Plans Change The Story Continues 1

I had not intended on doing anything beyond sitting and watching the sunset; I listened for hours to Christina as she told me what was going on and thanked me for saving her hide by buying up all the stock.  I did not tell her that it was a joint effort.  I would need to call my new partner on some matters which was one of the few times if did talk these days was when I had to talk with my partners or when Steven was out visiting while off from film school.  I did not expect any other company and so was not watching the road leading to my cabin until Christina asked if anyone else lived out here.  I walked to my truck and pulled out the rifle and used the scope. One of the reasons I had chosen this location was that I could see you long before you could see my cabin.  To distract Christina I asked her why she annulled the marriage to her sheriff.

I thought she was going to faint and then she asked how long had I been speaking; as I tracked the SUV I told her most of my life except for a short stint after some rabid beast tried to rip my head off.  She told me that dog was not rabid and I told her maybe so but when it had its muzzle around my throat trying to crush my windpipe and succeeding I figured there were only two reasons a nice little puppy would do such a thing it was either rabid or someone had trained it to do so upon command.  She told me of course they were trained and then as she looked at my throat she paused and said if I had not broken that man's finger.  I nodded and said I had accepted it was my fault for wanting to go see the mother of my children and I would never make the same mistake twice.  When I realized it was our oldest daughter at the wheel with several other passengers I lowered the rifle.  Christina just grasped that I had rifle attached to the scope and asked if it was loaded.  I nodded and told her yes it was loaded as it was not much use otherwise.  Going back to my chair I sat and waited with the rifle laying across my lap and went back to my silence.  Christina kept asking questions which I did not answer until finally right before Julie arrived with whoever she was bringing I asked Christina why she was here.  When she said she came to see me I told her it probably would have been cheaper to go to the zoo.  She reached up and grabbed her hair and I could see the gray starting at the roots, hers actually looked good against her blond hair and silhouetted against the sunset, I had to turn away. I told her I was sorry for that.

She told me she could fix it if it bothered me.  I shook my head and told her it was a good reminder of my life I stopped.  We had to stop the conversation as Julie pulled up and climbed out.  With her was the tiny blond, a raven haired Mariana all the way from whatever resort she was now managing and my old handler. When Julie saw her mom she said Oh.  I got up and went and put my rifle back in the truck.  When Rachel as I found out her real name was asked what the rifle was for I told her killing things.  All the women asked if I could talk and my daughter asked if I had gone to that speech therapist, I asked if she was talking about that cute brunette who used to hang out with her mom and posse.  I told her no before she could answer.  Giving me a hug Julie told me I was doing very well for almost having my throat ripped off.  I nodded and asked what she was doing here and she told me she had paperwork for me to sign and since I would not go to the office she decided to force Chris to tell her where I lived.  I told her she found it and what she saw was she got.  Christina said it was quite cute for a bachelor pad.  I shrugged and went to my truck and checked my messages.  My first one told me this visit home would be short lived as I needed to go south, I sent back my reply asking if I could have a few days to thaw out first.  I had a message to call the office as there were some documents for me to sign.  I called the office and Steven who had not proved compatible for field work did prove to be a much better administrator than I ever was told me that Julie was bringing up the paperwork  I told him she was here along with Christina, and a few others.  He told me I was talking and I told him I am sorry if he had not noticed it earlier but yes I was talking.  He told me no I was talking; I nodded and replied that yes and I had to say something to distract my wife while I found out who was paying me a visit.  Steve asked when I got remarried and I told him it was a slip of the tongue.  After filling me in on upcoming projects I told him I would be stopping by to drop off my rig before I flew south.  When I finished with him I put in a call to Salvador and left a message.

