Braving The Storms (Strengthen What Remains Book 3) (9 page)

Chapter Sixteen

Brennon Trailer Home, Thursday, September 24
^th

Zach stood, turned away, and tied the blanket around him like a Roman toga. “I should get dressed.”

Still grinning, DeLynn nodded.

Each step went squish as Zach grabbed the wet clothes from the floor and made a hasty retreat to his bedroom.

The room remained relatively dry, but they couldn’t go on living like this. He had to find a solution. Earlier he had considered getting permission for both of them to move into the armory. Nelson thought it a bad idea for Vicki to live around a hundred young men, but what choice did he have?

While Zach dressed in a dry shirt that he hoped didn’t smell of mold, a struggle raged in his mind. The armory seemed the only solution, but from the battle earlier in the day, images of the man he had killed pushed into his thoughts.

The soldiers treated him like a member of the Guard, but he had never enlisted, and now he didn’t want to join. His desire to learn about guns and to fight in battles seemed childish.

The armory might be bad for him and Vicki, but it remained better than a winter in a cold and damp trailer.

He pulled on underwear and jeans with a sigh, unable to find a better solution. As he tied his shoes, the memory of walking to see Mr. Hollister at the hotel flashed through his mind. DeLynn’s father had wanted Zach and his sister to run the general store on the first floor. The building needed a lot of work, but if they fixed it up and ran it, perhaps they could live in the back.

Zach walked to the living room. “I’m going to talk to your dad about business stuff. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He reached for his coat.

“My dad’s not at the house. He sold it.”

Zach’s arm stopped in mid reach. “What? When did that happen?”

“A few days ago. He said we couldn’t pay the mortgage anymore.”

Zach sighed. “Everyone is getting poorer.”

“Apparently everyone except the guy who bought our house.”

“Does your dad still own the hotel?”

“Yeah. We’re living there now.”

Zach looked out a nearby window and spotted the Hollister car. “Good, I need to talk with him about hotel business. Can you take me to him?”

“Sure. Grab your coat.”

“You guys go ahead,” Vicki said “I’ll stay here.”

* * *

Morton, Thursday, September 24
^th

Fletcher sat behind the car and wondered how many people remained in Morton. Wind blew smoke and flames across the downtown area, and he heard several vehicles race away. “We need to pull back. Stay together and rendezvous just north of the highway near the hotel.” He repeated the message to Fifth Squad over the radio.

Fletcher shifted his weight to get a better view of the situation. A stab of pain from the wound in his side caused him to stop. Holding the bloody bandage he inched cautiously up, hoping to shout to the looters across the street.

Bang! A bullet whizzed past his head and imbedded in the wall behind him.

He cursed and fell back behind the car. Sitting there, Fletcher tried to shout for the looters to surrender before the fire killed them.

More shots rang out.

“I think they’re hoping we’ll leave so they can escape.” The soldier peeked around the car.

“We are going to leave.” Fletcher gestured for them to move back, around the corner.

“Are we letting the looters go free?” another asked.

Fletcher shook his head. “Either the fire gets them or we will, but I don’t want to be cooked while they’re deciding what to do.”

The squad jogged north one block, closer to the fire, but away from the gunmen. They joined with Spencer and the other private left to guard the intersection and then move away from the growing flames.

Fletcher’s side ached. Gently he pressed a hand to his wound, and wondered if he would be able to keep up. He moved cautiously east with the soldiers, at a slower than normal pace and told himself that it was to avoid ambush by looters, but he knew better.

The soldiers crept east along deserted streets. Finally they turned south, away from the fire, and toward the other squad.

Shots boomed as they neared the rendezvous point.

The radio crackled. “Fletcher, this is Fifth Squad. We’ve engaged five shooters.”

“Roger. We are headed south along the main street.”

“That should bring you behind them.”

Fletcher and the men of Second Squad jogged along the side of a large hotel. Flames leaped to the sky from buildings a quarter mile to the north. Smoke choked the air.

Reaching the parking lot, Fletcher spotted several men behind two pickups shooting at Fifth Squad. The trucks were loaded with food, electronics, clothes, and an assortment of other items. Fletcher turned to his men. “Spread out and move forward. When I signal, stop and find cover, but hold your fire. I’ll give them one chance to surrender.”

When they were twenty yards from the shooters, Fletcher signaled the soldiers to stop. He waited for them to find cover. “You’re surrounded. Cease fire and lay down your weapons.”

The looters turned and fired.

The soldiers shot back.

In seconds the fight was over. Fletcher stood over the body of a middle-aged man with a bullet hole in his chest. “Why didn’t you just surrender?”

