by Dave Hazel
“We will help fine tune your message,” Solley said encouragingly. “But just be you. Be yourself. It will be easy. And listen son, your Security Police job is finished,” Solley declared. “Consider it a favor,” the older man snickered. “Who really wants to do security work anyway? There are much bigger and better opportunities for you. Just play ball with us and you will be greatly rewarded. Besides, you must know by now that you would never be cleared to carry a weapon again. With all that had happened and all you had been through your security days are behind you. Which is a good thing. Good riddance. Embrace it,” Solley laughed enthusiastically while the two other generals nodded. “We’re going to turn you and Towbar into rock stars,” Solley said with a clap and rubbed his hands together.” The American people are going to love you and in turn you will be helping the cause of the Air Force. Mykal, I promise you,” Solley said and gave a large grin. “You’ll thank me later.”
“Yes Sir.” Mykal smiled politely at Solley’s enthusiasm. Suddenly he felt they were tying invisible strings to him so he would be their puppet. The strings were more like imprisoning chains. “Sir, I’m only an E-4 buck-Sergeant. I’ve dealt with higher ranking NCOs and officers who won’t like me being in a position like that. I’m gonna have people busting my chops all the time.”
All four officers laughed together. “We understand your concern son,” Lieutenant General Jefferson spoke and took his pipe from his mouth and pointed it at Mykal. “Let’s just say that while you play ball with us there will never be an issue. It will be as if the three of us are standing beside you everywhere you go. Honestly, we will be only a phone call away. You will have direct access to us. The word will get out that you’re our boy and our General stars are figuratively resting on your shoulders,” Jefferson said with a smirk and clamped down on his pipe to laugh with the others.
“In public you’ll display respect and follow proper etiquette and decorum with regards to rank,” Sanchez explained. “But you’ll be our boy and we will be there with you for the sake of any issues or situations that may come up. Your rank will remain, but your pay will increase.”
“If I may add,” Colonel Burkat cut in. “Mykal was due to test for Staff Sergeant while they were gone. Mykal you will be rescheduled and you may not even have to test, and don’t worry about studying because for the next few weeks your schedule will be filled. You will make Staff Sergeant,” Burkat guaranteed.
“Thank you Sir. That’s fine by me,” Mykal said and agreed enthusiastically realizing he would carry tremendous power as a ‘lowly Sergeant’ until they give him his promotion. “If you don’t mind me asking, Sir, what’s in it for you?” He asked and looked at the three Generals seated before him. “From my stand point I just won the lottery.” Mykal knew they stood to gain much from this situation or they wouldn’t be making the deal so sweet for him.
The three Generals looked at each other and then back to Mykal. “Don’t be concerned about that son,” Lieutenant General Jefferson said and he forced his pipe back into the locked grip of his teeth.
“You will be well compensated,” Sanchez added. “You and Towbar will be the showmen, and we will work behind the scenes to make everything run smooth.”
“One thing that is of utmost importance,” General Solley seemed to change the subject. “If Towbar discovers a way to return to his world we need to know about it immediately.”
“From my understanding, the only way he’d be able to return, is if he happened to be at the right place at the right time, when the green fog appears,” Mykal said. He wondered about their interest.
“Does Towbar have any ideas to create the green fog?” Colonel Burkat asked from behind Mykal.
“No Sir, not at all. He would’ve tried if he did, cuz his people need him. Do you mind if I ask why it’s important for you to know if he discovers a way back?” Mykal could sense they had strong desires to have access to Towbar’s world.
“It would be important if there should be discovered the means to travel back and forth between our two worlds,” Sanchez replied and moved forward in his seat showing eager excitement that took Mykal by surprise. “We need to recover the nuke,” he added as an afterthought.
“Remember Sergeant Graves, we have an important resource we need to recover. We really need to bring home our missing heroes as well,” Solley said but he sounded disingenuous.
“Sure, I agree,” Mykal said to tell them what they wanted to hear. He didn’t know their true motives, but he would be on guard, watching out for himself and Towbar so they couldn’t hurt his friend. “I’ll gladly let you know if Towbar discovers a way back to his world,” he lied. “I want my friends to come home if they’re still alive.”
