TNP 30 "Tight Security"

A Chapter by dw817

Tricia spoke, "It's been fixed up for people to live here since - " and she paused and said the next word mysteriously, "others." and then ended the sentence like that was the proper way to finish it.

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THE NANCY PRINCIPLE

My time in working for the government during the Savings & Loan Crisis of 1990 with a beautiful
woman who took care of absolutely everything for me in my employ. And I mean EVERYTHING.

© August 2013 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission

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CHAPTER 30 - TIGHT SECURITY

* * *

This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE

I smirked, "Yeah, a new computer." But shouldn't we be more concerned as to why someone tried to rob something out of the limousine earlier though ?

Smithers seemed to dismiss the whole thing. Perhaps I should too. I shrugged, well at least Tricia was thinking the cut window was a serious enough sign to drop off my paperwork home in her safe. Correction, OUR safe. Although I wondered what kind of relationship we would really have once we were married.

Judy rode opposite of me, grinning, thinking the whole thing was one adventure. And I wasn't too far from thinking the same thing. There were 4-seats in the limousine and the other two faced us looking out the back window.

I was curious to know who the last person was Tricia picked out that wasn't either Smithers or Judy, "So who is the 3rd person, Trish ?" I asked her.

"You'll see. She'll be there at the estate when we get there. But you won't meet her until we get back. Which means, I want you both to =STAY= in here until I return."

Just then we left the regular road to turn up against a pretty and apparently very old metal gate. Placed rather hurriedly was an apparently new postboard sign in the center that read, "David's Estate."

"Meee ?" I suddenly squeaked out. Judy grinned at the odd way my voice pitched when I was excited or distressed.

Tricia was quick to reply, "Yes, YOU. It is your money we're protecting after all. I figured you would like that." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a remote, tapping the first button on it. The gate opened on an electric swing, creaking noisily on rusty hinges.

But then I started thinking of Mexico and their president. Wasn't he just a figurehead and other people actually ran things in power. I puzzled my lip with my finger in thought.

Tricia noticed and addressed me, "Is that okay with you, hun ? Doesn't the sign look nice ?"

"Yeah, sure." I said uncertainly. But then Smithers started driving up to this strange looking house. Well now shouldn't there be security or something ?

Tricia smiled looking behind her and hit the button again letting the gate close in back of us. "I know what you're thinking, David. Why isn't there any security ? There doesn't need to be. Look carefully at where we're going to be living."

I did, it appeared rather sturdy, and ugly in truth, more like a fortress for hardened prisoners and convicts rather than a mansion. And yet - it had an odd construction to it, like a dome with rounded tubular rivulets around the top of it.

For a moment I was reminded of ancient pyramids. I know they say mankind built those and yet - I wonder. How much of history was rewritten with fabrications to cover up the real truth of things ?

Tricia trilled excitedly in my silence, "Older security methods used keypads, locked gates, and in some cases to prevent planes and helicopters from landing on the top, EMI, electro-magnetic interference, high-voltage fences, and in extreme cases security guards that were armed with a 24-hour patrol of the premises."

"Yeah, maybe for Fort Knox !" I said. I shook my head, "Do we really need all this just for a place we can put our feet up ?" I asked her.

"Well, honey, that's just the thing. We don't HAVE any of that at all. If someone wanted in and we didn't want them to, they couldn't get in, period."

Then she pointed to the building, "That is a unique construction. It is bomb-proof, fireproof, concussion proof, drill proof, and explosion proof. It would take the national guard and then some to get in and even then I doubt they could."

"But ... why ?" I mouthed but didn't say. Really, why go through all the trouble ? If someone was gonna rob us and take our million dollars, surely they would find a way around any security measures we took ?

Tricia nodded, seeing the confusion on my face, "I think it will suit our purposes. If you must know, I can't take credit for this construction myself. But it's been fixed up for people to live here since - " and she paused and said the next word mysteriously, "others." and then ended the sentence like that was the proper way to finish it.

And the way she said 'others' made me believe they weren't your run-of-the-mill building constructors, but something - or someone far far away either lived here or made this. Both gave me a shiver.

Tricia continued, "In any case, I - I mean - =WE= both will be living here now. Think of it this way, David. A construction like that cannot be entered no matter what. And if that's the case, what need for security is there ? The security is the STRUCTURE itself."

"Woah !" I murrphed breathlessly finally understanding what she was saying, "That's GENIUS !"

Tricia grinned and grabbed my hand to squeeze it comfortably, "Thank you. I like to believe it is."

I added, "But what about helicopters on the roof or people digging underground to get at us and my million dollars ?"

