Nanowars: Rebirth - 11. Chapter 11: Flight of the Bumble Bee

Chapter Eleven: Flight of the Bumble Bee

17 Years after Avery’s Birth

“Good morning grandma.” Avery raced down the stairs, picking up a waffle in the kitchen before heading for the front door.

“You come back here young man. Where’s my good morning hug?”

“Grams, I’m going to miss the bus.” He attempted to give a one hand hug.

His grandmother wouldn’t stand for anything short of a full embrace. “Serves you right for sleeping in.”

“I didn’t sleep a wink. I had that science project to do.”

“Your fault for putting it off to the last minute.”

“I didn’t put it off. Not even I can write a hundred page report in a day.” He grabbed an orange before racing for the bus.

“Avery…” Karl, the high school quarterback and teen heart throb, called out offering the seat next to him.

“I hope you finished your project.”

“I had the geek squad do it for me days ago.”

“That’s cheating. You know what they’ll do to you if you get caught.”

“Like they’ll really throw me off the team.” Karl laughed. “What I want to know is if you’re in for tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah to see what your grandfather and half the other leaders of the town do at the gym. It is the first of the month.”

“It’s none of our business.” Avery insisted.

“Suit yourself but I’m dying to find out. You should too since your grandfather is the mayor and all.”

“Thanks for reminding me. All my grandpa does is tell me how what I do reflects on the town.”

“If that’s true I should use you as a mirror. You’re too clean Avery, even as a double dozen.”

“Well that ends after this year. We’re all going to college.”

“No, the Eye, mind you. That was the deal Lordon set up for us. We all go to the Eye on the hill.”

“I still think I should go to Northwestern.”

“Northwestern is nice and all but how are you going to pay. You might be related to the mayor but Northwestern is all the way in Chicago.”

“Like your stepdad is much better. He’s responsible for getting half the town drunk on Friday nights.”

“He’s an entrepreneur… what else can I say. At least there’s only one tavern in town or everyone would be dead drunk. By the way, if we win tonight’s game, Dad’s throwing us a kegger.”

“We’re underage.”

“What I can’t understand is how you’re my best friend but you’re no fun to be around.”

“It’s because I’m the one who has to save your neck.” Avery replied as the bus stopped at the school. “See you in calculus.” He said before leaving his friend.

“I hope you know you’ve deforested half the state with this assignment.” Avery said as he placed all one hundred and five pages down on Mr. Smith’s desk.

“I’m sure the words of wisdom printed on them will prove to be more than worth it.” The man replied as he smiled at Avery. “See me after class.”

“Sure.” Avery replied. Mr. Logan Smith was one of his favorite teachers. With Masters in Biology and Chemistry he was the kind of know it all Avery could relate to. It also helped that Mr. Smith was his soccer coach.

Once class was over and they were alone, Logan lowered the window blinds and locked the classroom door. “Is something wrong sir?”

“Just something I want kept between us. I just want to run a few tests. Can we do that without you running off to the Doc?”

“I guess so sir.”

“No Avery, I’m serious. Nothing that happens here is to go back to your doctor friend.”

“Fine. What sort of test is it?”

“A blood test of sorts.” He took out a syringe and alcohol swab. Cleaning Avery’s inner arm he collected about 20 cc of blood. This he drained into a pair of test tubes, one was clear while the other had a light blue liquid. Both reacted. The tube with the clear solution first turned blood red then orange than gold. The second test tube went solid white, the solution becoming as hard as a rock.

“What does it mean sir?” Avery asked.

“I don’t know. It is not what I feared which is good but not what I hoped for either. Tell me, have you ever see Karl’s father naked?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Have you ever seen any strange markings on him?”

“No, not that I’ve ever gone and checked. Why, what’s this about?”

“It’s about many things but mostly it has to do with Big Rock’s double dozen and Dr. Thomas Walker.”

“Everyone in town seems to like him.”

“Everyone in town seems to adore him. He and his wife have had six kids already. There’s not a family in town that doesn’t have at least four. Children in this town outnumber adults three to one. You don’t see that kind of figures except in third world countries with high child mortality.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m not saying anything you’re not already thinking. How many girls go to your high school?”

“About fifty?”

“Try thirty six, thirty six to two hundred twenty three men. I bet you don’t even have a girlfriend. ”

“We sort of group date.” Avery was not about to admit that there was no way Karl would let him have a girlfriend. Karl still referred to him as his secret boyfriend.

