Sarah shook her head. “Even if we could move, you know I’ll be starting back at work in a few months. I’ll be damned if I’m going to commute into the city every morning.”
“I heard they’re installing solar panel roads and test driving high-speed busses from the suburbs all around the city. You might only need to drive for a year or two, and then that might be it.”
“Mom!”
Our conversation was interrupted along with Joey’s feeding as Lucy zoomed in to talk to us.
Sarah turned to her. “Yes, Lucy?”
Heavily breathing, Lucy put her hands on her knees.
“Honey, how are you feeling?”
“I’m tired. But I’m good. Bradley’s getting ice cream with his family. Can we get ice cream too?”
“We’ll be going back to Grandma and Grandpa’s here in a little bit, and we’ll see if we can get some ice cream then. Before you go back out there, take two breaths off your inhaler.”
Watching Lucy play, talk, and grow like a normal kid made me think that she would be all right. But I knew that wasn’t true. We had settled on the older-model equipment and less effective medicine, but having worked a few jobs for the Padre, we could already afford the better stuff. The problem was that I had yet to tell Sarah I had quit the line, and where the sudden influx of money came from.
“So, honey, there was something that I have been meaning to tell you.”
Sarah nodded to me as she puffed on her inhaler.
“I’m sure you saw the numbers in our bank account. They’re looking pretty good. Well, I wanted to use that toward the best for the kids and you, so you can feel better.”
Still catching her breath from the inhaler, her eyebrows went up in curiosity. “Yeah, what happened with that? You take on a side job? Spades promote you?”
“Not exactly. It’s something I meant to tell you earlier, but I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Charlie. What is it?”
I could hear the doubt in her voice.
“You remember my buddy Sam who I told you about? Well, he got me a job working for a man in the city.”
“What man? What job?”
“Promise not to get mad?”
“Dammit, Charlie! Spit it out!”
Joey popped off the breast to see what the commotion was, then glared at me just like his mom as if to say, “Just tell her already so I can get back to eating!”
I took a deep breath. “I do odd jobs for…the Padre.”
“What the hell! The guy from all the stories we heard growing up? Isn’t he a gang leader?”
“I’m not sure what he is, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. With the money he’s paying me, it doesn’t matter. How else are we going to afford to keep you and the kids healthy?”
“You know things will get easier when I go back to work, right?”
I shrugged. “What if you’re too sick to work? What then?”
She shook her head and exhaled hard. “We’ll figure something out!”
“Sarah, I’ve seen what the damned disease can do. One minute, you feel fine. The next, you’re out of breath to where you can’t even talk. Mrs. Reno was a mess for a couple years as she slowly faded away.”
“This is ridiculous. Nothing justifies working for a scumbag. You need to go back to Spades and beg for your job back!”
Joey whined a bit, then stared at me again, echoing Sarah’s concern.
“I can’t go back. The night I quit, the line manager cussed me out and said I’d never be welcome there again.”
“Dammit, Charlie! It’s like the marines all over again. Without so much as talking to me, you make a big life decision, and there’s no turning back. At least the marines were honorable. But this? An illegal job? What if you get arrested? Or worse?”
“The Padre’s son works as a cop, so we’re always one step ahead of them. And we still take a lot of precautions.”
She turned from livid to upset in an instant. “One night I go to bed with an honest line worker. The next morning, I wake up next to a criminal working with corrupt cops and worse. I’m more than disappointed in you, Charlie. I’m disgusted. I’ll never be okay with this.”
Sarah’s words stabbed me right in the heart. Throughout my life, I had always felt like other people’s bad decisions had made my life worse. But I never thought I’d be on the other side. Part of me hoped she would come around, but she was as stubborn as she was smart, so I knew it wasn’t likely. It wasn’t a long-term job, in my eyes anyway, so it was probably a good thing that she wanted me out as soon as possible. And I was sure the Padre would be understanding of my sick family.
“Okay, Sarah. Once you’re back at work, I’ll find something else. In the meantime, I’m going to get us the best equipment money can buy.”
Scowling, she handed Joey to me to burp while she packed up our things. “Lucy! Time to go!”
As we headed for the car, Sarah wouldn’t even look at me. Driving back to the in-laws, the silence in the car was palpable.
Lucy, perceptive as she always was, chimed in. “Mommy, Daddy, since you’re both mad, does that mean we’re not getting ice cream?”
Sarah snapped back before I could say anything. “Ask your dad. He’s got all the money.”
“Your mom and I are just figuring things out. We can all get ice cream after dinner.”
“Yay! Thanks, Daddy!”
When we arrived at her folks’ house, Sarah jumped out of the car and slammed the door. She jerked the back car door open and grabbed Joey, then headed straight in. Unbuckling Lucy, I held her hand as she jumped from the car.
She held on tighter after landing on the grass. “Daddy?”
Moments like that made fearing for her future that much harder. “Yes, sweetie.”
