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Chapter 7

The sounds of gun fire were rapid and terrifying. Smoke danced and swirled furiously around Kurdy and Smith who lay exposed and fearful between the two battling sides. Kurdy clamped his eyes closed as he shielded himself from one deafening explosion after another. He could hear Smith shout for help as a deafening explosion rumbled all around and was soon accompanied by showers of gravel and dirt which landed glaringly on the two vulnerable men. Kurdy reached his left arm out to wrap it around Smith and pull the battered man in towards his own body for protection. It wasn't long before the crashing and explosions of Bailey were wiped out by a sudden white hot pain in Kurdy's arm and then the darkness.

"I think he's waking up..." A deep voice was heard hovering over Kurdy.

It was soon accompanied by a more feminine voice. His left shoulder was throbbing and for some reason immobile. His head was swimming as he struggled to open his eyes. He was lying on his back and then was soon staring up at the sea of fluffy white clouds floating gently across the serene blue ocean of the heavens above him. He took a deep breath and winced as he let his right hand wonder across to his pulsating and punishing pain from his left arm and shoulder. He tried to sit up as another hand was placed on his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Stay put Kurdy… uhh I mean… sir"

"Gina…" Her voice was so gentle but authoritative above him. "Yeah… you were shot trying to cover Smith…"

"Where is he… where's Smith?" Kurdy tried to sit up again this time with sudden panic as he remembered his badly injured friend.

"Relax…" she smiled as she gently laid a blanket over Kurdy's chest. She looked across the road in the direction of a group of Thunder Mountain's soldiers. She shouted something and then looked back down at Kurdy who gritted his teeth and shuddered at the devastating influx of pain in his shoulder. "He was taken back to the mountain on the same chopper with Marcus and Erin. Lee was pretty concerned with getting him patched up. He's got some busted ribs and was looking pretty shocky. They also said something about dehydration and some infection, sir. He looked pretty bad. Did these people do that to him? I mean I know he can be a bit of an annoyance with all that GOD stuff and everything… but really he's a nice guy. I mean despite the fact that he's…"

"Gina!" Kurdy shouted through clinched teeth.

"Sorry… you just hang tight we'll get you loaded in a second." She smiled as she patted Kurdy's rock hard chest with her dainty hands and then stood up. She pushed her stringy auburn locks behind her ears as she adjusted her camouflaged cap on her head and started to walk away.

Kudry furrowed his brow as he tried to relax where he was lying on the hard, cold ground. He blinked as he looked at the sky again. He watched the shapes float gently by reminding him of a lifetime ago when he had watched them in the park with his father. He gazed at them as they went from cottony, fluffy balls to take on shapes of baseball's, cars and various other forms.

"Gina… what about Jeremiah and Lilly?" Kurdy shouted as the Jeremiah's right hand "man" in Millhaven started to walk away.

Gina turned around and looked at the bigger man. She shook her head and shrugged as a group of large men lifted Kurdy onto a stretcher and then put into the back of a military convoy truck to be taken back to Thunder Mountain. He watched as the young woman took control of the remainder of the trucks. They had loaded the last of the survivors from Bailey into the convoy and were preparing to make the return trip to Thunder Mountain.

Kurdy felt a sense of pride rise up in him as he watched Gina handle the group of men and women effortlessly. She had become a formidable leader under his guidance. She was one of the first he had trained at the mountain after he and Jeremiah had their falling out. Her efforts and devotion had saved Jeremiah from a bizarre group of captors early on. She had helped him get the town of Millhaven under control in the dark days following the death of Libby when all Jeremiah had wanted to do was curl up and die or help someone else do the same. He felt the satisfaction of a father watching his young child walk for the first time.

--

Mr. Smith opened his eyes slowly to the pinging sounds of a cardiac monitor. He squinted as the lights were unbearably bright in his eyes. He slowly lifted his hand to feel the blankets warm and soft on his bare skin. He smelled the pleasant aroma of fresh linens in his nostrils as he ran his hands gingerly over his face. He shuddered as he felt the ripples of swelling and the sharp stab of pain each time he touched his own skin. He licked his chapped lips as he tried to sit up. Throwing the blankets over the edge of the bed and he swung his legs over the side. He panted heavily with each strenuous movement. He tugged anxiously at the wires on his chest and flung them to the side. He ground his teeth together as he lowered his feet to the chilly floor. He could feel his head as the world danced around in his vision. A sudden dark rolling fog blew in as his legs buckled and he pitched forward.

"Ohh…" he cringed as he soon realized that sitting up was a bad idea when you have cracked ribs and a concussion. He knew he had made a mistake by moving at all. The impact of the fall never came. He was in someone's arms.

"Hey! Get me some help in here!"

Someone was holding him in their arms. He could hear soft and urgent voices. He could hear someone's voice in particular. Smith raised a shaky hand reaching out towards the deep comforting voice.

Jeremiah sat on the floor holding Smith in his arms running his cool hand across Smith's slick forehead. He quietly talked to the shaking Smith telling him he was going to be alright. "Shhh… what are you trying to do Smith… kill yourself? Huh? You have to rest or there won't be anymore trips to Bailey or anywhere else."

"What happened?" Erin shouted as she walked in the door followed by several other medical staff members.

"I walked in and he was trying to stand up." Jeremiah stated continuing to watch Smith as he fought through his fever. "I caught'em before he hit the floor."

"Thank GOD!" A young woman on the medical staff repeated. "I'm not sure his concussion would have gotten any better if he had smacked his head again."

"Let's get him up…" another young female stated clearly.

"I'll help." Jeremiah responded as Smith finally opened his eyes. The normally green dancing orbs were bloodshot and scared. His bottom lip trembled as he continued to drip perspiration.

--

The others gathered around the small man and soon had him off of the floor and back in his bed. His covers were drawn tightly around his neck. They had removed the cardiac monitor cabals completely and turned the lights down over his bed. Jeremiah grabbed the cloth next to the bed and gently dipped it into a basin of cool water. He gently dabbed the cloth over the young mans forehead and face. He gently avoided the jumbled mess of bruises and cuts.

"Lilly…" Smith breathed softly looking up at Jeremiah who lay the cloth back down beside the bed.

"She's alright." Jeremiah soothed "She's with… Theo… of all people."

"Theo?" A booming voice could be heard as Kurdy walked into the room. He wore a sleeveless shirt and his arm hung limply around his neck in a sling.

Jeremiah smiled a bright smile as he watched his tall friend walk in.

"What in the world is that poor little girl doing with… Theo? I thought we had already rescued… well "the Angel" over here had already rescued her once." Kurdy curled his lip as he looked down at Smith who had his reddened eyes opened. Mr. Smith tried to smile as Kurdy caught his hand and shook it lightly in his own.

"How you feeling old boy?"

"Been… better…" Smith responded.

"You've looked better." Kurdy said with a wink.

Jeremiah watched the two and then continued with his explanation. "I guess they hit it off and Erin thinks they should spend some time together. I'm not sure what Theo is going to teach a young impressionable little girl but she went straight to Theo when we got out of the Rover."

Smith lay silently in the bed listening to the conversation as it revolved around the vulgar African-American woman who was one of the strongest women any of them had ever met.

"You should have seen her face when the little girl latched onto her." Jeremiah looked nervously at the floor as he ran his hand through his hair. "She walked straight past Erin and straight up to Theo. She wrapped her arms around her waist and just stood there. Marcus and Erin were just as stumped as I was."

Kurdy raised his eyebrow and looked over at Jeremiah. He couldn't believe his own ears.

"They need… each other." Mr. Smith stated softly.

"Smith…" Kurdy smiled looking down at his partner. "I'm sorry… I put you through…"

"We all… would never have… made it back if you hadn't." Smith clamped his eyes closed as his head began to thump harder.

"You gonna be alright Smith?" Kurdy raised his eyebrow as he watched his friend continue to suffer in relative comfort.

"Yeah… apparently… headache's happen with concussions." He panted. "I'm tired…"

"Hey why don't we go and get some grub and let Smith get some rest." Jeremiah asked scratching his head uncomfortably.

"Yeah… Smith… I'll be by later. You get some rest… okay?" Kurdy asked as he looked down at Mr. Smith who was beginning to lose his battle with consciousness.

"Okay…" Mr. Smith closed his eyes again and slipped off into a warm dreamless sleep.

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