by C M Hoffmann
Justin giggles, “Are you really a ninja?”
Rapp smiles, “Only when I have to be.”
“Can I be a ninja too?”
“Sure I’ll teach you later, hand me some screws.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Back at Mom and Pops’ house, Gavin is posted up on the fly tower of Pops’ boat.
Gavin, “POPS! Looks like grumpy and the deputy are back.”
Pops goes out front to meet with Wade and Ronson. He stops in his tracks as Wade exits his truck covered in blood. He puts a hand on Wade’s shoulder, “You, alright?”
Wade’s jaw is set, his face somber, he doesn’t look up, “Fine.” He walks passed Pops, goes to the hose and proceeds to clean himself off.
Pops, “Ronson, what happened?”
Ronson, “His family’s gone. Don’t know if they turned or if they evac’ed. Looks like they got out before it all hit the fan but there’s no sign of where they went. Had a group coming at us... he took a baseball bat to ‘em. I’m not one to tell you to watch out for your own, but he’s hurtin’ something fierce. I’ve never seen that kinda violence and fury in ten years on the force or even in the last few weeks. The guy’s got a rage about him.”
“That’s our Wade. He’ll never speak about feelings, but he cares a lot more than he’ll let on. We’ll keep him in check, thanks for your help. Can we offer you anything?”
“Not unless you’ve got a way to stop all this chaos. I’ve got my own family to get back to. I’m not even going back to work for a few days until I know they’re safe.”
“If you ever need anything, you know where we live.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
♦ ♦ ♦
After securing the house, Cane makes a round of phone calls to make sure his group is doing well.
Fitz says everything is bolted down tight and the women are fine.
Trey and his family are locked up safe and sound.
Pops and the rest of the family are getting ready for bed. Wade made it back to their house. Having a hard time with his family gone.
At the end of the last phone call, Rapp finds Cane in the backyard checking the boards, “Mind giving me a ride home?”
Cane , “Yea, we’ll have to take the jeep since I don’t know what made the truck stop running. Grab some flashlights, it’s getting dark out and we don’t know how steve likes the nightlife.”
“Roger.” He returns a few minutes later with the lights and everyone says their goodbyes.
Scarlett, “Be careful. I need you here. Get him there safe, but if you don’t come back, I’ll kill you myself.”
Cane, “Ten-four, headquarters.”
Scarlett rolls her eyes and kisses Cane, “Dinner will be ready when you get back.”
Cane and Rapp leave the house and make for the jeep.
Cane, “Wyatt! Gotta run Rapp back home. When I get back I’ll take watch.”
Wyatt waves, “Word.”
The drive to Fitz’s house, only six blocks away, is a quiet ride. Both Cane and Rapp are too focused on watching the darkness for danger to speak. When they arrive, Cane follows Rapp inside.
Cane, “Hey, Raquel, Tina. How are y’all doing?”
Raquel, “Making it work, glad we’re safe for now.”
Tina, “I’m good, how’s Scarlett?”
Cane, “Fine, thanks to the cavalry showing up when they did. Nice to have my own strike force on call. ‘Preciate y’all letting them come out and play.”
Rapp slaps Cane on the shoulder, “That’s why we’re here.”
“Roger. I gotta get back, if y’all need anything give us a shout.”
Fitz, “Will do.” He shakes Cane’s hand and the power goes out almost simultaneously.
Cane rubs his temples, “Dammit! As if the steve apocalypse isn’t bad enough.”
Tina, “Uh, steve?”
Rapp chuckles, “I’ll explain later.”
Cane activates his flashlight and points it at the ceiling bathing the whole living room in a pale white glow, “Well, now that things have gotten dark, and it’s probably going to rain soon, I better head back.” He says his goodbyes and drives home with not a steve in sight. Alone in the jeep, he talks to himself, “Weird. Looks like they’ve all gone to sleep. Well, do they even sleep? What is all this? I don’t get it.”
He arrives home to the smell of homemade tacos. Justin is sitting on the couch with Scarlett, taco seasoning spread across both of his cheeks. He feels a sense of relief knowing that even with the power out and presumably the end of the world, small things like tacos and a warm home make everything better. He makes himself a large taco and goes out back to relieve Wyatt.
