Deep Freeze: Protocol One, Book 2 (Protocol One Saga) (13 page)

Suffice to say,
Let’s head back to Protocol One
was not a popular suggestion to Tony.

At first he flat out said, “No.” Then asking me if I were nuts, he again, said, “No.”

“Tony this is not an option. Go back.”

“Anna, you are not making decisions for us all. This isn’t the Anna movement anymore. Okay? No.”

“I have a plan.”

“Yeah, you know what? We had a plan too. In fact that plan is already being implemented. Now is not the time to play hero or run back to Gil. Gil’s gone for a few days anyhow. Without risking a radio breach, how are you going to inform him?”

“I could leave Mike there.” I suggested. “He can inform Gil and watch for situations.”

“Yes, because we all know how well you do picking out spies. We still have Ben there. Going back is going to cause problems, or for it not to happen at all.”

“No,” I argued. “It won’t. The plan will work.”

“Why are you coming up with a plan anyhow?” Tony asked. “I’m sorry, these people are not our problem.”

“I beg to differ. You are alive because of those people.’

“Yes, well …” Tony peered to the rearview mirror. “I was put at death’s door by one of those people.” He looked at Mike.

“Dude, low blow,” Mike replied. “No fair. It was an accident.”

“You shouldn’t have taken the Humvee in the first place, should you?”

“Tony, enough.” I snapped. “This is one incident that will affect us all eventually. The rest of our lives, living, hiding, looking over our shoulder.”

“Oh, stop being melodramatic. And get it out of your mind. We are not going back to Protocol One.”

It was then Joie showed she was paying attention. “Why aren’t we going back to Protocol One? Don’t we live there?’

“Yeah, Tony.” I raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“You know what?” Tony glared at me. “You have issues. It’s Anna’s way or no way without regard to what is best for everyone.”

‘This is what is best for everyone. I’m not just talking just us.”

“And you think going back is going to all of the sudden stop this all from happening?”

“I doubt it, but I do think it will get us back the group from Pittsburgh or let us know where they are.”

“Why do we care, Anna? Not to sound cold, but why?” Tony asked.

“Because we caused this. We went to Pittsburgh. You got hurt. Everyone knew they were there. We led them to the survivors. It is our responsibility to at least try to help them.”

“And this will be done by going back to Protocol One.”

“Just briefly,” I said. “Because I have...”

“A plan,” Tony cut me off. “Yes, I know.” Disgruntled, he didn’t continue south. In fact, against his better judgment, he headed back toward Protocol One.

<><><><>

He apologized to Tony at least three times for hitting him with the Humvee. Mike was sincere, then again, he was young and we found out he was only nineteen.

“I’m sorry I hit you.”

“Let it go,” Tony told him.

“I would if you would.”

“I did.”

“Then why did you bring it up?”

“I didn’t. Anna did. She said you were the one who hit me,” Tony said.

“And you made a comment. That’s not letting it go. I need you to know it was an accident, and I would do the spy thing for you if you need me to.”

“If you want to stay at Protocol One, we will leave you there. But the spy thing won’t work.”

“Yeah,” Joie added. “They figure things out. They’re cunning.”

Quickly, I looked back at Joie. “That’s an odd word choice.”

“Gwen taught me.”

“Figures.”

“Anna.” Tony warned softly.

Joie continued, “She knew right away what you were up to. She said she was up to the same thing, but ended up liking me. Yeah,” she sighed out. “Everyone was using me. That’s okay, there was really nothing else to do.”

I looked at Tony then to Joie. “I’m sorry, sweetie that was really wrong of me.”

“It’s okay,” She shrugged. “I learned lots of cool things in finishing school.”

“Man,” Mike sat back. “You people at Protocol One are tough. You make the kids go to finishing school.”

That made me laugh. But it was time to put my head in the game. We neared Protocol One.

As we made our approach up the road, I lifted the radio and not without a quizzical look from Tony. “This is Anna, Protocol One come in.”

“This is Protocol One.”

“Hey, did you guys fix the cameras?” I asked. “Tony wanted me to check.”

“Not yet. We’re working on it. Peter must have taken a walk. we can’t locate him. Over.”

“And without exteriors, you can’t see if he’s outside. Keep us posted.”

