Timtown

by Ronald Zastre

  Tim was awakened by Randy a little later. As he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up, he looked around. They were alone in the tent. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sleeping, but it hadn’t been long.

  “Mr. Randell, you are who you said you were. I can give you that much,” Randy said.

  Tim stared at the man for a while, neither of them talking.

  If this guy wants anything he is going to have to start.

  Randy was making concerned faces at Tim, but Tim just returned a blank expression.

  “I’m not quite sure where to start. Do you have any idea why we wish to talk to you?” Randy questioned.

  “No, no idea at all,” Tim said.

  “Aahaa, well Tim Randell, let me ask you this? Have you seen anything out of the ordinary, lately?”

  “World’s all fucked up, earthquake you know,” Tim said monotone.

  “Besides the earthquake, anything you might wonder about? Ah, weird shit?”

  “It’s all been weird, christ man, get a grip. I wasn’t kidding about the world being fucked up. Where the hell have you been lately?” Tim snarled.

  “What we want to know, Tim Randell; is where have you been?”

  “Up in those damn mountains, trying to save my butt.”

  “Do you have any family?” Randy asked.

  “Ah, my mother was killed in the earthquake. Ah, and I have a brother that’s in a hospital and my father is long gone.”

  “This brother, he was a navy flyer, Arty? Am I correct?”

  “Say, how come you know so much? You never asked me anything at all, before.”

  “I’m just trying to impress upon you that we know a lot more. So lying to us will do you no good.” Randy looked Tim straight in the eyes.

  “Well, if you know so much, why don’t you fill ‘me’ in?”

  “If you wish. Mr. Adams,” Randy called loudly, “I think it’s time we get down to some serious business.” The door to the tent opened, and the older civilian Tim had met earlier walked in.

  “Hello Tim, I’m Ed Adams,” he said.

  “Hello,” Tim responded.

  “For starters,” Ed said, “I’m going to tell you what we do know, and then I’ll tell you what we don’t. But—before I start—I want you to know this is a serious time and we are serious men. Do you understand?”

  “I can appreciate that,” Tim said.

  “Okay, good! Now your brother, Arty, was taken from the VA hospital three weeks ago,” Ed said.

  “What? Is he okay?” Tim hoped he sounded surprised. “Oh shit, who would want to—”

  “You took him!” Randy interrupted. “So just cease with the bullshit.”

  “You guys are nuts,” Tim countered.

  “We have a beautiful picture of you in the hospital corridor, Tim, and a lot of great eyewitness accounts of you being there. Oh, and Ann, they remember Ann very well,” Ed countered back.

  “Why would I take my brother from a hospital? He was sick, dying, that’s what the doctor told my mother.”

  “Well, that’s one of the things we want to know,” Randy added, a grin on his face. “Oh, and Tim, by the way, you have been charged with a number of crimes, and if you don’t produce Arty—alive—real quick, murder will be added. Do you want to enlighten us now?”

  “I haven’t done anything, you can’t charge me,” Tim argued.

  “We’re the government,” Randy leaned forward, “we can charge you for breathing our air without a permit, if we want.”

  Ed Adams reached into the briefcase he had brought in with him and pulled out a file. He opened the file and pulled out some papers, handing them to Tim.

  “Read!” he instructed.

  Tim saw ‘Justice Department of the United Stated of America’, first, then his name, and ‘To wit’s and Here-fore’s’ all over the place. He paged through the six pages quickly. They weren’t playing games according to this. His name appeared often and he was charged with some horrendous crimes: assault with a deadly weapon, nine counts, kidnapping, assault with the intent to commit murder. The list went on and on.

  “This is a bunch of shit!” Tim announced offensively.

  “This is two hundred years in prison!” Randy shouted. “And if we don’t find Arty, add another hundred. You will never see the outside world again. Now, are you enlightened enough to deal?”

  “What are you talking about? First you threaten me with prison, now a deal. I have no idea what you want to deal about.”

  “Gutsy little bastard isn’t he,” Randy said to Ed, “I think maybe we have to get real nasty.”

