FALLEN HERO
By AJ Burfield, MJ Cogburn and Katherine Freymuth
PART FIVE
Sam tore down the lengthy driveway, his neck a throbbing reminder of what was behind him. He turned down the highway in the general direction he last saw Alia. Almost immediately, he spotted a small paved road off to his right and he took it, relying on his bump of direction. He calculated that he could head her off, and that she wasn't that far ahead of him. The road made a sweeping curve around the base of a hill and when he rounded the apex of the curve he saw a valley open up off to his right.
The motion of a running horse in the corner of his eye immediately caught his attention. He pulled off the road, hiding the Jeep in a bunch of trees, and headed back to the valley on foot. Swallowed by the trees, he couldn't see her, so he crossed the narrow road and climbed to a ridge above the highway just in time to see Alia come out of the brush edging the roadway. She was almost across from him, but he wasn't sure if she was in hearing distance and debated yelling to her. He opted to hold his tongue when he heard the sound of a car on the highway, and was glad he did when he saw it was Thames. He realized he had no time to warn her.
Alia was galloping down the side of the highway when she heard the sound of the vehicle behind her. She looked back over her shoulder to see who it was, and when she saw Thames, she spurred the horse on and pulled the reins toward the roadside guardrail which was there to protect cars from going off into the valley below.
Sam watched in horror as he saw her position herself to make a jump. His eyes widened in awe as the gelding barreled confidently down the straightway, like this was a walk in the park.
It seemed an impossible jump from Sam's view. He saw the big, bay gelding's ears perk up as he gauged the distance to the roadside guardrail. The rail itself wasn't that high, only a couple of feet, but the drop on the other side was practically vertical. In addition, the ground looked hard with loose rocks spread across the slope, staying in place by unknown means. The dirt easement next to the roadway was in the same condition and Sam could hear the gelding's hooves pounding on the ground even from his distance.
Alia was in a perfect two-point position, her hands low on the horse's neck, weight in her heels, and her body balanced to the galloping rhythm and raised slightly off the animals' back. Her face was set in concentration, totally aware of the danger following her, but not allowing it to distract her. She knew her life depended on the horse's ability.
The bay's neck lowered slightly as he gathered his hindquarters under himself, setting his feet for a firm take-off. Time seemed to slow as Sam saw the gravel flying from the horse's hooves. He was awed that the animal could keep his feet, let alone make the jump he was angling towards.
The following Jeep was moving at a good speed, slipping slightly sideways as it transitioned from the roadway to roadside, trying to close the gap between them. Sam saw Thames leaning out the window, his elbow hooked on the doorframe for stability as he leveled the gun on the galloping couple. The Jeep was entering the straightaway Alia was on, and he would have a clear shot in seconds. There was a pinging noise from rocks striking the metal guardrail and a screeching of tires mixed with the thunder of the bay's hooves. The Jeep spewed a cloud of dust from beneath the two tires on the roadside.
Sam focused back on Alia and whispered, "NO!" protesting the planned gunshot and the imminent leap of the gelding. As he raised his hands to his mouth to warn Alia, the animal jumped. Sam held his breath.
It was a graceful arc, the gelding's head raised up, ears forward. He seemed to float over the guardrail, feet tucked neatly, then angled sharply down. As his hindquarters cleared the rail and the pair sank down out of sight in a puff of dust, a gunshot rang out. It was a wild shot, considering how the Jeep was fishtailing.
From his higher viewpoint across the road Sam saw the horse slipping down the hill, amazingly keeping his balance by sitting on his hindquarters while stretching out his front legs and delicately using them to steer. Alia was molded to his back as if they were one unit. It would have been a beautiful sight to study if it weren't for the Jeep sliding to a stop at the horse's take off point.
"Shit!" he heard Thames shout at the audacity of such a feat. Thames jumped from the car and sprinted to the rail to draw a bead on Alia. He wobbled for a few seconds as his feet found purchase on the rocky ground, then aimed the gun in her direction. The dust from the fleeing pair slowed his target acquisition, giving them a precious few moments to escape.
Alia was firmly in control of the horse, guiding him gently. There was a ditch at the base of the hill with heavy brush on the far side; beyond that was forest and cover. Sam could see she had the slimmest chance for escape.
The magnificent animal used his front legs to position himself for the jump at the bottom. He was alert, again gauging the distance, ears pricked forward like he did this every day. As he pushed off the hill, he raised his knees gracefully and sailed over the ditch. On the roadside, Thames squeezed the trigger as the horse rose out of the dust. The shot was loud in the absence of pounding hooves and squealing tires, and it made Sam flinch.
