The Facility
Chapter 16

Lyle drove non-stop until they were out of the mountains and the surrounding area and into the foothills where the first sizable town was. He drove to the nearest superstore and parked.

“I will be right back,” he said.

“What are you doing?” Cassidy asked.

“You three kids stand out too much. I am going to grab some clothes for you. I will be right back.”

Maggie shook her head, her long brown hair flicking back and forth. “No way. You want to go in and leave me and these three here alone?”

“These three can take care of themselves and you. Plus, you have Harley,” he said trying to calm her.

“How about this. I will go in and get the clothes, and you stay to protect the ids. If something happens to me, leave. They will not do anything to me. I will tell them you kidnapped me, and I know nothing.”

Lyle looked undecided, so she added, “Have you ever shopped for kid’s clothes? Or girl’s underwear?”

Lyle was uncomfortable now and said, “Uh, no. But how hard can it be?”

Maggie rolled her eyes and said, “What size would Cassidy wear?” Lyle stayed quiet and she continued. “Let me do this. No one should be looking for me yet.”

Before he could reply, Cass spoke up. “I will go with her,” she said and quickly added, “To protect her and keep an eye out,” when Lyle opened his mouth to protest.

“We will be quick,” Maggie told him, turning to look at Cass.

“Plus, Harley needs food,” Rudi added, playing the one card Lyle would not be able to ignore.

“Too much human food is not good for him, you said,” Gemma chimed in, knowing that Harley’s well-being was probably more important to him than theirs.

Relenting, Lyle said, “Fine, but be quick. The longer we are at any one spot, the sooner they will catch up to us.”

He handed money over to Maggie, mumbling, “This should cover things,” and told Cass what kind of dog food to get, reminding her to get a bowl as well.

Maggie and Cass got out of the van and Harley tried to go as well. “Stay, boy,” she said, petting him. “It will be faster if I do not have to act blind.”

He stayed put, and if Cass did not know any better, she would have sworn that he did not look happy.

The two started across the parking lot as the vapor lamps that lit the lot started coming on in the twilight.

Once inside, Maggie said, “You go grab stuff for the dog; I will go get clothes. Then we will grab some essentials and be out of here.”

“Are you sure you will be okay without me?” Cassidy asked with a smile.

Nodding, Maggie said, I think I can manage. I assume you can handle yourself?”

Cass grinned and replied, “Pretty sure. I will get the stuff for Harley and meet you in the kid’s department.”

They split up and Cass walked around looking for the pet department. As she walked, she looked around her trying to spot anyone who might be watching her or acting suspicious.

She found the pet section and picked up a plastic dish with two bowls in it – one for food, one for water – then found the dog food.

Grabbing several cans and stacking them in the bowls, she picked it all up and began to walk back to Maggie, but not before grabbing a box of dog treats, putting them under her arm.

She found Maggie, who had the forethought to grab a cart, in the children’s clothing department. Cass put what she had into the cart, then looked around again before focusing on Maggie.

“What do you want to wear sweety?” Maggie asked her.

She thought about it, then answered, “Sweats and a hoodie.”

“Pick it out. Them grab some socks and undies for you and Gemma. Pick her out something you think she would like to wear as well. I will get stuff for Lyle and Rudi.”

Cass found clothes for her and got what she thought Gemma would like before going back over to Maggie, who looked like she was finished as well. They stopped and grabbed a cheap pair of shoes for each of the kids to replace the trashed cloth slippers they now had as well before leaving that department.

“All done?” Maggie asked, and Cass nodded. “Okay, one more quick stop to pick up essentials and some snacks before we go,” Maggie told her as they headed off to a different section of the store.

Maggie quickly and efficiently went down aisles, once they found the right section, grabbing what she deemed essential for the three kids and two adults who had nothing but the clothes they were currently wearing, if she did not count what little she had in her van.

They made their way to the checkout, via the food and snack aisle, when Maggie thought of something. “You grab snacks. Get a mix of things, and I will be right back.,” she told Cass and hurried off.

Cass grabbed a bunch of things that had little nutritional value, and lots of sugar, which could be eaten in the van, and was finished when Maggie returned with three backpacks sized for kids their age.

“To put everything in,” explained Maggie.

They moved to a checkout lane, which was obviously going to take some time to get through, so Maggie handed Cassidy some money and said, “While I do this, you run over to McDonalds and pick up some hot food for us. Whoever gets done first will go over to the other, okay?”

