Run into Trouble

definitely military—or more correctly, retired military. He was in civilian clothes. He was—Drake’s father.
    Drake was not easily surprised by most events, but this was a surprise. He hadn’t seen his father for over four years. From around the time he quit working for the federal government. It wasn’t that Admiral Justin Drake had disowned him. He just hadn’t communicated with him. He rebuffed Drake’s attempts at communication.
    Drake saw his father before the older man saw him. He looked trim and fit as he sat ramrod-straight on the edge of a chair, reading something. Even his civilian clothes were worn with military precision, including a gleaming belt buckle. His short hair was snow white, and the wrinkles on his face had been earned by many years of service and sacrifice for his country.
    Drake hated to disturb the peaceful scene, but he had no choice. “Hello, Father.”
    Admiral Drake looked up from the piece of paper he was reading. “Hello, Oliver.”
    They had always addressed each other formally. The admiral stood slowly, and Drake saw some strain in his face. He suspected his father had arthritis, but he would never admit that his body wasn’t in top shape. He didn’t smile as they shook hands. A hug was out of the question.
    “I’m glad you survived the shelling today.”
    “I am too. One of our runners was killed.”
    “I know. I listened to the news on the way over here. There are four confirmed dead. The involved houses are still being searched for casualties.”
    A dozen questions competed with each other in Drake’s head. He chose the least personal one. “How do you know the houses got shelled?”
    “I got a call from Andy Anderson. He’s on the board of Giganticorp.”
    Admiral Anderson. Drake knew that Anderson and his father had been in the same class at the Naval Academy. That also explained how his father had heard he was in the race. His father lived in Bakersfield, in the San Joaquin Valley. He must have hopped in his car and driven here as soon as he got the call from Admiral Anderson. Drake suspected that his main reason for coming was not to see his only son.
    Drake knew the answer to his next question as soon as he asked it. “Why does Admiral Anderson think that the houses got shelled?”
    His father looked surprised. “He said you saw shells being fired from a vessel.”
    Bad news traveled fast and became exaggerated as it went. Drake had called Blade. Blade had contacted the military. The military pipeline apparently included retired admirals, like Anderson, and now his father. Drake knew one thing for sure. When he made his official report, he would have to word what he had actually seen very carefully and sign a document to that effect, if possible. Wars had been started because of inaccurate intelligence.
    Something else puzzled Drake. “Why did you come here?”
    “Isn’t the welfare of my son a good enough reason?”
    No. It had never been before. Perhaps if he had followed in his father’s footsteps and attended Annapolis instead of enlisting in the army as a private, he would have won his father’s approval. As things stood, he was a failure in the old man’s eyes.
    They were still standing in the middle of the lobby with Drake facing the entrance. He saw Slick open the door, stick his head in the doorway, and give a nod to indicate that he wanted to speak to Drake. So Slick was going to debrief him. He didn’t want Slick’s presence here to be generally known, not even by a retired admiral.
    “I have to go to a meeting. Are you going to be around for a while, sir? You can have dinner with Melody and me.”
    “Melody?” Admiral Drake smiled for the first time. “That’s right; Andy said she was your running partner. Always did like that girl. She’s got spunk. Unfortunately, I can’t make it. Andy and some of the other board members of Giganticorp are coming here. I’m having dinner with them. Maybe we can get together tomorrow. I’m staying overnight.”
    Everybody was converging in Malibu. Events were getting curiouser and curiouser. Drake shook hands with his father and headed out of the motel. He saw a black Porsche sitting in the far corner of the parking lot and walked toward it.
    ***
    Drake was sitting on a bed in the room belonging to Melody and Grace who were sitting on the other bed. He had told them both what he had seen or thought he had seen.
    Grace looked scared. “Do you think we’re being attacked by the