Twist of Fate
:)
Chapter Eleven
The reunion wasn't everything that he hoped for as Johnny could tell that something was wrong, something very wrong. He just couldn't fathom what it was and every time he near broached the topic Lulu either changed the subject or shot him a pleading look to leave it be. He was compliant for now, but he wasn't letting it go. It was apparent also that aside from whatever shock she'd taken, she and Sam were both in need of a good night's sleep... or four, and some nourishment. He handed the both of them some bottled water as he looked to Jason seeing that he was just as worried about them.
It was left alone though, the brimming tension edged in deep as they made their way in to town so that Johnny could get his report to Sonny and Mac and so that Lulu could check on Ethan. Driving into town was slow as the streets had become thought of more as walkways and Jason had to slow up in order to keep his hit and runs to a nil. At the station a crowd was gathering as some had spotted Johnny in the car and word of mouth was passing as fast as some could bike into town.
Johnny hugged Lulu to him as they fought their way into the station and were led into the bull pin where everyone gathered to hear what had happened. Jason protectively shielded Sam as they followed them in and found a spot near the back to hear it all out. Jason looked up as he saw Sonny coming with his normal entourage looking dark and dangerous as the crowd moved out of fear to let him through to his man, just as Mac arrived from his office.
People were screaming questions at him just to be heard over everyone else and Mac finally had to blow a whistle to get everyone's attention, giving the floor to one of his deputies, Dante. "Everyone just calm down and let him talk." He called as he looked to Mac and Johnny with a nod.
"Thanks," Johnny nodded back as he got a sip of water before he started. "Me and Max landed in a tent city outside of Cape Elizabeth. We ended up under quarantine. There's some virus – the Ballast mountain virus – they think it was a biological attack that hit Chicago it's spreading fast. They thought they had a case in the tent city. We were there for days, no one was sick, but they weren't even bringing in food or water, people were dying anyway. It was a mess. Max and I broke out and hitched our way back north. We ended up with a supply truck bringing water to a FEMA camp in Augusta."
"So FEMA's out there?" Mac's voice was choked with relief as Johnny gave a slight nod.
"We never made it that far. There was a couple of cars in the middle of the road about five miles outside Augusta, if FEMA's there they have one hell of a problem on their hands. A couple of dozen guys jerked us out of the truck Max and me we fought, but there were two many of them. Max was gone before I could even get to him, beaten to death in the road over a few cases of water. I had to make a run for it, barely made it out alive." Johnny swallowed tightly, sniffing back the tears that were threatening to come.
There was a long moment of silence as everyone took in what happened to Max before someone forced out a question. "Did you find out which cities were hit? Was New York one of them?"
"No, New York wasn't hit. They've gotten good since 9/11. They caught the guys, had a twenty kiloton nuke in a steel drum in the back of a truck." Johnny explained.
"What about D.C.?" Someone else asked.
Johnny looked up blinking back tears. "D.C.'s gone. So is Atlanta, San Diego, Denver, Raleigh, Philadelphia, Topeka, Knoxville, Baltimore, Boston, Seattle, and those are the nukes, the bio attack was in Chicago, and Colorado Springs, Nashville, Kansas City, and Roswell." Johnny sniffed again as he watched Lulu cover her mouth in growing horror fighting her own tears. "No one knows where the governor of Maine is, there's about four or five different U.S. governments stepping up to take over different regions of the U.S. The one in New York is the closest to us."
Murmurs ran rampant through the crowd as everyone listened in shock. Lulu couldn't take it any more though. She hurried out of the police station and Sam followed after her worriedly, Jason right behind them. Sam caught Lulu as she doubled over gagging on a wave of bile that never quite made it past her lips as she fought getting sick right then and there just past the steps of the station on the street. Sam ran a hand over her friends back lovingly as she looked back to Jason, tears slipping down her face.
Sam didn't know what to say. What comfort could you offer after the news they had all just received. The shock just had to be worked through. Johnny made his way out soon after the three of them, leaving the crowd back to discuss the news he had offered so far. He watched as Lulu straightened and met his eyes wearily, her spirits dredging the gutter. Johnny crossed the expanse between them and drew her into his arms offering her the one promise of hope he had left. "The U.S. Was the only one hit, no one else...Nicholas and your Dad, where ever they are, they're fine." Johnny promised her.
Lulu pulled back in wide eyed wonder and let out a cry of relief as she hugged him again, her tears bittersweet now.
"Jase?" Jason turned to see Emily headed in their direction with Boober padding along beside her. Boober broke for a run, snapping the leash from her hand as soon as he saw Sam and he nearly plowed her over, getting a surprised yet delighted cry from Sam as she ended up on her rear on the bottom step leading up to the station. "Oh my God, Lulu, Johnny, Sam!" Emily cried out in joy as she quickly got to the hugging herself. It was Jason that she hugged first. "You found them!" She exclaimed excitedly.
