Whatever It Takes

An Un-Authorized 'Absolved' Saga Anthology Story (AUAASAS:1003a)

Chapter One: Countdown

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.

Chapter Two: 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, yes.. 68 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.