The Adventures of Griffin

Chapter 1

Griffin Jayden Steele led an interesting life from the moment he was born. His father, Thomas Steele, was a biochemist, and his mother, Mia Bushi Steele, was a practicing psychology professor. When Griffin was born, a nanny cared for him while his parents focused on their professional lives. Sophia was Hispanic and taught Griffin English and Spanish while using the computer programs Mom had purchased for him.

They also had a cook, Kiki, who was Japanese and made breakfast and lunch, prepared dinner, put it in the refrigerator, and left at 3 p.m. She also taught Griffin Japanese during breakfast and lunch. There was a housekeeper/maid named Renee who came in twice a week. Weekends were family time, and his parents planned educational outings for Griffin. Museums, sporting events, science fairs, or visits to Dad’s work or Mom’s university.

During his first year, he learned to walk at three months and stopped needing diapers shortly after. Griffin was talking and learning languages, too. For his first birthday, they went to the mountains on vacation over the holidays. The university was shut down, so Mom was off, and Dad used vacation days to cover the days the company recognized as off. Griffin got to play in the snow, build a fire, and ride on a sled with Mom or Dad.

For his second birthday, Griffin’s parents flew him to Arizona over the holidays, rented a motorhome, and took him to the desert to expose him to nature. They found a remote campsite and went on nature walks, pointing out what everything was and what to avoid. Dad was an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing whenever his work schedule allowed. Mom was into yoga and had just enrolled Griffin in a preschool martial arts class.

On the second night at the campground, Griffin felt the urge to go outside after everyone went to bed. Once outside, he felt drawn to a hill, and when he reached the top, he lost consciousness. He could hear voices but didn’t understand the language. It was like he was in a dream, but he could see nothing. Then he lost his hearing and felt things being done to him, and finally went into a deep sleep.

Thomas and Mia Steele woke up the next morning to find Griffin gone. They saw his footprints and followed them up the hill. They searched for an hour, then called the Park Ranger. They organized a search party and used a helicopter to survey the area. After two days, they were about to give up hope when the helicopter pilot reported seeing Griffin with a wolf next to him. Thomas and Mia got into the ranger’s Jeep and went to the sighting location. There was Griffin sitting next to a hillside with a wolf beside him.

The ranger was about to shoot the wolf when Griffin hugged it, and the wolf gave him a kiss. The wolf took off into the brush, and Griffin got up and walked towards his parents. He was almost hugged to death, and then the questions started about why he left the motorhome. Griffin said he heard something outside and went to see what it was. He left out the strange voices and things being done to him and said he blacked out. When I woke up, I was in a cave with dogs, and there was a pool of water.

After drinking some water, I felt better, and one of the dogs led me out of the cave where you found me. Luckily, everyone bought the story, and the excitement ended. Well, most of it, and when they got to the motorhome, Griffin was warned never to leave again without telling someone. They moved to another campground and continued their vacation. At the end of the week’s vacation, they returned the motorhome and flew home.

Griffin noticed changes to his body right away, but didn’t dare say anything. Mom would rush him to the doctor, afraid he had caught something from the wolves. They just kept him company and protected him until his parents arrived. Things returned to normal with his tutoring from his nanny, Sophia, and Kiki, the cook, who taught him Japanese. Griffin tried to keep his newfound skills hidden, but Sophia told Mom he passed the program they were on. So he was studying from first through third grade.

Things progressed, and by the age of ten, he passed the high school exam. He took the ACT and SAT tests, and his parents were blown away by his scores. They were arguing over who gave him his intelligence, and Griffin said maybe it skipped a generation. That caused laughter and a few dinner rolls thrown his way. Then the subject of college came up, and his parents agreed he was too young to stay in a college dorm. They decided Griffin would attend Mom’s university and schedule his courses around hers so they could commute together.

Martial Arts were going well, too, and Sensi had been giving Griffin private lessons for 3 years. He advanced past his age group and wasn’t tall or heavy enough to train with teenagers. Griffin held back his strength, speed, flexibility, and power so he wouldn’t draw more attention. He knew he could take the teenagers and probably adults, too, in the right circumstances.

Then there were the occasional late-night trips to the park. Griffin didn’t know when or how often they were. It was just a sense, and he would go to a spot in the park and wait. Then he would black out and wake up on the grass early in the morning. Sometimes it hurt to move, and he struggled to walk home. But the pain and discomfort didn’t last long. Other times, he felt rejuvenated and jogged home. The visits to the park weren’t often, maybe once a year. One time, it seemed like two years.

By the age of fourteen, Griffin had dual master’s degrees in biochemistry and psychology. Unknown to his parents, he also had a master’s in computer programming. He earned them by taking online college courses and doing lab work at the university. His parents wanted him to follow them in their careers, but he wasn’t interested. But the knowledge from those courses would help his future business plans.

Last year, when he turned thirteen, it unlocked many useful skills. He could read minds and teleport short distances (under a mile). He had persuasive power and could quickly learn any foreign language. He could read almost as quickly as he could turn a page, and he had a photographic memory. The neatest thing of all is his recall of information. His brain organizes it, and it is available with a thought. What confused him most was his knowledge of advanced computers, programming, chemical compounds, electronics, and propulsion systems.

His martial arts skills advanced to the point that the Sensei told him to practice at home. He told Griffin to adapt his own form of martial arts using what he’s learned and his new skills. That shocked Griffin, as he hid it from everyone, but Sensei had seen through it. He gave Griffin the supply house address, so he set up his own dojo at home. Sensei warned him to practice in private and practice his “Spirit Walk” regularly. They bowed and said goodbye, with Griffin thanking Sensei for his training.

