E j deen, p.22
E. J. Deen, page 22
“Zach! I was so worried about you!”
“Me? You were worried about me?”
“Of course, silly. We all were.”
Feeling oddly uninhibited, Zach hugged her close and gave her a kiss on the cheek before releasing her.
“Frankly, I was worried about you, too.”
She smiled. “I knew you would be. Didn’t I tell you, Doc?”
Doc nodded, smiling.
“I see you’re still taking good care of Hangdog,” Zach observed, eyeing the mutt. Hangdog had
followed Serena and now sat beside her, tail wagging in recognition as he looked up at Zach.
Serena giggled and gave the dog a possessive pat.
Tadpole had been sticking close to Zach in a rare moment of shyness, but when he heard the
welcoming shriek from the girl, he came out from behind Zach to stare at her. Zach glanced down at him and grinned.
“Serena. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. We call him Tadpo—”
“Tad,” the boy broke in. “My name is Tad.”
Serena’s smile broadened, and somehow it had the power to summon an answering one from Tadpole.
Zach just stared at the kid, a little surprised by this sudden awkwardness from a boy who had always been too bold for his own good, and surprised that Tadpole seemed so interested in someone his own age. The kid had spent so many years trying to relate to adults, trying to be an adult himself that it seemed impossible for him to be any other way. Yet, he’d taken to Serena instantly.
“How is she?” Zach murmured in an aside to Doc.
“She’s well. But there’s no telling how long that will last.”
“Any progress on your research?”
Looking grave, Doc shook his head. “But I won’t give up. I’ll never give up.”
Zach nodded and glanced back at the girl. She looked so different, happy. He was glad for her. At least the last years of her life would be spent in security, surrounded by love.
“Serena, why don’t you take Tad and show him some of the more interesting parts of the cave,” Doc suggested.
“Oh, you’ll like it,” she exclaimed. Despite the trepidation that crossed Tadpole’s face, she reached out and took his hand, eager to play tour guide. “It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”
“How do you know?” Tad made an attempt to sound manly, more worldly than she.
Zach almost laughed aloud. Even in a world of revolt, the male ego was alive and well, ready and eager to tangle with the female of the species.
Still giggling, Serena led him away. Zach watched them go. The two of them together were an unusual sight, but he was glad for both of them. It would be good for them to interact with someone closer to their own age. Good for the adults, too. So nice to see children laughing again, playing together.
Noticing a slight movement out of the corner of his eye, Zach looked up just in time to see Doc exchange a glance with Burgess. He jerked his head in the direction of the kids, but she obstinately shook her head. It was obvious he wanted her to accompany the younger generation, but she had no intention of leaving and missing out on whatever it was Doc had to say to Zach.
Tired of waiting, Zach asked, “So, what is this all about? Why the army?”
Doc didn’t mince words, just gave it to Zach straight up. “We got word recently that the Pirates have Subtropolis.”
Zach let out a low whistle of amazement. Subtropolis was an enormous underground compound, a
catacomb of subterranean storefronts and business sites. Easy to defend but difficult to maintain without the proper ventilation. They would require fuel of some sort to run those generators. Doc must have read his mind because in the next breath he answered Zach’s unspoken question.
“They’ve been bleeding a pocket of natural gas, got some oil rigs chugging, and they’re using the fuel to run the facility. If they get a foothold, they’ll take over the country. We can’t let that happen.”
“Count me in,” Zach said. “Sounds like an easy job. All we have to do is sneak in, place some
explosives, and close the place down.”
Doc shook his head. “I don’t want to destroy the place. It’s too valuable. I need the facility for my research. If they do have fuel, I could use it. It would make a big difference.”
Zach considered it for a time. “All right, so we take it. When do we start?”
Doc stared at him for a moment, then passed an agitated hand through his hair before beginning. “I want more, Zach. This army is only the beginning. Once we have Subtropolis, we can use it as our base. With 40 million square feet of space, it’s big enough to suit all our purposes. I can do my research, and you….”
Looking embarrassed, Doc broke off.
Zach’s curiosity needle was buried on the high end. “Me?” he prompted.
“We’ve decided to do something about this country. We can’t just spend the rest of our lives running.”
“What do you mean do something about the country?” Zach felt an odd sensation of half-apprehension half-excitement creep over him. He hadn’t even heard Doc’s plan, yet it already seemed like an impossible, almost ludicrous feat. But nonetheless alluring. “What? You’re planning on taking this little army out to reclaim territory. That’s a big world out there, Doc. I think you’re gonna need a few more men.”
Zach couldn’t hide the slight edge to his voice, couldn’t seem to squelch the feeling of betrayal. Why hadn’t he been told about this before, included in on the plan right from its inception? They were friends, for chrissake. Why had he been left out? What the hell was Doc thinking, anyway? What could he hope to accomplish? It would take a much larger army than this motley assortment to change the state of affairs, to regain control of the country.
He glanced at the men. They were all waiting, watching him intently.
“We intend to change things, Zach. Whatever it takes. And we want you to help us,” Doc said.
