department of Homeland Security, and she is right I am nowhere as nice as she is. Get her out of that bed! Now!”

Everybody looked up as Agent Blake and five of his agents stepped into the room which was getting very crowded.

 

The Nurse began to slowly move to the bed looking around, wide eyed, at all the people in the room. Then she focused on doing what she knew how to do. Soon Cassie was completely unhooked. Throwing the sheet back, she slipped out of the bed and stood completely nude in front of the world.

 

Grace laid the bag she was carrying on the foot of the bed and opened it. From inside she handed Cassie a pair of panties and a bra. Then, piece by piece, with her mother’s help, she dressed in a full dress uniform. Her belt with holsters, Glocks and her credentials was firmly in place. Grace did the final bit, the triple braided gold chain holding the lapels together.

 

“Agent Blake, the accident was caused by the experiment in the nano-biological lab. They had not been telling me the full details on what they were doing. We need to round up every person that worked in that lab. A virus could have escaped. If so, we need to find out what it is supposed to do. I’m almost willing to bet that we will be missing some personnel that took trips out of the country just before or after the accident or have just disappeared.”

 

Agent Blake whirled on one of his agents, “Davis! Get on it.”

 

“Marshal Howard, this place is giving me an ulcer! I have fifteen laboratories under my jurisdiction and this one place is causing me fifteen times the problems of any of them.”

 

“What did your boss say about the security contract?” She asked as they walked out of the hospital.

 

“Oh, you would not know! We have Okayed it. Your man has been negotiating with the College about the security contract.  I think the Chancellor has been holding off to talk to you first.  Also, we found out that the former security chief went around to every department telling them that a lab worker was in fact a Deputy US Marshal. That how come so many violation with CD, papers and video all were leaving the same day. They were trying to make hay before getting burnt.”

“Ouch, I’m lucky I was not ambushed in the Research Building!”

 

“Oh Well thanks on the contract. We need to get that in play as fast as possible. I want my people over that facility like bees on flowers. I am going all futuristic on them. They will not be able to see who my people are. There is not going to be any fraternization between security and workers. The workers should have no interaction with security that is not related to security.”

 

“I am also going to increase the tracking of experiments. That one in the nano-biological lab should never have been done in that building. It should have been in a biohazard facility. I am majoring in Physics. I’m sure not going to be working with fissionable material in the center of a city!”

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

___________________________________________________________

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Security, Security where are you?

Part II

Security, Security where are you?

Chapter 11

 

Cassie shoved her chair back from the work station. Stretching, she was scanning away at the people around her. She only had Grace with her. The laboratory was a high security area at the College due to the nature of the work being done there.

 

When the deep background check for her came back “denied” the head of Security for the college got on his high horse and denied her access to the laboratory. Cassie simply asked the Chancellor what was wrong. He called the Security Head in and chewed him out. He tried to place the blame on the government denying her access.

 

Chancellor Madison told Cassie he asked to see the report. When the Head of Security showed it to him, he flipped. There, in plain English, it stated that the Security Head was denied access as his security clearance was too low.

“Cassie, I’m sorry about this but Homeland Security finally came down and fixed everything. They explained to the Security People that you outranked them.”

 

He opened a plastic package and removed a sealed, foiled wrapped, envelope and had Cassie sign a receipt for it.

When she opened it, there was a photo id with a clip to hold it on her clothes.

“This ID opens every security lock we have on campus.”

 

Now she was scanning to gain information on the security protocols here. In the three days she had been working in the Research Building she had already seen multiple breaches of security.

 

Many of the lab personnel routinely took home reports and papers that were top secret. The Security Personnel were too friendly with the lab workers. Cassie had spotted two different sets of people making dates. 

 

In a security environment that was a no-no.  How could you expect security to crack down on a girl or boy friend?  With this relaxation, a friend of a friend could get away because they were together.

 

This was one of the things she had learned from her people. Never get friendly with a potential target.

 

In the last three days, she had come up with a list of people that needed to be investigated. These were the ones that she had detected breaking security, not just poor protocol, which was another list entirely.

 

She had been unable to get started on any research due to the failure in security which had hit her in the face the minute she had stepped into the lab.

 

As soon as her shift was over, she headed to the Chancellor’s office with her security detail.

 

As Cassie entered the outer office, the secretary immediately picked up her phone and called the Chancellor.

“Chancellor, Deputy Marshal Howard is here.”

“Yes sir,” she turned to smile at Cassie.

“He said to go right on in.”

Cassie’s scans noted that the Chancellor had been working on some papers but he put them aside and waited for her to enter.

 

Cassie stepped over to the door and opened it. “Schultz, you with me, the rest wait.”

 

The Chancellor stood up and met her half-way shaking her hand. “How have you been doing over there at the Research Lab?”

 

“I hope that as soon as I can start working, it will go well, but you have some problems.  Chancellor Madison you have some major breaches of security over there. I have noted Security Personnel violating Security Protocol.”

 

“Top Secret Documents are leaving the premises with no records of them leaving, who took them, where they went or why they went.”

 

“A full audit of all documents is needed immediately. You need a full shake up of the security department over there. Then the lab personnel need a full security orientation with follow up and discipline. I know scientists hate security procedures but there are reasons for them. In fact I am recommending a full background investigation of everybody in that building.”

 

“I am just giving you a heads up so you are not taken by surprise. I am, in fact, bringing my own people in right now. They will not enter the building but every person that leaves it will have a tail.”

 

“Cassie, that can’t be! Why we have never had a security failure!”

 

“Chancellor Madison, I think you have had some major ones but they have not been detected.”

 

“Now who at Homeland Security did you contact about me?”

 

“Here…” The Chancellor started digging into his rolodex. It was obvious that he did not use modern electronics to store such information.

Soon he handed Cassie a hand written number on a post-it note. She smiled to herself. “Thanks Chancellor, now don’t mention this to anyone.”

 

She stood and so did Schultz. Cassie reached over the desk to take the Chancellor’s hand and gave it a firm grip. They then exited the office and headed outside.

 

Reaching to her comm unit she turned it on and switched to her new channel that connected to Director of Administration of CHH Security.

 

“Clint.” She waited.

“Clint Wilson, DOA.”

“Clint, Cassie here. I have a polecat by the tail. I have noted more than 30 security protocol violations at the Research Building here on campus; these are Federals. I have also noted top secret documents leaving the premises without authorization or tracking information being recorded. We need a full audit and background check on all personnel on site including security and lab workers. At this time we need tails on all personnel leaving the building. The people assigned this duty need at least one of my deputies with them in case an arrest is necessary.

 

“We need warrants; get Lt. Colonel Woods to apply to the courts in DC. We need them as of three hours ago.”

 

“Cassie we have no standing in this. We do not have a contract.”

 

“As the ranking US Deputy Marshal in the area of this federal violation I am authorized to deputize any and all civilian personnel needed. As a special deputy US Marshal I’m calling on you for support and backup. Do you acknowledge this?”

 

“Aye! I understand and will act on those orders. It has been recorded. How many deputies do you have here Cassie?”

 

“All of my personal bodyguards and house security have badges and identification as special Deputy US Marshals.”

 

“Oh, Colonel Woods is also. I felt that as our legal liaison she might need it. So she will appear before the Judge as a Special Deputy US Marshal asking for those warrants.”

“Clint, I have the phone number of the Homeland Security agent that has worked with the Chancellor. I’ll have Shultz give you the number.” She looked in Schultz’s direction and nodded.

 

“Call them and tell them what we have going on down here, what we need, the audit, full background check and internal entry. Explain that nobody from our team except those previously cleared have been in the security area. They should be in charge of that part of the investigation.”

 

“Got it Cassie, are you coming in?”

 

“No, I will wait here, outside the Research Building. Start those surveillance teams coming; most of these people get off work in the next few minutes. I need tails now!”

“Cassie, go to the Security Channel.” Clint said over the comm unit.

Cassie reached down and switched her comm unit to “all channels”.”

 

“Security HQ, Detail 5 have you egressed the Primary Gate?”

 

“Detail 5, we are on SH 311; will be entering the campus in 4 minutes.”

“Security, Air, we have four birds in the air over the campus. Four more are on standby. “

“Roger Air, I thought you could handle five?”
“Security, Air, we can but we have one over the Shadow.”

“Roger Air.”

“Security, Primary Gate we have the entrance blocked and are ready for more details. We have lowered the security barriers. We have blocking force on SH 311 and we have direct entrance to the State Highway.”

“Security, Can you hold that blocking force, Primary Gate?”

“Oh yeah, Big Bertha has arrived and she is straddling the road. Hey, when did we mount those double fifties on her? Ain’t nothing getting past her! Primary Gate, Roger out!”

 

“Detail 6 egressing to SH 311”

“Detail 7 exiting to SH 311”

“Detail 8, that’s a ditto for us.”

“Detail 9, we are behind Detail 8.”

“Detail 10, we are the caboose choo-choo and we are gone!”

 

Cassie looked up as a Tahoe pulled up next to her. With a quick scan she saw a long line of Tahoes waiting on the next street over that dumped onto this one that she was sitting on. She only momentarily scanned them. In each Tahoe was one person with a Special Deputy US Marshal badge.

 

Then she went back to scanning each and every person leaving the Research building. The research assistant for Dr. Gilbert was coming out of the building. His briefcase was full of CD’s and papers that had the Top Secret tape on the binders. She had determined on her first day that her scan could “see” that tape.

 

Cassie pressed her talk button “Detail 1, the man going west to the parking lot is to be followed until you receive word to pick him up, or he attempts to board a plane. Do not let him dump that briefcase.”

“Roger that, detail 1 gone,.”

The Tahoe next to her pulled out and down the street. As it did this a second Tahoe pulled up next to her.

 

Cassie continued to dispatch one Tahoe after another until she was down to only one left. The Research Building was empty by then except for security and janitorial staff. She kept her attention focused on the building. Three professors and six lab assistants were being followed. Three air drones were in action as details had called for air coverage.

 

“Cassie, Clint here, switch to my channel.”

She reached to her comm unit and changed channels.

“Cassie here.”

“Cassie, Homeland Security freaked out! This place is doing some very sensitive work. They have more than a hundred agents headed that way. They are going to take it apart tonight. They asked us to stop the warrant issue; they got their own. They asked us to just tell them where they need the warrant right now. I gave them location and number of personnel onsite at each location. The head agent in charge will be at your site in about ten minutes.”

 

“Detail 10, block the exit from at the parking lot, put up your placard on all units to identify you. All Personnel in the field put on the US Marshal Tunics.”

With the last command all her people in her Tahoe began to pull tunics over their heads.

Her scan of the Tahoe next to her showed all the personnel in it were also putting on their tunics.

 

“Security, Air one, I have three government cars approaching the Shadow Position.”

 

“Detail 10, disembark and take up holding positions.”

 

“Okay, let’s get out of this target and take up position on the outside. Get heavy people!”

 

Within minutes of getting out of the Tahoe, her people were armored and armed with SCAR Heavy assault rifles.

 

Cassie was in light armor with only her personal firearms.

 

One car flowed past her Tahoe and took a position in the middle of the street. Another was behind and the third pulled up next to her Tahoe.

 

Three men exited the car next to her. One looked them over and came straight to her.

 

“Special Deputy US Marshal Howard? I’m Special Agent in Charge Blake, Department of Homeland Security. I knew that you would find and kick over any kettle of fish in this place. Nothing could be as clean as they were reporting and you have a record of not being snowed.”

 

“Excuse me, you expected me to find something wrong? If so why have you not moved in already?”

 

“Because I had no reason to; on paper it was as clean as could be. If I just arbitrarily came in here it would be another case of DHS sticking their nose in just because they could. But with you finding something wrong, now I can take it apart. I’m hoping it’s just a case of carelessness that got away from them.”

 

“I don’t think so. Right this minute I’ve got three professors with unrecorded or unauthorized documents in their possession and six lab assistants with CDs, Videos and documents not authorized in their possession. I’ve got details on all nine.”

 

“Nine! You have nine blatant violations of security?”

“Oh no, that’s not carelessness that’s criminal negligence at the least.”

 

“I was going to recommend a full audit of the building and a full background check on all employees on site.”

 

“Marshal you are definitely not going to make any friends here. I think I’m going to love having you here.”

 

 

____________________________

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.

 

 

 

 

The Climax Of The Beginning

 

The Climax Of The Beginning

Chapter 10

 

Thursday was her one day free from school and Cassie finally made the meeting with Maj. Woods. The problem that she was bringing to Cassie was that she was effectively operating two departments with only herself and two NCOs. She was the head of the legal department on site, and in fact was the only trained lawyer. She was also the acting head of Human Resources. This had come about due to the fact that all employees were on personal contracts to the corporation.

 

There was no standard contract that fit all employees. There were variations in positions, salaries, and benefits. Even in those, no two were identical.

 

One example was June and Betty. Both were hired at the same time for identical positions, but they were not being compensated at the same rate or getting the same benefits even though  they had the same rank, Colonel.

 

Maj. Woods had found very few of the employees with the similar contracts, even at the same rank. Those that were, in most cases, were doing staff jobs.

 

Her request was for a larger staff or separation of the two different jobs.

 

After Cassie had heard the problem and Maj. Woods’ suggestions she thought for a moment.

 

“Major Woods, I need more input on this before we can make a final decision.”

 

“At this time, let’s just put a temporary fix in. You are head of our legal onsite department. This is your training. You are obviously well suited for this, as this examples show. So, for now, that’s where I would like you to stay.”

 

“I am not just blowing wind at you. You have found a problem that needs fixing. So now it’s time for those that can fix it to do so.”

 

“Schultz, schedule another meeting in a week. Make an appointment with Clint before then to discuss this with him.”

“Major Woods, thank you for bringing this to my attention before it got way out of hand. I will see you again next week. Schultz will let you know the best time for our next meeting.”

 

With that Major Woods was dismissed.

 

 

“Schultz, add this to the thousands things on my list to do. This one is urgent; it bears directly on our recruitment of more people.”

 

They spent the next couple of hours finishing up paperwork.

 

 

______________________

 

That afternoon Cassie was sitting back relaxing and scanning the estate. The construction was moving forward like crazy. The first thing that had been completed was a whole new high security gate entrance.

 

It was now a full security entrance. Any truck or vehicle entering had to go through a security obstacle entrance. There was no way any vehicle could crash the entrance. 

 

Once past the primary entrance, the vehicle was in the outer ring which would contain the main Administration, medical facilities and primary training facilities.

 

 

Clint would have his headquarters in the Administration building along with the base commander.

 

The main road from the primary entrance continued to the main house, but as it came over the ridge, where the main house could be seen, a secondary gate was installed. This was connected to a new security fence that separated the outer area from that of the main house and the facilities around it. Her SOC would be in that area at the main house.

 

As soon as residences were completed in the outer area there would be a shake out of the cadre separating her SOC and personal security out of the mix and assigning the rest to the outer area.

 

Now she was pulling back from organization and training for awhile as she concentrated on her schooling.

 

 

______________________

 

 

The Friday drive into the campus was the same as normal. Her scans picked up nothing unusual and her perimeters also noted nothing. Cassie closed her eyes and leaned back, scanning herself. She had no feelings of unease. She felt normal.

