February 24th, 2013
Wyoming, near Kemmerer
1
Kenn listened to the early morning chatter at the boss's center table with only half an ear - something he usually never did. His clever mind was busy searching for a way to tell Adrian about the coming storm. He had no doubts, had seen the deep snow drifts around the tarp-covered outlines of two vehicles (two!), but how could he convince Adrian, without telling him about Angela?
"Lie," his mind whispered and Kenn looked up guiltily to see everyone staring at him.
"Sorry, what?" he sputtered.
Adrian frowned. "Supply list?"
Kenn handed it to him from the stack on the table, being careful not to let the stiff wind rip it from his fingers. "Here ya go."
Adrian looked it over, nodded, and turned to Neil. "Who's going with you?"
The cop handed him a smaller sheet of paper as a bird's wild call echoed, and they all looked up at the grit-covered sky. Tension gripped the crowd in the Mess, but when it wasn't spotted, the normal noises slowly resumed. Wind blowing tarps, the clink of dishes, footsteps, vehicles lining up for a full days travel - Adrian told himself he was just feeling jumpy.
"There are the names and some other details. Do you want…"
Kenn let their conversation fade away from him again, mind clearly not on the meeting.
Adrian sighed, banging his cup down hard on the picnic table. Everyone jumped and the Marine's eyes flew to his. "Is there something I should know?"
"Yeah," Kenn confirmed quickly, and Adrian was glad to see relief on his XO's scruffy face instead of the guilt he'd been expecting.
"It's gonna snow tonight and we'll be caught out in the open unless we get ready," Kenn announced, then waited, dreading the questions that would force him to lie to Adrian.
"Snow?"
Kenn set his cup down and squared his shoulders. "From the South, at least a foot by midnight, maybe more. We need to hole up somewhere."
Kyle, Doug, and Neil were looking at him with open mouths, but Adrian's tone was thoughtful.
"And what do you suggest?"
"We passed a mall in Green River, a the roller rink back in Rock Springs, but really, Kemmerer's only a few miles away, and it has a bowling alley with a mall across the street. We'll hook up heat, maybe even get a few lanes going," Kenn stated casually, ignoring the frowning guards. Adrian's opinion was the only one that mattered, and he looked at Kenn now, deep blue eyes shuttered.