Cass said okay and took off towards the smell of burgers and fries. She ordered food for all of them and waited impatiently for it. As she waited, she looked around and wondered if she would be doing this the rest of her life. Always watching over her shoulder for someone to come for her.

She hoped not.

As She looked around, she saw a boy about her own age sitting at a booth with a girl who was about six or seven, she guessed. They were sitting opposite each other and the boy kept grabbing fries off the girl’s tray.

“I am going to tell mom,” the girl said.

“You do and I will stick your Barbie down the garbage disposal,” he replied.

The girl started to tear up as the boy grabbed a fist full of her fries.

Cass could see that the boy was a bully. Checking to make sure she had enough money left, she went back and bought a kid’s ice cream cone and walked over to the table.

Both kids looked up at her as she stood there silently. The boy’s greedy eyes went to the cone, but the girl looked at Cassidy.

“What do you want?” the boy asked.

“To give you something,” Cass answered.

The boy reached for the ice cream cone, but Cass pulled it away.

“Un-uh. This is for her,” Cass said handing the girl the cone. She took it hesitantly, looking between Cass and her brother.

Cass turned her attention to the boy. “You, you bully, get a warning,” she told the boy. “You think fairy godmothers are just some kid’s tale, but they are real,” Cass said, using a finger to motion to his soda, which tipped over, spilling into his lap.

The boy’s eyes got big and he squealed as the cold soda flooded his pants, spilling over so he was sitting in it as well. He tried to move, but Cass held him there, immobile.

Two French fries rose from the girl’s tray and floated into the air in front of the boy. “Now, so we’re clear, I will be watching from now on, and if you do not start treating your sister better, a lot worse is going to happen to you,” Cass said as she made the two fries stick into the boy’s nose.

The girl giggled around the ice cream cone.

“You are a big brother. You are supposed to look out and protect your little sister and treat her right. She is supposed to look up to you, not be afraid of you. Are we clear?” Cass asked, looking at them both.

The girl nodded first, and the boy followed after Cass released her hold on him. “If you behave, you will never see me again. If you forget what I said, then you might not actually see me, but I will be there, and a little soda will be the least of your problems.”

Cass levitated the spilled cup and the ice she could see, holding it in front of the boy before setting the cup back down and placing the ice back into the cup. The lid floated back up and onto the cup, snapping back on.

Cass’s number was called, and she started to turn, looking back at the boy who had not moved. “Do not forget, just because you do not see me does not mean I will not be around. I can make myself look any age, boy or girl.” She turned her back to the boy and winked at the girl before leaving to get her food.

Walking out of the restaurant portion and back into the store proper, she met Maggie who had finished and was just coming over to meet her. They walked out together, and Maggie asked, “Everything okay?”

“Fine,” Cass replied, smiling.

They walked out to the van and Maggie loaded the bags in the back as Cass passed out the food.

Maggie set several bags onto the floor of the van with the kids before getting into the front passenger seat. She could see the worry on Lyle’s face as he asked, “What took so long?”

“Well, considering we might be cooped up in this van for several days, I figured we needed more than just clothes for the kids and some dog food. So, we got the essentials, so we do not have to stop again… unless I missed something. Except for food that is.”

Lyle still did not look happy, but he ate without saying anything else.

Cass had gotten the dish out for Harley and sat it on the ground just outside the open side door. She opened a bottle of water and a can of food and put both into the bowls before she sat down on the van floor to eat.

Lyle finished and waited until everyone else had finished and Harley was back in the van before starting out again.

Maggie turned in her seat to look bac at the kids. “The bags on the floor near you have new clothes in them. You guys can take turns in the very back changing, them put all of your dirty clothes into the empty bags.”

Rudi said, “Oh no. I am not getting undressed…” as Gemma said “Un-uh, no way am I getting undressed in public.”

Cass dug in the bags for her clothes, then said, “Rudi, swap places with me. I want out of these dirty clothes from that place, and into something normal.”

Rudi reluctantly switched places with her and Cass said, “Gemma, make sure he does not try to peek.”

Rudi began to protest. “I would not do –” but was interrupted by Gemma.

“Eyes forward Rudi. And Mr. Clark, would you adjust the rear-view mirror?”

Lyle said nothing but moved the small mirror, so it pointed up at the roof.

