Chapter 49

The Warning

The beeps came from a large, brand new, dark blue pickup with Trent in the driver's seat. He waved Leo over.

Leo slipped into the passenger seat, enjoying the new truck smell. “Wow. Nice truck.”

“No money down, with trade-in.” Trent laughed, “I may have finally got the better of a car dealership. Of course, I'll have to return it if the world doesn't end next month.”

“I see,” Leo said. “So, did you want something?”

Trent put a finger to his lips, then started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He didn't say anything until he'd driven them to a nearby, small, rundown cafe.

“Cellphone,” Trent mouthed.

Here we go again. With a shrug, Leo handed it over. Trent stuck it, along with his own, in the glove compartment.

“Can't be too careful,” Trent said as they entered a small cafe with pulsing music in the background. The dirty floor made Leo's shoes sticky as they walked past three old ladies sitting at a table next to the door. Aside from them, Leo and Trent were the cafe's only customers. The two of them sat at a distant corner table, well out of earshot.

“I'll get you whatever you like,” Trent said.

“I'm kind of grounded at the moment. Is this important?” Leo asked.

“It might be,” Trent replied.

The waitress came by to take their order. With a shrug, Leo ordered a coffee, two grilled cheese sandwiches, and a salad. Trent got a milkshake.

“Sorry about the cloak and dagger, but we can't be too careful these days,” Trent said after the waitress left. “Got something to tell you, and I'm apologizing in advance. After you told me all that stuff about the end of the world last Tuesday, I dropped by this guy I know. Not a friend, not really a nice person, but someone I knew had guns he'd be willing to sell.”

“So?”

“Well, he wanted too much money for the guns, but we ended up talking, and I may have mentioned a few of your predictions. I didn't think your actress fight prediction was any big deal. Those actress bitches will do anything for publicity. But it turns out, the guy with the guns, Tagert, is a huge Maxine and Tomi fan, and yes, I'm sure it's as creepy as it sounds.”

The two stopped talking as the waitress came by with their order and left again.

Leo shrugged, taking a large bite of his grilled cheese sandwich and sipping his coffee. He swallowed. “I don't care who you tell about the predictions. If I could, I'd tell everyone.”

“Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. Anyway, he kept going on about how the girls were angels and would never fight, and I told him, teenage girls may look innocent, but I've never met one who actually was. We argued about this for a while and ended up making a bet. My truck, against his guns, on whether the fight would take place. My old truck's transmission is almost gone. If I'd lost, the joke would have been on him.”

Leo took a second bite. “And the fight took place,” he responded through a mouthful of sandwich.

“Exactly, and the guy immediately tried to welsh on the bet, and we had a bit of a fight of our own about that. I ended up giving him the rest of your predictions in exchange for the guns, which should have been mine, anyway.”

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“Not seeing the problem,” Leo said. “What's he doing with the predictions?”

“Well, I figured he'd tell his friends and that would be it. But instead, he and his computer nerd brother set up a website. He's now 'The Great All-Seeing Swami'. He's got a couple of his predictions online for free, but for fifty dollars you can get the rest and learn all about the end of the world.”

“Has he made any money?” Leo asked. “Hard to imagine anyone taking him seriously.”

“Someone took him seriously enough to go to the police. The police paid him a visit, asking what this prediction stuff was about, and Tagert, being Tagert, immediately gave them my name.”

“Uh, oh.” Leo was beginning to see the problem.

“I denied everything, of course. Told them I was counseling the guy for meth addiction and I had no idea what he was talking about. Fortunately, I have some police friends from church who put in a good word for me."

“I'd like to get the word out,” Leo said. “And I have no problem with somebody else taking the credit. If only there was a non-crazy person willing to take that on.”

“Unfortunately, the police were upset about the part of the prediction saying Bio-Blessed users would turn into monsters. It's illegal to post damaging information about Bio-Blessed, or Bio-Blessed users. So Tagert changed the parts about Bio-Blessed users to implant wearers. Now it's the implant wearers who are turning into monsters and eating everyone.”

Leo sighed and put his head in his hands. “Great.”

“I burned that paper you gave me with the predictions on it, to be safe. The police shouldn't be visiting you, but I thought I'd better warn you, just in case they somehow make a connection between the three of us.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Leo said.

“I've been sharing the predictions with people I trust. With all the crazy stuff going on, they're at least considering the possibility you might be right. I talked to a guy who works in finance. He told me that Bio-Blessed Inc. is sitting on trillions of dollars. Enough to buy a first-world country, or anything else you could imagine, but they haven't spent, or invested, a dime of it. No yachts, no islands, nothing. So what are they doing? What are they trying to accomplish?”

“Somehow I don't think they're doing it for the money,” Leo said, finishing his salad. “Oh yeah, you wouldn't know of anyone with a spare?” he pointed at his wrist. “I have a friend who's looking for one.”

Trent winced and shook his head. “I might hypothetically know of people who are making them, but with the end of the world and all, the 'plants are being made for immediate family members. Sorry.”

“Too bad.”

“I know people who want to talk to you. Not right now, of course, but soon.”

“If you think you can trust them, no problem,” Leo responded. “Oh yeah. I've got to ask. What happened to the kid who wanted to date your future stepdaughter? The guy you thought was me?”

Trent moaned and buried his head in his hands. “My future stepdaughter dumped the boy before I could meet him. She's not even twelve, but says she's looking for a guy with more experience.” He sighed. “I'm trying to be a good father, but her mom is handling this one.”

“I see.” Leo wasn't sure what to say to that.

“I did what you said to do with,” Trent pointed at his left wrist, “I haven't noticed any difference.”

“Wait until October 16th. That's when shit gets real,” Leo said.

Trent finished his milkshake and stood up. “Hope you're wrong. Want me to drop you someplace?”

“I need to check my cellphone,” Leo responded. “I should go straight home. Mom about killed me yesterday because I'm grounded and I came home late.”

Back in the truck, Leo retrieved his cellphone from the glove compartment.

Jason's text was on top. Going straight home, can't hang out with you, or be seen with you outside school premises because Mom thinks you're a bad influence. Sorry.

Next was Mr. Osmond with his phone number.

Then Angie. Hey want to train? I want to train. Got your number from Mr. Osmond. We're meeting at Alco Park this afternoon.

Or he could say to hell with going home. And how did Angie know Mr. Osmond? He texted back. Hell yes, I want to train. Mind if I bring a friend?

A text came back. Sure!