 

On campus she reported to the Dean of Math’s office where they sent her to the testing center. Cassie spent the whole day with the exception of lunch taking tests. For the next three days she did more of the same. She was given problems by the Dean himself to work on at home.

 

 

The second week it was the Physics department with more testing; here too, the Dean gave her problems to think on and to write about. In those two weeks she turned in more homework then she had ever done in her life for school.

 

The third week, one of the advanced graduate students was assigned full time to travel with her. He talked and talked and talked. It was like being in a physics lecture hall eight hours a day, discussing String theory, multi-dimensional universes, worm holes, black holes and Warp fields.  She began to worry that her head would actually explode.

 

Her sensitivity was becoming extremely acute. It was almost like she could feel the imperfection of the enjoinments of the connecting boundary of matter and its neighbors.

 

When each day was done and she came home, she was chased out to Sensei Inoue to be pounded on. The day after she completed her testing, she was hit with a surprise. She had not expected it. She had not been told to look for it. She had no warning.

 

Cassie rolled out of bed and Cpl. Lambskin opened the door to her room at the same time. She moved to the shower and quickly showered and performed her other necessities. She stepped into her bedroom as Cpl Lambskin laid her clothes out on her newly made bed.

 

Cassie froze when she saw what was lying there. “My Gi?” She asked.

 

“Yes, Ma’am! Sensei Inoue, left word for me this morning.”

 

“God, I hope he finds what he is looking for soon.”

 

Cpl. Lambskin held up a light robe for her to slip on. She then removed the covers from her breakfast sitting on the table. She must have slipped the food in while Cassie had been showering.

 

Cassie ate her light breakfast of a small bowl of multi-grain hot cereal, wheat toast, a touch of margarine and half a grapefruit and of course her Moko pot of coffee. In less than forty-five minutes from the time her feet hit the floor she was headed to the dojo. 

 

Cassie could not believe what her scan showed. The Dojo was full. Every senior NCO and every available officer was present. Cassie slipped in and found an open spot along the wall to kneel.

 

She scanned the mass of people here, and like she had first thought ‘everybody’ was here. Sensei Inoue was not alone either. There were four strangers that she had never seen.

 

All five were sitting behind a table on the side. Cassie did not understand what was happening. All her people were in gi, all kinds of gi. There were the general ones with top and bottom both white, some with a black top with white bottom and some the exact opposites with black bottom and white top. There was also black silk gi with embroidered emblems on the back. Then the shock hit her, she could tell the difference her sensitivity had developed to the point that she could tell the difference in the dye used in the gi.

 

 

She listened for a minute as one of the strangers stood up and talked in an oriental language for a minute or so.

 

Then June and Betty both came to the center, faced off and began a free style like none Cassie had ever ‘seen’. For the next couple hours it was martial art heaven in the dojo. Cassie’s name was called out three times and she recognized her opponent in every case. They were mainly some of the newer officers with lots of experiences. She won all her matches.

 

Finally, with more than half the room back in uniform as they were eliminated, Cassie was called one more time. Sensei Inoue himself came out to face her. They went all over the basic, and then the more advanced. They kept at it for over two hours and when she was finally taken down she was soaked.

 

After a shower, a massage and clean dry clothes she entered the dining room where Sensei Inoue was entertaining his guests. Cassie thought to retire to another room but Sensei Inoue would not let her.

 

“Cassie, let me express my gratitude to you in allowing us to hold the first meet of the Combat Martial Arts Federation here at your home.”

 

“Combat Martial Arts? What is that Sensei?”

“Well when I first showed up I became entranced by all the different styles that your people knew. What it came down to was, does it work? Your people have served all over the world. They have learned multiple styles, many of which do the same things.  To them, the only thing that matters is does it work and whether it the best possible form and style for a particular situation?”

 

“So I contacted other known martial artists that have served in the militaries of the world.  Each and every member of the board to start with had to have been nominated by at least ten people we knew ourselves.

That was our founding base. Then we recruited members and did an election of board members. It was a long drawn out affair but finally we felt we were ready. Today we held our first tourney, an invitation tourney.”

 

“You have never competed in any tourney before. We were not sure where you would be ranked. It was the consensus of the board after watching you today that you will be offered a black belt at the 3^rd rank.”

 

Having finished, he laid the black belt with 2 thin gold stripes on the end of the belt in front of her. She just sat there staring at the belt. Cassie finally reached out and placed her hand on the belt and just rested it there.

 

When she finally looked up she was alone. She stood and picked up her belt and carried it up the stairs to her room there she opened her gym bag and put the belt on top of her gear then zipped it closed.

 

__________________________________

 

 

“Security, Shadow, Preparing to depart.”

 

“This is Security HQ, the Shadow is preparing to depart. Coachman, your condition?”

 

“This is Coachman 1 we are approaching the rear exit.”

“Security, Detail 1 Ready”

“Security, Forward Scout departing rear echelon.”

“Security, Hawk one has gone airborne.”

Security, Back plate is awaiting the Shadow to follow.”

 

“Security to Shadow, your team is ready.”

“The shadow is preparing to egress.”

Cassie’s scan had cleared everything. Sgt. Taylor was acting as Schultz’s second today and joining Cassie.

 

“All Shadow Detail, be sure you have your new Deputy Marshal ID on you. This should be worn on you left hip for uniform dress and on your left chest in battle dress.”

 

“Security Verification Team, we have verified that all your personal security staff have US Marshal pull over tunic and all you personal vehicles have US Marshal Placards.”

 

“Coachman 1, I have personally checked and verified all detail members are now in full compliance with Special Deputy Marshal Identification.”

 

“This is the Shadow, Roger”

 

Cassie stepped out of the back door. Sgt Townsend opened the rear door of the Tahoe. Sgt Taylor was grabbed by Grace and shoved in through the open rear door. Cassie was next in the vehicle door and she felt her ass being shoved as she bent over. She went through so fast she almost pushed Sgt. Taylor through the door on the other side.

 

As she twisted upright Cpl Grace Perkins landed next to her. The front passenger door slammed shut as the coachman sat down in the shotgun position.

 

“Security, Coachman 1 we are departing.

“Roger, Coachman 1.”

“Back plate has taken up position and we are gone.”

“Roger, Back Plate.”

“Security, Forward Scouts we are through the first gate slowing down waiting for the Shadow.”

 

 

________________________

 

 

The trip to the campus of the College went smoothly. Cassie was watching for breaches of security procedures and protocols. Every member of her detail was on their toes.

 

There was only about another week of school before the holiday breaks started.

 

This week was Thanksgiving, and then it was just three weeks until the winter break started. Most of the dormitories would be closed over the winter break and even students with no place to call home had to find somewhere to hold up until after New Years.

 

This was going to be a lonely time for Cassie. Her first Christmas without family around her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________

 

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.

Presidential Marshal

 

Presidential Marshal

Chapter 9

 

Cassie woke up multiple times that night. When the new security detail reported she awoke. Then Cpl. Lambskin stuck her head into the room, checking on her. Each time, within seconds, she had fallen back to sleep.

The final wakeup was approximately 8:00 when the door to her room opened and Cpl. Lambskin rolled in a food cart. Cassie sat up, holding the covers to her chest. Cassie’s scan found a robe lying across her bed over her legs.

Sitting up, she pulled the robe over her upper torso and then stood where she could tie the belt on the robe. A quick trip to the bathroom and she was back sitting at the table where Cpl. Lambskin had set out the meal.

 

She was hungry and the food disappeared off the plates. Cassie felt like a new person after her second cup of coffee. It was good coffee, just not as good as they made at home. That stopped her for a second; she had referred to the estate as home without a second thought. It was! It was her home.

 

Finished with her breakfast, she stood up and took one last sip of the coffee. Then Cpl. Lambskin set to work on her. She used cotton swabs and ointments to remove any old makeup. Then she put a new face on Cassie.

An hour after getting out of bed, Cassie stepped out of her suite fully dressed in a Navy-blue uniform suit. Her chain was a triple braided gold thread. She pulled her Glock and inspected it. It was clean and ready for action. Her backup was the same.

 

She hung her credentials off her gun belt so that both the badge and the ID could be seen with a flick of her wrist to the bottom of her jacket.

 

Cassie activated her comm unit. “This is Shadow I am on the move.”

“Roger, this is Security Lead; we got the hall, where to Ma’am.”

“Shadow, I’m going to my father’s room.”

“Security 2, your father has been notified.”

“Tell him to save me some coffee.”

Entering her father’s suite, Cassie found him sitting at the table with his breakfast before him. He was fully dressed with his suit jacket hanging on a rack against the wall.

 

“Well Cassie, any plans for shaking up Washington today?”

“No, but they really almost blew it yesterday.”

“They don’t know you, not yet. I think the President is seeing beneath the surface. If so, our welcome will be different today.”

Cassie took a sip of the coffee before setting the cup down firmly and stood up.

Saying nothing, her father stood and put on his jacket. Then they walked out of the suite.

“Sergeant Schultz”

“Staff Sergeant Schultz, here Ma’am.”

“I have no idea how long we will be or if we will be staying another night, so standby.”

“Roger Ma’am, rear detail will stand by,”

They exited the Hotel through a side door where the Limo was waiting. The Security detail was basically unknown to Cassie.

 

One of the problems with having the same Security Detail the majority of the time was showing itself. These people had never worked with her; their only point of familiarity was reports and rumors.

 

She stopped “Security HQ, I need introductions I don’t recognize any of my detail.”

Cassie pivoted and stepped back inside the side entrance and then to the side.

She heard Security going all over the detail commander. “Why did you not see to introduction in a secured position? Shadow stepped out and saw no one she recognized! She is in a poor security position. You should know the protocol. Always be sure the primary knows you and knows the chain of command! Sergeant your relief is on the way. Stand by until relieved.”

 

“Cassie, what’s wrong?” Her father looked around the side entrance way carefully, and then focused down the hall.

She had scanned three of her people exiting the elevators and rushing toward her. They were fixing their uniforms as they came.

Cassie grinned as she noted SSgt Schultz, Cpl. Perkins and Cpl. Jerkin, all armed and moving rapidly in her direction.

 

Staff Sergeant Schultz came to attention, “Backup detail reporting Ma’am.”

“Who screwed the pooch Schultz?”

“Maybe all of us Ma’am; the new detail that relieved Sgt. Townsend reported and did their job. The morning relief detail did not do so. They followed the night relief detail and just found rooms for the night and put in a wake-up call.”

 

“This morning they knew they were to be the escort detail so they took that position. All detail commanders knew most of them and took it for granted that they had reported in.”

 

“I should have paid more attention.”

“No, I put you in a staff position with no command function. You get things done because of who and what you are without the authority needed to Command. Did you, at any time see, hear or feel that anything was wrong? If yes, then you could have come straight to me for orders. If not, then there was no error on your part. We need to get those protocols worked out and make them second nature. That Detail commander should have recognized that something was wrong and brought it up.”

“Where is Sgt Townsend?’

“He was up for two hours after being relieved to show the relief commander the perimeters, floors, and the location of all primaries. He has had only a couple of hours sleep. Acting in my staff function I advised the backup details to let him sleep for another two hours.”

“Do you know this detail’s personnel?”

“Yes Ma’am, I verified that when they all came in last night. Ma’am, you need to meet with all Security detail commanders as soon as possible.”

“Put it on the list with the other thousands of things I need to do.”

“Okay, Security, the Shadow is moving.”

“Security HQ, Roger that Shadow.”

“Coachman 2, the Shadow approaches.”

When they were out of the Hotel, Cpl Jerkin grabbed the door of the Limo and swung it open. Grace was on her other side and was glaring at the other Security personnel to back off. Schultz went in first and then Cassie was right behind her. Grace shoved her to the middle of the seat and took the Passenger side. Cpl Jerkins opened the shotgun side in front and took that.

Cassie watched the rest of the detail scramble trying to find seats for all of them. As they pulled out, the lonely Sergeant stood by himself in the driveway.

Cassie switched her channel to Captain Gifford.

“Captain Gifford?”

“Captain Gifford, on the network, how can I help you Ma’am?”

“Captain we had a screw up here in town. I came down to take my ride to the White House and did not recognize a single one of the Security detail waiting to escort me.”

“Didn’t the commander report in last night when he arrived?”

“No, he did not report to me or any of the other detail commanders, so I stepped out to enter the Limo and there were nothing but strangers.”

“You mean there was a complete breakdown of Security Protocol!”

“Yes Captain, Security HQ should have a report soon. The Commander was relieved immediately; I picked up an escort from my personnel. The other detail scrambled to find rides. All but the commander made it to other vehicles and is proceeding to the White House.”

“Oh my God! Cassie, I have no excuse for such sloppy performance, especially after the attack the other night.”

“Captain, fix it. Start right now.”

“Shadow out”

“Captain Gifford, roger out.”

“Security HQ, Roger all out.”

This time the reception at the gate entrance was a little different. They were directed to the front Portico where the doors were opened and held for them to exit the Limo. A secret service agent jumped into the Limo and gave directions to the driver where to park the Limo.

After entering the front door to the White House, Security approached for the wand treatment. Cassie waved them to halt. She removed her credentials with its badge and placed it in a plastic container on the desk. Then she undid her belt with both holsters containing her guns and her comm unit and laid them in the container. She next removed her gold chain that held her jacket closed and included it with the others in the container. Once more she spread her arms and lowered her head for the wand.

 

The hot spot on her chest, the combs in her hair and her ear buds were all sensed and cleared by the Secret Service Agent.

They removed her guns from their holsters and stored them in a locked box behind the desk. All the rest of her things were returned to her. They took a few minutes to put back on.

 

Schultz and Perkins both had to do the same though Schultz just smiled and opened her brief case showing a laptop and a portable scanner and a few papers and then held her arms out to her sides. They turned and Cassie spotted the Marine Captain from the previous night headed her way.

“Ms. Howard.” He said with a bow.

“Captain Howell, a pleasure to see you again.”

A person stepped up to them. “I am Gerald Lindsey, White House Protocol Officer.”

“If you have no objection Captain Howell will be your escort while here today.”

“I would appreciate that Mr. Lindsey.”

They turned and proceeded down the hall toward the back of the White House. Then they turned into another hallway.

“Who are you Ms. Howard?” the Captain asked.

“Who am I? Why I am Cassandra Howly Howard, the daughter of George and Sarah Howly Howard.”

“No, you are something more than the surface identity. I have not seen this place rumble like this since the President of the Russian Federation visited last year.”

“Take the Protocol Officer. He knows the precedence and address of every title, position or ruler in the world. You shook him up. He almost stuttered when he addressed you.”

“Oh, in case you were not told,” he looked at both her and her father who had been a silent witness, “The First Lady will be present when you enter the Oval Office.”

 

“That is very unusual. She is normally presented in one of the family rooms. Normally, she never goes to the Oval Office. She’d rather you call her by her first name, Mabel.”

 

He escorted them to the entrance to the Oval Office with idle chatter about the White House. The Secret Service agent there checked only their identity at the door and then opened the door for them to enter.

 

Cassie motioned to the hallway which had chairs down it length. “Schultz, Grace wait here for me.”

 

“Yes Ma’am.” Schultz answered. Grace frowned but followed Schultz to the chairs.

 

 

 

 

The President and his wife stood up to greet them as they entered.

