Chapter 133

The party began in earnest when the sun set a few minutes later. By midnight they were telling tales that ran all the way from an Embassy in Somalia to a pirate ship off the coast of west Africa. Different people told of different events. Then from out of nowhere the pilot from Bolivia appeared.

He told the story of me dropping the mortar shells out the window of his plane onto the drug lord's home. He ended it with, "I was scared shitless, but Sylvia threw those shells out and cursed. She cursed because we didn't have more mortars. I knew then that it would be alright, because nobody as evil as Sylvia was going to die in a simple plane crash. She is destined for some more heroic death."

"'Aye Lad, I don't know how heroic it is. Death is just death. Only the living care how it happened, ' Liam Logan," I said that and raised my drink. By midnight I was sitting the end of the bar alone. Everyone else was celebrating, but I wasn't quite over my depression.

Martin came to stand beside me before midnight, "Did you call the CEO of the Electric Car Company?"

"I did. We are going to meet day after tomorrow in his cabin in the woods," I said. "I assume it's safe since you sent me his number."

"I vetted him, but no one ever knows who they are really talking to for sure. Go armed," Martin said.

"I always do," I said opening my coat to show him the upside down holster containing the eight shot .22 mag revolver.

"Good for you, there are about as many guns in this room as there are in that country gun store down the road. Even more, if we all went to our cars." Martin said.

"I left my big stuff at the barge," I said.

"I'm going to have to come down to see you and Allen when he moves," the colonel said.

"You are always welcome. I even have a spare bedroom now," I replied.

"One always needs a spare bedroom. Just like one always needs a spare airstrip in case of emergency. Would you consider a beacon for your strip. One that only you and I would know about, unless we had a wounded duck coming in?" the colonel asked.

"It's only a hundred more miles to your place," I said.

"Sometimes that is too far," The Colonel said.

"I guess that could be true, but get this Martin, no packages of any sort. I have CCTV and I will know." I said.

"No need for the warning. We will not be landing in anything, but an emergency. I give you my word." he said.

"Give me the beacon and I'll but it down there. I do not have any power on the strip." I said.

"You have solar, but I'll have someone put up the solar panel we need," he agreed.

"Yeah do that but don't do it till I get back. You can plant a GPS marker without me being there. You can most likely call it an exercise and not scare the hell out of everyone in town." I suggested.

"Sure we can do that. The battery will still run down, but we could probably slip a solar panel on the garage and no one would be the wiser. I could get one of our people to put the package in place while you are gone no one will know," he said awfully sure of himself. The GPS requires very low power we will put it inside one of the runway solar lights.

"Martin how did you know I had solar lights on the runway?"I asked. "Have you already landed there?"

"No we just took a look at it. It was all a routine scouting mission for emergency places to put down." He sounded convincing, but I didn't believe him. He didn't really expect me to. It was more a plausible story line, meant to confuse.

Soldiers from the Church Camp, downtown businessmen, and cops all came over to speak to me. I had one more chance to stop by to see Reggie and I planned to do that the next day. I did not plan to get blown away drunk, but the best laid plans ect.

I had so much to drink that The Brit and Jeremy would not let me leave. I got put on their sofa for the night. Like all of us they had a sofa which was a comfortable emergency bed. I slept really well and for the record I wasn't falling down drunk, but I was too drunk to drive. Especially since the state police would love to lock me up for most anything.

The Brit woke up when I did. Since I was going to shower and change later anyway I asked, "Wanna go for a run with me?"

"Sure Jeremy won't be awake for a couple of more hours. Do you still remember your route for a downtown run?" The Brit asked.

"Of course I do, It won't be a great run since I have the wrong shoes but at least they aren't boots or heels," I observed.

"I would love to see you run in either. So lets go do it," he suggested.

The run took us through the unique area a bock from the downtown that was filled with hundred year old houses. Most had been chopped up for apartments, but some were still stately single family dwellings. We ran for about an hour hard, because The Brit ran for speed. I on the other hand ran for distance. I was badly winded at the end of that hour.

I was gasping for breakfast when I suggested, "Cafe on the Square for breakfast."

"Okay, but you are buying wimp," The Brit said with a laugh.

After breakfast we parted company in front of the pub. I drove straight to Reggie's Gym and found it closed. That being the case I went home for a shower and a nap. Sleeping was the only thing to do with a hangover like the one I was fighting.