Benny & Ray 52 Apocalypse Dee Gilles Rated R

Ray Vecchio was trapped in a hellish nightmare, driving full-blast through the streets of downtown Chicago, thankfully now, almost deserted. He and every law enforcement officer and emergency response personnel had been pressed into service. All buildings in the financial district were being evacuated; the order had come down after the second plane hit the World Trade Center, making someone's intent abundantly clear. This was no accident, this was war. What they didn't know now was who did this. No time for that now. All major U.S. cities had been put on alert. The skyscrapers of Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta were being cleared.

They had evacuated the Sears Tower, and the Chicago Board of Trade, and every tall building in the vicinity.

Ray's car radio was lit like a Christmas tree with all the cross-channel chatter. His cell phone rang non-stop. They all checked in with one another- Ma, Fran, Maria, Tony. And Benny. His Benny was safe. Ray navigated the car down Jackson, Van Buren, Quincy, red siren flashing on the dash. His partner Doyle was several blocks north and east of him, doing the same thing. He passed the occasional black-and-white. Other than that, there were very few vehicles left on the street.

He couldn't reach Valerie. Nobody could. He knew she was in that complex, but he didn't know what building. If anything happened to her...Ray couldn't finish the thought.

Ray circled through the streets, making one final sweep.

The day's events had unfolded quickly. Newark, LaGuardia, and all other airports had been shut down by the FAA. The Port Authority closed all New York bridges and tunnels. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon. Another dropped from the sky in Pennsylvania. The Los Angeles and San Francisco airports had been evacuated. At 10:05, the south tower crumpled to the ground. At 10:28, the north tower collapsed.

All was quiet in downtown Chicago now. He wanted to see Benny, but he knew he was busy. Ray had spoken to Benny around eleven-thirty. Phone calls were coming in from across Canada- Canadian citizens who had loved ones in New York but couldn't get through. They were looking for news...any information at all. Ben couldn't get through to anybody at the New York Consulate, or the Washington Consulate. Lines were down everywhere, or tied up, overloaded. Benny couldn't tell them anything and he was frustrated.

Ray kept trying to call Valerie. He couldn't get her. Dear God. Don't let anything have happened to her. Please God.

He wanted to see Benny.

He gave into temptation finally, after radioing in that he was standing down. He turned the Buick towards the Loop, siren still flashing nonetheless.

Ray pulled up the front curb of the building. The entire street looked like a ghost town. It was a shocking sight. Even early on a Sunday morning, the Loop was full of cars and pedestrians. Ray parked and bound up the front stairs of the granite-clad building. He yanked on the door, but met resistance. Ray pounded on it.

He pounded a little more, kicked. He had to get inside. Ray pounded the door again, and it abruptly opened.

Benny was standing there suddenly, in khaki and rolled-up sleeves, looking as harried as Ray had ever seen him. He reached out and captured Ben in a fierce embrace, and they just stood there in the doorway, hugging, holding on to one another for dear life.

"Can I take you home?" Ray asked into Ben's shoulder.

"I don't feel right about leaving, Ray. I should stay by the phones."

"There's nothing further either one of us can do today. I'm exhausted, Benny. Let's just go and get Pearson and go to the house tonight, alright?"

Ray felt Benny nod. "We can do that, Ray."

Ray pulled away, took Benny's face in his hands, and just looked into his eyes. Benny's eyes looked the color of slate today. He squeezed Benny's thick, well-muscled shoulders. He thought of all those people today who died, who'd never, ever get to touch another loved one again. He kissed Benny, fiercely. "Come on," he said. "Let's go home."

VVVVVV

After dinner, the family had piled into the parlor to watch the evening news, getting a full recap of the events of the day. They watched the towers collapse again and again, listened to all the diplomatic and military experts weigh in on who was responsible for this heinous act, and why. Maria sat on Tony's lap, the two of them quiet and respectful with one another.

California Governor Gray Davis announced that he was dispatching urban search and rescue teams to New York. Ray wondered if Chicago would do the same.

Donald Rumsfeld held a news conference from the Pentagon, and assured the nation that although the building sustained damage, it was still operational. The White House had been evacuated hours before.

Thousands of civilians died today, and they still didn't know if their cousin Valerie was among the dead. At least half of the roughly four-hundred firefighters first on the scene had been killed. Almost eighty cops were missing and presumed dead. It was a staggering loss. It was too big to wrap one's mind around.

He sat on the couch between Benny and Ma, and held the hand of each. He glanced at Benny from time to time, very concerned.

Benny was shaken. Shaken down to his core, stilled stunned. Ray could understand why Benny was more deeply affected than any of them. Ben Fraser was an idealistic man who believed in the goodness of people. And here was irrefutable evidence to the contrary. Shortly after they arrived at the house, Ma had taken Benny outside on the back porch where it was private, after Benny had a very quiet yet very definite emotional meltdown, entire body shaking. Ray had watched through the screen door as his husband sat on the back steps with his head in his mother's lap. She rubbed his back gently and cooed to him in Italian a little, but mostly they remained silent. Ray could not think of a time when he had been more grateful to his mother.

Ray tried Valerie a dozen more times. He tracked down her girlfriend's cell phone. Still no luck. Cell phones and landlines were still down. There was nothing they could do but sit on their hands and wait.

They returned to their apartment late at night, after President George Bush addressed the nation, promising to bring the terrorists to swift justice.

That night they made love, rutted really, like there was no tomorrow. Who was to say if there was, really?

Finis