Road Trips Should Be Fun
An invisible force sat on top of my chest, pushing me into the ground. The weight of it crushing my insides until my lungs were barely able to squeak from the pressure. I clawed violently trying to grasp a weakness on my attacker, but my fingers found only air. The pressure forced my tongue forward as the veins and muscles in my neck desperately tried to find release. I was dying. My lungs fought, trying to pull in any scrap of oxygen but succeeded only in convulsing my upper body in a dramatic death flop. This was it and I wasn’t the least bit upset or surprised. I would be rid of my cold friend, rid of the war, rid of a world without Mike. I was done. In that realization a lightness came over me, and a bright flash flooded my vision as I started to fade into oblivion. I could hear my mother’s voice waiting for me, I love you, Samantha girl.
I gasped for breath and shot upright in the backseat of the truck, clawing at my chest as if I were still fighting for air.
“Shit, kid. You okay?” The human cannonball, known to me only as R., stared at me from the seat next to mine.
I looked around trying to get my bearings. I was in a truck. The sky was hazy as if the sun was preparing to set. Navin was driving and this random dude was giving me the stink-eye and would keep on stink-eyeing me until I gave him my mother’s journal. Mike was dead. It was my fifth day on the planet without him and it was important to remind myself or else I might suffer the realization all over again. Mike was dead and soon I would be too.
“Yeah, just a dream,” I answered. Suddenly a flashing image of Mike’s face lingered in my mind. It faded in and out and morphed from an easy smile to dripping in blood. The sudden severeness of the contrast choked me and I squeezed my eyes shut to force it away.
Mike is dead. Mike is dead. Mike is dead, It echoed over and over.
Silently I begged my cold friend to stop torturing me with constant reminders of Mike’s death. It seemed to be trying to steel me against false hope by forcing me to relive his final moments several times a day. And while I understood the motive, I wasn’t sure the method outweighed the madness.
“Must’ve been one hell of a dream,” R. said. “I knew a guy that used to wake up screaming every night. Messed up from all the stuff he had to do when he was deployed. It’s not right what we do to our vets.”
“Hmm,” I absently replied.
“He really went through hell. Medication finally helped.”
“Good story, Grandpa,” I mumbled.
“I’m wondering what a teenager has been through to be as broken and tortured as a war vet. So, what’s got you messed up, kid?”
I rubbed my chest, slowing my breathing and wishing this monster of a man would go away. “Don’t you have nightmares?” I asked annoyed.
“No. A guilty conscience is a waste of time. And I don’t like wasting time. So, no conscience for me.”
“Yeah, I don’t have one of those either.”
“Sure, you do. Or else you’d be snoring instead of waking up sweaty, clutching your chest like a goddamn mountain had fallen on you.”
I glared at my car-mate, annoyed by his existence. A new addition to my life, we’d only met hours before in Toledo as Navin and I were making a hasty escape to… nowhere. He went by R. and claimed to be an old partner of my mother’s searching for her journal to retrieve vital information regarding the Avian-X outbreak. It had all sounded more exciting before but after a few hours I was regretting my decision and his company was growing more tedious by the second. He’d badgered me for two hours already, trying to get me to give up the location of Mom’s journal. Apparently, I’d gotten so bored I’d fallen asleep mid-interrogation. At least he did me the curtesy of letting me wake up for a few seconds before starting in again.
“Where’s the journal?” he asked, wasting no time.
“Not telling.”
“Kid, where is it?”
“Nope. Not until you answer all my questions.”
“I could just kill you. You know that.”
“But then you wouldn’t get what you want,” I taunted.
“Not entirely true. Mostly what I want right now is to be rid of you, so your death is starting to look like Christmas morning.”
“Rude.”
“No, rude would be if I killed you without any warning at all,” he smirked.
Navin sighed heavily from the driver’s seat. “Could one of you please start talking! I can’t take much more of this.”
Yeesh. Navin would not do well under interrogation.
The human cannonball glared at me one more time. “Fine, ask your questions. Before Dad threatens to turn the car around.”
“How did you know my mother?” I asked.
“We trained together back when we were both recruits.”
“That was a long time ago,” I said.
“Yes, it was. We were paired up to work as a team, you could say. Our Operations Officer liked the way we looked together.”
I couldn’t picture Mom standing next to this guy. It would be like a grizzly bear holding a flower. The thought must’ve been all over my face.
“She softened me, that’s what they said during training anyway,” he said.
