TQB Base – Colorado, USA
Mason held his wife’s hand and carried Anne. For a twelve-year-old, she was still quite small and light.
Thank God.
His arm was dying a second time.
“Mason,” Sheila whispered, “what is happening?”
The family had time to spend together, to just enjoying being a family. The lady here at the base had provided all of the food they wanted. Anne had sat in Sheila’s lap the whole time. No matter how much Mason tried to convince Anne differently, she was sure that her mom had been taken because she’d been ugly to her. Mason had tried to tell her, that is what girls did.
Now that Anne had her mom back, she was the most obedient daughter ever. Or at least until she wasn’t scared anymore of her mom being taken again.
Which led Mason back to Sheila’s question.
“We are going to TQB’s home base,” he equivocated, “I’m to speak to the CEO.”
“I thought the lady said you need to speak to the Queen?” Sheila asked as they followed Jasmin out of the main office doors into the early evenings darkening skies.
“Same person, apparently,” Mason said, “Her group has pulled off of Earth, so she is setting a Monarchy.”
“Why does she want you?” Sheila continued.
Mason noticed the black shipping container with two men, both with weapons, standing at the back, one door open.
“I think she wants answers,” Mason admitted.
“Why did they help us, is it your job?” Sheila asked, “I know I’m not supposed to ask, but you have to give me something here. Those men were looking for information from you.”
“Yes, they did and no, I don’t think they were helping us because of my job. I don’t know why they are helping us.”
Anne squirmed in his arm and lifted her blond head, “I asked.”
“What?” Mason said, looking down, “Asked who?”
Anne flipped her head, blew on some errant strands and then used her left hand to pull the last hair out of her face, “I sent a letter to Ms. Bethany Anne, asking for help.”
“How did you do that?” Mason asked.
“I heard the men talk to you when Mom first disappeared. I used my crayons to write a letter and send it. No one at school asked me about it, well Josephine made fun of me a little saying I was writing to Santa Claus.”
Sheila chuckled, “I imagine she did.”
Jasmin nodded to the two men, “These are the three the Queen wants to speak with, VIP soft delivery.”
“Aye ma’am, VIP soft delivery,” answered the first guy. He was blond with huge arms, Sheila noted. He smiled to the family.
“My name is Scott,” he nodded to the other gentleman with him, “He is Darryl. Trust me when I say you will absolutely be safe with us.”
“Not to be rude,” Mason asked, “but in a container?”
Scott grinned and turned his hand over and pointed up, “No. The Queen said VIP soft delivery.”
Mason and Sheila looked up. There were four sleek fighters hovering a hundred feet in the air. “Are those…” Mason’s question stopped.
“Yes, those are Black Eagles,” Darryl spoke for the first time. “There is nothing on this Earth, that I’m aware of, that is going to get through your guard. The Queen wants you safe. We tend to go overboard for her.”
“I see…that.” Mason admitted. His group had tried to pull as much information about these ships as they could. With what he did know about them, and what he knew about his own group’s abilities, he had to agree with Darryl.
These four planes could probably decimate a small country.
Darryl spoke up again, “Sorry, we don’t have our best quality multi-seat Pods yet. Those are in production. But, if you would jump on board? We need to be over on the ArchAngel in about twenty-five minutes before we drop back in.”
“Drop in…where?” Sheila asked as Mason stepped ahead of her and into the large black rectangular box.
“The gravity well,” Darryl answered, “We need to be prepared for Bethany Anne’s introduction in a couple of hours.”
Scott closed the door behind the group as Darryl made sure everyone was getting clipped in correctly. This Container, modified for larger groups, had fifteen seats on each side of the long walls.
“Sorry sweetie,” Darryl said, his voice soft, “but we can’t let you sit in your Dad’s lap. It’s against regulations.”
Sheila watched as Anne stood up and sat between her parents, “Am I going to get to meet Ms. Anne?”
“Hmm?” Darryl asked as he carefully belted in the fragile looking little girl, “Ms. Anne? Oh, sorry, her full name is Bethany Anne.”
“Well then, what is her last name?” Anne asked, “I thought my first name was her last name, that is kind of embarrassing.”
Mason noticed the man was huge as he stood up, “No, you share parts of your first name,” Darryl told his daughter. “Trust me, your letter got to Bethany Anne just fine young lady and I’m sure she will speak with you after her next meeting.”
“Who is she meeting with?” Anne asked as Darryl crossed to the other side and buckled in a seat apart from Scott who was talking with someone sub vocally.
“The Japanese Leadership and Royalty,” Darryl answered.
FROM MICHAEL >>> So, I’m writing this right after publishing the last snippet. So, I really don’t have much ‘new’ to say ;-). I’m going to schedule this snippet to go live tonight some time. I’d say I was sure, but I have never really figured out (perfectly) WordPresses scheduling system.
I’m kind of annoyed about that. The not figuring it out part because I SHOULD be able to. It seems to be based on maybe server time? Right now, it’s 8:33 my time, and the scheduling is for 13:33. So, five hours ahead of me. Which is…Off the east coast somewhere. I don’t think my servers are ON the East Coast… dammit. I still don’t know where they pick up the time from.
Stupid Computer Programmers. (Good thing I’m not one anymore 😉 )
I hope you have a FANTASTIC weekend (what is left of it).
Michael
