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THE DOOR OPENED AND closed. The floorboards creaked as Peet walked down the hallway to his living room where Mitch sat, a glass of neat whiskey in his hand. He frowned down at the book open on his lap. The page was in some way offensive, for his frown deepened as he turned the page.
“She found it,” Peet said, sitting down in the horse hair chair across from Mitch.
“That didn’t take her long,” said Mitch, engrossed in his reading.
“She is a smart one, that girl,” said Peet with a grin. “I like her.”
“Did you really have to slip the chain like that? You could have just told her.”
“Yeah? And have her run like last time? Nope, she is a stubborn one. Best to let her discover things herself.” Pleased with himself, Peet helped himself to a measure of whiskey from the decanter sitting on the table between the two chairs. He took a sip and as he lowered his glass, he spied Alexa standing in the doorway. “Hello Alexa.”
Mitch’s head came up and he smiled at the younger sister, features smoothing. “Come in, Alexa.”
She walked into the room and sat down on a foot stool by the fireplace hearth. The fireplace was empty and cold. Alexa twisted her fingers together and said, “You put her up to this, didn’t you?” The accusation tumbled from her lips in a rush and she felt her cheeks heat. “Why did you have to use her again?”
Mitch stuck a coaster in between the pages of his book and closed it, settling his full attention on Alexa. “I am not using her, Alexa. Avalon came to this decision all on her own.”
“No she didn’t! You are responsible. You said that the restaurant might be where the gangs hang out. You had to say it, didn’t you?”
“Alexa, I only said they might be there. I also said that trying to locate the stronghold of the Firebrand gang is like trying to find a nest of rats in a sewer system. So many dead ends.”
“We need to find our parents!” Alexa trembled, her anxiety spiking with the conversation. “They are the important key, not the Firebrand gang. Who cares about a gang of teenage street rats? They robbed our house after our parents were taken! They are thugs and scum!”
“Alexa,” said Peet, “We are going after your parents, but first we need to figure out where they are. We will find them but it will take time. The S.O.S. might have some information. I am going to start with them. If anyone knows where they might be, it will be the S.O.S.”
“Who are the S.O.S? I know what they are, you already explained that. What I want to know is who are they? If they are so important and smart and all of that, how come the government doesn’t have them under lock and key, helping to solve the problems rather than sneaking around in the dark?”
The S.O.S. were a group of scientists, working in secret right under the government’s nose, to discover the “Seeds Of Survival” in a world where the land was dying. No longer trusting the government to provide answers in time to save the populace, the environmental scientists formed an underground, non-profit scientific brain trust, to explore solutions to the advancing ecological disaster that was unfolding before it was too late.
“They are in hiding, Alexa, because they refused to help the government. The government doesn’t take these things lightly. Its aims are not always aligned with the scientific community.”
“You want to go to scientists who are on the most wanted list and ask for their help against the government? Why would they do that? They are in hiding!”
“They are in hiding as their way of fighting back. I know what they want, Alexa, I am one of them.”
“So if they are so smart, if you are so smart,” she glared at Peet, “why did you have to send Avalon into danger again?” Alexa’s voice rose in anger and she choked on the next words. “She’s the only family I have!”
“Hey, hey... Alexa, we are here. I know you hate seeing her leave, but do you really think we could corral Avalon?” Mitch gathered Alexa into a fatherly hug, pressing her face against his shoulder. “She would have gone anyway, Alexa. She is headstrong and way too used to doing her own thing. We wanted to make sure that if that was the choice she made, that she was set up in an unobtrusive way. We also wanted to make sure she had resources and options. She has cash and transportation and most importantly, she is street smart. She will be fine.”
Alexa pulled away, scrubbing an escaped tear from her cheek. “Why can’t I help? Why does everyone treat me like a child? I hate being left behind. I can help!”
Mitch ran a hand over the stubble of his beard, taking in the stubborn set of her jaw and the narrowed, stormy eyes. His gaze rose to meet Peet’s. He nodded agreement to his unasked question. Mitch sighed.
“You can help.”
“I can?” said Alexa, surprised.
“Yes, you can. Peet would like you to be his spy. Would you like to be a spy?”
Alexa’s eyes widened as her lips wobbled into a half grin.
“A spy? Like in the movies? I can run around and eavesdrop on conversations, and discover secrets?”
Mitch nodded. “Exactly. Adults overlook children, and often speak things in front of them they would never share with an adult nearby.”
“Ok.” Alexa sat up straight and twisted around to look at Peet. “Who are we spying on? When do we leave?”
“Not until the morning,” he said.
“But Avalon got to leave early. She is biking to town in the dark!”
“Well the people we will be infiltrating do not hang around after dark. Most scientists work during the day. We leave in the morning.”
“Alright.” She jumped to her feet and ran out of the room. “I am going to go pack. Do I need a dress?” Her voice floated back to them as she climbed the stairs to her room.
“Yes!” called Peet after her retreating form.
Mitch eyed him for a moment then picked up his glass of whiskey again. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“I guarantee they will not even notice her after a while. She will be safe with me. And as you are leaving, it’s best she is in my line of sight.”
“Alright, we go with your plan. Now, I just have to figure out how to get back into my old job without being thrown into jail. We need access to those police records.”
He watched the amber liquid swirl in his glass for a moment, before downing it in one gulp. Placing the glass on the table, he stood, picking up his baseball cap and tugging it onto his head.
“I think it’s time to pay a visit to another old friend. Take care of Alexa.”
“Will do. Watch your back, Mitch. You cannot know who is involved in this or how far the governments’ reach is. Be careful who you talk to and who you trust when you do.”
Mitch nodded, and left the room. The front door slammed and his steps faded away. A moment later the engine of his ‘69 Mustang roared to life and he swung out of the driveway, leaving the old house in a cloud of dust.
Peet watched for a moment as the car disappeared down the lane, then shut the door and bolted it. He picked up the shot gun behind the door and checked the magazine, then placed it back behind the door. He hoped he would not need it. But one could never be too careful.