* * *

Hollister Hotel, Thursday, September 24
^th

As they turned the corner toward the hotel, Zach noticed lights shining from several windows and the portico. DeLynn parked in front and frowned. “Where is the valet? It’s so hard to get good help these days.”

Zach was confused. “You hired a…?”

DeLynn laughed. “No, of course not. Let’s go find Dad.”

Inside they followed the buzz of the circular saw and found Mr. Hollister in what would someday be a bakery. Covered with sawdust, he stood with his back to them, cutting two-by-fours.

“A year ago my dad wore a business suit to work. Now he wears a T-shirt and jeans.” She sighed. “You guys talk business. I’ll be with Mom.”

Zach walked into the room. The walls were roughed-in. A used glass and steel-display counter nearly divided the space. A cash register sat on the floor wrapped in clear plastic. Hollister appeared to be cutting boards for the counter. He waited for him to stop and set the saw down.

“Ah, Mr. Hollister?”

He spun around. “Oh, hi, Zach. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Could I talk with you? I have a problem.” Zach explained that the trailer needed a new roof. “The carpet is soaked from the recent rains. In half the house water drips from the ceiling.”

“That’s an electrical hazard.”

A weight settled on Zach. “I didn’t think of that. I don’t know how to fix a trailer roof and I couldn’t afford it anyway. I don’t know what to do.”

Hollister rubbed his chin. “I’m not sure I can help with the roof, but I might be able to solve your housing problem.”

Zach cast him a confused look.

“I own a hotel.” Hollister spread his arms wide. “Follow me to the freight elevator.”

A few minutes later Zach stood in a dark room.

Hollister screwed in a lightbulb. “This is the north penthouse.”

Zach walked around. The interior walls had a few holes and had been stripped of paneling, trim, and electrical switches, but were otherwise intact. A hint of dust lingered in the air, but he detected no smell of damp or mold. “Do you have a flashlight?”

Hollister handed him one.

Using it, Zach inspected the ceiling.
No stains
. Moving to the bathroom he discovered there was no toilet or faucet.

“I’ve got a faucet, but I haven’t had time to install it, and I need to find a toilet.”

“We can use the one from our trailer.”

“Good thinking. You’d need to do the renovation and installation work, but the roof is good. It was the first thing I checked.”

Zach nodded. “On the way here, DeLynn said you lived in the penthouse.”

“There are two apartments on the top floor. We live across the hall, in the south penthouse.”

The thought of living so close to DeLynn intrigued Zach. He grinned.

Mr. Hollister gave him a disapproving glare. “Living in the hotel is contingent upon you accepting my offer to run the general store.”

“I think we have a deal.”

Kent Hollister held out his hand and the two shook.

As DeLynn drove Zach home, the weight of worry regarding how he and his sister would live that winter lifted. Sadness and regret seeped into its place. The image of the brown-haired man he had killed returned to his mind. He shook his head. Perhaps they had both made bad decisions earlier today. Zach resolved to make better choices in the future.

“What’s the problem?” DeLynn asked, turning up the driveway to the trailer.

“Huh?”

“You haven’t spoken a word since we left the hotel.”

“Oh, just a lot to think about, I guess.” Zach kissed her and stepped from the car. She drove off as he entered the trailer. Vicki came from her bedroom.

“Did you find Mr. Hollister and get your business done?”

“Yeah.” Zach motioned for his sister to sit at the kitchen table. “We need to talk.”

Vicki sat in her usual spot, across from Zach. “Is there something wrong?” She looked around the disheveled trailer. “Well, more wrong?”

“No. Hopefully things have turned for the better. How would you like to move into the penthouse at Mr. Hollister’s hotel?”

Vicki looked skeptical. “Move into a penthouse? I don’t think we have ten dollars between us. How would we pay him?”

“I’ll get to that in a minute. The penthouse is nice, but it needs some work, well, a lot of work, but compared to this dump, it’s great. Not like in the movies great. I’ll need to take the toilet from here, but it’s dry and warm.”

“Is there room service? I’m not moving to a penthouse that doesn’t have room service.”

“What?” Zach looked at her, confused.

“I’m kidding, brother.” Vicki grinned. “Move from this place into a dry hotel penthouse. Sure. Can we do it tonight?”

“There’s more. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this … how would you like to help me run a store?”

“How would we buy a store?” Her eyes grew wide. “You haven’t done anything stupid have you, like sell drugs, or maybe use them?”

“No, Sis, this is not a drug-induced hallucination.” Zach explained how they would run the store and share the profits with Mr. Hollister.

