Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home (36 page)

Don nodded. “Thanks for the warning.”

“I mean it, Don, you make sure they’re hidden,” Nathan said as Frank brought over the recorder and set a microphone in front of Nathan.

“I’m just going to do the introduction, and you say what you want,” Frank said, and Nathan nodded. Frank pushed a button. “Hello again, America, it’s me. I had a fan tell me F-U sounds really cool, so I’m staying with it. To my family, Nathan made it and I’m safe, so don’t worry and don’t come here. Now, Nathan would like to say a few words.”

“Hello out there, its Nathan. To everyone in America, keep up the fight. To those in Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, we’ve almost made it home. To my brothers and their wives who I call sisters at home, I’ll be there soon, and you will never believe what I found in this mess. I found my family. They’re great and I found someone I’m going to grow old with. Ares is doing well and I will keep my promise on that date. It hasn’t been easy, but with my family beside me and friends behind me, there’s nothing I can’t do. I owe those who helped a debt that can’t be repaid, and I killed everyone that tried to stop me, so I can’t threaten them.

“F-U is going to be giving out information in the coming days that will change the course of the war. Listen to it and follow it. If you’re ever in doubt, ask yourself: ‘What would Nathan do?’ He would kill every loyalist he sees. I have to go now, since I’m almost home. But don’t worry loyalists, I’ll be back soon. I don’t bury you when you’re dead; buzzards and dogs have to eat too.”

Frank pushed the stop button. “You want all of that played?”

“Every word,” Nathan said.

Don walked over. “Dude, you just put a big X on your ass.”

“Good, then they’ll just come to me so I can kill them,” Nathan said with a grin.

Chapter 25

Day 62

Nathan was laid out on the hood of his buggy with Jasmine beside him. They were just watching the sun go down. Keith had kept his promise and had given them roads that were controlled by patriots. They were only two hundred and twenty-five miles from home.

They had listened to F-U’s broadcast, and Jasmine had to wipe tears out of her eyes. They didn’t know that all those they had met along the way had listened as well, and cheered knowing Nathan and his group were still alive and almost home.

Trembling nervously, Jasmine grabbed Nathan’s hand. “Nathan, will your group like me?”

“Yes, the wives especially. They won’t have to worry about fixing me up anymore,” Nathan said.

“I hope so. You think so much of them. I want to make a good impression,” Jasmine said in a nervous voice.

Nathan looked over at her. “Just be you, the cool you that learned the rules of the world.”

Jasmine let out a snort. “You realize I have seven kids now. You sure you still want me?”

“They’re half mine, so yeah, I can’t let ya go for that,” Nathan said, then looked back at the sky, wanting the damn sun to go the hell away.

“Can we go yet?” Amanda whined behind them.

“Hello, the sun is still up,” Nathan sang out.

“Shoot the damn thing,” Amanda popped off.

“Yeah,” Tom said. “Amanda’s giving us pop quizzes on everyone’s pictures.”

“Amanda, they will love you, so relax. If they don’t it’s their loss. I love you and so does Jasmine,” Nathan said.

“I know, but I want them to love me too,” Amanda whined.

“If they don’t, I’ll break their bones until they do,” Nathan promised. Hearing movement behind him, Nathan glanced back to see Amanda climbing out of buggy and sliding down the windshield.

Amanda lay on his chest. “You can’t do that.”

“Who made that rule?” Nathan asked. “You realize because you’re out here, Emma’s going to want to come out here.”

“Like that bothers you,” Amanda said patting his cheek. “You look for her every thirty seconds.”

“Just checking on her,” Nathan clarified.

“Okay, Nathan,” Amanda said, climbing off his chest back into the buggy.

“You have enough beds for us?” Jasmine asked.

“‘Us’ better be sleeping with me,” Nathan informed her.

Jasmine tapped his chest. “You know what I mean.”

“We have more than enough cots for now. We will go get some beds. The girls will have a room together, and the boys will share one too,” Nathan said.

“Are you really going to fight?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes. I have something to lose now. If everyone who had something to lose fought, the war would be over,” Nathan said. He let her hand go and put his arm under her head, pulling her to his side.

“Nathan,” John called out. “The sun is almost down. Once we get loaded up it will be dark.”

“John, the only thing not loaded up is us,” Nathan said. “You guys should’ve slept today.

“Can’t wait to get there,” John said with a grin.

“That’s all good, but I get to shower first,” Nathan declared.

“I don’t care,” Amanda piped in. “I’m getting in the hot tub.”

Jasmine sat up, looking at Nathan. “Hot tub?”

“Oh come on, Jasmine,” Tom called out. “Amanda’s only mentioned it a hundred times. Do you even listen to her?”

“When?” Jasmine asked.

