The Portal

Chapter 4

     That long silence in the car was broken when David's cell phone started to ring. He quickly fished it out of his pocket and answered it, as he could tell who it was by the ringtone that was blaring.

     "Hey boss," David said, trying to act calm. "How are you doing?"

     "How am I doing?" the director replied, "I'm at the hospital, and both you and your brother are not here!"

     "Oh, that." David said, taking a deep breath. "I took him out of the hospital because I didn't want to put anyone else in the line of fire. Too many civilians, high chance of collateral damage. All those cute nurses, I just couldn't handle the guilt if something were to happen..."

     "Shut up," his boss interrupted. "It's your brother, I get it. Someone's gunning for him and your natural Marshal instincts are kicking in. He's family, so I'd do the same thing in your shoes. Do you need me to authorize a safe house to stash him in till this blows over?"

     "We got a place," David replied, "But I really appreciate the offer."

     "Keep this line open," The director ordered, "So I can keep you updated on this end and vice versa. That's not an unreasonable request."

     "It is not," David said, relieved to hear he wasn't in trouble. "I'll get back to you once we're secure and snug."

     "Fair enough," the boss said, slightly calmer. "Be careful."

     David disconnected the line and looked back at Gail who was giving him the eye wives would save for their husbands.

     "What?" David asked, unsure what was going on in her head. "You are not tossing this phone. Don't even think about it!"

     "Alright," Gail said, looking forward. "Not like you'll get a signal at the house anyway."

     "Dammit," David said as he remembered, "There's no cell tower out there? Why?"

     "We don't use cells," Rickey replied, "Just seemed like a waste."

     David sat there and didn't say anything else as he waited for Gail to drive them back to the house. It took her a little under forth minutes to drive from the hospital to the property that David hadn't seen in almost decades. He left when he was nineteen and didn't look back. Now there he was, almost thirty-eight, long in the tooth but still fighting the good fight in his books. Now he was watching the house creep closer as Gail drove down the long and very familiar driveway. Once she had pulled up, she got out of the car and started to call for someone. Two people came running out, kids no older than sixteen.

     "When did you guys have kids?" David said, looking back at Ricky.

     "They're adopted," Ricky informed him, "We took them in because they needed a place to hide."

     "Hide from what?" David asked him.

     "Not now," Ricky said, "Help the kids with the gurney."

     David got out of the car, and opened the door beside his brother as the two teenagers came over with was an odd looking gurney. More worried about his brother's health, David helped him into the gurney and then helped the two young teens carry it into the house. Once they were in the house, nothing had changed. Every picture, every piece was in the same place since the day David had walked out.

     "Get the gurney to the turbo lift!" Gail could be heard ordering, as if she was a sergeant and they were her soldiers.

     "Yes, Ma'am!" they called out as they took the gurney past the kitchen and down a flight of stairs.