
"I'm going to go and see if I can find Quint", Martin whispered to Polly so Mikey wouldnt hear, "Bakers back there with Mrs. Quint. When he comes out, tell him where I am going...I've tried every place I know of to find him, so I figure I'll try and make it as far as the hospital, going up Main, then Claussen then Starfish avenue on my way there...I'll come down Beachfront on my way back...and Simms should be out there, still, looking for an ambulance to get here to Mrs. Quint...". Just then, Simms stumbled in, dripping wet. "Where the hell have you been?", Martin asked Simms, "Did you find an ambulance?". "I couldnt, Chief...", Simms panted, out of breath, "Roads are all blocked with downed power lines and debris...Beachfront is totally impassible because of the high waves flooding it all out". "Sonofabitch", Martin hissed through his teeth, sure not to let Mikey (Or Polly) hear him..."Look...we've got to find the mayor!!". "Theres no way we can get more than two blocks from here, Chief", Simms said, "Unless its on foot - and walking in the wind is impossible!...That wind is blowing well over a hundred miles per hour out there!" Martin stood there, contemplateing about what he should do,next. He got an idea. "We can get to the firehouse, cant we?", he asked Simms. "'Fraid not, Chief", Simms said, shaking his head, "The cabin of somebodys boat is setting in the middle of Longline street and a telephone pole has fallen against the front of the firehouse, trapping the main doors...". "My wife and kids are supposed to be in the firehouse, Simms!", Martin frantically told him, "I've got to get there!!". Simms grabbed Martins arms to stop him from leaving, "Chief...the powers off all over the island", Simms reminded him, "No one there is going to get hurt...theyre inside, theyre safe...and we'll go get them when the storm is over...they'll be safe there...in the meanwhile, we have to stay safe, too...". Just then, Burns and Ray O'Connor came into the station with several more rescued islanders. "This is it, chief...", Burns said, "These were all the folkls we could find anywhere on the island before the hurricane started bearing down on us real good...we managed to cover a good amount of territory before then, though...looks like everybody made it to shelters okay...no ones around, anywhere". "Except for one", Martin said. "Whos that?", Burns asked. Martin gave him a tired, frustrated look, "The mayors still out there...looking for his wife and his son...who are here...". Burns and Ray glanced at each other, wide-eyed, then turned thier gaze back at Martin. "What should we do, chief?", Ray asked, "I mean, Quints a buddy of mine...I just couldnt leave him out there...". Martin told him, "Well...Quints a buddy of mine, too...but, hes a big boy...I guess he can take care of himself out there...he'll have to...theres nothing we can do now except wait out the storm...". "...And pray...", Burns said. Martin turned to look out of the window that hadnt been broken and sighed heavily...he was about to let on how worried he really was about that stubborn, hard-headed old mule, Michael Quint! Lindy awoke early the morning of the 4th. She wanted to look her best when she went to pick Mike up from prison on this first day of his freedom in so long. And you can best believe that he was ready and waiting for her, too. The prison guard could barely get the gate open fast enough for Mike to get through it, out to Lindy's waiting arms. She got out of her car and ran to him. He ran to her. They hugged and kissed as he lifted her high off the ground in a welcoming embrace. "I've been waiting for this day for such a very long time", she smiled down at him, happily. "I've been waiting too, honey...", he grinned up at her. But had he been waiting for her, or...something else...? They stopped at a little cafe near Waquoit Bay (pronounced wahk-oyt) to have lunch before going onto the ferry in Falmouth, then onto 'home', Amity Island. Mike would spend this night in his parents home and tomorrow, they would be married then off to Tahiti. But, after spending and exhausting day visiting, unpacking, making a long visit to his parole officer (Mike hated the long lectures he would get from his P.O. everytime he would be released) and meeting with his new boss, he wanted to turn in early. He took Lindy home, despite the urges he was fighting to make love to her. After all...he had been locked up a long time...but he knew Lindy wanted to remain 'pure' for thier wedding. He didnt mind the wait...it would make it all the more better when he did finally get it. They said thier good-bye's, but he was a little 'stand-offish' because he knew if he got too close to her, it might be too tempting for him and he wouldnt be able to back off and things would go way too far, so he hurried to his car and drove off. He went straight 'home', to his parents house. His parents didnt talk much with him, then again, they never did, anyway. Mike wondered if his mother was afraid of him? She certainly acted as if she was... They ate a quiet dinner, then Mike went to his