by Davis, James
“Yeah we’re doing alright. How about you?” Karen replied. Hank stepped over to the edge of the bed and sat down, placing a hand on her inner thigh.
“Hank Bartholomew Mitchell! You get your hand out of there right now while these babies are in here!” She hissed at him, but didn’t move a muscle to stop his wandering hands.
“What you don’t like when I put the moves on you?” Hank said as he waggled his eyebrows.
“First of all, stop doing that with your eyebrows! It looks like a caterpillar is trying to crawl across your forehead. Second, no I don’t like it.” Karen said with a smile while nodding her head up and down. Hank raised a hand to feel his eyebrows and frowned.
“They’re not that bad!” he said dramatically. Karen looked at him and chuckled.
“You’re right babe, they’re not that bad.” Hank brushed the insult off and pulled Karen into his arms, giving her a huge bear hug.
“Ugh! Hank! Get off of me!” Karen grunted. Hank released his bear hug and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“I love you babe.” he said. Before Karen could answer, a deep, wet cough followed by moaning sounded from the room across the hall.
“That’s Betty, would you go check on her please? I have to get these babies some lunch going.”
“Sure thing, dear.” Hank replied as he got to his feet. He walked across the hall and knocked on the door.
“Betty, it’s Hank, are you doing ok?” He pushed open the door and saw Betty lying in bed. He stepped to the side of her bed and saw that she was extemely pale and had beads of sweat all over her face.
“Betty, are you alright?” he asked as he gave her shoulder a small shake. Betty didn’t move, or even open her eyes.
“Betty!” he said a bit louder this time, but still she didn’t move or say anything.
“Karen! Go get Bailey!”
“Hey Bailey! You down here?” Karen shouted frantically as she bounded down the stairs.
“What is it? What's wrong?” Bailey asked standing from her chair.
“It's Betty Sue, she's not breathing." Karen panted
Bailey grabbed her backpack from the table threw it over her shoulder and darted up the stairs, Karen turned and followed her.
“Shit!” Clay breathed
“Better go find Dub.” Bear suggested
"Bet he's out in the barn still." Clay nodded, standing from his chair and sprinting up the stairs. He started shouting for Dub as he got closer to the barn. Dub came out just as Clay got to the door.
“What the hell are you screaming about, jackass?” Dub asked in an annoyed tone.
“It’s Betty. She’s getting worse.” Clay replied. Dub didn’t say a word. He just ran straight for the house. He walked inside and headed straight to his bedroom where Betty was. Just as he walked through the door, he knew something terrible had happened. Karen and Bailey turned to look at him. Both women’s hair was a tangled mess and their faces were red from the exertion of trying to bring Betty back.
“I’m so sorry.” Bailey said as tears welled up in her and Karen's eyes. Dub looked past the two women and down at Betty’s lifeless body. He stared at the blank expression on her face and shook his head before turning and walking back toward the front door. Clay and Hank were coming up the steps as Dub was walking out to his Jeep. They both tried to stop him but he just walked right past them when they spoke. They watched Dub climb in his Jeep and drive toward the front gate. A few seconds later the gate was opened and Dub pulled out onto the blacktop. They listened to the Jeep’s engine wind up through each gear until they lost it in the distance.
“Somebody needs to follow him in case he runs into any problems out there.” Clay said.
“He’s a big boy. He knows not to wander too far away. I think he just needs a little time to himself.” Hank replied before turning to walk inside. Clay took one last look at the distant gate and then turned to follow Hank back inside. They walked into the room where Bailey and Karen were wrapping Betty's body in a white sheet.
“You need us to do anything?” Hank asked. Karen turned to him with tears still in her eyes.
“Maybe when we’re done you guys can take her out to one of those old trees and bury her.”
“No problem. We’ll go get started on the grave. Have someone come get us when you’re ready.” Hank replied.
They had to get a couple people to help dig the grave and they needed a cart or a trailer to haul Betty to her final resting place so they stepped outside and headed toward the barn.
