From the audio journal of Dr. Paul Ahearn, research scientist:

Jan. 29, 2012

Tomorrow's my one-month anniversary with Jess -- except that almost the entire month has been spent with the two of us separated, with no contact at all.

This is no way to start a marriage, and I miss Jess terribly.  But I have to keep reminding myself of what Calder Penn Richardson would do if she hadn't run.  I might never have been in position to even marry Jess, let alone have a life with her.  At least now we have a chance.

By now, if Jess' growth hasn't stopped or changed rates, she's closing in on 15 feet tall.  She'll reach that height by Saturday, if those numbers hold.

It's funny.  Keeping track of Jess' growth lets me feel a connection to her, something I desperately need right now.  If she can make it for about another month, she's got a shot at being so big CPR Labs can't hide her from the public -- and we have a chance at a life.

If, if, if …  My life right now is nothing but ifs.  I'm still working at CPR, although the work they're giving me is a joke.  It's obvious to me that they just want to keep an eye on me.  I really believe that, if I quit, they'd find a way to … deal with me.  They feel like they can keep an eye on me this way, and it's keeping me safe … for now.

Jeez, that sounds paranoid.  Then again, my life is pretty paranoid right now.

(A recorded message on Paul Ahearn's cell phone, received Jan. 30, 2012)

Deep woman's voice:  Hello, Paul?

Paul: Jess?  Oh, God!

Jess:  Love, I'm in trouble.  I won't say where I am, since there's still a chance I can escape, but it's less than one-tenth of one percent.  So I'm setting up a video feed that I can activate and turn off by a remote.  I'm going to record whatever goes down here that'll stream whatever happens to me to your personal laptop and cell.

Paul:  Jess, are you all right?

Jess:  For the moment, yes.  How are you, Little Guy?

Paul:  Better for talking to you, even under these circumstances.

Jess: You ready to move on our plan?

Paul:  Absolutely.  I'm already on my way out of the building, asnd I'm contacting Ruby's office when I get done with this call.

Jess:  Wonderful, Love.  Look, whatever happens, just keep yourself safe, OK?

Paul:  Nope.  Not if it means I lose you.  You may be more than twice my height, but I still have to try to keep my wife safe, or get her to safety if she's in danger, and I plan to do just that.

Jess:  Love you, Little Guy.

Paul:  Love you, Big Mama.  See you soon.

Jess.  "Yeah.  Gotta go.  Bye, Love."

(From the audio journal of Paul Ahearn.)

I went straight to Ruby's office.  Fortunately, she was available to come out when I got there.  I was explaining the basics of the situation to s skeptical-looking Ruby when Jess' streaming video came into my laptop, which I had brought with me.  As it flowed in, I opened it and showed it to Ruby.

As Ruby stared at the screen and realized what she was seeing, it was the first time I had ever seen her drop her attorney's calm demeanor.  Her eyes grew wide and her jaw went slack.  After a few seconds, she said, "That's your wife?"

I nodded.

"But she's got to be 15 feet tall," Ruby said.

"Not for a few more days," I said.  "She's closer to 14 ½ feet tall today."

Ruby looked at me.  "This is what CPR wants to hide," she said.

"Right," I said.  "Jess' condition is an accident, one they don't want out because of what it could mean to the company.  They've ransacked our apartment and pursued Jess across the country to try to keep this quiet."

Ruby looked at me intensely.  "This video is from another state?" she said.

"I think so," I said.  "Those look like the Rocky Mountains out the window there."

"Bloody hell," Ruby said.  "They're kidnapping her in another state.  That's federal."

"They're probably in court now, or getting ready to be," I said.  "They were set up to try to claim Jess' custody in an emergency hearing, claiming she was out of her mind."

Ruby grabbed my wrist and started walking.  "Come with me," she said.  As we exited her ofrfice3, she told her receptionist, "Cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day.  "We've got, quite literally, the biggest case of my career here."

We got to the courthouse in a few minutes.  Ruby learned CPR's hearing had just started.

She looked at me.  "Looks like we get to make a dramatic entrance.  You ready?"

I took a deep breath.  "As I'll ever be," I said.

"Let's go," Ruby said.   We entered the courtroom.

A balding judge sat behind the bench.  On it was a sign reading, "Judge Raul Eugene."  A tall, skinny male attorney, sitting beside Dr. Calder, was speaking.

"Since the accident, Dr. Egolf is clearly incapacitated, and, having no family, we are seeking to have her remanded to care until such time as she is able to re-enter normal society."

"Your honor, as amicus curiae, may I approach the bench?" Ruby said.

"You may," the judge said.

Ruby looked at me with an expression that said, wait here.  As she walked up, Calder looked back at me, clearly surprised and upset at my presence.

After a short conference, the attorneys stepped back.  "Ms. Mulder, state for the record in what capacity you are here as a friend of the court," the judge said.

"Your honor, I represent Dr. Paul Ahearn, the husband of Dr. Jessica Egolf Ahearn," Ruby said.

"Husband?!" Calder said.  "When did that happen?"

The judge glared at Calder.

"Your honor, I object," CPR's attorney said.  "Dr. Ahearn's marriage, if it is real, clearly took place after Dr. Egolf's madness began, and after this action was filed -- and he has been responsible for fueling her delusions."

