Living for War: The Collin War Chronicles

by W. C. Hoffman

  Koby rubbed the thigh of his amputated leg while he waited for Collin to start.

  “Should I get Julie?” Collin asked.

  “I’m fine. Go ahead.”

  “I learned something rather shocking the day, um,” Collin glanced at Koby’s leg. “After the attack. Both Julie and Brady confirmed it with me.”

  “Spit or swallow, man,” Koby said.

  Collin’s face screwed up in disgust. “I’m the President.”

  “Like ...”

  “Yeah, POTUS. I’d been serving as the Secretary of Defense and the fever burned its way through the line of succession until it reached me. I was sworn in by a Supreme Court Justice aboard Air Force One, which I guess it was called only after I was sworn in,” Collin said, pondering the technicality. “I don’t know for certain how the plane went down, I just remember several massive explosions and our refueling jet crashed into us.”

  “I knew there had to be something about you. Some reason Doc and Anna were trying so damn hard to keep you alive for all those years. Fuck man, I mean ... Fuck, Mr. President. Wait, do I have to call you Mr. President?” Koby asked.

  Collin shook his head. “It’s probably better that this doesn’t become common knowledge. But I’m curious what you think this means for me. I feel a sense of responsibility now that extends beyond Goshen.”

  “Well, Mr. President. Based on my extensive experience in national politics,” Koby chuckled briefly, “I think we have to figure out this situation with HAGS. Dr. Denard and this population control concept is a potential threat to our survival. If any semblance of government still existed, I doubt HAGS would be operating in such a brazen manner.”

  “That’s a good point. But I don’t want to be the president that only protects my friends and family and leaves everyone else flapping in the wind,” Collin said. “Reestablishing government, or reaching out to whatever fragments still exist will allow us to mobilize on a national scale. It could open up resources for Julie and her serum to cure more people. We could save America; hell, even the world from right here in this shattered hospital.”

  Koby nodded. “It could. It could also be a wild goose chase. Clearly no one, other than HAGS, has mobilized anything in the sixteen years you’ve been president. Which I think is a new record,” he quickly added.

  “What do you mean?” Collin asked.

  “Well, FDR only served three full terms and died at the start of his fourth term,” Koby said. “Unless someone else has claimed the position that makes you the longest serving president in American history.”

  Collin grunted. “Not a title I relish, I assure you.”

  “I don’t doubt that. As for your sense of responsibility, think of it this way – dealing with HAGS, bringing them down, is in service to all Americans,” Koby said. “And the entire world.”

  At the least, HAGS was a problem he could wrap his head around. A puzzle is resolved one piece at a time. Maybe Koby had a point? Collin slowly nodded.

  “In that case, we’re going to need some surprises for HAGS when they return.” Collin shot Koby a sly grin. “Think you can come up with something?”

  “Do snakes hunt mice?” Koby smiled.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Dr. Horner walked into the ER room with Hannah in tow.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Julie said. She noticed the record player and sketch pad on the counter. “I see you come bearing gifts.”

  “Yeah, something to keep this guy occupied. You know, idle hands and all that.” Collin smiled with a polite nod to Hannah.

  Julie walked over to Koby and looked closely at the bandage around his stump. Then she inspected the bandages on the other leg, which by nothing short of a miracle had been saved.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked. Julie placed the back of her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. She nodded to herself.

  “I’m okay, thanks doc.” Koby sighed. “A little bored of being stuck in here, but it’s nice to have visitors. And Collin brought my record player, so I should survive even if he didn’t pick the best albums in my collection.”

  “You listen to vinyl?” Hannah asked, excitement creeping into her voice.

  “Of course. It’s the best format.” Koby looked at her approvingly.

  Hannah walked over and touched the record player. “Mind if I look at your records?”

  “Help yourself.”

  She flipped through the three albums Collin brought over with the tenderness of a true connoisseur. Hannah gasped and held up the third album. “This is a classic!”

