WACO’S
LUMMOX
By
Waddie Greywolf
Chapter
40
HOLY PROPHET DR.
JEREMIAH SCUDDER MURDERED BY CRAZED TEMPLE GUARD, screamed the
headlines of major newspapers around the country that afternoon.
The world was in shock. There was nothing else on the TV but
religious and political pundits; talking heads having much to say about
nothing. The President of the United States of the Theocratic
Republic of America was assassinated. The Holy Prophet, religious
father to millions was dead. The stories went into lurid detail
about how the lone gunman, obviously a terrorist mole, managed to
infiltrate the upper echelon of power only to commit a horrendous
murder for no other purpose than political opposition. They
played it up big, there was no Earthly reason that could have provoked
any man to do such a dastardly deed. What remained of the left
wing, the former Democrat Party (they were careful not to write
‘Democratic.’ A small but not too subtle putdown) was to blame for
this. They must accept the responsibility and they would pay
dearly for this treachery. Known liberals were being rounded up
within hours, without charges and shipped to detention camps called
‘Traitor Camps.' (Sometimes called 'Cheney Camps.')
Strangely
enough, the Holy City Police Department was more understanding with
Brick Armstrong. They found him where he said he would be, and he
was unarmed. He offered no resistance. Since he was a
brother officer they treated him with more respect than they probably
would an ordinary assassin. Brick made no statement to the
police. He admitted only to having shot and killed Jeremiah
Scudder. He would answer no further questions. He would
only speak with his attorney. He was asked where Timmy Kelly, the
young Semi-Vestal Virgin, was? Did he know Tim was suppose to
have spent the evening with the Holy Prophet and his political
advisor. Brick refused to answer. He didn’t want Stan and
Jimmy-Bob involved. He thought he made a mistake having them
remain in his apartment. He should have ordered them to clean
themselves, wash their clothes, and return to their dorm rooms and keep
their mouth’s shut. He didn’t have to worry, they were in good
hands and being looked after.
* * * * * * *
Jimmy-Bob and
Stan watched as their big buddy was handcuffed and carried off by the
police. They thanked Kyron for the video-feed but asked him to
shut down the link. He obliged. Then suddenly there was a
great flash of light in the living room where they watched the murder
of the Holy Prophet. Standing before them was Jesse Watkins and
his companion Utah, but Utah was no longer a dog. He was a
handsome, bright and shining angel-like man with long flowing blonde
hair. Jesse smiled at them.
“God, you men
look ghastly and smell worse.” he smiled. “Do you recognize this
handsome fellow?” he asked with humor in his voice.
“He looks like I
would imagine Utah to look if he were a man.” replied Stan.
“Exactly.
He didn’t want to be changed, but we have work to do, and I need
him. He agreed to allow me to give him this form until we
accomplish what we need to do. Then, I will change him back into
a dog.”
“You’re very
handsome, Mr. Utah.” said Jimmy-Bob.
“Thank you,
Sir. I’m still just Utah to you and Mr. Stan, though.” he smiled
showing a row of perfect teeth.
“I’m going to
clean you men so there won’t be any forensic evidence you ever came in
contact with Timmy’s blood.”
Jesse bowed his
head, took Utah’s left hand and held onto his staff with his right
hand. A bright light shown forth from his staff and wherever it
touched the cowboys the blood disappeared from them. It
disappeared from all places in the apartment where they might have
tracked it from the guest bedroom; however, Jesse left all the blood in
the bed, in Tim’s pants, and all around the room. He wanted the
police to find it. When the light faded and went out, the boys
were clean. Even their bodies smelled fresh and clean.
Their clothes were spotless.
“Gee, thanks,
Mr. Watkins.” said Stan.
“Now, you men go
back to your dorm rooms and stay there except for meals. Stay
together in case I might need you in a hurry. These next few
hours are critical. Will you do that for me?”
“Anything, Mr.
Watkins, you know that. You have our complete trust.” Stan
assured him.
“Good, then be
off with you now, and go in peace. Remember, what you experienced
this past few hours was not of your doing. You were major players
in an event, but you did your parts well and used good judgement.
The Ancients are most pleased with you and will reward you
accordingly. Have no fear, your time of rapture is near.
Your little sister and parents will be raptured with you,
Jimmy-Bob. Be of good cheer and keep a good heart. Don’t
worry about your friend Officer Brick. We’ll take care of
him. We may need you later to comfort him; if so, I’ll be in
touch. Stay together and stay strong.”
“Thank you, we
will, Mr. Watkins. Bye, Utah. Look’n good, brother.”
Jimmy-Bob smiled and gave Utah a thumbs up sign. Utah smiled back
and nodded. They left the apartment. The guards at the door
didn’t ask them any questions. The boys weren’t sure if they even
heard the news yet.
* * * * * * *
The coroner was
just about to make his first incision into the body of Jeremiah
Scudder. He didn’t know why they wanted a postmortem done on
him. It was obvious the man died of a massive gun wound to the
head, for cries sake. They could easily have waved the laws, but
for some reason, the powers that be insisted on it. He
poised his scalpel over Scudder’s chest when a bright light filled the
room and blinded him. He couldn’t see in the dark room for a
minute. Then he saw them. Two radiant men who looked like
angels from an old picture he used to look at in his grandmother’s
home. They had long flowing hair and spotless white robes.
“Move away from
the body.” The taller of the two spoke to him in a commanding
tone.
“What? Who
are you? How did you get in here? Guard!” he yelled
for the officers standing outside the door.
“They can’t hear
you. No need to panic. We’re here to restore his
life. Now, please don’t make me be physical with you. Move
away from the body.” Jesse insisted.
The mortician
backed away.
“Where are the
pieces of his brain and skull, Sir.” the younger one with the long
flowing blonde hair asked.
“They’re in that
plastic bag over there on the counter.”
Utah moved to
the counter and retrieved the bag for his master. He handed it to
Jesse without comment. Jesse opened the bag took out the bits of
Scudder’s brain and placed them back into his head. Finally he
took the two skull fragments, one large and one small, and expertly fit
them together on Scudder’s head. His staff shot out a beam of the
purest light, and the mortician could see the bone and tissue were
being welded into place. When Jesse was
satisfied he took Utah’s hand and once again the light from his staff
filled the room. It became so blinding white the coroner had to
cover his eyes with his hand for a moment. Then the light was
gone. To his amazement, the coroner looked and saw Scudder’s
chest was moving. He couldn’t believe his eye. He
thought, ‘My God, he’s breathing.’ He walked over to the cold
metal table and took Scudder’s pulse. It was normal.
“How, the fuck,
did you do that?” he spoke to Jesse and Utah.
“Nothing to it,
when you know how. You’re not ready for knowledge like this.”
Jesse said condescendingly.
“But he was
dead. He’s been dead for hours. You brought the dead back
to life. Are you angels?” he demanded.
“Some folks
think of us that way. We’ve been called that before. What
we just did is the way rumors get started and labels get stuck on
things when people don’t understand the science behind something they
don’t understand. Scudder was easy to bring back. He was
still warm. Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. He was
dead for several days. He already started to stink. You
will tell this story the way you perceive it, but no matter how you
tell it, you will be wrong. Now,— I have given you your leader’s
life back. I want something in return. I want you to tell
them they are not to punish Officer Brick Armstrong. You make
sure, Dr. Scudder has a change of heart and makes a magnanimous gesture
by forgiving and pardoning him. If he doesn’t there will be grave
consequence for him, and I don’t mean that as a pun.”
“Are you
kidding? They ain’t gonna’ listen to me.” he complained, then
added, “Look, I’m just a man with a job. I don’t care about
politics or religion. I do what I can to survive in this crazy
world. Scudder and his ilk are Looney Toons. They be crazy
as a Mexican bedbug convention at a Motel Six. They ain’t about
to listen to a nobody like me.”
“That’s the same
argument Moses gave when they sent him to free his people. How do
you know unless you try?” Jesse argued.
“Okay, but I can
tell you right now, it ain’t gonna’ do no good. I know
Scudder. He holds grudges, and he’s a ruthless mother-fucker with
anyone he even thinks is against him. That officer ain’t got a
snowball’s chance in hell.”
About that time
Jeremiah Scudder sat up and looked around.
“What the
fuck? Where am I, and who the fuck are these people?” he asked.
“They just
appeared, Dr. Scudder. You were dead, and I was about to do a
postmortem on your body when they came in a flash of light and brought
you back to life.”
