Sleepers (Book 6)

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Which means,” Mera said, “there are survivors out there. Maybe we will hear something from your lame and unoriginal radio calls.”

  “They aren’t lame.”

  “Hold on,” Keller said. “Are you calling out again? That was never mentioned.”

  “Yeah, I …” Before I could explain, there was a knock on the door and Ed walked in out of breath.

  “You’re here,” Ed said and closed the door. “I knew it. I knew it.” He rushed over to Keller. “Brother, why are you here?”

  “That’s what we wanted to know, but had to wait for you.”

  Ed hurried over, grabbing my arm when he saw my struggle to get up. “Alex, you have the flu. Maybe you need to get in bed.”

  “I don’t have the flu, thank you very much. You bit me.” I saw the puzzled look he gave me. “I mean, little you bit me.”

  “In Phoenix’s defense,” Mera interjected, “he did ask you to play and you said yes.”

  “He bit me, Mera.”

  “True… kids bite.” She crinkled her nose. “They don’t mean anything by it. Really, he’ll learn. But some kids do bite, it’s fine.”

  “It’s not fine when they carry a deadly virus,” I argued.

  “It’s not his fault that you have no tolerance against it.”

  “Hold it.” Ed lifted his hand. “Why did I bite you?”

  “You were playing Sleepers.”

  Ed laughed heartily. “Oh my God. Keller, remember playing Sleepers?”

  “Oh, we loved that game.”

  “We did.”

  “Sleepers?” I asked. “You remember playing Sleepers?”

  “All kids play Sleepers,” Ed said. “It was fun. I don’t recall biting though. We divided into teams. Half were Sleepers the other half heroes. The heroes had to hit the Sleepers with wet cloths, if they did the Sleeper was out. But if the Sleepers grabbed them, they became Sleepers.”

  “Ah,” Mera said. “It’s like dodge ball, sort of.”

  I crinkled my lip. “Mera, it’s twisted. Ed, if ‘minor you’ bites me again, I’m pulling your teeth. And speaking of mouths, what happened to Sonny? Levi told us he has a huge gash.”

  “The experiment worked,” Ed stated. “Michael called them. We believed them to be further away, but one was close. It attacked Sonny, however, the dog saved him. We’re good and we got all the supplies.”

  Almost in shock, Keller asked, “That was Levi?”

  “Yes,” Ed answered. “That was him.”

  Keller laughed in disbelief. “I wouldn’t have known. He must have gained all the weight while we were still young. From what I saw through Alex, he is so thin.”

  “Thin? Levi is not thin. How big does he get?”

  Both Keller and Ed answered at the same time, the same way. “Big.”

  I whistled. “At least we know we aren’t starving. Okay… back to business. Why is your brother here? Keller, let’s get to the point of your visit.” Keller faced Ed. “You didn’t come back. When you returned fearful you made a mistake, I expected you right back again. You didn’t come. I knew you died. I waited fifteen minutes and then I came for you. You are my brother. I could not live the rest of my life without you. We are one. So I came back to stop you. To save you.”

  Ed shook his head. “You knew the plan, Keller. You have to remain. If I don’t come back, if I die, then it is the way it is. Our parents, our brother, cannot live without you. How fair is it to them to lose us both?”

  “Look how close they are,” Mera whispered. “Oh my God, we did such a good job, Alex.”

  “Wait,” I said. “How do you know he died? Maybe he just didn’t come back.”

  “No.” Keller shook his head. “He wouldn’t do that.”

  “He’s right,” Ed said. “I wouldn’t do that to him. But you coming back, brother, has made me more aware. I promise to be careful. But you need to go home. You go, and I will be there. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

  “I hate this time travel shit.” I grumbled. “How will you be there?”

  “If I left at ten, I return at ten. If he left at ten fifteen, he returns at ten fifteen. So when he goes back, technically I will be there waiting,” Ed explained. “And please, don’t say it, Alex.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Before I go,” Keller said, “is it possible to see my younger self?”

