Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16


By the time Jon got home, it was well past ten. Humans or animals hadn’t touched the snow in his front yard yet. Jon took great pleasure in making the first set of footprints in the snow. The snow flew off of his shoes as he kicked them on the doorstep before entering.
He was tired and exhausted, yet exhilarated. Is that possible to be exhausted and exhilarated at the same time? He thought. And, isn’t it interesting that they both begin with the letters e-x-h.
The TV went on immediately. SportsTime was into its second half-hour. By now, it was time for sports like cricket and the America’s Cup. He didn’t care so much, but he was interested if they were going to say anything else about the game on Saturday. He turned up the volume so that he could hear it wherever he was upstairs.
Jon kept the lights in the house off. He liked the sense of solitude that the darkness gave him. Besides, if he fell asleep, he wanted to stay asleep. He went to his bedroom and pulled out a pair of white sweats and changed into them.
Mills wandered into the kitchen and grabbed two cans of Cherry Coke out of the fridge. He popped one open and downed half the can in one chugging session. He let out a long and laborious belch. It was great to be home alone.
His next stop was his parent’s bedroom. He liked to come in here when they were gone and just look out the window. In the living room, the window was too high and the couch back was towards the wall, so it made it a chore to stare outside for long periods. But, in this bedroom, the window was the right height, the bed was big enough and close enough to be able to stare out into space and watch the falling snow while retreating into your own thoughts.
He had just come from an amazing first date with Aleisha Madsen! And, to top it all off, she had kissed him and he had kissed her! Three monumentous occasions all in one night! Jon set the other can of Cherry Coke on the bed next to him as he thought about the warmth of Aleisha’s breath on his face. He watched the large snowflakes fall lightly on the ground. It didn’t happen often, a snow like this, this early in the season, but he could easily remember trick or treating twice in weather like this.
The neighborhood outside of his parent’s window looked calm and quiet. No cars had driven by in the few minutes he had been watching, no pedestrians had walked by, and no one had left their house.
One of his neighbors across the street had an old decrepit Russian olive tree that sagged badly during the summertime. Now that snow was on it, one of its branches was bending down and touching the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Jon watched as more and more snow piled on it. After about five minutes, the branch visibly drooped even more and a chunk of snow fell from it, lightening its load, which caused the branch to rise ever so slightly. There was a car directly next to the branch that was drooping, and Jon was sure that the stream of exhaust hanging in the air had come from it. He hadn’t noticed anyone turn the car on or off. In fact, there didn’t seem to be anyone in it now. But if that was true, where had the exhaust come from? It surely wasn’t his imagination.
The sound of SportsTime was forgotten about as Jon all of sudden heard Kate’s voice in his head, just like he still had his earpiece turned on.
“Don’t forget, Jon, you’re going up against killers here.”
Up against killers here.
Up against killers here.
Up against killers here.
Killers.
Killers.
The quote kept reverberating through his mind.
Killers here.
Killers.
Killers.
Jon slowly set his can on his father’s nightstand as the unthinkable thought made its way to his brain.
“Oh my God. They found me. I don’t know how, but they found me.”
Jon threw himself to the floor and waited for the barrage of bullets to come pouring through the windows and the walls. He waited, keeping his breathing steady and still, but the bullets didn’t come. If they were watching him, were they already in the house? Doubtful, since there were no footprints in the snow. No footprints in the snow leading to the front door. What about the back? Jon stayed on the ground and listened intently for any movement elsewhere in the house. Not hearing any, he crawled out of his parent’s room and into his own.
Jon was still crawling on the ground when he found his gymbag and unzipped it. His right hand went into the bag and rummaged around until it came out with the gun Kate had given him that morning. He popped out the magazine and checked the clip. It was full. Kate said she had fired it and that it had worked fine. Let’s hope it still does, Jon thought. Now, it wasn’t just a gun to Jon, it was his lifeline. Jon slammed the magazine back into its chamber and put it in the back waistband of his pants.
Should he call Kate and wait for her to arrive? Nah, he thought, they could come in at any time. I’ve got to go take care of this one myself. Besides, I’ll have the element of surprise on my side! He sat on the ground and slipped on his white tennis shoes. He was going to have to go out for a little walk.
Pulling himself out of the sitting position and into a crouching one, he made his way to the kitchen. Jon paused, just to make sure that he couldn’t hear anything unusual inside the house yet. Still convinced he was alone, he made his way to the sliding glass door. He examined the snow outside. No footprints and no disturbances here, either. He could safely assume that the killers had yet to make their move against the house. They were probably just waiting for the TV to go off. Jon had thought about turning off the TV, but now thought better of it. If he knew where they were, but they didn’t know where he was, he had a much better chance of taking some of them with him.
Mills cracked the sliding door open just enough to squeeze through the crack. He eased his way outside, and sucked in his gut even more when the gun clanked solidly against the doorjamb. He could just imagine shooting his own ass off. What a great story that would be to future generations. He slipped the gun through the doorjamb and gently closed the sliding glass door behind him.
The night air seemed so still and every crunching footstep he took thundered in his ear, but he knew in reality, he was moving as quietly as could be expected. After creeping down the back stairs, he flattened himself against the back of the house. For all intents as purposes, he was camouflaged quite well with his white sweats against the white snow. Movement didn’t help his chances, of course, but hopefully, they would never see him coming.
He reached the corner of the house and readied himself. He pulled the gun out and checked to make sure the safety was off. He took a deep breath and in one motion, rounded the corner, went down on one knee, and aimed his gun straight ahead. No one. There was no one on the side of the house. Jon flattened himself against the wall again and continued his journey.
Mills was now at the front edge of the house. He would have to be exposed for a few moments no matter what. He crouched low again and peeked around the corner. The scene was still just as quiet except the car was now running. There was a figure in the front seat that leaned down, as if to get something from the glove compartment. This was it. His only chance.
“God, if you’re up there, please help me.” He took a quick visual measurement of his path. There was one tree in the front yard. Jon left his safe place and scurried across to the tree and looked at the car again. The figure was still searching the glovebox.
“Let’s make it all the way,” Jon told himself as he left the confines of the tree and ran behind the back bumper of the car.
Again, Jon waited to hear loud voices, or feel the barrage of bullets pierce his body, but nothing. The only sound he could hear was the radio inside the car. It sounded like ‘The End’ by The Doors. Whoever was stalking him had good taste. KLZX was the only station in town that played that song.
The butterflies subsided, but Jon could still hear the force of blood pounding through his veins and his heart thundering in his chest. It sounded as if his raspy and straggled breathing was as loud as a siren. It must not have been because the person was still looking like they were the hunter, not the hunted. He knew he had to make his move soon, because he couldn’t stand the tension for much longer and also, he was freezing to death!
Slowly, Jon crept along the passenger side of the car. He watched the side mirror and figured that if he couldn’t see the passenger’s reflection, then they couldn’t see him. He made it to the door, raised his gun, and positioned his hand to yank the door open.
“Bad move,” he thought. “They’ll have me made before I can get the door open. I’ll be better just shooting through the glass. Besides, if I shoot first, the glass will go inside toward them, not outside toward me.” He closed his eyes and took several long, slow, deep breaths and let them out.
“Here we go, Mills, make it or break it time.” He steadied himself in his crouched position and got his gun prepared.
He stood straight up and was prepared to see several goons aiming at him. Instead, he noticed just one person in the car, and they were lying across the front seat. All Jon could see was a mass of hair pressed up against the window. A mass of red hair. A mass of very familiar red hair.
Jon clicked the safety on and tapped the side of the gun against the window.
Kate Thompson screamed and jumped almost vertically through the roof. She turned around with fear and rage in her eyes, but softened immediately upon seeing who it was. She put her hand to her chest and slowed her breathing down. Jon motioned for her to unlock the door. She did and Jon opened it.
“Kate, what the hell are you doing out here?”
“I should ask you the same question. Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping and getting ready for tomorrow?”
“I probably should, but I have to say, it’s your fault I’m out here!”
“How is it my fault?”
. Jon ignored the question. “It’s a little cold out here tonight. You want to come in and do your stakeout from inside?”
Kate knew that she had been had. Smiling at the thought of warmth and companionship, she responded, “Sure. I’d love to.”