“Will do. Out.”

“What was that?” Tony asked.

“Just pull in.”

Tony did.

There were no guards outside other than at the gate, and there wasn’t a problem with us going right in.

“Go to the bay doors.”

“Then what?” Tony pulled up to the bay doors and stopped.

“Keep it running, wait here.” I reached for the door.

“Anna, what are you doing?”

“I’ll be right back.” I opened the door. “I’m handling this.”

<><><><>

The bay was empty, no one was there. Typically that was where Spencer hung out. But Gil saw no need to have someone on the bay, not with cameras.

I made my way down the stairs and peeked in every feasible location, until I found her in her room. Which was typically where Gwen spent most of her time.

I knocked on her door and when she answered, the smell of perfume wafted out.

“Anna?” Gwen questioned. “I thought you guys were out.”

“We were, are actually. Joie got a little traumatized and is asking for you and only you.”

“Is she alright?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where is she?”

“Up in the bay.”

Surprising me, without hesitation, Gwen grabbed that obnoxious fur coat, pulled her door closed and raced right by me. I didn’t even know the woman could run.

She was wearing heels oddly enough.

She click clacked her way up the metal steps and I stayed close behind. Out of breath she arrived at the bay.

“Is she in the Humvee?” Gwen turned around to me.

When she did, I lifted my pistol to her forehead.

“Oh my God.”

“Listen to me. Turn around, walk to the Humvee. Now.”

“What are you doing?”

“Turn around. Go.” I said calmly.

Gwen listened, turning slowly. “Do I need to raise my hands?”

“Nope. Walk. Quickly. Don’t scream.”

“Please. I wouldn’t reduce myself to that.”

I stayed close to her inching her with the pistol. When we got to the Humvee, I opened the door. Tony’s face was priceless.

“What is going on?” Tony asked.

“In,” I informed Gwen.

“Hi Gwen!” Joie said excitedly.

After making sure the child lock was on, I closed the Humvee and walked to my door.

“Drive.” I instructed Tony.

“Why is she here?”

“Seems,” Gwen spoke up. “I have been kidnapped.”

Tony’s eyes widened, he looked in the rearview mirror then me. His eyes shifted down to the pistol. “Anna, what the hell?”

“Go. Please. We have time to make up.”

“You just kidnapped her at gunpoint?”

“I did.” I noticed he wasn’t moving. “Tony, I’m serious. Fucking drive.”

“You’ve lost it.”

“Whoa,” Mike said. “You people are crazy. Kidnapping, finishing school.”

“So says the car thief,” I rebutted.

“Low blow.”

I glared at Tony. “We’re wasting time.”

“Appease her, Tony, go.” Gwen said. “I’m fine back here.”

“Where am I driving, Anna?” Tony asked.

“Follow the plan. We’ll meet the others, then we head to Texas.”

“Texas? As in Damnation Alley, Texas?”

“Go.”

Tony grunted with a bite to his bottom lip, put the vehicle in drive and pulled out. The guard at the gate didn’t even flinch as we drove back through.

“I thought you had a plan.” Tony said. “Had you shared this with me, I would have advised against it.”

“This is going to work,” I said. “Trust me. I told you I’d handle it.”

“Yeah, well, let me tell you something, Anna. This isn’t handling it.” He glanced at me with a side eye look. “This is insane.”

It was kind of thrilling. The great escape, even though no one really noticed or said anything to us.

“It’s not a prison,” Tom said. “Of course, they aren’t going to think twice.”

We stopped and grabbed the supplies, the chickens were a bit unnerving. Four chickens in cages in a closed in van space was a bit much. Add to that Baby John was fussy, the two hour trip to the Pennsylvania border and meeting spot seemed like a ten hour journey.

I wondered if Anna had room for me in the Humvee. Then again, it was Anna, She had this unnerving ability to grab strangers and bring them along.

We pulled over at the meeting place, Roy’s Body and Auto Shop. He parked the van to the side and waited.

Oddly, we didn’t see a single person, there was still a lot of snow on the ground and the roadways seemed at times almost impossible. Even though the snow had started to melt, it hadn’t been removed at all in the first thaw, so it was a bumpy ride.