“So how long did that last? You two working together.”
He sat stock still, his face giving away nothing. “I don’t know. Maybe eight years, give or take.”
The length of time startled me. “That’s a really long time. So, you knew her before she married my dad?”
For a second, I thought I saw his jaw flinch, a nearly imperceptible involuntary reaction.
“Yes. I knew her before she was married.”
“Is that hard for you to say out loud?”
He smirked, staring me head on. “Shit, kid. You a psychiatrist or something? Nothing is hard or easy. Things just are what they are.”
“But you didn’t want her to get married?” I asked.
“I never said that. Why don’t you just get to the point and ask what you really want to hear?”
I steeled myself against his answer. “Were you having an affair with my mom?”
“No. Next question.” He’d answered quickly and with no emotion which meant he was lying… or telling the truth, I honestly couldn’t read him. He didn’t seem to have a tell.
The highway was beginning to blur into the sunset ahead of us and I suddenly realized I had no clue where we were. The cornfields were long gone, and I recognized nothing in the landscape. I hadn’t exactly given Navin a destination when we started this crazy ride out of Toledo, but I sort of thought he’d stick closer to home. He knew it was a wild goose chase and that I had the journal safe in my pack. So where had he taken us?
As if he could read my mind, R. answered me. “We’re in Michigan. Don’t suppose your mom’s journal is there is it?”
“Hmm, I’ve never been to Michigan. So probably not.”
He was not amused. He didn’t freak out, but I could tell under the surface he was like a red-faced cartoon character about to blow his top.
“Right. Okay, playtime is over.” He pulled a handgun from his side holster and pointed it at the back of Navin’s head.
“Holy crap. Um, Sam?” Navin gripped the steering wheel and started to slow down.
“Pull over kid. We’re done here,” R. ordered.
“We’re not done,” I said annoyed. “I still have questions.”
“What can I say? Life is tough all over. I’m bored and I have places to be. So, we’re going to do this the easy way,” he said.
Navin tried to lean away from the gun against his head while still driving, putting himself at a comical angle. “What’s the easy way?” he asked politely.
“I shoot you and princess here starts talking.”
Navin squeaked with fear.
“Huh, that hardly sounds like a strong motivator. Are you sure you’ve done this before?” I asked coldly.
“I told you. I don’t deal with teenagers a lot so, no. I’ve never done this before. But most people talk once their buddy gets shot so odds are in my favor that it works on kids too. Pull over. Unless you want to tell me where it is?”
“Navin, don’t,” I ordered. I could see him starting to cave.
Navin’s eyes darted back and forth in the rearview the mirror. “I uh, I…”
“Time’s up, Lanky. Any last words?” R. asked.
“It’s in her backpack!” Navin blurted out.
“Dammit, Navin!” I snapped. “What the hell?”
“I’m not a good liar, you know this,” he said as he pulled the truck to a stop along the side of the road.
R. gave me an “I told you so” look and lowered his gun. “You got balls, kid. So, what was your plan exactly?” he asked me. “Just drive me around the whole country until I answered all your little questions about Mommy?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“Stupid kids. Hand it over,” he held out his mitt of a hand demanding the book.
“Just tell me what your real name is,” I said as I pulled my pack from the floor.
“Why?”
“Because I want to know. The whole ‘R.’ thing is annoying. Only celebrities can get away with going by an initial.”
He shook his head. “Geez, kid. You don’t quit.” He stared at me, studying my face. “Ally used to call me R. in our written communications. We all had to use initials, pretty standard. Keeps things separate but organized in case someone like you reads something they shouldn’t. We used our first initials for all of our aliases. Ally’s aliases all began with ‘A’ and mine all began with ‘R.’”
“And your real name?”
“Roman. ‘R’ stands for Roman.”
He was telling the truth but still holding back. I pulled the journal from my pack and handed it over, the black leather brushing over my fingertips as it left my hand.
“Did you love her?” I asked him.
“What does that matter?”
“It just does.”
He rubbed his face, clearly annoyed with me. “Everyone loved Ally. That’s what made her so good at her job.”
He gave Navin’s head a thwack with the journal then nestled back in his seat to get comfortable. “Drive on, kid. We’re making a little stop up ahead.”
I scowled at him, “Where?”
“What do you care? You didn’t have a plan anyway.”
“Now who’s being annoying?”
“I have a friend that lives about 20 minutes from here. We might as well stop in for a bit since we have nowhere to stay and it’s on my way.”
