CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

Two days later

Sunday morning

November 1 – 9:34 a.m. EST (7:34 a.m. MST)

Naval Station Norfolk, VA

 

“Why are we landing here?” Alex looked out the side door window of the Pave Hawk. “Are we dropping off Vince?”

“You, Raz, Colin and MJ are getting out here,” Joseph said.

“We’re what?” Alex asked.

“The Jakker is taking us to Sheridan Circle,” Matthew said. “We will assist Troy and Leena. We will meet you in Denver this evening.”

“What am I doing?” Alex asked.

“Your medics and your partner are taking you to see a doctor about your hip,” Joseph said.

“On who’s orders?” Alex asked.

Joseph and Matthew shifted uncomfortably. No one in the passenger compartment dared even take a breath.

“No one’s trying to make you do something,” Raz said. He touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. “We’re worried about your hip. MJ called the doc when you were meeting with the mob boss in Russia. He agreed to come in today to see you.”

Raz got out of the helicopter. In the way of younger brothers, Colin leaned into her.

“Don’t be an asshole,” Colin said. She looked up at him. “Everyone’s really worried about you.”

Surprised, her eyes flicked from concerned face to worried face, finally resting on Sergeant Dusty. As her assistant, he had been the person who had dragged her back to health after having been wounded. His eyes bored into her in the way they did when she wasn’t taking care of herself. She flushed.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said. “I’m being an ass. Thank you for setting this up.”

With a nod of good-bye to the team, Alex moved to get out of the helicopter. Raz helped her down. MJ and Colin followed them to where their Navy security escort waited. Alex returned their salute and got in the back of an armored SUV. MJ and Colin took the far back, while Raz and Alex took the middle.

“I’m really all right,” Alex said.

“You’re not all right,” Raz said.

“You haven’t been since before your last hip replacement,” Colin said. “Even Mom noticed.”

“When was the last time you sparred?” MJ said.

“I’ve been kind of busy,” Alex said. “Plus, it’s not like I haven’t been working out.”

“You’re an award winning martial artist,” MJ said. “Your last fight was…?”

“Thailand,” Alex said.

“February,” Raz said.

“What’s the big deal?” Colin asked. “It’s just a doctor’s appointment. How bad can it be?”

“She’s worried she’ll need more surgery,” Raz said.

Alex turned her head to look out the window at the Naval Station passing outside. Taking her gesture as anger, the men fell silent. Alex turned back to look at them.

“Sorry, I was just trying to think through why it’s a big deal,” Alex nodded to Raz. “I don’t want more surgery; that’s true. It means months of rehab and inactive duty or crutches. Surgery sucks.”

Alex nodded.

“But I could stay home for months. With a little effort, I could stay home for a year. We could train other teams to do the smelly schlepping around the world,” Alex sighed. “That sounds really yummy right now.”

“What’s the problem?” Colin asked.

“I really hate being poor baby Alex.”

“Poor baby Alex?” Raz asked.

“You know, ‘Widdle baby Alex has an owie.’ That kind of thing,” Alex said.

“Dad could be a real dick if he thought we were faking,” Colin said. “Especially to Alex.”

“Your father is an asshole,” MJ blurted out. When they turned to look at him, he blushed, “No offense meant.”

“None taken,” Alex said. “You Col?”

Colin shook his head.

“I was going to go to Special Forces training no matter what,” Alex said. “Trust me. I got a lot worse when I was there.”

“Alex,” Colin leaned forward so that his head was right next to hers. “You think this hip thing is a big deal.”

Surprised, Alex jerked and looked away. After a moment, she nodded.

“I’ve had a lot of problems with my hip,” Alex said. “I could list them, but I’m sure we don’t have a year or two to finish the list. This thing is a whole new and different animal. No one seems to know what’s wrong.”

Alex shrugged. The weight of her words fell like a heavy blanket over the vehicle.

“Sir, we’re nearing our destination,” the Navy SEAL in the passenger seat said. “Our orders are to escort you to your appointment and secure the area.”

“Thank you,” Alex said.

“Sir, if it’s not an imposition,” the driver started. He looked at the man sitting next to him and fell silent.

“What is it?” Alex asked. “You may speak freely.”

The SUV pulled up in front of a medical office building.

