Out of LA

by Dennis Elder

  “They don’t know. They apologized, blamed it on the convention and Disneyland. They even offered us three additional free nights for our trouble. But there’s a bigger problem,” finished Boon.

  It got quite for a moment and then Mark spoke.

  “What’s that, Boon?”

  “There are no hotel rooms in the area for at least 30 miles, in any direction,” said Boon.

  That broke the bank. Everyone started moaning and groaning as each offered their own version of “What the...” or “How could that…”

  Mark quickly controlled the group by bellowing, “So, Boon, what are our options?”

  Everyone was quiet again. But now everyone was glaring at Boon.

  “The closest available hotel is 30 miles back down the 405 freeway,” said Boon.

  “The 405!” wailed Jake.

  “Even further if we go north to…” Boon looked at his folder, checked the name of the city and said, “La Habra.”

  “Junior,” asked Mark. “How long did it take us to go 30 miles today?”

  “I’d say about two and a half hours,” offered Junior.

  The air was thick with frustration. They had been traveling since early morning and they were all looking forward to a hot shower and a decent night’s sleep before the start of tomorrow’s convention.

  Just then Bear Sorenson reappeared and said, “Listen Mark, I happened to overhear you guys and I might have a temporary solution.”

  Everyone turned to Bear.

  “Guys, this Bear, local sheriff and an old friend. Mark then turned back to face Bear. “What are you thinking,” questioned Mark.

  “Well, the City of Anaheim is in the very final construction stages of its newest police station. It’s just four blocks from here,” continued Bear as he turned his head in the direction of the new station.

  “A police station?” questioned Mark.

  “Yea, it’s not the Ritz but the beds are new, never been slept in and the price is…. Well… free, “offered Bear.

  “Are you offering us a free night’s stay in police holding cells?” questioned Junior.

  “I realize there’s no Internet or TV, but the water’s hot and it’s very close,” suggested Bear. “If you can’t find a better offer your team is welcome to stay there.”

  Mark thought for a minute and then said, “Bear, your offer is very generous. Would you first consider giving our logistics officer here,” gesturing to Boon, “…another hour or two to try and find us something with Internet service? And if he can’t, then we’d be very grateful to take your offer.”

  “Sounds fair,” said Bear as he smiled and handed his business card to Mark. “I’ll be around. Call me if you decide to come and I’ll make sure we roll out the jail cell welcome wagon.”

  After Bear left, the group was still standing around glaring at Boon.

  “Disneyland?” spoke Doc Martin. “Really? You’re going to use the Disneyland excuse card?”

  “I had confirmed reservations,” bleated Boon as he punched his folder repeatedly with his right hand.

  But everyone left him standing alone on the floor as they returned to complete the exhibit set up.

  “I had reservations,” Boon said again. But nobody paid him any attention.

  Chapter 9: Good kids

  Silvia Harmon sat at the head of the long table positioned directly in the middle of the main floor kitchen. All around the table sat the four boys and five girls currently living with her at the Nest.

  They were finishing up the last of the evening meal.

  “Whose turn on the dishes tonight?” asked Sylvia as she turned to Jacob Miller her oldest boy.

  Jacob knew the drill having grown up for the last six years under Silvia’s tutelage.

  Jacob turned instinctively to the chalkboard to the side of the large refrigerator on the North wall and said, “Tonight is Cheryl, Connie, Robert and William.”

  The two girls and Robert stood and began working immediately without complaint. William on the other hand threw his large African American head back and grimaced.

  “Can’t be my turn again,” offered William as he stood and reached for a few of the dirty dishes. “Seems like I was standing at that sink just yesterday.

  “Four days ago, William,” said Cheryl as she took William’s plate and headed for the kitchen counter behind him.

  “Always about four days between kitchen duty,” said Robert as he began putting things back into the refrigerator.

  William was one of Silvia’s newer kids. He came to her from Child Protective services. William’s parents had drug problems and were rarely home. He was an extremely talented kid, gifted in mechanical, hands-on applications.

  The first thing Silvia always did with new kids was to thoroughly test them. Once she knew their strengths and weaknesses she started them on a course of study to help them realize their potential.

  But smart or average, most of her kids started out raw and undisciplined. That was the biggest challenge for them, to adapt to a regiment of study and work. Not every kid made it. Some even ran away. But for those that stayed, each would have an opportunity to grow into someone who could make it in the real world. That is what Silvia preached and stressed every day. Life in the real world.

  “Doesn’t seem fair, does it William,” said Jeremy.

  “No, it don’t,” fired back William. “Seems like all we do around here is work.”

  “It’s not all work, man” said Robert.

  “Is to,” retorted William. “What about fun? Seems like we never have any fun. When is the last time anyone here had any fun?” continued William looking around kitchen for someone to take his side.

