Turning the corner Jimmy wasn’t ready to go back to the apartment just yet. He headed for the office to face off with the security guard with the smart mouth he had fronted from the other day. Still smiling, he acted the humble servant that he did earlier at a time not mentioned. The security guard wasn’t having any more questions pressed his way and pointed the gun straight at him. Jimmy pointed to the door and looked back to draw his attention away from what he was trying to do, with legs angled, thinking he was about to say something intelligent. Then dropped to floor and shoved the shot gun toward the celling breaking the gun away from the security officer’s hands then, Jimmy came up and caught the gun, pointing the other direction. He had his attention now.
“Now let’s see…oh yeah, I have questions…let me know if you have answers.”
The security guard had no idea how the gun was in Jimmy’s hands now but he got the message and raised his hands about halfway up and shook his head nervously.
“Hey man, I just work here. I don’t know anything. Just what they tell me.” Jimmy smiled and insisted he get some customer service with stellar remarks. “You were saying?” Jimmy said as he loaded the gun…the security guard said unblinking…“Hey man I don’t know anything?” “Well, I see since you were So rude I thought to give you awake up call.” Jimmy lowered the gun and smiled, “Just playing with you…” Jimmy said, “Who do you report too?” The man let out a huff of air and lowered his hands. “Not funny…who are you?” Jimmy Replied with a smile. “Someone you want on your side.” He remarked.
“Scully Williams is the man you want,” said the security guard. “He’s not here right now, and I’m not allowed to give out his number.” Jimmy looked with a sparkle in his eyes and thought the security guard was more open to conversation, and didn’t mind having a big guy on his side, looking out for his best intentions. “What’s your name young man?” He saw that he didn’t look much past thirty and wondered where all the older men had run off too. “The names Bo, nice to meet you…” as he held out his hand. “Knew you were a nice guy after all.” He had a baby face, of an intimidating size. Jimmy smiled accommodated the handshake. His hands were twice the size of Jimmy’s. He took the bullets out of the rifle before handing, it back to Bo.
He was certain, not minding a few recruits lining up behind him. When people we’re willing to turn on him, it would be nice to have a few of those supporting the local vacation socialites, walking around in bathing suits while drinking margaritas, checking out the senioritis, which was common. Like you were from the local Y…“Do you know what happened?” Jimmy pressed the young man Bo, just in case he knew something that he didn’t. “Well, someone set off some type of Nuke, but it wasn’t something of today, it was a few older bombs I was told.” He had the same info. that had been shared earlier on the radio, he must have heard it like Jimmy. He wondered if WW3 was something about to begin, but knew someone was trying to start a fight that he wasn’t invited too. Someone smarter than the average bear seeking shelter among the trees as he didn’t anticipate the world would be in a better place than it was. They’d find the culprits and when they did, there would be hell to pay. Four Nukes Jimmy thought…someone let those get away. Twenty-two million people were the estimate of people it killed, and many more to come from the damage done. Jimmy thanked Bo and was glad he made the stop before going back to the room. Thinking Una Bomber going to court, like a schoolboy having an attitude.
So why did you kill twenty-two million people? And the kid saying…I was abused By my parents…and a Russian boy made fun of me at school, and everyone laughed at me growing up. Thinking just that, someone found reason to change the face of the world for a personal scuffle. Someone having an attitude because they weren’t treated right. Don’t teach the abused geniuses of the world about atomic energy. It will come back on you some day if they were never spanked. Give him a time out…said the mom, who should have been spanked herself, before being told she was an adult. Talk to him, they will understand. But not…Jimmy remembered growing up being hit just anywhere for looking at them funny, he learned how to respect his elders, for sure. No back talking to someone a lot older than you. Jimmy remembered a 17-year-old kid threatening his mother, she was crying, past the age of being able to handle him. Jimmy accidentally rolled over his foot with an electric cart and crushed two of his toes. He was screaming profanity in the air.
Then Jimmy pretending he was blind knocked the kid off the dock when swinging an electric Pallet Jack around the corner. The kid had to be put in the hospital for a week for minor injuries besides the crushed toes…he was a walking miracle. Thought Jimmy. There was always a way to get your point across from a man with wisdom. Just a little bit off, just a little sideways, the genius made the wrong choice when growing up on the backside of a family. Care about those next to you, give all that you can, to turn out right. Love and friction, both important ingredients to a cause. Crimes were rampant, ungrateful attitudes of youth, just troublemakers from the get-go. Jimmy liked helping ungrateful youth to see the light. Give them a vision of their future…well just a little…was the thinking.
