Story Market Day

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Paige will be fine, she has a task, and people who are relying on her. Her story isn't done...


...will there be a colossal meltdown of epic proportions...probably...and she has the baby to think of (Andrea's of course)... besides we needed more cliff's to look over anyway.

she should survive a little while longer. We already have that message from beyond-

page 49, post 1931

“I’m not. We will be together soon, but not yet. She will bring you to me in time, but for now, you need to be here. Paige will need you.” A cold wind blew through him and he was enveloped by the smell of lavender. Jesse heard his keys hit the porch. A woman’s voice said his name. He looked from where his keys fell to the figure in the door.”
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea was anxious when Sabine came back down the trail.

“Did you find her? Where did she go?””

“I found her. She was scouting a place for a grave. I need to get the shovels.” Was Sabine’s rushed reply. She wanted to get back out there. Paige still seemed ‘off’. What was she thinking? Of course she’s off! She has every reason to be off. All of this was playing out on her face for Andrea to see.

Andrea put a hand on Sabine’s arm. “Wait a moment. Take a breath. I have a mug of coffee for both of you. While you get the shovels, tell me what happened. I need to know.”

Sabine looked down into Andrea’s face. She could see the anguish in it, the need to do something. “It looks like Henrik had a stroke in his sleep. He never woke up. He was curled up with Paige, his arm across her. When she woke up, she couldn’t move him or wake him up. He had been gone for some time. I pulled everything from the tent except for Henrik. He is still in the sleeping bag.” Sabine paused a moment as Andrea absorbed the details.”

“I’m going to go help dig a hole. If you can grab the load book and double check where Henrik put the sled stretcher we used down the cliff. It will help us move him to the grave. If he packed it under a bunch of heavy stuff, wait for us to come back. No heavy lifting! I’ll send her back down here soon, but I think working on something is probably the best thing for her right now. She needs to keep busy.”

Sabine went to get out the shovels while Andrea got the coffee poured and the lids on their travel mugs. Moments later, Sabine was headed back down the trail, shovels in one hand and coffee mugs in the other.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The digging was slow, the ground was hard and the mood was somber. The two of them worked in silence for the most part. Sabine didn’t know what to say. This was the part she always sucked at; dealing with the family members of the deceased. Sabine so wished Amber was here. Broken minds and hearts were her specialty, no Sabine’s.

Finally, when the hole was getting deep enough Paige was almost eye level to the ground, Sabine spoke up.

“Paige, I can finish this. Why don’t you go back and help Andrea get some things out of the trucks.”

Paige looked at her, a strange mix of emotions playing across her face; fear, determination, anger, fatigue, and loss. She stopped shoveling and stood there a moment, not moving, not saying anything, just staring at Sabine. Finally her voice came out as a whisper.

“Sabine, what am I going to do? He’s gone.”

Sabine’s heart was breaking for her friend. “You’re going to survive and live, which is exactly what he would want you to do. I didn’t dig this hole for you to crawl into with him. You’re going to live and succeed and grow stronger. Anything less would be giving up, and he wouldn’t want you to give up. I whole-heartedly believe you will see him again. Our time on this world is short compared to our time in heaven. He was a good man and he cared more for you than life itself. Right now, he is getting a spot picked out in the mountains of heaven to build your cabin. If you remain strong in your heart, you will join him there one day and have many more years of stories to share with him.”

“I don’t know if I’m strong enough. I’m not strong like you.” Paige’s voice was soft, questioning.

Sabine’s control on herself nearly snapped. She had to steady herself with one hand against the side of the grave. All of the things Sabine was too weak to fight back against for so many years threatened to engulf her at once. She had to focus! She wiggled her fingers in the soil. Here! Paige needs you here! Finally she could speak.

“Paige, you are a far stronger person than I probably ever will be. Andrea and I will help you as much as we can, but you ARE strong enough.” Sabine paused again, gathering her focus. “Now, I’ll give you a leg up out of here so you can go help Andrea. I will be along in a few moments.”

Paige gave her a big hug and, with Sabine’s help, climbed out. Sabine heard Paige crunching through the snow back down towards Andrea. When she was sure Paige had left, Sabine collapsed in the bottom of the hole and sobbed.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea and Paige dug through the truck, pulling out the stretcher Sabine was wanting for Henrik’s body. When they had it out, Sabine still wasn’t back.

“She should have been finished. Where is she?” Andrea was becoming concerned. She looked over at Paige, who was flipping through the load book as she looked in the back of the Cherokee. “Paige, what are you looking for?”

