Theodore (23 page)

Theodore had expected to find himself on the roof of
another tall building with whited out windows.  Instead he found himself on a
small island far off shore from the main continental mass.  It had beautiful
blue skies and the freshest air he'd felt since landing on the planet!  Quite
the change and he was sure it was at quite the cost.  “So where are we?”

Bill grinned, “Didn't catch the entire description myself,
but apparently this is where politicians come when they want to be discrete.”

“That sounds...”  Theodore fought for the right world.

“Sleazy!” beamed Bill with a laugh.  “On the plus side, it
is lavish and easy to defend.  Very hard to sneak up on an island like this. 
On the down side, it's quite a way back to the mainland.”

“Not sure that's a downside...”

Bill laughed at that, “There is a certain truth to that! 
Come on, the ladies need to see you and then we all need to talk.”

Janice sat in silence next to Anna and Meagan as Theodore
relayed his conversation with Thomas to Tim and the rest of the team.  When it
was over Janice was in tears but had only one question, “Did Lori make it?”

Tim shook his head, “Struck down by a sniper from what we
can tell.”

“Have you recovered his body?”

“Um, whose body?”

“Thomas’s,” Janice snarled.

“No, ma'am.  We've not found any trace of him.  The house
is under surveillance, but we doubt he'd go back there.”

“If he thinks his
associates
were successful in
killing Theodore, then he might.  'I'm too good to them.'  Is that exactly what
he said?” asked Janice.

“Yes, ma'am,” replied Theodore evenly.

Janice started blubbering, “Don't you
dare
start
with the 'ma'am' after all this.  It is Janice or
Mother
.  And yes, I
know earlier I said you were supposed to wait before calling me that.  I
changed my mind!  Mothers do that!”

“Yes, Mom.  I'll try and be more careful,” offered
Theodore with a feeble smile.

“
Much
better!”  Janice tried to compose herself
before returning her attention to Tim and his group.  “What could he have meant
by that?  Was he prescribing them medications off label?”

Tim shook his head, “We have no idea, ma'am.”  A quick
glare later he added, “Janice.”  He paused to think, “It could be anything from
fraudulent prescriptions or moving out of date meds to covert medical aid.”

“Covert medical aid?” asked Theodore.  “Um, at what point
is it covert and what point is it just being helpful to people in need?”

“When it includes things like gunshots and drug
overdoses.  Both are likely when dealing with these sorts of people.”

“Animals more like it,” snarled Janice.

“Animals are at least good for meat and fur,” offered
Theodore.  “Don't insult the animals!”

Janice laughed in spite of herself and it was obvious to
everyone that she needed that.  “Come here you!” she stood and hugged Theodore
warmly.  “Come sit with us!”

The girls giggled and rearranged so Theodore was sitting
between them.  Janice sat at the end next to Anna, holding her hand.  “So now
what?”

“I think the trip is over,” began Theodore.  “I don't want
any more people injured or killed because of me.  And I sure as heck don't want
to be put into a situation where I have to kill someone again.”

“You're a family man,” grinned Tim.  “Just like your
father.  No shame in that.  A far cry from Bill,” he teased.

“Thank you very much!” grinned Bill. 

“With all the insanity, we can probably arrange a charter
flight back to the Highlands.  That would give you at least three days on the
ground before you went back to school.  You are going back to the university?”

Theodore nodded, “Between your team and Tamilton's work,
the university was quite tame.”

“Good, good!  I'd hate to think the Bella-Shoana were
going to mess up everything.  And what of you, ma'am... Janice?  I heard talk
that you might turn a trip to the Highlands into a several month affair.”

Janice flashed a smile to Anna, “Yes, I think I'll be
pulling Anna from her regular classes and homeschool her for the last eight
weeks of her classes.”

Tim nodded, “Okay, we'll wait a few hours and have someone
drop by your house and pull any personal effects you want.”

“Several changes of clothes would be nice,” laughed
Janice.  “We'll worry about disposing of the property later...”

“Um, what about Ross?” asked Theodore suddenly.

“He's being notified and should join us this evening,”
replied Tim.

“You guys have your fur clean and straightened!”

Tim sighed, “Not as much as we would have liked...”

As dinner came so did more news from Tim, “The agents at
your house found all of Thomas's effects had already been removed.  Car is
missing, too.  They were able to pull your clothes, jewelry, photos.  They've
already scanned everything twice looking for bugs.  Found a few in the clothes;
they don't think they damaged the clothes too much removing them.”

“I know a place that can do wonders with repairs and
alterations,” beamed Anna.

“In other news,” grinned Tim.  “Ross is here!”

“So, you elected not to fight the Silver,” began Ross to
Theodore.

They were outside, away from the girls.  Theodore wasn't
sure if he was supposed to be defensive or just matter-of-fact about the whole
exchange.  It was Ross's little sister, but it wasn't like she was in danger at
the time.  “I was tired of killing and I had an out.  Staying and fighting
would have only encouraged more of same.”

“If you had dropped him, they probably would have opened
up on you with a barrage of 90mm thermobaric and anti armor rockets.  They
found a stash of rockets on one of the roof tops.  Quite an arsenal.”