“Danny, you in here?” Clay shouted through the open door. Danny came out of the stall that they had the U.N. soldiers locked up in. They had been asking the men questions since the battle for the farm. Danny was a new guy to the farm but had proved himself extremely useful so they all decided to let him stay. Danny was wiping blood from his arms and hands when he walked out of the stall.
“They talk yet?” Clay asked.
“Oh yeah. Once the pliers came out and they watched me rip one of their buddy’s teeth out they started speaking perfect English.” Danny said with a look of disgust.
“I’m glad you look disgusted by that. I’d be worried if you didn’t.” Clay said as a cough worked its way up from his chest. Danny grabbed a bottle of water from the workbench and handed it to Clay.
“You ok? Probably need to let Bailey check that out.” Danny said. Clay took the water and gulped it down.
“Thanks. I wouldn’t drink out of that bottle after me just in case.” Clay replied. Danny nodded.
“Yeah, I sorta figured that out on my own.”
“So, what did you get out of our guests in there?” Hank asked, gesturing toward the soldiers in the stall.
“Actually, I figured we would get everyone together so I can tell you all at once.” Danny replied.
“Alright, sounds good. You can tell everyone at dinner.” Hank said.
“The reason we came out here is because Betty passed away and we need help digging the grave. If you don't mind bring a few shovels and that big wheelbarrow out to that tree by the house when you get done here.” Clay said, pointing to a corner.
“No problem. Let me get these guys secured a little better and I’ll be right there.” Clay gave a quick nod and then headed back to the house. Hank was walking out of the door, when he got to the bottom step.
“Where the hell did you go?” Hank asked. Clay climbed the few steps and stopped in front of Hank.
“Went and got Danny to bring some shovels and stuff up so we can get her buried. He said he finally got those bastards in the barn to talk. He’s going to get us all together later and let us know what they said. Sounds like it might be important.” Clay replied. Hank glanced over at the barn and then back to Clay. He shrugged once and said.
“Makes sense. Now let’s go get this over with.” Hank said, before going back inside the house. A few minutes later, Danny was at the bottom of the steps watching Clay and Hank carry Betty’s body. They set her inside the wheelbarrow just as the sound of the gate rattling caught everyone's attention. Jeff and Randy walked in and headed right for them.
“What’s going on? Where’s Dad at?” Jeff asked, when they were about fifty feet away. Clay stepped to the side as a coughing fit rose in his chest.
“Who is that?” Randy asked with a panicked look on his face. Jeff rushed forward and tried to jerk the sheet open, but Hank stepped in and wrapped his arms around him before he could get close enough.
“It’s Betty. Her body wasn’t strong enough to fight the flu off. Your dad took off in his Jeep after he saw her.” Hank said, as he slowly released his grip on Jeff. He gave him a quick pat on the back and stepped back.
“Why didn’t you stop him, or at least send someone with him?” Randy said in a slow growl, his temper getting hotter and hotter with each passing second. Hank laughed sarcastically.
“You’re seriously asking me that? You couldn’t have kept him from leaving either, so just shut that shit down right now.�
�� Hank fired back, his voice full of malice. The two men were inching closer to each other and Jeff could see it was about to come to blows.
“What are we in high school again? Knock that shit off!” Jeff shouted as he pointed a finger at each man. Both men deflated as Jeff’s words sank into their minds.
“Randy, go find us a truck so we can go after Dad. I’ll help these guys with Betty until you get back.” Jeff stated. Randy turned and walked toward the line of trucks and Humvees they had lined up along the fence next to the barn.
“I’m sorry about that.” Jeff started, but Hank cut him off with a wave of his hand.
“Nah, don’t worry about it. I'm just as much at fault here.” he said before lifting the wheelbarrow again and pushing it toward a large tree behind the house.
“We got this Jeff. You need to go help him find your dad.” Clay said, as he stepped back over to join them.
