Legacy of the Grand Master

COMING OF AGE

1

The dark figure crept softly along the edge of the large darkened room – the only illumination coming from the small security lights in the upper corners. She was dressed all in black and wearing socks with small rubber dots on them for traction. She could barely hear the sound of the rubber against the hardwood floors as she crept forward. She paused and looked around the room again, knowing that there were cameras in the room watching for any movement, but she couldn’t determine where they were located.

She crouched down and slowly slid forward on her belly, being careful not to make a sound. When she reached the corner of the room, she paused again, straining to hear the sound of approaching footsteps. The room remained silent. The beating of her heart was the only sound she heard. I haven’t been discovered yet.

She looked around the room again, trying once again to determine where the cameras might be. Mentally, she calculated the best vantage points from where to watch the room’s entrances and exits. She saw the archway leading to the next room. I’ll be spotted instantly if I try to go through the archway. She looked around the wall next to the arch, trying to find another passage to the next room.

Directly above her, there was an opening in the wall, designed to make it possible for someone in one room to pass things to someone in the next room. It was large enough for a small person to get through, and there was a ledge at the base of the opening that looked sturdy. She carefully slid backward away from the wall so she’d have a better view of the opening and the ledge.

She debated whether or not to attempt to use the opening in the wall to get to the next room. There have to be cameras aimed at the archway, but is the same true for the opening? After several moments, she decided to chance it.

The ledge at the base of the opening was about four feet off the floor. If I try to climb up, I’ll be fully exposed the whole time. Even if some of the cameras in the room have motion sensors, it’ll be better to jump to the ledge and move through the opening quickly into the next room. Then I only have to worry about where the cameras in the next room are located.

She carefully raised herself off the floor and into a crouching position, tightening her leg and arm muscles in preparation for the jump. She leaped up with tremendous force, landing in the center of the ledge. She scrambled across the ledge into the next room and paused to listen. There were still no sounds of approaching footsteps.

She smiled as she looked around the next room to see where its cameras might be located. There was a counter just below the ledge, and it ran underneath cabinets to the left and the right that were mounted above the opening. She moved to the right, using the cabinets as cover from any overhead cameras. She reached the corner of the room and paused again, looking around.

Even without looking, she knew that the target of the night’s operation was sitting on top of the cabinet directly over her head. There would undoubtedly be more than one camera pointed directly at the target, making any approach almost impossible without being seen. She looked around the room, trying to calculate the most logical camera placements and whether there were any blind spots.

Looking back toward the ledge and the opening, She noted that there was a gap in the cabinets wide enough to climb between, giving her the option of approaching the target from the top of the cabinets instead of from below. She knew that the cabinets wouldn’t hold much weight, but if she could stand up on the ledge, she might be able to hook the target with something and pull the target over toward the opening, placing it within easy reach and out of the view of the cameras.

The target was a ceramic-lidded pot with two ceramic arms on both sides, giving it the appearance of a Grecian urn. She did a quick inspection of what was available on the ledge and countertop, and she noticed there were several large paperclips as well as a ball of twine. She took a paperclip and bent it until it resembled a fishing hook. She tied the end of the hook to the twine and unrolled several feet. After that, she stood up. By standing on her tiptoes, she could just see the target above the edge of the cabinets.

She held the ball of twine in one hand and the improvised hook in the other. She took aim and let the hook fly at the target. The first throw was several inches short of the mark. She pulled the twine back, listening carefully for the sound of footsteps. She took aim again and let the hook fly a second time. This time, just as the hook reached the pot, she jerked slightly on the twine, causing the hook to stop its forward momentum and curl towards the closest arm on the side of the ceramic pot. The hook dropped through the arm with a slight clinking sound. She gently pulled the twine, making sure not to pull the hook loose. The hook caught the pot’s arm, and soon the pot was sliding across the top of the cabinets toward the opening where she was waiting. It made a low scraping noise, but there were no sounds of footsteps approaching. She continued pulling the pot until it was within reach.

