Chapter 8
In a secure location, Michael found himself in a huge bedroom. The white walls were bare, and the beige drapes on the large window pulled back to allow the light to enter. Walking to the window, he stood and looked out, studying the guards with rifles that were stationed at certain points on the back of the property. Then he strolled to the dresser and rummaged through assortment of books for him to read, puzzles, and other things to occupy his mind.
Checking the bed, he placed his hand on the mattress and pressed into it, and it seemed to be comfortable. The soft and plump bedding was luxurious that match the drapes; the fluffy pillows were brand new. The room was designed to make him feel, he was at some sort of fancy hotel room, trying to ease his mind to make him relax to forget about his fear and trepidation.
It was just a nice prison cell no matter how much she tried to doll-it up. Soft knocking came from the door, Michael turned, to see Jamie standing there with his bag, waiting for an invitation to enter. It was another reminder of an uncertain future, and he motioned for her.
"Is there anything you need or want?" she asked.
"Yeah... my freedom..."
"I'm working on that."
"I bet!" He snapped at her.
She placed his bag on the floor, and stared right straight into his blue eyes. "Michael, I know this is difficult for you. At least you are not locked behind this door with two guards heavily armed. Trust me, you wouldn't like it," she said, trying to hide the bitterness in her voice.
Michael stopped, and stared at her, something much more about this baby-face young woman, who was holding her own with him.
"I will be leaving, and Larry will be seeing to your needs. You are free to move around in the house. You can go in the back yard with an escort; however the front yard is off limits."
"Escort, you mean your guards, Jamie."
She walked over to him, placing her hand on his arm. "Michael, this isn't easy for you with all your different emotions being terrified, frustrated, anxious, and anger; are knotting up, and twisting all around inside of you. Right now you cannot go off and pull one of your famous stunts because it isn't the right time. That's what General Patel wants you to do. So, he can put you in a dark cold cell below the surface, somewhere. This is the best option for you, it may not be a fancy hotel with a large pool. It is better than being in jail or a prison cell. I don't like this either. Just try to make the best of the situation."
He stared at the tan carpet, and then he looked up to gaze in her green eyes. "So you can do your job to investigate."
"Yes. You need to get some rest to save your energy for later."
"Alright, I will try. I'm not use too being on the other side of the fence."
"I know. I received a list of your favorite meals from Devon, so you can have what you want."
"Jamie, why are you doing this? You don't know me..."
"I can't stand by to watch good people get railroaded. Remember, if you need anything ask for Larry. I will be back later, " she said.
Jamie left the room, and warned him about what was coming. He laid on the bed to rest, and the only thing he could do was to try to get some sleep, for he had a feeling he was going to need it.
Jamie sat in the back of the limousine, returning to the Foundation, in the short distance the huge magnificent mansion sat on the hills, it was like a beacon of refuge and justice in this dangerous world. She moved her shoulders in circular motions to ease her tight muscles in her shoulders and neck, while a surge of relief flooded into her body, with the knowledge that Michael was secure at the moment.
Not realizing that the limousine had stopped, when the door opened. A pop of light entered the backseat, she found herself bracing for a possible threat. Then Jeffrey, and older man looked in, and said "is everything alright ma'am?" He offered his hand to assist Jamie out of the limousine.
She placed her hand on top of his, and said, "Thank you, I'm alright. Just a little tired from everything that's going on."
"That's quite understandable, ma'am." He paused and helped Jamie out of the backseat. "Will you be able to help Michael out on this terrible situation?"
She stopped and stared at him for only a moment. It was the question everyone who worked at the Foundation wanted to ask out loud, but didn't, and their haunting eyes when she passed them in the hall, always asked that question to her. Here the limousine driver, Jeffrey finally had the nerve to ask the dreaded question that she was fearing the most. She stood a bit straighter, and said, "I'm going to do everything in my power and then some to help Michael out of this situation."
He chuckled. "Michael, told me that once when Devon was in a sticky situation about a year ago. Come, let's get you inside where you can help Michael to regain his freedom."
Her mother had taught her to be honest with people in sticky situations, because she never knew, when that person would become an ally, and Jamie had a new ally in Jeffrey.
