Michael was apprehensive about another try.
“It’s a waste of gas resources,” Michael said. “And Miles got bit the last time.”
“We need to keep trying.”
I knew it was weighing on Michael now that his ability was evident.
He placed on my ‘collar’ and called them willingly. For thirty minutes he called them. Nothing.
Before celebrating, we took one more risk. We went farther north to where we knew there were Sleepers. After quietly making our approach, we had Michael call.
I could smell them, hear them, but they never came for us.
While it was only me, Michael, and Randy for that test, we saved our celebratory cheers for when we arrived back to Haven.
Michael and Randy shared the good news while I went back to my lab. We had accomplished one part of the plan. To stop Michael from calling them.
I would remain a hermit, locked away, until I had two more units. I didn’t want to take a chance that one would die and leave us vulnerable.
I had no idea what time it was, only that my stomach was growling and I’d have to break for some food and maybe a nap. When I was just about to do that, there was a knock on my lab door.
“So this is the Sonny World,” Beck said as he walked in.
‘This was actually the wood shop for the residents here,” I said. “At least it was when I was a detainee. What brings you here this late?”
“This late?” Beck asked with a chuckle. “Sonny, it’s seven in the morning.”
“Holy cow, no wonder I’m so tired and hungry.”
“No wonder.”
“So what brings you here at this hour?”
“I came to say goodbye.”
“Where are you going?”
“The uh… Reckoning?”
“Oh, shit. Is that today? Oh my God, Beck, I am so sorry.”
“That’s okay, you’ve been busy.”
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“No, I’m a mess.”
“Then don’t do this,” I said. “Don’t leave. If you don’t feel it, don’t do it.”
“I have to, Sonny. I have to fulfill my part. I also need you to do your part. You succeeded in the invention, now take some time away from it. I won’t be here for a while.”
“I’ll do that.” Noticing that Beck just wasn’t himself, I had to ask again. “Are you okay?”
He heaved in a big breath, opened his mouth to speak.
“There you are,” Mera’s voice blasted into my lab. She sounded irritated, almost angry. Did she not realize Beck was leaving?
“Mera, I thought you went back to sleep,” Beck said,
“You thought wrong.” Her hand slammed into his chest. “What is this shit?”
“Mera—”
“No, Beck. What the hell?”
I saw what fell from his chest to his hands, it was a piece of paper.
“My goodbye,” Beck said.
Oh, boy, I thought, he never told her he was leaving for the Reckoning. I wouldn’t know because I buried myself away.
The ill-informed genius in me spoke up. “Beck, maybe you should have told her sooner you were leaving.”
“Oh, I knew,” Mera said.
“Then why are you mad?” I asked.
“Oh my God, Sonny, shut up,” she snapped.
I cocked back. Mera had never been mean to me.
“Mera, listen,” Beck said. “It isn’t fair to you.”
“Really?” She folded her arms. “No shit.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“What did you mean? Was this planned Beck? Because I’ll tell you what, I think you could have timed this a little better,” she said. “What the hell? You never mentioned this. You never said a word. You and I made love last night!”
“Guys! Too much information.” Immediately I put my hands to my ears and started singing la-la-la.
Lips moved, words were said, I have no idea what it was. I finally lowered my hands.
“I’m sorry,” Beck said. “It’s not fair to you. My focus is on making this world a better place. Don’t think for once second my heart isn’t breaking.”
“And mine isn’t?” she asked. “You can’t do this.”
“I’ll be back,” Beck said. “But I have to go out there with a clear head, Mera. I have to focus on the mission and not what’s at home.”
“So you’re just letting me go.”
“You’re what?” I asked.
“Maybe in the future, it’ll be different,” Beck said. “Maybe after we change things. But right now… no.” He leaned down and kissed her. “It’s for the best, Mera.”
“What about the baby?” she asked. “Phoenix?”
“I’ll be there for them both. I have to go and I refuse to hold you back anymore.” He gave her a quick embrace, sniffed in his pride, and walked to the door.
“Hold me back from what?” she asked. “What, Beck?”
He paused in the door. “More than you realize. It’s not what, it’s who.”
And then he was gone.
He had looked at me. Damn it. Was he breaking up with Mera because of me?
Mera stood there, and to be honest I didn’t know what to say.
It was a dick move on Beck’s part, but now wasn’t the time to say so.
Trying to be compassionate, I softened my voice. “Mera, I’m sorry.”
“I am too.” I noticed the note was on the floor and I reached down for it.
“Sonny, don’t say anything to anyone, please?” she asked.
“I won’t.”
“Thanks.”
“You dropped …” I held up the note, but Mera had left.
I was tired, hungry, and even more so curious. Reading that letter was neither my place or business, so I folded it and placed it in a drawer.
Before I went to get food, I headed down to the gate. Beck was leaving again, and I didn’t get a chance to wish him luck or say goodbye. I wanted to take that chance and do so before it was too late.
TWENTY-TWO – ALEX SANS
I chose the location because I was familiar with it, and it was a good, solid point to start. I knew the history of the area, and knew that it had everything we needed.
