Chapter 2
After receiving word that General Milner wanted to meet with Carolyn and Captain Gregg, the arrangements were made.
"I instructed the Tanakas and the General to come over, today. Did you have any appointments, Carolyn?"
"Only with the typewriter." She tried to be light hearted, but Daniel was already focused on the upcoming meeting.
"Have you finished eating, dear?" His concern went back to its original course.
"Not yet…"
"Let us go, then." He escorted her into the kitchen and she felt like a five year old. If he were not already preoccupied and stressed, Carolyn would have had words with him.
—-
Captain Gregg paced the length of the kitchen floor while Carolyn slowly ate the remainder of her sandwich. It was making Martha nervous.
"I think that I will tidy up on the second floor while you two are in here." Martha excused herself.
It took some time, but Carolyn finished eating. It was early afternoon.
"I think that I want to lay down for a little while, Daniel. All of this food is making me drowsy. Would you join me?"
"Always, but you really should sleep. I will stay with you but remain awake. I need to think more."
Carolyn held out her hand to her husband and they made their way up to the master cabin. Daniel noticed that without her usual unending supply of coffee, Carolyn needed more rest. Being with child, he was certain that there would more napping to come.
Martha had already placed crisp clean sheets on their bed along with the blanket and bedspread. They lay down and Daniel pointed to a crochet throw blanket that made its way over to them. They cuddled underneath it and Carolyn dozed off. The Captain continued to turn over the recent events in his mind. 'There must be something more to this. Some reason. But what?'
The phone rang at Gull Cottage while the Master and Mistress were upstairs. Martha was quick for her age and she picked up just before the second ring, not wanting Carolyn to wake up prematurely.
"Muir residence. Yes. Hello, Mrs. Tanaka. Yes, I'm sure that will be fine. I'll give them the message. Thank you, Mrs. Tanaka. Good-bye."
—
A soft knock was heard on the master cabin door. The Captain stirred and popped out to the hall in order to address the matter. A groggy Carolyn was starting to wake up.
"Wait." She was disappointed at Daniel's sudden departure. She soon joined her husband in the hall who was speaking with Martha.
"There you are, Mrs. Muir. I was telling the Captain that the Tanakas called. They will be arriving later this afternoon with the General who is bringing his son. I am preparing a meal that can include the added guests."
"Thank you, Martha." They expressed their gratitude. Captain Gregg was still preoccupied, but wondered why the General would bring his son along. He gave his ear a tug.
"Would you like for Ed and I to take Candy and Jonathan out for dinner and go to the movies? I know that you may want some privacy. With the kids around, that may not happen." Martha was also open to finding an excuse to spend time with Ed.
"Thank you, Martha. That would be most prudent," responded Captain Gregg. Carolyn agreed. The children had become very good at eaves-dropping and neither was sure what to expect from the upcoming visit.
—-
Their guests had arrived later that same afternoon as expected. Martha and Ed had already left with the kids. They were still trying to agree on where to eat that evening. The Tanaka couple arrived along with General Milner and his son who walked with the assistance of a cane. Both wore their military uniforms and the rank difference was noticeable. Introductions were made. The General's son was a younger man by the name of Kevin. He was pleasant looking and his face still carried some boyish features from earlier years.
Debriefing Captain Gregg was first to commence. It was something that he had done before, so it was rather quick but thorough.
Both parties had further questions for one another. Captain Gregg started.
"General Milner. You had remarked to me yesterday that the people responsible for all of this are a rogue group? Could you explain further?"
"What I can give you, Captain Gregg, are puzzle pieces and speculations both on and off the record."
"I see. Please proceed." The Captain was stroking his beard.
"From our investigations, we have learned that there is a rogue group within the military that is conducting work outside of their given authority. They are using personnel and equipment for their own purposes. These people are connected to another group of individuals that are behind the scenes. A group that we have heard referred to as 'Black Veils'. There is little known about them.
"The command structure is dotted by this rogue group of people who work for the main group and they tend to cover their tracks well. Yesterday was the first time that we've been able to apprehend one of them before they had moved on. General Duffy is in custody, but even he is only a pawn. Most of the people that were brought into the facility didn't really know prior to coming in what the assignment would be, including the Tanakas."
Mr. Tanaka took the floor.
"My wife and I are scientists. We did not know that the work we would be doing was on a captured spirit. It goes against our culture and beliefs. We found it very disconcerting to realize that the ghost of Captain Gregg was intended to be subject to experimentation." Mr. Tanaka felt shame knocking at his door.
Carolyn laid her hand on her husband's arm. He gave her a gentle touch with his other hand and their eyes met with a mutual understanding.
"It is not your fault, Tanaka-San. I do not hold you responsible at all. Quite the contrary, I am grateful for all of your help to my family and I. Your honor is retained." Captain Gregg stood and gave them a bow. They stood and bowed in return. Mr Tanaka felt better now that he knew the Captain held no ill will towards them.
Daniel suddenly became alert and he spanned the room as if seeing something.
"What is it, Daniel?" Carolyn already had an idea.
"There is another presence here. Another spirit has come. Show yourself! Materialize this instant!" His voice was loud and demanding.
A young woman materialized. She was attractive and wore vintage, but not old, clothing. The ghost woman walked over and stood by Kevin Milner, who had come to his feet. It was obvious that the two knew each other.
"Who are you?" Captain Gregg asked in a more gentle tone.
