by Bowman, Dave
They looked back at Charlie, who was receiving the fluids Bethany had set up. The bag hung from the curtain rod. Nick cringed to look at the improvised emergency medicine set-up. It was a far cry from a sterile hospital environment, but it was the best they could do.
“I think so,” Jessa said. “The fluids will help if he has any loss in blood pressure. I wish he could stay here and rest, but we don’t have that luxury.”
She returned to his side to check his pulse again.
“He’s doing a little better,” she said, looking up at Nick.
Nick nodded. “We’re almost done out here. Are you okay with us taking Chris’s guns and ammo?”
Jessa looked at him. “Of course I am. Anything we leave behind will probably become property of the BSC.”
“I’ll pack it up then,” Nick said before disappearing out the door.
There wasn’t enough time to administer the entire IV bag, but the little bit Charlie received helped him to walk to Jessa’s truck and climb in the passenger side.
“I think we should untie the hostage,” Liz said as they gathered up the last few supplies they were taking.
Trina balked. “He’s just another gang member. He would’ve tried to kill us if he had been able.”
Jessa walked to the man slumped over and unconscious on the floor. “He told us the truth, at least partially, and he didn’t have to. I don’t want one more death on my watch when he’s no risk to us.”
She began to untie the knots, and Nick moved to help her.
“He’ll wake up at some point, and what he chooses to do at the moment will be his own concern,” Nick said. “But by then, we’ll be long gone.”
After freeing the man and laying him out on the floor, Jessa took one last look at the cabin. She panned her flashlight around, then closed the front door.
Nick pulled his Silverado out onto the road and turned toward the south while the others waited in their vehicles in the driveway. He drove a short distance down the road, and when he saw nothing, he turned back for the others.
“From what I saw, it’s clear to the south,” he said.
Once again, they were back on the road.
Matt rode with Nick and used the road atlas to navigate. They took 151 south to an even smaller state highway going west and away from Denver. They climbed their way through the mountain range in the dark.
The small highways gave way to a maze of dirt roads that zigzagged through the mountains.
Matt fought back exhaustion, trying to stay alert enough to watch for the turns they had to take. The narrow roads followed switchbacks through the mountains for hours.
Jessa’s truck brought up the rear of the convoy. The fatigue and stress began to wear on her. She repeatedly jumped when she thought she saw something on the side of the road or in the rear-view mirror, only to see that nothing was there. Charlie rested in the passenger seat quietly.
“If were going to avoid the interstate, we’ll have several more hours of these curvy little mountain roads,” Matt said. “It looks like some of the highest peaks in the state are in this area.”
Nick nodded. It wasn’t ideal, but they were high in the Rockies at this point, and the network of roads was sparse.
“We’ll have to find some place to rest soon,” he said. “We can’t push everybody too much.”
Each mile on the mountain roads without running into trouble brought Nick relief. They were far from Denver and Chris’s cabin now.
But the miles also made him exhausted. Finally, he saw signs for a ski resort.
“With some luck, we’ll find some empty rooms to spend the night,” he said as he turned down a new road, following the signs.
They arrived at the resort, relieved to find it deserted. The virus had arrived during the off-season, and the ski lodge was thankfully free of corpses.
They parked the trucks out of sight from the main entrance just in case any members of the BSC might look for them there. Nick broke into the main lodge and made sure it was secure. After replacing the dressing on Charlie’s wound, they settled in for the night.
38
Liz opened her eyes and was immediately disoriented. For a moment, she thought she was back in her apartment in Albuquerque, late for her job at the coffee shop. Her old boss Frank appeared in her mind’s eye, and she feared getting reprimanded by him.
But then she remembered she no longer had to worry about getting to work late.
Now, she had to worry about armed attackers, forest fires, and running out of food.
One thing was much better these days, though. She was no longer alone. All of her worries were shared with seven other people, and somehow, that made the burden a little lighter.
She yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. They had made it through a terrifying night. But she couldn’t even begin to think about last night. It was too horrible. Too much to process. She’d have plenty of time to think about it later. Now they were safe and comfortable in a remote mountain ski lodge.
Liz and Mia had taken one of the two queen-size beds in the room, and Bethany the other. Liz’s eyes began to focus on Bethany, who lay sleeping, snoring lightly in the other bed.
Liz flipped over onto her other side, expecting to see Mia. Except Mia wasn’t there.
Liz got to her feet and pulled her jacket on. They were at 9,500 feet, and it was chilly. She was sure Mia was in the bathroom, but Liz wanted to make certain.
But she wasn’t there either.
Liz opened the door to Jessa and Trina’s room and stuck her head in. No sign of Mia in there.
She ran down the hall toward the main entrance of the resort, calling out for the child. Her voice echoed through the empty hotel.
“Liz! I’m in here!”
Liz arrived breathlessly at the source of Mia’s voice.
“Oh, thank God!” she said as she ran to the little girl and wrapped her in her arms. “You’ve got to stop disappearing like that! You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry,” Mia said sincerely. “I just didn’t want to wake anyone.”
