Whatever It Takes

An Un-Authorized 'Absolved' Saga Anthology Story

(AUAASAS:1003-jaaAf01)
by: jaaAf

Prologue

Charlie turned from the computer desk and picked up the coffee with
trembling hands. He had waited and waited, letting the time drag on
until his nerves were stretched to the limit. But it hadn't made a
difference, the digitized message wasn't there, just like it hadn't been
there yesterday, or the month of yesterdays before that, it looked like
it would never be there.

He walked slowly to the kitchen, absently mindedly sipping the now

cooled coffee. The back yard was finally showing signs of green again
after the long winter spell, but his soul was a bleak cold landscape in
his heart. He wasn't sure he could do what needed doing, after all he
had known him all his life; they had gone to school together, lied about
catching the biggest catfish, drank their first moonshine from his
uncle’s stash when they were eight...

He took a short sharp breath, held it for a second then let out a slow
sigh as he let the memories go, he had no choice, friend or no his
responsibility to the group was paramount. Times were hard now with
the country near civil war. The survival of the country depended on
those who followed God, Flag, and the Constitution keeping clear
headed, working together, and staying on top of threats from without
or within. When the actions of one of their own threatened this hard
won and precarious unity it had to be attended to, and they had
hesitated long enough. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

Pouring the dregs of the now cold coffee down the drain, he felt his
soul follow along into the spiraling blackness. With an abrupt shake of
his head he put the cup down and picked up the phone. “Hey, Bill I
hear the fish are starting to bite. Yeah, I know it’s still a little early, but
I got cabin fever and need to get out of the house before the old lady
takes the broom to me. The thing is, she told me to lay off the beer as
I’m getting too fat, and you know how she gets at times.. Yeah, well,
bring a thermos of coffee and I think just in case the sun comes out I’m
going to pick up some cans of Pepsi, maybe you could pick up some
cans of Coke - but none of that caffeine free crap. Get the real deal. All
right I'll swing by your place in a half hour or so. Right, see you then.
Bye.”
Well, it was done, the time for wishing and hoping was over, the dogs
of war were loosed, by noon it would be finished one way or another.
And God help them all if his promises had been empty.

Whatever It Takes

They sat in the AT&T van and watched the house. Charlie took the
billed hat off and checked the adjustment, it was maxed out, if he
hadn't gotten his hair cut last week it wouldn't have fit at all. The van
and the uniforms were authentic, Bill’s cousin was a regional
dispatcher for the company, as well as being a fine squad leader in the
local militia. A phone call had established that the wife was out doing
her weekly shopping which today would include lunch with the wives of
two of their accomplices.

The van was rattled by a balky spring gust that stirred the leaves up
along the road as Bill looked over at him. “Well, are we going to do
this?” Bill’s voice held a tremor of doubt but there was resolve in his
eyes; like many in the movement he had invested numerous hours
going over the data and couldn't let it go, couldn't understand why the
promised final data was not forthcoming.

“Yeah, we’re doing this.” Charlie pulled the hat down firmly and getting
out of the van, grabbed up a heavy medium sized tool box that didn't
have tools in it. Well, they were tools of a sort, he reflected as he
followed Bill's athletic bulk across the yard to the front door. He was
glad Bill had agreed to accompany him on this, his solid strength might
mean the difference between tragedy and success. Bill looked down at
his pda and back up at the house as if checking the house number. He
pressed the door bell button then they both stood waiting with that
nonchalance attitude cops and service reps have the world over.

The door opened and a bright eyed white haired middle aged man
holding a cane looked at them through the screen door. A brief smile
touched his eyes then was gone. “Yes, what can I do for you
gentlemen?”

Bill looked again at his pda then back at the man. “Are you Mr. Van
Allen, sir?”

“That’s right. Are you here to fix that damn internet connection?”

“Yes, sir; at least I hope so, sir. A repair team just reported they've
located some bad hardware that might have been causing intermittent
problems on your line, sir and since we were nearby we were
wondering if we could check one of our routers against yours and
maybe do some other tests to see if that was it or if something else is
going on. Of course we, or another team, can come back any time if
it’s not convenient for you now, sir.”