“You think it was good that I left?”  asked Theodore,
still unsure of what Ross was expecting of him.

“By all means, yes.  They were bringing more firepower to
bear faster than the DSS could get there.  Loved your armor slam on the way
out. 
Very
controlled.  You are getting better quickly!”

Theodore relaxed a bit, relieved that Ross was being so
understanding.

Ross must have been reading Theodore as he broke out
laughing, “Hey!  My sister wants to marry you, not a crispy corpse!  I'm quite
certain if she had been there, you would have shown them all what a Highlander
can really do...”

“You think I was holding back?  You've got to be kidding
me!”

“I know you were holding back!  Not a doubt in my mind! 
Don't get me wrong, I hope you never have to cut loose.  No one wants you in
that situation.  I'm just glad to know that Meagan and Anna will be safe.”

“I'm glad
you
think I was holding back!”

“Really big guy was he?”

“Yeah, biggest Taik I've ever meet.  I'm sure the
situation made him
seem
even bigger.”

“Pretty sure it was Edwin Blackford.  That or his brother
Colm...   Both are cousins of yours in fact.  Bad sort.”

“Oh, crap!  You know him?” 

“Know
of
him. He... He won't be missed back in the
Highlands.”

“He won't try to follow us back to the Highlands will he?”

“Oh, heavens no!” laughed Ross.  “The queue to thrash his
furry butt is quite long.”

“Can the locals handle him?”

“Not my problem.  If they had tried harder when you were
last here, this would have all been moot.  They need to clean their own fur
before we worry about our trash adding to the forest floor.”

“I've
so
missed that.  Not the trash; the forest
floor!” grinned Theodore.

“I understand that!” grinned Ross.

Theodore grinned sheepishly, this was becoming habit...
“Hi Emily!” he called from the bridge in the middle of Marrionsford.  “We're
back a little early!”

Emily laughed lightly as she carried Abby up and hugged
him warmly.  Rose had wasted no time running straight into Anna's outstretched
arms. 

“Second Mother,” began Theodore formally, “I'd like you to
meet Anna's mother, Dr. Janice Westmore.”

“Delighted to meet you again!” beamed Janice.

“And you, too!  So, um, were there problems again?”

Theodore rolled his eyes, “Yes, lots...”

“Save it for when we get home,” laughed Emily.  “You are
all here and safe, that is the most important thing.”

The introductions were repeated at the house and a quick
synopsis of the first half of the week was quickly retold. 

“If that was Edwin Blackford, he won't show his face
around here,” groused Aidden. “He... he... nope.  Not going to say it in mixed
company.”

“Is your friend Bill Burges here?” asked Fiona.

Theodore laughed, “No, he's back on the ship.  Tim is
trying to coordinate things for my trip back to school and Bill is stuck
dealing with the red tape.”

“Poor Bill,” laughed Emily.  “Didn't I see Ross in town? 
He should join us!”

“I think he's trying to
not
 rumple Theodore's
fur,” grinned Meagan.

They all had a good laugh at that.

“I'm going to go ahead over to lady Deidre's place and
help arrange things for your stay.  You
are
staying until Spring,
aren't
you?”

“Yes indeed,” smiled Janice.  “I'll have to go back in a
few weeks to take care of a few legal things, but outside of that, we're here
until spring.  That's not fair,
I'm
here until spring.   I think Anna
plans on staying a wee bit longer.”

Anna grinned and laughed as she hugged Theodore and Meagan
both, “Yep, a whole lot longer!”

“Oh,” grinned Janice, “in lighter news, you might like to
know that Meagan recognized a portrait you had done that was on display back on
our home world.”

Fiona and Charlotte both had a good laugh at that. 

Theodore smiled as he watched Charlotte laugh: she all but
glowed.  Her child was due in less than a month.  He'd have a new sibling by
winter break!

“Oh, Mom!  Come upstairs!  You have to see what they did to
the attic!”

The two painters laughed again as eager Anna dragged
Janice up to the attic to show off their handy work. 

Anna just shrieked as she made it up the landing while
Fiona giggled, “Um... we added a bit since you left...”

Theodore was about ready to comb his fur backwards as the
family geared up for dinner with the guests.  Emily looked at him and then had
no end of laughing, “What's the problem, Theodore?”

“Um, Janice... she normally... well...”

“Doesn't eat meat,” finished Emily with a grin.  “We knew
that, silly dear.  That is why I ran back into town to the store.  Anna is
helping me prepare dinner, we'll all be fine.  Cramped maybe!”

“We could set up the tables outside,” he offered.

“That sounds fine,” Emily grinned back.  “Whatever you and
your father decide, we'll make do.”

 Theodore quickly excused himself and joined his father in
moving table and chairs outside.  It was a nice enough evening, with just a
hint of chill in the air.  A few more weeks and they would have been worrying
about snow!  Janice soon caught Theodore outside and pinned him off to the
side.

“If something happens and word comes back about Thomas,
you don't risk hair one to do
anything
for him.  Anna may get all teary
eyed, but your job is to worry about her, not Thomas.  If she gets mad about
that, blame me.”