old room. Nothing had been changed in there...everything was still the same as it was when he had last seen it. He mused how strange it was that his extremely religious mother had left the posters on his wall of those heavy-metal rock groups he loved so much...hell, even his girlie magazines were still in the boxes under his bed, right where he left them. "Ahh...maybe the old bat gives a shit after all...", he mused as he closed his night table drawer that he noticed still contained the cigarette rolling papers for the joints he used to roll. Mike laid back on his bed in the dark and waitied to hear the old, familiar sound of his parents' bedroom door closeing for the night. When he would hear it, he would have to get back up again...he would have work to do. The Hannigans finally turned in around 10:30pm. The minute Mike heard thier door close, he jumped up and ran to his own bedroom door and cracked it open a small bit to peek out to see if thier bedroom lamp was still lit. It was, but he stood there and watched until it went out. It didnt take long. As soon as that light went out, he grabbed his jacket and snuck quietly down the hallway and out the front door. He just wanted to see if the Quint's had moved into the mayoral mansion, yet. Thats all. It wasnt a long walk...only a few minutes there and a few minutes back...he still felt a little edgey and he figured the cool night air would help tire him out. What could it hurt? But the mayoral mansion was dark and empty...which meant that the Quint's hadnt moved in yet. Suddenly, an uncontrollable urge hit him... "Just one more prank...", he thought, "...Even if I never do another thing for the rest of my life...I've just got to do this!!", he grinned to himself, as if he had just discovered something of great importance. He looked around on the ground for something sharp. He found a nice, sharp, pointed rock. Smiling, he walked up the pathway to the front door, which had been freshly painted...a nice, fresh coat of bright, white paint and began scratching words into it. The words read: "DIE BITCH". He snuck away quietly, into the night...a satisfied smile on his face. He went back home, slipped quietly back into his room and went straight back to bed. James McElroy lit a cigarette, as he sat on the floor of the police station, trying to calm his nerves. This was his first hurricane...ever. He had been an accountant practically since he had gotten out of high school in Boise, Idaho. He'd dreamed of living in a small fishing villiage since he was a boy. His grandparents lived on Amity since retiring when he was about 10 and he loved spending summers here, whenever his own parents would let him. They had found him a job here, at Ray O'connors boatworks when he graduated, last summer, when he moved here, permanently. So this, his first hurricane, was wracking his nerves. "Dont you dare smoke that in here, around these children!", Polly scorned James, as he lit up. Not normally rude or ill-mannered, especially to old ladies and small children, he snapped, "I dont see any 'no smoking' signs around here, lady!". Polly, as feisty as she was (and Quint adored her 'spunk'), stood up and held her fist out and shook it at him. "Here's your 'no smoking' sign!!", she snarled, "Now you put that cigarette out or I'll do it for you!!". "Oh, really??", James said, standing up...but Baker, Simms, Clyde Collins and big Chet Williams stood up with him, all looking quite intimidating...and giving him one serious 'go-to-hell' looks... "You got a problem, McElroy?", Simms asked, intimidatingly. "No...no problem...", James shook his head, watching the guys with wide eyes, nervously. He swallowed hard then asked if it would be okay if he just went outside the buildings front door to smoke. They told him that this was acceptible (after asking Polly if it was ok)...as long as he kept the doors closed while he was out there. When James left the room, the guys laughed and joked about how stupid James was to want a cigarette so badly that he'd brave a hurricane for one. Sure enough, when James opened the outside door to go out, he was almost blown back in. He grabbed onto the door jamb to keep from getting sucked out...when he did, he caught sight of Quint and the boys. He ran back in for help. "Hey!", he yelled to the crowded police station, "Theres some guy out there, fighting his way up the walk, with two kids hanging off him!". Burns, Baker, Chet, Ray and a few others ran out and down the short hallway to the front door leading to the outside. Simms ran to get Martin, who was in his office with Elena. "Chief", Simms whispered, "We gotta help some guy trapped in the wind out there, trying to get in here with his kids". "I'll be right there", Martin said, standing and grabbing his rain-soaked coat off of the back of the chair, "I'll be right back, Elena...try and get some rest...we'll talk later". He had been trying to calm her worries about Quint. She nodded her head in agreement. They had only been making small talk, anyway. She knew he was trying to keep her mind off of Quint and she