Green Day Kids and Co: The Day After Tomorrow
First Kiss
Elisa McAllister took a deep breath before heading to brief the president.
She finally pulled herself together and rushed from her office. Billie Joe, Mike and Tre had gone to book themselves into a hotel nearby because Elisa said they couldn't remain waiting at the N.O.A.A.
The Vice President was just about to go into a meeting and Elisa met with Tom Gomez while waiting for the president to arrive.
"Are you sure about this, Elisa my ass is on the line here," Gomez said.
"Come on Tom, you saw the model," Elisa replied.
"And I hope to God its wrong... ah Mr. Vice President!" Gomez greeted the VP as he walked in.
"Tom?" he replied nodding in greeting.
"You know professor McAllister?" Tom said.
"Yes we've met," the VP replied.
"Professor McAllister has some information I think you should look at," Gomez suggested.
"We just got these results from our simulation model; they explain what's causing this severe weather," Elisa explained.
"I'll have a look at this later I have to meet with the director of FEMA right now!"
"This is very urgent, sir, our climate is changing violently. It will happen over the next six to eight weeks," Elisa told the VP
"I thought you said this wasn't going to happen for another hundred years!" The VP announced.
"I was wrong," Elisa said,
"Well suppose your wrong this time!"
"I wish that I were but I 'm sure you aware of what's happening all over the world!"
"Were making all the necessary preparations for this storm, what more do you expect?"
"You have to start thinking about making large-scale evacuations right now especially in the northern states!" Elisa pressed.
"Evacuations? Have you lost your mind McAllister, I have to go, excuse me." And he walked off, Elisa followed, yelling after him.
"Mr. Vice President, if we don't act now, it's going to be too late."
The president handed the results to one of his assistants and walked off.
"Come on Elisa, "and Gomez led her away.
HEDLAND
"It's been twenty four hours now since the snow began falling across the British Isles and over Northern Europe. It shows no sign of letting up..." The TV reporter explained. Dave was on the phone to Anita and Al was, as usual, sitting in front of the telly.
"No, no, no. You've got to stop worrying. No, no. Its fine we've got plenty of supplies. We're just snowed in. Yeah, no, it's all right. It's all right! No you stay where you are, I'll be fine. Yeah I love you too, okay, bye." Dave clicked off.
"Hey how's Anita? Al turned and asked.
"Oh, fine, the ferry just landed," David told his friend.
"Must be nice in Spain, wish I was there," Al replied.
Man on TV: "Three helicopters have been deployed in a search and rescue mission to air lift the Royal Family and take them to safety."
"Yeah, do you think they'll come and get us?" Dave joked.
"Not bloody likely," Al commented.
"Luckily we've got our own supplies, enough tea and biscuits to sink a ship, eh? Oh we'll be fine, as long as the loo doesn't back up again, eh?" Terence Rawson reassured them.
They all laughed, it was nice that the professor was so positive; it made things seems slightly okay even though they weren't. Al and Dave exchanged worried glances.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Elisa sat at her desk trying to figure out a way to convince the Vice President to evacuate. She was amidst thoughts when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Rawson here, I have news."
"Go on..." Elisa urged.
"What I am about to tell you is supposed to be confidential; several hours ago, three helicopters went down over Scotland, they crashed because the fuel in their lines froze!" Rawson explained.
"At what temperature does...?" Elisa began.
"Negative one hundred and fifty Degrees Fahrenheit, we had to look it up. The temperature dropped phenomenally fast. On the ground people froze before they could get out of their cars even."
"Can you get a satellite image of Scotland two hours ago?" Elisa asked Clarke Takoda who nodded and tapped furiously on his computer.
"We've got mountains of data but no where near enough computer power to analyze it, can you help us?" Rawson asked.
"Send us what you've got and we'll do our best!" Elisa ordered.
"Thanks Elisa, bye for now!" He clicked off.
"This is Scotland at the time the temperature dropped," Takoda said.
Elisa and Jack gathered around, "It looks just like the formation of a hurricane!"
"Only hurricanes don't form over land!" Takoda said.
NEW YORK
Thunder crashed and the rain poured harder, Jake, Joey and Ramona seemed like the only ones interested in what the transport was going to be like for the day.
Roxy and Cadence were still asleep in Cadence' room, Tori and Stella were in Tori's room listening to American Idiot. Frankito was getting ready in Jensen's large en suite bathroom. Jensen was on the phone to his little brother.
WOMAN ON TV: "It's a mob scene here at grand central station, over half the platforms are flooded and service has been suspended on all trains. With planes still grounded and trains now out of service that's bad news for the..."
"Hey Victor's coming to pick me up, do you guys want a ride to the train station?" Jensen offered.
"Not anymore, "Jake replied, staring at the TV.
Man on TV: "In Nova Scotia earlier today the ocean rose by twenty five feet in a matter of seconds, what we have feared for the past few days has indeed happened. The cold front moving from the Arctic has created an enormous storm system in Canada. Which as incredible as it sounds: looks more and more like a tropical hurricane..."
"Look you guys, I gotta go pick up my little brother, do you guys want me to give you a ride?" Jensen pressed.
"Where is he?" Ramona asked not taking her eyes from the TV.
"He's in a boarding school in Philadelphia," Jensen replied.
Man on TV: "If this system moves south we could see a wind driven storm surge that could threaten the eastern seaboard!"
An hour later Joey and Ramona had woken everyone up. After everything was packed they proceeded out the apartment.
"Okay... bye!"
"Victor's stuck in traffic over on Fifth Avenue," Jensen announced when he came off the phone, "It'll be easier to head straight out of town if we meet him over there!"
"Alright," Joey replied.
"You mean walk?" Frankito asked, taking Stella by the hand protectively to make sure she didn't stray from his side.
As they waited for the elevator to arrive the lights began to flicker and eventually went out, "We should take the stairs," Joey announced, beginning to descend them, Roxie in tow.
"But we're on the top floor!" Jensen protested.
Cadence followed closely behind Roxy and Frankito and Stella did the same.
Jensen grabbed Tori's hand and followed the gang.
Outside was devastating the water was so deep that the car wheels couldn't be seen, people were running out of the subways desperately.
They headed toward Fifth Avenue and had only reached the Library when Roxy announced that they should get higher.
"We should go back to the apartment!" Jensen suggested.
"What? Are you crazy? We have to get higher!" Roxy yelled.
"Come on let's go into the library!" Joey suggested and headed toward the library.
Every one followed and had to jump over stranded cars to get there.
Roxy was last to jump over the cars and as she did she caught her leg on the car, "Ahhh!" she squealed in pain. Then she heard screaming behind her in French.
Joey and the others reached the library doors, "Hey, where's Roxy?"
"She's right there see?" Jensen said pointing. "Girls go inside," he ordered the other girls and they obeyed.
"What is she doing?" Joey wondered.
Roxy waddled over to where a trapped mother and child were in the cab. As soon as she conversed in French and freed them they headed to the library.The woman suddenly turned around and complained about leaving her bag.
"I'll get it for her!"
Joey watched ahead and gaped in horror as he saw the tidal wave coming down the street ahead, "ROXY?" he yelled.
She couldn't hear him so he ran to get her.
"JOEY!" Frankito yelled and tried to run after him, but Jensen held him back.
"Roxy! Roxy!" he yelled as Roxy leaned inside the cab.
Roxy heard him and emerged holding the bag.
"Roxy look, come on, COME ON!"
Roxy gaped in horror and let Joey lead her back. The water was getting close, everything was rumbling around them, they ran inside the library and as they reached the stairs the water burst through the windows.
Joey had her hand as he pulled her up the stairs, he slipped on some water and then everything went black.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Elisa took the data she'd received from Hedland and ran it through her system, now she had a list of predicted events for these new land hurricanes.
She got Rawson on the web cam.
"Elisa, were you able to re-create the thermal cycle?" Rawson asked.
"Yes the storm's rotation is pulling super cooled air all the way down from the upper troposphere!"
"But shouldn't the air warm up before it reaches ground level?"
"It should but it doesn't, the airs descending too rapidly," Elisa explained.
"Is this an isolated incident?" Rawson asked.
Elisa looked at Jack, Brian, Nat and Takodo who were gathered around him, "I'm afraid not."
"We've located two other super cells in addition to the one over Scotland, there's one over Northern Canada and another one over Siberia."
"And do we know their projected path?" Rawson asked.
"Yes, our previous estimates of six to eight weeks weren't even close; this one storm is going to change the face of our planet. They're going to get bigger so that they not only cover one place but the entire Northern Hemisphere. When this storm is over, we'll be in a new Ice Age," Elisa informed then sadly.
Elisa picked up the phone to speak with him privately as it had been on speaker, "Professor, it's time you got out of there!" Elisa advised.
"I'm afraid that time has come and gone, my friend."
Tears welled in Elisa's eyes, "What can we do?"
"Save as many as you can!" Rawson said. The lines crackled and they were cut off.
Elisa took a deep breath and wiped her eyes, her dear friend wasn't going to survive.
The phone rang again and Brian answered, "Elisa, something's happened in New York!"
HOTEL SOMEWHERE IN WASHINGTON
Billie Joe, Mike, Tre, Adie and Jakob were in their hotel pent house suite.
Jakob was watching a DVD on his mothers lap top.
Tre was asleep on one sofa and Adie was asleep on the other her arm draped over Billie's shoulder, Billie sat on the floor watching Jakob, the only son he had right now. Mike was quietly sitting at the table drinking coffee and looking as at a picture of Stella and Roxy. He loved that picture of them together, they looked so happy.
The hotel phone rang and Mike and Billie exchanged hopeful glances, Mike got up and answered.
"Stella?" he wondered.
"It's me, Elisa, I have news!"
"We'll be right over!" Mike replied.
NEWYORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
"Joey, are you okay?" Roxy asked her hero as he roused from his sleep.
"W... what happened?" he asked, groggily and trying to get up.
"No... no... no lie down, you fell and hit your head," Roxy told him.
"God, I'm good," he said sarcastically, half laughing.
"You were great; you saved my life, thank-you!"
Joey laughed, "Anytime," he said, "I mean that," he added sincerely squeezing her hand.
Roxy smiled, "I'd better return her bag," and she walked away.
Joey sat up and saw Frankito staring down at him, "At this point dude I don't think it really matters that that plane didn't go down!" he said mockingly and Joey gave him the finger.
He stared at Roxy as she gave the lady her hand bag back.
Jensen arrived at his side, "You know man, just tell her how you feel," as though reading his mind, Joey smiled, "Yeah, you're right!"