“Next time, leave a note,” Liz said.
“Deal.” Mia turned back to the bookshelf she was looking at.
Liz looked around at the ornate room covered with wall-to-wall bookshelves. Of course, Mia found the library.
“Anything good in here?” Liz asked, yawning.
“There are a few good things, especially if you’re interested in the local history of the area,” Mia said, straining to look at the shelves above her head. “But I can’t find what I’m looking for.”
“What’s that?”
“Anything on pathology, virology, or immunology.”
“Oh. Science,” Liz said, laughing. “You’re really something, Mia. I’ve never known anyone who liked to study those things for fun.”
Mia spotted a step stool and pulled it to the bookcase in the corner.
“But that’s just one of the many things that make you so special,” Liz said and smiled at the little girl. “While you look for textbooks, my dear, I’m going to look for science fiction. That’s about the only kind of reading material that will make our lives feel a little more normal.”
Mia sighed when she finished looking at the last shelf of books. She would have to be content with the closest thing she found – a historical book about the bubonic plague in medieval Europe.
Disappointed, she decided to join Liz in the science fiction section. Re-reading Madeleine L'Engle or Isaac Asimov sounded good. But as she passed a big antique desk, a medical journal from several months ago caught her eye. There was a long, in-depth article about the effects of the Ebola virus in pregnancy.
Bingo.
Jessa woke feeling stiff with knots in her muscles. The tension and fear from the previous night – actually, the previous weeks – had settled in her body. She looked longingly at the shower. Hot water would be just the thing for her aching back, but the hot water heater was electric.
“How’s Charlie?” she asked, anxious for any news.
Nick smiled. “He’s okay. He just woke up, and I’m sure he’d like to see you.” Nick held the door open for her.
Jessa wasn’t sure if Nick was being sarcastic or not. Though she imagined Charlie held a grudge against her, and rightfully so, she wanted to check on him.
She stuck her head in the door to see Charlie sitting in bed, propped up against the headboard.
“Knock, knock,” she said. “Mind if I come in?”
He waved her in with his free hand. “I think the wound is doing okay. I already took some painkillers and antibiotics just now. I think I’ll live.”
Jessa smiled. “I’ll change the dressing after I wash my hands.” She cleaned her hands in the bathroom, then pulled up a chair at Charlie’s side and began to remove the gauze.
“Well, it’s not pretty, but you’re right – you’re going to live. We just need to keep changing the dressing at least twice a day and keep it clean,” she said as she cleaned the wound.
“Are you hungry?” she asked as she applied a fresh dressing. “I haven’t found the kitchen yet, but I’m sure we can find something good to cook for breakfast.”
“Starving.”
Jessa looked at Charlie, then down at her hands. “Charlie, I’m really sorry. You shouldn’t have been the one to get hurt. I wish it had been me instead. You were right –”
Charlie shushed her. “Hey, you didn’t shoot me. Unless –” he narrowed his eyes at her in mock suspicion. “How much do we really know about you, Jessica Hayward?”
Jessa laughed at his joke. “I’m serious. I’m sorry I disappeared like that. It was reckless, and it ended up putting all of you in danger. I feel terrible about last night. If I had just stayed back home…” Her voice trailed off as tears sprang to her eyes.
“If you had just stayed in New Mexico, the lodge would still be gone right now. We would still be homeless.”
“I know, but last night wouldn’t have happened.”
“I know why you came to Colorado, Jessa,” Charlie said. “You were just trying to help us. You wanted to bring back another pair of hands. And from what I saw and heard, Chris would’ve been a great addition to the group. It’s a shame he didn’t survive that damn virus.”
Jessa brushed a tear off her cheek and shook her head. “That’s not the only reason I came up here. It was part of it, yes. But the other part was my own selfishness.”
Charlie waved her worries away. “If one of my sisters had been living in another state before the virus hit, and I thought there would even be a tiny chance they had survived, you better believe I would be hopping in my car and looking for them.”
“Really?” Jessica asked, sniffling.
“Damn straight. I was wrong before. Caring about somebody and wanting to find them is not selfish. The way Nick and Liz and Mia wanted to drop everything – risk everything – to come up here looking for you: that’s not selfishness. That’s… well, that’s love, I guess. And that’s what you do for family.”
Jessica stared at Charlie, and a new wave of tears fell from her eyes as she wrapped an arm around his neck, careful to avoid his injured shoulder, and came in gently for a hug.
He drew air in sharply through his clenched teeth and groaned as if in pain.
Jessa pulled back. “Oh no! I’m so sorry!”
Charlie grinned. “I’m just kidding.”
Jessa laughed. “As long as you’ve still got a sense of humor, you’ll be fine.”
39
“Please tell me there’s some of that left.”
Bethany stood in the doorway of the guys’ bedroom, one hand on her belly and both eyes staring at the plates of food everyone held.
