Wicked Awake

by Merrill David

  Jake led Amanda on a private tour of the complex, and then he asked her if there was anything else she wanted to see. One vehicle struckAmanda’s fancy.

  “I want to go in that one” she said, pointing to one of the several Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) that were congregated there.

  Jake recommended Amanda take her sandals off as they climbed up the ladder attached to the rear of the vehicle. They then descended through the hatch that led to the vehicle’s interior.

  Jake explained that this was a special, unique combat vehicle that was unlike any other. “It was designed to self -deploy from an amphibious assault ship about twelve miles from shore. It can carry up to seventeen Marines on board and is able to travel eight knots or faster through seas with waves up to three feet” Jake said.

  “When approaching land, it operates much like a tank. It’s able to contend with a full range of direct fire, indirect fire, and landmine threats while also destroying other combat vehicles similar in size.”

  Amanda yawned and remarked somewhat sarcastically “wow, some pretty cool stuff … but does it have a radio? I want to hear some music.”

  “Umm, no” Jake said.

  Amanda, seated in the ACV’s driver seat, turned the driver seat around facing backward, toward Jake. She began to unbutton her light blue blouse, revealing her shapely bronze bosom. Jake removed his shirt, revealing his two black ink tattoos. One of the images was a crucifix on a chain hanging in the center of his pectoral muscles. The second, larger tat was located on his heart and bore the image of St. Michael, the archangel patron saint of soldiers and police officers.

  Amanda was in the process of completely removing her blouse and then her lacy beige brassiere when she commented on Jake’s artwork. “Nice ink.”

  Being a Catholic-raised girl herself, she was quite familiar with both images. Jake sensed that Amanda appreciated his tattoos and he began to tell her where and when he had acquired them. He was quickly interrupted by her left hand, which Amanda abruptly placed over Jake’s mouth.

  “Shut up and help me,” she commanded as she unbuttoned her Levi’s jeans. Jake smiled, highly excited and glad to oblige. He tugged at the legs of her skintight jeans to get them off her before Amanda similarly assisted with his.

  It had already been hot, moist, and sultry within the military vehicle. It was about to become nothing less than blistering. Suddenly the Whitesnake song “Slide It In” beg an to play, softly but loud enough to create just the right mood for what was to follow. Because there was no AM/FM radio in the vector, the origin of this epic tune could not be identified.

  The passion continued to flourish inside the sweltering armored love chamber for about an hour. Afterwards, the exhausted soldier decided that this might be the most opportune time for him to act on something he had been contemplating since he began to really know Amanda personally. Jake prepared to propose to Amanda, to beg her to take his hand in marriage. But he was terror-stricken. He had not experienced much in his life nearly as impactful enough to place fear in his heart.

  Not snakes or spiders or deep water, vicious dogs or things that go bump in the night. Not the thought of going to war or the potential of being wounded or killed in battle. Not being alone without backup and facing Osama Bin Laden - types in deep underground sand cave dwellings.

  But the whole concept of pouring his heart out to and devoting his attention and focus on one woman, leaving him open to the possibility of heartbreak and rejection- was terrifying. The night before, Jake had been rehearsing the scene in his mind, convincing himself to follow through with his plan. He would get down on one knee and remove an engagement ring from the watch pocket in his jeans.

  “Will you please marry me, Amanda McKnight?” his wobbling voice would question.

  Speechless and caught off guard, Amanda would then most likely retort with something like, “Oh my God! Are you serious?”

  Jake would then reassure her by nodding in the affirmative, responding with, “I couldn’t be any surer of it than I am now!”

  Jake’s scenario preparation ended there, as he had no idea what to expect in her answer. All he could do at this point was go through the motions and hope for the best.

  So, the time had come. Jake had his girl right where he wanted her. The evening had gone great, they had just made love in an Amphibious Combat Vehicle. The mood was set. The lovestruck young man reached down to pick up his crumpled pair of Levi’s jeans off the vehicle floor to remove an engagement ring from the front pocket. Alarmingly, a shrill sounding air horn began to wail. Flood lights darted about the base. Jake knew that in a matter of seconds, military policemen would be buzzing all about. The young Marine threw on his pants and said, “we got togo.”

  It was three o’clock in the morning. Jake took his lady home and returned the muck- encrusted Jeep back to the base before anyone realized it had been commandeered.

  And that was about the closest Jake would ever come to proposing to Amanda McKnight ever again.

  Chapter Eight - Taking it All in Vein

  Dallas County Jail, Downtown Dallas (Present Day) Jake counted the ants scurrying around below his concrete bunk. He dropped crumbs from his uneaten bologna sandwich onto the cold, solid, concrete floor to provide food for his newfound insect friends. This was just one of the various menial tasks that preoccupied his time since his incarceration in the Lew Sterrett - Dallas County Jail.

  Jake’s mind was racing, flashing strobe -like images of Amanda blinked in his mental monitor. He thought about his love for her and about some of the difficult times they shared as well. Although they never married, they had been living together, practically married, for a couple of years now.

  She was a very jealous woman. That temperament had been brought on undoubtedly by a cheating ex who tainted her before Jake came into the picture. When the couple had gone out in public, she would watch him closely. Often, she accused him of making intentional eye contact with other women, staring at them. Jake often felt inclined when other women were in the area to look down at the ground to avoid such accusations.

  Early in their relationship, Jake’s high school crush Kristin called Jake once just to say hello and to see how he was doing. She was excited to hear his voice and to share the latest news in their lives.

  Amanda overheard the conversation and was obviously upset by the thought of Jake speaking with another woman. So much so that Jake later wrote Kristin and said he could not have anything to do with her anymore because his girlfriend was so jealous. That was the last communication ever between Jake and Kristin.

  Looking back on that decision now, the heartfelt Hathaway had much regret for having done that to Kristin. He felt as if he had betrayed their friendship and the commitment he had made to always be there for her. Jake missed Kristin badly and highly doubted that she would ever have anything to do with him again.

  Jake’s meditation was abruptly shortened when one of the jailers yelled “yo, Hathaway. You got a visitor. “ Jake was escorted into a large room with chairs lined up in a row and facing each, with a solid wall of shatter-proof glass in between. Jake sat down where instructed, then waited for his visitor to arrive.

  Having seen her in court earlier in the day, Jake yearned for a chance to talk to Amanda. He hoped she was about to breeze into the room on the other side of the glass. The moment was quickly ruined when Jake watched his caller embark upon the visitor’s room and sit down across from him behind the glass partition. Jake tried not to act disappointed, for his visitor was not Amanda. It was his buddy, Dave. This was still a pleasant surprise, much better than counting insects.

  Dave Talucci owned a successful sports bar / restaurant called “the Hail Mary.” The business was in Addison, a small but thriving suburb just north of Dallas. Talucci was 40 something years old, short and dumpy, with a receding hairline and thin moustache. He was usually dressed in the finest and latest jogging suits with matching tennis shoes, and a gold chain hanging from his neck.


  A native of Chicago, Dave was divorced and had no children. He had lived in the house across the street from Jake and Amanda for a couple of years now, and the neighbors had begun a gratifying friendship. Dave and the couple often joined up to watch football, cook out, or just to talk about the latest news and gossip from the neighborhood.

  Now, sitting across from Jake, Dave was shocked to think that his good friend, the tough seasoned veteran cop could have murdered his own brother and sister-in-law.

  Jake seemed to be distant and distracted. Dave knew he had to carefully choose his words. He realized this might be his only chance to converse with his friend.

  “Jake... I know what the media is saying about that day. I’m curious to hear it from you. What reallyhappened?” The imprisoned one spoke, explaining the circumstances that led to his being here. Or at least he described it as well as he could, considering he did not completely understand much of it, himself. Dave attempted to comprehend the tale he had just heard, then had some news of his own to disclose.

