Saturday. 09:00 Robertson Estate, Alice’s Mansion

Alice and John were in her kitchen with three of the family’s personal chefs that were going to cook their wedding meal. They were looking at menus the chefs had put together for the couple.

“John, you don’t need to try each whisky.” Alice was glaring at John,

John smirked. “Well to find the whisky that best suits this meal I think I do.”

Alice tried to not laugh, but he said that with such sincerity that it was difficult to hold it in. “God you ass. I like the third salad.”

“You know my stance on salads, so I think we can roll with that.” John smiled. “So, are we thinking two or three main courses?”

“The third option adds forty grand to the costs. Can swing it but it seems excessive.” Alice was looking through the menu at the different options.

John grunted. Alice looked up and squinted at him. “Fine, I won’t say it. Let’s do three dishes, let them have more options.”

“Vegetarian, beef and fish?” Alice asked.

“Let’s do chicken and salmon for the proteins.” John looked over at Alice.

“Let’s do walleye instead.” Alice was looking at the different vegetarian meals.

“Works for me. Please hand me one of those menus please.”

Alice handed the menu to John. They tried three vegetarian courses. John thought all three were varying degrees of terrible, but there at least was an Indian inspired dish that was the least bad in his eyes. Alice agreed so they had one dish selected.

The walleye dishes were difficult. They tried five each, but there was no consensus. The middle of the pack dish was the only thing they agreed on.

“Look, you like the dish I hate. You hate the dish I like the most. Yet this dish seems like the least offensive out of all of them.” John took another bite.

“Are we really choosing the least bad option here?” Alice smiled.

“Kinda looks like that. Hey, I thought your mom was going to be here with us?” John pushed the plate away.

“Nah, she wanted us to choose whatever we liked.”

The chicken meal and the dessert were both much easier to choose. There was a minor debate on the desert, but the chef decided to incorporate both deserts that the couple liked into a new desert. At no extra cost which was a nice bonus.

The couple then went to a florist to choose flower arrangements. John tried to show some interest in it, but the honest truth he didn’t care about flowers. His only contribution was choosing a couple colors and suggesting an alternate flower, thankfully they were agreeable to Alice. She thought it was hilarious how much he had been struggling with something as simple as flowers.

The last thing was deciding on what color dresses the bridesmaids would wear. John just pointed out that all his groomsmen would be in Navy dress uniforms. He would be wearing the dinner dress uniform with the white jacket. The groomsmen would be wearing their blue uniforms. Alice didn’t have any problem with that, which led to her laughing at John as he figured she’d be annoyed with him wearing white.

14:30 Robertson Estate

John and Alice parked their vehicle and were walking into the main building when Paul called Alice.

“Hey Paul, yeah he’s here.” Alice stopped John.

“Paul said dad want to talk to you. He’s in the office.”

John leaned down and kissed Alice. “Cya in a few.”

John walked into the office building and found his way to Aaron’s office. He knocked on the glass and then let himself in. Aaron was on the phone, so John just poured himself a drink from the mini bar then sat down in the chair and waited for the call to be over.

“Sorry about that John. So good to have you hear again. So how did the wedding planning go?” Aaron was smiling.

“Pretty good, all the big items are wrapped up. We just have a few odds and ends left to wrap up.”

“Great to hear. Thank you for coming again this year. We screwed up and left her alone last year.”

“Sadly, we won’t have many holiday seasons to be together once we get out of the academy.” John took a drink. “But that’s the job.”

“It’s an excuse her mother and I used far too often over the years.”

John shrugged. “Y’all were responsible for managing a trillion-dollar business. But it’s easy to say that as adults, when your six that’s not something that is comprehensible.”

“You understand then.”

“I can understand something, but that doesn’t make it right.” John smiled as he took a drink. “The irony being both Alice and I are moving into careers that will continue that absence.”

“The cycle perpetuates itself.” Aaron was bit disappointed when he said that. “Are you having any more problems with the fleets?”

“Nah, we got that worked out. But since I pissed off the karmic god other stuff came up.” John shrugged.

“Will she be safe?”

“I’m not going to bullshit you and say she’s safe. She could be a target to get to me. But I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. She’s my top priority. And for now, she is safe and out of harm’s way.”

“I wish I could say I was happy, but I suppose there isn’t anything more you can do.”

“It is what it is.” John finished his drink.

“Well, I’m going to get a workout in. Cya at dinner tonight.”

Aaron nodded as he took a call. John walked out of his office then headed toward Alice’s mansion. He wasn’t in any major rush to get there. When he eventually got there, he went up to the bedroom and changed into some workout clothes.

15:00 Robertson Estate, Exercise Room

He jogged out of the house towards the exercise room. When he got there, he began a strenuous workout. John was really hammering the weights hard. Forty-five minutes later his muscles were burning. He was resting on the bench. John was still obsessing over a rematch with the twins. He still didn’t know how he was going to win.