Cane, “Big, foods ready.”
Wyatt, “Good, I’m starving.”
“Go on in and get some. I got this.”
“Want relief later? You’ve been up since the crack of dawn.”
“Ha before that! Damn... it’s only been a day. To think of everything.”
“I hear ya, brother. Just make sure you don’t fall asleep.”
“I won’t, I won’t. I’m well aware of the responsibilities of keeping watch.” The first few raindrops hit his face, “Shit, I was hoping the rain would hold off. Gonna be a long night.”
“Sucks for you, want an umbrella? I’ll toss you one.”
“Yea that’s about the best we can do on short notice.”
“Roger, I’ma call Marie and make sure she’s ok still.”
Wyatt heads inside to eat and Cane stares out into the night. With the power out, the city looks like a ghost town. Cane thinks to himself, ‘Now, this is how a horror movie starts. Dark as shit, with the power out, and it’s raining. No telling when the boogeyman is going to round the corner. Actually... yea, I can see.’ He goes back inside and runs to the man room. He emerges carrying a small black pouch.
Scarlett, “Whatcha got there?”
Cane grins from ear to ear, “Well as long as I can’t see my hand in front of my face naturally. I might as well do it in green.”
Mallory, “What?” Cane holds up the pouch, unzips it, and pulls out his Christmas present from Scarlett a few years past. Mallory repeats, “Again, what?”
Wyatt, “NIGHT VISION! Oh man, I forgot you had that! Can I take night watch?”
Cane laughs, “They’ll be plenty of night watches, so, no. First night is mine.”
“Selfish. Don’t forget the umbrella.”
“You’ll get your turn and I got it. Everyone just keep weapons nearby in case you hear me shoot. Speaking of which, Mallory, can you shoot?”
Mallory, “Been a long time, my dad used to be big into it.” She pauses as she remembers her father’s fate, “But, I’m sure I still can.”
Cane, “Darlin’, the xDm should work just fine for her.”
Scarlett, “I’ll get it.” Scarlett dips out of the room and returns shortly with a Springfield Armory xDm 9mm and three spare magazines.
Mallory, “Wow, that’s a lot of clips.”
Wyatt holds up a corrective finger, “Magazines or mags for short, not clips. Gotta speak gun ‘round here, you gon’ learn today.” Cane and Scarlett laugh catching the comedian Kevin Hart reference.
Mallory, “Sorry, mags.” Mallory drops the magazine, replaces it, and checks the chamber.
Cane, “She’ll fit in just fine around here.”
Justin, “Mommy, I wanna help. Can I have a gun too?”
Mallory, “Not just yet. We’ll get you one soon but not until you know how to use it.” Justin begins to pout.
Cane drops to a knee in front of Justin, “Instead of a gun, how about a cookie?”
Justin perks up, “YOU, have cookies?”
Scarlett, “We always have cookies.”
Cane grabs a container out of the pantry and hands Justin a cookie. He immediately devours it and Cane pulls out a second one. Justin reaches for it, and Cane pops it in his own mouth. “Can’t be eating them all by your lonesome. Gotta s
avor the few we have.” Justin makes a face and everyone begins to laugh.
Wyatt, “Ain’t you supposed to be watching up top?”
Cane, “Yea, yea, I’m going.” He returns to the roof and turns on the night vision monocular. He canvasses the blacked out streets for any signs of movement. After a few minutes, he shuts off the night vision and lies on the roof watching the empty streets. Soon the rain begins to pick up its pace and he moves to sitting on the peak of the roof. While definitely uncomfortable, it keeps the rain from running down the crack of his butt.
In the ever darkening night with no street lights and total cloud cover, the vision starts to play tricks on the mind. Cane sees things that aren’t there. Spontaneous movement makes his head whip around. He tries to remember the basic eye anatomy lesson. ‘Something about the center of your eye not picking up movement well. Uhh, in the dark you’re supposed to only look through your peripherals. Close enough, maybe next time I’ll pay more attention.’
