Chapter 12
I sat there, staring at my three friends for what seemed like forever. My stomach, which hadn't recovered from the conversation with the President, sank even further into my shoes. How much did they hear? What exactly did they hear? I tried to play the conversation back in my mind, figure out what I'd said aloud, but my mind was spinning too fast for that.
Wait, David had thought it was a joke this morning. Maybe he'd think it was a joke now if I played this right. That thought brought a smile to my face, and I widened it in preparation for a 'gotcha' comment.
"Don't." David's voice was firm, and dropped a few octaves from its normal level. His expression was just as firm, and he was frowning.
"Don't what?" I asked, trying to play coy.
"Don't try to tell me that this is some joke." David said firmly. "That call this morning, it was real, and they thought they were talking to you. You were just on the phone to the President of the United States."
"I was…" I started to say, but his stare got to me.
"What call this morning?" Derek asked.
"The phone rang early this morning and they asked for David." David said. "I thought it was me because everyone calls him Davey so I said that I was David. Then the guy told me to be in the room, alone, at eight-thirty for a call from the President. I told David, and he let me think it was a joke."
"Who the fuck are you?" Sam asked me quietly, looking at me as if I was a stranger. It hurt, to a point.
"I'm David Ray Jones, Junior, your friend." I answered as calmly as I could, but my voice squeaked a little.
"Bullshit." David spat out, his face showing his anger. "What's really going on here?"
"Dammit, we're going to be late!" The coach's voice yelled through the door to the outside as he pounded on the door. "Get a move on!"
"We'll be right out." I said loudly and turned back to my friends. They were my friends, as much as Brian, Brandon and Trevor had been in the last timeline. I knew I could trust them, and if it weren't for the national security rules, I would have no problem telling them before now. As it was, I'd have to tell them or they'd start talking, and that would be worse than the alternative. "Okay, guys, there's… some things about me that I have not shared with you. I haven't lied to you directly, but I've not shared some things. There are reasons for that. Those reason have to do with the national security of this country. Yes, that was President Reagan I was just talking to on the phone. If you believe that, believe the words I am saying now. In every thing that is important, I am the person you know as your friend. The only reason I haven't shared these things with you yet is that I signed a document promising to keep this nation's secrets. If you want to hear more than that, you will be doing the same thing. Later, after the game, I'll tell you everything, if you promise to keep it a secret. I'm going to warn you though, you'll be held to that promise by the government and you'll go to prison, and be held in total isolation, not even able to talk to guards, if you break that promise. Okay?"
"Okay." Derek said first while the twins looked at each other before also nodding.
"Good, now let's go kick some ass." I said with a smile and headed out the door, grabbing my game bag on the way out. When they followed me out, I let out a sigh of relief. The coach glared at us as we exited the room because we were the last to get on the bus. During the drive to the school where the game was going to be played, Derek sat next to me without saying a word, and the twins were talking quietly, in their private language. I couldn't hear more than one or two words occasionally because they were talking so softly and quickly, but I knew they were talking about me.
Warm-ups went slightly better than I expected. My three friends were slightly standoffish as we began, but by the time we were doing drills and trying to make baskets they were acting as if nothing had happened. David and Sam were starters, so they were focusing on the upcoming game more than the events of the morning. Our first game was against the team from Gabbs, often called the asshole of Nevada. The winner of that game would stay for tomorrow's game against the winner of the other playoff game.
About ten minutes before the game began, most of the parents arrived. They'd carpooled together, leaving Eureka early in the morning. Dad was among the group, having ridden with Derek's mother and father since we didn't have a car that could fit more than three people at a time. Dad stood off to the side and motioned with his head for me to go over there. Most of the team moved towards their parents and greeted them at that moment, so I was able to slip off without undue notice.
"How's it going son?" Dad asked with a crooked smile after giving me a quick hug. His dark hair was slightly disheveled from the trip. He also had been growing out a mustache since our move, and I smirked at the piece of food stuck in it.
"It's been an interesting morning." I admitted. "How was the trip?"
"Long, and Mr. Mulkey drives like a maniac." Dad smiled as he spoke.
"I bet." I said while checking to make sure no one was close enough to overhear our conversation.
"Agent Andrews called last night to say the President wanted to speak with you this morning." Dad whispered so softly I could barely hear him over the din of the people in the gym.
"Yeah, well, David ended up in my room last night and got the early morning phone call." I began my explanation and wasn't surprised at the sudden frown. "He thought it was a joke when Andrews told him the President wanted to talk to him."
"That's good." Dad said carefully. "So, you got the message and talked to the President? He told you what's going to happen?"
"Yes, but there's a problem." I said and his frown deepened. "The room we got has a connecting door to the room Derek and Sam slept in last night. They came into that room and overheard at least part of my conversation with the President. Thanks to the timing, the coach was yelling at us because we were late for the bus, so I don't know exactly how much they heard, but they know I was talking to the President. They have a lot of questions they haven't been able to ask me yet."
"You didn't tell them that you'd tell them everything, did you?" Dad said in a dangerous tone.
