“Yeah, I know she’s hot and no, you can’t go meet her. Eat your lunch and quit whining.” I said to my partner.

Brother, some people.

Sitting in my patrol car, I ate my lunch and did some girl watching. We parked here everyday for lunch, when we had the morning shift, and watched all the trophy wives go for a jog or swim at the community pool.

They didn’t care because to them, we didn’t exist.

We were just another fixture in this gated community. Like the gardeners, mailman, dog walkers, or even the lamp posts.

Of course being private security, even armed security, made us the lowest on the totem pole of hired help.

Yep, even lower than the solar lamp posts.

And yet, who did they call when the heard a bump in the night? Yeah, yours truly.

Here comes another gaggle of females out doing their jog.

I gave my partner a quick glance.

He was perked up and, I swear, drooling a little.

“You know you’re a pervert, don’t you? They’ll never have a thing to do with you. Just eat your lunch, will you?”

I got a glare and back he went to staring.

“Your such a dog, you know?”

Shaking my head I thought about the current world situation.

The fighting was getting hot and heavy in Syria, especially since the Russians had stepped in three months. Assad had survived three years of the Arab Spring. Putin had decided he was going to support Assad to the hilt. A Russian naval fleet, three motorized rifle divisions, and a mess of fighters, bombers, and gunships.

Putin had told NATO and the US to shove it after both had threaten to stop the Russians from sending any aid to Assad. The Russians had first landed a Spetnaz unit, two battalions worth of paratroopers with airborne armor at the Syrian capital of Damascus going through Iranian and Iraqi airspace.

The Russian invasion, as the western media was calling it, was actually kicking the Syrian rebels collective butts to the point that the rebels were facing annihilation .

The Russians had learned the lessons of the Chechen Wars well. The Russian and Syrian army would surround a enemy city or village and pound it for days or weeks.

They had brought few tanks, but more anti-aircraft ground vehicles and massive artillery. The Russian tanks were incapable of rising their guns high enough to successfully engage targets in apartment buildings or high rises. But the AA guns could rake a building from its ground floor to the top of its roof with either BZT round (Blunt AP steel core, with incendiary charge) or the new DU shells.

The two Russian weapon systems that the news always talked about was the ZSU-23 "Shilka" with its four 23mm autocannons that could shred a building in a minute. The TOS-1A, was a multiple rocket launcher and also a thermobaric weapon. It was said that when the rebels saw either one of these monsters, they would brake and run for it.

The Turks, for whatever reason though some think the US had agreed to back their play had decided to invade Syria two months ago.

The Russians had anticipated such a move and openly declared that the People’s Islamic Republic of Kurdistan was now a official nation recognized by Russia and her allies. All the Arabs states recognized it only because of they hated the Turks more than the Russians.

As Putin declared this on Russian TV, the Kurds with Spetnaz and Chinese PLA Special Operations Forces advisors, attacked across the country.

The Kurdish Plan had three main objectives.

First, destroy as many Turkish aircraft as they could, especially their modern US made fighters. Its modern aircraft could deal a fatal blow to Russia’s plans. This included an attack on the US Incirlik Air Force base.

Second, a terrorist campaign against the government and all Turks. A thousand car and truck bombs detonated across Turkey killing thousands. Suicide bombers attack police stations and government officials killing hundreds.

The Turkish General Staff was killed by a squad of Kurdish suicide bombers.

Third, kill every Turk now in the land claimed as Kurdistan.

The Turkish Army was forced to withdraw to deal with the Kurdish Uprising.. As the Turkish forces headed back into Turkey, Russian fighters and bombers attacked them along the way.

Without Turkish air cover it became Turkey’s version of the Highway of Death.

After the failed Turkish offensive, the Muslim Brotherhood was plainly loosing it’s attempt to take over Syria. To try and forestall their defeat they ran to the UN and demanded intervention.

The UN couldn’t do a thing with Russia and China sitting on the Security Counsel.

But the US could.

Why?

Hell if I know.

Being his last year in office maybe he wanted to go out with a bang?

The President had a speech that talked about freedom, the attack on Incirlik, and yadda, yadda, yadda.

Even his supporters in the MSM didn’t understand why we needed to get involved in yet another war in the Middle East. Especially with an unemployment rate near 25% and the country going broke.

But, in the end, if their guy said it was all good, then who were they to complain?

What really set them off was when Israel said they wanted nothing to do with the President’s plan. Israel recalled their ambassadors and closed their embassies around the world. It closed its border and placed their forces on high alert.

That was mostly what the news talked about. How Israel had turned its back on the US in its time of need.

And how something had to be done about it. Sanctions, embargoes, and no more aid of any kind. Israel had to be punished!

Not Russia, Israel was the real enemy!

US troops had planned on using Turkey as a staging area, but with the Kurdish Uprising, the US response was delayed until a decision could be reached.

The President had decided to try and force NATO’s hand in the Kurdish Uprising, but NATO refused to act mostly because they were broke. In frustration, the President decided to use US Forces to first put down the Kurds and then deal with Russia.

The US pressured NATO to allow US troops to assemble in Bulgaria.

As US forces tried to ready themselves for the battle, major problems started to rise up. With the War on Terror officially over for years and the US economy in a tailspin the US had, once again, decided on slashing the US military to the bone. Half of all divisions had been demobilized in the Army, the Navy was down to three carrier battle groups and four attack subs. The Air Force had been cut by more than third also, mostly in bombers and transport/lift capabilities.


The USMC, the most hated of all the services, had been slashed to a tenth its former size.

The Reserves and National Guard had seen a mass exodus of personnel that had had enough of having to fight for years and loosing their jobs, homes, and families due to the extend deployments. No one knew the real shape they were in.

Worst yet, the US Military had become a “social experiment” during the last eight years. Woman, fags, and illegal’s were given hiring preferences in America’s enlighten military. Old soldiers were fired along with any that had terrorist tendencies according to DHS. The officer’s ranks were purged of all “undesirable warmongers”.

Green technology and policies was implement at all levels of the service.

And the US nuclear arsenal had been cut by 95%. All that was left were some aging Minuteman II ICBMS. The Navy had lost all of its missile boats.

The US military had become what it had under Clinton, a global “meal on wheels” force once again.

Now face with another war the “New and better” US Military was facing problems it hadn’t never encountered.

It no longer was capable of moving large amounts of troops over seas. The military found itself trying to scrounge as many civilian planes and ships as it could.

More delays.

And the Russians watched all of this very carefully.

With the American military unable to get itself in gear, the Russians and her allies decided to launch a series of “incidents“. Nothing that could be considered war by the US. But enough to keep it busy.

China sent troops to the Indian border, assembled an invasion fleet near Taiwan, and sent ships into disputed waters near Japan and the Philippines. North Korea increased their border crossings.

Mexican troops cross the borders in Texas and attack Brownsville.

They got their butts handed to them by a bunch of cowboys and headed back to old Mexico.

Then the cartels came streaming over and DHS came to the rescue.

Of the poor Mexicans.

My brain itches.

The first elements of the US military had finally arrived in Bulgaria two weeks ago. They were meet with demonstrations and terrorist attacks.

More border clashes, more navies chasing other navies, air forces chasing each other.

Riots, computer viruses running rampant, budget cuts, yadda, yadda.

I looked around the area, outside of my car. This gated community was filled with homes of white rich liberals, none of which were under five million. Even with food and fuel being in short supply, people here acted like nothing was happening outside of their walls.

Once again, I wondered why I stayed.

All the rest of my retreat group had already gone to our desert retreat. My friend, Steve along with his sons, had even cleaned out my house over a month ago of anything I would find useful so that it would be at the retreat waiting for me. But I was still here and the world was getting ready for war.

Why, I asked myself, why?

Because stupid, jobs are damn scarce and your too old to get hired again for any job.

Heck, I’m only 45 why couldn’t…

Because you’ve been doing this for 23 years and you’ve got no skills outside of security work. None that count for finding a job anyway.

I hate talking to a know it all!

I looked down at the last of my lunch. Didn’t feel hungry any more.

“Hey you want this?” I asked as I offered the other half of my meatball sub.

My partner took a look, grabbed it and wolfed it down.

“Your not a dog, you’re a pig!”

No response.

Typical.

“Car 54 where are you? Come in.”

Ah, that’s all I need. Jason the gate guard. Joker and pain in the butt.

“Car 4 is the correct call sign.” Sigh. “What do you want?”

“Are you listening to the radio? And who cares about the call signs?”

“No, I’m not and if Supervisor Roberts hears you he’ll can you kiss this job good-bye and he’ll get one of his wife’s Mexican relatives to take your place.”

Idiot.

“Might not matter anyhow.”

“Why Jason?”

“I heard that the Turkeys had just nuke the Russians in Syria.”

“Give me a minute.”

Yeah, sure. Jason was a legend in pulling legs.

I turned on the local talk station and all I heard was yelling. Someone was clearly loosing it. I tried to make out what was being said when it suddenly caught off and another voice, clear and clam spoke.

“Turkish forces have deployed several nuclear devices against Kurdish forces and Russian naval forces in the Med…”

I turned off the radio and turned on my sirens and lights.

Grabbing up the mike, I told Jason; “Open the gates.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m getting the hell out of here! Open the gates!”

People on the sidewalks were watching in wonder as I screamed through the streets. I had never used the sirens before and I was sure I saw a few getting on their cell phones to complain to the company about ruining their tranquility.

Who cares now?

As I came around the corner I could see the gates opening up and Jason running for his beat up Volkswagen Bug.

I didn’t even slow down as I drove through the gate opening and into the street.

I needed to get home!

I shut the siren off, but left the lights flashing. If a cop stopped me I’d just say I forgot.

Phones ringing and I see Roberts number.

I just shut it off and drive faster.

I guess God must have been with me this day, I got home in record time.

I left the patrol car in the street. Archon Protective Services could come and get it themselves. Plus they had my Ford Ranger in the employees parking lot.

I got out, grabbed my BOB out of the back seat, and headed for the house.

Oh, wait.

I thumbed the control on my duty belt and the front passenger door opened.

I could see him staring at me and not moving a muscle.

Some day I swear.

“Right NOW, DUKE!”

I watched as he ran over to me and sat next to me.

Dobbies!

“Come on, we got work to do!”

Running over to the garage, I unlocked the security alarm, and went inside. I got into the battered 1996 Ford F-250 4X4 and keyed the garage door opener. I opened the passenger side door, allowing Duke to jumped in and take his place.

I ran back into the house to grab up the last of my stuff I would need. The F-250 was almost full, but I had left some space for a few things I didn’t want in the truck just yet.

Going into my bed room, I opened the walk in closet and spun the dial on my gun safe. I only had three guns left in there and just a couple of ammo cans. I grabbed out my Armalite M15, AR10, and my Mossberg 590A1. Stuffing them in their cases, I ran back though the house and tossed them in the truck bed. Going back in I open the cooler next to the freezer and grabbed all the meat I could.

Lifting that in almost strained my back, just what I need right now!

Getting back in I looked at Duke and realized I left his things!

Back in and wasting more precious time.

Water/food bowls, balls, bones, and his favorite collar.

Starting up that truck, I sat for a second and thought of all the good times I had here in this house.

Wow, that few!

I drove out and hit the garage door opener, chuck it out the window, and under a neighbors car.

And got the hell out of there!




The speedometer on the F-250 was steady at 70 mph. I dared not try to go any faster or the old work truck would start to shake.

Even pulling the trailer didn’t help to stop or slow the shaking.

I’ve been on the road for over two hours by now, going as fast as I dared. Duke, my black and tan Doberman, was in a good mood. He sat there and would watch for any sign of life off on the side of the road.

But as time had dragged on, he kept glancing at me and staring. He probably didn’t care for my mumblings.

“Fools, idiots, morons!” I mumbled.

Glancing at Duke and seeing how he was watching me, I gave him a quick ear scratch and went back to watching the skyline.

I have known fear in my life. Hell, I’ve been scared to death even by some dreams I’ve had. But now, I was barely holding it together!

I should have left for the retreat weeks ago and damn that stupid job!

I had reached the self-storage unit in a small town after an hour on the road. I quickly got to my locker and hooked up my 15’ custom cargo trailer and was gone. This time I got on the freeway and kept moving.

The retreat was still hundreds of miles away and it would take me hours to get there.

I left on my weather radio knowing that any alert of the National Alert System would come over it. I heard a new news report that dozens of EMP enhanced nuclear warheads had detonated over US and Allied forces in Europe.

Ankara and Istanbul had been nuked by the Russians.

The first thought that came to my mind was the Far Side cartoon in which some generals are in a situation room, and one of them says; "What if we threw a war and everybody came?"

“DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!” I yelled, scaring Duke enough to make him jump into the back.

“Sorry there, Duke.” I said in a calm voice. Dobbies were a breed that was very sensitive to people’s emotions. “Come back on up and I have a cookie. You want a cookie? Cookie?”

Duke looked at the steak bone in my hand and jumped back up to his normal position in the front. He reached over and grabbed the bone and just crunch away.

Giving him another ear scratch, I listen for more information about what was going on, but then they just started to repeat themselves.

That always showed they knew nothing more.

After another half hour of travel, and watching the skies for contrails, that I knew I would never see, I came upon one of my last major obstacles before getting to the desert and the retreat.

The No Place Tunnel.

It wasn’t the biggest mountain tunnel by no means, only about a ¼ mile long. In fact there are two tunnels running next to each other with traffic flowing in opposite directions.

As I came into view of the tunnel, my weather radio started giving out a tone.

The Emergency Alert System was being activated! I stomped on the gas pedal trying to close the distant between me and the tunnel.

I wanted to, no needed to, get through it before the worst could happen.

The truck was really shaking as I neared the tunnel. I was concentrating so hard on making it I didn’t even hear what was being said on the radios.

As I entered the tunnel I started to lose the radio signals. When I got several yards into the tunnel I had to slam on my brakes in a vain attempt from hitting a SUV in front of me that was going slower than my 80 mph. I could see my trailer fishing tailing and my tires smoking as I tried to stop.

But not in time.

I rear-end the SUV with a crunch and sent it skidding a several feet down the tunnel.

I sat in the truck stunned at what had happen. After a moment I snapped out of it and checked Duke. He was okay but unhappy.

Poor guy had smack against the dashboard.

As I got out of my truck and grabbing my first-aid kit, I said a small prayer that the people in the SUV were alright. As I approached the SUV I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So close. I could have kept on going, but it was my responsibility to see what harm I had done and render any help that was needed.

As I got to the passenger window and was getting ready to ask if anyone was hurt, the tunnel started to tremble and was filled with the brightest light I had ever seen.

