CHAPTER 47

It was the last thing that John had expected to see when he got home from work. In fact, he was not sure which was more surprising, the fact that his mother was in such a chipper mood or, the more alarming sight of having David Cross sitting in her kitchen and being served tea. David decided the more alarming part was Cross and never let his eyes drift from the man as he let the front door slam behind him.

Jeanette remained extremely pleasant until her son said, “can I have a few minutes with our guest, Mom.”

“Oh he has the most wonderful news, Jack,” Jeanette replied. Then she stopped, became confused, and then finished by saying, “I have to go get ready. Please excuse me.”

When his mother was up the stairs, John tossed his jacket over a chair and walked on in the kitchen as he said calmly enough, “you know, I’m getting a little tired of all these unexpected visitors, David.”

“Some more than others I hope,” was all David had to say on that matter. Then he became a bit more cheerful, “oh please John, I’m here as a friend. You’ve served us well for so many years, I have convinced some, let us say, others, that you are due certain, I shall call them, entitlements.”

John went fishing, “now you’re starting to sound like Reilly.”

That did not even phase David, “he did agree with me.”

“Let me take a guess here David,” John replied, “you guys just found out about Spivey and somebody figured you needed to dangle a carrot in front of me. Maybe you’re afraid I might decide to play ball with him for a while.”

David looked as if he found that amusing, “why would you even think that we’re concerned about Spivey and his little crew of rabble rousers? This has nothing to do with him and, as far as carrots go, I think you will like this one.”

John simply nodded, “all right David, I’ll play along but, only cause I’m just curious as to what it is, you think you have, that can get me to do anything you people want.”

“Amanda,” was David’s reply. “Would you like to see her?”

John remained silent as he waited for the punch line. Then he told David, “Carol would never go for that.”

“Ah,” David raised a finger to make a point, “Lady Somerset might be important but, she is only one of many voices that generate my orders.”

That told John a great deal and he asked, “Cavendish or Reilly?”

David merely laughed, “why do you care John? That’s all above your station. They’re offering you a chance, it’s what you want. Why not just take it?”

“What I want,” John replied, “is to be a part of her life David. Some simple little visit isn’t going to make much of a difference one way or the other. Are your people prepared to go that far?”

“If it makes no difference, John, then why not do it?” David nodded towards the stairs, “your mother can’t wait.” After a sip of his tea, David then added, “and she needs your help right now. I’m afraid you’re the only one who can.”

Now John became seriously alarmed, “what’s that supposed to mean?”

David actually sounded quite sincere when he said, “I’m afraid Amanda is having some health issues, right now, John. She needs your help.”

Now John went from seriously alarmed to the next higher state and he did not think that was possible, “health issues? How long? It would have to be pretty damn serious to get you here.”

“Relax,” David waived the notion off, “she’s fine right now. A very pleasant little girl I might add. You should be proud of her.”

John would be, except, that the thought of David Cross being anywhere near Amanda was enough to send shivers up John’s spine. He had seen what Cross did in the field. John knew what that man was capable of. It was why the revelation came across more as a threat than anything else. It made John seriously consider if that was exactly how it was meant. It also made him wonder where the hell Carol was at, in all of this.

John stuck to what was relevant though, “when?”

David stood up, “now if you want.

Was this the chance that John had been waiting for? Amanda was in England. She was not in New York, she was not with her Uncle on that little fortress of an island, which meant, she had to be close by. Then John realized, no matter how close, they would anticipate him doing something. They would take precautions. As much as he wanted to rip out David’s throat, then go hunting, he realized it was just a bad move.

That was when Jeanette came skipping down the stairs, full of joy, that John fully understood what their leverage was here. David had picked this place to show up for a reason. He was sending a message to John, to play it cool because, they could get to any part of his life. They would never hurt Amanda, John knew that. His mother, even his little brother, were entirely different matters.

“Then what are we waiting on,” was all John had left to say on the matter. He was quite surprised that David drove them in his SUV and there was nothing particularly special about it, the windows in particular. Then, John was surprised again when they traveled less than an hour. The place was about what John had expected. It was an old country manor house and he knew these people owned more than a few of them.

Jeanette had the opposite reaction of her son. She took one look at the house, the grounds, and said, “I knew Carol’s family had money but, this?”

