BooksBarbecue
Back The Preserve
Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Half-Title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. 13.
  19. 14.
  20. 15.
  21. 16.
  22. 17.
  23. 18.
  24. 19.
  25. 20.
  26. 21.
  27. 22.
  28. 23.
  29. 24.
  30. 25.
  31. 26.
  32. 27.
  33. 28.
  34. 29.
  35. 30.
  36. 31.
  37. 32.
  38. 33.
  39. 34.
  40. 35.
  41. 36.
  42. 37.
  43. 38.
  44. 39.
  45. 40.
  46. 41.
  47. 42.
  48. 43.
  49. 44.
  50. 45.
  51. 46.
  52. 47.
  53. 48.
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. AFTERWORD
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“All right, all right, take it easy,” Lansdale said, moving between Lett and Kodama, “This isn’t Lett’s responsibility anyway, Kodama . . .”

Just then Frankie pushed through the tent flap and stepped inside holding up a hand like the best boy in class.

“Now that’s what I like to see,” Lansdale said.

Kodama backed away, nodding. Lansdale rocked on his heels, smiling.

Frankie paced around the chair, each step measured. Calm. He then stood behind the chair. Reuben took a couple deep breaths, closed his one eye, and let out a groan that sounded almost like a death rattle. Frankie crouched, leaning into Reuben’s side. He produced locking pliers from one of his pockets. He rammed fingers into Reuben’s mouth with the other hand and yanked down Reuben’s jaw, then prodded the pliers into Reuben’s mouth before he could bite down. Frankie swung Reuben’s head around to peer in, jerking Reuben’s head side to side, up and down. Reuben’s feet pushed out, off the ground, one chair leg rising, then another. Frankie grunting, drooling. Shoving, heaving.

He jerked out the pliers with a jolt. Slings of drool and blood hung from the pliers and Frankie’s wrists. The pliers held a white tooth. Frankie wiped at it and turned it their way so they could see its twinkle. It held a gold filling.

Reuben released another slow, deep moan. His arms hung from his sides.

Frankie plunged back into Reuben’s mouth for more—five more teeth. Reuben fought it less and less, Frankie grunting and muttering whispers in his ear. When finished, Frankie let out a deep yet satisfied sigh. He set the pliers in Reuben’s lap. Frankie looked to Lansdale, who beamed back with that sparkle in his eye and nodded. Frankie wrapped his tattooed arms and hands around Reuben’s neck and snapped it with a great crack.

16.

Lansdale finally gave Lett and the commando a break. They didn’t even have to clean up the mess that had been Reuben. They dropped down under their tree again, and the commando kept slamming his back against the gnarled trunk. This time he had a few things to say.

“Why?” he said. “Just because they can? And all on account of top secret. Who is going to know? No one.”

Lett was the only one within earshot. He didn’t respond at first. He was too beat. So much was happening so fast. Sure, he was shocked. Like a man was after any mission. The reasoning would come later, along with the stewing if need be. For now, he would simply cope. Assignments were part of the treatment. Besides, no one said this would be easy. Selfer never promised it. He had taken their cure in exchange for doing a duty. It was keeping him out of a stockade. And, he had to admit, he’d been calmer since the cure had started.