Amy Lynn, Into the Fire

by Jack July

  She leaned in and whispered, “I was never here.”

  He didn’t speak. He just nodded.

  She entered the room and saw Brian sitting in a chair next to the bed. His right hand was holding Carla Jo’s and the left held the Bible open while he softly read scripture to her. Brian jumped when Amy put her hand on his shoulder. He stopped but she told him, “No, no keep reading.”

  Brian nodded and continued. Amy looked down at the larger than life force of nature and noticed Carla Jo looked old and frail. She was tiny to begin with; she had never been much over a hundred pounds. Her prized long, black hair was shaved on one side. Amy absentmindedly touched her own hair that had been trimmed up to hide where it had been burned away. She said under her breath, “Don’t worry, Aunt Carla Jo, we’ll grow it back together.”

  Through sheer force of will, this little woman had built a major corporation from nothing. She gave people opportunities through jobs and loans when no one else would take a chance on them. She raised her best friend’s daughter and taught her morals, style and grace to such a level that one of the richest, most powerful men in the world couldn’t live without her. Then there was her greatest accomplishment: she put a leash on one of the most violent killing machines the American military had ever known. Amy felt her chest tighten as she realized that leash was off.

  She pulled up a chair and sat next to Brian. He closed the Bible and turned to her. “I’m glad you’re home. Jack has been asking about you.”

  “So, she’s in a coma? We’re just sitting and waiting?”

  Brian had the most kind and gentle eyes. His met hers and he replied, “And praying, don’t forget praying.”

  “Yeah, uh, I need to find Uncle Jack.”

  “So does that Fed standing by the door. They have been questioning everyone that comes to see her. There are a couple people missing. They think Jack knows something about it. A couple hours ago, they took your brother in for questioning.”

  She tried not to show any undue emotion. “Why? Does he know anything?”

  “Nope, he’s been with me keeping the company running or in his shop getting the truck ready for Daytona. We talk about what’s going on, but he is determined to honor his aunt by doing the right things, keeping his promises.”

  “Sounds like him. So what do you know about this mess?”

  “I’ve known your uncle for a few years. I didn’t know him ‘in country,’ but I certainly knew of him. I knew a few men like him.” He leaned in and whispered, “I’ve seen him since this happened. He’s back ‘in country.’ He’s operatin’. He’s huntin.’ He’s only asked about one person. He asked about you. You need to find him before this gets worse.”

  “Okay. Now, what do you know?”

  “I don’t know nuthin’. But I ’spect this begins and ends with Kent Stone.”

  “The Congressman?”

  “Yep.”

  “Thank you, Brian.” She leaned over and gave him a hug with a kiss on the cheek. Then she stood and leaned over her aunt. She stroked her face, touched her hair and kissed her. “I love you. I’ll be back.”

  Her steps were a little quicker as she left the room. Princeton got up and followed her down to the parking lot where she stopped and dialed her phone. A sleepy Adele awoke to the ringing of the phone. “Somebody had better be dead.”

  “Hey, it’s me. Two things. I need you to find out all you can about Congressman Kent Stone. Second, I need you to call Director Murray and tell him to get his dogs off my brother or I’ll get ’em off for him.”

  “Easy big girl. I’ll see what I can do. Stone, huh?”

  “Yeah, he has some bad history with my family.”

  “Seems I remember that name crossing my desk, seems it wasn’t good. Did you find Jack Brown?”

  “No, but I’ll be on it first thing tomorrow.”

  “Good job honey. Keep me posted.”

  “Yes ma’am.” Amy hung up. “Princeton, take me home.”

  “Yes, my Lady.”

  Bogus climbed the stairs to Micky’s room. He knocked but got no answer. When he peeked in, he saw Micky lying on the bed listening to music on his headphones. He knocked a little harder. Micky sat up and removed his headphones. Bogus gave him a nervous smile. “What is that you are listening to?”

  “Garbage.”

  “Well, it can’t be that bad.”

