Nick opened the door to the garage where I was first brought in ever so covertly earlier. A newer Toyota 4-Runner and a newer Toyota Land Cruiser were parked next to each other. Both had heavily tinted windows and had regular license plates. My old 4-Runner was parked a couple of spaces back and never looked so bad. I felt bad for it, being with those newer ones showing off.
Nick smiled at me and held out two key fobs in front of me, “Which one of these beauties will it be?”
I smiled back at him, “Come on. No way! Are you serious?”
Nick kept the key fobs out in front of me and nodded, “It’s a part of the job. When you have an assignment, you will be on the clock as soon as we contact you.”
I walked over to the Land Cruiser first thinking to myself, “These beasts get about ten miles to the gallon and that’s going downhill with the sail up. I do love these vehicles so. They had lots of room and could go through almost anything. Better than a Humvee I thought, though some would beg to differ. But this wouldn’t be practical for long road trips and a mix of urban and country travels.” I then walked towards the 4-Runner admiring its beauty. I do love these vehicles. Better gas mileage and very durable. It even had a second spare tire mounted on the front bumper and a winch attached to the back bumper. My current 4-Runner had never let me down, so I assumed this one would be equally reliable.
I pointed at the 4-Runner and Nick gave me the key fab for that one. I checked out the remote and taped the Un-lock button and driver’s door lock popped open. No lights flashing or beeping very stealthy indeed, these guys think of everything.
Nick let out a chuckle, “You’re so predictable!”
I punched him in the arm, “If something works for you and has never let you down, you stick to it. So are you going to give me the nickel tour of my new ride, or do I have to read the manual?”
Nick motioned me into the driver’s seat and said, “Both. There is an owner’s manual in the glove box if you get stuck. First off, the paint on this beauty is slippery and aerodynamic. Something our government has been working on for a while. Helps with the gas mileage and is very quiet and has stealth qualities. Of course the door panels and glass are bullet proof, but let’s not test that out shall we.”
Nick went on and showed me the impressive array of electronic gadgetry in this vehicle. It had an impressive video screen that ran the climate control, communications and navigation on this vehicle. He explained that any of my phones and my earpiece could control the vehicle controls. This included starting the vehicle and the theft deterrent device. That was a steady stream of volts to anyone messing with my new ride. There were cameras covering all angles that could be manipulated from this screen also. I was just happy to have air-conditioning that worked and plenty of cup holders. Nick motioned me out of the car and we stepped to the back tailgate. Nick open it up and showed me the locking shelves for assorted weaponry. There was also an impressive first aid kit and some concealed compartments on the sides. Nick pointed out a freshwater supply and food to be used in emergencies. Packed in one of the side compartments was a sleeping bag, small tent and a variety of ghille suits. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and tell him that any self-respecting sniper/assassin would have his own ghille suits.
I backed up and noticed a black hockey puck looking thing above the high-mount brake light. I’ve seen them before. It was a GPS unit. I pointed at it and asked, “Will you be tracking my every move?”
Nick smiled looking down at the ground shuffling his feet, “It’s for your own protection Sean. We do have to know what you’re doing with this piece of government property.”
This felt more and more like ‘big brother’ watching my every move. But, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about that.
Nick then walked me to the driver’s side back door and opened it up. There were crates of ammo and other goodies like claymores, frag and smoke grenades. Nick crossed his arms and said, “Remember, I told you I wouldn’t leave you empty handed. Just don’t go giving any of this away to some poor slobs who you think needs it more than you.” I nodded in agreement and Nick closed up all the doors except for the driver’s door.
I hopped in the driver seat and Nick shook my hand saying, “No hard feelings about me giving X a heads up on your personal situations?”
I shook my head, “No, my friend. I’ll get over it. Just, next time, maybe a little bit of a heads up would be appreciated.” Of course I had to hold a little grudge, I was Irish and that’s what we do. I smiled at Nick and we both nodded at each other. Before I started up this beauty I raised an eyebrow and said, “So, what do you know about the guy I killed in my kitchen? He definitely had some issues, like not dying when he should have. It sounded like X knew a lot more about my little buddy and more like him.”