“Why is he doing all of this for us?”

“I think he’s decided that DeLynn and I are serious, and he wants me away from the military and where he can keep an eye on me.”

“Good.” Vicki grinned. “I want you away from the military.”

“I think I do, too.” He sighed deeply and stared at the floor.

Vicki touched his arm. “What’s wrong?”

In a voice just above a whisper he said, “I killed a man today.”

Chapter Seventeen

Brennon Trailer Home, the night of Thursday September 24
^th

As they talked into the night, Zach poured out the story of the battle at the bridge to Vicki. Several hours later, when the siblings gazed at each other in thoughtful silence, there were no more tears for the brown-haired man in the button-down shirt, only resolve. They would move out of the broken-down trailer and into the hotel. Zach would quit at the armory and together they would run the general store. There would be no more killing.

“Will you be okay?” Vicki rested a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded.

Vicki yawned and stumbled off to bed.

Several more hours passed before Zach managed a fitful sleep.

As DeLynn pulled to a stop outside the trailer the next morning, Vicki turned to Zach. “You should tell her what you told me last night.”

“Somethings are easier to say to you.” Zach nodded. “But I will … someday.”

Zach and Vicki stepped from the trailer and together, the three went on to school.

* * *

Morton High School, Friday, September 25
^th

Sitting in the lobby of the high school that now served as a barracks, Fletcher stared at a map of Morton. Fires still smoldered, but a combination of firefighter efforts and an overnight drizzle largely put them out. Still, that left a third of the downtown as a charred monument to lawlessness and panic.

Sergeant Garcia walked into view. “The soldiers are ready.”

Fletcher nodded and then returned his gaze to the map. Most of the people still in Morton were either sick, barricaded in their homes, or both. The hospital, police, and fire department were the only functioning public services. Only about a dozen individuals still served in those areas. They were heroes in his mind, but he wondered how long they could continue.

He still felt weak and his side ached, but he had a job to do. Fletcher stood. “Okay, we’ve been ordered to establish a checkpoint at White Pass. Let’s saddle up and head out.”

“Saddle up? Are we going there on horses?” Garcia smiled and rubbed his chin. “Seriously, First Sergeant, why do they want us to make a checkpoint way out there?”

“Haven’t a clue.” Fletcher walked toward the door.

* * *

Hansen Armory, Friday, September 25
^th

Brooks stepped into the office holding several pages in one hand.

Caden hung up the phone. “General Harwich called a meeting of all the area commanders.”

“When?”

“As soon as we can get there.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“No.” Caden shook his head. “It doesn’t. In addition to my own car, he also wanted me to bring two Humvees and a squad of soldiers.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t say.” Caden glanced at the pages Brooks held. “What have you got for me?”

“First and Fifth Squads are in route to White Pass, but … is a checkpoint that far out a good idea?”

“They will be out of radio range, but they are our two best squads.” Caden walked to the map in the conference room next door. “I think refugees from Yakima might have caused the Morton outbreak and, by extension, the fight at the bridge. That’s not going to happen again.” He pressed his finger to the map. “The top of White Pass is the eastern edge of my authority. Until we can build a radio repeater and establish reliable communications, I want our best on the pass. We are not going to be a dumping ground for Colonel Hutchison’s sick and dying. I intend to stop the spread of Kern flu there. Let him deal with his own problems.”

“Yes, sir,” Brooks said hesitantly. “I’ll have the motor pool get the vehicles ready for your trip to Olympia.”

* * *

Hansen High School, Friday, September 25
^th

Zach stepped from class as the last bell of the day sounded. Nearly every teacher warned him not to miss more anymore classes. He looked down at a fist-full of make-up assignments and sighed. Today might be Friday, and Sunday would be his eighteenth birthday, but he would spend the weekend on homework, installing a toilet, and other renovations.

DeLynn hurried down the hall. When she reached Zach’s side she thumped his arm. “Vicki just told me you two are going to be living at the hotel. We’re going to be neighbors again!” A mock frown crossed her face. “Why didn’t you tell me that this morning?”

Together they walked down the hall.

“I had a lot on my mind and I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“There was.” Zach stopped at his locker. “But I think things are going to be better.”

“No, you don’t get away that easy. What’s up?”

Zach looked about at all the people in the hall. “Not here. Tonight, maybe?”

“Okay.” She smiled. “Tonight for sure. Do you feel well enough to pack? We can have you moved in today.”

He spun the dial on the lock. “Could you and Vicki start? I’ve got to go by the armory.”

“Vicki said you were quitting?”

“I am, but I left my school books in a Humvee. I need to find them.”

