G.I. Joe: Agent Blue Jaye and the Beasts of Lakeside

Chapter 9

Flint arrived at Lakeside much later than he had hoped. The previous night's sleep was one of the best he had in years, and while he felt awake and rejuvenated, he cursed himself for falling behind schedule. Borrowing Harlan's Remington, Las Baer, and knife, Flint had left a note at the cabin, along with a few pounds of Vermont Mountain Coffee, promising to return Harlan's things. The descent down the mountain was quicker than the ascent, and Flint decided to abandon his vehicle opting to hitch the rest of the way along the back roads. It took more time, but Flint knew that he would undoubtedly be tracked wherever his car went. Hitching would keep him temporarily off the radar.

The dairy farmer who gave Flint a ride was heading back to Lakeside when he saw Flint on the side of the road. The brown WWII bomber jacket Flint wore reminded the farmer of his grand uncle, who he had said was a pilot in the Korean War. Flint had initially asked general questions about Lakeside like when it was founded, how long ago the University had been established, and where the best places were to get a good cup of coffee.

Eventually, Flint felt comfortable asking the farmer if there was a lot of crime at Lakeside. From what the farmer said, Lakeside was a peaceful town, but in recent years like in many places, crime had risen. Theft, trespassing, vandalism, and every now and then, murder.

It was then that the farmer brought up that the police had found a body the night before. He didn't know anything more than what had been reported in the news, but the old farmer theorized that it was probably drug related. He carried on, stating that most of the murders in Lakeside were connected to drugs or drug dealings.

Flint wasn't about to put his entire faith into what the farmer said was true, but it did seem that murder in Lakeside was fairly uncommon. Flint wondered if the boy who died had gotten into the wrong crowd, and ultimately the wrong situation. On the surface it was logical, but after remembering the panic and terror in Ben's voice, Flint wondered if there may be something else going on.

Flint was dropped off at the bottom of Marketplace Square, a long brick walk-way lined with local shops, food trucks, and restaurants, catering to both tourists and locals. The farmer had recommended Ordinary Grounds, a popular spot for coffee lovers.

Sharp and bold aromas greeted Flint as he walked through the doorway. The coffee shop was a quarter of the way full. The afternoon rush was long gone as evening had set in. A few families sat around mugs of hot cider, eating donuts, and the rest of the patrons were college kids, some working on laptops, others engaged in conversation or sharing videos on their phones. Flint welcomed the smell of roasting coffee beans and waited his turn in line. After ordering a Colombian dark roast, Flint found a quiet corner in the back of the shop and took a satisfying sip. Taking out his phone, Flint flipped it open.

He still had a few hours to check in, but Flint knew it was only a matter of time before he was tracked down and put in a more interrogating situation. While he was able to arrive into town undetected, his twenty-four-hour window was almost up, and he needed additional resources. The best thing for him was to stay proactive and truthful. That's what Alison would have wanted him to do, he thought to himself. After another long pull from his cup, he punched in a sequence of numbers and put the phone to his ear.

"Identification number please." A man's voice requested. Flint punched in the code. Soon, a familiar female voice came on the line.

"Sir, are you ok? Why haven't you checked in since last night?" The female voice sounded concerned and a little angry. Flint wondered if he had inadvertently gotten her in trouble for abandoning the car.

"I'm fine. Is this Breaker's daughter?" Flint asked quietly, trying to keep his voice sounding as casual as possible, not to draw any attention.

"This is Breaker sir. I succeeded my father and am now assigned as your eyes and ears." Breaker responded confidently. Flint grunted into the phone.