  Micky cracked a little smile. “No, it’s a band called Garbage. It was Claire’s favorite.”

  “Claire, yes. I think about her often.”

  Micky turned to sit on the edge of the bed. “I think about her every day.”

  “That’s good, never forget how she made you feel. You will never replace her, but you will find that feeling again.”

  Bogus turned the desk chair around and sat. “Micky, I want to apologize to you about the things I said. I’m going to have to learn a new communication style. Especially with a baby on the way.”

  “Ma chewed your arse, did she?”

  Bogus busted up laughing. “That’s one of many things that I like about you, an uncanny ability to cut through the fog. But no. Princeton, on the other hand, was indeed upset with me.”

  Micky nodded. “You were right. I was careless and irresponsible.”

  “Yes, well, that’s the definition of a teenage boy. We learn from our mistakes. You have learned from yours, and I have learned from mine. Now I think we need to start over, you and I. I’m going to tell you some truths about me. I don’t fall in love with anything easily. It takes time. I was only in love with one woman before I met Amy. Her name was Macy and assassins from the KGB murdered her. I held on to that pain and rage for almost, twenty years. Then I met Amy. The purity of her soul, the strength of her convictions was like nothing I had ever experienced. I wanted to be a part of her. This is why when I see something that might hurt her, like someone she loves being hurt or killed, I take it personally. I react to put a stop to it.”

  Micky pondered what Bogus had said. “Aye, I understand. I had been on my own for so long, I really didn’t think about how what I do affects others.”

  Bogus nodded. “I understand that. Do you want to know what I respect about you?”

  Micky’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, then he shook his head.

  “You don’t quit.” Said Bogus. “An entire staff of trainers gave up on Mathias. But not you. He loved you. Athos said he took that bullet from close range. That means he was coming to your aid.” Micky wiped his eyes as the tears welled. “He almost made it home; he fell about a hundred meters short. He was coming home to you. You inspired him to love.”

  Micky wiped his eyes yet again.

  “Another attribute is fearlessness.” Bogus continued. ‘You were kidnapped. Beaten and, I’m quite sure, threatened. Most people would be emotionally devastated. Not you. You act as though nothing of real consequence has taken place. Weren’t you frightened?”

  Micky shook his head. “No. I knew you or Ma would come or at least send someone. I warned them. They didn’t listen.”

  Bogus let out a chuckle. “At least you tried to warn them. People were hurting you, and you still gave them the opportunity to save themselves. Kindness: another thing I respect about you.”

  Bogus stood up. “I have scheduled a trip to Poland for the two of us. I think we should spend some time at the ranch. I’m sure we can find a horse that needs your special brand of training.”

  Micky shook his head. “Oh, em, thank you but no. I could never replace Mathias.”

  “No, Micky, you will never replace Mathias. This is not about you needing a horse. This is about a horse that needs you. Never be selfish with your gifts; always share them. That is how you honor Mathias.”

  Bogus turned to see the letter still on the desk. “Oh, Amy told me about this. Renounce your Knighthood?” He stood smartly, popped his heals together and, with an over-the-top British accent he announced, “I regret to inform you that you were consecrated as a Knight in the name of our Lord
God and the British Royal Crown. Neither will allow you to quit. You took the sword; you keep the sword. Unless you die, but then you are still a knight, just a dead one. Goodnight, Sir Micky.”

  Micky laughed out loud. “Goodnight Bogus.”

  Joseph didn’t know how many different ways there were to ask about the location of Jack Brown. However, he was sure he had now heard them all. Henry Ballard, the family lawyer, had also had enough. “Charge him with something or we are outta here.”

  Agent Bell turned to Joseph. “Young man, I wouldn’t let some shit-house country lawyer get you in trouble with the feds.” Just then, his phone rang. His eyes widened at the name on the screen, and then he answered, “Agent Bell. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. No, sir. Thank you, sir.”

