Crossroads/Borrowed Lives — 2026-03-05 (Patreon)

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Chapter 26: SIGN OFF by Merritt Gray

Merritt and I are proudly sitting here after handing off the final drafts of our project to David Stewart. He said he was impressed.

“I asked you to think twenty years down the road, and you delivered,” he said. “You’ve pulled in some solid ideas and left room for some maybe-someday ideas.”

If you’re not into techy stuff, you can skip down to the “Mr. Stewart” comment below…

The project basically was to design the supports for a warehouse lighting system that included supports for the power conduits. But in light of the possibility that future fixtures might be different from what we know now, we did a few extra things.

Right now, large-scale industrial lighting usually runs off 120- or 277-volt circuits. Any sort of automation sits between the breaker panel and the light making changes to the current—switches, motion sensors, timers, etc. turn the current on and off.

Hannah and I asked what would happen if the automation actually moved into the fixtures themselves. We designed the power delivery system with that in mind and will spare you the details about junction boxes and things like that.

Our big future-thought was to ask what if there was the need for a controller cable to some not-yet-existing system. We designed separate conduit runs for potential future use. The cost goes up some, but doing two runs now would cost less than coming back in 10 years and adding a second run.

Again, I’ll spare the details, but we ran our ideas through our electrical engineers, and they liked them. So our structural designs accommodate the possible future needs. Even if the second conduits aren’t included in the current remodel, our hanger and support system will make them possible later.

Mr. Stewart’s approval brought this project to a close.

I said to Hannah, “Working on this together is the best thing that’s happened since getting hired.”

“It was great to be doing real engineering,” Hannah replied.

“Right? I can’t wait for the next chance.”

Hannah nodded. “Agreed.”

Chapter 27: EXTRACTED by Evan Calder

Mara got a call from “Mom” yesterday. Now, the bikes are in a storage building in Sunset Self Storage off Pine Street in Jesup, Georgia, and we’re aboard a private Jet on the way to Chicago.

Ronald Regent made a decision. Marilyn Chambers made a call. We got extracted.

We were hardly off the bridge where Georgia Route 121 crosses the Altamaha River when we got the call. Ronald Regent’s logistics director—whose parents might have been the most uncreative people ever—Donald Donaldson had an address for a hotel for a rendezvous and extraction.

When we got to the Baymont by Wyndham in Jesup there were two black Tahoes and six members of Ryder Family Protective Services waiting. Mr. Donaldson was also there.

“We want this to look like a legitimate extraction of Shay and Devon.” He handed us two room access cards. “Take your time cleaning up. Guards will be visible. Don’t look at any security cameras… we figure this might end up on a newscast”

Mara smiled and nodded. “David Ryder’s daughter was picked up and taken home.”

Mr. Donaldson nodded. “Exactly.”

Nothing really interesting happened between the hotel and being seated on the plane. Mara and I were sent aboard first as the security guys stood outside by the boarding stairs. We took a couple seats and settled in.

“So, we’re going to Chicago,” Mara said as she leaned over on me. “Think we’ll see Mrs. Ryder?”

“Maybe if they need a photo to prove we’re there,” I replied.

About then Mr. Donaldson boarded and took the window seat across from Mara. “Well, everything is going according to plan.”

I felt the tug start pushing the plane back as the captain made his announcement about seatbelts and takeoff

We were taxiing before Mr. Donaldson spoke next. “Ronald Regent has called for the family to shelter in place. That means everyone is heading to what’s known by the public as the Ryder’s North Estate. Mr. and Mrs. Ryder and their assistants call it the family compound. Us at Ryder Family Protective Services… We call it the bunker.”

He told us that it’s northwest of Chicago near Antioch. “It’s basically nowhere, but don’t say that to the people who live in the area. It backs up to the Fox River and there’s a lot of trees… not too much open land. Lots of mosquitoes.”