“On your way where?”
“Jesus kid, I’m done with the questions. How about we play the quiet game for a little bit. I’ll read and you shut the hell up. That way I don’t have to kill you and make a mess in my new truck.”
“Anyone ever tell you, you’re an asshole?”
“Yes. Everyone. Now silence,” he growled.
I slouched in my seat with arms crossed, wishing I could throw this guy out of the truck and keep driving. But he was massive and besides, I still wanted a crack at some of the answers he was holding on to. So, I decided I’d play along with him barking orders at me… for a while at least. I’d played along with worse so it couldn’t be that hard. To pass the time I pictured ways I might be able to overpower him. His size was a challenge not to mention his skill level clearly far surpassed my own. There weren’t many likely scenarios that ended with my victory, aside from drugging him and beating him to death with his own massive hands. The image was so ridiculous I snorted out loud.
Roman eyed me, “You keep picturing me dead all you want, kid. Nothing has killed me yet. I sure as hell won’t be bested by a snotty teenager.”
Eyeroll.
Just for fun I pulled my knife from my pocket and flung my hand toward him, aiming right for his throat. Before I could blink his forearm flew upwards and clocked my wrist, making my knife fumble to the floor. He didn’t even bother to take his eyes off the journal.
“Satisfied?” he asked.
I shrugged, rubbing my aching wrist, “Whatever. I had to try.”
“Yeah, I bet. I’m guessing Lanky up there is the brains of this operation.”
“Without a doubt,” Navin whispered.
Roman turned a page and continued reading as if I hadn’t just tried to stab him. I hadn’t rattled him, not in the slightest, and I got the impression that nothing ever would. I wish I didn’t feel challenged to keep trying. But what would be the fun in that?
“Take the next exit, kid. Then turn left.”
“Got it,” Navin said quickly. He was nervous but doing better. It’s amazing how removing a gun from someone’s head can have such a calming effect.
Dense woods wrapped around the highway on both sides, creating a comforting feeling of isolation even along the well-traveled road. All around us were the abandoned signs of a former life; ransacked cars haphazardly left on the shoulder, discarded suitcases, empty car seats; life before Avian-X. Before the bomb eviscerated our nation’s capital. Before everyone started dying. This was the new normal, abandoned signs of life. Navin slowed to maneuver around some debris and turned off onto an exit, following Roman’s directions.
“Where am I headed?” Navin asked.
“Just keep going until you hit water,” Roman said gruffly turning another journal page.
The cannonball was proving to be quite boring, and I regretted leaving Toledo with him, of course I doubt he would have given us a choice if we’d refused. We drove through small towns and middle of nowhere pit stops until finally coming to a small lake-town. A large wooden sign with red lighthouses carved into it welcomed us to South Ridge.
“Turn left,” Roman grumbled.
Navin cruised through an antique downtown with brightly colored storefronts offering ice cream and handmade jewelry. Everything looked deserted, not a single head peeked through a window as we drove through. In fact, if it weren’t for the strategically placed signs throughout the entire town, it would have appeared as if the whole place had been dipped in glue and frozen in time. The signs were spray painted and hard to read, most of them variations of, Keep Out. Closed Forever. Contagious. Not Safe.
“Huh. Someone isn’t feeling hospitable. Maybe we should go?” Navin asked hopefully. “This place doesn’t exactly look safe.”
“You’re in a truck with me. You’re not safe in here either. Go that way. To the marina,” Roman said pointing.
We pulled into a parking lot in front of a marina full of boats just as the sun gave its final goodbye before ducking below the horizon. It was a beautiful sight; the sun glimmering over the water as if it weren’t a lake but a vast ocean. There was a small store and miles of docks leading out to the lake which I assumed was Lake Michigan.
“Here is fine. Stop.”
Navin pulled alongside a dilapidated ice-cream truck that had been stripped just for fun. The creepy big smiling man that goes on top of the roof had been ripped off and all the images of ice cream had been spray painted over with what appeared to be testicles, leaving a less than appetizing look to the vehicle.
“Who are we looking for?” I asked, eager to stretch my legs.
“You’ll see in a minute. He’s been watching us since we pulled past the town entrance.”
Navin and I shared concerned a look.
“How’s that?” I asked.
Roman pointed to a tiny red dot on top of the store roof and waved.
Navin squinted, “Is that a camera?”
