Chapter 14
If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them task and work. But rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I woke up, donned their gypsy clothes over my jeans and T-shirt, then made my way to breakfast. I blinked in surprise. Everyone including Katja was wearing work clobber.
“You can’t be my T/A in those clothes!” chuckled Pedro, tossing a pair of overalls at me.
I examined them hesitantly at arm’s length.
“You realize you’ve recruited an amateur...” I ventured.
“Amateurs built the ark Hope. Professionals built the Titanic.”
I laughed and removed the gypsy clothes. Then I donned the overalls over my regular clothes. Pedro handed me a welding helmet with a grin. I took a sip of my coffee and started adjusting the helmet to fit me.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I said, as I fumbled with the straps. “I’m scared of welding spatter... And grinder sparks... And I can’t cut even a piece of wood square. The saw always jams on me...”
“The finest tool you own is sitting on top of your shoulders,” soothed Pedro. “Besides, this is the safest way to keep you hidden, until my friend arrives to help you...”
Ω
John walked back into the ops centre to find Ryan transferring files on his computer.
“Hiding more photos so your ears don’t get red again, eh?” he tormented.
“Jake gave me a copy of his photos of the air museum... I thought they’d be more neutral material for a screensaver Sir.”
“Enough with the Sir stuff, Ryan. We’re sack mates remember? Around here that makes you family.”
Silence.
Ryan cleared his throat softly. John started grinning.
“What?”
“I was just re-running that Minties-moment earlier today, when that full screen photo of Becky’s dilated vagina came up... The look on Zac’s face! Then the look on your face. Between the pair of you, I could hardly keep a straight face!”
Ryan smiled pensively.
“I felt sorry for him. His carotid artery was still pulsing wildly even when he left. Like Mike’s does.”
“I picked that up myself,” replied John reflectively. “Although I think he may have been unsettled for a different reason...”
Fiona walked in and wrapped her arms around John affectionately. Ryan went to leave.
“Stay put sack mate,” said John.
“Why?”
“You don’t have to leave just because your big sister’s walked in and is stealing a cuddle off me.”
“Guess what Dad? You wouldn’t believe it! Jen Hopkins just rang me out of the blue. She said she’s been thinking about me and told me to jump aboard the next plane bound for Western Australia.”
John raised his eyebrows.
“That’s a coincidence. The civilians who left here earlier were heading for Western Australia. And apparently they have regular contact with Care Bear.”
“That’s almost more than a coincidence,” replied Fiona.
“Actually they implied he’s running with Gordon again.”
Fiona’s face lit up.
“Really?”
“Coincidentally also... that young bloke that Ryan dragged over to see you is Gordon and Tess’s son... And the civilian leader that calls Gordon boss, is that young P & P sleeper who stopped his bullet.”
“Really?! I wish I’d got to ask them both how Gordon is.”
“I thought you’d be interested in that bit of gossip.”
Fiona smiled dreamily.
“Someone still has a crush on Gordon eh?” ragged John.
“Daddy! Not in front of Ryan. You’ll make him blush.”
“I think he’s making you blush!” replied Ryan. “Does Jake’s Dad know you like him?”
A wistful expression.
“Gordon took a long while to heal after his wife Tess was killed. And we’re both very busy.”
“You’re dodging our questions! You’ve definitely got a crush on him.”
Fiona giggled girlishly and reddened slightly.
“Hey. You’ve gone all wriggly giggly! You don’t have to be embarrassed to talk to your Dad about your feelings for Gordon. He knows you’ve got desires. He’s probably even noticed that your pupils dilate around Gordon... He doesn’t miss much.”
Fiona and John laughed.
“So have you noticed my pupils go wide dad?” asked Fiona glancing at John with shining eyes.
“Of course I have, love.”
“What?!”
John chuckled and looked over at Ryan.
“You just have to mention Gordon’s name and her pupils go wide and she starts breathing rapidly.”
“Like she’s doing now?”
