“Air unit, you are clear to land.”
“Roger that, team leader.”
High above the farm, a massive helicopter dropped out of the clouds. It was bigger than even the largest military helicopters and the force of its blades was devastating.
“What’s that sound?” Piper called over the din from the huddle in the hallway.
Betty didn’t answer because she was too busy praying. Joe didn’t answer because his mouth had gone completely dry. And then more terrible than all the noise and the shaking was the ominous silence that soon followed when the mighty beast outside had settled itself in the dirt.
In the farmyard, Agent Agent smartly opened the helicopter door as one dainty leather pump, followed by its twin, stepped down onto the dusty McCloud soil.
They belonged to Dr. Letitia Hellion.
Reed thin, she was as delicate as a prima ballerina combined with the aura of a majestic fairy queen. She wore an elegantly tailored black suit beneath which peeked a crisp white linen shirt made from the finest cloth. Her hair was coiled into a lovely twist at the nape of her neck and its jet-black sheen set off deep green eyes and the purest, whitest skin. Anyone who was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to set eyes on Dr. Letitia Hellion swore she was the most exquisitely beautiful woman that they had ever seen.
She walked with such grace toward the house that it might have appeared that her feet didn’t touch the ground at all. Agent Agent and the two other agents who flanked her movements appeared like Neanderthal apes in contrast.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Dr. Hellion, Agent Agent, and more than fifty security, containment, and science personnel waited patiently for their knock on the McCloud door to be answered. In the upstairs hallway Joe, Betty, and Piper didn’t move.
“Mr. and Mrs. McCloud?” Dr. Hellion called up in a clear, refined voice. “My name is Dr. Letitia Hellion and I am a representative of and for the government of the United States of America. Please open your door.”
All doubt existing in Betty’s and Joe’s minds was immediately dispatched. The McClouds were law-abiding folk, and if the government of the United States saw fit to pay them a visit, far be it from them to refuse their country’s call. Before Piper knew what was what, she found herself standing between her ma and pa in the yard before Dr. Hellion, who produced an official-looking identification card and introduced herself.
Shyly studying the beautiful stranger from behind her mother, Piper suddenly felt like a little planet being pulled into orbit around Letitia Hellion’s steady and powerful gravitational force. Her white skin, dark hair, and flashing eyes all pulsated with a confidence that was magnetic and inescapable.
“My men have secured the area and are maintaining the strictest surveillance to ensure your safety and protection,” Dr. Hellion said, indicating where all the agents were posted at key points about the farm. “I am the director of an institute that specializes in providing assistance to people, much like yourselves, who find themselves in . . . well, shall we say, difficult situations.” Dr. Hellion considered Piper with intense green eyes. “I understand you have a child who likes to fly.”
Betty instinctively put an arm on Piper’s shoulder. “Our Piper’s a good girl. I ain’t saying that we don’t got our problems with her, but she didn’t never hurt no one.”
“No, of course not. I understand. We’ve encountered many people, just like you, whose circumstances are . . . unique. It’s nothing to be concerned about. We know exactly what to do.” Dr. Hellion’s manner was warm and reassuring and the tension in Betty’s jaw lessened. “Right now Agent Agent has a few questions that he’d like to ask you. Would you mind if he spoke with you for a moment in private?”
Agent Agent stepped forward and guided Betty and Joe to the porch, leaving Piper alone with Dr. Hellion. Piper found herself tongue-tied and mesmerized as the full force of Letitia Hellion’s attention shone on her.
“It seems like you’ve been having quite a morning.” Dr. Hellion smiled. Piper nodded. “I don’t suppose you are used to getting so many unexpected visitors?”
“No, we sure don’t,” Piper agreed.
“Perhaps you also had something strange or unexplainable happen to you this morning? Like hearing a voice but not seeing anyone there?”
Piper’s mouth flew open. How did she know?
The expression on Piper’s face confirmed Dr. Hellion’s suspicion. “Perhaps we’ll speak more about that later. But for right now, Piper, why don’t you tell me about your flying?” Dr. Hellion spoke about flying as though commenting on the weather.
“Well . . .” After all the trouble, Piper didn’t know if she should answer. Letitia Hellion instantly saw the confusion in Piper’s face and bent down so that she was eye level with her. Placing her hand on Piper’s small shoulder, she held her wavering blue eyes in the strength of her green ones.
“I know that you don’t know me very well yet, Piper, but I hope one day you’ll think of me as a friend. If you let me, I could be someone who could really help you.” Dr. Hellion paused, seeing the lines of confusion and uncertainty that crossed Piper’s forehead. “Maybe you are thinking right now, She doesn’t understand. No one understands what it’s like to be so different. To be constantly hiding who you really are and lying about it too. I also know, though, that you don’t like lying. It doesn’t make you feel very good.”
Piper was struck dumb. That was exactly how she felt! How did Dr. Hellion know?
“You are also wondering what you can possibly do about it. And the truth is that you don’t really know what to do, or who to turn to, and you are starting to have moments when things feel completely hopeless.”
Piper realized her knees were trembling. “Wh-what do I do?”
“That’s a very good question, Piper. And I can help you answer it. But first I need to see how far along you are with your flying—if you’ve progressed to inverted loops or maybe even reverse propulsion.”
“You mean fly backward?” Piper hadn’t even thought of trying that yet.
“It’s a very advanced skill and I wouldn’t expect that you would have reached that level yet.”
“I’ve floated ever since I was born but I only just got at the flying. I’d appreciate a few lessons. Then again . . . some folks ’round these parts don’t take to it much.” Piper glanced over to where her ma and pa were talking with Agent Agent.
“I understand. It’s not easy to do what you do. There are consequences.” Dr. Hellion nodded solemnly and Piper knew she did understand and, what’s more, felt understood.
“I’ve met many others, just like you. Once I have assessed your flying skills we can sit down and decide exactly where you’d like to go with it.”
“You mean you want me to fly? Now? Here?”
“Yes. Can you do that for me?”
Piper looked about as though expecting to get in trouble for merely considering the idea of flying. “You’re sure it won’t cause no trouble?”
“You have my word.” Dr. Hellion gave her word firmly. Getting to her feet, she stepped away to give Piper room. “Please take your time. Whenever you feel ready. Talk me through it if you’d like.”
Piper was well aware of the many eyes that were watching her, not to mention Betty, who was closely minding her from the porch.
“Well, if you’re sure.” Piper took a deep breath and turned so that she couldn’t see her parents’ faces. It sure made a change to have someone actually taking an interest in her flying, and she suddenly felt excitement welling up inside of her.
“See,” she explained to Dr. Hellion and the men closest to her, “any of you could do it, if you put your mind to it. All you have to do is stand still and think about the sky.” Piper silently repeated her special words and a rush of tingling swept through her body. A moment later her feet left the ground. “Next thing you know, you’ll be in the air. Simple as that.”
Piper flew.
Everyone looked up.
&n
bsp; All of the men present had seen many unexplained and classified phenomena. For them, the extraordinary had become routine. It was precisely why they had been subjected to a painstaking selection process, exhaustive training, and ongoing assessments. And yet even so, those same men unwittingly let expressions of wonder and awe slip across their hardened features and let gasps escape their weary lips as they watched Piper fly.
No question, Piper McCloud was special, even among the special.
Once in the air, Piper decided to keep it simple. Turning a few spins, she followed them with a quick loop-the-loop and finished with a pirouette.
Dr. Hellion’s breath fell away. “Dear God, she really can fly.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“PIPER, THERE are others . . . like you. And a place where you will belong.” Dr. Hellion spoke quietly and Piper leaned forward to drink in every single word.
“No fooling?”
True to her word, Dr. Hellion had seen to it that Piper didn’t get into any trouble once she landed. Afterward, Dr. Hellion went into the house with Betty and Joe and stayed there a long time before calling Piper in to speak with her privately. In no time at all Piper felt like Dr. Hellion was an old trusted friend.
“The only trouble with flying is that it gets lonely up in the sky when you’re the only one,” she told Dr. Hellion confidentially. “I was thinking that maybe I could teach others to fly and then everyone could do it. I mean, it’s not so hard once you get the hang of it.” Once she got started talking about flying, Piper couldn’t stop.
Dr. Hellion listened carefully to every single word. “Is that what you’d like?”
“More than anything. That and learning to fly better because I wanna fly clear around the world.” Piper’s face lit up at the thought of it. “Then I can see everything and maybe there are other fliers out there that no one knows nothing ’bout. Maybe I could find ’em. Or at least meet a lot of interesting people in far-off places.”
“Sounds like you have it all figured out.”
Piper shrugged. “It seems to me that it don’t hurt none to get yourself a dream and a plan. ’Cause if you don’t, then you’ll never go nowhere.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Well, Piper, it’s good that you’ve told me all of this because your mother and father and I have just been sitting here discussing your future and I suggested to them that it might be in your interest to come with me for a while.”
“With you? Where?”
“My institute. It specializes in assisting special needs children, like yourself, in learning skills so that they can fulfill their dreams.”
“You mean I’d get to go to school?”
“Like I was telling your parents, we’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
“I’d sure like to fly better.” Piper couldn’t wait to get some good flying lessons.
“There is also one other thing you should know, Piper. What happened to you this morning in your room—that voice you heard. Well, I don’t want to go into too much detail and I certainly don’t want to scare you, but unless you have protection, there are those out there who have an interest in getting to you. Unfortunately, they have great means at their disposal. At the institute, we can see to it that you are safe.”
A shiver went up and down Piper’s spine. “Why would they wanna get at me?”
“It’s very complicated, and frankly, it’s not something I’d like you to worry about. When I spoke with your parents, they told me that the final decision to go to the institute or not would be left up to you. Based on your circumstances, I think it would be a wise decision, on your part.”
Without hesitation, indeed without even thinking, Piper wholeheartedly agreed with Dr. Hellion, who happily got to her feet. “So it’s settled.”
Like a whirlwind, Piper rushed up to her room to tell Betty, who was in the middle of pulling clothes out of Piper’s drawers. “Dr. Hellion says she’ll teach me everything I’ll need to know, Ma. Ain’t that great?” Piper blurted out. “And I’m gonna go to her institute.”