“What’s going to happen to us since we’re sick?”
Struggling to keep it together, I tried to calm her concerns. “You remember the machine at the hospital that helped you breathe?”
“Yeah. It was scary at first, but it did make me feel better.”
“We’re going to get one for your room. Joey’s room too.”
She smiled. “Does that mean we’re going to get better?”
“Yes. It’s going to help a lot.”
“Good, because I don’t like being sick.”
“I know, sweetie.”
Even with the new job, the feeling of helplessness was ever present. There was no guarantee that the medicines and equipment would do anything but prolong the inevitable. Still, if buying time was the best we could do, I wasn’t going to spare any expense.
Lucy and I entered the house and were immediately hit by the delicious aroma of Tammy’s famous lasagna. Having a higher degree in chemistry, Sarah’s mother made the kitchen her laboratory and produced some of the best food I had ever had. It didn’t disappoint as everyone but Sarah ate their fill, barely leaving room for the ice cream treat I had planned.
Phil must have realized his daughter was unhappy, and I was sure it was his paternal instinct that led him to know I was involved in some way. He turned to me as Tammy cleared the table and said, “Charlie, join me for a beer on the porch.”
We headed out and cracked our beers almost simultaneously while we stood looking out into the dimly lit neighborhood.
Phil spoke up as I took my first swig. “I’ll be honest with you. I never thought anybody would be good enough for Sarah. Maybe it’s a father thing. I don’t know. But you definitely fit into that category when I first met you, ‘not good enough.’”
Since he was more like a father to me than any other man had ever been, I wasn’t offended by his comments, but hung on his every word as he sipped his beer.
“But you made her happy, and you always seemed like a nice guy. That’s all it took for me. When you were left for the war, she talked about you almos
t every day. ‘Lucy has Charlie’s eyes,’ ‘I hope Charlie’s doing okay,’ and so on. That’s why you got Tammy’s and my blessing to marry.”
Taking a breath, he turned to look me in eye. “Now, whatever’s happening between you two, you may not want to admit you’re wrong. Hell, you might not even be wrong. But she thinks you are. Dead wrong. So, you need to decide whether her thinking that is more important than keeping your house together.”
“What if trying to make things right will also tear us apart?”
A subtle smirk came across his face. “Then have a backup plan when the choice you make is undoubtedly the wrong one.”
The conversation quickly divulged into small talk, but the wisdom in Phil’s words had an instant impact on me, and I knew what needed to be done. The family and I wrapped things up at the in-laws and headed back to the city. Both kids were out like lights by the time we merged onto the expressway. It was the little break from the day that Sarah and I both needed, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk to her.
“You know I love the kids and you, right?”
She shrugged at first, but then dropped her shoulders and sighed. “I know you do, Charlie. But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. We’re supposed to be a team.”
“You’re right about a lot of things. The job is dangerous, and bad things could happen. But since I can’t quit anytime soon, I need you to promise me something.”
“Okay.”
“If the time comes, and you know it’s bad, don’t think twice about me. Just do what’s best for the kids and you.”
The look on her face professed that she was going to yell at me, but she muted her anger. “Charlie!”
“I know it’s not fair, but it’s the only way we can be prepared for the worst. Just promise me you won’t wait for me. Just make sure our family is safe.”
“Dammit, Charlie!” she said through her teeth.
“Promise, Sarah.”
“Fine. I promise. But it’s such bullshit.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
Getting home, I carried Lucy to her room as Sarah did the same with Joey, and then we met back in the hallway.
“I have a small job to do tonight, so I’ll be home later.”
She just gave me the stink eye and shooed me away. Before I left, I went out to the balcony. Obtaining my wallet from my back pocket, I opened it and pulled out a business card that was given to me by my discharge sergeant. It was bizarre that such a service existed, but it was especially strange that I would be taking advantage of it. It seemed like the perfect solution given the situation.
Plan B.
The title on the card was followed only by a phone number, and I dialed it on my way to the car. It rang five times, and then the call disconnected. Wondering if the sergeant had lied or if they had gone out of business, I was about to dial the number again when my netphone buzzed with a message.
Gather all of your Plan B materials and bring them to the coordinates in the following message.
Another buzz, and I had a destination. I stepped to the edge of the balcony and looked over at the long planter that was there. Putting my hands in the dirt, I pulled out a plastic bag containing a large sum of cash that I had withdrawn and hidden since my first few checks from the Padre. I went back inside the house and grabbed my dog tags off the key rack. Next, I sat down with a piece of paper and a pen and began writing.
Sarah,
If you’re reading this, that means I will not be coming home anytime soon, if ever. Enclosed is $200,000 in cash and another note explaining what to do next. Like you promised, don’t think twice about the contents of the note. Just make sure our family is safe. I’m sorry. I wish I could have been a better husband and father. I love you all.
—Charlie
Note 8001: You are safe. Use the cash to continue taking care of the family.
