Ah, totally forgot that when one removes a story, so goes the reviews and the stat count! ARGGG… Oh well…Please accept my apologies if this irks you! Didn't mean to do that….really. I just wanted to re-tool the chapter and thought it would be better if I just re-did the entire process. Well, I certainly learned something today! terminally blushes Read if you want to, review if you must, but no pressure here from me! I only wanted a better story is all. finds a hole to hide in
This is a third re-do of the second upload. What has been added here is new as is some of the story. I've augmented Shari's apartment, changed the Hudson River to Croton River, and some compass directions as well. I'm obsessive with tweaking and twiddling my stories, especially when it involves real locations and situations. This story is no exception.
I do not own Don Tello ( aka Donatello), Army's Special Forces, Columbia University, Croton-on-Hudson, Croton River, or the rest of the TMNT's. I only own Shari Brentwood. I have tried to be as authentic with Croton-on-Hudson as the Internet will allow, but I claim lack of available information for any blatant errors or erroneous misrepresentation of said town and surrounding area. I have used a real apartment complex located on Old Post Rd in Croton-on-Hudson and that road does lead down towards Croton River. I love details like that! LOL
Thanks for your understanding and patience! :0)
CHAPTER 1 – SURPRISE ENCOUNTERS
Most of us plan our life one career at a time, resting in the security that whatever direction we choose or what fate would allow becomes status quo. While we're young, we rarely think about our retirement. Most people who are depositing their pension checks have already raised their children and are enjoying grandkids. Yet, there are a select few who have been forced to face these new horizons prematurely.
Shari Brentwood is one of those.
Retiring after twenty years of government work, Shari found her future adrift for the first time in her life. At thirty-eight, she had outlasted most of her compatriots in her field. For two decades, she enjoyed her job with the adventures it offered and the challenge and rush it had provided. She loved the excitement of stealing into enemy territory unaware, completing her assignments and then returning to base before her target would even know what had hit them. Shari considered her job to be true government work at its best, relishing every moment of it. However, it was definitely a young person's work and now being older, she had started to feel the strain. Retirement became a necessity. She did not want to become a burden or a casualty while in the field. She didn't want to quit, either, but some things were inevitable. She learned long ago to adjust her attitude to whatever latitude in life she found herself. Yet, as a member of the Army's Special Forces – one of only two women so privileged – Shari would have continued in that capacity if it were up to her. However, rules were rules. Between those of the government and of aging, she had stretched the limit of those rules by five years. She had hoped for an advisory position at the Pentagon, but they were far and few between. Again, it was one more gender barrier that piqued her irritation. In the end she did not feel like fighting it; not after serving her country and proving her point that women were just as efficient on the front line as any man was!
Now, however, she was looking for work if only to keep busy. She had to laugh at the options available to her, however. Short of working as a woman's bouncer for some nightclub or as a secretary for some conglomerate, what she discovered in the way of employment seemed demeaning to her. The job openings available weren't too appealing and those that did preferred a more masculine presence. Despite her credentials, job interviewers were not the least bit impressed with the diminutive woman. After a dozen frustrating dead-ends, she found herself thankful for her government pension. If it weren't for that, she would have had to look for work at the local fast-food restaurants.
"D'ya wants fries with that or a punch in the mouth. You choose and make it quick 'cuz I ain't got all day!"
Yeah, she could really see herself saying that, too! It made her laugh just imagining the shocked expression on her customers' faces, not to mention the increase of French fry sales to boot.
"Maybe I'd be good for their business!" she mused, chuckling to herself.
She knew she had a caustic attitude, directly contributed by her now defunct profession. However, she was smart enough to know that outside of the military in the 'real' world she would have to make some drastic changes. Popping someone in the mouth for sassing her or tossing an antagonist over ones shoulder would not work while in a public setting. For the past few months, Shari had been doing her best to change her instinctive responses. All things considered, for one who had to acclimate to foreign environments on a moments notice, she thought herself doing quite well with civilian life.
Tossing the want ads of the newspaper onto the floor in frustration, she stood and worked her neck around. Feeling her shoulders just a tad too tight, Shari stretched her arms up high over her head and then did some right and left side bends to loosen up her shoulders. Next, she placed her hands on her hips, twisting her torso left and right while in a stationary stand. As she felt various kinks pop, Shari then sighed in relief. She was about ready to sit back down when she had a thought.