  A snicker escaped me.

  “Alex!” Mera scolded.

  “Sorry.”

  “Please?” Keller asked. “I would love to. I would love to place my hands on my young self, but I know that’s impossible.”

  “No, it’s not,” Ed replied. “That theory is out the window. You can touch yourself. I touch myself all the time.”

  “Hey, now,” I said. “Too much info.”

  “Alex!” Mera yelled at me again. “We can go. Randy is with the babies …”

  Ed shook his head. “I don’t know who has them. Randy is helping Beck.”

  “Probably Renee,” Mera said. “That’s okay. I’ll go find them and when she’s gone you can come in. Alex, do you mind?”

  “No. Fine. Leave me. That’s okay. I’m just battling a deadly virus that our child gave me. I could turn, you know. On a dime. Then won’t you feel bad when you return?”

  “You aren’t going to turn. How about this?” Mera asked. “I’ll go get the babies.”

  “And Danny?” Keller requested. “Can you get Danny?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And… Michael. Get Michael. Sonny is being healed, so we’ll leave him go. But Michael? Please?”

  I saw it on her face. That request pleased Mera.

  “I’ll get him.” Mera smiled and walked to the door. “How about Beck?”

  There was an awkward moment of silence, one I don’t quite think Mera picked up on.

  “He’s probably busy,” Keller said. “So maybe not.”

  “Okay.” Chipper and as if the denial of Beck didn’t faze her, Mera left my room.

  Mera didn’t get it, but I did. “Alright, what gives?” I asked. “You don’t mind Randy, Levi, Michael, Danny or the babies. But Beck? All I hear is how Ed is like me and you, Keller, are like Beck. Yet you don’t want him here and you make up some lame excuse that he’s busy. What gives?”

  “We’d rather not say,” Ed answered.

  “It’s me guys. Come on. Why don’t you want Beck here? Is he mean in the future? Is there bad blood?”

  “No,” Keller answered. “No bad blood. He was never mean to me.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “For me, I’d rather not.” Keller laid his hand on my arm. “It would be far too painful.”

  TWENTY – MERA STEVENS

  It was a gift.

  Keller popping in gave me the opportunity to see that somehow, despite all my losses, I moved on. I was able to conquer the heartache and still love. That was evident in the boys. When Jeremy was born, I envisioned my sons being brothers. Granted they were brothers, but I meant brothers in every sense. Growing up, being inseparable, despite the age difference. Having each other’s back.

  The Event robbed me of that, or I thought it had. Though I wouldn’t get to see Jeremy idolize his brother I certainly was able to see Ed and Keller idolize Danny.

  Keller didn’t joke and was a lot more vague in the way he spoke. The only thing he let out was the fact that our Levi gained an astronomical amount of weight. Like Alex said, it was good to hear because that told all of us food wasn’t a problem.

  Alex did probe about the events but Keller remained tight lipped.

  Michael was touched to be asked to join, especially after learning the news that he could be the dreaded ‘bad seed’.

  “You, Michael,” Keller told him, “are never a bad seed to me You have always had my respect, love, and dedication. I pray that in this time they find a solution, so not only do you not leave us early, but this transformation never takes place.”

  “If it’s him,” Alex said, “
we still don’t know. As you know, Javier said before the fight, Levi isn’t the DNA guy. We keep Javier from dying, Michael keeps the world from dying.”

  Michael laid his hand on Keller’s cheek. “Tell me when you said ‘pray’ you were not using it as a figure of speech.”

  “I meat it literally. You gave us faith.”

  “That alone makes it worthwhile,” Michael said, clearly pleased. “That’s all I wanted in life was to give people strength and faith.”

  “You do.”

  The room was packed and Ed was insistent that Keller didn’t stay. He reiterated more than once that his straight arrow brother broke their agreement and he was still in shock by it.

  Before he went back to his time, Sonny came in the room, he wanted to meet the owner of the dog.

