The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Vendetta

by Stephanie Kato

Savannah ran her hand down the front of her husband’s vest. “You’re home now.”

  The couple kissed each other and embraced in the quiet atmosphere of their house. Savannah led Percy to the dining room.

  “We could have some tea before going to bed,” Percy suggested.

  “That sounds nice,” Savannah replied before she kissed him again.

  The pair wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed tightly. Percy smelled her flowery perfume. Savannah removed his suit jacket and allowed it to fall to the floor.

  Percy looked in her eyes and said, “Never mind. Let’s skip the tea.”

  “No problem,” Savanna responded, as she unbuttoned his vest.

  Percy helped Savannah remove most of her clothes. After years of practice, they knew how to easily remove their Victorian clothing. She unbuckled Percy’s belt and unzipped his pants. The couple kissed each other and stripped away the rest of their clothes. Percy and Savannah embraced, feeling their warm skin press against each other. He caressed Savannah’s perfectly shaped back and kissed her neck. She ran one of her hands down his muscular chest before clutching his back. Percy hoisted her on the table in to a sitting position. They kissed each other again while Savannah massaged his broad shoulders.

  “I’m not typically adventurous,” Percy quietly said.

  “We can wind up in the bedroom. This is just a good place to start,” Savannah replied.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and held him closely. Percy wrapped his arms around Savannah and they passionately kissed each other again. He rested his head on her shoulder.

  “My schedule will get better at some point. At least I come home every night,” Percy mentioned.

  Savannah cooed in his ear during their intimate moment. “It’s okay. We don’t always have a lot of time together, but quality is more important than quantity.”

  Chapter 3

  Malcolm picked up Brigette’s suitcases and tossed her belongings into the apartment complex’s hallway. “Get out! You’re making my life miserable and I can’t take it anymore!”

  “We’re legally married! You can’t kick me out! This is my apartment too!” Brigette protested.

  “You’re just a freeloader who’s living here without paying rent! I owned this apartment before we got married! If you want to discuss the legal terms, contact my agent!” Malcolm growled.

  Brigette smacked him several times then yelled, “You’re messing with the wrong woman! I can destroy your name! Everybody is going to know that you’re a misogynist and an abusive husband!”

  Malcolm held her back from hitting him again. “I’m tired of your nagging complaints! Go ahead and say what you want to the press! I don’t care! While you’re at it, get a job! You’re a lousy singer who hasn’t worked for two years!”

  He shoved Brigette into the hallway and then slammed the front door shut. Malcolm quickly locked it before his newly-estranged wife could reenter the apartment. She furiously pounded on the door.

  “I’m not going to make this easy for you!” Brigette screamed, as she tried in vain to open the door.

  “Go away or I’m calling the police!” Malcolm threatened.

  Brigette responded with more shouting. “Malcolm Dresden, you’re a dead man! I’m not letting you get a divorce! Somebody needs to teach you a lesson! I’m getting your money one way or another! So don’t get comfortable as a single man yet!”

  She picked up her bags and stormed away from the apartment. Malcolm nervously peered through the peephole and watched as Brigette disappeared around the corner. The sports commentator sighed, then he slumped on the couch. Malcolm pulled out his cell phone and dialed Beauregard’s number.

  The Frenchman heard his phone ring as he enjoyed lunch at a café. He pulled out the phone and recognized Malcolm’s number. The painter answered, “Hi, Malcolm. What’s up?”

  “I finally had the nerve to kick the witch out of my apartment,” Malcolm grumbled.

  Beauregard stirred some sugar into his coffee. “Took you long enough. What gave you enough courage to get rid of her?”

  “I was probably going to kill her if she stayed any longer. It’s better that we parted ways,” Malcolm admitted.

  “Do you think Brigette is going to exit your marriage quietly? That doesn’t seem like her style. It might get ugly,” Beauregard said.

  Malcolm got up and went to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator door and snatched an ice-cold beer. Malcolm popped the cap off while he continued the discussion. “Brigette will make the divorce a nightmare. I need Reb’s advice. She needs to help me figure out my rights and options.”