"Bet a good run would feel good. It would certainly help my restlessness!"
Deciding that it was a good idea, Shari hurried into her main bedroom of her apartment to slip out of her slacks and shirt. She quickly pulled on her jogging shorts with its utility belt, followed by her stretch athletic top. Once she had her socks and running shoes on, from there she went into her adjacent bathroom and pulled her long wheat colored hair into a ponytail, securing it with a scrunchie. She had kept her hair conveniently short for most of her career. However, the last couple of years she had allowed it to grow long. She rather liked her new look; it seemed to allow her to finally be a woman again after working for so many years in a male dominated world.
Shari's next stop was the kitchen where she grabbed her water bottle, filled it with fresh water, and then hooked it to her belt. Heading out of her brickwork apartment, she snatched up her portable CD player and headphones. She locked the front door behind her as she went out, skipping down the steps to the walkway below.
Cutting across the grass area in front of her apartment, she made for the main thoroughfare. She jogged lazily east onto Old Post Rd. towards Croton River, a smaller ribbon of water that fed into the great Hudson. North from where Old Post intersected with Truesdale Dr was several large estates that hogged the river's edge. She knew of a small footpath that ran along the river between the estates and the water. Some of the locals in town had said it was one of the more beautiful spots in the area. However, they mentioned that there had been some newly developing homes over the past few years that were slowly closing off some of the paths. No one knew for sure how far the paths ran anymore, but Shari decided that it was worth a look just the same. She was tired of the southerly route she habitually had been taking, anyway, so a change seemed like a good idea.
Croton-on-Hudson, New York was probably the best part of the country to live in. With all four seasons available, one never tired of the weather. There was something new every week it seemed. Shari loved her new town and the people who lived there. Many who lived in the small city were professors who taught at Columbia University. However, more residents than not with less impressive resumes called the historic town their own, as well. It proved to be a good mix, which allowed Shari to blend right in.
As she jogged along, stopping now and then for motor traffic and stoplights, she clipped her CD player to her belt and then slipped the headphones on. Mozart was her favorite jogging music, his energetic scores helping her to keep a steady but progressive pace. After about a mile and a quarter, she was at Croton River. Shari loved jogging along the Hudson, its broad expanse and busy waterway visually entertaining. However, today she felt more in the mood for new scenery with a less imposing view. As she jogged up along the waterway, she watched the smaller river flow south towards the much larger one, hurrying its way to the Atlantic Ocean. She relished that the weather was warm for May, just enough so that it justified wearing shorts. It felt good to run and justified her decision to do so. With lunchtime not too far away, Shari knew that the temperatures would be a little warmer later on in the afternoon. Right now was a great time for a jog.
She looked up and noticed the bright blue sky while a sporadic patchwork of white wispy clouds drifted eastward. Occasionally they would create a diffusion of light from the late morning sun, causing errant shadows to scroll by along the ground. The various trees that bordered the pathway allowed for shadows now and then as well. Shari had to marvel at the beauty of the surrounding area. Whoever it was she overheard yesterday talk about the serenity of the area greatly underscored the truth. It was quite beautiful, in fact.
Jogging her way north, Shari noticed the waterfowl meandered up the inlet. The dozen or so ducks were going against the flow, but by sticking to the shallows and the river's edge, the birds were able to make their way rather well. Enjoying the peaceful surroundings, Shari allowed herself to get lost among her thoughts. It had taken a few weeks to relax from the kind of edge she always kept herself on and now it seemed like a breath of fresh air not to worry about watching her back all the time. It like she was on an extended vacation.
A slight breeze blew in from across the river, a bit of summer on its edge as it caressed her bare legs. Shari could smell a faint hint of salt from the ocean not too many miles southeast from her. The flavor of the wind reminded her for a moment of those days when she would ship-out with her fellow service colleagues for a tour of duty. Those were her early years when the horizon of her career seemed endless. Now she was in between a thought and a purpose with regards to her future.