The last message was from the colonel asking me to call when I had a chance.  I turned off the phone and put it back to charge.  Marian was standing behind me taking in the view when I turned around.  Walking inside I started my laundry and cleaned the place without talking to anyone.  At just over a thousand square feet it was not a bad house for one person.  Julie asked what she was supposed to eat; I told her since I had not invited anyone over I had not gone shopping but if she was really hungry there was a nice cactus patch not far off and just over the rise there was a small oasis with some cattails which should be ready to harvest. Going into my room I closed the door and sat on the couch Christopher had helped me build using hides and lattice work.  I was trying to avoid thinking about the fact my ex was sitting outside with three women who I had told if I was not married I would date and technically according to Miriam we were a couple even though I had not seen her but once since being released from the hospital, when I had to go down and change the combination back for the new manager and to arrange transportation for an elephant which had joined a breeding program thanks to mom who liked having an elephant as a pet but knew it needed more than just her to keep it company.  Once the wash was done I went out and hung it on the line and as I was heading back in to take a shower, Rachel asked if I needed a dryer and told her I had one nodding to the clothes line but if I was stuck having to dry them inside I did have one of those as well.  Once out of the shower I went back out to my truck and climbed in.  Julie asked where I was going, I told her I was headed into town to get something to eat.  Christina asked if I was just going to leave without saying good bye, or inviting them.  I looked out across the desert and turning back told her not to get me wrong but less than two years ago or maybe it was more than that as part of the time I had been in isolation and well maybe it was the isolation but I had grown accustomed to the fact I would be living my life alone and would mostly be eating alone and then would die alone and probably not from old age.

Miriam asked what about us, Christina looked at her and then me, Miriam told her not to worry I had spent most of my time playing with polar bears and reindeer and those elvish men.  Looking over at her I smiled and told her they really were elves  and Santa was real, and I just needed to help him with his new sleigh.  She climbed in and asked really what was it that I do I looked back to the rear of the truck which held besides the extra fuel tank, a small generator, a torch, and a welder along with surveying equipment.  I told her it depended on the day of the week but on Sunday I tried to take the day off and catch up on my reading as I pointed to the Good Book Christian climbed in over me and took the center seat and picked up what had been her dad's Good Book  Julie went and locked her rig and climbed in behind me and then told me to hold on as she jumped out went back and grabbed her attache case.  As Rachel climbed in behind Miriam she told me I needed a dog.  I told her I needed a dog like I needed a hole in my head.  Little Ms. Blondie who had gone for a walk came back and asked where she was going to sit.  I put out my hand and she looked at me and told me she would ride in the back.  I shrugged and told her I wanted my money.  She asked what money and I told her she was the one who sold my house, she asked if I was talking about the old barn.  I stopped and told them this would not work and they needed to get out.  When Julie asked who I told her everyone who was not driving.  The lawyer told me for my information she did not sell the house as it was now in limbo and her clients money was now sitting in an escrow account.  Julie told her dad not to worry as the buyers had not been told that there would be no egress or ingress and were backing out of the deal.  Grabbing my phone I pulled out my phone from its holder and climbed out.  Christina asked if we were still eating.  Shrugging I got back in to the truck and went back to silent mode.  Miriam asked what did I really do. Julie fielded that question and told her I was the boss so I did whatever I wanted.  I shook my head.  Christina said she kind of wanted to know what it was I did as well.  I told her I fix stuff or try to keep it from breaking before it breaks if I can't get them to build it correctly in the first place and sometimes I just improve on what is already there.  Christina smiled and told me that was funny cause she did the same thing  Reaching over she pulled up Miriam's top and told me she made them better.  I almost lost it as I
 reached over and pulled Miriam's blouse back down.  Julie told her mom to behave or she would stop the car. I did stop the truck as I saw another cloud of dust coming up the road at a good clip.  I climbed out reached behind Julie and pulled my rifle down.  Climbing up into the bed I waited until I could see the car before using the scope.  It was the hummer so climbing back down I waited, it did not take long for it to get close enough to see faces and I used the scope again and heard Christina yell at me that was her sons car.  Christopher though was not driving.  I was almost ready to pull the trigger when I saw him sit up in the back and point towards the cabin.  Putting the safety back on I put the rifle back in its place.  The women had all climbed out of the truck and Christina was mad but I waited.

