Hello again. A shiny new chapter for you this sunny Sunday afternoon. We are over half way now and I will start to pull the threads of the story together over the next few installments in the fervent hope that it doesn't all start to unravel. I do hope you are enjoying this latest adventure and always welcome your feedback if you choose to leave it.
James had wanted to approach the boy immediately he realised that he had recognised Smurf's zombie features, but that had proven impossible. He had needed to get three section out of the police station before they had a further full scale punch up with the locals. So instead he had led his men to the APC which was parked just outside the building and they had made their way to the towns medical centre where they had met up with Molly and Mansfield Mike, the latter sporting a large dressing above his left eye.
The major had then ordered Brains to drive them all back to base. On the way he had briefed Molly on the events of that morning and what had happened to Baz over night, asking her to give the private a full examination on their return to ensure there was no physical injury resulting from his ordeal. When they arrived, James had been met by Captain Dwight who had updated him on the mission situation, which, with the exception of a further dead cow discovered overnight, remained the same as it had the previous day.
James now sat in the briefing room of the base, having washed, changed and grabbed a decent breakfast, considering how he could confirm his suspicions about the boy. Approaching him would be a tricky business. For a start he didnt know is name or where he lived, and even if he did he couldn't go blundering in and frighten the child to death. Reluctantly James had to admit to himself that he would need Wyatt's help in following up the lead, since he seemed to know the boy and his mother. But what possible reason could he give for wanting to speak to him without having to reveal the purpose of their mission to the sheriff?
James turned the problem over in his mind but there seemed to be no alternative but to confide everything to Wyatt and trust to his discretion. The major was comforted by the fact that the sheriff was ex-army and would know the importance of secrecy in ensuring sensitive operations were completed successfully. James blew out a breath and nodded to himself, he would arrange to see Wyatt as soon as possible.
Just then Molly walked into the ops tent with two mugs of tea.
"Brew up" she said and passed one of the mugs to James who gratefully accepted it.
"So" she said "Our first night apart since we tied the knot. How did you cope?"
"It was tough but I got through" said James with a smile.
"Are you sure? Dangles says you tried to dry hump him in your sleep last night" replied Molly
James sprayed out the mouth full of tea he had just taken and started to splutter a denial whilst Molly laughed like a drain.
"Joking, I'm joking. Your face is a picture though"
James glared at his wife but then broke into a grin and made a grab for her.
"Sir! I do hope you aren't proposing to take advantage of a subordinate" said Molly amused
"No, just to dispense some disciplinary action lance corporal" replied James with a smirk
"I will need to respectfully request a suspended sentence while I give you my report on Baz sir" countered Molly
"Oh, I do like the thought of your sentence incorporating an element if suspension. Maybe we can discuss the details later" said James running his eyes up and down Molly's body.
The medic tried her best to ignore James' penetrating stare but couldn't stop a red glow spreading from her cheeks to her neck and then further south. She soldiered on as best she could.
"Well, I have given Baz a full examination and there appear to be no serious physical injuries"
"Good, that's something at least" said James
"But, I am concerned about his mental health" continued Molly
"Really?" said James "I know he got a bit of a fright and he did seem shaken this morning, but surely there is no long term damage?"
Molly grimaced "I'm afraid he might have PTSD"
James raised his eyebrows "Oh dear"
"Yes" said Molly "Preserves Trauma Stress Disorder"
"Molly!" Growled James
"Or Post Traumatic Spread Disorder" added Molly as she ducked away from James' lunge.
"Can you be serious for a minute" said the major with a pained expression.
"Sorry sir, but the jam thing is hilarious. Its dried and set hard, taking off his trousers was like pulling off a waxing strip. I told him to have a good long soak in a bath before he tried to change his underpants."
James sucked in his breath "Ouch".
" Not 'arf" agreed Molly
James shuddered and changed the subject. "I need to go back into town this afternoon. I promised I would meet up with Jonathan and I also want to see the sheriff"
"I thought you would have seen enough of him last night" said Molly
"Yes, well it looks as if I may need his help" said James with some trepidation...
