Bad Day in Queen's Landing - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Terrance led Cal downstairs to what Cal could only call an armory.  There were guns and ammo everywhere.  Shelves, display cases, and hooks on the walls all held guns of every kind.  There were crates holding bullets everywhere. 

“Expecting a zombie attack?” Cal asked.  Terrance looked at Cal like he was stupid. 

“Let’s just say I’m ready in case I ever need to be for anything,” Terrance answered.

“T, you have more ordnance here than we do,” Cal said, still surveying the room.

“I’m better trained than you too,” Terrance replied.  Cal slowly turned to Terrance.

“Why are you showing me this?” Cal asked.

“I said I owe you,” Terrance replied.

“So you’re going to loan me ammunition and weapons to take down Hernandez?” Cal asked, hoping that was the answer, but fearing it wasn’t.

“Yeah,” Terrance answered, picking up an automatic rifle and beginning to load a clip into it.

“Is that all?” Cal asked.  Terrance gave Cal an annoyed look.

“What do you want from me?” Terrance asked.  “Do you want me to hold hands with you and sing Kumbaya?  Or, would you rather I strap up and we go run Hernandez and his boys out of town?”  Terrance gave a challenging glare at Cal, waiting for his answer.  Cal ran his hand through his hair and looked around the room.  He looked back at Terrance.

“I can’t,” Cal responded.  Terrance looked at Cal flatly.  “You’re not a deputy.”  Terrance barked a laugh, but Cal’s face never changed.

“You’re serious?!” Terrance more said than asked.  Cal slowly nodded.

“If we do this, then people will get killed, and I can’t protect you,” Cal answered.  “If you were deputized, then we might, and I mean, MIGHT, get away with it.”  Terrance stuck his tongue into his bottom lip, thinking.  He slowly nodded. 

            “Do it,” Terrance said.

            “Do what?” Cal asked, not believing what he was hearing.

            “Deputize me,” Terrance answered. 

            “You cannot be serious,” Cal said, not believing what he was hearing.  Terrance was grabbing more guns from around the room.

            “You heard me, deputize me,” Terrance answered.  “I’m more than qualified.  In fact, I’m probably overqualified.”  Cal had never seen his friend like this since high school.  Terrance looked so alive.

            “What happened to you over there?” Cal asked quietly.  Terrance stopped in mid-movement with his back to Cal.  Terrance’s face tightened.  He never looked at Cal.

            “Some things are better not known,” Terrance answered.  “Let’s just say the same guy didn’t come back.”

            “Are you sure about his T?” Cal asked.  Terrance didn’t answer for a second.  “You don’t have to do this T,” Cal said softly, knowing he would never survive this without his friend.  It didn’t matter to Cal, he couldn’t ask his friend to do this.  Terrance remained facing away from Cal.

            “Some things are worth fighting for,” Terrance answered.  “You done taking dirty money?”

            “Yes,” Cal answered quietly.  Terrance nodded and turned to Cal.

            “Then let’s strap up, get me deputized, and put these punks out of business,” Terrance said with a gleam in his eye that Cal had never seen before.  “I can’t stand drug runners.”

“You smoke marijuana,” Cal replied.  Terrance looked at him like he was crazy, shook his head and started up the stairs.

“It’s for a medical condition,” Terrance replied as headed upstairs leaving Cal by himself.

“I swear I am never going to understand that man,” Cal said to himself.