Escape to Earth 1: Running From Fate (25 page)

• • •

Two weeks later, Jinks sat on a chair watching daylight slowly fade. He had a cigar lit and was enjoying the moment. “Señor, I missed the boat.”

Jinks turned around and saw a very pretty Latin woman walking up behind him, “How did you manage to do that?”

“I left my purse and had to go back for it. By the time I arrived back at the pier…” she shrugged.

Jinks sighed. Getting the boat back was a real ordeal. He picked up his cellphone and called the owner of the boat; he was told the boat was not operating properly and was being repaired overnight. “It looks like you’re stuck here.”

“What am I going to do, Señor?”

Jinks shook his head, “Come with me.” He walked up the beach until he arrived at his cottage. He opened the door and said, “You’ll stay here tonight.”

“Where will you stay?”

“I’ve slept on the beach quite a few times. It’s really not a problem.”

“But…”

“No, you will sleep here.” He walked over to a closet and pulled out a United States Air Force extra-large t-shirt, “You can use this for a night gown.”

“I really don’t feel good about accepting this.”

Jinks tilted his head, “Your English is quite good.”

The woman blushed, “I’ve lived in Florida most of my teenage years.”

Jinks nodded and said, “Make yourself at home. I have food and something to drink in the refrigerator.”

“Do you mind if I sit on the beach with you for a while?”

Jinks looked at her and said, “Miss…”

“Gonzalez.”

“Miss Gonzalez, I don’t fraternize with those who work for me.”

“You sound like we’re in the army or something. Are you allowed to talk with those that work for you?”

Jinks blew out a breath, “Of course. Come on.” He picked up a lounge chair and carried it down to the beach.

They sat in silence for an hour and then she said, “It’s really beautiful here.” Jinks nodded. “Was it like this where you lived before coming here?”

“No, I lived in Boston for the last four months.”

“Brrrrr, I’ll bet you froze up there.”

“Several pieces of me did fall off.” She laughed at his quip. “But the city grew on me. I kinda hated to leave it just as spring was starting.”

She looked back out at the ocean, “Then why did you?”

Jinks didn’t look at her as he said, “If you knew you only had a short time left to live but had to work to feed yourself, what would you do?”

“Are you sick, Señor?”

“No, just answer the question.”

She stared out at the ocean and said, “I think I’d want to go to New York.”

“I’ve had enough of the fast life. This is perfect.”

She nodded and stood up, “Thank you for your kindness.”

“Glad to do it.”

She turned and walked back up the slope toward Jinks’ cottage. Jinks continued to stare at the ocean and later he turned her chair over and found the listening device attached to the bottom. He shook his head and took out his cell phone and began texting. He finished the text conversation with Lukas and waited a few minutes until the phone rang. “Hello.”

“I’m just checking in to see how you’re doing.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure this life isn’t too dull for you?”

“No, it’s exactly what I need. When you’re faced with a situation that you can do absolutely nothing about, it’s time to find an island and enjoy the peace.”

“Thanks for coming, Jinks, you’ve made a huge difference with our workers.”

“They’re good people. Thanks for hiring me, I really needed the money…more than that, I need the escape.”

“See you later.”

• • •

Sarah listened to the conversation as she searched Jinks’ cottage. Nothing. There was nothing out of the ordinary; matter of fact, things were completely ordinary. She thought about the former General and he didn’t fit the profile of most high-ranking officers. He didn’t possess an oversized ego. He talked with people, not at them. She knew what Jinks did before he retired and she also found it hard to believe he had just walked away. His file said he didn’t have anyone close to him other than Stone. He had also checked out with the other agent here. She took out her cell phone and dialed a number that sent her call to an encrypted number, “Jim.”

“There’s nothing going on here but people putting parts together.”

“What about the parts?”

“They’re designed to focus energy sent into it into a tighter more powerful level. It’s little more than a step up transformer.”

“I guess a hybrid will need several of those with all those small voltage batteries.”

“That’s how it works.”

“How are you going to get out of there?”

“I think I’m going to stay and work until Jill finds me something else. This job is great cover for an agent.”