That afternoon, James met up with Jonathan at Jolene's Diner. His friend was sat at a window seat sipping a glass of iced water when he arrived and greeted him with a smile.
"I can't thank you enough for what you did this morning" said James as he sat opposite "You always seem to be there when I need you most"
"Oh think nothing of it dear, that's what occasional comic characters in these sorts of stories are meant to do. I'm a useful plot device, that's all" said Beck
"You are much more than that" replied James
"Oh that's sweet of you." Smiled Beck "But I do think the author of this nonsense should stop using me as a mother surrogate for you and actually get around to introducing your parents into a plot line. I mean we are in season 4 after all."
" I know" said James, "And there has been no sign of my son, Sam, so far either. Just one poxy reference to him at the beginning of season 3. The boy's going to hardly recognise me when I see him next."
"Bone idleness is what I call it. Those other fan fic writers are doing it much better you know." Complained Beck "Anyway, enough of that, where's that wonderful wife of yours?" he asked.
"Back at base tending to a nasty jam related injury" said James
"Saints preserve us" exclaimed Beck
"Don't you bloody start!" Cried James "I've had enough of that from Molly"
"Sorry dear" said Beck "Is everything all right between you?"
"Oh yes...I was only joking. She is just wonderful. I am a very lucky man" admitted James
"Glad to hear it Charles...I'd hate to think you were having issues as well"
James looked at his friend in concern "You and Sherman are OK aren't you?"
"I thought so...but after I flew in yesterday he seemed...preoccupied, distant. Normally when we have been apart for a while we ensure the bed springs hit the floor a good few times, if you know what I mean...but this time I barely got a peck on the cheek"
"Did you ask what the matter is?" probed James
"Yes, of course, but he just laughed it off, said he was tired...Thing is, I've got a feeling its something to do with this mission. Did you say anything to him when you were on the videophone yesterday?"
James thought back to the conversation. "Come to think of it he did seem to go a bit distant when we told him about the cow stomachs"
Beck nodded thoughtfully then shrugged. "I'm sure he'll snap out of it soon enough. Oh, that reminds me, Sherman asked that i give you this" Beck then passed James a thick manila envelope. "Its the air accident report and the results of the DNA test on the pilot. Now shall we have a spot of lunch before I head back to LA?"
After waving Beck off in his hire car, James returned to the restaurant to read through the report. The accident investigators had found no technical fault with the plane, it had simply run out of fuel. This begged the question why the pilot had not found a landing strip well beforehand. James considered this for a time. The most obvious reason would appear to be that the zombies did not want to be detected so that they would then be able to hide out and plan their intended attack unmolested. This was a high risk strategy and the pilot had obviously failed to find a suitable landing area before he ran out of fuel, a failure which had cost him his life.
James then turned to the DNA report. That confirmed a south east Asian origin for the pilot, either Korean or Chinese, but this gave no clue as to the point of departure of the plane. Attention in that regard had turned to a forensic examination of the plane wreckage, of which no results were available at that point.
Returning the papers back to the envelope James left the diner and walked the short distance to the sheriffs office where he had arranged to meet Wyatt. As he entered, one of the sheriffs deputies was sat opposite a vaguely familiar middle aged lady taking notes as she made a statement.
"Ain't no harm done Cletus" she was saying "No one ever died from raspberry jelly"
Wyatt appeared from a side room and beckoned James to enter.
"That the lady that kidnapped my private?" Asked James as he entered the small office.
"Yep" said Wyatt. "Got ourselves a search warrant and turned her place upside down this mornin'. Found a cellar stacked with fruit preserve and a closet full of...equipment"
"Equipment?" Asked James
"What you'd call sex toys and such like."
"Oh...I see"
"Not only that" went on Wyatt "we got evidence that CJ is part of a ring of predatory women located up and down the state, who lure unsuspecting men back to their homes for unbridled sexual encounters with all sorts of spreadable fruit products...compotes, coulis, sauces, purees...chunky, smooth...they were into everything. Also seems like they passed their unfortunate victims around ring members, lending them out like some kind of sordid mobile library service."