“I need to get to that box.” She was pointing at one in the book and then at a space in the back of the Cherokee.

“What for?” Andrea looked over her shoulder at the load book, trying to see the description.

“He has to be right. I have to make him right. It’s only proper and he deserves it.” Paige began unloading boxes to get to the one she wanted. Andrea took the opportunity to look in the book. ‘Uniforms’
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Once Paige freed the box, she pulled out the garment bag with Henrik’s dress uniform in it, the one last seen at their wedding. Their wedding. It was not that long ago, easily measured in months or even weeks. Paige could smell the cologne he was wearing when she opened the bag.

Andrea saw how much Paige was hurting.

“Paige, Let me take care of this for you. You shouldn’t have to do this yourself.” Andrea tried to take Paige’s hands and hold them, to lend her support. Paige pulled back, fire in her eyes.

“You’re right! I shouldn’t have to do this myself! I shouldn’t have to bury my husband weeks after marrying him! I shouldn’t have to dig a hole in the forest to put his body in! I shouldn’t have to dig out his uniform to bury him in before our mingled cologne and perfume from the wedding has even faded from them! I shouldn’t have to worry about how to get his body into the hole other than just pushing him in and letting him fall! I shouldn’t have to ‘do’ a lot of things!”

Andrea recoiled from Paige’s outburst. She knew Paige was in pain, a pain she could barely imagine. “Paige, I just want to help.”

Paige’s face softened as she looked at her best friend. “I know. I’m sorry I blew up at you. It’s not your fault. Tell you what. I’ll finish pulling out his uniform and repack the truck while you go find out what’s keeping Sabine.”

“OK” Andrea started up the path. She stopped and looked back at Paige. “We will get through this. We are here to help. Just tell us how. You know that, right?”

“I know. I don’t know how I will ever repay you guys either.”
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea moved up the trail for the first time. She wasn’t sure how far it was but soon she could hear talking. It was Sabine’s voice.

“St Joan of Arc, give me strength to help my friend:
In this, her time of need, I beg thee to come to her aid.
I humbly ask thee to help her bear her trials with honour,
As I remember you in your earthly agonies.

Blessed Joan, duty bound to God, give her courage:
You who left family and friends to enter into God’s service,
Devout and valiant to uphold righteousness to the end,
While being insulted and harmed by your enemies.

Holy Joan, daughter of God, give her fortitude:
Help her to prevail in life and death over evil,
While bearing her injuries with the dignity you showed
When wounded in the breast, head, thigh, and heel.

Pious Joan, help her to be fearless:
Abandoned by the king you yourself had crowned,
Captured and sold to the highest bidder,
You put your trust in the King of Heaven to deliver you.

Venerable Joan, help her to be unwavering in her faith:
Beaten, bruised, questioned and accused,
You were denied that which you loved most:
Communion, confession, mass and public prayer.

Heroic Joan, help her to uphold justice:
Imprisoned, neglected, threatened and condemned,
Sentenced to die as a heretic, the most cruelest death,
To die by the fire and be raised up in heaven!

Glorious Virgin, please intercede for me:
Help me guide my friend through these trying times of loss and sorrow
Hear this petition and my heartfelt plea.
Pray for her in this, her time of need,
For I believe God will deny you nothing. Amen.”

Andrea came into the clearing. “Sabine?”

“Down here.” Sabine’s voice echoed from the hole.

“We were worried. You have been gone awhile.”

“Sorry, I was………I was trying to compose myself some. Let me climb up.”

Andrea saw Sabine emerge from the hole. Her face was composed, but Andrea could see where Sabine had been crying. She also knew if she were to look in a mirror, she would see the same on her own face. “Paige dug out Henrik’s uniform so we can get him ….proper for the occasion.” Andre had stalled at finding the right word for it.

“We better get back there. She shouldn’t have to dress him herself.” Sabine said as walked up to Andrea. She gave Andrea a short hug before she moved to the trail.

Andrea paused and looked around the small opening in the stand of pines. “Henrik, she picked a good spot. You would love it here.” Andrea moved down the trail after Sabine.
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The Cherokee felt empty to Paige as she drove along behind Andrea and Sabine. They had wanted her to rest and leave later that evening but she just couldn’t. She couldn’t stay here. She might come back one day, or if the world changed back again, she might have her ashes scattered here over Henrik, but for now, she had to move.

