The Paladin: Lazarus

Chapter 10

Monday

February 14th

Potential flood warning, classes for South Tar City high and Midtown high in Tar City have been cancelled. It is recommended you stay indoors. That was the message I got at six in the morning, but by that time I was already wide awake. The nightmares were doing a number on me so in an attempt to try and clear my head I went for a run, ignoring the weather forecast. I went to my usual route, up to Robin Avenue past Nancy's house, then across to Baker past Sylvia, then up to Pewter across from Johnny's house, eventually ending up at the Delworth Dam. There was no sign of the corpse that was hanging just days before but I felt that same pit in my stomach, just like I did with Jimmy. I looked out onto an overcast Lake Ontario. The choppy waves crashing against the rusty dam. Boom! Boom! BOOM! All of sudden it dawned me, all the pieces fitting into place. A new Genesis! I figured it out. I scrolled through my contacts, pulling out Father Bianchi's number. Ring, ring, ring.

"Booker? What are you... calling at... ungodly hour?" he inquired through spotty reception.

"Are you in the basement or something?" I questioned. I heard the ominous sound of thunder coming from the South West.

"No, I think its...storm... messing... landline," he filled in.

"Listen Father, which book of the Bible has the great flood myth?" I asked urgently.

"Genesis," he answered. He's going to blow the dam. I hung up and started sprinting back to my house, pulling up Samantha's number as I ran.

"You have reached the voicemail box of... Samantha Anderson." Beep!

"Shit! This is not a good time Sam, Zealots going to blow the motherfucking dam, he's going to flood the whole goddamn city!" I yelled into the phone.

Samantha woke to the sound of thunder, looking down at her phone to see a slew of messages in her cue. She cleared them all and started going through them. Gerry, Hey honey, if the storm gets bad down there make sure you go to Clay's church, apparently it's being used as an emergency relief station. Diego, I just got all the flood warnings so I'm going to be at Clay's church, but don't worry, I brought some food down and we can have a date at the Church. Blake is here btw. Next was the emergency flood warning, and the last one was a missed call from me. She ignored the call and started packing up some things to go to Clay's church, not wanting to get caught in the storm. Meet you there. She responded, shouldering her bag as she locked the apartment door behind her.

Diego sat on a collapsible cot with his tupperware containers filled with food, tapping his foot nervously while Blake just reclined back on his, resting the back of his head in his hands. After a while Blake started to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What's eating you?" Blake questioned.

"I don't know? Worried about Sam, worried about my parents. They're staying at the shop so that looters won't come by and steal or destroy anything," Diego explained.

"My mom and my sister are helping out my aunt with her house on the beach. Place is probably underwater by the time the storm is done. Thankfully they said they're going to be leaving once they've done all they can," Blake shared.

"That's good," Diego agreed.

"Yeah. Just wished this emergency center wasn't in a church. They've always creeped me out, especially a dead guy's church," Blake said, scanning around the room when he came upon a familiar looking figure. "Hey, doesn't that look like the big guy who was shooting up the police station with Zealot?" Blake questioned, nodding towards Albert.