by James Hunt
“Afternoon, Colonel,” Eric said. “Looks like we made it through the first bout.”
“Lieutenant, you should still be in the medical facility until your attending physician clears you. And you should be wearing clothes.”
“I thought I'd try and get a little sun.”
“I'll debrief you when you're released.”
The playfulness in Eric's eyes waned. “Colonel, what were our casualties?”
The colonel tucked his clipboard under his arm, giving Eric his full attention.
“We lost three jets, one hundred boots on the ground, and six tanks. I'm still waiting to hear from New Mexico and San Diego,” Colonel Brack said.
“That can't be as bad as what we thought would happen, right?” Eric asked.
“No, but Gallo's forces weren't the massive numbers we expected. Once he regroups, I don't think we'll have the resources to stop him. Now, if you'll excuse me, Lieutenant.”
Colonel Brack returned his attention to the clipboard and marched off. He turned to yell back at Eric, who was still standing there in the middle of the base, “Go back to the medical ward, Lieutenant.”
Eric gave him a wave, and a burst of wind blew his gown up, exposing everything. A truck rolled by, and the driver let out a whistle. “Hey, I am NOT a piece of meat!” Eric said, tying the back of his gown together.
The colonel was right. If what Eric had seen yesterday was only a fraction of what Gallo had in his arsenal, then they wouldn't be able to survive another fight. Without more men, more planes, and more guns, there wasn’t really any chance.
The nurse attending to Eric watched him walk back inside the hospital, his gown loosely strung together. She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, looking at him with a sense of bewilderment and curiosity.
“Enjoy your stroll?” she asked.
“I need to know where you put my uniform,” Eric said.
“You're not going anywhere until you're cleared to leave.”
“Look. I know this must be hard on you, what with how you must feel about me. The conflict raging inside of you, trying to figure out whether to help the noble, physically fit, incredibly handsome patient that you've fallen in lust-filled love with, or following your chain of command,” Eric said, grabbing the nurse's hand and massaging it between his own. “But sometimes your heart is worth taking a chance on.”
Eric felt something pinch his left shoulder. He looked down to see a syringe sticking out with the plunger pressed all the way down.
“What's that?” Eric asked.
“A sedative.”
“At least buy me a drink firs...”
Before Eric could finish, he collapsed to the floor in an unconscious heap.
***
The office was dark except for one lamp. The yellow light was filtered through a green lampshade, casting Jones’s office in a similar color. His jacket hung from the back of his chair, and the cuffs from his sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled halfway up his arms. His constant wearing of long sleeves and suits masked his thin frame, but with his sleeves rolled up, one could see the outline of bones covered in liver-spotted skin.
Jones massaged his temples. He was the only one left in the office. He'd been hunched over paperwork examining water prospects in South America for the past three hours. He checked his phone for the time. Nine-thirty.
This was a task he would have normally given to one of the interns, but it would raise questions that he didn’t want to answer at the moment. The climate in the country was incredibly fragile. The vote to exile the southwestern states had brought on some violent backlash, but he knew that was to be expected.
However, the president's address hadn’t had the wide-reaching effect he hoped it would. The protests in different cities along the east coast was something he hadn't predicted. Of all the times for the American people to grow a backbone, now was the worst.
Jones knew Smith and Daniel had begun working on their countermeasures as soon as the vote was over. His sources were telling him that they were coordinating with one of the congressmen from Oregon. Water, fuel, and food were being smuggled into the region to help reinforce what little military stayed behind to fend off Mexico’s advancements. It wouldn't matter for long, though. Once Gallo's men took over the southwest region, whatever American military presence was left would be eradicated.
After that, the protests would stop and the attention would be turned to either waging war against the expanding Mexican government or forging an alliance, which Jones would assist with. He just hoped that General Gallo was as good at winning wars as he was at spending money on military expenses.
The other obstacle in his path was Smith’s acquisition of Dr. Carlson. He knew Smith was trying to get the doctor to recreate his work, but he couldn’t figure out where the congressman was hiding him.
Jones’s phone buzzed at the top right-hand corner of the desk. It was an unknown number, but judging by the time of day, he knew who it was.
“What is it?” Jones asked.
“You told me that all American troops were pulled from the area,” Gallo said
.
“And that was the order given. We couldn't help that some stayed behind in desertion.”
“Then why didn't you come in to remove them?”
“You're telling me the force of your entire military can't handle a few abandoned military posts?”
“My men can handle it.”
“Then I suggest you regroup and crush what's left so we can both get what we want.”
