The Road to Round Mountain: The Betrayal by (6 page)

“I have heard of your fully charged condition, and what happened with the local authorities earlier, and I will apol-ogize for their action”. I was shocked, he was apologizing to me for Police that don’t even work for him…amazing.  “I seriously doubt if Astoria Police will attempt to make amends for the manner in which you were treated, especial-ly Detective Hargrove.  But knowing him, I would imagine you could expect to receive a cleaning bill for making him crap himself. The Sheriff couldn’t help but smile over that one, as did I. “So I guess you heard that you are a You Tube sensation”? “What are you talking about, I never put any-thing on You Tube, I don’t even own a cell phone”. I sup-pose that he was confused more by the fact that I don’t own a phone, as to not knowing about the video.

“Seems that when you were brought into the ER, and started frying their equipment, someone decided to video your electro-activity, or whatever you want to call it. Anyway, my son found it online and called me in to watch, I must say, whatever went into you seems to be coming out with an extra kick to it”. The Sheriff glanced at Danny as he came

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shuffling into the room, with that wonderful smell of Dairy  Queen Cheeseburgers. “I’ll let you two eat in peace, and I  will recommend that the police, leave the questions to us,  which I don’t think that they will object to, so that’s it for  now Billy, I’ll be in touch if we need anything else”. A huge  weight was just taken off my shoulders, the Sheriff will be  my buffer for the Police Dept., and we did have a history of  sorts. Sheriff Pasco was the one who came in to smooth over

my little graffiti with Dairy Queens manager, and he would  drop the charges in exchange for me staying the hell out of  his store. A small price to pay, and if I get an urge for Dairy  Queen, I send in one of my mules to score cheeseburgers  for me, for I am running the biggest cheeseburger cartel in  Astoria, I wish.

Sitting in silence, we were almost done chowing down on  Dairy Queens finest, as Nurse Mattie poked her head in the  room. “You boy’s doing all right”, she looked around to see  that it was just us two in here. “I guess the Sheriff finished up  with his business”? “Yeah, he said if he had any other questions, that would be in touch and he said the Police probably  wouldn’t be up to see me anymore, Just him”. “Probably for  the best I would imagine”. She gave a quick glance to me and  then to Danny. “I have a quick errand to run, but when I get  back, it would be a good idea if your friend could leave in a  few minutes, I do have to change the dressing on that foot  and check on medications and instructions for tomorrow,  when you leave, a big day ahead for you Billy Speer”.

Danny finished his cheeseburger, wadded up the wrapper and tossed it back in the bag. He didn’t say anything but I  could tell he was not ready to leave and I wasn’t ready for him

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to either. “Thanks for the grub, bub, and hey after tomorrow,  you’ll know where I’ll be, so come on down anytime”. He  scuffled his feet back and forth on the floor and replied, “You  sure it’s okay if I come by, I mean, I don’t want to get you  into, you know, trouble or something”. “Don’t sweat it, I’ll  tell whoever picks me up to make sure you’re on the visitors  list”. I looked over at the door, but no Nurse Mattie yet. “Hey  thanks again, and if you’re not busy tomorrow, come on by”.  “Cool, thanks, I will”. Danny got up from the chair, gave me  the patented Danny parade wave, and left.

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9

nurse mAttIe ApproAched
 
the van towards the

back of the parking lot. As if on command both of the van  windows came down at the same time. Frank didn’t even

bother to look in her direction, “I take it you placed the wireless mike’s throughout the room”? Returning the favor by  not looking at Frank she replied, “Got three of them, but  don’t be surprised if they crap out before the nights over, the  kid’s got a lot of..”, Quickly interrupting her, Frank snapped  back, “I’m well aware of what he’s got, we do have video of  The Doctor doing a swan dive out the window, remember”.

Nurse Mattie, A.K.A. Agent Wendy Boling, turned to  get a good look at Agent Landers. “Frank, after I retire in six  weeks, you know what I’m going to miss the most”? “What  might that be Wendy, not that I give a shit”? Wendy just  smiled and said,” Telling you to fuck off, but I suppose if I  get bored I can always leave that message for you on voice  mail”. Looking past Frank she directed the conversation to  Don Marrick. “You got more video on the way Don”? “Yeah  Evans is supposed to be here at sunset, He’ll use the lift from  his truck to change the light on the light pole closest to his  room, and hook up a new camera, then I will link up and  we’ll be back in business”. “I can tell you this Don, you…. I  will miss”. She smiled at Don as she gave him a wink.

