Route 66

36 Lost in Time

The night before we left for Zimbabwe, Captain Rodriguez and the team made plans to let off some steam at a nightclub. Naturally, they invited me along. My first thought was to make up any excuse to decline. The last time I went to a club was in the '70s and it ended up being a horrific disaster.

Ultimately, I went against my instincts and accepted the invitation, clueless about what to wear. So I did an online search and was absolutely shocked.

No WAY I'm showing that much skin.

I ended up wearing a conservative black dress that rested just above the knee.

The time came and Captain Rodriguez and two of my chiseled cohorts picked me up in a military Hummer.

"Ready soldier?" Rodriguez said with a flirty glint in his eye as he eyed me up and down.

"Ready as I'll ever be, sir," I said, very aware of his gaze.

"You know, Judy, you're the only one who could do that dress any justice."

Suddenly, I felt abrupt waves of heat coursing through my body as beads of sweat dripped down my neck; such a long time since a man could make me feel this way and must admit, his bare ring finger was something I noticed right away when we first met.

How do I respond? What now?

"Thank you, sir," I said, breathless and blushing.

"Tonight you don't have to call me 'sir'. It's Miguel."

I nodded, bit my lip, and said, "Captain, I mean...Miguel, I'll be right back, just going to grab my purse. I left it in the Hummer. "

"I'll go with you," he offered.

"Oh no, you go on in. I'll just be a minute. I'm a big girl."

"Okay soldier, suit yourself," he said as his eyes followed me out to the boulevard.

I snatched up my purse and hurried back as the deep punching vibrations of the club filled the sweet night air.

Two bouncers stood guarding the door.

"Twenty-one and over," one of them said as he crossed trunk like arms over a massive chest.

"I am twenty-one."

He gave me 'the look' and said, "Show me some ID."

I handed over a fake driver's license, compliments of Beth.

The larger bouncer took the license, flipped it over several times, and then handed it back with a shoulder shrug.

"Go ahead," he said.

I waded through a sea of youthful abandonment and ear numbing beats when out of nowhere, a greasy clubber blocked my way and said, "Hey baby...I have just what you need," and shoved a small plastic bag into my hand.

"What's this?"

"It's the best ecstasy you're ever gonna find, girl."

I dropped it in disgust and turned away.

He scooped the bag up and grabbed my wrist; boring crazy, rage filled eyes into mine and yelled, "You dropped it. Now PAY FOR IT!"

The very next instant the greaseball was writhing on the floor from a knee to his gut.

"Judy, are you okay? What happened?!" Captain Rodriguez hollered as he forced his way through the crowd.

"Drug dealer trying to make a sale, something called Ecstasy. Miguel...can you take me home? I'm sorry. I just don't feel like I fit in here."

"Of course," he said without a moment's delay.

The captain drove me to my apartment in silence. Was the world telling me that my time had passed? I felt like that alien in the desert Steve mistook me for so many years ago.

We came to a stop in front of my military apartment, only a short distance from the Pentagon.

"Thank you sir."

"Judy..." he said softly. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

I shook my head with a forced smile and said, "No, I'll be fine, really."

"How about the mission? Do you feel ready?"

"I don't think I've ever been more prepared for anything."

"That's what I like to hear. There's something—," he said hesitantly.

"What is it, sir?"

"Well...there's something I just don't understand about you, something I can't quite figure out. I know your official history, but it's hard to believe you're only twenty-one and yet, you look even younger. Your emotional maturity−"

"Miguel," I cut in. "I've trained very hard. I haven't led a typical life."

"She must not have had much of a childhood either," he mumbled to himself before saying, "Let me explain, generally, what your part will be on this mission. Sources have found several dead, severely dehydrated victims in places where water is scarce. Our fear is that Hindler is using another carrier."

I shuddered and said, "Maybe it's spreading through the air?"

Rodriguez nodded and said, "It's possible that he's created some kind of respiratory agent; a dust that has the same effect. We've analyzed the location of recent deaths and it appears that they all have one thing in common; they're within a one to two block radius of a couple radio stations."

I blinked in confusion and said, "Radio stations, captain?"

"Yes. We're not sure what the connection is but that's where you come in. Several schools have accepted invitations to tour those stations, grades one through twelve.

You'll go undercover as a high school exchange student. Your first day will coincide with a class field trip to one of the suspected stations. See if you can find out what's really going on there."

With narrowed eyes I parted my lips into a subtle smile and said, "With pleasure."