Yesterday's Gone: Season One Part 56

The two men looked at each other again, and finally Ed ran out of patience.

"Okay, I told you everything you've asked me. Now, it's your turn to answer some questions."

"Fair enough, Mr. Keenan," Williams said, "But we're not at liberty to say much more than we have."

"f.u.c.k that," Ed said, "Then find me someone who can answer questions."

"We've arranged that," Williams said, "Someone will be in to speak with you shortly, and they'll answer all your questions. In the meantime, I'd like to thank you for your cooperation."

"Can you at least tell me where the h.e.l.l we are?" Ed asked.

Williams looked at Sullivan, who nodded.

Williams said, "You're at Black Island Research Facility."

BRENT FOSTER.

Brent had never been happier to see a ferry.

They raced to the docks, duffels in hand, loaded with supplies and the smaller weapons Luis had on hand. They weren't carrying weapons on their person for fear of being mistaken for threats in what would likely be a clamped-down ferry ride to Black Island.

They were met by four armed men in black uniforms with unfamiliar emblems on their shoulders, standing guard at the end of the dock where the ferry was tied. The men were wearing some sort of masks. They seemed like military to Brent, which was a good sign because they could likely handle the aliens, if any more showed up.

But something about the soldiers caused an uneasy feeling to creep through Brent's insides.

"Please put your bags down and stand with your arms in the air," one of the men said through his mask.

All four rifles were on them.

"We're just here for the ride to Black Island. We heard the radio broadcast," Brent explained.

As they set their bags down, one of the soldiers stepped forward, rifle no longer aimed at them, but at the ready.

"Have any of you been bitten?" the soldier asked.

Jane and Emily shook their heads and said "No." Brent did the same. Luis had no response.

What? Why is he saying no?

"Sir, please respond; were any of you bitten?"

Luis glanced at Brent, then shook his head no.

Why are you lying?

Brent's uneasiness escalated.

"I need you all to remove your clothing, all of it, and step forward, to this man right here," the soldier said, pointing to a fifth man in black, who was standing at the dock entrance. The man had no gun, but instead, some sort of high-tech looking flashlight. "Step forward one at a time, as I call you," the man said.

"Our clothing?" Jane asked, "Why?"

"Just do it," one of the men snapped, in a voice unwilling to compromise or coddle.

Jane undressed Emily, who asked, "Why are we getting naked?"

"It's okay," Jane said. "It's okay, baby."

Luis glanced at Brent, shaking his head, almost in accusation that Brent should have let him leave.

They undressed, each of them stripped not only of their clothing, but their dignity at the hands of the soldiers. Brent's guts were turning as he exchanged another glance with Luis, trying to apologize with mere expression.

A soldier came and collected their clothing, throwing it into a large thick black plastic bag. "You'll get a.s.signed new clothing on the ferry," a soldier said.

a.s.signed? Like prisoners?

"The kid." A soldier barked. "Send her forward."

Emily took a hesitant step forward and Jane attempted to follow.

"Just the girl," the main guy snapped, aiming his rifle at Jane.

"Mommy, I'm scared," Emily called out, not wanting to move.

"Go!" the soldier snapped, pointing for Emily to step forward.

"It's okay," Jane said, clutching her arms across her chest. "Mommy's right here."

Emily approached the man with the weird light device. He turned it on. It seemed like a black light, except the light was a deeper, truer, brighter blue. He waved the wand over Emily's entire body, head to toe.

"She's clear," the light-wand guy said. One of the armed soldiers put a black gloved hand on Emily's shoulder and led her to a spot right at the steps. The man handed the girl a black blanket to wrap around herself.

"You," the guy in charge said, pointing at Jane.

She stepped up, then closed her eyes. As the wand went over her chest, something buzzed and a light on the device went red.

The gunmen immediately turned to Jane, rifles aimed at her.

Emily cried out, sensing the danger, and tried to run toward her mom. The soldier next to her grabbed her, dropped to a knee to lower himself, and held back the child.

"What's wrong?" Jane cried.

That's when Brent noticed the scar running down the center of her chest; Brent figured from heart surgery.