Jon took the large steaming mug of hot chocolate over to Kate. She was shivering on a chair with two blankets over her, next to the heater vent.
Kate unburied her hands from the pile of blankets and took the mug from Jon.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied. “I can make soup, or toast, or even steaks if you want.”
“Nah, this will do me just fine.” Kate lifted the spoon that Jon had left in the mug and stirred the steaming liquid. She avoided Jon’s gaze. “How did you know?”
“Excuse me?”
“How did you know I was out there?”
Jon decided to play with her. “Come on, Kate. Any good Agency member would notice that you were out there.”
Kate looked up, tilted her head to one side and raised her eyebrows.
“Okay, maybe not.” Jon went to the kitchen and returned with his own large mug of hot chocolate. “Actually, I didn’t know it was you. I assumed it was them.”
“Them who?”
“Them the killers, them.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Isn’t that what you told me? I was going up against killers? I needed to take my gun everywhere with me? I would never know when I might need to use it?”
“I did say that, yes.”
“So, at the theater, you said you would see me tomorrow. I wasn’t expecting you. I was looking out at the street and watching the snow fall, and no one had walked to the car and it started up, so I knew someone was there and it looked like a perfect vantage point for this house.” He paused his explanation and took a deep breath. “Besides, if I knew it was you, would I take my gun out?”
“Fair point.”
“How long have you been watching me, Kate?”
Kate diverted the question. “Is that the piano you learned on?”
“How long, Kate?”
She resigned herself to telling the truth. “I never stopped. Monday when you came back from the hospital, I dropped you off, circled the block and started my nightly stakeouts.”
“Why?”
“Bender wanted you protected at your most vulnerable moments.”
“Bender wanted it?”
“Of course.” Kate seemed to be searching for the right phrase. “Sort’ve. When I asked him to do it.”
“You asked him?” Jon got a triumphant grin on his face.
Kate stirred her chocolate again and stared into the swirling brown depths. “ Yes, I did.”
Jon walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. “Thanks, Kate. Thanks for looking out for me.”
“That’s my job as your trainer, isn’t it? I watch out for you. I’ve made a few mistakes, but all things considered, I think we make a good team.” Kate took her first gulp from the mug and winced slightly as the drink burned her throat. “You’re doing amazingly well, Jon. You’ve started strong, you’re getting better in just two days, and you have real potential. You may feel like a nobody, the new guy, but you have a lot more promise than I did when I started.”
Jon took a seat on the couch and put his feet on the coffee table. “How did you find out about the Agency? How did you get to where you are now?”
Jon watched as Kate got lost in her memories. Her lips turned upwards, almost imperceptibly, as she remembered the good times. Her mouth turned downwards as she thought about the bad times. Then, her mouth went into a straight line and she started biting her cheeks as her eyes moistened as she thought about the really bad times. A tear never fell from her eyes though. She was determined not to let that happen.
“Do you really want to know?” Kate’s voice was quivering.
Jon locked eyes with her. “Yes, I really do.”
Kate sat and just breathed for several minutes, contemplating how to begin. Jon waited patiently. He knew the explanation was coming, but he wasn’t about to rush her.
“I guess I owe it to you to tell you, Jon. I know all about you, and you don’t know anything about me.” Kate turned her stool away from the heater. She stood and sat down on the opposite side of the couch from Jon. Her legs folded under her in Indian Style and she re-wrapped the blankets tightly around her.
Kate took one more gulp from her hot chocolate before she dropped the bomb. “My husband was the first link to the Agency that I ever had.”
Jon’s eyebrows shot up. “Husband?”
“Yes.”
“Your husband?” Jon asked again.
Kate nodded.
Jon had never even considered this possibility. “So, you’re, uh, you’re, you know- married?”
“I was. It seems like forever ago, but I got married on May ninth, 1986. I was a young girl of just 21.” She stared at the couch cushions. “It was the best two years of my life.”
“Two years? So, you’re not married anymore?”
Kate shook her head.
“I’m sorry to hear that. When did you get divorced?”
“I didn’t.”
“You’re just separated? Trying to work things out?”
Kate shook her head again.
“Oh.” Jon felt like it was his turn to intrude on personal things. “So he, uh-“
Kate looked up and locked eyes with him. The moist eyes were back. “I’m a widow, Jon. At 25 years old, I’m a goddamned widow.”
Jon was speechless. Strange squeaks and silence came from his open mouth, but no words for the longest time. Finally, he was able to form a complete thought. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No one does. Only Walter Bender and Earl Asshole Stanley know about Patrick.”
Jon really felt like he was intruding now. If those were the only two who knew…. “If you don’t want to tell me, Kate, it’s cool. I totally understand.”
Kate cut him off. “No, Jon. It’s okay. I owe it to you. I owe it to him. I haven’t thought about it for such a long time, it almost seems like I’m forgetting him. I can’t let that happen.”
Jon picked up his mug again and got ready for Kate’s story.

Chapter 15- part 2

The Italian Village was full, but not crowded. Jon and Aleisha only had to wait a few minutes before they were seated. Kate stayed in the car until she could tell they were safely in a booth, then she entered and asked for a single table on the other side of the restaurant, where there would be no danger of Aleisha noticing her.
The rest of the drive had been relatively uneventful. Jon had spoken out loud a few times, as he would hint at exact directions from Kate. A few statements like- “The next light is ninth, so I’m going to take a left” were quite common, but no real conversation between Jon and Aleisha had happened.
It had seemed to just be a comfortable co-existing of the couple had taken place and Kate imagined a lot of googly eyes at each other. Kate felt as though she was an odd intruder, a third wheel, and in reality, she was. It was interesting that she had done this kind of stake out for almost a year before Jon had been recruited, only 3 days ago she had to remind herself, but it seemed so much different now. She hadn’t been able to hear entire intimate conversations before, and now, here she was playing chaperone. Granted, she was still several yards away, but she still seemed to be intruding too much.
The conversation had restarted.
“So, Jon, what looks good to you?” Aleisha asked.
“I’m a sucker for ravioli. but I love lasagna, and just the boring old fettuccini Alfredo. I haven’t decided yet. And you?”
“I’m thinking that a pizza bender sounds amazingly tasty.”
“What is that?”
Aleisha leaned over the table and pointed at the spot in the menu that described it. “It says a mini-pizza folded in half and served with dipping sauce.”
As she leaned over, her hair fell into her eyes. Jon looked up and brushed it away so he could see her face. She smiled at him, and then very slowly sat back in her seat.
“Sounds good. I think I have to go for the half and half plate.”
“Don’t you generally drink half and half?” Aleisha led Jon along.
“No,” Jon explained, “you get any two half servings of anything on their menu on the same plate.”
A waitress came up to their table. “Welcome to the Italian Village. Are you ready to order or can I just get you some drinks while you look at the menu a minute more?”
“I’m ready!” Aleisha piped up.
“I guess we’re ready,” Jon replied.
“For you, Ma’am?”
“I will take two combination pizza benders please with extra dipping sauce, and a bowl of minestrone soup, please.”
“Healthy appetite for a little girl,” Kate commented.
Jon reached up and pretended to scratch his shoulder, but flicked his mike with his thumb while doing it.
“And to drink?”
“Pepsi?”
“We do serve Pepsi, yes, ma’am.” The waitress scribbled the order and turned to Jon. “And for you?”
“I’ll take the half and half plate with lasagna and meat and cheese ravioli, please with a bowl of minestrone soup and a side salad. With Italian dressing and a cherry Pepsi, if I may.”
“You sure may.” The waitress took their menus. “I’ll be right back with the drinks.”
Aleisha looked up at their waitress and smiled. “Thank you.” Aleisha continued to look admiringly at Jon.
The waitress brought their drinks and their complimentary order of garlic bread. Aleisha attacked the bread with gusto. Jon took a few sips of his drink while he watched as Aleisha ate her first slice in a matter of seconds. He waited until she had begun working on her second slice before he ventured his hand near it.
“So,” Aleisha asked in between bites, “what do you want to be?”
Jon took a bite of his bread before answering. “This sounds stupid, but I actually want to be an actor.”
Aleisha grinned and nodded her head. “Not stupid at all. You were great in Little Shop of Horrors last year.”
“Thanks.” Jon nodded and then a realization hit him. “You went to one of the performances?”
“No.”
“Then how-?”
“I went to all seven.”
Jon was shocked.
Kate was stunned.
“Whoa,” was all Jon heard from Kate.
“All seven?” Jon asked.
“Yup. After the first night, I went back and sat in the third row, center aisle every night.”
“Third row? Center? That’s where I-“
“That’s where you stopped to sing your solo every night. I know. I knew you wouldn’t see me since the spotlight was right in your face at that time. I knew you couldn’t see anything but a blinding light.”
Jon was speechless.
“You were great. Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the play entirely because it was quite silly, you were really good. You actually seemed to be in love with that girl, and too scared to talk to her, and, even after you two started seeing each other in the play, you only kissed her on the forehead. I thought that was sweet. You brought a silly play some depth. You were good, so I don’t find that silly at all.”
They stared at each other for a minute. Even the bread eating had stopped. Finally, Jon broke the silence.
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” Aleisha began to eat her bread again.
“What do you want to do then, when you grow up?”
“Now this, you will laugh at.”
“Why would I? I promise I won’t laugh.”
“Scout’s honor?”
“I was never a scout, sorry.”
Aleisha just tilted her head. “Scout’s honor?”
Jon straightened up and put his hand up in the famous salute. “Scout’s honor, Miss.”
Aleisha seemed to be having trouble spitting it out.
Jon leaned forward. “What? What is it? Is it embarrassing? Do you want to work at Southern Exposure as a career?”
“No! Of course not! Not at all. It’s just-“ Aleisha almost seemed to be freezing up.
“Illegal? Drug runner?”
The head tilt again.
“Okay,” Jon sat back in his seat. “Not a drug runner, I assume, not a prostitute, so what can be so bad?”
Aleisha just opened her mouth and closed it again.
Jon leaned over and did what would’ve seemed impossible three days ago- he grabbed her hand. “What is it?”
The actual touch seemed to bring Aleisha back to reality. “It’s just that whenever I tell guys they make fun of me.”
“I promise. No laughter. None at all. I am serious guy.”
Aleisha seemed to steel herself against the onslaught of laughter she knew was coming. In a small meek voice, she said, “A newspaper reporter.”
Jon let out a release of air that almost came out in a laugh. Aleisha glared at him. He put up his hands in defense.
“That was not a laugh about your choice of career at all. That was a stifled laugh because I can’t believe you were so scared to tell me. I was picturing garbageman or dog walker or something absurd like that, not something serious like a reporter. Honestly, I just think it’s funny you were so reluctant to tell me.”
Aleisha weighed Jon’s words carefully and her body posture relaxed. ”It’s just that when I go out with guys, they think that’s a stupid dream to have. As a reporter you don’t get a choice really, you go with the stories.”
“I think I see this coming,” Jon nodded. “And guys-“
“Guys just want a woman who will be subservient to them and their wishes. They don’t want a woman with a career. They just want someone to be barefoot and pregnant.”
“Hey, now, be careful, there! That’s my entire gender you’re talking about!”
“Isn’t it true? In your guy talks, how often does someone ever say, ‘I want a wife who will make more than me and leave on assignment and leave me at home to take care of our 2.7 kids?”
Jon gave her hand a squeeze.
“The kid does have a point,” Kate said.
“I know,” Jon said quietly into his receiver, but also looked at Aleisha and gave her support.
She didn’t look back. She was staring straight at the table. “Most guys ask if I want to cover the food or the gardening sections or the wedding pages, and they just about lose their shorts when I say that I want the big stuff! I want the murders, the rapes, the wars, the scandals. Most guys can’t even handle the thought of it!
I’ve heard about that Oscar party you always have. Believe it or not, I actually stay up and watch the Pulitzers every year. No one cares about them, so it’s televised at like 2 in the morning or something ridiculous like that. I get my bag of microwaveable popcorn and just watch these people go up and receive their awards and think, someday that will be me. Probably what you do with the Oscars every year.”
“Pretty close,” Jon agreed.
Jon let go of Aleisha’s hand as the waitress brought the soups and the salad.
After she had left, Jon watched as Aleisha picked up her spoon and started eating her soup.
“I can’t deny that most guys would think that you were crazy, but I think it’s great! I think most papers would benefit from a female reporter tackling the big stories! I don’t mean to sound sexist here, but I do believe that, in general, men and women view the world in a different way. I think that is pretty much a given, but that doesn’t mean that one viewpoint is right and the other wrong. I think you could easily add something that most males can’t add to journalistic writing and that’s the heart and the soul. I think you can do for newspapers what you think I do to silly plays, and that’s to add depth.”
Aleisha had kept eating her soup with vigor, but Jon knew that his words were hitting home. Her movements weren’t quite as sharp and jerky. She hadn’t looked him in the eyes at all since she told him. Jon reached out and touched her hand that was holding the spoon. She responded and brought the spoon down after she had eaten that spoonful. Jon’s hands moved back up to her hair and he swept it away.
Her eyes were glistening, but not in a sad teary way. Her face also had a smile on it. Her bottom lip was quivering, but it was a smile.
“Thank you, Jon.”
“You’re very welcome, Aleisha.”
She grabbed his hand and gave it a light kiss on the knuckles and a squeeze.
“You’re okay, Jonathan Mills,” Kate radioed her approval.
Jon addressed Aleisha. “I want you to send me every single one of your articles when you finally get published, okay? I’ll give you self-addressed stamped envelopes and you can send them to me all the time. Then, you have to promise to pay to see every single one of my movies at least twice. Deal?”
The quivering bottom lip had stopped. “Deal.”
“So, now that we have bared our souls already this evening, how about we do the normal first date stuff?” Jon finally started digging into his food.
“Such as?” Aleisha was visibly relieved to get back to fun conversations.
“Favorite musical group?”
“Oooooh. That’s a tough one. I would have to go with Van halen.”
“A rocker chick, huh? “
“You know it! And you?”
“I’m an poppy music kind of a guy. Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, and the like. I mainly listen to movie soundtracks, though. I’m a huge fan of John Williams, Danny Elfman.”
“Okay. What kind of questions should I ask?”
“Anything. I’m an open book!”
“Anything?” the devilish smile returned to Aleisha’s face.
“Anything.”
“Okay. Lightning round. Color?”
“Blue.”
“Food?”
“Italian or Mexican.”
“Paper or plastic?”
“Plastic.”
“Coke or Pepsi?”
“Coke, but Cherry Coke is the drink that keeps me alive, specifically.”
“Ford or Chevy?”
“Anything that runs.”
“Movie snack?”
“Nachos and a cherry Coke.”
“Tats or piercings?”
“Neither. I hate needles.”
“Favorite actor?”
“Harrison Ford and Michael J. Fox, neither of which are truly recognized for the job they do.”
“Cheese.”
“Type or brand?”
“Both.”
“Pepper jack and Tillamook.”
“Favorite book?”
“Author is Stephen King. Book would be either It or his novella, Apt Pupil. Although I hear that his book coming out next week, The Dark Half is also very, very good.”
“Favorite class in school?”
“Come on! Easy! Drama!”
“Favorite real class in school?”
“Oh, that’s cold!”
“Real class?” Aleisha pressed on.
“History and government.”
“Most embarassing moment?”
“That would have to be either the tryouts for the talent show this year, or the infamous spider story.”
“Infamous spider story? That just has a nice ring to it.” Aleisha was very intrigued.
“Okay, so, it was a normal Thanksgiving. All the relatives come over, general chaos until about four in the afternoon, a huge feast, dishes were done immediately, and then until about seven, everybody lazed around napping, or just not moving much in general. I was asleep on the couch, sawing logs, snoring like there was no tomorrow. Then, supposedly, all of a sudden, I sat upright and yelled ‘Watch out for the spiders!’ I stood up on the couch, jumped over my Uncle Dennis, the couch arm and ran into my bedroom, where I promptly zonked out again. It totally freaked out everybody who was sleeping and has been a cause of mockery ever since.”
“That is a priceless story!” Kate radioed Jon.
“Now,” Jon took control again, “I’ve answered a bunch. What about you? Same questions?”
“Color red. Food chinese. Paper is biodegradeable, plastic is not. Pepsi, by far. I am a chevy girl. A movie isn’t the same without popcorn. My ears are pierced once each, but no other weird tatoos or piercings.”
“Any normal tatoos or piercings?” Jon asked jauntily.
“No. Actor is Nicholas Cage. I am a fan of sharp cheddar and Cache Valley cheese, made right here in the great state of Utah. Book would have to be anything by E. L. Konisburg or Roald Dahl. I like science and most embarassing moment would have to be last year when my parents and I went to the Disneyland Hotel. I took all of the souvenirs that you could find around the place. I started with the usual stuff: soap, shampoo, stationary, pens, and by the end, I had things like ice buckets and ashtrays, even though I don’t know anybody who smokes just because it said Disneyland Hotel on it. So, my dad gets us a taxi to take us to the airport and the bag I had all of my treasures in broke open and it all spilled out. I looked like a seventeen-year old klepto of all things Disney.. I was mortified!”
Jon and Kate both got a good laugh out of the story as dinner arrived at the table.

