by Marcus Sloss
“Willow, I need you to have your mom come to us. Tell her all expenses paid to meet your new boyfriend,” I said and Willow muttered something that the gusting wind stole from my ears. My back hairs went erect from the sudden chilly breeze. “Willow, I sent you money.”
“Huh… What!?”
“Before you freak out, let me continue with my story. While I do that, pen your mom a text and buy her way out here. Worst case, you hear my story and get to reunite with your mom. Best case she helps because in the coming days, we are going to be extremely busy.”
“She is going to think you are crazy, which you are. No sane person throws away money.”
“If digital money means nothing then, yeah. That is exactly what they do. May I continue with my story?”
“Yes Sir!” Willow said in a mocking tone. “I am eagerly anticipating hearing why digital money will become irrelevant, though.”
She shimmied so she could rest against my chest from the side. I gave her my arm to unseal and she read my thoughts. The sleeve was removed and I gently stroked her hair behind her ear with my metallic fingers.
“Funny you should say that. ‘Yes Sir’ was a term I would hear a lot after basic. If you think recruiting poor kids from inner cities was tough since the Universal Basic Income started. Think about free college and how that would decimate the officer recruitment efforts to all-time lows. Well, I wanted to stay out of the spotlight during basic training. However, what I wanted was irrelevant. I had an expensive hand that allowed me to do things others could not. I was monitored for that reason and honestly probably would have excelled without it.
“When basic is over, you typically go to your advanced training. I will try to avoid the jargon and acronyms. Basic, you become a soldier and…”
“AIT, you learn your job inside the army. I know that much,” Willow said while glancing up at me. Her blue eyes drew me in and I melted into her gaze.
“Okay, well, I did not go to advanced training. I went to officer school. Officer school was another six weeks of boring nonsense. The material was different and there was a great emphasis on leadership training but the course is designed for people to pass, not struggle and fail. We lost two people. That was it. I branched infantry on a voluntold basis. I expected to go to Ranger school based on my studies during my downtime. Nope, we were sent to Israel for foreign reconnaissance and surveillance training. Yeah…”
“You went to Israel! Damn, they knew. They knew for a long time.”
“That is what we thought. You will notice my story swaps from an “I,” to a “we.” Jevon was my battle buddy. The two of us went from basic, to officer school, and then to Israel together. He learned the truth of my past. I learned he was heading to jail for possession of a controlled substance in his car. A buddy had tossed a bag in the back. Cops pulled over two black men in a suspicious car and the drugs were found. Spoiler, they both said they had no idea where the drugs came from. Jevon was given a choice though. Clean record for a little time in the military. His two years became six, just like mine, when we diverted to become officers.”
Willow shifted her weight off my chest. Her knees cracked as she stood with a long, glorious stretch. I had picked the perfect mess of a woman. Her body was divine and the smirking smile shot down at me confirmed I had been caught indulging in the sight.
“I am starting to get cold from the wind. Let us walk and talk. There are some nice trails in this park. How was Israel?”
“Different. Honestly, the local soldiers I trained with were clueless. No amount of coaching could have made them so void of any inkling of the war that was about to destabilize the entire region. Sure, they trained for everything, but I have reflected on that time often. Not one subtle hint was given. The training was rigorous. For the first time since leaving prison, I felt challenged. I conquered everything in my path to success. Jevon was as determined as I was. We encouraged each other and passed with ease. Back to the good ole USA we went.”
A small arched bridge started from the compact gravel. Plastic pretend wood gave the bridge a far different look than the texture and sounds produced. Our feet disturbed a sunbathing turtle. Poor guy or girl slithered into the water for safety. A few large carp hunted under the lily pads. An old lady further down the bridge tossed down hunks of bread. There was an irony that she did so besides a sign that said ‘no feeding the animals’. Some rules were just meant to be broken. Willow pointed out the sign and I tucked her into an embrace. The old lady had seen her hand gesture. I knew when a woman was itching for an argument and dodged the situation by carrying Willow away from the confrontation.