“Everyone’s saying…” the driver started. His eyes flicked back and forth in the rearview mirror.

“Sir,” the Navy SEAL in the passenger seat turned around to look at her. “Our CO says that a number of guys are lost all over the world. He says at least two SEAL teams are missing, off the grid, vanished. We wanted to know…”

“Are you looking for them?” the driver asked.

“We are,” Alex said. “We just returned from retrieving one of those missing teams. They were… uh…”

“Lost,” Raz said. “The Lieutenant Colonel has some friends in Borneo who found them.”

“They are on the USNS Comfort,” Alex said. “But they are fine. Healthy. Not harmed or molested in anyway. A little sunburned and hung over.”

“We found them nude sunbathing on the West Coast of Sabah,” Raz said.

“They’ve been processed. They will remain in a secure location until this situation is resolved. Afterwards, they’ll receive a month’s paid leave,” Alex said. “But that’s not what you’re concerned about.”

“No sir,” the SEAL in the passenger seat said.

“We’re delighted you found our colleagues,” the driver said. “We’re concerned… Our CO too… when we’re sent on a mission, it will end up in our…”

“Sir, we’d die for our country,” the young man in the passenger’s seat said. “We are willing to do anything… anywhere… anything… but…”

“How do we trust that the next assignment we’re sent on won’t end up in…” Upset, the driver got out of the SUV. The passenger jumped out of the vehicle to go after him.

“Oh,” Alex sighed.

“Oh?” Raz asked.

“That’s why I can’t stay home,” Alex said. “I didn’t realize…”

“Every team, Alex,” Colin said. “Every service.”

“We heard it everywhere,” MJ said.

“You were too busy debriefing soldiers or reviewing their debriefings,” Raz said. “These guys were out on bases.”

“We had to refresh our medical supplies,” Colin said.

“When I was in Iraq, we knew more about what other teams and other soldiers were doing than anything that was going on in the news,” MJ said. “Soldiers talk and…”

“I just never thought of it,” Alex said.

The door next to Alex yanked open. The Navy SEALs stood at attention.

“Sir, if we’ve offended you in any way,” the Navy SEAL who had driven them.

“No,” Alex said. “You’ve provided me with valuable information. I wonder if you might come back in the vehicle for me to ask you a question.”

“Yes sir.”

The door closed and the Navy SEALs got back in their front seats.

“Sir?” the young man in the passenger seat asked.

“Are you concerned about the intelligence corps? Or command?” Alex asked.

The men looked at each other and then back at Alex.

“The Fey wants your honest answer,” Raz said. “There will be no repercussions to you, your team, or command.”

“They went out on intelligence missions, sir,” said the young man in the driver’s seat.

“Intelligence corps, sir,” the young man in the passenger seat said.

“Oh,” Alex fell silent while she processed the information. The men in the car stared at her. When the tension in the car was too much to bear, Colin pushed her shoulder. “Sorry. Did I blank out?”

Raz nodded.

“You’ve given me valuable information,” Alex said. “I appreciate your honesty. Agent Rasmussen was correct. There are no repercussions from this conversation. I honestly didn’t know or think of it. But… of course, you’d doubt the intelligence corps. I would too.”

She looked from the driver to the man in the passenger seat.

“Can you trust me?” Alex asked.

“You’re the Fey,” the driver said.

“If we can’t trust you, who can we trust?” the passenger asked.

“Can I trust you?” Alex asked.

“Yes sir,” the men’s response was immediate.

“I need you to help me,” Alex said. “I need eyes and ears in the services to help figure out what this is really about. The information you gave me will help me get to the bottom of this thing.”

The men glanced at each other.

“I’m not asking you to tattle on your friends,” Alex said. “I’m asking you and your friends to give me your honest opinions and information about what you see and hear. Someone flew these teams somewhere. Some ship took these men somewhere. I need to hear from everyone. That’s all.”

“I’m in,” the young man in the passenger seat said.

“Me too,” the driver said. “We’ll have to check with our CO.”

“Have him contact me. The Map Phone is always the best way,” Alex said.

“It’s on the Intelligence Center’s servers, sir,” the driver said.

“Oh, right,” Alex said. “That’s why no one’s called.”

“That’s why no one’s called,” MJ confirmed.

She looked at Raz.

“Call my Sergeant at Buckley,” Alex said. “Give him your names and contact information.”

