Jeremy pauses outside the door leading into the supposed Danny Matheson's room and looks over at Maggie. "I know you need to do your doctor thing, but I also have to question this kid to see what he knows."
Maggie nods in understanding. "I'll try to keep the talking to a minimum. I just need to be close enough to treat him."
"Alright." Jeremy hesitates for a moment before laying a gentle hand on her arm. "Just be careful. If these people are frauds, they might be dangerous."
"You don't have to worry about me, Captain Baker." Maggie says, her face flushing red.
"I do, though. I worry." Jeremy says, his cheeks going slightly pink.
Maggie smiles shyly, then clears her throat. "Shall we get started then?"
"Uh, right. Yeah."
Jeremy straightens his shoulders and knocks once on the door before letting himself in. The boy is sitting on the edge of a king sized bed, his chest heaving with every harsh breath. Maggie rushes forward and immediately starts pulling things out of her bad.
"My name is Maggie," she tells the boy calmly. "I'm a doctor and I'm going to help you, alright?"
The boy looks up at her and nods quickly, trying valiantly to suck air through his lungs. "As-as," he draws in a long rattling breath. "Asthma."
"I know, it's alright. Just try to relax and take deep breaths."
The boy nods as she digs around in her bag, pulling out a small glass and several containers full of what appear to be random ingredients. "Jeremy, I need water," she says urgently as she adds various things to the glass.
Jeremy hastens to obey seeing as how the kid seems to be turning a little blue. He grabs a water jug from a nearby coffee table and nearly trips over a rug in his hurry to help. Maggie adds some water to her strange concoction and uses a little spoon to stir it up and crush some of the ingredients together. When she's satisfied with the apparent gloop in the glass, she shoves it into the boys hands and says, "drink all of, quickly."
The kid doesn't even hesitate, he doesn't even stop to wonder if the militia Captain and self-proclaimed doctor might want to hurt him. He sucks the disgusting looking drink down in two big gulps and gags.
"Ew," he gasps. "What is that?" But seeing as how the mixture is already working its magic on his lungs, he doesn't seem overly concerned about it.
Maggie pulls and old, overused stethoscope from her bag and unceremoniously pulls the kids shirt up to expose his pale, boney chest. The kid struggles against her for a moment, but stops when he realizes she's trying to help. After a quick exam, Maggie retreats to the far side of the room to put together something else to help him breathe.
With his breathing finally under control, the kids looks at Jeremy curiously. "Am I in trouble or something? I came her with my parents, but no one will let me see them. Are they OK?"
Jeremy studies the kid quietly, understanding exactly what Jason meant about having a 'feeling' when it comes to these people. There's something eerily familiar about the kid's wide eyes and his apparently genuine concern for his family. It reminds him of Charlie. Particularly, a younger, more innocent one. These days, Charlie has heard far too many war stories and witnessed too many battles to be naive.
"Your parents are fine, kid, but they're being held temporarily for attempting to break into the building."
"You guys aren't gonna kill them, are you?"
Jeremy raises his eyebrows in shock. "Why on earth would we kill them for that?" He asks incredulously.
The kids shrugs sheepishly. "My mom says that that's what the militia does."
"What exactly is it that your mother thinks we do here?"
His shoulders slump in defeat. "She says that the militia takes advantage of people like us. People with nothing to give and no way to protect themselves."
This reaction to the militia is not uncommon, though the people who usually oppose them aren't small families. Usually, it's the people that are trying to get away with something illegal that complain about oppression. But based on what he's seen of the kid in the past ten minutes, he's no criminal.
"Your parents are safe, you have my word." Jeremy tells him. "But if they are going to be released, I'm going to need to question them. I'd like to ask you a few questions as well if you're feeling up to it, and if Doctor Foster clears you." He looks to Maggie who is currently mixing up something slimy in a bowl. She gives the boy a quick once over with her eyes and nods.
"As long as you keep it brief. He needs rest."
"Alright, first things first, what is your full name and date of birth?"
The boy stares at him like he thinks he might be joking, but answers when no one laughs. "Danny, I mean, Daniel. Daniel Benjamin Matheson. I was born May 8th, 2009."
Jeremy nods. These people have either really done their homework, or they really are Charlie's family. But there are still plenty more questions to ask. "And your parents names?"
"Ben and Rachel Matheson."
"Where are you from?"
"Atlanta, Georgia."
Even Maggie stops mixing her goo so she can look at Danny. Jeremy gives the boy a curious look. Of all the things to get wrong, where the Matheson's are from is a stupid thing to miss.
"Captain, if I may," Maggie interrupts. Jeremy gives her a small nod, and she directs her gaze to Danny. "I believe the Captain meant to ask where you were born."