“Thanks, Sarah.”

“No problem.”

Sarah hung up and looked around the cottage. She thought about spaceships, aliens, and what it all meant. Then she picked up her sandals and went to the door. She walked down to the beach and saw Jinks was still sitting in his chair nursing his cigar. He watched her walk up and started to say something but she lifted the chair she had left and turned it over. She removed the listening device and he watched as she pushed a small switch on it. She looked at him and said, “Ok, I know you made me. I’m not sure how you did it but I know you did.”

“You said it was beautiful here.”

“It is.”

“Not to someone that lives here all the time, it becomes common place. Then it’s only beautiful when you share it with a stranger, a new romantic interest, or an artist.”

“How did you know that I might not be romantically interested in you?”

Jinks sighed, “How many reasons do you need?”

Sarah smiled, “How about five.”

Jinks shook his head, “No one is ever romantically interested in me; second, I’m ten years older than you; three, you’re much too pretty to be working here; four, a woman would never leave a purse in this economically depressed society; and five, wanted to know why I came here.”

“Just how would that reveal anything?”

“No one questions leaving Boston after winter, even during spring.”

“That’s all a stretch.”

“I knew you were a spy when you watched me helping Julio.”

“Oh?”

“You thought it was a waste of time.”

“I did.”

“If you saw many children Julio’s age blown up, shot, and mutilated then every child would take on more importance to you.”

“Fortunately, I’ve been spared that…so far.” Jinks stared at her and his eyes narrowed. “I’ve contacted my Handler and told him that nothing was going on here.”

“Nothing is.”

“Most people would believe that lie.” Jinks stared at her without blinking. “Oh, you have done an excellent job of keeping things hidden and there’s absolutely nothing to indicate that you’re anything but what you appear to be.”

“But?”

“You said it earlier. So many children killed and you walk away from a position that might do something to prevent more being killed by invading aliens. I’ve observed you and one thing I know for certain.”

“What is that?”

“The only reason you would walk away from that position is because you felt you could do more somewhere else. That somewhere else is here. I don’t know what you’re doing, but I know you’re doing it.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“How many reasons do you want?”

Jinks smiled, “Five.”

“Touché. One, I’ve not seen children killed but I’ve gone out and killed for our government and hated every minute of it; two, during my tenure, I’ve seen the dirty underbelly of what we do to get what we want around the world; three, I’ve learned to see people for what they really are, not what they purport themselves to be; four, I’ve never run across anyone that has even slightly impressed me to be someone who truly puts others before themselves.”

“That’s four.”

Sarah smiled, “You are more than anyone I’ve ever encountered in a dirty career and I know you would not walk away from defending us from those aliens, not just our country, but everyone. That shocked me more than you can guess when I realized it and them it touched me. You were wrong from the start; I said it was beautiful because I am romantically attracted to you.”

Jinks stared at her and shook his head, “That’s just not possible.”

“Get over yourself, Jinks. You’ve just never allowed yourself to be around a female long enough for them to see who you are. This time you messed up.”

“How?”

“You stayed in the plant too much. I think every woman in the building is infatuated with you. Heck, half the men want to be just like you and I suspect Julio will grow up trying his best to imitate you.”

Jinks lowered his head, “What do you want?”

“I’ll leave if you tell me to go. But I genuinely think you and I could really help each other find peace with all the terrible things we’ve had to do serving our country. I don’t care what you’re doing; I just want you to keep doing it. I really only want to be near you and be able to come down here and do more than just talk.”

Jinks stared at her and then shook his head, “You’re too pretty.”

“So I’ll mess up my hair.”

Jinks laughed out loud and then his cell phone rang. His head jerked back and he said, “Hello.”

“You might as well bring her in.”

“How can we do that? You know who she is.”

“Yes, but the Pod says here physiological readings confirm that she is being absolutely honest.”

Jinks’ eyes narrowed and he looked at Sarah, “She is?”

“She is. Bring her in to talk with us in the morning.”

Jinks hung up the phone and looked at Sarah, “I’ve just been told that you’re being absolutely honest with me.” Sarah laughed out loud. “What?”

