Chapter 20: The Compound
KAREN JENKINS told Jared all about the Compound. He couldn’t even imagine the things she spoke of. It had been a shocking revelation to see how much Wythel had changed since his last memories.
Everything looked new and cared for, not run down and miserable. People, even some he did recognize, came by and said hello. To him? People told him they were praying for him. They said they hoped he’d get better soon and that it was good to see him out and about. They wished him well. He knew he had woken to some sort of alternate universe. Karen wouldn’t let him go home, despite his protests. He understood now that his leg had been shattered by a bullet and had to be amputated when infection set in. It sucked, but he was dealing. He would need a new job. No way was Griffon going to keep him on with only one leg. He had asked once why Griffon hadn’t stopped by to check on him. He was a stand-up guy and someone Jared respected. He was more than a little disappointed by the amount of strangers checking on him, but not his own boss. There were flashes of darkness that crossed the faces of those he’d asked, until he realized that for whatever reason, he shouldn’t be asking.
Doc spent several more weeks with him at the clinic working on muscle tone and learning to get around without his leg. He had even managed to design a replacement peg to help with his balance. It was made of wood and strapped to the nub just below his knee. It wasn’t ideal, but it sure helped with his mobility.
Jared was still largely in shock and didn’t know how to handle the loss of his leg or the loss of his memories, so he was just concentrated on one thing at a time, one day at a time. It was more than he could handle to think beyond that.
Charlie arranged for several men, a few Jared had met or seen in the clinic, and a tourniquet to carry him up the mountain. His pride wouldn’t allow it. He was determined to do it himself, but they were equally stubborn to stick around and watch him.
“So, who are all these people?” he asked Charlie as they set out on the large journey ahead.
Charlie smiled. “This is your squad, man. Yours and Holly’s.” He choked on the girl’s name, which left Jared with a bad feeling.
“Holly? Your little sister Holly?” he questioned, giving an explanation when he looked at him hopefully. “Karen told me about her little girl. Said she had befriended me or something. I never really paid much attention to kids before, but I’d love to hear that story someday.”
Charlie gave him the weirdest look, then busted out laughing. “Mom called Holly her baby girl, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Jared admitted, trying to see the humor in that. Charlie had caused enough of a scene that all the others joined them. As they surrounded him, he should have felt claustrophobic, but he didn’t and that unnerved him probably more than if it had.
“What’s so funny?” The blonde, who Jared knew as Scott, asked. Scott had sat with him on several occasions. He liked to joke around more than talk. Sometimes Jared was grateful for it, other times it frustrated him, especially when he felt close to getting another piece of the puzzle to fit.
“Um, okay, first some introductions. Jared,” Charlie started, “This is Scott, Joey, Kyla, Milo, Jacob, Callie, and I know you’ve already met Ash and Sam. These guys here, they’re your guys. This is your squad, your team. I swear to you there is nothing in this world these eight wouldn’t do for you.”
“It’s really great to see you up and around, Jared,” Milo told him. The affection in his voice was obvious.
“Now, um, I don’t really know quite how to explain Holly to you man. She definitely isn’t the little girl you’re imagining after talking to my mother. Yes, she’s my little sister, but seriously, she’s just a year younger than I am.”
Jared looked confused.
“Jesus, stop hem-hawing around it, he has a right to know,” Sam said as Charlie adamantly shook his head no. “Holly and you was leaders of this squad. Mostly inseparable, equal in every way.”
“She’s your wife, dude,” Scott blurted out. “Never considered asking about that band around your left finger?”
“Scott,” Charlie and Ash scolded at the same time.
“Doc said he wasn’t ready to hear it, that you could set him back in his progress by forcing it, so shut your damn mouth,” Ash said.
All eyes were on Jared as he twirled the ring with his thumb. He’d noticed it. Of course he had. He hadn’t thought to really question it, though. It seemed to bring him comfort, and he caught himself constantly rubbing it. That had been enough for him.
“So, I’m married?” Jared asked, like they’d all lost their minds. “You’re joking right? There’s no way I could ever get married. Um, just trust me on that,” he said awkwardly.
Jacob rolled his eyes. “I’ve known you since before the world ended, Jared. A lot of these folks don’t understand why you would feel that way, but if you’ve lost even the last year of your life, then I get it. But the person you remember and the one we remember, aren’t the same guy. Holly, she changed you. For the better. Way better,” he said as Sam elbowed him in the side. “You’re a good man, Jared. Don’t, for one second, believe anything else.”
Jared stared at the man and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He actually did recognize him. “Jacob Marsh?!?”
“Yeah, shocking to all of us too,” Scott said jokingly. “Who knew such a good guy lived in this asshole.”
“Holly,” they all said in unison, laughing. They were back to walking up the mountain as they spoke but fell silent as each of them got lost in their own memories.
Jared stopped. “Holly’s dead, isn’t she? That’s why no one wanted to tell me about her? She died when I was shot. Is that it?” It seemed to make sense with how everyone acted when they spoke of her. “You can tell me, it’s okay. I honestly don’t remember her at all. I thought she was a little kid from the way her mother spoke.”
