Guns And Dogs (3 page)

He looked out the window and saw an airliner cruising below them before disappearing into a thick field of clouds. Then he turned towards Argos. “I still don’t know anything about you.”

Argos Better laughed. “Alright, Johnny.” Gina shook for a second before he piloted her out of the turbulence. “But I warn you, I’m really not
that
interesting.”

“I think you owe me that much Argos; I’ve agreed to come along with you so I’d like some answers.”

“Fair enough.” Argos paused for a second and spoke a code word directed towards Gina’s dashboard. Her computer voice responded and stated that autopilot mode had been engaged. “Now what do you want to know about me?”

“How’d you go from being a dog breeder to an AL operative?”

Argos scratched his cheek and smiled. “That’s a long story, Johnny…a very
long
story.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Alright. Well, after the Gulf War ended I tried my hand at being an electrician. I worked hard to build a small business and I did alright. But after ten years of that I decided to follow my true passion—dogs.”

“Why Red Dobermans?”

“After I sold my business, my Dad gave me a Red Doberman as a retirement gift. I took to the dog and it to me. His name was Rusty and he quickly became my best friend, much to the dismay of my ex-wife.” Johnny noticed Jessie and Studs were listening intently to the conversation. For a second he could’ve sworn that they even understood what Argos was saying.

“Anyhow, a few months after graduation, war came to the Middle East in August 1990, when Saddam Hussein’s army invaded Kuwait.”

“Yeah, I learned about that in school—late 20
^th
century history.”

Argos nodded. “I lived through that Johnny. I had two choices after high school: go to community college and get a job, or join the army and get some skills I could use after the war. So I went to a local recruiting office and signed up. The next thing I knew I was placed in boot camp and soon after, they’d taught me all sorts of stuff. I found myself working in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield as an electrical technician fixing all sorts of army vehicles. I already knew a lot about fixing cars before I joined the Army, so while I was stationed there I soon became one of their top technicians.” Argos paused for a moment and swallowed before continuing. “It was there that I met your Dad.”

Johnny felt a jolt of excitement course through his chest when Argos mentioned his father.

“He was an Army captain, and I was repairing one of the jeeps he and his men used to drive around the base. He valued my technical skills and we quickly became friends. After speaking to his commanding officer, I received a generous promotion from Specialist to Warrant Officer. Apparently my technical expertise had something to do with it. After Desert Shield became Desert Storm I advised your father and his superiors with all issues regarding vehicle maintenance. I also trained various other promising enlisted officers in mechanical and electrical repairs.

After the Coalition forces won, and the war ended, your father and I went our separate ways. Though we kept in touch, it was after I’d started my electrician business that your parents came to visit me. Your mother was pregnant with you at the time, and I agreed to be your godfather.”

Johnny retraced Argos’ words, trying to get a feel for the life he had lived. He remembered asking his father once who his godfather was. His father had answered, “a very good man.” But Johnny had never imagined he’d meet his godfather under these circumstances.

“After that I got married and had two kids. It was shortly after I had sold my electrical business that AL approached me, and guess who came to see me to offer the position?”

Without even uttering a syllable, Johnny already knew. Argos read Johnny’s thoughts and nodded, a warm look in his eyes. “That’s right, son, it was your father. I ended up accepting his offer, first as an AL technician working on various pieces of technology. Then, I was trained to become a field operative. I started going on Time-Healing missions with your Dad. AL then temporarily reassigned me to recruiting because of my experience in running my electrical business. One day after I’d been reassigned, he was sent on a solo Time-Healing mission. I volunteered to go back and see if I could locate him but AL had already closed the books on the mission. Said it was too risky to keep looking for a missing agent. Even for an agent as valuable as your father.”

“Why would they do that?” he yelled. He shook his head ruefully and let out a few expletives. “So you’re saying he still could’ve been alive? Did my Mother know about this?”

Argos nodded solemnly. “Yes. She did, it was kept from you, for your own good, Johnny.”

Johnny clenched his fist so hard that it began to shake, then did his best to calm himself. But the fact that this had been kept from him hurt, he wanted closure regarding his father and wasn’t getting it. “We had a chat one night on the phone. She took it hard.” Johnny remembered the mysterious phone call. “So you were the co-worker my mom spoke to? The one offering his condolences?”