Julia was thankful to see Jimmy coming to the door, from the window she viewed a touch of what was on his mind. She was just grateful to have him attached to her life. Her attitude was always stellar…she always pictured her Angel had her back, always willing to work hard, always unselfish, and full of positive attitude. She smiled when he crossed the threshold of the door.
“Hi Angel…I was just thinking of you.” She smiled with a brightness that remained In her eyes, even though she was sad about what supposably happened to her daughter.
Jimmy had to switch gears and think as a man with a humble heart, setting the stage for success in his relationship with Julia was most important.
“I think that taking a trip to town to see how the atmosphere is around in the city.” Jimmy said. Julia became worried when thinking of any aggression that might be out there. But Jimmy was ready…he wanted to help people in anyway he could. Or find out if there was going to be any city support. “I’ll be careful and think before reacting.” “Yes, please do, and call me every half hour to let on, where you are. Can we have lunch together before you go?”
“Would you like to go with me? I mean we’re not sure that there will be any issues out there?” It might be better staying in the car, instead of being out in the open air. And the quality of the air, we have a filtering system used in the car.”
Julia’s eyes lit up. “Yes, I would like to go.” She said with a smile. “I think people will be helpful as much as they can.” Jimmy smiled before saying the next statement. “You think? What’s to stop them from breaking all the windows out at the open markets? If the banks freeze all funds that people have, they will do just about anything to feed their families after a couple of weeks.” Julia looked up unblinking. “True that…” She confessed.
Jimmy wondered where she picked up the slang…“What gives on the language?” He said hesitantly. “I was watching T.V. the other day, and I found and English channel on and was paying attention.” She said coyishly. “What was the program?” Jimmy looked at her strangely. “Highschool musical, with kids and wishful points of communicating with each other, you know, they don’t want to stand out too much from saying the wrong words, so they improvise with their limited vocabulary.” Jimmy raised an eyebrow while smiling.
“Stop me before the good thoughts are all used up. Slap me silly girl. It doesn’t figure.” Julia looked confused about his true meaning and didn’t know what he was trying to say. She just nodded like they understood the program.
“What’s for lunch?” Jimmy changed the subject. “I made soup and a sandwich.” She professed. “Tomato basil with grilled cheese. How’s that sound?”
She batted her eyes excessively. A little smile developed from the corner of Jimmy’s Mouth. “Sounds good princess…I’m famished.” Jimmy lifted his nose like Piglet was smelling her latest creation in the kitchen. And that took precedence in importance of the day.
“Oh! I haven’t had such a pleasure for a meal.” He mentioned. Julia was stirring The soup while taking one sandwich out of the skillet.
Jimmy found out redemption was just living your life without letting the outside World interfere. He would think of others when the dying started to get real. Of course, knowing the human body can’t take in more than it could handle, and he was still focused on Julia, to make her feel like he cared, which he did, but didn’t want to give her the wrong impression. “So, you have family in California?”
Jimmy had forgotten about his mother and sister’s family still living in Riverside. What was he thinking?” He stood up just then and realized they hadn’t tried to call in the past two days. “God…I’m stupid!” Jimmy grabbed his phone and dialed His mom’s number right away. He was thinking they were further away from the Original Nuke. Then his face turned red. Julia just looked at him and wondered.
“Hello! …mom! Hello…how is everyone doing? Mom…are you okay?” There was static and then nothing. Jimmy pushed the number again and knew he had to get through. “Mom…the phones were down…are you okay?”
His elderly mother finally talked. “I’m upset that this has happened, but our house Is damaged from shaking so much, windows are broken and electricity we haven’t had for two days.” Jimmy’s mother sounded like she was trying to catch her breath. “What are we going to do…how we going to live, we can’t stay here.”
Jimmy held his head low and was wondering the same thing. “Mom…my place is okay in Georgia, go there…it’s safe, it will be tight, but you’ll have water and a toilet.” Yes, but how do we get there? All the freeways are closed?” I understand, go with Robert and his family, he’ll make sure your safe. Take my guns that I left at the house. Robert will Make sure you find a route to take. I’ll give him a call. Can you do that?” His mother coughed a few times from having a weak voice.
“Let me speak to Anna.”
