Chapter forty-two

Patrick 






"We have lost two of our original members. They are: Scientist Mike Steinson and Professor Janet Rivera.

It was not by violence or fatal accidents; it was through a conscious choice to divorce their fate from ours. Specifically, we lost them to the power of love. They will be sorely missed and we all wish them well.

We split up with the Soldiers we had been traveling with the past year, three days ago. But four Soldiers chose to stay with us. They are:

Bruce Akimoto
Patrick Henry
Chako Morningsky
Michelle Johnson

There are now eleven of us.

We are 4 months from the New York Harbor.

Today is the sixteen day of March 2012 A.D.



"Thank you, Fei."

"For what? You know how much I treasure and look forward to these times alone with you."

" Thank you for staying with me--with us. I know you didn't want to sail."

"I don't want to die either. I trust you Damian...with everything."

Damian stood in silence. He knew what she meant because he felt the same way about her. There was no desire, hunger or pleasure-seeking in what he felt for Feifong. There was just something that getting to really know her had put under his skin--inside his bones. And it was something that could not be adequately explained by words. All he wanted for her was her happiness and he didn't care how or where she got it. He loved her like he loved Chandie, but with Chandie, he wanted all her happiness to come from him, alone.

"How are things going with Bruce?"

She shrugged. "He hates you."

"What?"

"Not really, but he hates the time I spend scribing for you and the way I talk about you."

"Fei, what are you doing talking about me to Bruce? That's like me talking about you to Chandie, which I don't do because I know that the only way I will be able to speak of you, is in terms that she will never understand. Tell me you don't talk like that to Bruce about me."

She hunched her little narrow shoulders again. "When he asks, I tell him. I can't help it if he doesn't understand the way things are between us. I'll never apologize for it."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." And Damian knew it was true in Fei's version of romantic love which was probably a lot different from Bruce's,--if no less real and committed.

"Then I'm warning you, Fei. You saw what happened to Steve. Don't take love for granted. Don't mess up your happiness."

She stared at him for a long moment "That's why I love you so much."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"We're finished, Fei."

"I know that." The famous neck roll never ceased to endear her more to him.

"Then carry your little Vietnamese butt over to your paramour."

She laughed.

"Damian...?"

"You still here?"

"I am happy."

He smiled at her tenderly.

"That's all I want."

"I know." She turned and left.


**********************

Chandra, Jane and Michelle, were out together looking for edibles and other useful plants.

"Can you really read each other thoughts?" Michelle asked Jane.

"Yes...when the emotions are strong, and there are not a lot of distractions around... you couldn't do that when you were with your unit?"

Michelle shook her head. "No."

"Chandie, why do you think that is?" Jane asked.

" I dunno. I'll ask Damian, weh we get back."

"Can I ask you both something?"

Both Chandra and Jane nodded.

"What does Steve think about me?"

Chandra laughed. " The last ting I heard him sey in his mind 'bout yuh was, ummm dat girl sure cyan cook."

Michelle and Jane laughed. Jane said:

"One day I'm saw him watching you--while trying to pretend that he wasn't-- and he was thinking about how pretty you are."

"Really?" Michelle asked breathlessly.

"He likes yuh gal, but I dun tink him gwan to mek di first move. Him heart is still on the mend."

"If I make the first move, what do you think I should say to him."

" Wat else, gal? Yuh cook him sumting and invite him ti eat with yuh. Dat haf he panting weh for yuh soon enuff."

All the women laughed.


*************


"Do you really think we are going to die at sea?" Ada sat on the ground with her head on Chako's shoulder.

"Yes."

"Do you know what that says?"

"Yes."

"Any regrets, yet?"

"None that has to do with my decision to go with you." He combed her hair with his fingers.

"What are your regrets?"

" It's more worries than regrets. I just wish Lee had killed Antonio, John, and Rick--at least. I'm afraid--" He paused. " It was their choice."

