by Nathan Combs
“Because you don’t know who you are and your subconscious grabbed onto the names. From what you’ve told me, you don’t remember any of them; you just have vague recognition of their names. That’s hardly an indictment.”
She took a deep breath. “Oh God. I hope you’re right, Noah. If I am her, I’ll kill myself.”
Noah grabbed both of her shoulders and gently shook her. “Don’t ever say anything like that again. You’re the gentlest, sweetest, most loving woman in the entire world. You’re beautiful. You’re my wife. You’re going to be the mother of my child. I love you, Anna. There is no way on God’s green Earth that you’re Nina.”
“God’s green Earth is white, Noah. Think back. Did Captain Coltrane mention the names Heather? Olivia? Horst? Or Cougar? Did he?”
“I don’t remember. And I don’t care. I refuse to accept the possibility that you’re Nina.”
“But what if I am? What then?”
“I don’t give a shit what your name is. The bottom line is I love you. That’s it.”
Randal and Noah were working on Operation Gator, the name given to the Florida move, and the list of people in the first wave was nearing completion. The door to the armory opened and Noah entered. Randal put the clipboard he was holding under his armpit and turned to shake Noah’s hand. “Hey, man. How’s everything?”
“Goin’ good, Randal. What do you need help with?”
“I just finished inventorying our weapons, so… Hey, look, I know the move to Florida threw a wrench into you and Anna moving to Fort-T, and even though it’s irrelevant, I’d still like you guys to visit. I’m going back tomorrow morning. Why don’t you pack a bag and come along? You’ll only be gone for two days.”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’d like that a lot. What time?”
“Oh eight hundred.”
“We’ll be ready. What’s your best guess on the departure of the first wave?”
“We’re way ahead of schedule. Sometime right after the fourth. At most, two more weeks.”
Fort-T at fifteen hundred hours this June 24th was a lot different than previous years. It was cold: forty-nine degrees and drizzling. Maggie was in the medical tent examining Sara. Olympia’s first post-collapse baby was due at any time.
Maggie said, “Sara. I can’t wait.”
Sara grinned and accepted Maggie’s assistance getting off the examining table. “You can’t wait? I feel like a whale. Trust me, Maggie, I can’t wait.”
Randal just finished introducing Noah and Anna to the residents of Fort-T and, as Maggie and Sara came out of the tent, he headed in their direction. “Hey, Maggie, Sara, you’ve heard about them, now I’d like you to meet my old friend Noah Wallace and his wife Anna.”
Sara was smiling up at Chris who’d been waiting outside the tent for her and she turned when Randal spoke. She stared. A frown creased her forehead and her eyes opened wide. “Noah, Anna, this is Wade’s wife Maggie, she’s our resident ‘bones.’ This is Chris’s wife Sara.”
Noah said, “Hi.”
Maggie smiled and shook both of their hands. “Hi, Anna. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Let’s do that exam while you’re visiting. Kind of a second opinion, if you will.”
Anna smiled. “Thank you. That would be awesome.”
Sara recovered and her frown morphed into a look of curiosity. “Hi, Noah. Hi, Anna.” Looking directly into Anna’s eyes, she said, “You’ll have to forgive me. You remind me of someone I used to know.”
Anna grimaced and took Sara’s hand in hers. “I get that a lot for some reason.”
Maggie smiled at Anna and said, “How long are you guys going to be here?”
Randal interjected. “They have to go back tomorrow afternoon.”
“Well, why don’t I give you that exam right now, Anna? No time like the present.”
“Sounds good.” She smiled at Maggie and kissed Noah on the cheek.
Maggie took her arm and led her into the medical tent.
When the exam was completed, Maggie said, “You’re a very healthy young woman, Anna. The baby’s fine. He, or she, should be joining us around the middle of September. How does that compare to Fort Hope’s doctor’s evaluation?”
“Exactly the same. I’m so excited. But I’m nervous too. I mean… a baby, in this world?”
“The human race has to survive, Anna. Your baby will be fine. Tell me a little about yourself.”
