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1700 Hours, November 7, 2013 – Mrs. Audrey Gill's house, Sedro-Wooley, WA

Tyler and Josh took advantage of Mrs. Gill's electricity to charge their cell phones. Molly couldn't. She left her charger in her luggage back by the high school. Josh judged that the cell phones might come in handy if they couldn't get a boat to get across the river that night. They had another MRE for dinner and waited for total darkness. The weather helped their cause. Clouds rolled in during the afternoon, bringing drizzle along. Surprise ... surprise ... it is Washington state. The clouds would obscure the nearly full moon, giving them more chance to escape undetected.

Molly tried to call her dad's cell phone but it died before she could reach her dad. Tyler had no signal. Josh loaned his buddy his phone but he couldn't get a connection. Josh called his home too. His dad answered.

"Josh?" a clearly confused Robert Warner asked when he answered his phone.

"Hey, Dad," Josh replied. "You're going to get a really ugly letter from the army in a day or two. Relax and ignore it. It is going to say I'm missing in action."

"Dear, God! What is going on?" Bob Warner gasped.

"I'm fine," Josh answered quickly. "I don't know how much news you've gotten, but our attack today didn't go real well. The army was forced back across the Skagit River. I didn't make it across before they blew up the bridges. I'm trapped with Tyler Serna here on the north side of the river behind Chinese lines."

"Serna?" Bob Warner asked.

"I told you about the new crewman in our tank when we Skyped a couple days ago," Josh said. "We're hiding in one of the houses here in this little town, Sedro-Woolley."

"I know the town," Bob Warner said. "We went to their Loggerodeo one summer on the way to Mount Baker. Do you remember? You were probably pretty little."

"That was here?" Josh replied. "I vaguely remember some logger show we went to. I was ... like ... five? I remember camping at Baker Lake better. I think it was the first time we camped there."

"It probably was," Bob agreed. "Do you think the army will retake the town? What are you planning to do now?"

"We're going to go down to the river later tonight when it's dark and find a boat, so we can get back across to American lines," Josh explained.

"Be careful, son," Bob said. "Maybe you better talk to your mother for moment too." There was a long pause while Bob got his wife, Laura, and explained the situation to her. She was frantic when she took the phone.

"Josh ... be careful," she begged. "Don't do anything stupid tonight."

"I will be careful, I promise," Josh answered. "We're back to safety in a few minutes tonight, if we find a boat. We will come back here if there are too many Chinese down by the river. We can hike out to the country, grab a car somewhere and drive up into the mountains if we can't get across the river tonight. Don't worry."

"I will say a prayer for you," Laura Warner promised. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," Josh replied. "Tell Jake he can't have my stuff when that letter comes from the army. I'll be back for it ... I promise." Jacob Warner was Josh's fourteen year old brother. There was another pause while Laura conveyed Josh's information to Bob.

"Josh, your mother told me your alternate plan," Bob Warner said. "Remember the things we taught you about travelling in the mountains. You need emergency food, water, sleeping bags and extra warm clothes."

"I understand, Dad," Josh said. "You taught me well. We'll be prepared if we head into the mountains. One more thing, Dad ... could you call Tyler's parents on a land line and let them know what is happening? Tyler couldn't get through on his cell."

"Sure, I can do that," Bob Warner replied. Josh gave his dad Tyler's contact info. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, Dad," Josh replied. "I'll be careful. See you soon."

--oooOooo--

Around 1830 hours, the three carefully checked the outside for signs of Chinese troops. Everything seemed quiet. They sneaked out the backdoor of Mrs. Gill's house and headed west in the alley behind her house. They kept to the edges of buildings and in shadow as much as possible. They could hear Chinese vehicles running and troops talking to the west, around the high school. Their part of town seemed deserted.

Molly took them three and a half blocks east to Township Street, where they headed south for the river. Josh took the lead, carrying the M16 at the ready. Molly stayed in the middle of their group. Tyler covered the back with his M9 pistol. They scurried across the front yards, staying close to the houses so they had a place to hide if a Chinese patrol came by. None did. It took them about fifteen minutes to get the half mile through town and down to the boat launch.

