by GJ Fortier
Kingsley started to relax. Now that Benny was dead, a sad fact but one that she could use to her advantage, she was no more attached to this situation than Kitchens was. Why not let the Georgia boy put himself out on a limb, and at his own request at that?
She picked up her glass again and winked. “Alright.”
* * * * *
INSIDE ROOM 6434 OF the Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins, Georgia, registered nurse Lorraine Jackson was reading the chart of the male patient who had been admitted three days before by an Air Force doctor. For some reason, she took a special interest in his case. He seemed to be perfectly healthy apart from a few bumps and bruises. He was in his mid forties, but in extremely good physical condition. He had been the subject of a sleep study when everything that could have possibly gone wrong went wrong, and he inexplicably lapsed into a coma. And to make matters worse, he had fallen out of bed, striking a table with his head on the way to the floor. But there was something else about the man. He was different from her other patients in a way that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, and something told her she should pray for him. Being the good Baptist choir member that she was, she had even made it a request at her weekly Bible study.
She paused for a moment at the foot of his bed and bowed her head. “Lord, please watch over this man. Let your grace and healing pour over him like water and restore his strength. Give him the ability to rise from the confines of this bed, if it's your will Lord. Let him walk out of here and back to his life, so he can be a good and faithful servant for your glory, God. It's in the precious name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.”
She checked his vital signs and then moved to fluff the pillow under his head. She took a moment to search his face for any signs of waking. Seeing none, she began to work his joints to keep his muscles lithe. “You are just gonna have to wake up soon, Mister Tyler. These things ain't gonna like it if you don't get up and do some exercise pretty soon,” she added, picking up his arm and flexing it. “Now I know it’s a little early yet for physical therapy, but you don't mind if I give you a little extra TLC now, do you?” She searched his closed eyes for any kind of response, but got none. “I didn't think so.” Replacing his arm, she walked around the bed. “I ain't gonna be able to keep you on my floor for very much longer if you're just gonna lay here. Pretty soon, somebody is gonna want this bed and they’re gonna send you to rehab. You ain't gonna like that so you better go on and wake up now.” She frowned and patted him on the belly. “And I'll bet you’re gettin’ pretty hungry, eatin' nothing but what we feed you through these here tubes.”
As she turned to leave, she nearly hit the floor when she heard him ask, “You don’t have any cheesecake do you?”
* * * * *
YEOUM WOKE A FEW HOURS after Tiong. He listened as Tiong explained their predicament and introduced him to the self-named Schultz. They discovered all of their electronic devices had been removed, along with their shoes and socks, while they had been unconscious. This made it difficult to keep track of the time, and any thoughts of attempting to escape from the moving truck were very unpleasant. They were only able to guess how long they had been inside the trailer when they stopped for fuel and had a changing of the guard. They surmised that at least two days had passed since they were abducted. To make matters worse, all of the parties concerned, both captives and their hosts, were becoming more and more irritable in the deteriorating conditions within, having a pickle bucket for a toilet and only granola bars and Gatorade for sustenance during their journey.
Other than Schultz, their captors had proven profoundly unfriendly and much less chatty. On several occasions, Tiong had requested he be allowed to check on the chimps, but their captors had flatly refused. Even after attempting to explain the side effect that caused unconsciousness when the clones and donor chimps were too close to each other, not to mention that they had had no food or water for days, they remained unconcerned. Tiong worried about possible unknown ramifications, but there was nothing he could do.
Not long after waking and during a guard change, Yeoum had gone into a tirade of threats that were silenced by a new man with the butt of his AK-47. The still-unconscious Yeoum was bound and gagged. Tiong feared that the blow might have killed the aging man, but the Korean proved to be made of hardy stuff. He had only remained unconscious for about ten minutes, but he was kept in his bonds until the next guard in the rotation took his turn.