 

The Captain escorted Cassie to her chair. This time she was given precedence over her father who was seated to her side.

Her scan detected him trying to hide his smile. Her Dad had been right. The procedures today were changed.

 

“Mr. President, I am pleased to meet you today.”

“And I, you Special Deputy Marshal Howard.”

“As I recently told an FBI agent, my rank is more an honorary position then a regular one. It is mainly a way to allow me to carry a concealed weapon.”

At that moment, a door opened and a man pushed a serving cart into the room.

“Ms. Howard, before I get left out again, I am Mabel.” The First Lady said. She reached over to take Cassie’s hand. When she released it she gave it a very slight squeeze.

 

“And before further discussion, thank you for my husband’s life.”

Cassie had nothing to say. This was really the first time that she even thought of the real implication of what she had done. She found that she was slightly embarrassed, something that had rarely happened to her.

 

You just don’t tell the President, or his wife, that saving him was nothing. It was something! The ramifications of his death in the White House would have thrown the whole world into chaos.

“You are welcome, Mabel. I was advised that you wish to be called by your first name?”

 

“Oh yes, I fear I will have forgotten it by the time we leave Washington. Everybody just loves calling me First Lady!”

All the time they were talking she had been acting as the hostess, pouring coffee for her husband and Cassie’s father.

“Coffee or Tea?”, she asked.

“I love coffee. Thank you.”

Cassie lifted the coffee cup and took a sip. She noticed that ‘Mabel’ had poured herself a cup. It was not as good as her coffee made in a Moka pot.

 

They sat there for a few minutes, more like any visiting friends. Then the President looked at his wife as he moved a file on his desk.

 

“Well, Ms. Howard it has been my pleasure meeting you. If possible, we should meet again for just a social visit. Leave me your card before you go. I must now run, I have a meeting with the National Parent Teacher Association committee.” With that, she stood and shook hands with Cassie and her Dad and left the room.

 

“She hates to be in the room with me when I discuss anything to do with my position as President. But she does actually have that meeting she needs to attend.”

 

“Now, Ms. Howard, I know a lot more about you today than I did when you left early this morning. NSA, FBI, even the CIA had files stacked up on my desk this morning.”

“Do you really know what you have in Idaho?”

“NSA moved a geological survey satellite into position before the sun rose this morning. They might have previously missed what you found, but having a location to start from they have been able to do a rather intense survey now. Our estimate is that you are sitting on top of the largest accessible gold source in the world. There are larger ones but they are harder and more costly to access.”

“You are going to end up one of the richest females on earth. With good money management you will become one of the richest individuals on earth.”

“Your personal enemies were a little harder to identify, but the CIA is very good at that. Even though they are not supposed to work within the USA, something like this brings all our intelligence agencies into play.”

 

“The consensus of the National Intelligence Committee is that your enemies are inside your extended family. As they do not represent a danger to the Government or people of the United States of America, we can take no further action in this matter.”

He looked at her with a cold dead look. Then a smile lit up his face for a minute.

“The Committee also said that you have already done more damage to them then they have even thought possible.”

 

“Having studied all of this and, interpolating what you are doing down there on your estate, it was the consensus of the Committee that a little help is all you will need. Mainly, this help is to prevent incidental interference from agencies not in the know.”

He turned to one of the Agents standing by a side door and nodded. The Agent opened the door and called a name.

The Attorney General stepped into the office. He looked at Cassie then stepped over to the President and laid a thick parcel on his desk.

 

“I am still not sure of this, Mr. President, but as far as I can determine it’s legal and has precedents.”

The President opened the parcel which he dumped out in front of him. He picked up a letter off the top and handed it to Cassie.

It was a letter on White House stationary. That much she could scan but the rest was to ‘light’ for her.

“Excuse me Mr. President, I need my assistant for a moment, may I have her come in?”

 

He looked up for a moment and then nodded to one of his Secret Service agents. The man turned and opened the door to the hall behind her.

“Schultz, I need you for a moment.” Cassie spoke into her Comm unit while pressing the button on it.

 

They waited a minute or two and the Secret Service Agent escorted Sergeant Schultz into the Oval Office.

“The reader Schultz.”

Schultz hurried to Cassie and set the briefcase in her lap.

Cassie opened the briefcase and booted the laptop up. Soon she was running the portable scanner over the letter from the president. With a flick of her fingers she had set the Comm channel to a wireless one from the laptop.

 

The letter the President had handed her stated: “I am proud to thank you for your time as a Special Deputy United State Marshal. With this letter, I am terminating your services in that position effective immediately.”

 

Cassie felt a deep sense of disappointment. She had not realized until then her great feeling of pride in carrying that badge on her belt. She clenched her cheek muscles to prevent tears from running. She reached to her belt and pulled her credential case loose and laid it on the President’s Desk.

Her father sat up at that as he had been unable to read the letter she now held. No matter! The expression of thanks in that letter, signed by the President, did not make up for her loss.

Cassie stood for awhile in the long shadow of all those previous men and women who had stood up to protect the people of the United States.

The President then handed her another page. This one also was on White House stationary.

 

Cassie sat there in a daze for a minute before she started scanning the letter.

Right below the heading was typed:

“Presidential Executive Order: 201x:00194

By my order this date of Oct. 13, 201x

Cassandra Howly Howard is appointed Special Deputy United State Marshal, TOE.

This appointment is for her lifetime and can only be rescinded by order of the President of the United States at the time it is rescinded.

 

The said Special Deputy United State Marshal shall be compensated with ($1) one dollar a year for the duration of this appointment.

She shall have the same authority as any full United State Marshal assigned to a Judicial District. As such, she may deputize any persons she needs in the performance of her duties.  Her Jurisdiction is any place the authority of the United States of America is found, or should be found.

All agencies, military commands and embassies are to give her full cooperation at all times. Failure to do so will be considered the same as malfeasance in performance.”

 

It was signed “President of the United States of America”.

 

Cassie froze upon reading it.

Looking up at the President, her mouth dropped open as she was at loss for words.

“We found where something similar was done back in the 50-60’s era. Your lack of monetary needs made it simple. No civil servant requirements.”

 

“And then there is this, a rush job, but the manufacturer was very pleased to respond to a request from the President.”

He handed her a new Credential case. She opened it and there, in the recessed badge holder, was a new gold marshal star. It was identical to a full marshal’s but with the words “Special Deputy US Marshal” on the top of the circle, but the bottom stated “Presidential”.

 

The Attorney General handed her a clipboard with a form to fill out and new credentials to sign. Unlike her previous credentials that had the Attorney General followed by the US Marshal in Texas, this set had the President at the top followed by the Attorney General.

The Attorney General showed her where she would need to sign it and Cassie signed it under her photo. The photo showed her as she looked right that minute. It must have been taken as she entered the White House. She then took the Identification Card and ran it thorough her scanner; on the back was a copy of the executive order.

 

The Attorney General then asked her for the ID card and said they would have it laminated and back to her before she left the White House. The Attorney General took his leave

 

 

 

“Marshal Howard, this is the best I can do for you. It’s more than the Attorney General thought I should do. You report to no one, but as a simple courtesy, if you are in another Marshal’s district, you should let them know.”

“That order gives you instant access to any US Embassy or Military Base in the world.”

“Please use it with discretion. I would hate to have to explain it to a Committee of Congress since it almost bypasses the ‘advice and consent’ clause of the Constitution.”

 

They spent an hour or so talking over the world news and economic situation. The President finally dismissed them as he had another meeting for the afternoon.

Captain Howell had been waiting and escorted her to the front. There he handed her the ID card in its credentials case and as Cassie got herself re-armed, he took one of her cards when she laid one down for the First Lady.

 

As they drove away her Dad asked her, “Cassie, do you like the Captain?”

“Yes Dad, I do. There is just something about him I like without reason. I know he is too old for me, or I’m too young for him, but I really would like to know him better.”

“Well, maybe not now, but remember, the longer you wait the closer you get to his age. Time can cure a lot of problems.”

They arrived back at the hotel and prepared to return to the estate. In her room Cassie thought for a moment.

“Sergeant Schultz.”

“Sergeant Schultz, here.” She replied back.

“Schultz, find that detail commander from this morning and report back here to me.”

“Roger, Sergeant Schultz out.”

Cassie prepared herself for this meeting. She took her credentials and inserted the tab on the case into a slot on her left Lapel. Flopped open, her Marshal Badge stood out prominently.

_______________________

 

An hour later, Cassie heard the knock on her suite door. A quick scan showed her Staff Sergeant Schultz and the unknown Sergeant from that morning’s Security detail.

“Enter.” Cassie was sitting at a desk working on her laptop. As the door opened, she turned her attention from the report she was writing. With the wireless interface she could hear each word as she typed it into the laptop. She was doing a full evaluation of the air assault by the Presidential Protection. She was sure both Clint and Captain Gifford were going to be very interested in what she had sensed.

 

As Schultz and the other Sergeant entered and came to attention she rotated to face them.

Their attention was attracted to her badge and then became deeply focused. It was a unique badge, maybe the first in a line of them.

“Relax and pull up a chair, both of you.”

Looking at Schultz, she nodded at the other Sergeant. Schultz knew what that meant and responded immediately.

“Ma’am this is Sergeant Taylor, Charles Taylor. He is fairly new to our operation. In fact this detail was his first command.”

 

“Sergeant Taylor, do you know what happened this morning? And why what happened this morning was wrong?”

“Ma’am it has been explained to me in great detail. My problem evolved out of my belief that I was part of a detachment reporting in and that the detachment commander was responsible for making sure that the whole detachment was reporting in.”

 

“I have never previously worked in Personal Protection or a Bodyguard Detail. I had not been fully oriented to that kind of protocol.”

Cassie’s head turn quickly toward Sergeant Schultz and raised an eyebrow with an implied question.”

“Who assigned you as detail commander?” Schultz asked.

“2^nd Lt. Curtis Avon, OOD night shift relief.”

“Who is that Schultz?”

“Ma’am, he is one of our new officers. He has been used as the relief OOD for different shifts.”

 

“Well, I want you to write up a training procedure to bring every officer up to standards, then the sergeants that would or will be detail commanders. This was a real SNAFU not only in training and protocol awareness, but also operationally.”

 

“Sergeant, I will be assigning you as Sergeant Schultz’s assistant for a week or so. If you can keep up with her, you will be fully up to standards in a week.”

“Schultz, make that so.”

“Yes, Ma’am it will be done.”

“Carry on.”

Cassie turned back to her report. She was planning mentally for her trip to USMS headquarters in Roanoke. There she would make her courtesy call. There were, surprisingly, a lot of people that she needed to inform. The Chief of Roanoke County Police was another.

 

 

The next morning, Cassie’s Tahoe made its first stop of the day at the Federal Building in Roanoke, VA.  Her back up security was with her along with one airborne unit and one early bird forward point. When her vehicle pulled up she spotted the early bird sitting in a position that it could note two sides of the area. 

 

Cassie exited the Tahoe. Grace was right in front of her. As they entered the building, Cassie wondered how the Marshal and his Chief Supervisory Deputy were going to react to what she was about to hit them with.

The building security stopped her as she passed through the front entrance. Cassie pulled up her credential case and opened it for them. The Deputy in charge at the front froze upon seeing her badge and then reading her credentials.

 

“These are my security staff members.  We are here to see the US Marshal and his Chief Supervisory Deputy.”

 

There was suddenly a Deputy that wanted nothing to do with the political fallout about to hit. Cassie and her detail continued down the hallway to the Marshal’s offices.

She walked past the receptionist and opened the door to the inner offices. It was obvious that the Chief Supervisory Deputy took the early morning to conference with the Marshal. As Cassie stepped in, both came to their feet.

 

Cassie stepped in and stopped after being sure her two people were fully in the office. Then she stepped forward as the two in the office started too stutter as they caught their breath to scream at her.

 

Cassie slowly held her credentials out with the full Presidential Executive Order visible. “I hope this will clear up all misunderstandings between the three of us. You are not, in any way responsible, for my actions. I am, basically a worldwide US Marshal with a roving district.”

“I find this very appropriate to have happen in Virginia, the State with Independent Cities, in and not in certain counties. I am a Marshal not assigned to any one Judicial District but have authority in all of them.”

They sat down and she informed them of the support that she might have to call upon them for and that she would try to keep this to the bare minimum.

Then she stood up, said her farewells, and she and hers departed.

 

The visit to the chief of police of Roanoke County Police went off much better than the visit to the USMS. The Chief got a laugh out of it as he pictured the confrontation.

 

As they left the Police Department, she called up Schultz. “Schultz, I am still planning on making the visit with Maj. Woods today. Have you found out more about it? We have lost almost a week on this. Please talk to Maj. Woods and see if there is anything that we can do to recover time lost.”

“Roger, that Ma’am. I will put in some effort to see if we can un-rock this boat.”

 

They drove to the campus and dropped her and two of her security. Then Cpl. Jerkin drove the vehicle to secure it. As Cassie and her two people entered the Physics class, the other students stood up and began to clap. Cassie froze and her scan went all over everybody, trying to find out why they were clapping.

 

Professor Howell walked into the room at that moment. “Class, please take your seat. Ms. Howard I was notified that you had a family emergency and would miss a few days. I hope it’s been taken care of now.”

 

“Your paper was filed before midnight the other day.  It was predictive, and the first paper filed on the factors that all three, NASA, UAH Astronomy and UCLA Jet propulsion laboratory had failed to make allowance for. We have received much credit for the work. Congratulations, Ms. Howard excellent work.”

“Ms. Howard, the Dean wishes you to join him to discuss opportunities with you.” With that, he dismissed her from the class. Cassie and her detail left the classroom and headed for the Dean of Physics’ offices.  She spent the reminder of the day with the Deans of the Math and Physics Departments.

 

The discussions of her academic position and her wealth led to major changes to how she would study and take her courses. First they were changing her degree to a BS/MS degree program. This would actually reduce her course work by about one year. All her major course work for a senior year would, in fact, be graduate level course work. On completion she would get double grades as undergraduate level and as graduate level work.

 

At the same time, she would begin to spend time in the Research Building working with some of their foremost researchers. This work, that normally paid a small stipend, would pay her only in credit work. They felt that they should be able to get her MS degree in about one semester of work.

 

Unknown to the Deans, she had been taking advance course work for the core curriculum during her High School classes so the year to a year and a half that was normally needed for the core curriculum was already finished for her. She had about one year of intense upper level course work left for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.

 

Waltzing at the White House

 

Waltzing at the White House

Chapter 8

 

Cassie’s scans had not missed all the cars gathering at the scene. When her team exited the bomb truck and got the all clear on her Tahoe, the agents in those cars headed for her like sharks after chum.

 

“Marshal Howard.” Special Agent James Williams was the first to arrive and he had a stranger with him.

“Special Agent Williams, what a pleasure to see you again.”

“Well I would think so too, if every time we met it wasn’t to look into problems involving you. Let me introduce you to Special Agent Kirk Reynolds of the BATF. He will be in charge of the investigation as it involved an explosive device and a Federal Agent.”

“Agent Williams, you know my Federal Status is more of an honorary position then an actual agent.”

“That is probably a very good thing. You have more violent incidents than any other ten agents together.”