Before I could turn to see what it was a wind, like no other I had ever felt, came roaring into the tunnel like a tornado. It pushed the SUV back towards my Ford and slapped me tumbling down on the road. I could hear Duke hollowing and before I could even get to my knees, the ground began to shake and that wind came back pushing the SUV towards me.

I was flung out of the way and heard a tremendous roar, then horns honking, crashing sounds, and darkness.





I can’t breathe!

I can’t see anything but darkness.

I can’t hear anything.

Am I dead?

I wasn’t dead.

No way I could hurt this badly and be dead.

I must have blacked out for a moment or two.

I found myself on my hands and knees still trying to fill my lungs with air. Shaking my head, I tried to fight off the dizziness and the artillery barrage pounding in my head. I started to try to stand when I felt some things falling off of me. As I got to my feet, the dizziness came back in a rush. I took a couple of steps and felled against the tunnel wall. As I slid down the wall, my hand and butt landed on the floor.

And then something cut into my hand!

I jerked myself up and leaned back against the wall. I got my flashlight out of my pocket and looked at my right hand.

A shard of glass was sticking out of the palm.

Where the hell did that came from?

I looked around for the med kit I had with me, but couldn’t see it.

Putting the flashlight in my mouth, I yanked the shard out.

Ouchy!

I grabbed out a bandana I had in my pocket and wrapped my hand.

Looking around I could see headlights, but something was wrong with the way they looked. They looked distorted somehow.

Then it seemed my hearing suddenly just flipped back on. I could hear some kind of crashing noise, howling, screaming and someone was blowing their car horn. Even a car alarm was blaring. As the dizziness passed I could see a cloud of dust was what was distorting the vehicles headlights.

And it was rolling towards me.

I grabbed my flashlight from my mouth and looked around for my truck.

Hearing the howling again, I turned towards the sound and saw my Ford. My truck and trailer were jacked knifed and facing the tunnel wall. The howling was coming from my truck.

Duke. It was Duke that was howling.

Taking another deep breath, I staggered over to my truck like a drunk.

Duke stopped his howling for a moment and started up again. I figured he must have seen me coming towards the truck.

Probably looked like a zombie the way I was staggering towards him.

I ran the light over the truck looking for any damage before I opened the driver’s side door. I could see a large crack running across the windshield but I wasn’t sure if it had or hadn’t happen during the accident. Opening the door, Duke tried to leap out but I caught him before he got pass the door.

I held him and tried to calm him down. He was whimpering and shaking like a leaf.

“It’s okay Duke. I’m here. It’s okay, it’s okay. That’s a good boy.” I said as I rubbed him and held him. He finally started to calm down. “You okay now Duke?”

He gave me a look that seemed to ask; “Where the heck were you?”

I motion for him to move over, but he jumped into the back seat. I shrugged and give the truck another look. I noticed that the passenger wing window had blown in.

“Dang, that must have really set him off.” I thought as I swept safety glass off the seat and got in. I reached and grabbed a bag of cookies out of the glove compartment and flipped them over to Duke. Being the smartas.., I mean intelligent Dobbie that he was; he just ripped the bag open and started munching.

Nothing stops a Dobbie from eating.

I decided I needed to find out if the truck still ran. Putting the key in the ignition, and saying a short prayer, I gave it a try.

The old truck started right up.

“Thanks God, that’s one more I owe you.” I said aloud.

Thankfully, I must have been far enough back in that any EMP from the nuke hadn’t got my truck. Or maybe that Congressional report was right about EMP being over blown in regard to vehicles.

I turned on the headlights just in time to see a dust cloud envelope the truck and then the dust started to pour in the missing wing window.

‘Crap!” I grabbed up the plastic bag that I used for garbage, which hung from the ashtray and stuffed it in the opening. Luckily there was some stuff in the bag and it jammed the opening up really good. I grabbed some duct tape out of the glove compartment and taped the bag in place.

I looked around and made sure no other windows were missing and didn’t find any.

Duke gave a sneeze from the dust that had got in and gave me a look that said he blamed me for this.

I mumbled something about uppity Doberman Pinschers and how people in Korea ate dog, when my head started pounding even more. Grabbing some aspirin from the console, I took four and gulped them down with some water. I turned off the lights because it seemed to make my eyes ache and I closed my eyes for a moment.

It felt so good to sit back and…

Duke gave me a bark that woke me up. I had no idea how long I had dozed off for, but the pounding was almost gone. I couldn’t believe a nuke had just gone off a moments ago and I fallen asleep.

Turning the headlights back on I could see that a lot of the dust had settled down. I didn’t see the SUV I had hit, they must have moved over where the other cars were. I could still see the headlights from the other cars in the dust.

I had to decide what to do. I couldn’t see any daylight coming in from either openings and none of the tunnel lights were working.

I snapped my fingers, of course, that’s where the glass had come from that had cut on me. The lights ran down the both sides on the entire length of the tunnel. The blast must have shattered them.

The pain I got for snapping my fingers reminded me that I need to take care of that cut. I grabbed up a mini-med kit and took care of it.

Yeah, I can be a bit anal. So sue me.

Before I could make any plans on what I could do, I knew I needed to check out the tunnel and see what my fellow survivors were up to.

And I needed some gear.

Some of the gear was in the truck with me and the rest was in the truck bed. I grabbed a multi-million candlelight spotlight that hung from on the back of my seat. Reaching behind the passenger’s seat, I snagged the small gym bag where I kept an extra pair of clothes and towels. I got a towel out and wrapped it around my face. I took my sunglasses off the dashboard and put them on.

I looked back at Duke and asked; “What do you think? Is it me or what?”

He gave me a look he always gave me when I got takeout.

“Hurry up and get back.”

I gave him a look, which he naturally ignored.

Mumbling again, which I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, I left the cab light on for Duke. Getting out of the truck, I grabbed up one more piece of equipment, my duty belt and put it on. I turned the spotlight on and headed for the back of the truck. There was still plenty of dust in the air, the towel was doing its job but it was a pain. It just didn’t want to stay in place as I moved.

Luckily I had something better.

Unlocking the rear, opening up the door, and lowering the tail gate, I started my search. I shut the spotlight off and turned on an overhead LED light that lit up the bed of the truck. Moving some stuff around and out, I pulled out a couple Rubbermaid containers that had food stored in them and found a large surplus military medical chest that had hazmat tape on it. Pulling it to the tailgate, I opened it up and looked through my NBC gear.

I found a bottle of KI tablets and took two and saved one for Duke. I then grabbed out a Tactical Domestic Preparedness gas mask and put it on. I was glad to have that towel off my face. I also grabbed out a pair of dosimeters for me and Duke. I then grabbed up a CD-715 radiation meter. I closed back up the chest and grabbed a 20MM ammo can with some reflective white tape on it. This was my “Light” box were I kept all my LED lights and lantern’s. Rummaging around I found a headlamp and tried to put it on.

Sigh.

I took the mask off, put the headlamp on over my cap and then put the mask back on.

Lastly, I grabbed up a large medical bag, and headed towards the lights.





I got about 10 feet from the truck when I remembered about the extra dosimeter and KI for Duke.

Going back to the truck, I got inside.

“Duke, come here.” I commanded, as much as I can with him, patting the passenger seat.

He jumped up to his customary spot and I fished out the dosimeter from my pocket and hooked it to his collar. I got out the KI and stuck it in a doggie treat. He eyed the treat trying to decide if I had poison it or not.

As he gobbled it down I said: "Fooled you." in my best Dark Helmet voice.

In response Duke started shaking slightly, letting me know, he had to go.

“Can’t wait, huh?” I asked.

He raised his ears and gave me a look that told me a mighty river would flood my truck very soon.

Reaching under the front seat, I fished out a old canvas ammo pouch I kept some of his stuff in. Pulling out his rubber booties, I slipped them on his feet.

His look said he hated those stupid boots, but he was willing to tolerate them just for me.

Opening the passenger side door, I let him out. I got out myself and walked to the back of the truck.

As I watched him sniff around for a few minutes while walking like a duck, I could still hear plenty of noise coming from the others. Taking a look around, I could see that the dust had settled down somewhat. The vehicles in the tunnel were easier to make out now.

The SUV I had rammed, a car, a white box truck, and a pickup seemed to be all that were in the tunnel. Though I still couldn’t see either end of the tunnel.

Hearing the sound of rushing water, I turn my head in time to see Duke watering one of the wheels on the trailer.

Finally.

After Niagara Falls came to an end, I got a relived Duke back in the Ford.

“Be back as fast as I can.” I said as I tried to leave again.

I headed for the SUV that I had rammed since it was the closet one to me.

It looked pretty bad from the back end where I had hit it. The Cadillac Escalade’s bumper and back door were caved in. But someone had got out and duct taped a garment bag over the busted rear window. Hopefully, that meant they were okay, but I still needed to check.

Walking up to the darkly tinted window, I gave it a tap.

Nothing, but I could hear an argument going on inside.

So, this time I gave it a stronger tap.

Heard me this time, they were quite.

Slowly the window went down, just enough so that the driver could see me and not let much dust in.

First impressions and all, I guess this guy could do my taxes.

Short guy, dark hair, round face, but not fat. Glasses. Suit and tie.

Seeing that I would need to start I said; “Are you alright? I wanted to make sure since, I, err, was the one that slammed into you and I…”

The next thing I see is a red hair vixen pushing her way over to the window and shouting;

“You’re the bastard that rammed us? You **** for brains idiot! Do you have any idea how much this car costs!?!”

“Well, I…”

“Shut up and get that light out of my eyes! When the cops get here I’m going to see that your arrested!”

And with that she jumped back into her seat and crossed her arms, muttering choice things for sure.

The guy, I would guess was the husband, just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

“Okay then. But I would like to offer my help if you need it.”

“NO!”

And with the Big Red’s last command the window was rolled back up.

“Built like a Mack truck and a mouth like a sailor.”

Definitely a trophy wife, I thought.

Well, since that went so well, I jogged over to the car, that turned out to be a Honda Civic Hybrid to see if someone else wanted to yell at me.

Getting over to the Honda, I could see an older man, clutching at his chest.

“Dang!”

I got around to the driver’s side of the Honda and tried the door.

Thankfully, it opened.

I knelt down next to the man and put my hand on his shoulder and shook him.

“Can you hear me? Are you alright?” I asked loudly.

The man turned to me and said; ’My son, where’s…”

Clutching at his chest again, he gave a groan and slumped over the wheel.

“Dang it!” I said as I pulled him back and felt for a pulse.

I couldn’t find one.

Giving him a quick once over, I found some blood seeping from his nose.

And I had no clue what that meant.

My first-aid training was pretty standard for my line of work. Red Cross first-aid course, an advance course, and CPR.

I pulled him out of the Honda and laid him on the ground and started giving CPR. After a few minutes, I could tell I wasn’t getting anywhere and no one came to my shouts for help.

Without a defibrillator, a couple of paramedics and a medivac, there was nothing I could do for him.

I closed his eyes and folded his arms over him. Saying a quick prayer for the dead, I went to see about the others.

I came upon the box truck next. It had a logo for a snack food company on the side.

Climbing up on the passenger side, I saw that the windows in the doors were completely blown out and the airbags had popped.

There was a middle age hippie looking guy with a grey pony tail behind the wheel. The passenger looked like some wannabe gangster. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and had a do-rag over his face, so I couldn’t tell how old he was or what he looked like. But one thing I could see.

He was shaking like a leaf in a storm.

“You two okay?”

The older man jumped, lowered his handkerchief and asked loudly; “Where did you come from? Is help here?”

The kid started to babble about getting home, when I held up my hands and said; “Hang on a minute!”

The older guy gave me a look.

“What? I can’t hear you, take off that mask.”

Lifting up the mask, again, I asked; “Do you need any help? Are either of you hurt?”

“What?”

“Are you hurt?”

“Quit mumbling, speak up!”

I ran over to the drivers side, climbed up, leaned in and asked; “Can you hear me know?”

“Barely, speak up!”

Grrr. I looked at them both and shouted; “CAN YOU HEAR ME? ARE YOU HURT?”

“Man, there must be something wrong with my hearing, I heard you, but it sounds off.”

I thought about it for a moment and it came to me.

The pressure of the blast wave from the nuke must have done it.

It must have messed up their hearing when the pressure blew their windows. Hopefully, just for now. And that explained why no one came when I yelled for help.

They all must be close to being deaf.

Great, just one more thing on the menu.

I repeated the question I asked before and got a couple of no’s. They seemed okay to me, just some scraps from the safety glass.

“I’ll be back.” I said as I turned to find the remaining survivors.

“What?”

I just waved good-bye and walked to the pick-up truck.
-------------------------------

Mark watched as the big man move on. He looked like a cop, but he had seen the security tab on his shirt.

Looking over at his younger partner, Tommy, and he saw that he had his hand in the hoodies pocket.

Numb nuts! He thought. Just what we need, a shoot out when I don’t know what’s even going on. Mark could tell that Tommy was jonesing for a hit pretty bad from the way he was shaking.

Damn crack head.

Reaching over Mark grabbed Tommy’s wrist and pulled his hand out of his pocket. Grabbing the Raven automatic, Mark shoved it in his pants pocket and gave Tommy a look to silence his outburst that Mark knew was forming in his burned out pea size brain.

Pulling the handkerchief back over his face, Mark tried to figure out their next move.
-----------------------------------

I walked up to an old rusted Chevy Silverado with sign on the door advertising Condor Electric Service. Somewhat surprising, their windows were intact. I walked up to the two men sharing a med-kit.

Both looked like the could be cousins, lanky, dark haired and tall.

“YOU TWO OKAY?”

“Why are you shouting, ********? Oh, I didn‘t mean that officer, didn‘t see the uniform.”

Some days I just can’t win.

“Sorry, but the two guys in the box truck have lost some of their hearing from the blast wave that came down the tunnel. Their ear drums are probably damaged, thought you might have the same problem.”

“Nah, just a slight ringing. Jimmy and me are fine. We had the windows down cause the AC stop working. Just rattled a bit. Hey, do you know what exploded? Was it a fuel truck or something?”

“A nuke, most likely, from what I was hearing on the radio. Oh, and I'm not a...”

I watched as the man’s face drained of blood. “Nuke? A &^%$ NUKE!?!”

He started pacing back and forth in front of his truck.

“I need to get OUT! My wife and kids, I need…”

I grabbed him by his shirt and gave him a jerk.

“Listen up! We’re stuck here for now. Both ends of the tunnel are sealed off, probably with tons of rocks. No one’s going anywhere yet.

So calm down, okay? I know that your worried about your family, but panicking isn’t going to help. Go sit down and take a breather.