That caused an uncomfortable chuckle.
Finally. Kyla spoke up softly, “Holly’s not dead, at least as far as we know. The AMAN came for her by helicopter.” There were tears in the young girl’s eyes. “They killed Bubba when he fought back. You went after them and tried to save her, but they, they shot you and they kept shooting. You flew backwards and cracked your head on a large rock. It was snowing, and the blood was everywhere. We all thought you were dead. Holly likely thinks you’re dead. They got her into the helicopter. She fought them all the way, but they flew off with her and no one has seen or heard anything since.”
“We don’t know it was the AMAN, not for sure,” Jacob said in defense. Everyone stared at him in disbelief, but he shook his head. “Griffon wouldn’t have let that happen, not to her. It can’t be the AMAN.”
“Then who?” Joey asked. “Come on Jacob. Who else has that kind of power. Who else could possibly have a damn helicopter to pull something like that off?”
Anger and frustration was evident in both their voices and their faces. These people really cared for this Holly. Jared could tell. He latched on to the one thing said that he could associate with and asked. “Why did you say Griffon wouldn’t allow that to happen? Where is he? I’ve been wondering why he hadn’t come to see me at the clinic. I mean, I realize I’m nobody important, but he usually treats even the terrible workers better than that.”
He thought maybe he’d get a chuckle from them, but it only set in more awkwardness. “Griffon is AMAN now, Jared,” Milo spit out. “And Jacob doesn’t think he’d allow that to happen to her because he was in love with Holly.”
“What? But you said she was my wife,” he couldn’t help the laugh that snuck out at just saying the words aloud. Him with a wife? Never in a million years.
Sam filled in the missing pieces. “Yeah, well, Griffon met her first, and I heard they were close. Then she met you. You won her heart.”
Now he really did laugh out loud. “You’re saying that I stole Griffon’s girl? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. There is no way I would ever believe that anyone, but especially a girl, would ever choose me over him for anything.” But no one else was laughing with him.
Sam got right up in his face and her cheeks were turning red. “Don’t you dare, Jared Hastings. You are stronger and better than nearly any man I’ve ever met. Any of us have met. Griffon was never good enough for Holly and the Jared I know and love, and he would follow her to the ends of the world. He was a fighter who would do anything for that girl. You are a leader. It don’t get no better than you, and don’t you dare forget that.”
Charlie reached for her and pulled her into his arms as she sobbed. Seeing this Jared was hard on everyone. For Jared, hearing the passion behind her words made him want to be that guy. He had always tried his best to live in the shadows, out of sight of everyone. How had he come to instill so much pain and passion in one person? But it wasn’t just one person—looking around, he saw it in the eyes of each of them. They looked up to him. They respected him. It was a feeling he was not familiar with, yet it made him stand a little taller, it made him not want to let these people down, when they clearly were counting on him. For what? He didn’t know, but he vowed to try to be worthy of the man they depicted with each and every story.
Halfway up the mountain, all the energy in Jared was zapped. He stubbornly tried to push on anyway, but after fumbling for the fourth time, his squad took over.
“We got you, big guy,” Scott said, as he pulled out a tarp. Without warning Jacob and Scott took the two back corners and Milo snatched the crutches before pushing Jared backwards into the waiting tarp. Milo reached down for one corner, as Charlie went for the other, but Joey knocked him out of the way and took it.
“No offense, Charlie, but this is my job.”
Jared thought he looked like a kid, but he didn’t falter or struggle to hold his own and Jared soon found himself hoisted up with each man holding tight to their corner and walking him up the mountainside.
“Charlie?” he asked.
“Yeah?”
“You aren’t part of my, uh, squad, are you?”
“No, no I’m not. I did go on one mission with you, just for a meeting over in Manning.” He laughed, remembering the trip. “Holly was worried I might kill you. By the time we returned, I was worried she might kill you.”
The others all laughed. It was clearly a good memory.
“See, you and Holly, well, we were at this place called Little Endor, and they were big on the no fraternization thing, if you know what I mean,” Jacob started. “They wanted to put the girls somewhere else. It was just her and Kyla at the time. We picked these three up at Little Endor. Anyway, he mentioned that the only way we could all stay together was if the girls were traveling with their husbands. You didn’t miss a beat, as you said …”
“Kyla and I were married, and so were you and Holly,” Joey interrupted.
Jared looked at him and shook his head. “You two look like kids. Why would he believe that?”
Jacob laughed, “You were quite convincing. No one would have thought to argue with you, and well, this is a different world we live in. Sixteen isn’t so young anymore.”
Callie spoke next, “I don’t know if you remember me or not, but we sorta grew up together and even went to a dance together once.”
Jared’s color drained from his face, replaced with a dark crimson color as he recalled the night of the barn dance where he had danced awkwardly with Callie Carter and then froze in panic when she had tried to kiss him goodnight. It was one of the most horrifying nights of his life. Of course he knew who she was.
