Nuclear Winter Desolation: Post Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (Nuclear Winter Series Book 5) Read online

  Before they retired for the evening, Hank had asked if she’d ride with him to the hospital this morning to see how Jimmy was doing. She suggested a change of clothes for the Frees as well as Jimmy, assuming he’d be released once he’d sufficiently recovered. Hank seemed to appreciate the thought, and they said their goodnights.

  Erin had tossed and turned for an hour before drifting off to sleep. She’d replayed the entire conversation, more than once, in an attempt to discern where everyone stood. Once they were on the road to the hospital, she intended to broach the subject again.

  Hank was the next to awaken. “The smell of coffee floating through the inn is far better than a noisy rooster, don’t you think?”

  He was in a cheery mood, much to the relief of Erin, who was deep in thought, nervously anticipating a contentious conversation that morning.

  “Hey,” she greeted. “I hope my shuffling around the kitchen didn’t wake you.”

  “Nah, not at all. I have one of those biological alarm clocks that never fails me. You could throw me out of a plane in New Zealand, and I’d still wake up at the same time.”

  Erin poured a mug for Hank. “Black, right?” she asked as she handed it to him.

  “You remembered.”

  “We both take our coffee the same way.”

  Hank took a sip and smiled. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Great. It was a little different being in the main house compared to the bungalow I had. It was, well, homey.”

  “Like part of the family?” Hank studied her face.

  Erin blushed and nodded. “Yeah, unless you kick me out after last night.”

  Hank laughed. “Kick you out because the president sent you to displace Lindsey and replace her with me? Nah. That’s not a good enough reason. If you snored really loud, then maybe we’d have to talk.”

  Erin laughed, mostly out of relief that she wasn’t in the doghouse with Hank. “Even if I did snore, you wouldn’t know it over your brother the freight train.”

  “Oh yeah, trust me, when Mike’s had a few drinks, the snoring is unbearable. Jessica sleeps with earplugs, you know.”

  “God bless her,” said Erin with a chuckle. She took a deep breath and continued. “Listen, about last night. I feel like I should explain where I was—” Erin stopped as Jessica and Lacey entered the back door leading into the kitchen from outside.

  “Yes! I told you, Lacey!” exclaimed Jessica, who made a beeline for the coffee pot.

  Hank was puzzled. “Jessica, have you been on watch? It’s not your turn.”

  “Mike’s snoring was unbearable. Even with my earplugs and constantly telling him to roll over, I couldn’t sleep. I caught up with Lacey a couple of hours ago.”

  Hank and Erin laughed together. “Have some coffee,” Hank offered. “We’re going to gather a change of clothes for those guys and visit with Jimmy for a while.”

  Lacey and Jessica filled up two Tervis Tumblers with coffee. They joked about how they never expected to use the insulated drinkware for anything other than something iced and refreshing.

  They spoke for another minute and then pulled surgical masks over their faces to return outside. Jessica had picked up a box of a hundred when she was at the hospital the other day. It was the kind of privileges she enjoyed as an MCSO paramedic. The group agreed the masks made sense as the atmosphere thickened with soot.

  Hank turned to Erin. “That looked like a good idea. Would you mind fixin’ us a couple of roadies while I head over to the Frees’ cottage. I’ll fill a duffel bag with clothes and toiletries so they can freshen up.”

  “Are you hungry? I found a box of blueberry Pop-Tarts. It seems Phoebe stocked up on them.”

  Hank laughed as he pulled his tee shirt over his mouth and nose. “I can’t think of a better food to have during the apocalypse. I’ll be right back, or you can meet me at the truck.”

  “Which one? You’ve added some vehicles since I was here last.”

  “The Suburban. It was a drug seizure that Mike, um, requisitioned. He really took it to load a bunch of stuff for us.”

  “From the sheriff’s department?”

  “Yeah, I’ll explain on the way to the hospital.”

