Chapter 33: Tata
Mike, Lori and Leni were laying at the shooting range. Cynthia teached Leni how to shoot. Or, she tried.
"Look through the sights. Do you see that black strip?" Cynthia said.
"I do." Leni answered.
"Good. We adjusted the sights to our distance here. So point the strip of the sight on the dot on the target, and try to move as less as possible."
Leni did as she was told. She aimed at the target and didn't move.
"If you think you have it, you press the trigger." Cynthia said.
Leni moved her index finger, and it banged.
"Ouch. That's unpleasant." Leni said.
"Did it hurt?"
"It punched me."
"That's normal. Hold it firmly and press it on your shoulder. That helps."
"You hit well." Lori said to Leni. Leni was silent for a few seconds, but gave an answer.
"Thank you." They both looked at the targets.
"I'm sorry." Leni said.
"You're sorry?" Lori asked.
"Yes. Because I acted like a witch."
"Okay… But… I don't judge you because you acted like this. I should apologize."
"Why do you apologize?" Lori looked at Leni with a dumbfounded look.
"Leni… what was the reason you are so hateful?" Lori said with a tense voice.
"Oh… right. You ruined our family. You need to apologize."
"I am sorry for what I have done to you and mom and dad. And our siblings. I am sorry."
Leni looked with the corner of her eyes at Lori.
"I accept it if you mean it like you said."
"I mean it like I said Leni."
"I accept it. But never hurt us again."
Lori wrapped her right arm around Leni's back. Leni leaned her head on Loris' shoulder.
"I missed you." Lori said.
Lieutenant Fletcher approached them.
"Hey. You two. Report at hangar five." Fletcher said.
"Okay. Me and Leni?" Lori asked.
"Yes. You have to help someone." Lori and Leni got up.
"Aye sir."
Lori and Leni went to the airfield. In front of hangar four stood an F-35 fighter. Hangar five was closed. Two men waited in front of it. One was wearing an Air Force uniform, the other one was wearing a black suit and had round glasses.
"That are they. Hello my ladies. My name is Gregory Gibson."
The man with the suit and glasses said, and stretched his hand toward Lori and Leni. Lori and Leni shake hands.
"Why are we here?" Lori asked.
"There should be a training on real targets. So I constructed some. You need to fly them." Gibson said.
"We drive a target that gets shot at? No way!" Lori said.
"I forgot to mention that you use this."
Gibson took a remote control of a toy aircraft out of his pocket.
"You made a real airplane into a toy?"
"Exactly."
"Lincoln would love this." Leni said and continued laughing.
"He would. I remember that he loved such things." Lori said.
"Do you wanna see the targets?" Gibson asked.
"Show us."
"Enter." Gibson said, and opened a small gray door at the side of the hangar.
They entered. There were some single engine airplanes in the hangar. Small airplanes that were used by private pilots.
"Those are the targets. You fly them remotely over a field here on the test range, and then the people who need to practice shot it down."
"Our people?" Lori asked.
"Yes of course." Gibson answered.
"Explain."
"Basically, your people have to Radar lock a real target to get experience. So that they can do it better in real combat."
"What's a radar lock? Do I close this radar thingy like a door?" Leni asked.
Gibson and the officer looked at Lori in confusion.
"She never was in touch with any military equipment? Or never had learned that?" Gibson asked.
"No. She shouldn't even be here. But she is and now she is doing everything with us. So, try to teach her this stuff." Lori said.
"Okay. I explain it very simply. Radar sends a signal that is similar in the sense of frequency like the cellular phone signals or wlan. It travels far and fast, and can see things we can't see anymore because it's so far away. Like planes or ships."
"It's an eye?" Leni asked.
"Yes… an eye for weapon systems."
"Oh… it sees what we can't see and helps us." Leni said.
"You got it. Well, simplified but you got it."
"Well done Leni." Lori said.
"I am smart." Leni said happily. Lori rolled her eyes.
"So, I think you should fly that." Gibson said, and gave the remote control to Lori.
"So, this is like a toy?" Lori asked.
"Yes. But be careful that you don't crash. That part is not like a toy."
"I will give my best. But where should I fly it?"
"You have a small camera that shows you where you fly. It shows you a virtual red strip that you have to follow. It's very easy."
"So it really is easy. I just fly and have to get shot down?"
"Yes. You are the target." The officer said.
"How do they shot it down?" Leni asked.
"Didn't you see the tank?" Lori asked confused.
"A tank?"
"You should watch it near the tank."
"Okay. Where is it?"
"Go to Natasha."
"Okay. See you."
Leni left the hangar. Gibson and the army officer pulled the plane out. Leni came back.
"Why are you back?" Lori asked.
"I got scared by this thing there." Leni said, and pointed towards a fighter that had a shark mouth painted on it.
Lori Facepalmed herself and turned the Remote control on.
"You can turn it on." Gibson said.
Lori pressed a button, and the engine of the aircraft started. Lori went on the runway, and the aircraft went in the sky very quickly.
"Wow. This fun." Lori said.
She turned the aircraft, and went in the direction she was supposed to fly. The Shilka stood near a forest. Carol looked focused at the Radar screen.
"Aircraft detected. Three miles away. One mile over the ground." Carol said.
"Radar lock. Fire at two mile distance." Slobodan said.
Carol moved the turret and aimed at the aircraft. Just over the data's she got from the radar. The screen showed her the distance. 4,2km. 3,4km.
"It's close." Carol said.
Then it showed 2.9km. In the two mile radius. Carol started firing. The Shilka shook. Carol let go after five seconds, and looked through her sights. Pieces of what was supposed to be an aircraft fell burning and smoking from the sky.
"Target neutralized." Carol said.
"Understood. Driver, five hundred meters forward. Speed: ten kilometers per hour." Slobodan said.
"Got it." Natasha said over the headset.
The Shilka started driving forwards slowly. Lori watched the screen where she saw the airplane perspective. Then it seemed like the aircraft tumbled, but after a few seconds showed the message, NO SIGNAL.
"Wait… what happened?" Lori asked herself.
In this moment, they all heard a machine cannon burst from the distance.
"The aircraft is shot down." The officer said.
"That fast?"
"Yes." Gibson said.
"What happened?" Leni asked.
"The aircraft is shot down." Lori said.
"Wow." Leni said.
"We need to take a look."
Gibson, The officer, Lori and Leni went on a Jeep and drove toward the test site. after more than five minutes, they saw The Shilka near a burning wreck. Slobodan, Marie and Carol sat on the Turret. The jeep stopped.
"Hello. What do you all think of that?" Carol said.
"Well… it was an aircraft…" Lori said.
Marie held a piece of metal in her hand.
"That was from the wing."
"That doesn't look like a wing." Leni said.
"Yes. Because it was shot down."
"How?" Lori facepalmed herself.
"Tank… there's literally a tank."