"Your honor, we have documentation of the Ahearn's marriage, which took place Dec. 30, 2011 -- and this is the first hearing to take place in this case," Ruby said.  She handed the judge what I recognized as my marriage license and the marriage certificate the pastor gave us.

The judge looked at the documents.  "I'll allow it," he said.  "No matter when he married her, Dr. Ahearn has standing to enter into this case as her husband.  Now, you mentioned delusions, Mr. Tucker.  From what delusions does Dr. Egolf allegedly suffer?"

"She believes she's a giantess, your honor," Tucker said.

Eugene looked at Ruby.  "Ms. Mulder?"

Ruby took a deep breath.  "Your honor, we contend that Mrs. Ahearn suffers from no delusions, and that CPR is seeking to squirrel her away from public visibility because of her condition -- which, if it were publicly known, could damage CPR's business."

"So, she doesn't think she's a giantess?" the judge asked.

"Actually, she does, your honor," Ruby said.  "But only because she is a giantess."

Tucker looked astonished, while Calder put his head in his hands, almost as if he were trying to hide.

The judge appeared shocked, but had glanced Calder's way during my boss' reaction.  "Ms. Mulder, this isn't 'Miracle on 34th Street,'" Eugene said.

"We have evidence, your honor," she said, picking up both my laptop and the ledgers full of data about Jess' condition I'd brought from home.  "We have scientific data, audio recordings from Dr. Ahearn's journal, which include the sound of Mrs. Ahearn's voice deepening as she grows, and several video clips.  The last are cued up on the laptop for you to see now; the others will take some time to review."

"I object," Tucker said.  "You're honor, we've not had time to review this evidence."

Ruby tossed one of my backup flash drives to Tucker.  "There you go," she said.  "And you're welcome to watch the video.  But," she turned to the judge, "your honor, since Mrs. Ahearn's immediate freedom is at stake here, it is not in her interests to wait for review."

Eugene gestured to Tucker.  "Come up here and watch," he said.  "I'll rule on admissibility later."

The first clip was my arrival at the cabin in the Appalachian foothills, which showed Jess' size.  The second was our wedding, and the third was of the goons CPR hired breaking into her Rocky Mountain  hideout and capturing her.

Tucker blanched.  Eugene was looking grim and sweating.

"My God, they Tased her," the judge said.  "She had surrendered, she was coming peacefully, and they Tased her."

"There are no badge insignia on those uniforms, your honor," Ruby said.  "Those aren't law enforcement.  They're hired thugs, brought in to kidnap Mrs. Ahearn in a attempt to hide3 her condition."

"You honor, the video's obviously a fake," Tucker said.

"Seems awfully elaborate for a fake," Eugene said.

"Your honor," Tucker protested.

Eugene raised a single finger, silencing the attorney.  "Dr. Calder, we have a problem here.  You claim Dr. Egolf is delusional to believe she's a giantess.  Dr. Ahearn claims she really is one, and has presented evidence that appears to support that claim.  There's one quick way to resolve this question:  Produce Dr. Egolf."

"What?" Calder said.

"Produce her," Eugene said.  "Bring her here.  I can see for myself if she's a giantess or not, and that will resolve the question."

"I … can't do that, your honor," he said.  "We're still getting her back into this state."

The judge raised an eyebrow.  "She was out of state?  Really?  Hmmm.  Well, bring her tomorrow, then, first thing.  She'll be back by then, correct?"

"Well, yes, but she could be a danger to you here," Calder said.

"All right then," Eugene said.  "If you can't bring her here, take the court to her tomorrow morning."

"But --"

"Dr. Calder, let me be clear," the judge said.  "You produce Dr. Egolf tomorrow, or you take me to her or you will be found in contempt and locked up while I determine what we do from here. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your honor," Calder said.

"Your honor, " Ruby said.  "People we believe to have been involved with CPR have ransacked Dr. Ahearn's home and committed this violence against Mrs. Ahearn.  We request that Dr. Ahearn be placed in protective custody and taken  to a safe location for the night, until he can be reunited with his wife tomorrow."

Eugene shook his head.  "I never thought I would be saying this, but, granted," he said.  "Dr. Ahearn, we'll make arrangements for you."

I knew Jess had more family than me, so CPR had lied about that; whether Tucker knew it was a lie, I don't know.  But I did know that her other family was only relevant if I was out of the way, and I wasn't going down without a fight.

Tonight I'm staying in a little bed and breakfast with a large guard staying on a sofa in the hallway.

Jan. 31, 2012

I was back at the courthouse at 8 a.m., when  the hearing resumed.

Then came a moment I'll never forget, one that will haunt me forever.  We rose as the judge entered.  He looked around the Jess-less room and looked at Calder.  "Well, where are we going to see Dr. Egolf?" he asked as soon as the case was back on the record.


Calder stood up.  "Unfortunately, your honor, we can't take you to see Dr. Egolf this morning," he said.  "It seems that, last night, she was able to get ahold of some glass and slashed her own throat.  She's dead -- a suicide."

I felt the whole world close in as I sagged into my chair.  I dissolved onto the table in front of me, sobbing violently at the news of the death of the love of my life.