" Good god" said James clearly shocked.
"Worst thing is, all these ladies appear to be respectable wives and mothers who run this network under the noses of their unsuspecting loved ones. They call it the Moms Network.."
"Well it looks like some good has come out of Baz's unfortunate experience" asserted James
"Sure does" agreed Wyatt "Anyways, you asked to see me" continued the sheriff inviting James to sit and taking a chair himself.
"Yes I did...Sheriff, what I am about to tell you is highly confidential." Began James "If you were to repeat it to anyone it could have serious repercussions. I need your assurance that what I say will not go beyond these walls"
"It all depends what it is Major. If it is concerning illegal activities I have taken an oath to uphold..."
"Its nothing like that Sheriff" James interrupted "This concerns our mission here, our real mission"
"I knew it" said Wyatt "I knew there was more to this than some joint training operation"
"Do I have your word Sheriff?" pressed James
Wyatt gave James a penetrating stare then reluctantly gave a short, sharp nod.
"OK then" said James who went on to explain the events following the plane crash and what the government now suspected.
Wyatt listened in stunned silence, then when James had finished he quietly opened a drawer in the desk, took out a bottle of whiskey and helped himself to a huge slug of the golden brown liquid.
"Well I'll be...zombies in Marfa...but why, what could they possibly want here?"
"We don't know as yet but one thing is for certain, if we don't find them soon the consequences could be horrendous."
Wyatt stood up and paced the room before coming to a stop in front of James.
"Why are you telling me now Major? You could have left me in the dark until this whole thing was cleared up."
James looked evenly at the sheriff "Because I need your help"
Wyatt let out a barking laugh "My help? What could you possibly need from me?"
"I need you to tell me who that boy was who visited you this morning with his mother and I need you to find out what he knows"
Wyatt was visibly taken aback "Who, Tom? What would he know about anything?"
James set out his suspicions following the incident that morning.
Wyatt grabbed the whiskey bottle again and took another large gulp. "You got a real live zombie in your platoon? Jesus H Christ, how do you stop him ...you know?"
"He is not like other zombies...he has saved my life before...I trust him implicitly"
Wyatt paced the room again. "I don't know that I can help you major"
James looked at the sheriff in confusion "but you seem to know the boy and his mother well..."
"Oooo, I don't know about that..." Replied Wyatt who made for the whiskey bottle once more. "Its complicated..."
"Nonsense sheriff, it is clear that they are fond of you..." Said James
"Errrr, do you think so?" Said an increasingly nervous Wyatt between further swigs.
"Absolutely. I am sure that if we went round to their home..."
Wyatt sprayed out a mouthful of drink and stared at James "Go over to Lizzie's? No, no, no, no, no, nooooo, that would be...disastrous" said the sheriff, who had turned a strange shade of green and looked as if he might vomit.
"I really don't understand what the...oh...I take it Toms father is no longer around?" Asked James, realisation dawning
"Died a few years back" replied Wyatt miserably.
"And you and the mother have a...history" pressed James
"Long time ago..." Mumbled the sheriff, his head now in his hands
"For goodness sake man, why don't you just tell her how you feel..." Asked James
"Don't you think I've tried...it just never seems the right time or I go and say or do somethin' stupid" confessed Wyatt.
"But you're a decorated war hero, Sheriff. You've been under fire...cheated death" said James
"Yep, but this is more important than all that. This is Lizzie White...oh you don't understand!" Blustered the sheriff.
James looked at the other man intensely "Believe me I do, more than you know." He ran his tongue around his mouth "Do you want me to...drop a few hints to her?"
Wyatt raised his head from his hands slowly and stared at James "Of course i don't...like what exactly?"
An hour later Wyatt knocked on the front door of the White's farm house then removed his hat and waited nervously for someone to answer.
"Just relax, it'll be fine" murmured James as they heard the sound of running feet from inside and a boys voice shouted "I'll get it Ma!"
