Read Online As The World Burns by Roger Hayden - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roger Hayden
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further coddling and lifted Samantha up, cradling her.
"Let's go. Grab her suitcase or something," he told flattop.
"Sure thing," flattop responded. He grabbed Samantha's small travel suitcase, extended its handles and rolled out the door. They shut the door behind them, even in its tarnished state.
The hotel lobby was a hot spot of frantic activity. Without power, guests ran through the floors, trying to get their belongings and charge into the great abyss outside the hotel walls. Where anyone would go, no one was sure. Official channels had been lost. Communication, nonexistent. Most of everyone had heard of the East Coast attacks, and the threat of following a similar fate loomed over every man, woman, and child. Sideburns carried Samantha outside the hotel doors as flattop ran ahead to their black Ford Explorer SUV parked on the curb. He carefully placed her in the back and shut the doors. As they started the engine, others ran up to the windows begging for a ride.
"You have to help me get out of here!" a terrified and desperate forty-something woman pleaded. "There'll be nothing of Denver left by the time the terrorists get us!"
Sideburns put the SUV in drive and floored it out into the highway. They were privy to some shortcuts that could assist them to their final destination. Someplace safe and far from reach from any crazed person currently roaming the streets.
Samantha slowly opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was. She could barely see, beyond some very dim lighting and blurred images before her.
"Welcome back, Samantha. So glad you're back with us. You really gave us a scare there," a comforting voice said.
Full consciousness swept over and she was able to focus on her surroundings. A familiar looking man sat over her as she lied on a small bunk bed. She looked up and saw the flat coil webbing of the top bunk above. Her attention went back to the man, she felt she could recognize him, but a sense of delirium wasn't far off from her current state.
"You had a very serious breathing episode there. We've been monitoring you for over an hour and it seems like you'll be okay."
She could feel the wetness of a warm washcloth covering her forehead. She raised an arm to remove the cloth.
"You were very dehydrated, which I think caused you to hyperventilate and pass out. But don't worry, everything is going to be okay."
"Where am I?" Samantha asked with a tired whispered. Her sore throat had only gotten worse.
The man leaned in closer into the light, his face was visible. It was Senator Bryant, in the flesh. His collar was a bit loosened, and his tie removed, but she could recognize his blue sapphire eyes anywhere.
"Senator Bryant?" Samantha asked.
"Yes, Samantha, I'm here. You have absolutely nothing to be afraid. You are safe among us."
He paused briefly, marveling over Samantha, the continued. "Welcome to our bunker."
Chapter Five
The Impossibility of a City-Wide Evacuation
Sacha's bus of misfits came to a deadening stop a mile from the Brooklyn Bridge. The city was alive in ways Sacha had never seen. All lanes of traffic completely full, an endless ocean of taxi cabs, police cars, garbage trucks, fire trucks, motorcycles, and personal vehicles. Mel, the prison bus driver, received his instructions from the higher-ups over his transmitter radio. He was instructed to travel to a detention facility in Syracuse, the furthest place away from the city within reason. The prisoners would then be further detained in a temporary security facility.
The main subjects of interest were those apprehended following the Wall Street Bombing. Though the Homeland Security Department--and the entire United States government--had its hands full with the outbreak of nuclear war, there were still some officials looking for the answers to the day's tragic events. They believed that many of the answers started with the Wall Street Bombing and the suspects they had apprehended.
"Hey! I want off this
"Let's go. Grab her suitcase or something," he told flattop.
"Sure thing," flattop responded. He grabbed Samantha's small travel suitcase, extended its handles and rolled out the door. They shut the door behind them, even in its tarnished state.
The hotel lobby was a hot spot of frantic activity. Without power, guests ran through the floors, trying to get their belongings and charge into the great abyss outside the hotel walls. Where anyone would go, no one was sure. Official channels had been lost. Communication, nonexistent. Most of everyone had heard of the East Coast attacks, and the threat of following a similar fate loomed over every man, woman, and child. Sideburns carried Samantha outside the hotel doors as flattop ran ahead to their black Ford Explorer SUV parked on the curb. He carefully placed her in the back and shut the doors. As they started the engine, others ran up to the windows begging for a ride.
"You have to help me get out of here!" a terrified and desperate forty-something woman pleaded. "There'll be nothing of Denver left by the time the terrorists get us!"
Sideburns put the SUV in drive and floored it out into the highway. They were privy to some shortcuts that could assist them to their final destination. Someplace safe and far from reach from any crazed person currently roaming the streets.
Samantha slowly opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was. She could barely see, beyond some very dim lighting and blurred images before her.
"Welcome back, Samantha. So glad you're back with us. You really gave us a scare there," a comforting voice said.
Full consciousness swept over and she was able to focus on her surroundings. A familiar looking man sat over her as she lied on a small bunk bed. She looked up and saw the flat coil webbing of the top bunk above. Her attention went back to the man, she felt she could recognize him, but a sense of delirium wasn't far off from her current state.
"You had a very serious breathing episode there. We've been monitoring you for over an hour and it seems like you'll be okay."
She could feel the wetness of a warm washcloth covering her forehead. She raised an arm to remove the cloth.
"You were very dehydrated, which I think caused you to hyperventilate and pass out. But don't worry, everything is going to be okay."
"Where am I?" Samantha asked with a tired whispered. Her sore throat had only gotten worse.
The man leaned in closer into the light, his face was visible. It was Senator Bryant, in the flesh. His collar was a bit loosened, and his tie removed, but she could recognize his blue sapphire eyes anywhere.
"Senator Bryant?" Samantha asked.
"Yes, Samantha, I'm here. You have absolutely nothing to be afraid. You are safe among us."
He paused briefly, marveling over Samantha, the continued. "Welcome to our bunker."
Chapter Five
The Impossibility of a City-Wide Evacuation
Sacha's bus of misfits came to a deadening stop a mile from the Brooklyn Bridge. The city was alive in ways Sacha had never seen. All lanes of traffic completely full, an endless ocean of taxi cabs, police cars, garbage trucks, fire trucks, motorcycles, and personal vehicles. Mel, the prison bus driver, received his instructions from the higher-ups over his transmitter radio. He was instructed to travel to a detention facility in Syracuse, the furthest place away from the city within reason. The prisoners would then be further detained in a temporary security facility.
The main subjects of interest were those apprehended following the Wall Street Bombing. Though the Homeland Security Department--and the entire United States government--had its hands full with the outbreak of nuclear war, there were still some officials looking for the answers to the day's tragic events. They believed that many of the answers started with the Wall Street Bombing and the suspects they had apprehended.
"Hey! I want off this
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