Blue Plague (Book 7): Hope

by Thomas A. Watson

  “What is the most they can get?”

  Mike looked over at Ted and Carl. “What was the last one?”

  “Eight hundred,” Ted answered between bites.

  “Last one, it changes?” Bruce asked.

  “Yes, Bruce. They add more stuff each time. And only one kid made the last cut, and that was Marty. Our boys trained him to make the cut. The next youngest was seventeen. That’s why I wasn’t so keen on just letting Gene’s boys join up without passing the test.”

  Flopping back in his seat, Bruce just looked at them. “Hell, I just told y’all to get me people. I didn’t think you tested them in tryouts.”

  Ted’s fork fell from his fingers. “If Willie hears that, I think he’ll pass out,” he gasped.

  “Bruce,” Carl said putting his fork down. “You really thought we just grabbed people?”

  “Well no, I thought you gave a test, but not like this.”

  “Bruce,” Mike said clearing his throat. “Debbie’s the one that set this up with the girls. You asked her to come up with a way to find people that could fight.”

  Sitting in his chair, Bruce just looked at them in shock, blinking his eyes. “I swear, I didn’t know. I just knew y’all got me people when I needed them.”

  “What, and send you out with idiots?” Mike asked. “This is Debbie’s system and we aren’t changing it. I would like to put in a challenge, if a person or one of the testers thinks a mistake was made, because I think we are missing some that would be good on the teams.”

  Bruce got out of his chair and tried to gather the papers only to have Mike slap his hand. “I told you, I’m separating them. I know what you need to see,” he snapped. “You can’t get bogged down in this shit, not with my kids in this war. You will keep your mind there or I’ll get Carroll’s switch and blister your ass!”

  Groaning, Bruce pouted. “Then give me the ones you have already gone over.”

  “No, those go to Angela and Stephanie, then they go to you.”

  “You mean, those papers they give me every week have been through all of you before they even get to me?”

  Mike looked up at him, shaking his head. “I know the act you put on and know how smart you are. But sometimes, I’m amazed you can tie your own shoes.”

  Stumbling back, Bruce gaped at Mike. “Jesus, Mike, it’s me, Bruce! I’m not that fucking special. Without this family, I’m not shit.”

  “No, you’re something special and that’s why this family will do everything for you.”

  Bruce looked at Mike and narrowed his eyes, then grinned. “Nancy wore the red shoes last night, didn’t she? I bet she felt guilty for hitting you.”

  A small grin appeared on Mike’s face. “That has nothing to do with the conversation. Let us continue to help you get this fucking war over with. I’ve worked with you and paperwork isn’t your strong point by any stretch of the imagination.”

  Not able to even counter that in any way, Bruce just nodded. “Yeah, on that, you would be right. But can I ask, if Bonnie did try to make an appointment to speak to my dumb ass?”

  “Yes, and Stephanie arranged for her to see you next week. The first one was pushed back because you were training Omega with Jake,” Mike said, looking at Bruce. “That’s why we don’t tell you this shit. You know what’s going to win this shit and so does everyone else. If it’s important, you really think any of us wouldn’t bring it to you?”

  “Fair enough,” Bruce said, holding out his hand. “May I have her application?”

  “Yeah,” Mike said handing it over.

  Bruce looked at it and on the top, he saw Mike had written ‘Make sure Bruce handles this one personally. He gave his word.’

  Lowering the papers, Bruce looked at Mike. “That’s what I mean, brother. Without all of you, I’m less than shit.”

  “So, can I get a raise?” Mike grinned.

  “Yes,” Bruce laughed. “I’m finding Nancy some new red shoes.”

  Carl jumped up, “Hey, I asked for a raise!”

  “And did I not find you some whip cream?” Bruce asked, slowly turning around.

  “Oh,” Carl grinned, sitting back down. “Forgot about that.”

  “Shit, Monica hasn’t. She keeps asking him to bring home some more whip cream,” Ted chuckled.

  Looking at the stapled papers, Bruce looked over them. “Mike, may I address this now?”

  “I’m not stopping you, but we have a meeting at ten hundred and don’t you dare miss it. Your wives are beyond hormonal.”