“You knew she was going to defend her actions,” Willow said.
“Yeah, I am surprised you caught on to what I was doing,” I replied.
“Things are starting to add up more. I think your arm was what kept her retorts at bay. For the sake of not frightening more old bitties, let’s put this back on.”
Willow stepped off the path and I inserted my metallic arm into the mold. She connected the seam like an expert. A quick few wiggles of my digits confirmed a good seal and we were back on the gravel trail. Our feet crunched in unison as we strolled casually up the path.
“I loved being an officer. My knowledge of all things military was at a peak. I was a honed weapon ready for war that would likely never arrive. We had a progressive president. A liberal house and senate. Chances of war were non-existent in the minds of all the troops. When all things point one way, someone should look the other direction. Israel beat the daylights out of the Saudi’s when they decided to insert troops to help the Palestinians. President Hansen gave them a clear warning publicly that the Crown Prince ignored. The devastation from the month-long war was complete. Saudi’s spent a lot of money to buy fancy helicopters, jets, and top of the line weapons. Only to still get their butts kicked.
“Within three weeks, it was over. This part you probably know. The whole world watched the rump spanking…”
“I thought soldiers swore,” Willow asked, seeking some clarity.
“A, you are a lady. Not that I would not swear in front of a lady, or you in the future. Merely I am actively courting you. My brutish nature can wait. B, not all descriptions require a swear. Unless you say ‘fuck me’ in the bedroom behind closed doors. Then it is perfectly fine!”
I earned a slug to my left arm for that line. We both giggled at my banter until it faded.
“You are something else, Eric Yang. Okay, consider my prestigious lady card gone,” Willow said while I rubbed the spot she hit. “I did ask a needless question in the middle of your recollections.”
“There was an underlying causation of the Saudi war that no one wants to ever mention. Especially here with our government and its current policies. Saudi princes have, for generations, subsidized their population. That means the oil-rich nation, okay you get the picture,” I said and Willow rolled her eyes. “I will not harp, Willow. Merely understand the war was a tipping point for the Saudi ruling family. They had to have the war. They were out of money and the best way for them to maintain power, was to lose a war, and then blame the crashing economy on a foreign nation.”
Willow gave a huff as we climbed a steep part of the trail. I let her get ahead of me so I could watch her fine hips snap her booty. She liked the attention and kept stealing glances at my shirtless body. There was a brewing chemistry between us and I started to feel again. Something I had lost the ability to do. There was part of the reason I had become an enclosed hermit after returning from the war.
“I thought that was a conspiracy theory? President Hansen said the Saudi’s were trying to aid a beleaguered people,” Willow said, reciting the bumper sticker line.
“Correct. All the best lies have a bit of truth in them. I am giving you the truth. How many soldiers died in the post-war peacekeeping mission?” I asked.
“A few thousand-”
“Exactly. Why would a defeated nation turn on Americans there to help?”
<
br /> “President Hansen said that was in retaliation for poor troop behavior and unwarranted violence caused by a few bad prisoners converted into troops. There was that time a young man was frisked with zero -”
“Let me stop you right there. I am not about to get into a debate,” I said sadly. “I will tell you what really happened based on my experiences. You know what the president said and can compare our words. What you decide is the truth is up to you. The Saudi people came to our checkpoints for food at first. Easy, hand out MRE’s and bottled water. Put a fake smile on my face, say a few kind words in Arabic and rack out. Rinse and repeat. Okay, we ran out of food eventually. Congress had no more money to allocate since our new healthcare plans, UBI, and free college were costing more than anticipated. A troop drawdown was enacted and my new recon unit was left behind.”
“Oh shit!” Willow exclaimed.
“See, this is why I picked you Willow. We are heading home now, mainly because my story is coming to a close and there will be enough time to talk later. How about we walk instead of taxi.”