" I want to be honest with you Chako, and the truth is I could have never done what you did."

" Doesn't matter."

"But you gave up everything for me. Your unit, your peace of mind and even your life since you think you are going to die at sea. I don't know what to think or how to feel. I feel so selfish, so...undeserving."

" I'd rather live five minutes with you than a lifetime without you."

" There's so much imbalance between us. And I don't know what to do to make it more equal.

" Just love me back, Ada. That's all. Don't complicate this, please."

" I can't help it."

"Okay, let me ask you this...do you really believe that Lee and the others are going to die from the breach in five of six years?"

" I'm sure of it."

"Then you're saving my life because if it weren't for you, I would never have left my unit. Not if god himself was aiming at us with nukes in both hands. I think that equalizes things between us more than enough."

She studied him, eyes fixated on the way his chin rose when he said he would have never left them.

"You miss them?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "very much."

"Then you do have regrets."

"No, Ada. No real man would chose something else--no matter what it is-- over the woman he loves. I'll never regret choosing you, it's just that I've lived so long expecting, and willing to die with, and for those guys, sometimes I feel like I've been separated from a part of my flesh. But you've filled in that missing part, and when we have kids..."He grinned at her. "You are going to bear kids aren't you?"

"Not if you die at sea," she said in a tone that carried no lightness.

"I love you, Ada."

"I adore you." She turned up her head and he kissed her.




*********************


"Why did Lee change his mind and let the Iowees come with us?"

"Because they wanted to." Patrick sat on the ground beside Jane. It was late in the evening and the group was stopped for the night. They were back to sleeping outdoors, a fire in the middle of their camp was already roaring.

"But they seemed so much happier with Lee and the others than they were with us and Antonio."

"I know it's easy to miss it, Janie, but the Iowees have minds of their own. It may not seem like it because they are so quick to go along with whatever is presented to them, but they have their own wants and desires and they are a lot smarter and observant than you might think. They wanted to go with Damian, because they heard the talk, and they wanted to live. Besides that, they were always most attached to Chako and Bruce."

"They are so lovable. I'm glad they are with us."

"So am I, but the guys back there--I don't know how Lee got them to hold still--they are really hurting right now."

"Will you resent me one day?

"For what?"

"Causing you to separate from your unit. I know how painful that is."

No...no...Janie. He caressed her face. " I'll never blame you for that. The choice was mine. I don't regret it. I love you."

"You're hurt."

" I'll get over it."

" I'm so afraid that one day you're going to wake up and I won't be enough to help you live with the decision."

" I would have died in a second for any of those guys, but believe me Janie--no matter what happens between us in the future, I would have made the same choice a thousand times without hesitation. You've given me more joy than I've ever had in my life, and every minute with you makes it all worth it."

Tears brimmed in her eyes.

"Hold me."

Patrick took her in his arms and quietly sat with her.

Damian heard her scream in his mind though he never heard her voice.

He ran through the camp in a panic. "Steve, Chandie's in trouble!" He kept running.

The big man, who was sitting with Michelle, scrambled to his feet and took off after Damian. Michelle struggled to keep up with his long strides.

"What's going on?" Sheree cried in a shrill voice.

"Come on!" Jane yelled behind her as she ran. "Chandra's in danger!" Patrick ran with them.

Feifong looked at Bruce, who along with Chako was looking around wildly--both still yet unable to read the frantic emissions to know what was happening without being told. " It's Chandra!" Fiefong said. "She's being attacked!"

Bruce grabbed her arm. "Stay here."

" Let me, go!" She snatched her arm loose and took off running after the others. Bruce and Chako followed.


****************

Damian had seen her run before and he knew how fast Chandie could sprint--like Flo Jo, of Olympics fame. He was grateful for it because right on her heels were a pack of about 12 barking, growling dogs. The two closest to her were Dobermen. They both were on the thin side and mangy looking but they were still fast enough to gain on Chandie, and it was clear they were single-mindedly intent on easing their hunger on her flesh.

