“Item 2: Lady Hawthorne has been tasked to assist in locating abandoned and lost children. She will have a crown warrant tasking her to conduct this search. All staff members of the Evacuation Command are required to assist her.
“End it Betsy.” Mylea concluded the chief’s numbered order.
“Dispatched,” the computer said.
“Memo to the queen,” Mylea started.
“I heard Mylea,” The Queen walked into the thonian’s office. “I wanted to just touch base with you before I saw Mike today, but I heard the whole thing. Lady Hawthorne will have her crown warrant. I want to be kept informed on this.”
“Aye majesty,” Mylea said, “What else can I do for you?”
“Just wanted the updated numbers, how many have we gotten off world.” The Queen asked.
“A little over two hundred thousand,” The chief of staff said, “Only seventy four million eight hundred thousand more to go.”
“Is that only the people evacuated to Home?” The Queen asked.
“No,” Mylea responded, “that includes every one. Those evacuated to Home and other places.”
“Thank you,” The Queen left wondering how she could make things happened faster.
###
“Okay gang,” Lady Hawthorne said softly before her assembled assistants a little later in the day. “We’ve been tasked with getting a handle on how many abandoned, runaway, and missing children we have.”
Someone gave a low whistle. “Lady Hawthorne, I read a report before I left the Mounties that there might be over s hundred thousand kids homeless or having ran away from home. Try as we might we just couldn’t stop it from happening. The Mounties couldn’t figure out how to keep a handle on runaways. When the evacuation was announced the Mounties stopped working the problem. They have if not more important things to worry about; things that take precedent over runaways who will be, they thought eventually rounded up.”
“But we don’t have enough room to house that many kids here!” Someone retorted.
“I know,” Lady Hawthorne, “Yet we have to do something. We can’t leave them behind.”
“But how do we make this happen?” Someone else asked.
“As the cities are evacuated many of the homeless kids and runaways will be swept up,” one of the men said, “I can’t imagine that the authorities will not check on the kids they see running about. Most of the ones we’re seeing are in the rural areas. They are the ones who may not be accounted for. We have to round them up somehow!”
The young noble woman spoke, “That’s why we’re here. Now how do we do it?”
“Well let’s face it,” one of the women spoke, “if we just start showing up in the abandoned towns those kids will run from us. They may not even believe the evacuation is real.”
“She’s right,” one of the younger men spoke up, “I was in pediatric mental health. A lot of the street kids don’t trust us. They’ve been screwed over so many times by adults they just don’t trust us.”
“Why not use kids,” Jill Wilson, who was staying with Lady Hawthorne for a couple of days to help sort out the stuff they were still getting for the damn break, wandered into the meeting. “There has to be a network with these kids.”
“Not necessarily Miss Wilson,” an older woman in the back of the room responded,
“They mostly survive on their wits end.”
“Yeah; but let’s face it they know of each other,” Jill continued, “if not planet wide at least in their small part of it. That’s how they know where things are being given out. Where they can get a meal, where they can get a place to sleep for a night. They also share who and what to avoid.”
“Jill how do you know this?” Lady Hawthorne asked. She was concerned that the Wilson girl had some experience as a runaway and living at her wits end.
“It just makes sense. All we have to do is use their system.” Jill said softly, “Send a couple of younger cops or people that look like they are still in high school undercover. Trust me the police know where these kids are. They may not have time to round them up right now; but the cops have a good idea of what’s happening.”
“She may be right,” one of the younger women said, “we’ve got enough young people around here to make this happen. Let’s get a juvenile police officer in here and let’s see what they have to say.”
“Lady Hawthorne,” Jill said softly, “I want to do this.”
“Jill your father won’t allow that and I want to die of old age not at Lady Wilson’s hands.” Lady Hawthorne remarked thinking what she would do if one of her five kids was used by the crown to go under cover and they came to grief. Thankfully none of her kids were old enough to help. She knew without a doubt that if she let Jill go undercover and something happen to the teenager she would be dead meat.