Why don’t you try your cell and see if you can get a hold of your family? I have to see if there are any others that need help.

Okay?”

I watched the man nod his head and go sit in the truck.

“Thanks. He really cares for his family.”

I nodded to Jimmy and said; “ Try and keep your friend calm. He won’t get any cell reception in here, but it might keep him busy for a while. We don’t need him running around getting everyone else in a uproar.”

Jimmy thought about that for a moment and went and got in the truck.

I couldn’t see any other lights from cars.

Wonder who had done all the screaming I heard?

I unhooked the spotlight from my belt and turned it on.

The LED spotlight was a bright one. I knew I could spot things almost a ¼ mile away from me. The dust that still was in the air was limiting the range, but not by a lot.

I was moving the light slowly from one side to the other of the tunnel when I came upon another SUV that had been rammed into the side of the tunnel about a hundred feet or so from me.

All the glass in the SUV looked all blown out.

Then I saw movement.

Turning back towards the Chevy, I flashed the two men inside and yelled: “I need help! Come with me!” I waved my arm forward and started on a run.

I heard doors slamming behind me and boots on concrete.

Running up to the driver’s side, I could see a woman, bottle blond and fat, covered in dust, trying to move.

“Don’t move, Miss. I’m here to help.”

But she kept moving and trying to reach out.

I reached through the driver’s side window and grabbed her hand.

She screamed. More in fright than injury, I hope.

As she turned to me and I could see that she didn’t see me or my light shinning right into her eyes.

See didn’t see anything.

“Oh, God, please help me! I can’t see or hear anything! My sister!”

She started a mad scramble to reach the person next to her, but she probably was in shock and was reaching out everywhere.

I heard the door on the other side open and I could see Jimmy looking at the other girl on his side. She was a thin brunette, probably around 19 or 20.

“Don’t move her! We need to check to make sure…” I was going to say ‘about her spine‘, but I had no idea how.

Damn! I should have taken that EMT class when I had the chance!

“Just see if she has a pulse, nothing else!”

Jimmy was searching for it before I finished. He blow his cheeks out and gave me a thumbs up.

The woman was really starting to struggle with me still, so I grabbed her seatbelt and pulled her towards the door. Getting a firm grip with one hand, I used the other to open the door and get a hold of her.

I didn’t want her to hurt her with all the flailing about she was doing.

“Jiminy, get over here and give me a hand!”

Running over to my side, Jimmy asked; “What do you want me to do?”

“I need you to hold her while I cuff her hands to the steering wheel.”

“Why?”

I just gave him a look that promised damage to important parts of his body if he didn’t do it right now.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay. Okay.”

Once Jimmy had his hands full, I let go, grabbed my cuffs and then her hands.

When I got one of the cuffs on, she went in overdrive, screaming and jumping around like a Mexican jumping bean. Started screaming about her sister again.

I finally got her cuffed and Jimmy let go like he had had a wild tiger.

“What now?” he asked.

I leaned in and grabbed the woman’s head and putting my lips to her ear I shouted;

“STOP!”

Nothing, just more yelling.

Once again, I repeated the command.

This time she almost stopped. She still jerked around and but she was huffing and puffing.

Either she heard me or she had worn herself out.

Hopefully both.

Leaning down again, I yelled again; “CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

This time she stopped moving and turned her head towards me. It looked like she was getting a hold of herself. I didn’t blame her a bit for losing it.

What the heck would it be like to wake up and not hear or see?

I’d probably lose it too.

She gulped a breath down and said; “I can’t see anything but bright spots.” She took another breath. “I can’t hear you. Why are you doing this too me? Where's Samantha? Where’s my daddy?” And she starting crying.

Jimmy asked again; “What now?”

I shrugged my shoulders. I guess I now knew where the screaming had come from. She probably was drifting in and out of conciseness.

Turning to Jimmy, I said; Go get your friend, we’ll need help in…”

When I heard a scream of agony that stood my hair on end.




“What the hell was that?” asked Jimmy.

I looked around trying to figure out where the scream had come from, but the tunnel was acting like an echo chamber. I couldn’t figure where it was coming from.

Jimmy started to asked something when I held up my hand for silence.

This time I heard a low moan coming from somewhere to the front of me. Using the spotlight, I slowly scan the front of the tunnel.

There! I could see where someone had dragged themselves though the dust on the road. Following the trail I finally spot someone pulling themselves by their hands.

Looking over at Jimmy, I said; “Follow me.” And ran towards the survivor.

I kept my light on the man, so as not to lose him in the dark. I vaguely realized that he wasn’t seeing the light, as he kept dragging himself away from me.

When we finally caught up with him, Jimmy stooped dead in his tracks and said; “Whew!”

I had to agree.

Whoever it was had messed themselves.

Grabbing my mask and putting on a pair of gloves I knelt down and turned him over.

I could hear Jimmy puking behind me.

I fought the urge myself and tried to figure what I could possibly do for this man.

His face looked like a giant burn blister, layers of skin were ether gone or cooked black. He also had blood running out of his ears and nose, his shirt looked to have melted on his body. Safety glass was embed all over his body.

His right eye had a chunk of glass in it and his other looked cooked.

Even through the mask I could smell his cooked flesh.

I grabbed at my medic bag, but what could I do? This guy needed Morphine at the very least and I didn’t have any.

Then he started to scream again.

I looked behind me to Jimmy and saw the look of horror on his face.

Probably matched mine.

The man ran out of gas for screaming, thank God, and just started moaning again.

That’s when I had a wailing.

Oh, God! Not more.

Please.

I grabbed out a Cyalume chemlight out of my bag. Snapping it, I jammed it the man’s belt. I want to able to find him if he crawled off again.

“Jimmy, take this flashlight. Stay with him for now.”

“You going to find the one making the noise? What if they’re in just as bad shape as he is? What would be the use?”

“What should I do? Hum really loud to drown them out? No, I have to try.”

I looked Jimmy up and down and said; “Thought you were better than that.”

Grabbing up my spotlight again I followed the trail the man had made and towards the wailing.
*****************

Jimmy watched as the man took off.

“Up yours!” he muttered.

Just as Jimmy was thinking of something new to say, a voice startled him.

“Jimmy, where’s that cop going?”

Pointing to the bobbing light he said; “He heard someone yelling or something and is going to find them.” Jimmy paused for a moment and then said; “ And he ain’t no cop either, Matt.”

“What do you mean? He looks like one of those SWAT cops or something. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I got a look at his shoulder patch, it said ‘Archon Protective Services.’ It’s a close copy of some LEO tactical uniforms I‘ve seen, but he’s a fake. Just some kind of cheap rent-a-cop.”

“Dang, Jimmy. I guess you would know with your dad being a County Deputy and you on the Posse.” Matt furrowed his brow. “Why did he let us think he was a cop, then?”

“He never said he was. Hell, after what had happened, I was happy that a LEO was in here with us too. Plus getting knocked around, our hearing going wonky, not much light, the dust, the shock, and bingo! Everyone probably just assume he was what he look like.”

Matt nodded his head. He looked down at the moan man and said; “I couldn’t get a hold of Jill.”

“All this rock is blocking the signal, Matt.”

“Yeah, I know. I just needed to try.”

Jimmy looked at his boss and just nodded.

Matt watched Jimmy as he screwed up his face for a moment.

“What, Jimmy?”

Jimmy shrugged his shoulders and said; “I wonder what was chirping
on that rent-a-cop.”

----------------------------------------

I could see that I was getting closer to the exit of the tunnel.

God, what was I going to find? A bus load of senior citizens? A school bus full of kids? The Swedish Bikini Team? The thought of finding more like the man terrified the hell out of me. I had no way of dealing with anyone in that shape. I needed those medics, medivac, and that hospital.

Hell, I'd settle for a cub scout right now.

Trying to clear the thoughts from my head, I heard something close to me.

I stopped and listened.

There! A chirping noise. What the heck was that coming from?

I froze as the thought formed in my mind.

There it was again. Faster and faster the chirping
went. I grabbed for my pocket and pulled out my key chain.

It was the NukAlert I kept on my keychain that was going off.

Damn.

It was going from that chirping to a siren like sound, which meant it was over 50R an hour.

Oh crap.

Grabbing the rad meter from my belt, so I could be sure, I could see that the count was nearing 250R.

Oh, carp indeed. Not good, not good at all!

I still was a good 50ft from the exit and the trail led right to it.

Looking around with the spotlight, it seemed as the guy had crawled out of the rocks themselves.

The wailing started again and I could tell it was a woman this time.

God, the agony and pain in it was frightening.

I don’t want to go, the radiation is probably even higher there!

But that wailing.

Taking a couple of deep breaths and asking for God’s protection, I ran toward the wailing.

Getting to the rock pile, I could see where the man had crawled over the rocks. Staying away from the mess the man had left, I climbed up the rocks.

Looking around with the spot light, I saw a dark opening in the rocks.

Climbing over I looked down into the interior of a mini-van that was standing on its end. I could smell gas and radiator fluids.

I found a woman was still strapped into the passenger front seat and she seemed to be in the same shape as the man was in.

Shinning the light around I could see a three kids strapped into their seats, none looked over two years old.

And they were all dead.

I gave the woman another look and she was breathing heavily, as if she couldn’t get enough air into her lungs.

I went through the window and got hung up on the steering wheel. I had too much stuff hanging off me. I knelt down on the driver’s seat, reached over, and grabbed the woman by her shoulder.

She moan a little and she turned towards me, her face that look like raw hamburger and her hair was mostly burned away.

And both her eyes had melted.

I lost it.

I didn’t get the mask off in time. I tossed it aside for now and cleaned myself up.

When I was done, I looked around for Jimmy. I could see him standing where I had left him.

And someone else was with him.

Cupping my hands together, I yelled; “JIMMY!”

I watched as a light came my way. I used a couple more light sticks to mark the area.

I guess Jimmy wasn’t in much of a hurry for it took him a lot longer than it should have to get over here. I was at the bottom of the pile waiting for him.

“Yeah? Did you find someone else?”

“A woman, might be the wife. I’ll need some help getting her out of here.”

Jimmy looked at me for a moment and yelled; “MATT!”

He explained to me; “Got me a pair of bum knees that don’t work very well climbing.”

“Fine, be useful and hold my gear.” I took off my duty belt, med bag, and the spotlight and handed it to Jimmy.


As we waited for Matt, he asked; “What is your name anyhow?”

“Nathan Sinclair.”

“Jimmy Flinn and that’s my boss: Matt Condor.”

“Good to met you.”

“Thanks. Uh, did you find any others then just the woman?”

“A couple in a SUV and two guys in that box truck that seem a little shady.

Oh, and a old guy, but he died. Looked like a heart attack, but I’m no doc.”

“I meant in there.” He said pointing to the mini-van.

I shook my head. “You don’t want to know.”

Waiting for Matt, I thought about it for a moment. I still would need to check for any survivors at the other end of the tunnel.

Matt came running up.

“What is it?”

“I need your help in getting a woman out of this van.”

“Just her?”

I nodded.

Matt climbed up with me and looked in at the woman. He gritted his teeth, looked at the back seat and saw the kids there.

I could see tears in his eyes.

“How are we going to get her out?”

“I have some 550 cord, We could tie it up under her arms and lift her out.”

He thought for a moment and said; “What about a tarp?” We could slide it under her and haul her out. It would be a lot easier getting her down to the road.”

“That makes sense. Why…”

“I’ve got a couple in my truck. I’ll go get it.”

And he scrambled down and took off.

In a couple of minutes, I saw his truck coming towards us. When he got here, he jumped out of his truck and ran around to the back. I could see him rummaging around in the back when he pulled out a white painters tarp. He hurried over and tossed it up to me.

“This should work. It’s not too big.”

I unfolded it a couple times, a little on the large size but not too bad.

I got back in the van. I pulled out some rubber gloves from my pocket and threw a pair to Matt.

Before I could do anything, Matt asked; “What’s that chirping
sound?”

I looked at him and said; “It means we better hurry. Radiation is a bit on the high side here.”

I saw a flash of fear across Matt’s face.

“Okay, let’s hurry!”

I unhooked the seat belt that was holding the woman in place. Matt handed me the trap and I lifted her up and tried to get it under. The woman just groaned in pain, causing me to stop for a moment.

Realizing that time wasn’t on my side, I pushed her over on her one side and got the tarp under her.

This time she cried out, but I didn’t stop. I rolled her back towards me and got the tarp all the way under her. I got a hank of 550 cord and tied it around the tarp and her. Basically making a cocoon around her.

“Matt, grab her up here, near her shoulders, I help pushing her out. She’s going to be in a lot of pain and making a lot of noise, but we need to get out of here.”

Matt grabbed down and we got her out.

Getting out of the van, Matt and I, got the woman down to the road as quickly as we could.

“What now?” Asked Matt.

“We need to get both of them away from this end of the tunnel, actually we need to get everyone in the middle of it. That’s the farthest point from both ends. We need to get everyone as far from the radiation as we can.”

“How do we move them? Their in a lot of pain.”

“Nothing we can do about that now. Can you get them both in the back of your truck?”

Matt thought for a moment.

“They could both fit, but it would be tight.”

Putting my gear back on, I said; “Then let’s get her in, and you help him, Jimmy. I need to get my mask I left up there.”

We got her in the back of their truck as quickly as we could. Matt and Jimmy got in and headed over to where the man was.

I turned and climbed back up.

Finding my mask, I used a bottle of water to clean it out the best I could.

As I started back down the rocks, I happened to check my holster.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

What the hell happened to my Browning?




“No, no, no. Where is it?”

I looked around me for the Browning High Power.

Nothing.

I even went back to the mini-van and took a look around.

Those kids.

Still nothing.

Arrgh!

I didn’t have time for this! The longer I stayed here the greater my exposure to radiation.

But it had been my grandfathers. It was one of the last things I still had that was his.

I climbed down the debris pile and looked around.

Where was it?

Think, think you idiot.

Where could it be? When would it have come loose from the holster?

How did it get loose from the holster?

In fact, how could it have fallen out of the holster without me knowing?

I traced my hand around my belt trying to figure out just how it could have fallen out when I discovered something else.

And how did the spare mags and mace canister go missing?

Bingo!

When I gave it to Jimmy.

That little rat bastard!

Oh, Jimmy.

Do I have a surprise for you!

I aimed myself at where everyone had moved to by the turn of the tunnel.

Black thoughts drifted into my mind as I thought of what I might do.

Would do.

That’s when I heard a woman ask for help.

Dang!

I turned and saw that I was standing just a few feet from the banged up SUV that held the woman I had handcuffed went she went nuts.