Kate could tell that dinner was going well. The tone of conversation stayed light and pleasant, but there was absolutely none of the normal first date hmmmm-ing and hawing. There were pauses, which Kate could read as a shared smile, wink, or something. Jon was doing well keeping his nerves at bay.
Kate had ordered a pizza bender herself and was just finishing it as Jon excused himself to go to the bathroom. She wiped her mouth on a napkin, and went towards the bathroom hallway.
Since the Italian Village was a small family owned place that had expanded over the years, it still only had one toilet in both the men’s and women’s restrooms. Kate caught up with Jon in the hall.
“Pretty slick, slick,” she said.
It freaked Jon out that what he was hearing in his ear was also coming from just one small step away.
“Hey, Kate!”
“You almost act like you forgot I was here.”
There was a flush and the sound of running water.
“I almost did,” Jon admitted.
“Doesn’t surprise me. You’re doing fine and it sounds like you and Aleisha are hitting it off just fine. No problems with conversation for a while. I’m not sure if you really need me anymore tonight.”
A man unlocked the men’s room door and held it open for Jon.
“Excuse me for just a second, Kate.”
Jon’s back was to the dining room, so he didn’t see Aleisha as she slid out of the booth.
Kate saw the movement and grabbed Jon’s right hand, which was holding the bathroom door open, and swept him into the bathroom with her and she locked the door.
“Believe it or not, Kate, I really do have a kind’ve bashful bladder. I can’t-“
“Trust me, I don’t like to talk in bathrooms myself, but Aleisha was coming. Probably not the best move to be seen talking to another woman, who was on stage with you at the talent show the night before, in a bathroom hallway on your first date with the girl of your dreams.”
“Good point.”
They each held their breath as they heard Aleisha walk down the hallway and enter her respective restroom
As they released their breath, Kate started to speak. “All I wanted to say is that I am not useful to you anymore. Tonight, I mean. You are doing wonderfully well! I just feel like an intruder. I shouldn’t be listening in.”
“It’s cool. I’ll admit, even though you haven’t said much, you have helped me. Just knowing that you were there listening, made me secure that I could never say anything too stupid or foolish without you calling me on it. I also knew you would stop me from not being myself if I strayed too far, so it’s been good. Just one more thing and I’ll let you go.”
“Okay, and then I’ll let you go so that you can go.”
“Since we’re going to a movie, can you hang out and be in ear with me until the lights go down? Then, we’ll just be watching the movie, and afterwards, it’ll be late, so I will just talk to her about the film and take her home, and I know I can do that fine.”
“What about the end of the date?” Kate teased.
“I’m not as nervous about it.”
“Okay, Jon. You have a deal. I’ll be with you until the lights go down and I’ll cut loose. You just stow the earpiece in your pocket and get it back to me in the morning. Cool?”
“Cool.”
They listened for any sign of movement in the hallway. When none was detected, Kate slipped out the door and Jon locked it behind her. Almost immediately, the whoosh of running water in the pipes sounded through the bathroom and Jon could picture Aleisha fixing her hair in the mirror as she washed up. This put a smile on his face as he did what the room was designed for.
Kate actually left a few minutes before the happy couple. Since she knew the destination, she just stayed one step ahead of them to the theater. She purchased a ticket and then went back to her car until she knew they were in their seats.
While she was waiting, Kate noticed the first few snowflakes drift down and fall on her windshield. They quickly melted but they were soon replaced by more and more. She watched as Aleisha and Jon parked and purchased their tickets. Jon had his arm around Aleisha’s waist as they walked through the doors.
Aleisha shook her head free of the snow once inside the lobby. “Do you want some popcorn?” she asked.
“I can’t believe you want popcorn after all you ate at the restaurant!”
“I only ate one of the pizza benders. I told you I got the other one for lunch tomorrow! Besides a movie just isn’t a movie without popcorn.”
“And nachos,” Jon added.
“And nachos,” Aleisha agreed.
“Should we buy two large popcorns so you can have one for lunch tomorrow?” Jon joked.
“Nah. I don’t need it. I’ll just share with you tonight, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
They got their large popcorn, a large Cherry Coke, and an order of nachos. Kate walked through the doors as she watched them make their way down the hallway to their theater.
Kate could hear the slight argument about seating as she purchased her own drink and popcorn from the concession stand.
“I’m telling you, the front row is the best!” Jon tried to persuade Aleisha. “You don’t have to look straight up at the screen! You just kick back in your chair and let the film envelop you.”
“I like to see the whole screen, thank you very much!”
“You can see the whole screen! Have you ever heard about peripheral vision?”
“I have heard about it and yes, I do have it. You’re the one who has to wear contacts. I t wouldn’t surprise me to find out that you lost your sight while sitting in the front row of a movie theater.”
“Touché! Where would you like to sit?”
“I prefer the exact middle of the theater, but, since I’m with you, I’ll compromise. How about if we sit on the front row of the main section? We won’t venture into the nether region of the very front of the theater.”
“I think I could handle that.”
As they took their seats, Aleisha looked at Jon and shook her head. “The very front row? Why would you ever decide to sit on the very front row?”
“I used to go see movies all summer. My parents would drop me off at the theater and I would see at least four or five movies a week every summer. I was only about ten or eleven and I couldn’t see over anyone! So, I chose to sit on the front row so you don’t have to crane your neck. Then, I grew and got taller and taller, and now I sit there as a place to stretch my legs out.”
“So, this works, being back here on the front row of the main section?”
“It works, but I still prefer the every front row.”
“You are so weird sometimes.”
Kate entered the theater and made a beeline for the very back row of the theater. She picked her seat and slouched in her chair so that she was as inconspicuous as possible.
“So, how long have you liked movies?” Aleisha asked.
“My whole life. Like I said in my presentation, I would calm down when I was sick if my parents took me to a theater. Then they would take me to a movie before any big event, like the first day of school, to calm down my nerves. Then, it just became a natural thing to do.
One weekend, my dad took me to a showing of Raiders of the Lost Ark and it changed my life, literally. I remember that we went to the Villa, that old one screen theater on Highland Drive? We went and sat in the front row and I was just in awe of this big, huge screen, and the action, the music, the acting, the cinematography, I loved it all. Ever since then, I have just been a huge fan of the cinema. I watch most everything and I notice when its crap, but the thing that I love most is seeing the product of all of these talented people working with one purpose to tell one story. It’s amazing to me.”
Aleisha just looked at Jon admiringly. “I can see that. I can totally see that. So, do you still go to the Villa?”
“All the time. If there is a new movie up there, I go that weekend. I have seen crap that I might not ever even rent for the sheer fact that it was playing at the Villa.”
“Like what?”
“Cousins.”
Aleisha laughed. “That’s pretty bad. “
“When you’re an addict….”
“So, what makes the Villa so special?”
“Have you ever been there?”
“Never have.”
“We’ll go there for our next date.”
“Okay, I would love that, but that still doesn’t get you off the hook. What makes it so great?”
Jon paused and Aleisha could tell he was envisioning it in his brain. “You buy the tickets under a large marquee that is lit up with flashing lights. It almost puts you in the mood right away. You walk through the heavy glass doors and there is a huge lobby, populated by a large cross section of the population on any night when Cousins is not playing there.”
Jon was pleased that Aleisha laughed at that pathetic joke.
“After the visit to the concession stand, which besides the fact that they serve normal theater food is nothing special, you walk up a ramp to enter the theater. If you get there before the movie starts, you walk by one thick velvet curtain that is pulled back by a large golden rope. You continue up the ramp, and this time, you have to walk through another heavy velvet curtain, only this one is black. That keeps all the outside lights and colors from entering the theater.
Once you’re past that curtain, you enter the actual theater. It is a large, cavernous room, at least three or four times bigger than the high school auditorium and what passes for most movie theaters now days. I asked the manager once and he said there were 1150 seats. When you enter, you can go up to the balcony and sit in those 400 seats or so, or go down to the main theater seating. The seats aren’t the maximum comfort that the new seats have, but they are plush enough. They are easy to relax in for the two hours you’re there.
The screen is so large that it curves around the front of the theater. It’s so large that even the very front row is still about 30 feet from the screen. The lights dim and, on the front row, you are truly enveloped by the picture. The sound is amazing, and just the thought of having 1150 different people experiencing the same story is amazing! It’s an experience like no other!”
“You almost talk about it like it’s a church.”
“It is a church. It’s my church. It’s as close to a higher power as you’re ever going to get. That many different people sharing in one experience together? Age, race, color, sex, it’s all the same when you’re sitting in the dark together experiencing the same thing. When you’re there, you can forget all of your problems and your cares. Whatever anybody says about you outside of those walls, doesn’t matter.”
“That’s a nice sentiment. I- I mean, we- will have to go there.”
“Anytime. It would be my pleasure.”
“So, Jon, what do you see in me?”
“I’m sorry?”
“What do you see in me? We’ve known each other for ten years and you have always treated me special. Why?” Aleisha asked.
“What do you mean, why? Shouldn’t we always treat everyone special?”
“You know what I mean, Jon. Don’t back away from the question. What do you see in me?”
Kate was glad that she was still around. “Tell her the truth, Jon. You just opened up about an inanimate movie theater. She wants you to open up the same way about her.”
Jon took a deep breath. “What exactly do you mean?”
“Like I told you before, whenever I tell most guys that I want to be a reporter, they laugh. They don’t see me the way that you see me. They see me as a pretty thing to be next to them, almost like a possession. What do you see in me?” She asked the question very distinctly this time, enunciating each word.
“I guess,” Jon started hesitantly, “I guess I just see you as a real person. A person of amazing beauty and grace and kindness, and true, genuine emotions. I guess I see you the way that your parents see you, for who you are and who you can become. You will become a great reporter. You will be a gorgeous woman. You will be a spectacular wife to someone someday.”
“Someone?” Aleisha’s voice growled deep in her throat. Her hand went to Jon’s knee. “After an answer like that, I think you know who you want that someone to be.”
Kate watched as Aleisha leaned towards Jon and kissed him lightly on the lips.
Jon’s heart raced as he felt Aleisha’s moist lips on his. He could feel her breath and smell her soap. He closed his eyes and let his senses take over. Then, he felt her pull away. He opened his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I was about to ask you the same question,” Aleisha replied.
“What do you mean?”
“Why aren’t you kissing me?”
Jon was totally confused. “I was. Who did you think you were kissing?”
“I was kissing you, but you weren’t kissing me.”
“Then whose lips did I just feel?”
“Quit making fun of me!” she demanded, raising her voice.
Jon leaned over the armrest and lowered his voice, hoping to defuse the situation. “I’m not making fun of you, honestly I’m not. I’m just really confused here! I thought things were going so well, and now I don’t understand one word of what you are talking about!”
“You’d think that your performance in Little Shop was true! You’d think that you have never kissed a girl before!”
“You’d be right!” Jon answered.
Aleisha’s body language changed. She softened up immediately. “You’ve never kissed a girl before?” An evil smile twinged on her lips.
“No, I haven’t! I have never even been on a date before!”
“Are you serious?”
Jon’s hand went to the familiar salute. “Scout’s honor.”
Aleisha had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing. “That makes sense.”
“Have you just gone around the bend on me?”
Aleisha put her hand in front of her face. “No, no, I haven’t. It just makes sense now!”
“What makes sense? Can you please explain it to me?”
Aleisha’s face was a flutter of emotions. She wanted to laugh, she felt very sorry for causing a scene and accusing Jon of whatever she had been accusing him of, and total confusion at how to explain the art of kissing. She had never been the teacher of that before.
“Jon, when two people kiss, they both have to kiss.”
“You have definitely gone around the bend on this one, Aleisha.”
It was all Kate could do to not cause a scene in her seat. She was doubled over in convulsions of laughter.
“Okay, how can I explain this, Jon?” Aleisha wondered. “As one person makes lip contact and goes into the kissing process, the other person must return the kiss.” She could tell by Jon’s expression that he wasn’t getting it.
She tried another way. “When you shake somebody’s hand, both hands move together and grip each other, and they both do the shaking. It’s not like one person just puts out his hand and doesn’t grasp for the other hand as it makes contact. As the shake is being performed, both people have to put their energy into it, or it’s one of those dead fish handshakes. That’s what you were Jon. You were a dead fish kiss.”
Jon got an embarrassed look on his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“That’s okay, Jon. I didn’t know that you didn’t know. That’s why I freaked out. I just assumed that someone as nice and as great as you are would have had a girlfriend before and kissed her before.”
“You’ve known me for ten years, Aleisha. Have you ever known me to be with a girl? Do I hang out with anyone besides Stan and Greg?”
“No, and to be honest, I was wondering if it was a guy thing between the three of you.” Aleisha giggled.
“We are definitely not gay, thank you very much!”
Aleisha was laughing hard again. “I know that, now. You just continue to surprise me, Jon.”
“I’m here to keep life interesting.”
“You do a good job of that.” Aleisha let her laughing subside. She reached up and pushed her cheeks together and made a fish face.
“I thought I was here to keep life interesting. What are you doing?”
Aleisha started smiling again. “Stop it!” she said in a very non-commanding tone. “You are making me laugh and grin so much that my cheeks hurt!”
“I’m not sure I should apologize for that.”
“Trust me, you shouldn’t.”
Aleisha leaned toward him again.
Kate crackled in Jon’s ear again. “I can tell you’ve made it out of the woods. I’m gone for the night. Over and out.”
Jon’s hand reached up and tapped his mike two times in response. His hand then went around Aleisha’s back.
The lights dimmed, and the previews of coming attractions came flashing to life on the screen in all their Dolby Digital glory. Jon didn’t notice, though. He was too busy kissing Aleisha back.


