What I took was minimal, but it included the small truck that Darie made me, and the items I brought that belonged to my own children. I stuffed my purple soap in the bag, because it didn't matter anymore if I smelled feminine.
I was found.
After shouldering the bag, I stepped out of the room. Farmer was examining Dodge and that was the first time I got a good look at him. An ache filled my entire chest. Dodge was strong, yet looked so hurt and helpless on that sofa. Head bandaged, arm in an air cast, chest wrapped, an IV and his eyes closed.
Darie was consumed with his toy and I made my goodbye to him quick and without drama. I didn't want to stir fear in the child. I kissed him, hugged him and said I would see him soon.
I stood by Bud waiting for Farmer to finish. Bud rubbed a hand up and down my back. "You all right?" he asked.
Arms folded close to my body, I nodded. "Poor Dodge."
"He took a hell of a beating."
"Thank you." I turned to Bud. "Thank you for shooting ..."
He stopped me with a shake of his head. "Didn't do nothing no one else would do. How's the boy?"
"He's bad. That's the only reason I'm leaving."
"I know. And they gave us directions, so we'll be there. Might be a while. God knows how long it will take and we aren't leaving till he's well. But we'll get there. I promise."
I reached out to Bud and embraced him. "Watch them."
"And you take care of Tyler and yourself."
"I'm scared."
"Me, too."
He kissed me on the cheek and I closed my eyes.
Farmer cleared his throat which caused me to step back.
"How is he?" I asked.
"Everything that Lane said is spot on. He'll be fine in a week, but he shouldn't move for a few days. He'll probably wake up tomorrow but he's got a head injury," Farmer looked at Bud. "Don't be surprised if he's a little out of it for a couple days."
"My wife had a head injury once. I remember," Bud said.
"Good. Ma'am we gotta go. We need to get to the chopper."
"I understand, I just need a minute."
Farmer shook hands with Bud, wished him luck then slipped out.
I had said my goodbyes to Darie, George and Bud, and I just needed to say goodbye to Dodge. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be until I stepped toward the couch.
"Dodge," I whispered his name as I knelt by him. "I know you can't hear me. Maybe you can." I grabbed his hand. "Thank you for coming to my rescue. I promise with everything I am to watch your son. He means the world to me, too. All of you do. Get well." I leaned closer, placing my mouth near his ear. "Get strong, then come and get me." Softly I kissed his forehead, leaving my lips to linger there before I finally stood and said my final goodbyes.
Every bit of my insides shook, I was scared to death. They had become a part of me, George, Darie, Bud, Tyler and Dodge. Leaving them was like leaving a security blanket. I didn't want to walk away. I gathered what little courage I had and finally left, holding on to the hope that it wasn't the last time I'd see them, and before long we'd be reunited.
SIXTEEN - MAJOR JAMES REYNOLDS
The RV was our tip off. We knew Dodge was traveling with an old man and two boys in that RV. A woman named Faye called out to Dodge. When we spotted the RV on a highway in Ohio we had a good inkling it was them. Farmer was flying the chopper and reported they stopped at a campsite.
I arrived there before dawn. I didn't even see the marauders enter the camp.
But at least we were able to save the young man. He wasn't out of the woods, but he stood a better chance with us. The north east regional squads were directed to head back down to COM Camp. The other squads scattered about the country were still on a directive to find other women. Giving up on that search meant giving up on the race. We'd keep searching until we exhausted our resources.
The woman Faye could not carry that burden alone.
Physically she was fine, emotionally she wasn't. She was like a lost puppy when we pulled away. She sat with me and Tyler in the back of the truck, and watched as we pulled away from the camp. I could see it on her face, the sadness, as the little boy ran after the truck until we pulled too far away.
She sobbed when he disappeared from sight.
The chopper was waiting on the highway and we lifted safely. Tyler's vitals were holding strong, but we had to move fast. We were six hours from the foam breaking down. I was hopeful the plane would be ready when we reached Carlisle.
Even as we lifted, Faye kept staring out the window. She confessed to me that Tyler wasn't actually her son, and I told her, that like a priest I would keep that confession confidential.
It was for the best if everyone at camp believed he was her son. Not that I doubted the care he'd get, but it was an assurance they'd give their all.
She didn't speak after that, the noise from the chopper was too loud. In fact, she didn't say a word until we were on the plan and airborne. She stayed next to Tyler.
I offered her a water and a breakfast biscuit, she took both, then after she thanked me, she asked me my name.
"Reynolds. Major Reynolds."
"What is your first name?"
"I'm sorry." I sat down on the bench across from her. "It's James."
"Where are we going?"
"COM camp," I replied. "Five division bases in the Panhandle of Florida. The main complex is located north west of the Apalachicola National forest."
"COM Camp?"
"Acronym. Continuity of Mankind. The primary base, the medical research center and housing was developed many years ago. It's like an outdoor biosphere, best way I can describe. No-one thought it would ever be used."
"When did they start moving people there?"
"When they had a viable cure and treatment."
