trust fund and didn’t want to. Making his own way was important to him. He also never wanted anyone to know about it.
“Yes, son, I know about it. Soldat was a weapons' company that was shut down after numerous deaths, including your father’s.”
James held his breath, “How many deaths?”
“Enough."
“Who was responsible for the deaths?”
“That is sealed.”
James nodded. “Did you find anything about my mother?”
“No, she is a mystery. There are no records of her.”
James hung his head.
“Son, I’m sorry, but she doesn’t exist.”
“You know that can’t be true. I had to have a mother.”
“Yes, but what you are telling me about her is the first piece of information I have ever heard. Do you know anything else about your family?”
“No, that’s why I am asking you,” James replied, frustrated.
“James, trust me to keep looking. I am not a big fan of being out of the loop on my team. You see that portrait up there?” Ray pointed to the large black and white portrait that was hung on the wall to his left.
James looked to it, “Yes sir.”
“That is my great-great-great-grandfather General John Buford. Do you know who he was?”
James smiled, Uncle Finn would be disappointed if he didn’t, “Yes, sir. He was a Union Cavalry General during the Civil War.”
“Well, he knew the importance of the ‘high ground’ and back in those days, it was about position. In this day however, it is about information. I make it my business to stay informed. James, you are one of mine and therefore you are under my protection. Let me try to find out more.”
James smiled slightly, “Yes, sir.”
“Now go back to your dorm and get some sleep. You are not responsible for Rachel’s death. She was responsible for herself, not you.”
James nodded, “Yes, sir.” James turned and left the office. Ray leaned back into his chair. He knew there was more, there had to be more. James was thinking the same as he made his way back to his dorm.
Once James got to his dorm, he realized all his roommates were already asleep. It was only 10:00pm, but they had to be up early. James quietly moved to his bed and pulled his bag out from under his bed. He opened it and pulled his teddy bear out. He sat down on his bed and gripped it in his hands. It was getting old and worn, but the words ‘we love you’ were still clear. He felt tears coming to his eyes. She was real. He could remember her face. He never understood why he clung to her so much. It just had to be the belief that she was real. James held the bear to his chest and laid back onto his bed. He would find out who she was and who he was. Those were his last thoughts as he drifted to sleep.
Chapter
14
The following morning Ray caught John up to speed.
“Okay, what did you need to talk to me about that I had to get up an hour earlier for?” John said as he took the seat across from Ray’s desk.
“There is more going on with James than we thought.”
“I told you.” John leaned forward in his chair.
“He knows very little about his mother, but he told Rachel what he knew. I am really starting to worry about what the information actually means and who she was.”
“Is she alive?”
“According to James, she is dead. She killed herself in front of him.”
“Then why would anyone care about her?”
“His father’s weapons' company fell apart. There were numerous deaths that have no record of why or how, just that they died. People may think James knows more about what happened there than he is saying. I am worried for his safety.”
“I’m worried for everyone's safety with him around. If people are out after him, he could jeopardize all of them.”
“We are not turning our backs on him. He is one of ours and we will protect him. I will find out what is going on and I need to know you are on board with this.”
John shook his head, “Ray, I trust you. It is not that. I
“Yes, son, I know about it. Soldat was a weapons' company that was shut down after numerous deaths, including your father’s.”
James held his breath, “How many deaths?”
“Enough."
“Who was responsible for the deaths?”
“That is sealed.”
James nodded. “Did you find anything about my mother?”
“No, she is a mystery. There are no records of her.”
James hung his head.
“Son, I’m sorry, but she doesn’t exist.”
“You know that can’t be true. I had to have a mother.”
“Yes, but what you are telling me about her is the first piece of information I have ever heard. Do you know anything else about your family?”
“No, that’s why I am asking you,” James replied, frustrated.
“James, trust me to keep looking. I am not a big fan of being out of the loop on my team. You see that portrait up there?” Ray pointed to the large black and white portrait that was hung on the wall to his left.
James looked to it, “Yes sir.”
“That is my great-great-great-grandfather General John Buford. Do you know who he was?”
James smiled, Uncle Finn would be disappointed if he didn’t, “Yes, sir. He was a Union Cavalry General during the Civil War.”
“Well, he knew the importance of the ‘high ground’ and back in those days, it was about position. In this day however, it is about information. I make it my business to stay informed. James, you are one of mine and therefore you are under my protection. Let me try to find out more.”
James smiled slightly, “Yes, sir.”
“Now go back to your dorm and get some sleep. You are not responsible for Rachel’s death. She was responsible for herself, not you.”
James nodded, “Yes, sir.” James turned and left the office. Ray leaned back into his chair. He knew there was more, there had to be more. James was thinking the same as he made his way back to his dorm.
Once James got to his dorm, he realized all his roommates were already asleep. It was only 10:00pm, but they had to be up early. James quietly moved to his bed and pulled his bag out from under his bed. He opened it and pulled his teddy bear out. He sat down on his bed and gripped it in his hands. It was getting old and worn, but the words ‘we love you’ were still clear. He felt tears coming to his eyes. She was real. He could remember her face. He never understood why he clung to her so much. It just had to be the belief that she was real. James held the bear to his chest and laid back onto his bed. He would find out who she was and who he was. Those were his last thoughts as he drifted to sleep.
Chapter
14
The following morning Ray caught John up to speed.
“Okay, what did you need to talk to me about that I had to get up an hour earlier for?” John said as he took the seat across from Ray’s desk.
“There is more going on with James than we thought.”
“I told you.” John leaned forward in his chair.
“He knows very little about his mother, but he told Rachel what he knew. I am really starting to worry about what the information actually means and who she was.”
“Is she alive?”
“According to James, she is dead. She killed herself in front of him.”
“Then why would anyone care about her?”
“His father’s weapons' company fell apart. There were numerous deaths that have no record of why or how, just that they died. People may think James knows more about what happened there than he is saying. I am worried for his safety.”
“I’m worried for everyone's safety with him around. If people are out after him, he could jeopardize all of them.”
“We are not turning our backs on him. He is one of ours and we will protect him. I will find out what is going on and I need to know you are on board with this.”
John shook his head, “Ray, I trust you. It is not that. I
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