“Yeah, well, there was a problem. One of them was injured and the others stayed behind to try to help,” Ledders said. “They have a jeep and I gave them a radio. Hopefully, they’ll get here before time runs out.”
George was stunned speechless as the truck drove through the tunnel.
“One is injured,” Mallory said. “Maybe we should go find them.”
But Buford wouldn’t issue them a jeep. It was bad enough they were standing outside and the ones responsible for giving the order to close the door, but he couldn’t have George out there and take a chance on losing him.
So, they waited.
And in between constantly looking out, Mallory kept trying to make radio contact.
They were unsuccessful and she didn’t know whether they were in a bad spot or something else had happened.
“George,” Buford radioed. “I don’t mean to sound like a father, but you have twenty-six minutes to get inside.”
“We’re okay,” George replied. “We’ll make it in. I promise.”
He lowered the radio and walked out to join Mallory who just stared. “You can go in if you want.”
“No. No.” She shook her head. “We’ll wait. They’re gonna need help bringing the injured person in, we may all have to run for it.”
“Ledders brought the wheelchair,” George said.
“We’ll transfer him to that once they get through the second blast door.”
“Then hopefully the elevator holds up and we won't need to take the stairs.” George peered out. Something felt off balance to him. There was also a deadening sound to the air. Nothing really echoed. The temperature had quickly dropped, and the sky was grayer. He looked at Mallory and saw a slight breeze catch her bangs. He knew the reason for all the changes and for Mallory’s hair subtly blowing.
It wasn’t the weather. It was the wave.
<><><><>
“On three,” Bob called out. He had Mitch’s right side, Ollie had the left while Liv supported the injury. “One, two … three.”
They hoisted him into the back of the jeep which caused him to scream in pain. Nothing was helping his pain.
Of course, they were rushing, being gentle was the last of their worries.
It didn’t go as smoothly or quickly as they hoped. It wasn’t a hospital setting and they had unique obstacles to deal with besides the amputation. The first thing was to clear everything and anything physically off Mitch so that after the amputation they could quickly suture him up and go.
The leg was slightly bent and it wasn’t flat against the surface making the amputation more difficult.
The sedation only worked until the saw hit the bone. Mitch ejected to a sitting position screaming in horrendous agony until he passed out. Liv had to suture quickly and getting him up the hill wasn’t easy. They couldn’t medicate him any more, they just couldn’t take that chance he would stop breathing.
Liv sat in the back of the jeep with him, Mitch’s head rested against her as she clutched to him and the side of the jeep.
They knew they were cutting it close and it was reiterated when the radio finally crackled.
“This is Mallory, Cleveland group are you there?”
“Mallory, hey,” Ollie picked up the radio. “We’re on our way. We're driving as fast as we can. We can see the mountain. Mitch is going to need more help than we can give him.”
“I’m here and there’s another doctor on site. Listen to me. George and I are at the tunnel entrance. You drive straight through the doors, do not stop,” Mallory said “Keep driving, we have to get inside and below fast. Not only is the wave coming, but Olympias is right on its heels.”
Ollie’s loud, frustrated 'fuck' caused Liv to wince.
She heard the radio as well and felt Bob pick up even more speed.
“We’re headed up,” Bob announced. “Almost there.”
“See.” Liv said to Mitch. “Almost there. How are you holding up?”
“Not … not well, but I’m trying.”
“You’re doing great,” she said.
“So much for calm, huh?”
Liv softy chuckled. “Yeah, that changed on a dime, didn’t it?”
“Are we gonna make it in time?”
Without hesitating, Liv answered, “Yes.” She didn’t want to tell him otherwise or that she was unsure. She also didn’t want to tell him or the others how they were cutting it so close. Not only could she swear she heard the wave in the distance, but believed she saw it creeping up toward the sky.
<><><><>
The sky had instantly darkened so much it looked like nightfall instead of afternoon. The temperature dropped drastically, the wind picked up and the roar of the incoming ocean was nearly deafening.
“Goddamn it, George,” Buford blasted over the radio. “You have six minutes. That thing is almost on us. Get in here now! We need to seal it up!”
“Yes, sir.”
“George, we have to go!” Mallory shouted. “We can’t risk the lives of the hundreds down below already for a few people who may or may not show up in time.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
They were already close to the first blast door which was set ten feet or so from the tunnel entrance. But before George made the call to seal the doors, he had to look just one more time. He walked out to the driveway, staring out. Come on, he thought, get here.
What went wrong? Something had to have happened.
These were four people he had gotten to know over a short span of time, they had bonded because of a global tragedy.
Feeling defeated, he walked backwards and lifted the radio. Before he depressed the button, he heard it.
Buried in the roaring ocean was a steady beep of a horn.
His eyes widened, and just as he saw the jeep cross through the gated area, he lifted the radio. “They’re here.”
