Chapter Two
The next morning, Jason stayed in bed long after dawn. Looking at the ceiling, he was smiling contentedly, feeling satisfied. This is the way things should be. He had spent most of his adult life helping to fix big problems that involved hundreds or thousands of people and their government, but he had never felt so fulfilled as he was now. Being a family man had always been his dream. As much as he liked the military and law enforcement, fixing little family issues was far more satisfying.
Throughout the night, he had been making calls. Threatening, blackmailing and dredging up old favours, all for a suitable job. Most of the jobs on offer were either too stressful or situated too far away, but just when he was about to give up, he remembered an old friend whose life he had helped save several years ago. Luckily, she had something for him.
“Morning, lazy bones,” Chrissie hailed as she peeked into his room. She was still in her pajamas and she looked well rested.
“Hey, I deserve some privacy here, you know,” Jason said, trying but failing to sound angry.
“Pfff. Privacy's for handsome young men, not close-to-expiry old cargoes like you.”
“But I'm not old!”, Jason protested.
“Then let's see who gets to the living room first.”
“Come on, you're halfway there already. It's not gonna be a fair race.”
“Do you want me to come to the bed then?”, she asked, stepping into his room.
“Yeah, that's better.”
“Pervert.”
She slammed the door shut and sashayed off to the living room.
“Breakfast's here!”, she shouted as she went.
During breakfast, Jason was more than elated to see that Chrissie's large appetite was back. She was wolfing down any edible item within reach. He smiled as he watched her. It must be the dog, he thought. The little pet always stuck to her mistress and right now, she was seated on a chair next to Chrissie, watching CNN on TV like a concerned citizen.
“What?”, Chrissie asked as she caught him staring at her.
“Nothing... just happy,” Jason replied, returning to his food.
“Hmm... happy about what?”, she asked between mouthfulls.
“Well, I got offered a job.”
“Really?”, Chrissie was surprised. “What kind?”
He puffed out his chest and cleared his throat.
“Well, if I accept, I'll be Head Of Security at...”
“Security?”
“Yeah. You don't like it?”
“I do. I just.. Wow, that's great. Congrats, dad.”
“Thanks,” he grinned. “I'm glad you're comfortable with me getting the job.”
“Seriously? If you don't have a job, how am I gonna continue feeding Mirry?”
“Who's Mirry?”
“My dog.”
“Oh. Cute name,” he shrugged.
“Thanks. Is the pay good?”
“Yeah. Think so.”
“How much?”
“Umm.. I never asked.”
“Seriously?”
Chrissie dropped her spoon with a loud clatter and Jason knew a storm was fast brewing.
“So what did you ask about?”
“Uh...”
“If the pay's not very large, forget it.”
“But...”
“No buts. I'm not gonna allow you work your ass off for nothing, dad. Good pay.. very good pay and it better be easy work too or else don't count on getting my support. No repeat of the FBI idea.”
With that, she jumped to her feet and cleared the dishes in a flash. Then off she stomped to her room with Mirry close behind. Jason watched her go and slammed his fist angrily on the table. Damn! Just when he thought it was going good. Now, he might have to start all over again. Well, it couldn't be helped.
“Can I come in?”, Jason asked as he peeped through Chrissie's open door. She was wearing a headset and the dog had one too, though she didn't look like she shared her mistress' taste in music. He knew Chrissie might not have heard him, so when she pulled off the set, he repeated himself.
“Sure,” she replied, absently stroking the dog's back.
“So when are you going back to school?”, Jason asked, staring intently at her.
“Soon.”
“How soon?”
“Very.”
“So perhaps we should be preparing to head back.”
It didn't sound like a question and she didn't treat it as such.
“K,” was her quiet answer.
“Are you gonna answer me in something more than one-word answers?”
“If you aim to change my mind with all these formalities, then you're wasting precious time. I'll never change my mind about the job, dad. Never.”
“I never had that in mind, but now that you mention it, I'm pleased to tell you that the pay is super high and the work is child's play. They just need my experience, no big deal.”
“Good,” she nodded soberly.
“Come on, don't that sound like excellent news? Why aren't you happy?”
“I am happy.”
“But you're not showing it. No smiles. No laughs. Or do you need help... perhaps some tickling?”
He was now going towards her and she quickly scrambled up.
“No dad. Thanks. I'm fine. See? I'm already smiling.”
“Nah. That looks like a Cheshire cat's smile. Lemme help you. You need to laugh.”
“No no no. Okay. Hahaha. Is that good enough?”
“Not enough,” he said before taking a dive at her.
She jumped out of his reach just in time and raced out of the room, calling to Mirry. The dog ran after her, but as Jason gave chase, to the amusement of Chrissie, she whirled round and barked angrily at him.
“What! You little ingrate. I remember paying so many dollars for your little ass back at that pet shop!”
“You see,” Chrissie laughed. “I've got a super protector. You can't touch meee!”
“Watch and see.”
A quick jump over the little dog and Jason was once again after the squealing Chrissie while the dog brought up the rear, showing her displeasure with her little girlish barks.
*****
As Jason rocked and rolled to his favourite Eminem song, he heard the annoying ring of his phone above the rap marathon. With a groan, he turned down the volume of the music. His eyes on the road and his head still bobbing to the low-sounding music, he reached for the phone and answered it.
“Hey Tony, what's up?”
“Look, I don't have much time here. Something heavy has just gone down...”
“What is it, Tony? Hope you're not overreacting as usual?”
“Believe me, I'm underreacting," Tony scoffed. "Lynn Webbs has just been kidnapped by terrorists.”
“What!” Jason's car screeched to a sudden halt in the middle of the road. “Tell me you're kidding!”
“Wish I could.”
“When exactly did this happen?”
“This hour. Look, I gotta go. Do what you gotta do and I'll try to help. Talk later.”
Jason's mouth was still slightly agape in shock as the connection was terminated. He tried to let this new information sink in, but he also knew that the current situation needed quick action and not sitting and staring. Turning the car around, he began the journey back home, not caring about his speedometer or the errand he was going to run before Tony called. The fact that Lynn Webbs was in danger was no small matter. She was popular, notorious and fearless, so it didn't surprise him that she would have some dangerous enemies. But terrorists? He never expected that! He couldn't wait to get a full briefing from Tony.