The Dead Familiar (Winterhaven Series)

by J. D. Mckenna

  She had worried that by going back to her maiden name, she would be in some small way trying to erase the past twenty years of her life. Lynn felt that to do so would be a betrayal of who she had grown to become during that time.

  Raised in a small town in northern Minnesota, she had grown up with a fairly limited world view and a closed perception of the options available to her. She had gone to a conservative christian university, doing so because it fit with what she believed her role should be. As she grew however, experiencing new things, her razor sharp intellect expanded right along with her world view.

  The more she saw of the world, the more she came to expect of herself. After her sons were born, she had thrown herself into the role of mother and housewife, to the exclusion of all else. While she didn't regret the time she was able to spend with her boys, she missed the opportunities she had denied herself by those decisions.

  Once they were old enough to no longer require her constant supervision, Lynn felt herself being called to do more. Over the countless objections of her husband, she had returned to school, pursuing her doctorate. While the husband hadn't lasted, her studies had, and by the time Jack and Sam had graduated from high school, she had obtained a doctorate in the field of organizational development.

  Her doctorate enabled her to work with corporations and large organizations, helping them to fundamentally alter the way they operated. It was a difficult job to explain to someone uninitiated in the mundane details of theoretical organization or corporate superstructures, but one she was excited to participate in.

  This work gave her some keen insights into the way that human's interacted when they were working together, allowing her to see innovative new ways to organize groups of people. It also showed her the holes in the modern system that humanity lived by.

  Lynn knew that the way different concepts of government and leadership had been designed doomed them to failure. They failed to account for basic fundamental aspects of human nature, tending to force groups into pyramidal hierarchies that failed to breed a culture of excellence. This shortsightedness doomed themselves to failure. With her training and education, she could help leaders find ways to fix those issues by altering the nature of the system they existed in.

  When her Archangel alert arrived, she was traveling in northern Minnesota already. She had been in her hometown, helping a manufacturing company there alter their work schedules to improve efficiency and morale within the company. The company made glass window’s for homes and buildings, and had done so for many years. She was brought in as an advisor to the company leadership, hoping she might help them revitalize their work force. Many of her suggestions had proven too radical for them however, and they had terminated her contract prematurely. While disheartening, it hadn’t dimmed her enthusiasm for her work, and she found herself renewed in her mission.

  Her work as an advisor over, she was on the road when the alert arrived. Lynn had pulled over to give herself time to adjust to the news. Her son, Jack, had spent a good amount of time talking with her about the future, and she was one of the few confidants that he had chosen to share his full fears with. They had discussed the possible reactions of the current government to a variety of situations, and, unbeknownst to her, he had used these conversations as the basis for some of the simulations that he and his partner in preparation, Greg Scofield, had run.

  All that talk of the dire future had left her worried, but her own good natured spirit had hoped that her son was wrong. She had wanted to believe in the inherent goodness of humanity, that people couldn't make the mistakes that would lead them to the end of their world.

  If her son had initiated his Archangel Protocol, then it meant that she had most likely been wrong. With her hands on the wheel, Lynn bent her head forwards and began to weep openly for the countless human lives that would soon be lost. She felt the dark foreboding of impending doom wrap itself around her like a shroud, threatening to consume her.

  Tears dripped and fell on strong, gentle hands; the hands of a mother. Her manicured nails glistened white under the steady rain, sparkling with the reflected light of her vehicles interior. With a final sob, Lynn pulled herself upright, rejecting the encroaching despair. The world might burn, but her sons would survive, and she with them.

  Stifling the screams and sobs that still sought to break free, she wiped her eyes before pulling onto the road once more. She wasn’t about to allow her sorrow to stand between her and her son’s...nor any other impediment that the soon-destroyed world could summon. She set her vehicle south, driving with the violent abandon of a mother off to protect her children.

  Chapter 9: The Crash

  12:30 am

  August 16th, 2015

  Minneapolis, MN

  Traffic on 35w was a nightmare. Anyone able to was feeling the city, searching for someplace less likely to be attacked, less overpopulated. As word had spread through the nation, similar scenes were taking place in every major city. Crowds rioted, fighting with overwhelmed authorities. Police officers, paramedics, firemen; they all abandoned their posts to get home and protect their own loved ones, leaving the government underpowered in the face of the crisis.

  While Jack couldn't blame the refugees, they were making his own journey more difficult. Perched at the gun atop the rear truck, he watched as Kate picked their little convoy through stop and go traffic, taking to the shoulder when she felt it was necessary. His heart was filled with pride at how well his little band had come together in the face of an uncertain future. They were adjusting to something that he had been given months to come to grips with, and they were doing it without taking time for a breather.

  They are survivors.

  The radio in his ear crackled as it came to life. Up in the lead truck, Dax was calling back to inform him of some possible issues ahead.

  "We've got what looks like a crash up ahead Jack. Traffic is coming to a halt in about a mile, and I don't think we want to stick around if emergency services somehow makes it out."

  He had a point. While Jack's convoy was well prepared for the days to come, at the moment, the rule of law and civilization still held nominal sway. Fully loaded .50 caliber machine guns and armored cargo vehicles might do more then just raise some eyebrows if the cops showed.