“I’ll handle Lisa, and Dad,” Jill replied with a smile in her voice, “The hard part won’t be them it’ll be my security team.”
“You got that right,” Jenny Alkire, Jill’s primary protective agent, who had walked in with her charge had taken her normal post just inside the door confirmed Jill’s statement. She had been listening to discussion. She thought her young charge was dead on though.
“Jill it’s out of the question. The detail won’t let it happen.” “We’ll discuss it,” was all that Jill said.
“That’s a certainly,” The woman promised, “But you are right. Jill is right she has the right approach but how do we make it happen.”
“We,” Lady Hawthorne asked looking to the protective agent.
“Yes we!” the agent retorted, “twenty years ago I was homeless and living on the streets. If it hadn’t been for one of the kings detail I ...well we won’t go there. Let’s just say that I know how these kids live. Or did! I want a piece of this.”
Lamile who had also walked in with Jill, had been listening to the conversation was wondering what she could do to help. She and Jill had both renewed their friendship over the ensuing months. Where one was the other was sure to be around somewhere. Both parents thought it wasn’t that bad of a deal. It was keeping them both out of trouble. She began thinking of a plan. She knew that Jill just couldn’t do it. Jill didn’t know Trena the way that she did, and although her mother was the chief of staff for her Uncle Mike, she herself wasn’t under the same type of security and protective protocol as Jill was. Besides, Lamile had some ideas where she could begin. But she would have to slip away. Lady Hawthorne would have a fit, and stand in the way if she knew what she was going to do. Lady Hawthorne was one of those people that Lamile listened to and was as close an adult friend that she would ever have, not that Deloris was that much older than her, only three crimens older, if that much. She wouldn’t want to get the noble woman in trouble. Her mother and Uncle Mike would skin her friend alive after they did her.
“I would image,” the protective agent said, “that some of these kids would be making their way to Trenaport. Those that believe the evacuation is real that is. The ones who are not running a gang and think they will be king rat that is.”
“Many of these kids,” Lamile said, “will find a spot around the port, and try to sneak onto a transport to orbit. The ones who know the truth, and are smart enough to figure things out; but don’t want to be involved with adults, will be trying to find a way onto the transports. Why not set up a dummy transport.” Lamile was already deep into her plan, she thought she could lead several hundred kids to Trenaport if she did it right. Unfortunately she was going to have to get the adults to help. “You know, you were talking about getting a couple of undercover people in with the kids. That’s not a bad idea. But why not get them out into the country and lead these gangs of kids to the port.”
“And if it’s done right,” one of the young women who had married a Trenan noble after a tour at the Earth embassy whose husband was now missing spoke up. “We can monitor the progress of the journey, without appearing to be trying to.”
“We can also support it by dropping food shipments and the occasional friendly adult who helps out.” Someone commented.
“It can’t be this simple” Lady Hawthorne commented, “this is complicated, and...”
“Lady Hawthorne,” Lamile said, “It may not work. And it’s not as simple as it sounds. We first have to infiltrate, then we’ll have to convince them, and then start them moving. We may be talking about only ten or fifteen children at a time, not hundreds; at least when it begins. Let’s get General Langtree and Princess Carroll in on this.”
“Why her,” A defensive voice said from the back of the room. There were some people on Trena who felt that the off world police and military threatened their sovereignty.
“General Langtree owns the equipment we need and will need to make the drops. The Princess has Special Forces people we can use to help get our people in and keep tabs on what we are doing. And if they get in trouble the SpecWars can rescue us.” “James!” Lady Hawthorne called.
“Yes my lady,” the face of her AI butler hovered in the room.
“Please contact General Langtree and Princess Carroll. Ask when it would be convenient for them to meet with myself, Lamile Atomi, Jill Wilson, to discuss the plan we’re trying to get together.”
“Yes ma’am,” the AI said.
