Just as he was starting to feel better about his situation, the car sputtered and died. The battery had finally given out. It meant the generator was probably shot. He found another battery and went through the same routine as before of removing it but this time he spliced the wires of the new battery and just set it in place. He figured once he got to Albuquerque he could fix it permanently.
It was almost dark when he finally reached the outskirts of the city. He saw the airport off to his right and decided to find a place near there for the night just in case a search plane happened to land. He pulled up in front of a Holiday Inn Express that had a Walgreen’s Drugstore across the street. Up the block was an auto parts store.
His first priority was to find a place to sleep and then go down to the drugstore and see if he could find something to help with the pain.
His next obstacle was how to get into a sleeping room. All of the doors to the hotel rooms were electronically controlled and solid. With his bad ankle he knew there was no way he could kick a door in so he decided to just crash on the couch in the lobby.
He limped across the street and rummaged around in the pharmacy until he found a big bottle of Hydrocodone APAP. Just what the doctor ordered, since he was the only doctor in town after all. He downed one of them with a bottle of water he found and went back across to the Inn.
It was getting dark and cold now. He finally located a linen closet that had blankets stored in it and made himself a comfortable bed on the couch in the lobby. He was asleep in no time.
****
“What’s that down there?” the pilot said, pointing just to the west.
“Don’t know. Kind of looks like a wing but where is the rest of the plane?”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Me too,” the copilot said. They flew over the site and circled it four times before spotting a place where they could put down.
They landed and taxied as close to the wreckage as they could then climbed out. Parts of the plane were strewn about but the main fuselage was no place to be seen. Just bits and pieces lying around.
“Not much left. See anything resembling a body?”
“Nothing, but this is definitely one of ours. Maybe they bailed out in time.”
“Then we need to get started looking for them. They had to be coming from that direction,” the pilot said, pointing to the southwest.
“Then let’s get going. If we see any of the others we can get them to help. Wait. What is that?” he said pointing to an object a few yards away.
They walked over and looked down. It was an arm with two fingers missing.
“Poor son of a bitch. Maybe the others got out okay,” he said.
“I sure the hell hope so. Let’s get moving.”
They rushed back to the plane and were airborne in minutes, flying towards Socorro and the VLA site. They saw an engine shattered in pieces but no sign of other survivors. They were flying as low as they thought safe and as slowly as they could and keep from stalling.
“Yes,” the pilot uttered.
“What?”
He pointed out the window. The huge antenna dishes loomed in on the horizon.
“Now what?”
“We land and find out what we can then we start backtracking.”
The stop proved fruitless. All Dr. Sullivan could tell them was approximately when they left. He wanted to know if this would hold up his getting additional equipment however. He didn’t even bother to inquire about Randy or the pilots.
They climbed back in the plane and resumed their search, flying back toward the crash site.
They found a piece of tail section that was half buried in the sand but not much else. They flew back as far as Valencia and refueled before starting to search once again. Along the way they came across another of their planes and finally made them understand they wanted them to follow. They led them to the where they had found the wing and landed.
After a brief conference they decided they would search in an ever tightening circle from about ten miles out from the wreckage. In the end they found nothing more than small pieces of burnt wreckage and the torso of one of the pilots. It was time to give it up for the night. Landing in the dark wasn’t really a viable option.
Both planes spent the night in Valencia, taking off early in the morning for one more search before heading back to Colorado.
****
Colonel Webber had heard the planes approaching and immediately went to meet them. He knew the news wasn’t good from the expression on the crew’s faces.
“Colonel. Sorry sir, we found bits and pieces of the wreckage but no survivors.”
“Bodies?”
“Not intact sir, just pieces and not many of them. It looks like it exploded on impact. Not much was left. I guess they didn’t have time to get out.”
“Christ, those poor men. Do you recommend we start a ground search of the area?”
“No sir. I really don’t think that will accomplish a thing. We flew low and slow and landed several times. We saw no chutes or any indication of anyone trying to signal a S.O.S. I’m afraid they are gone. I doubt they had time to even get to the back and bail out.”
“Man, of all the things I hate most, this is the hardest part of the job. Captain Rawlings and his copilot Wilkinson were not married were they?”
“Uh, Rawlings was at one time but his wife didn’t survive.”
“Sorry, what I meant was did either have anyone here, since then?” Webber asked.
“I think Wilkinson was getting serious with a girl named Lytton. Jodi, I think, was her first name. Tall, cute, around thirty I believe. I know she works at the food bank part of the time and does some work at the library as well. I saw Tommy walking her to work a couple of times.”
“I don’t need the details but thanks for the information. I’ll have someone find her and then I will go tell her. I want to wait one more day just to be sure. I know you boys are tired but I would like you to take one more run at it and then we will call it off. I just sent the other two teams back for one more pass as well. After that I think we will just have to accept the fact that they all perished in the crash.”