  He knew right away it was Keller. A promise was made in Alex’s room that none of us would divulge that Keller had stopped by. We all took turns embracing him. He was scared, I could tell. Worried that his brother wasn’t coming back. I swore to him, I would do what I could. I didn’t want him to lose his brother nor did I want Danny to lose him either.

  After the goodbye, he turned to Ed and said. “Brother, I better see you.”

  Alex, of course, laughed.

  We were in that room an hour before Keller left. We laughed a lot too. It truly felt like a family.

  When it was time, he backed away from us all and with a lift of his hand, he waved and pressed the button on the silver object in his hand. He faded like a vision before our eyes until he was gone.

  Impeccable timing maybe, but Levi came in the room right then.

  “What in God’s name is going on?” Levi asked. “Why is everyone here?”

  “You told me I could have visitors,” Alex said.

  “Visitors, not a party. Now everyone leave. Only one of you can stay, but keep it short. Despite how much he is pretending to be well, Alex is not.” Suddenly he looked left to right. “Where is George?”

  “He left,” I answered.

  “Left as in went to a room?” Levi asked.

  “No,” Alex replied. “Left as in, he said he wasn’t sticking around because you weren’t very nice.”

  Levi inhaled loudly. “He left his dog.”

  Sonny responded to that. “He knew how much I love him.”

  “Hmm. Yes, well,” Levi walked to the door and opened it. “Even though Sonny takes me for a fool, I thought the rest of you were better. I know who that was. I am not stupid and all this playing with time is gonna come back to haunt you.”

  Alex laughed. “Ha! And this is coming from the man that dodges a bullet a thousand years or so in the future. Caught that time travel train.”

  “I used to like you, Alex, sort of.” Levi pointed. “Out. Everyone. Sonny, go put ice on that chin. Michael and Danny, take the babies back. Mera, say goodbye and get some water or food. You’ve been in this building a couple hours and haven’t had a bit of liquid. Not good for the baby. Out.”

  Levi played a good dictator, ushering everyone out.

  They filed out, wishing Alex well. Before Levi left, he told me, “Get him to bed. He really needs to rest. He can’t beat the Sleeper virus if he doesn’t relax enough for the antiviral to take hold.”

  Levi was the last to leave and he left the door ajar, my sign that I was to go soon.

  “He’s right,” I said to Alex and internally I switched on the mother mode. “Bed.”

  “Mera...”

  “Bed.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and I tapped my thigh. “Lift your boot. I’m taking them off.”

  “I can take off my own boot.”

  “Alex.”

  “Fine.” He lifted his leg, I undid the laces and tossed the boot across the room. He struggled with the other leg to lift it and I saw why. Even though it was bandaged, his entire leg was red and swollen.

  “Alex, honestly, please. Stay in bed.” I pulled down the covers.

  “Man, I beat this once before. I feel much better than I did then.”

  “I’m sure.” Making sure his IV wasn’t tangled, I adjusted his pillows, flapped the blanket and, to make sure he didn’t move, I tucked him in.

  “Are… are you tucking those blankets like I’m five?”

  “I am.”

  “This is really tight.”

  “Good.”

  “It’s been a crazy day. I feel bad staying in this bed.”

  I rested my hand above his head and leaned down to him. “Listen to me. I know, more than likely nothing happens, but I don’t want to take a chance. Okay? Not with you. More than you know or even believe, Alex Sans, you are so important to me. I know how I felt when I lost you once. Don’t make me live through that again.”

  A clearing of a throat.

  It wasn’t Alex.

  I looked over my shoulder. Beck stood in the doorway.

  “Alex,” Beck said, walking in, “I see Mera is doting.”

  “She is, and it’s annoying.”

  He nodded and forced a smile. “I hear you have the Sleeper virus.”

  “Again. Of course, I caught the chicken pox three times, too.”

  Beck reached out for my hand. “Mind if I steal Mera?”

  “No, she is insisting I get rest anyhow.”

  “She’s right.” Beck reached down and placed his hand on Alex’s foot. “Get well.”