appreciated it...but she wouldnt let him know that she knew. It was okay if he kept on thinking he was doing her a favor...after all, he had just helped her bring her daughter into being...if she couldnt allow him this one little thing, then she felt she wasnt much of a friend. She smiled down at little Elizabeth and whipered to her, after 'uncle Martin' left the room, "Men are strange, dear little one...you always have to allow them to think that they are taking care of you or you hurt thier feelings...dont ever forget that", she smiled to herself, then rested her head a closed her eyes...still smiling. "QUINT!!", Martin yelled as he recognised who it was they were all trying to rescue. Quint was on the ground, on his belly, pulling himself along with his now raw and bleeding fingertips in the grass, Shawn and Michael hanging onto Quints coat for dear life. "Thats the mayor...and he's got my kids!!", Martin shouted to everyone standing behind him, inside, "Baker!...Get to the utility closet and get that tow rope!", he commanded before turning to Simms, "You get back inside and keep evryone under control...I dont want anyone else out here, right now...keep everyone inside!". "Yes, sir", Simms said, turning on his heel to return to the office. Turning to the men standing behind him, Martin laid down his plan of action for the rescue, then turning to yell at Quint and the boys to hold on...they were coming out to get them. "Okay", Martin was calm and authoritive, "I'm going to tie that tow rope around my waist...I'm going to secure it in the middle of that rope, leaving the ends free...O'Connor, I want you to make your way down to the end of the porch...Williams, you make your way to the other end, and....here...", he took both his trouser belt and his utility belt off and handed one to each of the men. Then he told James McElroy and Clyde Collins to take off thier belts and give them to the guys, too. "Now, you fasten yourselves to the porch pillars with these belts", Martin continued, "Make sure youre tightly secure...I'm going to need you boys to be holding the ends of my rope when I go out there to anchor me, so that I dont fly all over the place trying to get the mayor and my boys". Baker came running out with the rope. Martin began tieing the rope around his waist in a hurry. Once it was securely tied, he gave each end to both of the guys. "Now", Martin ordered, "Lets get you guys out there and secured...Ray, you go out, first...Chet and me will hold this rope while you hang onto it while you get yourself fastened to the pillar, then we'll do the same for Chet...then you both hang onto me while I go get the mayor and my sons...got it?". The two guys nodded, then off they went. As Ray O'Connor was securing himself to the farthest porch pillar on the right, Martin screamed again to Quint and the boys, at the top of his lungs, "Quint!!...Mike!!...Shawn!!...Stay there!!!...I'm coming to get you!!...Hang on!!". It appeared that they hadnt heard him the first time, thats why he yelled, again...but, then he wasnt sure they heard him this time, either...then he saw Quint weakly raise the bloody, dirty fingers on his left hand and gave him a slight wave. Quints face was down, keeping his eyes away from the stinging wind. "Hurry up, guys!!", Martin yelled to Chet and Ray, but the guys were already going as fast as they could. Finally, they both gave the nod for Martin to go on out. "Hang on tight, men", Martin yelled, "Its really blowing out there...". "Okay, chief", Martin barely heard them say over the wind. Martin stepped slowly and carefully down off of the first step. When the wind blew him to the left, Ray pulled him back to the right. When the wind pulled Martin to the right, Chet pulled him back to the left and so on, keeping Martin steadily in the middle of the walkway. The guys kept him steady all the way down the walk, until he reached Quint and the boys. "Get the boys, Chief!", Quint raised his head long enough to yell up to Martin. Martin reached down and grabbed Mike and pulled him close enough to his body so that Mike could get a grasp on his fathers clothing, then he reached down and got Shawn. He slowly but carefully carried them back to the porch, then shoved them inside the building. Martin turned to go back out to get Quint when Shawn told him that thier mom was still out in the truck. "I'll get her, son", Martin told him, "Just get inside the office with Polly and Simms, okay?". He swatted thier butts to hurry them inside, then waited until they were safely in. When he got back outside, he saw an amazing sight...he had thought that Quint was too weak and tired to get into the police station alone, but, boy...was he wrong! There was Quint, pulling himself around the fence, with Ellen clinging tightly to him. The rope Martin had tied himself to wouldnt allow him any further than about a foot inside the gate, so he had no choice but to stand there helplessly and wait until Quint and Ellen reached that point. Once Quint got inside the gate and saw Martin standing there, he reached behind him, grabbed