“Marcus, maybe you should stay with Bev,” I said.
“Look, Rex, I know I wigged out a bit, but I’ll be—”
“It’s not that. I… I don’t want you to be hurt. Everyone that touches this thing ends up dead, and I won’t have you added to that list. We already had a close enough call.”
I expected a fight, but Marcus didn’t say a word against my suggestion. “I’ll stay with you and the kids, Bev.”
Bev smiled, squeezing his shoulder. Carson beamed at the news, grinning for the first time in days. “We’d love to have you, Marcus,” my sister told him.
And it was settled. Only four of us would be going to Porto: Tripp, Veronica, me, and Dirk, the man that started it all. I empathized with him, and all he’d gone through. There had been four of them, five if you counted Hunter, in their little club, and Dirk was the only living member.
His wife was dead, and his kids were nearly the same age as him, by the marvels of the Bridge. I could tell from the look in Dirk’s eyes lately that he didn’t expect to live much longer. After Clayton’s death, it was worse and more obvious.
I’d been tuning the radio out, lost in my own thoughts, and I focused, listening in.
“If what Gina from Atlanta has to say is correct, things are bound to escalate around the world. Caller, you’re on the line with Bill McReary.”
“Hello, Bill. I just want to say what a great job you’ve been doing over the last few months.”
“Thank you, caller, what’s your name?”
“Name’s Roger, and I’m part of a militia force prepared to stop any trespasser from touching down on US soil,” he said. He sounded older, with a Southern twang to his voice.
“Is that so? What kind of force are you referring to, Roger?” Bill asked, unable to hide the amusement in his voice.
“It’s no joke, Bill. We see what the government is doing, which is zilch, and have decided to take the protection of our great nation upon ourselves. We have factions across the country, from the tip of Florida through Kansas, up to Seattle. Hell, we have our brothers up in Alaska and even Canada ready to take to the streets. If you’re looking to join up with the revolution, check out our website at www.FreedomEarthers.com.”
Marcus was on his tablet, opening the site. I saw the images and cracked a smile at the first picture. Their founder, Roger, stood in front of an American flag, automatic weapon held at his chest. His handlebar mustache was well-groomed, and his arms were full of faded tattoos.
“These guys are the real deal. It says they have ten thousand members,” Marcus told us.
“Evan, have you heard of them?” I asked the FBI agent.
“Only in passing. I mean, there are a lot of groups like this out there, but they don’t often advertise on websites. I’ll check them out later.” He cruised in the right lane, coming up behind another semi.
“And you plan on defending us against aliens?” Bill sounded amused.
“Bill, it’s not just our constitutional right to kill any of these bastards setting foot on our land, but it’s our duty as citizens to defend ourselves, and that doesn’t only mean the aliens,” Roger said. I turned the volume up.
“Then who are we fighting?” Bill’s voice went low.
“You heard of this cult, the Believers?”
“Sure. They’ve been mentioned a few times, but we still don’t have much information.”
“Well, I know all about ‘em. And we’re ready, Bill. We’re coming for the loony bastards.”
“Wait, you’re implying that the Freedom Earthers are preparing to attack these Believers?” Bill asked.
“That’s what I’m saying, boss. To anyone listening, contact us and you’ll be directed to your nearest chapter leader. These are trying times for our country, but with your help, we’re going to make sure we survive what’s coming. It’s obvious our government is only thinking about themselves, with the President and the other holing up in a bunker, or sticking their heads in the proverbial sand. We have guns. We have people. We have rights.”
“I can’t say that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” I told Evan.
“It sounds good to you, until these crackpots start opening fire on innocent people because they think they’re Believers or aliens. The problem with organizations like this isn’t their motives, it’s the execution. They lack experience and training. Not to mention, half the people that sign up for shit like this are on meth or like to crush beers all day long. It can head south really quickly.” Evan sounded like he’d had experience with it.
“Maybe we can use them. Direct them somehow. If we figure out where their next meeting is, we can give them a nudge,” I suggested.
An unlit cigarette hung from Evan’s lips. “Let’s consider it, since the FBI won’t support me.”
“We’re back from a commercial break, and I’ve had to let Roger go. The station and the program do not support what this self-proclaimed revolutionary said, and please, don’t rush out trying to join a group that’s likely hiding behind this current situation, using it as an excuse to take part in violence against our own people. We don’t have many details on these Believers, if they truly exist, and can’t confirm if the Objects are holding any kind of extra-terrestrials at all. Everyone should remain calm, and we’ll figure it out together. As a country, and as a world. For now, this is goodbye. Be safe, and be strong. This had been another edition of—” I turned the radio off.
“Sounds like he was slapped on the wrist by someone during that commercial break,” Marcus said.
I understood what Evan was saying, but did think we could use them if things went south. I filed the website name away for later.
____________
Clayton’s body was in the ground, inside a luxurious mahogany coffin. The man had dug it up early, leaving everything in place for us when we arrived. The staff had issues with the breach of protocol, but Tripp made a hefty donation to their facility, spending Hunter’s money, and they clammed up quickly, even offering to bring us coffee and the use of their chapel. We didn’t take them up on it. Once the soil was dumped in again, we gave Veronica a moment with her father’s gravestone.
