Dark Titan Journey Book 1

by Thomas A. Watson

  “I don’t want you to go,” Renee said, her eyes filling with tears.

  “Renee, don’t think I haven’t thought about it, but I need to,” Nathan said.

  “I feel like I’ve known you forever,” she said, pouting and stomping her foot.

  “That’s no lie,” Jessie agreed.

  Nathan laughed. “Now I want pictures of everyone, then one big group picture,” he said, taking out his camera. For an hour they took pictures and laughed, and then Jessie and Lenore fixed lunch.

  Nathan was sitting at a table with Brad waiting on lunch. “You could stay,” Brad told him.

  “I have friends that are counting on me,” Nathan replied.

  “You have new friends here that could use you,” Brad told him.

  “I’ve tried to help you as much as I can,” Nathan said.

  Brad leaned toward him. “I’m not meaning that to be ungrateful. We don’t want you to get hurt. I’m not a fool, I know you’ve saved me and my family from a fate worse than death. That goes for the others as well. The thought of you getting hurt out there with no one to help really hurts,” Brad said with tears in his eyes.

  “I’m glad I mean that much, but I’ve known these guys and their families for a long time. We agreed if anything like this happened, we would do it together. Granted, we never expected something like this, more of an economic collapse,” Nathan told him as the kids jumped up in his lap and began hugging Nathan.

  “I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me and my family,” Brad told him.

  Looking over at Abigail, Nathan said, trying not to blush, “We’re even, trust me.”

  “I know about it and no, we’re not,” Brad said, smiling. Nathan coughed and laughed as Connie and Abigail came over. Connie held out several laminated papers to Nathan.

  “Here,” she said.

  Nathan grabbed them and saw they were three by five laminated pictures. Looking through them, he saw they were of him with members of the group. The last one was of the entire group. “How?” he asked.

  “Last year I ordered a picture printer. I told Mitch it was so we could print employee of the month pictures but I wanted it to print some pictures. I had it stored in the file cabinet and plugged it up to see if it worked and it did. I then used your computer, I hope you don’t mind,” Connie told him, smiling.

  “Seeing how they are all on the computer anyway I don’t mind,” he said, looking through the pictures again.

  “We printed some for us too,” Abigail said, sitting down.

  Nathan looked at Abigail. “Abigail, will you do me a favor?” he asked.

  “Name it,” she said with a teasing smirk.

  “Take off your big diamond rings and earrings. They make a tempting target,” he said.

  “Shit, I should’ve thought of that,” she said, taking them off. Nathan smiled and found it was still hard to take his eyes off her as he turned to Brad.

  “Did you guys ever model?” he asked Brad. Nathan was not gay but even he had to admit that Brad looked good. Then when you looked at Ashlee and Raymond you couldn’t help but think some kind of genetic manipulation had taken place. He had looked hard trying to find something wrong with all of them and was still drawing a blank. They were all smart, well mannered, fun to be around and physically perfect.

  Abigail and Brad started laughing as she leaned over to another table and grabbed her purse. Brad reached over the table, grabbing Nathan’s hand. “Yes, we modeled as a family. Our last shoot was for an RV line. I make more money as a model than a doctor, and with the family a lot more,” he told Nathan. Abigail handed him a booklet advertising a class A motor home.

  On the front cover he saw Brad at a grill with Abigail beside him and the kids playing in front of the motor home in front of a beach. Flipping through the book, he saw them with the motor home in the desert, mountains, and grassland. “I knew it,” Nathan said, handing the book back.

  “That shoot took two weeks traveling California,” Brad told him. “We’ve done about fifteen as a family, then each doing a single shoot,” Brad added.

  “It’s a busy lifestyle. I dated a model before,” Nathan told him.

  “Who?” Abigail asked.

  Picking up the kids, Nathan walked over to his laptop and brought it over, pulling up a picture of him and Patrice. He sat the computer down and turned it around. “Her,” he said.

  Abigail looked at the picture and up at him. “You dated Patrice?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yeah,” Nathan replied, shocked she knew Patrice.

  “She’s a grade A bitch,” Abigail said without any remorse.