“Ah ha. You watch next time Gordon drops in... She’ll go all vague on me... All he’s got to do is smile at her and I can’t get any sense out of her for a week! And her aroma is a dead giveaway too...”
“What aroma?”
“Dad!”
“Perspiration?” asked Ryan.
“That too... But this is an aroma that emits from her vaginal mucus when she’s turned on.”
Ryan’s eyes widened.
“Dad! You’re embarrassing him.”
“No, I’m not embarrassed... I’m just thinking... I knew girls get slippery stuff there when they get aroused, but I didn’t know it has an aroma.”
“Interesting eh? Actually I can faintly detect the aroma right now. All this chat about Gordon is obviously making her aroused... Should we sniff her so you know what I mean?”
“Dad! I’m close to throttling you!” growled Fiona, raising her fist.
Ryan instinctively jumped between them both.
“No! Don’t hit each other!” he screamed.
An awkward silence. Ryan turned scarlet.
“Okay, now I’m embarrassed... I’m sorry... It’s not my place to tell you both what to do, but please don’t hurt each other...”
“It’s alright,” soothed John compassionately. “I won’t hit her son. Even if she whacks me.”
Ryan drew a steadying breath.
He glanced thoughtfully at Fiona then rested his hands on her shoulders the way he’d seen John do to Zac. John observed his response with intrigue.
“Don’t let him get to you Fi. He’s just stirring you up. To help you work out how you really feel about Gordon.”
“You’ve got your mitts on me Captain!” steamed Fiona.
Ryan’s eyes sparkled.
“Stop smiling! That’s an order!”
Ryan’s smiled broadened.
“Come on. You don’t have to be defensive around me. It’s a little brother’s job to ask his big sister awkward questions about her love life.”
Fiona’s jaw dropped.
“Dad! Reign him in!”
Silence. John scrubbed his stubbly chin reflectively.
“Dad! This was supposed to be a relaxed, family chat about sex, so you could fill in any of his knowledge gaps in a non-threatening manner.”
“It was. And it is. But your little brother is more perceptive than I expected a teenager to be... And not quite as bashful as I expected him to be either.”
John smiled at Ryan.
“Let’s keep tag-teaming Mama Bear, and help Baby Bear work out how she feels about Gordon, eh?”
Ryan grinned and made eye contact with Fiona.
“So have you ever told Gordon that you like him?”
“This conversation has got far too personal Captain.”
“Gordon likes you too!” persisted Ryan, undeterred.
“How do you know?!”
“Jake told me.”
“How does Jake know?”
“Jake recognized you. He said his Dad’s got a photo of you. On his bedside table. And blokes only keep photos close to their beds if they really like a girl. Ask your Dad.”
&nbs
p; Fiona looked taken aback.
“Perhaps Gordon’s son has mistaken me for a woman who looks similar to me.”
“Did you operate on Zac after he was shot?”
“Er... Yes. At Malmstrom.”
“Then it was you in the photo. Jake said he asked his Dad who the lady was and Gordon told him she was the sweet angel who removed Zac’s bullet.”
“Well that certainly sounds like something Gordon would say!” chuckled John.
Ryan eyed Fiona.
“Want me to find out if Gordon’s got a girlfriend?” he asked.
“How?” asked Fiona cautiously.
“Jake gave me his email address. I’ll tell him I found out you like his Dad, and I’ll ask him to find out if his Dad has a girlfriend. If he hasn’t, you two should stop pussy-footing around and waiting for each other to make the first move.”
“From memory, I told her the same thing about five years ago!” laughed John.
“Did your friend Jake say anything else?” probed Fiona.
“Um. Well when we walked past the sat link, he started talking about geosynchronous spacecraft.”
John held back his smile.
“Huh?”
“I think she meant did he say anything else about Gordon...” said John with twinkling eyes. “She’s got a one track mind.”
“Oh... Sorry. I don’t remember... I was more interested in what he had to say about digital channelizers. You should have heard him John. He knows an awful lot about military communication systems for a civilian.”
A nod of agreement.