“We’ll contact you when we have something more secure,” Raz said.

“Thank you,” Alex said. “Please thank your CO as well.”

She opened her door and got out of the SUV. The SEALs jumped out of the SUV to protect her. Raz, Colin, and MJ watched the SEALs attend to Alex.

“That’s how she does it,” MJ said almost under her breath.

“That’s how she does it,” Raz said. “You’d be amazed at all the people Alex knows. Not everyone loves her. But everyone trusts her.”

“Look who’s here!” Alex’s head appeared in the SUV. She pointed to John and Max. Unaware Alex was there, they were deep in conversation and walking toward her. “The SEALs said that’s why the doctor was here – to meet with some doctor from out of town. We’ve been waiting for them to exit the building.”

Max saw Alex first. He took off running toward her. She ran to Max. Like magnets, Alex and Max were in each others arms and talking. They pressed their foreheads together in silent union before looking up. The SEALs scrambled to catch them. Raz hopped out of the SUV to explain what was going on. Colin and MJ followed. When Alex looked up, everyone was there.

She saw only John.

“You’re the patient?” John asked.

Smiling, Alex hugged him.

“We were rushed out,” Max said. “For security purposes. The entire building was cleared.”

Max hugged Raz and Colin.

“I assume this is your work,” John shook MJ’s hand. “I’m impressed.”

“Just doing my job, sir,” MJ blushed.

“We brought the medical records we have,” Max said. “You?”

MJ nodded.

“Excellent,” John smiled.

“Sir! We will miss your appointment,” the Navy SEAL driver said.

“Shall we?” John put his arm around her shoulder and they walked toward the building.

“I thought you were watching over the General’s bed rest,” Alex said John.

“Why would Patrick need bed rest?” John asked. “What’s wrong with him?”

Shaking her head, Alex followed him inside.

FFF

Sunday afternoon

November 1 – 1:34 p.m. EST (11:34 a.m. MST)

In the air between Norfolk and Washington DC

 

“What did you think?” Alex asked. She leaned over her business class seat to put her head on his shoulder.

“About the flame retardant from your fatigues being imbedded in the bone of your hip?” John asked. “Scary as hell.”

“Why scary?” Alex asked.

“What are our options?” John asked. “We can’t ‘start over’ and have you re-grow a new hip. I don’t have to mention the joys of bone shaving.”

“Sounds like he’s had some success,” Alex said.

John nodded.

“But?” Alex turned to look in his face. “Did he tell you something he didn’t tell me?”

“I don’t think so,” John said. “I just know you. You won’t leave the service. Plus, you’d drive everyone crazy if you did.”

“I could shop!” Alex beamed.

“Like I said, you’d drive everyone crazy,” he laughed. “You’ll be his first patient on active duty. That’s assuming we can find a doctor in Denver who’s willing to put you through the treatments. Otherwise, it’s back and forth to Virginia; which you’re never going to do.”

“I don’t think we’re that lucky.”

“Actually, we’re very lucky,” John said. “These kind of vague and horrible symptoms are virtually untreatable because no one knows they exist. We’re lucky he’s working on this.”

“And?” Alex watched his face.

“And you’re working on this,” John said. “You’re not going to let this go. For better or worse, you’re going to research, talk to people, and try treatments.”

“I might just retire,” Alex said. “There is all that shopping to do.”

“Fat chance,” John smiled. “You off tomorrow?”

“You?” she asked.

“All day,” John said.

“Me too,” she said. “Let’s sleep for a while then do something really fun.”

“Deal.”

She laid her head back on his shoulder.

“How was your trip?” he asked.

“Boring, hard,” Alex said. “Then scary.”

“Scary?” John asked.

“I can’t really define it,” she said. “At least not in words. It’s just a feeling.”

“Are you in danger?” John leaned back to look at her.

“I don’t mean that kind of scary,” Alex said.

“What do you mean?”

“You remember Ayn Rand?” Alex asked.

“She’s a little unforgettable,” John said.

“I have this feeling that what’s behind this is a kind of ‘stop the machine’ philosophy not unlike Ayn Rand,” Alex said.

“The machine of the world?”