He could hear her calling from a distance. Julia was catching every word that was said. “Hi Anna…I’m sorry you have so much on your plate right now.” She started to cry on the phone. “We have no life here now…don’t know what to do. All our friends are completely in shambles and doesn’t know what to do but pray…why did this happen?” She said…Jimmy didn’t know how to answer mom’s or her questions because they were that type of questions that God only knows. “How do we get to Georgia? I need surgery and can’t stand to sit more than two hours at a time and Archie can’t ride in the car for very long. Mom’s 87 now and has trouble traveling.” Jimmy didn’t know what to do.
“I know…I know, but you have to be strong a little longer and make the trip.”
“How do we do it Jimmy, we can’t do it, it will be impossible. It will…” She was sobbing by now. Jimmy didn’t know how to talk to her. “You can’t stay there if the money quits they won’t let you. I put all my money in gold a few weeks ago. That’s the only type they will take when the systems shut down. I left a Flint card in my top drawer. You can use that to buy groceries, but you’ll have to wait on Robert to help.” He didn’t know what to say to his sister accept what he had already told her. She was sobbing. He knew his son would be strong for everyone. He was tough and patient, and smart for all of them, but leaving everything behind didn’t make sense either. They would live on three acres with privacy they weren’t used too. It was beautiful where Jimmy had bought the land. He saw the market making a move and sold his house in Florida.
Florida was nice but expensive to live. No land to live on, one he paid a huge water bill. He always wanted something with water rights and a septic tank would keep them in the house. When the sewage backed up, people living in the city would be in trouble. He was preparing to go off the grid. When trash stops service, he can burn all his trash. He was set for a while. “Find out if Robert can handle it from his financial institution. Monday banks will close early and won’t let people withdrawal.”
Jimmy couldn’t stay here in Spain. He had to get home somehow, but how To tell Julia didn’t make sense currently. He stayed quiet about his plans…Does he work out his situation…to take her with him? No visa for America, would they let her through, it was worth the risk to ask. She didn’t have a home to go back too, and her daughter was uncertain of where she was. His family needed him worse.
He forgot that Robert changed his money into gold too. He convinced him it was a viable choice. He had a Flint card too. Julia saw the wheels turning but said nothing. Waited for him to get off the phone. “Mom, listen to me, please…I’m coming home, don’t know when that will be, but Robert can’t do this on his own. He needs my help.” She was still crying on the phone. “Mom! Stop it! Be strong! Remember when you were young you were tough around everyone, they need your strength, not you, falling apart. I’ll be there when I can…go start Anna’s car to charge your phone, don’t use your phones except emergencies. Okay, I got to go. Okay bye for now. Love you.” Then Jimmy forgot he left a generator behind, and a camper that slept ten that was only a year and a half old. The pink contract should have just gotten to his sister’s house by now.
Now he had a plan. It was even plumbed for satellite. A full bathroom. They would Make it. He just needed to get ahold of his son to tell him to get it from where it was at, somewhere in Riverside. His Yukon would pull it. He could imagine the whole country moving into campers across the USA. Now, if he could only get home. Jimmy hung up looking in Julia’s direction. He had an idea but didn’t know if Julia would be up for the change, a reason he wanted to do it, but here goes nothing.
“We need to get hitched…” He said, without grabbling about details. “No kiss? No hug? Just get married?” Julia was smiling from ear to ear…“What’s the hurry big boy? Can’t wait?” Jimmy showed a slight hesitating smile. “Well, no we can’t get you in America without having a marriage license in tacked. They won’t like it but when you tell them your city is gone, they won’t turn you away.”
“And if they do turn me away?” Jimmy eyes remained unblinking. “Then I’ll assist at changing their minds.” Jimmy said. She stood up and hugged him. “Don’t sneeze on me…I’m not prepared.” She said, they both laughed at the thought.
The night rained a terrible ash that drifted in that felt like the sky was sick from vomiting so severely from what had happened. The land would never be the same again. Jimmy thought they would need masks to shelter them from radiation, and they were four thousand miles away from the explosion. He could imagine Julia’s daughter had an atmosphere ten times worse from where she was at, if being alive. She was only two hundred miles away. He was worried about her getting out.
And how would it effect an aging mother, and a son that he knew so well. Robert was emotional the last time they talked. He knew that it had to be dramatic to see bodies in the streets. The tears would be endless. He wished he’d never taken the trip to Spain. He didn’t have time to get to them, and his son would be overwhelmed with duty to a calling he couldn’t fill. Then he thought to pray as he sat humbly on the couch with head in his hands.