As the horse landed on the opposite bank he stumbled, nearly going down headfirst. Sam, horrified, watched as the horse's legs flailed in the loose dirt. Alia grabbed fistfuls of mane and she lost both stirrups, fighting to stay aboard while the horse fought to stay on his feet. With the reins free and flying, the animal managed to stay upright and crashed through the brush just as another shot tore through the air. The horse and rider were a frantic blur as they entered the woods. Sam just saw a glimpse of Alia clinging to the horse's neck as they disappeared to the sound of yet another shot. He couldn't tell if they had been hit or not; he was still shocked they survived the jump.
Time snapped back to real speed as Sam realized he was an open target standing on the hill. Flopping down on his stomach, he parted a bush with his hands so he could watch Thames' reaction. He heard the crackling sound of breaking brush fading in the distance as Alia and her savior retreated. Thames cursed loudly and waved his arms angrily as he stormed his way back to the Jeep and Sam was grateful for at least the illusion of safety behind the skimpy brush. He watched the evil leaper fire up the car and begin the hunt for a way into the woods. Sam knew he had to find Alia quickly and get her to safety, wherever that may be.
************
"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Al ranted when he found himself surrounded by the Imaging Chamber again. "Get me centered on Sam now, Tina! Move it!"
"We can't, Admiral. The power's been cut off to the IC..." Tina started.
"I don't want to hear excuses! Sam's in danger!"
"We know, Al." Donna snapped, her fingers flying over the console. Her eyes were red, but her voice strong. "Tina, check the main grid. Something is blocking the power flow. Gooshie said," her voice caught, then she got it under control. "Gooshie said there was an outside interface taking over."
Al bit his tongue at the revelation. The last thing he needed to do was make Donna more worried and jump down everyone's throats.
"Let me trace it down." Her normally plucky voice was shaky, trying to forget what she had seen, and knowing Sam's life was in the balance.
A barely audible whisper floated down once again. "Danger. Shut. Down."
"What?" Al shouted towards the ceiling. "Ziggy, what in the hell are you saying?"
"Saaam, shut... down... danger." Ziggy's voice grew louder and louder until it sounded like a freight train running through the room. "SHUT DOWN!"
Al blocked his ears, wincing at the noise. Donna and Tina slapped their hands over their ears too, their eyes watering. Suddenly, the room was deathly quiet.
Al removed his hands before marching back to the Control Room, relieved the door worked at least. "What the hell happened?"
An ashen-faced Sammie Jo entered the Control Room, her red-eyed paleness a clear picture of how Gooshie's accident was affecting everyone.
Sammie just shook her head. "I think it's obvious, Admiral. Ziggy just said to shut her down. I shut her down."
"And you listened?!" He waved his arms frantically.
Sammie Jo winced at the tone, but understood his annoyance. "That's right. I did. This morning, Gooshie was talking about the main grids. He was trying to save Ziggy. You know how much he cared for this project. Ziggy was his baby, and he was doing everything he could. So when she says to shut down, I'm going to shut her down. She was asking us to. She might be able to fight it now. I... I don't know for sure, but we have to give her a chance." A tear slid down her cheek but she didn't bother to wipe at it.
Al looked at her with a frown. "Do we know how, what-ever-it-is, is trying to control Ziggy?"
"No, not yet." Sammie Jo said softly. "But if you give me time, I can..."
"Damn it, Sammie Jo! We've probably lost Gooshie and I'll be damned if we lose Sam too!" Al knew the moment the words passed his lips how that sounded, and he wished he could take them back.
Sammie Jo stormed up to Al and stopped mere inches from his face, her anger clear. "I'm not going to lose my father, sir. Understand?" Sammie Jo set her jaw as she looked at him. "When it's time, we'll turn Zig back on, and get the IC running. I know that you want to see Sam and make sure that he's okay. I know that! But remember that dad knows some awesome Karate moves and can handle himself." Spent, the emotions of the day suddenly set on her and she broke down, sobbing.
Al's face softened at the sight, but his frustration was still there. And of all times for her to start looking like Sam when he's making a point. Al closed his eyes and exhaled. He reached out to her, and tilted her chin to make her look up at him. "Okay, Sammie. Okay. We'll do this. We'll make it happen."
************
Donna and the others brainstormed a plan of action, and set of in their search and destroy missions. The infiltrator had to be isolated and stopped. They weren't even sure the extent of the infiltration, but they had to start somewhere.
