Chapter 9

The car wasn’t built in England. The car was cloned by Agents of The Empire ... Sallyanne’s bosses. Sallyanne worked for them.

Life happens ... usually because you survived a stupid.

“Well, I won’t be doing that again,” I said, as I pried me out of the wrecked 426 hemi-powered Dodge stationwagon. I knew the ‘make-up your mind’ Tee corner was ahead ... that when one was driving 140 miles a hour when one passed the first warning sign that one could stop in plenty of time. I knew because I’d done it. I knew if one was still speeding, but less then 85, at the second sign ... there was enough time to flatspot the tires and ... maybe ... make the corner. Been there, done that. I was a passenger in that one.

My stupid was I thought everyone knew it.

The driver didn’t.

The field beyond the TEE in the road ... the ‘make up your mind’ sign deeply embedded in the drivers side of the wreck ... was excessively muddy ... it had been a gullywasher 10 minutes ago. I also knew that I’d never pass a typing class. Both hands had been cut to the bone.

The farmer heard the squalling tires and heard the massive thump when we ... the idiots ... landed in his field.

Approaching the scene he said, “The county has to replace that road sign a couple times a year ... but ... I’ve never seen a car this for from the road. How fast were you going.”

I said...”I know ... but I’d rather not say.”

He loooked at me and said, “Son, you’re bleeding, you should sit down.”

So ... I did and that’s how I got mud all over the ambulance.

The only other reason was because you knew the guy who didn’t survive ... and had been watching when he did a stupid.

I know, I know. I know. There are times when the other guy was a victim of someone elses fuck-up. Shit happen.

Like this time.

“I told you... ‘hiding out.’ They will never look here.”

Believing her was my stupid.

Oh ... it took a few years ... I did manage to finish my quest.

Remember? ... watching the paddlewheel steamers being converted. That was the reason I was in Chicago? Remember?

The other reason? I picked up the purse and the revolver. Yeah ... I believe I mentioned that I did that.

The revolver had a chip ... Mom delivered it to the Sheriff ... The Sheriff put it in the evidence vault. The lead lined vault. “To be released to David Austin when called for.”

I could have it back when I was 21 ... six years. I forgot it.

The purse had the badge ... remember the badge? Sallyanne tossed it in the lake. The badge was a waterproof homing device. Now I don’t know how far back in time we were when there was NO Chicago ... and the lake had dunes where the city would be.

SHE KEPT THE PURSE.

We graduated high school ... we graduated College. She got married ... had kids ... beauties ... girls. I got married ... had kids ... boys ... they went to college ... the same college the her girls attended. My boys were athletes ... her girls were cheerleaders.

Exactly. Grandparents.

The city built a new Jail and Sheriff’s Office. The Jail behind the Courthouse was torn down. The Evidence was moved to the new jail and Vault.

I was surfing the net and looked up my hometown ... the old jail was a parking lot.

I ... remembered ... the ... gun.

So ... that’s why I’m here at the whim of Gypsy Hands ... because Magic works again ... and my distant relatives wanted to know ... Well ... that’s it. Leave me alone. Let me go back to being dead.