“Well, it’s
about Goddamned time!” he barked at the radiant men. “He sent
you, didn’t he?” he smiled.
“He? Who?”
asked Jesse.
“You know, the
big man. God almighty! J.C.! The Holy Ghost!”
“No, if you’re
referring to Jesus Christ, he’s been gone now for over two thousand
years. Oh, yes, and I don’t expect him to be returning anytime
soon.”
“Then who are
you?”
“You don’t need
to know who I am. I’ve been known by many names over the
centuries. Some you would recognize, others you wouldn’t.
That’s not important right now. We’re here to bring you back to
life so you can complete your mission on Earth.”
“What are you
talking about? What mission? My mission is to be the
greatest President this country ever had. How do I know you ain’t
from the Devil?”
“You don’t, but
after you’re recovered for a while you’ll find you have certain powers
you never had before, but rather than use them for good, you’ll
abuse them. Then you’ll have to be checked by a higher power than
yourself. I’m also here to tell you, for giving you the gift of
life, you’re not to punish Officer Brick Armstrong. He’s a good
man and he has gained favor in the sight of the Ancient of Days.
Should a hair on his head be harmed, you and your nation will suffer
dire consequences.”
“Who are you to
tell me crap like that? I rule this damn country! He killed
me! He shot me through the head with his service revolver.
Can you imagine the pain of a forty-five slug plowing its way through
your brain?” Scudder yelled at Jesse.
“You threatened
him with castration, death by burning him at the stake, and you
threatened the death of his mate. What would you have done?”
Jesse challenged him.
“I probably
would’ve done what I said after he butt-fucked me like he done. I
raised that man from a young boy. Don’t matter what I did, he
didn’t have the right to do what he done to me and Austin. It
clearly says in Leviticus a parent has the right to kill an
incorrigible child.”
“Yeah, and like
he said, you forced sex on him from a very young age until he was too
old to be attractive to you any more. Leviticus was written by a
zealot Jew who considered it an unforgivable sin to pass wind in
public, but it’s the first scriptures crackpots from all generations
turn to for support of any hair-brained prejudice for which they wish
to promote hatred. I’m not here to argue scripture with
you. You have freedom of choice in all things except when it
comes to Officer Brick Armstrong. You will not harm him. Do
I make myself clear?”
“I ain’t your
child. You can’t talk to me that way. Besides, what
happened to my advisor? Did that muscled brained idiot kill him,
too?” Scudder was defiant.
“Austin Taycious
is alive and recovering from his surgery. He’ll be fine. So
you both got what you deserved. Now, will you abide by my wishes
or will I have to show you I’m serious, and I mean business?”
“Fuck off,
clown! I ain’t impressed with your white robes. Armstrong
and his queer little buddy are dead meat!” Scudder insisted.
Jesse smiled,
lowered his head and a light flashed from his staff to Scudder’s
crotch. Scudder looked down and saw his penis and balls were gone
and yelled at the top of his voice. He was looking at a vagina
between his legs. The coroner gasped, then he put his hand to his
mouth to stifle a giggle. Utah almost forgot he wasn’t a dog and
managed a half-bark, half-laugh.
“All
right! All right! I’ll do what you asked! I won’t do
nothing to them. Now change me back!” Scudder demanded.
“All right,
Norman! Just this once, but next time, I won’t change you back.”
“Norman?
How the hell do you know my real name? No one knows my real
name! Not even Austin!”
“We do.” Jesse
smiled. His staff flashed again and Scudder had his cock and
balls back— well, almost.
“It ain’t as big
as it was.” Scudder complained.
“Let that be a
lesson to you. Never be disrespectful to a man with more power
than you, and if you fuck with an angel, you’ll come up short every
time.” Jesse grinned wickedly. Utah threw back his handsome head
and laughed. The coroner couldn’t help but laugh with them.
“Please remember
me and my family.” the coroner spoke softly to them.
“You will not be
forgotten.” Utah told him still laughing.
* * * * * * *
Detective
Johannson sat across the table from Brick. Brick’s lawyer, Buster
Grimes sat next to him. All Brick knew about Mr. Grimes was the
card he handed him. Handwritten on the back were two words: Trust
Buster, Officer Brick! It was signed: Space Cowboys and
Moe. Brick knew it could only be from Jimmy-Bob and Stan.
Buster was dressed in cowboy garb. He spoke like a cowboy and
liked to tuck a chew. He carried a Skol can in his left hip
pocket of his Wranglers everywhere. He trusted Buster immediately.
“You wanna’ tell
me why you killed the Holy Prophet, Son?” asked the detective.
“He doesn’t have
to answer that, Officer. That will all come out in his
trial.” Buster answered for his client.
“If it goes to
trial.” said the detective. “Look, I ain’t here to scare a
confession out of you Officer Brick. We already got you dead to
rights. You gotta’ know that. What I’m trying to do is help
save your ass. We know there has to be something more no one is
telling us, but we ain’t been able to talk with Austin Taycious,
yet. He just got out of surgery. You must have torn him up
pretty good.” Johannson smiled and shook his head like he
couldn’t believe what Brick did to the man. “We found blood all over
the fuck’n place in that apartment. It wasn’t Scudder’s or
Taycious’ blood. I can’t tell you what a mess we found in your
apartment. It was the same blood as in the Holy Father’s
apartment. It belongs to one of the Semi-Vestal Virgins named
Timmy Kelly. The only thing is, we don’t have a body. Do
you know where Timmy is, Officer Brick?”
Brick looked at
Buster. Buster nodded for him to answer the question.
“Naw, Sir.
I honestly don’t know.”
“How did you
know it was his blood?”
“Smell.”
answered Brick.
“Are you a
bloodhound, Officer?” the detective demanded of Brick.
“Do you
detectives take a course in stupid question?” spared Buster, “Does my
client look like a gotdamn bloodhound to you? Of course he ain’t
no bloodhound, but every person has their own distinct smell, their
signature odor. Ask you wife that same question about her kids;
see what she says.”
“All
right! All right, you made your point, counselor. Now,
Officer Armstrong, are you sure?” Johannson backed off.
“Yes, Sir.
I’d know the smell of my little buddy anywhere. It was him all
right. It was his smell in Scudder’s apartment last night,
too. Are you trying to tell me the blood from Scudder’s apartment
didn’t match the blood found in my guest bedroom?”
“No, I already
told you they were the same. We can imagine you must have gone
crazy when you got home and saw all the blood and went over to
Scudder’s apartment in a rage. You had revenge on your
mind. You raped him and Taycious. Then when Scudder got
mouthy with you— you killed him. Is that how it happened?”
Buster told
Brick he could answer the question with a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
“Yes, Sir.”
Brick answered.
“All
right! Good! Now, we’re getting somewhere. Can you go
one step further and tell us what you done with Tim’s body?” Johannson
asked quietly.
“I didn’t do
nothing with his body. He wasn’t there when I got home.” Brick
insisted.
“Was anyone
there?” the detective pushed. Brick looked at Buster again.
Buster shook his head ‘no.’
“I don’t
remember, Sir. I was so upset. I left immediately. If
there was anyone else there I don’t remember.”
Buster was
pleased with Brick’s answer. Brick didn’t look, but he could see
out of the corner of his eye Buster breathed a bit easier.
“Okay, we know
two of the newly recruited Semi-Vestal Virgins, Stan Edmunds and
Jimmy-Bob Dodge were there at the time you got home. The guards
at the front desk recorded the time they got there and the time they
left. They didn’t leave until about a hour after you killed
Scudder. Did they move the body?”
“No, them boys
had nothing to do with what happened. They’re just two innocent
kids me and Tim befriended. You’re wrong about new
recruits. They ain’t recruits. They were forced against
their will to become something they didn’t want to be part of. We
just tried to make their lives a little more bearable. We tried
to ease them into what they would be required to do. They’re good
men. Leave them alone. They don’t know nothing.”
“We’ve already
questioned them, and they told us the same story. They say Tim
wasn’t in your apartment when they got there. They stayed around
to tell you and help if they could. They had no blood on them
anywhere. They said Tim called them after he got home to tell
them what happened and asked them to come over, but when they got
there, all they found was the bloody bedroom. So we have to
believe you, his body wasn’t there when you got home. We don’t
believe the boys were involved in any way, but we can't figure
out why they stayed
there all that time?”
