The Protector (7 page)

“Conway,” I said softly, just enough to get his attention.  I threw him both bags, which he caught effortlessly.  I scooped Alison up into my arms and pushed our way through the group of TSA officers that had assembled in the hallway.  Alison leaned her head against my chest and closed her eyes. Her breathing once again improved and the wheeze was disappearing. With the pace of our walk, we were out of the hallway and into the almost deserted concourse within minutes, Conway slowed his steps to mine.

“There is a door before we reach the transporters back to the main terminal, go through it and head downstairs, there is a suburban waiting for us.”

“Where are we going?” I said this more for Alison’s benefit than mine. I was pretty sure he would not send us to some interrogation center, as I was sure Alison had imagined in her head earlier. The look of fear in her eyes had tipped me off to that.

“Safe house,” he whispered.  I knew not to ask any more questions as they could wait until we were all safely in the suburban.  We reached the door to the stairs in record time. The TSA folks had followed us with a keen interest but stopped abruptly as two men appeared at the door weapons in hand and badges on their chests. One held the door open for me.

“I can walk down the stairs Jack,” I heard Alison whisper as I started to descend. I wasn’t about to stop and argue with her.  I took them as quickly as I could without the risk of dropping her. She felt light in my arms and I could tell her breathing was steady. The air was thick with humidity and it was warm for the time of night.  We reached the suburban and another man opened the door for us. Conway went around to the other side and helped Alison as she took a seat between us.

“Thank you.” Her voice was hoarse and soft all in the same breath.  She looked at the man sitting next to her with curiosity. She took in his tall frame and adjusted her body closer to me.  It would be crowded, but I didn’t mind being closer to her than necessary. I began to grab the seat belt across from her. She threw me an evil look that stopped me dead in my tracks. “I had an asthma attack, I am not an invalid!” She retorted as she proceeded to buckle herself in. I couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of Conway smiling. There was no time like the present to introduce them.

“Alison, this is Mike Conway”

Alison nodded at the tall man next to her. “Where are we going again?”

“A safe house close to here.  You can eat and then get some sleep if you want.” The man shifted and handed my bag to me and Alison hers.

“What I want is to go home.”  Alison turned and looked at me as she said this. “How long do I have to stay here?”

I looked at Conway for guidance and shrugged not knowing how to answer her question.  Truth be told, I didn’t know the answer to her question, because I had not had a chance to talk to him completely, I had no idea what Conway’s plans for Alison were. I was sure the safe house was purely a precaution because of the circumstances.

“Alison,” he said shifting to look at her. “I want to debrief you and Jack and then we will decide from there.  Do you have the other processor with you?”

Alison nodded her head no and Conway looked at me with concern and shock.  I ignored his stares and shifted my body so Alison could lean against me.

“You don’t?”

Alison nodded again. His voice was filled with questions and I could tell some anger. “Jack?”  Alison looked back and forth between the two of us. 
             
“Albuquerque,” she finally answered pressing her body against mine.

“What,” Conway said in disbelief. “Albuquerque?”

“It’s in Albuquerque.  There was no reason to bring both of them. It’s at home.

Again Conway looked at me for some direction. “Home?”

I nodded, and repeated her words. “Home.”

“Home,” Mike repeated unsure what to think of this revelation.

“I was in such a hurry to leave; I grabbed the one off the line, packed it correctly and ran home to grab my bags.” Alison took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure if she had gotten a lung full of air. I gently touched her hand and she turned her head to look at me. I could tell by the look in her eyes her chest was beginning to tighten again.

“You left it at home, unsecure?” Conway asked still in utter disbelief. “You didn’t tell Tom did you?”

“Enough,” I said before she could open her mouth.  I could tell her breathing was becoming labored again and I grabbed the inhaler from her other hand. “Puff,” I said shoving it into her mouth.  A sudden need to protect her engulfed me. Her eyes grew wide as I pushed down on the inhaler forcing her to take another gulp of the medicine. The canister I held in my hand was almost empty, and based on the last hour, I knew she was going to need one again.

“Let her rest Mike and you can ask her all the questions you want as soon as she’s breathing right.” Mike gave me a strange look and I could see the questions forming in his head.  He was puzzled by my sudden interest in her and my sudden need to protect her. She was different than the rest and although I couldn’t put my finger on it, I didn’t care. I realized then that I wasn’t leaving her side until this fiasco was figured out.   

I ignored Mike’s stare and focused on Alison’s breathing.  I handed her back her inhaler and placed my hand on her chest, above her breasts. She only stared out the window of the suburban.  The electricity I had felt earlier on the plane and when I had my arms wrapped around her was still there. But it didn’t shock me this time. Being next to her produced a warm calm feeling I had never encountered with anyone.  

It was close to two in the morning and traffic was light. We were able to reach our destination in record time for the Washington DC area.  I knew she was safe for the time being, but it didn’t stop an uneasy feeling from settling in my chest.  We reached the red brick home and I helped Alison as she climbed out of the suburban.

             
“My bags?”

“Conway is taking care of that. They will be here shortly.”  I grabbed her hand and led her to the door that was now open. We were greeted by a sweet middle aged woman in pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt. “Hello Jack,” she said with a sweet southern accent.

“Hello Mrs.  Walker.”  I smiled at the lady I had seen more than a few times in my tenure at my job. Alison followed quickly behind me into the warm townhome, not letting go of my hand. She stood amazingly close as I turned and watched Mike follow us in. He was on his phone, obviously perturbed and reporting back to someone higher up that he did not have procession of the correct processor.