When her son's vehicle came to a screeching halt in front of me, the women backed away.  I new the voice from the cloud of dust before I could see her.  When Brianne, came running up to give me a hug she almost knocked me over.  Christina told me I almost shot my daughter.  Christopher told her to calm down and looking at me he told me he was sorry but he had been forced to tell them where I lived.  I told him it was okay but next time do the driving or at least take a nap sitting up in the front seat.  When a young lady climbed out of the back I shook my head.  Getting back into my truck I took off alone letting my family say hello.  I went ahead and did some small shopping and then bought a couple of take and bake pizzas and a couple of bottles of the stuff that passed for wine before heading back up to my place.  When I arrived they were already eating and Christopher told me he had stopped on the way.  Looking at the pizzas I tossed them in his rig and told him tonight he was not staying, he looked at me and then at the girl who had come with him and said she was actually going back with Bri as they were on spring break.  I asked how he was getting back as I would be heading out in a day or so.  He told me he could hike back; just then we heard the first flyover of the warplanes heading in on their practice bombing run.  Another reason I liked my place was no one else wanted to come out here on account of the military range not far away. By midnight I shooed everyone out and told them Laughlin would have the best rates for rooms on their way back.  Miriam, Christina and Rachel stayed behind and I told them it would get cold sleeping outside and the planes might keep them up.  I sat down to watch the planes and listen to the bombs exploding in the distance.  For the next seven hours they kept coming and as always the last plane to fly over tipped his wings.  Rachel said it was almost as if they knew I was home and I pointed to the lights.  Her next question was to ask if they knew who lived in this cabin.  I smiled and told her good night.  When she asked where they were going to sleep I pointed toward the west and told her that Laughlin was that way or they were welcome to hug a piece of dirt.  Going to my truck I grabbed my rifle, phone, keys and computer and went inside locking the door for the first time since I had built the place at least when I was home.  Christina was the first to get me up to say she needed to use the restroom and ask if she could borrow a blanket and then seeing the small private patio she asked if she could use one of the chaise lounges, I told her to get her friends and tell them to come in and pick a lounge.  I pulled out several blankets and pillows out of my closets.

They all had overnight bags and I eyed them as they made arrangements as to who was showering first.  I had to get towels as well for them.  I left the french doors open as was my habit to let the cool air fill the house.  I was reviewing some files when Julie with the blond came back and said she could not leave yet as I had not signed the paperwork.  She handed me a folder and asked where the pillows and blankets were, I pointed to the closet.  I only had four chaise lounge chairs so Julie said she was taking the couch.  Then the hummer came back.  I heard Christopher come in and go to the kitchen and came in to tell me he got more breakfast stuff and then I heard the couch getting pulled into a bed and I told him if he was not married to someone he better be sleeping alone.  I heard the girl ask if I was serious and Bri told her that yes her dad was serious which was why they would be bunk mates with Julie and her little brother had to sleep outside in the back of his Tonka toy.  I rarely slept at night anymore and took naps when I needed them, so I stayed up reading and making phone calls to Salvador who was in Costa Rico but would be headed down to Panama where he wanted me to hook with him and take a look at some plans.  The man had picked up fast but was no engineer or designer for that matter but as a business man he hustled and was currently looking to make us the engineering firm and general contractor for several large projects that would mean work for at least the next six years.  I read through the contracts and had to wake up Julie twice to explain to me what I was signing.  Knowing where she stored her files on our servers helped and I made the changes I saw necessary had her look at them and then signed them.  Within a week FES would be a piece of history as we would assume all its assets into our current company.  I went and checked on the finances and realized many of the funds that had been funneled through the company had been locked into it by the sale and our subsequent going private again.

