The Love Trilogy: Book 1

Monkey Bar Deals and Pinky Promises

Two years had passed since Dara lost her father, she had been following the General around the world from base to base, meeting to meeting. Mostly Dara sat in a chair in a hallway reading a book, feet swinging, but sometimes there was a conference room, or she got to sit behind a receptionist's desk. Mostly she just read and swung her feet.

The books got longer and her uncle started picking her up 'young adult' novels now that 'she was in her double digits'. She still had a favorite in the bottom of her bag that she's never finished. Dara read it through four times but never the last five pages, that was all they had left to read together.

Dara didn't know why her uncle had all of these meetings and why she had to go with him but she was glad of the company and all the books. The General hardly spoke to her except when they were in the air so she was surprised when on one of the few occasions she got to sit at the opposite end of the conference table, when he asked her what she thought.

"About what, sir?" Dara quickly added the sir at the end. She sat upright, snapping her book closed.

"You told me a while ago you wanted to help people like your dad did right?" Her uncle sounded tired, like he was tired of having the same conversation every week.

"Yes sir." She agreed, that was still true, mostly. When they landed on busier bases or bases that she had been to with her father, people would stop her and tell her what a great man her father was. She had been reading things other than books at night under her covers. Often the General would leave Dara 'supervised' with her nanny but the nanny was easy enough to escape from. Her parents' old files kept her up to all hours. She didn't understand everything and some things were crossed out with a thick black marker but she could understand enough about some of the 'work' they did.

"Well there you go Martin, she wants to do it, so what's the problem?" The General pressed the other man. Dara snapped out of her thoughts and looked toward the other man. He looked back at the child at the opposite end of the table for a long moment.

"You're my last hurdle Martin, I need to get this done. It's best for everybody and she's a volunteer." Her uncle cut in.

"Does she know exactly what she's signing up for Jason? How could she? She's ten for Christ's sake!" Martin hissed, trying not to let Dara hear him. Finally he looked away from the girl and back at the man beside him.

'He could have tried harder.' Dara thought as she watched the General as he shifted in his chair. She didn't hear what he whispered into the other man's ear but she could see his face. When the two men separated Martin signed whatever it was the General wanted him to.

When it was all over and time to go the General headed toward the tarmac first, trusting his assistant to herd Dara where she needed to be. Dara hopped from her chair and reached for her bag neatly tucked underneath, when she stood up Martin was right behind her.

"I just want you to know I'm sorry. I wish I could have done something." He whispered, he looked sad but not for himself.

"Why are you sorry? Do you think I can't help people?" Dara asked; for a second Martin almost told her everything, no she can't help people and no she won't be helping like she thinks. Instead he crouched down in front of her.

"I think you can help a lot of people if you want," he looked over his shoulder before continuing, "but I don't think your uncle plans on helping too many people. Listen, take my card and if he says the word contract, say you want me. I'll make sure it's fair." He looked over his shoulder again before standing up and pulling a card out of his jacket.

"I might not be able to stop him, but I can at least help you." One last peek over his shoulder. "You might not understand this yet but there are several of us who are worried about you, we want to keep you as safe as we can no matter what happens. Good luck." He finished and Dara's uncle reappeared in the doorway.