Charlie's Requiem Novella (14 page)

Chapter 21

Day 6

Charlie

On the Road

As they approached the exit to John Young Parkway, the group could see the massive display of force that appeared to make the decision for them. There was no way they were going to be able to get by the military vehicles.

They cautiously approached the blockade and noticed a large group of people clogging the right side of the freeway. They weren’t moving and Charlie could hear arguments between the people and the DHS soldiers.

“Come on,” Charlie said to the others. “Keep right and let’s find out what’s going on over there. I like having options.”

They agreed and pressed themselves to the right side of the thoroughfare, finally coming up to the barricade. A group of men were arguing with the agents, wanting to travel through to get home on the other side of the city.

“Sounds like a group we can join!” Janice said.

“I don’t know,” Theresa said. “I just want to get somewhere secure. I’m from Ohio. I don’t need to get anywhere except where I can keep my children safe.”

“We’ve discussed that,” Janice replied. “You thought it would be smart to put some distance from the Disney refugees and your children. That there would be too many people with not enough food or supplies to handle everyone.”

“I know, but seeing this makes me afraid. I mean, why can’t we push through? Maybe they don’t have any help further down. Otherwise, they would let us go through.”

“I hate to say it, but Theresa makes sense!” Garrett said. “This makes me worried as well. I mean, what are they trying to do? Can’t you hear it? Some of them are saying they live nearby and just want to go home.”

The group was stuck. No one could come up with a clear reason for pushing forward and Theresa was getting more and more edgy.

“I’m sorry guys,” Theresa finally said. “I have to get off. I’m taking my kids to the Fairgrounds. You guys need to do what you have to.”

Janice gave me a resigned look and started to take little Brie off her shoulders when a commotion arose at the front of the group. The DHS agents began to part, moving several vehicles back and out of the way. It looked like they were going to let us through!

Before anyone could do a thing, the crowd behind us began to push forward. It felt like an ocean current grabbing us and pulling us out to sea. To fight it was hopeless and risked being trampled.

Theresa got a terrified look, but I yelled to her.

“Look,” I said. “You can still get off at the next exit. The Fairgrounds will still be there if you want. Let’s get out of this crowd and you can decide what to do.”

She gave me a thumbs up and we let the crowd direct us through the opening and down the freeway.

A minute or two later, a scream ahead was our first warning that all was not right. Then several more people yelled that it was a trap. The next thing I knew, it felt like I was in a washing machine, my body being tossed about as people responded to the threat by racing more quickly down the road, turning to fight or even attempting to turn back to the DHS roadblock. I kept pushing forward along with Janice and Garrett. We hugged the far side of the roadway and tried to keep moving. Suddenly I heard a terrified cry and saw several bald men with clubs beating the people a few yards away. They were relentless and brutal. The crowd surged again and I lost sight of Theresa and Kaylee while barely keeping up with Janice, Garrett and Brie.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a giant of a man in a green uniform toss one of the tattooed men off the interstate. The criminal’s screams were quickly cut short as he found the ground fifty or sixty feet below. I momentarily saw the giant man’s eyes. They weren’t human anymore as he went on a killing binge, smashing any of the bald tattooed thugs he laid his hands on. His actions gave us the opening we needed, and along with the others we quickly left the area and moved down the road.

I stopped the group after we had gone far enough to lose sight of the barricade so we could wait for Theresa to catch up with us. After 10 minutes, we became worried. After 15 minutes we were ready to go back for her when we saw two people moving down the roadway. Both were in uniform and I was about to yell for everyone to run, when I recognized the big man that was walking toward us. It was the giant that had killed all the thugs that were attacking us. They were moving at an unsteady gate, and the other officer, a small middle aged woman, was having some trouble helping her companion. Without thinking, I ran back to them and grabbed the man as he lumbered along between the disabled cars.

“Thanks dear!” The female officer said. Her green uniform had a corrections department patch and was stained with sweat and blood. The big man was huge. I wasn’t sure I was helping all that much when Garrett came up and took over. The officer still towered over the kid, but Garrett was a bit over six feet tall and could give the large man a shoulder to use.