Griffin tried to get his parents to let him attend a different university for his doctoral degrees, but they said he was too young. Mom said The young women will seduce you for a chance to cash in on your potential, and I’m too young to be a grandmother. Dad said that’s what condoms are for, and Mom threw a spoon at him, causing laughter. Griffin didn’t want to get his doctorates but would do it for the freedom. Now he has to figure out how to cut the cord without hurting feelings, or devise a way to get free time.

So, he set up a dojo in the basement and practiced three days a week. He carpooled with Mom to the university and helped Dad in the lab a few afternoons a week. Dad’s company hired Griffin as an assistant researcher, so he got to explore some of his ideas with their supplies. Mom tried to get Griffin to sit in on some of her sessions, but he said I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing and activating a psycho killer. That caused a round of laughter.

On his fifteenth birthday, things turned south, but it unknowingly opened up an opportunity for Griffin. The CIA caught wind of a fifteen-year-old genius at the university and tried to recruit him. They sent a thirty-something woman and a man who was in his forties. After failing to recruit him, they tried his parents, who listened to their sales pitch. They claimed, under their tutelage, Griffin would rise to the stars and beyond.

Dad said Let me get this straight. You want to take my son to an unknown place and challenge him with ideas, tests, and problems. They said yes, and his parents said no, ending the meeting. Griffin read their minds, and this was their friendly way. The next step was to take him against his will and cover their tracks by making it look like a foreign government did it. After they left, Dad said it wasn’t over and that we needed to watch for strangers hanging around.

Griffin asked if he got to kill the kidnappers, and everyone laughed. Then Dad said yes, shocking everyone. He said if it happens, call me immediately and do it in a discreet place if possible. He looked at Mom and said We need to find a safe house for Griffin if things turn south. Mom asked Thomas about his grandfather’s hunting cabin, and he said that’s an excellent idea. The property is listed under a corporation, so it won’t be tied to us.

We’ll need to borrow a four-wheel drive vehicle and set it up this weekend. For all we know, they have us under surveillance. Then Dad got up and checked the table and chairs where the CIA recruiters had been sitting. It was clean, and he went to the garage with Griffin and inspected their vehicles. Both had trackers on them, and Dad said We’ll leave them on for now. They returned to the kitchen, and Thomas told Mia both vehicles had trackers.

She asked what they should do now, and Thomas said to keep our normal schedule but assume the house and our cell phones will be tapped. So, say nothing here or on the phone about our plans. Griffin said he would be right back, then exited the house and the property via the backyard. He circled the block and saw a plumbing van parked at the end of the street. He got close enough to read the minds of the two men inside. They were monitoring the house, and when the family left, they would plant listening devices and cameras.

Returning the way he left, Griffin reported a plumbing van parked at the end of the street. He asked if he could set it on fire, and everyone laughed; then Dad said no. We have to act like we don’t know what they are doing. It gives us an advantage when the time comes, and we ate dinner and discussed this weekend. After dinner, everyone said goodnight and went to bed. Griffin stayed awake, thinking about this situation and the freedom it could afford him. He finally fell asleep.

Griffin woke up after midnight, dressed in dark clothes, and walked a mile to a two-story house. Something in his head told him he needed something inside. Griffin quietly entered the kitchen and took out the two men at the table playing cards quickly and without making a noise. Two more were in the living room, but he ignored them and went to the basement. Griffin saw two men seated at a table using a counting machine and wrapping the cash in bundles.

They didn’t notice him as he “Ghost Walked” behind them and knocked them out. Duffel bags sat by the open safe, and Griffin emptied the safe and the table of cash. He quietly left by the kitchen door with the two duffel bags and jogged home. He put the duffel bags in the garage attic after removing three bundles of cash. Griffin knew the CIA would attack soon, and the cash would get him what he needed at the cabin. The problem was getting the two duffel bags to the cabin.

Mom and Griffin arrived at the university the next morning, and Mom went to her lecture hall. Griffin skipped his class and took a cab to Walmart. He bought two pay-as-you-go phones and two mobile hotspots. Then he got a package of stick matches, two cans of lighter fluid, a butane torch, two ski masks, a five-pack of gloves, and 100 feet of rope. On the way to checkout, he saw a hiking backpack and got it too. At checkout, Griffin told the cashier to ignore his age, and he left the store.

He took a cab back to the university and put the backpack filled with purchases in Mom’s trunk. Griffin arrived at his class just as everyone was leaving, so he went to the cafeteria for lunch. He already knew everything about the subject and could test out of class if his parents would let him. But they said he needed student/teacher interaction, so he was stuck. What they don’t understand is that no one talks to him because he is four or more years younger than them.

Then when he finished lunch, a man and a woman entered the cafeteria, and they weren’t students. Both tried to look young but were over thirty, and Griffin quickly left as they were scanning the lunch crowd. He sensed they would try something very soon, possibly tomorrow. He sat in on Mom’s last class to audit it, but he had already passed the course.

When the class ended, Griffin told Mom what he saw in the cafeteria, and they rushed to Mom’s Lexus SUV. They quickly left and headed home. When they arrived, Griffin reminded Mom about the listening devices and possible cameras. Mom asked where they would put cameras, and he said it depended on whether they were perverts. They laughed, and Mom punched Griffin in the shoulder, then went inside. He got the backpack out of Mom’s SUV, took it to the attic, and filled it full of cash.

He almost emptied one duffel bag, and he returned the backpack to the SUV. Mom’s Lexus had a retractable cover that covered what was in back, and he secured the cover, then went inside. Griffin remembered the plumbing van was gone, so he looked for the receiver/recorder. He found it in the utility closet and unplugged it. Then Griffin and Mom searched the house and found cameras in the den, kitchen, and in Mom and Dad’s bedroom and bathroom.

