Darius forced a closed-mouth smile.
“Your one means of monitoring the storm will go out for a spell, too. But after that, you’ll be back,” Colin said. “Once the Tundra fails, once the current shifts, move your ass to the bunker. Got that? Do not leave without the special vehicles. You don’t want to get stranded if it hits fast and with a vengeance.”
“Colin, I know.” Darius paused. “I . . . know.”
Out on the runway, the final thirty people lined up to board the plane, each turning over their papers to the government official. The goodbyes were hard. Bret hugged Casper as if it were the last time she would see her. But they didn’t have too much time. Rain clouds were forming. She watched Casper walk, holding Colin’s hand, until she disappeared into the plane.
Casper looked back, waving the whole time.
The last to board should have been the first, but he wasn’t. Winslow was wheeled and stopped at Darius and Bret.
“Well, so much for riding in a spaceship,” he said.
That made Bret smile. “Yeah.”
“Ice age, huh?” he whistled. “Well, at least we’re prepared up here.” He reached out his hand, grabbing Bret’s. Cold and wrinkled as it was, it was a warm touch that went though her body. “I got two helicopter pilots down there, waiting for adventure. But they’d like to see the new north frozen over. We’ll get you guys. We’ll get you. I promise.”
Confident, Darius said. “It won’t get to that point, Mr. Winslow. Your pilot will have to come and get us before the storm hits.”
“Then we’ll do that.” His hand slipped from Bret’s. “See you soon.”
Bret closed her eyes.
Darius placed his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “We will see them again. I promise you.”
“I know.” She inhaled deeply and shivered. “I just want to get Andi.”
“We will.” Darius turned Bret to face him. “We will get her.” He paused, and he and Bret both watched the plane begin to taxi. A finger to her cheek, he turned her head to him. “We will get her…at any and all cost.”
32. Rescue
September 8th
The day before had been Labor Day, and people had celebrated. Many people began to prepare for the move back north.
The increasingly cloudy skies began to break up, showing a bit of the sun. A sun that wreaked so much havoc peeked through.
A good bit of the population went south after the lottery. Cities were increasingly barren, and the government said that the best place to be on Labor Day was a refugee camp.
The President, like many other world leaders, delivered a hopeful speech to the population, encouraging them to keep the roadways clear and to hold off on returning north, just as a precaution, for two more days.
People didn’t listen. Although no one crossed back over the freeze line, they patiently crowded the highways back north.
A bit of Martin, though happy, was irritated because he pegged the Tundra project all wrong. How could science, the actual science of it have been so far off?
It worked? It really worked?
For two days.
Operation Move, the act of moving the detainees to the GEP, would take 12 hours.
Those in detainment centers were already given their instructions, home location, and so forth. Over half of the lottery winners were already at the GEP.
Martin was in charge of giving the order to implement Operation Move.
And he did so without hesitation at 4:30 in the morning, staring at a weather image, just after receiving the news that a tornado blasted through a line of congested traffic on 1-95.
A line of traffic where people camped out waiting to return north. Cars were tossed about like toys.
Unlike originally thought in the short span afterwards, Tundra did not work.
The order was given.
***
Darius couldn’t distinguish exactly which sound woke him at 8:36 a.m, the thunder or the phone. Both occurred at the same time. He sat up in bed, as did Bret.
The room illuminated with a bright flashing light that seemed to be in perfect time with the pulsing light on the satellite phone.
Bret immediate jumped from bed.
“Hello.” Darius answered the phone, eye shifting about the room. He reached for the bed light . . . no electricity.
“Operation Move has been invoked. The transport arrives in one hour if you want to come and say goodbye.”
After a ‘thank you’ and a ‘fuck’, Darius hung up. “They’re leaving.”
At the parted drapes, Bret turned around. “I’m ready.”
“Me, too.”
For days they had been trying every channel to get Andi from the detainment center. Every legal channel. They failed. They took advantage of the three visiting times a day to see her, assure her, and Darius got to know each and every soldier that guarded the center.
Well, enough to be secure that one of them would call and let him know when the move was to take place.
Darius and Bret had prepared everything, moving things to the bunker, having the Humvees available, and staying at a hotel near the detainment center.
A little fifteen-room motor lodge, where the owner gave them the room for free and simply told them ‘lock up when you leave.’
It was after eight in the morning, yet the sky was as black as night. Lightning ripped across the sky sideways as clouds swirled about.
What had happened?
After visiting hours the night before, they were hopeful.
The sky was crystal clear and he and Bret sat outside, taking in the cool weather and looking at the stars.
What had happened?
The satellite phone rang as they finished backing the Humvees. Darius nodded to Bret to get in, as he closed the hatch, and secured his weapon.
The wind whipped about, and he knew if he wanted to hear any of the call he’d have to get in the car.
Tossing in his weapon, Darius answered the phone as he slid into the Humvee.
“Dare-Dare. Have you gotten Andi?” Colin asked.
“On our way now,” Darius answered. “They’re moving her to the transport. A helicopter will land and take them. But the wind has picked up . . . .”