“No, no, that’s fine. Come on in and let me shut the door, that wind’s a
mite chilly.” They filed into the living room then Van Allen turned his
gaze on them. “Bill, Charlie.” He gave both a short nod then waited
with his head slightly tilted, his hands folded over the top of the cane
in front of him.

“Well, Blue Boy, you know how it goes. Your name came up in the last
draw so here we are. But first, you know Bill is a computer tech so he
thought he'd actually check out your line if you are still having
problems. Up to you.”

“It won't take but five minutes or so, sir. I see your router right over
there and I can run the tests in no time.” Bill looked anxious to please
and even took a step toward the computer desk before Blue Boy gave
a slight shrug of his shoulders accompanied by a nod of his head.

“Might as well look at it since you are here. It’s been working so so the
last couple of days, but I don't trust those regular AT&T pukes to do
anything right.”

“Great, I'll have it checked out in a jiffy.” Bill hurried over to the desk,
pulled a router out from the soft pack slung over his shoulder, and
started disconnecting cables.

“Okay, Charlie, what’s really going on. I was checked out two months
ago and you don't look too good.” Blue Boy’s eyes were wise and
knowing as he held Charlie’s gaze.

“Nope, nothing going on. It’s just procedure, just like you helped write
it up. I think I’m maybe catching a cold or something and the wife has
put her foot down on the beer lately so I’m a little discombobulated.
You don't think I’m too fat do you?” Charlie gave his ample belly a slap
with a heavy hand.

“Ha, you’re a typical WASP male which means you've been too fat ever
since you turned thirty eight.” Blue Boy held him with slightly
suspicious gaze then gave a slight shrug as he glanced around the
room and down at the hardwood floor. “All right, let’s just do this in the
kitchen. I'll get a couple towels and it'll wipe right up.” He turned and
walked with a slight limp toward the back of the house and pulled open
the doors of a linen closet. Pulling out a couple of large slightly faded
towels he came back. “Hey, Charlie, guess who I’m going to pick.” He
gave Charlie a slightly evil grin as he handed him a towel and turned to
pick up a small cushion from one of the chairs.

“Oh, hell, I know you’re going to pick me. Christ, Bill might actually be
able to fix that damn connection and you ain't about to piss him off.
Whereas you always just loved to torment me.” Charlie followed Blue
Boy in to the kitchen area, took off the hat and jacket and placing them
on one of the chairs laid down on the floor. He stuck the cushion under
his head and held the towel in one of his hands. “Hey, Bill, you about
ready to participate?”

“Yeah, give me a sec.. okay, there it goes. It'll take a minute or so to

run the test, so, yeah here I am.” Bill knelt down beside Charlie and
placed both large hands on his crossed arms. “Okay, I got you. Just
don't kick like you did that time over at Woodard’s place. You broke
that chair into kindling.” Bill laughed down at Charlie who grimaced up
him.

“Weren't my fault. I had a cold coming on and had to sneeze at the

wrong time.”

“Just like you have a cold coming on now, Charlie? You break any
furniture here and I guarantee the old lady will have your hide.” Blue
Boy looked solemnly around the kitchen a moment, peered back down
at Charlie then giving a little grunt turned and opened a closet where
after rummaging around for a few moments turned back with a large
plastic bag. “Lift your head for a minute.” He wrapped the cushion in
the plastic bag then stuffed it back under Charlie’s head. “Wife'd
probably kill me if I got that wet then shrunk it or something in the
dryer.” He gave Charlie a brief smile which withered into a neutral
stare. “You ready.”

“I guess. I hate this, so get it over with.” Charlie closed his eyes
resignedly and let out a breath.

Taking the towel from his hand, Blue Boy wrapped it around Charlie’s
head covering his eyes and then patted him on the cheek. “Don't want
you cheating at peeking to see how much water is left.” He went over
to the sink, turned on the tap and letting it run, selected a large
drinking glass. He held it partly in the water and let it fill slowly while
the noise of the running water filled the room. He finally turned the
water off and coming back held up the glass so Bill could see it. “How’s
that, Bill?”
“Okay by me, go ahead. That test I’m running on your line will be done
any minute and I got another that needs to be done after. But in any
case we’re somewhat under a deadline here and you got five minutes
starting now.” Bill glance at the big kitchen clock on the wall and then
nodded at Blue Boy.

