A/N … Sorry for the delay. Tried to get a little ahead on the next chapter. Really do appreciate the reviews and support! Hope you enjoy what's to come.
x x
Elliot and Olivia exit the store, leaving the store manager and a local sheriff in Torres Valley to discuss the store's window damage.
A haggard look crosses Elliot's face as they make their way toward the Crown Vic.
He'd much rather be heading back to New York, but the Feds are counting on them to help catch James.
And they do want to get this guy... No question.
The Feds have already been briefed and will be contacting them later to discuss the next steps. For the moment, they're instructed to lie low. The plan is to grab a bite to eat and find a place to stay for the night.
His eyes drift over to his partner as they walk. Sure, they didn't fix everything that's wrong with their relationship, but he definitely feels better about things.
Maybe she wants things between them to be like they used to be. Maybe she thinks they needed to put their differences aside to get through this case.
Either way, she's given him another chance.
He's not going to blow it.
Because when things are good between the two of them, he can handle just about anything…
Even this.
He's looking forward to spending a couple hours with her, unwinding from the day.
They'll get dinner and drinks somewhere, talk and laugh about the usual stuff. They have a lot of fun together. She's his favorite person to hang out with.
He really wants to be hers again.
x
There's still a tornado watch in place. Winds are gusty, although the rain has stopped for the time being.
Their eyes drift up toward the sky. There's just enough light to see where they're going, but the sun has set and the night sky is filling in quickly underneath a thick blanket of clouds.
The parking lot is still mostly empty. Didn't make sense for a week day and the tail-end of rush hour to be so slow, but it is a small town.
Could be the weather too, Elliot considers, as he finishes scanning the parking area. He's on high alert in case James shows up again.
They reach the Crown Vic and Elliot goes to unlock the driver's side door. He glances to his left, just as a familiar black SUV pulls in and parks across from them.
"Hey, guys. Good to see you again," Levi greets them. The three storm chasers get out of their vehicle and walk toward the Crown Vic.
"Hi," Olivia glances up and smiles.
"You guys following us?" Elliot teases.
"Sure seems that way," Levi replies with a grin. "Looks like we've got one more day of chasing tomorrow, so I'm just picking up a few things for the road," he explains. He turns toward his group, "I'll be back in a sec, guys," then jogs toward the store's entrance.
Alexis and Sam approach. "Did you guys see it?" Alexis asks eagerly.
"See what?" Olivia replies.
"Tornado… Best catch so far this trip!" Sam replies.
Elliot grins when he notes the spark in their eyes. "Sounds pretty exciting."
"It's definitely an adrenaline rush."
"I've heard people chase these things all the time," he replies with a shrug.
"Ever try it?"
"Nope."
"Not into that sort of rush then, huh?" Sam replies.
"You should try law enforcement and raising kids, if you want an adrenaline rush," Elliot jokes.
"Well…maybe in a few years."
"Just glad you guys are safe."
"Well… Did you see it?" Alexis asks again.
He shakes his head. "We were inside when the sirens went off."
"You've gotta see our storm footage…"
Before they can respond, Sam returns to the vehicle and opens the back passenger door. He gestures for them to approach. "Come on guys…hop in. Alexis will cue it up on our laptop. It's good stuff!"
Elliot and Olivia glance at each other and shrug. "Umm… Sure, we've got a couple minutes." They approach the vehicle and get into the back seat. Elliot slides in first and Olivia gets in beside him.
Sam gets into the driver's side and starts the vehicle. A Pink Floyd song blasts through the stereo speakers. He reaches over and turns the volume down. Alexis opens the front passenger door and gets in. She retrieves the footage from a flash drive and inserts it into the laptop that is sitting on the dash.
"Cannot believe our luck!" Sam relays excitedly, while Alexis boots up the laptop and retrieves the clip. He turns to the side so he can see them and begins talking very energetically. "I told these guys I had the hunch about this area. But rather than sit and wait, we decided to head west and catch up with the dry line. We were on our way out of town, when I saw the wall cloud. We backtracked and caught up to it…just as the tornado drops!"
"We barely missed the hail core!" Alexis interjects. "Golf ball-sized hail from that updraft!"
"I know, right…" he agrees. "Timing is everything! Plus, there was only one other chaser on that storm. I think the rest are all scouting out their spot in Youngstown for tonight's showdown. No one wants to be the 20th chase vehicle to show up, and tonight's supposed to be pretty huge. You never can tell which storms are a gamble. Doesn't always pay off to camp out. Anyway…this thing was friggin' perfect! Wait 'til you see this!"