"What about it ?" she replied, "It's not of - " and then she let go of my hand to rub my head a little painfully, "It's strong enough, trust me. Yes. Anyways, this is cutting edge home security. No worries. NO-ONE will get in without our permission."

"How old is the building then ?" I asked, because looking at it, it didn't appear to be something made immediately overnight. In fact I was beginning to believe it wasn't made in this century.

"David !" she said looking a little frustrated, "You are certainly full of questions, aren't you ? It's been around - " and she did that odd pause like before and then finally added, "a-while."

"But - how do YOU get in, Tricia ?" Judy asked, joining the conversation. I could see she was getting interested in our conversation, too, especially since I suspected she would be living there too.

* * *

"My ! You too !" Tricia said sounding a little flustered now that we were both probing her hard on this curious fortress. "I'll explain it all to you kids - both - later. Right now I need to put this paperwork away. Judy, David, you two stay here. I'll be right back."

But I had just one more question, "So do you use a key or keypad or security card to get in yourself ?"

I wasn't paying attention around me, however. We had already stopped outside the entrance and Smithers opened the door for Tricia. She looked down at me and smiled innocently, "No, David. I just knock to get inside. She knows me. I'll be right back."

Both me and Judy exchanged grins ? She knocks to get in this super-strong fortress ? Wasn't it possible anyone could just - knock ? And who was she talking about ?

We watched eagerly. Tricia approached what appeared to be the front of the mansion but instead of wide steps, it was a tall concrete tube, at least 15-feet across and perfectly cylindrical with no windows, room for about 4-people if they cramped in it.

As she stepped in, a wall or door, it was hard to tell slid around the circumference behind her, made of the same special metal, sealing her in. For a moment I was worried, but then a green light in a protective casing shone on the outside.

"Occupied ?" I thought to myself and chuckled at the thought she was going to the bathroom.

I watched a moment more and then the green light finally winked out and the door opened revealing an empty cylinder. Tricia was gone !

"Did she get disintegrated ?" I asked myself worriedly, remembering an old Star Trek episode that looked similar. Because now that I thought about it, this building was looking more futuristic by the minute. I had yet to find a seam in it's construction. But, if it wasn't built, how was it made ?

Judy grinned, "Disintegrated ?" and she laughed, "I doubt your wife-to-be took you all the way out here to get herself vaporized just to spite you."

I nodded. "Look." she added and pointed, "There isn't any other way out of there." She tilted her head left and right to look more closely. Finally she added, "There must be a lift in there somewhere. She's underground - somewhere."

"All this just for our home ?" I asked Judy worriedly.

"David. That's your name, isn't it ?" she said, smoothing back a lock of her hair around her ear.

"Yeah." I said watching carefully, to see if there was any other change, and there wasn't. It just must be an elevator, like Judy surmised. Very high technology though, I thought for a simple place to live.

"Look, David, You may have a million dollars. But I don't think this 'estate' is worth that much."

"Oh ? You think it's less than that ?" I asked her. I didn't know how much stuff cost nowadays anyways. And yet, maybe this did cost more than this ? Was Tricia herself a millionaire and I didn't know it ?

"No." Judy countered, "I think it's worth MORE than that. A =LOT= more. There's - something else going on here. With the kind of security I just saw, and the expense involved, I don't think ANYONE could ever break in this mansion. Anyone at all. Think about it. What does she have to hide in there anyways is my question ?"

"I don't know. I said seeing this was indeed a valid question. "Let's check with up front." There was a little phone receiver. I picked it up, curious to see if I'd get an answer.

"Smithers. How can I help you ?" the voice on the other end said.

"Smithers." I spoke into the receiver, "Tricia's gone."

He chuckled, "Yessir, I opened the door for her. I'm certain she'll be back soon, master David. Would you like some music back there while you wait ?"

"No, thanks. Umm, you saw right ? She just went into a cylinder and vanished." I held my hands out as if he could see the confusion on my face.

"Really ?" Smithers said a little interested now, apparently not having watched her approach the structure. "How extraordinary. Perhaps I should check on her ?"

"Nono ..." I replied, "Tricia told us both to stay here."

"Well =I= can investigate it, mawster David." he said and I heard his door opening up front.

But I quickly added, "Smithers, that - may not be a good idea - she may get mad if she thinks you're snooping up on her."

"Indeed." he said and closed his door. "Well now. Is there anything you two would like while you wait ?"

"Yeah, a drink maybe ? Soda ?" I looked to Judy and she nodded.

"The dispenser doesn't have anything attached to it." he told us. I looked to the spigot in front of me with two little plastic drinking cups. "But I have something in the trunk. Just a moment."

Then I heard his door open again. A moment later he walked by with brisk steps giving me a distinct wink as I watched him through the cut window.

