Angels and Guardians Pt. 06

"She's awesome," Joe confirmed, reading her look.

The plane landed and taxied to the aircraft parking apron. It pulled up to a small motorcade consisting of a limousine and three police cars. Joe and Ashley thanked the pilots as they opened the door and lowered the steps. They hurried to the limo waiting for them, mere feet away. Cindy stopped to retrieve her coat and bag from the suit closet, and handed the pilots an envelope containing vouchers for their hotel and restaurants. "I'll keep in touch. Anything else you need while you wait for our return flight, use the company card in that envelope wisely."

They answered, "yes ma'am," and set about securing the aircraft after she disappeared inside the limo.

The coats were laying on the seat as promised, and Joe popped the tags off, handing the smaller one to Ashley. The driver handed Cindy an envelope, which she opened and assembled the badge to the lanyard, then handed it to Ashley. "Some of the security teams might know about your relationship with Joe, but most won't. Your necklace is enough ID for our people, but means nothing to the military. Wearing that badge will make your life a bit easier following him around."

The police vehicles rushed their escort to the hospital, taking turns to race ahead and block intersections. The three were silent during the ride there, and Ashley sent a text to her same group, "We've landed. I'll know more in a little bit."

Jill and Jasmine were eating at a popular fast food place near the school, killing time until the convoy was due to leave for the game. Their phones beeped, and Jill said after reading the message, "DAMN, his pilots are good. It's only 4:30." Jasmine nodded as Jill's phone started ringing. "Hey Kim," she answered sadly.

"What the hell is going on? I just turned on my phone to check messages, and I've got two from Ashley that has me really worried. I tried calling, but her phone is turned off."

Jill answered, "I know. She and Joe left so suddenly, she doesn't have her charger with her. She's probably trying to save juice."

"Okay, so what happened? I can't talk long, our game here starts in 30."

Jill told her about the PA announcement, then Ashley's first text after rumors started flying about how she and Joe left the school.

"What time did they leave?"

"As far as I could guess, about 11:30 this morning."

Kim was shocked. "Holy crap they got there fast. Joe took me once to see the plant, and it took their jet 6 hours, plus a refueling stop."

Jill answered, "yeah, I've been there, too. They must have crammed the plane with gas until it started leaking from the seams. I think they went nonstop."

"Well, what does Ashley have with her? Does she have a coat? We're playing in a snow storm tonight."

Jill got more than a little concerned. She hadn't thought about that. "Nothing, I think. I mean we are all wearing our cheer stuff. I got her wallet and keys from her locker after school for safe keeping. I think she's just got her uniform, and that phone she keeps tucked under her waistband. Oh, and she has Joe."

"He'll take care of her, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he would, but he's never had to deal with anything like this before."

"True. Well, good luck in your game. We're going to lose, again I think."

"We'll need the luck without Joe. Thanks. I'll talk to you soon." Jill hung up the phone, and said to Jasmine, "Kim says it's snowing where she is."

Jasmine replied, "yeah, I remember something about a cold snap up there."

Jill looked at her up and down to make her point. "Look how we're dressed."

A light went on in Jasmine's head. "Oh. I see." She thought about her friend for a minute, then said, "Well, I'm sure Cindy is with them."

"Oh yeah! I forgot about her. I hope she is, that would make me feel better."

The limousine stopped at the front entrance of the hospital, greeted by a horde of reporters and cameras. The group got out and was ushered inside by four large police officers. The mob was held outside, fearful to cross the line of six armed military guards. Once inside, Ashley asked Joe, "Why would they have your parents at a military hospital?"

"It's not," he answered, hurrying behind a hospital security guard who was leading them through the hallway.

In the elevator, Cindy told Ashley that the extra guards were called in to protect Joe's parents from another attempt. Ashley said she thought the company's security team was supposed to be there, but she didn't see them. "You're not supposed to," Cindy answered. "That's how they work. Remember what I told you on the plane about being shocked? It's easier to just accept it and move on as if the distractions aren't there."

Ashley vowed to herself not to ask Joe any more questions for a while. She knew he would be too distracted to entertain her curiosities.

