In the Grey

by Christian, Claudia Hall

  “‘The joke’s on you’ is about believing in larger systems,” Alex said.

  “The stability of larger systems,” Sumit said. “But I’ll tell you, for all of the ‘there is no God or system, only chaos,’ life is remarkably stable. Change happens slowly, over a long period of time. Even major changes, such as cell phones or the effects of global warming, took hold over the course of twenty or thirty years.”

  “So, the whole thing is kind of the joke,” Alex said.

  “You’re right. It is circular,” Sumit said. “Believing there is no stable system is in fact the joke.”

  “Huh,” Alex said. “Thanks.”

  “Truth of the matter is that little butterfly wings make storms, but they don’t change the nature of the weather itself,” Sumit said.

  “We can weather storms,” Alex nodded.

  “You should ask your dad about this. He’s had a lot of experience dealing with the little gnats who think they can disrupt the larger whole.”

  “And he’s weathered a lot of storms,” Alex said.

  “That is true,” Sumit said. “You should be resting. You’re the mother of two little ones now. You’ll need your strength. They will take the babies back to the nursery soon.”

  “Thanks Sumit,” Alex said.

  He turned to leave.

  “You would never imagine how many times I’ve been grateful you didn’t kill me in that clearing,” Alex said.

  Sumit turned to look at her.

  “You would never imagine how many times I’ve been grateful you scratched this line in my forehead. It was enough to get me out of the game,” Sumit smiled. “You saved me in Abu Ghraib and again in that clearing. I owe you my life, and more importantly I owe you for saving everything that matters in my life.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” Alex said.

  Sumit gave her a little nod and left the room. The door closed, and she counted. One, two, three, four, five. Nothing. She was about to get up when Joseph came in the door.

  “Fooled you,” he said.

  She smiled.

  “What’s the plan?” Alex asked.

  “John, Max, and Raz are in the air,” Joseph said. “They’ll be here in twelve hours. They chartered a private jet so that you can take your children home when you’re able to.”

  “What’s that look like?” Alex asked.

  “Farooq and Nazo filled out the right paperwork,” Joseph said. “They wanted you and John to care for their children in the event that something happened to them. According to their lawyer, they’d planned on letting you know when the children were born. The lawyer is working with the authorities here. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

  “Was John mad?” Alex asked. “We’d just decided on a surrogate.”

  “I don’t know. Matthew spoke with him,” Joseph said. “I think he was all business. ‘Where do we need to go?’ ‘When do we need to be there?’ ‘Visas?’ I guess Max had already told him something was up.”

  “Of course,” Alex said. “Is it safe for Max and Raz to travel?”

  “You’d have to kill them to keep them home,” Joseph said. “They’re your family; they need to be here. They will only be here long enough to finalize the adoption, and then you will return home together. Controlled situations, not hopping from refugee camp to refugee camp.”

  “Among the great unwashed,” Alex said.

  “Exactly,” Joseph nodded.

  “Matthew and I have decided to send MJ, Troy, and White Boy to escort Jack to the Federal Medical Center,” Joseph said.

  “When will they leave?” Alex asked.

  “Tomorrow or the next day,” Joseph said. “Jack is here getting a bunch of medical tests.”

  “He had no memory of his life,” Alex said.

  “Nothing,” Joseph said. “We’re sure he had another life?”

  “Good question,” Alex snorted.

  “And the answer?”

  “We’re sure as we can be,” Alex said. “Eoin remembers Neev and Jack being together as kids. He said that when they met, Jack fell to his knees and said something simple like, ‘I’ve been looking for you all my life.’”

  “They were ten?” Joseph asked.

  “Yep,” Alex said. “There are also a lot of photographs, financial docs, five kids, and grandkids. Plus, if you look at his left hand, there’s an indent from a long-worn ring. Of course, it’s always possible that the entire thing is a detailed cover, and they’re good actors. It’s more likely that he had a full life and was programmed to forget the whole thing.”

  “They can do that?” Joseph asked.

