8th March, 2013

Zacky dragged his fingers through his hair, pen dangling from the corner of his mouth as he was madly scribbling notes down on a pad. Brian wandered over to see how he was doing, his own pad open to a page of random jottings.

“Hey, V?”

Zacky glanced up at his friend a ghost of a smile twisting at the corners of his mouth.

He said, “Yeah?”

Brian leaned against the edge of the desk his own smile tight. “You still mad at Shads?”

Zacky, sighing, shook his head as he said, “He’s got enough on his plate, y’know? What with Jason showing up last night.” He set his pen down, turning to his tapes. Rifling through the growing pile he found one and slipped it into the deck.

Brian tilted his head and said, “New tape?”

Zacky smiled, an edge to the expression. “Nah, this is one I’ve had for a while.”

He fiddled with the volume controls. Brian settled against the desk to listen. As Zack’s voice filtered across the bunker, Matthew joined them, brow furrowing as he was drawn over by the content of this particular tape.

Zacky leaned back on his seat conscious of the tension in both his friends. After all, the resignation of the General and the merging of the role of T-One and General was a huge deal, and one that none of them had anticipated.

~~~~~~~~

Tape 2

11th January, 2011

I guess I’m a glutton for punishment. I called Coop. Yes, I know…risky. A huge risk. But, it was the only way I could get access to the information that makes up this tape.

As you know already, Eskino resigned as the General. Not sure where he’s gone to; the general – hah – consensus is that he’s just disappeared off the face of the planet. Not literally, but The Creed’s official statement is that he’s on permanent leave. For stress, or whatever. Probably not too far from the truth. Shads says he’s going to track him down, for our sakes…or something like that. But, anyway, that’s not what I’m trying to get at here.

Coop very willingly agreed to talk to me about what went down in The Creed after Eskino’s resignation. So, instead of me just waffling…here’s the transcript.

Transcript of interview with Tal Cooperman

ZV: So, Coop, what’s the scoop?
TC: Really? That’s the best you could come up with?
ZV: Sorry. It’s just been a while since we’ve talked.
TC: Yeah, well we know the reason for that…
ZV: Yes… anyway, what I really wanted to ask about was the whole deal with the Creed.
TC: Well, as everyone should be aware General Eskino resigned.
ZV: Yes, you made that pretty clear in your last show. But, what I want to know is…
TC: Who’s in charge now?
ZV: Right. I know JB is TaskerOne.
TC: Correct. Well, I was invited into the barracks recently to witness a first within the Creed.
ZV: A first?
TC: Yes. I mean, the normal protocol would be to promote the next ranking soldier into the position of General.
ZV: Usually the T-One, right? Then a new T-One is promoted.
TC: Exactly. But, not this time.
ZV: No?
TC: The position of General and T-One have become one and the same.
ZV: Excuse me? Could you repeat that?
TC: Jason Berry is now top dog of The Creed…and he has no superiors, other than the Mayor.

[There was a big pause there, I’m not sure if it’s because I lost him or because I was in shock, but it was shocking…]

ZV: That’s…troubling.
TC: You don’t say. The phone went off the hook here in the studio. Lots of people upset I can tell you.
ZV: Flies in the face of convention, hey?
TC: Exactly. But, I got to speak to Mayor Johnston about it.
ZV: …and what did he have to say?
TC: Not a lot. And all in defence of the decision made. I’m still waiting for a chance to speak to Jason…
ZV: Like that’ll ever happen. Jason doesn’t blab…
TC: We both know that’s not true or Shads wouldn’t have reacted the way he did.
ZV: No one expected that. None of us. Not The Creed. Not us.

[I got angry after that and ended the call. But, later on I called Coop back and he told me exactly what the Mayor had said to him…]

~~~~~~~~

Matthew dragged his fingers through his hair. “So, Johnston claimed that the position of General was redundant?”

Zacky nodded whilst switching the tape off. His friend’s question didn’t require a verbal response. Brian, frowning, set his note pad down as he gazed quizzically at them.

“Matt?”

Matthew glanced at him, lifting an eyebrow as he said, “Yeah?”

“If you’d stayed at The Creed…do you think you’d have eventually become General?”

The former soldier let out a long sigh before answering. “Yes. I would’ve.” He crossed his arms over his chest looking hard at the poet. “And, I’d have gone about the job just as Eskino did.” A shudder ran through him and Zacky looked up, catching the hard edge to his words.

Brian’s smile was brittle. “Well, thank fuck that didn’t happen.”

Matthew’s own expression suddenly took on a sad cast as he said, “Yeah…that probably would’ve spelt disaster for our friendship…” An introspective light flickered in his eyes.

Zacky stood and went to the fridge, grabbing a couple of Jacks and handing them to his friends.

Brian cracked his open with a nod. Matthew held his in his hands, white knuckling the cold bottle, his mind apparently far away.

