Solar Fury

by E A Chance

  Coop nodded. “Noted.”

  “I can hear you,” Julia said, but she wasn’t upset. She was glad to have just the three of them on their own again. As much as she’d wanted to stay at the compound, she trusted Coop and her mom. If they’d gone to so much danger to get out of camp, they must have a good reason. It sounded like they had another truck, which meant they had a chance to make it to Uncle Mitch’s, and she wouldn’t have to worry about walking. Best part, trucks came with heaters.

  Riley felt like she was about to pass out by the time the Humvee came into view. She was thrilled they’d found it, but as they got closer, her relief was replaced by disappointment that Angie wasn’t there. It was only three, so they had a small window before they’d be forced to leave. Coop started the truck and blasted the heater while she got Julia settled into the backseat. Then, all they could do was wait.

  Coop whistled when he saw the stacks of boxes filling the back of the Humvee.

  “Did you empty the entire warehouse?”

  “I wish,” Riley said. “You should have seen that place. It was enormous and had every medical device and supply imaginable. It was hard to narrow down what to take. I wanted all of it.”

  She handed Coop a protein bar. He took a bite and said, “So how’d you get away from Brooks? I want the juicy details.”

  She cocked her head at Julia, who was munching away on caramel corn. “Not now, but Brooks will be fine.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Will be? I’m intrigued.”

  Julia drifted off once she was warm and full. Riley felt herself getting drowsy but needed to stay alert. She’d had little sleep the past two nights, and they were facing a long day, so she downed an energy drink she’d taken from Brooks’ pack. Coop knelt on the back seat, rummaging through boxes like a kid at Christmas.

  Riley reached over Julia and tapped his shoulder. “I’m going to search for Angie,” she whispered.

  He climbed out of the truck and motioned for her to follow. “There’s no way I’m letting you go look for Angie.”

  “Let me go? You’re not my father.”

  “Didn’t say I was, but going after Angie’s too risky. There’s a reason she didn’t show. Branson may have uncovered our plan and might have had her tortured for information. His goons could be on their way. We should be long gone by now.”

  “Maybe she got lost wandering the woods like I did. We might be her last hope of getting out of that camp alive. We can’t just run off and abandon her.”

  “We will if we have to. I don’t like this any more than you, but our first priority is Julia and ourselves. Angie’s tough. She can look after herself.”

  “You were wrong about stopping at the plane crash. If I’d listened to you, she would have died there.”

  “I was wrong then but not this time. I’m sick at the thought of leaving Angie, but we can’t risk our lives to save hers.”

  Riley knew he was right but wasn’t ready to give up yet. “Let’s give her a little more time. We owe her that.”

  Coop hesitated before slowly nodding. “You’re too kindhearted. It’s what I love most about you, but in this world, wanting to save everyone could be a curse.”

  She kissed his cheek and made a 360-degree sweep with her flashlight before getting back into the truck.

  Coop was patient for another thirty minutes, but after that, he insisted they go. As they bumped along the track running the perimeter of the camp, Riley kept her sights locked on her side mirror, hoping to catch sight of Angie.

  “We’re going to pass close to the main gate of the compound soon,” Coop said, drawing her from her vigil. “This truck is so loud everyone within a two-mile radius will probably hear us coming."

  “They might think it’s Brooks and me returning, but we’re close enough to the main road now that you can speed out of here if anyone sees us.”

  When they were twenty yards from the gate, he said, “I have to gun it. Is Julia strapped in?” Riley did a quick check and nodded. “Hang on.”

  Riley glanced in the mirror as Coop pressed the accelerator. In the beam of the security lights, she saw someone who didn’t look like one of Branson’s guards running toward the gate. She took off her seatbelt to search for binoculars and found a pair in a compartment under her seat.

  Coop gave her a quick look before turning toward the road. “I told you to hang on. What are you doing?”

  “Coop, stop,” she cried. “It’s Angie.”