“Zac was also surprisingly knowledgeable. In fact he gave us some ideas for improving the security of our systems.”
“Talking of communication systems, I found out something interesting about this beacon of Zac’s...”
“The beacon? Oh dear. I forgot to give it back to him in all the excitement.”
“Maybe Fi can hand deliver it to Gordon!” suggested Ryan tongue-in-cheek.
Fi feigned a swipe at Ryan.
“Truce you pair...” ordered John. “You were saying Ryan?”
“Oh yeah... Just before you came in, I flicked the switch across to the retransmitted receiver setting... It’s picking up two men talking - in Spanish - except I couldn’t understand the conversation. But I heard one say Jefferson. And the other said Tarapaca. Do you think it’s got something to do with the message we intercepted last night?”
John became instantly attentive. He flicked across the switch. The twinkle disappeared from his blue eyes as he started tuning into the conversation.
“What are they saying?” asked Ryan.
John held his hand up, demanding silence. The conversation continued. John scrawled down details. An engine started then the sound of the wind whistling drowned out the conversation. John switched off the listening device and shook his head slowly.
“We should’ve been monitoring this as well... I must be getting fuzzy headed in my old age.”
“Part of a message is better than nothing,” heartened Ryan.
John smiled dryly and picked up the phone. Ryan listened to him organize a chopper and a jet. John ended the call then drummed his fingertips on his desk as if weighing up what to do. He made eye contact with Ryan.
“Go pack a travel bag. You’ll need warm and cool civilian clothing.”
“Civilian clothing?” echoed Ryan uncomprehendingly.
“Yes. How long will you need to pack?”
“Er... Fifteen minutes.”
“Make it ten. Go find Charlie for me and tell him to report here on the double. Then pack your bag and go wait for the chopper.”
“Where am I going?”
“Western Australia. With me.”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain on the way. Skedaddle. You too pet. Over to our cottage and pack a travel bag.”
“What?” repeated Fi, as Ryan left the room.
“Jen told you to catch the next flight to Western Australia. I’d say that’s the flight I’m taking with Ryan.”
“But Dad? I can’t just up and go. I’m on roster.”
John picked up the phone.
“Hi Grant. John Cunningham... I need a medico lurking around in the background on a Priority 1 assignment... We have to pull out pronto and Fi happens to be up here at the moment... Can you rearrange your roster without too much hardship?... You can? Good man... I’ll return her in a week or so... Thanks Grant. Cheerio...”
Ω
Ten hours flew by. My hair felt grimy. I had cuts on my fingers and welding spatter burns. But I was intensely satisfied. I was no longer afraid of a grinder and I’d learnt to set up a plasma cutter. And now I was practicing striking an arc on some offcuts.
“Bonswa!” greeted someone.
I’d become so accustomed to hearing foreign-speak that I hardly looked up.
“How ya going mate?!” replied Pedro.
“N’ap boule!” retorted the stranger.
Pedro laughed deeply. I stopped working.
I watched them embrace each other warmly and slowly removed my welding helmet.
They both walked towards me. I glanced at the newcomer. Our eyes met. He stopped midstride in surprise. I hurled myself at him and almost knocked him off his feet.
“Zac!” I squealed.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Dutchy grinning broadly.
“Hope! You have a habit of turning up in the most unexpected places!”
Zac recovered from his astonishment and mirrored my ecstatic embrace. I wanted to sink into his bear-hug warmth and never come out again.
“You look... different!” he chuckled, planting his nose in my cheek.
“9.5 on the fashion disaster scale?” I quipped returning the gesture.
“Nah. Class without effort. Hey... This soot’s real!” he added, affectionately brushing my face clean with his fingertips.
Ω
Frank broke into a delighted grin and hugged Maya tightly. Dave and Jake exchanged smiles.
“Kiddo! Thank goodness you’re alright! They told me they were helping you lie low, but I didn’t know for sure that they could be trusted...”
“Zac and Jake have been protecting me the whole time. Come on. Let’s grab a cappuccino and something high in calories across the road and I’ll tell you all about it...”