“Okay… You were one of those left behind… I thought Mrs. Teller was kidding.”
I sighed. A bird gliding against a head wind hovered in place, watching the humans below. The freedom of flight was amazing on so many levels. A frisbee spun through the air a few hundred feet away and that was enough for the bird to dive into a tree. The dog splashed into the pond to get its favorite toy. The joy on that dog’s face caused me to smile. We walked by the cursing owner, who tossed his hands in the air in frustration over his bad throw. I would not want to wash a dog soaked in duck poop water either.
“We were trapped without rescue for far too long. I would have rather been back in jail only a few days into the nightmare. I am going to shift the conversation. We can come back to my abandonment in Saudi Arabia later. I want to figure out something that bugged me the moment I learned it about you,” I said and Willow blushed.
“No need to ask, I will tell. I get kinky behind closed doors. Whips and chains excite me!” The whites of Willow’s eyes flared as she covered her mouth. “I blurted that out. While I keep things exciting, that was too much reveal. You never heard anything.”
She blushed awkwardly while fidgeting. Her interest in adventurous bedroom fun was a surprise revelation and not what left me guessing though.
“Ha! You naughty girl. No, Willow. That was not what I was going to ask. While it was a bonus, your bedroom deviations are awesome and not unreasonable. I was curious as to why a girl who is smart enough to do anything chose anthropology extremely far from Kentucky. You could literally be anything with your G-SAT scores.”
“Oh, that one is easy. Ha! Really!? You dig… get it. You dig into my past and the thing that bothers you is my studies. Not the time I randomly went skydiving. Or the trip I convinced mom to take camping in the mountains for two weeks during bear season. What is wrong with anthropology?” Willow asked.
She had shifted from a wide range of emotions. The last one sounded like I had slightly offended her. We left the park as we crossed the street for our walk back to campus. I watched her watching me. My goal was to start to learn her tells, but the young woman was good at masking her emotions. There. Her blue eyes darted away and back with a shoulder slump.
“Anthropology has very few careers after. I would ask the same questions everyone does. Why Denver and what do you do when you get your degree?”
“Be all that you can be,” Willow said while patting my bare back. “Oh, I get free schooling because of my father’s sacrifice. DU is doing a veteran come-back and…”
“I get it now, which is the same reason I am here. Funny. Also, be all that you can be! An oldie but a goodie. So, you came to Denver to take a degree in a field that interested you with the intent of going into the military. But since the Saudi fiasco, they waved degrees for officers. Your G-SAT scores are…”
“Oh, I guess this is making more sense to me now. You are missing information. When my father deployed, he left behind ‘the letter’. A handwritten note on an actual piece of paper. It asked for me to go to college if he died overseas. That was his one big wish. He spelled college with one ‘L’ instead of two.” Willow leaned into me and I wrapped an arm around her. “So, anthropology. I want to know more about humans. Honestly, I find it boring so far.”
“You still set on being a soldier?” I asked with an inquisitive tone. “I may know a few great teachers. Jevon gets here next tomorrow, and well there is me. The Pew-Pew Emporium happens to have a good buddy of mine working at it. Torrez, a great soldier, and a good man.”
“Wait? Are you building a team?”
“Yes. Are you interested?”
“Yes. I can shoot, camp, and hunt. I am not a soldier though. Why me or…? I think I know but want to hear it.”
“Willow, let me get emotional and tell you something. I lost my ability to feel. I have been slowly building up our relationship and hesitant to advance it because of that fact. I have even shut out old friends I should not have.”
Her pink hair flew over her shoulder as she gave me an odd look. I saw her brows furl and her head tilt in confusion.
“Your hand feels fine. As odd as it sounds, the metal was soothing. I tease. I see your pain, Eric. It is not what draws me to you. I do understand you have a past that you struggle with.”