Levi returns carrying a small store bag. He opens the back door and crawls between the clothing bags, jackets, tote bags, camera bags and tri-pods, settling in behind Elliot and Olivia.
"Okay, it's ready," she tells them, then lifts her eyes toward the back. "Hey, Levi…I'm getting ready to show them the clip."
"Ah… Cool."
Alexis clicks the play button, and turns the laptop for Elliot and Olivia to see it.
The view shows a two-lane highway with the funnel descending toward the ground. The SUV is still in motion. In the background, they hear Sam and Levi discussing where to pull off the road, and then Levi calling in the storm's location via ham radio. The tornado is a thin white cone. As they continue to watch it, the funnel gets wider.
"Isn't she a beauty?" Sam boasts.
"Please tell me that camera is zoomed in…" Elliot remarks uncomfortably, noticing how close they were to the tornado.
"We were about a mile away, as the crow flies," Levi adds.
The funnel briefly lifts and descends back on its intended path.
"It was on the ground for about three or four minutes," Levi informs them when the clip ends. "The storm knocked out a few trees and one very dilapidated barn. Looks like that's the most damage it did, fortunately. Still a decent-sized storm for an EF-1. Had it been downtown, might get an EF-2 rating…"
"EF…. what?" Elliot asks.
"Enhanced-Fajita scale. The strength of a tornado, based on wind speed and location of impact. Civil engineers go out after the storm's over, survey the damage and assign a rating."
Elliot nods. "Oh yeah…I think I've heard that before."
"Why does it jump?" Olivia asks, eyeing the screen. The funnel lifts briefly and touches back down within a few seconds.
"It's hard to say. Sometimes it gives that appearance of lifting, when there's still a debris cloud near the ground," Levi offers.
The clip ends and Alexis closes the laptop, setting it on the floor by her feet.
"So, are you all three in school for this?" Elliot asks.
Alexis nods. "Sam and I will be third year undergrads in the fall. Levi's in the PhD program. He's more interested in technology, but I don't think he's going to leave us for the software world just yet," she smiles at him respectfully.
Levi grins. "There are usually more jobs in tech. I wrestled with the unstable job market for a number of years and these youngsters are just starting out. I'll have to say, I'm impressed with these two. Meteorology is a cut-throat program and they're sailing through it like a couple of champs."
Elliot smiles appreciatively. "Well… Thanks for sharing your stuff. That's pretty impressive. Still think you all are a little nuts."
"Guilty as charged," Sam chuckles.
"Good luck with your storms and your school," Olivia adds. "Ready to go, El?"
"Sure."
Olivia opens the passenger door and starts to get out.
Just then, gun shots ring out from the gray Hyundai Santa Fe that recently pulled up behind the Crown Vic with the engine running.
The bullet narrowly misses Olivia, but hits the window beside her. Elliot quickly reacts, grabbing Olivia by the arm and pulling her back inside the vehicle.
"It's him!" Olivia relays to her partner.
"Guys, get down!" he instructs the three chasers.
Sam and Levi duck down in their respective places and shield themselves. Alexis panics and doesn't move. Olivia reaches out and pulls Alexis toward her, trying to shield her or at least keep her out of the line of fire.
Alexis lands between the front console and Olivia's lap, but she's safe for the moment. "It's okay, sweetie," Olivia adds.
More shots are fired, a few hitting the top corner of the windshield on the driver's side, the hood, and the side mirror beside Alexis.
Then the Santa Fe speeds off.
When they're sure he's gone, the five of them begin to sit up slowly.
Fortunately, no one's hurt. Elliot's eyes glance about, making note of the damage.
"What the hell?" Sam charges breathlessly. "Why were they firing at us?"
Elliot sighs, guiltily. He hates that these three just ended up in the crossfire. "Umm… It's me and Olivia. Long story."
Alexis makes her way back into the front seat, still appearing distressed. "It's okay, you're safe," Olivia offers, trying to soothe her. "Take some deep breaths."
She nods in response and tries to do this. Sam moves closer to comfort her. He glances up at the Crown Vic parked in front of them. "Uh… Hey guys, looks like you've got a flat. At least, your right rear tire is. Can't see the other one…"
The five of them file out of the SUV and go to the Crown Vic to inspect it. Both of the back tires are flat.
"Sonofabitch…" Elliot mutters, his eyes taking in the damage to both vehicles. "Guess we'll have to find a tow."
Levi pulls out his phone. "Wait… We know someone a couple miles from here. He'll get you fixed up." He scrolls through his contact list.
"Oh yeah, Wendall's. I keep forgetting Rodney moved to Youngstown. Used to be in Pittsburgh. He's great," Sam remarks.
"Thanks, guys," Elliot says.
"No problem. Good to know where all the best food places and the best mechanics are, when you're on the road."
"Yeah, I'll bet."
"I'll need some information from you, Sam," Olivia requests, retrieving her phone, some paper and a pen. She collects what she needs, then steps aside and makes a call to Captain Franks to update him on what just happened. She gives him Sam's name and plate number.
Elliot spots a bullet casing on the ground beside the vehicle, picks it up and shoves it into his pocket. Then he takes out his business cards and hands one to Sam. "We'll see that a report is filed so you'll have something for your insurance company. If you run into any problems, let me know."
"Thanks. Believe me, we've driven with more damage than this because of hail."
"Go ahead and snap some pictures of the damage."
"Yep," Sam agrees, taking out his cell phone camera. When he's done, he heads over to talk to Alexis, who is propped against the passenger side door of the SUV checking something on her phone.
Olivia ends her call and steps up beside Elliot. "Since he ditched the red truck, we'll have no way to track him until he shows up again."
"We know he will," Elliot offers, forebodingly. He takes the casing out of his pocket and shows her. "Looks like a 45…"
She glances at it and sighs. "We're putting them at risk, El…"
"Just like everyone we come in contact with. We can't leave them unprotected before the Feds get here."
"Yeah," she agrees.
Levi steps toward them. "Hey guys… Rodney's a little busy, but he'll be here in about an hour and a half."
"Thanks," Olivia replies.
Alexis and Sam approach next. "Do you two want to eat with us?" she asks. "I was thinking about barbeque, and we like Margo's on Lander's Street. It's about 2 minutes away. We'll bring you back before Rodney gets here."
"Oh my God…" Sam sighs approvingly. "Margo's has the best rib sandwich! Trust me, you'd have to head southwest to find a better spot. These sandwiches are to die for!"
"And if we get out of here, we won't be sitting ducks," Levi suggests, noticing Elliot's and Olivia's nervousness about the shooter.
"Really… You've got to try the rib sandwiches!" Sam boasts.
"We can grab and go, if needed. Obviously, that's happened before when weather breaks," Alexis rolls her eyes, grinning. "Another reason why we love this place."
Elliot ponders dinner, while his stomach whole-heartedly agrees with the idea of rib sandwiches. "Okay with me." He turns to his partner. "Liv?"
"Sure, that's fine."
Catching her eye a couple seconds longer, Elliot turns back to the storm chasers, frowning. "Umm… About the shooting that just happened... By law, we can't tell you not to leave town or not to storm chase. We have no jurisdiction here. But this man is very dangerous. For your safety, we would prefer if you grabbed a place for the night after we eat, instead of hitting the road, or wherever you plan to go next. Liv and I will get rooms at the same place. As long as you're with us, we'll protect you."
"H-he's…gonna come back…?" Alexis asks fearfully.
Sam wraps his arm around her. "Shhh… It's okay, they'll protect us."
"What happens tomorrow?" Levi asks.
Olivia responds. "It's up to the people in charge. It's a Federal case. When they arrive, there's a chance you'll be kept somewhere until he's in custody. As Elliot said, it's not our call."
"Kept where?"
"We don't know. But the Feds want this guy off the street pretty damn fast."
"How about this…" Levi begins. "We'll all grab a bite to eat, we'll bring you back here so they can fix your car. Then we'll go ahead and check in somewhere. I just need a motel room balcony with a southwest view and I'm happy."
"A balcony with a southwest view…?" Elliot repeats, amused.
"To catch the storms that roll in from the southwest," Sam answers him. "Might not see every storm that drops a tornado, but there are thunderstorms. Levi loves his lightning footage. I think that's his favorite part."
"Just put the camera on a tripod, grab a beer and enjoy Mother Nature's light show," he replies contently.
"We were planning to head west a few miles until we're on the outskirts of Youngstown, but that's it. We're already in a hot spot right here," Sam adds. "Wouldn't be surprised if one landed just down the street from the motel… Can we chase, if it's somewhere close to the motel?"
"I don't think they want us leaving the motel, Sam," Levi corrects.
"Oh…" he frowns.
"We didn't mean to get you involved in this," Olivia replies.
"It's not your fault. It's the asswipe who shot at us," Alexis grumbles.
"I'm starved, guys. Let's continue this at Margo's," Levi interjects.
"Let's go."
x
The new weather alert sounds over Sam's NOAA weather radio, as he steers the vehicle into the parking space.
"…*screech*…*screech*…*screech*…*long tone*
"The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for—
He shuts off the engine during the message.
"I thought you guys needed to know where the storms were…" Elliot inquires curiously.
"They're just repeating. We usually know where they are before they're announced on air. We have the laptop, and we all have apps on our phones…," he explains. "Gotta have technology out here."
A minute later, they all enter Margo's Rib Shack.
Elliot and Olivia glance around at the place. There are two separate dining areas which form an L-shape, meeting at the front door. There's a bar in the larger of the two dining areas, which has limited seating at the moment. A half wall and brass posts divide the space between the bar and the larger dining area.
A waiter escorts them to one of the booths in the main dining room and they take their seats. Sam and Levi sit down on one side. Elliot gets in the other side, Olivia sits beside him and Alexis sits beside her on the end.
They all order rib sandwiches with two side items, except for Olivia, who opts for a salad and half a sandwich.
Dinner conversations are light and casual. Personal anecdotes about bad weather are a common topic.
As they're finishing their meals, Elliot picks at the remaining potato wedges on his plate.
While Levi is telling them how he helped a friend get his canoe out of a lake during a lightning storm, Olivia casually reaches over for one of the potato wedges on his plate. A few minutes later, she grabs a second.
Elliot can't help but notice.
For as long as they've been partners, he's been in the habit of leaving some of his French fries, a pickle or something for her.
There were times when a particular case was causing her distress, and he wanted to make sure that she ate something.
He also did it because he liked to share food with her. She would offer him the last half of a sandwich when she couldn't eat anymore.
They were close, it was just something they did. They didn't have to think about it.
But over the past few months, things have changed.
They didn't sit close, they didn't brush arms accidentally, and they didn't share food…
Or so, he thought.
She continues to listen to Levi, eventually reaching over for a third potato wedge.
He listens to the conversations, while discretely nudging the plate a little closer to her so that she'll keep grabbing fries.
After the fourth one, she's done.
He loses track of the story, because his eyes are still drifting toward the plate.
x
The waiter sets the check on the table.
"You guys ready to head out?" Levi asks the group.
"Liv…?" Elliot glances to his right and catches her eye.
She nods. "Sure."
"I've got ours," Elliot tells her, and digs out his wallet.
"No…" Levi halts Elliot, taking out his wallet. "This was our idea, we've got you two covered."
"No, that's okay."
"Seriously… We've got you two," Sam responds firmly. Then he turns to Levi. "We'll split those two and I'll cover Alexis."
"I thought college students were supposed to be broke…?" Elliot quips, still holding his wallet.
Alexis grins. "Usually… But Sam and Levi are generous."
"Sam, don't do the math, it'll give you a headache..." Levi teases, when he sees Sam calculating the tip in his head. "I don't mind paying half of your girlfriend's dinner. Twenty-six each covers it and includes tip."
"Thanks, guys," Olivia tells them.
"No problem at all." Sam sets his money down on the table, the waiter wanders by and picks the cash up, and Sam puts his wallet away. His phone signals a new message. He takes it out and eyes the display. "Tornado warning…"
All of them glance toward the nearest windows, which offer little more than a view of the night sky. The clouds are mostly indistinguishable through the glass.
Levi leans closer to see the radar image on Sam's phone. "It's got a good hook on it…"
Alexis hops up and peers over his shoulder. After a couple seconds, she turns and hurries toward the front door for a better view. Sam sets his phone down on the table, jumps up and follows her.
Olivia's eyes drift from Sam's phone to Levi. "What's…the hook?" she asks curiously.
"A part of the supercell that you can see on radar," he answers. He turns the phone and gestures to a few pixels of red overlaying yellow and green on the display. "It's where a tornado would form, if there is one. From that, there are a few things we would look for—"
The outdoor warning siren sounds, halting just about every conversation in the restaurant.
Levi glances over at Sam's phone and picks it up as he gets up from the booth. That prompts Elliot and Olivia to stand as well.
Customers who are seated closer to the entrance turn their focus toward the front door when they hear the siren. A few actually get up from their seat and wander over for a peek. Realizing they can't see much, they return to the tables. The customers who recently paid their checks linger near the front, some unsure of what to do. Others decide to leave.
Sam and Alexis return to the table.
"We got time to get ahead of it?" Levi asks them, handing Sam his phone.
"No idea… About a mile or two to the west of here, I think I see the base…"
"Probably rain-wrapped," Levi responds.
"We could head east, then back track to the south and try to intercept that way…?" Sam suggests.
"I don't like our odds with anything east of town right now…," Alexis remarks.
Elliot waves his hand, halting their discussion. "We're not going anywhere, guys."
More commotion stirs near the front of the restaurant. The lobby area fills up with anxious customers who aren't sure what to do.
The restaurant manager steps into the dining area, cups his hands over his mouth to speak to the group. "Everyone, I need your immediate attention and cooperation. We're all going to head downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, the first door on your right is the storage room. If the storage room fills up, there's room in the hallway. We'll wait there for the storm to pass."
About 150 customers and restaurant staff move quickly toward the stairs. The restroom, entrance to the kitchen and the door leading downstairs are all on the east side of the restaurant, the front of the restaurant is on the west side.
Suddenly the front door opens, and about 20 to 30 more rush inside in a panic. The siren is louder for a couple of seconds until the door closes again.
The people who have just come inside are disoriented for a moment. They see the group rushing toward the stairwell and follow the crowd.
Levi, Alexis and Sam remain beside Elliot and Olivia.
"Guys, go on," Elliot instructs them. "Liv and I are going to hang back for just a second, to see if anyone needs help."
Levi nods, nudging his two chase partners toward the stairwell. Their attention remains fixed on the south-facing windows for as long as possible.
Olivia's eyes drift toward the windows curiously, noticing a lighter gray cast to the outside sky in the north-facing windows. The south side is rather dark.
The outdoor warning siren continues to cycle up its sequence of tones and sustained pitches.
A few flickers of light out the south side suddenly catch her eye.
There's an office building at the next intersection that is mostly metallic.
Must be lightning reflected in the building, Olivia supposes.
Every few seconds, another few flashes of light.
Storm's closing in.
x
She and Elliot take a couple of steps in the direction of the staircase, after the majority of the group has cleared out of that part of the restaurant.
The wind picks up. The noise level contributed by outside noise and inside commotion increases considerably.
They turn their attention to the crowd near the top of the stairs. The stairwell appears to be jammed. About 20 people remain just outside of the doorway.
The customers waiting at the top of the stairs, and those inside the stairwell begin frantically yelling, pushing and shoving others out of the way. Those getting shoved, vocalize their distress.
"Guys! Settle down!" Olivia states, as she and Elliot approach to intervene. She turns to her partner. "Let's send some of them into the restrooms or the kitchen."
Without glancing away from the stairwell mob, Elliot shakes his head.
"We don't have— Much time," she argues, pausing her words when her attention is drawn toward the rumbling sound outside. She assumes it's thunder, but the siren's pitch is cutting in. She turns back to Elliot, adding, "Interior room away from windows should be sufficient."
"They have to be below ground, Liv. I don't know that much about tornadoes, but I know they're better off if we can get them downstairs," he argues back.
"The manager didn't expect this many people. It's better we stop this mad rush before someone gets hurt."
"They're all just scared."
He excuses his way past some of the customers, reaching the top of the stairwell. "Everyone…stop pushing! We have more people that need to get downstairs, but we need to do this safely!"
The volume persists. No one acknowledges him.
"Hey! Everyone, I need your attention!" Elliot attempts a little louder.
"Man… Just shut up!" someone hollers back at Elliot.
"Yeah, fuck off!" another chimes in angrily.
"I can't fucking move in here!" a third person yells out. "Th' hell do you want us to do?"
He can't see through the mass of people. Not exactly the safest plan, but it's the best one they've got at the moment. "What's going on down there? Does someone need help?" Elliot asks.
"No, just a bunch of fucking idiots," a man near the top of the staircase answers him, irritably. "No one's moving. This is insane!" he turns back toward the mob. "Come on you assholes, there's a fucking tornado out there!"
"Someone's freaking out! Scared, throwing up…" A woman answers him.
"Can you get past them?" Olivia asks.
"Th' fuck do you think we're trying to do?" a different man yells back at her.
The lights flicker off and on, then go out completely.
More people start yelling… "Fuck!" "This is bullshit!" "We're all gonna die!"
Olivia curses under her breath.
Elliot feels his chest tightening. He considers Olivia's suggestion while the outside wind seems to pick up.
It's less than a minute later when someone hollers, "We're moving!"
"Thank God!" "It's about friggin' time!" other people add.
The siren continues its cycling tones.
There's a rumbling noise outside that's starting to dominate. Must be the tornado, Elliot considers. He holds his breath as he watches the crowd finally start to thin out.
The last few people enter the stairwell.
Olivia steps back and glances around to make sure everyone's accounted for. Just her and Elliot.
The stairwell is still crowded, at least midway up, as people try to settle in. Sensing crowding issues, she decides to walk toward the kitchen.
Meanwhile, the build-up, the drone of the siren, the stress of the people in the stairwell are taking a toll on her.
She needs space, breathing room.
As long as everyone is safe, than screw it… She'll find a table to duck under.
Elliot turns to her. "Liv, where are you going?"
"I—I…" she begins anxiously. "It's too packed in there. I'll find a spot inside one of the restrooms or the kitchen…"
He grabs her by the wrist to stop her. "No you're not… We'll fit in the stairwell."
"G-give them room. I'll be fine…" Olivia argues. She pulls away from him, but he holds on firmly.
"Liv…?"
"Elliot, let go…"
The rumble gets louder. She knows sirens aren't supposed to get any louder… Just seems like it is.
He can't see her face, but he doesn't need to. He knows her. He knows everything about her.
Especially her distress.
He braces her with one hand on each arm and steps closer to reassure her. "Shhh… It's okay. We'll get through this."
Her breaths are quick and shallow. She lifts her head to look at him.
In the dark, all she sees is the outline of his face and a speck of light in his eyes.
"I-it's too much," she admits quietly.
"I know. It's driving me crazy too. Come on, we'll be safer down there."
She feels a panic attack coming on. She can't remember the last one she had like this. "I can't—"
"Then I'll stay calm for the both of us," he replies.
Despite her urge to plant both feet in place, she lets him guide her into the stairwell. He closes the door behind them.
She can't see a damn thing. Still tense, Olivia takes a step, misses and slips.
Elliot reacts quickly, bracing her before she falls. "I've got you…" he says quietly. "Let's just sit down here. Should be fine."
She finds the banister with her right hand and squats down on the step beside him.
There are people at the base of the staircase, and all along the hallway outside the storage room. The storage room itself is full beyond capacity. About ten feet from the storage room is a door that leaves to an alley way with just enough room for a dumpster.
That puts them closer to the outside racket, and there's an echo inside the stairwell.
The wind makes a howling sound as it whips through the alley way. At the end of the downstairs hallway, there's a door that leads to an alley way. It's just big enough for a dumpster. The wind rattles the lid to the dumpster.
The ground rumbling sound increases, and then there's a loud crash.
Elliot and Olivia flinch at the same time.
Two more loud crashes follow. It's right above their heads.
She closes her eyes, her body tenses and her heart rate picks up. "El…?"
"Right here, Liv."
She leans in, and he opens his arms to pull her close. They can't see what's going on, but the need to shield themselves and one another happens without thought.
The next noise sounds like wood splitting apart. Things are picked up and tossed around above them.
Olivia cringes, wishing she had some way to cover her ears.
The sounds hurt her head. She even feels the rumbling through her chest.
There are a couple of loud thumps above their heads. Like something being lifted and dropped repeatedly. She wonders if the ceiling above them is going to split open. Maybe it's crazy to think about. But what exactly can be ruled out in a tornado.
A few people in the storage room suddenly start screaming.
There's nothing they can do for them at the moment, and she hates this. Olivia remains on edge.
Elliot's mind sifts through anything and everything he has, in an attempt to distract himself.
His kids, Olivia, his job, and whether or not Munch and Fin found the missing O'Reilly kids yet…
Then there's James and the fact that he's driving a different truck.
But it's useless. The damned noises above him are deafening.
So much for distractions.
He can't help wondering what's happening up there, or how many people didn't make it inside.
So he holds onto Olivia. She's all he's got.
"I promise you a beer when this is over," he says in the vicinity of her ear.
"It's going to take more than one…" she deadpans.
"You've got it, partner."
The next sound is of water dripping. Well, pouring is more like it. Rain water? There's a leak somewhere inside the building…?
The wind picks up for a couple seconds, while the rumbling noise finally comes to a stop.
There's a creaking sound. Like something teetering over a weak floor board.
Then there's a faint echo of thunder.
And finally, it's over.
TBC…