Griffin said that confirmed they’re perverts unless you want to be on a website, and while laughing, she punched him again. He adjusted the cameras to point to the ceiling, a wall, or the ground, then he turned the recorder/receiver back on. Dan arrived home, and they went outside. Mom told him what happened at the university. Griffin told Dad about finding cameras inside the house, including your bedroom. Mom wanted to keep them active and have her photos online.

Mom called him a liar, and everyone laughed. Dad said he arranged to borrow a 4x4 truck from a work colleague. In the morning, we’ll take the truck to the train station and get off at the first stop. Then we’ll take a taxi to get the truck and drive to the cabin. Griffin asked what he should pack, and Dad told him to pack enough clothes for a week and his laptop for classwork.

They reentered the house, and Mom started dinner. Griffin went back out to the garage, went into the attic, and got the almost empty duffel bag. He got the hiking backpack from Mom’s SUV and took them to his room. Griffin repacked the backpack and duffel bag, putting the cash at the bottom. He put his clothing on top, then his laptop and accessories. Mom called Dinner is ready and he went to the kitchen. They ate dinner with little conversation, and when they finished, they went to bed.

At 5 a.m., Dad entered Griffin’s room and whispered, “ Get ready, we’re leaving in 30 minutes.” Griffin showered, dressed, and took the backpack and duffel bag to Dad’s F-250. He put them in the backseat, got in, and his parents arrived five minutes later. They arrived at the train station, got tickets, boarded the train, and got off at the first stop. Dad hailed a taxi, and they went to Dad’s coworker’s house. They exchanged greetings, and Bob reminded Thomas of their deal.

The truck was a Chevy Silverado 4x4 with an extra cab. Griffin put his things in the back and got in, sitting sideways, hoping it wasn’t a long drive. Mom moved her seat forward to give him more room. Dad was 6’4 inches tall, and he was 6’1” and still growing. Griffin said if my Mommy loved me, she would sit in the back, and everyone laughed. It was over a two-hour drive to the cabin, but they stopped for food and supplies. The cabin was almost 20 miles from town, and the road to the cabin was rough and overgrown.

When they arrived, Dad opened the cabin; it was nice inside but dusty from years of disuse. The cabin had two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and one bathroom. Mom opened the windows, and Dad showed Griffin where the water and propane valves were. They turned them on, and luckily, the propane tank was full. Dad told Griffin to take short showers and use the fireplace if he needed heat. The road needs to be repaired before they can refill the propane tank again.

Then Dad took Griffin to the basement, and he was shocked at all the firearms and weapons. There were bows, crossbows, swords, and hunting knives. Dad got a shotgun, a. 30-06 hunting rifle, and a .357 Magnum revolver off the wall. They cleaned and loaded them, and Dad said they should be enough to protect him. He recommended using a bow and arrows or a crossbow for a quiet kill. They returned to the cabin, and Mom cleaned up the place and put the supplies away.

Dad handed Griffin a pay-as-you-go phone and said to call in case of an emergency. Well, arrange to refresh your supplies in two weeks, and they headed to the truck. Dad said You’ll find hunting camos in the closets that should fit. Griffin said thanks, Mom, for the hug and kiss goodbye, and they left laughing. He thought, finally, I have some time by myself, and went back inside the cabin and found two pairs of camos that sort of fit. The pants were too long, so they must have been Dad’s, and he rolled up the pants’ legs.

Then he grabbed the crossbow, arrows, hunting knife, and the .357 revolver. Griffin unpacked, transferred the cash to the duffel bag, and then hid it. He put everything in the backpack except the crossbow and arrows. Then he added water bottles and a sandwich, locked the cabin, and left to check out the area. Griffin circled the cabin and found a shed about 70 yards from it. He opened the door and saw an old Jeep on jack stands with the battery on a minder.

Griffin looked, and it was working, and the shed had lights. He went outside and saw solar panels on the roof. Returning to the shed, he checked the Jeep’s oil, and it had been drained. There were two oil cans and four gas cans, so he figured he could spend some time trying to get it running. He shut the shed, continued his search, and heard a noise. It was by the entrance road from the highway, so he slowly approached it. A black SUV was stuck just off the road, and four men in tactical gear were trying to free it.

He took off his backpack and took out the arrows, .357 revolver, and hunting knife. Griffin loaded the crossbow and waited to see what happened. They finally freed it, backed it up, and parked the SUV. The men got the supplies they needed and started walking towards the cabin. Griffin shot the last man with an arrow in the center of the back, reloaded, and did the same to the third man. He reloaded again, and the second stopped, turned around, and got an arrow in the heart.

The first man looked back and dove into the brush, but an arrow hit him in the butt. Griffin got the hunting knife and rope and quietly circled behind the man. He was in pain and trying to remove the arrow when Griffin knocked him out. He removed the arrow, used a first aid kit to treat the wound, and tied him up. Griffin removed the dead men’s and the injured man’s gear and weapons. Then he stripped them and pulled them deep into the woods.

Returning, he emptied the SUV, drove 50 yards away, and parked it off the road in the trees. When he got back, the injured man started to wake up, so he knocked him out again. Then Griffin carried the supplies and weapons to the cabin. It took four trips, but he got it done. He returned, drank two bottles of water, and ate his sandwich. When he was done, Griffin hung the injured man from a tree by his feet. It took only a kick to the chest to wake him, and the interrogation began.

He said they were contractors for the CIA and were hired to kidnap him by CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green. The pay was 250k, and it was supposed to be an easy job. Griffin asked how they found him, and he said that it was Mia Steele’s cell phone. The last question was who they told of his location, and he said they didn’t because your location wasn’t confirmed. Unfortunately, he died before he could answer any more questions. So, Griffin stripped him and took him to join his friends.