David smiled at her and waived for a man in scrubs to come escort her inside. He told her, “this is actually a medical facility, this gentleman will take you to your granddaughter.” John did not follow. He waited till his mother was gone and then said, “what? No, blindfolds? No darkened windows? We’re in my neck of the woods David. I would have thought you might be a little more careful than that.”

That caused the Major to laugh, “it really is a medical facility.”

“Yeah,” John was unconvinced, “and the board owns it.”

David simply shrugged, “I never said otherwise.” David let that sink in and then told John, “you’re not going to do a damn thing and you know it. Come now John, lets be civilized here. Let’s say you decide to sneak back here and try and take Amanda. I’ll even give you that you even stand a chance. Where would you go?”

John licked his lips and, scratched at his upper lip, and then replied, “it’s a big world David, two big ones in fact. I know them both.”

“Right,” David waived it off, “and what kind of life would that be for her? Not to mention I know you can’t afford her medical care, and we can, the best in fact. Besides, without us, I’ll tell you what kind of life little Amanda would have, a short one.” David could see that John thought it was a threat so David laughed, “she’s sick John. Without us she doesn’t stand a chance. If only you realized that.”

“How do I know,” John was doing his best to check his anger, “that you didn’t do this too her just to keep me from coming and getting her? Maybe wrecking Sir Arthur’s precious island in the process?”

Another man came walking out the door and he answered for David, “some of us might actually think that would be funny, John. The look on Authur’s face would be priceless.” The man stopped between the two antagonists and gave his hand to John with a smile.

John considered not taking it, but then, he figured he had best do it. He did not smile though. He simply nodded as he shook, “Sir Barnabas.”

Barnabas Reilly turned to his man, “you can go David. I don’t think Mister Snow is of any great threat here.” David tried to protest but Barnabas cut him off, “if he wanted too David, I’m sure he could kill you. I would prefer no one be injured today. I have this.” The man was not happy about any of it but, he did as he was told. Then Reilly explained, “I do realize that you two have something of a, shall we say, antagonistic past. I was hoping more for a civil visit.”

The inside of the manor looked like what one might have expected, some landed rich guys house, that was filled with hospital equipment, and guys in scrubs walking around. Then John saw something even more curious, there were elves on staff here. When Reilly gave him an opening he asked, “what kind of medical facility is this?”

The question went unanswered because Reilly opened a set of double doors that led to what had, most obviously, once been a study. The book shelves were empty now. The leather bound furniture, that you might expect to see, and the expensive art were as gone as the books. Instead of expensive paintings there were now sheets of art paper with crayon and water paint designs on them. Instead of a couch, chairs, and desk, there was a big inflatable ball pit, a few chairs made for three year olds, and a small fold out table with snacks and art supplies. There was also Amanda with her grandmother.

John went to a knee and when his daughter ran to him she tossed her arms around his neck. John held on for as long as he could. He did everything for as long as he could. It was not long enough. As the little six year old, her grandmother, and a couple of nurses went into a back hall for what they said were normal tests, Reilly pulled John aside and asked him to go for a walk.

It was getting dark outside and the air was too brisk to walk there. Reilly led John through the house instead. John wasn’t interested in the grand tour so he said, “so this is the part where I get the bill.” Reilly gave him a strange look and John laughed, “you didn’t do this out of the kindness of your heart. I knew there was a price as soon as I got in that car. The only thing left is for you to tell me what it is and if I’m willing to pay.”

“Why do you think me so cruel John,” Reilly acted wounded but, John doubted the guy really was. He recovered way too quick, “as a matter of fact, there is something you can do for us but…”

“You got a lot of people on your ass now,” John said. “Just from the people who’ve been pestering me since I got back, I have to figure that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.”

Reilly considered something and, whatever it was, he finally just said, “yes that is true. I should remind you that we’ve survived far worse than the CIA.”

“That’s funny,” John actually laughed, “they’re one of the few who haven’t come knocking on my door.”

Now it was Reilly’s turn to laugh, “are you so sure of that?” He quickly dismissed it and got back to the matter at hand, “I’m not asking anything for the board. In fact, I’m not asking you for anything that you would not do anyway. It’s for Amanda.” When John did not respond Reilly asked in a quite business like fashion, “I only need some of your blood John. That’s all.”

That was the last thing John had expected, “what the hell for?”

“She’s not ill,” Reilly told him, “not in the traditional sense. Our doctors tell me, Amanda’s problems are due to a combination of genetic disorders. Any one of them would hardly be noticeable but she has many.”

