Walking an Endless Path Pt. 02

Joe felt that anticipatory tingle on his skin begin as he watched Amy slowly become the tragic woman from the story Doug described. It was like watching the birth of magic, and she hadn't spoken a word yet. Doug and Melissa sat quietly, smiling with their eyes fixed on Amy. Joe knew what was coming, and a grin spread across his relaxed face.

Amy gently placed the script on the low table before Doug and Melissa and stepped back. Suddenly, she looked up at the sky above, grabbed her hair with both hands and wailed at the stars above, crying for the loss of love bound to her very soul. The sound tore from deep in her heart, climbing up her throat and into the night sky. The scream went silent, and Amy slowly sunk to her knees, gasping sobs racking her body like each one was pulling her apart. When she'd almost dropped to the floor, she released her hair and let it fall to obscure her face. She began to pound her small fists against the floor, slowly, painfully, as if to move at all was extreme torture. Gradually, the strikes became faster and harder, filled with more and more rage.

Amy suddenly looked up at Doug and Melissa, and they jumped, her expression warring between grief and rage. Her voice cracking as though destroyed by her screams, she quietly pleaded for her family's return and screamed about the injustice of their murder. Tears fell from her eyes as she described in the softest voice the wonder of kissing the tiny toes of her newborn baby and how she would never do so again. Melissa broke into sobs of her own, even though she seemed unaware of them. Doug's face was frozen and slack-jawed as tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

As if her cries had drained the last of her spirit, Amy slowly crumpled downwards to rest her face against her knees, her long blond tresses hiding her face once more. This brought the scene to a close gracefully.

A shudder seemed to go through her body as Amy released the character. This was her method for remaining herself and not losing herself in the roles she played.

She slowly climbed to her feet and stepped over to Doug and Melissa.

"How was that?" she asked with a shy smile.

Melissa was still crying. She surged to her feet and pulled Amy into a fierce hug, quiet sobs still coming from her lips.

The sudden movement shocked Doug out of his paralysis. He closed his jaw, stiffly got to his feet, and quietly asked to be excused momentarily. Joe saw him heading off towards his office. Amy looked over at Joe with a delicate eyebrow raised in question, and he gave her two thumbs up. She grinned back at him.

Melissa finally wiped her eyes and held Amy's shoulders at arm's length as she peered into the young woman's face.

"I have never been so moved by a performance as I was just now. It felt so real!" she gushed with more than a little awe in her voice. They sat down together and discussed their favorite dramatic performances.

A few minutes later, Doug came back to the group and told them that he'd just got off the phone with a friend of his named Jacquie Rosen, whose talent agency represented many of the big names in Hollywood. He'd made arrangements for Jackie to meet with Amy the following day if Amy was interested.

Amy was stunned. She had an open invitation to meet with Alicia Ravenheart, the woman she'd met at Shakespeare in the Park, and had intended to contact her tomorrow to set up a meeting. However, Alicia wasn't an agent. She was just well-connected in the industry. Amy would still have to arrange for an agent. She hadn't expected to be able to meet with one of this caliber. Now, she felt like she'd forced Doug to make these arrangements.

"Oh! I've imposed on your hospitality!" she cried.

"No! Please! You've done no such thing! I told Jacquie that she'd owe me one if she took you on, and all I ask is that you give my studio first crack at offering you a role. If we get this script, they'd be fools not to cast you for the role you just did for us. Again, I'm just in legal, not casting, but damn! I know talent when it hits me in the heart like you just did!" Doug gushed.

Amy blushed and thanked Doug. She looked at Joe and discovered he was nodding off on the lounge chair. It had been a long day for her brother.

"Melissa, we haven't discussed the hotel you were going to recommend. I think I'd better get Joe to his room before he falls asleep on the patio." Amy said.

"You two are welcome to stay here tonight. It's late, and it looks like Joe isn't going to make it to the hotel." Doug said, grinning at the sleepy man. "And before you say it, it wouldn't be an imposition! As long as you allow me to cook breakfast for you in the morning. I have a new quiche recipe I've been dying to try out on someone!"

"Are you sure?" Amy asked. Then Joe snorted in his sleep.

"I think that's a yes." Doug smiled.

"Thank you both! You've been so generous to Joe and me." Amy said sincerely.

Melissa stood over the sleeping man and asked, "So... how do we get him inside?"

