That's when I discovered I had a brother! I had read in my mom's book where she had had a boy but I had always thought it was an error of some kind but they let me know in no uncertain terms that I had an older brother. The bad news was he had been revived only a hundred or so years after he, the folks, and I had been put in sub-animation. There was a report of his capsule having some kind of mechanical failure. He was revived all right but was given up for adoption rather than re-freezing him. The state had a standard policy--the bastards! Didn't they think for just one moment that maybe he had a family that would someday miss him? Sleepers have no rights except to keep sleeping.
There was no record of who he was adopted by or what became of his life. It was bittersweet news. We were a quiet family when we went to the complex.
I had mixed emotions when I introduced my new father and mother to my friends. I was tickled to have found them and sad to have not been able to do anything about my missing brother. This part is hard to talk about and probably doesn't interest anyone else so I'll stop.
***
I had been gone for only a day but things were changing rapidly. I was told that the new colony manager for Old Tower seemed to have his shit together. He granted amnesty, pardons, or whatever to all CBs and called for an end to segregation. He gave a dramatic speech on the video and even wore all black to show his support for the CBs. I was impressed. I was expecting the dweebs to rise up against him but they didn't. They knew where ther supplies were coming from (or at least they thought they were coming from the CBs) and they didn't want to upset that.
***
Dan had always thought it would be a sad day when he left office but the truth of the matter was he couldn't get out of there quick enough. He had responsibilities that could not be overlooked. He was leaving a failure but not a disgrace--not if he played by the rules. The Council laid it out plain and simple what he had to do to resign and he knew not to buck them too much. He still wanted a life, just not one in politics. Farming sounded attractive.
He was like a school kid waiting for the bell to ring on the last day before vacation. Do what you have to do and try to keep close to the door...
***
I circled the camp unsure what to expect, but too pissed off to care. One thing that I noticed was the amount of new structures being put up. Mostly what I saw were small houses. Not houses like in the neighborhood where I had grown up in on the dweeb side of town. They were plain and small but they looked sturdy. It looked quiet, very quiet.
Toni had come with me because Sid had told her what he thought I was up to. Sid was in the hover car but only as a piece of baggage, make that garbage and I believe I would have taken my gun and made him jump out of the car if he said just one word to me. If I hadn't Toni would have.
Sid, that piece of trash! I had waited for that son of a bitch to get out of prison and never, never had a thought for another guy. Not once! I had even lived with a guy (Dick) and never once had I touched him or made any overture at all. I had worked in a bar, for crying out loud, with men touching me and trying to get me to go home with them everyday. Had I given them a tumble? No! I thought I had a man. I thought I had an obligation, a commitment.
What'd that rat Sid do? He finally came home to me and pretended nothing had ever happened between him and his whore! The low life! He thought he would just keep it from me--and that wasn't unforgivable. I would have forgiven that. I could understand. I had had feelings of...longing. I could understand...cravings. I'm human too!
But did he give me the option of deciding? No! Mr. Smart Ass had to take that from me too. That was worse but I still would have forgiven him, dammit! I loved the man! I laid open my heart and gave it to him. Trusted him. I would have forgiven him--if he had been man enough to give me the chance.
He took it one step further. He was still in love with her, the tramp, the bitch, the whore! What did he see in her? I don't know! Who knows. Men are stupid! They are the lowest of the low! He had called her name while we were making love in bed together! I couldn't believe it! The more I thought about it the madder and madder I got.
We had a fight that should have been televised. I threw everything at him I could grab until he had jumped on me and held me down. He was so sure he was going to talk me out of my anger! The stupidity of the species! How had man ever learned to walk upright? They must have watched women for generations wondering why we did that before one of them even tried it.
Then the moron tells me about Ralph like Ralph and I had had some kind of an affair while he was gone. He didn't think I had done anything for a minute, he just thought he could use that to make me back down. Boy, was he wrong! I had made so much of a fuss that my dad had come in on us to see what the problem was. He took one look at Sid holding me down and he exploded.
