Chapter Eleven
Creed
Bedlam.
When the survival mind turned on, logic flew away in the gust.
If the crowd had been stunned into silent stillness, that phase had come and gone.
It was worse for the rain.
It had started shortly after the rumble of thunder when fat droplets danced through sunrays. It was the kind of rain that painted rainbows across the sky,
But then the dark rolled up.
It went from day to night in the snap of a finger.
Temperatures dropped as the rain hit with stinging velocity, and the men of Iniquus pulled on their ball caps, then the raincoats that covered their winter jackets. Hoods came up, and the cord was cinched down. In this way, they could stay dry and maintain a clear visual field.
Rou was positioned between Creed’s legs. His all-weather tactical pants and the bulk of his torso could shield her a bit from the wet.
He pressed his sternal mic. “Creed for Striker.”
“Go for Striker.”
“These cars slipping around on the clay make me worried for Rougarou. I’m going to chat with this woman who looks like she’s in some distress, then take Rou up to the highway and put her in the crate in our transport. Over.”
“Striker. Copy. Out.”
Creed had been watching a woman move to her car, two middle-school-aged kids in tow.
She’d been standing there for a while now, hand on the door, searching around, shivering.
He wondered if she was missing someone or perhaps she was dealing with adrenaline. When Creed called out to her, she didn’t turn his way. And when he touched her elbow, she jumped, then clutched at her heart.
“Can I be of assistance, ma’am?” He pulled one of the emergency ponchos from the side pocket of his pack. It was a cheap, clear plastic deal, but it would keep this woman dry as they spoke.
“I’m from Arizona.” She unwrapped the poncho and worked to unfold it with trembling hands. “I don’t drive in the rain, and everything’s flat where I come from. I don’t know how to get up the hill in this mess.”
“You can’t stay here.” Creed reached out to help guide the poncho over her head as it whipped in the wind. “Things are going to get worse instead of better.”
Hand on her head to keep the hood in place, her eyes went wide and unblinking.
“Do you know where you’re going once you get out of here?”
“I’m heading south over the bridge. I thought if I could get to the next town, we’d just pull over at a fast-food place and hang out until the weather passed. I think I saw a motel there. If it keeps coming down like this, I’ll go there. Better safe than sorry.”
“How far are you from home?”
“Forty-five minutes on a dry road. I just moved here. It doesn’t rain where I’m from.
Well, not never. It’s infrequent, and most people I know stay in.
I guess it’s like driving in an ice storm here.
It happens, but it’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
” She stared as a car started to slide sideways on the hill.
Horns blared, and the driver was able to regain control before hitting the car behind him. Creed was imagining dominoes.
“If you don’t mind my dog in your car, I can get your car up onto the highway for you.”
“Oh my god.” She bent in half as she tried to catch her breath. One hand shot out and grabbed Creed’s arm. “Oh my god, are you serious right now. I would be so grateful. You have no idea.”
Because of liability, Creed wasn’t sure he was allowed to drive someone else’s car. “Let me get permission from my supervisor.” He pressed his mic. “Creed for Striker.”
“Go for Striker.”
“I have a lady who doesn’t have the skills to get her car up to the highway. Over.”
“It’s getting worse by the minute. We need to get her out of here. Patch her through to Logistics so they can get an oral agreement that she takes full responsibility for any damages. Then you get her up as far as the highway. Out.”
Creed briefed the woman, and they all got into the car to make the call. Legalities done. He signaled Deep, and Deep held back traffic. Creed edged the car around.
He chose not to drive where the clay was moist and slippery, but kept the left tires near the scant vegetation and rocks. He put the gear in low and kept his foot steady.
“I was in the car with my husband during our first rainstorm, which was last week. It was coming down so hard, we didn’t know what to do.
” The woman’s teeth were chattering. “We couldn’t see.
When the people ahead of us put on their hazards, we could kind of see where they were going by following their flashing lights. ”
“Which is fine until they’re driving off the side of the road,” Creed said as he felt for the conversation between the tire tread and the road surface, giving just enough gas and no more.
“Yeah. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“If you can’t see when you’re driving, I’d pull over. And if you’re under an overpass, then drivers can see that you’re there and parked. You don’t want someone to plow into you as they get off the road themselves.” He turned off the dirt road up over the bump of pavement.
“Yes. You’re right. That could happen.”
Creed pulled to the other side of the highway and put the hazards on. “You good from here?”
“Oh my goodness. You are a guardian angel. Truly, thank you so much. I’ll keep you in my prayers all day, that you get home safe and warm.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Creed got back out of the car and jumped Rou down beside him as the woman came around to take over the driver’s seat.
The traffic surging out of the dell was nuts.
He patted his chest so Rou would jump into his arms. Creed would have to dash across the street when there was a break in the line created by someone heading north.
As he turned his head to watch for a blinker telling him to go, Creed thought that those turning south were damned lucky. And a chill snaked its way up his spine.