Freddy's New Life

Freddy was agitated. His witness protection set up needed to happen as soon as possible.

The door opened and in came the Officer on his case. "Hi, Freddy. We're working on getting you into the next available vehicle. You'll have everything you need for your new life. Just sign these papers here promising that when we need you, we can come get you and you won't resist."

"Yeah, sure." Freddy took the clipboard and read through the paperwork. Signing in all the appropriate spots, he handed the clipboard back to the Officer.

"Won't be long now. Just sit tight and I'll be back when everything is ready to go." The Officer left Freddy to his thoughts.

Reflecting back on the events that brought him here, Freddy put his head in his hands. It was one of those things that wasn't meant to happen.

***********

Freddy had insomnia. He often took late night walks to wear himself out. For whatever the reason a brisk walk in the night air was like a tonic that put him right to sleep. Even though his neighborhood wasn't the safest place to be, his walks were always uneventful. At least, they were.

It was on one of those late night walks in October that the desolation was broken. As Freddy rounded a dumpster in the alley behind the old warehouse just blocks from his flat, he heard a heated argument.

"Come on Jack, you told me you'd get all fifteen. You brought me six. I need all fifteen like you promised me," snarled a burly man in dark clothing.

Six people stood in a huddle looking from the burly man to Jack and back again.

Jack was wiry built, bouncing around. "Leonard, it's tough work rounding them up. I got six. We're working on the other nine."

"Yeah, well think about this Jack. When they notice these six missing, you won't be able to get any where near the other nine, you dumbass."

"Don't worry, Leonard. We'll have the rest by daybreak."

Freddy hiding behind the dumpster could hear the conversation clearly enough, but he couldn't see faces. He had no idea who the six people were and why these two guys had taken them, but he figured he should stay out of it. He waited until the two men herded the six people inside the warehouse.

As Freddy turned to go back the way he had come, he heard rapid gunfire. Not caring to hang around, he ran an alternate route all the way back home.

The therapeutic effects of Freddy's nightly walk were thrown off by what he had seen and heard. He wasn't sure what he should do. He'd always shied away from dealing with authorities. He wasn't a hoodlum type. It was just easier going when you lived in lesser neighborhoods to avoid looking like a snitch. But he had never had any reason to contact authorities before.

Freddy wrestled with his conscience for about an hour. It was 2:15 a.m. If he didn't do something soon, it would be daybreak and nine more people would meet the same fate as the first six.

With shaking hands, Freddy dialed the number he saw everyday on the posters that read "See something? Know something? Do something! Call Revard Authorities."

"Revard Authorities." Officer Austin had answered that night.

"Yeah, um, I saw something," Freddy stammered.

"Can you tell me more?"

"I think six people just got shot in a warehouse." Freddy's heart was racing. He was torn between hanging up and following through.

"Where is this warehouse located? Do you know who the people were?"

Panicking, Freddy blurted, "they're going after nine more by daybreak. I think they're gonna kill them, too."

Officer Austin calmly repeated, "Where is the warehouse located?"

"In the 1200 block of Harmon Street. The old warehouse there." Freddy paced to calm himself.

"Ok, and the six people who were shot, do you know who they were?"

"No, no. I didn't know anybody there."

"Ok. Where were you? Did they know you were there?"

Freddy stopped pacing, and sat on his bed. "No. They didn't know I was there. I was behind a dumpster."

"Can you tell me more about you being behind the dumpster?"

"I have insomnia. I go for late night walks. It's not a great neighborhood here so I mix it up and take different routes. Not get predictable. It's usually quiet and I never see no one moving around. With the October chill, they ain't out much at night. I was thinking on stuff and walked farther than I meant to. It was getting real chill so I decided to cut through the alley and shortcut back to Balboa Street where I live. That took me behind the warehouse on Harmon Street. That's when I heard voices arguing. I didn't wanna get caught up in nothing, so, I ducked in behind the dumpster."

"Ok, I see. And that's when you heard the argument?"

"Yes, I told you that part already," Freddy snapped.

