“Eat shit, Jack,” Harry snarled as he looked around for his boots and outerwear.

“This is a hell of a way to start the day,” Ted grumbled. “Are the phones working?”

“No, nothing’s working yet, but it stopped snowing, so that’s a plus,” Jack replied.

“I hate to ask this, but do we have a plan?” Espinosa inquired.

“Nope! Well, maybe we do, but I don’t know what it is. Yet.”

“I want to know where the horses are,” Harry said, petulance ringing in his voice.

“Well, guess what, Harry? I do not have the answer to that question, and I don’t give a shit if you like my answer or not. Get your ass in gear and let’s go. Those people are waiting for us over there. We have a job to do, so let’s just grit our teeth and do it.”

“I never thought I would hate you at four o’clock in the morning, but I do. Do not come near my person at four in the morning ever again. Do you hear me, Jack?”

“I do, Harry. I really do. You have my solemn promise that I will never go near your person at four o’clock in the morning. Ever again. Right now you are not my favorite person either, but I am willing to put that all aside and overlook your surly attitude considering our current circumstances and the hour. The translation to that, Harry, is, you can eat shit, too.”

“Will you two just knock it off already before one or the other of you kills someone, and Espinosa and I have to be witnesses,” Ted said, stomping his way to the door. “I can’t believe these damn phones are still out,” he mumbled and muttered to anyone interested in listening to him.

“Whoa! Hey, be careful out here. I can’t find the steps! Damn, the drifts are over the tops of the cars. Tread lightly, boys!”

It took them a full twenty minutes to slog their way three doors down to Maggie’s house, where they were greeted by the leader of the caravan of ambulances. He introduced himself as Archie Trumble, one of Snowden’s men. “Mate, I am so happy to meet up with you. They’re all yours now, and I can’t say I’m sorry to get rid of this particular delivery. We just unloaded the last of the supplies. Good luck, mate!”

“Hey, hold on. Don’t we need a little more information than you’re not sorry to unload this particular delivery and all the supplies are in the house?” Jack asked, a worried frown building on his face.