Looking at me was the girl.

“Please help me!”

I stood there a moment, just staring at her.

I watched as she reached over and turned on the interior light.

She turned back to me and seem startled.

“Please, help us. Someone handcuffed my sister to the steering wheel. Please.”

I stood there watching her. I didn’t want to help, I wanted to get to Jimmy.

Damn it.

“What do you want?” And as the question left my mouth, I realized that she could see me with no problem.

“What?”

She just couldn’t hear me.

I went around the truck and got my keys out and undid the cuffs that held her sister.

“You did that?”

I just nodded.

“Why?”

‘Because your sister was acting like a nutcase.’ I thought.

I looked straight at her and shrugged my shoulders. She gave me a look in return.

She then tried talking to her sister, but couldn’t get any answer. She grabbed her by her shoulder and started shaking her. It seemed like her sister was in a bit of a stupor. But then her sister started up again. In just a few seconds both were hugging, crying, and babbling.

I looked under the SUV, making sure there were no fluids leaking any where. Satisfied that there wasn’t any, I reached in the window and turned on the ignition.

The SUV started right up.

And no flames, thankfully.

“What are you doing?” She demanded, as she held her sister.

“Getting you two out of here and back to the others.”

“I can’t hear you! Why can’t I hear you?” She sobbed.

I took my hands, and put them together and flashed them open suddenly.

She shook her head in confusion.

I did it again and said; “Boom! Boom! Kabooooom!”

“A bomb?”

I nodded my head, which at this point I really felt like I was becoming a bobble-head.

She wanted to ask something more, but I held up my hand for her to be silent. I open the driver side passenger door and looked at the back seat.

Spotting a sweat shirt on the floor, I used it to clean off the broken safety glass that covered it.

I motioned for her to get in the back seat.

“Why?”

I pointed to where the other vehicles were and made driving motion with my hand and pointed to myself.

She nodded back to me and we both helped get her sister to the backseat.

Getting in I threw my gear in the passenger seat and put the truck in reverse.

I turned to look back and she said; “My names Samantha and my sister is Betty. What’s yours?”

“Nathan.”

“Nothing?”

I put the truck in park grabbed her hand and wrote on her palm, one letter at a time: N-A-T-H-A-N.

I put the truck in gear and took off.

“Thanks, Nathan.”

I just gave her a wave.

I pulled up next to the truck everyone had gathered around. The two burn victims were on the ground. The man was thrashing about, but the woman was still, other than the painful moans.

I could see Matt standing there looking confused and a bit sick.

The hippy looking guy and his wannabe were standing there in shock. Though Mr. Wannabe kept glancing my way.

I could see the two in the rear-ended SUV had driven over but hadn’t left their vehicle. They just stared wide-eyed at what was going on.

But Jimmy was standing there, with his arms crossed, looking straight at me.

And my Browning was shove in the front of his pants.

“Oh, my God! What happening to those people?’ Asked Samantha.

I just looked at her and said; “Boom.”

She looked at me and back at the two on the road. She closed her eyes and held her sister tightly.

I got out of the SUV and walk over to Jimmy and Matt.

I leaned against their truck and said nothing.

Jimmy was looking at me and Matt started to get the fidgets.

“Give it back and I’ll forget about this.”

Jimmy was shaking his head. “No! Your not a cop!” He yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’m the closet thing to the law here we have here. I’m with the Sheriff’s Posse.

And with that he pulled his ID and badge out of his pocket and shoved it in my face.

“So as you see, Mr. Sinclair, I have legal authority here and we know your nothing more than some lame mall cop.”

And I feel that I should be the one with the weapon, not you.”

I could see everyone watching me.

It was then I noticed Matt had the mace canister in his hand. He saw what I was looking at and got a look a kid gets when he got caught doing something wrong and knows it.

“Fine, have it your way.” I said distraughtly. I walked back over to get my stuff out of the SUV,

“Oh, and Jimmy?”

“Yeah?” He ask suspiciously.

“Your in charge. Have fun.”

I watched as a grin spread across his face and he then turn his back to me to look at Matt, who was also smiling back.

Then I saw Matt’s face change to one of pure fear.

Jimmy spun around with his hand resting on my Browning.

Then I saw the look of fear materialize on Jimmy’s face as he stared down the barrel of my Smith & Wesson.



I watched as Jimmy stood as still as a mouse.

He didn't move a muscle.

Then slowly, very slowly, he took his hand away from my Browning and put his hands up.

I could feel the weight of the Model 36 snub-nose .38 in my hand, another gift from my grandfather.

All it would take is a slight squeeze of the trigger and, poof, my problem would be gone.

Or would it?

Killing Jimmy would bring some amount of personal satisfaction.

But would it be right?

"Please, don't! Please!"

Our eyes were locked with each others.

I could see the naked fear in his eyes.

His whole body shook with it.

Stank from it.

Or it was the urine that was soaking his pants?

I pulled back the hammer.

"NO! PLEASE!"

I watched as he feel to his knees and started to cry.

I lowered the hammer back down on the .38.

Walking over I shoved him over on his back and grabbed the Browning from his waist band. I put the .38 back in it's holster at my back.

Flipping him over I planted my knee on his neck and searched him. I found the two spare mags and put them back in their pouch.

"You know the drill, arms behind your back. Now!”

Jimmy complied, sobbing something.

I cuffed him and stood up.

“Don’t even think about moving.”

I looked at Matt.

He dropped the mace without a word and got down on the road with his hands behind his head.

It would have been nice to have another pair of cuffs, but until today, I hadn’t ever use them in my 23 years with APS.

I walked over and picked up the mace and place it back in its holster.

Then the Browning.

And then it hit me.

The bomb, the burned people, the dead kids, the radiation, my Browning and this, this betrayal.

And I was stuck in this damn tunnel with these people, instead of at the retreat!

Something snapped inside me.

I walked over and grabbed Jimmy up with a roar, he was screaming something as I shoved him against the front of the truck and pulled my Browning out and pulled back the hammer.

He was pleading, begging and crying all at the same time.

Tears streaked his face and slobber rolled down his chin.

I started to squeeze.

A hand landed on my should and said; “Don’t do it.”

I could feel someone close to me, feel their breath as they spoke those words into my ear.

But I was mad.

Killing mad.

I spun around and brought my Browning up to eye level.

Someone was going to be in deep trouble.

But no one was there.




I could feel each hard breath I took.

Everyone was a still as a weeping angel.

So I blinked.

The Browning started to feel like it weighed a ton, so I re-holstered it.

My heart that had felt like it would burst started to slow down.

I suddenly felt tired, so damn tired.

I leaned against the Toyota and closed my eyes.

My hand started to twitch.

The adrenaline rush was going away.

Clenching my fist, I opened my eyes. Everyone was still where there were. Even Jimmy was watching me wondering what was coming next.

“So, does anyone know what to do next? Anyone want to take charge?”

I looked around and saw everyone was looking at every one else.

No takers.

Fine.

“My name is Nathan Sinclair.

And to be frank, we are in it deep people.

We’re stuck in this tunnel with no way out. And even if we could get out, there’s fallout and radiation from that nuclear bomb that went off out there.

The worst is…”


“Hold on a minute.” Said Tax Man. “There’ll be first responders here soon or the Army. So there’s no need for you to be our fearless leader.”

“Okay, what about those two and that dead body?” I said pointing to the man and woman lying on the road.

He looked at them and then back at me.

“Wait for paramedics?”

I could feel the anger welling back up in me.

The Tax man fidgeted for a bit as I stared at him and said; “Well, what the hell do I know about stuff like this? I’m a CPA not a doctor.”

“How about asking everyone here if they any have major pain medication?”

“Well, I guess.”

And he just stood there not saying a word.

Idiot.

“Alright, people. Does anyone here have any type of pain meds?

And I don’t mean aspirin.”

Nothing.

“Anyone have any drugs of any kind? It doesn’t matter if their legal or not. These people need something for the pain.”

I saw Mr. Wannabe shaking his head. Ponytail just kept staring at them.

“Alright then. Since no one has anything to offer, the next step is everyone does an inventory of what they have. Water, food, medicine, anything at all, and even how much fuel you have.
We need to pool our…”

“Oh, hell no! What we got is ours!” Big Red yelled.

Ponytail was nodding his head in agreement. “That’s right. I’m not sharing what I got either.”

“That’s not fair!” Yelled Big Red. “You got a truck full of food! You have to share!”

“Like hell, I do! I’ve made most of my deliveries already today and the trucks about empty.”

“Open it up and let’s see! Your trying to hoard the food you got instead of sharing it!”

And on the argument went.

Dear sweet God!

I walked over and kicked Matt’s foot.

“Get up.”

He slowly got up and started to raise his hands.

“Knock it off, Matt. I’m going to forgive you for your little role in Jimmy’s scheme.”

“Well, thanks Nathan.” He said with relief clearly in his voice.

“But I’m not forgetting about it either, Matt.”

“Oh.”

“You and Jimmy are going to take that dead guy and put his body over where the mini-van is. We don’t need him here, freaking out people.”

“What about the radiation?”

“Just get it done quickly and you wont have much to worry about.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

I turned and saw Jimmy had been watching and listening,

“You on the other hand Jimmy are on my crap list. Any nasty job I have, your going to do it, right? No questions, da?”

“Yeah, no problem. Anything you say.”

When this guy thinks he going to die he’s wetting himself and the minute he finds out that he’s going to live, he cops a attitude. I could hear the “go screw yourself” in his voice, but I let it go.

I flipped him over and took the cuffs off.

He rubbed his wrists and gave me the stink eye.

Maybe I should have just shot him.

But I will watch my back.

“Get it moving you two.”

Big Red and Ponytail where starting to scream at each other.

And then Betty started up again.

“Where’s my sister? Where’s everyone? Someone help me!”

“Hey Nathan, I think the woman is dead, I don’t see here breathing.”

I knelt down and put my hand near her mouth.

Nothing.

I grabbed up a discarded glove and felt for a pulse.

She was gone, thank God.

Another quick prayer for the dead.

I checked the man, but he was still breathing. Ragged but still breathing.

Now the Big Red was joined by her husband in the shouting match with Ponytail. Then Wannabe starts yelling too.

“You know, I really don’t want to be touching a dead person.”

I looked at Jimmy and placed my hand on the Browning.

“Shut up, Jimmy!” Matt said.

Jimmy gave me an evil look and started to help Matt.

Now the shouting match had turned into a screaming match.

Jimmy kept whining.

“ENOUGH!”

Ah, beautiful silence.

“Since you people can’t play nice, I’m going to do what Joey should have done. I’m leaving you to your own devices.”

Matt asked; “What do you mean and who’s Joey?”

“It means I’ve had it up to here with the lot of you! Do what you want, kill each other for all I care. Leave those dead bodies here to putrefy, fight each other of whatever scraps you find while waiting for the National Guard to come save you.

I have two laws I won’t allow you people to break. One, and I mean only one, vehicle is to run it’s motor to charge up it’s battery.

We’re trap in here with no ventilation and the exhaust from running all these vehicles will kill us.

Break this law and I’ll put a bullet in your engine.

Two, don’t come in a hundred feet of me or my truck. If you do, I’ll figure your up to no good.”

I turned and picked up my things and headed back to my truck.

The yelling and screaming started up again.

I need a beer!




Problem was, I didn't have a beer.

And no, I didn't stomp my feet went I left those fools to themselves.

Well, maybe once.

Or twice.

As I got in sight of my truck, I could see Duke watching me closely from the cab.

Probably wondering if I had Chinese or pizza.

I got to the truck and opened the driver’s door.

Duke thrush his head towards me for a pet, but stopped midway.

He sniffed the air between us, gave me a look of doggie disgust, and settled back on the seat.

You know, for an animal that will roll in some nasty stuff, I’m surprised by how much he wants me to smell clean.

But he did have a point.

I stunk.

I went back to the tail gate of the truck, took off my equipment, and open the side door on the trailer.

I pulled out the tools that where there and set them out. Then a folding chaise lounge chair that was in the way. I looked at the chart I had made for the contents of the trailer that was on the door. I thought of what I needed and then realized something.

I wasn’t going anywhere soon.

So what I needed to do was to start unpacking everything I would need for however long I would be stuck in this tunnel.

And that meant that all of the radio and solar gear could stay in the trailer.

It also meant that I needed to unload the truck first, since most of what I had in there was only short term storage items. Like my canned and frozen food.

Okay, let’s hold on for a second there Tex.

Security is what I need to accomplish first. I could hear them fools still yelling over there.

God only knows how long before someone formed a committee and comes over here and wants me to share or something.

Or for Jimmy to get his stones back and try something again.

I knew I had a roll of bared wire in the trailer and some stakes for it, but I doubted I could pounded them into the concrete of the road. So that could wait.

I could use the truck and trailer for cover, not the best but better than cardboard.

And more likely good enough for what weapons any of the others could make or find.

They could ram me with their vehicles, but I think I would hear that coming.

I would leave the truck and trailer like they were. The jackknifed pair gave me a good defense ‘V’ set up, other than the top of the V where the hitch was.

I since I couldn’t fortify that part, I would have to use concealment instead.

Going back to the trailer door, I studied the layout for a second and found what I need. I moved a couple of barrels out of the way and retrieved a military desert camouflage net. I had another in the truck but this one was big enough to cover both the trailer and truck.

Hauling out the big net was never easy, it weighed enough.

After I got it out, I took a small step ladder and went to the end of the trailer and got up to the roof. I unscrewed one end of the two PVC pipes I had up there and retrieved a couple sets of poles.

Setting them aside for now, I lugged up the net and started to unfolded it over the trailer. Once I was done with that, I started on the truck.

What made it a easier task was that I needed to only cover the one side of the truck and trailer that was facing my noisy neighbors.

I grabbed up the poles and got some X-tops for them and started to set them up. Since I couldn’t pound these into the road, and really didn’t need to, I use the tires of the trailer and truck tires, along with the hitch, to hold them in place.

Along with the handyman’s favorite tool.

Duck tape!

While it wouldn’t stop anyone, it would slow them down them down quit a bit.

And would make it more difficult for prying eyes to know what was going on over here.

Next, I grabbed up some stuff for Duke so he could do his guard dog routine and watch my back while I worked.

I started with Duke’s sleeping mat. It really was just an old piece of carpet he had chewed up as a pup, and placed it on the other side of the hitch so he could keep an eye out for anyone coming this way.


“Duke come here.”

He got out of the truck, looked around, and with the most bored look yet, came over and took a seat.

“Guard.” I told, asked, plead with him.

I then got back to work.

