The Specialist and I

2

I woke up to the cries of Annabel once again. I walked over to her and changed her. I held Annabel on my hip and dug through the cupboards for some food. After grabbing some crackers to snack on, I walked to my window and carried Annabel and the crackers to the roof. After getting to the top, I set Annabel down on a blanket and continue working on my project. I put the finishing touches on and Anna came over. She inspected it and started giggling.

I heard a truck coming and stood up, I picked Annabel up and walked over to the front of the house. I seen a black GMC top kick in the driveway. Two men got out. One, I recognized. The other was a man in his thirties. He wore a military uniform and didn't look pleased.

"Come on, you didn't think you'd be getting a vacation now, did ya?", dad asked him.

"I hoped I would...", he muttered loud enough for dad and I both to hear.

Dad laughed and opened the door, "Lori! Lori? Where is that girl?"

"Lennox! Who's the femme on your roof?", he asked and dad appeared, he looked up and his eyes went wide.

"Lori! What on Earth are you doing on the roof?! Where's Annabel?", he asked, I pointed to the girl on my hip, "SHES ON THE ROOF?!"

I rolled my eyes and walked over to my stuff. I started putting them away and when I finished I climbed in the house. Dad was home earlier than when mom said he would be. Two weeks and four days to be exact. Dad walked into my room with the man following. I handed Annabel off to him and went back on the roof to fetch the completed decoration. I climbed back in the house and dad was watching me. I walked into my closet and pulled out the finished crib.

I brought the crib to Anna's room with the two men following me. They watched as I attached the two pieces together and put the crib in the spot where Anna's old crib used to be. I had already taken it down that morning. I stepped back to admire my work. Though I was interested in building, it wasn't my passion. 

My favorite pastime, besides inventing and building stuff, was creating and using guns. I'm not talking about a revolver. I'm talking cannons. Huge cannons. I walked downstairs and started making dinner while dad showed the new guy around the house. They came downstairs after a while and dad didn't have Annabel which led me to think she was in her new bed.

"My buddy is going to be staying with us for a while.", dad informed me, "He'll be heading back to base in a couple weeks or so. Where's your mother?"

The new guy was sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels on the TV. I pointed towards the note.

"April 6th? Alright. Sorry, kiddo. I'm going to be in and out of the house so you are going to have to take care of Anna.", dad said and went to sit down next to is buddy.

As they talked, all I heard was 'decepticons' and 'Optimus' as well as 'can't let Lori find out'. Honestly, even though I didn't talk much, it still hurt to know that my father couldn't trust me with whatever. I fought back the tears as I made his plate. I walked in the living room and dropped his plate on the table. It's my way of saying 'I heard part of your conversation and now I'm pissed'. I took the fork and stabbed it into the wood making him and his military buddy jump. I glared at him and walked up the stairs. I went into my room, though I could still hear them even with the door shut.

"What's wrong with her?", dad's buddy asked.

"She's upset.", dad answered.

"New girlfriend?", he asked.

"No. Lori is my daughter. She refuses to talk. Sarah and I have had to learn what means what. Ever since I was transferred to N.E.S.T, she seems to hate me more and more. I better go talk to her.", I heard the couch groan as he got up.

"Lennox. Eat. I will talk with her.", I heard the chair squeak.

"You sure? You hardly know her and you hardly talk yourself. All you do is walk around grunting at everybody.", dad said and I heard a grunt in response.

Dad laughed and I heard him sit down as well as the steps groaning as the man walked up. The noise ceased and he knocked. He was already at my door, that was fast. Carefully, I walked over and opened the door slightly. I waited for him to start talking.

"Is it okay if I come in? I promise, I will introduce myself.", he said, I nod and open the door fully.

He walks in and I close the door behind him. I pulled a chair towards my bed and gestured towards it. I sat down on my bed and he sat down on the chair.

"First off, I promised to introduce myself. I'm Ron Edih. I work as a weapons specialist on a team that works closely with your father's. He talks a lot about you and the many ways you would help around the base. Anyway, the truck is mine. I let Will drive it every once in a while.", he explained, I nodded, "W-"

"Ron! I'm heading to base with Orion! Galloway is waiting!", dad yelled up the stairs.

"Don't expect me to be there!", he called back, I looked at him with confusion, "Galloway is our new liaison. No one likes the guy."

I nodded and waited for him to continue.

"Why are you upset?", Ron asked, I looked down, "You overheard. So, uh, Lennox tells me you like guns and that you design some yourself. Do you have any designs for guns your currently working on?"

I crawled over to the other side of my bed and grabbed the blueprints. I scootted back over and handed them to him. He looked he blueprints over.

"If you want a high-powered cannon, don't use batteries. Use this.", he pulled out a glowing blue crystal from his pocket, "This is more than enough to power that up. You only want to use a sliver. If you use too much, it could backfire and kill you instantly. Don't tell your parents I gave this to you."

I nodded and took the crystal. I was surprised to find that it was hot to the touch. I opened my drawer and put the crystal inside. I walked back and picked up the notebook. I started writing 'why' and handed it back to him.

"I brought it from my hometown. I lived extremely far away from here. That small crystal alone is dangerous. My comrades and I grew up in the same area. We didn't know one another until we were adults because most of us were too scared to talk to the others.", he chuckled and stood up, "Mostly to me. Anyway, I better get going. If I get back to the base any later than I will if I leave now, Pax is going to lecture me."

He turned around and left my room then out the front door. I heard the truck start up and the engine noise faded as he drove off. I grabbed the chair and put it back by my desk. Annabel squeaked in her crib. My phone vibrated and I walked over to it. It was a voice message from my mom.

"Hey, honey. I am going to be coming home a little earlier than I thought. Turns out the trip was only for a week and they gave me the second week off so I will be home by Tuesday. Love you and Annabel lots. If your father ends up coming home, tell him his brother is coming over with their kids and his parents. They're spending the weekend. Thank you.", the message ended and I  growled.

I hated my cousins and my uncle. My uncle drinks a lot and is a huge dick when it comes to treating me with respect. He thinks I'm his wife and slaps my ass whenever I walk by. I hit him with a frying pan once. As for my cousins, two are older than me and he has a six year old brat. The kids do whatever they want and think they can get away with it. That's why there is now a lock in my door as well as a chain if I need to use it. I heard the front door click open and grabbed my bat.