This time a serious frown appeared. “I’ll take you.”

Zach slammed the locker shut, threw his backpack over one shoulder and followed her to the school parking lot. If the problems in his life were gradually being resolved, why did he feel pulled in different directions?

As they neared the Armory front gate, a dark blue SUV hurried down the hill.

“That was Major Westmore in the backseat.” Zach turned and followed the car with his eyes. “He only uses a driver when he’s going out of the area. I wonder what’s up.”

“It’s not really your concern anymore.”

He sighed. “No, I guess not.”

Zach left DeLynn in the car and went in search of his books. It didn’t take long to find them on the floor beside Nelson’s bunk. He placed them in his backpack and went looking for First Sergeant Fletcher. Telling him he was quitting would be hard. The first sergeant would ask why he wanted to leave and Zach didn’t want to look like a quitter when he answered. He rehearsed the words he would use, but none seem to right. He liked the guys here. He wanted to be a part of it, but the faces of those he killed haunted him.

There didn’t appear to be anyone in the armory office when he arrived. He was about to leave when Lieutenant Brooks stepped in.

“Hi, Zach, do you need something?”

“Ah, yes sir. I wanted to talk to the first sergeant.”

“That’ll be difficult. He’s at White Pass by now. Can I help?”

“Ah … I need to quit my job here.”

Brooks sat at his desk and motioned for Zach to sit. “What’s wrong?”

People seemed to be asking him that a lot lately. “Nothing … not really.” Zach shook his head slowly. “I need more time to study and I’ve had another job offer.”

“Well, in your case this is just a job, you didn’t enlist, but your work here has been great. The soldiers accept you as one of their own. I’d be sorry to see you go.” Brooks sighed. “But, if that is your decision, I’ll let Major Westmore know when he returns.”

As he walked from the office, Zach felt like a coward turning his back on friends in danger. He told himself quitting was the right thing to do, even though it didn’t feel right.

* * *

Olympia, Friday, September 25
^th

The sun cast long shadows across the parking lot near the Wainwright building. Caden walked briskly to the multi-story stone structure and up the steps. He entered and a soldier stepped forward and saluted. “Are you here for the meeting with General Harwich.”

“Yes.”

“Please speak with the nurses, before proceeding to the meeting.” He gestured to his right.

A nurse directed him to a small cubicle created with partitions and plastic sheets. One nurse took his temperature while another asked him questions about his health and condition, such as age and weight.

Without looking up from the tablet she asked, “Have you ever been exposed to the Kern Flu?”

“Yes. Three days ago.”

Her head popped up. “Did you get sick?”

“No.”

She turned to the other nurse. “What’s his temperature?”

“Normal.”

She took a deep breath and wrote quickly. “Are you experiencing nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness?” After a few more questions and negative answers from Caden, she said, “You appear to be fine. General Harwich has asked all meeting participants to proceed directly to room 315.”

Caden knew right where to go. He had been briefed about the Kern Flu, and met Colonel Hutchison in room 315 just three days earlier. It had been a long and stressful period with refugees coming over the mountains from Yakima, riots at the FEMA camp near Longview, and the chaos in Morton. He hoped the colonel would be there, Caden had a lot he wanted to discuss with him.

Two guards stood by the heavy metal door at the entrance to room 315. They checked Caden’s identification before admitting him. The windowless room still had two tables set in the form of a capital “T.” A whiteboard occupied one wall. Ten officers in ACUs stood in small groups just inside, but neither General Harwich nor Colonel Hutchison had arrived. Caden walked idly about, saying hello to those inside. Caden smiled as he passed by two officers discussing the military situation. Major Dowrick stood nearby listening.

A lieutenant pointed to a small table near the whiteboard. “There’s an agenda there and some briefing papers.”

“Thanks.” Caden collected the pages and sat down. Most of the agenda items dealt with the Kern Flu. The other matters were on the national political and military situation.

Caden glanced as another group entered the room. He recognized most of them, but quickly returned to his reading. A few minutes later someone sat across from him. He looked up from the papers and into the eyes of Colonel Hutchison, the commander of the Yakima region, just to the east of Caden’s region.

“Major Westmore, I have a problem I need to speak with you about.”

“Oh?” The colonel’s brusque tone surprised Caden. “I need to speak with you also.”

They moved to an empty corner of the room.

“Refugees from your area are pouring over the mountains into my area.” Hutchison’s manner was that of a disappointed parent. “Some are sick, a few are dying.” He stabbed a finger to within an inch of Caden’s chest. “You need to get control of the situation.”

Caden’s skin warmed, as anger blazed within him.