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would probably end up killing me if he caught me, I knew I couldn’t stop him but I had to at least keep tabs on him in the hopes some crazy opportunity presented itself.”
    “Where’d he go?”
    “He went to Beck Estates, or what’s left of it.”
    “He went to Beck Estates?  You’re serious?  Why?”
    Theo was quickly losing his strength and began to whisper. “He found something.”
    “We searched every square inch of Beck Estates when the power grid went down for good.  Howard’s lab had a lot of what we needed and we took all of it.  Nothing of value left.”
    “There’s more.  He was talking to someone.”
    “Who?”
    “No idea.  He was alone.  But it wasn't like when you’re alone and you talk to yourself.  You might catch yourself saying something out loud like ‘Well, this is a fine mess you got yourself into’ but it was more than that.  It was like listening to one side of a conversation.”
    “Maybe he was talking to the memory of Howard.”  Max had to remind himself that Richard had just as much right to the memory of Howard Beck as he did.  Richard was there when he died and the last words spoken by the most brilliant mind of the twenty-first century were spoken to Richard Dupree.
    “No, that wasn’t it.  Dupree wasn’t being sentimental or nostalgic; he was driven by some purpose.”
    Max shot his old friend a mischievous grin.  “For a man on death’s door, you’d think you’d get to the point.”
    “Hey, you said to tell you everything.”
    “My wife will be here soon with your family.”
    “I’m surprised at you, Maxwell.  You mean your wife will be here soon. Why on earth are keeping this from her?”
    Max was wounded by such a blunt question.  “I have my reasons.”
    As if on cue, Vanessa and James Forrest came sprinting down the path to the SUV.  Wife and son exchanged tearful hugs with the patriarch back from the grave.  Isaac Lynwood had four of his men move Theo to a gurney and the dying man was moved into the compound to rest one last time in his own bed.
    Elizabeth Harris stared directly at her husband, waiting patiently for an explanation.  Max looked at her briefly and walked toward the front gate.  Elizabeth followed.  “What’s was Theo talking about?  Who’s up to no good?  Who are you supposed to stop?”
    “I don’t know.  Theo didn’t get a chance to tell me.”
    “Bullshit!  I saw the look on your face; you knew exactly what he was talking about.  Maxwell Harris, you better start talking or so help me …”
    “Or what?  You’ll do what, Elizabeth?  Stop letting me fuck you like you always do when you want your way?  You’ve always treated sex like a weapon, so trust me, sweetheart, I’m used to it.”
    “Oh, please!  You’re too much of a drunk to even get it up, so gimme a break.”  Max ignored her and kept walking.  “That’s right, Max, just ignore the problem and it’ll go away.  You’re a pathetic drunk with a permanent case of whiskey dick!”  Elizabeth made sure to speak up towards the end to humiliate her husband.
    Max gritted his teeth and kept walking.  His wife was more proficient in verbal judo than he was and she had no problem airing their dirty laundry in front of everyone.  He felt terrible for what he said to her but had no intention of apologizing.  He’d rather have another reason to hate himself.  Max could never bring himself to commit suicide, so he would spend the rest of his life punishing himself for making the wrong decision on that day four years ago.
    The Forrest residence was similar to the others in the compound.  The RV-Towns that sprouted up prior to the collapse were still prevalent over a decade later.  The difference now was that the RV-Towns had become fortified and the once mobile homes had planted roots.  Max knocked on the door and waited.  Theo’s son opened the door, nodded, and disappeared to the rear of the RV.  Max stepped inside and sat down.  Thirty