John shook his head free of doubts and continued with his workout. His body was on fire when he finished it thirty minutes later. He had overdone it, but John needed this workout. He needed to clear his mind and focus.

John jogged toward one of the ponds and sat down overlooking it. He began replaying the fight once again in his mind. As John did this he experimented with his powers. As working out causes the muscles minor damage which the body then rebuilds them stronger, so too John surmised that stretching one’s psychic abilities to their limits result in similar growth. As he finished the fourth iteration of the fight his concentration was broken by a familiar voice.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were obsessed.” Alice was sitting on the bench behind him smiling.

John used his telekinesis to raise himself off the ground and spun himself around to face Alice. “I have to be obsessed if I’m to protect you.”

“John, I’m not some dainty flower.”

“I’m aware, but against someone like me, you don’t stand much of a chance. My concern is they will go after you to get to me.” John looked down and shook his head. “If they hurt you, I’m not sure what I’d…”

Alice got up and hugged him. “We’ll be fine, because we’re together in this.”

John hugged her back. “I love you.”

“I know.” Alice smiled as she let go of the hug. “So, are you getting any stronger with all this brooding. I mean practicing.”

John shrugged. “I think so. Probably not to the level that I want to be but given the situation the growth is welcome.”

“So how is it that you got stronger, and the rest don’t?”

John looked frustrated. “If I had to guess, the method that is used to teach psychics these days results in the students never stressing their abilities. When there’s no struggle to improve maybe there’s no chance to improve. Though I don’t doubt that everyone still has upper limits. I really can’t imagine a scenario that every psychic can reach alpha levels.”

“You need to clean up and relax for a while. Let’s go inside and watch a movie before dinner.” Alice was smiling, she was likely not going to accept no for an answer.

Christmas Day. 13:00 Dining Room

John and Alice were still sitting at the dining table chatting with one another. Kate was talking with the chef and maids. Aaron and Paul had headed back to the office to take care of. When the couple were done with their meal, they went into the living room and contacted some of their friends.

“Afternoon. Merry Christmas.” John was smiling.

“Hey. John, you’d love it here. We got six inches of snow last night.” Andern was smiling.

“I don’t like snow.” Kristin looked cold.

“Why are you wearing a winter coat inside?” John asked.

“It’s really cold here.”

The group laughed at Kristin’s expense.

“So, John, did you buy yourself anything for Christmas?” Kevin asked.

“I got Alice some earrings.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

“I’m pleading the fifth.”

Alice slapped his shoulder. “Out with it, what did you get?”

John mumbled. “This watch and another couple.”

“I feel like combining our finances are going to be a nightmare.” Alice smirked.

“I had some loose change I needed to spend.”

Nathan was laughing the hardest. The others joined in at that comment. John’s penchant for kleptomania against those that wronged him was legendary among the group. Though none of them knew just how much money he had taken. John’s loose change resulted in the purchase of not two but three seven figure watches. He got another Richard Mille, an A. Lange and Sohne and an FP Journe.

The conversation quickly switched to why he got three watches. He can only wear one at a time. John’s excuse was nonsensical. Giving him options to wear over time wasn’t a good excuse. John didn’t want to tell his friends the real reason, but he’d explain it to Alice later why he really purchased them later.

It was good to see the friends but unfortunately the call had to be cut short when their friends had to run off to different holiday celebrations. When that happened John and Alice decided to go on a walk and get some fresh air.

“Ok, so you hid some purchases from me.” Alice wasn’t really mad, but she was playing up her anger a bit in fun.

“Yeah, ok so I will come clean and tell you the scheme I cooked up years ago.”

Alice smirked. “Oh good, I’m learning how to be a felon.”

“Being a felon is easy. Being a smart felon is much more difficult.”

Alice reached up and smacked the back of his head. “Says the man that wants to be a captain of a starship.”

“Yeah, so the watches are purchased with cleaned and unmarked credit chits.”

“So, there’s no record of where the money came from.” Alice said.

“Right, and they are typically purchased under an alias but that can change from time to time.”

Alice was laughing and shaking her head. “So, you have aliases at some stores with purchase histories that let you buy these super rare pieces.”

“Yup. So, if a federal agency got their records, most wouldn’t be tracked back to me. Now the other reason is cleaning the money a bit more. So instead of having unmarked chits, I have a physical asset now.”

“But you couldn’t sell it right away.”

“Well yeah, that would be stupid, but ten years down the road I can sell the watch, pay the capital gains if I make any money off of it and viola.”

“That’s clever, and since you do actually pay taxes on some of the money you clean, it would show an acceptable income to afford these items.”

“Presuming I choose the right year I purchased it.”

“I think you investigating financial crimes when you were younger ruined you.” Alice started laughing. “So, what’s your income for this year.”

“How much I made or how much I’m reporting.”

Alice was shaking her head as she said. “Oh, good god. May as well tell me both figures.”