Sabine had rigged a way for them to lower Henrik’s body. Andrea and Sabine had prepared Henrik while she had prepared a marker for his grave. Once they had him in place, Sabine said a few words in Latin.



Requiem æternam dona ei , Domine

Et lux perpetua luceat ei

Requiescat in pace.

Amen.



Paige had taken a few steps away while Andrea and Sabine put the first layer of dirt on Henrik. She couldn’t do it without wanting to fall down in the hole with him and let them cover the both of them. Once he was out of sight, Paige came back over and helped shovel the rest of the earth over Henrik. When they were done, Sabine spoke again.



Eternal God,
we praise you for the great company of all those
who have finished their course in faith
and now rest from their labor.
We praise you for those dear to us
whom we name in our hearts before you.
Especially we praise you for Henrik,
whom you have graciously received into your presence.
To all of these, grant your peace.
Let perpetual light shine upon them;
and help us so to believe where we have not seen,
that your presence may lead us through our years,
and bring us at last with them
into the joy of your home
not made with hands but eternal in the heavens;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.​



The walk back to the vehicles was cold and slow. Part of Paige didn’t want to leave him here, but she didn’t know a more fitting place. Part of her didn’t want to leave him at all. For a fleeting moment she considered joining him. She felt abandoned and alone, even in the presence of her friends. She knew they had to leave and leave now or she never would. This was an argument with Sabine and Andrea.

“We are tired and worn out from everything, Paige, especially you! You should rest!” Andrea begged Paige.

“We are a day behind schedule. We have people coming to help us and we need to be there on time.” Paige replied.

“I think they will understand being late a day, considering the circumstances!” was Sabine’s retort.

This went back and forth for some time until finally Paige looked at the two of them, her expression changing from one of defiance to one of grief and tears. “Don’t make me beg. I have to leave now! If I don’t, I might never leave.”

That had done it. The three of them had finished packing the vehicles and set out, Andrea in the lead with Sabine navigating. They didn’t want to leave Paige alone but she insisted repeatedly. She told them she had better get used to it now instead of waiting. This didn’t set well with Andrea but Andrea figured it was a fight for later.

Paige was thinking on all this as the miles rolled under their wheels. They had a day’s worth of mileage to make up and a day’s less time to do it. She had some tunes playing softly on the radio to soak up the silence as they moved down the road. Four days, four days to go.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
That leg of travel seemed to stretch on an on until finally they could take it no more and found a spot to stop out of sight from the road. Sabine and Andrea set up one tent while Paige watched the food heating. After a silent meal Paige didn’t even taste as she ate, the topic turned to sleeping arraignments.

“I’ll grab your things for you Paige” Andrea said, trying to be helpful.

“Don’t. I can’t sleep in the tent.” Paige replied softly.

Andrea was confused. “Sure you can, there’s plenty of room. I’m not that pregnant yet.”

Sabine had been watching Paige closely throughout the meal and now with Andrea. “I don’t think it’s a space issue, Andrea. I’m right, aren’t I, Paige?”

“Yeah, sorry guys, I just can’t. I’ll stretch out on the bench seat in the Cherokee. I’ll be fine. I’ve done it a hundred times.” She paused “I just can’t get back into the tent again. Not yet. Not now.”

Paige got up and went over to her Cherokee. All she needed was the sleeping bag in the front seat. She had done it all the time out four wheeling before, before, before Henrik. Sleeping in the front of the Cherokee held no interlocked memories for her. She might even be able to doze off some and escape this nightmare, if only for a while.
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Paige was thinking on all this as the miles rolled under their wheels. They had a day’s worth of mileage to make up and a day’s less time to do it. She had some tunes playing softly on the radio to soak up the silence as they moved down the road. Four days, four days to go. Get the others to safety, get to her grandfather and then she could grieve. She had to complete the mission. It was what Henrik would want. It was what had to be done. She could not let the others down.

The first leg after Henrik’s death seemed to stretch on forever as they tried to out run the reality of his death. They finally realized this was an irrational thought and they were too tired to go on. Up ahead they found a spot to stop out of sight from the road.

Once the vehicles were secured out of sight Sabine and Andrea went about setting up the tent. With only three of them it was not necessary to set up more than one tent. It might be a little snug but it said it was three person tent and they did not want Paige sleeping alone tonight.

Food prep was Paige duty. She was not very interested in either cooking or eating but it was her turn so she did it. She blindly picked something, put it on the fire and watched the food heating. After all, the other two weren’t expecting much so why try. Why try anything, life seemed to have no meaning without Henrik.

