Stuck in the Driveway Part VIII
"Where are you going?" Bev asked Eddie in a whisper.
"To see where that gunshot came from."
"Eddie Descenzio, don't be a fool, and don't leave me down here by myself," Bev pleaded.
"Bev, think about it. We do not know where Stan is, right? You were almost kidnapped by some very bad dudes," Eddie said.
"So?"
"So, Bev, think about it. Who else is going to be up there?" Eddie replied. "They may have Stan."
"Eddie..."
Eddie knew Bev was scared. After all of his training, Eddie knew the potential consequences of the actions he was about to take, and he was mildly alarmed. Before this morning, he hadn't used his combat training in years. But, his best friend, his best friend 20 years ago anyway, was probably upstairs, and Eddie was the only one who could save him. "Bev, I am just going to check things out. If it is too dangerous, I will be right back down."
"Promise?" Oh, how he hated when she looked at him with those doe eyes.
"I promise. Just a quick look." With that, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the check. Why, she asked herself, did she think it would be the last time she ever saw the Eddie she thought she knew alive.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm goin' out to take a leak," Jorge said to The Boss. He walked out of the North entrance to the mill and turned East. zzzziiipp he let down his fly. "Ahh," he said as he relieved himself. snap Jorge turned his head towards the sound. "Let's go see what we have here." He headed down the East side of the Mill.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Eddie popped his head out of the Mill's basement exit. No one was around. He crawled around the South side of the Mill to get to the East side where he knew there was a window. Looking through a window was risky, but better than walking through the front door. When he got around to the East side, Eddie saw where the wall boards had started to pull away from the wall studs. With any luck, he would be able to stay on the ground, out of sight, and get a good look inside.
He move slowly through the underbrush and cursed himself when stepped on a twig. snap. Just as he was about to move the board to look inside he heard the telltale click of a gun being cocked, and felt an unmistakable cold hard circle being pressed to his head. "What do we have here?" Jorge asked.
"Crap," Eddie said with a sigh. He couldn't believe that someone had got the jump on him. How could he have hot heard him? His combat skills were rusty indeed.
"Let's take you to The Boss to see what he says about you," Jorge said. "Stand up." Jorge backed up a bit to let Eddie stand, but not too far. He was still too close for Eddie to take him down. Eddie stood. "Now turn around nice and slow."
"Listen pal, I was just looking for a ring that I dropped here last week," Eddie said as he turned around.
"Nice tr...Eddie? Eddie D?" Jorge asked.
"George Smith?"
"Well, I go by Jorge now. It's my professional name," Jorge responded.
"What are you doing here George, or Jorge, whatever you name is now?" Eddie asked.
"Well me, Oscar, he's Otto now, and Jimmy, we call him The Boss, have gone green."Jorge said.
"Green?" Eddie asked. "And, can you get the gun outta my face?"
"Yeah, sorry Eddie. You know, Green, fightin' for the Environment and all," Jorge said. "We figured we done enough environmental damage with all of those oil fires during the Gulf War that we ought to start helping Mother Earth out."
"Jorge, we didn't start those fires. That was the Iraqis when they were retreating," Eddie said.
"True, but had we not intervened in Kuwait, they never would have started the fires," Jorge replied.
"But," Eddie started.
"Listen we can argue this all day, but I am sure The Boss would like to see you."
"The Boss? Oh right, Jimmy," Eddie said. "And Oscar is with you?"
"Otto, yes," Jorge replied. "He is here too. Let's go." They started to walk towards the North side of the mill and the entrance.
"Hey, Jorge, what was that gun shot about?" Eddie asked. "And you still haven't really answered what you are doing here."
"The gun shot was from Otto," Jorge said. "He was holding his gun to this guy's head and sneezed." Eddie looked at him, and the concern must have been evident on his face. "Don't worry the guy was fine. The gun had blanks in it."Eddie's face went from concerned to confusion. "What, hey, we don't want to hurt no one. We just like to scare people straight."