Buster got
nervous and gave Brick a gentle nudge with his cowboy boot under the
table as a sign to be careful. He could feel Brick’s frustration
building.
“Because I told
them to wait for me. At the time, I thought I’d just go over
there and rape them like they done Timmy and let it go at that.
Then I planned to come back to my apartment, load me and the boys up in
my Hummer and take off for parts unknown,— maybe to Mexico or to take
the boys back to their families. I didn’t count on killing
Scudder when I went over there, but he kept threatening me and telling
me what he was gonna’ do to me and Tim. I thought if he was
gonna’ kill us, I’d take him with us; in for a penny, in for a
pound. If he jes’ kept his gotdamned mouth shut I wouldn’t a’
done nothing. I should a known better’n to take the duct tape off
his mouth. What preacher can go five minutes without shoot’n his
damned
mouth off?”
About that time
Officer Johannson was interrupted by a man in a dark suit and
sunglasses. He excused himself and left the room for a
minute. Buster turned to Brick and spoke,
“You’re doing
fine. Try to limit your answers to ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You ain’t said
nothing wrong, though, and you done well to protect Jimmy-Bob and Stan.”
“They sent you
to me, didn’t they?” Brick asked.
Buster smiled
and nodded.
“Damn!
They said they’d be here for me and Tim, and they weren’t lying.
I owe them boys a lot. I’d go to hell and back for them.”
“They already
have for you, Brick. Now, try not to act real surprised when the
detective comes back in here. He’s gonna’ tell us, Dr. Scudder is
alive.”
“What, the fuck—
how could he— how do you know that?”
“Shuuu!” Buster
silenced him as the detective returned to his chair. He looked at
Buster, then Brick and smiled a sickly smile.
“I ain’t real
sure how to tell you men this, but it looks like we don’t have us a
murder after all. Dr. Scudder is alive and well. He’s
sitting up in a bed right now eating his supper.”
“How could that
be? I blew half his damn head off! A colt forty-five leaves
a hole the size of a baseball. I watched his skull and brains hit
the wall.”
“I don’t know
what to tell you, but he’s alive. It ain’t my job to convince
you. All I can tell you is you didn’t kill him. It’s a
shrink’s job or your lawyer’s to convince you otherwise. All I’m
telling you is they’re reducing the charges to assault, sexual rape,
treason and terrorist, enemy combatant. You will be taken
directly to prison without trial.”
“Wait a
minute! He has to have a trial.” objected Buster.
“Where you been
counselor? What rock you been living under? This is the new
Theocratic America. He can be held forever without trial as an
enemy combatant. There are hundreds of thousands of red-blooded
American’s in detention camps all across this country labeled
terrorist, enemy combatant, whose only crime was being gay or sending
an e-mail denouncing the Bush or Scudder administration. After
butt fuck’n the President and his top political advisor, I’d say
Officer Armstrong definitely falls into one of those categories.
There ain’t no such thing as Habeas Corpus no more. That was done
away with by Saint George the first.”
“He ain’t no
enemy combatant. He was on the Holy Father’s staff for cries
sake. How can you send him to prison without a trial when the
Holy Prophet and his advisor are guilty of the same crime? Not
even the Holy Father can sweep that much dirt under the rug.”
“Look! He
better be happy he ain’t being taken out and shot or hung. That’s
what he was looking at a few minutes ago.”
“Don’t worry,
Brick, we’ll fight this. You got a better chance now. We’ll
take it all the way. There’s enough evidence your actions were
caused by momentary insanity. We’ll get you out of these
charges. They won’t hold water.” Buster tried to reassure
Brick to little avail.
“It would help a
lot if we could talk with Tim Kelly, Officer Armstrong.” Insisted
Officer Johannson.
“Why, so you can
secretly do away with him to protect the unholy abomination we got for
a president? Why would I wanna’ do that? I love the
kid. Yes, I said it! He’s my mate, my life partner! I
planned to marry him some day. I probably won’t now, but at least
I know he’s gone to a better place. I’ll go to prison and be at
peace with myself, ‘cause I know in my heart he’s safe and sound.
You wanna’ know where he is? I’ll tell you where he is.
He’s been raptured. He’s been taken away from this hell hole of a
world and taken to a place where he will be healed, protected and
loved. The rapture is going on all around us, Johannson, but our
government ain’t telling the people. They lose folks daily they
ain’t got a clue where they went. They don’t tell the public
because they ain’t the one’s being taken.”
“I don’t know
nothing about religion and crap like the rapture. I ain’t a
believer, Officer Armstrong. All I know is right and wrong.
Considering your case, I don’t think you were right to shoot the
President. That was an act of supreme terrorism and could be
punishable by death if Scudder chooses to push it, but for what is
worth, if I came
home and found the woman I loved raped and dying, I can’t say I might a
done the same damn thing.”
“You’re lack of
faith will probably be the only thing that saves you, Officer
Johannson.” Brick told him.
* * * * * * *
Jimmy-Bob and
Stan were interviewed by the same detective who questioned Brick.
Buster represented them, too. He was there for every questioning
and told the men what to say before Johannson got to them. They
stuck with their story: Tim called, told them he was raped and
mistreated by the Holy Father and his political advisor Austin
Taycious. He said he was hemorrhaging from his rectum and was
scared; would they come to him? Stan told the detective
they agreed and rushed right over; however, when they got there they
found a lot of blood, but no Tim, he wasn’t there. They thought
maybe he called emergency and went to the hospital or Officer Brick
came home and took him. They waited around for Officer Brick to
return to tell him about Tim’s phone call or to find out how Tim was if
Armstrong took him to the hospital.
The police
bought the cowboy’s story. They didn’t have any choice.
Jimmy-Bob and Stan didn’t have any evidence they came in contact with
blood, but the one thing they couldn’t figure out,— where was
Tim? What happened to him? Was he dead or still
alive? No one seemed to know for sure. There were vague
references to him being raptured. The police didn’t believe
things like that. They only believed in black and white.
They could see it or they couldn’t. It was either evidence or it
wasn’t.
* * * * * * *
Through the fog,
Tim was barely aware he had been on an adventure. To where, he
had no idea, but he knew for several minutes he left this world and was
caught in a nether region where he met a number of folks who welcomed
him into their presence. He vaguely knew and remembered it wasn’t
a journey he chose to take. It wasn’t something he wanted to
do. The thoughts which came drifting by were painful and
disturbing to him. He was floating, adrift in a calm sea,
looking at them from an observer’s viewpoint rather than a
participant. He was warm and comfortable. A couple of his
visitors in the nether region were regular men like him, but several
were the big hairy creatures like Stan and Jimmy-Bob showed him and
Brick on their T.V. They were good and kind to him. They
welcomed him and told him he had nothing to fear, he was in good
hands. He would live.
Stan and
Jimmy-Bob’s pup Moe came to him and tried to console him. After
he spoke with Moe, he knew he was with Jimmy-Bob and Stan’s people and
he rested. He slept the deep, restful, healing sleep of
angels. He could see many beautiful colored lights from some
crystal mountains. They were beautiful and they sang to
him. Their songs made his chest swell and his heart beat
stronger. The more they sang the more he learned and could
imagine himself singing along with them. He heard other voices as
well. He heard the voices of the whales of Earth and other, more
strange creatures. He knew they were the bladder whales of Venus
Jimmy-Bob spoke about whose voices swelled with the chorus of the
beautiful crystals and their Earthly whale brothers until they united
in one huge chorus. Tears streamed down Tim’s face at the beauty
and delight that filled his soul. He was being healed in mind,
spirit and body. They were repairing the psyche as well as the
physical. Then they departed and left him to rest again.
This time he could feel his body growing back together, and he was
becoming whole again. He knew he would be stronger and better
than he was before,— but what of his love?
* * * * * * *
Brick was put
into a cell by himself away from any other prisoners. He rarely
saw anyone except when his guard brought his meals. He was still
in jail at the Holy City Police Center. He was in the Jail
for over a week and there was an ominous quiet over his fate. He
was awaiting judgement by the Holy Prophet. Brick knew he
probably
stood a better chance under some other judge. Now that Scudder
was alive he could do all the things he threatened. That was all
right with Brick as long as he knew Timmy was safe, and he felt pretty
sure he was. If he was with Stan and Jimmy-Bob’s people, he knew
he would be fine. He didn’t know all the ramifications of these
folks, but they had to be better than what he’d been dealing with for
the last decade.