“Enough of this mushy crap”, Frank barked, “When are  you going to work with him”? “Don, how do put up with his

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shit”? Don shrugged his shoulders, as if to signify, what can  I do about it? “Since you asked so politely Frank, how about  I wait until you have video again, after Evans gets through,  and then have Don text me that you’re ready”. Frank nodded, making sure not to look at Wendy. “Don always a  pleasure”, and the moment she turned to head back to the  Hospital, both windows of the van went back up. Wendy  ignored Franks rude behavior and kept her focus on the work  at hand, how to work with Billy, and help him control his  power without blowing up the Hospital.

I never wondered too much about You Tube, but I was  intrigued to see the video if at all possible. Maybe Nurse  Mattie would help with that request. The clock read 4:00pm,  but it seems like this day has lasted for at least a week. I could  hear the forensics techs outside my door, I guess they were  finished in my other room. I couldn’t make out what they  were saying, but there were a lot of four and five syllable  words being tossed about, none of which I understood.

The fullness of the delectable cheeseburgers, made my  stomach feel better, but my head was another story. I knew  that I had made Dr. Bangor run through the window and kill  himself, but how did my anger make him do it?

I got the TV to come on, not a big accomplishment, but  I’ll take it. I was giving myself a headache trying to figure  out how this stuff I have works. The simpler the process,  the simpler the solution would be, sounded good anyway, so  I decided to focus my attention on the TV. I stared at the  TV for a moment, but all I could see was the vision of Dr.  Bangor flying through the window. I could sense that my focus was going to become an issue. Every counselor in school

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had already confirmed that to my parents.

My parents, just the thought that I would never see them  again, or hear them arguing over what to watch on TV, made  my eyes misty. My Mother, in an effort to make sure I was  raised properly and ready for society, would insist that I read  more, and nothing that started with the word Marvel on it.  In my defense, I thought that grand theft auto was getting  me ready for society. For my Dad, his reply to most anything  that I would mess up was, Ah yes to be young and stupid. My  Dad was quite the diplomat, his true calling.

I had to find out where my parents are, and what’s going  to happen with them. I didn’t have a clue as to what I was  supposed to do, Ah, yes to be young and stupid. Well when  you’re right, you’re right. Maybe Nurse Mattie can find out  about my parents, as well as the You Tube Video. I’m not sure  I really want to see it, but I probably should.

I needed to get my thoughts away from my parents, all it  was doing was making me sad. It was a little after 4: 00 pm  and Bonanza was over, and I definitely was not in the mood  for Gunsmoke. There was no remote to be found, as I gazed  around the room, probably for the protection of the remote,  so it could live to click another day without me making it  blow up.

Concentrate, that’s what I needed to do, start small.
 
Okay  Tv turn off,
 
nothing. I needed to use my anger to do this,  but how….., Ah, imagine Dr. Bangor in your face yelling, it  worked last time. That could be worth a try, but maybe I can  tone down the anger a bit so I don’t blow up another TV.  Imagining the Dr. in my room telling me how much money  I was going to have to pay the Hospital. It was working, I

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could feel my face getting flush.
 
TV off.
 
It shut off immediately.
 
TV on.
 
It came back on.
 
TV off.
 
It went off again.  Hey this was kind of fun, as I was looking around the room  for something else I could try this on the door to my room  creaked as it opened just a little.

A female head popped through the doorway, saw me lying in bed, “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot that someone was in here,  I just saw lights flickering on and off, so I thought I ought  to check. Are you the guy that was in the other room with  Dr. Bangor”? “That would be me”. She stared at me for just a  moment before saying, “You’re the one that got hit by lightning”? “That would be me again, you’re two for two”. “I’m  not supposed to be in here, in fact no one is, but I wanted to  ask a question if that’s okay”? You already asked me two of  them I thought, but what the hell. “Sure, ask me anything  you want”. She turned her head to check outside the door, I  guess to make sure no one saw her. She turned back towards  me, and I noticed that she was rather young to be a nurse, but  she offered a smile that immediately warmed my heart. It  wasn’t one of those fake smiles you see on TV or from someone just pacifying your existence, as you talk to them. This  was a genuine welcoming smile, one that you could trust.