Bill was eating a hotdog he'd stolen from the vendor before, while Cadence patted Skippy.
"Did you reach you're little brother yet?" Joey asked Jensen when she returned.
"Naw, there's still no service..."
Suddenly the talk of phones gave Joey a tremendous idea; he got up and wobbled over to the reception desk.
"Excuse me are there any pay phones on the upper floors?"
"Oh no, no, no, oh but there are some on the mezzanine," The lady told him.
"Great!" He turned to leave.
"Oh, but I think it's under water!" she said after him.
Roxy noticed his ranting, "Where you going the powers out!" she said, following him.
"Older pay phones draw their power directly to the telephone line."
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa ran to the entrance to meet Billie, Adie, Mike and Tre. They had Jakob with them. "Oh god, I've been trying all night to reach the kids!" Billie said.
"Come into my office," Elisa told them and headed for the office.
Inside the office she prepared to tell the men the news.
"You might want to sit down for this," she advised.
"I don't want to sit down!"
Mike said, "Tell us what you know."
"It's very serious you'd be more comfortable..."
"I have been waiting for two days to see if my daughter and her friends are okay, do not tell me to sit down, just tell me what's happened," Mike yelled.
"There has been a tidal wave in New York," Elisa said calmly.
The three men and Adie and Jakob had now sat down.
"I don't know if they're okay, but I'm hoping that they were smart and got to higher ground," Elisa said.
"How can they run from a tidal wave to higher ground?" Tre said logically.
"The water's depth is only fifteen feet; the buildings should have made good cover!"
"So there's a chance?" Billie asked.
"I'm not promising anything but they are smart kids and believe that they are alive."
A while later Mike had got coffee for every one. He handed a cup to Elisa, who was surprised at this and said thank you. She was sitting in the outer offices (she wanted to let the family to have her office for privacy) looking at a picture of her and Roxy, Tre approached her.
"I'm sorry, I don't think you've have had time to grieve over Roxy being missing as much as we have over our kids...and the guys and I never took that into account," he added.
"It's okay, part of me wants to grieve because there's a chance she could be... you know... But another part tells me not to because she's alive. Plus, I don't' have time to grieve, I have to try and convince the Vice President to save half the worlds population!"
"Every one has time to grieve... when was that taken?" he asked her.
"Just before I got this job," Elisa said then, "It's hard to remember her at six years old, everything was always one more, one more ice cream, one more story, one more everything," Elisa trailed off and sat looking down at the coffee mug.
"We'll find them, I know we will..."
"Elisa! There's a Joey on line four, he's calling from New York," Natalie said.
Elisa turned to stare at Tre who glared back then they ran to her office.
"Billie! Joey's on the phone!" Tre said, Elisa picked up the phone hit the number four and handed Billie the phone.
"Joey!?"
"Joey where are you are you all right?" Billie asked hysterically.
"I'm okay. We're at the public library; Stella, Roxie Jake, Ramona and Frankito are okay too."
"Joey, it's Mom, I'm so happy you're okay!"
"Mom, can you let Mike and Tre know that the others are okay?"
"We're here, kiddo!" Mike yelled.
Joey slipped and fell underwater, there was a muffled sound.
"Joey? What's that noise?" Billie said.
"Joey!" Roxy said, searching the water for him.
Joey's head popped up again.
"What is going on out there, Dad?"
"I can't tell you, but Roxy's older sister can, okay you're on loud speaker, son!"
"Sure."
"Joey?" Elisa said.
"Yes?" he replied
"Listen to me very carefully; forget what your dad said about heading south, it's too late for that, the storm is just gonna get worse. It'll turn into a massive blizzard with an eye in the centre of it just like a huge hurricane; only the air will be so cold you could freeze to death in seconds."
"What should we do?" Joey asked.
"Listen to me Joey, you do not go outside, just burn whatever you can to stay warm and try to wait it out, I will come for you do you hear me? I will come for you!"
Joey's head went completely under water as the water level rose.
Roxy shouted his name, "Joey! Please come back Joey!"
Joey had to; he dropped the phone and swam back.
"Joey can you hear me? Can you hear me?" Elisa asked... he was gone.
"Joey?" Adie yelled, "Oh God, tell me he's going to be okay?" she said, hugging Billie.
Billie hugged her tight and tried to calm her down.
"He's going to be alright!" Elisa reassured her.
"How do you know that?" Mike said.
"Because I'm going to New York and I'm bringing them home!"
Elisa said walking abruptly out of the room her blonde tresses swishing behind her.
Tre, Mike and Natalie followed after her.
Tears welled in Roxy's eyes as she searched the water for Joey, he still hadn't come up yet and she had almost given up hope.
Suddenly his head popped out of the water, he was white as a ghost.
"Oh God Joey, I thought you were gone," she said as she pulled him up and hugged him, "Let's find some dry clothes for you!"
"Please do!" Joey replied.
WASHINGTON
"Where did you store the arctic gear, Brian?" Elisa asked Brian who was in the office with Jack.
"You can't make it to New York Elisa!" Natalie cried.
"I've walked that far before in the snow!" she snapped and she headed for the door.
Billie joined them without Adie, who was probably calming Jakob at this point.
"What's going on?" he asked. Mike walked over to him.
"She's gonna walk to New York to get the kids!" Mike told him.
"Walk? Is she crazy?" Billie asked.
"Elisa this is not the same, this is NOT the same, Tre, tell her!"
Tre looked at her. "I have to do this," Elisa said, almost tearing.
Tre nodded, he knew she had to... but not without him, "I'm going with you!"
"Tre, no!" Billie and Mike protested, "You're not a professional, you could die!"
"That's a risk I'm more than fucking willing to take!" Tre snapped.
Roxy grabbed some coats and pants from the rack as Joey stripped down to his sky blue Calvin Klein boxers.
"I'm sha... shaking!" Joey said worriedly.
"That's okay... here!" she said, handing him the clothes and he put them on. She grabbed an extra jacket and put it around him then took of her own and hugged him tight under the coat.
"W... what are you doing?" he wondered, hugging her back anyway.
"I'm using my body heat to warm you up; if we let the blood from your arms and legs rush back to your heart too quickly... your heart could fail!" she told him, tears falling down her face.
"W... where did y... you l... learn that?" he muttered.
"Some of us were actually paying attention in health class! How are you feeling?"
"Much better!" Joey said, smiling at himself.
A few minutes later Joey and Roxy returned to everyone.
"I was speaking to our dads!" Joey announced to the gang. Ramona, Frankito and Stella jumped up.
"What?" Stella snapped.
"I'm sorry but I didn't have time to call you guys down the water was getting deeper!" Joey explained.
"Where are they? Are they okay?" Ramona cried.
"They're fine, they're heading south I think, Roxy's sisters coming here to get us?"
"How's she doing that? Frankito asked.
"She's walking," Roxy told him.
"Okay kids, I'm gonna go fetch some more clothing for these people, can this be any use?" She held up a busted looking radio.
"Hey, I think I might be able to get that working, give it here," Jake demanded and Ramona handed it to him before running off to fetch more clothes.
Roxy went over and sat down next to a shivering Joey and put her hand on his, Joey was shocked at this as he looked down at his hand tightly clasped in hers and he squeezed it back.
"Hey, what's that noise?" someone yelled.
Roxy and Joey stood up, they'd heard it too.
"Sound like... I don't know!" Jensen added, standing up.
Jensen and Frankito looked out of the window and saw what was making the noise. They jumped down from the window and ran down the hall, Roxy and Joey exchanged glances and followed with Cadence in tow.
"What the hell?" Jensen said, gaping as the oil tanker sailed slowly down the street and coming to a stop aside the library.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa packed up the snow things into plastic boxes, Tom Gomez walked in, "Jack told me about Joey and Roxy, I won't try and talk you out of going but there's something I need for you to do first. You have to explain your results to the administration."
Elisa looked up, "I already tried that Tom."
"I know you did but it'll be different this time, you're gonna brief the president directly!"
Elisa nodded and followed Gomez to the conference room where the Vice President and the President where sitting.
Elisa linked her lap top to the over head screen and pressed play, she explained what they saw.
"The basic rule of storms is they continue until the imbalance that created them is corrected. In this case we are talking about a global realignment. This super storm will last seven to ten days, when it's over ice and snow will cover the entire northern hemisphere. The ice and snow will reflect sunlight; the earth's atmosphere will re-stabilize, but with an average temperature close to that of the last ice age."
"What can we do about this?" the president asked.
"Head as far south as possible!" Elisa said with a sigh, she wasn't going any where near the direction of south.
"That is not amusing, professor." It was the Vice President. Elisa swore into herself, Who did this man think he is?
"Where do you suggest they go?" the President's assistant, Lauren, asked.
"The farther south they go the safer they'll be, Texas, parts of Florida that aren't flooded, Mexico would be best," Elisa advised.
"Mexico?" the Vice President sniggered, "Maybe you should stick to science and leave policy to us!" he remarked snidely.
"Well we tried that approach," Gomez began, "You didn't want to hear about the science then when it could have made a difference!" he added.
The Vice President looked down at his feet with shame.
"What exactly are you proposing, professor?" the President asked.
Elisa stood up and crossed the room to a wall map; she pulled out a marker and drew a line across the map, "Evacuate everyone south of that line!"
"What about the people in the north?" the president wondered.
"I'm afraid it's too late for them, if they go outside the storm will kill them. At this point their best chance is to stay inside and try to ride it out and pray!"
Elisa gathered her things and walked out Tom Gomez following her, "What do you think he'll do?" Elisa asked.
"I don't know... Elisa, thanks," he said holding out his hand, she shook it. "And good luck!"
"You too," Elisa replied with a smile and affectionate squeeze to Tom's hand, he'd done so much for her already,
"We're all gonna need it!" she added, stepping into the elevator.
In the conference room the Vice President was in an uproar, "We can't evacuate half the country because one scientist thinks the climate is shifting!"
"Every minute we delay is costing lives," Lauren applied.
"And what about the other half of the country?" the VP replied.
"If professor McAllister is right about the storm pattern sending troops north will create more victims. We need to save the people we can right now," Lauren calmly put in.
"We take the same approach in Triage on the battle field, sometimes it's necessary to make difficult choices," General Campbell added.
"I don't accept abandoning half the country is necessary..." the VP began.
"Maybe if you'd listened to him sooner it wouldn't be," Gomez said with his voice raised.
"Oh bull, it's easy for him to suggest this plan when he's safely here in Washington!" VP declared.
"His son is in Manhattan! I thought you should know that before you start questioning his motives!" Gomez said.