Argos nodded before repeating his verbal code. Gina relinquished control of the autopilot. “I’m sorry Johnny. That’s how clandestine government agencies operate. I’ve lost a lot too. My job with AL took its toll on my marriage and one day my wife asked for a divorce. It was hard, especially since I was still in love with her, but I honored her request. I didn’t want to make her any more miserable than she already was. It also cost me my kids. I hardly ever see them now.” A moment of silence descended between them, as if they each were paying tribute to the loved ones they’d lost.

Johnny wanted to ask Argos if it’d been worth losing his family by continuing his employment with AL. But right as he was about to utter his question he stopped and swallowed.

“Were you gonna say something?” Argos asked.

“Yeah, I was,” Johnny replied abashedly, “but perhaps…um…another time…it was kinda personal.”

Jessie and Studs barked. Johnny looked at them and wondered if they’d been a silent audience in his conversation with Argos. He shifted his glance towards the windshield as they passed through a dense cloud. “No, go ahead, ask.”

“Did you ever consider leaving AL? I mean before the divorce?”

“There were warning signs that my marriage was on the rocks, yes, and I thought about it from time to time. But the work I was doing for AL was critical to both Homeland Security, not to mention Earth itself. I’d also made a commitment to your father when he recruited me and I wasn’t about to resign. Don’t get me wrong, my family meant the world to me, but I also felt that if I’d left AL I’d be jeopardizing their safety as well as millions of other families. After your father disappeared I buried the thought of leaving AL.”

“Ok.”

“America is a great country Johnny, you know that, but she’s got new problems these days, both domestic and abroad: obesity, school-shootings, drugs; and that’s just within our borders. The world’s ecological stability is melting like the polar ice caps and meanwhile every terrorist group in the world wants to spread fear or detonate a nuclear bomb inside a major American city. Plus the newest danger— Time-Splinter Paradoxes—as I mentioned earlier. So while the CIA is busy dealing with international terror organizations bent on turning America into a radioactive wasteland, AL is trying to make sure that TSPs are nipped in the bud.”

Johnny pondered Argos’ words as Gina continued cruised through the heavens. There would always be problems with the world. His father had told him about the Cold War which had lasted from the mid-1940s up until the early 1990s. But now America had bigger issues. He thought about the school-shootings that were common these days and was glad that his school hadn’t experienced such a calamitous event. There was bullying, but school security and teachers were always on the lookout for violators, and apart from the occasional school fight, things were as normal as any regular high school. He thought about all the terms Argos had dropped on him, Time-Healers, Time-Splinter Paradoxes and now Time-Killers. No wonder his father had kept his AL job a secret from him.
He probably didn’t want to worry me,
Johnny thought. Soon another question popped into his mind. “There’s still one thing I have to ask you Argos.”

Argos shot a side glance at Johnny before turning his attention back to “driving.”

“I’m curious, whatever happened to Rusty?”

Argos sighed deeply and began the tale from his past.

When the alarm buzzer sounded Argos banged his head against the bedpost. Seconds later, his hand dangled off the side of the bed, he felt something warm lick his forearm before jumping onto the bed. His wife let out a shriek as the Red Doberman began licking her face.

“Not this four-legged menace again,” Argos’ wife said waving Rusty away.

“Rusty, I told you a thousand times not to lick Gina,” Argos said.

“Sometimes I think you let that dog get away with too much,” Gina said before donning her bathrobe and heading to the bathroom.

“Honey, he’s just showing you some affection.”

“Affection?” Gina called out from inside the bathroom. “Is that why he brutalized my fresh-baked brownies last week? I’d made those for the church bake-a-thon. I still can’t believe the amount of racket that dog can conjure up on short notice. Argos Haywood Better you may need to start looking for an adoption kennel. I don’t think Rusty was meant to be a house dog.”

Argos’ heart leapt into his throat and he nearly gagged on it. “You can’t be serious, baby? I’ve only had him for a few days.”

