Deep Freeze: Protocol One, Book 2 (Protocol One Saga) (6 page)

Again I started to feel the guilt of my survival. Had I not been privileged, would that have been me and Jackson? Huddled together, trying to stay warm, and dying because we were just too cold to think correctly or we didn’t know.

I was fully aware what had become of our world, desolation, the barren and cold frozen cities, I could handle. Death … I could not. I would never get used to seeing it I would not allow myself to become numb to those who died.

As much as it bothered me, hurt to see, I welcomed the pain as a reminder that I was still human. That I was still able to feel.

Leaving Larry inside, I raced outside, and as I barreled down the stairs, I lost my footing and slid down the last half of the staircase. The snow somewhat cushioned my fall, but it still hurt. Lifting, up I moaned out as a pain shot down my right leg. It wasn’t broken, I hit my lower back.

Walk it off. Walk it off
, I told myself and moved forward. I stomped in the snow, pouting like a child, irritated by my fall and upset over the death of a family I did not know.

“Anna,” Larry called. “You all right?”

I looked over my shoulder behind me. He was walking down the stairs. “Yeah, I just …” I swung out my arm in frustration and turned. “Fell. I’ll be …” Had I not been standing in that spot away from the stairs. Had I not spun my body at just the right angle, I would never have seen it.

And even then it was just a glimpse.

I ran closer to the wall and through the fence.

“Anna!” Larry yelled. “What is it?”

On the street by the overpass, the one that Larry guessed would be Gina’s route, it was there.

Partially hidden by the snow, it blended in so well, it could have been an optical illusion. But it wasn’t. Two blocks up the road, to the side, maybe abandoned or even crashed.

It was our Humvee.

The snow on the road had thickened and hardened from the temperature drop, and the new snow flew up like dust as Larry and I raced across the parking lot to the street.

The whole run I kept thinking, Let that be it. Please let that be it and not some pile of rubble.

It was the Humvee.

The front end of the Humvee faced us at an angle, off to the left side of the road, resting just before the overpass near a building. The grill of the vehicle a mere inches from a steel pillar. It was covered in a thick layer of snow and its white body just blended in.

From first view it looked fine, just buried in snow and I ran. Larry was faster and made it there before me. Then again, in my haste, my foot caught something, and I tripped. The fall sent me a foot forward and stumbling to the ground. I gathered myself, would worry about any injuries later and got to the Humvee.

“This it?” Larry asked.

“Yeah, yeah, it is.” I caught my breath and started to clear the snow with my hands.

“Doesn’t look wrecked,” Larry said, walking around. “I don’t see damage. What the hell? Maybe it caught debris.”

“Check the tires,” I said and cleared the driver’s window. It was empty inside.

“All good. Odd.”

“So is this.” I opened the door. “It was just abandoned. Are there any camps nearby?”

“Actually, right there.” He said with a point. “The M Station has a small one.”

I looked quickly, then back inside. “The keys are still in the ignition.”

“Can you get it started? Do you know the code?”

“Yeah, I do.” Hand resting on the door frame, I bit my lip. What had happened? “I’ll give it a try. If it starts we can get the radio working or charge Gwen’s …”

“Son of a bitch.”

Larry’s sudden blast of angry profanity caught my attention, I stepped back and looked. Larry bolted toward another person. That man turned and like a professional wrestler, Larry hurled himself in the air, spearing the individual to the ground.

Before I could react and find out what was going on, Larry lifted the man by the scruff of his coat and dragged him my way. It happened so fast, I had a hard time registering it. He slammed the man against the side of the Humvee.

“What... what’s going on?” I asked.

“This is Mike.”

A peep of a groan seeped from my throat in my shock. This Mike looked like a kid. Maybe twenty or so, not much older than Jackson. He was thin with grown out brown hair and he looked scared.

Larry slammed him again. “Did you take this vehicle?”

Mike didn’t speak, he muttered out sounds. Fearful sounds.

“Answer me!” Larry ordered.

Scared and almost weepy, Mike answered. “Yes. We saw them coming. We didn’t mean harm. We just …” his head lowered. “We thought there were more. They wouldn’t miss it.”

It was overwhelming and I tried to catch my breath, I asked calmly. “There was a man who chased after Gina. Did you see him?”

Mike’s head bobbed, as if he was crying. He seeped out a ‘Yes’.

“Oh my God.” My hand shot to my mouth.

“What happened?” Larry asked hard.

“I didn’t mean … I was coming to get Gina. I didn’t mean to. I swear to God, I didn’t mean to. I hit a slick spot when I turned. I lost control. I didn’t mean to.” Immediately his head dropped farther and he started to cry.

“Didn’t mean to do what?” Larry questioned.

I was scared of the answer, I truly was. My ears rushed with blood and heart raced.

Then he said, “I hit them.”

My eyes closed instinctively and I reached for the Humvee for support.

Mike continued, “The man was with her. Holding her arm. I saw them, I couldn’t stop.”