"We're going to follow McAllister's plan!" the President said
"General?" The President said, "Give the order for the National Guard to evacuate the Southern States."
"Yes Sir!" General Campbell said and got up to leave as the President did. VP Reeves sat in his chair astounded that he'd been overruled.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Every one was asleep, or nearly everyone any way, Cadence and Tori was questioning Jensen about their younger brother, Dean. Stella was asleep and Frankito was stroking her hair, looking down on her. Joey and Roxy were asleep along side each other and Ramona was sitting at one of the tables across from Jake reading a book.
Jake was at work on the radio, using a screw driver the library security guard had loaned him.
"Maybe you should have somebody help you with that?" the guard suggested.
Jake gave him a surprised look, "Sir, I am president of the electronics club, the Math club and the chess club. Now if there's a bigger nerd in here, please point him out!"
"I'll just leave you alone to work on it okay!" This made Ramona smile.
The silence was broken when Bill cam running in with Skippy, "Hey guys there's people out there, hundreds of them, they're walking in the snow!"
"Where could they be going?" someone asked.
"Getting out of the city before it's too late!" another replied.
This gave the Guard an idea, "Alright people, quiet down, when was the last time anyone got a signal on a cell phone?"
"I got through to my cousin in Memphis an hour ago; they're being evacuated to the south!" a girl explained.
"We should get moving too, the water has frozen over enough to walk on, we should get going before the snow gets too deep. Everyone, wrap yourselves up as fast as you can."
Joey shook his head, "We shouldn't go," he advised quietly to his gang.
Jensen who was putting on gloves and hat, "Why not, Joey, everyone's leaving!"
"When I spoke to Roxy's sister she told me to stay inside, the storm will kill anybody caught in it."
"Then you have to say something!" Roxy told him,
"I know!" he replied and he got up and ran over to the guard.
"Excuse, but you're making a mistake," Joey began.
"What? Listen we're all scared, but we've got no choice," The guard replied.
"That's not it..." Joey said.
"Get ready to go!" ordered the Guard.
"If these people go outside they will freeze to death!" Joey yelled, this had everyone's attention.
"What is this nonsense?" the guard asked.
"It's not nonsense all right, look this storm is gonna get worse and the people caught outside will freeze to death," Joey explained.
"Where are you getting this information?" the librarian lady asked.
"My sisters a climatologist she works for the government," Roxy informed.
"So what do we do?" she asked again.
"We stay inside and ride it out!" Joey said.
"The snow is getting deeper by the minute, we'd be trapped here without food, supplies..." the guard explained.
"It's a risk yes..." Joey replied.
"An unnecessary risk..."
"No, no it's not," Joey tried.
"We've wasted enough time talking about this, come on everyone, let's go!"
"Look, look, look for a second okay, the storm is gonna get bad, really bad, you're not gonna be able to survive in it," Joey tried again,
"Please sir just stay, stay." Joey knew it was hopeless as the people walked passed him. The only ones that did stay behind were Bill, Skippy and the librarian lady.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa was outside packing up the snow van when Billie, Adie, Jakob and Mike emerged from the building. Tre was inside getting kitted out by Jack.
"Hey," Billie said and Elisa smiled.
"Hey, listen, it's gonna be impossible for you to reach me so leave a message at the American Embassy in Mexico to let me know you guys got their safely and where you'll be," she packed another box up.
Adie looked ill with worry and she pulled Elisa into a hug, "Thank you so much!" was all she said and Elisa hugged her back half heartedly.
"If I was older I'd go with you!" Jakob announced when Adie pulled away.
"Oh really, well I'll bear that in mind for when you are older," Elisa amused.
"Really?" Jakob said excitedly.
"Sure I will, I'll even get you a snow suit with your name on," she told him and Jakob cheered before running into the building to tell Tre.
Adie went after him and before Billie followed he mouthed the words "thank you" while slightly touching Elisa's hand. Elisa looked at the floor trying to hold back tears; they'd never been this nice to one another.
Mike approached helping her with the last of the boxes, "I have every ounce of faith that you'll bring my baby back to me," he assured.
"Thanks," Elisa said with a smile.
Mike continued, "Take care and tell my little Hero I love her soooo much," Mike requested. Elisa looked at him with despair.
"She'll be okay, Mike," Elisa assured him.
"I know because you'll bring her back to me!" Then he disappeared into the building.
Suddenly a random box was slid onto the back of the van.
Elisa turned to see Jack with Tre lingering behind, "What are you doing, you're supposed to be on a bus heading south!" she remarked.
"Are you kidding, I've been watching you're back for ten years you think I'd let you go it alone?" Jack replied
"And all these years I thought I was watching you're back," Elisa sniggered.
Jack let a smile play his lips, "Where are the keys?"
"In the truck," Elisa replied with a mock smile.
The next random box that was slid on was from Brian, Elisa watched expectantly, "And where do you think you're going?" she asked.
Brian made a face, "Neither one of you knows how to navigate worth a damn, without me you'll end up in Cleveland!" he remarked and joined Jack in the truck.
Takoda joined them, "I'll try to give you updates on the storm as it heads you're way," he assured. "Good luck Elisa," he added.
Elisa shook his hand, "Thank you for all your help... take care," she said before grabbing Tre and jumping in the van.
Natalie had approached and was waving them off as they drove down the snowy road.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Joey had enquired about a fire place in the old aged building and the librarian had obliged, she'd shown them to an office they never used where a grand white fireplace stood before them.
"This fireplace hasn't been used in a hundred years," she informed. Joey didn't care, he walked over and opened the flue.
"All right..." he said and grabbed some books nearby and dumping them into the fireplace,
"What on earth are you doing?" The librarian gasped.
"What do you think we're gonna burn?" Joey replied and Roxy helped him bring the random books over.
"You can't burn books!" the librarian declared.
"No! Absolutely not!" Ramona gasped.
"Shut up Ramona, stop being such a geek, you don't even read!" Frankito snapped.
"I read when I need to!" Ramona replied.
"Do you want to freeze to death?" Joey asked bluntly and the librarian and Ramona let him tear on.
"I'll go get some more!" Cadence said and headed for the main room.
"I'm gonna help!" Jake said although Tori, Bill, Roxy and Stella were already following her out. The librarian winced and followed after them.
"Alright, we have to find a cafeteria or lunch room!" Joey declared to the guys and they went in search.
All they found was an employee's lounge where there were only a couple of vending machines. Frankito broke the glass and picked up the sweets.
"We won't last long on potato chips and M 'n'M's," Jensen observed.
In the main book hall, the five kids where piling books onto the trolleys, the librarian were selecting the ones that she thought definitely shouldn't be burned.
"What are you doing?" Cadence asked, exasperated.
"You can't burn Friedrich Nietzsche, you cannot burn Friedrich Nietzsche, he was the most important thinker of the nineteenth centaury!" the librarian gasped.
"Oh come on, Nietzsche was a chauvinist pig, who was in love with his sister, put it back!" Roxy said.
"Nietzsche was not a chauvinist pig!" the librarian gasped.
"But he was in love with his sister," Tori added.
"Um, excuse me guys?" Jake called out.
"There's a whole section on tax law here that we can burn!" and he lifted a case of heavy encyclopedia looking books onto the trolley.
HEDLAND CENTRE - SCOTLAND
WOMAN ON TV: "Breaking news from the U.S Mexico border, just half an hour ago, Mexican officials closed the border in the light of so many U.S refugees who are fleeing south in the wake of the approaching storm. These people came here in the anticipation of crossing into Mexico and instead they've met closed gates and are now cutting the wired fence and crossing illegally into Mexico.
"Sorry mates, but we're just out of fuel!" Al announced, returning into the building.
Dave shrugged and said, "Is there any chance that it will run on this..." he said, removing two books from the shelf revealing an old looking bottle of scotch.
Al smiled and rubbed his hands together, but professor Rawson gasped in horror, "Are you mad, that's a twelve year old scotch!"
Dave and Al exchanged annoyed glances, they needed to stay warm and without the generator they were screwed. They were screwed anyway when that land hurricane came.
Professor Rawson stood up and removed another book from the shelf revealing three scotch glasses stacked up behind. Dave and Al smiled as the professor pulled them down and poured them all a glass each.
They all raised their glasses.
"To family," Dave said.
"Gentlemen... to mankind!" Rawson said.
"To Manchester United!" Al gasped and they all laughed.
Dave took on a sad expression and bowed his head, "I just wish I could have seen him grow up!" he said tearfully.
Rawson looked on sympathetically, "The important thing is he will!" he said and patted Dave on the shoulder.
NEWYORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Later that night everyone was huddled in front of the fire, Jake was listening to the radio; Roxy approached him, "What's happening out there?" Roxy asked.
"Man, Europe is buried under fifteen feet of snow and they say it's gonna get just as bad here, girl, I don't think your sisters gonna make it, I'm sorry!"
"No, she'll make, I know she will," Roxy replied and took off to join Joey at the fire. He was sitting by it, lapping up the heat. As she approached him she staggered and gasped with pain.
"What's wrong?" Cadence asked.
"Nothing... " Roxy replied, "I just cut my leg, is all!" Then she joined Joey.
ON THE ROAD SOMEWHERE TO NEWYORK
Elisa, Jack, Brian and Tre were on the road for quite sometime.
"Where are we?" Elisa asked Brian, who sat in the back seat with Tre. Jack was driving.
"Just north of Philadelphia," Brian replied, hazily looking at the screen.
They drove on for another five minutes and abruptly came to a stop when they it a wall of ice.
"Damn! Are you guys okay?" Elisa asked.
"Yeah fine," Jack said.
"I'm good," Brian replied.
"Not so good, little scared!" Tre said.
"Don't Get cold feet now Tre!" Elisa said and threw him a look.
Tre chuckled, "Hey, it's a little hard not to with all this snow but ill try my best!"
Elisa smiled then turned serious, "We're walking from here guys!"
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bill and Skippy lazed around the fire; Jensen lay on two seats put together, he watched as Bill hastily and breathing hard from the cold ripped pages from a book and stuffed them under his shirt and coat.
"Dude, what are you doing?" he asked.
Bill shrugged, "Insulation, newspapers best, but this will do, you spend years on the streets and you learn these things!"
Jensen nodded, "Cool."
"Here..." Bill said, throwing a book to Jensen who caught it, "Try it!"
"Thanks man!" Jensen replied, he was a little surprised when this "tramp" has offered his tip out of kindness when Jensen had rubbed his wealthy lifestyle in his face for so long.