“Yes, it is. And I would get out of the truck slowly with your hands up if I were you. Leave the rifle, kid or he’ll leave a hole in your head.”
A ripple of excitement tore through me as I jumped out of the truck with my hands in the air. My legs thanked me for the movement.
Suddenly, a voice came over a loudspeaker from a pole to our right. “Who’s that with you, Roman? You want me to put them to sleep?”
Roman waved his hands. “No, not necessary. They’re friendly. This is Ally’s daughter,” he said pointing to me.
I turned around in a circle, looking for a perch where our stalker was hiding, but found nothing. He was good.
“Ally’s daughter? Really? She don’t look like Ally.”
Roman shrugged, “She probably takes after her father. Don’t worry Cook, she’s just as stubborn. Come on out and meet her. And don’t shoot the kid, he’s okay.”
“What if you’re not real?” the voice asked in a concerned tone.
Roman thought quickly. “If we weren’t real, you never would have hallucinated kids, right? Teenagers are so annoying, no one would conjure them up on purpose. We’re real. Come out and see.”
A long pause passed then the voice came back on the speaker. “Huh. Well, can’t be too careful. I’ll let Lady be the judge.”
I took a step towards Roman. “Who is Lady?”
“Lady is the dog. Try to make a good impression.”
“He lets his dog decide whether or not he shoots someone?” Navin asked.
“Yes. Well, if it were up to Cook, he’d kill you just to be sure. So, if you think about it, the dog is really your best bet.”
We nodded, not feeling relieved in the slightest. Navin leaned in, “I don’t suppose you’re a dog person, are you?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I’m not an anything person.”
“Right. That doesn’t surprise me really.”
Just then we heard an enormous bark, and a large brown and black dog with a white crest on her chest came running down the length of the dock, her feet moving with a purpose. She barreled full force, her jaws open and showing off teeth that were ready to rip us to shreds. Her tongue lolled outside her mouth gleefully. If she wasn’t so terrifying, she would’ve been beautiful.
“Holy crap. That dog is going to eat my face off,” Navin said in a panic and jumped up onto the back of the pick-up.
“Don’t move, kid. I said don’t move,” Roman whispered harshly.
It was too late for Navin, but I held my ground as Roman said, whole body clenched and braced for impact given that Lady was headed straight for me and not slowing down. In fact, she sped up and just when I was convinced she was going to tackle me, she leapt straight up into the air and flew over my head in one powerful jump. Her toes didn’t even touch my hair as she soared upward. She landed effortlessly in the back of the pickup truck, pounced on Navin’s chest and pinned him down, barking in his face.
“You shouldn’t have moved,” the voice on the speaker said dryly.
I peeked into the truck bed to check on Navin and luckily his face was still in place, but Lady was definitely pushing the limits of personal boundaries. Her boxy muzzle was dripping drool on Navin’s cheek as he tried to hold still under the weight of her paws.
“Geez, she doesn’t like you at all,” I teased. “And I thought I should be worried.”
I clapped my hands and called to Lady while making a kissy sound. She cocked her head and eyed me thoughtfully as if to say, “I don’t know you. How dare you address me so informally, vile human.”
Roman made a sharp whistle and patted his chest. In a flash Lady abandoned Navin to jump into Roman’s arms, her terrifying persona melting away as she wiggled and whipped her tail like a puppy. He’d caught her easily and the two nuzzled and talked for at least a full minute, much longer than any conversation with a dog should last.
“Okay, Cook. Come on out. She didn’t eat anyone, so I think we passed.”
From the far end of the dock, I could make out a figure walking slowly toward us. His gait was slightly off and before I could even see his face, I knew it would be a weathered one. Years of torment and experience had left their marks on this man. His sandy colored hair was long and pulled back in a tie at the base of his neck and he wore his beard without any intention. A black patch covered his left eye and a band wrapped around his forehead held it in place.
“Holy crap, Roman. Is your friend a pirate?” I asked joyfully.
He almost smiled, I think. “You could say that. But I wouldn’t, not to his face anyway.”
The man stopped ten feet away. Lady leapt from Roman’s arms to go and sit by her owner’s side, waiting for further instructions.
He reached a hand down and gently patted her head, “Good girl, Lady. What should we do with these transients?”
Lady barked once and wagged her tail in response.
“Hmm,” Cook grumbled thoughtfully as he considered her suggestion. “It’s good to see you, Roman. How long has it been?”