  Without reducing his speed, he said, “You sure?” When she glared at him, he took his foot off the gas and put the truck in park. “Let me see.” She handed him the binoculars, and he twisted around toward the compound. “She’s almost to the gate.”

  He gave Riley the binoculars and shifted into drive.

  She lowered the binoculars and stared at him. “What are you doing? We have to go back for her.”

  “We’re not going near that gate. I going to pull behind that stand of trees. She saw us. If she makes it through the gate, we’ll get her and be out of here in two minutes.”

  When Riley looked again, Angie was ten feet from the gate and running like an Olympic sprinter. “She’s reached the gate.”

  Angie was fumbling with the chains and locks when two guards appeared from behind the guardhouse and barreled toward her. They each grabbed an arm and dragged her from the fence. Riley watched in horror as she opened her mouth to scream for help.

  “The guards have her, Coop. We have to rescue her.”

  Coop picked up the binoculars and, after watching for a second, tossed them on the seat and pressed on the gas.

  Riley unzipped her backpack and started digging through it. “I have Brooks’ gun.”

  “That gun won’t do any good. We’re out of range. We’re making a run for it, Riley.” She dropped the gun and grabbed at his hands to pull them from the wheel. He swatted her away and kept driving. “Stop this. It’s too late to help Angie.”

  She fell back on the seat. “How can you do this? They’ll kill her, and it’ll be your fault.” Coop reached for her hand, but she tucked it under her arm.

  Julia sat up and rubbed her eyes. “What’s with all the yelling?” When she saw Riley crying, she said, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  Riley was too distraught to answer. She pulled her sweater sleeves over her hands and covered her face.

  Without moving his eyes from the road, Coop said, “Your mom’s just upset about having to leave Angie, but everything’s fine.”

  As furious as she was with him, Riley was glad he hadn’t told Julia the truth. Knowing what happened to Angie wouldn’t save her and would only upset Julia. As they sped away from the compound, Riley added Angie’s death to her growing list of failures.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Coop drove for four hours, only stopping for bathroom breaks and to fill the gas tank. The roads surrounding Charlottesville became more congested with cars and debris as they got closer to the city. It was a relief when they passed south of the interstate. Coop charted their course over narrow, deserted country roads to assure Branson’s people couldn’t track them.

  It felt like they were driving in circles to Riley, but she kept her opinion to herself. She hadn’t said a word to Coop since escaping the compound. She’d slumped in her seat and silently wept while Julia slept.

  Coop pulled to the side of the road ten miles from Roanoke. “We’re on our last gallon of gas. I need to fill the gas cans before we go any further. It’s starting to snow, and we don’t want to get stuck on a lonely road in the dark with an empty tank.”

  Riley unhooked her belt. “Do what you need to. I’m going to stretch my legs and get Julia up on her crutches for a few minutes.”

  Coop silently watched her before going for the gas cans. When he slammed the liftgate, Julia said, “What really happened at the camp, Mom? You’ve been crying all day and haven’t said two words to Coop.”

  Riley climbed between the seats and sat next to Julia. As she stroked her da
ughter’s hair, she said, “It’s mostly about Angie. The rest is between Coop and me. There are some things I can’t share with you. Grown-up things.”

  Julia made a face. “Then, I don’t want to know. Whatever it is, work it out soon. We have enough garbage to face. We need each other. I’m sad about leaving Angie, but I don’t want that to come between us.”

  “You’re very wise, but nothing could ever split you and me apart. You’re my world, sweetheart. Don’t worry about Coop. We’ll figure it out.”

  “Good because I’d love to have him as my new dad. I know you love him, and he’s so into you. I see the way he looks at you.”

  “I’d rather not talk about that right now. Let’s get you up on those crutches before it starts to snow harder.”

  “Fine, but please don’t give me whatever Coop gave me. It made me toss my dinner.”

  Riley knew she was talking about Midazolam. Coop had used it so Julia would be out when he snuck her out of the infirmary. Riley wouldn’t have minded a dose of the drug herself at the moment.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I won’t give you that. What’s your pain level now?”