"I told them I'd explain if they kept quiet until after the game." I admitted.
"Son, this is a matter of National Security." Dad warned me. "You can't pick who you'll tell."
"Dad, they're good friends." I said carefully, noticing the team was heading back to the stands and that the coach was waving at me to get over there. "They'll keep their mouths shut, if they know why. If they DON'T know why they should keep quiet, you can count on them saying something. Let's discuss this some more at lunch; I have an idea of how to handle things."
"Okay, go play your game." Dad said with a heavy sigh and I took off towards the bench where the team was huddling up. The coach gave a decent speech about the importance of winning the game and teamwork, then we did our stereotypical cheer routine and got ready to play. I wasn't on the starting line up, so after taking off my sweats I sat on the bench and watched the tip-off.
The game was a close one. That much was apparent from the first two minutes when both teams racked up six points. There was a lot of cheering from both sides as our starters, including David and Sam, really pushed the other team and were pushed back just as hard. By the end of the first half, my voice was going raw, as was everyone else's. The Gabbs team was ahead by three points after David fouled one of their players who got a free throw. Just about the best news is that thanks to the differences in elevation, our team was looking a little less tired.
"Okay, we're going to stick with David and Sam in the game." Coach told us after giving us praise for the first half. "Mulkey and Jones, you're going to replace Michaels and Collins. Mulroney, you're staying in the game as well, but if you start to get tired you signal me and I'll put Hampton in to replace you."
"Okay coach." The dark-haired Mulroney said with a nod of his head. He was an eighth grader who was quite good as a forward.
"Jones, I want you to stick to their number 33 guy." Coach told me while giving me a very direct look. "Foul him if you have to but get him to back off under the basket. He's killing us with his rebounds."
"No problem coach." I smiled wickedly. This was one thing I was good at, putting an elbow or knee in to another player. Sometimes I got called for fouls if the referee was especially sharp, but I also got away with it more than half the time. It was probably the best use for me in the game: intimidating their star players under the basket.
When the third period began, I was on the court. I could make out Dad's voice cheering me on from the stands. He always did enjoy seeing me play sports, and this time around he would get to enjoy it a little more than he had the last two times. The Gabbs player I was supposed to intimidate was about my height, of slender build, and brown haired. He nodded at me right before play began, but was frowning the first time my elbow caught him in the gut as we both tried to get the rebound from David's missed shot. He let out an 'oomph' as he hit the ground and collapsed. The referee gave me a quizzical look but didn't call a foul as I came down with the ball and went back up as if to shoot while passing the ball to Derek who was behind and to my right. He caught it, dribbled once and then made his shot, which went in perfectly.
By the end of the third period, I'd had two fouls called on me and gotten a warning from the referee that the next foul would see me out of the game. He was getting suspicious, but the damage was done. The Gabbs coach pulled #33 out of the game and put in someone else, who was doing his best to stay as far away from me as possible, despite the yelling of his coach. I personally made four baskets before the period ended.
When the fourth period began, I was on the bench once again with our starters back in the game. David and Sam were out as well, taking a break, and they gave me warm slaps on the back for doing my job so well. The uneasiness of the morning was gone, and we were all focused on the game in front of us. They went back in halfway through the fourth period, and when the Gabbs coach put his #33 back in, I was sent back in as well. When the game ended, we had the lead by four points and I'd managed to intimidate without getting another foul called against me.
"Okay, great game guys!" The coach called out once he got us to stop celebrating on the court, shake our opponents' hands, and get back to our side of the court. The parents were crowding around now, adding their congratulations as well. "Jackpot and Tonopah play their game this afternoon and I want all of you here to watch the game. Whoever wins that is the team we'll play tomorrow, so study them because they were here this morning studying you. Parents, you're invited to join us for lunch at the hotel."
"Excuse me, Coach." Dad said as most of the team broke up and headed to talk to their parents. I could see Derek and the twins talking to their parents already and moved to stand next to Dad as the coach turned from talking with Mr. Mulroney.
"Yes, Mr. Jones?" The coach said by way of response.
"I have some business to handle and I'd like Davey to go with me." Dad said slowly. "I'll have him back by the time the next game starts if that's okay with you."
"Sure, we'll miss both of you at lunch." Coach said while holding his hand out for Dad to shake.
"We'll miss having lunch with y'all." Dad said as he took the hand and shook it firmly. He nodded at the coach as they dropped their hands and then put his arm around my shoulder to lead me out of the gym. I could see the curious and worried looks from Derek and the twins, and I hoped they'd not spill their guts to anyone quite yet.
My attention was quickly taken away from worrying about my friends as Dad led the way out of the school. When I remembered he'd ridden with Mr. Mulkey, I was concerned for a moment, but apparently he'd called for a taxi that was waiting outside. We got in and Dad gave the driver directions for some restaurant that wasn't too far away. It was one of those stereotypical '50s-style places that had greasy food and wasn't too packed with customers. We got a booth far enough from any other customers so that we could speak in normal tones without worrying about being overheard.
