Good Friends in Bad places
The rain had been falling for the past three hours, the precipitation mixed with the puddle of three day old urine and sweat. She could feel the drenched uniform sticking to her fur beneath the body armor and gilly suit. Lightning flashed in the distance, causing the green of the night vision scope to go white and useless for several seconds at a time. She sucked more water through the tubing coming from the buried container. The wet sand ground into her hard as it settled deep into every section of her clothing. The past three days had been filled with dust storms and rain yet they had not moved. The sight was trained on a building one thousand meters out. "Target spotted, third floor, fifth window. Wind speed forty-five kilometers per hour." PFC Heartken recited, looking through his rangefinder. Lifting the ballistic goggles from her face, she moved the scope to the intended location. "Four targets confirmed. One primary, in red turban, all others tertiary. Ignore unless you have a clear shot."
"I can take three, now." she said charging the bolt on her Lapua Magnum Sniper rifle.
"Range clear, fire when ready." Following the order the mechanical sounds of gunfire and charging are heard four times in rapid succession, followed by a flash of light, and a deafening boom of thunder.
(June 11th 05:00)
Cecily awoke with the first crash of thunder. She wanted so badly to run; instead she questioned herself as she climbed out of her queen sized bed and into bed with Lilly. She seemed to still be asleep, yet she was shivering, but her body was so warm. Cecily curled up as close as she could. With every crash she felt the large liger jerk and shiver. The thought of her being so close to someone who had killed people scared Cecily, but the strength and concern she saw that day put those fears to the back of her mind. This was different, she was different, and the conflicting emotions swirled in her head. Then a bible verse from the one time she was taken to church floated through her mind, 'If he is with us, who can stand against us.' Maybe that was what Lilly was to Cecily, the strength and courage she never had.
Lilliana jerked awake, eyes instantly wide and alert. Another flash of lightning outside the hotel windows brought her into the present. She was shivering, the old memories triggered by the weather, and perhaps relieving the others in her mind. She laid on her side with a small, warm body huddled next to her chest. Looking down at the bed she saw Cecily the undersized kangaroo mouse, curled into a ball, shivering as if she were ice cold. Lilliana reached around the tiny form, which must have crawled into the bed with her when the storm started, and pulled her close. She whispered into her ear, "Don't be scared, I won't let anything hurt you ever again." The feel of those powerful, yet gentle arms surged through her small body. The warmth from the liger drove out the shivers and fear. Cecily laid there, slowly drifting back to sleep
Lillyana awoke from what felt like eons of sleep, looking down she saw Cecily wrapped in her arms. A smile crossed her face; this was the best she had felt in years. As gently as she could, Lilliana reached for the pocket watch on the bedside table. When she snapped it open her eyes went wide, 11:30AM. She immediately jumped out of the bed, "Sorry to wake you like this, but we have thirty minutes to checkout. We're going to have to skip the primping today, Sisy." Without complaint or contest, Cecily followed the order and moved swiftly to ready herself to go.
(06:30 somewhere in the mountains of Oregon)
Susan's Jeep bounced down the dirt road bordered by tall pines. She always loved the drive out there, the country was so beautiful. What she dreaded was the arrival at her destination. She had fallen for Hank Heartken back in the service, but everything changed on that fateful day back in Iraq. Their final mission as a team had not gone as planned. They had lost seven of their team mates to a mortar attack, and it was not looking good for the rest of them. Lilly and Hank were the only ones able to hold the enemy at bay. That effort saved the remainder of the team, but at the cost of both Hank and Lilly. After that, Hank was put out for psychological trauma, while Lilly had finished her enlistment and just did not re-up. Susan and Alex were assigned to new units, and the Dark Riders were dissolved.
Hank had not been doing well for the past month; the flashbacks were getting worse, as was the drinking. He blamed himself for what had happened to him and Lilly, though Lilly reserved the anguish for the others all to herself. Their first two years out of the service, Hank and Lilly stayed together. Lilly spent the time trying to do what she could for him, but in the end he pushed her away.
It was only three years ago he moved to the secluded mountain cabin, the year after Lilly's contract with the State National Guard ended. Susan had been in Oregon for four years now, and try as she might, she never could find the connection she had with him before that day. Every week for two years after Lilly had left; Susan went up to the cabin to try getting through to him. But every time he was either drunk, or off in the woods. It broke her heart to see him like this; this would get through to him. Lilly needed his help. Sure he did not have the government connections she had built up over the years, but that's not what she needed from him.
As the cabin came into view through the trees, she saw Hank sitting on the porch, rifle in one hand, bottle of Jimmy in the other. Honking the horn with their agreed signal, she pulled in and came a stop. Susan sat in the jeep waiting for him to put down the rifle. When he did, the chinchilla hopped out and ran to the porch. "Hank" she yelled, "You will never believe who is on their way here."