Now my dad is still a young man and he's big and strong. He tore Sid up! I mean to tell you he got Sid good. I would have let it go on but I wanted to get in my own licks so I got dad off of him and told Sid just what I thought of him and where he could go and what he could do when he got there. Sid just took it and when I finished he cleared out of my room as quick as he could. I got dad out of there and went on a rampage of my own until I wore myself out
I had cried for a long time before I thought about what that piece of toe jam, Sid, had said about Ralph. Ralph was locked up in New Tower somewhere. I had to do something to get him out. Really he shouldn't have been in any danger because he couldn't do anything to the CBs. It wasn't like he was a spy or anything. Still, Killer was unpredictable.
Ralph had come looking for me with only the purest intent. The least I could do was go get him out of there. I was fairly safe in New Tower. They knew I was one of the people bringing them supplies. Killer wasn't too happy with me (or any of the rest of us for that matter), but I felt like he wouldn't dare move against me, at least not in public and besides I wasn't going there to see Killer. I was going to get Ralph and carry him back to Old Tower.
We were flying over New Tower. I had Sid show me where Ralph was being held. It was a tiny shed, little more than a place to store some tools or something. I prayed that he was still alright. He had been in there for what? Weeks? I wondered how long that miserable Sid had intended to wait until he told any of the rest of us about it. I couldn't believe I had fallen for those puppy-dog-eyes. What a sap I was!
Tears of frustration and hurt clouded my vision as I brought the hover car up an extra fifty meters before heading out over the desert. I went out about five kilometers and landed.
"Get out you slug!" I told Sid.
"Why are you leaving me way out here? Look at how far I'll have to walk!" he complained.
I started to respond but Toni beat me to it. "I'd get my ass out of this car while it's still attached." She told him in a voice full of menace. "You've hurt Cookie and that means you've hurt me. You're lucky she's here or I'd show you what I think of you right now..."
Sid was glad to get out.
I took off and went back to the east of the town. I wouldn't want anyone to know what I was up to until it was too late. Once out of sight of the town I headed north for about twenty kilometers then parked with the nose of the car pointed back at New Tower. I lowered the car to about seventy five meters. I would wait for awhile then swoop in, park near where Sid (the ass) said Ralph was, get Ralph to the car before anyone was the wiser and get back to the complex. Ralph would probably need food and a good night's rest. If things looked like they might get rough I'd call Jet to bring a ship and we'd use it's superior fire power and armaments to force them to give us Ralph. I would not be denied.
"How are you feeling kid?" Toni wanted to know.
"I'm fine." I told her shortly. I was still plenty mad.
"Do you want me to drive?"
"I'll be alright, thanks."
"You know we don't have to do this tonight."
"We'd better. Sid will get to New Tower in about an hour or two. If we want to surprise them we had better do it before he tells them what we're up to."
"He won't tell."
"Why not?" I asked. "I would."
"He may have goofed up and he may be stupid, but I don't think he wants anything to happen to you."
I looked at her confused. Did she mean we could get back together again? What was I thinking? There was still a part of my mind that saw Sid and me together. Call it a mindset. Until that picture was erased I would keep trying to see a way back to how it had been between us--before I had found out that he had been unfaithful...
I pulled myself together again for the hundredth time that night and said "Let's go get Ralph!" The car surged under us and I came in low at about 150 kph. I didn't want to approach too fast. That would make someone wonder what was going on. I came in just like I was bringing more supplies, like I belonged there. I slowed as I passed the entire length of the camp gone town along my port window, it was getting big. I gingerly landed oh so softly near that shed. I popped the door open and looked back towards the main part of the town. No one was coming. It was too easy. They didn't care that some hover car had landed near them for no reason in the middle of the night. I looked over to Toni and she shrugged her shoulders.
We went up to the shed. There was a hook and clasp arrangement on the door. I was set to shoot it off when I noticed there was no lock in it, just a stick. I guess they figure if you were inside you wouldn't know how well the door was being held. I picked the stick out of the hook and dropped it on the ground. The door opened noisily at my touch.
"Anybody in there?" I asked the shadows as I took a step back.
Nothing.
"Can you see anything?" Toni asked me.