  Silvia sensed William’s frustration.

  “Well, maybe William has a point,” said Silvia. “Maybe we don’t have enough fun around here.”

  “See,” emphasized William. “Even Miss Harmon agrees with me. We need to have a little fun.”

  “And what would you suggest we do… for a little fun?” asked Teresa as she sat next to William.

  “I don’t know, maybe we could see a movie… at the dollar movie theater!” responded William enthusiastically.

  “Sounds like a good idea to me,” offered Miss Harmon as she rose and headed for her office. “It’s a dollar and a half now, by the way…” she said with a smile on her face.

  “OK, a dollar and a half. That’s not much. We can afford that, right?” questioned William, just as Miss Harmon exited the kitchen area and turned down the hall. William obviously directed the question to Miss Harmon hoping she’d offer to pay.

  None of the kids offered William any encouragement. Plates continued to get washed and dried. Money was tight in the Nest. All extracurricular activities, like the movies, were to be paid by the kids - one of Miss Harmon’s many mottos.

  “Helps them to learn independence,” she often cited.

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing a movie tonight,” said little Gracie. Gracie was the Nest’s quietest resident. She rarely spoke and kept mostly to herself. Her unpredicted response captured everyone’s attention. Silence hung in the air for a moment.

  “I’ve got a dollar and a half,” continued Gracie. “If someone else will go with me.”

  “I’ll go with you,” offered Teresa. We can walk to the Mall from here.

  “Well now we’re talkin!” added a more hopeful William as he looked around to see who else would join the group.

  Jacob smiled for a moment and then said, “Count me in too.” Jacob had been protective of Gracie since her first day in the Nest. He wouldn’t let her walk to the Mall without going along.

  “I wouldn’t mind going,” said Robert.

  Silvia could hear them in the kitchen as each one of them slowly decided they would go the movie too. Made Silvia smile as he put on her reading glasses and started opening the rest of today’s mail.

  From the distant kitchen Silvia heard William chime in again.

  “Now, who’s gonna help a
brother out and spot me the buck fifty?” said William as optimistically as he could.

  Almost immediately the kids still in the kitchen began to laugh. William continued to whine as they others continued to lecture him on saving his money and lending money to friends was for fools and etc.

  “Seems like some things are sticking with them,” Silvia thought to herself.

  The kitchen ruckus went on for another 10 minutes. After William was finally able to solicit a reluctant loan for the money, the kids began to organize themselves and headed out the front door.

  “Should be back a little after eleven,” offered Jacob as he was closing the door, knowing Miss Harmon would hear him.

  “See you then,” responded Silvia.

  The door slammed shut and then Jacob locked the door from the outside.

  “That Jacob is going to grow to be a fine young man,” she thought. “A fine young man.”

  “Shoot, they’ll all turn out to be good kids,” Silvia said out loud as he turned back to the mail.

  Chapter 10: Police Station

  It was after ten pm by the time the two vans rented by Innovative Combat finally pulled up to Anaheim’s newest and nearly finished Police Station. The exterior of the building looked complete, but the parking lot was still dirt.

  “You sure about this, boss,” questioned Susie Jenkins, Innovative’s resident techno geek.

  Mark Harris sat forward and looked over the new police station’s front door.

  “The only thing I’m sure about is I’m not willing to stay 35 miles away from the Convention Center, said Mark. “We need to be ready to demo by 9 am tomorrow morning and there’s too much risk of getting caught in freeway traffic again,” continued Mark as he popped open the driver door of his van and swung his feet out onto the unfinished surface of the parking lot.

  “I’m for that, said Jake from the back seat. “No more 405.”

  Frank Jones jumped to the ground from the van’s side door. He had the best hearing in the group and stopped short as he his face drew a question mark.

  “What is that,” remarked Frank.

  “What’s what?” responded Randy Phillips, Innovative’s best weapons expert.

  “Listen,” suggested Frank.

  In the distance you could hear a very unusual whining or maybe a howling. It was subdued, but eerie.

  “Yea, I hear it,” said Randy. “Weird.”

  Sam Watkins, Innovative’s HR manager and former Intelligence officer looked around the parking lot and then turned toward Mark and said, “Better take in all the equipment. Not much security here.”

  “Right,” responded Mark. “Let’s bring it all in.”

  That brought a few grumblings. But the men and Susan began to unload their bags and equipment boxes.

  Just then a young man came out the building’s front door and headed down the steps toward the vans.

  “Evening,” said the man. “Name is Jason Levitt, Sergeant, Anaheim Police. Bear asked me to let you guys in and see that you’re settled.

  Mark offered his hand and both men shook.