“Yes sir,” they both said.
Webber knew he probably should tell Rachel and the Lytton woman now but he wanted to give it one more try before giving up. Maybe, just maybe, someone had survived.
****
Randy thought he heard a plane fly over but by the time he hobbled to the door, it was long gone. No doubt they were looking for anyone that survived. He hoped they would find the other two. He considered starting a fire to attract attention but decided that it would be too risky. With so little rain and no way of putting it out if it got out of control he ruled it out.
His leg was hurting again but at least he had managed to get some sleep. A lot more than the night before. He took another pain pill and sat back on the sofa until it kicked in.
After a half hour he felt much better so he scrounged around and looked for something to eat. He went back to the drugstore and gathered up a bag of pretzels and a box of Twinkies. Good old Twinkies. Only those and cockroaches will be around when man does finally disappear from the planet, he thought. He laughed out loud. Hell, the Twinkies had managed to outlast even the cockroaches.
He grabbed a map of the southwest as he headed out the door. He limped down to the auto parts store and grabbed a crescent wrench and pair of pliers. He located a rack with batteries and picked one that looked about the right size.
Lugging the battery back was the hardest part. His leg made it all the more difficult but he finally made it back and changed out the battery once again. He decided not to try to change out the generator, even if he could find one that would fit. He would just keep changing batteries when necessary.
He started the Chevy and drove back to the auto parts store and placed three more batteries in the backseat along with a socket set and a few other tools. After topping off the tank once more, he headed north
on I-25. The pain medicine helped when he had to push in the clutch. As long as he kept taking them he was sure he could make it back to Colorado Springs.
“Looking at the map he decided it was going to take two more days. Three at most. He reached for the radio and then laughed again. Must be the pills he decided.
“Colonel Webber. What brings you here? Are you feeling alright?” Rachel asked.
“I’m just fine. Listen, I was wondering if there was someplace we could talk. It won’t take long.”
“What’s happened? Is something wrong? Is Randy okay?” she asked, starting to get alarmed.
“Please,” he said, taking her arm.
She led him down the hall to a small waiting room. The sign said ‘Surgery Patients Check-In Here”.
“Rachel. I have some bad news. The plane that Randy was in went down someplace south of Albuquerque. We have been searching the area for two days now and have located the wreckage but...”
“Two days? Did you find Randy?”
“Sorry Rachel. We haven’t been able to find anyone. It looks like the plane exploded on impact. It appears that no one was able to get out in time.”
“Oh my God,” she said and sank to the floor.
Webber grabbed her by the arms but she pulled away.
“You’re just giving up?”
“Rachel, I’ve been doing this a long time. We have procedures we go through. The pilots are trained at survival. If any of them had made it out, we would have found them or at least the parachutes. We found nothing. The plane simply disintegrated and that indicates a massive explosion. If it had just gone down and they tried to land it we would have found larger pieces of the wreckage. It didn’t crash on landing.”
She buried her face in her hands and wept. She repeated Randy’s name over and over.
“I’m sorry Rachel. Randy was more than just another survivor to me. I really respected him and felt a deep affection for him. I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could say or do but...I know there isn’t anything that will really help,” Webber said.
He wanted to find some magical words that would help but he knew none existed. She continued to sob, her face buried.
“If there is anything you need or that I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I wish there was something more I could say to help,” he said.
Shit. Nothing was harder to do that tell someone that a loved one or close friend had died.
“I’ll leave you alone. I am truly sorry for your loss,” he said and left.
Rachel stayed on the floor, trying to let her mind go blank. Please, God, she thought, don’t let him have suffered. If he had to die, make it quick and painless.
Randy was only five miles from Colorado Springs. He was on the downhill stretch when the last battery he had brought with him gave out.
“I’ll be damned,” he said as the car bucked to a stop.
So close and yet so far away. No way could he just walk the rest of the way. He got out and took the battery out. He was just taking the one from another car when a Hummer with two military police drove up. They had their weapons on him.
“Easy guys. I’m Randy Boling. I’m trying to get back to Colorado Springs. I need to report in to Colonel Webber,” he said.
They looked at each other and then back at him.
“Boling? Aren’t you the guy that they have been looking for?”
“I sure hope so.”
“Shit man. It has been all over town that you and the pilots all died someplace in New Mexico, are the pilots with you?” one of the men said.
“I’m afraid not.”
“That’s too bad. Like I said, we thought you were all dead. They said the plane exploded before any of you could get out.”
“I’m extremely happy to say that isn’t exactly true. Maybe the others were able to get out as well,” Randy replied.
“I sure hope you have that right. Hop in and we will take you to Colonel Webber. He has been mopping around since the plane went down. He is going to be very happy to see you.”