"No. It's too dark in there. Ralph! Are you in there? It's me, Cookie. I'm here to help you..."
Nothing.
"We need a light." I told Toni.
"I'll look in the car."
While she was trying to find a light I balled up my courage and got closer to the shelter and felt around inside. I couldn't feel a thing. Carefully I felt around on the dirt floor. Nothing. "Toni. It's empty. There's nothing here."
"Careful, don't stick your hand in there!"
"Already have. It's empty."
"Well, what'll we do now?"
"Let's go down there and ask." I said as I pointed to a well lit hut. There were several people standing around.
"Are you crazy? They might decide to lock us up! Let's call for Jet to bring a ship here or better yet go back to the complex and think this through some more."
"You can if you want to but I'm staying here until I get Ralph."
"Aren't you getting hard-headed." Toni mocked me.
I didn't laugh. This was serious. I started walking towards the people standing around in front of the hut. It was about fifty meters away and Toni had caught up to me before I was half-way there.
"At least put your gun away. Let's try to be smart about this, ok? We were supposed to just sneak in, get Ralph, and leave. Remember?"
I slid my gun inside the waistband of my jeans. The butt of the gun was hidden by the jacket I had on. I left the front open so I could get back to the gun if need be.
It was cold. Maybe not ice making cold but definitely worse than normal. The sky was obscured by clouds and the purple light display I had seen every night of my life before all this began was only barely visible. We had been lucky. we hadn't done too much damage. We were stuck with the clouds but they would probably begin to dissipate in the months ahead. Our footsteps made a gritty sound as we crossed to the shed. It felt a lot better than the mud I had felt beneath my feet every time I had be out lately.
No one paid us any attention when we walked up. I did a quick mental check to be sure the doors to the car were locked. I had forgotten to lock them. I didn't like that. "Toni, did you lock the car?"
"No, don't worry. No one can steal it."
"I know that. I just don't want anyone inside."
"Too late now, Cookie. We'll just have to check when we get back."
I stopped. Still no one paid us any attention. I could smell the sour odor of cheep booze inside. Above the door was a hand painted sign that said:
"NEW GAS CITY"
I pointed at the sign and winked at Toni. "Looks like we're home again."
She smiled back at me. "If I knew about this place I would have already been here!"
We went in. It was pretty quiet. Not too many patrons around at this time of night. It didn't remind me much of the old Gas City bar. The people there had been noisy and rebellious. The people I saw were more tired-looking than anything. I was hoping that I would find Mike behind the bar and there he was. That would probably make things a little easier. Mike didn't exactly like Ralph but he did respect him. He had to. Ralph was that kind of a guy. If you knew him you had to respect him.
Toni and I walked up to the bar and for a minute Mike didn't recognize us. When he did he woke up the whole place. He came around the bar and hugged us both. He was tickled to see Toni again.
"Look at the two of you!" he laughed.
"Look at yerself!" Toni laughed back. "Looks like you've been through the wringer!"
"You two look like you've been out prospectin' fer gold or something, ha!"
We had changed our garb somewhat. I remembered the outrageous outfits I had worn back before all of this had begun.
Mike motioned for Toni and me to follow him into the back room. We sat down and Mike set a small cup of something that looked like gas water before each of us. I tasted my drink. I burned all the way down and still tasted as good as ever.
"Ok, what are you two doing here--and carrying guns?"
I guess Mike had felt them through our clothes when he had given each of us a hug. He was a cool operator because he had never given the slightest sign that anything was amiss while we had been out in the main part of the bar.
Toni started to speak but I cut in on her. "-We're here on a rescue mission, Mike. Remember Ralph--the cop?"
"Sure..."
"-We want to get him out before something happens to him." Toni jumped in on me this time.
"Why?"
"-So he's not hurt!" I reiterated for Toni.
"Nobody wants to hurt Ralph, girls."
"But he's a dweeb!" Toni explained.
"Ain't no such thing as a dweeb no more." Mike told us. "The new manager of Old Tower said so on the video. There's so many people who used to be dweeb running around here that most of us CBs are thinking about moving again so we can get away from all of 'em."
