Ruth Brooks sat next to her husband as the truck made its way towards town, her mind was going a million miles a minutes. First her worry about the mushroom cloud, that even now was dispersing in the distance that was Chicago IL, but secondly was for her Son, Phil. He'd left only a few hours ago, he was out there somewhere, heading towards Chicago.
She turned her head and glanced at Jack silently, his hands were tight on the steering wheel, his knuckles white. In his face she could see their son, in another 30 years, in his shoulders she could see the weight of the world right now. "Jack," She said softly.
"I know Ruth, I know," He said he didn't need for her to tell him that Phil was out there, he didn't need her to tell him that the United states may have just been hit by a nuclear attack. All he needed to know was getting to town, getting to town and dealing with the mass hysteria that was likely about to start.
He slowed at the sight of someone standing in the middle of the road. He slowed down even further, and Ruth leaned forward, the person was standing there the quickly dimming light of the day making it hard to tell who it was.
"That's Maggie Rollin's boy," Ruth spoke up and almost hit the dashboard as Jack came to a stop. He rolled his window down looking out.
"Seth, son...you okay? Are you hurt?" He called out.
"My mom's dead," he said softly looking confused.
"Oh honey," Ruth said climbing down out of the truck going to the boy. "I didn't know she was in Chicago,"
He shook his head as Ruth hugged him. "She wasn't in Chicago, she was in Atlanta," He whispered.
Ruth gasped and looked at Jack, who looked even grimmer. "Come on," She said leading him to the car. "Come on, its okay," She said helping him climb into the truck. Jack looked at her his eyes said everything, they now had two confirmed hit cities, this was looking less and less like an accident every second.
Jack put the truck in gear and continued into town; once their Seth vanished into the milling crowd around the town hall, probably to join up with his friends, though the 3 of them tended to be trouble makers, they would take care of Seth.
Jack jumped out of the truck and Ruth followed the two climbing the steps.
"What's going on?" Someone called out.
Jack sighed softly and turned to face the town folks. "We don't know yet, but I assure you, once we know, I will let you know, I promise," He said holding up a placating hand.
"Do we know what was hit?" Jericho called out wanting to confirm Jay's news from earlier.
"Right now no," he said.
"Atlanta!" Seth's voice came from the crowd and people gasped and cried out in terror.
"And Chicago!" Jay added nodding his head. "That's the one we could see," He said nodding towards the Horizon.
"Everyone calm down! This could have been a horrible accident, and I'm sure the emergency broadcast system will come on soon," Jack continued. "Until then, I suggest everyone go home, and prepare for the worst,"
"And what is the worst?" Wade asked.
"We could experience raised levels of radiation, Nuclear fall out from Chicago, IF it was Chicago that was hit," he responded.
Everyone stood around murmuring and talking among each other before slowly dispersing. Ruth sighed and followed Jack inside. "Do you think it was Chicago?" She asked.
Jack nodded. "It most likely was," He responded walking up to the counter. "So, are we hearing anything?" He asked
The Deputy looked up and shook his head. "Its like no one's out there," He said looking nervous, his partner standing a few feet behind him, looked just as scared.
Jack sighed. "Well we have a job to do, and that's keep the town folks from worrying, Mike head over to the store and tell them to close up for the day, John head up to Vince's place, tell him we need to do a town meeting asap," He stated.
"What about Phil?" Ruth asked.
Jack sighed he was worried about their son too, but right now as Sheriff, he needed to deal with the town first. "I'll get to that," He said.
"I can go look for him," A voice said from the door way, causing everyone to turn and look.
0~_~0~_~0~_~0~_~0~_~)
Instead of going home like Sheriff Brooks had ordered Randy had followed the two inside the town hall. He sighed softly listening to the conversation until the question about Phil came up. He hadn't known that Phil had left town; but when he realized the other man was out there, by himself, made his heart leap.
"I can go look for him," He spoke with out thinking, the small police force in town was going to be taxed, so he was volunteering. He felt 4 sets of eyes on him, when did he ever do anything for anyone of his own free will. "I mean it, you resources are limited, I have survival training, I'll go, I'll find him and bring him back if I can." He said calmly.
They continued starring at him, and finally Ruth let out an annoyed huff. "oh thank you Randal," She said hugging him tightly. "Jack go get Randal some supplies to take with him, a first aid kid, Water, maybe some food." She pointed at Mike. "Get me one of the Radios' Randal can give us feedback on whats going on outside the town if he see's anything," She continued on.
"Wait, we can't get him a radio's he's not a deputy," Mike argued.
Finally Jack's brain kicked in and he spoke up. "Then I'll deputize him, come on Randy," he said grabbing the younger man's arm and leading him into the office.
"I don't want to be deputized," He responded with a shake of his head.
Jack nodded. "I know you don't want to be, but if were in as dire of a situation as I think we may be, you and Jericho would be the first 2 I'd of come to to back up my team," he said calmly. "And sense this may end up being an emergency situation here very soon, I'm going to have to deputize you both, I'd like you both on call starting now." He said calmly
Randy sighed and rubbed at his face before looking at Jack Brooks, 5 years ago, he'd been the blame for why Phil had left, and now he was asking him to agree to being deputized. He swallowed. "As long as you let me go find Phil as my first duty, you've got me," He said with a nod.
"Deal," He said pulling keys off his belt and opening the gun cabinet, he grabbed a pistol, and a holster. "I know you have a shotgun, so put it in your truck before you leave town," he said handing him the items from the gun cabinet. He opened the desk drawer and pulled out a badge and handed it to him. "Bring my son home," He said clasping Randy's broad shoulder.
He nodded. "I will sir, I promise," He said putting on the holster and badge, He came out to see Ruth holding a bag.
"There's food, Water, a first aid kit, and..." She looked at Mike.
The Deputy grimaced at the sight of the badge on Randy's shirt, then grabbed up one of the radios. "Frequency 5," He said. "Its low band, not many people can pick it up,"
"Don't want to know if anyone else is out there?" Randy asked hooking the radio to his belt and slinging the backpack over his shoulder.
"Right now, we don't exist, if this is an attack on the US, we don't need people knowing were out here, that we have supplies, get what I'm saying?" Mike asked.
Randy nodded, military mind set, Jack would of instilled that in his deputies from the get go. "Gotcha, Frequency 5."
Ruth hugged him again. "Be careful; okay," She said gently. "Find Phil, please," She said softly before stepping back.
He nodded briskly and hurried out and up the street. Pausing he spied Jericho locking up the Bar, wise move. "The Sheriff wants to talk to you!" He called.
"See he already talked to you," Jericho responded nodding at the badge.
"Yeah, guess were the most eligible bachelors in town," he chuckled.
"Where ya headed?" Jericho asked looking towards where only an hour ago they'd seen the Mushroom cloud, now all that remained was a sinister red glow on the horizon.
"Phil left town just before it happened," He said calmly slowly. "I Volunteered to go find him," he responded.
Jericho nodded. "Good luck, I better go get my badge," He chuckled heading up the street.
Randy nodded and continued his way back towards his house, where only a few hours ago he was pissed at Sam; because she didn't want to come home from Atlanta. He froze as he remembered, his wife was in Atlanta. He closed his eyes not wanting to think about it, there was no confirmation beyond Seth Rollins saying that Atlanta had been hit. He tossed the bag into the truck, he was about to climb in when he remembered his shot gun.
0~_~0~_~0~_~0~_~0
Dean Ambrose slumped back in the broke down old lazy boy chair taking a swig of his beer looking from Seth to Roman. "So how do you know that Atlanta was hit?" he finally asked.
Seth sighed starring at his own beer he hadn't drank any of it. "She was in Atlanta," He responded dryly.
"Yeah; yeah I know that," Dean said. "But how do you know Atlanta was hit?" He asked.
"She called..." He said slowly.
"Well, then she's alive," Roman said with a grin patting Seth on the shoulder taking a swig of his own beer.
Seth shook his head slowly. "No, she's not." he dug into the pocket of his coat and pulled a tape out. "She's dead,"
Dean leaned forward, he grabbed the tape flipping it around in his fingers before he hopped up and got a old tape recorder down from the book shelf. He put the tape in and pushed play.
The crackle of the tape filled the air for a moment and then Maggie Rollins voice crackled to life.
"Hi, Seth Sorry I didn't call sooner, angel, but we decided to stay in the city an extra couple days.
A man in the background speaks up suddenly "Put down the phone and come to bed."
"Honey," She laughs "stop that, it's my kid. Baby, what are you staring at out the window?"
The man speaks up again, "Get over here and look at this."
Seth's mom speaks up again "What-what is that?"
A scream comes over the recording, and then a rumbling and crashing can be heard,
"Oh, my God, oh, my God!" She cried and the phone went dead.
The three men sat silently looking at the Tape deck as it played out.
"And she was in Atlanta?" Roman spoke up his tones somber.
Seth nodded. "Yeah," He said finally taking a drink of his beer.
"Shit man," Dean said slowly taking another swig of his own beer. "Man, I don't even..."
"Yeah," Roman nodded in agreement.
"So, my mom's dead," He mumbled softly taking another swig.
"fuck," Roman said softly.
0~_~0~_~0~_~0~_~0
Phil came to slowly, his eyes fluttering open slowly, then sliding closed. Before opening fully, the dark night was only interrupted by the sinister red glow off to the north. He groaned trying to move, slowly pulling his seat belt off. He groaned and pushed the car door opening he fell out of the car onto the cement groaning in pain.
"Ow, " He gasped slowly climbing to his feet, trying to ignore the pain in his leg as he hobbled to the other car. "Hello?" He called to the driver leaning against the car. "Hello?"
He reached into the window touching the drivers neck, cursing when he didn't feel a pulse. "shit," he whispered and looked back towards the way he'd come. He hobbled back towards the car and tried to start the engine, nothing happened. "fuck," he mumbled. "Fuck fuck," He smacked his hand off the steering wheel.
He looked back up the road, and groaned pulling himself upright, he reached into the backseat grabbing his backpack; he straightened up shouldering his bag; he made his way slowly painfully up the road. He lost track of how long he'd been walking when he saw headlights coming towards him. He slowed his pace looking uncertain; he hobbled to the side of the road watching the vehicle draw closer and closer, he heard the breaks squeak and the truck came to a full stop.
Phil licked his lips taking a step back not sure what he would do if this was someone he didn't want to run into. "PHIL!" A voice called from the truck, and the door opened and the driver jumped down. "Phil are you okay?" The man called moving towards him.
"Randall?" He called trying to see past the headlights.
"Hey, you okay?" Randy asked moving in closer.
"Busted my leg, was in a wreck a few miles back," He pointed over his shoulder.
"Do we need to go get the other car?" He asked.
Phil shook his head. "No, they're dead," He mumbled softly looking towards the North. "What happened?" he asked.
"It looks like Chicago's been hit," Randy said. "Come on, lets get you into the truck, and back to town okay," He said.
Phil nodded slowly as Randy took his backpack then helped him up into the Truck, once they were both inside, he picked up the Walkie talkie on the seat. "This is Orton, I found Brooks, were coming back in," He said.
"Alright; is he okay?" Mizanin's voice crackled back.
"He busted up his leg," Randy responded as he slowly turned the truck around. "Maybe a head injury,"
"Alright, Jack says to bring him straight to the medical center," Mizanin responded.
"Will do," He responded before dropping the Walkie Talkie and heading back up the road towards town.
"So when did you start playing cop?" Phil asked pulling the sun visor down looking at his forehead.
"About an hour ago when Mizanin wouldn't give me a Walkie Talkie because I wasn't a cop, yer dad deputized me, because I was the only one who could go out looking for you," he responded.
"Sounds like a move he'd make," He responded poking at the small gash on his hairline, his tongue poking at the lip ring.
"Yeah, he's probably deputized Jericho by now too," he chuckled as they drove past the population sigh pulling to a stop at the Y.
"Think we should check on Colt and AJ?" Phil asked suddenly.
"I was sent out to get you," Randy pointed out but was already turning towards the farm house.
"Yeah; but you're the good guy," Phil chuckled softly. "Everyone in town likes you," he grinned crookedly as The truck pulled to a stop.
"Uh huh," Randy grabbed the shot gun off the seat. "Stay here," he said hopping out of the truck.
"What..." Phil blinked then cursed watching Randy make his way up the steps to the farm house.
0~_~0~_~0~_~0~_~0
Colt kneeling by the TV trying desperately to get a signal, any signal. Behind him AJ paced back and forth she's settled down from her near hyperventilating state, but he could tell she was still scared.
Hell, he was scared; but he wasn't going to show AJ that, he had to be strong and brave for his little sister, he was always the strong one. Had been since their parents had died 7 years ago. He heard AJ gasp and he pulled his gaze up from the TV and looked at her; she was looking out the window. "What is it?" he called scared it was another explosion, this one closer, this one was going to kill them.
"Someone just left town, their headed for the highway," She responded hurrying upstairs. He blinked then remembered you could see the traffic on the highway from the roof.
"AJ!" he yelled. "Damn it APRIL!" he bellowed chasing up the stairs after her, reaching her room just as she climbed out the window. "AJ Get in here," He said.
She edged along the roof then stopped, he could just hear her breathing over the low wind. "Nothing's moving!" She called.
"They probably blocked the road going into the city if it was bombed," Colt called back to her, now come inside.
"No, I wanna see where the car goes," She called nodding at the dwindling break lights.
Colt sighed but grabbed the Radio off her bedside table and climbed out next to her, sitting down he began fiddling with the dial looking for anything, a voice someone to tell him what was going on; but all he found was static.
"Colt, whats going on?" She asked softly sitting next to him; her brown eyes still focused on the Tail lights of the Vehicle that had left town.
"I don't know," He responded looking up at her.
"Do you think it was the Iraqi's again?" She asked.
"It wasn't them in the first place, it was Al Quida," He responded dryly still turning the dial on the radio listening for something anything.
"Well, was it them?" She asked looking at him.
"I don't know," He responded softly looking at her, then off to the north; where that low red glow still remained. "I don't know, that's what I'm trying to find out." He said.
She nodded and looked back out at the road. "He stopped!" She said suddenly excited again.
"Who?" Colt asked looking up towards the road, and indeed he could see the Truck had stopped moving away from them. Several minutes passed and Colt lost interest and went back to the Radio.
"Their coming back," She whispered nudging colt.
"Yeah, okay." he responded spinning the dial only to hear more static. "Come on, Columbus, Gary, anywhere, come on!" he snapped shaking the little radio.
"Colt..."
"Fucking piece of shit," He mumbled.
"COLT!" She said a bit sharper.
"What?" He asked looking up and seeing what she saw.
"Their coming here," She whispered.
Colt stood up dropping the radio and shoving AJ for the window. "Inside now," He said. Once they were both inside, he yanked the window shut and raced downstairs; re leaving the gun rack of the shot gun, he loaded it quickly and waited.
AJ hurried half way down the stairs and waited watching him. "Who do you think it is?" She whispered.
Colt shook his head. "I don't know," He said softly he could hear the truck stop outside the headlights lighting up the drivers silhouette as he made his way to the porch.
"COLT!" A voice yelled outside. "COLT, AJ you in there?"
Colt recognized the voice but he couldn't put a face to it, he slowly moved towards the door yanking it open he aimed his shot gun at the man on the porch.
"WHOA Easy!" Randy yelped taking rapid steps back and holding his hands up. 'Easy," He repeated.
"Shit Orton, next time announce who you are," Colt responded.
"Sorry, not used to being a cop," He replied shaking his head.
"Since when are you a cop?" AJ asked walking the rest of the way down the stairs.
"about an hour ago, Sheriff Brooks sent me out to find Phil," he explained.
"Oh," She said looking towards the truck then waving at Phil who was standing in front of it now. "What's going on?" She asked always straight to the point.
"As far as we know right now, 1 maybe 2 Nuclear bombs have been dropped on the US." Randy said softly.
"Obviously Chicago, where else?" Colt asked.
"Atlanta," Randy responded looking down. "Are you guys okay up here?" He asked.
Colt nodded. "Yeah, were fine...do you think we should come into Town?" He asked.
"Might be a wise idea," He said slowly. "I can bring you in, in my truck if you want?"
Colt nodded. "AJ go pack us each a bag, were going to town," He said.
"Alright," She said rushing upstairs.
"I never thought this could happen," Colt said rubbing his forehead following Randy out onto the Porch looking towards where Chicago was. "That is the creepiest light I've ever seen," he said softly.
"That's the light of a million things burning," Phil said hobbling closer to the house.
"Yeah...I get that," Colt mumbled before looking at Phil. "Jesus you look like you got hit by a car,"
"Yeah, you should see the other guy," He said with a weak tired laugh.
"Hurry up AJ, Phil's hurt!" Colt yelled.
"I'm coming!" She yelled and a few seconds later raced down the stairs with 2 backpacks in hand. "Ready!"
"Alright," Randy nodded as they moved out to the Truck, Colt locked the front door behind him, then hurried to the Truck, Helping AJ up inside as Randy did the same for Phil.
Randy turned the Truck around and started into town, just as the Radio crackled to life with a high pitched tone that anyone in the Mid west was familiar with during Tornado Season.
"This is NOT a Test, Please stay tuned for information from our president...this is NOT a Test."
TBC...
A/N: YES the beginning of this is Familiar to those of you who watched the CBS show Jericho, but from here on out, actually from the beginning of this chapter on out, the fic will be going its own way. But anyways, please more reviews, I wanna know what people think of this.