The only
entertainment Brick had in his cell was a small T.V. mounted in the
wall. He had a remote and could change channels, but it was
permanently mounted on a table next to his bed. As the days
passed, he watched the news about himself and how the Holy Prophet
miraculously came around on the postmortem table. The coroner was
sharp enough to realize he was still alive but in a very deep
coma. They interview the coroner who said he was
preparing the body for burial. He was putting all the parts back
in the right places when he realized Dr. Scudder was breathing.
He immediately called for help, but by the time other doctors arrived
the Holy Prophet was sitting up talking with people.
Brick couldn’t
figure it out. How could that oily little bastard still be
alive? He had several visits from Buster who said he was trying
his best to get him a speedy hearing with Scudder, but he kept getting
doors slammed in his face. He told Brick to stay strong, he knew
Tim was improving every day. He came through surgery well, and he
was receiving the best of care in an advanced medical facility unlike
anything Brick had ever seen. There were lots of folks concerned
and caring for Tim. It was Sunday afternoon, and it was the day
Buster usually came to visit him. Buster was a little late
getting to the jail. The guard let him in the outer door to his
cell, and Brick almost came in his pants when he saw Stan and Jimmy-Bob
were with him. The guard opened
Brick’s cell and let them in. There was much hugging, kisses
exchanged and tears shed. He was so happy to see them and to see
them doing well. They calmed down. Buster sat in the only
chair in the room and Jimmy-Bob and Stan sat on either side of the big
man on his bed.
“I’m surprised
you men are still here.” said Brick spoke quietly. “I
thought you’d be raptured by now.”
“We done told
you, we’re here for you, Officer Brick. We can’t go until you
go. We don’t know everything what’s going on or why, but we know
it’ll be soon. Moe is by Tim’s side all the time. If he
needs anything, Moe lets his doctor know, and he’s taken care of.
Moe tells us he’s doing real good. They got him up and walking,
and he’s eating real good.”
Brick broke down
and cried again. Jimmy-Bob and Stan comforted him.
“I’d give
anything just to see him again and to tell him I love him.”
“Well, you can,
Officer Brick.” Stan said reaching over to the remote on the night
stand next to the bed and clicking on the T.V. He put it on
channel three and Brick could see his beloved Timmy lying in a bed with
a black and white sheep dog curled up at his feet keeping him
company. Brick could tell Tim was looking up at a screen and
could see him.”
“Hello, sweet
heart.” Tim said to Brick. Brick broke down again.
“Oh, Timmy,— my
sweet Timmy, I love you so much. How are you, babe?”
“I’m just
fine. I’m up walking around three times a day. I’m gaining
my strength back. My doctor thinks I can be unhooked from all
these tubes tomorrow. This is Moe, my buddy. Say ‘hello’ to
Officer Brick, Moe.”
Moe raised his
head and looked into the TV. “Hello, Officer Brick, we’re taking
real good care of your buddy. Don’t you worry none. He’s
getting better by the day.”
“Hi, Moe.
Thanks for taking such good care of him. He means a lot to me.”
“Have you heard
any word, Brick?” Tim asked.
“No, I was
hoping Buster would have some news for me, but it don’t matter
today. Just to get to see Jimmy-Bob, Stan and to say ‘hello’ to
you is all my heart can stand for one day. You remember I told
you
I didn’t know if it was right to love you?”
“I remember.”
Tim replied.
“I know now,
Tim. It’s the right thing for us. There ain’t no more
doubts in my mind, love. Our love is right, and if we’re ever
together again I plan to make you mine if you’ll have me.”
“I will
certainly accept your offer, Officer Armstrong. I would be proud
and honored to call you my husband.” Tim smiled. “I will pray it comes
to pass, Brick. I know you’re in a lot of trouble, but I pray God
will find a way for us to be together. I don’t want to go on
without you, Brick.”
“Don’t say that,
Tim! You must go on no matter what happens to me. You’re
with
good people now. You’re young. Don’t let everything I did
be in vain, sweet heart. I made a statement. I did what I
had to do. It may have been wrong, but I won’t be judged by
anyone on Earth. I will leave my judgement to a higher
court. Promise me, no matter what happens, you will go on.
That’s my only prayer for the future. You must survive, Timmy,—
for both of us.”
They talked for
a little more, said their tearful ‘goodbyes’ and the screen went
blank. Stan turned off the T.V.
“Thanks,
men. I own you a lot. You said you’d be here for me, and
you
ain’t let me down; but if you can, I want you two to get out of
here as soon as possible. I don’t want you hanging around to help
me. I want you to be with your people. Buster will take
care of me. It don’t matter any more what happens to me, I want
to know those I love are safe.”
“We can’t,
Officer Brick. We signed on for the long haul, Sir. We’ll
be here until the end. Buster’s gonna’ ask if we can come see you
more often. If we can, we’ll come keep you company when we
can. You don’t owe us nothing. You helped us when you
could.”
“God, I love you
men.” Brick put an arm around them, pulled them close and stole a
kiss from each. Jimmy-Bob and Stan blushed. Buster
laughed. The guard came back in to tell them their time was
up. They said ‘goodbye’ and left. Brick was all alone
again, but he had a full heart. His love was going to be all
right.
* * * * * * *
It didn’t take
Austin Taycious as long to recover as it did Tim. Brick didn’t
injure him as bad as Austin hurt Tim. He was up and around in
days. He was in the Walter Reed hospital in the room next to
Scudder. He was a constant visitor. He couldn’t believe
Jeremiah survived. He saw Brick shoot him and watched his
friend’s brains be blown out of his head. It was horrible, and he
knew he would have nightmares about it for a long time. At first
Scudder kept quiet about what happened, and Taycious only had the same
news everyone else had to go on. He knew there had to be
more. He knew Scudder like a book. He knew when he was
withholding information from him.
“All
right! It’s been a week, and you ain’t told me the truth
yet. Now what happen? You know you can’t keep secrets from
me. We made a pact remember. No matter what we tell others
we will always be honest with each other. I watched Armstrong
shoot you. I saw you die, Jerry. How is it you’re alive?”
“Aww, if I told
you, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Did the coroner
see what happened?”
“Yeah, he saw it
all. He was right there. He saw them bring me back to life.”
“Saw who?
Who brought you back to life, Jerry?”
“Two angels, I
guess. I don’t know what they were. They were cagey, like
they wouldn’t tell me who they were or from where they came. They
would only tell me they brought me back to life so I could fulfill my
purpose. They didn’t bother to tell me what purpose they were
talking about. The only catch was, I can’t do anything to Officer
Armstrong. They said I had to forgive him to show how magnanimous
I am as a great leader.”
“Two angels?”
asked Austin.
“I ain’t lying,
Austin. I can get that coroner in here, and he’ll tell you the
same thing; except now he’s acting a little strange like he don’t
wanna’ tell nobody but me about it. The guards outside the door
claimed they didn’t see or hear nothing. It was the damnedest
thing.”
“Well, it sounds
like too good a story to pass up, Jerry. What better
recommendation or endorsement can you have than two of God’s Holy
Angels come to Earth to personally bring you back to life so you could
complete your work in the name of the Lord? Do your realize what
this could mean? You could rule the world, Jerry. You could
bring all the religions and all the nations of the Earth together under
one rule. You could be declared God’s official ambassador here on
Earth. You could do away with that stupid Pope and all that silly
Catholic dog and pony show, bowing and scraping nonsense.
Although, you should really consider keeping some of the nicer
Balenciaga gowns, and those Prada shoes that old German queen wears are
to die for. You could have them eating out of your hands,
Jerry. I’d like to see that old Nazi German fairy eat a big one.”
“I’m gonna’
execute Brick Armstrong, Austin.”
“No, no!
The angel was right. You need to show you can be loving and
forgiving. You can be what they want, what they need, a bigger
than life leader; not a petty little man. They want a loving
father to lead them. They want a man who knows how to be strong,
but can forgive them their trespasses as they forgive him his
trespasses. Let Brick Armstrong become your cross to bear.
You don’t have to let him out of prison. Keep him locked up and
throw away the key. If he dies in prison from neglect then it
won’t be your fault. It was God’s will, not yours. If he
dies you will pray for him and bury him in your family plot because he
was once your beloved son. All Temple Guards are your sons.”
“It will make me
look weak. I can’t let him get away with it.” Scudder
clenched his jaws together.