After that, a silent, awkward meal with no one knowing what to say. Paige didn’t even taste as she ate but she ate so the others would not badger her.

No one wanted to stay up later after the dinner was cleaned up. Sabine and Andrea headed toward the tent to get some sleep.

“I’ll grab your things for you Paige, so you can join whenever you are ready ” Andrea said, trying to be helpful.

“Don’t. I can’t sleep in the tent.” Paige replied softly.

Andrea was confused. “Sure you can, there’s plenty of room. I’m not that pregnant yet.”

Sabine had been watching Paige closely throughout the meal and now with Andrea. “I don’t think it’s a space issue, Andrea. I’m right, aren’t I, Paige?”

“Yeah, sorry guys, I just can’t. I’ll stretch out on the bench seat in the Cherokee. I’ll be fine. I’ve done it a hundred times.” She paused “I just can’t get back into the tent again. Not yet. Not now.”

Paige got up and went over to her Cherokee. All she needed was the sleeping bag in the front seat. She had done it all the time out four wheeling before, before, before Henrik. Sleeping in the front of the Cherokee held no interlocked memories for her. She might even be able to doze off some and escape this nightmare, if only for a while.

“Paige, ..” Andrea called to wanting so badly to help her through the pain.

Sabine softly reach Andrea “ She has to find her way, just be ready she will reach out to you, she know you are there, come it, it is your time to grief.”

The next couple of days were long and stressful. Some of the time Andrea or Sabine rode in the Cherokee with Paige. Andrea tried to distract Paige with mindless chatter. She seemed to do this when she stressed and didn’t know what else to do. Paige usually ignored but lately it was annoying. She really wished for time alone but they would not let her have it. She preferred to ride with Sabine who was more mellow. It was a forced mellow but mellow; less talking more music and even times of quiet.

Somehow they were able to minimize the stopping points since no one felt like eating. They were living on energy drinks, caffeine and snacks instead of eating right. They lost track of time and the only concern seemed to be about fuel. The stops were getting fewer and farther in between. They pushed to keep going farther and they made better time and distance. No one to nag them to stop, rest, eat, look at the map, check fluids ect.. They did not realize all the little differences Henrik made.

They finally reached a check point on the map and decided to find a rest area. Without their best tracker it took a little longer since they had passed many of the pre-plotted spot but eventually they found a good place to stop. They had learn their lesson to look for towers. The pulled off the road into what looked like an old abandoned ranger station.

Andrea and Paige pulled out the maps. Sabine did a quick security sweep of the area figuring it might not be as deserted as it appeared. She did not want to stay there long but knew they needed a good meal, make radio contact and some sleep. Andrea did some calculations, they had made up all the lost time, and then some so stopping here instead of maybe a little farther up would not screw up the timetable. They had been pushing hard and it was beginning show. They were starting to make stupid decision. They should be at the farm by mid-day tomorrow.

Paige had Andrea fire up the radio so they could contact the farm.

“Penguin, Sprout. Penguin, Sprout.” Paige called and called. Finally, there was a reply.

“Sprout, Penguin. You’re early.” An older man’s voice came over the radio.

“We covered more ground than we anticipated. We should be at your location by sunset tomorrow. We really appreciate you letting us meet our friends there.”

“Not a problem, glad to help a friend of Redbeard’s”

Paige thought a moment. It didn’t sound like her grandfather told him exactly who she was. She wouldn’t let the cat out of the bag unless she had to. She remembered the emergency phrase He sent her to use if it came to it. “We will give you a buzz when we are about an hour out. Does that work for you?”

“Works for us, we will be here.”

Tomorrow. They would be around other people, people who didn’t know Henrik. Paige was going to ask Andrea and Sabine to not bring up Henrik while they were at the farm. She didn’t want to go through the ‘oh, I’m so sorry’ from a bunch of people who never met any of them.

Tomorrow. After tomorrow, they will soon be at her grandfathers. She didn’t have to figure out what she was going to do yet. She had a few days. First, she had to get through tomorrow.
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The morning pre-drive preparations were, although modified post-Henrik, down to a process by this time. Andrea did radio checks and frequency adjustments, including this morning’s additional task of setting the farmhouse ‘Penguin’ communication frequency into the ready access buttons. Sabine made sure drinks and snacks were set for each driver’s positions and double-checking the loads and ready access gear like ammo bandoliers for the long guns and the med kit in each vehicle to make sure they didn’t get blocked or impeded when the previous night’s gear was put away. Paige did the walk around of each vehicle and trailer, looking for loose gear, pressure in the tires, wear and tear, fluids, wiping down the wiper blades and headlights.