Ellen and shoved her forward into Martins waiting arms. Once Martin had Ellen securely in his grip, Martin yelled to Quint, "Quint!!...Take my hand!!...I'll get you inside!!". But aas weak and as wounded as he was, Quint yelled back, "Not until I find my family, chief", then he turned and started making his way back to the old truck. "Youre family is inside!!!", Martin screamed, desperate for Quint to be able to hear him over the wind. Quint stopped cold in his tracks. He turned back to look at Martin, holding onto his cap. "Whadya say, chief??", Quint yelled. "Elena!!...Mikey!!...The baby!!", Martin pointed frantically back toward the station. Quints eyes lit up. Still not sure of what he heard, even wondering if, maybe, Martin was fibbing just to get him into the building, he decided to get in there and check it out, just in case. "Okay...I'm coming!!", Quint yelled to him, with not as much urgence as before. Once inside, they all had to catch thier breath. They were allphysically worn out from fighting that wind...Quint, mostly. He was ready to collapse. "Quint...you look beat", martin said, softly, taking Quint as gently by the arm as thier 'maleness' would allow. "Martin", Ellen said cautiously, "He's hurt...", pointing out Quints wounds, "Quint...come into the office where the first-aid kit is so I can fix you up...", she said, offering him her hand. "Uhh...you cant do that...", Martin told her, a sly grin spread across his face. "Why not?", Ellen asked him, curious. "Because I already used up the supplies in the first-aid kit, thats why", he turned to Quint, grinning madly, "I used them delivering Quints new baby...". In total shock, Quint almost didnt know what to say. "My...baby??..."Its here?!...When??...Wheres Elena??", Quint babbled. Martin laughed...Ellen looked happy. "Elenas fine...she came through it all like a champ", Martin chuckled, "Go on in and see her...shes in the back office". Quint started for the door, but paused. He turned back around and asked Martin, "Wheres my boy?". "Hes fine, too, Quint...he's my newest deputy", Martin said, still smiling. "Huh?", Quint looked confused. "I had to do something to keep him busy while I was helping his mother with the baby...". "What is it?", Quint asked, refferring to the sex of his newest child, he was grinning so widely that Martin swore the corners of his mouth were touching his earlobes. "I think I'll let Elena tell you that...", Martin smiled as he clapped Quint on the back, "Congratualtions, papa!". Martin turned and hugged Ellen tightly as Quint went to see his family. "I thought you were heading for the hospital?", Martin asked her, scoldingly. "I was", Ellen said, "But the truck quit on me and I thought we were sttranded...until Quint came along and rescued us", she smiled. "Looks like Quint and me are even", Martin mused. "What do you mean, 'even'?", she asked. "Well", he said, still holding her, "...I delivered his daughter...and he delivered my wife", he smiled down at her. She smiled, they kissed, then they started toward the office where everyone else was. As they walked, Ellen said, "I never knew you could deliver a baby!". "Sure", he grinned, "Thats one of the things the state of New York taught me when they were training me to be one of thier finest!". "You should have said something before, then!", she grinned back. "Whatdya mean?", Martin asked, confused. "You could have delivered our own kids and saved us alot of money in doctor bills!". They laughed. Quint walked into the office and was literally attacked. First, by his son, then by his friends and then by his constituants. "Daddy!!...Daddy!!", Mikey screamed, tears coming out of his little blue eyes, "I was sooooo worried for you!...And the storm scared me and mommy got sick, but...I didnt cry, daddy!...I didnt cry!!", his little chest now hitching with sobs that he was fighting to keep hidden - and loseing the battle. When he knew he was going to lose control, completely, he fell into his fathers long, strong arms and threw his little arms up over his fathers broad shoulders then let loose, crying his little heart out. Quint held his little sons body tightly to his own as the boy cried so hard that he shook. Quint felt as if he were going to lose it, too...he felt ready to break down, right then and there. In fact, he did allow a couple of tears to stream down his cheeks. "Shhh", Quint comforted his son, "Your uncle Martin told me how you helped him and your momma and everyone...you've done your daddy proud, boy...". Sniffing, Mikey pulled back and looked into his fathers eyes. "I did, daddy...?", he sniffed. Quint wiped the boys eyes, smiling, "You did...you made me very proud". "Excuse me, mayor", Polly said softly, as she tapped him gently on the shoulder, "Would you like me to keep an eye on the boy while you visit with your missus?". "Yeah!!", Mikey squealed, smiling brightly through his tear-stained face, "I got a new sister!!!...And mommy named her after your grandma!!". "She did?", Quint grinned, happy to see his son excited instead of sad...and happy to know about