“Perfect. You are going to be more than just a member of our team. Hmm… I am a confident, decisive man Willow. Talking like this irks me,” I said as I frowned down at her. A few steps into the grass let the people behind us go by. “I am devoid of emotion and I suffer. My exit evaluations said I have emotional detachment syndrome, PTSD, and anxiety.”
“I am not following.”
“I want to save you, Willow. You are a strong, intelligent woman when you focus,” I said and then tapped her forehead. “I want to be your boyfriend. I know you can protect yourself, but I can do that too. Ugh… See, I am bad at this. I struggle with feelings, Willow. I became a calculating death-dealing machine. I have battled with becoming normal again. I want to be a good man. Where I settle down, find my wife, bounce a few kids on my knee and live the dream life. I cannot be that person right now and it haunts me.”
Willow slipped her fingers into mine and returned us to the sidewalk with a slight tug. I could already see the difference in her attitude. The shine of her eyes and whites of her teeth from smiling was infectious. I had a hard time even smiling and found faking the emotion of joy my best distractor. However, when Willow locked eyes with me, it was almost like my heart existed again and a single beat turned the shriveled organ on just for a moment.
“Let me summarize a bit here. You have not been around women in a long time. Jail, military, and then the loss of emotions led you to a quiet life.”
“Well, yes. All of that is true.”
“Let me finish, Eric,” Willow said with a teasing wink. “You intended to fix your emotional void at some point, probably without a disaster on the horizon. You wanted that fix to occur with me by slow brewing our relationship. A nod of yes… Good. So, you want to become better. However, you cannot until you weather this new storm. I think it is time you told me what is going to happen that has you leaving your comfort zone. I think I see in your eyes how difficult telling me some of your past is. You still lust though; I see your body language. You’re wanting to devour me.”
“Try as hard as I can, but I am only a man,” I sang.
“Did you just sublime me…?”
“What!? I love that song. Actually, that song was stuck in my head at the ‘struggles’ meeting until I started talking… And it’s back. That time it was my fault.”
“You are adorable at times, Eric Yang. Tell me the disaster and then… No, hand me my necklace, please. Sir!” Willow said and wiggled her brows playfully.
We shifted off the sidewalk while I rummaged in my short’s pocket and delivered the item as requested. The clasp locked with the slightest of clicks. Willow softly
kissed my cheek. My offered palm was accepted and I placed her back against my chest. My left forearm went beside hers. I paired our Gpads and before she could ask what was happening, I sent the file Dr. Gepstein sent me. Her initial reaction was exactly what was expected. A gasp of shock at the horrifying holographic image.
CHAPTER 3
“This can’t be real,” Willow said in a soft whisper. “I have to watch it again. My mind is not accepting what my eyes have witnessed.”
The image hovered over her Gpad. The three-inch-long by two-inch-wide wrist device generated a holographic rendering. A large asteroid hurtled through space. The trail of small debris streamed behind the large rock in a tail. At first glance, it seemed completely rational to view a large rock hurtling through the void of space. This next portion I had watched over a hundred times.
‘Communication received’ was stenciled over the bottom of the hologram.
A fraction of a second later, the asteroid shimmered. The appearance of the massive rock suddenly pixelated until a spaceship was revealed. The trailing debris behind the asteroid was replaced with an exhaust plume. The hull of the ship was sleek with smooth contours. Clear viewports were illuminated by interior lighting that contrasted against the reflective hull. Two covers slid back to reveal balls of energy charging inside weapon ports. Twin eruptions of power shot in front of the ship. As the projectiles sped away, the ship returned to its asteroid appearance in less than a second. The video went blank shortly after.
‘Satellites Hoskin and Lana destroyed. 4:31 Zulu on 1-19-32’
“This was months ago.”
“Keep watching.”
‘Dr. Gepstein has had his clearance removed. He spammed out this message to six thousand contacts. Your name has been removed from the list. Best wishes, a helping friend.’
