by Dan McNeill
“Wise, men, say...,” Raymond began singing. “Why do fools, rush, in...” Po turned his head slightly towards the sound of Raymond’s voice and stared. Raymond continued. As he did, Abraham grabbed the tip of the metal pin and began pulling. “Cause I, can’t, help, falling in love, with, you...”
The pin was much longer than Raymond thought possible. Abraham concentrated on keeping the pull steady and straight while Raymond finished humming the rest of the tune. Po didn’t seem to mind. His lips had turned from a small pout into something on the brink of becoming a grin.
Clutching his Superman doll, he began to sit up. Abraham put his hand behind Po's back, helping to support him. He turned to Abraham with a smile, a mild look of surprise and then a great big hug that nearly knocked him off the cot. Abraham hugged him back.
"Abey!" Po yelled. "Is it you? Is it really you?"
"It is my fine man, it is!" he said. He looked over at Jake who was still standing by the door to the cell. He was shaking his head.
"Po missed you so much! How've you been?"
"Er, capital, sir, I'm sure." Abraham took Po by the hand. "I'll tell you more about it once we're out of here. You ok to move Professor X?"
Po let out a snort, looked at Abraham and nodded.
"Good. Because we're going to play a game now Po. The same game we played at Mrs. O'Flynn's house. Remember that one?"
Raymond remembered that one well, even though he wasn't there. Rosie O'Flynn was the older lady who lived in the cottage across the lake. She'd survived the virus too, for a time. But slowly, she began to change. Small tumors began to form on the back of her head and she became irritable and easily agitated. One day, when Abe and Po were there, she just snapped, trying to cut Po with a shard of glass. Abraham said that the only way he got Po out in one piece was by pretending they were playing hide and seek. Po wanted to try to fix her. When they came back with Raymond the next morning, she was dead, floating in the lake. Apparently she tried to swim across to finish what she started.
"Po understands Abe," Po replied.
"Good," Abraham said. He looked at Salome and nodded. "Let's move."
Everyone started towards the door.
"No!" Raymond shouted. "What Abe, you up and run off three years ago and suddenly we're just supposed to trust you?"
“Waymond,” Po said. “It doesn't matter where he was! It just matters he's back now, right?”
“Sure it matters Po!” Raymond yelled. “For the last three years, you thought he was fucking dead!”
"Waymond!"
"Drop it Po! I'm just getting-"
Before Raymond could finish, Jake had pulled Remmy off of Raymond’s shoulders, crouched and fired.
“They’re here!” Jake barked. He threw the rifle back at Raymond, who caught it as he ran ahead to the door. Scooping the gun out of the hands of the drone now lying on its back on the floor outside the cell, he looked back at Abraham. “Your orders sir?”
“Up top,” Abraham said. "We won't have this opportunity again."
Jake nodded, stepping quickly into the hallway. Salome followed through the door, her pink tazer at the ready as she ran ahead of him down to the end of the hall, stopping at the sound of gunshots. Peeking around the corner, she returned the fire then flashed Jake a thumbs-up sign.
Abraham took Po's hand and led him out of the cell, towards Salome.
"I suggest you follow, Ray," Abraham said back to Raymond as he ran ahead with Po. Raymond looked into the hall to see Jake grinning. He winked at him as shots fired out. "And I suggest you run dipshit!" Jake shouted back.
Things were moving too fast for Raymond to argue. Keeping site on Po, he followed as more shots were fired from behind. Jake turned back, aimed and fired a shot that Raymond could feel as it flew by.
“Hurry up people!” Abraham yelled from up ahead. “We’re almost there!”
They came to a chained up door. Jake fired a single shot to blast off the lock. Kicking it in, he stepped inside as the others followed behind.
Raymond could smell the grease. Grease and motor oil mixed with the pungent stink of stale cigarette smoke and cleaning solutions. It smelled like the machine shop at the airport that Grandpa Frank had his retirement party at. Pneumatic hoses snaked down from the ceiling, wrapping their tentacles around band saws and under workbenches. In the back, Raymond could here a very loud humming sound that seemed to make the entire room vibrate.
