By Audra Beberman
Chapter Fifteen
Jerry stood at a bathroom mirror for the first time in more than two weeks. Once he had tackled the intruder in his room, the doctor saw fit to remove the rest of his gauze and to allow him to make trips to the bathroom on his own. She admonished him to continue resting, and she had been correct in her warnings. Even the short walk to the bathroom exhausted him, but he had been making remarkable progress breathing on his own. He was awake for hours at a time now not minutes. He no longer needed oxygen and he was able to feed himself. Dr. James also allowed him to begin eating solid food again, if you could call soup, gelatin and mashed vegetables solids, he thought sarcastically. He felt stronger, yet at the same time he felt helpless. It had taken longer than expected for the guys to gather the things and people they needed. But now the stage, so to speak, was set.
Ned was ready to perform like his own life depended on it. The rest of the men and V were preparing to pounce once the keeper had taken the bait. Jerry felt odd setting up his own children as bait, but he knew it would work, just as Luke and John and Jax had known when they hesitantly agreed with his idea. Carly had argued, offering herself as the lure. Surely her grandfather would be interested in her! Jerry said the children were easier targets because they were more helpless. Jane had argued vehemently, but was finally convinced the children would never really be in any danger, surrounded by family and loved ones ready for anything.
"Eddie Maine" would perform and Jax, Jane and John would take the children with Felicia, Carly, Michael and Alexis to the concert. They would sit on the edge of the lawn at the band shell. Visible and seemingly unprotected. Jerry would remain with them as well, on his first trip outside the hospital.
Originally they were going to sneak Jerry out of the hospital, but Dr. James had been fair and helpful to them, so Jerry was compelled to tell her one of his more inventive half-truths. She had allowed a large number of visitors in and out of Jerry's room without protesting; and she had also noticed the conspicuous absence of her patient's wife. Jerry confided in the doctor that this outing was necessary to repair the hurt a recent argument had caused and to "win her back." The doctor consented, because she knew first hand that Bobbie loved her husband, and something really terrible must have happened between them to keep her away. Dr. James had ordered him to remain seated for the entire concert. She had no idea what the real purpose of the outing was.
It ate at Jerry, being unable to take a more active part in the plan he had formulated. Inspiration had struck with Ned and Alexis' arrival, and Jerry had adjusted his original plan to include something the Keeper, Lorenzo, wouldn't be able to resist. A lure. Jerry had a hunch Lorenzo wanted not only for his own family to suffer and pay, but for the Jacks family to suffer too. Taking Bobbie had made Jerry angry and afraid, taking the children would break his heart since he was unable to fight back, the Keeper knew this.
Jerry only hoped that Bobbie had not given away the fact that he was telling what he knew to John, Jane, Jax and Luke. Hopefully the Keeper didn't even know how well his recovery was progressing. But the man was crafty, so it was better to assume he did know. Jerry donned a hat and tinted glasses, and kept the beard that had grown during his hospital stay. This way the Keeper might think his secrets were "safe" with Jerry, and not expect an ambush. Jerry also fervently prayed, having recently realized that there must be a god of some sort in heaven, that Bobbie was safe.
The fine reddish-gold hairs on the back of Bobbie's bruised arms rose as the door behind her slid open. She quickly shoved her personal possessions under the pillow and reached for the silk robe at the side of the bed. As she donned the soft robe, her father came in and surveyed the way the silk fell around her legs and raised an eyebrow. "More like your mother all the time, Barbara Jean." Her skin crawled when she heard the suggestive tone of his voice and the saw the leer in his eyes. Getting over the abuse of her childhood had been difficult enough. Enduring and surviving a rape in her adulthood might drive her completely over the edge.
Lorenzo's attention turned from her then, and said with a forced gaiety, "You must be bored. I realize that your mind is only half as brilliant as your brothers' which is half again as brilliant as mine, but still that leaves you with quite a formidable intellect. I thought you'd enjoy some TV while you're here. Although I can only get two channels, I'm sure you'll find something that appeals to your sense of disbelief... or irony. Whichever." As Lorenzo slipped from her chamber, the TV panel slid open and Bobbie was treated to the sight of her nephew Lucky playing what looked to be an intense game of chess. His opponent's back was to the camera. They played on a while and Bobbie approached the TV. It was enclosed in Plexiglas of some sort. So if there were two channels, how am I supposed to change them with out touching the TV? As if someone read her mind, a panel beside the TV opened and what seemed to be a remote control was just waiting on a stainless tray. Bobbie gingerly picked up the black and gray object and pointed it at the TV. She hit a button on the first row and got an overhead view of Lucky and his chessboard. Another click and she had a view from Lucky's feet. Suddenly, she pressed the last button in that row and got a full-view of Lucky's opponent. She took in a quick breath. Her eyes widened in disbelief, but now things were becoming clear. As she exhaled she said, "Tony!"
The concert began, as most concerts do, with the twang of a guitar and the crash of cymbals. Combined with the roar of the crowd gathered for this last-minute addition to the Wings Over Angel Fire Balloon Festival, it was very loud and very good cover. Jerry looked around as far his neck would allow. The band shell was a peculiar American invention. People sitting on damp grass, paying to listen to a band under the stars. Jerry was a romantic, but he was also a realist, so he suggested that they rent chairs for the crowd, this way everyone would be seated in a somewhat organized fashion. Thus, the widening semi-circles of white folding chairs were set up that morning. From the rear of the throng, Luke blended skillfully into the crowd, while keeping an eye on his nieces and nephews, and his brother-in-law. The chairs had been a good investment, Luke thought. Leveled the playing field nicely. He was able to see above the heads of everyone seated in the audience.
Discretely, V slipped into a seat behind Jerry and whispered that everything was ready. Simon took her hand and held it tightly. From the audience, Alexis caught Ned's eye and he winked reassuringly from the stage. Felicia sat on Simon's right. As she kept time with the music, her mind was concentrating on the earpiece in her right ear. She could hear Mac talking to Luke, Jason, Jerry and John. She pretended not to notice the conversation as her eyes moved slowly over the crowd. Looking for the one person who could lead them where they wanted to go.