Sooner or later someone was going to come looking for those funds but they would be gone and as I did the math it slowly came to me I actually had a net gain on the purchase as in all of the accounts if they were correct there was more money than I had lost and then used to buy back the company add that to the tax breaks we had been given when we put in our main operating centers and the gain of owning a piece of Christina's surgery centers.  I could hear her whispering and went out and asked why she had not taken her surgery centers off the contracts.  She looked at me for a long time and then told me she was a doctor and good at what she did but was not a business woman beyond actually running a couple of surgery centers which she did not actually do on a day to day basis. I nodded and went back to my work until I heard the birds began to embrace the morning.  After shutting down I looked out at the now sleeping women.  Christina never did explain why she annulled her marriage to the sheriff and yes I still loved her having to deal with whatever mess that would bring was not something I was sure I could deal with.  Rachel though beautiful and at the moment sleeping in such a manner that nothing was hidden, I had to inhale Miriam was not much different and then she rolled over causing her blanket to fall off in what was still a cool morning.  I went out and covered her up as I did with Rachel, who on a closer look you could see the years of stress taking their toll.  Leaning over I kissed Christina out of habit I guessed, she curled up and moaned.  I went out for my morning run.  I kept it down to ten miles as I had not slept the day before except for a brief nap at a rest stop.

The house was a buzz of activity as Christopher had started the campfire to cook outside.  Christina asked how I slept and I told her I had not slept yet and would just as soon as I showered and they all left.  Bri asked why she could not stay as it was spring break.  I told her she was young and Lake Havasu was not far and if she dropped my name at any of the boat rental places she would soon find one that new me and would beg her to use one of their boats and strip down into a bikini, but if she was adamant she could stay as long as she was quiet.  I locked the bedroom door until Christina told me she might have to go, I shrugged.  Dreams came fast and hard since I had not been able to clear my mind.  Christopher who had seen it before and seemed to understand kept everyone out of the room allowing me to wake up from my nightmares without women asking if I was okay.  After showering I went out and walked up to the oasis and laying in the thick grass I had illegally planted which was kept mowed by some out of place big horn sheep I did sleep for several hours.  When I got back down to the house no one had left and they all had somber faces except for Christopher.  Christina started the questioning asking why I did not tell her; I told her there was nothing to tell and since I lived alone I really did not see what she was having issue with.  She pointed to my room and I told her those were called nightmares and you learned to live with them and on most nights when I was able to clear my mind without having a houseful of women wanting to chat I did sleep okay for what it was.  She asked when did they start and I told her shortly after those dogs had decided I was as good as their gravy train which would not have happened if her gate was not illegally hot wired to the power lines.  Before she could answer I told her what was done was done and I did not blame her or anyone else for that matter as everyone saw the world through their glasses and did what they thought they had to do.  She asked if i could at least tell her what the dreams were about; I told her no I could not but she should let it be that she was on many nights in them as if someone had edited my life in my dreams to punish me.

Christopher's girlfriend said she was studying to get her psychology degree, smiling I told her to stick with it and when she was finished I could introduce her to several reputable doctors who were always looking for bright minds to mentor.  Rachel asked if I was going to take the advice of that judge; I looked at her and asked was she asking as a friend, a handler or a cop.  Before she could answer I held my hand up and told them last night was rather unusual as I showed up after working for the most part non stop for six months to find my ex wife who had gone and remarried on my doorstep which happened to be previously a rather well kept secret and then my daughter shows up with three more women one of which did her best to help destroy what life I did have after I kept hers from if not being ruined at least severely handicapped and along with her she had brought two women who yes at one time I did have some intentions toward.  I then looked at my son and said after that he shows up with his sister who I had to admit almost got shot and would have if I had not seen his face pop up in the back seat and with him he had a pretty young thing who really did not need this in her life.  She asked what did she not need in her life and smiling I told her me.  I walked into my bedroom and closed the door.  I called Ben and asked when he could have a plane ready to go to Panama. He I supposed having been a soldier in his youth had some idea what I was dealing with asked how my night had been and I asked if he meant before or after I almost shot Bri.  He asked me what she was doing at my place and I told him he could ask her himself along with Christina who apparently just annulled her marriage to the sheriff, then there was her little blond lawyer, Rachel, Miriam, Julie, Christopher and his girlfriend.  Ben asked if they were all still alive and I laughed and told him thanks for keeping the faith and yes they were still alive and if he could come get them I would appreciate it.   He asked if he could talk to Christina; I went and handed her the phone and told her to use my room as this should be a private conversation.  Christopher called me dad when he said he was sorry, I told him he could not know what lies inside the mind of another man but next time please give me some warning.  He asked if that meant they could stay and I told him I would really love to say yes but I it might be best if they went to Ben's.  Christopher began looking around and then asked how far Ben lived from hear.  I nodded to the mountains and told him technically I was living on a part of Ben's ranch.