  Randy looked intently at Tim, smiling. “Do you know what an accessory is Tim?”

  “What are you getting at?” Tim asked. I’ll bet the rotten SOBs are going to threaten Ann, to get to me.

  “An accessory to these crimes would get an accomplice, oh let’s say, a hundred years in prison. Now, with just a hundred years, you realize, for just being along and not being the leader might allow that accomplice to get a parole after; let’s just say, maybe, oh thirty, maybe forty years. She’s going to be really old Tim. Think about it,” Randy said with the same smile.

  “Boy are you an asshole!” Tim snarled.

  “I’m supposed to be Tim,” Randy returned. “Oh, and you have committed some serious crimes so that makes you a much bigger asshole, and dangerous to society; at a time of a national crisis, I might add. If you don’t cooperate, ‘I can lock you up and throw away the key’. Excuse the cliché, but that’s how it is. Now talk!”

  “Okay, let’s say there’s something to all this, what’s the deal?”

  “First, Ann goes free, not a thing even mentioned. No one will ever know she was even there,” Randy said.

  “And me?”

  “Tim, I can’t promise anything specific, but I can tell you; if you do work with us on this thing you will be considered one of us and we protect our own. That I can guarantee. Would that be a summation on your part too?” Randy asked Ed.

  “That’s the way it is Tim. Randy is telling you the truth. We don’t think you did anything to purposely hurt anyone. As a matter of fact, it is apparent you went out of your way to accomplish your mission with a minimum of force. You were quite successful, except for the one cop that has some nasty burns on his face and hands. He’s still mad at you—by the way—but he’ll get over it.”

  “We need your help Tim,” Randy jumped in. “We need to know what the hell is going on in that mountain. I can tell you, we had a hell of a time convincing the key people against assaulting that place. I’m sure you can add some light on that decision. Where we right to be prudent?”

  “Okay, I’m not going to play stupid anymore. Yes, you were very wise to advise whoever not to use force, but I can’t tell you much more, I’m sorry.”

  Ed took his turn. “Okay, I can see where you’re coming from. It’s not in your control, so whatever we are dealing with is not your baby, correct?”

  “That’s about it,” Tim stated.

  “What is in that mountain Tim? Can you tell us that much?” Randy had moved forward on his chair and was looking intently at Tim. Ed moved closer also.

  “It’s something way out of your league guys, and the Army out there too. It is something you should just walk away from, trust me.”

  “And how are you involved?” Randy asked.

  “I’m beyond your reach.” Tim grinned.

  “What do you mean by that?” Ed asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

  “I mean fellows, I can get up right now and walk out of here, and there isn’t a thing you can do about it.”

  “There are perhaps a hundred heavily armed men close by Son,” Ed asked incredulous. “Are you trying to tell me they can’t stop you either?”

  “That’s about it,” Tim stated.

  “You expect us to believe that?” Randy asked.

  “Believe what you want,” Tim said as he slumped more comfortably onto the cot.

 
“And the girl?” Ed asked.

  “She is protected by me.”

  “And what could you do to insure her protection?” Randy asked.

  “How about a hundred heavily armed ‘dead men’?”

  “You don’t mean that!” Randy shouted as he sat up straight.

  “To protect her, I sure as hell do,” Tim declared, leaning forward.

  “Do you realize you are threatening the government of the ‘United States of America’?” Randy stated.

  “How many more years will that get me?” Tim snickered.

  “Son, if you are so confident now, why did you allow us to bring you here? You could have just walked away long before this?” Ed asked.

  “It would have made you suspicious—and at the time—I didn’t know you knew as much as you do. Now it doesn’t matter, and I am going to leave with Ann, whether you or anybody else likes it or not. Can I ask a couple questions?”

  “Certainly,” Ed said.

  “How do you know so much about me?”

  “We are in that business, Son,” Ed answered.

  “Couldn’t you be a little more specific? After all, it’s me you’re so interested in. How did you guess?”

