The Siege Read Online Free PDF

that.”
    “He doesn’t have the grades to get him on that track,” Ted reminded her.  “He’s barely making it in junior college.”
    “It won’t matter.  Once we give him the ability to feel comfortable with his gifts, school will be easier, and Gerald Shem will do the rest.”
    “Shem?  Are we talking about the same man? The guy who knows a guy?”
    “Yes, and I happen to know that Gerald knows a guy who is working on including sighted individuals on space missions, especially if they are going to be visiting what could be dead civilizations.  They are years away from making this into a tangible reality.  So, in the meantime, we train Dave.”
    Ted looked at his wife and saw she’d thought through the problem and come up with an amazing solution.  It wasn’t that he didn’t think her capable - he knew she was smarter than anyone credited her for - it was that she’d grasped onto something more science than magic that impressed him.
    “Whoa.”
    “Is that a good whoa or a whoa you need to rethink this?” she asked.
    “Definitely a good whoa.  So you’ve got Dave’s future solved. I guess saving PEEPs will be a breeze.”
    “Actually, PEEPs, according to our clever lawyer Alan, is more Mike’s than it is Burt’s.  The trick is keeping Mike interested while we put Burt in a rehab facility for overly-inflated ego.”
    “PEEPs could survive without Burt,” Ted said.
    “But it wouldn’t be the same.  I like the old fart.  He is a challenge, I won’t lie to you.  His problem is that he’s brought up PEEPs to being considered a highly regarded professional group, but he hasn’t evolved with it.  He still thinks like an amateur.”
    “You’ve brought PEEPs there with your talents and your connections,” Ted argued.
    “Oh no, it was all of us working together that has gotten us this far.”  Mia paused a moment and gathered her thoughts. When she was ready she said, “Burt had the dream of running a successful group of paranormal investigators.  Being a dreamer has its problems.  You see, dreamers are used to their dreams failing and are somewhat comfortable with that, so when the dream becomes a reality, the subconscious fights it as something foreign, and that’s when Burt acts out.  No sane man picks a fight with a prego or takes on the guise of the villain when in actuality he’s a good guy.”
    “You sound like you’ve been reading Cid’s books,” Ted teased.  “You make a lot of sense though.  So what do we do?  This group is fractured.  Speaking of, Cid called from the hospital, and Audrey’s torn her rotator cuff and broken her clavicle on the right side.”
    “My god, that has to hurt.”
    “It wasn’t pretty to watch happen either.  Anyway, she’s headed to her parents for TLC when they release her in two days.  Matt’s at the hospital with her now.  Cid’s headed home.”
    “We should go and see her,” Mia insisted.
    “We will tomorrow.  Bring her something to cheer her up.  In the meanwhile, I’d like you to go back to the safety of the trailer before I open this door.  These guys are not only mean but, I fear, deadly.”
    “How about not opening the door?” Mia asked.
    “I would feel better if we had eyes on the inside.”
    “Fine, but I’m standing here until you get Curly inside and close the door.”
    “Mia, they are dangerous. Now is not the time to be pigheaded,” Ted argued.  “Please don’t fight me on this.  I’m Batman, but I can only do so much to protect you and batboy.”
    Mia chuckled.  “Great name for him.  He’s been swinging a bat inside me for a while now.  I’ll go.  But take care of yourself, Batman. We need you.”
    Ted waited until Mia had walked the length of the drive and climbed back into the truck before unlocking the door.  He let half of the double doors swing inward and moved Curly inside.  Before he could step inside to grab the door, it slammed shut.
    “That was me,” Mia called.
    Ted spun