Amy walked over to his side and smiled down at her brother. "If it's not going to rain tonight, you don't. Just toss a blanket over him, and he'll be fine."

The three entered the living room and flipped on the TV to catch the weather report. They were stunned to witness the last second of Joe's face on the screen before the picture cut back to the news anchor.

"If you have any information regarding the current whereabouts of Joseph Neumann or Amy Lynn Neumann, please contact the NSA number on the screen. In other news...."

Doug and Melissa looked at Amy and saw her look of surprise. Of course, they'd just seen how believable her acting was, so the seed of doubt was set. At least, for Doug, it was.

"NSA? Anything you'd like to tell us?" Doug asked.

Amy looked at Doug and blinked. "Yeah, can you find another news channel so we can get the full story on why they are looking for us? I seriously have no idea."

Amy sat down on the couch and raised her eyebrow at Doug. Melissa slapped her brother's arm and took the remote from his hand while she glared at his surprised face.

"Don't be an ass, Doug!" she griped. She clicked through some channels until she found a newscast showing the airport.

"—the power was out for nearly an hour at LAX this evening. Shortly afterward, cleaning staff found two badly injured men in a washroom near one of the gates." Amy and Melissa gasped in unison and looked at each other, then turned to look toward the patio where Joe slept peacefully. They turned back to the TV as the reporter continued.

"Shortly after the men were taken away by ambulance, Los Angeles NSA Director Roger Bannon arrived on the scene and took over the investigation. We've received word that an NSA agent from Washington has also arrived and appears to be working with Director Bannon. Neither has answered any questions, but shortly after arriving at the airport, Director Bannon issued a request for assistance from the public in determining the current location of two potential witnesses: Joseph Neumann and Amy Lynn Neumann." The DMV photos for Joe and Amy were displayed. "If you know the whereabouts of these individuals, please contact the NSA at the number on the screen. Melissa muted the TV, seeing Amy was about to call the number.

Amy entered the number into her cell phone's reminder note app. Suddenly, the cell phone began ringing. She shrieked and dropped it. Embarrassed, Amy scooped it off the floor and saw it was her parent's number.

"Hello?"

"Amy! Is Joe with you? I can't reach his cell. Have you seen the news?" It was Karl, and he sounded upset.

"Dad, I'm just seeing it now. Joe's asleep, and you know he doesn't hear his phone when he's out. I have no idea why they want to talk with us, but I think Joe might. He was using a washroom at the airport, and when he came out, he was missing his shirt, and his pants were wet."

Melissa nodded, recalling that as well. Doug looked more and more upset. Melissa saw this and told him to sit down, which he finally did.

Amy recalled another possibility. "Dad, I think you should also know we had some trouble going through security in Fargo. The machines malfunctioned when Joe went through them. But they let us go, so I thought that was it, but now, I don't know." She noticed the time. "Isn't it past midnight there? How did you see the news about this? Has it been on TV for long?"

"I got a call from our lawyer Christof in New York. I swear the man doesn't sleep. He saw the report and called me immediately. He's waiting for word from me that I've spoken with you and Joe. He'll fly to LA to join you when you meet with the NSA people. Do you have a safe place to stay until he gets there?"

Amy looked at Doug, who was looking seriously stressed. She turned to Melissa. "My Dad wants to know where we'll be until our lawyer can get here to join us when we meet with the NSA people. Maybe you could direct me to that hotel now? I think we've imposed too much as it is." She looked sad.

Melissa looked shocked, then looked angrily at Doug. "You will stay here! It won't be safe for you and Joe to be outside now that your faces have been plastered all over the news. Doug just has to get over his paranoia."

"Please, I don't want to trouble you more than we have—" Amy began.

Doug interrupted her. "No, Mel's right. I'm terribly sorry for my behavior. I haven't been quite myself since those terrorist attacks a few years back. It was shameful of me to immediately assume you were guilty of something. Mel's always been a far better judge of character than I. Please consider staying until your lawyer collects you two," he said humbly.

"Thank you!" Amy said to Doug and Melissa. "Hi Dad, yes, we have someplace to stay until Christof arrives. Do you need the address?"

"No, I will give Christof your number, and he will contact you when he arrives. Can I speak with Joe? Maybe put it on speaker when you get him."