  So far, the other civilians on the road had kept out of the way and left them alone, likely believing them to be a legitimate government operation. Police would be able to radio HQ and find out differently, causing problems that his convoy simply couldn’t afford at the moment. Jack made a mental map of the area, trying to consider his options. They were part way up 35W, a few miles from the 694 connection. He had been planning to use the highway system longer, but the way traffic was moving, side streets might be more efficient. He got on the comm's.

  "Dax, can you make out, is the off-ramp for County Road E-2 accessible? We can skirt through the back streets and still make the next extraction point. Assuming we can get off this damn highway."

  "Well, the traffic is backed up past it, but no, the crash is farther on. Still, there’s no way to get to that ramp that I can see."

  "Shit."

  Jack was pissed, the highways had been his call, and clearly it had been a mistake.

  I should have known better, of course other people would be fleeing. I should have figured they would do the same thing as me, try to get out on the highways before everyone else, making sure that no one did by consequence. Damn it!

  "Hold one. Kate's got an idea,” came the unexpected rejoinder from Dax.

  Jack could just barely see the first truck from his vantage point. He saw Dax leaning down and yelling through the window to Kate. She was gesturing wildly, and he seemed to be shaking his head in reply. After a minute of the argumentative conversation, he shrugged and straightened back up. He called Jack on the radio a few seconds later.

  "Gosh damn woman can't figure out the radios," Dax called, explaining why they had been yelling over the noise of traffic.

 
"What was she saying," asked Jack.

  "Looks like she thinks she can drive across the embankment up ahead. Seems iffy as hell to me, but she’s pretty adamant about it. Unless you got a better idea, I guess we have to try.”

  Jack considered, "Hell, It's better than just sitting here and waiting for a strike. Tell her if she leads, we'll follow."

  He called Elizabeth Fel in the Charger, "you hear that? We've got road stoppage ahead and don't feel like getting stuck, so we're getting out of here. Kate's gonna drive off the road in a little bit, see if you can follow her."

  "Whatever you say boss," Elizabeth called back.

  Jack chuckled, catching the doubting tone in her voice and replying, "hey, not my idea, but I I'm banking on it working anyways."

  He watched as Kate put her plan into action. Turning hard right, She first brought the ponderous M35 onto the shoulder, and then pointed it's nose into the gully. Gunning, it, she ran the truck down and out, pushing it to climb the small hill between the highway and the residential street now ahead of her. The city hadn't gotten around to putting up a soundproof wall yet, so the only barrier was the grassy hill. Jack held his breath as he watched the truck shudder and grind it's way up. He let it out as he saw the truck crest, the Charger right behind.

  A second later and it was his turn. He felt his stomach drop a little as the truck went careening off road. He noted the torn up earth in front of the truck, marking the passage of the first two vehicles. It might lessen the traction and make their own attempt more difficult, but he hoped it wouldn’t prove to be too much. His worries were for naught however, Cyrus navigating the big M35 up with ease.

  The convoy pulled onto the street, parking for a moment as Kate tried to regain her bearings. Just as Jack was getting ready to call and see if she needed directions, the radio lit up with her voice. She had figured the radio's out, but she sounded worried.

  "Jack, Duke just called me. I don't know how he got through, but it's good he did. They had to leave the Cove's house. I guess there was a fire or something, he was pretty garbled and I couldn't hear much, but he definitely said something about fire."

  Jack's pulse quickened and he spoke quickly, "did he say if the Xander's had made it yet?"

  "John's parents? No, he didn't mention it, but then again, the call didn't last long. The last thing he said sounded like The Ark. Although it was mixed with a lot of static so I don't know..."

  She sounded uncertain and worried. Kate and Duke had dated all through high school and much of college. They had been odds-on favorites to be the first couple married out of Jack's close-knit friend group, but at some point their relationship had fallen apart. Jack had never really asked what happened or why, not wanting to get into their business, but he could tell she still cared about him.

  Thinking through his options, he realized that he didn't have the luxury of certainty. The Cove's and Duke sounded like they were in trouble, and he couldn't afford to go hunting around for the Xander's. He would just have to hope that they could find Duke while praying that John's parents had joined up with him already. But what did The Ark mean? He considered the geography of the area, trying to piece the puzzle together. Suddenly, an idea hit him.

  "Kate, did it sound like he was on foot?" he asked.

  She considered, "well, it was loud, and he was breathing heavily. I didn't hear a radio or engine, but I can't be certain. Jack, is he ok?" Her tone begged for a promise that he couldn't give.

  Following up on his idea however, he took a chance. "I hope so Kate, I think I know where they are going. There is a huge dog park near Liz's house, just a few blocks away. We used to go there to… well, anyways, if they're on foot and running from something, its’ got lots of woods and would make sense as a place to go and hide. I want you to keep trying to call him back. We'll head to the dog park and lets hope I'm right."