“Agent Reynolds, how can I help you?”

“Ms. Howard, do you have any idea who would try to blow you up?”

“No I don’t, anymore then I have any idea why eleven people attacked me in Idaho more than two months ago.”

Cassie said nothing more and there was a moment of intense silence.

“What about just a couple weeks ago when you had to shoot three men on your property?”

“That was an easy one. The man in charge had been working for his uncle doing odd jobs. He heard about a delivery of some weapons to a rich person and thought he could pull a little home invasion. He really should have thought twice about that idea.”

 

“I heard that you not only spotted this bomb but that you disarmed it.”

 

“Well Sergeant Norm of the Bomb Squad said it was one of the simplest bombs. It was primarily a timer with a pressure switch if anyone tried to move it.”

“Where did you get your training in demolition Ms. Howard?”

“This last summer in Idaho while I worked on a gold claim.”

“Now if I had done a bomb I would have made sure I had control of it with a remote trigger such as a cell phone or pager hooked up to the battery to trigger the blasting caps with a call.”

“Then there was the explosive, it was really overkill! Not only would it have taken out the Tahoe but everything around it for at least fifty feet.”

 

“Maybe they think you are dangerous and wanted to take no chances.” Agent Reynolds said.

 

“No, they don’t know me, not really. If they did, they would never have gotten that close to me. They would have tried a Barrett 50 at a mile. Not that they would have been any more successful.”

 

“Excuse me, Deputy Howard; I need to speak to you.” Both agents turned to see the US Marshal for the District standing behind them. Cassie, of course, had sensed him coming. “Marshal Scott, this is Special Agent Williams of the FBI and Special Agent Reynolds of the BATF. Agents this is Marshal Harry Scott of the Western Judicial District of Virginia.”

“Excuse us agents, I need to speak to Deputy Marshal Howard a moment.” He turned and walked away.

Cassie followed him until they reached his vehicle.  He turned and faced her. “Deputy, you are a trouble magnet. As soon as I can, I am going to find a way to pull that badge from you. I want you out of my district now!”

“Well sir, I am afraid that is not happening. I own several million dollars worth of property here. I am the head of two corporations which now own facilities here. Besides, I have a dinner party with the President Wednesday night to attend.”

“I will mention your problems to him.”

If she could have seen, she would have noticed that he turned pale with her mention of dinner with the President.

Cassie turned and left him. She returned to her Tahoe and headed back to the estate. “On your toes team, the bomber might have a 2^nd arrow for his bow.

“HQ, Security do we still have air surveillance?”

“Security, yes Ma’am we’ve got double eyes in the sky. You’ve got back up behind and in front. Those two agents are following you also.”

“I’m not worried about them. Did you record the conversation with the Marshal?”

“Yes ma’am, you were letting it come through so we thought you might want it for later.”

“Ma’am will the Marshal cause you problems? “

“I hate saying this, but most Marshals are just political appointees. They are not really law enforcement professionals. They just want no problems during their tenure. Most come and go with the Presidents. Now the Deputy US Marshals are the professionals; they are civil servants and work for the Department.”

“So when we look at his political pull versus mine, I’ve got millions and my Dad. Who do you think I will bet on winning?”

“Let’s get home I want to talk to my mother.”

_________________________

Cassie and her mother were eating dinner together. They were not alone. Her mother’s assistant, Helen, and Cassie’s Aide, SSgt. Schultz, were sitting at the same table.

“So Cassie, what do you think those Professors are up to?”

“It’s ridiculous Mom, but I think they are planning on me getting an advanced degree as quickly as they can. I love it so far. Math, Physics and even chemistry all seem to be just different phases of the same thing.”

“It’s like me scanning the ground outside of the house. Then you go to a window and look out.”

“If we told somebody else, they might not even understand that we were describing the very same thing just from different viewpoints.”

 

“That’s what I see when I am studying the different sciences.”

“Mom, it seems to be getting easier and easier for me. I just spent an hour on the internet. I was researching some of the advanced math. I swear mom, I think I could pass any test given on calculus right now.”

 

“It’s like me being able to see more and better now than before I went blind. I can see deeper and more of Physics then I could have even imagined a year ago.”

“And math is like another language, one that I had learned as a child and was now being given again. Every new theorem I am presented with takes me seconds to understand and to apply. Now I analyze every moving object around me and predict its trajectory.”

 

“It seems to me, Cassie, like you are even more enthralled by science then you were by your new senses last year.” Sarah stated.

“Yes and no. Mom, I am constantly exercising my senses now. I do it unconsciously. Right now I am scanning out to over 4 miles all around us. I’m examining a car going down State Highway 311 right now. There is a deer in the forest behind the estate. I ‘see’, examine and continue on. I am always stretching my abilities further, narrowing its sensitivity trying to get more details.”

Cassie paused, thinking. “Mom, I can sense down to the molecular structure now. I have not been able to make out the building block yet, but I know its coming.”

 

“One of the things about the sciences is to explain what I see and feel. Nobody has made up a manual to explain what, how and why I can do what I do. Maybe science can help me write it.”

 

“So, science is not something new, it’s a continuation of these abilities you have?”

“Yes! That’s it Mom!”

“Oh my!”

“What is it Cassie?” Sarah reached over and grasped Cassie’s hand in hers.

“That’s it! My math and science abilities all bloomed right after I really started stretching my senses! They are connected in some way.”

“My sensing abilities have to be centered in the brain. When I began to stretch it, I must have also stretched other things about my brain.”

“You need to see a specialist Cassie!”

“Mom, there are no specialists in this field. I have searched and searched. No physical scientist, neurologist or similar believes in mental abilities such as ESP.”

“Don’t worry about me Mom; I examine my own body daily. My brain cells are just a hair more active since I started looking at this last year. Not even enough to see the difference on the charts.”

“Ok, let’s change the subject, Sergeant anything I should know about operations. Any problems?”

 

“No Ma’am, Major Woods has asked for an appointment. The subject matter is recruitment.”

“Did you set up the appointment?”

“Yes, Ma’am. You will meet with her tomorrow afternoon when you return from school before your time in the dojo.”

“My time in the Dojo?”

“Yes, Ma’am, Sensei Inoue has scheduled you for three workouts a week. He said you have gotten sloppy.”

“Ouch, that is going to hurt.”

“Yes Ma’am I believe so.”

______________________

 

Cassie rolled over and out of her bed. She had her Glock 27 in her hand as she dropped and rolled; she had it pointed at the window as she waited. On the wall, outside of her room, a man was clinging as he slowly pulled himself up. Cassie stood and eased back to her bed. Using her left hand she picked up her comm unit earpiece and inserted it in her left ear. The Mic, a small button, she hung around her neck.

Cassie picked up the comm unit off the bedside desk and pressed the button on her comm, activating it and alerting security. In a soft voice she said.

”Cassie here, go to silent alert. We’ve got intruders climbing the outside of the building. One is feet from my window. We want as many alive as possible.”

“Get my mother and dad covered now!”

Over her comm she heard the estate go to alert. Then she heard the returns.

“Perimeter patrol 2 is down, no response from them. Building patrol 1, no response.”

“This is Building patrol 2 inside security residence we have started wakeup protocol. The Captain is up, and two of the Lieutenants are up. The other one is not here.”

“This is Lieutenant Taylor; I am in the main building Security Room. All inside security have been alerted and ready to move. We are fully armed.”

“This is Sensei Inoue. I have taken out three intruders behind the security residence.”

“Roger that Sensei!”

“This is Shadow I am unarmored, my main gun only. Do not enter my room. Security, lights off in building. Lockdown all rooms and go to night vision.”

With those instructions all the lights went out on the main building. She moved to meet the intruder just as he breached her window. Her left hand flashed out and with one jerk she had removed his night vision throwing it over her head. Then her Glock caught him barrel first in his throat. She twisted and caught him with a rear kick into his solar plexus and he was down.

“They are wearing night vision also. Security use strobe flash, eyes closed everyone.” With that, Security set off the electronic light strobe. Anybody looking anywhere at the house with night vision was now blind. 

 

“Security I need a detail, one prisoner in my room now.”

“Okay, perimeter patrol 1, there are three vans parked one quarter mile away now on 311, presently one driver each.”

“Building patrol 2, you’ve got three coming at your rear. Go to ground.”

Estate patrol, we’ve got three more to your right going away from the house. Take them on my mark. Three, two, one, mark!”

“Main Building, we’ve got two on the roof trying to find a way inside. They are preparing to rappel down the east side.”

Cassie scanned inside and out but could find no more intruders. That was an awfully light force to hit a place as big as this. She extended her scans further and further. She spotted a sniper in the Forest, about a mile and half away. Cassie had no patrols in the national forest.

The sniper had a Barrett 50 and she followed the barrel to its target. “Everybody down incoming fire!”

She was going through the door as it opened and Security tried to come in to recover her prisoner. One was knocked flat and she picked up the other two and carried them for about ten feet before they slid off her body. Her scan showed the sniper was reloading; he was using a single shot technique. She refused to look as she kicked her parent’s bedroom door down.

“Mom! She screamed, as she sensed her Mom on the floor with her Dad holding her. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. “She is okay. He got her on the side, just a really long scratch. Get him Cassie; they do not know what they have unleashed today.”

She stopped her movement toward them and pivoted toward the window. It seemed impossible but she had nothing else to try. She stood in the window with no cover staring straight at the sniper a mile and half away. “I gave my warning already; you and yours are now dead.”

With that she brought up her .40 caliber Glock and aimed and aligned it with the barrel of the rifle. With a squeeze, she fired. She turned back to her mother as the sniper pulled his trigger. 

Three inches from exiting the barrel of the Barrett, the .50 caliber slug was met by a .40 caliber counterpart. They plugged the barrel making it worthless. The expanding gases flashed back down the barrel exploding the receiver into the sniper’s face.

The fall from the blind in the tree broke his back and both legs. He lay there in agony. Every so often the thought ran through his mind, “How? How had that girl done that impossible shot?” By the time he was found there was no chance of saving his life.

The remains of his rifle were found also. The men stared at it in awe. It was obvious that something had jammed the barrel causing the back flash. But it took a lab analysis to determine what caused the blockage.

 

When the results came back, there was an argument over what to do with the rifle. Captain Gifford settled the question when the sergeant explained to him what had happened.

“Sergeant, get us a glass case. Mount what’s left in that case and hang it in the dayroom. Put a plaque on it telling the distance, and the title. ‘.40 versus .50 the .40 won!’”

 

“I will put up one thousand dollars to one dollar for anybody who wants to challenge The Shadow to a gun fight.”

It got quiet and heads started shaking. Those with a second thought took a look at the destroyed Barrett 50.

______________________

 

Cassie sat beside her mother in the hospital bed in the emergency room, holding her hand. Tears ran down her cheek from her overflowing eyes. She laid her head down on the clasped hands.

She raised her head when she felt a hand pushing the hair out of her face. Sitting up she saw the smile on her mother’s face. “MOM!”

“Don’t scream dear, I am wounded you know.”

The room filled with doctors and nurses. Cassie was pushed out of the way as they worked on her mother. She listened as her mother let them know she had enough.

 

Cassie’s mother’s initial treatment was completed and Cassie and George went with her to her hospital room.

 

George hugged his daughter as he pulled her out of the room. There, in the hallway, was Clint. He stepped forward and hugged her too.

“It’s going to be okay Cassie.”

“We know who these people are. They are a professional hit team out of Cleveland. The modern day ‘Murder, Inc.’, they are part of a local Mafia family there.”

 

“Well I guess I’d better go up there and talk to them.”

“I don’t think so girl. From my ears to the ground, more than ten percent of the family has died since last night from car wrecks, heart attacks, burning buildings, and mugging! I mean who mugs a Mafia person? They are dying like flies.”

“Cassie, look at this!” He handed her a paper. It was open to an inside news section. A single car accident on the highway from Cleveland, Ohio to Knoxville, Kentucky had killed four men.”

Cassie could not read more as the ink was too thin, looking at Clint. “Read it to me.”

“…four brothers Charles, Richard, Thomas, and Prichard Howly were all killed as their car had three tires blowout at the same time causing their car to roll off a bridge.”

“Howly?”

“Yeah, I’ve got people looking for more Howly deaths. You just don’t screw with the Howards. Payback is an m… a bitch.”

“You think this is part of what led to us being attacked?”

“Your Dad does. When I told him I was hunting for any sign of who did this he told me not to bother. It was taken care of.”

Cassie thought for a moment, remembering the scene of her scanning the sniper as she brought her Glock down onto the target. What had she said? “I gave my warning already; you and yours are now dead.”

Yeah, she thought of the newspaper and what Clint had said. They were one and all dead men walking.

___________________________

 

Wednesday afternoon she entered the main house after a couple hours working out in the dojo. Her focus had been so sharp that she had been able to take Sensei Inoue down three times.

“Six times next week.” He said to her as she bowed off the practice mats. Her mind was busy with its routine scans of the estate. New sensors were being installed along the perimeter fences.

The forest behind the estate was also being secured. Hidden cameras, sensors, and trip wires were going in over the whole area within a mile of the estate’s back boundary.

She and her sensing abilities had saved the day when they were attacked. Further investigation found that all the men involved were specially trained for infiltration and assassination. The Cleveland family was gone. Every member that knew the business was now dead. Most of their muscles were gone as well.

Cassie had taken a break for lunch at Russo and invited Pietro to join her. There, she explained what had happened at her estate. She told him that her mother had been wounded and who had taken the contract. Then she quietly told him that every man in the family would die. She further mentioned that the four men who had given them the contract were dead, and soon the deaths would flow through that family as well.

“Pietro, in Texas they say ‘don’t mess with Texas’. Then they follow that statement with another ‘For God and the Devil’s sake don’t mess with The Howards.’ My family is the Howards in that statement. You might pass the message on to the rest of the Families.”

She had skipped school the last two days so had no idea what the two professors or the Dean of the Math department had been doing. Now she had to get dressed up for the dinner with her Dad at the White House.

 

Her scan had picked up Cpl. Lambskin in her rooms and the gown hanging on the dress rack in the middle of her bedroom. It took the two of them an hour to bathe her, put on makeup, and fix her hair and dress. Her body tingled after the crèmes were rubbed into her body.

 

The gold chain used as a belt was in reality a fifteen feet of gold plated steel. Her shoes had steel toes on them. She might not be allowed to wear her guns but she was not walking into that place completely unarmed.

The two hair combs that Cpl. Lambskin had used to manage her hair had five very strong and pointed teeth, which she could hold in either hand.

Cassie looked at Corporal Lambskin,  “Corporal, we’re going to spend the night in Washington.  Pack me a set of Dress Uniforms and undergarments to wear on the trip home tomorrow.”

After getting dressed she left her rooms and walked down the hallway to the guestroom area where she knocked on a door. “Come in!”

Cassie opened the door and entered the guestroom where her mother was lying in bed. They had sent her home that morning to finish her recovery.

“Oh my god! You’re absolutely beautiful Cassie! Her mother’s face beamed with a broad smile as she tried to push herself higher in the bed. Cassie quickly moved forward and knelt next to her mother. Sarah leaned over carefully and smoothed back Cassie’s hair.

Cassie heard her softly murmuring “Beautiful!”