He returned to the house pissed that his mom, the psychologist, couldn’t turn her phone off or leave it at home. She was on call for her patients, but another doctor could have covered for her. With everything going on, she thought about her patients first and then him. Not trusting slip-ups anymore, he made plans to find his own safe house and tell no one. The intruder’s SUV would be a perfect getaway vehicle, and he’d buy a used car or truck.

While eating dinner, Griffin went through the intruders’ supplies, equipment, and weapons. They had a nice laptop he’d check out later. There was enough food for three days, and it wasn’t perishable. The cell phone tracking device was government-issued, and they had a device to detect trackers, cameras, and audio devices. The weapons were Glock 19s with silencers, AR-15s, and two Barrett .338 Lapua MRAD sniper rifles. That was more than enough firepower to defend himself. After dinner, he went to bed and fell asleep.

Griffin woke up early and began hauling the supplies to the SUV. It took seven trips with the contractors’ gear and his stuff, too. He thought about where to go, and the first stop had to be home. Griffin started the journey, avoiding towns and getting fuel and food at truck stops. He timed the last part so he’d arrive after 10 p.m. Griffin parked on a side street by the alley and entered the garage from the backyard. He got the duffel bag of cash from the garage attic and left town.

Tired from the trip, he parked in an alley behind a restaurant between dumpsters and fell asleep. Griffin woke up to a tapping on the window, and the guy was a member of the kitchen staff. He said, “ Señor, you can’t park here, or the restaurant owner will call the police. Griffin responded in Spanish, thanked him, and asked if he wanted $100. Juan was the dishwasher, and Griffin asked if he knew where to get a new ID and papers.

They agreed to meet at 5 p.m. at the same place, and Griffin read Juan’s mind before leaving. He wasn’t planning anything against him; he just needed the money. Griffin went to the mall to shop for clothes and other items to disguise his appearance. It was after 4 p.m. when Dad called on the burner phone. He said your mom wasn’t answering her phone, and he was worried. He told Griffin to stay alert because your Mom, if captured, would give up your location with minimal difficulty.

Dad said he would notify him if it was clear, and they said goodbye. Griffin laughed, knowing Dad was right, and that she had already given up his location by bringing her cell phone to the cabin. He turned off the pay-as-you-go phone because Mom would tell them about it, too. Griffin met Juan behind the restaurant, drove to an old house behind a business, and parked in the driveway.

Griffin had 20k in his pocket and a Glock 19 behind his back. Juan knocked on the door a special way, and Manuel welcomed them in Spanish. Griffin told Manuel what he wanted, and he said that it would be $7,500. Griffin said no, but would pay $5,000. Manuel looked at Juan, pissed, knowing he had told Griffin the price. He paid Manuel, gave Juan his money, and he left. Manuel sat at a computer monitor and told Griffin to stand against the wall for a picture.

Once the picture was done, Griffin watched Manuel open programs and create his new identity. His new name was Griffin Conley, and Manuel said it was best to keep your first name to avoid discovery. He read Manuel’s mind, and it was total bullshit, and he planned to turn him in when Griffin left. He paid Manuel, then put him into a deep sleep with pressure points. Then Griffin made three other IDs with the Names Sean Harper, Brian Fisher, and Ryan Adams.

Griffin then erased his photos and aliases from the computer after printing the documents. Before he left, Griffin applied pressure to the point of memory loss and held it for over thirty seconds. That would make Manuel forget about his and Juan’s visit and probably most of the day. He drove to the next town and checked into a Holiday Inn under the alias Sean Harper. His room was on the ground floor, so he could back up to his room and unload what was needed.

Mia Steele had been kidnapped from the university, a hood over her head, hands and feet bound by zip ties. She wouldn’t shut up, so they put duct tape over her mouth, and they took her to a vacant warehouse. They carried her inside, and the interrogation began. After a few well-placed punches, Mia told them everything she knew about Griffin’s location. The interrogator said, “You must not like your son much,” and Mia said, “He’s a strong boy and can adapt.” My patients and students need me, so please let me go.

After confirming the information, they roughed her up and returned her to her SUV at the university. Thomas saw Mia’s condition when she arrived home and asked what had happened. She said I was kidnapped and tortured for information on Griffin. Thomas said, “ Well, they let you go, so you told them everything.” Mia said Yes, or they would have killed me. My patients and students need me, and Griffin is a strong, smart boy. He’ll survive whatever they do to him.

Thomas said You’re a cold-hearted bitch selling out your only son and tried calling Griffin, but the call didn’t go through. He asked if she had told them about the special phones, and Mia said yes, everything. Thomas said, “ Well, Griffin’s blood is on your hands, and I can’t stand to be around you.” He told her to find a place to stay because she wasn’t welcome here anymore, then went to their bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it. Mia was shocked by Thomas’ reaction and thought he’d settle down with time.

An assault team entered the cabin and found no one there. They searched the area and found the remains of the four-man contract team sent to apprehend Griffin Steele. The team leader said, “Oh my god, what a way to go.” He called CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green and reported what they found. Rob said he didn’t give a shit about the contractors. He said, “ Find Griffin; he couldn’t have gone far without money and a driver’s license and hung up. The team leader said What an asshole and gave his team their new orders.

Sean (Griffin’s alias) walked to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant across the street and got dinner to go. Returning to the motel, he bought a local newspaper and went to his room. He ate dinner while searching the classifieds for used cars and trucks. Then he saw an ad for a truck and trailer and called the number. It was available, and they agreed to meet tomorrow at 9 a.m. The price was high, but he wanted to see their condition and get an idea of whether he could live in one. He finished dinner and went to bed.

Chapter 2

After checking out of the motel and getting breakfast, Griffin went to see the truck and trailer for sale. It was an F-250 like Dad’s, but a 4x4, and the trailer was an Imagine brand. They were in great shape, and Sean (his alias) asked the lady why she was selling it. Mrs. Kay Hastings said it was her late husband’s toy. He used it for fishing, and unfortunately, he died of a heart attack while fishing between a young woman’s legs. But don’t worry, it’s been thoroughly cleaned and the mattress replaced.