"We end training for today." The officer said.
The jeep drove to the train. Lori and Leni got out, and Gibson and the Officer went away. The Shilka approached, and Lori went in the Sleeping wagon. Claire, Gretchen and Lorraine were in the living room. She took Lorraine.
"Hello my love. I missed you so much." Lori said and hugged Lorraine.
"She behaved well today. Well, not perfect but better." Claire said.
"Did you misbehave again?" Lori said to Lorraine.
"She was very loud and took Gretchen her stuff away. Which I'm surprised that she did it even though she is that young."
"Lorraine?!" Lori said surprised.
"She's going to be a very naughty girl." Claire said.
"Lorraine, don't be a naughty girl. Okay?"
Lorraine made typical baby noises.
"Yeah… right." Lori said.
Lori walked with Lorraine to the narrow hallway of the wagon. Claire looked at Lorraine with a grumpy look. Lori walked to the bedroom. Slobodan was outside with Natasha and Marie. Lorraine looked at him.
"Tata."
Lori looked with wide eyes at Lorraine.
"Aww… You said Tata."
Lori said with a warm feeling and cuddled Lorraine. Slobodan, Natasha and Marie gave the Shilka a new Paint Job. Natasha Painted the Chassis of the Shilka with a camouflage pattern. Slobodan Painted the Turret. The sides, the front and the back of the turret in the Panslavic Colors. White at the bottom, Blue in the Middle, and Red on the top. Marie renewed the paint on the roof of the turret, and now painted something else on the radar pan.
"Natasha. Look." Marie said.
Natasha laid the brush aside and looked at Marie who at on the turret in front of the radar. A painting of a flying bald eagle was on the radar.
"Wow. That is very cool." Slobodan looked up.
"Eagle. Looks good." Slobodan said.
Natasha stepped back and looked at the Shilka.
"Okay. This thing looks ridiculous now."
"Hey!" Marie said upset.
"What? It's a Soviet Russian tank, painted with a Serbian flag on it and an American bald eagle. This looks ridiculous."
"You are right…" Marie said.
"Marie, paint blue sky behind eagle and white cloud. Will look nice and very American." Slobodan said.
Marie though for a moment.
"Hmm… Yes. Okay."
She continued painting.
"You old rascal. I never thought I'd see you."
Slobodan, Natasha and Marie turned to a man who was wearing a high ranked uniform of the US Air Force.
"You?" Slobodan said.
"Yeah."
Slobodan and the Air Force officer embraced each other in friendship.
"Twenty years." Slobodan said.
"You survived."
"I did. And you also survived."
"Man, your English is damn good."
"I learned Будала."
"Hehe. You never changed."
Marie and Natasha watched in confusion. Slobodan and this man seemed to know each other. It was more confusing, since the officer spoke with a perfect American accent.
"Do you know him?" Natasha asked.
"Да. I shot him from sky." Slobodan said. Marie and Natasha looked shocked at them.
"I remember like it was yesterday. My helicopter lost its tail. And crashed in the forest." The officer said.
"I hit good. I always hit Gerald." Slobodan said.
"By the way hit, is this the very same tank like back then?"
"No. We got hit by a burst from aircraft. Shilka was destroyed in that moment."
"Then we know both how it is to get shot. Ain't I right?" Slobodan and Gerald laughed loudly.
"This Natasha, and Sister of her. Marie."
"Gerald Newman. Captain of the US Air Force."
"You really shot him down?" Natasha asked flabbergasted.
"Да. Was during NATO attack on Srbija. 1999. I shot him down."
"You really?"
"Yea. He did." Gerald said. Marie and Natasha looked surprised at each other.
"And you are that friendly to each other?" Marie asked.
"There is wisdom. Enemy is a friend on the wrong side." Slobodan said.
"Well said." Gerald answered.
"This is another kind of craziness." Natasha whispered to Marie.
Lori sat in the restaurant Wagon at the table, and tried to feed Lorraine with a banana-mango porridge. Lorraine disliked it but ate it.
"You dislike that too don't you?"
Lorraine's facial expression told Lori that she disliked the porridge as well.
"I have spoiled you too much." Lori said, and gave Lorraine a new spoon.
Leni entered the restaurant wagon.
"How are you doing with her?" Leni asked.
"Bad. She hates everything I give her."
"Try to find actual baby food."
"This is baby food!" Lori said, and showed her the jar wich contained the porridge.
"Oh…"
"Lorraine is spoiled when it comes to food."
Lori gave Lorraine another spoon of porridge.
"She eats at least this one. She absolutely hated the apple sauce."
"She surely will start liking it." Leni said.
"I hope so."
Lori said, and gave Lorraine again a spoon of porridge. Leni looked at Lorraine.
"Lily looks similar when she has to eat something she dislikes." Leni said.
"Lorraine is a typical loud." Lori said.
"We should get to a store and Buy some food she likes."
"We need to ask Carol first."
"Let's do that."
Leni went outside the train. Lori with Lorraine in her arms followed her. Carol was at one end of the train and was holding her phone at her ear, listening to something. She saw Lori and Leni, and put her phone in her pocket.
"Yes?"
"Can we go in the city?" Lori asked. "Why?"
"We want to find Baby food Lorraine would like."
"Okay… I need to ask if that's okay. Wait a moment."
Carol went a few meters away, and started calling someone.
"What is she doing?" Leni asked.
"I think she asks if we are allowed to go out. I can't think of any other reason." Lori said.
Carol talked for five minutes. Then she came back to Lori and Leni.
"You are allowed. But I need to give you special passports." Carol said.
"Why?" Leni asked.
"So you can enter again."
"When do you give us those passports?"
"Soon. I need to accompany you and Slobodan." Carol said.
"Slobodan?"
"Yes. He said today that he wants to get some Music tapes."
"Music tapes? He is still stuck in the 2000s." Lori said.
Carol went in the train and came back with the passports.
"Here. Don't loose them. It will be very hard to get new ones." Carol said, and looked at Leni.
"Why are you looking at me?" Leni asked.
"Because you would be the first to loose the passports." Leni looked upset at Carol.
"No I won't loose it."
"Put it in your pocket. Deep down in your pocket. Then you don't loose it." Carol turned to Lori and gave her two passports.
"So, one for you and for Lorraine. She does exist officially now." Carol said.
"What?" Lori asked confused.
"Did she ever have a passport before?"
"No."
"See? She didn't exist officially. Now she does. Be thankful because it was a ton of work."
"Thank you."
"No problem. I would do a lot for her." Carol said and petted Lorraine's head.
They went to Slobodan, and sat with him in a car. Carol drove to the heavily guarded exit. They showed the guards the passports, and left.
"Finally. We are outside again after a week in this base." Lori said.
"We were a long time in mountains. That was short." Slobodan said.
"What does he mean?" Leni asked.
