Chapter 1: All in a Day's Work

Caleb Connor wondered how a day could start so well, and go downhill so far. Another bullet ricocheted off a nearby tree, and whined into the distance.

"Mr. Bennett," Caleb yelled in frustration. "We are going to arrest you. The charges against you, right now, are relatively minor. Fleeing arrest, and shooting at Officers of the Law, are still not too serious. The way the courts are working right now, you'll probably only get probation. If you keep shooting at us, eventually you're going to hit somebody. Then the charges get a lot more serious. Come out, now!"

"My name is Abu al Brahman," the man screamed from the run-down house they had surrounded. "I am a warrior of Allah. I do not accept your persecution," punctuating the declaration with another shot."

'Did he mean prosecution?' Caleb wondered to himself, before shaking his head in mounting irritation at the delay. "I don't care if he worships tree frogs and meditates on baboon toes," he groused to the Deputy Sheriff next to him.

"Mr. Bennett, you're leaving here with us," Caleb yelled in frustration. "The only question is, will you be alive or dead. Come out now, without weapons!"

Another shot was fired.

"Oww ... damn it!" someone yelled from Caleb's left.

"Who's hurt? Is it bad?" Caleb called anxiously.

"Nah ... just a scratch, more of a burn than anything ... and a ruined shirt," Cory Baker, one of the other deputies answered. "My wife's going to kill me. This shirt was a birthday present."

"Well, stay down," Caleb admonished angrily.

Ricky Bennett was a recent convert to Islam, and for some reason he had moved to Texas from Oklahoma. He had changed his name to Abu al Brahman, but it was still Ricky Bennett on the books. Like many new converts to a religion, Ricky was very fervent in his beliefs. Unfortunately, someone had convinced him that he didn't need to abide by the laws of the United States, or any other law of man for that matter. Ricky had been convinced that the only laws he needed to follow were the laws his 'teachers' proclaimed from their holy books.

Caleb had run a check on Ricky Bennett, after receiving the case file. The kid was only twenty-four years old, but his mental capacity was closer to a ten or twelve year old. He hadn't finished high school, and was working at a minimum wage job before he moved to Texas. His activities since moving to Texas had been shadowy, and that had been when Caleb got involved. Caleb had discovered two separate Mosques where Ricky had made contact. That, in itself, wasn't illegal. However, Caleb learned, via his 'secret weapon', that Abu al Brahman was involved with weapons trafficking. Caleb strongly suspected that the young man was being used as a disposable cutout.

"Al, can you detect anyone in there besides Ricky?" Caleb silently asked his secret weapon, the ethereal alien who had taken up residence in his head.

"I think there is one other person," Al replied, "But we're still too far away to know for sure. I can feel Ricky's rage, but I can also feel great fear. Based on what you learned about him, the boy could have a split personality. It is possible that he could feel both emotions at the same time. I don't think so, though. I think it is a second person who is very afraid."

"Thanks, Al," Caleb said in resignation, wondering again how the day that had started so well could have gone downhill so far. His mind wandered for a moment, remembering, as he tried to figure out what to do.

Today was Caleb and JJ's first wedding anniversary, and it had started out slow and loving. Their loving had lasted until the telephone rang at a quarter till eight. Caleb was out the door by eight, leaving JJ behind, and she was cussing up a storm. Caleb also had a few choice words for the state of Texas, Scotty McGowan, and life in general as he sped away from their home.

Caleb and JJ had gotten married in the slow time between Christmas and the New Year so everyone important to them could attend. Bran had flown in to Phoenix from Houston, and the kids were out of school. The only issue had been that JJ's dad, Bill, couldn't partake of the spirits offered at the reception. Bill was a Deputy with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department, and credible terrorist threats had put them on high alert.

Not that drinking would have made a difference to Bill's performance on the job. The bodily filtration systems of all nine recipients of Companions had been modified, and none of them could get drunk. That had upset Blake more than anyone.

"But I've never been drunk!" Blake, JJ's sixteen year old son had protested. "Now I'll never be able to get drunk!" he lamented.

"So, for a few moments of gratification, you would risk me?" Aaron, Blake's Companion had asked.

The ethereal Companions took up residence in their host's brain. Alcohol kills brain cells. Improving their host's body filtration system so poisons couldn't reach the brain was only one of the 'minor physical adjustments' the Companions performed. The result of the adjustments could extend their host's life for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Alcohol was definitely one of the poisons on the proscribed list.

Blake conceded that Aaron was more important than getting a buzz from beer or wine. Caleb counseled the boy that later, when in college or in the military, he could win a lot of bets with the ability to not get a buzz. Caleb also explained that girls really didn't appreciate people who were drunk. Blake was more impressed with the second point than he was with the first.

It had been a nice wedding, even though it was just a civil ceremony. Caleb was willing to spring for a church wedding, if JJ wanted it. She didn't. JJ told her mom that she wanted to marry Caleb before he came to his senses, while they were shopping for appropriate honeymoon attire. Caleb confided the same sentiment to Bill, while making reservations for their honeymoon. Everyone got a good laugh during the reception when Bill and Collette related the pre-wedding sentiments of the newlyweds.

The biggest issue they had was JJ's name. She was no longer Jane Janus, so the nick-name JJ that she had used for the last 19 years didn't fit. She certainly didn't want to be called 'JC' as befitted her new name of Jane Connor. She felt like being called JC was sacrilegious in some way. JJ also worried that she might not respond to people when they called her anything but JJ. By mutual family agreement, her nick-name remained JJ.

