Chapter Ten
"You're kidding me." Cabe's outraged growl echoed throughout the garage.
"You have a team of gee. . ." The voice on the other end of the Homeland
agent's call interrupted him before talking at length. "Pardon my French,"
Gallo said when he could get a word in edgewise, "but that's bullshit."
He ended the conversation by jabbing his phone with his index finger. "That
was Deputy Director Cooper. Scorpion is officially off this case."
"Screw that," said Toby. "So we'll work unofficially. We've done it before."
"Why did they kick us off?" Sylvester asked worriedly. "There must be a good
reason."
"They're afraid the whole team is in league with these militia people," explained
Cabe. "They're making it sound like Walter and Paige are some kind of modern
day Bonnie and Clyde."
"Walter and Paige weren't even speaking to each other until this case came
along," Happy pointed out.
"They don't know that, and they wouldn't care." Gallo glanced around at the
remaining team members. "The doc's right. We keep working. We'll get them
out of there if we have to do it by ourselves."
"Copy that," said the shrink, a smug grin on his face. He glanced up from
his computer, where he had been viewing the militia's website. "These guys
are even worse conspiracy theorists than I am. They're as mad as hatters."
"You'd know all about mad hatters," quipped Happy, eyeing the fedora on his
head.
Cabe strolled up behind the shrink, reading over his shoulder. "They make
that bunch up in Oregon look like toddlers playing dress up," he remarked
after a few minutes. "These guys mean business."
"But they're not very smart," Toby pointed out. "They posted their membership
information online. Names, addresses, phone numbers. . . It took Ralph about
a minute to hack into it. And I think he was tired." He nodded his head to
where the boy was now sleeping on the sofa, the ferret curled up on his chest.
"It took me a little longer, but I hacked into the DoD. . ." Happy began.
"I didn't hear that," Cabe cut in.
"And a lot of these guys are people who either tried to join a branch of
the armed services and didn't qualify or who didn't make it through basic
training. Only the leader and a couple of the others have any real military
background. The dude-in-charge is a real piece of work. Had nine years in
before being dishonorably discharged for almost beating a recruit to death.
And that isn't the only assault charge on his record. He's even had a rape
charge that was dropped because the victim refused to testify."
"Whoa," Toby said, "and Walter and Paige are at his mercy." They all glanced
uneasily at each other.
"I imagine we have someone on the inside," Cabe stated. "If not Homeland,
then someone else."
"That's a pretty big if," Toby replied. "And even if it's true, they would
have to risk exposing their cover for a pair of strangers. Not everyone believes
in the greater good."
"Yeah, but Walt does," said Happy. "And that's what really scares me."
Toby got up out of his chair, went over to Happy, then wrapped his arms around
her. The fact she didn't object, frightened him more than he already was.
"Hey guys, I think I found something." Carrying a handful of papers, Sylvester
hurried into the room, stopping at the sight of Toby and Happy. The couple
broke apart awkwardly, both looking a little sheepish. Cabe had turned his
back earlier but now walked over to Sly.
"What is it?" he asked.
"A blueprint for Wildecliff Manor," the human calculator announced. He shuffled
through the print outs until he found the one he wanted. He placed it on
the nearest desk, which happened to be Paige's. The others gathered around
as he pointed at the sketch. "Look at this floor plan of the basement. There's
a door there doesn't lead to anywhere. Now what I think. . ."
He took a pen and drew lines forming a tunnel which opened up into a larger
room. ". . .is that it's connected to an underground bunker. It must have
been added later because it's not on the original plan." He stared at his
drawing for a moment. "Or it could be a tunnel that ends up somewhere, probably
somewhere outside. A secret entrance, maybe?"
"I'll check out geological surveys for that area," Happy volunteered. "Wanna
help, Doc?"
"You didn't even have to ask," he replied, following her like a puppy over
to her desk.
"I'll search building permits from the ‘50's and ‘60's when bomb shelters
were popular," said Sly on his way back to his own work station. He stopped
as he was about to pass by Cabe. "If we find a way in," he said, "they'll
have to listen to us. . .won't they?"
The Homeland agent patted the young man on the shoulder. "Let's hope so,
kid. Let's hope so."
Walter wasn't sure why, out of all the thoughts and images racing through
his mind, the kiss he had initiated with Paige earlier stood out foremost
among them. If they hadn't been interrupted, who knew what it could have
led to? Okay, he knew exactly what it would have led to. But he doubted Paige
had felt the same way. She was still upset with him over the dating business,
and also by his prying into her relationship with Drew.
He glanced down at her, her head once again resting on his shoulder. She
had fallen asleep, and had been close to toppling sideways before he scooted
closer to stop her. He liked the sensation of her resting against him, which
was odd considering he had always had difficulty with physical contact. Except
with her. Her touch was comforting, yet stimulating at the same time.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he relaxed, deciding to follow her example.
His eyelids drooped as he started to drift off.
"No, no." Walter popped his eyes back open as Paige stirred. "No." She thrashed
her arms and legs before sitting upright.
"Ralph. . .where's Ralph?" she asked, her voice full of panic.
"He's all right," he said, awkwardly slipping his left arm around her shoulders.
The gesture awakened her fully and she stared at him, her eyes filled with
fear. "Oh, God, I must have been dreaming. Drew forgot to pick up Ralph and
I couldn't get to him and no one cared whether I did or not and. . ." She
paused to draw in a breath. "Do you think Drew remembered to pick up Ralph?"
"Why wouldn't he? You said yourself he was good father and having him around
was great and. . ."
"I lied." Resting her head against the wall, she continued, "It sucked having
him around. He made huge messes and spent more time out with his new buddies
than with Ralph. . ."
Walter couldn't help but feel secretly pleased as he listened to about half
of what she was saying, although he thought he heard her mention something
about ‘peeing on the floor'. A ragged sob caught his full attention though,
and he turned to look at her.
"And now he's going to be raising my son," she stated, tears running down
her cheeks. "And you're right, he won't know what to do."
She pressed her face against his shoulder and once again he cautiously put
his arms around her. He hated seeing her cry. Hated the fact he couldn't
do anything to ease her fears beside rub her back in a pathetic attempt to
comfort her.
It was so light as first he didn't notice. But then it grew bolder, the insistent
pressure of her lips on a spot just below his ear. His heartbeat and breathing
both became erratic as her mouth moved up to gently capture his ear lobe
in her teeth.
"Uh, Paige?"
"Shh." He could feel her breath travel across his face before her lips met
his.