  Collin saw the cover. A hippy looking band stood among some trees, their faces heavily spotted by sunlight shining through the leaves. One of them held a guitar and wore a leather vest. He rolled his eyes.

  “Indeed it is,” Koby said proudly. “I have all of their original albums and perhaps the best album collection left in the world.”

  “That’s amazing,” Hannah said cheerfully. Genuine glee beamed in her smile.

  Collin glanced at Julie. “What are you two up to?”

  “I need to replace a lot of equipment. Considering the state of things here,” Julie gestured at the room around them, “I was hoping you would be willing to put together an expedition. She’s been outside of Goshen.” She nodded toward Hannah. “The sooner we can get the supplies I need, the sooner I can get to work on the serum for the Vipers.” She paused for a moment. “Are we still calling them that?”

  Collin grinned and shrugged. To be honest, he had no idea if Brady wanted to keep the nickname.

  “What do you need to get started?” Koby asked.

  “I’ve taken stock of the supplies and there’s only one piece of equipment I absolutely need – a centrifuge.”

  “You should draw up a list,” Collin suggested.

  “I expect to be go with you.” Julie folded her arms and looked hard at Collin.

  “Where do you think this hypothetical expedition might go?” Collin asked, meeting her gaze. He didn’t like the idea of Julie leaving the relative safety of Goshen. He had just minutes ago talked about her importance in saving not only the country, but also the world. There was no telling what they might come up against outside of their valley. Not to mention Koby would likely need constant check-ups, and there was no way he could go with them in his condition.

  Looking at Hannah, Julie asked, “What towns are close enough for us to scavenge medical supplies?”

  “I don’t know for a fact about the state of the towns,” Hannah said. She looked nervous as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “However, Missoula is probably our best bet.”

  “State of the towns?” Collin’s brow furrowed.

  Hannah looked up at him. “We’ve been out of the loop since we left Kalispell, remember? There’s no telling what’s happened. HAGS has grown more unpredictable.”

  “I don’t relish the idea of going to Missoula,” Julie said softly.

  “Why’s that?” Collin felt like the least informed person in the room, a feeling that had become annoyingly familiar since recovering from the fever.

  “It’s probably the most dangerous place left in Montana,” Koby said, wincing as he adjusted his position.

  “We need to get Brady and the rest in here on this conversation, including Ketan,” Collin said. “They might have additional insight into how we should proceed.”

  “Can I put on “Green River” while we wait?” Hannah asked suddenly.

  Collin chuckled and stood up to leave. “I’ll get the rest of the Council while you keep this guy company.”

  Koby’s laugh followed Collin into the hallway as the scratch of the needle hitting the vinyl filled the air.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Less than fifteen minutes later, Collin was back in the ER with Brady, Tiny, and Ketan. Music was blaring through the doors.

  “Look who I found wandering toward us,” Collin said, but he was drowned out by a combination of music and something that passed for sing
ing.

  Koby and Hannah were belting out the lyrics to “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Credence Clearwater Revival. Collin fought the urge to frown. He knew after all they’d been through, a brief moment of joy was necessary to relieve the seemingly endless waves of stress beating against them.

  “Oh yeah,” Tiny said in his deep baritone voice. “I love me some CCR.”

  The big man danced his way into the room, joining the chorus. Brady laughed, shook Collin playfully by the shoulders, and began singing along. Relenting to the pressure, Collin allowed himself to sing with a big grin on his face. He knew it was a short song, so he drifted in the direction of the counter.

  When the last notes faded into silence, Collin quickly closed the remaining distance to the record player and switched it off. He braced for boos. Instead they were all smiling at him, even Dr. Horner, who’d appeared near the ER doors.

  “Great singing everyone.”

  “You too, Dad. I have to say I’m a little surprised.” Brady grinned.

  Tiny and Koby clapped their hands. Before Collin knew it, everyone was clapping for him. A shy smile spread across his face.

