“The truth is, Eugene, I always hated you. You whiney little populist shit.”
Everson turned toward the woods. “Captain!”
Kostroma and two of his men came out of the woods, wearing big grins on their faces. Kostroma whipped out his pocket phone and pushed his contact button. “Mr. O’Reilly, Kostroma here.”
(Pause) “Yes sir, I have them. Mr. Everson was responsible. It went just as you planned. They were only thirty feet from the border. He was our last hope.”
(Pause) “Well, that is good news sir. I’ll relay that to Mr. Everson. Are you on your way, sir?”
(Pause) “Great! I’ll have them frisked and ready to be brought back.”
Kostroma turned to Stuart Everson. “Mr. O’Reilly killed his brother and his wife. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“What about those other Blues? Armstrong and his friends?”
Kostroma just shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Take them in the woods and frisk them.”
“Hold your arms up,” said Kostroma to Eugene and Sandy. “March,” he said pointing to the woods.
They re-entered the woods on the north side. Armstrong, Foote, and Wrenn weren’t coming to the rescue. There were still shots being fired in the distance. It looked bad for the two of them. Eugene was mortified. If Pamela’s exposé on Old America’s future wasn’t enough to convince Eugene of the reality of the world he had longed for, then Everson’s betrayal was the final nail in the coffin for any desire to return. And they were so close. Kostroma disarmed Eugene just as Dennis O’Reilly pulled up in Sandy’s rental.
Dennis, who was not smiling, got out, and turned to Stuart Everson. “Good job, sir. I can’t thank you enough for your cooperation.”
“Take them both to Alt House,” Everson said. Dennis looked perplexed and Sandy began crying.
“But Alt House is closed,” Dennis said.
“Not anymore. Martinez’s orders. Apparently they fixed their problem. Well sort of. They’re guessing at the right dosage of some drug. Keeps them from dreaming. You two,” pointing at Eugene and Sandy. “You belong to Martinez now. I just let him know I have you. He’s personally taking charge.”
Sandy screamed. “No. I’m not going back. I’m not going back to Jaydan ever again. I’d rather die out—”
“Cut the dramatics girlie. You aren’t going back to your husband. Martinez has other plans for you. Smile now,” Everson said to Sandy. “Just think, you’ll be the wife of the most powerful person on earth.” Sandy screamed in horror. Eugene was hangdogged. Dennis whipped out a pair of cuffs. “Put your hands behind your back,” he demanded.
Dennis circled around back of them with handcuffs in hand. By this time Everson had put his gun away and Kostroma and his men had lowered their weapons as well. Dennis cuffed the despondent pair and led them towards the car that Sandy recognized as her own.
Dennis turned to Martinez’s right hand man. “Oh, Mr. Everson, there’s just one more thing.” Everson faced Dennis, confusedly. Dennis raised his Colt and shot Everson dead. Then he fired three more shots at Kostroma and his men before they realized what was going on. Dennis walked over to them, and now, with a wink and a smile said, “Let’s go see that New World.”
Chapter 29:
The Beginning
Dennis, Eugene, and Sandy crossed the border into New America. While Sandy could feel nothing but relief and joy, Eugene was bemused and bewildered. Looking at Dennis, Eugene said, “What the shit is going on?”
Dennis laughed and told the two the story of his own entrapment and visit to Hell House. As he finished relaying Ray’s dying words to him, a familiar woman emerged from the shadows with the border administrator who was hiding in his office after the guard was killed.
“Do you still remember me, my husband?”
“Anna?”
Anna smiled and ran to Dennis. She hugged him, and Dennis returned the hug, although his memory of her was still a bit fuzzy.
Sandra smiled but Eugene was still a bit unsettled. Dennis turned toward them with a smile. “I understand everything now.” Memories of her began flooding back into his consciousness. Dreams became reality. The past happily married the present. Dennis was home again. What had become his reality only minutes ago faded from memory. That time now felt like the dream.
Sandra smiled. She understood. Her life with Jaydan Casimir now felt like a bad dream. She would have no life with Fernando Menendez, but she knew she would have one with Eugene Sulke. Only one thing could mar the new reality. Where were their friends and protectors?
As Dennis and Anna reunited, and Sandra and Eugene looked at each other, they heard a noise from behind them. “Well, well, well,” Jack Wrenn said, wearing a broad grin. “I was afraid you two might not make it. Are Ray and Cass here?”
The two ran over to him. Sandy gave him a great big hug, and then Terry Foote came out, a bit bedraggled, but in one piece. Finally, Chad Armstrong came out. Eugene and Sandy hugged all of them. Then Chad came over to them. “Ray and Cassandra here?”
Eugene started to answer, but Dennis interrupted him.
“I can explain,” Dennis said. The three just stared at him. Chad had his hand on his weapon, and then he saw Anna.
“He’s back boys.”
“You must be Chad Armstrong,” Dennis said as he extended a hand. Armstrong paused and slowly extended his own. “I recognized you from the photograph of you and from my dreams, though you were a bit fuzzy.”
Armstrong looked confused until Dennis explained how Ray convinced him of his capture and torture in Hell House. Dennis pulled out the manila envelope and handed it to Chad. He opened it and looked at the documents he was already familiar with. Wrenn and Foote came over and looked at the Legionnaire one. They all began grinning.
“There’s still a lot he doesn’t remember, but he’s back with us now,” Anna said.
“Really, Den. It’s really you?” Armstrong said.
“It was painful to learn that the life I knew was a lie. I can’t describe it. They recreated a whole career—hell—a whole life’s story for me. They took away the person I was. I was convinced I was a failure; a nobody. I got to tell you guys though. I was the one behind all the harassment. I was working for Jaydan Casimir to capture you. Martinez ordered your deaths. I shot my own brother and his wife before I knew the truth. Ray’s like a piece of chiseled granite. It takes him a long time to die.”
“He is that,” Chad said.
“Can you ever forgive me for what I’ve done to all of you?”
“You couldn’t help it, man,” Armstrong said. “They stuck the brain probe on you. It’s me who should be asking for forgiveness.”
“Yeah,” Terry Foote said. “We failed. We searched and searched for you, but we couldn’t find you.”
“We never gave up,” Jack Wrenn said. “At least until you resurfaced all fucked up and all.”
“Thanks, guys, for sticking by me.”
“Let me know where you left Ray and Cassandra,” Armstrong said.
Dennis just indicated the car he drove up in. “They’re in there, along with Pamela Piper.”
The car was still sitting outside the border fence. The Blues looked inside and saw the bodies.
“I called Mayor Piper,” said the administrator. “He was waiting for you at another border crossing. He’s on his way now, along with about half the journalists in the country. You’re about all anyone has talked about for more than a week now.”
Someone drove up the road from behind the office. “Maybe that’s the mayor now?”
But it wasn’t the mayor. A somber-looking woman exited the vehicle and walked over to everyone. “I heard you guys were here. Is my husband still with you?” She looked around, frowning.