Joe (33 page)

Like a couple coming back from a bad marriage therapy session, Elliot and Hal were quiet on their return to Bowman.

It wasn’t Elliott’s doing.

Hal just stared. Thankfully, the ride wasn’t that long.

“Talk?”

“Not yet.”

“Captain.”

“Not yet.”

Finally, upon pulling into town, Hal exhaled as he opened the door, and claimed he needed a drink.

“Captain, you can’t possibly be upset about losing, you came in third.”

“No, Elliott, it has nothing to do with losing as much as it has to do with my brother being the worst goddamn winner on the face of the earth.”

“Ok, he does gloat.”

“Gloat!” Hal stopped walking. “Gloating would be, ‘Yes I won I won I won’, he is way belong gloating. He had them play ‘I Need a Hero’ over the main speaker system dedicating it to Frank.”

Elliott chuckled.

“It’s not funny.”

“Yes, it is. Your brother is funny.”

“And how about the way he won?” Hal shook his head. “He threatened a suicide. Who in God’s name does that work for?”

“Frank.”

“Frank.” Hal opened the door to the saloon.

“What?” Slurp.

Hal cocked an eyebrow. It was his brother’s voice, but it sounded like he was drinking from a straw. He turned. “Frank, what are you doing here?”

“Getting my prize.” Frank held up a big drink with a straw. “I tried to ride with you, but you kept ignoring me.”

“I wasn’t ignoring you, Frank. I probably couldn’t hear you over the I Need a Hero song.”

“That’s a cool tune.”

“Yes.”

“It’s my theme song.”

“Who wouldn’t have thought?” Hal looked at his drink. “You’re drinking from a straw?”

“Yes, I am. It’s a new Slurpee style drink.”

“That’s a Slurpee?”

“Yep. Want some?” Frank showed.

“Yes.” Hal took it. “I loved these as a kid.”

“I know. Give it back, it’s mine.”

“Fine. Can I get these in town?” Hal returned the drink.

“Yeah, but they’re closed now. Their called Hoi Heaven.”

“Oh my God.” Hal shook his head. “Well, Elliott and I are going to have an early evening drink. I’d invite you along . . .”

“Got one.” Frank held up the big drink.

“I see that.”

“Oh, Hal, before I forget.” Frank snapped his finger. “Your one guy, Rodgers, the man who does Cemetery watch. He’s training with my guys tonight, so Robbie is sending one of our guys for that shift.”

“Not a problem.”

“He may be a little late, but he should be there on or around two am. He’s pulling a double.”

“That’s pretty late, Frank, considering the shift stars at nine and ends at four.”

“No,” Frank said. “Robbie changed that, remember. He figured no one’s gonna grave dig till after four anyhow, so he has the man from two till sun up now.”

“Patrolling.”

“No, Hal, sitting there.”

Hal’s mouth dropped open. “When did all this go down?”

“When you busted Robbie in the Cemetery. A week later Robbie said if he was gonna have a séance, someone else might and we’d better stop it, and put a guard on consistently.”

“Fuck. I forgot.”

“Happens.” Frank slurped his drink. “See ya later.”

“Yeah.” Hal watched Frank walks away. “My brother is covering.”

“Frank?” Elliott asked.

“No, Robbie. Did you recall that?” Hal asked Elliott.

“Not really, but it was probably something we misconstrued.”

“Didn’t think twice about,” Hal added. “Of course Robbie wants a guard. He doesn’t want anyone to see what he did.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t know, but . . .” Hal looked at his watch. “We have several hours to find out. Let’s get that drink first.”

Hal walked into the saloon.

Shaking his head, Elliott murmured, “He still wants to go.” And followed him in.

****

There was general concern. How could there not be. Something so simple, yet so disturbing had resurfaced. The clinic thought for sure it was gone, eradicated, but their medical knowledge should have let them know otherwise. Nothing can ever be eradicated as long as it exists in laboratories. Not that Beginnings even had a sample of the virus. They could have. Who knew?

They had a treatment for the virus, not a cure, not an inoculation as originally thought. Like smallpox, it was treatable with some damage, but unlike smallpox, it would always rear its ugly head.

Ellen had gone home for the day when the pandemonium broke out in the Containment. Only one case. But one case was enough to start a panic.

Jess was on duty. He didn’t want to call Ellen in, it was probably one of the only nights she would have her date with Frank.

So he called Robbie. He had been exposed, pretty much immune, and knew the signs and symptoms the best.

Robbie gave the Containment resident a once over and took him to the clinic.

Jess waited outside of the exam room for Andrea to emerge.

Robbie returned with a cup of coffee. “Richie is covering over there.”

“Thanks,” Jess accepted the coffee. “Did he make sure he reiterated to the other residents not to say a word.”

“Actually, Jess, no one would believe the residents, but it’s not Containment I worry about. It’s here. Word could get out here.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m no medical expert,” Robbie said. “We have to wait for the expert to come out of that room.”

“Does it look like it?”

“Very much so. Classic symptoms.”

“Shit. Shit. I was spared too. Should we quarantine?”

The door to the exam room opened with Andrea sighing out a ‘Yes’. She nodded, “Quarantine might not be a bad idea. Keep those out of Containment who haven’t had it. At least till we see if this outbreak was contained.”

“”Is he resting?” Jess asked.

“Yes, he’ll be fine once treatment is finished.” Andrea leaned against the door. “Sweet Jesus, I can’t believe this. Elvis has the brain flu.”

“I heard he has a bad case,” Jess said.

“I’d classify it as severe.”

