The Dingo

Midwestern Misadventure Pt 7

They were all up early. After breakfast, as they were preparing to leave, Peter made sure he had all of his spare mags, and Gloria had hers. Gloria hugged her dad, and told him she'd see him soon.

Peter and the Judge left in the Coug. They arrived at the courthouse at 06:45. The Sheriff's Captain had given Peter a pass for the security entrance into the parking area under the courthouse. It would also work for every security door in the building.

Having escorted the Judge to his chamber, Peter returned to the garage, and waited. When the County Sheriff's various vehicles started arriving, he stepped out. Gloria, Sylvia, and Anthony were in one of the SUVs.

Peter said, "Gloria, come here."

She walked up to him.

Peter asked, just above a whisper, "Do you have your pistol?" She patted her waist on her right side. He handed her the NSA badge with her name and photo in it. It identified her as a junior agent.

"Gloria, I need you to call me Robert today. Remember, we are under cover. Be extra careful to keep that thing hidden. Your badge will allow you to keep it, but you wouldn't believe the panic if someone finds out you have it."

The first two days of the trial were uneventful. There was no media circus, and the heavy police presence meant that no one tried anything.

The evening of the second day, Peter and the judge arrived at the farm in time for dinner. Alex had information for them.

He said, "Peter, those two guys you and Gloria tangled with were from Syria. They were brothers."

He followed that information with a bombshell.

"Mrs. Goldsmith, did you have a sister who got pregnant, and ran away from home?"

She replied, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well you should, because your nephew needs to know."

"My nephew?" Alex turned to Peter.

"Peter, I know your mom's name was Rowena, but what was her maiden name?"

"I don't know. She never told me. I never met any of her family."

"Her maiden name was Torvend. Mrs. Goldsmith, you were born Sylvia Torvend, were you not?" He named their parents, and Mrs Goldsmith became very uncomfortable.

Alex finally said, "I'm sure you will want a DNA test to prove it, but I'm 99% certain that Peter is your nephew."

"Yes, I was born Sylvia Torvend. And I did have a sister named Rowena. When she was sixteen, she ran away. She fell in with a guy who used drugs, and he got her hooked. I had heard a rumor that she was pregnant with his kid, but that was all. I haven't seen, or heard from her since."

Gloria asked, "Alex, is that why you don't like me?" He walked over and put his arm across her shoulders.

"I never said I don't like you. I said you scare me. You are so much like Peter at your age. Brash, unprincipled, daring, and at the same time, cunning. You also have the same tenacity, and neither of you take no for an answer."

The next day, the trial wrapped up just after noon. Mrs. Goldsmith was walking down the hall toward her husband's chamber. A Bolivian man approached.

"Señora Goldsmeeth!" She turned around just in time to see he had a large ceramic knife. He backed her into a locked doorway, and raised the knife. Three gunshots rang out, and he stumbled away from her. He collapsed to the floor, bleeding. Gloria walked up, and gave her mom a hug. Security was there in seconds, but they were too late to save the guy with the knife.

An hour later, Peter was standing by the Coug in the underground parking area, waiting for the Judge. A man walked up, and started a conversation about Peter's car. As Peter was talking to him, someone snuck up on Peter's blind side. The attacker stabbed Peter in his right side. It was long and narrow, like an ice pick. It went through his right lung, and punctured his heart. The attacker pulled it right back out, and as he prepared for the next plunge, Peter collapsed.

The attacker said, "Peter, I wish I had never met you. You ruined my career." It was David Brassover, Peter's old NSA handler. Peter was leaning against the side of his car. Everything was blurry, all he saw was shapes. David Brassover was standing over him. As Brassover raised his arm over his head, five shots rang out, rapid fire style.

Brassover stumbled away from Peter, and fell onto his hands and knees. Someone walked up behind Brassover, and fired a bullet through his brain stem. At that point, Peter lost consciousness.

He woke up a few days later. He was in a hospital room, and he wasn't alone. He moaned, and tried to move, but a hand on his arm stopped him. The other person pushed the call button. A nurse walked in.

"Agent Goldsmith, is there a change in his condition?" She squeezed Peter's hand, and he moaned. He opened his eyes, and saw Gloria. She smiled at him. The nurse said she'd let the doctor know. Peter glimpsed a slight bulge.

"Gloria, are you packing heat?" She didn't answer.

A few days later, Peter was released from the hospital. Anthony drove Peter and Gloria to her parents' home. The Judge and Sylvia met them as they got out of the SUV. The Coug was parked there, and had just been washed. Sylvia invited them into the house. Over a light lunch, Sylvia told Peter how Gloria had saved her life. Peter looked at Gloria.

"Little Miss Rambo."

She countered, "Well, I am your cousin."