A Different Place
A Different Place
By Dark Star
Disclaimer, please read.
All work contained herein is my own and copyrighted as such. All characters, events, places and anything else in this story are completely fictitious and are not meant to bear any resemblance to anyone living or dead. Places and other entities mentioned in this story that actually exist are not to be taken as in any way resembling whatever may be portrayed in this story. I make no claim to their beliefs, actions, inactions or anything else relating to them for that matter. This story may not be reproduced for other than personal use unless you have my written permission.
This story may very likely contain scenes of a sexual nature. Not only that but the scenes may be between children as well as between children and adults and may be homosexual in nature. I am not sure where the story will go at this point so cannot say for sure all that may occur. This is NOT a sex story and if you are looking for one then go elsewhere. This story also may deal with abuse of a child by reference or by description. Except for any abuse described the scenes of a sexual nature will be consensual. If this isn't your cup of tea then stop now.
Author's Note
I want to take a moment to say that the scenes of abuse described herein are for the purpose of showing what the child had to deal with and why things which occur in the story do. They are not meant to excite or titillate in any way. I do NOT support the harming of a child EVER under any circumstance and those scenes depicted herein are not meant to get someone off but make them sick as they did me when I wrote them. Needless to say beware of any laws where you live which may pertain to a story like this and abide by them. You may infer what you like from my stories regarding my beliefs about things but for the record I do not advocate sexual contact with children and encourage you to keep it to reading about it rather than doing it.
This is my first story and you should know that while it is likely to have sex in it at some point, a lot of the story won't. It isn't about sex. I have tried to make it about writing a good story. I hope you enjoy it and like I said keep in mind it's my first. I hope it's not too bad. Thanks go to Jeff, AC, MS and DK amongst others who couldn't write chapters fast enough and caused me to give it a try after reading Comicality and his comments about how he got started. Also thanks to all the kids in the CSU, awesome every one of them. Feel free to e-mail me at Darkstar7177@gmail.com or Darkstar7177@aim.com
Author's note 2:
*asterisk indicates telepathic communication.
< --- > indicates emotion being sent during telepathic communication.
Dani is pronounced Dahnay, Tanara is pronounced Tahnahrah
The Radio Rancher is on board as the official editor of this story as well as OOTP. He also is acting as a sounding board for me about the chapters and I feel that his input can only improve the product that you will see, not to mention fixing my lack of punctuation skills, amongst other things. J
RR is an accomplished writer in his own right and I urge you to check out his story "The Shimmering Ship" at http://Crackerwriter.us along with the other fabulous stories contained on Crackerwriter's website as well as the entire Fort Family of web sites. Those people at the Fort and RR are why I wrote these stories and after you read the stories set in the CSU you will understand the genesis for this one. They are wonderful stories, I hope you will check them out.
In addition if you get the chance check out some of the following stories on Nifty and other sites.
Author Miguel Sanchez and his works like "The Ranch and Julio" Nifty Prolific Authors-Scroll down to Miguel Sanchez
Gary Q and his stories on Jeffs Fort
Scribe1971 and "Substitute Dad" at The Story Lover
SnwDmn and "Rodies' Love" Rodie's Love
Dan Kirk and his multiple stories at Dan Kirk Stories
They are great stories and there are others around as well that deserve your attention.
RR Thank you.
Thanks goes to ACFan for hosting this story on the cafe and especially to the whole Fort Family and the CSU kids who gave me the inspiration to write something and try to make it worthwhile. OOTP is even more as a result of their influence. I hope you enjoy them and visit http://Jeffsfortboard.us for links to the entire CSU world as well as many other wonderful stories
From Chapter 11
We headed out once again, and the funny thing is that while we had some idea of what we wanted to do, we didn't know where we were or where we were going, except away from where we were.
We knew we wanted to get Ben and we knew we wanted to get to LA and we knew we wanted to get to call this person but that is all we knew.
We walked and talked and slept and even occasionally played for a couple of days and became even closer, if possible.
Our minds were linked together, and oftentimes we went for hours without speaking in any way but in our minds to each other.
We didn't encounter anyone, although one day Keith saw something in the air far, far back the way we had come and we thought it might be looking for us.
That kept us on edge for a while, but we didn't see anything else and soon started to relax once again. It was on the fourth day since we had left the building that things changed.
Chapter 12
This was a beautiful land full of trees and mountains, and we had been walking across it for four days now.
It was on the fourth day that we saw signs that we were no longer alone.
As we were walking, we came over a small hill, and through trees, we saw a house, sitting in a clearing, not far ahead of us.
