The Freedom We Gave Up Pt VI.

The clouds begin to disperse and the sounds of birds sing, filling the shallow valley with the sounds of peace.

I feel what I have never felt in what seems likes a lifetime, the sense of safety. Of being out of harm’s way or so I hope. At least for now, I believe I will be okay.

Ryan, approaching the man at the boulder reaching for a handshake, “Hey Caliber, you dope, been hiding here all this time huh? Couldn’t have at least chosen a more convenient spot?” Handshake ends.

Caliber, “Well now, I couldn’t let you waltz in without a challenge, right? You always played the best of the best out of all of us. Plus, look at you, you need the exercise. You eat the whole damn world or something?” Laughter ensues the moment.

Ryan, “I ate a few…hahaha, wait, do I look fat?”

Caliber, “Always…..now who is this?”

Ryan looks at, “This is David, he’s been avoiding the S.F.F.A just like we have been. I believe he has a bone to pick with them. Otherwise, why the hell would you hide in the mountains?”

Ryan and Caliber staring at me, “A bone to pick? Nah, I’d say a few bones need removing….” I smile.

Silence holds the air.

Caliber suddenly reaches over grabs my hand giving it a firm handshake, “Haha, well David, I have plenty of tools for whatever surgery you’ll be executing. Nice to meet you by the way. Let’s get the hell out of sight and go underground.”

Feeling the left-over pressure from the handshake with Caliber, “Sounds good to me.”

Ryan, “Let’s do this before one of us becomes target practice for the S.F.F.A. drones.”

Caliber, turns away from us, reaches into his left pocket and pulls out a small device like the one Ryan has. He’s aiming it at the rock and pressing it in a Morse code fashion.

A few moments and the ground just in front of the boulder, a telescope type object lifts from the ground. The top of it has a patch of grass making it look like it is wearing a wig.

Laughing inside my head about the “wig” I think, “Man, its been months since I laughed, I forgot what that felt like.“

Examining the object, Caliber reaches down to it, pulls open a small door and inside is a single blue button. Pressing the button, I watch him with high curiosity.

Caliber, “Alright, follow me.”

We follow Caliber as we make small talk about why each of us is here. I explain my situation and they seem to both admire my now want to bury the S.F.F.A in all its false glory. Tear its limbs and toss them to the seven seas where they will never be found. Let it all drown and listen to its lungs fill with water.

I feel my body heat up as I explain to them what I want to do. My fists clench, my blood boils.

Caliber with an agreeing tone, “Sounds like you want to do more than remove a few bones David.”

As I’m looking over the valley as we climb upside a large hill, “I guess you could say that, I can feel my whole body wanting to destroy everything they are. From the very molecule that brought them into existence…S.F.F.A is scum!”

Ryan, “Whoa, alright Highspeed, I like where your head is at. But what’s your plan exactly? I know vengeance when I see it, but man, the emotions behind that can blind a man without question. Leave him in a pool of regret or…..dead on the road to leave everyone else to fend for him.”

Ryan’s tone at the end felt as if there is something personal to what he said.

I look to him and see a bit of pain coat is eyes as we continue to walk.

Caliber with his left hand stroking his beard as we turn down a path on the hill, “Ryan is right, vengeance focused with right intention but wrong emotion, well, be prepared to be damned and damn those beside you. Sometimes it is best to reconvene till the madness has silenced I’d say.”

I contemplate their words for a moment before responding, “I get what you guys are saying. Seems like you guys have seen what I have not and done things I ever never had to do. I appreciate the input, but hey, where you two from? You know, before you met each other?”

Caliber, “The south…good ol’ south.”

Ryan, “Unfortunately, I am from the city of Seattle…but as soon as I was old enough, I ditched out and joined the Army before Seattle’s mental poison got to me. I have zero desire to ever return.”

Scratching the back of my head as we come to a stop at an entrance to a cave. “Texas and Seattle, quite opposites I’d say. Opposites attract right?…ahaha”

Ryan and Caliber laugh along with me.

Caliber, “You could say that, or it’s a matter of circumstances that makes an intelligent man such as myself. End up with a half retarted friend from Seattle. Guess you could say, I had no choice but to save the boy from himself. I would have felt bad leaving this slow man to his own makings.”

Caliber enters the cave, and we follow.

Ryan with a smirk on his face, “Ha…ha…ha funny huh?! Last I remember it was me giving you cover after you fell on your face cuz you tripped on your own shoe lace….Quite the intelligent man wouldn’t you say David?”

Making headway into the cave a breeze passes by us, “Intelligence is relative right?”

Caliber, “Kids got jokes I see. Every genius has his mistakes but even those mistakes yield results.”

Ryan, “If results mean breaking your own nose and getting rushed to the medic during a gun fight, then wow, those results are spot on.”

Caliber pulls a flashlight from his pocket and turns it on, “Yea yea, whatever you say Ryan, can’t all be the spitting image of the perfect warrior such as yourself now can we?”

The light from the flashlight suffocates the darkened path in light. Walking further in the walls begin to reflect in some areas like a jewel would.

Ryan, “Alright, I’m done, shut up before I De-ADD you from this world mister genius.”

Caliber quickly turns around and blinds Ryan in the face with the flashlight, “Never said I was a genius speller or speaker!”

I laugh at the back-and-forth banter, “Sounds like you two need a marriage counselor or something.”

Ryan and Caliber laugh.

Caliber, “Alright, we are here. watch your head.”

Caliber ducks down a few inches.

“I think I’ll be good, I’m no giant of the caves like you two.”

Ryan goes in before me I follow.

A few yards and they stand straight up, Caliber steps to his right and turns on a light that dangles from the ceiling.

He makes his way through what looks like a command center of some sort. He turns on four other lights that hang from the ceiling. The smell of electronics and cold air occupy the space.

I look around with intrigue, “You did all this yourself? (Caliber nods.) Man, you must be smart!”

Caliber, “Look Ryan, even a stranger such as David knows to admire my smarts. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him?”

Ryan laughs, “Where can I take a piss?”

Caliber, “There’s a thin path just over there. You’ll go through and walk for about a minute or two. One bucket, the white one, is for pee the second is for number two.”

Ryan leaves to use the bathroom.

I sit down on an old miss colored lawn chair that sits next to an empty table and place my bag on the ground next to me.

Caliber, “Want some water David?”

Looking over at Caliber, “Yes, thank you!”

Caliber walks over to the side of cave that appears to have moisture on it. From the wall looks like a beer tap or something. He grabs a cup from the shelving near the tap.

Flips the lever on the tap filling the cup with water.

Caliber walking over with the water, “Lucked out, fresh glacier water runs just above this bad boy. Climb another three-hundred feet up this hill, bam, nice sized fall constantly running heavy for most the year. Drink up, oh, and don’t worry about bacteria…See that attached to the tap? That filter is good for five hundred gallons, have three more.

S.F.F.A does not always have the best security around their resupply depots. They take most of us as fools. I’ll say they’re the fools.”

I take a drink of water and take in its cold flavor and smile, “Thank you Caliber!”

Caliber, “You’re welcome son. Now I got some plans to sort out with Ryan here when he gets back. We’ll be discussing your part of it if any. You’re a stranger and all.”

Sipping the water, I place it back on the table. “Understandable, I’ll enjoy this water and the ability to just relax until you two figure it out.”

(To be continued next year! Happy New Year, Merry Chirstmas and waht not.)