The soldier with the light turned some dials on the device, then ran the light over her again, slowing when he reached her chest. The red lights didn't go off this time.

"Okay," he said, "clear. Please move forward."

Jane joined her daughter, face red with either anger or embarra.s.sment. Jane took Emily from the soldier's arms and picked her up, holding her tight. She was also given a blanket to wrap herself in.

Luis stood in front of Brent, next in line. Brent looked over Luis, trying to see any signs of the things Luis had seen under his skin. Luis's left arm spasmed, twice. Luis stared straight ahead, either not noticing or trying to hide the spasms.

Brent's heart pounded hard as he glanced around at the gunmen, each of their rifles aimed at him and Luis. If something went down, they couldn't do a thing. No Rambo-like theatrics or last stands in Times Square. They'd be shot down like prisoners in old war footage Brent had seen years ago.

"Okay, you're next," the man in charge said, using his rifle to point at Luis, and then to the man with the light.

Brent swallowed.

Luis glanced back at Brent. "Keep believing," he said to Brent.

"Sir, please step forward."

Keep believing? That he'll be okay? Or is that a goodbye message, to keep believing I'll find my family?

This was all happening too fast. Brent glanced at Jane and Emily, standing helpless, rifles aimed at them, the girl crying and clutching her mother, who could do nothing to truly protect her against men with guns.

Luis stepped toward the man in the light, but before he got there, he stopped, turned to the man in charge, and said, "I've been bitten."

Brent felt his stomach drop.

The soldiers all aimed their rifles at Luis in unison. The man in charge yelled into a radio in his mask, "We've got an infected!"

On the ferry, Brent saw four more men with guns appear, forming a barrier to prevent anyone from rus.h.i.+ng onto the boat.

"When were you bitten?" the man with the light asked, keeping his distance from Luis.

"Yesterday, mid-morning."

"Jesus!" one of the soldiers said.

"Code red!" the man in charge yelled, panic in his eyes, and two soldiers rushed at Luis, rifles aimed, then shot him. Once in the head, a second shot ripped through his chest. Luis fell to the ground before anyone had a chance to protest. Another man in black came from the boat holding a large device which Brent didn't recognize until it shot flames which engulfed Luis's body.

Brent stared in horror, helpless, stunned, tears flooding his eyes, mouth agape.

Jane and Emily screamed, as the gunmen turned to Brent. He barely saw them, eyes transfixed on the fire.

"Have you been bitten?" the man in charge asked, snapping Brent's attention back to the threat before him.

"No," Brent shook his head, taking a deep breath. "I swear."

"Move forward."

Brent moved to the man with the light. As the man ran the light over Brent's feet, Brent stared at the burning man that had been his friend. And who had saved his life.

I'm so sorry.

A creeping fear burrowed into Brent's brain.

What if I somehow got infected by Luis? They'll just shoot me dead right here. No questions asked.

And I'll never see Ben or Gina again.

And that's when he remembered the truck in his pants pocket, which was now gone with the clothes, sealed up in a bag, destined for G.o.d knows where.

Stanley Train!

Tears now flowed down his face as his last physical tether to his child and the world before had been severed.

The light moved up, now at his knees. Brent held his breath, dreading the red lights or buzzing sound. The light was now at his waist, and the device made a noise that sounded like interference. Emily cried out. Brent closed his eyes.

Please, G.o.d, don't let me die here. Please, I beg you. I just want to see my family again.

The interference grew louder and Brent swallowed, certain he was drawing his final breath as he stared at the fire that might soon take him.

The man lowered the light, then went back over the spot. No noise. He finished the sweep, then told Brent to join the others.

Brent released a sigh of relief as he walked to Jane and Emily and was given a blanket.

"We're going to Black Island Research Facility," the man in charge said. "You will not bring any belongings with you. You will be checked once every eight hours for infection for the next three days. If you show positive, you will be shot and incinerated. We cannot allow any infection at the facility, is that understood?"

Brent and Jane said yes. Emily continued crying.

"Let's get out of here," the man said.

As they moved forward, Brent looked back one last time at the burning corpse.

You were right, buddy.

JIM MARTIN.