“Five years this time, I think. How have you been?” Roman didn’t say it but he looked concerned.
“Same. Trying to fix the world but it won’t let itself be fixed.”
“You’ll get it one of these days, Cook. Just hang in there. We were in the area and thought we’d stop by. Maybe stay the night if you have room.”
Cook slung his arms outward and turned in a circle. “Got nothing but room. Lady and I cleared the whole town right after the bomb hit. No one coming in or out.”
I scowled at him confused. “No way. You’re telling me it’s totally empty?”
“Most of the people weren’t even here when things went bad. A lot of them just come here in the summer. Of the rest that were left, about half died from the virus. The other half packed up and left for safe zones or warmer climates. I’ve secured the town and kept out looters and squatters since then.”
Navin stared at me from the truck bed, and I made a yeesh face in response. This guy was a lot.
I like him.
“So, you’ve been here alone all that time?” Roman asked.
“I’m not alone. Lady is always with me. Besides, alone makes it easy. If I’m alone I don’t have to worry about shooting the wrong person.”
“That is so true,” Navin started, looking at me anxiously from the truck bed. “Five years is a long time; Sam and I don’t need to intrude. We can just leave you here with Roman so you can catch up and we’ll go—”
“You’re here, aren’t you? You might as well stay. Come down from there, kid,” Cook gestured with his gun.
Navin hesitated.
“What? You worried I got the X?” Cook bellowed at him.
“No, I, uh…”
“What, then? You’re starting to look a little shifty to me, kid.” The not-pirate raised his rifle at Navin. “You got something to be nervous about?”
Roman stepped in front of his friend, blocking his shot. “He’s just nervous about boats. Right, kid?”
Navin nodded eagerly, realizing this was not a guy you wanted to offend. If he offered you a place to stay, you took it. “We’d love to stay. Thank you so much,” Navin said quickly, jumping down off the truck.
I leaned into his ear, “Do you think he has buried treasure?”
“Sam, that is not the face of a man you want to tease. Let’s go. We can leave in the morning.”
“Sure thing. But where’s the booty? Argh.”
Navin gave me a “shut up” face and grabbed his pack from the truck.
Cook paused and held up a finger in our direction. “How long have you been with these two, Roman?”
Roman answered quickly, reading his mind. “About four hours or so. No symptoms.”
Cook nodded. His one good eye intense as he spoke. “Masks up and don’t invade my space. If you’re not sick by the morning, I’ll clear you as safe. Until then, you stay back and don’t breathe on me. Lady too. I’m still not convinced that dogs can’t catch it.”
After pulling up our masks, we followed Captain Cook down the long dock as the sun dipped below the horizon in the distance. He stopped in front of the largest boat and gestured for us to climb in. Lady leapt ahead then turned to watch us as if to show the stupid humans how to climb aboard properly.
Roman eyed the other boats in the marina. “Looks like you’ve taken an upgrade, Cook. This one big enough for you?”
He grumbled a little, “No one else was using them so I figured I earned it. We’ll call it a fair trade for my eye.”
“Fair enough. Let’s give her a look. This one is a beauty. You take her out much?”
“No, don’t want to waste the fuel. Lady and me, we take the sailboat for fishing here in the marina.”
I grabbed Navin and left the surly men to their boat talk. The boat was pretty cool. I had next to zero boat experience but this one looked like it could haul ass if it wanted to. We opened a door and walked through a small room crammed full with a kitchen, dining table, and back room with a bedroom. Below was a bathroom and another small bed nook tucked against the wall. We went up the small stairs which lead to the second level, a little deck area, and the captain’s perch with all the gadgets and steering wheel. It wasn’t a bad setup. All alone, floating around the water, no one to bother you.
You’d burn it down in a week.
“Maybe,” I answered.
“What?” Navin asked.
“Nothing. Just thinking. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. There are other boats here. Why couldn’t we take one?”
“And go where?” he asked.
My soul was empty. I had no course set or dreams to achieve. With Mike gone I was the coldness within me and nothing more. But I couldn’t say that to Navin. There’s no way to explain a thing like that.
“Nowhere. Just float around. Maybe I’ve done enough damage for now. No one knows we’re here and maybe Mitchell wouldn’t find me. We could just, live. Like normal people.”
You’re not normal.
Navin’s intense eyes held mine as he studied my face, looking for an answer or clue. He really was handsome and sweet. Maybe this would work. For a while anyway.
“Sure, let’s do it,” he said. “We don’t have anywhere to be.”