Christopher to change the subject asked how I met Ben; I nodded for us to walk and told Christopher I would deny ever telling him if this went to court but I had gone in and grabbed Ben when his plane went down in a really bad neighborhood and then got both of us out again.  He told me that he supposed if he ever got the details it would make a good movie, nodding I told him it would be a box office hit but those details would not come from me.  Nodding he said going horse camping might be fun; I nodded and said it would be a whole lot easier on the young lady and might get her to forget what she did not see or hear.  As we walked back I told him she might want to not tell anyone exactly where I lived.  Christopher said he would keep he occupied as they left just as he had when they came in.  Running ahead he started hollering asking if anyone wanted to go horse back riding.  Julie had said it might be fun.  I told her I had to go by and see Steven before I left and would deliver the documents and she should go.  Miriam asked how far they had to go and I told her just up over the hills and she might enjoy herself and the ranch she would be staying on was owned by a couple who owned a very large air charter service.  Walking over to me she wrapped her arms around me and asked if she did not like it there if she could come back.  I was about to tell her no, when Christina came out of my room and gave me one of her awkward smiles and told everyone there was a change of plans the horses were being brought here and my appointment in Panama was being moved.  I eyed her and she told me not to blame her but when she talked to her security manager she asked her to pass it on.  She must have noticed the slight change in my eyes as she walked over to Miriam and told her if she did not mind she would like to borrow her husband; I whispered ex.  Her lawyer said not to sweat the details.  I followed Christina outside and as I looked I realized there had been no vehicle when I pulled up the day before just her sitting out front of my house.

I went and took a seat by the fire pit and waited.  She asked if we could walk and I told her to be my guest. Looking around she came over and sat next to me.  Pulling her legs up against her chest I did not hide the fact I was staring.  Turning red she told me I was not helping. I went to stand and leave when she asked me to please let her say what she needed to tell me.  Leaning back and closing my eyes after getting a nice look at her legs, I thought to myself that I could not blame the sheriff for wanting to get into her pants.  Before she could say anything I told her as much.  Christina asked how I knew that was all it was.  I ignored the question and asked why she had said yes to marrying the man.  She told me she thought I liked him; opening one eye I shook my head.  She looked at me with a question in her eyes and I told her she had to go first.  She said fine, and looking down told me the man had told her what she had wanted to hear come from my lips and made her feel young again.  I told her she was not old and was still a head turner.  She told me accept for the one head she really wanted to turn.  I turned to look at her and asked whose head she wanted to turn, because if it was mine I would be glad to stare at her all day except it would be too painful for me and she would get mad and tell me I was being creepy, and it would be too painful for me and would not really accomplish anything or help me understand where I had gone wrong in the first place.  She asked why I thought I had gone wrong, just then her son came out and told me he was leading everyone up to the oasis.  I nodded and told him to take the rifle as right about now the bighorn sheep should grazing.  He nodded and Christina told me i could not have her son shoot a bighorn sheep.  I nodded and went back to my eyes closed and head back into the chair.  He told her not to worry as it was a precaution just in case they met something that did want to eat those awesome creatures.  Miriam came out in a bikini top running shoes and short shorts as did my old handler except her shorts were not really shorts but the bottom half of her bikini.  Behind them was my wife's attorney and she asked if I minder her getting some sun.  I almost choked when she pulled off her sun dress to reveal the fact she had not a single tan line.  She came over and dropped it in my lap and told me she had been informed that I could sew and she was wondering if I could take up the hem an inch or two.  As she headed out my youngest daughter shrugged and took off her shirt.