“You’ve got some preparation to do,” Lieutenant General Jefferson said as he stood to his feet and held out his hand for Mykal to shake. “Despite our difference in rank son, I want you to look at us as partners, and I want you to consider us as your friends. Don’t ever be afraid to come to us with any problems you may have.”
“Yes Sir.” Mykal rose to his feet and accepted the out stretched hand.
“Tomorrow the blitz starts,” Solley said. “Wrap things up out there and go home to your wife and kids. Don’t talk to anyone until tomorrow. But make sure you spend the rest of the evening with your family. That’s an order,” he said with a wink and a smile.
“Yes Sir.” Mykal gave a fake smile but shook all their hands. Colonel Burkat led him out of the room.
“So, how did it go?” Captain Roberts asked him with a broad smile. William didn’t let on, but he already knew what they discussed and had a rough itinerary for the next couple of weeks.
“Alright I guess,” Mykal shrugged. He liked that they planned to go public, but wasn’t sure if he’d like his role in going public. He didn’t want to be ‘the face’ of the story. ‘But I’ll make Staff Sergeant without having to study anymore,’ he thought. He tried to convince himself this would be good for him and his family. ‘I’ll give it a shot and see what happens I guess,’ he mulled it over and didn’t hear William’s words. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I said, I thought I was only going to be with you for the next couple of days, but it turns out that I’m going to be attached to your hip until this thing ends,” William said with a smile. “Isn’t this great?”
“Yeah, just friggin great,” he replied sarcastically.
“What? What’s wrong Myk?” He asked as they walked down the corridor. “This will be great for you.”
“I’m not into all this putting my face before the public kinda stuff. I’m not the right person for this.” He smiled shyly though deep inside he knew the deep dark truth of all he had done and what he kept hidden. “They really oughta have someone else be the face and the spokesman for this little show they wanna put out to the world.”
“It won’t work Myk,” William said and shook his head. “You’re the only one close to Towbar. I spoke to Towbar about this and you’re the only one he would agree to do this with.”
“You talked to Towbar? How’d you already know to ask him?”
“Ah, er, um, they briefed me this morning,” William said but obviously he was caught off guard and lying. Captain Roberts knew more than he let on. “I was tasked to find who would be the best match for Towbar. Hands down it’s you. Without question.”
Mykal was tempted to grill William because it all seemed suspicious. Captain Roberts had been too eager to befriend him in the beginning. Now he seemed to know stuff he shouldn’t have known yet. It all struck Mykal odd, but all he wanted to do was go straight home and spend time with his family. “I have a lot on my mind and now that I got my wish, to notify the loved ones of my dead friends, I’m scared stiff.”
“Well, let’s get started,” William said. He seemed eager to change the subject. “I’ll go along with you. Let’s get briefed by the Chaplain Corps to know what we must do. I will be your personal assistant in this despite our difference in rank.”
>
“I appreciate that, but today I’m gonna be with my family, per General Solley. Now I’m concerned about Towbar. I don’t know how he’s gonna take this media shit storm that is about to hit us. Poor guy, the only thing he wants is to go back home.”
“You need to make sure you brief me if he discovers a way to make the green fog appear to go back to his home.”
Mykal became even more suspicious of William now. That was the same request the Generals had for him. Something didn’t feel right. Something seemed sneaky, or maybe he was just being a little paranoid. He decided he would probe this at a later time. His heart weighed heavy because of the personal notifications he needed to make. But now, he needed to go home first.
CHAPTER TWO 11/16/1983
1. Wednesday, November 16th 1983
0748 hours, Security Police Airmen Barracks, Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
Nearly two months passed since the Air Force allowed ‘Mykal and Towbar’s Story’ to go public. Mykal stood in the hallway of the military barracks he once lived in so many years before. He tried to shake off the numbing cold. Outside with the wind chill factor it was -6 degrees. ‘These North Dakota winters are hard,’ he thought with a smile while he tried to rub warmth into his hands. ‘But I love it.’