“The intelligence machine,” Alex said. “Most wars are won and lost based on good intelligence. But now, all computers, commerce, the Internet, credit, fraud detection, crime detection and forensics, all security from airport security to air traffic control to military to government – ours and others’ – everything depends on the international intelligence network. If it goes down?”

Alex shook her head. Their eyes held for a moment as she expressed her horror. He nodded. The flight attendant came by to ask them if they wanted a beverage. John ordered some champagne, fruit and cheese. When the flight attendant left, they fell silent digesting what she’d implied.

“What would be the benefit of destroying the international intelligence machine?” John asked.

“My Russian Mob friend? You remember him,” Alex said.

“He’s a little unforgettable.”

Alex smiled at his repetition. He smirked back.

“Your Russian friend?”

“He told me it’s a chess game. This piece, that piece. Dahlia and the boys are right in the middle of this. You know what Ben said when he learned about Dahlia?”

John shook his head.

“I wonder what she knew,” Alex said.

“He might have killed her because she knew something? About all of this?” John asked.

Alex nodded.

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow,” Alex said.

The flight attendant returned with their champagne. She poured it into their glasses and brought them cheese and fruit. With a smile, she left to flirt with Max and Raz who were sitting behind them.

“Who would benefit?” John asked.

“I don’t think it’s about benefit,” Alex said.

“What’s it about then?”

“Who’s playing the game?” Alex asked. “If I can figure that out, I might be able to figure out why.”

“And what?”

“As in what they’re up to? Big picture.” Alex shook her head. “We may never know.”

FFFFFF

Monday early morning

November 2 – 4:34 a.m. MST

Denver, CO

 

“What are you doing?”

Colin looked up from the dough he was kneading. Not seeing anyone, he shook his head and went back to work.

“Mr. Colin?” the little voice said. “I’m right here.”

Colin looked up again. His eyes scanned the U-shaped counters until they fell on the small form of Hermes. He was standing next to the end of the counter.

“Good morning, Hermes,” Colin said. “You’re up early.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Hermes said. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” Colin said. “Can I get you anything?”

“No,” Hermes big eyes looked up at the tall man.

“How about some milk?” Colin asked.

“Do you have milk?” Hermes asked.

“Of course,” Colin said. “We even have chocolate milk.”

Hermes’s eyes lit up and then clouded.

“What do I have to do?” Hermes asked.

“What do you mean?” Colin asked.

“You can’t touch my penis,” Hermes said.

“Good to know,” Colin laughed. He went to the refrigerator and took out one of the small chocolate milk cartons. He gave it to Hermes and went back to his dough.

“Why do you have so much chocolate milk?” Hermes asked.

“The runners in the house drink these after long runs sometimes.”

“Grown-ups?” Hermes asked.

“Grown-ups,” Colin said. “And you know what?”

“What?”

“You don’t have to tell people not to touch your penis,” Colin said. “You just have to know they aren’t supposed to.”

“How will they know if I don’t tell them?” Hermes asked.

“Everyone knows,” Colin said. “Except some really troubled people who don’t know or forgot. Have you seen the other boys telling people not to touch their penises?”

“I don’t know any other boys.” Hermes looked so small that Colin couldn’t help but kneel down to him.

“You will know lots of other boys and girls very soon,” Colin said.

“I hope so,” Hermes said. “What if they want to touch my penis?”

“They won’t,” Colin said. “Only someone really bad would want to hurt you like that.”

“How will I know who is bad?” Hermes asked.

“You’ll know,” Colin said. “If you meet someone like that, you let me know. I’ll take care of them myself.”

With his hands on his hips like Superman, Colin stood to his tallest and biggest. Hermes giggled.

“What are you doing?” Hermes asked.

“Do you want to come up here and watch?” Colin asked.

Hermes nodded. Colin picked up the slight five-year-old and put him on the counter.

“Daddy said this house was like boys camp,” Hermes said. “I haven’t seen other boys.”

“My son Paddie will be here later today,” Colin said. “He’s a lot younger than you.”

“Does he tell people…” Hermes started. “You know…”

“Not to touch his penis?” Colin asked. “No.”

“Do you touch his penis?” Hermes asked.

“I have,” Colin said.

“Why?”

“Good question. I changed his diapers and had to clean up,” Colin said. “I’ve given him baths. I’ve helped him learn how to use the toilet. He’s still a baby so he needs more of that kind of help.”