They bartered back and forth until they finally settled on 45k cash. The registrations have just been renewed, so he could wait to register it when he finds a place to settle for a while. After the paperwork was done, Sean hooked up the trailer, drove to the nearest shopping center, and parked. Then he walked back to the house, got the SUV, and parked beside the trailer. Griffin transferred everything to the trailer and parked the SUV. He wiped down the areas he touched and left the key in the ignition.

Griffin drove to a Walmart and got plastic storage bins and trash bags. He put all the illegal shit in the plastic bins and opened the outside storage. Mrs. Hastings hadn’t emptied them, and her late husband’s things were still in there. So, Griffin put his illegal stuff behind it to keep it from being visible. Then he emptied the clothes from the closet and dresser into trash bags, wondering why she didn’t get rid of them. Once done, he returned to Walmart and bought bedding, towels, and food.

Then he drove to a laundromat and washed everything, including his new and dirty clothes. Two hours later, he was on the road, stopped at a truck stop for fuel, dumped the waste tanks, and filled the water tank. He found a generator and filled it along with a 5-gallon gas can. Then he parked, locked up, and went inside. He was surprised to see it like a miniature Walmart for truckers. He ate a late lunch, then bought two ballcaps, gloves, sunglasses, and a trucker’s atlas.

He was heading west and was looking to stop in Texas, Arizona, or Colorado for a while. As it got dark, Griffin pulled into a rest stop and parked away from the facilities. It would be safer and less noisy with people arriving and leaving. He started the generator and put a frozen dinner in the microwave. While eating, he thought about how to contact Dad without the CIA and Mom finding out.

The phone Dad gave him was compromised, and his work extension was probably monitored. A letter to work was risky, with the postal service marking it at the point of origin. Emails were risky too, but he had to tell him about Mom bringing her phone to the cabin. Then the idea of a messaging service came to mind, and he needed to research it. He finished dinner, then went to bed.

The assault team leader called CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green and reported that Griffin Steele wasn’t anywhere to be found, and that they had searched two towns. He told Rob that they were an assault team, not investigators, so they were heading home. Rob yelled, “Wait,” but the line was dead, and he was pissed. He couldn’t send any more teams or personnel without raising red flags. Then he thought of a PI he’d used before and called Joe Horn.

Joe answered and asked Rob what kind of illegal activity the CIA wanted him to do. Rob laughed. “It’s nothing illegal.” It’s a locate-and-detain for a pickup job. It’s a 15-year-old boy on the run, and we need to locate him. Joe said he smelled bullshit, and everything you are requesting is illegal unless you’re his parent. You’re doing a special project, and this kid is needed. Well, count me out, and he hung up. That enraged Rob, and after destroying his office, he drank bourbon until he passed out.

Griffin woke up sensing danger and looked out the window. A police vehicle sat with its lights off, and an officer got out with a flashlight. When he got close enough, Griffin read his mind. He and his cousin ripped off travelers and made a killing selling the goods. Griffin exited the trailer while the officer was checking the truck. He waited in the dark until the officer reached the trailer door and knocked him out. He had a silenced .22 automatic tucked in his back.

He pulled Officer Norton into the woods and stripped him. After giving him a beating he’d never forget, Griffen handcuffed him to a tree. He took Officer Norton’s pen and wrote on his back, “I rip off tourists with my cousin Jack.” Then he searched the clothes and found a switchblade, a .38 snub-nose revolver, along with his county-issued gear. Griffin took his gun belt and clothes to the police cruiser, then drove into the woods until it got stuck between trees. He wiped down the areas he touched and returned to the trailer.

Griffin got it ready to travel and took off down the highway, wanting to be miles or a state away before his department discovered him. He crossed the state line and saw an RV park advertised on a billboard. Griffin pulled into the RV park at 7 a.m. and registered under his alias Sean Harper. The pad had full service with internet, so he parked and connected the services. He was about to disconnect the truck and realized he didn’t have a trailer tongue lock.

He was sure the previous owner had one, so he checked the drawers in the trailer by the entrance and found one along with one key on a ring. The lock keys were in it, so it had to be for something else. Griffin disconnected the truck and locked the trailer tongue. Then he returned to the trailer and searched for what key fit. Under the kitchen seat was a safe and several firearms. He opened the safe and knew he wouldn’t need money for a while. It was full of cash, and he wondered what Mrs. Kay Hastings’ late husband did for a living.

Griffin went online and researched messaging services. After reading their restrictions, he gave up and had to find another way. He turned off the laptop and drove the truck to the office. Griffin asked if there were restaurants or a market nearby. The clerk gave him directions, and he took off. There was an RV store on the way, so he stopped. They had everything you would need for an RV or travel trailer. Griffin bought a tool kit, a digital door lock, and racks to hold a motorcycle on the bumper.

He stopped at a Taco Bell drive-thru for lunch and returned to the trailer. After lunch, he installed the trailer door lock. Then Griffin remembered the laptop the intrusion team had and went to the outside storage. While going through the plastic bins, he finally found it among many other goodies. The goodies were in duffel bags he never opened. Griffin put everything back and would go through it later. Returning to the trailer, he hacked into the laptop.

Griffin was glad he had befriended Barry, a senior programming major at the university. Barry introduced him to hacking and taught Griffin everything he knew. Then Barry gave him a list of chat rooms and his precious login to the dark web. He schooled Griffin on the safe way to buy and get products delivered from the dark web. Although he had never had the opportunity to log on to surf the dark web, now he does, and it’s something he will do soon.