Yeoum and Tiong sat on one of the thin mattresses near the front of the trailer as the man who was guarding them, an older and dirtier man than Schultz, sat near the doors. He had forbidden them to speak or walk around, threatening to tie them up if they chose to ignore his orders. But eventually, his attention turned to the deck of cards that he had been playing solitaire with.
“How are you holding up, Professor?”
Yeoum was sitting in his customary manner of late, crossed legged and with his arms folded. “I have endured far worse than this, Doctor Tiong.”
“Good,” Tiong said, amused by the old man’s consistent defiance. He wondered briefly what it would take to truly intimidate the diminutive man, but decided finally that he’d rather not know. Noticing the guard glaring in their direction, Tiong found a rivet in the floor to stare at until the man turned his attention back to his game.
“Why do you think they’re taking us to California?” Tiong whispered.
Without thinking, Yeoum responded, “I assume that, given the situation on the border, they will attempt to take us out of the country. Assuming we are not already in Mexico.”
“Why do you think that they’d take us to Mexico?”
Yeoum remained silent. He had concocted a theory about their present situation early on, but was reluctant to share it with Tiong.
“Professor?”
Yeoum turned to Tiong and said with a hint of finality, “I am afraid, Doctor Tiong, that my past has finally caught up with me.”
Tiong looked at him quizzically. “I don’t understand.”
“There are elements of my life I have kept hidden from you and the others. Elements that have consequences that are extremely unforgiving.”
“What are you talking about, Professor?”
Yeoum ignored the question, choosing to disclose the information in his own manner. “My only regret is that you will suffer my fate as well. I never wanted that.”
“What fate?”
“You believe that I am originally from the Republic of South Korea?”
“Well—” Tiong started.
Yeoum shook his head, cutting him off. “I am a Daechwa, A senior colonel in the Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.” He turned to look at Tiong. “North Korea. I defected from my home country in 1991. I no longer wanted to participate in the cloning project that was initiated by my father. Their methods were … cruel.”
Tiong nodded.
“You suspected this?”
“No, Professor. I didn’t suspect. I was already aware.”
It was Yeoum’s turn to give Tiong a confused look. “How?”
Tiong smiled. “Let’s just say that there are certain elements of my past that you are unaware of.”
“Such as?”
“In due time, Professor. In due time.”
32 Loose ends
09 August 2010
EDDIE WAS REUNITED WITH Geri Hughes and Cal Warren after their short stay in the hospital. The three left late on Wednesday afternoon to travel to Florida, having learned of June’s surrender to the Apalachicola Sheriff’s Department. The junior agents, along with the others found in the woods behind the Lightning Quik Mart, proved to be of little use in providing information about their ordeal. They knew even less about the whereabouts of Doctor Tiong and Professor Yeoum. Kolokol One had been used to knock them unconscious. EA-3167, an anticholinergic deliriant, was then used to keep them that way for an extended time. Any memory of the assault had been completely erased.
&nb
sp; Air Force personnel were diligently pumping water from the tunnels, but the task of removing tons of mud and other debris to clear a path for foot traffic to Sistema Chac Luum would take days, perhaps even weeks. The good news, reported by Greg, was that Rob had regained consciousness and was showing all the signs of a full recovery. Greg and Don had spent a good bit of time with Rob as he lay in his bed, and were convinced beyond doubt that their patient was the real Rob Tyler.
It was mid morning on Monday before Rob returned to his hospital room after an MRI scan. Greg had embellished a bit on his resume’ and had refused the assistance of a neurologist, fearing a local doctor might ask too many questions concerning the circumstances leading to Rob’s condition. He was satisfied and more than a little relieved that, considering the yet undetermined brain trauma Rob had suffered, the commander’s head would soon be in tiptop form.
“Is there any way y’all could sneak me a couple of cheeseburgers or somethin’ in here? What they’ve been bringin’ me wouldn’t keep a squirrel alive,” Rob lamented as he reclined on the bed.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Don said.
Greg eyed the two in warning. “Forget it. At least until the last blood analysis comes back.”
“Aw, c’mon, Doc!”