The lights came back on as the movie credits rolled. Aleisha stood up.
“Be calm, little miss.” Jon said. “These people gave us an amazing film for the last two hours, we owe it to them to watch their names.”
“You are so strange sometimes,” She leaned down and kissed Jon on the cheek. “I’ll stay by you, but I need to stretch.”
Aleisha reached high into air and laced her fingers together. She leaned backwards slightly and heard her back pop a time or two. She flexed her arms and felt the knuckles pop. She brought her arms back down and put them in a running type position. She then twisted around and swung from side to side and popped her back that way.
She stayed standing for another two minutes and the credits kept rolling. She leaned down and whispered in Jon’s ear. “I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, I’ll see you in just a second.”
As Jon walked out of the theater after the six minute credits, he was shocked to see something that he never thought he’d see- Kate and Aleisha talking to each other. He approached cautiously.
“Hey, Kate! What are you doing here?” He acted surprised to see her.
Kate was acting way too happy and smily for Jon’s liking. “What else do you do at a movie theater other than go see a movie?”
“She saw the same one we did. Funny what a small world it is.” Aleisha joined the new conversation.
“So, what were you two talking about?” Jon ventured into dangerous territory.
“I was washing my hands when she came in and I knew she looked familiar, so I just told her how great you guys were last night!” Aleisha grabbed Jon’s hand.
“And then, I proceeded to tell Aleisha that we were neighbors and we both just loved music and I wanted to help you win, so I came and helped you out last night,” Kate continued, punctuating almost every word with a widening of her eyes. Jon was nodding, assuring her that he was going to follow the cover story.
“Kate’s a great neighbor, that’s for sure! Whether it’s a cup of sugar or help to win a talent show, she’s always there to help.” Jon continued the charade. “Well, Kate, it was good to see you tonight. I’ll just see you around?”
“You sure will!”
“Okay. Great. Fine. I need to get Aleisha back home. I don’t want her father to shoot me or anything for keeping his little girl out too late on a school night.”
“Nice to meet you, Aleisha. Maybe I’ll see you two around later?”
Aleisha squeezed Jon’s hand tightly. “You can count on it.”


