Anticipation: TDU Series, #6

By Jyn West

Book Six of the TDU Series continues with more of Worth's story, who is following Jeri and what their intent is. Who will the gatherer find next with only three lost ones remaining to be found and where do we go from there? Read on in Anticipation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jyn West
• Release date: Oct 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393284840

Book preview

Copyright Page

Copyright ©2019 Jyn West All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author. You must not circulate the book in any format. Thank you for respecting the rights of the Author. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

Dedication & Acknowledgements

Thank you to my family and friends who continue to encourage me and hold me accountable. For believing that I could do this and succeed. I could not have done it without you. Your patience and love carried me through the rough spots, and you rejoiced with me as hurdles were cleared. Thanks to Mom and Dad who were even willing to read outside their normal genre to support me, you are the best.

A special thanks to all my beta readers and their willingness to take me on as a new author and to share your views while the work was in progress. For helping me identify slang terms that not all regions would interpret the same. LOL Thanks for seeing it through. Georgianna Jonson and Dee B. you guys are the best interactive sounding boards ever. I am honored to have had you with me through the process. Justin, thanks so much for the books you were able to read for me before your move. Maureen and Gloria I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the series as much as you did the later books you read for me.

My family, friends and beta readers have heard this disclaimer many times but here it is for all you new readers too.

This series is a work of fiction. If details about locations are accurate, I may have passed through or I may have gotten lucky with my description. No need to correct perceived errors in the description, this is fiction. Some facts or observations are woven through the stories but for the majority of the series, this is fiction. *laugh* I hope you enjoy the books. I hope they do inspire you to explore places you have not been, but please don’t try to find places described except just for fun, because its fiction. May the wanderlust take you to places unknown by road or by reading. Encourage our youth to learn the joy and fun of reading, a vacation for our mind that can last minutes or hours as time allows. Thanks for checking us out. The TDU Series currently has 12 books with a 13th in progress and each will be released as it goes through final editing and touchups.

About: TDU - The Series

Tactical (strategic, planned, psychological, calculated, intentional)

Development (expansion, progress, advancement, training, education)

Unit (entity, division, group, company, organization)

The number of paranormal entities in the world are increasing and intermarrying with humans. Those humans and their friends and families are now aware of them and word is spreading. Who will help with peacekeeping and law enforcement as knowledge of their existence spreads. Who will help train local law enforcement agencies how to deal with these groups, who have until now been self-policed. With the increased numbers and expansion beyond the voluntary group boundaries of the past, an integrated human and paranormal force will be needed for the future. The Tactical Development Unit (TDU) is that force.

Book Six of the TDU Series continues with more of Worth’s story, who is following Jeri and what their intent is. Who will the gatherer find next with only three lost ones remaining to be found and where do we go from there? Read on in Anticipation.

Table of Contents

Contents

Copyright Page

Dedication & Acknowledgements

About: TDU - The Series

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Stalkers

Chapter 2 – Threat Levels

Chapter 3 – Pack and Prep

Chapter 4 –Stalkers Return

Chapter 5 - Contingency

Chapter 6 – Tunnels to the Future

Chapter 7 - Hearts

Chapter 8 – Code Words

Chapter 9 – Maternity Leave

Chapter 10 - PTSD

Chapter 11 – Myth vs History

Chapter 12 – Teamwork

Chapter 13 – Magallans

About the Author

Chapter 1 - Stalkers

Join us as we learn more of Worth’s story, who is following Jeri and what their intent is. Who will the gatherer find next with only three lost ones remaining to be found and where do we go from there?

.  .  .  .  .  .  .

Friday 1730

Zachary calls the security company owner and he verifies his email has already arrived and they will review it and check out any information they can glean from the video and stills. Zachary and I open it in his office, since he has a larger monitor there, and review them ourselves as well. He thinks the second vehicle was coincidental but is concerned about the first one on the video.

