The noise of her landing was deafening as it echoed around her, amplified in the small space as the metal ground out its protest, but she had made it safely to the bottom. With the flashlight in one hand and the crowbar in the other, she dropped to her knees and crawled to the closest opening that was covered by another vent cover.
Using the crowbar, she popped the vent cover off and crawled through into a warehouse area. The small beam from her flashlight let her scan the huge room a few feet at a time and she blew out a breath of relief at seeing rows upon rows of shelving, stacked as high as the ceiling, full of boxes and large plastic barrels. Taking a minute to orient herself she turned to the back of the room and searched for the door where her friends were waiting.
When she found the door that she hoped would lead out to the loading dock she saw that it also had the security keypad next to it. Unlike the smooth surface on the outside of the door, this side had a deadbolt knob and a typical push bar to open it outwards. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Josh and Cooper’s concerned faces standing on the other side of the door as it swung open.
While Cooper held the door open, Josh waved Dara up from the alleyway with a grin. With a beaming smile on her face, Dara raced up the stairs and pulled Emily into a quick hug. She pushed back to look over her friend and make sure she was uninjured, then grinned and shook her head.
“Looks like you just stole Alex’s title of super bendy hero!”
Josh gave her arm a squeeze and then gestured with his chin into the room. “Let’s go, guys - it’s time for some good old-fashioned looting!”
Chapter Seven
Dara grabbed the two lanterns they had brought from one of the sleds and passed out the two sheets of paper with their copy of the list of medications that Leslie had requested. The nurse’s list had all the medications they would need to help the little girl with cystic fibrosis as well as basic medications that were common before the lights went out like painkillers, antibiotics, birth control, and blood pressure medication. They had copied the list out and included the three types of medications that Dr. Mack had said he needed to treat the plague that was afflicting their town.
There were at least twenty rows of shelves, stocked top to bottom, with different types of medications and the team stood, staring at them for a moment, realizing that this would not be a quick in and out shopping trip. It was Cooper, who had been working in a warehouse in Red Deer, that solved the problem for them.
“Guys, help me look around near the offices to see if there is an inventory list of some kind. If we can find one, it’ll be quicker than looking blindly through the shelves. I’m sure they would have had one and hopefully it wasn’t just on a computer.”
He turned away from the shelves and started searching the front wall closest to the offices for a clipboard that might have the inventory manifest on it. Each of the ends of the shelving rows had a number on it so he was hoping the manifest would list each row with what types of medications were on them saving them much-needed time from having to comb through the thousands of different medications stored in the building.
It took a few precious minutes of searching but Emily found what they were looking for laying on the desk just inside the office door that led out to the lobby. She held it up in triumph and waved the others over.
“Good thinking Cooper. This list has the medication names in alphabetical order with the row and shelf numbers beside them. We’ll be able to get what we need without spending a bunch of time going through all the shelves!”
Searching for the plague medicine was the priority so she looked those three medications up first and was happy to see that they were all located in the same row.
“Let’s split this up so it’ll go faster. We can pile up what we are going to take by the loading dock door so everything is ready to load up when we find it all.”
Josh and Dara took a dolly and headed over to start pulling the plague medications from the shelves while Emily and Cooper took the CF medication list and raced away with a dolly of their own.
The three main medications they were looking for to treat the disease were mucus thinners, anti-inflammatory agents and enzyme supplements. They found the inhalers in one row and pulled three cases from the shelves but had to move to two other rows for the other two kinds of pills Leslie said they would need for Anna’s condition.
Once they had everything on the list for Anna’s treatment, they started pulling huge jars of antibiotics and painkillers to add to their stocks. When they met up with Josh and Dara again and saw how much they had on their dolly, Emily blew out a concerned breath.
“We’re going to have to leave a lot of this stuff at the zoo. Now that we’re down to just the two sleds with trailers and the Ranger, we have to remember that we won’t have as much room to haul supplies back with us and still be able to fit all the kids that are coming.”
Josh nodded his head in agreement. “As long as we have what we need to treat the plague and the little girl as well as some antibiotics and painkillers I’m good with leaving the rest with Leslie anyways.” He turned to Cooper. “I know the situation is fluid and none of us knows what’s going to be happening in the next few months but I really think it’s in your best interest to convince Lisa, her dad, and Leslie to get out of this city and head our way.” At Cooper’s nod of agreement, Josh waved at the piles of medicine they had accumulated. “You guys can bring whatever you have left with you when you come. That’ll top up the town’s supply. I know Dr. Mack would welcome Leslie to give him a hand with the healthcare needs in our area.”
Cooper nodded again but looked away as Josh put a heavy hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
“Listen, man, I know you have reservations about living in Prairie Springs after what went down with your dad but this is the second time you've helped save the town. We’ll make sure that it’s known far and wide so that you get a hero’s welcome when you get there.”