The snow had fallen heavily while they were in the theater. Luckily, it hadn’t frozen to anything yet. The door opened easily as Jon let Aleisha into the car and started the heater and defrost. Clearing off his windows was easy for Jon, since the powder just flew off as he swiped the snow brush by it.
When the couple arrived at Aleisha’s house, it seemed to be a Norman Rockwell painting. The sky was covered with fluffy white clouds which matched the fluffy white snow that was falling and on the ground. There were no footprints in the snow leading up to or away from the Madsen’s front door. As the couple made their way to the end of their first date, they also made the first steps in the freshly fallen snow which was already a good quarter inch deep.
“So, was tonight everything you hoped it would be?” Aleisha asked as she stepped onto her front porch and turned around to face Jon.
“Everything and more,” Jon admitted.
“Good. How had you hoped it would end?”
“I honestly never even got past the part of picking you up in my dreams. I was sure my head would explode if I even tried to take you away from your house on an official date type thing.”
Aleisha reached up and tenderly touched his bruises. “Your head seems to have made it through in one piece. A little worse for the wear, but not too bad.” She grinned.
“You are honestly one of the most amazing people I have ever met.”
“Thank you. Now just shut up and kiss me.”
Jon did as he was told. His old friends the butterflies returned for a moment, but they disappeared as soon as his lips touched hers. Jon had the strange sensation of breathing her breath as she was exhaling. It seemed very intimate to him.
He pulled away after what seemed like a few seconds, but was in all actuality closer to a minute.
“Good night,” Jon whispered as he stepped away and gave her room to enter her house.
“Good night.”
Jon watched as Aleisha slipped in through the door and gave him a smile and a wink. He returned the sentiment. The door shut and Jon heard the lock slide into place.
Even though it seemed terribly dramatic, Aleisha couldn’t help but lean against the door and breathe a loud and deep happy girl sigh.
Jon walked back to his car as if his feet weren’t even touching the snow.
“I kissed Aleisha Madsen!” he whispered as he skipped to the driver’s side door and took off down the street.

Chapter 15- part 1

Chapter 15 is a very long chapter. I knew I wouldn't be able to do it all tomorrow, so I thought about posting it all tonight. Except that I am too tired, so, here is Chapter 15 part 1. Chapter 15 part 2 will be posted by 6 pm Friday night.


CHAPTER 15

Jon let out a deep breath as he settled into the passenger seat of Kate’s car. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about the pain his face was in. Kate was trailing a few seconds behind him. Jon could hear as she got into the car and put the key in the ignition. What he didn’t hear was the engine turn over. After about a minute, Jon opened his eyes again.
“Your car okay?” he asked.
“My car is fine. I’m more worried about my agent.”
“Why are you worried about me? I’m fine. I just hate Hobbs with the searing white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t hate me with the searing white hot intensity of TWO thousand suns.”
“You have already almost gotten killed several times this week and it’s only Wednesday. I just worry about you. My job is to keep you safe.”
“Was it safe for you when you went to high school?”
“What do you mean?”
“High school. You know, that big building where a bunch of obnoxious teenagers hang out between seven and three every day from September until May? You know, high school.”
“Safe? I’m not quite-“
“Kate, this is my high school experience. Hobbs and I have hated each other for so long, I can’t even imagine having a life where I don’t have an evil nemesis lurking in the halls of my education building. Hobbs is a dumbass jock. Always was, always will be. I would be amazingly surprised if, by the time the ten year high school reunion rolls around, he hasn’t flunked out of college, gone on with an NBA team, been traded at least five times, then fired with no other team wanting him, come back to Salt Lake, live off the fact that he was a bench warmer for a few years, own a car dealership, and go home and get drunk every night and beat his soon to be ex-wife and kids before drifting into la-la land. The only reason that today had anything to do with the Agency is that they put me in the same gym as Hobbs. That’s it. Otherwise, this was just part of my own personal hell which is high school.”
Kate looked at her protégé with a look that Jon couldn’t quite read.
“What? Do I still have blood somewhere on my face?” he asked.
“No. You’re fine. I was just wondering, how does a teenager already have so much of a look forward attitude on life?”
Jon was almost embarrassed by the question. “You’re acting like I’m Yoda or something. I’m not, Kate. I was just a painfully geeky elementary school student eight years ago.”
Kate smiled. “Eight years ago? That would put you in fourth grade!”
“Yes it was. Fourth grade. You know how in kindergarten you start making friends at school? You get a sense of the kids you like to play with and the kids you don’t?” Kate nodded. “Boys of course don’t play with girls ‘cause they’re yucky. And vice versa, I’m sure. So, you have these boys that you play with, and little by little you feel more comfortable with some than with others. Either you like the same colors, games, books, whatever. So, that’s what happened to me, Stan, and Greg. I met Stan in kindergarten and Greg in second grade. We just had an almost immediate bond for some weird reason.
Stan and I were inseparable in kindergarten and first grade. Then, on the first day of second grade we were put into a table with Greg and three other kids. We never clicked with the other three, but we hit it off with Greg immediately. So, we were in the same class in third grade, too. But then, the unthinkable of elementary school happened. They were in the same fourth grade class, and I was in a different one. I cried the whole day before starting fourth grade because I wasn’t going to be with my friends.”
Kate’s face turned into a slightly bemused look of sadness.
“So, the next day came and I walked to school with them, but when the first bell rang, we parted ways. I vividly remember watching them disappear into their class before I went into mine. So, the first day of fourth grade, I was put into a table with five other kids who I knew, but never really liked. Two of them, Scott Sandberg and John Mackay were even in my neighborhood, but I never played with them. During class, they would do the stupid things that kids do. Take your pencil for thirty minutes at a time and then return it when you finally went to tell your teacher, punch you in the back all the way down the hall to the lunchroom until you turned and hit them back, and then you got into trouble, all those things. At recess, even though I was with Stan and Greg there, they would run by and call me four eyes because of my glasses. Normal kid stuff.”
“Normal, but thoroughly pathetic. Why can’t kids just be nice to kids?” Then, in quick, slightly different tone, she asked, “Do you mind if I turn on the heater?”
“Go for it. I’m a little cold myself.”
Kate did so, and the car rumbled to life. “Please, continue.”
“Where was I?”
“They were mocking you at recess, and lunch.”
Jon found his story foothold again. “Right. But it really started getting on my nerves when I started wearing a Legendof the Lone Ranger shirt to school and they would just mock me for liking movies and that movie in particular. For about a two-week period, I had knots in my stomach every day as I woke up. I played sick for two days in a row, but quit when I heard my parents talking about taking me to the doctor the next day if I wasn’t feeling better. Then, one day, they were teasing me as we were walking down the hall to go to the library and I had a flash of lightning go through my brain. The thought that came was- these guys are jerks. Who cares what they think? I like it. I am who I am, I like who I am, and that was that. Simple. I ignored them and never once thought about the whole peer pressure thing again Stan, Greg, and I just did what we wanted and never looked back. We were also never separated again after that. When we got into junior high and high school, sure there are classes that we don’t have together, but we have the same lunches, lockers next to each other, so .it all works out.”
Kate slowly shook her head. “You three are like one in a million. Or, three in three million. You know what I mean?”
“Yea. I do.”
“Keep it up, Jon. You’re going to go far.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, we need to get you home to get ready for your big date!”
“Kate-“ Jon warned.
“Don’t you worry. We’ll make it.” Kate screeched her tires as she pulled out of the parking space.