However, as she jogged, she noticed that in just three months of not going full tilt with her schedule, she found that her stamina had diminished a little. She could feel a little bit of burn in her lungs as she paced along, her legs feeling more strain than normal. Shari berated herself for allowing her retirement to take over her common sense. When she was still part of the team, jogging ten miles every day was the norm. Yet, with only three months interruption of her twenty-year routine, she knew that it didn't take much to get out of shape. Just because she was retired was not an excuse to neglect her physical conditioning.
"Been layin'off the routine a bit too much, ya old broad!" she chided silently to herself, "Get back to that regime instead of sleeping in 'til six. Yer gett'n soft in yer old age!" Chuckling, she pressed on harder, not one to be undone - not even by her own body.
As she jogged along the path, the petit woman noticed the wooded area ahead her just to her left. It piqued her curiosity. As she came closer to it, she noticed the expansive homes in the general area. Most were multi-million dollar estates that sat on large pieces of land. Despite the homes sitting well back from the river and the other less imposing residences, Shari didn't have any trouble seeing their detail.
One in particular caught her fancy, though.
She ran evenly along, all the while taking in the impressive home. The structure was of a French provincial design, complete with curved shutters and the irregular shingled work on the roof. Several spires and turrets graced the exterior, counting six fireplaces all total. She smiled in appreciation for the architecture.
"Must be a bear to keep up with all those chimneys to clean!" she thought as she ran. "Cinderella would have nixed the party and just kept on going if she had that to take care of!" She chuckled just a little at her twisted version of the antiquated fairytale.
There was a split in the path just ahead of her. One wound down towards the waters edge and continuing a northerly route. The other swung up to her left and then headed west and away from Croton River towards Truesdale Dr. Foot traffic was greater in that direction but Shari wanted solitude. Noticing the more deserted river path, she took it instead. Being new in the community, she was slightly curious about it anyway based on what she had heard. However, she was so engrossed looking at the house, watching the river, and staying on the pathway that she completely missed seeing the no trespassing sign.
As she came around the river end of the property, she noticed the perimeter fence. It was made of rod iron and stood approximately twelve feet high, topped by a display of rather tall and impressive spikes. The decorative but lethal looking barrier was intimidating. It warned anyone foolish enough to attempt to have second thoughts about climbing over! The fence itself ran seemingly unabated as it surrounded the massive and beautifully landscaped grounds. Shari smiled slightly in response to her impression of the remarkable bit of real estate.
Down by the water's edge the barrier seemed to skirt the path she was on, placing her between it and Croton River. The fence ran ahead of her, bending left with the river while running in the same direction as the walkway. However, the bushes that grew there along the inside made it difficult to judge how far the pathway went. She did note, however, a very subtle if almost indiscernible sensation as she paced herself by the fence. Shari had this ability to find and locate security hindrances while in the field. It was one of her specialties. Locating and disabling all alarms and intruder alert measures was one of several of her forte's while working Special Forces. There wasn't any security measure that she couldn't overwhelm and render useless.
"Do they have that electrified I wonder? Maybe it has sensors?" She watched it casually. As she jogged past a bush, she quickly snatched a few leaves from it. When she went by an opened area where the lower portion of the iron fence was exposed, she tossed the foliage at it. Nothing happened. "Must have sensors, then. Interesting. I wonder who would need more security than this fence offers."
She paced herself as she made her way along side, anticipating the possibility of a dead end. Chancing a look inside the property, though, she noted the grove of trees that were now shielding the house from her closer position. It made it difficult to see the mansion, now. It was a good size piece of property that gave promise of being much larger than she was able to assess. However, as Shari passed what she perceived to be the halfway point along the fence, she noticed the trees and bushes had thinned out a little bit, allowing her to glimpse the rear of the large home. At that point, she suddenly caught site of something standing near to the house that nearly took her breath away. It was actually a small knot of people milling about on what she determined to be a large rear patio area, complete with a swimming pool and barbeque pit.
"What could this be?" she thought to herself as she slowed down.
Normally not one to pry or visually invade another's privacy, what she saw was so out of the ordinary that she couldn't help herself. Shari hadn't noticed that she had stopped jogging. She wasn't even aware of the impropriety of her current action. She was now staring straight at the back of the expansive home. She turned her music off and slipped the headphones from her head, clipping them alongside her CD player. The house was several acres away, but her 20/10 eyesight allowed her to telescope in without any trouble. What she was now seeing took a moment for it to register with her. She looked harder wondering if maybe she was just imagining things.