Nick nodded his head in agreement and I could tell he felt uncomfortable talking about the subject. “You’re right Sean. We have been working on this problem for a while now. I can’t go into too many specifics now, but the ‘problem’ is growing faster than we anticipated. I can tell you this, if you encounter another one of those ‘problems’ go for the head. You have to disrupt the brain stem. If you have any run-ins with these characters, let me know right away. Your little buddy is somewhere in the basement being dissected. Only a few have clearance to go in that area, including me. I found out by mistake and officially I don’t know a thing about it. I guess it was a combination of the nuclear fall-out and some of the drugs the government were giving people to ‘help’ them with radiation sickness. There wasn’t a whole lot of helping going on and it is mutating at an alarming rate. One more thing to heap on our ever growing shit-pile.” Nick then started to grin ear to ear. “Now that I told you this, you really are in the club pal!”
I gave Nick a smile thinking to myself, “He is sharing classified information with me, no turning back now. How long were they checking me out? I thought the disposal unit took the guy I killed in my kitchen and barbecued him right away. Are there zombies out there? I can’t believe I even used that word. Nick and X didn’t use that word, but it sure sounds like that’s what we are dealing with. This shit is getting weirder and weirder by the minute.”
“One more thing, Sean.” Nick pointed to a duffel bag on the seat next to me. “Take this as a present for your lady friend. Go ahead, open it up.” I was almost afraid to see what was in the bag. I carefully unzipped the black canvas bag open and to my surprise there was a bottle of Schramsbsberg Blanc de Blancs and 4 boxes of 9mm ammunition. Sorry the bubbles aren’t super fancy, but it was the best I could do here. Like I said I don’t know half of the stuff they have in this place, but I do know where some of the good stuff is hidden.
I grabbed a box of the 9mm and smiled shaking my head. Nick started to laugh, “I took an educated guess on the ammo. Her being an ex-Israeli commando, what better way to her heart? This will almost guarantee you get laid tonight.”
I smiled at Nick and motioned him closer to me. He obliged and I pointed at my old 4-Runner and said, “You know I already miss the old girl, not that I don’t appreciate this one. Could you do me a favor? Is there any chance you could have my old ride delivered to Cambridge? One of my emergency contacts, Ben is the local police chief there. You could drop it off at his station and leave the keys there with him. I would appreciate it and besides, this old thing is taking up your valuable space down here.”
Nick shook his head in agreement saying, “Sure I’ll do it just for you, old friend.”
I put the goodies back in the bag and shook Nicks hand. I closed the door and started up this fine-tuned machine. It barely made a sound. I was used to the noises my 4-Runner made and was wondering if the engine was on or not.
I pulled out of the compound looking in my rearview mirror at Nick and my old 4-Runner next to him. I hope Nick delivers my old 4-Runner soon to Cambridge. I don’t like the idea of my ride being in this compound. I want at least one vehicle that can’t be tracked. It’s bad en
ough I have a GPS in my chest. If I have to do something “off the radar” I want that ability.
It was a surprisingly uneventful trip to Madison. I was hoping I would run into a checkpoint so I could use my new credentials.
During my trip to Madison I called Ben on my personal phone and told him to be expecting my 4-Runner. He was accommodating and assured me he would take good care of it.
I pulled up to Susie’s apartment building and there was a clear spot in-between a older Honda Civic and a Toyota Prius. I don’t think either vehicles have moved since before the war. The government did a decent job of clearing the roads that were still intact of vehicles that were abandoned. But they didn’t worry about the ones that weren’t in the way. The roads that were still in pieces were left that way with all the cars and trucks still on them.
I jumped out with my gift bag that Nick gave me and locked up my new ride. I would have felt uncomfortable leaving my old truck there, but this one was secure. I was hoping somebody would mess with it later. Nothing better than hearing the yells of people getting zapped doing something they shouldn’t be.
