Back in The World

***Part 1: The Road to Garette***

Ben is awakened to the low sounds of a car radio: he is comfortable surrounded by what feels like heated leather. Can it be, yes it was his mother Mellaniedriving along singing along to *All Fired Up* by *Pat Benatar*.

“Did I wake you? Sorry kiddo I love this song”

Ben blinked frantically, he was moving, the two of them in a big truck. Trees whisked by at 60 miles an hour. The Chevrolet bowtie logo in pride of place on the dash, glove box and steering wheel. Outside the massive truck, the sun rose over Garette, the dimple light through trees, as they drove along Route 219 with the *John Work Garrett* County Airport behind them towards town.

Melanie sang a little louder now;

*“Now I believe there comes a time*

*When everything just falls in line*

*We live an' learn from our mistakes*

*The deepest cuts are healed by faith”*

Ben didn’t think there was a better time to see his hometown than at dawn on a fresh  autumn morning. The amazing fall colours.Was it still fall 1988? Had they arrived back to the time of the first dive? Ben wondered.

It didn’t take Casey Mitchell to tell you this was a brand new Chevy. When did his Mum ever have the money for that? She barely had enough money for groceries most weeks.They lived in a trailer, or had done, and this car cost more than a very nice trailer, like a double wide with a sun deck..

Out on the 219, before the Garrette city limits, there was a huge Chevrolet billboard with a shiny black Silverado SS Pickup on it.

Below it read the strapline *McKenzie Motors: Moving Maryland since 1895*. With an address just off Main Street in what to Ben was the small mostly abandoned and boarded up commercial district.

“New billboard looks good, doesn't it?”

Melanie continued, her voice brimming with pride ove the new ad campaign, unaware of her son’s Swiss cheesed memory.

“I’ve got to stop by HQ, on our way home. See how Karl is getting on with the new stock. I’ll be quick, I’m not dressed for the showroom.”

His Mother looked good. Those forty dollar jeans from the mall. A white silk blouse, a Blue leather jacket and white cowboy boots resting on the pedals. She literally looked like a million dollars. Not a hair out of place. Though it was extremely short and gelled up. Like she could be an actress, one of those Mums, you saw on TV. She was thin not through lack of eating but from eathing right, and working out.

An image appeared in his mind of his mother in a designer suit in a huge office and in a boardroom with dozens of people hanging on her every word. This was odd. This hadn’t happened in any other Garette. Maybe Mitch could help work things out when he found him.

“You look, fine Mum, can I see Jerry and my friends later today?”

Ben hoped he hadn’t said something glaringly wrong.

“You can see your stepbrother all you want, when you get home, though he has Football practice soon before his game tonight.”

Jerry was his stepbrother now? Ben just about resisted punching the air, in ellation. They must have done something right then. His Mum and Karl Baker were together just like in that other Garret, where they’d all been so happy. His Mum seemed content and by this car and that outfit, loaded. Like richer than Butts' probably. Eugene Butts drove a European car but it wasn't as nice as this.

Ben had another memory flash, Grandpa’s old house, on Somerset Drive. *The McKenzie Mansion* is what local people called it. Out towards Trade Winds, on what had been the low rent side of town. Him and Jerry. They’re parents, no beer or liquor in Karl Baker's hand was that a *Roy Rogers*?  Shannon and her parents were here, Mitch and his. Miss Maggie and Rob. Sarge and Yuriko Saville, they were like his second grandparents, he knew that all of a sudden. Major Geoff Davis, his wife and son JD, Police Chief Simmonds, Fire Chief Blake and his Wife Son and Daughter. Butts and Eugene and Jeana. The local Farmer Mr Lewis, and his wife and son Ricky. Heather Jones from school with a glamorous older woman, was she an Aunt? She had parents and an older sister, but they weren't here.This memory was the first time he’d laid eyes on this woman, seemingly a newcomer to town. He tried to make sense of it, but his foggy memory could take him no further.

