The Valkyrie’s Ghost

Author's Note:I know this is a long episode in The Valkyrie's Ghost saga, and I am honestly anxious to get it out into the world. I have done my edits, such as they are, but as I have warned before, I am not an editor. In fact, my grammatical skills seem to be regressing at an alarming rate. At this point I am operating at the level of a solid C student in freshman English. Not college. High school.

If you want the full scope of the story, start with01 The Valkyrie's Ghost. All characters are fictional, and any resemblance to real people, places, or things is not intended.

So slide on your reading glasses, get cozy in your favorite spot, and let us see where Riley, Lysandra, and the way too many but undeniably interesting side characters take us on this journey.

Enjoy

PHD

Chapter 56

Sophie Maddox

Monday, January 19th

The Five House

8755 Ridgeline Hollow Road

Grants Pass, OR

Sophie---------------

Sophie Maddox sat in the luxurious leather captains chair of the Cadillac. Elise was driving, her strawberry blonde hair steady as she steered the SUV down the motorway, err, oh yes, Interstate. Talia, Elise, and Jackson were escorting her, Emms, and Ollie to the Rogue Valley Mall in the nearby Medford Oregon to grab some clothes and everyday supplies for this thing called life.

It started at breakfast when Riley suggested that while they can eventually recover any and all of their belongings from home, it might be better for the short term to get American styles and brands. He provided Sophie with three black American Express cards that was made of metal. However, the gold embossed names was of Elise Hart, Talia Moreno, and Jackson Reed.

Riley found the eyes of Talia who was standing near the breakfast table. "We don't want anything tagged with your name, so while these cards have Elise, Talia, and Jackson's names, they are for you." Riley found Talia's eyes, "right Wraith?"

Talia found Sophie's eyes and tapped her finger on her chin in thought before she snapped to attention, "Sir, yes sir. I am ready for the most difficult of assignments."

Riley smiled, and offered the cards to Sophie. "It is time for some retail therapy. There is no limit on these cards. If it will fit in the SUV on the trip home, it is yours no strings attached. We have someone from Aegis that will fly in to help build your new style so, five or six outfits this round would probably make sense."

As they were pulling into the mall's car park that stretched for what seemed miles around the shopping center, Talia reiterated that each of the Maddoxs have someone who will always be at their shoulder. Sophie, Emily, and Oliver each were provided with a heavy metal watch that Elise showed could not be removed without a special key she held up and handed it to Jackson who slipped it around a chain on his neck.

"We can always find you." Talia offered. "If your heartbeat goes up, we will be checking on you if you are not in our line of site, so be warned. If you are scared, just start talking out loud about what is scaring you. Describe people out loud."

Each person was asked to hit a large button on the side of the watch, and they watched all the watches vibrate and light up. They discussed what everyone should do if their watch lights up. Just drop everything and work their way to the closest of three spots that each person had to recite back to Talia.

Talia stressed that anything makes you nervous, just hit the button. It would likely be nothing, but sometime the subconscious is better than our conscious of identifying a threat.

Everyone, even little Ollie, was dressed in ball caps and thick eyeglasses. Elise was Sophie's shadow and wore a blazer that concealed her handguns, her scanning eyes finding and assessing people and not sales. Talia did the same for Emily and Jackson for Oliver. The only change was when Talia would call for Torque to gather all the bags and carry them out and stuff them in the SUV's boot.

What would have been any twenty-something year old's greatest dream was a burden she hefted on her shoulders. Moms and daughters, young couples, and even badgered husbands hurrying after a wife with her eyes bright with the possibility of finding the perfect sale at the store on the opposite side of the mall. Every human interaction was like a needle in Sophie's tortured soul.

Elise provided Sophie her opinions when asked and would walk in front of her to check out dressing rooms before moving to the door of the dressing room, her eyes always scanning. A regular reminder dropped by the Aegis team was, "don't worry about cost, get what you need. Aegis is paying for everything."

When she was in JC Penney and moved to look at the bloomers, Elise steered her to Victoria's Secret, suggesting she get casual and date night under garments. Much to the relief of Jackson, Oliver refused to go into the lingerie store and so with the blessing of Emms, they went to a Game Stop to look at mobile gaming systems.