"I'll have the chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes." Dad said to the waitress after she'd seated us. He didn't even bother looking at the menu. "Iced Tea would be great as well."
"I'll have the same." I said. The middle-aged waitress just nodded as she scribbled in her notepad, took the menus and walked back behind the diner's counter to place the order.
"Tell me what happened this morning." Dad ordered as soon as she was gone. I nodded quickly and launched into the tale of what had happened. I could see the waitress coming just as I got to the point about going to receive the phone call from the President, so I switched to discussing the game until she'd left. After taking a sip of the iced tea, I continued my tale. When I was done, Dad shook his head slightly.
"I was wondering how long it would take for your friends to find out." Dad said as he shook his head. "You've mentioned several times how much easier it was last time around because you had friends to lean on, friends who knew. I'm just glad you didn't reveal yourself to them or otherwise break security. It really does sound like an accident."
"It was." I said with a hint of anger as the waitress came towards us with our food. Dad waited to respond until she'd left, but his gaze was firmly on me the entire time.
"Son, I'm not doubting you at all." Dad said as he began to cut up his steaming chicken-fried steak. "We've anticipated this might happen, either through carelessness, intentional revelation, or accident. The best scenario was always accidental, but it wasn't totally unexpected. Security checks have already been done on the Mulkeys and the Wells. They all passed, so it's not going to be too bad of a situation."
"You expected me to be careless and let them find out, or to tell them?" I asked angrily and he let out a sigh before taking a bite of his food. It was a stalling technique, good for reducing the tension level, I knew, and I took a bite of my own food. The food was a lot greasier than I normally ate, but very enjoyable. I calmed down slightly by the time Dad spoke up again.
"You know all situations have to be examined and planned for, Davey." Dad said softly and I knew he was right. "I'll call Mike Andrews later today to verify, but you're going to hear that the government will allow you to tell them the basics of your situation. You are not to reveal any specific information that will endanger National Security, and I'll have a chat with them before you talk to them, but things will be okay."
"So you're one of my handlers now as well?" I asked with a strong hint of sarcasm, earning me another stare.
"I'm your father." Dad said softly but firmly. His words, and their deeper meanings were not lost on me. As much as we'd fought in the last timeline, he'd handled things in this timeline a lot better. Maybe it was because of how things had occurred, maybe it was because we were in Eureka and he was the pastor of a church and therefore felt more comfortable in his life and was better able to deal with things, or who knows what. The bottom line was that having him here was helping more than it was hurting.
"Okay, so I'll talk to them tonight after the President's speech." I said. "Do we know what time that will be?"
"Five o'clock tonight." Dad supplied. "It'll be before your team has dinner although they don't know that yet."
"Okay, so we'll talk to them after dinner." I said with a shrug.
"Now, let's talk about the topic the President will be giving his speech on tonight." Dad said and I felt a slight shiver at the frown on his face. We were both eating still, but it was slow going with all of our talking. For a moment, I almost lost my hunger altogether when he continued speaking. "It's a great honor to be chosen by the President to go and minister to these people but you absolutely do not need to go so you will decline the offer. I don't want you anywhere near these sick people."
"I think you are misunderstanding the purpose of you going." I said in a low whisper with as much coldness as I could put into my voice. "You are going as a cover for my presence. I do not like this policy that he will be implementing and there's nothing I can do to stop it from happening but I can make certain that these men, and women, are being treated with the utmost of respect, the way they deserve to be treated."
"You are not going." Dad stated with finality that I did not accept. "I've read your reports on this disease and I don't like it at all. These people have let their…perversions make them sick and I won't risk you catching this disease."
"I AM one of those people." I said in a very forceful whisper. He flinched at those words and opened his mouth to say something but I was not finished. "More than that, I have spent two lifetimes watching good people die from this disease, and I spent a lot of time, effort, and money in the last lifetime helping to fight this disease. I was fortunate both times that I was not counted among its victims, but it claimed the lives of many people that I counted as friends. I will not turn my back on them now."
"You have a chance, now, this time to change yourself for the better." Dad said and I was so shocked at his words I sat back in the diner's booth and stared at him with a wide-open mouth. I should have expected this. "You can choose to be something other than… like that. I can help you with that, son."
"No, Dad, you can't." I said in a deathly low voice. "The only choice involved is whether I'm going to be honest about who I am or if I'm going to lie about it."
"Son, when word gets out that homosexuals are responsible for this disease, they are going pay an awful price." Dad warned me in a low voice. "You don't have to be that way, we can help you change. God would want you to try."
"I know you're a preacher but I also know you do not speak for God." I said in a chilled voice while my eyes squinted in suppressed rage. "I am the way God made me and I'm going to be honest about it, not try to hide like I'm ashamed of myself. You say that homosexuals are responsible for this disease, but you are very, very wrong. "
"Watch it." Dad warned me in a low, dangerous voice. His brows were furrowed together and he was all but glaring at me now.