Matt sprang to his feet. “We’ve got a plate right here for you, and it’s still warm.” He pulled out an extra chair for Bethany, who eased herself slowly into the chair as she held her rotund belly. Matt pulled the cloth napkin off the plate to reveal a stack of pancakes drenched in maple syrup with slices of summer sausage on the side. Bethany grinned and gratefully accepted the plate, then tore into the food.
They had all carried their breakfast to the room where Charlie sat so they could eat together.
“Propane tank?” Bethany asked.
“Yep, just had to turn it on,” Nick said.
“And thank goodness for ultra pasteurized milk,” Liz said. “It needs no refrigeration. And there’s loads of it in the pantry in this place.”
“Do we have much room in any of the trucks to bring extra food with us?” Trina asked.
“I’ve got some room in the bed of my pickup,” Jessa said.
“There’s not much room in the other trucks,” Nick said. “We pretty much loaded them up with gear back in New Mexico. It’s all stuff we need.”
“So how much food do you think we have in total?” Matt asked between bites.
“About two weeks’ worth,” Nick said flatly.
They ate in silence. The weight of reality was pressing in on them. They had lost their home. They carried with them just a fraction of the tools, supplies, and food they had worked so hard to accumulate. So much had been lost in the fire.
The bloodshed of the previous night was also weighing on them. Their lives had been spared, and they knew they had been lucky. But they had been forced to kill, and it hardly felt like a victory.
“I think we should stay at this resort a couple of days,” Nick said, breaking the heavy silence. “We took so many twists and turns to get here. I doubt the gang will find us out here – if they’re still even looking for us after last night, which I doubt.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Charlie said. “Those bumpy roads are like torture for my shoulder. It would be nice to lay low and heal up a little before hitting the road again.”
“I wouldn’t mind staying a couple of days, either,” Bethany said. “The pace has been pretty grueling for me. And that’s the most comfortable bed I’ve slept on, ever.”
“So, we hang out here for a couple days. And then what?” Liz asked. “Head south to White Pine Falls?”
“You got it,” Nick said. “There’s a lot of work waiting for us down there. We’ve got to start all over.”
Trina looked uncomfortable. “Are you sure it’s okay if I come along too? I hate to be just another mouth to feed.”
“Are you kidding?” Jessa asked. “You fought out there with the rest of us. You risked your life. You’re part of us now.”
Nick nodded. “We’d be happy for you to come along, Trina.”
Trina smiled, leaning back in her chair. “Thanks; I appreciate it. I sure can’t go back to Denver.”
Nick stood up and walked to the window to look out at the empty parking lot. “It’ll be good to stay here for a while. I think we could all use a break. Just to be safe, though, we should have someone on watch at all times.”
“I agree. And I’ll take the first shift,” Jessa said, standing up with her empty plate.
“And I’ll take your plate,” Mia said, reaching out for Jessa’s dish and stacking it under her own.
“Thanks, kiddo,” Jessa said, smiling before she turned and headed to her post.
Nick watched her go, then he helped Mia gather up the dirty dishes and carry them to the kitchen.
“How are you holding up, Mia?” he asked as they walked through the long hall.
“I’m okay. Last night was pretty scary, though,” she said, her deep brown eyes darting up at him as they approached the kitchen. “Do you think we’ll be safe here?”
He smiled at her as he held the door open. “I do. I’ll make sure of it.”
Matt and Liz entered the kitchen behind them. Nick left the cleanup for the three of them.
“Thanks, guys. There’s something I need to take care of.”
Nick picked up his rifle whe
re he had left it and slung it over his shoulder. He broke into an easy jog to catch up with Jessa.
One person on guard duty wasn’t enough. He needed to strategize with Jessa, survey the property, and devise a plan of defense – just in case.
Although Nick felt secure tucked away in their remote mountain retreat, some preparation would give him peace of mind. He had to do everything he could to keep the rest of the group safe.
After all, he had a family to protect.
Fight to be Free
Prologue
Without warning, a bullet blasted into the tree Nick stood next to, striking just inches from his face. The bark shattered. The impact sent slivers of wood flying all around him.
Nick dropped to the ground to dodge more rounds. Someone had fired at him from within the woods.
Suddenly, there was a second shooter. How many more were out there? What if they had found the cabin – and the people hiding inside?
Not that. Anything but that.
He had already lost everything once before. It couldn’t happen again. He had to get to the cabin before the attackers.
He returned the fire. One of the shooters was soon hit. He fell to the ground. The other kept shooting, then suddenly stopped.
Was he hit, too? Or just waiting?
The night was pitch black. Nick’s eyes strained to make out his surroundings in the forest. Everything was silent for one tense moment.
This had to end, right here. Nick gritted his teeth and opened fire again. He wasn’t going down without a fight.
1
One more day.
Nick Redmond watched the sun appear over the ridge before him. The morning light brought the gravel road into focus.
The long night was finally over.
Either they gave up on us, or we found a good place to hide.
Nick had spent the night on guard duty, watching for trouble that never happened. It was his group’s second night at the empty Colorado ski resort. So far, they had been lucky.