“One girl for three sometimes more guys. Some would call this town a prison but all of you are ready to go off to some unheard of school on the other side of the island.”

“It’s not like our folks can pay to send us off to college and we’re too small and isolated of a place that no college sports scout is going to bother coming to our games.”

“I’ve seen the way the other boys look at you… especially your fellow double dozen.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at me sir.” Avery blushed.

“You like the way I look at you?” Logan adjusted his tie.

“How you feel about me is important to me.” Avery said honestly.

“If we had met in college, I would be all over you. However, you’re my student so things need to stay professional, at least for now.”

“You mean things will change?”

“You will graduate won’t you?”

“But the scandal that would cause. I’m also not sure I like guys that way.”

“We could elope. You’ve always talked about going to Chicago.”

“How will I pay?”

“You let me worry about that. Just promise you’ll keep this a secret between us.” Logan placed an arm on Avery’s broad shoulders.

“I’ve got to go, football practice.” Avery whispered even as he wet his lips.

“Those were good plays.” Assistant coach Trey Evans shouted over the blast of steaming hot water coming from the showers.

“Thanks.” Avery replied.

“Too bad we’re all the way out here; you could actually get a scholarship.”

“You got a scholarship and look what you did with it.” Avery replied.

“I know I sort of majored in Greek. You would do better.”

“What are those on your back?” Avery asked noticing half dozen small circular scars along Mr. Evan’s spine.

“Got them from hazing,” Trey replied as he looked down on them fondly.

“Must have been real bad.”

“It’s all part of being in college.”

“Even in Alaska.”

“Especially in Alaska. What else are you going to do but get drunk and play stupid drinking games?” Trey laughed.

“Coach wants to see you.” Karl said as he took Trey’s place.

Avery elbowed his friend once Trey was out of hearing range. “Did he really want to see Mr. Evans or did you just want this spot.” Avery laughed.

“Can’t both be true? So what about tonight? You’re going to be there, right?”

“What is the point of us freezing our asses off to spy? It’s probably just a meeting about town business.”

“Held in the men’s locker room?” Karl asked.

“Is he still bothering you about that?” Lanyon, the team’s kicker asked. “From what I’ve heard it’s just a chance for them to be away from their wives. Since we don’t have a bowling alley the locker room seems the next best thing.”

“But what do they do…. Just sit in the locker room and drink. We got a bar for that.”

“Aye and we all know what your father charges for that swill he calls beer.” Lanyon laughed.

“You’ll be drinking that swill if we win tonight.”

“If we win.” Lanyon replied. “I was hoping to crash out at Avery’s place if that’s fine with him.”

“Fine with me.” He was busy shampooing his hair.

“You’re ruining the plan.” Karl pointed out.

“I’m sure they’ll be plenty enough girls out there to keep you occupied.” Lanyon laughed.

“Hey knock it off in there.” Coach Willis shouted at two players who were standing awfully close to one another. As they pulled away everyone could see their hardons.

“Townsend and Fletcher… who would have guessed.” Karl laughed.

“Can’t blame them… this school is like a monastery.” Lanyon laughed before lowering his voice. “Word is that both coaches have been known to do one another.”

“Now that I don’t believe!” Avery said as he rinsed off on last time. “Yes there is a shortage of girls but both of them are married.”

“Maybe it’s because both their wives are pregnant.” Karl replied. “Who knows what they might be doing here every Friday night after the game… having themselves one big orgy.”

“And that is something you want to see?” Lanyon asked.

“See coach Willis pounding fudge? I most certainly would. I would even take my iPod to prove it.”

“Well you have your fun. I think after tonight’s game I’m going to need a long nap to recover.”

“Just make sure we win.” Karl said as he slapped Avery on the ass as Avery left.

“You’re so in love with him.” Lanyon chuckled.

“Why, feeling jealous?”

“He’s too good for you.”

“I’ll get him eventually. As for you, I think coach might be getting a little lonely.”

“Only if you come with me.” Lanyon said as he grabbed hold of the back of Karl’s neck.

**********************************************************************

After winning by two touchdowns Lanyon drove Avery home and helped him slump into bed. For hours he watched in silence as Avery slept feeling comforted and at peace by watching the other man’s calm expression. “You doing alright?” He asked Avery when his blue eyes opened around three in the morning.

“You’re still here?” Avery yawned.