“In the mean time I want to put someone into the towns and villages trying to make contact with these kids. Maybe talking to people who live in the towns can tell us what they know.”
“Lady Hawthorne,” a voice to her right asked, “Do you want them brought here?”
“No,” Lady Hawthorne replied, “I think I read that the crown took over my old school.”
“The old boarding school?” someone asked. He had gone to school there on a scholar ship. As had Lady Hawthorne it was where she had met her missing husband. “Yes,” Lady Hawthorne continued, “They have been taking the kids they have found there since the school closed. I think we need to get someone there to talk with these kids. I may drift over there tomorrow.”
“Can I go with you,” Lamile asked, “I would like to talk to a couple of the kids.” “Sure why not?” Lady Hawthorne replied turning to Jill, “Want to tag along?” “Yes,” Jill replied.
The conversation with Princess Carroll and General Langtree was short. Langtree was at first skeptical and flat out said he didn’t have much he could spare. Princess Carroll said she could release a couple of teams on and off over the next few weeks saying it would be a good bit of training for them. Lady Hawthorne met with her people to recruit a young adult to bring the kids in. She never got the chance.
###
The next day, Lamile had one of Lady Hawthorne’s helpers drive her home. She told Jill and Lady Hawthorne she needed to get home for a change of clothing. That was true as far as it went; but she wanted to go home so she could start her mission without implicating Jill or Lady Hawthorne. If they didn’t know what she had in mind, then when she was found out, maybe her friends wouldn’t get in trouble for what she did. It was lunch time when she got home. She found her mother eating lunch.
“There you are,” Her mother called, it had been a couple of days since she had seen her mother. “You get tired of Lady Hawthorne’s?”
“Hi Mom,” Lamile replied, “What brings you home so early?”
“I’m going in late,” Her mother said. “I thought I wouldn’t see you for a couple of days.”
“I needed to change clothes.” She answered. “If it’s okay with you I’m going to go back in the morning and stay a couple of days.”
“As long as Lady Hawthorne doesn’t mind.” Mylea gave her daughter permission to go back to Lady Hawthorne’s. She had no qualms about Lamile staying with the noble woman. She had ran a back ground check on their special projects officer and found nothing to worry her about letting her daughter hang around Deloris Hawthorne. So far she had been a good influence on bother her and Jill.
“No, she’s cool with it,” Lamile said.
“So what are you going to do this afternoon?” Mylea asked.
“Run a load of laundry.” Lamile said. “I thought I might wander down to South
Mall before getting someone to run me out to East Wind.”
Mylea thought for a moment. Lamile’s school was closed down. All the schools were. Their closure was causing some problems with unsupervised children. She didn’t want Lamile to just stick around the house, but she didn’t want her to be part of the problem at the mall. Then she asked, “I’ve couple of errands to run. Want to accompany me?”
“What sort errands,” Lamile asked. She really didn’t want to run with her mother. She wanted to plan how she was going to link up with all the children hiding from the authorities.
“I’ve a meeting with Chief James downtown,” Mylea replied, “Then I have one with General Langtree at Fletcher. Then if nothing pops up I’m done for the day.”
“I guess I could run around with you,” Lamile said. Although she needed to work on her project, going with her mother to Mounty Headquarters and later to Fletcher might help her plan part of her project.
There was a knock on the door. Lamile opened the door, to find Tony, her mother’s driver there to pick them up. As they went to police headquarters Lamile asked, “Mom I would really like to know more about these kids. Any ideas?”
Mylea thought for a moment the said, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to read the statements given to the officers. When we get in I’ll see about letting you read them.”
Unwittingly by letting Lamile read the statements Mylea helped her daughter prepare for her mission.
Her mother’s meeting was in the Mounties’ Emergency Operations Center. She didn’t share what her meeting was about. When they got to the EOC her mother took her to the door of EOC’s intelligence cell. It was closed and Mylea had to push a button to get in. The door opened and a beta biowoman came out of the room. Even though Mylea was a deputy chief of the Trenaport Mounted Patrol, she didn’t have automatic entry into the intelligence cell. It was very secure.