"Did you see the faces of the men that were arguing?" Officer Austin continued patiently.

Freddy was beside himself. "It's going to be light soon, you know that right? They're gonna kill nine more people! Shouldn't you be sending cops there or something?"

"Calm down, what was your name?" Austin asked.

"I thought I could be anonymous...." Freddy considered slamming the phone down. He had made the call, they had all the info he had to share.

"Are you there, Freddy?"

Heart beating wildly, Freddy hung up the phone. Fuck! F-u-c-k! That cop knew his name? HOW! They traced the line. Freddy broke out in a sweat. He paced the room back and forth. What should he do. He dare not go out, but if they knew his name, they would also know where he lived. Freddy grabbed a jacket and his keys. As he yanked the door open thinking to leave, a cop car sped up and stopped in front of his flat. The light briefly flashed and quick hit of the siren. Freddy froze as two Officers jumped out and hurried towards him.

"Hey, Freddy. I'm Officer Austin. I was on the phone with you. Look, you have to come with us. For your safety. You were right. I'll explain when we get to the station. Come on." The Officers grabbed Freddy by the elbows and hurried him to the car.

The Officers sped wildly through the streets back to the station. Pulling behind the station they sped up to a brick wall, honked and a hidden panel slid open. Freddy watched wide eyed as they drove into a black cavernous tunnel. Very dimly lit, they crawled along until they rolled up in front of a brightly lit glass door.

Officer Austin got out of the passenger side. Opening the back door, he motioned to Freddy to exit the vehicle. Freddy reluctantly climbed out of the car. Closing the door, Austin tapped the top of the car and bent down to the passenger window. "Ok, Pete, I'll see you inside."

Taking Freddy by the elbow, Officer Austin led the way through the glass door. Navigating a series of hallways, they arrived at a small room. Waving Freddy inside, Officer Austin followed and closed the door.

"What the hell is going on?..." Freddy was shaking. He didn't know what to think of everything now. He should never have made the call.

"Freddy, have a seat. I need to share some things with you and then ask you some more questions, ok?"

"Yeah, sure." Freddy reluctantly took a seat. "Am I arrested? I didn't do nothing. I just was trying to keep some people from dieing..."

"We're really glad you made that call Freddy. It was the piece we needed to pull some things together that was happening. When you said six and then nine more, we knew exactly what was going down. While I had you on the line we had operatives collecting the nine people. There were some incidents but we did it. And all because of you Freddy."

Freddy sat looking at the Officer incredulously. "I don't understand. I mean, I'm glad you got 'em and they're safe and all. Who were they? Why was those guys going to kill them?"

"Ok, Freddy, this is where I have more questions for you. I really need to not tell you a lot of stuff, but I need you to tell me everything you can. Ok?" Officer Austin looked intently at Freddy.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever I can do to help." Freddy shrugged.

"I need you to take this pen and paper and write down everything - EVERYTHING - you remember about tonight. People, places, things. Vehicles. Sounds. Everything, Freddy. You understand?"

"Yeah." Taking the pen and paper, Freddy began to write.

Office Austin looked over what Freddy wrote. "So, there was a burly man named Leonard? And a wiry guy named Jack..."

"Yeah."

"Did you get any last names?" Asked the Officer.

"No. Just that Leonard seemed to be the boss or the mastermind or whatever and Jack, the skinny guy, you know, he was answering to the Leonard dude. Jack seemed kind of nervous, like he was scared of Leonard." Freddy offered.

"Freddy, have you ever heard of Leonard Vanduso?" Officer Austin watched Freddy for a reaction.

"Oh, shit. Vanduso? Oh gawd! What have I got into?"

"What about Jack Gandello? You know who that is Freddy?"

Freddy started shaking. How the hell had he gotten into this mess. Leonard Vanduso was the biggest criminal boss in all of Revard. And Jack Gandello - a hit man. Viscious. No one lived if you crossed up these two.

"It's ok, Freddy. We're going to take care of you. We've already started papers to get you into witness protection. We're going as fast as we can. Vanduso has moles everywhere but we're ahead of him on this. I promise you, we are." Officer Austin patted Freddy on the hand.

