Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
- Start date
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
My pulse just doubled. It’s amazing what a few simple words over the radio can do. My mind was submerged in the work in front of me. I was the lead vehicle, doing the navigation for the route, and trying to have my head on a swivel, looking for any threats to the group. You know, goofing off. All of this while driving a truck I have never driven before through streets with varying levels of chaos remnants.
Now all priorities just got scrambled. I’m racing down all the possible corridors in my head trying to figure too much out. I need a spot to pull three vehicles, one with trailer, in such a way we can maintain some semblance of awareness and safety. A parking lot, free of cars so we have physical maneuvering room would be good, but we need more than one entrance to the lot as well. I don’t know where any are off the top of my head, my brain just went blank. Another part of my mentation jumps up in the void. How bad is Garen hurt? What has changed? Is it something simple or is it a sign of something horrendous? Is it something Kara and Allyson can work or will it be beyond them medically? What can we do if he’s hurt too bad or in a way we can’t treat?
STOP!
I need to focus on the task at hand. I need to find a spot where we can get squared away, and right now! Everything else is after that. We can’t fix anything if we are dead. I look at the GPS and try to match it up with what I have in my head. I need to get us out of these houses. Everything is too close and congested. Someone could be on top of us before we knew it. The next decision is detour for a spot or press to get a spot.
I know a spot is more important on the short instead of pushing harder to delay the stop. We are too deep in the city for an industrial park setup like Garen and Kara used. Strip malls are too linear most of the time. We need somewhere with nothing extra to attract attention. A mega-mart or grocery store will have been picked clean by now probably, but there will always be people hoping something got missed or left behind.
I spot something coming up on the GPS that might work. At the edge of the neighborhood on the GPS is listed a sports complex. What that usually means is a soccer field or softball or Basketball. If so, a park/soccer field would work. If the ground is still solid, we can roll out and be in the middle of the grass with a bit of distance around us. Yes, we will be seen, but we will also be able to see.
We seem to be in luck. I can see the area coming up and its soccer not basketball.
Now all priorities just got scrambled. I’m racing down all the possible corridors in my head trying to figure too much out. I need a spot to pull three vehicles, one with trailer, in such a way we can maintain some semblance of awareness and safety. A parking lot, free of cars so we have physical maneuvering room would be good, but we need more than one entrance to the lot as well. I don’t know where any are off the top of my head, my brain just went blank. Another part of my mentation jumps up in the void. How bad is Garen hurt? What has changed? Is it something simple or is it a sign of something horrendous? Is it something Kara and Allyson can work or will it be beyond them medically? What can we do if he’s hurt too bad or in a way we can’t treat?
STOP!
I need to focus on the task at hand. I need to find a spot where we can get squared away, and right now! Everything else is after that. We can’t fix anything if we are dead. I look at the GPS and try to match it up with what I have in my head. I need to get us out of these houses. Everything is too close and congested. Someone could be on top of us before we knew it. The next decision is detour for a spot or press to get a spot.
I know a spot is more important on the short instead of pushing harder to delay the stop. We are too deep in the city for an industrial park setup like Garen and Kara used. Strip malls are too linear most of the time. We need somewhere with nothing extra to attract attention. A mega-mart or grocery store will have been picked clean by now probably, but there will always be people hoping something got missed or left behind.
I spot something coming up on the GPS that might work. At the edge of the neighborhood on the GPS is listed a sports complex. What that usually means is a soccer field or softball or Basketball. If so, a park/soccer field would work. If the ground is still solid, we can roll out and be in the middle of the grass with a bit of distance around us. Yes, we will be seen, but we will also be able to see.
We seem to be in luck. I can see the area coming up and its soccer not basketball.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The field was fairly dry where they rolled onto it. Bekka was hoping since they were above the elevated roadways, the waves didn’t get this high. Most of the damage around here seemed to be earthquake and looter-based. They pulled into the diamond shaped formation they had discussed earlier for use if and when they stopped for fuel. This put Garen’s truck and trailer on the right, Bekka in John’s truck followed by the Subaru on the left. This also placed the right side of the Subaru in the middle of the group. This provided some basic concealment for the group as they go out and had a quick conference and plan the next step. With Garen’s migraine building to unbearable levels, they implemented their earlier plan if Garen hadn’t been awake at the start of the trip. The passenger seat was laid flat and the stokes litter from the roof was placed inside the Subaru, head to the front.
Garen then climbed into the litter and was strapped down. Allyson hooked up the baby EKG and put the End Tidal CO2 monitor back on him. This would let her have a decent amount of data on his condition at a glance. The drugs he needed would knock him out for quite a while. An IV line was hooked to the saline lock in his left arm. To this was attached a bag of Ringer’s, set to a slow feed. IV meds were then administered through the med port in the line. In under five minutes, they had accomplished the shift and were ready to pull out. Garen told them he was still in favor of stopping at the fuel point they used on the way in. They had quite a few fuel cans to fill and the fuel would be important later. A few glances around the circle seemed to gather the consensus that it was worth the risk. As everyone was climbing back in the vehicles, Bekka reminded Allyson of her prime directive.
There were no real issues all the way to the fuel point. They executed the same formation, placing the fuel doors to the inside so people couldn’t easily see what they were doing at the station. Angelique did most of the filling of the fuel cans and the vehicles while Bekka, Allyson and Kara kept a lookout. To Bekka, it seemed to take forever but even she had to admit it felt better to have a bigger fuel stock, especially with the upcoming potential for full-fledged combat operations against the guys in the forest. Everyone felt better once they were moving again. The route continued to wind up the hills, through the mansions of the early twentieth century elite of the city, long sold off to newer people of money, the doctors and lawyers, while the power moved farther away or into new places in the city. These homes were perched on the hillsides with a commanding view over some of the city. The area felt empty as they rolled farther and farther along their route.