  “Thanks.”

  The thought that came to my mind was that Beck was a little ‘cool’ to Alex. It wasn’t warm, then again, it wasn’t long ago they were fighting.

  Alex took Jessie’s death incredibly hard, then I left, he was pulverized by Beck, and to top it off, he was now sick.

  I followed Beck out of the room.

  “Did you need to speak to me?” I asked. “Or were you just making sure Alex is rested?”

  “I need to speak to you.”

  “What’s up?”

  He wouldn’t say until we walked from the building. Using the wide open area of the yard as a sense of privacy.

  “Ed said we need to continue the Reckoning.”

  I stopped walking.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You’re leaving again.”

  “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, they radioed a few minutes ago. We have more recruits, they need trained and the ARC believes the Sleepers may migrate. Maybe southwest, and they want to cut them off.”

  “Did they pull back from the Divide?”

  “From what surveillance says, they’re moving. Now they could be moving south to cross the Divide. Following them and taking them out is the only way.”

  “You said you weren’t sure. What changed your mind?”

  Beck took a deep breath. “Let’s just say, now is a good time. Baby isn’t due yet, problems aren’t supposed to start. I’ll go now, get back before the first of March.”

  “That makes sense. What about Christmas?”

  He chuckled. “Christmas?”

  “Beck, we celebrated it while you were… while you were gone. It’s a big deal.”

  “I’ll be back then.” He pulled me into him and embraced me. “Are you okay with this?”

  “If it’s going to make us one step closer to a Sleeper free world, then I am one hundred percent for it. You know I support you.”

  There was something strange about that moment. Beck seemed preoccupied, not like himself. Then again, he was leaving us once more. That had to lay heavy on his mind, and I chalked up his distant behavior to just that.

  TWENTY-ONE – SONNY WILSON

  If I believed in reincarnation then I would truly think I was once Thomas Edison. Because I was the electricity guy, I was intrigued by his life, his success, how his lab burned down and he had to start from scratch.

  I was becoming him. Locking everything up when I did leave my lab, which wasn’t all that often. For two weeks I lived off of only naps.

  I was bound and determined to come up with a contraption that would work on Michael. We’d est
ablished that he could call them at will. I guess I was cocky, because I had what I concluded was a solid prototype within three days.

  It failed.

  It was like a headband, and we went out, had Michael willfully call them, and damned if the Sleepers didn’t come.

  The second try, a day later, was the same design, only I increased the static and white noise.

  Didn’t work.

  The one thing we were accomplishing was making Michael stronger at calling them. By the fourth try in ten days, the Sleepers showed up within minutes. Not only that, they showed up with a vengeance, rushing to us with an urgency like I had never seen.

  The positive aspect of it was Michael and I grew closer, which made me more determined to make it work.

  On the fourth prototype, I decided to try electricity.

  Poor Randy. I volted him too much, burned his hair, and knocked him back a good four feet.

  “Good Lord, Sonny!” he roared when he regained consciousness. “You only need to create interference.”

  “Unfortunately, the only thing that worked was that damn Neil Sedaka song blasting through the headphones.”

  “Use that.”

  “I want him sane, Randy,” I said. “He can’t listen to Neil Sedaka twenty-four seven.”

  “If only there was a way to play it without him hearing it.”

  That was it!

  Immediately I remembered when we traveled to Grace. The kids heard the Morse code buried in the radio message. It was playing on such a high frequency that an adult ear couldn’t hear it. I wouldn’t use electricity, but a continuous tone.

  Once that hit me, I started creating the ‘collar’; how fitting for a man of the cloth.

  Using an old Bluetooth design headset that would hang around his neck, I worked on a music player that would play tones continuously.

  On day fourteen, ten pounds lighter and sleep deprived, I believed I had it.

  We went out to the Walmart Northeast near Cleveland. A prime spot during prime Sleeper time. Granted, that area was prone to Sleeper attacks, so a failure could be dismissed.