  “No offense, but I’m glad to be single. Your marriage was short and messy. I think Reb and Giles were right. It’s better to wait and find an appropriate match,” Beauregard commented.

  Malcolm took a swig of beer. “That’s for sure. I might never get married again.”

  Beauregard tapped his fingers on the table. “Are you drinking something? Alcohol is what got you trouble with Brigette from the beginning.”

  Malcolm sat on the couch again. “I needed a drink after kicking that woman out of my apartment. She has no business returning here.”

  “Unfortunately, I’m sure she’ll be back in the near future,” Beauregard mentioned.

  Malcolm felt antsy. “Don’t remind me. Everything is peaceful right now and I’m going to enjoy the moment. Anyway, I heard you stopped teaching at the university. Why did you dump the job?”

  Beauregard sipped on his coffee. “I grew bored with that career choice. It was a part-time position and I wanted to work on my paintings again.”

  “Are you working on anything now?” Malcolm asked.

  “Yeah, I’m dabbling with Steampunk and aviation. Our upcoming trip to Washington D.C. inspired me to paint things like airplanes and zeppelins,” Beauregard replied.

  Malcolm replied, “Good for you. I can’t wait for us to board that zeppelin. It should be a relaxing excuse to ignore Brigette. She can’t reach me in the sky.”

  “I heard this zeppelin is very luxurious. It’s almost like an ocean liner in the sky. This airship has dining, games, a movie theatre, a gym, gambling, and all kinds of activities,” Beauregard mused.

  Malcolm was becoming tired. “That sounds incredible. I’m already tired, Beau. This morning drained my energy. I’m going to take a nap for a while. Keep in touch, and I’ll see you soon.”

  Beauregard relaxed at his cafe table and said, “Definitely. We can talk later. Bye, Malcolm.”

  The two men ended their conversation, and then Malcolm promptly entered his bedroom and collapsed on the mattress.

  *****

  Meanwhile, Savannah entered Percy’s laboratory holding a bag of muffins. She found him standing in front of an intimidating robot that was at least eight feet tall. It had a human shape and it was made out of grafted iron.

  “That’s an impressive creature. Is this robot functional yet?” Savannah asked in awe.

  Percy picked up a remote control. “Somewhat. I can make this robot perform any task with a remote control. However, I’m still perfecting the artificial intelligence.”

  Savannah held up the bag. “I wanted to return your friendly gesture. These are some muffins.”

  “You’re being really thoughtful, but I probably shouldn’t eat in the lab. We should share the muffins over lunch. Do you want to check out the robot?” Percy said as he motioned to the large iron figure.

  Savanna hesitantly approached the robot. “Now I understand why you want to be careful. This creature is very intimidating. It’s grafted, right?”

  “Of course. I want my robots to be indestructible. Do you want to touch it? Go ahead,” Percy suggested.

  She slowly ran her hand across the robot’s left forearm. “It feels very sturdy. How much weight can it lift?”

  Percy eagerly replied, “I’m glad you asked. Step back for a moment. I’m going to show you something.”

  Savannah stood next to Percy
as he activated the robot with the remote control. Two bright red lights appeared in the robot’s eye sockets. Percy used the controls to maneuver the iron being. It slowly walked through the laboratory and approached a metal beam. The robot bent over and picked up the heavy item. Percy used the remote control to bring the robot back to its original location.

  “That’s a really big beam. I can tell it’s made out of grafted bronze. Do you think the beam weighs more than a hundred pounds?” Savannah asked.

  Percy deactivated the robot. “Two hundred and fifty pounds. Grafted metal is very heavy and my robot can pick up this beam quite easily.”

  Savannah was very impressed. “This is excellent progress. What comes next?”

  “My crew needs to perfect the robot’s artificial intelligence. I can manipulate it with a remote control, but I need the robot to develop some independence. Overall, I want my robots to have sophisticated artificial intelligence, but they also need to be completely obedient. My staff is making breakthroughs every day, so I’m feeling optimistic,” Percy explained.

