Page 28 of Everybody Needs a Hero

Looking at her water glass, the liquid was subtly but undoubtedly shaking. There was a slight rumbling sound, and as it increased, the silverware on the table jumped. Suddenly, Ashley grabbed her hand. “Oh God,” she said, her voice tight with fear. “It’s another earthquake.” Before Bryce could answer her, the rumbling stopped. They all sat in silence for a minute. Then, everyone in the restaurant started talking, asking each other, “Was that an earthquake?” and “Do you think we should leave?”

Bryce laced her fingers through Ashley’s to hold her hand tight. “It’s over,” she said. “We’re okay.” She looked at the other two women at the table. Tess was white as a sheet, but Drew appeared to have taken the event in stride. “Tess, are you okay?”

Slowly, Tess nodded. “I think so,” she said. “But I want to go home. Just in case.”

“Do you think it will happen again so soon?” Ashley asked, her hand gripping Bryce’s even tighter. She knew the woman understood there was no way to predict if another earthquake was coming.She’s reacting because of what happened before, she thought, hoping the slight tremor was the last of earthquakes for a long time. Still, a part of her wondered if Mother Nature was done, and she wished they had Floyd the dog with them.

22

After Tess left a few hundred dollar bills on the table, Drew kept a guiding hand on the woman’s back as they followed Bryce and Ashley toward the restaurant’s main doors. Seeing people starting to bunch in the hotel lobby, Drew was glad they didn’t hesitate to go. If another tremor or worse hit and people panicked, leaving would prove to be a serious challenge. “Hey, watch where you’re going,” a man said when Drew bumped his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she said, accidentally stepping on another man’s toes as they weaved their way forward. “Only trying to stay up with my friend.”

Bryce wasted no time getting them outside the building and onto the front steps. Once they were clear of the mass of people, she saw valets racing to fetch cars, and she groaned. Her Pathfinder was parked in some location offsite with no easy way to get to it.

Seeing the apparent problem, Tess groaned too. “Damn it,” she said. “I didn’t even think of this complication. What are we going to do?”

For a second, Drew wondered if Tess’s fame could get them to the front of the line but knew the actress would never use her stature to cut in on other people. They would have to wait like everyone else. Suddenly, she heard a low rumble a second before the ground shook a little under her. The sensation was so minor, if there hadn’t been earthquakes already, she might not have noticed it. There was a ripple of voices from the crowd around her as people asked if others felt the movement. Not everyone appeared to have, but a few looked particularly anxious.

Coming out the front doors and pushing his way forward, one man reached the valet station ahead of the others. “I want my car,” Drew heard him insist. “My wife and I need to get home to our children.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” one of the valets said. “You have to wait in line. We’re moving as quickly as we can.” As he said the words, the rumbling started again, followed by another tremor. Again, it came and went in seconds, but a few women let out tiny screams.

Tess grabbed Drew’s hand. “I’m so scared,” she murmured as Ashley moved closer, putting her arm around her mom.

Her face was pale, eyes wide. “Me too,” Ashley said. “I only want to get out of here.” With no idea what to do, Drew scanned the crowd. Fear radiated off the group of people, and as a mass, they pressed forward on the valet station.

“Give me my keys then,” the same man as before growled, but Drew didn’t hear the valet’s response over the chorus of voices echoing his request. Drew clenched her jaw.There is no way we can get my car,she thought.And things are about to get out of hand.Walking, at least far enough to catch an Uber or taxi to take them home, looked to be their only option. She could come back and get the car later.

About to suggest that, Bryce was suddenly beside her, holding out her hand. “Let me have your valet ticket,” she said. “I have an idea.”

Not hesitating, Drew pulled the slip of paper from her pocket. “What are you going to do?”

“Going to get our keys,” Bryce said, already moving. “Is there anything unique on your keychain?”

She nodded. “I have a small, silver hummingbird on it.”