She unhooked the paperclip, untied it from the twine, and bent it back into shape before putting it in its original position on the ledge. She rewound the twine and put it back in its original position as well. Reaching up again, she grabbed the pot, opening it quickly to make sure that the contents were there. She closed the pot and moved back to the ledge to start working on an exit strategy.

A lone watcher studied the video monitor carefully, looking for any sign of movement. Several cameras were simultaneously sending signals to the monitor, allowing the watcher to see if anyone were entering or crossing the rooms. Three cameras were pointed at the pot in one room, and she was certain that any attempt to reach or take the pot would be seen.

The watcher looked closely at the images coming from the room next to one with the pot, trying to see evidence of movement. Even in the low light, the cameras captured images with incredible detail.

The video monitor showed sixteen different camera images at the same time, and the watcher scanned them all repeatedly. If something caught her eye, a push of a button would enlarge the view from any of the cameras until it filled the video monitor’s screen. Another button would return the image to its normal size so an operator could scan all of the images together.

After several minutes of checking and rechecking the images coming from the room next to the one with the pot, the watcher glanced at the displays from the cameras trained on the pot itself. She jumped to her feet. Something was wrong: the pot was missing!

The watcher enlarged the center camera on the pot and backed it up until the pot was in view. She pressed play to see what had happened. The pot was sitting in its proper place, and then it slowly slid to the right and out of the picture. She checked the other two cameras and saw the same thing. The pot simply slid out of view of the cameras.

She was about to turn on all the lights and make a search of the rooms to find out what happened to the pot, when she heard a voice coming from behind her.

Want a cookie, Mommy?

Emily McCafferty Anderson spun around. There, standing in the doorway of her office, was her twelve year-old daughter, smiling triumphantly. Jamie Michelle Anderson was dressed all in black and was holding the pot that Emily used as a cookie jar in one hand while eating a cookie held in her other hand.

Emily looked at her daughter with a mixture of absolute surprise and pride. Reaching her hand out, she said, Give me the cookie jar please, Jamie.

Still smiling, Jamie walked forward and handed the cookie jar to her Mom. She licked the cookie crumbs off her fingers and sat down in a nearby chair, waiting for the questions that she was sure her Mom would have for her.

This was a game that mother and daughter had played for years. Emily Anderson had designed the best video surveillance systems on the market, and she now served as a senior executive of the company that manufactured and distributed the systems to military and law enforcement customers all over the world. Ever since Jamie had been a toddler, Emily had used her daughter as a test subject, creating challenges and using the surveillance system to thwart Jamie’s attempts to win their games.

Emily sat down opposite her daughter and took a cookie before putting the cookie jar on her desk. Tonight’s challenge had been one of the hardest Emily had devised to-date. It was also the first time Jamie had won a challenge. Emily knew that Jamie was bursting at the seams to tell her Mom how she had done it, but Emily wanted to make Jamie wait a little to get back at her for winning. Emily ate the cookie slowly, pretending to ignore the impatient look on her daughter’s face.

Jamie knew what Emily was doing, so she leaned back in the chair and smiled quietly at her Mom. She not only managed to grab the cookie jar unobserved from on top of the cabinets in the kitchen, but she also got it back across the living room and all the way to her Mom’s office at the end of the hallway without being seen or heard. She was quite pleased with herself.

Emily looked at her daughter while she ate her cookie. Like Emily, Jamie had red hair, but rather than the light red and fair skin of her Mom, Jamie had auburn hair and skin that tanned lightly in the summer. Her face was similar to her Mom’s, but Emily noted a lot of her husband’s features in her daughter as well. Even at twelve, Jamie was athletic and fearless. She had been taking martial arts classes for almost eight years and already had several junior black belts, tournament trophies, and medals to her credit. There was nothing she wouldn’t try and, so far, nothing she couldn’t excel at when she put her mind to it. She was an excellent student, a warm and outgoing person, and a loyal friend. Emily was very proud of her daughter.