“Thanks guys.” Jeff said before turning to run toward his brother.
“We’ll wait for you guys to get back before we bury her.” Hank said as he continued to push the wheelbarrow.
“Thank you.” Jeff replied. He turned and headed for his brother who was climbing into one of the Humvees. Seconds later they were pulling out onto the blacktop.
Dub sped down the road without any regard for anything but driving fast in that moment. His head spun as the pain of another loss hit him deep inside. He was a man on the edge, and was extremely close to ending it all. Thoughts of Emma and Toby popped into his mind and a small smile crept its way on his face. The Jeep began to slow and his mood began to change from hurt and anger to a mix of sad and happy. He began to think about how miserable Betty was in this new world. Betty was as strong as they came, but something had changed in her. When she lost Tanya, she seemed to have also lost her will to fight, to survive. Dub knew she was ready to go, she was happier now, she had to be.
Betty, baby, I sure will miss you sweetheart. We had a lot of great times together and you brought me back out of my depression from losing my wife. I hope you are happy up there in heaven. I’ll see you again soon darlin’. He thought to himself as he turned the Jeep into a fancy looking neighborhood. He drove down the center of the main road and spotted a man sitting on the ground next to a twisted wreck of a motorcycle. Dub brought the Jeep to a stop and glanced around the area to make sure the man was alone. Seeing no one else he put the Jeep in park and got out.
“You alright?” Dub asked, as he walked up to the big man.
“Yeah, my leathers saved my hide. A few scrapes and cuts but I’ll be alright.” The man said, pointing to a pile of shredded riding leathers.
“You’re a lucky man to walk away from a wreck like that. Name’s Dub.” he said sticking his hand out to the man. He grabbed Dub’s hand and slowly got to his feet. He looked Dub in the eye as they shook hands.
“Nice to meet you Dub, my friends call me Monster.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Diaz slowly brought the chopper down on the helipad at the edge of Fort Alvis. Sharp didn’t speak to him at all as he got out and made his way over to a waiting vehicle. The driver put the truck in gear and took off toward the General’s office. Diaz shut down the chopper and climbed out. He stood there looking around at the layout of the base. To his left sat a line of dark colored airplane hangars and past that, down toward the base entrance were a mix of brick office buildings and what looked to be large half circle steel buildings.
The buildings reminded Diaz of a fifty-five-gallon drum that was cut in half lengthwise and laid down. He figured they were the living quarters for the soldiers on base. Deciding he would find the person he was searching for in the large buildings, he started walking toward them. People moved around, going this way and that, as they carried out their assigned duties for the day. Diaz made it to the first of the buildings and heard a lot of people talking at once. He pushed open the door and stepped inside to see a brightly lit cafeteria.
The floors were white and looked as if someone had just finished polishing them to a mirror like finish. Diaz glanced around the room and decided to get in line for lunch. He hadn’t eaten anything all day and was feeling a bit famished. Stacks of dark brown lunch trays sat on wooden tables at the start of the lunch line. He grabbed a tray and glanced around to find silverware but didn’t see any.
“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt but I was just wondering where we get the silverware from?” Diaz asked after tapping the man in front of him on the shoulder. The man turned around and eyed Diaz for a long second.
“You’ll get that at the front of the line. Name’s Clark.” The man said as he stuck out his hand to Diaz.
“Thanks man. I’m Diaz. I just got here.”
“I figured you did when I watched you set that chopper down earlier.” Clark said with a chuckle.
“Oh, you saw that, huh?” Diaz said as he took a single step forward with the line.
“Most of us did. We saw Sharp too. You his assistant or something?” Clark asked, taking another step forward. They were next in line to get served now and Diaz could see that today's lunch would be meatloaf with a crusty looking red paste on top, lumpy mashed potatoes, green beans and a slice of bread. Diaz’s stomach growled at the sight of an actual hot meal.
“Something like that.” Diaz said with a forced smile. Clark chuckled.
