Finding Kate

Chapter Twenty Nine: The Quest

What I'm gonna live for?

What I'm gonna live for?

Who you gonna fight for?

I can't answer that.

Bryn Christpher – The Quest

It was too early for morning rush hour traffic and for that I was grateful. The roads were thankfully clear as we zipped along in my black SUV heading to Daniel's school. In the passenger side Autumn sipped from the travel mug of green tea as I changed gear. She was eight months into her pregnancy and glowing. She was still slender, her bump only producing from the front. From the back you couldn't ell she was having a baby. A quality I envied, knowing me, I'd blow up like a balloon if I ever got pregnant again.

"Thanks again for coming to this class with me. Mike's devastated he can't make it." she uttered serenely.

I shot a smile her way before focusing back on the road.

"Hey, he got a break in his case and I didn't have any plans today so I don't mind. Besides I'm your plan B." I quipped glancing in the rear view mirror and smiling at Daniel tucked into his car seat in the back.

"You ok there bud?" I asked, maintaining my gaze on the road ahead of us.

"Yea, Matilda's mommy and daddy are mean." he told me, his eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated on the pages he was reading.

"Reading age of eight plus." I mentioned to Autumn raising my eyebrows as she whistled.

"Your gonna grow up way smarter than me Spud." Autumn turned in her seat, and gave Daniel an affection wink.

"I'm going to be a scientist. I'm going to work for NASA and help build houses on the Moon." Daniel informed her.

Autumn stared a him for a second, before Daniel continued enthusiastically.

"That way if Global Warming gets worse we have somewhere else to live. That and I think vacations on the moon would be pretty cool." Daniel added, almost dreamily.

Autumn turned back in her seat.

"He's definitely five right?" she teased, shaking her head in shock.

"Yea, he's definitely Tim's son with that mind. We've already started putting money aside so he can pick whatever college he wants to go to." I said, slowing down as I came up to a junction, and clicking the indicator to signal left.

There was a Silver Sudan approaching on the right hand side, I waited for it to slow before pulling out to make my turn.

"Mike's already been putting money away, he's decided he wants to buy us his great big house in the suburbs..."

The impact was instantaneous. The sequel of twisting metal erupted through the air as the entire car shifted. I was slammed against my door cracking my head on the frame as the car shuttled sideways. I slammed on the breaks, the SUV's wheels locked pitching us into a spin as the Sudan plowed into Autumn's side. I could hear Daniel's screaming as I fought to gain control of the car.

Our passenger side slammed into the driver's side of the Sudan rendering Autumn and driver of the Sudan's doors trapped. My vision went hazy after my head smashed into the window with enough force to make me see stars. My chest was on fire, there was a dull ache from where the seat belt had bruised.

Daniel was crying hysterically behind me. I groaned as my fingers slick with moisture fumbled with the seatbelt that bound me to my seat.

"It' s, ok baby." I murmured, trying and failing to use the mechanism of the seatbelt.

There was something wrong with my head. The world was spinning and black spots were exploding in my vision as pain cut through me. I could hear the roar of a car as it drove closer, someone needed to call the paramedics and I was grateful o know help was on he way. I twisted my head to catch a glance of Autumn.

She was out cold. The metal of the passenger side door was jutting into her body. There was blood trickling from tiny cuts caused by her window breaking on impact. The dashboard above her knees had collapsed pinning her into her seat. Her skin was pale and there was a thick sheen of sweat covering her. Her breathing was low and ragged. Her bump was pressed against the collapsed dash board. I knew that could not be good for the baby.

The stench of gas almost made me wretch as it assaulted my nostrils. It took a second for it to filter through my brain what the smell meant, how much trouble we were really in.

"Daniel... I need you to take a deep breath and stay calm for me, ok? Just take a deep breath." I followed my own advice, fighting off the panic raging inside me as I forced the pads of my fingers to stop quivering and start cooperating.

I heard Daniel's door open, a woman's soothing voice cooing as she lifted him out of he car. His screams became louder, I heard him calling my name as I managed to slam the palm of my hand on the release button of my seat belt.

"It's ok Daniel, It's ok." I mumbled feeling myself getting more and more tired. Darkness was twinging at the edges of my vision as I used my left hand to grip the door handle and my foot to gain momentum order to get my door open from it's misshapen frame.

A rush of cool air swept through, clearing my head a little as I turned to the problems Autumn was having. I hit the release button on her seat belt, and managed to loop her arms around my neck, in an attempt to pull her from under the dashboard.

I had no choice but to move her, especially with the scent of gasoline filling up the car with every second we stayed inside it. I'd managed to drag Autumn half way across both car seats, when strong hands wrapped around my waist and tugged me backwards, hurling me away from both the car and Autumn. My shoes scrapped across gravel, as I tried to lunge for Autumn.

"My friend." I screamed, struggling against strong arms. "My friend's still trapped in the car ad she's pregnant."

"She shouldn't be be here Kate. She never comes with you. It's always just you and the kid."

I spun around feeling my hackles raise as I faced John Hagen, fists clenched. I didn't want to know why he was here, or how he knew I was here because as much as it sickened me to admit it, right now I needed him.

"Just help me get her out of there." I pleaded through grinding teeth.

His hand enclosed on my arm as my head spun a little faster.

"We need to leave right now." his voice was hard as he pulled me along.

I dug my heels into the ground as Daniel shrieked my name. I twisted as John wrenched me closer. My eyes fell on Daniel struggling as a blond hair woman carried him towards a Red Corvette. The woman's face looked familiar, even my spinning head could put the pieces together.

Jessica.

I wrenched my arm from John's grasp and made a leap for Daniel, my knees buckled underneath me. I hit the concrete hard, shock reverberated through my body, the world tilted sideways for a second and I realized smoke was bellowing from the engine of my SUV.

Autumn.

My eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air. The stench of gasoline was everywhere now, it tasted sharp on my tongue as I inhaled it. I felt myself slide sideways, the rest of my body laying down across the tarmac. It seemed like a good place to rest despite the fact it was cold and brittle against my face.

John's large warm hands shifted underneath my body, he was picking me up in his arms and cradling me close against his chest as if I was child. I couldn't resist, my body was surprisingly unresponsive. My head tilted back as the darkness rushed me.

"You've got a concussion Kate, try to stay awake." John sounded far away, my brain stumbled over the words.

I tried to claw myself back into reality and found myself even more drained.

"Help them." I begged weakly. "Please help them."

"I've already called emergency services." he reassured me.

I heard the sound of a car door opening, the feel of soft leather underneath my body and then there was nothing.