“Hear that, Charlie. Five whole minutes, why that’s eternity when
you’re getting impaled, or hot coals are applied to your eye balls. Five
whole minutes..” Blue Boy dribbled a little water around Charlie’s nose
and grinned when he involuntarily tensed his face and neck muscles.
“Now, we’re not getting all apprehensive are we, Charlie? You've been
through this a hundred times or more. Would think you'd get used to
it.” Blue Boy dribbled a little more water but it all ran off Charlie’s
cheeks.

“Christ, get used to it? Shit, I hate this and so does everybody else. Just
get on with it and knock off the chatter.” Charlie’s face froze into a
frown as he tensed for what was to come.

“Oh, Charlie, you always take things too seriously. Now tell me why
you are really here.” Blue Boy’s voice hardened and his face set as he
sent a small trickle of water down Charlie’s nose.

Charlie stiffened and sneezed and coughed as Bill leaned his weight
onto Charlie’s crossed arms to hold him down. “Oh, shit..” Charlie
snorted. “I’m here because they rolled the dice and your name came
up. Try a different tune, moron.”

“Well,” Blue Boy smiled as he trickled a larger stream down Charlie’s

nose and Charlie began to buck as he tried to fight the beginnings of
brain stem panic, “no need to get personal, Charlie. After all you came
to me, if you can remember where you are. So, now tell me, why are
you really here?” He was smiling down at Charlie’s torment but all the
while from the sides of his eyes he closely watched Bill’s expression.
But there was nothing to see, just the calm exterior of the professional
enforcer.

Charlie snorted some more as the panic subsided but remained silent.
Blue Boy smiled again as he splashed some water on Charlie’s face.
“Oops.. well.. darn.. that ain't fair.. all that water gone..” He winked at
Bill as he leaned closer to Charlie then begin to send a small constant
stream of water into his nose. Charlie went rigid, his muscles bulging
as he fought against the drowning reflex, but the brain stem was not to
be denied. Against his will he began to thrash, his head jerking left and
right, his breath brief sharp exhalations as he fought to keep the water
from his lungs. It seemed to go on and on and Charlie was subsiding
into uncontrolled panic when Blue Boy suddenly stopped and gazed
down on Charlie’s struggling form.

As Charlie quieted down, Blue Boy whispered in his ear. “Still four
minutes to go, Charlie. Still eternity out there waiting for you. Tell me
why you’re here and it will be over, no more drowning, no more water,
Charlie, just tell me: Why... Are... You... Here?”

“Fuck you, Blue Boy.” Charlie gasped and snorted water. “You’re out of
water and out of time. That'll be the day you can break me.”

“Ho, ho,” Blue Boy chuckled as he swirled the water in the glass close
to Charlie’s ear. “I still got lots of water and I got all eternity.” He held
Charlie’s face with one hand as he poured another trickle into his nose.

The panic set in almost immediately and Charlie was swearing and
sweating when Bill spoke up. “Time’s up. You’re out of water as well.”
He released his grip on Charlie’s arms and putting one hand behind
Charlie’s head helped him sit up.

Charlie pulled the towel off his head and wiped his face. “God, I hate
that.” He took a couple deep breaths then glaring at Blue Boy who was
silently laughing at him, got to his feet with Bill’s help. “All right, Mr.
Why Are You Really Here it’s your turn now.”

Still smiling, Blue Boy wiped up the water on the floor where Charlie
had lain, then arranging himself on the floor, wrapped his towel around
his head and laid back with his head on the plastic wrapped cushion,
crossing his arms over his chest. “Okay, Charlie, have at it. You got five
minutes after you fill up the glass I left on the table.”

Bill knelt back down and secured Blue Boy’s arms, then nodded up at
Charlie.

“Well, now, Blue Boy I reckon I won't be using the glass.”

Blue Boy went still and a long moment went by. “What are you on
about, Charlie?” His voice was soft, cold, and menacing.

“We’re on about you telling us where it is.”

“Where the hell what is?”

“You damn well know what. We've been waiting, and you've been
promising, and you've been giving out data a little bit at a time, a
tickle here, a tickle there, that’s now gone bone dry. So, don't you be
asking what.”

“Rouge! You've gone rouge! You can't get by with this, Charlie. What
kind of fool stunt is this? You can't use the Water Oath to intimidate or
force people to do anything not connected with their oath. You are
both way out of bounds here.”

