“Okay, see what you can do to keep him quiet for at least the next few days. I’m coming over. I can be there within the hour.”
“I thought that might be the case,” Shack replied less than enthusiastically. “Bring coffee, plenty of coffee. Here’s the address of the park where we can meet.”
After getting the address, Pat hung up the phone, pulled a thermos out of the kitchen cabinet and poured the remaining pot of coffee in it. She double checked her bag that looked like a cross between a briefcase and a purse to be sure the I.D. papers were inside, then quickly scribbled a note to Allan that she'd gone shopping. He would receive it later in the day when he returned from his half day at the clinic. She then grabbed her car keys and flew out the door.
She found Shack slouching on one of the park benches dressed in a trench coat and with a black felt hat covering his face. As she approached, Pat could hear him snoring softly.
“I brought the coffee,” she said as she sat down beside him and took the thermos out of her satchel.
“Can you just shoot it into me intravenously?” Shack asked from under his hat.
“Sorry, but I left my I.V. set at home,” Pat replied. “But here’s a cup.” She poured the coffee into the top of the thermos and placed it into Shack’s hand. “Careful, it’s still pretty hot.”
Shack pushed the hat from his face and onto his head as he sat up. “Bless you, my child,” he said, looking at Pat for the first time. “And while I’m at it, I want to thank you for a lovely evening the other night. One I will never forget. You’re really quite amazing, as I knew you would be.”
“You do recall that I didn’t go home with you despite your many invitations?”
“Oh sure, I know,” Shack replied. “I knew you never would. That really wasn’t the point, anyway.”
“And what, pray tell, was the point?”
“For us to be seen in public,” Shack replied.
“Yes, well you certainly accomplished that. I don’t recall a time when my dinner was interrupted more often.”
“Yes, exactly,” Shack said as he took a sip of the coffee and, finding it not so hot, he took a long slurp. “Why, I already have three other dates from three different women—women that previously wouldn’t have given me the time of day.”
Pat chuckled despite herself. “You know, Shack, you are one piece of work.”
“Thanks,” Shack replied.
“That wasn’t intended as a compliment.”
“I know, but that’s how I’m choosing to take it. Now onto the business at hand.”
“Yes, please. I can tell you’ve been scoping out the area before I arrived,” Pat said sarcastically.
“Actually, yes, I did, just before taking a nap so I’d be fully alert for your arrival.” He pointed across the park. “He’s over there.”
2
“I feel like we’re two country bumpkins come to the big city,” Kendra said, sweeping her arms out to take in the crowded sidewalk and streets before her.
“I know what you mean,” Mimi agreed. “It’s been well over a year since I’ve visited Asheville. I didn’t realize it had grown so much.”
“We’ll never find TJ,” Kendra lamented. “It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack. We’ve been walking around for close to three hours now, and I haven’t seen anyone who even remotely looks like him.”
“True,” Mimi said, “but we have seen a few dreamy guys.”
Kendra stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stared at her friend. “Are you in heat?”
“No,” Mimi snapped back defensively. “Least, I don’t think so.”
“Let’s take a break and get a bite to eat on me,” Kendra said. “How’s that place look?”
“Looks fine to me.”
They had beaten the lunch crowd, so it was easy to find a table. As they sat down, Mimi placed the picture of TJ on the table. They’d been showing it around to folks on the off chance someone may have seen him. So far, no one had.
A young woman with her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail came out from the kitchen with a tray of food. After delivering it to two couples sitting at a nearby table, she walked over to them.
“Have you had a chance to look at the menu yet? I can also go over our lunch specials if you like."
“Those sandwiches you just delivered look delicious," Kendra said. "What are they?"
“Those are one of our restaurant's specialties. They're Rubens but with a special sauce that most people say make the sandwich extra special."
Kendra looked at her friend. “What say we split one of those?”
“Sounds good to me. And I just want water to drink…lots of water.”
The waitress started to turn away but then stopped when she noticed the picture lying on the table.
“You know him?” she asked, pointing down at the picture.
“Why, yes,” Mimi replied. “He’s a friend of ours. We’ve been looking for him all morning but so far, no luck. Why? Do you recognize him?”
The waitress picked up the picture to take a closer look before replying. “Yeah, that’s him. He’s a lot cleaner in this picture, but he’s definitely the one who came in here several days ago looking for a job.”
“Really? Did you give him one?” Kendra asked.
“Nah, couldn’t do it. He didn’t have any ID proving his age, not to mention the fact that he smelled like the town dump.”
“Darn!” Mimi said, clearly disappointed. “We’re back to square one.”
The waitress started back to the kitchen, then stopped and returned to the table. “You might try Pack Square Park. It’s just a few blocks from here. It’s a pretty popular place for…for folks down on their luck. I’ll draw you a map before you leave.”
“Thanks. That would be great,” Mimi said, a note of hope returning to her voice.
After the waitress left, she turned to Kendra. “This is a sign. Our luck is about to change. I feel certain of it.”
“I sure hope so,” Kendra replied. “I’m not sure how much more walking my poor feet can take.”
