Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 20:09:17 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Theresa - chapter 23 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Chapter 23 Storm Front Al had heard it over the car radio as he was on his way to the complex. There was a severe snowstorm over New York, causing traffic problems in Albany and New York City. All flights out of and to those cities had been canceled until further notice. Fortunately, there weren't any serious accidents as yet, although there had been several minor accidents in the cities. Al now understood why Theresa was not yet back from New York. But it didn't help his being worried about her. *Another thing for me to worry about on top of Sam's situation*, Al thought as he pulled into the complex's garage. Even after a good night's sleep, Al still couldn't think how Sam could possibly prevent the accident that would kill seven people, one of whom had not been born yet. At the same time, Al knew that, if Sam succeeded, it could mean someone else's death and Sam would never accept that. Al didn't know what Sam was going to do and he didn't think Sam knew either. Al sighed slightly at the situation as he get out of the Ferrari Testers and walked to the security entrance to the complex. He was by now very familiar with the security system that Tina had installed. Still, he once tried to hurry the procedure and had to wait a couple of hours before he could get into the complex. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He stepped up and placed his hand on a silver plate just below a blank video screen. At his touching the plate, the screen came to life with the words "Identification please" typed on it. Al obliged it. "Calavicci, Albert Franklin, Rear Admiral, United States Navy. Identification number 377-29-4980." The screen's print changed quickly, giving the order "Prepare for retina scan please." Al placed his right eye over what looked like a telescope in the wall. "Processing," the screen read. A moment later, the main door opened as the screen read "Thank you, Admiral Calavicci. Have a good day." "Yeah, you too," Al muttered slightly as he entered the complex. "Get up on the wrong side of the bed?" Donna asked as he came in. Al looked up at her voice. "Aren't you supposed to be at home? You're usually not up until after nine." "I couldn't sleep," Donna admitted. "I just came in myself. Been waiting for the elevator." "Worried about Sam, aren't you?" Al concluded as he pulled out his ID encoded card. He slipped it into a slot beside the elevator door and said his name to allow himself access to the elevator. After this step, he would only need to touch a plate by the elevator to go from level to level. "A little," Donna admitted to Al's query. "But, then again, aren't I always?" Al laughed slightly as the elevator door opened to allow its two occupants to enter. "Quite a storm in New York," Donna commented. "Is Theresa okay?" "I haven't heard from her but I'm sure she's okay," Al answered briefly. The elevator stopped at the sixth level where both stepped out of the elevator. "You're worried about her," Donna concluded by the brevity of Al's answer. "Of course, I am," Al answered as they walked towards their offices. "I can't help worrying about her. We've become good friends." Donna smiled and nodded. "I know that you mean. I've become rather attached to her myself." She turned to him as they stopped at her office. "At least try not to worry about her too much." "Don't worry," Al told as he continued on to his office. "I have enough to do today then to spend my time worrying about a woman who can obviously take care of herself." Al entered his office, taking his jacket off as he did so. He threw his jacket over a chair as he went to his desk and sat down. He turned on his computer, giving himself access to the entire complex's computer network. He accessed the complex's budget report, putting in his access code for authorization. He had to look over a few details before going to the Imaging Chamber to check in Sam's progress. "Admiral, you are here rather earlier than usual," an alluring voice told him from speakers hidden in his office walls. Al smiled slightly. "Only a few minutes, Ziggy. Or did you expect me to be with Tina last night?" "The possibility had occurred to me." Al sighed. "Was there some reason for you to interrupt me?" he asked. "Actually, I was calling to inform you that Senator McBride would like to meet with you. She was hoping you would be able to come to her office today." Al laughed. "In New York? With that snowstorm out there? I don't think so." "She was most insistent that you meet with her." Al sighed. "Connect me to her office," he told her. "I don't know how she expects me to get into New York City when there's a snowstorm out there." "Actually, weather reports indicate that the airport in New York City is now open and that flights...." "Ziggy?" Al interrupted. "Yes, Admiral?" "Just get me Senator McBride, will you?" "Yes, Admiral." Three hours later, Al was thinking that the phone call was the worse thing he did to himself that day. He was driving to Holloman's Air Force Base to fly to New York. *********************** "And you believe him?" Chris exclaimed at Jennifer's words. "Well..." she started. "I don't believe this," Chris muttered. He stood up from the couch he and Jennifer were sitting on and started pacing the apartment. "But Jeff does," Jennifer put in. "He's really worried about you. Don't you see that?" "Jeff's just pulling another one of his tricks!" Chris told her with conviction. "And, unfortunately, you're listening to him!" Jennifer glared at him. "Chris, would it hurt you to leave tomorrow instead of today? I know when Jeff's joking. I'm his wife. And he's not joking now." Chris returned the glare. "Listen. When Suzanne gets back from the grocery store with Jeff, I don't want to hear anymore of this. Understand?" There was a brief silence between them. "Yes, I understand," Jennifer told him. "But tell that to Jeff." As if on cue, the front door opened to allow Suzanne and Sam in, Sam's arms holding the ingredients of the day's breakfast. "Next time, Chris, you and I should do the grocery shopping," Sam told him as they came in. "Suzanne's eyes are bigger than her stomach." No one made a sound. Sam looked at Jennifer with a silent question. Jennifer's eyes lowered in