The Dead Familiar (Winterhaven Series)

by J. D. Mckenna

  In the end, she had gotten drunk. Torn between her desire for him and the fear of letting him see it, she had ordered round after round of shots. Duke had kept pace, drinking until bar close with her. They had wandered out, arm in arm and ignoring Jack as he started clearing the bar silently.

  They stood around outside, mingling with the crowd. When Duke had grabbed her and kissed her roughly she had been surprised but willing. Drunk and curious, she’d returned the kiss, finding it a poor substitute. It wasn't until they broke that she had seen Jack flick his cigarette into the street and turn back into the bar. She had been horrified that he had seen them, but laughed it off and pretended like it was no big deal. Jack and her weren't even talking at the time, so she tried to believe that it wasn’t important.

  Just a few months later, he had called her. She’d answered in a panic, confused and scared as to the purpose of his call. Surprisingly, he’d made no mention of the last time they had seen each other, only making an odd pronouncement. Jack had told her that if the world ever ended, she should wait where she was, and he would come get her. After delivering this unasked for promise, he had said goodnight and hung up.

  Over the intervening months, they had seen each other a few times, but always in social situations around mutual friends. Even that had ceased in June. He had disappeared from the social scene and quit his job. No one really knew what he was up to. She couldn't believe it when she got the alert. It was extensive, detailing what to do while she waited with her family. She hadn't even been able to believe that it was for real at first. Now that she saw how bad things were getting, she was shocked by how relieved she was that he was coming. It seemed like the sole fact keeping her from falling apart, a raft in the storm of her fear.

  Dinner ruined by the President's aborted address, the group had moved to the living room where they now waited, watching the news. The news was bad. As Jack had suspected, Washington D.C. was no more. Reports were coming in that seemed to suggest it’s demise had not been an isolated event, but the major networks were already struggling to stay on the air. Power grids were failing, emergency services overwhelmed in minutes, and panic setting in across the nation. Everyone was starting to realize that this was much worse than they had initially realized, but they still didn’t know how bad it would get.

  Duke stood with his arm around Liz, painfully aware of his status as temporary replacement but relishing it nonetheless. Her parents were seated on the couch in front of them, sat forward and leaned towards the faltering television set. The Coves were in their late forties now, but neither's appearance gave any hint of the fact. Belle Cove had always been a tiny woman, rarely weighing over a hundred pounds. In consequence, she still maintained a trim, attractive figure.

  Brian Cove had always been the strong, manly sort, and had only grown more so with age. Tall, just an inch or two shorter then Jack, he had short brown hair, usually combed out of the way to look presentable. He was well-muscled, with an appetite for physical activity. He often went running in the mornings before commuting into work downtown, and it had helped to keep him slim. When he got home, he liked to grab an import beer and watch college football or catch up on world news. A good man, he had been strict while Liz was growing up, but never harsh, and always fair. He sat with his arm around his wife now, trying to reassure her that everything was ok, but Liz could tell that his mind was considering everything he had been hearing on the news.

  After a while, he looked over his shoulder to catch her eye, jerking his chin in the direction of the kitchen. She took the hint and the two of them adjourned to stand by the stove, leaving Duke and her mother Belle in the other room.

  "Ok Liz, so let's hear it. What's Jack up too, and what's the story with this Archangel Protocol that you and Duke mentioned?"

  Brian Cove looked at his daughter patiently, looking for more information.

  She bit her lip before looking at her dad and answering him, "I'm not really too sure dad..." She had told him about Jack's promise earlier, and both her and Duke had shown the messages they had received to her father, all too happy to let him take command of the situation.

  "I don't know how he set up the messages, they didn't come from his number, but they had his name on them. Assuming they are for real, it seems like he is planning on getting out of the city and taking all of us with him, but I don't really know why or how. We haven't really talked in months, and even then it was just surface friend stuff, nothing about all of...this,” she said, waving at the television and outside.

  Brian thought about everything he was seeing and everything he knew. He thought about Jack as well. He had never really approved of Jack dating his daughter. It wasn't that he didn't like him, but he felt that the young man had a lot of demons to conquer. and he hadn't wanted his daughter to be dragged along for that ride. He also had been all too aware of the difficulties that the pair's wildly different world views would have presented as they grew older. Still, he had kept his peace, trusting their high school romance to burn out on it's own.

  For the most part, time had proven him right, and he had mostly forgotten about Jack. Now, here he was again, offering an escape that Brian didn't even know if his family needed. It was a lot to process. At the moment, he was leaning towards Duke's way of thinking. Wary of overreacting, he was considering telling Jack to leave when he got here, holing his family up in their home and waiting for any troubles to blow over.

  Patting his daughter, he reassured her, “don't worry hun, I'm sure it will all be fine. We'll wait and see what happens. If Jack shows up, I'll talk to him then and find out more,” he reasoned aloud.

  Drawing her into a hug, Brian kissed the top of his daughter’s head affectionately before ushering her back into the living room. He was still distracted though, inwardly debating what steps he should take to safeguard his home if they stayed. He thought of resources he would need as he followed his daughter back into the living room, making a mental checklist.