"I was living somewhere in mountains where he was. I lived there until four weeks ago."
"Wow. Did you live in that little dwarf country that has many mountains?"
Lori looked a k to the backseat at Leni.
"What do you talk about?" Lori asked confused.
"This little country that has many mountains. With the cows on the mountains, the cheese and chocolate."
Lori facepalmed herself.
"I wasn't in Switzerland at all." Leni looked sad at the driver seat in front of her.
"Aww man… I am never right." Slobodan turned to Leni.
"Lot of country have mountain and cheese. Srbija too."
"Russia also has mountains?"
"He isn't Russian." Carol said.
"I'm always wrong." Leni said, feeling sad.
Lorraine made some noises. She was in her baby seat and looked at Leni.
"You are… Lorraine. Finally I remembered your name." Lorraine giggled.
Lori looked at the scene through the mirror and smiled.
"Love you both." Lori thought.
After twenty minutes, they reached the mall. It was a massive building, with many stores in it. Lori, holding Lorraine, Carol, Leni and Slobodan left an elevator and stood in the middle of the mall.
"This is big." Slobodan said.
"I forgot that the mall was so big." Lori said.
"Looks like a normal mall to me." Carol said.
"It is one." Leni answered. Lori looked at Lorraine.
"We sure find something you like."
"Or something she hates more than apple sauce." Carol said. Everyone looked annoyed at Carol.
"I just say. It might be possible." Carol said.
"Hard to believe. Or do you hate something more than apple sauce?" Lori asked Lorraine.
Lorraine made noises again.
"Yeah, you hate apple sauce."
They went to the grocery store. Leni took a shopping cart, and Lori put Lorraine in the shopping cart. Soon after they found the shelf's containing the needs for babies and toddlers.
"There it is. You have to like something of this. We have yogurt's." Lori said and put some yogurts in the cart.
"Oh look, Banana porridge for babies." Leni said and put a jar in the cart.
Carol took a jar of apple sauce for babies.
"I heard you love apple sauce Lorraine." Carol said, grinning softly.
"Carol, let that joke aside." Lori said.
Carol chuckled.
"That was worth it."
Carol put the apple sauce back, and looked around.
"I loved, I remember it so well, I loved the strawberry porridge. I loved it."
Carol took a jar of strawberry porridge and showed it Lorraine.
"What do you think? Wanna give it a try?" Carol said.
"She surely will." Lori said.
Carol put the hat in the cart.
"You will love it. Trust me." Carol said.
"Where is potato porridge?" Slobodan asked.
"Don't think about it. I don't want her to be such a potato addicted like you." Lori said.
"Potato good. You will love it." Slobodan said to Lorraine.
Lorraine looked at him and spoke her word.
"Tata."
"She said it again." Lori said with teary eyes.
Slobodan took Lorraine.
"Tata. Serbian for daddy. You have a tata. I'm not your tata." Slobodan said.
Leni looked heart warmed at Lorraine.
"I never saw something so beautiful." Leni said.
"Absolutely cute." Carol said.
Slobodan turned Lorraine to Lori.
"This is mama. Say it. Mama."
"Tata." Lorraine said again.
Lori took Lorraine, and held her in her arms.
"Mama. I am mama." Lori held Lorraine.
"Isn't she cute? She is so cute right Leni."
Leni face expression changed to an annoyed look. She looked to Carol.
"Carol, I don't want to play this anymore."
"We agreed to something Leni!" Carol said with a tense voice.
"I don't want to."
"What is going on?" Lori asked.
"Leni just acted so kind towards you because I forced her to do so." Carol said.
"And that means?"
"I still absolutely hate you and just for Lorraine I acted like this." Leni said angrily.
Lori looked at Carol with a disappointed look.
"If I ever let you hold Lorraine, I hope she throws up at your shirt."
Lori showed Carol her middle finger, and drove away with the shopping cart. Carol looked at Leni with an aggressive look.
"See what you did!?"
"Yes." Leni said, crossing her arms.
Slobodan looked at them.
"You both are clowns. You know nothing about family."
"And why should you be an expert about family? You are an old guy who has nobody."
Slobodan approached Carol threatening.
"I had three brothers. Two are now two meters deep under the ground in forests of Bosna. My daughter and my wife were killed by nato bombing. You know nothing about what is to have family."
Slobodan looked at Leni.
"You don't like sister. I didn't like my older brother Draško. But when when he was shot by Croatian Tudjman ustasha asshole, I missed him. I missed him and he was already with god. You don't need to like Lori. But don't act like me!"
It was a dark Apartment. The walls were made of red bricks and were made to look like a factory room. Bobby sat in front of the TV, and looked at footage of mountains. He was silent, in a small apartment. He hasn't been happy for a week. Since he saw his daughter for the first time. The door opened. His new Girlfriend Jill entered the apartment. She had black neck length hair, and was wearing working clothes of Kentucky Fried Chicken. She looked annoyed at Bobby.
"Since one week you watch at that dang TV. You barely speak. What the hell is wrong with you." Jill said annoyed.
"I am alright." Bobby said.
"You didn't work for a week. Does your boss know that?"
"My doctor signed some papers… all okay."
Jill took a box of chicken nuggets out of her bag.
"I brought you the chicken nuggets you love."
Jill sat down next to Bobby and gave him a kiss.
"Come on. Tell me what's wrong."
"It's all alright." Bobby said.
"Tell."
"No."
"Tell for fuck sake!"
Bobby jumped up.
"Lori came back! And she has a daughter! I have a daughter!"
Jill looked at Bobby with wide eyes.
"You never told me about an Ex. Nor a baby…"
"No! Because she disappeared!"
Jill looked at the ground. Then she jumped up and started yelling.
"Why did you say nothing about your ex!?"
"Because she disappeared!"
"That's not a reason to tell me nothing!"
"I wanted to forget Lori! I wanted to forget everything!"
"I also want to forget a lot! But it's not possible!"
They grabbed each other and started kissing wildly. Lori, and Slobodan sat on a bench in the mall. Carol and Leni were standing ten meters away. Lori was feeding Lorraine with the Strawberry Porridge Carol recommended. And to Lori's surprise, Lorraine liked it.
"Here it comes." Lori said, and held the spoon to Lorraine.
Every time Lorraine saw the spoon, she opened her mouth.
"She likes this very much." Slobodan said.
"I'm happy that she likes something at all." Lori said.
"We should get more of the strawberry stuff later."
"Yes. You wanted to find music tapes, right?"
"Да. Need music tapes to listen to music."
"I don't know if any story has music tapes anymore."
"What happened? Music tape was good."
"Everyone listens over the phone music."
"The little things all these idiots here are staring at? That is like disease."
"What do you mean with disease?"
"This little phones everyone everywhere looks at." Lori looked around.
Almost everyone in the mall looked at a smartphone.
"Oh… I know what you mean." Lori said.