All the familiar brands of her preferred deodorant, toothpaste, makeup and hair products were all different. It was a good four hours later a packed SUV hit the motorway back to Riley's mansion.

The fatigue of the week washed over her.

---------------

A touch on the shoulder followed by a soft "Soph" woke her up. Her neck was a bit stiff, and she saw that the Elise had turned onto Riley's driveway. A scan around the way, saw a figure in black holding a rifle watching the progress of the returning Escalade as it crawled down the driveway. A dark Ford SUV that had US Government number plate sat next to Riley's second Cadillac.

The door to house opened and Riley stepped out onto the porch. He had a wide, welcoming smile as he jogged down the steps to meet the group. She saw his eyes scanning the horizon as he moved to open her door. Talia had jumped out and opened Emms door, so Jackson could crawl out the back.

"Welcome back!" Riley said cheerfully. "I heard that we almost had to send out the second Cadillac to get all the cool stuff back."

"I must confess sending Emms and I out for a no-limit spending spree may shake my confidence in your fiscal management skills." Sophie smiled.

"Ahh, but that was not your money." Riley laughed. "I must be the world's greatest fiscal manager."

"Not our money?" Sophie and Emily said together.

"A bit of a late Christmas gift from me and the Vanguard." Riley said with a sad smile. "I know it sounds crazy, but dressing in American fashion will help keep you safe."

It was Emily who started to protest before Sophie's mind allowed her to start.

"You didn't need to..." Emily started.

"Oh, hogwash!" Talia said. "You two are the most frugal spending spree buyers in the world. It is our honor." Then Talia smiled evilly. "Besides, it is mostly Riley's bank account who funded this expedition and I was there when he got some really good news on his investment front on Sunday."

Sophie turned to go to the boot of the SUV when Riley cleared his voice.

"Sophie, Emily, and Ollie, if it is ok, some of the others are going to help get your stuff into the house and start the laundering process." Riley smiled sadly, "We have some visitors from the US Marshals who are here to talk about your identities and short-term options."

Sophie's heart dropped. Everything was moving so quickly. Her old life was snuffed out. Da and Ma were off in Scotland and she was here almost alone. She looked to find similar looks on Emily and even Ollie's faces, she closed her eyes and thought of her brother. How we stood up to Da when she had triggered him. It was hazy in her memories, but she remembered Ma's scream and being picked up and locked up in the loo.

She took a deep breath and channeled the sun. Bright, warm, and life-giving.

"Our adventure continues Ollie!" Sophie channeled a sense of excitement of seeing what was around the corner.

Sophie linked arms with Emily.

"Shall we Emms?" Sophie asked cheerfully. "As long as I am not a dog catcher, I think I will be ok."

"Auntie Sophie, don't you like dogs?" Oliver asked quizzically.

"Ollie, I love dogs," Sophie explained, "I don't want to put them in doggie jail!"

Oliver thought about it for a few seconds. "Mom, I don't want you to be a dog catcher either!"

Sophie and Emily caught each other's eyes and both laughed and in perfect unison, said "No to dog catcher."

Riley took their coats and hung them by the door and escorted the trio to his office.

Around a small coffee table was a couch, two side chairs, and three dining room chairs. Sophie's eyes bounced between the four adults. Lysandra sat in a side chair and held a teacup in her hand. She smiled and slowly sat the cup on the table before she stood.

In the first dining room chair was a lean six-foot-one man in his mid-forties had ash brown hair and steel gray eyes. His hair was close-cropped and his fair-olive skin gave his body a sense of being an outdoors man. He followed Lysandra and stood in greeting, buttoning his dark navy blue jacket that covered a tieless shirt and matching slacks.

Next to stand, seated in the middle dining room chair, was a five-foot-seven woman wearing two-inch practical pumps. This late thirty's professional wore a charcoal gray woman's pant suit and white blouse hid an athletic body. Her hazel eyes framed by shoulder-length dark brown hair gleamed as if she just stepped out of a salon chair. Her medium tan hinted at her Latina ancestry.

The final person to stand had a pack of clues that screamed that he was a British citizen. The early-fifties man had sliver-blonde hair with watery blue eyes. His hair had an aristocratic cut seen in the posher parts of London. The familiar ruddy undertone seen in UK men combined with immaculate navy suit with a definite European cut. The heavily starched shirt, time, and cufflinks announced a member of the British higher society.