“Remind me what you’re doing here, again?” Jon asked.
“I am here to make sure that you are ready for this,” Kate replied.
Jon walked back into his bedroom, barefoot, but with a pair of khaki pants on and an unbuttoned polo shirt. “Ready for what? My date?”
“There are many things that you need to be ready for tonight.”
“Like what? Is an assassin going to follow me and try to kill me?”
“Possibility, but you present no threat at the moment. There is no reason for someone to do that to you yet.”
“Yet?”
“Don’t forget, Jon, you are going up against killers, here. You saw what they could do last night.”
Jon stopped dead in his tracks. “Thank you, Miss Thompson, for bringing a ray of sunshine into this dreary day!”
“I’m just being honest here! It is a distinct possibility that after tomorrow or so, you could have a tail on you. I just want you to be prepared for that!”
“I can be prepared, but how about if we don’t start talking about it until after my first date with Aleisha, please? I would like to worry most about what to do at the end of the date with her, thank you very much. Let THAT be on my mind for the next few hours, and then I can start thinking about the yakuza hit squad on my ass!”
“Sorry I even brought it up!”
Jon nodded. “Thank you. Now,” he said, turning his attention to even greater matters, “what shoes should I wear?”
Kate looked at Jon’s pathetic assortment of shoes. “I would definitely go with the shiny black pair. Your church shoes?”
“If you’ve been following me, you know I don’t go to church.”
“You went once.”
“When?”
“The end of May, I believe?”
Jon made a buzzing noise. “Nope! Wrong! That was a funeral. I went to A church, not TO church.”
“My mistake. How about your funeral shoes?”
“Is that a slight reference to the fact that you think I’m going to choke tonight?”
“No, Jon, that was a reference to the fact that you just told me you went to a funeral a few months ago and I assume these are the shoes you wore. Believe it or not, I followed you and took note of your actions, not your wardrobe.”
“Probably wouldn’t have the job if you were counting fashion points against me.”
“Probably not.” Kate picked up his shiny black shoes from the floor.
“You weren’t supposed to agree with me on that one.”
“Not my fault if you are a fashion victim.”
“I seem to remember that you gave me a gun this morning, Kate. Seems like I have yet to test it out.” Jon smirked.
“I just tell the truth, Jon. That’s it. No need to kill the messenger.” She paused. “Literally.”
Jon grabbed the shoes out of Kate’s hands, sat down on the edge of the bed, and started putting on his shoes.
Kate let silence linger for a moment before she asked Jon the next question. “So, since you brought it up, what are you going to do at the end of the date?”
Jon looked up. “Remind me what you’re doing here again?”
Kate got a fake disappointed look on her face. “Honestly! I’m here to help you.”
“Thank you. I know that. You’re here as my official Agency trainer. I think we’ve been over this before. You are not my mother. You are not my sister. You are not my girlfriend. You are not my sex adviser. You are my Agency Trainer! Nothing more!”
“You’re right. I am your Agency Trainer, but an Agent has to be a happy Agent in order to be a successful Agent.”
“What? Is that in your Agent training handbook?”
“It’s true! Think about it! In anything in life! You said it yourself earlier when you were talking about those kids who picked on you. You took two days off from school sick just because you didn’t want to face them, right?”
“Yes. So?”
“So? It works in the real world, too, Jon. Whether you are a student, a construction worker, a paper pusher, or a fry cook, you will do your best work when you feel you are successful in all the other areas of your life. When your mind is not occupied by thinking about a bill that needs to be paid, a girl you should’ve called, or a joke you shouldn’t have played on the boss, your mind is more open to thinking about your job while you are doing it. It’s basic human psychology.”
“So, you’re telling me that if I have a good night tonight, then I won’t be so concerned about my face hurting and having to face Hobbs tomorrow?”
“Basically, yes.”
“Okay, fine. You want to help me?”
Kate nodded.
“How about you tell me where I should take her for dinner?”
“Where do you like to go?”
“I’m a food guy. As long as there is food, I will eat it.”
“What does she like?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if you find out and then you can decide?”
“I don’t want her to think that I am unprepared guy!”
“Unprepared guy?”
“While I was at the barber, there were no good magazines, so I read Cosmo.”
Kate laughed. “What kind of barber has Cosmo?”
“Okay, not a barber. I went to one of those Great Clips type places and they have Cosmo, okay?”
“Are you telling me that you actually pay someone to give you that haircut?” John glowered at Kate. “So, sorry. Continue.”
“ So, I was reading this article and it said that one of the top five girl’s pet peeves is an unprepared guy on a date. They don’t know where to go eat, what movie to see, what club to go dancing at-“
“You? Dance?”
“I was using it as an example! But, anyway, I don’t want her to think that I have put no thought into the date!”
“Jon, I honestly don’t think she’s going to care! I don’t know Aleisha, but I don’t think it matters where you take her! I think it matters that you are going to be the one who is taking her!”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You are completely hopeless! Do you realize that?”
“What do you mean, Kate?”
“Like I said, I don’t know her, but every single indication that she has given you, both verbally and physically, is that she likes you already. She wants to be able to go out on a date with you. You could take her to the city dump and as long as she was with you, she would enjoy it.”
“Well, I would have to keep the conversation going. I would have to make her laugh, at the very least, to enjoy a date like that.”
“You do make her laugh!”
“Way to help build me up here, Kate!”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I mean, she enjoys you. You just need to go and be yourself. If you can do that, women forgive a lot!”
“How do you know that?”
“Excuse me, Jon, but have you looked at me recently? Believe it or not, I am of the female gender.”
Jon shook this sarcastic remark off. “Not what I meant and you know it.”
“Let me tell you a little secret truth about women, Jon. Actually, let me tell you a little secret truth about women that you want to date and spend time with. They want a guy that they like. That’s it. That’s the simple mystery of women. There are women who just like the so-called bad boys, but those aren’t women that you want to date and spend time with. Those are women that you would use for sex and move on.”
“Kate, I’m in drama club, remember? I haven’t had the chance for sex yet.”
“Believe it or not, Jon. You have and you missed it, but that’s neither here nor there.”
Jon put up his finger to get Kate to explain, but she pushed ahead.
“Men and women are alike in more ways than they are different. Some men and women just want conquests. Some men and women just want friends. But, for the most parts, men and women are looking for companions for life. Men and women don’t get married to get divorced. That happens because they are no longer what the other thought they once were. If they could be themselves and communicate better, the divorce rate would drop like a stone
Men and women want companions to spend time with. They want people who don’t lie, who are honest and respectful. They want someone that shares the same qualities and interests. They want someone who can laugh with them, not at them. They want someone who can talk with them about anything and know that their viewpoint is heard and validated. They want someone that they feel comfortable with and around. They want someone who is not rude, who is generous, and has the same outlook on life as they have. That’s all it takes. Women will forgive lulls in conversation, the awkward time of trying to decide what restaurant to eat at, and which movie to see, if the guy is himself.”
“That sounds awful hard.”
“It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. Just be yourself, Jon and the rest will follow. If Aleisha likes you for who you are, then all the little things will slide by. If she doesn’t like you for who you are, then she isn’t someone that you want to waste your time with.”
Jon thought about that. Then, he stood up and gave Kate a hug. “Thank you.”
Kate was shocked by Jon’s physicality. Not by the hug, but because it seemed so natural. She couldn’t tell if she was happy or distracted by it. Was the relationship becoming too far away from a trainer-trainee relationship? Was this a romantic hug or a hug of pure friendship? Kate hugged him back.
The two of them stood in a silent embrace for what seemed to be an eternity for Kate, as her thoughts were swirling in her head. In reality, only a few scant seconds had passed before Jon loosened his grip on her, but it must have been, in Kate’s mind, at least an hour.
“Thank you,” Jon repeated.
“You’re welcome.” Kate’s face was a healthy shade of red.
Jon took a breath, as if to say something, but then released it quickly.
“What’s up, Jon?”
“I am going to be myself, Kate. I promise. I believe you when you say that that is all it takes to win a girl’s heart. But that still doesn’t change the fact that I can barely sustain a single coherent thought.”
“Why does it seem to me like you are going to ask me for something?”
“Because you’re my trainer and you have been following me and you know me better than I know myself.”
Kate closed her eyes and braced for what she knew was going to be the next words out of Jon’s mouth.
“What do you need, Jon?”
“You bugged the place yesterday, didn’t you?”
Kate started shaking her head. “No, Jon. I refuse. I will not-“
“You bugged it. You were the one. I know you were! I’ll wear a wire-“
Kate was shaking her head vigorously now. “No, Jon! Absolutely positively not!”
“You are a girl, so you can help me with the tough stuff. I won’t need you all night, just a time or two.”
“Absolutely not, Jon! I won’t help you-“
“You are going to be following me, I know you will be.”
“This is crazy! How well did it work for Cyrano? It didn’t!”
“Kate, I won’t try to impress her. I won’t try to be someone I’m not-“
Kate turned away from Jon and put her hands to her ears.
“Jon, you are not going to convince me on this! I am no longer listening to you!” She walked out of Jon’s room and down the hall.
“That is so childish, Kate! You look like a fool.” Jon followed after her.
“Who looks like a fool? Do you realize what will happen if Aleisha finds out? Do you? All that trust that you have built up with her will go kablooie, Jon! It’s not worth it! Just be yourself and you’ll be fine!”
“I just need a safety net, Kate! I* would feel a lot better if you could coach me along.”
“You are seventeen years old, Jon! You don’t need a chaperone!”
“You’re right! I don’t need a chaperone. You’re right! I need a friend.”
This caught Kate’s attention.
“I’m asking as a friend, Kate. You said that if an Agent feels successful, he could keep his mind on the job. If I have you giving me encouragement, telling me all the faux pas and when I do something well, I can keep my attention on being myself. You know how women think, so you can help me by giving me a play-by-play and know if I’m doing well.” He paused and stared at Kate’s deep blue eyes. “Please. As a friend?”


