The Road to Nowhere

A New Game to Play

   Pennington walked into the study holding a tray with a carafe full of coffee, a small creamer pitcher, and a sugar bowl. Edgerton looked up from his laptop with a bewildered look. It was something that the elder man had rarely seen from his charge. "Don't worry, sir, I have the hard drives cleaned on a regular basis by a very discreet fellow." he chuckled.

   Cain looked at his butler with a half-annoyed look," I guess that is good to know, but It seems Miss Masters is something more than she first appears."

   "How so, Sir?" Penning asked as he prepared Edgerton's coffee.

   "I received a file from our inside man at the Defense Department. The Masters woman has quite the extensive list of awards and commendations for excellence in the Marine Corps,' he stated with an odd look of what appeared to be admiration, "I'm not privy to the standards that military people are held to, but it seems to me that she holds herself to higher standards than most."

   Pennington smiled politely at Edgerton. It was nice to see that the man that sat before him; could be impressed by another individual," Given who her father was; it is quite understandable that she would excel at anything she did."

   Cain sat back in his chair as he pinched his chin in contemplation. He had met Harlan Masters a handful of times growing up, from his recollection his father and Harlan were respectful rivals going back decades when they were young. His father spoke of him as if he needed the man to stay focused to whatever private game they played, "As I recall Harlan was a military man himself."

   "Yes, Sir. Harlan Masters was a Navy S.E.A.L. Venerated by his peers and enemies."

   "How do you know this?" Edgerton asked with a piqued interested. Pennington was a loyal employee, confidant, and more a father figure to him than his own. He, however, was also a very private man when not in the service to the Cain family.

   "I know the man very well. I would not say we were close friends, but regular friendly acquaintances. We played chess a few times a month when he was here at the park."

   Cain's eyebrows raised in awe. Pennington had a passion for the game of chess. He taught Edgerton the game when he was twelve years old. He could never beat the elder man to this day, "Is he any good?"

   "Yes. Of the thirty-fives games we have played, he was one up on me."

   "I am correct in assuming that these matches take longer than ours?"

   Pennington knew just from the tone of the question that Edgerton's mind was working on a plan of some sort. "Yes. The longest was three and a half hours. We did chat about his life and his family. Which is where you are going with your questions, if I am correct?"

   "How did he feel about Miss Masters?"

   "Begrudgingly proud of her accomplishments."

   "Begrudgingly? How so?"

   "Apparently, he wanted something more for her than a life in the military. Something more than a life here in Nowhere has to offer, Sir."

   "He didn't want her to get into the silent dark battle of this place. So, she doesn't know what she possibly is or anything about the Ascendent or the Fallen?"

   "I would not know for certain, Sir."

   Edgerton leaned back into his chair and contemplated again. He stared intently on Miss Masters' service record. Her rise amongst the ranks of normal men and women was impressive. He wondered if the fates had inadvertently guided her down a road to her ultimate destiny. She could be a very useful ally to his plans or the staunchest adversary to his own, " I assume you know where the Masters property is?"

  For the first time in his service to the Cain's especially to Edgerton; Pennington's internal alarms went off. This was not going to bode well.