We quickly made it to Janice and Brie as they waited by a car.

“We have some water if you need it,” I stated.

“That would be absolutely fabulous,” the female said.

Both of them took a full liter of water, the big guy downing it in a few seconds and finishing off a second one in almost record time.

“Name’s Mike Jones,” he said, finally speaking for the first time since we met.

“Beth Hildreth,” the female officer said. “And thanks for the water.”

“Oh my God,” Janice blurted out. “You saved our lives. Thank you!”

“And what was all that about?” She continued. “Why did they do that? I just don’t understand!”

“We don’t know either,” Beth replied. “But you’re welcome. Actually, you should thank Mike. I’ve never seen anyone wreak havoc like he just did.”

“Dude,” Garrett said, punching Mike on the shoulder. “You were a god out there! You were the Junk Yard Dog and John Cena all wrapped into one big killing machine! We would all be dead if it weren’t for you.”

“Hmmph,” Mike replied.

He was still coming down from the fight and didn’t have much to say right at that moment. Of course, as I would later learn, Mike has a tendency to not say much anyway. And “hmmph” tends to cover a lot of adjectives and emotions when he talks. Most of the time, though, he tends to act rather than speak. I respect that about the man.

“Hey!” Janice said. “Our friend is back there. Did you see her? She’s about 30 years old, and has a little girl with her.”

Beth gave us a very disturbed look and reached up and patted Mike on the back.

“No one’s left alive back there,” she solemnly said.

“NO!” Janice cried out, holding Brie in her arms. “Her mother is back there!”

“I’m sorry,” Beth replied. “I really am. But there isn’t anything we can do about that.”

“Oh My God,” Janice replied. “What am I going to do with her? Who’s going to take care of this child?”

“Why don’t you guys come with us to the Orlando Police Department? We’ll get some help for the little one there. And maybe we can sort this all out.”

“I don’t like that plan at all!” Garrett said. “I just saw soldiers let a bunch of criminals lay into civilians and kill our friend. How can I trust the OPD?”

“I don’t know kid,” Beth continued. “But you can trust us.” We aren’t part of what’s going on and I want some answers too! Just come with us. If things look hinkey, we can just keep going. But I’ll tell you this; nothing is what it once was. Everything has changed and I want to know where we stand in all of this.”

“I think we should do what Beth says,” I said. “I know they are on our side and if everything is now different, I want to know how it’s all changed so we can make a good decision about what to do.”

After some more discussion, we all continued our journey and an hour later exited the freeway in downtown Orlando. We crossed back under I-4 and passed scores of military trucks parked under the freeway in the city owned parking lots that span the length of the elevated interstate.

“You guys stay here,” Beth said as we got closer to the OPD headquarter building. “Mike and I will approach the building and get more information.”

“Here,” she continued and passed Mike a large envelope. “Your records. I got them from the bus.”

“Thanks, Beth. I forgot.”

“That’s what a mother’s for kid.” She replied with a smile.

The two of them walked through the parking lot, across the street and up to the front door of the building where they were stopped by two DHS agents. After a minute, they were let in the building. Janice, Garrett and I hunkered down by a military vehicle, shaded by the interstate overpass above. Little Brie had fallen asleep on the walk, the two year old exhausted by the trip. She began to wake up and Janice took her to a secluded spot to potty. After they came back, we all used the spot to relieve ourselves and broke out our supplies to have some food and water.

Several hours went by and I was starting to get worried having heard nothing from either Mike of Beth.

“I think we need to keep moving,” I said.

I had pulled out the map leading to our first bicycle trail. The bike path called Cady Way began a few miles from here and led us north for a considerable distance. I was mapping out a path through the city when Garrett tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the front entrance. There, Mike and Beth were coming out, accompanied by one other man who wore the DHS military uniform. We had been ratted out! Beth and Mike had turned us in! Why else would they have a DHS goon with them?

Janice scooped up the little girl and we gathered our gear to escape back under the overpass and into the city skyscrapers behind us. Suddenly, a HUMVEE rolled in behind us from the other side of the expressway. We were trapped. If we moved away from Beth and Mike, the HUMVEE would see us. A gunner was operating the machinegun on top of the large jeep. They were idling right where we needed to go to escape into the city.