We all ducked back into the tress so we wouldn't be seen, and just watched for a while.
It seemed like it had been forever, since we had seen anything to make us think of others existing, so seeing the house sitting there was rather a shock to us.
It had only been 4 days, but somehow it had seemed much longer than that. We all just stood there and watched the house for a bit, as this brought us back to the reality that we had escaped from, in the past few days.
It was with a shock, that I felt the presence at the same time I heard the words,
"And who might you be?"
I, along with the others turned around startled, and raised my shields, and Matt started to reach for his gun.
"unh unh, don't" the voice said.
Matt froze, and I could feel the fear radiating from all of us, as I said,
"who's there?" towards where the voice was coming from.
None of us could see who it was.
He was in the shadows of the trees and how he had snuck up behind us, I don't know, but it worried me, since I figured that I should have been able to sense his presence, long before he approached us.
"I asked first, you answer." The voice said coldly.
I looked at the others, and finally said,
"My name's Danny, and these are my brothers, and sister."
There was silence for a bit, and then the voice said, "and what are you doing on my land?"
"We didn't know it was your land. We were just out walking, and saw the house as we came over the hill. Please, mister, we don't want any trouble." I told him.
"hmph, little late for not wanting what you got now ain't it boy?" the voice said.
I felt the spike of fear, shoot through all of us at that.
This man knew.
Somehow, he knew.
"Now that got your attention didn't it?" the voice asked.
I wasn't sure what to do and everyone was scared. I had to try something so I said,
"I told you we wandered onto your land by accident, we don't want no trouble over it. We'll just go and leave you and your land alone."
This got a loud bark of laughter from whoever it was.
"Don't play games with me boy, I know who you are, and the little one with you, and I'm pretty sure who the others are too."
That set the panic in full motion, and Matt said,
"I ain't going back and neither is my sister!" as he reached for the gun again.
What happened next shocked me even further.
As Matt reached for his gun, the voice said "I told you not to do that." at the same time, I reached out with my mind to grab onto the man, and keep him from trying anything.
But what I wasn't expecting was that I couldn't.
I knew about where he was with my mind of course, but I couldn't lock onto him the way I had with others.
If nothing had scared me up until now, this did.
I tried again and again and finally I felt something, and then I was knocked backward by an invisible hand.
As this was happening, I saw the gun fly from Matt's hand and a voice say,
"don't try no tricks with me boy, or you'll get hurt."
I landed and it knocked the breath out of me, and Keith screamed,
"Danny!"
I didn't know what was happening, but I wasn't going to let my new family be hurt, and I waved my hand out, slamming into the general area where the voice had came from, and I heard a grunt as I got to my knees.
I made sure the shields were in force as much as I could figure out how to, and then lit up the area surrounding us.
I then felt something batter at my shields, and waved my hand towards the man again as he said,
"you can't win boy, I don't know what you are, but you ain't gonna win."
This time I shattered a tree near where I thought he was, and heard him swearing.
The other kids were huddled together fearfully, and I moved over to stand in front of them as I felt the battering increase against my shields.
I extended the force within me, and blasted another tree, causing what I thought was a grunt of pain.
I took out another tree, and this time the grunt was a scream and I suddenly felt him and knew I had him.
I extended my mind out, and seized him in a hold he couldn't get out of, while he screamed at me to let him go.
I tried to enter his mind, but found out that there was something like a wall around his mind, preventing me from doing so.
He had shields!
I walked forward into the trees, to find a man lying on the ground, with blood running down the side of his head, and one arm which was being held against his body with the other.
"Who are you" I asked.
"Fuck you!" he said, which I didn't take as a good thing.
I just looked down at him.
Finally I said "I don't know who you are, and I don't know why you attacked us, but I want to know how you attacked us, just now, and I want to know how you knew who we were."
He just glared at me. Finally I said,
"If you want me to let you go then you will tell us."
As I said this, I realized the others had come up behind us while I was talking, with Matt having found his gun once again, I noticed.
"I won't tell you much, but I will tell you that I monitor things, and the military has been searching for a runaway boy, who killed a soldier and kidnapped her little boy, that would be you. Then the other two are the ones that been all over the news."
Matt and Amanda looked shocked, while Keith looked at me and said,
"You didn't kill no body and you ain't kidnapped me."
"I know," I replied. What's been on the news about them?" I asked the man.
"Just that they was missing after the father was found dead in the home, and everyone was looking for them. I guess you killed him too eh?"
