40 Advance Team, George, and the Father

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"Kevin, man, I don't understand why we can't carry."

"We don't need them that's why. We're here to watch only. Collect information. That's it." Kevin's hand chopped down to emphasize for his cousin he wanted the discussion closed.

Kevin had decided he had to keep Bigsby close, to make sure he behaved. He really shouldn't be out in the field. The kid had no experience, no self discipline, and that was a dangerous combination. The two of them were sitting on a bench across the street from the Waffle Haus. Kevin was trying to pretend he was reading a newspaper looking like he was waiting for a bus. Early morning and just like almost every morning since they started following various key people, several of those key people would show up here at this Waffle Haus. Sometimes they brought the Ferguson boy, sometimes not. More than a few times one or both the Hesburghs would show up and always with either Jane or Tom. That forced them to keep a good distance. He hadn't worked with either, but that didn't mean they hadn't seen him somewhere. This restaurant and that other house where the boy lived with the young couple were the two hubs of activity. All of them frequented both on a regular basis.

"Why don't we just sorta drop in and get some coffee?"

He pulled his paper down and looked at his cousin. Was he really that stupid? "Look…" He almost called him kid. "Look. All we need to do is follow them to confirm their travel patterns. OK? Later when Bob comes out with the rest of the team then he will decide how to finish the contract." Kevin pondered that. "And we don't know for sure who all we're going to finish on."

"Well, Kevin, we got the three right?"

"For sure we'll take out the couple. The boy is still a maybe. And maybe the Lass girl."

"I don't get that. The one with two names? I thought we were supposed to stay away from her."

"We are staying away from her. There are two and they may be sisters. We might take out the older of the two."

"What's so dangerous about the younger one? I really don't get that."

"We don't have all the facts…Bigsby…but Bob does. We do exactly as we're told to do. And that means we stay far away from her."

"Aren't we supposed to show initiative?"

My God his cousin really was stupid. And dangerous. He had to talk to Bob. Bringing him out on this job was a mistake. "I'll tell you when you should show some initiative. Then you show initiative and not before."

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Inside the Waffle Haus…

Rube said, "Peanut, can you pass the ketchup?" He looked across the table top. Tommy was focused on his breakfast. "How the waffles, Tommy?" Out of the corner of his eye Rube caught sight of Ray passing through a window and booth with two old ladies eating breakfast. His eyes tracked Ray's approach.

Daisy reached in front of George and passed the bottle to Rube. "Rube, why don't we do something?"

Ray stopped to hover at a sitting level at the table end of their regular booth. When he perched there at the end like that every now and again someone would walk through him. "Ray, anything new with our friends out there?"

"Nothing new. The bigger one, tending to keep his face out of sight and pretending to read a newspaper is the boss, Kevin. He's the one I worked with once a few years back. He also has two shadows - ghosts who want some payback - who are happy to talk to me. Anyway, he was just explaining to the little guy that they're only here to watch and nothing more until Bob get's here. The little guy wants to carry a gun, but Kevin says no. Anyway, once Bob gets here then he will decide who gets terminated."

Daisy sighed heavily. "Really, Rube, I don't like this at all."

George put down her coffee cup and picked up her fork. "What's not to like, Daisy? They're just supposed to watch us. We know about them. They don't know we know about them. And if and when this Bob shows up we can take some action."

"I don't like the termination part."

George's brow furrowed and she cocked her head. "That is odd, Ray, why wouldn't they know who's on their target list?"

"That is a good question. I haven't ever heard this Kevin say exactly why nor have his shadows. I think maybe he doesn't know. And it's possible with all the supernatural stuff, maybe these guys don't know the real nature of what they're up against. It's likely that Bob and Dave are keeping them in the dark. The shadows did confirm that Meigan is with Bob and Dave though."

Jane appeared at the front door. She looked around and nodded behind. Trip entered followed by Tom. Trip took a seat next to Rube across from Daisy. Tommy was up against the divider. Jane pulled chair up to where Ray was and Ray, more out of a sense of appropriateness than real need, shifted to hover to her left.

Tommy looked over at Jane and said, "Aunt Jane, you just sat on Ray."

"Oops. Sorry Ray." She looked around. "Where is he now?"

George said, "Now he's to your left." George nodded at the spot.

Jane smiled to her left and then said to those gathered at the booth, "Mutt and Jeff out there moved out of sight as soon as we pulled in. We've got one guy followed us in."

Rube said, "Ray's been listening to our two shadows at the bus stop and he believes they know nothing about the supernatural side of their potential targets." He brought Jane and Trip up on the discussions.

Trip said, "I agree with Daisy."

"Thank you, Trip." Daisy looked back at Rube and smiled.

Rube sat back. "What action do you think we should take?"