Garen then climbed into the litter and was strapped down. Allyson hooked up the baby EKG and put the End Tidal CO2 monitor back on him. This would let her have a decent amount of data on his condition at a glance. The drugs he needed would knock him out for quite a while. An IV line was hooked to the saline lock in his left arm. To this was attached a bag of Ringer’s, set to a slow feed. IV meds were then administered through the med port in the line. In under five minutes, they had accomplished the shift and were ready to pull out. Garen told them he was still in favor of stopping at the fuel point they used on the way in. They had quite a few fuel cans to fill and the fuel would be important later. A few glances around the circle seemed to gather the consensus that it was worth the risk. As everyone was climbing back in the vehicles, Bekka reminded Allyson of her prime directive.
There were no real issues all the way to the fuel point. They executed the same formation, placing the fuel doors to the inside so people couldn’t easily see what they were doing at the station. Angelique did most of the filling of the fuel cans and the vehicles while Bekka, Allyson and Kara kept a lookout. To Bekka, it seemed to take forever but even she had to admit it felt better to have a bigger fuel stock, especially with the upcoming potential for full-fledged combat operations against the guys in the forest. Everyone felt better once they were moving again. The route continued to wind up the hills, through the mansions of the early twentieth century elite of the city, long sold off to newer people of money, the doctors and lawyers, while the power moved farther away or into new places in the city. These homes were perched on the hillsides with a commanding view over some of the city. The area felt empty as they rolled farther and farther along their route.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Bekka knew something was horribly wrong as they came around the winding road onto the ridgeline. On the outside bend ahead, she saw several vehicles in the middle of the road. Around the trucks were bodies. She slowed to get a better picture before they ended up in the middle of the situation. It appeared to be an improvised roadblock. She saw enough of them overseas, usually bandits or militia. If it was something official, they would be marked vehicles. It looked like two trucks blocking most of the road, with a larger SUV with trailer pulled up, trying to get through. The problem with this scene is there were at least half a dozen bodies all over the ground around the blocking vehicles and the big SUV and no one standing. She inched to her left to see around the trailer. Crap!
She recognized the SUV with trailer. It was Terry’s. That meant the big guy next to the driver’s door was probably Terry. Then the smaller ones off to the right were Brooke and Kelly.
“Kara! That’s Terry’s SUV! We got casualties and unknown hostiles! Everybody get ready to bolt! Angelique, get in the driver’s seat. Kara, med sweep to the right, I’ll go left, Terry first. Keep an eye on the roadblock. I don’t see any movement.”
Kara was out of the truck, med bag on her back and her subgun up to her shoulder, scanning for hostiles as she moved forward.
The first bodies she came to she recognized. Kelly was Terry’s wife. Her body was closer to the road. Sprawled at the side of the road, appearing to be mid-flight when she went down, reaching out towards her daughter as she died. Several of the bullet wounds were through and through. She bled out rapidly.
Brooke was their eleven-year-old daughter. She made it farther towards the trees at the uphill edge of the road. The side of her upturned head was unmarked except for a small entrance wound above her left ear. The puddle under her head was massive and multicolored. Kara didn’t need to check to know she was gone.
Kara continued forward until she could see Bekka over the hood of the Suburban. Bekka was talking with Terry on the ground. Kara’s movement caught Bekka’s attention. The slow shake of her head was enough for Bekka to know. Bekka gave a short nod and tilted her head towards the other two vehicles.
Bekka had moved forward to Terry. As Kara was working up the right side, Bekka turned Terry over. He groaned but the puddle under him was large. There were several holes in his torso, and he was barely conscious.
“Terry, what the hell happened?”
“Hey, Bekka. Fancy meeting you here.” His speech seemed to drain him with every word. “The town’s gone nuts. Somebody’s got a couple of the gangs together. They are rounding up everyone. We had to get out.”
While he spoke, Bekka was digging out chest seals and combat gauze. When she started to open up his shirt, Terry feebly pushed her hands away.
“Don’t bother. I held them off so Kelly and Brooke could make it to the trees. We packed what we could and were headed to my cabin in Montana. They are bottling up the town. Its Sarajevo. They wanted everything. Everything. I’m done, hit in the liver and I can’t feel my legs. Get Kelly and Brooke out of here for me.”
Bekka saw Kara walk up across the hood of the Suburban. The look in her eyes and the shake of her head was enough to know. Bekka turned back to Terry, her eyes rimmed in tears. “Don’t worry, Terry. We will take care of them.”
“Thanks, Bekka. I owe you.” At this, he seemed to relax. He took a few more breaths and was gone.
Bekka moved forward to the left side of the roadblock. She met Kara coming from the other side. Between them they saw six bodies. They were not looking like government people. Instead, they looked like gang members or ruffians. Bekka looked back at the Suburban, then back to the bodies, then back at the Suburban where Terry lay. With just his pistol, Terry stopped six guys, held them back to give his wife and daughter a chance to escape.
“Kara, what do you have?”
“All dead. Looks like Kelly and Brooke were running for the trees when they got hit. What the **** is going on?”
“Terry said someone has gotten several gangs together and are rounding up people. They were trying to get out, up to his place in Montana. ****, roadblocks?”
“Yeah, ****. So…….”
“Ok, Kara….Lets get the bodies of these shits into the vehicles and get rid of them somehow. Strip everything useful first. I’ll get Allyson and Angelique to help get Terry, Kelly and Brooke wrapped up and into the back of Johns truck. We can put them on the site down by the pond. He loved fishing there, and they picnicked there several times.”
“Ok, we just passed a house that’s been for sale for months or years. We can put their trucks in the garage. Empty house, nothing to loot, no reason to go in. They won’t be found soon.”
Kara went to work while Bekka explained things to Allyson and Angelique.