"No, you watch it." I retorted angrily. My appetite was gone now, replaced by a burning anger and two lifetimes of pent up rage. "You may try to forget it occasionally, but I am not a twelve-year old child anymore. I've lived two lifetimes without you being an important part of my life and if I have to do it again, I will. In the last two lifetimes I've lived, you've been a very small part of my adult life. Both times, it was over this very same issue. I KNOW we've been avoiding this conversation, but maybe it's time we have it right now. I'm gay, Dad, and that's not something that I want or need to change. I can be happy, I can have a good life, and I can have a good, loving family if I want, which I do."
"Son, this is not what the bible says." Dad said while leaning back and giving me a strong glare.
"Bible, schmible." I mumbled angrily and regretted it from the look of outrage on his face. That wasn't the best way to go about this. I had to calm down, and I took a deep breath before continuing. "Sorry, that was uncalled for there."
"Well at least you still have some sense about you." Dad said angrily.
"I have a lot of sense about me." I countered, giving in to the anger again. Once again I had to pull back, take a deep breath, hold it, and then let it out slowly. Dad stayed silent, watching me closely. "In both my previous lifetimes, the question of what makes a person gay wasn't answered. It may be answered this time around, and then again it may not. Does it really matter though? We live in a country that allows people to make choices about how to live their life. So long as they don't kill or cause serious injury to others, they are largely allowed to live as they wish. Being gay isn't automatically harmful to people."
"Then how do you account for them making up most of those infected with this disease?" Dad countered in a much calmer voice.
"There are a few reasons for this." I answered just as calmly. "First, the disease spreads through body fluid contact. Gay sex is rougher on the body in many ways, making it easier to transmit. The second reason is a harsh one for many gay people to accept, especially those in this day and age. Many gay people are rejected by their families because they're gay. We've built our own society by returning the rejection we've been subjected to over the years. Most of us reject the constrictions of monogamy and many of the other trappings of society just like we were rejected. Frequent unprotected sex will spread the disease faster. That's why in twenty years, most of the people infected with the disease have always been heterosexuals living in Africa and other third world nations. It's just more difficult for them to get it through heterosexual sex, not impossible. Given enough time, it will spread through those societies and cultures and eventually reach into our own heterosexual communities. Being gay isn't what makes gay people more likely to get AIDS, it's their sexual behaviors. Condemning those behaviors won't help to change them. In fact, it'll be a goad to make them continue those behaviors.
"Look, Dad, we're going to argue about homosexuality as a sin, a lifestyle choice, and all that for years and years if we keep talking." I finished up as calmly as I could. "That's fine, we can talk about that all we want, but what we're facing here, now, today is a disease that will kill each and every person it infects. These people are human beings, mostly men who have been rejected by their families and who have forgotten the love that can exist in this world from family. You have a chance here to minister to them, not with condemnation but with pure love. Don't pass it up because you can't see past your disdain for their life. Ask yourself what would Jesus do. You know, the man who challenged a group of men to throw the first stone at the harlot if they were without sin. What would he do in this situation?"
"Okay." Dad said after several minutes of silence. The waitress must have noticed we were having a heated discussion because she stayed away until Dad motioned to her with a raised hand. After the usual pleasantries, denial of a need for desert, and payment of the bill, we left the diner.
It took a few minutes to get a taxi, and then we were headed back to the gym where the afternoon game would be played. When we arrived, I purposely left him to go sit by David and Sam who gave me questioning looks as I sat down. For the moment, I didn't want to be an adult, just a kid worried about the next game, so I ignored their looks and just watched the game unfolding on the court.
"Dude, we are in so much trouble tomorrow." Derek said as we boarded the bus after the game. The parents were following us back to the hotel in their cars and the team was going to have dinner together in less than an hour. Word about a nation-wide address by the President had already spread and the coach had talked to the parents about having an early dinner. For now, though we were thinking mostly about the game. Jackpot had creamed Tonopah, and tomorrow would not be an easy game if we wanted to win.
"Well, at least we have Davey to push them around." Sam said as we picked out seats. There was no hesitation in Derek as he sat down next to me and I almost let out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, but they have that big guy who did a good job of creaming the Tonopah forward." David countered. He frowned at me. "Davey, think you can knock him on his ass?"
"Oh yeah, no problem." I answered with a leer and we all laughed. I reflected on how odd it was that we always sat in our group, and talked together. During meals, we'd mix it up with some of the other guys, but we were always in our group on the bus, and there was almost always a zone of at least one seat in each direction that left us alone. While Derek and Sam talked about some ideas for tomorrow's game, I wondered if whether accidentally or intentionally, that zone was made by us, or by the others.
"Dude, you going to get off the bus?" Derek's voice broke me out of the trance I'd been in, wondering about the gap left between us and the rest of the team. I had no idea we'd made it to the hotel already, and realized my brain was working on overload. There was so much going on at the same time, so many things to deal with and come to terms with that I was overloading.
"Yeah, thanks." I said to Derek who just nodded at me with a worried look on his face. He made a quick glance around us and turned back to whisper to me quickly.