He hears a growl around him, or was that just the rain? Was that more shots? A car alarm sounds on the next block, splitting the calm night rain with a piercing wail. Cane resigns to only focusing on sounds of hard knocks that he can accurately pinpoint locations. ‘Trying to worry about every sound and every movement is going to drive me crazy.’
♦ ♦ ♦
Trey, “I need to get up to the roof to keep an eye on things.”
Lynn, “Can’t you just keep watch from inside?”
“With all the windows boarded up? Not unless I develop X-ray vision in the next few minutes.”
Emma, “Daddy, can I come keep watch too?”
“Ask your mother.”
Emma looks to Lynn who is giving Trey a disapproving look for putting her on the spot, “Only if you can be quiet, little bit.”
Emma jumps up, “I can be super quiet!” She drops into a squat and poses, “Like a ninja.”
Trey laughs, “Ok but try not to pose and fall off the roof.”
“I won’t. Be right back.” Emma runs off and returns with her pink, custom-camouflaged Red Ryder BB gun.
“Well, that saves me the time of asking where it is. You know you’re not allowed to shoot unless I tell you to?”
“I know, Daddy, but I wanna be ready in case you get hurt again.”
Trey swells with pride at how quickly his daughter is growing up. Just a few weeks ago she would be playing with various toys around the house and it was almost a fight to get her to clean up her own mess. Now, here she is, understanding that something might happen to him. She may not understand the full extent of it, but at least she is heading in the right direction.
Trey, “Alright let’s go and let mommy sleep, but you have to be careful up there.”
Emma, “I know.” Emma kisses Lynn, “Goodnight, mommy, you can sleep tight since Daddy and I are gonna protect you.”
Lynn smiles, “Just be careful. Good night.”
Trey kisses Lynn and he files out the back door with Emma in tow all the while fighting the dogs to keep them inside. As they make it to the roof Trey settles down behind the scope of his custom built 7mm Magnum rifle, the pride and joy of his arsenal. Emma likewise lays down flat on her belly and draws up her BB gun.
Trey, “Remember, no shooting unless I tell you to, right?”
Emma, “Yes, sir.”
The night continues on, Trey hears Emma’s breathing slow and a soft snoring soon follows. Trey had the foresight to bring a blanket and pillow up with him. He tucks the pillow under her head and the blanket around her small body. Emma instinctively snuggles up to his side. In the distance Trey sees a lighter flicker, and soon a small flame is airborne through the dark night. The Molotov cocktail shatters and ignites setting a roof ablaze two blocks away. Rain drops start to fall around him and he looks to the sky and sighs.
Trey mumbles to himself, “As if things weren’t bad enough, let’s fire bomb each other.”
Trey lets out another sigh and goes back to scanning the streets. As the rain begins to get heavier he cradles Emma and gingerly carries her down the ladder and into the safety of her own bed. Back on the roof, he watches as the fires burn and spread.
♦ ♦ ♦
Wade joins Gavin on the top of the Pops’ boat on the fly bridge. Wordlessly he sits down and props his Remington 700 .308 caliber rifle against the dash. He pulls his can of Skoal from his pocket and begins to pack it.
Gavin, “You good?”
Wade, “Well everyone’s gone. Don’t know if they made it someplace safe or not. Ronson says it looks like they got out before it went to shit. Took family pictures and such.”
“Pops told me you had some anger issues out there.”
“Took a bat to a group coming for us. They were a lot slower than the ones across the lake. One of them looked kinda like the ‘egg-donor’.”
“Maybe they’re starving and really dying. You really think it was your mom?”
“‘Egg-donor’ and yes it was her. But, she hasn’t been a mother in almost thirty years; the end of the world doesn’t change any of that. I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t care, I’ll kill every one of them myself if I have to.”
“I’m sure we’ll get our chance. Looks like we got one up the street dead ahead?”
Wade suppresses a giggle, “Dead ahead.”
Gavin laughs, “Ironic.”
“I got this one.” He brings his rifle stock to his cheek, the scope to his eye and finds the wandering steve. “I’m starting my own steve count with this.” He brings the crosshairs to the center of the steve’s face and fires. The round goes low and right hitting the steve in the shoulder.
Gavin, who is spotting through his own rifle scope, “Low and right.”
