Chester and the 24-hour Lottery

Chester woke the next morning holding Van by her waist with his face planted between her breast. Smiling, he lifted his head to see her sleepily peering at him with one of her own. The sun was just coming up and when he glanced over, he found Racket and Henry still asleep.

“Hey,” she whispered running her palms across his cheeks, “I like you with a beard. It’s growing nicely. We should eat then find Crane.”

He kissed her lips wondering if he was in love with the green-eyed girl before quickly rolling onto his back, “Something is wrong with Racket. She’s unstable.”

She sighed sitting up, “Let’s talk someplace else.”

When they walked outside Chester didn’t have the words on what he needed to say to Van concerning Racket. He watched people emerging from their tents and waking up by smoking fires noting the second glances they received upon recognition. Feebly waving he grabbed Van’s arm, leading the way to a more secluded spot which took a few minutes because of the crowd.

“What’s wrong with Racket this time?” Van asked when they settled near a group of trees behind the house.

He picked up a twig and snapped it in half, “She’s like this piece of wood. It looks bendable but already dead inside. How long ago did you and Racket leave The Institute?”

“Not this again! Why did she attack you last night?”

He tossed the broken branch, “Talking about this very issue. She’s unhinged and will get us all killed if she doesn’t admit what happened at The Institute is making her act irrationally. Racket’s smart and strong, hell stronger than Garth I think, but I worry she’ll advise Crane in matters that suit her personal agenda.”

“Such as?”

“What do you speculate will happen if The Institute, biotech factories, or even Fort Ozark catch fire? Who knows what sort of airborne viruses or chemical weapons could be released? I thought when you brought me into this shit there was a ready-made plan but so far there’s been disorder and Spell is still in charge.”

Van worried her lip for a moment then threw up her hands, “I know! Saldivar secretly met with all the council members who pledged themselves to the cause and you’re right, it’s a disorganized mess. Perhaps they hoped the other states would help, but Acheron won’t. Lucy said many are contemplating going there to start over but we need to make those who can fight stay.”

“We do. So, how do we go from here to the other neighborhoods in one piece? How do we talk Racket down? I tried last night being my nicest self,” he shot Van a smirk, and she rolled her eyes, “but you saw how she reacted.”

“There you are!”

Chester jumped, spinning around to find Deven and Henry a few feet away. Deven laughed and handed out pieces of fluffy bread before Chester could ask them to go the fuck away. He had much to discuss in private with the only person he truly trusted but then he realized Deven had more information than anyone since he lived there.

“Food is becoming scarce with all these mouths to feed,” Deven related with a sigh, “Losing grain silos and six dairy farms make matters worse.”

Chester hungrily tore into the bread inquiring with his mouth full, “How many families are here?”

“Not a whole hell of a lot, it’s a mixed bunch. As I mentioned, we have groups watching the perimeter but they aren’t fighters. I spend my time making rounds to gauge if they’re able to defend everyone.”

“What if we taught them how?” Chester nodded towards Henry, “He’s a soldier and so is Van and Racket. Before we left the bunker I was learning and I’m sure if we organized some sort of training camp people would be interested.”

“Seriously?” Henry scoffed, “Don’t volunteer me for shit jobs because you’re not my leader.”

“There are no leaders,” Van scowled in return, “Chesters’ idea is sound. Citizens obviously want freedom or they wouldn’t be here. We have to move forward. There’s no incentive staying here because food and other resources will become an issue like Deven just said.”

“You still believe you can take back the neighborhoods?” Henry asked incredulously, staring at Van like she’d lost her mind, “There are hundreds of Ozark Officers out there waiting to make you dead and you think we can simply overtake them?”

“We should try!” Van shouted, losing all patience with Henry’s inability to consider their plan as a good one, “What’s the harm in asking these people to protect what we deserve? Spell will release the behavior-modifying drug soon and I don’t know about you, but I want to stop him instead of sitting around here with my thumb up my goddamn ass!”

Chester grinned watching Henry sputter for a response then Deven clapped his hands exclaiming, “Hell yeah! Let’s go tell Crane that he’s got a little spitfire willing to do what the other council members couldn’t! Make a fucking plan and stick with it!”

Henry looked contrite, walking behind them when they headed back to the main house. Racket was nowhere to be found and Lacy ran up to say the woman already was conferring with Crane.

Chester cursed, hurrying to the huge white tent Deven said Crane was using. There were three men outside with handguns who nodded at Chester, holding the flap aside so the group could enter. By a large wooden table cluttered with objects stood Crane and Racket gazing intensely at a 3D hologram on a Virto-Stand.

Racket quickly swiped the device off of the desk while Crane grinned, welcoming them. Van and Chester exchanged knowing looks, and he hoped she noticed the diagram they had been examining resembled The Institute.

“So glad to have you here,” Crane shook his hand with enthusiasm, “Come in.”

Chester gazed at the older man, taking stock of the dropped weight and bags under his eyes. At least he was losing as much sleep as the rest of them. He checked out the inside of the tent next, noting the thick carpets spread out on the cold hard ground and paper maps and other devices covered almost every flat surface.

“Please, sit,” Crane waved them all to couches crammed into the rear of the big top, “Citizens are very resourceful, bringing me stuff when I worry they don’t have enough. It proves humanity’s not lost just yet.”

“We never lost it, even under suppression,” Van replied, sitting on a red sofa, motioning Chester to join, “Thanks for waiting Racket.”