Chickens squawked and the baby wailed.

We expected to have to wait for them. But when the time frame moved from one hour to two, I started to get worried.

Melissa made the comment that more than likely, we wouldn’t make it to the West Virginia fueling repository before dark.

Then finally, I saw them rolling down the road. Nearly two hours after we expected them. As they neared, I looked up to the sky, it was getting dark, but I knew we had a two hours. If we didn’t waste time.

Tom had been sitting on a duffle bag and stood. “Did they bring someone?’

“Joie,” Melissa added.

“Looks like more. She’s not that big.” Tom added. “I can see two figures. One is a guy.”

“What did you expect?” I asked. “It’s Anna.”

“And …” Tom said. “Looks like Gwen.”

All of us blurted out, “What!”

The Humvee stopped and Tony was the only one to get out.

He approached us.

“Tony?” Tom tilted his head. “Is that Gwen?”

Tony grumbled. “It is. We have a kidnapping situation on hand.”

“What do you mean?” Tom asked.

“Anna kidnapped Gwen. Seems she is taking her to Texas. Or rather I am.”

“Can you do that?”

“I’m gonna have to.”

Tom cringed. “This isn’t good.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Why did she kidnap her?”

“We arrived in Pittsburgh and everyone was gone. Not just gone, according to that boy in the car, those who didn’t want to go were taken by the military.”

I laughed. “Oh my God, that is so great. She kidnaps the Vice President’s daughter to use her as hostage bait, get into Texas camp and find out where Pittsburgh survivors went.”

“This is funny?” Tony asked.

“Actually, yeah. Anna has some balls doing this. It’s very Liam Neeson like. Don’t you think? I so want to be there when she goes to Damnation Alley.”

Seemingly ignoring me, Tom looked back at Tony. “What are you going to do?”

“Well…” Tony exhaled. “I can turn around and take her back to Protocol One. But I can’t do that. We could bring her to South Carolina. I won’t do that. Or simply take her to Texas. Which I don’t want to do.”

“I have an idea.” I lifted my hand. “Why don’t you and Joie go to South Carolina and I’ll drive with Anna to Texas?”

Tom nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

“No.” Tony waved out. “That is not a good idea. It’s a horrible idea. No.”

“Tony, you can’t go to Texas with Anna. You know that.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

Tom pointed to me. “Peter goes.”

“No I have to do this,” Tony said. “I’ll go.”

“But what are you going to do if …”

“I’ll handle it when and if the time comes.”

I peered at both of them. “Am I missing part of the conversation?”

Both of them face me and said at the same time. “No.”

“Just asking. But we better get moving if we want to get to the fuel place before dark.”

“Gather up everyone,” Tony said. “We’ll head out. Bunk there for the night and in the tomorrow I head to Texas.”

“Can I go?” I asked. “Please.”

Tony turned and kept walking back to his Humvee.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said to Tom.

Truth was, whether Tony liked it or not, there was absolutely no way I was missing Anna bringing Gwen, at gun point, to Damnation Alley.

<><><><>

The sign just outside of the town where the fuel repository was hidden read, “God Watches Tucker WV”

And as we pulled into the small town, I had to wonder of God actually did.

Nestled in the valley, surrounded by West Virginia mountains, the small mining town was untouched by the comet. Perhaps nature protected it or even God, whatever the reason, the only signs that anything remotely apocalyptic happened there was the snow. Even that was melting.

Population four hundred and twelve and not a soul was seen in the small town.

Why was that?

It was unscathed.

We found the fuel with ease and then we set up camp in the middle of the street.

It was starting to get dark, but while there was still some daylight remaining, I decided to walk around. See what I could.

The first building I entered was the police station. A small house like structure built of brick, single story Andy Griffith style. It wasn’t in disarray. Nothing was out of order. It was there I discovered what happened to the residents of Tucker. Why they weren’t in the community protected by nature.

They had retreated to the mines to be deep below the surface for when the temperatures rose.

I wondered if they were waiting or if they perished, buried alive in a collapsed mine when the earth shook.

The town was untouched, even shelves still contained items.

I wondered as we hunkered down for the night, why, with a place as safe, protected and hidden as Tucker West Virginia, we were even going anywhere else.