I looked away and closed my eyes, she told me it was okay she was an adult and anyway mom had been okay with her sunbathing.  I smiled and told her first I did not mind her sunbathing I just preferred her doing it either clothed or in private.  I held up the dress and said yes I could sew but my rates were a thousand dollars an hour and she needed to be wearing the dress so I could hem it proper.  I felt the dress be taken from my hand and was asked if I really charged a thousand dollars an hour, I said it depended on who was asking and but yes my rates went that high depending on the situation and what I was doing.  Christina said it was just sewing up a hem and I told her yes it was a hem but I figured if I had to stare at that woman while pinning her hem up and refrain from putting her over my knee, I stopped and said with the money she earned from getting my ex to rob me blind she could afford my rates.  Christina told me to cool off, I nodded and standing up went to my truck and started cleaning it out.  Christina came over and after watching for awhile asked if I wanted to know why she divorced me.  I looked up and she looked down told me that after sleeping with that women she thought I would be angry and divorce her and when I did not contact her after going to the hospital she got mad and when she finally asked about getting a divorce she took the advice of the two lawyers who had helped those girls out.  I nodded and kept working.  I finally asked if she had slept with the sheriff, she told me she had married the man. I stopped and asked then why was she here; she told me that she had needed to go somewhere where he could not get to her until things blew over.  I asked if I could have my phone.  When she handed it to me I dialed a number I had memorized and when the sheriff answered I asked what he had done to Christina.

The man evaded the question and asked if I knew where she was as they needed to talk.  I told him as a matter of fact I did.  Christina looked horrified and I told him I might help arrange a meeting if he told me what he had done to her.  When he did not answer I told him fine I would find out another way and if he happened to be on my little estate their in the desert he needed to get off and take his henchmen with him.  He asked or what; I smiled and told him he might just be in the position to find out.  I looked at Christina who almost screamed asking what I thought I was doing.  I told her if she was not ever going to tell me the truth I would find out.  Christina asked what I would do with the truth; shrugging I said if it was just they did not get along or he was just a jerk who she found out just wanted to get into her panties and checkbook then nothing but since she annulled a marriage which she had more or less admitted she had consummated signified to me if I knew her that something was seriously wrong and he had done something to hurt her or one of  her children but she should not worry since according to the courts she had never actually married the man and had just been banging him for the fun of it.  When she went to slap me I moved and pivoting twice was behind her and asked if she would kindly stop revering to violence or I would have her arrested for trespassing and assault.   Christina said fine and turned around and kissed me instead.  When I could I pulled back and told her to please refrain from that as well.  When she pulled off her top I told her I had seen them and went back to organizing my truck.  She asked if I was for real;  I looked up at her and grabbing her t shirt told her there were a couple of things she needed to know was that yes I was for real and two recent history between us or lack of kind of put what she wanted into a certain context and before i would even think about it I would need her to see a doctor of my choosing as I really did not need to share whatever it was she had gained from sleeping with that fraud.