Neither of us recognize the occupants, there were two, nor does the license plate have anything remarkable about it. We discuss whether to share the video and stills with the TDU team or the foundlings and historians. After some back and forth we decide on both. Safety is paramount right now with only three more lost ones to locate. He sends both the video and stills to the phones of every team member while I get on the mini pack link and ask all foundlings to grab their historians and report to the main house right away. Zachary also lets Mary know there will be extra mouths to feed for supper.

I start printing the stills so everyone can take a copy and be alert for the faces seen in the stills until we know more, and we ask them all to stay at the compound this weekend with increased security. Hopefully we will have some answers before Monday. When everyone arrives we play the video and hand out the stills. No one recognizes the occupants of either car but will use extra caution. The Redmond’s arrive after supper and apologize for the delay, they had a showing they could not cancel. We showed them the video and gave copies of the stills as well. We also talked to them about possible properties and they will look at those available over the next week and have some to show us then.

Friday 2200

Special Agent Williams calls Zachary. He had the stills and plates run through the system. Nothing on the first car but the second vehicle contained NSA agents. He has a call in to the NSA to see if they were following us or the other vehicle that was following us. He will let us know as soon as he hears anything but so far it looks like it may be TDU related vs Prophecy related. Depends on what the objective of the first car was. Could be both. Jeri is going out of town in the morning, do you need extra security for her?

Zachary tells him there was already one security person going but he will go also, so they should be covered for this trip to the rescue. He asks Zachary what airfield and tells him he will have someone go early and clear it and stay on the gates till they take off. We thank him and retire for the night.

Saturday 0300

I move my meditation cushion in front of the window facing the stars still visible. I watch them intently while I prepare my body for meditation. Sometimes when I reach that certain level of stillness, I still see the stars even with my eyes closed. I focus my thoughts and wait. I tried all night not to worry about those following us yesterday, my worry is not for us but for those we seek. I worry that we may lead them to those we have under our protection and those we do not have there yet. Worry brings fear and fear solves nothing, I know I must release the worry and the fear. That is my focus this morning. After a time I feel my body and mind releasing the tenseness from the hours past.

A soft light starts to expand in my mind’s eye until a beautiful meadow appears. On the soft breeze I hear a voice of calm reassurance that all is proceeding as is destined. The remaining three lost are close and the 12 will soon assume their role. When you have gathered the last of those charged to you, your purpose and focus will return to one of preparation for your future.

Rest assured daughter, there are none who can deter you from your goals, you are surrounded in the protective embrace of many who love you and it will see you through and hold you firm for many future adventures. The light over the meadow dims and leaves, my hearing registers the stirring of my mate as he wakes, and I open my eyes to his reflection in the glass of the window pane. *sigh*

Saturday

I prepare for the short trip to the TN greyhound rescue and then wake my mate with a kiss, I feel his smile expand under my lips and as I part my lips he deepens the kiss. I pull back and whisper, rise and shine husband mine. *wink* He hugs me tight and then gets up to get ready. I tell him I will meet him downstairs; I’m going to check in on our prisoner Lee before we leave.

As I descend the stairs I see Randy enter the back door and tell him Zachary will be down in a couple minutes. I stop by the kitchen and pick up the tray for Lee and head downstairs. The guard sees me coming and alerts Lee to move to the back of the cell, he unlocks the cell door when I am ready to place the tray on the table that he moved to just inside the door. The guard indicated that he seems to prefer it there so he can watch the news while eating and it makes it easier for them to clear the tray after he finishes. I greet Lee telepathically as I set the tray down and move back for the door to be locked again. I sit in the chair provided by the guard and Lee sits down opposite me.

I take out the picture of the men in the first car that was following us yesterday and listen to his thoughts as I turn the picture so he can see it. He inhales sharply on seeing the picture and the word how echoes through his thoughts. I guess that answers our question on who is in the first car.

Who are these men Lee?

Why do you want to know who they are? He asks with a trace of fear surrounding the question.