  “Okay, okay. Thanks,” he said. “We have some serious business to attend to.”

  “Right. Did you get a map?” Julie asked.

  “Brady has one,” Collin said. He made a mental note to add one to his normal pocket stuff. It was almost like he was back in the Marines. His belt held a canteen, a knife, and a flashlight. A hip holster held his sidearm, and now he wanted to add a map to his cargo pocket.

  Brady already had the map in his hands and was spreading it out on a small rolling table Julie brought over. It was an elevation map of Montana. A spider web of roads, highways, and rivers crisscrossed the state, and mountains filled the majority of the west.

  “We’re right here,” Brady said, jabbing his finger at the map.

  “And where did you want to go?” Ketan asked.

  “I suggested Missoula,” Hannah said, glancing over at Ketan. He raised his eyebrows.

  “That’s quite a journey.” Brady traced the route on the map.

  “Have any of you actually been there or heard anything?” Collin asked. “As far as I know, no one has gone that far since the fever.”

  “Missoula is a den of villainy, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the days of the Wild West,” Koby said.

  Collin leveled his gaze at Brady and Ketan, hoping Koby was just being dramatic.

  Brady shrugged. “Our people stayed in the valley. Some went up in the mountains to hunt, but anyone who ventured further either didn’t come back or never mentioned it.”

  “There was a time when Missoula was run by preppers. Much like Kalispell, they had a large group of survivors. We only heard whispers of what it was like and it wasn’t great news. I don’t know what HAGS has done with the town, but it’s worth making the trip,” Ketan said. “If you’re short on supplies, that’s the place to go. It’s the biggest town within a reasonable distance. Dr. Horner, you should be able to find whatever you need there.”

  Julie nodded. “How long will it take us to get there?”

  “Looks like it’s probably four days each way, maybe more,” Collin said, letting out a sigh. “Can you be away from Koby that long?”

  “You’re so thoughtful,” Koby said in a mocking voice.

  Collin ignored him.

  Before Julie could answer, Brady stood up. “What if you didn’t have to make the trip on foot?” He smiled. “Tiny, what’s the status of our cavalry?”

  “Ah yes, they should be well rested by now,” he said. “If we ride, then could make the round-trip in just a few days.”

  “This is great news.” Collin’s eyes lit up. He placed a hand on Brady’s shoulder.

  “We have nurses who can watch Koby while we’re gone,” Brady said to Julie.

  “Real nurses?” Dr. Horner asked.

  Tiny nodded. “A few real ones from before the fever and a few trained by Anna herself.”

  “Thank you,” the doctor replied, seeming to ignore the mention of her dead child’s name.

  “Can we go with you?” Hannah asked.

  Ketan looked hopeful. “We can help you and if there are any HAGS operatives, we’d be your best defense.”

  “Are you well enough to travel?” Collin asked. The first time he’d seen Ketan, the young man was covered in cuts and welts from the beatings he had endured.

  “I think so.” Ketan nodded. “I’d like to see for myself what’s going on out there. We’ve been out of the loop for a while.”

  “Fantastic. So, we leave for Missoula. Let’s pack up tonight, pack light, and we’ll hit the trail in the morning after breakfast,” Collin said.

  “Missoula it is,” Brady said with a nod.

  Everyone smiled and nodded. The prospect of visiting the town gave everyone a shimmer of hope. Much like the sing-a-long for minutes ago, it felt good.

  Collin walked over to the record player and turned it back on.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Following the impromptu party in the hospital, the group agreed it would be prudent to announce this expedition to the town. It would also serve as their welcoming ceremony for the Vipers, since Dr. Denard and his sonic auditory weapon interrupted the first attempt.

  Word went out to all the Vipers and anyone not on guard duty that they should meet at the community theater for a town meeting. The theater was a gorgeous, medium-sized old building with a stage and orchestra pit, detailed carvings, lush fabrics, comfortable chairs, and a wonderful view of the river and Goshen Dam. Standing backstage while the residents filled the venue, Collin and Brady stood by themselves.

  “You know, I’m very proud of you, son,” Collin said, overcome with emotion. “I missed you.”

  Brady’s face broke into a grin. They gave each other a big hug.

  “Me too. Luckily you slept through most of it,” Brady said. “I was awake the whole time. And for a long time, I didn’t even know you were still alive.”

  Collin couldn’t imagine the struggle Brady went through while he was in a coma, and it tore him up inside to think about it.

  “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.” Collin put a hand on Brady’s shoulder, looking into his eyes. “But I’m here now, and I won’t leave you again.”

  He thought about all of the life events he missed out on. Brady grew up with a man he knew almost nothing about, in a dire situation where their lives were constantly in danger. Collin could never change that, but his chest filled with pride at how his son turned out.

  “I know it wasn’t your fault.” Brady nodded slowly.

  “And I’m sorry you lost Q. He sounds like a great man. I would have liked to have met him,” Collin added.

  “He was a good man. He taught me a lot in the short time he raised me,” Brady said, his voice somewhat distant. “I learned how to hunt, shoot, track, and fish. Basically, all of the skills I have now.” He smiled at the memory of Q. When he glanced at his dad, he cleared his throat. “Well, not all of them. You taught me stuff, too. You know, Anna and I agreed we would name our first child after him.”

  A twinge of jealousy reared its ugly head, but Collin fought it off. He was lucky Brady ended up with good people and not the bandits he’d recently heard about that resided in Missoula.

  “I’m grateful he was a part of your life when I couldn’t be,” Collin said. With a heavy sigh, he added, “Now we just need to find your mother.”

  Brady grunted as he stared at the floor. “Hunter and I would like that very much. He deserves to meet his grandma, don’t ya think?” Brady wiped away a slow falling tear.

  “Speaking of, you started to tell me something about her before. Something about us being immune to the fever?” Collin asked.

  Sniffing back his emotions, Brady looked up. “Yeah. Remember when we went to Africa on safari?”

  Collin thought hard, but couldn’t recall the trip. He shook his head. “No, sorry.” />
  “We had to take a lot of shots at the doctor’s office so we wouldn’t get sick, but we also took one at home. I remember thinking it was weird because all of our shots should have been from the doctor, right?” Brady paused after his rhetorical question. “Anyway, Mom gave us a shot. I remember it was a beautiful blue, like a liquid gem. I’m not sure why mom had it. No one else I’ve talked to had ever taken a similar shot, so I think it might have been responsible.”

  Dr. Horner’s cure had also been blue. The chances that Julie had come up with the same cure using Collin’s blood seemed like an extraordinary stretch, not that he was scientifically literate. Perhaps it was simply the nature of the fever-defeating compound that gave it the same blue coloring?

  “That’s interesting. Yet I ended up in a coma for sixteen years and you obviously did not,” Collin said, baffled by the disparity.

  “I was also much younger, so maybe the effect was more powerful,” Brady said. “And Q gave me BT76 at first as well.” Then he smirked. “You know what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks. Maybe your body didn’t change as much?”

  A shadow blocked the light coming in from the side entrance to the stage. They both looked up and saw Tiny standing there.

  “We’re all set,” he boomed.

  “Okay, wise guy,” Collin said, lightly jabbing Brady with his elbow. “Let’s do this.”

  Brady led the way out onto the stage with Collin right behind him. As they emerged under the bright stage lights, the crowd began to clap. They made their way to the center of the stage where a podium awaited them.

  Collin smiled at the crowd and waved. He had a brief memory of campaigning with the man who’d been president. The vibe in the room was similar to a political rally. It felt comfortable and energetic.

  Brady was set to speak first. Collin stood behind and off to the side of his son with his hands held behind his back. Looking out over the crowd, Collin felt pleased to see Vipers, Eagles, and Goshen’s residents mixed together in the audience.