  Bell looked a little shaken. After he gathered himself he turned to Joseph. “Mr. Braxton, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.” He pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to Joseph. “Feel free to call us if you need anything. Thank you again for your time.”

  Bell picked up a folder and his notes and walked out the door. Joseph and Henry looked at each other in surprise. Joseph threw up his hands. “Just what in the hell was that?”

  Henry was a bit more thoughtful. Not much scares an FBI Agent, and he was scared. His boss must have called him off. Ballard was almost right; it was his boss’s boss’s boss, the Deputy Director.

  Bogus was sitting up in the bed reading as Amy walked in. After taking off all of her clothes except her underwear, she crawled into bed, scooted herself under the covers to his side, put her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into making love to me, could I?”

  Bogus tapped his finger on his chin like he was thinking really hard. “Oh, I suppose.” Then he tossed his book and glasses on the end table and slid beneath the covers.

  Chapter 41

  Six a.m. on Sunday morning, Amy was singing “Jesus Take the Wheel” as the multi pulsating showerheads worked on her back and neck. Bogus sat at the desk in their bedroom, e-mailing his sister about a business opportunity. He looked over his shoulder and smiled. The whole world had gone crazy around Amy, but inside she was whole. He could sense it in her attitude and her very presence. Her eyes were bright, her shoulders back and even her steps light, quick and purposeful.

  She came out of the bathroom wrapped in a terry cloth robe, threw her arms around him and brushed butterfly kisses up and down his neck and cheek. He turned his head, kissed her on the lips and murmured, “If you don’t stop that you’ll need another shower.”

  She whispered in his ear, “For my man, anytime, anywhere.”

  He smiled and kept typing. “So, my dear, what are your plans for today?”

  There was a moment of silence as her mind shifted gears. Her voice dropped an octave and became serious. “I’m gonna find my Uncle Jack and turn this thing off.”

  “Do you think you can?”

  “I don’t know, but I have to try.”

  “This is hard for me to ask. But knowing what I know about rampaging, do you think he could hurt you?”

  “That’s a fair question. I would say no. Even though he’s working from the reptilian complex portion of his brain, he still knows who he loves and who loves him.”

  “Hmm. Amy?”

  “Yes, dear?”

  “Would you like some help?”

  The speed of her response caught his attention. “No.”

  “That was fast.”

  “Yeah, um, I’ve been thinkin’ that it might not be a good idea for us to, ya know, work together.”

  “And why not?”

  She sat down at her vanity and began to brush her hair. “When I was in Eloy, Arizona, learning to skydive, it was a married couple that trained us. There were about a dozen of us and the planes they had were big enough to take us all, but we only went six at a time. I asked her why. She told me that they had children and if the plane went down, she didn’t want them to be orphans.” She glanced at him, then looked back in the mirror. “If something goes bad, I would rather Katherine and Micky grow up with you than extended family.”

  Bogus thought for a moment. “Makes sense.”

  She stopped and stared at him. “You know, there is no one I trust as much as you, right?”

  “Yes, well, I am going to give you a little advice.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Do not corner him.”

  “Understood.” She finished brushing her hair and disappeared into their closet, appearing minutes later buttoning one of his shirts. She rubbed her belly. “We need something to eat.”

  “Are you ever going to wear your own clothes again?”

  She put her arms around his neck again, bit playfully at his ear and whispered, “Probably not; your shirts smell like Clive Christian and sex. Makes everyday a good one.”

  As she headed for the bedroom door he mumbled, “I’m gonna have to find you a boy toy to give me a break.”

  She turned and smiled. “Sorry, honey, I’m a one man dawg. Better pick up the workout routine.”

  He smiled and shook his head.

  She strolled into the kitchen. Princeton was drinking tea and reading the London Times. “Good morning, Princeton.”

  “Good morning, my Lady.”

  She swung open the refrigerator doors. “Does anyone in this house go grocery shopping anymore?”

  Princeton shrugged. “Bogus said you refuse to hire any domestic help.”

  “Yeah, I may be fixin’ to change my mind about that.”