The jeep didn’t stop or slow down, it flew by him straight into the tunnel and George raced to the door, “They’re in.” He turned around to look back. His eyes widened when he beheld the wave.
The wall of water was monstrous, and it was hard to distinguish where it ended and the sky began.
“Seal it. Seal the doors now!”
George ran. Mallory and the jeep were already inside and the first blast door slowly began to close.
It wasn’t closing fast enough, at least it didn’t appear to be.
George couldn’t move. He had to know. If that door didn’t close it wouldn’t matter where he was standing.
No sooner did the first door seal shut then he heard a thunderous bang ring against it.
The wave had arrived. The slams and bangs continued as the frightening sound of creaking metal rang out.
Spinning on his heals, George ran as fast as he could down the ramp and to the second blast door, slipping through just as it closed shut. The jeep was parked right by the door.
“Did it hold?” Mallory asked.
“I think.”
“What now? Where to now?” Bob asked.
“We have to get below. Olympias will be here any second and we aren’t deep enough,” George said. “Drive down this last ramp, we’ll take the elevator to the subs.”
“Get in,” Bob instructed.
George and Mallory squeezed in and with a shift of the gears and a jolt, Bob flew down the ramp until the end.
He screeched to a halt and no one wasted any time jumping out and lifting Mitch. They were on a mission. They couldn’t stop, they didn’t have that luxury.
“Elevators over that way,” Mallory instructed. “Hurry.”
Running with him, a steady bell rang out. It came from the elevator. It was the warning bell the door was open for too long, and as soon as it came into view, George saw why. Ledders was holding it open.
“Let’s go. Go.” Ledders waved his hand. “Move it.”
Mitch groaned in pain as they entered the elevator.
“Almost there buddy,” Ollie told him.
<
br /> The doors to the elevator closed and with a shift it started to descend.
Bob chuckled and exhaled. “We made it.”
Ledders shook his head. “I didn’t think you would.”
Liv leaned against the back wall, supporting Mitch’s head. “I’m still surprised.”
“Everyone in the room?” George asked Ledders.
Ledders nodded. “Yeah, but I think we’re safe now even if we don’t make it into the room. We just need to be deep, right Captain?”
“Yes,” George replied. “We’re deep enough.”
“Did the water get in?” Ledders asked.
“I don’t think so,” George replied.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened.
Mallory stepped out first, holding the elevator doors. “Let’s get him somewhere I can check him out.”
Ledders slipped his hands under Mitch’s shoulders, “I got this,” he said to Liv.
“Thank you.”
Liv’s body relaxed, and the pain from her straining arms was relieved as Ledders, Bob, George and Ollie carried Mitch out.
Mallory glanced back at Liv. “I want to check out that head. You’re bleeding.”
Liv smiled with a tired look, “I’m fine.” One step.
One step toward getting off the elevator and the ceiling tiles of the carriage came down, bringing with it an abundance of water, all of which crashed down upon Liv.
She washed out with the wave, her body flopping as it rolled with the momentum of the water.
Mallory spun, immediately trying to hurry the doors to close.
Leaving Ledders and Ollie to hold on to Mitch, George and Bob joined the struggle. Hands flush on the doors of the elevator, pushing until they closed.
Finally, they succeeded and Mallory hurried to Liv, who had washed across the floor. She crouched down feeling for a pulse as she turned Liv onto her back.
“Is she okay?” Ollie asked.
“She’s alive,” Mallory said. “That’s all I can tell you right now.”
George looked down to the water on the floor, then to the elevator.
“Where did the water come from?” Bob asked. “Please don’t tell me it flooded up there.”
“No, that’s not logical,” George replied. “It had … it had to have come through the air vents. One of them is in the shaft.”
“You sure?”
“Nope.” George shook his hand. While he was confident in his guess, there was no true way of knowing until they could ascend to another floor. They couldn’t do that until after the tail of Olympias had cleared. Even though they had to remain underground for a while, they had to be at the deepest point when Olympias and the tail was closest.
Leaving them in the dark and for all George knew, underwater.
All they could do was focus on getting Liv and Mitch the help they needed as George tried to calm his racing heart after their insane final moments preceding Olympias arrival.
It wasn’t the face Liv expected to see when she opened her eyes. Actually, she didn’t really know what she exactly anticipated. The last thing she recalled was standing in the elevator holding Mitch. Now she was cold and wet, her back and head hurt. She was face to face with Bob who stared at her as if she was on her death bed.
“You’re awake,” Bob said.
Liv tried to sit up.
“Easy.” Bob stopped her. “You’ll roll over right onto the floor like that meatball song. You’re on a counter.”
“A counter?”
“Yeah, it was either this or the floor.”
“What happened?” Liv asked.
“The best anyone could guess is some of the air vents didn’t hold, water rushed in filling the elevator shaft. You were standing right there when it caved in.”
“Oh my God.”
