A Murder of Crows

Posted on Sun May 5th, 2019 @ 2:30am by Civillian Ravi Azad PhD & Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Corvus

Mission: Interlude 1
Location: Various

Jeremy moved as fast as he could limp through the corridors. One good thing that science fiction had was that people always knew where other people were. Not so much in real life. He glanced at his watch while he continued to move quickly. Two collisions with others, who also seemed to in a rush for their own ends, later and he came to the door he was looking for. "Please be here, please be here," he muttered as he rapped on the door, hoping that Ravi would be here. And that he would be in a good mood. And he would be agreeable. And not ask a lot of questions.

"C'mon," he muttered again, rapping once more on the door. He didn't realize that his 'knocking' was more akin to "this is just a courtesy but we intend to bust down this door in two seconds" knock used right before storming into a building. He might have realized it if he were less desperate.

“Can you let a guy put on his pants before he answers to door?” Ravi jokes as he opened the door. “Jeremy! What’s so urgent?”

"You got pants on?" Jeremy asked, checking. "Okay, good. Look, man, I hate to be a total mooch on you but I checked and with everyone getting liberty for this weekend, the motorpool is out of cars and my family is flying into Colorado Springs and I need to meet them at the airport before they try to go to the Academy to find me." It was said in a single, rushed breath. "Gas, dinner, hotel room, whatever you want but I need to head them off at the airport."

"Why would they go to the Academy?" asked Ravi, somewhat confused.

"GAH!" Jeremy said as he grabbed the doorjamb. "Why does everyone focus on that?" He shook his head, "Okay, sorry. They think I'm assigned there, teaching at the Academy."

Ravi sighed, shaking his head. "Why not just tell them you're involved in a top-secret project and that's all you can tell them?" he asked as he stepped into his shoes. "That's what I told my brothers and sister and they don't ask questions."

"Yeah, but you're a geek, what's the worse that can happen to you?" Jeremy said, leaning against the wall. "I mean, from what they know? I tell my Mom or sister that I'm on a top secret project and they'll think something bad is happening every day! They worried enough when I'm in country, I didn't want them to worry about me here! So I panicked, okay? I panicked and when they mentioned that I was near the Academy I just said I was teaching there." Jeremy checked his watch. "I don't want them to find out I've been lying all this time and think I don't have any respect for them."

Jeremy slapped the wall then hobbled a few steps away and back. "Look, Rav, I know what I did was a bad thing and a person shouldn't ever feel like they should lie to their family. Maybe I would have come clean after the first mission, the first few days, I don't know. But, my Mom was so proud to hear I'm teaching. All of us boys have followed my Dad's path, becoming cops or me in the Air Force. But as a teacher at the Academy, she felt that maybe her career was important to us as well. Please, Rav?"

"All right, all right," agreed Ravi. "And what am I supposed to be? Another teacher?"

Jeremy thought for a moment. "That would be good," he muttered. "Am I doing it again?" He asked, "Trying too hard to push things?" He rubbed the back of his head. "I don't want to keep lying to them. It's...too much. I mean, they're my parents, I love them more than anything and this doesn't feel like I even like them. You raised your brothers and sister, you're kind of like a parent, what should I do?"

"I would want them to tell me the truth," Ravi replied honestly. "You could tell them that you are involved in a top secret mission and you didn't know if you could even tell them that. They will understand."

Jeremy sighed. "Okay, I'll consider it. But nothing happens if I can't get to them. C'mon, are you going to drive me or spend a night pantsless?" Jeremy was completely oblivious to the look given by someone walking by.

"Yes, all right," laughed Ravi. "Come on, let's go."

[Later...at the airport]

Jeremy wanted to pace but he had the crutches and didn't want to see the expression of disappointment again. They got here in plenty of time, but so far he'd not seen his family. Nor did they answer their phones. "What's going on?" he asked, probably making Ravi want to put his knew hand to hand combat training to good use as he'd asked it about a thousand times. In the last thirty minutes. "It's the right flight information, right?" He clacked his way around the circuit, then came back to a stop next to Ravi.

“It’s correct,” replied Ravi. “Sit down! They’ll get here when they get here.”