Cheerios
“Catch!” The word shook TJ out of a warm, sun-induced stupor. Like a cat who’s unexpectedly awakened from a catnap, TJ jerked his head up just in time to see a bag of Cheerios flying towards his head. Without a thought or a moment of hesitation, he snatched it out of the air with one hand, then looked around to find its source.
Pat Vogt stood about ten feet away, a smile on her face.
“You've always had amazing reflexes," she said as she stepped forward. She was wearing a stylish navy blue overcoat with a matching handbag hung over one shoulder. For just a moment, TJ had a warm glow of recognition come over him. It was good to see a familiar face. He felt a smile start on his face but then froze in place as he remembered the late night conversation from a couple of weeks ago.
“How about coming with me to get some milk to go with those?” she asked, pointing to the bag in his hand.
“I’d rather have coffee,” he replied, trying to keep his voice low so it would sound as adult as possible. After all, adulthood wasn’t far off. Just the other day he’d felt along his chin and was surprised to feel the first evidence of whiskers on his otherwise youthful face.
“Okay, coffee it is,” Pat replied.
As TJ started to stand, he heard Precious’ low growl of warning. He glanced over to where she stood next to Luke, both of them watching him closely.
“It’s okay,” TJ said, holding up a hand towards Precious. “She’s a…” Friend? Not really. My mom? No. “She’s someone I know. I’ll be back in a little while.”
Luke nodded as he reached out and patted Precious to assure her as well.
“We’ll be right here if you need anything. Best coffee in town is at Double D’s over on Biltmore. Just look for the double-decker bus,” Luke said.
The two of them walked along in the direction Luke had indicated, neither of them saying a word. They found Double-D’s without
any difficulty. Sure enough, it was located in a red vintage double-decker bus that looked like it belonged on the streets of London more than in a Southern town. Despite the chilly temperatures of December, they decided to sit outside where there were fewer people and at least the illusion of privacy.
After the wait person took their order for two large coffees, TJ thought about asking Pat how she’d managed to find him, but then realized he really didn’t want to know, and he wasn’t in the mood for small talk anyway.
Evidently, neither was Pat who, after a couple of minutes of awkward silence, opened her handbag and took out a large business sized envelope and pushed it towards him.
“What’s that?” TJ asked without picking it up.
“It’s your pass to a new life,” Pat replied, then went on to explain. “It’s a set of ID papers—driver’s license, birth certificate and a social security card all in your name or a name that you can adopt.”
“Really?” TJ asked, suddenly interested despite himself. He picked up the envelope and opened it. He pulled out the largest piece of paper, which turned out to be a birth certificate.
“Todd John Jacobs,” Todd read the name on the certificate. Jacobs? Where had she gotten that name and why did it sound familiar. Then he remembered. It was the last name of his favorite character in Mercenaries. He looked at Pat now for the first time since they’d arrived at the coffee shop, a quizzical look on his face.
“I did my research,” Pat said.
TJ nodded and then looked into the envelope. It had felt heavier than he'd expected it to when he picked it up, and now he realized why. Along with two laminated cards was a one-inch stack of money held together by a thick rubber band. He could just make out that the top bill was a fifty. It was more money than he'd ever seen. He placed the certificate back in the envelope and dropped it on the table.
“What is this all about?” he finally asked. “Are you trying to bribe me to come home?”
“No," Pat replied, shaking her head. "As I said, this is your passport to a new life, one that doesn't involve Allan or me."
TJ nodded as he continued to study the envelope. “And what if I decline your generous and manipulative invitation?”
“You don’t understand. This isn’t an invitation. It’s a demand. Take it or else.”
“Or else what?” TJ shot back, feeling his hackles rise along the back of his neck.
“Remember my phone conversation the night you left?” Pat asked.
“Yes,” TJ said.
“That was to my friend, Oliver. He works for B.I.U.F.O. - The Bureau of Investigation for Unidentified Flying Objects.”
“So?” TJ asked. “Why would he care anything about me?”
Pat stared at him before finally answering. “Don’t you know what you are? What Homlin was?”
“No,” TJ replied, a puzzled look growing on his face. He had to admit he’d wondered about that—a lot lately, as he realized how different he was from everyone else.
Pat continued to study his face, finally deciding she believed he was telling the truth. He really didn't know…but how to break it to him? Was that really her job, her role in this game? She'd always believed that the direct approach was best. She'd learned it from her father while still a young girl.
“Homlin was not of this Earth,” Pat said, looking straight at TJ to monitor his reaction. “While it’s not yet been determined where he came from, it’s very clear that he was an alien, and you are a product of what he brought with him.”
TJ blinked several times as he processed her comments, finally replying, “So, you’re saying that I’m an alien as well. Is that right?”
Pat nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.” There, it was out in the open now. Suddenly she felt a great weight lifted off her chest.
TJ continued to sit there with a blank look on his face. Then slowly he smiled. “You know, that explains a lot—a whole lot.” The smile grew into a wide grin.
Pat watched him, surprised by his reaction to the news.