Getting a push broom, I cleared the area of dust, broken glass and plastic. I used some of the dust to dry out the area by the trailer tire that Duke has hosed down.

Being done with sweeping out the area, I next started unloading my truck. I stacked the containers and bags against the tunnel wall. I arrange them so what I would need was stacked on top.

I place the rifles and shotgun next to the truck.

And placed the trucks net over my water supply.

After cleaning out both the bed and cab of the truck, I moved on to the trailer.

I only pulled the camping gear I needed for now and started to set up my “camp”.

I had a Coleman gas cooking stove, the chaise lounge, and even an umbrella stand.

Why the umbrella stand? Being in a desert region I liked to keep the sun off me, okay?

I hooked up the LED lantern under the umbrella so that the mylar lining would reflect more of the light back down towards me.

Finally tossing my stinking duty uniform aside, I looked for another container that had my hygiene supplies. Finding it, I got out a box of cleaning wipes and cleaned myself off the best I could.

I could feel eyes on me.

“Some privacy would be nice, you know?”

Duke went back to his guard duty.

I looked on the chart for “Clothes”, pulled out a Rubbermaid and got me a set of tan BDU’s and desert boots.

Getting dressed, I looked next for the container that held my field gear.

I found it on the bottom of a stack, of course. I pulled out a tan pistol belt with a drop leg holster and pouches. I transferred my equipment from my duty belt to my pistol belt. I left the rest for now.

I grabbed up a trash bag, put my dirty clothes and duty belt in it and put it away, under the trailer.

I stopped for a moment and listen.

It seems that the yelling had stopped for now.

I shook my head and wondered what they though all that was going to accomplished. They probably were sitting in their cars wondering what to do next.

Thankfully, for now, it wasn’t my problem.

I was feeling tired and decided I needed to take a rest and chill out.

Grabbing up a bottle of water I took a seat and finally relaxed for what seemed the first time in hours.

I could feel him staring holes into the back of my head.

I got up, poured some water in one of Duke’s bowls and walked over to him and set it down. As I went back I could hear the slob slurp it up.

Finishing up the bottle, I decided that now that I was alone I needed to do something I hadn‘t had time for today.

I got out my Rosary from my breast pocket and started to pray.

As I was finishing up the Prayer to St. Michael, I heard Duke give out a low growl, alerting me that someone was near.

Making the Sign of the Cross, I put the Rosary away, and stood up.

I grabbed up the spotlight and watched to where Duke was looking.

I couldn’t see anyone in the darkness, but Duke was a good guide. So I turned on the spotlight light in the direction he was looking and lit them up.

To my surprise, I saw Samantha there, shielding her eyes from the spotlight.

What the heck was she doing here?

As I was pondering this, Duke was standing still, watching her as she came closer. His ears and tail were erect, his mane was up, and he wasn’t making a sound.

That wasn’t a good sign. He was going into attack mode.

“Duke, stay.”

He gave me a glance and went back to watching Samantha.

She waved at me and said; “Could you get that light out of my face? I came over to talk to you.”

Lowering the light, I nodded.

As she came over to the truck, I held up the edge of the net.

The she saw Duke.

She stepped back, her eyes going wide.

“I’m, ah, scared of dogs. Can you put him away while we talk?”

I shook my head ‘no’ and motioned for her to come around the side of the truck. I held up the net and she duck under.

I waved her over to the chaise and leaned against the truck.

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at her.

She sat down and looked at me and said; “Say something.”

“Like what, you can’t hear me?”

“Like what, you can’t hear me?”

“So your hearings back?”

Samantha look at me and said; “No, I still can’t hear anything thing. What I can do is read lips. I had a younger brother that was born deaf. I learned with him how to sign and read lips. I just need you to look at me when you speak.”

“Okay then, what about Betty and why did you leave her alone? If she freaks again and your not there…”

“Betty’s fine. I gave her one of my sleeping pills and she’s out like a light. I don’t think the others will bother her.”

She stopped for a moment and seemed at a lost to say whatever next was on her mind.

Then she just blurted it out.

“Listen, I know your one of those preppers.”

“Actually, I prefer ‘Survivalist” but go on.”

“I noticed that Geiger counter you had and that large medical bag. No one just carries around stuff like that. And since your not a cop, your most likely a prepper. Or survivalist as you like.” She said shrugging her shoulders.

“I once dated a guy back in high school whose family were a bunch of preppers and I remember some of the stuff they talked about. Like the rule of Three’s. How you can live with only three minutes of air, three days without water, and three weeks without food.”

“Yeah, so what?”

“I also remember something about two weeks after a nuclear blast. So, how are we going to survive for two weeks inside this tunnel?”

I must say that Samantha surprised me. I didn’t figure that any of them would have the foggiest idea of what all this really meant.

“You and the others won’t.”

She looked at me, I couldn‘t miss the fear in her eyes.

“Water.”

“Not just that, but it is what will most likely kill you first.”

“There’s more?”

I nodded my head and explained.

“This tunnel” I said as I pointed around,” is just about in the worst place I could ever think of being stranded. We‘re basically in a carved out rock.

There‘s no source of water, no food to salvage, basically nothings here for us to use other than some rocks and what we brought with us.

We can‘t even bury the dead or our waste.”

She look at me and said; “There’s even more?”

“Air. There’s no air coming in here. Both ends of the tunnel are sealed off. The more those fools use their engines the less air there‘ll be.”

“Couldn’t we bust a way through and get air?”

“We could, but then fallout or radiation will flood the tunnel. The other problem is that radiation near the exit is very high right now. It will take weeks for it to ‘cool down’.”

And with saying that, I could she that she was trying to comprehend just what all of this really meant and just how close death was. With her just sitting there, racking her brain for an answer, I remembered my dosimeter that I had on me earlier. I went over to the where I had left the gear I had on me before and searched for the dosimeter.

I tossed some stuff aside, making some noise.

Samantha looked up and said; “What are you looking for, Nathan?”

Found it!

I looked through the tube and saw the amount of radiation I had received for helping that woman in the mini-van.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

It showed 60 rads.

“What’s wrong Nathan? Nathan?”





"It's okay, Samantha. Better than I fear, but not as good as I hoped."

"What is that tube, Nathan? What does it do?"

"It's a dosimeter. It’s a device that measures the amount of radiation a person has received."

She looked closely at me and ask; "How much of a dose did you get?"

"Sixty rads. It's not enough to make me, but it may eventually slow me down a bit. It also means I have to stay away from any source of radiation for a while or I will get very sick."

"Good God, Nathan! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, I have everything I need here. What I need you to do is not to tell anyone about this or what is going to happen when the water runs out."

She stared at me for a moment.

“I’ll do what you say, Nathan. But I want something.”

“What?”

“To survive this, Nathan. I need your knowledge, supplies, and I need you to get me through this mess.

Or I will tell everyone what you got here.”

“What about your sister?”

“Of course, I mean my sister too! So what will it be Nathan?”

“No.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean no?” She said, clearly startled at my answer.

“Go and tell them. See what kind of crap that starts. Explain to them how you know what you know.

I won’t let you blackmail me, Samantha. Besides, I don’t have enough supplies for the two of you and me. I’ve only got enough for me.

But go ahead. You tell them.

Best you get going now, Samantha. Do not come back, your not welcome here anymore.”

I rested my hand on the Browning.

I watched as she got a nasty look in her eyes and her fists clenched.

She looked like she was going to let loose on me, like an old girlfriend I knew.

But suddenly, her mood changed. The storm that had been gathering was gone and she got a bright smile going and relaxed.

“I’ll leave, Nathan. I didn’t mean to imply I was trying to blackmail you into anything. I am sorry that you mistook what I said as anything bad.” She said sadly as she got up and left.

I watched her go and wondered what would happen next when she told the others.

With Samantha gone, I looked around at what to do next.

Huh, I guess there wasn’t anything left to do but sit back and wait.

I felt beat, tried and worn out from the events of today.
I decided it was best to take a snooze.

How could I have known what was coming next?




I pulled the chaise over next to the truck, good to have a hunk of metal between me and the others.

I unbuckled my pistol belt and laid it next to the chaise.

Grabbing up a weapons case, I got out my Mossberg 590.

Considering the situation I was in I loaded it up with a few special shells I had.

I turned off the lantern and laid down on the chaise, cradling the 590, I tried to say a quick prayer.

But I was out in an instance.

My dreams were of nothing really. But then people were yelling. I heard a car horn.

A dog barked.

“Duke!” I jerked myself awake, racking the shotgun, and could hear the commotion coming from the others.

“For crying out loud, now what was their boggle?”

I stood up and stretched. I had no idea how long I had been asleep, but it didn’t feel like it was anywhere near long enough.

Yelling and screaming, was that all they knew to do?

Besides giving me a headache! Where’s that aspirin?

After a little while, they seem to have calmed down. I could hear voices raised once in a while.

But I could hear someone sobbing, even from all the way over here.

Since I was already up, I might as well see what the problem was.

Probably fighting over a candy bar.

I hooked up my pistol belt again and taking my shotgun, I walked over to Duke.

He was looking at me, but mostly kept an eye on the others. He wasn’t a guard dog as much as he was a watchdog.

Rubbing those pointy Dobbie ears, I told him to stay and guard.

Lifting up the netting, I started my way back over to the others.

I could see them pretty well considering every single headlight was on and people were moving back and forth.

Staying just outside the ring of light, I watched to see what the problem was before I ventured in.

I could see Matt, Jimmy, and Tax Man standing around the three dead bodies and the burned guy. They still hadn’t bothered to move the dead.

Idiots.

I could see the two from the box truck standing next to it, and watching everyone else.

The sobbing I heard was still going on.

I looked around for the source.

And heard it coming from Samantha’s SUV.

The others watched me with a mix of anger and fear as I walked to the SUV.

I could see Big Red standing next to the window by the backseat window, saying something I couldn’t hear over the sobbing noise.

Red turned and saw me, and stepped out of the way.

I walked over to see what Betty’s problem was now.

Guess she didn’t have a problem anymore.

She had her throat slit ear to ear.

Samantha was holding her, rocking her dead sister back and forth, sobbing and covered in blood.

I turned to speak to the others and they were all in a huddle, looking at me. I saw Red give a glance down to where the burned man was.

His throat was slit too.

This was getting better and better.

And from the way they were looking at me, I guess I was the prime suspect in their crime drama.

“So what happen?”

They looked back and forth at each other like a bunch of kids in school being ask to squeal.

Finally Matt spoke up.

“We all decided to get some sleep and try to figure out what to do about all this later.

When Samantha came back over from talking to you, she told us about what you said. You know, about us all dying in here. Well, that got everyone riled up again, but we were too tired to really get into it. While we were sleeping someone cut this poor bastards throat and that Betty girls too.”

“And no one heard or saw a thing?”

“That’s about it, yeah.” Everyone else nodded.

‘I’m in a Colombo episode.’ I thought to myself. But with a Dobbie, not a Basset Hound.

I guess now, all those years of watching crime shows should help.

Right?

Let’s see. Motive and Opportunity.

Motive, what could it be?

Well, Samantha did as she said she would. She came back and blathered to everyone, telling them they were going to die.

I looked over at the burned, well dead man, and back to Betty.

What did they have in common?

He was burned and going to die, she was blinded.

Making them both low hanging fruit.

Easy targets.

Seemed someone had decided to thin the herd down.

Opportunity.

That was easy enough too. Everyone was asleep.

So we had the why of it, but who did it?

Not Matt. He was a follower.

Jimmy didn’t have the guts to do it.

I didn’t know the others well enough to even guess.

Stereotypes and all, I would have to start with the two with the snack truck.

But how?

These people were leaderless, expecting Uncle Sugar to come rushing to their rescue.

And they seem clear that they didn’t want my help and even suspected me of doing the killing.

Answer: Put it on them and see what happens.

“So, who do you guys suspect?”

Oh, right.

“Really? You think I did it?”

“Yeah, we do.” Said Jimmy.

Sighing, I pointed the shotgun at Jimmy.

“So tell me, Jimmy old pal, what’s stopping me from killing you all, right now?

Or why didn‘t I do you all, if I‘m the one that killed them?

What could any of you have done to stop me?

And why would I slit their throats when I could have just shot you all?”

That got them to thinking.

I lowered the shotgun and watch as Jimmy tried not to cry.

“So who could have done it?” Asked Tax Man.

I really need to get these peoples names!

Hitching a thumb at Matt and Jimmy, I said; “Not those two.”

Tax nodded his head and looked shocked.

“Me?”

“Perhaps or those two.” Pointing to the others.

“I didn’t do it. I couldn’t do it.”

He could be telling the truth. Many people wouldn’t have a problem shooting someone, that had a touch of not being personal.

But killing someone up close, with a blade. That took a whole other type of courage.

Or insanity.

But it wasn’t an insane person or was it?

Those kills hadn’t be some amateur. They hadn’t been stabbed to death with multiple stabbings, they had been done with precision.

By someone that had done it before.

Great.

Just great.

Stuck in a tomb with a murder.

I moved the shotgun so it was at my back, and pulled out my flashlight and walked over to him.

Turning it on I ran it up and own him checking for blood.

He was startled at first, but grasp what I was doing.

“Give me your shoes, place them on the hood.” As I pointed to his Caddy.

“Okay, but I didn’t do it.”

I checked his shoes over, they hadn’t been cleaned and no blood.

“Your next.” I said at Red.

She looked definite, but stood still.

Checking over, I didn’t see any blood on her blue dress.

“Don’t you want to frisk me too?” She snapped tossing her heels on the hood.

Not saying a word, I checked out her footwear.

Nothing.

Matt said; “Me next.”

“You didn’t do it, Matt.”

“You can’t know that! And I want the others to know that I didn’t do it either. So check me out.”

When I was done with him, I looked at Jimmy.

“Fine.”

Again nothing. No blood and no signs of someone cleaning up either.

I walked over to the snack truck, the others trailing along.

As we got in ten feet of the two, Ponytail yelled; “Close enough! What do you people want?”

I could see him eyeing my sidearm and shotgun.

He stuck his hand in his pants pocket.

I open my arms wide.

“Those two that got murdered? Someone cut their throats. I’m checking everyone for blood.”

Ponytail glanced at Wannabe and back to me.

“Go away! We didn’t do nothing!”

“Hey, it just take a minute. We can rule you out and look else where.”

“Yeah? Like who? I saw you checking them all out. If they didn’t do it, you think we did, don’t YOU!”

I watched as his arm moved, as he tried to get whatever it was out of his pocket.

Bad mistake and too much TV.

I grabbed the shotgun and pulled it forward on the sling.

He watched in horror as he struggled to get his hand out.