She immediately locked eyes with me. "If they can cure it, why is it a dead world?"
"They cured it too late. So now they are moving on to the next phase. Continuity of Mankind. We can go back to the old way of life, but that plan ends if we don't find a solution."
"I'm not the only one."
"Let's hope."
"What are they going to do to me?" she asked.
"Medically, I don't know. Like I said there will be tests."
"Will I be a prisoner?"
"You'll be protected." I replied.
"A prisoner."
"Ma'am ..."
"Faye."
"Faye ... you have to be protected. Right now it's still early, people are still healing. But a couple more months, no women, it's not going to be good. You need to be secured."
"A prisoner."
"No." I shook my head. "Not at all."
"Will I get to be with Tyler?"
"I don't see why not."
"You aren't bringing me down there to be part of some sick sexual lottery, are you?"
As wrong as it was, as inappropriate as it seemed, I laughed. After that brief laughter, I cleared my throat. "No."
She groaned out a, 'hmm,' and turned her head.
"This entire thing is a scary prospect, I understand that. You won't be a prisoner, mistreated or a lottery prize. I give you my word. I know you don't know me and have no reason to trust me. But my word is all I have left in this Godforsaken world and that too isn't going to hell."
Finally, she looked back at me. Staring at me with a look of acceptance over my word.
She was scared, rightfully so. One moment she is moving on with a group she trusts, trying to put her life back together, and the next she is swept away, headed south as a means to save the human race.
Was that even possible? That still had to be determined.
Her fears were founded. There was uncertainty there. I didn't know what they had planned for Faye, but I would do all I could to make sure it wasn't the nightmare she was fearing. Because before we could even begin to save the human race, we had to first preserve our humanity.
SEVENTEEN - FAYE
It was the first
time I had been in a helicopter, and thankfully I worried more for Tyler than I did the flight. His body shook and jolted with every sway of the bird. He remained unconscious the entire time. Farmer told me it was the medication he gave him and resting was for the best.
We arrived at an Army base somewhere mid Pennsylvania.
A small military cargo plane was waiting and we boarded then took off faster than I believed possible. Farmer kept checking on Tyler, telling me he was doing well. But I could see his belly starting to distend. I asked Farmer about it. I wasn't a doctor but even to me it didn't look right.
It was the internal bleeding and the clock was ticking between the disintegrating foam and the desperate need for surgery.
The flight took two hours and a van was waiting when we arrived. We went from the back of the cargo plane to the van. There were no windows and all I knew was it was hot. Muggy and hot.
The major, whose first name was James, didn't really speak unless I spoke to him first. He sat across from me on the plane and behind me in the back of the van. He gave promise after promise that I wasn't going to be some test subject hooked up to machines. I envisioned my prison camp as a hospital room. I'd wear nothing but a hospital gown, in a white room with white walls. No one would find me and I'd watch life, or what I could of it, through a lab window.
That was what I believed. What else could there be?
We stopped only once after getting in the van, and from what I could hear from the voices, it was a check point. We moved forward again only a short distance and then after a complete stop, the back doors to the van opened.
Greeting us were two men in hospital scrubs, standing with a gurney. They immediately stepped in the van and grabbed Tyler.
As I hurried from the van to be with Tyler, I was greeted by a man in his late thirties, clean cut, looking every bit the part of a doctor, right down to the tie around his neck.
Was I in a twilight zone? Who wore a tie in a dystopian world?
I looked to my left and we were at what appeared to be a small hospital, at least it looked that way.
Tie wearing hospital guy, placed his hands on my shoulders with a wide smile. "We are so happy to have you. We'll take good care of him."
"I want to go with him."
"Absolutely." He held out his hand in a point to the hospital. "This way."
He led the way into the building. It was without a doubt a hospital. We walked through the emergency area, and though it didn't buzz like the hospital of pre virus days, there were people there waiting to be seen. Children holding injured limbs. It was a picture of normality...just on a very small scale.
They were all male.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at me.
At the end of a series of short halls, they took Tyler through a set of double doors. "He's going into surgery now and Dr. Lewis and I can wait to talk to you. We have a very good surgeon here."
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Barry Chatham. I'm a geneticist that's been working on this virus. I'll be working closely with you. Would you like to go to your new home and wait on news of your son?"
"I'd like to wait here."
"Very well. Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?"
Did he just ask if I wanted coffee? I stuttered out a, "Coffee thanks."
He nodded and turned. James was standing behind him. "Major make sure there is a guard on this door or in there."
"Yes, sir," James replied. "I'm assigned for now and then I'm heading back home to clean up. I've been out there a while."
"I'm not running away," I said.
James looked at me. "Faye, it's really for your protection. We think you're safe but you never know."
Barry Chatham opened the door to the small room where I'd wait. He closed it and left me alone. There were two chairs, a couch, coffee table and a television that played old 'I love Lucy' reruns.
They used an old video player to show the reruns.
Chatham returned only once and that was to bring me the promised coffee and a blanket in case I got chilled. I was, oddly enough, there was air conditioning.
