I Will Love You Forever Ch. 20

Nick looked around to see if Hana was within earshot.

"What the fuck happened?" he hissed.

"We're not sure." Charles replied, "We were getting ready to put them in the car when they bolted."

"Someone in the office helped them, it's the only explanation." Nick said, "Did you send a car to the mother's house?"

"We sent two cars; they should be there by now."

"They can't have gotten far if they're on foot." Nick replied.

"Someone picked them up, there was a car sitting on the corner." Charles replied, "Look I gotta run, I'll keep you posted."

"Take this number and call me there." Nick said and gave Charles Abby's number.

"Nick, is something wrong?" Hana asked.

"No baby, nothing for you to worry about." Nick replied, "Let's go or we'll be late."

Hana knew that Nick wasn't telling her the truth but let it go understanding that he didn't want anything to ruin the celebration for Kenji's acceptance into medical school, there had been far too few reasons to celebrate over the past few years.

As Nick tucked Hana into the trunk of the car he wondered if he should say anything to Ralph and decided against it, hopefully they would catch them before they had gone too far or ended up at Sally's house.

******

Kenneth and Lawrence lay in the back seat of the car that had been waiting with the back door open when they escaped. They didn't know who their benefactor was and neither of them cared. All they knew was that as soon as they were outside and saw the car waiting on the corner they took off at a run catching their escorts completely by surprise. Once they were on the road, Lawrence and Kenneth got into more comfortable positions lying feet to head in the back seat of the car.

Neither of them spoke to the driver as they headed to who knew where. The only thing that they were sure of was that it wasn't the house; it would be the first place the police and Feds would look for them. The fact that he didn't know where he was didn't bother Kenneth, this place was no different than home except that the woods were missing. He had an excellent sense of direction thanks to his father and Doc who would take him deep into the woods and leave him with nothing except the shirt on his back to find his way home. At first Kenneth thought that his father and Doc were being cruel but in time he had come to enjoy the challenge and was looking forward to this one as well.

"You alright boy?" Lawrence asked.

"Yessir" Kenneth replied as he tried to get his hands into a more comfortable position. The cuffs were biting into his wrist and cutting off circulation. After several minutes he found a reasonably comfortable position and hoped that the ride wouldn't be too long.

As of yet the man driving the car hadn't introduced himself or even spoken to them for that matter and they hadn't spoken to him and it was for the best, that way they couldn't identify him by voice or sight.

*******

Charles was beside himself with anger.

"Why weren't you watching them more closely?" he demanded.

"It happened so fast." an agent replied.

"Someone in this office helped them and I want to know who!"

Four agents looked at each other and then back at Charles.

"Who had the boy?" he asked.

"I was supposed to but I got called away and someone offered to take him in my place." an agent said.

"Who took your place?" Charles asked.

"I... I don't know." The agent confessed, "He came up from behind me."

"And the father? Who was supposed to be watching him?" Charles asked.

"I was but like Sal said, it happened so fast, he took off even before I knew that the kid had bolted.'

"Who went to the mother's place?"

"Jack and Randall in one car and Bryce and Mike in the other, they should be there by now." Sal said.

"I want those bastards caught within the next hour! You got me?" Charles all but screamed.

The agents took off to join in the search for Lawrence and Kenneth Goodman.

"Damn it!" Charles yelled as he sent a chair flying across the room.

********

Sally finished folding the laundry from the day and was going to make fresh lemonade for the next day when she heard the tap on the door. She glanced at the clock and got to the door just as Eli opened it, she recognized the agent as one of the men that had arrested Kenneth several weeks before.

"What's happened?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm here to let you know that Kenneth and your husband escaped and may be headed here."

"Escaped? How? Aren't they on their way back to South Carolina?" Sally asked anxiously.

"It happened when we were getting ready to leave, ma'am does Kenneth or your husband know anyone who would have helped him?" the agent asked.

"No... Kenneth never left home but Lawrence knew several people from his job who might have been willing to help them." Sally replied.

"Do you know the names of any of these people?"

"No, Lawrence never mentioned any names but there was supposed to be a meeting on the day that they were arrested."

"Do you know where the meeting was to be held?"

"No, I'm sorry I don't." Sally replied.

