The guard looked up and gave a hand signal.
A loud metal clank followed by the sounds of heavy wheels and cranks moving. The two door gate slowly opened inward.
Barry drove through and headed directly to the executive mansion.
“Number One, you son has arrived. He was driving Driver Eight’s truck,” Bravo One said.
Xavier looked up from a stack of papers on his desk. “Good. And has Teacher Seven made any calls from the suite?”
“No,” Bravo One said. She cleared her throat and continued, “Xavier, are you sure this is a good idea.”
He leaned back and smiled, “Using my birth name, this is serious. You must be talking about Portia.”
“Yes.”
“I’m a single man, she’s now a single woman. Why can’t we fall in love? I couldn’t think of a more appropriate pairing, the leader of The Collective and the widow of Driver Eight.”
“I don’t trust her,” she said.
“We’ve been together since the beginning, I trust your counsel but I feel strongly about this.”
“I just don’t know if the other residents will see that. You’re twenty-three years her senior.”
“That’s antiquated thinking,” he said then thought about why she was asking. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”
“I’ve been with you for many years. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t grown to love you.”
He got up and walked over to her. He placed his hand tenderly against her cheek and said, “We’ve had our moments, we’ve shared each other and I love you but I’m not in love with you. You mean so much to me, I hope you’ll accept my decision and welcome Portia as my next wife.”
She touched his hand and said, “You’ll always have my support.”
“You’re a good woman.”
“Knock, knock,” Barry said tapping on the open door. “Am I disturbing something intimate?”
“No, Bravo One was just leaving,” Xavier said giving Bravo One a nod. She picked up some papers from the desk and hurried out.
“Son, come in, close the doors and have a seat,” Xavier said.
Barry did as he was told and plopped down in a thick leather chair next to the desk.
“Care for a drink? Whiskey?”
“Sure.”
Xavier poured two glasses, gave one to Barry and sat back down at his desk. “So, tell me, did he beg for his life? Or did you just walk up behind him and shoot him in the head?”
“Let’s first talk about what you’re doing with his wife. Are you really taking her as yours?”
Shocked that Barry knew, he asked, “How did you hear about that?”
“I have my own ears around town.”
He pointed at Barry and laughed, “A chip off the old block.”
“I learned from the best,” Barry said with a smile.
“She’s beautiful. I can’t wait to get my hands on her,” Xavier said. “And with these new hormones you’ve gotten for me, and some of the other enhancers, I should be fit as a fiddle.”
“When you told me you wanted me to kill Driver Eight, I thought you must have made a mistake. That’s why I asked for a confirmation. You know dad, I still remember when we found him. I told you it was a bad idea and you said either he’ll end up being a savior for our fledging group or he’ll be the one that will put an end to it. I think that’s pretty much verbatim.”
“I remember that, good memory.”
“Driver Eight gave us nineteen years of his life. Driving millions of miles so that our little experiment would thrive and when he had something that you wanted you had him killed. What kind of person does that?”
“Son, the world is not for the weak or the meek. We must take what we want.”
“When do you think I can take over?” Barry asked.
“Why do you ask?”
“I’m just curious. I’m almost twenty-six, I’m strong, educated. I think I’m getting close. Plus, I imagine you’ll want to enjoy retirement with your new bride.”
Xavier laughed. “Son, I’m not going to retire while I’m still standing. Secondly, you still need a bit more seasoning. Give it some more time, maybe spend some time outside the gates. See what’s out there.”
“I don’t need to see what’s out there. Its’ a shit hole.”
“You look tired. I’m sure your trip and what I asked of you has made you tired.”
“No, what I’m tired of is being disrespected. I’m ready to lead now.”
“I’m not sure why you’re getting upset. It’s must be because you’re weary. Go rest, let’s continue this conversation over dinner.”
“No!”
Xavier stood up. “I’ll not have you yell at me.”
Barry took a deep breath and calmly said, “Your time is up, father.”
The office doors opened and in walked Kyle with a pistol in his hand.
“You’re alive?” Xavier asked, his face contorted in terror.
Barry got up quickly and moved out of the way.
“You ordered to have me killed. You tried to take my wife from me. I served you out of a sense of duty because you saved my life and that is how you repay?” Kyle barked marching towards Xavier.
“Let me explain,” Xavier pleaded his hands up.
“There’s nothing to explain. I just heard this entire conversation,” Kyle said.
Across the room, Barry held up a hand held radio. “Sorry, dad.”
“You, you planned this?” Xavier hollered at Barry.
“What did you say dad, the world is not for the weak or the meek.”
Kyle walked until the desk was the only thing that stood between him and Xavier. “Time to die.”
“No, no, don’t. I can reverse all of this. Let me do that. I’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t kill me.”
Kyle index finger began to apply pressure to the trigger.
“I put you in that truck not because we needed you to scavenge for us, but because I know you needed to look for her. I know you’ve never forgiven yourself for surviving that day. I know you’ve been searching for her.”
“Shut up!”
“Let me help you find her,” Xavier implored.
“Shut up.”
“Please, let me help you.”
“Why? You can have anyone you want, but my wife?”
“It’s not like that.”
“It definitely seems that way to me. I’ve been loyal to you. I gave you my life in service because you saved me and put me in that truck.”
Xavier’s initial shock was morphing into anger at the sight of Kyle pointing a pistol at him. He could see something in his eyes that he’d never seen before, fear. “I did and I told you why. You’ve been driving everywhere looking for her, I know you have but did I stop you? No. I only let you do what you needed even though you were putting your needs about the others, even above your own wife.”
Kyle tightened his grip on the pistol and took a step closer, “Shut up!”
Barry watched with pure joy the interaction between his two foes knowing that this showdown would be the end of both.
“Do you know how alone Portia has been? Sitting and waiting for a man who can never truly give his heart to her because it belongs with someone else. Can you imagine how that must feel?”
“Shut your mouth!”
Growing impatient, Barry blurted out, “Shoot him already!”
Xavier looked at Barry, his expression turning to surprise.
“Just tell me why you’d betray me?” Kyle asked. His need to know was cloudy his judgement and putting the plan in jeopardy.
“Betrayal? Ask your wife about that,” Xavier said.
“I’ve been a good husband.”
“Sure, you haven’t lay with other women, but you’re never there for her, you’re always gone. Driving mile after mile all with the hope that one day you’ll find her. What was here name?”
“Don’t talk about her.”
“Her name, it was the only thing you kept saying when we found you. It was…”