The big parking lot was deserted. They checked the road down to the river and the boat launch itself. They found no boats.

"Now what, boss?" Tyler asked.

"Which way to the houses on the river?" Josh asked Molly quietly. "The ones that might have boats for us?"

"They're not too far down this way," Molly said, starting to walk towards the houses. A Chinese flare went up downstream, closer to the bridges. Josh motioned for everyone to stop. He directed Molly back to the middle of their group. An American and a couple Chinese machine gunners exchanged fire downstream from them. Josh held the group still until about five minutes after the fire died down.

Josh led the threesome downstream in the woods above the river bank towards the houses. They found nothing at the first house. Tyler scouted ahead to the second house while Josh covered him. Nothing. The group moved down to a group of low trees and bushes beside the third house. Tyler tried around the boat shack first. Nothing was outside and the door was locked.

The three could hear Chinese troops a few hundred meters down river from their position. Tyler motioned that he was going to check along the river bank. He came back a minute later, gesturing excitedly.

"I didn't find anything on this side," Tyler whispered. "There's a row boat on the far side of the river. It can't be more than 600 feet to the other side. I can swim it easy and bring the rowboat back for the rest of you."

"That's ice water," Josh commented as he pointed towards the river. "You'll freeze if you go for a swim."

"Nah, I won't," Josh countered. "My town does a polar bear swim on January 1st every year. I've done it since I was fifteen. I can do this."

"Your clothes and boots are going to weigh you down," Josh responded. "That river is snow and glacier melt."

"I'll strip down for the swim," Tyler said. "You guys can bring my clothes and gear along when I come back with the boat. I know it'll be cold while I cross. I'll get numb soon enough and the swim will keep me warm."

"You're sure?" Josh asked.

"I like a five minute swim better than Plan B," Tyler answered. "I don't want to take a hike through the mountains in the winter. That sounds like a great way to freeze to death. I lifeguarded at the Fremont pool for three seasons. I'll be fine."

Tyler was half undressed when Josh finally said, "OK, do it."

Tyler was down to his boxers when he gave Molly a Groucho Marx leer and pulled them off. "Baby, if you see anything you like, you can sample it when we're all on the other side of the river." He gave her another fake leer and added, "Wink ... wink ... nudge ... nudge." Molly just shook her head.

Josh and Molly stayed in the bushes at the edge of the river when Tyler waded in. "Shrinkage!" Tyler shrilled as he stepped in above his waist. He dove in the rest of the way and swam across using the side stroke, to avoid splashes and loud noises. The river's current pushed Tyler downstream as he swam.

Josh and Molly watched Tyler's progress. They lost track of him before he reached the far side. They saw him again when the white of his naked body showed in the dim light when he crawled ashore. He gave the two a wave and two thumbs up. The row boat was about a hundred meters upriver from where he was. He walked up the bank for the boat. He was half way there when another Chinese flare rocketed skyward, bathing the river in light.

Tyler froze but it didn't help. His white skin showed clearly in the flickering light against the trees and brush in the background. Moments later a Chinese gunner loosed a burst of machine gun fire his way. A second gunner targeted the naked soldier. The bullets ripped into Tyler's body and head. He dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks and didn't move.

Josh and Molly watched, horror struck. Molly started to sob. Josh reached his arm around Molly and held her. "Shhhh..." He cautioned. "We'll grieve for him, but not here or now." Josh rocked and cuddled Molly for a minute while she tried to pull herself together. "We have got to get out of here or we'll end up like Tyler."

Molly wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded her agreement. Josh led her away, backtracking their path to Township Road. They sneaked through the deserted streets of Sedro-Woolley, ending up at Mrs. Gill's house again.

"Now that you got your buddy killed, what's the plan, Mr. Smart-ass?" Molly demanded. Josh bristled but silently counted to ten before responding. Molly unknowingly was channeling Lauren Nye, the head cheerleader, high school diva, social trendsetter and queen bee of all that was cool at Josh's Avanti High School. Since a third grade playground spat, Lauren had made it her personal mission to make Josh's life a living hell throughout their time in school. She had been spectacularly successful as her social status rose in high school. Her favorite epithet for Josh had been Mr. Smart-ass – in honor of his curve-wrecking grades.