“You’d better tell me all about it over Moccona and Tim Tams here hon. I haven’t finalized tonight’s front page.”
“You’ve never finalized it this early anyway.”
“Okay. It’s worse than not finalized. I haven’t even drafted the front page. Nothing newsworthy has happened locally in the last 24 hours. I’m so desperate I’ve even been through the freelance slurry pile. Twice.”
“Doesn’t sound like you Frank. What happened to Mr Organized-three-days-in-advance?”
“How can I be Mr Organised, when my freelance journalists are running around all over the planet with crazy scientists, worrying me half to death?”
“I kept a journal on our trek through Yellowstone Park. Complete with photos. Maybe you can do something with that... I’ll just send it to your desktop... There you go... Actually, Jake got some good photos too... There’s a particularly good one that would make a perfect front page... Jake took it when we were on this trail in the Park called Farliga Pass.”
“Zac took you and Jake over the Pass?” echoed Dave, with incredulity.
“Ah ha. Hey Jake... Remember that photo of Zac and me on the rope-bridge? The one I said you should enter in a competition? No, not that one... Zac was scared there... The one I mean is further on... Hang on... I’ll find the one I mean...”
Dave rubbed his mouth with thoughtful fingertips as Maya flicked through the revealing photo montage.
“Here it is... He got his nerve back after the chocolate kicked in.”
“You mean after you cuddled him!” grinned Jake.
Maya took a half hearted swipe at Jake. Jake dodged it and returned a friendly
cuff. Dave raised amused eyebrows.
“Here Frank... What about this photo for tomorrow’s front page? Brilliant eh?”
A pause.
“So this is the new boyfriend eh?”
“Boyfriend? Nah. Boyfriends are safe. Zac’s the kind of guy who needs to carry a fire extinguisher around, in case I spontaneously combust around him.”
Dave grinned. Frank’s lip trembled slightly.
“Sorry. That was insensitive of me,” said Maya, draping an arm around Frank. “Zac’s just like Rick. I feel so... complete around him.”
“I’ve been waiting to hear you say that for years kiddo,” replied Frank with a watery-eyed smile.
“Rick who was killed in the plane crash in Nepal?” asked Jake.
“Maya and my son were just four weeks away from being married,” explained Frank.
“And you’re worried you’re gonna lose touch with her if she gets married?” probed Dave.
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell of that deskie. You’re wandering around with too much classified information about our ops. For better or for worse, you’re a thread in our tapestry now. We’ll always be popping in and out of your life.”
“Sounds like my life is finally gonna get interesting.”
Dave laughed.
“Do you really like my photo of Farliga Pass?” ventured Jake.
“Yes. I agree it’s an above par amateur shot... I’ll give you $100 for it for tomorrow’s cover.”
“Tell him no deal Jake. Make him give you $250 for it. Professional freelance rates.”
“Alright. $250. Since you come so highly recommended.”
“There you go Frank. Tomorrow’s front page is organised - Intrepid Travelling Experiences by Maya Gregory and Jake Lewis...”
“Don’t you think you should ask Zac if you can use this photo of him?” ventured Dave.
“Nah. It’s just a harmless photo of the two of us with a gorge in the background. And Frank’s desperate...”
“Desperate but wiser. What guidelines should I stick within if I run this travel story Dave?”
“Replace any references to Farliga Pass with something less identifiable like ‘hiking trail in Yellowstone Park.’ Although the area’s restricted access anyway...”
“Restricted access? Why’d they let the three amigos in it then?”
“I’m interested to know that myself,” replied Dave softly.
Ω
“Zac... We’ve got to get out of here!” I whispered, unable to hide my distress. “We’re not safe here!”
“Why?” asked Zac with surprise.
“They’re spies!” I replied in Yupik. “And they think I’m a spy!”
“You’re not making any sense Hope. Start from the beginning...” said Zac in English.
I scanned my immediate surroundings. Dutchy was watching us converse with keen interest.
