Chapter 77 Burgers for good friends or bad ones?

The sun woke him up, he was still alone, sat up. Took off his mask and looked around. 

Luke found boxes with his name on them. He went over, opened them and looked to see what was inside. They really had cleared everything out. 

Looked in the closet, it was too ¾ full of Saskia's things. He put his things in a desk. As he and Saskia had decided that they should each have their own study, his was in the basement, he went out with the empty boxes and put them in the bin. Luke looked at his car and sighed, looked at his watch, it was just before six, got in, started the engine and drove off.

Stopped at the nearest quick-fix garage, where they replaced his windshield. They said it would take them an hour. As Luke waited outside, he noticed a 2018 BMW i8 Coupe in pearl white for sale and wondered at the price.

He approached one of the employees.

"Why is that BMW so cheap? "

" There's a couple in there, it's in great shape. Went through 7 owners afterwards, they all swear the car is scary."

"Uh-huh. Can I take a test drive?"

They let him, he turned the car around in the street and drove back. The employee was waiting for him. Luke got out of the car. 

" I'll take it, can you bring it to my address?"

" Sure, but are you sure?"

" Yes. "

He went in and paid for the new windows and the car. They really wanted to get rid of the car. They would deliver it later today. He said goodbye, drove to the painter's supply store where he picked up canvases, brushes, board, tripod, cleaning gasoline, rags and oil paints, stopped at a fast food joint for breakfast. He got out and went into the house with the things. Saskia wasn't there yet. 

Luke went into the cellar, set everything up, looked at the canvas and thought. He took a pencil and started to draw. Took a color and started, was disturbed by the doorbell, went upstairs. Was the delivery man for the car. Luke signed, opened the garage and drove the car in. Then went back to painting, lit a cigarette, opened the small window in the room and continued painting.

 He looked at the picture, it showed the winter landscape he had seen when he had climbed out of the EXO. He put the brush down when he realized there was nothing more he could do. He picked up the paintbrush and went upstairs, there was a note from Saskia on the fridge. She didn't know if she would be back before Luke got out of hospital. But she wanted to practise dancing and solve the problem with her parents. 

He sighed, opened the gas can and was washing the brushes over the sink when he heard a noise from the garage, put the washed brushes aside and went to the garage door. The light came on as Luke entered. The BMW was parked to one side of the garage and he saw a sink. He decided to wash the brushes there, walked towards the car, wiped a speck of dust off the hood, it crunched and he saw a reflection in the car's paintwork. Luke turned and struck, seeing a masked man fall to the ground, a crowbar falling from his hand. 

"Neat, my first burglar. "

The man groaned in pain, Luke grabbed the crowbar and looked at him. Luke thought about killing him, then he put the crowbar aside, got some duct tape from a box and tied his arms and legs together.

"So ... what do I do with you now ..." He reached for his cell phone and dialed the number of the MP, who said they were sending a patrol, he opened the garage door. He lit a cigarette.

The trunk of the BMW was open. 

"Oh, that's why it was always so cheap."

An MP jeep pulled up and two soldiers approached him.

"Sir, we've had a report of a break-in."

"It's packed in there. It's in the trunk of that BMW over there that I got dirt cheap."

The MP made a note, the other scanned the garage, then the car and the trunk. 

" Do you have the bill of sale? "

Luke went in, took it out of his jacket and showed it to the Mp. He scanned the contract and the vehicle documents and ran it through the system.

"The papers are clean, we'll take him to the station and question him. "

They both dragged the burglar and crowbar away and drove off. Luke glanced at the car. He closed the gate, got out, took the picture, walked across the patio to Liz's house and knocked on the patio door. Nothing moved, then Ai reared up from inside. She looked at Luke.

"Sarge there?"

Ai shook her head.

"My grandfather over there? " 

She shook her head.

"Okay ... Is anyone from the family there?"

Ai considered, shaking her head.

Luke sighed.

He looked at the picture.

"Can I trust you with this? It's my final project in art and I don't want to miss the deadline. "

She nodded and the door opened. Luke looked at her. 

"Liz doesn't have touchscreens yet?"

Ai nodded. Luke came in. And put them on the table, made another note on paper, then went to the door.

"I have a question, my EXO, he was shot by Benny, wasn't he?"

She looked at him for a long time and nodded. 