“What is this place?” Po asked. "It seems kind of familiar to Po."
“I'm sorry,” Abraham said, running to the controls. He shot Raymond an uneasy stare. “This here is the generator room.” He punched some buttons on a panel next to a drill press, making some lights dim out. An alarm begin to blare. “It's the heart of drone processing. No way in hell I was going to leave before shutting it down. Might be temporary. But at least it’ll give them a few more days of peace.”
Jake returned. “I think I managed to pull down the main,” he said. “All we gotta do now is kill the back-ups.”
“Very good,” Abraham said, patting him on the shoulder. “I’ll try to pry open the worker’s panel into the transformer. You find me something we can use that'll generate an explosion!" He looked feverishly around the room for something he could wedge into the panel as Salome came running towards them.
“We’re gonna have company boys!” she screamed.
She ran off while Abraham bolted over to the side of the transformer. About the size of an old SUV, the cylindrically shaped transformer looked pretty secure. Near the bottom of the transformer however was some type of control panel.
“Po!” Abraham shouted. "Grab me a phillips head from the workbench."
Po nodded, running to the workbench. Looking around, he spotted the correct screwdriver and quickly ran it back to Abraham.
“All right guys!” he yelled. “The battery inside this panel is just a dummy. All the controls for each of the main generators here at Camp Glory are controlled from a central location. However, if we remove the battery casing, it'll give us direct access to the guts of this generator, allowing us to take it out. Once Jake returns with something to blow it up with, that is.”
"So what do you need us to do Abe?" Po asked, ready to help.
"The battery casing is at least five hundred pounds. It's going to take all three of us to get it out."
Glaring at Abraham, Raymond jumped down to the middle of the panel to help his brothers. He shoved Abe to the side to get a grip just as Salome bounded back into the shop.
"We gotta get out of here NOW!" she hollered.
Abraham ignored her, pulling harder. Po, sensing how important this must be, dug in, and with a grimace, gave the casing one final yank. It gave just as Jake ran back into the room. Empty handed.
“I couldn't find anything sir, sorry,” he said.
"Come on!" Salome pleaded, grabbing Abrahams's arm. "We need to be gone!"
"No Salome! Not until we do this!"
She cocked her head, getting up close. "Abraham," she said softly. Her dark eyes cast a deep gaze that spoke of pain. Like a friend passing on news of sorrow. "We have no other choice. They're coming!"
A barrage of shots rang overhead as three drones charged through the door behind them, taking defensive positions behind another set of work benches and shop equipment.
“Now what?” Salome said.
“Give me a second to think!” Abraham shouted.
Quickly, he eyed something on the bench where he found the crowbar. A coffee machine. He ran to the old machine, swiping a tall glass jar filled with white powder off a dusty table standing next to it.
He sprinted back towards the propped open service panel as one of the drones took aim and fired, barely missing Abe before he reached the panel. Striking a pack of matches, he lit a clump of paper towels and threw them into the space where the casing was just as Jake stepped in and fired back at the drone, taking it out.
"Catch," Abraham said, tossing the glass jar at Raym
ond.
Grabbing it, he looked at Abraham and frowned. "What the hell's this for?"
"You're the football star, right Raymond?" He started running as six more drones entered the room.
"What?"
Abraham looked to everyone as the drones started moving in. “Everyone,” he shouted, "Up the ladder!" He motioned for everyone to climb, grabbing Raymond by the hand. “As soon as the drones are close, toss the jar at the fire!”
Raymond followed Abraham up the ladder as the drones poured in. With everyone climbing through the opening at the top of the roof, he heaved the jar.
He never even heard the shatter. The explosion knocked him forward as the surviving drones began firing through the fiery orange smoke.
Regaining his balance, he closed the hatch and met up with the others gathered now at a spot on the corner of the roof. The generator fell silent as the lights in the facility went suddenly black.
"What the hell was in the glass jar?" he shouted to Abraham.
"Coffee creamer," he said with a smug grin. "One of the benefits of not having had a packed social life was that I got to watch a lot of Myth Busters!"
