Arc 5

I Gotta Be Me...........

It's rained, on and off - and pretty heavy at times - almost every day since I last met with Doyle. Kinda suited my mood, since I had a lot of stuff to sort out .First and foremost was the heightened alert level at DHS. As Doyle had explained it, since the Bin Laden kill every able-bodied field agent was being reassigned to proactive roles. Even the People Upstairs would be occupied. This meant that the "The Project" has sorta fallen between the cracks.

It didn't bother me that there would be no one watching my back since Jones and his crew would be off the table too. It didn't bother me that there would be no money coming in from that source, since I'd never touched any of it anyway. It didn't bother me that the test subject from Delaware was on the loose, since I didn't think he knew exactly who or where I was. What I kept coming back to was why had they let me keep the Flasher?
I've come to the conclusion that Smith wants me to continue. I'm also pretty sure that they'll bail me out of any trouble I may get into - legally speaking - because they wouldn't want the Flasher to become known. At least I hope so.

Two days ago, the weather changed. The sun came on strong and the temperatures soared. That can certainly improve one's mood.

I was up early this morning, so I took a ride to the Barnes & Noble store by the Menlo Park Mall and got there just after they opened. I was looking for something specific, and I always start on the 2nd floor. I used one of their terminals to find the section I would need, and then headed down towards the back of the store. I glanced down one of the rows and noticed this older man sitting in one of the chairs by the windows.

Now, I had been to this store Wednesday - just killing time - and seen this guy in the same chair, probably wearing the same clothes, eating the same breakfast, and reading the same book. This is something that - I have to admit - ticks me off. If you want to sit around and read a book without buying it, go to a library. That book he's so callously dropping crumbs in (and probably drippings from his Dunkin' Donut Iced Coffee) will probably wind up back on the shelf for some unsuspecting shopper. Man..I hate that.

I moved into the next row of books - part of the Science Fiction section, and browsed my way towards the window. I had the Flasher in my right hand. I don't usually use that hand, but it was better logistically and my body should block most of the flash from being seen.

I looked around a bit but. like I'd said, it was early so the store wasn't crowded.

I got to the end of the row, then...

point, press, Flash.

He slumped a little as I turned around, exited the row, and walked down to where the book I was looking for would be located. I found it alright, but no longer had any interest in it. From that section, I could see most of the window-side. No one  seemed to take any notice of the old man. I went down to the first floor, exited through the side door, and entered the mall itself. I walked up and down the length of it, taking my time, then went back to Barnes & Noble.

No cell phone confirmation, but also no activity, no emergency service vehicles, no police. I browsed around a little on the first floor, checking out the sale books, and left through the main entrance.

I drove down to Roosevelt Park, just a few blocks away off Parsonage Road, and pulled into the first parking lot I found. I lowered the windows, turned off the car, and just watched the people.

They were walking, jogging, riding bikes, or just sitting. Parents or grandparents watching the kids play. They were out on a sunny, warm, pre-summer morning doing just what they wanted to do.

Just like me.

Hiatus.....

Doyle called. We agreed to meet at the Woodbridge Veteran's Memorial, between the Main Library and the High School. It was early when I got there. The school lot had cars already, so I parked by the library and walked down the hill. It's peaceful there.

I sat on one of the benches, and waited for Doyle. It didn't take long. He came walking up from the school lot.

"Hiya, Denny? How're you doin'?" He was dressed in his best "Men in Black" suit, and he unbuttoned the jacket before he sat down next to me.
"About as well as a sociopath can, I guess."
"Ouch...Look..I deserve that. I didn't explain that too well. You gotta understand that it's a good thing. Everyone I know in this business - everyone good, that is - is a sociopath, in some degree. It's the only way we can do this work. You have to be able to detach."
"Really? You're telling me that you're a sociopath, too?" I smirked at him.
"Denny, I'm some kinda 'path. The shrinks just don't know quite how to classify me. And you, my friend, are a "neo-sociopath". You came to this anti-social attitude later in life, so you maintain control better."
"Gee..I feel so much better." But I'd actually accepted it. I was just giving Doyle a hard time.
He shook his head.

