“You were too busy selling drugs and weapons to the Cong to watch over anyone’s butt.”
Wiley walked over, standing toe-to-toe with Streng. He didn’t seem so stooped anymore.
“I did some shit in my day, Ace. But I never sold weapons to the enemy.”
“Really? That’s what the military told me. That’s what they told our parents.”
“They lied,” Wiley said.
“Well, you sure did something to piss the military off. And knowing your history, it probably wasn’t legal.”
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“I know the story. You’re a bad egg, Wiley. Always have been, always will be. When the MPs showed up at the house, told Mom and Dad about your little moneymaking ventures in Vietnam, it destroyed them.”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen. I loved our parents.”
“Sure you did. That’s why you stayed in touch. That’s why you attended their funerals.”
Wiley got right in his face. “You always loved to judge me, Ace. Point the finger, say
Streng planted both hands on Wiley’s chest and shoved, hard. Wiley staggered back, recovered, and balled up his right fist, pulling back to swing. Streng was faster. The last time they’d tangled, Wiley had beaten him good.
This time was going to be different.
Streng gut-punched Wiley, releasing twenty years of pent-up anger in one blow.
Wiley crumpled, dropping to his knees, then his ass. He wrapped both arms around his belly and breathed through his mouth. Streng reared back to hit him again when something in the room beeped. Wiley turned his attention to the TV.
“They found one of my cameras,” he said.
Streng watched. A soldier, glowing green, seemed to stare out of the plasma screen directly at them. A second later the screen went black.
Wiley got off the floor and picked up a large remote control, switching to another camera. Coming up Deer Tick Road was a car Streng recognized: the late Mrs. Teller’s Roadmaster. Wiley switched again, and the car slowed and parked next to Olen’s Honey Wagon.
Ajax and Santiago got out. When Streng saw that Fran and Duncan were with them, he deflated.
“Do you know who that woman is, Wiley? That child?”
Wiley stared, not answering. But he gave a small nod.
“How long have you known about them?”
Wiley remained silent. Streng felt the anger return. He approached his brother, putting his hand on the back of his neck and squeezing.
“That’s your daughter. That’s your grandson. They’re in this because of you.”
Wiley shrugged out of Streng’s grasp.
“I’m not a father. It was a fling. A mistake. I contributed the DNA. That’s all.”
Streng grabbed Wiley’s shirt, pulled him in close.
“They brought those folks here because of you,” he said through clenched teeth. “They’re going to die because of you.”
Wiley met Streng’s eyes. “It was a one-night stand, dammit! Right before we shipped out to Nam. I gave her money to get rid of it. She decided not to. Then, when I got back, I had to lie low. I couldn’t have a kid. People were after me. It was the only way I could live.”
“You call this living?” Streng turned his head and spat on the floor. “You cower underground, under a dead deer, hiding from the whole world. No family. No friends. You’re a waste, Warren. A selfish waste. And I’m ashamed to call you my brother.”
Streng shoved him away, heading for the exit.
“Where are you going?” Wiley called after him.
“To save that woman and her son.”
“I booby-trapped the whole area. If those don’t get you, the soldiers will.”
Streng stopped and looked at his brother one last time.
“Then I’ll die. And I’ll be waiting for you in hell, Wiley, to kick your sorry ass.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Wiley said.
Streng didn’t answer. He walked out the door.
Duncan shivered. He told himself it was from the cold, but deep down he knew the truth. He was afraid. He was very afraid.
He stood next to the car and held Mom’s hand, grateful she was acting so brave. Duncan knew it was an act. She had to be scared, too. But she was hiding it, and he loved her even more for being strong.
Duncan didn’t know how things went wrong so fast. He fell asleep in the car, and when he woke up, Josh and Woof were gone. It turned out Dr. Stubin wasn’t a nice guy, after all.
The two soldiers with them were dressed like Bernie, and they seemed just as mean. The big one—the one who was going to twist off Mom’s head—was even bigger than Kane on WWE. But the other one was even scarier. Duncan didn’t like how he kept looking at Mom, kept touching her.
Mathison didn’t seem bothered by any of this. He still sat on Duncan’s shoulder, picking though his hair. Duncan reached his hand up to rub the monkey’s belly. Mathison cooed. Duncan scratched higher, up Mathison’s chest. He felt the monkey’s collar, surprised at how thick it was.
“Stop touching the monkey.”
Duncan spun around, saw Dr. Stubin pointing his big shotgun at him, the one they’d put in the back of the car. Duncan’s hand dropped down, and he felt like he was going to pee himself.
Mom stepped between the gun and Duncan, pushing him behind her.
“Mathison!” Stubin barked. “Come!”
Mathison hopped from Duncan’s shoulder to Mom’s. He screeched, sounding pretty upset.
“Now, Mathison!”
Mathison climbed down Mom, but instead of going to Stubin he took off into the forest.
Stubin said, “Stupid primate,” and turned away from them.
Fran knelt down to Duncan’s level. She pushed his bangs out of his face. “It’s going to be okay, baby.”
“Where’s Woof?”
“Josh has him.”
“Is Josh coming to rescue us?”
Duncan watched his mother’s eyes get glassy, and her lower lip trembled. “If he can, I’m sure he’ll try.”
Another man dressed in black came walking out of the woods. When Mom saw him, she stood up and got very stiff.
“I’ve found a few antipersonnel devices and two cameras,” the new man said to Stubin, “and Logan found an exhaust vent disguised as a tree stump half a click east. He’s close. Underground somewhere.”
Stubin nodded. The new man looked at Mom and smiled.
“Hello, Fran. I was hoping we’d see each other again.” He licked his lips. “I can still taste you. Yum.”
Then the man stared at Duncan. Duncan trembled—it felt like he was looking at the devil.
“I bet you’re tasty, too,” the man said. “My name is Taylor. You must be Duncan. Did you have fun with Uncle Bernie?”
Duncan couldn’t help it; he started to cry. His leg was really sore, and he wanted to go home, but he didn’t have a home anymore because it burned down, and bad people kept trying to hurt him and Mom.
Between his sobs he heard his mother say, “We killed Uncle Bernie. And we’ll kill you, too.”
“No,” Taylor answered. “You won’t. What’s going to happen is we’ll find your daddy, make him give us what we want, and then we’ll all take turns with you and your boy. If you’re lucky, really lucky,
Duncan felt his mom squeeze his hand even tighter. He squeezed it back. He didn’t understand why she told
