The Facility
Chapter 17

The next morning, Gemma woke up with a start and heard Rudi in her mind. “It is okay. You were shot with a tranq dart yesterday, but we escaped, and everyone is okay, mostly. Lyle has a little gash, but other than you two, everyone is okay. Go back to sleep, you need it.”

Gemma had no objection and fell back asleep. Cassidy awoke not long after Gemma had, and sat up.

Gemma was still next to her and Rudi was on the other side of Gemma. Carefully to not wake up the other two, she got up and looked around. Lyle and Maggie were in the other bed together and Lyle’s arms were around Maggie. Cass smiled and wondered what had gone on while she slept, but knowing what she did of those two, she figured it was very PG-13.

Harley whined when he saw her up and she looked down at him. He was lying beside the bed next to her, just far enough away so he would not be stepped on when she got up.

Cass bent down and ran her hand across his fur, then over his head, scratching behind his ears. She needed to go to the bathroom, so she got up and he followed her. Cass hesitated but allowed him to follow her inside she he would not make any noise. The dog watched curiously as she went, then flushed and washed her hands. Once again, he whined and Cass put a finger to her lips and said, “Shh. I get it. It is your turn. Let’s just try to not wake anyone.”

She looked into the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get rid of the bed head hair, then opened the door. Harley trotted to the door to the outside and waited while Cass put on her shoes.

She quietly opened the door and Harley pushed his way past her and she followed him out and quietly closed the door.

Sometime later Maggie woke and sat up. She looked around the room as if something had awoken her, but she could not put her finger on anything other than she had a bad feeling.

Lyle stirred when Maggie had sat up, even though he was still half asleep and asked her what was the matter.

“I do not know,” she replied, still looking around to try to pick out what it was that was bugging her. Then it dawned on her. “Cassidy is gone.”

Lyle sat up, grunting at the pain from his side. He let out a low whistle and when nothing happened, he said, “Harley is gone too.” He stood up and went to the window, moving the curtain just enough to peek out.

Lyle breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Cassidy outside throwing a tennis ball for Harley to fetch. After watching her throw a few, he went to the door and quietly opened it, watching the girl have some fun with his dog.

He let out a low whistle and Harley, who had just got the ball and was returning to Cass, pulled up short of the girl and looked at Lyle.

Harley looked back at Cass, then at Lyle and back to Cass before he walked slowly, step-by-step, over to Cass while looking at Lyle, then dropped the ball at her feet. He them loped over to Lyle and say down at his feet.

Lyle looked down and the dog and said, “Really?” to him.

Harley laid down, putting his muzzle on his paws, looking up at Lyle with just his eyes.

Shaking his head at his dog, he motioned Cass to come back inside. He turned around to go back into the room and found that everyone was now up and looking at him.

Lyle walked into the room and Harley followed him and Cass came in last, shutting the door behind her.

“I guess we should eat,” Lyle said not bothering to address the fact that Cass had probably just scared them all.

“There is a diner across the street. We should all go,” Maggie said.

Lyle shook his head and said, “Not after yesterday. I will go and bring stuff back.”

“I will go too – just in case,” Cass said.

Lyle looked at her like he was going to object but he did not. “Get ready then,” he told her.

She brushed her hair and teeth while Lyle got ready as well. He moved a little slow with the gunshot wound and she was ready before him and waited patiently for him to finish. Once he was ready, he told Harley to stay and protect and then Lyle and Cass went outside.

Outside, Cassidy slipped her hand into his and he paused, looking down at her. She smiled and said, “It will look more natural. A father and daughter getting food for the family. It is less conspicuous then one person getting food for five.”

“Six,” corrected Lyle. “If you count Harley.”

She smiled warmly and Lyle could not fault her logic. “Plus, you will need help carrying it all back,” she added.

They crossed the street and went into the diner. Cass stopped and inhaled, drawing in all the smells. Pancakes, maple syrup, bacon, fried potatoes, and coffee mingled in the air, all together.

Looking around, she could see that the diner was a little run down, but clean and welcoming. Dark vinyl booths with chipped Formica tables, a counter with bolted down stools in the same dark brown vinyl, and a domed glass display of donuts, cakes and pies that sat atop the counter by an old register. Near the register was a small dish of mints and a toothpick dispenser.

A waitress asked how many were in their party and Lyle told her they would be ordering to go. She told them to have a seat at the counter and when they sat, she gave them both menus.

Leaving them to go over the menu, she went to take care of the few other people in the diner.

Lyle and Cass looked over the menu and the waitress drifted by setting something down in front of them. Both looked, then looked up.

The waitress had placed a cup of coffee in from of Lyle and a glass of chocolate milk in from of Cass. Between them was a blueberry muffin.

“We did not order anything yet,” Lyle told the waitress.

She looked at him in a way that said, duh, but instead said, “Do not worry, it is free. You two look like you could use it. The muffin is a day old, so I usually give them to those who look like they need a little extra boost.” She smiled at them and Cass smiled back and said thank you before picking up her glass and taking a big gulp. It had been a while since she had had any chocolate milk. She pulled a chunk of muffin and popped it into her mouth, chewing with satisfaction.

Lyle watched her and then grinned. Feeling bad for the way he acted, he said, “Thank you. It has been a long few days, sorry,” before taking a drink of coffee.

“No problem. You two looked like you needed a little pick-me-up and even day old, the muffins are good,” she said, and Cass agreed with her mouth full. “What can I get for you?” she asked.

Lyle proceeded to order the works for them: eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, potatoes, toast, and some fruit. He looked at Cass who looked back at him. He could tell she wanted something, so he told her, “Go ahead.”

She looked at the waitress and said, “I would like some French toast please.”

“Sure thing sweety,” the waitress said. “All to go I assume since I do not think the two of you will eat all that.”

Lyle nodded and the waitress left to put in their order. He was facing the counter drinking his coffee when he felt Cass put her arm through his and then she leaned over, resting on him.

“Do you have any kids?” she asked quietly.

“No. I never married,” he replied.

“Why?”

“Because of my job mainly. It was too stressful to others, always worrying if I would get hurt or killed on the job. Never knowing if I would come home. I did not want to put someone else through that. I had Harley to keep me company, so that was enough. I still… uh, dated, though.”

“I think Maggie likes you,” Cass told him.

“You do, do you? After I kidnapped her and stole her van?”

“More like carjacked, I think,” Cass said with a snort.

Lyle ignored that and asked, “Ever hear of Stockholm Syndrome?”

Cass nodded and said, “I have, and I do not think that is what it is. Granted she did not volunteer, but she could have left at almost any time, but has not. And come to think of it, she really did volunteer to come. And you do not have to protect us either.”

He patted her arm that was through his. “I did what was right. That was all.”

The waitress came back over and looked to make sure they were eating and drinking what she had brought them. They were, so she left saying, “Your food will be ready soon.”

Not long after, they had finished the muffin and their drinks, the waitress came over carrying two large sacks, then left and came back with two more.

Lyle looked at Cass and said, “You were right, I would not have been able to carry it all.”

The waitress put down their bill and said, “I wish you all well. Hopefully, things begin to look up,” before walking away.

Lyle looked at the bill and it seemed low, but he did not argue, paying it and leaving the waitress a big tip. Each grabbed two bags and left the diner, not seeing the waitress walk to the register and crumple the BOLO – Be On the Look Out – notice with both Lyle and Cassidy’s pictures on it.

She went with her gut feeling – that neither of them were dangerous and the man did not kidnap the girl. Not with how the girl reacted to him and she obviously was not afraid of him.