  Hank left, and Erin scooted around the kitchen, fixing them coffee for the trip and making a fresh pot for Peter and Mike, who were both still sleeping. She was anxious to spend some time talking with Peter. She knew of him because of his position with the Washington Times and the terrorist attack in Abu Dhabi. They’d never crossed paths because he covered a different department than hers. However, she imagined he’d have some insight into what had happened that might assist her in moving forward.

  Ten minutes later, Hank wheeled the long Chevy Suburban off Driftwood Key and onto the Overseas Highway. The sky was illuminated by the sun’s rays that tried desperately to poke through the haze of nuclear winter. It was bright enough to get a look at the devastation they had been unable to see in the darkness when they’d driven back and forth to the hospital the other day.

  “This is devastating, Hank. It’s comparable to the damage I’ve witnessed in the Midwest following a tornado.”

  “They had no warning,” he said with a grim look on his face. He had to focus on the road because of the stalled vehicles and occasional debris. However, he couldn’t take his eyes off the results of the furious storm. “Jessica and I were at the hospital with Mike as it started to move onshore. Fortunately, Sonny has a nose for these things. He began to button up Driftwood Key at the first signs of the hurricane. By the time we got there, he and Phoebe were almost finished.”

  Erin shook her head in disbelief. “They’re remarkable people. Unselfish, too. With their son missing, they put aside their personal feelings to protect everything.”

  “They’re a part of our family, Erin. We all grew up together and spend virtually every waking moment with one another. That’s why Jimmy is so special to me. He’s like a son in all respects.”

  Hank wiped a tear from his eye and turned away to hide his emotions. Erin noticed his change in demeanor and rubbed his shoulders. She offered some words of comfort.

  “I believe he’s going to be okay, Hank. I was very impressed with his doctor and the rest of the medical team. Considering what’s going on, they’ve managed to help people under unprecedented, adverse conditions.”

  Hank raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement. “This is part of what bothers me about Lindsey’s decision to blow up the bridges. I’m sure the president tried to defuse the situation first. I can’t disagree with her decision to send nonresidents off the Keys. And I certainly see why keeping outsiders on the mainland made sense. It just seems like there was a better approach than cutting us off from the world.”

  “Agreed,” Erin interjected before Hank finished his thought.

  “How are we gonna resupply our hospitals? There will come a point in time when we’ll need to look to the federal government for assistance. One of the functions they perform is to help the country when an unprecedented catastrophic event like this one occurs.”

  “Hank, that’s why I’m here. I took a chance that you could lead the charge to stop this madness. Can you imagine what this mayor is capable of? I mean, she ordered the demolition of two major roads. People died on the Overseas Highway as a result. Jimmy would have if it hadn’t been for your son’s heroics.”

  Hank continued to steer with both hands, but he raised his fingers as he shrugged. “She’s always had a conniving streak although I’ve always believed she had her constituents’ best interests at heart. She seems to have let this crisis go to her head.”

  Erin pointed toward a car that had been set on fire since they’d driven by there the night before. It had burned itself out and continued to smolder. Hank slowed to get a long look before leaving Marathon and heading onto Vaca Key.

  She turned in her seat to address him. “You’ve heard the saying power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely, right?”

  “Yes.
As a politician’s authority increases, their sense of morality decreases.”

  “Exactly. All of them are guilty of that. Never let them try to convince you otherwise. Politicians have a strong sense of preservation. They’ll use any catastrophe to better their position in the eyes of voters or to thrust themselves onto the national stage. In the case of your mayor, you need to watch for self-dealing. There are no political brass rings for her to grab like state senate or even Congress. Therefore, she can ensure her survival, as well as the survival of her political cronies.”

  Hank shook his head from side to side. “You nailed it, Erin. That’s always been Lindsey in a nutshell. Every decision she makes has an element of subterfuge in it. She will always do what’s best for her.”

  “Can you see how that approach will make any recovery effort in the Keys untenable? It will instantly divide the residents into those close to the mayor and those who are not. Kiss the ring or suffer the consequences. Make no mistake, her actions are not about helping the most people. Sure, they’ll get tossed a few crumbs. The real beneficiaries of her overreach will be those within her inner circle and the minions she requires to carry out her directives.”

