Josh’s narrowed eyes were wary. He dropped his eyes to her hands, then he glanced around the house, through to the kitchen, then up the staircase. “Where’s the reporter?”
“In the basement,” she figured the truth was the best bet. “He promised to stay hidden and he has been.”
“Abbie,” Josh stepped closer, lowering his voice, “you need to get him out of here, seriously. Magnus has been on a call with the mayor and he’s riled up.”
“The mayor?” she asked. “What did he say?”
“He asked Magnus to stand down.”
“I take it he didn’t agree?”
Josh looked at her strangely. “Of course not! This is Magnus we’re talking about. He thinks it’s great. He had the mayor make a personal call to beg him to behave. Magnus is ruffling feathers and he is loving it! People are listening to him, the mayor is listening to him. He’s got the Clean Skins scared and he’s got reporters from around the world calling him. Magnus has become the figurehead of the Striped Ones!”
“Are you kidding? He’s not the figurehead of me. Do people think what he’s doing is right?” Abbie couldn’t believe it, her face contorting in disbelief.
Josh nodded, a little disbelief showing on his face too. “With those seven stripes, Magnus is the most Striped. If the aliens come back, then he is probably the safest person in the whole town. He’s wearing his stripes with pride. He’s the sickest and he’s the safest. He says that’s why he’s destined to lead the Striped Ones, because he knows what it’s like to suffer, and he’ll be the one left standing in the end.”
“Jesus Christ,” Abbie muttered, lowering her head into her hands.
“They heard people were trying to flee, so he’s got guys out there, armed, securing the Clean Skin border, making sure no one else tries to cross over. That’s what that patrol was about just then. Someone ratted out a Clean Skin hiding in this house and they dragged him out, beat the crap out of him and dumped him at the wall.” Josh started pacing the carpet.
“Oh my God, Josh!” Abbie stared at him wide-eyed. “Please tell me you weren’t part of it?”
Josh looked at her, but darted his eyes away. “Of course I wasn’t . . . I mean, I was there, but I didn’t do anything.”
“Josh!”
“What could I do, Abbie?” he shouted, holding his hands out questioningly. “Magnus ordered me to go along. There was a group of them, I couldn’t stop it happening! There was only one of me.”
“Enough, Josh!” Abbie raised her voice too. “This has to stop! You’re getting in too deep!”
“You’re right! I am in too deep. I can’t get out now. They’re . . .” He paced agitatedly. “Austin and the guys, they’re all jacked up on stuff that’s keeping them awake and alert.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“I don’t know. Austin knew this drug dealer, a striped guy, so he got stuff to keep everyone awake and wired.”
“On edge you mean,” she said, studying him. “Have you been taking it too?”
Josh averted his eyes.
“Josh?”
“I had to. They were all standing around, watching me. I had to!”
“Goddamn it, Josh!”
“I told you, I’m keeping an eye on them!” he pleaded with her. “I have to know what they’re up to. If they find out about mom, I can warn her, get to her before they do.”
“Josh—”
“No, Abbie!” he said harshly. “There are whispers about how a small section to the south-west isn’t protected by the military. Some people headed out that way and they haven’t been seen again. That means the military didn’t send them back, and that must be because they weren’t caught. Do you understand? People can still escape Victoryville and head out into the countryside. Magnus’ focus is on the Clean Skin border right now, he wants to see what the mayor will do after their little conversation. Once the border is under control, they’re going to start running patrols to see if they can find the gap. They’re talking about building a wall out there and fortifying the whole area. So I have a small window to get mom out if needed. I just need to stick close to them for now to see if this will blow over, or whether I need to get her the hell out of the SZ!”
“Are you kidding me? Build a wall? They’re going to cage us in? They’re going to do exactly what they’re hating the Clean Skins for doing to us?”
Josh shrugged. “They’re marking their turf while they can, while there is confusion and chaos around the globe over whether the aliens will be back.”
“Do they really think they’re going to get away with it? Forget the mayor or the state governor. Do they really think that the President of the United States and the military will just sit back and let them declare their own territory?”
“Come on, Abbie, they’re leaving us for the aliens! The president doesn’t give a shit what happens here in Victoryville!”
“Try to carve out your own independent little corner of the country, and I bet he would!”
“Abbie, everything’s changed. The same rules don’t apply. This phenomenon has changed everything. We’re not living in a normal world any more. These aliens are going to come back and fucking destroy us. Life as we know it is gone, Abbie!”
“No, Josh. It’s only gone if we let it go.”
“Abbie, you haven’t been out there. I mean really out there. You have no idea!”
“Then take me to the next meeting!” she blurted.
Josh paused, staring at her, aghast. “No way, Abbie. It’s not safe.”
“Screw you, Josh! I’m sick of you insinuating that I’m naive, that I know nothing about life because I’ve never left this town. You tell me I don’t know what’s going on out there, then show me! Let me see for myself.”
“Abbie, it’s too dangerous for you.”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?”
“No, because you’re harboring Clean Skins!”
Abbie’s face tightened. “Magnus doesn’t know about Richard and he said Kaitlyn could stay.”