"Anyway, that's not why I asked you to meet me." He looked around. "This is a memorial to the veteran's from Woodbridge who died in wars going back to World War I. Did you know that?"
I didn't answer, since it was pretty obvious from the different memorials. He was leading up to something. I waited him out.

"We're at war, Denny. Have been since 9-11. And with the Bin Laden kill last week, it's only gonna get worse."
"Yeah, I guess so. We'll just have to be extra-vigilant for a while."
"No. Not for a while. For a long time. My people are on high alert, and that's where you come in."
"What? You want me to guard something? I'm not really trained for anything security-related, you know?"
He chuckled. "No. Thanks for the offer, though." He paused....
"Every field agent assignment in DHS is being re-evaluated. Every operation is being re-assessed. Since this operation never got out of the Project phase, it's gonna be scrubbed. Sorry, Denny."
My turn to pause.
"Wow..I guess I never thought that this could happen...I understand, though.." I took the Flasher out of my pocket, and held it out to him.

He pushed it back towards me.
"You don't really understand, kid. What I mean is that we have to pull the teams that trail you, and have been covering you 24/7. We'll also be shutting down the phone numbers you're familiar with. We can't justify them."
I was confused. He continued.
"We will still be monitoring the implant, since we can "hide" it among all the other field agents, but for all intents and purposes you'll be on your own."
"Really? What am I supposed to do now?"
"Mr. Smith still has faith in the Project, but it will really be up to you. You'll have no backup, and we still don't  know what Mr. Jones might do." He gestured towards the Flasher that I still held out in front of me. "Put that away. You might need it, and I wouldn't feel right leaving you without some way to protect yourself, though I have to remind you that it won't work against field agents. What you decide to do with it will be up to you."

I put the Flasher back in my pocket.
"What happens to you, Doyle?"
"I can't tell you, Denny. Even if I wanted to." He grinned. "You know, the "I'd have to kill you" joke."
 He took something out of his inside pocket. A business card. He gave it to me. It was for an attorney.
"If you have any questions in the future , call the number on this card. He's worked with us in the past, and he'll contact us, if necessary. If you get in any trouble because of the Flasher, definitely call him."
He stood up.
"that's all I can do for you now, Denny. I hate to leave things like this, but I don't have a choice."
He stuck out his hand. I shook it. He smiled, nodded, and turned away.

He said nothing as he walked back down the hill.

There was nothing left to say.

 To See Oursel's As Others See Us.....

Doyle called. We agreed to meet early this morning at Alvin Williams Park on the Sewaren Peninsula in Woodbridge. It's a nice, quiet place that early in the morning since it's kinda out of the way. We were to meet in the covered structure closest to the Arthur Kill.

I got there first, or thought I did. I was looking out over the Kill when he came up behind me.
"Just so you know, I've been here about a half an hour, checking out the area, and watching that no one followed you in. How you doin', Denny?" He was grinning. He was dressed casually, but looked liked he'd lost weight.
"I'm good, but I'm sure you know that." We shook hands, and sat on one of the benches, our backs to the Kill.
"Well, we know how you are physically, but I'm talking mentally? You doin' OK?"
"I'm good, Doyle. Really. I know I've been under some stress recently, but it's all over."
"We know about your attempts to contact you local politicians to get some kind of statement for Donate Life Month, and that you haven't been too successful. I gotta admit, we had some concerns, but we didn't do anything because you didn't do anything. Know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I didn't run crazy with the Flasher, right?" He looked relieved.
"Right. So now we can talk about some other things." He stood up, and looked out over the Kill and I joined him.

"God, I love the water." Hr said. "It's always had a calming effect on me."
Oh? Do you need to be calm right now?"
"No," He smirked, "Just making an observation.....I'm coming back from Delaware."
Just like that.