I sat in the room and watched a few seasons of 'I Love Lucy', they brought me some soup, and night fall had arrived before I heard anything about Tyler.
A man who introduced himself as Dr. Drescoll came into the waiting area. My heart dropped to my stomach while waiting on what he had to say.
"He's good and stable. We repaired all the damage."
I exhaled loudly. "Can I see him?"
"Yes. But we are keeping him in a medically induced coma, just to allow his body to rest. He lost a lot of blood and it appeared when they injected the knife, they ripped upward," Drescoll said. "He's a lucky young man. But with rest, he'll make it."
He took me to see Tyler who indeed was sleeping. Intravenous lines were hooked up to him and a heart monitor beeped steadily.
Barry Chatham returned again asking if I was ready to go get some rest
Hating to leave Tyler I said, "Yes". When he escorted me down the hall, I figured it was the point where they'd take me, strip me, scrub me down like an infected person and start draining my blood.
To say I was relieved to see James was an understatement. I actually barely recognized him at first because he was clean.
"Major Reynolds will walk with us," Barry stated.
I was fine with that. He, Farmer and Lane were the only ones I knew. I was surprised when James carried my pack and we walked out of the hospital.
Though dark, I got my first look outside. The weather was still warm and muggy. The street was flat and narrow. Two lane roads. It looked like a mixture between a military base and a small town.
We walked two blocks and stopped when we reached a five story apartment type building set back on a larger section of property. A long, tall fence with barbed wire surrounded the entire area around the building. Armed guards were positioned out front and they unlocked the gate to let us in.
"My prison?" I asked James.
"If it is, it's my prison too. I live in this building. I'm still getting used to the fence."
"It's new," Barry said. "We erected it when we started our search for you. All it takes is one person to want to get to you. This is the safest building I can think of. About twenty of our military personnel reside here."
The building reminded me more of a motel. Outside stairwells, hallways that ran the length of each floor. A single metal door for each unit and a window next to it.
There was a small lobby and a single elevator.
We took that to the fifth floor and walked the exterior hallway all the way to the very end. A soldier sat in a chair by the door, he stood when we approached.
"I'll leave you to get situated," Barry said. "Major Reynolds will see you in. He's made sure the place is ready for you. There should be plenty of food and water, and please do not leave without an escort, please."
"I understand," I replied.
"I expect you'll go to the hospital in the morning to see Tyler. I would like to take time to talk to you with Dr. Lewis about the test we'd like to run on you."
"What kind of tests?" I asked.
"Blood. We'll do lots of blood tests. We need to find out why you survived and other females did not. Mainly most of this is to preserve and to protect the only woman we know that has survived. And possibly, you know, getting you to part with some ovum. But we'll discuss that tomorrow. For now, get some rest." He gave a squeeze to my shoulder and stepped back, turned, walked a couple feet and stopped. "And Faye, thank you for joining us."
I wanted to say, 'did I have a choice?' but my mind was still spinning over the fact that he so nonchalantly asked for my eggs.
"This way," James turned the knob and pushed open the door. "It's not much." He flicked on the light. "But it's clean, air conditioned and has hot water."
I kept thinking, not much? It had power, lights, and a stove. If there was hot water, more than likely there was a toilet. I had been living f
or months cooking on a fire or Coleman stove, using lanterns and candles, going to the bathroom in a make shift outhouse. And I thought that was pretty darned good living in a world that went to pot.
The apartment unit was simple and plain.
We stepped into a living room that also served as a dining area. The small two seat table was in front of the sliding glass patio doors. The kitchen was open planned except for a counter that's served as a small partition.
"Hall is that way," James pointed. "To the bedroom and bathroom. There is food. And ..." He walked over to the kitchen counter. "I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of getting you this."
He held up a bottle of bourbon. "Want one?"
"Yes, thank you."
He cracked open the bottle, reached for a short glass and poured some in.
"What made you believe I drink?" I asked.
He handed me the glass. "I found where you were staying before you went to Ohio. My God the empty bottles."
"Yeah, that was a means of pain relief long before the virus."
"I hear you on that one." He moved back with an exhale. "Anyhow, if you need anything, just let the guard know. I'm also right next door."
"Thank you."
"Not a problem." He walked to the door. "Good night, Faye."
I lifted my glass. "Night James."
He stepped out.
Admittedly when that door closed, I felt a jolt of nerves. The apartment, COM Camp, even Dr. Chatham were not at all what I expected. Everything was too nice, too easy and that in turn made me too leery.
I sat down on the couch, intent on sipping my drink. It had been a long stressful and agonizing day. I thought of the boys and hoped they were okay. I missed them, I missed them terribly. The next morning would be quiet without their mad laughter and shenanigans that boys often have. I thought and prayed for Dodge to get well and come get me. I thought of Tyler and how lucky he was to be alive.
I sipped my drink some more and rested back. I wouldn't over think my circumstances, not on the first night. But I would the next day. It seemed too good to be true and in the world we lived in, that was something I just couldn't allow myself to trust.
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