"Please. Allow me," the General spoke up. "Her name is Vivian Baker Milner." Carolyn and Daniel took note that she bore the same last name. "She is my son's wife and yes, she is a spirit like yourself, Captain Gregg." His son looked proud of his wife and gave her a smile. She reflected it back.
"Another ghost/mortal couple?" Carolyn was astonished.
"Amazing!" Daniel smiled.
"Yes. Vivian was a Navy nurse stationed at Pearl Harbor. She died on the day of the attack during WW2 but chose not to stay in Hawaii. She came back to the states and haunted a Veteran's hospital still trying help military personnel."
Vivian became corporeal and blushed. Then she took her husband's hand.
"Kevin, here, was seriously wounded in Vietnam about three years ago. Damn guerrilla warfare! He was flown back to the U.S. and met Vivian in the Veteran's hospital. I think that he was smitten right away with her!"
"Dad!" Kevin spoke as if this had not been the first time his father said such a thing. Vivian giggled.
Daniel and Carolyn could not help but smile at the young couple. They knew exactly what it was like. There was also one question that was practically bursting from their shared thoughts.
"May I ask a rather personal question?" Daniel stepped forth.
"I suppose?" General Milner was not sure what to think.
"Are your son and Miss Vivian legally married?" If the ghost had lungs, he would have been holding his breath.
Kevin Milner was quick to answer before his father could speak. "Of course we are!"
Daniel and Carolyn together asked the $64,000 question. "How?!"
"Does she have legal documentation?" Captain Gregg pursued in more detail.
It was something they both wanted to do but had run into many obstacles to try and gain a legal identity for someone who had already died.
General Milner chuckled. "We work for the government. They can give new identities out like playing cards!"
Carolyn blurted out the question. "Can you help us get Daniel a new identity so we can be legally married on this plane of existence?"
"I suppose something could be worked out in that area." He wasn't sure of their problem.
Daniel picked Carolyn up, spun her around and gave her a pleasant kiss.
"We can do it, my love," he whispered, then held her. Tears were forming in Carolyn's eyes.
Their audience awkwardly stared for a moment and realized that this was something dear to their hearts.
"Yes. Of course we can help you with that." The General and his son looked at each other in mutual admiration.
"Thank you, General." Carolyn was still wiping tears from her eyes and sniffling.
"Something else that the two of you should know, Captain Gregg. Mrs. Muir." The General's tone took a serious turn and he drew a deep breath.
Daniel saw the man's trepidation, but was not ready for the impending blow. The General had to drop a bomb the he had no desire to deliver.
"Kevin's wife, Vivian, had a botched attempt to abduct her about a year ago from the same rogue group. They held my son down while.." His voice filled with emotion and the General had to pause before continuing.
"She was able to vanish before they could get ahold of her. They have not made another attempt since, but that doesn't meant that they won't."
General Milner had Daniel and Carolyn's full attention. The couple held hands tightly. Captain Gregg suddenly felt ill-at-ease and the hair on his neck stood up.
"That's not all, I'm afraid. There have been four other known abductions in the past 20 months. All four have been spirit/mortal relationships. We don't believe that this was a mere coincidence. This group may be targeting spirit/mortal couples. With the exception of you, Captain Gregg, none have ever escaped or have been seen again. These numbers are only for the ones that we actually know of. Who knows how many abductions have gone unreported." Milner's voice conveyed his frustrations and he shook his head in grief.
Daniel encircled his arms around Carolyn. She was trembling. This news was upsetting and most frightening. 'Surely, this could not happen again?'
They had already been through so much.
"You are scaring my wife, General." Daniel grew more protective of her.
"My apologies to both of you, but you need to understand the gravity of the situation."
"We are keeping Kevin and Vivian in a safe house. Very few people know the location.
Carolyn was trying to sort this out. She stepped toward the military man.
"General Milner. I was taken in for a mental evaluation to Bellevue against my will, yet no one knows the doctor that gave the order. The paper trail stopped. It was a dead end. I can't help but believe that our two abductions are related." She gestured toward Daniel and herself.
"You can bet money there's a correlation, Mrs. Muir. If anyone had an inkling of your relationship with Captain Gregg, they would use you to flush him out."
A cold chill ran through the couple.
Claps of thunder could be heard rolling over Gull Cottage and Daniel was scowling. His thoughts over the matter darkened.
The visitors all looked outside for the impending storm.
"What can we do from here, General Milner?" Carolyn made herself a distraction from the possible storm being produced by her husband's wrath.
Daniel interjected. "Is Carolyn still a possible target for these…Blackards?!"
Furrowing his brow, General Milner looked at the couple straight on.
"Anyone in a spirit/mortal relationship should consider themselves in clear and present danger." He was direct and to the point.
More thunder claps were heard along with lightning, wind, and rain that danced angrily through the air. Clouds of darkness were closing in over Gull Cottage.
Visitors once again were at the windows, looking up to the sky.
Captain Gregg was livid. He recalled Carolyn's abduction and imprisonment at the Asylum. The straight jacket, the bruises and the drugs. To say that he held those responsible in contempt was an understatement. Carolyn drew her husband's head down to her own. Soothing thoughts she sent his way, attempting to quell his anger. It did little good. The love of his afterlife and his child were in danger. He dare not look into her eyes. She would surely see his anguish and dread that he was attempting to hide.
—-