"Get some God-damned sleep!" Josh growled. "We will hole up here during daylight tomorrow and work on Plan B for tomorrow night."

Josh plopped his daypack beside the couch and sprawled out on it. Molly sniffed at the big oaf's attitude. She lay down in Mrs. Gill's bed and fell asleep.

--oooOooo--

November 8, 2013, Sedro-Woolley

Josh woke up around 0530 in the morning. He decided the smartest thing to do was go back to sleep. He and Molly weren't going to accomplish much during the daylight hours. They would need all the rest they could get if they were going to head into the mountains that evening. He managed to sleep until 0800. He cleaned up in Mrs. Gill's bathroom and then went out to the kitchen.

Josh found her refrigerator was fully stocked. He grabbed eggs, cheese, butter, jelly and bread. He was half done cooking cheesy scrambled eggs with toast when Molly came out to the kitchen.

"You're stealing Mrs. Gill's food?" Molly demanded. "Why aren't you eating your gray plastic bags of food?"

"We're going to need those when we head into the mountains," Josh replied evenly. "Mrs. Gill won't be back in time to use this food before it spoils. It's better for us to eat it than for it to go bad in her refrigerator, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Molly allowed.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Josh asked.

"Um ... I guess," Molly said. Josh dished out the food he had already prepared for Molly and cooked another batch of eggs and toast for himself. Molly started eating while Josh prepared his own food.

"Thank you for making and sharing this with me," Molly commented. "You're not too bad a cook."

"Thank you," Josh replied. "That's partly my Mom's influence and partly from being a Boy Scout. Both Mom and my scoutmaster insisted I had to learn to cook."

The two ate without further conversation. Josh washed the dirty dishes and frying pan when they finished. Molly said nothing but she was impressed that he took the trouble to wash up when he didn't expect Mrs. Gill to return to her home for quite some time, if ever.

"What's the grand Plan B you mentioned last night?" Molly asked.

"We rest and plan while we hide out here during the daylight," Josh explained. "Tonight we pick up the things we'll need and then head east into the mountains – by car if possible, on foot otherwise."

"You do realize that it is November, don't you?" Molly questioned. "Do you think we can walk through the mountains? How deep will the snow be? We'll freeze up there."

"We won't, if we are prepared," Josh agreed. "I hope we will be able to snag an SUV or truck outside of town so we can drive to safety. I want us to be prepared in case we have to walk instead."

"That's crazy!" Molly retorted. "Suppose we can get enough warm clothes to survive the cold. Do you really think we can carry enough food to last in the mountains until someone finds us? What about avalanches and wild animals? We would be much better off trying the river again tonight. We know there's a boat on the other side."

"We are NOT going back to the river and try to cross where we went last night," Josh insisted loudly. "Tyler died that way. That is NOT an option anymore."

"You're awfully cavalier about Tyler's death," Molly shot back. "You just don't give a damn, do you?"

"You have no idea!" Josh insisted hotly. He bit his tongue for a moment before continuing. "I wouldn't expect a princess like you to understand anything about me. Tyler and I served in a tank with a four man crew. I'm the only one left from the crew. I've lost five good friends in the past three weeks. You DON'T get to tell me how I should feel."

"I'm sorry. You're right," Molly answered quietly. "I didn't realize you lost that many friends." Molly stared at Josh for a few seconds before asking, "How do you propose to get someone like me through the mountains? I don't camp."

"Never?"

"Never," Molly confirmed. "My family always went somewhere nice for vacation ... you know ... like Hawaii, Acapulco, Fiji or the beaches in southern California. Why would anyone want to go to the mountains with all the bugs, rain and little critters running around in the dark? Ick!"

"California beaches are the only one of the places you went that I've gone too," Josh said. "My family loves camping in the mountains. Nothing's better than the peace and quiet, the sounds of the little critters running around at night and the flavor of a good meal cooked over a campfire. You can't beat dropping your lure in a peaceful mountain lake and spending the afternoon fishing."

"Do you really know how to camp in the snow?" Molly asked. "I don't see how I could possibly survive that."