"When? Did you resolve the situation down there? I mean, Craig's a good guy, but I am more comfortable dealing with you."
"To answer your questions in order...effective immediately, and No. The situation remains unresolved, but we don't think it's in Delaware any more."
"What? I thought that you were down there to recreate this project. I remember, at first, you sounded optimistic. What happened?"
He paused for a long time.

He stood up straight, stretching his back, then looked right at me.
"Denny, do you know the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?"
"What?...No...Why? Are you kidding me?"
"No, I'm dead serious, and I didn't really expect you to know." He paused again, and looked around.

"Our shrinks say that it comes down to "Nature versus Nurture". A psychopath is born that way, but a sociopath develops over time, based on how he's brought up. In either case, they are anti-social people, usually with no regard for rules, although they fit in well. And the psychopath tends towards flamboyance and criminality."
"And this has to do with me, how? Are you telling me that I'm one of those?"
"Yes and no. When we started this project, after you'd already gotten Jimmy's heart, our shrinks evaluated you and came up with a variation. They classified you as a "neo-sociopath". Someone who developed the same anti-social tendencies due to current economic/social/political changes and how they affected you."
"And that was OK with them? They didn't think it would be...oh, I don't know...a drawback or something?" I forgot that sarcasm was sometimes lost on Doyle.
"Not at all. In fact, they thought it would be a beneficial trait, and it certainly seems to have been proven to be. You've done very well with things."
This time, I paused. I walked away a little, trying to get angry with this, but I couldn't find a real reason. After all, I knew what I was doing. I turned back to Doyle.

"And you're telling me this because.......?"
"It didn't work so well in Delaware. You see, Mr. Smith brought in the psych people that evaluated you. Mr. Jones demanded that he be allowed to bring his own people in for the Delaware project. Unfortunately, we didn't know then how badly Mr. Jones' choices would work out."

He didn't need to spell it out. I'd stepped all over Jones' toes with the whole Givings mess.

"So you're saying that Jones' people didn't vet out the Delaware subject properly?"
"No. They did not. In fact, our people now think that the subject was a closeted psychopath waiting for a trigger, and we gave it to him."
"Shit. Really? But,.. wait...you can track him, right?" I had a bad feeling about this.
He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
"We lost him. He'd been going on and off our tracking screens for a while, and we thought it was a system's glitch. Now he's just gone, and we don't know how."
"Jeez, Doyle. What do you do now?"
"We wait. And we watch. He was getting sloppy with his Events, but he only has a Type 2 Flasher, so he can't do too much damage in one day. We're on alert. We'll get him."
"OK. So what happens now?"
"In the meantime, I'm back here. We'll continue business as usual. And I'll be working with Mr. Smith to try to do something about the Mr. Jones situation."

He looked at his watch, and turned towards the parking lot. I couldn't think of anything to say. I certainly didn't want to know anything about the Jones situation.

"Take care of yourself, Denny. I'll be in touch."
"You too, Doyle."

He drove away. I stayed in the park, walking around a little, trying to come to grips with things. That's when I saw the lone jogger.

He was on the path that circled the park, and I noticed a large, bushy area up ahead of him, covering the path. I moved diagonally to intercept, the Flasher in my hand. There was no one anywhere near us. We both closed on the bushes. He had headphones on, and his head slightly down watching the path. He didn't see me coming.

Point, press Flash.

He dropped, and I went back to my car, and left the park. I still didn't see anyone around. I drove out of the area, towards Edison. My phone sounded. Confirmed.

I drove out through Avenel, and into Colonia. Along Chain of Hills road, I saw another, single jogger on my right. I slowed, lowering the passenger-side window. Again, the jogger had on headphones and didn't hear me coming. There wasn't another person or car in sight. I came up along side of her.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove on as she slumped to the ground. By the time I got to the Menlo Park Mall, I'd gotten the second confirmation.