“You were out for about three hours. They think your clavicle is broken. They’ll know more when the tail clears. Infirmary is one floor up. I mean, chances are one floor up is safe, but no one wants to take a chance. You would think you had enough water.” Bob touched the intravenous tubing. “But apparently they say you need more. Got it duct taped to the wall. Pretty nifty if I do say so myself.
Liv peered around Bob. “Where am I?” The room was dim and crowded with people.
“They call it the safe room.”
“Where is Mitch?”
“They are trying to repair some of the damage. Mallory and another doctor. You guys did a great job, but …”
“It wasn’t an easy cut.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Bob said.
“Ollie?”
“Assisting.”
“Thank you for sitting with me.”
“I thought you were dead, Liv. The way that came down on you.”
“It’s ironic because I thought I was going to die with water rushing over me,” she said. “I was … for a moment, Bob, I was good with it. At peace.”
“Are you upset you didn’t die?”
“In a way, yeah. I really … I really wanted to see my family.”
Bob reached out, laying his hand on hers. “One day you will. And maybe one day, after some time and healing, you won’t want to get there so quick.”
“There’s our brave girl,” Donna said brightly.
Liv rolled her eyes upward to see Donna standing behind her head. She smiled, checking Liv’s arm and IV. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore.”
“Of course. I’ll see about getting you something for the pain. But I need you to rest.”
Liv nodded.
“And cover up.” She brought the blanket over to her. “Again, we’re all so proud of you for the brave things you did.”
Liv didn’t know how to respond. She forced a fake closed mouth smile. Until Donna walked away.
“Brave, huh?” Bob said.
“I don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“Staying behind for Mitch. Jumping out of the truck. Those sort of things.”
Liv huffed. “I would say it’s less bravery and more the fact that I don’t fear death.”
“Yeah, I might have to agree,” Bob said. “Not fearing death … that’s a powerful thing. But one day you’ll find out, the desire to live is much more powerful.”
“Wow, Bob, you’re really wise today.”
“Nah.” He closed one eye and shook his head. “I’m actually just sober.” He tapped her hand and stood. “No rolling over. I’m gonna go check on Mitch.”
His sober comment made her laugh and Liv really needed that. She also needed to close her eyes, even the dim lighting was bothering her.
Liv didn’t know how to feel at that particular moment or even which emotion. In that mountain bunker on a countertop, she was literally stuck between a rock and a hard spot.
She found amusement in that.
Neither place was where Liv thought she would be. The comet changed everything for her and everyone else in that shelter.
Nothing in life was certain except death, and Liv had thwarted it several times recently.
Maybe it was a sign she needed to take notice of.
The bunker, like the counter, was not where Liv wanted to be. Everything felt out of her control because she really didn’t have a choice in anything. She only had a choice in how she was going to handle things going forward.
Long term … Liv didn’t know.
For the time being, she would take the suggestion of the wise and sober Bob. She would not roll over. From the counter or in life.
24 – NEW OCEAN BLUE
Four Months Later
Colorado declared the air free from the alien particles left over from Olympias three months, one week and two days after the monster rock skimmed across the planet. London waited another week.
George was cautious and waited for the readouts to be ninety-nine percent clear before he gave the okay for those to move out from the bunker.
It was funny to him. Raven Rock Complex, immediately on the inside was shelled o
ut, an open cavern, in the empty space was what looked like a small town, underneath the town were the sub-levels.
Very few went past the base town and outside, at least for a week.
Maybe they were scared. George was a little apprehensive, but he was the first one out. He had to see.
Raven Rock complex set in the rolling green mountains of Pennsylvania was now an island months after the comet. The mountain, once swallowed by a wave, peeked out from a body of water that came nearly halfway up the mountain and spread as far as the eye could see. Occasional hilltops in the distance speckled the body of water.
It was a beautiful and spectacular vision, and George wished his little office survived the flood.
Not much did.
Even the trees were gone.
Nothing was lush and green, just dead and brown.
George supposed it wouldn’t be for long.
At least he hoped.
Communications were partially back up. They were connecting with a satellite that miraculously escaped damage. A weather satellite that sent weekly image reports.
George waited for those reports because everyone else waited on them. Hoping for waters to recede and see if landscapes had changed.
Like he did every week for the last month, he made copies with comparisons from the week before and circled the differences, then played mail boy and delivered them.
That was really all he had to do at that point. That and fish, a few people had taken to fishing. They were the species that survived, at least some of them did. Aside from the few pets that made it into Raven Rock, there were no more animals. At least from what George theorized.
Folder in hand he made his rounds. He wanted to stop and see Mallory. She was doing well and had taken Ollie under her wing. He even had her listening to a different type of music. He moved her up to nineties grunge. Still depressing but different.
Mallory had been so busy working on an antibacterial agent, George refrained from telling her she wasn’t working hard enough. While they were dug in, whether cause was stale air or just a germ gone wild, a respiratory infection made its way through the camp. It was stubborn and many times the entire place sounded like a tuberculosis ward.
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