It was odd returning here so soon. It had only been a couple of months since Bev and I had been here to visit our mother’s site, and that was when I’d discovered the backwards coordinates on Clay’s stone.
“So that’s how he did it,” Dirk said, smiling at Clay’s planning. “If it wasn’t for these markings, and your curiosity, we never would have come home.”
“And Clay would be alive,” I added.
“We don’t know that. He wasn’t in a good place, son. He hadn’t been for years.”
“And you?”
“I’m not much better. But this isn’t the moment to feel self-pity; it’s time for action.” He stood proudly, his breath sending mist out in the cold Massachusetts winter air.
“Do you want to see Mom?” I asked.
My father stared at me for a moment before nodding. We went alone, the rest of the group waiting for Veronica to say her goodbyes. There were several other families at Sleepy Grove today, mourning their losses by visiting long-deceased relatives. Frozen flowers were placed around every fifth or sixth gravestone, and when we arrived at Mom’s, he turned away for a second before crouching near it.
His hand landed on the stone, and I stepped back, letting him have solitude with her. I heard him whispering but didn’t eavesdrop on the one-sided conversation. Before leaving, he stopped and stared at his own marker. “Now that’s a surreal moment, Rex. Seeing your own name like this, with a date from so long ago. What would life have been like if I’d stopped searching for the Bridge and taken that teaching job?”
“There’s no sense in imagining that, Dad. Let’s secure our future,” I said.
“Easier said than done.” He patted my back and walked to the parked truck. Veronica was still at her dad’s grave, and she got my attention when I approached. The others were waiting in the car
s, and I started toward them, but she waved me over.
“I’m sorry for all this,” I told her.
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “I got to see him. He told me he loved me. I… we spent time together. I talked about my life, and he listened. He said he was proud of the woman I’d grown into. I couldn’t ask for more.”
I stayed quiet, letting her talk, and eventually, her teeth chattered and she took my hand, leading me away. “I want you to know that I think you’re a great man, Rexford Walker. You’re what I pictured when I was a little girl, reading fairy tales, and swashbuckling adventures. I never saw myself as the damsel, but the lead instead. But when I let the girl’s dreams of finding her prince enter my mind, it was you I wished for. I don’t know what’ll happen tonight, and if we’re going to uncover the Token or not, but before you meet with Jessica, I had to tell you that.”
I was taken aback, startled at her comments. “I’m at a loss for words.”
“Rex, say you’ll stay with me. That we can continue the adventure together, no matter what that looks like.” We faced each other, our gloved hands holding tightly.
I kissed her, our lips both cold. “I promise.”
“Then it’s sealed. You aren’t the type of man to break a promise,” she said, smirking.
In three hours, I would be walking into the college and facing the woman in charge of the entire cult that so badly wanted to stop us from reaching our goals. Maybe I could stand her up and avoid an altercation. It might give them the time they needed to search her house. But in the end, I guessed our showdown was inevitable.
We kissed once more, and I opened the truck door, letting her in. I returned to the van and took the driver’s seat.
We drove peacefully from my old hometown, and for Boston.
11
I was all alone. Evan had dropped Bev off at our hideout near the lighthouse, and the rest of our group was scoping out Jessica’s house in anticipation of her leaving. My townhouse appeared as it always had. The lights were off, and the place was chilly when I stepped in, and the first thing I did was turn the thermostat up.
It didn’t look like anyone had been inside while I was absent, so that was a good sign. I had time, so I took a shower, choosing to shave. I went methodically, using my trimmer before lathering up and running a three-blade razor across my chin and cheeks. It was cathartic, like I was shaving off the pain and memories of the last month.
My hair was growing shaggy, but that was fine. Just the act of being clean-shaven made me feel like a different man. One that used to wear tweed blazers and loafers, that sat by his fireplace, drinking a glass of wine with an intriguing article from a major journal of archaeology.
It had been so long since I’d driven my own car, and I grabbed the keys, starting it remotely. It was a cube of ice on the street parking, but in a few minutes, it would be almost driveable. I walked around my place in a bathrobe, noticing how bare it felt. It was the home of a perpetual bachelor, with minimalist tastes. I could barely tell I had any passion at all, judging by my décor.
If this ever ended, I needed some changes in my life. The home could really use some feminine touches, or maybe it would be better to sell it and start over. These kinds of thoughts were dangerous, because they implied there would be a future where that was possible. I had to cling to hope that Veronica and I could explore whatever it was we’d begun. I could watch my nephew and niece grow up, and see Marcus thrive as a young adult.
I also wanted to visit Tripp on his island retreat, sipping drinks from coconuts and sun-tanning in a hammock. All of these were dreams I wanted to see come to fruition, and it commenced tonight with obtaining the seventh Token.
I went to my room, entering the compact walk-in-closet, and selected some clothing. I took a pair of blue dress pants and matched them with a light gray shirt and a suit jacket, sans tie. I grabbed some brown dress shoes to finish it off, and appraised myself in the mirror. I had a few cuts turned to pale pink scars, but otherwise looked fairly put together. My stomach didn’t hurt as much, but the skin was tighter around where the stitches had been.
