I meant to post this chapter on Monday but my hear wasn't in it. My daddy was brought home under hospice care on Tuesday and it is only a matter of time. This a shorter chapter and I will try and post the next chapter tomorrow or Monday.

Mrs. Carson makes some calls and Atalanta gains a running partner. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 21

Thursday morning I woke up completely alert with no lingering effects of sleep dimming my senses. I remained motionless, sensing the room and the environment; searching for anything that didn’t belong. Air movement alerted me to the open door and another presence in the room. Opening my senses I tasted of the energies swirling around me, catching a familiar light scent riding on the morning air.

A smile played across my lips, “Nikki you’re up early,” I observed, opening my eyes and throwing back the bed covers adding, “what brings you around?”

“A group of us get together each morning to do warm ups and some sparring to keep in shape. Care to join us?”

“Sure. I'll be down in ten minutes, you want to wait you can.”

“I'll wait.”

I shrugged into a pair of workout pants, a sweatshirt, and a pair of trainers. I brushed out my hair, fastening it into a ponytail before jamming my wide brimmed hat on.

I'm ready,” I announced to Nikki and we hurried outside to join the others. I fell into the rear of the group not wishing to disturb their tai chi warm up routines as I completed a series complicated forms that Manny had taught me that emphasized hand-eye coordination using my hands and feet while maintaining my balance. After my self-allotted time I announced I was going for a run.

“Care for company.”

The newcomer wore loose fitting workout clothing but I noticed a badge hung from her neck, “I'm Samantha Everheart,”

I shook the offered hand, “I'm Atalanta Reid. Sure if you want. I need to warn you though it’s pretty intense, I run for speed, endurance, agility and balance, and just for the fun of it.”

“That sounds good,” Sam declared.

I had guessed that Sam was not a baseline human but after 5 miles that guess was confirmed. We were now running beside a tumbling lusty mountain stream and leaping from rock to rock while marveling at the view of the sun as it began to peek between a notch in the mountains. Suddenly I sprinted my long legs a blur as I stair-stepped a series of rocks each taller than the one before it, and ended on a giant slab of stone a good twenty feet higher and dead flat. Moments later Samantha plopped down beside me with neither of us showing any fatigue from five miles with obstacles no armed forces had conceived of.

“You weren't kidding were you,” Sam remarked.

Several minutes passed as I was absorbed in the sun rising against the backdrop of the Presidents mountain range. Tentacle rays of purple sunshine streaked across the horizon splashing colors against the drab monotone grays that darkness had wrapped the landscape in. I raised my arms skyward and stretched and basked when the golden rays of the sun painted our perch in warmth and promise.

“This is a piece of cake compared to back home,” I replied.

“I'm your bird dog,” Sam announced bluntly, “I’ve been assigned to dog your steps for the next few weeks; the powers that be are a little nervous about you.”

“I figured that was it,” I responded mildly. “Mrs. Carson implied as much.”

“No hard feelings.”

“None, You... and they are just doing their jobs. I do appreciate you telling me.”

Suddenly pensive I turned to Sam and asked, “What did you do before Whateley security.”

Samantha knew she wasn't asking about her janitorial duties and decide to be blunt, “Seals, Black OPS, sniper unit,” she responded.

I nodded my head, “My teacher...Manny did the same thing.”

“Mind if I ask his name. I probably know him. We might even have shared the same piece of dirt.”

I sighed. Manny had not told me I couldn't but if they were nervous before, this wouldn't allay any fears. “I used to tease him about his name and what he did. At first I thought he was joking or it was a government code...men in black.”

Samantha was stunned, “Are you talking about Manny Black.”

“Yeah,”

Manny was not just a Seal, he was team leader, deadly, loyal and one of the finest men and soldiers that Sam knew. If Atalanta had been thoroughly trained by Manny, Atalanta was dangerous .They had worked the same theaters but not at the same time. Usually it was her leaving, or Manny coming in. They had briefed each other often and Manny was as sharp as any. If he hadn't liked being in the field no doubt he would have made bars and a desk in Washington. Though Sam guessed he had contacts there too.

“I know him, a fine man and you could not have a better teacher.”

I smiled, “Manny said I took to it like a duck to water, a natural.”

A 'natural' was a military term for trainees who were natural warriors.

“I guess he taught you everything then.”

“He said he did,”

“If I know Manny, he did. You should be proud there ain't more than a couple of dozen men and no other woman I know of with that level of knowledge and training.”

Good God she earned that as a baseline and at 14 too! That’s Scary good.

“I am proud. Though,” I smiled ruefully, “we hid the rough stuff from my Mom. At least I did.”

“We're going back the same route?”

I nodded springing from the perch hanging briefly in air as my feet lightly kissed the foot stone and then skipped wildly from rock to rock; much as a rock skipping across water. In less than 15 minutes we were back at Poe. A small sheen of moisture on my lip was the only sign of exertion and Sam did not show that hint.