Grasping his coat, Larry slammed his again. “Where are they?”

Slowly and shaking, he raised his arm and pointed behind me.

Oh my God, I had tripped over something and never bothered to see what it was. I ran back to the spot, clearly marked by the scuffed snow and saw it. When I tripped, my boot removed snow from the mound, exposing a small black spot. I dropped to my knees scared to death to uncover the mound. It was hard and solid. One sweep of my glove over the snow, exposed an arm, then a hand.

I knew by the fingers it wasn’t Tony, it couldn’t be. The blue gloves were partially off, the hand was dainty. Diligently, I removed more snow and saw the white and frost covered face of a young woman. Her eyes were wide open, lacking color, it seemed as if frozen blood laced her skin. Her cap was like a Popsicle, icy, red, it was glued by the elements to the left side of her head. It was obviously she suffered a horrible head injury.

I looked over my shoulder. “It must be Gina.”

Larry was angry, I could hear it. See it. Immediately, I started searching for another mound. I just wanted to cry and scream.

“You just left her there?” Larry yelled.

“I had to. I had to get him help.”

Stop.

I stood and looked at Mike.

“He was still alive. Hurt. He was hurt bad. But still alive. I knew Gina wasn’t. I had to get him help.” Mike said. “I took him to Tim’s. He was unconscious. I had to carry him. I had to leave her.”

“Tim’s?” I questioned.

“Right there. The M Station,” Larry replied.

We had taken only a few steps to go there, when Mike stopped us.

“He’s not there. That’s why I’m out here,” Mike said. “When he woke up he left. They sent me after him.”

“Did he say anything?” I asked.

“Just said he had to find her,” Mike replied. “He’s still sick. He’s still bleeding. I lost the trail of blood. The snow covered it.”

Larry asked. “How long ago?”

“Half hour maybe. That’s all.”

Larry spun to me. “Bet he went back to the Casino.  The Humvee doesn’t look stuck. This is our best bet to look for him.”

“It’s not stuck,” Mike said. “I just stopped it.”

I raced back to the Humvee and to the open river’s door. Larry ran around and got in the passenger’s side, as I slid it.

“But it won’t start!” Mike yelled. “It’s broken. I...”

I punched in the four digit code, and turned the ignition. It started with ease and I shut the door. I didn’t hear what Mike said and failed to pay any more attention. After adjusting the seat, I back it up, turned the wheel, and after making sure I was clear of not hitting Gina’s remains, I cautiously pulled forward.

We headed to the casino as our first stop. If he wasn’t there, he was somewhere en route. We would find him.

<><><><>

Just as we passed the stadium, Larry suggested that I stop and drop him off. It was obvious we missed or crossed paths with Tony. He was on foot and injured, it was possible that Carver’s people spotted him or, God forbid, Tony had collapsed.

We didn’t know what injuries he had, we assumed a head injury because he was unconscious, other than that we were in the dark. As soon as we located him, Larry said he’d get Gail. She was the best bet for medical attention and the area’s go to person for help. I felt better about the fact we found the Humvee, if we failed at the radio, I would charge Gwen’s phone.

It was a plan.

It took only minutes to crunch through the snow and make it to the valet area of the main entrance. I pulled the Humvee close to the doors, shut off the ignition and locked it.

Focus forward, I opened the door and raced in. What was it with me and being clumsy? I ran and three steps into the marble floored entrance, my foot caught it and I careened forward in a slide, before losing my footing and slamming hard to the ground.

My teeth pressed against my bottom lip, forming the ‘F’ to blurt out, when I saw what I slid on. It wasn’t water, it was blood.

Panicked I lifted my head, fumbled for my flashlight and called out. “Tony?”

“An … Anna.”

His call was weak and breathy.

I gasped out, hurried to my feet and aimed my flashlight. When I did, I saw the trail of blood. It wasn’t a lot, but enough droplets to make a path.

Finally, my beam caught him.

Four rows of slot machines down, Tony was seated on the floor, holding onto a chair for support.

Heart beating out of control, filled with worry and gratefulness, I ran to him.

Well, that didn’t go as planned
. That was exactly what I thought in my first few moments in the dining area just before lunch. I had it mapped out in my head, the ‘Attack on the Gwen’.

Maybe not so much an attack, but more so a way to find out what the heck she was up to. I couldn’t wait until Anna got back, because I was certain she and I were thinking the same thing about her.

She paced around like a spoiled princess. Though she didn’t look it with that hair. Her hair, it was my key to open the doorway to a better communication.

It didn’t go as I thought.

“Why?”

It took all I had not to laugh. “Why?”

She folded her arms and tilted her head. “I will repeat … why?”

The laugh burst out. “Sorry.” I swiped my hand over my mouth. “Have you seen your hair?”

She exhaled heavily and tried to get by me. To which I stopped her.

“Look,” I said, “I just feel really bad. It feels like they are torturing you on purpose. If you look good, you’ll feel good, right.”