"Davey, whatever it is you're going to tell us tonight, don't worry." Derek assured me. "You're our bud and we aren't going to just drop you like a hot potato."
"Thanks, Derek, I appreciate that." I said with genuine relief. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulder as I followed him out of the bus. Everyone went to drop their bags in their rooms and then headed immediately towards the dining hall. Along the way, though the twins got in a few words after checking to make sure no one was near us.
"So, does what we overheard this morning have to do with the President's speech?" Sam asked in a low, conspiratorial voice.
"Yeah, it does and I can't really say more until later." I said softly. David and Sam both nodded, glancing at Derek who nodded back at them just as we entered the dining room. David and Sam went to sit with their father, who was sitting next to Mr. Halstead, or more properly Captain Halstead. Halstead was the officer in charge of operations on the new base and was acting as Executive Officer of the base. His son Jeremiah was in the eighth grade and I'd totally forgotten he'd be here as well. The only thing was, he didn't know anything specific about my real identity, my real nature. All he knew was I had some type of relationship with the government, and even that much was classified Secret. My Dad, and Derek's Dad were sitting near each other with two seats in-between them, obviously meant for us. With a shrug, Derek led the way over and sat down next to his father, who greeted him warmly. Mine just nodded in my direction. I could tell he was still thinking about some of the things we'd said to each other earlier.
Dinner was still a lively affair, with my teammates talking rapidly and loudly about both our game and the other playoff game. For a good half-hour, I found myself totally wrapped up in the speculation of what we could do to beat Jackpot tomorrow morning and totally forgot everything else until the coach stood up to give a little pep-talk about tomorrow's game. Then he suggested we might want to watch the President speak since it was obviously something important, and then he told us we could leave the table whenever we were ready. Dad nodded at those words towards Mr. Wells, Captain Halstead, and Mr. Mulkey. It surprised me that he'd already had time to talk to their parents, and Captain Halstead. As a group, we stood and Captain Halstead said something to his son before following our group towards the adjoining rooms that I shared with Derek and the twins. I opened the door to my room and everyone moved in silently. It suddenly felt like an impressive weight was bearing down on me and I actually had to remind myself that I'd been an adult twice before.
"Captain, why don't you go ahead?" Dad said when I'd sat down on the bed next to Derek. The twins were sitting down on the other bed while the adult men ranged out in a semi-circle. Captain Halstead had the attention of all the men at Dad's words.
"I know you are very curious as to why we asked to meet with you and your sons." Captain Halstead said to the assembled fathers. "First, let me assure you that with the possible exception of Davey, your sons are not in trouble and they've done nothing wrong. As I understand it, and I am not personally cleared for the full story, your sons overheard a conversation this morning. The conversation they overheard was dealing with a matter classified by the government, and they should not have been able to overhear Mr. Jones during that conversation."
"But David was in Eureka this morning." Mr. Mulkey said with a confused look. "I know that because I drove him here myself."
"Sorry, I meant Davey, not the senior Mr. Jones." Captain Halstead replied and I almost laughed at the look of surprise on the faces of Mr. Mulkey and Mr. Wells. "I know that is a little surprising, but trust me when I say that I was just as surprised when I found out that one of the main purposes of our installation was the monitoring and protection of the young man. Let me stress, gentlemen, this information is classified to the highest levels. I don't know much more than that young Mr. Jones does work of some sensitive type for the United States and that we are to ensure his protection at all costs. As part of that, background checks were completed on the families of his closest friends. Your sons are his primary friends along with a few others, and because of those background checks and the events of this morning, you have been cleared by the government for this much information. Revealing any of this information will result in imprisonment for the rest of your lives, in a high-security facility and in an isolation ward."
"What if we don't want to know anything?" Mr. Mulkey asked with a deep frown while Mr. Wells crossed his arms and stared at Dad and then me.
"You won't be cleared to know anything more than that, which is also all I know." Captain Halstead said firmly, meeting Mr. Mulkey's gaze squarely. "Because of what they've heard already, and their close friendship with Davey, they will be told a little more, although not everything. They will not be able to discuss what they learn amongst themselves, or to tell anyone else anything they learn - this includes you.
"This is serious?" Mr. Wells asked carefully, eyeing all of us. Dad and Captain Halstead both nodded in answer and he let out a sigh. "Okay. I understand. I don't like this at all, but I don't see much I can do about it unless I went to the press."
"If you did, they wouldn't believe you with what you know, and we'd find out very quickly." Halstead said sternly. "I've gotten to like you both and would hate to see you in some Alaskan facility, a prisoner for the rest of your lives."
"You can't just threaten people like this." Mr. Mulkey fumed angrily.
"Mr. Mulkey," I spoke for the first time. "I know you're outraged about this, and I must admit that I understand why. There are a lot of things about this situation that piss me off on a regular basis, but I've had to learn how to accept them."
"I don't want my son involved in something that could get him hurt." Mr. Mulkey said to me directly, meeting my gaze with fury.