  Hank tapped the steering wheel with his fingers as he fell deep into thought. Finally, he asked a rhetorical question. “I wonder if we could secede from the Keys by blowing up the bridge to Driftwood Key.”

  The two got a hearty laugh out of the idea until they grew silent. Neither imagined this conversation would resume very soon as it applied to Marathon.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Monday, November 11

  Mariner’s Hospital

  Tavernier, Florida

  “Wow! Look at you!” exclaimed Hank as he entered Jimmy’s hospital room. He was still assigned to trauma eight but, apparently, not for long. His expression of surprise was genuine. Jimmy was sitting upright in bed, flanked by his parents on both sides resting comfortably in padded chairs. Jimmy had a plastic cup of water in front of him on a tray as well as a bowl of Jell-O, the preferred cuisine of every hospital chef.

  “Hi, Mr. Hank,” said Jimmy in a loud whisper. “I lost my voice.”

  “Peter’s the same way,” Hank said as he quickly moved to hug Phoebe, who was grinning from ear to ear. “He’s getting better every hour, it seems.”

  “Me too,” said Jimmy as he accepted a gentle hug from Hank. He turned his eyes toward Erin. It took him a moment before he recognized her. “You’re back.”

  “I am and so are you, obviously. You’re looking good, Jimmy.”

  He continued to whisper, mouthing some of the words as he spoke. “Feel better, too. I’m ready to leave.”

  Sonny stood, and Erin presented him with a duffel bag. “Hank picked out a change of clothes for you guys and something to freshen up,” she said as she looked from one parent to the other. Then she turned to Jimmy. “And, based upon the way you’re recovering, some jeans and a sweatshirt for you.”

  “I hope they fit,” added Phoebe. “The doctor told us Jimmy likely lost a lot of weight. We have to monitor his food intake and keep him hydrated. He should be back to normal eating habits in a week or so.”

  Hank’s face reflected his good mood. “Does this mean he’s being released?”

  “Actually, we’re all watching that clock,” replied Sonny, pointing at a basic black-rimmed, white-faced wall clock. The red second hand steadily wound its way around the face. “At noon, the doctor will return to check Jimmy’s vitals and, with a little luck, release him with some detailed instructions for us to follow. Having Jessica at Driftwood Key was a major factor in Jimmy’s early release. They have a lot of respect for her around here.”

  “She’s earned it, and we’re fortunate to have her in our family,” said Hank. He then gently squeezed Jimmy’s shoulder. “Just like we’re very lucky to have you as well.”

  Jimmy smiled and nodded. Then he asked, “How is Peter?”

  “Let me put it this way,” began Hank in response. “He’s about twenty-four hours better than you are. I’ll let him tell you what happened after he discovered you were missing. He’s still recovering from dehydration and muscle soreness. His voice is raspy but stronger, as I said. His face wasn’t beat up like yours, however.”

  Jimmy slowly raised his hands to his face to feel the wounds that had opened up due to the constant exposure to salt water. “I had these before I got lost.” He immediately regretted whispering the truth in his parents’ presence.

  “What do you mean, son? Was this from the fall?”

  “Um, no. The CIA guy did this. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Phoebe and Sonny exchanged glances before looking toward Erin. She worked for the federal government, making her the closest available target for their ire.

  She made a hollow promise that she hoped she could keep. “Let’s get you well. Once you feel better, I want you and Peter to tell me every detail of what happened. It seems there was wrongdoing on both sides of that bridge.”

  Jimmy nodded, and the Frees let it go, for now. While they took turns in the bathroom, changing clothes and freshening up, the group engaged in small talk. After visiting for twenty minutes, Hank and Erin excused themselves. Hank wanted to look up an acquaintance who worked in hospital administration.