  Savannah took hold of her husband’s arm. “You’re such a brainy guy. It’s really hot.”

  Percy took the bag from her. “I’m glad at least one woman has an appreciation for geeks. Let’s have those muffins.”

  *****

  Back in Oklahoma, Reb and Giles were leaving a coffee shop, juggling their laptop computers, files, and tea. The couple walked toward their office building and diligently watched for traffic.

  “We’ve been so busy lately. This trip will be refreshing,” Reb muttered.

  Giles tightly gripped his items. “I totally agree with you. It will be difficult for terrorists to reach us miles above the ground.”

  “Don’t count out those sky pirates,” Reb said.

  “I don’t think we’ll have trouble from those creeps. There isn’t a vessel big enough to combat the zeppelin that’s stationed in Chicago,” Giles confidently responded.

  Reb carefully took a sip of tea. “I hope you’re right.”

  As they crossed the street Giles said, “You already know that I’m a huge history buff. It will be fantastic to see all of those museums and monuments in Washington.”

  “True, but I’m also looking forward to the cushy flight. We can go dancing, have spa treatments, chuck a little money on the gambling tables, and more. It will redeem that horrible cruise we had a few years ago,” Reb remarked.

  Giles tried not to drop his paperwork. “At least you took home a souvenir. Your trident is still mounted on the wall.”

  “I take trophies from my conquests,” Reb said with a smirk.

  “Yes, it’s a good way to scare terrorists. Anyway, how is the status of our loved ones? Your parents and the rest of the Nelson gang are family, but they’re also clients,” Giles pondered out loud.

  Reb thought about it for a moment. “It seems like everyone is keeping their business in order. However, my father is still trying to perfect his robots. Maybe you should check on his progress. I’m busy with Malcolm’s issues.”

  “Keep an eye on him. Malcolm’s estranged wife might try to murder him for the money,” Giles warned.

  Reb rolled her eyes. “She will probably try something foolish like that. I need to scare that woman into good behavior.”

  They finally reached the agency and Giles said, “That shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

  “We’ll see. Maybe I’ll check on Priscilla first. I haven’t talked to her for a while,” Reb mentioned.

  Giles couldn’t open the door with his occupied hands. “Think of it this way. You’re getting paid to have girl talk with her.”

  Reb also had difficulty managing her items. “I guess that’s true. Dude, we can’t even open the door. Is there an emergency button around here?”

  *****

  After Maggie finished school, she walked toward the sidewalk as she texted Parker. Oliver ambushed her and snatched the phone from his sister.

  Maggie tried to retrieve it and screamed, “Oliver, what are you doing here? You don’t go to this school anymore!”

  “I walked. The middle school is only a few blocks away. Dad is sending one of his drivers to bring us home. Our parents are working tonight,” Oliver explained.

  “Fine, but give my phone back!” Maggie demanded.

  Oliver kept the phone from his sister’s reach while he read the text message. “You’re already texting Parker. Is he your online boyfriend? I’m serious this time.”

  “No! Actually, I’m not sure about it. We’ve never met in person. Sometimes I feel really confused,” Maggie rambled.

  Oliver handed the phone back to her. “Parker is probably cool, but Mom and Dad are worried that you’re getting really close with a stranger. I agree with them.”

  Maggie felt embarrassed. “We’re just friends. I feel like Parker and I have a special connection. It’s going to be okay.”

  “Promise that you’re not going to call or text Parker when we’re on vacation. Mom and Dad won’t be happy about it,” Oliver insisted.

  “Don’t worry so much. You’re too bossy,” Maggie argued.

  “I’m looking out for you. Parker might be your friend, but he can’t have your back a thousand miles away,” Oliver remarked.

  Maggie sheepishly responded, “That makes sense. I’ll behave when we go on the trip.”

  Oliver noticed the driver across the street. “Our ride is waiting for us. If you and Parker are destined to meet someday, it will happen. In the meantime, be careful while you’re having fun.”

  The two kids hurried to their ride and Maggie thought about their conversation.