“Thanks Samantha for the company. I'm taking a shower and get a bite to eat and see what else Mrs. Carson has in store for me today. I hope to take some placement tests on as many subjects as I can and concentrate on what Whateley teaches that normal high schools don't. See you at Crystal Hall?”

“I don't know,” she confessed, “my fuel requirements have altered.”

We parted company at the entrance to Poe; me to shower and change clothing and Sam to the security center.

“Well,” demanded Chief Franklin Delarose when Samantha reported.

“She's a good kid.”

“Besides that,” growled Delarose.

“She is in damn fine physical conditioning.”

“Out with it. Did you find out who her mystery guy is” Sam sat down immediately somber and professional and told him everything she learned.

“What is your assessment,” Delarose asked tersely.

“She has lethal skills as a baseline; even more so as a mutant. As a baseline there are not more than a dozen people that could defeat her. As a mutant it is anybody's guess. What we do know is she hasn't used lethal force and she’s had opportunities to do that.”

“What do you recommend?”

“The same recommendations I’d give for most of the students that come here; keep a close eye on her for a month and give her freedom to run while keeping her busy with classes.”

“What about encouraging her to join with the grunts?” The grunts were a Whateley group version of infantry.

“I don’t think she’d fit in,” Sam answered quickly, “her skills runs more along the areas of asymmetrical force; infiltrator, sniper, intelligence, and the survival school are all areas that she is suited for.”

“Hank’s a member of the grunts and Team Kimba plus he’s their logistics manager. Could she work with Hank and the Parkour Hooligans?”

“That’s an interesting combination,” admitted Sam, “also, she’s female and he’s male too.”

Delarose slid a file across the desk to Sam, “There’s her files, read them and bring them back,” Delarose ordered dismissing Sam with a wave of his hand.

After Sam left Delarose dialed a number he had on speed dial that was picked up after three rings, “Yes,” the cool cultured voice on the other end asked.

Delarose repeated what Sam told him. “Write it up and email me the report.” And the line went dead.

Several hours later Elizabeth Carson was frustrated and angry. The files she had received on Manny Black were either redacted, stamped top secret, or lead to dead ends and false leads. It looked like he had sat on his dead ass for 16 years and retired on a 20 year pension. His pay was classified. She knew that short of hacking into the military, which she wasn't about to do, she had just one option left to play.

Sighing again she reached for her phone dialing a number she had often dialed in the past. “Nick O’Reilly how can I help you.”

“Mr. O’Reilly, Elizabeth Carson from Whateley.”

“Mrs. Carson, how can I help you, I know Nikki's not in any more trouble there.”

“No, not at all, though this new girl reminds me a lot of Nikki and she is at Poe too. She went on to summarize Atalanta's situation and her concerns, “...and if you don't mind see what you can dig up on her father Lt Colonel Frank Reid who went down over Iraq two years ago.”

Nick chuckled, “If Mr. Black is what you think all I will be able to tell you are in generalities not any operation details, who he served with or under. Best I can do is ask around get assessments about his honor, intelligence, aptitude, any marks and what they are for, attention to detail, habits, discipline, willpower, maybe some special schools he was sent for.

The head of DARPA continued, “I’ve already met Miss Reid and her mother on a helicopter from Utah to New Mexico. I arranged for her temporary ID card and to fast track her military mutant card. But you already have someone on staff there that should know Manny, Sam Everheart.”

“She vouches for him.”

“Then what is the problem. Is there something you're leaving out Mrs. Carson?”

“There is,” she admitted, “but I'm uncomfortable revealing third hand information.”

“Since you called me, it is obvious you have concerns with this rumor. If I know what this rumor is I can probably rundown a contact for Black and ask him about this rumor, since I assume Atalanta told Sam something that Black told her and she told you. Mr. Black is the only person that can confirm or deny that rumor.”

“Okay, you're right. But this goes no farther than us and Mr. Black.”

“Understood,” Nick smiled into his phone.

“I've been around long enough and been around enough military types to know what ‘A Natural’ means in the military.”

“Ah, now I understand your concerns. Let me give you a few pointers. Naturals can be a huge asset or a bigger headache; it all depends on how you handle them. Usually they are in great physical shape, aggressive, and intelligent. Physically you need to keep her challenged and active.”

“She requested that she be allowed to run the forests and mountains here. For now I have limited her to the campus but she has a tentative invite to spend Christmas at the reservation and Eloise has promised to show her around. And she wanted to know if there were any bounty programs here.”

“Bounty programs for what.”

“She tagged animals for wildlife and hunted predators that go rogue.”

“Ah I see. That's exactly what she needs, challenges and Eloise will be good for her; tagging a moose might be just what the doctor ordered. Elizabeth, could you use another person in security?”

“We are always hiring. Security people come and go. Why?”

“Would you consider hiring this Mr. Black, if I can find him, and if he agrees?”

“If he checks out, then yes.”

“Okay, I'll get back to you, probably today, or two at the max, in the meantime Atalanta can be a big asset in any fight and I don't think you have to worry about her starting anything or going postal.”