My phone vibrated, and I saw Tripp’s name on it. I answered the call. “What have you found?”
“She’s in town, all right. Her house looks dark. She drove off twenty minutes ago. Guessing she’s on her way.”
“No signs of anyone else?”
“Doesn’t look like it. I don’t think she’s expecting us to break in. Or if she does, she’s got nothing to hide.” Tripp didn’t even sound like he’d convinced himself of that. He hadn’t been the same since we’d rescued him, but I couldn’t blame the guy. He’d been nearly beaten to death. He’d hold scars for years, and not just on his body. But Tripp was the toughest man I’d ever known, so he’d press on like few could.
“When are you going in?” I asked.
“When I get your text, confirming a visual of her at the college.”
“I’m leaving this second.” I checked my watch, the one from my father. I was cutting it close.
“Stay safe, Rex. We’ll meet after this, hopefully with the Token in my possession.”
“Keep me posted,” I said, hanging up. I wanted to call Veronica just to hear her voice, but didn’t have the time.
As expected, my car still needed to be scraped with my snow brush, but I was driving to the college within five minutes. The roads were slick, but traffic wasn’t too bad at almost seven at night on a Wednesday. It was colder than normal and pitch black out. The streetlights were coated in a layer of hoarfrost, and the trees lining the roadways had an ethereal look, their branches heavy with a thick white freezing layer.
Watching the students taking their final exam of the semester felt so long ago. I wasn’t the same person.
The college wasn’t far from downtown, and I took the side streets, avoiding the restaurants and hotels before turning east. The place was darker than normal, the main campus buildings mostly closed off at this hour. The maintenance vehicles were lined outside, and some of the crew were already laying ice melt on the sidewalks. Jessica’s SUV was there, and I pulled up beside it, climbing out in the open.
The cobblestone pathways were slick, but they’d dropped salt over them. I tried to stay calm, remembering I was only here as a distraction. I sent Tripp a quick note, advising him I was there, and Jessica’s car was as well.
The front doors were locked, and I knocked. There she was. It was difficult to imagine her as the head of the Believers, and if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I would have laughed at the notion. She looked so put together, her dark hair long and curled. She wore a form-fitting gray dress, with simple white pearls at the neckline.
She pushed the doors open, and I inhaled her signature perfume. I felt naked without my gun, but Tripp had suggested they would keep me alive if I went unarmed. I wasn’t so sure.
Jessica smiled at me, her eyes reminding me of a cat playing with a mouse. I just needed to keep my tail away from her paw. “Rex, so good to see you.”
“You too.” This was the game she was playing. I could grapple with the best of them. She leaned in, kissing one cheek, then the other.
“How have you been?” she asked.
“Besides getting shot? Pretty good.”
She looked me up and down. “Where?”
I pointed to my stomach. “Missed the organs, but took my ID and credit cards.”
“What is this world coming to?” She batted her lashes. “I thought we could go for dinner.”
“Do you mind if I check my…”
“Rex, your things will be here tomorrow. If you’re coming back, we’ll ensure the office is cleaned up for you,” she said, her words forceful but her smile kind.
“Sure.” I was trying to delay her, but if we were having dinner, maybe it didn’t matter.
“We’re going to be late for the reservation if we don’t hurry.” She grabbed a thick fur jacket, draping it across her shoulders, and clutched a purse. It was spaci
ous enough for a 9mm.
We strode down the sidewalk to the parking lot. “You look great, by the way,” I said.
“So do you.”
We arrived at the cars, and she took her keys out.
“I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t bring us,” I said.
“It’s icy, and it’s a 4X4.” She moved for the driver’s side of her SUV. There went my chance of taking control of the situation. Jessica was a force, and I was only here to stay afloat in her current.
If I objected, she’d be suspicious. I assumed she already was, but if there was even the slightest chance I could pull this off, I had to risk it all. “How’s the semester going?” I asked, like I cared. I knew she hadn’t been even around for most of it, and probably didn’t keep up at this point. Not with her precious Unknowns almost at Earth.
“It’s going well. Your replacement has been subpar, so I was thrilled when you emailed me.” She backed out of the spot, and we were off.
“Is that so? Do the students like him?” I inquired.
“They ask about you a lot. They were told you were taking a sabbatical, but a couple of them were very upset. I couldn’t get Luca to leave it alone.” She laughed, the sound light and breezy.
“He’s a good kid.” I wondered if any of the recruits they’d brought into Colorado had been from our college. Jessica was so cool under pressure. I had to use that to my advantage.
“Agreed.”
I buckled in, peering around the SUV. No one was hiding in the backseat, so that was a good sign. Everything was pristine inside. The fancy GPS screen glowed softly between us, and she played low music. Jazz. Something I’d heard a thousand times but couldn’t name. An artist from the Sixties, I guessed.
Jessica pulled over to the side of the lot and left her foot on the brake. She checked her mirror, and when she spoke, I caught the first glimpse of nervousness in her voice. “Rex, we don’t have to do this.”
Lost Time (The Bridge Sequence Book Two) Page 21