"He won't, I promise." I said and saw out of the corner of my eye that Derek was bristling at my words. "Of course I can't promise he won't make his own decisions, but I won't lead him there or involve him in anything against his will. It's not like I'm some type of James Bond or anything like that."
"What exactly are you?" Mr. Wells said and Captain Halstead spoke up quickly.
"That's one question that can't be answered." Halstead said firmly, giving me a warning look. I just nodded at him. "Do we all understand and will you allow your sons to hear what Davey has to say to them?"
"Fine." Mr. Mulkey said while Mr. Wells just nodded.
"Good, then I'd like to invite you gentlemen to my room where I have some cold beers waiting." Halstead said. "We can watch the President's speech while the boys talk."
"Okay, now you can tell us what the fuck you were doing talking to the PRESIDENT and YELLING at him." David said as soon as the men were gone and Derek had bolted the door. I looked over at the clock and noticed it was 4:59.
"Let's watch his speech, first, please." I said softly. Derek stared at me before nodding and turning the television on. We were just in time, or the clock was slow because he was already on screen but had just begun speaking.
"…Americans, I come before you tonight with a heavy heart to discuss a matter of the utmost importance to our national security." Ronald Reagan was saying into the television screen. His charm, his charisma was in full force, and the slight bags under his eyes only accented the solemn tone his words and posture were setting. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed all three of my friends were instantly hooked. Hell, I was hooked as the President continued.
"This threat to the security of our nation is not based on the missiles of the Soviet Union or some other foreign power, but rather an enemy far older and familiar to all of mankind. During the Medieval Era, the Bubonic Plague nearly wiped out the civilization of that era, more recently, the Spanish Flu killed millions in this country at the beginning of this very century. Today, we are faced with a similar threat that is both more deadly, and less dangerous to the general population at this moment in time.
"Before I go on to discuss this disease that is threatening our way of life, and what we are going to do about it, I want to stress that at this point in time, it has spread to only a relatively small segment of the population. If we act now, decisively, and without hesitation, we can contain it and keep it under control. Without decisive action, we can expect nearly forty million people to be infected by this disease within two decades.
"The Center for Disease Control has named this disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS for short. It is believed that this disease originated in Africa, and was spread to humans through the bite of a monkey. This disease is transmitted between humans through contact of body fluid to body fluid. Blood is the most conducive transmitter according to the best doctors in this country. When infected blood comes into contact with an open cut or mucus membrane of another person, it is able to infect them. Unlike many diseases of the past, it is not transmittable by sneezing or coughing, or by bug bites. A mosquito cannot bite someone infected and then infect the next person it bites like malaria can. That is the good news about this disease."
"Holy shit." Derek muttered as the President paused for effect. I broke my gaze from the screen and saw all three of them had gone slightly pale.
"That is just about the only good news regarding AIDS." The President continued, drawing my gaze back to the television. "Once infected, the virus is virtually undetectable for at least six months. A person can live with it in their blood for six, seven or even ten years, infecting others. When it does become active, it attacks the body's immune system, destroying it completely in a matter of weeks. Any opportunistic infection, such as a cold or the flu becomes deadly because the body's ability to fight it off has been destroyed by AIDS. This disease is a virus, specifically something known as a retrovirus.
"That is important because in all the history of mankind, we have never, ever, found a cure for a virus. The common cold is a rather benign virus by comparison, the flu is a more dangerous version, but they are nothing compared to AIDS. Despite all the research into both the flu and colds, no cure has ever been found and it is not likely one will be found for the flu, colds, or AIDS within the next few decades. Because it is a retrovirus, creating a vaccine for AIDS will be far more difficult than it has been for the flu. Our best medical experts project we might be ready to begin clinical trials of a vaccine in ten to twenty years.
"I'll remind you, that we project in twenty years anywhere from twenty to forty million people will be infected and facing a death sentence from this disease.
"It is these facts that require your government to take decisive action. These actions are not going to be easy, and they are not going to be popular, but we will take them nonetheless. I have spoken with the leadership of Congress and while action will begin immediately by Presidential Directive, Congress will debate emergency legislation to codify them into law. Congress will meet in emergency session tomorrow morning and will continue until this legislation has been passed, even if it means meeting through the Christmas holidays.
"We, as a society, cannot afford to wait until Congress has acted, however." The President continued. His face grew even graver, and he leaned forward towards the camera a bit. "Effective immediately, I am nationalizing the National Guard in all fifty states to help us deal with controlling this disease. All persons who are diagnosed with AIDS, or its precursor, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus are to be quarantined for their own safety and the safety of the general population. Until more permanent housing is available, they will be quarantined within the confines of designated medical facilities in thirty cities located within twenty states. All infected persons are required to participate with this quarantine fully. Failure to do so will result in forced imprisonment in designated detention facilities. We do not take these steps lightly, and we know full well the consequences of these actions. All military, police, and medical personnel who interact with anyone affected by this quarantine are expected to act in accordance with the highest standards of compassion and respect for the dignity of these people, our citizens, our brothers and sisters, our children. Failure to treat them with the respect, compassion, and care that they deserve will be met with the highest penalties.