She recognized the SUV with trailer. It was Terry’s. That meant the big guy next to the driver’s door was probably Terry. Then the smaller ones off to the right were Brooke and Kelly.
“Kara! That’s Terry’s SUV! We got casualties and unknown hostiles! Everybody get ready to bolt! Angelique, get in the driver’s seat. Kara, med sweep to the right, I’ll go left, Terry first. Keep an eye on the roadblock. I don’t see any movement.”
Kara was out of the truck, med bag on her back and her subgun up to her shoulder, scanning for hostiles as she moved forward.
The first bodies she came to she recognized. Kelly was Terry’s wife. Her body was closer to the road. Sprawled at the side of the road, appearing to be mid-flight when she went down, reaching out towards her daughter as she died. Several of the bullet wounds were through and through. She bled out rapidly.
Brooke was their eleven-year-old daughter. She made it farther towards the trees at the uphill edge of the road. The side of her upturned head was unmarked except for a small entrance wound above her left ear. The puddle under her head was massive and multicolored. Kara didn’t need to check to know she was gone.
Kara continued forward until she could see Bekka over the hood of the Suburban. Bekka was talking with Terry on the ground. Kara’s movement caught Bekka’s attention. The slow shake of her head was enough for Bekka to know. Bekka gave a short nod and tilted her head towards the other two vehicles.
Bekka had moved forward to Terry. As Kara was working up the right side, Bekka turned Terry over. He groaned but the puddle under him was large. There were several holes in his torso, and he was barely conscious.
“Terry, what the hell happened?”
“Hey, Bekka. Fancy meeting you here.” His speech seemed to drain him with every word. “The town’s gone nuts. Somebody’s got a couple of the gangs together. They are rounding up everyone. We had to get out.”
While he spoke, Bekka was digging out chest seals and combat gauze. When she started to open up his shirt, Terry feebly pushed her hands away.
“Don’t bother. I held them off so Kelly and Brooke could make it to the trees. We packed what we could and were headed to my cabin in Montana. They are bottling up the town. Its Sarajevo. They wanted everything. Everything. I’m done, hit in the liver and I can’t feel my legs. Get Kelly and Brooke out of here for me.”
Bekka saw Kara walk up across the hood of the Suburban. The look in her eyes and the shake of her head was enough to know. Bekka turned back to Terry, her eyes rimmed in tears. “Don’t worry, Terry. We will take care of them.”
“Thanks, Bekka. I owe you.” At this, he seemed to relax. He took a few more breaths and was gone.
Bekka moved forward to the left side of the roadblock. She met Kara coming from the other side. Between them they saw six bodies. They were not looking like government people. Instead, they looked like gang members or ruffians. Bekka looked back at the Suburban, then back to the bodies, then back at the Suburban where Terry lay. With just his pistol, Terry stopped six guys, held them back to give his wife and daughter a chance to escape.
“Kara, what do you have?”
“All dead. Looks like Kelly and Brooke were running for the trees when they got hit. What the **** is going on?”
“Terry said someone has gotten several gangs together and are rounding up people. They were trying to get out, up to his place in Montana. ****, roadblocks?”
“Yeah, ****. So…….”
“Ok, Kara….Lets get the bodies of these shits into the vehicles and get rid of them somehow. Strip everything useful first. I’ll get Allyson and Angelique to help get Terry, Kelly and Brooke wrapped up and into the back of Johns truck. We can put them on the site down by the pond. He loved fishing there, and they picnicked there several times.”
“Ok, we just passed a house that’s been for sale for months or years. We can put their trucks in the garage. Empty house, nothing to loot, no reason to go in. They won’t be found soon.”
Kara went to work while Bekka explained things to Allyson and Angelique.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Terry killed six of them, probably all there was at the roadblock
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Allyson was in more shock than Angelique. She had known Terry and had met his family a few times. He was a sometimes teacher who would come in depending on the topic and his availability. Bekka didn’t slow down, she kept right on with the instructions.
“Alright guys, lets get the two backboards off the top of the Subaru. Put Terry on one, and Kelly and Brooke on the other. We can put them in the back of John’s truck. Use one of the casualty blankets for each of them, then put them under the tarp. I don’t want people seeing them if we run across someone.”
Angelique had the first question. “What about those guys?” gesturing to the ones Kara was stripping gear from.
“We are going to load those assholes up into their trucks and park them in the garage of that house” pointing down the street “with the for sale sign on the lawn. Look, we need to do this fast so we can get out of here. We don’t know how many groups there are and if they check in at any particular time or when they get replaced with the next shift.”
“Do I need to wake Garen up? I can Narcan him and get him back up.” Allyson was doing the med calculations in her head in anticipation of this.
Bekka shook her head. “No, with the migraine and him only down a little while, it would be worse than useful. We need him clear headed as soon as possible. As soon as you two get them loaded in the truck, help Kara and me move all the stuff we take from those guys into Terry’s Suburban. Angelique, you’re going to drive Garen’s truck. I know you don’t drive, but today you do. Just follow the back of the trailer in front of you. Kara is going to be driving Terry’s Suburban. Come on guys, we need to get out of here soon. We’re only about twenty miles from home as the crow flies, but we need to get out of HERE as soon as we can.”
Everybody scattered and started working.
“Alright guys, lets get the two backboards off the top of the Subaru. Put Terry on one, and Kelly and Brooke on the other. We can put them in the back of John’s truck. Use one of the casualty blankets for each of them, then put them under the tarp. I don’t want people seeing them if we run across someone.”
Angelique had the first question. “What about those guys?” gesturing to the ones Kara was stripping gear from.
“We are going to load those assholes up into their trucks and park them in the garage of that house” pointing down the street “with the for sale sign on the lawn. Look, we need to do this fast so we can get out of here. We don’t know how many groups there are and if they check in at any particular time or when they get replaced with the next shift.”