"Alright, if you remember anything turn the porch light on and off and one of us will come, a car will be parked out front and in the back all night."

"And then what?" Sally asked.

"We hope to have both of them back in custody by the morning." the agent replied as he walked away.

Sally closed the door and whispered a prayer that Kenneth and Lawrence were found. She wasn't afraid of Lawrence but Kenny considered her one of the enemy and would have no problem with killing her.

*********

Nick pulled into the garage and beeped the horn announcing his and Hana's arrival. He got out, closed the garage door and then helped Hana out of the trunk of the car. He forced himself to smile but knew that he hadn't fooled her.

"Nick..."

"I'll tell you later," he said as Ralph came out to greet them.

The odor of frying chicken and fresh biscuits filled the garage making Nick's stomach grumble even with the news that he had just received,

"Well come on in!" Ralph exclaimed.

Nick followed Hana in and watched as she was warmly greeted by everyone, John included. He made his way to the living room where Kenji was on the floor with Niko and Marie.

"Hiya kids!" he greeted.

"Ojiisan Nick! Grandpa Nick!" Niko exclaimed happily getting up and running to him.

Nick picked Niko up and kissed him on the cheek before setting him down and picking up Marie who just giggled.

"How's Dr. Takeda?" Nick asked.

"I am not a doctor yet." Kenji replied.

"The hell you're not!" Nick replied, "You just don't have the credentials yet."

"That is a few years away." Kenji said, "But I am glad to have a few moments alone with you."

"Something wrong?"

"No, all is as well as can be expected but I have a request."

"What do you need?" Nick asked.

"I have only one picture of Patricia and none of the children, I would like for you to purchase a camera for me. Is this possible?"

"Sure it is but developing them might be a problem." Nick replied.

"Do you know this process?"

"Well yes but it's complicated and ..... Who am I talking to?" Nick asked laughing, "Yes, I can get you a camera and we can set the basement up as a dark room, just give me a couple of days."

"Thank you but please do not tell Patricia, I want to surprise her."

"Obaasan Hana- grandma Hana!" Niko said jumping up again.

"Ohayo ichiban no mago- hello number one grandson" Hana said in Japanese and English as she touched Niko's face. She took Marie from Nick and kissed her.

"She is doing well." she commented as she kissed the baby again.

"She is and we are grateful for that." Kenji said standing and then stretching.

"I only came to see you and the children for a moment, I must get back to the kitchen, dinner is almost ready." she said handing Marie back to Nick.

Nick and Kenji watched as Hana went back to the kitchen.

"I have never properly thanked you for caring for my mother." Kenji said.

"No thanks are needed." Nick replied, "I love her."

"I know this but thank you, I am proud to call you father."

"Wh... what?" Nick stammered.

"I know that I have a father with whom I will attempt to make amends but even though I call you Nick, I look to you as a father."

"I.... Oh god Kenji, I'm proud to call you my son." Nick replied his throat tight.

He had to wonder what it would feel to have a son of his flesh but if it felt anything like this; it had to be beyond phenomenal. Nick put the baby on the floor and hugged Kenji, "you really are my kid!" he exclaimed meaning it.

Kenji returned the hug his throat as tight as Nick's had been.

"It's ready!" Patricia called as she walked into the living room.

"Everything alright?" she asked as she looked at Kenji and then Nick.

"Everything is perfect." Nick replied looking at Kenji.

He had a son, it didn't matter that he was in his twenties and for that matter he had a daughter too as he considered Patricia a daughter. He had a family that he never could have dreamt up in his wildest dreams and he would die to protect all of them.

******

Kenneth closed his eyes not worried about where he was going. He had figured out a while back that they weren't going to his mother's house and that it was probably for the best. He would have killed the traitorous bitch and ended up right back in jail. He hated the fact that Dianne and Eli were still with her but there was nothing he could do about that. If they adopted her views, he would take the fact that he had to leave them into consideration if he ever saw them again.

Lawrence tried to figure out how many miles they had gone and figured that they had to be out of the city or at least on the outskirts. He resisted the temptation to sit up and look out of the window not wanting to draw attention to them. He looked over at Kenneth and was proud of his quick reaction when he realized that they were being helped to escape. Like Kenneth, he closed his eyes and tried to relax as he wondered who helped them.