With the scientists in control, Al had a break from the action, and reluctantly headed toward the infirmary. He felt like a heel. He had gone off in full-bore fighting mode, and hadn't dared think about Gooshie since leaving Section Four. He rounded the final corner to his destination and hesitated just short of the door. He prepared himself mentally, and walked into the infirmary.
It was quiet. A feeling of foreboding overcame him, and he dropped into the nearest seat, suddenly drained.
Verbena must have heard him enter, because she appeared from another doorway like she was expecting him. The redness of her eyes and cheeks hinted to report, and Al hoped she wouldn't speak at all.
She looked at Al with shiny eyes, her chin quivering. "I'm sorry, Al," she said hoarsely. "G... Gooshie didn't make it." She didn't wait for a response. She simply collapsed in a chair near him, silent tears running down her cheeks.
Al gritted his teeth at the confirmation of his unspoken fear. He closed his eyes and bowed his head for a moment, then sat forward and buried his face in his hands.
Beth emerged from the inner room, tear marks staining her cheeks, but she wasn't crying at the moment. She regarded her husband with a sad expression. Shock had set in and she moved toward him not cognizant of what was really happening around her. She sat down beside her husband and placed a hand on his back. "We did everything humanly possible. We did all we could, and it simply wasn't enough."
Al gently wrapped his arms around her, brushing her hair absently.
She blinked twice letting his embrace close around her. Then the tears came again, her body shaking in his arms. "Oh, Al... I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, baby." He whispered softly, forcing his own feelings down yet again. He held her a little more tightly, trying to stave off the guilty feeling that he hadn't done enough. "Everything will be okay."
"I know it will. It has to be. He can't have died for no reason. He was your friend."
Al huffed slightly. "He was a pain in the neck," he quipped, trying to push off his feelings of loss.
Having seen it before with other family members who had passed away, Beth understood what he was trying to do. She lightly kissed his cheek. "I've already said my good-byes. Perhaps you should do the same."
Al blinked back some tears, not wanting to show the pain he was feeling. "I can't," he said softly.
"Yes, you can." She sniffed, her crying under control. "You may act like the hard ass that you want everyone to think you are, but I know your heart.
You have to have closure on this. I'll come with you, if you'd like." She stood beside him and offered her hand. "Al?"
Al took her hand, and squeezed it as he slowly stood up. He took a deep breath and followed her. "I don't... I ... you know."
Beth sighed softly. "Baby, I know." Fresh tears fell down her cheeks again and she softly tugged on his hand again with a sad smile. "You can do this."
Al looked at her lovingly before he allowed himself to be led into the room. It was cold and eerie, and he wanted to flee right off the bat, but he stood his ground both mentally and physically as he approached the body.
Beth gently folded back the sheet from Gooshie's face as 'Bena had done for her. He looked peaceful, almost as if he was sleeping. She kept her eyes downcast at Gooshie's face, trying to give Al an illusion of privacy.
His jaw muscles worked quietly as he spoke through clenched teeth, the words directed at the still body. "Damn it, why'd you have to be so..."
"Heroic?" Beth finished for him.
"Yeah." He whispered, letting out a breath as he looked down on Gooshie. He felt responsible. If he had only reached him sooner, this wouldn't have happened.
Beth read his thoughts. "You can't blame yourself, Al. Gooshie did what he had to do. He... he loved her, Al. He put his life into Ziggy. Ziggy was his reason for getting up in the morning. He..." Beth choked, unable to talk.
Al knew that Beth was right. He couldn't blame himself. Now, he couldn't stop the tears. They fell silently from his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away, only to have fresh ones take their place. "He was... was....jeeze, Beth, he drove me nuts." Al pulled her close to stop his own quivering.
A small laugh burst out from her sorrow. "I know. And his breath..." She wiped at her own tears in Al's embrace. "It could knock over a cow! But, I'll miss his coffee, and his chatter, his absent mindedness and his quiet way."
Al chuckled softly behind the tears. "Who's going to drive us up the wall now? He'll be missed. It's just..." he shook his head, unable to continue, and simply held her.
Beth held him as tightly as he held to her. Together in their grief, they stood in the room saying good-bye in their own way. Beth finally stepped from the arms of her husband and looked at Gooshie one last time. She laid her hand on top of his. "Good-bye, Gooshie. Watch over us."
Al's gaze followed her, but he stepped back smartly, and snapped into well-rehearsed attention. With all the respect he had for his friend and colleague, he swallowed hard and executed a perfect salute to the fallen hero.
