Chapter 9

Zeus

Well, I guess 'Alex Hobart' is about to be the new owner of a used Hummer. I did something I never did before: my fingers headed for the titanium plate in my head and - tink tink tink - I was trying to initiate contact with what was left of Master Chief Martinez. Before this, he had always called on me.

"MC, you home?" I thought to myself, or to him - whatever.

"No, I'm at the bar around the corner, chatting up a blonde. Of course, I'm right here." Don't you just love it when the voice in your head is sarcastic? "And before you officially ask: I know I said to get an RV, but if you got a nice Hummer, you can tow a trailer just as well. I just want to have a place to sleep while we're on the road." And it's nice when you don't even have to think your questions, because he is using the same brain you are.

"Thank you, Master Chief. Anything new for today?" I formulated the thought so that he wouldn't have to go on with his I-already-know-what-you're-going-to-say monologue.

"Not for today. Tomorrow you might look up Gloria Stoltz. She's a Real Estate gal who is about to get a new listing for a rental property that'll be just right for your needs."

I could have asked him what he knew about my needs, but that would have been pointless, you know? "Right, Stoltz. Maybe I'll go look at trailers with what's left of the afternoon. Get some food, too." I guess I said some of that aloud, 'cause Sonny's ears perked right up.

I got up from the beanbag 'chair' with some effort. Who thought that was a good idea, anyway - a beanbag ... Really? And why did one appear in my apartment? I suppose I have Io to thank for that. Checking out the window led me to the duffle where I got out my rain poncho. While I was there, I decided to put the automatic in my belt at the small of my back - just in case, you know? That got me to thinking. So I popped open the laptop and sent Io an email: I needed a carry permit for the gun, in my new name.

The poncho folded up into a small square, which I tucked under my arm, and I grabbed the leash and opened the door. Sonny didn't need a leash, but I figured I better have one. It wasn't raining, yet, though the sky had ominous grey clouds that were tinged with a yellowish-green - that could mean tornados, thunderstorms, or nothing at all. This was Texas and you never knew about the weather.

On the street, I could tell that Sonny was confused by the city. There were not only too many smells, but some of them were downright strange to his refined nose. I went to the coffee pimp shop on the corner - you know, where they charge you $8 for a double mocha almond latte with whipped cream, but could barely be bothered with a request for a plain coffee. Sonny spent the entire time checking the fire hydrant for signs of alien life forms. He didn't find any, but left his own p-mail for later sniffers, and I emerged from the Kafe Shoppe with my cup of dark and hot. Upon due consideration, we decided to make for the car.

I'd picked up a local newspaper from a vending machine and opened it to the 'Buy A Trailer' section. I know, I know: how 1980! Imagine using a newspaper when there's a perfectly good internet around. So, I'm a barbarian. The first thing I discovered was that I didn't want a trailer. Those were commercial things you use to put other things onto, and then you hooked it to a truck. I wanted a camper. I went to the 'Buy A Camper' section. I wound up at a place that sold RV's and Fifth Wheels and things that you hook to the back of your car and haul around. That's what I wanted. For $10k, $20k or $50k you could buy a decent 'haul around' camper. The difference between the $10k and the $20k campers seemed to be that some had a bigger master bedroom and/or shower area. The difference in the $50k camper is that they were new, and the others were used.

So I got myself a used camper that could be towed with an H2. I'd have to remember to get Io to transfer some money around. I had to invent a story about picking it up, 'cause I didn't have the H2 yet. Or anywhere to park the camper, yet. Or anything else yet. But at least 'they' didn't know where I was going to live, because I didn't know where I was going to live yet.

"It's a nice place," said the Master Chief. "Small development of simple ranch houses. Big garage. Backs up to the woods. Not many neighbors."

"I don't suppose I get a choice," I grumbled back to the disembodied voice.

"Sure you do. Just like you can not take my advice about the lotto, or the keno numbers. The one thing I really don't want you to refuse is to take out the terrorists."

"As soon as we have enough info to do something. Any more intel on that?"

"I forget what I've told you so far. My memory - or more rightly the memory you've loaned me - isn't that good. What I know is: it's gonna happen in Florida, Memorial Day weekend, and we need a rifle - a real good one - for reaching out to touch some bad guys at distance."

"Really. That's news to me. Florida isn't so far, but getting the rifle and some good optics will take a little bit of time. Not to mention that it's been long years since I had to hit something far away. How far out, you figure?"

"Depends on how close you get, L.T." I could hear the laughter in his voice. It was the standard answer in my team to a dumb question.

I thought about some long distance shooting I'd done with the team. I was never the best sniper on the team.

"That was a good day, M.C." I thought, coming out of my trance.

"Aye. And there were lots of good days. Just the one bad one." Martinez paused for a moment. "Hey L.T., you didn't flash back to the IED."

Ever the optimist was our Master Chief. And then, having been reminded, I relived the IED explosion again.

The next morning I called Gloria Stoltz, and explained my real estate needs. She had a very melodious Texas accent, and said she had something that was "Just perfect for me," and that it had just come on the market yesterday.

"Wow," I enthused back. "Imagine that." Quite a coincidence, I noted to myself with a smirk. We made a date to see the house in about an hour.

That left me just enough time to fire up the laptop and contact Io.

Me: Hey Io. How are you today? How's the weather up in Minn.?

Her: I am fine. It is partly cloudy today, with a slight chance of afternoon showers. The high is projected to be 75, although meteorology is not an exact science.

Me: LOL. You can say that again. I live in Texas, and it's even less exact down here.

Me again: Say Io? When do you think I can get that H2? I bought a camper to haul behind it. I have some traveling to do, and I may need to get started soon.

Her: There is a slight - very slight problem there. The vehicle is out of gas. It is in a field, ready for you, outside of Austin.

Me: Well, I can get some gas there. That's easy. But how will I get two vehicles back?

Her: I can arrange for a driver for the H2. It will not be a problem.

Me: I don't like it. He will be able to tie me to the H2. I take it that it wasn't obtained exactly legally.

Her: It was legal enough. The former owner does not want it anymore. If you trust me at all, trust me on this. The driver will be as trustworthy as I am.

Me: Ok. I guess that's good enough for now. I don't like it, though.

Her: I will tell you all about it when you get to the H2. Can you deliver the gas at night? It might be better if no others are around to see.