them. It was refreshing to finally meet someone he could trust, even if Bishop was a bit of an oddball. He was wearing another trademark brightly colored shirt, a largely red color decorated with orange flowers. Bishop always seemed to be thinking about the next thing, as if he couldn’t just relax and be in the moment. “I’m grateful for your help, Bishop. Truly.”
“Don’t mention it,” said Bishop. “Now get on in there with your wife. We’ve a long way to go today.”
Jonas squeezed in beside Dakota, and got in the middle of the truck so he could talk to Lukas easily. The truck wasn’t designed to carry three people, and it was going to be an uncomfortable day.
“Bishop,” called out Lukas, “stay safe. We’ll see you soon.” Lukas closed his door and watched as Bishop jumped up onto Black Jack.
Bishop sheathed his sword, pulled his cape tightly around him, hiding the bright shirt he wore, and then began to ride north at a canter.
Jonas watched Bishop draw ahead of them. “Will be he all right out there, like that?” he asked Lukas.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. I’d bet my life on it. As long as he’s got Black Jack with him, he’s good.” Lukas ground the gears, and then finally pulled off, heading for the nearest road that headed north. They were parked up in a dry, barren field, and at first the going was slow and bumpy.
“Black Jack. I feel like I know that name,” said Jonas. “Wasn’t that a military horse?”
“Sure was,” replied Lukas. “Bishop took great pride in telling me all about her. Apparently Black Jack was present at the funeral of JFK, Hoover, and Johnson, and when she went she was buried with full military honors. Bishop told me he found her and named her after the original Black Jack. She’s got a fine temperament, and doesn’t get spooked easy. Reliable too. Doesn’t break down, never complains. I can see why he prefers her to riding in a hot truck.”
The truck lurched onto the road, and instantly the ride became smoother. They began to pick up some speed. Bishop was already well ahead of them, but Lukas knew they could take things as they came; there was no need to hurry to catch him. If Bishop wanted to make his presence known, he would.
“So your sister, Janey, she had two kids right?” asked Lukas. If he was going to tag along, he wanted to know what he was heading into.
“Three. All boys. Ritchie, Mike, and Chester,” recalled Jonas. He was pleased that he hadn’t forgotten their names. Many events of the past few days had been kicked out of his head, but remembering his family was easy. “They’re cute as hell. Janey’s a good Mom. She’s doing it all on her own too. You have no idea how badly I want to see them all again.”
“And this place she lives at, it’s good? You think it’s somewhere…safe?” asked Lukas.
Jonas got the hint. “Yeah, it’s a small place, so I’m hoping it’s good. Her place is close to the lake, and we should be able to make a go of it. I don’t really know you, Lukas, but Dakota tells me you’re okay. If this works out, and you want to, you can stay, you know. I get the impression Bishop likes his own space.”
Lukas laughed quietly. “You could say that. Look, Hamsikker, the truth is I don’t really know what I’m going to do. My life was back in Chicago, so now I guess I’m open to offers. I’ll come with you for now. I’ve nothing else to do, and if there’s a chance of a fresh start, then why not?”
Jonas waved his hand, indicating the vast expanse that lay ahead of them, a desert landscape of burning buildings, crashed cars, and dead bodies. “Before all of this, what did you do? Were you married? Kids? You grow up around Chicago?”
“Hamsikker, you leave him be,” said Dakota warmly, shooting Jonas a wry smile. “Lukas, don’t let my husband pressure you into answering a heap of questions. You focus on driving. Jonas should be resting, not giving you the third degree.”
“It’s
“Don’t mention it,” said Bishop. “Now get on in there with your wife. We’ve a long way to go today.”
Jonas squeezed in beside Dakota, and got in the middle of the truck so he could talk to Lukas easily. The truck wasn’t designed to carry three people, and it was going to be an uncomfortable day.
“Bishop,” called out Lukas, “stay safe. We’ll see you soon.” Lukas closed his door and watched as Bishop jumped up onto Black Jack.
Bishop sheathed his sword, pulled his cape tightly around him, hiding the bright shirt he wore, and then began to ride north at a canter.
Jonas watched Bishop draw ahead of them. “Will be he all right out there, like that?” he asked Lukas.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. I’d bet my life on it. As long as he’s got Black Jack with him, he’s good.” Lukas ground the gears, and then finally pulled off, heading for the nearest road that headed north. They were parked up in a dry, barren field, and at first the going was slow and bumpy.
“Black Jack. I feel like I know that name,” said Jonas. “Wasn’t that a military horse?”
“Sure was,” replied Lukas. “Bishop took great pride in telling me all about her. Apparently Black Jack was present at the funeral of JFK, Hoover, and Johnson, and when she went she was buried with full military honors. Bishop told me he found her and named her after the original Black Jack. She’s got a fine temperament, and doesn’t get spooked easy. Reliable too. Doesn’t break down, never complains. I can see why he prefers her to riding in a hot truck.”
The truck lurched onto the road, and instantly the ride became smoother. They began to pick up some speed. Bishop was already well ahead of them, but Lukas knew they could take things as they came; there was no need to hurry to catch him. If Bishop wanted to make his presence known, he would.
“So your sister, Janey, she had two kids right?” asked Lukas. If he was going to tag along, he wanted to know what he was heading into.
“Three. All boys. Ritchie, Mike, and Chester,” recalled Jonas. He was pleased that he hadn’t forgotten their names. Many events of the past few days had been kicked out of his head, but remembering his family was easy. “They’re cute as hell. Janey’s a good Mom. She’s doing it all on her own too. You have no idea how badly I want to see them all again.”
“And this place she lives at, it’s good? You think it’s somewhere…safe?” asked Lukas.
Jonas got the hint. “Yeah, it’s a small place, so I’m hoping it’s good. Her place is close to the lake, and we should be able to make a go of it. I don’t really know you, Lukas, but Dakota tells me you’re okay. If this works out, and you want to, you can stay, you know. I get the impression Bishop likes his own space.”
Lukas laughed quietly. “You could say that. Look, Hamsikker, the truth is I don’t really know what I’m going to do. My life was back in Chicago, so now I guess I’m open to offers. I’ll come with you for now. I’ve nothing else to do, and if there’s a chance of a fresh start, then why not?”
Jonas waved his hand, indicating the vast expanse that lay ahead of them, a desert landscape of burning buildings, crashed cars, and dead bodies. “Before all of this, what did you do? Were you married? Kids? You grow up around Chicago?”
“Hamsikker, you leave him be,” said Dakota warmly, shooting Jonas a wry smile. “Lukas, don’t let my husband pressure you into answering a heap of questions. You focus on driving. Jonas should be resting, not giving you the third degree.”
“It’s
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