“I figured as much.” Betty nodded, and Piper suddenly noticed an unmistakable look of great concern on her mother’s careworn face.
Betty and Joe were simple country folks at their wits’ end. They loved their child with all of their hearts and didn’t want her going away for even one second. All the same, protecting Piper from the likes of what had happened earlier that morning was now a heavy consideration. Dr. Hellion promised to keep their Piper out of harm’s way. She also patiently pointed out that Piper’s special needs required an individually crafted learning program specifically designed for her abilities. Had the McClouds given any thought to how they were going to address that? No? Well, Dr. Hellion was an expert with exceptional children. Her facility was created for just such occurrences and would gather any resources necessary to see to it that Piper had all she needed. No expense would be spared.
While it was true that the McClouds were sticklers for their routine, they were not unkind people. They would have cut off their right arms before knowingly hurting Piper in any way. And so with the greatest reluctance and against their best instincts, they were letting their only child be taken from them.
Betty had already packed Piper’s warmest sweater, woolen gloves, and socks. Everything Piper owned was all neatly arranged in an old carpetbag that was light to carry, even to Piper’s arms. Seeing her clothes all packed up jolted Piper out of her euphoria and stopped her short in her tracks.
“Ma, what are you doing with all my clothes?”
“Fancy institute or not, I’m figuring you’ll need a stitch or two to cover yourself with.” Betty pushed Piper’s long underwear into the bag.
“But . . .” Piper didn’t understand. “Why are you packin’ ’em all up?”
“You’ll have to leave with Dr. Hellion and you won’t be able to live here anymore.”
“What?” Piper’s confusion grew. “But that ain’t right! Why can’t I walk to the institute like I see them Miller youngens walk to school every day?” It didn’t occur to Piper that it would ever be otherwise.
“Dr. Hellion’s institute is real far, Piper. Too far to walk to and too far to come home from, even on holidays.”
All at once, Piper came to realize that there were greater implications to what had seemed like a commonsense decision. She sank down on her bed. “No!”
“Now, now, child. Don’t get yourself into a state. Like you says, Dr. Hellion’s got everything all figured out.”
Piper noticed that her mother’s hands were shaking as she folded the only handkerchief the McClouds had ever owned. Made with a delicate linen and embroidered with tiny bluebirds, the handkerchief had been carefully passed down through the generations. Betty had only ever used it once and that was on her wedding day. Neatly folding it and placing it in the old bag, Betty was now quietly bestowing it on Piper. The simple gesture woke Piper up to the finality of leaving her parents and the farm.
“But I didn’t know.” Piper wrung her hands. What was she going to do now? She wanted to go to Dr. Hellion’s institute but not if it meant leaving her home and her ma and pa. Suddenly a simple decision had become very complicated and Piper couldn’t figure her way to an answer that didn’t include disappointment and regret. How had she gotten herself into such a muddle?
“You’ll be safe, and they’ll give you special schooling.” Betty could see Piper’s mounting concern and tried to reassure her. “You’ll get to meet other youngens, maybe make some friends.”
Piper shook her head. “I don’t reckon I’ll go now.”
Betty sniffed, turned away quickly, and gathered up a hairbrush. “Ain’t nothing in this life comes easy to any of us, child. Every road you walk down’s got a price. Sooner you learn that the better. Don’t matter the direction you go, there’ll be some bad mixed in with the good and you just gotta learn to take the one with the other.” Winding Piper’s Sunday hair ribbon around the brush’s handle, Betty tucked them in the ba
g and closed it with finality. “You done went and chose your path and there ain’t nothing your pa and I can do about it now.”
At first Piper didn’t understand what her ma was angling at, and then at once things snapped into focus in such a way that they did make sense. Betty had told her and told her not to fly. She’d warned her to keep her feet on the ground and Piper hadn’t paid her any mind. Sure as anything, she’d gone and caught that baseball and everyone saw. The whole situation was out of her ma and pa’s hands. Like a detective unraveling a case, Piper traced the steps she had taken to arrive at this moment. Leaving with Dr. Hellion was only the latest ramification of the choice she’d made to jump off the roof while lying on the tree branch that day. There wasn’t anything she or her ma or pa could do about it now. It was Piper, and Piper alone, who had brought all this about.
“I didn’t never think this was gonna happen.” Piper breathed quietly, shaking her head in wonder.
Betty handed Piper the carpetbag. “Mind your manners now.”
“I will, Ma.”
“See to it you clean your plate.” Betty sniffed, turning away quickly and roughly pushing the back of her hand against her cheek. “Best be getting a move on. Don’t want to keep all them folks waiting on us.” She left Piper’s room abruptly and bustled down the stairs.
Piper took one last look around the only bedroom she’d ever known before picking up the old bag and reluctantly leaving. When she opened the porch door she noticed that the fancy cars were packed up and the men in dark suits were waiting next to them at the ready. Dr. Hellion smiled when she saw her. “All ready?”
Piper nodded sadly. Off to the side, Joe stood forlornly waiting.
“I’m going now, Pa.”