The year since the wedding had flown past. They had planned their big move to Texas to happen after Kim's high school graduation. The new Connor household and the Parker household made a leisurely trip out of the move in May. By June, Caleb and his family were settled in their new home in Highlands, Texas. Bill and Collette found a home that was similar to their Phoenix four bedroom house, in Beaumont, Texas.

JJ had many job offers, but accepted the one from the Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital. The pay was a little lower than the other offers she had, but was still competitive. The location and the hospital's attitude made the difference. It was midway between her parents and where Kim was going to college, so that was a plus. JJ was also impressed with their attitude towards her National Guard obligation. She would receive full pay for drill weekends, and they already worked closely with the Houston VA hospital.

Kim had a dorm room reserved in College Station, Texas, so she could attend Texas A&M. Kim's romance with Jorge, a former Mexican gang-banger, turned into a very good friendship, and only a friendship. Everyone expected Kim to be devastated, but she wasn't. She was happy. Jorge was her first boyfriend who was really just a friend, and not some guy with eight arms and twelve hands. Jorge also became a confidant for when she had questions about guys. Even though she could read minds, with Alice's help, her Companion couldn't help with any insight into what made guys tick. To Kim, guys were very strange creatures.

Blake had received a packet from the Goose Creek Memorial High School where he was scheduled to attend in the fall, as a Junior. He was a little put off by the name of the school. His few remaining friends in Phoenix had laughed at the name. Blake took it in stride, and understood that his 'friends' were just displaying their immaturity. He discovered, from the packet and the internet, how important High School Football was in Texas. Blake was planning on trying out for the team as a walk-on during the summer. He was sure that he and his Companion, Aaron, could be formidable on a football field.

Caleb was accepted into the Master's program at Rice University. Bran, JJ's Uncle, was assigned as his mentor. They began planning how they would use the University's facilities, along with Al's knowledge from thirteen billion years of hosts, to carefully move nano-technology forward a few generations. Al was the only Companion on earth who could provide that knowledge. Every other Companion was 'new, ' having recently moved to this universe. They didn't have memories from previous hosts to help their current hosts. Of course, each 'new' Companion could mentally 'speak' to Al if needed, and tap his memories for information.

Caleb was planning to get a job, but wanted to see how his schedule shook out at the University first. The four of them, Caleb, JJ, Al, and Amy, JJ's Companion, had all agreed that his plans at Rice came first. Caleb intended to use the University facilities to develop technologies to help his growing family. Some of the results of his ideas would not be disseminated for public use. Humanity still had some growing to do before they could safely be allowed to take advantage of some of the developments he foresaw. A good part of Caleb's plan went out the window the second week after they moved in.

A large, black limousine eased to a stop on the street in front of their new house. Two men in suits, sunglasses, and ear pieces stepped from the vehicle. After a quick look around, the men opened the back door and Senator Scott 'Scotty' McGowan exited.

Caleb and Blake were the only members of the family at home. They had a list for each room of what pictures and mirrors were to be hung where. The man, and the recently turned seventeen year old boy, were dutifully hanging pictures and mirrors, while practicing the manly art of complaining about women shopping as they worked.

Blake walked to the door and, as Caleb and his Grandpa had taught him, worked with his Companion to check beyond the door before opening it.

"Caleb, Aaron says there are some government men outside," Blake reported, connecting to his step-dad via their Companions. "Should I answer the door?"

"Just a moment," Caleb replied, walking from the back of the house.

As he walked, Caleb's Companion, Al, linked with Aaron, Blake's Companion, to investigate the mental signatures of the government men. He was smiling when he reached the door and threw it open.

Caleb grinned at the Senator and said, "Hey, Scotty, welcome to my 'casa'. Come on in. Your guards, too. Or are they my guards? I'll return the canteen and belt that I kept when they discharged me, honest."

"Connor, we're probably lucky you left the gates to the base when you were discharged; but if you got away with it, then you're clear," Scotty said, grinning back and shaking Caleb's hand.

Scotty had been Caleb's company First Sergeant when Caleb went to Army Boot Camp. Caleb got into a lot of fights, including trying to take on one of the instructors during hand-to-hand combat training. His fighting wasn't because of a bad attitude, but rather, he was defending some of the weaker members of his squad from what he perceived as bullies. First Sergeant McGowan had the choice of kicking him out, or promoting him. Scotty could never explain, in the years that followed, why he made the decision to put that young recruit, with a black eye, a swollen lip, and an attitude, into a position of authority. He made Caleb the Recruit Platoon Sergeant.

A funny thing happened in the remaining eleven weeks of boot camp. The platoon, considered mediocre at best, clawed its way up to become the top platoon of the training battalion in every category. Even more surprising was that the platoon didn't lose another recruit for the remainder of their training.

Scotty retired from the Army soon after that, and went into politics. He had maintained contact with the young recruit that had impressed him. He felt like it was important. Scotty almost cried when he heard about what had caused Caleb's disillusionment with the Army, causing Caleb to refuse reenlistment after finishing eleven years of active duty. Caleb had never asked for his help in seeking justice against the political hierarchy of the US Army's Officer Corps. In the years since that first meeting, Scotty never regretted how he handled Caleb's case so many years ago.