Zach glanced back at his friend, studied his face carefully, then looked out over the group of men. They were still watching him, so intent, expecting an answer. What could he tell them? Yes, I’ll be your puppet. Yes, I’ll join your ranks and get myself killed inside a week. Yes, I’m crazy, just like all of you are crazy. Crazy enough to think I can change things.
He turned back to Doc. “How did all this come about? When did you reach the conclusion that it was time to change the world?”
“Just a bunch of guys sitting around getting drunk and talking about what used to be. What could be in the future.”
“We’ll have to clean him up quite a bit,” Burgess threw in. She’d been silently observing him, but now she seemed to be assessing him in a more thorough way, a contemplative way. “He needs a good shave, a haircut….”
“Wait a minute,” Zach exploded. He was annoyed with their hedging. “What the hell are you talking about? You aren’t making any sense. None of you are making any sense.”
Doc scraped a hand along the back of his neck, let out a sigh, then looked Zach directly in the eye.
“We’re looking for a leader,” he said bluntly.
Zach just stood there staring at him. Now he felt even more apprehensive. He had a premonition of what was coming next, and he wasn’t sure he was going to like it.
“Cut to the chase, Doc. We’ve been friends a long time. You can tell it to me straight,” Zach reminded him, not bothering to hide the feeling of betrayal anymore. He had come to the end of his patience, was even considering leaving, but Doc’s next words stopped him, made him hesitate just long enough to be hooked.
“We want to make things happen, Zach. Do you understand what that means?”
“Hell, yes, I understand. But—”
“We need a leader. Someone like you. We need deliverance.”
Zach felt like he’d been sucker punched. He’d suspected he wouldn’t like Doc’s angle. Now he was sure. Just when he had decided to retire, now came talk of him leading an entire army. Forget that one-man bullshit. An entire army!
“Why me? Why not….” Zach glanced at the men around him. “Why not any one of these guys?”
“You’re the most likely candidate. You have the education, the background. You know Washington better than any of us. You were—still are—an attorney. You know the law. You know best how the system works. You can be the next President of the United States. Just think about what that could mean,” Doc insisted, his eyes burning with that new fervency Zach had noticed before.
Zach started to shake his head. He couldn’t believe what they were asking. It was an honor. A burden.
Both. They had chosen him out of hundreds. They felt he was worthy. But they had the wrong man. He wasn’t interested in becoming a hero to the public.
“We understand. You’ll need time to think about it. But don’t take too long, Zach. We leave for Subtropolis next month. I want you with us.”
Zach stared at him, his mind already racing with possibilities. To change the world. To make it more livable. To create a new government. If it was possible, at all possible…. Jesus, it was too much to think about. Still, despite all his misgivings, he felt a stirring of hope, anticipation. Just a bare flicker.
“There must be other attorneys out there who survived the revolt,” he said, almost to himself. He was still in shock. Still didn’t know what to say.
Doc shook his head. “Not like you. None with the drive and the integrity that you have, the fierce determination.”
“The way we figure it, you’re the best man for the job,” Jordan added.
Grady stepped forward to say, “I agree. If I thought we could have somethin’, you’d be the man I’d pick.”
“We all agree, Zach,” Burgess said.
“You want to change things too, Zach. I know you do. All those midnight conversations over Tennessee whiskey. I haven’t forgotten them. You’ve always been a crusader. This is your chance to get your life back. Think about it. Just think about it,” Doc urged
“In the meantime, let’s show you around and get you acclimated,” Jordan said. “There’s a lot to see.”
*
Over the next several days, Zach did nothing but think about Doc’s plan. What Doc offered was too incredible for words. It was the chance to have a life. Not this pitiable existence he’d been calling a life, but a real one, with a real future. Status, the opportunity to do more, to use his education. For the past ten years, he’d tried to stifle his feelings, the yearning for something more, for his old life back in D.C.
Leaving it all behind, throwing away his dreams, had been difficult. It had haunted him for so long.
He’d come to detest the man he’d been forced to become, the person the revolt had molded. Yet, he was almost thankful for the journey. He had grown, had become stronger than he’d ever thought possible.
All his experiences, no matter how traumatic, were the foundation of that strength. Maybe now was the time to use all that knowledge. Use it for something other than killing. Use it to lead.
My God, everything could change in an instant. He could have his dreams back. It would take months to accomplish, perhaps years, but it would be worth it. It would be change, for the better.
He willingly accepted command of the army Doc had gathered, and jumped right into planning their takeover of Subtropolis. But the decision to become president was another matter. He would have to think about that.
During the days of planning for the attack, Zach came to know the men well. He was irrevocably involved, elbow-deep in every aspect of strategy. They were an amazing group of men, all just as strong and determined as he was. Ex-computer technicians and programmers, ex-engineers, pilots, mechanics, and warriors. Everyone had an area of expertise, and they all worked together for the whole. Even Jim’s ego didn’t get in the way of the common goal.
Grady was in seventh heaven. “This is news in the making,” he said over and over again. He was even working with one of the men on some of the radios they’d salvaged. “If we can get some of these going, we’d have a new network of communication.”
