A bearded man carrying a scoped rifle and wearing torn, battered clothing walked across the deck, looking at Jacob’s vest. He motioned at a space by the rail and asked if he could sit. Jacob agreed, waving his arm and welcoming the man to drop into the space next to him. The man introduced himself as Michael and said he’d been on the boat for twelve hours—ever since he had been pulled out of the water near Michigan City.
“How are things that way?” Jacob asked him.
The man shrugged and lit a cigarette. “Bout the same, I figure; they’re everywhere, multiplying by the hour. I don’t think this is something we can fight.”
“You come in by helicopter then?”
“Nah, I got a boat,” he answered before taking a long drag on the cigarette. “Well… had a boat. The Coast Guard commandeered it. I was able to get a couple families out… I left a lot behind too.”
“I was south of Chicago in the suburbs. I’m trying to get back,” Jacob said.
Michael looked at him. “Yeah, I heard you all were planning a counterattack, trying to get a foothold on the city. He with you?” Michael said, pointing down the passageway.
Murphy was walking in his direction with another sailor following close behind him. He stopped just short of Jacob and lowered a hand to help lift him to his feet. “Jacob, you’re coming with me. Tyree, the petty officer here will be getting information on the whereabouts of your grandparents. Give them what they need; they can help.”
Tyree nodded and shook Murphy’s hand, thanking him. “What about Stephens?”
Murphy put his hand on Tyree’s shoulder. “He’ll be fine; the Coast Guard got him to a military hospital—”
“Do you have any news on my family? Did you tell them what we saw at the graveyard?” Jacob interrupted to ask.
Murphy nodded patiently. “Come on, let’s go; you have a lot to hear.”
Murphy turned and walked away, keeping Jacob beside him so they wouldn’t get separated on the crowded deck. They rounded a corner at the large bridge structure where a pair of guards in digital-blue uniform stood watch. They nodded to Murphy and allowed the two men to pass. Jacob followed Murphy along the structure on the portside and neared a ladder where Jacob grabbed at Murphy’s elbow, stopping him.
“So? Where are they?” Jacob asked.
Murphy pulled away. “Just come inside; they’ll brief us, and then I can answer your questions.”
Jacob stood his ground and put out an arm, blocking Murphy’s path to the ladder. “Just tell me. Are they dead?”
Murphy shook his head. “No man, it’s not that.” Murphy paused, looking around him then pushed Jacob closer to the ladder and out of sight of the guards. “Your family is at the Field Museum. They’re calling it the Castle—”
“Then why don’t they get them out!” Jacob interrupted again.
“Believe me, they’re trying. The Castle is cut off and surrounded now. So far, the walls are holding but it’s a desperate situation on the ground. They need help.”
Jacob looked at Murphy, confused. “I don’t understand; what’s going on?”
“Jacob… they need men to assault the beach to take back the island and Grant Park… or at least hold it long enough to get the survivors out. While the beaches are assaulted, the pilots can use the distraction to bring in every available air asset to get the survivors back here.”
“Why all the secrecy about Laura and Katy; why didn’t you just tell me they were there?”
“The captain didn’t want you to know their whereabouts until you volunteered to join the assault,” Murphy said, looking Jacob in the eye.
“Me? How? I can’t go…” Jacob muttered.
Jacob pointed at the badge on Jacob’s chest. “I used this to get you in the door. They’re desperate and just stretched too thin, Jacob. Most have already given up on the city; they don’t think we have the ground resources to make this happen. Some want us to just pull back and leave the city to its fate.”
“I’ll go, but… I’m not a soldier, Murphy. Hell, I’m not even a cop.”
“I know that,” Murphy said. “We’ve got law enforcement on board. They’re going to start hitting up able-bodied civilians until they get a body to every rifle and a seat filled on every boat. If I judged you wrong, I’ll understand; but if this assault doesn’t succeed… well, you know the score.”
“Murphy,” Jacob asked, looking at him sincerely, “what about your family?”
“I don’t even know, man; I left them alone when I reported to my unit. You know how that worked out,” Murphy said shrugging it off and obviously not wanting to talk about it.
Jacob lowered his arm to clear the way for Murphy to proceed.
“You know what, Jacob? If my family is in trouble, I hope there are people like you and me trying to help them.”
Murphy took a deep breath and let out a sigh before slapping Jacob on the shoulder. Jacob watched as the soldier turned and moved to the ladder before climbing it to a small landing. Murphy rapped on the door and stepped back as the hatch opened.
“You coming?” Murphy called down to him.
Jacob nodded and ran up the stairs.
The duo was greeted at the hatch by another sailor in blue camouflage who led them down a dark ladder to below decks. They entered a passageway that stunk of solvents and fresh paint.
“Watch your step,” the sailor said as they passed through another hatch.
The sailor stopped and waited for them to catch up before he opened a door and ushered them in. Murphy led the way