Cassidy shimmied out of her pants and underwear, pulling on the clean clothes. Bending over a little, she pulled off the t-shirt and the scrub top before pulling the t-shirt back on and them the soft hoodie she had picked out. Last, she changed her socks and pulled on her new shoes. “Done,” she said. “Who is next?”

Cass stood, hunched over, moving to the front so one of the others could go to the back. Gemma sighed and said, “Fine, I want out of these clothes too. I have been in them for far too long. Make sure perv does not watch. I think I saw him try to peek with you.”

Rudi groaned and Gemma winked at Cass.

Gemma moved to the back and Cass dug through the bags and pulled out the clothes she had picked out for her friend.

“Hope you like them,” she said as she passed them to Gemma.

As Gemma changed, Cass took out the clothes for Rudi, knowing he would change as well. As she sat there looking out the front windows, Harley licked her hand.

“Hey boy,” she said scratching his ears.

“I think he is saying thank you,” Rudi told her.

“You can read his mind?” Maggie asked in astonishment.

“No. Not the way you mean. Unlink humans, he does not block thoughts, but they are not thoughts lie ours. It is more of a simple feeling with him. Right now, it is a mix between happy and content. Probably because you fed him. So, I would interpret that as a thank you.”

“What else can you kids do?” Maggie asked.

“It is probably better we do not know,” Lyle said quickly before anyone could answer. “If they can do more and tell us, then we could possibly put them in more danger,” he explained.

“But I would not tell,” Maggie said.

“I believe you,” Lyle told her, “but these people have ways to get information and make people talk. Even if they do not want to. Rudi could.”

Gemma finished and moved so Rudi could go to the back to change. Cass handed him the clothes she had been holding and them found the hairbrush Maggie put into the bag, so she brushed out her hair while waiting for Rudi to finish.

After, ass put all the used clothes into a bag and used her power to put the bad into the very back with the other bags.

It was quiet while they drove, and everyone started to nod off except for Lyle. He had used Google Maps to get directions to Cassidy’s house, so he was following those.

He was tired, but knew they had to get as far away as possible, and the faster they did it the better. Maggie could take over when they stopped for gas, which gave her several more hours of sleep.

Lyle was not sure what he had gotten himself and Harley into. Not that he had any choice in it really. Three kids were in trouble and needed help – how could he refuse. And to top it off, he had gotten another civilian involved. He felt bad but he did try to talk Maggie out of coming with, so it was not really his fault, even if he did feel responsible. Secretly though, he was glad she stayed.

Another concern was what was going to happen once they finally got to Cassidy’s house. It was not lie he was going to just drop off three kids, then take off. Not after all the effort so far that whatever agency that was after these kids had gone thorough to get them.

If they just left them there, the agency would no doubt look there and just grab them again. Rudi as well. Lyle was not sure that returning any of these kids was the best idea, but what was the alternative? A lifetime on the run? Not to mention that he knew how these agencies work. Even if they were to take this one out, another would simply take its place.

Lyle sighed and something nudged his thigh. He put his hand down automatically to rub Harley’s head. “Hey buddy,” he said quietly to his friend. The dog pushed back against his hand. “You can stretch your legs when we stop. We all can.”

They drove on in companionable silence until the gas warning light turned on. It was after midnight so he woke everyone up, knowing they could all go back to sleep except Maggie.

Lyle pulled into a gas station, pulling up to the pump closest to the door to the mini mart.

Maggie offered to go in and pay and Gemma and Cass said they wanted to go in. No one objected and Lyle added that they should take Harley so he could stretch his legs too.

Rudi said, “I will stay here, but the dog needs to do his business.”

“I will take Harley to do his business, then meet you inside,” Cass told Maggie.

They went ahead inside, and Cass walked next to Harley who did not run off but stayed right next to her without being told. She led his around the side to a little dirt lot that did not look very kept up and did not feel bad about not picking up after the dog. No one was likely to notice it, even if she had felt guilty.

It did not take long, so she led Harley into the store. She did not make it much past the door before the clerk, which might have been all of eighteen said, “No dogs allowed.”

“He is a police dog. The guy at the pump is a cop,” Cass said defiantly.

“Whatever,” the clerk replied. “He makes a mess, it is on you.”

“Okay,” Cass said with a grin. She found Gemma and the two girls told Maggie they needed to use the restroom.