"What are you talking about?" Eddie asked.
"You know how I told you we was goin' Green?"
"Yeah," Eddie replied.
"Well, there is a lot of people doing a lot of bad things to the Environment," Jorge said as they rounded the corner to the North side of the mill. Eddie thought to himself, after 15 years, his vocabulary is not any better. "Well," Jorge continued, "we just try to scare these guys straight into turning their acts around. You know, to stop hurtin' the environment and stuff." They were almost to the door now. "See, we have an act. Jimmy plays The Boss, and Otto and me, well, we play the muscle." It's not much of an act Eddie thought. That's the way it was in the Marines too. Oscar and George, now Otto and Jorge, always listened to what Jimmy was telling them to do. "Come on in," Jorge said as he opened the door. "Hey Boss! You are never going to believe who I found outside!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"As I live and breath, Eddie Descenzio." Jimmy, now known as The Boss, said as he stood from his chair and crossed the room. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Eddie said. "But Jorge, already filled me on most of it. Who's the guy in the chair." Even from behind and in these lighting conditions Eddie recognized him as Stan.
"Oh him," The Boss replied and gave Jorge a disgusted look. "We are not exactly sure. Otto and Jorge were supposed to grab a guy named Stan Brogan." Eddies heart sank. "But it looks like they grabbed his long lost twin brother instead."
"Stan doesn't have a twin brother," Eddie said and immediately wished he hadn't. Another slip. Too much time alone he thought. I am not used to being around people anymore.
"How's that now?" The Boss asked.
"Stan was my best friend before I left for the Marines," Eddie started. "Things were different when I back."
"Isn't that the truth," The Boss replied and redirected his attention to the man sitting in the chair. "You hear that Mr. Dauson. My old pal Eddie here says you aren't who you say you are." Stan didn't move.
"Hey Boss," Jorge said, "I don't think he got his hearing back yet. You know, after Otto's gun went off in his ear?"
"That moron," The Boss replied. "Is he back yet?" Jorge shook his head no.
"What do you want with Stan, Jimmy?" Eddie asked. "Jorge says you are after guys who are killing the environment. Stan is a totally organic landscaper."
"So he says," Jimmy replied. "I guess since he isn't your best friend anymore you guys do not talk much." Stan shook his head agreeing. He didn't add that he hadn't spoken to Stan in a long time. Eddie didn't think now was a good time bring up his hermit lifestyle. "He is working with some 'Investors' who are supplying him with heavy duty fertilizers that will shortly be killing everyone in this town."
"No way Stan would do that. Stan loves this town and loves the environment," Eddie said defending his old friend. "He was Green before it was Chic."
"Did you know that your buddy really had no choice?" The Boss asked, and continued to tell Eddie about Stan's failing business.
"Poor Stan," Eddie said under his breath.
"What?" The Boss asked. Eddie waved him off. "So, you are saying this guy is Stan." Eddie shook his head. "That lying piece of..."
"Hey Boss," Otto shouted as he came in from the West side of the Mill. "Here's the extra pants you wanted. Is that Eddie DeSensitive?" Eddie lifted his head in acknowledgment. Of three, Eddie could stand Otto the least. He was a loud mouth, and as Jimmy had aptly put, a moron.
"Pants?" Eddie asked.
"Your boy wet his pants when Otto's gun went off. I felt bad when he told me he wasn't Stan and had proof. So, I told Otto to grab him some dry pants. An innocent man shouldn't have to sit in his pee. But, now I guess we won't be needing them because he is not so innocent."
"Can you let me talk him?" Eddie asked. Jimmy looked skeptical. "Come on. For an old friend?"
"All right, but don't be a hero Eddie," Jimmy said. "We aren't in the Persian Gulf anymore."
"Yeah, DeSensitive, ain't one of them Kuwaiti childs who needs your help." Only he pronounced it Koowatee. Jeeze, Eddie thought, has Jorge or Otto ever picked up a book?
