"Yes Mom, he saved me from some guys in grey with swords that were hell bent on killing me." Janessa's eyes narrow and her mouth goes into a hard line as she pauses for a moment, clearly processing something her mother said. "You knew. All this time and you knew my father was from a different shadow?!?" She takes a breath and closes her eyes. Janessa's tone shifts to a much more calm one when she speaks again. "You know what. How about we continue this conversation when you get here? I need my weekly care package, but please double it. I'd like to have enough for my cousins as well."

Michelle starts pacing when Janessa mentions the men attacking her. She opens her mouth to speak but doesn't when Janessa realizes Michelle withheld information from her. As Janessa's tone shifts, she stops pacing.  She hangs up the phone and stares at it. She knew trying to continue the conversation after the tone shift was futile. ~Oh boy. She's bottling up. Dang it Bleys. A heads up or something would have been nice. He could have told me something.~ She thought as she gathered up Janessa's care package. She wrote a quick note on the white board for her husband and youngest son: Janessa is home. Taking her a care package. She's got visitors. Will explain when I get home.. She heads out to the truck, climbs in and starts driving to Janessa's house.

"Thank you momma. See you then. I love you too. Bye bye." Janessa says before hanging up. She hasn't really moves since the shift in tone and looks calm and collected. She turns to look at David and Ralph. "My mom is bringing my care package. It'll have milk, butter, cream, eggs, quite a few steaks, a beef tenderloin or two, a roast, bacon, sausage, eggs and whatever veggies are ready. I'll cook whatever you'd like to eat, so just let me know." She smiles softly at them, though David would realize it's a fake having seen her natural one. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be out back." She turns and heads out the door that leads to the back yard. Janessa walks a few feet away and starts screaming at the sky in frustration. After a moment she stops, sits down on the grass and puts her head in her hands.

David thought he saw something different with Janessa, he wasn't one to overhear for gossip, but some parts of that call he couldn't help but notice. David might have said something of her overall well-being, but she left before he could say anything.

David know something was up then, so he got up and left Ralph with his phone unlocked, just incase he thought of anything useful without him.
When he got to the door, his suspicions were proven correct. There, he saw - and heard - Janessa's frustration, filling the quiet air.

David did what came naturally to him, and started capmly walking up to her. When he closed the distance, he sat to her side at a comfortable distance, facing the field.
For a while he just sat there, admiring the grass flowing like waves with the gentle breeze, soft clouds sailed above without a care.
While it came naturally to David that he had to do something, what didn't come naturally to him, was knowing what to do now that he was there. Some people wanted help, and others took offence at it. David knew only so much about Janessa from the last day or two, it would be a social gamble.

A little lady bug had found its way onto his hand, which he gently relocated after a moment of admiration. After the moment of silence he said toward the field, "Family huh." It wasn't a question, but a statement pulled from personal experience.

Janessa lifted her head and put her hands in her lap as David’ sat down. She was grateful he had come out to check on her. She watched the lady bug as it walked around his hand before he relocated it with a small smile. She nodded and sighed when he spoke. She scoots closer to him, finding comfort in his presence. “She said ‘shadow’. ‘What was he doing in this shadow’. She turns to look at David. “She knew David. She freaking knew and never told me.” Janessa shakes her head and turns her attention back to the grass. ”In fact she insisted I never ask or talk about him. I bet she knows about Dad’s abilities and maybe even about Amber.” She looks at David with a sad look in her eyes. “ I was with Dad for months, feeling guilty and confused about how I was supposed to explain what I can’t. Meanwhile she had 27 years and never told me about my possible abilities or my birthright. Then she tries to sit there on some high horse and lecture me about not telling her stuff. She draws her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on her knees. “I’m confused and conflicted. I don’t know how I’m supposed to have this conversation with her. And I’m glad you’re here to listen to me rant and rave.” She sighs. “I need a hug, and maybe a glass of wine or something stronger.” She goes back to looking at the wind blowing through the grass.

David listened in and let Janessa have a moment for venting. Everyone did it, and she needed it right now. Maybe he would too, he might have a conversation when he's home, if he's ever home.

"I got nothing, so I'll learn from your hiccups. Heck, I might just be adopted for all I know." He said with a shrug.
"Well, we could get a drink any old time. Walk around the block and find the chardonnay river. Although you might want your head before your mother tries biting it off." Plus, David didn't want to risk the shadows so casually, not until he got really good with it.

Janessa bumps her head affectionately against David’s shoulder, much like a dog or cat would, and chuckles softly. “Well dang coz. I ain’t got no advance for that. How’s about we make sure you have my phone number before you head off. That way if you ever need to talk, you can give me a call. Well as long as you’re in the shadow anyways. I ain’t got a card to give you unfortunately.” She smiles. “Also, no need to go shadow walkin when I got all the supplies to drink in the house. Though I will make note of the possible shadow with a wine river, though I’ll be looking for Merlot.” She looks at him. “You’re right about that, will definitely need to keep my head clear. Having you here might help. Neither one of us are about to make a scene with an audience present.” She nibbles her lower lip as she goes quite. David can practically see the gears working as she thinks. “David are you willing to stick around here for another day or two? Maybe have Ralph join us? I’ve got an idea. Not sure if it’s a good one mind you, but an idea nonetheless.”

It doesn't take long for David to know his answer for Janessa's request. "I think I can handle a day or two, I want Ralph to get started so that while I do one thing, he can do another." he told Janessa. "But I reserve the right to leave on emergency, or something like it." Like if multiple grey men occur, or a family attack.

He reaches for his pocket, to find it empty "Left it on the table. Let's head inside and get those numbers exchanged then."

"Of course. You're free to come and go as you wish." She stands and dusts her backside off. "So wanna hear my idea, or wait and bring Ralph in on it too?" She asks as she heads back to the house.

David gets up himself. He did want to try the plan, he just didn't want to be responsible for grey men again. "I'd like a heads up on the idea before letting Ralph know." David answered.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Mon 15 July 2019.

Janessa nods. "Fair enough." She takes a deep breath. "I love the air out here. Not smog filled like the city. Anyway, tomorrow is the start of Frontier Days in Cheyenne. Basically it's the county fair, state fair, and one of the biggest rodeos in the US all rolled up together for 10 straight days of cowboy heaven." She says with a smile. "The reason I think you and Ralph should join me and my mother, and possibly my adoptive father and youngest half brother, is 1) The Air Force base is doing it's annual open house. Tour the base, watch some presentations, meet some fighter pilots and whatnot. 2) The Governor will be at the rodeo the first and last day, guaranteed. All the riders and their families will get to meet the Governor the first day. The winners will get another meet and greet at the awards ceremony. " She leans against one of post on the back porch and looks David square in the eyes. "You have an in to meet the Governor tomorrow."

There she had it, in one moment Janessa - this newly minted cousin - had managed to give David the first step towards his fortified home. The home that would be his insurance that he didn't have to abandon what he had here.
Even if David found or bought a home in another state, the Governor would be a great help for any licences or other legal matters. All he had to do was get a foot in the door, and not his own mouth.

David relaxed himself on another post. "You make it sound so easy. If I could get Ralph to not be overtly sleazy, it could be done." It also meant that David had to actually do something, rather than permanently put off having to deal with politics by using proxies.
"Not sure how to repay you if this actually works." David admitted.

Janessa smiles. "Well, I can get you the introduction to the Governor. Getting Ralph not to be sleazy is out of my pay grade. As far as repayment goes..." She trails off as she stares at her cousin. She nods like she's made up her mind. "Considering you've got Ralph putting in some panic rooms and boosting security here, I say cheer me on tomorrow while I ride and we're even." She smirks slightly.

"Well, we may as well get my phone for that number exchange." David said as he started walking back to the house. He would have to get himself something appropriate for tomorrow while he got Ralph that phone, he couldn't walk around looking like a ren-fair participant.

He got his phone back from Ralph as he tried looking up what he could about the event, and from there, everything he could about the governor attending the event.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Tue 16 July 2019.

Janessa followed David inside. She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and quickly jotted her number down. “Here ya go. Shoot me a text, that way I can save yours. Meanwhile, I’m going to go change my outfit. I’d like to get into something that’s actually been cleaned with soap as well as water.” She turns and heads for the stairs. ”If you want a shower, let me know. I’ll get you towels. Laundry machines are at your disposal.”  She adds before she stops and looks at the clock. “Momma should be here in about 20. So if you want a shower before she gets here, I’d suggest you decide relatively soon.” Janessa looks over her shoulder at David, scanning him. “I might have a shirt that’ll fit you if you’d like to change. I don’t know what clothes you have other than what you’re wearing.”

David simply nodded and sent the text once he saw the number. Thanks, David. was all he wrote.
"I'll suss something out, 'Nessa. Thanks." David answered while he was in thought over his weak search prowess.

Besides that, there was the matter of Janessa's mother and how she is going to react to him. Showering might look too comfortable with hospitality not given by her. But on the other hand, looking like a walking time capsule might set the wrong impression.
Why did people have to be so darn complicated? Wild creatures were more pragmatic, even with their rituals.

So, in conclusion, David came to the decision of doing the swiftest shower viable and changing into his hiking clothes from back in the park. A little out of place, as there was no walking trails as far as David could see, but so much better than the quilted shirt and cloak.