It was still pretty early. The only store open was the Barnes & Noble's, and I didn't feel like browsing. As I circled the lot to drive out, I saw this guy doing something in his trunk. I checked my mirrors. No one in sight. I slowed as I passed him, my window still down, and...

Point, press, Flash.

He drooped forward into the trunk. It had brightened up considerably, and I figured that the Flash would be thought to be a reflection, or glare. I headed for home.

Confirm number 3.

I knew what they thought of me, and it didn't matter. I was feeling good. I still did what I did. I knew who I was better then they did, and I was pretty sure, if the time ever came, that I could use that to my advantage.

I guess Robert Burns was right...

"Oh wad some power the giftie gie us...."

When It Rains...............

I have a routine that I go through every morning. Like most people - I suppose - I go to the bathroom first. Then I feed the cat; check the indoor/outdoor thermometer in the living room window (and look out to see what's what); and finally, check my weight, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature (text them to certain people), and take my morning meds. Simple. This morning, when I looked out the living room window, there were 2 police cars parked outside - one on each side of the street - and one right behind my car!

"They're on to me!", I thought.

Then I got a hold of myself. I hadn't done anything in a couple of weeks. And Doyle had told me they'd take care of me. I had nothing to worry about, right?

I sat on the arm of the love seat, slightly back from the window, and watched. Maybe 5 minutes went by before they got out, meeting on my side. They paid no attention to my car, just headed for the corner. Since mine is the corner apartment, I watched them cross past my bedroom window, and enter my building.

I heard them in the vestibule. At the buzzers. They rang one.

It wasn't mine.

They got buzzed back and, using the peephole in my front door, I watched them go upstairs. I decided to check my emails before I took my blood pressure.

When I'd finished up everything, and was about to go out for the morning, I checked the living room window again. The police car across the street was just leaving.

By the time I got outside, they were both gone. Relief. I was still out here. I could still do what I'd been doing. Even though it was threatening rain, I decided to drive around some of the back streets in the nearby areas and see what I could find.

Many of the nearby areas in Avenel, Rahway, Colonia, Edison, and Metuchen are residential. Some of them are down-right suburban. I started in Avenel, but on my side of Route 1.

I turned off into the first development and there, right in front of me, was someone in a brown hoodie walking in the street. I followed for a block or so, and started checking my mirrors for traffic. No one. Just the guy in the brown hoodie.

I drew closer, the Flasher in my hand. I lowered the passenger side window. One last look around. I slowed as I pulled up beside him.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove away as he sank towards the curb. I never could understand why someone would walk in the street when there was a perfectly good sidewalk right there. I headed towards Colonia. About 10 minutes later, my phone beeped. Text message. Confirm.

Colonia is pretty upscale, but there are some more typical residential areas. As I drove around in one, I saw one of those satellite installers climbing a ladder toward a roof. Piqued my interest. I slowed. He was on the roof now.

I drove past, and pulled to the curb, watching through my back window. He was moving around pretty freely up there. I checked my mirrors, then got out of the car. I walked back towards the installer. Still looking around. No one. Nothing moving except the satellite guy.

Point, press, Flash.

He sagged down at an angle as I walked back to my car and started it up. In the rear view mirror, I saw him slide down towards the roof's edge. I drove away, thinking on heading towards Edison. As I passed the Metro Park Train Station my phone beeped again. Confirm #2.

I drove into the park behind the mall, thinking I might come upon a jogger. No such luck. The weather may have been too damp. But I did find a park worker weeding around a tree. I stopped across from him, but he seemed not to notice me.

 I looked around. The park was empty as far as I could tell. He worked his way around the tree. As he came to the right side, and back into my line of vision, I was ready.

Point, press, Flash.

He slid down behind the tree, and I drove away. Metuchen was nearby.

Metuchen is like a quaint little town surrounded by small, suburban neighborhoods. As I entered one of them, my phone beeped. Confirm #3. I drove around slowly, conscious the whole time of how to get back to the major through-roads. Suddenly, I saw a woman power-walking towards me. I pulled over and parked. Taking out my phone, I pretended to check messages and make a call. She got nearer.

