Last Call America- Last Call Before Darkness Falls

by Debra Tash

  Someone had given me a pair of socks. With a hole in each big toe, they were still good enough to keep my feet warm. Poole managed to doze off, resting his head on my shoulder, arm draped around my middle. But I couldn’t fall asleep. It was more than my bruised flesh and the tight confines of that transport. Thoughts tumbled in my mind of everything that had just happened. Poole’s presence soothed me, the feel of him, his musky scent. It was then I realized what kept me awake, a deep and restless fear.

  I turned as best I could and put my arm across Poole’s chest, head tipped to his as I whispered in his ear, “God protect you…please. I love you so much.”

  With that, I finally closed my eyes and tried my best to get some sleep.

  By the time we stopped again, one of my skin grafts had split open, and when I tried to stand, my knees shook. Every bit of strength I’d possessed was all but depleted. Poole got his arm under mine and helped me away from the transport. We were in a large wooden structure, half of which had been built into the earth. Hay and straw littered the ground, giving the only evidence this place had once been used to shelter livestock. Transports were now housed there.

  We were led up a stairway and taken outside. A large snowy field stretched before us with a clapboard farmhouse off to one side. Both the house and what could be seen of the barn appeared worse for wear, paint chipped off, and siding missing. At the far end of the barn lay a gravel road—more a footpath really—that looked to have been expanded to allow large conveyances to pass, as evidenced by tire ruts. We made our way to the all-terrain vehicles waiting nearby. Poole ordered the injured driver taken in the first one. Andrews went with him to see to the young man’s welfare. Michaels, Tina, Poole, and I took the second. The borrowed socks I wore were soaked through with mud and snow. As I started to shiver, Poole pulled them off, rubbed my feet, then removed his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

  Soon we were at a small hillock shielded by a stand of trees. The driver of the lead ATV punched a code into a device on his dash. The air quivered as if a barrier had just been deactivated. We drove right through one of the maples, a hologram used to disguise the entrance to a tunnel. Once more, we traveled along a slender underground shaft. This one led to the huge chamber that had been built beneath my mother’s farmhouse. Icecap had become the hub of the revolution. As big as the chamber was, it seemed inadequate at the moment. Overcrowded with personnel, there was the original staff along with the arrivals from Charon base. They had no room for extraneous vehicles and equipment, even as they worked to produce more with the large 3D printer.

  We climbed out of the ATV and were left at the entrance.

  A uniformed officer met us and gave Poole a sharp salute. “Commander, we need you and Dr. Michaels in the war room.”

  Poole seemed reluctant to let go of me.

  “I’ll see to my sister,” Tina volunteered.

  “She needs medical attention,” Poole said.

  “We’ll make sure she receives it, sir,” the officer assured him as he called to an enlisted man to help.

  Poole loosened his hold as I looped my arm over Tina’s shoulder. She couldn’t support my weight. The enlisted slipped his arm around me from the other side and led us to what seemed more like a closet, with just enough room for a double mattress.

  “These are the only private quarters we have,” the enlisted advised us. “Things are tight here.”

  “It’s fine,” I said. All I wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Tina managed to get me settled on the bed.

  I noticed something stowed in a corner. “My duffle bag.”

  “Poole must have had it taken here,” Tina said, then hesitated to leave me alone.

  “I’ll be okay.

  My sister took a moment more, then finally nodded and left the room.

  After a few minutes, the physician I’d had at Charon base came in to check on me. She repaired the damage to the graft and made sure I ate something. Once she’d gone, I burrowed under the covers, wrapped securely in the comfort of Poole’s jacket as I finally fell into a deep and restful sleep.

  I stirred awake, not certain how long I’d been dreaming. I sensed someone in the bed with me even before I rolled over to see Poole lying there. Snuggling closer, I pressed myself against his back. My movement woke him.

  He turned to face me, his arms reaching around as he whispered in my ear, “I love you, too, Honey Beck.”

  “You heard me?”

  He kissed me for an answer.

  I remembered my fear…all that was at risk. “Our driver….” I swallowed. “You took precious time to drag him to safety.”

  “I can’t leave a man behind,” he said, even before I could finish my awkward statement.

  “But—”

  “There’s nothing to say, Beck.”

  I wanted to argue with him, make him understand how important he’d become. What it would do to this cause if he were killed. What it would do to me. But Poole already knew that, and still he wouldn’t leave one of his men behind…not ever. “I do love you,” I said. “Dear God in Heaven, how I love you.”

  I kissed his mouth this time. A feeling of sweet longing welled up in me as he returned it. His hands were at my back, so warm as they slipped under my clothing. I peeled away the jacket he’d given me, moved on top of him, gifting him with more kisses. Poole pulled back. Not want, not need, nothing of the animal driving him now, just a deep concern on his face. This man would never use me again.

  “I’m okay now,” I said on an exhale. “Please.” I placed another full kiss on his mouth.

