by Cliff Deane
Levi and his Sgt Major raced to the Clinic to find an exhausted Dr. Tom Monroe who asked them to sit down.
“Colonel, I found a bit more damage than anticipated, but I think we were able to get everything repaired. I put the bullet in a jar for Ben to tell lies about in his old age.
The lung drain went well, and we hope to have him up and minimally moving within forty-eight hours at the latest.
We found him to be blood type O positive, oh, and did you know that every single trooper offered their blood for Major Smith. We got very lucky with the blood type, and I was able to get more than enough. Thanks to the coagulant gauze he didn’t lose much blood. That stuff is incredible, and probably saved his life.”
Levi interrupted and said, “No, Bones, you saved his life, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Doc Tom was visibly embarrassed at such praise from Colonel Levins, and after a few seconds said, “Thank you. Now, assuming he doesn’t get a staph infection, I think we should be able to move him back to Defiance in maybe two weeks.
Now gentlemen, if you will excuse me I intend to get some much-needed sleep. Don’t worry, there is a bed here at the Clinic, and one of the Nurses will be sitting with Ben every minute, seeing to his needs and checking his vitals.
Ben will be fine, but he is going to be sore for perhaps a year.”
“A year,” asked Levi, will he be able to assume his duties sooner than a year?”
“Absolutely, once we clear him, in maybe six weeks he can return to light duty for another six, or so weeks. After that, no restrictions.”
The Sgt Major added, “Well, now that is good news. Without Ben the whole Regiment will fall apart,” and all three men laughed.
Tom asked about Katie and was told that, so far, she was doing well.
“Good news, now get out so I can get some rest before someone comes in with a hangnail.”
***
Chapter 15
Hurricane!
5 October 1530
ROA, FTOC
White Sulphur Springs, WV
The Sgt Major of the 1st ROA Cavalry Regiment was happy to be leaving West Virginia and getting back to his home in Defiance. The mountain of supplies had not had time to be offloaded. The convoy was ready for departure back to Defiance for training against future dangers.
The plan was to leave a fifty man detachment with four of the LAV IIIs to maintain a covering force at each exit of the Bunker Complex until Major Smith was well enough to be moved. The detachment would patrol around the Bunker ensuring that they had not missed any secret exit, or tunnel leading into the wooded area.
When it came time for departure, the men would load up the remaining restaurant supplies the Aid Station, and whatever supplies that may be useful in the future. The time in West Virginia would not be idle.
*
5 October 1030
Inside the Bunker Complex
WSS, WV
Lt. Colonel Bart Mathers asked the Sonarman what he was hearing?
“Sir, I believe that most of the enemy forces have departed the area. Yesterday, as reported I detected the sounds of what I believe to have been a very large convoy leaving the area. There is still a large detachment present, but the noise they make is far less than yesterday.”
“Thank you; notify me immediately if this group also departs. Now please call Colonel Steiner. I would like to speak with him.”
“Yes sir, Wolf 6, Mother 6 over.” The Sonarman made ten attempts to reach Steiner before Mathers ordered him to stop trying.
Mathers knew that Steiner could hear him, but was refusing to do so.
*
5 October 1030
Black Knights Convoy
Somewhere in N. Carolina
“Colonel Steiner, Lt. Colonel Mathers is calling. Shall I answer?” asked Steiner’s Radio Operator.
“No,” replied Steiner, “There is nothing we can do with only a battalion of Light Armored Vehicles, against an entire Cavalry Regiment. They may even have tanks. No, we continue south then west along the Gulf of Mexico.
We are running out of time to find a place to winter which can feed us. No, no reply.”
“Yes sir, no reply.”
*
10 October 0800
ROA Encampment
WSS, WV
Nurse Cynthia Summers’ smile was radiant when she entered Ben’s room and asked how he felt.
Ben said, “Cyn, your smile makes me want to run a 10K marathon, and then take a very cold shower. I feel great and ready to go back to work.”
“Liar,” said Cynthia as she took his pulse.”
“Cyn, you know that when you are taking my pulse, my heart rate jumps about 40%, and that’s when you are having a bad hair day.”
“My, but you are feeling better, aren’t you, Ben, and that’s good because Doctor Monroe believes your lies about feeling ready for a 10K run. Since you have him fooled, he has decided that you are well enough to travel. We leave for Defiance the day after tomorrow. You, however, will be with me in the Med Van on a stretcher…NO, stop right there, don’t you dare say what was about to come out of your mouth.”
Ben actually blushed and instead said, “Okay, okay, but if you want me to be good, then you have to promise to spend an evening with me.”
“Ben, are you asking me for a date?”
“Cynthia, of course, I am. When I first awoke after surgery yours was the face looking down at me. I really did think I had died and gone to Heaven.
The only reason I haven’t asked before now is that, well, let’s face it, you are just way out of my league. So, knowing that I can’t hit a home run without coming to the plate; Miss Summers, would you be kind enough to spend an evening with me upon our return to Defiance?”