“Oh, Jerry, you
can be so dense sometimes. You have the world offered to you on a
fuck’n golden platter, and all you can think of is petty revenge.
Don’t think with your gonads, Jerry! Think with your mind.
So you stand him up before a firing squad. One shot and he’s
gone. Or even if you hang him, right after the executioner pulls
the lever, he drops, does his little air ballet, shoots his load,— it’s
all over. It’s like eating pop rocks. Once the initial
thrill is gone, it’s over. However, keeping him in prison for the
rest of his life is a long drawn out death. He dies a little
every day instead of all at once. To execute him would be doing
him a favor, Jerry. There’s also the
possibility you might make a martyr of him with the left wing. If
you’re really angry, let him rot in prison, but use it to your
advantage. Make it look like you’re the loving, all forgiving
father figure. The people will eat it up, Jerry. You can
make sure he understands it’s because of his stupidity you’re having
such a great success with your political agendas in the world.
Rub his face in it, Jerry. Make him rue the day he ever came
after you for revenge. Make him die a thousand deaths, a little
at a time, Jerry.
You’ve been
wanting to get that mind control, radio I.D. chip into people for years
now, but everyone’s afraid of it, because it smacks of the mark of the
beast. Now’s your chance. If you must, use Armstrong until
you get everyone chipped, and then you can kill him. No one will
say anything then. You can program them to think whatever you
want them to. They will become robots for you. You will
never have to worry about a left wing uprising again. They keep
clamoring to reinstate the Constitution and hold elections again.
If you have all of them chipped you won’t have to worry anymore.”
Scudder had to
admit Austin’s advice made a lot of sense, but it still stuck in his
craw, Brick would basically get away with what he did. As long as
he was alive Scudder felt he could never feel really safe. He
came up with a plan more devious than even Taycious could have dreamed
up. He would find a double for Armstrong and have his Temple
Guards, the FBI and CIA destroy any history of the man’s past. He
would become Brick Armstrong and be held in prison for the rest of his
life. With a new Armstrong in place, in prison, Scudder would be
free to have Brick stand before a firing squad. Who said you
couldn’t have your beefcake and shoot it too? He just wouldn’t
tell anyone except a very few of his closest, most trusted intelligence
men. The angel wouldn’t know either. He certainly wouldn’t
say anything in his prayers about it. Who was he kidding?
Other than to make a big show and spout prayers in public he never
prayed in private anyway. Praying was a job for which he only
wanted to be paid.
Scudder smiled
to himself and relaxed in his hospital bed as he watched some silly
kid’s program on TV, A Fractured Fairy Tale, about a rabbit who every
morning would run down a hill from his home and use his huge hind feet
to stomp out rats playing at the bottom of the hill. He did it
morning after morning until one morning a beautiful fairy drifted down
from the sky and told him, “Rabbit, those little rats aren’t bothering
you. You’re just being a mean-spirited bully. If you don’t
stop, and leave those poor rats alone, I will change you into a hideous
goon.” She warned him three times, but he just laughed at her,
mocked her and ignored her. The third morning, when he ran down
the hill to stomp out rats, the fairy drifted down and changed him into
a hideous goon.
Moral: Hare
today, goon tomorrow!
Scudder laughed
at the silliness of such a stupid thing, but it made him wonder about
the angel’s threat. He put it out of his mind. He wasn’t a
rabbit, but Brick Armstrong was a rat by any definition. He was a
large rat who made the fatal error of crossing him, and Scudder planned
to stomp him out. ‘Let’s see if the angels resurrect his big,
muscular butt.’ Scudder thought to himself.
Having been the
only person to come back from the dead, beside Lazarus of the bible and
Christ, Scudder was basking in his glory at having come back from the
dead, but everything was not jubilation and awe for
everyone. Many pointed out the bible clearly prophesied the
anti-Christ would be mortally wounded in his head, proclaimed dead, and
yet would recover. He would arise from the dead. Scudder
scoffed and said it didn’t apply to him because a couple of angels came
to him and brought him back to life to complete his mission here on
Earth. His mission wasn’t clearly defined to the public yet, but
behind the scenes, with Austin’s guidance, Scudder had elaborate plans
to bring all the religions of the world under his control. To do
that he would have to unite the old testament and the Jews with the new
testament and Christianity.
His plan was to
destroy the Mosque of Umar or the Dome of the Rock under a ‘false flag’
operation, so the Jews could rebuild their Temple as prophesied in the
bible. It would be a symbol and a bold statement to the Muslims
to either convert to Christianity or face being wiped off the Earth
with nuclear weapons. (Or as Scudder renamed them, the ‘Angels of
Death’ as a sick metaphor.) He even went so far as to
declare the religion of Islam an insidious pestilence on Earth and an
abomination in the sight of God. It was the anti-religion of
demonic forces to do away with the one true Abrahamic religion of
Judaeo-Christianity. Once the new temple was built, he would take
over and proclaim himself God’s ambassador on Earth.
The most
terrible side effect of Jesse bringing Scudder back to life was, it
endowed him with certain advanced powers he never would have attained
any other way. When Jesse discussed his decision with Lazarus he
was doubtful of it having any positive application especially in the
hands of a madman, but he was not one to go against the Voices of the
Ancients nor the Winds of Consciousness. He knew this must play
itself out before he and his band of followers could leave the
Earth. It was a sign of the beginning of the end. There
would definitely be seven years of tribulation; seven very bad years.
* * * * * * *
Buster made
arrangements for Jimmy-Bob and Stan to visit with Brick regularly, but
he didn’t go through the Holy Prophet’s staff. He knew enough
Washington insiders and people in the Holy City Police Department he
arranged it on the Q.T. Only the guards in charge knew about
it. Their visits never got back to Taycious or Scudder.
They brought great comfort to Brick and kept him from going
insane. They always brought some good news or arranged for him to
visit for a few minutes via video with his beloved Timmy.
Then one day
they went to visit, but Brick was no longer Brick Armstrong. It
was someone else in his cell who looked like a double for Brick but the
poor man was obviously drugged, dazed and confused. He had no
idea why he was in jail. No one would tell him
anything. He wasn’t even sure he knew who he was. Stan had
enough presence of mind to ask the man for a small sample of his
blood. The guy didn’t know why the boys wanted his blood, but he
agreed to let them prick his finger. He was a bit stunned to see
some kind of camera appear out of thin air and Stan place the pin in a
small drawer. Then it disappeared again. He cried in the
boy’s arms and thanked them for coming to visit him. He asked if
they knew what he’d done. They assured him they didn’t know.
That afternoon
when the boys returned to their dorm room they contacted Buster and
told him what they found. He tried to go see for himself but was
told Officer Armstrong wouldn’t be allowed visitors any more. The
guards said they shouldn’t have allowed the boys in to see him earlier,
but they didn’t get the word in time. Stan sent the blood sample
via robo-cam to Waco and Cable for processing. They weren’t
surprised to find he was another man altogether, because his DNA didn’t
match. Lazarus got everyone in gear at once. He put the
pieces together and figured out what Scudder planned.
They had the
Buttercup over the Holy City compound with in the hour. They
located Brick from his DNA and the robo-cams. He was in a holding
compound getting ready to stand before a firing squad. As soon as
Scudder arrived to witness his execution, Officer Brick Armstrong would
be shot through the heart ending his life. Brick didn’t
know what was going on. No one told him anything. He didn’t
even know the area where he was being held was one of top secret access
only known to a handful of top ranked people as a private execution
area for political prisoners the government wanted to disappear without
any fanfare or press. They held Brick
without telling him anything. They were very quiet, but Brick was
no dummy. He could tell the way the officers were responding to
him he was a walking dead man.
They left him alone, handcuffed,
in a room by himself for several hours. Finally, they took him to
the secret courtyard and Brick recognized it as an execution
area. He didn’t panic. He was very calm and
collected. There was one tall post near a wall that had hay bales
stacked before it to absorb a bullet if it went all the way through a
person’s body. They handcuffed his hands around his back and
behind the post. He stood straight as he watched twelve armed men
with high caliber rifles line up at the other end. Strangely
enough, Brick felt no fear. He was rather stoic about it
all. If this was to be his end, so be it. He felt he had
a good run, and he was pleased his mate was safe and would be happy,—
eventually. Brick straightened when he saw Scudder enter the
area. He walked right up to Brick and looked him in his
eyes. There was fire and anger in Scudder’s beady little eyes.
