"Please, I hate to ask, but I think it's for the best." Kate was subdued, when over a quick lunch of MREs, she asked Anne to get a glimpse into what awaited them at the river rendezvous.
Anne hesitated. Len Green had taught the Precogs that they were vulnerable, both mentally and physically, whenever they allowed their subconscious to take over. Ethan reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. His quiet support gave her strength.
"Okay, but only a few seconds." Anne set her unfinished meal aside then moved into a relaxed, meditative pose. She checked to make sure Ethan would watch over her. Ethan nodded. She closed her eyes. The rest of the group waited silently. Less than two minutes later her eyes popped open.
Anne was confused. She looked from Kate to Ethan and back again. Twice, she opened her mouth to speak, both times closing it without uttering a word.
"I don't understand." Finally Anne spoke. "Ethan?"
Now it was Ethan's turn to look confused. He was uncertain what she was asking of him. "Yes?"
"There are people waiting at the river. For you. Just you." She shook her head as if to clear it. "A lot of people. People in dark suits. People with guns. Big guns. A helicopter is waiting there to whisk you away. Why, Ethan? Who are they? Who are you?"
It was Kate, not Ethan, who answered her questions. "He is the Vice President's son."
Rufus laughed. "Vice President of what?"
"The United States." Kate was somber. Anne slid her hand out from under Ethan's.
Rufus gaped, his mouth open. "Nah, can't be. You said you were Canadian."
Anne gazed into space, lost in thought, ignoring Ethan's pleading stare. When she wouldn't look at him, Ethan turned to Rufus. "No, I said I lived in Canada. I moved there with my mom when my parents divorced. My mother is Canadian. Obviously, my father is not."
"Wow, just wow!" Rufus was spellbound by this new, exciting side to their pod mate. "So, have you been to the Whitehouse? Do you have your own security?"
Then Georgie piped in. "Do the kids at your school know? Can you get people arrested?"
"That's enough!" Everyone was shocked by Ethan's outburst.
Anne got up and walked to where her gear was stacked. Ethan's eyes followed her but he didn't stand up.
It was Kate who took charge. "We'd better get moving if we are going to be at the river before dark."
"Hey, if they have a helicopter why didn't they come get us?" Rufus asked Kate.
"Yeah, why'd we have to walk all this way through the freaking jungle?" Georgie piped up.
Kate pointed over her shoulder. "The tree coverage is too thick. Besides, the fire is following us."
"What?" They were all surprised to see smoke billowing up from the path they had just come from.
"The fires are unpredictable. They jump. It's impossible to tell what direction the fire will take." Kate clapped her hands. "Time to get moving."
This time no one argued. Rufus, Griffin and Georgie tagged along behind Ethan, talking nonstop.
He waited until they stopped for a breath before trying to speak. "Look, it's no big deal. Get your gear packed up. You can ask me anything you want while we hike."
The trio reluctantly left Ethan to collect their belongings. Once on the trail, he fielded their questions. Most of them were silly, either dealing with guns, cars or in Georgie's case food. Ethan had never met another human being so interested in eating.
Finally Ethan called an end to their questions. He left them excitedly imagining his life of glamor. He began to make his way to where Anne walked single file behind Kate.
She hadn't spoken a word since discovering his identity.
"Can we talk?"
Ethan interpreted her shrug to mean yes. "I didn't tell anyone about my father because it has no bearing on me." She threw him a 'really? ' look.
"I rarely see him. My mother and I live in her family home with my grandparents. I have cousins nearby that are like siblings to me. My father is a very small, almost nonexistent part of my life."
"Until you need armed guards and a helicopter. Me too. I have the same set up."
Ethan ignored her sarcasm."I didn't want to be judged for something I had no control over."
This seemed to move Anne. She could easily understand wanting to leave the past behind and forge your own future. Then, Ethan went and ruined it. "I will tell them that I won't get on the helicopter without you." He reached a hand out to her. She brushed it away.
"Don't bother. I'll make my own way out." Anne picked up speed and began talking to Kate. He knew what she was doing and let it go.
It was a grueling 4 hour hike, but finally the river came onto view.
"Ouch!" The mosquitos were the size of small bird. Everyone reached down into the muck and began smearing mud on any exposed skin. Rufus laughed hysterically at their faces. He thought Lucy looked adorable.
They had barely come within 10 feet of the river bank when someone yelled for them to stop. "Halt." The stern voice came from the thick trees, ahead and to the left.
"That sounds official." Rufus joked. Kate shushed him. "We are here from the Hive. We are to be extracted."
"Yikes. Spy talk."
"Rufus!"
"Yes, ma'am." Rufus made a gesture with his thumb and fore finger mimicking zipping his mouth shut.
"Identification." A man dressed all in black moved out of the rainforest. His head was covered and his face smeared with camouflage paint. He had a gun slung over his shoulder, another one strapped to his thigh and his gloved hand stretched out to Kate. The group was shocked into silence. He looked them over and for no obvious reason his gaze stopped at Ethan. "Is this the package?"
"Oh, please!" Even Kate had had enough of the movie-type talk. "These are the kids you are to take back to the States."
"We'll see."
"No, we won't!" Kate reached into the pocket of her backpack, pulled out a black leather wallet and flipped it open. She did not move closer, nor did she hand over her I.d. "I had orders to bring this group to the river. Here we are, now get us out of here."
"You're a day late." The stranger in black looked Kate up and down, settling on her colorful bruising. "And by my count, short a person."