"But how, I thought everyone had been hit by the EMP."

An animation built up in front of her, showing the flight formation and the angle of fire and the fall when the EMP hit.

"I was hit by both?"

She nodded. 

" Thank you." He left her and shuffled over. He remembered he still had to register the car. He looked at his watch. Grabbed his jacket and keys and ran to the registration office. Got the license plates at the last second, raced back, drove the Ford into the garage next to the BMW. Got out and put the plates on. His stomach growled, so he went to the fridge, which was very empty. 

Luke sighed, he decided to eat out, but he had to change his clothes. Upstairs, the dirty clothes went into the hamper and Luke rummaged through his things and found his suit that he had bought during basic training. 

"Why not?" 

He put it on, leaving off the tie, put on matching shoes and looked at himself in the mirror.

" Yes... something different " He took a photo and sent one to his mom with the words: "Look at me in my suit. "

He took his things, switched off the lights and drove out in the BMW. Locked the garage, got in and drove off. He was stopped at the entrance to the premises. The security guard approached and Luke opened the window.

"Jo! All right?"

"Shit Luke, where's your other car?"

" In the garage, want to get something to eat."

The guard shuffled around the car.

" In the gap?"

" Yup , wanted to try it out. "

" I'll put down that you drove out."

" Thank you, thank you, shall I bring you and the other two something? "

He looked at the other two. 

" Should he bring something for later?" 

" Burgers and fries would be good."

" Fine, I'll bring you something. "

He stepped on the gas and drove towards Kanoehe, a completely different driving experience than in the Ford. Luke stepped on the gas, having to brake because he was reaching town. He called out good restaurants on his wristband and found one. 

Drove there, parked civilly and got out. Lit a cigarette, locked the car and walked down the sidewalk to the restaurant he wanted to try. He found a hot dog restaurant. Luke was about to cross the street when he was stopped. He looks irritated, an old woman looks at him. 

>> Can you help me? I'm lost, I wanted to see my grandchildren << she said in Arabic.

>> Where are you going?" he replied. 

Trembling, she pulled out a piece of paper. Luke looked at it, it was on the other side of town. He sighed inwardly. 

>> I'll take her there. 

He took her to his car, helped her in, people stared at him. He accelerated and stopped in front of an apartment building with a small Arabic store on the first floor. Luke helped her out of the car. Went to the door and scolded her. A petite brunette opened it and turned white as a sheet when she looked at Luke. 

"She wanted to come here for a grandson."

He turned and walked past the old woman to his car. He heard hurried footsteps coming out of the house. 

He didn't care, he got into the car and started the engine. A man came to his window.

He opened it.

>> Why did they help her? <<

Luke looked at him.

"She asked if they were looking after her grandmother."

The old woman waved happily at him. He drove off, leaving the man perplexed. 

He stopped at an Asian stall, ate something and washed it down with Pepsi. While he had a smoke, the Asian cleared the empty plate.

"Shouldn't you be eating in a restaurant in that suit?"

Luke nodded. "Yep. I can't remember where. I was going to that hot dog place."

"You can forget it, it's just a front, the restaurant's empty." He ashed into the empty can. 

"Where's the nearest burger joint, I promised my friends I'd bring something when I get back."

" If it's good friends, then the one up towards the base, if it's for asses, then the one in the south."

"AH okay, then the one to the north. Thanks."

Luke got up and drove to the burger joint. He stopped in the parking lot and went inside. It was one of the former giant chains that had merged with the other fast food chains. Very popular and always busy. Luke looked at the full store and decided on the drive-in. 

He came to the ordering window, took three xxl packs of Coke, put his finger on the payment box and continued to the serving window. He heard familiar voices. Leo, Lina and Lisa, the three of them chatting and gossiping about the boys in the class. He didn't hear his name. 

"Your order, sir," Lisa said, handing Luke the bags. He took them, she looked at him for a long time, didn't recognize him. Luke drove off, stepped on the gas at the exit and sped towards the base, where he was stopped again.

"Man, man, as soon as you drove off, we got the message. They want us to look for you. "

He handed her the bags. " Here, for what? "

"Just told us to stop you from going out. Told you to report to the administration."

" But she had already left."

" Yes. In that case, they told me to tell you. You should come to the radio center, even in the suit."

"No outfit?"

He shook his head. 

