CHAPTER 18 – United We Stand

  The roaring sound of tires skidding to a stop echoed through the underground parking bay. Moments ter, Paul, Linda, and Candy Zimmerman stepped out of their vehicle. Their jaws dropped as they took in the bustling high-tech command center before them. Screens flickered with maps, surveilnce footage, and streams of data. Engineers and analysts moved with precision; their voices blended with the hum of machinery and occasional chimes of alerts. The room was alive with purpose... a stark contrast to the chaos above ground.

  "Wow," Paul said in amazement.

  "This is... INCREDIBLE! Look at this pce!"

  "It’s like stepping into a sci-fi movie," Linda added.

  "State-of-the-art everything."

  Candy was spinning in pce.

  "Whoa! Look at all these cool screens! And... is that a robot?! Mom! Dad! There’s a robot!"

  Just then, Peter emerged from the crowd, smiling proudly, with Chris and Ruby by his side. Major Amma followed close behind, her stern yet welcoming demeanor adding to the sense of urgency in the air.

  Peter extended his arms.

  "Gd to see you all in one piece!"

  Paul rushed to shake Peter’s hand.

  "Peter, we can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done already. Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin."

  Linda said with a warm smile, "You saved us."

  “I don’t think we could’ve made it here on our own. And this command center? It’s more than impressive... it’s BRILLIANT.”

  Peter grinned.

  "Well, we do what we can. Welcome to the Parsons’ command center. It’s not much..."

  “Not much?” Candy interrupted excitedly.

  “Are you kidding? This is AWESOME. And YOU’RE awesome!”

  Candy threw her arms around Peter, hugging him.

  "Thank you, Mr. Peter!!!"

  Peter blinked in surprise at the sudden hug but lightly chuckled, patting Candy on the back.

  "I think someone’s a fan," Peter responded with a smirk.

  "You’re welcome, Candy. But truth be told, we wouldn’t have anything without the brains behind all this over there."

  He gestured toward Chris and Ruby, who stood proudly near him. Candy’s face lit up, and without hesitation, she bounded over and pulled Chris and Ruby into a hug.

  "You guys are the best! THE best! I missed you so much!"

  Ruby grinned as Candy squeezed tight.

  "I missed you too, but, uh... might want to loosen your grip a little. Breathing’s important."

  Candy giggled, releasing them.

  "Sorry guys. I'm just gd to be with my besties again!"

  Ruby lightly nudged Candy.

  "Didn’t I tell you Uncle P rocks?"

  Candy nodded eagerly.

  "Oh, yeah. You were totally right. 100% right."

  Peter then gestures to Jenny.

  “Those mini cameras that you guys saw in action; our lead scientist was the one who designed them.”

  The Zimmermans got a good look at Doc Jenny. Paul and Linda were shocked by how young she was.

  Linda pointed to Jenny.

  “You mean... SHE is your lead scientist?!”

  “Wow, she only looks a few years older than Chris!” Paul replied bewildered.

  As they moved toward the engineers, Jenny looked up and smiled.

  “Ah, the Zimmermans! Nice to finally meet you. I’m Dr. Jennifer Kwan.”

  “YOU'RE the lead scientist?!” Paul said as he extended his hand, which Jenny graciously shook.

  Candy said with excitement, “And you’re the one who designed those cool mini camera spiders!”

  Jenny giggled and blushed.

  “Guilty as charged!”

  Candy and Jenny shook hands.

  “Yes, those were quite fascinating,” Linda added as she shook Jenny’s hand.

  “But did they have to be spiders?”

  “Well... I did consider grasshoppers,” Jenny said jokingly.

  Candy lightly chuckled at her joke.

  Jenny got back on track.

  “On a serious note, we need your input.”

  “What do you mean?” Linda asked, gncing at Peter with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

  “Peter has brought you all into the fold at a crucial moment. We’re about to initiate the next phase of our operation. Based on the data we’ve gathered, we’ve pinpointed potential vulnerabilities in the enemy forces.”

  Paul exchanged gnces with Linda and Candy, a mixture of relief and trepidation washed over them.

  “What do you need us to do?”

  Jenny pulled up a projection on the nearest screen, revealing troop formations and their movement patterns.

  “I’ve been applying mathematical algorithms to predict troop behaviors. If we coordinate a response quickly, we can set traps to divert their attention.”

  “The military will likely send another round of soldiers and prepare for another assault,” Major Amma chimed in, her authoritative tone cutting through the tension.

  “We need to have defensive measures in pce in case that happens.”

  “Exactly.” Jenny nodded, her confidence radiating as she continued.

  “I need your local knowledge to help us exploit their weaknesses. Candy, I know you’re young, but do you remember those paths and shortcuts you took in the neighborhood? They could provide us with the unpredictability we need.”

  Candy’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.

  “I can help! I know where they’ll least expect us to be!”

  While the kids worked with Jenny, Peter turned to Paul and Linda and nodded toward a man in the corner. Though rugged and modest in appearance, his resembnce to Peter made it clear that the two were reted.

  "Paul. Linda. I want you to meet Henry. My younger brother."