“Just catching up on some light reading.” Lanyon dropped the unopened book on the floor. “Feeling better?”

“Not really.”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“I think Karl’s in trouble.”

“Karl can handle himself.” Lanyon laughed.

“I know but…”

“Want me to see if I can get him on my cell phone?”

“Sure.” Avery nodded as he sat up in bed, suddenly noticing that he was naked. “Hey where are my clothes?”

Lanyon ignored the comment. “Hello, Karl, where the hell are you? You’re at the clinic? You want me to bring Avery? Do you know what time it is? Fine, fine, we’ll be right there but you better have a good explanation for what’s going on.” Lanyon snapped the phone shut. “Karl wants to see us at doc’s place. Seems he got caught.”

“Why on Earth does he need us then?”

“He most likely needs you to get him out of whatever mess he’s in.” Lanyon replied. “I’ll go with you.” It’s just across the street, right?”

“Yes,” Avery stumbled about to get dressed.

They didn’t make it halfway across the street when a black suburban cut them off, the front passenger door popping open. “Get in Mr. Winters…. You too Lanyon Smith.”

Lanyon stepped between Avery and the SUV before he could take a single step.“And if we say no?”

Two men with guns drawn appeared on either side of the car. “I insist.”

Before the gunmen could move closer, Lanyon charged. “Run Avery, run.”

“Not on your life.” Avery charged at the other gunman. He bet that if whoever wanted them this badly wouldn’t dare shoot. He was right. Soon both were armed and racing away in Lanyon’s Jeep. “Where now?”

“How should I know?”

“There’s the cabin.”

“Cabin?”

“Stop and let me drive.”

“No way in hell. Just tell me where to go and I’ll get us there.”

How the tables had turned on Thomas Walker. How could he have miscalculated the day of Karl’s Awakening. The Symbiont meant to control him had been defeated and subsumed. Karl was now the master of his mind and that of the rest of the Double Dozen. All of them but Avery that is.

The moment he had detected the change in Karl, he had sent his men after Avery. If he had Avery, he could use the whelp to bring Karl to heel. Instead he and that bastard Lanyon had escaped. Now, even if his men found the boy, he could not make use of him.

“Where is he! Where is he! Tell me now doctor or I will see that you live to regret it.” For the last three hours Karl had shouted the same demand. Thomas, however, had no good answer so Karl gave him a good beating.

After Karl had exhausted himself shattering the man’s jaw, legs and arms in two places, Trey handed him a rag to clean himself up with. “What do you want done with him?”

“Give him to his worms.”

“No… not that. Not the Symbionts. They will eat me alive!” With most his teeth broken, Thomas’ pleas were a mix of garbled words and blood spat screams.

“Leave him.” Seeing the man’s fear had transformed Karl’s anger into sadistic calculation. “Feed him.”

Two members of the soccer team stepped forward, one holding a flask, the other a large funnel. Inside the flask was a white liquor. While one held Thomas’s jaw open, the other pour the concoction down the doctor’s throat. It did not take long to take effect.

Like soft clay being molded Thomas’s bones repaired themselves and wounds sealed. As more of the elixir was fed, his eyes took on a milky sheen. “Thank you master…” Thomas kissed and slobbered over Karl’s feet.

“Master? Hear that boys… we’ve got ourselves a slave! Well slave… you going to be a good boy and tell us what we want to know?”

“Anything master… anything but the worms.”

“Tell us everything.”

Tom Green sensed Avery approaching before he and his companion arrived. After his father’s strange disappearance and mother’s death, he had stayed at the cabin compound to continue Dr. Tobias Green’s research. “Ave… it’s good to see you again.” The two embraced on the pier.

“I just wished it was on better circumstances. You know what’s happening in town, don’t you?”

“Aye… Lanyon’s father radioed me six hours ago.”

“Is my dad alright?” Lanyon demanded.

“He and his people managed to get away before the real blood bath started.”

Avery didn’t like the sound of that. “Blood bath?”

“A third of the town is dead. The rest have sworn themselves to Karl.”

“Sworn themselves to Karl? But why?” Avery didn’t know if he should laugh at the absurdity of it or cry for what he friend had become.

“He’s Awakened Ave… It’s just like before when your father disappeared. It is only a matter of time before he comes.”

“He?”

“He as in Julian Lordon.”

“Lordon… my father warned me about the Lordons. He said if I heard anyone speak the name I was to run as if the devil were on my scent.”