“Stand up Cassie I want to get the full effect!”

Cassie came to her feet and slowly turned around, letting her gown sweeps out around her. Then she took a couple of steps away and rotated and came back. Her scan showed her a frown growing on her mother’s face.

“Cassie, where is your gun? I understand now what you meant about having time to find one. You don’t go anywhere without your gun!’

“Mom, this is to the White House with the President and his family. There is no way they will let me in there with a gun!”

“Then don’t go!”

“Don’t worry mother, I will be safe.”
“Humm! In that dress you might be right. Find some big military man and stay behind him.”

“Mom, when I enter a room I am the most dangerous person in that room. So don’t worry about me.”

She spent an hour with her mother and then their party exited to the vehicles. Cassie’s ear bug was hidden under a sweep of hair on that side of her head. The Mic button was stuck to her Celtic Eye that nobody ever seemed to see.

The normal comm traffic buzzed around her.

“Coachman 1, the Shadow and party have entered the limo.”
“Point one is mounted and starting our egress.”

“Tail back one is mounted and prepared to follow.”

“Hawks one and two are airborne and sweeping the path.”

“Backup one and two are already enroute.”

“This is Coachman one, we are on the exit drive approaching gatehouse.”

 

Cassie extended her scan for over five miles behind them and in front of their vehicles. She watched the routes with an overlap of 300 yards along either side of the route she was taking.

The drive to Washington took two and half hours and they pulled up to the gates into the White House. “George Howard, with his daughter Cassandra Howly Howard.”

Security covered the limo and scanners and mirrors were used to confirm the Limo was clean. They stepped back and waved the limo forward to the portico where she and her dad exited. Cassie had kept track of their two vehicles which were parking at a previously arranged spot. The backup vehicles were there and waiting them. The two Hawks were holding and circling on the edge of the restricted air space.

 

The dinner was very elegant. Cassie conversed lightly with her companion seated to her left, a middle aged ambassador. Mostly, she just observed. Leaning toward her father she quietly asked. “Dad, why are we here?”

“To be seen. Tomorrow the Society and Political columnists will both be speculating about why and who we were. You see, we are little known outside of our part of Texas. Heads up! This part is about to end.”

Cassie brought her attention back to the dinner which was ending and people were standing up. She did so with a smile to the ambassador. Taking her father’s arm she walked with him as they proceeded to another room where dancers were taking to the floor.

 

“Our turn Cassie.” With that her father twirled her around and they danced the waltz. As the dance proceeded Cassie was asked by many of the young men to dance. She was dancing with a man in his early thirties wearing a dress mess uniform. She scanned him closely and soon determined he was a marine. “Excuse me but could we find a seat, I would like to ask you some questions.”

He looked around and then danced her off the floor into a hall way. He led them to a guard in the hall. “Smoke area?” he asked the guard. From there they exited to a covered portico where small groups were walking or setting on benches. Escorting her to a bench he helped her take a seat.

“We should be able to talk for a minute or so.”

“Thank you. First, I never caught your name Captain.”

“I am Captain George Howell, United State Marine Corp, assigned as one of the military aides to the President.”

“I am Cassandra Howly Howard, I am color blind, and so I cannot determine anything about your ribbons. But I am sure that three rows of them are a little extraordinary for a young Captain to have. Could you tell me what each of them are for and what you did to get them.”

 

 

“Miss you need to know one thing, most real combat veterans do not like talking about their experience. Most men who get these,” he tapped the ribbons. “Would just as well forget how they got them. So I will just tell what the medals are.”

 

“This is the Silver Star, Iraq second gulf war. This is the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and this is the Bronze Star the little metal piece means I got more than one. This next one is the oldest medal in the United States armed forces. It started as a heart made of purple cloth during the Revolutionary War. It’s the Purple Heart. You get it for being wounded in service to your country. The next one is the Navy and Marine Commendation medal. The bottom three are ‘I was there’. They are for combat campaigns in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They just tell other persons who know them that yes I was there.”

 

“Excuse me Captain. Ms. Howard, I was to tell you that your father is waiting for you in the Oval Office. I am to escort you. Sorry Captain.” The Captain waved that off as he was looking closely at Cassie. He stood and offered her his hand. She took it and let him give a gentle tug.

 

“Jeff, I will escort Ms. Howard to the entrance and you can escort the two of us.”

“Perfectly okay Captain.”

He escorted her down a hallway and then another until they approached a door with men standing outside it and along the halls as they merged. He turned, bringing her hand up to his lips and softly touched her gloved finger with his lips. “It has been a pleasure Ma’am.”

 

Cassie came to attention and then curtsied with a bow of her head. “Equally mine, Captain.”

He came to attention then did an about face and slow marched away. She watched him, feeling a shiver go through her body.

“This way ma’am.” A voice brought her back to awareness of where she was. She turned and approached the door with a man who she now recognized as a secret service agent. He nodded to the man standing next to the door where the second agent, brought a wand over to check her out. A beeping picked up and became steady as the wand ran over her body.

 

Everybody froze, the two agents stepped away from her to give them range. Cassie looked at the wand and pointed at her upper torso above her bosom. The agent brought the wand to that position and the beeping increased again. Cassie reached up and spread the top of her dress wide so that the agent could see that there was nothing there. Then she lowered her head and pointed at her two combs. Again when the agent brought the wand near it began to beep louder.  The agents then determined that both combs were made of metal.

 

The first agent next to the door opened it wide and Cassie stepped inside the Oval Office, the most well known office in the world. Her father was sitting to the left of the desk talking to the man behind it, the President. Cassie stepped forward slowly to an internal beat of drums. She was about to meet the President of the United States.

Her scans were going at full speed. This was important; she did not know how she knew this but this meeting was one of the most important things happening on earth today. She hesitated just as she reached her chair; her scan had sensed something about the President. She concentrated and sensed that he had a growth on the bottom of his left lung.

 

The President and her father had both stood as she entered the room. Then her father introduced them. She sat down and waited.

 

Her father and the President then sat down, returning to their previous conversation.

Cassie listened but did not participate at all. The growth was important but not the most important. What was she supposed to see?

 

Her scans began to expand outward. Then she narrowed it, forcing her range to even greater length. Then she caught it. On the roof, four miles away, a door opened and three men came out. One was carrying a rug, which they laid on the roof and unrolled. It was big. Then she saw a pack with the mortar rounds. This was a 120 mm mortar and the White House was well within its range.

“Excuse me Mr. President, but do you have quick access to a bunker from here.”

“That’s one of those top secret things Ms. Cassie.”

“Well then you better get to one quick because there are some men loading a 120 mm mortar on the roof of one those buildings in the distance. I think we are well within the range of it.”

 

With that she did not get another word out as the Secret Service hit the President with what at first looked like a football huddle. Then he was moving out of the room and down a secret passage. Cassie and her Dad were grabbed and hustled right behind the President. The place became like an ant hill that had been kicked apart. People were scrambling everywhere.

 

Though being hustled along Cassie kept her scan focused on the roof. From what appeared to be out of empty air three different helicopters appeared.

The first one was an attack helicopter that came at the roof at full speed, as soon as it was in range it lay down suppressing fire.

 

Its attack lasted only minutes then it had to pull up and out of the way of the next helicopter that was entering its fire zone and they were not stopping!

Men were already rappelling down ropes before they were over their target. Guns were going off.

 

The third copter hung back waiting for the second helicopter to pull out.

 

Cassie’s thoughts flew. Where had they come from? She had not spotted them while doing her scan. She flashed back and followed backward from her first detection. They had been in the air outside the no fly zone when the Secret Service alert had brought them in.

 

Knowing the Oval Office was the target and its location. They had no trouble anticipating the correct alignment for the mortars to be setup. It had taken them no time to direct their flight into the area where a 120 mm mortar had to be.

 

Now that was the kind of training she wanted her people to have!

 

Cassie was pushed into an empty room. Her scan showed her father was in the next room. As soon as the door closed, he found a seat and sat down. Cassie saw no reason not to imitate him. The men on the roof never had a chance to fire the mortar. This whole night would be covered up.

Hours later, she was escorted out of the room and taken to a conference room. There were cameras all over the room. A little later her father was brought in also.

He reached for her hand, “No touching! No talking! Just sat down and wait.” One of the men said from a desk on the far side of the room.

Cassie looked at her father and smiled.

Her scan picked up the President entering the room that looked into this one through a one way mirror. He was arguing with some of his advisors. Finally they backed off and he sat down so he could see and listen to the room where she and her dad were sitting.

“Okay let me tell you. You are under arrest under the Patriot Act. We want to know the whole organization that you’re working with.”

“First, you are operating under false premises. We are not members of any organization other then public corporations.”

“Secondly, the only people I know that should be arrested are you idiots.”

“Cassie.”

“Sorry Dad, but it’s the truth! Furthermore, Dad, they are about to get me angry. You know what will happen if they do.”

“Cassie, please stay calm.”

Okay. But if that man says one more word I will make him eat it. If anybody wants to talk to me, please do so, but not him.” With that she pointed at the man who seemed to think he was in charge.

“Listen, little girl, I am the director of the Presidential Protection Detail. I will…” he froze as Cassie stood up and slowly walked around the table and toward him. She stopped before she reached him. He stuttered as Cassie turned away from him and looked directly at where the President was sitting.

 

“Mr. President. I know you are there.  Please forgive me but I will not talk with this arrogant and officious man.” She nodded at the man behind her.

 “First, “Mr. President I’d advise you that you have a small growth on the bottom of your left lung. I cannot tell if it is benign or malignant. And the man three to your left is carrying a bug and is recording everything it hears.”

 

She continued her scans as the man she had identified tried to leave. The Secret Service stripped him down and found the bug. Another man entered the room with the President and gave him a folder. Soon the President was engrossed in his reading. He would say something and, one by one, the advisors gathered around him took pages he had finished and read them themselves. The President stood up and everybody followed him as he exited the room and headed for the door to the room where Cassie and her father were. “Dad, the President is coming.”

They turned to face the door. The other men in the room all looked at them and then snapped to attention as the door opened and the President and the mob of men following him entered the room. The President came to the table and pulled a chair out and sat down. His attention was focused fully on Cassie.

 

“Are you Cassandra Howly Howard, 14 years of age?”

“Well, yes, but Witsec has given me a new birth certificate so I am 18 now.”

“Eighteen! A Special Deputy US Marshal, owner of twenty-five percent of a company called “We Find It!” which is mining about 8 million dollars worth of gold a day?”

“The heir to an estate worth more than 200 million dollars on the day you were born? As a Special Deputy Marshal you have killed more than 12 men this year?” At that, she saw all the Secret Service personal go to extra alert.

“So far you‘ve got the details correct, Mr. President. You missed the recent hit at my estate in Virginia I killed the sniper that shot my mother by putting a .40 caliber round into the barrel of his .50 caliber Barrett at a range of a mile and half.”

The room got very silent. “You donated over a million dollars to the campaign funds for both the Senators from Texas. A couple of weeks ago you put half a million into the campaign of Congressman Cole of your district in Virginia.” The President stated.

“That is correct. Mr. President, have one of your men check my eyes.”

He nodded to a man that had followed him into the room. He stepped over to Cassie and pulled out a pocket light which he began to shine in her eyes. It did not bother Cassie as her eyes could not detect any light.

“No! This is not right.”

“What’s wrong Jack?” The President asked.

“She is blind Mr. President. There is no light response or reflex from her pupils. Mr. President she is as blind as a bat.”

 

“I shoot 100 percent on the range. I never miss if there is a clear passage from my gun to the target.”

“I saw those attackers at a range of four miles setting up those mortars. I saw the bug that other man was carrying, oh, and that growth on your lungs.”

 

“It’s a form of ESP, but stronger than any ever found before me. Officially you are the first to be informed of this. My range is now about 5 miles when I narrow the focus of it, but when I just relax it’s a sphere over half mile in radius. I think it is based on mass. I actually sense the mass of the materials around me. I found a stream of gold in Idaho that is daily making me richer than Midas.”

 

With proof of what Cassie had said, the interrogation was soon ended. They returned to the Oval office where Cassie’s history was discussed in detail. Her Celtic Cross and Eye was never brought up. To Cassie that began to seem more like magic then psychic powers.

She mentioned the problems she was beginning to have with the Marshal in the Western District of Virginia. It was late or really early morning when the meeting finally broke up. They left and went to one of the many major hotels in Washington where Sergeant Schultz had made prior reservations.

Before going to bed, Cassie made contact with her people on the estate. “I need a change in security teams. Sergeant Schultz, please bring me my fanciest dress uniform, in fact bring me Cpl. Lambskin. I have a fresh set of clothes but they are too informal for the White House and we have another appointment with the President tomorrow.”

 

“Roger, that Ma’am. We are getting ready to leave now.”

“Have the team rest as much as possible enroute. The team on duty has to be worn out.

“Roger, we are now departing. See you later Ma’am.”

“Sergeant Townsend.”

“Coachman 1, reporting.” Came back over the comm unit.

“Did you get in the loop on what’s happening?”

“Ma’am, your aides and another security team are enroute to this location, roger!”

“You will have the duty until they arrive. Get on a phone and find out how many and who will be reporting in. Hopefully, you will get some sack time.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

“I am about to hit my bed, hopefully it will not hit back, ‘Nite’ and out.”

She removed her comm devices and set them on the bedside desk, where she placed her regular Glock. Then she climbed under the covers.

As she dropped to sleep, in the distance she heard the Marine Corp Hymn being played.

 

____________________________

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.

It’s Just Math

Into The Shadows

Vlfouquet

It’s Just Math

Chapter 7

 

 

 

“Cassie, I need to talk with Julie before I make a decision. This is not a solo decision. It involves both of us. It is going to take me at least a week.”

 

“That is fine; we have an office address in Washington, but that’s all it is. That address is the same as our lawyers there. Or if you decide you like it here we can build you a house and an office complex.”

“We have a lot of construction going up so we could add yours to it with no problem.”

 

“Ma’am.”

Cassie turned to look at Schultz. “Yes Sergeant?”

“It’s getting late; your reservation is open ended. Not to be rushing, you need to be heading out.”

Cassie scanned the Grandfather clock in the next room. Schultz was right.

She stood up and everybody followed her lead pushing the chairs back from the table.

“Clint, do you think a double security team will be enough?”

 

“How big a team?”

“I usually take three, one of them my driver.”

“Let keep the drivers with the vehicles. Take one for each inside with us. Put three on patrol around the area.” He said.

“Sergeant Schultz, make it so.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

They all began to leave the office.

“Major Woods, write up a summary of the meeting and let Sergeant Schultz have a copy tomorrow.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

She took off and disappeared down the hallway.  Clint eyes followed her.

“Where did you get her Cassie?”

“I told our law firm I wanted an in house counsel who could keep up physically. They sent me her resume. She was working for them as research assistant and had just passed her bar exam. She had gone through college and law school on the G.I. Bill or its equivalent.”

“They included her military records. That was it. She has heard the whistle of bullets.”

 

They walked to the rear entrance to the house, Cassie heard over the general comm channel, “This is Sgt. Townsend, all security and vehicles ready to leave.”

 

“The vehicles are ready. Let’s get out of here.”