"World was less crazy twenty years ago." Slobodan said.
"You are right…"
Carol was mad at Leni.
"You screwed up Leni!" Carol said with an angry voice.
"Why?" Leni asked upset.
"Because we could have made things between you and Lori normal!"
"I don't want to do anything with Lori."
"Didn't you hear what Slobodan said?"
"I did."
"Then tell me why you act like this!"
"Because Lori hurt me and destroyed our family!"
"She was doing what was best for your and Natasha's family! I have insight of files you don't have! I know more than you ever could."
"What does that mean?"
"That means I know exactly what happened. She never acted because she liked it. And she had a family. A sister like you. Do you think she wanted to throw all of that away?" Leni thought.
"No… I guess not."
"You don't need to be best friends with her. But act like she is your sister for god sake." Carol said.
"I should."
"Yes you should." Carol looked at her watch.
"We need to go to the music shop soon." Carol said.
"Why can't Slobodan go alone?" Leni asked.
"Because I need to babysit him and you."
Leni crossed her arms.
"I'm not a baby." Leni said upset.
"Doesn't matter. We wait until Lorraine is done eating and then we go to the music store."
Carol and Leni went to Slobodan and Lori.
"When Lorraine is done, we continue." Carol said.
"Okay." Lori said, without looking at Carol and Leni.
She continued feeding Lorraine. Bobby and Jill dried off after they had showered together. Bobby put on fresh clothes, and Jill put on her typical clothes. Gray yoga pants, and a red tank top that was a little too big for her.
"We do this every time…" Bobby said.
"You mean, every time we have an argument we have sex? That's a good way to resolve that if you ask me." Jill said.
"I guess. Evening is young though."
"Wanna do something?"
"Yeah… I think… after we yelled at each other because of my daughter I only saw one time… I think we should get along well again."
"So, a bar and go drink something?"
"Yes. Sure." Bobby looked at the ground. Jill opened her arms and hugged him.
"I'm sorry you had to experience such pain."
"It's okay. You don't have any fault for that."
Jill gave him a kiss.
"It's okay."
Richard Thompson, CEO of Lakeatom sat on a large table, together with other elderly people. The room was big, and on the top of a skyscraper. He looked through his Thick glasses at the Kaviar that was in front of him. He touched his white hair, and scratched his head.
"Your place of Living is truly impressive." A woman said.
"This had to be very expensive." A man said.
"The building had a price of one billion dollars. It was much money, but I could buy seven of these." Thompson said.
"Then the food here had to be just like a normal dinner for you." Another woman said.
"My Lady, I could eat lobster and Caviar every day. But it would get boring."
They all laughed. Thompson leaned towards an old man with a suit and mustache.
"Herbert, you sell lobsters. I mean, breed lobsters. This is a good business."
"Oh yes. And I am happy that you buy my lobsters."
"Now that Herbert says it, where does the Caviar come from? It tastes wonderful." The woman said.
"Well, Russian products except uranium are sanctioned. I mean, I am happy that Russian uranium is not banned. But it's hard to get Russian Kaviar. But this one is as good. It comes from a Caviar farm in Transnistria."
"I never heard of this place."
"It's hard to find out about it. It's on a single map. It is part of Moldova, an Eastern Europe country. Most people there are Russian. That's why the Kaviar is that good. After fall of communism, it claimed its independence. But nobody except Russia recognizes it. It is a country that isn't a country."
A man in a suit approached Thompson.
"Sir, I need to talk to you."
Thompson looked at him.
"I have a dinner. Is it important?" Thompson asked.
"Yes sir."
"Fine."
Thompson got up.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, please excuse me."
Thompson and the man went through two doors, wich both got closed. They stood in an office.
"So, Mister Powell. Why do you need to talk to me?" Thompson asked.
"We received a Radio Teletype message from Moscow." Powell said.
"Do you have it here?"
"Yes. I need to warn you, sir, that they, to at least, are very pissed."
"Show me."
Powell took a folded sheet of paper from his jacket, and gave it to Thompson. Thompson read the message.
"So they know that one core got stolen by those two brats?" Thompson asked.
"Positive."
"We produced a new core."
"They are not pissed because they might get one core less. They are pissed because a core got stolen in our area of responsibility."
"Well, the problem we had, those two girls, are neutralized."
"And Miss Cynthia Taylor got burned to death in her car."
"And her daughter disappeared. I wouldn't wonder if she is in an orphanage today."
Thompson looked at a wall closet, and pointed briefly on it.
"Powell, please turn on the encryption radio teletype and write down what I say." Thompson said.
"Yes sir."
Powell opened a compartment, where a two machines were standing that looked like typewriter. He turned both on, and sat in front of it.
"I am ready."
"Here 728. We received your message and assure you, that there is no danger. The both targets are neutralized, and shouldn't make any trouble anymore. We prepare the delivery of all cores to Moscow, over a stop in Ankara turkey. There will be no problems. 728 end."
Powell typed all Thompson said in the machine, that printed out a paper strip with five holes over its with in it.
"Encrypted." Powell said.
"RTTY modulation, 100 baud, on 1800 kHz."
Powell did what Thompson said, and adjusted all what he had to adjust.
"Yagi antenna is directed to Murmansk, and the transmitter is at 10 kilowatts."
"Send message. Two times."
Powell put the paper strip in the other machine, and the teletype machine started reading it. They both heard digital noise that hurt their ears. Powell send it again. After it was done, he took an ash tray, and burned the paper strip in the ash tray. He turned the machine off.
"Done." Powell said.
"Thank you. Now excuse me, I have a dinner."
Thompson and Powell left the office.
Lori, Lorraine, Leni, Slobodan and Carol were in the Music Store in the mall. A machine was recording Music on a tape. Slobodan got some music wishes. Mostly Serbian songs from the nineties. Among the titles were songs like:
baja mali-knindza krajisnici
Roki Vulovic-Panteri
Roki Vulovic-Kapetane Lazicu
Koridor-Oj Alja Aljo
knindža baja mali-Tata
Roki Vulovic-Crni Bombardera
Kerber-Ratne Igre.
Carol looked at Slobodan.
"You get something Serbian?" Carol asked.
"Да. Serbian music is the best." Slobodan said.
The worker from the music store turned to them.
"I am happy that you came to us. You are the first person in two years who ordered custom tapes."
"Yeah because he got stuck in time twenty years ago." Lori said.
"Music tape good. And your car is old. Over thirty years." Slobodan said.
"You all love old stuff."
Carol whispered in Leni's ear. Leni laughed.
"What?" Lori asked annoyed.
"Hehe. Nothing." Carol said.
"Do you have old car radios?" Slobodan asked.
The seller of the store looked around, and pointed to a door with his thump.
"We have in the room behind me a ton of old stuff. I don't know if we have something. If you find it, I give it to you for free."