Jeffrey escorted her to the available offices in the west side of the Foundation that was assigned to her, while he explained who was who. "If you need anything ask for Miss Cora, she is second in command, and runs the Foundation when Devon and Bonnie are on the road to assist Michael."
"Thank you. Right now, everyone's a bit hostile towards me."
"That will change, once I in form everyone that you are on Michael's side," Jeffrey said.
She turned to him. "How would you describe Bonnie and Michael's relationship?" She quietly asked him.
"Well, I would say Michael is attracted to Bonnie, and most men find her very attractive, like yourself. But Bonnie doesn't want a romantic relationship with him, so I would say their relationship is more like brother and sister or really good friends. I think Bonnie keeps boundaries in place with Michael, due to the fear, that he may not return from one of his assignments. There has been close calls... like the one... a couple months ago with a smuggling ring. The people around here were on edge for about four days," he said.
They arrived at her new office, and on her desk was a stack of files waiting for her; she rolled her eyes at the pile of work.
"Mr. Miles doesn't mess around."
"Thank you."
Jeffrey arched his thick left eyebrow. "For what..."
"For being nice to me. In my job, I run into people, who are hostile or fear me. It is reassuring to run into nice people, who understand I'm doing a job."
He tipped his hat towards her and said, "You're welcome, ma'am."
Then Jeffrey left her alone in the office, and it was time for her to return to her work. Kicking off her high-heel shoes, she took the stack of files off of the desk, and sat on the carpet to figure out the pieces of the puzzle.
About an hour into looking over the files, she attempted to discover why Amy would vanish, and she found nothing. It was the same dead end she kept running into again and again. This case wasn't making any sense to her.
"Hey mate," spoke a blonde-headed woman with a British accent.
"Chloe, you're late," Jamie said, still looking at the paperwork.
"No mate, I'm just on time." Chloe flopped into an office chair, and kicked off her shoes with her legs hanging over the arm rest. "Michael's little girlfriend got spooked, like you Americans like to say."
Jamie looked up. "Comfy, and by who?" she asked.
Derrick entered, and stood by the door. "We don't know by who, and she was gone by the time that we arrived in town. Amy could have left as soon as Knight did."
"I'm very comfy, thank you... For such a friendly waitress, she kept to herself in that little town."
Jamie eyed Chloe. "Can anyone..."
"According to the gossip, when Michael came to visit, and he would take her out of town, quoting her words, 'show her the world.'"
"How often?" Jamie asked.
"About every time when Michael visited Amy," Chloe said, "We also checked for a datebook, diary, and we found nothing. What was odd we didn't find pictures, phone numbers of her parents, family, and etc... My thought is something fishy smells here."
"Are you suggesting that Amy could be a plant?" she asked.
"Well, boss, if the shoe fits. I just love these sayings," Chloe said.
Derrick stood and tapped his foot, staring at Chloe.
She studied both of them, and asked, "What didn't you tell me on the phone?"
"I wanted to be sure... See, I found a piece of paper with the name of Wade. We did a bit more investigating and discovered there was a guy name Wade, living in the town."
Derrick cleared his throat, and said, "We found the old man named Wade, and he didn't know Amy..."
She stood. "Great work." She grabbed the phone, and with her finger pushing the numbers on the dialing pad. "Let's see, how my reputation has improved within an hour, she mumbled. "Yes, Miss Cora, this is Jamie. He did, and when. Thank you. Anyhow, I need a file on Michael's assignment about the smuggling ring, and I believe it was about a month or two, ago. That will be great, and thank you again."
Jamie turned to look at them, and said, "General Patel will be here within an hour."
Tension quickly filled the room, and they just looked at each other, because Jamie was running out of options.
Chloe swung her legs off the armrest of the chair, placing her feet on the carpet, now sitting upright, and asked, "Boss, please tell me, you have one of your hair-brained schemes forming in your mind?"
"I have a few ideas forming, but I'm interested in what the General has to say first. Chloe, contact Spider for me on a secured line. Derrick, you talk to Bonnie for me, and find out the prognosis of Michael's timeline being reassembled from KITT."
Jamie sat on the floor again, studying the files more closely, searching anything that would connect Wade with any of Michael's assignments before her meeting with the general.