Jones clicked the phone dead and tossed it back onto the desk, disgusted that he had to deal with such violent ignorance. That was one thing he had always despised about the general. The general had no tact, no political awareness. He'd spent too much time in the military ordering people around.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the two of them was their weapons of choice. Gallo had chosen the sword, and Jones had chosen the pen. Each needed the other. But just like every other relationship forged in blood and secrecy, there were issues with trust.
***
Eric felt groggy when he woke up. His vision was still blurred, but he managed to make out the steel handcuffs around his wrist that were attached to the bed rail next to him.
“Nurse!” Eric shouted.
Eric pulled at the cuffs and shook them, clanging the metal together until the same nurse from earlier walked in a few moments later. She wore a sincere smile across her face, and her head was tilted in the familiar cock to the side.
“Lieutenant, how are you feeling?” she asked.
“Normally I don't mind foreplay, but I need you to take these off now.”
“The doctor will be here in just a minute. Don't go anywhere for me.”
The nurse gave a lighthearted laugh that Eric mimicked. He continued the loud barrage of smacking metal, which woke his bedside neighbor, who hushed him.
“You shh yourself!” Eric responded.
Once the doctor came in, examined him, and gave him the thumbs up, the nurse removed the handcuffs. Eric rubbed his wrist where the tight piece of steel had kept him hostage. Eric jumped out of the bed and landed right in front of the nurse who had locked him down.
“It’s always the quiet ones,” Eric said.
“Goodbye, Lieutenant.”
The moment Eric was dressed, he made a beeline for Colonel Brack’s office. The colonel was alone looking over some paperwork when Eric walked in.
“Lieutenant, it's good to see you with clothes on. What can I help you with?” Brack asked.
“Sir, I would like to request a unit of men to scout the city,” Eric said.
“We can't afford that type of risk right now.”
“Colonel, I don't think we can afford to sit here and wait for Gallo to wipe us out. We might be able to recruit some fighters from the city and utilize any supplies that are still there.”
Brack took off his glasses and set them down on his desk. He rubbed his eye
s. The colonel had relied on the sunlight pouring into his window to help him read, but the sun had almost disappeared beneath the horizon.
“Let me get this straight. You want me to give you a unit of men so you can go into a completely chaotic and disordered environment to recruit people to fight for the same country that abandoned them?” Brack asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Brack rose from his chair and walked around to the front of his desk, which he leaned back on. He crossed his arms and squinted at Eric for a few moments before he spoke.
“Then you better make it count,” Brack said.
Chapter 9
Daniel quietly closed the door to his daughter’s room. Gabby was sound asleep on her bed, and Daniel still had a children’s book tucked under his arm. His slippers patted the wooden floors of the upstairs of his house as he walked down the hallway to his son’s room. A soft smile wavered on his face.
The door to Kevin’s room creaked slightly as Daniel pushed it open. Kevin lay on his stomach on top of his bedsheets. The music from his ear buds thumped loudly as he flipped through the pages of a gamer magazine.
Daniel knocked his knuckles against the door hard, and Kevin pulled his ear buds out.
“Hey, Dad,” Kevin said.
“What are you listening to?”
“Just some music.”
“Don’t stay up too late. You have that math test in the morning.”
“I won’t. Night, Dad.”
“Night.”
Daniel pulled the door closed and headed across the hall to his own bedroom. He flicked the hallway light off, and when he walked into his own room, he could see Amy already in bed. She wore a lacey nightgown, and her hair was curled.
“What’s this?” Daniel asked.
“I’m just happy to have you home.”
Amy had set the mood with the dim lighting. Daniel took in the sight of his wife’s figure and the softness of her eyes. He approached the bed and lay down next to her. He ran his fingers over the soft skin of her shoulder, circling his fingers around her sun-kissed freckles. He moved his hand south, running to her waist. The silk fabric she was wrapped in was cool to the touch.
“I’ve missed you,” Daniel said.
Amy pulled him in and pressed her lips against his. Daniel breathed in through his nose, inhaling her scent. As they kissed, she pulled him down on top of her and slipped off his robe. She ran her hands down his back, grabbing hold of him as though they’d been apart for years.
Daniel had worked the top of Amy’s nightgown down to her stomach when his phone buzzed. His eyes glanced over for a second, but Amy pulled him back.
“Leave it,” she said.
He kissed the side of her neck and worked upward to her ear. The phone buzzed again, then again. It wasn’t long before the nightstand it was sitting on was shaking from the vibrations. Daniel reached over to grab it, and Amy slammed her hands into the bed at her sides.
“Christ. Can’t they leave you alone for one night?” she asked.