"Nothing funny Jimmy," Eddie said. "I promise. If he is doing what you say he is, I am done with him to." Eddie walked up to Stan, but as he got closer something was off. It wasn't until he walked around to the front of him that he realized what it was. "This isn't Stan, Jimmy."
"Look DeSensitive quit trying save everybody," Otto said. "He's just another casualty in a battle."
"Stuff it, Otto," Eddie said. "Jimmy, I'm serious. Lift up his shirt sleeve. I guarantee this guy doesn't have this tattoo." Eddie pulled up his own sleeve to reveal a Dragon curled around a sword.
Jimmy looked from Otto to Jorge with disgust. "Why am I still with you idiots? Give him the pants Otto, and untie him Jorge."
"Who are you?" Eddie asked.
"Michael Dauson," he said as he stood. Michael reached for Eddie's hand, but by-passed it and laid a haymaker across Otto's chin. Otto recoiled and was getting ready to retaliate when The Boss stopped him. "Hold on Otto. He owed that one, after all you did make him pee his pants."
"I didn't know Stan had a twin," Eddie said ignoring Jimmy and Otto.
"No one did," Michael said. "Stan doesn't even know yet. I just found out last year and have been trying to find him ever since."
"It seems everybody is looking for Stan these days," Eddie said. He turned to Jimmy. "Are you guys working with Sergeant Owens?"
"That mercenary?" Jimmy respond. "No way. He has always been bad news. Why?"
"I just ran into him too at Brogan's Green Thumb," Eddie responded.
"If Sergeant Owens is after your buddy," Jorge said, "he has bigger problems than us. Owens works for foreign regimes and takes care of their messy work here in the States."
"Looks like your friend Stan is in way deeper than we thought," Jimmy said. "
"You got that right," replied Otto.
If Owens is involved," Jimmy continued, "that means his foreign investors are involved in the Chinese government."
If Owens is involved," Jimmy continued, "that means his foreign investors are involved in the Chinese government."
"I hate to break up your reunion here guys," Michael said as he buttoned the dry pants he had put on, "but can I go now?"
"NO!" all four said in unison.
"No," Eddie said softer. "If these guys mistook your for Stan," he said pointing to the threesome. "You can bet Sergeant Owens will too. But if he gets you. There won't be blanks in the guns."
"Stan?" a female voice said from the North door as she ran towards them.
"Bev, what are you doing up here?" Eddie said as he intercepted her.
"You were gone so long. I thought something had happened to you," Bev said. "Why didn't you come tell me that you had found Stan? And who are these other guys?"
"I'm not Stan," Michael said. "I am his twin brother."
"Bull," Bev said. "What kind of crap are you trying to sell me? I have known you my whole life Stanley Brogan."
"It's true," Eddie said as Jorge, Otto, and The Boss all nodded their heads. Eddie told her everything that had happened including the information about the investors.
"No wonder he has been so stressed," Bev said.
"Did you know about any of this?" Eddie asked.
"Of course not. No," Bev said. "He would never having willingly used a fertilizer that would do so much damage. He couldn't have known. We need to find Stan."
"Agreed," Eddie said. "Jimmy, Jorge, and Otto. Will you guys helps us find Stan?"
"Yeah, we aren't done with him yet, DeSensitive" Otto said.
"Yes, we are," Jimmy retorted. "He's a friend of Eddie's, and it sounds like he needs some real help."
"Thanks Jimmy," Eddie said. "Call me DeSensitive again and I'll give you one across the chin too," Eddie said to Otto." Just one question though," Eddie asked Jimmy.
"Shoot."
"What's with The Boss?" Eddie asked.
"Hey, someone has to be in charge of these two knuckle-heads," Jimmy said, and Otto and Jorge gave him protesting looks. The five of them began to make a plan.
To be continued...
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