Geoff, Their former trade winds neighbour was here as well, wearing a houndstooth sports coat, in the chill of the early evening looking like James Garner in the Rockford Files. All the Great and good of Garetre gathered on the deck in his grandfather's old backyard for a 4th of July barbecue and fireworks. There were huge piles of food on trestle tables that looked like they might buckle under the weight, steaks, burgers, hotdogs and at least two full chickens. A huge red white and blue Jello.So much more food than even Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners put together when they’d lived in Trade Winds. Had they ever lived there? Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The house was far from abandoned, due to non-payment of property taxes, the sort you couldn’t pay on a waitresses salary, it looked beautiful. Tastefully remodelled in keeping with the history of one of the oldest houses in Garette. Was this his home? Not the old Baker place like in the other Garette. Nore the Trailer. His Mum had never lost the house because his Grandfather’s business still thrived. Was that a pool? Did Mitch not have to undo the fire hydrant that served Trade Winds in the summer anymore? Still, as Chef Blake was here at the party it seems unlikely that Mitch would get a stern telling off.

Thinking of the summer heat. Ben had another memory. A recent one. He’d just been in Florida. His Grandfather was alive and well, retired in the sun. His Father’s Vietnam era kit bag sat on the back seat with an airline baggage tag on it. He didn’t even need to turn and read the tag to know it said *Miami International Airport* on it.  They’d just been together on a fishing boat. Ben had just reeled in his first King Mackerel, all on his own. His Grandfather had been so proud. It would soon be Thanksgiving and they’d all be together as a family again. Was this really his life to keep? No more nights going hungry in a cold trailer with only his music and comics for company? Ben stifled tears and searched for a tissue in his pockets. He felt a wallet first in his jacket pocket. It was his jacket with his father’s name tape on it. It was a Transformers wallet inside it thirty whole dollars, and change. More money than Ben had seen in his life. Even more than Christmas tips on his paper route. Jerry must get the same allowance as him. Maybe they could pool money, get some extra jobs, maybe wash and valet cars on the lot, and go in and buy a car together when Jerry was old enough to drive. A part of him was certain that their parents would be able to cut them a deal on a trade-in.

Ben was lost in thought, so much that he missed many of the sights of mainstreet. The paperback exchange was there in the strip mall and Miss Maggie’s vibrantly painted  Ford Econoline was in the lot, this was all a good sign. Then his Mother pulled off Main Street, to the small commercial district. What was once mostly abandoned lots was a thriving area,totally revitalised. There was a new building here of futuristic steel and glass construction. It bore Ben’s family name *McKenzie Motors*. There was a rotating Chevrolet Bow tie and huge bat signal like lights. Ben remembered an abandoned workshop on this site from the original Garette. Had this really been his Grandfather's business before he was born? His Great Grandfathers before that, before WW1, he could remember bits. His Great Grandfather had sold push bikes and then motorcycles from the old wooden buildings almost a hundred years ago starting as the billboard has said in 1895.  Would this all be his one day? The Family business. It felt like he’d been told that all his life. That if he wanted it, and he worked hard in school, this would be here for him. A job for life for him and many of his friends.

“Well, it’s just as we left it, Son. This one and three like it in the state.”

Ben tried to stop his jaw from dropping. His mother didn’t notice, as she pulled the shiny blue and silver Suburban into a bay in the rear compound by an older looking shop building, The bay bore the markings *Reserved for Company President Mrs Melanie Baker McKenzie*.

His Mum checked her make-up in the mirror that flipped out of the sun visor. Then she turned off the engine.

“There are cokes in the break room, help yourself. It’s your name over the door.”

She gave her son a wink and got out of the Truck. Ben jumped down after his Mum. Click the pop locks shut after he closed the door and the indicators flashed. This car had all the options as well as heated seats. Clearly, in this new prime universe, his Mum worked hard, so splashed out on a few nice things. He was certain, all of a sudden, that she was the top salesperson for Chevrolet on the East coast.