  Chapter 4

  Priscilla worked in her office building and she examined a program on her computer. During the previous year, she learned that large quantities of radiation had the potential to trigger serious mutations in Steampunks. Afterward, she regularly checked the levels of radioactivity in her peaches. After all, Priscilla didn’t want her products to cause nationwide mutations.

  Priscilla’s cell phone rang. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Priscilla. It’s Reb. We haven’t talked for a while, so I wanted to check on you,” Reb answered.

  “Is this a personal or business call?” Priscilla asked.

  Reb thought for a moment before she said, “Both. Give me some updates.”

  Priscilla continued to look at the data on her computer. “Well, my peaches aren’t radioactive. That should be a plus.”

  “You don’t need to be paranoid about radiation. Carry vials of liquid radiation in your purse. I have one in my pocket,” Reb commented.

  Priscilla thought the idea was ghastly. “Why would you carry that around? It could turn you into a monster.”

  Reb replied smugly, “That’s the point. A lot of Steampunks are keeping vials of modified radiation in case they encounter serious enemies. This type of radiation was designed to help Steampunks. It triggers an instant transformation that will terrify the average terrorist. After a short period of time, the radiation wears off and the Steampunk returns to normal. Sometimes, it can be useful to become a powerful monster.”

  Priscilla was not amused. “I’ll refrain from that activity. We have other methods to scare away terrorists.”

  “Yes, but I’m noticing that our enemies keep finding new ways to kill Steampunks. Unfortunately, some terrorists are quite clever,” Reb mentioned.

  Priscilla closed the computer program. “I suppose that’s true, but it seems like most of them are imbeciles.”

  Reb countered, “It only takes one brilliant psychopath to rally an army of followers.”

  “People were easy to brainwash in the 21st Century. I’ve noticed many people tend to be more independent now,” Priscilla stated.

  Reb crossed her legs and she sat in her leather chair. “More accurately, people are distrustful of outsiders. That’s part of the reason why Steampunks aren’t afraid to carry weapons everywhere.”

  “Weapons can be an interesting fashio
n statement. Metal fans are part of my celebrity image,” Priscilla mentioned.

  “Good for you. I have a Jeep slapped onto my image,” Reb muttered.

  Priscilla relaxed more deeply into her chair. “It’s eccentric like you. Anyway, my company is doing very well. My products are in high demand and I’m making a big profit. The situation at home is pretty good, but Maggie wants to be a teenager already. She’s chatting with your godson everyday on the phone or online. That boy better be a model citizen or I’m wringing your neck.”

  Reb frowned. “Do you think it’s a big deal? They’re pretty young, but I don’t see the harm with simple communication.”

  “Pretty soon they’re going to believe it’s a deep and meaningful relationship. In a couple years, Maggie’s going to say she has a boyfriend who she’s never met in person. Doesn’t that sound frightening?” Priscilla lectured.

  Reb couldn’t argue with Priscilla’s concern. “It makes sense when you say it that way. They’re only eleven years old. I don’t think either of them understands anything about love or romance yet. Just keep an eye on their communication. Both of them need to focus on school and I don’t want the online activity to be a distraction.”

  Priscilla scratched her right temple. “Am I being a paranoid mother? I don’t want to be rigid or closed-minded.”

  “No, you’re just concerned about Maggie’s safety. Don’t worry too much. Parker is a really good kid. He’s smart, funny, and sees a special level of virtue in me and Giles. That says a lot about his character. I’m sure he’ll achieve great things someday. Perhaps he could be a good influence on Maggie. I’m more worried about her getting him into trouble,” Reb explained.

  Priscilla was insulted. “You’re such a brat. However, you might be right. I’ll see you in Chicago. There’s a lot of work for me to finish today.”

  Reb turned on her computer and said, “Same here. Have a good day, Priscilla.”

  “Keep Parker in check. Bye, Reb,” Priscilla commented before she hung up the phone.

  *****

  Giles was working in his office. He called Percy on his cell phone and received a prompt response.