Chapter 1- Termination #2
“I laid them on the table the morning of his visit. I guess he recognized them,” she said softly. “A workspace. I also need a small greenhouse, maybe midsized, nothing too big, but I need to grow some things.”
“To make your love potions?”
“Maybe,” she said, smiling.
“Okay, so today we walk through that little stinky house, take a look at how it can be fitted to suit your needs,” he said.
“In my office, we have a fax machine already.
I'm sure Azrael has the number. Your work orders will come through there. I have begun to create caches under the house and in the kitchen, and the bookcases I made for you have hidden compartments to store your knives and a couple of nines.”
“Oh my God, I love you,” Helen said, crinkling her nose. “You know how to get a girl's juices going.”
His eyebrows arched as he looked at her, “I do, do I?”
“Yeah, you do,” she said, smiling at him. “June 21st, which is a Saturday.”
“What is that?”
“Our wedding date,” she said. “It's February, which will give Ruth plenty of time to lose her mind. I think a June wedding will be nice.”
“June wedding. June 21st. Got it,” he said. “Colors or is it too soon?”
“I'm thinking Trooper Blue and blush,” she said. “Are you okay with that date? I mean, it is pretty close to your birthday, but we can have a big birthday celebration as well with the reception. Or we can make it the 14th, in between you and Mark's birthday.”
He smiled at her for remembering the dates from the alarm code on his home in Oregon. “I've never been big on birthdays, so either date is fine with me. Trooper Blue as a wedding color?”
“It looks so good on you, and to think of your team, if you're inviting them, in their Trooper suits,” she said.
“Nope, not inviting any of them,” he said, thinking of the Technicians who would be present. “Never mix the worlds, Helen. It doesn't bode well.”
“Roger that,” she said, looking at the gate and noting the arrival of a delivery truck. “Are you expecting a delivery?”
“No, are you?”
“Nope,” she said as he hit the switch on the back porch to open the gate.
They both stood in silence as the delivery truck rolled in with a vehicle on the back. It came to a stop with a hiss of the air brakes. A slim driver, with a blue cap pulled down low over his eyes, hopped out, scanning both people while holding a clipboard.
“I have a delivery for Helen McDaniel,” the driver said.
“That's me, but what is that?” she asked, pointing at the vehicle on the rear of the delivery bed.
“I have a black Ford Explorer,” the driver said.
“Shouldn't that be an F150?” she replied, frowning.
“Nope, Ford Explorer ST with tow package and four-wheel drive, hill descent modes along with seven other driving modes, sunroof, cloth seats, all the other bells and whistles. Please sign here to accept the delivery,” he said.
Helen signed the paper and watched the vehicle get unloaded. The driver passed her the keys and an envelope with insurance and registration. She was not receiving a Black Ford F150, but instead a mom mobile.
She looked at her husband and said, “What in the entire hell? Where's my pick-up truck?”
“Odd selection, but it fits your image,” he said. “Seeing you step out of this versus a pick-up truck would be more on brand for The Cranberry. What's your specialty again?”
“Evidently, being a non-descript suburban housewife,” she said, looking at the vehicle. “I guess I need to get dressed and take it for a spin. You allocated space in the garage for a pick-up truck. This is... well, color me surprised.”
“At least now you won't have to put the miles on your personal vehicles,” he said.
“Hmm,” was all she added as she walked into their home to shower and get dressed.
****
THE FORD HAD A CONSIDERABLE number of features which she deeply appreciated.
Although the Subaru was new, it didn't have the bells and whistles of the Explorer.
Helen checked under the seat to see if, like the F150, there was a place to store weapons, tear gas, and clothing changes.
It did not, and she found herself disappointed.
“Helen, we can retrofit it to suit your needs,” he said. “The under the seat action on my former F150, I customized to hold my tracking gear. We all customized the trucks based on our specialties, and we can do the same with yours.”
“I am going to need everything,” she said, sighing. “I need to get with Azrael for a list of re-up field suppliers in Indiana, as well as an introduction to my Seraphim, if that is a thing that happens. Plus, weapons. I need more weapons.”
“Okay, we have a plan, or a shell of one,” he replied, sliding into the passenger seat as she cranked up her new Technician mobile and took it for a drive through Plainfield coming home take a breather.
As she pulled into the gate to bring Mustang home and prepare for the day, her Technician phone rang. It was Azrael calling before nine a.m., which was never a good sign. She would rather have the fax machine go off than deal with her handler before she had breakfast.
“Go for Cranberry,” she spoke softly in the line.
“Someone is looking for you?” Azrael said.
“Do we know who this someone is?”
“We do,” she said, pausing. “This is the third time in a month he's come to the little coffee shop you like to visit. I think he's looking for you.”
“Your instructions, Boss?” Helen asked.
“Do what you do and find out what the hell he wants,” Azrael replied.
“Roger that; rolling as we speak,” she said, ending the call while looking over at her handsome hunk of a husband. She went into the home they shared to collect the latest novel she was reading No One Is Safe. “I have my knives and my nine; be back soon.”
“Be safe,” he said, climbing out of the vehicle.
He watched her roll away, wanting to ask questions but knowing he couldn't. He'd overheard the call and didn't know who was looking for The Cranberry.
Funny thing was, she didn't ask. Helen didn't ask, as if she knew who to expect at the coffee house when she arrived.
The alpha male in him wanted to drive to the coffee house and park across the street to silently observe as his wife's silent backup.
However, if he started to do that, it would simply open up a series of behaviors which would grow into its own monster.
Helen was a Technician. Yes, she still was in training, but if she could handle a one-on-one with the Fer de Lance, Eduardo Delgado, she could handle whatever person this was.
At least, it is what he hoped.