One Of The 4400 Part 1 & 2

Chapter 15

I saw the diner up ahead of me on the left hand side of the road. I grabbed the note from my pant pocket and looked down at the address. That was the diner alright. I placed the note back in my pocket.

I kept walking up the empty road until I made that small left into the parking lot of the diner. The diner in of itself was decent but not brightly colored like other restaurants.

I made my way into the restaurant and sat down at one of the booths closest to the door (just in case I needed to make an escape) and waited.

"Hey hon, ready to order?" A middle aged waitress asked me, coming over to my booth. She had a deep throaty voice. The type of voice that was created by the influence of cigarettes.

"No, not yet. Waiting on somebody." I answered.

"Alrighty then let me know." She said, walking away.

I didn't say okay. I kept quiet. I was still waiting.

A few minutes later, I looked out the window and saw that person who had shown up to meet me was my Father.

Pa. The man who was supposed the most difficult person to adjust to being back in an era that was not mine. Ironically enough, he ended up being the least importance of the gigantic problem I had with adjusting.

"Hey," Pa said, walking in the restaurant and taking a seat opposite of where I sat.

"Hello," I muttered.

"How long you been here?" He asked.

"Not even five minutes, I was a bit early." I said.

"Wanna order?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm hungry. But I have to leave before eight." I mentioned.

"Okay, I'll ask the waitress over and we'll order." He said, waving his hand and calling for the waitress. The same waitress who had spoken to me a few minutes before came over.

"What would you like to order?" She asked, a slight smile on her lips.

"Give me a hamburger and a couple of fries, iced tea. Is that alright with you?" Pa ordered.

"Mmm, yeah it is since we have that on the menu." She said, teasing.

My dad didn't look down at the menu that was on the table the whole time. He just assumed they would have it because most restaurants (I learned recently) had burgers and fries.

My dad gave a small smile.

"What do you want, hon?" The waitress asked me.

"Same as him, but can you make the drink into a cup of soda, please?" I asked.

"Sure, hon." And with that, she took our order and walked away with the menu, leaving me and Pa to talk.

"I heard from your brother that you live with the community." Pa said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. And usually, when he said "heard", it is usually a fact.

"Yeah, how did he know?" I asked.

"Followed these two NTAC agents, Something Skouris and Agent Baldwin. I'm surprised they didn't see him." He answered.

"Wow, Damien's a Spy, how great."" I sarcastically joked.

"Maybe, can I ask a question?" He asked.

"Maybe," I said.

"I'll ask it anyway. What in the world makes you think they will let you stay there? I mean...sure you're one of them and you were put in the same fiasco as them but..." Pa paused.