“Besides jail,” I teased.
“Right. There’s always that waiting for us.”
“It is important to have things to look forward to.”
“Too true,” he said sarcastically.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in. We were too tragically doomed for it to be the romantic moment Navin thought it was. He was imagining a future with someone I could never be, and I was imagining what it would feel like to sink to the bottom of that lake and never surface. The tiny waves would wash over my face as I sunk lower and lower, the cold water pulling me in. I wouldn’t struggle or try to swim up for air. I would just let the cold pull me down and slowly fill my lungs. A few days later my body would wash up on the beach somewhere and no one would care or mark it as extraordinary. Just another corpse taken by this ridiculous war. No one would think the water had been my salvation, the only true home I could ever escape to. Perhaps I could lie there forever, with the cold depths lapping at my flesh until I faded into pieces.
“Sam?”
I flinched, startled out of my daydream. Navin was concerned and didn’t know what to do for me. I didn’t have the desire to tell him, there was nothing to be done. So instead, I kissed him. Hard and deep. Mitchell was right, men are easily swayed.
“Hey lovebirds. Let’s eat,” Roman called from below.
“Argh. Aye-aye, Captain!” I yelled, earning an eyeroll from Navin. “What? I couldn’t resist.”
In the kitchen, Captain Cook grumbled and gestured for us all to sit down in the dining area as he clanged around. The small nook was just enough for the three of us, although I could tell Lady was confused about why she was not offered a seat on the bench. After several minutes the captain emerged from the cabinets with a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers.
He dropped three spoons on the center of the table and grunted, “Dinner is served,” before stepping back away from us as we lowered our masks.
“Thank you,” Navin said politely.
Roman and I followed suit, attacking the peanut butter.
“So, I suppose you’re expecting to hear some stories about Ally?” Cook said, staring me down with his one eye.
“I don’t expect anything,” I said bluntly.
“Hmm, well aren’t you the cool one? You’re as steady as Ally was, that’s for sure,” he said intrigued.
“She does have some of her traits, doesn’t she?” Roman agreed. “Stubborn, impatient, and tough as a hammer.”
“I’m sitting right here guys.”
“She’s also a terrible driver,” Navin offered.
“Not sure that applies here but thank you for that,” I snapped.
The captain huffed what could have been a laugh, a smile threatening his grizzled face. “She really was something wasn’t she? We ran an op together, the three of us, when we were… how old? 22? Hell, I don’t remember. I had two good eyes and a face sweeter than this guy’s,” he said sticking a thumb at Roman. “I was a total hardass. Fresh from training. Thought I had to be tough all the time. Ally knew from the second she walked in that we would try to put her in her place, so she just took over instead. Marched right up to me and told me how it was gonna be. Gave me a ten-minute speech about how she wasn’t going to sacrifice her career just so she wouldn’t offend my pussy-ass. And if I had a problem with it, she’d be happy to put me out of my misery.”
Roman shook his head, lost in memory.
“She didn’t really say that. Did she?” I asked.
“She really did. And then some. Nobody messed with Ally. She fought hard to get where she was, and man did she like to fight.”
“So, what happened? After she told you off?” I asked.
The captain shrugged, “I gave her a salute and told her she could run the op. I figured if things went south the blame would be hers.”
“And did it? Go south, I mean?”
“No. Hell no. Ally wouldn’t have allowed it. Everything went slicker than snot and she took all the credit. After that we were her backup, just the muscle. She’d point us in the right direction and pull all the strings. We worked well together, I think, the three of us.”
Roman nodded, “We did, Cook. It was a long time ago, but we really did.”
Cook rubbed his temple near his eye patch and stared at nothing for a long minute, lost in memory.
“Yeah, a long time ago. A long time. It didn’t last long enough, did it?” His stubbled jaw quivered slightly, making him appear as if he were in pain. His eyes began to dart around, searching for something but finding no comfort. Suddenly he smacked his hand on the counter, making Navin jump.
Roman reached out and patted his arm to bring him back from wherever he’d drifted. “Hey, Cook. I think Lady needs a walk. How about you secure the perimeter with me?”
Cook coughed and shook his head, erasing the emotions that had gripped him so tightly a moment before. “Yeah. I’d better go with you, or else you’d get lost. This guy has no sense of direction. I swear he could get lost in his own backyard.”
Roman threw up his hands, “There’s land on one side and a lake on the other. How lost could I get?”