Jason hugged his sister back tightly, wishing he could say that he found them all in better circumstances. He didn't want to tell her just how bad things were falling apart out there. He pulled away to hear Sam playfully talking to Boober in affectionate greeting as he assaulted her with his tongue in happy reunion. "If he couldn't take my arm off, I might get jealous." Jason chuckled finally, glad to have something to laugh about considering.
Sam looked up past the tufts of fur and smiled.
"So what's been going on?" Emily asked and realized as soon as the words were out of her mouth that it wasn't the right time to ask as everyone lost their smiles and slowly looked her way. She lost her smile as well and licked at her lips nervously. "Another time." She whispered out. She looked to Sam changing to the subject to something more benign. "He's been going nuts without you." She said about Boober. "I've been keeping him when Jase is in town."
"Thank you, he looks great." Sam said as she pulled her back to her feet and gave Emily a warm hug. "I really appreciate it. I promise I'll being him to visit. I know he grows on you fast."
"Oh yeah, I don't know what's I'll do without a bed buddy, now."
"Oh God," It finally dawned on Lulu as she whirled. "Only the U.S. Got hit, Emily, Nick is fine in Paris!" She told her as she burst out with the hope that Johnny had just given her a moment ago. It had just taken her a moment to be able to think straight enough to tell her friend. "I should tell Ethan, too. Is he back at the house?" Lulu asked as she turned on Jason who paled.
"Lulu," Jason started and from the look on his face she realized that something was horribly wrong.
"What?" Lulu reached for Johnny as if she couldn't take any more of this and he quickly helped to support her there.
"He's still in the hospital. The antibiotics didn't work and he needs something that they don't have in town." Jason explained. "He's in a coma." Jason swallowed tightly. Lulu fought her face falling as she blinked trying to feign off the tears again.
"I want see him." She finally whispered out.
ZZZZZZZZZZZ
Kristina set a cup of water next to Molly on the small end table next to the chair that her sister had curled up in. She leaned over and kissed her forehead before covering her with a spare blanket from Ethan's small cabinet in his room. "You need to get some of that yourself." She turned at the soft whisper at her back and smiled at Michael.
Kristina made her way out into the hallway so as not to disturb Molly or Ethan. "What are you doing here?"
"Dad's getting worried about all the time your volunteering." Michael explained. "I can't say I'm not either. Thought I'd walk you home tonight so you get some sleep." He offered.
"I can sleep on the roll away here." She said meeting his eyes with a streak of pouting defiance mingling with her much gentler spirit.
"Krissy," Michael started.
"Don't, I don't want to hear the lecture about how I can't wish Mom's death away by working til I'm exhausted. I'm fine. I'm coping. I just...it's more than Mom, everything's different and I have to do something to make a difference. Working here and out at Jason's helps."
"I get that, I do. My Mom's still missing, maybe dead and I know that it helps to get out there and try and help the people still here, but you can't help anyone if you make yourself sick." Michael tried to nudge her towards seeing the truth of the matter, that her own body was suffering from what she was doing no matter what her intentions. Michael frowned as Krissy looked past him without answering and he turned to see Jason, Sam, Johnny, Lulu, and Emily all making their way with a huge ass dog trailing behind them.
"Johnny!" Michael called happily as he met the man halfway, praying as he went. "Did you find Mom..." he hadn't even finished and Johnny was already shaking his head. Michael nodded with a sniff as Lulu rushed passed him to get to Ethan.
"I'm sorry, Michael. There are a lot of towns that are empty right now, some of the water is saturated with fall out, she might be in one of the tent cities." he offered him as hope. "If she's still out there. We're gonna find her." He promised him as Jason squeezed Michael's shoulder adding his support to the mix.
Kristina followed Lulu into the room and placed a steadying hand against her back as they both looked down at Ethan worriedly. "Robin said he needs Levaquin. The hospital hasn't had any in a week." She explained. They said that they might have it in Portland. He's been fighting really hard, Lulu."
Lulu looked over her shoulder at Kristina with a watery smile, glad that she'd been with him. "Thank you for staying with him." Lulu squeezed Ethan's hand and leaned over the bed to whisper to him. "You know this whole lazy look doesn't look good on you." She said as she kissed his cheek. "What would Dad say? Or Lucky?" She teased him hoping to see his eyes flutter open but fearing they wouldn't. "Alright. I know you need to conserve your strength. Let me fight for you for a bit. I'm going to go get the medicine you need. You just hang on until I get back."
"But Lulu, you just got back..." Kristina didn't even know where she'd been but could tell from the look of her that it was no where pleasant. "You can't..."
"Let my brother die." Lulu finished for her.
"You're not going out there alone." Johnny spoke up as he came into the room with Jason and Sam right behind him.
"Or without me." Sam piped in with fierce determination.
"Count me in too." Jason spoke up as soon as Sam spoke her intentions. Jason took the moment though to try and garner some control and interject reason into this spur of the moment decision to travel out there especially knowing what they knew now. "But we need to get some supplies, get cleaned up." He knew everyone could use a shower and while he didn't have hot water to offer he did have a working shower running off the well pumps out at the farm, not to mention a hideaway full of guns that kept him in the be prepared spirit.