  “Ya think,” Nathan said, sitting down. Connie turned the computer to see the pretty woman and caught her breath.

  “This is the skank that had you upset?” Connie almost shouted.

  “I wasn’t upset, Connie,” Nathan replied, looking at Abigail.

  Abigail shook her head. “I’ve worked with her twice and can’t stand her. I don’t think she has anything but air between her ears. She acts like a queen and demands too much special attention,” she told him.

  Nathan started laughing and banging the table. When he caught his breath he looked at Abigail. “I had someone tell me just about the exact same thing fifteen minutes before the world crashed,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. Grabbing the computer, he started showing them pictures of him with his four buddies and their families. Nathan explained the photos and each friend and their kids. When it got to Tim and Sherry with baby Nolen, they could tell Nathan felt extra close to them.

  Connie reached over and put her hand on his. “You do have family,” she said. He had told her about his parents dying when he was young.

  Thinking about that, Nathan smiled. “Well, I guess I do,” he said.

  Abigail and Brad reached over and grabbed his other hand. “You have another family here,” Brad told him. “I want to see you again,” he said as the kids jumped out of Nathan’s lap to chase Ares.

  “If it is possible, Brad, I swear you will,” Nathan promised him.

  “Yep, I got to teach you how to wrestle a cow,” Andy said from behind him. Nathan turned around to see everyone standing behind him having watched the photo explanation.

  “Andy, the only way I wrestle a cow is to eat it, and I prefer not to fight my food in hand to hand combat,” Nathan said, standing up. Everyone laughed as Lenore left and started bringing out plates. Nathan walked to the office to grab the three pistols that were left and headed back to eat.

  He gave Lenore the Glock and had Connie show her how to work it. Then he walked over and gave Abigail the revolver and Sig 226 9mm. “You know how to work those?” he asked.

  “Yes, Brad showed me. I have a Sig but it’s heavy. It doesn’t kick though,” she said, taking out the magazine.

  “Everyone, make sure you always have your go bag packed and ready. After we eat, let’s fill up the trailer, truck, and lawn mowers. I’m sorry, Billy, I don’t think you can carry much on the moped. I’m amazed it can carry you,” Nathan said. Billy just smiled and shrugged.

  After they ate, they rearranged the trailer. They started out by shoving all of the camping gear forward then started loading food and all the ammo. Nathan made them take it all; what they couldn’t shoot, they could trade. With every square inch holding something, they returned to the diner. Nathan carried one of the backpacks he’d bought out of the office.

  “I’m giving you this,” he told Brad. “It is only to be used for your group here and their families. The other stuff I got is for your practice; make sure you ration it out.”

  Brad looked in the bag to see several large bottles of antibiotics, pain killers, and muscle relaxers. “It’s half of what I have,” Nathan said as Renee brought over a Coke for him and he told her thanks.

  “You should keep these, you can trade with them,” Brad said, zipping the bag up.

  “Can’t carry them,” Nathan replied and Brad nodded.

  “
On the flash drive you have with your personal information I typed in a code we can use to talk over the radio. Just make sure you have a tape recorder,” Brad said.

  “They can track you,” Nathan told him.

  “Yeah, but I’m a ham operator and there are ways around it. When you call back,” Brad said, stressing ‘when,’ “listen the next night at the same time and I can update you.”

  “If it starts getting real bad that could be dangerous for you,” Nathan pointed out.

  “I know,” Brad said, grinning. “But I want you to know how this part of your family is doing and you can talk back to us,” he said.

  “Fair enough,” Nathan said. Ashlee and Raymond came over and climbed up in his lap again.

  “We’re going to miss you,” Ashlee said, lying her head on his chest followed by Raymond.

  “I’m going to miss you as well, and I want both of you to promise to always be where your mom and dad can see you or know where you are. Don’t even go off with other kids without telling them. You could get hurt bad, okay?” Nathan said, looking down at them.

  “We promise,” they said together.

  “Why don’t you two chase Ares some more. He’s been sleeping most of the day,” Nathan suggested. They both jumped out of his lap to find Ares, only to find him waiting to pounce. Holding them down, Ares licked their faces and took off running. They ran after him, screaming with laughter.