They found it quick enough and took turns using it, then went to get something to drink. Cass grabbed a bottle of water for both her and Harley, while Gemma got an orange soda. Grabbing sodas for Lyle and Rudi, they went next to get more snacks. Going to the snack aisle, Cass and Gemma grabbed some candy for everyone and Cass picked out a pack of beef jerky for Harley.

The door opened, causing a little doorbell chime, and they heard a man yell, “Gimme all your money or I will shoot you!”

Cass and Gemma looked at each other. Harley let out a low, throaty growl. Cass shushed him, not wanting to give away their presence.

It was made moot by Maggie who loudly asked, “Girls, where are you?”

Cass, who was peeking through the shelving, saw a guy whirl around, pointing a gun in the direction that Maggie’s voice had come from. Cassidy looked at Gemma and mouthed, “Freeze it,” while holding out her water bottle towards Gemma.

Gemma touched it and the water quickly froze, becoming a solid block of ice.

Cassidy held her hands up and said, “Stay,” them crept towards the end of the aisle. Harley paid no attention to her command and followed her, but Gemma stayed.

Peeking around the end of the aisle, Cass said, “I am coming out. I am just a kid so do not shoot me.”

Holding her hands up, she stepped out into the open, looking at the man holding the gun. Focusing on the man, and on herself, she opened her mouth to say something but before anything came out, she whipped the frozen water bottle at the man, using her telekinesis to power it even faster, while yanking downwards on the man’s arm.

A loud boom sounded as the gun went off, but thanks to Cass it was now aimed at the floor. A millisecond later, the water bottle hit the man in the head with a thud that could be heard over the ringing in everyone’s ears, and the man dropped to the floor like a puppet who had its strings cut.

Harley leapt out and started barking at the guy who now lay unmoving on the ground. Maggie screamed at the gunshot, and Lyle ran into the store and looked down at the guy lying motionless.

Looking up, he noticed the cashier still had his hands raised. “You okay?” he asked the cashier, who said nothing, but nodded dumbly.

Maggie and Gemma came out from the aisles as Lyle picked up the frozen water bottle, then looked at the clerk. “What do we owe you?” Lyle asked the cashier.

“N-nothing. Take it all. I-it’s on the house. Cops should be here soon. I p-pressed the alarm. Although the g-girl said you were a cop,” the cashier said, pointing at Cassidy.

Lyle cursed his luck. “I was, but not anymore. I will leave this guy to the working cops. It does not look like he is going anywhere soon. But…” Lyle stood up and went over to the small automotive section and pulled a bag of zip ties off the hook.

He pulled it open and got out two, putting one around one of the unconscious man’s wrists, then looping the second one through the first, then tightening it up around the man’s other wrist.

It was a pair of handmade flex cuffs.

“That should be plenty to hold him should he come to before the cops get here.” To the girls he said, “Come on, let’s go.”

“You are not staying?” the cashier asked.

“No,” Lyle said, shaking his head. “Tell the cops whatever you want or show them the video. They will not really believe it either way, so no reason to get involved. A little girl saved you and these others with a water bottle,” he said handing the bottle back to Cass so there would be no evidence left at the scene except for the video which would not tell the local police much.

He motioned the girls and Maggie out of the store, where they all got in the van.

“What happened?” Rudi asked.

Cass told him what had happened as she passed out the snacks, she had gotten everyone. Before she ate her own snack, she opened the beef jerky and fed Harley several small bites.

“You are going to spoil him,” Lyle told her.

Cass did not reply, she just smiled.

The excitement had woken Lyle up some, but after an hour of driving, he pulled over so Maggie could take over.

Maggie drove for several hours and at 4:30 a.m. she stopped at an all-night diner, waking everyone up.

“Breakfast time,” she said.

Lyle stretched out and said, “Harley should stay here. He has been spoiled too much and he would draw attention. Cass, why don’t you give him some dog food and water so he can eat too.

She did as everyone got out of the van and she could tell he wanted to go too, but Lyle said something in German and Harley sat and did not try to follow them.

They went inside and ate a big breakfast. Everyone was amazed at how much Gemma ate, even though it was Rudi who always seemed to be hungry.

They all used the restrooms and cleaned up a bit before finally going back outside to the van. Maggie unlocked the passenger door and sliding door, but before anyone opened a door, a bright light flooded them and a voice loudly said, “Put your hands up and do not move.”

Everyone put their hands up except for Cassidy, who raised one hand to waist level and flicked her fingers, flipping the light around.