That was incredible. I had noticed the last time I had made a run to Old Tower that there didn't seem to be quite so many people around. I had just assumed that they had gone to higher ground. The low spots were so muddy and hard to get around in that I thought those people had just moved. I never guessed they had gone to New Tower.
"So where's Ralph?" Toni asked.
"Probably walking his beat?" Mike told her.
"He has a beat? Here?" I asked flabbergasted.
"Sure," Mike explained, "Good guards are worth ther weight in credits out here."
The more things change the more they remain the same.
I leaned back in my chair and laughed. I stretched my feet out in front of me and got comfortable. "I bet Killer's thrilled about that!"
"Doesn't matter what Killer likes these days. He's let us down. Not many people have much to do with him."
"Well, who's in charge?" I asked this was getting good.
"You remember the guy who used to run the food store?"
"Which one? Not some guy named Alvin!" I asked.
"No, the one I'm talking about is called Greg. Know him, Cookie?"
"No."
"I do." Toni volunteered. She knew all the guys. "Kinda quiet. Smart though. Wears glasses, real thin."
"That's the one. He's the one most people are listening to around here. He wants to start another colony and call it Utopia. A lot of people are wanting to go with him. If he does go that's where I'll be headed. Couldn't interest either of your girls in a bar could I?"
We both shook our heads.
"Didn't think so. Here, have another drink."
***
It felt colder than before. It seems like it always does feel a little more chilly in the morning, like if the suns doesn't start getting busy the whole world will just keep on getting colder until it freezes. Having been in Mike's nice warm bar made it feel that much worse outside. I had some of Mike's gas water anti-freeze in me and I my belly felt pretty good. My face felt like it was going to freeze off. I had started to shiver less that twenty meters from Mike's door. By the time I got down to the buildings Mike had said Ralph would be patrolling my teeth were actually chattering.
I looked around. It looked nice. There was a new thing covering the ground. Jennifer had told me it was called frost. It made everything look new again. I had zipped up my jacket and had my hands in my pockets but they were still getting cold. I kinda wished the folks were with me to see the dawn. I guess they had seen frost and such many times back on earth. Still I had a side of me that wanted to experience everything all over again, except with them there with me. It was a strange relationship being only a few apparent years younger that my mom and dad. We even thought a lot alike too.
I heard a noise and turned. There was a man walking towards me. He had something covering his face (for warmth, I guess) so I wasn't sure if it was Ralph or not. He had on a kind of uniform with a belt for his nightstick around his waist. It had to be Ralph.
"Cookie? Is that you?"
"Sure is big guy. I thought I'd come by and see how you're doin'."
"I'm fine. It sure is great to see you. How'd you know where to find me?"
"Mike."
"I shoulda' guessed. I've been hearing a lot about you. You have moved up in this world. I hear you live in some complex and you've been one of the ones making mercy runs."
"Yeh, that's me. Look there's a reason I had to see you this morning..."
"What's that Cookie?"
"Sid. I heard what he did to you. We broke up tonight and a lot of things got said. He told me he had turned you in. I didn't know...if I had I would have been here sooner. I could have gotten you free."
"Not your fault Cookie. Don't blame yourself. I couldn't be doing better."
"Good. I'm glad to hear that."I hesitated before I went on. "Uh...Ralph, he told me the reason you were in New Tower was because you were looking for me. Is that right?"
"Yeh."
"Why?"
"I thought you had been kidnapped or something. I don't know. I was foolish."
"There's more to it than that. A man doesn't just leave his job and come look for a woman in a place where he would be considered a spy without having a good reason. You risked a lot for me, maybe even your life. I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't even begin to cover it..."
"It was nothing. I was following a foolish dream, Cookie. Forget it ever happened."
"I can't Ralph. That was a mighty sweet thing you did and I think you did it for me. How can I ever thank you?"
"What makes you think you have to. I did what I wanted to do, on my own, you never asked for a thing."
"Ralph..." Some things are too hard to put into words--that doesn't mean we don't have to try.
"Yes Cookie."
"Did you love me?" I asked sheepishly.
"In my own way I think I did."
"Did?"