Across the room and on another two leather seats pushed together was Roxy and Joey top to tail. They were having a game of "Anywhere but here."
"Okay I have one," Joey began, "On a cruise ship with my Dad on the way to a soccer game in England, the ship broke down and we got stuck, way out in the Atlantic somewhere and it rained constantly," he chuckled to himself remembering the trip.
"That's it? That's your favourite place to be? That sounds really boring," Roxy added with a wry smile.
"It was actually really nice, it was the one time me and my Dad got to spend the whole weekend together, just hanging out, playing guitar, poker in our room."
Roxy smiled and shrugged.
"Okay, now you?" Joey asked.
"Well that's easy, Johnny Depp at the Caribbean!" she said with a laugh.
Joey laughed to and joked, "You know my Dad could probably arrange that!"
They laughed together making Frankito and Stella come over.
"What are you two turtle doves doing?" Frankito said.
"Oh, just having a quick game of Anywhere but Here!" Roxy replied.
"Ah I know where I'd be, with my Dad at Ronald McDonalds!" And everyone laughed out loud. Stella shoved him, "Stop talking about junk food I'm starved!" she moaned.
"So, what about you Stella, where would you rather be?" Joey asked.
"Ah well I'd have to say... with my Dad at one of his concerts, or maybe with Dean Barrera in the broom closet at school!"
Frankito turned and stared shocked, "What? I'm gonna kill that jackass!"
This made everyone laugh at him and he sat in a huff.
Stella smiled warmly to herself.
SOMEWHERE HIKING IN THE SNOW TO NEW YORK
Elisa was leading the team, Tre was behind her and Jack was next and Brian was at the back or at least they thought he was. The wind was howling and they couldn't here anyone if they yelled unless they were in close to face range.
It was when Jack announced Brian's rope came lose and he got left behind somewhere.
"Did he put an extra locator device in the sleigh?" Elisa asked Jack.
"Yes, I think he did!" Jack said, reaching in and handing it to Tre. "Hold this, she'll need it!"
They bustled in through the snow, Tre was the next to speak, and he tapped Elisa on the shoulder.
"Hey, we're on the New York Galleria!" he said happily, "care to drop and shop?"
"What?" Elisa gasped and looked down, she brushed some snow away and stared in horror.
"We have too..." it was too late; the sleigh had fallen through the glass and dragged them with it. Elisa took her trusty ice pick and stabbed the glass. They stopped and when she looked back, Jack was gone.
"JACK!" she yelled out loud and banged the glass below her to get Jacks attention, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I just dropped in to do some shopping! I gotta lose this sleigh!" he said, taking out a knife which made Tre gasp, and cut the rope beneath him. The sleigh fell fast and as it hit the inanimate escalator below it broke in half. Jack realized that if he fell that's what would happen to him.
"Hold on, we'll pull you up!" Elisa yelled. She turned to Tre who was at the edge of the whole, "Tre, you'll have to support Jack's weight!" she pointed out.
"Okay I'll try!" and he raised himself up on the ridges.
"Okay, I think I have his weight now!" Tre said.
"Alright I'm coming to you!" Elisa said and shuffled on her belly toward Tre.
Tre panicked as the glass beneath him started to crack, "The glass is breaking!" he yelled to Elisa.
"There's too much weight... it's not going to hold!" Jack added in realization. The thought of the sleigh rose to mind as he contemplated what he must do.
Tre gasped in pain as his hands cut into the ridges and the blood poured thick and fast.
Jack pulled out his Jack knife again.
Elisa brushed the snow from below her.
"Jack I can get you out!" she yelled, fearful of what he was about to do.
"Don't do it!" she yelled as she saw his hand rise off the rope.
Tre yelled too, "No Jack, don't..."
With one big effort Jack cut the rope!
"NOOOOOOOOOO... Jack!" Tre and Elisa yelled.
They watched him fall, a repeat of what the sleigh did and fresh tears clouded Elisa's vision. Her mentor was gone, a man who was like a father to her... her teacher.
Gone... forever! Tre gasped in horror and turned away shuffling to Elisa. He threw his arms around her and cried along with her, it was all too much. The realization that civilization might not survive, all this snow, the hope that they'll make it and the realization that they won't... and now this... a good friend and helper committing suicide to help his friends. Tre felt sick, he wasn't suppose to be here, none of them were, thoughts of Ramona and Frankito came to mind, he had to get to them. More importantly at that moment he was all Elisa had left... and he would not fail her.
NEW YORK
Roxy lay awake and shivered; she couldn't feel the pain on her leg anymore, a bad sign. Suddenly she felt warm and fuzzy, and she coughed. Joey turned abruptly and walked over to her, "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine, I just can't sleep!" she replied.
"My mind keeps going over those worthless decathlon facts!" she snorted.
"That's pretty stupid, huh?" she breathed.
"No it's alright, it's not stupid, I guess you just haven't had time to adjust yet!"
"How am I supposed to adjust, Joey?" she said tearfully.
"Everything I've ever cared about, everything I've worked for has all been for nothing. This acceptance into Harvard is all for nothing, preparation for a future that no longer exists!" she remarked.
Joey made a confused face and looked away.
"I know you always thought I took the competition too seriously, and you were right! And it was all for nothing," Roxy announced.
"No, No I just... I just said that to avoid telling you the truth."
"The truth about what?" Roxy asked.
"About why I joined the team," Joey said, "I joined it because of you!"
Roxy stared in disbelief then when he looked away she said, "Hey..." he looked at her and she stared into his eyes... she grabbed him and pulled him slowly into an affectionate kiss.
Frankito saw this and roused Stella, "Hey Stell, look!" he said.
Stella smiled, "About bloody time she yelled!" but the kissing couple didn't hear they were too lost in each other.
Stella snorted, "Lucky for some!" she snapped.
"I know!" Frankito agreed.
"Oh please, you could have any girl you wanted!"
"Yeah well maybe I don't want just any girl!" Frankito snapped.
"Well who is she that you want then?" Stella asked.
"Not telling you?"
"Why not?" Stella snapped.
"Just because... I'm gonna check on Tori and Cadence!"
"They have their brother!"
"He's asleep!" and Frankito got up.
Stella sighed and stared into the fire.
Jensen watched her and sighed after Frankito, he was getting on his last nerve, and he got up and walked over to Stella.
"He seems shy but that's no excuse to play you the way he does, you've showed him you like him so much to the point you're chasing him and it's not fair!"
"I know but what else can I do!"
"Play games back," he said, leaning in for a kiss. Stella obliged. Frankito saw this and stormed out of the room. She watched him stunned and pushed Jensen away, then got up and followed him.
"What's wrong with you?" Stella demanded when she caught up with Frankito in the cafeteria.
"Nothing!" he snapped.
"No you have something face. Every time I hook up with a guy or talk about hooking up with a guy you get all bothered and angry, but you won't admit you like me. I never confronted you until now because I was afraid of making an idiot of myself, but I've had enough, I've really had enough, I like you Frankito Cool and if you like me you should just admit that instead of playing gam..." Frankito held a finger to her lips.
"Shhh, no talking," he pulled her toward him and kissed her passionately on the lips.
Stella pulled away, "What are you doing?"
"KISSING YOU!" Frankito said pompously.
"Duh, but do you think I'm an idiot, you wont tell anyone what your doing, it's only because you needed someone and I was convenient, no one is here that's why you are kissing me!"
"No, this is for real, I was too afraid to tell you because I didn't think you liked me, I guess I was wrong! I've always been a bad judge!"
"R... really?"
"Yes! I'll prove it to you!"
"How? And I thought you and Tori where going out?" Stella whined.
"No, she's into Jake! Now come on!"
"Where are we going?" Stella asked thoughtfully.
"Back to the fire, it's too cold out here!" Frankito said, pulling her by the arm, but Stella hesitated.
"Maybe we should have one more kiss, I'd like to get my fair share before I never get them again!" Stella suggested.
"No! Because you will get another, and another and lot's more, we're going now, come on!"
Frankito pulled her back into the room and right up to Joey and Roxy, "I have something to show you!" And with Frankito kissed Stella again and everyone gasped.
"I thought you weren't into her?" Cadence gasped, "I thought you were into my sister!"
"What? Frankito? Cady, whatever gave you that idea?" Tori laughed.
"He did, when he was always buzzing around you," Cadence remarked.
"I did, but only because I thought I never had a chance with Stella and I thought if she saw me moving on then she would open up to me."
"Jeez..." Cadence remarked.
"It's about time!" Joey said.
"Yeah same goes for you, too!" Frankito said.
"Frankie, no musical sleeping bags!" Ramona ordered snidely.
"Shut up Ramona, and my name isn't Frankie, for fuck sake!"
Stella looked as though she was a Green Day fan just been kissed by a member of Green Day!
"I think I should sleep, or sit down or something!" Everyone laughed and she and Frankito took back their spot by the fire, the only difference was he was lying right beside her as close as he could get.
The next morning Joey awoke and roused Roxy, but she wouldn't wake up.
"Someone help... QUICK... SOMEONE!"
"What the hell is wrong with you, Armstrong!?" Ramona said aggravatingly getting up from her dreamy sleep.
"It's Roxy, she won't wake up!" Joey exclaimed.
Stella and Frankito awoke in each others arms and came over. Jake, Jensen, Cadence and Tori surrounded Roxy, followed by the librarian and Bill.
"Last night she only had a fever, I don't understand!" Joey panicked.
"She does look awfully pale," Tori exclaimed.
"Well guys, look, none of us has had anything to eat for days!" Bill said.
"I think its hypothermia!" Ramona said.
"Oh, how can it be hypothermia we've all been here?" Jake protested.
"Maybe it's just the flu!" Cadence offered.
"No, no, it's not the flu!" the librarian said.
"And how do you know that?" Jake demanded.
"Books can be good for something other than burning you know, okay let's go over her symptoms," she added,
"I told, she has a fever and a really cold sweat!" Joey said.
"How's her pulse?" the librarian asked.
Tori leaned over and held her wrist...
"It's really fast!" Tori announced shaking her head.
"Does she have any injuries like a cut that could have gotten infected?" the librarian asked.
"She was complaining about a cut on her leg a few days ago... I didn't think anything of it!" Cadence said.
Joey gave her a look and rushed to check her legs.
When he pulled back her trouser leg he gasped in horror, "Oh my God!"
Joey felt sick he turned away.
"That's blood poisoning... ah... septicaemia, she could go into sceptic shock, she needs a massive dose of penicillin... or a broad spectrum antibiotic or... oh dear..."
"What?" Joey demanded.