She shook her head and said, “Jinks, you just can’t believe that anyone could really care about you.”

“I guess.”

“You need look no further than Stoney. He’s the only one you’ve ever opened up with.”

Jinks stared at her and she stood up and walked over in front of his chair. She sat down in his lap and leaned back. After a moment she said, “It is beautiful.” She paused and looked over her shoulder at him, “Isn’t it.”

Jinks sighed and put his arms around her, “It just got more so.”

The sun rose and found them in each other’s arms.

Chapter Sixteen

Trevor arrived and brought someone with him. Salud met him at the runway that had been built and waited for him to exit the jet. When he stepped off she said, “Oh my aunt’s broken backside.” Trevor came off the jet and assisted a black haired woman down the steps. Amanda Dockery, the Nobel Prize Science winner for her work in nuclear power. How in the world had Trevor gotten her to come with him and how were they going to hide what was going on from a mind as brilliant as hers?

Salud walked over and said, “Hello, Trevor.” She turned to the woman and said, “What a surprise to see you here, Amanda.”

Amanda smiled, “Oh lighten up. You look like if someone put a lump of coal in your butt you’d have a diamond in two days. I’m not going to jeopardize your project here.”

Salud was surprised by the response and after a moment she smiled, “You tend to draw a lot of attention wherever you go.”

“Let us hope I’ve been successful in escaping the hounds.”

Salud looked at Trevor, “Why is she here?”

Amanda said, “Hello, I’m still here.”

Salud turned to her, “Ok, why are you here?”

“I’m curious about the power plant your spaceship uses.”

Salud looked at Trevor and he shrugged, “Doctor Vazquez…”

“Call me Salud.”

“Salud, Amanda and I are engaged and have been for two years while we waited for me to get my degree.”

Amanda put an arm around his neck and kissed Trevor on the cheek, “It’s just so hard to find someone that can challenge you mentally. I was lucky to find Trevor when he was a freshman and convince him I was the one for him.”

Salud shook her head, “Why don’t the two of you come with me?”

Trevor looked at Salud, “How are the modules coming along?”

“We have about twenty thousand completed at the moment.”

“REALLY!?”

“Yes, what about the barrel dimensions?”

“I’ve got the specifics worked out.” He looked at Amanda, “With her help.”

Salud shook her head and walked faster toward the converter building. This was not good. The government would be looking to use Miss Dockery. What was going to happen when she wasn’t there? They entered the building and Lukas saw them and came running up, “Trevor, it’s good to see you.”

“Hi Lukas, this is my fiancé Amanda.”

“It’s so good to meet you, Amanda.”

“You must be the alien.”

Lukas’ head went back and Trevor said, “I’ve kinda told her everything.”

Lukas stared at Trevor and then shrugged. He looked at Amanda and smiled, “Yes, I am the alien.”

“Outstanding! I have some questions concerning the containment field your ship uses.”

Salud saw Lukas’ confusion and she said, “Amanda is recognized as the planet’s leading authority on nuclear power.”

Lukas looked at Amanda, “No kidding?”

“Yep, that’s me.”

“Then let’s start answering your questions, come with me.” Amanda kissed Trevor on the cheek and looked at Salud, “Stay away, he’s mine.”

“Don’t worry, he’s safe.” Amanda nodded and ran to catch up with Lukas. Salud looked at Trevor, “How could you have told her?”

Trevor shook his head, “Salud, she found my drawings and knew immediately what I was building. You can’t hide anything from her.” Salud shook her head and Trevor said, “You also can’t get anything out of her she doesn’t want known.”

“I sincerely hope you’re right.”

Lukas took Amanda over to the corvette and said, “Open.” The driver’s door opened and Lukas said, “Please take a seat.” Amanda sat in the car and Lukas said, “Provide direct link.” The center console opened and Lukas took a black elastic band out of it. He said, “Put this around your forehead.” Amanda took the band and pulled it over her hair and around her head. “Now you are connected directly with the ship’s computer. Her name is Willow and feel free to discuss whatever you want.”