“Nice to know I was missed,” Randy said, climbing up in the Hummer.
****
When he walked into Webber’s office the Colonel looked up, did a double take and went ghostly white for a second.
“My God. I can’t believe it. Randy. You’re alive,” he shouted, jumping up from his desk.
He came around, grabbed him with both hands, just looking at him.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you. How did you get back here? Wait. Does Rachel know you are back yet? What am I saying? Hell no she doesn’t. Come on. I want to drive you over to the hospital myself. You need someone to look at you anyway.”
The Colonel, a man of few words was babbling like a school girl.
“It’s okay. I’m back. No big deal. I am concerned for the others. Any luck in locating them?” Randy asked.
The Colonel shook his head no.
“I was afraid of that. I never saw another chute open. Just a big fireball in the sky. They saved my ass. Put a parachute on me and practically shoved me out the door. I owe them my life.”
“They were both good men. Any idea what happened? Oh hell, we can talk about that later. Let’s get you over to see Rachel and have you checked out. You’re limping. We need to get that leg looked at.”
Randy filled him in on his visit despite the Colonel telling him that they could do all of that later. In the short time he had known the Colonel; he had never seen this side of him. He was practically giddy.
“Let me go in first. I want to surprise Rachel. I’m the one who had to give her the bad news in the first place. I want to bring her the good news.”
“Have at it but don’t take too long. The pain pills are starting to wear off.”
The Colonel bounded up the steps of the hospital and Randy slowly made his way toward the doors.
“Rachel,” Colonel Webber said, as she was looking at a chart at the front desk.
“Oh, hi Colonel Webber,” she said, hardly glancing at him.
“I have some news.”
She looked up quickly almost dropping the chart.
“Did you find his body?”
“Yes, we did. Just a few minutes ago. It is kind of banged up.”
“I want to see him.”
“Are you sure? He doesn’t look real good.”
“I don’t care. I want to see him. I have to,” she said.
“Then you need to come with me,” the Colonel said leading her to the front doors.
Randy was just starting to push them open when she stopped and let out a yell.
“Randy. Oh thank God, you’re alive. I...I...”
“What? You think you can get rid of me that easily?” he said, grinning.
She rushed to his open arms, almost knocking him down.
“Randy. Randy,” She said over and over.
Colonel Webber just smiled as he waved to Randy on his way out.
****
Randy was lying in the bed and Rachel was hovering about making sure everything was just right. Pillows fluffed, ice water cup filled and his blanket tucked in.
“I’m fine,” he said, watching her fret over every little detail.
“And I’m going to make damn sure you’re going to stay that way. Here, I am in charge buster,” she said.
“Really Rachel. I’m good. Relax. Take it easy. My ankle is fine and I feel great.”
“You should. I’ve been making sure they keep you pumped full of pain medicine,” she said, giggling.
“No wonder I don’t feel a thing.”
“Really,” she said and placed her hand on his lap.
“Uh well, maybe just a little something,” he said.
“Nothing little about it big boy,” she said and giggled again, “Listen to me. I can’t believe I am saying that. You have been a bad influence on me but if you stop you’re going to need more than just a little pain medicine,” she said, trying to look serious.
It didn’t work.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Colorado Springs, CO.
The progress continued in Colorado Springs as the weeks turned into months and time marched on. The city that once had 370,000 residents was slowly coming to life again. New discoveries, refinement of infrastructure, and an emerging government process punctuated the changes taking place.
Colonel Webber realized that while the current conditions were being taken care of, over time they would need to start to form a more structured system. Work for food and shelter would begin to break down at some point as they started to rebuild the country bit by bit.
A monetary system would have to be established unless they intended to abandon the concept of a capitalistic society. Determining the path to follow was not going to be an easy undertaking.
****
As they went around the table at the weekly council meeting it was quite obvious just how far they had come. A phone system was now in place in the city and as far as Cheyenne Mountain. The air travel situation had improved greatly and more up to date planes were being added to the fleet. A limited LAN network had linked computers and email had emerged once again and was the primary form of communication for those on the LAN network. Of course it was slower because it was the old dial up system but it was solid progress. Fuel rationing had been raised to fifteen gallons a week. Talk of switching to electric or alternative power was becoming a weekly subject. Preliminary work on an electric/hydrogen car had begun by the scientists.
A constant supply of food was being transported from Denver now that the interstate was clear of all abandoned vehicles. Hospital equipment was upgraded and services expanded.
Military service was now required for all males for two years between the ages of eighteen and twenty. Females were accepted on a voluntary basis but discussions were underway about making it mandatory for everyone, except for medical reasons.
Colorado Springs now had a population of slightly over sixteen thousand five hundred and had seen seventy-one new marriages, twenty-three babies born, and nineteen deaths occur.
THE END - Book I - Of THE EVENT SERIES Page 40