Jake stood motionless, listening to the wind. "You did it sir," he finally said. "It's quiet. You took drone processing offline!"
"For now," Abraham said.
"Abraham!" Salome yelled. “Down there!”
Abraham stood on top of the roof, looking down. They were everywhere. A flurry of red lights piercing through the darkness, swarming to their position as the alarms throughout the camp began to blare.
“Good job!” Raymond yelled, grabbing Abraham by the scruff of his leather trench coat. "We're trapped!" He looked him in the eyes. Those spoiled rotten eyes. The kid who got everything handed to him because everyone thought he was sick and helpless. The kid who even after he was better used that for years as an excuse to get out of chores. The kid who always thought he knew everything.
“Sorry,” he said to himself. “I thought providence would show us a sign. After what we did.”
Raymond let go of him, shoving him aside with a grunt. He wasn't worth it. Pathetic, spoiled child.
“Hey guys!” Po yelled, pointing at something with marked curiosity. “What is that?”
Anchored to the roof by a thick metal chain was a giant red hot air balloon. It floated blissfully above wooden stairs. On two sides of the giant gondola were black mounted telescopes.
“A scout ship,” Jake said. "I do believe you've found your sign sir."
"All right people," Abraham yelled. "Get on board!"
With everyone on, Jake unhooked the chains and Abraham started the burner. Flames igniting propane began to grow, filling the balloon with heat. Slowly, the balloon began to rise into the sky. They were gone. Into the night. Away.
Chapter 8
Raymond stared down at the low-lying clouds - over the smoke billowing out from the explosion they created at the machine shop. Underneath, he could see the moon, reflecting on the waves of the lake below. They were moving past the island, higher into the sky. As Abraham turned the propane valve for an extra boost, they passed far over the edge of the dam they had crossed over earlier.
"We did it!" Salome shouted. She looked down now at a feeble creek that flowed from the dam. Abraham looked down at it, wrapped his arms around Salome and flashed Raymond a cocky grin.
"Recognize that crik there Ray?"
"No, I don't recognize the crik," Raymond replied mockingly.
"Hmm," Abraham said with a smirk, giving Salome a sudden kiss on the lips. "I thought for sure you'd remember the Fox River, Ray. After all, you and your buds used to spend half your summers fishing on it."
"That's the Fox?" Raymond said, staring down at the winding creek in disbelief.
"Yes Ray," Abraham replied smugly. "What? Too drunk to remember?"
Salome let out a laugh. Raymond thought how much higher the balloon might fly once he tossed Abraham's fat ass off of it.
"Sir!" Jake shouted before Raymond got the chance. He pointed up to a light. "Helicopter! Looks like a Python Class!"
Bigger than the one Raymond saw at Lake Como, it came out of nowhere and was hovering directly at their side. Abraham turned the valve all the way to the left and the balloon shot up higher. The helicopter matched them. A man with a megaphone stuck his head out of the passenger side of the chopper.
"Shit!" Salome shouted, looking to Abraham. "It's Zephaniah!"
"Who the hell's that?" Raymond yelled.
"Another one of the Elected, Ray," Abraham replied, trying to stay calm.
The helicopter flew close to them now and the creature came into closer view.
"Well done," Zephaniah shouted. He wore a long purple trench coat and a similar neck shield as Jehu. Red veins pulsated vertically along the sides of his face. "I'm not here to bring you back to jail. You've earned your freedom. All I ask is to examine Po. I promise you, if you do it my way, no one will be hurt. If you disobey my bargain, well..."
With a nod of his head, six drones made themselves seen now from the side of the attack chopper, weapons aimed squarely on the balloon.
"You see, I can examine your brother alive, or dead. Your choice."
Raymond swung around to shove Abraham up against the side of the gondola. "Do something! Can't this thing go any higher? Because believe me, if you can't think of a way, I got me one that solves all kinds of problems."
"I...maybe..." Abraham jumped on the controls, desperately trying to turn the valve more but couldn't.
"Sir, our options are limited here. I'm afraid-"
"Ten seconds!" a voice boomed out from the helicopter. "Ten seconds and I order my Guardians to open fire."
