Chapter Eight
When they finally arrived at their destination, Jason handed Carling into FBI custody and left his mother-in-law to step into the bullpen alone. Everyone was thunderstruck! It was as if they had seen a ghost. Their mouths hung open as they stared.
Up until the moment she walked in, the FBI analysts had been hard at work, trying to track down the location where she was being held and the last person they had expected to see was the missing woman herself!
Lynn swept her eyes across the people staring at her before making her way further in. Two men had already come for her and were offering to lead her to the infirmary, where the assistant director would meet her.
"Nope. Not interested. I'm perfectly fine," Lynn shook her head and suddenly slipped off from their midst.
The men were quick to recover from their shock, but she was already marching down the hall at full speed. She'd hardly taken ten steps when she bumped into a half-running assistant director.
“Oh Senator,” he said breathlessly. “I was actually on my way to see you in the infirmary. I just heard the wonderful news that you're back safe and sound. How do you feel, ma'am? I take it you have...”
“I feel fine, boy,” Lynn suddenly interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Very fine compared to you, of course.”
The director swallowed, but said nothing.
“Come on, let's go to your office,” she told him. “Why standing here like an electrocuted rat?”
"Of course ma'am. Forgive my manners please," he apologized and proceeded to lead her towards his office.
When they reached the ADIC's office, she grabbed a seat and waited till he had settled uncomfortably into his chair before eyeing him intently.
“So you guys left me out there to roast,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Not at all, ma'am. I can a...”
“Is this some kind of conspiracy to get rid of me?”
“What! No.. nothing like that ma'am. Absolutely nothing of the sort. I'm extremely...”
“And I hear you were fooled by some gal hacker posing as a guy. What a pity. I'm disappointed.”
“I...”
“If not for my crazy son-in-law, I would have been long dead.”
“We're very glad it didn't come to that, ma'am.”
“I hear you have one of those who assisted him locked up in one of your cubicles. And my dear best friend too!”
“Their release is being processed as we speak. Once again, ma'am, I would like to...”
“Oh shut up, Darren,” she chided him.
He kept quiet and watched her expressionless face to gauge her feelings as she looked around the office. Suddenly, she turned back to him.
“I knew your mom. We served together,” she said quietly and he reacted by dropping his eyes to focus on his table, fiddling with his pen.
“You're just like her,” Lynn continued, looking intently at him. “So prim and always didn't want any trouble, but she was a great woman - one that could be relied on. I guess everyone was created differently.”
With a sigh, she got to her feet and he quickly jumped up to join her.
“Your mother was a good woman, Darren. Be like her."
With that, she turned on her heels and left the office, with the assistant director following behind. She asked him for directions to the rest room and then ordered him to assemble the personnel on duty and await her presence in the bullpen.
When she returned, she stood before the little crowd and addressed them, thanking them for their tireless efforts and commitment to the act of saving her and the image of the country in general. She made them know that she would never forget it and that she was proud of each and every one of them. During the speech, the assistant director was wise enough not to show himself, but soon appeared from nowhere, when she was done speaking, to place himself at her service.
"Hey, where's that boy, Raids? What have you done with him now?", she suddenly asked, looking all around her.
"Oh. Mr. Raids is just being debriefed. He'll..."
"Show me where."
He nodded and promptly led her to the room where Jason was being debriefed.
Without ceremony, the senator pulled open the door and stepped into the room.
"Okay! Time's up. Get going, Raids."
Jason turned to see her with a "no discussion" look on her face and he obediently got up and made for the door. The assistant director and Jason's debriefer both kept their mouths shut as Lynn marched out after her son-in-law.
"Do I not get at least a 'Thank you' for pulling you out of that tangle?", Lynn chided Jason on their way out of the building.
"You know I'm grateful, Lynn. And I'd like to return the favor too. Let me take you home."
“Thanks. I know my way home,” was the sharp retort.
“I know you do. I just wanna take you. Come on, step in.”
He opened the car door wide and ushered her in.
“Thanks. I mean it, Raids. But I can get myself home. Darren's provided transport.”
“I'm not taking no for an answer,” he insisted. “And don't worry, I'll drive pretty fast.”
“You stone-headed goat,” she grumbled as she stepped in while Jason smiled at his victory. He rushed over to the driver's side and jumped in. Soon, they were back on the road, heading home with considerable speed.
There was silence through most of the journey, but Lynn was soon aroused. She had earlier fallen into a slight doze and when she woke up, she saw that they were in unfamiliar environment.
“Woah, where are we headed?”, she asked.
“Oh don't worry. Just sit back and relax. We're almost here.”
“Where exactly?”
But he made no reply. She kept looking out the window trying to find something or somewhere familiar.
“Hey, stop the car! I'm sick of this.”
“Come on Lynn, take it easy. We're here already.”
“What? Where? This isn't where I live.”
“But this is where I live.”
“And what's that got to do with me? You promised to take me home, didn't you?”
“Okay, fine. I will take you home. I just wanna pick up something, so just wait in the car.”
“Seriously, Raids? Are you nuts? Do I look like a kid in kindergarten you've been employed to drive to school?”
With that, she jumped out of the car just as he had expected. For effect, he grumbled and shrugged as he turned off the ignition and stepped out, but she was already walking toward the house. He doubled his steps to keep up with her.
“Better be fast on your feet. Don't keep me waiting unnecessarily.”
“Whatever you say, ma'am,” he answered as he followed her in.
“Mom!”, Tracy was shocked to see her mother just as Jason was surprised to see her in his house.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Tracy."
"And neither did I," Lynn said, hugging her daughter. “A healthy surprise, I dare say. What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Jason wanted me to drop by tomorrow, but the boys wouldn't wait that long to see their cousin, so we had to make the journey. But what are you doing here yourself, mom? I've been worried sick! Been trying to reach you all evening. There was something on the news about you getting kidnapped or..."
"Oh don't mind that," Lynn waved dismissively. "It's all fake news and bad politics. I went boating with Raids a..."
“Grandma!”
They all turned to see an elated Chrissie running out into the parlour. She enveloped her startled grandmother in a bear hug.
“Damn! The kid's grown. What do you eat?”
“Nothing much,” Chrissie shrugged as Lynn stared in surprise at her six-foot frame. “Nice of you to visit us, grandma.”
“Well, your father gave me no choice. Practically threatened to turn me over to the Devil himself. Take my advice, don't ever marry a man like him.”
“I'll keep that in mind, grandma,” Chrissie laughed and winked at Jason.
Tracy's boys, Orville and Harry who had no clear memory of their grandmother seemed left out as they joined Jason in watching the show in front of them. The women were now talking and laughing together like they'd never been more than an hour apart since they were born.
“Come on, guys,” Jason picked both boys and proceeded to the kitchen with them. “Let's go have our own fun.”
They seemed to find the idea attractive and were already playfighting over Jason's head.
“Where're you boys going?”, Lynn called out.
“Just giving the girls room for gossip, Senator,” he returned over his shoulder.
“Get your shy selves back here.”
“As you wish, ma'am.” Jason obeyed, dropping the now quiet boys near her.
“So Raids, I'm sure you're expecting some gratitude for tonight..., right?”, she whispered as she placed each boy on one knee. Jason shrugged and was about to say something but she beat him to it. “Keep dreaming.”