“Oh.” Hermes fell silent for a moment before repeating, “What are you doing?”

“I’m making cinnamon rolls,” Colin said. “We have some little boys staying with us and I thought they might like them.”

“What little boys?” Hermes asked.

Colin gave him a smile and took a rolling pin from a holder on the counter.

“Me and my brother?” Hermes said.

“Bingo,” Colin pointed to Hermes with the rolling pin.

“Are there other boys?” Hermes asked. “Me and my brother haven’t met other boys before.”

“You met Jesse Jr. and Luis in Washington,” Colin said.

Hermes nodded.

“I think a few of our friends are bringing their kids over to play with you,” Colin said.

“I won’t tell them not to touch my penis,” Hermes said. “I’ll tell my brother we don’t have to tell people. He’ll like that.”

“Good plan,” Colin said. “What if someone does?”

“I’ll tell Daddy or you or Mrs. Alex or Mr. Trece,” Hermes said.

“Another good plan.”

Smiling, Hermes focused his attention on his chocolate milk. Colin rolled out the cinnamon roll dough. He mixed soft butter, cinnamon and sugar for the center.

“Would you like to help me?” Colin asked.

Hermes nodded. He held out the empty chocolate milk carton. Colin threw the carton away and gave Hermes a spatula. Together, they put the cinnamon on the dough. Colin took out two baking pans and set them on the counter.

“Where did you learn to do this?” Hermes asked.

“I was sick last year,” Colin tore off a piece of parchment paper and gave it to Hermes. “I learned how to do this. It helped me get better.”

“He learned everything he knows from me, laddie,” Cian’s thick Irish-accented voice came from the doorway to the kitchen. “He’s a junior baker. Would you like to be a junior baker too?”

Hermes’s eyes went big as Cian came into the room.

“I’d like to be a junior baker,” Hermes said.

“What do you think Colin?” Cian asked. “Shall we make him a junior baker?”

Hermes eyes shifted from the tall Colin to the smaller, more solid Cian.

“Sounds good to me,” Colin began rolling up the dough and cinnamon.

“First we must be properly introduced,” Cian said. “My name is Cian Kelly.”

Cian held his hand out. Hermes looked at him and then at his hand.

“You’re Mr. John’s brother,” Hermes said. “You look like him.”

“I have a lot of brothers and sisters,” Cian said. “John is my youngest brother.”

“I’m my brother’s youngest brother,” Hermes said.

“That’s very interesting but we still have not been properly introduced.”

“You’re supposed to say your name and shake his hand,” Colin said.

“Oh,” Hermes stuck his hand out. “Hermes… um… Olivas. I used to be Hermes Jasper but now I’m Hermes Olivas.”

Cian shook his hand.

“You wouldn’t be related in any way to my friend Troy Olivas,” Cian said.

“He’s my Daddy,” Hermes said.

“Good man,” Cian said.

“How do I get to be a junior naker?” Hermes asked.

“First you get an apron,” Cian said.

“Mommy used to wear aprons,” Hermes said. “Big flowers and stuff.”

“We have no girlie aprons in this household,” Cian went to a cabinet near the stove.

“How come?” Hermes asked.

“No girls cook here,” Colin laughed.

“The men cook,” Cian said.

“I’m not a man,” Hermes said.

“Yes but you will be,” Cian said.

Hermes leaned over to Colin and whispered, “Should I tell him?” Colin shook his head. Hermes nodded.

“Tell me what?” Cian asked.

“We have some confusion about penis touching,” Colin said. “Hermes is sure he doesn’t want other people to touch him. Were you going to touch his penis?”

“I was going to make breakfast,” Cian said. “I tend to leave that entire penis touching business to consenting adults.”

“See,” Colin said.

Hermes nodded.

“I must find our junior baker an apron,” Cian dug into the cabinet until he came up with a smaller apron. “This one might fit you.”

Cian slipped the neck strap over Hermes’s head. Colin tied a knot in the strap to help it fit the child. Cian put the apron over the boy’s SpongeBob pajamas. When he turned, Hector James was standing next to the counter.

“Look,” Cian said. “Another one. Is this your brother?”

Hermes nodded. Intimidated and excited at the same time, Hector James looked from Cian to Colin.

“Well, let’s get on with it then,” Cian said. “I’m Cian Kelly.”