“God, we have no reason to mistrust your judgement, but be with the ones I love and give them shelter, and help my mother and sister to be safe and calm. Give my son strength and be in his decisions to make the right choices to come. In Jesus name…Amen!” Julia had just come into the room when ending the prayer, and he knew worrying wouldn’t help, and trusting would put them in a better frame of mind. Where would they get water, where would they get food?
Then the level of danger would be 10-fold and higher. Police wouldn’t be there to help and supplies would be limited. Time was of the essence. Jimmy had endless relatives living in the San Diego area. One rich nephew that needed money to be less important than it was, who lived in a big house in Poway. He had four kids and wife with a doctorate degree and a son off to College. His college was where the first bomb had been set off. Jimmy couldn’t even imagine what they were going through. The questions, their beliefs, the morals of why things happen, none of the answers would ever point to the Truth. Where was help going to come from?
Jimmy got on the computer he brought with him and was looking for anything inexpensive to say the least. Wind had been blowing their direction for the past three days, and now it was blowing north, which was perfect to clear the sky. The airlines had all written cancellation across the internet. No one was flying in this stuff without satellite connection. There was a private airport somewhere around in the mountains of Malaga, Spain. Jimmy remembered studying RADAR maps with symbols of what private airports looked like. He remembered having a book that was about three inches thick…but it was just for airports around America, not Spain. He looked at Julia. “Where do you think they would keep maps of a private airport. Something not seen by vacationers or people just walking around in the streets.” Julia thought of an idea. “Let’s maybe look at military bases?” She suggested. Jimmy stood when she said this. “Right…military runs no matter what, to get supplies to people that are in distress, or in acts of war. You think this qualifies?”
“No doubt…” She suggested. He got up and grabbed a pen and paper. And wrote several notes of when he had trained the military for retrieving secrets of based amphibious expeditions carried out by the military from when he was younger. Nothing ever brought up or talked about. Because it was top secret and sworn to never to be mentioned to anyone. Jimmy thought deeply for a second as he brought his hand to brace his chin. Julia wondered why the wheels turned without any words said? He had to find out if there were any bases close by, who would render a helping hand to someone of the past that needed in assisting people of the USA. He looked on a map that Julia pulled up from her phone. Rota was 257 miles away, about four hours’ drive. “We can get there by late afternoon, if we don’t stop.” The tank was still full of the morning before. No need for a marriage license. Spare the innocent from impulsive moments of trying to get married. Jimmy made a call when trying to find anyone left of his unit, thirty years ago. He doubted anyone of his unit would be working in the military from what he’d remembered.
They would all be white haired and looking close to retirement. Even the names in a book would be forgotten. They had assignments not registered in any journal worth mentioning of attending in a closed-door military meeting…they had that wasn’t brought up. And he doubted that the military would be so nonchalant about him taking refuge in one their planes, for a free ride to America. Not without substantial payment. No one would do this. Jimmy dialed his son and heard the ring tone. “Yes, dad! Nice to hear from you…what’s the plan?” Robert knew his dad was thinking of a way to get to him, at any cost. Not a whole lot would get by him without him noticing.
“Yes, well…not everything is written in stone, but this is the plan for now. Find out where my trailer is, even if you must take it by force.” Robert wondered if it had been as violent there as he had experienced, compared to Riverside. “Anna might have the contract, then it becomes legal again, once you cross the borders, the military will see that it’s paid for. Next you will get Anna and her family, and mom to a safe place. Take the generator with you, and the guns. Take water and food, as much as you can carry.” Robert knew there was no job to go back to. Thinking while his dad rambled on. “And head east beside the ten freeway. I Figure it will take you 7 to 10 days to get to Georgia. Can you, do it?” Robert looked worried even with the plans it would be hard. His oldest daughter had a broken arm and her face had been injured from when part of the building had collapsed. “Maybe, but I don’t think my wife will want to go.”
A son on the way, she was six months along. The radiation left behind wouldn’t help. She thinks it’s an excellent choice. “You were right dad; you said your home would become a haven in the years to come. Well, it looks like your reasoning is happening.” Jimmy couldn’t believe he was doing this, but said nothing about it. “Goodbye for now, dad…pray for us.” Jimmy said “I will…” Then he hung up.