  It was almost five and Nathan was dreading the sun going down because everyone was leaving at dark. They weren’t going to use the headlights so they wouldn’t attract attention. He’d figured that would be the safest for everyone.

  As he was lost in thought, well, day dreaming since Nathan hadn’t taken his Adderall, he heard a truck pull up. He jumped up and looked out in the parking lot. It was a big flatbed farm truck with a deputy behind the wheel. The deputy stopped the truck and jumped out, straightening his uniform. Nathan smirked and was having a hard time trying not to laugh. The deputy might have been twenty-five and was about five and a half feet tall, but was thin as a rail. Barney Fife came to Nathan’s mind as he walked to the diner door.

  Renee walked over to the door. “Neil, what are you doing here?” she snapped in a harsh tone.

  “My job!” Neal shouted back.

  “We’re safe, go away!” she barked at him.

  “You will open this door because I’m the law,” he told her.

  “Get your skinny ass or I should say, no ass out of here. Mark will be here in a minute. We don’t need you,” Renee said, crossing her arms and scowling at him.

  Neil’s face turned red. “I know Mark’s coming here, that’s why I’m here,” he said.

  “Mark better have a real good reason for sending you here, Neil,” Renee said, throwing the lock and opening the door.

  Neil strutted in with a smile on his narrow face. The reflective sunglasses he was wearing made him look like a giant insect as he looked around at the group of people. When he saw Nathan, he stopped scanning the group and his smile turned into a grin.

  “You,” Neil said, pointing at Nathan. “Place your hands on your head and turn around.” He tried to make his voice deep but it kept cracking.

  “What are you doing?” Renee screamed.

  “I’m arresting a killer. I’ll be a hero,” he said, looking at Nathan.

  “It was ruled justified!” Renee shouted.

  “I haven’t heard that and quit yelling at me. I can still arrest you,” Neil snapped.

  “Oh, I’d like to see your stupid ass try,” she challenged with her hand dropping to her pistol.

  “Mister, I’m not going to tell you again, put your hands up!” Neil shouted.

  “Ah, no,” Nathan replied. Neil moved for his pistol and before his hand touched it, he was looking down the barrel of Nathan’s pistol.

  “Move and you’re a dead man,” Nathan told him.

  Neil stood, petrified. He’d never seen anyone move that fast. This was not going like he’d dreamed. Even if the shooting was justified, he would’ve been seen as bringing in a killer even the sergeant hadn’t brought in. “You won’t shoot a fellow cop,” Neil said, trying to smile.

  Chuckling, Nathan said, “Oh yes I would, but you aren’t a cop, just trash wearing a uniform.”

  Neil started gauging how fast he could get to his pistol.

  “Even if he doesn’t, I will,” Renee said, aiming her pistol at his head.

  “I get to shoot a dirty cop!” Andy yelled, aiming at Neil. Neil looked around the room and noticed the only ones not pointing a gun at him were two blond kids. But they were holding a big ass dog by the collar that was growling at him.

  Nathan walked over and put the barrel of his pistol on Neil’s forehead then undid Neil’s belt and suspenders, letting his rig hit the ground. Frisking Neil, Nathan found a pistol in the small of his back and laughed, throwing it down. Pulling out Neil’s pockets next, Nathan threw down a spring assist knife and Neil’s wallet. Ripping Neil’s shirt open, Nathan pulled it off then undid the bulletproof vest and threw that on the floor.

  “Take your boots off,” Nathan commanded.

  “No!” Neil shouted.

  “Then I’ll cut your balls off and shove them in your mouth, watch you choke to death on them, and I’ll take them off myself,” Nathan threatened.

  Neil quickly bent down and took off his boots. Nathan kicked the boots over to the other supplies. “This was just a lesson. Now sit your ass down on the floor with your back against the door and cross your ankles. Twitch and I’ll shoot you and throw you in the field,” Nathan told him. Neil slunk down to the floor, doing what Nathan had told him and wanting to cry.

  “I was going to be a hero. You’re supposed to be a cop,” Neil whined.