"...Amputation..."
Joey gaped in horror and gasped.
She finally pulled herself together and rushed from her office. Billie Joe, Mike and Tre had gone to book themselves into a hotel nearby because Elisa said they couldn't remain waiting at the N.O.A.A.
The Vice President was just about to go into a meeting and Elisa met with Tom Gomez while waiting for the president to arrive.
"Are you sure about this, Elisa my ass is on the line here," Gomez said.
"Come on Tom, you saw the model," Elisa replied.
"And I hope to God its wrong... ah Mr. Vice President!" Gomez greeted the VP as he walked in.
"Tom?" he replied nodding in greeting.
"You know professor McAllister?" Tom said.
"Yes we've met," the VP replied.
"Professor McAllister has some information I think you should look at," Gomez suggested.
"We just got these results from our simulation model; they explain what's causing this severe weather," Elisa explained.
"I'll have a look at this later I have to meet with the director of FEMA right now!"
"This is very urgent, sir, our climate is changing violently. It will happen over the next six to eight weeks," Elisa told the VP
"I thought you said this wasn't going to happen for another hundred years!" The VP announced.
"I was wrong," Elisa said,
"Well suppose your wrong this time!"
"I wish that I were but I 'm sure you aware of what's happening all over the world!"
"Were making all the necessary preparations for this storm, what more do you expect?"
"You have to start thinking about making large-scale evacuations right now especially in the northern states!" Elisa pressed.
"Evacuations? Have you lost your mind McAllister, I have to go, excuse me." And he walked off, Elisa followed, yelling after him.
"Mr. Vice President, if we don't act now, it's going to be too late."
The president handed the results to one of his assistants and walked off.
"Come on Elisa, "and Gomez led her away.
HEDLAND
"It's been twenty four hours now since the snow began falling across the British Isles and over Northern Europe. It shows no sign of letting up..." The TV reporter explained. Dave was on the phone to Anita and Al was, as usual, sitting in front of the telly.
"No, no, no. You've got to stop worrying. No, no. Its fine we've got plenty of supplies. We're just snowed in. Yeah, no, it's all right. It's all right! No you stay where you are, I'll be fine. Yeah I love you too, okay, bye." Dave clicked off.
"Hey how's Anita? Al turned and asked.
"Oh, fine, the ferry just landed," David told his friend.
"Must be nice in Spain, wish I was there," Al replied.
Man on TV: "Three helicopters have been deployed in a search and rescue mission to air lift the Royal Family and take them to safety."
"Yeah, do you think they'll come and get us?" Dave joked.
"Not bloody likely," Al commented.
"Luckily we've got our own supplies, enough tea and biscuits to sink a ship, eh? Oh we'll be fine, as long as the loo doesn't back up again, eh?" Terence Rawson reassured them.
They all laughed, it was nice that the professor was so positive; it made things seems slightly okay even though they weren't. Al and Dave exchanged worried glances.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Elisa sat at her desk trying to figure out a way to convince the Vice President to evacuate. She was amidst thoughts when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Rawson here, I have news."
"Go on..." Elisa urged.
"What I am about to tell you is supposed to be confidential; several hours ago, three helicopters went down over Scotland, they crashed because the fuel in their lines froze!" Rawson explained.
"At what temperature does...?" Elisa began.
"Negative one hundred and fifty Degrees Fahrenheit, we had to look it up. The temperature dropped phenomenally fast. On the ground people froze before they could get out of their cars even."
"Can you get a satellite image of Scotland two hours ago?" Elisa asked Clarke Takoda who nodded and tapped furiously on his computer.
"We've got mountains of data but no where near enough computer power to analyze it, can you help us?" Rawson asked.
"Send us what you've got and we'll do our best!" Elisa ordered.
"Thanks Elisa, bye for now!" He clicked off.
"This is Scotland at the time the temperature dropped," Takoda said.
Elisa and Jack gathered around, "It looks just like the formation of a hurricane!"
"Only hurricanes don't form over land!" Takoda said.
NEW YORK
Thunder crashed and the rain poured harder, Jake, Joey and Ramona seemed like the only ones interested in what the transport was going to be like for the day.
Roxy and Cadence were still asleep in Cadence' room, Tori and Stella were in Tori's room listening to American Idiot. Frankito was getting ready in Jensen's large en suite bathroom. Jensen was on the phone to his little brother.
WOMAN ON TV: "It's a mob scene here at grand central station, over half the platforms are flooded and service has been suspended on all trains. With planes still grounded and trains now out of service that's bad news for the..."
"Hey Victor's coming to pick me up, do you guys want a ride to the train station?" Jensen offered.
"Not anymore, "Jake replied, staring at the TV.
Man on TV: "In Nova Scotia earlier today the ocean rose by twenty five feet in a matter of seconds, what we have feared for the past few days has indeed happened. The cold front moving from the Arctic has created an enormous storm system in Canada. Which as incredible as it sounds: looks more and more like a tropical hurricane..."
"Look you guys, I gotta go pick up my little brother, do you guys want me to give you a ride?" Jensen pressed.
"Where is he?" Ramona asked not taking her eyes from the TV.
"He's in a boarding school in Philadelphia," Jensen replied.
Man on TV: "If this system moves south we could see a wind driven storm surge that could threaten the eastern seaboard!"
An hour later Joey and Ramona had woken everyone up. After everything was packed they proceeded out the apartment.
"Okay... bye!"
"Victor's stuck in traffic over on Fifth Avenue," Jensen announced when he came off the phone, "It'll be easier to head straight out of town if we meet him over there!"
"Alright," Joey replied.
"You mean walk?" Frankito asked, taking Stella by the hand protectively to make sure she didn't stray from his side.
As they waited for the elevator to arrive the lights began to flicker and eventually went out, "We should take the stairs," Joey announced, beginning to descend them, Roxie in tow.
"But we're on the top floor!" Jensen protested.
Cadence followed closely behind Roxy and Frankito and Stella did the same.
Jensen grabbed Tori's hand and followed the gang.
Outside was devastating the water was so deep that the car wheels couldn't be seen, people were running out of the subways desperately.
They headed toward Fifth Avenue and had only reached the Library when Roxy announced that they should get higher.
"We should go back to the apartment!" Jensen suggested.
"What? Are you crazy? We have to get higher!" Roxy yelled.
"Come on let's go into the library!" Joey suggested and headed toward the library.
Every one followed and had to jump over stranded cars to get there.
Roxy was last to jump over the cars and as she did she caught her leg on the car, "Ahhh!" she squealed in pain. Then she heard screaming behind her in French.
Joey and the others reached the library doors, "Hey, where's Roxy?"
"She's right there see?" Jensen said pointing. "Girls go inside," he ordered the other girls and they obeyed.
"What is she doing?" Joey wondered.
Roxy waddled over to where a trapped mother and child were in the cab. As soon as she conversed in French and freed them they headed to the library.The woman suddenly turned around and complained about leaving her bag.
"I'll get it for her!"
Joey watched ahead and gaped in horror as he saw the tidal wave coming down the street ahead, "ROXY?" he yelled.
She couldn't hear him so he ran to get her.
"JOEY!" Frankito yelled and tried to run after him, but Jensen held him back.
"Roxy! Roxy!" he yelled as Roxy leaned inside the cab.
Roxy heard him and emerged holding the bag.
"Roxy look, come on, COME ON!"
Roxy gaped in horror and let Joey lead her back. The water was getting close, everything was rumbling around them, they ran inside the library and as they reached the stairs the water burst through the windows.
Joey had her hand as he pulled her up the stairs, he slipped on some water and then everything went black.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Elisa took the data she'd received from Hedland and ran it through her system, now she had a list of predicted events for these new land hurricanes.
She got Rawson on the web cam.
"Elisa, were you able to re-create the thermal cycle?" Rawson asked.
"Yes the storm's rotation is pulling super cooled air all the way down from the upper troposphere!"
"But shouldn't the air warm up before it reaches ground level?"
"It should but it doesn't, the airs descending too rapidly," Elisa explained.
"Is this an isolated incident?" Rawson asked.
Elisa looked at Jack, Brian, Nat and Takodo who were gathered around him, "I'm afraid not."
"We've located two other super cells in addition to the one over Scotland, there's one over Northern Canada and another one over Siberia."
"And do we know their projected path?" Rawson asked.
"Yes, our previous estimates of six to eight weeks weren't even close; this one storm is going to change the face of our planet. They're going to get bigger so that they not only cover one place but the entire Northern Hemisphere. When this storm is over, we'll be in a new Ice Age," Elisa informed then sadly.
Elisa picked up the phone to speak with him privately as it had been on speaker, "Professor, it's time you got out of there!" Elisa advised.
"I'm afraid that time has come and gone, my friend."
Tears welled in Elisa's eyes, "What can we do?"
"Save as many as you can!" Rawson said. The lines crackled and they were cut off.
Elisa took a deep breath and wiped her eyes, her dear friend wasn't going to survive.
The phone rang again and Brian answered, "Elisa, something's happened in New York!"
HOTEL SOMEWHERE IN WASHINGTON
Billie Joe, Mike, Tre, Adie and Jakob were in their hotel pent house suite.
Jakob was watching a DVD on his mothers lap top.
Tre was asleep on one sofa and Adie was asleep on the other her arm draped over Billie's shoulder, Billie sat on the floor watching Jakob, the only son he had right now. Mike was quietly sitting at the table drinking coffee and looking as at a picture of Stella and Roxy. He loved that picture of them together, they looked so happy.
The hotel phone rang and Mike and Billie exchanged hopeful glances, Mike got up and answered.
"Stella?" he wondered.
"It's me, Elisa, I have news!"
"We'll be right over!" Mike replied.
NEWYORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
"Joey, are you okay?" Roxy asked her hero as he roused from his sleep.
"W... what happened?" he asked, groggily and trying to get up.
"No... no... no lie down, you fell and hit your head," Roxy told him.
"God, I'm good," he said sarcastically, half laughing.
"You were great; you saved my life, thank-you!"
Joey laughed, "Anytime," he said, "I mean that," he added sincerely squeezing her hand.
Roxy smiled, "I'd better return her bag," and she walked away.
Joey sat up and saw Frankito staring down at him, "At this point dude I don't think it really matters that that plane didn't go down!" he said mockingly and Joey gave him the finger.
He stared at Roxy as she gave the lady her hand bag back.
Jensen arrived at his side, "You know man, just tell her how you feel," as though reading his mind, Joey smiled, "Yeah, you're right!"
Bill was eating a hotdog he'd stolen from the vendor before, while Cadence patted Skippy.