  The doorbell rang a few minutes later, interrupting his thoughts. Duke was already answering before he could caution him not to open the door without seeing who it was.

  Fool boy, that could be anyone. It's not safe out there right now!

  He went to stand behind Duke and meet their guests.

  Standing in his doorway were two people, roughly the same age as he and Belle, clearly a couple. The man was shorter, stout, but with muscles rippling across his barrel chest and weighty arms. Next to him, and standing a few inches taller, was a slim blond haired woman in glasses. Even as he stood there trying to sort out who they were, Duke's surprised greeting gave him his answer.

  "Mr and Mrs. Xander! What are you doing here?"

  In answer, Gretchen Xander held up her phone, showing the distinctive Archangel Protocol screen that each message appeared on.

  "We were told to come join you all here, didn't you get word," she asked inquisitively, peering at Duke before turning to Brian. "We were told you would be expecting us."

  As she spoke, her husband stuck out his hand and the two men shook.

  Mr. Xander picked up the conversation while shaking hands, "I’m Jeff Xander. Pleasure to meet you Mr. Cove. I remember Jack talking about you some back when. Him and my boy John were always close."

  Brian blew out a snort of frustration, trying to sort out the new information.

  So Jack sent more people here? He must be pretty serious about all this… what makes him so sure we have to leave the city?

  Realizing he'd left the couple standing on his doorstep, he moved back, motioning them in.

  "Please, join us. We're still trying to figure out what all is happening. We have been discussing Jack's plans, but don't entirely understand them. Still, it seems increasingly likely that he is on his way here, so I can talk to him when he arrives I suppose,” he surmised, offering the pair seats before taking one himself.

  Jeff looked at him quite seriously before speaking, "Mr. Cove, it's getting bad out there already. It's only be
en a few hours since the address, but people are panicking. The highways are bumper to bumper with cars trying to flee, and we saw groups of people running through the streets on our way here."

  Gretchen jumped in, "There were a few fires as well. I think Jack's idea is quite right about one thing, whether or not his conclusions bear out over the long haul. It would be best to be somewhere other than the Twin Cities this week."

  Brian filed away their words about the state of affairs outside for later consideration. He was more curious about Gretchen's talk of Jack's conclusion's.

  "It sounds like you have some idea what he is thinking, perhaps you could share your perspective," he asked politely.

  She thought for a moment before explaining, "well it wouldn't be right for me to presume too much, but based on our limited conversations, I have drawn some conclusions. I’ve known him a long time; he and my son John grew up together you see. From what I’ve observed of him over the years, Jack is an incredibly loyal person, capable of great activity when he believes those he care about to be in danger. Furthermore, his time as a Marine seems to have sharpened his understanding of events and his desire to react to them proactively. He may also have sources of information that are not available to us, but I can not confirm that either way."

  Brian was surprised but sought to hide it. He hadn't known that Jack had joined the Corps, and reluctantly, he felt his estimation of his daughter's former suitor rise a few notches. He had always been a firm supporter of the military, and felt that anyone willing to put their life on the line for their countrymen’s sake deserved respect at the very least.

  Gretchen Xander continued, "my best guess is that Jack doesn't believe this is a temporary situation. He seems to truly believe that we are seeing only the bare beginnings of a world altering event, and furthermore, it seems that he has gone to great lengths to prepare for it. While I won't comment on the validity of his beliefs without more information, given my earlier assumptions about his character, and the depths of his belief, it is highly likely that his plans go far past just seeking short term safety."

  She had explained all that she felt comfortable with and declined further comment, turning to watch the news with Duke and her husband. Brian felt a realization strike him.

  Damn... Jack thinks this is the apocalypse, and he's trying to save us. Smiling ruefully, he had to agree with Mrs. Xander. He certainly is loyal.

  Looking at his daughter, he wondered just how "over" their relationship really was. He hadn’t heard about Jack in years, but that didn’t mean it was impossible that they had rekindled the romance. Although he was close with his daughter, he doubted that she told him absolutely everything, and he was fine with that fact.

  I suppose I could just ask her, but I guess it doesn’t really matter at this point. Fact is, Jack’s coming for her. I’ll find out what their relationship is like when he does.

  He was still considering his daughter's ex-boyfriend when he heard the dining room's glass window shatter inwards. While his daughter screamed, and Duke ducked behind the couch, Brian reacted quickly. Rushing to the hallway closet, he flung it open and pulled down his pistol. An old .357 revolver, the ammo was stored right next to it and he grabbed that too. Flipping it open, he shoved the speed re-loader down before slamming the chamber home. Now armed, he moved cautiously towards the source of the noise he had heard.

  Glancing back once, he saw that Jeff Xander had placed the women behind himself and grabbed an iron poker from the fireplace. Duke still crouched behind the couch, peering over in obvious fear. Satisfied that his family was safe for the moment, he swung into the hallway, revolver raised. Seeing no one, he pushed forwards into the dining room. Sweeping the barrel left and right, he cleared the room, standing in puzzlement by the broken window. There was no sign of the intruders and it mystified him.