 I checked my mirrors, my windows. No one else.

Point, press, Flash.

I started the car and drove away. I didn't see what happened to the walker.

As I reentered Edison, two things happened.

One, it started to rain, heavily.

Two, my phone rang. It was Craig. He wanted to meet. Since I was close to Route 27, and was going to stop at WalMart anyway, we agreed on a Dunkin' Donuts nearby.

He was sitting inside, with 2 cups of coffee, when I got there.
"Hello, Mr. O'Neill. Been busy, I see."
"Hiya, Craig. What's up?" I took the coffee he offered - I knew it would be what I would have ordered.
"First off, I can confirm your fourth Event. Congratulations. Putting the latest model to the test, huh?"
"What can I say? If it hadn't started raining so hard, I may have had more."
"That's the main reason for my call. I need to ask you not to do so many."
"What? Why?"
He drank some coffee. "We're stretched pretty thin, Mr. O'Neill. What with Agent Doyle still using personnel in Delaware. And every time you stage an Event, I have to leave at least 2 agents there to monitor the situation and clean up, if necessary. I just don't have the manpower anymore. In fact, with the satellite guy, after he slid off the roof, we just checked him out and left. Broke his neck."
"Oh. I...I didn't know." My turn to drink some coffee. "Doyle never said anything, and I guess I didn't think about it."
""It's OK, now, Mr. O'Neill, but if I have to continue to keep a 24/7 watch on you, I really can't afford to tie up too many agents. You understand, right?"
"Absolutely. No problem. I'll try not to overdo it from now on. By the way..how're things going with Doyle and Delaware?"
More coffee. "I'm afraid I don't know, and if I did, I probably couldn't tell you. But I did hear from Agent Doyle today. He said to tell you that he'd be in touch soon."
We both drank some coffee.
"Fair enough. Thanks for keeping an eye on my back, Craig. Whatever you need, please let me know."
"It's all good, Mr. O'Neill."
He stood, taking his coffee.
"Safe home and stay dry, Mr. O'Neill."
He left.
"You too, Craig." I thought.

I stayed, and finished my coffee.

Up and Down........

It's been one of those weeks where your blood pressure goes on a roller coaster ride. For most people, that's OK, for me..I have to watch it.

It started Sunday night. I was checking my e-mails when my computer started alerting me to the fact that I now had 38 potentially dangerous viruses. 38! How that can happen that quickly, I don't know, but it did. Of course, all I'd have to do is activate my Virus Protection Program....which I never got around to getting.

Monday morning, I had to go in for blood work, so I had to let the computer problem sit until I got back. I won't bother detailing the stress I got when I took the laptop to my local P. C. Richards (where I bought it). Suffice it to say that I wound up downloading the anti-virus program and clearing up the 38 viruses (and 194 cookies as well).

Highlights from the rest of the week were better. I got a good report on the blood work and don't have to go back until July; I got to attend a Town Hall Meeting with the Governor; and Thursday was Paddy's Day. All of these good things should've reduced my stress level but my daughter is getting married a week from today so, as the Father of the Bride, I'm on high alert. (I haven't mentioned this before, as it had no bearing on these entries.)

This morning, I woke up at 6:30, feeling a little off, but decided to run some errands. You know, take a ride - it's almost Spring. I got out onto Rahway Avenue, intending to head to Wegman's and fell in behind a small, commercial truck belonging to a local exterminator. His right blinker was on. It was on all the way down Rahway to Main Street, and down Main. After about 15 minutes or so, he did turn right, into the shopping area where Wegman's was located. He finally turned off the blinker then abruptly turned left into the Wegman's lot- without a blinker. I turned right, into a different lot.

Now, one of the things that bothers me when I drive is a person who doesn't use his blinker. And another thing that bothers me is a person who doesn't turn off his blinker. Here was a guy who did both. I could feel my pressure going up.

