"You weren't there. He knew exactly what he was saying. He was afraid to even say it. Tell me why that is?"
"Are you really insinuating that she hurts him?"
"No, even I don't think she would do that. But he was definitely afraid to be talking about it."
"Maybe he's afraid we'll make them leave."
"Well, he's right about that."
"I don't-"
Hawaii raises his hands.
"Stop."
He glances to his partner.
"I know you don't like this, but she has to leave. She wont leave Mikey here. I'm sorry."
"So that's it?" she asks
"Yes. You all agreed that I make the final calls. I didn't ask for it, you guys gave it to me. This is what I'm going with."
She scoffs, looking away from him.
“When they get back I’ll tell Rosaline." he says.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Please don’t shoot me! Please!” the stranger pleads.
His words are delivered frantically. At this point Karo is all but certain this is a real person. The question he ponders now is whether to let this person live or not.
“How many people are in your group?” Karo flatly asks.
“I...I...what?” the stranger replies, shaking his head in confusion.
“You heard me, how many?”
“Uh...four.” the stranger nervously says.
Karo squints at the stranger, still unsure of the fate he will provide.
“Who are the other three? How many males? How many females? How old are they?”
The Stranger’s perplexed look holds. Karo’s eyebrows raise, his finger taps the gun.
“I’m, um, fifty-three. Norman is forty-nine, Daisy forty, and Patrick is fifteen.”
“How long have you been out here? Near this town?”
“We came across it last night, slept in a house, then I set out to look for medicine at dawn.”
Karo doesn’t think they were following him. He’s almost positive they didn’t know he was in the area. He’s overly careful. His concern is what happens after this encounter, what happens if he lets this man go.
“You’re going to take me back to your people. If there’s more than three-”
“There’s not, I swear.”
Karo follows the stranger out of the derelict drug store. The stranger is traveling with just one bag. He doesn’t leave it behind. He’s found something of use. The hike back to the stranger’s people isn’t a long one. Two hours at most.
The sun rests high above them, not having started it’s descent yet. Karo doesn’t ask any questions on their journey, and the stranger doesn’t attempt to engage conversation. The stranger shakes nervously during their travel, no doubt afraid of the man following him with a gun.
The stranger comes to a stop a short distance from a house. They’ve entered what was once a neighborhood on the outskirts of the small town. The stranger points at their destination.
“It’s that house there.”
“Walk slowly, call out to your people when you’re close. Speak loudly and clearly. No sudden movements.”
The stranger nods his head and sets off to the house. As he gets within a range he feels confidant that those inside will hear him from he shouts to them.
“Norman, Daisy, it’s me, Jack, come outside, please.”
A short moment passes before Norman comes bounding out the front door. He motions at Jack, wondering why he’s being so loud.
“Norman, stop! Don’t make any quick movements, he’s got a gun.”
Norman’s head cocks to the side.
“What? Who’s got a gun?”
Baffled by his question, Jack looks back over his shoulder. To his surprise there is no one behind him.
“There is, was, a man.”
“Jack, hunny, what are you talking about?”
“Just get Daisy and Patrick out here.”
“Patrick’s not moving around. You know that’s why we’re here.”
“Norman, get Daisy, now!”
A tense feeling runs up Norman’s spine. Jack is not the kind of person to raise his voice, and especially not at him. Something is very wrong here. Norman disappears back into the house for a short moment, then returns promptly with Daisy in tow.
Jack turns back to where he last saw the man with the gun. He scans the area, but only the two wrecked cars are there.
“They’re here. Patrick can’t come outside. I told you, he’s sick.”
He waits for a response, but none are provided. Jack’s attention returns to Daisy and his husband.
“There was a man. He followed-”
“Jack!” Norman hastily interrupts his companion, dread surging through the word.
The man is now in sight, and he does indeed have a gun. He’s bee lining right for them.
“Nobody move!” Karo says, forcefully.
He reaches Jack, grabs his arm and shoves him toward Daisy and Norman.
“Where’s the kid?”
“He’s inside!” Daisy replies.
Karo stops a short distance from them, almost close enough to reach out and touch them if he needed.
“Face each other and hold hands.”
Norman’s gaze falls to his husband who nervously shakes his head at him.
“Face each other and hold hands, all of you, now!”
Karo’s voice raises, but not to the level of shouting. He’s careful about that. The three do as instructed, facing each other and holding hands.
“Now, bunch together and slowly move into the house as a group. Do not break your holds.”
Karo follows behind the group as they shuffle through the doorway. Once inside Karo orders them to stop, then he closes the door. The house is small, only one level, making it easier for Karo to search it. He has the group remain in front of him as he moves them around the house inspecting each room. Finally, they come to the living room where the kid he had been told of is located.
Patrick is laying on an old and dirty couch. He’s facing away from them, pressed up against the cushions.
“What’s wrong with him?” Karo asks.
“He’s having an episode.” Norman replies.
Karo’s eyes narrow as they cut to Norman.
“An episode?”
“He suffers from PTSD and depression. Among others things, I suspect.”
“And the medicine?”
“Tranquilizers, antidepressants, anything that will help him function.”
“How long has he been like this?”
“Since we found him-”
“Norman!” Jack says, quick to interrupt his partner.
Karo straightens up, his hand grips the gun tighter. He looks to Jack.
“Found him? You said he’s your son.”
“He’s not, but it...it was easier than explaining the situation. Does it really make a difference?”
The matter of fact way that Jack answered him