Jon walked up to Aleisha’s house, hands deep in his heavy winter coat pockets, staring at his shiny shoes. “This is so weird. Monday I never would have believed that I would have a date with Aleisha Madsen a scant two days later.” Jon noticed the puffs of breath that were hanging in the wintry air.
“Believe it, pal,” came Kate’s reply in his earpiece.
Jon paused before knocking. “Here we go!”
“You’re going to do fine, Jon. Do we really need to continue this?”
Jon ignored her and gave the door three loud raps. While waiting, he moved the tiny earpiece around, just finding a more comfortable fit.
Jon almost accidentally yanked the earpiece out as Aleisha opened the door. He visibly jumped.
“Did I scare ya?” Aleisha asked with a devilish grin.
“A bit,” Jon admitted. “Are you ready?”
“Let me grab my coat.”
As she reached into the closet behind her, Jon noticed how easy she made the whole date thing look. She was wearing a tan pair of slacks, a simple brown pull over sweater and slip on black flats. She probably had agonized over what to wear for about the same amount of time as he had, but it seemed like she had just found the outfit and put it on very casually. Aleisha grabbed a navy blue jacket and exited her house.
“I’ll be home about ten!” she called back to her parents.
“See you then, dear!” the deep bass voice of her father carried through the door.
Jon stepped back as Aleisha shut the door to her house.
“You’re not going to need more than that jacket? It’s pretty cold out here.”
“I’ll be fine,” Aleisha reassured him.
Jon’s lungs tightened up as he took a deep breath of the icy air. “So, where to for dinner?”
“Anywhere is fine with me.”
They reached Jon’s car and Jon opened the door for Aleisha. “What kind of food do you like?”
“Italian sounds good tonight,” Aleisha answered as she settled into the passenger seat.
“Sounds good to me, too.” Jon shut the door. As he went around the car, he whispered into his lapel. “Good Italian place in the area?”
“I like Italian Village, myself.” Kate’s voice crackled.
“How about Italian Village?” Jon asked as he climbed into his seat.
Aleisha smiled a smile that would light up a thousand-watt bulb. “Never been, but it sounds great!”
“Good!” Jon smiled back at her. “Now, if I could only remember how exactly to get there,” Jon said aloud.
Aleisha’s brow crinkled as she looked sideways at Jon.
“Go to 45th south and go east until 9th.” Kate whispered directions in Jon’s ear.
“Silly me, I should’ve remembered that it was on 45th,” Jon smiled at Aleisha as he turned to key to bring the car to life.
“Have I ever told you that you make you laugh, Jon?” Aleisha asked.
“I think that’s a first.”
“You make me laugh,” Aleisha repeated.
“That’s a good sign, Jon,” Kate told him.
Jon put the car in gear and headed out of Aleisha’s neighborhood.
Kate waited until they had turned the corner and headed out onto the main road before she started her car. Since the wire had a range of a mile and a half and she knew where they were going, she didn’t need to follow too close behind.
There was only the noise of the car engine in Kate’s ear.
“Say something, Jon. Women like to know that they have someone who can start conversations,” Kate prodded.
“So, how was school today?” Jon asked.
“It was a little strange.” Aleisha looked at Jon over the shoulder of her jacket. “Why weren’t you there?”
Three sentences into the date and Jon was already trapped and needing an escape route out of the conversation.
“You had to help a friend. You can tell her that much, Jon,” Kate helped.
“I had to help a friend. Stan, my friend. You know Stan, right?”
Aleisha nodded. “Yes. Yes I do.”
“I helped him. He needed help.”
“So I gather.”
“Calm down, Jon,” Kate whispered in his ear, “you do fine at a diner table with a man who may be a double agent, you can handle this girl. Just take a few deep breaths and keep talking.”
“Are you feeling better after yesterday? Your face looks even more bruised today than it did yesterday.”
“I’m still hurting. I’m stiff, but I’m okay. My face hurts a lot more, but it’s just bruising. It’ll go away. Fact is, I haven’t even thought about it since I picked you up.” Jon wanted to get the conversation onto safe ground as soon as possible. Keep it away from Agency speak. “Anything exciting happen today?” Jon asked, putting the pressure of the conversation back on Aleisha.
“No one could talk about anything other than Jake Spencer.”
“I heard about that.”
“Careful, Jon,” Kate cautioned.
“He and another kid were shot and killed over at that Arctic Circle just down the road. It even happened while we were in the talent show!” Aleisha reported.
“I know. That’s what I was doing today, too. Jake was on the basketball team and Stan knew him. It hit him pretty hard.”
“I can imagine. Did you know him at all?”
“Jake? Not really. Stan talked about him a bit, and I knew him to say hi in the halls, but that was it.”
“He was in my English class last year. He was a lot like Stan. Not the myth of the dumb jock at all. Very smart, very witty, and quite a nice guy.”
“Did you date him?”
“No. I thought about it a time or two, but I never did anything about it. Then, he hooked up with Mandy Jensen, and he was never as attractive after that.”
“She can be a real brat sometimes, can’t she?”
“Jon, I’m not a fragile flower, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can call her a bitch if you want. It doesn’t offend me. In fact, I’d probably agree with it.”
“Okay.” Jon took a deep breath. “She can be a real bitch sometimes, can’t she?”
Aleisha smiled. “You know it.”
“Once I had a class with Mandy and she actually asked the teacher if the United States was friendly with the country of Alaska.”
Aleisha laughed heartily, and Kate gave a snort in Jon’s ear.
“I mocked her, of course, and it wasn’t long after that that my house was toilet papered. No doubt in my mind who did that job,” Jon added.
“She was in my gym class two years ago,” Aleisha offered. “After she made it on the cheerleading squad, she actually took money from the class if they thought our team would win or lose the next game.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. We were in the locker room, and she would keep her tally of who owed her what on the inside of the locker door.”
“How much was she making?”
“Not much. The girls would only bet a quarter or so. Probably only five bucks a week, but that would buy two diet Cokes a day.”
“So, she doesn’t know Alaska is part of the Union, but she has the math skills to be a bookie? That’s an interesting trade-off.”
“They say that some of the dumbest people are some of the smartest and vice versa.”
“Take a look at Mrs. Perry. That proves that theory.”
“Speaking of which, why does she have it in for you, Jon?”
“I had her last year. My parents wanted me to be in accelerated English, but I took Humanities instead. I was lucky and got put in the dumb class.”
“Really?”
“Not really, but kind’ve. Some of my other drama friends were in the class, but there were also cheerleaders and other jocks. Mandy was there, come to think of it. Anyway, all of my friends were in one corner of the room, and the rest of the class were dumbshits. So, Mrs. Perry knew the majority of the students were idiots, so she taught the class like it was a first grade class. So, to make it interesting, I was the class clown. I would crack jokes that only our corner would get.”
“For example?”
“We were talking about Greek and Roman architecture and one of them builds that scene of top of the columns. You know, they have a real elongated triangle that spans over several columns and there’s a scene in it?”
“Oh, yes, okay. I know what you mean.”
“So, those are called friezes. So, Mrs. Perry asks if anyone knows what a frieze is. She becomes like that teacher in Ferris Bueller, you know? “ Jon imitated Perry. “Frieze? Frieze? Does anyone know what a frieze is?” He dropped the funny voice. “ So, no one is raising their hand in the rest of the class and our corner could answer but, I think, everyone else was asleep by that point. So, I just started singing. Frieze a jolly good fellow, frieze a jolly good fellow, frieze a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny.”
Aleisha laughed, and Jon was sure that he could hear Kate crack a smile on the other end.
“So, “ Jon continued, “she got so upset at me, that she made me do forty pages of book busy work by putting commas in the right places, and quotation marks here and there, and just a lot of that crap. It was easy, just a lot of it. So, I turned it in the next day, and she was livid! She thought it would take me a week or so to finish it, and it’s almost like she’s had me on her list ever since.”
“You really can be a smart-ass, can’t you, Jon?”
“Can be.”
Again, a silence cast itself over the car, but this time, there was no trepidation in it. It was a comfortable silence. They drove several blocks without saying a word.
“You okay up there, Jon?” Kate asked. “Still breathing?”
Jon began to speak as a yes to Kate’s question.
“Aleisha, may I ask you a question?”
“Isn’t asking if you can ask me a question a question in and of itself?”
Jon didn’t have a response, which caused Aleisha to laugh.
“She got you there,” Kate told him.
“I suppose it is, yes,” Jon finally replied.
“Then, I give you permission to ask as many questions as you want of me during the entire night, so you can stop asking if you can ask me a question.”
“Fair enough. Anyways, For my original query-“
Aleisha knew she had Jon over a barrel and was enjoying his nervousness and lack of response. “We’ve known each other so long, Jon, I don’t know if I can remember your original query.” Aleisha was beaming by this point.
“You got me. Okay, you got me. I’m just not going to even try to dig myself out of this one. I’ll just shut my mouth now, and drive.”
Aleisha could also tell that Jon was not serious about this, but she played along. “Fine,” she answered with a devilish glint in her eye.
“Oh, come on!” Jon pretended to be in a rage. “You’re supposed to beg me to be in a talkative mood or something, aren’t you?”
“I won’t beg, but I am curious what you were going to ask me.”
Kate could almost hear the sweat break out on Jon’s brow.
“I was just wondering if you’ve been waiting for me to ask you out for very long?”
Aleisha broke eye contact with him and looked down at the floor for a moment before re-engaging eye contact. “I wouldn’t use the word waiting, but I was hoping. I’ve always liked you, Jon.”
“Me too.”
Aleisha’s eyes lit up. “What an arrogant thing to say, Narcissus!”
Jon smiled and put up his finger. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it!”
Aleisha stopped the feistiness and grabbed Jon’s finger out of the air. “I know.” She brought Jon’s hand down to the seat and held it tightly.
Kate heard a satisfied sigh from Jon followed by several minutes of a nice silence. Kate didn’t get the feel of grasping for straws for conversation, just that it had taken a deserved break.

chapter 14

Today has been a long one at work. I have another long day tomorrow, so I decided to post Chapter 14 now. Enjoy!


CHAPTER 14


Jon’s watch beeped one o’clock straight up as he walked into the drab, slightly dark gymnasium He had been in his school’s gym many times, for games, assemblies, and even for his own gym class, and he had the same reaction this time. It was a place he didn’t like, despised actually, and all he could smell was the pungent odor of stale perspiration.
Jon was carrying his gym bag. Inside was a new set of clothes, since his other gym clothes were dripping in sweat and there had been no time to clean them, a towel, a first aid pack, an Ace bandage, and, of course, his gun. That, however, was wrapped tight in one of the extra towels in the bag.
The sound of basketballs bouncing, hands clapping, balls hitting nets, nets being ruffled as balls went through, and loud trash talking reached his ear almost immediately.
On the far end of the gym was the coach, Norman Malone. He was the quintessential gym teacher. He was just a hair over five feet, weighed about 200 lbs., and had the worst comb over this side of the Mississippi. Jon walked over to introduce himself.
“Hi, Coach. I’m Jonathan Mills.”
Coach took a step back and looked straight up at Jon and looked him in the eye. “You are lucky, Mr. Mills. I’ve heard about you. I know you’re not one of us. I know that you are more of a drama guy. That’s right. I saw you last night. You think you can impress me with that horse shit? It doesn’t take a man to do that! Any wuss can do that. It takes a man to be able to stare down his opponent, to beat him into submission, and make him cry Uncle! You just play the tinkly little piano. Big whoop, son! But, for some reason you’re friends with one of my guys, and I’m being ramrodded by the parents and the administration to take your sorry little ass on until after the big game on Saturday. Trust me, I’ll work you hard the next few days, but you’ll just be a bench warmer on Saturday. That you can guarantee.”
“Okay, sir, if that’s how you feel,” Jon started.
“Of course it’s how I feel! I wouldn’t have wasted all that breath on you if I was just pretending! Now, go on and get changed! We’ll be playing two on two for two hours. I want to watch you play.”
Jon could feel the anger welling up inside of him. If he had been Bruce Banner, his eyes would have at least turned green by now, but, knowing that he had a job to do, he held his tongue.
“Who will I be playing with, sir?”
“Your partner will be your friend, Stan. If he’s going to recommend you, he’s going to be the one stuck with you.”
Jon felt a weight lift off of his shoulders. At least he’d have Stan to get his feet wet. “And who will we be playing against?”
“Hobbs and Bernard,” was the reply and the coach walked away.
The weight that had been lifted momentarily slammed back down on Jon’s shoulders. Jason Hobbs and Jason Bernard were the twin terrors of the team. They were amazing players, but off the court, they were as good as juvenile delinquents. The only reason they weren’t in juvy hall by now was because they were the main defensive guards on the team.
The two of them had played together for the last six years. They played on both the junior high and the high school teams since the beginning. The school’s nickname for them was Jason squared. They never left each other’s side. They were always together.
Hobbs was number 34. He was six foot seven, close to three hundred pounds and had one of the biggest noses Jon had ever seen on a white man.
Hobbs had been one of Jon’s mother’s students many years ago. He had been a holy terror in Kindergarten, too. Hobbs would attack the smallest kids on the playground for the first two weeks of school to scare them into giving him their lunch money. Then, a Tongan named Lino had transferred in. Then, it was Hobbs getting beaten up every day for a month. None of the teachers did anything about it because they knew Hobbs was going to be trouble.
Seven years later, when Jon was in seventh grade, Hobbs had been in his woodworking class with him. Hobbs would walk by when Jon was sanding something and make Jon take too much off of one side, get a knuckle against the belt sander, basically terrorize him. That lasted for one term.
Luckily, at the beginning of second term, who should be transferred into the class but Lino! Jon still had to take a few weeks of being picked on, but as soon as Lino found out that Jon was his Kindergarten teacher’s son, all problems with Hobbs stopped. Jason hadn’t come to school for a whole week after that and rumor had it that he’d been put into a coma by Lino even though that had never been proven.
Unfortunately, Lino had moved back to Tonga two years ago, and Hobbs had never forgiven Jon for the beating he had taken. Now, it seemed like a good time for Hobbs to get his revenge.
Jason Bernard was not as large and intimidating as Hobbs, but he had the attitude to make it not matter. Hobbs was the monster bruiser while Bernard was the slimy weasel of the group. Instead of clobbering you, Bernard would take your homework when you weren’t looking, copy it, and turn his in on time and slip yours back to you two days later so you got marked down. Hobbs was the dumbheaded muscle, Bernard was the brain.
Bernard was number 43 and was the master of the dirty play on the team. He stood six feet one inch, weighed in at only one hundred and eighty pounds and had a gaunt look to him, but anyone who had gone against him on the court knew that looks could be deceiving.
Jon headed into the locker room and changed. Knowing he was going to be facing Jason Hobbs, Jon had to make a mental note to leave the gym bag, and the gun, in a locker.
Stan was waiting for him when he emerged.
“You heard the bad news yet, Jon?”
“I heard,” Jon sighed.
“Whatever happens, just blow Hobbs off. Watch your back for Bernard, but just play the game. Concentrate on what you’ve learned and don’t let them frazzle you.”
“Okay. You got my back?”
“Yes I do.” Stan gave Jon the thumbs up. “We can take them.”
Coach Malone blew his whistle. All of the players gathered around him.
“As you know, there was a tragedy that happened last night. Jake Spencer was shot and killed while working at his job at Arctic Circle. We have a replacement for the next few games brought in by our own Stan Ingle. His name is Jonathan Mills. I’m sure most of you have at least heard of him. He frequents the other side of the school, namely the arts department, and Stan assures us that he can at least fill the hole in our team for the next few days.”
Jon leaned over to Stan. “Is he always this sentimental?” Jon cracked.
“Believe it or not, this really is him being sad and sentimental.”
“I believe the mental part.”
“Now-,” Coach continued, “for the next two hours you will all be playing two on two. I have already assigned teams. I want to see blood, sweat, and tears on these courts today! I want to see rivers flowing down each court. There will be no timeouts, no pauses. If there is a dead ball, it gets thrown back in immediately and play resumes. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir!” the team shouted.
“Good! If you have to take a shit, then take one. Just don’t leave the court! If there’s blood, just make sure you don’t step in it until it dries! No autopsy, no foul! The winners of each game get a fifteen-minute break at three o’clock! The losers run laps for fifteen minutes! Do you understand?”
“Yes sir!” the team shouted again.
Coach blew his whistle at full volume. “Then, begin play!”
The whistle almost deafened Jon, but he didn’t notice that until he was already on the floor.
“What the hell was that for?” Stan yelled as he walked up to Hobbs.
“It’s playin’ time! No autopsy, no foul.” Hobbs said in his dumb jock voice.
“Mills didn’t do anything!”
“My point exactly! It’s playin’ time! He needs to get his ass moving! He was in my way!”
Stan offered his hand down to Jon, who accepted and was pulled back onto his feet. Jon was deafened once again by Coach’s whistle.
“I thought we all had an understanding! Let’s play some goddamned ball!” Coach yelled. He tossed the ball to Bernard and Jason Squared started walking to their court.
“You okay, Jon?” Stan asked as they followed a pace or two behind.
“Right now, yes. Ask me again in two hours.”
“Nickel’s worth of free advice?”
“Please.”
“If they dish it out, give it right back to them.”
“Gotcha,” Jon responded as he watched Hobbs put up a swooshing three point shot.
Bernard grabbed the ball as it fell through. He walked over to Mills and went toe-to-toe.
“Three,” he enunciated as he threw the ball as hard as he could at Jon’s abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.
“Wow,” Jon gasped for air; “he can count, too? When did that happen?” Stan grinned as his friend straightened up after the cheap shot. Jon noticed he was out of bounds and passed the ball in to Stan and the game began.
Stan took the ball to the backcourt. He dribbled a time or two watching Hobbs and Bernard on the court. Bernard was crowding Jon and Hobbs was hanging back. Jon jogged around the key.
Stan made a break for it. He charged straight down the middle of the court. At the free throw line, he jumped and headed straight for the hoop. Instead of going for a slam-dunk, though, he passed it quick and hard, directly into Jon’s hands. Without even aiming, Jon jumped and went for a shot. It bounced off the side of the rim.
Ready for a missed shot, Stan rebounded the ball and ran back to the outside corner. Hobbs came charging at him like a mad rhino. Stan set up his shot calmly, and jumped, firing the ball. It went straight through the hoop.
Jon rebounded the ball and tossed it at Bernard. “Three.”