"No, I didn't kill no one."
"He didn't kill em, I did." a voice said and I looked at Matt, and could feel the shock and remorse for what he had done, warring with the satisfaction of it.
"Matt!" I said warningly.
He looked at me, and I could see the conflicting emotions running across his face.
He hadn't known until now, that his step-father was dead, and that he was the one who was responsible.
I knew Matt would need help with this, but for now, I sent a wave of reassurance towards him, and his sister, and turned back to my captive.
"I want to know who you are, and how you fought me." I told him.
"You might want a lot of things little boy, but you gonna learn you don't always get what you want." He said.
I didn't know what to do.
I didn't think I could break that wall, but I needed to know why he had powers, when everyone else thought that no one did.
Finally, I decided to simply ask.
"Look, I know you don't want to help us, but please, how do you have powers, when I didn't think anyone else did."
He looked puzzled, and said "what you mean kid? Ain't you the kid of one of the saved ones?"
Now it was my turn to look completely puzzled, as I said, "Saved ones, what's that?"
"Not what kid, who. You really don't know do you?"
I just shook my head, and I could feel the confusion radiating from him, as he processed this. I could tell that he was sure that that was who I was, and now he wasn't.
"No, I don't even know what that is." I said.
The others were looking at me in confusion.
Then he surprised me, as I felt the wall give way some, and he spoke, allowing me to read him as he did.
"Let me up lad, I won't harm you. Looks like we need to talk."
I looked at him outside and as much of the inside as I could and made a decision, but before I did anything, I reached down and placed one hand on the wound in his arm, and the other on his head, and extended my healing powers outward and into his body.
I felt his surprise, and a shocked "What the..." escape his lips before he fell silent, watching.
This healing was very different than what I had done earlier to Keith, or Matt and Amanda, and I couldn't say that I really understood why it was so.
With them, I had extended myself into them and healed them, but with the man, it was like I only went into the injured areas.
I started out like I had with the others, but seemed to hit a wall, that prevented me from sinking all the way into him.
I wondered if the wall around his mind was responsible.
In no time, I was finished, and he looked on with a look of curiosity, as he said,
"Thanks, but why'd you try to link with me at first?"
"Link?" I asked.
Now his puzzled look was back, and I stepped back, as he sat up and said,
"yes, you tried to link and from how it felt, you was trying for a deep link too."
I shook my head and told him,
"I have no idea what you are talking about. I just tried to heal you is all, only it was different than the others."
He took a quick breath and quickly glanced around at the four of us with both his eyes, and I could feel his senses too before turning back to me and saying,
"you don't know do you? You have bonded all of em, and you don't even know it." He said in disbelief, before saying again, "who are you and what are you?"
"I don't know." I said simply letting him read the truth of the statement.
A look of shock came over his face, as he looked intently at me, and then the others.
He then said,
"It looks like we need to talk, why don't we go down to my house, where we can be a bit more comfortable."
We all agreed, and I walked over to Matt, putting my arm around his shoulder, as I still could feel his turmoil, and we began walking down to the guy's house.
We came to his house, and went inside to find a fairly large home, that really looked nice and comfortable.
He invited us to sit down, and make ourselves comfortable, and said he was going to clean up a bit, and would be back in a while.
We all sat down, and I soon had Matt in my arms.
I just held him for a few minutes, until he said, in a soft voice, "what am I supposed to feel?"
"I don't know Matty." I told him. "I don't know what you're supposed to feel." I said, as he looked up at me with a lost look on his face.
He just looked at me for a minute and finally said,
"I'm glad he's dead, and at the same time, I feel like I'm gonna throw up, and a bunch of other stuff is all mixed up in there too." he said, as tears filled his eyes.
I could feel all of his conflicting emotions, running through him, and I had no idea what to say or do, except to send him all the love I felt for him to him, which is what I did.
The tears turned into sobs, that racked his body, as he clung to me, and after a few minutes, he suddenly jumped up and ran outside, and I could hear him doing exactly what he thought he might have to do earlier.
Amanda and Keith had been watching, wide eyed throughout, and tears had started down their faces, as time had gone on.
I left Matt by himself to get some privacy, for a few minutes, before following him out onto the porch, to find him sitting, at the edge, waiting to see if it was over.
I slowly sat down beside him, and put my arm around him, pulling him to me in a warm hug.
He was stiff at first, and resisted, but soon he just melted into my body, as the sobs overcame him, once again.
I just held him tight. I was at a loss as to what to do, until after I don't know how long, I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice saying,
"You need to leave him to me for a while, lad. We need to have a little talk." The man said.
