“I got us some dinner,” Merge said, pointing to the plate. “Wash your hands first, then come and join me.”
“What, you not calling the cops on me?” The young man, who appeared to be no more than seventeen said.
“I have to call, just to let the Sheriff know there is a kid staying in my house, if not, people tend to get the wrong ideas, and I can’t have that,” Merge said.
“You letting me stay?”
“Kid, I have no idea why you are here, but you look scared and hungry. That ain’t no way to live, so if I can offer you a few nights of good sleep where you ain’t scared for your personal safety, then let me do that.”
“And what is this kindness gonna cost me? I know your type, food, a shot or two of liquor, a few recreational drugs, then it all turns,” the kids said.
“Nope, none of that shit. I don’t take drugs for medicinal purposes and sure as hell don’t do’em for recreation. Go, wash your hands, come back and eat and tell me your sad ass story,” Merge said. “But first, tell me why you came here.”
“I got a message on my phone from a dude named Archie Angel. He sent me to this address. Told me to come here and wait,” the boy said.
“What’s your name?”
“Ricky,” he said. “Ricky Timmons. And you? What do you want me to call you Daddy or some crap?”
“Hell no,” Merge said, “call me Mr. Merge. That’s all you need to know for now.”
The kid was running from something and the Archangel sent him here. Joel knew the look. A foster kid about to age out of the system, but the older you got the more the families saw you as a threat or an instrument of sadistic pleasure on the part of the host parent.
He’d escaped that life via the help of the Neary family and the guidance of Gabe, but as he told the man at the beginning of the conversation the day prior, the bill always came due. His had come due and now he had a teen kid to help. Ideas shot through his head like bolts of lightening and he’d been paying attention. He’d seen more than he let on peering through the window at the Great Wolf Lodge.
Merge knew what he needed to do next. He picked up his service phone and made a call to the operator. If the Archangel were going to send lost souls his way, he had to prepare in a way that no one would see coming, but it had to be legit. He didn’t want scraps of artificial documents created by Gabe, this idea he’d played with for some years. If he was going to do it, it needed to be done right. Merge placed the call.
“Operator,” a nasally voice came over the line.
“Mr. Merge seeking a connection request to Mr. Exit,” Raphael said.
“Please hold for the connect,” the lady said, as he waited listening to the ringing. The line clicked and a voice came over the phone.
“This is the Exit,” he said.
“Merge on the line,” Joel replied.
“How may I assist you?” Mr. Exit said quickly. He had the same feeling as Mr. Mann and didn’t like other Technicians calling him.
“Coffee, conversation. Advice between friends,” Raphael said.
“We aren’t friends,” Exit told him.
“I could use one and a face to face chat, no weapons, no games,” he said, using the idea of the neckties and business plan as a front. Joel knew that the terminator of the construction crew wasn’t one to take chances, especially not with another Technician.
“I assume the Archangel spoke with you about a buy in?”
“No, don’t know nothing about that, but the Archangel planted a teen in my damned house. Don’t know how long he’s staying or if this is going to be a regular thing; you can’t ever tell with the Archangel,” Merge said. “I have an idea I’ve been playing around with and don’t really know how to make it come about legitimately. The paperwork needs to flow through my county, so the powers that be are aware of what I’m building on my land, versus paperwork suddenly showing up in a database. I’m asking for help.”
“Not sure what you need from me,” Exit said, feeling confused about the call.
“I have a farm, in Monroe County Arkansas, sits on 40 acres,” Merge said. “I think it will make more sense if you saw it, versus me trying to explain over the phone what I want to do.”
“And you don’t want the Archangel’s help?”
“No, Dude, I called you. Can you come, see, guide me a bit?” Merge said, “usually, Wrong Way would stop through, but she’s out, so I don’t have her anymore. I guess that leaves you.”
The irony wasn’t wasted on Mr. Exit. The same conversation he’d had a few days earlier with the Mann had come full circle. Wrong Way was the connecting piece that was missing in the crew. He sure as hell didn’t appreciate being called, but he set the wheel to turning, and this is what was next.
“Where did you say you are?”
“Monroe, Arkansas,” Merge replied, “hey, I know you just got married. Bring the wife and kids, I have room, horses, a swimming hole and loads of chicks and ducks.”
Wrong Way was the connector he spoke about and she was the thread which held them together. She was out of play and a point of contact for Mr. Merge. He needed help and he was going to try to be there for the man. Mr. Exit checked his calendar. He had nothing scheduled and the powers that be hadn’t called and wouldn’t call. It wasn’t really a honeymoon, but it would be nice to show the kids a bit of the south. Today was Saturday. He could head back out on Tuesday, get into Arkansas on Wednesday, and come back through a theme park in Atlanta.
“I can be there on Wednesday,” Mr. Exit said. “Anything I need to bring?”
“I need a solid business and a financial plan, that big brain of yours and a few more ideas once you hear what I have in store,” he said softly in the line.
“Be there by Wednesday, send the coordinates,” Exit said.
“Thanks, and please bring my neck tie and stuff for the buy in,” Merge said, ending the call. The kid had come back and took a seat at the table. His eyes were wide and Merge could hear his stomach grumbling. “Relax kid, you’re safe. I have an idea but a friend is coming out on Wednesday to help me figure it out. If you haven’t bolted by then, you can help with the planning to get this grand idea of mine off the ground.”
“Me? You don’t even know me,” the kid said feeling wary of the stranger.
“Don’t need to,” Merge said, “the Archangel sent you to me and placed you in my care. A charge to keep I have. The bill always comes due and I have to put some coins in the karma jar. I might as well start with you.”
- The End -