Nomad Unleashed

by Craig Martelle

  ***

  “No! There was supposed to be a ceremony and a wedding dress and a real wedding. You can’t reduce it to just getting your names written in a book,” Margie Rose sobbed almost hysterically. Terry looked horrified, while Char remained calm. She waved him away, and he bolted from the house to find Clyde and throw him in the nearest lake, scrub him some more so he didn’t stink them out of the house.

  “We are having a formal reception at the mayor’s home tomorrow. That is where everything becomes official. Then, maybe TH and I can have a proper honeymoon,” Char said soothingly.

  “I think you have honeymooned enough, judging by what I’m hearing every night since you returned from that last trip. I have to put a pillow over my head!” Margie Rose perked up, torn between being embarrassed and proud.

  “Sorry about that, but we’ve found that we’re compatible in all the right ways, if you know what I mean,” Char taunted the old woman.

  “I’m sure that I don’t!” Margie Rose replied.

  “Tomorrow, Margie Rose. We will be crushed if you aren’t there as our witness, to give me away, do all those things that we need to do,” Char purred.

  The old woman smiled and used the back of her arm to wipe the tears from her face. Char draped her arm casually over Margie Rose’s back as they stood and headed for the kitchen.

  “I knew you two were a match made in heaven. You tell me if he ever hurts you, dear, and I’ll take care of things right quick!” Margie Rose claimed, brandishing her wooden spoon. They caught a glimpse of TH running after Clyde, who was doing everything he could to avoid his human.

  “I better get baking. Can’t show up to the mayor’s house and a wedding empty-handed!”

  Char excused herself and went outside, where she found TH lying on the ground, having given up catching Clyde. She sat down next to him, placing a hand on his chest.

  “Do you think they’ll be able to fix the turbine?” she asked. They’d gone to the power plant before returning home and met with the engineer. They’d talked extensively with the members of the Force about their roles and responsibilities.

  Lacy understood better than anyone because she’d worked most of her life in the plant. James understood, too, but for this mission, Terry put Lacy in charge. No one balked, because she had spoken from a position of authority.

  “I do think they’ll be able to get it running again, but it’s going to take a little while. I expect we’ll be there the whole time helping. I’ve read some technical manuals and can help figure things out.”

  “So our honeymoon is going to be spent babysitting our power plant?”

  Terry shrugged. “I guess so. It’s not like we can go on a cruise or anything. I promise, when there is anything honeymoon-like to be had, I will seize it in both hands and deliver it to you.”

  “That will have to do, Colonel Walton.”

  “It will indeed, Major Charumati,” Terry replied before leaning in for a long, hot kiss that was eventually interrupted by a wet dog nose as Clyde tried to work his way in between his two humans.

  “Got you, you mongrel!” Terry cried triumphantly, hand embedded in Clyde’s thick neck hair. With Char’s help, they carried him to what was left of the watering hole. Terry waded in and dunked poor Clyde for the second time that day, scrubbing him with his hands and the quickly muddying water. Terry let go and Clyde swam to the bank where he shook himself twice, then ran away as if he’d been stung by a bee.

  Terry and Char returned to the house, where Margie Rose was humming to herself happily while working in the kitchen. Terry thought he’d get a reprieve, but he didn’t. As soon as the old woman saw them, she put them both to work. Terry cursed himself for not bringing a beer inside with him. There were two left and they weren’t getting any fresher the longer they sat buried in the cool dirt beneath the house.

  He was always of the belief that it never hurt to ask, so he tried it. “I’m going to run outside and get a beer. Does anyone else want anything?”

  “You are not,” Margie Rose replied without further explanation.

  ***

  Having gorged the day before and then slept well, the pack found new energy to greet the daybreak.

  Ted asked, “Are we there yet?”

  After so many weeks of running, Timmons finally smiled when he answered. “Today, my friend.”

  They packed their clothes, assumed Were form, and ran from the Academy grounds. Next stop, that shitty little place where Char disappeared.