They were lead into a waiting room outside the critical care unit located next to the rooftop helicopter pad. A few minutes passed before a doctor appeared through a door marked "conference room." He addressed Joe, "Mr. Smith? If you could step in here for a minute." Ashley stood with Joe. The doctor asked her, "are you family?"

She croaked, "I'm his girlfriend..."

The doctor answered, "works for me, if Mr. Smith is okay with it." Joe nodded. "Alright, then, come on in. You don't want to miss the show."

Once alone, Cindy started crying softly, as she guessed why the couple was lead into the conference room instead of the patient rooms through the other door.

The doctor shut the door behind him and started saying, "Mr. Smith..."

"Please call me Joe. This is Ashley."

The doctor continued, "Very well, Joe, Ashley. Nice to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances." Joe sat quiet at the table opposite the doctor. Ashley remained standing behind Joe, rubbing his shoulders and neck softly as they listened. The doctor methodically recounted how Joe's parents were brought to the hospital via two helicopters, what injuries they had, and the process of treating them. He explained how both entered emergency surgery for treatment and had survived the operations. Joe was wishing against hope that the next part would be how the hospital planned to continue their recovery. But, the next statement crushed those wishes. "The surgeries were successful in repairing most of the damage, however, an hour later, the blood loss was too much to overcome. Mr. Smith unfortunately passed away from complications stemming from oxygen starvation in the brain. Mrs. Smith followed twenty minutes later. Please be assured that we did everything possible. Had they survived, they would have had a very difficult life, as their brains were permanently damaged from not getting enough blood. I was told that their car was in a difficult area to reach, and that your dad was unconscious for a while before he came to briefly and was able to press his button. Aside from that brief moment, I do not believe your parents were awake enough to feel any pain. They passed very quietly. I am very sorry for your loss." Joe thanked the doctor for his part in their efforts, and asked if it were possible to see his parents. "Of course. Take as long as you need. When you're ready, just step through this door, and I'll take you to them." He stepped out and left them alone.

Ashley had tears streaming down her face, and she squeezed her arms around Joe's chest, planting kisses on the back of his head. "I'm so sorry, Joe. I just don't know what else to say," she comforted, squeezing him tighter.

He turned to her and said, "I know, sweetie. I'm sorry, too. I know you loved them as well."

She sat in his lap and wrapped him in a tight hug, seemingly trying to bring his whole body inside of hers. After a bit, he picked her up by her ribs and set her standing on the floor next to him. He sniffed once, and rubbed the mist from his eyes. It was the closest she'd seen him get to crying.

Joe told her, "I'd like to do this alone, if you don't mind."

"Of course, whatever you need, Joe," she answered.

"Thank you. Would you mind telling Cindy? That way she can start the ball rolling."

Ashley nodded as he stood up. She hugged him again and planted a very soft kiss at his throat. "I'll be right out here, if you need me." He nodded and stepped through the door at the other end of the room.

Cindy started sobbing, knowing her fears were confirmed when she saw Ashley's face as she returned to the waiting room. Ashley sat next to her and gathered Cindy into her arms. "They're gone," she said softly.

"Yeah, I guessed," Cindy said through sobs. "What happened?"

Ashley held Cindy's head against her shoulder, softly stroking her hair as she related what the doctor had told them. She tightened her hug when Cindy broke into fresh sobs at the mention of the doctor's attempt at reassuring Joe that they didn't suffer. She sat silent after finishing, letting Cindy cry against her for several long moments. "Joe still needs you," she said finally.

"Where is he?"

"He asked to see them to say goodbye. I'm sure they have some papers for him to sign, as well."

Cindy slowly regained her composure, and backed off from Ashley's embrace. "Thanks for letting me..." she started.

"Shh, it'll be our secret," Ashley answered, wiping tears from Cindy's face. "Joe wanted me to ask you to start the ball rolling?"

Cindy clicked back over to work mode the best she could. "Yes, of course." She plucked her phone from the inside jacket pocket, and started dialing. Ashley used the moment to fire up her own phone to give the bad news.

Jill and Jasmine were milling around the growing band of students who wanted to make the trip to the away game. A tour bus arrived, and it became very apparent quickly that a second one would be needed. The school called to hire another bus and it arrived a short time later. It was about 15 minutes before their departure time when the two cheerleaders' phones beeped. Scores of students gathered around, hoping for an update. Jill stared at her screen for several seconds, trying to will the words into changing to something else.

