Chapter Two

When Hannah was almost eight, Oscar received an Intel report that said a terrorist group we'd helped to partially disband was planning to try and grab our kids to smoke us out into the open. Nobody threatens our kids; that's simply not an option. We sent them to the OSI safe house on a little island just off of Paradise Island, with Jim and Helen, while we went after the creeps.

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April 27, 1988

Well, Diary, we've been here for over two weeks now. Uncle Oscar came last week and he didn't even play his game with Crystal and Jenna. He said hi to us kids, and then we all had to go play outside. We sure get sent outside a lot. When Uncle Oscar was done talking to Grandma and Grandpa, he got into his plane-thing and left. We didn't see Grandma for the rest of the day. Grandpa said she was tired and was laying down.

I wish Mom and Dad would call us, at least. I want to tell Mom that I've been keeping up with my lessons, even though James and Lauren haven't studied anything since we got here. They just keep going off alone to tell secrets. I've been helping Jenna and Crystal with their ABC's and numbers the best I can so when Mom comes back she will be happy with us. Diary, Mom and Dad are coming back, aren't they?

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We got the terror group – all of them – eventually. Steve received a special souvenir of our accomplishment: on the day we rounded them up, he was shot in his stomach and when he went down, he also broke his left arm. He was in the hospital for nine days, which was the longest he could be persuaded to stay in bed and away from the family. He still looked like the walking wounded when Rudy reluctantly discharged him, but at least we were finally on our way home, to our kids.

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May 8, 1988

We are finally home, and so are Mom and Dad. Something is wrong with Dad, though. He has a cast on his arm, and I could tell it hurt when we hugged him. He still made sure to hug every one of us, but his face was awful white after that, and Mom helped him get into bed so he could rest. She told us that he'd been in an accident but he'll be ok. Uncle Oscar stopped over and this time he didn't take Mom or Dad away with him. He played with the little ones, but only for a couple of minutes, then he went into the bedroom to see Dad.

While they were talking, Mom got all of us started on our lessons again. She was so happy that the little twins know all of their ABC's now, and can count to 20. She gave me an extra hug and a gold star for my notebook, for helping them. I wish Dad and Mom would never have to go away like that, ever again. Maybe if they do, next time I can try to follow them. If they won't tell me, maybe there is some other way to find out what's going on.

June 16, 1988

Today was my birthday, and it was the best one ever! Mom made my favorite double chocolate cake with cherries in the middle and we ordered pizza for dinner. I got to pick the toppings. Grandma and Grandpa got me exactly what I wanted – a detective kit. It has everything, even fingerprint stuff!

Diary, I saved the very best for last. I got a puppy! He's a fluffy sheepdog, mostly white with one black ear and a couple of little spots on his back. And he's all mine! For the first time, it feels good to not be a twin. Since I'll be doing detective stuff and he'll be my partner, I named him Watson. Get it? I can't wait to get started!

I almost forgot to tell you I'm eight now.

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When Hannah turned eight, Steve and I decided to buy her a dog. In part, it was to stave off loneliness, but also to let her feel a sense of responsibility. James and Lauren got to do that early, when Jenna and Crystal were born, because we had each of the older twins 'adopt' a younger twin that they would help care for. Hannah was almost three when her little sisters were born, and she'd been bugging me to start giving her lessons, so we made that her job. It was a little early – she was so young – but she caught on to everything really quickly. Knew her ABC's and could count to 50 before her third birthday, and she's been an insatiable learner ever since. She finished every lesson I ever gave her early and asked for more. I think her goal was to catch up to James and Lauren, and she pretty much did, although I'd never actually tell them that.

Anyhow, Steve and I thought she was at the right age to have a responsibility all her own, and having a pet when the others didn't made her feel special, even though she wasn't a twin. She and Watson were inseparable from day one, which proved to be more of a blessing than we could have possibly known.

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