Looking up in a half drunken stupor, the five foot five otter shouted back, "Unless it is Jesus Christ come to take me home, or Satan to take me to Hell, I don't give a shit." He sat in a wooden rocker he made from the local timber, wearing only overalls. His disheveled hair told her he had not bathed in weeks, if not months.
Walking up to the porch now even more angry at him than the situation he put himself in, she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the door, "Stop talking like that you jackass. We need to get you inside and cleaned up, we only have three weeks."
Having been pulled beyond his control, "Three weeks for what? And why do we have to get ready for it now."
"Because, do you really want Lilly to see you like this?" She snapped at him. She had come to realize she may have fallen for him, but after that day, the only person in the world he saw was Lilly.
"W-what about Lilly?"
"She is on her way back here from out east, and she and Cecily are going to need a place to stay." She said to him as she started up the generator to get the well pump working, "And if you think they are going to stay here with this place and you in this condition, you're out of your mind."
"C-Cecily? Who is Cecily?"
"If your drunk ass didn't isolate yourself out here and you kept this damned phone charged.. " tossing the cell phone off the table at him "... or better yet, came back into town and stayed with me, you might know what the fuck is going on in this world." She sat on a wooden bucket Hank often used as a chair, "Lilliana is trying to adopt a runaway she found in D.C. You know how she is, trying to save everyone but herself. Why the hell you pushed her away like that when she offered to take you with her is beyond me."
"I like it here, I didn't want to leave." thinking for a moment, the alcohol dimming his wit, "Why would she need to come here about a runaway from D.C.?"
"You fucking jackass, you're drinking you brain cells away. The girl ran away from here. They are coming back to get some paperwork done. I am going to do what I can to push it through as fast as I can. I'm probably going to lose my job over this, but it's for Lilly, we owe her that much."
Hanging his head low, Hank sat in silence for several long moments. "Is... is she really coming here?" Looking up at Susan, "It's been three years. I can't see her like this."
"That's what I am trying to tell you, she is coming here with her soon to be daughter. You look like shit, this place looks like shit. And I don't have room for them to stay in my apartment." Standing up and turning to the door, "Now charge your fucking cell phone, she could be trying to call you right now, and clean this place up like you think she deserves."
Closing the door behind her she stopped on the porch, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm sorry for that Hank, but you need to see her more than I do." Straightening up her jacket and wiping the tears from her eyes, she glanced at her watch; she had just enough time to get out of the mountains and into the office.
(08:30 Portland, OR)
Susan sat in the jeep outside the City Auditor's office changing out of her hiking boots into high heel shoes. She had been working with the City Auditor for a month now. She had used the many contacts she made over the past years working as the county court clerk, to get her foot in the door after getting certified as an auditor. Now she found herself using that network again for what was a much more important issue in her mind.
This past weekend Lilliana Fargo, the one person Susan owed more to than anyone, asked her for a favor. Lilly never asks for favors, so when she called, Susan jumped at the opportunity to do something for the person who is responsible for her still being alive. The favor was out of her jurisdiction, but with her new position she had access to much of the information, and contacts in the right places. The prospect of adopting a child in the state of Oregon was often a two year process. Their plan was to get past the most difficult issues in less than thirty days.
Today Susan was going to put her career on the line, and bend her own moral rules to speed the process along. as she walked into her office building, she pulled a prepaid cellphone from her purse and punched in a number. She strutted through the hall as the phone picked up on the other side, "You know who it is. Use simple yes and no answers. Do you understand?... Good. Did you get my message?... Do you understand what I am asking for?... Do you understand what is in it for you?... Good. Can you meet me tonight?... You understand that we are both ruined if this gets out... Good. Don't try to call me at this number." As she pressed the off button ending the call, she slipped the battery cover off the phone and removed the battery and SIM card and stuffed them in her pocket, then dropped the phone in the trash by the receptionist's desk. Susan stepped into her office and closed the door, and locked it behind her. She sat in the chair behind the desk and rested her face in the palms of her hands, "What the fuck am I doing? I can't pull this off." She sighed, "My God, Lilly, why not just ask me to cover up a murder, I think I can handle that. But this shit is hard."
