the holdup was. He was no doubt being followed by multiple TSA agents. But knowing Conway he probably had the situation well under control.
I could hear him barking orders before I could see him and I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw him walking swiftly down the hallway toward Alison and I.
“Problem?” The tall dark haired man asked once he reached our side. He was menacing to look at with his 6 foot 7 frame. He had played offensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma and even went on to play for a short time in the NFL before he blew out his knee and hurt his back. But that is where the federal government gained one of its best employees. He had served as a secret service agent for a short time, but was bored quickly with protecting people and dealing with forgers and money launderers. He had been approached by Langley, but turned them down to take his current position.
“Asthma attack,” I said quietly. “Give us just a minute? Car here?”
Conway nodded. “Can she walk?” He did not look as concerned for Alison as maybe I thought he should. Instead, he focused his concern on the TSA officers who had grown in number over the last two minutes. “Gentlemen, I think we have this under control. There is no need for you all to be here. You are just upsetting the young lady.”
Conway had a point as Alison’s breathing grew heavy and labored again. I reached for her hand and as I did she quickly brought her inhaler up to her lips and took another deep breath in.
Conway looked at her and then back at me with concern this time. “We really need to get out of here.” I knew he didn’t want any more tension or suspicion than was necessary. Normally things didn’t happen like this and we were not swarmed by TSA personnel.
A thin tall man dressed in a TSA uniform walked up behind Conway and assessed the situation. Conway turned and to talk to the man and I focused my attention on Alison.
“Sonny,” I whispered into her ear. “I don’t care if you can walk or not. I am going to hand your bag and mine to Conway and I am going to carry you to the car. Don’t say a word, and don’t under any circumstances ask me to put you down.” Even if she did, it wasn’t going to happen.
She nodded her head and did as she was told. She held her inhaler tight in her hand. I shifted my weight and was instantly on my feet. I picked everything that I had dumped out of her backpack, including the pair of thong underwear. I wanted desperately to say something about the redness that came across her flushed face as I shoved them back in her backpack, but I didn’t.
“Conway,” I said softly, just enough to get his attention. I threw him both bags, which he caught effortlessly. I scooped Alison up into my arms and pushed our way through the group of TSA officers that had assembled in the hallway. Alison leaned her head against my chest and closed her eyes. Her breathing once again improved and the wheeze was disappearing. With the pace of our walk, we were out of the hallway and into the almost deserted concourse within minutes, Conway slowed his steps to mine.
“There is a door before we reach the transporters back to the main terminal, go through it and head downstairs, there is a suburban waiting for us.”
“Where are we going?” I said this more for Alison’s benefit than mine. I was pretty sure he would not send us to some interrogation center, as I was sure Alison had imagined in her head earlier. The look of fear in her eyes had tipped me off to that.
“Safe house,” he whispered. I knew not to ask any more questions as they could wait until we were all safely in the suburban. We reached the door to the stairs in record time. The TSA folks had followed us with a keen interest but stopped abruptly as two men appeared at the door weapons in hand and badges on their chests. One held the door open for me.
“I can walk down the stairs Jack,” I heard Alison whisper as I started
I could hear him barking orders before I could see him and I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw him walking swiftly down the hallway toward Alison and I.
“Problem?” The tall dark haired man asked once he reached our side. He was menacing to look at with his 6 foot 7 frame. He had played offensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma and even went on to play for a short time in the NFL before he blew out his knee and hurt his back. But that is where the federal government gained one of its best employees. He had served as a secret service agent for a short time, but was bored quickly with protecting people and dealing with forgers and money launderers. He had been approached by Langley, but turned them down to take his current position.
“Asthma attack,” I said quietly. “Give us just a minute? Car here?”
Conway nodded. “Can she walk?” He did not look as concerned for Alison as maybe I thought he should. Instead, he focused his concern on the TSA officers who had grown in number over the last two minutes. “Gentlemen, I think we have this under control. There is no need for you all to be here. You are just upsetting the young lady.”
Conway had a point as Alison’s breathing grew heavy and labored again. I reached for her hand and as I did she quickly brought her inhaler up to her lips and took another deep breath in.
Conway looked at her and then back at me with concern this time. “We really need to get out of here.” I knew he didn’t want any more tension or suspicion than was necessary. Normally things didn’t happen like this and we were not swarmed by TSA personnel.
A thin tall man dressed in a TSA uniform walked up behind Conway and assessed the situation. Conway turned and to talk to the man and I focused my attention on Alison.
“Sonny,” I whispered into her ear. “I don’t care if you can walk or not. I am going to hand your bag and mine to Conway and I am going to carry you to the car. Don’t say a word, and don’t under any circumstances ask me to put you down.” Even if she did, it wasn’t going to happen.
She nodded her head and did as she was told. She held her inhaler tight in her hand. I shifted my weight and was instantly on my feet. I picked everything that I had dumped out of her backpack, including the pair of thong underwear. I wanted desperately to say something about the redness that came across her flushed face as I shoved them back in her backpack, but I didn’t.
“Conway,” I said softly, just enough to get his attention. I threw him both bags, which he caught effortlessly. I scooped Alison up into my arms and pushed our way through the group of TSA officers that had assembled in the hallway. Alison leaned her head against my chest and closed her eyes. Her breathing once again improved and the wheeze was disappearing. With the pace of our walk, we were out of the hallway and into the almost deserted concourse within minutes, Conway slowed his steps to mine.
“There is a door before we reach the transporters back to the main terminal, go through it and head downstairs, there is a suburban waiting for us.”
“Where are we going?” I said this more for Alison’s benefit than mine. I was pretty sure he would not send us to some interrogation center, as I was sure Alison had imagined in her head earlier. The look of fear in her eyes had tipped me off to that.
“Safe house,” he whispered. I knew not to ask any more questions as they could wait until we were all safely in the suburban. We reached the door to the stairs in record time. The TSA folks had followed us with a keen interest but stopped abruptly as two men appeared at the door weapons in hand and badges on their chests. One held the door open for me.
“I can walk down the stairs Jack,” I heard Alison whisper as I started
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