“It’s something to do with our necklaces,” I said in Yupik. “They think Mum and Dad worked for the Security Service.”
“The U.S. Airforce?” frowned Zac, finally speaking in Yupik.
“Keep your expression unreadable,” I hissed back.
He pressed me into his chest. I dissolved into uncontrollable tears.
“Sshhh....” he soothed in English. “You’re safe now.”
A tiny hand tugged on my overalls. I scooped Petrina up and nuzzled her. She wiped my tears away with her fingertips. My heart melted.
“Don’t cry Mama,” she said in Spanish.
Zac’s eyes widened with astonishment.
Petrina ran her fingers through my hair and blew raspberries on my forehead until I started laughing. I could feel the curiosity oozing out of Zac. One thing was certain. I was gonna get quizzed later about this. Big time.
Ω
“Hey Frank... I just had a thought. You might be able to turn Intrepid Travelling Experiences into a mini-series... Why don’t you ask Heidi to do you up a few articles? She’s got heaps of travel photos.”
Frank and Dave exchanged subtle glances.
“I’m not sure where Heidi is at the moment.”
“So? Email her and find out!” laughed Maya. “I know for a fact she’s got some great shots of Alaska... Of the northern lights. And this fantastic shot of a blonde-haired woman kissing an Eskimo.”
“That sounds like an interesting story. Who’s the woman?”
“Some linguist,” shrugged Maya.
Dave swallowed his grin.
“Come on!” urged Maya. “I’m absolutely dying for a cappuccino and a choc-chip muffin. You can take afternoon tea out of my bonus.”
“What bonus?”
“Hello? My four articles that went national!”
“You’re freelance now. I don’t have to pay you bonus money,” teased Frank.
“No sneaking out of it Frank... You didn’t edit my articles properly and I ended up hiding out in hiking purgatory drinking black coffee for six days.”
“Still sticking to the hiking purgatory story eh? Try bathing in secluded hot springs... trekking leisurely through gorges... cuddling your new hottie while taking in breathtaking panoramic views...”
Dave eyed Frank and shook his head.
“She’s not exaggerating Frank. The trek Zac took this pair on was no picnic.”
“It was fun though!” grinned Jake. “Except when we woke up yesterday morning.”
“Why?”
“We went to sleep by ourselves and woke up surrounded by all these commandoes in camo gear. And I didn’t want the commandoes seeing me get out of my PJ’s, so I had to get dressed in my sleeping-bag.”
“So?”
“So Zac had turned our sleeping bags into one big share bag for warmth. And Maya was still in the share-bag while I was trying to get dressed. And she wouldn’t get out!”
“Why wouldn’t you get out?” grinned Dave.
“’Coz I didn’t want the commandoes seeing me change out of my PJ’s either.”
Dave laughed good-naturedly.
“Where is young Zac anyway?”
“He’s down at the wharf... His friend sent him a message that this girl is being chased. He wanted Jake and me to come here. In case it’s not safe. And call him in an hour. In case he’s not safe...”
Ω
Zac redirected his attention to Pedro.
“So Pedro... Where’s this beautiful spy who makes your heart beat fast with passion?”
“I didn’t realize she was your petite amie!” blurted out Pedro with chagrin.
“Wooah mate. I think there’s been a huge misunderstanding... It happens a lot around my little sister.”
Pedro changed from angst-stricken to ecstatic in an eye-blink.
“You’re Hope’s protective big brother?” beamed Pedro.
“Hope’s your new belle?” retorted Zac cheekily, wriggling his eyebrows expressively.
Zac eyed Dutchy analytically.
“You’re awfully quiet Dutchy. Has someone been matchmaking on the sly?”
Dutchy and Katja doubled over with delighted laughter.
“Love awakens in season Zac. We’ve just taken the role of catalysts...”
Ω
“So what’s this girl’s name that Zac’s contacting?” asked Dave, a little too loudly.
“We don’t know her name... But Zac’s friends have been hiding her. She has information about some Korean General who’s testing an E/M weapon on a ship tomorrow night at Garden Island. Actually Frank, there could be a story in it in a few days...”