  He gingerly removed my sweatshirt and caressed my bare breasts. His tongue felt so wet and inviting against my skin. His hands moved gently, touching me in a secret place. Then his mouth explored that hidden reach. It was so different than the act we’d shared before. That was sex, fueled by a primeval urge. This was the first time Jason Poole made love to me. Even when he entered, that push to complete the act, it wasn’t with a fevered motion but with soft, easy strokes as if he was mindful of how deeply my body had been wounded, my soul battered.

  The climax arrived for both us as a shared gift.

  For a long while, he remained inside me, my legs wrapped around him as he lay on top. Then Jason shifted to the side, still holding on. He kept me close for a long while as I nuzzled against him, this man I loved more than my own life.

  Tensions wound their way through Icecap. Several times I caught Michaels in a heated exchange with one or more of the techs he supervised. His stony veneer had been chipped away by stress and escalating disagreement among the ranks. I knew they were mounting an attack. Dr. Andrews worked with the militias, coordinating them for a widespread assault. But it all hinged on Michaels’ team, and if the China Lake Charon facility was, in fact, fully functional.

  A day passed, then another, with pressure increasing on Jason. Yet he never let it escape him, had no outbursts in public or in our private quarters. When we were alone, he confided in me as he tried to find reason in a world that no longer made sense. He wanted to sort through the impossible, grasp and hold on, doing right and owning whatever came of his decision.

  Three days had gone; less than two more and Jason Poole would give the order to engage our own countrymen in an outright assault against them.

  That night, neither of us could sleep. We talked, facing one another in bed after we’d made love. We spoke of so many things and all of them without weight. And yet there was something buried, something he would make me dig to discover.

  I finally asked him. “What is it, Jason?”

  “Nothing.”

  I groaned.

  “All right. It’s the Enola Gay.”

  “You’ve been talking to David, haven’t you?”

  “You think I don’t know history?”

  I arched an eyebrow.

  “Okay. I confess.
I heard from him this afternoon. Boston is secure. And most of Massachusetts. Well, at least where the DHS have been knocked out. He’s en route to Icecap now.”

  I knew American history, even though it bored me. My dad and Vera had done their best to bring it to life. “The Enola Gay,” I whispered. Yes. I knew the history and understood just what it meant for Jason to bring up the plane that had dropped the first atomic bombs. “You talked about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

  “Yes.” His gaze broke with mine as he bunched the rough fabric of our blanket in his fist. “I’ve been thinking about all the men and women who’ve made the call. I asked David about it. He started in on the Enola Gay. What it’d been like for her crew. How President Truman gave the order to drop those first bombs that killed so many people. Did all the responsibility rest on him? I mean, he gave the order. Or did it sit on the men who carried it out?”

  “That’s a lot to chew on.” There were no easy answers. I could tell him he wouldn’t be held to account for whatever happened. But I didn’t know if that was true; no one did. “Jason…maybe we should just try to get some sleep.”

  “Listen, Beck. David told me what one of the guys on the Enola Gay said when he saw that bomb go off. ‘My God, what have we done?’ That’s what the guy said. He was on the plane and saw the mushroom cloud and knew everyone under it was dead. But, you know, none of that crew ever regretted their mission. Years later, it was all documented. They knew it saved more lives than it cost.”

  “So it was a tough decision. For the president. For those guys. But you said it, they saved more lives than it cost. So what choice did they really have?”

  “No other choice.”

  “Just like you.”

  Jason whispered my name, “Rebecca.”

  “Yes?”

  He let go of the blanket and put the back of his hand to my cheek. “David’s the closest person I have…in my life…next to family. You’re my family, Rebecca Sanders. Flesh, bone and blood. I want to marry you.”

  I searched his face, stunned.

  “We’re going to be a family.”

  I put my hand atop his, pressing it to my cheek. “I’ll be your family.”

  “Starting tomorrow morning.”

  “So soon?”

  “Almost too late.”

  My skin prickled. Dear God, don’t let it be too late. I put my arms around him. He drew me near. Tomorrow I’d be his wife.

  Tina looked me over and gave the okay sign, approving of the white dress shirt and tan slacks. My outfit was the closest thing we could scrounge up for a wedding ensemble. That done, I primped my hair and saw my sister frown as I looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

  “You don’t like it?”

  “We forgot something.” She started to tug on the gold band she always wore on her index finger.

  “Wait a minute, Tiny, that’s Vera’s ring.”

  “It’s Maggie’s.”

  I shook my head.

  “It is, Rib. Mom gave it to me when she…well that day we were all at the hospital. She told me it was your mother’s. And what it meant being able to wear it all those years as her wedding ring. She loved your mom and knew, one day, maybe you’d love her again, too. That’s when she gave it to me and told me to keep the truth to myself until I found the right time.” She sucked on her finger to help slip the band free. “It’s the right time.”

  I swallowed, trying to steady my hand as I opened my palm. Some more spit and turning the ring around finally wormed it loose. Tina dropped it into my palm and gave me a hug. “You make a beautiful bride.”

  “You’ll make a more beautiful one.”

  She gave me a wink. “I know.” After another hug, she grabbed my hand. “Don’t want to be late.”

