“On the account we’re using it as a staging ground,” Avery answered. His arms folded in front of him. On his shoulders he had patches, one an American flag and on the other a unit patch. On his chest he had his name tapped over one pocket and US ARMY, over the other.
“Are you United States military?” Kyle asked, his tone clearly indicating he was shocked. “I thought you all had died off or disbanded. No one’s heard from anyone with the old government for…well, forever.”
“We are the United States Army and I can attest we haven’t disbanded and we’re all very much alive.”
“Where have you been?”
“Cheyenne Mountain,” Avery replied.
Kyle cracked a smile and chuckled. His chuckling quickly turned into laughter.
Avery looked at Kyle strangely, his brow furrowed, “What’s so funny?”
Kyle laughed so hard tears came to his eyes.
“Are you okay?” Avery continued.
“It’s a long, and I mean long story, but the irony of running into you guys now is comical.”
“I’m happy you find this humorous,” Avery said, his tone signaling he was becoming annoyed with Kyle.
Thoughts came of Tiffany and that fateful day. His laughter stopped as his face tightened and jaw
clenched, “Where were you when we needed you?”
“I don’t understand,” Avery said. “Are you feeling well?”
“I fine…” Kyle said and paused as he thought. “Scratch that, I’m not fine. I’ve driven these roads for almost two decades. I’ve been everywhere but no sign of you. Now you show up? Why? People needed you and you weren’t there.”
Avery broke eye contact with Kyle, he nodded and replied, “We’ve been regrouping.”
“For nineteen years?”
“It’s a long story,” Avery answered using Kyle’s own words.
“What are you staging for?”
“I’ll tell you what, come back to The Mountain. There we can debrief you on everything.”
“I can’t do that. I don’t have time to waste. So I’ll say my goodbyes and head back south. I’ll let you boys do whatever you’re doing,” Kyle said turning around and opening the door to his truck.
Avery nodded at a couple soldiers. They stepped towards Kyle, one slammed the door while the other took Kyle by the arm.
Kyle chuckled and said, “Let me guess, you insist?”
“Yeah, we’d like to talk to you about The Collective and what not,” Avery said.
“There’s nothing I can say to convince you?” Kyle asked knowing his fate was all but sealed.
“No and please, don’t make us force you.”
Kyle pulled his arm forcibly away from the solider and stepped up to Avery. “You’re old enough to remember. Tell me, there was a message on loop telling survivors to go to a set of coordinates. Was that real?”
Avery sighed and nodded, “It was. We took in an additional thousand before shutting it off about six weeks after. Why did you hear it?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Why didn’t you come?” Avery asked sincerely.
Kyle didn’t answer. Once more thoughts came of Tiffany and that winding mountain pass. There wasn’t a day in the nineteen years since it happened that he hadn’t thought about it. Over and over he replayed the events trying to find an answer to the question of why. He blamed himself. If only they had left earlier, hell even later, if maybe they hadn’t stopped or if he had kept driving, just maybe he would have seen the warning signs and prevented it from happening. It was all a matter of space and time.
“Driver Eight, why didn’t you come?” Avery repeated.
Avery’s question interrupted Kyle’s troubled thoughts.
“Driver Eight?”
Kyle cracked a half smile and said, “I tried but you could say we ran into a little trouble. But now I’m here, after nineteen years. It must be some sort of fate, wouldn’t you say?”
“Does that mean you’re going to come willingly?”
“Of course.”
“Follow me,” Avery said, holding his arm out for Kyle to follow.
As the two men walked towards a Humvee on the far side of the roadblock, the thumping sounds of a helicopter’s rotor sounded overhead.
Kyle looked up and smiled at the sight of the helicopter as ideas of how he could use one came rushing to him.
“I’m sure the president is going to want to meet you,” Avery said.
“There’s still a president?”
“Yes, he’s new and the reason why we’re on the surface in force.”
“So the US of A is back, huh?”
“You could say that,” Avery replied.
The men reached the Humvee but just before getting in Kyle asked, “My truck?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll have it brought back to The Mountain and if you’re nice we might even detail it for you.”
Avery picked up the handset of his radio and keyed it, “Charlie Mike Actual, this is Romeo Three Actual, come in over.”
“This is Charlie Mike Actual.”
“Be advised, I’m coming back to base with a package over. Please advise Rhino that we’ve secured a high value intelligence source and that he will want to be available for briefing.”
“Roger that.”
“Romeo Three Actual out,” Avery said putting he hand set down. He gave Kyle a pleasant look and asked. “What do I call you? You know, what’s your name?”
“My name is…” Kyle said before stopping himself. Was he Kyle Grant anymore and if so, who was that or had he become someone else? If he answered honestly, he’d say, Kyle was the man who had failed two people he cared for most in the world. No, he wasn’t going to be that man anymore. When he was on the road driving, it wasn’t Kyle behind the wheel, it was Driver Eight. People didn’t know the name Kyle Grant, but everyone knew Driver Eight. That name was notorious and brought him respect and fear; two things one needed to survive on the open road. If he was going to see tomorrow and the day after, he was going to have to abandon Kyle and fully become who he was destined to be. He looked at Avery and said, “My name is Driver Eight.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
G. Michael Hopf is the best-selling author of fourteen post-apocalyptic novels. He is a veteran of the Marine Corps, former Executive Protection agent and whiskey aficionado. He lives with his family in San Diego, CA.
Please feel free to contact him.
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BOOKS BY G. MICHAEL HOPF