I started to protest when he cut me off and said,
"you haven't been there son, I have," and the tone of his voice said more than anything else he could have said at that point.
I looked at Matt, who was looking up at me, with fear in his eyes, before saying,
"You need to talk to him, Matty. I'll be right inside." I got up and walked back in.
I had two little faces, turn to me, with worry and concern, as I walked over and sat down with them, pulling them both onto my lap.
"It's going to be alright. He's just got to deal with some things right now." I told them.
Mandy looked up at me and said "It's because of me that he did it."
"NO, Mandy, don't you think like that. He did it to protect all of you, himself included, from someone that was trying to hurt you both badly. More than that, he didn't mean to kill him. I was there in his mind remember? He was just trying to stop him. It was an accident." I said.
She looked up at me wanting to believe me, I could tell, and I just held her tightly, while we waited for our brother to return.
After a while, and I couldn't say exactly how long, they did return, and I could see Matt was feeling better.
Both Keith and Amanda got up, and stood looking at him, as he walked into the room, and over to us.
He walked up to Amanda and hugged her, telling her he loved her, and that he was ok. Then he did the same to Keith, before stopping in front of me.
I just looked at him and he looked at me for a moment, before he crawled into my lap, and said thanks, as he hugged me.
I said "I love you Matthew." He tightened his arms around me, before turning to look up at me with a little smile on his face and saying,
"I know."
The other two, settled back on either side of me, and the man sat in a chair across from us, and began to speak.
"He's going to be alright, it'll just take some time is all. Just love him, and he'll get through it, you all will." he said.
"I guess some introductions are in order, then." he continued before saying "My name's Allan, and I am one of the saved ones, I mentioned earlier."
"Mine's Danny, and this is Matthew, Amanda, and Keith." I said pointing to each in turn.
He nodded his head and said "well, I guess we both have some explaining to do then, don't we?"
I nodded my head yes, and he began.
"I was born into a slave ring.
Raised for one thing, and that was to have sex with paying adults.
When I was 9, some people came and rescued all of us.
I had been kept drugged most of my life, and they got me off em, but it had damaged my mind, at least as far as my powers were concerned.
I didn't know much about them and hadn't really used them much.
They told me my father was a child from another planet, who had been kidnapped for the same thing I was doing and was dead.
They took me with them, along with a bunch of other kids, and tried to help but..."
His voice trailed off for a moment, and we all remained silent, as we could feel him, lost in time, remembering.
"I spent the next few years with them until I turned 14, and asked to return to Earth.
They taught me what they could, but I wasn't exactly very co-operative with them.
I was scarred, and still am, from years of abuse at the hands of the men. They put me with a family, for the next few years, and when I turned 18, they set me up with money and made sure I would be ok, and left me alone for a while.
They kept coming back, checking on me, and finally I decided to disappear, because I feared they would take me away, and I didn't want to go.
I moved out here, away from everyone, and had a house built.
I took some gadgets with me, to make life a bit easier, which is what allowed me to spy on what the military was up to, amongst other things. And, here I am."
He stopped speaking for a moment, and then got up saying he was getting something to drink.
It ended up with all of us drinking something he called Pepsi, which was quite good.
He came back, and sat down and pulled something cylindrical and white from a shirt pocket, placing it in his mouth and then lighting fire to the end of it.
Smoke billowed everywhere for a moment, and he glanced at us asking,
"Hope you don't mind me smoking," with a smile on his face.
But I was staring at his cigarette, and could feel tears sliding down my face, only I didn't know why.
"What's wrong?" everyone started asking, and I couldn't answer because I didn't know.
Matt just hugged me tighter, and I felt the others doing so as well, finally I was able to say,
"Sorry, I don't know why but something about that, just made me..." And I tapered off into silence.
"You ready for me to go on?" Allan asked as he looked at me strangely.
I just nodded and he began again.
"I thought at first you was just trespassers until I got up to you and felt you.
Then I thought you must be the kids of one of the saved ones but you don't seem to be.
When you tried to heal me you tried linking or bonding with me and then when you didn't know what that was. I was surprised to say the least, especially after what you had done to me.
I have had some training in using what I have, and I can tell you a bit about it.
When you reach out to someone with your mind, you form different levels of contact with that other person's mind.
You control what level of contact you have or the other person can, as well, if they have powers too.
The level of contact can be anything from virtually none, which is what you had with me, all the way to a deep bonding, where essentially you become one with the other person, and it ties you together for all time, each with a piece of the other in their soul." He said as he looked at all of us thoughtfully.
