**Authors note - I have done a major rewrite of chapter 13 and some of 15 so you may need to go back a look at them again for this chapter to make sense, sorry - Sept 17, 2016**

American HyperLiner 461 - First Class Carriage- Seat C3

Emmeline awoke with a start as the hostess gently shook her shoulder.

"Excuse me Miss... we've arrived. Please collect your things and debark to the rear of the train.

"Wh- What? Oh, sorry..." She looked around in a haze. The train was almost empty. "Richard?" His seat was empty. She stood up quickly, "Richard!"

The hostess was headed back to the front of the train, checking seats and overhead compartments.

"Excuse me!" Emmeline strode quickly after her. "Excuse me... did you see my friend, the man in the seat beside me?" He voice trembled.

The woman thought for a moment and then brightened, "Oh yes, he seemed to be in a rush, he was one of the first off. If you hurry you might catch him."

Emmeline ran to the exit. She stopped at the open doors, scanning the crowd but Richard was nowhere in sight.

"What the hell?" She took out her phone. "Cindi, where's Richard."

{I am not permitted to give you that information, Emmeline.}

"You've got to be kidding me... fine, where am I?"

{Orlando International, Hyperloop Terminal 3}

"Great so now what?"

{Please proceed to the Valet Parking lot... I have requested a vehicle for you.}

"Of course you have... fine."

Emmeline made her way through the throngs of travelers to the valet lot. She'd been here before with Richard but they had always traveled by company jet. The young man at the desk remembered her though she couldn't remember him at all.

"Miss Roth, it's good to see you again! How have you been?"

"Um...thanks. Fine..."

"I have your usual car all ready."

"... My usual car?"

"Yes, ma'am... it's good to go... I sent the lock codes to Cindi so you're all set."

He smiled at her good naturedly. It was the strangest conversation Emmeline could ever remember having.

"uh... great..." she stammered."

Emmeline walked out of the air conditioned Valet office into a wall of Florida heat. The air was humid and thick and she immediately began to perspire. A group of tourists all dressed in red t-shirts passed her following their guide and she was enveloped in the smell of coconut sun-block. Other tourists were milling about as she approached the curb. The car, a red Mustang convertible, was waiting. Cindi sent the lock codes and the passenger door slid silently open for her to enter.

"I take it you have already programmed our destination," she said, but her sarcasm didn't seem to register.

{Yes, Emmeline.}

"... so are you going to tell me where were going?"

{Our destination is 156 Walden Avenue.}

"How long?"

{Thirty-three minutes.}

"Will Richard be there?"

{I am not permitted to give you that information, Emmeline.}

"Unbelievable..."

~o0O0o~

Exactly thirty-three minutes later Emmelines car pulled up in front of 156 Walden Avenue. The building was nothing special to look at, just a medium sized box in what turned out to be an industrial park.

Emmeline got out of the car and look up and down the street. She walked up to the building and tried the windowless steel door. Locked, no big surprise there.

She pulled out her phone.

"Okay Cindi, I give now what?"

As she spoke a white van pulled up behind her car. The side door opened and a huge armored figure got out carrying a long steel weapon.

"Oh Shit!" She screamed took off at a full run.

{Stop! Emmeline, they're here to help.} Cindi was practically yelling at her.

She turned to look back. Another person had exited the van, a tall, handsome blond man. He looked more scared that she did.

"It's okay! We aren't gonna hurt you!" He said, holding his hands up.

Emmeline stopped running but didn't move towards them.

"Who are you?"

Cindi answered from Emmelines phone

{This is Professor John Sheppard and his guard Flynn Emerson. John this is Emmeline Roth she is Richard Cranes personal assistant.}

John and Emmeline looked at each other uneasily. Finally Flynn spoke up.

"We should probably get off the street before we cause any more attention."

{I've unlocked the door.}

Flynn walked to the door and held it for John and Emmeline to enter, then followed.