  “Shit, don’t I know it. Angela got ice packs for her hand and Stephanie took them last night to put on her boobs after Cade hit them with his head. He and PJ were wrestling in the bed.”

  “I thought y’all were getting kinky again when I heard her scream,” Mike mumbled.

  “Shit, I can’t touch them,” Bruce huffed. “When I reach for them she doesn’t tell me no, but tenses up like I’m going to hit her.”

  “Yeah, Nancy was the same way with Mary and David,” Mike said. “My god, they got huge and I couldn’t play with them.”

  “Well, at least you understand,” Bruce said throwing up his hands. “All I get to do is stare at them and sometimes, I think I stare at them so hard, it makes them hurt.”

  Ted busted out laughing. “You know how funny that was, seeing seven-month pregnant women beating the shit out of those guys?!”

  Slowly, Bruce turned around and Mike looked over at Ted. When Ted saw the death stares, he stopped laughing immediately. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  “Yeah,” Bruce snapped. “I have bruises from those ‘pregnant women’ all over my chest and legs.”

  “My bad,” Ted coughed as Bruce turned back to Mike.

  “And this is who you let protect me,” he snorted.

  “Well, both of them were the first to score max on the test for Omega,” Mike said, raising his eyebrows.

  Bruce stumbled back. “I picked them.”

  “So?” Mike shrugged. “Debbie gave them the test herself.”

  Spinning to Ted and Carl with an open mouth, he saw both nodding. “Uh, yeah, I thought you knew that, Bruce,” Carl said, pushing his plate away.

  “So, did she test the kids?”

  Slapping the table, Mike busted out laughing. “Oh man, now that is funny,” he laughed. “You really think she tested them.”

  “I know she didn’t test Buffy,” Bruce snapped.

  Giving a scoff, Mike looked up nodding. “No, but anyone can look at Buffy follow you around, watching your every move, and know she is a bad ass.”

  Looking up at the ceiling, Bruce shook the papers at it. “You have some explaining to do, woman!” he snapped then looked at Ted and Carl. “Get your shit, we’re leaving.”

  They both jumped up, running after Bruce as he walked out. Mike picked up his pen and continued on the stack of papers. “I swear, sometimes I worry about him,” he mumbled.

  Outside, Ted and Carl came to a stop beside Bruce. “Call whoever and get a ride here,” Bruce barked and Carl pulled out his cellphone.

  “Bruce, Debbie told us she wasn’t letting just anyone out with you,” Ted offered, seeing Bruce was pissed.

  “I picked you two,” Bruce said, throwing up his hands. “Did Willie take her test?”

  “Yeah, but she didn’t give it to him,” Ted said as Carl hung up and turned to Bruce.

  Reaching out, Carl grabbed his shoulder. “Bruce, there isn’t a member on Omega or Gamma that didn’t take the test. And you should know the guards are given a test, as well as the scavengers. We don’t let just anyone join, no matter how much they want to help.”

  “I can understand that, but I picked you two,” Bruce whined.

  Nodding, he looked over as the SUV pulled up, “That’s why Debbie told us she was giving us the test because we would be close to you,” Ted told him. “Her exact words were, ‘I’m testing you to make sure you’re smart enough to help him because if you’re not, I’ll make sure you’re not with him
’.”

  Carl chuckled, “Let me tell you, she was tough too but when we finished, she told us we were to stay beside you.”

  Bruce looked up at the sky. “Okay, I’m not as pissed, but I chose them.”

  When the SUV came to a stop, they climbed in and Carl looked over at Bruce. “I take it, we are going to Bonnie?”

  “Well, duh,” Bruce moaned making a stupid face and crossing his eyes.

  Turning around, Carl shook his head and pulled his cellphone out. “I swear, sometimes you act like my little brother did when he was eight.”

  As they sped out of the farm, Carl talked on the phone and Bruce looked out the window as the sun slowly started rising, then looked down at Bonnie’s application. “Either of you know why she moved out to New Hope and didn’t stay in the barracks on the farm?”

  “Uh, Bruce, she’s a teenager and there is a shit load more stuff to do in New Hope than the farm,” Ted answered. “Hell, with over a hundred thousand people, there is ‘A Lot’ to do.”