John waived back towards the playroom, “she looked fine to me. She didn’t even say word one about any of it.”

Reilly stopped in what was some kind of dinning room. The table was being set and he motioned to it as he told John, “after Amanda’s labs I thought it might be nice if we all sit down for a meal together.” John did not sit and neither did Reilly. He simply put his hands on the back of a chair and said, “Amanda is a very resilient young lady. The nurses tell me she does not even complain when they stick her. She’s trying to look brave for you John. You should be complimented.”

“Ok fine,” John was not happy and wasted no energy hiding it, “she’s really sick. What do you need my blood for? We’re not even the same type. Carol is the one you need to be talking too.”

“This isn’t about a transfusion John,” Reilly replied, “and Lady Somerset has already given blood. The simple fact is, the older your daughter gets, the worse she will be. What we are doing now is a series of gene therapies. There are others that we can do, as she gets older. At that time we will need some of your blood since your DNA is a part of the equation, or at least, so I am told.”

John wanted to snort and then ring this man’s neck. He only got out a grunt and that prompted Reilly, “we did not do this to her John. In a way, you should consider yourself fortunate. Do you honestly believe she would get this kind of care if you just took her to your local clinic? We have the best people in the field working on her health. Can you give that to her?”

John pointed back towards the foyer, “and a few elves too, I noticed.” He then fought back his anger and said, “why are you doing this Barnabas? Don’t tell me it’s because she’s Sir Arthur’s grand niece, or because Carol is sitting on the board.”

Reilly shrugged, “does there have to be a nefarious reason?”

“Well,” John considered his words carefully and reached the conclusion of, “fuck it.” He simply said it, “you’re smuggling fairy dust through the Dell. Has that got anything to do with this?”

It was funny how Reilly never even attempted to deny it. He simply stated, “that’s an entirely separate issue. One that you had best stay out of.” Then Reilly mellowed and asked once again, “will you give blood or will you not?”

“Of course,” John replied with a certain edge in his voice.

Someone else besides Cross, drove them home. John could not say he was sorry about it either. Once they were back at the Snow residence, they were not even back in the door of the flat when Jeanette grabbed her son by the arm and said, “Jack, who are those people?”

John tried blowing her off with, “like the man said mom, it’s a private medical facility.”

It did not work, “I may be a lot of things, John Patrick Snow Junior, but I am not an idiot and do not pretend that I am. That man, that friend of yours that took us there…”

“I wouldn’t call him a friend,” John added but she ignored it.

“I saw the look in his eye,” Jeanette was getting angry, “from the moment I answered the door. The same look I see in yours every time you come down for morning coffee. I know what your father did Jack. I didn’t want to admit it about you but, I see it.”

John sloughed it off, “you’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” Jeanette most obviously disagreed, “your father was in Africa. He spent the better part of our early years there. When he came home I thought I was going to divorce him. He wasn’t the same man anymore.”

Now John just shrugged, “mom, you know what I did for a living.”

“Did?” Jeanette forcefully asked, “or still do? Those people, that Reilly and his flunky, how is Carol mixed up with them? I always thought she was such a nice girl.”

“Mom,” John waived her off now, “leave it alone.”

“They’re criminals Jack,” she was going to have her say. She apparently did. She walked up the steps to her front landing and looked back down at her son. She was crying, “look at me now. You haven’t seen me like this Jack. I do it every day you’re gone. I did it when you first joined the Navy. I did it every day when you were in Feyland. Now I am doing it when you’re here. I never thought that would happen.” She walked inside.

John did not follow. He had one last task to perform before going to bed. He walked down the row of flats and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He ignored the cold and dialed a special number with the unmarked button at the bottom of his address book. He waited till he got an answer and then he said with no small amount of anger, “is it true?”

Carol Somerset was very alarmed as she replied, “John, this line isn’t secure.”

“I don’t give a fuck right now,” John shot back as he began to wipe away a few tears of his own, “just tell me Carol, is it true?”

There was a pause and then Carol replied, “they took you to Anson House, didn’t they?”

Now John exploded, “just answer the goddamn question Carol!”

“Yes John,” she sounded afraid, “it’s true. I have a lot to tell you but, not here, not now.”

“It better be soon,” John said with a murderous tone. It didn’t matter. Carol had already hung up.