his little girl. His heart swelled with pride, "Have you seen your mommy and sister, yet?". "Uh-uh", Mikey said, shaking his head. Polly broke in again, "Mayor, before you go in to see your missus, please let me talk with you privately?". Quint stood up, telling Mike to stay right there, that he would return in a moment, then stepped aside to stand next to Polly. He had to lean down so she could whisper in his ear because she had gestured to do so. "Mayor", she whispered, "We havent yet let the boy in to see his mom and sister because she isnt in any condition for the boy to see her...and maybe you shouldnt go in, either...with all that blood on you, you may upset her...". Quint became alarmed. "Whats wrong with her that the boy shouldnt see her?", he asked, unsettled. "Well", she said, a discerning frown on her face, "There was no doctor, no medical supplies...you know...no way to clean either her or the baby...we did our best at getting things cleaned, but, there are still traces of , you know...blood...and we werent sure how seeing those things would affect the child...". Quint stood there, thinking. "Youre right, Polly", he smiled gently, "Thank you for watching over my son". He hugged her and kissed her forehead. She blushed, a deep crimson color washing over her face. Quint grinned, "But...the boy should see his mother...he needs to see that shes alright...and he should meet his sister, so...this is what I'll do...I'll look in and see wether or not its something he can handle. If so, I'll take him inside with me, okay?". "Youre his father", she smiled up at him, still a healthy rosey color setting high up on her cheeks, "You know whats best for him". Young and old, rich or poor, married or single...Quint could always make the girls blush, without even trying. A little 'gift' he was quite aware of, and enjoyed so much. Quint looked in on Elena. She appeared to be asleep, with the baby in her arms and it was wriggling and fussing. "My poor, sweet Elena...". he thought to himself, "she must be so tired...". He looked around and saw nothing that might unnerve the boy, so he walked back out into the main part of the office and took Mikey by the hand. "Now, Mike...", Quint said softly to his son, "Mommys asleep...shes very tired...but I'm going to sneak you in to meet your sister. Youre going to have to promise me that you'll stay very quite so that we dont disturb mommy, okay?". Mikey laid his index finger against his lips and went "shhhhh", then nodded. So Quuint led his son by the hand, back to the private office. Quint thought it quite heartwarmingly cute the way Mikey tip-toed inside, still with his finger up to his lips. Elenas two guys stood there, simply staring at mother and daughter in complete amazement at the miracle of new life and how easily it looked that thier wife and mother could simply just 'add' another member to thier family. Elena was asleep, so they just mainly just stared at the baby, this new little person they were going to know as thier own, grow up with and spend thier lives with. She was stillw rapped in newspapers, but in her mothers arms and under the blanket. Quint didnt like the fact, at all, that his daughters first clothing in life were yesterdays newspapers, so he quietly removed his wet, dirty jacket, his damp, denim shirt, then removed his mostly-dry thermal undershirt. It was a bit damp, but clean and warm, so he laid it out on the end of the sofa where they slept, smoothing it out carelingly. He put his wet denim shirt back on, figuring it would dry with his body heat, eventually, then reached up and gently took his little daughter from her mothers arms. He unwrapped the newspapers from her tiny little pink body, the laid her onto his undershirt on the end of tha sofa and wrapped her gently up inside it. Quint sat down in a chair a foot or two away form his sleeping Elena and cradled his daughter. "Come say hello to your sister, Mike", Quint smiled. Mikey looked at the baby, studying everything about her. But his mind was more on his father. "Arent you cold, daddy?", he asked, inquiring about the wet shirt. "Well, yes, son", Quint told him, "A little...but, you have to understand...a man never goes naked in front of a lady...its just not 'gentlemanly'....always rememeber that okay?". "Okay, daddy", Mikey nodded, then thought for a moment about something that looked extremely important to him, "...But, what about in the summer, when its hot and I wear bathing trunks?". Quint smiled. This kid was smart!...And he wasnt quite sure how he was going to answer this one. "Well", Quint said, contemplating, "When youre swimming, thats different...you wear trunks so that you dont get your clothes wet, or your mom would have to dry them and iron them or, whatever...so, you can think of it as consideration for her, making less work for her". Quint was still grinning. "Ohhhh", Mikey said, it making sense to him, now...somewhat. Okay. Daddy fixed him from asking anymore questions, for the time being, anyway, because he was going to be thinking about this one for awhile. Quint chuckled.