Jacqueline Druga - Protocol One

“It’s an awful big gamble if someone wasn’t certain we had something to offer.”

“Yes, it is. Someone was sure enough that he led ten more people here.”

“So what do you think?” I asked.

“I think Town Bad Boy and a few others knew about the place and only the strong survive, so he was designated the one to lead the pack. Test the waters. They brought weapons, so they had bigger intentions than just coming for help. Just my guess. I think they were the first party. The rest of the fire hall will show up. There’s not many of us. They may want to take the place.”

“They can’t, can they?”

“They could. But I won’t let it happen… But we need to watch out for one of them to disappear when the temperatures normalize. If they do, I’d look for a little trouble. In fact, I am watching ahead of time. They may not even need someone to slip out. We’re not secure. There’s not that many of us. I could take us all out in the middle of the night.”

“That’s comforting,” I grumbled.

“It’s the truth. When Spencer gets well, ask him. He was a cop. He’ll say the same thing.”

“Why would they do that? We have plenty.”

“ Because we have plenty. It’s ours. If we control it, they are under our control.”

I exhaled heavily. “Do what you need to do.” I spoke those words with a heavy heart hoping Tony was wrong in his assessment. However, a part of me felt that he wasn’t and I had not only opened our door to strangers, I had opened our door to trouble.

August 14

In the two weeks after impact, things were honestly normalizing for me. Well, about as normal as it could be. I still missed Jackson… that would never stop. I still cried for him. But I had settled into a routine, a daily routine that made me feel as if I were a contributor to it all. I ran rations and inventory. Every day I walked each floor twice, checking on things. Inwardly, I felt as if I were healing. Slowly, but still healing.

Out of the eleven survivors that came to the shelter, ten remained. An older woman passed away the second night.

The children had returned to being children and ran about constantly. A few of the survivors, pretty much never came out of their rooms and did only what was required to pull their weight.

Some offered to help cook and others spent their time in agriculture with Melissa. Including Town Bad Boy. His name was Lenny.

Tony grew increasingly frustrated over the fact that as they days rolled by, his assumption was more than likely wrong. But he wouldn’t let it go about Lenny. He stared him down and watched him so much, it was making me uncomfortable.

Spencer was the one I worried about in a different way. The ash settled into his lungs and that turned into pneumonia. He was fighting it, but it would take time, Craig said.

He walked the floor to get oxygen moving in his lungs, but that wore him out. I had to wonder if it was all his health or maybe something else.

It was ‘call to lunch’, and once again, Spencer didn’t’ make it to the dining area. I fixed him a plate and after doing so conveyed my concern to Tony.

“Oh, it’s more,” Tony said. “He didn’t want to live anyhow.”

“What can we do?”

“Nothing.”

“You know, his was the only story I never got.”

“He doesn’t have one and he won’t have a hot meal if you don’t take that now.”

“Walk with me?” I asked.

“Sure.”

Spencer’s meal in hand, we headed out of the dining area. “So I am thinking he has this huge tragic story. Like his wife and kids died.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because he wanted to stay behind and die. He said he had no one.”

“Did you ever stop to think he had no one because he was always working and never met anyone?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.”

As we reached the end of the walk way and were just about to Hive One, Peter emerged from the switch room.

“Oh, lunch. I’ll go get some.” He said. “Must have missed the call. I was busy with something fascinating. Wait until…”

Tony interrupted him. “We have to get this to Spencer.”

“Poor guy,” Peter said. “At least he should feel better when he sees your lovely face.”

Tony said. “Thanks.”

“I think he was talking to me.,” I nudged Tony. “And thanks Peter. I can’t wait to hear about your fascinating find.” I could feel Tony’s impatience and he was bodily trying to move me.

“You’ll love it. Make time about an hour after dinner. Temperatures will be not only normal, but pleasant. Short lived, only a few hours and then they’ll plummet, so it is the prime time to take one more breath of fresh, tolerable air. We’ll build a fire.”

Tony gave him a quirky look. Then moved me along. “He’s so strange,” Tony said.

“You’re really not nice to him.”

“He doesn’t need me to be nice, Anna, you are nice enough to everyone.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. And what do you think about his suggestion?”

“It’s dark. It’s so dark that the night vision doesn’t work correctly. He’s nuts. He wants to build a fire with you. Please. He’s got romantic intentions. He gave you some time and now he’s gonna be suave about it.”

I laughed.

“I’m serious. That notebook he carried has your name all over it.” Tony said. “Little tiny hearts. I heart Anna. Kind of scary.”

“Stop.”

“Besides,” Tony held the door for me as we entered the second floor of the Hive. “I believe you and I are still technically pretend dating. Neither one of us ended it. Not sure what Senator Gil’s rules were on that one. Whether we should still be pretend dating for the apocalypse for the sake of your safety.”

“You weren’t supposed to be here. But thanks. Thanks for making me laugh. I need that. And Peter is harmless. I know you’re only watching out for me.”

“Yeah.” He reached up and knocked on Spencer’s door. There wasn’t an answer. Tony knocked again. “I hope he’s not dead.”

“Oh my God.” I gasped in shock.

“Come in,” Spencer called.

“See?” I said to Tony and opened the door. “Hey Spence, we brought you lunch.”

“Thank you.” He sat up in bed.

“It was hot,” Tony commented. “But then Peter stopped us on the way here. You know him. Doesn’t shut up. He invited Anna out for a romantic black out walk.”

“Stop it, he did not.” I laughed and handed Spencer his lunch and plumped up his pillows. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, much better. This thing kicked my ass. But Craig said I have to get out of here tomorrow for a couple of hours and do something. Nelly invited me to peel boiled eggs. I think that’s easy enough.”

“Good,” Tony said. “You haven’t really met the new people. I want to get your take as a officer of the law.”

“Spot trouble in the bunch?” Spencer asked.

“I feel it coming.”

“Be happy to give you my opinion.”

To me, Tony was just bound and determined to have one of them be bad. In fact, I think he was secretly hoping for it so he could have some fun.

We stayed and talked to Spencer a bit more and then headed back out. Though Spencer did seem more ill than depressed, I wasn’t ruling it out.

We stopped by the switch room to check on Tom.

Tony asked him how it was going. Since Tom couldn’t see much, he was working the radio.

“Nothing. Despite how powerful this thing is, it isn’t penetrating,” Tom said. “I thought since the orange left the horizon and the fires were dying down and we’d get something.”

“Can we boost the signal?” Tony asked.