The car finally stopped and the driver got out without speaking. Kenneth and Lawrence waited for a few minutes and then got out, stretched, looked around and then followed the man into a small house. The smell of cooking food made their mouths water as they followed the voices coming from the kitchen

"Take a load off." A gruff voice said from the stove.

Kenneth didn't move instead he looked around.

"Who in the fuck are you?" he demanded.

"Friends, now sit down and eat before it get's cold." The man said ignoring Kenneth's tone.

"I said who the fuck are you?" Kenneth insisted.

"Kenneth." Lawrence said softly but firmly, "That's no way to speak to our hosts."

"Please sit down and eat." A voice from behind them said.

Kenneth and Lawrence spun around to see who had spoken.

Kenneth recognized the man as one of the agents from the office but he couldn't recall the name.

"Why did you help us?" He asked.

"Let's just say that our politics are the same."

"You got a name?" Kenneth asked.

"Just call me Frank." the man said, "sit down and eat, Angie will show you to your room when you're done, we've got a long day ahead of us."

Kenneth sat down and began to eat while looking around the kitchen. Lawrence sat down a moment later, fixed a plate of food and then bowed his head to say a prayer of thanks for the food and for the protection of their benefactors. Like Kenneth, he had no intentions of staying but for different reasons, he didn't want to compromise their rescuers anymore than they had but not having any money or ID complicated things and going to the house was out of the question. They would have to steal the car and go as far as they could on whatever gas was in it and go from there. All he and Kenny had to do was get out of the house, to the car and they would be on their way.

******

Everyone ate their fill of chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and biscuits.

"Mama and Ralph made the cake." Patricia said cutting a big piece for Kenji and setting it in front of him.

"Thank you for the delicious dinner." Kenji said with a smile, "perhaps mother and I could make a traditional Japanese meal for you sometime."

"That would be wonderful!" Abby said.

The talk was animated with no one except Hana noticing that Nick seemed a little distracted. At eight the phone rang.

'I'll get it!" Nick called standing before anyone had a chance to move.

"Tell me that you got them." Nick said.

"No but we know who helped them and we know where they are."

"Who?" Nick asked.

"One of the junior agents.... Lincoln Phillips."

"I don't know him." Nick replied.

"That's because he came after you left."

"How'd you find out?"

"You know that old black janitor Harvey?"

"Sure, he's as deaf as a doornail, what about him?" Nick asked.

Well old Harvey isn't as deaf as he lets on; as a matter of fact I think his hearing is better than mine."

"He heard someone talking." Nick commented.

"He heard a lot of someone's talking." Charles replied, "They didn't care because they assumed like all of us that Harvey was deaf."

"Did he see faces?"

"No but he heard plenty." Charles replied.

"Is someone on the way to pick them up?" Nick asked.

"They should be arriving about now."

"Good, call me when they've got them, if I don't answer here hang up and try my home number."

"Who was that?" Abby asked from behind him.

"Charles was just giving me some information." Nick replied.

"Nick what are you up to?" Abby asked.

"Nothing! I promise."

Abby didn't believe him but he had already walked away before she could say anything.

Since it was a special night Niko was allowed to stay up fifteen minutes longer and the grandmothers got to tuck him and Marie into bed.

"Oyasuminasai papa and mama- goodnight papa and mama" Niko said with a bow.

"Well done." Kenji said with an encouraging smile, "That was a big word for one so young, Oyasuminasai Niko."

"Thank you papa." Niko said beaming at the complement. He kissed everyone including Marie good night and followed Hana and Hattie up the stairs.

"That's one sharp little boy!" Paul commented as he watched Niko climb the stairs.

The phone rang one more time and Nick raced to answer it.

"What's going on?" Abby asked no one in particular.

"You got them?" Nick asked.

"We got Lawrence but the kid ran for it, we're still looking for him but guess who else was there?"

"I don't know, who?"

"Elam Martin."

"What the fuck was he doing there?" Nick asked.

"When he was checking up on people it was for a recruiting mission, his goal was to plant some of his people in offices around the country - Lincoln was one of his."

"He was looking at me as a possible recruit?" Nick asked.

"No, he really was looking for something on you." Charles replied, "And on the director but whatever it was, he didn't find it."

"So where is son of a bitch?"

