Page 56 of Shielding Maya

"Maya, Jasiah. Can you hold up just a moment?"

"Yes." He responded without waiting for Maya.

Tate nodded, "Is Myles in the kitchen?"

Maya's head swung toward the kitchen, then nodded. "Yes."

"Great. Let's go in there."

They continued walking, though slower, Tate following behind. He didn't sit once in the kitchen, in fact he seemed in a hurry.

"I just got word from Casper. The president-elect has gone missing. Of course, he has secret service protection, so it's quite puzzling as to where he is. Secret service doesn't know what happened."

Maya spoke first. "That's incredible. Do you think it's a made-up story?"

Tate pointed to her briefly then tucked his hands in his front pockets. "That's what I wondered. And, of course, we know from the senator and the documents he had, that there are many corrupt people in D.C. So if he wanted to bribe someone to help him, he'd not find it too hard to find someone to take a bribe. For all we know, someone on the inside was also in the know of the Yerezdan deals and was easy to blackmail."

Jasiah couldn't help but thinking how horribly corrupt this government had become. In so many ways they were still so pure up in Hickory Hills despite the war that led them up there and the events that transpired. Once separated, they had their own leadership, which had spoiled. They had the chance at a fresh start now and he'd work hard to make the people know how terrible this government had become to get to this point. Hopefully, they'd stave off the treachery up there. Hopefully.

Myles scoffed. "So, do you think he'd come here?"

Tate shrugged. "I don't know. Rafe and Casper are still hashing out some details, but no one seems to know where he's gone. On the one hand, I don't see what coming here would do for him. Unless he thinks the recording is here. On the other hand, he might not be thinking straight and shooting from the hip. He was told last night about Lee Hombs."

Maya asked, "Who's that?"

Tate grinned. "You called him Malibu Man. Lee Hombs was an aide in Senator Jackson's office. He worked closely with the senator. He knew all about the corruption and what the senator had done for King. Apparently when the senator went into hiding, Hombs contacted King and worked a deal. He'd get the papers for King for a million dollars and safe passage out of the country."

Maya nodded. "So that was King's last chance to try to destroy the papers and make this all go away."

"It appears that way." Tate shrugged. "Be careful. Be watchful. We don't know where King is, and we don't know if he's already found someone else to finish the job Hombs didn't finish."

Maya looked up at him. She took his hand in hers. "Will you reconsider staying down here for protection?"

He stared into her eyes but shook his head. "I cannot do that to my people. If there's danger up there and I leave them alone, I'm not the leader they'll want. Nor will they think of me as anything but a coward. I'm not a coward."

"Jasiah..."

"I won't change my mind, Maya. I can't."

Myles stepped forward. "I volunteer to go up there for protection."

He stared at Myles. His eyes mirrored his sisters and this time when he looked in them, he didn't see judgment. "Thank you, Myles. I don't want anyone putting themselves in harm’s way for me."

"It would be for my sister," Myles ticked. "She loves you. So, it would be for her. And you."

Jasiah swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't have siblings. But, he'd do the same if he had them. "Thank you, Myles."

Maya nodded. "I'll volunteer as well."

Spencer entered the room. "What are you volunteering for?"

Myles nodded toward him. "We're volunteering to be on protection duty for Hickory Hills in case King sends someone else up there to finish the job Malibu Man didn't finish."

Spencer nodded. "I'll volunteer for that too."

Tate grinned. "You all are a dream team for sure. Jasiah, here's your protection team."

He shook his head, that lump still in his throat. Sucking in a deep breath, he nodded. "Thank you all."

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