“I remember,” he gulped, hoping the sweat beading on his forehead wouldn’t drip down his face. “You were taken by the AMAN shortly after that,” he said, partially trying to change the subject and partially putting the pieces together
She smiled. “Yeah, well, the Endorians rescued me and took me in. You can imagine my surprise when you strolled into town with this beautiful fiery redhead on your arm and never once flinched from her touch. It was a pretty dramatic change. I think I was in shock.”
“And Holly was none too pleased to find out that was ‘Barn Dance Callie,’” Scott laughed, but Jared didn’t understand the joke. “Man, a joke’s not funny if it has to be explained all the time.” He frowned before continuing. “Holly had heard the story about Callie before meeting her. She was jealous as hell, and it took swallowing her pride to even begin warming up to Callie.”
Callie shrugged, “I was never as close to Holly as the others, but she’s a pretty remarkable woman and she’s really good for you. You may not remember, but I’m glad you had her. You deserve to be happy, Jared.”
They fell silent as he considered their words and continued up the mountain.
Karen had told him stories of the bunker, but that in no way prepared him for what he found when they finally stopped. If the door hadn’t been opened, he would never have known anything was even there. And once inside, it was like everything he knew about life changed again. In his wildest dreams he couldn’t have envisioned such a place.
“Hey man, welcome to the bunker, home of the original Compounders,” Chris Weaver greeted him. Chris had been by to check on him a few times, so he was at least a somewhat familiar face. “Are you hungry, or more tired? Or both?”
“Overwhelmed,” Jared said and tried to smile to hide his discomfort.
“I’m famished,” Scott said. “This guy is definitely putting some weight back on.” He clapped down on Jared’s shoulder. Jared waited to feel the usual need to withdraw away from his touch, but it never came. It felt oddly familiar.
Catching Callie’s eye, she smiled happily, and nodded encouragement.
“Well, we can head for the dining room for lunch. Cassie’s mom cooked up a feast for your arrival. Or if you’re too tired, I can show you to your pod, uh, room, and bring you lunch there. It’s really up to you. Whatever you’re more comfortable with.” Chris said., It took Jared a moment to realize he was talking to him.
He quickly looked around at the faces of the strangely comforting squad members and could see they weren’t ready to let him go. He didn’t know how he knew it, but he knew that lunch with them would mean a lot to them all, so he agreed.
His eyes darted around as they made their way to the dining room. He was trying to take everything in. The hallways and turns made it a little disorienting, but he wasn’t feeling the usual panic he expected.
Karen and Jeanette Worthington were waiting for their arrival. Karen went straight to Jared and hugged him tightly. She took a moment to check him over, pleased to see he had gained a little weight and was getting along with the new peg. His own mother had never paid him such scrutiny, but he didn’t seem to mind. It was nice.
“Sit. Relax. I’ll have lunch out in just a moment. I’m Jeanette. If anyone needs anything, just ask. And for meal planning, how many of you are staying for dinner?” Jared raised his hand along with all the others. “I suspected as much. Now how many of you are actually going home after dinner?” Only Milo, Callie, Jacob, Joey, and Kyla raised their hands. “Rest of you planning to stay awhile?”
“Yes ma’am,” Scott said. “I’ll be moving in for as long as Jared needs me.”
“I’m sticking around for tonight to answer any questions they have about his care, and I’ll be back and forth for the next few months checking on him,” Ashlyn said.
“Sam and I will be around for a few days just to make sure he gets settled in okay,” Charlie added, which caused an eyebrow to raise, but Jeanette bit her tongue and merely nodded.
“I know you guys have more important things to do than babysit me. I’ll be fine, really,” Jared tried to tell them.
“I know we’ve given you a lot to take in,” Scott said, serious for once, “and we don’t mean to overwhelm you, but it’s not solely for you that I’m sticking around. Actually, we’ll be taking turns. No one can stand the thought of you going through all this alone, so until which time you can physically kick us out, one of us will be around at all times.”
Jared’s eyes grew large. “All times?”
Scott laughed. “Yup! For today and tomorrow, Sam and Ash will be crashing in your living room,” he said looking pointedly at Mrs. Worthington who had just returned with large bowls of steaming hot food. “Charlie and I will be just across the hall. Sam’s been working with Ash on your care and is the better equipped to handle things right now. I’ll be learning all that the next few days until they leave and will be here for two weeks before Joey takes over, and then Jacob, and we’ll be rotating through the squad every one to two weeks until you are fully back on your feet … er, foot?” Scott added causing some groans and eyerolls as he laughed at his own joke.
The food was the best Jared could ever remember having. With a full stomach, the trials of the day began pressing down on him, and he was suddenly very tired.
Charlie led him down a long hall to a door clearly marked POD 7. He walked in and went straight to the back, collapsing onto the bed in the deepest sleep he could remember. His last memory before closing his eyes was the faint comforting smell surrounding him.
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