“Do I need to wake Garen up? I can Narcan him and get him back up.” Allyson was doing the med calculations in her head in anticipation of this.
Bekka shook her head. “No, with the migraine and him only down a little while, it would be worse than useful. We need him clear headed as soon as possible. As soon as you two get them loaded in the truck, help Kara and me move all the stuff we take from those guys into Terry’s Suburban. Angelique, you’re going to drive Garen’s truck. I know you don’t drive, but today you do. Just follow the back of the trailer in front of you. Kara is going to be driving Terry’s Suburban. Come on guys, we need to get out of here soon. We’re only about twenty miles from home as the crow flies, but we need to get out of HERE as soon as we can.”
Everybody scattered and started working.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Kara started by pulling all the weapons that were on and around the bodies. It was a hodge-podge of pistols and rifles. Some were AK type and some were AR type. Each guy had a couple extra magazines crammed in a pocket. None were wearing body armor. She also came across jewelry, which she left except for a few watches that obviously weren’t theirs. While she was doing this, Bekka had joined her and was stripping items out of the trucks.
Bekka could tell these guys were several victims into the day’s work already. There was several hunting type rifles, a couple of pump shotguns, milk crates of food and at least six or eight backpacks in the bed of one of the trucks. It looked like most of their spoils were loaded in the back of the one truck. She started doing calculations in her head on where to put all of this in their vehicles. Things were starting to get full. The cabs of the trucks held what looked like the stuff the men were going to keep for themselves. There were several pistols and extra magazines and their corresponding holsters in the passenger floorboard. There were pillowcases or laundry bags with money, jewelry, cell phones, watches, flashlights and all the other stuff you would find if you had people dump their pockets out. She dumped it all out on the seat and sorted through it for about half a minute, grabbing anything useful like good flashlights, quality pocket knives, multi-tools, all the pistols and such, and any decent watches. The surprise was a couple of gold coins. All the rest of the stuff, including the cash and the cheap stuff, she scraped back into a pillowcase and threw into the back of the other truck. The good stuff she took to the front seat of Terry’s Suburban. She went back over to start pitching the items she wanted to take with them from the bed of the truck while Allyson and Angelique helped Kara load up the six guys in the other truck.
Allyson and Angelique were fairly somber when they joined Kara in moving the bodies into the truck. They were trying to hurry, but dead bodies are hard to move, especially without handles or stretchers. Allyson and Angelique were more careful than Kara. Kara seemed to be venting her frustration and anger on their bodies, pushing them up and over the side of the truck bed to let them fall in a tangled heap in the back of the truck. When the last of the six was on board, Kara turned to the other two.
“Angelique, go help Bekka move the stuff she’s keeping form the other truck. You can pile it up in the passenger seats of the Suburban and John and Garen’s trucks. Make sure bail bags and weapons don’t get buried. You are going to be driving Garen’s truck. I’m driving Terry’s Suburban there’s no way we are leaving all of Terry’s stuff for those ****s to get when they come here to swap out people on the roadblock.”
“I’m not a very good driver. I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
Kara paused a moment. Looking at Angelique. Here was this girl who could convincingly pretend to be a bad ass Russian Spec Ops chick, looking for all the world like the scared and intimidated teenager she really was. Her shirt was smeared with the blood and brains of at least four different people, one of whom was a girl not much younger than her. Of course she is rattled, the last week or two have been like something out of the twilight zone. It’s bad enough having been in third world collapsing countries before. This wasn’t supposed to happen here. She had to get Angelique’s head back above water again. Shock tactic won’t help. Time for the softer side of Kara.
“Angelique. You’ve driven your dad’s truck. You have a license. That’s more than a lot of people on the road every day. You will be following me. Just follow behind that” she pointed at the trailer behind the Suburban “and when I speed up, you speed up. I slow down, you slow down. We are going to take the entire road since we don’t expect traffic. It’s a game of follow the leader. You will do fine. You will hear anything important over the radio.”
Angelique seemed to take some strength from this. She moved over to help Bekka, who was slinging stuff out of the bed of the truck, wincing and grunting with pain at every effort. Kara watched Angelique walk to Bekka. She saw Bekka try and suppress her painful reactions. Kara knew Bekka didn’t want to acknowledge how much it was hurting to do this much physical labor with her broken ribs. Back to work. Kara turned to Allyson.
“Allyson, do you want to do the breaking and entering or drive?”
Allyson looked at Kara. She could see the fatigue in her, especially in her eyes. She was thinking of how wrong Logan was when they had talked months ago. When she first came on board at the Center, Logan was trying to ‘show her the ropes.’ He was giving her the Intel on the other instructors, ‘you know, newbie to newbie”, all friendly like. Not too far into his spiel, she had him pegged as the standard blowhard stereotypical jock trying to get in her pants and make himself look like the go to guy. She still remembers his description of Kara though; ‘a cold fish, a heartless bitch who would eat a kitten whole, claws and all and not blink. She’s probably two Dalmatians short of a coat. The frigid ice queen.’ He couldn’t be farther than the truth.
“You drive, I’ll get the door.”
Bekka could tell these guys were several victims into the day’s work already. There was several hunting type rifles, a couple of pump shotguns, milk crates of food and at least six or eight backpacks in the bed of one of the trucks. It looked like most of their spoils were loaded in the back of the one truck. She started doing calculations in her head on where to put all of this in their vehicles. Things were starting to get full. The cabs of the trucks held what looked like the stuff the men were going to keep for themselves. There were several pistols and extra magazines and their corresponding holsters in the passenger floorboard. There were pillowcases or laundry bags with money, jewelry, cell phones, watches, flashlights and all the other stuff you would find if you had people dump their pockets out. She dumped it all out on the seat and sorted through it for about half a minute, grabbing anything useful like good flashlights, quality pocket knives, multi-tools, all the pistols and such, and any decent watches. The surprise was a couple of gold coins. All the rest of the stuff, including the cash and the cheap stuff, she scraped back into a pillowcase and threw into the back of the other truck. The good stuff she took to the front seat of Terry’s Suburban. She went back over to start pitching the items she wanted to take with them from the bed of the truck while Allyson and Angelique helped Kara load up the six guys in the other truck.