Trip said, "Instead of George trying to send all Seattle's free ghosts over, why don't we recruit a few more to follow these four around and listen in on their conversations? Ray is doing a fine job, but we could use more eyes and ears." He paused to looked towards Ray's spot. Ray nodded. "But Ray can only be in one place at a time."

Kiffany came over and filled George's coffee cup. George noted that Kiffany walked around Jane to approach on her right to pour the coffee. George picked up two sugars. Daisy watched for her reaction. When there was no eruption Daisy looked over to Jane.

Jane took her cue and said, "I like that idea." They all, even Tommy, watched George carefully put the first of her two sugars into the coffee. Then the other plopped in and still she studied her coffee as she added the cream and stirred. Jane tried to make eye contact. "Well? George?"

George looked up with feigned surprise going from one face to the other. "Why you all looking at me?"

Rube said, "Well, Peanut. You and the Father have that sanctuary thing going on over at the Church."

"Rube. I don't even look at them. I keep my back turned. They're all scared shitless of me. I read a book. Father Adair does all the cozy confessional talk. And anyway why don't you have Grandma Daisy here talk to him?"

Daisy's smile couldn't be contained. Then she got it under control. "He's a priest and it's a confessional."

Ray spoke up, "He can't do the confessional without you, George."

Trip said, "I can't go anywhere without one of these guys shadowing me. George, if I am not mistaken, hasn't been followed." Rube could see Trip pondering that. Trip continued, "Dave must have made it clear to stay far away from George even if he didn't explain exactly why. Interesting. Our friends out there must be confused about you."

George looked from face to face. They all centered on her now. "So? What? You want me to make an offer he can't refuse?"

Jane said, "George. Once he understands what we need there really shouldn't be a problem."

Trip said, "He just needs to point out likely candidates for further screening. We need someone recently deceased with relatives or significant living others that could use a reliable cash source. I will use John as the go-between…no direct reaper involvement. So should be safe. No one will be forced to do anything that they don't want to. In return for their services I'll make sure those others get a monthly stipend."

George raised her eyebrows. "You've been thinking about this. A lot." She thought about it herself. "What about the hangers-on those ghosts shadowing our shadows? How many of them are there?"

Rube spoke up, "According to Ray, they're a little obsessed with their revenge agenda. They're happy to talk to him but won't even consider taking direction. Once a ghost loses their man, say he takes an unexpected flight somewhere they have no way to find him reliably. They really are shadows. So we're getting some useful information, and, he says, by the way, they are afraid of us, but absolutely terrified of you. They apparently have talked enough with the locals to have you pegged as the Dragon or some such." Rube smiled. "Whatever that means."

George shrugged and ignored the compliment.

Trip jumped in. "I don't want to get too touchy feely here, but the hangers-on, as you call them, aren't really good candidates over the longer run." He hesitated to jump into his touchy feely reasons, then took the plunge. "They're staying behind because they've lost their connections and looking for revenge. They're energized by hate. Very dangerous. Benny though, for example, has more healthy reasons for staying."

George had to agree. "OK. Say we recruit a few of the local willing. For how long? This could all be over in a month or two or three at most."

Trip said, "Those who prove themselves will get more later on. And… After this episode is over. Well, there could be a need for their continued services…indefinitely."

Rube raised his hands. "OK. Ice could be thin on exactly what those services might be. Don't start getting any reaper doing Della Reese between the dead and their living relatives."

"The money will come from me, all communication via John, and we can make it clear up front that we're not doing seances for or passing messages to their relatives…just to be safe. Should be thick ice, no?"

"Peanut…you should explain the basics to the Father and then get him talking to John and Trip here. Just to be safe. And make sure no negotiations between you and any ghosts. Stay safe."

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Wednesday night the Father heard George's SUV drive into the parking lot outside his office window. He emerged from his office to greet her. This idea of inviting ghosts in for confessional was working far better than he could have hoped. He had sent the Sisters home a bit early. And it had been troublesome to make sure no one in the church committee scheduled anything for Wednesdays. That was difficult. He did a quick tour of the meeting rooms and back offices to make sure everyone was out. It just wouldn't do to have a crowd of ghosts appear out of nowhere. Yes, that would be hard to explain. By the time he had finished checking things George was already standing near the pews closest to his office. He noticed she had a book again. The ghosts found that reassuring several had told him. They were so afraid of her. Now if he could get her to smile a bit. He had talked her into a temporary cessation of her hunting ghosts and was sure with a little more communication and talk her ghost pogrom could be brought to a close. For now the best he could do was to get her to sit facing away from the poor souls waiting their turn in his confessional. He took them one at a time. The first session only a very few were willing to risk being in the same room with the Dragon as they had taken to calling her. The last few meetings the numbers were such that she finally ran out of patience. He couldn't blame her he was reaching his limits too. These ghosts had no issue with endurance. They would have waited each their own turn throughout the night if George hadn't called a halt to the proceedings.