Once inside the laptop, he checked the programs and icons on the desktop. Griffin saw logins for the CIA, FBI, and Homeland Security and wondered who the intrusion team was to have that kind of access. Then he checked their bank app, and it showed the payment of 250k from a Cayman Islands Bank account. That had to be from the CIA Special Projects Manager, Rob Green’s operational bank account. Griffin thought he needed to start programming his toolbox, as Barry called it.

Barry gave him a worm and an email program to alter and refine. He said they were his first, and everyone needed their own style and to set up the functions of their tools. A couple of ideas popped into his head, and he began programming. The first one was internet forwarding, and it would use a computer he’d hacked to access the internet. That way, his IP address would be the hacked computer, not his. While programming, he thought it would work for emails too.

The program would erase after use, leaving no trace of its intrusion. But it would leave backdoor access should he need it again. Universities were prime targets due to their extensive use of computers and free access for students. Griffin programmed until he was hungry and saved his work. While eating dinner, he thought about a name for the program and decided on “Uninvited.” He thought it would be funny to use Mom’s university or practice and let her deal with the fallout. He finished dinner and went to bed.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Griffin, still unknowingly dressed, locked the trailer and went to a park by the RV park. He stopped, and then everything went dark. The only senses he had were hearing and feeling, while the rest were gone. Griffin was lying on a hard surface, and there were people around him speaking a language he didn’t understand. Then, a sharp stick in his arm, and he lost the rest of his senses.

Griffin woke up lying on the grass in the park and sore all over. It took several attempts to get up, and he slowly made his way back to the trailer. A hot shower made him feel better, and he thought about the last time it happened. It was over a year ago, and Griffin wondered why now and what had been done to him. There were small marks all over his body, a first, and the back of his head hurt.

He ate breakfast and thought about his situation. He was alone now and free to do what he wanted. The one small problem was that the CIA wanted him for some project, and he was sure they wouldn’t give in easily. Mom would sell him out in a heartbeat, but Dad was the total opposite. Griffin wondered how their relationship was now that he was gone. He would bet Dad was pissed, and Mom couldn’t give a shit. Her patients and students came first, so their home life must be interesting now.

After breakfast, Griffin continued programming on “Uninvited” and noticed the change right away. He was fast before, but now his fingers were flying across the keyboard. He was also writing code he didn’t know before, but now he did. When he was done, he reviewed the code he had written earlier and made several changes. Once done, Griffin started on the basic worm program and totally rewrote it. At the end, he realized he needed a cloud account for the worm to send the data.

Griffin saved his work, grabbed some cash, and went to Walmart. He bought four $500 prepaid Visa cards and told the cashier to ignore the purchase amount. On the way home, he saw a Best Buy and got a 5 TB SSD. Arriving back at the trailer, Griffin signed up for a cloud account using his alias, Sean Harper. He added the cloud address to the worm program, saved it, then made dinner. While eating dinner, Griffin thought about when he should move again and decided to stay one more day. He finished dinner, then went to bed.

Sensing danger, Griffin woke after midnight, dressed, and quietly exited the trailer. Two men tried to gain entry to his F-250 with a lockpick. Two strikes to the back of their necks rendered them unconscious. He then put them into a deep sleep with pressure points and searched them. One had a 9mm Glock, and the other had a Taurus .38 Revolver. They had a large bag with their tools beside the truck.

Their Chevy Impala was parked next to his truck, so he beat them up and paid extra attention to their hands and balls. Griffin put them into the trunk, drove a mile away, and parked off the road in some trees. He wiped the areas he touched, walked back to the trailer, disposing of the keys along the way. Arriving at the truck, he picked up their lockpick gun and tool bag, then returned to the trailer and fell asleep.

During breakfast the next morning, Griffin examined the thieves’ tools, and they were professional-grade. They had everything from Slim Jims to key fob readers and starters. That caused him to wonder how he knew where they were and what they were doing. It must have been another gift, and Griffin decided to leave a day early. He secured everything in the trailer, disconnected the services, and raised the levelers. After hooking up the truck, Griffin pulled out of the RV park and headed down the highway.

He stopped at the next truck stop he saw and got fuel and lunch to go. While checking out, there was a guide for the best RV Parks in the US. They were listed by state, so he bought that too. Griffin pulled into the next rest stop and ate lunch while reading the guide. He was looking for a place to settle for a while, close to a large city with high-speed internet. But the location needed to be rural enough for him to see trouble coming.

Griffin was in Missouri on I-44 and had to make a choice soon on where to go. He chose to drop down to I-40 through Oklahoma and stop in New Mexico for a while. A highly rated RV park outside Albuquerque looked nice, but it was miles outside town. Once there, he could explore for a private spot to park. His next stop would be in Tulsa at the River Spirit Casino Resort. They had a RV Park, and he could try playing poker and visit some shops to upgrade his wardrobe.

He took off from the rest stop and arrived at the River Spirit Casino Resort. It was after 5 p.m., and he registered under his alias, Sean Harper. He paid for a week’s stay, got a 30% discount, and received an upgraded pad, service hookups, and parking. He parked the trailer, unhitched it, and connected the services. The park had guards in golf carts driving around, so it was safe to leave the truck and trailer unattended.

Griffin showered, dressed, and put on his Sean Harper disguise. It was courtesy of Manuel, the document forger, who had plans to turn him in to the authorities for a reward. Unfortunately for Manuel, he couldn’t remember ever meeting him after he left. He grabbed some cash and went to the Resort. Sean went to the shops first and upgraded his wardrobe. He bought three pairs of slacks, dress shirts, two sport coats, two pairs of shoes, and accessories.

