Them and Us by Paul Schueller - HTML preview

Chapter 10

John sat nervously waiting for a representative from the city to meet with him. He had been summoned for an emergency meeting but was told nothing else. What did they want? It was obviously about Sam and he couldn’t think of any reason that it would be good so he prepared himself for the worst. It was an interrogation room, one with nondescript table and two chairs.

Drab and stark just like everything and everywhere in the city. The cameras were only slightly more obvious than the ones that littered the city with it’s watchful eye. John felt there was a good chance he was already being watched and he started critique his own movements.

Finally, Joe entered the room. He was just as unpleasant and awkward as he was with Sam and Kevin. He sat down across the table and waited a minute before speaking. “Us potentially have some very bad news about your son.”

“What the hell do you mean potentially?” Blood was rushing to John’s head and it made his ears ring. He needed to strain to hear Joe’s response over the commotion in his mind.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead you. Us think your son has died but it would be helpful if you could identify him.” Joe remained calm and emotionless.

“Why are us here in a room like this?” John asked.

“Please let me explain. I want you to watch a video from the drone sent a check on Sam.” Joe started the video and the body popped up immediately on the monitor in the corner of the room stunning John.

Once he regained his composure he shouted “You insensitive bastard, that’s my son.”

“Well, it’s not like you’re dead so I don’t understand why you are that upset. So, can you officially identify the body as your son?”

John sprang to his feet to take a closer look. It had to be Sam. He knew that Sam had been on the open range. Who the hell else could it be? He studied the video as the drone had hovered just a foot or two off the water and moved in circles from the left side of his head around to the right and continued it’s 360° surveillance. It was blurred by the rain but when John could see the shoulder of the right arm through a ripped sleeve he fell forward burying his head in his arms on the floor. He moved his shoulders as if in a quiet sob but his eyes were completely shielded. He knew it wasn’t Sam! No trinity tattoo on the body’s upper right shoulder. He had gotten it illegally for his 18th birthday so he assumed that the city didn’t know about it, at least yet.

John needed to buy time. Sam must have been sending a message that he was alive. John couldn’t risk raising his head at that point because they would be scanning his face and eyes for his reactions. Once he had control of his emotions and a plan he raised his head and spoke. “It must be him. Why aren’t you showing me his body?”

Joe responded. “Why don’t you just come sit here so us can talk.”

“No, he’s dead isn’t he? Take me to him. Why are you doing this? Tell me. Where is my son?”

“You see, the simple fact is us don’t have his body. The video you saw was during a storm. By the time our crew got out there the body was washed down stream in the river’s surge. There’s miles of river and then a huge lake so I doubt that will ever find him.”

John was more convinced that Sam was alive and was only safe if the city thought he was dead.

He went on the offensive. “So, you let my son get killed and you can’t even give me his body and now you have me sitting in this room like I did something wrong?” John was starting to sense his advantage and stood. “I’m leaving I need to plan a funeral.”

Joe wrestled for control of the situation. “You may want to stay as there are some irregularities here.”

John needed to find out whatever he could and returned to a seat. “What irregularities?”

Joe was grasping and lied to John. “You see us found his chip and we’re kind of wondering how it could get out of his body.” Joe neglected to tell John that a fall from the cliff onto sharp rocks could easily have done the trick.

John didn’t bite. He again sensed an advantage. “How should I know? Did you find his DNA?”

Joe continued his lie. “Yes, a trace, but of course us did. Us already knew it was his chip.”

“This is insane. You killed my son and you make me feel like I did something wrong. I’m leaving now.” John said and rose again from the chair.

Joe reached across the table snatching John’s arm. “Us’ll be in touch but us need to investigate this before releasing the settlement check. I’m sure you can understand before us pay you millions of dollars for his remaining life credit plus an entire life offspring credit.

John looked puzzled and said. “I don’t understand.”

“Since he was a public servant who died in the line of duty the city owes you the money but us have to make sure.”

John tried to continue his confused and befuddled behavior but in that moment he realized what Sam had done. He had figured out a way for them to have the money for their unborn baby and more to live on. He pulled his arm from Joe’s grasp and moved toward the door.

Just before he left the room Joe spoke again. “Listen, us also know that your wife is pregnant.

Can you see why this all looks a little convenient?”

John just stared back and then closed the door behind him. His mind raced as he walked. Sam had taken care of their pregnancy dilemma and secured their financial future. He was proud, impressed and happy he was alive somewhere and then he stopped, realizing that in every other way he was now dead to their family. It’s likely he would never see his son again, never know what happened, never know exactly what he had done to save their family.