"Oh, I was born in Chicago. My parents left the city after the blackout. They were worried that they wouldn't be able to protect me there."
That makes more sense. It's also along the lines of what Miles told him to expect. "OK, and what about your sister?" He asks casually.
Danny's face scrunches up in confusion. "I don't have a sister. I'm an only child."
Maggie accidently knocks over the water jug, spilling it's contents all over the rug. Jeremy ignores her swearing under her breath and keeps looking at Danny. "Only child?"
"Yeah, it's just me, Mom, and Dad."
"Not even an older sibling, possibly off happily married?"
Danny shakes his head, obviously bewildered. "No, why would ask me that?"
Jeremy looks over at Maggie again. She's left the water jug laying on the floor and hasn't even bothered to clean up the mess. Instead, she's staring at the young Matheson boy at a complete loss for words.
"It doesn't matter," Jeremy tells the kid quickly. He then goes to Maggie and pulls her to her feet before all but dragging her from the room.
The door isn't even shut behind them when Maggie bursts out, "no sister? What does he mean no sister?"
The guards in the hallway are all watching them with careful eyes, so Jeremy pulls her down the hall away from them. She grumbles the whole way, attempting to pull out of his grip as they go. "Would you calm down?"
"Hasn't anyone ever told you never to tell a woman to calm down!" She shouts at him.
Sighing, Jeremy releases her, though she doesn't move to leave. She merely starts pacing the floor in front of him, a move he notes that Charlie has picked up from her. He watches her worry at her bottom lip with her teeth and can't help but smile as she starts to mutter. "These people clearly aren't who they say they are. No sister." She scoffs. "You should send them out of the house immediately." Maggie finally stops to look at him, frowning at the small smile playing on his lips. "What?"
He shakes his head to clear the thoughts of her plump bottom lip and clears his throat. "I agree that it's a stupid thing for him to get wrong, but I don't think he's lying."
"What do you mean?"
"I think that regardless of what we think, that boy honestly believes that what he is saying is the truth."
"But how could he not know about having a sister?" Maggie asks.
"I have no idea. But I'm going to question the parents and find out."
XxX
Jason does his best to put the Matheson family out of his mind for the rest of the day, but everywhere he goes he can feel the men watching him. Despite ordering people not to gossip about their eventful arrival, it appears that word has still traveled fast. Luckily, Charlie has to work through lunch so he doesn't have to worry about accidentally spilling the secret until after. She comes out of the office around mid-afternoon for a much needed break.
"Ah, fresh air!" She says as they make their way into the gardens. Jason chuckles and plays along while she throws herself onto the grass dramatically. They lay next to each other and stare up at the clear sky. "I don't know how the boys do it. I can't stand being cooped up in that office all day."
"Why do you think they skipped out to go on vacations and left you to do all the work?"
Charlie scoffs and slaps his arm. "Bass is not on vacation. He's on his way to Trenton for a peace campaign."
"Sounds like another way of saying vacation if you ask me."
"Well it's a good thing I didn't ask you then," she says haughtily.
Jason huffs a laugh but doesn't say anything more. "Hey, are you alright?" Charlie asks. She's giving him one of those wide eyed stares that make you think she can see into your mind.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" But even to his own ears, his voice isn't very convincing. Her eyebrows crease in concern as she sits up on the grass and looks down at him.
"Jason, tell me what's wrong."
He sighs, knowing that he'll never get away with a flat out lie, so he must tell her some form of the truth. "It's nothing, OK? Don't worry about it."
"Jason-"
"-Seriously, Charlie. You've got enough stuff on your plate right now, you don't need my crap on top of it."
"Jason, we're family. Dealing with each other's crap is what we do."
He can't help but smile at her. Even when she's burried under the responsibilities of a nation, Charlie makes a point to make time for her family. That doesn't change the fact that he still can't tell her, though.
"I know that, which is why I recruited Jeremy to help me with my crap instead of you, so that I could help you with your crap while he deals with mine."
Charlie opens her mouth to argue with his logic but ends up saying, "Wait, what?" They stare at each other for a second, then both burst into laughter. As Charlie calms down, she reaches for his hand and gives it a squeeze. "Seriously, though, are you OK?"
Guilt pulls at him like a magnet. The only reason she's worried about him is because he's preoccupied with being worried about her, which makes this entire conversation his fault.
"Listen, everything is under control. You don't need to worry about anything."
She sighs, obviously still skeptical. "Promise?"
Oh, no. Giving a promise to Charlie Matheson and breaking it is probably the stupidest thing anyone could possibly do.
"Yeah, I promise."
Oh, well. No one's ever accused him of being very bright, anyway.