Amy stood up and walked out to the patio. Joe continued to snore softly. She looked down at her brother and felt her heart ache a little. Trouble always seemed to find him, and he was such a gentle soul. "Joe? You need to wake up. Dad needs to talk with you. Trouble." She knew his subconscious would kick him to wakefulness if she used the right words. She'd been doing this with Joe for years.

Joe sat up with a snort and glanced around. He saw Amy standing next to the chair with a concerned look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Come talk to Dad," she said, returning to the living room.

Joe pushed himself to his feet and shuffled sleepily into the room. He saw the TV was on, and everyone was looking at him expectantly. "Did I miss something while I was asleep?" he asked.

"We're on TV, Joe. The NSA is looking for us as witnesses to an assault that took place in the airport. Do you know anything about that? Wait before you answer, I'll put my phone on speaker. Dad? I have Joe and our new friends Doug and Melissa Wilson with me."

"Hello!" Karl said. "I'm terribly sorry to impose on your hospitality to watch over my kids until our lawyer arrives."

Joe was watching the muted TV screen and saw scenes of the airport gate corridor then his and Amy's DMV photos appeared and disappeared.

"Oh god! All this for a mugging?" Joe gasped.

"What?" said Karl, Amy, and Doug.

"Sorry. I went into the washroom to use the toilet. When I got out to wash my hands, there were two strange men there, one standing at each end of the room. I tried to ignore them, but one tried shooting me with a Taser, but it exploded. He was hurt pretty bad by his gun. The other one hit me with some kind of metal stick, then looked like he was pulling a gun, so I hit him. They were both unconscious when I left the room. I bandaged the first guy's hand with my t-shirt, as it was a gruesome mess. I thought they were just muggers! Weren't they? Is that saying who they were?" Joe said, pointing to the silent TV screen.

"Why didn't you tell us what happened?" Amy asked.

"I made you wait two months while I healed before coming to Hollywood. I didn't want you to get stuck in a police station for who knows how long on your first day here. And I certainly didn't want to drag Melissa into that mess... but I guess I've just made matters worse." Joe looked defeated. "I'm so sorry, Amy. Melissa, Doug, we can leave if you'd like."

"No, Joe, we've already had that conversation. You two are safest here until your lawyer arrives." Doug insisted.

"Dad? Are you there?" Joe asked.

Karl had been silent since hearing of the attack. Of the people listening to this conversation, only he and his wife Clara knew why Joe was drawn into these extraordinary events. Clara was sitting with him, listening in silence for now. She put her hand on Karl's arm and nodded.

"Joseph, honey? It's your Mom. We're both here now."

"Oh, hi, Mom! I was going to ask what you want us to do."

"Just stay where you are; we'll call when we arrive. We'll ask Christof to pick us up on the way to LA. Hopefully, we will see you tomorrow evening."

"You're all coming?" Joe asked in surprise.

"Yes. We'll see you tomorrow. Your father has to call Christof now. Good night, everyone!" and she hung up.

Joe looked at Amy, who was wearing the same surprised and worried look as him.

Chapter 7

Glennville, North Dakota, was barely a speck on the map when Karl's parents first emigrated from Germany and set up their homestead just outside the small village. They chose Glennville for the potential they saw in it and the privacy it offered them. Once wealthy industrialists, center stage in the inner circle of politicos and celebrities, they became sickened by the greed and low moral integrity of their so-called peers. They shunned that life to return to their roots as farmers and brought their vast wealth with them. Wishing to remain anonymous, they had their lawyers set up investment companies that carefully began to funnel money into the town to build schools and hospitals and rebuild its infrastructure from the ground up. The speck that was Glennville would have been gone within a decade if it hadn't been for their investment and careful management.

Early in this process, their law firm insisted that they upgrade the small regional airport to enable it to host jets. The lawyers were tired of driving all the way from Fargo. Karl's parents looked into this and determined they could go one better. They invested in constructing a state-of-the-art training center for air traffic controllers and emergency response teams with the latest equipment and hired top trainers. With the upgraded support infrastructure in place, the law firm performed a minor miracle by working their way through the labyrinth of rules and regulations the Federal Aviation Authority forced upon them before allowing jets to land there. Ultimately, the airport had two extended runways, a jet fuel storage and fueling center, and large hangers for storing larger aircraft. Best of all, they brought a new industry to the small town.

