My ambitious daily updating schedule was interrupted by having to be away from home for a conference ... which, by the way, was a wonderful event. Now, I'm back at my desk and we'll find out about Annie and Auggie's travel plans for going to Glencoe, Illinois, for the Memorial Day weekend. Will they fly first class or maybe travel first class in a different way. Let's find out ...
Chapter 11 – Travel Plans
"We need to start making our travel plans," Auggie mentioned as they cleaned up after enjoying a supper of pizza, salad and red wine.
"Oh, yeah, travel plans," Annie said. "What did you have in mind?"
"Mom is getting antsy to nail down our flight times and day, so we can get seats together in first class. We need to pull out the calendar and give her our travel dates," Auggie explained.
"Your mom is footing the bill for first class tickets for both of us?" Annie asked. "Wow!"
Auggie laughed. "It's become very important to her to have both of us there for the party, so we'll have to work with her on it."
"You know, I appreciate the offer; but I was thinking it would be fun to drive out to Glencoe. Then we'd have the car while we're there. What do you think? We could go out on I-80 and come home the southern route on I-70. Joan's encouraging us to take a couple of weeks off, so we have plenty of time to drive out, visit, party and drive back," Annie made her case for driving.
"I've got to admit, Annie Walker, you make a compelling case for driving. Are you sure you're up to doing all the driving yourself, cause I'm not going to be much help in that department. I can keep you company and keep you entertained …. Hell … I can even still change a tire, but driving days are over."
"We'll be fine. We won't be on a tight schedule and we can stop along the way and take our time. I haven't been on a really good old-fashioned road trip since I was in college and went camping in Maine with my parents. It'll be fun … think of all the quality one-on-one time we'll get with each other."
Auggie shook his head at Annie's enthusiasm over the trip. He didn't understand it, but he wouldn't throw the proverbial bucket of ice on it, either; because he could sense Annie's happiness. Auggie opened the face of his watch to check the time … 8:30 … which meant it was 7:30 in Glencoe … just about the perfect time to catch up with Amanda Anderson.
Auggie dialed the land line number of his parents, knowing that his father had come home from the office and turned off his phone and his mother … God love her … had not acquired the habit of keeping her phone with her when she was home. The phone rang, Fred looked up at the caller ID on his desk phone and yelled across the hall to Amanda who was sitting at her desk in the master sitting room, "It's Auggie, do you want to pick up, or should I get it?"
"Thanks, I'll get it. Auggie!" Amanda greeted her youngest son.
"That caller ID sort of takes the fun out of calling someone and surprising them," Auggie teased.
"Well, yes, there is that," she agreed. "Do you have some good news for me? Are you and Annie going to come for Memorial weekend? When should I make the flight arrangements?"
"Yes and Yes and we've decided to drive."
"Drive? … In a car?"
"Well, Mom, driving usually involves a car."
"Just can't pass up a chance to make a snarky comment, can you, Auggie?"
"Nope, Mom, you walked right into that one," he laughed.
"Are you serious? You're going to drive out, even when I'll buy your plane tickets?"
"It's not about the cost of tickets, and you know it. I can buy the tickets. Annie wants to drive. We have the time this trip, for a change, and in a strange way I think it will help us both unwind. Things have been pretty hectic for both of us the past few months."
"What kind of a car does she drive? It's one of those little tiny economy cars, isn't it? All young, professional women drive economy cars."
Auggie was always amazed at how perceptive and on top of trends he mother was. "Well, Mom, Annie's car may not be big, but it's comfortable and she has a great sound system."
"Well, if I'm not purchasing plane tickets, then let me pay for the rental of a great, safe car for you two to come home in."
"Thanks, Mom, but I can take care of it."
"Please let me treat you, Auggie. It's a thank you for coming home and a thank you to Annie for coming with you."
Annie had just heard half the conversation, but she figured out quickly that Amanda Anderson was insisting on paying for a car rental. When Auggie finished the conversation, Annie said, "Did I understand that right? Your mom is going to pay a car rental for us?"
Auggie smiled and nodded.
"Wow, let's get something fun!"
Smiling devilishly Auggie said, "I know just the car to rent … I have a buddy in the business."