Broken, his face a twisted mess of contradicting emotions, Abraham slowly turned the valve in the other direction, shrinking the flame. The balloon, carried still by the winds, began to make a gradual descent.
Raymond grabbed him by the shoulder. "What the hell are you doing! We aren't handing Po over to that thing!" Raymond pushed him away to grab the controls himself, stopped cold by Jake's brick like fists pushing him back.
"Let go of me!" Raymond yelled, kicking his legs out.
"Settle down kid," Jake said. "This ain't over yet."
Seeing that the balloon was descending, the helicopter zoomed out, tailing them as the gondola quickly sank. Po was sitting in the corner of the gondola, his eyes shut tight, muttering something to himself as beads of sweat dripped along the sides of his chubby cheeks.
"Everyone brace yourselves!" Jake shouted.
The gondola hit the ground hard, bouncing as it dragged along the rocky surface of the dried out river. Po cried soft tears as the balloon draped over them.
"Everyone stay close," Abraham said, stepping out of the gondola. With Jake propping up the deflated balloon, Raymond took Po by the arm and followed along. Outside, he could hear the slowing whumps of the helicopter blades.
Holding a brown leather medical bag, Zephaniah exited the chopper. The colors on his exposed forearms shifted and warped from purple to blue to yellow to red. “Greetings,” the man said, approaching them. “Your brother here. Po. He has something in his blood stream, something I desperately need to study.”
Zephaniah looked at Raymond now and smiled.
"You don't remember me, do you?"
Raymond looked at the man with an awkward gaze. Partly because of his natural fear of the creature. Mostly because he was thinking of a way to kill it. He said nothing, holding Po's arm tighter.
"No, of course you don't," Zephaniah said, shaking his head. "It was a long time ago. Another lifetime. You were just a child."
"I wemember," Po said softly. "You were the Wizard."
"Po?" Raymond said. "Who is this?"
"I worked with your father," Zephaniah said. "We were friends, he and I, until I let him down. As I said. Another world. A dead world that makes no difference to anyone now." He lowered his head and walked up close to Raymond and Po. “When I
learned that Jehu droned Po, I noticed something. Something very strange." With the lines criss-crossing his face seeming to boil over in red, he stood in front of Po and stared. "A blood sample Raymond. That’s it. One simple blood sample and I let him and all of you go.”
In the forest behind them the sound of cracking wood echoed loudly along the sloping ravine. “Oh Zeph,” a familiar voice boomed from within the forest. “When are you gonna get it?”
He was coming for them. The next second, crackling branches from the tallest treetops drew their attention to the night sky, as Jehu propelled himself over a towering maple, landing hard just inches from Zephaniah’s tired gaze. “Old doc Bean fucked us all.”
Jehu stood over Zephaniah, brooding. “Old Man Bean may not be able to tell me where he’s at, but I bet you one of these three can.”
“Ah, good evening Jehu,” Zephaniah quipped, giving a short bow. “I see it must be your feeding time.”
“As always, a barrel of laughs Zeph,” Jehu replied. “Now get out of my way and give me what’s mine.”
“What’s yours?” Zephaniah said, breaking out in laughter. “Why I didn’t think they were your type.”
The veins in Jehu’s arms suddenly flowed red. From their position behind Zephaniah, Raymond could see Jehu’s eyes flicker in shades of red and bright pink as he stepped in closer to the older man. “Mock me one more time and I’ll-”
“You’ll what, John? Kill me?” he said. “Again? Please, you have no idea what you’re interfering with. We’re dying you fool! And this one here has what I think to be a cure. A real cure!”
“Get bent old man!" His chest was beating hard while the bulging veins under his thick muscular biceps churned a twisted red and yellow. "You know you don’t want to cure us! You want to make us like them!” He stared down at the old man, the same way Raymond could look down at his dad. “After all we sacrificed? No way. I worked too hard to get here to go back now. And I’m pretty sure that goes for the rest of us.”
Zephaniah visibly cringed while the blood in his veins shifted to match the skin hues of blue and orange crawling up his wrists and forearms.