  Timmons set the pace, running quickly. The others easily loped after him.

  ***

  Mark showed up at Margie Rose’s house just after sunrise. He knocked pleasantly, surprising the old woman, who was already in the kitchen. She cautiously looked out the window, recognizing Mark from the previous times Terry had had some of the Force to the house.

  He waved timidly at her.

  Margie Rose yelled up the stairs, interrupting a rather vigorous coed wrestling match ongoing in Terry and Char’s room. The noise stopped and Terry yelled back, sounding out of breath, “Be right down.”

  There was some scrambling, a loud thump as if a piece of furniture got knocked over, and finally the door opened. The two walked out as if they owned the world, walking casually down the stairs and to the front door. Clyde raced down after them.

  “What do you do with that dog during….?” Margie Rose couldn’t say it. Terry wouldn’t take the bait.

  “He plays, too,” Char said matter-of-factly. The old woman waved her spoon at them as she looked away, wondering why she asked the question in the first place.

  Oh, to be young again, Margie Rose thought.

  Terry and Char greeted Mark on the steps since Clyde needed to go out. Mark didn’t want to go inside, although they invited him in.

  Terry had to know. “What happened to your face?”

  “James beat me up, because I was badmouthing you, sir,” Mark said, straightforward. Terry rolled his finger, expecting Mark to explain further. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  The reply was without any hesitation, “That was my mistake, Mark. We should have told you. I trust you with the security of New Boulder, and that’s not something to be taken lightly. I had hoped that would have been enough, but I should have known better. Please accept my apology,” Terry said and put his hand out.

  Mark didn’t know what to do. He had actually come to do the apologizing. “But I’m at fault. I should simply follow orders.”

  Terry kept his hand up, “Not at all. You need to know as much as possible to make the best decisions you can, decisions that could be the difference between life and death. There are times to blindly follow orders, but this wasn’t one of them. You will know the difference when you receive such orders and more importantly, when you have to give such orders. Your people have to trust you that you are looking out for the best interest of the mission first, then them, while doing your best to balance both of those.”

  Mark thought for a moment, then took Terry’s hand and shook it. He saluted and started jogging away.

  “Well done, Colonel,” Char said as she grabbed his butt and squeezed. “Nice and firm, just how I like them.”

  ***

  Billy asked Clemson if in his travels he knew people who could help set up a small reception in honor of the two weddings. Clemson didn’t hesitate as he said his family would take care of it. He was off like a shot and in no time, Clan Weathers showed up and took over the kitchen. Billy had pulled a few things from the freezer and they were thawing, but Claire insisted that was nowhere near enough. She went to work ordering her kids about, while sending Clemson running to the far ends of the town to find people with tables and chairs that they could set up outside.

  Billy tried to stop her, but she shooed him away without listening. Felicity watched with amusement. She was more than happy to surrender the kitchen to a professional. Little did Billy know, she’d been winging it these past couple years.

  But Billy did know
and he appreciated the fact that she tried. He also tried. Neither of them were very good cooks. Maybe they’d hire someone to cook. They did have a city to run, or maybe support Claire and Antioch as they started a restaurant.

  “A restaurant!” Billy said out loud. Felicity had been thinking along the very same lines.

  “I couldn’t agree more, Billy dear. Are we about to enter the entrepreneurial world?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what that means, but I think we should start a business!”

  “We should support those with the ability, make it possible. Can you imagine? Being able to go out to eat? And we could take the car!” Felicity beamed as she thought about it.

  “The modern world, my dear,” Billy said. “We’ll make it better than it was before, with the support of my security chief, Terry Henry Walton.”

  Felicity raised her eyebrows as she looked at her husband. “Your security chief?” she asked. “He lets you do this part of it and he does the other stuff. I’m pretty sure he just told you that he works for the people who live in outer space. You just need to be happy that he’s bringing us along for the ride. Would those delightful people, Claire and Antioch, be here if it weren’t for TH? How much of this would be here?”