They were following me yesterday. There are those who would rather see me dead than to have the prophecy fulfilled, Lee. Are these two men in that grouping?

They are not part of the group I am in; he thinks. He is straining to suppress his actual thoughts about them.

But they are dangerous to my health, Lee?

I don’t know. They are extremists that we refused to work with though.

Do you know how to contact them?

No, they contacted us. How could they have found you? We didn’t even know about you specifically.

Someone who knows of me, or of someone I helped rescue, may have tipped them off without realizing it. I have to leave now, is there anything you need?

No. Jeri? Be careful. The difference between me and those men, is like a short stay in a city jail vs death row in a prison.

Duly noted. Talk to you tomorrow.

When I joined Zachary and Randy in the dining room I helped myself to some bottled water and fruit to go. Ready guys? I have information on the first car occupants to share. That raised their eyebrows and they followed me to the car.

On the ride to the airfield I filled them both in on the conversation with Lee.

Zachary was on his phone before I even finished, upping the security at the pack property. We didn’t have any tails this morning, so we are hoping they picked us up without knowing that location, but increased security won’t hurt. He also called Williams and told him the occupants of the first car are from an unknown extremist group and if NSA knows of them, a sharing of information may be helpful. Williams said he would see what he could find out and we would talk more later in the day.

The airfield was secured as Williams had promised. On boarding the plane, all three of us released the tension that had accumulated on the ride there. Zachary sat forward in the cabin so that Randy and I could discuss business and use the seats with a small table in front of them to view the training manual I brought to share with him. It was a fairly short flight, so we covered mainly the methods to be used with the new rescue grey. By the time we landed Randy seemed to be comfortable with the plan and had taken copious notes. I told Max that we would have breakfast when we landed so he didn’t have to send anyone in the dark to get us and they could pick us up at the diner near the airfield whenever they arrived there.

We talked more over breakfast about the differences between pet obedience and behavioral training, rescue behavioral training and guard dog training. He was surprised at the restriction I placed on the number of dogs in a class but after he heard the reasoning and how the subsequent classes went after that first one, he acknowledged it made a lot of sense. By the time we finished breakfast our ride was there for us. That gave us another 30-40 minutes discussion in the car before we arrived at the rescue.

Max met us at the front entrance when we arrived and though surprised to see two armed men escorting me, took it in stride and welcomed them. I told Max that Randy is training with me today and may be accepting a permanent position if all goes well.

Max laughed and said, well I better be especially nice to him then, so he doesn’t get scared off. Though from the looks of the two men with me he imagined neither of them scared very easily.

We all laughed and went into the training arena.

I explained to Randy that I suggested years ago that the rescue keep one or two house dogs on staff so that they could provide the example to the new dogs about how to act around the rescue Alpha’s. So like my requirements for guard dogs, each session is not starting from scratch. Max has worked with me for years now and handles most of the training to help get these retired racers ready to be pets so that they only call me in now for behavioral analysis and training for problematic greys.

Randy sees another staffer bring in the house greys and stop at the edge of the training arena and Max enters on the adjacent side with the new grey. I have him facing me from about 3-4 yards away where he will be close enough to observe but far enough to not distract the dogs. Randy reaches out with a non-verbal question about the house dogs and the fact that they are not on leash but still waiting to approach. I explain that we train all dogs to work off leash and as their Alpha’s they obey even off leash. He nods and I continue.

I signal the staffer to free the dogs to greet. They race each other to me and skid to a stop a couple feet away and wiggle impatiently for permission to approach. I praise their patience and give permission. They calmly come forward and lean in for acceptable greetings. I signal them then to take their places and pause. They move into place as though in a dog show, sit and wait. I signal to Max to approach with the new dog who is on leash because he has been resistant to obeying when off leash even though he obeys beautifully when on leash.