Cooper looked at Josh and the two girls questioningly and when they all nodded in agreement, he sent them a grateful smile.
“I really appreciate that, guys. There’s nothing I’d like more than to be back with all of you.” He let out a small laugh. “I mean really, the Maple Leaf Mafia works best when we’re all in it together, right?”
Josh grinned. “Hell, yeah! When this band is together, we’re unstoppable! We’re seriously going to miss you and Lisa over the next few months so if we don’t see you guys by the first of May, we’re coming to get you. Fair warning!”
Josh turned away and looked back down at the two dollies full of boxes and jars and waved his hand towards the alley door.
“Let’s get this stuff loaded up into the trailers and get back to the zoo. I’m sure they’re fine but I want to check in with Quinn and Alex and let them know the mission was a success.”
With the loaded dollies by the alley entrance, the others turned off the lanterns and waited quietly while Josh peeked out the door to make sure they were still alone. Excited because the trip had been a success so far, the teens were all experienced enough to know that could change in an instant and were all more than a little tense. After a minute of scanning the area, Josh pulled his head back in.
“Looks quiet as can be, gang. Let’s get this stuff loaded and get going.”
It had taken them an hour and a half to find an entrance to the building and secure the supplies they needed so the sky was now starting to brighten with the first tinges of dawn. Josh wanted to get out of the area and across the river before they lost the limited cover of night.
As they finished loading up, he sent Cooper to the end of the alley to scan the street as far as he could see to make sure nobody was waiting to ambush them.
“Should we try and go back by a different route?” Dara said thoughtfully, “Just in case someone is waiting for us?”
Josh thought for a moment. “That’s probably a good idea, but we may run into other problems. We know the way we came in was mostly
clear, and following our tracks back will be a lot faster than hunting up a new route. It’s a chance either way, but I’m thinking we go for the way we know.”
When Cooper ran back and hopped on his sled, giving them the all clear, they fired up the sleds and took off back the way they had come.
Three blocks away from the park that would lead them down to the river Josh swerved around a group of dumpsters that were sitting in the middle of the road. Cooper was following right behind him and swerved as well but caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He cranked his head to look over his shoulder to see what it was just as another dumpster came barrelling towards him and his sled. Pouring on the gas he managed to make it through just as the dumpster crashed into the others that were on the road. It took precious moments for him to catch up to Josh and gesture behind him and for his friend to slow down and look back. The road behind them was now choked off with dumpsters. Worst of all though, was the realization that Emily was nowhere to be seen. She hadn’t made it through the ambush.
Josh shut down his sled and jumped from it with Dara right behind him and he yelled at Cooper to shut his off as well before whipping off his helmet, loosening the sling over his shoulder, and dropping his assault rifle around to the front, ready to fire. He listened carefully and could make out what sounded like Emily’s sled racing away towards the west.
He pointed at the next cross street that ran in that direction and yelled for Cooper to follow him before he and Dara jumped back on the sled, started it and raced towards the intersection where he could turn and run parallel to where he thought Emily was driving. They raced down the street, Dara scanning each intersection hoping to see Emily cutting back their way, but whoever had ambushed them had planned well by blocking each intersection with more dumpsters and broken-down cars so they kept heading west - hoping to find a route to reconnect with her and give her the back up she would need to fight off whoever had ambushed them.
Intersections raced past, each one blocked in some way, forcing them further and further west until they found themselves in the shadows of tall office buildings. They were now in the one place they did not want to be. Worse yet, they could now see that the road ahead was completely blocked off with crashed cars and city buses, leaving the only route open for them headed in the opposite direction from where Emily was and back towards the river. Josh threw on the brakes and came to a stop right before the mess in front of them and jumped off the sled.
Cooper slammed to stop beside him and jumped off his own sled with his gun already out, scanning the immediate area. Josh pulled off his helmet while spewing vicious curse words. He looked at the large glass building they had parked beside and then scanned the street around them before focusing on Dara and Cooper.
“I need you guys to stay here, backs against the wall of this building guns up and ready to annihilate anyone who comes at you. I’m going inside and up to a higher floor to see if I can get a view from the other side of the building to see where Emily is. Give me ten minutes but if it looks like you’re going to be overrun just go. I promise I’ll find a way back to you guys at the zoo.”
When Dara started shaking her head, Josh strode over to her and pulled her closed in a fierce embrace before pushing her back with a serious face.
“Babe, the mission has to come first! We were already going to be down one sled leaving it with Cooper at the zoo and now we might have lost another one. We can’t leave Emily and we can’t abandon the medicine, so we have to split up. If the worst happens, I need you to get back to the zoo with the two sleds and all the medicine our town needs!” He looked away from her to the building he was about to enter and then back. “I just…I just have to try and see if I can find her from up there!”