Then he panic.

He started to jerked like a madman.

I leveled the shotgun at him and pulled the trigger.

Big Red screamed.

And Ponytail went head over heels.

I turned it towards Wannabe as he turned and ran.

I pumped the slide and fired again.

He went tumbling too.

Then the yelling started.

From the two I shot.

I racked the slide again, putting another beanbag shot in.

Walking over to Ponytail, I pushed him over and pulled out a zip tie and secured his wrists.

I pulled out a small automatic from his pocket. A Raven .25 and searched him everywhere else.

I did the same to Wannabe and found nothing but a pocket knife.

And it did have some dried blood on it.

But not enough.

But I saw the look the rest of them got when I found the knife.

“Bastard.” Jimmy snarled.

“Go ahead and shoot him.” Yelled Tax Man.

“Let’s see what’s in the truck!” Said Red.

“Shut the hell up!” I said. “We don’t know if they did it or not. And we’re not looting their truck!

So back off and let me look around.”

“But…”

“Go back to your trucks and let me do this.”

I watched as the others left, grumbling among themselves.

I dragged both of them to the back of their rig and tied their legs.

I yanked off wannabes hoodie and hankie, getting a good look at his face.

He looked old and worn out. Like a lot of druggies I had seen over my years. He had a mop of unkempt greasy hair, bad teeth and breath, and a face that looked like it was made of play dough.

Both of them weren’t saying anything. They just looked at me.

“Talk.”

“****YOU! I want a lawyer.”

I laughed.

I couldn’t help it. We’ve been nuked and this dumb*** wants a lawyer!

Good Lord, they really do act that way!

Once I got control of myself, which seem to had freaked them out, I got back to business.

I pulled out the Raven, removed the mag, and open the slide.

Nothing was in the chamber.

I shook my head.

“Do you see this? There wasn’t a round in the chamber. I could have killed you and even if you had got this out of your pocket, you wouldn’t have been able to shoot me.

Moron.”

Ponytail face got red as a beet. Wannabe just glared.

“Okay boys, why did you kill them?” I said in my best Jack Webb voice.

Silence.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out Wannabe’s knife.

I flicked it open and showed the blood.

“Why?”

Ponytail screwed up his face.

“Guys, there are no cops and lawyers to come and save you.”

That got his attention.

“Save us?”

Nodding my head, I answered; “Yep, those folks are ready for me to shoot you on just him having this knife. Heck, they would probably want me to hang you two.” I looked around the ceiling with the flashlight.

“I don’t know. Do you guys think those lights could hold your weight?”

They both looked up.

“Man, we didn’t do nothing! We were in the cab the whole time! Why would we kill anyone?”

“Because we’re stuck in here with no supplies and there’s not enough to go around.”

They gave each other a look.

“What is it, boys? Spill it.”

“There’s a way out.”

“Nope, too much radiation to dig out of either end.”

“No, not the ends of the tunnel.

The door.”



“Door? What door?”

Ponytail shrugged over towards the wall.

I got up and took a look around the end of the box truck.

Huh, dang if there wasn’t a door.

I walked over and took a look with the flashlight.

It looked like any normal steel commercial door. I tried to open it, but it was locked tight.

Figures.

Looks like it would take some effort, even with the right tools to get it opened. The sledge hammer and crow bar I have might be able to do it.

Then I heard a “chirp” again.

Pulling out my NukAlert, I held it near the door and started to count.

I counted six chirps.

That meant anywhere from 2 to 6 Rms were coming through the steel door. That more than likely meant that the radiation on the other side was even higher.

Still, it might mean that there was breathable air on the other side and that would be something they we would be in need of.

But it would have to wait for now.

I walked back to where dumb and dumber were waiting.

Turning back to the two, I once again showed the knife.

“Explain the blood.”

Wannabe looked away. Like he was embarrassed or something.

Ponytail looked at him for a moment and said; “He cuts himself.”

Wannabe avoided my eyes.

I turned him over and rolled up his sleeve.

His arm had slash marks up to the elbow..

I rolled him back over and looked at Ponytail.

“So, what’s your story?”

“Story? We’re just a couple of drivers for a snack…”

I raised my hand to cut him off.

“Tell me. There‘s no cops and I really don‘t care.”

He didn’t say a word, just glared at me.

“Fine, I have a look see myself.”

I stood up and walked over to the tailgate and finished out the keys for the rolling door.

Unlocking it, I pulled myself up on the strap and opened the back of the truck.

The box was filled with all kinds of electronic goods.

I moved a blanket and looked at what must have been a $5,000 flat screen TV in a box. I could see several more under the other blankets.

There were bins with cameras, smart phones, tablets and laptops.

Looking around I found a bin full of prescription drugs.

Could be useful.

Moving more stuff around, I found a stash of firearms. All high priced shotguns and hunting rifles. Including several handguns.

I picked up a Colt Anaconda and was glad Ponytail hadn’t decided to use this instead of that junky Raven.

Some booze, and a few clothes.

And power tools.

Those could be even more useful.

So, not drug dealers, but a B&E crew.

Which in this day and age meant they were just likely as dangerous as any drug dealers.

And I had to make sure that hey, or anyone else in or motley crew, didn’t weapon up.

So I took all the bolts from the rifles and shotguns. The barrels from the pistols and put them in one of the suitcase. I add all the revolvers too.

I toss the suitcase out, hop down out of the truck, and held up the Colt.

They both looked away and said nothing.

“Okay boys, here’s what I think:

You guys didn’t kill that girl. There’s enough weapons in there for you two to have had the run of the place if you wanted too. I think you would have shot somebody instead of cutting their throat.”

I looked over where the others were and ask; “Who do you think did it?”

Ponytail looked around and sagged down.

“I have no idea, man. I know Tommy here didn’t do it, he was with me the whole time. Look, I know you don’t have to believe me, but we didn’t do it!”

“So Tommy was with you…”

“Mark. Mark Black.”

“And you two saw nothing. No one moving around?”

“Naw, everyone was sleeping or whatever. All the headlights were off. I didn’t know anything happened until that chick started screaming.”

I sat down and thought about it.

I had no idea who could have done it. There wasn’t any evidence I could find. Hell, the murder weapon could be anywhere in this dark tunnel.

Guess I would have to talk to Samantha and see what she had to say.

I got back up, closed the door on the truck and locked it back up.

I slipped the Colt into my belt and walked towards Samantha.

“HEY! What about us, man?”

“Well, your thieves for one thing.

Two, I don’t trust you.

So, sit back and relax. I’ll cut you loose when I think it’s alright to do so.”

“You ****! You can and go ******* and…”

I tuned him out as I walked away.

“Hey! I want to talk to that Deputy, man! He’s the law here, not you! Why are you playing cop for anyway?”

Good question, I thought. Why wasn’t Jimmy do his “Law & Order” shtick.

Better question: Why was I bothering? Did I really care if they killed each other? They were dead anyhow, what did it matter to me how they died?

Because it was the right thing to do, you idiot!

I hated arguing with a know it all!

And perhaps the door might give another option to them just dying in here.

As I walked back over to Samantha’s SUV, I could see the others giving me the eye wondering what I was up too.

I saw Matt was talking to Samantha, who was sitting on the tailgate of the SUV. Apparently, he had given her something to clean up with and a t-shirt. Red was back with her husband.

As I walked up, Matt turned to me and said; “She’s still in shock. Go easy on her.” And with that he turned to walk away.

I grabbed his arm and asked; “Why am I doing this and not Jimmy? I thought he wanted to be in charge and he’s the closet thing to a cop we have.”

Matt looked over to his truck where Jimmy was sitting.

“Look, when you went postal on Jimmy and he, well, wet his pants like he did, the others kinda…”

“Go on.”

“The others think he just a coward. But he’s not. He really is a good guy. I don’t know why he’s acting this way.”

“Probably, because he is a coward. There could be a ton of reasons. But you know what Matt? I don‘t really care. There’s only the seven of you people and one of you is a killer.”

I looked up at the dark ceiling wondering what to do and said a small prayer for guidance.

Because, I had no idea what to do about this.

“Listen, can we talk for a moment, Nathan?”

“About what?”

“This situation we find ourselves in.”




“And that would be what? You want food or water? I told you there isn’t enough to go around.”

“No, not that.” I watched as he pulled his wallet out and took out a photo.

He held it up to the light so I could see it.

It was a picture of Matt and his family.

“I need to go.” he said silently. “I need to get to my family.”

I looked at the picture. I didn’t really want to. A somewhat plump brunette with two boys.

I wasn’t sure that Matt realized that they were probably already dead.

If their home didn’t have a basement, like most homes in this state, I doubt they’d survive. I also doubted that the wife even knew how to survive a nuke.

I looked at Matt face and saw the sadness.

Great, just great.

“How?”

Matt looked confused for a moment.

“I think that I could dig my way out of here?” Pointing to the end of the tunnel.

“What about radiation?”

He shrugged. “I really don’t care, I need to be with them.”

“Well, I care if you increase the radiation leaking into this tunnel or bring in fallout by digging through that debris.”


“I have to do something, Nathan. I can’t stay here. What’s the use? Stay here and starve or die of thirst? I‘d rather take my chances out there.”

I looked at Matt and could see that he meant it. I don’t blame him, I’d rather die outside that rot away in here.

Also, I was kind of proud of the guy. To willing sacrifice himself for his wife and kids, even with little hope of ever getting to them.

Matt might be a follower, but at least he was a man.

I did some quick calculations in my head.

There was no way to save these people if they stayed here. The math was too solid to even try to dispute.

But…

“Matt, give me an hour to run some numbers. I might be able to make the odds better for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, just give me some time and I’ll get back to you.”

“That would be great, Nathan! Thanks!”

“Matt, one thing.”

“What?”

“Get these bodies out of here. Their going to start to bloat and then pop. You’re going to regret it, believe me. You and Jimmy get them in that SUV with Rebecca’s sister and drive it over to where than van was.”

“Okay, I’ll get it done. I don’t want to but, I’ll do it.”

“Good, go through that SUV and take anything you can get out of it. I don’t care if it’s an empty juice carton, just clean it out and bring it back here.”

“Sure, but what about Rebecca?”

“Take her over to the old man’s Toyota. She can stay there for now.”

“Alright.”

“And keep an eye on those two over by the truck. Their part of a home invasion crew. Don’t go near them and don’t trust them for an instant.”

I turned and walked back towards my truck.

“Hey! What do you mean part of?”

“I’ll explained later, just go and get to work.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was sitting in the Ford going over some plans I had made.

If the radiation had been at 1000R at the time the nuke had gone off, 24 hours ago, it might be at around 30R by now. Another 24 hours would get it down to 10R an hour. Still very lethal in 30 hours.

But what I really needed was a reading of what the radiation outside truly was.

And that meant, I would need to open that door.

I was praying that it would be a service corridor between the two tunnels. It could be just a storage room, but that didn’t explain the radiation I had detected.

Unless there was a vent that was letting it in.

I prayed that it wasn’t.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I gave Duke a good rub down.

He was grinning ear from ear.

“You’re my good boy, ain’t you?”

His stubby just went faster.

I knew that what I was going to propose to the others, would more likely than not, kill them all.

It basically came down to three choices.

Die from thirst. Die from radiation. Die from me shooting them.

Hell of a choice.

“Dang, Duke. I think I’m going to suggest what I am just so I don’t have to kill them. I just don’t see any other way out of this. They could possibly find some supplies and shelter outside of here, but I doubt it.”

Duke tilted his head and gave me a concern look. Dobermans were always good at knowing your emotional state and mine was in the gutter right now.

“Yeah, I know. There’s no other choice. Duke. None at all.”



I felt Duke tense up and his ears come up. He was staring into the dark and the fur on his back started to rise.

“Hey, Nathan!” Yelled out Matt.

“It’s okay, Duke. Go guard.”

I watched as Duke walked off to his spot in front of the trailer and sat down. He kept looking out into the darkness.

“Coming, Matt.” I called back.

I grabbed up a duffel bag and a pack and headed out to meet him.

I turned on my headlight and spotted Matt.

“Go get Jimmy and those two in the Caddy and meet me over by the snack truck. I have something to show everyone.”

Matt just nodded and went to gather the rest. I walked over to Rebecca. I found her sitting in the old man’s Toyota.

She was just starring at nothing.

I laid down my bags and said; “Rebecca.”

She turned and looked at me.

“Rebecca, me and the others are going over there”, as I pointed at the snack truck, “I have some news that you need to hear. Do you feel like you might want to come along?”

“Sure.” She whispered.

“Come on and walk with me.” I said as I opened the door.

Rebecca got out and walked along side of me as I picked up the bags and made our way over to the others already there.


I walked over to Mark and Tommy, our two master thieves, and dump my bags at their feet.

“Hey, you bastard! You left us tied up here for hours! I can’t feel my hands. You f…” Mark started.

I pulled the Browning and pointed it at him.

“You were saying?”

Mark just stared at me defiantly while Tommy turned away.

“Just keep your yap shut, you understand? I get any lip from either of you and I’ll just leave you two tied up for good. Your both admitted thieves and that gives me no reason to trust either of you.”

I holstered the Browning and squatted down next to Mark and pulled my Ka-Bar and held it in front of his face.

“Now, that I have your undivided attention, I’m going to cut you two loose. You just sit right here and don’t move, don’t talk, and don’t even think about trying anything or I just might gut you. Got it?”

I got two nodding heads.

I cut the plastic ties and stood up and re-holstered the Ka-Bar.

Opening up the pack, I pulled out the spotlight, turned it on and placed it on the trucks rear bumper so everyone could see. I switched off my headlamp and turned to the others gathered there.

“Alright, people. Something has come up that my change what is going to happen here in this tunnel. I found out that there is a door that may led out of here.”

And then chaos erupted.

I waited while they got it out of their system.

And waited.

And waited.

“Enough!”

Everyone turned and looked at Matt.

“Go on, Nathan.”

I nodded my thanks and pointing at the door said; “I’m hoping that the door leads to the other tunnel across from this one. I have no idea if the ends of that one are collapsed like in here. There could be people trapped on the other side, just like us.

Or the tunnel may be opened and you can get out of here. But first, we need to get this door opened.

And if the other tunnel is open, I’m going to have to get a count of the radiation in there before anyone goes in. No need to get fried if you don’t have too.

Any questions?”

Rebecca spoke; “So your plan is still to get rid of us?”

I looked at each and every one of them.

“Yes. There is no other way. I’ll say it one more time, there isn’t enough water for everyone. We’d all be dead in a few days. Your best chance for survival is out there, not here.”

I looked at them once more.