All of this stuff was the new normal. By mutual agreement, Henrik was off the table for conversational topic today and until they get to Paige’s grandfather’s place unless Paige broaches the subject. The conversation coming to this agreement last night was the first time Paige Really talked any about it. The others could see the pain in her eyes when she did.

Andrea was at a loss on how to help Paige through this. She said as much to Sabine when Andrea saw Paige wasn’t using a sleeping bag in the Cherokee. Instead, she was covering up in the blanket coat Andrea made for Henrik. Sabine tried to lessen her fears.

“Andrea, Paige isn’t in denial. She has to find her way to work through this. What works for you, what works for me, what will work for her, they are all going to be different things. Right now, she is using the trip to provide focus and something for her mind to work on. This way she doesn’t dwell on it endlessly. That’s why she refuses to let either of us to drive the Cherokee. It forces her to work the problem right in front of her instead of her forever problem.”

Sabine sounded confident and sure of her reasoning to Andrea but Andrea knew half of it was a fake front. She heard Sabine praying each night, which was new and unusual for Sabine. Part of Andrea wanted to dig through the trucks and find the liquor stash and have a rip roaring wake and release the chains on their emotions and pour out the hurt and anguish so they could start healing, but she couldn’t do that, and she wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea right now anyway.

Paige and Andrea were in the lead vehicle. They would swap things around about lunch time and that would put Andrea behind the wheel with Sabine as her co-pilot when they reached town with Paige in the Cherokee in trail position.

Paige tried to keep her focus. Tomorrow the guys from her grandfather would get there, they could refuel and head out the next day. Three or four days from now they should be at Zed’s and she could loosen the vice grip she was holding on her heart. She had to hold together until then. She could talk to Zed. He might be able to help her figure out how to go on after losing Henrik.
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Late in the day, with the glare of the sun low on the horizon in their eyes, the little convoy came over the crest of a hill to find a checkpoint in the road. Sherriff Deputies’ cruisers and a large box truck were alongside the road and uniformed deputies were standing by the saw horses in the road. All of this was where the road traveled through a cut in the hillside and provided no place to easily turn around, at least not quickly.

Andrea stepped on the floor microphone switch. “Guys, it looks like we will be stopping. At least this looks like something official.” Sabine started pulling out the clipboard with the TAD orders and travel documents. These were at hand in case Andrea needed them to bluff her way through. She was the best bullshitter and the most harmless looking one when she wanted to be. This was the reason she was driving the lead vehicle for the last bit into town in the first place.

Paige didn’t like the feel of this. Cop cars she understood for a roadblock. She could even understand maybe a box truck if they were using it to block lanes or something. This wasn’t positioned like that at all, though. She popped the thumb shroud off on the pistol mounted to the console. She hoped that between the uniforms, the documents and Andrea’s ‘magic’ tongue, they could get past this and on to the farm. It was only twenty or thirty miles now.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine was reviewing everything she could think of as they rolled up to the checkpoint. Her eyes roamed around the cabin, looking for anything to detract from their cover story. They had switched out the plates on the vehicles to government ones provided by Petra, they had bundled everything up into bags, packs and such to avoid any loose non-military gear, the rifles were in their military vehicle brackets at the door pillars, they even had a sticker for the airfield tower signal light codes in the center of the dash. Everyone was in proper uniform, hair up in the proscribed bun, proper boots and so forth. Uniform fleece and Gortex were behind each of their seats, just like expected. It should all work.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
“Ma’am, just pull over next to the truck.”

“What’s wrong officer? We are running behind schedule and need to get to our installation as soon as possible. Until we get there, the comms are non-functioning and our relay site is a key component of the recovery teams.” Andrea said for the third or fourth time. She had the TAD orders in her hand and was referring to them, but this guy didn’t seem to care.

“Ma’am as I said before, all vehicles are to be inspected and all weapons and food supplies over the allocated three day supply are to be confiscated, no exceptions.”

The Deputy was getting a bit peeved now. He had said this before and this dumb bitch didn’t seem to get it. He didn’t care who they were with. His orders were everyone, no exceptions. Besides why would some Marines be going through here instead of the highway? She might be cute, but she was dumb if she didn’t understand this.

All of the deputy’s attitude was written on his face and dripping from his tone. Sabine saw it on his face and heard him. Paige heard him over the radio since Andrea had the foot button depressed.