  Julia shifted her leg a few inches. “Not bad. About a three.”

  “That’s excellent. It means you’re starting to heal.” She took a Percocet from a bottle in her backpack and handed it to Julia with a bottle of water. “Take that just in case.”

  After Julia swallowed the pill, Riley helped her get up with the crutches. Julia did well, but it was snowing so hard that they couldn’t see the other side of the road. Riley let her take a few steps before making her get back in the truck.

  “I don’t like this,” Julia said through chattering teeth. “Where’s Coop?”

  “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”

  The temperature inside the truck was dropping fast. Riley searched the multitude of compartments for hand-warmers or something to generate heat. As angry as she was with Coop, she didn’t wish anything terrible on him, and she was getting as worried as Julia. They were looking at a full-blown blizzard and he was in unfamiliar surroundings.

  She didn’t find hand-warmers but did find insulating blankets and MREs with Sterno cans. If they got desperate, she could light them for heat. She covered them with the blankets and asked Julia about the book she’d been reading in the infirmary to take her mind off Coop. She’d only read three chapters and didn’t have much to tell. She started explaining how Coop tried to teach her chess, but the pain meds kicked in, and she dozed off.

  The sky darkened as the blizzard raged. The odds of Coop finding his way back to the truck plummeted with the temperature. She didn’t even know if he’d taken a flashlight. She did her best to fight off the panic threatening to rear its head. She had to stay in control for Julia.

  She was settling in to meditate when someone pounded on the window. She started the truck and cracked the window.

  “Who’s there?” she shouted to be heard over the wind.

  “Riley, it’s Coop. Unlock the door. Hurry!”

  She unlocked his door and held it open while he climbed into the seat, then slammed it behind him. He was shaking uncontrollably, so she helped him strip off his wet, snow dampened clothing. When he was down to his dry undershirt, Riley cranked the heater and rubbed down his arms and legs.

  He held his fingers to the heater vent, and said, “It’s a nightmare out there. Thought it was the end of me.”

  Riley grabbed a solar blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders. “How did you find us in the storm?”

  “Freakish sense of direction, remember?” He took her hand and held it to his chest. “You’re talking to me now?”

  She slowly pulled her hand free and rested it in her lap. “This doesn’t change anything, but I still love you and didn’t want you freezing to death.”

  He gave her that infuriating cocky grin of his. “Glad you don’t want me dead.”

  She wanted to kiss and strangle him at the same time, as she’d wanted to do from the moment they met. She looked down at her hands so he couldn’t see her smile. “Did you find any gas?”

  “I filled three of the five-gallon cans, enough to get us half-way to the ranch, but we’re not going anywhere in this blizzard. I’ll fill the tank and we’ll keep the motor running so we don’t freeze. Hopefully, it will clear soon. What I wouldn’t give for my Weather Channel app.”

  “We have heat and food for the night. This four-wheel-drive tank will get us over the roads once the storm clears. Things could be worse.”

  “Truer words were never spoken.”

  Coop reached over and covered her hands with his, and she let him, remembering the first time he held her hand in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Were those two the same people now stranded in a blizzard in the middle of nowhere? It didn’t seem possible. She hadn’t known anything about him that night when he took her hand. After the hardships they’d faced, she knew him about as well as was possible in so short a time. Yet, he’d left Angie to die without a second thought. How could she love a person capable of such a thing?

  She ran through their chain of catastrophes and dissected Coop’s behavior. He’d tried to prevent her from stopping for Angie at the plane crash. He’d wanted to euthanize Kyle. He’d opposed her on nearly every decision, but he’d often been the one in the right. He’d risked his life for her and Julia multiple times. She didn’t doubt that he would die for them.