  “Why do you think so few people remember that they were involved in the mind control studies?” Alex shrugged.

  “Well, we didn’t remind him of his old life,” Joseph said.

  Alex nodded.

  “Dusty and Royce have completed your application for foreign adoption,” Joseph said. “Of course, it’s pretty easy since everyone in your household already had a detailed background check. Cian, Fionn, and the Draysons are going to escort Social Services through your house. Your house check should be done and signed off . . . tomorrow, I think.”

  “How . . . ?” Alex asked.

  “Nancy,” Joseph smiled. “We went through it for our Alex so we know what has to happen.”

  “What about a room for the babies and . . . ,” Alex asked. “We thought we had nine months or more.”

  “John called your contractor,” Joseph said. “He’s already working on creating a nursery in your bedroom, and one in Max’s for when you’re away and John is working. By the time you and the babies get home, the nurseries will be ready. The rooms are too small for five-year-olds, but they’ll be perfect until then.”

  “Wow,” Alex said. “Everything is worked out.

  “The team wanted to do this to thank you for everything you’ve done for them,” Joseph said.

  Alex’s eyes welled with tears. She nodded.

  “We’re excited for you,” Joseph said. “I’m excited for you. Having kids . . . Well, you know it changed my life. I know you’ll just . . .”

  He smiled.

  “I’m excited for you,” he said.

  “I feel . . . ,” Alex touched her heart and looked at the babies. “. . . so much.”

  Joseph nodded.

  “Nazo?” Alex asked.

  “Her funeral is tomorrow,” Joseph said. “We went to her village and found Farooq. They will be buried together.”

  “And Felicia?” Alex asked.

  “I should let her tell you, but she’d like to come to Denver with you,” Joseph said. “As you know, her family disowned her when she converted to marry Emal. She wants to be a part of the babies’ lives. She’s offered to be their nanny. I told her it was up to you and John.”

  “Would be nice to have a nanny who can shoot,” Alex nodded.

  “I thought the same thing,” Joseph said.

  “How is she?” Alex asked.

  “Angry,” Joseph said. “She’s down the hall for the night. I think her anger keeps her from her grief.”

  “They tried for years to have kids,” Alex said. “She had a number of miscarriages. They were so excited when she got pregnant after Nazo.”

  “Dalal thinks the baby would have made it to full-term,” Joseph said. “The trauma of seeing Emal killed and the walk to Kabul is the most likely cause of his death.”

  “Him?” Alex asked.

  “He’ll be buried with Emal tomorrow,” Joseph nodded.

  “Poor Felicia,” Alex said.

  “A spokesman for the Taliban has said they were not involved,” Joseph said.

  “Oh?”

  “They are saying the village was destroyed over opium,” Joseph said.

  “They grew watermelon and tomatoes in that valley for . . . ,” Alex shook her head.

  “A century,” Joseph said. “Yes, I know.”

  “That day – you know, their wedding – it was such a beautiful day,” Alex sai
d.

  “Overlooking the sunflowers,” Joseph smiled. “Yes, it was.”

  “That’s right,” Alex said. “Nazo and Emal’s parents grew sunflowers.”

  Joseph nodded.

  “Do you think they are a part of all of this?” Alex asked.

  “Who knows?” Joseph shrugged. “We met them a long time before the bee crisis, before everyone died.”

  “They have a gazebo, don’t they?”

  “The wedding was held in a gazebo overlooking the sunflower fields,” Joseph said. “Why?”

  “I had a dream that Charlie and I talked in a gazebo like that,” Alex said. “Did they burn the house and gazebo, too?”

  “Everything,” Joseph said. “The land will revert to the tribe.”

  “I guess they can plant opium now,” Alex said.

  “That would make it about drugs,” Joseph nodded.

  “Hmm,” Alex gave him a skeptical look, and he smiled.

  The nurse stuck her head in. She fussed over Alex for a moment and wheeled the babies back to the nursery.

  “I’ll stay here with you until everything is resolved,” Joseph said. “With luck, that will be tomorrow. The team will return home on Friday.”