“Okay, Mom,” replied Theodore, more than surprised by
Janice's assertion.  “I'm a Pollyanna, granted, but Anna and Meagan come
first.  Always.”

She hugged him warmly, “Good lad!  Oh, part of me hopes
he's fine.  Part of me is going to laugh at him rotting in jail.  It's all a
mess for me.  Just keep you youngsters out of it!”

“Hey, Mom!  I already said I would,” grinned Theodore.

She just grinned back, “And I do like the sound of you
saying 'Mom!'”  She laughed lightly.  “Come, come, it's all but dinner time. 
Now I get to find out how well Anna did with those stir fried mushrooms!”

“Semester is almost over; curious how many planets he'll
visit?”

“I understand midterms was a bit of a lark.”

“Most of us just visit one planet.  But no, he up and
visited two!”

“Go and ask Bill how much fun it was,” offered Theodore as
he looked up at the twins from his desk in his dorm room. 

“Poor sot, he's taken to drinking now...”

“He drank before we left,” laughed Theodore.  “What can I
do for you two fine, upstanding men?”

“Sarcasm!  You hear that in his voice?”

“My dear brother, maybe he has finally just seen us for
who we are.”

“Can't be, he didn't slam the door in our faces!”

“What?  We have a reputation?”

“Yes,” laughed Theodore, “you
do
have a
reputation.  What can a third year do to help a pair of upper classmates?”

“Liked the other intro better, spoilt it...”

“Yes you did.  Had a might nice intro and...”

Theodore laughed, “Okay, already!  What's up?”

“My dear brother Maurice finds himself in a bit of a
pickle.”

“Not pickle, just awkward sort of way.”

“Awkward... very... His date for the dance at the
semester's end is all into formal stuff.”

“And I, who mocked my dear brother earlier for his class
choices, have two left feet.”

“So, you want
me
to try and teach you how to dance
by this weekend?” laughed Theodore.

“Actually two weeks!”

“Well, week and a half, really.”

“High on my list of people that can do the impossible...”

“Well, that and people that make a habit of the impossible...”

“Is you, dear Theodore,” they finished in unison.

Theodore grinned, “In Ballroom 3, the one with the low
ceiling there at the student union, they have practice three nights a week. 
They are always short of guys to dance with.  That is where we'll start... Oh! 
They should be opening up that room in less than thirty minutes.  Come on, both
of you.”

“Both of us?” scoffed Marcel.

“Yes, both!  Odds are you are both going to get sucked
into the mess.  Might as well make both of you presentable.”

“But really!  In the public ballroom?  What if I'm seen!”

“Then your date will know how dedicated you are... that
you were willing to risk public humiliation to stand proudly by her side...”

“She's cute, but I'm not sure she's
that
cute!”

“Move your butts!  Both of you!  I'll help coach, but I
draw the line at dance partner.  Thirty minutes, gentlemen.  I expect you to be
there!”

Bill grinned as he watched the twins squirm on the dance
floor.  “Either they aren't that bad, or you are a really good dance teacher.”

Theodore laughed, “They aren't that bad, really.  And it
really,
really
helps that their partners are both very good and very
patient!  So, who is Emma?”

Bill suddenly turned pale, “You... You...”

“Ah, eloquent!” teased Theodore.  “Don't worry, your time
will come soon enough.”

“Back!  Back you evil cat!” groused Bill. 

“Maybe you should slow down and smell the violets.  We
won't live forever.”

Bill nodded, “Yeah, Lori getting killed really drove that
home.  But I'm not slowing down until they find that bastard Thomas.”

“There will
always
be a next target.  You go after
Thomas, someone else will get hurt.  Revenge is a petty cycle.”

“I never said I was going after Thomas. 
They
are
supposed to get him.”

“If their past history is anything to go on, that will be
a long time...”

Bill shook his head, “Those people are living in a fools’
paradise.  They don't do anything to spill their wine because bad things always
happen to
other
people.  One morning they are going to wake up and
realize that they are it!”

Theodore laughed, “Seriously, how messed up was the planet
compared to most?”

“Average, unfortunately,” admitted Bill.  “How is it that
organized crime seems to be a human thing?  I mean you hear about Taiks
involved in robberies and murders and things, but you never hear about Taik
mafia!”

“I hear Taiks seem to gravitate toward motorcycle gangs,”
sniffed Theodore.  “If it helps your feelings any, I understand that Khazar
have a worse problem than humans do with organized crime.”

“Oh, there is a rallying cry!  At least we aren't as bad
as them!” groused Bill.

“Sorry...”

“No.  You were trying to offer a different point of view
and I made light of your effort.  Sorry.”

Theodore grinned, “It's okay.  So where were we?”

“Mocking the twins...”

“Oh... I thought we were discussing Emma...”

“You are an evil cat...”

Theodore grinned, “Just trying to help.”

“Is the dance floor open to anyone?” came a call from
entry.

“Sure/of course!” came the quick reply.

“I always did like a good dance,” grinned a sinister Taik
as he invoked a Live Steel sword.