"Did you reach you're little brother yet?" Joey asked Jensen when she returned.
"Naw, there's still no service..."
Suddenly the talk of phones gave Joey a tremendous idea; he got up and wobbled over to the reception desk.
"Excuse me are there any pay phones on the upper floors?"
"Oh no, no, no, oh but there are some on the mezzanine," The lady told him.
"Great!" He turned to leave.
"Oh, but I think it's under water!" she said after him.
Roxy noticed his ranting, "Where you going the powers out!" she said, following him.
"Older pay phones draw their power directly to the telephone line."
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa ran to the entrance to meet Billie, Adie, Mike and Tre. They had Jakob with them. "Oh god, I've been trying all night to reach the kids!" Billie said.
"Come into my office," Elisa told them and headed for the office.
Inside the office she prepared to tell the men the news.
"You might want to sit down for this," she advised.
"I don't want to sit down!"
Mike said, "Tell us what you know."
"It's very serious you'd be more comfortable..."
"I have been waiting for two days to see if my daughter and her friends are okay, do not tell me to sit down, just tell me what's happened," Mike yelled.
"There has been a tidal wave in New York," Elisa said calmly.
The three men and Adie and Jakob had now sat down.
"I don't know if they're okay, but I'm hoping that they were smart and got to higher ground," Elisa said.
"How can they run from a tidal wave to higher ground?" Tre said logically.
"The water's depth is only fifteen feet; the buildings should have made good cover!"
"So there's a chance?" Billie asked.
"I'm not promising anything but they are smart kids and believe that they are alive."
A while later Mike had got coffee for every one. He handed a cup to Elisa, who was surprised at this and said thank you. She was sitting in the outer offices (she wanted to let the family to have her office for privacy) looking at a picture of her and Roxy, Tre approached her.
"I'm sorry, I don't think you've have had time to grieve over Roxy being missing as much as we have over our kids...and the guys and I never took that into account," he added.
"It's okay, part of me wants to grieve because there's a chance she could be... you know... But another part tells me not to because she's alive. Plus, I don't' have time to grieve, I have to try and convince the Vice President to save half the worlds population!"
"Every one has time to grieve... when was that taken?" he asked her.
"Just before I got this job," Elisa said then, "It's hard to remember her at six years old, everything was always one more, one more ice cream, one more story, one more everything," Elisa trailed off and sat looking down at the coffee mug.
"We'll find them, I know we will..."
"Elisa! There's a Joey on line four, he's calling from New York," Natalie said.
Elisa turned to stare at Tre who glared back then they ran to her office.
"Billie! Joey's on the phone!" Tre said, Elisa picked up the phone hit the number four and handed Billie the phone.
"Joey!?"
"Joey where are you are you all right?" Billie asked hysterically.
"I'm okay. We're at the public library; Stella, Roxie Jake, Ramona and Frankito are okay too."
"Joey, it's Mom, I'm so happy you're okay!"
"Mom, can you let Mike and Tre know that the others are okay?"
"We're here, kiddo!" Mike yelled.
Joey slipped and fell underwater, there was a muffled sound.
"Joey? What's that noise?" Billie said.
"Joey!" Roxy said, searching the water for him.
Joey's head popped up again.
"What is going on out there, Dad?"
"I can't tell you, but Roxy's older sister can, okay you're on loud speaker, son!"
"Sure."
"Joey?" Elisa said.
"Yes?" he replied
"Listen to me very carefully; forget what your dad said about heading south, it's too late for that, the storm is just gonna get worse. It'll turn into a massive blizzard with an eye in the centre of it just like a huge hurricane; only the air will be so cold you could freeze to death in seconds."
"What should we do?" Joey asked.
"Listen to me Joey, you do not go outside, just burn whatever you can to stay warm and try to wait it out, I will come for you do you hear me? I will come for you!"
Joey's head went completely under water as the water level rose.
Roxy shouted his name, "Joey! Please come back Joey!"
Joey had to; he dropped the phone and swam back.
"Joey can you hear me? Can you hear me?" Elisa asked... he was gone.
"Joey?" Adie yelled, "Oh God, tell me he's going to be okay?" she said, hugging Billie.
Billie hugged her tight and tried to calm her down.
"He's going to be alright!" Elisa reassured her.
"How do you know that?" Mike said.
"Because I'm going to New York and I'm bringing them home!"
Elisa said walking abruptly out of the room her blonde tresses swishing behind her.
Tre, Mike and Natalie followed after her.
Tears welled in Roxy's eyes as she searched the water for Joey, he still hadn't come up yet and she had almost given up hope.
Suddenly his head popped out of the water, he was white as a ghost.
"Oh God Joey, I thought you were gone," she said as she pulled him up and hugged him, "Let's find some dry clothes for you!"
"Please do!" Joey replied.
WASHINGTON
"Where did you store the arctic gear, Brian?" Elisa asked Brian who was in the office with Jack.
"You can't make it to New York Elisa!" Natalie cried.
"I've walked that far before in the snow!" she snapped and she headed for the door.
Billie joined them without Adie, who was probably calming Jakob at this point.
"What's going on?" he asked. Mike walked over to him.
"She's gonna walk to New York to get the kids!" Mike told him.
"Walk? Is she crazy?" Billie asked.
"Elisa this is not the same, this is NOT the same, Tre, tell her!"
Tre looked at her. "I have to do this," Elisa said, almost tearing.
Tre nodded, he knew she had to... but not without him, "I'm going with you!"
"Tre, no!" Billie and Mike protested, "You're not a professional, you could die!"
"That's a risk I'm more than fucking willing to take!" Tre snapped.
Roxy grabbed some coats and pants from the rack as Joey stripped down to his sky blue Calvin Klein boxers.
"I'm sha... shaking!" Joey said worriedly.
"That's okay... here!" she said, handing him the clothes and he put them on. She grabbed an extra jacket and put it around him then took of her own and hugged him tight under the coat.
"W... what are you doing?" he wondered, hugging her back anyway.
"I'm using my body heat to warm you up; if we let the blood from your arms and legs rush back to your heart too quickly... your heart could fail!" she told him, tears falling down her face.
"W... where did y... you l... learn that?" he muttered.
"Some of us were actually paying attention in health class! How are you feeling?"
"Much better!" Joey said, smiling at himself.
A few minutes later Joey and Roxy returned to everyone.
"I was speaking to our dads!" Joey announced to the gang. Ramona, Frankito and Stella jumped up.
"What?" Stella snapped.
"I'm sorry but I didn't have time to call you guys down the water was getting deeper!" Joey explained.
"Where are they? Are they okay?" Ramona cried.
"They're fine, they're heading south I think, Roxy's sisters coming here to get us?"
"How's she doing that? Frankito asked.
"She's walking," Roxy told him.
"Okay kids, I'm gonna go fetch some more clothing for these people, can this be any use?" She held up a busted looking radio.
"Hey, I think I might be able to get that working, give it here," Jake demanded and Ramona handed it to him before running off to fetch more clothes.
Roxy went over and sat down next to a shivering Joey and put her hand on his, Joey was shocked at this as he looked down at his hand tightly clasped in hers and he squeezed it back.
"Hey, what's that noise?" someone yelled.
Roxy and Joey stood up, they'd heard it too.
"Sound like... I don't know!" Jensen added, standing up.
Jensen and Frankito looked out of the window and saw what was making the noise. They jumped down from the window and ran down the hall, Roxy and Joey exchanged glances and followed with Cadence in tow.
"What the hell?" Jensen said, gaping as the oil tanker sailed slowly down the street and coming to a stop aside the library.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa packed up the snow things into plastic boxes, Tom Gomez walked in, "Jack told me about Joey and Roxy, I won't try and talk you out of going but there's something I need for you to do first. You have to explain your results to the administration."
Elisa looked up, "I already tried that Tom."
"I know you did but it'll be different this time, you're gonna brief the president directly!"
Elisa nodded and followed Gomez to the conference room where the Vice President and the President where sitting.
Elisa linked her lap top to the over head screen and pressed play, she explained what they saw.
"The basic rule of storms is they continue until the imbalance that created them is corrected. In this case we are talking about a global realignment. This super storm will last seven to ten days, when it's over ice and snow will cover the entire northern hemisphere. The ice and snow will reflect sunlight; the earth's atmosphere will re-stabilize, but with an average temperature close to that of the last ice age."
"What can we do about this?" the president asked.
"Head as far south as possible!" Elisa said with a sigh, she wasn't going any where near the direction of south.
"That is not amusing, professor." It was the Vice President. Elisa swore into herself, Who did this man think he is?
"Where do you suggest they go?" the President's assistant, Lauren, asked.
"The farther south they go the safer they'll be, Texas, parts of Florida that aren't flooded, Mexico would be best," Elisa advised.
"Mexico?" the Vice President sniggered, "Maybe you should stick to science and leave policy to us!" he remarked snidely.
"Well we tried that approach," Gomez began, "You didn't want to hear about the science then when it could have made a difference!" he added.
The Vice President looked down at his feet with shame.
"What exactly are you proposing, professor?" the President asked.
Elisa stood up and crossed the room to a wall map; she pulled out a marker and drew a line across the map, "Evacuate everyone south of that line!"
"What about the people in the north?" the president wondered.
"I'm afraid it's too late for them, if they go outside the storm will kill them. At this point their best chance is to stay inside and try to ride it out and pray!"
Elisa gathered her things and walked out Tom Gomez following her, "What do you think he'll do?" Elisa asked.
"I don't know... Elisa, thanks," he said holding out his hand, she shook it. "And good luck!"
"You too," Elisa replied with a smile and affectionate squeeze to Tom's hand, he'd done so much for her already,
"We're all gonna need it!" she added, stepping into the elevator.
In the conference room the Vice President was in an uproar, "We can't evacuate half the country because one scientist thinks the climate is shifting!"
"Every minute we delay is costing lives," Lauren applied.
"And what about the other half of the country?" the VP replied.
"If professor McAllister is right about the storm pattern sending troops north will create more victims. We need to save the people we can right now," Lauren calmly put in.
"We take the same approach in Triage on the battle field, sometimes it's necessary to make difficult choices," General Campbell added.
"I don't accept abandoning half the country is necessary..." the VP began.
"Maybe if you'd listened to him sooner it wouldn't be," Gomez said with his voice raised.
"Oh bull, it's easy for him to suggest this plan when he's safely here in Washington!" VP declared.
"His son is in Manhattan! I thought you should know that before you start questioning his motives!" Gomez said.