  “Thank you,” Alex said. “For everything.”

  “I wonder sometimes if you would have been better off taking the assignment in Central America and not with us,” Joseph said.

  “Never,” Alex said. “We belonged together.”

  He gave her a quick smile and left the room. Alex lay back and slept. A few hours later, the nurse woke her to tell her that the babies were off their respirators. She could hold her babies. Between getting her bandages changed and holding the babies, the hours seemed to spin past. The next time she looked up, John, Max, and Raz were standing in the doorway to her room.

  “The nurse said we could feed them,” Alex looked up from the tiny baby boy she was holding. Alex smiled. “She’ll be here in a moment with bottles. Would you like to?”

  Alex set the boy in Max’s arms and pressed her forehead to his. When she looked up, John was holding the girl. His head hovered over her face. She saw tears form in his eyes.

  “Fáilte a chur roimh mo iníon,” he said to welcome his daughter in Irish Gaelic.

  The child opened her eyes and smiled at him. Raz put his arm around Alex and she smiled. She glanced at Max. He was equally fixated on the boy twin.

  “They were very nervous,” Raz said in a private tone. “Climbing out of their skins with worry. Of course, I was . . .”

  “Pensive?” Alex asked.

  He chuckled.

  “And now?” Alex asked.

  “It was meant to be,” Raz said.

  “You must meet her,” John said. “She’s absolutely perfect.”

  John held out the girl twin. Raz took the baby from him. Alex watched Raz’s face break into a broad smile. John turned to meet the boy. Max set the child in John’s arms. John welcomed the child as his son. Max put his arm around Alex. They leaned in to each other.

  “You did really good,” Max smiled. “Really good.”

  Alex smiled. Hearing the door open, she looked up to see Wyatt come in the room. John set the boy in the crook of Wyatt’s left arm.

  “Oh wow,” Wyatt said. “He’s . . .”

  There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

  F

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Monday, midday

  December 20 – 12:34 p.m. CST

  Federal Medical Center, Carswell, Texas

  “What’s wrong with her?” Jack asked as he stepped out of the rental car.

  “We’re not sure,” MJ said.

  Jack looked at MJ and nodded.

  “So she’s locked up in this prison because . . . ?” Jack looked at Troy.

  Troy laughed. Jack looked at White Boy.

  “Do you ever say anything?” Jack asked White Boy.

  “Can’t get a word in edgewise,” White Boy said.

  Jack tipped his head back and laughed.

  “Tell me, Mr. White Boy,” Jack said. “Are you going to protect me from this . . . what’s her name?”

  “Neev,” Troy said.

  “Are you going to protect me from this Neev?” Jack asked.

  “I promise to keep you from bodily harm,” White Boy smiled.

  “Bodily harm?” Jack chuckled. “Well, I’ve been in some pretty tight spots. With you mates around me, what could happen?”

  “This way,” MJ said.

  He gestured to the pathway toward the main building. At the entrance, Troy and MJ showed their identification.

  “I’m with this one,” White Boy gave the guard his identification. The guard raised an eyebrow and nodded.

  “Ho ho!” Jack laughed. “Silent man is king at the quare prison.”

  White Boy grinned.

  “They’re waiting for you, sir,” the guard said. “I need to check your weapons.”

  White Boy and Troy handed over their handguns and Troy gave the guard his Leatherman mini-tool.

  “You don’t carry one of those?” Jack asked MJ.

  “These guys will protect me,” MJ smiled. “Won’t you?”

  Troy laughed.

  “I’ll get someone to take you, sir,” the guard said.

  They waited only a few minutes before a thick-set orderly came. He looked Troy up and down, raised an eyebrow at White Boy, and grinned at MJ.

  “They’re finally admitting you, Scully?” the orderly asked.

  MJ laughed.

  “Come on,” the orderly said.

  MJ and the orderly started down the hall. Troy walked beside Jack and White Boy took the rear. They were on edge and watchful. There was no way to know if they were taking a man to his wife or they were lured to this facility for some other purpose.