_____________________________

 

As their party entered Russo’s, Pietro Russo was standing next to the Maitre’d. Stepping forward he gave Cassie a bow.

“Welcome Signorina Howard, please follow me.” He turned and led them to a corner that was elevated a foot above the rest of the dining area.  

He and a group of waiters helped each lady to have a seat. Schultz pulled a little black box out and sat it in the center of the table. A green light on it was flashing.

Russo looked at it for a moment and smiled as he nodded at Schultz and stepped away. The waiter took their orders and the wine steward took their drink orders.

“What is that?” Her mother asked,

Schultz paused, than answered, “It’s a bug detector. It also emits white noise which interferes with any parabolic mike system. If the green light goes out or the red light comes on, stop talking.”

“Why do we need it?” Rosie asked.

Cassie took that one. “The man that seated us is Pietro Russo, he owns the place but he is also Don Russo to the local Italians. He is connected to the real Mafia. The law enforcement in the area favors him over any possible competitor.”

 

“He controls most local crime and tries to keep it away from kids allowing no drugs near any schools. In cases of missing children, we have thousand of free searchers looking as soon as he hears. If a pedophile is involved, we will hear where the body will be found.”

 

“I don’t think he would bug us, but why take a chance. This place is the best place in Roanoke to eat.”

 

 The weekend sped by and Cassie was busy the whole time. She spent hours just talking with her Mother; even taking her out to the range to show her mother her ease with weapons.

 

Later she took both her Dad and Clint to do the same with them. They were really flabbergasted to see her firing an aa-12 with a 32 round drum. 

 

It was in these private talks that she let them in on just how much she had authorized under her own name. Cassie showed them where all the new construction she had ordered would be going.  With the increase in personnel new dormitories and houses were needed.

Then there were the offices and the medical center where they would work. A larger and better equipped garage was planned for more intensive work on transportation. The new roads and parking areas were needed to connect all of it together.

The final touch was the construction of a security fence between the two different divisions. Cassie planned to pull her personal  security on the front gate back to this new fence when it was completed. The front gate security would be under the ‘base’ administration.

 

“The new fence perimeter will shorten our patrol tremendously and give us less frontage to defend. Clint, my idea is to have over a thousand experienced and well trained men within six months. Dad, I want a Hyperion nuclear reactor, in fact two of them. That is over-kill I know, but we would be completely free of the eastern seaboard electrical grid. In fact with two we could supply power in an emergency into the local grid.”

 

“Hum, I think I can get that done. They want 25 million each for those, but that is cheap, in fact. One can supply power for seven to nine years with almost zero maintenance.”

 

“I contracted all this construction out before our board meetings. This is all included in that summary for which I need retroactive approval for having done already. Next meeting I want to move 3 to 5 percent of the stock in “We Find It!” directly into CHH Security so that Clint will not have to get both boards approval before he can buy anything.” 

 

“Cassie, I have a dinner to attend Wednesday evening and you have been invited. No weapons will be allowed as it’s at the White House. Will you be available?”

 

“White House! Yeah, I will be available.”

 

They continued to talk and get familiar with the ideas that Cassie had on what she wanted to build. At the same time she was stretching her abilities to their utmost increasing her range and sensitivity.

 

Monday morning, Cassie was up and dressed when she remembered that she had been excused from the math test.

 

This offered a good opportunity to check in with the campus police. She had only dropped by that one time directly after they tried to tow her vehicle. All her vehicles now had decals with all parking allowed from the chancellor office. She knew that the chancellor had used the incident as an excuse to clean house.

 

This would be her chance to see just what he had done. She gave the orders.

 

“Schultz, we will be going to the campus police building. I want to see if I can get a better look at their organization today.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

Cassie paid no more attention. Over the days since Schultz had become her Aide she had found that giving her the information and what she wanted done was all she had to do. Schultz would get it done.

“Also Schultz, Wednesday evening I’ll have dinner at the White House. I can have no security inside and no weapons. I need a top quality formal gown before then.”

 

“Yes Ma’am.”

“This Coachman 1, transport and security is ready for the Shadow.”

“Roger, Coachman, the Shadow is coming.” Schultz answered. Cassie laughed silently. Her security was having too much fun with all these code names and such.

As Cassie stepped out the rear entrance, Grace was waiting and covered her opposite side from Sgt. Townsend. They escorted her to the open door of the Tahoe. Today she sat behind the driver Cpl. Jerkin with Grace next to her. Townsend was riding shotgun.

 

They had finally convinced her that not even her seat in the Tahoe should become a regular thing. Today was the beginning of musical seats in the Tahoes.

The Tahoe quickly drove off the estate and down the road to the campus.

 

Cassie and Cpl. Perkins walked into the police station on the college campus. Unlike some colleges, the police at VTI wore real uniforms that made them look like police in any city. The Sgt. at the front reception area looked up as she walked toward him. Cassie reached to her belt and pulled her credential case loose and held in up so he could see it.

 

“Special Deputy United States Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard. I would like to look your facilities over and meet your people.”

 

The Sergeant leaned closer to read her credential. Then he picked up the phone while pushing some buttons on it. “Lieutenant I have a Special Deputy US Marshal out here… Yes Ma’am.”

 

“Excuse us Deputy, we have had a new broom through here so I have the Day Shift supervisor coming.”

 

“Perfectly understandable Sergeant, I’m a student on campus myself. This is simply a courtesy call.”

 

The meeting was smooth and took little time. Cassie introduced herself explaining that she was a student on the campus and how she became a special Deputy Marshal. They exchanged phone numbers.

 

After the meeting, Cassie felt better about any interaction that might happen between her and members of the Campus police. She then proceeded to the classroom where the other students in her class were finishing up the test.

 

She looked through the open door to see the last student turning in his paper. Cassie walked in to the room.

The Professor was studying one of the tests that had been turned in to him. He looked up as Cassie stopped next to his desk.

“Ms. Howard what can I do for you?”

“Friday, when you excused me from the test today, I was in a hurry. My parents were flying into the Regional Airport and I did not have a chance to ask why the excused test?”

“I have a question first. Have you previously taken Calculus? Are you retaking it now for a higher grade?”

“No Professor Robbins, I have never taken any calculus course prior to your class.”

He turned, opened his briefcase and pulled out three sheets of paper which, he held them out to her. She took the papers and rotated them one at a time so the camera in the room could see them. In her ear she heard the Sergeant at HQ Security come back to her.

“They are the papers that you wrote the orbital problem on Friday. He has circled some of your equations in red, underlined some other and there is a large Red ‘A’ at the top of the first page. He signed your name to the top of all three pages.”

“An ‘A’ Professor?”

“Yes, that is your test score for this test. There is a letter from me included with my copies of the papers in case there are any questions.”

 

“Ms. Howards those papers covered every part of what I have taught this last six weeks. The ‘A’ is really an understatement of how well you have learned the material in the course so far. I would not be surprise to learn that you have finished the text for this class.”

He sat there for a minute quietly, than mentioned one more thing.

Ms. Howard with the permission of the Dean I will test you out for the remainder of this class. Next semester if you take any of my courses I will do the same if you think you can do so.”

“Test me out?”

“Yes, I have a meeting with the Dean and if he agrees that’s what we will do. It’s a waste of your time to set in the class if you are not learning anything new by doing so.”

“Professor Robbins, I have no idea what to say.”

 

“You need say nothing at this time. I am sure it will be just fine. Professor Howell was very pleased to see your paper. He said he would have to come up with a much harder problem for you to work on.”

 

Well, Cassie thought, Physics was her next class so she guessed she would find out just what Professor Howell had planned. The halls were pretty empty as she and her team walked down them. The click of their heels on the tiled floors echoed off the walls.

 

They were early as the class still had thirty minutes before it was scheduled to start. This classroom was one of the small ones. For some reason they were in a small class. Most physics 101 classes seemed to bulge at the seams and were scheduled in the larger lecture halla.

 

Another abnormality of this class was the lab table on the side. Professor Howell liked to demonstrate principles in the middle of a lecture.

 

The four of them found their seats at the front of the class room. Cassie opened her briefcase and prepared her equipment. Her scan found no one paying attention to her so she took the time to converse with Security HQ.

 

“Cassie online and in class.”

“Security HQ, Roger! Videos are on line.”

“Stay on your toes; I’m expecting a surprise question, problem or test today.”

“Roger that, Shadow.”

With that she noticed Sgt. Townsend suppressing a grin. They really were having fun with that codename for her.

Behind her Cpl. Perkins leaned forward and quietly said, “Ma’am why was your Math Professor so surprised at your work?”

“I’m just a lowly freshman, basically just getting started. I should not have been able to plan let along work out that problem. Kind of like a new recruit firing at an expert level the first day on the range.”

 

“What I did was like a new Sergeant coming in from sniper school and firing as an expert on the range you would expect those kinds of results from a trained sniper but not from a lowly recruit.  I think today Professor Howell is going to see if that same recruit can fire a machine gun with the same expert results.”

 

“It’s good and bad at the same time. They will then decide to push me. It will be like a Sergeant in boot camp, seeing a recruit and deciding that he’s got a live one. I am going to be given every tough problem and course they can load on me. If I do well then it’s great! But if I don’t they will drop me like a hot potato.”

 

“What about this course? Are you as up on physics as you are on Math?” Cpl. Perkins asked her.

“Let me say this, it’s almost impossible to get a Bachelor of Science in Physics without getting a minor in Math. Math is the language of Physics. When you talk physics you have to use math to make yourself understood. So let’s say, I speak the language like a native.”

Cpl. Perkins sat back in her seat with a very thoughtful look on her face.

 

Cassie ‘saw’ Professor Howell coming down the hallway with a person she did not know. He had to be another Professor; Cassie was still almost a stranger here at VTI. Not living on campus and being a freshman she was not as familiar with the faculty members as other students would be.

 

As Professor Howell stepped into the class room he spotted Cassie and she could sense his smile when he saw her. His companion walked over to a seat near the windows.

Within minutes of the Professor entering the classroom, the rest of the students filled up the small space. After a quick roll call the Professor was ready to start his lecture. He did a quick diagram on the black board.

In Cassie’s ear she heard from Security at HQ. “Ma’am it’s your sketch of the asteroid as it circles the earth and falls back into deep space. Now he’s putting a list of data on the side: Speed of approach, mass of asteroid, closest approach, everything you had listed on the problem.”

Behind her she heard a mixture of groans as some of the students figured out what the Professor was doing. 

“Class, I have a simple problem here for you to examine. Now let’s see if you can solve it for me. Given this known data, tell me the velocity and angle of departure of MD 2011. The answer will count for 20% of your final grade. Dr. Andrews’s, the head of the Physics Department, has agreed with me on the grade.” He turned and nodded at the stranger sitting to the side and he waved his hand at the students.

 

Every student started pulling their laptops out and entering data as fast as they could type. Cassie simply pulled out her papers she had gotten back from Professor Robbins that morning and laid them on her desk.

 

A minute later the Professor walked past her desk and picked up her papers. Without slowing down, he continued over to Dr. Andrews where he handed the papers to him. The Department Chairman sat up straight and began to examine the papers closely. He used a calculator to double check some things but, mainly, he appeared more interested in looking at relationships between the data points then the actual answers.

 

The bustle of the students in the classroom became more hectic the closer it came to the end of class. Cassie noticed that a few students had noted that she was not working on the problem. Twenty percent of the total grade for the class put this problem right up there with a major test. For a student to not even be trying was almost the same as dropping the course.

 

Slowly, one by one, each student reach their stopping point and got up to leave, dropping their work on the professor’s desk. Cassie kept her seat even after the last student had left. Professor Howell and Dr. Andrews were head to head going over her paper with a fine tooth comb. Finally they reached a conclusion.

“Ms. Howard, you used vector matrix algebra at this one point to determine the net force being applied to the Asteroid. Your records show no courses on vector analysis. Where did you learn to do this?” Dr. Andrews asked.

“I read and studied ‘Vector Analysis of Orbital Mechanics’ by Victor Blanzstien and Franz Krafa, 3^rd edition.”

“It was very interesting. I found their analysis of three body orbit mechanics very, very interesting as it really applies anytime a manmade object is in orbit around the earth or moon.”

“Did you take that into account when you predicted that the trajectory of MD 2011 will be different then what the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA are predicting?”

“Of course, there are thousands of manmade objects in orbit around the earth, each exerting a minute gravity field. Over all they add to the earth’s gravity as a system whole. When MD 2011 cuts between the moon and the earth that total gravity field will be pulling on the Asteroid. It’s going to be more than one ‘G’ of force; not much, more like 1.00001 ‘G’. But over time that little fraction of gravity is going to exert enough force to change the trajectory as it leaves the earth-moon system. Then, as it gets further away, that diversion will become bigger and bigger.”

“Professor, call the computer center and tell them we need a couple hours of computer time. I will call Dr. Holh, he’s our best orbital astrophysicist and, tell him what we need. I want this published before Midnight if we confirm her calculations. We need a full analysis in less than eight hours. Can we do it?”

 

“We will do it, sir!”

“This will be a poke in the eye for UAH, UCLA and NASA huh!”

“Ms. Howards, how did you come up with the mass of those orbiting objects?”

“Every object around the earth is tracked by the North American Space Defense. They list each and every one of them, with their mass and orbits. I just entered them into a program that totaled up their masses.  Normally, they would be included into the mass of the earth but they are in orbit which discounts their mass by the square of the distance.  Their individual mass begins to become more effective the further they are away from the earth.”

 

“Howell, you get this written up for presentation. Her name goes first then yours with mine to follow at the end. Throw Dr. Holh’s in if he screams since we are going to be using him to confirm.”

“Sir, I don’t understand what is so strange about my calculations?”

“Well your final trajectory is different than the predicted one. At first we just thought you had missed a decimal somewhere. But Professor Robbins called Howell here and said he could find nothing wrong with your calculations.”

 

“I have double checked to the limit of accuracy of my TI calculator and I can find nothing wrong. That leaves us with either rounding errors on our part using calculators or bad data somewhere.

“If the computers, with Dr. Holh, confirms your calculations; then it means that NASA has not taken into account all the data.”

 

If so, then by publishing it tonight on the internet we become predictive, and first. Let me tell you, by tomorrow night every math department at every major university will be double checking us.”

 

“That Asteroid will have every telescope in the world focused on it. You have just developed a technique for predicting orbital mechanics more accurately than anybody else has done.”

 

“Professor Howell, get with Professor Robbins and Dean Clark of the Math Department and start the process to have her tested out in Math.”

 

“Ms. Howard, you application has you down with a major course of study degreed in Nanotechnology. With your permission we are going to change that. We want you down as a Physics Major, Minor in Math and Nanotechnology. I am proposing you as a student on our new BS/MS program. You would be taking some graduate courses in your senior year in place of senior year courses. It will save you a semester of work.”

“Also, we are going to push you into a program as an Undergraduate Assistant. You will be working directly with our research department in Advanced Physics. If I have to, I will assign a tutor to follow you around to teach you when you are doing nothing else.”

 

“Could you come see me tomorrow? I will get the paperwork started. If I have my way, you will have a doctorate in four years.”

 

Once more, Cassie was lost in thought as they walked toward her Tahoe. She came to herself as Grace gripped her left arm to guide her down some steps. “Thanks Grace.” She flicked her scan to their Tahoe half a block away. She froze, stopping dead still. Her team stopped and looked at her and went on alert. Grace quickly stepped in front of Cassie.