“Well, pull a Rambo if you must.”
“I plan on it, Colin, I plan on it.” He began to drive.
“Do it fast, Dare-Dare.”
“What happened, Colin?”
“Exactly what we thought would happen. Satellite images are more frightening than I ever thought. We’re gonna lose communication with you. But know this, you have two hours.”
Instinctively Darius’ foot wanted to hit the brakes. “Two hours?”
Bret peeped out. “Two hours.”
“The storm isn’t even lowered yet. Two hours it will start. Once it does, expect hail the size of baseballs, winds at hurricane speed, and flooding. That’s all before the temperatures drop and the snow begins.”
“Got it.”
“Get to the bunker, Dare-Dare.”
A crash of thunder, flash of lightning and the rain began. It fell instantaneously and hard. Darius turned on the wipers. “We’ll get there; somehow I think we have less than two hours.”
“Then don’t take a chance on . . .”
Nothing.
Dead air.
A rush of static and nothing.
Darius handed Bret the phone. “Lost the connection.” He gave a squeeze to her hand.
She looked at him with a concerned face, Her lips pouting before she spoke. “We’ll get her, right? We’re gonna get her.”
Darius shifted his eyes to his gun, then up to Bret. He winked and smiled. “I have every faith. We’ll get her.”
***
Colin slid the satellite phone slowly from his ear to his chin. His back to everyone, he felt a hand touch upon his shoulder and grip, a grip that could only be from Grace.
Taking a breath, he turned around.
Not a word was spoken t
o him but he could see it in their faces. Grace, Virginia, Luke, Perry, Casper . . . .
A sniff, clearing of throat, Colin spoke. “We lost connection. The storm must be moving in.”
“What was the last thing that was said?” Grace asked.
“They were moving Andi. He was going to do what it took.”
“Even storm the detainment center?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
Grace stepped back. “He could be shot.”
Calmly, matter-of-factly, Colin replied. “Could, yes.”
Luke pointed to the radar. “He’s gonna have to get her, Dr. Reye. From this, can they fly them out of there?”
Colin looked at the screen. “This storm is huge. I don’t know.”
“How long will this last?” Luke questioned further.
“From start to finish . . . a week, maybe more. It’s gonna be a while for this baby to dump all that it’s supposed to.” He looked Virginia. “What’s it like topside?”
“Just getting overcast. A few flurries.”
Colin drew everyone’s attention to the images of the storms. “See this . . . this . . . and this . . . .” he pointed to three different systems. “These three alone will cover the continent of North America. With eyes on the east coast. Canada and Midwest. We’re gonna get the tail of all of them, but we should be spared the worst. Maybe get twenty, twenty-five feet of snow.”
“Good Lord,” Grace gasped out. “If we’re getting that much, how much will they get?”
“More, much more,” Colin replied.
Virginia interjected. “Up to four or five times more.”
Casper asked. “When will we know if they’re okay, if they got my sister?”
“I’ll keep trying. Every second I can, we’ll try to get through. But it may not be until the majority of this passes. And by the looks of things . . . .” Colin pointed to the screen. “That may be a while. Right now we just hope and pray.”
***
Flash!
Crash!
The lightning was blinding and the thunder vibrated the Humvee just before it swerved.
“What’s going on?” Bret asked panicked.
“Wind gust.” Darius answered. “We’re ok.”
Bret leaned forward. “Helicopter’s there. Please don’t let her be on that.”
“They can’t fly that, Bret. They can’t.” Darius pulled to the facility, hitting the brakes and sliding. “Let’s go.” He reached down for his weapon.
The light flickered just above the front door of the detainment facility, and two soldiers were posted out front, which led Darius to believe two more plus the Captain was inside.
He seemed to forget that Bret was with him; at least that was the way he moved, rushing, with his weapon under his long black coat.
He approached the soldier. “Hey, Gus.”
“Dr. Cobb, they’re getting her ready. Just on time. You look like the Matrix guys.”
“Yeah, that was the plan,” Darius said. “We both do.”
Gus chuckled, a younger soldier not even a sergeant yet. “You do.”
“We’re sorry, Gus,” Darius said.
“For?”
Out from under his coat, Darius swung his shot gun and aimed it at Gus. “We came to take our daughter.”
Gus raised his hands and before the other soldier could react, Bret had her weapon on him.
Darius gave a nudge. “Let’s go get her.”
***
The rain and thunder was muffled slightly the second they stepped through the door. Darius’ assessment was slightly off. Six people lined the hallway, Andi first. They had a single bag at their feet. Where were the other two? The Captain?
Darius shifted his eyes.
“Mommy!” Andi cried out and raced to Bret.
“Keep your aim, Bret,” Darius ordered.
“Dr. Cobb,” Gus tried to be reasonable. “Come on. Put the gun down.”
“I’m not hurting anyone, Gus. Just taking the girl. You people can go back to what you were doing.”
Gus, shotgun nearly against him, tilted his head Darius’ way and whispered. “You know I ain’t gonna stop you, Dr. Cobb.”