He said it was relatively modest, all things considered. He told us that the easiest way to picture it was to think of it in parts.

“Think of a clock. In the middle is what Mrs. Ryder calls the atrium. Everything connects to it. At three o’clock is the residence-slash-office building. We call it the vault. On the ground floor, both Mr. and Mrs. Ryder have offices. There’s a room we call the lobby where their assistants have desks. In the back is a small conference room, restroom, and the quarters for the assistants… You’ve talked to Mrs. Chambers… One is hers.”

Mara nodded.

“Upstairs are four bedrooms, an open floor-plan kitchen-living area. I’ve been there once.”

He went on to say that at the six o’clock position was a social area. It could be used for gatherings of up to twenty or so people. There’s a large entryway that leads to a dining room that connects to the atrium.

“The normal dining room table seats twelve, but it can be swapped out for other tables to accommodate different needs.”

At the twelve-o’clock position is a swimming pool that converts from indoor in winter to outdoor during summer. Adjacent to the pool is a small exercise room with a couple of treadmills and some weights.

“All of the staff live in what we call the hotel. It connects to the atrium at the nine-o’clock position.”

Mr. and Mrs. Ryder each have a six-person security team plus a personal executive assistant. There is another six-person team called the house team and a fourth called the grounds team.

“There are a total of 32 rooms on two floors. When you see them, you’ll definitely think of a small hotel room. A bed and desk on one wall and on the opposite is the built-in counter-dresser thing. Small fridge… TV… Microwave and coffee maker. We have rooms set up for you two. Call it home for a while.”

“Any idea how long?” I asked.

He said the plan was open-ended. “But you can use the atrium, pool, and exercise area. There’s a pool table in the atrium if you play. Or if you want to learn… You’ll have time. I’d imagine sitting on the motorcycles for hours every day is tiring.”

“A little,” Mara replied.

Then it happened.

He gestured at Mara, who was still holding onto my arm. “Everyone you’ll meet has been read in on the security plan. So, one good thing is that you don’t need to act like you’re dating until we take you back to Jesup… or wherever we decide to drop you off.”

Mara looked at me and, from the corner of my eye, I could see her almost-hidden distressed expression as her fingers more tightly gripped my arm. Slowly, she let go as Mr. Donaldson continued.

“How have things gone? Bikes okay?”

“The bikes are pretty amazing,” I said. “You guys picked well.”

“Shay picked Mara’s bike. That’s the model she used when she hit the road after college.”

“It was a great choice,” Mara replied.

I was thinking mostly about us not acting like we are dating and what that means. To be clearer, I was wondering if the acting had to just change.

No more acting like we’re dating, but rather acting like we aren’t dating.

Officially, we aren’t. Yet.

But the recent days have felt like we are, and the conversations lately have have almost—almost—confirmed it. I’ll have to get a level-set of the new situation before I say anything to Mara.

The last thing I want right now is to lose our jobs, and I’m not sure how us actually dating would go over. Mr. Donaldson’s next question did nothing to ease my worries.

“I’m curious how it’s been playing the part of Shay and Devon. If you don’t mind me asking. Pretending to date must have presented some challenges early on.”

Mara answered calmly. “We’ve done alright. We’re comfortable with each other and there’s genuine trust and respect. It’s not been bad at all.”

“That’s good to hear…” He nodded, looked out the window, then started shifting in his seat. “Well, I don’t like to face backwards when we’re moving. I’m going back and getting a different seat.”

Mr. Donaldson got up and moved to a seat further back in the plane.

Mara and I got through takeoff without saying anything, but the whole time, I could sense her wanting to take my hand or lean on me. Her doing that has become so commonplace that I suppose I sort of stopped noticing that she does it.

But, I did notice that she wasn’t.

We were leveling off after takeoff when she whispered. “You know on the bridge yesterday when you asked if there was going to be a problem?”

“Yeah. You said ‘no.’”

She looked out the window. “Well there will be now.”

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