It took three years to finally get the project up and running again. I never got the full story of what happened. The only witness left alive was Tucker and he wasn’t talking. Whenever I pressed the issue he would get upset or scared depending on the mood he was in. Whatever. At least I was alive.
Almost all of the guards and scientists had been killed in the explosion. The Corps refused to say how much it cost to start from scratch. “A lot,” was all he said. The new base was cooler than the first so I didn’t care anymore. My room looked more like some shit from Caesar’s Palace than a hospital now. The Corps and the Hecksford’s still did not live on base like Tucker and I so that left of plenty of free time to make plans.
“You sure this place isn’t bugged?” Tucker asked.
“If it were our brains would be sizzlin’” I replied. “How long have we been here? About ten years, right?” Tucker nodded. “And how much sex have we had?”
“With each other?” Tucker asked. “Sure,” I said. “Not that much,” he replied. “You don’t even look me in the eye when we make love.” “Afraid of you burning me,” I said. “You set my heart on fire years ago,” he said. “You a freak,” I said. “Well, on every mission we got some,” Tucker said while smiling. “Hell, even in Iraq. Why?” “I’m just thinkin’ about what we are missing out on,” I said. “There can’t be too much more we
can learn here.” “It’s not like they’re going to give us a going away party and a gold watch,” Tucker said. “If we
try and leave they will kill us. I have no doubt about that.” “Neither do I,” I said. “I mean, we both know that we’ll be here for either a long ass time or
forever. I think it’s time to use this project to our own advantage.” “How?” Tucker asked. “Kill the Hecksford’s and The Corps?” “Better,” I said. “We let them get comfortable with us. More so than they already are. But silently
get our own thing. When they bring new recruits we pick out the ones that are better than the best and recruit them for our team. You feel me?”
“I try but you’re too fast,” Tucker said solemnly. “Fucking pervert,” I replied. “Did you hear about the Hecksford’s kids?” “No, what?” Tucker asked. “The Corps been keeping tabs on them,” I said. “Like, he wants them to be a part of this shit one
day. Isn’t that crazy?” “Makes perfect sense to me,” Tucker said. “I bet he tries to do with her daughter what you
planned.” “I doubt it,” I said while smiling. “She’s already two years old. By the time she 18 I’ll be an old
man. And I bet she acts more like mama than papa. She’ll be sneaky and shit but delicate.” “You really want to bang Mrs. Hecksford don’t you?” Tucker asked. “Not as much anymore,” I said. “I put my arm through her years ago. My dick would be like
throwing a hotdog down a hallway.” “And that’s different how...?” Tucker asked before jumping from his chair and running away. Years went by. Fast. Tucker and I rarely mentioned our plans for takeover. Recruits came and
went. Very few survived and even less made it past a year. Mr. Hecksford looked like he aged thirty years. His hair was graying and falling out. Mrs. Hecksford stayed beautiful. The Corps looked like he hadn’t aged a day since I first met him, which led me to think that he had lied about the whole Rubber Maid’s not being able to be dudes. But I was just overreacting. God wouldn’t make two of him. That’d be blasphemous. One day I heard an argument a few doors down from my room. Nodoubt Tucker could hear it as well.
“Absolutely.”
“We’ll see what my wife has to say about that!”
“She has already agreed.”
“I doubt it.”
“Ask her.”
(silence)
“Shall I call her for you?”
(silence)
“I’m aware that you have been training her.”
“Not for this.”
“Yes, for this.”
“But females can’t survive this! You know that! How many more need to die for you to
understand that? Are you that stubborn?”
“Possibly.”
“I won’t allow it.”
“You cannot stop it.”
“Yes, I can.”
“Amuse me.”
“What?”
“Amuse me. Tell me how you plan to stop me.”
(silence)
“Then it’s settled. After her graduation from school and then an academy that she has already
been recruited for she will report here.”
(silence)
“Go have a drink, Lemont. You are already shaking.”
(silence)
“Your daughter is special. We both know that. But only I appreciate it. Well, your wife and I.”
“But…”
15
Seems that my plan was going to work after all. All I had to do was wait until their daughter got out of high school and graduated. I have talked to Mrs. Hecksford about their daughter, Kendra. I even saw a picture of her. She’s cute. You know she’ll be a sweet little woman someday. I can’t imagine her killing a man though. Even though she is apparently athletic and is a skilled fighter she has her mother’s eyes. A little bit on the baby fat side but I’m sure all the exercise she’ll go through will get rid of that. Kendra Hecksford. You’ll be my savior. With you I’ll tear this shit down and leave nothing for it to be rebuilt with.
I woke up one day and Tucker was gone. He left me a note in his chicken scratch ass writing. I had to wipe my eyes every few seconds. I was losing my brother. Actually, two of them.
“Now before you put my face on a milk carton know that I am OK. Early this morning Hollister showed up. I woke up with Grizzly Adams standing over me looking like shit on a stick. He asked where you were and smiled when I told him that you were sleeping. I told him it wasn’t a cute as it sounded because you snored like a bear with asthma and three lungs. He disappeared a few times while we were together but came back quickly. I told him about our plans and he nodded. Then he said that you didn’t need me to finish it. That Jesus said that my part was done and that I had my own life to live. I didn’t want to go, you know that. We’ve been brothers for years. Decades. Living without you is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But we can survive it. Hell, if we can survive K.S.E we can survive anything! Hollister got a place set up for me. I can’t tell you where he is staying. He’ll let you know when the time is right. I’ll find a way to keep in contact with you. Maybe have Holly drop me off once in a while. This is hard, bro. I don’t want to go but I have to. Just do what you do, man. I know you can bring this shit down. Just stick to the plan. Holly says that You’re the pin and Kendra is the grenade. Just pull that shit and run. I love you, Ron. Not like that, though. You got nice legs and all but still. I’ll see you when I see you. Until we have our Veteran’s Day.”
Red Eye.
About the Author:
Dante D. Ross was born in Los Angeles, CA. After being spat out onto Earth he decided to spend most of his free time reading, podcasting, blogging, drawing, and avoiding the pitfalls of boredom. He hopes to one day grow up to become Batman.
And he writes. He writes a lot. E-mail:
[email protected]
Blog:
www.dantania.blogspot.com
Veterans Day Page 27