“Well, I guess
you know why you’re here.” he sneered.
“Of course.”
said Brick, “This ain’t rocket science.” he added without the
least fear in his voice.
“Is there
anything you’d like to say to me before I have them execute you for
treason?” Scudder asked.
“Not that I can
think of other than I’m sorry I wasn’t a better shot.”
“You have no
remorse for what you did to me?” Scudder demanded.
“Nope!
None! Nada! Not a bit! If I had it to do over, I
would’ve done the same damn thing, except I would’ve emptied the
chamber. Oh, and just for the record, I ain’t being executed for
treason, I’m being executed because I’m a patriot. I saw it as my
duty to take out a monster like you. I was right, too.” Brick
accused him.
“The hell you
say! There’s no sense in talking anymore. It’s obvious
you’re insane. Finish what you were doing.” Scudder motioned to
the officer in charge who threw a black hood over Brick’s head.
“No, no! No hood. I want him to see the bullet coming when
it plows into his heart.” Scudder screamed. The hood was
removed, but the man pinned a white circle of cloth over Brick’s heart.
“Any last
requests?” Scudder asked Brick.
“I suppose a
blow job is out of the question.” Brick grinned at Scudder like
he wasn’t intimidated by him in the least.
“Let’s get this
over with!” Scudder yelled at the officers.
The officer in
charge stood behind the twelve armed officers and gave the orders.
“Ready!” he
ordered. The men hoisted their guns to their shoulders.
There were only two which contained live ammunition. The rest
were blanks. The men on the firing squad wouldn’t know who
actually killed him. Since Brick was one of their officer
brothers, it made a psychological difference.
“Aim!” he
ordered. The men took careful aim at the white patch on Brick’s
chest. Brick threw back his head and prayed. “Into thy hands,
Lord, I commend my spirit.”
“Fire!” the
office in charge yelled. Twelve guns went off at once.
Brick jumped from the sound but felt nothing. He opened his eyes
and looked at two bullets about a yard from his body frozen in
mid-air. Then they fell to the ground. Suddenly there was a
great white, blinding light appeared directly in front of him and two
men in long white robes stood with their backs to him looking at the
firing squad.
“Oh, shit!”
Brick heard Scudder exclaim. “Reload! Reload! Shoot
them! They’re terrorist! Use your service revolvers!
Shoot them!” he yelled at the top of his voice in obvious panic.
A couple pulled out their service revolvers, but their guns immediately
grew red hot. They threw them away from their bodies to keep from
getting burned.
“Son of a
bitch!” one screamed.
Things quieted
down for a moment. The officers were in awe of the two shining
men in white robes standing before them. They certainly didn’t
look like terrorist. They looked more like angels. The
tallest one spoke.
“Norman, Norman,
Norman! We meet again. What am I going to do with
you? I thought we had an agreement. I brought you back to
life, and you agreed to forgive Officer Armstrong his trespass against
you. Am I missing something here?”
“Fuck you and
your agreement! I do what I want to do. I’m the decider
down
here, not you! Fuck off! I’m the commander-in-chief guy
what gives the orders. If I decide someone’s to die, he’s a dead
man. I want that asshole dead, do you understand me?”
“But, you gave
me your word, Norman. I’m really disappointed with you. I
don’t take kindly to men who don’t keep their word. I warned you,
Norman.”
“Quit calling
me, Norman. It ain’t my name. My name is Jeremiah Scudder!”
“Norman is the
name your parents gave you. You took on the name of Jeremiah
later. The name of a prophet. I guess Norman Scudder didn’t
have quite the biblical ring you wanted. Ah, but that’s show biz,
ain’t it, Norm? Nevertheless, you not only broke your word to me,
you went against the wishes of the Ancient of Days. Not a cool
thing to do. We are not pleased with you, Norman, so you must be
punished.”
“No! I’ll
let him live. I promise.” Scudder feared the worst.
“You had your
chance. I told you I wouldn’t be so forgiving next time.
You lied to us. We know we can’t trust your word, so you can kiss
your dick and balls goodbye, Norman.”
“Noooo!”
As Scudder tried to run from the area, he was immediately caught by a
beam of light from Jesse’s staff and floated in front of all the
officers. He was turned around to face them in mid-air, and his
clothes simply disappeared from his body. He was completely naked
before them. To their amazement, they watched his dick and balls
disappeared and in their stead was a vagina. It was unmistakably
a female vagina. After all the men saw Scudder’s humiliation he
was lowered gently to the ground. Jesse turned to Utah.
“Take those
cuffs off Officer Brick, Son.”
“Glad to,
Master.” Utah replied and went behind Brick. He simply waved his
hand over them, and they dropped to the ground. Brick rubbed his
wrists and was looking down at the ground almost afraid to look at the
two angels before him.
“Thank you,
Sirs, for saving my life.” whispered Brick.
“You’re welcome,
Son. Now, hold your head up high. Are you ready to go with
us?” Jesse spoke quietly.
“I am,
Sir. I will be honored and proud to go with you— wherever that
might be.”
“All right then,
but in keeping with the idea of the rapture, we’ll leave your clothes
behind. It will reinforce in their minds that’s what’s
happening.” Jesse told him.
“No problem,
Sir, I understand.”
Scudder
anticipated what was going to happen and screamed at the two men.
“No!
Wait! Don’t go! You can’t leave me like this!” he bellowed.
“Oh, but I’m
afraid we can, Norman. You’ll get used to it. You might
even find you like it that way. I warned you never to fuck with
an angel. Now every time you get fucked real good by a big man’s
penis you can think about how I fucked you and why. Too bad you
won’t have Officer Armstrong around to fuck you. He’s got a nice
big dick and Timmy told me he knows how to use it just fine. I’m
sure he could’ve provided that new pussy of yours a great deal of
comfort. Why, I’ll bet this big man could teach your little cunt
to sing a new song. I’ll check back with you, and if you wish I
can change you the rest of the way in case you might want to have a
couple of kids of your own by some good man. ”
“No, no!
You can’t do this to me! I’m God’s Holy Prophet!” Scudder’s
words went unheeded.
There was
another blinding flash of light and the three men were gone. All
that was left was Brick Armstrong’s prison clothes in a crumpled heap
on the ground. There was a hushed silence came over the men like
they were trying to understand what they saw and what happened.
Norman Jeremiah Scudder fell to his knees and screamed at the top of
his lungs and buried his face in his hands. One of the officers
ran to get Brick’s clothes to offer him so Scudder wouldn’t be naked.
“Get those away
from me. They have the stink of a traitor on them. I’m
still
the leader of the free world. I ain’t put’n on a prisoner’s
clothes!”
* * * * * * *
Brick looked
around and he could see he was on board a ship of some kind. ‘My
God,’ he thought, ‘Jimmy-Bob and Stan weren’t lying to me!’ There
were smiling, friendly faces all around. Jimmy-Bob and Stan
didn’t care he was standing there in the buff. They went to him
to give him a big hug and a kiss. He hugged them back until their
eyeballs began to bulge. He shook Jesse’s and Utah’s hands.
He was being greeted by a lot of familiar faces, but through the crowd
came a handsome naked man pushing a wheel chair and in it was his
beloved Timmy. Tim held his arms open for the huge man.
Brick was in them in an instant crying his heart out. There
wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Moe was running around laughing and
barking. Brick was petting him and trying to hold on to
Tim. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry more.
“Okay, we got a
couple of things left to do.” said the young cowboy who seemed to be in
charge. “Let’s rapture Officer Brick number two.”
There was
another flash of light and another naked bodybuilder who looked enough
like Brick Armstrong to be his twin was standing on the bridge of the
Buttercup; only, this man didn’t have a cock and balls. He
already made the final step to joining the Holy Order. He was in
a daze. He didn’t know what to think. Brick winked at Tim
and got up to go to the man.
“Welcome,
brother. You’ve just been raptured. You’re safe now.”
The man looked at Brick and seemed to understand. Since Brick was
nude he didn’t seem to be bothered. Someone brought robes for the
two men and they put them on.
“Okay, Jimmy-Bob
your little sister is next. She’s gonna’ be naked, too, so you
men turn away, and Vivian, you have a robe ready for her?”
“We’re ready,
Captain Waco.” Vivian Steele confirmed.
Another flash of
light and a confused, naked young girl was on the bridge of the
Buttercup.