  “I heard you’re a Marine now,” the orderly said.

  “It’s a long story,” MJ said.

  “How’s the . . . ?” the orderly gestured to MJ’s head.

  “Good as long as I’m not under pressure,” MJ smiled. “Thanks to you.”

  The orderly grinned. The Mister stepped into the hallway.

  “That guy makes my skin crawl,” the orderly said under his breath. “Calm and deadly, you can see it in his eyes.”

  MJ gave him a nod.

  “You’re going through here and out onto the patio,” the orderly said. “Don’t worry. It’s secure. We did a sweep five minutes ago.”

  MJ stopped walking to let Troy and Jack catch up. White Boy went around them. He nodded to the Mister and went to check the patio.

  “Why am I here?” Jack whispered to Troy.

  “You said you liked to help people,” Troy said.

  “And you think I can help this Neev?” Jack asked.

  “Might just help you,” Troy patted his shoulder.

  White Boy stuck his head out of the door and gave a nod.

  “Come on,” Troy said.

  “Hate this place,” Jack wiped his brow. “Good thing I’ve never been to prison. I can’t handle tight places.”

  They walked down a tight hallway and past a small sitting area. Troy glanced at MJ and he nodded. MJ opened the patio door. Jack looked at him and stepped out. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the daylight. Someone, a woman, was standing at the end of the patio. He glanced at Troy and took a step forward. White Boy touched the woman’s arm. She looked up at him and turned around.

  Jack fell to his knees in front of her.

  “Jackie?” Neev walked to him.

  “I’ve waited my whole life for you,” he whispered.

  She dropped down to him.

  “Where have you been my whole life?” Jack asked.

  Neev hugged him.

  “Ah Jackie, I’ve been your wife most of your life,” Neev said.

  “Whatever you say,” Jack said.

  Neev laughed. She bent her head down and they spoke to each other for a moment. Jack’s big arms went around her.

  �
�I am truly sorry to interrupt,” the Mister said. “We need to talk.”

  “I came to help,” Jack nodded.

  He got up and helped Neev to her feet. She took his hand. He flushed and looked at her. She smiled.

  “Jack, according to everything we can find, you are Jack Mac Kinney married to Neev,” Troy said.

  “I am?” Jack shrugged. “I think I would remember something like that.”

  “There is nothing medically wrong with you,” MJ said.

  “Good to know,” Jack squinted. “What happened to me that I don’t remember a life with this lovely woman?”

  “We believe what’s happened to you has to do with what happened to Neev,” the Mister said. “We’d like to show you some photos to see if we can’t jog your memory a little bit.”

  Jack nodded. Troy gestured to a chair where they’d set up a laptop. Jack pulled out a chair for Neev and sat next to her.

  “This is your life,” the Mister said.

  Starting with his driver’s license, they went from picture to picture. They revealed pictures of him holding each of his children when they were born, weddings, anniversaries, and sorrow – the death of his parents, his favorite dog. They showed him a video of their home. He asked to go through everything again.

  He stared at the photo of the entire family last Christmas for a moment and put his head in his hands. He shrugged his shoulders and got up from his seat.

  “Sorry I can’t help you boys,” Jack said. “This is a good con job. And I’m sure you’re an amazing woman, but it’s not me or my life.”

  Neev looked perplexed. He walked toward the door and she nodded.

  “Jackie Mac Kinney, you’re not running out on me now,” Neev said. Her voice was artificially harsh. Troy looked at Jack and then back at Neev.

  Hearing her words, he stopped at the door.

  “Your hair is nasty. You’ve let your beard go,” Neev’s voice was harsh. “You’re clothes are filthy. You’re not wearing your glasses. You’ve lost at least a stone. You can’t even take care of yourself for a few months. How’d you get to be a grandfather all by yourself?”

  He turned around. His face was still. He stared at Neev.

  “Who’s milking my cows?” Jack’s voice was flat and toneless.

  “The kids,” Neev said. “I told them to leave your chair alone.”