  He and Erin took the stairs to the top floor of the hospital and then made their way to the administrative offices. The hospital administrator, who lived in Coral Gables, was assigned to two facilities within the Baptist Health system. He was rarely in the hospital, leaving the majority of the hospital administrative duties to his second in charge, Jeff Freeman. Freeman was the son of another resort owner located in Marathon. He was Mike’s age, so Hank didn’t know him all that well. However, they were friendly enough for what Hank wanted to discuss.

  Hank was told by Freeman’s secretary that he was in a conference. Hank explained to her who he was and then introduced Erin as the Secretary of Agriculture. With that information in hand, she gently knocked on her boss’s door and slipped inside for a moment to explain Hank’s arrival. Seconds later, he and Erin were invited into Freeman’s office, where he was meeting with another familiar face.

  “Hey, this is a helluva surprise, Hank!” greeted Freeman heartily. He hoisted his heavy frame out of a side chair where he’d been talking with his guest. “I never expected you to set foot off Driftwood Key with all of this going on.” He waved his arms as he spoke.

  “Hi, Jeff. I have Sonny Free’s son, Jimmy, downstairs in your trauma wing. He almost drowned the other day.”

  “Oh, geez. I had no idea. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Nope. He’s recovering nicely, thanks to your staff. With fingers crossed, we hope he’ll be released this afternoon.”

  Freeman turned to his other guest, who was now standing. “I think you know Bud Marino. He owns the café and marina in Islamorada.”

  “Of course, Commissioner.”

  “Yeah, that too,” said Marino with a chuckle. “Lately, Jeff introduces me as the restaurant guy or marina operator. He tries not to tell everyone I’m the district five commissioner. They might jump me or worse.”

  “I know the feeling,” added Erin.

  “Guys, this is Erin Bergmann, our—” Hank began to make the introductions when Marino interrupted her.

  “No introduction necessary, Hank. Madam Secretary, it’s an honor, for the second time, actually.”

  “Oh?” Erin asked.

  “We met at a fundraiser for the governor years ago. I was impressed when the president chose you for Agriculture. I thought for sure Transportation would have been a better fit. You know, don’t get me wrong.”

  “You’re correct, the Department of Transportation was where I belonged. I took Agriculture because I saw it as an opportunity to help Florida orange growers and farmers. I was making some real progress with Congress until Iran and Israel started firing nukes at one another.”

  Freeman’s secretary reentered the room with a tray of ca
nned drinks ranging from soda to fruit juices. All were chilled. Each of them grabbed a drink of choice, popped the top, and got comfortable.

  Freeman spoke first. “Madam Secretary, I must say—”

  “Erin, please. I’m not in the Keys on official business, and the whole Madam Secretary thing made me feel like some television character anyway.”

  “Okay, Erin,” said Freeman. He pointed at Hank. “How do you know this guy? I can safely say he is the most well-known, yet elusive character in all the Keys.”

  “Well, long story short. I was staying at the inn as the bombs were exchanged in the Middle East.” She glanced over at Hank as she recalled the memorable day together on his Hatteras. “He was kind enough to take me fishing when the Secret Service found us. I’d been summoned back to Washington. I barely made it back in time to enter the underground facility at Mount Weather before we were attacked.”

  Marino asked, “May we assume that the attacks are over since you’ve been allowed to leave the bunker?”

  She nodded before she responded, “The president has reasonable assurance from China and Russia that they will not initiate hostilities against us. I believe that to be true as well.”

  “What about Iran or North Korea?” asked Freeman.

  “Let’s just say they are no longer capable of initiating a nuclear attack. They couldn’t fire a BB gun at a squirrel at this point.”

  The two men exchanged glances. Their expressions indicated they got the visual.

  “Jeff, I wanted to stop by and see how things are going for you,” began Hank. “The realities of the importance of our health care system continuing to function hit home when my brother was attacked by a knife-wielding maniac, and now Jimmy nearly drowned. Are you going to be able to continue your operations?”

  Freeman sighed and leaned back in his chair. Interestingly, Marino mimicked his reaction to the question.