“And remember this, one of you is a murderer. If you stay, who knows who will be next?”

“And if we don’t go?” She asked.

Saying nothing, I patted the Browning on my hip.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s get the show on the road, Nathan.” Said Matt.

I pulled the keys for the padlock on the truck and opened the back door up. Hopping in, I called to Matt.

“Matt, you and Jimmy came here and I hand you some tools.” I looked around and pulled out a cutter saw and sledgehammer and handed them out.

Pointing to Taxman, I said; “You, come here and take this oxyacetylene torch and take it over there.”

“My names is Weston. Michael Weston.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“And no, I didn’t use to be a spy.”

I just grinned.

“What about us?” asked Mark.

“Sit still and shut up.” I said as I climbed down.

Picking up the spotlight, I went over to the door and took a look.

“Weston, go back over there and watch dumb and dumber. I don’t want them pulling anything when my backs turned.” Not that I thought they would after being tied up that long, but better safe than sorry.

“Any of you use this kind of saw before?” I asked pointing at the Husqvarna Power Cutter.

Once again, bobble heads.

“Matt, you aim the spotlight at the lock and I give it a whirl.”

I pulled up the bandana I was wearing, slipped on a pair of ballistic glasses, and put in some earplugs.

“You sure that will do it?” Asked Jimmy.

“It’s made to cut concrete and pipes. I think it can handled this.”

I pulled the cord and started it up. I pressed the spinning blade in the door jam next to the lock and pushed it in.



I leaned the cutters blade into the door jam and felt the blade jerk as it bit into the steel of the door and lock.

Sparks flew and I smelled the burning of steel.

And then I was through.

I put the cutter under the truck, so Mark and Tommy wouldn’t be able to get to it without me seeing them. Turning back to the door, I moved the glasses up and pulled down the bandana.

I pushed the door and it swung opened easily.

I reached in the pack and pulled out the radiation meter and turned in on.

From the doorway, I looked around with the headlamp in the darkness. I could see that a small room that had been made between the two tunnels. Some trash had collected along the walls, but there nothing except another steel door.

Looking at the meter, I could see that the radiation count was around twelve. Looked like the door was thick enough to cut the radiation by half.

I turned to Matt and said: “Give me the spotlight and keep an eye on those two.” Pointing to Mark and Tommy.

“Got it.”

I stepped through the doorway and walked towards the other door.

Looking around I could see that the ceiling was only a couple feet higher then me.

I also noticed that the rad count was going up as I got closer to the door. It was now reading at around 16. Hopefully, the count would be near 30 or 40 on the other side.

I placed my ear to the door and listened.

Nothing.

I stepped back and gave it a good kick.

And again.

I waited for a few moments, listening.

Nothing.

Examining the door, I could just see a handle and no way to unlock it. I would have to cut it like the other one to get it open.

“Jimmy. Hand me that cutter.”

Jimmy gave me the cutter and I handed him the spotlight, pointing to where I wanted the beam.

Getting my face protection back in place, I pulled on the starting cord and set the cutter in the door jam.

Once again it bucked, then settled in. Knowing what to expect this time, I leaned in and cut through quicker this time.

Placing the cutter down by the wall, I pulled on the handle, the door opened and was struck blind.




They say God must love stupid people. He made so many of them.

I should have been more careful.

As soon as my hand pulled on the door handle I realized my mistake.

First, the radiation count was too low. I had experience the blast wave of a nuclear explosion only two days ago. I should have realized with getting a radiation exposure of 60 near the exit, through all that rock and dirt, that the outside radiation count would be in the thousands.

Second, I should have better prepared myself for what could be on the other side of the door.

I should have known better.

But I let myself be caught up in the moment.

I had let my curiosity get the better of me.

Stupid, that’s me.

So glad that God loves stupid people.

I had only a brief glimpse of the other tunnel.

Like a flash photograph.

The light was weak. Diffused. Failing.

The sight that greeted me for that split second was that of a tanker truck laying on it’s side. Split open by another semi truck that had rammed into it.

And a pool of fluid around it.

So glad that God loves stupid people.

Whatever the liquid was, the fumes blinded my eye.

Thankfully, I had left my left eye close in case there was a bright shining sun on the other side of the door.

I had also held my breath in anticipation of what there might be.

Thankfully, I had not removed my glasses or bandana from my face either.

And that I still had my hand on the door handle.

As soon as the fumes hit me, I slammed the door shut and turned away.

My right eyed burned and teared, I took in a breath and my throat and sinus felt instantly raw.

And I fell to me knees, ripping off the bandana, and barfed.

I could hear someone retching next to me.

Reaching out I felt some material and grabbed on. I got to my feet and staggered, hopefully towards the door.

As I dragged Jimmy out of the service tunnel, I could hear ragged coughing coming from in front of me.

I headed towards it.

“Hurry!” I heard.

I step on the door jam and tossed Jimmy back into the main tunnel.

I tried to close the door behind me, but with the lock cut the door just banged back open.

I rolled away from the door and opened my good eye.

I could see Jimmy hacking and spitting, his eyes streaming tears in the light of my headlamp.

I was still hacking and splitting, rubbing my eye when I heard:

“LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!”

I looked towards the voice and saw, Mark running towards Matt, who was rubbing his eyes, with the sledgehammer raised above his head.

I reached for my Browning but I started to retch again.

As I barfed, I tried to keep Matt in my sight. I wanted to yell or shoot Mark, but I couldn’t control my body.

I watched as Mark let out a woop and sank the sledgehammer into Matt’s head.

I watched as Mark looked around and saw me. His grin was one of pure evil. He laughed and ran straight at me, raising the sledgehammer once more.

I leapt out of the way and hit into the wall.

Something whizzed past my head and hit the wall next to me.

I turned my head and saw Tommy with a chuck of something in his hand, getting ready to try and nail me this time.

Unfortunately, in turning to this new threat, I had momentarily forgot about Mark.

But he hadn’t forgotten about me.

Mark swung at me. The sledgehammer missed my head, but the bottom of the hammer and the handle smacked right into my right shoulder.

I screamed from the pain and felled to the ground.


Mark, huffing and puffing like a nightmarish big bad wolf, straddled over me and grinned at me.

“Tommy! Bash that punk Jimmy’s head in! I’m going to enjoy busting up this bastard!”

He swung the hammer at me again, and in his haste to kill me, completely missed me.

But when the hammer hit the road, next to me, it snapped off.

I gritted my teeth and kicked as hard as I could at Mark’s knee.

I heard a crunch and a scream as he felled over, still clenching the broken sledgehammer shaft.

I tried to roll over, and with my left hand get to the Browning on my right hip.

Suddenly, an arm reached around my neck and started to choke me.

Tommy!

The stink of his breath was in my face. His wirily arm snaked tighter around my throat.

I grabbed at it and pulled.

He let go and before I could do anything, he hit me in my injured shoulder.

I screamed in pain once again and stars floated in my vision. I felt his arm go around my throat trying to choke the life out of me again.

“Mark! Mark! Get the hell up and help me!”

“Hold that son of bitch, Tommy! I’m going to beat him to death with this!” he said as he held up the broken handle painfully.

“Hell with that, man! Stake the ****er through the heart like those fag vampires!”

Mark got up to his feet and hobbled over to me, using the handle like a crutch.

He knelt down next to me and grinned that evil grin of his, his eyes freakishly wide.

“So, big man, any last words?”

The pain was incredible, but I nodded my head.

“Let him speak, Tommy, let’s hear this ***holes last words. What is it? Speak up!”

I choked and coughed as Tommy let his arm release my throat.

I mumbled something.

“What? What was that? Speak up!” And with that command he hit me across the face with his fist.

Knocking Tommy arms loose.

I took a deep breath and yelled:

“DDDDUUUUKKKKEEEE!”



“Who’s Duke? That Weston guy with the wife that…UMPH!” He asked as he raised the broken handle and suddenly went flying away from me.

Mark tumbling on the road, the handle spinning off into the dark.

Duke slid pass Mark, as the “booties” on his feet didn’t give him a good grip on the road surface.

Mark got on his hands and knees, shaking his head, looked at me, and asked; “What the **** was that?”

He shook his head one more time, and started to get up.

But he was too late.

Having stopped his sliding, Duke leaped and bite down on the back of Mark’s neck.

Hard.

Oh, my. That crunching sound.

Mark didn’t even have time to scream as Duke’s teeth broke his spinal column. He just flapped his arms and was still.

Duke shook his head back and forth, flopping Mark around like a dead fish.

Tommy screamed in my ear and took off in a dead run into the dark tunnel.

“DUKE! Come here! Come! Heel!”

He gave Mark a last shake and came to me.

Duke sat next to me, looking concern.

“I’ll kill you yet, you bastard! You and that ****ing dog of yours! Come and get me!” I heard Tommy yell.

Duke snapped his head around towards the sound of Tommy’s voice.

“Duke? Do me a favor?”

He looked down at me.

“KILL HIM!”

And he was gone in a flash.

The screaming didn’t last nearly as long as I had hoped for.

“Good boy, Duke. Good boy.” I whispered as the darkness over took me.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I could hear barking and growling and a woman calling to me.

“Nathan!”

“Wuh? Oh, God!” The pain came flooding back. I opened my eyes to see Duke standing in front of me keeping the others away from me.

“Duke.”

He whipped his head around and looked at me.

I swear, he smiled.

I held out my hand and he stuck his head under it, and then laid down beside me, whimpering like a puppy.

I rubbed his head, telling him how good he did.

He cuddled closer to me.

God, how I loved this dog.

And thank you Lord, for allowing me to have him.

“Nathan? Are you okay?”

Looking up, I could see Samantha looking at me with concern.

“Not really. That bastard Mark broke my shoulder.”

“We need to move you, Nathan. I don’t think you want to lay there forever, do you?”

Actually, that sounded pretty good right now. But she was right, I need to see to my shoulder and get to my medical supplies.

“Alright. Duke, go guard. Go on.”

Duke got up and headed back to his place near my truck.

“Michael give me a hand, with moving Nathan, will you?”

“Sure thing. I can’t believed what happened. It was so fast!”

“Get on his left side, Michael, and help him up.”

I sat up and tried to help Michael as he got me to my feet.

Samantha got on my right side and tried not to hurt me.

Michael’s wife, whatever her name was, was carrying my pack and duffle bag.

They helped me walk/drag myself back to my truck.

Michael eased me down into the chaise.

I reached, painfully, into my pocket and handed my keys to Michael.

“In my truck is a medical bag, get it for me will you?”

“Sure thing, Nathan.”

“God, Nathan, I can’t believe those to want crazy like that. I never saw anything like that. But I thought… Doesn‘t matter now, I guess.”

“What is it?”

“After you got those ties off them, I thought I saw them take something. Maybe gum? I just saw them put something in their mouths.”

“I guess it doesn’t really matter, Samantha.”

I shifted myself around and let out a gasp.

Michael came back and asked; “Have you anything for that pain in here?”

“Just aspirin, nothing that will really help all that much.”

Then, I remembered. The snack truck.

“In that snack truck is a box full of prescription meds. I could really use some pain killers.”

Michael started to speak, but Samantha cut him off.

“I’ll get them. Do you have the keys to open it?”

I dug those out too, handing them over to her.

She was gone in a flash.

“Michael, I’m going to need to get my shirt off and get a sling on my arm.” I really, really, wished I had taken that paramedic course right now.

“Cheryl, give me a hand will you?”

For once there was no complaints. Maybe with all the killing she had just seen, she wasn’t in the mode to complain.

They got my belt off, then my shirt and t-shirt.

I almost passed out.

Twice.

But they finally got the sling in place.

I was looking in a mirror, at the horrible massive bruise on my shoulder, when Michael asked me a question.

“Nathan, what happened in there? We heard you cutting on that door, and then you and Jimmy were hacking like crazy. Matt started too, just before Jimmy came flying out of there.”

“When I opened the door… Hey! Where’s Jimmy at?”

Michael looked a little green, but Cheryl spoke up.

“Tommy killed him.” she said.

“Yeah, poor guy had his head beat in. Look like Tommy used a rock.”

“Matt?”

Michael just shook his head.

I said a quick prayer for the two of them. As much as I didn’t care for Jimmy, I didn’t think he deserved to die like that.

“Anyhow, When I opened the door, I saw a tanker that had been split open. Whatever it was, it burn my eye and made me barfed. I slammed the door shut, but enough fumes must have got in. I grabbed Jimmy and tossed him out.

Next thing I knew, those jackwagons were attacking us.”

“Damn. I guess we know who killed Betty and that other guy.” Michael said. He looked over at his wife, then asked; “Nathan, I need to know something?”

“What?”

“Is there enough now?”

“Enough? Enough what?”

“Food, water. With four of us…gone now. Is there enough for us to wait this out? I know these seems callous, but there’s no way out of here now.”

“What about the Guard? The cops? I thought you were waiting for them to come and rescue you?”

He shrugged his shoulder. “I guess they’re not coming to save us. I sorry about giving you grief about it before.”

I nodded my head.

Mistake!

I gritted my teeth wondering what was taking Samantha so long with those meds?

“Yes, I think there is enough. We’re going to have to be damn careful though. We’re going to miss a few meals, we’ll be thirsty, and we’ll stink, but I think we can go for three weeks or so.”

“Will that be enough? The radiation, will it be gone by then?”

“No. But hopefully, it will be down enough to be safe for short periods.”

“But longer would be better?”

“Sure, but there’s no way to make it last for anymore than that.”

Michael thought on that for a moment and looked around. “Where is Samantha? She should have been back by now, shouldn’t she?”

“I’m right here, everyone.” Said Samantha as she stepped around the front of the Ford.

“Well, what took you so long? It’s only a few minutes walk from here and back. Did you get those pain killers for Nathan?”

“Yep, got them right here.” She said holding up a couple of pill bottles.

“Well, give them to me. Nathan’s in some real pain, Samantha.”

“My name’s not Samantha, it’s Sandra.”

We all stared at her.

Confusion clearly on Michael’s face, he said “What? What does that mean?”

“What, that my real name is really Sandra? Nothing, it means nothing to you. But what does mean something to you, is that I like longer.”

“Er, um.”

“Don’t worry. In fact, you don’t need to ever worry about anything ever again.”

“I…”

I watched in horror as Sandra’s other hand came up, holding a small black pistol.

And then she started shooting.






   Nathan watched as Michael went down like a sack of potatoes.

   “Michael!” screamed Cheryl.

   Sandra pointed her weapon at me just as my left hand touched the handle of my .38.

   “Now, Nathan, no heroics, okay? And tell that mutt of yours to go away or I’ll put a few rounds into him!” she said, keeping close to the truck.