“Jesus!” Tom exclaimed. “You open the front door and walk in. On your right is the living area with a projection TV. Walk five of Nathan’s steps and you have a door to your left, that’s Nathan’s room. Walk six more steps you have another door on your left, that’s Tim, Sherry, and Nolan’s room. Five more steps and to your left you will see the kitchen, on your right is the dining room. Ten steps to cross that brings you to a hall in the center of the house. Four steps farther, you have a door on your right that’s a laundry room. Two more steps and you have a door on your left, which is a gym with the hot tub and steam room. Ten steps and you have a door on each side facing each other. They were empty storage rooms, but now they are our rooms, and Amanda gets to pick which is the girls’. Nine steps you have a door on the left, which is Nathan’s gun room, and an open area to your right that Nathan doesn’t know what to do with. Past the open area ten steps you come to another hall with three doors on each side that are all storage rooms.”

Jasmine looked over at Amanda. “You made them memorize a place you haven’t even been?”

“No,” Amanda snapped.

“Memorize, hell,” John said. “She repeated it twenty times a day.”

Jasmine tapped Nathan’s chest with her index finger. “Amanda is your child, and there is no doubting that.”

“Oh yeah, how so?” Nathan asked.

“You said that, so that means you had it memorized,” Jasmine said. Then a curious thought hit Jasmine. “Where is the rest of Nathan’s storage, Amanda?”

“He has three forty-foot shipping containers buried forty feet to the right of his house for food storage. On the left, forty feet away, are two more. One holds a machine shop, the other tools and a woodworking area. Right past those is the chicken coop and his two greenhouses,” Amanda said.

“I rest my case,” Jasmine said lying back down.

Nathan laughed as he pulled her close. “Okay, I’ll admit to the firecracker.”

Everyone sat in silence, waiting for Nathan to give the word. When just the last edge of the sun was above the horizon, Nathan sat up. He never said a word as everyone ran to their buggies, climbing in. “Guess I don’t have to say let’s go,” he said, sliding off the hood.

“Come on, Nathan,” Natalie moaned.

“Very well,” Nathan said. “John, stay fifty yards behind me. I know these roads like the back of my hand.”

“We’re over two hundred miles away,” Jasmine said.

“So? I hunt and ride these roads on ATVs and horses,” Nathan said, climbing in.

Amanda leaned out her door toward John. “Don’t make me have to come and find you.”

“Amanda!” Nathan snapped as he started the buggy. “Guys, just because were almost home, don’t drop your guard.”

“Someone gets in the way I’m cranking the gat on their ass,” Amanda said, lifting her rifle.

“Will you relax?” Nathan said looking over at her.

Amanda shook her head. “I don’t care if it’s an old lady with a walker, she gets smoked.”

Giving up, Nathan dropped the buggy into drive and pulled out onto the gravel road. He steadily picked up speed as the excitement hit him, and he shoved the pedal to the floor. Every face had a smile as the group raced down the road.

When Nathan turned off the gravel road onto the mountain roads he slowed because of the blind curves, but they were still moving along. But when they came off the mountain roads, Nathan tried to put his foot through the floorboard.

Behind him, John never missed a beat, hanging right with Nathan through every twist and turn. At times Jasmine just closed her eyes on the mountain roads. On one side was rock, and the other, a thousand-foot drop. When Nathan pulled onto a blacktop, Jasmine sighed. Then she freaked as Nathan started dodging elk.

When they blew through a small town going under the interstate, Jasmine wanted to cheer. Then Nathan pulled onto a gravel road, still booking it, throwing up a cloud of dirt and rock. Jasmine could feel her skin tingling as Nathan turned onto a mountain, road slowing down.

It almost one a.m. when Nathan keyed his radio. “Slowing.” Nathan coasted to a stop and turned the buggy off.

“What are you doing?” Amanda asked.

“Come on, get out,” Nathan said.

“I don’t have to pee, and even if I did, a toilet is just down there,” she moaned.

Nathan climbed out and reached back to get Emma, who was playing with Woof. “Come on.” Stepping back, Nathan waved the others up. They all ran over to him, standing in the road.

“What are we doing?” Jasmine asked.

Nathan pulled out his radio. “Calling home,” he said, changing the channels. Everyone held hands as Nathan pulled out the ear bud connection so the others could hear. Nathan pressed the key. “This is Rocky calling Mickey.” Amanda mouthed the words silently with him.

Everyone waited for anything, then the radio went off. “Rocky, this is Mickey, run traffic.”

Cheers erupted as they hugged, then quieted down as Nathan pressed the key. “Mickey, request entry into Wonderland. Rocky is bringing drinks in containers, over.”

“Copy, Rocky. How many drinks and containers? Over.”

“Two containers, and eight drinks request the red carpet, over.”

“Rocky, you have a Looney Tunes on the carpet and Wonderland is waiting, over.”

Nathan looked at the group. “Let’s go home.” Everyone ran to their buggies, cheering, not caring about noise, and Nathan couldn’t tell them otherwise. He was cheering too.

Unlike before, Nathan drove very slowly on this road. “Why are we going slow now?” Natalie asked.

