Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

20) Patrick the Spy

Before he can tell me how he knows Patrick, Gus looks away, like he has just thought of something. He says more to himself than me, "Maybe, that is what happened. Maybe, he is more dangerous than I thought."

"Who? Patrick?"

"Probably not," says Gus, " but maybe. He did fool you."

"What are you talking about? Patrick is just a boy," I say. A boy who I kissed a lot in the early days of the end of our world. My beautiful soldier, off to war, but harmless.

"I only saw him once or twice. Before he left on the mission, and that was only a fleeting glimpse, and he was just a boy. He's still a boy, but he seems different. Maybe, it's his story, his love story, or the ring, but he seems older."

I am more confused than before. Are we still talking about Patrick. "What on earth are you talking about, what mission?"

Gus looks at me directly and says, "He was a pet of your mother, Patrick. In the early days, he came to join. Join One Nation. His father was a fan of the general. He came in the early days before the utter chaos. Your mother said he was quite eager, ready to fight. She told me he was completely indoctrinated, but he was so young. Only fifteen."

"My Patrick is 22," I say because I am sure they are not the same. My Patrick came with soldiers, real United States soldiers. He left with them too. I say as much.

"Great cover," Gus says. "And how do you know he is 22?"

I'm too embarrassed to say he told me he was 22. He didn't kiss like a 15 year old, but, what do I know? I kissed him so many times, and a few other things. I am weirdly embarrassed, and I would never admit to a soul how I felt at the time. Oh Lord, but Steven knows. He knows every dirty detail. All I can say is, "My mother sent him. To check on me, right?"

Gus nods. "She did. She thought she was getting him out of harm's way. I guess you made quite the impression on him because he never came back to let your mother know."

Patrick, just another guy my mom sent to find me. So far, I'm two for two. She sent two, and I have kissed them both. And loved them both, one only briefly, but still, I was in, all in. Just how weak am I? And stupid. And wait, did she send Gus too? I bet he'll never tell. Oh Lord, I might be three for three. Just how gullible am I? I kissed them all.

"That ring is enormous," says Mr. Smartass. "I think he really fell for you. Maybe, that is why he didn't come to report back to your mother. Maybe, he was trying to be worthy of you, Eliot?"

"Gus, you are quite annoying, but I think you already know that." That has to be it. Patrick, my baby soldier, loved me.

"Eliot, my lady." He pauses here so I can understand that he is purposely teasing me now, "You are going to have to tone down your charm. Every man who meets you falls madly in love with you. Tone it down a bit. Times are desperate, we have to think clearly. Please, my lady, have mercy."

I punch him in the arm as hard as I can. "Every man?" I tease him right back.

Gus laughs and then changes his tone. "Now seriously, I am concerned about Patrick. He was captured and escaped and even helped the lovely Leia escape, but I don't know."

"He could be a plant? Maybe sent to find the prince?"

"Maybe," says Gus. "Maybe."

"We need to find our dads," I say and just to get a dig in on Gus I add, "And the ever lovely Leia."

"Indeed," Gus agrees. "Indeed."

We walk for another half hour and come to within sight of the city limits. I see the sign where I found the abandoned bike before. Standing beside the sign, looking like they are guarding the town is a group, a loud group. This must be the group that Gus heard and avoided earlier on his way out of town. I wonder if they've seen our dads? Gus is thinking the same thing.

"Wonder if our dads ran into them? Looks like children."

As we near, I can see that the group is made up of kids, I count nine, mostly boys but there are a few girls. Horseplay is mostly what I see. I use my expert observational skills and deem these loud children harmless. 

I soon learn, my expert observational skills are rusty and completely unreliable.