“I don’t want to find out,” Cook said with a grin. “Come on Lady,” he patted his chest and Lady hopped up.
As he stood to leave, I grabbed Roman’s arm and whispered. “What’s up with this guy?”
“He’s been through a lot. Sometimes he just gets mixed up. It happens.”
“But is he safe to be around?” I asked.
“No. Probably not. But he might be safer than you.” He glared at me then walked out to join his friend.
I couldn’t grasp the concept, not fully. I didn’t know anything about what the men and women in our armed forces had sacrificed to keep us safe. How could I? It’s not like I was an idiot, I learned all the songs in school and knew they were heroes. But I didn’t know the depth of suffering that a man like Cook had experienced. All I knew was my own loss and I thought nothing could compare to that. It’s dumb. Somehow, we all manage to think our own loss is greater than someone else’s. We don’t say it, but we think it. They couldn’t have suffered like me. It’s a stupid blanket to cling to, but most of us do.
“Wow. Poor guy,” Navin said as they left for the dock.
“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s go snoop through his stuff.”
“No. Not happening. He’d stab us. And enjoy it.”
“Chicken,” I teased.
I abandoned the peanut butter and bolted down the narrow stairs to the bedroom below. Like the rest of the boat, it was clean and orderly. I pawed through some of the drawers, finding nothing exciting. Navin watched from the safety of the doorway, afraid to come any further.
“Geez, this guy really likes a nicely folded shirt. He even folded his socks,” I said.
“I think he likes a nicely folded everything,” Navin said pointing to the bed.
He was right. It was made just so, as if someone had used a ruler to measure the tucks and creases. With a grin I flopped down and rolled around like a dog, destroying the perfectly tucked corners.
Navin covered his face in mock embarrassment. “You are insane. This guy is definitely going to stab you now.”
“I’ll just tell him you did it,” I teased.
“Not funny, Sam.”
Laughing, I switched on the tiny TV and Navin wandered over reluctantly.
“Not bad,” he said. “Small, but I could live like this.”
“It’s nice, right? I thought it would feel like a coffin but it’s oddly soothing in here.”
“It does feel like a coffin,” Navin said.
“Yeah, but it’s still soothing.” I changed the channels until an image on the screen made my finger freeze over the remote button.
Navin squinted and walked up to the TV. “Sam, is that…”
I shot upright, abandoning my cozy nest. “Yes. It is.”
A reporter’s voice narrated over a full-screen image. It was grainy, paused from a video, but it was undeniable. “Again, this woman is considered to be a dangerous threat to the United States and is wanted for questioning in multiple terrorist acts including a possible link to the Avian-X virus. If you see this woman do not approach her. Contact the number on your screen and provide her location. She goes by Samantha and may be traveling with this young man,” an image of Navin popped up next to mine. “If you see either of them, do not approach them. They are a serious threat.”
I knew it would happen. I just didn’t expect it so soon. Mitchell must have been pretty pissed that I left. I grinned, knowing I had caused him at least some pain. Navin looked like he was going to puke.
“Anything you want to tell me, kid?” Roman asked. He stood in the doorway with Cook. Both were eyeing me carefully.
“Nope. Oh, except I’m a wanted criminal. There’s that.”
Cook snorted, “Starting a little young, aren’t we? Who’d you piss off, kid?”
“The future president,” I said casually.
He raised his brows and whistled, impressed. “Good for you. Stick it to the man.”
Roman glared, “I knew you were going to be a pain in my ass. What am I supposed to do with you now? Everyone is looking for you.”
I arched a brow, indifferent. “I’m not yours to do anything with. When you’re done with Mom’s journal, I’ll go away.”
“Shit,” he rubbed his face and stared at the floor.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Well, I still haven’t cracked her code yet. Not all of it.”
“What?” I snapped. “You’re supposed to be a badass CIA guy, right? You two have been communicating for years, you said that.”
“Yeah, and I can read her usual code easy enough. But she layered in a sequence of numbers, and I have no clue what they mean. It’s going to take time.”
“How much time?” I asked, annoyed.
“Some time,” he barked in annoyance.
“How much time? What sequence of numbers are you even talking about?” I asked.
“Every date in that journal, every time she used a number will need to be analyzed.”
Navin’s jaw hung open, “So years’ worth of numbers will need to be analyzed?”
“Yes.”
I scowled at Roman, “And I don’t suppose you can do that here? Quickly?”