response. As Sam had thought, she had told Chris about his fears and Chris reacted stubbornly. "Hey, Chris," he called out as he walked to the kitchen. "Am I going to make breakfast on my own or are you going to help?" Chris followed him into the kitchen. "You think I would trust you with a skillet?" he asked as a joke, although he was still not smiling from his conversation with Jennifer. As he went into the kitchen, Jennifer invited Suzanne to sit by her while Sam and Chris made omelets. The two worked together in silence for a few minutes before Sam spoke. "You seem a little quiet." "I have a lot to think about," Chris answered quietly. "Oh," Sam said. "Is that why you won't talk to me?" Chris glared at him. Sam hesitated. "Look, Chris. I just have this bad feeling, that's all." Chris nodded sarcastically. "Yeah, sure. That's all. Did you tell Suzanne we're all going to die today or were you waiting for me to tell her?" "Chris..." Sam started. "I don't want to hear it, Jeff!" Chris shouted, causing Suzanne and Jennifer to look up from their conversation to the kitchen. There was a brief silence between the two men. "How often have I been wrong about my feelings?" Sam finally asked. "Ha!" Chris laughed, turning back to turn over an omelet. "Last week, your feelings were telling you that Suzanne and I were going to grow old together. Now, you're telling me that we're going to die in a car accident. Your feelings are as reliable as..." he paused to find a proper comparison. "...as your old college buddies that turn against you!" Sam didn't answer to Chris's goading. He knew Chris was referring to Andrew Fox-Stevens. After a moment, Chris sighed. He hurriedly finished making an omelet and started another. "Another one ready," he told Sam solemnly, giving him a plate with the omelet centered on it. Sam accepted the plate in silence, looking at Chris with friendship and hoping that Chris would return the look. But Chris kept his head down, avoiding looking at Sam. Sam sighed. He had been wrong earlier. Chris wasn't as stubborn as Jeff. He was more stubborn than him. Which meant the next seven hour were probably going to be the most difficult hours he would ever have. *********************** Theresa didn't see the person standing behind her as she admired a light blue dress in the window of Macy's. The person gently put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump in shock and turn around. "Where's the fire?" Theresa smiled. "Al, what are you doing on New York?" "Quick meeting with an important official," Al told her. "Can I give you a lift?" "Sure," she answered with a smile. "How'd you find me anyway?" Al smiled. "Pure luck. I was going to your hotel to see you." He looked at his watch. "Listen," he told her. "I have to take care of something. Let's meet at the hotel at three o'clock and hope they'll let us fly out of here. Okay?" Theresa nodded. "Great. I'll see you later." With that, Al kissed Theresa on the cheek and left her. Al called a cab and got in. He gave the driver the address where he was going. New York had changed a little since he was a kid, so much so that he no longer knew his way around the city. But he did know where he wanted to go. He made a brief stop at a florist shop before going on to his main stop. Getting out of the taxi, he asked the driver to, once again, wait. He made his way over the snow-covered grass to a spot he had seen only a couple of weeks ago. He looked at the headstone in reflection. Then, in silence, he placed three roses on the grave. He smiled at the memory of his father before leaving the grave and going further west. There, about a block away from her father's grave, was the young Trudy Calavicci. Al stood over her grave, again in reflective thought. Finally, he kissed the petals of the three roses in his hand. "I love you, Trudy," he whispered as he lowered himself to place the roses on the headstone. "I'll be back soon. I promise." He stood up and left. Getting back to the taxi, he asked the driver to take him to the hotel where Theresa was waiting for him. "You ready?" he asked her when he finally met her in the hotel lobby. "Sure am," she told him with a smile. Al smiled at her, took her bag, and escorted her out of the hotel. "How'd your interviews go?" Al asked as they walked towards the airport, which was only a few blocks from the hotel. Theresa sighed. "I wish you didn't ask." Al frowned. "Not well, huh?" She shook her head. "Not really. Four of them out and out rejected me and the other two seemed to indicate that they probably wouldn't hire me." Al exhaled quickly. "Sorry things aren't going well for you." "What about your meeting today?" Theresa questioned. Al smiled. "I wish you didn't ask," he parroted. "Why? What happened?" "I can't tell you," Al told her. Theresa smiled. "Let me guess. It's classified." Al looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You're catching on pretty well." "I should be by now," Theresa pointed out. Al laughed. A few minutes later, they had arrived at the airport and went to Al's plane, which sat waiting for them. Al helped Theresa into the plane and got in himself. They had to wait about a half an hour for clearance, thanks to flying conditions, before they could take off. However, as soon as they had clearance, they were in the air and on their way to Albuquerque. ************************* *Where's Al?* Sam thought as noon came. Sam was worried and rightfully so. He only had four hours until the accident would happen. Four hours until Richard Oster would fall asleep at the wheel and cause his own death as well as the deaths of his wife, Chris, Jeff, Suzanne, and an unborn child. Sam was running out of options. He'd been pressing his luck with Chris so far. He had tried to get Chris to delay his departure but Chris had refused to listen to him. He was hardly talking to him now. Sam had also called Jeff's friends in the police department to see if they were at least making plans to stop Richard Oster before it was too late. As he had thought, they didn't believe him which meant that Al was right. There was nothing Sam could do to prevent an accident from happening. It was going to happen. The question was who was going to be in it. -------------------------------------- Well, I think I'll rest for a short time. But don't worry. I still have 5 chapters to post, hopefully next week. Stay tuned. Chapter 24 coming soon. Kat