"All of you are bonded, and very deeply, too." He added as we looked at each other curiously, and he went on.
"You put all of yourself into the healings and because of that you have joined with all of them."
"So what does that mean?" I asked him.
He grinned and said, "It means you are more family now than if you had been born together. You all have part of each other within you, and always will. "
Which got smiles from all of us. Then Matt spoke up
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Allan said.
"Well..." and he tapered off as he started squirming a bit "well...umm."
I spoke up as I could guess what he wanted to ask. I thought he had been reassured, but apparently not.
"Allan, when I healed Matt earlier, I did something to him, and I don't know what I did, or how I did it, but he is really worried about it."
"Well, what is it lad?" Allan asked.
Matt looked at me, rather embarrassed, but got up before I could say anything and walked over to Allan, stopping in front of him.
He fidgeted for a moment before finally reaching down and opening his pants, pulling out his penis and saying
"this."
Allan looked at it for a moment, and then back at Matt, before looking at the others, and then finally back to Matt again. Finally he asked
"Can I touch it lad?"
To which Matt nodded his head, and Allan reached down and took hold of it, moving it around, looking at it from all sides, before pulling the skin down and doing the same thing.
Finally, he looked up perplexed, as he let it go and Matt put it away.
"I don't get it lad, it looks fine to me." He said baffled, "what's wrong with it?" he asked.
"It didn't look like that before." Matt said.
"It didn't look..." Allan started to say and then broke out in laughter, mid sentence.
Matt didn't think it was funny, as this was his most prized possession, Allan was laughing about, but he didn't say anything, he just came back over and sat in my lap once again, until Allan could bring himself under control.
When he finally did so he said,
"you naught seen a circumcised penis before have ye laddie? He asked me.
"a what?" I said,
which made him fall into another fit of laughter. Matt was decidedly less than amused at this point, and I tried to calm him through this link thing, while waiting for Allan to calm himself.
Finally he stopped laughing and said,
"I'm sorry laddies, and lass, I know I shouldn't laugh, but I couldn't help it. You healed him and didn't realize you was healing something that didn't need healing."
I interrupted
"I healed what I found damaged in him. If it wasn't damaged, then it wouldn't have been healed."
Allan held up his hand, and said,
"calm down boy, it taint your fault. This world cuts part of a boy's penis off at birth, and you didn't know. But since it's always been that way for him, he sure did, and must a thought it was the end o the world, ain't that right laddie?" he directed the last to Matthew, who simply nodded his head.
"Well Matthew, stop your worrying, its as you was born, like it never happened. That's the way it would've been if your parents hadn't been into chopping things off that shouldn't be chopped. You understand me?" he asked.
Matt nodded his head, and then Allan continued.
"Danny, with it cut off at birth, you thought it needed to be healed, because it was damaged, and did so. That's what happened nothing more. It was damaged, on purpose and he didn't know it, so he thought something was wrong now."
I felt a lot better, although I still didn't understand why anyone would do that and said,
"thanks."
"Now, on to your story I think." He said
And our story we did tell from when I woke up until he found us, all of it.
He sat there for a while and didn't say anything at all.
Finally, he asked me to show him what all was in the cases which I started doing.
He identified each thing for me, and told me of how to use it, and what it would do. He also said they might be bioencoded, which meant that no one but the intended user would be able to use any of them.
I placed them back in the packs, where they had come out of and then he said,
"Will you show me the message?"
I took a deep breath and nodded, before picking up the sensor unit, and activating the message once again.
Allan said, just before it started,
"Record" and when it had finished playing once again, he sat there with a thoughtful look on his face, before saying,
"that was your parents?"
"Yes" I answered him.
"Well, that is really something." He said. "I told you I was one of the saved but the one on the left was the one doing the saving." He added.
I gasped and said "what?"
"She saved us all, thousands of children, she is the one who saved us." He said.
Then "Computer, identify subjects in recording just played."
"Working" was the response. "Authorization code required" was the next thing to issue from all around us.
We were all looking around in wonder, trying to figure out what was talking to us when Allan said,
"Authorization code Gamma Delta 4198 Romeo 3"
"Subjects identified as Peacekeepers, Marrika and Caral natives to Calmatria Prime. Peacekeeper Marrika is currently on Calmatria Prime and Peacekeeper Caral is currently on Lanara 4. Do you wish further information on these subjects?" the computer intoned.
"Stand by," Allan told it.
I was stunned, and I felt tears running down my face.