Returning to the trailer, he changed clothes, grabbed more cash, and went back. This time, Sean visited the casino and viewed the different games being played. He started with blackjack and lost, learning how to play. Then he began winning and quit after winning two grand. He switched to poker and lost his winnings while learning the game. He left the casino feeling he had a good grasp of the game and got dinner to go from a café.

Back at the trailer, he removed the disguise and ate dinner, thinking he could add to his funds by playing poker. He went online, purchased four books by famous poker players, and read two. They discussed knowing the other players’ habits, tells, and betting patterns. Griffin thought he had a good idea of the game and strategy. He would read the other two books tomorrow morning and try his luck again. Griffin finished dinner and went to bed.

The next morning, Griffin ate breakfast and read the last two books on poker. Then he showered, dressed, put on his Sean disguise, grabbed his dirty laundry, and went to the office. The RV park had a laundry service, so he used it and returned to the trailer. It was too early to go to the casino, so he went online and searched for local movie makeup supplies. He found one and checked their website. They didn’t have a store, but customers could pick up their orders at the will-call desk.

Griffin ordered a deluxe makeup kit for his skin type, including mustaches, beards, wigs, glasses, contacts, and adhesive. He placed the order for will-call pickup and drove the F-250 to the warehouse. They gladly accepted cash, and then he stopped at a market for food. Returning to the trailer, he put the groceries away and opened the makeup kit. It had two DVDs on applying makeup and accessories.

He fixed lunch and ate it while watching the instructional DVDs. When the last one was done, Griffin went online and ordered more products. He was amazed at the changes that could be made to his appearance and laughed at the thought of having more makeup than a woman. He added a storage case to keep everything organized. Once the order was complete, he drove to the warehouse and picked it up at will-call.

On the way back to the RV Park, he saw an Athletics Warehouse and stopped to see what they had. Griffin picked up an oversized, heavy bag with a leather skin. Then he stopped at a Home Depot, picked up 100 feet of rope, and returned to the trailer. He saw a perfect spot to hang it behind the trailer, among the trees, and would use it in the morning. Griffin organized his makeup in the rolling storage case, which looked like a mechanic’s tool chest.

Then he put on his Sean disguise, went to the office, and picked up his laundry. After putting everything away, he dressed, got 10k in cash, and went to the casino. He started slow and was even after the first hour. Then his luck changed, and he tripled his stake. The pit boss asked if Sean would like to play at the high-stakes table, and Sean agreed. He played for another five hours and cashed out. Sean went to the cashier, and she asked if he wanted to open an account.

After she explained the benefits, Sean opened an account with River Spirit Casino Resort. He got an atm card, and he could get markers on his account at any casino in the US. Returning to the trailer, Griffin removed his disguise and thought of the benefits of his account. He’d only be taxed on withdrawals over $4,500, and it would be reported as income to his alias, Sean Harper. That gave him an idea of making Sean his legitimate alias. Griffin undressed and fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Griffin grabbed the heavy bag and rope, then went into the woods. He hung the heavy bag on a sturdy limb and attacked it with his martial arts skills. He was surprised by his speed and strength as he hit the bag. It was the first time he’d worked out since leaving home. The changes the aliens made were dramatic. When done, Griffin practiced the “Ghost Walk” Sensi taught him and returned to the heavy bag. He left the rope but carried the heavy bag back to the trailer.

He showered, dressed, and, while eating breakfast, Griffin thought about the incursion team at the cabin. They had fake IDs, and he took their laptop from the cargo compartment. He turned it on, logged in, and copied the hard drive to his cloud, then shut it off. Griffin logged into his cloud account and examined the files. As he expected, a file listed places to get supplies and fake documents across the US and internationally.

Someone, probably a government agency, staged supplies for covert operations so the operators didn’t need to source them through government agencies or on the street. That would raise red flags and risk the operation if they were questioned or caught. There were fewer forgers, and they were located in the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and on the West Coast. There was a supply in Oklahoma City, and he planned to visit to see what was there.

Then he thought about his Mom and how she brought her phone to the cabin (safe house), giving his location to the invasion team. Griffin thought he would make her life interesting, so he hacked into the university computer system. He installed his worm and then entered the library system. Using his program, the “Uninvited,” he emailed Mom’s practice from a Hotmail account. It said, “Thanks for getting me a dorm room to hide out in, but I need more cash.” Could you leave at the same place, and signed it, Griffin.

He laughed, knowing the CIA was monitoring his parents’ house, cars, phones, and emails. The email couldn’t be traced beyond the library, and they would interrogate her about her son’s location. Griffin knew Mom cared more about her patients and students than about him or Dad. She had probably been interrogated before and had given up his location at the cabin. She was in for a rude surprise when CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green found out about the email.

Griffin had some time before gambling again, so he opened the storage under the trailer and organized the incursion teams’ weapons, supplies, and tools. One bin was for the weapons, one for their supplies, and one for their tools. Then he added the car thief’s tools to the bin. He removed a flash-bang and a tear gas grenade and replaced the bins. Then he opened the previous owners’ bins and found fishing line.

He locked the storage and returned to the trailer. Griffin tied both grenades together, then attached the fishing line to the pins. He ran the fishing line across the trailer entry and made a loop he could hook up when leaving and remove when entering. If someone broke into the trailer, they would be in for a rude awakening. He also needed an alarm system to notify him of a break-in. He’d stop at the next RV supply store and get one.

CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green was in his office, and his assistant told him there was activity on Mia Stone’s private email. Rob read the email and said shit he knew the bitch was lying. He broke the rules and ordered an interrogation team to abduct and interrogate Mia Stone. He authorized them to use whatever means necessary to find Griffin Stone. He told them there was a 25k bonus for each team member if they captured and detained Griffin.