Greg gave Rob a stern look. “Would you prefer not to get outta here tomorrow? You wanna stay a few extra days for another round of blood work?”
“No contraband, Doctor Cook!” Rob said in mock annoyance. “Honestly Doc, I don’t have a clue where Doctor Cook comes up with this stuff. I mean, you’d think a geneticist would know better!” He looked back at Don. “What were you thinking?”
Greg smiled. “What was I thinking? Alright, now how ‘bout telling me how you’re feeling.”
Rob straightened himself, taking a moment to make sure his hospital gown wasn’t revealing too much. “A whole lot less discombobulated, that’s for sure.”
“Tell me again, what’s the last thing you remember?”
“Okay,” Rob said with a sigh, annoyed that he was asked to go through it again. “I was in the parlor with June, Jimmy, Special Agent Perez, and you. There were some other people there too, but I’m not sure who. Anyway, we had been playing cards, and I was cleaning up, by the way. And all of a sudden, I started feeling like I was drowning or something. I was having hot and cold flashes, couldn’t catch my breath, and then, I woke up in this bed. Nurse Lorraine was talking to me about something, I can’t remember. I must’ve passed out again.”
“What about when you were unconscious? Can you remember anything else about the dreams?”
Rob gave Greg a doubtful look. “I really don’t understand—”
Greg held up his hand at him. “Just humor me.”
Rob sighed. “Like I told you before, I was having a really vivid—I don’t know if it was a dream or if it was just a memory—of my last assignment as a SEAL.”
“What happened?” Don asked.
Rob’s face displayed disappointment. “Now, you both know that’s classified. If I tell you that I could be sent to prison.”
“Okay,” Greg said with a reassuring smile. “I just had to find out if you’d slip up, that’s all. Now, try and get some sleep.”
“But Doc—”
Greg held up his hand. “And I’ll see to getting you out of here and back to your family tomorrow.”
Rob folded his arms and painted on an exaggerated smile, but said not another word.
Greg turned to Don. “So, are you heading back over to the lab?”
Don took the hint. “Yeah. They should have a path cleared by this afternoon.” He turned to Rob and patted the foot of the bed. “I’ll be back before you leave tomorrow. Okay, man?”
“Don’t be late ‘cause I ain’t waitin’,” Rob said.
“I’ll be here, don’t worry.”
“I won’t,” Rob quipped. “I’ve seen enough of you people.”
As the doctors turned to leave, Rob asked, “What about June? Will I be able to say goodbye to her?”
“Sorry Rob,” Greg answered with a frown. “Probably not. She’s got her hands full with the chimps. I think she may already be in Africa with Paris and Charlie.”
“That was quick. I thought that they were gonna be moved at the end of the month.”
Greg shrugged. “Under the circumstances …”
“Well, can you make sure that she gets my number? I’d like her to meet Carol and my kids.”
“You never mentioned anything about inviting us over to meet the family,” Don said, feigning injury. He then looked to Greg. “I think we’ve been slighted.”
“Don’t go away mad, Doc—” Rob started.
“Just go away,” the three said together.
“We’ll see what we can do,” Greg said, chuckling. They walked into the hall and pulled the door closed behind them. Greg found an empty room and the two stepped in, Don closing the door for some privacy.
“How’s he holding up?” Greg asked.
“I really don’t like lying to him. Did you know he and Walsh were friends?”
“No. It’s gotta be hard for him.”
“I don’t know if he buys the story about the captain dying in the crash.”
“I know, but orders are orders.” Greg then cocked his head questioningly. “So?”
Don shook his head, “I don’t know what to make of it. I mean, I’m no neurologist.”
“Yeah, but you heard him?”
“I heard, but maybe he’s just confused. There was a lot going on.”
“I guess,” Greg said. “But he was alone with June in the parlor when it happened. And then she ran and got Tiong and Perez. There wasn’t anybody else in there. You and Jimmy were with the professor and I was in the lab.”