They were at home, and weren't even looking for me.
I didn't understand this.
"Computer identify the subject Danny located here in my living room." Allan then instructed the computer but I wasn't paying much attention.
A few minutes later the voice came back "Unable to identify subject." which made me look up.
"Scan the subject and try again." Allan instructed it.
"Working, unable to identify subject. Scans indicate a Calmatrian Chezree of approximately 11 standard years. Bio scans indicate that he is the son of Peacekeeper Caral and Marrika but no records exist to indicate that of a mating having ever occurred or the subsequent birth of any child." The voice finished.
Now I was even more confused.
Then Allan went on "Something's not right here lad. None of them from out there" he said waving his hand upwards "would ever abandon a child. Children are the most important thing in the world to them. I wish you had your memory lad it might explain some things."
He stated this and then went silent for a while before saying "Danny, I want to run a med scanner on you, and see if maybe we can recover your memory. Is that ok?" he asked.
I nodded my head, and he asked for one of my packs, which I opened and handed to him. He had me sit down on his lap and then he took the scanner, and started passing it around my head reading the results and making hmmphing noises every now and then. Finally he seemed to finished as he shut the scanner off, and said,
"Well it sees the damage, but isn't sure if it can fix it or not. I don't have a bio-bed here which is what you really need. I can try it but I would suggest waiting until you can get to advanced medical facilities if you can."
I really wanted my memory back, but I wasn't sure if I should try it or not.
He went on "Danny, listen to me, I know you really want to remember, and I understand that, but if there is anyway you can wait, you really should. This might not work or only work partially."
I looked at him and asked "if it doesn't work, would it make it any worse than it is?"
He looked down for a moment in thought, and then back up at me before saying,
"Worse, no. But it could seal the synapses in your brain so you never recovered anything else, and leave you as you are now."
I sucked in a breath and finally said,
"Then the answer is no, at least for now."
"Well then the thing now is getting you to Los Angeles and recovering your brother, I gather, so let's see what we can do about that." Allan stated, to which we all nodded our heads.
I got off his lap and put the scanner back away, and sat down with my family, as Allan began speaking again.
"Do you remember how to alter your appearance?" he asked me while I just looked at him blankly
"Well, I'll take that as a no, then. It would have helped though. He said.
"Can't we just call someone you know" I said pointing up to the ceiling.
"Lad, I don't know what's going on here, but I got a feeling even if there was someone to call you shouldn't. Don't ask me why, but something's wrong here, and I wouldn't try to contact anyone offworld."
"I thought you said that there were people from other planets here on Earth." I said to him.
"Well laddie I haven't been in contact with any of them for a long, long time, but I do try to keep up with things a bit. They all pretty much pulled out after 9/11, one and two, and the July 4th massacre. The planet was becoming too unstable in their opinion. They left observers here for a while, but even they have pulled back, and abandoned their bases on planet. They still have a base on one of the outer planets, but like I said, I don't think you should contact them. Some, like me stayed anyway, this is our home." He said.
I nodded my head, and he went on.
"First off, what is your brother's full name Matthew?"
"Benjamin Alan Johnson" he replied.
"Ok then, computer search Montana police and social service databases for information on Benjamin Alan Johnson, location and status, all available information."
"working" the voice once again responded.
After several minutes of eager anticipation it came back
"Benjamin Alan Johnson Earth calendar date of birth 4/8/2017 age 2 Earth years and 4 months of age. Child was found abandoned, at a residence down the road from where his father was found murdered. Note: ongoing investigation into the death of father, further information available. Note: ongoing investigation into the disappearance of two other children also from residence of father's murder. Further information available. Information indicates that subject was dropped off at neighbors house on the night of his father's murder. The neighbors called the police who responded and investigated eventually finding the father's body. The child was taken to an emergency room where he was examined and found to be well, physically, with the exception of numerous bruises, noted on the boy's body. The child was then placed into the protective custody of the state, and was transferred to a group home for approximately 14 hours. At that time the child was placed into a foster home located at 288 Mountain Hollow Rd. Hamilton Montana. All information indicates that the child is still at that location, at this time. The address is registered to a Mark and Teresa Meadows, and records in the social service systems, indicate the following information. Mark Meadows is a pediatrician while Teresa Meadows is a deputy sheriff with Ravalli County. They have 4 biological children as follows; Jeffrey Michael age 9, Kenneth James age 8, Tiffany Amber age 6 and Derek Thomas age 4. They also currently have 3 other foster children, as follows; Jonathon Michael Thomas age 5, Andrew David Mathers age 8, and David Roger Simmons age 3. Additional information is available beyond the preliminary would you like that now or the other two related files?"