"JEREMY!" It was the sound of a young girl and Jeremy's face split into a huge grin. He set the crutches against a row of seats while he waited for the young girl to run to him from across the airport. As she got closer, Jeremy kneeled then dragged her into a deep hug as he lifted her off the ground and did a quick spin.

"Donut!" he said as soon as the hug broke, but he didn't seem to be inclined to put her down anytime soon. "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"They're so slow!" the little girl he referred to as "Donut" said, rolling her rich brown eyes. But then she pointed to a couple coming down the corridor. The gentleman in questions was without a question Jeremy's father, the facial resemblance uncannily alike. But Jeremy seemed to get his blonde and pale coloring from his mother. Where his height came from was the mystery. Still, leaving behind the crutches and not even thinking of putting down his sister, Jeremy made his way as quickly as he could, grabbing both his parents into a hug.

"You're squishing me!" Donut squealed but without much protest.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Jeremy said, now putting the girl down, and then hugging his parents again. Finally, almost guilitily, he remembered Ravi and brought his parents over. "Mom, Dad, this is Doctor Ravi Azad. We work together. Rav, these are my parents Phil and Eliza Corvus. They're, well, they're my parents."

"And I'm Amaya. He calls me 'Donut' cause he thinks he's funny," the girl said, throwing another smile toward her older brother, but she very seriously put her hand out as if to shake it.

"Well, it suits you," Ravi told the girl after shaking hands with Jeremy's father. "Donuts are tiny and sweet, you are tiny and sweet. It makes sense."

"I like him," Amaya said, smiling up at Jeremy. "He's smart."

"Very smart," Jeremy said, smiling. "Wicked smart! Like head explodingly smart."

"Why's he your friend?" Amaya asked.

"Yes," Phil Corvus asked, "you work with Jeremy?"

"Yes, we work together," answered Ravi. "And as you can see, he's a bit injured, so I agreed to drive him here today."

"That's very nice of you," Eliza said, shrugging the bag on her shoulder. She exchanged a look with her husband, her smile never changing. "It's been a longer flight than we expected with weather delays, how about we go find someplace to eat. You are of course welcome to join us, Doctor."

"Oh, thank you," replied Ravi. "I do not mind heading back on my own if you would rather be alone with your son."

"What?" Jeremy said, faking his smile, "No, that's okay, you have to join us. I mean, I can't let you just drive me down here and then make you go away. That wouldn't be right." He put an arm around Ravi's shoulders and pulled him in closer, almost doing the typical jock-ish headlock. "Please stay," he whispered.

“All right, all right,” Ravi replied. “I will come.”

"Yes!" Jeremy said turning to give a perfectly perfunctory high five to Amaya.

"Where are we going?" Phil asked. "I'm sure you know some good restaurants in town."

"Oh," Jeremy said, standing still and going blank for a moment. Aside from lunch the other day, he'd actually not eaten a single meal in Colorado Springs. "Well, yeah, I mostly just eat on base. The cook there is terrific, you'd love her, Mom. You too, Dad. Great food, no nonsense attitude and, well, the food is fantastic."

"Yeah, that sounds like our son alright," Phil said with a chuckle. "Guess we can lay the rumors of being kidnapped by aliens to rest."

"Dad!" Amaya said, "he wasn't kidnapped by aliens! He's a soldier nothing bad ever happens to them! But we should ask Dr. Ravi where he'd like to go, he is the guest."

"That's my baby," Eliza said, giving Amaya a quick side hug. "Doctor?"

And of course Ravi hadn’t had a chance to check out any of the restaurants in the area either. But, then, he had a thought. “I know,” he said, taking out his phone and pulling up google. “We will pick the newest place to have opened on the area. The Flying Horse Steakhouse.” He frowned at his phone. “That is what It says,” he added with a shrug, holding it up for the others to see.

"A flying horse is a pegasus! That's from Greek myths!" Amaya said.

"Looks good to me," Jeremy said, checking the sizes of the steaks and, man was he famished.

"Looks like we might be out voted here," Phil said with a smile, "if we were inclined to say no. Okay, so here's the plan, you two, got to the restaurant and get us a table. We'll get our car and drop by the hotel to drop off our luggage then meet you there. The check, Doctor, belongs to me."