This blinded the man behind the light, who Cass noted was not dressed like a police officer. The man started shooting blindly and got off several shots before Lyle pulled his own gun and returned fire.

Cass used her power and flung the man’s arm up and away. Lyle yelled to get into the van and as they scrambled to open doors, Cass saw a second man come out of the car, raising a gun.

Before she could do anything, he fired but it was not a gunshot she heard. Gemma, who was next to Cass said, “Cassidy…” before dropping to the ground.

Cassidy saw the red puffball at the end of the dart that was sticking out of Gemma and looked back up. The man was still behind the car door, reloading the tranquilizer gun as Cass slammed the car door into him, pinning him between the car and the door.

Lyle again yelled for everyone to get into the can. Maggie saw Gemma lying on the ground and Cass trying to lift her, so she stopped to help before they both jumped into the van, and Lyle floored it once the doors were closed.

Maggie was to the point to almost hyperventilating when she looked over at Lyle. They just happened to be passing a streetlight and she saw the side of this shirt was red.

She reached over and pulled up his shirt, causing him to wince. “You have been shot,” Maggie said.

“I will be okay,” Lyle replied.

“No, you need to get that patched up,” she said using his shirt to wipe away some of the blood.

“Thankfully, it looks like it is going a graze. It is shallow but you cannot just keep bleeding.”

Lyle saw a drugstore up ahead, so he pulled in and told Maggie what to get. Maggie started out and Cass said, “I am coming.”

Her tone said there was no arguing with her.

Lyle told them they had five minutes, no more. The bad guys would not be far behind.

Maggie and Cass went in and picked up what Lyle told them to get and a few other small supplies that might be needed since they seemed to keep running into trouble.

Thankfully, it was all on the same aisle, so it did not really take them any extra time. They paid for the items and hurried back out.

Maggie went to the driver’s side and said, “Move over, I will drive. No arguing.”

Gingerly he moved across to the passenger’s seat and Maggie got in and drove away in a hurry. Driving a few miles, she found a motel and pulled into the lot and up to the office.

Maggie hurried out and into the office. She got a room with two twin beds around the back of the motel, telling the manager she was tired and did not want to be disturbed by the noise of traffic.

Going back out, she got in the van and drove around the motel to the back, where she parked several spaces away from their room just in case anyone found them, they would start with the wrong rooms.

The motel looked mostly deserted, so Rudi and Cass helped Lyle get inside, while Maggie lifted the unconscious Gemma and carried her inside. She gently placed Gemma on one of the beds, pulling out the dart that was still stuck into Gemma, placing it on the dresser next to her.

Cass sat down on the bed net to Gemma and Maggie said, “She will be okay, she is just asleep. Why don’t the two of you lay down and get some rest, you have to be tired. You have had a long night.”

Neither kid disputed the fact, although Rudi had been safe through most of it, so they agreed. Cass laid down next to Gemma, putting a hand on her friend’s arm. Rudi laid down on the other bed. Harley laid down beside the bed next to Cassidy.

Maggie helped Lyle into the bathroom, closing the door behind them, then carefully pulled off his shirt. Lyle had carried in the supplies they had picked up, and Maggie went through them, selecting what she thought she needed. She began to clean the wound under Lyle’s direction, trying to avoid hurting him.

As she cleaned the wound, she noticed other scars on his torso. “What are the other scars from?” she asked.

Lyle sighed and hesitated. “It is okay if you do not –” Maggie said before Lyle stopped her.

“It is okay. I just do not talk about it much. I was a cop a while ago, before… these. One night I got a domestic violence call and Harley and I responded. When we arrived and started talking to the woman, the man ran off. We chased the man and lost sight of him as he ran around a house. When we came around the corner, Harley was in front of me, and the man jumped out of the shadows, pointing a gun at us. I called for Harley to stop and moved in front of him, raising my hands when the man shot me twice.

“I went down, but Harley charged the man, biting his arm, making him drop the gun. He held the man there until help arrived and saved my life.”

Maggie had cleaned the wound while he was talking, and she put a gauze pad over the furrow in his side, taping it down. That done, she said, “What you have done for those kids out there is the right thing to do.”

She put her arms around him and hugged him gently. When she loosened her arms, Lyle leaned back a little and looked into her eyes, then leaned into her, kissing her. He felt her stiffen for a second before she relaxed, kissing him back.