  “Fuck me,” Billy replied. Felicity stormed up to Billy and pushed their daughter in his face.

  “Go ahead,” she drawled angrily. “Kiss your baby with that mouth. I do declare, Billy Spires, you are the most foul-mouthed cretin I have ever had the displeasure of listening to.”

  Billy kissed Marcie on the forehead as she fussed. He took her from Felicity and held the baby in front of him. One little baby changed everything, or maybe, because everything changed, the baby became possible.

  “I will do my very best to not swear in front of our little girl,” Billy promised.

  “And me?”

  “And you, love of my life,” Billy said, trying to sound romantic, but his gruff voice took off most of the shine. Felicity appreciated the effort. Billy generally didn’t make promises because he always tried to keep his word.

  Billy bounced the baby while Felicity joined Claire in the kitchen to talk about what the first restaurant in New Boulder would look like. Billy left them to it and went outside into the heat. He covered Marcie’s head with a cloth to keep the sun from burning her pale skin.

  Walking around to the backside of his home, he found a buzz of activity that spilled beyond his yard and into the adjoining street. He never knew there were that many tables in all of New Boulder. He started counting chairs and stopped when he realized that the entire town was destined to show. More than three hundred people could attend.

  Antioch greeted the mayor cordially.

  “So, will you have everything you need?” Billy asked, having no idea what the reception’s details were.

  “I have all the faith in the world in my lovely bride,” Antioch said grinning.

  “Which means that you know as little about this as I do,” Billy suggested.

  “Exactly. Grab the reins and hang on, Mayor. Claire is driving this stage coach, and she only knows one speed.”

  Terry’s going to be pissed when he sees this, Billy thought.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  It wasn’t even midday when Terry and Char left Margie Rose’s house.

  Their plan was to go to the plant and help with any last minute arrangements, then casually stroll back to the mayor’s house.

  Margie Rose assured them that she could make the walk to the reception without any problems at all and that she would join the happy couple well before the formal part of the afternoon began.

  Terry and Char decided to walk, rather than ride the horses and leave them tied up for days. After the reception, they’d take the plant offline and Terry and Char would be there, working side by side with their people, the engineer, and the mechanic.

  As with most military engagements, no plan survives first contact.

  As soon as Clyde saw the Weathers’ kids, he ran to them, going as fast as his dog legs would carry him. That started a scrum that Antioch was happy to watch, just until Claire started yelling through the open kitchen window. The old man limped around, swinging his cane at the dog and his kids with equal vigor.

  They easily danced out of the way, and no one was hit, but they got the message.

  Terry was appalled at the set up. “By all that’s holy, what the fuck?” he asked Char. She started to laugh and had to stop walking as she doubled over, laughing so hard she started to cough. He looked about, his eyes the size of small saucers, “But I just wanted something small!”

  When Char was able to speak, she tried to explain. “This isn’t about you, honey.”

  And that was it.

  This left Terry as confused as he always seemed to be when dealing with matters well outside his expertise. He perused his memory for anything that could help him, but had never read a book that mentioned something similar to what he was encountering there.

  Nothing.

  Char snickered as the various expressions of Terry’s confusion crossed his face.

  “I got nothing,” he replied and headed toward Antioch for a better explanation. Char followed. She had an idea what would be said and wanted to confirm it.

  “Antioch, my old friend, what gives?” Terry asked as he pointed to all of the commotion.

  “Congratulations, Terry, Char. I’m glad you two finally stopped living in sin,” the old man said, smiling. His white teeth seemed radiant under the midday sun.

  Terry cocked his head, and Antioch sighed. “Don’t ask me, man. I’m only doing what Claire told me.”

  Terry nodded and turned to go inside but a voice came from inside the house. “You just stay out there and help Antioch! But you—” The old woman pointed at Char with her wooden spoon. “—come right in here so we can see the blushing bride’s radiance!”