“Is it true that you can, I don’t know, shoot lightning out  of your hands”? A rather odd conversation starter, but I was  comfortable with that. “Unfortunately it’s true, but please  don’t ask me how, because I haven’t a clue”. She seemed to  enjoy that answer as her smile widened even more. “You can  come in if you want, just don’t come too close and don’t bring  anything electrical in here…..”. “Oh I can’t”, she interrupted.  “I wish that I could but I would get in trouble if they knew

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I was in here. I can’t afford that, I just started working here last week”.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was smiling right back at her, as she replied, “You have a nice smile”. “Thanks, so do you. Are you a nurse”? “Yes, just graduated in May, and here  I am”. I’m officially enjoying my stay at Columbia Memorial since she poked her head in my room. “I’m Billy Speer”.  “The pleasure is mine, I’m Jennifer Harrison”, as she pointed to her name badge. Jennifer Harrison RN, I was beginning to think that I’m an RN-romantic nerd. “Say aren’t you the one who did the graffiti at Dairy Queen”? My Mother would be proud that someone was familiar with my work. “Yeah, but how did you hear about it”? I couldn’t help but stare at her sparkling blue eyes. “My Uncle Ron told me about it, he’s with Astoria Police”. “Really, what’s his name, I know a few of them”? “Well, they call him Detective Hargrove”.  Whoops, strike one, “So are you and your Uncle close”? “Oh heavens no, he’s a real ass, thinks everyone is guilty of some-thing”. Okay I can exhale now, but I think I’ll let her find out what happened to him through the grapevine.

I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I think that my heart just started to melt. “So can you maybe come by again later, you know, if no one is looking I mean”. “I’d like that, but I’ll have to be sneaky about it”. Her smile was accented by long almost bleach blonde hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. I’m guessing she was about 5’5”, but wasn’t quite sure as I was sitting up in bed. She had a fair complexion and the bluest of blue eyes, but you could tell that she’s not just an indoor girl. I’m not sure how I came to that conclusion, but I’m sticking with it. She waved at me on her way out,

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and I returned the wave, hoping that she would be back soon.  What just happened here, I just had a conversation with a  girl and didn’t stumble all over my words, and my stomach is  not queasy? Whatever it is, I like it.

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10

“I’m concerned somewhAt
 
about my partners  with this task”, Agent Boling said while moving her cell  phone to her right hand. The lobby of Columbia Memorial wasn’t that big, but privacy was not an issue since the  lobby was currently empty. “I’m more than confident in  your abilities Agent Boling. You can charm the spots of f of  a leopard, if the situation called for it”. “I appreciate your  support Director, but with the addition Of Agent Marrick, and his abilities greatly enhance that Dinosaur Landers chance of success”. A moment of silence brief before

the Director replied, “You know…..Agent Marrick is so far  ahead of everyone else in this age of technology that he can  be frightening at times, I will have to agree, but being partnered with Agent Landers will slow his progress I’m sure.  Keep tabs on Marrick, but more importantly, get to work  on Speer. Am I clear Agent Boling”? She hung her head in  frustration. “Crystal, Director”.

“One more thing, make sure I get the coordinates for  when you mislead those two on a wild goose chase, when they  think that they’re going to pick up our boy Speer. I’ll need  those to make sure they are disposed of properly”. I’m really  not comfortable with people I’ve worked with getting killed,  they have no idea what are plans are, and they won’t find out.  I have Speer’s complete trust, I’m the only friend he has, that  is until we turn him over for testing. Do you actually think

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he has a chance to survive the testing, no one else has”? “Your  concern is touching, but irrelevant, remember, with this find,  we retire mutli millionaire’s, and if your little patient does  not survive, it’s of little concern to me and you as well. I’ll be  in touch Agent Boling”. The director quickly ended the call,  leaving Agent Boling shaking her head and muttering as she  left the lobby for the elevators. “Killing Billy will teach them  nothing”, as she pressed the elevator button.