“But why would you do that for me?” she asked. “What’s in it for you?”

It was a pause, and honestly, I was thinking of how to phrase it. But all that came out of my mouth was the word, “Well,” and she grunted in disgust, pushed me aside and stormed off.

I
think
she thought I wanted sex in exchange for getting her the hair straightener. Not sure, but I think that’s what she believed my ‘Well’ to be about. Because, let’s face it, a simple ‘Well’ all by itself is not reason to storm off.

All was not lost. Nelly, as she always did, had just given the kids their lunch trays. Seeing the trays was reminiscent of my school days and the lunch lady concoctions. She served the kids first, a complete and balanced lunch and then the adults got their food. Never balanced and rarely as nicely presented as the kids’ meals.

Except for me.  I got a kid tray sans the drink box. It was toasted sandwich day and I took a spot next to Joie. She fiddled with her food, and looked kind of down, understandably so.

“Hey,” I said to her as I sat. “Toasted egg.”

“Eggs are boring now.” She lifted her juice box and placed it on my tray. “Is that tea?”

“Yep.” I gave her my cup of hot tea. “And … to sweeten the deal, when Nelly breaks open the pickles she’s been fermenting, you can have mine.”

Her little eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Oh, I’ll trade a juice box for a pickle any day.”

“And they are all part of the fruits and vegetables family.” I looked around then placed the drink box in the front pocket of my tee shirt. “So, what’s happening little one? Why so glum?”

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Your dad?”

“And Anna.” She sighed. “I’m worried. No one will tell me anything except they are stuck.”

“They are. And … they lost the Humvee. But shh, don’t tell anyone.”

Joie shifted left to right looking around.

“What?” I asked.

“Gwen is gonna be so mad.”

“I know.”

Joie giggled.

“There you go. And don’t worry. They’ll be back soon. If not you’re stuck with me.” I ran my hand over her head.

We talked for a little bit more, but I didn’t want to stay too long, not just in case she asked one more question, but also because I didn’t want anyone to see me with that juice box. I got hell every time someone saw me drinking one.

After my sandwich, I told Joie to find me any time she needed to talk, and I left for the safe room.

As soon as I stepped outside, I stuck the straw in my juice and sipped en route. Tom wouldn’t say anything to me, of that I was sure. However, as soon as I approached the door, I heard voices.

Not one to back off of eavesdropping, I listened.

“Come on.” Duke said. “It’s the only way.”

Tom’s voice was next. “Guys, really, it doesn’t make sense.”

“No,” Spencer said. “It makes perfect sense. If you go do the rescue, Gil will know you left. If Duke and I go, no one will notice at first.”

“Plus,” Duke added. “Both Spence and I are good at driving in the snow. We’ll take the heavy truck. The base of it is higher than our accumulation. Or we’ll take the plow.”

Was I hearing right? Was two thirds of our over sixty population wanting to pull a Delta Force and sneak out to get Tony and Anna?

That was cool.

Pretending I didn’t hear, I stepped inside. “Oh, hey guys. What’s up?”

The safe room wasn’t very big and Spencer and Duke stood off to the side not to be seen by anyone passing by.

Tom looked over his shoulder at me. “Really, Pete? I heard you slurping outside. You heard.”

“Only a little.” I sat at my desk. “Snow just started. If they take supplies in case they get stuck, they should be good.”

“Exactly,” Duke said. “I have some sawdust. And we can do this. We have the fuel. We just made that run. Spencer and I have it planned out. We know how to go, what to do. We have everything ready. We want to do this. We need to do this.”

Tom groaned. “You guys are killing me. You know I have the keys. I’m not authorized to give them out.”

Spencer waved out his hand. “Say we decked you. Knocked you out and took them. We are the best rescue team to go in there.”

“What about him?” Tom pointed.

“They hit me, too.” I sipped my drink.

“No. No.” Tom shook his head. “I can’t with a good conscience let you guys go without a really good reason.”

Duke waved out his hand. “Tony missing and Anna being alone isn’t good enough?”

“It is, but not enough to risk your lives as well.”

At that moment, the radio hissed and Anna called out, shocking me so much, I choked on my drink.

“Protocol One come in. Protocol One, this is Anna. You read?”

I was the closest and I grabbed the radio. “Anna, we’re here. I thought your radio died. Over.”

“It did. I found the Humvee. Over.”

“And Tony?” I asked.

“Oh my God, Pete, he’s hurt. He’s hurt bad,” she said. I heard the desperation in her voice. “I don’t know if he’ll make it if we don’t get him help.”

Before responding, I turned my chair and looked at Tom. “Good enough reason yet?”

A beat and breath later, Tom unlocked the second to bottom drawer, reached in and pulled out a set of keys. He tossed them to Duke. “Take the plow. And get a med kit from Craig.”

Duke gushed a, “Thank you” Before he and Spencer rushed out.

I clenched my fist with an excited, ‘yes’ and grabbed the radio. “Hold tight, Anna. Help is on the way.”