Allan answered "Status on Amanda and Matthew Shepard, summary report"
The computer responded,
"Currently all efforts to locate the two subjects have proven unsuccessful. Police believe they are victims in the attack and fear they may be injured or dead, as evidence found at the scene indicates possible injury or worse. Authorities have been alerted nationwide, to their description in an attempt to locate them." The computer finished.
"Well, I guess that answers that question, then doesn't it? Everyone nationwide will be on the lookout for you two. Computer, report status on the two children the military were looking for."
"Working."
"Current status is that the older child identified as Daniel Roberts, is wanted for questioning and probable involvement in the murder of Sgt. Rebecca Stanford, and the kidnapping of her young son. The other child is being classified as a kidnapping and possible crime victim. It is being suggested that Daniel may have been molesting the younger child and the mother found out about it, which precipitated the murder of Sgt. Stanford. Daniel Roberts is being identified as 13 years of age but looking small for his age, which is a discrepancy from my scans. No reports of their whereabouts have been noted." The computer finished once again.
We all looked at each other in disbelief. Matt and Amanda, because no one suspected them, and Keith and I because I was wanted for harming him and his non-existent mother.
"Well, it looks like moving you may be a slight problem then. Everyone in the country will be looking for you, and I don't know how you'll ever get into the hospital. So you have any idea on what you want to do now? Allan asked us.
I looked at everyone, and we all silently agreed to try the number Mike had given us.
"We would like to try to reach someone, if we can use your..." and I stopped as I turned to Matt, who supplied "phone" with a big grin on his face.
"Yea if we could use that to call her?" I said to him.
Allan looked at us and asked "who is this person?"
I told him "A man at the facility, who we trust, gave us the name of someone to call, if we made it out, and we want to try it."
"Are you sure you can trust this man?"
I thought for a moment and then said simply "yes" with Keith nodding his head as well.
Allan looked carefully at me and then to Keith, before returning back to me, and just looking for a moment. Finally he said,
"I don't have a telephone but" he held up his hand to forestall any response before he continued "the computer can link into the system, to make the call, and it will be untraceable."
I nodded my head, and he asked "give me the number and when it connects you just talk in a normal voice. Remember the rest of you that anything said can be heard by the people on the other end so talk in here" he pointed to his head.
We all nodded and I gave him the number.
"computer public telephone link, make it untraceable and identify owners of the number prior to placing the call."
He instructed the computer.
"Working...ready for number." The computer intoned.
"406-***-****" Allan read to it.
"Working" The computer replied and we waited.
And waited.
Finally
"The number you provided cannot be traced." Came from it.
Allan sat up in shock and I watched as his mouth opened and closed several times before finally saying
"that's impossible. Computer recheck the number." Then he turned to us and told us
"There shouldn't be any number that this computer can't find information about. Who is this person?" he asked me.
I shook my head and told him "I don't know. Her name is Rebecca Childs. according to Mike, and that's all I know, except he said we could trust her to help."
He looked pensive for a moment before saying,
"Computer, search all databases especially governmental ones for a Rebecca Childs." He instructed it.
"Working" was the reply.
Finally it told us
"I have 7,351 records for a Rebecca Childs, 137 of them are in governmental service 3 are above level 12 none in this area or in any covert operations. 236 of them are in service to other governments and none above a corresponding GS level exists also only one is in covert operations and she is located in London at this time. None of the listings live in Montana although there is one in Idaho." It reported.
Allan thought for a moment before saying,
"Please provide the information on the one in Idaho."
"Working"
"The Rebecca Childs located in Idaho is 7 years old do you still wish me to continue?"
Allan shook his head and said "No" then it asked if we were ready, to which we replied yes.
"Computer open communications to that number with the proper safeguards in place, monitor and record."
"Acknowledged"
"Communications online" and we heard a ringing followed by a man answering
"Yes"
"Umm, excuse me but could I speak with a Rebecca Childs please?" I asked the voice.
We all heard an indrawn breath and then silence for a minute before the voice asked gruffly
"Who is calling?"
I turned to Allan who shrugged his shoulders and looked back at everyone who didn't know what to do
"I said whom may I say is calling?" the voice repeated.
"umm I'd rather not say. I was told to call this number and ask for Rebecca Childs and that's all I want to say for now."
There was silence on the line and for a moment I thought that he had ended the conversation and then I heard
"Please wait."