Fifteen minutes later, the game was heavier on one end than the other at 25-18, but it was much closer than any of the four players would have thought.
It was Jon’s turn to guard the in-bounds shot. Bernard faked a pass high and to the right. Jon started to move to go for it, but he was able to stay still. Several more fakes were read, and Jon was still in Bernard’s face.
With a savage ferocity, Bernard hurled the ball into Jon’s crotch. Mills tumbled to the floor.
“Out on your team!” Hobbs laughed.
“You son of a bitch,” Stan muttered as he went to help his friend.

At the one-hour mark, the score was 97-68.
Not bad, Stan thought. Much better than I would have put money on. Too bad Jon has only made twelve of our points.
Stan passed the ball in to Jon and he dribbled up to the edge of the key, just past the foul line, and he rose up for a shot. Just as his feet left the ground, Hobbs drilled Mills with what seemed to be a football tackle. The ball was launched into the bleachers as Jon was flipped into the air and crashed on the floor.
“Nice blocked shot, asshole!” Stan yelled at Hobbs.
“You do what ya gotta,” he laughed as he gave Bernard a high five.

With ten minutes left in the game and everyone winding down, the scoring had dropped, but it was still a high scoring 162-124. The other three players were tired, but Jon was completely thrashed. His legs couldn’t move, he had been slammed into the court by Hobbs and Bernard so many times he had lost count, and he had a cramp in his leg and one in his side that he was sure would not go away. Jon passed in to Stan.
“Let’s do it,” Jon sighed as he stepped back into the court.
Hobbs was underneath the basket, but he started at a full run towards Jon. Stan passed Jon the ball. Jon took two steps while dribbling then stopped. He brought the ball behind him and slung it directly into Hobbs’ face. The ball found its target and ricocheted off elsewhere in the gym.
“For Christ’s sake, asshole! Enough is enough!” Jon yelled. He turned on his heel to go search for the ball.
Mills heard the Coach’s whistle blowing and then he heard Stan yell, “Look out!”
Jon turned again and was in a half-turned position when all three hundred pounds of Jason Hobbs slammed into his mid-section. Jon felt like his ribcage was going to explode as the weight of Hobbs crushed his body against the hard wood court. He watched helplessly as Hobbs raised his anvil sized fist and brought it down with full force against his face.
“Is that enough?” Hobbs asked as his fist hit Jon’s face again.
“No, but this is!”
Hobbs turned and saw Nicholas Moss, another player, behind him. As Jason opened his mouth to retort, Nicholas swung a broom handle as hard as he could. The next sound Jason heard was the crunch of bone as his nose broke.
It took less than ten seconds for the gym to become a free-for-all.

When Kate walked into Coach’s office, she saw Stan lifting a steak off of Jon’s eye.
“Does that shit really work?” Kate asked.
“Mama’s home remedy,” Stan replied.
Kate cleared her throat to signal her presence.
“Oh, boy,” John whispered under his breath.
Nicholas stood up to acknowledge the presence of a lady in the room.
Kate walked over and knelt down by Jon. “Didn’t play nice with the kids today, dear?”
“I tried, but they didn’t play nice with me.”
“What happened?”
“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”
“Depends on what happened.”
“Will Bender hear about this?”
The door opened a second time as Coach Malone strode into his office. “Who the hell are you?” he yelled.
Kate walked over to him and offered her hand. “My name is Kate Thompson. Pleased to meet you.”
Coach seemed less than thrilled to shake Kate’s hand. He did not even glance at it. “The amazing Kate? From last night?”
“That would be me,” she replied.
“And I am the goddamned coach around here and now that we’ve had mouseketeer roll call I want you out of my office!”
“Blow it out your ass,” Kate retorted.
“Excuse me, Babe?”
“I said, blow it out your ass!”
“This is my gym! I don’t want the likes of you distracting my players in my office, my locker room, or my gymnasium, so you can blow it out of your ass and get out of here!”
Stan stepped between Kate and the Coach. “No one is going to blow anything out of their ass! Okay? How about we just settle down, here a bit?”
Coach advanced on Kate another step, crowding Stan’s space. “Your boy broke my player’s nose!”
“That was me, actually, sir,” Nicholas piped up.
“Who allowed this to get to that state?” Kate asked the Coach.
“These players are about to be suspended from school, and therefore the team, and I won’t be sorry to see them go, neither!”
Kate took a step toward Coach. Stan backed out of the middle and took a seat next to Jon.
“Are you really that stupid, Coach? You are going to play a game that is going to be broadcast nationally, and you want to be three players down? What is going through your head?” Kate stood up to her full height and looked down at Coach. “Are you aware of the anti-hazing laws that are being batted around in Washington? You even think about suspending these three and you will have the biggest lawsuit of all time on your hands! You do not have control over your team! You do not have control over your gym! You most certainly do not have control over your anger, so if I were you, I would just shut your verbal diuretic hole, sit down, and be damn glad that I’m not going to even bring a civil suit against your sorry ass as long as Jon gets to play on Saturday!”
“Play? Oh, no! He is not going to play!”
“He’s on the team. He will be to every practice. He was the one attacked today! There is no reason that he should be prohibited from playing!”
“What about the fact that he is a prick?”
Kate noticed a small mini fridge in the corner of Coach’s office. She walked over to it and opened it up. She bent down and pulled a can out of a six pack.
“What about if I call the cops and have them arrest you on having alcoholic beverages on school property, contributing to the delinquency of minors, and sexual harassment charges for calling me babe?”
Coach could see he had been beaten. “What about if they miss the rest of this practice to go home and think about what they’ve done? What about if they come back tomorrow at nine sharp? What about if I don’t even report their names to the principal? And what about if I guarantee them each at least ten minutes of play on Saturday?”
Kate smiled. “Sounds like a deal, Coach. One more thing?”
“What?” Coach growled.
“Jon Mills will not be playing under that name. He will need a uniform with the name of Page on it, please. He will also be listed as Neal Page on the program.”
“What for?”
“Tax purposes,” was Kate’s only response.
“Tax purposes?” Coach mumbled.
“Tax purposes. Now, may I please have time with these players?”
Coach’s eyes narrowed and he grimaced as if he had just touched a hot stove. Without another word, he went back through his office door and slammed it so hard the curtains fell off of the small window.
Nicholas walked up to Kate. “Hi, I’m Nicholas. Nice to meet you.”
Kate smiled. “Nice to meet you, too. I’ve seen you play. Thank you for what you did to help out, Jon.”
“My pleasure. Those guys were being real dicks to him all day. Your boy did nothing wrong.”
Kate nodded her approval. “Good.”
Nicholas started toward the door. “I’m going to get home before Jeopardy starts.”
“Later, Nick!” Stan called.
“Stan,” Nicholas nodded and went out the door.