By AJ Burfield, MJ Cogburn and Katherine Freymuth
PART FIVE
Sam tore down the lengthy driveway, his neck a throbbing reminder of what was behind him. He turned down the highway in the general direction he last saw Alia. Almost immediately, he spotted a small paved road off to his right and he took it, relying on his bump of direction. He calculated that he could head her off, and that she wasn't that far ahead of him. The road made a sweeping curve around the base of a hill and when he rounded the apex of the curve he saw a valley open up off to his right.
The motion of a running horse in the corner of his eye immediately caught his attention. He pulled off the road, hiding the Jeep in a bunch of trees, and headed back to the valley on foot. Swallowed by the trees, he couldn't see her, so he crossed the narrow road and climbed to a ridge above the highway just in time to see Alia come out of the brush edging the roadway. She was almost across from him, but he wasn't sure if she was in hearing distance and debated yelling to her. He opted to hold his tongue when he heard the sound of a car on the highway, and was glad he did when he saw it was Thames. He realized he had no time to warn her.
Alia was galloping down the side of the highway when she heard the sound of the vehicle behind her. She looked back over her shoulder to see who it was, and when she saw Thames, she spurred the horse on and pulled the reins toward the roadside guardrail which was there to protect cars from going off into the valley below.
Sam watched in horror as he saw her position herself to make a jump. His eyes widened in awe as the gelding barreled confidently down the straightway, like this was a walk in the park.
It seemed an impossible jump from Sam's view. He saw the big, bay gelding's ears perk up as he gauged the distance to the roadside guardrail. The rail itself wasn't that high, only a couple of feet, but the drop on the other side was practically vertical. In addition, the ground looked hard with loose rocks spread across the slope, staying in place by unknown means. The dirt easement next to the roadway was in the same condition and Sam could hear the gelding's hooves pounding on the ground even from his distance.
Alia was in a perfect two-point position, her hands low on the horse's neck, weight in her heels, and her body balanced to the galloping rhythm and raised slightly off the animals' back. Her face was set in concentration, totally aware of the danger following her, but not allowing it to distract her. She knew her life depended on the horse's ability.
The bay's neck lowered slightly as he gathered his hindquarters under himself, setting his feet for a firm take-off. Time seemed to slow as Sam saw the gravel flying from the horse's hooves. He was awed that the animal could keep his feet, let alone make the jump he was angling towards.
The following Jeep was moving at a good speed, slipping slightly sideways as it transitioned from the roadway to roadside, trying to close the gap between them. Sam saw Thames leaning out the window, his elbow hooked on the doorframe for stability as he leveled the gun on the galloping couple. The Jeep was entering the straightaway Alia was on, and he would have a clear shot in seconds. There was a pinging noise from rocks striking the metal guardrail and a screeching of tires mixed with the thunder of the bay's hooves. The Jeep spewed a cloud of dust from beneath the two tires on the roadside.
Sam focused back on Alia and whispered, "NO!" protesting the planned gunshot and the imminent leap of the gelding. As he raised his hands to his mouth to warn Alia, the animal jumped. Sam held his breath.
It was a graceful arc, the gelding's head raised up, ears forward. He seemed to float over the guardrail, feet tucked neatly, then angled sharply down. As his hindquarters cleared the rail and the pair sank down out of sight in a puff of dust, a gunshot rang out. It was a wild shot, considering how the Jeep was fishtailing.
From his higher viewpoint across the road Sam saw the horse slipping down the hill, amazingly keeping his balance by sitting on his hindquarters while stretching out his front legs and delicately using them to steer. Alia was molded to his back as if they were one unit. It would have been a beautiful sight to study if it weren't for the Jeep sliding to a stop at the horse's take off point.
"Shit!" he heard Thames shout at the audacity of such a feat. Thames jumped from the car and sprinted to the rail to draw a bead on Alia. He wobbled for a few seconds as his feet found purchase on the rocky ground, then aimed the gun in her direction. The dust from the fleeing pair slowed his target acquisition, giving them a precious few moments to escape.
Alia was firmly in control of the horse, guiding him gently. There was a ditch at the base of the hill with heavy brush on the far side; beyond that was forest and cover. Sam could see she had the slimmest chance for escape.
The magnificent animal used his front legs to position himself for the jump at the bottom. He was alert, again gauging the distance, ears pricked forward like he did this every day. As he pushed off the hill, he raised his knees gracefully and sailed over the ditch. On the roadside, Thames squeezed the trigger as the horse rose out of the dust. The shot was loud in the absence of pounding hooves and squealing tires, and it made Sam flinch.