She leaned back in her chair, and picked up the phone, "Please connect me to the Family services office for Midway... Hello this is Miss Shelby with the Portland City Auditor's office. Could you please connect me with your director?... Hello sir, this is Miss Shelby with the Portland Auditor's office... Yes I understand that you are outside my jurisdiction, I have a favor to ask you. I would like you to collect all the case files and data for Cecily Silvana..." She trailed off for a moment as she was interrupted by the individual on the other side of the phone. "Under investigation?... I have news that might make your job a bit easier... I know where Cecily is... She is safer than she has ever been... A friend of mine found her in Washington D.C... She is driving out here now, but it will take her awhile... She will refuse to cooperate with that option... Do you want this ... oversight ...to go away?... Right now I can guarantee that things will look really bad for you and your office as they are... I want you to transfer all the case files to the Portland Family Services office... Attention Miss Shelby & Dr. Sooner... I will handle the justification through the city courthouse... Thank you Mr. Drakens... No need. This is exactly my intention in calling you. It just worked out better for both of us this way... Have a nice day." She hung the receiver back in its cradle and spun in her chair to look out the window. "You have the devil's luck Lilly. Why do you get everything you ask for and more, when all I want is one otter to notice me?" Grabbing the headset off the "L" of her desk and putting it on, she pressed the button on the side, "Yes, could you please connect me with Dr. Sooner's office at Family Services... Hey there Doc, I need to chat with you about a file that is coming your way... First, the child is not in the state at this time, but she is safe and on her way back... That's what I want to discuss... How is the wife?... and your other young lady?... "
(16:00 Lynchburg, TN)
Lilliana and Cecily walked into the Bar-B-Que Caboose Cafe, even thirty minutes before closing the place was packed. Seeing the new customers, a Siberian husky waitress with a hand full of small serving baskets said, "Welcome to Caboose. Take a seat anywhere; I will be with you in a moment. I believe there are some spots on the 'Back Porch'"
She looked across the room and spotted a black poodle come in through a back door and head to the restroom. "Come on, Squeaky. I think it's this way." Then she lead the way through the small dining room. Once they stepped through the door, they saw six tables, only one had three seats, the remainder was taken up by a family of white poodles. Lilly walked up to the table and took hold of one seat, "These spots taken?" she asked looking over at what she assumed was the father of the group.
The older poodle pointed to the two seats at one side of the table, "Those two are free, the other is taken by the boy's date." with a friendly smile on his face he continued, "Have a seat, they're busy today."
Sitting in the seat nearest the family, Lilliana left the other seat for Cecily. "Thanks." Reaching across the table toward the older poodle, "Hi there, I'm Lilly, this one here is Sisy. We're passing through on our trip to Oregon. Glad to see there is still some hospitality left in the small parts of the world."
The poodle took hold of Lilly's hand, "I'm Allan, this is Francis my wife and these three are our kids." As he finished going through the introductions the black poodle from earlier came to the table and sat next to the oldest pup with a quizzical look on her face. "And that there is Kevin's girlfriend." The boy broke in with an annoyed growl "DAD!" He continues, releasing her hand, "Oregon, eh? What brings you through Lynchburg?"
"Lemonade ingredients." She replied with a smile.
With that the waitress that greeted them came to the table, "Sorry about the crowd, it's bustlin' today. Almost everything on the menu is still available; however we are out of baked potatoes. Our soup of the day is clam chowder, the sauces are described on the card there, what can I get you two to drink?"
Lilly picked up two of the laminated cardstock menus, handing one to Cecily, "Well I have a lot of driving ahead of us, so I am thinking sweet tea for both of us. How is the pork barbecue plate?"
Allan piped up, "Best plate in the state if you're up for good pit smoked."
"Ok, then I'll take a pork plate with a side salad and ranch dressing. You see what you want, Short stack?" Lilliana asked looking over to the kangaroo mouse.
Speaking barely above a whisper, "Chicken sandwich, please." Cecily ordered as she set the menu down.
"I'll put this into the kitchen and be right back with your drinks." The waitress said snatching up two empty cups and walking back into the cafe.
Allan looked over at the duo, "So, you two make an odd pair. Mind telling your story?" His wife looked at him with a scowl on her face, "Allan, what are you doing?" "Being a nosey reporter and asking questions, what do you expect after twelve years together?"
"Ha! Now there is a man I could see being a drinking buddy. Don't worry Frany. I wish there were more people like us in the world." Looking over at the poodle Lilliana said, "I found Cecily here in a bad place in her life, and I'm helping her get home."
Just then the husky came back with their drinks and placed the check for the poodle family at the other end of the table. Allan stood up, "Well damn, that sounds like it is an interesting story, but we need to go." Holding out his paw with a business card, "I am looking into writing a collection of stories like yours, and would be willing to pay for your tale if you're interested. Give me a call sometime."
Taking the card, Lilliana told him, "That's an interesting Idea. We'll think about it."
As the family left the table, Allan gave one final comment, "You two have a safe trip."
Now alone at the large table, Cecily looked over at her, "How do you do that? You're so confident and forward. I could never have talked to them like that." She spoke in a normal tone, no longer shy.