There was complete silence for several minutes and then a woman's voice came on
"This is Rebecca Childs may I help you?" a warm rich voice said.
"I hope so. Someone gave me your name and said to tell you `a key has opened'" I told her.
I heard a gasp and rapid breathing before she repeated "What did you say."
"A key has opened" I repeated.
"Oh my God" the voice said. Then it continued. "May I ask who gave you that information?"
"A man named Mike gave it to me."
"Mike" the voice said. "where...where is he?"
"I don't know" I replied.
"You don't know?"
"No I don't. Please, he said you could help, who are you?"
"I might be able to help but I need to know exactly what is going on and where my s... where Mike is right now."
I looked at them and could tell everyone was worried about telling her anything, but somehow, I knew she wouldn't hurt us, so I sent that reassurance to them and continued.
"My name is Danny and I was captured by the government. Mike was at a facility in Montana, that we escaped from. He decided to stay, and I don't know if he made it out or not. We need help and he said to contact you, if we made it out."
I had heard her gasp, as I was telling this but the voice which answered was calm when she spoke.
"What exactly did you mean when you said you didn't know if he made it out or not?"
I took a deep breath, and told her "the base commander had set the self destruct, when we broke out of our room, we found out his escape route and offered to take Mike with us, but he said if he did that they would hunt him down and kill him, and he had a better chance of staying alive by staying there. He gave me your name and number as well as those words to say to you, and said you would help us if we made it out. We cut off the commander's escape route, so if he wanted to live, he would have had to cancel the self destruct, but I don't know if he did or not."
I heard the pain in her voice as she answered
"Thank you for your honesty. I will, of course, help you in any way which I can. Is the line you are on secure?"
I looked at Allan in confusion before he said "completely."
"who is that?" Rebecca asked in a suspicious voice.
"He is..." I started to see Allan shaking his head no vehemently. "He is someone we sort of ran into, and are using his phone," I answered remembering the word this time.
"I see. Are you safe where you are, for the moment?" she asked. "Yes," I replied.
"Very well, what help do you need exactly?" she asked next.
"I don't know. I am stranded here, and don't know what to do. I have one brother in state custody, in this area and another in the hospital, in a place called Los Angeles, that I must get to. He is hurt badly, and I can help him. The military of this...The military has told people that I killed someone, and kidnapped a child, which is not true, and I just don't know what to do." I finished.
"Alright honey, you listen to me, first, do you know where the brother being held in this area is?"
"Yes, I do." I answered somehow comforted by her words.
"Ok, I want you to give me that information, and anything else you have, ok?"
"Ok." and we relayed what the computer told us earlier.
"Ok, now I am going to check into some things, and I want you to call back in exactly one hour and 7 minutes, from now, can you do that?" she asked
I looked towards Allan, and he nodded yes and I replied "yes I can"
"Good, don't worry sweetie, everything's going to be ok now. We'll get you and your brothers to safety. Bye for now."
We told her goodbye and the line went dead. Somehow I felt better after the conversation, and I could tell the others did as well. Allan still didn't look convinced and he finally said,
"Computer, remove the audible conversation which occurred between Rebecca Childs and Danny then enhance to audible levels any other conversation which occurred since the call's inception."
"Working" and then we heard a different side to the call.
"I'm telling you I can't trace it." A man's voice said.
"Almost no one has this number, it hasn't been used in years." came the woman's voice.
"I don't care, I don't like it. Nothing should be able to avoid a trace, from us." The man said.
"Robert, you said it sounded like a child, and on this number." She said.
"That's just it, it sounded, not it is, but it sounded like a child, we don't know it actually is, and..." He was interrupted by the woman.
"I don't care, Robert. I am going to answer it."
And then later from the man
"My God it can't be,"
"Find out how they know Mike, and where he is?"
"End enhanced playback" came the computer's voice.
"Computer, correlate Robert Childs with Rebecca Childs and see if you can come up with anything." Allan instructed the computer, but only a minute later the computer responded with
"no correlation found"
Next everyone chimed in with questions to which I didn't have any answers. We would just have to wait. Allan got up and went into the other room, returning with some snacks, and we ate and talked some more, while we waited for the hour to be up.
END NOTE
Well there is the end of chapter 12 I hope you enjoyed it. They found out more about themselves and even more questions than before. Why has Dani been abandoned? Why doesn't the database show him being born? We also found out some of why the kids are so close although Dani doesn't understand it still. Who is Rebecca? Well some answers are forthcoming soon. Until next time...DS