Once she finished the cookie, Emily sat back in her chair and looked at Jamie. Ok, I know you’re dying to tell me. How did you do it?

Are you sure you really want to know, Mom? Would you rather have another cookie first?

No, Emily replied, smiling, I don’t need another cookie right now. Just tell me how you did it please.

Jamie proceeded to give Emily the details of how she managed to beat the challenge. Several times, Emily stopped Jamie so she could back up the video monitors and try to see if Jamie were visible from any of the cameras. Evidently, even though Jamie had no idea where the cameras were located, she managed to stay out of sight of all of them.

How did you get the cookie jar? Emily asked after Jamie had finished telling her about crossing the living room.

Well, I knew that you’d have more than one camera on the cookie jar, and there was no way I could just stand up and reach for it. When I saw the string and the paperclip, I remember watching Dad create a hook with string and paperclips a long time ago, and I thought it might work to get the cookie jar out of sight of the cameras. Getting the cookie jar wasn’t that hard. The hard part was getting it back across the living room.

How did you do that?

Jamie told her, and Emily looked at the video monitors again, astonished that Jamie didn’t appear on the images from any of the cameras. She was about to ask another question when she heard the outer garage door opening.

Dad’s home! Jamie cried, leaping up and running out the door and down the hall to the kitchen. Emily stood, picked up the cookie jar, and followed her daughter.

A moment later, Thomas Campbell Anderson walked into the kitchen carrying several bags of groceries and a couple of large pizzas. Anyone home? he called.

Hi, Dad! Jamie said and she clutched Tom around the waist and gave him a hug.

Tom put down the groceries and the pizza boxes on the kitchen counter and hugged his daughter. How’s my girl today? he asked, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

I had a great day!

Tom looked at Emily as she entered the kitchen, holding the cookie jar up for Tom to see. She won the challenge, Emily said with a grin.

Tom reached over and gave Emily a kiss. Looking down at his daughter, he asked, How did that happen?

Emily and Jamie gave Tom the story as he put away the groceries and got out plates for the pizza. Tom was amazed at Jamie’s triumph, and he gave her another kiss and congratulated her. Jamie’s face was beaming as she sat down at the table.

Emily got glasses for everyone and handed the cookie jar to Tom to put back in its place on top of the cabinets. Tom knew that they’d have to find a new place to keep the cookies now that Jamie had managed to get it down unseen, but that was something he and Emily would discuss later.

After dinner, Jamie went to her room to finish her homework while Tom and Emily cleaned up the kitchen.

How’s Dad? Emily asked softly, putting her hand gently on Tom’s arm.

Not great, Tom said. He’s still not used to being alone, but I think that the wedding is helping to keep him distracted.

Five months earlier, just before Tom’s nephew, Ian Douglas, got married, Tom’s mother, Tracy Anderson, became very ill. She was eighty-eight years old, and her body wasn’t able to fight off the infection. She passed on quietly one evening in the early autumn, and the loss of her love and humor was felt by all who knew her. Tom went over to visit his dad, James Anderson, several times a week – partly to keep him informed about the Order of the Saltire and partly to make sure that he was doing okay. Tom’s father had founded the Order many years earlier, and Tom had been the Grand Master for ten years, but they spoke frequently about what was going on with the Order – both as a way to share information and as a way for father and son to maintain a relationship that they both valued very much.

At the previous Christmas family gathering, held at Tom and Emily’s house rather than at James’ house, which had been the family tradition for decades, Sophie Anderson Douglas’ youngest son, Alex, announced that he, too, was getting married. Now the family was getting ready for another addition to the family, which was helping keep Tom’s dad from dwelling on the loss of his beloved wife.

Is Alex still planning to move away after the wedding? Emily asked.

Yes, his new job starts three weeks after they get back from their honeymoon. He’ll have a new wife and a new career in a new city all at the same time. He’s in for quite an adventure!

