The Blast

Chapter 8: The Cabin

They didn't have the attitude to argue anymore, they just put their heads down and kept walking. The only sounds came from the branches rustling in the wind. Ever since they had found Avery, no one had talked. They just kept silent, still processing what had happened. No one could believe it, they all hoped it was just a terrible nightmare and they would wake up in their cozy beds back home in Arlington. But that wasn't the case, it had happened and since then they had all fallen into a depression, that would be impossible to get out of. Seeing a dead body right in front of you takes a toll on the body both mentally and physically, its one thing that no one should have to experience. Even if they had the urge to speak, they wouldn't know what to say. What we're they going to say, that it should've been one of them? That it was there fault? No one was to blame. But even though they were all silent they each had the same goal in their heads. To revenge her death.
But as god sensed their depression, he granted them hope. Strangely their hope was in the form of smoke. Yep, far out in the trees, smoke could be seen drifting up from a small wooden chimney. They had finally found him, the mysterious man they'd been following for all these days. They had finally caught a break, proof they weren't going crazy, that they weren't the only ones still alive. Even though they were drained mentally and physically they ran as fast as their muscle cramped legs would take them towards the smoke. Thinking that if they didn't get there fast enough the smoke would disappear and they would realize it was all just a dream. But to there relief, it didn't disappear it kept on floating. As they followed the smoke they soon discovered a small wooden cabin tucked into the trees. If they hadn't had seen the smoke they would have never found the cabin, it was camouflaged into the trees perfectly.
They quietly ran over to the door and hesitated before knocking.
"Wyatt, you're brave you do it" Cruze whispered.
"Why don't you do it," Wyatt asked.
"Both of you are a bunch of chickens," Riley said as she walked up to the door and softly knocked.
"Come in! Come in! You guys took way longer than I expected!" The old man said happily.
They hesitantly entered the cabin and found a man in his mid 30's in a rocking chair reading the paper.
"Isn't it crazy what's happening in the world right now? The name's James by the way" He chuckled, without taking his eyes off his newspaper.
"Uhh, nice to meet you Mr. James" Riley answered.
"Where's the other girl?" James asked, finally looking up at them.
After a long pause, Wyatt responded "She umm didn't make it"
"I knew she wouldn't, but Melissa had to pick her". James replied with a slight trace of annoyance.
"What did you just say?!" Wyatt replied angrily.
"I said, I knew she didn't have it in her" James responded calmly.
Then as Wyatt's rage took over he charged at James who was still calmly sitting in his chair.
And just before Wyatt tackled James to the floor, with incredible speed James stood up from his sitting position and side stepped Wyatt who then pummeled into the chair. But Wyatt wasn't done yet, his eyes had turned black, no one talks about Avery like that. Never. He charged again at James with his fist ready to punch James right in his face. Then as Wyatt's fist was an inch from James' face he caught Wyatt's punch and twisted his wrist until he had Wyatt in a wrist lock.
Then James ever so calmly said "I do not mean to disrespect her but you should control your anger. I am your friend and I don't think you want to fight me"
Wyatt kept his eyes on the floor.
"Have you been expecting us?" Riley asked.
"Why yes, for a long time now. You guys took a little bit longer than I thought"
"Well we ran into some, issues," Cruze added.
"Ah yes, the wilderness can be quite unpredictable" James replied.
"Now, back to business. This might come to a surprise to you guys but I work for the CIA"
"We knew as soon as we walked in," Cruze said interrupting James

Riley read James mind in answering his question "The newspaper, the shades, the expensive watch on your wrist, come on we're not that dumb"
" I guess not, anyways my partner and I had been deployed to survey the nuclear power plant. The one that blew up." James started
"Uhh, I don't know any other nuclear plants nearby" Wyatt responded smart-aleck.
"I can explain this or you can keep interrupting me, what do you want" James replied
They answered with silence
"Ok, then back to the plant. The government was getting suspicious of the importations coming into the plant, so they wanted us to do some digging" James explained letting it sink in before beginning again.
"Turns out the plant is a disguise for firearm trafficking" James added
As the pieces begin to connect together Riley replied
"So they used the nuclear meltdown as a distraction from what?"
"That's the problem somehow they knew we were on to them. " James said worryingly.
"So where's you're partner?" Wyatt asked.
"She didn't make it" James answered calmly without a hint of emotion
"She was the one we found Wyatt." Cruze guesses.
"So what is our job in this whole thing," Riley asked suspiciously
"Well you guys are the only survivors" James said.
"The only survivors! Out of the 2,000 people," Wyatt yelled
"Sadly yes, I hardly made it out myself," He said.
"Wait a minute, you mean they killed everybody, just to protect their business?" Cruze asked.
James nodded.
"I can't believe this, they murdered thousands of innocent people" Riley said angrily.
After a couple of minutes of Riley, Cruze and Wyatt angrily asking questions to no one in particular that no one could answer, James spoke up.
"I could wait here all day listening to your squabbling but I think there's more important things we need to discuss".
"Sorry" They said in unison realizing they're arguments weren't going to fix the situation.
"This is all the information we know about them" James said as he handed over a folder to Cruze.
"Their leader is Miguel Rodriguez, he's been on our wanted list for a couple years now.. you guys can probably guess why." James continued.
"So what are we supposed to about this" Cruze said.
"We're just a bunch of teenagers" Wyatt added.
"Well were going to have to stop him and I don't know anyone who would want to seek revenge more than you three." James answered.
"Ok then, how do we get started." Riley asked.
James then laid out the plan he had came up with. They were going to go back to the nuclear power plant, it might seem risky but they had no other leads whatsoever. They would then go from there. It wasn't much of a plan but it was a start. They were going to leave in the morning but first James suggested they had a hot bath and something to eat. They all agreed suddenly realizing how dirty and hungry they looked.
After having a long hot bath each using the water heated up on the fireplace and eating as much as they could find in the small cabin they went to their straw beds and fell asleep immediately to the crackle of the fireplace James had kept going.

James might seem confident and tough on the outside but on the inside as he was rocking in his chair looking at the three of them sound asleep on their dots he felt sad for them. Those kids had gone through so many things that no one should have to go through. Losing everything and everyone they loved and having no possessions but the clothes on their backs and what they had salvaged from their town. Unlike his partner Melissa he had doubted they would make it. But they had proven to him they were a tough bunch and their would be very little things that could break their perseverance. He knew they're would be several more situations where they're trust and determination would be tested but for once he had confidence they could do it. This would be no easy job... Miguel was one of the biggest firearms traffickers in the world, he had several connections and if they somehow pulled it off and brought him in. That would put a big target on their backs. On that last thought he fell asleep rocking back and forth listening to the light sounds of Wyatt, Cruze and Riley sleeping.

"Wake up!" James yelled smacking a pot and wooden spoon together.
"Wha.. huh.. it's only 6:30." Wyatt murmured checking the clock on the wall.
"Just 30 more minutes". Riley groaned.
"We're leaving at 7:15 sharp, so get up whenever you want but I kid you not the helicopter will leave without you.
"Urghh..." Cruze groaned, trying to open his eyes without getting blinded by the sun rays coming through the slits in the shutters. 

Forty five minutes later they were all packed up and waiting for helicopter to come and pick them up. They helicopter came by soon after, picked them up and started the trip back to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The trip was going to be a long one so they all leaned back and tried to retain the few hours of sleep they had lost.

This chapter took a while to right since a ran into some serious writers block. But don't worry because I am working on the next chapter right now. Make sure to comment and vote !