“Don’t you baby me, Argos!” Gina called out. “I don’t know what your father was thinking giving you that beast as a retirement present.”

“Beast?” Argos replied. “He brings you your slippers almost every morning.”

“Yes and chews on them in his spare time, thank you very much.”

“You’re impossible,” Argos said before going downstairs to refill Rusty’s water bowl. At the breakfast table were his two children, his daughter Jessie and her twin brother, Studs.

“Good morning Daddy!” Jessie said as she stood up and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

He returned the gesture by hugging her and rewarding her with a kiss on her forehead. The young woman giggled before offering her father a mug of steaming coffee.

Argos turned to Studs who had his headphones on and was bobbing his head to music. It was so loud Argos could practically hear the lyrics. “Good morning Studs.” After taking a sip of coffee Argos poked his son’s shoulder. “Aren’t you gonna say good morning to your old man, son?” When Studs paid him no heed Argos gently pulled the headphones off his son’s head. “I said good morning, Studs.”

Studs scoffed and tried to get his headphones but Argos’ superior reach kept the boy from reclaiming them. “Geez Dad why the hell you gotta be trippin’ so early in the day?”

“Me? Tripping? Studs haven’t I told you a trillion times that there are no headphones at the kitchen table.” Studs looked at his father indifferently. After a minute Argos handed back the headphones to his son.

“Not a good way to start the day, Studs,” Jessie added as she was flipping through one of her textbooks.

“The golden child speaks!” Studs mocked before biting into a piece of buttered toast. Jessie eyed him for a few seconds before returning to her text.

“See your sister knows what’s up, son.” He high-fived Jessie who giggled again. Studs shook his head ruefully and went to the refrigerator to pour a glass of orange juice.

“Hey Dad, I’ve been thinking,” Studs began, “I want to take a year off after I graduate and work.”

Argos scratched his cheek and realized that it was way too early for another argument with his son. “Can we talk about this later? I still haven’t had my breakfast, son.”

“What’s to talk about, Dad?” Studs said joyfully. “I was thinking about going up to New York and trying my luck up there.”

Jessie’s eyes shifted from her textbook to Studs. “Not this again. Studs don’t you ever quit?”

Her brother pointed at her while giving her a sharp look. “Stay out of this little girl; I was talking with Dad.”

“’Little girl?” She said. “In case you’ve forgotten, and you obviously have, we’re the same age, as a matter of fact I was born a few minutes before you were.” She rolled her eyes at Studs who shifted his attention back to Argos.

“We’ve had this discussion before, son, so give it a rest.” Argos was doing his best to keep his voice level, but he knew what was coming.

“Give it a rest? This is my future we’re talking about!”

Gina strolled into the kitchen dressed in a pants suit, her perfume announcing her arrival. Let the fireworks begin, Argos thought.

“What about your future, baby,” Gina chimed in.

“He still thinks he can become a musician,” Argos added.

Studs shot up from his seat like a missile. “How will I ever know if I don’t try?”

“Not this argument again. You’re going to college like your sister. Your father and I didn’t bust our butts so you can waste your future away partying with your musical buddies. Try and be more logical like your sister.” In the background Rusty was staring at the heated exchange, a sense of befuddlement spread across his canine face.

Studs grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. “That’s just the problem, isn’t it. I’m not Jessie, am I?”

“That’s a relief,” Jessie said before grabbing her car keys.

“Boy, best you watch how you talk to your mother,” Argos said. Rusty navigated around the kitchen until he stood beside Argos, his eyes staring compassionately at Studs, as if he knew the reason for his family’s discontent. Argos stroked the dog’s firm back before patting him on the head.

“That’s fine,” Studs answered. “I knew this would happen again,” he slammed the door as he left, leaving Gina fuming like a fireplace.

Jessie kissed her mother on the cheek. “I’ll go talk to him Mama. It’ll be alright. I promise.”

After the breakfast spectacle, Argos got dressed and entered the garage to work on his pride and joy, a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro he salvaged from a junk yard six months ago. He pressed a button and as the door rumbled upwards light spilled into the dim garage. Today he would finish working on the carburetor. Once the car was driveable, he would take it out for a road test.