Knock in the Night (Part 2)

Posted on Mon Jun 19th, 2023 @ 6:09am by Hale Stratton & Alonzo Blazevic & Vienna Quinn & René Rouen

1,665 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Bangor or Bust
Location: Trout Mountain Cabin, Twin Pines at NEOC, Millinocket, ME
Timeline: 26 AUG 2010 - 10:00 p.m.

Outside
Hale smiled and while the effect was largely lost in the shadows where they stood, it felt good all the same. Irreverent humor was something he understood. "Keep them all inside," Hale said. "We'll be back in a bit. Probably take a look around to make sure there aren't anymore."

"I'll keep all of the kids inside, you keep the walking dead outside," quipped Alonzo. "I will do my best to distract the French one. He is a bit too inquisitive, and that's me saying that."

She looked to Alonzo with a half concerned look. "You are not wrong... but I am hoping that helping me with the medical I can give him some sense of purpose" She glanced over to Hale and drew her own knife, stepping closer to him.

Hale nodded and turned toward Vic for a moment, signaling that they should go. The road leading in had enough cover, if one crouched a bit, and Hale moved down on the left side. Moving quietly, watching where one put their feet, was something he had learned growing up in Alaska and honed during his time as a Green Beret. Carrying his combat knife, unsheathed now, he saw a group of three shambling up the road.

It occurred to him again that sound and light drew their attention but that once set on a course, they tended to keep going unless something else attracted them. He waited for Vic to come even with him from the other side before launching their attack.

Matching his movements with the same careful steps that had been drilled into her by SEAL training and through her years of working covert missions she crept up alongside him and used the standard hand signals they had both been taught to indicate that she would move to the rear of them and split their attention so that neither of them would be overwhelmed.

Hale nodded his agreement and moved into position, stepping out onto the road a short distance in front of the three with his knife drawn. Their attention was drawn immediately by the sudden movement giving Vic a chance to get in from behind. He circled to the side, drawing the attention of the closest one, and when he was out of Vic's range, sent him to the ground with a sharp kick to the chest, following up with a knife to the Pterion.

Met his attack moments later with her own, catching the straggler with a quick yank of the arm that spun it toward her and shoving her blade up under its chin, angled toward the back of its head and then kicked it free and spun her knife back to a guard position and advanced toward the third.

Hale came up on the other one from behind, pulling it in close enough to slide his knife into the Pterion, on the left side of the skull, and then released as he felt the body go limp. "Help me drag these off the road," he said as he grabbed one under the armpits and dragged him off into the bushes out of sight.

Grabbed hold of the second of the two; dragging it off into the ditch by its legs before stepping back onto the road to assist Hale with the final one, wiping a bead of sweat off her brow. "Somehow this isn't any easier than killing people... though I suppose that just means that we are indeed still human"

Inside

René rose from his chair and crossed to the kitchen with a glance over his shoulder. "Getting a glass of water. Anyone need anything?"

"Water sounds good," Ethan said as he rose from where he'd been sitting. Doing was always better than sitting still thinking about things that weren't ever going to change however much you wished they would. "I'll help." A list formed in his head. The kinds of things his Mom had wanted on the table. Salt, pepper, napkins, silverware. Even for takeout, she would bring out plates and glasses. It seemed in that moment that even in the mist of crazy town, those things mattered. Like holding onto a bit of civility in a world that didn't quite make sense any longer.

“Water for me please as well René” Vienna smiled warmly, then looked towards Ethan. “Anything I can do? I can help you set up if you like?”

René smiled back and nodded as he paused by the cabinet. He glanced at the refrigerator and noticed it had an ice and water dispenser inset on the door.

Courtney came bounding down the stairs from the girls bedroom and glanced about. She had changed into a strapless tube top and shorts. She smiled as she entered the kitchen. "We should get drinks for everyone. I'll give you a hand René." She sidled up next to him and took two glasses he handed her. "I am curious about something. Do you have a girlfriend back in France?"

"Erm. No. I don't." He kept his eyes on the cabinet as he pulled glasses out and Courtney filled them with ice water.

Courtney smiled. She liked the fact that her question seemed to make René nervous. She glanced over towards Vienna and Ethan setting the table in the dining room. "Well, maybe we should see about finding you an American girlfriend." She gently brushed his hand as he handed her the next two glasses. "I know for a fact that several girls at school have been talking about the hot new French foreign exchange student."

Ethan ignored them both, gathering plates and silverware and then bringing them to Vienna to set out on the table while he went back for napkins and whatever else he could find.

Vienna smiled warmly at Ethan as he brought her the plates and silverware. “You take that side, and I’ll take this one. Get the table set out in double the time.”

Jordan stood in the living room, the TV remote in hand. He turned on CNN for the news. He was curious as to any further news updates about the travel restrictions and the general information on the strange Wildfire Virus.

The camera was on. An empty newsroom. Quiet, dead air. And after a minute or two, a young man walked into view, dressed in jeans and a stained sweatshirt. His eyes were red-rimmed, his glasses askew. He took a moment to straighten them, running a shaking hand through his hair, watching something off camera, let out a strangled cry and ran.

The screen changed ... now it was an announcement by the Emergency Broadcasting Service ... a scroll on endless loop with instructions to report to the nearest safe zone for testing. A location was given within Bangor, an area covering several blocks.

Jordan called over Alonzo as he was the nearest adult. He spoke of what he'd observed and waited to see what the general consensus was.

Alonzo had gone over the instructions to report to the nearest 'safe zone' as the instructions looped, but he took issue with the term. Somehow, the thought of amassing a bunch of people who potentially were infected by something did not seem to be all that safe to him.

Outside the Cabin

The cruiser came up the road, caught Hale and Vic in its headlights, and pulled off to the side. Andy rolled down the window and Hale walked up. "Hey partner," he said. "Got a couple more people if you have the room."

"Sure thing," Hale said as he moved stepped to the side and directed his conversation to the cruiser's passengers. "Why don't you get out here and we'll take you in. Its a short walk."

Kara climbed out of the vehicle, throwing her only bag over her shoulder. "Good seeing you again, Captain."

"You as well," Hale said. "We're all in one cabin so you'll have to share. Hope that's alright. But there's food on the table. Chinese takeout if you can believe it." He led Kara and the Priest down the path toward the cabin and kept his gaze on the surroundings. They had taken out the stragglers and didn't expect to see anything else but still, his entire career had taught him that just about anything was possible. So, they'd have guards and in the morning, once everyone had a chance to rest, they'd talk about what came next.


Extended her hand to the newcomers as they stepped out. "Lieutenant Olaffson; but since you are joining the group you can call me Vic or Doc, I'm the medical official for everyone." she leaned into the open window of the cruiser and nodded to the officer. "You stay safe out there, will ya? Keep your friends as close as you can and watch out for each other, okay?"

Back Inside the Cabin

Pryde stood at a table alone as he was placing a white cloth upon it. The priest whispered something to himself as he made the sign of the cross, he sat his rosary down on the cloth as he made another sign of the cross in the air above the crucifix. He whispered "May our Lord bless this rosary, so I may keep it and have it assist me in my missions to come." May God our lord bless the people present in this gathering, and keep the virus from affecting us, as we go out in the world. In your name we ask of you, In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

The priest looked up from the table, as he looked at the TV, he then placed the rosary back around his waist, yet still holding the crucifix in hand.

Ethan watched the stranger with a somewhat bemused expression. No hello, no introduction ... just praying away. When the man looked up, he cocked his head to one side. "I'm Ethan," he said, "and you are ...?"

 

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