“Take it easy Steve,” the woman spoke quietly, “Muffin will be fine, we hope. She was shot, it was bad.” I started thinking again. “Muffin was shot before, twice, is this one of those times?”, I ask. “No Steve,” she said, “this is a different time, we were at the chateau.” The chateau, I remembered that place, people died there. But it just doesn’t seem real. “Yes, I remember, 2 men came in, started shooting,” I said, “but how could they get in with all the guards?” I keep petting Mr. Cat and he keeps purring. That purring is working, I’m starting to feel alive again, it’s like I’m drugged. “They came in through the tunnel from the garden shed before my men had a chance to seal it,” said the big man, “I had a guard there but they killed him and got in, they shot the 2 guards in the entry, then they came after the rest of you in the library.

I had it all recorded, the whole thing took only 17 seconds before my other men came in.” It all came back to me now, I was feeling better. I got dressed and started walking around. “Where is Lena?”, I asked. “She’s in another room recovering from surgery Steve,” said Calanthe, “she was shot twice, it was serious.” I put my head down, “it’s all because of me, and I don’t even know why or what’s going on. If I have been programmed to kill someone, why are they now trying to kill me before I kill that person?”, I asked Baldwin. “A question I will answer in good time Steve,” said Baldwin, “I should have the complete information by the time we get back to the chateau. I was cleared to leave the hospital and for now we were not allowed to visit with Lena, so off we went. Baldwin left 4 men to guard Lena.

“Those men that came in were professionals Steve,” said Baldwin on the way back, “this isn’t going to be easy.” We stopped at the veterinarian’s office to look in on Muffin. It was a bad wound but she should be okay we were told. But it will take some time to recover. I petted her gently and talked to her, she managed a brief purr. I can remember Muffin being shot before, I remember her always begging for more parts to her play structure which now fills two bedrooms, I remember her leaving me at the old stone house, that was the first time that I saw her cry, I remember a lot of things about her…and yet, I still can’t remember my past, it’s just a dream, I’m still…nowhere. Will that ever change? I look at Muffin. It has to change. Somehow it has to change.

We arrive back at the chateau, I’m feeling normal again, that is, my new normal. “Well Mr. Cat,” I said, “it’s up to you and me to get this done and find out what’s going on. Are you willing?” Meow!=Yep! Me ready for anything! We need to get those bad people and real soon! “Good,” said Baldwin, “now, there’s not much time to prepare for your big day this weekend Steve and Mr. Cat. You are both going to get recognition and a medal, Muffin too, for your parts in stopping that notorious gang with the lost Cat. That means meeting the President of France on Saturday…and I believe that is who you are programmed to kill Steve.” “Wow,” I said, “that doesn’t seem possible. They would not let me in with a gun, so how would I do it?”

“Well,” said Baldwin, “I have done some digging, Pete and Coral have been trying to buy off the President so they can continue with their work unhindered, but he has always said a definite no to them. So they want him out of the way. They also know about you and what you have done, John and Trish have filled them in on that. So this is the plan, one of the guards works for them, so he will make sure you can steal his gun, shoot the President and the guard will then tackle you and that will mean a lifetime in prison for you. So, both of you are out of the way. This attack at the chateau was not meant to kill you, only to serve as a warning to follow instructions, or everyone you care about will die.” This dream is now a nightmare, and I am still…nowhere.

To Be Continued.

©2021 Steve McLeod.