Sabine’s temper was rising, along with her frustration. She knew they couldn’t let them search the vehicles, much less take any of the weapons. They would have to kill all three of them if they were going to search the vehicles much less take anything. They had come to far and lost too much to let this happen. She would kill them with her bare hands if she had to.

The only reason it hadn’t happened yet was Andrea’s fast talking and the military smokescreen. She sized the situation up some more. There were three deputies; one on each side of the Land Cruiser. The third was over at the back of the box truck where he had raised the back in anticipation of the seized items. Maybe it was time to shift the equation some and change the conversation or something. Andrea was good but it wasn’t working.

Paige saw the deputy on the passenger side reach for the door handle She couldn’t say anything to warn them, Andrea had the transmit button jammed on with her foot. Paige’s only options to get their attentions was yelling or the horn, neither of which would be good. The only thing she could do is try to anticipate what was going to happen next and try to react faster than the deputies.

To get ahead of things, Paige rolled the window down and drew the pistol from its holster on the console. Another detached part of her brain asked herself if she was ready to shoot a cop to save her friends. Her answer was yes. If she got killed in the process, well the only ones she would have to explain it to would be God and Henrik. At least they would be together again.
 
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ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine heard the handle click on her side as the deputy there opened the door. She turned towards him. She had already pulled the special pistol from the holster on the center console when they first saw the barricade and placed it under her right thigh. When her door opened, she grabbed it to prevent it from falling. The deputy saw Sabine make a sudden move and panicked.

“Gun!” came a loud startled scream from the deputy.

The deputy’s call confused his teammates since they were aware of at least the presence of rifles having seen the muzzles when they first walked up. Yet by the time his brain and training starting working together his action became a blur. He swung the rifle he had been holding like a pistol trying to intimidate Sabine with up to a shooting position when he saw Sabine’s movement, he panicked and fired a burst.

The sound was deafening in the confines of the Land Cruiser so was Sabine’s scream as she was thrown sideways. Sabine although bleeding, brought up the pistol in her hand and mashing the trigger trying to keep it pointed at the deputy. The roar was impressive, even after the muzzle blast of the rifle had deafened them a microsecond ago. At least ten rounds of 40 S&W hollowpoints launched at or into the deputy with the rifle. He stumbled back at the same time Sabine slumped in her seat towards Andrea.

“SABINE!” Andrea screamed. After the noise of the twin blasts, the only one who heard it was Paige through the radio and she knew all too well what had happened by the sound of the rifle. Reaching over, grabbing her collar Andrea finally got a firm enough grip on Sabine’s uniform shirt to pull her into the vehicle preventing her now limp body from falling out. The medic down, no worse her girl hurt, Henrik dead, someone shooting at them, Paige hurting, she was pissed, adrenaline kicked in Andrea stomped on the accelerator.

Paige seemed to see it all happen in slow motion. She thought she could see the three pieces of brass in the air from the deputy’s rifle as he fired into Sabine from three feet away. Paige saw the huge fireball of muzzle blast from the 1911 truck pistol as it vomited forth a swarm of lead. She saw the giant plume of black diesel exhaust rocket out of the tail of their truck. Paige was a millisecond behind Andrea and already standing on the accelerator.

They blew through the sawhorses in a flash and were gaining speed as they descended the hill, still in formation. Paige still couldn’t talk to Andrea. She still had the switch depressed. Paige could hear Sabine moaning and Andrea going cyclic.

“Oh GOD! Hold on Sabine! Hold on Sabine! Oh GOD! NO! Oh GOD! Hold on Sabine! Hold on Sabine! Oh GOD! NO!”

Paige was working hard to keep up with Andrea. Finally, she decided to try to do something constructive. Flipping some switches, she shifted over to ‘Penguin’s’ frequency.

“Penguin, Sprout! Penguin, Sprout! Penguin, Sprout!” Paige tried to slow down her voice at least a little.

“Sprout, Penguin. You almost here?” The man’s voice came back in smooth and calm tones.

“Penguin, we have a problem.” Paige figured she better lay it all out there in case they had to change plans.

“What’s your problem, Sprout?” The voice was wary now, a bit hesitant.

“We got stopped and shot up at a roadblock about ten miles from your place. We have at least one wounded and they may be in pursuit.” Paige tried to just lay out the facts.

“That’s not good. Is there anything else I should know?”

Paige hesitated a moment. Truth. She could hear Henrik’s voice in her head. He always said ‘if you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember the lie’.