Janessa changed quickly before showing David to the bathroom. She had already pulled some towels out of the linen closet and had them sitting on the sink counter. While he showered Janessa makes herself a cup of coffee. She watches Ralph for moment. "I should make sure you get a tour of the house and barn so you can figure out panic room plans." She takes another sip. "Once my mom's come and gone, I'll run my plan last you. If David didn't already?"

"I hadn't." David answered the question as he strolled in. "There wasn't a good time to say." He admitted as he took a glance. No reply from his sister, she must be confident he can sort things out. Or be really busy with her children, they can be a busy lot.

He turned to Ralph and put his phone on the table "Feel free to use this to look up anything for those panic rooms." He said as he sat down to the table with a water.

"I hope Alec and Jack are doing well with their recruitment."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:25, Fri 19 July 2019.

Ralph pounces on the phone. "Yeah! I wanna look up some more about alarms and tech... these people have some very interesting wireless technology..."

Pondering on the world Ralph came from, David knew he was "behind" in one manner of speaking, but he seemed quick to pick up on the changed circumstances. Maybe David did make the right call, maybe being  near an Amberite royalty did something?

David looked into that thought further, his mother did say that she favoured this shadow. The presence of her and others had an impact on Earth, making it more, "substantial"? No, more prominent? Maybe.

David wondered if the same could be said about people. Make them more Amber-like. People's lives were getting longer, even if youth didn't stretch that far. The effect might be too slow for a human lifetime. Maybe a transfusion of blood with seed of the process, or kill them. He penned that thought for later.

But if the process made things more like Amber, then why would it not cause them to be at the level of tech that Amber had? Earth advanced, not regressed. David could only conclude that if anything, it made Earth the most "Earth-like" it would be. Which upset David, considering the habitat destruction, the species removed from the equation now and forever.

David felt his mind start drifting into a morbid direction. He had to snap himself out of it.
"I'll come with you guys, on this tour I mean. I may as well know what these panic rooms will be like." David said calmly, trying to not let it show in his voice or on his face, that he had dark thoughts of the nature of reality.

"Ah, yes, yes, I'd better see the space I have to work with right away," Ralph nods approvingly to Janessa... He hands David's phone back to him for the moment...

“Works for me. Plus I can tell you about my plan.” She leads them around the house. The decor is comfortable rancher, with trophies place here and there. Kitchen, living room, dining room, half bath, pantry, and laundry area are all on the first floor. Upstairs is the bedroom and full bathroom. It’s open to the living room area. The bedroom is decent size, queen bed, dresser, nightstand and wall mounted tv with a game system hooked up to it. The bathroom is big. Toilet, sink, vanity, shower and separate tub and linen closet. Janessa leads them back downstairs.  “Not a whole lotta space in here to put one. Unless we finish off the top floor completely and put one in that space.” Janessa shrugs and heads for the backdoor. “Could always put in a basement for one. Let’s head to the barn.” She opens the door and steps outside. She stops and looks around the area, pausing to stare at some rose bushes and an apple tree that is nearby.

Links to floor plan are on my character description.

David looked around at the structure of both the home and barn, making his own conclusions for the possible builds. David looks up example panic rooms and shares his findings with Ralph, making sure he can take notes.

"From what I can tell, it looks like safe rooms of the caliber we want will end up using concrete, Kevlar or bulletproof fibreglass walls and no windows - weak points for entry - at least steel grills. So chances are we want a ground or basement level space for these panic rooms. If it were above the first floor, you would need to reinforce the entire house to support it - quite the big project. Otherwise, you could just damage supports -" David then imitated launching grenades at corners of the house and having his arms lower as the upper floor crashes down. "- and there goes the integrity of the room, or at least the occupiers are dead from the quick drop.
The door needs to be steel reinforced, long screws to prevent battering rams. Other measures to prevent demo charges from working.
Besides that, we need air vents with a filter system to prevent gas attacks, CCTV and communications systems for keeping ourselves alert and alerting authorities. Thermal vision on cameras, laser, pressure and audio sensors." David could only imagine some things can go invisible in the shadows. "Basic amenities like first aid, a bit of food, portable toilet, weapons and ammo. All the tech will need, I think it's called black box tech? Basically shielding from EMP strikes.
Anything I'm missing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:13, Tue 23 July 2019.

Ralph takes notes on terms he wants to look up later... "...Kevlar... laser... black box tech... EMP strikes..." Ralph looks up. "Sounds to me like a new basement area might be best... But my question is... What about your world-hopping trick? Can you only do it while driving? If so, do you need, like... a tunnel, so you can get a running start at an escape...? And if so, how long of a tunnel...?"