“Homlin is no longer a threat to this world. He's been neutralized, and his plan for world domination stopped," Pat continued. "I can't go into any more detail than that without breaking a sacred pledge, but I will say this. I don't believe you are a threat to this world; at least not at the level that Homlin was. While you are the product of his devious plan, I do not believe you are devious. Allan raised you as his son and as a human being, and I respect that. I've grown too fond of you, TJ, to simply turn you over to Oliver. I want to give you this chance, but if you refuse, then I'll have no other option but to turn you in."
TJ sat there staring at the envelope, considering what Pat had said. Finally, he picked the envelope back up and removed the birth certificate. He read the date of birth, then looked at Pat.
“This would make me eighteen…today. Today is my birthday?”
“Yeah, that’s right, and this is your birthday present from Allan and me.” She reached out and grasped his hand. He started to pull it away but then stopped. “At eighteen, you can get a job without permission from a parent or guardian. You can do a lot at eighteen, so I figured…”
“No, no, that's fine," TJ interrupted. "That's great. Now I can get a job." But it wasn't a job he was thinking about, at least not a job in Asheville. He'd been thinking about what Luke had said a few days ago about joining the Army. Now he had the paperwork he needed and even the last name of his favorite mercenary. Maybe Pat was right. This was the start of a whole new life.
He had walked by the Army Recruiting Station over on Oak Street a number of times, but so far hadn’t had the nerve to walk in, but now he could. He could go in with his head held high with a new name and proof of his age. TJ reached out with his other hand and placed it over Pat’s. He patted it gently.
“Thanks,” he said with as much sincerity as he could muster. “I hope I never see you again,” he added with the same sincerity. He rose from the table and picked up the envelope. He stuck it in his coat as he walked away, leaving Pat alone at the table.
Papers
1
As TJ walked back to Pack Square Park with the envelope secured away in his jacket, he felt an emotional storm brewing within. On the one hand, he was excited about the new life that lay before him as Todd John Jacobs, future mercenary extraordinaire. On the other hand, he felt a blanket of sadness trying to descend upon him at the thought of never seeing Allan again. Not only Allan, TJ realized, but also Kendra and Mimi would now be out of his life as well. Had he made the best bargain he could? He really hadn’t been in a position to bargain or negotiate. He had known Pat long enough to know that she rarely if ever bluffed. If she said she’d report him to her friend at B.I.U.F.O., he knew she meant business.
And while he was cutting the cord from his past, he might as well go all out and say goodbye to Luke and Precious. He'd checked the schedule posted on the front door of the recruiting station, and he knew it was open on Saturdays. He found the two of them where he'd left them basking in the midday sunshine of the park. TJ noticed Luke's box with the flag sticking out of it had more money than usual. Evidently, the sunny skies had brought more people out to the park. As TJ approached, Luke looked up at him from where he sat crossed legged on a cushion he carried around for that purpose.
“Everything okay?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, it’s cool,” TJ replied as he sat down beside him and reached out to scratch behind Precious’ ear. “She’s a…a friend of the family. She brought me some papers from home.”
“Papers?” Luke asked. “What kind of papers?”
“ID papers.”
“What you need with those?”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day when you asked me about what my plans were. I realized I didn’t have any plans beyond getting away from home and getting settled here in Asheville.”
Luke nodded. “And now?”
“And now I have a plan," TJ continued. "I'm going to join the Army as you suggested
."
Luke nodded again, this time with a slight smile appearing on his face behind his beard and mustache. "You could do worse," he said. "You could really screw up and join the Navy or, God forbid, the Air Force. So that's what you needed with the ID papers."
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“And now you’ve come to say goodbye. Is that it?”
“Yeah, that’s about the size of it.” Suddenly, TJ felt a tightness in his chest. In the short time he’d been in Asheville, he’d grown fond of the old man and dog. “I mean, I can wait a day or two if you’d rather…”
“No,” Luke said abruptly, then repeated in a softer tone. “No, it’s good timing. If I were you, I wouldn’t wait.”
TJ sat there considering what Luke had said. “What do you mean, it’s good timing?”
Luke reached into his coat pocket and brought out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to him.
TJ unfolded it and studied it for a moment before looking up. “This looks like a drawing of me, and if I’m not mistaken, that must be my knife. Where did you get it?”
“Big Blue has been passing them around among the homeless,” Luke replied. “They’re looking for you, but want to keep it quiet and out of the public’s eye if possible.”
“What? Why?” TJ asked feeling a different type of tightness building. He noticed Luke looking down, avoiding him. “What is this about? Is this about Saul and Sally? Did they report me to the police or something?”
“No,” Luke replied, still not able to look at TJ. “Not exactly…though it does involve Saul and Sally.” He pulled the box of money towards him and pretended to count his take for the day, but TJ could tell he wasn’t really counting it. Finally Luke looked up at him.
“Me and some of the other guys went to talk to Saul and Sally to try to persuade them to give back your stuff and stop scamming people, but things went bad. Saul had been drinking and, boy is he a mean drunk. He started yelling and screaming. Then he took out your knife and came for me with Sally right behind him. I guess I must have gone into counter-attack mode. I'm not too clear what happened after that. Next thing I knew, a couple of the guys were washing my hands and face, and the cloth kept coming away all bloody."
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