  “Mark Harris, said Mark. “We appreciate the chance to stay here. Our other options pretty much dried up.”

  “No problem,” replied Jason. If you and your team will follow me, I’ll show you your accommodations for the night.”

  As they all began to pick up their bags and follow Jason, Tyrone passed close to Boon and said, “All I can say is the beds better be big enough.”

  But Boon had grown tired of the insults. He didn’t even look at Tyrone as he passed.

  Chapter 11: Mother Nature

  Old Mother nature is amazing. For example: something deep inside the DNA of a Monarch Butterfly drives its species to travel south to Mexico every year to reproduce – a 2,000 mile journey. Pacific Whales migrate annually six thousand miles from the South Pacific to Alaskan waters to gorge themselves on plentiful food sources. Even leaf bearing trees begin to shed their leaves when the weather grows colder, forcing life bearing sap deeper into the tree’s inner structure, protecting it from winter’s freezing temperatures. Mother nature is a driving and conducting force, directing insects, animals and plant life into regular patterns of movement, procreation and self-preservation.

  And for the last six hours the regular patterns of Mother Nature had taken on a whole new level of extreme duress. Insect activity all over the world suddenly stopped. Even in the most humid areas of the world, insects just disappeared. Electric lights, normally surrounded by swarming insects, attracted nothing.

  Atlantic fishermen casting nets for large schools of Cod were having difficulty finding any fish. Their deep-sea scanners showed few if any signs of movement below them. As Caribbean vacationers came back from a day of snorkeling in clear waters, they all complained that there was nothing in the shallower waters. Not a single fish to be seen.

  Something was wrong - something was different. Maybe Mother Nature was saying change was coming.

  Above ground animals were also acting strange. Stockyard cattle wouldn’t enter slaughter pens, no matter how often employees shocked them with fully charged cattle prods. The cows seemed panicked and pressed together against pen gates and fought to find the center of the heard. Domesticated dogs started howling early in the day. By late evening their coordinating cries filled the air. Birds had all but disappeared from the skies. Animals that could break free of ropes or pens ran into surrounding woods. As the day progressed all animal life on the planet began looking desperately for protective shelter. A few found themselves hiding in caves or underneath rock overhangs. Those left in the open were furiously digging into the ground.

  The only animal on earth that seemed unaffected was man.

  Chapter 12: We’re very grateful

  “The basement? quipped Jake. “You got to be kidding,”

  Mark Harris looked at Jake and gave him the evil eye.

  “What Mr. Oliver here was trying to say, Jason, is that we’re very grateful to you and your boss for these accommodations. Isn’t that right?” said Mark never taking his eyes off Jason.

  Jake got the message. He was use to speaking his mind but he knew not to cross Mark.

  “Right, we’re very grateful,” offered Jake.

  “It’s our pleasure,” responded Jason. “Sorry about the underground accommodations. The design specs dictated basement housing for all holding cells. Helps with security,” he said with a smile.

  Jason stopped at the top of the stairs leading to the basement.

  “Bear asked me to apologize and let you know the elevators are not finished yet. But the lights and water work fine,” offered Jason.

  “Boss, couldn’t we leave the heavy boxes up here in the lobby?” asked Junior Taylor.

  Mark looked to their host Jason for some guidance.

  “It’s up to you guys, but I don’t see why not,” said Jason. “I’d put them in the Captain’s office, its out of sight and around the corner there,” finished Jason as he pointed to the other end of the entry area. “And I’ll leave you guys a key so you can lock the front door. You can give it to Bear at the conference tomorrow. I know he’s planning to drop by your booth.”

  “Sounds good,” replied Mark.

  The heavy boxes were moved into the Captain’s empty office and after ten minutes everyone was at the lower level. There were twenty holding cells in the basement area. Jason had already gathered enough sheets and blankets for everyone. They were stacked on two chairs placed next to the water cooler.

  “Pick your poison,” remarked Jason as he pointed to the cells on south wall. “I suggest you don’t shut the bar doors. Sheets and blankets are on the chairs. Hot showers are at the end of the hall. Towels are in the showers. My only request is that you strip the beds before you leave in the morning and pile the sheets and used towels on the chairs here.”

  “Understood,” offered Mark and he once again extended his hand to Jason in a gesture of thanks. “I’ll make sure to personally thank Bear
tomorrow.”

  “Here’s the key to the front door,” said Jason as he handed it over to Mark. Please remember to lock up the building when you leave tomorrow.”

  “Fair enough,” finished Mark as he took the key from Jason’s hand.

  “Sweet dreams,” said Jason as he opened the basement staircase door and headed up the steps. Once the door shut Mark turned to Boon and threw him the key.

  “Make sure the front door is locked, said Mark.