by Ira Tabankin
“I’m serious if he disappears when we’re talking with the families, we’ll be instantly suspected of being behind it and doing away with him. In fact, if you see Ricky walking away from the farm, stop him. We can’t have him disappear for any reason until we get to the bottom of what he’s up to.”
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Ricky carries the potassium in a small Ziploc bag in his left side cargo pocket. He wanders through the castle taking note of various rooms and storage areas. He found two hidden staircases and a locked steel door marked “Armory.” Ricky smiled to himself over his discoveries. He walked into the kitchen saying,
“Hi Lacy, how do you like the castle?”
“Hi Ricky, it’s not like our home was, it doesn’t have a warm homely feeling like a regular home, but it is much more secure than any other home would be. The walls are very thick, they’re well insulated. They’re also bullet, storm and fire proof. The castle is almost as safe as the shelter. I feel safe here, it just doesn’t feel like a home.”
“Yeah, it feels almost like we’re living in an episode of “Game of Thrones.”
“You better hope we’re not in the “Game of Thrones.” It’s been violent around here, but nowhere near the level in the series. Plus, we don’t have any internal treachery like they have on the show.”
“We ought to get some more horses, they would come in handy if our fuel supply dries up.”
“I’ll talk to Jay about it. It’s an interesting idea. I think he once thought of it. Thanks for bringing it up.”
“Speaking about Jay, how is he doing?”
“He’s getting better. He’s getting stronger every hour. I think it’s only a matter of a few weeks before he’ll be up and walking a little again. I think the hardest part for him will be the PT. Doc said the PT will help him rebuild his strength. It’s just that he hates PT.”
“I didn’t realize he’s done it before.”
“He had a tear in his left knee, I don’t remember the exact medical term for it. He had to go to PT three times a week. He hated it, he returned home in more pain than he had before he started the PT. He gave it up after two months. It’s one of the reasons he still walks with a limp, his knee never fully recovered.”
“Didn’t his knee get painful again without the PT rebuilding it? How did he handle it?”
Lacy laughs, “You know Jay, he found a doctor to give him anti-inflammatory drugs to keep his knee under control. Between those and the Vicodin, he was able to face the world.”
“Don’t those pills have serious side effects?”
“Potential liver problems among others. When Jay wants to find a way, he doesn’t allow anything to stand between him and what he wants. He always finds a way to get what he wants. He ignored the potential side effects. Hell, he still takes the damn pills, they were part of the medications he stored.”
“I admit, I was worried about what would happen if he didn’t make it. What do you think would happen if his heart gave out? Would we be able to continue?”
Lacy sits at the kitchen table, “Would you like a cup of coffee? Ricky, something happened to you. You’re different. More logical, I like this Ricky 2.0, I’m sure Jay will too.”
“By the way, where is Jay?”
“He’s sitting out front enjoying the sunshine. I was just about to bring him a cup of coffee, why don’t you take his mug to him, maybe the two of you can bury the hatchet and begin to work out your issues.”
“I’d be happy to. I think it’s a good idea. Hopefully, I can show Jay I have a lot to offer.”
“Ricky, I’m sure you do. Here’s his mug, please don’t spill it. Watch out, it’s very hot.”
“Lacy, thank you for your help. I’m looking forward to starting my new relationship with Jay.”
Smiling Lacy says, “I think he’d like that.”
Chapter 26
The Premier of the People’s Republic of China smiles reading the latest report on Hawaii. He’s happy reading that the American President has placed a hold on his military. He turned to face his chief aide, “Hawaii is ours. Nothing the Americans can do will be able to displace us. By the end of the week, we’ll have over 200,000 troops on the islands. We’ll control the air and sea around the islands. How goes Midway?”
“Mr. Premier, Midway is ours, combined with our artificial islands we’ll be able to control most of the Pacific.”
“Excellent, send the initial agents into California. Once we have California, we’ll have total control of the Pacific. The Middle Kingdom’s time has come. We’ve waited over a thousand years to gain our rightful place. Once we have a foothold on American soil, we’ll move north until we control their entire West Coast. Once we control their West Coast, nothing will be able to stop us from moving east state by state.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ll squeeze Australia and New Zealand to side with us. If they refuse, we’ll sink all of their shipping. We’ll isolate them until they beg to join us.”
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“Sir, our patrols have returned, all of the local villages have been destroyed. They were burned to their foundations.”
Captain Black looked up from the latest intel reports concerning the situation in Louisiana. “LT, what happened to the people who lived in the towns?”
Lowering his voice the LT says,
“Sir, may I sit?”
“Of course, do you need something to drink? I have water in the small fridge to the right.”