Luke sighed. "Did they say why?"

" Something about the guy who shot himself. "

" Okay, thanks, have fun."

He drove to the radio center, pulled into the parking lot and got out. Went inside, to the gate. The female soldier there froze and looked at Luke with wide eyes.

"Tach, I should report in. Captain Akim."

" Room 19."

"Thank you," he continued. Entered the elevator and went down, got out and pushed past the soldiers. Opened the door, entered a briefing room. Where John and his grandfather were discussing something.

"I'm here, I was at lunch."

John looked up. 

"I see suits suit you, very well." 

Alex looked up. 

"Did you at least send your mom a picture of it?"

Luke nodded and sat down in a chair that was free.

"Well, John and I asked you here because we have to tell you that Benny ..."

"I know he worked for the Captain. Dr. Gills told me and the Ai showed me that Sammy shot me too." 

"When did you ask the Ai?" 

"After I had a burglar and before I went to dinner."

"Burglar?" asked John.

"I needed some fresh air, so I took the Ford and drove to a garage to get new windows. I saw a really cheap BMW there. I went and got it. It was delivered today and I drove it to the garage. I went down, painted it, went back up to paint it and heard some noise in the garage. I went in and it attacked me. The trunk was open."

Alex looks at his tablet in front of him.

"Oh here, you arrested a burglar today who admitted to committing a series of frauds. He didn't get out of the garage because the ID was secured."

John continued to look at him.

"So, what about the Ai?"

Luke lit a cigarette.

" I took the photo to Sarge, he was supposed to turn something in for verification. He wasn't there, just the Ai, and after she confirmed that none of you were home. I handed in the picture with a note. And then I asked her, because I found zero rocket launchers back then."

Bei looked at him in silence.

Luke took a drag on his fag. 

"That changes everything Luke."

Luke looked at them. 

"The committee has labeled Sammy and Benny as traitors, both acting for the Cpt. and the Colonel. The division will be merged with 3. Danny's going to bite the bullet and coordinate it."

"What does that mean for me? "

" You're the only one who gets the credit. "

" Uncle John, I know I'll be new to you, but can I let my wounds heal first? Until I can go on combat missions?" 

John looked at Luke.

"You're going to take some classes first anyway, Luke ..." 

The door at their side opened and Bettina came in with the seven-year-olds by the hand.

"John, those girls upstairs are going crazy. They've seen guys in suits at the center." 

" Mom! One of daddy's guys" came brightly. From the child. Bettina looked from herself to Luke and gave a startled cry.

"Luke! I thought Cartel was back."

John giggled and got a slap on the back of the head.

"John, that's not funny. "

She looked at Luke.

"So it was Luke in the suit?"

Luke grinned. 

"He was eating, and at the gate they told me to come right over."

" Hence the BMW in the parking lot. "

"Yeah."

She gave him a grim look and then looked at John.

"John, are you going to be long Bonny's getting tired."

"No. So Luke. The board may want to give you another badge, but nothing else will change. Next week when you have your doctor's appointment, come to my office okay?"

"I will."

"Doctor? Committee?" Bettina looked from Luke to John.

John stood up.

"Luke had splinters in his back and a lung injury from the crash of his EXO."

She looked at him. "And I thought you were trying to pull the wool over my eyes..."

"I'd never dare do that with you."

Alex cleared his throat.

"John, you're going home with the two of them. Luke, will you drive me?"

"Yes."

They got up and left the center. John got into his car and Luke into his. They waited until Alex had got in and then they drove off. 

"Did you get it really cheap?" Alex asked. 

"The receipt's in the glove compartment." 

He heard a click and a rummage.

"Actually, they first brought the car with a burglar who spied on the situation and then came back later and tampered with the car."

"Yep. And because the car is in such good condition, it automatically attracts new customers," he blinked and turned into the street.

"Can I borrow the car, not today?" asked Alex.

"Sure. But don't bring it back with an empty tank. I'll park it in the garage at my place. The keys are on the hook next to the door."

"Thanks Luke."

"No problem. "

He pulled up outside Alex's house and got out. Luke's cell phone buzzed, he pulled it out of his pocket, Saskia motioned for him to pick her up.

"Do you want to come in and have something to eat?"

"Another time, pick Saskia up." He showed her the message.

" Call if there are any problems. "

" I will."