  “Since your incident, a lot of strange events have been happening. And they seem to be quite like what happened to you. Just the other day I saw a local TV news story about a crossing guard out in Tyler. She was about 65 years old and wearing a reflective traffic vest, helping kids cross the street after exiting the bus.

  “She was holding up traffic with this handheld stop sign when three creatures came out of the woods. They were slow, walking at less than normal walking speed. Two men and one woman. At least it sounded like they used to be.

  “They got right in the roadway, making cars swerve around them. Someone yelled ‘everybody run!’

  “The crossing guard lady swiveled in time to see the trio of dead things right behind her. She yelled at the kids, screaming, ‘get back on the bus! Back on the bus!’ “She bought the kids some more time by throwing herself into the path of the monsters, and they soon lost interest in the children. All of this was captured on the school bus video system

  - they showed it on the news!

  “The blue -haired sweet grandma was soon being devoured by these dead-looking people who were tearing her face and arms to shreds with their nails and teeth. They tried to bite through her plastic vest but were unsuccessful - so they clawed it off her then proceeded to feast upon her chest - ripping and pulling on organs.

  “One creature bit through her intestine then began pulling at the slimy organ with its teeth. The intestine stretched several feet, originating from within the lady’s inner cavity. Another thing attacked her head, pulling her brain out through the top of her skull and feasting on it! The kids reboarded the bus, and the driver accelerated down the road, leading them all to safety. But that crossing guard lady died a hero!”

  “Oh damn.” Jake reacted. “Sounds a lotlike what I experienced!” Jake paused to further comprehend Dave’s message and horrific description of the zombie attack.

  Thejailer standing in the doorway behind Jake said “five more minutes.”

  Jake blurted out what had been on his mind all along. “How’s Amanda?”

  “Oh, Amanda. Umm -she’s not good.” Dave knew that sugar-coating the truth would be wrong and that Jake would see right through it.

  “I understand she’s working as an assistant to some wealth management ban ker downtown. Apparently, there’s a customer who's like an incredibly wealthy oil tycoon, and he’s got a thing for her. He keeps asking her out. But don’t worry she’s not... that’s the last thing on her mind is starting over. She still can’t accept the fact that you're here. She’s still in shock.

  “Also, she has been having problems with Carson – she said that he didn’t seem normal. Maybe he can sense what happened to his parents. He is always fussy and cranky and not wanting to drink his milk or eat his jarred baby food.

  “As for Austin, he keeps skipping school and getting into fights. He’s constantly cursing and blaming you for killing his mom and Rich. When Amanda defends you, they get into fights and he runs away from home. She suspects that he has become close with the girl who used to babysit Carson. She apparently has run away from home and has been missing for a few days now.”

  Dave knew his timed visit was running out, and he changed the topic to discuss all the bullet points he had in his mental discussion agenda. “By the way, I am so sorry to hear about Roscoe…”

  Jake looked up, stared into Dave’s solemn face, and said “what about Roscoe?” “I figured Mack, or someone must have told you.” said Dave. He now regretted bringing

  up the topic, as he wished he did not have to be the one to give the lousy news to Jake. Jake already had enough shit to contend with in his life. “There was a demonstration outside th e police station. People were picketing, handing out fliers. They were all fired up, demanding that Roscoe be put down because he was so vicious tearing up Holly and Rich the way he did…”

  Jake was stunned and devastated.

  “What!!?? Roscoe didn’t even come into the house with me when I was attacked by Hollyor what used to be Holly. He was in the truck until the Rich-monster tried to eat me in the front yard. Roscoe was defending me like he was trained to do. Dogs aren’t cognitive-they can’t think about or premeditate their actions. They do what they are trained and told to do. He was protecting me nothing more.”

  Jake asked Dave whether Mack was aware of all the hype surrounding Roscoe, and if Mack was planning on taking any action to save the canine. “Well, that’s the other thing I needed to tell you.” Dave looked at his feet as he reported the news. “Mack is still really having a hard time understanding why you had to do what you did out there.”

