The Ties That Bind

by T. Starnes

  She looked around the table before speaking, "I just want to tell you all how happy I am that you are here. I love Zoe to death, but I have felt a little out of touch ever since Peter died. But then we met Cas and all of you beautiful girls, and my life feels really full again."

  We all took a drink and she wiped her eyes before saying, "Okay, let's eat."

  It was a nice relaxing meal, we avoided any talk of human evolution, and everyone seemed to have a really good time. Even Alex managed to seem like a regular person, at least for a little while.

  That night, Ted called me to tell me we had a meeting Wednesday afternoon, with his friend in the Air Force. Ted was paying to bring him down from D.C. to talk to us. I wasn't as excited as when we were signing all the company documents, but this was another big step in moving our company forward.

  Since Marcus was going to pick me up from school, Zoe made sure I was dressed nicely, so I didn't have to go back home. I got strange looks from kids all day and a few asked why I was wearing a suit, but I blew it off saying I had a thing I had to go to after school, and that I 'had to wear it' for that. Although I was excited, being different in high school makes you a target. I didn't really care what other people had to say about me, but sometimes it is better just to avoid stuff ahead of time rather than having to deal with it afterward.

  When we arrived, I walked into Ted's office behind Marcus. There was a guy in a military uniform sitting across from Ted's desk. He stood as we walked in.

  "Marcus, Caspian, this is Colonel Ron Perry, the guy I was telling you about," Ted said.

  He shook Marcus's hand and then mine saying, "Ted warned me his business partner was unconventional, but I have to say I am still surprised. How old are you, kid."

  "Almost sixteen."

  "Okay. Ted vouches for you, so I guess you bring something to the table."

  He turned back to Ted and said, "Okay, now that your guys are here, talk to me about this project of yours."

  I looked at Marcus, since this was usually his cue, but he didn't say anything. Looking over at Ted, he gave a head nod, indicating I was to go over everything. I wasn't expecting that, but I knew all the material. We needed this to be as smooth as possible so I jumped to it.

  "In a nutshell, we are working on drones. More specifically, we are working to create a better drone than what you are currently using, since we see this as the next frontier for the Air Force. I know you guys are still doing a lot of development on stealth fighters and bombers, and that has its place, but everyone knows that the future of the Air Force is drones."

  He didn't refute what I was saying, but gave me a questioning look, "Why do you say that?"

  I knew this wasn't a challenge, more of a test or at least an exploration of where our thinking was.

  "Several reasons. First and foremost is, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are no longer fighting the Soviet Union ... or, really, any other major power. Every analysis we have seen, and I am pretty sure any of the honest ones coming out of your war college, suggests that most of the conflicts we will face in the future will be smaller and regional. It will be Bosnia and Desert Storm, not World War II."

  "Second is that the American public has a decreasing tolerance for casualties. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles allow you to do large portions of the work that fighters did twenty years ago, without the danger to American lives."

  "Third, is the cost. Not just in material, but where you can compare a drone worth say four or five million, to a fighter that costs anywhere from fifty to a hundred million."

  I raised both hands palms up in a 'balancing scales' motion.

  "Even during peace time we lose a couple ever year to training accidents and equipment malfunction. You can't get rid of the traditional Air Force, but there are a lot of missions a drone can do just as easily as a fighter, and do it safer and cheaper."

  He just nodded and said, "Okay. We already have drones. What are you doing that is different than what we already have."

  "General Atomics makes a good product, and the Predator proved itself over Bosnia, there is no doubt. But it isn't a perfect system. For one, it makes a distinctive noise. You can hear it, especially if it is circling a site for reconnaissance. Also, the current setup and design of the payload is wrong for stealth work. What we are working on is a new, silent, stealthy version of the drone that is able to carry a payload, without undermining it's stealth capability, and we'll be able to deliver them for half a million less than what you are currently paying for the Predator."

  He sat back in his chair, and templed his fingers on his chin, "Interesting. I know the DIA and some non-DoD agencies have been asking for something along those lines, but as of now, we have not heard anything out of GA on it. How close are you on this?"

  "We have already applied for all the patents, and have run small scale tests. Our first prototype is in production. Our current time frame is..." I looked over to Marcus so he could fill in the needed information.

  "Christmas or just after the New Year, if there are complications."

  The Colonel stopped for a second, thinking, and then said, "That is pretty fast, but when you are ready let me know and I will get you on the books for a test."

  Marcus looked concerned and asked, "Why not get us set up, now?"

  "Because other contractors pay attention to what is being tested, and try their hardest to keep competition out. Most people don't see how cutthroat the defense industry can be. Not to sound ominous, but it would be in your best interest to keep this under wraps until you absolutely have to let it out."

  "What could they do?" I asked, wondering what he meant by that.

  "Besides corporate espionage, which does happen, these guys pay a lot of money to, and promise lucrative jobs to, generals and higher ups for after they get out of the service. At that level, it's like any political job, and suffers from the same problems. Without anyone in your pocket, once you come out in the open, you will run into resistance."

