‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
38
As the days went by in the dark and dank cell, Zac truly lost track of how long they’d been there. Initially he counted the amount of times Taylor was pulled out for his ‘training’ sessions, but when his sleep patterns made him lose track of his brother’s comings and goings he was no longer able to use them as a guide.
Taylor began talking less and less with the more sessions that he went to. Zac had occasionally tried to pry the process out of him, but it was getting too hard for Taylor to explain and he eventually gave up on that too. He knew there was a lot going on in Taylor’s head though, as quiet as he could be about it.
*
“I don’t get it,” Isaac was fuming as he spoke on the phone once again, “why is it taking so long?! I thought we had a full ride!”
“So did we,” Davison had regret in his voice, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up. The Texan DOT just haven’t been as helpful as we would have liked.”
“What’s their problem?” Isaac scowled, “do they know what the situation is? If I need to go down there myself, I will. It’s been almost two freaking weeks!”
“It’s just red tape, Isaac,” Davison sighed with just as much frustration, “my hope is that they’ll come through for us in the next twenty four hours and we can pick up right where we left off at the border. Unfortunately what this means for us is that it’s not just a case for the Oklahoma Power Rangers anymore, it’s becoming a national incident.”
Isaac rubbed his head and closed his eyes.
“Is that going to be a problem?” he asked.
“I’ll let you know when I do,” Davison promised.
Isaac hesitated, wondering if he should tell Davison what he was about to.
“Davison?”
“Yes Isaac?”
“I’m going to Dallas.”
“I’m surprised you waited this long,” Davison couldn’t hide his amusement.
“So are a few other people,” Isaac glanced over his shoulder.
“Rick going with you?”
“I haven’t asked yet.”
“Make sure you give him a chance, he’s going stir crazy.”
“Pretty sure I have him beat in that respect,” Isaac insisted, “should I call you when I get there?”
“I have to go into a meeting this afternoon about the whole thing. I’ll call you when I get out, because I’m sure you’ll be there by then.”
“What’s the meeting about?” Isaac’s eyes darted.
“I believe they’re setting up a task force,” Davison sounded like he really shouldn’t be saying it, “as you know we’ve been after Nathan Devereux for a long time, and it seems like he has a vast support network behind him now… if this footage is anything to go by. It’s going to take more than a few city cops to bring him down this time. Especially if he has more hostages.”
Isaac paused to take a deep breath.
“Sounds intense.”
“That’s one word for it. As I said, I’ll call you when I get out. Hopefully Texas will come through for us by then.”
Taylor began talking less and less with the more sessions that he went to. Zac had occasionally tried to pry the process out of him, but it was getting too hard for Taylor to explain and he eventually gave up on that too. He knew there was a lot going on in Taylor’s head though, as quiet as he could be about it.
*
“I don’t get it,” Isaac was fuming as he spoke on the phone once again, “why is it taking so long?! I thought we had a full ride!”
“So did we,” Davison had regret in his voice, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up. The Texan DOT just haven’t been as helpful as we would have liked.”
“What’s their problem?” Isaac scowled, “do they know what the situation is? If I need to go down there myself, I will. It’s been almost two freaking weeks!”
“It’s just red tape, Isaac,” Davison sighed with just as much frustration, “my hope is that they’ll come through for us in the next twenty four hours and we can pick up right where we left off at the border. Unfortunately what this means for us is that it’s not just a case for the Oklahoma Power Rangers anymore, it’s becoming a national incident.”
Isaac rubbed his head and closed his eyes.
“Is that going to be a problem?” he asked.
“I’ll let you know when I do,” Davison promised.
Isaac hesitated, wondering if he should tell Davison what he was about to.
“Davison?”
“Yes Isaac?”
“I’m going to Dallas.”
“I’m surprised you waited this long,” Davison couldn’t hide his amusement.
“So are a few other people,” Isaac glanced over his shoulder.
“Rick going with you?”
“I haven’t asked yet.”
“Make sure you give him a chance, he’s going stir crazy.”
“Pretty sure I have him beat in that respect,” Isaac insisted, “should I call you when I get there?”
“I have to go into a meeting this afternoon about the whole thing. I’ll call you when I get out, because I’m sure you’ll be there by then.”
“What’s the meeting about?” Isaac’s eyes darted.
“I believe they’re setting up a task force,” Davison sounded like he really shouldn’t be saying it, “as you know we’ve been after Nathan Devereux for a long time, and it seems like he has a vast support network behind him now… if this footage is anything to go by. It’s going to take more than a few city cops to bring him down this time. Especially if he has more hostages.”
Isaac paused to take a deep breath.
“Sounds intense.”
“That’s one word for it. As I said, I’ll call you when I get out. Hopefully Texas will come through for us by then.”