Allyson and Angelique were fairly somber when they joined Kara in moving the bodies into the truck. They were trying to hurry, but dead bodies are hard to move, especially without handles or stretchers. Allyson and Angelique were more careful than Kara. Kara seemed to be venting her frustration and anger on their bodies, pushing them up and over the side of the truck bed to let them fall in a tangled heap in the back of the truck. When the last of the six was on board, Kara turned to the other two.
“Angelique, go help Bekka move the stuff she’s keeping form the other truck. You can pile it up in the passenger seats of the Suburban and John and Garen’s trucks. Make sure bail bags and weapons don’t get buried. You are going to be driving Garen’s truck. I’m driving Terry’s Suburban there’s no way we are leaving all of Terry’s stuff for those ****s to get when they come here to swap out people on the roadblock.”
“I’m not a very good driver. I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
Kara paused a moment. Looking at Angelique. Here was this girl who could convincingly pretend to be a bad ass Russian Spec Ops chick, looking for all the world like the scared and intimidated teenager she really was. Her shirt was smeared with the blood and brains of at least four different people, one of whom was a girl not much younger than her. Of course she is rattled, the last week or two have been like something out of the twilight zone. It’s bad enough having been in third world collapsing countries before. This wasn’t supposed to happen here. She had to get Angelique’s head back above water again. Shock tactic won’t help. Time for the softer side of Kara.
“Angelique. You’ve driven your dad’s truck. You have a license. That’s more than a lot of people on the road every day. You will be following me. Just follow behind that” she pointed at the trailer behind the Suburban “and when I speed up, you speed up. I slow down, you slow down. We are going to take the entire road since we don’t expect traffic. It’s a game of follow the leader. You will do fine. You will hear anything important over the radio.”
Angelique seemed to take some strength from this. She moved over to help Bekka, who was slinging stuff out of the bed of the truck, wincing and grunting with pain at every effort. Kara watched Angelique walk to Bekka. She saw Bekka try and suppress her painful reactions. Kara knew Bekka didn’t want to acknowledge how much it was hurting to do this much physical labor with her broken ribs. Back to work. Kara turned to Allyson.
“Allyson, do you want to do the breaking and entering or drive?”
Allyson looked at Kara. She could see the fatigue in her, especially in her eyes. She was thinking of how wrong Logan was when they had talked months ago. When she first came on board at the Center, Logan was trying to ‘show her the ropes.’ He was giving her the Intel on the other instructors, ‘you know, newbie to newbie”, all friendly like. Not too far into his spiel, she had him pegged as the standard blowhard stereotypical jock trying to get in her pants and make himself look like the go to guy. She still remembers his description of Kara though; ‘a cold fish, a heartless bitch who would eat a kitten whole, claws and all and not blink. She’s probably two Dalmatians short of a coat. The frigid ice queen.’ He couldn’t be farther than the truth.
“You drive, I’ll get the door.”
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Complex characters who continue to surprise us are interspersed with intense "run and gun"--all set in an uncommon disaster scenario. Uncommonly good "trade craft" and PAW/PREP wisdom is combined with a supremely intense and suspenseful story. Rich and vivid descriptions are seen throughout. This deserves a broader audience once it is complete. AND, I, for one, love how generous the author is with frequent additions. This is a winner in every sense.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The house was on the downhill side of the road. The realtor’s sign was weathered, as if it had seen at least one winter on the lawn. This was a good sign with fall underway currently. The curtains were open on the first floor. No furniture was visible in the living room. It had not been occupied since an extensive renovation, apparently. Allyson had no issues with the side door into the garage. Once inside the garage, after a quick look around, she pulled the emergency release on the garage door opener when slid the door up. Kara was waiting just outside it in the first of the trucks. As Kara rolled in, Allyson started moving several big buckets to the other spot in the garage.
“Hey, grab a couple of these” Allyson motioned towards the buckets as she walked out and up the drive towards the other vehicles.
Kara looked closer at the buckets. Pool chemicals. Good find. Before leaving the first truck, Kara popped the hood. She found a couple key electronic components she could yank out, since she wasn’t worried about damaging them. She did not want to leave them with an operational vehicle if and when they did find them. She also knew with the newer truck, without the chipped keys, it would be harder to make them work again in a hurry. She pocked the keys to throw out the window about five miles down the road. She looked at the pool chemicals Allyson had found and pulled. She grabbed one forty-pound bucket of dry acid powder and one forty pound bucket of 3” Chlorine tablets and walked out towards the other truck.
Bekka and Angelique were busy putting the last of the new gear from the roadblock on the vehicles when Allyson came walking up with two huge buckets. Bekka saw her coming.
“What did you find and how much more is there? We are about out of room.”
Allyson kept walking as she answered Bekka.
“Pool chems. I pulled six buckets, three of powdered dry acid and three of chlorine tabs. They also have some bags of D.E. powder. Kara” she nods her head over her shoulder “has two more buckets with her and we will bring the last two and two bags of D.E. as we come back from dropping off the other truck. Are we about ready here?”
“We would be, except people keep bringing more stuff up at checkout. This is supposed to be the express line, fifteen items or less. I can make this fit, but no more stuff, OK?”
“Not a problem.” Allyson set down her buckets and walked back past Kara towards the house again.
Kara didn’t say anything to Bekka. She just set the buckets down and went straight to the other truck. She started it up, weaved around the other vehicles and drove down to the house.
