Chapter One: The Beginning
Page Eleven3, July 1999 Saturday She could hear Janet and Daniel talking now. "I
wonder what's up that we'd be called directly back to the base on our day off instead of just having us phone in for an important update." The doctor's comment was echoed by all of them as they headed to Janet's car where it was parked beside Jack's SUV.
She knew her own concerned
expression was fully visible as she lifted the bags into Janet's trunk. "Well, since there's no way they could know we
were all spending the day together, it must be big to call all four of us in."
"Yeah. It would be too much to ask to get any sleep today."
Sam rolled her eyes, grinning at Daniel's annoyed scowl.
"Maybe they found something amazing and need you to decipher it." "Maybe…" It didn't seem to enliven him so she dropped it.
At least he'd be thrilled with the bookcase she and Janet had settled on to get for his office on his
birthday.
It was solid oak with wonderfully intricate engravings all over.
They'd pick it up in a couple days, having talked the Colonel into helping them sneak it into the base so they
wouldn't have to cart it very far to Daniel's office later on.
All of Cassie's gifts were already stored in Janet's trunk in anticipation of the party to come.
They'd tried to decide
whether to combine a welcome home party with an early birthday party and decided, instead, to just have a quiet welcome and save the big stuff for the birthday party she already wanted to have.
"I'm with Jack." The girls waved as the
guys jumped into the Colonel's vehicle and pulled out a couple minutes later.9:15 AM Sam buckled her belt, tapping on the dash while Janet started the car.
When they didn't immediately
pull out of the parking space, Sam glanced over to catch Janet staring at her. "Jolinar again?" Sam sighed.
Oh well.
So much for her hope that no one was noticing her difficulties. "It's like a constant inner movie now. Like something snapped last night while I was sleeping and these out-of-focus slide shows are playing in the
back of my head. It's just…distracting sometimes." "How distracting?" Sam refused to snap at Janet, knowing that she was genuinely concerned and not just as a friend. "Not enough that I can't work, but some of the memories are really…bloody and disturbing. They catch my attention and I'll be looking inside my head
instead of outside. Just for an instant." "Okay. You let me know if it gets to the point where it can be
dangerous. Deal?" "Deal."
...end of chapter one: the beginning...
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