"I am sad to tell you all that they didn't make it. We got here fast, but they passed an hour before. Joe is saying goodbye now."

A second beep was heard, and Ashley's message continued.

"Joe appears well, but I can tell he is hurt. Keep him in your prayers. Cindy is scheduling a news conference for 6:30, Denver time. 7:30, yours."

A short time later, another beep.

"My phone keeps dying, Cindy is gonna give me a cord to recharge. I'll stream the news conference to you. She also set up a conference call for us that will start at 9, your time. Dial 888-222-5555, passcode 8524. I hope Coach will excuse you at that time to call in. Love Ash."

"Is that about Joe?" one of the students asked. The coaches and principal stepped closer.

Jill said quietly, "Yeah...His parents didn't make it." With that, her and Jasmine's eyes started shedding tears. Sister Kate gathered the two into her arms, trying her best to comfort them. The crowd of students fell silent, and sporadic sniffles could be heard.

Cindy arranged a conference room with the hospital administrator, and was busily setting hospital scratch pads and pencils at the seats. Joe sat at an end of the long table, quiet in his thoughts, while Ashley plugged her phone into the wall and set it on the floor as close to the baseboard as she could. She sat next to Joe and said, "hey, next design, maybe you could work in a pull-out plug."

He appreciated her attempt to keep him out of depression. He snorted in a shallow laugh, all that he could manage at the moment. "I was just thinking that as I saw you fiddle with that thing."

The first group Cindy arranged for Joe to meet were the first responders and the investigative unit. They filed in and took seats around the table. The police chief introduced Joe to the emergency and law enforcement workers. "Thanks for coming," said Joe. "I apologize for not standing, I'm still in a bit of shock."

The chief replied, "not necessary. We understand, as Cindy told us of your loss. We are very sorry."

Joe nodded and continued, "Let's start at the beginning, when you received our security office's call..."

Ashley was amazed at how Joe sat patiently, listening to the various accounts about what the crews found and what they did to retrieve his parents from the shallow ravine. His ability to lead such a grim meeting about his own parents' demise was nearly beyond her comprehension. Joe asked thoughtful and intelligent questions to get the most out of the information that was available. Toward the end of the fifteen minute meeting, Joe asked why the accident was being considered a homicide. He was told that a half mile up from the accident was a car whose paint matched scuff marks on the one his parents were in. The engine was still warm, and it was abandoned. Joe thanked each one for their part in assisting his parents.

The next meeting followed immediately after, and high level managers from his parents' company filed in and took their seats. A few seemed to scoff at the teenagers dressed in a football jersey and a cheerleader uniform at the head of the table. Ashley hated them immediately. Apparently, so did Joe, as he wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter. Once all were seated, he asked, "who here thinks I should sell the company to Greedy?" The three who scoffed earlier showed their hands. Joe said, "keep those hands up. Who isn't sure, but thinks we should look into it?" Four more raised their hands. Joe was surprised that one of his dad's closest friends was one of them. No wonder talks weren't going well. "Very well. Cindy, put their final check in the raised hands. Bob, too. You're all fired, effective immediately. Security at the home office will have your personal effects ready in the lobby for your pickup on Monday." Several stood menacingly, but two huge men in suits stepped into the room, making them change their mind. As Cindy made out the checks and started handing them out, Joe said, "you'll have no problem finding a job over at Greedy, I'm sure. You have wanted to go there anyway, I'm just letting you."

After they got their check and left, escorted by the brutes loyal to him, Joe looked at the remaining five managers and said, "this is going to be tough as it is. I don't want them undermining my efforts to keep your company strong."

One of the remaining asked, "our company? It's your company, now."

Joe explained how he never wanted to take over for his parents. He told them that in the best interest for those who were loyal to his folks, he planned to issue an IPO at the beginning of the year. So, since they would have an opportunity to purchase shares, it would be their company. It was argued that all Greedy would have to do is buy as little as 40% of the stock in order to control the company. "Not if I'm still holding 51% of the shares," Joe countered.

Cindy came over and told him that there was 20 minutes until the press conference. "Should I handle it?" she asked.

