“It’s military! But who’s?” Agent Smith said. “It’s going by too fast to see what’s on it.”
“We need to move to cover until we know,” said one of the other agents. Everyone scrambled to their feet, helping those with worse injuries. They scurried as fast as they could hobble and limp.
The uphill side of the clearing met with trees and brush. It was flat for about 20’ before the mountainside went steeply uphill. They worked their way through the brush until they were against the slope.
Above them, the jet continued to make passes, circling the plume of smoke rising into the sky. After a while they heard the “thrum, thrum, thrum,” and then “whop whop whop” of a helicopter approaching.
“We’re saved!” cried one of the women. She started back through the brush toward the clearing, but was pulled back by the others.
“Wait! Let’s make sure they’re friendly. I don’t trust anyone right now,” said Agent Smith. The others agreed. They stayed huddled together, hearts pounding and senses acutely aware as they waited.
Two helicopters hovered above the clearing where the wreckage lay. One moved in closer and ropes dropped. Six men in uniforms slid down the ropes and crouched as they walked closer to the smoldering pile of twisted metal. They spread out around it, peering into through the smoke.
The unit leader spoke into his radio. “Only one body, obviously deceased. No sign of anyone else. It’s too hot to go in but I’m pretty sure no one else is in there.”
“Search the surrounding woods. Maybe they started to hike out.” said the voice on the radio. The man on the ground glanced up at the helicopter above and gave a signal of acknowledgement.
He motioned with his arm and the men approached the woods. They looked for signs on the ground and pointed to scuff marks in the lichens on the rocks. There was only a narrow band of forest before the terrain became steep, so he figured they were in that small strip of tree cover.
If they could get that far, he wondered why no one came out to greet them. Goosebumps prickled on his neck. “Stay alert,” he said quietly to the others. “They may have an unfriendly with them who is holding them back. He may be armed, and there may be more than one.”
They held their rifles across in front of them as they entered the brush, one cautious step at a time. They were watched closely by the troops in the two heavily-armed helicopters hovering above.
“They’re coming into the woods,” Kay whispered. Agent Smith nodded and pulled Kay behind him. She peered over his shoulder. A moment later she said, “They’re American. I see their helmets.”
“Yes, I see it now too,” he said with relief. The others started murmuring with joy and started forward.
“Wait!” ordered the medic. “We don’t want them to shoot at us!” Everyone stopped and looked at him. He called toward the soldiers, “here! We’re over here!”
Moments they were surrounded by the soldiers, and then they emerged from the trees. Virginia had lost a lot of blood from her gunshot wound and was going into shock. One of the soldiers carried her. The other soldiers helped the rest of the wounded.
Soon another helicopter with a red cross on the side landed on the ledge. Everyone was loaded onto it and the soldiers were pulled by ropes up to their own helicopter.
Kay sat near Virginia and asked her how she was doing. Virginia smiled weakly and said, “I’m a tough old bird! I’ll be fine, now that these fine young men got us out of there.”
“Who are you really? You’re a hero, and people should know,” Kay said.
“No, my dear. ‘Doubles’ are unsung heroes!” she said. “Besides, I’m not a double. I really am Virginia!”
“Really? I’m sorry. I just assumed you were a double,” Kay stuttered. “You’re a brave woman.”
Agent Smith and Kay were checked over at the hospital. They wanted to keep Agent Smith over night to keep an eye on the bump on his head, but he refused. Kay was fine except for some bruises. They told her she would be stiff and sore for a few days, and offered her something for the pain.
Kay, as Madeline, was required to give a statement to the press. She stood at the podium, supported by Agent Smith on one side and another agent on the other, and spoke. “I’m thankful for your concern and prayers, and to the heroic men and women who fought these terrorists and who came to our aid after the helicopter went down. My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives. I ask the press to please let them grieve in privacy. Thank you.”
As Agent Smith held her arm and escorted her from the stage the voices of the press followed her. “Mrs. Jackson, what did--” “Tell us about the--” “Who did--”. She kept her head bowed until they were through the door.
“What’s next?” Kay asked in the elevator.
“The ‘First Lady’ is being allowed to return home after her dangerous escapade. You’ve given the nation a new image of Madeline, you know! She’s going to have a tough time living up to it!” smiled Agent Smith.
“Oh dear. Do you think she’ll be upset with me?” Kay worried.
“No,” Agent Smith said. Kay need not have worried. When she reached her room there was a vase of beautiful pink and cream roses and a note from Madeline, although it was signed ‘Kay’. Kay smiled, thinking that was a nice touch for Madeline to do that.
The note called her ‘brave’ and a ‘hero’ and was full of other praise. Kay thought she just did what anyone, including Madeline, would have done.
A few hours later they were on the small jet, headed back to Washington. The glaringly obvious absence of Agent Jones and the pilot, James, made it a somber event. Two Air Force pilots were in the cockpit. Gino and Andrea sat quietly in their favorite seats in the back row.
“Agent Jones shouldn’t have died,” Kay said quietly.
“It was his job,” said Agent Smith, sitting across from here, in the seat Agent Jones used to occupy. “But he would have done it anyway. That’s the kind of guy he is. Was.”
Kay tried to stifle the sniffle but it came out anyway. “I’m so sorry. Jack Jones, rest in peace,” she said, then fell silent. After a while she said, “So, is your name Fred Smith?”