It was amazing what they intended to do, truly amazing. Zach sometimes wondered if he was dreaming it all, but then he would wake in the middle of the night and find himself in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.
And these men, this incredible handful of men, had chosen him to lead them. He was in a constant turmoil over it. The responsibility was a heavy one to bear, almost an impossible decision to make.
Could he do them justice? Could they win this thing? Could they really hope to gain control of the country again after all the years of devastation and violence?
Could he lead them?
With every day that passed, the men began to treat him more and more like he had already made his decision. They respected him and seemed fully convinced that he couldn’t possibly say no. In their minds, the deal was cinched. He was their president.
Zach still wasn’t sure. He didn’t know if he was prepared for something like this. He didn’t know if he had what it took to be a leader. He’d spent so many years being a loner.
Still, this experience was changing his perspective. Working so closely with so many men who held a common goal gave him reason to reconsider his reclusive ways. He was in the middle of it all. Heated debates, negotiations, ideas thrown forth only to be rejected, remolded, or accepted wholeheartedly.
Zach found himself participating in more than just war strategy. He enjoyed the camaraderie, the plans, the renewed hoped. It was all so fresh and new, all the possibilities. This must be what the founding fathers had felt when they had decided to form a more perfect union so many eons ago.
A more perfect union.
The idea that he could help lead the world into order again was thrilling, infectious. It got down into his soul, until he began to believe that maybe he actually could make a change for the better.
*
“He’ll be more popular if he has a First Lady.”
They were all gathered together for dinner, all of them sitting around zealously discussing the future, when Zach heard snatches of a conversation between Doc and Serena. He turned his head and saw the girl eyeing Burgess, sizing her up as if measuring her for the role of First Lady.
“I’m afraid I’m not quite ready for that, Serena,” Zach told her.
It was a cute sentiment—just like a young girl to think of something like that—but it wasn’t for him.
Who he chose as a mate was his decision, and he had no intention of having a First Lady. He might agree to lead the people, but he’d been alone too damn long to accept anyone into his life on a permanent basis. Besides, Burgess was a pain in the ass. She wanted to be included in on everything.
She wanted to be treated like an equal. She actually thought he was going to let her go to Subtropolis and fight alongside the men.
His gaze automatically slid in her direction. She sat some distance away, but she had apparently heard Serena’s comments, and she was watching him with an odd expression on her face. Zach felt something powerful move over him and fought to repress it. The feeling scared the hell out of him.
“Serena is right,” Doc said.
“Be serious,” Zach replied, forcing himself to look away from Burgess.
Doc glanced over at Burgess and smiled. “Why not? She’s clean. I’ve already checked her for the virus and found her negative. And she’s available. Consider it a business arrangement. We could have you married by morning.” Doc was teasing now, almost humoring young Serena, but the joke was lost on Zach.
“Whoa. You people seem to think you can decide my fate for me. First things first. If—and that’s a big if—I decide to agree to do this, there will be boundaries. Starting now. My marital status is not a subject of debate.”
“She is right, though,” Burgess threw in. “The people will accept you more readily if you have a First Lady. It’s what they know. It’s familiar, and what’s familiar often becomes comfortable. Even you should agree that winning the people is the most important step in our battle to regain power. They still have to sort of vote you in. Not literally. But it would make our way much easier if they accepted and trusted you. People trust the familiar.”
“She has a point.” Doc’s brows were raised in obvious appreciation of her intuitive commentary.
“But I haven’t decided anything yet,” Zach insisted, throwing his fork down onto his plate with a loud clang. The outburst captured the attention of every man around him. Ignoring the startled looks, he stood up and began to pace restlessly.
“You people don’t seem to understand what a difficult undertaking this is. We would have to subdue all those factions that are working against us, and there are many. The Pirates, the Hunters. And we’d have to do something about the plague, something that would unfortunately have to be radical. We’d have to give the people something to hope for, something to look forward to. It’s the only way we can get their attention and their support.”
“You’ve obviously been giving this a lot of thought,” Doc interrupted. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”
Every eye was on Zach as he stopped pacing and turned to face his friend. “I didn’t say that. I’m just trying to make a point. An undertaking of this massive proportion needs to be thoroughly planned.”
Agitated, Doc abruptly stood up, almost upsetting the table in the process. “You don’t think we’ve gone over all the possibilities, all the problems, all the setbacks. We didn’t come to this decision lightly. We know what we’re getting into.” He glared hard at Zach, his eyes reflecting the frustration he felt.
“Don’t leave us hanging, man. Make your decision. Soon. We can’t afford to wait much longer.”
A muscle jumped along Zach’s jaw, and his eyes narrowed in anger. He didn’t like the pressure, didn’t like it one bit. But, dammit, these people were trying. It was the best idea he’d heard in years, and it just might work. If it didn’t, they would all die trying, and that would be the end of it. For them, anyway. No more agony, no more fighting, no more fear. It would be over. Done. Finished. What was the risk? They were all going to die sooner or later anyway.