Racket shrugged, relaxing in a torn high-back chair, “I couldn’t find you when I woke.”

“Well,” Crane clapped once after they sat, “Racket caught me up to where I’m confident saying every effort to contact Saldivar has been unsuccessful and need to assume he’s failed. There will be no more tries to communicate on my end.”

“I agree,” Van cleared her throat and smiled prettily, charming Crane, “Chester and I discussed training those prepared to learn. What weapons do we possess? Has there been an accurate count of anything we can use to invade Neighborhood Allard?”

Crane lost the smile he maintained since they walked in, all joviality vanishing, “There hasn’t been time, or anyone willing to undertake such matters. Are you volunteering?”

“Yes,” Chester sat up straight, “I’ll join Deven when he checks on the patrols to ask the people how they feel about staying or if they plan on leaving for Acheron. It would behoove us to encourage as many as possible to remain and fight. Where are the firearms I left here, Deven?”

He blinked in confusion, “No idea.”

“I hid them,” Lacy spoke up, “I’ll show Van and decide if we should dole them out to responsible parties.”

“Wait a second,” Crane held up his hands in a huff, “You can’t stroll in here and take over.”

“We’re not taking over,” Van stood and he followed her lead, “We’re asking citizens to help win back their homes and lives. Freedom isn’t free. That has always been the goal, yes? To unite Ozark and live life how we want, however, we want? The chance for retaliation has never been more prevalent than now and I intend to see who will enter the fight.”

Cranes’ cheeks turned beat red before standing, angrily pointing a finger in her face, “Who the fuck do you think you are Vanyla? I don’t care how special Saldivar believes you little Construct bitches are, I won’t take orders from you.”

Van grasped his finger then twisted so hard an audible CRACK resounded, “Watch who you point at and I never asked you to, asshole.”

Crane roared in pain and shoved her away but she was already heading towards the tent flap. The men outside rushed in but stood aside for them to go as Crane howled, yelling obscenities, cradling his broken finger.

“That wasn’t necessary! Why are you women so violent?” Henry shouted over Cranes’ curses, “He’s doing the best he can.”

“Pointing is impolite, and the fools playing house when he should form an army,” Van muttered then spun around to confront Racket when they were clear of Crane’s camp, “What’s going on? Are you in this for your own personal reasons or do you truly wish to stop Spell? I need to know you have my back.”

Racket sighed, crossing her arms, “I have your back. All of your backs. I wanted to check how loyal he is and turns out, you’re right. He’s encouraging citizens to leave Ozark. Saving lives, really.”

“He is,” Chester agreed, getting a few glares, “You can’t expect everyone to fight. It’s unreasonable.”

“Are you coming with me to speak to those guarding the perimeter?” Deven questioned tapping his worn and cracked wristwatch, “It will take all day.”

“I’ll come too,” Henry looked resigned, “If we plan on training these people, need to see what we’re working with.”

She touched Henry’s tense arm, “Thank you. We’ll compile a list of weapons we have in case of a raid and try to get a feel of who can help.”

“Van,” Chester ignored the others, stepping close to whisper, “I’ll grab my Vid Frames. If anything happens, contact me.”

She slyly smiled and lightly slapped his cheek, “The same goes for you. Return before dark because there’s something I want to show you.”

He nodded with a wink and the group split up.

* * * * * *

The sun was setting across a blue sky, lighting the clouds up with pink and oranges when Van led Chester into a clearing after a half-hour walk, refusing to say where they were heading. He felt exhausted from traipsing all over the Locket property line and needed warmth, food and a shitload of sleep but one look at Van’s glowing, smiling face had erased any objections of telling her no.

She threw her hands up dramatically when they walked up to a large lake surrounded by trees, “It’s winter, but during the spring and summer there’s so many fish you can practically scoop them out.”

He laughed, “This is the fish lake you told me about? For once you weren’t lying.”

“Yes,” she twirled in a circle and for a moment looked like a young woman enjoying herself instead of the hardened soldier she’d presented all day, “Isn’t it lovely? I plan on living here when everything settles down.”

He took in the area, picturing her in a modest house nestled in the woods, tending a garden and fishing until her skin reeked days afterward, “Alone?”

Her green eyes caught his muddy brown ones and then a mischievous smile twisted her lips, “Maybe? Do you think anyone would want to be my neighbor?”

“It’s pretty remote,” he played along while walking to the edge of the lake, alert to the fine sheen of ice coating the surface when he pressed a foot down testing the durability, “Getting materials out here will be a bitch. You might be alone for a long time.”

“What will you do when the war is over?”

He jerked, “War?”

“We’re at war,” she rolled her eyes, standing beside him to gaze into the frozen water, “Answer the question, Chet. What is in your heart?”

“You,” he answered without hesitation, turning to witness her surprised flush, “You’re in my heart. I wish I had the words but I’ve never been overly expressive. I’ll settle here… if you want me.”

She grinned and kissed his cold lips, warming them for half a second, “I do. Come on, let’s head back before it’s dark. There’s a lot to discuss with the gang before bed. By the way, I set up a tent for just the two of us tonight.”

“I’m game, although I should tell you we won’t be showering together anytime this century.”

She snickered, and he brought her close, devouring her mouth until she melted against him.

Entwining hands, they returned to the farm discussing what they would need to start a new life lakeside.