Rob charged the cost to another operation, knowing he’d be in deep shit if they caught him. The whole operation was illegal, but he needed Griffin for his special project. Young geniuses who meet his needs don’t come around often. Rob had a scientific team ready to start the experiments to find out what made Griffin so smart. If he could clone or copy his DNA, they would be years ahead in their research. His parents hiding him pissed Rob off, and he hoped the team would capture Griffin after interrogating his mom.

Griffin put on Sean’s disguise, grabbed 10k in cash, and went to the casino. It was too early to gamble, so he got lunch at the restaurant. The restaurant was busy, and Sean asked the waitress why so many people were there today. She said there was a charity fundraiser for the children’s hospital. A raffle and other events were planned. Sean finished lunch and went to the casino entrance. They were raffling off a new Chevy Malibu, a motorcycle, various appliances, and trips. Each ticket cost $100, so he bought 10, thinking it was for a good cause.

Sean didn’t like crowds, so he returned to the trailer, undressed, and took a nap. He woke up after six, cleaned up, dressed, and ate dinner. After dinner, he got another grand from the safe to make up for the raffle donation and went to the casino. The pit boss welcomed Sean and let him into the high-stakes area. He bought in with 10k in cash and began playing. The game was limited to five players, and a few left, so they were replaced.

At midnight, Sean cashed out, tipped the dealer 2k, and got his deposit receipt. The special promotion brought in a crowd, and he was happy to leave. Arriving at his trailer, he saw a huge motorhome parked next to it. Why would anyone buy such a vehicle? He’d never understand. It was a waste of money for the times that they would use it. He figured it belonged to some rich person who wanted to flaunt his wealth. Griffin removed his disguise and fell asleep.

Waking up early the next morning, he thought about leaving. The asshole in the motorhome had guests last night, and it woke him up several times. Once, park security told him to lower the noise because people were sleeping. He showered, dressed, ate breakfast, and then went to the RV Park office. Sean complained about the noise coming from the motorhome next to him last night. The manager said there were several complaints, and they would be leaving this morning.

Sean said, “Good,” because if they were here tonight, I’d leave, and he left the office. He read the mind of the manager and thought the police would need to get the asshole out of the park. Returning to his trailer, there was a security guard banging on the motorhome door. He entered the trailer and heard shouting next door. Then two police patrol vehicles arrived and warned the asshole. Leave, or your motorhome will be towed, and you’ll be arrested. Griffin heard the motorcoach start and pull out of the RV Park.

Mia Strong was leaving the university for her practice when a van pulled up, grabbed her, and drove off. They gagged Mia, put a hood over her head, and tied her feet and hands. The interrogation team started with a beating, then used waterboarding and finally truth serum. When they were convinced Mia didn’t know anything, they injected a drug to fog her memory and returned her to her vehicle.

The team leader called CIA Special Projects Manager Rob Green and reported what they found. Rob said she’s hiding Griffin’s location, and the team leader said no one could have withstood what we did. She doesn’t know the location of her son, so you’ve been misinformed or tricked. He hung up before Rob could respond, and he was pissed. He put out a nationwide missing-person report for Griffin Strong, hoping some local Police Department would call. The problem was that he didn’t have a current photo, so he had to use the university’s admission photo from when he was ten years old.

After the motorhome left, Griffin was glad it was gone. He made lunch and checked the local news back home while eating. An article about him missing ran, and Griffin laughed at the photo. It had to be the CIA’s doing, and he was glad his parents weren’t into photography. He couldn’t remember the last photo they’d taken of him, and it had to be from when he was a baby.

Griffin spent the afternoon practicing his teleporting in the woods. He hadn’t practiced it much due to the lack of opportunity. Being at the university with Mom or at Dad’s work left him no free time. That, and the risk of being seen, had prevented it before. Griffin teleported short distances within sight of the target because it wouldn’t be good to end up in a tree or ditch. Knowing the area you’re going to is necessary for safe travel. When he was done, Griffin teleported back to the trailer and took a nap.

He woke up around six, showered, dressed, put on his Sean disguise, grabbed 10k from the safe, and went to the casino. Griffin ate dinner in an Italian restaurant, then went to the card-playing area. The pit boss welcomed Sean back, and he entered the high-stakes area. Sean sat down at a table bought in with 10k cash, and he began to play. The charity had brought in many wealthy people who weren’t good card players, and he benefited from them.

After five hours, Sean cashed out, tipped the dealer 3 grand, and received his deposit receipt. He left several pissed-off card players hoping to win back their money. He checked the raffle winner list and didn’t win anything, so he left the casino. One of the losing card players followed him outside and demanded his money back. Fortunately, the casino security intervened, and he headed back to his trailer without getting into a fight. He undressed, went to bed, and fell asleep.

Chapter 3

Waking up early the next morning, Griffin carried the heavy bag into the woods and hung it on a tree. He practiced martial arts for an hour, then removed the rope and carried the heavy bag back to the trailer. He put the bag and rope in a storage compartment, then showered, dressed, and ate breakfast. While eating, he thought about last night’s incident and decided it was time to leave. He’d made good money gambling and now had a sizeable bank account with a Visa ATM card.

After breakfast, Griffin disconnected the trailer services, raised the levelers, hooked up the F-250 to the trailer, and pulled out of the RV Park. He hit the highway, and Oklahoma City was the next stop. He wanted to see what supplies were in the storage unit listed on the intruder’s computer. Two hours later, he parked behind an office building near the storage unit. Griffin put on a disguise, a ballcap, and sunglasses, then opened the trailer outside storage.

He grabbed the car thief’s tools, opened a Toyota Camry, started it, and drove to the storage unit gate. He entered the code, then, upon reaching the unit, entered the combination. Upon entering the unit, he was shocked by the supplies it had. A clipboard listed what was taken and by whom, and Griffin laughed. He got two tactical suits in his size with boots, and a case each of flash-bang, smoke, tear gas, and real grenades.