"In addition, AIDS is transferred most commonly by certain high-risk behaviors. Any person who participates in such high-risk behaviors will be required to submit to a blood test twice a year for the next four years. There will be fiscal compensation for this requirement, and once again they are to be treated with the highest level of respect possible. Failure to submit to these regular blood tests will require the detention and quarantine of people belonging to high-risk groups. Any list generated to monitor and track people who have submitted to testing will be kept with the utmost of confidentiality. Any release of information regarding the names, addresses, or identifying features of any person tested under this requirement shall be punished to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of the position of the person leaking such information. There will be no exceptions to this. I will not see someone who performs his or her civic duty by submitting to the testing punished or harassed for helping us control this epidemic. If they are found to be infected during their testing period, they will be required to submit to quarantine.
"For those who are quarantined, you have my personal assurance that you will be treated with the utmost respect, the utmost dignity possible. Further, I will work to ensure that our nation's medical research teams have all they need to help find a cure. Let there be no misunderstanding, to be infected with AIDS is a death sentence right now. Help us keep those you care about from becoming infected by cooperating with these measures. In return, we will do everything we can to find a cure, or at least some way to hold off the disease to let you live a longer and more comfortable life.
"Further, businesses that contribute to the behaviors which enable infection are hereby ordered to close. I am requesting Congress to approve funds to help these businesses switch to less dangerous trades in the form of no-interest government loans. Make no mistake though, if you do not close your doors on your own, your doors will be closed for you.
"So far I have talked about what this disease is, and what we are going to do to stop this disease. I have mentioned high-risk behaviors and how this disease is transmitted. What exactly is a high-risk behavior? Forgive me if I seem a little reticent to discuss some of them. I'm a man of my generation where some of these things are not usually even hinted at, much less discussed directly. They include sharing intravenous needles for drug use, as well as a nurse accidentally sticking herself with a needle that was just used on an infected patient. Anal intercourse between people of the same or opposite sex is another high-risk behavior. Unprotected intercourse between people of any gender when one or the other person has had unprotected intercourse with other people is a high-risk behavior. An infected mother will pass this disease on to her unborn children.
"Speaking as a Christian man, the first thought that comes to my mind is that abstaining from intercourse until you are married and not doing drugs will guarantee that you are not at high-risk for this disease. As your President, in a country where such acts are not always illegal, I must face the reality that we cannot stop you from engaging in such behavior. Just know that if you do, you will be required to submit for testing. Failure to do so will result in criminal prosecution. The Surgeon General will be providing more detailed information on what exactly constitutes high-risk behavior and what will require submittal for testing. All medical personnel will also be required to submit to regular testing as well.
"Let me leave you with these final words. The people who are infected, or at risk of being infected are our parents, our brothers and sisters, our cousins, our own children. They are Americans just like you and I. We must treat them with the utmost respect, love, and compassion in these trying times. Vilifying them, painting them as monsters, which they are not, is wrong. To ensure that they are treated as they deserve, I am appointing a national commission to monitor the quarantine and testing programs. This commission shall consist of medical professionals, religious leaders, members of Congress, and several lay people. They will visit all quarantine facilities and testing programs to verify that the standards I have set forth are being complied with completely. They will report back to me on a regular basis, directly and their reports will be dealt with immediately. I ask that all Americans embrace the poor souls infected with these diseases. If your loved one, or friend is infected, I beg you to visit them. No family member or friend will be denied a visit to a quarantined person without just cause, and a member of my commission must review each case of refusal. These are trying times, and we as Americans must show the world that we can do what is necessary to preserve ourselves while still acting with compassion and love foremost in our minds. Thank you and good night."
"Is this for real?" David asked softly as I turned off the television just as some talking head came on and said that the Surgeon General was beginning a press conference in the White House Press Room. All three of them were staring at me with ashen faces.
"It's for real." I said in a voice brimming with the sadness and heartbreak I was feeling. Dealing with this disease the first time around was tough. In the second timeline, I felt like I'd made a real contribution to helping keep it under control. The success of that I measured by the fact that less than half of the people in the second timeline were infected and died than in the first. Now, to be faced with this type of action made me feel like a traitor to those people I'd visited and cared for in the second timeline.
"This is what you were discussing on the phone with the President this morning." Derek said in a very cautious voice from where he sat next to me. I nodded at his statement, and he continued speaking in a halting way. "You don't agree with all this stuff."
"No, I don't." I said softly. "The first time around it was pretty bad for a couple of decades and there was never any cure. The second time around things got better because I was able to share what I knew with the right doctor. This time, the government got involved from the get-go and this is the result."
"Wait, what do you mean the first time around?" Sam demanded with a face that had gone even paler.
"You're from the future." Derek answered for me, looking at me with wide eyes. "That's the big secret. You're some type of Final Countdown person aren't you?"
"That movie got time travel all wrong, but it did have some good points." I said with a short laugh that sounded forced even to my ears.
"No fucking way." David said softly. "You're our age."