“Don't be getting high and mighty with me, Mr. Van Allen. This is all
about the welfare and unity of the movement. We need that data, the
movement needs it, and you are going to give it to us or be branded a
fraud and a liar.”

“It’s been eating you for fifty years, hasn't it Charlie. That’s what this is
all about, isn't? It all about Hog Jaw, isn't it! Make him tell you, Billy.
Your partner here is crazy; make him tell you before you make the
mistake of your life.”

Bill look up at Charlie with a puzzled look on his face. “What’s he

talking about? What about Hog Jaw? What the hell’s that band got to
do with this?”

Charlie’s face grew red as he clenched his fist and shook it at Blue
Boy’s prone figure on the floor. “Ain't no band. Hog Jaw was the
biggest hog bass that ever lived in this lake. No one could catch him,
no one could get him to strike anything until I figured it out. I spent all
one summer day and night studying that creature and figured it out.
Me, no one else. I was so excited I had to tell someone so I told my
best friend that come sunrise the next day I was going to catch Hog
Jaw, and to my continued sorrow I told him how.” Charlie was so angry
he was beginning to shake. “And then come the next day what do I see
on my way to the lake but a crowd in front of Hopson’s soda fountain
hooting and hollering and carrying on, slapping this turn coat, this back
stabber on the back for catching my fish!”

“You never showed, Charlie. I waited all morning and you never
showed. You said sunrise, well you know he'd stop feeding once the
sun was up very high, so since I was there I just tossed my line. I
figured you was just telling stories anyway, you always were a big
story teller when it came to fish , none bigger in the whole county. I
weren't no back stabber!” Blue Boys face colored up and his fist
clenched as Bill leaned into him to keep him down.

“Late! I was up before dawn but so was Ma, and she told me I couldn't
go anywhere until the weeds were pulled from the garden. And then I
had to go haul the trash for Mrs. McErnny whose old man had broke his
hip that week. Don't tell me I was late, confound it, you dirty double-
crosser, you liar, you... you...”

“Oh, to hell with you, Charlie. You too, Bill. Hook the goddamn hose up
to the faucet, there isn't enough water in the world can make me tell
you a thing. You are both out of your goddamn minds, and you'll both
pay for it, so do your damnedest!”

“Different rules, Blue Boy, no hose, no faucet, we’re playing Mexican

Rules on this one. Chew on that Mr. Big Shot.”

“What... what the devil are you talking about, Charlie?”

“I’m talking about the rules written by a for real scribbler; a certified
world renown true blue author, who has more best sellers than I can
relate, unlike some wannabes that I know of. That’s what I’m talking
about, Blue Boy.”

“No! Not.. not...”

“Yes. Wambaugh. There you go, Blue Boy. All your worst nightmares
coming home to roost. That’s why I’m not using your damn water
glass.” Charlie looked at Bill and gave his head a warning shake. “Don't
let go of him. Don't let him sucker you for an instant, if he gets ahold of
that cane or one of a million other things he’s got stashed in this house
we’re both alligator bait.”

Stepping into the living room he grabbed Bill’s soft pack and carried it
back into the kitchen. Sitting it on the table he extracted a warm can of
Pepsi and one of Coke. Popping the Coke can he turned and looked
down at Blue Boy. “Hear that? That’s a nice warm can of genuine
American carbonated Coca Cola.”

“Oh, God, Charlie. You know I got heart problems. You can't do this,
you can't. Why you know the whole network will turn on you, you too,
Bill. You'll both be shunned. Why you'll go to a gun show and all you'll
see is a thousand backs. Your wives will be shunned too. What are you
thinking? You've gone mad, mad that’s what it is.” Blue Boy’s face was
white and sweat was glistening on his face.

“You remember Fred Bostick, over at Maple Grove? Remember him,

Blue Boy?”

“Well of course I knew Fred. He was one of our best logistics boys, I
saw his obituary last night in the paper... What.. what’s he got to do
with this?” Blue Boy’s voice was strained and beginning to tremble.
“Well, if you remember him, then maybe you'll remember how he’s
always been Grandma Liberty’s favorite nephew. Do you remember
that?”

“Grandma Liberty.. Why.. what.. what’s that got to do with this?”