The two lead dogs were just a leap from her now and Damian was more than twenty yards away. The hungry dogs were going to reach her first. "Drop Chandie! He yelled both mentally and with his lungs. She instantly obeyed and the two Doberman Pinschers jumped. They soared past her and Damian ran by them to stand with Chandra.

The other 10 dogs caught up at that moment. Damian put Chandie behind him and kicked the first dog that reached them full in the face. All the others were ready to rush them--one of them--some kind of Rottweiler mix-breed, crouched, showing all it's healthy white teeth and Damian knew he and Chandra was in deep trouble--trouble that for them, was going to end up very bloody.

Then Steve showed up, running straight into the midst of the pack of dogs kicking and yelling at the top of his lungs. The dogs scrambled, even the big muscle bound mix-breed scurried back a few yards to access what new thing he was up against. Seconds later, the pack regrouped, encircling Damian, Steve and Chandra, moving forward again. The first to rush in was the biggest Doberman, but close behind him were all the others.

Steve grabbed the snarling mass of teeth and slobber by the head and twisted. Damian leaped up and kicked the one that leaped at him, and in the same motion turned in the air and punched the first dog that jumped at Chandie. One of the dogs grabbed Steve by his left leg and held on. Then another--a healthy pit bull-- clamped down on his left arm. Damian punched the terrier on Steve's arm in the face again and again but the dog wouldn't let go. His jaws had locked and his teeth was churning. Suddenly the huge mix breed leapt on Damian's back knocking him to the ground.

"Damian!" Chandra dove on the Rottweiler and grabbed him by the neck. The big dog easily twisted his head loose and lunged at Chandra. Damian rolled on his back and grabbed the big dog's hind legs just as his teeth snapped. The dog yelped and yanked its legs from Damian's grasp. He lunged at Chandra again. Bruce Akimota entered the struggle feet first. With the velocity of a guided missile, the Asian Soldier kicked the big dog in the head. Chandra could feel the heat from the dog's breath just before it's head violently whipped away from her. The big dog rolled twice on the ground and was still.

Damian was back on his feet, pulling at Chandra, when Patrick and Chako showed up. The smallest dogs Fled. Bruce karate chopped the dog that held Steve's arm in the joint where its neck connected to its spine. The dog flopped. Chako broke the back of the dog that had Steve's leg and the remaining dogs ran yelping into the distance.

All the men had outran the women and as the ladies came huffing up, Damian couldn't help laughing to himself and thinking, even at that tense moment, that Bruce, maybe--but none of the other men would have outran Chandie.

The first of the women to reach the scene was Michelle. The last was Sheree. Michelle, who was one of Antonio's Medics, looked at Steve's bloodied arm and tore off the scarf she wore around her head. She calmly approached Steve and began to administer to his wounds. Chandra walked over to them. " Let's get he back ti di camp. I mek sumting for dis."

"Can you walk, Steve?" Damian put his shoulder under Steve's left arm. He had called on Steve during his moment of panic like it was second nature--as if it was Steve's job to drop everything and be there when he needed him. And as always, the big man had answered his call like it was his job, risking his life without a moment's hesitation.

At this point, Damian knew he would do the same thing for Steve, but he also knew it wasn't always that way with him. He never understood why, but Steve had treated him like a close brother from the moment they met. It took him a long time to completely trust the situation because that kind of thing just don't happen between people--not in his world, or any world. But the friendship was real. The loyalty is real. And it was more than just in the mind and heart, it was in the blood.

"Yeah," Steve answered Damian's question. "the leg's not as bad as the arm. I know a Pit had my arm but what was that mutt on my leg--teeth wasn't long enough to bust a grape but it was holding on like crazy glue. Pit-bull wannabe... "

Damian sensed a skit coming on, and he couldn't have looked more forward to it if it was the opening to a Michael Jackson concert.