Auggie picked up the phone and called his friend, Gary, who owns a fleet of luxury cars that he rents to people who visit DC on business and want a vehicle that's more than a step up from what is available from the chain rentals. "Hey, Gary … this is Auggie … yeah, fine … How about you? … Family OK? Great! Hey, do you still have that sweet little Caddie XLR … the red convertible you were telling me about? Can I put a hold on it for the week before Memorial Day to the week after?
Auggie listened to his friend and laughed. "No, I'm not doing the driving … neither one of us have enough insurance for that. Annie and I are driving to Illinois to see my folks."
"You didn't even ask how much the car rental would be," Annie admonished him.
"Didn't have to. Remember, my mom's bribing us to go home. Cost doesn't matter."
"Oh my gosh, Auggie, I'm seeing a whole new side to you!"
"What? Jai Wilcox isn't the only spoiled rich kid working at the CIA. I just do a better job of hiding it," Auggie teased. "Except I don't know how happy Miss Amanda is going to be when you screech to a halt in the driveway with us in a sports car. She said to get something nice … which the XLR is … and safe … her idea of safe is an armored SUV."
"I'll drive safe. They told me at The Farm I scored higher in driving than any woman ever had."
Auggie puffed his cheeks and blew out a deep breath. "Yeah about that … it's things like that in our training that concern Mom."
The Friday afternoon before he was scheduled to leave for Illinois, Auggie received word from the NSA that its new system was in place to track and view photos that are transmitted by cell phones. The CIA and NSA had worked out an arrangement to run an image recognition program to compare the photos of CIA officers and assets against the photos being transmitted in an effort to identify anyone whose cover may have been compromised.
Auggie worked with Stu to set up procedures for running the new software. Every Friday morning the NSA would upload the photo files onto a server both agencies could access. The CIA Tech Ops crew would run the recognition software either Friday afternoon or sometime over the weekend, depending on the workload. By Monday morning a report would be on each division director's desk.
Auggie was concerned about leaving the office for a couple of weeks with new software and procedures in place. "Boss, don't worry about it. We can run it, and if there should be a problem, we know how to contact you," Stu attempted to reassure him. "Don't you trust us?"
"Stu, you know I trust you. I just feel bad about leaving you with a whole new program to integrate into everything else we're trying to watch. If anything unusual develops on Monday I'll still be in town, but after that we'll have to handle everything by phone."
"Let's hope I don't have to bother you about anything."
Saturday morning before they left, both Annie and Auggie were busy with laundry and getting organized to pack. They had set Saturday afternoon aside for errands, and Saturday evening was a family dinner with Danni, Michael and the girls. Auggie had quickly become the girls' favorite dinner guest. He paid attention to them and answered their questions about history and the Smithsonian … Annie's family still believed they worked together at the museum.
After dinner, Auggie helped Annie clean out her car and decide what they needed to transfer to the rental for the trip. Annie read through the music she kept in the car, and Auggie gave her the thumbs up on most of it. She stuffed her CD portfolio into a tote bag with some other CDs. "What was that?" Auggie asked.
"What was what?" Annie replied with a smile in her voice.
"You know what … what else went into that bag?"
"Some audio books to listen to on the trip, in case we get tired of talking to each other," Annie explained.
"What books?" he asked out of curiosity.
"I picked up a couple of Daniel Silva books for you … I checked the Braille books on your shelf and you didn't have these. I thought you might enjoy one on the way out and one on the way back."
Auggie smiled and was touched by her thoughtfulness. "What did you get for yourself?"
"Mmmm … I picked up the audio version of a book I haven't had a chance to read yet. I want to read it before the movie comes out in the fall … kinda thought this trip would be a good time to start it."
"You didn't answer my question. What book did you get?"
Slightly embarrassed Annie admitted she had bought the audio version of "Breaking Dawn."
"Oh, man … you're gonna make me listen to a book about vampires?"
"Not all the way … we'll listen to your books, too. Besides, vampires are pop culture. They're a hot trend globally. Think of it as research for your job … research that will make me happy," Annie said persuasively as she sat the tote bag of music and books in the back seat. She handed Auggie a plastic grocery bag. "Hold this open," she said as she put a handle in each hand and pulled his hands apart. Auggie had to laugh as he heard Annie rooting around in the back seat floor stuffing what sounded like old napkins, receipts and newspapers into the sack.
