A Mother's Love

They all slept in the parlor of the Garrison home that night. May and Parker slept on the floor with the Lost Boys and Peter, while Gabrielle and Gaetano curled up on the couch. Papa Angie slept in the armchair.

Angie was the last of them to escape into the land of slumber. He watched over the family until they all slipped off into a deep restful sleep. Then sat in the armchair and slowly drifted off to dreamland.

May was the first to rise the following morning. She sat up and looked around at all the people peacefully sleeping. This was now her family. The wonderful bonding experience they had shared the night before would forever be etched into her memory. What they shared was a rare moment that few had ever experienced. Even the life essence of Fawn Moore that resided with her life essence shared that great moment of love and oneness.

May, being the good mother that she was, stood up quietly and headed off to the kitchen to prepare a breakfast for her family. She would cook up some bacon and scrambled eggs, pancakes, and maybe some hash brown potatoes. She opened the fridge and fetched the eggs, bacon, milk and butter. She retrieved the pancake mix from the pantry and with it the pans and bowls she would need. She had just stepped out of the pantry and was met by Angie standing in the doorway to the kitchen with his arms folded over his chest. He had a smile on his face. “Well it looks like you could use a hand or two. I have been told that I sling a good frying pan when it comes to pancakes.” May smiled back at him and handed him the pancake mix and a skillet.

They both laughed and commenced to make a delicious breakfast for the family. Angie also brewed a pot of coffee.

They had just finished up cooking the breakfast and sat for a quick cup of coffee. Angie reached over and switched on a small TV that was on the counter and sat back down to enjoy his coffee. The local cable newscast was on and the blonde haired female was reporting on yesterday’s event in Winchester. The screen was showing an aerial view of the street that battle was on and James was walking into the dimensional portal.

“The situation seemed like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but I can tell you this it wasn’t CGI special effects.

The footage you are now viewing is real. What you are seeing really happened yesterday afternoon on a once quiet street in Winchester. The participants have not yet been identified but the local authorities are asking for your help in identifying them.” The screen on the TV change to show the faces of Peter, James and each of the Lost Boys and a banner across the bottom that listed a hotline to call with any information. May and Angie looked at each other and each saw a great concern in the other’s eyes. Angie was the first to speak. “May, I know they won’t be able to Identify any of the Lost Boys, for all practical purpose there is no record of their existence. I don’t think that the Agency will willingly give up any information on them unless they are forced to cover their tracks and pin the whole matter on the now deceased Doctor Scull. My concern is for Peter. There are a lot of people out there that can identify him from that photo. We’re going to have to hide him somewhere and come up with an alibi for ourselves.”

The female news announcer’s voice once more grabbed May and Angie attention. “The authorities have a lead on one of the suspects. They did not disclose the name but stated they were in the process of locating this person.” May got up and ran out of the kitchen and down the hall to the Parlor where everyone was still sleeping. “Wake up all of you we have a situation we must address immediately” May said in a loud concerned tone of voice. She repeated the phrase three times before anyone started to stir. Parker got up off the floor and brushed back his hair with his hands as he walked over to May. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye and asked what the commotion was all about. May told him what she and Angie just heard on the newscast. Everyone had heard what she had to say. Peter stood up and said “I will give myself up to them and tell them the truth. Once they see what I and the Lost Boys can do they’ll have to believe us.”

Gaetano moved Gabrielle aside on the coach and got up and walked into the center of the room.

“Peter.” he said “You have a lot to learn about telling the truth. I’m not saying that telling the truth is bad, but sometimes the situation dictates that the truth be hidden and this is one of those situations. We need to form a plan and an alibi that we all can agree on. Is everyone on board with that idea?” They all nodded their heads in agreement. “Good. Now I take it that the one they identified was Peter. So the first plan of action is to get him and the Lost Boys somewhere where they can’t be found. Anyone got any ideas on this? The floors open for discussion and time is running out.” All of them tried their hardest to come up with a place that would work in this situation, but all of them seemed to have one flaw. They were all too easy to locate or be linked to May, Parker, Angie and Gaetano or Gabrielle. Time was ticking and it looked like it was running out. Then John, the smallest and youngest of the lost boys said “Why don’t we go to Neverland. They’ll never find us there.” May reached over and gave John a hug and said “Neverland only exists in the book about Peter Pan dear.” “ I know that but we have the power to make it exist.” he replied.” Gabrielle spoke up and said, “How can you kids make something that doesn’t really exist into a real place.” “But it did exist in the mind of J.M. Barrie. He describes it in great detail in the book. He even tells you how to find it. Just find the second star to the right and fly straight on till morning. If we face east that would place it somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.” replied John. “Are you suggesting that you boys have the capability to create Neverland somewhere in the middle of the ocean?” asked Gabrielle.

