"Good," she said gulping down the second glass, "you can go get us another bottle. I hope you don't mind if I watch you get up."
"Not at all," Ethan said, slightly embarrassed. He got the other bottle of wine and they were half way through it when she became serious.
"Ethan, I hope this is not going to upset you, but I have to ask you for a favor."
"What is it?" he reluctantly said.
"First I've got to be honest with you. It wasn't an accident that we met up tonight on the beach."
"I kind of figured that. So what else?"
"I need you and Bill. Something big is going to happen in Oceanview in the next couple of days. I'm not sure what it's going to be . . . “ She was looking down and swirling her wine.
"Something to do with the Apocs, you think?" He wondered if somehow she caught wind of Admiral Prescott's plan. He didn't know how much he should tell her.
"Yes. I figured either you or your friend Bill would know."
Ethan sat for what seemed to Ava an hour without saying a word, with only a blank expression on his face. Then he exploded.
"Is that what this is all about? You get me back here and seduce me just so Bill and I will help you catch this maniac?" He got up and stormed to the railing of the deck. He was silent again. He turned quickly to yell at her again but she was standing behind him looking dejected. He bit his tongue.
"I know that's what it must look like. I admit that meeting you on the beach was set up. But everything that's happened since has been real."
He turned his face away and looked out at the water.
"Ethan, look at me please." She grabbed his shoulder and he turned without much coaxing. Two big tears were rolling down both cheeks. She grabbed him and hugged him close. She turned her face, kissed his ear, and whispered. "I told you I'm not like that. I just had to ask you if you would, that's all. Ethan, I don't even care about the Apocs or my job or anything right now—just you.” She turned his face so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "Ethan, all I want right now,” she said as she took a step backwards and opened the front of her robe, "is for you to kiss me."
She told him to, but before he could she stepped forward and moved her lips to his. Just before they touched she let out a small exhale. Then their lips met it was like two live wires sparking. When their lips parted she stepped back to soak him all in.
He stepped forward opening the front of his robe and then slipping his hands under hers. Their naked bodies closed together as one. His cock squeezed between them and she ground herself hungrily into him. His tongue sent shivers of desire racing through her setting her body aflame. He bent over and took a swollen nipple into his mouth. Her heavy, full, breast surged at the intimacy of his caress. He was about to carry her inside when they heard it.
The phone was ringing.
Acting as if he didn't hear it, she asked if he was going to answer it.
"Let it ring!" he exclaimed as he swept her into to his arms and went into the house. They were halfway through the living room when the answering machine kicked on. They heard the caller leaving a message.
"Ethan!" a gruff male voice screamed, "If you're there Ethan, for god’s
sake man, pick up! This is Admiral Prescott! It's about Bill. Are you there?"
He stood her upright and dashed to the phone in two long leaps.
CHAPTER 25
ALMOST THERE
"Admiral Prescott, sir. This is Ethan. What happened to Bill?" He was out of breath.
"Haven't you been watching the television, or heard anything on the radio? There was a concert tonight at the Coliseum in Hampton and the Apocs were there. And so was Bill. They got him, Ethan. Showed it right on TV."
"We'll get him back, sir."
"Ethan, it's worse than that. I've got a team of Seals at the bridge tunnel ready to blow the damn thing up as soon as the Apocs get in it."
"Can't you call and tell them to forget it?"
"Can't, communications are out. Get over to Oceana. We're going to head over there."
Before Ethan could answer the line went dead. He stood there with his mouth open just staring at the phone in his hand.
"What is it Ethan?” Ava was asking from the stairs.
"It's Bill. I've got to go."
"Then I'm going too," she said rushing to him.
Too shocked to talk he changed his clothes, got hers on the way, and they were off to Oceana to see the Secretary of Defense. They didn't speak a word until the guard at the front gate went to check their verification. Ethan leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Boy, talk about coitus interruptus."
How often are we to die before we go right off this stage? In every friend we lose a part of ourselves, and the best part.
Alexander Pope (1688
-
1744)
English poet
CHAPTER26
THE CONCERT
Henry turned his head away from the people toting the protest signs that approached as he turned in off Armistead Avenue. Heavy, dark cumulus clouds were starting to gather on the western horizon. They reflected the turbulence he felt inside.
Even though it was against Henry's better judgment, Tom accompanied him to the Hampton Coliseum. They arrived three hours before the concert and the parking lot was a flurry of activity.
There were four distinct groups congregating in four distinct areas. The first group and by far the biggest consisted of the faithful followers of the Reverend Ira Swanson. Young and old marched along the entrance to the parking lot half carrying signs denouncing the members of the band "Devil's Reich" as demon worshippers, and the other half with signs aimed at the Apocs. Placards with "You'll burn in Hell" and "Apocs mean death" were being thrust at the windshields of every car entering the lot.
The second group and by far the most organized were the Keeper's of the Peace. The group consisted of members of the Hampton City Police and Sheriff’s Departments, the Norfolk Police Department, two squads from the Virginia State Police, and a company of men from the Virginia National Guard. Two fire trucks from the city of Hampton and several ambulances and rescue vehicles were also on hand "just in case". All the assembled men and women kept close tabs on the third group.
The third group and the most ominous were the Apocs who had gathered at the south end of the parking lot as far away from the others as possible. They had arrived at the scene in six large semi-trucks. These trucks formed a semi-circle like a wagon train, and the people with the virus congregated inside it.
The fourth group was the seemingly clueless people that actually showed up to see a Devil’s Reich concert.
The only people, other than the few curious onlookers, that were entering the Coliseum parking lot were members of the press. The big leagues were there with their trucks carrying their satellite transponders; all the networks and the cable news outlets. Local crews were also on hand from Norfolk, Richmond, and DC along with a few from as far away as Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. The reporters and their crews quickly set up their equipment and began to do preliminary "background" interviews with anyone who would grant one. They frantically searched for that humanistic side of what was sure to be a major confrontation. They scurried from one group to another only to find that, other than the police, people were unwilling to speak to anyone other than GCG journalists.