"Sophie, Emily, and Oliver, may I introduce you to Mr. Thomas Ellery who is the Deputy Consul‑General of the British Consulate in San Francisco." Riley announced.

The cultured man gracefully welcomed each of them with a precise handshake and a quiet "Delighted to meet you," to each of the Maddoxs.

"Next, we have Deputy Marshal Lila Serrano and Special Deputy Marshal Rowan Hale" Riley offered. They each offered their hand and Sophie and Emily settled on the couch, pulling Ollie to sit in between the two refugees.

Riley nodded to Ellery to start the conversation.

"The American Secretary of State and the American ambassador met with the Prime Minister on Saturday. A diplomatic dispatch via a personal carrier was flown into San Francisco in the early hours of Sunday. I was directed to meet up with the American Marshal services and dispatched to this meeting." Mr. Thomas Ellery offered pompously.

The British diplomat seemed to inspect the three British citizens on the couch and his face clearly communicated that he could not fathom the reason for his presence at this hunting lodge.

"The communication forwarded to me was marked with the highest sovereign-level security and is safeguarded under His majesty's special-access provisions. I have been instructed by the hand of the United Kingdom's Prime Minister to share with you three things." Ellery offered.

"While I have not been fully briefed in your brother's service and circumstances that brought him to America," the diplomat sounded scandalized that he was not fully read into the case. "The Prime Minister has been fully briefed and sends profound condolences on your loss and his deep appreciation for Master Sergeant Maddox's exemplary service to first the Royal Marines and eventually the SAS."

"Secondly, the Prime Minister sends his promise that they will work with the cognizant American agencies to ensure that Ms. Sophie Maddox, Ms. Emily Carter Maddox, and Mr. Oliver Maddox will have new identities developed and will become fully documented citizens of the United States of America. If circumstances ever change, we will absolutely welcome you back as full British citizens with all the rights and privileges associated with that honor." Ellery offered in his cultured version of the English language.

"Finally, the Prime Minister will cooperate with American counter-intelligence agencies to fully identify the actors involved in this enterprise." The Deputy Consul‑General of the British Consulate in San Fracisco sat back, crossed his leg and looked unimpressed around the room.

The numb silence was interrupted by Riley.

"Thank you Mr. Ellery." Riley offered. Riley almost laughed at the sour look on Lysandra's face. She noticed him and then her face went passive with a hint of a smile sitting on her lips.

"Mr. Hale, Ms. Serrano. The floor is yours." Riley offered.

"Good morning Sophie, Emily, and Oliver." Rowan offered with a kind smile. "I know it must be scary to be ripped out of your old lives, flown to a whole new country and told that for your own safety you must lead new lives. This is at no fault of your own and Lila and I are so sorry that you have to go through this."

"I was told that Emily has seen the evidence of the threat, is that correct." Rowan asked.

Emily shook her head yes, Oliver looked confused and turned first to his mother and then his aunt with "what is he talking about" look on his young face. Sophie took a deep breath.

"I want to bury my brother before I watch the video." Sophie shared. "I don't want anything to taint my love or loss."

"That makes absolute sense." Lila offered with a kind smile.

"I hate to do this, but I would like to share evidence with the adults," the Special Deputy Marshal smiled, "sorry Oliver, only your mom and Ms. Emily get to see this clip."

Rowan Hale stood. "Sophie and Emily, will you join me by the desk?"

Poor Ollie looked lost as his mom and aunt stood and shuffled reluctantly to the desk.

Thirty seconds later a Sophie offered a curse and totally shaken returned to the couch and almost fell into its soft embrace. A concerned Ollie snapped her back to herself.

"Aunt Sophie, are you okay?" The soft voice asked.

Sophie closed her eyes and swallowed. Then offered a half-hearted smile. "I am a little bit okay, but if you hold my hand, I might get all the way okay."

Oliver grabbed her hand in his own, and then offered his hand to his mother.

"Mom, Aunt Sophie needs some of our okay." He said seriously.

Emily smiled, kissed her son on his forehead and then grabbed his hand.

"Let's get that okay in to her then." She smiled.

Riley noticed that Lysandra's eyes moved between the three Madddoxs and then would check in with him.