"I have memories of living sixty years worth of life time." I said softly. "My first lifetime, I lived until 2004 when I participated in a time-travel experiment. Unlike the movie we watched last night, real time-travel works differently. You don't physically go back in time, you don't take anything but your memories with you. A 'picture' is taken of your brain and transmitted back into time into your younger body. For me, the first time I went from 2004 to July 31, 1981. This last time, I went from later in 2004 to March 29, 1981."
"This is a joke." Sam said firmly.
"I wish it was." I said sadly.
"Then you can tell us what happens next." David said with a disbelieving stare.
"No, he can't." Derek said softly. His mind was spinning behind his eyes. I knew he had the intellect to grasp some of the basic principles. "The timeline has already changed. The carrier's planes attacked and sank the Japanese fleet and now history is being re-written."
"Exactly." I agreed with a nod. "I've made changes to this timeline with my actions and reports to the government. The first time it happened, I tried to keep it secret for several reasons. The time travel experiment that first time wasn't sanctioned by the government and I had no connections or preparation. This time around, I had a duty, an obligation to report to the government immediately and I did so. Everything is different. In my first lifetime, my family moved to Eureka during my freshman year. We lived there for a year. I was friends with Derek but barely knew David and Sam. In my second lifetime I never moved to Eureka and never met any of you."
"Why are you here now?" Derek asked quietly. "Why didn't the government just lock you up somewhere and get all the information they needed?"
"Because no matter what else they are, the government is made up of human beings who understand that you get a lot more with decency and respect than force." I said quietly and firmly. "At least the President and his cabinet understand that. There's a few who didn't and tried a different approach. That failed. However, they wanted me where they could more easily guard me, and keep me under more control. I had mentioned Eureka during my debriefing and they were able to make it fit nicely."
"So Eureka is some kind of jail for you?" David asked me with a hint of concern in his voice.
"Not really, it's a compromise." I answered with honesty. "One of the things about this form of time travel, I may have the memories of being an adult and all that go with them, but I am physically this age. I am twelve years old, I am going through puberty, and all the other things that kids our age go through. Basically, I have to grow up again, and it's easier to do that when I'm around people my age, not just adults all the time. They let me live in Eureka, have friends, go to school, and grow up as a kid most of the time, and I give them all the information in my head. Considering my life the last time, that's a lot of valuable information. I was a naval officer, had fought in the Third World War, and commanded the United States fleet during the Battle of Taiwan. I was the only person since World War II to use a nuclear weapon in war, and I have a great deal of knowledge on military and technology that they are making great use of right now."
"Shit, why the hell would you want us for friends?" Sam said with a derisive snort. "Was all that crap about having us help you in basketball some sort of act?"
"No, it was no act." I said with a genuine chuckle. "Sixty years of experiences and I'd never really mastered the art of dribbling a basketball."
"You still haven't." David snorted and all three of us collapsed in laughter. That was the moment when I realized they weren't going to freak out. They were still my friends and everything would be okay. There was a lot left to talk about, and we did that well into the night, ignoring the ringing phone, which was most likely one of our teammates wanting us to come to a party or something. It was around midnight when we all started yawning that we went to bed. Our conversation had covered several topics and I clearly defined what I could and could not discuss with them. In the end, we were still friends. To my non-surprise, Derek went to sleep in Sam's room while David and I got ready for bed. He turned out the light and we both laid there for a few minutes, listening to each other breath.
"Are you queer?" David asked me in a soft voice after we'd been quiet for a while. His question didn't really surprise me. His next one did. "Did you have a boyfriend or whatever you call it before and that's why you won't do anything but jerk off in the same room?"
"Yes." I said softly. "Yes to both of them. I loved him with all my heart. In the last timeline, men could marry each other eventually and we got married. We were together since we were kids, loved no one but each other, and didn't break up once in twenty four years of being a couple."
"Will he remember you now that you went back in time?" David asked in a small voice.
"No." I said with a heavy sigh, thankful for the darkness. Some part of me didn't want David to see the tears his questions brought to my eyes. "He's just a twelve-year old guy who never met me. In the last timeline, when I went on the mission that ended up with me back in time again, he had to stay behind. He wasn't in the military and couldn't go so now he's just a normal guy who never met me."
"Are you…do you think you'll ever meet up with him?" David asked me.
"That thought is the only reason I haven't thought about killing myself." I said in all honestly, surprised at my own words. They were true though.
"I hope you meet him." David said softly, with a hitch in his voice that hurt me a little bit because it meant he was worried about me.
"I hope so too." I said and then paused before speaking again. "Thank you, David, for caring and being so… cool with it all."
"No problem, Davey." David said softly. "I just hope I meet some guy like you who I can be married to and spend all my life with. Your boyfriend is a lucky guy and just doesn't know it yet. Good night."
"Good night, David." I said with a genuine smile. Within minutes I was asleep and dreaming of my Brian.
As with all my stories, E provides immeasurable input, grammar checking, and all those other lovely editing thingies that make the story so much better!
Feedback,
an Author's Lifeblood