  “You left quite a spectacular trail; going into the hospital and floating your brother out through a third story window on a halo of light, and the laser weapon, or whatever it was you used? It can stun a person, or blow the crap out of an automobile. You didn’t think anyone would notice?” Ed said.

  “Well, in all the confusion I didn’t think anyone would really check, but how did you know it was me?”

  “Oh, we didn’t really know anything until we found you and started running tests,” Ed said.

  “What tests, you didn’t run anything on me?”

  “Oh yes we did my Boy, extensive tests on you and the girl, and do you know what we found?” Ed said.

  “How?”

  “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this—but under the circumstances—considering we need to cooperate, I will. I brought a suitcase into that little cave. It was jammed full of sensors and other equipment, so technical you wouldn’t believe it,” Ed explained.

  “Whanna bet?” Tim laughed.

  “Ah ha,” Randy laughed. “I’m sure you must have access to some pretty advance technology yourself. Am I right?”

  “That Randy, is an understatement.”

  “I’ll bet on that,” Ed added. “Anyway the sensors left us with no doubt about you.”

  “What did they show?” Tim asked.

  “Nothing.” It was Ed’s turn to laugh.

  “Huh? Why would that make you suspicious?” Tim questioned.

  “Tim, according to the sensors, you were not there. We couldn’t get any finger prints either, but we were standing there talking to you and we also got great pictures of you. But the girl was there according to the machines, and we obtained prints from her. Wouldn’t that mean something to you?” Ed explained.

  “That would make me curious, I suppose,” Tim admitted.

  “Curious, you’ve got some people really scared. They are crapping their pants. Do you know who I work for?” Ed asked.

  “The government?”

  “Yes, that’s correct, but my boss, the man that I report to directly, is the President of the United States,” Ed said.

  “Whoa, you know him?” Tim asked.

  “That’s right Son, Mr. Big himself, and he wants to know so he sent me out here to find out,” Ed said

  “I would be willing to talk to him.”

  “Oh really! Randy shouted. "Tim, what’s wrong with you? You think the President talks to just anyone?”

  “Hey, I’m not just anyone, trust me,” Tim said proudly.

  “I’m sorry Tim,” Ed said, “but at this time it would be impossible. But, if you are willing to shed some light on what’s going on, I’m sure it could be arranged, fair enough?”

  “Fair enough. I want you to both know this is a dangerous situation, and I have to go with caution. I’ll tell you what I think I can, but no more. Not at this time anyway.”

  “Okay, I need to know one thing. It is very important.” Ed leaned forward again.

  “I’ll try,” Tim returned.

  “There was an incident a while back. A couple of Air Force F-16’s had a strange encounter. A plane was brought down and the pilot was killed. Do you know anything about it?”

  “Shit!” Tim exclaimed. So that’s what this is all about? That damn Arty did it. If he hadn’t shot that plane down, they probably wouldn’t be here. What the hell do I say now? I don’t have any lies that will work.

  “Son, that F-16 was brought down by a very advanced craft, and it fired lasers. The reports from the hospital and the downing of our plane describe the same type of weapon. Son, did you shoot down one of our planes?” Ed had a serious, concerned look on his face.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “That strange craft was reported in the area where we found you and the girl. Are you sure that you didn’t have anything to do with it?”

  “Yes!”

  “Do you know who did?” Ed asked.

  “Fuck!” Tim exclaimed.

  “I’ll tell you right now, we have questioned the girl and she confirms, you did not do it,” Randy said.

  “What did you do to her?” Tim jumped up from the cot, and Randy jumped back with a look of fear on his face, but Ed stood his ground.

  “The girl is fine, believe me because I would not allow that sort of shit. We simply drugged her and it’ll cause her no problems.” Randy had his hands up, the palms facing Tim. He was afraid of Tim, that was evident.

  “You bastards, how dare you? You get her here, now! Do you read me?” Tim commanded.

  “Now settle down, dammit!” Ed returned sternly. “It’s simple, and the safest way. You wouldn’t want somebody bullying her, and believe me, they are scared enough to try anything. You know in a way it’s your fault because you sit here and act so smug.”

