-“A fruit boat? A fruit boat for heaven’s sake! You’ve got to be kidding me. Bill, I’ll give you that the cover is ironclad, but can we waste three days at a time like this?”
-“Look, John. The President has just announced another austerity program and besides, he wants to wipe out poverty in Eastern Kentucky. And everywhere else, come to think about it. Money has to come from somewhere and you know they won’t raise taxes. We’ve been told to cut back as long as we think we can still complete the mission. And they think we can.”
-“Great. It’s always good to know that ‘they’ are looking out for us. I guess this is the punishment for being good at what you do – they give you less the next time and still expect you to succeed. Sheesh, it’s amazing what trade-offs come between saving millions of lives and averting global crisis versus political whatever.”
It was amazing how seldom John Selby cursed. Few could remember a time when he flew off the handle, but rarely did that include using vulgarity. He could refocus on the job at hand quicker than most.
________
Hooded men, dressed only in black, made their way down to the wreckage of the Ford Wagon. Selby's limited view of the stealthy approach caused his Walther to appear almost magically in his right hand. It was no longer just his country that needed him: it was his family. A face appeared at the driver's window. Even through the mask Selby recognized something familiar. He relaxed and lapsed into unconsciousness.
A SpecOps team had shadowed the Ford wagon from the moment Selby had pulled out of the driveway. Even he didn’t know they were there. Yet despite their presence, they were not alert enough to save the family from the attack or mountainside crash. They were, however, able to render immediate first-aid and get the family to a safe house. Hank’s injuries looked the worst, but after cleaning and bandaging, the family was found to be remarkably well. From the safe house a secure line, a radiotelephone link this time, was established. Selby counted on the children’s innocence as the conversation continued.
________
-“We’ll need you in New Orleans within a day or two. We’ve upgraded your new wagon to a 450 with a few other goodies thrown in. Your cover remains the same. And don’t worry about speed: your license plate is green to go. Glad you drove the autobahn during that Berlin thing.”
-“Ok, that’s got me smiling again. Driving fast is always fun. Think there will ever come a time when the grandkids make fun of me for driving slow?”
-“Not you, John. Good luck! And remember to use those ham radio skills if there are any problems on the way down. We’ve heard there are some issues down in Mississippi and Alabama with people driving through.”
The children, as he had hoped, were not listening. He gave a knowing look to Jane, a cursory “adios” to Bill, and loaded the family into their new car. Its engine was powerful; the new "goodies" were dangerous.
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