“Not quickly, no. And not without a high probability for error. I need to get back to home base and use our software system. It scans a document and checks for repetition and code within seconds.”
“Great. Let’s do that,” I said relieved. “Where is home base?”
“Not here.”
“Once again, you’re giving me too much detail, Roman. Please try to restrain yourself from over-sharing,” I jabbed, my voice full of sarcasm.
Cook spoke up, “It’s in—”
“Shut up, Cook,” Roman snapped, cutting him off.
“Whatever,” I growled, waving them off. “So, we have to follow you to your secret Batcave and wait for you to figure out this code? And you don’t know how long it will take but probably like, forever. That sounds super boring.”
“Well, according to breaking news you’re being hunted by the government and probably every moron with a gun. So, there’s that to look forward to.”
“True,” I said thoughtfully. “That does make it sound like more fun.”
Cook, grinned, “I like this kid.”
“Hold on,” Navin stood from the bed, still in shock he’d seen his own face on the evening news. “Aren’t you part of ‘the government’ that’s supposed to turn us in? Why should we even trust you?”
“Oooh, good point,” I said excitedly. “Excellent question, Navin. Human Cannonball, what is your response?”
He didn’t like being called cannonball, his jaw twitched. “I am no longer affiliated with the CIA. Not anymore. Not since they left Ally out in the cold.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He folded his arms and held his ground. “I can’t divulge that information. Suffice to say I didn’t like the way things were handled.”
Holding his stare, I thought about this. “You didn’t like the way they treated my mom. So, just like that you’re not an agent anymore?” I asked.
“Just like that,” he said grimly.
“Hmm. And you weren’t in love with her, huh?”
He shook his head, “Shut up, kid.”
I grinned, enjoying my talent to annoy. “So, I guess we have to go to your Batcave. Navin, you up for another road trip?” I asked playfully.
“Can we do it without a gun to my head this time?” he asked.
I shook an imaginary Magic 8-Ball and flipped it over. “Unsure. Please ask again later.”
Navin puffed an indignant whoosh of air. “I’m in, Crazypants. Where you go, I go.”
Roman sized us both up and walked out. “I can’t believe I’m babysitting. We leave first thing in the morning. Go to sleep.”
“It’s not even nine yet. Why would we go to sleep?” Navin asked.
“Because I’m waking you up at dawn, princess.”
“Wait, who is he calling princess?” Navin said confused. “Why am I the princess? That makes no sense.”
“There’s an extra bed up top you two can share. Roman will take the deck,” Cook grumbled. “Now get out of my room before Lady forgets her manners.”
The dog cocked her massive head to the side and gave me an adorable “I can eats you?” face. We left quickly.
Navin and I tried our best to get comfortable on the bench turned foldout bed, but it was narrow, and we weren’t used to sharing. We did have an amazing view of the sky from our perch, however. The stars sparkled brightly, blissfully ignorant of the wasteland they were shining over. With no light pollution to drown them out they took over the sky. You didn’t even notice the moon anymore for all the light the stars were giving.
Navin nestled into me and pulled me close, ignoring my lack of response. I wasn’t a naturally cuddly person, surprise, but I was starting to learn. Apparently, this is what couples did. I didn’t get it but, whatever. The cushion was small, so I had to pretend to hate personal space, a shame since it’s my favorite thing.
“Sam?”
“Yep?”
“What if we didn’t go with Roman tomorrow? What if we just grabbed one of these boats, like you said earlier?”
I thought it over. “We could. We can do whatever we want. Well, as long as we don’t get caught.”
“Right. I forgot about that. Being a wanted criminal is an odd feeling.”
“That’s because you’re not a criminal, Navin. You’re a rule follower. But I like you anyway.”
“Hey, I can be just as dangerous and adventuresome as you.”
“You know how I know you’re full of shit? Because you just said adventuresome.”
He tickled me until I shrieked and kicked in a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
“Hey!” Roman yelled from the deck ten feet away, “Shut up and go to sleep. There’s no snooze button on tomorrow.”
I giggled again then yelled, “Yeah Navin, shut up! This is serious!”
He whispered he was going to kill me but then covered me with kisses, so I figured I was safe. We forced ourselves to quiet down and finally against all odds, sleep found us. Curled up together on blue pleather cushions, floating under an open sky with tiny lake waves lapping at the dock. It was peaceful. Almost calm enough to make me forget about the insane circumstances that brought me there. Almost.
