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One more. One more. Can't do it. Let go, fall, floor cool against cheek. That was nine. One more. Been on nine since Monday. Today's Wednesday. Gotta do it. One more. Hands back under chest. Palms down on the cool floor. Push. One more. That's all the way up. Hold for a couple seconds 'cause I cheated. OK. Let go. Ten pushups. He'd been doing a hundred. Twice a day. Couple of weeks ago it was zero. "Breakfast is served." Jessica stood in the door. She'd been watching, he knew. She waited as he got up. Turn, hands on bed, push up. On knees. Push some more, almost up. She didn't help him. If he was about to fall she'd catch him, but she wanted him to do as much as he could on his own. Wanted him strong. Maybe more than he did. He wondered if he'd always eaten Pop-Tarts for breakfast "You did," Jessica said when he asked. "Frosted cherry, black coffee. Every day. At least when I was there, so... " Alex grinned. Might as well keep it simple. "I don't suppose that caused my heart attack." Jessica smiled. He was beginning to joke a little more. "Surely not." she said. "What are our plans for today?" "I'm going to talk to a couple of people, about doctors. And hospitals. I'm getting a bad vibe. You want to go?" "No, the shape I'm in I'd be in the way. I've got quite a bit to work on." "Anything you need besides cigars?" He couldn't think of anything. His needs were pretty simple just now. "What are you thinking? About the doctors and hospitals?" "You're completely yourself now, mentally." Jessica said. "You've got your computers set up, except for your memory and physical weakness, you're the same as you were before they took you to the hospital. But you lay in that bed for over two hundred days, a vegetable to all appearances. I didn't know from one visit to the next, if you'd even be alive. Yet here you are. Another few weeks, you'll be up and around on your own. I suspect you'll be driving again soon. "So your memory aside, you're almost back to normal. And your memory. That suggests... something that happened. I know if you ask, a doctor will tell you it was the loss of oxygen. Like about every death everywhere for those two years was blamed on Covid. And aside from the financial incentive, the Covid excuse was convenient for hospitals killing people through incompetence. "You're completely normal, mentally, except for your memory. And that suggests chemicals. The question is why. Why did they put all that stuff into you? It doesn't make sense." "I dunno." Alex said. "I'm still trying to get some kind of order to my life. I don't know what I'd have done without you and the girls." Jessica felt the tears, turned away, picked up the coffee cups. "Actually I do," he continued. "I'd be dead, or a vegetable in a body warehouse somewhere. Whatever they do with people like that." Jessica put the cups in the sink. Got her emotions under control. Something there didn't want to be quiet. Lean over and kiss his forehead. "But you do have us. And you're going to be all right." And I'm going to find out what happened. Something isn't right here. Really not right.
Be back soon." Jessica said. Hair brushing his cheek as she kissed him. What was it like? Before? Jessica remembers, and she's sad. I don't remember anything. Must have been good, whatever we had. Not fair for her to lose it. She didn't do anything wrong. He turned his attention to the computer. Inventory. What I've got. Got the house in Paragould, not going back there. Sell it. The farm. He'd recognized it, somewhat. If he'd awakened without anyone who knew him, didn't know he owned it, would probably never have thought of it. Something there triggered what he guessed was a memory or something close to it. Maybe if he went back, spent some more time. They'd been through the bank accounts. All four banks were in Jonesboro. Nearest branch twenty, thirty miles away. What is it about banks? Something. What else? He and his sisters owned some property. The family farm, down in Cross County. Where's Cross County. Google. Next county south. Where he grew up, Charlie and Sam still live there. He and his sisters jointly owned the interitance, they could take care of that for now. What else? That's it for real estate. I guess. Check with Jessica to be sure. Something about gold and silver. Some safes full of silver coins. Some gold he didn't remember. Still don't. Anything else? All of his personal effects were either in the house in Paragould, or at the farm. Or here. He didn't know what they had brought. Probably not much. He'd found notes, a directory full of files, his bank and credit card accounts, the passwords. All his purchases from Amazon and wherever, going back years. There. Metals dealers, gold and silver. Purchase records, dates, quantities. Doesn't say where I put them. Silver in the safes in the closet. Where's the gold? Take a metal detector around the house in Paragould? |
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