Dark gave him a sharp nod and pushed him towards the building gently. “Go, go and get back fast! We’ll hold here however long it takes.”
He sent a quick, meaningful look at Cooper, a look that Cooper read correctly and he replied with a nod.
Josh turned and ran through a shattered door frame that was once a pane of glass. He raced across the dim lobby of the building and hit the dead escalator to the next level at a run. Seeing nothing but glass ahead of him on the far side of the building gave him the relief of knowing he’d be able to have a view of the next block over as he turned and sped up the next dead escalator to the third floor.
He hit the third floor and flew across the debris-covered tiles to the far end of the building and then slowed as he came up to the glass wall that looked down on the street. He was confident that there wasn’t enough light for anyone to see him up here if they were looking, so he edged right up to the window and started scanning left and right until he spotted what he was looking for.
One block down there was a lot of movement as people ran back and forth across the street pushing dumpsters and disabled cars into the road to block any pursuit they thought might be coming after Emily. Josh caught a glimpse of the sled and trailer with two people on it entering a parking garage a block from one of the city’s most iconic features, the Calgary Tower. He knew Emily was one of the people on it because he recognized her helmet and the other rider wasn’t wearing one.
His shoulders slumped with both relief and frustration. He now knew where his friend was but he had no idea how to get her out of there. He slowly turned and headed back to the escalators while trying to formulate a plan to complete the mission and somehow save his friend too.
Chapter Eight
Quinn stood with his feet planted and an assault rifle pointed at the barricaded front door that was rattling in its frame as the intruder tried to force it open. The lock was holding for now but if they tried hard enough or went for one of the windows, whoever was out there would get in.
He held his breath and gritted his teeth in concentration, praying that the noise the intruders were making wouldn’t wake any of the sleeping children who might then make a sound and give them away. He was all that stood in the way between whoever was out there and the innocents in a back bedroom, plus the woman he loved. He was terrified he wouldn’t be enough.
Words penetrated the door he was guarding causing him to move closer on silent feet to hear what was being said out there.
“Man, let’s go! They’re going to get all the good stuff before we even get over there,” a whiny voice said from the other side of the door.
The door rattled forcefully again, causing Quinn to flinch back.
“No, they’re not. You saw the bodies of the earlier group that came here. Whoever’s guarding the place is going to shoot us up just the same. I didn’t come all this way to leave with nothing!” another voice replied, followed by what Quinn guessed was a boot kicking at the door.
“Levi, come on, man! Our people are already inside and there haven’t been any gunshots. Whoever was here earlier is gone!”
The door continued to suffer hits as Quinn prayed they would give up for the easier pickings in the hospital.
“Screw you then! I’m going! I’m not missing out on a huge score in the hospital and don’t expect me to hold anything back for you either!”
The cabinet shoved against the door vibrated at the hardest hit yet, causing Quinn to step back and tighten his grip on his rifle but the next words through the door had him sagging in relief.
“Fine! We can come back after. There’s bound to be stuff we want in here so don’t tell any of the others.”
The reply to that statement was muffled, letting Quinn know that the intruders were moving away from the door.
As the surge of adrenaline that had been flowing through him receded, he felt his legs weaken and begin to shake until he had to reach out and steady himself against the wall to keep from falling to his knees. He let his head sag until his chin rested on his chest, taking a moment to try and manage the fear that was coursing through him. He was overwhelmed with knowing that this was only a reprieve and that the intruders would be back and next time would be intent on getting in.
&
nbsp; Once he had his emotions under control, he pushed off the wall, turned, and walked quietly back - heading deeper into the house to the bedroom that they were using. He stopped at the doorway and scanned the mattresses laid out around Alex’s bed to make sure it all the children had slept through the commotion before looking to see if Alex was awake. Her piercing, green eyes met his with a look of concern.
Her voice was whisper soft when she asked, “Are they gone?”
He nodded wearily before picking his way around the mattresses to join her and sat down beside her on the bed.
“They are…for now…but they’ll definitely be back once they’re done looting the hospital.”
She nodded grimly and then waved to the empty, comfortable-looking armchair positioned beside the bed. “I’m feeling a lot better. I really think you should try and get at least an hour of sleep while I keep watch. You’re not going to do us any good if your brain is shut down from exhaustion.”
When he started to protest, she reached out and squeezed his hands. “Quinn, it’s going to take them at least an hour or two if not longer if they find what they want before they come this way. Based on what the zoo people told us about the other hospital, these guys will probably take any drugs they find in there and be zoned out for days. We might get lucky and they won’t come back at all. But at least we know they’re going to be a little while before they look in this direction again. So, take the time to get some sleep now so you’re ready for when we really need you.”
STRANDED: Box Set: Books 1-6 Page 101