“Welcome, Sarah
Ann, to the Buttercup.” Vivian spoke softly to her. “Here, darling, put
this around you for right now. We’ll get you some clothes in a
little while.” Sarah Ann Dodge quickly put on the robe and looked
around. She saw her big brother turn to her and smile. He
was in a robe, too. He opened his arms to her and she went to him.
“Oh,
Jimmy-Bob! I never thought I’d see you again. Thank, God,
you’re here. Where are we, big brother?”
“On board a
wonderful spacecraft, little Sister. You just done been
raptured. They had you leave your clothes behind so everyone
would think it was the biblical rapture happening.”
“You mean it
isn’t like in the bible?” she asked.
“It is and it
ain’t.” said Jimmy-Bob. “I’ll tell you all about it the same time
I explain it to mom and dad.”
“Are they here?”
she wanted to know.
“They will be in
about half an hour.” spoke Waco as Jimmy-Bob introduced him to his
little sister.
It was a
wonderful evening for Jimmy-Bob and his family to be reunited.
His
mom and dad had not been treated as well as their son and daughter
and were pale and thin. Cable got them to the ship’s mess and had
his staff make them some soup with a strong, tasty broth. They
were very grateful and couldn’t take their hands off their kids.
Jimmy-Bob sat down with them and introduced Stan to them as his
partner. He didn’t elaborate. He and Stan agreed it would
take time for them to understand. His parents and sister couldn’t
believe their stories about going to Venus and Mars, but when they
began to see strange creatures, met Darryl the Venusian, and heard the
pups speak for the first time they begin to come around.
Ox was on board
the Buttercup with Waco and Trey. Brick Armstrong was blown away
by him. He just had to go to Ox and asked if he might touch
him. Ox smiled and threw his arms around him in a big hug.
Brick’s eyes got real big and then he smiled from ear to ear.
“I owe my cowboy
brothers an apology. I told them I didn’t believe they had a
Bigfoot or lummox for a friend. I will never doubt their word
again.” Brick promised.
He was having a
ball meeting all the new wonderful folks that made up the world Stan
and Jimmy-Bob told him and Tim about. Tim already met most of
them and took great delight in introducing Brick. Brick couldn’t
get over Captain Vinceeth and several of the winged Shushonni warriors
who were flying around meeting folks. He was charmed by
Keekepata. He was interview by Darryl the Venusian and told him
what it felt like to stand in front of a firing squad. He met
Strom, Lyle Chambers and their son’s Kuluke and T’kan. He learned
Lyle was pregnant with another of Strom’s sons. His mind was
reeling with new information, but none of it seemed to bother him or
his previous rigid belief system. They all seemed to get along
together so well there was no room for hate or dissension.
Everyone just seemed to think it was normal and quite okay for a human
male to be having a lummox male’s baby.
There were only
a couple of things Brink found almost too strange for him to
understand. Immediately after he was raptured and went to thank
Jesse Watkins and his partner, he found Jesse to be a normal, brown
dirt cowboy like all the other men, but his partner had changed into a
beautiful Collie sheep dog; however, not just any sheep dog, like the
other
dogs Brick met, Utah could talk as well. Naturally he asked his
saviors about it.
“We do that
angel routine because it’s what they respond to best. We could’ve
appeared to them anyway we wanted, but we’ve found it’s the most
effective. Utah don’t much like taking on human form. He’s
been a dog for a long while now, and he’s comfortable with it. He
was once a human. He was punished by a greater power and became
my
slave and companion. They assigned him to be a dog, and he’s been
that way for many centuries now. He’s long since met his
obligation of punishment, but remains with me in his current form
because he chooses to. I’ll change him into a human whenever he
wishes. He does it for me when I need his help, but he always
wants to return to being a dog. I don’t mind. To be honest
we’ve become attached to each other over the years. I don’t know
what I’d do without him.” Jesse said as he scratched Utah behind
his ears.
“Mr. Utah, you
should consider becoming a full time human. You’re a mighty
handsome fellow.”
“Don’t you think
I’m a handsome dog, Officer Armstrong?” Utah laughed.
“Of course you
are. No doubt. You’re one of the finest looking animals
I’ve ever seen. I’m no judge of animal pedigree, but I’d say
you’re one of the finest.”
“Well, that’s
very nice of you. I appreciate that, but I’m happy being Master
Jesse’s companion. He needs me and I need him. When he
needs me to play the part of an angel, I’m ready to help.”
“All I can say
is, you both convinced me you were angels. I’ll always think of
you that way.”
Brick thought it
was a strange relationship, but then again, some might say his and
Timmy’s relationship was strange. It wasn’t strange or unnatural
to Brick anymore. He crossed that bridge and never planned to
look back.
“Oh, yes, and I
have something else to tell you, my love.” Tim said.
“What’s that?”
Brick asked in reply.
“Remember
Jimmy-Bob and Stan told us about lummox milk?”
“Really?” Brick
looked at him.
“It seems it’s
very healing and has been one of the major reasons for my quick
recovery. Strom and Ox have been taking turns feeding me right
from their tits. The boys were right. It’s the sweetest
milk I ever tasted. It’s almost addictive.”
“You mean their
tits are sweeter than mine?” Brick looked hurt, then he grinned.
“Not at
all. Yours are the sweetest I ever tasted Officer Brick, but
their milk is the best.” Tim smiled.
“I love you,
Tim.”
“I love you,
too, Brick. They kept telling me not to worry we’d be together
again, but I just didn’t see how. I’m ready to put my life into
these folk's hands, Brick. I don’t think we can go wrong throwing
our lot in with them.”
“I agree,
Tim. We both owe them our lives.”
Tim told Brick,
from what he heard about Mars, he thought he might like to become a
part of what was happening there. He wanted to get as far away
from Earth as possible. Brick had to agree with him things looked
pretty bad for them and the future.
“We’ll work
everything out, Tim. All you need to worry about is getting
better, and I need to find a job to support us. If Mars is what
you got your heart set on, I’m open to anything, just as long as we’re
together.”
* * * * * * *
They moved Tim
to the small hospital in the community of Parson under the care of Dr.
Stevens and his partner Arnie. They had more of a homey setting
and a large bedroom where Tim could stay with his love. Tim was
not fully recovered, and Brick was warned there would be no hanky-panky
between them until Tim’s doctors agreed. Brick understood and was
only too happy to just hold his little buddy in his arms and comfort
him. Everyone swore Tim began to get a lot better, much quicker
once his lover was with him again.
They found temporary
housing for the Dodge family with the Blooms. Hattie and Ole were
only too happy to have their boy Stan back. Moe was beside
himself with joy. The Dodges marveled at all the new and
wonderful experiences they were having. They were learning
quickly and catching up fast. They couldn’t believe their boy
brought them to all this, and they were once again together.
Jimmy-Bob felt more proud of himself than he had in a long
time. He and Stan were contemplating their future and
discussing it with their families.
* * * * * * *
And so it began,
the beginning of the end. When Austin Taycious found out his
friend tried to execute Brick Armstrong he yelled and screamed at
Scudder for an hour. When he learned, not only was Armstrong
raptured by the angels but also his double, he told Jeremiah Scudder he
deserved what the angel did to him. Then he insisted on seeing
Scudder’s new cunt. He was even more amazed when Scudder dropped
his pants and showed him. He fell out laughing.
“Looks just like
your face, Jerry.” Taycious laughed. He probably was the
only man on Earth who could’ve gotten away with a comment like that.
“T’ain’t funny,
you loathsome bitch!” Scudder shot back. “How’d you like to go
though the rest of your life with a cunt?” He looked Taycious in the
eyes and saw a twinkle, then a smile that went from ear to ear.
“Okay, stupid question! I shouldn’t have asked.” Scudder had to
laugh.
“Is there ANY
way you can contact that angel?” laughed Austin.
“I don’t
know. He said he’d check on me later, and if I like getting
fucked
he could make me into a woman so I could have kids if I wanted him to.”
“I think you
should go for it, Jerry. You ain’t gonna’ be fuck’n them
Semi-Vestal Virgins no more, that’s for damn sure! And you better
stop chemically castrating them Temple Guards. I think you’re
gonna’ need them to keep your itch scratched regularly. Don’t
worry, I’ll be in charge of the short-arm inspections.” Austin
giggle with glee. “Next time that angel comes around ask him to
visit me. Maybe we can work out a deal.” Austin grinned
wickedly.