“For now!” Josh told her firmly. “He said she could stay ‘for now’. They want the Clean Skins out of the SZ, Abbie. If you try and stand in their way . . . striped kid or not . . .”
Abbie felt a cold sensation wash over her. “Have they said anything? About me? About Kaitlyn?”
Josh averted his eyes.
“Josh, you would warn me, wouldn’t you?”
He spun his face back to hers. “Of course!”
“So what did they say?”
“Look, it’s just not safe for Clean Skins here. You should tell Kaitlyn to get out. And that damn reporter! Tell them to jump that wall or sneak out into the countryside. They’ll be fine.”
“But is it safe for them to leave? You said they’re guarding the wall. What if they get spotted?”
“Well, that reporter got in somehow. He can get them out the way he came.”
“I crossed over before Magnus declared his little war,” Richard said, emerging from the basement.
Abbie glanced at him nervously. Josh did too, but with harder eyes.
“Things were still relatively calm when I snuck across,” Richard continued, moving calmly, cautiously toward them. “I think there’s little chance of me going anywhere now. Not after that story and my ‘Wanted’ face splashed across the news.”
Abbie looked at Josh and saw him harden his jaw. He pointed accusingly at Richard. “You’re putting everyone at risk by being here.”
Richard shook his head, using that even-toned voice of his. “But no one knows I’m here, Josh. Except you. If no one knows, then there is no way I can cause trouble for Abbie.”
“They know Kaitlyn is here!” Josh hissed at Abbie. “If they come for her, they’ll find him, and what do you think they’ll do then?”
“They would harm the man who sought to free them with the truth?” Dr. Pellan stepped out now too. Both Abbie and Richard looked hesitantly at
him.
“Jesus, Abbie!” Josh cried. “You got him here too?” He spun back to face her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“He’s the one who uncovered the truth, Josh!” she said. “And Rick is the one who brought the story to the people! We would still be in the dark if it wasn’t for them. We owe them something.”
“Rick?” Josh queried.
Abbie frowned, confused that out of everything she just said, her use of “Rick” was what Josh chose to focus on.
Richard stepped closer. “Do you have any idea what the mayor or the military are going to do now?”
“You were eavesdropping?” Josh accused.
“Sorry,” Richard shrugged, “I’m a reporter. Old habits die hard. You mentioned Magnus pissing off the mayor?”
“So?”
“So, if the mayor can’t control this, you don’t think they’ll send the military in?”
“The military have been through here and they left.”
“That was before,” Richard told him.
“If this isn’t contained, they will send in the big guns,” Dr. Pellan said gently to Josh. “And the military don’t tend to ask nicely twice. I’m surprised they’ve waited this long.”
Josh’s face flashed concern as his eyes darted across the three of them.
“Mr. Keene and I were talking,” Dr. Pellan said. “We think it might be a good idea if we post a video of our own, asking for restraint from both sides. We don’t want people thinking we agree with what is happening. We must stand against it. We must voice our opinions, a sense of reason.”
“But won’t they be able to trace you somehow?” Abbie asked worriedly.
“I have ways,” Richard told her. “Dummy accounts and the like. It’s a necessary tool of the trade sometimes when chasing stories of this caliber.”
“Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Josh asked him. “You wanna go stir up some more?”
“Like what Magnus is doing?”
“Our intention is not to make trouble, Josh,” Dr. Pellan explained. “Just insert a voice of reason. This whole situation has blown out of control.”
Josh shook his head and began pacing again.
“When is the next meeting with Magnus?” Abbie asked him.
“Soon,” Josh answered, checking his watch. “Just under an hour.”
“Take me with you. Rick and Dr. Pellan will stay here and upload their video.”
Josh stopped pacing and stared at her.
“Let us help you, Josh,” she pleaded softly. “You don’t have to handle this on your own.”
*
Richard hit upload and sighed loudly. He cast his eyes to Dr. Pellan, who stared back in contemplation.
“Let’s hope this one goes better than the last,” Dr. Pellan said, sitting in a chair, resting elbows on his knees, hands clasped.
Richard nodded, leaning against the wall as he sat on the floor of the basement, legs straight out and crossed at the ankles.
“They definitely won’t trace us? Identify the location of the upload?” Pellan asked.
“No,” Richard shook his head. “They give us dummy accounts that are linked to random servers in different countries for our safety when we’re undercover or in war zones.”
“War zones?” Pellan questioned.
Richard looked back at him. “Well, right now it feels we’re riding pretty close to that here.”
Dr. Pellan nodded. “So your server will protect us from the government. But are we safe from the people of Victoryville?”
“That, I don’t know.”
“The young man was tense,” Dr. Pellan noted. “He is on edge.”
“It sounds like he’s in a little too deep with these guys.”
“Victoryville is not safe for anyone, I think. Striped or otherwise.”
“No. What do you make of his talk about escaping into the country?”
Dr. Pellan shrugged. “It could be a possibility. But it would be a risk. If we were captured? Military or otherwise . . .”
“Do your family know where you are?” Richard asked, bringing his feet up and resting his arms on his knees.
“No,” Pellan looked down. “They know I’m in Victoryville, but they do not know that I’ve left my apartment.”