It was barley after 8 am and the place was a hubbub of activity. Everyone seemed happy to see them as they walked in through the service entrance. Karl Baker waved jovially and blew his Mother a Kiss, as he was on the phone with a customer. He looked great, straight, never badly broken nose, square jaw. With the Physique of a super middleweight boxer. Yes that’s right Karl is a boxing coach, Ben recalled. Then they walked via a door market *employees only* straight into the showroom, here were all of the new cars for 1990. New Corvette, Caprice, Impala, Camero then all the trucks. Ben suddenly remembered every model, every option and trim package, as if it were part of his life. Like he’d heard it all a thousand times in conversations between his Mum and Karl at mealtimes about how many C/Ks S-10s and Silverados they’d sell this quarter, to farmers if it had been yet another record-breaking harvest, in the county. All these vivid memories. It has to be his life. With all the Dives he'd endured with his friends this was the only place that started to spark memories. As if this was home.The home they’d left but better.

In the centre of it all, of the empire, on a small pedestal was a Bumblebee Yellow 1969 Chevy Camero SS, it looked flawless as if it had just come from the factory, V8 engine,  Vinyl top, Five-speed manual gears. He had an image in his mind of Mitch and Shannon arguing about something in regards to this car, and he recalled that he broke it up. Their idea of helping always came with an argument. He’d stopped them because this was *his* car. His father’s car before that, his Mum had kept it for him all these years, it had been restored and displayed, awaiting him being old enough to drive it.

The showroom was a clamour of activity. A feast for the senses. The smell of fresh-brewed coffee,well turned out men and women in fine suits attending to potential customers. Giving out literature on the new models. A young man of high school age in blue overalls with *Mckenzie Motors* and Chevy Logo on them, who worked here on the weekends, approached and Ben wasn’t sure if he clocked the name tag or recognised the face as he approached.

“Morning Alan”

Alan grinned a toothy grin

“You want the keys to your SS?  Open the doors and fire it up for the customers?”

Alan excitedly offered to fetch the keys wanting to hear that finely tuned big block Chevy again.

“Sure I will later”

Ben assured him with a nod. Alan went back to his work. Ben recalled that Alan owned a mid 60’s El Camino, with a little bit of rust. They were going to take care of that as part of his training around here when he moved on to the Bodyshop.

***Part 2: Autobots Assemble!***

Ben raced up the stairs in the new building, just to see what else he could remember. There were arcade cabinets up here, mostly racing games or car-themed pinball machines all on free play. That was *Hard Drivin’* that was brand new from *Atari.* These were here for customers' kids, and staff members' kids when they were waiting for a parent to finish buying a car or finish up work.

Ben flicked on the lights in a darkened break room, odd that all the blinds were drawn at this time of day. They wouldn't be showing a training video on a Saturday. How did he know all this? Ben went over to a huge glass-fronted fridge to get a regular Coke, a groan of pain erupted from one of the sofas behind a foosball table.

“Mitch?”

Ben almost drops his can in surprise. As he recognised the groan.

“Ben turn the light off, I’ve got a killer headache.”

His friend hissed through gritted teeth.

Here was Casey Mitchell in the dark of the break room near passed out on the couch. Mitch’s hunched form was wearing sleeveless overalls, the kind he’d always wanted, Dickies ones with double reinforced knees and pockets. Mitch was face down though, so Ben couldn’t make out if they were employees ones.

“Mitch, you’re here. I woke up in my Mum's car, what about you?”

Ben inquired eagerly, another groan from Mitch talking was hard.

“I was on the lot washing cars, covering for you and Jerry. That last dive took it out of me.”

Mitch shrugged indicating blood-stained tissues strewn on the coffee table from a recent nose bleed.

“My Mum will be leaving soon, I wish your headache would pass so you could see her.”

Ben was elated and so glad he'd found someone to share these new experiences with.

“We’ll run you home in the Suburban, My Mums runs this place, and I think we’re rich.”

Ben finished brimming with excitement.

“Thanks, Man, not sure I’ve worked out where I live yet. Not Trade Winds."

Ben went to get Mitch fresh water from the cooler, and grab him a blanket also with Chevy branding. His friend seemed sensitive to light

After the water and his head under the blanket. Mitch tried to impart what he'd learned. He'd been filleted like a fish by a bad Shannon and lived. No migraine was going to take him out.