   “Duke! Stop! Go guard, go!” I said hoping he would listen.

   He stopped just as he was ready to hop over the tongue of the trailer. Duke was looking in the direction of Sandra. He looked over at me and went back and laid down.

   But he was keeping an eye on me.

   “Better, Nathan. Why don’t we just relax, huh? Cheryl, RELAX! I can‘t talk to Nathan with all that crying.”

   She walked past me and slapped Cheryl. She level her pistol at her and said; “Enough already! Your going to give me a migraine.”

   Sandra twisted around and took a seat on the side of the chaise and was back to pointing the pistol at my heart.

   “Now, let’s talk, shall we?

   First, I want to say how sorry I am for you getting hurt, that wasn’t part of the plan.”

   “Really? Just a simple miscalculation on your part?”


   “Well, not me personally. Mark was suppose to wait for my orders. But he had been becoming more and more irrational, perhaps even paranoid.”

   “Your orders?”

   “Yes, my orders. Mark was part of my crew. You figured out they were part of a home invasion crew. It’s just that it’s my crew or more precisely, my fathers.”

   Great, I thought. Daddy must have been a real winner if his daughter was much of a psycho.

   “Mark had been getting more and more irrational lately. Plus the stealing. Probably was all the speed and coke he had been doing lately. This was going to be the last job he did for us. The rest of my crew is, I mean, was waiting for us to show up at a warehouse that a friendly police chief was renting to us a few miles up the road.

   Then, a quick trip to the desert and Mark would have no longer been a problem.”

   “And Tommy?”

   “He wasn’t a regular. Mark’s regular helper let us know of his problem and the skimming he was doing. So, meth head Tommy was working this job to pay off some debts he owed us. Tommy was there just to keep Mark from suspecting anything was wrong. He would have joined Mark in a hole. No big deal.”

   Dear God! It sure didn’t bother her talking of killing two men.

   Probably would have done it herself.

   “So, what was your plan?”

   Sandra shook her head. “They were suppose to wait until I knew what was going to happen when you got to the other side. I mean, if we could get out safely, I would have killed you all.

   If it wasn’t safe, I needed you alive.”

   “Why?”

   “Because you know all this survivalist stuff. What do I know about radiation? Or how much water or food a person needs? Or probably a hundred other things that you know?

   But everything went wrong.

   Michael was suppose to be watching them, but queenie here decide to throw one of her tantrums.

   I saw that Mark had been watching him and when Michael turn his back on him, that’s when Mark made his move.

   I saw him get out a vial that must have had speed in it. He snorted it down and so did Tommy. That bastard smiled at me after doing it.

   I think he may have known what I had planned for him all along.

   After a few moments, he and Tommy were was almost vibrating in place.

   When you shoved Jimmy out that doorway, and came out sounding like you were go to hack up a lung, he made his move.

   And you know the rest.”

   I sat there.

   Thinking.

   “Now what thoughts are going through that little pretty head of yours, Nathan? I hope your not thinking of doing something rash?”

   I shook my head.

   “Now what?”

   “Now? Now we decide if I have to kill Cheryl.”

   “Why?”

   “Well, I heard you talking with Michael about how long we could last, the four of us. Now we have how long?”

   I did some quick thinking.

   And planning.

   Hope it worked

   “A month, easily. Perhaps six or seven weeks if we really tighten down.”

   “And that will be long enough? You wouldn’t lie to me now, would you?”

   “No. The radiation should be down by then. Safe enough to be out for half a day or so.”

   “Good. Then Cheryl can stay alive, for now. If your calculations are off, I can always, well, you know.”

   “She will be needed. I don’t think you can afford to kill her.”

   “Oh, really? And why is that?”

   “Because your going to need her. If you want to survive.”

   “Go on.”

   “Well, thanks to Mark, I’m pretty busted up. You need to get those bodies put somewhere that the smell won’t drive us crazy. So, unless you want to do it by yourself…”

   “No, I don’t have to do that. Cheryl can do that herself.”

   “No, she can’t. She’ll have problems with moving dead bodies around, she isn’t tough like you.

   You need to ride her hard to get her to do what needs to be done. I can’t help with that. Once I get these pain killers down, I’ll probably be out like a light.”

   “Fine, Alright, so the two of us have to do that, so where do we dump them?”

   “You’ll need to empty out that truck of yours. The tools, guns, clothes, liquor, and anything that we can use. Those shipping blankets, the cords from the TV and such. After you strip the truck bare, you use the loading plank and put all the bodies in there. Then drive it down to the exit and leave it.”

   “So, we carry those bodies up into the truck by hand? I’m not getting soaked in blood, no way.”

   “There’s a tarp in the trailer for pulling the bodies with. Along with some Tyvek coveralls and gloves. There are even some full face masks. No blood. Just some hard work.”

   Sandra pursed her lips, thinking. Then she slapped me on the shoulder.

   Thank God, it was the left one.

   “And that’s why I need you alive! That’s a good plan, Nathan. Now, before I start, hand over that gun of yours. Slowly.”

   I reached around and got the .38. Then I handed it over.

   “Good, boy. Now, chain up that dog of yours or I’ll kill it.”

   I got up, almost passing out from the pain, found a chain in the bed of the truck, and chained up Duke.

   “It’ll be fine, Duke. Be a good boy.” I said giving him a quick head rub.

   “A boy and his dog, how charming. Now, show me your weapons. All of them.”

   I show her where they where. She gathered them up and said; “If you try anything, I will kill those two.

   And Cheryl, get some food out, I‘m hungry.” She then took off, heading for the Toyota.

   Cheryl looked at me.

   “Kill her!”

   “Nope, it ain’t worth it. We’ll survive this.”

   “That *itch will kill us when she gets the chance.”

   I swallowed a couple of Vicodin.

   “She might, but for now, she needs us.”

   “And when she doesn’t?”

   I shrugged my shoulder.

   “I’ll show you where the food is.”
   ------------------------------------------------

   I woke up and looked at my watch.

   Another day had gone by.

   My shoulder still hurt.

   And Michael’s body was gone.

   “Duke?”

   I heard him move his chain.

   Thank God.

   I looked around and saw several empty cans and water bottles.

   Sandra probably ate her fill last night.

   I shook my head in wonder. We have a limited supplies and she’ll burn through them in no time.

   I can’t say I was surprised.

   It confirmed my notion that she was going to kill us once our usefulness was over.

   I had only one trick up my sleeve and it better work.

   My shoulder was throbbing, need more Vicodin.

   I swallowed just one this time. I need to stay clear for what was coming.

   “Well, look there! Sleeping beauty is up!”

   “Yeah, ha ha. Let’s see what happens if you get a busted shoulder and need meds.”

   “Well, me and my new slave are done with that chore you had us do. Now I know why I stayed in management.” she said with a chuckle.

   I watched as she pulled out a breakfast bar and chomped it down.

   “Hungry? There’s plenty more.”

   “I know. But not right now. If your rested up from last night, we still have one major problem to solve.”

   “And what is that?” she asked, bits of breakfast bar falling out of her mouth.

   “The way out. There was a tanker spill in the next tunnel. We need to fix that.”

   “How do we do that?”

   “It seems that whatever was in that tanker was heavier than air or it would have dissipated by now. We need to destroy it.”

   “And?”

   “We need to burn it. There was another semi next to it. We need to shoot the fuel tank and let the diesel out. Then we use a Molotov cocktail to set off the diesel. A couple days later, no more chemical spill and it’s safe to leave out through that tunnel.”

   “You think that would be safe? What if the chemical is explosive?”

   “Then it should have gone off when I was cutting through the door. I had sparks flying everywhere.”

   “And you want a gun to shoot it?”

   “Nope, you can do it. I think you can handle a fuel tank.”

   “And the Molotov?”

   “I’m sure you know how to make one, don’t you.”

   “Duh! Who doesn’t?”

   I looked around.

   Then it dawn on me.

   Cheryl.

   “Sandra, where is she?”

   She smiled at me.

   “With her husband.”

   I looked at her.

   Then I dropped my eyes.

   And slumped my shoulders.

   “Come on, Nathan. We have work to do.”
   -----------------------------------------



   I pulled the poncho on as did Sandra.

   I handed her a gas mask.

   She struggled to get it on.

   “Here, let me help.”

   She leveled my Browning at me.

   “If you don’t have it on right, the fumes will get you.”

   “Fine, but try anything…”

   “Yeah, yeah. A gut full of lead.”

   She smiled.

   I helped her get it on.

   Then my own.

   She motioned me to pick up the Molotov.

   I did it without saying a word.

   And in I went.

   I stepped around the pools of vomit from Jimmy and me.

   I got to the door, the cutter still laying against it, keeping it closed.

   “Are you ready?” I asked.

   “Yes, I am. Are you?”

   I opened the door and stepped aside.

   “Put that Molotov on the floor.” she said.

   I put it down.

   Sandra kept the Browning trained on me while she took a look to see at the semi.

   “I think your time has come, Nathan.”

   “I thought you needed me?”

   “Oh, I may have. But then, I found those books you have while you were sleeping. The ones on survival and nuclear war. I think I’ll be able to figure it out.

   And I figure, I don’t need you Nathan.”

   “But you don’t know everything, Sandra.”

   “I know enough.”

   “Please, Sandra! I don’t want to die!”

   “Bye, bye, Nathan. Oh, and when I’m done, I’m going to kill that dog of yours with your shotgun, piece by piece.”

   With that she whipped the Browning up to eye level and pulled the trigger.

   Nothing.

   “I guess you don’t know single actions, Sandra.”

   She threw the Browning at me and tried to get under the poncho.

   I reached out and grabbed her mask.

   And pulled.

   Ripping the mask off, I could see her face, filled with hate.

   I saw my death in her eyes.

   Then she screamed and grabbed at her eyes.

   I picked up the Molotov, smashing it against her face, and grabbed her and threw her into the tunnel.

   ------------------------------------------------------------

   Sandra was reaching for her Ruger LCP when the fumes hit her eyes.

   Her eyes burned like on fire.

   Then she felt the vodka bottle she had use to make the Molotov smashed into her face.

   She felt herself falling fast.

   Then she was splashing into something.

   Sandra felt herself becoming wet.

   She felt like her entire body was on fire.

   She screamed, puked, and, rolled around.

   She kept flailing around.

   Then slower.

   Slower.

   Stopped.
   -----------------------------------------------------------

   I shut the door with the cutter back up against it.

   I knew I was blessed that Sandra wasn’t familiar with single action automatics that needed the hammer pulled back before firing.

   I was also glad that my original plan wasn’t needed.

   Which was basically attacking her with my one good arm.

   And the extra Ka-Bar she had missed.

   I got back to Duke and set him free.

   Getting on my knees, I gave thanks to God.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------





   “I was in that tunnel for another eights weeks until the radiation died down to where it was safe to leave.

   By the time I got out of there, I was almost out of food. I had enough water for another week.

   Me and Duke survived, but man, did we stink!

   I had burned off the chemical spill a few days after Sandra died.

   I hid all my weapons other than my Browning, the S&W .38, two 9MM Glocks and a SUB-2000 that those thieves had in the back of their truck.

   With my arm frozen in this position, I had no ability to handled a rifle or shotgun. Those 9MM were all I could handle.

   It took me a couple days to get over that mountain and on my way.

   I kept a look out for any hot spots, there were still quite a few, so I had to be careful.

   I had run out of food and water by the time I got to my cache that was on the way.

   Never would I believe that lifeboat rations and canned water could taste so good!

   It took me another week to find that town. I found some more water.

   But the biggest find was the radio station.

   I was able to send out a message using my portable HAM gear. Thankfully, someone heard me.”

   “Someone? I’m just someone?”

   “Give me a break, Steve. The least you could have done was get me in your Suburban, that thing drives like a dream.

   But no, you had to bring me back in my Bronco. I still have to fix the shocks on this thing!” I said as Steve hit another bump.

   On purpose if I know Steve.

   Bastard!

   I sat in the back seat, strapped in tight. Duke was laying across my lap. I rubbed his ears.

   I felt the Bronco swerve.

   And hit another bump.

   “STEVE!”

 

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 9
Of
The Tunnel

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 10
Of
The Tunnel

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 11
Of
The Tunnel

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 12
Of
The Tunnel

[div style='text-align: center;']CHAPTER 13
Of
The Tunnel

[div style='text-align: center;']CHAPTER 14
Of
The Tunnel

I'm really enjoying this, thanks for sharing.
Please don't stop.

I'm almost done with it.

pretty good so far

OST for later.............

I like it! Reminds me of some twighlight zone episode. Should have not read it until done, hate the waits!

When do we get more?

Did you post some of this up before?

This story is very familiar.

Yes. I started at the first of the yr, but I kept getting sick.

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 15
Of
The Tunnel

Cliffhanger

damn you!!!!!!!!!! you cant leave us hanging like that

Fun!

I'm liking it!  Please give us moar!  Thanks!

TriumphRider

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 16
Of
The Tunnel

Shit is about to get real!

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 17
Of
The Tunnel

I knew you couldn't trust her.  Hopefully he still has his pistol on him.

I love it so far very nice, like how you go to others view points quickly.

one question tho, at first the crashed suv has Betty and Samantha in it, Betty is kill, Samantha stops being mentioned, and Rebecca pops up, is Samantha Rebecca? or is Rebecca a different person all together?

DANG!

I had really got sick this summer and fall for a while. I guess I somehow got the names mixed up.

Samantha is Rebecca.

I went back and changed it. Sorry for the mistake~

lol, its ok based on what was going on it the story line i kinda figured that samantha was rebecca who is sandra

Pretty good so far. Looking forward to your next post.

This tunnel is filled with psychos.

[div style='text-align: center;']Chapter 18
Of
The Tunnel.

------------------------------------------------------------------


[div style='text-align: center;']Epilogue





[div style='text-align: center;']THE END
OF
THE TUNNEL.

Thank you, everyone.

damn!! now that's an ending and a cliff hanger of sorts. I just hope its not the last we here of Nathan

Thanks for the story and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Have a great Christmas!

Good story. Hope there is some more.

Tag to read later.

Great story, OP.

waaa, i have this tagged to read

Why did you pull this OP?

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Why did you pull this OP?

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I'm going to re-write it as a Kindle.

Make it a little longer and not so choppy.

Hopefully find an editor and get a decent cover.

Heck, even if it only makes enough to buy a Mosin 91 it'll be worth it.

For now, it's still up at http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?422165-The-Tunnel-V2.0



I have a financial opportunity possible coming my way and I'm having to shelve the Kindle idea for now.

Enjoy the story!

I enjoyed the story, thank you.