  "If it's so bad, why would you risk telling us that? I can imagine they wouldn't want you giving their competition a heads up, and the guys in their pocket have the ability to cause you career problems."

  "I owe Ted, and honestly I kind of hate what I see some days. I got into the military out of a sense of duty, and since I got in procurement, the shine has come off a little. Well, I have a flight back to DC to catch."

  I stood up and shook his hand, "Colonel, I really appreciate your coming by, and your suggestions."

  "No problem, kid. Just make your project live up to its promise, and I will look good to my bosses."

  "We will try our best."

  When he left, I looked over at Ted, "Two questions. What was with making me the front man, and what do you think of his warning?"

  "We made you the front man, because it's becoming clear where the drive of this company is coming from," Ted said.

  "What do you mean?"

  "This is Marcus's idea, yes. But if you hadn't seen it, and pushed to make it happen, it would still be notes and a blueprint. And it's not just the money," Ted said. "It was your attorney who incorporated us and took care of our patents. Our money is flowing through your money guy, and we meet on a schedule you suggested. Marcus and I both want this to succeed, but it has become clear to me whose company this is, and I am fine with that. Just let me hang on to your coat-tails for a little while."

  "Ted..."

  "No, I mean it, Cas. You were right the other day when you talked about keeping everyone in the loop and treating this like a company and you like my partner. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that I wasn't treating this as serious as we should, and you were. Plus, I needed to show to Ron that you're not a gimmick, but the real thing. He was skeptical when you walked in, and a believer when he walked out."

  "And the other thing?"

  "We should take it seriously. The big boys have billions of dollars on the line, and things can get nasty. We need to take precautions."

  "D
o you have suggestions for those?"

  "Yes, but you need to talk to a security consultant as well."

  "Good idea. Ask around and I will do the same. Let's see if we can find one."

  "Sure thing."

  I got up to leave and stopped, remembering I had forgotten my other question, "What was that about my money guy?"

  "We talked to Charles Green when we started the money transfer and he had some good points. He is going to manage the company's money as well, and dropped hints that he wouldn't be against coming on board as CFO when the time comes. I was really impressed with his recommendations, and I think we should seriously consider him when we get to that point."

  "Man, I met with him just the one time."

  "Well, he was impressed with you. You should give him a call."

  "I'll do that. And, Ted ... thanks for everything."

  Chapter 7

  The week after Thanksgiving progressed quickly. I talked to Marcus and Ted several times throughout the week to get updates on how the build out of the prototype was going. At one point Ted actually had to tell me to calm down and let them work. He reminded me that Sunday meetings were when we did updates, and every time Marcus had to stop and give me the rundown on the project, was time he couldn't be actually working on it. He had a point. I was letting my impatience show through.

  The other notable thing that happened was that Rachel had started to back off a little and started acting the way she used to. I didn't make a big deal out of it, but Jacob seemed relieved. I still planned on keeping my distance from her until we figured out what caused her weird behavior. The girls did a good job acting as a buffer between Rachel and me any time we were around each other.

  I was ruminating on the Rachel situation when something caught my eye. There are multiple hallways that lead into the school's lunch room, and one is visible from where I usually sit, to the point where I can see part way down the hallway. What I saw were a couple of guys I didn't know, crowded around a girl. She was on the smaller side, and while couldn't see her face enough to pick up her expression, her body language screamed that she was uncomfortable and afraid. I left my stuff at the table and got up, headed in that direction.

  I heard Zoe call my name, but ignored her, keeping focused on what was happening in the hallway. The three guys were starting to close in around her, and I was losing sight of the girl. I thought it was a little strange that no one was saying anything. When I got up to the small group, I could see the girl again, and she was looking concerned.

  She was fairly small, about a foot shorter than me with very curly brown hair that reached just above her shoulders. She was petite but her face had strong features and a slightly large nose.

  They had backed her against the wall. One guy was on either side, and the third was in front of her, only inches away.

  "Is there a problem?" I said, standing right behind the guy in front of her.

  I didn't recognize any of the three guys, and my guess was that they were in a higher grade, since I hadn't seen them around before.

  The guy I was closest to turned and over his shoulder angrily said, "Get lost."

  He never really looked at me, but his friend to the right grabbed his arm and pulled saying, "Doug, that's the Grey kid that was in all those fights."

  The lead guy did turn, now, and had a slightly surprised look. I didn't know I had picked up a reputation, but it seemed to be working for me. I could see him battling between looking weak by backing down and trying to find a way to get out without a fight. His other friend saw it too and gave him an out.

  "Doug, we are going to be late for class. Let's go."

  He gave one glance at the confused and still scared girl, glared at me, and said, "Yeah, let's go."

  All three guys turned and walked down the hallway. I watched them go and asked the girl, "Are you ok?"

  I was surprised when no response came back so I turned and looked at her, "Are you ok?"

