Trinity smiled, “Woke you up. Just a minute. We have to refuel.”
“What happened to gas stations?”
“None left since the rock.”
“The rock this, the rock that, everything is about the rock. I’m tired of hearing about the rock. I want to go back to school, I want to play soccer again, and I want to see my friends. The rock ruined my life.”
“It ruined everyone’s lives.”
Frank yelled, “Almost done, only three to go. Trinity, I’m going to hand you the empties can you tie them down in the back?”
“Shove them in and I’ll tie them down.”
Ten minutes later Frank slide onto the driver’s seat. He swore, “Damn it’s cold out there! I’d say it’s getting worse.”
“Why did we stop now?”
“The military’s vehicles don’t get the same mileage as we do. We were told the convoy leader wanted all of our vehicles full when we started down the spine of Virginia, which is in their mountains. We’ll have around 300 miles from now until the next FOB where we were told we’d be safe and under the freeze line.”
“You mean I can wear a bathing suit?”
Frank laughed. “Sure you can. I think you’re going to look very sexy with blue skin and covered in goosebumps.”
Trinity mock slapped Frank. Both laughed as Ariden shook her head, “You’re worse than Mom and Dad.”
Trinity smiled, “It’s called love. You’ll understand one day.”
Ariden shook her head and mumbled something neither Trinity and Frank could understand. Frank said, “Here we go again, the convoy has started. I hope we can make it without another stop.”
Trinity nodded, “I hope there’s no more ambushes, I can’t get the vision of the last one out of my mind. I saw the blood-stained snow and I think I saw at least two arms that had been separated from their bodies. It must be horrible outside. I can’t imagine living outside in this weather. I wonder why those people don’t come to one of the bases for help.”
Frank nodded, “I think some people don’t trust the government. I wish they’d come in too, that way there’d be peace and an end to the killing.”
Frank slammed the brakes on and their SUV began to slide on the snow pack because the LAV in front of him slowed and opened fire at some target Frank didn’t see. Trinity screamed when a bullet struck their front fender. Frank pushed Trinity down. “Get down, get as low as possible.”
Frank watched the mini gun on the top of the LAV fire, a bright line of red from the tracer rounds flew towards their 2 o’clock position. They could hear the gun firing, it sounded like a loud chainsaw. The mini gun buzzed, paused firing, then opened fire again. Trinity yelled, “When is this going to stop? I’m tired of getting shot at. I hope my parents are okay.”
Trinity’s prayer was a little too late, one of the bullets had broken the window of the army truck Jon was driving. He didn’t like driving the MRAP, he said it always felt like it was going to tip over, so he traded with a soldier who was driving a cargo truck that was only half filled. The bullet crashed through the window Erin was sitting next to and struck her in her right arm. She screamed and covered the wound with her left hand. Jon pulled his handkerchief out, “Hold this against your arm. We’re stopping. I’ll get help.”
“Please don’t leave me. I feel faint.”
“Okay, I’ll put the flashers on and honk the horn so they know we need help.”
Erin’s face was very pale, “Do you think the kids are okay?”
“I’m sure they are, they are about five or six vehicles behind us and there are heavily armed LAVs and mini tanks between us. Whomever is shooting at us picked the wrong convoy. Listen you can hear us returning fire. Nothing can stand up to those mini guns. I’ll ask the Captain if we can all ride together for the next leg, would you like that?”
“Yes, Jon, I don’t feel so good.”
A friendly face stuck itself through the broken window, “It looks like someone caught a bullet. How many times do we have to tell you civilians not to play catch with bullets? I’m going to open the door. The wind is going to blow the snow in worse than just through the broken window. I want to examine, Erin. You’re Erin correct?”
“Yes, sir I am.”
“Don’t call me sir, I’m not an officer. I work for a living and today, I’m going to patch you up better than new. Let me see that arm.”
The medic looked at the wound, he turned Erin’s arm so he could see the other side. “Good news, the bullet went right through and didn’t break any bones. I’m going to patch you, give you something for the pain and we’ll put some 100 Mph tape over the window, and you’ll be good to go. By the way, if you want the bullet, it’s on the floor between the two of you, it went through your arm, hit the metal wall and fell to the floor.”
Erin smiled as best she could, “Was anyone else hit?”
“Two soldiers, no one else. A couple of vehicles got hit, but nothing serious. Nothing that’s going to stop us. We stopped to make sure those who attacked us pay the price and to check on every vehicle. I heard your horn