"Yes, once I found out you were all right I sort of got over it. I don't know, it's hard to explain. I still love you, but as a friend now."
It was good. I had felt like I had some kind of obligation to Ralph when I felt nothing more than...gratitude...no, make that friendship. I had come to Ralph wondering what I would say. I had been afraid that he still had some kind of flame for me and that I would have to quash it. I didn't want to do that. He deserved better. It looked like I wouldn't have to hurt him. The flame had died on it's own. Our relationship was where it should have been. We were friends.
"You're sure Ralph? Don't tell me one thing and let me find out later you were lying to protect me or something."
"No. We are friends. I got off track for awhile there, but everything's great now. I wouldn't lie to you. I never could. I guess that's why I thought I loved you because you always seemed to know what I was thinking. Use that now and be sure that I want only to be your friend. Ok?"
I didn't answer him. There was no need. I felt again that old feeling of being blessed to know Ralph. Before I guess I had felt that way because he was a cop. I had thought I was blessed by having a friend in power or something. I had been wrong. I was blessed because Ralph was Ralph and we were friends. At least I had found that out.
I told my friend, "Look if there's anything you ever want let me know. You can reach me by leaving a message with Scott. Do you know him? He's the guy I make my deliveries to here. Tell him what you want me to know and he'll pass it on. Ok?"
"I'll do it."
"Good, now give me a hug and let's get out of here before we both freeze!"
We hugged and suddenly it wasn't so cold out there. I was surprised when Ralph suddenly jumped back from me. I didn't know what had happened. He had this funny look on his face and he was pointing at me.
"You have a gun! What's that for?"
I made an embarrassed gesture with my hands. What could I tell him? "I didn't know what to expect when I got here. I've got to learn to not hug people when I'm wearing a gun." I laughed.
Ralph relaxed with me. It had just been an old reflex from when he had been a dweeb cop a million years ago to jump when he hugged a girl who was carrying a hidden gun. I noticed he wasn't carrying one of his own and I pointed at the belt around his waist. "Don't you have one?"
"No."
"Here," I said as I opened up my jacket and got out the gun, "take mine. I don't really need it." I pulled it out and started to hand it to him by the silencer.
"That's a pretty impressive piece of hardware. Where'd you get it?"
I looked at it. It was the gun that had killed the old colony manager--and the two guards. I cringed thinking how they had looked after I had shot them and the cries of the one who had died in my arms. I remembered all the horrible little holes it had put in his body. I could see the places where hunks of the man had been blown away. I remembered the blood, the gore. I shook my head and tried to remember what I had been saying. Yeh, I was giving the gun to Ralph and he wanted to know where I got it from.
It would be better if he didn't know. "I don't remember. Here you take it. I don't want it."
"Y'know Cookie, I've only been doing this for a few days but I've not seen a case where I needed a gun. The fact that I'm here is enough to scare off anyone wanting to steal this stuff. I don't think I want to carry a gun anymore. When it gets to the point where I have to start doing that again I believe I'll quit and do something else for a living. Thanks, but no thanks. You keep it."
I smiled. Perhaps the day was coming when none of us needed a gun anymore. I hoped so. Still it wasn't upon us yet. I slid the weapon back into my jeans and closed my jacket. "Goodbye Ralph. I'll see you. You're a good man. I'm glad you're alright."
"I hope things work out for you too, Cookie. Bye." he turned as he waived.
I watched him go and wondered what it would have been like. "Wait!" I shouted. "Wait, I have something for you!"
He turned back to face me. He looked puzzled.
"Ralph, last night I let Sid out on the desert...umm...over there." I explained as I pointed. "We were about five kilometers out. I figure he ought to be making it in soon. If you were to go...ummm...over there...and meet him I'm sure he would be...surprised..." I gave Ralph a wicked little laugh and a knowing smile. Ralph had a score to settle with Sid and he would be doing me a favor at the same time. Ralph smiled back at me, pleased.
We both turned and went our separate ways. I went back to the car where Toni had it all warmed up. Ralph went to pay Sid a visit.
A woman's work is never done...
The whole book in zipfile format.
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