I put it on her and she grabbed my hands and told her the truth was yes he had wanted into her panties but he also wanted to get into her daughter's panties as well but that was not why she refused to sleep with him on their wedding night or any time thereafter and yes she had slept with him before then twice.  I went back to working and passed the time as I waited for her to fill in the details of how she had been approached by her best friend who told her that I had hired a team of real security pros and there were only three of them and I wanted them to be her security detail and they had recorded him telling someone that he had the bitch and would soon have me by the sack.  I knew who she was talking about but had not remembered hiring them on a full time basis.  She told me they had needed to put her somewhere where she could get into any more trouble while they dealt with her other ex's BS and had heard I would be back yesterday so they had the colonel drop her off.  Christina told me the man was worried about me and I told her that was nice but I did not need his or anyone else's sympathy.  She did not say anything for awhile and finally told me the scars did not look that bad on my neck.  Shrugging I told her I never said they did but I would like to know why she thought the man wanted to sleep with my daughter.  She looked at me for awhile and told me that her ex had told her so and had wanted her to arrange for them to do a threesome or a foursome as he wanted to have sex with both of their daughters and her at the same time.  I told her she had a strange way of thinking that was saying the right thing or she had a really low value of her daughters if she agreed to marry him after that.  She asked for me to put myself in her shoes and I told her I was her I would have never divorced me and kept my promise instead of pounding in the nail that would forever seal the coffin.  Jumping down off my truck she said she got it that I was mad but was I willing to throw away our lives together.  I told her no but since she had already done so not that I can blame her with the way I had treated her for almost fifteen years.

Christina said the colonel on this trip had told her why I had to keep from keeping her apprised of the details of my life and made her realize while she was back here living it up her husband who she had thought was living it up in those glamorous cities she read about in books was actually more often than not living a life almost desolate of any life.  I looked at her and she shook her head and told me he had not gone into details but did explain that if I had not done what I had been doing her life would be far different.  I ignored the comment and asked her what exactly was she told about my appointment.  She took my phone and called a number and then handed me the phone, it was the ex marine from Mexico and I asked her if she could tell me what was going on and she told me since I was the boss.  She told me when they realized something was not right with the sheriff they had decided to investigate and she was chosen to go undercover at his bachelor party.  I asked where she had hidden her sidearm, she told me when she got up there she would let me search her to find out.  I told her I had a good idea and she laughed saying actually she had not carried any weapons as those heels were weapon enough and what man did I know that would fight the stripper.  She then said not to answer adding that she had managed to get a partial copy of my file, I told her I had not been fighting bu trying to save her life and told her that was still classified and was told that no it was actually top secret but she still had her clearance which is really helpful in her line of work.  I asked her then what she might know about a meeting of mine changing; she apologized for that but as all executive security fell to her she had to say that for the sake of those that had been listening in and I should enjoy myself but if I would not mind she would like to keep the doc at my place for now.  I looked at Christina and new by the time I got back my place would be rearranged and given how many people now new where I lived it was time for a change.  I told the marine it was done and I would have my stuff cleared out by night fall.

Hanging up I began deciding what was going and what I would be replacing.  More or less I packed my laundered clothes and by nightfall when Christina's Security detail showed up I was ready to leave.  I was pulled aside and told by one of the men that I should really think about sitting back.  I asked why.  When he said their were still threats I told him next time I would move instead of waiting for the bullet to strike.  Dropping the work truck the next morning at our world headquarters which was located on a small ranch rather than on a golf course I picked up my new vehicle after making use of the office computers.  A couple of the boys from FES had been there and finding out I was heading to Panama they asked to be assigned to go with me. Steven agreed that someone else should be there besides my other partner who was as clueless as he was when it came to technical drawings.  I nodded and said separate flights from separate cities.  I made the drive back to California to talk to a reporter before flying south and as I had waited at Christina's little ranch the sheriff came by and found I had filed a few legal documents of my own and finally got the files for my settlements against the county and the sheriff's office.  Sleep came hard that night as the dreams came back even worse  I woke up hearing Christina and had to get my bearings and asked what she was doing here.  She told me it was her house at the moment and she had a procedure later on and needed to start planning it out the fact that we were in the same bed got me to wondering and she told me she had thought about it but no she had respected my wishes.