Slobodan went in the room. He looked at everything and searched. After some minutes, he held a box.
"Twenty four volts, Music tape."
Slobodan looked at the box. He started speaking Serbian to himself.
"Средњи талас АМ и ултра кратки талас ФМ."
He left the room and walked back to the other ones.
"Found it."
"Then like I said. You can have it for free." The seller said.
"What is your plan with the car radio?" Carol asked.
"I build it in Shilka."
"Finally a good idea."
"You wanna listen music in this thing?" Lori asked.
"Да. That's why the car radio." Slobodan said.
"Good. We need to go back." Carol said.
"Already?" Leni asked.
"Yes. It's late."
Lori, with Lorraine in her arms, Leni and Carol left the store. Slobodan took the tape and put some money on the counter.
"Thank you."
They all went to the car, and drove back to the base. At the entrance, they got stopped by armed guards. They all got out. The car got pulled through a special gate. Lori followed the other ones to the gate. She was holding Lorraine when she walked through the gate. After she walked through the gate, she saw on a screen in an office a X-Ray picture of a skeleton holding a baby Skeleton. Lori looked at the Picture and then at Lorraine. She walked to the car that stood on the other side and sat on the passenger seat. She looked with wide eyes through the windshield.
"That felt like a fever dream."
"It surely did." Carol said, and drove to the train.
They reached the train and got out. Slobodan walked with the radio to the Shilka.
"Do you want to install the radio now?" Lori asked.
"Да."
"It's late evening. Come in and take a break." Slobodan turned back.
"I build it tomorrow."
"Install. You install it tomorrow." Carol said.
"Don't annoy me." Slobodan said.
A window of the Restaurant wagon opened. Claire yelled out.
"We made goulash."
"We're coming." Lori said.
Claire closed the window.
"I go inside."
Lori went with Lorraine in her arms and Slobodan inside the train. Carol looked at Leni.
"Don't be aggressive."
"I won't."
"You said the same when we made our deal."
"I won't yell at her."
"You sure?"
"Yes!" Leni said annoyed.
"Remember, when you yell at Lori you yell at the same time at Lorraine."
"How?" Leni asked confused.
"All Lorraine has as family is Lori. She barely saw any member of her family. All she has is her mom. So be respectful towards her."
"Okay. I promise."
"You do?"
"Yes. I swear on Lorraine."
"Good. If you break your promise, I arrest you."
Leni looked frightened at Carol.
"Please don't arrest me, I can't go to jail." Leni said with a frightened voice.
"Relax. I was kidding. But I could arrest you."
"Please don't." Leni begged.
"Relax. Fucking shit." Carol said with a slight smile.
"You won't arrest me?"
"No. And now go in and eat dinner."
Leni ran to the train and got in. Carol shook her head and followed her.
Thompson was with Mr Williams in a room with only one table inside. Mr Williams was a contact person. Or was contact person enough? He was an agent. A Russian agent. He showed Thompson some Photos. He was bald and and looked with a serious expression.
"I knew I know her. She is back."
"We have to transport earlier. She could interrupt us." Thompson said.
"Positive."
"I order my Airbus 340 to the Airport. We leave in two days."
"I Note that. Слава Россия."
"Слава Россия."
(Glory to Russia.)
The agent left the room and disappeared. Leni and Cynthia were somewhere in the base. They held handheld radio Transceivers in their hands. Cynthia was teaching Leni how to use them properly.
"So, it's channel Fifteen. Don't press any button now, okay?"
"Okay." Leni said and nodded.
"Good. Now you press the Tone Button. To activate the Relais."
"The button with the music Symbol?"
"Yes. Press it then you can speak as long as you hold the PTT button."
Leni pressed the tone button. A morse sound came from the speakers. Leni pressed the TT button and then spoke in the Radio with a cheerful voice.
"Hi! This is Leni!"
Cynthia took the radio out of Leni's hands.
"Not like this! Your callsign. We have luck only we use the Relais. Use your callsign next time."
"What's that?"
"Your radio name."
"And that is…"
"Lima-2. That's your radio name." Leni looked confused at Cynthia.
"Why is my radio name Lima-2?"
"Lima starts with L. Lima is part of an alphabet for spelling. You last name starts with L. And you are the second loud here. So you are Lima-2. My Callsign is Sierra-3."
"Oh I get it." Leni said and pressed the PTT button.
"Here Lima-2 calling for Sierra-3."
Cynthia turned her radio on, went on channel 15, and spoke in it. In the same time Cynthia spoke, her voice came out of Leni's radio.
"Here Sierra-3 I heard you Lima-2."
Cynthia turned her radio off and raised her thump.
"Well done."
"I did well?" Leni asked.
"Yes."
Leni cheered and hugged Cynthia.
"You're welcome Leni."
They went to the train. Natasha and Marie sat on a cargo wagon, with Natasha holding Lorraine. Okay. Leni and Cynthia approach them.
"You take care of Lorraine?" Cynthia asked.
"We do. And it's fun." Natasha said.
"She's funny." Marie said.
"That's normal with babies. They make weird moves. That's the only funny thing. They scream and you need to change their diapers."
"You have a negative view about babies." Natasha said.
"The most stress I had was when you and Marie were toddlers. I was happy when Marie was old enough."
"At least you love us. Right?" Natasha asked unsure.
"I do." Cynthia said.
"That's what I thought."
Cynthia looked at Marie.
"Why should I say anything else? You are my daughter's. I gave birth to both of you."
"And my mom loves me!" Leni said with a big smile.
"Yes. She loves you." Cynthia said quietly.
"She can be happy. She doesn't have a mother who left her." Natasha said. Leni thought about Lori.
"She left the dad of her daughter. But didn't leave her daughter." Leni said.
"About who are you talking?" Marie asked. "Lori."
"But she is a lovely mom." Natasha said.
"You see Lori way too negative don't you?" Cynthia asked.
"I see Lori how she is. I hate her." Leni said with crossed arms.
"You will become a witch. Remember Leni?"
Leni looked stressed at Cynthia.
"I remember…"
"Where is Lori?" Natasha asked, and looked at Lorraine.
"I saw her in a car with Carol." Marie said.
"The probably are doing something." Natasha said.
Lori and Carol sat in the car in an alley next to an apartment building. They both looked through the windshield to the main entrance. Lori held her STGW 57 between her legs. Carol had a suppressed pistol between the driver and the passenger seat. Lori looked at Carol.
"Will we ever spend time together off of this job?" Lori asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"I don't know… just because?" Carol rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
A guy walked to the Entrance.
"That's him. Gregory Wilson. Take your rifle." Carol said and took her pistol.
Lori took her STGW 57 and got out with Carol.
"His name isn't Russian." Lori said.
"There are Americans that hate America." Carol said and entered the main entrance.
They both heard the man walking upstairs. They walked upstairs. The man took his keys out. They reached the floor. The man turned around and looked at them. Carol aimed her pistol at him.