"I am so sorry to have you look at such a terrible clip." Special Deputy Marshal Hale said. "We do that, so you know, deep in your hearts, that we are not doing this to punish you, but to keep you safe."

Deputy Marshal Lila Serrano stepped in smoothly. "The overwhelming way that individuals in witness protection are harmed is by them reaching back into their old lives. While the risk exists, it was decided at the top echelons of your government and our government that you would be safest in the US."

Rowan Hale stepped as if this was closing number of a ballet. "While we are protecting your identity, your family and friends must think the worst. You three perished in a plane accident. The UK will confirm the tragic accident. Remains will be returned to England for your families to grieve their lost loved ones."

Serrano stepped back in. "This seems cruel, but it actually serves to protect these innocents as well. If anyone suspected you were alive, as seen in the photos, they would use your loved ones against you."

"Any questions why?" Rowan asked. "We will get to the how next."

It was Oliver who spoke.

"So, Grandfather and Grandmother Carter will think we all died?" The scared voice asked.

"It is really sad Oliver." Lila answered. "But if we didn't hide you, the bad men could do bad things to you, your mom, and Ms. Sophie."

"She is my Aunt Sophie." Ollie refuted. "Okay. If it keeps them safe, I guess that is what should happen."

Both Maddox women hugged and kissed the twelve-year old boy.

"Please continue." Emily said.

"We are assigning you three as two sisters, one of which has a son. Your last name is Maddren. Sophie, you will be Sara Maddren, Emily will be Emma Maddren, and Oliver you will be Owen Maddren. We used names close to your current names so if someone calls out, there is a resemblance to the name to provide cover." Rowan advised.

Rowan pulled out three packets and handed them to each of the three. They pulled out an American passport that had the photo from their UK passport. They also found a birth certificate. It was exactly the same as the birth certificate in their home files, except for the name and that it listed Salem, Massachusetts as the three's birthplace.

"Sarah and Emma, here are your driver's license, bank account information, and three credit cards each. You both have a strong credit history and the credit cards corroborate the fact that Sarah studied medicine in London." Lila Serrano stepped in. "Emma, you are an accountant by trade and you earned you degree from Boston College's Carroll School of Management and have been practicing in international finance firms in Boston and London. Ollie, you attended the private school City of London School."

"The cover story is that there was an act of violence that Sara Maddren endured and based on her standing, the university as agreed to confer the degree. Her academic records have been updated. Sophie Maddox died. The school community is currently mourning her senseless death." Rowan continued. "In an effort to separate herself from this tragic event, you have applied and was accepted in the medical internship in Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass Oregon."

Riley offered quietly. "We apologize to you Sarah. You were on track to get a top residency at any hospital of your choice. To support your cover story, we need you not memorable. You were good, but not great. You scored well, not perfect. I will also be in Grants Pass to offer support and protection."

"Where will we live?" Oliver asked. His eyes wide. "Where would I go to school?"

"I would love it if you could stay with me for a little while." Riley said. "I don't want you feel like a prisoner, but for safety purposes, it would be nice to have you here."

"As for school," Lila Serrano stepped in, "We would probably go with remote learning for the spring and then have you start the local public school in the fall."

"The first thing we need to do is to have the three of you to work with a dialect coach to soften your British accent." Rowan offered. "Give us three to four weeks and we can have you sounding as if you live at the corner First Street and Main Street in Salem, Massachusetts."

"As for you Emma, Riley's organization was in need of an accountant and the CEO has offered to have you work remotely. The salary will be double your Portsmouth position and you have full medical and retirement." Lila offered.

The confused look was there, then...

"Ahh, yes. In America it is a private healthcare system." Emma stated. "That sounds fascinating. Thank you Riley."

The spent the next hour going over the specific dos and donts of witness protection. Riley mentioned that Leo Glass, a contractor for Aegis would be arriving while Lysandra was in Vegas to work on a whole new look for the trio.

---------------

Riley Rivers was in his office. His computer was glowing as he bent over old D&D manuals and his application that held all of his digital assets used by the campaign table.

His SOS text to Gary to beg him to warm up his BBQ to feed thirty was quickly accepted and provided the time for him to craft an impromptu mini-side quest. Lysandra and Sabrina took over the kitchen and were making some bread and salad.