  “But he saw them,” Jake said. “I called Mack to come out there as I was leaving to get Carson to safety. I know Mack went out there.” “He did go there,” Dave said. “But the Feds beat him to the scene and had already hidden the bodies somewhere. Which I don’t understand, by the way. I thought you cops were all supposed to leave crime scenes intact until video and pictures could be taken and the bodies marked with chalk outlines and such. Mack said he got there quickly and there were Federal Agent types already cleaning it up.”

  Jake scratched his head. “ Yeah, that’s not protocol by any means. Dave, can you tell Mack what really transpired there. Rich and Holly were not themselves. Please ask Mack to investigate this further so he will understand. He mustbelieve me. And for God’s sake, please ask him to save Roscoe from being destroyed. If he doesn’t want to do it for me, he can at least do it for Roscoe.”

  Dave nodded in agreement. “I’ll do whatever you need, buddy. Don’t worry, I’m going to pass the message along to Mack. Somehow, we will get you out of this mess. And Roscoe, too.” Dave made a fist and held it up to the thick bulletproof glass that separated the visitors from the prisoners. Jake gave Dave an imaginary fist bump by holding up a meaty balled-up right fist against his side of the smudged glass partition.

  David Talucci walked away from the Dallas County Jail with thoughts and plans running through his mind. He was now a man on a mission. Jake had known Dave to be a good friend and neighbor. Dave was smart, educated and a good conversationalist. But Jake had no idea Dave had the drive and determination in him that he had just exhibited. Jake now felt very assured that Dave was going to do whatever he could to keep his promises.

  Quickly, the convict’s thoughts turned toward Roscoe, Jake’s K9 police partner and best friend for the past year and a half. When Roscoe was a mere ten months old, Jake’s department purchased the Belgian Malinois dog from a breeder in Illinois. The breeder specialized in training these animals to be serviced as K9 police dogs. Jake traveled to the puppy farm to spend about six weeks training with the new dog.

  It was important for Jake to learn a set of commands in the German language and then to practice using them with the dog, while also serving the dual purpose of developing a rapport with the young animal.

  All of the Dall as K9’s up until this point had been German Shepherds. Roscoe was the first of what
would be many more Belgian Malinois dogs to come, patrolling the streets of the ‘Big D’ with their human partners.

  Right from the beginning, Jake was impressed by this new dog. As with all purebred Belgian Malinois dogs, Roscoe was medium sized and square proportioned.

  Roscoe’s base color was fawn, and his short coat made him and his breed less prone to heatstroke.

  He had black erect ears and a black muzzle. Roscoe would eventually grow to his maximum weight of between 64 and 75 pounds. This dog was active and friendly, and exhibited the high energy levels the breed was famous for. It did not take long for a friendship to develop between Jake and this dog, and Roscoe soon became very protective of his new master and partner. Their connection was as strong as ever. If anything, the bond may have been too strong.

  These two were practically joined at the hip, they lived and worked together for the next five years. However, Jake knew that Roscoe’s role was not the same as that of a human police officer partner.

  Roscoe, like any officer, was trained to take on action that could place him in immediate danger. His job was to protect the lives of his partner or any other human who needed to be protected from loss of life or imminent bodily injury, even at the risk of sacrificing his own life for that of a human. Jake had been able to give Roscoe the commands that put the K9 in danger in order to save human lives. But he prayed that no harm would ever come to his K9 partner. He knew the guilt he would feel would be unbearable.

  Fortunately, Roscoe had been able to overtake the enemy and avoid injury each time he was called into action. But now Roscoe was in danger. With angry citizens rioting and demanding that the police dog not only be taken out of police service but also that he be destroyed for his part in the so-called “murder” of Rich and Holly.

  And Jake was not in any position to rescue his unjustly condemned partner. A partner who just over two years earlier had miraculously saved the young human police officer’s life.