The Rick! The Jessica!! Then The Risca!!!

Chapter 29: Through the Night

Jessica was kept free from the military and went back to searching for Rick, who had been missing for the last two weeks. She was really worried, looking through the roads she often traveled, praying that nothing serious had happened to Rick. "Why didn't he pick up my calls? Why hasn't he called me?" The questions gnawed at her, adding to her growing anxiety.

Lost in her thoughts, she drove through the city outskirts. Her car's dashboard indicated it could only withstand 150 more miles, a grim reminder of the government's restriction on gas. All fuel had been requisitioned for the crisis, leaving none for personal use.

Jessica drove past midnight, her search yielding nothing. Stores were closed; it was understandable. Everyone wanted to be with their loved ones. But she was looking for her loved one, who could be in any state, anywhere, needing her.

Exhausted, her eyes grew heavy. She struggled to stay awake, but fatigue overtook her. She drifted off for a moment and awoke to the jarring impact of her car colliding with the highway median. The vehicle spun wildly, crashing and flipping across lanes until it came to a halt in an inverted position.

Unconscious, Jessica lay there in the middle of the road with no one to help. Blood trickled down her face, mingling with tears. In the cold, dark silence, she whispered faintly, "Rick... Rick... where are you?"

The scene was grim. Her car, now a twisted wreck, stood as a testament to her desperation and love. The world was collapsing around her, and now, she too was broken, physically and emotionally.

Hours later, a military vehicle with a fighter unit passing through the area found her. They immediately provided first aid using their kit and transported her to a military facility in San Antonio.