A day had passed and Sweetie Bell seemed to be alright, James and the Crusaders had walked roughly seven miles and there were no complaints that emerged from Sweetie Bell. James and the Crusaders were in for a surprise when Katherine had booked for them to use jet-skis, once they found the place where they would be riding the jet-skis Dave took Apple Bloom while Katherine took Sweetie Bell, James had Scootaloo on the back of his jet-ski and they spent most of the time zooming around the other two jet-skis and trying to send waves over them. After that they ended up touring most of the Outer Banks in the SUV and by walking around the towns, once they got back it had become late and the wind had picked up, James and the Crusaders were so worn out from the day’s activities that they went to bed without another word. As the night grew, so did the wind, every now and then James would be awaken by the wind and waves battering the dunes, James assumed that this was caused by the hurricane and that they were catching the end of the storm. But James hoped that this wouldn’t last too long, he and his family would go back to New Jersey in two days and he was both glad and somewhat upset about leaving, he had shown the Crusaders the wonders of the Outer Banks and soon they would leave it forever.
“You know what,” he said to the empty room, “The last two days won’t be easy for the girls, but by God I’ll make them the best!”
James fell asleep a half hour later. James didn’t know how long he had been asleep but was stirred awake by a loud crash, he heard the wind outside whistling and the waves roaring onto the beach. James knew what was happening, the house was right in the path of the hurricane.
“Ah piss,” James said as he dove out of his bed and ran to his window. Looking out into the darkness he could just see debris and sand being blown around by the wind, he hoped that it would pass without causing too much damage to the house and leaving the car untouched. As James looked around out the window he saw something flying around and then flying toward his window. James had little time to react but he ducked before the object smashed through his window and battered his bedroom door, James looked up and saw there was glass all over the floor and the wind was now howling from outside.
“I’ve got to get everyone out of this house,” James thought as he rolled over the broken glass to retrieve his shoes. James pulled his shoes out from under the bed and slipped them on, he ran to the door as he brushed glass off of himself.
“Apple Bloom! Sweetie Bell! Scootaloo!” James yelled as he tried to dislodge the wooden beam that had smashed through his window and had now become jammed between the door and the wall. James furiously pulled at the beam hoping that it would move just enough for him to squeeze through and get everyone to a safe place.
James gave up and decided to risk going outside to reach the others. He ran to the screen door and tried to force it open, then the whole room shook and dropped a few feet, James lost his balance and fell onto the floor. He got up and looked around for what now had his room listing downward, before he had a second to react the room dropped again, James figured out that this part of the house was about to collapse. He ran back to the screen door and tried to open it, just as he succeeded the room started to crumble, James was thrown backwards away from the screen into the wall. Dazed from the impact James staggered to the door, he reached it and then the whole room then finally collapsed, James fell to the ground and was knocked out cold by a light fixture.
After what felt like several hours James woke up, through blurred eyes he could see daylight creeping though the blinds. James rolled over and felt a sharp pain run through his left arm, James wondered if he broke it when he was slammed into the wall. He prodded his arm and let out a yell, it didn’t seem broken but probably was cracked and badly bruised. As James clambered over the rubble of what was once his room he heard voices coming from outside, it wasn’t his parents but it sounded friendly.
“We heard something, is there anyone here?” came a voice.
“Hey!” James yelled, “I’m in here!”
“We got someone!” said a second voice, “It sounds like a kid!”
“Can you help?” James said.
“Sure thing we can,” said the first voice.
“Who are you people?” James asked as he looked through the window. He saw a few people who were in military uniform.
“We’re National Guard,” said a soldier, “We’re here to help.”
“Thank God,” James said as he cleared away some wreckage so he could see out the window better.
“Are you injured?” the soldier asked.
“Just my arm,” replied James.
“Can you give me your name?” the soldier asked.
“James Rogers,” said James, “What about yours?”
“Corporal Rickter,” said the soldier, “Why do you ask?”
“I’m just trying to keep things friendly,” said James.
“Ready with the digger,” a soldier said.
“Kid, get back from the wall,” Rickter said as he backed away. James obliged and watched as a small digger plow it’s way through his wall and three National Guard soldiers enter through the hole.
“You okay?” one soldier asked.
“Better now that I have a little help,” said James. The soldiers took James out of the ruined building and over to an ambulance where a paramedic cleaned the blood off of James' head and patch up other cuts and scratches.
“So you were in that room when the support beams collapsed?” the paramedic asked.
“Sure was scary,” said James, “Glad it’s over though.”