  It was Terry’s turn to chuckle as Char rolled her eyes at him. She surrendered to the situation and went inside. Antioch had morphed from master of setup to the concierge as people streamed in with various dishes. He set up a line to optimize traffic flow for when the well-wishers were turned loose to the buffet.

  “Where do you want the stage for your ceremony?” Antioch asked. Terry had no intention of answering. “You know, I used to be a deacon at my church in the before time. Billy Spires asked if I’d perform the service. I take it as a kindness that he thought of me. I am honored to marry you and your lovely fiancé.”

  Terry closed his eyes. A bird was singing nearby. The sounds of people shuffling, talking, and banging things seemed muffled. He detected a hint of skunk. Clyde must not have been too far away. And a bouquet of flowers. Despite the year’s drought, Felicity’s flowers were growing. The heat beat down on him, and he could feel one bead of sweat as it trickled from his forehead and down the side of his face.

  Since getting biblical with Char, his core body temperature had risen, and now, he radiated almost as much heat as she did.

  He wondered if he was becoming a Werewolf. He thought it interesting, but hoped it wasn’t the case. There was already enough dog hair in his room to choke a goat. He wondered if Clyde expended all of his energy growing hair that he could shed, leaving a trail wherever he went.

  “Are you okay?” Antioch asked. Terry slowly opened his eyes, seeing the concern on the old man’s face.

  “All I wanted was a small reception, that’s it. Char said that this wasn’t about us, and I don’t understand that statement at all. I would have thought this,” he pointed around again, “about nothing but us,” Terry confided.

  Antioch tapped the back of a chair, motioning for Terry to sit down. Terry sat backwards, like he was always did, resting his forearms on the chair’s back.

  “This is about the town celebrating all the good in their lives, brought to them specifically by their two most favorite people. Since you are marrying each other, what’s not to like? And then the mayor and Felicity, too? All kinds of good happening
here, my friend, thanks to you.” The chair groaned under Antioch’s weight.

  “Simple as that?” Terry asked.

  “Simple as that,” the old man replied, before targeting one of his kids and yelling. “Alabama! Get that dog out of there!”

  “The SEC. You crack me up, Antie,” Terry said, standing and putting his chair back under the table. “I’m hungry. You think Miss Claire has anything I might be able to grab?”

  “Not if you want to keep your hand. Claire’s pretty good with a butcher knife,” Antioch dead-panned.

  Terry left the old man to direct the new arrivals carrying all manner of dishes.

  He walked up the steps and slowly looked in before committing to opening the door. Besides Claire, Char, and Felicity, there were four other women in the kitchen. Terry didn’t know their names but the bustle of activity suggested that if he stepped into the middle of it, he would upset the work flow and get tossed out on his ear.

  From the top step he called in, “Char, I’m going to run to the plant. I’ll be back in a bit.” Char looked at him like she wanted to go too, but didn’t let the others see her. She smiled pleasantly for them.

  “Don’t you dare be late for our special day, Terry Henry Walton,” Char said suggestively. The others cackled and snorted. He expected he’d been the butt of jokes the entire time and this only added fuel to the Terry fire. He nodded and closed the door.

  He wanted to be anywhere but there, except he wanted to be someplace else with Char at his side. He stood on the top step and watched Char, who hadn’t taken her eyes from him.

  She mouthed the words “I love you,” and that gave him all he needed. He smiled and waved back, mouthing his reply, before beating a hasty retreat.

  It wouldn’t do for the women to see him looking all shmoopy.

  He left hungry.

  ***

  After running past most of Denver, which lay in ruins to the east, Timmons called a halt. They’d been traveling through suburbs for the past hour, so the running was easier as they stuck to the old roadways. They stayed at a higher elevation to take advantage of the cooler weather as well. Although it was still hot, it was nowhere near as hot as the central hills of Mexico.