As a pet, the new owners will not be able to have him on leash 24 hours a day, so this must be rectified. The new dog, Cody, approaches cautiously emulating the house dogs. Max has been working with him on signed commands and so I use those to allow him to greet me. He starts to walk forward calmly but the second Max releases the lead the dog jumps forward, spooked. Both house dogs stand to attention and growl at him in warning and I sign for him to stop. He obeys reluctantly, sits and stays.

I praise the house dogs for their gentle but firm protection and send them back to the staffer who takes them out of the training arena. Cody watches this process with eye movement but without turning his head even minutely. I circle Cody first in one direction and then the other to observe his manner during that exercise.

I stop directly in front of Cody and ask Randy to approach from directly behind but stop 1-2 feet behind him and tell me what his senses are telling him.

He does so and we both notice the same thing; Cody is petrified and frozen in fear. I ask Max to come to Cody’s side and pick up the leash and just stand by him. When he does, Randy and I both notice the fear leaves and Cody relaxes and no longer gives off a fear scent. Unusual, so on leash he feels safe and protected, off leash he feels fearful and skittish, even when excited and drawn to check something or someone out.

Max, where did this grey come from? Did you get him immediately on retirement or from an individual or where?

One of our frequent donors found him running down the freeway, she followed him with her flashers on until he dropped from exhaustion. She put a comfort lead on him and had her son help her lift him into their van and they brought him straight here. He has no tattoo or chip but there is a small scar where a chip may have been at one time.

Randy, tell Max what we were reading from him.

Fear, paralyzing fear. As soon as you put the leash on him and stood by his side he felt safe, protected and relief.

You think someone was training him abusively? Are we talking PTSD type fear?

Yes Max, he is not going to be ready as a pet for some time. Can you foster him here in-house while you work with him? We can get him started for you and can give you a different regimen than you are used to using, but it is going to take some time.

Are we talking days, weeks or months?

At least weeks and you are going to need to be very selective about who you pair him with after that. We think the gender of the abuser is likely male, has he shown any indication of biting or just the freezing alternating with over stimulation when off leash?

I haven’t seen any bite tendencies; he is more skittish around males but once he decided to trust me he only seems relaxed on leash and in close proximity to me. You are the first female he seems to respond to in a manner similar to me. Randy is definitely the first male besides me he has relaxed around even if a little stiffly.

I think to Randy, that is because he feels the pack safety vibes, he hasn’t felt it since he retired from racing. Randy nods to acknowledge that.

Okay, so he is going to be trainable, trust issues with males, prior exposure to females showed that they were not able to protect him from the abusive male. Prior owner was probably abusive to the females in the home as well as to him. I think his comfort with the leash and strong protective male is probably left over from the race circuit.

If you place him with a female she will need to be someone strong and confident, no mice. Males are going to need to be strong but loving or playful, not prone to angry outbursts. I wouldn’t recommend children unless they join the family later as babies or grand babies.

Randy and I will work with him until lunch time and then let him have an hour to decompress by himself. After lunch, we will work with him again and wander the rescue with him to see his response to the volunteers here today. We will try working some of them into our session if we can get him to that point today.

We are going to focus on the trust issues only. Once he is no longer consumed by those, you can put him through the normal training and off leash work. The prior owner may come looking for him. You need to get Judge Styles involved, so that person cannot reclaim him under any circumstances. Also, an out of state adoption would probably be the safest for him.

Max leaves to get on the phone with the Judge. When he is gone I look at Randy and say, I wonder if Danny’s mom would like a pet grey. *wink* If we can get him comfortable around strong caring women that would put him in a non-threatening pack environment, and he could heal a lot faster. Or maybe she would consider fostering as he recovers.

So, Jeri, how do we help Cody recover? He is already well trained in a traditional sense, but his fear keeps him from having any joy in his life. His survival instinct made him run till he nearly died from exhaustion.

Puppy steps, Randy, puppy steps. We need to show him that the leash has no meaning to him other than to comfort strangers who don’t know him. We need to teach him how to have fun between work times. We start by moving