Karl and Clara could now take advantage of their family's forward thinking. Once the law firm's corporate jet had been refueled, they boarded. Their next stop would be LA.

Christof Waechter and Selina Bergstrӧm met them on the jet and offered them some refreshments. Christof explained that their other partner, Natalya Volkov, was currently in Russia dealing with another client but sent her regards. The four sat in deep, comfortable chairs that faced each other so they could conduct business during the flight.

Christof was in one of his impeccably tailored suits, which perfectly fit his trim, compact body. Always the epitome of style and sophistication, Christof was a force of nature in the courtroom. He'd practiced criminal law early in his career but now worked in corporate law with his partners Selina and Natalya. Their law firm had represented Karl's father and now Karl for many years. Christof was generally a serious man, but they'd received a few of his rare smiles over the years. His greying hair lent him a distinguished air.

Karl and Clara had met Selina only once, as she spent much of her time in Europe. They'd spoken on the phone, but it was nice to meet her again. She also wore a fine, tailored suit over her slim, athletic body. She spent much of her free time skiing and hiking, so staying fit was important to her. She was taller than Christof and showed no gray in her long blond hair, which was currently pulled back into a bun. She was roughly the same age as her partner, but Karl had to admit he couldn't really guess how old either was. They both had such amazing vitality.

Once they were back in the air, Christof began. "It is good to see you both again, but I'm not sure why you felt it was necessary to join us for these meetings. I assure you Selina and I are well equipped to deal with the NSA in this matter."

Karl and Clara had spoken the night before about the clear and present danger that Joe's little secret would not remain a secret much longer. Joe's description of the attack made it clear to them that there would be an investigation in which some very uncomfortable questions would be asked, which Joe wouldn't be able to answer to anyone's satisfaction. They agreed it was time to take proactive steps to build a defense for Joe, if possible. This meant they could no longer remain the only ones who knew of Joe's... difference. The only other witness to what Karl saw when he found the weakened newborn in the cornfield more than two decades ago was Glennville's last sheriff, Jeff Monroe. He'd passed away two years ago. Karl had disclosed the events to Clara, and only they knew that Joe had been exposed to something... alien that night.

As an infant, Joe had almost succumbed to various life-threatening medical conditions on multiple occasions but had pulled through miraculously. Their family doctor, Doc Watson, was aware of Joe's unique condition but didn't know its source. Out of respect for Karl's late father and as a repayment of the debt he owed the man, he refrained from pursuing it but only grudgingly.

Karl and Clara had kept the secret even from Joe, believing his ignorance was his best defense against discovery, and they wanted him to have a normal life. The threat of his being incarcerated and studied in a lab was ever-present in their minds. Now that one of their government's largest security agencies focused on their son, they wanted to ensure he was protected as best they could. This meant bringing the right people into their confidence.

"Trust me, Christof, Clara and I fully believe in your and Selina's capabilities. You have never failed us, and we've put you on the spot on a number of occasions." Karl said, his look apologetic. "I'm afraid we're going to be putting you and the firm into another tricky situation. Possibly the largest one yet. If you wish to reconsider your involvement with our family after you hear what I have to say, we won't hold it against you."

Christof's eyebrows rose, and he looked at Selina, who was equally surprised.

Karl leaned forward and struggled for a minute to find a proper way to begin. Clara put her hand on his arm, and he covered it with his, taking comfort in the strength she gave him. "First off, is this conversation secure? Are there any recording devices present? What I'm about to say must not be recorded for Joe's protection. Only the two of you are being included in having this information."

Christof looked once more at Selina, who spoke for the two of them. "Karl, the cabin is free of recording devices, and the pilot and co-pilot are isolated from us unless we use the intercom."

Taking a deep breath, Karl nodded and began again. "Do you recall the story of how I found Joe in the cornfield?" They nodded. "Do you remember the sheriff at that time, Jeff Monroe? His official statement was that he and I investigated some weird lights in the furthest field on our property and found an illegal drug operation. That we were attacked with homemade flame throwers, and they fled. That we found the infant once they ran away." Karl looked down at his hands, which were clasped together, white-knuckled. He released them and shook away the tightness. "That story was eminently more reasonable, rational, and easier to sell than what actually happened that night. I still have nightmares occasionally. I'm going to tell you, but understand one thing. While I can't forget the events of that night, I don't have any real answers to explain them. Could I get some water?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly as his mouth had gone dry.