Don looked at Greg skeptically. “I think you’re reading too much into this. His mind was Swiss cheese for almost seventy-two hours. There’s no telling how screwed up his memories got.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too. I just needed to hear your point of view.”
“That being settled,” Don said, “orders or not, do you think it’s wise letting Rob think that the clone didn’t survive?”
The major frowned. “For all we know, it didn’t. It’s not with June. It has no memories, no point of reference. Where could it be?”
“I don’t know. That’s the point.”
“Look, the guy has been through enough. He’s going back home, and from what he’s told me, he’s retiring from the Navy. He’s done his bit for king and country. Let’s just let him leave the service with some peace of mind to enjoy it.”
“How would you feel if you were in his shoes?” Don asked. “’Cause I’m pretty sure I’d want to know about the possibility that the clone’s alive, at least.”
“Well, I can tell you without a doubt that I wouldn’t.” He slapped Don on the shoulder. “Ignorance is bliss, my friend.”
* * * * *
BY YEOUM’S RECKONING, he, Tiong, and the chimps had been inside the trailer for the better part of four days. They were only allowed out for occasional bathroom breaks in out of the way spots, under the cover of darkness with a minimum of two men guarding them. At times, during the excruciatingly boring journey, they could hear one chimp or another begin to stir and whimper inside its crate. Tiong was getting more than a little concerned about their condition despite the IV fluids that had been administered daily. He could only imagine what damage might be being inflicted on their brains as long as they remained in close proximity. But their captors remained stoic about the plight of the animals.
Each day at an appointed time, Schultz took his turn in the trailer. Tiong and Yeoum found him to be a pleasant change from the other nameless men, even after he had been reminded by his compatriots not to get too friendly with the cargo. But after trying four hours of silence each day, he would inevitably break down and return to being his friendlier self.
On the morning of the fifth day, they had an unusual
ly long stop. Shultz climbed into the trailer just as the sun was breaking on the horizon. He waited stone-faced until the doors were secured, then he smiled and asked, “Y’all doin’ alright this mornin’?” He was cradling his shotgun in the crook of his left arm, but draped over his right was a yellow raincoat they hadn’t seen before.
“We’ve been better,” Tiong lamented. “I thought you said you were taking us to California. It feels like we ought to be in Australia by now.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We’re almost there.”
“Great,” Tiong exclaimed, feigning excitement. “I always wanted to see a kangaroo!”
Schultz smiled. “Yer too funny Juan. Naw, I meant that we’re almost to the docks.” He produced a white paper sack from under his raincoat and handed it to Yeoum, who immediately handed it off to Tiong, having no interest in whatever was inside. “Here. When we stopped fer breakfast, I got y’all a couple of sausage‘n’ biscuits and hash browns. Sorry I couldn’t get ya somethin’ ta drink, but the other guys would’a noticed. They’re a mite cold, but I figured they’d be better‘n’ granola bars.”
“After nearly ninety-six hours of nothing but horse feed”—Tiong opened the sack and inhaled deeply—“this it the best-smelling stuff in all of human history.” Even Yeoum perked up at the aroma filling his nostrils. Tiong removed a couple of sandwiches and the hash browns, handing one of each to Yeoum.
“There’s some jelly in there too, boys. I like mine with strawberry m’self,” Schultz said.
Tiong took a bite of the fried potatoes and his eyes rolled back. “Ohhh! That tastes so good.” Yeoum was also grateful for the menu change. He took a bite of biscuit, savoring each morsel. But when their captor reached inside the raincoat again, he eyed Schultz warily.
“Look what else I got, Professor.” He withdrew a travel-sized folding chessboard. “I don’t know how ta play, but I figured you and Juan wuz getting’ tired o’ solitaire and rummy and Uno, stuff like ‘at. Look!” He opened it, revealing all of its pieces neatly nestled away in tiny foam compartments, “They’re magnetic! So you can play even if it gets bumpy,” he said, smiling. He handed the game set to Yeoum.
