James Hoch - Heckel Casey

"My advisors said that was being taken care of," she replied.

"Yes, I believe it is, but there still may be some delays."

"What about fuel?"

"There is a large diesel fuel truck following us. It's like having your own gas station in tow," he said with a slight, nervous laugh.

"Fine. Let's just get this going," she said, not picking up on his feeble attempt at humor.

The driver excused himself while Madeline looked in the refrigerator. It was fully stocked with all her favorite snacks and foods.

"My chef is coming, right?" she yelled to the driver.

"Yes, ma'am. He is in another vehicle."

"Good."

The RV began backing up and she was startled. "Sheesh," she mumbled, grabbing hold of the counter as she made her way to the sofa. Once the motor home was on the road, Madeline stretched out on the sofa.

After about half an hour, the driver asked if she cared to have some music. "Yes, that would be very nice. Preferably classical."

Strains of Bach filled the motor home. The two dogs were fast asleep on the sofa at her feet. It was a partly cloudy day, or was it partly sunny? She guessed it was how you wanted to look at it. She preferred a nice dark, cloudy day. The sun made everything too cheery. The landscape was dotted with burned-out vehicles, the charred remains of bodies and empty homes. She smiled. Soon all this would be hers. The world would be rebuilt with a foundation of evil and fear, mostly fear of her. It's humanity's destiny. It always has been. Mankind has now turned to the dark, that is, once this Heckel virus is purged.

"I just have to eliminate the one light in the way, Heckel," she muttered, looking down to see sparks jump from her fingertips.

The RV pulled into a deserted campground somewhere in Pennsylvania. It was just getting dark. The large fuel truck that was following the RV pulled up alongside and began fueling the rig.

The driver came back in, pushed a button and the sofa where Madeline was sitting began to slide outward. "Don't worry ma'am. I'm just giving you some more room. It's like magic," he said as though he were a little kid showing off a new toy. Madeline stood up and peered down the aisle toward the back bedroom, watching the other slides extend outward.

"There you are," the driver said.

"Impressive," she muttered. "Say, since we will be together for a while, what is your name?"

"Quincy, ma'am."

"Now there's an unusual name, especially for someone as young as you."

"My mom liked the old TV show called Quincy. It was about a medical examiner and starred Jack Klugman." After no response from Madeline, he smiled at her, bowed his head once and excused himself. Madeline watched his behind as he exited the RV. "Nice tush!" she said under her breath and wondered if Quincy was as good in bed as he was a driver. Maybe she'd just have to find out, needing something to make the unpleasant trip more bearable.

After dinner, Madeline went outside to walk her dogs for a while. When she came back to the RV, there was an elderly man sitting in a chair next to a large campfire. She knew who it was immediately. Mr. Barker.

"Good evening, Mr. Barker. What a pleasant surprise," Madeline said walking up to him with her hand extended. He did not move or even look up from his fixed stare on the fire. It was as if the flames mesmerized him. Madeline turned, walked over to a chair across from him and sat down. Now she was nervous. She tried to remain strong and confident.

"Your little plan with Bobby and Jackson fell through, I see," he said calmly with a hint of disdain. "Such a disappointment for you, I'm sure."

"Yes, it was."

"As it was for me. I had so hoped this matter with our friend, Mr. Heckel, would be over by now. He is a real fly in your ointment as you once mentioned."

Madeline nodded slowly and stared into the fire.

Mr. Barker got up and began pacing around the fire. Here he goes again . Madeline fidgeted in the camp chair. As the long period of silence wore on, she rubbed her hands over and over in her lap. The campfire flames steadily rose in the air, causing her face to get very warm.

"It appears that you are planning to take matters into your own hands and confront this Heckel character directly," Barker said calmly as he rubbed his hands.

"I always thought that if you want something done right, do it yourself," Madeline said with confidence and a slice of know-it-all.

"I suppose. However, Miss Madeline, there is much at stake here and if you fail…well, let's just say that cannot be an option."

"Correct, it is not. I will not fail. My power is strong."

Barker walked up behind Madeline and massaged her shoulders. His touch made her insides squirm as if hundreds of worms had suddenly slithered and wrapped themselves around all her major organs. Looking down at her arms, she could see her skin take on the appearance of massive goose bumps or as one person told her once-chicken skin.

He bent down and whispered in her ear, "Yes, it is strong, but you need more to defeat this man. Much more."

Madeline assured him that her army vastly outnumbered Heckel's puny band of followers and that her forces were much better armed.

"Still, we are concerned," Barker said. He let go of her shoulders and continued his pacing. I just want him to leave, she thought. Please. Please. Please.

Hoping to put his mind at ease, Madeline babbled on about how after her army destroyed his followers that she would meet him face-to-face and destroy him once and for all.

Barker smiled and, with a half-hearted laugh that turned into a wicked, thundering shout, yelled "No, he will destroy everything that you have done, you fucking imbecile!"

The fire shot up fifty feet into the air. Sparks flew in all directions, followed by loud crackling and pops. Madeline fell backward out of her chair, scrambled on her knees away from the fire and flopped onto her back. Barker stood over her shrieking, "You must kill him now before you ever confront him on any battlefield. Seek him out under the dark veil of night. Kill his bitch and child. Then you will reduce him to a weak, defeated man and finish the task." A green putrid spittle flew out of his mouth as he went on with his rant. Madeline winced as it hit her face, flinching as if acid burned her skin.

After Barker regained his composure and the fire settled down, he went over to the dark edge of night surrounding the campfire. He pointed a finger at Madeline and calmly said, "We still believe in you, Miss Madeline. Don't fuck this up or you will regret your very existence for all eternity."

Standing erect with fists clenched and a defiant posture, Madeline replied, "Mr. Barker, know this. I will not stop until every part of Heckel's life is destroyed and his body is reduced to pieces. Then after that, every last member of humanity who does not bow to the evil that I spread will be slaughtered without hesitation."

Barker's eyes glowed brightly and he slowly nodded his head as he backed into the darkness.

Whew, that was intense, Madeline thought to herself as she brushed the dirt off her pants. She looked down and saw a dark spot on her designer jeans. "Shit, I pissed myself," she said. Then anger brewed inside her, mixed with a feeling she hadn't had before. Was it doubt? What if I can't defeat this Heckel? What if…

"Stop. There is no room for doubt. Push it aside. No, what-ifs! You must kill him and soon," she said loudly.

From the shadows of the RV, Quincy came forward and asked, "Is everything all right, Miss Madeline?"

Walking up to him, slowly taking his hand, Madeline replied, "It will be soon." She led Quincy into the RV and closed the door.

That was just too damn close. Thank God, Bobby couldn't twist that knife, Sela thought as she looked down at Heckel sleeping. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Dear God, please, please, please, make all this…this…battle stop. I fear that we cannot defeat the evil that pursues us. We need more help. Anything, please. Tears welled up in her eyes and little by little spilled over onto her cheeks. I love him so much and our child needs his Daddy. Please hear my prayer and help us.