Agent Out of Time

We pulled up at the dig, such as it was. For all intensive purposes Ted was retired from archaeological practices, other than idle tinkering. He hid out here in the wilderness to escape from being thrown into an old folks home. I couldn't say that I blamed him much. When my time came I'd walk out into the snow, crawl if I had to and just be done with it.

Ted wasn't in his cabin so I beckoned Trent to follow me. We made our way past old spoil piles into the forest. I slipped through the forest easily already sure of where I would find Ted.

"Special forces?"

I looked back at Trent, "Something like that."

"Does Deshavi have anybody else other than you?"

I smiled to myself; he was hooked line and sinker he was.

"She has a mother that's no good. My son died in battle when she was three. I cared for them both after that. I'm not sure where I went wrong, but Deshavi is very much a rebel child. She's gotten herself mixed up into some bad habits."

"Drugs?" He asked, but I shook my head no.

"I don't think so. She steals stuff and you saw how free she is with herself."

"And this is the girl you want me to hook up with?" He asked sarcastically.

"Hey!" I said good-naturedly, "You're the one that seems interested. I'm just giving you some friendly advice."

I saw Ted, the archaeologist hard at work, fishing up ahead.

Trent called out to his grandfather and Ted dropped his pole into the water, as he turned toward the voice he recognized. I stood on the periphery as the two men greeted each other warmly with a hug. I sensed a story somewhere here. Ted was Trent's maternal grandfather and yet both men shared the same last name, which meant one of three things. Trent's mother had him out of wedlock. She was a widow and had changed her name back, but it was rare to change the name of the son, in such a case. Or lastly she was divorced and Trent had decided to keep his mother's maiden name instead of his father's.

In any case it couldn't have been a very secure childhood, but he seemed to have turned out fine despite it. I let myself be drawn into the activity of catching up and the hours went by swiftly.

Trent, lured away by the huge fish jumping in plentiful supply in the stream had moved downriver to fish us dinner, while I and Ted sat and watched. Under pressure by Ted's relentless pestering I'd divulged what had happened in town.