“Thank you, sir.” Opening and drinking a bottle of water the LT continues, “Sir, we found the remains of the people. It was horrible. Every male and senior is dead, the females are missing. I assume the attackers took them.”
“Assemble the troops and bring the prisoners to the assembly area. We’ll find out what happened.”
“Yes, sir.”
Fifteen minutes later the prisoners, tied together with their hands zip-tied behind their backs are led in front of Captain Black.
“My scouts report that you burned all of the local towns and killed the men while all of the females are missing. Where are they?”
“We won’t tell you anything.”
“Are you prepared to die?”
“Of course we are. If you kill us, we will go to paradise where we’ll marry 72 virgins and be waited on by infidels like you for eternity. We know what awaits us, killing us only speeds our journey to paradise. We are Allah’s holy warriors.”
“I’ll respect your decision. Sergeant, please bring the pigs.”
“Pigs?”
“Yes. I’m going to gut the pigs. I’m going to kill you, cut your balls off, and stuff you inside the pig’s skin. I plan to bury you encased in the pig skin. I believe that means you’ll never enter paradise.”
“NO! You can’t. You wouldn’t.”
“Want to bet? Sergeant, prepare the pigs. Have the prisoners stripped and get the hedge clippers we found. Place the iron poles in the fire, after we cut their balls off we’ll sear the wound with the red hot iron pipes.”
“Captain. Please, you must not do this. We will be stuck wandering forever, we’ll never be allowed in paradise.”
The prisoners turn pale watching the sergeant kill the first large pig. They throw up as he guts the pig, covering them in the pig’s blood and guts. They begin begging for mercy and crying as their pants are cut off, troops force them onto their backs on the ground while others cut their legs open. A soldier steps forward wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves holding a gleaming hedge cutter.
“Sir, I sharpened and polished the blades.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I think dull blades may have worked just as well. You may start.”
Smiling the trooper flicks the clipper open and closed in front of the prisoners,
“Don’t worry, you’ll most likely pass out shortly after I remove your balls. If you don’t when the iron pipe is applied to the wound to sear it you will pass out, I don’t think you’re going to like the smell of your own
burning skin. I’m going to start with the one on the right.”
The leader of the prisoners doesn’t believe the soldier will do it, he thinks the Captain is bluffing. He spits at the soldier holding the clippers.
“You’re a pig. When we enter paradise, you will serve me for all eternity.”
“I don’t think so. Without your manhood, buried inside a pig, you’ll never see paradise.”
“You wouldn’t dare do this to one of Allah’s chosen.”
“Want to bet?”
The soldier reaches down and starts cutting the prisoners balls. His screams cut through everyone watching. The prisoner is shocked at the pain, it hits him like a lightening bolt. He tries to pull himself free, quickly learning he can’t move. Blood pours out of the open wound.
Pulling on heavy leather gloves, “Hand me the iron.”
The glowing red hot tip is applied to the wound, burning it closed. The prisoner screams and passes out.
Captain Black nods saying,
“I don’t want to kill him until he’s awake. Throw a pail of water on him before his throat is cut.”
The Arab opens his eyes confused and shaking, “What happened?”
“You passed out after we closed your wound. The captain wants you awake when he kills you. First we’re going to place you in the pig, then we’re going to cut your throat.”
“You can’t! You wouldn’t.”
Placing him into the pig carcass, “Captain, the pig is too small or he’s too tall.”
“Break his legs so they bend backward.”
“Yes, sir.”
Screams cut through the other prisoners who realize what their future holds, they stare open-eyed at their leader being jammed into a pig, his legs are broken as they’re bent backward. He’s crying and begging for mercy. Captain Black bends over the prisoner,
“You deserve no mercy for what you did to the people in the towns.” He pulls out his knife, slitting his throat. Two of the soldiers sew the pig skin closed they toss it with the Arab into a pre-dug hole. They begin covering it in dirt. Captain Black smiles looking at the others lying on the ground, “Next?”
“We’ll tell you anything you want to know. Please don’t do that to us. Please spare us.”
Captain Black smiles,
“See how easy that was. Take them to the 2, drain them of everything they know.”
“Yes, sir.”
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El Chapo’s scout teams worked their way east and south. They stay hidden while they locate the best potential farms. Once they locate the farms, they mark them on their electronic tablets. The maps are automatically sent to El Chapo’s server where the master map is updated and sent to all of the scout teams. One of the scout teams is flying a small drone over farms north of Nashville, Tennessee, marking their maps with the good farms they discover. They’re thinking, these farms will be able to grow our product and food. El Chapo will be very pleased.
The drone operator taps his leader on the shoulder,
“Sir, look.”
He hands the tablet to his leader.