“I did see your step Step Dad though, Jerry’s Dad. He took care of me after the migraine hit. He was really caring, and not hungover and angry. Told me he’d get my Mum and Dad to run me to the hospital if it doesn’t pass. He said I looked like I’d just gone ten rounds with Muhammed Ali.They’re both here, so that's good…”

Mitch half mumbled into his blanket

“So Glad I found you”

Ben Hugged the blanketed form, and the Mitch shaped blanket tried to hug back with its arms pinned.

“Me too buddy. Can you come to fetch me for our rendezvous tomorrow morning? Hoping I can walk on my own by then.”

Mitch continued. Of course, they’re meet up when they got to a new Garrett. The last time they’d ever have to do that. They could just meet at one of their houses now. Probably Ben’s it was the biggest. Not bad for a guy who's trailer was the dampest and dingyest he thought to himself.

Melanie put her head around the door. Beaming a big smile of perfect white teeth..A ream of green and white printer paper in one hand, clearly a weekly sales report. Business seemed to be thriving even in her absence.

“Come on you two, I’ll drive you home Casey.”

A grumbled thanks from Mitch, few people ever called him by his given name.

Fifteen minutes later. The Suburban stopped in the old neighbourhood by Trade Winds. Somerset Drive. It used to be full of foreclosed and burned out houses. Yet in this Garrett the old neighbourhood thrived.They were further down the block from his Grandfather old place. Still practically next door neighbours. Some things never changed. There was an older two-storey home here maybe from the turn of the century with a porch and shutters. No cars on the driveway but Ben felt that PJ Mitchell drove a Matt Black 1966 Pontiac GTO, and had done since high school. Mitch had a photo of his Dad as a boy and that car, back in the other world. In this Garrett, the car had neve been sold but here Mitch had learned to wrench on it, and his Mums Bonneville. He wanted to tell Mitch about it but resisted. It would have to keep.

“Casey, are you okay to get yourself to bed?”

Melanie asked one arm around the passenger seat to examine the hunched form in the back seat.

“I’ll be good thanks, Mrs Mac.”

Mitch half fell down from the back of the truck and fumbled for his keys eventually letting himself into the house.

“I’ll drop you some chicken noodle soup off later”

She assured the reateign form of Mitch.

Ben loved that soup that she used to make when he was sick.

Melissa turned up the radio as they moved off *Forever Young* by *Alphaville* played. After the song a familiar voice cut in.

“Good Morning Garrett. It’s DJ Jackie Emrock here with a breaking news bulletin. Earlier this Morning an FBI and EPA Task Force lead by FBI Deputy Director Gene Tyler raided the Garrette Loop with a federal order to safely cease and desist all operations, and warrants for all research to be turned over for a full and thorough investigation. Looks like it’s the end of an age for our town. We’ll be having Mayor Davis and hopefully Director Tyler and Eugene Butts on the air as soon as we can get them in the studio to tell us what this means for Garette.”

Jackie Emorck seemed as overjoyed as Ben felt. The Loop was to be closed safely. The friendly neighbourhood DJ then played *Geno* by *Dexy’s Midnight Runners*.

It felt like electricity in the air. The times they were changing.

“I’ll have to drop you at home sweetie. I need to go and arrange a meeting with the Mayor, and put together an emergency meeting of the Garette chamber of commerce.”

His Mother seemed unphased, she’d just gone into disaster management mode. As if she had a plan to weather the storm of Garette’s number one employer going out of business, overnight. McKenzie Motors thrived before the Loop came to town and it would do so long afterwards.The Loop only seemed to buy Chrysler products anyway so it would be a very bad day for Morgantown Chrysler.

“I understand Mum”

Ben smiled as best he could manage. This must be a regular occurrence when you’re Mum was a Captain of Industry. He hugged her and she kissed him on the forehead, reassuring himself that they had time now. No more other Garetts, just this one to worry about.

“I’ll be back for Jerry’s game later though”

Melanie reassured her son. She always made it back for important things though he recalled.

Ben let himself into the grand hallway and double staircases of the house though the double front door.

“Ben”

Jerry Bellowed

“Ben get in here, we have Sega Genesis and NES. This will blow your mind. I’ve got a brand new Gameboy!”