We were six days out from having our Thanksgiving dinner, and Renee insisted that if Danny could bag a wild boar, then there was no reason we couldn’t get a turkey.
Considering our location in the country, I was confident that was a good possibility. If of course, the Sleepers didn’t take a bite out of them.
One would think that ecologically, the game population would be rampant. Unfortunately, whenever we came across a deer, nine times out of ten, it was bitten.
Turkeys were a different thing. As a community we never hunted turkeys. They weren’t something you saw in Texas.
I hunted and fished and was pretty good at it. One of our guys, Roy, was a hunter, too. Michael claimed he was, and since I thought it was the thing to do, I brought Danny along.
Yeah, he was labeled the mighty hunter for bagging that boar, but I knew the real story behind it. It was a total freak accident. If Danny was going to help to provide for his family, he was going to learn to hunt.
Javier wished us luck then said, “Alex, the way things have been, we aren’t needing the Sleepers to fill our medical clinic. Ed and his sword training sends people in with slices and broken bones, and with Sonny working on that contraption, we’ve had bites and Randy nearly got killed. No hunting accidents.”
Even though I promised myself I’d go there some day, it was the first time I returned to my survival haven.
My home. The Haven.
Not only was I good with the game in the area, or used to be, the Haven had all that we needed, including those hand warmer things. Admittedly, I didn’t handle the cold like I used to, and it was damn cold.
For the first time in weeks, I felt good. No broken ribs, blocked nose, I was free of the Sleeper virus, and my heart ached a lit
tle less, even though I still missed Jessie every single day.
My spirits were up when we arrived and Roy was generally impressed. In case we had to make a quick escape, we took some time to load up the truck with supplies I knew we needed.
I grabbed some personal items as well, including my photos and favorite jeans.
On my dusty kitchen table, I laid out a map of the region. I noted that beyond the edge of my property was where I used to go turkey hunting. I had some turkey calls that I passed out and even felt a bit giddy.
“Keep it quiet out there,” I instructed. “We only want turkeys. No Sleeper.” I checked to make sure Michael had on his collar and paired him up with Roy.
Roy was pretty safe with Michael as his partner, so I gave them the denser area. We’d all be close. I had the coolest fluorescent hunting vests at the Haven and we all donned those.
“When we get what we need, we head back,” I said. Roy sniffed as we walked. “We field dressing or we gonna wait to bring them back and do it at camp? It’s only a short trip.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty cold. They should be good holding off on the gutting,” I said. “Although the feathers come out better when they’re steamy.”
“Six of one, half dozen the other,” Roy said. “Let’s call it by ear, see what our situation brings.”
I agreed and led Danny into our section of the woods. I felt very parental, taking him out like my father took me. I was pretty cool, until he forgot the one rule of thumb.
Be quiet.
Roy and Michael were about thirty yards away. I could hear their tromping on the frozen leaves.
“Will it taste the same?” Danny asked.
“Probably will taste better. When’s the last time you ate turkey?” “So this is it? Wait and watch, blow the turkey caller thing?”
“I thought your father was a big outdoors guy.”
“He was. I wasn’t.”
“Yeah, well.”
“Why aren’t we walking?” Danny asked. “I mean, obviously Mike is.”
“Each man has their own way. They probably won’t have luck tromping around.”
Not a few seconds after I said that, we heard the laughter and excitement from Roy and Michael.
“You were saying?” Danny asked. “I haven’t seen one.”
“Danny.”
“You keep blowing that thing, I’m pretty positive a real turkey will know that’s a fake call. I mean, I know the difference between an electronic voice and real one.”
“Oh my God. You need to be quiet. We watch. Wait. Move, repeat.”
“How are they doing it?”
“Probably looking for a flock.”
Another ‘yes!’ rang out in the woods.
“Good shot, Michael,” Roy said.
“They got another one,” Danny said. “Maybe we should try their method. Renee said we need four.”
“We’ll get ours. Hunting takes time.”
“Not for them.”
“This place is swarming with turkeys. At least it used to be.”
“Where?”
“Danny!” I snapped.
“Dude, seriously. I think we’re in a bad spot.”
“We’re hunting.”
“I know,” Danny said. “Since I have you alone, I want to ask you something.”
“Go on.”
“Did you see Beck when he left? He didn’t seem like he wanted to go.”
“Yeah, I noticed that. I think your mom was fighting with him.”
“I thought that too. She was mad. Something was odd about it. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Want my honest opinion?” I waited for Danny to nod. “I think he’s more used to leaving then staying. Just my opinion.”
“That sucks. With the baby coming and the trouble we’re expecting.”
“Yeah, all that’s a few months away. I’m guessing we’re in safe…” I smiled. “Look.” I pointed.
Four turkeys were strutting arrogantly through a narrow path in the woods.
“Wanna try?” I asked Danny.
“I’m not a great arrow shot.”
“Don’t matter, you miss we try again. Aim for the neck. Do a guillotine effect.”