"We're going to follow McAllister's plan!" the President said
"General?" The President said, "Give the order for the National Guard to evacuate the Southern States."
"Yes Sir!" General Campbell said and got up to leave as the President did. VP Reeves sat in his chair astounded that he'd been overruled.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Every one was asleep, or nearly everyone any way, Cadence and Tori was questioning Jensen about their younger brother, Dean. Stella was asleep and Frankito was stroking her hair, looking down on her. Joey and Roxy were asleep along side each other and Ramona was sitting at one of the tables across from Jake reading a book.
Jake was at work on the radio, using a screw driver the library security guard had loaned him.
"Maybe you should have somebody help you with that?" the guard suggested.
Jake gave him a surprised look, "Sir, I am president of the electronics club, the Math club and the chess club. Now if there's a bigger nerd in here, please point him out!"
"I'll just leave you alone to work on it okay!" This made Ramona smile.
The silence was broken when Bill cam running in with Skippy, "Hey guys there's people out there, hundreds of them, they're walking in the snow!"
"Where could they be going?" someone asked.
"Getting out of the city before it's too late!" another replied.
This gave the Guard an idea, "Alright people, quiet down, when was the last time anyone got a signal on a cell phone?"
"I got through to my cousin in Memphis an hour ago; they're being evacuated to the south!" a girl explained.
"We should get moving too, the water has frozen over enough to walk on, we should get going before the snow gets too deep. Everyone, wrap yourselves up as fast as you can."
Joey shook his head, "We shouldn't go," he advised quietly to his gang.
Jensen who was putting on gloves and hat, "Why not, Joey, everyone's leaving!"
"When I spoke to Roxy's sister she told me to stay inside, the storm will kill anybody caught in it."
"Then you have to say something!" Roxy told him,
"I know!" he replied and he got up and ran over to the guard.
"Excuse, but you're making a mistake," Joey began.
"What? Listen we're all scared, but we've got no choice," The guard replied.
"That's not it..." Joey said.
"Get ready to go!" ordered the Guard.
"If these people go outside they will freeze to death!" Joey yelled, this had everyone's attention.
"What is this nonsense?" the guard asked.
"It's not nonsense all right, look this storm is gonna get worse and the people caught outside will freeze to death," Joey explained.
"Where are you getting this information?" the librarian lady asked.
"My sisters a climatologist she works for the government," Roxy informed.
"So what do we do?" she asked again.
"We stay inside and ride it out!" Joey said.
"The snow is getting deeper by the minute, we'd be trapped here without food, supplies..." the guard explained.
"It's a risk yes..." Joey replied.
"An unnecessary risk..."
"No, no it's not," Joey tried.
"We've wasted enough time talking about this, come on everyone, let's go!"
"Look, look, look for a second okay, the storm is gonna get bad, really bad, you're not gonna be able to survive in it," Joey tried again,
"Please sir just stay, stay." Joey knew it was hopeless as the people walked passed him. The only ones that did stay behind were Bill, Skippy and the librarian lady.
NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
Elisa was outside packing up the snow van when Billie, Adie, Jakob and Mike emerged from the building. Tre was inside getting kitted out by Jack.
"Hey," Billie said and Elisa smiled.
"Hey, listen, it's gonna be impossible for you to reach me so leave a message at the American Embassy in Mexico to let me know you guys got their safely and where you'll be," she packed another box up.
Adie looked ill with worry and she pulled Elisa into a hug, "Thank you so much!" was all she said and Elisa hugged her back half heartedly.
"If I was older I'd go with you!" Jakob announced when Adie pulled away.
"Oh really, well I'll bear that in mind for when you are older," Elisa amused.
"Really?" Jakob said excitedly.
"Sure I will, I'll even get you a snow suit with your name on," she told him and Jakob cheered before running into the building to tell Tre.
Adie went after him and before Billie followed he mouthed the words "thank you" while slightly touching Elisa's hand. Elisa looked at the floor trying to hold back tears; they'd never been this nice to one another.
Mike approached helping her with the last of the boxes, "I have every ounce of faith that you'll bring my baby back to me," he assured.
"Thanks," Elisa said with a smile.
Mike continued, "Take care and tell my little Hero I love her soooo much," Mike requested. Elisa looked at him with despair.
"She'll be okay, Mike," Elisa assured him.
"I know because you'll bring her back to me!" Then he disappeared into the building.
Suddenly a random box was slid onto the back of the van.
Elisa turned to see Jack with Tre lingering behind, "What are you doing, you're supposed to be on a bus heading south!" she remarked.
"Are you kidding, I've been watching you're back for ten years you think I'd let you go it alone?" Jack replied
"And all these years I thought I was watching you're back," Elisa sniggered.
Jack let a smile play his lips, "Where are the keys?"
"In the truck," Elisa replied with a mock smile.
The next random box that was slid on was from Brian, Elisa watched expectantly, "And where do you think you're going?" she asked.
Brian made a face, "Neither one of you knows how to navigate worth a damn, without me you'll end up in Cleveland!" he remarked and joined Jack in the truck.
Takoda joined them, "I'll try to give you updates on the storm as it heads you're way," he assured. "Good luck Elisa," he added.
Elisa shook his hand, "Thank you for all your help... take care," she said before grabbing Tre and jumping in the van.
Natalie had approached and was waving them off as they drove down the snowy road.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Joey had enquired about a fire place in the old aged building and the librarian had obliged, she'd shown them to an office they never used where a grand white fireplace stood before them.
"This fireplace hasn't been used in a hundred years," she informed. Joey didn't care, he walked over and opened the flue.
"All right..." he said and grabbed some books nearby and dumping them into the fireplace,
"What on earth are you doing?" The librarian gasped.
"What do you think we're gonna burn?" Joey replied and Roxy helped him bring the random books over.
"You can't burn books!" the librarian declared.
"No! Absolutely not!" Ramona gasped.
"Shut up Ramona, stop being such a geek, you don't even read!" Frankito snapped.
"I read when I need to!" Ramona replied.
"Do you want to freeze to death?" Joey asked bluntly and the librarian and Ramona let him tear on.
"I'll go get some more!" Cadence said and headed for the main room.
"I'm gonna help!" Jake said although Tori, Bill, Roxy and Stella were already following her out. The librarian winced and followed after them.
"Alright, we have to find a cafeteria or lunch room!" Joey declared to the guys and they went in search.
All they found was an employee's lounge where there were only a couple of vending machines. Frankito broke the glass and picked up the sweets.
"We won't last long on potato chips and M 'n'M's," Jensen observed.
In the main book hall, the five kids where piling books onto the trolleys, the librarian were selecting the ones that she thought definitely shouldn't be burned.
"What are you doing?" Cadence asked, exasperated.
"You can't burn Friedrich Nietzsche, you cannot burn Friedrich Nietzsche, he was the most important thinker of the nineteenth centaury!" the librarian gasped.
"Oh come on, Nietzsche was a chauvinist pig, who was in love with his sister, put it back!" Roxy said.
"Nietzsche was not a chauvinist pig!" the librarian gasped.
"But he was in love with his sister," Tori added.
"Um, excuse me guys?" Jake called out.
"There's a whole section on tax law here that we can burn!" and he lifted a case of heavy encyclopedia looking books onto the trolley.
HEDLAND CENTRE - SCOTLAND
WOMAN ON TV: "Breaking news from the U.S Mexico border, just half an hour ago, Mexican officials closed the border in the light of so many U.S refugees who are fleeing south in the wake of the approaching storm. These people came here in the anticipation of crossing into Mexico and instead they've met closed gates and are now cutting the wired fence and crossing illegally into Mexico.
"Sorry mates, but we're just out of fuel!" Al announced, returning into the building.
Dave shrugged and said, "Is there any chance that it will run on this..." he said, removing two books from the shelf revealing an old looking bottle of scotch.
Al smiled and rubbed his hands together, but professor Rawson gasped in horror, "Are you mad, that's a twelve year old scotch!"
Dave and Al exchanged annoyed glances, they needed to stay warm and without the generator they were screwed. They were screwed anyway when that land hurricane came.
Professor Rawson stood up and removed another book from the shelf revealing three scotch glasses stacked up behind. Dave and Al smiled as the professor pulled them down and poured them all a glass each.
They all raised their glasses.
"To family," Dave said.
"Gentlemen... to mankind!" Rawson said.
"To Manchester United!" Al gasped and they all laughed.
Dave took on a sad expression and bowed his head, "I just wish I could have seen him grow up!" he said tearfully.
Rawson looked on sympathetically, "The important thing is he will!" he said and patted Dave on the shoulder.
NEWYORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Later that night everyone was huddled in front of the fire, Jake was listening to the radio; Roxy approached him, "What's happening out there?" Roxy asked.
"Man, Europe is buried under fifteen feet of snow and they say it's gonna get just as bad here, girl, I don't think your sisters gonna make it, I'm sorry!"
"No, she'll make, I know she will," Roxy replied and took off to join Joey at the fire. He was sitting by it, lapping up the heat. As she approached him she staggered and gasped with pain.
"What's wrong?" Cadence asked.
"Nothing... " Roxy replied, "I just cut my leg, is all!" Then she joined Joey.
ON THE ROAD SOMEWHERE TO NEWYORK
Elisa, Jack, Brian and Tre were on the road for quite sometime.
"Where are we?" Elisa asked Brian, who sat in the back seat with Tre. Jack was driving.
"Just north of Philadelphia," Brian replied, hazily looking at the screen.
They drove on for another five minutes and abruptly came to a stop when they it a wall of ice.
"Damn! Are you guys okay?" Elisa asked.
"Yeah fine," Jack said.
"I'm good," Brian replied.
"Not so good, little scared!" Tre said.
"Don't Get cold feet now Tre!" Elisa said and threw him a look.
Tre chuckled, "Hey, it's a little hard not to with all this snow but ill try my best!"
Elisa smiled then turned serious, "We're walking from here guys!"
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bill and Skippy lazed around the fire; Jensen lay on two seats put together, he watched as Bill hastily and breathing hard from the cold ripped pages from a book and stuffed them under his shirt and coat.
"Dude, what are you doing?" he asked.
Bill shrugged, "Insulation, newspapers best, but this will do, you spend years on the streets and you learn these things!"
Jensen nodded, "Cool."
"Here..." Bill said, throwing a book to Jensen who caught it, "Try it!"
"Thanks man!" Jensen replied, he was a little surprised when this "tramp" has offered his tip out of kindness when Jensen had rubbed his wealthy lifestyle in his face for so long.
Across the room and on another two leather seats pushed together was Roxy and Joey top to tail. They were having a game of "Anywhere but here."