Mykal eyed the freshly painted walls and the new carpet. When he lived in the same building four and a half years ago, it wasn’t so nice. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he resided in the dorm. He stopped in front of room 116. The name tag read A1C Traginsky. Mykal knocked hard and couldn’t wait to see his friend Robert ‘Boris’ Traginsky. It felt like years since he had seen his close friend but it had only been about seven weeks from when they spoke last.
“Hold on a minute,” a muffled voice came from behind the metal door painted a dull military green. “Let me put some pants on.”
Mykal chuckled that Boris announced his state of undress without knowing who stood on the other side of the door. Mykal was glad to see that Boris no longer had to share a room with another airman. He heard Boris stumbling around as if tripping over objects in the room. He couldn’t wait to see Boris. They had been through so much together. They had experienced and suffered so much loss and hurt together. No one could possibly understand what they shared except for the few who had been lost in Towbar’s world. Boris was like a long lost brother he hadn’t seen for some time. ‘Boris is family.’
The dorm room door opened and Boris stood there half dressed. Boris’s hair looked a scruffy mess. His BDU trousers looked like they had been slept in and his t-shirt had mustard and liquid stains on it. The odor of alcohol rushed out of the room and off of Boris himself. His bulging belly hung over his waistband. Boris was heavy when they went to Towbar’s world and lost a lot of weight there. Now he looked heavier than before they went to Towbar’s world.
Boris didn’t look healthy. The circles around his beady eyes were dark. Rather than reciprocate with the same sense of happiness to see Mykal, Boris looked annoyed. He appeared to be drunk and his face seemed to cry out that he despised everything about his existence. Mykal sensed Boris was miserable.
“What’s up Boris?” Mykal tried to smile though the sight of his friend shocked him.
“Well if it isn’t the famous war hero or whatever it is they’re calling you today,” he replied cynically. “Mister Superstar or should I just call you Mister Television?”
“Whoa, what the hell’s this all about?” Mykal asked. He wasn’t sure if Boris was joking or really upset with him. “You gonna ask me in, or what?”
“Are you sure my humble little abode won’t cramp your style? I know you’re a famous big shot now,” he answered in a humorless tone.
“Knock it off and let me in,” Mykal said and pushed the door open and allowed himself into the small room. Mykal couldn’t believe the mess in the small living quarters. Clothes were scattered about the room as well as magazines, paperbacks, empty pizza boxes, fast food wrappers and candy bar wrappers. There were numerous empty beer cans and many empty whiskey bottles. Boris reeked as if he had bathed in Jack Daniels and there were enough empty bottles to confirm it. Boris had always been a hard drinker but even this looked ridiculous for him.
“So what do I owe this unexpected visit for?” Boris asked and closed the door. He staggered to the big comfortable blue recliner he purchased after he secured his own room.
“I just came by to talk to you and see how things are going,” Mykal answered and then his tone changed to sadness. “Boris, it’s not even eight in the morning and you’re already shit-faced.”
“I think that would be classified as my damned business Sarge,” he winked and took a large gulp from the whiskey bottle he picked up from the pocket on the side of the recliner. “So whadda ya wanna talk about? How famous you are? How many times I’ve seen you on TV or how many times I’ve seen your name in print? Do you want to rub it in my face now that you’re a living legend? I can’t watch the friggin TV for an hour without seeing or hearing something about you and ‘the giant’ Towbar. What a wonderful story you guys have,” Boris slurred slightly.
Mykal became irritated. “Seriously, whadda you riding my ass for? At first I thought you were just joking with me, but I can see you’re not joking around. Do you want me to leave? Just say so. I been bustin’ my ass on the road for almost two months so I sure as hell don’t need this. I just got in last night an after spending some time with Pam and the boys I wanted to see you and see how you’re doing. But screw it, I’ll talk to ya later when you’re not so damned drunk,” Mykal said and turned for the door. “Gimme a call when you’re sober.”