"Don't tell me … let me guess … I've been riding around in a pig sty."
"Well, I don't think it was as bad as all that sounded."
Auggie felt the stuffed bag. "Whatever you want to believe," he teased.
Annie studied Auggie's expression as she took the bag from him and tied up the handles to throw in the trash. "Hrummm … I'm betting that when you had a car, you washed and vacuumed it almost weekly and never had a mess of napkins, receipts and straw papers strewn across the back seat floor."
"I'm not talkin'," Auggie grinned.
"You've always been a neat freak, haven't you? Your extreme tidiness isn't something you have to work really hard at, is it?" Annie observed. "Well, I'm envious … 'cause I have to work really hard at it."
"I know," Auggie chuckled.
Annie gave him a teasing punch in the arm, and reminded him they owed the girls a game of Scrabble, because Chloe had nagged her mother into ordering a Braille game "So Auggie can play, too."
Early Monday morning Annie drove her freshly organized car over to Auggie's to meet him so they could go to his friend's car rental office. Gary and Auggie visited and teased like old friends while Auggie paid and Annie helped him sign the rental papers. Annie gave Gary her driver's license to copy, and Gary handed her two keys. She looked at the two keys in the palm of her hand and had to shake off a wave of sadness … for Auggie.
"Auggie, can you put this on your key ring," she said handing him the spare key. "In case I misplace mine or accidentally lock my key in the car."
"I think this car has Onstar," Auggie reminded her.
"Just keep track of that key. OK?"
Auggie worked the key onto the ring with his apartment and office keys saying, "Happy to oblige."
Gary gave Annie instructions on where to park her car, and as she and Auggie were leaving the office, Annie whispered, "I'm glad I cleaned up the car or else I'd be lowering the property value of this place."
Coming along behind them, Gary said, "Auggie, give me your key, so we can pull the Caddie around." Auggie handed Gary his key ring and followed Gary out of the building. In just a few minutes, Annie walked up beside Auggie and wrapped her arms around his left arm; and Gary drove up in the slickest car she'd ever imagined driving.
"Wow! Auggie, this car is incredible. It's beautiful."
Gary stopped the car in front of them, and walking past them said, "Here you go, Auggie," dropping the keys into his outstretched hand. Annie took several steps toward the car, and placed Auggie's hand on the door handle. Auggie reached up and felt that the top was up. He walked around the little luxury car feeling the lines of the hood, grille and trunk. With his devilish smile, he said, "Let's put the top down for the ride home."
Gary showed Annie where the manual was stored in the glove box and gave her a quick tutorial on how the top and cruise features operated. She started the car and put the top down. Auggie stood beside the car enjoying the sound the top lowering.
"Auggie," Annie yelled over the wind, "are you ready?"
"Sure am," he said as he opened the door and settled into the passenger seat. Gary walked over, patted Auggie on the back and said, "You have a safe trip, and I'll see you in a couple of weeks."
As they were driving back to Auggie's apartment, his encrypted phone rang. "Anderson," he answered forcefully.
"Auggie, this is Stu. I wanted you to know that I ran the new software, and none of our people showed up. It took a while to process, but it seems to be working just the way you expected."
"Thanks, Stu. Thanks for letting me know. That's good news. Give the reports to Joan, and she'll distribute them to the other directors." Auggie ended the call and shoved the phone into his jeans pocket.
Annie glanced over at him, half expecting some kind of explanation about the conversation. When he said nothing … just sat there enjoying the warmth of the sun and the wind on his fact, she finally commented, "That another conversation above my clearance level?"
"Oh, not really … just tech ops stuff … mostly tech stuff."
"I like tech stuff. What's going on?"
"New software … image recognition program. Stu was reporting the first run went off without a hiccup."
Changing the subject, Auggie said, "So, are we still planning to stay at your place tonight and leave early in the morning?"
"If that's OK with you. I thought it would be easier to load everything there because we can park in the driveway. Danni probably would like us to have dinner with them, but we have an excuse to call it an early evening."
"Well, then, we'd better head to my place to get my things," Auggie said with a smile.
In the next chapter, they hit the road for Glencoe. What kind of a welcome will they receive? Check in soon to find out.
Thanks so much for reading my story. Enjoy!