"Oh, man, Rav, don't argue with him on this one, you'll lose. He's used to arguing with obstinate people." Jeremy said, trying to warn his friend.

"And that was just my children!" Phil joked.

"Hey!" Both Jeremy and Amaya said at the same time. Then, laughing, they gave each other another 'high five'.

"Daddy! Can I go with Jeremy and his friend? Please? I want to go with Jeremy!"

"Amaya," Eliza said, her tone light but cautioning, "where are your manners?"

"Oh," Amaya said as she reached into her pocket and mimed putting on a necklace. "There we go. Doctor Ravi? Can I ride with you and Jeremy?"

"I would love it if you did!" replied Ravi, giving her his best grin.

"Awesome!" Amaya said, giving a fist pump into the air then suddenly turned. "Wait! I can't go without Jeremy!" she said before running to her mother. "Mom? Where's Jeremy?"

"Uhm, right here, Donut," Jeremy said tapping his chest. "I know I'm in cammie but I'm sure you can still see me."

"Not you, Jeremy, I mean Jeremy."

"Yeah, that clears it up," Jeremy said, shaking his head.

"He's in the bag, right where he should be," Eliza said as she pulled a bright pink bag from the pile of luggage. Zipping it open, she pulled out gray and white stuffed dog. It had a very sheepdog look to its fluffy fur. Amaya grabbed it and squeezed it to her chest while her face split into a huge grin. "Jeremy is my guard dog, he's a sheepdog! Okay, I'm ready to go." She got a very serious look on her face. "Who's going to drive? I haven't got to drive all day!"

"I am driving," Ravi laughed. "Come on, Donut. Let's get going."

"You know, I am the guest," Amaya said with a sly smile. "And courtesy says that you should offer things to your guests first, like driving."

"Tell you what," Jeremy said, "I'll flip you for it!"

"NO!" Amaya said, squealing as she back away from Jeremy hobbling to her. Due more to longer legs, he was able to catch her, and true to a literal word, he picked her up and flipped her over, landing her back on her feet. "Tails, looks like Rav wins!"

"Alright you two," Phil said, "Let's try not to give Doctor Azad the impression that we raised complete heathens. Go, get us seats at the restaurant and we'll meet you there shortly."

[Later at the Flying Horse]

"They said they're just a few minutes away and we should order drinks and starters if we want," Jeremy said, not as excited as he might be previously. Seeing the menu, and the prices, he knew this was a place he'd never consider coming to on his own or even with his peers. But, at the very least, they were able to keep Donut busy with a coloring placemat. It helped that she was a pretty well behaved child and, from what Jeremy learned, had a nap on the plane so wasn't tired or cranky. Though, he wondered, did kids her age actually get tired and cranky? It was a question he put to Ravi.

“I don’t think so,” replied Ravi. “I mean, not any more than you or I can get tired and cranky.”

"Jeremy can get very cranky when he's tired," Amaya said, without looking up from her coloring. "Mom sends him to his room alot when that happens. But he became a great brother. He's one of my three favorites."

"Let me guess," laughed Ravi. "You've got three brothers?"

Amaya gave a big smile as she nodded. "But Phil and Mike are just cops. They don't save the world like Jeremy does. And they're older, so they don't play like Jeremy either. But I do get to see them a lot more, so that means I have to keep them as part of my favorite."

"Mike and Phil are our older brothers. They're great guys and great brothers," Jeremy said, sounding a bit of tarnished hero worship in there, as if something, some time ago, caused them to fall of Jeremy's idol pedestals.

"I have only got little brothers," replied Ravi. "And a little sister. She gave me this when I left India," he added, holding up his thumb, on which sat a plain silver band. "She gave matching ones to our brothers when they left home, too."

"Oh, I didn't give Jeremy anything when he went away," Amaya said. "But we've sent him things, like cookies and wet wipes and other stuff that he needed because the government sent our troops over unprepared for war."

"If there is one thing I have learned about the governments of the world," said Ravi, "it is that none of them are ever prepared for anything."

"Politics?" Eliza asked as she and Phil came around to the table. "This may be more fun than I thought, though there is one other topic that we should get out of the way first."