“You’re no damn
good! You know that, don’t you?” Scudder slammed his advisor.
“That’s why I’m
your closest friend and advisor, Jerry. We’re like two peas in a
pod.” Austin cooed.
* * * * * * *
Scudder didn’t
have to worry about disbanding the Semi-Vestal Virgin Corps. Waco
and Trey, along with Brick, Jimmy-Bob and Stan took care of that for
him. Oh, yes, and Brick’s double, Ernie Shields, gave them a hand
welcoming the young men into the fold. When it was explained to
Ernie what Scudder did to him, and if they hadn’t ‘raptured’ him he
would’ve spent the rest of his life locked away in prison as Brick
Armstrong, he didn’t have much difficulty embracing his new found
friends. His past life and identity on Earth was wiped
clean. There was no record of his birth, education, military
experience or work as a Temple Guard under the name Ernie
Shields. He was now facing another life altogether different as a
total eunuch. Somehow, just being away from the Holy Temple and
Scudder’s influence, was a rebirth for him. The fact he had no
balls or penis didn’t seem to bother him. He was like a kid in a
candy store with all the new critters, people and friends he was
making. He was optimistic there would be a place for him in this
new world. He couldn’t have been more right.
* * * * * * *
As things got
worse in the government, life was settling down to a routine in the
hinterlands and small towns. Societies and social sets will try
to keep their approach to life on an equal level while the rest of
society is going to hell on the fast track. The news media had a
field-day with the Holy Prophet actually being certified as dead and
being brought back to life. To make matters worse for Taycious,
Scudder and the theocratic regime, the video from the robo-cams
assigned
to Officer Armstrong so Jimmy-Bob and Stan could follow his actions,
somehow made it onto the Internet. It was a dramatic production
and even pointed out Scudder’s date of birth of June, 6, 1966. No
one knows how the video was taken, how or from where it was uploaded
onto the net; however, it was duplicated so many times it was easily
seen by anyone, even cyber-challenged adults who could manage to find
a six year old kid to show them how to load it.
Of course the
Scudder administration claimed it was a hoax and it was just a
left-wing Hollywood underground production to make his administration
look bad. Whoever uploaded it to the net achieved their
purpose. It had its desired effect. It managed to split
the fundamentalist right down the middle. There suddenly were no
more middle of the road fundamentalists. The more liberal of the
right wing, which in itself is somewhat of an oxymoron, began to see
Scudder as the anti-Christ as prophesied in the bible. Being
brought back to life by two angels had little to counterbalance their
fear, especially when he began to push for his ‘Patriot Chip’ to be
implanted in every man, woman and child in the country. They
began to leave the fundamentalist churches in droves. In Reason
county the fundamentalist congregations were cut in half. It was
just another burden David and Abigail Yates saw as a falling away from
God and the true faith, but the major thorn in David’s flesh was his
income was cut in half as well. All through history, when the
church’s purse strings became threatened they determined the cause and
launched a crusade. It seemed only natural the same thinking
applied to governments under Catholicism, protestant fundamentalism or
the zealots of Zionism. When any religion reaches the stage of
blind faith, good men suffer.
The Grange
doubled and tripled its membership within six months of Scudder’s
murder and rising again from the dead. Secret stock piles of food
goods, guns and ammunition were being stored in several
locations. The men were smart and let one of the main storage
places be know to most members; however, there were numerous ones that
were only known to a handful of the most trusted members. In case
there was a government confiscation of their main store of emergency
supplies, they had others the government wouldn’t know about to fall
back on.
* * * * * * *
Lazarus went
back to work with his cowboys as ramrod. By now all the cowboys
knew what was going on and worshiped their ramrod as not only their
boss, but as a great man. Even stoic old Curley, the other lead
cowboy came around and was supportive of Lazarus and
Charlie. The cowboys foresaw their futures were with these men,
and they had as great a part to play as anyone else. Lazarus
still ate his lunch of slave chow with his men everyday.
Waco and his
cowboy brothers started school again. Stan and Jimmy-Bob couldn’t
go back to school because they were ‘raptured’ and Lazarus didn’t want
any chance word might get back to the Holy City those who were raptured
were seen. Neither could Jimmy-Bob’s family be seen again.
The same went for Brick, Tim and Ernie Shields. They had to be
hidden in the communities on board the Mighty Bee or the increasing
lands on the Buttercup. Waco and Lazarus were training Burt and
Phil to gather more properties and their ships had several. Tim’s
idea and interest in Mars resonated with everyone as a good idea.
There would surely be enough work for them there.
Everyone
celebrated Captain Vinceeth and his men’s R and R period. The
boys being back in school and getting active in sports again meant a
certain number of the warriors along with their Captain were allowed to
go to the home games. They loved that and those who had to stay
behind were able to see it on the three dimensional holo-deck on the
Bandersnatch. It was almost as good as being there. Once
again videos were compiled and sent to the Banshee for the
entertainment of the warriors working on the ship. When the
Venusian counsel got word of these videos they wanted to know if they
could have copies to broadcast. Commander Maddragon got in touch
with Captain Vinceeth, and he got permission from Captain Waco, Lazarus
and Charlie. The weekly football games in the small town on Earth
became the second rage of Venus. Of course it was all done under
the direction of Darryl and his staff on Earth.
At the end of
the three weeks rest and recreation period for Captain Vinceeth’s
warriors Trey was out of his cast and walking without the aid of
crutches. He was thrilled to be back in action. The cowboys
had a long three day weekend and were going to take them back and move
the Banshee to Mars Port. It was to be a quick turn around trip
and few people were to be included except for Captain Waco, his men,
Lazarus and Charlie. The only man who would return with them
would be Captain Vinceeth who planned to stay with his young Captain
until Thanksgiving.
They planned a
second trip over the Thanksgiving holidays to take all the new folks
with them so they could get an idea what Venus and Mars were all
about. By that time, Trey was hoping the new drives would be
installed in the Banshee, and he and his men could get back to their
home world and take on another assignment. After they left Mars,
he didn’t know when he would be able to see Waco again.
Everything depended on the war with the snakes and grays and what the
Elders of his planet had in mind for him and his warriors.
For all their
responsibilities, Waco and his men seemed to find time for
everything. It was the fall of the year, when the weather begins
to get a nip in the air by the second week in September. There
were many things happening. There was the annual Master/Slave
ceremony the second week in September that swelled to a much
larger
audience with Captain Vinceeth and a hundred and fifty of his warriors
all wanting to attend. They knew the rules and not a man among
them wanted to be left out.
It was coming up
on Blake Tindell’s release date at the end of September of that year
and once again his fellow slaves voted him the honor of pleasuring his
Master one last time in front of all the men. Not one of the
Stamper boys chose to be excluded. By that time, they considered
it a great honor just to be included. It turned into one of the
most memorable nights anyone could remember. Many of the closest
Grange members, males only, were invited to attend. Chief Tin
Penny and his two sons were there naked as their brave forefathers
standing proudly along side the youngest member of their family, Little
Bear.
Everyone
arranged to have Blake’s freedom ceremony right after his and Master
Charlie’s performance in front of the men. It was done a little
early as a surprise and a pat on the back for Blake. Everyone was
there including Sonny Steele, his dad Warren, and Jack Hall. All
naked as the day they were born. The main judge of the county and
the sheriff and two of his men were there. At the end they came
forward with Blake’s papers of freedom and a robe to throw around him
to symbolize the love and protection the community felt for him.
They all wished him well for the future. It was already settled
months before the ceremony he would continue working for Charlie and
Lazarus in the same capacity, except now, he would be a paid
employee. It was a great and moving moment for Blake
Tindell. The Stamper boys all shed tears of happiness for their
‘boss-man.’
It was a magic
time for the cowboys, their friends and close relations. It was
remembered as the year of the bountiful harvest. Not so much in
relationship to crops or livestock, but as a metaphor for the new souls
they were introduced to that year and those whom they worked hard to
save. The coming years were to be ones of great trial for all of
them, but somehow they all held the strength of purpose that their
goals were important and attainable. From a world slowly sliding
into total chaos, they were determined to make it through into the
light and freedom of a brave new world.
End Of Chapter
40 ~ Waco’s Lummox’
Copyright 2007 ~
Waddie Greywolf
All Rights
Reserved ~
Mail to:
waddiebear@yahoo.com