The door then swung open to reveal Tom White. The boy hesitated when he saw them and looked quickly from Wyatt to James and back again before saying "Sheriff...you here to see Ma?"
Wyatt looked to James as if he was about to bolt but the the man appeared to master the urge and instead croaked "No...well yes...well actually..."
James then stepped in "Hello, my name's Charles. I'm a friend of the sheriffs and we were wondering if we could speak to your mother?"
From behind Tom came a woman's voice calling "Tom, who is it honey?" before Lizzie White appeared wiping her hands on a tea towel.
She stopped dead when she saw Wyatt, one of her hands reaching quickly for her hair and tucking a wayward strand behind her ear. She smiled sweetly at him but the smile became uncertain when she spotted Charles.
"Jed, this is a surprise, won't you and your friend come in?"
"Errrr, sure" said Wyatt and he and James entered the hallway. They all stood awkwardly for a few seconds before Lizzie said "Ain't you gonna introduce us Jed?"
Wyatt looked at the woman as if she had asked for the answer to a particularly intractable mathematical equation then gulped and turned to James with pleading eyes.
"Major Charles James ma'am" said James "Her Majesty's Special Zombie Service"
"Ah yes major, I recognise you now from the barn raisin'" replied Lizzie "What can I do for y'all today?"
James looked at Wyatt who seemed to be finding it increasingly difficult to breath then turned back to Lizzie and said with a smile "The sheriff here was just showing me the sights and introducing me to some of his friends and he was particularly keen that I meet you as your son"
"Really?" said Lizzie becoming somewhat flustered "well, Tom and Jed are great friends. Please do come through"
They all walked into the living room where Lizzie invited them to sit and offered them coffee. She then left for the kitchen leaving Wyatt and James with Tom who fiddled nervously in his seat. James nodded to the sheriff who cleared his throat and said "So Tom, how's that new puppy of yours gettin' along?"
Tom brightened up considerably at the mention of his dog and said "Been teachin' him some tricks...do ya wanna see?"
"Sure do...hey James will you tell Lizzie Tom and I have just gone out in the yard for a moment?"
"Of course" said James and the men shared a meaningful look.
When Lizzie returned from the kitchen with the coffee mugs, James relayed the message and the woman smiled "Tom and that dog, they're always together"
James nodded and sipped his coffee "Jed seems very fond of... your son"
Lizzie looked at James "Ever since Tom's father passed away, Jed's been great. He's a good man...but busy...l...I mean we don't see him round here as much as we'd like"
James smiled "I've only known Jed a short while but would agree he seems a very decent man...and a good sheriff...also by all accounts he was a fine soldier"
"Oh, Jed don't talk much about his time in the army to no one" replied Lizzie
"Ah, that's not unusual" said James "The bravest of men often find it hard to talk about their experiences...to convey their true feelings about things...they often need the people they care about the most to be patient and...encouraging..."
Lizzie stared at James for a moment and then smiled shyly and nodded.
Just then Wyatt re-entered the room and looked at James meaningfully before saying "Sorry, just got a call from the station house.. We gotta go"
Back in the car Wyatt turned to James and said "Well you were right, kids been givin' them food in the old barn out back for about four days now. Says he's due to go there again this evening'."
"Excellent, and this time we will be there to meet them as well" said James
Wyatt shifted uncomfortably "what exactly happens then? The boy seems to have befriended them...and they don't look to have tried to hurt him"
"That's because he is of use to them at the moment sheriff...but don't worry, the transformation process we use only kills the pathogen, it doesn't harm the host...provided they were in good health when they were infected."
Wyatt nodded then looked at James "What were you and Lizzie talking about?"
"Oh, the weather mainly" said James with a smile. "May I use your radio sheriff?"
"Sure" said Wyatt and passed the handset over.
James adjusted the frequency and contacted base "Mansfield this is James, I need you to start prepping the section for an operation..."
In his hotel room the shopkeeper increased the volume on his radio scanner and listened carefully while he snapped open the lid of his black briefcase.