Before John could reply the image of Mister Blue once again appeared. “They do have the capability. In your concept I think it would be called Terra Forming. From their memories and conceptions of the place they will be able to make it rise out of the ocean. It would take all of them to accomplish this feat, but they are quite capable of doing so. I would like also to advise you that it is your only option at the moment because the authorities are on their way right now to take Peter into custody.” “Okay so that solves the problem of getting the boys to a safe place, but what about us? They’re going to be asking us what we know or if we had anything to do with it. After all it was in my home where the whole thing started. When they show up here and see me there’s going to be a lot of explaining on my part in all this. Then there’s the question of May and Parker involvement. Peter is their son and they could be held accountable for his actions.” Gaetano added to the conversation. “He’s right.” said Angie. “We have to come up with an alibi and story that we all agree on.

Anyone have any ideas on this matter. Gaetano, what about the falsified adoption papers? Is that going to be a problem if they do a thorough background check on May, Parker or Peter? Gaetano answered with a confident voice and said “No. The paper trail will lead back to Italy and a legitimate birth certificate. All the other paperwork here in this country was all legitimate. The death certificate of the child that Peter replaced was never issued in any Italian records. We’re safe as far as that is concerned.”

Outside of the Garrison’s home a group of Boston Police cars and Military vehicles were pulling down the street. It was a silent run and no sirens could be heard but they all had their vehicle lights flashing. They cordoned off the street and blocked all the intersections so that no one could enter or leave. The door of the lead vehicle, which was of military issue, opened and a tall slim figure in green fatigue uniform stepped out. On the collar of the uniform he wore gold oak leaf clusters signifying his rank. In his right hand he was carrying a megaphone. He took three steps forward in the direction of the Garrison’s house and placed the megaphone up to his mouth and said, “This is Major Tom Brewster of the United States Army. We are here to take Peter Garrison into custody for the incident that occurred in the streets of Winchester yesterday. If anyone is in the residence right now please step outside with your hands in plain sight and empty. You have 5 minutes to respond to our request.” Major Brewster dropped the megaphone away from his face and glanced at his watch to note the time. He made a couple of motions with his right hand that signaled all personnel in the vehicles to disembark from them and to surround the house. The task force followed his command and quickly and quietly took stations around the residence. The Major raised the megaphone to his mouth again and in a commanding voice said “You have four minutes and thirty seconds to meet our request or we shall use force to enter the building.”

The front door of the house opened and out step May, Parker, Angie, Gaetano and Gabrielle in that order. They had their arms up and their hands in plain sight as they slowly descended the front stairs of the house. Men dressed in black uniforms with their faces covered in a ninja type hood sped by them and up the front stairs of the house. May spoke up and said “We are the only people in the house. The person you are looking for, our son is not in here. We haven’t seen him since yesterday morning. We do not know his present whereabouts.” As they all reached the bottom of the stairs they were surrounded by a group of armed men with their weapons drawn and ready. The Major walked up to the group and stood outside the circle of men that surrounded them. “Lower your weapons gentlemen but stay at the ready” the Major commanded. They instantly obeyed the order and holstered their weapons. The Major stepped into the center of the surrounding men and said “I am going to ask you some questions that need answering but I want only one of you to respond to the question. The rest of you may nod your head if you agree with what is being said by your spokesperson. Do we have an understanding?” Gaetano stepped forward and spoke; “I will be the one answering your questions. I am Gaetano Mucci the attorney for these people. Ask away” Before the Major could continue one of the men that entered the house stood in the front door and said “Sir the house appears to be empty. No sign of the boy. In the yard there are footprints in the snow that shows that thirteen people, probably children, were standing in a circle. No determination has been made on how much time has passed since the footprints were made.”

The Major gave a thumb up signal to the man in the doorway and said “Clear the building of your men.

Mister Mucci, will you and your clients please follow me” The Major turned and the circle of men around them made an opening for them to exit. When they reached the back of one of the military vehicles the Major turned to them and said “I think it would be best for all concerned that our discussion be private. We will transport you to our temporary headquarter where you all can make your statements. Please get in the back of the truck and take a seat.” Gaetano stepped forward and addressed the Major, “We will do as you ask but the only one to make any statements about this matter will be me. I have advised my clients that it is in their best interest that I address all questions. Before we enter the vehicle I would like to ask a question. Are we under arrest and if so on what charges? The Major responded by saying “At present there are no charges or arrest. We are simply holding you in custody to obtain any information you have about the incident that occurred in Winchester.

When it is determined that none of you are connected with what has happened you will be released. Gaetano turned and nodded to the others and entered the back of the vehicle. They all followed him. May’s sat beside Parker and held his arm tightly. Tears filled her eyes and crying see said “Where is our child. How could Peter get involved with this? He is just a regular boy and nothing more. I don’t understand any of this. Parker held her close and whispered in her ear “Don’t worry May everything will be alright.” One of the men in a black uniform closed the tailgate of the truck and the vehicle lurched forward.