  She looked out the kitchen window across the holler to her daddy’s house. The light was on in the kitchen. She picked up the set of binoculars she kept on the windowsill and focused in. Oh yeah, Carol’s cookin’. I’m goin’ to my daddy’s. I gotta talk to him anyway. As she walked by Princeton, she stopped and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Princeton, is my truck back yet?”

  “Yes, my Lady, he brought it back late last evening.”

  “Thank you.”

  As she walked across the holler to her daddy’s, she breathed in the pine smell. It was getting cool; Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and that meant deer season. She grinned to herself, held up her arms like she was holding a rifle, made a “PHEW” sound with her lips and giggled.

  She walked up the back steps, gave a perfunctory knock and walked in. “Hi, Carol. Hi, Daddy.”

  “Hey baby, you hungry?”

  “Oh, I reckon I could eat.” Biscuits and gravy, oh yeah.

  Carol set a plate down in front of her. “You want some coffee?”

  “Got any juice?”

  “Little bit. That boy of yours is eatin’ us out of house and home. I’m gonna send you a bill.”

  Amy laughed. “How much you want.”

  Leon grumbled, “We ain’t takin no money from them.”

  Carol shot back, “Really? You ain’t doin’ the grocery shoppin’.”

  Amy winked at Carol and nodded yes. She tore the first plate up and didn’t slow down till she was halfway through the second. Leon looked up from his newspaper. “What choo got goin’ on today? You know, Brother Taylor’s been askin’ about ya. You still got a church.”

  “Yeah, I’ll get back there. Ah, Daddy, we need to talk.”

  They both looked at Carol. She shook her head. “More Braxton family drama. I gotta clean the kitchen; ya’ll go somewhere else.” They got up and headed for the back screen porch. Before Amy cleared the doorway, she had already peeled some hundred-dollar bills out of her wallet and set them on the counter. Carol scooped them up, sliding them into the pocket of her apron. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Out on the porch, Amy sat down and scooted close to the edge of the chair. “Daddy, I have to find Uncle Jack.”

  He shook his head. “No you don’t. Stay the hell out of it. He’s stepped outside his mind. I don’t want him near me or my family.”

  Amy looked shocked. “’Scuse me? This is Uncle Jack we’re t
alkin’ about.”

  “No honey, you don’t understand.”

  Amy studied him for a moment. “Wait, you helped him, didn’t you?’

  Leon looked away.

  “That’s what I thought; you saw Hatchet Jack. He killed the Hatfields, didn’t he, Daddy?”

  Leon still wouldn’t answer.

  “You didn’t even go in the trailer, did you?”

  Leon spoke under his breath. “Well, that’s enough of this.” He started to get up.

  “Sit,” Amy growled.

  He saw that look in her eye. When she was a kid, that look made people nervous. Now that she was an adult, it froze them in their tracks. He leaned back in the chair while she adjusted her tone. “It’s okay, Daddy, really it is. That’s not the kind of man you are.”

  “Honey, listen to me. I saw things.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you did. You, Gene and Jr. Gossett puff your chests out a bit because he’s your friend. All those rumors of him killing a hundred men with his bare hands, amongst others. Then when you see it? Well, it’s uncomfortable. I’m going to show you something, then I need you to forget you saw it.” She slid her ID out her pocket and held it in front of him. “I am an officer of the CIA. I report to three people: the director of covert operations, the director of the CIA and the President of the United States. I solve problems. Uncle Jack solved problems.”

  His mouth fell open and his eyes went wide. “You’re a…”

  “A problem solver, Daddy. No more, no less. Uncle Jack? I read his file. It’s not a military file. It’s a CIA file. A hundred?” She chuckled and shook her head. “No, it’s a bit bigger than that. But what you all don’t talk about, what you all miss, is the thousands of lives he saved. Move forward two generations; it’s well into the tens of thousands. Tens of thousands of souls wander this earth because of Uncle Jack. Think about that.”