Anna groaned inwardly, but stuck to the script she and Noah devised. She kept steering the conversation toward Noah. How good he was. How much she loved him and how much she was looking forward to being a mom. Much to her relief, Maggie bought into it. Maggie is a good woman. I really like her. Her thoughts turned to Sara. For some reason, Sara looked very familiar. Her voice sounded familiar too. It made her nervous. When the exam was finished, she found Noah waiting outside just where Chris had been. They walked the grounds, taking it all in, until Randal found them and led them to the mess tent for dinner. They joined the residents of Fort-T for a supper of venison, bread, and fresh salad.
As meal time was winding down, Sara got Anna’s attention without disturbing their men deep in conversation about the upcoming move. “I envy your lack of whale-ness.”
Anna’s laugh, the tinkling of small silver bells, exploded in Sara’s brain. “Yeah, but I still have three months to go.”
The hair on the back of Sara’s neck stood up. Her eyes opened wide. I’ve heard that laugh before.
Anna didn’t seem to notice Sara’s reaction. “Do you guys want a boy or a girl?”
Sara wasn’t sure what it meant—whether the Nina experience was still haunting her or there was something really wrong with Anna. Trying to act normal, she said, “Chris wants a boy, of course. I don’t care. I know this will sound selfish, but at this moment, I just want whatever it is out of me.”
They laughed and chitchatted about babies and baby things for another fifteen minutes until Chris and Noah intervened and helped them both to their feet. Chris said, “We’re gonna call it a day. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Goodnight. See you guys in the morning.”
The couple hurried to their shelter, exhausted from the day. The patter of rain on their tent roof sounded like a drumroll in a funeral march. Noah fell asleep almost instantly while Anna stared at the walls of the tent and thought long into the cold, wet night.
Oh God. Help me.
Randal decided to return to Fort Hope with Wade, Noah, and Anna, and they left in the afternoon. When they passed through the gates, it was obvious the final preparations for Operation Gator were nearing completion. Eighteen M928 cargo trucks were in rows in the main parking lot. Crates and boxes were stacked at sites scattered throughout the fort, and those selected for the first wave were busy labeling and loading their personal belongings. Six M928 trucks from Gateway and Zion sat loaded in the far corner of the lot.
While the inclusion of the Patriots increased the logistical nightmare by what seemed a factor of ten, it didn’t hinder the initial plan of moving Gateway and Zion first. By July 1st, both villages were ghost towns, haunted by the memories of those who had lived and died within their boundaries. The former residents now lived at Fort Hope until the first wave was ready to depart.
Bill and Wade were discussing the trip. Bill was more bellicose than usual. “I don’t like this, Wade. Horst is somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee. We know that.”
“I know that, Bill. What’s the alternative?”
“None. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. I want to make one change. I’ll take two sat-phones. When we hit the Florida line, I intend to send the trucks carrying the important gear ahead with one of the Hummers and fifty mounted men. We’ll find a suitable location, unload, and make two return trips with the cargo trucks to pick up the walkers. We have enoug
h diesel. That way they’d only have to walk to the Florida line. It would cut the time dramatically. Plus, it would reduce the risk if Horst shows his ugly face.”
Wade thought for a second, then said, “Okay. That makes sense. Do it. After you get everyone there, send the trucks and one sat-phone back here. We’ll use the same procedure for the remaining waves.”
On the third of July, Wade watched silently with those staying behind as the convoy prepared to leave. At the head of the column, Bill stood in the open hatch of the Bradley and Tyler sat his horse alongside. Tyler and two former FPS men would ride point, accompanied by a German shepherd. The lead vehicle in the column was the Bradley. One Hummer was stationed in the middle of the column and another at the rear. It was still drizzling, but the temperature hovered just north of thirty degrees, and it was only a matter of time before the rain turned to snow. Bill nodded to Tyler, and he and his men rode through Fort Hope’s opened gate. The exodus had begun.