"Your Smithers sure is an odd fellow." Judy grinned, clearly amused by his demeanor.

I nodded, "Yeah, but he said he was in the secret-service so maybe he'll know about all this gadget stuff that Tricia has and can tell us about it later if she doesn't. I think it's overdone. And - like you said, if it's more than a million dollars to have all this - then - what is the purpose behind all of it ?"

A quiet moment passed and suddenly I heard a metallic knocking on my window. I thought at first it was Tricia, but no, it was Smithers, and he had two cans of soda for us, Coca Cola, tapping one against the frame.

"Here you go." he said passing them carefully through the still existing round cut in my window. That was certainly convenient for that. And they were ice cold. I looked to him curiously.

"I keep a little cooler in the back for myself between jobs." then he looked to the strange concrete cylinder and added, "This does seem rawther unusual security measures, even for a millionaire such as yourself."

* * *

I nodded in agreement. "So, Smithers, have you ever seen anything like this before ?"

He rubbed his wiry beard a moment and looked at the concrete cylinder, "Yes, and no." That was cryptical, and I could see he wasn't going to elaborate.

I added, "So you think maybe Tricia has something to hide ?"

"Something - " he said looking off in the distance, "unique - is going on here. Yes it is."

Just then Tricia suddenly reappeared, apparently from a different exit, "And just what are you three gossiping about ?"

"Oh, Mum !" Smithers said, clicking his heels together in a salute. "Mawster David and his companion were thirsty so I pulled out a soda from the back trunk for them."

"I see." she said. Then leaned down my window which was still open, "Well kiddo, ready to go get your computer ?"

"Sure !" I said eagerly.

"Great ! We'll head out in a minute." then she narrowed her eyes at Smithers, almost as if she knew what we were talking about. "Finish your drinks, I need to talk to him for a moment."

Uh oh. Now we're gonna get it. I opened up my door to see if I could hear them better but Tricia was ready for that and kicked it back shut with her adept foot.

"Stay in the car, honey, and keep your door closed. Can I get you to do that ? This will just be a minute."

"Yeah OKay." I grumbled, clearly aggravated. It was going to be a big secret what they were going to talk about.

She then led Smithers off several feet from the limousine, about 30-feet, so they could talk privately.

Judy was still looking out the window at them through the cut circle. Then she whispered to me, "Don't worry, I can read lips. I had to learn that when I fell out of a tree I was climbing when I was a little girl and they thought I lost my hearing. It came back, fortunately."

"That's a useful skill !" I told her. Then I sipped my soda quietly so she could concentrate.

After a moment Judy spoke, "Okay she's saying, 'You are never to talk about - '" and then her voice got quiet.

"What else ?" I asked after a moment of not hearing her continue.

Just then Judy groaned, "Ohh ... She saw me. She turned around so all I can see is the back of her head now and with Smithers ahead, I can't see him either."

"Boy ! She's not taking any chances !" I thought to myself, slurping down the rest of my soda.

"Yeah." Judy said. A moment later the pair returned. Tricia went to the right door, Smithers opened it, and then he went back to the front, presumably, to drive us to the computer store. Tricia looked at me and tapped her nose mysteriously and then snipped her index and forefinger in front of it while giving me a stern look in he action.

Was this an indicator that I would get my nose cut off if I kept prying into her affairs ? Tricia smiled warmly at me and rubbed me encouragingly on my back. Yes, that must - clearly be what that this message was.

Fortunately, a moment later we arrived at the computer store she was talking about.

"Bits N Bytes Computer Shoppe."

Oboy ! And to think I could buy ANY computer I wanted ! Smithers went to open Tricia's door first but I bolted out eager to enter the store without waiting for him to open my door. Judy bounced out with me too.

Tricia spoke, like addressing over-eager kids, and perhaps we were.

"Now, we're going to have a BUDGET here you two. No more than $10,000 for the computer."

Judy chirped eagerly, "For both of us ?"

"What ?" I asked confused. I thought it was just going to be my computer we were buying here ?

Tricia nodded, "Sure. For both of you, then. But then that means no more than =$5,000= for each of you. Is that okay with you, David ?"

"Hey !" I grumbled.

But Judy added eagerly, "Yeah ! Awright ! I get one too !" and she whooped a yell of appreciation.

"Well alright." I said. Judy suddenly glomped me. I looked at my toes, embarrassed at her show of thanks. And in any case, it might be unlikely they would have a $10,000 computer for sale to individuals.

Tricia looked back at the limousine, "Smithers, one other thing. When we get back home later, I want you to get that window repaired, and then meet me in my study, when you're done with that. We have some things to discuss."

"Yes Mom." he said respectfully.

And with that understanding, all 4 of us entered the computer store.