“Perfect,” Bryce said before disappearing into the crowd without explaining anything else. Looking at the mass of angry people at the valet station, her claim sounded impossible.Except it is Bryce, she thought.The Marine.Once she considered everything else the woman had done in the last few days, she felt they might have a chance. If anyone could fight a mob to get what she needed, it would be Bryce.

Drew squeezed Tess’s hand, putting her fear of being seen aside. It seemed silly to worry about it with everyone else focused on the earthquakes. Considering the circumstances, she didn’t believe anyone would notice or care what she and Tess were doing. “We’re going to be okay,” she said, Tess and Ashley both nodding. “But let’s move closer to the street and away from this group.” As voices escalated, she knew from her emergency department experience punches would be coming soon. When that started, she didn’t want them anywhere nearby.

Thankfulthe torrential rain had finally started to let up, Bryce slipped wide around the edge of the crowd until she was behind the valet station. Acting as if she belonged there, she walked into the space and considered the board of keys hanging on hooks. Overwhelmed, the valets were trying to keep the crowd under control while still fetching cars. Everyone in the group had focused on the poor guy in charge, not even noticing her taking a moment to find what she needed. Overhearing his pleas for calm, Bryce could tell the young man would cave to the demands for keys any moment. True chaos would break out as people rushed to get their vehicles when that happened.Even more reason to act now and get out of here, she thought, scanning the board for a silver hummingbird keychain. It stood out easily.

After she grabbed it and double-checked the ticket number to be sure, she waited until the next valet arrived with a car. A soon as he handed it over, he took off running to get another. Falling in quickly behind him she kept up with his pace even though he was in a full sprint. Bryce shook her head when she saw the multistory parking garage they headed toward. When the wave of upset drivers descended on the location, the traffic getting out of the many levels would be a nightmare. Not knowing how much lead time she had, she didn’t waste a second looking for the vehicle. Pressing the panic button on the key fob, she homed in on the shrieking car alarm in seconds.

A moment later, she was driving out, the tires squealing on the concrete. Once she hit the street, Bryce saw a steady stream of men and women headed her way down the middle of the road.Apparently, the valet gave in, she thought creeping along to avoid the people running without much regard for traffic.People lose all common sense when they start to panic. And it might not even be warranted.Two small tremors did not mean another earthquake would come any time soon. Still, considering the tragedy along the coast, people were wired tight. Even she had a funny feeling about the situation. Growing up in Bakersfield, a city close enough to the famous San Andreas Fault to live with the fear of the “big one,” she knew the possibility of a catastrophic event existed. There was something unusual about the repeated small tremors that seemed off to her.Like maybe it is some warning from Mother Nature. That premonition was even more reason to get to Ashley and the others.

Speeding up, after only a few blocks, she saw a man waving his arms over his head to get her attention. Slowing but not completely stopping, Bryce rolled down her window. Although the man wore a business suit, she wasn’t ready to trust any strangers. “What’s wrong?” she called to him, and he came toward the window. “That’s close enough.”

He panted, clearly not used to running anywhere. “Which way to the valet lot?” he asked between deep breaths. “I need to get my car. I’m not going to be downtown when it gets worse.”

Not appreciating his line of thinking but understanding why he was worried considering tall, concrete buildings surrounded them, Bryce pointed back the way she came. “About three blocks straight ahead. Parkade on the right,” she said. “Good luck.” Without waiting for a response, Bryce kept moving and was thankful to see Ashley with her mom and Drew standing at the corner.

Pulling over, she hopped out only to find Ashley in her arms for a tight hug. “You’re always amazing,” she said, a sob in her voice. Bryce hugged her back, holding out the keys toward Drew.

“We’re okay, Ashley. Try to stay relaxed,” she said before looking at Drew. “I don’t know the city streets at all. You should drive.”

Nodding, Drew reached to take the keys when a rumble started, seeming to roll over the ground lasting barely a few seconds. “Not again,” Ashley said, hugging Bryce tighter. “Why do these little ones keep happening?”

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