  “Oh I am, but I also want to live. I’m not taking the chance you wouldn’t just shoot me. You’ll never be a hero; you don’t have it in you. You want to pick on someone and intimidate them. That’s not being a hero. I can never explain it to something like you. To me you’re worthless and I’ll kill you if I ever see you again,” Nathan told him. Neil just pursed his lips together, his face turning red. “See, you can let words get to you. I rest my case,” Nathan said, walking over to the pile.

  He picked up the duty belt and took out the Glock 19, nodding then noticed three triple-magazine holders. “What the hell. You have nine magazines on your duty rig? That’s almost two hundred rounds plus fifteen in the well. If you need that many you need a better gun or you need to shoot better,” Nathan said.

  They heard a vehicle pull up. Everyone looked outside and saw it was Mark. He got out of his Cherokee, eyeballed Neil’s truck, and walked to the door where he saw Neil sitting against one of the doors. Pushing the other door open, he walked in and looked down. “Neil, what the hell are you doing here?” he shouted.

  “Trying to arrest a murderer and everyone pulled a gun on me,” Neil said, looking down.

  “It was ruled justified,” Mark snapped.

  “I was still bringing in a killer,” Neil answered.

  “Get up,” Mark said. When Neil stood up, Mark opened the door. “Get to the station. I’m having you removed from duty,” Mark told him.

  Moving toward his gear on the floor, Neil looked up at Nathan who was shaking his head, a hand on his pistol. Dejectedly, Neil walked out empty handed and headed to his truck. Mark stood in the door, holding it open, watching him. Then Mark turned around.

  “I’m sorry about that Nathan,” he said and saw Nathan’s arm blur and suddenly he was aiming his pistol at him.

  “Pull it out and you will die!” Nathan yelled.

  “Nathan, I’m not reaching for anything. It’s me, Mark!” Mark said in complete shock.

  “Your boy is trying to pull a shotgun from the truck,” Nathan said with his arm holding the pistol rock steady.

  Mark looked at Nathan carefully; he realized the pistol was aimed right under the arm that was holding the door open. Turning his head to look behind him, M
ark saw Neil frozen halfway out of the truck with his right hand on the stock of a shotgun. Mark spun around and pulled out his new pistol and aimed at Neal’s face.

  For the first time Neal was more scared of someone else than Nathan. Mark walked over, raised his right foot and flat kicked Neil in the chest. Neil sailed back ten feet through the air before hitting the ground and rolling end over end. Lying there and trying to get air in his lungs, Neil felt someone grab his arms and his wrist suddenly hurt.

  “You’re under arrest, Neil,” Mark said sternly.

  “You can’t do that to me,” Neil moaned.

  “Yes I can, and you’re going into the cell block. You’ve heard there will be no trials until this is over,” Mark said, picking him up by the arm. Hauling Neil to the front door, Mark walked inside and looked at the three brothers. “Guys, the sheriff wants you as deputies. If you still want the job I will be out tomorrow to swear you in. One of you will ride with me and the other is to stay with the sheriff. Only two of you will be on at any time, but one of you will be with the sheriff every day. If your brothers want to join later they can,” Mark told them. “Want the job?”

  The brothers started jumping up and down yelling. Everyone ran over to hug and congratulate them. When they saw Mark waiting for an answer they all yelled, “YES!”

  Mark smiled. “Grab some rope and hog tie Neil and throw him in the back of my ride,” he said, and the brothers started fighting to get outside. Everyone laughed as Fred and Billy actually got stuck shoulder to shoulder in the doorway but then Andy hit both of them, knocking them out of the door.

  Nathan walked over to the pile of Neil’s stuff. “This is mine, so don’t think about it,” he said, pointing at the pile.

  “Won’t fit me,” Mark said, smiling.

  Nathan held up the duty belt to Abigail. “You have a Glock,” he said. She skipped over and took the belt and put it on. Everyone noticed she was bigger than Neil as she buckled the belt and suspenders on. “Give the Sig to Jessie,” Nathan told her, bending down and picking up the vest. He looked at Renee and held it out.

  “Ah no, I’m not wearing anything Neal’s had on,” Renee told him, crossing her arms.