She offered him a smile and said, "Father. So good to see you again."

Oh oh. That face, he could sense something was coming. "Georgia. Thank you for coming. I know this must be wearing on you too."

"Did you make sure the church is empty? I don't feel anyone, but there are so many ghosts gathering outside…there's at least twice as many as last time."

That was a lot. "You have an idea?"

"I have two ideas." She smiled broadly. She placed her book on the pew seat. He hoped she could sit a little closer to the front.

He waited. He jumped when Ray and Benny appeared next to her both smiling. He felt a bit guilty about Benny. But at least Trip would take care of his family. Rube's reaction to Trip's monetary help led him to believe that it was unusual if not forbidden. He had been there when Maria did something that was frowned upon and the Old Testament nature of the reaction made him hesitant to venture into any frowned upon territory. He and Rube had a long talk about boundaries. Rube and Roxy were concerned that he understand where they were and they made it clear how important to not cross even a toe over. Even if he was one of the living and given George was a reaper and only enabling him to communicate with the dead they wanted him to be very careful not to pass messages to the living from the dead. A very touchy subject for sure. A lot of grey there. And Maria was a painful first lesson. The higher power governing the reapers was not to be taken lightly. He was confused though - Ray and Benny seemed to have a lot of freedoms, but then they didn't talk to their living relatives.

George asked, "Ray, could you go outside and get them ready?" Ray moved through the front wall. Benny waited next to her. "Benny, could you double check the rooms and offices?"

He said, "I looked. Everyone's out."

She waived to Benny to stay.

"So. Two ideas?"

She moved to sit down and gestured for him to take a seat next to her. She shifted to face him and he adjusted so he was facing towards her. This wind up was causing him concern.

"First. I think in view of the success of your outreach program, we need to put a cap on how long we're going to stay here."

"Agreed. Three hours?"

She smiled. "And you should be aware that I could get a call for an appointment on short notice."

He nodded.

"Second. We would like you to do a favor."

"We? A favor?"

"It's a small thing. It will only help the popularity of your outreach efforts." She waited for his reaction. He didn't offer any. She continued, "As you get to know your new flock we would like you to recommend candidates…like Benny here, who could use a little financial aid for their still living loved ones."

He wasn't sure what she was asking. "Recommend candidates for…?"

She showed a half smile. "Father, like you did with Benny here. As you talk to your confessionals you'll get a pretty good idea who among them would make good candidates…for our network…we want you to prescreen potential…"

"This is a confessional…not an interview process for job candidates. I want to focus on helping these lost souls…and I've never seen or heard of better examples than ghosts caught in between this world and the other side."

She was making no move to respond - to engage him. Just watching him, focused on what he was saying, but he could also see into those eyes and there was a very strong will animating and at work behind them. She had won already. He was sure she was waiting for him to realize who was holding the high cards. He was well aware that she was the only reaper who could enable his new ministry for these lost souls. He stopped talking, the better to hear what exactly she wanted him to do.

She put both hands up in a faux gesture of surrender. "Father you've won. I've pretty much stopped raiding churches. However…many of these ghosts are not right upstairs. Perhaps you'll come to fully appreciate that as you talk to more of them. The ones who almost killed John were not well at all. I helped their minds to balance and then they decided to cross over. I'm not asking you to point those out to me for special attention. What I'm asking…what we are asking is that from among the sane people you listen to, that you identify those who might be able to help achieve some of their normally unattainable goals likely connected to why they're staying behind. Keep in mind we are not going to be sending messages to their families or righting personal wrongs." She turned to Benny. "Although, Benny, if you find…or you Father…if you come across some victim, a murder victim…who is sane…then you can approach John with information without repercussions. But, that's not the main goal here. We believe that Trip can provide aid to appropriate living beneficiaries and in exchange we would like them to provide information about the group aiming to kill Tommy and the Hesburghs and maybe my sister. You don't have to discuss any of this in the confessional. You just send them to Benny or Ray and they will take it from there."

He could listen to a great many lost souls and just happen not to find any of them suitable candidates. "Let's see what happens. I'll be on the look out." He gave her his own smile.

"Thank you for cooperating. I'm sure those we select will be happy. Shall we set a goal to measure our productivity?"

"Excuse me?"

"Shall we say one out of every three for additional screening?"

"A quota?"

"Is that too high?"

"That's much too high." He blurted out, "One out of 20?"

"Let's shoot for one out of 10. That sounds reasonable."

He had a feeling one out of 10 was her original intention. He nodded. Better quit now.