Mark Tufo - The End Has Come and Gone

"That's the ten thousand dollar question, now isn’t it?" Paul responded distractedly.

"No matter what decisions we come to," Joann stated, "I think we need to get Marta some medicine first. Who's in?"

"Me," MJ replied, raising his hand, “but only if we stop at a Radio Shack too."

"Me too," April said, looking over lustfully at MJ who for the moment was not paying her any attention.

"I'm in," Paul stated.

"Paul," Erin said. Implicit in that one word was the question, 'Why do you feel the need to risk your life and leave me here?'

Paul shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'Look who's going, someone has to watch out for them and it might as well be me.' Paul laughed a little; sometimes being married was a trip. They had just had an entire conversation, mostly unspoken.

"I will go too," Alex said dejectedly.

"No, you will stay here my friend, by your wife's side," Paul said, placing his arm around Alex' shoulder. "It'll be fine," he added hollowly.

"You really believe that?" Alex asked, calling him out on his statement.

"I have to," Paul answered him. "What's the alternative?"

"Fair enough, but hurry up or I'm going to throw Deneaux outside on her ass," Alex said with a small smile.

"What's the cut-off point?" Paul asked, looking at a non-existent watch.

"I'm going to lock the door on our way out," MJ said.

"That would be wise," Alex told him.

"That means you'll be locked in," MJ said as if he was talking to a five year old.

"I think he gets it," Paul said, grabbing MJ before Alex had the chance to lose his cool again.

"I just wanted him to be aware of that,” Alex heard MJ say as Paul led him away.

Mrs. Deneaux walked over to the far side of the store to the recliner section, and with a loudly audible sigh sat down in an oversized EZ Boy.

"I think her fever's breaking," Erin said excitedly as she pressed her palm to Marta's head.

Marta's eyes fluttered open as she uttered one word. "Demonio."

Alex made the sign of the Holy Trinity. Erin looked questioningly over towards him. "Demon," he offered in translation.

"Got it,” Erin answered with a shiver. Marta's eyes closed as a more restful sleep ensued.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – Ron - Searsport

As soon as Ron got home with his dad, Nancy took the kids to get them settled in. Their initial fears of being in a new place were put quickly at ease by Nancy as she got them cleaned up, fed and showed them where they could sleep. For now she set up a bunch of sleeping bags and pillows in the family room in the basement. She had a hunch that, at least at first, they would feel much more comfortable if they were all within arm's reach no matter how much testosterone the three boys pretended to throw around.

"They going to be alright?" a wiped out Ron asked his wife as she came up the stairs.

"As all right as any kids can be when they lose their parents," Nancy answered him solemnly. “I had hoped Meredith would come home with you," Nancy commiserated as she placed her hand on Ron's arm.

"Me too," Ron said, using his other hand to try and wipe the exhaustion from his features. Ron related all of the events that had transpired throughout the day. As he wrapped up, he thought that he most likely should have glossed over a few of the stickier details. Nancy was looking a little less hale than she had been a few minutes before. “The old man is a rock," Ron said, referring to his father.

"You've got more of him in you than you know. I'm going to check on the kids." Nancy needed desperately to take her mind off of just how close to a disastrous end her daughter had come. She was still mourning for one of them. She could not compound those feelings; her soul was already feeling threadbare.

All was quiet as Ron sat on his couch reflecting back on the day. His hands nervously twitched. He did not notice.

"Eagle's Nest, Eagle's Nest, this is Valkyrie," Mike said through the airwaves.

"What is wrong with you?" Gary asked, "It's Mount Olympus. You can’t just go making stuff up.” "How many people do you think he has checking in?" Mike asked his brother.

‘More than you know,’ Ron thought as he got up to talk on the handset.

"That's not the point," Gary said a little peevishly. "If you're not going to follow protocol…” "Protocol?" Mike cut his brother off, "Are you kidding me? Chariots of Fire my ass, I still haven’t forgiven you for ratting me out. You know that moose wasn't my fault.” "Maybe if you had driven a little better…" Gary needled his brother.

"You're blaming my driving skills now! Maybe if I wasn't so distracted by your attempt at singing, or whatever you call that…” "Boys!" Ron shouted through the microphone. "Am I going to have to put you two in a time out?” "He could probably use it!" Gary shouted. A loud crashing sound immediately followed.

"I've got your time out right here!" Mike shouted to the most likely retreating back of his brother, but over the headset it was deafening.

"Mike! I've already got a headache. It's been a hell of a day,” Ron yelled.

Mike immediately turned all business, "Everything all right?" Mike held his breath waiting for a response. "Tracy make it back?" Fear was coiled in that question like a compressed spring.

Ron took a breath, he hated lying this big to his brother. Oh, there were times when it was necessary like on the Risk board when he would tell a mistruth about how many turns they would stay allies, but this was of a much higher magnitude, life and death to be exact.

"Ron?" Mike asked, fear threatening to overcome all of his senses rendering him useless.

"She's fine, Mike.” ‘Not so much a lie there,' Ron thought.

"Whew,” Mike said in relief. “Can I talk to her?"

"She's sleeping, they had a close call on the way back.” Ron had learned from his earlier revelation to his wife that it was best to limit the amount of details. “She's fine, Mike,” Ron reiterated to stop the next barrage of questions. “As are the kids.” Ron could picture his younger brother wiping the dampness from his eyes as he collected himself.

"Dad, everything alright?" Travis asked on the other end. Ron's vision must have been spot on.

"Good,” Mike choked out. “Just relieved. Your mom is safe.”

‘Dammit.’ Ron thought. ‘Didn’t actually say that.’

"It's a little early for a call in Mike. What's going on?" Ron asked. He didn’t get a sense that there was any urgency to the call but this was not a time in history where assumptions should ever be taken.

"Well, I was calling to check on Tracy and to let you know that we're heading south a little quicker than we thought,” Mike told him.

"What's changed?" Ron asked, intrigued.

"We've got reason to believe that Alex, and possibly Paul if they are still together, are now the objects of Eliza's attention.” "What? Did she send you a text?" Ron asked sarcastically.

"Just about,” Mike answered back seriously.

"I don’t even want to know,” Ron told him.

"Probably better off.”

"Are you going to be able to find them? South is a pretty vague direction.”

"I've got an idea, not sure if it will work. Just something I've been thinking about on the fly.” "The last time you thought of something 'on the fly' it cost me three hundred dollars to bail your ass out of jail,” Ron jibed.

"Don’t go getting all riled up, I paid you back for that.”

"No you didn't.”

"You sure?" Mike asked. “I'll get right on that when I get back.” "Yeah, a lot of uses for cash these days. Just get your ass back here and we'll discuss repayment.” "I'm not aligning with the Allegiance of Darkness on the Risk board if that's what you have in mind.” "Well, that was partially it, but we can figure something else out,” Ron said smiling now. “Alright, call me when you hunker down for the night.” "Roger that, tell everyone there that I love them.”