"Okay I have one," Joey began, "On a cruise ship with my Dad on the way to a soccer game in England, the ship broke down and we got stuck, way out in the Atlantic somewhere and it rained constantly," he chuckled to himself remembering the trip.
"That's it? That's your favourite place to be? That sounds really boring," Roxy added with a wry smile.
"It was actually really nice, it was the one time me and my Dad got to spend the whole weekend together, just hanging out, playing guitar, poker in our room."
Roxy smiled and shrugged.
"Okay, now you?" Joey asked.
"Well that's easy, Johnny Depp at the Caribbean!" she said with a laugh.
Joey laughed to and joked, "You know my Dad could probably arrange that!"
They laughed together making Frankito and Stella come over.
"What are you two turtle doves doing?" Frankito said.
"Oh, just having a quick game of Anywhere but Here!" Roxy replied.
"Ah I know where I'd be, with my Dad at Ronald McDonalds!" And everyone laughed out loud. Stella shoved him, "Stop talking about junk food I'm starved!" she moaned.
"So, what about you Stella, where would you rather be?" Joey asked.
"Ah well I'd have to say... with my Dad at one of his concerts, or maybe with Dean Barrera in the broom closet at school!"
Frankito turned and stared shocked, "What? I'm gonna kill that jackass!"
This made everyone laugh at him and he sat in a huff.
Stella smiled warmly to herself.
SOMEWHERE HIKING IN THE SNOW TO NEW YORK
Elisa was leading the team, Tre was behind her and Jack was next and Brian was at the back or at least they thought he was. The wind was howling and they couldn't here anyone if they yelled unless they were in close to face range.
It was when Jack announced Brian's rope came lose and he got left behind somewhere.
"Did he put an extra locator device in the sleigh?" Elisa asked Jack.
"Yes, I think he did!" Jack said, reaching in and handing it to Tre. "Hold this, she'll need it!"
They bustled in through the snow, Tre was the next to speak, and he tapped Elisa on the shoulder.
"Hey, we're on the New York Galleria!" he said happily, "care to drop and shop?"
"What?" Elisa gasped and looked down, she brushed some snow away and stared in horror.
"We have too..." it was too late; the sleigh had fallen through the glass and dragged them with it. Elisa took her trusty ice pick and stabbed the glass. They stopped and when she looked back, Jack was gone.
"JACK!" she yelled out loud and banged the glass below her to get Jacks attention, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I just dropped in to do some shopping! I gotta lose this sleigh!" he said, taking out a knife which made Tre gasp, and cut the rope beneath him. The sleigh fell fast and as it hit the inanimate escalator below it broke in half. Jack realized that if he fell that's what would happen to him.
"Hold on, we'll pull you up!" Elisa yelled. She turned to Tre who was at the edge of the whole, "Tre, you'll have to support Jack's weight!" she pointed out.
"Okay I'll try!" and he raised himself up on the ridges.
"Okay, I think I have his weight now!" Tre said.
"Alright I'm coming to you!" Elisa said and shuffled on her belly toward Tre.
Tre panicked as the glass beneath him started to crack, "The glass is breaking!" he yelled to Elisa.
"There's too much weight... it's not going to hold!" Jack added in realization. The thought of the sleigh rose to mind as he contemplated what he must do.
Tre gasped in pain as his hands cut into the ridges and the blood poured thick and fast.
Jack pulled out his Jack knife again.
Elisa brushed the snow from below her.
"Jack I can get you out!" she yelled, fearful of what he was about to do.
"Don't do it!" she yelled as she saw his hand rise off the rope.
Tre yelled too, "No Jack, don't..."
With one big effort Jack cut the rope!
"NOOOOOOOOOO... Jack!" Tre and Elisa yelled.
They watched him fall, a repeat of what the sleigh did and fresh tears clouded Elisa's vision. Her mentor was gone, a man who was like a father to her... her teacher.
Gone... forever! Tre gasped in horror and turned away shuffling to Elisa. He threw his arms around her and cried along with her, it was all too much. The realization that civilization might not survive, all this snow, the hope that they'll make it and the realization that they won't... and now this... a good friend and helper committing suicide to help his friends. Tre felt sick, he wasn't suppose to be here, none of them were, thoughts of Ramona and Frankito came to mind, he had to get to them. More importantly at that moment he was all Elisa had left... and he would not fail her.
NEW YORK
Roxy lay awake and shivered; she couldn't feel the pain on her leg anymore, a bad sign. Suddenly she felt warm and fuzzy, and she coughed. Joey turned abruptly and walked over to her, "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine, I just can't sleep!" she replied.
"My mind keeps going over those worthless decathlon facts!" she snorted.
"That's pretty stupid, huh?" she breathed.
"No it's alright, it's not stupid, I guess you just haven't had time to adjust yet!"
"How am I supposed to adjust, Joey?" she said tearfully.
"Everything I've ever cared about, everything I've worked for has all been for nothing. This acceptance into Harvard is all for nothing, preparation for a future that no longer exists!" she remarked.
Joey made a confused face and looked away.
"I know you always thought I took the competition too seriously, and you were right! And it was all for nothing," Roxy announced.
"No, No I just... I just said that to avoid telling you the truth."
"The truth about what?" Roxy asked.
"About why I joined the team," Joey said, "I joined it because of you!"
Roxy stared in disbelief then when he looked away she said, "Hey..." he looked at her and she stared into his eyes... she grabbed him and pulled him slowly into an affectionate kiss.
Frankito saw this and roused Stella, "Hey Stell, look!" he said.
Stella smiled, "About bloody time she yelled!" but the kissing couple didn't hear they were too lost in each other.
Stella snorted, "Lucky for some!" she snapped.
"I know!" Frankito agreed.
"Oh please, you could have any girl you wanted!"
"Yeah well maybe I don't want just any girl!" Frankito snapped.
"Well who is she that you want then?" Stella asked.
"Not telling you?"
"Why not?" Stella snapped.
"Just because... I'm gonna check on Tori and Cadence!"
"They have their brother!"
"He's asleep!" and Frankito got up.
Stella sighed and stared into the fire.
Jensen watched her and sighed after Frankito, he was getting on his last nerve, and he got up and walked over to Stella.
"He seems shy but that's no excuse to play you the way he does, you've showed him you like him so much to the point you're chasing him and it's not fair!"
"I know but what else can I do!"
"Play games back," he said, leaning in for a kiss. Stella obliged. Frankito saw this and stormed out of the room. She watched him stunned and pushed Jensen away, then got up and followed him.
"What's wrong with you?" Stella demanded when she caught up with Frankito in the cafeteria.
"Nothing!" he snapped.
"No you have something face. Every time I hook up with a guy or talk about hooking up with a guy you get all bothered and angry, but you won't admit you like me. I never confronted you until now because I was afraid of making an idiot of myself, but I've had enough, I've really had enough, I like you Frankito Cool and if you like me you should just admit that instead of playing gam..." Frankito held a finger to her lips.
"Shhh, no talking," he pulled her toward him and kissed her passionately on the lips.
Stella pulled away, "What are you doing?"
"KISSING YOU!" Frankito said pompously.
"Duh, but do you think I'm an idiot, you wont tell anyone what your doing, it's only because you needed someone and I was convenient, no one is here that's why you are kissing me!"
"No, this is for real, I was too afraid to tell you because I didn't think you liked me, I guess I was wrong! I've always been a bad judge!"
"R... really?"
"Yes! I'll prove it to you!"
"How? And I thought you and Tori where going out?" Stella whined.
"No, she's into Jake! Now come on!"
"Where are we going?" Stella asked thoughtfully.
"Back to the fire, it's too cold out here!" Frankito said, pulling her by the arm, but Stella hesitated.
"Maybe we should have one more kiss, I'd like to get my fair share before I never get them again!" Stella suggested.
"No! Because you will get another, and another and lot's more, we're going now, come on!"
Frankito pulled her back into the room and right up to Joey and Roxy, "I have something to show you!" And with Frankito kissed Stella again and everyone gasped.
"I thought you weren't into her?" Cadence gasped, "I thought you were into my sister!"
"What? Frankito? Cady, whatever gave you that idea?" Tori laughed.
"He did, when he was always buzzing around you," Cadence remarked.
"I did, but only because I thought I never had a chance with Stella and I thought if she saw me moving on then she would open up to me."
"Jeez..." Cadence remarked.
"It's about time!" Joey said.
"Yeah same goes for you, too!" Frankito said.
"Frankie, no musical sleeping bags!" Ramona ordered snidely.
"Shut up Ramona, and my name isn't Frankie, for fuck sake!"
Stella looked as though she was a Green Day fan just been kissed by a member of Green Day!
"I think I should sleep, or sit down or something!" Everyone laughed and she and Frankito took back their spot by the fire, the only difference was he was lying right beside her as close as he could get.
The next morning Joey awoke and roused Roxy, but she wouldn't wake up.
"Someone help... QUICK... SOMEONE!"
"What the hell is wrong with you, Armstrong!?" Ramona said aggravatingly getting up from her dreamy sleep.
"It's Roxy, she won't wake up!" Joey exclaimed.
Stella and Frankito awoke in each others arms and came over. Jake, Jensen, Cadence and Tori surrounded Roxy, followed by the librarian and Bill.
"Last night she only had a fever, I don't understand!" Joey panicked.
"She does look awfully pale," Tori exclaimed.
"Well guys, look, none of us has had anything to eat for days!" Bill said.
"I think its hypothermia!" Ramona said.
"Oh, how can it be hypothermia we've all been here?" Jake protested.
"Maybe it's just the flu!" Cadence offered.
"No, no, it's not the flu!" the librarian said.
"And how do you know that?" Jake demanded.
"Books can be good for something other than burning you know, okay let's go over her symptoms," she added,
"I told, she has a fever and a really cold sweat!" Joey said.
"How's her pulse?" the librarian asked.
Tori leaned over and held her wrist...
"It's really fast!" Tori announced shaking her head.
"Does she have any injuries like a cut that could have gotten infected?" the librarian asked.
"She was complaining about a cut on her leg a few days ago... I didn't think anything of it!" Cadence said.
Joey gave her a look and rushed to check her legs.
When he pulled back her trouser leg he gasped in horror, "Oh my God!"
Joey felt sick he turned away.
"That's blood poisoning... ah... septicaemia, she could go into sceptic shock, she needs a massive dose of penicillin... or a broad spectrum antibiotic or... oh dear..."
"What?" Joey demanded.
"...Amputation..."
Joey gaped in horror and gasped.