SPACE ODDITIES

UnRaVeled

From the hotel he was staying in, Bowie went to the hospital where Jaymes' nanny was. It was the fifth day, and the FBI was out of their Golden time cycle. Eliana Roberts was going crazy, seeing all the people acting as if her son was dead. Bowie was surprised to see the Rosetta Saint Angelo, who had seen the Jaymes grow, watching a movie instead of following the news. He was able to witness everything as he pretended to be a nurse, checking her arterial pressure.

"The nanny is definitely in on this. I mean, she should be crying as if she lost a loved one," said Bowie to Haze over the phone.

"Bowie, can you come back? Roberts wants to talk to you," said Haze, who was finally interrogating senator Roberts after finding a 5 million dollars registered as a donation during his last campaign.

Bowie hurried back to the police station, where he stood behind the glass of the interrogation room watching Clive Roberts try to defend himself.

"Where's the kid, the one who is pretending to be an analyst?" Senator Robert asked.

"You can speak. He can hear you," Haze said.

"Hey, kiddo, I know who you are. Do you think I spent ten years with the same woman watching her cry herself to sleep without trying to console her? I looked for you, Bowie. I looked for you, and when I found you were in deep shit. Do you think your cyber buddies' words were enough to get you out?

"Listen, I would never hurt my wife or do something that will break her heart. I helped you back then when you had trouble with the FBI. Though you are not my son, do you think I could hurt my son?"

Bowie was shocked by the revelations; throughout the investigation, senator Roberts hadn't shown any interest in him. But, even if Bowie did not know Clive Roberts, his guts told him the man did not lie. So he pressed the microphone.

"I believe you, but what I don't understand is why you are covering him. I checked Rosetta's phone. She's been having calls from your office late at night. You are having an affair with your nanny, or perhaps there is someone who has access to everything pulling this off."

Clive Roberts clapped before saying, "you should think about joining the FBI for real; you see, he has said it all."

"Someone, find me, Harold Gibson," Haze yelled.

Harold was senator Robert's best friend, campaign manager, and left-hand man. Roberts trusted him more than anyone else; he currently searched for a way of gathering the 5 million required. There was another call that confirmed the exchange location.

When they arrested him, Harold said he did it for his friend, who he dreamed of seeing in the White House. During the last campaign, he had looked for funds, and the big electors weren't in to support Roberts. So Harold borrowed from the local cartel, to whom he promised fewer police descents. The campaign manager promised them to close their eyes on their activities, which would allow them to trade efficiently.

Once Clive Roberts was elected senator, he reinforced all the laws to satisfy the electors. The deal with the cartel was off; they wanted their money back. They placed Rosetta in the house, who reported everything to them during the last three years. And they finally came to this resolution. The SWAT extracted Jaymes safely during the operation. Eliana cried like crazy as her son ran to hug her.

"Doesn't it feel good to be on the good guy's side?" agent Haze said to Bowie while they were watching the family reunion. Many television channels filmed the whole sequence as if it were a movie.

"You should think about trying to join us, as Roberts said," Haze added.

"I prefer developing games," Bowie said.

"You have the wits to protect your loved ones, isn't there someone you want to protect with your life?" Haze asked.

Her face appeared immediately. Bowie hadn't called Ziggy; he missed her. "Yes, there is someone."

"Well, there have it. Don't you want to offer this person a safe country to live in so that they can play computer games?"

Haze was right; Bowie wanted to offer the world to Ziggy. "I'm leaving."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Mrs. Roberts, agent Norton?"

"I don't have the right, too; I just want her to be happy."

"See you at Quantico," Haze said, smiling.

"I seriously hope that you are joking," Bowie said while he walked away.

Bowie was far when Eliana Roberts lifted her head and went to find Agent Haze, "where is Agent Roth?" She asked.

"Agent Roth left a while ago; he has other cases to attend to," agent Haze answered.

The woman was relieved to have Jaymes returned, but somehow she felt like she missed an important rendezvous.

On the flight back, Bowie thought of his parent's he promised himself he wouldn't do anything else which would cause them grief. He didn't go to Atlanta to look for answers but to confirm what he knew: His name was Bowie Norton, Eliana had given him up; it was her loss.

His parents wanted him. Even though Hailey could conceive children, she chose him. If she suffered from the mother hen syndrome, it was because he was her treasure.

As for his father, Jonathan Norton was a kind man, laid back and rational; he was someone who you could count on in any circumstances. Bowie was satisfied to know that Eliana was well with her husband. The man was willing to do anything for her happiness and with a son who she doubly loved.

The Domino effect she caused when she gave him up allowed Bowie years later to meet Ziggy. And for that, the boy was ever so thankful; even Lincoln played his part. By insisting on going to the auditorium at the school festival and talking about Ziggy, Lincoln was the fairy godmother of their story.

Bowie flicked through the photos of Ziggy, the ones where she had her long black hair, the ones he took when she slept in his car, the ones he made of her in the library, and finally, the ones with her blonde. In all, he had 856, some would say he was obsessional, but his love and passion for the girl had no depth or limit.

The photo he preferred above all was one where she was pacing around with Kiwi in her arms, trying to rock her to sleep. Every time he looked at the photo, he found himself dreaming of a future where the child she would carry would be theirs. His daydream made him blush; he couldn't wait to see her.