Then, it clicked.
"Don Tello…of course… I should have known." She nearly laughed out loud, but caught herself in time. She was looking at what was more than likely his family, obviously enjoying some coffee alfresco, based on the mugs they were all holding. "Who would have thought he lived here?" she thought to herself. She counted three individuals, each appearing to look the same with slight variances in color. "Heck, I thought he'd demand more privacy than living here out on the river so close to town. Pretty cheeky of him!" As she watched, she noticed one human slip out from one of the patio doors, also with a mug of coffee in his hands. "A visitor, perhaps?" she wondered to herself. He was slightly on the small side compared to the others and appeared Asian from her vantage point.
Then, another like the family came out but this one was slightly different. Three more, but much smaller, followed from behind. "Hmm…children? Interesting, very interesting indeed!"
She was amused that her neighbor was one of the government's most prolific manufacturers and contributors of security equipment and inventions. Shari shook her head at the irony of living so close to such a person. Unknowingly, he had probably provided her with more state of the art equipment to do her job than any other like supplier. Laughing a little to herself and satisfied to know who lived there, she was ready to continue her run.
However, someone from behind suddenly caught her by her right shoulder.
Surprised that she hadn't even been aware of anyone approaching, Shari instinctively whirled around and grabbed her assailant's offending hand. At the same time, she dropped like a rock. She heard a metallic crunch beneath her and knew in an instant that her CD player was ruined. However, for the moment she ignored it. In a movement that was more out of reflex that design, she then quickly and expertly braced her legs up against his midsection, pulling him off balance. In a fraction of a second, she had him tossed over her now prone body. She next heard him hit the ground in front of her with a rather loud thud. Leaping up and doing a ninety degree turn, Shari faced her adversary. She crouched low with her hands up and her feet at the ready. Despite the bruise forming on her hip from falling on her CD player, she held her breath for the next attack.
None came.
Her response had taken less than two seconds to complete. Being surprised over the assault and not at all sure who it was that had grabbed at her; she took in the now startled form laying prone on the concrete pathway. Hearing the delayed echo of something clang as it hit the pavement a second earlier, her mind was now catching up to what she saw lying before her.
"Oh my God, I can't believe I did that! I am SO sorry! I had no idea." she exclaimed in utter shock. She quickly straightened up and went over to offer her hand to the prone figure. She heard him reply rather gruffly.
"Lady, I was just gonna ask what yer doin' here is all!" He said irritably, struggling to ease up off of his back.
He took Shari's outstretched apology and allowed her to assist him back up to stand in front of her.
"Then why didn't ya just ask? Why'd ya go an' sneak up on me an' grab my shoulder like that? Good grief I could've hurt you!" she complained. Of course, where her CD player had been clipped, her hip was now smarting. It was kind of ironic to her that she was the one hurting. It now lay in three pieces on the ground by her feet, definitely broken beyond repair.
"Not very likely!" he shot back grumpily, seeming to be irritated with her and probably a bit embarrassed with himself as well. He brushed the dirt off of himself and glared unhappily at the woman standing before him.
Now that the pleasantries were over, Shari was able to get a better look at her ex- assailant. She knew immediately whose family he belonged to, which only added to her embarrassment. Wiping her hands on the side of her shorts, she reintroduced her right one in a gesture of friendliness to dispel the awkward situation, "My name's Shari Brentwood, ex-government employee and 'tosser' of unsuspecting people!" She smiled, hoping her sense of humor might diffuse an ugly situation.
"Yeah? Well, be careful who ya toss. Next time I just might not be so 'unsuspecting'!" he grouched, not a hint that he had caught her wit. He stared at her in assessment. He gave one discerning look her way and then asked, "So, didn't you see the sign back there? This path's restricted to residents only – namely those that live here!" He jerked his head towards the house with a slight scowl to his face.
She mentally rewound her previous actions from before her encounter. Shari soon realized that she had invaded the privacy of one resident who probably valued it more than most people who lived here. She felt her face flush hot with personal chastisement and realized her offense. "I'm sorry; sort of forgot where I was. I didn't notice the sign – which is no excuse. I should have been more aware, I guess." She waited for a response from him, but none came. Feeling uncomfortable, she explained quickly, "I – ah – just moved into the area about three months ago after retiring. Thought I'd take in a jog to ease my boredom is all. Followed the public path and it sort of led me here!"