“Yeah, they were deputy sheriffs running the roadblocks. They were trying to confiscate everything we had, no options, no exceptions, and then they started shooting and we shot back.”

Paige could hear the hesitation. He wanted nothing to do with any of this and who could blame him. She was out of options. If she had anywhere else or any other way, she would take it, but he was it.

“Sprout, I need to wave you off. I can’t have you bringing that kind of trouble down on me.”

“Penguin. I’m out of options and I have injured people. My grandfather told me to tell you ‘Jessie said he is calling in his bar tab’”

“What are you driving so we know when to slam the gate shut after you are in.” His voice was stern and somber, but the hesitation was gone now.

“Two SUVs with trailers, Black white and grey dazzle camo. Our wounded is in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle.”

“Get here as soon as you can. We will do whatever we can for you.”
 
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Cohickman

Veteran Member
Motherf#@$ers. Should be at least one down due to Sabine. Maybe one jumped in front of the vehicles to intimidate, but no one said anything about a bump. So 3 behind, until they call for help.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea was in a full blown panic Sabine wasn’t responding to her. There was blood all over the place, Andrea’s head was ringing from the blasts. She was just standing on the pedals and steering with one hand while she tried to get Sabine to talk to her with the other. Something in the side window caught her eye. It was flashing lights. Andrea tried to focus some. It was Paige. She was flashing her headlights. Why was she flashing her headlights? Why wasn’t she talking to her over the radio? Was her radio hit? Andrea was confused It took a moment until she realized she had the transmit button on the floor mashed down since the roadblock.

“Paige! Sabine is hit bad! I can’t get her to talk to me or even move! What are we going to do? Shit! She shot a cop! Now what?” Then Andrea let up on the floor switch. The noise on the radio disappeared and Paige had a moment of silence.

“Andrea, I called ahead, they are expecting us. When we get there, I need you to grab Sabine’s med bag while I get Sabine. We need to stop the bleeding. After I get her inside, you come back out and get our day packs and rifles. I don’t want to leave them in the trucks. Everything else is buried deep and hard to get to.” Paige paused a moment, trying to think ahead to the next steps. Something in her mirror attracted Paige’s eye.

“Shit!” Far in the distance behind them was a moving dot with some sort of flashing lights. This was the sort of trouble Penguin didn’t want and she was hoping to get out of sight before they caught up to them. No such luck.

“Andrea, when we get there, we need to move fast. The sheriff is coming.”
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The farmhouse had seen many additions and modifications over its hundred plus years of existence. It ended up being an old scattered and rambling affair. The gate leading off of the road was old school 1920’s style, complete with an iron gate and a wall on either side. Past the ends of the wall were drainage ditches with what looked like a newer fine mesh horse fence. The gate stood wide open. A man in his late twenties or early thirties stood next to the end of the gate.

Andrea went right through the gate and towards the house. Paige slowed a little as she came through the gate. The man there waved her on through. She pulled up next to the other vehicle. An older gentleman stood at the open door to the house, beckoning them in.

Andrea was already out of the driver’s seat and opening the passenger door when Paige rolled up. Just before Paige stepped out of the Cherokee, she slid the two pistols from their holsters in the console and jammed them into her waistband.

Andrea was half in and half out of the passenger seat trying to talk to Sabine as Paige stepped up.

“Andrea, Move so I can grab her. You grab her bag after I move her.” At Paige’s words, Andrea turned to look at Paige. This is when Paige got a decent look at Andrea. She had blood splattered and smeared up her right side, including her face. The interior of the vehicle was a mess as well. Sabine was obviously unconscious or maybe worse. She was sprawled like a boneless chicken. Paige couldn’t see where the blood came from though. Paige reached in, grabbing Sabine’s left arm and pulling her across Paige’s back and shoulder. On Paige’s first attempt, Sabine was hard to move. Paige sent a silent plea. ‘Henrik, lend me your strength to save her as she saved me!’ Paige’s second attempt had Sabine firmly across her shoulders.

Paige turned awkwardly under her load. She looked towards the door and the older man. “Penguin?”

“In here, take her to the den. We can put her on the couch.”

Paige felt the blood from Sabine soaking into the uniform at her shoulder. “Sir, we probably shouldn’t set her on something soft, The blood will ruin it,” she said as she was walking towards him.

“We will clear the coffee table for her then. Its strong enough.”

Andrea was right behind Paige with Sabine’s Aid bag on her shoulder. The two of them walked inside as they began to hear sirens in the distance.
 