Darius replied in a whisper. “And you know I’m not going to shoot you.”
Gus nodded.
Another motion of his head and Darius said to Bret, “Back it up, Bret, slowly, and take Andi to the car.”
From a side office door, the First Sgt. emerged. He paused a split second then pulled his revolver. “Hold it!”
Darius kept his aim on Gus. “John, I just want our kid. That’s all. Bret, keep going.”
“Dr. Cobb, I can’t let you do that.”
“You don’t have anything to lose. Just let her go with us.”
“Again, I can’t let you take her.”
What? What was he looking at? Darius wondered. Then he heard Bret and Andi scream.
Darius couldn’t turn around. He couldn’t take a chance on his weapon being confiscated.
Gus whispered. “They got her.”
Darius clenched his jaws. The missing soldier. That’s where he was. Behind them.
John stepped closer, aiming. “I’ll shoot you. Put down the weapon, say goodbye to your daughter and just go. Go to safety.”
“I can’t do that, John.” Darius said. A blast of thunder and the rain fell harder, making it louder in the hallway. “Let me take her. I can’t let you put her on the chopper. Did you see it out there? It’s getting worse by the minute.”
“Put down the weapon now!” John ordered.
“The big one’s here,” Darius stayed firm. “Where are you going, John? Huh? You load these people on the bird. Where are you and your men going? To the survivor city?”
He heard a whispering ‘no’, from Gus. And Darius chuckled. “You mean you and your men have to find a place to.…”
“Put down your fuckin’ weapon, Darius!” John blasted.
“No!” Darius held firm.
“I know you love this girl. I know her mother loves this girl. But for God’s sake,” John pleaded. “This is her survival. She’s being taken to a safe place! She will live. She will survive this! Your love for her should make you let her go. Isn’t that what you want? For her to live!”
“Yes, that’s what we want, that’s why we’re taking her!”
“And do what!” John spoke loudly to be heard over the pouring rain and moved in toward Darius. “Die in this storm! The government has a survival city. A place for her to go. Grow old. Live! A safe haven! Do you have a better plan?”
With a connection of eye contact to John, Darius cocked a crooked smile.
***
“Where exactly is this place?” John asked, leaning between the front seats.
Darius lifted his eyes from the rain-soaked windshield to John. “Not far, just on the outskirts of downtown. Which is good. Water’s rising. I can feel it.”
Gus was positioned in the turret of the Humvee. Not just because he wanted that demented experience of the mega-storm, but also it was helping Darius with navigation. The skies were dark and the amount of water unbelievable.
Darius lifted the radio. “Gus, you sure you don’t want to come in.”
“Nah, I’m good. Over.”
Another shift of his eyes to John. John smiled with a shake of his head and sat back.
The Humvee was hot and crowded. John, Gus, and another soldier named Peter joined Darius. The fourth solder said he had to find his family.
Six people were to board the chopper for the GEP. Only three of them did. The other three, like the soldiers, opted for the bunker . . . .
John’s eyes locked on Darius in the after seconds of being informed about the Bunker, Texas. Not that Darius said much. Just that, “Hey, we’ve been prepping for nearly six months. We’ve put over eight million into our survival. We got a safe holding place here in Pittsburgh, and a final survival city in Texas.”
For some reason that information pushed a
release button and Andi ran into Bret’s arms.
“Wait a second,” a woman named Lucy spoke up. “Darius Cobb. You spoke at the conference. You wanted to blow up the world.”
Darius cringed.
Harris, a businessman who still looked the part, spoke up. ‘Hell, if he has a place, I want to go there instead of that chopper.”
“I’m gonna assume by the look on your face, John,” Darius said, “we’re taking her.”
“Go.” John nodded. “Go. Be safe.”
“Take her to the Humvee,” Darius told Bret.
‘Thank you, John,” Bret whimpered out.
Darius shouldered his weapon. “Now who else is coming.”
It was quiet in the Humvee except for the pounding rain, and Darius reflected on the rescue moment. They went there for Andi. There were supposed to be only the three. Now they had nine additional. The bunker was ready for that, equipped for that, and while the Humvee was crowded, it was worth it.
Admittedly, Darius was relieved that people had joined them. Not that he couldn’t handle the storm and take care of Bret and Andi, but an old saying, ‘safety in numbers,’ held true in the situation they faced. Darius had the numbers.
Hands were needed for hunkering down at the bunker and for the eventual trip with the second Humvee going south. Now he had five additional men for that. It would work and be better.
The storm was just the beginning. Just the literal tip of the long series of icebergs ahead.
***
Even though the Bunker was safely located away from the three rivers, there was still about two feet of water when they arrived.
The hindrance of the storm slowed their journey, and by the time they crossed the bridge, the downtown area of Pittsburgh had already flooded. The rivers had risen, as Darius estimated, nine feet.
The initial scary portion of the freak lightning had passed, and the blackened skies turned dark gray, affording some visibility.
The brightest spot of the day was the continuous saying of the word ‘Dude’ from Gus.
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