Wade was pleased with the time it took to prepare the first wave. In less than a month, 2,016 people were on their way. In addition to the 951 citizens of Gateway and Zion, the contingent included 1,045 Patriots, plus 20 from Fort-T, including Bill, Linda, Sean, and Becky. In addition to the Bradley and two Hummers, the convoy consisted of 59 pickup trucks pulling trailers, 20 motorcycles, 17 M928 cargo trucks, and 1 refueling vehicle. They rode 272 horses and herded 8 pigs, 3 cows, and 17 goats. 66 chickens and 23 rabbits hunkered down in one of the cargo trucks. 978 people took turns riding and walking. They would attempt to travel twenty-five miles a day, which would put them in the general vicinity of Jennings, Florida, around the 18th of July. The advance column of trucks would get to the Okeechobee area, find a resettlement location, unload, and make two round trips to pick up those at the rest area. If everything went as planned, the trucks would be back at Fort Hope by July 22nd and the second wave would leave as soon as possible thereafter.
The first post-apocalyptic child opened its eyes and let loose a healthy wail at 1901 on July 5th. Maggie promptly declared the six pound, seven ounce baby girl “healthy as a horse.” She made a homemade birth certificate for the occasion and, after handing the baby to Sara, began filling in the blanks. “Baby’s name?”
Sara smiled at Chris and said, “Hope. Hope Coltrane.”
Maggie smiled. “Great name, Sara.”
Wade stood looking at his new granddaughter and, even though he knew how to be a grandfather, he was uncharacteristically nervous. Jesus, have I forgotten? Chris took the baby and handed her to Wade. I suck at this, he thought as he cradled the flailing, kicking baby. Rubbing his nose on hers brought forth an extended wail. Maybe it’s just the circumstances. “She’s beautiful, Sara. Beautiful and perfect.”
Looking like a gorilla holding an egg, he sheepishly handed her back to Sara. “Are you hungry, little Hope? Mama’s got some warm milk for you.”
While Sara fed Hope and Maggie doted on both, Wade and Chris went into the nighttime drizzle. “Dad, Sara told me something you should know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, and by her own admission, it’s probably her imagination, but… ”
Wade said, “Go on, Son.”
“It’s about Anna. Sara says that… well… she looks like Nina, and that her voice definitely sounds like Nina. Her laugh is exactly like Nina’s. She’s concerned because we never found a body. She acknowledges that Anna doesn’t act anything like Nina, and in fact she likes her a lot, but she also stands like Nina. She says there are a few other mannerisms that are similar, too. Again… it’s probably just a coincidence, but… well… there it is.”
Wade stared into space for a few seconds. “I like that girl too. I can’t imagine she’s Nina. I’m confident that Nina’s dead, but… I also trust Sara’s instincts. If I recall, she said Nina had an hourglass birthmark on her lower back just below the waistline and a silver filling in a bottom molar. We’re going to button up Fort-T and move to Fort Hope in a few days. I’ll have Maggie give her another exam and have her look for those tells.”
“What do we do if they’re there?”
Wade’s eyebrows arched. He shook his head.
The convoy crossed the Florida State Line two weeks after departing Fort Hope, and as planned, Bill took the Bradley, the trucks, and fifty riders and headed for Lake Okeechobee. The rest of the convoy camped out at the Florida rest area just over the Georgia line.
Two days later, they arrived in Glades County and hunkered down for the night. The trucks unloaded after they found a suitable location the next morning, and headed back to the welcome center. They picked up the remainder of the people in one load, and on July 21st, Bill called Wade and told him they had arrived. No casualties and no sign of Horst or other hostiles. “The trucks are heading back in the morning. They should be there in two days. When’s the second wave leaving?”
“With any luck, they’ll get out of here by August 1st. Just waiting on your trucks to complete the load. Randal will bring this wave down as planned. You might want to send out patrols to look for signs of Mr. Nagle.”
“That asshole doesn’t deserve a title, Wade, but yeah… I’m starting regular patrols tomorrow morning. We’ll run into his ass somewhere. When we do, he’ll go the way of his old boss.”