"Hello. Or should I say Privyet? You Russian pig?"
Wilson backed down, and kicked the pistol out of Carols hand. He threw something at the floor and a ton of smoke blocked their vision.
"Follow him!" Carol said, and took her pistol.
They both ran down the stairs, and left the apartment building. Wilson ran to a dead bush, and jumped in it. And disappeared in the ground. They ran to the bush. There was a manhole in the ground.
"Did he jump in?" Lori asked stressed.
"Yes you stupid idiot!" Carol said, and took a hand-grenade out of her pocket.
She pulled the pin out and threw it in the manhole.
"Away!"
Carol and Lori jumped away, and it banged extremely loud.
"We go in!" Carol yelled, and jumped in the manhole.
Lori heard a splash. She looked down the manhole.
"Come here!" Carol yelled with and echo.
"Eww… please not." Lori said, and jumped into the manhole.
The water was ankle deep and it stunk really bad. Carol shone a flashlight downstream of the sewers. Wilson was running away. "We need to get him!" Carol and Lori ran after him. Lori felt like she was about to throw up. Her shoes and the end of her pants were soaking wet. And it made Lori almost shudder, knowing it wasn't just water. Wilson entered another sewer pipeline.
"When you see him! Shoot him!" Carol yelled.
They ran in the other pipeline. It went down. Deeper in the underground. The pipes got wider. Lori and Carol almost got him. They went deeper into the sewers. Then Wilson slipped, and fell in the dirty water. Lori set her rifle on full automatic and shot at him. The shots echoed through the sewers. Carol and Lori went to his body. Carol put on gloves and searched his pockets. She found an envelope.
"In my right pocket is a plastic bag. Open it."
Lori did so. Carol put the envelope in the plastic bag. Lori closed it. Carol took off the gloves and threw them in the water. The water stream took them with it and they disappeared into the darkness of the sewers. Lori looked at him. The look of the body in the brown water was too much. She threw up in the sewage.
"Oh man. Wait."
Carol took a white Handkerchief and a small bottle out of a pocket. She put a bit of the liquid on the handkerchief, soaked it, and spread the liquid under Lori's nose. It smelled like cherry blossom. Carol did the same with her nose.
"Better?" Carol asked.
"Better… But… What are we doing with him?" Lori asked.
Carol looked around. A few rats sat with wet fur on some pipes and stared at the both of them.
"Either the rats eat him or someone finds him. I will contact someone who could take him away."
"We should just let the rats eat him… I can't believe that I just said this…"
"I can't believe a lot… I am sick just that I mentioned the rats… I will better call someone… And you guys, don't get stupid ideas!" Carol said and pointed to the rats.
"We leave."
Carol walked upstream. Lori followed her.
"Carol…"
"Yes Lori?"
"We're walking in poop…" Lori said and shivered.
"I know someone who will let us use his shower. And give us fresh clothes."
"And how do we know where we are?"
Carol didn't answer, and walked on with Lori. At a corner, she pointed her flashlight at a wall. They saw some symbols. «ΔΩ-72» Carol took her special phone and opened a software. It was a strange map. She looked at Lori.
"I know now." Carol said.
"Where? And what are these symbols?" Lori asked.
"We are two kilometers away from where the chasing started. Delta Omega seven two. Our location."
"Are these symbols for us?"
"For agents… Like me… So yes."
"Please don't tell me you are often here."
"Not here… Not in this sewer system…"
"You were in sewers before?"
"Yes. This is the fifth time. And if you stop and look around for a moment… you realize that the sewers can be beautiful…"
"You almost as gross as Lana."
"Hey, not because of the brown soup we are standing in right now! Look at the system. Look at the walls. Those are Bricks like in a bathroom. The water flows in one direction. And in the big sewers in the center of a town, you have sidewalks that are over the water. There is a beauty in this dirt hole."
"Okay… I don't get it…"
"You will get it after the third time… then you get down here the fourth time because you are curious…"
"You go down here voluntarily?" Lori asked shocked.
"One time. That was in Royal woods two months ago. Where I thought you will never come back. By the way, there is a main sewer line under the Franklin avenue. It is like an underground castle. I mean, it looks like a castle."
Lori looked with a highly confused look at Carol.
"You need a doctor."
They went to the manhole they entered, and climbed out. They walked to Carols car. Carol opened the trunk, and took a trash bag out. They took off their Shoes with socks and their pants, and put them in the bag. Carol poured water from a bottle over their legs and feet to clean. Then they put on new pants.
"Never make me go into a sewer ever again!" Lori said upset.
"I didn't plan to go down there. And now we have fresh clothes." Carol said.
"Only the pants. Did you forget that we stand barefoot here?"
"Is this so bad? I call someone who help with the further inspection."
"Who?" "Someone. Get in the car. They surely let us use their shower."
"What do we do now?"
Carol started the engine and drove off.
"What do you know about Estonia?" Carol asked.
"Uhm… nothing…"
"Something you need to know is that Estonian people hate Russia. Estonia is an allied country. And I know a Family where Husband and Wife are Estonian agents. That's where we are going."
"A family of agents?" Lori asked surprised.
"Only the parents."
"Why only the parents?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because the oldest kid is twelve?"
"Right." Carol drove to the right of the street and got out. Lori opened he door and walked to her.
"What are you doing?" Lori asked.
"I forgot to send the messages." Carol said and took the rolled wire out of her pocket.
She rolled the wire over the sidewalk and connected it to her phone. She typed a message on her phone. She pressed send, and digital noise came out of the speakers.
"Good. Then the second message."
Carol typed in another message and sent it. Again digital noise came from the speakers. Right after that, they heard these digital sounds again.
"Oh. Perfect." Carol said.
"What?"
"I asked the Estonians if we can use their shower and talk to them. They said yes."
Carol plugged the wire out and rolled it back together.
"And what was the wire for?"
"This is an antenna. I didn't use the cellular network because it's not save enough. I prefer encrypted shortwave."
"So you want to be safe?"
"Yes. The most important wisdom for an agent is, trust nobody."
"Do you trust me?"
Carol looked at Lori.
"Yes. That's why I hate you."
"Thank you." Lori said.
"Remember what I told you about Becky?"
"Yes. She needs to take pills."
"Yes. But she doesn't hate you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to see if you are trustworthy."
"Am I?"
"You are."
They looked at each other.
"I looked after her. I talked to her many times. She is traumatized but… doesn't hate you. And Bobby… He loves you… even though he is in a new relationship."
"What?" Lori asked shocked.
"It was nine months after you left. Her name is Jill. She is similar to you in some ways."
Lori opened the passenger door of the car and sat sideways in it. She held her hands on her eyes. Carol heard her sobbing. She kneeled in front of her, and took Lori in her arms.
"Shh… I know it hurts."