"I did winter camping when I was a Boy Scout," Josh said. "I can teach you how it's done. All we need are thermal sleeping pads, zero degree sleeping bags and some kind of tent or shelter."

"Where are we going to get those things?" Molly demanded. "I doubt Mrs. Gill has much camping equipment here at her house."

"I have the answer to that question," Josh answered smugly. "We pick them up from the outdoors store in the center of town." Josh chuckled. "I saw they're running a sale on winter camping equipment right now. Are you familiar with them?"

"Skagit Outfitters on Metcalf Street?" Molly sniffed. "As if ... THAT is not the kind of store my friends and I go to."

"That kind of store may save your life," Josh answered. "Go through your things this morning. We are going to need to travel light. Leave anything you don't absolutely need here. I want to devote most of the weight in our backpacks to food. I think we should carry at least three weeks of food."

"OK."

"We're keeping all the ammo we have and leaving two of the pistols behind," Josh added. "Do you know how to use a pistol?"

"I grew up in this hick town full of deer hunters," Molly answered. "What do you think?" Before Josh could answer, she added, "My daddy taught me about guns when I was in elementary school. You aren't planning on shooting things out with the chinks, are you?"

"No, not at all," Josh responded. "I want to know if there is a point in you dragging a pistol along. That last thing I want to do is get in a firefight with the Chinese. My M16 and your pistol will be strictly for emergencies. Why don't you get to sorting through your things?"

"OK," Molly agreed. She headed into the living room. Josh dialed his father's phone.

"Josh? Thank God, you're alive!" Mr. Warner exclaimed when he answered Josh's call. "Are you safe? Are you with American forces again?"

"I'm fine," Josh answered. "I'm still hiding out on the north side of the river. We couldn't get across last night. It wasn't safe."

"At least you're alive," Mr. Warner said, relief evident from a hundred miles away. "Are you going to hike into the mountains to get away?"

"That's the current plan, Dad," Josh answered. "We're going to outfit ourselves at the local camping store tonight, hike east out of town and try to get a car or truck and drive the rest of the way up into the mountains."

"That sounds like a plan," Mr. Warner agreed. "I don't know where our family will be when you get out. The governor is ordering that all civilians in the state evacuate. The news has very little on the progress of the fighting. I gather that things are not going well."

"I watched my division get smashed yesterday," Josh answered. "I don't know how things are going anywhere else."

"Be careful tonight, Josh," Mr. Warner said. "We want you back with our family when this is over."

"I want that too," Josh agreed. "Did you talk to the Sernas yet?"

"I talked to them last night right after you called," Mr. Warner said. "They were relieved to hear that their son was OK."

Josh sighed before saying, "I wish you hadn't been able to get through to them. The Chinese shot and killed Tyler last night."

"Oh, God!" Mr. Warner responded. "Am I going to have to call those poor people back and tell them their son is dead?"

"No, Dad, that is not your job," Josh answered. "Call my National Guard armory and leave word with them. The Army can handle informing the Sernas about Tyler's death. Tell the army he died a hero. He swam across the river to get a rowboat so he could come back for Molly and me. A Chinese flare caught him in the light. A couple machine gunners cut him down on the south bank. I don't know if that will be much consolation to Tyler's parents, but it is all I can give them."

"I'll call the Army as soon as we're done talking," Mr. Warner promised. "By the way, who is Molly?"

"A local high school girl who missed the evacuation," Josh explained. "She's been with me since yesterday. She's going to head east with me and try to rejoin her family eventually."

"Should I try to track them down?" Mr. Warner asked. "What's her full name?"

"Molly Lawrence," Josh answered. "She lives here in Sedro-Woolley."

"I'll try to get the information to the evacuation office the state is setting up," Mr. Warner said. "They will have the best chance of tracking Molly's parents down."

"I probably won't be calling like this when we get into the mountains," Josh said. "We'll have to ration our power once we leave this house. I don't know what kind of reception I'll have either."

"Remember your WWII history, Josh," Mr. Warner added. "You have read about what the Germans did with the dams above Aachen. They used the Ruhr dams to send a flood down the river when the Americans were ready to cross. The Chinese will know to send people up to secure all the dams on the Skagit to prevent us from doing that to them. I would stay clear of the dams and lakes, if you can."