Sportsman

Veteran Member
Thank you. It's what was afraid of. Hopefully, the parade is looking for accomplishes for someone who took out a deputy and the one they shot was a fake. We'll know before long, I'm sure.
 

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The house had a comfortable, lived in feel. Paige followed the older man through a living room and dining room to a small den. In one corner was a table piled with radio gear. A battered couch and matching chair with ugly checkered material sat along one wall. In front of the couch was a chunky slab wood coffee table. This was where he led Paige. He helped guide Sabine to the table.

As Paige set Sabine down, she noticed Sabine didn’t groan, moan or object in any way. She was definitely unconscious. Andrea was beside her now, the aid bag in her hands. Paige took it from her hands.

“Andrea, rifles and day packs from both trucks and the truck pistols from your vehicle.” Paige turned back to Sabine.

Andrea scampered out to the vehicles. She started with Paige’s. She grabbed the two daypacks and the two rifles from the racks by the front doors. She tried to ignore the siren as it came up to the now closed gate. The packs were heavy, Sabine would say too heavy for Andrea in her condition, but Andrea had enough adrenaline she barely noticed. She dumped them inside the front door and went back to Sabine’s, repeating her errand. She could hear an argument down by the gate now. She forced herself to stay on task.

Andrea passed the older guy. He was headed towards the gate when Andrea was headed in with the second load. She set the bags and rifles down again and returned to Sabine’s SUV to get the truck pistols.

As she walked up to the passenger side, once again she could see Sabine’s blood all over the inside. She could feel it on her face and neck. All of this while she heard a heated argument going on at the gate. She had just tucked the pistol from Sabine’s side into the small of her back and pulled the one from the driver’s holster when a shout from the gate caught her attention.

“She was the getaway driver! That one right there by their jeep!” A voice she thought she recognized. Before she knew it, she began walking towards the gate.

Two uniformed deputies were talking to the two people from the farmhouse. The gate was open just far enough for a person, not enough for the cruiser to come in.

“Karl, they are fugitives and cop killers! You need to stand aside! I won’t tell you again. You have been hoarding, refusing to follow the directives about food and resources. I’ve not pushed the matter until now. But you’re harboring cop killers and standing in the way of deputies doing their duty.”

Andrea slipped out through the gate to stand beside the two farmers. The younger of the two deputies was the same one who was at her window at the roadblock!

“You were at the roadblock! Andrea exclaimed.

All eyes turned towards the short female Marine. The younger deputy started to come towards her, reaching for her. “I got her, sheriff!”

Faster than anyone could see or do anything, Andrea raised the truck pistol in her hand, triggering half a dozen rounds into the young deputy’s face. His head seemed to vanish in a wet red and grey mist, his body dropping like a marionette with the strings cut.

The sound was deafening. In the shocked silence, Andrea swung the pistol to point at the face of the one the younger deputy called ‘sheriff’.

“Under the rules outlined in the presidential martial law orders, this man” she pointed with her other hand at the headless body on the ground. “was interfering with military forces supporting the national recovery efforts. Assault, attempted murder of military members during national crisis, attempted theft of national assets critical to the recovery. Are you a party to this wholesale banditry and piracy?” She was staring at the ‘Sheriff’ now.

The sheriff was confused and not a little scared. Being this close to the muzzle of that machine pistol when it went off was terrifying. The end of it turned towards him almost caused him to lose control of his bladder.

“This is my county and the military has no authority here.” He blustered.

Andrea’s arm never wavered in its aim. “Your ‘authority’ is at an end and you best get back to your office and wait for my commander’s arrival. If you don’t cooperate, you will be replaced and another civil authority will be installed.”

“You can’t do that!” the sheriff proclaimed.

Andrea smiled a mirthless grin. “Sir, if you’re still here when my drone arrives overhead, I will personally guide the hellfire missile onto your position.” Andrea turned to the farmers. “Sir’s I’m sorry to have commandeer your facility temporarily until the rest of my unit arrives and we set up in town.”

Andrea turned to the Sheriff. “Are you still here? You need to drag that piece of shit away and go back to your office and wait.”

The farmers went back inside the gate. Andrea took a few steps backward until she was inside the gate. Once it was closed, she lowered the pistol and started walking towards the house. The older gentleman was walking next to her. He spoke in a low voice that wouldn’t carry.

“Ma’am, I had no idea all of that was going on. How big is your unit and when will they get here?”

Andrea’s voice was trembling as she spoke. “none of it was real. I just bluffed. Get me inside before I puke!”
 
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