  Her emotions swirled in a tangled rope of confusion. There were no easy answers in their post-apocalyptic lives. She’d always considered herself a competent judge of right and wrong, but her dividing line had already started to blur. Was it right to abandon her morals just because their circumstances had changed? She’d been forced to steal, wound and maim to protect Julia. Gratefully, she hadn't been forced to kill, yet. Could she make that choice in the moment as Coop had done?

  He tapped her shoulder and she flinched. “You were far away. Thinking about Angie? I’m sick about leaving her, too, but you know what would have happened if I’d gone back for her. Nothing good.”

  Riley put her hands over her ears and shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it. Leave me alone.”

  As her tears resurfaced, he put his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.

  While he gently stroked her hair, he whispered, “I’m sorry. We’re free of Branson and the compound. We’re only hours from safety. Rest now. The world will look brighter in the morning.”

  Desperate for comfort, Riley silenced her doubts and surrendered to his tenderness. She relaxed against his warm body as he rocked and caressed her. But was she just postponing the inevitable? A day would come when she’d have to decide if he was a man worthy of her trust and devotion, but this was not that day.

  Sunlight streamed in through the windshield the next morning. Riley blinked her eyes open and stifled a smile. Coop had predicted the world would look brighter in the morning. Why did he have to be so damned right all the time?

  She stretched and peeked over the seat at Julia. She was sitting up, snarfing down a cinnamon roll and grinning at Riley with white icing coating her lips.

  “Morning, sleepyhead. I wondered if you were ever going to wake up.”

  “Where’d you get that cinnamon roll? And I want one.”

  Julia held the box out to her. “Coop found them yesterday. They taste like heaven.” Riley took three and ate as fast as she could swallow. “Easy there, Mom. You’re not used to the good stuff.”

  Riley guzzled a bottle of water and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. “I suppose we should have protein bars. Your muscles won’t heal eating this garbage.”

  “Stop being my doctor for one minute and enjoy yourself. You’ve earned it. We’ll have protein bars for lunch.”

  “And maybe Aunt Beth’s homemade shepherd’s pie and stewed peaches for dinner.” She closed her eyes and breathed in the imaginary aroma of the food.

  Julia cocked her thumb at the window. “Coop’s out there try
ing to dig us out. He said it snowed three feet. Maybe you should help so we can get out of here faster.” Riley started bundling up and pulling on her boots. “Mom,” Julia said.

  She stopped and turned to face her. “Yeah? You need something? The bedpan?”

  She shook her head. “Coop already helped me with that. I just wanted to say how happy I am that you’re back to your old self. You had me worried yesterday.”

  Riley squeezed her hand. “Sorry, sweetheart. Rough day. Rougher week. Nightmare of a month. I’ll try to do better.”

  “Don’t apologize. I totally understand. Thanks for saving me and keeping me alive. I know it’s been hard.”

  “I’d do it all again and more. As I said, you’re my life. See you in a bit.”

  She kissed her cheek and hopped out of the truck. Her legs sunk in up to her knees as she stared in awe at the transformation to their little part of the world. Snow glittered under a brilliant sun hanging in a crystal-blue sky. Being from Colorado, she was used to the aftermath of blizzards, but she hadn’t expected such a scene in Virginia. It was a welcome sight after the darkness of the past few days.

  Coop was digging out the snow in front of the truck with a small foldable spade. He’d hardly made a dent. At that rate, they’d be stuck on that road for a week.

  She stuck her gloved hands in her coat pockets and trudged over to him. “You’re going to need a bigger shovel.”

  He stuck the shovel upright in the snow and leaned on the handle. “Thanks for pointing that out. It was all I could find. You look chipper this morning.”

  “A few hours of sleep and three cinnamon rolls helped. Let me make use of the lovely bucket, then we should unload the boxes and see if there’s a storage compartment in the back.”

  “I had the same thought. There’s a tarp we can spread on the snow to keep the boxes dry.”

  Riley followed in Coop's footsteps to the back of the Humvee. After handing her the bucket, he spread the tarp and started stacking boxes on it.