He held his hand out.

“You have to shake his hand and tell him your name,” Hermes said.

Hector James stuck his hand out but didn’t say anything. Cian shook his hand.

“He’s shy,” Hermes said.

“I see that,” Cian said. “I suppose you want to be a junior baker as well.”

Hector James nodded. Cian found another apron and Colin helped Cian put the apron on Hector James. Colin gave Hector James a boost onto the counter to sit next to Hermes.

“Well junior bakers,” Cian said. “What shall we make to break our fast?”

“The cinnamon rolls need another hour to rise,” Colin said. “Then about a half-hour or more to bake.”

“Two hours is a long time for a junior baker to wait, Mr. Colin,” Cian said. “What would you lads like?”

“Cereal,” Troy said. “They eat cereal and a little yogurt first. Their tummies are…”

Troy made a motion over his stomach.

“Good to know,” Cian said. “I’ll make you the cereal of champions. We call these ‘pips’ at home.”

“Pips?”

“Steel-cut oats or Irish oats,” Colin said. “Would you boys like to help me?”

He put a baking tray with parchment paper on it in between them. He cut a piece off the cinnamon roll log and gave it to Hermes. Hermes set it on the tray. He gave the next piece to Hector James.

“We’re teaching your boys to be junior bakers, Troy,” Cian turned from the stove where he was making steel-cut oats. “They have some natural skill, but we’ll have to train them up a bit.”

“They’ll be working in a year or so,” Colin said.

Troy smiled. The therapist had told him the best way for the boys to emerge from their solitude was to allow social interactions to happen naturally. It was hard not to step in. Troy came into the kitchen to start the coffee and make the boys some hot chocolate.

“Why are we up so early this morning?” Cian asked.

Hermes looked at Hector James.

“Our mommy came home yesterday,” Hector James said.

“She didn’t really come home,” Hermes said.

“She’s dead,” Hector James said. “We have to say good-bye.”

“We don’t want to,” Hermes’s eyes filled with tears.

“My mum died when I was just older than you, Hector James Olivas,” Cian said. “Bet you didn’t think I knew your name!”

Hector James shook his head.

“Your da has told me all about you and your brother,” Cian said.

“Did your mommy really die?” Hermes asked.

“Johnny’s too,” Cian said. “Johnny was a wee one. Three years old.”

“What did you do?” Hermes asked.

“What do you mean?” Cian nodded to Colin, who was holding out slices of cinnamon roll. For a moment, the boys focused all of their attention on placing the cinnamon rolls on the tray. When their tray was full, Colin replaced it with an empty tray.

“How did you live after your mommy was gone?” Hector James asked.

“Oh laddie, I don’t think you ever get used to losing your mum,” Cian said. “But live you must. Our mum, like your mum, loved us so much. Everything she did, she did so we could have a better life… and become good people. I live every day trying to be the person she’d want me to be. It’s not easy. But I think that’s all you can do.”

For a while, Colin continued cutting cinnamon rolls; the boys continued putting them on trays; Cian continued making oatmeal; and Troy continued working on the beverages. When the second tray was full, Colin covered the cinnamon rolls with moist kitchen towels. Troy gave the boys some hot chocolate and they watched Cian make their oatmeal.

“Do you think you boys can be everything your mum wanted you to be?” Cian turned to look at the boys.

Hermes and Hector James nodded.

“Will you go with us to the funeral place?” Hermes asked Colin and Cian. The men glanced at each other.

“I will,” Colin said.

“I’ll be there,” Cian said. “I always stand by my friends when they need it.”

Hermes nodded. He held his arms up and Troy lifted him down from the counter. Without saying another word, Hermes ran upstairs. Hector James followed his younger brother. Troy came close behind. Hermes flopped on his bed in Troy’s room and pulled the covers over his head. Hector James stood in the doorway.

“Are you okay?” Troy asked.

“I got tired,” Hermes said.

“Shall we rest a bit?” Troy asked.

“Are we going to live here?” Hector James asked.

“If you like it here,” Troy said.

“I do,” Hector James said.

“Me too,” Hermes said.

“Good,” Troy said.

“Can we sleep now?” Hermes asked. “Everybody keeps me up.”

Smiling, Troy turned off the light to let the boys sleep.

F