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Title: The Shadows Grow Long 14/18
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Tuesday, 12:50am, Bull Run National Park
Carl was more than a little bleary from the car crash earlier, so his shot was bad. Although Russ and Brian had known that his aim was mediocre at best, Carl always overestimated his shooting skills. Tonight, Carl just knew he had shot and killed her with that one bullet, so he just turned with a wobble and walked away, leaving her for dead.
It would be a long walk, but Carl knew of a barbecue joint somewhere near here, just off the freeway. A plate of ribs and eggs wouldn't go down wrong, he thought. Too bad it was after hours: he could really go for a brew. He'd make a call from there and a buddy of his could pick him up in a couple hours.
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Stephanie lay as still as she could. God, please don't let him turn around again, she thought. She could see him in the dark as he lit up a cigarette, but then he turned and walked off into the night.
She lay still waiting to make sure he wasn't coming back. As she waited she slipped in and out of consciousness, so she didn't know how much time had passed. When she woke up her leg hurt. Bad. She didn't know anything about gunshot wounds, except that she had one. She tried to remember if Carl Bernstein had ever been shot, but she was pretty sure that now she was "one up" on her favorite reporter.
When she felt certain Carl was gone and she was safe enough to move, she slipped her hand into her front pocket to retrieve her cell phone. With her hands shaking, she turned on the phone, and was relieved when she had both a signal and a solid battery.
"9-1-1. How can I help you?" the voice on the other end of the phone answered.
"I've been shot. By one of the men who shot the President. Please help me," her voice breaking.
"We can help. You've been shot by one of the men who shot the President? What's your name and where are you?"
"My name is Stephanie Abbott. And I don't know where I'm at. He carjacked my car at Rosslyn and made me drive. He shot me just now then walked away so he isn't very far. And he hates me...� Steph groaned as a wave of pain shot through her leg.
"Stephanie, we're going to get help to you right away. Stay on the line, and don't hang up. Do you think you can hold on for a few minutes while I arrange to get you help? How badly are you injured, Stephanie?"
"I've been shot in the leg. I was in a car accident earlier and I hit my head. Please, help. Call my mom and dad, too. They'll worry."
"Steph, we'll get hold of your parents as soon as we can. Honey, now let's get you help. Do you remember where you drove?"
The 911 operator, Cathy, introduced herself and asked Stephanie a few more questions to try and narrow down where she was. The whole city was a mess, every facet of every police force � local, state, and federal � was engaged in a manhunt looking for the third accomplice� and it looked like this woman had found him.
As she talked to Stephanie, she waved her supervisor over. Cathy asked Steph to hold on for a second while she called in help.
"I've got a woman on the line. She says she was carjacked last night by what sounds like the signal man from the shooting. He made her drive west on 66 - she doesn't remember the exit - then he shot her. She says he�s still somewhere right in the area, though."
While Cathy continued to talk to Stephanie, her supervisor went to call the Secret Service, knowing that this would be under their jurisdiction. While the supervisor was explaining the situation to the Agent she had been transferred to, Cathy came over wearing her wireless headset saying that she had more info from Stephanie about where she was, and the supervisor handed the phone directly to Cathy to save time. Cathy held the receiver with the Secret Service Agent against one ear and had her headset with Stephanie in the other ear.
She talked to the agent, "She says that she's in a park. It's very wooded. That when she took the exit she crossed back over the freeway, so that sounds like she'd be south of 66. She's really groggy, going in and out, but she said she thinks it took her about an hour to get there from Rosslyn but she knows that she's outside the beltway. I was looking at a map... maybe in Prince William County? She's really worried that this guy is going to come back, as he just walked away. So he must be nearby. Wait, wait. She's with me again..." as Cathy focused on the headset.
And everyone held their breath as Cathy listened to Stephanie, then, "Good job, Stephanie. We'll get help to you right away. Stephanie? Stephanie?!"
Cathy spoke into the handset again to the agent, "Bull Run! That's where she's at. She just remembered the sign from when she drove through the gates. And she's out again. You really have to find her, fast. I think she's lost a lot of blood from the GSW and I suspect she has a concussion, too, at least."
And within minutes help was on its way to Stephanie.
email Teresa
mercier_beaucoup at yahoo.com
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