Some commotion coming from the National Guard soldiers got James' attention. Two soldiers had found his parents.
“They keep saying that there are others in the house but it’s too risky to go in,” said a soldier.
“Sir we are here to aide those in need,” said another soldier.
“Who are the others that the two adults claim are in the house?” the first solder asked.
“Three girls aged at twelve, physical description of them is a little unusual but they said we’ll know them when we see them,” the second soldier said as he showed the first a picture. Something inside James' head clicked back into place, he knew who the soldiers were taking about. The Crusaders were still trapped in the ruined remains of the house. The house had collapsed somewhat and the only standing part was the area that was supported by the shed and garage, James jumped up and ran over to the soldiers.
“Should we search?” said the first soldier.
“You damn well should,” said James.
“Who let the civvie in?” the first soldier asked.
“I was in that house when it fell,” James said, “There are kids in there, they are under my protection. You have to search for them.”
“On who’s order?” the second soldier asked.
“On mine,” James said, “I’m an Enforcer and I am ordering you to search that house!”
The two soldiers looked at James them back to one another.
“I don’t believe that,” the first soldier said, “But I’m letting you lead the search anyway, you seem determined that there are others in the building.”
“And I won’t stop until I find each one of them,” said James.
James led four soldiers to the front door of the house. James tried opening the door but it was jammed shut, the soldiers each tried opening the door but failed.
“How are we getting in there?” one soldier asked.
“If one door does not open, another will,” James said, he then punched through a window.
“That’s a window,” said another soldier.
“I still got us inside,” said James, “Now get inside and search.”
The soldiers followed James' orders and searched the remains of the house. Several minutes later James called the girls using their fake names.
“Abigail! Samantha! Susie!” he yelled, “Where are you?”
“Help me!” came a response, it was Apple Bloom.
“Get moving!” James said to the soldiers. They ran to the location of the voice and searched the ruins of a bedroom, one soldier found Apple Bloom trapped under a cabinet.
“Hey, you’ll be okay,” the soldier said taking Apple Bloom’s hand in his, “Found her!”
James and the other soldiers helped move the cabinet off of Apple Bloom and get her to a paramedic outside, they then search for Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo.
“Anyone in here?” a soldier said.
“Over here!” Sweetie Bell yelled. James was the first to reach her, Sweetie Bell was hanging onto a pipe that was suspended over a ten foot drop over jagged rubble.
“How long have you been hanging here?” James asked.
“Two hours,” Sweetie Bell replied, “Help me up!”
Two soldiers grabbed Sweetie Bell’s arms and hoisted her up to level ground. As she was taken to the ambulance James and the remaining two soldiers looked for Scootaloo.
“Where is she at?” James said as he looked in a closet.
“We’ve called her name several times with no result,” said a soldier, “What if she isn’t in here?”
“I know she is, I can feel it,” said James.
“Over here,” said the other soldier, James looked down the ruined hallway that was lit by the soldier’s flashlight. He could see something just down at the other end.
“What is that?” the first soldier asked.
“I’m expecting the worse right now,” James said while he proceeded down the hall.
James and the soldiers carefully walked down the hall and reached the strange mass, it was Scootaloo lying on the floor, unconscious and bleeding heavily from a gash on her head.
“No,” James said quietly dropping to his knees.
“Shit,” said the first soldier, “This isn’t good.”
“No no no,” James said taking Scootaloo’s head in his arms.
“She’s got a big head wound,” the second soldier said as he took out a first aid kit.
“Scoot,” James said, “Can you hear me?”
“Is she still breathing?” the first soldier asked.
James felt for a pulse and listened for her breaths, there was life still in her.
“Thank you God,” James said as the second soldier wrapped a bandage around Scootaloo’s head.
“Is Scoot her nickname?” the soldier asked as he wiped some of the blood off of Scootaloo’s face.
“Yeah,” James said, “I think she’s unconscious. Can I have your canteen?”
The second soldier gave James his canteen, James undid the top and pored some water in Scootaloo’s face. James got the result he was hoping for, Scootaloo spluttered and coughed as she was revived.
“It works,” said James.
“That’s unusual,” said the first soldier.
“Where am I?” Scootaloo asked.
“Let’s get you outside first,” James said picking her up. Grunting a little from the strain on his cracked arm James carried Scootaloo out of the house and to a paramedic, James was setting her down when he was approached by Rickter.
“Nice going there,” said Rickter.
“I promised that I would protect these girls to the end,” said James.
“And it looks as if you fulfilled that promise,” Rickter said.
“It’s not over yet,” James said.