“It’s got this to do with it. Guess what the last thing poor old Fred said
to Grandma Liberty, who was sitting up with him at the last? He said:
We've been waiting and waiting so long, granny...”

An inarticulate groan emerged from Blue Boy as he went limp, and

tears seeped down from under the towel over his eyes. Bill glanced up
at Charlie who shook his head for Bill to maintain his grip.

“So, now you know. We’re not rouge. We’re here at the behest of the
movement. So, I'll ask you again, where is it?”

“You don't understand, Charlie. None of you understand.” Blue Boy’s

voice choked up as he tried to speak. “It’s so hard, Charlie. You try and
try but one thing after another keeps coming up and it gets so hard
sometimes that it just...” His voice trailed off and he just shook his
head hopelessly from side to side.

“No more excuses, no more free rides, no more indulgence from the
movement, Blue Boy. You promised, you've kept everybody on the
edge, and now we’re at the breaking point, if you don't come through
with that data they’re going to give up. The younger men will just drift
off if they don't have someone or something to believe in. And once
that happens the older men will start to give up as there won't be
anyone to pass on anything to. You can't let us down. You know that.
You taught us that. You know how hard it’s getting. Why the hell are
you betraying us?” Long bottled up frustration almost got the better of
Charlie and he wanted to shout, he was so upset he had to put his
hand over his face, gulping to control his breathing.

“Enough of this, goddamn it. Tell me or don't, it’s all one now.
Grandma said to do whatever it takes, and by God, friend or no, Hog
Jaw or no, I’m doing it.” Charlie knelt down and grabbed Blue Boy’s
trembling face. The carbonated bubbles made a fizzing sound as they
escape through the opening and he could feel them popping on his
hand as he tilted the can at Blue Boy’s nose.

“No! no...” Blue Boy screwed up his face and shook his whole body
back and forth. “It’s in the EZ-chair. It’s in the arm.” All the rigidity
suddenly went out of him and he lay there like a sack of wet oatmeal
with his head slightly twitching like a stuck second hand on a cheap
watch.

“The EZ-chair. What else is in there? This place going to go ka-boom

when I look?” Charlie glared down at Blue Boy, suspicion thick in his
voice.

“No, stand to the side, push the top of the right arm back, and rotate it
outward. There’s a hollow in there, the handy drive is in that. Nothing’s
going ka-boom. I can't believe.. Grandma Liberty...” His voice petered
out again and with a sigh he went still.

Bill’s eyes went wide, and Charlie quickly pressed two fingers against
Blue Boy’s throat. The pulse was a little fluttery but strong. Giving a
sigh he nodded at Bill then stood up, dusting off his knees. “Give me a
minute and then we can get out of here.

Nothing went ka-boom and a couple minutes later he walked back in

the kitchen with a small black oblong in his hand. “Hold him a minute
longer, Bill. Once he’s shackled you can check this out and might as
well finish what you were doing with the internet stuff.” He gave a
quick glance at the clock. “We got lots of time so don't worry about it.”

Sitting Blue Boy up, they took the towel off his face and wiped the
sweat off. He was awake but withdrawn and quiet. "I think the cast iron
drain from the utility sink is our best bet.” Charlie nodded his head in
the direction of the sun porch. Bill nodded and each grabbed an arm
and led Blue Boy out onto the porch. Sitting him down on the floor next
to the sink Bill pulled out a pair of handcuffs modified with a two foot
cable instead of the normal short chain links. He wrapped this around
the thick two inch cast iron drain and snapped the cuffs on Blue Boy’s
wrists. Standing up he swiped his hands on his pant legs then took the
handy drive from Charlie. “I’m sorry about all of this, Mr. Van Allen, but
the movement selected me. I hope you understand.” He stood looking
down for a moment but when there was no response from Blue Boy he
slowly went out to the living room.

Charlie stood looking at Blue Boy for a minute then went and got the
tool box he'd brought from the van. Setting down in a chair a little
ways from Blue Boy he opened it up, took out several bandoleers, and
laid them with soft thuds on the floor. “Walter donated these. They’re
his special 7.62 reloads and you know what that means. You can
consider it a bribe or tribute or just a gift from an old friend. Why you
didn't ask for help before it reached this point I'll never know. We all
know how picky Ringo is, why push him? Pride goeth before a fall, and
if your eyes or hands are getting so you can't reload then don't make a
secret out of it. Don't know what you think friends are for, they'd all
help if they knew what was needed.”