"How long do I have to wear these sunglasses, Mr. Henry?" Even with the seat fully back the big man's knees were crammed against the front dash.
"Just until the people start coming in and we can get out and mingle." Henry said, as he parked Dick Haloran's car in the end spot where the religious people had parked. "You'll need to keep that hat on too." Henry reached over and playfully adjusted the rim. The storm provided the perfect sunscreen allowing the Apocs to be out without protection during the day. “Don't need anybody thinking I've got Arnold Swartenoodle in the car with me."
"Why did we park here? I thought we were going to see Miss Nattie?"
"We are, just hold yer horses. I've got to do a little reconnoitering first. Just stay in the car, okay?"
"Arnold says ‘I stay in car. Hasta la vista bay-bee’.”
Henry figured the best way to not be noticed was to go with the flow, and right now the only flow between the groups was by the media. He fell in with a group of TV reporters heading to the Apoc section. A cameraman and a female reporter were admitted to the inner sanctum of the guarded truck enclosure. Henry milled around the back perimeter trying to finish his plan.
Dang,
he thought,
if I only knew which one of those trucks that son of a bitch Abaddon was riding in.
Then he saw his answer.
On the far side hidden from view was a customized tour bus. It was the kind that rock bands often used. Only this custom coach, instead of being for the band members of "Devil' s Reich, it was for Abaddon and his Nattie. From where Henry stood craning his neck he could see Abaddon descend the steps of the bus to greet the female reporter that had been granted access. Nattie was already at the bottom of the steps and looked to be part of the welcoming committee. Henry watched his wife move with ease and agility that for years had been denied her. The sight made his heart ache to hold her again. It also brought back memories of the two of them younger, happier, with their whole lives yet to be lived. He was going to get her back, all right. The final details of his plan fell into place.
It was the members of the Hampton Police and not the National Guardsmen as thought, that gave Bill problems.
"It's my city, dammit! It's my responsibility!" Police Captain George Murphy nearly screamed. Spittle punctuated every syllable flying into the air and gathering at the corners of his mouth. Bill thought he looked rabid.
"But you can't move at them yet," Bill pleaded.
"And why not?" he asked, putting his big mallet-type hands on his hips.
"Well, for one thing they haven't broken the law yet."
"It's just a matter of time." His sausage-like finger was just inches from Bill's face. "Plus what about all the hell they've raised on your side of the water?"
"Listen, I'm acting upon direct orders from Governor Wilder and the state's Attorney General office. Unless we have solid evidence that one of the Apocs here today, is directly responsible for a crime, then we are just to observe."
"Observe, my ass! People, innocent people are going to die here. It's my job to make sure that that doesn't happen."
"Believe me, its mine also. But it's also my intention to make sure if we do make a move against them we have proper and just cause. As hard as it is to comprehend, there are people that are on the Apocs side—like the Civil Liberties Union." Bill paused to see if this was getting through to the Captain. He understood how the man felt.
"It's just," Captain Murphy said, taking off his hat and wiping his brow with his shirtsleeve, "it's just my teenage son is going to be here tonight with some of his friends." He turned away from Bill and stared off in the direction of the Apocs.
"I'm sorry. I had no idea." Bill said.
"Yeah, that's all right, the boy and I had a big fight about it this morning before I left the house. One thing led to another and I ended up hitting the kid. Last thing he said before he left and slammed the door was that he'd see me here tonight."
The captain turned away from Bill and he saw a hand go up to his face. Bill couldn't tell if he was crying or just wiping his nose. Nothing in the man's voice hinted at either. Bill advanced one step behind him and said; "I'll assure you this: ‘On the touchstone of misfortune a man discovers the strength of understanding and of spirit in kinsmen, wife, children and himself’. I promise you, at the first sign of any trouble we'll go at them with guns blazing and ask questions later."
Bill heard the man chuckle. The captain turned to face him. His eyes were glassy, but Bill still didn't know if he'd been crying. The captain had a grin on his face. "I heard that you did that, but I guess it still caught me by surprise."
"What's that?" Bill asked.
"People always said you were quoting some dead philosopher or another. You're alright, McCullough. I guess us Irish cops got to stick together."
Bill was Scottish, but he was going to be Irish today. The captain adjusted his hat and went off to where his men formed a separate group. Bill took the minor victory in stride as he looked with trepidation at the GCG congregation and then over at the Apocs. The air was thick with humidity. There definitely was a storm brewing.
CHAPTER 27
THE TV SETUP
Abaddon spoke in his richest tones and smiled his most charming smiles for the GCG news reporter. Instead of looking repulsive, several coats of make up (thanks to Nattie Pigott), merely made him look haggard. The female reporter was starting to feel at ease. He wasn't some 'beast' as some of her colleagues had warned. The interview was going well. Considering she was scooping the networks with this live shot it made things almost too good.
". . .So as you can see, we're just ordinary people like you and the fine folks at home." Abaddon said. "There's just one difference and that is we have a virus. It's a sickness, that's all. And here, tonight, I'll prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was a sickness devised by our own government."
The people gathered next to the bus, including the reporter, were taken aback by this bombshell. Even though the interview was more than she'd hoped for, she was sent in specifically to get footage of Abaddon claiming to be the Antichrist.
"Despite the fact that this is a state-sponsored tragedy," Abaddon said, adjusting the turtleneck that concealed the layers of gray molted skin, "has no bearing on the fact I am the son of the Dark One. And where better to announce this juicy bit of news than at the concert of the band that honors my father." He smiled intimately into the camera.