Fortunately, for Jeremy, the waiter came by and took drink and starter orders. Jeremy was ready to order and was happy that he made sure Rav knew his parents would be paying because the prices were very high. Much higher than Jeremy was comfortable with paying.

"What happened?" Phil asked, looking at Jeremy, point blank and determined.

"Dad," Jeremy said, staring at his hands. "There was and incident and I got hurt. An infection set in pretty quick and took some time to knock out. The doctors got concerned that the infection would spread so they considered amputation. I got lucky."

"What kind of accident happens at a military school?" Eliza asked, sounding on the border of angry. "I mean, you've been sent to Afghanistan three times now and not a scratch, you come to a school and nearly lose your leg?"

"Mom," Jeremy said, somewhat hushed. "We have a guest with us." He tipped his head to Rav.

"He stepped on a rusty nail during renovation," Ravi offered. "I got a nasty cut on my hand. Luckily no infection for me, though."

Jeremy gave Ravi a sharp, shocked look at his statement then turned away, taking a deep breath.

"Stepped on a nail, during renovation?" Phil asked, giving Ravi a narrowed gaze.

"No, Dad, it's a bit more complicated than that. Ravi is just trying to help me cover for the lies I told you. He's really a good guy and a good friend. Before we drove out here tonight, he was telling me that I was wrong to have lied to you about, several things really. He told me that he would be very disappointed if he found out that the siblings he raised after his father died lied to him, he'd be very disappointed in them." Jeremy sighed again. "He knows how much I love you guys and how terrible I feel about telling you that I'm teaching at the Academy when I'm not. I think, right now, he was trying to help cover up an awkward family situation. But he's right. I should be honest with you." Jeremy kept his gaze locked on the glass of water in his hands instead of looking at his parents. He just didn't want to see the disappointment on their faces.

Ravi didn't know whether or not Jeremy's parents would believe him, but he had to say it anyway. "What we do is actually top secret,' he replied. "We probably aren't even allowed to tell you that much, but we will risk it for the sake of honesty. Jeremy is security and I am a mechanical engineer."

Phil and Eliza exchanged glances with each other then with both men at the table. "Top secret?" Phil asked, then shook his head. "Is that it? I mean, you've been on 'top secret' assignments for years. Why would now be any different?"

"Is Jeremy in trouble?" Amaya asked, her crayon poised over the placemat but shaking as she stared, wide eyed, at her parents.

"Phil," Eliza said, placing a hand on her husband's arm. "I think we need to respect Jeremy's needs on that matter and we can discuss it later." She nodded pointedly at Amaya. "Though," she sighed, "I was so happy to hear you were teaching. I don't suppose your top secret assignment has you teaching?"

"No, Mom, it doesn't, I'm sorry." Jeremy answered. "Please don't be mad at Ravi, I didn't even know him when I started lying and he's only told me to be honest since he found out."

"Is Ravi in trouble?" Amaya asked, her voice more wonderfilled. "Can you send him to his room or will you need to call his mother?"

"That may be quite difficult," replied Ravi without thinking. "She is no longer with us. I suppose you could call my little sister; she is the only woman who has any sort of power over me."

"Well, little sisters are really the best!" Amaya said, laughing. "I bet she could ground you for two weeks!"

"Okay, that's enough, Donut," Phil said, stern but loving. Amaya still laughed but she returned to her coloring. "Is what you're doing dangerous?" he asked, looking between his son and Ravi.

"A bit, yes," Ravi admitted. "But, it is making the world a much safer place for you and everyone else. We believe it is worth it."

"Then we'll have to accept that we don't know everything that you're doing," Eliza said, reaching across to take Jeremy's hand. "But you'll never stop us from worrying. We're you're parents and we love you."

"I don't want you to worry," Jeremy said, quiet and subdued. "I'm well trained and good at what I do and...I worry more about Dad's job than mine. I don't want to lose either of you."

Ravi suddenly felt as if he were intruding. He didn't know what to say, so he decided to say nothing for the moment and concentrated on Amaya's crayons as she ran them across the page.

"Alright, this is probably not a good time for this conversation," Eliza said, "we can talk about it later. But as Jeremy pointed out, we do have a guest and we're being unintentionally rude. Dr. Azad, you said you had younger siblings? Are they also doctorates?"