  She nodded her head yes, but didn't say anything so I just piled ahead, "Is this your lunch period? Do you want to come sit with us?"

  She looked nervous, but nodded her head 'yes.' I reached out, took her hand, and turned to walk back to the table, only to run into my three girls, plus Amanda, Josh, and Quam. I hadn't realized I had backup.

  "Hey, guys."

  Zoe smiled at me and took the girl's other hand, "You just can't help yourself, can you."

  I shrugged as the girl kept looking back and forth between Zoe and me. When we sat down, I noticed something pass across Zoe's face. She turned to the girl and started making motions with her hands. I had no idea that Zoe knew how to sign. The girl looked surprised, and started making signs back.

  Eventually Zoe turned back to us and said, "Guys, this is Sarah Jordan and she's a Sophomore. She said she doesn't normally speak, because she doesn't want people to make fun of the way she talks."

  I looked over at Sarah, assuming by the conversation so far that she was able to read lips, "You don't have to worry about us, we would never make fun of you. What was with those guys?"

  She looked down shyly then over at Zoe for a second before saying, "They like messing with me. I guess because I am different, they think its fun to pick on me. I have been in the same school as them for years, and they have always messed with me."

  The way she spoke was different, but not that unusual. There was even one semi-famous actress I could think of that was deaf, and had the same kind of speech problems. I wasn't well versed on this kind of thing, but I assumed it was caused by learning to speak without being able to hear yourself.

  This all flashed through my mind as I said, "I think I might have to go have a talk with them. If you want, you should come sit with us all for lunch. We would love to have you hang out with us."

  She smiled at me then went back to signing with Zoe. The table managed to return to scattered conversation, but I felt Vicki grab my hand and give it a squeeze. When the lunch bell rang, we all got up and started to head out. Sarah signed something at Zoe, who gave her a nod in return. She turned around and pulled me into a hug, pressing her head into my chest.

  She gave me a squeeze and partially stepped back to look up at me as she mouthed the words, "Thank you."

  I noticed Zoe whispering to Tami. When Sarah let go of me, Tami walked up and took her hand.

  "My next class is right by yours. Can I walk with you?"

  She nodded, gave an over-the-shoulder look at me and Zoe, and the two headed off to class.

  Zoe turned to me and said, "You did a good job. She gets picked on a lot, and doesn't have a lot of friends."

  "She seems like a nice girl."

  "Yeah, I think she is," She said, stopping to turn and look at me. "You can't help yourself, huh?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Every time you see someone in trouble, you just have to save them, don't you?"

  "I'll do it if I can. Would you have me act any other way?"

  She pulled me into a hug very similar to the one Sarah gave me, "No, no I wouldn't. It's one of the things I like about you the best."

  She released the hug, and Zoe, Vicki and I headed off to class.

  A few minutes after we got home Alex called and said she had information for us. She had already called around to make sure everyone was free and I agreed that a family meeting was in order. The girls and I did homework while we waited. I noticed every time I looked up Tami was looking at me, only to look away when I made eye contact.

  Eventually, I put my school books down and asked, "What's up, Tami?"

  She was still looking around nervously but answered me saying, "I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you this, because I don't want you to overreact. Judy told me last night she is worried about Tina. Apparently, this kid Mertz has been getting pretty aggressive with her, and she is afraid he is planning something for her. She doesn't have any specifics. She says it's just a feeling"

  I started to get up, my temper flaring, but Zoe put her hand on one ar
m and put her hand on the other.

  "Cas, calm down. We don't know what is going to happen and you can't just rush over and start beating up her boyfriend or yelling at people," Zoe said.

  Tami nodded and said, "She's right, Cas. Judy promised she would keep an eye on Tina and let us know the second she found anything out or if anything got out of hand."

  I wasn't happy with that, but Zoe was right, there weren't a lot of options right now. Nothing had actually happened yet. I tried to go back to studying, but I had a lot of trouble focusing.

  When the time for the family meeting rolled around, I tried to push my thoughts about Tina down, because this was also important. Since we would all be focused on the family meeting, Mom brought home several pizzas instead of cooking. I was happy to see Alex had called Megan in addition to everyone else, further cementing her role as a part of the family, if not in the same way as Alex and Mom, or my girls.

  When we were all seated around the living room munching on our pizza I said to Alex, "It's your show."

  "We all know that after Angela's trip to the hospital we learned of some new effects of the change and some other possible effects, all of which opened the door to a lot of questions. Since then I managed to run most of us through new tests as well as some others you had all suggested, trying to run down a lot of the new possibilities. After we ran the tests Angela and I have been working on trying to make sense of it, and we have come up with some, but not all, of the answers to the new questions."

  "First let's talk about the changes in loyalty and personality. This was possibly the hardest thing to lock down. We know so little about how personality actually works, why people act the way they do. We do know that if the brain is physically altered, through say an accident or brain surgery, people often have changes in personality, sometimes major changes."