“I take it you’re not too fond of our dear old President?” Diaz just looked at him as they each took another step forward and grabbed silverware before holding out their trays to the servers. A large Mexican man slapped a massive hunk of meatloaf on their trays, as Clark began to speak again.
“Look man, you’re not the only one here that thinks that Sharp is an idiot. In fact most of us do, so relax.” Diaz sighed in relief.
“Nope, not fond of him at all. He is a murdering psycho!” Clark nodded once and leaned in close to Diaz.
“Come sit with me. We can talk more at the table away from everyone else.” They finished getting their lunch and Diaz followed Clark over to a large table in the back corner of the room. The table was full of hard looking men and they all seemed to be eating in silence when they walked up.
“Taking in strays now, Clark?” A man on the opposite side said in a snarky tone. Clark glared back at the man and sat his tray down hard on the table, making a loud thwack sound.
“Got something you need to say to me, Johnson?” Clark growled.
“Uh, no man. Sorry, I was just screwing around.” he said as he stared down at his tray. Diaz sat down next to Clark and immediately started eating. After taking several bites he looked over at Clark and asked.
“Do you know Jason Hill?” Clark finished the hunk of meatloaf he was chewing and replied.
“Yeah, he’s out on guard duty right now. He’ll be in around dinner time though.” Diaz took another bite of the meatloaf.
“So, none of you care for Sharp? Does the entire base feel the same?” Diaz asked.
“You know it’s not something we just sit around and talk to everyone about, but if I had to guess, I would say yes, we all can’t stand the guy. Even General Mason. We just put up with him because he is the president.” Clark said. Diaz thought about this for a moment as he took a bite of his bread. He thought about asking Clark if he knew about Sharp’s plans to take out the Stanton farm but decided against it. He would wait until he saw Jason before asking about that.
“Were you guys part of that raid Sharp started over the summer at that airport?” Diaz asked. Clark shook his head.
“No, we were at Fort Bragg over the summer and got shipped over here after he did that. We wouldn’t have helped him even if we were here though. Those pussies that did help him got taken out by a different group not long after that.” Clark replied. That was good to know, Diaz thought. Not only did they not like Sharp but they were talking about disobeying his orders too. He would have to get some one on one time with Clark to get to the real deep questions. He had to hurry up and find out who would turn on Sharp w
hen he started ordering them to kill civilians. He couldn’t let Sharp get away with it anymore. He promised Jim Andrews he would do everything in his power to stop him before Sharp murdered him.
Diaz finished his meal and got up to return his tray. Clark followed and they both headed for the exit. Diaz looked behind them and saw that none of the guys from the table were following them as they walked out toward the hangars.
“So I get the feeling that you’re planning something against Sharp. If you are, me and my guys want in.” Clark said. This caught Diaz off guard. He thought he would have to be the one to ask those questions to get the ball rolling. He thought about it for a second and decided that it would be best to wait until Jason got in before he discussed that with Clark. He was not going to take any chances with so many civilian lives on the line at that farm.
“What time did you say Jason would be back?” Diaz asked.
“Around dinner time, why?” Clark asked.
“To be honest, I don’t really know you and I would feel better if Jason was here to vouch for you. There are too many innocent people at risk for me to just start flapping my gums to everyone I see.” Diaz said. Clark didn’t say anything for a long minute, letting the information Diaz just gave him sink in.
“No problem. Dinner time is around six, so we can discuss it then. We want in though.” Clark said in a hard tone before turning and walking back toward one of the other buildings next to the cafeteria. Diaz stood there looking up at the blue sky for a minute before he started to follow Clark back to what he assumed was the barracks.
General Kendrick Mason finished his meal and headed back to his office. President Sharp would be there soon and he did not want that man there while he wasn’t. There was something about Sharp that he didn’t like, and everyone at his base felt the same way. The man was a conniving bastard and was infamous on base for killing innocent people, or just turning their farms and towns into so called FEMA camps.