I made my way to Susie’s apartment and stood in front of her door. I looked over my shoulder at Collin’s door and felt a wave of pain in my gut. I went over to it and there was a thin layer of undisturbed dust on the door knob. No use even going in. He’s not there. I know your alive Collin, I can just feel it and I will find you. I turned back towards Susie’s door.
I composed myself and knocked on Susie’s door. I head the familiar voice call out, “Who’s there?” I heard what I believed to be clicking from a pointed shoe or heel on the linoleum getting closer. The door opened and my heart skipped a beat and my jaw hit the floor. Susie was wearing a short, tight royal blue dress that showed all of her beautiful curves. It had a plunging neck line and a small slit up the right leg showing more of her beautiful gam. Her hair was up and she was wearing makeup, including blood red lipstick. She was almost as tall as me now and I looked down admiring the stiletto heels she was wearing. That explained the clicking sound I heard. These made her already athletic legs look even more sexy. I was literally speechless.
Susie grinned with a playful look and said, “Are you just going to stand there all night? Neither one of us will get laid that way.”
20 She Deserves Better
I walked through the door and handed Susie the bag that had the bubbles and bullets in it. She took them from me and we made our way into her apartment. Most of the lights were out and I could smell food on the stove. The table was set for two with a candle flickering in the middle. I went over to the stove and saw a pot with something in it. The smell was familiar to me. I took the lid off it and my suspicion was confirmed, corned beef hash. I started to laugh as I waved the aroma towards me with my hand. Susie let out a giggle as she said, “I couldn’t resist. I know it’s one of your favorites and the shelves at the store were pretty bare today. I saw the can of hash and I thought of you. I also have a loaf of bread! There is a bakery down the road that is open a couple of days a week. I never know when they will be open and I’m not really sure what they use for ingredients. That isn’t going to stop me though. I miss the smell of fresh bread or a hot croissant. I had some extra 9mm ammo and the girl took that in trade for the bread.”
I went over to Susie and pulled her in close and gave her a long passionate kiss. I took the bag from her and opened it up saying, “Don’t you want to know what’s in here?”
Susie grabbed it back from me and said, “Of course I do silly. I didn’t want to be rude and just start rummaging through it without getting a little love from you first.” Susie opened it up and she squealed in delight. “Champagne! How the hell did you get that? And 9mm ammo? It’s this girl’s lucky day!” She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me an even longer passionate kiss. It almost made my knees buckle.
Susie put the bubbles in the freezer and motioned me towards the bedroom. I didn’t need coaxing. She grabbed my tie and walked me into her room. I stopped for a second and asked, “But what about dinner?”
Susie smiled and said, “The champagne needs time to chill, the hash will be fine on the stove for a bit.”
Before I knew it we were both naked on her bed making passionate love. It was different from any other time we had done it. Susie was filled with passion and love. Her moves were deliberate and meaningful and I reciprocated. I had never felt anything like this before. We then basked in the afterglow lying next to each other staring at the ceiling holding hands. Susie put her head on my chest and said, “So you haven’t told me how you got that stuff. It is quite an indulgence. You know how to treat a lady.” I chuckled and said, “Of course I know how to treat a lady. You do know you look stunning tonight don’t you?” Susie let out a sigh, “Oh that old thing? You cleaned up pretty good yourself. Hey, by the way, how did your interview go? I’m guessing well judging by the gifts you brought.”
I sat up and propped myself up on the wall at the head of the bed. “Oh yes I’m officially working for the government now. As I looked at my chest thinking about the devices implanted in my chest.”
Susie pushed herself up also and said, “So I guess you can’t tell me too much about what the job entails. Top secret stuff?” She still had a smile on her face but I could tell she was worried about me.
I smiled at Susie and said, “It really isn’t too big of a deal. Mostly boring intel gathering and surveillance of high value targets.”
Susie quipped, “I know when somebody, especially you are full of shit. I understand you can’t and don’t want to tell me what you will be doing. Just promise me you will be careful.”