As Kara pulls into the garage, Allyson closes the garage door. She slid the latching bar into the door, preventing it from opening from the outside. Kara immediately disabled the second truck like the first. She then picked up the final set of buckets, leaving the bags of D.E. for Allyson. After Allyson walks out of the Garage side door which she had entered less than five minutes before, she pulls out her keyring. She had it with her for the locks at the Center. There were now keys on it she no longer needed like her apartment key. This she drove into the garage door lock and then snapped the key sideways. This would make it a little harder for someone to gain entry into the garage. Not impossible, just a bit tougher.
Allyson followed Kara back to the vehicles. Bekka had already figured where to put these last additions and directed them where they went. It was a quiet but determined group at the vehicles. Bekka had them all gather up at the Subaru at the back of the formation.
“Alright. We still have plenty of miles between here and the house. We have seen how far down the rabbit hole it’s gone. I want everybody wired tight. I know we are tired but we can’t let up. Anything happens to a vehicle mechanically, sing out. Unless it absolutely dies, keep moving. If it stops altogether, that’s why we put the tow straps on the front of all the vehicles. Anything looks hinky, sing out. We aren’t out of the woods yet, but I think we are past their perimeter. Hopefully they will think those guys bugged out and they won’t go looking for the cause for a few days. By then, the rain should have washed away most of the evidence on the road. The weather is cool enough that there shouldn’t be too much decomp smell to lead them to the garage. Everybody get set.”
Bekka waited until everyone walked towards their vehicles. She walked around to the passenger side of the Subaru. Opening the side door, she leaned in over Garen. Allyson in the driver’s seat couldn’t hear what she said to him, but she then leaned over and kissed him. Her gaze then immediately snapped to Allyson.
“Remember what I said. Get him home regardless of what you have to do.”
Before Allyson could answer, the door was closed and Bekka had walked up to the driver’s door of Garen’s truck to talk to Angelique momentarily. Allyson watched as this was repeated with Terry’s Suburban and Kara. She saw Bekka lean inside the Suburban, then Bekka was walking to the front truck of their convoy.
Over the radio, all that was said was “May God Protect Us.” Moments later the convoy began to roll.
“Hey, grab a couple of these” Allyson motioned towards the buckets as she walked out and up the drive towards the other vehicles.
Kara looked closer at the buckets. Pool chemicals. Good find. Before leaving the first truck, Kara popped the hood. She found a couple key electronic components she could yank out, since she wasn’t worried about damaging them. She did not want to leave them with an operational vehicle if and when they did find them. She also knew with the newer truck, without the chipped keys, it would be harder to make them work again in a hurry. She pocked the keys to throw out the window about five miles down the road. She looked at the pool chemicals Allyson had found and pulled. She grabbed one forty-pound bucket of dry acid powder and one forty pound bucket of 3” Chlorine tablets and walked out towards the other truck.
Bekka and Angelique were busy putting the last of the new gear from the roadblock on the vehicles when Allyson came walking up with two huge buckets. Bekka saw her coming.
“What did you find and how much more is there? We are about out of room.”
Allyson kept walking as she answered Bekka.
“Pool chems. I pulled six buckets, three of powdered dry acid and three of chlorine tabs. They also have some bags of D.E. powder. Kara” she nods her head over her shoulder “has two more buckets with her and we will bring the last two and two bags of D.E. as we come back from dropping off the other truck. Are we about ready here?”
“We would be, except people keep bringing more stuff up at checkout. This is supposed to be the express line, fifteen items or less. I can make this fit, but no more stuff, OK?”
“Not a problem.” Allyson set down her buckets and walked back past Kara towards the house again.
Kara didn’t say anything to Bekka. She just set the buckets down and went straight to the other truck. She started it up, weaved around the other vehicles and drove down to the house.
As Kara pulls into the garage, Allyson closes the garage door. She slid the latching bar into the door, preventing it from opening from the outside. Kara immediately disabled the second truck like the first. She then picked up the final set of buckets, leaving the bags of D.E. for Allyson. After Allyson walks out of the Garage side door which she had entered less than five minutes before, she pulls out her keyring. She had it with her for the locks at the Center. There were now keys on it she no longer needed like her apartment key. This she drove into the garage door lock and then snapped the key sideways. This would make it a little harder for someone to gain entry into the garage. Not impossible, just a bit tougher.
Allyson followed Kara back to the vehicles. Bekka had already figured where to put these last additions and directed them where they went. It was a quiet but determined group at the vehicles. Bekka had them all gather up at the Subaru at the back of the formation.
“Alright. We still have plenty of miles between here and the house. We have seen how far down the rabbit hole it’s gone. I want everybody wired tight. I know we are tired but we can’t let up. Anything happens to a vehicle mechanically, sing out. Unless it absolutely dies, keep moving. If it stops altogether, that’s why we put the tow straps on the front of all the vehicles. Anything looks hinky, sing out. We aren’t out of the woods yet, but I think we are past their perimeter. Hopefully they will think those guys bugged out and they won’t go looking for the cause for a few days. By then, the rain should have washed away most of the evidence on the road. The weather is cool enough that there shouldn’t be too much decomp smell to lead them to the garage. Everybody get set.”
Bekka waited until everyone walked towards their vehicles. She walked around to the passenger side of the Subaru. Opening the side door, she leaned in over Garen. Allyson in the driver’s seat couldn’t hear what she said to him, but she then leaned over and kissed him. Her gaze then immediately snapped to Allyson.
“Remember what I said. Get him home regardless of what you have to do.”
Before Allyson could answer, the door was closed and Bekka had walked up to the driver’s door of Garen’s truck to talk to Angelique momentarily. Allyson watched as this was repeated with Terry’s Suburban and Kara. She saw Bekka lean inside the Suburban, then Bekka was walking to the front truck of their convoy.