Joe told her no. He promised he would meet with the managers soon after the funeral, then asked for a quick brief on where his parents left off in talks with the military. Then he dismissed that meeting.

Several military men of various uniforms walked into the conference room. Ashley saw that many had stars on their collars. They started to grab the chairs when Joe stopped them. "No, don't sit. This will only be a moment." When everybody was inside and the door closed, he said, "My parents are dead, however, I still have a strong team working for me. Will you continue your business with our company?" They looked around the room, as if trying to find someone who had an easy way to say no. Joe continued, "we will finish your current orders in the timetable already set. You have a contract with us that says you will purchase what you've ordered. My question is, do you want the encryption technology or not?"

One of the generals spoke, "frankly, son, our faith resided in your father. As tragic as your parents' departure may be, I must be honest in telling you that not even he could confidently answer our questions. What makes you think we'd listen to you?"

Joe looked at Cindy, and she took the cue and tapped Ashley on the shoulder, telling her to come with her. "Ten minutes," she reminded Joe as she and Ashley walked out the door.

Joe looked the general in the eye and said, "don't call me son. The only two people who could call me that are gone, now. I thought you'd want to listen to me, as I'm the one who came up with it."

The general laughed, "'it' and 'device' he says! You don't even know what your parents were pitching!"

Joe cocked his head to the side and said, "very well, maybe Fox News would like to do a story on how an unbreakable encryption system that is undetectable, because it sounds like birds chirping and singing to all other radios and microphones, wound up being passed over by our military and sold to Japan, or France, maybe?"

The jab hit its mark, as the officers turned to face Joe squarely. "How do you know that?" the general asked.

"I told you."

"Yeah, but you don't know how it works."

"Well, I understand that unless you have a device that looks for the code, you'll never see what's hidden in the carrier frequency wa...oh wait. You haven't bought it from me, yet, so I can't tell you. You see, General, my parents may be dead, but their ideas you've had wet dreams over for the last five years didn't come solely from them. They had more than a few, sure. But the rest came from either myself or the team that works for me now. So, I'm asking the question again, will you continue your business with our company?"

The General looked sourly at Joe, not expecting such a hard-nosed negotiation from someone so young. "We'll be in touch with Cindy after the funeral," he said, leading the other officers out of the room. Joe exhaled sharply, knowing he had just won a high-stakes gamble in a bid to save the company. He got up from his chair as Ashley and Cindy reentered the room.

Cindy led them down to the hospital lobby, where a podium with a solid bank of microphones and mini voice recorders were set up. She helped Ashley set her phone up to broadcast streaming video, and before long, her phone screen confirmed connection with the other five.

Jill and Jasmine's phones sounded a tone, asking if its owner wanted to receive a video from Ashley. They had just finished warm-ups, and Jill called to her coach, "it's starting!" She and Jasmine hit their accept buttons, and their schoolmates huddled around each girls' phone.

The screen streaked around as Ashley fiddled with her phone. "Wow, that's cool," she was heard telling Cindy quietly. The view settled onto the podium, briefly obstructed as Joe walked in front of her to take his place. It was an odd sight. From Ashley's angle, you could see reporters and hospital officials in nice suits, and then there was Joe, addressing them in his jersey and faded blue jeans.

"Good evening. I apologize for my attire, I was called away suddenly from Florida, and haven't had a chance to change. It is my sad duty to inform you that the world has lost two beautiful and intelligent people who were my parents. At around nine this morning, they were on their way to a meeting when their car slid off the interstate and into a small ravine. At nine thirty, my dad was able to activate an emergency response button he carried with him, but fell out of consciousness shortly after. Carter Electronics received the signal and notified Denver police. Their car was not located right away, due to fresh snowfall covering most of their tracks. After several minutes of looking, Officer Ken Berg noticed an impression in the snow that led him to discovering my parents' car. Rescue teams worked to retrieve the car, and flew them to this hospital at 10 a.m. I was notified of the accident while at school by my parents' secretary at 11:30, Florida time, or 10:30 here. My girlfriend, Ashley, and I flew here and landed at 3:30. However, despite heroic attempts by the staff of this hospital, they had succumbed to their injuries an hour earlier.