  Henry stepped forward, offering a firm handshake. Paul shook Henry’s hand.

  "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Henry. Peter’s been telling us a lot about you... and judging by all this..." He gestured to the command center with an impressed smile, "...it’s not hard to see you two are wired the same."

  Henry chuckled, slightly embarrassed.

  "Wired the same? Hardly. I just help where I can. But the real brains of the operation..." He gnced toward Chris and Ruby, "...are those two."

  "We’ve noticed," Linda said with a smile.

  "Chris and Ruby are certified geniuses... absolute wonders. You must be so proud of them."

  Henry’s face reddened slightly, and he rubbed the back of his neck with unspoken pride.

  "They’re something special, all right. But my mind? That’s a whole different ball game compared to theirs. And sometimes I think...," He gnced sheepishly at Peter, "...we just try to keep up."

  "Well, either way, genius must run in the family," Linda replied, attempting to break Henry's modesty.

  "I’ll say," Paul added, nodding in agreement.

  "Chris and Ruby have been nothing short of a blessing to Candy. She adores them."

  "Speaking of family," Linda said.

  "Henry, is your wife here? I’d love to meet her."

  Henry’s expression shifted slightly. He hesitated, seemingly weighing his words, before responding.

  "Francine’s around. But... after what happened tonight, she’s not exactly in the best mood. You understand."

  As if on cue, Francine appeared, walking briskly toward the group. Her carefully composed expression softened as she approached.

  "I’m terribly sorry for not greeting you earlier. I’ve been... preoccupied. But welcome to the command center. I’m Francine Parsons, Chris and Ruby’s mom."

  Francine extended her hand warmly. Linda smiled brightly, taking Francine’s hand in hers.

  "It’s so wonderful to meet you, Francine. I’m Linda Zimmerman. And this is my husband, Paul."

  Paul extended his hand, which Francine graciously accepted.

  "Francine, it’s an honor. You and Henry have raised some amazing kids. You really should be proud of them."

  Francine’s previously composed demeanor faltered for a moment... pride flickered in her eyes.

  "Thank you. I am proud of them. More than they know."

  "Well, I think our daughter might love your kids even more than we do," Paul said with a chuckle.

  Francine smiled as her gaze flicked to Candy.

  "They’ve mentioned how much Candy means to them. It’s... different, for all of them, I think. Chris and Ruby don’t have many friends. Never have. But they never seemed to mind."

  "It’s the same for Candy," Linda added.

  "Maybe that’s why they work so well together... Candy feels like she can really be herself around them. And they accept her for who she is."

  Before Francine could respond, a burst of giggles interrupted the adults as Chris, Ruby, and Candy ran up to them.

  "Sweetie," Linda addressed Candy, gesturing to Francine.

  "This is Chris and Ruby’s mom."

  Candy’s eyes lit up with excitement, and before anyone could stop her, she ran to Francine and wrapped her arms around her.

  "Thank you for having awesome kids," Candy said gleefully.

  Francine blinked in surprise, but her expression softened into one of genuine warmth as she hugged Candy back. "Well, thank YOU, Candy," Francine replied gratefully.

  "I think you’re pretty special too."

  "Careful, Mom." Ruby spoke with a mischievous grin.

  "She hugs everyone. You might be next, Dad."

  The joke earned a round of ughter from everyone present.

  "All right, everyone. Back to business," Peter commanded.

  He turned to the women, "Linda, Francine... why don’t you two take some time to get to know each other? We’ll need to prep for what’s next."

  Linda notices Francine’s angry gre in Peter’s direction and gently nudged her arm.

  "That sounds like a great idea. Let’s step outside for a bit."

  The two women moved away, leaving Peter with Paul and Henry. Peter shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat before speaking.

  "Guys, I’m not happy about what I’m about to ask, but... I need more men on the field. We’re looking at springing Colonel Zeke Haywood out of the Pentagon. Would you be willing to assist us?"

  Paul barely paused before responding, his voice steady with resolve.

  "You don’t even have to ask, Peter. You’ve already brought us this far. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of changing the course of history? Count me in."

  Peter looked visibly relieved as Paul continued.

  "Besides, it’s obvious you know what you’re doing. I trust you. We all do."

  Henry agreed with a nod.

  "Dad," Chris interjected.

  "You might want to let Mom know what’s happening first."

  Chris then turned to address Paul.

  "You should do the same, Mr. Zimmerman."

  "Good call, son," Henry replied in agreement.

  Paul nodded.

  "Thanks, Chris. I'll make sure to let her know."

  Paul pced a hand on Chris's shoulder.

  "And Chris? Call me Paul from now on. None of this formal ‘Mr. Zimmerman’ stuff, all right?"

  Chris beamed.

  "Really? Thanks, Paul."

  Ruby grinned, leaning in.

  "Does that mean I can call you Paul too?"

  "Of course," Paul said with a giggle.

  Ruby smirked.

  "Good! Because I was going to do it anyway."

  Everyone ughed, the tension breaking for a moment as pns for the next steps loomed ahead.