Recoiling, Freddy moved his hand quickly away. "But who were the people, the six and the nine. Why?..."

"It was the Revard Council Members. Freddy, Vanduso is making a play to take over the goverment of Revard. You're actually a hero. Your phone call saved all of Revard."

Hyperventillating Freddy gasped, "I'll be a dead f#$#ing hero. Oh gawd. Oh gawd."

Officer Austin stood up, "Freddy, I'm going to step out for just a second, ok? Then I'll be right back. I promise, everything is going to be ok. I'm just going to go check on how quick we can get you a vehicle." He flashed a smile.

Freddy wasn't feeling hopeful. Sitting in the room alone, he couldn't help but feel like the walls were closing in on him. The door popped back open and Officer Austin handed him a clipboard of paperwork to sign. Freddy signed everything and handed the clipboard back to the Officer, who then left to set things in motion. Freddy sat alone stewing in his thoughts.

*********

Office Austin popped back in startling Freddy. "Ok, come with me. We gotta hurry. There is a really short window of time for you to get in your vehicle. You ready?"

"Yeah." Freddy got up and scurried behind the Officer leading the way. "Ok, Freddy, I need you to open this door, and then run as fast as you can through the tunnel toward the light. Ok? And when you get to the end, your vehicle will be there and you jump into it. Got it?"

"Yeah." Freddy's vocabulary had gotten really small.

"Remember, your vehicle will have every thing you need for your new life." Officer Austin popped open the door. "Ok, Freddy, RUN! RUN, RUN, RUN. You don't want to miss it!"

Freddy took off running. His heart felt bursting. His breath was ragged. Although he was running as fast as he could, it also felt like he was running through molasses. He felt light headed. Faster! He had to go faster! He couldn't faint. He can't miss his vehicle. Bursting through the light at the end of the tunnel, Freddy jumped.

Landing on his back with a thump, Freddy grabbed his chest. It was excruciating. He heard a siren. People murmuring. Someone pulled his eyes open, first one and then the other, shining a light in them.

"Hey bud, can you hear me?" asked a guy in a white shirt. The siren was louder. He heard the rumble of metal wheels on pavement.

"Yeah," Freddy croaked.

"Good. What's your name? Can you tell me your name?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, what's you name big guy?"

Freddy thought for a moment. "Carl Atkins."

"Hey, Carl. Good to meet you. You had us scared for a little bit. We thought we lost you for a minute. I know your chest is probably hurting right now. We had to shock you to get that heart of yours going again. You still with me?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. So, Carl, you got a wife we can call? I see a wedding ring."

"Yeah."

"What's her name? Can you give me a number to call?"

"Yeah. Sheila. Sheila Atkins."

"Ok, Carl. We're gonna call Sheila for you, ok? We're gonna let her know we're taking you to the hospital."

Two medics wheeled the gurney up beside Carl. Lifting him onto the stretcher, they prepared to take him to the ambulance.

"You got any kids, Carl?"

"Yeah, three. Two boys and a girl."

"Hey, medic?"

"Yeah, Carl?"

"Where am I?"

"Corner of Decatur and Houston in New York City."

"I'm on Earth then?"

"Yeah, Carl, you're on Earth, buddy. Good meds, huh?" The medic laughed.

Freddy turned his head and saw a wisp of soul floating by the ambulance. He watched as it dissipated. Smiling, he realized it was all there. Everything he needed for his new life was in his vehicle just like Officer Austin said it would be. He was safe on Earth until they needed him to come back to testify on Revard.

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I've often pondered, what if a body was a "vehicle" that any soul could "jump" into at exactly the same time another soul exited? Basically, the "vehicle" would have all the memories, the brain, etc. and just like driving a car, the driver would have everything they needed. It is how the "new driver" handled the vehicle that might be telling. For instance, many the time, I have heard said, "you know, ever since he pretty much died, he's been totally different..." That concept inspired me to write this story about Freddy.

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