I stared straight ahead thinking, I’m going to have to use women by sleeping with them to get information or influence them. I will have to kill without hesitation or feeling for God and country. Susie has no clue how fucked up my moral compass is about to get or already is. It isn’t fair to her, but I’m too weak to say goodbye to her. I’m not going to be good boyfriend material anymore. Who knows, the world could go to shit again and we could all be wiped out. I guess this is definitely a live in the moment way of life now.
Susie jumped up and put the dress back on looking away from me as I admired her. She looked over her shoulder and said, “Time for dinner and champagne!” She scampered out of the room and I put on a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt I kept in her apartment. I came out of the bedroom and Susie’s right eyebrow went up as she said, “I don’t think so mister. Go back and put on the pants and your shirt. You don’t have to put the noose back on though.” I obeyed her command and by the time I got back there was the hash and bread on the plates. There was also the bottle of bubbles next to the candle that was still flickering.
Susie handed the bottle to me and said, “Sorry I don’t have champagne flutes but these will have to do.” Susie pointed to the two pint glasses that were next to the bottle.
I struggled a bit with the cork because of my arthritic fingers. I wasn’t going to ruin this mood by not getting the bottle open and I would shoot this cork off it I had to. I freed the cork from its bottle with a loud pop. I did love that sound so much. I knew it wasn’t what some would call manly, but champagne was one of my favorite indulgences.
We enjoyed the hash and bread and saved most of the champagne for after dinner. We retired to the couch and finished the bottle, savoring each sip. I had my arm around Susie and she fit into me like a glove. We sipped the bubbles and talked about my boys and how screwed up the world had become. Susie talked about her job at the University. They were determined to rebuild the school. Some of the building were still standing and they were using what they could salvage. The union terrace was still standing. It had some superficial damage and she was in charge of making it into a lecture hall. I had many fond memories of union terrace and I closed my eyes and could smell the popcorn and beer and hear the laughing and conversations. Susie didn’t talk a great deal about her job but I could tell she was pas
sionate about it. She was paid in supplies such as toilet paper, soap and other canned goods when they had them to give.
“Shit! What the hell?” could be heard from the comfort of Susie’s couch. I laughed when I heard the muffled voices outside where my truck was parked. Susie had a confused look on her face. “That would be my new rides security system. The voltage increases with repeated attempts at breaking into the vehicle. They will give up soon.” And with that, there was silence.
Susie chuckled and shook her head. She then turned towards me and said, “What do you think of living together?”
I was taken by surprise and tried to smile, “Of course I think of that. I’m not sure how we would work out the logistics of it all. I don’t like the idea of you being here by yourself. Even though I know you are quite capable of taking care of yourself. I have a lot of shit back in Milwaukee that wouldn’t fit here. I don’t think you want to move into my cave.” Susie smiled and nodded yes.
We spent the rest of the night telling funny stories about our families and how the world still might end. I felt sad inside because I would have to lie to Susie regarding my new job. It was for her own good and I had no choice in the matter. I’m not sure how any of this was going to work out. For now, I was going to enjoy whatever time I had with this beauty.
It was late and Susie got up and went into her bedroom. I got up and made sure her apartment was secure and went into her room. Susie was already in bed and from what I could tell by the outline under the thin sheet, she was naked. Susie playfully patted the spot next to her and said, “Would you like to join me?”
It was now about 0300 and I was exhausted. Susie always wanted to be held after we made love and I enjoyed it also. She brought up living together and I told her we would work out the details in the morning. I was nervous about the thought of living with somebody other than my kids. I had been divorced for a while now and even when I was married it was like I was living by myself. I worked nights so I rarely slept with my wife. On my off days I would find an excuse not to go to bed with my wife—most of the time going to a bar. She didn’t hide the fact that she was relieved that I wasn’t there at night. She made it apparent with snide remarks when I was in bed with her that she didn’t want me there. It was all toxic and I was very happy to be out of that situation.
Mad City: Book One of the Sean Walsh Post Apocalyptic Series Page 11