Adam waited for Neil and Rick to come downstairs after tucking in their patient. He rose from his chair and gathered everyone at the dining table.
“You can quit your internet search, Jimmy. I know who she is.” Adam slapped down the lid of Trevose’s laptop. “I’ve known since I saw the necklace she was wearing.”
“When were you planning on telling us?” Rick took a seat at the table.
“More importantly,” Andrew set down the tray of sandwiches, “why didn’t you tell me?”
Adam waited for everyone to take a seat. “I had to get clearance to tell you. I’ve tried to recruit Chase Alexander for months. Naval Intelligence wants her to work on a project. She kept turning down the offer. She insisted that she was married to the Air Force.”
“And?” Rick leaned forward, dropping his forearms on the table.
“And apparently,” Adam continued, “that is no longer the case. Her long-term beau called off their wedding, accusing her of cheating on him. She moved out, wrote a letter of resignation and threw herself off a cliff. The Air Force is still searching for the body.”
“Which they won’t find, because we have it.” Andrew proffered.
“Which they won’t find, because they are searching in Nevada.”
“So? You don’t have a gambling problem?” Andrew grinned, “had me worried for a bit there, bro. I almost called an intervention.” The room broke into laughter.
Rick grabbed a sandwich and pushed the tray over toward Adam. Adam continued with his explanation. “As of now, you all work for me. Our assignment is to keep her alive in whatever form and to hope that we can still communicate with her. Apparently this Navy project is vital and somehow she is the key. And that is all I know.”
Adam grabbed a few sandwiches and motioned for a beer. The newly formed unit chowed down and cleaned up before getting back to serious business.
An Off-Kilter Mind 