  He knew it was a lot of conjecture, all based on the possibility that Duke sounded out of breath, and that The Ark might have actually been the words dog park. But he didn't have any other ideas and time was running out. Jumping down, he ordered Cyrus to the nest. Taking the wheel, he pulled the truck out, checking the mirror to make sure that the convoy reformed behind him.

  Driving fast, he headed down Lexington, desperately hoping that he wasn't making another mistake.

  Chapter 10: The Ex's

  12:11 am

  August 16th

  Shoreview, MN

  Duke Sutherland had gotten lucky. When his phone beeped with an Archangel alert, he was already at Liz Cove's place. The two had gotten close over time, especially since Jack and Liz had split a few years back, and they spent quite a bit of time together these days. Duke was of average height, with sandy brown hair cut short and proper. A corporate employee of the Target Corporation, he was man confident in his future.

  Duke had worked hard in school, always keeping the American dream front and center in his mind. Coming from money, he had gone to university at his father's alma mater. Graduated, with a good job, he knew he was at the cusp of a life well deserved. He had developed a slight beer paunch and had always proven to be a complicated friend to maintain.

  While loyal and caring, Duke had a tendency to see social situations as a platform for his own advancement, rather than a way to strengthen real bonds. He often put networking opportunities ahead of chances to spend time with his old friends, and this had led to some friction between him and Jack over the years. Even so, he had gotten Jack’s back when it counted, and was one of the young Mr. Hightower’s best friends.

  Jack had never been much liked by Liz's parents. Duke on the other hand, as a successful young man from a conservative family, was welcomed in the Cove home. Though he hadn't made time to see Jack in a few months, he made a habit of going over to have dinner with Liz and her family at least once a week, something that would have likely made Jack furious if he had known.

  When Liz and Duke had received the alert, they had laughed, ignoring it. Secure in their knowledge of American superiority and their own untouchable social status, the pair had gone on with dinner and assumed Jack was having a joke at their expense. It wasn't until the president's speech that Duke had felt a cold sweat break out across his body. As the situation worsened, and the news outlets began to report looting and rioting in the area, he realized his fortuitousness. Had he been home, or worse, out with work friends, he wouldn't have been able to get to the Cove residence in time thanks to his earlier dismissal. Without a way to contact Jack, the now clearly real rescue effort his friend was mounting would have missed him and he would have been left entirely on his own.

  He looked over at Liz, wondering to himself at Jack's devotion to a woman that had broken it off with him years ago. Middle height, with slight hips and a slender bust that was accentuated by her fashion sense, her looks were slightly fae in nature. She tended to alter her hair style every few months, but just now it was curled and bleached blonde. Worn mussed and distressed, it was very Monroe-esque.

  She was cute, with an endearing smile and smokey, come hither eyes, but not the drop dead model type. Beyond her physical gifts however, there was something about her that drew men to her irresistibly. She always had a large circle of guy friends, and most of them had confessed to her over the years. She had actually grown to expect it with her male friends, handling it with a gentle touch developed with practice.

  With a sharp tongue and some well maintained emotional walls, she kept most people at arms length. She had many friends, more admirer's, but few confidants. It had taken Duke years of persistent effort to get as close to her as he had, but Jack still stood between them; the ghost of her past relationship and his dear friend.

  Duke shook his head. It was hard NOT to fall in love with those dark blue eyes. They drew you in, promised to love you forever, and then danced away laughing when you fell into their depths. At the moment though, he could clearly see worry shining out of them. He cursed, knowing that it would be Jack and not him who could take awa
y her fear. He wanted to help her relax, but didn't really know what to do. Carelessly, he walked to stand next to her, draping an arm about her shoulders.

  "Don't worry Liz, everything will be fine. Even if things get bad, we're safe here, we can hide out for the worst of it and then go back to work in a week or so," he blustered.

  Liz looked at him uncertainly, wanting to believe him. Duke had been a friend for a long time, ever since Jack had introduced her to his group of friends back in high school. Unlike Jack, Duke had been able to easily intermingle with her own group of guy friends, proving to be the link between the two groups that Jack should have been. It had led to some strain in the relationship that her friends never accepted Jack, but she had used Duke to balance the two groups throughout her and Jack’s relationship. After that had ended, their friendship had remained, growing stronger due to Duke's continued efforts at staying close to her.

  She shook her head, thinking about a night from a year ago. She had just moved back from New York to take a job in the Cities, feeling a bit depressed about the return to her home town. Duke had offered to take her out as a welcome back treat, and they had gone downtown to drink and party. While they were out, they ended up at the bar Jack worked at, though they didn't know it at first.

  Going up to order a round, she had been shocked to see him standing there, towel over his shoulder, cocktail shaker in his hand. He had simply nodded to her, sending someone else to take care of her order. She could still remember how the sight of him had drawn a thrill through her body; his tall frame covered in muscles that were barely hidden by a black v-necked work shirt, his long hair wisping across his handsome face.

  More than anything though, it had still been his eyes that melted her. He had such brilliant green eyes, warm and intelligent. They had a way of lighting up, seeing straight into her heart and making her feel understood, known. The sight of him had made her knees wobble, exciting her as always, against her better judgement.