Road's End

Posted on Thu Oct 26th, 2023 @ 5:25pm by Hale Stratton [Major, United States Army] & Ethan Thompson & Alonzo Blazevic & Vienna Quinn & René Rouen & Victoire Olaffson [Lieutenant, United States Navy] & Civilian Father Dominic Stephens & Civilian Bao Shi Hong & Civilian Courtney Wynn

2,463 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Bangor or Bust
Location: Wynn Estate, Outskirts of Bangor, Maine
Timeline: 29 August 2010 - 07:15 a.m.

Through a combination of scouting ahead and moving quietly, the group had made it to the outskirts of Bangor. There had been a close call or two, lying flat on the ground, watching a herd shuffle by on the road, and trying real hard not to breathe or cough or draw meaningful attention to themselves, and once, Hale and Victoire had to step in when a family, searching through cars for food, had been nearly overrun. And now, standing on the side of a smaller access road, they had arrived.

With everyone squatting in a circle, Hale drew out his map and pointed out there current location. "Now we have to figure out the safest way to get you all back to your families. Maybe you could start by marking the location on the map? Where you want to go?"

Vienna moved to look at the map, pinpointing her home for Hale to see. “This is where my home is, it’s not too far from here now, at least it never used to be.” She was sure it wouldn’t be quite so easy to get there now.

[At the Katahdin]

Calista and Killian had had a rough night at the Inn. While it seemed that most of the time the place was quiet, there seemed to be more moving bodies shuffling through the halls, and the screams outside were enough to disrupt everything.

"Kil, I think that we need to talk about not staying here anymore," she commented quietly. She had been able to get up throughout the night and was now feeling like she could be more mobile.

"Why?" he asked, moving from the bed closer to where she was looking out between the mattress and the broken window.

She pointed beyond the curtain and showed him out the window where there were shuffling zombies down in the pool area, her friend still one of them. "We didn't sleep well last night, and I feel that we are out of our depth. Didn't that police officer mention that there was a place that we could go?" she asked, quietly and reserved.

"Yeah, there's a cabin that they were getting survivors at to stage. What radio broadcasts I was able to get into said that they were setting up staging at the high school for evacuation and quarantine," he said, now pushing the mattress back against the window.

Calista went and sat down on the edge of the mattress. They had their things, they had some options. It had been a couple of days since everything had gone down, and power really didn't seem like it was something that was going to come back on. "We could get down to the car, and see where we could get with the gas we have. From what you were mentioning on how clear the roads were, most people were following with the shelter in place rules. I just don't think this is the right place for us, and I'm not sure that I want to trade the safety of the third floor for a throng of people we don't know."

"You do have a point," he stated, moving next to her and sitting down. "I think that maybe you should let me scout out a bit and see what I can find out about where's safe and where is not."

She looked up at him with heated eyes; they were both at the same time worried and angry. "I get that you want to do this, but I don't think that we should split up. I know that everyone is just trying to survive whatever is going on. That pool area though, that's something that's almost too close for comfort. We're not equipped to fight them off."

"No, no we aren't," he said. "That's why I should go get some more supplies before we try to make the journey or find another way point that isn't here at the inn with your friend ambling about." His fingers ran through her hair. "Cold showers would probably do us best before we lose water. If power is out, you know the water pumps will eventually stop pumping."

She sighed, knowing that he was right. "Yeah... Alright fine. Today you find out what information you can, gather what we can to give ourselves a fighting chance, and we can start planning our escape home plan with some alternatives."

"Deal, let me go get ready. The sooner I get going, the sooner I'll get back," he offered, reluctantly knowing that this was the right course of action, even if neither of them wanted to proceed forwards.

Leaning forwards, she kissed him gently and then hugged him. "We're going to survive. We have to survive. Right?"

Killian leaned in and hugged his wife gently and then left a gingerly loving kiss on her forehead. "That we are, Sugar. That we are, and if not, we'll go down with a fight."

[Just Outside Bangor]

Hale made a note on the map, indicating Vienna's home, and looked expectantly at the rest of the group. "Rene, I know that you were staying with Vienna, so you'll want to go there as well. How about the rest of you?"

Jordan and Courtney joined the others at the map and looked it over. Jordan spoke up first. "I live about two blocks passed where Vienna does."

Courtney glanced about and then at the map. "Well if I understand this right." She looked at the cross street just ahead. "My place is about five blocks east down that street."

Ethan remained quiet as it all swept through him again. Waves upon waves. Just when he thought he was coming to terms with all of this, something would remind him all over again. His parents were dead and the home he'd grown up in was just a house now.

"It's good that you're all in the same area," Hale said. "That'll make this a bit easier. I'm assuming that you all want to do this together?"

Vienna looked around the others. “I don’t mind if no one else does.”

Jordan was the next to step forward and look at the map. He tapped a position near the one Vienna had indicated. "I live the next block over from Vienna."

Courtney didn't even bother looking at the map. She pointed down towards the end of the block they were on. " My father's mansion is three blocks from here. It has an 8' tall stone wall and a wrought-iron gate. We get there and he can provide people to get the others home." She glanced at René and Vienna standing together. "That is. If the others want to leave for their own homes."

Father Dominic sighed. He wanted to get this task over with and get back to his parishioners in Millinocket.

"Okay, let's get going then," Hale said. "We'll start with Courtney since she's closest."

[Short While Later]

As they walked, facts surfaced in Hale's mind. Third largest city in Maine with around 30,000 people. On the river. Penobscot? Something like that. He'd seen bigger, of course, but cities, small or large, always left him feeling edgy and out-of-place. As they approached Courtney's family home, or at least the wall surrounding the estate, he turned toward Courtney.