  Looking up at Ted, “I take it, you’ve talked to her?”

  “Yeah, we saw her last night at the movies. She had just got out of class.”

  “That the only time?”

  “No, we checked on her for you,” Carl said, hanging up the phone. “She just got scanned in Center Five for breakfast.”

  Giving a long groan, Bruce looked out the window. “I need three more of me.”

  “Bullshit,” Carl snapped. “We can barely keep up with one of you.”

  Sitting in silence as they sped through the base, Bruce finally looked over at them. “Thank you, you two, for checking up on her, but why didn’t you tell me she had been cleared?”

  “Bruce, like the others, we know you can only do so much and knew you would get around to her,” Carl said in a low voice. “You barely sleep and go nonstop. We want you to have some time to just relax.”

  “This was important to me, I promised her in the hospital that I had a spot for her, guys.”

  Carl nodded. “Yeah, and look where we are going.”

  Letting out a sigh, Bruce looked out the window. “Alright, guys,” he moaned, thinking they didn’t understand, but they did. It was Bruce who didn’t. He could only do so much before dropping, and everyone was taking on as much as they could to make sure that didn’t happen.

  Ted turned into New Hope almost on two wheels. “You can slow down,” Bruce said, grabbing the door.

  “Oh, now, you’re not in a hurry?” Ted said weaving around a car.

  “Lord, grant me patience, so I don’t strangle anyone today,” Bruce mumbled.

  Coming around a curve, Ted locked the tires up, skidding to a halt. “I’m letting Buffy drive from now on,” Bruce said getting out, and jumped back as a Hummer skidded to a halt and four troops jumped out with weapons, followed by another SUV and Stryker. “Boys, we are going to talk about all this.”

  “Not without your wives present, we aren’t,” Carl popped off, grabbing a P90 from the door and tossing it to Ted. “You want the others gone, you talk to them. After what I saw yesterday, I’m damn sure not pissing them off.”

  Nodding in understanding, “Can’t fault you, and that shows you are intelligent,” Bruce said and shut his door.

  The people heading into Center Five for breakfast stopped and moved toward Bruce. Ted, Carl, and the others formed a box around him as Bruce moved around, shaking hands and talking to people before he reached the door.

  “I’m a god damn politician,” Bruce mumbled.

  Carl snorted. “No, Bruce. That’s one thing nobody can ever call you. I think you would’ve shot Congress in a State of the Union Address.”

  “Shit, I wanted to do that anyway,” Bruce mumbled as he shook a lady’s hand. Moving past the lady, Bruce saw a table and moved over and climbed on top of it. “Excuse me, but I’m here on business. I’m looking for Bonnie Lewis!”

  The crowd became silent, looking around. “I’m here, sir,” a voice sang out and Bruce spotted her on the other side of the Center.

  “Excuse me,” he said, jumped down and strolled over. Walking up, he saw Bonnie looked nervous. She was pretty and only had a few scars from the ordeal.

  Holding up the paper, “I just got your application, I thought you forgot and didn’t want to join, but I’ve come to find out paperwork is hell,” he said grinning.

  “Yes, sir,” she smiled.

  “So, you still want to join the baddest motherfuckers on the planet?”

  Bonnie’s face lit up, “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, Bonnie, you better learn to tuck your dick in your shoe better,” Bruce said laughing and jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Ted and Carl. “You see these two numb nuts?”

  “Yes, sir. Ted and Carl.”

  “These two are on my team and shoved up my ass all the time. If you think you can hang, I want you on my team, what do you say?”

  Bonnie started jumping up and down, “Yes, sir!”

  “You start today. Report to one of them and they will get you outfitted, and I hope you understand we are going to win this war, but it’s going to take time. You ready to kick some serious ass?”

  “Hell, yeah!” she shouted.

  “Look forward to seeing you work,” Bruce said coming to attention and Bonnie snapped to attention as Bruce saluted her. With a smile across her face, Bonnie saluted him back. “I’m proud of you, Bonnie,” Bruce said with a nod and spun around, heading for the door.

  “I’d advise everyone to clear the parking lot because Ted is driving and I swear, he learned from Buffy!” Bruce shouted, making everyone laugh.