“I made over ten billion, thanks in large part to the idiots in the core fleets, but I’m only declaring income of around a billion. Going to be layering in the rest over the next few years.” John looked at Alice. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it in a way that doesn’t get you wrapped up in anything.”

“And if you get caught?”

“Well let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but I’ll take the heat. You very obviously had no clue that it happened.”

“Have you ever thought maybe not taking things that don’t belong to you?”

“Yeah, I think of it all the time, but if they go after me, they need to be punished. How would you punish a rich person?”

“Oooh, are you asking me because I’m rich?” Alice had an impish grin on her face.

“Well yeah, you’re in a unique position to answer that question.”

“You know I don’t want to agree with you.” Alice saw John about to say something. She put a finger on his lips. “Zip it. But the best way to attack someone like us, is to hit their bank account.”

John started smiling but said nothing.

“But while you’re one of us basically, you’re also a damned gremlin. If you lost everything, you’d either find a way to grift it from people or just rise up and get rich again.”

“Well. I am pretty damn awesome.”

“Ugh, god that is so not sexy.” Alice hugged John. “Can you please dial it back a bit. I want us to have good careers, I don’t need you killing yours before we’re out of the academy.”

“Ok, I will dial it down to like a seven or eight.”

“Try a six.”

John stood up in front of Alice and pivoted to face her. “I will endeavor to better myself for you milady.”

John kissed Alice’s hand. “Honey, I love you but that wasn’t that suave.”

“Damn, I thought I was putting the moves on you.”

Alice started to laugh. She jumped up and hugged John. The couple shared a kiss overlooking a gazebo and pond. They walked in and sat in the gazebo and watched the peaceful pond. They enjoyed the peace and quiet.

The rest of the day was fairly unremarkable. Alice got to spend some more time with her parents after dinner. John got another work out and psychic practice in. The couple spent some more quality time with one another. They ended the night making love before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Two days Later. 04:30 Delta Skylounge, Mobile International Airport

“It is so bloody early.” John sat in the chair shaking his head.

Alice grabbed his arm and looked at his watch. “Ok, that is a nice watch, and yeah it is what time I thought it was. Ugh. When’s the flight?”

“We don’t board for another forty-five minutes. I thought it would take longer to get through security.”

Alice smirked; John noticed it. “Hey, I didn’t pull any tricks.” John squinted.

“Well, at least we’re not going to miss the flight.”

John snorted. “Well, on the plus side we’re going to Havanna. It’s going to be gorgeous there.”

“The hacienda you got us looks amazing.”

“Right? I’m glad we get to spend another New Year’s together.” John smiled.

Alice squeezed his hand. “You’re so sweet. Hey, so about that whole ship thing next fall. So, are you really able to pick your crew?”

“Each ship we serve on will have an enlisted crew already on it. Assuming I get a destroyer than all of us will be on my ship. I did have to eat a bit of crow requesting that since I have raged against nepotism in the core fleets. Plus I’ll need to pull some more officers from the class to fill out the crew roster.”

Alice laughed. “But if you succeed, doesn’t that reinforce their beliefs?”

“Not really, it shows that the officers I chose were up to the task. But it we fail, then that’s definitely a bad look.”

“No pressure on us then?”

John smiled. “No more than normal.”

“I think it’s way more than normal. If we fail, then your career opportunities…”

“Will proceed down a different path. If I didn’t trust and believe you all were capable, I wouldn’t have suggested it.”

The couple continued to chat. Despite being up so early they were completely awake. It probably didn’t help that there was free coffee, espresso and cappuccino available in the lounge and that the couple had been drinking cup after cup. Eventually it was time to leave the lounger and get in line to board their plane.

When John got situated into his seat, he pulled up some investments he had. John was looking through them to find a few to sell. The reason for this was to increase his income and layer in some of the money he stole a few months ago. By the time the plane reached cruising altitude he had decided on the investments to sell. He had the proceeds transferred to an account that he had already deposited some unmarked credit chits. Then he placed a buy order on a new investment.

When the plane landed the airport was unusually quiet. Storms in the northeast and west coast had caused several flight delays or outright cancellations. The couple got breakfast sandwiches in the terminal as they walked to the baggage carousel.

“No bags here yet, is that a sign honey?” Alice smiled.

“Nope, just means we’re going to be here for another thirty to forty-five minutes.”

“One time your stuff is going to show up first.”

John shook his head. “I’m glad there’s at least one optimist between the two of us.”

The couple sat down on a bench and waited. There was an alarm, then the carousel started to rotate as bags were dropped. The very first bag off was Alice’s. John got up, grabbed it and brought it back. John saw Alice clapping.

“What’s going on?”

“I see your bag!” Alice was entirely too cheerful.

John turned around and went back to the carousel. He looked at the bag, which looked like his. John took it off the line, looked at it, sighed and then put it back on the carousel. He looked defeated as he walked back to the bench. Alice was even sadder as she got his hopes up for nothing. She gave him a big hug. The couple waited and watched, and like every other public flight they’ve taken together John’s bag showed up last.