  “I want to see Ann, now, before we go any farther!”

  “She’s not here, but you will see her, and I repeat, she is fine. Tim, I guarantee it, and the President guarantees it, okay?” Ed said.

  “I’m not saying a damn thing until you get her here, is that clear?”

  “Just a minute then,” Ed said as he motioned Randy to go outside. “Get the comm link, he’s the boss,” Ed said, as Randy went out through the door.

  *

  Randy went outside. Tim and Ed sat there looking at each other expressionless for the minute it took Randy to return with a cellular phone. Randy walked over to Tim and handed it to him.

  “She’s on the line,” he said, handing the phone to Tim.

  “Hello, Ann can you hear me?”

  “Of course I can hear you,” she said. The tone told Tim she still had that attitude.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. What’s with all these basic questions?”

  “I’m concerned about you.”

  “Hey, I’m doing fine. They’re nice people, not the ogres you predicted.”

  “Oh, okay. Have they been asking many questions?”

  “Yeah a bunch, but I don’t know anything though. They think there’s something weird going on in the mountains. I told them the weirdness is down below, in Mountain Cove.”

  “I’m trying to get them to bring you back, do you know where you are now?”

  “Yeah, they just took me for a helicopter ride, and we landed just outside Mountain Cove.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure. We went right over my house. They were trying to help me find Brillo Pad, poor horsey. I hope she got away.”

  “I do too,” Tim said.

  “Look, I have to go because they want me to get a checkup, and then I’m supposed to be meeting you sometime this morning, got to go, bye.”

  Tim put the phone on the table and looked at Ed. “Was this staged?”

  “No, we aren�
�t that brilliant. Ann says that Arty was the one that shot down the F-16. Is that possible?”

  “I told you, I’m not saying another thing until Ann is standing right here. That’s it! You come through, and we can talk.”

  Tim looked to the door as someone was walking through. It was the General, and the Major Tim didn’t like.

  “Gentlemen, it seems this lad here is not willing to cooperate,” the General said.

  “That is not your concern General, you’ve done your job,” Ed returned.

  “Yeah, well, if I was in charge he’d talk,” the General spouted off.

  “If you were in charge,” Tim responded snottily, “you’d get your ass fried, Sir!”

  The General shot an incredulous look at Tim. “You little ass, I—”

  “Shut up General!” Ed interrupted quickly.

  “I don’t know where you get your pull?” the General fumed. “This whole area is under martial law, and I’m instructed to follow your orders? It’s a bunch a horse crappy, if you ask me?”

  “It doesn’t matter, does it?” Ed said. He turned back to Tim. “Are you hungry or thirsty?”

  “I’m thirsty as hell, but I don’t trust you guys,” Tim answered discourteously.

  “I see, Major, give Tim your water,” Ed instructed.

  “Whoa just a minute, you guys might be smarter than you look,” Tim said. “I’ll pick my own water.”

  “Pretty cautious, I’m impressed,” Randy said.

  “Would you like to step to the door then?” Ed asked.

  Tim went to the door and looked out. There were about twenty soldiers in sight, some standing, some in a couple of other tents with the sides up. He spotted a couple soldiers off to the left, digging in the ground. They were about the farthest away.

  “There, either one of those.” Tim pointed.

  “Major, would you instruct those two soldiers to come here please,” Ed said.

  The Major called, and the soldiers walked over. Tim took one of their water bottles and drank deeply, then was going to give it back. Ed instructed him to keep it.

  “I imagine food is out of the question?” Randy asked.

  “I imagine, unless you get the Major there to chew on it first,” Tim returned with the same curt tone.

  “You’ll change your tune when you get good and hungry,” the said General sarcastically.

  “I won’t be here long enough, to get hungry.” Tim glared at the General.

  “Boy, a real confident dude aren’t you,” the General sputtered. “You little shit, if I was in charge you’d—” the General spit out the words.

  “Well, you’re not, thank God!” Ed stepped forward, facing the General.