"Why did he do this?" Lori said sobbing.
"Bobby wants to be loved. Like all of us."
"I love him."
"I know. You do. And he still loves you."
Lori thought about what Carol said. Yes. Bobby wants to be loved. And Lori didn't give him this in the last year.
"I can't be mad at him. He just wants love. Like me. Like you." Lori said, while sobbing.
After some time, Carol got on her seat. She put her hand on Lori's leg.
"Hey. We are chasing russian agents and people who build nuclear weapons. There's nothing anymore we can't resolve." Carol said.
"You are right. Came so far… Everything else should be peanuts."
Carol smiled at Lori.
"Lorraine couldn't have a better mom than you."
Carol drove to a house fifteen minutes away. They parked in front of the Garage and rang the doorbell. A fifty year old man opened the door. He had grey hair, glasses, and was wearing red business shirt with blue jeans. He spoke with a strange accent.
"Ah yes. You told me. Shower is on the second floor. My wife prepared you fresh clothes."
"And shoes?" Lori asked.
"No. We don't have spare shoes." Lori looked annoyed at Carol.
"Do I need to walk barefoot around all day?"
"Hey! I don't like that too!" Carol said.
"Don't yell at each other. Get in." The man said.
He showed Lori where the bathroom was. Lori went in and locked the door. Folded and fresh clothes laid in a basked. She undressed and took a shower. She took the clothes after the shower and got dressed. Her old clothes came in a trash bag. She looked at the mirror. Lori was wearing a red Wool sweater that made her look like thirty.
"Oh my god… I look like thirty."
Lori took the sweater off.
"I look younger now."
She put it back on.
"Now like thirty…"
Lori left the room and went to the living room. Carol sat on the couch with the man and his wife. She had short dark gray hair, and was wearing thin glasses, a purple wool sweater, and gray pants.
"I'm done. It's your turn Carol." Lori said.
"Okay. Mr. Pussepp, you remember what we talked about?"
"I do."
"Wonderful. I'll be right back."
Carol walked to Lori.
"You look like thirty."
"Thank you I didn't notice." Lori said annoyed.
"Really?"
"Of course I did!"
Carol went to the bathroom. Lori sat in the couch and waited. Carol came twenty minutes later back wearing a green Wool sweater.
"Hehe. You look like thirty too." Lori said.
"Okay I get it. It's not funny." Carol said.
"Only the cigarette is missing. Then you would look like a mom who is annoyed by her kids."
"I get it. I look old. And you look old too."
"You look normal to us." Mr. Pussepp said.
"It fits perfectly to women in your age." Mrs. Pussepp said.
"How old do you think we are?" Carol asked.
Mr and Mrs Pussepp answered at the same time.
"Thirty."
Lori and Carol grumbled.
"Mr Pussepp, you remember what I said?" Carol asked with a tense voice.
"Yes. Find all information in the apartment of the Russian agent and bring to you."
"Exactly. So, wo ho, and you do your part. Okay?"
"I do it like you say. I will bring all information to the contact."
"Perfect."
"Goodbye Mr and Mrs Pussepp." Carol said.
"Goodbye." The Pussepps said.
"Bye." Lori said.
They left and drove back to the Army base. Cynthia and Leni walked around on the base.
"You do pretty good. I never thought you would handle a gun that well. And the radio." Cynthia said.
"I can do it." Leni said happily.
"Yes you can do it. You just don't trust yourself sometimes."
"I trust myself… But I am pretty much useless for a lot of things. That's what I got told sometimes."
"Can you explain further?"
"It's hard. I do things, and fail. Then I get told that."
"You are not useless. You just proved me the opposite."
"I am not useless?"
"Of course not."
"Thank you."
They walked on.
"Did you see Carol or Lori?" Leni asked.
"No. I have absolutely no idea where they could be."
"That's strange."
"Nah. They come back anytime soon."
"You are right."
"You are right."
At this moment, Lori and Carol entered through the X-Ray gate at the entrance, and drove to the train.
"Finally." Carol said and stopped.
Both of them left the car and walked to the train. Lori and Carol entered the train, and put on shoes.
"Finally. Shoes." Lori said.
"Finally home."
Lori and Carol looked at each other and giggled.
Carol took of her shoes again.
"We are at home. Why do we wear shoes now?" Carol giggled.
"Maybe we walked barefoot around for over an hour." They both giggled.
"Absolute craziness what we did today."
"Absolutely."
They both hugged each other.
"This feels like good old times." Carol said.
"I missed those times." Lori said.
"Me too." They smiled.
"This absolutely craziness of a year showed me how much of an importance you had in my life." Carol said.
"I missed you."
Natasha, with Lorraine in her arms, and Marie entered the wagon.
"Look Lorraine. Mommy is back." Natasha said.
"Where have you been? Why is Lorraine such a monster?" Marie asked with a slightly traumatized voice.
"What happened?" Lori asked confused, and broke the hug with Carol.
"Nothing. We had to change Lorraine's diaper and that was too much for Marie." Natasha said.
Lori took Lorraine.
"Did you shock Marie? Hmm? My little angel."
Lorraine looked around. Carol looked at Lorraine.
"She is more your little chemical weapon." Carol said.
Marie looked at Lorraine.
"She is a chemical weapon." Marie said.
"Come on. It was not great but not terrible." Natasha said.
Lori looked at Lorraine.
"The cutest chemical weapon of all time." Lori said and gave Lorraine a kiss on the forehead.
"Did anything happen while we were gone?"
"No. Not really. Wait, indeed something happened." Natasha said.
"What?"
"Lorraine tried to crawl around." Marie said.
Lori and Carol looked shocked at Lorraine. Then they smiled.
"You tried to crawl?"
Lori said with an excited voice. Lori hugged Lorraine and kissed her cheek.
"Mommy is so proud of you."
Lorraine made noises.
"Yes you are." Lori said and held her with a smile.
"Do you need any help from us?" Carol asked.
"No. Why?" Cynthia asked.
"Just wanted to ask."
"Well, you might need my help. You need to get used to the radios."
"Radios?" Lori asked.
"They're in your bedrooms." Natasha said.
Lori went in her bedroom with Lorraine. On the bed was a radio and a small book.
"A radio and a book. What is the book for?"
Lori sat down with Lorraine, and took the book. It was full of code words and numbers. Each with a meaning.
"Wow."
A note fell out of the book. It had a writing on it. «Lori Loud Callsign Lima-1.»
"Interesting."
Luna, Lynn Junior and Lincoln sat on the couch. On the TV was a strange movie, in wich Asian looking people threw food at each other. The sound was muted. But Luna, Lynn and Lincoln didn't bother that. They looked bored at the movie.
"You know what's crazy? I miss getting yelled at by Leni." Luna said.
"I miss it too." Lynn said.
"What is wrong with you… I miss it too." Lincoln said.
They all gave each other an odd look.