Bens eyes widened running into the living room, in front of a huge Sony Trinitron TV Jerry Baker sat cross-legged on the floor surrounded by video games. Behind him was a Technics stereo that dominated one wall in the large living room.It looked like the local Radio Shack in here.

“You’re my Brother again, well Step-Brother.”

Ben yelled back with glee

“And Jerry we have a pool”

Ben concluded by pulling out a matching Gameboy from his own pocket.

They both jumped around gleefully. As a pristine red 70’s Harley Davidson SXT Dirt Bike pulled up on the Driveway of the old McKenzie Mansion. Shannon Locke slipped off one of her black leather motorcycle gloves checking the address written hastily on the back of her hand *1600 Somerset*. Noticing the commotion from within. This was the place. She shakes her head at her friend’s, what a couple of imbeciles. Cute imbeciles but she wasn't about to let on about that.

Shannon swans into the house closing the open front door behind her. Standing in the doorway to the living room slapping her gloves into an open palm.In a pose and matter befitting Alice Cooper.

“Will one of you please put the local news channel on, My Dad is up there and I can’t get close because of the local police roadblocks and TV vans. I stopped in *The Paperback Exchange* but Miss Maggie is up at the Loop as well and Rob is watching the store. He’s all good though. Miss Maggie is Rob’s adopted Mum now, so that’s good news.”

She explained cooley and matter of factly

“Shannon”

Jerry bellowed as Ben followed orders and put the news on, a familiar older man in a hat and double breasted trench coat was on the screen, having microphones pushed in his face. This was Director Tyler. The FBI agent Chris said they could trust, that felt like so long ago.

“Welcome to casa McKeznie Baker”

Jerry sounded so joyful

“Nikkel tour can wait big guy”

Shannon fired back, silencing him, as quick a witt and sharp tongue as they remembered. The world might change around her but they're Shannon Locke was just the same.

“Mitch is fine, Mom just dropped him at home, up and street, bad migraine after the final dive, we’d better check on him later”

Ben informed his stepbrother and Shannon

“I’m sure Butts will come and find us, and Mr Tyler and my Father will debrief us.”

Shannon assured herself going to collapse on the couch.

*“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until our press briefing this evening.”*

Gene Tyler on the TV told reporters being held back by a very ex-military looking agent as a very tall woman with wayward blond hair in a leather motorcycle jacket, her FBI badge on a chain around her neck. Moved out a handcuffed figure from the loop administration building, that figure could only be one Man Dr Arkaville. Loading him into a waiting Van, with several other agents.

Around the bedlam of the front entrance to the Loop, they could see familiar faces, Miss Maggie. Sean Locke and Eugene Butts who looked to be himself and was briefing EPA officials including a man with rusty red colured hair in a three piece suit and EPA windbreaker, who seemed to be in charge, at a mobile command station.Ben thought this man looked like Walter Peck from *Ghostbusters*. Who knows it could be.

“If they need us, they’ll find us they’re the FBI”

Shannon assured the assembled.

There was a screech of tyres as a yellow Volkswagon Bug pulled up at the curb narrowly avoiding the mailbox. *Back in Time* by *Hughey Lewis and the News*. was being played loudly on the car stereo. Butts was driving his Dad's old car already. Ben thought to himself. Glad of the fact that Mitch and Shannon had fixed the breaks last weekend. Or at least that was his recollection.

George Butts stepped out of the car with a McDonald’s Bag in each hand

Jerry opened the door and Butts bounded into the house. Full of nervous energy

“I bought celebratory Egg McMuffins and ice cream for everyone!”

He grinned an idiotic grin, it was going around, Shannon signed it was almost an audible groan.

“You went to see if you could get a date with the girl you met in the dull Garrette didn’t you?”

Shannon didn’t even need to know the answer, it was all over Butts face. Proud as a peacock.

The four friends settled in to wait. Shannon's mind was on Chris. She hadn't seen Main Street Jimmy on her intentionally slow ride through town. If everything was fixed like her delinquent former decepticon buddies Dutch and Knee where she'd checked, could Chris be somehow restored to his correct age? Shannon needed to speak to they're mutual friend Agent Tyler. He had the resources to answer all they're burning questions.