"So you always stop and gawk at people's houses like that?" he asked sarcastically.
"No, I don't…but I happen to appreciate French provincial and – well – there it is!" she waved her right hand towards the distant house. "And, I guess when I saw your family it took a moment to remember who you were. It sort of surprised me at first is all."
He looked at her intently and, satisfied that she was sincere, asked, "You can see that far?"
Shari nodded, "I have good eyesight; comes in handy once in a while."
"Such as snooping on people, I suppose?" he stated sarcastically. Then he changed the subject, "So, why're you bored?" He allowed a slight grin, which seemed odd on his particular face. He had been quite unprepared for her ability to throw him as she had. He was quite intrigued, that was certain.
Shari wasn't too certain what to make of his expression. She thought it quite interesting, though, the way the conversation was going. One minute he was interrogating her and the next he was engaging in casual chit- chat.
"Well, to be honest – I'm retired." She replied briskly. Then, catching her self and realizing she was saying more than she needed to, she added, "But, I have to get going. So, if it's all right with you I'll be on my way!" Shari then bent down and scooped up her broken CD player. She started to turn back around to go the other way, but he quickly moved in front of her.
"You don't look old enough to retire to me." He asked suspiciously.
Shari replied rather tartly, "And you're an expert in what retired people look like, I suppose?"
He grinned at her arrogance and chuckled a little. "So, you rich or something? Would have to be to retire so young!"
"What is it with him?" she thought irritably. "You know, it's really none of your business, but for the record, I am retired but I'm also looking for a job. So if you don't mind, I'd like to continue my run so I can get back to the want ads, okay?" Shari attempted to skirt around him once again, but he expertly blocked her a second time.
"What kind of job?" He seemed too inquisitive for her tastes.
"What?" she asked, not too happy about having her way blocked yet another time and surprised that he would be so intrusive. She thought it odd he would even express any interest at all.
Repeating himself, "A job; what kind of job are you looking for? Secretary work, stuff like that?"
He was quite sincere, but Shari just rolled her eyes, "Nope, over qualified, I'm afraid" She tried again to move around him so she could resume her run. Again, stepping in front of her he kept her from her agenda.
"No, I'm serious….what kind of job? Okay, let me ask you this. What kind of government work did you do?" he inquired insistently.
Shari realized she wasn't going to advance towards her goal anytime soon, as long as he continued to get in her way. With her hands on her hips, she replied dryly, "I can't really tell you because it was classified."
He commented with a sneer, "Oh, I see. So if you told me what you did then you'd have to kill me, right?" He laughed a little as he cocked one eye ridge up at her in amusement.
With a straight face and being as serious about it as she could, Shari replied, "Exactly. Now…if you don't mind!" and she attempted to once again make her way around him. However, the sound of another voice coming from behind stopped her in her tracks.
"What's going on, Raph? Is she giving you trouble?" it asked.
Shari wheeled around defensively, now feeling surrounded. Dropping her broken CD player and putting her hands up instinctively in defense, she backed up towards the river to face another newly arriving confrontation. This person she recognized, at least from her years working for the government. His face and name was quite familiar to her. Considering all the times she had heard of him move among the military circles she knew herself, she was quite aware of his influence. Though she doubted very much he would know her since they had never formally met, she allowed that possibility just the same. She knew of his reputation for knowing his ally as well as his enemy. However, Shari would still feign ignorance, though, because of the type of clandestine work that she performed for the past two decades. Regardless that his inventions were the reason for her successes, Shari would never divulge her assignments or her true name – not even to this one now standing before her.
He looked at her and then he smiled as if in recognition. Reaching out with his right hand, he exclaimed, "Shari Brentwood! Didn't know you lived here! I'm Don Tello!"
Rather taken aback, Shari hesitantly took his extended gesture and shook it, wondering how in the world he had known who she was! The fact that he called her by her cover name told Shari that Don Tello was more than a brilliant inventor and a financial mogul.
It told her that he knew more than he should.
It concerned her - a great deal in fact!