“No Myk, don’t go,” Boris sighed. “I do wanna talk,” he slurred. Remorse filled his voice, despite being drunk. “I know you’re my only real friend. I’m sorry I talked to you that way,” he sighed again and looked to the floor. He seemed ashamed of his actions. “Please, go ahead and have a seat. I’ve just been so messed up lately,” he explained and wouldn’t look Mykal in the eyes. “Do you wanna have a drink?” He offered and thrust his near empty whiskey bottle toward Mykal.
“Hell no,” he chuckled. “Especially this early in the morning. By the looks of things you should lay off that stuff. Boris, this stuff is gonna kill you.”
“To tell you the truth Myk, I don’t give a shit. Or ‘I don’t give a rats ass,’ as Kurt would always say,” he laughed. Suddenly Boris stopped at the mention of his best friend who died in Towbar’s world. “I miss Kurt, the big galoot,” he pouted without looking up. “And I miss Denny. I miss all those guys,” he sighed and neared the verge of tears. “I even miss that pimply faced little jerk Franklin Perry,” he cracked a sad smile.
“I miss them all too, but drinkin’ yourself to death ain’t gonna bring any of them back. Drinkin ain’t gonna help you forget all that stuff either, cuz when you sober up, they’ll all still be gone.”
“I know,” he snarled. “Don’t start preaching to me or I’ll tell you to get lost like I told my parents.”
“You told your parents to get lost?”
“Yeah, they were trying to tell me to do this and don’t do that and stop drinkin this and stop drinkin that. They don’t know what the hell I’ve been dealing with. They don’t friggin get it. They don’t understand what we been through and what we had to do to stay alive,” he raised his voice and sounded like he was going to start crying.
“I know, but see, that’s the problem Boris, they don’t know what we’ve been through. They’re just trying to help.”
“I know, I know, I friggin know,” he replied. His agitation level seemed to rise. He appeared on the verge of exploding in rage.
“What’s wrong Boris? What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” he lied and avoided eye contact.
“Come on, talk to me. Aren’t we friends?”
“I don’t know, are we?” Boris snapped his reply and looked at Mykal suspiciously.
“What? What kinda nonsense is that?”
“I don’t
know,” he slurred with the bottle pressed against his lip. “I’ve been hearing a lot of stuff. Not that any of it really matters to me anymore, cuz I just don’t give a shit about anything anymore,” he slurred but started to raise his voice.
“Like what? What have you been hearing?” Mykal had been taken by surprise. He and Towbar had been on a nonstop media tour around the states and into Canada.
“It’s nothing Myk. I really don’t feel like getting into all that stuff right now, alright?”
“I don’t understand. We can talk later, but what’s eating at you? Something has got you all worked up. Is it something I did?”
“No,” Boris sighed. “It’s a lot of things,” he said and slurped from the near empty bottle. “Too many things. Too many people, too many deaths. Too many ghosts. Too many people crying at me all the time. Just plain too much of everything.”
“How come you didn’t come with me and Towbar?” Mykal asked.
“You mean on your superhero, superstar tour?” He snorted.
“If that’s what you wanna call it. I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to think about all the bad stuff.”
“I know none of the civilians wanted to go,” Boris replied and took another swig of whiskey. “Most of the military guys wanted to go, and those of us who wanted to go were told we weren’t allowed. After that first big TV interview where all of us were together, Colonel Parker said that was enough for us. Most of us wanted to go just to get the hell away from here.”
“That’s not what I was told,” Mykal corrected him and looked shocked. “I was told none of you guys wanted to come along and I kinda believed it cuz I didn’t wanna go. But I had to go cuz of my closeness with Towbar. I honestly didn’t have a choice.”
“That’s a friggin lie, about us not wanting to go,” Boris growled and took another swallow of whiskey. “Colonel Parker said he had other more important things for us to do locally. That friggin Parker lied to us,” Boris slurred. “While you were out playing ‘Mister Johnny Public’, the rest of us have been busting our humps shoveling snow, painting the inside of buildings, washing vehicles and this list of our important jobs just goes on and on,” he hissed angrily. “That’s how they been treating the rest of us heroes. They won’t even let us go back to the missile field and do our jobs, cuz they don’t want us to carry a weapon anymore. They’re afraid.”