Fort Terminus closed its “doors” on the 25th of July. It was stripped of everything moveable. When the trucks were loaded, the residents climbed to the plateau for one last look at the area they had called home since before the collapse. Fort Terminus had protected them. Kept them alive. Provided everything they needed. The sadness was palpable. Memories overwhelmed. Not a dry eye was visible. Wade stood with his arms around Maggie and Adam. They stared at nothing for what seemed an eternity, but in reality was not more than five minutes.
Wade bent down. “I know this is sad, Adam, but your mom and I met in Florida and you were born there. We’re going home. We have to go to Fort Hope. You wanna drive?”
“Really, Dad? The Hummer? Can I?”
“Yep.”
Adam ran across the plateau with his small fists pumping the air. “Yeeesss!”
His enthusiasm was contagious. Maggie chuckled and said, “I assume he’ll be on your lap?”
“Of course. He doesn’t have a license.”
Fifteen minutes later, Fort-T lay snow-covered, dark, and abandoned as though it never existed.
Fort Hope thrummed with excitement as the second wave prepared to depart. Anna was everywhere at once, or at least it seemed that way. She had helped the elderly pack, played with the youngest children while the parents busied themselves packing and loading, and always had a smile for everyone. She doted on Baby Hope and insisted on helping Sara care for her.
“She’s so beautiful, Sara. I almost hope… no pun intended… that I have a girl too. Noah wants a boy, of course, though he won’t admit it.”
Sara liked Anna a lot, but the more time she spent with her, the more suspicious she became. She’s like a good Nina. But there’s no such thing.
When Wade relayed the conversation he had with Chris to Maggie, he asked when Anna’s next scheduled exam was. The answer was in two days. “But I can perform one now if you’d like.”
“No. Two days will be fine.”
They were watching Anna keeping six young kids busy while their folks prepared to leave.
“That girl is a marvel, Wade. If she’s Nina, then I’m the wicked witch of the west.”
Wade grinned. “I always had a thing for witches. Can I ride your broom?”
Maggie grinned. Coyly, she said, “Ride? Yeah, you can ride, big boy, but it won’t be on a broom.”
Right on schedule, the cargo trucks from the first wave returned, and on the 27th of July sat partially loaded in Fort Hope’s main parking lot.
The departure date for the second wave was moved up to the 29th, but the night before, the wea
ther turned brutal. The residents awoke to three inches of snow and a temperature of thirty-three degrees. The inclement weather prompted Wade to double the size of the second wave to include all the livestock. The snow was creating problems, and they reset the departure date to August 1st. At noon on that day, 927 Patriots and 2,414 residents of Fort Hope and Fort-T were ready to depart.
The convoy included the remaining Bradley, 2 Hummers, and 30 pickups pulling trailers, 41 motorcycles, 1 Gator-ATV, 30 M928 cargo trucks, and 319 horses. The remaining livestock, 9 pigs, 7 cows, 57 goats, 64 chickens, 63 rabbits, and 8 dogs, were loaded and/or strung together for the trip.
The storm was petering out and the snow was melting almost as soon as it touched the ground, but Wade was concerned about plummeting temperatures when the storm front passed. “The roads are snow-covered, but it’s not that deep. The last thing we need is to travel over ice. Randal, Stuart, Tyler, load ’em up. You’re leaving immediately.”
That same morning, Maggie went to check on Sara. “And how is my favorite patient this morning?”
“Your favorite patient is hungry. Look.”
She pulled the blanket down to expose Hope suckling while pawing her left cheek.
Maggie said, “She’s a clawer. Keep those mittens on her.” She laughed. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired. But you know. Okay. No post-partum blues, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“No. You’re a bit too tough to suffer PPB. I do have a question, though.”
“What is it?”
Maggie told Sara about Wade’s request to check Anna for the birthmark and the tooth filling. “Do you really think Anna’s Nina?”
Sara hesitated, then shook her head from side to side and said, “I don’t know, Maggie. I mean, I did. Kind of. But now that I know her, she… she’s just so nice. I… I don’t see how it’s remotely possible. And yet… I… damn, Maggie, I can’t shake the feeling.”