“Technically speaking,” Robbie held up a finger. “He could have had it when he arrived. After all he was sick, and he thinks he’s Elvis.”

“All classic symptoms we ignored. Who knew it was beyond our walls,” Andrea said. “Well, I’m going to go check the other residents of Containment. If they show signs, I will have to treat them all.”

“I’d leave them there,” Robbie suggested. “Like chicken pox, let them all get it at once, treat them at once.”

“Good idea, sweetheart.” Andrea kissed him on the cheek. “Just so exasperating.”

“I know. You do well, though.”

“Thank you.”

Waiting for her to leave, Robbie shook hands with Jess. “I’m heading out. There’s a call I have to make before I head home.”

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah, just have to call Burt in monitoring.” Robbie started to leave.

“Robbie. He’s uh, mute.”

“I know.”

“Why are you calling him?”

“To tell him something. It’s Ok, I don’t need a response.” Smiling in his way, Robbie walked away. But as soon as he was out of sight, the smile dropped from his face.

****

It was the first time, in a long time, if ever, Joe could recall getting a scolding from one of his sons, and taking it.

“I know. I know.” Joe said.

Robbie said, though funny, he had to stop hanging out at Containment.

Joe defended himself by saying he wanted to talk to Elvis, and knew the brain flu story would work.

It did.

For now. Just be more careful.

Joe agreed and went back to his watch. It wasn’t going to be a bad night. He had his spiked tea and Oodles of Dan Noodles had started to grow on him.

Bowl steaming, darkness falling over the communities, Joe turned on the night vision for the cameras and watched while he ate.

He was on his final heaping forkful, when he lifted his eyes.

“What the hell? Goddamn it.” A shake of his head, he lifted the phone. “Robert. You better answer.”

****

It was evident by the noise that Frank had hit the bottom of the drink.

Robbie snickered. “You enjoyed that didn’t you?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“That’s funny. You know Dad used to call them idiot sticks because only an idiot wouldn’t know when he was finished with his drink.”

“Yeah, but a non idiot would want every drop.”

“Can’t argue with that logic.” Robbie paused to answer the phone. “Hey Da . . . Burt. What’s up?” His eyes lifted. “You’re kidding. When? I’m on my way. Thanks.”

“Who’s DaBurt?” Frank asked.

“The guy in Monitoring. I have to head out to the cemetery.” Robbie headed to the truck. “Seems we have a breach there.”

“No fuckin shit. DaBurt? Is he the same as Burt?”

“Yeah, just my own personal nick name. Da man. Da Burt.”

Frank nodded once. “Isn’t he mute?”

Robbie paused. “Um, yeah.”

“But you were talking to him.”

“Yes,” Robbie reached for the truck handle.

“How? If he can’t speak how did he tell you about the cemetery?”

“Code. He presses different tones for each message. We worked it out.”

“I didn’t get it the memo.”

“Shit. I’ll get it to you.”

“Thanks. So what’s the code?”

“For?”

‘Breach in cemetery. Just in case I take the call and hear the numbers.”

“Three, three seven four.”

“Thanks.”

“Did you want to go?” Robbie asked.

“Sure.” Frank opened the passenger side door. “Let’s bust them. Who is breaching the cemetery? Do we know?”

“Yep. Hal.”

“Fuck. That can’t be? Hal”

“Yep.”

“Burt the mute guy said Hal.”

“Yep.”

“Fuck. Hal breaching the cemetery.”

“Exactly. Shocking it isn’t it?” Robbie asked.

“Fuck yeah. I can’t believe we have a code for Hal. Do we have one for me?”

Robbie got in the truck.

****

Tick tock. Tick tock.

For about the tenth time Ellen looked at her watch and followed it with a huff.

Dean was there in the living room, all primed to watch the kids so Ellen could have her date with Frank. But there was one problem. Frank was nowhere to be found.

“Have you tried calling him?”

“Yep. No answer.”

“How late is he?”

“An hour and a half.”

“Maybe he’s busy.”

“More than likely, last I heard Dan said Burt the mute guy sent Robbie out to the cemetery and he thought Frank might be with him.”

“Have you tried Robbie?”

“Dean.” Ellen snapped. “Of course. Gees.” She turned and went toward the kitchen.

Dean followed, leaning in the doorway smiling when he saw the phone in her hand. “You didn’t.”

She waved him off. “Oh, hey Robbie. By chance do you have my husband with you?” A pause. “And how long do you think you’ll be?” Another pause. “Ok, thanks, tell him I’m going out.” Pause. “Thanks, bye.” She hung up.

“Frank’s with him?”

“Yes and he doesn’t mind if I am going out.” She started to dial.

“Who are you calling now?”

“Josh. I’m gonna get him to baby sit.”

“I’m here.”

“For now. But I wanted a date tonight and you have to take me.”

Dean grinned. “Sweet.”

****

Chaka looked down to his stomach wound. It was healing nicely, another day or two and he’d be in full shape.

He had eaten, his stomach not as full as he’d like, and boredom consuming him, he decided to take a walk from his hiding area.

He’d stay deep in the woods so as not to attract any problems. He didn’t want to chance re-injuring himself, and that would happen if he had to battle.

Not far into the walk he caught the scent. It carried in the wind, but a part of it was masked with a sweetness, almost flower smell. Immediately, as it is supposed to do, the scent triggered a reaction in him.

Where? Where did it come from?

He was drawn.

It was a delicacy. Something in his world they would not take for granted. Something they could only have once a three moon cycle, which was a long time. Twice in that element of time if they did something brave or commendable, they would be rewarded.

But where? Where did it come from?