"It was nice the first days but now it's not so great." Luna said.
They heard Lily's voice from upstairs.
"Leni!"
"Even Lily misses her." Lynn said.
"Leni!"
"She really misses her." Lincoln said.
Lily came downstairs and walked to the chimney she looked up and yelled.
"Leni!"
Lily tried to climb up the chimney. Lynn got up and grabbed Lily, and pulled her out. A cloud of ash and soot went with them.
"Lily. There is a reason why only Santa is allowed to climb through chimneys." Lynn said.
"What?" Lily asked.
"Because it's dangerous. Don't do that."
"Only Santa?"
"Yes. Only Santa." Lily got upset.
"No!"
She walked back to the chimney, and yelled in it.
"Leni!" She tried to climb again.
"Forget it!" Lynn said.
Lynn grabbed Lily again and pulled her out.
"Leni isn't Santa. She is not at all in a damn chimney!"
"Where is Leni?!"
"I don't know!"
Lincoln and Luna got up and went to Lily and Lynn.
"Lily. Stop looking for Leni. She will come back any time soon." Luna said.
"Where is Leni?" Lily asked.
"Somewhere. I think far away. I don't know where."
"I find her."
Lily walked to the front door. Lincoln held her back.
"You don't even know where she is."
"I know."
"And where Lily?" Luna asked.
"In Mr Grousse garage?"
Luna, Lynn and Lincoln facepalmed themselves.
"Lily, would you be happy if we call Leni so you can talk to her?" Luna asked.
"Yes!" Lily said excitedly.
"Okay. Let's try it."
Luna took her phone and dialed Lenis number. The phone rang, yet Leni didn't answer.
"Strange. Mom! Leni doesn't answer the calls!" Lynn yelled.
Rita answered from her room.
"I know!"
"Why do you know?"
"I tried it five times!"
"Wait a second guys. Didn't Lori call mom?" Lincoln said. Lynn and Luna looked at Lincoln.
"Yes?"
"Mom said that Leni is with Lori. When we can call Lori, then she could give the phone to Leni."
"Good idea. Mom! How did Lori call you?"
"I don't really know! The FBI gave me a strange software!"
"FBI?" Luna asked.
"Software?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes. Why do you want to call Lori?" Rita asked.
"Because Lily wants to talk with Leni." Lynn said.
"She misses her." Lincoln added.
"Okay. You can try with my phone. But don't get surprised. It's really strange."
"Why is it strange?" Luna asked.
"It is like you call a different country. You kinda leave something and enter a restricted world."
"Mom that doesn't help either." Lynn said.
"Now we are even more confused." Lincoln said.
"You will know what I mean. Take my phone."
Lincoln went to the bedroom of his parents. Rita was on her bed and worked on her computer. She gave him her phone.
"It's the app with the phone that has waves around it." Rita said.
"Okay mom."
He went back to Luna, Lynn and Lily. Lori entered the train, and went in her room with Strawberry porridge and a spoon. Dinner time for Lorraine. She sat down. in this moment, her phone rang. Lori answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello Lori!" Lincoln said excitedly.
"Hello Lori!" Luna yelled. Lori held the phone a bit away from her ear.
"That was loud… Hi. I am so happy to hear your voices again. After so long."
"Yes. It's… Nice. "Is Leni around with you?" Lynn asked.
"I just saw her some time ago. Wait a moment."
Lori left her room, and opened a window of the train.She saw Leni with Cynthia and Slobodan near the Shilka.
"Leni! A call for you!"
Leni heard Lori, and walked to the train. Lorraine tried to grab the phone, what she kinda achieved, and made her typical baby noises in the phone. Lori took the phone away.
"Lorraine!"
"What was that?" Luna and Lincoln asked.
"Say hello to your niece. Lorraine."
It went silent on the phone. Her siblings were obviously shocked. Then, the sound got overdriven. Lincoln, Luna and Lynn cheered so loud that it sounded like a bomb exploded.
"Lori!" Lincoln yelled overjoyed.
"She Sounds so cute." Lynn said with an overjoyed voice.
"We are so happy to hear her the first time." Luna said.
"I am looking forward to the day when you finally can see her." Lori said.
"I wanna hug her." Lynn said.
"I wanna cuddle this little Cutie." Luna said.
"Give me the phone." Leni said.
"Okay. Bye. Leni is here." Lori said and gave Leni the phone.
"Hello?" Leni asked.
"It's us. Luna, Lincoln and Leni. How are you?" Luna asked.
"Good. Did you hang out with Sam?" Leni asked with a tense voice.
"Oh yeah. And we kissed so much." Luna said with a provoking voice.
"Don't be like Lori!" Leni yelled.
"Chill! Lily wants to talk to you."
"Give her the phone."
Lily's voice rang out of the phone.
"Leni!" Lily said with an excited voice.
"Lily. My little mouse." Leni said with a happy smile.
Lori gave Leni an odd look.
"I miss you Leni. Comes back."
"Oh I surely will. And when I come back, we eat a lot of ice cream. What do you think?"
"Yes! Ice cream!" Lori looked at Lorraine.
"Leni is such a devil to me but and angel to Lily."
Lorraine answered with her typical noises.
"I miss you." Lily said.
"Oh I miss you too Lily. I miss you so much." Leni answered.
"I love you Leni." Lily said.
"I love you too. Bye bye."
"Bye Leni." Leni gave Lori her phone back.
"Finally something good you have done." Leni said.
"You could be nice at least." Lori said.
"Maybe."
"You don't need to be so hateful you know?"
"I am hateful for a reason."
"What reason? That I tried to help Natasha? That I tried to stop someone from producing nuclear bombs for Russia? Excuse me that I tried to do good!"
"You didn't care about me! You didn't care about Luna! You didn't care about Luan! You didn't care about Lynn! You didn't care about Lincoln! You didn't care about Lucy! You didn't care about Lola! You didn't care about Lana! You didn't care about Lisa! You didn't care about Lily! You didn't care about Mom! And you didn't Care about Dad! Do you know how bad it went for all of them!?"
"I care about them!" Lori yelled.
"Then why did you do this!?"
"Because I helped friends! And I would do the same for you! I would even help you if I would die by helping you!"
Leni started tearing up.
"I would also die for you!" Leni yelled.
They looked at each other.
"So you understand?" Lori asked.
"Yes." Leni answered with a tense and sad voice.
Lori opened her left arm.
"Come here."
Leni wrapped her arms around Lori and Lorraine, and cried into Lori's shoulder.
"I love you." Leni cried.
"I love you too." Lori said and hugged Leni tightly.
Lorraine moved a bit, and made her noises again.
"Even Lorraine loves you."
"I love you both."
Lorraine leaned on Lenis' chest. Leni put her hand on Lorraine's back. She just enjoyed the warm feeling of Lorraine on her chest.
End of Chapter