Dave and Frank exchanged eureka grins.
“Let’s go!” they yelled in unison.
“But we can’t Dave!” protested Maya. “Zac said stay here. And you know the deal... watch each others’ backs... cover each others’ weaknesses... obey the person you recognize as leader... and all that stuff Zac’s been drumming into us for the past fortnight.”
“I think Zac will overlook you breaking the rules since I?
??m watching your backs!” laughed Dave.
“But Dave... I really did get twenty extra push-ups the other day for taking a photo of a bird when Zac was drilling us about surveillance.”
“Hmmm... I must have a word to Zac about that later. If you can handle Farliga Pass, then 20 push-ups isn’t nearly enough of a challenge. You should be aiming for 40. Both of you.”
Vehement head-shaking from Jake and Maya.
“Come on. Let’s get down to the wharf and see if our hunch is right.”
“You’ll take the rap from Zac?”
“Promise.”
“Bag’s driving then,” volunteered Maya, grabbing the BMW keys off Frank’s desk.
“Hang on Maya. It’s only a month old. And my insurance doesn’t cover drivers under 25...”
“Huh? What’s got into you Frank? You know I’m 27.”
“Just checking up on you.”
Maya draped an arm over Frank’s shoulders as they walked towards his car.
“On the topic of checking up on people, you’ve got some explaining to do Frank. How do you know Dave anyway?”
Ω
I glanced up as more people walked into the warehouse. One was striding out in front of the others and broke into a sprint as he saw me.
“Hope!” he hailed.
My eyes lit up.
“Dave!” I gasped, hugging him warmly.
Dave embraced me affectionately. Grinning from ear to ear. Eyes moist with relief. I could sense Zac bristling with inquisitiveness. No doubt about it. I was gonna get quizzed big time later about who Dave was.
“Look at you!” I laughed. “All dressed up for the city.”
His clothes were finely tailored but obviously not up to the rigours of a crisis. I adjusted the collar of his rumpled business shirt...
“You’re awfully good at laying low girl,” murmured Dave. “Have you been to spy school or something?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you it later.”
Zac was gobsmacked, although to his credit he was trying not to show it.
Dave redirected his attention to Zac and tousled his hair. His expression was warm. Fatherly.
It was now my turn to be gobsmacked.
“Gidday Dave,” said Zac carefully.
Clearly they knew each other. My curiosity gauge hit the red.
“So you managed to read between the lines eh, young fella?”
Zac nodded tiredly.
“You look a bit worse for wear since our paths last crossed.”
“Long story. I’ll tell you later.”
Dave chuckled.
The Still Small Voice brought a memory to the surface.
“The list in the tin!” I said indignantly, glaring at Zac. “That’s why the writing looked familiar. It’s your handwriting!”
Zac looked at me blankly.
“What are you talking about Hope?”
Dave’s face bubbled into a grin. I eyed him suspiciously.
“You knew it was his handwriting all along!” I declared accusingly.
Dave laughed boyishly.
“Just how well do you two know each other?” I blurted out.
“Long story. We’ll tell you later!” chuckled Dave.
Ω
I redirected my attention to the other people who’d trailed Dave in and were ambling towards us.
One was unfamiliar - an awkward-looking, pimple-faced kid. Nerd looking. Like the geeks Zac sometimes brought home with him for Thanksgiving.
The second was incredibly familiar. Frank. But Frank as I had never seen him before! Jeans... T shirt, runners and a stubbly beard... His expression revealed what was going through his head... Relief... amazement... joy... seasoned with a dash of reprimand. No two ways about it. I was in for a lecture from Frank later, as well as a tongue-lashing from Zac.
The third person was a woman. Her elegant grooming contrasted starkly with my sooty complexion. We recognized each other simultaneously.
“Maya!” I squealed.
“Long time no see girl!” laughed Maya. “Zac said he had to help out a spy with information about an E/M weapons test, but I didn’t expect you to be here as well!”