“The devil indeed. I have something to give you, something my father entrusted me with right before he vanished.”

The two followed Tom to his father’s old study. From a safe built into a bookshelf, he removed a stack of journals. These he handed to Ave with near ceremonial reverence. “If there are answers to be found, you’ll find them here.”

For three days Avery studied his father’s diaries. After going over most passages several times, he summoned the others. “I know where my father is.”

Lanyon stepped behind Avery and took hold of his shoulders. He could feel the tension that ran through them. “Your father Greg or the stepfather you won’t speak about?”

“Both. If what I’ve read is true… my stepfather was also the real one. The father I was told killed himself after my mother died was really my cuckold uncle.”

“And he’s not dead either I take it.”

“No… Lordon has him just as Travis Walker has my real dad. I mean to get them both back. I will get them back.”

“But how Ave? If what I’ve been told about Lordon is true….”

“I don’t care… All I’ve ever wanted…all Karl and I’ve wanted is our fathers back. Now that I know where they are…”

Tom felt the need to interrupt at this point. “You know where they are but not how to get there. Hell, for all I know, my dad got himself killed trying to get back to the Maze.”

“There’s the Eye.”

“If it were that easy, the three of us would have already done so. The Eye is still under a mountain of rubble and is too heavily guarded. Even with all the men Karl has under his control, he couldn’t dislodge Lordon’s garrison.”

“That only leaves Antarctica…”

“Which is as out of reach as the Mars Colony as far as we are concerned. It might be possible to get there but we sure ain’t able to.” Lanyon remarked.

Tom laughed and slapped Lanyon on the back. “Where we have to go will make Mars look like a school daytrip.”

“Yeah Mars indeed.”Avery saw the wink Tom gave him and took strength from it.

Besides Karl, Tom had a special place in Ave’s heart. While they rarely got the chance to enjoy each other’s company, Avery knew his friend better than any other. The look of yearning he radiated could only draw Avery towards him.

The two kissed while Lanyon watch dumbfounded. “Hey, mind if I get a piece of that action.”

“You never told him about us Ave?” Tom said half jokingly.

Avery decided to play along. “Every guy needs a secret lover.”

“Hey… what about me. Secret or not, haven’t I earned the chance?”

Both boys exploded into uncontrollable laughter. “We’re just pulling your leg Lan.”

“I wasn’t.” Tom pulled Avery into another deep kiss. While their lips were pressed he whispered; “I need you… need you so badly.” Avery gave a slight nod. “Come… you two must be starved.”

While Tom prepared dinner Avery and Lanyon took the chance to rest in a spare bedroom. “You’re upset with me, aren’t you?” Ave whispered as Lanyon joined him under the handmade quilt.

“Naw… not really. Well maybe. Can’t blame a guy for wanted you to look at him like you do your old friend.”

“Your father… well ours… they used to be lovers.”

“I know… I’ve always known. Dad told me shortly after your stepdad… I mean your real dad disappeared. He made me swear I would protect you with my life. At first I didn’t know why. Now I don’t think he ever needed to.” Lanyon kissed the sensitive spot on the back of Ave’s neck. He responded by snuggling back into him. “Would it at all surprise you if I asked you to marry me?”

Avery could think of a thousand ways of blowing the comment off but not one that wouldn’t break his friend’s heart.“No…”

“No… but there’s Karl and this Tom fellow.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh yes it is.” He ran his fingers down his sides tickling his ribs.

“Stop… stop.” Avery shouted between giggles.

“Make me.” Faster than he believed possible, Avery was on top of him and their lips locked. Lanyon was in heaven.

“That stopped ya. Dinner should be ready by now. Let’s eat.”

Shocked by Avery’s actions and sudden leaving, Lanyon was more confused than ever. “Oh Ave…”

_______________________________________________________________________

Julian had witnessed many things in his long life… the butchery of Big Rock was among the worst. “Where are they now Dr. Yates?”

“We are still working on that.”

“Surely you have some idea. Over a thousand lab specimens don’t disappear into thin air.””

“The cargo freighters are gone so they’re either hiding out on one of the Aleutian Islands or have made their way to the Lower 48. Either way, we are dealing with a lot of territory.”

“The only one you need to track down is Winters… if you find him, you’ll find the others.”

“I’ll have our people in NSA put him on the watch list.”

“Give them Winters’ biometrics. Let’s see if he can avoid every camera in the world.”