“Yes, Ben, I would love to spend an evening with you; more than one, if you like, and she reached across Ben to straighten his blanket. Her hair fell onto his face and his breath caught in his throat. As she pulled back her face was close to his and she whispered, “Ben, are you going to kiss me or not?”
Later that morning Scott stopped by for a short visit. He pulled a chair up to Ben’s bed and asked, “Well, did you ask her?”
Ben’s smile said it all, and Scott knew that he had indeed hit a home run. He even told Scott about her saying, “Ben, are you going to kiss me or not?”
“Oh, man, I can’t believe how lucky you are, I mean, hell, if I wasn’t so happily married, well, you know what I mean.
Seriously, my dear friend, don’t let this one get away.”
They visited for another ten minutes until Nurse Summers came in with Ben’s lunch.
One look at Scott and she knew that Ben had told him everything and for just one second she felt a small twinge of irritation, then smiled and said, “Hello, Colonel Eldridge, have you had a nice visit with our resident lothario, here?”
*
12 October 0800
ROA Encampment
WSS, WV
The mission was complete and with the convoy, fully loaded the ROA Force pulled out of White Sulphur Springs at 0800. Everyone was anxious to get home. The weather had taken a decided turn for the worse. Dark, storm-laden clouds brought an unrelenting deluge with high winds.
Captain Guy had considered delaying their departure, but this weather did not seem to have any intention of letting up. The temperatures had become very cool and downright cold at night. Besides, he was reminded of something Colonel Levins said months before; about how bad boys don’t like to work in bad weather.
*
10 October 0830
Inside the Bunker Complex
WSS, WV
The Sonarman called for Mathers to come to the Sound Room. Upon his arrival, the technician informed Mathers that the Rear Detachment had just departed. He had detected only normal background noise for several minutes.
“Good work, yes, very good work.” Mathers turned to his Sgt Major and instructed him to form a detail to open the driveway exit. He woul
d be there shortly.
Mathers arrived at the driveway exit just as the detail was unlocking the twenty-five-ton blast door. Normally it took only fifty pounds of pressure to operate the huge door, but now they found that they were unable to budge it.
“So, Sgt Major, what do you make of this?”
“Sir, I would guess that the enemy has welded the doors shut, probably with acetylene torches since they have no electricity. We will not be able to break the weld with manpower. Therefore I suggest we fire up our M-88 and apply some real pressure. The acetylene will not stand up to our M-88 Track Recovery Vehicle (VTR).” He turned to one of his sergeants and ordered him to get the VTR.
An M-88 is a huge tracked vehicle designed to recover tanks and other large, heavy vehicles from the battlefield so they may be repaired, or cannibalized. No acetylene weld could ever hold against the power of an M-88.
It took nearly twenty minutes for the VTR to arrive at the door, even though it was no more than two hundred feet away. Other vehicles had to be moved, and these things just take time when operating in the closed confines of the Bunker.
The VTR has been in use since the 1960’s, and like the Ma Deuce M2 caliber 50 machine gun, it just couldn’t be further improved. It had a dozer blade on the front, and everyone watched as the operator adjusted the blade for optimum torque against the door.
The M-88 slowly made contact with the door and began to push. Within seconds the welds snapped, and the door eased open about an inch. The VTR added more of its incredible power to the door forcing it open by mere portions of an inch.
Mathers turned to the operator and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The Sgt Major directed him to stop and approached the small opening. He could clearly see that a bulldozer had been placed across the door impeding its opening.
“Sir, they have placed a bulldozer across the width of the door. It may take a few minutes, but the VTR will be able to force the door open.”
Mathers nodded his approval, and the operator again began pushing against the door, which slowly inched its way open to a width of about six inches. There was an audible sound as the dozer slipped into the wedge trap causing it to tip just a few inches. Those few inches caused the dozer to dig into the earth as the door pushed against it. After several minutes the operator shut down his overheating engine and said, “I’m sorry sir, but that dozer is somehow wedged, and even this M-88 will not budge it any further.”
*
12 October 1030
TOC,
Defiance, ROA
Scott looked to his friend, the Sgt Major and said, Brad, this sky does not look good. The wind seems to be picking up, and now we have bands of rain squalls. I think we’ve got a hurricane bearing down on us. I would guess we have no more than another five of six hours before it is kicking our ass.”
Brad agreed and suggested they evacuate Defiance and move everyone to the High School just up the road about five miles.
Scott said, “Roger that, go ahead and tell the President that I am ordering an evacuation.”
“Roger sir. Jones, get with the Maintenance Sgt and let’s get the trucks lined up. Tell him to leave the LAV IIIs, but to turn them into the wind.”
“On the way, Sgt Major.”
Turning back to the Radio Room Scott directed the operator to contact Captain Guyardo.
“Yes, sir. Home Base 6 to Runner 6 over.”
The reply was near immediate but becoming static filled. Scott took the mic and said, “Mike, it’s Scott, find some serious shelter. You are running into a hurricane, possibly eight hours out your location, over.”
“Base 6, Runner 6, understand hurricane heading this way. Roger, we will seek shelter to ride it out, over.”
Captain Guy immediately sent his jeeps out to find shelter for his people and vehicles.
“Mike, we are evacsssting Desssssce, over.”
“Sir, I’m not sure Runner got that last message, the atmospherics are playing hell with our radios.”
“Yeah, ok, thanks, I hope he can figure it out.”
“Hey, Sparx, did you get that last message?”
“I think so, sir. I believe he said they were evacuating Defiance. They must be getting ready for some serious shit.”
“Yeah, so it would seem.”
Three hours later the five hundred citizens of Defiance were sheltered in the inner rooms of the school building.
Both Ralph and Levi were very impressed with the way that Scott took control and handled the situation. Ralph said, “My friend, I have always felt that Scott was a leader cut in your mold, and now I am sure of it. You chose well.”
The storm turned out to be only an estimated category one hurricane and was, fortunately, very fast moving. Upon returning to Defiance, they found only minimal damage mostly consisting of broken windows and windblown debris. A forested area stood in the path of the storm and shielded most of the Capital of The Republic of America.
As everyone began to pitch in to start the cleanup, a Widow’s Sons rider rode in and reported that his group was checking on as many of the outlying farms and smaller communities as possible. He would make a full report as soon as he had any real information.
*
12 October 1530
Fort Pickett, VA
The scouts reported to Captain Guy that they could find shelter ten miles ahead at the Fort Pickett Military Reservation just east of Blackstone, VA.
As the convoy trudged through the storm, one five-ton truck was caught in a wild wind gust and blown off the road onto its side. The ten men inside cargo bed were thrown onto each other as the truck went out of control and overturned, but suffered bruises; but miraculously sustained no broken bones. The driver suffered a broken rib and right forearm when his passenger fell on him.
The follow-on vehicle, a LAV III disgorged the men inside, and they fought their way to the overturned truck to assist in personnel recovery.
The only man needing medical attention was taken to the med van. The others climbed into the back of other vehicles.
The overturned truck’s engine was shut off and left behind; its small cargo strewn onto the grassy area.
The convoy fought high winds and lashing rain to get to Fort Pickett, VA where they were able to find safety in a large maintenance building.
As some troopers dismounted and rushed to close the cavernous doors of the maintenance bays, others sought rooms away from the outer walls.
The storm had begun to break up over land, but they still found themselves fighting wind gusts up to 70 mph.
Doc Tom set the driver’s arm in an inflatable bubble cast and propped him up against a cushion found in the Maintenance Officer’s office, along with two 750 mg of Ibuprofen with codeine to help with the pain, slow his breathing, and relax his diaphragm.
The troopers in the inner rooms could hear the outer bay windows shatter as they began to crash inward. A loud ripping noise that could only be the roof being torn apart by the storm sounded like a train making an emergency stop, then silence. The winds began to fade. Only the rain continued to fall as it had before.
“Sgt Major, could this be the eye of the storm?”
“No sir, I don’t think so. If it was the eye, it wouldn’t still be raining. I think the hurricane is running along the coast and we were caught more toward the center portion of a large and powerful outer band if that makes any sense.”
“Yeah, Brad, I get it, and for the record, I sure hope you’re right, ‘cause this shit is scary.”
“Yes sir, it surely is that.”
The Sgt Major was right, and within another couple of hours, the severity of the storm subsided to a point where some of the men began to venture out to check the damage.
“Holy shit!” shouted one of the drivers, come out here, you have got to see this, oh my God.”
As the men came out to see what the fuss was about, they saw that most of the roof over the bays had been ripped off, without leaving any debris inside the bu
ilding.
Everything on the shelves had been either carried away or strewn about the maintenance bay. Three of the vehicle windshields displayed significant cracks. Vehicle doors and bodies were dented to various degrees.
One trooper said it looked like a giant had ripped off the roof to get to them, but decided to take his anger out on the interior of the bay instead.
Oddly enough, all of the canvas on the vehicles had remained intact. As they walked among the convoy trucks, they came upon a 1965 jeep that was turned on its side.
The driver of that jeep yelled for some help to turn it back onto its wheels. Once it bounced back upright, the driver inspected it and said, “I love my jeep, one pint of paint and she’ll be good as new. Yeah!”
Even with the rain soaking everyone, they didn’t really care as the panorama surrounding them was just too surreal.
The troopers scrounged around for their duffle bags to get some dry clothes, without being asked the troopers shared clothing with those men from the overturned truck some ten miles back.
*
13 October 0700
Fort Pickett, VA
The morning brought clear skies and warmer weather. Captain Guy asked his Maintenance Sergeant about the damaged truck.
“Well, sir, I expect that truck will run fine; the problem is that where it turned over, there is no way that I could see to get it back upright, and back on the road without a wrecker. There are two wreckers here, but they are both dead, and ours is back in Defiance with the main convoy. It’s a damned shame that Ramos guy isn’t here; I bet he could get these wreckers running, yep, damned shame.”