  My sister escorted me down the aisle—well, not an aisle, but what remained of my mother’s gravel driveway. Jason and I could have had a quick ceremony inside the safety of Icecap with several hundred techs for witnesses. But I don’t think I would have felt married in any other place than the one we chose. And we were fine as long as Icecap maintained a shield to ward off detection. It seemed fitting to be out under the Vermont sky where my ancestors had dwelled for centuries and fought so hard to remain free. With the house no longer standing, and nothing to mark it but that driveway and the remains of a few downed trees, this place had transformed into a testament to what we were willing to sacrifice.

  Sunshine rained down from the treetops, illuminating glittering patches of snow that clung to the rich brown earth. The air smelled fresh, scented with sweet pine, and a cool breeze tickled my face as I walked with my arm looped in Tina’s. Jason stood with David Hernandez, his best man, dear friend, and the officiant for our wedding. There were just the four of us, surrounded by tall pines and the bare branches of sleeping sycamores. But somehow I knew there were others out there in the quiet surroundings, people who deeply loved Tina and myself…even as shadows, their spirits were still present.

  We stopped before David and Jason, who were both dressed in fatigues. David held a book in his hand, and Jason had borrowed a black tie from someone. It was expertly knotted and made him look rather dapper in an odd military sort of way. My sister stepped aside and Jason and I faced one another, arms outstretched as we took hold of each other’s hands.

  David cleared his throat, his tone as soft as the cool breeze. “My friends, I’m honored to be here for the two of you. Your shaman.”

  Jason and I chuckled.

  “Quiet,” he playfully admonished. We both pinched our mouths closed.

  “Better.” David smiled. “As your shaman, I have to tell you I see something powerful in this union. The Suquamish women were helpmates to their husbands. Very independent and yet incredibly loyal. With a partner like that, two people become a fortress. One that will stand against adversity. I think that fits you two and what your marriage will be.”

  “It does,” I whispered. Jason squeezed my hands.

  David cleared his throat again. “I should ask you to repeat the traditional vows. But I already know that, for you, it will be for better and worse. For richer or poorer. Through sickness and in health. And, I’m afraid, it will be through many hardships. Under this canopy of trees and blue sky, with God in Heaven as witness, your union will be until death do you part.”

  As David closed his eyes, each breath he took seemed to resonate in the hush of that beautiful place. “I pray you will have a long sojourn together. That you’ll live free and live in peace. But for now, you’ll be joined in a fight. Side by side on a difficult road. With setbacks. Disappointments. Loss. But the battles you fight can and will be won. Together.”

  He opened his eyes. “My friends....” David paused, visibly struggling to hold back his emotions.

  Tina took a step forward.

  “I’m all right,” David said, gently assuring her. “My friends….” He opened the book in his hand. “Please let me read this. ‘Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.’”

  David closed the book and lifted his chin, his gaze set on that gilded light from Heaven filtering through the green boughs. “May peace come.” He bowed his head as if in prayer. “And may it come soon.”

  “The ring!” Tina exclaimed.

  “I don’t have one,” Jason confessed.

  I took out my mother’s ring and handed it to him. “It was Maggie’s.”

  “Now that’s fine…” he said, his fingers closing around it as he sucked in a deep breath. “Mighty fine.” He placed it on my finger. “With this I pledge all my worldly goods. Which at the moment don’t amount to much.�
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  “Whatever you have is good enough for me, husband.”

  “My darling wife,” Jason whispered, his breath frothing in the cold heavy air.

  “Kiss the bride,” my sister encouraged with a sly twinkle in her eyes. “Kiss her good.”

  We all laughed. Jason sobered, his own eyes glassy with tears as he put his arms around me and did just that, lifting me until my feet were off the ground.

  A shadow passed over the landscape, much darker than a fleeting cloud. All four of us looked up just as a sweep flew by, scanning the area.

  The Feds were closing in.

  CHAPTER 24

  It should have been my wedding night, lying in bed with Jason with all the possibilities of our life together shared in honeyed whispers. But that was something that just wouldn’t happen now. The assault on the NSA center was set for that night. It wouldn’t be the first blow in this war, but it would be a decisive one that could cripple the Feds. They had been gathering data on citizens for years, using that data to cull the herd—wiping out dissidents, tracking people, exacting their pound of flesh. Privacy hadn’t existed in America for years.

  I sat next to Dr. Andrews at a console sequestered behind the floor-to-ceiling glass partition separating this Command Center from the large chamber where the 3D printer and stores had been kept. All that had been cleared, except for the printer, to make way for the equipment necessary to run Charon. I pushed back in the plastic chair, wanting to be beside Jason as he orchestrated the events of that evening. Instead, he stood in the middle of Icecap with Deven Michaels.

  Tina sat alone in a corner of the Command Center. Well, not exactly alone…she had Henry with her. The chick had become her feathered talisman. Right now, he was on her lap, sheltered in a small box stuffed with cotton balls for warmth. Every once in a while she would take him out and let him eat mash from her open palm. It was her way of dealing with the palpable tension coursing through that place.