“A castle? Here in the states? Where did this come from?”
“Sir, I don’t know. I’ll fly the drone around it to give us a better look. Sir, look, someone is sitting in front of the castle. He’s sitting in a wheelchair. He must own the castle. It would make a good base of operations in this area.”
“Yes, it will. Record as much of this area as you can. Return the drone when we have videos of every side of the castle. I want to show this to El Chapo. He might want move here. It would be easy to defend a castle. I think he’s going to be very pleased.”
Smiling the operator replies, “Yes, sir.”
The leader is thinking, this is a perfect set up for El Jefe. He will love this. He will be royalty with his own castle. A handicap owner won’t put up any fight. I would take it now, but I’m sure El Chapo will want to be here when we capture it. I can smell my reward, I’m sure he’ll richly reward me.
El Chapo’s research department leader sat across from his boss,
“Sir, our plan was a research project. We didn’t think you were going to implement it.”
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s going to save me hundreds of millions.”
“Sir, the people don’t have the money to spend on drugs.”
“I know, I plan to barter and trade for my drugs. I’ll take their gold, silver, anything they have of value. We’ll ensure America never becomes a threat to the world again. I’ll keep them as my slaves, addicted forever.”
“Yes, sir.”
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Jay sits in his wheelchair thinking, I hear a soft buzzing, I swear someone is flying a small drone above me. I can’t see it. It must be either very small, or flying too high to see it. I wonder who’s flying it. The last time a drone checked us out, it was our own drone, taken over by the gang which used the intel to attack us. It was the first time we got pushed into the shelter. It cost me one of our neighbors. None of us expected to have to use the shelter. The storm scared the gang away, we cleaned up any who remained, only to be attacked by the Russians who shot me, Tony and John. They got away easy. I have to sit in this damn chair. I hate the idea of sitting in a wheelchair. I never wanted to be a burden to Lacy and my family. That droning is bothering, like a fly buzzing my face and not be able to swat it. Who the hell is scoping us out now? I hope John or Todd has recorded the drone and will be able to trace it backward. It might be time to send an armed away team to bring the pain to others before they’re in a position to attack us.
Jay’s thoughts are interrupted by Ricky holding a large mug of coffee out to him,
“Jay, I thought you might like a mug of coffee.”
Looking up, Jay smiles thinking, is it possible Ricky is changing? Can people change? This is the first time I remember him doing anything for anyone other than himself. Should I accept him at face value?
“Ricky, thank you for the coffee. It’s mighty kind of you. Why don’t you pull up a chair and sit with me?”
“Jay, I’d be happy to.”
“How are you fitting into your rooms? I’m sorry about the furniture. Most of what we had was destroyed in the storm. We know where there are a couple of stores in town, once everyone settles in I plan to send a team to pick up furniture, would you like to be on or lead that team?”
“Thank you. I would very much like to lead that team. I’ll show you I have merit here.”
“Good, it’s decided. Plan to leave in two days. Select your team, show me who you’d like to take with you. You’ll go in a couple of the trucks.”
“I will.” Said Ricky while glancing at the untouched mug of coffee on the small folding table next to Jay’s wheelchair.
“Can I hand you the coffee?”
“Thanks, I’m just letting it cool down a little. Lacy always thinks I like it very hot, the only reason I like it hot is it stays warmer longer. I really like my coffee warm versus boiling hot. How do you like yours?”
“Like you, warm versus very hot.”
Jay looks up at the buzzing.
“Do you hear the buzzing noise? I think there’s a drone above us.”
“I don’t hear anything. Are you sure you hear something? Could it be your ears are playing games on you? A lot of shit happened to your body.”
“Tell me about it. You have no idea of half of the shit I went through.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Ricky, I don’t want to appear rude, but, there're some things I don’t think I can share with anyone.” Jay pauses to sip his coffee. “Tastes a little funny I bet Lacy switched me off of my phony sugar again. She tries to get rid of the packets and I bring them back. It’s been so long since I tasted coffee without the yellow or pink packets, I’d forgotten what it tastes like. Either way, I’ll get used to it. Coffee is coffee. If you don’t mind, would you please locate Todd or John and tell them to find the damn drone that’s buzzing my home?”
Thinkin
g, there’s no drone, he’s lost more of his marbles than I thought. “Sir, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll find one or both of them.”
Holding out his right hand, Jay says,
“Ricky, thanks. I think we’ve started the process of forgetting the past.”
Ricky bends over hugging Jay, “Thanks for the second chance, Dad.” While thinking, I don’t know how long the potassium takes, I put some in his coffee, I’ll put more in tomorrow. Jay smiles and nods to Ricky as he drinks his coffee