I got out of my car and headed towards Wegman's. The small truck was in front of me, and the driver was still in it. As I got closer I could see that he was reading the paper. I took the Flasher out of my pocket. I looked around. No one around. Closer. Still no one.

Well, Whaddaya Know............

The snow is all gone, finally. The weather is still changeable, but there are enough sunny, warmish kinda days to make it all bearable. And Spring is coming in a few weeks. All in all, things are good. Today in fact turned out to be a good day for a drive. I headed down to Monmouth County.

I'm more cautious now, when I'm driving. More alert. I'm not worried, or scared necessarily. Just watchful. I'm more aware of black SUV's, for example, and any other vehicle that may be following me too closely. But I'm gonna try not to let it bother me. I've got faith in Doyle, Craig, and their team.

I had a few places I wanted to stop at, and a few things I wanted to pick up. For the most part, I was lucky. I considered it a good day as I headed back up Route 35. I had one more stop - the Middletown Library on New Monmouth Road.

I was about 20 or so feet away, with my blinker on, when some clown zooming from the opposite direction turned into the parking lot, cutting me off. I had to slam on the brakes, but I didn't think that bothered him - he was on the phone. As I turned in, I saw that he'd pulled up to the curb in front of the library, covering 3 parking spaces and scaring the crap out of a young woman and a child in a stroller. The music from the car drowned out the screams from the child.

I parked in the first spot I found, and headed toward the library. The punk got out, still on the phone, still ignoring the woman and child and left the car running and the music blaring. He went inside.

I had the Flasher in my pocket.

I walked around the front of his car, looking around, but all the people I could see - including the woman and child - where staring after the punk. I passed his car and...........

point, press, Flash..............

the music stopped. No one seemed to notice the flash of light. I was hoping everyone would chalk up the silence to a delayed timer on the car. I entered the library.

The punk was arguing with the librarian. From what I could gather, he was returning some DVD's for his girlfriend and there was some kind of  late fee due. He refused to pay it, laughed at the librarian, and stormed out. I waited by the shelves that held the Sale books. It didn't take long. Everyone around the front desk could hear the shouting from outside. I went out to see what all the fuss was about.

The punk was pacing back and forth, swearing up a storm, and practically strangling the remote locking device, trying to open the car.
"What the hell? Why won't this work? This is a brand new car! What the hell?"
"Don't you have a key?" I asked, calmly.
"What?.... A key?... Of course I have a Key!.... What are you, an idiot?"

I just looked at him, and grinned. Finally, it dawned on him. He did have a key.

"Oh........ Yeah." He opened the door.

I walked back to my car. And waited. Nothing happened. He must've been trying, but nothing happened. I could just make out his voice, screaming, as I drove away.I hadn't gone too far when my phone rang. The ID was "James". I put it on speaker.
"Hello."
""Mr. O'Neill, it's Craig."
"Ah. Craig. How are you? What can I do for you?"
"Well, Scanners indicate that you've used the Flasher, and since our Trackers on you are in tight, they were in the Middletown Library lot shortly after you pulled out. You don't get a "Confirm" credit for a car, you know?"
"HAH. I hadn't thought about it, but that's OK. The punk deserved it."
"That's what the Trackers reported, having spoken to several people in the area, and witnessing the car owners behavior."
"Doyle said that this new Flasher would take out a car engine, and it worked beautifully."
"Apparently so. The local police have arrived, and they're having the car towed, and have ticketed the driver for parking illegally, among other things. You really did a number on him."
"If you're asking me if I feel bad for him, I don't. I'm sure he's pissed off, and I'm sure he won't learn anything from the experience, but I feel good and I'm pretty sure that woman with the child - and maybe even the librarian - are having one of those "karma's a bitch" moments."

He was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again - even though he couldn't condone what I'd done - I could almost hear the smile in his voice.
"I understand, Mr' O'Neill. Have a good day." He hung up.