So it was after tearful goodbyes with Kristina, Michael and not so much the sleeping Molly that the five-some headed out in the four door, Emily vowing to get the farm house prepared for their return, stepping up to keep the place running while they were gone.
Sam walked into her new bedroom toweling off her hair with a shiver as she adjusted the off the shoulder black sweater over her white tank. She didn't even look into the mirror, didn't want to. God, even with the shower she felt dirty. Sam closed her eyes trying to shake it. She'd been putting on a good front for Lulu's sake, but on the inside she felt like she was ready ti implode. She just had to hold it together, just until the feeling abated, eased up a little.
Sam shook herself, opening her eyes as she grabbed the duffel under her bed and emptied it out save a change of clothes before she headed down the stairs to catch up with everyone else. Jason had said to meet him in office downstairs. Se made it to his side just in time for the opening of the gun cabinet. Sam's eyes widened in wonder as she realized just how much she didn't know about Jason just yet as she beheld the extensive collection. "I think I love you," She whispered in awe.
Johnny chuckled at her back as he took it in. "Get in line." He teased as Jason smiled down at Sam, praying that she meant that one day. He quickly started passing out the guns and loading the bags with ammo.
"Feeling the moment slip away...losing direction, you're losing faith...You're wishing for someone...Feeling it all begin to slide...Am I just like you? All the things you do – can't help myself..."
Michael walked into Ethan's room and sank into the chair by his bedside with a sigh as he tried to get comfortable to get some sleep. The only way he'd been able to convince Kristina to go home and get some sleep was to offer to stay and watch over Ethan himself. He turned the flashlight off as dusk set in leaving the room shrouded in shadows and closed his eyes.
"God, protect Mom, where ever she is." He whispered.
"How do you feel when there's no sun? And how will you be when the rain's cloud come...and pull you down again...How do you feel when there's no one? Am I just like you?..."
Mac looked at the new map of the United States that hung over his desk, all the little push pins of red denoting the places that had been hit. It was scarier and scarier out there and still he felt as if Port Charles was holding it's own. He just prayed that things didn't go down hill from here. It was touch enough to hold the town together when they didn't know what was out there, to keep Sonny at bay.
What was going to happen now?
"Turning to face what you've become...Buried the ashes of someone...broken by the strain...trying to fill the space inside...am I just like you?All the things you do – can't help myself..."
Dante opened the small room in his basement and swallowed tightly as he settled a hand against the blocks that he'd bricked up the steel drum in recalling Johnny's words in the station with a frown. Dammit. He needed to get the bomb out of the house. He needed to get it someplace safe.
"Dad!" Dante slammed the door shut as he heard Hannah call for him. Dante made his way up the stairs and met his daughter in the kitchen. He met her eyes as he waited to hear what the emergency was and he hoped against hope that she never thought he was a monster...
"How do you feel when there's no sun? And how will you be when the rain's cloud come...and pull you down again...How do you feel when there's no one? Am I just like you? All the things you do?..."
Sonny walked into Maxie's new place with a sad saunter, making his way over to the bar before he sank onto the new stool there, the soft glow of candle light giving a glimmer of mystery to the place. Maxie walked out of the back with a bottle of wine in tow and smiled seductively to see him.
"You trying to burn the new place down?" He asked about the candles teasingly.
"Not with literal fire." Maxie narrowed her eyes.
"Why do I feel as if I'm about to be propositioned." Sonny chuckled.
"Because we both know Sam's back and I want to keep this place." Maxie cooed in a whisper as she leaned in closer to his ear, her breath nipping at his lobe. She pulled back and met his eyes with a devious glint in hers.
"I'll have to see what I can do about that."
"Don't ever feel that your alone...I'll never let you down...I'll never leave you dry...Don't fall apart...don't let go...carry the notion, carry the notion back to me..."
Somewhere in the wilderness of Pennsylvania a rode weary group of survivors from the riots in St. Lois trudged towards the refuge of their leaders home town. "Lucky!" Came a call from the middle of the group. Lucky Spencer turned to see what was going on, taking the moment to look through the crowd to find the problem.
"What's wrong?" He called worriedly.
"The kids need a rest!" Came the reply. Lucky let out a breath in relief that that's all it was and smiled softly.
"Lets take one then!" He looked to the road head of them, knowing that they still miles to go before they slept.
"Feeling the moment slip away...Feeling the moment slip away...Cause I'm just like you...How do you feel when there's no sun? And how will you be when the rain's cloud come...and pull you down again...How do you feel when there's no one? Am I just like you?..."
Johnny looked to Jason after checking the rear view to see that Sam and Lulu were out cold in the back seat, curled up around each other protectively. He could see that Jason was just as worried as he was. "Did Sam saying anything to you about what happened to them?" he asked him quietly.
"No and every time I ask she changes the subject." Jason said just as softly, checking the mirror himself. "Did Lulu say anything to you?" Johnny was already shaking his head.
Jason glanced Sam's way once more and licked at his lips nervously. "They'll tell us when they're ready."
"Am I just like you..."
Last song " Feeling a Moment" by Feeder