How’s your sister taking it?

Oh, you know Sophie. She’s happy for him and sad all at the same time. Hey, did you hear that Ian is getting transferred, too?

No! Emily exclaimed. When’s that happening?

Next month. They’re moving to Denver.

Wow, Emily said. Both of Sophie’s boys are leaving within a few months of each other. I’d better get together with her this week and make sure that she’s okay and knows that I’m here for her if she needs me.

I think she’d like that, Tom said.

Changing the subject, Emily asked, Did you talk to Liam about bringing the boys into the Order?

Yes, and we both agree that we’re not going to mention the Order to them. I was hoping that we might eventually bring them in, but their lives and their careers are taking them other places.

I kind of figured that’s what you two would decide. It’s too bad, but then again we don’t want the Order to turn into just another family business.

True, Tom said, slipping his arm around Emily’s waist as he turned off the kitchen light. They walked into the living room to relax for a while.

After they sat down next to each other on the couch, Emily asked, Do you think that we’ll ever tell Jamie about the Order?

I don’t know, Tom said after a moment, reaching forward to brush a couple of silver strands of hair away from Emily’s face and tuck them back behind her ear. He knew that his hair was turning grey, but all in all, he thought that they were both aging quite well. They were still active and still acted young, even though Emily was in her forties and Tom was in his fifties.

Part of me wants to, and part of me doesn’t, he continued. The Order can always use more people, but you and I both know the danger that comes from a commitment like that. It’s nothing we have to decide right now, but I think that we should talk about it from time to time. If we do tell her, though, it shouldn’t be until after she’s eighteen.

I agree, Emily said, putting her head on Tom’s shoulder.

They sat and talked for another couple of hours before getting up and checking on Jamie. After they made sure that her homework was done and she was ready for bed, they retired to their room across the hall.

As Tom undressed and put on his sleep shorts, he thought about the question that Emily had put to him earlier regarding Jamie and the Order. There’s plenty of time to worry about that later.

2

The years seemed to pass too quickly for Tom and Emily as they watched Jamie grow up. Jamie continued trying her hand at new sports, bringing home an impressive collection of trophies, medals, and ribbons. She was an excellent swimmer and diver, a great equestrian, which she did with her Aunt Sophie every week, and an amazing runner. Tom thought several times how glad he was to be retired, since someone had to take Jamie to her seemingly endless lessons, classes, and events. He didn’t mind. It gave him time to be with his daughter, which is one of the reasons he had retired in the first place.

Emily, who worked part time at SignalCorps, overseeing the development and marketing of new surveillance system upgrades, went with Tom to Jamie’s activities as often as she could. She loved being with her family, and it was a joy watching Jamie excel at almost everything she tried.

It wasn’t a conscious choice by Tom or Emily to have only one child. They had tried to have another for several years, but Emily never got pregnant again. Tom and Emily never felt that their family was incomplete, though. More children would have added to their joy, but they were a happy family, and neither Tom nor Emily felt upset that Jamie was an only child. Tom also felt somewhat relieved that he’d never have to endure a parent-child relationship like the one he had with his father when he was younger.

Saturday mornings were when all three of them went to the local martial arts center. While Tom and Emily were upstairs fencing, Jamie was downstairs with her Tae kwon do class. Sometimes, if the class finished early, she’d come upstairs and watch her parents spar with swords and fighting sticks. She was still too young to learn weapons fighting, but she sat and watched, memorizing every move and every tell (glance, muscle twitch, stance change, and so on) her parents had that indicated which maneuver they were going to try next. Jamie had an uncanny way of reading people, and she could anticipate their actions easily, which made her such a strong martial arts competitor.

Jamie also spent a lot of time with her friends, either hanging out at the house or going to the local coffee shop. At first, Tom and Emily wondered what kind of influence her friends might have on Jamie, but it quickly became clear that, not only were her friends good people, but Jamie was also the undisputed leader of the group, and she was a positive influence on them. Most of her friends