“This road is booby trapped, and I want to make sure they are all disarmed,” Nathan said.

Amanda looked at him. “They cleared eleven miles of road that fast? Because I don’t see anyone.”

“No, I’m sure they disarmed them today. In the radio broadcast I let them know I would be home in days,” Nathan said.

Amanda didn’t say anything and stood up in the seat as they crested the mountain and started down into a small valley. “Home,” Amanda said as Natalie stood up beside her. Up ahead they saw a building light up, shutting down the NVGs.

But everyone was looking at all the people waiting at the building. Nathan slowed, stopping in front of the group, and got out. Tears sprang to his eyes, looking at the front of the group. Four men and four women with some kids ran and wrapped their arms around Nathan.

Nathan’s group watched, smiling, as Nathan’s friends welcomed him home. Nathan stepped back from his friends and looked back at his family. He waved for them to get out, and all of them stood behind Nathan shyly. “This is the family I found and didn’t know I had.”

Nathan pulled Amanda in front of him. “The first one I found was a daughter. This is Amanda.”

Amanda walked over. “You’re Rusty,” she said, giving him a hug. She turned to the woman beside Rusty. “You’re Libby, his wife,” Amanda said, giving her a hug. Amanda moved down the line, letting each one know she already knew them from Nathan. She stopped at the end. “You’re Tim and Sherry and that’s little Nolan,” she said with tears pouring down her face. Amanda launched at them with wide-open arms. She cried when they returned the hug just as hard. When they let go, Amanda stayed beside them.

Nathan pulled John up next. “This is my son. I found him second. His name is John, Big John.” John walked down the line, giving and receiving hugs.

Jasmine was stunned when Nathan didn’t pull her up next but pulled up Tom, Natalie, Casey, and Emma. “Next I had quadruplets, another son and three daughters. This is Tom, Natalie, Casey, and Emma.” The four moved over and hugged everyone, moving down the line.

Nathan turned around, taking a smiling Chip from Emma. “This was the last of my children I found. His name is Chip. Some really bad things happened to him and he doesn’t talk yet, but he will.”

Chip ran over to the line. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he knew hugs. Rusty picked him up, giving him a big hug, and passed him down the line.

Nathan turned around, holding out his hand for Jasmine. “I found her early in my journey, but I didn’t know who she was at the time. This is who I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. May I present Jasmine?” The four couples walked up to Jasmine, and she could feel them studying her. Jasmine fought the urge to hide behind Nathan as they stopped in front of her.

Sherry stepped forward and looked Jasmine up and down. Jasmine, like the rest of the group, was dressed in tactical gear. Fighting the urge to tell Sherry she was freaking her out, Jasmine just smiled. Sherry opened her arms, falling on Jasmine, crying. “You have a brain! Thank you God, you have a brain.”

In total shock, Jasmine slowly returned the hug, feeling like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. Then the other women dove on her, mumbling the same thing.

“Ladies, my girlfriends weren’t that bad,” Nathan said. Sherry extracted herself from the group.

“Bullshit! When even the guys are saying a woman is a stupid ass even if she’s pretty, she’s a dumbass,” Sherry said, wiping tears off her face. She turned back to Jasmine. “You have a brain!” She hugged her again.

“Sherry, we are going to talk about those girlfriends,” Jasmine said, wiping her eyes.

“Whatever you want. You couldn’t talk to them. Nolan carried a better conversation,” Sherry said, squeezing Jasmine tightly.

“That can’t be good,” Nathan said as the guys came over, picking Jasmine up and hugging her.

Billy picked Jasmine up, holding her up. “You and these kids took that lost look from him. We will love you forever.”

The rest of the group came over and, to their surprise, Amanda named them as well. They moved into the dining hall and talked, just getting to know the extended family. When Nathan walked into the bathroom, he bowed his head to the toilet and sat Emma on it. She promptly fell in. Pulling her out, Nathan held her on the edge.

It was dawn when Nathan and Amanda led them to the house. Amanda chose the girls’ room after looking at two identical room on each side of the hall for twenty minutes. Nathan laid Emma on the couch and headed to the shower. Leaving the cold off, Nathan stepped in and just stood. When he got out, Jasmine passed him. “I’m taking a shower. Go tell the kids good night.”

“It’s dawn,” Nathan said. Not seeing Emma on the couch, Nathan freaked and started looking around.

Hearing banging, Sherry came out of their room. “Nathan, what are you doing?”

“I can’t find Emma. We need to start looking outside,” he said, running for the door.

“She climbed in bed with us. She’s curled up next to Nolan,” Sherry said.

Nathan sighed and smiled at Sherry. “Okay, but keep an eye on her.”

Walking down the hall, Nathan peeked in the rooms, telling everyone good night. Then he headed back to
his bed
. Not the ground or saddle, a bed. When he walked in, Jasmine stepped out, wrapped in a towel. “A bed,” Nathan said, and Jasmine walked past him.