"Thanks for reminding me," Josh said. "It's been a long time since I read 'A Soldier's Story' [Gen. Omar Bradley's memoirs from World War II]. I love you, Dad. Pass that on to Mom, Ashley and Jake."

"Be careful, son," Mr. Warner answered. "I love you."

--oooOooo--

Chinese Humvees drove down Jamison Street three times during the day while Josh and Molly hid out. They didn't do a house to house search. Josh assumed the Chinese were just patrolling and looking for any stragglers, like them.

Josh checked Molly's daypack after lunch, to make sure she wasn't taking too many things. The two had a big argument about whether she really needed shampoo, scented soap, makeup, lipstick, a hair brush and an iPod Nano. Molly kept the iPod Nano and hair brush after fifteen minutes of heated argument. The weight saved by leaving the rest behind could provide for an extra day or two of food for their trek.

Josh and Molly used more of Mrs. Gill's food for lunch and dinner. Josh wanted to save the six MRE meal packs for their hike into the mountains. He hoped they would find freeze dried trail food at the outfitters, but he couldn't be sure of that. Josh found a hammer and a couple screwdrivers at the house. He planned to take them along, to help him break into the outfitters store. He could kick in the glass front door at the street but that would attract too much attention from the Chinese.

The two laid low until around 2100 hours. They left Mrs. Gill's the same way as the previous night – by the alley. Molly had Josh head east to Sixth Street, half a block from Mrs. Gill's. They figured they would be less likely to run into Chinese if they stayed further from the high school. They could see the Chinese coming and going from the high school building, as they sneaked across Bennett Street. Apparently it was being used as some kind of headquarters for the troops in the area.

Josh and Molly stayed close to the houses on the west side of 6th Street and they crept north for State Street, one of the town's main streets. A block past the elementary school, Molly had Josh head west in the alley that ran parallel to State Street. Josh heard a vehicle approaching from the west on State Street as they dashed past a church parking lot with an open view from State Street to the alley.

Josh and Molly ducked behind a fence and hid until the two Chinese Humvees passed their hiding spot. They waited a couple minutes before continuing their journey west to the center of town. The next block was through the backs of residential houses. Fences, trees and shrubs gave them the sense that they were hidden. They passed banks, diners, pizza parlors, a hairdresser, and a tattoo parlor in next two blocks.

Josh peered around the corner of the coffee shop when they reached Metcalf Street. The outfitter was located on Metcalf, half a block north of State Street. Josh and Molly planned to break into the store from the alley in the rear. Josh and Molly had to wait a minute until a Chinese Humvee went by down at the southern end of Metcalf near the high school. They dashed across Metcalf, taking cover by the bank building. The two crept forward quietly to the front of the bank. State Street was deserted. They dashed diagonally across the street, into the alley behind the stores fronting Metcalf.

Some civilian cars were parked in the alley, thankfully providing Molly and Josh cover while they broke into the outfitters. The fourth building up the alley was marked as, "Skagit River Outfitters."

"I'll be damned," Josh whispered when they looked at the door. The door frame was splintered and the door was half open. "This part is going to be easier than I expected." Molly and Josh ducked into the store, feeling safer and more protected than they had been since they left Mrs. Gill's house.

The glass counters of the gun displays were broken and half the cases were empty. Whoever came ahead of them came for guns. Josh shined his red glowing flashlight towards the fishing, camping and clothing sections. Nothing was disturbed there. Josh sent Molly over to get winter clothing for herself while he searched for ammo for her pistol. The store had it. Josh took one box. He also found ammo for a Colt AR-15. That was the semi-automatic civilian version of his M16. He took two boxes of ammo for his gun.

The two found a veritable gold mine of supplies for their trek at the store. They picked up waterproof boots suitable for trekking in the snow, winter clothing, snow shoes, sleeping bags, Therm-O-Rest pads, water purification tablets, a light weight stove and fuel, matches, bowls, spoons and canteens for Molly.

Josh had Molly try a couple backpacks for size before settling on one for her. Josh took a large pack for himself. Josh picked up a light weight two man backpacking tent. Molly took an identical tent for herself.

"We don't need that," Josh whispered.