"Chandra has a doctorate in English," Ravi replied. "He teaches at the Jadavpur University. He is the only one. My sister opted to stay in Meghalaya. She builds living bridges. Have you heard of the living bridges?"

"Living bridges?" Amaya asked, awed. She stared at Ravi with wide eyes. "You mean, like monster bridges?"

“Even better!” replied Ravi, taking out his phone and pulling up the pictures. “They are bridges made of the roots and branches of living trees. Here,” he said, finding the picture of his sister knitting the roots together and holding it up first for Amaya to see, then the adults. “They are spectacular when done,” he added, swiping to the next photo of a completed bridge. “I got my start there. Sometimes I miss it. It was much simpler and more relaxing than what I do now.”

"Wow!" Amaya said. "Mom, can we go there and see it? It's pretty!"

"Maybe," Eliza said as she shared the image with her husband. "It is very nice. And it's all made from living trees? Is this what you did before you started working with the Air Force?"

"In a round about way," answered Ravi. "I started learning to build them when I was five years old. My sister joined us when she was about four, I think. I continued until I left for college. My sister stayed and continued. She is teaching her eldest the art."

"At five?" Phil said, "that's impressive. Is that what led you to your education in mechanical engineering?"

"It is, actually," replied Ravi. "My uncle is the one who taught me. He recognized that my skill was already great even when I was that young. He was the one who convinced me to leave home to attend engineering school."

"You have a very close family then?" Eliza asked a the waiter brought their entrees. After all the food was delivered, Eliza turned to Ravi. "Doctor, are you a religious person that requires the saying of a blessing before a meal?"

"Yes, in fact, I am," replied Ravi, vaguely surprised. "But, I do not mind doing so silently if you prefer not to."

"No," Jeremy said, shrugging as he turned to his friend. "While we don't believe in the supernatural" a position Jeremy was only now beginning to realize he might have to re-evaluate for himself "you are our guest and therefore we would prefer to honor you by joining in your rituals."

"And it's interesting!" Amaya said, putting her crayons down and holding her hand out toward Ravi. "So many different ways that people do it. It's like collecting baseball cards or beanie toys."

"I suppose so," agreed Ravi with a grin. "Very well, then." He bowed his head and folded his hands before him. "Bless us, O Lord, and these, they gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ, our Lord. Amen." He looked up again and to Amaya, said, "of course, as a child, I used to say that in Hindi. When I am alone, I still do."

"What's Hindi?" Amaya asked, eagerly. "Could you do it now? I bet it'd be cool!"

"Donut," Jeremy said, shaking his head. "It's not polite to ask things like that. If Rav were comfortable doing it that way with us, he would have done so."

"I know," Amaya said, giving Jeremy a single shot of her tongue. "But it never hurts to ask, right?"

Ravi grinned and obliged Amaya with the same prayer, this time in Hindi. "Not that you understood a word, but it is generally the same as in English," he added with a wink.

"That was awesome!" Amaya said, then turning toward her parents. "Can I learn to speak Hindi? Please?"

For Jeremy, however, it was the same story where people simply found a way to accommodate his little sister.

"We'll discuss it later," Eliza said. "But I agree, it was very lovely. Thank you for sharing."

"I do not mind in the least," Ravi replied, starting in on his grilled salmon. "I have the same fascination with German. I do not know why, but I love how it sounds."

The rest of the evening was spent in getting to know more about Ravi, with questions mostly happening from Jeremy's parents. While the questions seemed simple, they were invidiously probing. While the evening was light and cheerful, there was a pall over the evening, which emanated mostly from Jeremy. That it was there became most noticeable at the end of the meal, with Phil arranging payment and tip, and the two older Corvuses inviting Jeremy back to their hotel and thanking Ravi for driving Jeremy into town and stating they would make arrangements for him to get back to the base tomorrow before he was to check in.

While Jeremy seemed okay with this idea, he also didn't appear happy about it. He did give Ravi perfunctory goodbyes and thanked his friend, warmly and genuinely, for the ride into town and for spending the evening with them.

"Good luck, buddy," Ravi said to himself as he watched the Corvus family pull away. Then, with a sigh, he got into his own vehicle an headed back to base.