I smiled, squeezed her hand and launched into a stream of inconsequencel small talk until she regained her poise. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she apologize.... ‘I’m just so, so…’ ‘Nervous?’ I offered. ‘Me too.’ She gave me a disbelieving look. ‘I am,’ I insisted. ‘I know we’ve talked and so forth, but you could have been some slavering maniac under your nice exterior. Obviously you’re not.’ My knee found hers and we rested our clasped hands on them. She kept hold of my hand and my hopes returned. There was. It was my senior year and I was a straight A student. I remember the day as though it only happened this morning. I had been called to the principal’s office. Not for troublesome reasons, but for acknowledgement. I had gotten selected as an all-Oregon defensive linebacker. This was astonishing as I am only 5’8” and I was really proud. The principal allowed me the rest of the day off as a reward for my hard work. I went straight home to tell my mom the good news. I pulled into the driveway a few. I’d bet money she’s still headed there.”She just nodded slowly, looking over her shoulder at the cargo ship now crawling with law enforcement.“I’m going to make this call, then I need to crash. I’m beat.”“Yeah,” she said, giving Taylor’s shoulder a squeeze.“You can stay,” he said.Taylor wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t feel like making the call by himself.It only occurred to Taylor it was early morning and the senator was probably not in her office after he dialed the number. To his surprise, a. Stinson's squad was near the rear of the formation that morning. It took less than five minutes before the rest of the group passed by him. He waited another five minutes and then stood up, edging out of his hiding area and looking around. No one else was in view. He was alone.Moving as quickly as he could, he moved back in the direction from which they had come and then darted into an area of thicker trees near a minor mudfall. He then began to move north, quickly disappearing into the dense.