I thought about that and, yes, I WAS having a good day.

 Whaddaya know about that. 

I've Got Questions, He's Got............

Weather wise, the last few days have been crazy. Friday, we had 60 degrees and sunshine; Saturday and Sunday, we were more seasonal but with extremely heavy winds; and yesterday morning, we had snow on the ground from an overnight storm. Thankfully this morning was cold but windless because I had to go out............

Doyle called.

I had to pick up some meds at the WalMart on Route 9, so we agreed to meet at the nearby Dunkin' Donuts. I got a bagel with cream cheese and a medium decaf, and took a table on the left side facing the door. Doyle came in about 10 minutes later, got some coffee, and took the other chair - the one where his back was to the door.

"Isn't that against some kind of training or something....sitting with your back to the door? Some kind of Wild Bill Hitchcock thing?"
"HAH! Aces and eights? The Dead Man's Hand? You don't believe that stuff, do ya?"
"Not really...but shouldn't you be facing the door? You know...so you can see who comes in?"
"Not anymore. When I was a Rookie, maybe, but that was a long time ago. Now, I have people who watch my back. Besides, I'll react to you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, I assume that if someone were to get by my men outside and come at me in here, you'd see them, and react. You'd get up, shout, something. I'd react to your reaction. Believe me, that's the least of my worries right now."
"OK. So..what worries you now? Why did you call? Are you coming back up here? What's happening with Delaware?"
 Doyle sipped from his coffee before he spoke.
"That's a lot of questions, and I don't have answers for some - and can't answer others."
"Fine. Tell me why we're here."
"There's a lot going on, Denny, and I'm not really sure we understand it all, but I'll try to bottom-line it for you. We know the guy - the agent - who tried to run you off the road. His name doesn't matter, but he was one of us. His having one of our vehicles is explainable, since he has access. What we don't know, yet, is why he went after you. He wasn't part of your detail so he shouldn't have known about you."
"Really? Then how..."
"We don't know, but we're working on it. Only we have to go slowly. We think that it is tied into what happened with the Delaware project, and it's all tied in - we think - somehow - to the People Upstairs."

He stopped and looked at me, waiting for me to say something. I occupied myself with my breakfast while trying to come up with something. Finally, I asked....

"Can you tell me what happened in Delaware? The last thing you told me about that was that the People Upstairs wanted to expand on our original project, and find similar subjects in other states. If I remember correctly, Delaware was the first."

He looked like he expected the question.
"No, I can't tell you anything, for now. It's classified - and extremely complicated."
"How does it tie in to the People Upstairs?"
"That's all still speculative, so there's nothing I can tell you. All I can say is that we've taken steps to make sure you're protected."
"Are you taking over here?"
"Not right now. Although there's nothing I can do in Delaware, I'm still responsible. Craig is now responsible for your protection detail. He's a good man, and I trust him. He's set up round the clock coverage, and expanded beyond the use of company cars."
"What does that mean?"
"He'll be using camouflage vehicles - family cars, utility vehicles and the like. I've seen his proposal, and it good."
"What if it's not that good? What if someone gets through?"

He reached into him jacket, and put a Flasher on the table.

"This is the latest model. It's self-generating, so it doesn't need any down time. It still can't effect a field agent, but it can disrupt a car engine - or a boat or small plane for that matter. It's the best we can do, for now."

I took it and gave him back the one I had.

"That's the best you can do..." for now"? Are you hoping things will get better, or what?"
"Of course we are. But first we wanted to do what we could for you. Now, we can look into some things."
Things you can't tell me about, right?"
"Right. Craig has your back, so you're as safe as I can make you. He'll be your contact. Anything we learn, that he can tell you, he will. Other then that, try to go back to your daily routine but watch your back."

He finished his coffee, stood up, and threw the empty cup away.

"Get back out there, Denny. It's the best thing for you." At the door he turned back. "And take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself, too." I said, as the door closed behind him.