Over the radio, all that was said was “May God Protect Us.” Moments later the convoy began to roll.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The rest of the drive was, all things considered, uneventful. As they got close, Bekka darted ahead. She was able to get the gate open and the truck she was driving out of the way of the other three. As each came through the gate, she directed them where to go. The two pulling trailers went to the training building. Bekka wanted to get them under cover as soon as possible to cut down on what people saw. Allyson was to go straight to the house. The rest would come up and help carry Garen in and then they would see what was next.
After the last car was in the gate, Bekka secured it with the chain and lock. Kara and Angelique had already pulled into the bay at the training building when Bekka drove up. She immediately backed John’s truck into the bay, angling off to one side to avoid blocking the back of the trailers. Bekka climbed out and just stood there a minute or two, her eyes not focused on any one thing. Her mind had hit neutral. For a moment she wasn’t sure which of the next few thing that needed done should be first. She looked over at her two teammates, one familiar and the other new. Yes, they were teammates, as much if not more than any other team she had deployed with. This included Allyson, too. She looked at Angelique. She was drenched with sweat despite the cool autumn air. Driving seemed to stress her. She looked over at Kara. Kara was Kara. Maybe a little more tired and stoic, but nothing she hasn’t seen before. They were looking at her, waiting to find out what was next. Shit.
“Ok, let’s get our three fallen off the back of the truck and onto some sawhorses,” Bekka points over past the woodworking machines where there were several sets of sawhorses. “Kara, can you scrounge up another backboard and casualty blanket? I’m going to get a tarp and some of the sweep up sawdust stuff to put down under the sawhorses. I want to get Terry, Kelly and Brooke each on their own backboard, straightened up and wrapped up. Any tac gear, flashlights, multi-tools, ammo, magazines and such, pull from them. Jewelry and such, leave on them. Terry wouldn’t begrudge us tools, but we aren’t grave robbers. As soon as we get them down and laid out better, we go up to the house. We still need to carry Garen into the house and get him situated. After that, showers and bed. The brain needs sleep to work right and we don’t have any.”
Kara’s voice was soft and tired as she spoke.
“So, lay them to rest tomorrow? Garen should be over his migraine tomorrow and he is going to want to be there if he can.”
Bekka was nodding as Kara spoke, agreeing with her train of thought. She had another addition to Kara’s comment.
“You knew which plot Terry camped on. Why don’t you take Angelique down there in the morning with the tractor and do some digging. Teach her how to use the tractor.”
“Yeah, we can do that. Let’s get done down here so we can help Allyson.” Kara and Bekka went to gather the needed supplies while Angelique began unstrapping the load in the bed of the truck so they could access the bodies.
After the last car was in the gate, Bekka secured it with the chain and lock. Kara and Angelique had already pulled into the bay at the training building when Bekka drove up. She immediately backed John’s truck into the bay, angling off to one side to avoid blocking the back of the trailers. Bekka climbed out and just stood there a minute or two, her eyes not focused on any one thing. Her mind had hit neutral. For a moment she wasn’t sure which of the next few thing that needed done should be first. She looked over at her two teammates, one familiar and the other new. Yes, they were teammates, as much if not more than any other team she had deployed with. This included Allyson, too. She looked at Angelique. She was drenched with sweat despite the cool autumn air. Driving seemed to stress her. She looked over at Kara. Kara was Kara. Maybe a little more tired and stoic, but nothing she hasn’t seen before. They were looking at her, waiting to find out what was next. Shit.
“Ok, let’s get our three fallen off the back of the truck and onto some sawhorses,” Bekka points over past the woodworking machines where there were several sets of sawhorses. “Kara, can you scrounge up another backboard and casualty blanket? I’m going to get a tarp and some of the sweep up sawdust stuff to put down under the sawhorses. I want to get Terry, Kelly and Brooke each on their own backboard, straightened up and wrapped up. Any tac gear, flashlights, multi-tools, ammo, magazines and such, pull from them. Jewelry and such, leave on them. Terry wouldn’t begrudge us tools, but we aren’t grave robbers. As soon as we get them down and laid out better, we go up to the house. We still need to carry Garen into the house and get him situated. After that, showers and bed. The brain needs sleep to work right and we don’t have any.”
Kara’s voice was soft and tired as she spoke.
“So, lay them to rest tomorrow? Garen should be over his migraine tomorrow and he is going to want to be there if he can.”
Bekka was nodding as Kara spoke, agreeing with her train of thought. She had another addition to Kara’s comment.
“You knew which plot Terry camped on. Why don’t you take Angelique down there in the morning with the tractor and do some digging. Teach her how to use the tractor.”
“Yeah, we can do that. Let’s get done down here so we can help Allyson.” Kara and Bekka went to gather the needed supplies while Angelique began unstrapping the load in the bed of the truck so they could access the bodies.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Allyson used one of the buttons on the rear view mirror to open the gate in the wall around the house. She remembered not so long ago pulling up and swinging around to unload a casualty to the house. It seems like so long ago. Instead it was a week or so. Holy Cow! And this is what these three did for months at a time for years and years? She just sat there trying to absorb this. She checked Garen’s stats. He was stable but still unconscious from the drugs. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but eventually the truck Bekka was driving came up the road into the houses courtyard. Bekka stopped next to the Subaru long enough for Kara and Angelique to hop off the back. Bekka then backed the truck up under the carport next to Allyson’s Explorer.
Between the four of them, they maneuvered Garen in the Stokes litter into the house. Momentarily at a loss on where to put him, Bekka finally decided it was best to carry him into the master bedroom. They were not going to put him still filthy and blood-encrusted into the bed. Instead, they positioned him, still in the litter, over by the bathroom. They wrapped him in one of the cheap disposable moving blankets and then a casualty blanket to keep him warm. When he began to come around, they would work the issue further.