As the horse landed on the opposite bank he stumbled, nearly going down headfirst. Sam, horrified, watched as the horse's legs flailed in the loose dirt. Alia grabbed fistfuls of mane and she lost both stirrups, fighting to stay aboard while the horse fought to stay on his feet. With the reins free and flying, the animal managed to stay upright and crashed through the brush just as another shot tore through the air. The horse and rider were a frantic blur as they entered the woods. Sam just saw a glimpse of Alia clinging to the horse's neck as they disappeared to the sound of yet another shot. He couldn't tell if they had been hit or not; he was still shocked they survived the jump.
Time snapped back to real speed as Sam realized he was an open target standing on the hill. Flopping down on his stomach, he parted a bush with his hands so he could watch Thames' reaction. He heard the crackling sound of breaking brush fading in the distance as Alia and her savior retreated. Thames cursed loudly and waved his arms angrily as he stormed his way back to the Jeep and Sam was grateful for at least the illusion of safety behind the skimpy brush. He watched the evil leaper fire up the car and begin the hunt for a way into the woods. Sam knew he had to find Alia quickly and get her to safety, wherever that may be.
************
"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Al ranted when he found himself surrounded by the Imaging Chamber again. "Get me centered on Sam now, Tina! Move it!"
"We can't, Admiral. The power's been cut off to the IC..." Tina started.
"I don't want to hear excuses! Sam's in danger!"
"We know, Al." Donna snapped, her fingers flying over the console. Her eyes were red, but her voice strong. "Tina, check the main grid. Something is blocking the power flow. Gooshie said," her voice caught, then she got it under control. "Gooshie said there was an outside interface taking over."
Al bit his tongue at the revelation. The last thing he needed to do was make Donna more worried and jump down everyone's throats.
"Let me trace it down." Her normally plucky voice was shaky, trying to forget what she had seen, and knowing Sam's life was in the balance.
A barely audible whisper floated down once again. "Danger. Shut. Down."
"What?" Al shouted towards the ceiling. "Ziggy, what in the hell are you saying?"
"Saaam, shut... down... danger." Ziggy's voice grew louder and louder until it sounded like a freight train running through the room. "SHUT DOWN!"
Al blocked his ears, wincing at the noise. Donna and Tina slapped their hands over their ears too, their eyes watering. Suddenly, the room was deathly quiet.
Al removed his hands before marching back to the Control Room, relieved the door worked at least. "What the hell happened?"
An ashen-faced Sammie Jo entered the Control Room, her red-eyed paleness a clear picture of how Gooshie's accident was affecting everyone.
Sammie just shook her head. "I think it's obvious, Admiral. Ziggy just said to shut her down. I shut her down."
"And you listened?!" He waved his arms frantically.
Sammie Jo winced at the tone, but understood his annoyance. "That's right. I did. This morning, Gooshie was talking about the main grids. He was trying to save Ziggy. You know how much he cared for this project. Ziggy was his baby, and he was doing everything he could. So when she says to shut down, I'm going to shut her down. She was asking us to. She might be able to fight it now. I... I don't know for sure, but we have to give her a chance." A tear slid down her cheek but she didn't bother to wipe at it.
Al looked at her with a frown. "Do we know how, what-ever-it-is, is trying to control Ziggy?"
"No, not yet." Sammie Jo said softly. "But if you give me time, I can..."
"Damn it, Sammie Jo! We've probably lost Gooshie and I'll be damned if we lose Sam too!" Al knew the moment the words passed his lips how that sounded, and he wished he could take them back.
Sammie Jo stormed up to Al and stopped mere inches from his face, her anger clear. "I'm not going to lose my father, sir. Understand?" Sammie Jo set her jaw as she looked at him. "When it's time, we'll turn Zig back on, and get the IC running. I know that you want to see Sam and make sure that he's okay. I know that! But remember that dad knows some awesome Karate moves and can handle himself." Spent, the emotions of the day suddenly set on her and she broke down, sobbing.
Al's face softened at the sight, but his frustration was still there. And of all times for her to start looking like Sam when he's making a point. Al closed his eyes and exhaled. He reached out to her, and tilted her chin to make her look up at him. "Okay, Sammie. Okay. We'll do this. We'll make it happen."
************
Donna and the others brainstormed a plan of action, and set of in their search and destroy missions. The infiltrator had to be isolated and stopped. They weren't even sure the extent of the infiltration, but they had to start somewhere.
