The Siege Read Online Free PDF Page A

to have a look around.  The poltergeists seem to have settled down.”
    “Did the saltwater work?”
    “Never got a chance to use it.  Watch the tape, and you’ll see why.”
    Mia scooted up to the table as close as she could, considering her pregnant body.  “Gee, I should have brought popcorn.”
    Ted reached under the table and brought out a bag of cheese corn.  “Will this do?”
    “Yes, if there is a soda to go with it.”
    “Mia, I only have the Peppers…”
    “If you’re worried about my caffeine intake, it’s five past midnight, I can have a can.  I’ll just have to forgo a cup of the java juice,” she reasoned.
    Ted opened the cooler and grabbed the full-charged caloric drink.  Mia didn’t do diet soda, not now, not ever.
    “Thank you, Teddy Bear,” she said.  “Jake, I’m ready.”
    Ted watched as the ghost in the machine started the compilation video tape he set up for her.  He waited a moment before gathering up Curly and leaving the trailer.
    He set the machine down and ran through the startup protocols.  He could hear Mia talking to either Jake or the screen inside.  He moved further away from the truck to give her privacy.  This wasn’t normal for Ted.  He was trying to wean himself from his eavesdropping ways. It was tough.  As a mischievous child, he listened in on his parents’ conversations to see if their upraised voices had anything to do with him.  And if so, he had a chance to come up with an explanation or get on his bike and hide out at Cid’s for a while.
    Ted maneuvered the centipede-like machine to the front of the mini mansion and stopped it at the threshold.  Part of him feared what the hyped-up entities would do to Curly if they noticed him.  It wasn’t just another machine to Ted.  It was an extension of him, Cid too, really.  When Jake ran Curly, it was as if Ted was having an out of body experience.  Was Curly a toy?  Partly.  It was also very useful in the investigations.  Ted had the patent pending, and once he had achieved securing it, he would offer and perhaps build the robot himself. It could be used for a multitude of reasons.  Could Curly be the next big thing?  He hoped so; the money would be nice.  With a mortgage and a new baby on the way, Ted was focusing on building a secure nest egg for himself and Mia.
    “Ah, Mia,” Ted sighed, looking down at Curly.  It was she who gave the machine the absurd name after it had coiled around her.  “It’s all curly,” she said.  The actual name for the patent was Mobile Recon Device 1640Z7.  Mia protested and pointed out that Ted gave girl names to all the large cameras, why couldn’t she name the machine Curly?  She’d made her point.  Ted gave in graciously and received the benefits of being Mia’s favorite inventor.
    “What if she had met Tesla?” Ted asked the machine.
    “What if who met Tesla?” Mia said behind him.
    He turned around to see Mia staring at him.  Her large green eyes danced.
    “I betcha you didn’t know a prego could do stealth, did yah?” she asked.
    “No, I thought the waddle alone would attract a flock of migrating ducks and give you away,” he teased.
    Mia put her hands on her hips.  “I do not waddle.  Although a close relative, I’ve managed more of an inline skater’s motion to get places quickly.”
    “Well it worked.  What do you think of the situation?”
    “Burt’s in trouble.”
    “You’re taking Burt’s side?  I’m flabbergasted.”
    “I don’t think there should be sides.  We’re all a team.  When one of us goes down, it’s up to the rest of us to help.  As Mike says, it’s what we do.”
    “You’re not concerned that he’s trying to replace you?”
    “There’s no replacing me; I’m one of a kind.  Sure, Dave could be nurtured into an incredible investigator, but Dave’s not interested.  He’s meant for bigger and better things.  Instead of chasing phantoms, Dave’s going to Mars or Saturn or someplace like