Chapter 1: Rules for the Pickup

I froze for a moment. "Jason ... Look to your eight o'clock."

"What?" Jason said, staring at me.

"Look over your left shoulder and back toward the entrance," I said. "Am I seeing what I think I am?"

Jason turned in his seat. "I don't ... Oh shit. Mark, that's definitely a marine. Do you think... ?"

Jason's next words never came. The marine had raised his right hand. He dropped it quickly and the windows to the outside were blocked by a grey field.

"And we're being picked up," I said softly as I looked over to my right. Morgan and Jessica were intent on their lunches and had not noticed the change. The rest of the restaurant had started to buzz with excitement as people looked over and saw the field.

Jason nodded. My friend put a hand on Letty's shoulder. The woman looked at her in surprise.

"What my love?" Letty asked.

Jason used his thumb to point to the wall near the entrance. "We seem to have finally ended up inside the barrier. Guess what that means?"

"Oh my, oh my!" Letty said excitedly. "Are you telling me that you're sure?"

"All right everyone, stay calm! I've been through two of these already today and I'd like this one to be simple!" a voice boomed out.

The place actually got louder. I stood up to look around the place. As I did Ashley ran over.

"Mark, I'm sorry," she said.

"What?" I asked as I turned to give her a quick kiss.

"You won't be able to get me pregnant and have me walk to receive my diploma with your baby inside me. I wanted to do that for you," she said.

"I'm sure we'll find a way for you to do that someday," I said fondly. "Now, I need you to get everyone organized. Make sure Matti, Erica and especially Angelique don't watch what's about to happen."

"Quiet!" the voice that had boomed out roared, silencing everyone in the room. "I know all of you have heard about pickups. Some of you have probably been through one. We're starting to see a few repeat customers for the conk pool. Now, I'm Sergeant Walter Bailey. It's my job to make sure you don't disrupt the smooth running of this operation. If anyone causes trouble I will be happy to stun you and leave you right by the door."

"Actually that would be a booth you stuff them in, Sergeant," another slightly calmer voice said. "You might be sick of these, but we do have some rules to follow. First, please wait until I have talked to all the sponsors before you start the orgy. I want this done without all of the confusion most of these have. We tried this last stop and it worked. So when I call your name, get up here. And do it fast."

The room quieted down as the Sergeant stood just in front of the cash registers. "Cunningham, Morgan!" he shouted.

I looked over as Morgan stood up, beyond him I could see Kelsey turning to look at him. Her eyes were wide and wild as Morgan started to walk towards the Sergeant.

"Milken, George," the Sergeant continued.

A man emerged from the food preparation area. He shrugged as he walked past his stunned coworkers.

"Norbert, Walter," the Sergeant said.

"Norbert?" Jason said. "I never knew that was his last name."

"It's his father's last name. I heard his mother registers Walter under her last name when she's signing him up for school. But he isn't eighteen so he couldn't make it official," I whispered.

Walter was strutting up to the Sergeant. "I'm bad, I'm bad," he chanted.

The sergeant just glared at Walter as he approached. "If you're done," he growled.

Walter snapped to an approximation of attention. "Sorry sir."

"I'm not an officer. Now put your back against that counter and wait for me to finish," the Sergeant growled.

Walter dashed over to the order counter and put his back against it. The Sergeant glared at him for another moment before turning back to the seating area. "Owens, Lawrence."

"Can you please use Larry!" a man in his late thirties shouted back as he stood up. The man shook his head as he walked up to the counter.

"We use your official name," the Sergeant responded. "If you don't like it, talk to the AI after the pickup and get it changed. Parker, Mark!"

I got up. From the corner of the restaurant I could hear someone begin to screech in outrage only for the sound to be cut off.

"Idiot," I said under my breath as I walked to the front to stand next to Morgan.

"Me?" he asked.

"Roberts, Jason!" the Sergeant shouted.

I nodded over towards the corner. "Kelsey is here. She's not happy that I am."

"She had a crush and didn't allow for the possibility that you had some common sense," Morgan said as Jason jogged over to join us.

"One more, Thornton, Jessica!"

"Go Jessica!" Kathy and Milli shouted as our friend jumped to her feet. She walked over to join us.

"Oh god, the rug muncher gets to go," Walter complained. "She doesn't have the balls to be a fighter."

The Sergeant charged over to Walter and pushed him back into the counter. "What was that recruit? Did hear you disparage one of your fellow soldiers? Are you suggesting that perhaps I cut your balls off and give them to Recruit Thornton?" the man bellowed.

Walter looked confused. The rest of us just stood staring at the situation as the grizzled sergeant loomed over our former friend.

The Lieutenant hurried over and looked at all of us. "Let him up Sergeant. Although if he can't keep quiet, I'll allow you to take him into the bathroom and start training him."

The Sergeant smiled. It was a wicked smile that promised lots of pain for Walter should he speak up again. Walter just leaned against the counter and said nothing.

Chapter 2 »