Then he said, seemingly out of the blue, “Val would’ve hated it.”

Brian paused with his bottle to his lips the lowering it, he leaned forward. Zacky propped his ass against his desk, nodding in agreement.

“Lucky for the both of you that didn’t happen, then.”

Matthew snorted, disdain evident. “Not that any of this is better. We’re all here…and she’s…not.”

Brian finished his beer and rolled his eyes. “You think you’re the only one feeling that way?”

Silence after that statement. Then Zacky spoke up trying to lighten the mood.

“Come on, guys. Do you seriously think they’d be moping around like this? I’m sure they’re keeping themselves busy. They’re resourceful women after all.”

Matthew muttered something under his breath and walked away. Brian shook his head at the younger male.

“We haven’t heard from them. It’s hard…” He picked up his notepad, absently flicking through the pages. Zacky just sighed.

“Can understand you acting like this, you’re so sensitive.”

Brian’s lips twitched. “It’s not helping my creativity, though.”

Zacky cracked a smile then his brow furrowed as he glanced in Matthew’s direction. “I’m just surprised at Shads…something has to give.” The mechanic shook his head. “I mean…not that it hasn’t already…”

His friend gave a soft snort as he swirled his bottle. “Yeah, wonder whether there’s some way we can get in touch with the fam…”

Zacky rolled his neck before standing. “I’ll look into it. Come on, let’s go stretch our legs.”

* * * * *

Los Angeles
Sanders’ Residence
Same Day

The news was quietly droning on in the background, but Val, who was at the sink washing dishes, paid it no mind. Her thoughts were far away. Kim, Matthew’s mom was next to her drying the plates and remaining in companionable silence. The two women were both thinking of the same man, both anxious over him and supporting each other in that.

Setting the last cup on the sideboard to drain, Kim finally spoke, her voice soft. “Pete’s coming over for tea.”

Val blinked, looking at the elder woman. “You don’t mean?”

“Yes. I do.” Kim smiled, a wistful expression. “He and Gary are close friends. And, he thought he’d come by, since he’s in LA for a bit.”

Val pursed her lips, anxiety evident in her eyes. Matthew’s mum read it correctly and touched her shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

“He is on our side, sweetie.”

Val grimaced. “I still find that hard to believe, considering…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced toward the television. Papa Gates face was gracing the screen. The familiar face jolted Val out of her thoughts. “Hey, it’s PG.”

“The new mayor of New Huntington,” Gary commented as he walked in, closing the newspaper he was just finished with. Kim smiled toward her husband. Matthew’s father looked older in his own constant state of anxiousness. The grey at his temples a sign of his worrying for his only son.

“Yes…” Val licked at her lips, absently as she walked over to watch the news. “He looks tired.”

“He would be.” Gary shook his head. “For all his hard work, nothing has changed.” He joined her, reclining on the lounge. Kim came to stand behind his chair, resting her hands on his shoulders. He settled back, smiling softly up at her.

Val had to turn her head away to focus on the screen, feeling a pang in her chest. She missed Matthew… Kim noticed and stepped away from her husband to come sit next to the younger woman.

“We’ll see Matt soon…”

Val nodded without taking her eyes off the TV. “Maybe I should ask…Pete…”

“He’d be able to fill us in with some things, at least,” Kim said, agreeing with her. Gary shifted on his seat, looking at the two women.

“How’s your sister coping?”

Val’s brow furrowed at the mention of her twin. “Keeping herself busy. Though she’s finding it just as hard to be away from Bri. They were planning on getting married.” She looked down at her ring, turning it on her finger, thinking of her own marriage and wondering how it would stand the test of their forced separation.

Kim nodded, sympathetic to the plight of the two women. “They’ll get there.”

Val allowed herself a small smile as she leaned her head back to look at the elder woman. “Yeah. It’s just the waiting. And, not knowing.”

Gary spoke up again, then. “Well, there is the rally in Long Beach. I was thinking we could go into the city and watch the live broadcast.”

Val blinked then looking over at him. “Is that wise?”

Gary chuckled and said, “You want to see what they’re planning, right?”

“Of course I do. I just worry…”

“Don’t you worry, dear. Pete will be coming with us. And, no one messes with Peter Eskino.” The certainty to the elder male’s tone was so reassuring that Val almost believed it. She smiled a little more then returned her gaze to the television.

Gary sat back, doing the same. Kim went back to the kitchen, to start preparing dinner before their visitor arrived.

Notes

Finally. I know, I apologise for the long, long, long, wait. Thank you for your patience all my readers. Please enjoy this latest chapter. Inspiration comes and goes, but, aside from my new Simple Plan story I'm working on, this is still my favourite story to write.

So, enjoy and please, if you feel it, let me know what you think. Anything at all :).