Courtney returned Hale's gaze and nodded she sped up her walk to join him as the group arrived at the closed gate. She pressed the call button on the intercom box. "Hello, this is Courtney Wynn. I am here with a group of people who have been helping myself and a few of my classmates return from the field trip to Millinocket."

There was no immediate response aside from a wall-mounted camera that turned to pan across the group. A voice finally came over the intercom. "Thank God your alright Courtney. Charles and Vivian are on the way to let you in. They will take you to the pool house first."

Courtney made a scornful face. "Dad, I don't want to go to the pool house. I want to go to my own bathroom and get cleaned up."

"Sorry pumpkin, but with the way things are, Vivian needs to inspect you for scratches and bites. We can't take the chance you are infected."

René stepped forward and placed a hand on Courtney's shoulder. "Your father is just being careful is all."

Courtney shot a spiteful look at René for a moment before her expression softened and she nodded. "You're right. Sorry."

Hale hesitated, unsure of how to proceed, and surprised by her parents reluctance to meet their daughter before her being checked. He had no interest in entering the estate but thought they could wait until this ... Vivian ... showed up to take charge of her.

Victoire looked around the group before stepping forward to the intercom and looking up to the camera pointedly; since she knew that they were going to coming into Bangor today she had made it a point to try and clean her Military Uniform and was wearing it. “Sir; if I may. I can assure you that Miss Wynn is not infected. I am a doctor with the Navy and she has been undergoing daily checks as have the others under my care since everything started; I have also been seeing to it that she has received immune boosters just as a precaution”

Intercom: "Hold for a moment."

Vienna wasn’t paying much attention, she wasn’t far from home now and she wanted to get there as soon as possible. One way or another she wanted to know what had happened to her family.

René stepped back next to Vienna. It wasn't too hard to figure out what was on her mind. He took hold of her hand. "It won't be long."

Vienna nodded as she gently squeezed René’s hand, she just wanted to get going.

Intercom (different voice): "Ma'am, this is Lieutenant Madison. I am a signal officer with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. Are there other service members in your party?"

"I am," Hale said as he stepped forward. "Captain, 5th Special Forces Group out of Fort Campbell. What's up, Lieutenant?"

Vic met caught Hales gaze and raised a brow, using military hand signals below the cameras sight to convey a simple message before she spoke up. 'WTF?' after which she looked up to the camera and shook her head. "Besides the Captain here and myself our group is primarily the teenagers outside of a handful of other resourceful adults that got caught with us in Millinocket, I am a Lieutenant with Navy Medical, Assigned to SEAL Team 9

Madison's voice came back over the intercom. "Two of my soldiers will accompany Mister Wynn's people. They will escort both of you directly to the house. You will still need to undergo checks for bites and scratches, but it will expedite matters of getting you both in touch with higher authority. May I have both your names for verification?"

Hale signaled back, 'caution', out of range of the camera even as he shook his head. "Thank you but I'm going to decline," he said. "We're here to return Miss Wynn to her family and then we're moving on."

Madison on intercom: "Sir, National Command Authority issued orders at 1800 hours last night canceling all leaves and mobilization orders for all reserve units. States have also called up their National Guard forces. I understand your reluctant to take my word alone for that, but please. I have the communications equipment that can establish contact with both of your units. Arrangements can be made to get you back to your respective commands and we can get the civilians back to their homes or a secure refugee facility. Failure to comply could result in being UA (unauthorized absence) possibly even willful desertion. Be reasonable and I promise we will get everyone to where they need to be as expediently as humanly possible."

"Understood, no need to threaten me, Lieutenant, Hale said. "Let us in."

René was standing at the back of the group. He was not particularly fond of what was going on. He glanced at Vienna and tugged gently on her hand as he brought a finger to his lips recommending quiet.

Vienna nodded as she looked towards René, she’d be only too glad to separate off and go find her parents.

Jordan rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. The adults reminded him of locker room shenanigans, trying to proves who had the biggest.

Father Dominic looked on and shook his head. "For the Love of God. We need to work together. We hastily put together this expedition to get these kids safely home. We don't have the water or food to make it all the way back to Millinocket."

Ethan, who was standing between Alonzo and Hale, listened but said little. As far as he was concerned, he was home. No family waiting for him though it would be good to get a shower and a change of clothes sometimes soon. Life it seemed had pared down to the essentials. It seemed more like a million years than the few days it had been; back when his biggest worry was that upcoming history test and his grandmother's impending visit.

Bao was keeping quiet for the most part. He had a place to go back to, a restaurant and a family. Meanwhile, Alonzo had left his family to track down Ethan. He felt responsible for the teenager, and more than that, he did not want to be separated from Hale.

Madison: Will do sir.

A moment later a man and a woman in civilian attire and a man and woman in military uniforms could be seen walking towards the gate. The civilian man was armed with a sidearm in a hip holster and both military personnel were carrying M4 carbines slung on their right shoulders.

René took the opportunity while everyone focused on the people walking down the driveway to pull Vienna quietly off and around the wall out of sight. He pointed to a small wooded park across the street. He kept hold of her hand and led her off into the cover of the trees.

Vienna quietly followed, only too glad to get away from the group. She motioned to René which way her parents house was not wanting to raise her voice and draw any attention.

Vic gave a quick appraisal of those approaching them and glanced to Hale, trying to get a gauge of his thoughts before she stepped forward herself, placing herself in a protective posture in front of the civilians where she would be able to jump into action should anything go funky.

 

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