‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
54
“Look, maybe we should head back for Tulsa?” Rick suggested.
Both Isaac and Zac gave him a dark look, making him wince.
“Taylor’s obviously not in Fort Worth anymore, I don’t see why we’re still in Texas.”
“Because this is the last place anyone knew him to be,” Zac shrugged.
“Carlson’s promised to let us know if anything comes up in interrogations,” Isaac said tiredly.
“And we should be here in case he’s nearby,” Zac insisted.
“Didn’t you say the woman that bought him was Mexican?” Rick pointed out, “what if he’s been taken to Mexico?”
“You’d think the patrol cars would have picked up on any vans leaving over the past few days, yeah?” Zac looked to Isaac.
“We don’t know that it was the only way in,” Isaac shrugged.
“But they would have checked by now,” Zac frowned, “surely they have satellite cover?”
“Satellites are out,” Isaac replied, making Rick roll his eyes when he realised he was being ignored.
“What do you mean ‘out’?”
“Cloud cover.”
“Great.”
“Another reason it took so long to find you,” Rick added.
“Three days earlier, three days, and Tay would have been there as well,” Zac shook his head.
“Don’t remind me,” Isaac grumbled.
Zac stood and made his way to the window, the motel room sending him stir crazy already.
“Maybe we should go back,” he said suddenly.
“Go back where?” Isaac frowned.
“To the base,” Zac looked over his shoulder, “maybe we could find something the cops didn’t?”
“Oh no,” Rick insisted, “they have that place locked down, no one is getting in or out.”
“What if I told them I needed to see it? For… emotional closure or whatever.”
“No,” Rick shook his head, “no way. The amount of paperwork and red tape you’d need to get through? You wouldn’t get near the place within a week.”
“So what if we don’t ask first?” Zac shrugged.
“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” Rick scowled.
“And you thought I was a pain in the ass, right?” Isaac smirked.
“Maybe I’ll just do what I did last time and take off,” Zac gave him a pointed look.
“You want to get shot again?” Isaac’s eyebrows rose as Rick threw his hands up in disgust.
“If that’s what it takes to get Tay back. Ike, you didn’t see him.”
“I know, I get that,” Isaac rubbed his chin as Zac folded his arms.
“No, you don’t,” Zac insisted, turning again to stare him down, “every day he spent there they killed a little part of him. I saw each part of it break away. He didn’t even talk in the end. Like he had to be given permission to open his mouth.”
“You don’t think I’m as worried as you are?” Isaac’s voice rose slightly.
“No I don’t,” Zac hit back, “because you don’t have the capacity to be as worried as I am. You weren’t there!”
“Guys, guys, can we put the rulers away before this gets too heated?” Rick spread his arms out between them, knowing full well that Taylor was their usual mediator.
“I’m going to call Kate again,” Zac just shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom.
Both Isaac and Zac gave him a dark look, making him wince.
“Taylor’s obviously not in Fort Worth anymore, I don’t see why we’re still in Texas.”
“Because this is the last place anyone knew him to be,” Zac shrugged.
“Carlson’s promised to let us know if anything comes up in interrogations,” Isaac said tiredly.
“And we should be here in case he’s nearby,” Zac insisted.
“Didn’t you say the woman that bought him was Mexican?” Rick pointed out, “what if he’s been taken to Mexico?”
“You’d think the patrol cars would have picked up on any vans leaving over the past few days, yeah?” Zac looked to Isaac.
“We don’t know that it was the only way in,” Isaac shrugged.
“But they would have checked by now,” Zac frowned, “surely they have satellite cover?”
“Satellites are out,” Isaac replied, making Rick roll his eyes when he realised he was being ignored.
“What do you mean ‘out’?”
“Cloud cover.”
“Great.”
“Another reason it took so long to find you,” Rick added.
“Three days earlier, three days, and Tay would have been there as well,” Zac shook his head.
“Don’t remind me,” Isaac grumbled.
Zac stood and made his way to the window, the motel room sending him stir crazy already.
“Maybe we should go back,” he said suddenly.
“Go back where?” Isaac frowned.
“To the base,” Zac looked over his shoulder, “maybe we could find something the cops didn’t?”
“Oh no,” Rick insisted, “they have that place locked down, no one is getting in or out.”
“What if I told them I needed to see it? For… emotional closure or whatever.”
“No,” Rick shook his head, “no way. The amount of paperwork and red tape you’d need to get through? You wouldn’t get near the place within a week.”
“So what if we don’t ask first?” Zac shrugged.
“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” Rick scowled.
“And you thought I was a pain in the ass, right?” Isaac smirked.
“Maybe I’ll just do what I did last time and take off,” Zac gave him a pointed look.
“You want to get shot again?” Isaac’s eyebrows rose as Rick threw his hands up in disgust.
“If that’s what it takes to get Tay back. Ike, you didn’t see him.”
“I know, I get that,” Isaac rubbed his chin as Zac folded his arms.
“No, you don’t,” Zac insisted, turning again to stare him down, “every day he spent there they killed a little part of him. I saw each part of it break away. He didn’t even talk in the end. Like he had to be given permission to open his mouth.”
“You don’t think I’m as worried as you are?” Isaac’s voice rose slightly.
“No I don’t,” Zac hit back, “because you don’t have the capacity to be as worried as I am. You weren’t there!”
“Guys, guys, can we put the rulers away before this gets too heated?” Rick spread his arms out between them, knowing full well that Taylor was their usual mediator.
“I’m going to call Kate again,” Zac just shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom.