CHAPTER 156
Everyone in the bunker was double checking their gear, clipping their radios on, and adjusting their headsets. The moment had come for them to leave. Dr. Conners breezed through the bunker giving out last minute orders.
"Alright everyone, remember we're on channel four." He spoke into his headset, "testing. Testing." As the radios crackled to life he said, "can everybody hear me?"
The room nodded except for Marcus. "Yeah, I can hear you now, but good luck using these whence those CJs fire up. We ought to have had noise cancelling headsets. We'll barely be able to hear them over the dirt bikes if we're lucky."
"Well, we don't have those, Marcus. This is the best we've got. We're just going to have to make due." Dr. Conners made his way over to Shelly and crouched down. "Ok, it's time to go."
Shelly looked up at him. Her voice was weak and shaky. It was almost a whisper. "Dr. Conners, I don't want to go back out there."
Her mom was sitting beside her on the cot. "Shelly, honey, don't you want to go to the plane?"
"I have a really bad feeling about this. I don't think any of us should leave. Can't we wait another day or two? Please? Maybe someone will come here for us with a helicopter. Maybe we don't have to leave the bunker now."
Carrie hugged her. "Shelly, I know you're scared, but I don't think anyone else is coming. We have to do what Dr. Conners says."
Bryce smiled. "Trust me. I'm going to look after you."
Shelly almost burst into tears. "I almost died out there. Dallas is dead."
"I won't let anything else happen to you. I promise. You just have to trust me. This is our best shot, but we have to go now if we're going to make it onto that plane."
"We're all going to die if we go out there."
Carrie sighed, "Shelly, please."
Dr. Conners took Shelly's hand. "I know you've been through a lot. We all have. You're going to have to trust me. It's the only way."
Shelly looked down at Dr. Conner's hand. "Ok," she whispered. It didn't sound like she trusted him at all, but Bryce was going to have to take it as it was.
"Alright." Bryce turned his back to her and squatted low. "You're going to have to hold on tight, because I'll need to carry my weapon. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes," she said softly as she latched on.
"Good."
"That's it, Shelly." Carrie said.
Shelly winced as she hoisted her injured leg around Dr. Conner's waist. In the end her mom had to help her prop it on his hip, as it was just too painful to lift herself.
"You good?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Alright."
Bryce pushed to a full stand. When he was up he saw Hector was beside him. Bryce asked, "you gonna be ok?"
Hector patted his gut. "I don't think I have a choice, Amigo. You patched me up good, but if the shit hits the fan again I'm gonna have to be ok whether it hurts or not. I got your back, Amigo. Hector es muy fuerte." He flexed an arm and grinned.
Bryce smiled. "Glad to hear it." He turned to Dianna, Seth, and Kyra. "You guys ready?"
"As ready as we're gonna be," Dianna said.
Beside her Seth and Kyra nodded.
Dr. Conners turned to the rest of the group and raised his voice. "Alright everyone. It's time to go."