 

Cassie went to full attention as her scan went out like a sonar searching. She saw no one paying any extraordinary attention to them.

“HQ, Security, this is the Shadow, full alert, red, red, red! There is a bomb in our Tahoe on campus. Students everywhere! Get me full coverage. I am out of armor. We are going to ground.”

“This HQ Security, we have triple red alert. A bomb has been detected in Deputy Marshal Cassandra’s vehicle. Dispatch; get some drones out over the college. Support, get on the road now. Ms. Cassie is out of armor. Get her covered now. Let me hear those Rogers!”

“Security Support we have two enroute with eight. Roger.

“Drone dispatch I got two in the air. Follow-up warming up. Roger.”

“HQ Security we have notified Campus police, County Police Bomb Squad, FBI, and ATF as well as the USMS in Roanoke.”

“HQ Security, Cassie here, notify the Chancellor of the College!”

“Roger, Shadow. Clint Wilson has been alerted also.”

“Thanks. Roger.”

 

Cassie was lying on the steps lengthwise with Grace sitting, or rather lying, on top of her. Both Sgt Townsend and Cpl. Jerkin were on either side of Perkins fully alert to any approaching strangers. They had both reversed their jackets. With nothing better to do, Cassie had scanned the jackets to determine why they had reversed them. 

 

With her practice recently she was able to make out that lining had been covered with large letters stating Security under which it stated Bodyguards. They all were wearing credential cases hanging from their inside pockets with some kind of badge. Any policeman would think they were law men at first.  That was a plus.

Cassie could scan campus police cars blocking both ends of the street. One of her drones was now overhead. The other one was circling the area.

 

That second one was to keep all the news copters from getting too close when they started appearing. She did not want pictures of her appearing on the internet or on television.

 

Cassie sure wished she had found a way to read LEDs so she could tell what the one on the bomb was saying. Her people were turning into the college from the main road. She had picked them up with her scan as well as hearing the report over the radio. She began to visualize the result of the explosion. The explosive appeared to be C-4 or similar. There were over a pound of the stuff and it was attached to the bottom of the fuel tank. “f1 expanding in a spherical field would rip the tank open and then f1 + f2 would expand in a ball of flame. The Tahoe would come apart there, there and there. Each of those parts would disintegrate and ride the wave front. They would scatter out like a shotgun being fired.”

 

She could see where every piece of the Tahoe would go. This was not a safe place. At least four major size pieces would come down right on these steps. “Up, security we have to move. This is a primary target for the falling pieces. We need to move a minimum of twelve feet to the north or west from this point. Move it now!”

Cassie rotated and picked up Cpl. Perkins then stood holding her over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry. She jogged quickly, due north, up the steps and along the sidewalk. Twelve feet later she set Cpl. Grace Perkins on her feet but continued north until they were past the corner of a building.

There she leaned for a moment to catch her breath. Then she spotted the county police arriving with the bomb squad truck.

“HQ Security this Shadow, who is in charge from the county?”

“HQ, a Sergeant Eric Norm. He is in charge of the bomb squad and where a bomb is involved the bomb squad has supreme command on site.”

“Well, I can’t blame them for that. If I was disarming bombs I would want to have command myself. Can we talk to him? I can give him a complete description of the bomb.”

“One moment, pulling the Chief up.”

“They would rather we stop using the radios as they are afraid they might detonate the bomb.”

 

“Okay, there is no radio type receiver in place. It’s strictly timing plus a pressure switch.”

 

“Who are you and how do you know what type bomb it is?”

How the hell had he done that? Nobody sneaks up on her! She turned to face the man who had asked the question. He looked like a black Pillsbury dough boy. He was dressed in a black outfit that bulges with armor underneath the cloth arms, chest, and legs. He was well covered.

 

“I am special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard. That my Tahoe a half block down the street there. I was coming out of class getting ready to leave when I spotted the bomb.”

He looked at her then backed up a step and looked at her Tahoe. Then back at her. “Okay. Where is this bomb?”

Cassie looked once more at the bomb and its placement. “Its dead center under the fuel tank attached with a magnet to the tank. The tank got about 17 gallons of high octane gasoline in it. There’s about a pound of plastic explosive of some kind. There is a nine volt battery attached to a timing circuit of some kind. There is a pressure switch between the magnet and the tank. There are two detonators with separate blasting caps. One goes to the LED control the other to the pressure switch.”

 

“I can only see one method of disarming the bomb you have to cut both wires going to the battery. Once that battery is out, it is almost completely dead.”

 

“I love that statement, ‘almost completely dead’. Why almost?”

 

“Because those blasting caps are still in the explosive. A jar or anything that can set off those caps and that bomb will explode.”

“Yeah, you have bomb training?”

“No, this is my first bomb. But I worked around explosive in Idaho while mining. I learned explosive and blasting caps don’t go together.”

 

“A very good point! Now if only we could convince the rest of the world of that. How much time do you think I have.”

 

“I would think zero, as I cannot read the LED display.”

“Yeah, zero. Well it’s time for Robo the robot.”

He turned and waved his arms back and forth in the air. Back at the bomb truck a man was guiding a remote device as it backed down the ramp on the back of the truck.

“Where are the controls for that robot?” Cassie asked.

“In the truck, it built to withstand a nearby explosion.”

“Okay then what are we doing here. Let’s get to your truck.”

 

“Lady, I’m not taking anybody closer to an explosive device!”

“Oh, Well I guess we have to do it ourselves then.”

“Team lets go.”

They rotated and began to jog toward the road behind the truck.”

“Hey wait! You can’t do that.”

Cassie had mentally mapped the area when she had previously seen where the debris from the explosion would go. She kept them outside the blast radius as they headed toward the bomb truck.

 

She smiled as she saw that the bomb tech was following them as quickly as he could in all that armor. As they arrived at the truck, she did not slow down but ran right up the ramp.

“Hey nobody but the bomb squad is allowed in here!”

Cassie did a quick scan and saw the controls. “Move!”

She pulled back her jacket to show him her badge and credentials. He looked at them briefly and at her team behind her and slowly moved out of the way. Cassie slid into his seat.

 

With a few quick moves she had moved the robot around in circles, then stopped it and backed it up. It took her a couple of minutes but she soon had the robot doing everything but dancing. The monitors were useless to her but that did not matter as she was scanning the scene directly.

 

The robot began to move quickly to the rear of the Tahoe. There Cassie extended a probe with cutters under the bumper on the rear and reached toward the bomb. Here was the delicate part, getting the cutting edge in place to cut the wires.

First was the timer. Cassie examined it closely. There were no booby traps on that set of detonators. The cutter slid between the battery and the LED. Snick, and the wires were cut. She did not see it, but the rest of the people in the truck did, on the monitor the LED readout went blank.

 

The next step was harder the wire from the pressure switch had been shoved through the plastic explosive and came out under the battery. The bomber got tricky here a single thin bare wire connected to the switch wire and the battery. A thicker wire was attached over the little wire to hide it and was just shoved into the plastic, to most observers it would appear to be the connecting wire.

 

Cassie worked the cutter edge under the battery until she could sense the thin wire was in position to be cut. Snick, she had done it.  Now she grasped the battery and pulled it loose from the explosive. She let the robot drop it. Then she grasped the explosive and pulled it free of the magnet. Cassie backed the robot out from under the Tahoe. Rotating it, she began the trip back to the truck.

 

“Do you have a place to put this explosive?”

“Stop it, and let me take over.”
Cassie stopped the robot and pushed back from the controls. Then she stood up and stepped out of his way. The man that had previously talked to them took over. As she and her team gathered to the rear, out of the way, the man who had relinquished control of the robot to her approached.

“That was the craziest thing I have ever seen. You did not once look at the monitor! How did you do it?”

 

“I used ESP, I just looked at it real time.”

There was a loud whoop whoosh! “There it’s done.”

Within minutes they had jacked the Tahoe up and detached the magnet device that had held the bomb in place. The bomb squad went over the whole vehicle before they gave her a clean bill of health. As Cassie stood there, the agents began to descend on her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________

 

 

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.

 

 

 

 

 

To Be or To Be Bigger

To Be or To Be Bigger

Vlfouquet

 

Chapter 6

 

The next morning Cassie was still thinking about her observation of the gold the night before. She could sense nothing that defined the boundary between the gold and air. She wondered if it was because the air was so less dense than gold that she could not scan what was there.

 

Cassie had no idea, but she knew that she was going to find out.

 

Physics and Math were on her class schedule today. They were both very interesting subjects.

 

As they entered the first classroom of the day and took their seats, like always, one of her companions sat behind her and one on each side. Grace always took the seat behind her. Sgt. Townsend and Cpl. Jerkin alternated their positions on either side of her. She was curious about today’s lesson and the lab experiments that would follow.

 

Hours later she was walking in a daze. Sgt. Townsend was worried; he could tell that she was not herself. It had begun in the lab where they had set up a test in optics. Cassie had warned him that she would need his help doing the lab work. She could not see light so she could not see colors. This made it difficult for her to do anything in an optics lab setting.

 

She had found out that if she really narrowed her scan she could detect very high frequencies of light. What she had determined was that it was the quantum of light, the actual photons, which she could detect when it was at a high enough frequency that it was actually out of the visible band.

 

This whole lesson had been on the Photoelectric effect of light. They were emitting light on known frequencies to show how this effected the emission of electrons. The two things which governed the electric effect of light on a ‘solar’ cell were intensity and frequency. Both would increase the electrical response of a solar cell.

 

This was one of those things that the proponents of solar energy to help green the world did not understand. The best frequencies for solar cells were ultra-violet and above. Those were also the most likely to cause cancers and were the least likely to hit the surface as the atmosphere filtered them out.

 

One other effects of the duality of light was that it had mass. As she had narrowed her scan, she became able to ‘feel’ this mass more and more. It seemed that her scan was like a muscle; the more she used it the better she became at using it.

 

Later that evening, Cassie sat in the Armory examining the Kevlar materials of the vests and helmets. She once again hit that boundary effect between different materials; but with her practice she now had a firmer grip on her scanning abilities. It appeared that all solid materials arranged themselves into a form of crystals. This, in turn, helped to make them solids. The different elements in the solid could add strength or weaken the material.

 

_________________________

 

 

Cassie sat back in her seat as Cpl. Jerkin drove them to her Friday morning class. She was having a hard time keeping her mind on school. Just a few more hours and her parents would be here. Though she looked, and at most times acted, like a twenty year old, inside Cassie knew she was only fourteen, or in reality soon would be. She missed being able to go to her Mother anytime she needed and hug her and talk about her problems.

 

They entered the classroom as a group. Having left a little later than normal, their usual seats were occupied. The only seats not being used were in the rear and few of them were connected. Grace found two adjacent seats where she could sit behind Cassie. Townsend and Jerkins had at least one other student between them and Cassie.

 

Cassie was wearing a school colored windbreaker but under it her normal split skirt and white blouse. Her holsters and credentials where hidden under the jacket. She opened her briefcase and turned on her recorder.

In a soft voice she said, “Cassie online, Calculus I.”

 

“Roger, HQ Security. Camera activated.” They had secretly installed two cameras in each of her classrooms. The cameras transmitted to a repeater that forwarded the images to Security HQ for processing. One of the things this did was to give a read back for anything written on the blackboards. A scanner in the briefcase could be used to do the same for any written material that might be handed out.

 

Cassie had this class aced. Today was a breeze and she could have skipped it if she needed to, unless the Professor did a pop quiz. Professor Robbins liked to give pop quizzes at two different times, just before major tests and just after introducing something new.

 

Cassie thought this made sense. One showed you could not wait and cram just before the major test. The second was to find out if you had understood what he had just taught. She had spent the previous night doing pop tests herself. She had finished her textbook and the entire set of tests in the back of it. Cassie had learned that Professor Robbins was a close friend of Professor Howell, her Physics teacher. He loved working a physics problem into his math problems.

 

She figured that somewhere on the major math test they would have to work out some orbital ballistic problem as that was the area of Physics they were now starting to study. She was working on what she thought would be a good example. The 2011 MD asteroid was going to be passing the earth within the week. She was calculating the orbital path it would take and its trajectory as it left the earth and returned deeper into space.

 

“Ms. Howards, you seem to have something else on your mind. Could you possibly tell me what the speed of my imaginary spaceship will be?” Cassie did a quick review of the lecture that she had been ignoring. In a low voice she said, “Data.” Security HQ starting telling her the data the Professor had written on the board and had spoken.

 

“Kilometers or miles, Professor?”  Cassie asked.

“Oh, give it to me in feet per second.”

“With the given acceleration, against the decreasing effect of the earth’s gravity, the speed of your spaceship will be 47,236 feet per second when the spaceship has reached approximately 2100 miles from the surface of the earth.”

 

There was a lengthy pause as everybody waited.

 

“My apology Ms. Howards it looks like what you were engrossed in was the example I had on the board.”

He turned back to the board.

 

“Professor, my apologies to you sir, but I was engaged in trying to work out a possible problem on your test Monday.”

 

He stood looking at her. “What problem would that be Ms. Simpson?”

By this time the whole class of students was paying attention.

 

“I thought you might ask us to calculate the orbit and trajectory of the MD 2011 asteroid as it leaves the vicinity of earth next week.”

 

“Oh, you thought that it might be a good problem?”

“Well, it’s a very practical one, sir.”

“Yes, it would, but the calculation would take longer than we would have for the test, so in that way not very practical.”

 

He had been walking toward her as they conversed. Reaching down he took the piece of paper she had been jotting on. Her pens used a very heavy metal ink so she was able to scan her writing. He stood there looking at what she had written. Then he looked at her for a minute.

 

“Ms. Simpson, where did you get your data?”

“The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, web site, this morning.”

He reached inside his coat and from the inner pocket he pulled out a couple of sheets of computer paper. He spent a couple of minutes comparing the two papers. “Ms. Simpson, you are excused from the Monday morning test.”

 

He turned, returning to the front of the class.

 

“Ms. Cassie what was that about?”

“I am not sure Sergeant Townsend. I don’t have time to check on it right now. I need to get a good workout then get to the airport. “

 

Leaving the campus, it was one rush after the other. Her workout brought massive criticism down on her as Sensei Inoue used her like a basketball on a court. When he was through with her, Cassie could barely drag her body into the shower. Exiting the bathroom she found a set of clothing laid out for her on the bed.

 

She quickly dressed and scanned the back of the lapel where she found the tag with the number 1 written in a heavy metal ink. She had mentioned to June that she could scan the ink and wished a label telling what color her outfits were. The number one was for black and as the numbers increased the colors got lighter. 

 

As Cassie exited her bedroom she met SSgt Schultz in the hallway. The SSgt fell in to her left as they went down the hall. Cassie reached behind her to her mid back and turned her comm unit on.

“Cassie, on line.”

“Roger HQ security activate.”

“Transport ready!”

 

“Sergeant Schultz, who’s my driver this afternoon?”

“Sergeant Townsend’s team, it is still their duty shift. Corporal Jerkin will be driving the new Tahoe Limo. They finally got it fully up to date. Security has verified that it’s fully equipped. We are sending two other vehicles as backup and to haul the luggage.”

