The Network

Chapter Nine

Tennessee
"Hey wake up," Charlie patted Ike's shoulder. "We are here."

"Where exactly is-," he moaned at the light. He could smell the manure so for a fact he knew he was in some sort of farm. Which he was. "Is this-?"

"A thoroughbred stable," Charlie climbed out of the car, observing all the stable hands at work. "Come on, stay close. This place is huge."

Ike did as told but he was more impressed by the state the stables were in. They looked much more fancier than his own apartment. Charlie received various greetings walking through the place. To the looks of it, she was well known here.

"Charlie," an older woman laughed, throwing her arms in her direction. Smiling, Charlie walked right into them to allow the woman to hug her. "Where have you been? I've been calling and calling you. True State has been in labor for the past couple hours but still hasn't given birth."

"I'm so sorry," Charlie groaned. "We have a bit of a situation but I'll tell you that later."

"I was going to say," the woman inspected her. "You don't look so good."

"Don't feel it," Charlie shook her head but knew she had a job to do. "Get me Rachel and Tommy. I need their help."

"You know where your things are at," the woman seemed to finally see the man with Charlie. "Oh... well, hello."

"Hello," Ike grinned. The woman turned back to say something to Charlie but didn't.

"You must be a new friend of Charlie's I presume?"

"More or less."

"Right, that sounds more like it."

"Why do you say that?"

"Charlie doesn't have friends," the woman shrugged. "That's why I say that. Emma Wincox, at your service."

"Ike Harrison," he shook her hand as she mentioned for him to follow. "Where-?"

"I think you ought to meet my husband. We are going to be here a while."

"Atta girl," Charlie ran her hand over the mare's cheek. "Good girl. How is the foal?"

"She's doing good," Rachel smiled at Charlie, rubbing straw over it. Tommy did the same before making Rachel speak up. "Whose the guy?"

"Oh, long story," Charlie rolled her eyes, picking up her small kit. "I-."

"Charlie! It's Red," a stablehand came running. "Hurry!"

"I'll be back," Charlie rushed off. "Make sure you let it get up on its own!"

"You've always been in horse racing," Ike questioned as he grabbed the plate from Emma. He was happy in having a real plate of food in front of him. Emma's husband, Carter nodded. "How long?"

"Over twenty years now," Carter nodded. "We've bred many great stallions as well as mares. Thanks to Charlie. I don't know how we managed the first ten years."

"Oh, she was just a kid," Emma laughed, sitting down on the porch couch. "She must have been 17 when she came to work here with the vet at the time. She did seem to have a nose for horse racing."

"How so," Ike questioned, lowering his fork. Carter smiled again, shaking his head.

"One day we found out she had one of our stallions crossed with one of our mares," Carter chuckled. "Without our consent."

"Well we didn't know until the vet told us the mare was pregnant and poor Tommy all guilt ridden came to tell us what she had done. So naturally we got upset," Emma shrugged. "We were going to fire her but she came up with a preposition to wait until the foal was born and until it could race, then to determine if they'd fire her or not."