“It’ll take two minutes. I’ll be right back,” Daniel said.
“Mhmm,” Amy responded.
Daniel closed the bedroom door behind him and hurried down the steps to the living room. He dialed the number, and after three rings, Jones answered. He felt chills work up the back of his spine at the sound of Jones’s voice.
“Hello, Daniel,” Jones said.
“What do you want?”
“I just wanted to see how things were faring for you since the vote.”
“I’m fine.”
“It seems you’ve been having quite a few meetings with Congressman Smith and Congressman Edwards.”
Daniel could feel his heart plummet to the bottom of his stomach. He shuffled back a few steps, almost tripping over his slippers. He fell into one of the chairs and let out a breath he hoped Jones didn’t notice.
None of those meetings with Smith and Edwards was on any of their official schedules. Only their chiefs of staff knew what was going on. He had to be bluffing.
“I have meetings with many members of Congress. What are you getting at, Jones?” Daniel asked.
“I want to meet with you tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m.”
“I’m not scheduled to be back in DC for another three days. We can have our meeting then.”
“It’s about Colombia, Daniel.”
The phone slid out of Daniel’s grip and landed between his arm and the chair. His face was frozen. He couldn’t move a bone in his body. The ghosts from his past had finally caught up with him. Jones wasn’t bluffing. Whatever he had on Daniel must have been the truth. He wasn’t sure how Jones got it, but the only thing that mattered right now was making sure no one else found out. Daniel scooped the phone out from between the cushions and raised it back to his ear.
“Where?” Daniel asked.
“My office. I look forward to seeing you in the morning, Congressman.”
The phone lingered by Daniel’s ear for a moment. The living room was dark. All he could see were the outlines of things in the shadows. It all looked so foreign. Everything he did these days felt foreign.
The light flicked on, and Daniel jumped. Amy pulled her robe tight and folded her arms. She looked concerned.
“Daniel, what’s wrong?” she asked.
Daniel could feel a cold sweat breaking out over his body. All of the blood seemed to withdraw from his skin.
“Who was it?” Amy asked.
“What?”
“On the phone. Who called you?”
Daniel brought the phone down and looked at it as if it was the first time he’d seen it. He shut his eyes hard and shook his head.
“I have to head back tonight,” he said.
“Tonight? You were supposed to have a movie night with the kids tomorrow. Remember?”
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… This can’t wait.”
Amy wouldn’t look at him as he walked past her up the stairs. With each step, his stomach churned. He could feel the sourness wrenching his gut. He hurried to the bathroom, afraid that he might puke. Daniel splashed water on his face. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
***
Daniel’s leg bounced up and down as Jones’s driver maneuvered his way through the streets of DC. The sun wasn’t up yet, but he could still see the dark circles under his eyes from the reflection of the window. He hadn’t slept at all last night. He crumpled another empty cup of coffee and tossed it in the seat next to him.
It was one of the fastest, and longest, drives of his life. The driver sped the entire way. Half of Daniel wanted to hurry up and get it over with, while the other half begged for the man to drive into the next ditch he saw.
The car came to a stop, and the driver looked at Daniel through the rearview mirror. “Sir, we’re here.”
“Right. Thank you.”
Daniel opened the door hastily. There was hardly anyone up, with the exception of a few joggers and eager interns trying to make good impressions on their employers. Daniel just stood there looking up at the steps of the building where Jones’s office was. The passenger-side window rolled down, and the driver called out to him.
“Congressman Hunter, is everything all right?” he asked.
“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Daniel forced the first step forward. He felt rigid. He found himself feeling the awkward nature of his neck and limbs. The cold sweat he had experienced last night returned the moment his hand found the door to enter the building.
The elevator ride to Jones’s floor felt like an eternity. When the door pinged open, he stepped out onto the beige carpet and was greeted by Jones’s secretary.
“Congressman Hunter, how are you this morning?” Cindy asked.
“I’m fine. I have a meeting with Congressman Jones.”
“Go right in. He just got here a few minutes ago.”
Daniel could hear his heart beating. Each thump of his pulse felt like a shockwave rippling through his body. The col
d sweat from moments ago disappeared. In its place was a blast of heat that felt so hot he thought his suit would burst into flames.
Jones looked up from his desk when Daniel entered. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, and it cast the office in the morning glow of dawn.
“Hello, Daniel,” Jones said.
Daniel wore no emotion on his face. The only offer of fear that he would grant Jones was the perspiration collecting on his forehead. He took the seat directly in front of Jones’s desk. He crossed his legs and folded his hands together. Until Jones showed his cards, this was just another meeting.