“Lamile, this Sergeant Lenora,” Mylea introduced Lamile to the biowoman, “She in charge of the intelligence section of the EOC.”
“Lenora.” Her mother spoke to a beta biowoman, “This is Lamile, my daughter.”
“Good afternoon,” the biowoman, who vaguely resembled Lisa Wilson greeted them. “How can I help you?”
“Lenora are you working on anything sensitive,” Mylea asked. If they were working a case; then Lamile wouldn’t be allowed in to the intelligence cell. Depending on what it was they were working on; even she might be barred.
“Mr. Kellogg is reviewing some reports,” Lenora replied¸ “There’s a hundred leader from the companions. He’s coordinating their reports with ours. No there’s nothing we’re working on that requires a lock down. Why?”
“I need to park Lamile for about an hour,” Mylea answered, “While she’s here I want you to share any and all intelligence you have on the children we’re finding.” “Do you want a briefing,” The biowoman asked.
“No,” Mylea replied, “She is going to prepare a briefing for Lady Hawthorne”
“Okay,” the police officer replied thankful she didn’t have to do it herself. “Let’s get you signed in find you a place to work.”
She led her to a work station and powered it up. She worked the keyboard for a bit before allowing Lamile to sit before it.
“I’ve given you a temporary clearance.” Lenora told her, “If you try to research something besides the reports on the kids the station will lock up and you will be arrested.
So don’t surf!”
“I understand,” Lamile replied. She hadn‘t even thought of surfing.
“You are going to hear and see things that you are not to repeat. You may make notes, but you are not to take them and any reports out of here. We’re not as secure as the Mountain; but there is a lot of sensitive material that co
uld harm a great many people if the wrong people see them.”
She hadn’t realized how sensitive the information that she was going to see was.
She felt a little guilty using her connections to see the reports.
She read through the various reports on the children the authorities had found. She wanted to see what the authorities actually knew. It wasn’t much. More importantly she wanted to see if there was any pattern to the kids they were discovering. Were the children avoiding the police, or seemed to be walking towards the space port. Although the Companions and the Mounties were trying to pick up as many children as they could, they were being hard pressed to do anything more than report contacts. Many of the children were for one reason another avoiding the police. She was beginning to see where someone was telling them that the crown wasn’t going to evacuate them!
She saw more than one interview where the kid being interviewed reported a mysterious adult who was telling the kids that God would take care of them that they had nothing to worry about. That the authorities were lying to them about the need to evacuate. The adult, a man named Father Pierce, continued to be named in the interviews. Some of the kids believed it, many didn’t. Still it was something to share with the adults. She was about to go and find Lenora to share what she had found when her mother spoke to her.
“How’s it going,” her mother asked.
Startled Lamile replied, “Better than what I expected. I think I may have stumbled upon something.”
“What did you find,” Mylea asked.
“I’ve been reviewing the interviews from the children that the Mounties and Companions have been finding. There seems to be one thing that is common in all of them. This man who is being described like that Theocracy Priest that Uncle Mike and you are trying to find has been trying to get the kids to stay where they are. What do you think?”
She looked at what her daughter had discovered, then crossed checked some things she could get into that Lamile couldn’t and said, “Good call Lamile! I’ll get this up on the net. Sometimes it takes a new set of eyes to see connections. Are you getting anything else on those kids?”
“Not much. The interviews lead me to believe that most of the kids are walking this path,” she showed her mother the map she had been working on, “There seems to be something about walking this path towards the space port. Even though the priest is doing a good job of trying to prevent that, most of the kids have been picked up here.” She pointed to couple abandoned towns, “Everyone assumes there are not many. But I don’t know. As part of my review I read statistic there might be as many as seven hundred thousand homeless children.”