  “Oh man, that was low,” Ted mumbled.

  After they were in, Bruce looked up at Ted, “You two get what I wanted together?”

  “Name one time we haven’t done what you asked,” Carl said, turning around.

  Thinking for a minute, “Hold on,” Bruce said grinning. “Okay, nothing comes to mind right offhand, but did you?”

  “Yes, it’s set up,” Carl chuckled. “I’m willing to bet they kick your ass for not giving them any warning.”

  Taking a deep breath, Bruce looked out the window. “That’s the problem in this new world, Carl. You can’t make long term plans. Everyone has to live life fast and hard, not even getting the proper time to grieve. If you don’t jump and do something, you will lose out on a little bit of happiness. In this new world, a little happiness goes a long way.”

  Turning back around, Carl nodded. “You got that shit right. I never thought of settling down, but Monica and I are getting married next month and I’m thinking that’s too far away. Hell, in this world, you could be fighting for your life in the next few hours.”

  “Yeah, and that’s what we are going to change,” Bruce mumbled. “That’s what she wanted for those that we saved.”

  Chapter 12

  Everyone was in the command center waiting on Bruce as Mike looked at the clock and felt Angela and Stephanie staring at him. “Hey, I told him to be here,” he said looking down at his stack of papers. “I don’t know where Carroll and Marcus are at.”

  “Has anyone called Bruce, Carroll or Marcus?” Danny asked, seeing it was only ten when the meeting was supposed to start.

  “Yes, his phone is off, and so are the phones of every member in his protection detail. It’s the same for Carroll and Marcus,” Stephanie said, drumming her fingers.

  Shrugging her shoulders, “It’s not like this is a habit,” Danny mumbled.

  Hearing footsteps running down the stairs, everyone turned to see Bruce stroll in. “Sorry, had to take care of something,” he said and they looked at him in shock. Bruce was wearing regular clothes, blue jeans and a black polo shirt.

  “Wh-,” Stephanie started then just stuttered, waving her hand at him.

  Looking down at his clothes, Bruce looked up and shrugged. “Oh, had some fine women say they wanted to see me in regular clothes every once and a while.”

  Angela and Stephanie got up and ran ov
er, hugging on him. “Yeah, it was you two fine women,” Bruce chuckled hugging them. Looking around the table, everyone was grinning at him. “Glad everyone is here because I have some shit to say,” Bruce said, pushing Angela and Stephanie to their chairs.

  Setting them down, Bruce looked around the table. “Everyone here, I want to act as witnesses,” Bruce said, spinning Angela and Stephanie to face him as they sat in their chairs.

  Getting down on one knee, Bruce held up two black velvet boxes and both girls let out a gasp. Flipping both open at the same time, “I’m not much and I know we’ve said it, but I want to make it official. Will you two marry me?”

  They dove out of the chairs, knocking Bruce to the floor and squeezing him tight as they squealed. He wrapped his arms around them. “I’m going to go out on a limb and take this as a yes,” he laughed.

  “Yes,” Stephanie squealed.

  “Took you long enough,” Angela cried.

  Bruce slowly got up with them still hugging him and looked at the table. “Meeting’s canceled. I request everyone’s presence in the front yard, please.”

  They both jumped back, “Now?!” they both cried out, patting their hair and clothes.

  “You two always look beautiful. That’s why I never ask anything. You asked me to wear regular clothes, so I did.”

  “That’s not why we ask, duffus,” Angela cried out, hugging him. “We just want to see you relaxed and with some of your worries gone.”

  Stephanie let out a wail, hugging him. “I don’t care what you wear, I just wanted you to relax some and not feel like you had to be ready to run off to battle with the turning of the earth.”

  “Oh,” Bruce said hugging them.

  Angela let out a sniffle, “He’s listening to the boy side of his brain.”

  “Yeah, but it’s okay,” Stephanie said, wiping her eyes on his shirt.

  “So, will you two accompany me outside?”

  Angela looked down at her shirt and jeans with her belly poking out. “I look like shit.”

  “Beg to differ, little lady,” Bruce said wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Well, I look like a hooker,” Stephane whined, looking down at her low-cut blouse that didn’t squish her boobs.