At dinner that evening, I was still feeling a bit unsettled. Despite the stuffed pork chops that Grandma served us, I just couldn't really eat. It was weird. I was totally aware of John sitting across the table from me, but I couldn't meet his eye. I sat there pushing peas around with my fork, listening to Scott and Virgil reminiscing about some high school friend who had won some music award.

I was sort of off in Never-Never Land, when Grandma said, "Well, what is wrong? Did I put too much salt in the dressing?"

I looked up guiltily, but to my surprise, Grandma was looking at John, not me. He still looked like crap, only now he looked like guilty crap. He ducked his head when he realized he was the center of attention, and said, "No, Grandma. I'm just not hungry. I had a late lunch."

"Son, are you feeling all right?" Dad asked, all concerned.

"Actually, I think I might have picked up a touch of food poisoning. My stomach's been off all day."

Grandma was there before the words were out of his mouth, with a hand against his forehead checking for fever. "I don't feel feverish, Grandma, just a little queasy is all."

"Well, no stargazing for you tonight, then. You get to bed early. A good sleep will set you right."

"Yes, ma'am. I'd pretty much decided that myself."

"All right. I'll have Kyrano leave a pot of clear soup on the stove. If you wake up hungry in the middle of the night, you can have that and some crackers."

"Okay, Grandma. Um, I think I'll just go lie down now." John got up and left the table, but before he left the room, he made sure to catch my eye with a very pointed look.

Suddenly I felt as queasy as John claimed to feel. It wasn't the pointed look that bothered me, it was the lie. I hadn't expected him to lie outright to Grandma in front of the whole family. It was one thing to help him sneak out after dark, and quite another to tell lies about it. I mean, I could misdirect with the best of them, but lying just wasn't in my nature. Before tonight, I would have sworn it wasn't in John's nature either.

I pushed past the queasiness in my stomach and forced myself to eat. I dunno, I just didn't want to bring any attention to myself. Especially for not eating. It would be too much like guilt by association. I knew the meal would lie like lead bricks in my stomach, but it seemed a small price to pay for my complicity in John's lie.

By the time dinner was over, I'd decided I wasn't going to cover for him any more. If he wanted to take off without permission, fine, but I wasn't helping him. Of course, I didn't intend to get all up in his face about it either. I figured I'd just make myself scarce, and claim I'd forgotten. Maybe he'd wise up and go to bed and sleep whatever this was off.

I opted to head over to the round house to the game library. Actually it was just a little cupboard where we stored old computer programs, but Alan and I had dubbed it the game library long ago and the name had stuck. I thought I could pull out some old shoot-em-up and lose myself in some quality thumb exercise. With any luck, I really would be able to forget Johnny's weird behavior.

I grabbed a couple of my all-time favorites, Sea Hunt IV and Shark Bait, and headed for my room. I was riding a wave of fond nostalgia looking over the graphics on the package as I headed through the hallway. I was so caught up that I jumped a foot at a sharp voice. "Hey, what are you doing?"

I looked up to find John blocking my way. He still looked like crap, but in another Armani suit, he looked like nicely dressed crap. I tried for cool and calm. "I'm going to go play Sea Hunt. You wanna play?"

"I thought we agreed you'd get Dad to go down with you to the hangar."

So much for staying out of his face. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, I always say. "Yeah, well, that was before you started lying to Grandma."

There was that split second look again. Just like in the workroom. Damn, but if it didn't have the same effect on me the second time. I swallowed hard and took a step back. John didn't seem to notice, and the look was gone again so fast that if I hadn't seen it earlier, I would have thought it was a trick of the light.

With that killing look gone, it was suddenly just my brother John in front of me, looking chagrinned. "Yeah, I know. I don't know why I did that. It kind of just came out. I'll make it up to her, but the thing is, I really need your help here, Gordy. This girl… well, she might be the one, you know?"

"Or she might not be. You've only known her for one day, and here you are willing to lie to Grandma over her. She could dump you tonight, man, but that lie will still be out there."

"All right, I get it. I don't need the full lecture, okay? Are you going to back out on me or what?"

I shook my head. "I dunno, Johnny. You gotta promise me no more lies, okay?"

John nodded, "I swear. Believe me, I feel bad enough about it. I won't do it again."

I took my life into my hands and asked, "Are you sure you won't just stay home tonight? I gotta tell you, Johnny, you just don't look good."

Instead of the attack I half expected, he just rubbed the back on his head and said ruefully, "I know. But I can't just blow this girl off. I don't want to just blow her off. I'm just going to fly over, take her out for drinks then call it a night. I'll be home before you know it."

Relieved, I said, "Yeah, well, I'm going to hold you to that. Tracy One turns into a pumpkin at midnight."

John smiled. "Okay, mother. Now, will you go con Dad for me? Please?"

It still didn't feel right, but it was John's decision, not mine, and I did sort of promise him. "Okay. But John, if you get sick on the mainland, promise me you'll call me, okay? I'll come get you. I don't want you keeling over mid flight, okay?"

John gave me his patented big brother look. "Unlike you, I can pilot a rocketship half asleep. Little sport jets are not a problem."

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, right. Listen, give me fifteen minutes to get Dad moving. Have fun, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

John nodded, smiling, "Thanks, Gordy."

I watched as he headed toward the garage. Well, it was really a hangar, but given the size of the Thunderbird hangars, it was just a garage. I still had misgivings, but I'd told John I'd help, so I went off looking for my primary parental unit.

Dad wasn't in the lounge or on the balcony or patio. I knew he wasn't in his bedroom, and I frowned wondering if he'd maybe gone for a walk on the beach. That'd be a disaster, Johnny-wise. If he was anywhere outside, he'd hear that jet take off.

I checked the kitchen just to be sure, and found Grandma there at the table looking at one of her recipe files. "Grandma, where's Dad?"

"Oh, Virgil had some doohickey or other that he wants to install on Thunderbird Two, so he and your father took Scott and Brains down to the hangar to look at it."

"So he decided on the doohickey instead of the thingamajig? Huh." I said, surprised and relieved at this easy solution.

Grandma pursed her lips to hide her smile. "Oh, you. Are you going to go down there with the rest of them?"

"Naw, I went and got a couple of video games out of the library. I think I'll call up Alan and whup his butt at them."

Turning back to her recipes, she said, "That's nice, dear. Tell your brother I said hello."

"I will, Grandma. Good night."

"Sleep tight, baby."

I headed to my room with a clear conscience, and Grandma's benediction washing away the bad vibes of the day.