"If you think you're sleeping in the same tent as me ... THINK AGAIN!" Molly snapped.

"Ssshhh!" Josh whispered back harshly. "This tent weighs about five pounds," he said as he pointed at the marking on the box. "That's two or three days of food. We need the food more than we need the privacy."

"Don't you dare think you are going to sleep with me!" Molly growled.

"If I wanted to hop in bed with you, I would have made my move already," Josh retorted. Josh headed for the trail food display area, muttering, "I should let her here. She's not worth the aggravation."

"What?" Molly gasped. Josh started picking bags of food off the display and stuffing them in his backpack.

"Maintenance is too high on the damn preppy cheerleader types," Josh muttered as he worked. "I'm going to carry half her stuff for her. She nags and bitches about everything. Why should I...

"You CAN'T leave me here!" Molly insisted. "What will happen to me?"

"Do you think you know more than me about camping?" Josh asked. Molly shook her head no. "I won't leave you behind ... IF you listen to me and do what I tell you."

"I'll listen," Molly said. "One tent is OK." Molly dropped the extra tent on the floor. Josh helped her load her backpack up with trail food. Josh noticed the book section while Molly was in the bathroom filling up her canteens. The store kept a complete selection of trail maps for northwestern Washington State. Josh grabbed a set of topographical maps for the area they were heading into. Josh filled up his canteens before the two left.

Josh and Molly backtracked to the alley south of State Street and followed it east through town. Two Chinese Humvees went by while they were heading out of town. They were able to get to cover before the patrols passed by. Molly suggested they use a back road to head east instead of following Route 20. They would have a better chance of avoiding the Chinese that way.

The two hiked about a mile out of town that dark, cloudy night. They passed a few houses but continued on. Josh felt they were too close to town. The two passed a small patch of woods before finding a row of houses on the north side of the road. They checked each house but found no vehicles. They passed a junk yard before coming to a small farm. A Ford F-350 pickup was parked beside the house.

Josh turned and gave Molly a big smile. "I think our ride awaits." The two walked over to the truck and checked it over. Josh checked the ignition, the visor, the ash tray and under the driver's seat. No luck ... no keys.

"Can you hot wire it?" Molly asked. Josh chuckled.

"I'm a computer geek, not a motor head," Josh said. "Remember ... I should be at Stanford right now studying computer science."

"So ... what are we going to do?"

"Elementary. The keys will be in the house somewhere," Josh answered. "We go in and have a look around. Even if the owner took a set of keys with him when he evacuated, he'll most likely have a spare set in the house ... somewhere."

Molly slammed the car door as she shut the passenger door. "Jeez! Keep it down," Josh cautioned.

"No one can hear us back in town," Molly answered. "It's no big deal."

"Let's keep it down anyway," Josh said as he motioned for her to follow him to the porch of the farmhouse. Josh tried the front door, but it was locked. He broke a pane of glass in the door with the butt of his M16.

"Now who is making all the noise?" Molly teased.

"I needed to do that," Josh answered as he reached through the broken window and unlatched the door. The two stepped into the kitchen of the house. They shined their flashlights around, looking for hooks, shelves or other likely places for the owner to place his car keys.

"FREEZE, LOOTER!" someone bellowed to their left. Light blinded them temporarily when someone turned on the lights in the room. Josh instinctively raised his M16 and turned toward the voice. Molly did the same with her pistol. "Don't move!"

They didn't move while their eyes adjusted to the brightness. They saw a short, muscular man in his late forties holding a hunting rifle on them when their eyes adjusted to the light. A thin boy, maybe 5'-6" and fourteen years old, flanked his father and held a shotgun on them.

"I'm sorry," Josh said. "I thought everyone had been evacuated north of the river. We thought your house was deserted."

"It ain't," the farmer growled. "You better explain yourself before I shoot both of you."

Josh lowered his rifle and reached across and pushed Molly's gun down towards the floor. "We mean you no harm. I'm a soldier who got trapped on the wrong side of the river. She got separated from her family when they evacuated town. We are looking for a ride east to Concrete."

" ... and you thought you'd steal my truck," the farmer snapped. He seemed less tense now that Josh and Molly lowered their weapons.