“My real parents, you mean? I haven’t spoken to them since I ran away from home. Sadly, the couple that took me in died years ago, heart attack for one and cancer for the other.”

Lou was grimly silent. Cap had no children of his own, but had taken any number of street kids in over the years. Nearly every one of them was the better for the connection.

“Every day needs to be lived to the fullest,” he said.

“Every day,” Vicki echoed.

They talked through dinner about their lives and work. Then Vicki announced that she and a girlfriend were headed to an art lecture, and slid out from the booth.

“Meeting for you?” she asked.

“All set. I’ve got the address and there’s a GPS in my rental.”

Lou would do the meeting, then visit Cap, then meet Humphrey in Subbasement Two for what would probably be their first actual experiments. Easy night, thanks to Emily.

“You’re a good man, Lou Welcome,” Vicki said. “A very good man. If there’s anything I can do for you, just give me a call.” She drew a business card from her wallet, wrote a number on the back, and handed it to him. “That’s my cell. No one gets this except you and the president. At least he will as soon as he asks for it. Call whenever.” This time they did hug. “I’m glad you liked the Diet Coke,” she whispered.

She kissed him lightly on the ear. Then she was gone.

He sat down again, breathing in what remained of her. A few seconds later, two men slid in where she had been—directly across from him in the booth. Both wore suits. One of them was a light-skinned African American, young, and athletic looking. The other had a hard face, strong jaw, and close-cropped hair.

“I’m not leaving just yet,” Lou said, an alarm starting up in his head.

“Actually, we were counting on that,” the tough-looking man said. He flipped his billfold open. There was an ID on one side and a badge on the other.

“Special Agent Tim Vaill with the FBI. My partner, Special Agent Charles McCall. Are you Dr. Louis Welcome of Washington, D.C.?”

Lou gripped the edge of the table and did a prolonged examination of the ID, buying time to will the bass drum throbbing in his chest to slow down.

“Yeah, that’s me. Why?” he managed.

Vaill looked pleased. “Well then, doctor,” he said, “if that’s who you are, we’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

Our country is under attack by forces far more powerful than those in Central Europe or the Far East.

—LANCASTER R. HILL, LECTURE TO THE PENNINGTON SCHOOL, JUNE 6, 1939

Only one way in … and one way out.