Meanwhile...
Emma looked out the window of the now abandoned apartment building at the destruction all around. The gaping hole inside her, that she had tried to fill by assisting what was left of the search and rescue teams, was now aching more than ever. And it wasn’t helped by the fact that everything was now static. She had helped the remaining local cops round up some citizens that hadn’t evacuated, but now they were stuck. Some scouts, who apparently were working with the original Red Power Ranger, had stopped in and told them that all the major routes out of the city had been blocked by the aliens that had attacked. She couldn’t stand this silence, this eerie silence. Since moving to the city she had gotten used to the sounds of traffic, of people talking and moving, the low hum of electricity in the air. Now all there was, was silence. And waiting. She couldn't stand the waiting either, especially the waiting for someone to rescue her, she had promised herself she wouldn't wait on anyone to help her ever again, she would help herself.
She turned to face the room of refugees, most sat huddled in scared little circles. But a few, like her, were up and pacing. It had been 3 days since the scouts had left and since then they had just been sitting here, waiting for something to happen to them. They were almost out of the food they had scavenged from the building and Emma was itching to do something, anything. She had to make a plan.
“Hey,” she called quietly to Officer Jansen, the only official person in the room. He was just a beat cop, but he was one of the pacers. “we’re almost out of food. We haven’t heard anything new, good or bad, in days. We’re like sitting ducks here. I think we should start planning an evacuation.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. We know we’re safe here, but if we try to move, try to leave? How many people in here are fighters? I think we should wait till we hear word from Jason Lee Scott or SPD…”
“SPD is gone! And who knows how many groups like us are out there that he has to help? We have to help ourselves!” Officer Jansen shook his head.
“No. If you want to help, you can check everyone’s wounds again. Or take a couple people and sweep the building for anything we might have missed. I’m not risking these civilians just because you’re bored.” Emma’s anger tightened around her like a coil, blocking out her sense.
“And you’re a coward.” Just then, the silence was broken by a distant explosion. The refugees stirred. Emma and Officer Jansen rushed to the broken window. In the distance, down the street some people came into view. They got closer and closer, until Emma could see they were running, in fear of something. And they looked just like them, like refugees.
@spocommandertate