Danny only looked at me then aimed his crossbow. After a moment, he lowered it. “I can’t. I’ll miss and then they’ll scatter. You take the first one so we can catch up to them.”
I grabbed the crossbow, lifted it, aimed.
“Holy shit!” Roy yelled. “Did you see the size of that one?’
Not only did I miss, but our turkeys scattered.
“Goddamn it!” I stood up.
Danny laughed.
“You hit it,” Roy said, “but it didn’t go down. Where did it go?”
Did they not realize their voices carried?
Annoyed and a bit angry, I signaled Danny to follow me. I was going after those two hunting morons. I don’t know where they hunted before, but they didn’t know proper procedures. Following the sounds of their voices, I spotted their bright orange vests.
“Gentlemen,” I called out. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re supposed to be quiet when hunting?”
“Alex!” Michael said excitedly. “You had to see the size of the one. I hit it and it did not go down!”
“Had to be fifty pounds,” Roy added. “It’s still running with an arrow in it. We get that one, that makes three. We won’t need any more.”
“Well it couldn’t have gotten that far,” I said. “Keep looking.”
Eventually the bird would fall. The woods were very dense, and the trees were bare, not much camouflage.
Michael was ahead of us, certain he knew the path. Then he stopped. “There.” He pointed.
I saw a hint of green arrow and then… a Sleeper.
“Damn it.” I stomped. “See this is what happens when you’re yelling like rednecks at a beer pong match. In this day and age you get Sleepers.”
The Sleeper headed our way, stopped and bent down.
“No,” Michael said. “No, he is getting my turkey.”
To me the solution was simple. Take out the Sleeper go get the turkey. I loaded then raised my bow, waiting for him to appear
As soon as he did, Michael crossed the path of my aim.
“Padre, what the hell?”
“I’m getting my turkey. That’ll feed everyone.” He marched in mission mode toward the Sleeper.
The padre was going to be brave, and I thought it was stupid. Then again, he could approach the Sleeper without a problem.
We moved behind Michael to the Sleeper, ready to shoot if need be. As soon as Michael drew near, four more Sleepers spilled from the woods.
The turkey was huge and Roy hadn’t exaggerated. It took four of them to handle it and they were fighting over the barely moving turkey.
“Padre,” I whispered. “Let’s go. Sleepers in the woods. We have two.”
Michael looked over his shoulder. “I want my bird.”
Since when was he so determined? “Get ready, gentlemen, we may be fighting off Sleepers.”
The padre approached them. “Give me it," Michael demanded.
Unbelievable. He was trying to strong arm Sleepers with words? Reason with them?
“That is mine,” Michael said.
The four Sleepers all had a hand on the bird and they stared at Michael.
“Mine. Give it.” He walked toward them.
In a frightening manner, the Sleepers all growled viciously at him, possessive over the bird. As if they were about to attack.
Just when I thought the padre was no longer safe, Michael, mimicking the Sleepers, growled back, long and loud.
What happened next froze me in my stance.
The four Sleepers dropped the bird, spun around, and hightailed it out of there.
I was astonished, and a little scared. Not only did I get to see the true size of that bird, I got to witness the magnitude of power Michael indeed had over the Sleepers.
TWENTY-THREE �
�� MERA STEVENS
There was an early calm that fell upon the night. Maybe it was something the kids ate, the excitement of the monster turkey.
We spent the afternoon using the craft box to make Thanksgiving decorations. After dinner, I gave all the boys their monthly buzz cut, bathed all the children, and put them to bed.
Sonny was busy. He was trying to broaden the radio range. Because of reception issues, the radio room was on the second floor of the administration building. It had less structural interference. Because of its location, Alex couldn’t man it twenty-four seven.
I happily volunteered to do so while the kids were in school.
At some point, I guess after Danny stopped in to eat and I was getting some cookies for the kids, Alex must have stopped by. It was evident by the box on the main table, a box of his personal items, including photographs.
I needed something to take my mind off of everything. I still didn’t know what to think about Beck or even how to feel.
Angry, sad, indifferent? All of the above?
Randy came and got me in the morning just after Alex and Danny left for their hunting trip. Beck was on the radio. Randy didn’t say if he had asked to speak to me.
Beck sounded good. He’d arrived at this station, filled me in on progress, asked how we were, and said he’d radio as often as he could.
No ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you’. Nothing.
Sonny once again apologized and blamed himself. I don’t know why. I felt in my heart it was a mistake, and that after a few days Beck would radio and simply say ‘forget the note’, that he didn’t know what he was thinking.
It was good to hear Danny’s enthusiasm over the hunting trip. He told me how Michael and Roy got all the turkeys, and he and Alex missed because Alex kept talking to him.
There apparently had been Sleeper issues, which I didn’t understand. It was over the monster turkey. It was injured and still alive when they guys brought it back.
Javier, not a vet, as he often stressed, said the bird looked to have only an injured wing though and would live for a couple days.
Until they killed him.
Scout found a comfortable spot on the floor on top of an old coat. His paws were crossed and he rested his head on his arms, taking in his new surroundings.
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