"Sharing a cell with his new friend Lawrence." Charles replied.

"Are you going to be there for a while?"

"I can be, why?"

"I want to come down and see Elam." Nick said, "I'll be there in an hour."

Nick hung up the phone and went back to the living room.

"What happened?" Abby asked.

"I'll tell you when Hana and Hattie come down." Nick replied, "Patricia is it alright for Hana to stay here tonight?"

"You don't even have to ask." Patricia replied, "both of you are always welcome here."

Hana and Hattie came down a few minutes later. Nick filled everyone in on what happened.

"But they got them right?" Ralph asked.

"They got Lawrence but Kenneth is still loose." Nick said, "and Elam Martin was up there too but let's wait until Hana and Hattie are here that way I only have to say this once."

"Your boss?" Abby asked just as Hana and Hattie came down the stairs.

Nick gave a quick update to both women before continuing.

"In response to Abby's question about Elam, remember when he was demoted for going through people's files?" Nick asked, "I thought then that there was more to it than him being nosy, he was looking for recruits within the agency to be the eyes and ears for the Klan."

"But he works for the government!" John said.

"True but remember that I said that they come from all walks of life and professions, look at where Lawrence came from, one of the leaders is a physician."

The room went silent as everyone realized that while one war might be ending another one was starting.

*******

Elam looked at Lawrence and turned away; he wanted to say something but didn't know who might be listening not that it mattered. At the very least he would lose his job at worst he would serve time for aiding and abetting but the reality of it was that both things were going to happen and his career in the agency was over. He did have to wonder who talked, he looked around the cell and saw Harvey sweeping the floor and disregarded him, he like everyone else believed him to be deaf. Seeing no one of consequence, he spoke to Lawrence.

"We tried; you're on your own now."

"Shut up!" Lawrence hissed looking at Harvey.

"He can't hear, he's deaf and even if he did hear he'd be too stupid to understand and no one would believe him anyway." Elam said.

Neither man saw the flash of anger in Harvey's eyes as he continued to sweep the floors and gather the trash.

"Thank you for trying to at least get us out of here." Lawrence said, "at least Kenny got away.'

"Your friend Doc called me at home which was a very stupid thing to do by the way."

"Doc called? How do you know him?" Lawrence asked surprised.

"He's a friend of an acquaintance of mine who foolishly gave this friend of yours my number."

"So now what?" Lawrence asked.

"You're going to be extradited to South Carolina and from what I hear there will be a trial. When they catch your son, he'll be extradited and tried too. Me? Everything that I've accomplished is blown to hell and I'm facing prison time. What in the hell were you thinking when you and Junior posed for those picture? They have no choice but to convict you even if they don't want to."

"We didn't know that we had a turncoat!" Lawrence said.

"This is exactly why you shouldn't have posed in those pictures!" Elam shot back. "You're stupidity and need to brag is what got us in this mess!"

"You're a fine one to talk; you've got a turncoat too! How in the hell did they find us so fast? Maybe you're a plant, is that why you're here?" Lawrence replied hotly.

Elam looked at Lawrence and started to laugh, "I'm in here because of you and that crazy assed kid of yours! I was doing just fine until your sorry asses blew into town. You don't get it do you? I have agents in different parts of the country and because of you every fucking agent is going to be checked out. If we're lucky some of them will remain in place. I wish that you had stayed your asses in South Carolina or gone somewhere else besides here."

No one noticed that Harvey had left the cells.

Charles waited on the other side of the door for Harvey to come out.

"What'd you hear?" Charles asked.

"Sumthin bout a man named Doc who called a friend of Mr. Elam's who gave Mr. Elam's name to Doc." Harvey said in a whisper enjoying his brief career as a spy. "Mr. Elam also said that there was other agents in other parts of the country and he hoped that at least some of them wasn't caught."

"Did they mention the friend's name?' Charles asked.

"No sir but Mr. Elam was none to happy bout the call."

Charles slapped Harvey on the back.

"Thank you for your help, you just helped put away some pretty bad men."

"You welcome but you ain't gonna tell nobody that I can hear are ya?"

"No sir! Your secret is safe with me." Charles assured him.

Nick nodded and smiled at the old janitor as he passed by but gave no indication that he knew that he could hear.