Alison glanced nervously around the room.  Mrs. Walker closed the door and locked it, then hit a code on the keypad next to the door.  I squeezed Alison’s hand and lifted her hand and pointed with my index finger to the lady who now walked closer to us. “Alison, this is Mrs. Walker. She’s the caretaker. “

Alison tried desperately to smile, but it was forced and definitely not a sincere effort on her part. Mrs. Walker only laughed at the young lady’s reaction to her.  I raised my eyebrows as Alison looked from Mrs. Walker to me.

“Alison, I have a room ready upstairs for you. You can take a hot shower and get some rest if you would like.”

Alison still didn’t say anything she just looked at me with eyes full of fear.

“It’s ok,” I tried to reassure her. “I’ll bring up your bags when they get here.”  I let go of her hand and gently encouraged her to go to the stairs where Mrs. Walker stood. “I’m not going anywhere without you.” I turned to look at Mrs. Walker, “She needs a hot shower to clear her lungs. Asthma attack at the airport.” Mrs. Walker only nodded and started to head upstairs.

8
Inquisition

I looked from Jack to Mrs. Walker, not sure what to do, but Jack put his hand on my back and guided me to the stairs. I stopped at the foot of them, unsure of what was going to happen next.

“You’re not leaving?”  I had to know. I barely knew this man but I suddenly trusted him.  I hesitated for only a brief moment. I looked him in the eyes and suddenly all the hesitation melted away. 

“No,” he whispered. “I promise, I’ll be down here.” There was something in his voice I could not describe that made me want to trust him.

I turned and followed Mrs. Walker up the stairs to the room at the end of the hall.  She opened the door and dim light from a lamp lit the small room. I could see a door on the other side of the bed.

“You have a private bathroom.  Please take as long of a shower as you need. The steam will help your lungs.”  The sweetness of her southern accent was soothing. For a minute, I almost imagined I was listening to Paula Dean.  But her next words returned me to my stark reality. “There is a panic button next to the lamp.  Push it and someone will be here within seconds.”

I walked past her into the room. It had a double bed and a television.  A clock sat on the side table and what I guessed was the panic button sat next to it.  I put my backpack down on the bed and sat down and took a deep long breath.

“I will bring you some tea.  It will help your throat.”

“Thank you,” was all I could manage to say as she closed the door behind her. I got up and looked around. There was a window at the far side of the room. I went to look out and noticed that all I could see was the brick wall of the townhouse next to me. I could not see the night sky or any cars below.  I guess that was for my own safety, I thought to myself.

I walked to the bathroom and switched on the light. It was a bright white bathroom with blue accents.  It had only a shower, a toilet and a vanity with a sink. The mirror that hung on the wall above the vanity was round with a silver frame.  I turned to look at myself in the mirror and almost screamed.  I looked like hell.  My hair was coming out of the clip on the back of my head and my eyes were bloodshot. I wasn’t sure if it was the left over effects of the vodka or the asthma attack.

I kicked off my shoes and walked over to the shower to turn on the water. It was hot instantly and I wasted no time undressing.  I stepped in and let the hot water run down my head.  The heat felt wonderful against my tired muscles. Although I had slept on the plane, I was exhausted.  The steam filled my lungs and I felt my airways open once again and the burning sensation I had was now gone.  I leaned against white tile and sunk slowly down to the base of the shower.  I was going to enjoy this small bit of comfort.

The steam did not stop my mind from racing and it didn’t wash away the fear that had settled deep inside me. The only saving grace I had at the moment was Jack downstairs. I had hoped desperately he was going to stick around. I even went so far as to hope he would be the one to see me safely to Albuquerque.  But in all honesty I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. I still had the processor at home. Once I handed it over to our government, did that mean this whole ordeal was over?  Or had I angered people and were they hell bent on making me pay for doing what I thought was the right thing. I didn’t know the answer to my own questions, and I wasn’t sure if Jack knew the answers either.

I closed my eyes and tried desperately to concentrate on something else. But it was useless. I got up from the floor of the shower and shut off the water.  I wrapped a fresh blue towel that had been sitting on the vanity around my body and opened the door to the room. I looked around for my bags, but they weren’t there. Instead was a tray with some tea and a white terry cloth robe.  I removed the towel and slowly put the warm robe onto my still damp body.

I sat and stared at the tea for moment. Was it laced with something? I didn’t know, and those thoughts quickly faded away as I realized I didn’t care if it was. It would either put me to sleep, which I hoped it did, or it would poison me and well, then I wouldn’t know any different would I?

There was a note on the tray with the tea, in a woman’s handwriting.

Alison,

Get some rest.  They will debrief you in the morning.. I am in the room next door if you need anything.  Jack is downstairs. 

Mrs. Walker

I pulled back the covers on the bed and crawled in. I found the remote to the television and turned it on. I hoped the noise would make me forget everything and allow me to get some sleep. But I wasn’t too sure anything short of drugs would get me to fall asleep without one eye open. Finally, with the soft light of the tv and the chatter, my eyes grew heavy and I was out.

J

I was grateful Alison was upstairs hopefully sleeping. Seth arrived from the airport about an hour later, Alison’s bags in tow. 

“So now I’m a bellman?”

All I could do was shrug my shoulders and say thank you.  Seth dropped them at the foot of the stairs and looked at me with suspicious eyes.  “Where is she?”

“Upstairs, hopefully sleeping.” I responded.