 

“Quarters?”

“The aides will be given guestrooms in the main house, as will your mother and father. We’ve got the visiting security quarters up and functioning.”

 

“I think one of those Security persons will out-rank Betty and June. If Clint Wilson is with them, he is most likely going to become the Director of Operations. That is one of the things we will decide with this visit.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am.” With that she fell back at least two steps. Cassie’s scan showed her that Schultz had flipped a switch on her comm unit.

 

Faintly, she heard, “Colonel Smyth, Ms. Cassie is expecting Clint Wilson, prospective Director of Operations. We may need to put him in the main house and a better guest room.”

Very faintly she made out the response. “Thanks Sergeant for the heads up. I’ll get Juanita on it now.”

SSgt Schultz reached down and switched her comm unit back to its normal setting.

“Schultz, you’ve a direct channel to Smyth?”

She had returned to her previous position to the left of Cassie. “Yes Ma’am, I have a very advanced unit. I can connect directly to Colonel Smyth, Colonel O’Keefe, and Captain Gifford and to the shift OD. Plus I am also on the general comm channel.”

 

“See to it that I get a comm unit that is as good if not better. I want one channel that hears everything, along with channels just like yours. Add another channel for just you and me. Also, install repeaters for all channels on all our major vehicles. We sure don’t want to lose contact just because we went a mile too far”

 

“Yes Ma’am.” Cassie noted that she pushed a button and talked quietly to herself for a moment.”

“Who put out my clothing?”

“Corporal Toni Lambskin, she has been assigned as your personal batwoman. She will take care of your room, clothing and any personal services you need. She has had two tours in Iraq, and received a bronze star and a purple heart. She will see that all your equipment stored in the main house is ready at all times.”

 

Cassie said nothing for minute, thinking about what she had heard. In some ways she did not like it. But then she also understood the principle involved. Most officers in command just did not have the time to waste on taking care of their own personal things.

 

What had just happened was a perfect example. If she’d had to get her own clothes out and make a decision on what to wear or ‘make her own cup of tea’ she would have been thirty minutes later then she was now.

They exited the house through the rear entrance and Sgt. Townsend opened the rear door for her and SSgt Schultz. He had changed into one of their formal looking uniforms that looked like a suit.  Her scan of him found his comm unit and both a cross-draw holster and a mid-back holster.

 

On her comm she heard, “This is Coachman one; the Shadow has entered the vehicle.”

“Roger that Coachman one, your tail has mounted up and is ready to go.”

Cassie looked over at SSgt Schultz and cocked an eyebrow.

 

She could tell that SSgt Schultz was fighting a grin. “Well if the Secret Service does it for the President, we can do it for you.”

“Coachman makes sense, but why Shadow?”

“Well, to us you are like a shadow. We don’t really see all there is to you.”

 

“Schultz, did you find out about a dinner out with my parents.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am! He said he would be busy both Saturday and Sunday nights so I stretched my orders. Tonight it is. Russo’s has reserved a table for you from 7 until closing time tonight.”

“No, that is not stretching your orders, that’s initiative. Thanks.”

It took about 45 minutes to get to the airport, and then find the Signature Terminal where their private jet would be serviced. Just before they arrived at the front entrance, one of the two trailing Tahoes pulled in front of them.

 

Cassie spotted Cpl. Perkins moving quickly to get to the Limo just as it stopped. She stood, blocking the door from being opened until Sgt Townsend had exited the front passenger side. He walked around the Limo and approached their door. Once he was there Cpl. Perkins stepped away from the door, taking the opposite side from Sgt. Townsend. When Cassie exited the Limo she was between the two with Cpl. Perkins to the outside and Sgt. Townsend on the inside.

 

As she stepped toward the entrance way, SSgt. Schultz took a position behind her. Her comm unit stated, “Security HQ, CHH-01 has landed and is taxiing to the unloading area.”

“Roger that HQ, our package is in the terminal.” She heard SSgt Schultz voice behind her and on her comm unit.

It was just hurry up and wait. While the lobby here was nowhere as busy as a regular airport terminal lobby it was busy. They had attracted some attention with four people, one male and three female, wearing almost identical outfits. Yeah, she could see that might attract some attention. Their clothes looked too well tailored and were made of too high quality a material to be uniforms but the style and cut screamed uniform.

 

The door to the outside landing area opened and Clint stepped through. When he saw them he smiled and waved. Cassie’s mother and father were right behind him. Cassie threw herself at them and wrapped her mother in her arms. Her father wrapped his arms around both of them.

________________________

 

 

Cassie sat in the downstairs office talking with Clint. “How is Julie?”

“She is doing great. She is in the process of training her replacement right now.”

“Replacement?” Cassie asked.

“Yes, we are engaged. My replacement is already on site and is actually in charge of security there now. Wherever I end up, there will be a place for Julie if she wants it. You have instilled some real work ethics in her. I don’t see her being a stay at home wife. “

 

“Well good for her.”

“I’ve been following what you’ve been doing. What is this going to end up being, a Para-military outfit like Blue-water?”

“Not really, I am thinking more like a contract police service. We could take over the investigation and SWAT functions for smaller police departments that don’t have the budget to support a complete police force. I think we can also draw on federal funds. But mainly, we will be a heavy duty Security Company, with training, research and development. “

“I also see a time in the future when a small attachment would go aboard ships transiting through the Gulf of Aden, to act as protection from pirates. I am still doing mental plans, but think of two ships as bases, one at the north end and the other at the south end. We could use a crane to lift a shipping container from the base to the transiting ship. That container would provide the sleeping quarters, armory, and communications facilities. When the ship reaches the opposite end, the other base ship would remove the container and the security personnel. We could use an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to shadow the area.”

 

“We could rotate personnel in and out of the area about every 4 months. I’ve still got to do a lot of planning on this.”

“Hum, yeah, the average ransom for a merchant ship is 4.5 million dollars right now.”

 

At that moment, her Mom and Dad entered the room. Cassie got to her feet and hurried to them, grabbing her mother once more in a hug.

“Oh my god, Cassie it’s hard to believe you are my little girl, you’re taller than me!” Sarah, her mother, said.

“It just happened! I was shocked when you walked into the terminal and I had to look down at you!”

 

“And Dad! I am almost eye to eye with you!”

They all sat down around the conference table in the office. “Okay, we can only talk for a short time; we have a dinner reservation in downtown Roanoke. As I understand things, we have a quorum of the board present and as such we can call a meeting? ”

 

“That’s right Cassie, but we should have a lawyer present to be sure we dot all the “i”’s and cross all the “t”’s.” George her father stated.

 

“Sergeant Schultz, get the unit legal officer in here.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” She stood up and stepped out of the room. Through the doorway Cassie could hear her.

“Security HQ, Have the legal officer report immediately to the downstairs office, for a meeting of the Board of CHH Security.”

 

“Security, Roger that!”

“Thank you Security! Roger.”

Cassie heard the message over the general comm. Channel. “Major Woods, report to the main house office for a meeting of the board of CHH Security.”

“Roger! I am at the dojo. Do I have time for a shower?”

Cassie spoke up “Take the shower we’re going to be in close quarters.”

“Roger Ma’am, give me twenty.”

“Roger Major.”

 

Everybody but Schultz was staring at her. “What?”

Schultz took her seat at a desk along the wall.

“It’s just our comm units; I heard her ask the question and just answered it.”

“Cassie is the comm channel open? Can anybody on the system hear what is going on in here?” Her father asked.

 

“Oh no, you did not see it but I pushed a button on the unit which is on my belt.” With that explanation she pulled the right side of her jacket open showing a small black box on her belt.

 

“That outfit looks good on you. Where did you buy it?” Her mother asked.

“I designed it myself.” Cassie stood up and twirled showing that it was basically a long length split skirt. She had on Wellington Side zippered Black Uniform Boots. “I have them made by a bespoke tailor with imported Italian silk, the blouses also.”

 

“It’s designed as the dress uniform. There are different materials used but the basic design is the same for all of us. The chain is a little different. Enlisted is brass, officer is silver up to Colonel and then it’s gold.”

 

“The chain makes it neat and distracts anybody from thinking that it makes access to a holstered pistol easy.”  Cassie pulled the left side of her jacket back showing her cross draw holster and Glock.”

 

“Oh My GOD! Cassie, I had no idea that you were armed!” Her Mom squeaked.

 

“See, that’s what I was saying.”

“Why are you armed Cassie?” She asked.

“Mom, this, or another pistol, is right next to my bed when I go to sleep at night. When I need a pistol I won’t have time to go find one.”

Cassie looked at her Dad questioningly.

He shook his head. So she said no more about needing a pistol. There was a knock at the office door. Schultz stood up and answered it then stepped back opening it wide.

 

Maj. Wood stepped inside and came to attention, “Major Wood reporting as ordered.”

“Have a seat Carolyn; we’re going to be on first names here for right now. I’d like you to meet my mom and dad, Sarah and George Howard. This is Clint Wilson, he is also a Special Deputy US Marshal. This is Major Carolyn Woods, our legal officer. Dad, introduce your people please.”

“Well this is Rosie Brown; she is my personal Administrative Assistant.” He said, turning to the women sitting to his right side. She was neatly dressed in business attire and appeared to be in her mid to late forties.

 

“When my wife became active in our business she needed someone to help her just like I did. Rosie found her niece who was looking for experience without leaving her home completely behind, So this is Helen Colwell, my wife’s Personal Assistant.” The young woman sitting to Sarah’s left hand nodded her head. Except for age she was almost a mirror image of her aunt.

 

Cassie replied “OH. over there at the desk is Staff Sergeant Beverley Schultz, my Personal Aide.”

“Now as Chairman of the Board of CHH Security I am calling this meeting to order. Sarah Howard, as Secretary of the Board is there any old business that needs our attention?” Sarah turned to Helen and their heads came together.  After a moment of consulting, Sarah faced back toward Cassie.

 

“One matter which will need to be addressed soon: Who pays for what? I mean, take Helen here, she is working for me, but right now I am working as a Board member. Should we break down the time spent on each division and charge the time to that division?”

 

Cassie replied “My first thought is that all administration costs be charged to the holding company. I suggest that only direct expenses; whether salary, wages or other items, be charged to the separate divisions. CHH Holding could pay for all administration costs of us serving as board members as that corporation owns this one. Legal, what’s your opinion?”

 

“I have previously read both sets of bylaws for the two corporations.  That seems reasonable and complies with both sets of bylaws. It should be adopted by both boards.”

 

“Well, in that case, I, Cassandra Howly Howard, Chairman of CHH Holding and CHH Security, in the presence of a quorum of both Boards of Directors of said companies do hereby call this board into joint session for both corporations.”

 

“Could all members state their names for the record and aye or nay to agree to have all expenses of the CHH Security board members, in their duty of administrating that corporation, paid by CHH Holding as the primary owner of CHH Security.  I am Cassandra Howly Howard, Chairman of the Board of CHH Security and CHH Holdings. I vote aye.”

“George Howard, Assistant Chairman, Treasurer of CHH Security and Treasurer of CHH Holding, I vote Aye.”

“I, Sarah Howly Howard, Secretary of the Board of CHH Security and CHH Holdings vote Aye.”

 

“With the full board and a quorum present the ayes carry the vote. All expenses of the members of these boards will be paid by the CHH Holding, LLC.”

 

“Now if all old business is finished, we will consider any new business.”

With that Cassie sat back and looked at her father.

“Okay, the new business I am bringing before the board will cross the bounds of both corporations. When these corporations were first proposed we all understood that none of us could give them 24/7 of our time. We talked about it and knew this. We proposed hiring a President and vice-presidents as needed to run the corporation. We have not been in a hurry to do this as the operations were quite small.”

 

“For no other reason than the wealth of CHH Holdings we can no longer do this. “We Find It” has voted another dividend. While they have cut back on their operation so as not to cause a crash in the gold market, one shift a day is still bringing out a tremendous amount of gold. It’s producing five million dollars in value per day. They have voted to give the share holders another $5.00 per share. With CHH Holding owning 37 million shares that will be 185 million dollars. We have two different accounting firms figuring our taxes. Being LLC firms we do get some break on taxes but I really hate to pay the IRS 35 to 45 percent of that money, so we need some really sharp management types to get in and stay busy.”

 

“I have found five people who I think will do a good job. I’m going to send each of you their resumes, our background checks on all of them and also my evaluation and recommendation.”

 

Cassie responded, “In any contract I want escape clauses for both parties. If they want to leave, they should give proper notice, with one month’s salary for each year they have been with us.”

“If, for any reason, we dismiss them after six months, we will give them one and half month’s salary plus a buyout. The buyout will never be more than what they have already earned with us. No buy out can ever be more than 10% of the profits of the corporation for the previous year.”

“Also, any investment of more than 10% of the liquid reserves needs the approval of the board. The books will be audited every year with different accounting firms each year with at least two years between contracts for any firm.”

 

“With those conditions, I will leave the hiring up to the Assistant Chairman and Treasurer to act for the board of CHH Holding.  I, Cassandra Howly Howard, Chairman of the Board of CHH Holding vote aye, to the previous stated conditions.”

 

There was a pause as her father and mother thought for a minute. Major Woods leaned forward with a thoughtful look on her face.

 

“Now, I would bring to the attention of this board all previously stated conditions and terms, for hiring employees to operate CHH Holdings. I will now repeat my vote, I, vote Aye.”

 

“I, George Howard, Assistant Chairman and Treasurer of both boards vote Aye to the hiring conditions and terms.”

 

“I, Sarah Howly Howard, Secretary of both boards vote Aye.”

 

“I, Cassandra Howly Cassandra, Chairman of both boards having counted the ayes versus the nays found that the Ayes have carried the vote. I direct George Howard, to interview, select and offer the person and or persons a contract under the terms so voted.”

“Next business.” She stated as she did a time check of the clock in the next room which was an analog grandfather clock.

 

“I really think this should be brought up by you Cassie.”

 

“Clint, did Dad or anybody tell you why we wanted you here.”

“No, they did not Cassie. Of course I wanted to come and look the place over anyway so it was not hard for me to come.”

“You heard what we just did to get management in place for the holding company. Well we need some management for CHH Security also. We are a basically, as you noted earlier, a paramilitary outfit.  The titles will be different then a normal corporation. You have an extensive background in the military, including black ops. Since you have been working for “We Find It” and been a special Deputy US Marshal you have studied many of the available books on investigation, fugitive apprehension, and hostage rescue. As a result, you are pretty familiar with both Law Enforcement and Military operations.”

 

“We want to offer you the position of Director of Operations for CHH Security. You will have the same terms as Dad will offer the President of CHH Holding. I will be under your direction. Your duties at first will be mainly administrative.

 

This will be our training facility and area operation command. The base itself will need an administrator for the day to day operation of the facility.”

“Think Ft. Bragg and Army Special Operation Command. I’ll command SOC and we need a Fort Commander.”

 

“Let me explain that a little better. You’re the Secretary of the Army. We need a base commander like the Commanding General of Ft. Bragg. I am the Commanding General of SOC. SOC is on Ft. Bragg but not under its command.”

 

“So how soon can you give us an answer?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________

 

 

 

 

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

 Into The Shadows © Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents.