“We never received word it was hit,” Dennis said. “Boise wasn’t hit. So that’s hopeful.”
“Even if it was,” Mark said. “I have to go.”
“I know you do,” Kit kissed him on the cheek. “You do what you need to do. Know that I will be there soon, so don’t leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Mark’s voice was hoarse as he spoke.
“What about you?” Regis said. “How are you getting there?”
Dennis answered that. “There is suppose to be another craft going to Vancouver in two weeks. Hopefully we can get her on that.”
“That’s… if things aren’t halted after the surrender,” Regis said. “There’s a chance she won’t have a way north.”
“I will.” Kit stated. “I’ll find a way. It may take longer than two weeks, but I’ll get there.”
Dennis looked down at his watch. “We need to get you on the plane and I have to get on that bus, so I need to get my things together.”
“No.” Zeke shook his head. “I’m not going to Canada.”
Kit turned to him.”You heard what your grandfather said. We don’t know what is going to happen when the occupation occurs.”
“If it occurs,” Zeke argued. “I’m still not convinced any country hit by nuclear weapons has the time or resources to invade our soil.”
“It’s not an invasion,” Dennis corrected.
“Whatever you want to call it, I’m not going,” Zeke said. “My mother and sister are here. We don’t know what’s going to happen. We can speculate, but I’m not leaving on speculation.”
“The surrender is not speculation,” Dennis said. “It’s the only way to get aid to this country.”
“If I may…” Regis spoke up. “Kit, can I give you one last piece of brotherly advice?”
“It is not your last,” Kit said adamantly.
Regis winked. “Okay, but let me say this.” He shifted his eyes to Zeke. “Don’t send him to Canada.”
“Regis,” Dennis scolded.
“No, dad,” Regis argued. “The kid has a point. President signs the surrender. What if no one shows? It’s a screwed up world right now. Half destroyed, dying. All good intentions aside, or not, the aid may not come. It’s conceivable for them to save their resources for their own people, so Canada shuts down their borders. Then what? How will she get to Zeke, or find him?” He turned around to face Kit. “Send him to New Mexico, take him with you, leave him on base or in that town, but don’t send him anywhere you can’t get to. You don’t know where he will be after he crosses the border. Don’t lose track of your only son.”
“I’m not father of the year,” Mark added. “However, our big brother is right. Sorry, Dad. If you were going, I’d say yes, but you’re not. He’ll be alone without family. He is still a kid.”
Kit looked at her father.
“You do what feels right,” Dennis said. “You’re his mother.”
“Mom?” Zeke pleaded. “Please.”
Her oldest brother in all his wisdom was right. Kit would figure something out, but sending him to Canada wasn’t an option.
Kit simply said to Zeke, “Say goodbye to your grandfather and uncles please, then wait for me in the hall.”
Zeke said goodbye but he didn’t leave, he waited in the doorway for his mother.
The farewell was bittersweet because Kit knew that she would eventually head to Spokane, but didn’t know if she would ever see or speak to her brothers again. It wasn’t as hard saying goodbye to her father, she knew she’d see him again.
One day.
She wanted to cry, but she didn’t. She conveyed her gratefulness to her brothers for being there for her and she told them she loved them. They repeated the sentiments. To Kit there was just something so final about it all. As if when they left they slipped into a thick gray fog and she would never see them the same way again, if at all.
She watched the bus leave and her brothers board the smaller aircraft, then Kit left the base with Abe and Zeke.
Abe was quiet in the truck, not saying much, dealing with his own goodbye to his brother. He simply said to Kit, “You made the right choice about Zeke.”
Just outside of Maltese, they spotted a man on the side of the road. He carried a backpack and waved them down. He didn’t look well and said he was heading to Maltese for help. Abe sat with him in the back of the truck and they headed to town.
Kit hadn’t noticed when they left, but the Sherriff had set up two deputy cars on the two lane road a quarter of a mile before Maltese. As Kit slowed down for them, an officer waved them through, possibly recognizing Harland’s truck.
“Mom, thank you for not sending me away,” Zeke said.
“Uncle Rege had a good point, but I can’t take you with me to look for Jillie. Not yet, not at this point, so please don’t ask.”
“You can’t go alone.”
“I’m hoping Abe will go, he’s a really good guy. If not maybe Harland knows someone in town.”
“Why can’t I go?”
“Because I don’t know what’s out there. No one knows what’s out there. If you go, you’ll try to be brave and I’ll worry.”
“What am I supposed to do? Sit back, and wait and worry about you?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.” More than anything Kit wanted her son by her side. She knew going with him she’d worry to much about making sure he was fine, fed and safe. Despite being seventeen, he was still her child. She needed her mind to be on finding her mother and daughter, not worrying every minute about keeping Zeke safe.
When they arrived at Central Medical, they were able to swing through the drop off. Abe took over driving, while Zeke helped the man inside with Kit.
Harland was there in the thick of things and made eye contact with Kit. He looked at her with surprise.
After instructing Zeke to, “Get him checked in, please,” she walked over to Harland.
“That was fast. Everything alright?”
“No. My brothers are bad.” Kit’s voice quivered. “Mark especially. Zeke said he’d make them a blue code, but sick wise, he’s far worse than anyone I checked in yesterday.”
“Where are they? Why did you leave?” Harland asked.
“They left.”
“Excuse me?”
“My father got them on a transport going north to Vancouver. When the transport refuels, Mark and Regis are heading to Spokane to find Mark’s son.”
“Wait. Wait. Your father. I thought he was dead.”
Kit held up her hand. “Long story. I’ll share it later.”
“Okay, I can wait. Considering your father was part of the government, I’m sure it’s a dozy. Where is he now?”
“On his way down to New Mexico, then he’s leaving to search for my sister.”
Harland nodded. “They came and got a lot of the plane survivors. Not all, but a lot. I’m going to take it you didn’t go because you have a search of your own to do.”
“Yes, in two weeks another transport is going north. I’m hoping to catch that. If not I’ll find another way.”
“We’ll make sure of it.” Harland then gave an up nod of his head toward Zeke. “What’s going on with your son?”
“My dad wanted me to send him to Canada. My brother suggested I not lose track of my son.”
“Smart man. What now?”
“Well, I have to find a place for me and my son while I wait out the two weeks.”
“You can stay at my place,” Harland said. “We should be able to move up into the house soon.”
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not. So don’t think it. What about in two weeks? What are you going to do with the boy?”
“I think I’ll take him to Schriever,” Kit said. “He can stay there while I search.”
“You might be gone a while. I mean realistically Kit, if there is no transport, you search camps, you could be gone weeks, months.”