“What do we do?” Janice asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“I know one thing,” Garrett said. “I’m not getting taken without a fight.”

He pulled out his Glock and checked the chamber for a live round.

“Put that away!” Janice hissed. “You start a gunfight and Brie could die! This is about more than you and me now!”

Garrett got an embarrassed look on his face and quietly put the handgun back in his belt.

“I guess we just wait and take our chances with DHS,” I hesitantly said. “No other choice.”

Mike and Beth rapidly approached with the unknown DHS agent.

“Hey guys,” Beth quietly said. “I brought some help.”

I stood up from behind the parked HUMVEE we were hiding behind and faced the three of them.

“Some help!” I stated. “You brought them right to us.”

“I’m not one of them,” the unknown man said. “I’m here to help.”

“You sure don’t dress the part of the white knight!” I shot back.

“White knight!” Mike said sarcastically. “You said I was a hero earlier, but I’ve never been called white before!”

His big stupid grin finally broke through my anger.

“Hey kid,” the DHS guy said. “From what Beth and Mike told me, I understand. I’m surprised you didn’t start shooting when I got into range.”

“Garrett wanted to,” I said as Garrett stood up as well. Then Janice rose from behind the military vehicle we had hidden behind holding Brie. “But Janice reminded me that we had to think of the kid.”

“Hmmph,” Mike said.

“Yeah,” Beth agreed. “Smarter than they look, huh.”

He approached and removed his battle helmet. He took off his tactical gloves and extended his right hand.

“My name is John Drosky,” the DHS guy said. “A pleasure to meet you.”

I took his hand and finally looked at his face. Wow! Nice. Handsome didn’t quite cover it for me. More like yummy and dark and swarthy and every other adjective I could think of.

I guess I held his hand a bit too long from the snickers I got from several of my companions. I let go and blushed a bit, earning a few more chuckles. I quickly looked away, but I could tell John was still staring at me. A girl just knows.

“Anyway,” John continued. “I have the keys to a condominium complex nearby. The DHS is clearing the city and pushing everyone into relocation centers. From what I can tell, they are separating the ‘undesirables’ from the rest of the population. Beyond that, it’s above my pay grade.”

“Who’s undesirable?” I asked.

“Right now, I’m trying to figure that out. I’ve only joined the DHS today. I guess I passed their test because they’ve put me on the front line. I’m in training starting tomorrow, so I’ll know more in a few days. In the meantime, let’s get you guys situated. The condominium has running water but no power. You’ll be the only ones in the building and since it’s been marked as clear, you shouldn’t get any visitors, so you should be fine. Just stay out of sight and stay quiet. This key will get you in the front door. All the rooms and individual condos are open so pick one with minimal visibility and some sound insulation.”

“We need clothing and food for the little one here,” Janice said.

“I’ll work with Beth and Mike on the food.” John replied. “As far as clothing, check the condos. The residents were forced to leave a few days ago and only could take one carry-on suitcase. You should be OK.”

“How do we get in touch with you?”

“Leave a chalk mark on this pole over here,” he said and pointed to an overpass concrete pillar. “Just put a ‘J’ on it and I’ll get to your place as soon as I can. Otherwise, let’s meet at your condo front door every night at 8 p.m. In a few days, we should have enough information to decide our best course of action.”

After a brief private discussion, Janice, Garrett and I seemed to be in agreement. The worse that could happen is that we get a good night’s sleep and leave the next day for the bike trails.  

“Sure,” I said, breaking from our little group. “Let’s do this.”

“I’ll go find out what that HUVEE wants,” John said as if reading my mind.

John walked to the vehicle and spoke with the driver. After a few seconds, the HUMVEE sped down the aisle of the parking lot and turned into a space. Within a minute, the driver and his gunner had entered OPD headquarters.

“OK,” John said when he returned. “Just needed directions. They arrived from an armory down south and were unsure which building was DHS Headquarters. I guess the OPD symbol put them off.”