Zac glanced at us both intently then caught Maya’s eye.
“Where do you two know each other from?”
His voice was tinged with incredulity. I caught Maya’s eye, attempting to mute her, but Maya missed the hint.
“Frank’s sent us away on assignment together several times!” she bubbled. “Iraq... Israel... Beijing... We’ve co-written several articles together. Actually we were just talking about you a few days ago Heidi. Zac told me he loved your writing style and wanted to meet you one day... Except I hardly recognized you with the blonde hair though! Mega-geek disguise girl! It looks so real, you wouldn’t know it was a wig. You could be someone’s little sister.”
Zac gave me a penetrating stare. I returned it without blinking an eyelid.
“A word Ms Cannikin,” interposed Zac, steering me off towards the far corner of the warehouse. “You have a lot of explaining to do sis!” he growled softly in Yupik, as we walked along.
“So do you!” I hissed back in our native tongue. “Since when do geophysicists help out spies anyway?”
Ω
Dave plonked his overnight bag down and grinned at Frank with tired relief.
“Well mate. The intrepid Heidi Cannikin is safe and sound. Although I have a hunch she may be out of circulation for a few months... For overseas assignments anyway.”
Frank flashed a preoccupied smile.
“Now I know the real reason she’s got a classic car on every continent. Avis wouldn’t have let her enter a rental agreement for a vehicle at her age!”
His tone hinted he was still having trouble coming to terms with the truth.
“What are you in a knot about now Frank?” asked Maya breezily.
“Maya, I don’t know how to break this to you, but your favourite foreign correspondent was only 16 when you and Rick first met her. And she’s only 19 now.”
Maya exploded with delighted laughter.
“You let a teenager drive your Porsche when you wouldn’t even let Rick drive it! Way to go Heidi!”
“Don’t rub it in. And don’t sound so calm about it. Why aren’t you throwing a fit anyway?”
“Zac’s been teaching me I can’t always control what happens, but I can control my attitude to what happens... Besides I always knew she was younger than she said she was. I just wasn’t sure how much younger.”
“When did you work out she was younger?”
“When I discovered she didn’t know how to use tampons.”
“And you didn’t tell me?!” thundered Frank.
“Why should I? She’s an incredibly inspirational person to hang out with Frank. Besides, your stance on not dishing out overseas assignments to under 21’s needs reviewing anyway. Think about it... Heidi’s won five prestigious photo-journalist awards already - she could get a job anywhere on the planet. But she keeps doing freelance work for you. Is how old she is really all that important?”
“No. I guess it’s not important. It’s just... confronting.”
Maya looked over at Zac.
“Boy... Zac’s being pretty hard on her. I’ve never seen him growl at anyone... He’s normally so placid...”
“She’s growling at him too...” countered Jake. “I wonder what that language is, that they’re growling at each other in? And I wonder how they both know it?”
“Well whatever lingo it is, it sounds like he’s got the upper hand!” laughed Frank.
“I’ve never seen this side of him,” repeated Maya. “Maybe we should go and rescue Heidi.”
“Nah... It’s nothing to worry about,” averred Dave. “It’s just your everyday brother and sister squabble.”
“But Zac’s only got one sister. Her name’s Hope.”
“That’s right.”
Maya and Jake exchanged startled glances.
“
That means his dream was right...” murmured Maya in jaw-dropped disbelief.
“Freaky! His angel Jireh really does work overtime,” added Jake soberly.
Dave glanced at Jake and Maya’s awe-struck expressions.
“Long story, right?” he supplied.
“And you’ll tell us later, right?” finished Frank.
Maya and Jake nodded.
“Later as in tomorrow at the earliest Frank,” rebounded Maya. “You’ve got a front page to set up. You need to get back to your desk.”
A vapid smile.
“Pity about that. It’s been an interesting few days hanging out with your new friends Maya.”
Dave draped an arm across Frank’s back.
“Plenty of other interesting days left, deskie... We’ll catch you round.”
“Wilco military man!” grinned Frank, as he walked off towards his BMW.