“Number one, just lay down and die already.” A second shot rings out and the steve falls.
“Better work on your aim. It’s gonna be a long war.”
“World War Steve. Not quite the ring to it. I can’t believe we’re going with Cane and calling them steves.”
“Eh why not, it’s different and he named ‘em first. He’s right, zombie is played out.”
“He’s always freakin’ right. Drives me nuts.”
The night drags on rain begins to fall and they move lower in the boat to the cover of the main cockpit. Their vision becomes obscured by the rain on the cockpit glass. They delve in conversation about the possibilities ahead and their general displeasure of their circumstances. A familiar cadence in that topic of discussion.
CLOCKING IN
As dawn breaks on the second day of their return home. Cane is pleased to see clear streets so far. He proceeds inside to wake everyone for the day’s events. He kicks Wyatt who is snoring like a hibernating bear on the couch, “Big, wake up. I’m gonna put you to work today.”
Wyatt grunts and rolls over, “Please, work is canceled, Big Dog.”
“Different kind of work, I need you to come to the department with me. We’re all gonna see what we can do to help.”
Wyatt sits up and grunts again, “Fine.”
Cane goes into the spare room and wakes up Mallory carefully so Justin, who is lying in the middle of all three dogs, doesn’t wake up. “Mallory, I need to see you in the kitchen.”
Mallory starts, “Almost forgot where we were for a second. Ok be there in a minute.”
Cane heads to the master bedroom to find Scarlett awake in their bed. “Morning, dearest.”
Scarlett, “Good morning. How was night watch?”
“Felt like I was out on patrol, only far less comfortable than sitting in the unit.” He touches the seat of his pants, “Wet too.”
Scarlett stretches her arms out, “I need loves.”
Cane smiles and crawls in bed, “Just for a second, there’s work to do.”
Scarlett yawns, “I know, I know. But for the next sixty seconds, you’re staying here.”
“Yes ma’am.” After the minute is up, Cane kisses Scarlett, “I’m going to work today, and I’m t
aking Wyatt. Think you can hold down the fort?”
“Of course. But, why are you going to work?”
“Gotta see if there’s anything we can do to protect this city. New Orleans and the West bank are in flames. I’d rather not live on the run, like in most movies.”
“Fine, but make sure you come back here.”
“I always do, don’t I? Now, get dressed I need you in the kitchen.” He leaves Scarlett to get dressed, and meets Mallory and Wyatt in the kitchen.
Wyatt, “What’s the word?”
Cane, “Well, I need to call Pops and Trey and Fitz and Fred. Honestly, I have no idea what work will be like. Wyatt, I want you there to watch my back. Mallory, you and Scarlett will stay here with Justin. We’ve got a good supply of ammo and food but don’t shoot unless it’s necessary. We’ll call in when we can.”
When Scarlett makes her way into the kitchen the lights come back on.
Cane winks, “Knew you were an angel.”
Wyatt, “More like the devil.”
Scarlett, “Don’t be mad when I bring the light in.”
Wyatt rolls his eyes, “You know most of the grid is automated now. Probably just shuts off at night to conserve energy.”
Cane punches Wyatt’s arm, “Stop while you’re behind, brotha. Get geared up. I think you’ll like working for the department.” He moves off to call everyone. They all agree to meet at Veterans and Williams to convoy to the department.
The house is filled with a low stir of noise as Wyatt and Cane gear up to head out. Cane puts on his standard uniform minus the outer shirt. Wyatt straps his Glock into a hip holster.
Wyatt, “Got a shoulder holster for the forty four lying around?”
Cane, “I’m sure I got something around here that’ll fit. A few minutes of searching and they find a holster big enough for the large revolver and Wyatt begins fiddling with the straps.
Justin, “Mr. Cane? Where are you going?”
Cane, “To work, buddy. Gonna try to find out what’s happening and how I can keep you safe.”
“Oh... Can I come?”
“I need you here to take care of your mom and Ms. Scarlett.”
Justin straightens up, “I can do that.”
Cane pats Justin’s head, “I’m sure you’ll do a fantastic job. Big, you ready to roll out?”