“When did you last speak to them?”
“I spoke to one of my daughters after it first happened. They were fine. On holiday in Paris with my ex-wife.”
Richard nodded to himself. “Have you been separated from your wife long?”
“A while . . . we don’t speak much. I’ve been somewhat estranged from them all. It is something that I have been trying to remedy these past years.”
Richard gave the doctor a sympathetic smile.
“And you?” Dr. Pellan asked.
Richard explained about Tom and Margaret and his sister, Sally, back in Iowa, that he had been an orphan.
“How did it happen?” Pellan asked. “Your parents?”
“Their car collided head on with an overtired truck driver. My mother died on impact and my father and older brother died later in hospital.”
“You weren’t in the car?”
“I was five when it happened. My grandmother was taking care of me while my parents watched my brother in his school play. They never made it home.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Keene. That must’ve have been hard on you.”
“It was,” he agreed, staring off into the distance. “I just remember my grandmother hugging me, saying how grateful she was that my mother didn’t take me with them that night. She raised me for about five years, then she passed. That’s when Tom and Margaret adopted me.” His mind drifted off as he thought of his parents and Sally, wondering if he would ever see them again. “They’ve been good to me. Raised me like their own.”
Dr. Pellan glanced at the floor, then looked back up at Richard. “No girlfriend? Wife?”
Richard shook his head. “Broke up with the last one about six months ago,” he said. “She found someone who would be around for her more often. Apparently, I was so busy trying to save the world that I forgot about her.”
Dr. Pellan gave a sympathetic smile. “Ah, passion for one’s work. A blessed curse I know too well.” Richard looked at him enquiringly and Dr. Pellan elaborated. “I have been married to my work for some time. Why do you think my wife divorced me?”
Richard looked at Pellan with a rueful smile. “Just as well, I guess. Otherwise you might not have been able to work so hard to discover what you did. And then where would we be?”
“Probably still in the Clean Zone and not hunted by all and sundry.”
A chuckle escaped Richard’s lips. “This is true.”
Dr. Pellan sighed, his face falling serious. “I am not so sure about escaping into the country. We could try going through the sewer system again, but we would need to traverse some ground to reach that crossing point.”
“The sewer system? That’s how you came across?”
“Yes. You didn’t?”
“No. I just walked until I found an unguarded section of the barrier, and climbed over.”
Pellan stared at him, a smile creeping across his lips, which eventually gave way to laughter. “That would’ve been a lot cleaner and easier, I think.”
Richard laughed back. “Yes, I think so.”
Their laughter slowly fell away. “Either way we are not ordinary Clean Skins, Mr. Keene. We are wanted men, wanted Clean Skins. Hiding here in Abbie’s basement is the safest option for now. Hopefully the military will step in, order will be restored, and then we can leave.”
Richard nodded, his mind wandering to Magnus’ meeting. “I wish I could’ve gone to that meeting with Abbie.”
Dr. Pellan’s eyes scrutinized him gently. “You feel responsible for her, don’t you?”
Richard pondered this. “I wouldn’t say responsible for. She’s been taking care of herself. But . . .
I don’t know. I shone a spotlight on her, brought her to everyone’s attention. She’s a good person. She deserves to be safe. I’d like to see that happen. Maybe the break-up with my ex taught me something after all. Something about not just looking at the bigger picture, but paying attention to the detail as well, to the people around me.” His mind tossed around this thought for a moment. “There’s nothing I can do about this phenomenon. I can’t save Victoryville from this . . . but maybe I can try to protect those who matter most. Abbie, Kaitlyn, Charlie, you.”
Dr. Pellan gave small smile and a nod. “Abbie is a good person. And brave. Who else would take in the three most well-known Clean Skins in Victoryville?”
Richard stared back at him. “Exactly.”
“All we can do is wait and hope, Mr. Keene.”
Richard nodded, contemplating Pellan’s words, as his mind wandered again to Abbie, and Magnus’ meeting.
*
Abbie tried hard to control the nerves shaking her body. She couldn’t stop fidgeting and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans to steady them. She had to look cool and calm, like she wanted to be here. It felt somewhat reassuring to have Josh by her side, but at the same time, she was worried. The gun he carried made her nervous. The fact that he’d been keeping himself awake on drugs made her even more nervous. If anything went wrong, what would he do? Would he side with Roy and Austin for self-preservation? If it meant protecting his mother, would he sacrifice her?
Magnus, it would seem, was holed up out the back of the hardware store, in the small warehouse. He’d taken up residency in the office tucked away in the corner. It must’ve been where he’d recorded the video message. There were about fifty or so people milling about, most with weapons: handguns tucked into jeans, rifles slung over shoulders, hunting knives strapped to thighs. She could understand this response if it were the aliens they were planning to fight, but it wasn’t. They were preparing to fight their own kind.
They all seemed to stare at her: some curiously, some suspiciously, some threateningly. She was a new face to many and she certainly didn’t look hungry for a fight like the rest of them. She tried to keep her expression even, showing no emotion or judgment. She recognized some of the faces, people she’d seen around town, but as she looked at them now they seemed like total strangers.
The Time of the Stripes Page 29