Allyson and Angelique went into the other bedroom, leaving Bekka and Kara to deal with Garen. Allyson let Angelique have the shower first. She could see the kid was wrung out like wet laundry. She was looking out the window when she was startled by movement in the room with her. One of the tortoiseshell cats, she couldn’t tell them apart yet, had jumped up on the headboard of the bed and was watching her at the window. Allyson moved and poof, the cat disappeared.
Between the four of them, they maneuvered Garen in the Stokes litter into the house. Momentarily at a loss on where to put him, Bekka finally decided it was best to carry him into the master bedroom. They were not going to put him still filthy and blood-encrusted into the bed. Instead, they positioned him, still in the litter, over by the bathroom. They wrapped him in one of the cheap disposable moving blankets and then a casualty blanket to keep him warm. When he began to come around, they would work the issue further.
Allyson and Angelique went into the other bedroom, leaving Bekka and Kara to deal with Garen. Allyson let Angelique have the shower first. She could see the kid was wrung out like wet laundry. She was looking out the window when she was startled by movement in the room with her. One of the tortoiseshell cats, she couldn’t tell them apart yet, had jumped up on the headboard of the bed and was watching her at the window. Allyson moved and poof, the cat disappeared.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Angelique stood in the shower for quite a while. She could still feel the blood and brains on her skin. She could still smell it in her nose. She still hurt where the vest had stopped the bullets. She didn’t even remember she had a vest on when she was shot. She just saw Logan shoot Garen and turn to her. She just knew she was dead, then the sledgehammer to the chest. She ran her hands over her chest where it hit. She remembered Kara’s feathery touch. It almost seemed like she was scared to touch her when she did. She wondered why.
She hadn’t known where to put her dirty clothes when she took them off. She didn’t want to get anything dirty. She ended up making a pile on the floor. After she was done with her shower she left the water running and stepped out wearing a towel around her.
“Hey, your turn. What do I do with the dirty stuff from today?” she was saying as she stepped out. She saw Allyson over at a plastic laundry basket that hadn’t been there before. She was pulling stuff from pockets, her belt from the loops and piling it all on one of the nightstands. She was dropping her pants into the basket when she herd Angelique.
“Drop the clothes in the basket and keep all the pocket stuff and gear” Allyson replied, dropping shirt and bra into the basket as she spoke. Moments later, Allyson was nude and headed for her shower.
She hadn’t known where to put her dirty clothes when she took them off. She didn’t want to get anything dirty. She ended up making a pile on the floor. After she was done with her shower she left the water running and stepped out wearing a towel around her.
“Hey, your turn. What do I do with the dirty stuff from today?” she was saying as she stepped out. She saw Allyson over at a plastic laundry basket that hadn’t been there before. She was pulling stuff from pockets, her belt from the loops and piling it all on one of the nightstands. She was dropping her pants into the basket when she herd Angelique.
“Drop the clothes in the basket and keep all the pocket stuff and gear” Allyson replied, dropping shirt and bra into the basket as she spoke. Moments later, Allyson was nude and headed for her shower.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Kara and Bekka were talking after the others left. They were trying to figure out simple nuts and bolts things. Bekka grabbed a clothes basket from the floor and dumped the sheets in it onto the lounger in the corner. She then proceeded to dump her dirty clothes she was wearing into it. This prompted Kara to grab another one and drop it off across the hall for the same purpose. Allyson was a bit distracted when Kara popped in, but understood. Kara also took a quick turn around the rest of the house, making sure doors were locked, gates closed, cats fed, all of this to give Bekka time in the shower first. Kara was just finishing stripping for her shower when she heard sobbing in the shower.
Kara went into the shower to find Bekka leaned up against the wall, water cascading down over her as she sobbed quietly. Kara went up to her and held her and let her cry. Finally Bekka started to talk.
“I almost lost him. I might still! Why is all of this going on? Why us? What the **** are we going to do? Roadblocks! Gangs rounding people up! Mass executions! How did we get this bad this quick?” She leaned her head forward and cried some more but her heart wasn’t in it. It’s like she had been emptied. Kara just held her for a time there under the water.
Kara knew Bekka hated this, the losing control, the breaking down, if even for a few minutes. After Bekka went quiet for a while, she judged the time to be right, she softly began to sing.
“Soft kitty, warm..” She only got a few words in when Bekka halfheartedly smacked her shoulder as she started giggling.
“I know, tomorrow is tomorrow when its tomorrow. Thanks Kara.” Bekka straightened up and walked out of the shower.
Kara stood in the shower for a long time. Her voice held conviction, even as a whisper.
“I will be without fear in the face of my enemies
I will stand brave and upright that the Lord may love me
I will speak the truth always even if it means my death
I will protect the helpless and do no wrong”
Kara went into the shower to find Bekka leaned up against the wall, water cascading down over her as she sobbed quietly. Kara went up to her and held her and let her cry. Finally Bekka started to talk.
“I almost lost him. I might still! Why is all of this going on? Why us? What the **** are we going to do? Roadblocks! Gangs rounding people up! Mass executions! How did we get this bad this quick?” She leaned her head forward and cried some more but her heart wasn’t in it. It’s like she had been emptied. Kara just held her for a time there under the water.
Kara knew Bekka hated this, the losing control, the breaking down, if even for a few minutes. After Bekka went quiet for a while, she judged the time to be right, she softly began to sing.
“Soft kitty, warm..” She only got a few words in when Bekka halfheartedly smacked her shoulder as she started giggling.
“I know, tomorrow is tomorrow when its tomorrow. Thanks Kara.” Bekka straightened up and walked out of the shower.
Kara stood in the shower for a long time. Her voice held conviction, even as a whisper.
“I will be without fear in the face of my enemies
I will stand brave and upright that the Lord may love me
I will speak the truth always even if it means my death
I will protect the helpless and do no wrong”