Note 8002: You are not safe. Take the kids to the location provided in the package, and they will instruct you on what to do next.
Apparently, many veterans returning from the war were putting themselves and their families in harm’s way, so an underground business found a niche market for delivering packages and hiding people should the right number be called and passcodes entered. Bundling everything up, I went down to the car and headed to the location. Turning down the street where I would ultimately drop everything off, I noticed movement in my peripheral in the passenger seat next to me. To my surprise, it was Ryan, in my body, sitting next to me. But for the first time, I wasn’t shocked at seeing him, but curious instead. Having gotten a glimpse of his world and seeing him in my body made me think he was somehow from the future, and if that was the case, that he might be able to help me in a couple of ways.
“How do you keep appearing like that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know what I’m doing?”
“Yes.”
“Will you do some things for me?”
“What?”
“Can you find out what happened to my family?
“How?”
I held up my phone and showed Ryan the number for Plan B.
“Find them. Give them the codes ninety-two-thirty and eighty-O-two. They should be able to help you after that.”
“Okay, Charlie.”
We pulled up to the building. Ryan took a good look at it and turned to me. “What if your family is—”
“I just need to know.”
Ryan nodded as he responded, “I’ll do my best.”
“Thanks, and another thing, Ryan.”
“Yes?”
“Can you find out what happened to the Padre?”
He shook his head. “He hasn’t been heard from in years. He might be dead.”
“But I need to know for sure if he’s alive and, if so, where.”
“Okay, Charlie. I can do that for you.”
“And Ryan?”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful. You don’t know these people or what they’re capable of.”
Chapter 24:
The Price of a Memory
“Be careful. You don’t know these people or what they’re capable of.”
Helen’s fear was understandable, but my well-being was the least of my concerns. I had to figure out the right way to convey that to her. “It’s tough to describe. Before migrating, all I could think about was getting my legs. I spent countless hours dreaming about walking, running, jumping! Hell, I was extremely excited about going to the bathroom on my own. But ever since I discovered Charlie and all his memories, it really is my new obsession, for better or worse. I almost feel like a writer or musical producer who gets stuck on a notion and is almost forced to put all their effort into creating something. Well, for me, it’s seeing this Charlie thing through. Otherwise, I just go back to the boring old life of Ryan Carter, and that’s getting more and more distant. I’m getting used to the idea that there’s something more out there for me. For us, Helen.”
“I had the same thought last night. Even triathlons seem boring compared to this stuff. But can you just promise me something?”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Keep me involved—somehow, some way. Maybe we can sit down and map out everything you know before you make your next big moves.”
“That sounds like a great idea. As much as I have always dealt with things internally, this is too important to keep in. After I find out more today, we can have that sit down.”
We hung up and I quickly got myself ready for the day. It had been a week since I’d spoken with Mom, so I arranged for us to have a nice lunch. I had something specific I wanted to discuss with her anyway. She insisted treating me to a hearty Italian meal to make sure I was eating enough, so we met at a fairly upscale ristorante. It was a strange feeling seeing her after it had been so l
ong. Prior to the migration, the longest I had been away from her was a few days at time for longer hospital stays.
“How’s empty nesting coming along?”
Her initial casual demeanor dissipated as her face lit up with a smirk. “It’s awful! There’s still moments where I’m doing nothing and suddenly get alarmed that I forgot to check on you.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as she went on.
“And I continue to buy and make too much food. Looking in the fridge this morning, I realized I’m running out of room with all of the leftovers.”
“Oh, Mom. I’m sure it will get better as time goes on.”
“Yes, I’m sure too. Though, on a positive note, I’ve started crocheting again. Be prepared. I’ll be shipping you a new blanket every month.”
“Can’t have enough warm blankets! Winter is coming.”
The conversation was a welcomed break from all of the seriousness surrounding Charlie, but I knew eventually I would need to ask for her help.
“How are you doing, honey? You had me send that anonymous message to that number, and then you message me that you lost your job. Is everything okay? If you need credits…”
“No, don’t worry. They were going to run me out of that place one way or another. I still have a enough credits left over to get me through the month, and if that changes, I’ll let you know.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask for anything.”
“Well, there was something. About sending an anonymous message….”
“Yes?”
“Can you show me how? There’s someone I need to contact, but I need to be discreet.”
She shook her head in complete disagreement. “Ryan, I only helped you because you said the person was in trouble. You could get hacked, or even spend a long time in jail if you get caught.”
“I know that. But it’s…too important and sensitive for you to get involved anymore. I don’t want anything bad happening to you.”
She squinted at me as she tried to figure out what was going on. “What is it? Are you in danger? Let me help you, Ryan.”
“All I can tell you is that it’s related to my migration.”
Anger washed over her face in an instant. “I knew it! They screwed it up, didn’t they? Are you okay? Oh no! Are you dying?”
Between Two Minds: Awakening Page 28