Blue Boy sat slumped against a wicker laundry basket and didn't stir or
even so much as look up at Charlie. It was quiet on the sun porch and
a fly was buzzing in the corner window in its endless cycle. Charlie felt
as tired as he ever had, and not for the first time thought how he was
getting too old for this shit. He started to relax from the warmth
stealing in from the rising sun, and came to with a jerk when Bill called
his name.

“It’s all done. The router had some problems but I fixed them. The line
is clear now but who knows. I copied the handy drive onto the pda and
backed it up on our encrypted internet site. So I guess we’re good to
go.” He glanced between the two older men but neither moved.

Finally Charlie stood up stiffly and rubbed his nose. “All right, lets get
out of here. Set the cuff’s timer for ten minutes will you.”

Bending down Bill took Blue Boy’s right hand and made adjustments to
the mechanism holding the cable to the cuff. “It'll come right off in ten
minutes, Mr. Van Allen. It'll click and if the cable don't fall out just give
it a jerk.” He waited a second but Blue Boy didn't move so he stood up
and headed out into the house. Charlie waited a second then turned to
follow.

“Its a mental thing, Charlie.” Blue Boy’s voice was low and even, with
no tinge of the previous anger present. “It doesn't matter where you
get the data, generally its raw, even Ringo's, and you have to shift it,
massage it, and sometimes it just has to sit there like a compost pile
until it’s matured enough that the various raw materials combine into
something useful. But sometimes there’s something missing, and no
matter how hard you try it doesn't come together. There’s nothing you
can do, but you try, you beat your head against the wall night after
night, you get so frustrated that the old lady threatens to make you
sleep in the dog house. And then when you know people are
depending on you and waiting for you it gets even worse. And then
even when it’s done, it isn't done. Maybe you made a mistake this
time, maybe you should have interpreted things a little different, and
the maybes bleed you dry until you just want to die.”

Charlie stood silent in the doorway not looking at his lifelong friend, he
didn't have words, he had never been much good with words. When
the silence lengthened he started into the kitchen.

“Charlie, I didn't mean to back stab you about old Hog Jaw. I really
thought you were just telling stories. And then when he bit and I
landed him I just forgot about everything. Christ, why do you have to
stay so angry all these years, we were just kids?”

Charlie felt tears sting his eyes and he had to wipe his face with his
free hand. “It wasn't you catching him, Blue Boy. It’s that you had him
mounted, I was going to let him go. They say fish live forever, you
know how big he'd be by now? Maybe thirty pounds or more. And my
son and my grandsons could have tested themselves against him,
because every year he'd have grown smarter. That’s what hurt, that’s
what still hurts.” He started to leave then stopped. “I'd suggest you
show up at Fred’s funeral, and give Grandma Liberty a autographed
dedicated copy from your own hands. She’s the forgiving type, maybe
she will.” He gave his head a shake and walked out the house, staring
at the ground, leaving the silence behind him.

He slowly got in the van, and as Bill headed out, picked up the pda and
opened the encrypted file Bill had transferred from Blue Boy’s handy
drive.

"Say, Charlie. Did Grandma Liberty really give the go ahead, did Fred
really say that? I didn't know she was involved, I thought you had just
got tired of waiting like the rest of us."

"Naw, I never mentioned it to her, she probably would have boxed my

ears for me. You know how soft she is sometimes when comes to Blue
Boy. But you know Blue Boy, the only chance we had was surprise, and
I had to keep throwing things at him and putting Grandma in the mix
really knocked him off balance. If she ever finds out I'll probably be in a
pack of trouble, but when you beard a lion in its own den a man's gotta
do whatever it takes to get it done."

His pulse began to increase as he skimmed the files... 48, 50, more,
yes.. a whole bunch of new chapters including the epilog. Yes, it was all
here, the movement was saved, for the moment at least. He could feel
the tension ease out of his body. He went back to the last chapter he'd
read months previously, opened the page, and forgetting Bill, the van,
and everything else began to read:

Absolved, Chapter 32. Ten Thousand Lawyers, Part Three.