He smiled. “No. It’s Fred Schwaller. Smith just seemed to go better with Jones.”
“You two were a good team,” said Kay. “It just felt right. I’m going to miss him.”
“Yeah. He’s going to be a tough act to follow,” Agent Smith said.
“So they’ll assign you a new partner? Will I still get to work with you, or will they stick me with two strangers?” Kay asked apprehensively.
Agent Smith’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean you want to continue? You haven’t had enough?”
“Of course I want to continue!” Kay said. “But only if I still get to have you. And Gino and Andrea, and Lorraine. Poor James. Was his name really James? How come the pilot and drivers were all named James?”
“It just worked out that way,” he shrugged. “Think what you will, but their names really are, and were, James. Weird coincidence, I know.”
Chapter 7
The End of a Long day!
They were weary of mind and body as they walked the red carpeted hallways of the White House the next morning. A small reception was laid out in one of the dining rooms. Henry and Madeline Jackson were there, as well as an assortment of secret service men.
Madeline headed straight to Kay and hugged her. Kay wiped tears as she told about Agent Jones and James. “I know. I’m sorry,” Madeline said.
A toast was made to the memory of Agent Jack Jones, who was also publicly honored for his bravery. A toast was made to Kay, but as the vice president’s wife had told her, doubles were unsung heroes. Other than her husband, the only people who knew of her heroic feats were in this room.
Speaking of her husband, when she turned from Madeline, Dan was standing behind her. She dissolved into tears and flung herself into his arms. He looked strained by worry over her ordeal, and a bit amazed at being in the White House wit
h the President and real First Lady.
They sat quietly in the comfortable couch near a window and she let her head rest against Dan’s shoulder. People stopped by and shook their hands and wished her well, and eventually most of the people left and the staff was cleaning up.
“Ready?” Agent Smith asked. She nodded her head and pushed herself wearily out of the chair. “Madeline would like to see you before we leave,” he said.
They walked toward the First Lady’s quarters. Just as they reached the door it opened and Gino and Andrea stepped out. Kay looked at them in surprise. They greeted her warmly and hugged her, silly smiles on their faces. Kay wondered what was up.
When Madeline’s assistant ushered her in she found out what was up. There in Madeline’s chair sat… Kay! Or at least a woman who looked like Kay would in about ten years.
“What…?” Kay asked in disbelief.
“Well, I figured if they could make you look like me, they should be able to make me look like you! What do you think?” Madeline said, standing and turning in a circle.
“It’s amazing! But why would you want to look like me?” Kay said.
“I was thinking of taking you up on your offer to visit. I just figured it would be easier if I didn’t come as the First Lady!” she said.
Kay grinned. “I love it! And yes, I’d love to have you come visit! But what about your secret service men? Wouldn’t that be a giveaway?”
Madeline grinned back at her. “Meet my ‘nephews’!” she said. The door opened and two men in their twenties stepped into the room wearing blue jeans and t-shirts. They looked uncomfortable, and one of them pulled sunglasses out of his back pocket and slapped them over his eyes.
“Perfect!” Kay laughed.
Epilogue
Kay chopped the knife through a carrot, neatly cutting it into slices for canning. A bowl full of peeled carrots sat on the table. Her 3-year old daughter, Amanda, played with the peelings that were piled on a newspaper on the table.
It had been weeks since she got home and she had settled back in among her husband and kids. She gave them extra hugs all the time. They’d broken down and spent some of the money finally, buying the linoleum for the dining room, a new rug for the living room, and took the whole family to Disney World.
The older kids were at school and her husband was out in a field somewhere planting winter wheat. It was almost Thanksgiving time and she felt especially grateful to be safely at home. She was tempted to start putting up Christmas decorations but decided to stick with tradition and wait until after Thanksgiving.
The sound of a truck motor interrupted her thoughts. She laid down the knife and stood, then picked up the knife again and put it on the counter, out of her daughter’s reach.
“What is it, mommy?” the little girl asked.
“I dunno,” Kay said. She walked to the living room and looked out the window. A familiar old pick-up truck was coming up the lane. She walked out on the porch.
Two men wearing mirrored sunglasses stepped out of the truck. One was familiar, and he walked toward her. “Kay, how have you been?”
“Good, Fred. How about you?” she asked.
“Good too,” he answered. Then turning to indicate the man with him, he said, “meet Agent McElbey.”
“McElbey, huh?” Kay said, nodding her head. “Now, that doesn’t sound like something you could make up! Nice to meet you!”
“Are you up to attending a dedication at a children’s museum?” Agent Smith asked.
Kay stood there for a moment. Then she felt her husband walk up behind her and put his arms around her shoulders. “Go!” he said, squeezing her in reassurance.
She climbed into the truck and the agents got in on each side of her. As the truck turned onto the county road to head toward the airport Kay reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a pair mirrored sunglasses.
Placing them on her face she sat back and looked forward, through the windshield, beyond the scenery toward the adventures that lay ahead.
The end.
Other books by Susan Gregersen:
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Takeover
A Funny Thing Happened When We Took Back America
The Long Ride Home
The Rally Point
A Tale of Two Preppers
Over the River and Through the Woods
Back Across the Pond
Twilight in the Desert
Poverty Prepping: How to Stock Up For Tomorrow When You Can't Afford
to Eat Today
Food Self-Sufficiency: Reality Check
.
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