  A moment later however, his confusion was ended by the sound of a scream from the living room.

  Damn, they got around me the other way!

  He rushed back, returning just in time to see Jeff swing his makeshift weapon at one of the assailants. The victim of his powerful strike crumpled to the ground in obvious pain, arm broken by the impact. Several other men still stood in Brian’s living room. Dressed poorly, they were covered in dirt, likely not originally from the area. Brian shouted at them, demanding they leave and raising the gun to make his point.

  The sight of the pistol provoked some hesitation, along with the damage done to their compatriot. Brian thought for a moment that they might listen, but then he sensed movement to his rear. Just behind him, a large bald white man had snuck up and was stabbing at his back with a knife. Having sensed the attack, Brian jumped to the side, twisting as he fell. Reacting more to the mortal intent then his current danger, Brian fired, aiming for the man's chest. Unfortunately, in the midst of falling back and dodging the man's knife thrust, his shot climbed, missing over the man's head.

  With no time to re-aim, Brian Cove rolled to his feet and darted left, thereby establishing himself next to Jeff and between his family and the intruders. He fired again as he went, this time striking the man in the chest and putting him down. That left two of the assailants on the ground, but it wasn’t looking like enough. The group of men had grown to seven, and instead of being frightened, they seemed enraged by the damage done to their compatriots.

  Brian still had five shots left in his revolver, but there were more men entering the house, and already he knew that if the intruders were determined enough, at least a few of them could get through to his family. At an impasse, he fought to find a solution.

  The best we can do is put as many down and hope me and Jeff can fight off the rest hand-to-hand. I’ll have to tell the girls to run, hopefully they can get away in the confusion.

  Unbeknownst to him, the responsibility of finding a solution had been taken from him. Smoke had begun filtering into the room during the brief struggle, but had gone unnoticed in the midst of the fight. Now that there was a moment of calm, it became clear that the Cove residence had somehow been set aflame. As everyone became simultaneously aware of this fact, the intruders began backing out. They moved warily, throwing murderous glances at the small group in front of them. They were forced to retreat by the fire and the threat of the man with the gun, but their eyes promised revenge.

  As the last man left, Brian made some decisions. The men had gone out the back, and it seemed that the fire was also in that direction. They couldn't afford to stay where they were, so he would have to gamble that the men would just leave the house instead of waiting around for anyone to escape the burning structure. He helped his wife from the floor where she had been crouching with their daughter, and, with a look at Jeff, led the little group out the front door.

  Looking to the garage on his left, he could see that it was already in flames. Fighting off a string of expletives, he realized that they would have to leave on foot. The Xander's car was parked down the street, but there was a crowd that way and he couldn't be sure they weren't with the group that had invaded his home. Without transportation, they had to get somewhere within walking distance. Striking north, down the road and away from the last known direction of their would-be assailants, he led his small group out of the neighborhood.

  Liz and Belle held each other as they walked, with Duke trailing dejectedly behind them. Gretchen Xander peered about herself owlishly, scanning the dark for further threats. The whole group moved as quickly as they could, too fearful to speak aloud.

  Once they gained some distance, the origin of his home’s fire became much clearer. It had not been an isolated incident. Much of the neighborhood had been set ablaze, with many of the other houses catching fire behind them. Shaking his head in disbelief, Brian knew that they would have to get farther away. The fire department would be hard pressed to contain a blaze this big in the best of times, and he was already suspecting that these would prove to be far from that. Making a quick decision, he turned to Duke and Liz.

  "Ok y
ou two, get on the phones. The towers aren't gone, just jammed with calls. I want you to keep trying to reach Jack or someone you think is with him until you get through. Let him know that we are leaving, to watch out for the fire, and that we are headed for the dog park. Let me know if you get him, but keep trying until you do."

  Order's given, he took the lead, glad to see Jeff drift automatically into the trail position. Moving quickly, he led them on the mile or so journey to the big open land that had been designated as a dog park several years back. A decent sized stream fed into a small lake in the middle, and the tree cover was negligible. Mostly flat, with a couple hills sprinkled around the landscape, he knew just where he was headed. He only hoped that Jack would get the message and be there before anymore trouble found them.

  Guess we're with Jack now, for better or for worse.

  Chapter 11: The Rescue

  1:05 am

  August 16th, 2015

  St. Paul, MN

  Jack had pushed hard, racing down Lexington far faster than either of his big old military trucks had been designed for. It was dangerous to accelerate so much, putting a lot of strain on the inner workings, courtesy of the trucks prodigious weight. He had faith in Dax's mechanic work however, and he trusted that the rebuilt engines would be able to handle the strain.

  Far more worrying was the fate of his friends ahead of them. As soon as the convoy had hit Lexington, they'd been able to see the ruddy glow of fire against the night sky. Half of Shoreview looked to be aflame. A chill in his heart, he wondered how he'd be able to deal with failure here.

  I won't. That's the answer. If I can't save Liz and Duke, not to mention Liz and John's parents, then what was the point? I've already most likely lost Bear, and John is down in Memphis, lost to me and on his own. I may never even know if him and his wife survive.