With the scientists in control, Al had a break from the action, and reluctantly headed toward the infirmary. He felt like a heel. He had gone off in full-bore fighting mode, and hadn't dared think about Gooshie since leaving Section Four. He rounded the final corner to his destination and hesitated just short of the door. He prepared himself mentally, and walked into the infirmary.
It was quiet. A feeling of foreboding overcame him, and he dropped into the nearest seat, suddenly drained.
Verbena must have heard him enter, because she appeared from another doorway like she was expecting him. The redness of her eyes and cheeks hinted to report, and Al hoped she wouldn't speak at all.
She looked at Al with shiny eyes, her chin quivering. "I'm sorry, Al," she said hoarsely. "G... Gooshie didn't make it." She didn't wait for a response. She simply collapsed in a chair near him, silent tears running down her cheeks.
Al gritted his teeth at the confirmation of his unspoken fear. He closed his eyes and bowed his head for a moment, then sat forward and buried his face in his hands.
Beth emerged from the inner room, tear marks staining her cheeks, but she wasn't crying at the moment. She regarded her husband with a sad expression. Shock had set in and she moved toward him not cognizant of what was really happening around her. She sat down beside her husband and placed a hand on his back. "We did everything humanly possible. We did all we could, and it simply wasn't enough."
Al gently wrapped his arms around her, brushing her hair absently.
She blinked twice letting his embrace close around her. Then the tears came again, her body shaking in his arms. "Oh, Al... I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, baby." He whispered softly, forcing his own feelings down yet again. He held her a little more tightly, trying to stave off the guilty feeling that he hadn't done enough. "Everything will be okay."
"I know it will. It has to be. He can't have died for no reason. He was your friend."
Al huffed slightly. "He was a pain in the neck," he quipped, trying to push off his feelings of loss.
Having seen it before with other family members who had passed away, Beth understood what he was trying to do. She lightly kissed his cheek. "I've already said my good-byes. Perhaps you should do the same."
Al blinked back some tears, not wanting to show the pain he was feeling. "I can't," he said softly.
"Yes, you can." She sniffed, her crying under control. "You may act like the hard ass that you want everyone to think you are, but I know your heart.
You have to have closure on this. I'll come with you, if you'd like." She stood beside him and offered her hand. "Al?"
Al took her hand, and squeezed it as he slowly stood up. He took a deep breath and followed her. "I don't... I ... you know."
Beth sighed softly. "Baby, I know." Fresh tears fell down her cheeks again and she softly tugged on his hand again with a sad smile. "You can do this."
Al looked at her lovingly before he allowed himself to be led into the room. It was cold and eerie, and he wanted to flee right off the bat, but he stood his ground both mentally and physically as he approached the body.
Beth gently folded back the sheet from Gooshie's face as 'Bena had done for her. He looked peaceful, almost as if he was sleeping. She kept her eyes downcast at Gooshie's face, trying to give Al an illusion of privacy.
His jaw muscles worked quietly as he spoke through clenched teeth, the words directed at the still body. "Damn it, why'd you have to be so..."
"Heroic?" Beth finished for him.
"Yeah." He whispered, letting out a breath as he looked down on Gooshie. He felt responsible. If he had only reached him sooner, this wouldn't have happened.
Beth read his thoughts. "You can't blame yourself, Al. Gooshie did what he had to do. He... he loved her, Al. He put his life into Ziggy. Ziggy was his reason for getting up in the morning. He..." Beth choked, unable to talk.
Al knew that Beth was right. He couldn't blame himself. Now, he couldn't stop the tears. They fell silently from his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away, only to have fresh ones take their place. "He was... was....jeeze, Beth, he drove me nuts." Al pulled her close to stop his own quivering.
A small laugh burst out from her sorrow. "I know. And his breath..." She wiped at her own tears in Al's embrace. "It could knock over a cow! But, I'll miss his coffee, and his chatter, his absent mindedness and his quiet way."
Al chuckled softly behind the tears. "Who's going to drive us up the wall now? He'll be missed. It's just..." he shook his head, unable to continue, and simply held her.
Beth held him as tightly as he held to her. Together in their grief, they stood in the room saying good-bye in their own way. Beth finally stepped from the arms of her husband and looked at Gooshie one last time. She laid her hand on top of his. "Good-bye, Gooshie. Watch over us."
Al's gaze followed her, but he stepped back smartly, and snapped into well-rehearsed attention. With all the respect he had for his friend and colleague, he swallowed hard and executed a perfect salute to the fallen hero.
