Radioactive Revolution: A Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic Adventure

by Richard Hummel

  Fortunately, the forging she’d undergone in the earth’s belly made her scales dark enough to blend with the dirt and rocks around them. Her wings and the fire pulsing through her veins stood out like a beacon for anyone paying attention, so he hoped the ship didn’t see them. If Carla hadn’t heard his cry of warning, perhaps she was small enough that the approaching drop ship wouldn’t see her clinging to the griffon’s back. Based on what they’d seen when observing the explorers encounter with the machines from the city, he suspected they’d shoot the bird down if they found out a human could ride on it.

  The ship was liable to shoot first and investigate after—if they even investigated. The machines hadn’t bothered to figure out how the two explorers that managed to reach their city as stowaways got there several weeks earlier. They simply executed them on the spot. Thinking through the scenario left a hollow pit of fear eating away at his stomach. Carla still hadn’t responded, and the ship had to be overhead already. Sure enough, the next instant the ship screamed by, headed on a direct path for the waterside town they’d bombed weeks earlier.

  Jared wished he was closer to their new home so he could warn everyone about the ship. They all knew the sound, and knew to be on the lookout, but it’d help his peace of mind if he could get them a warning. He should’ve brought along the talkie things Pete had scavenged for them.

  “Next time we head out, remind me to bring those devices from Pete that let us talk over a longer distance. I know we’ve told everyone to keep an eye out, but I’d feel much better warning them.”

  “Very well. Do you want me to get a warning to them?”

  “No, at this point the ship’s already past them. At least, I hope.”

  “I think we would have heard something.”

  “Good point, let’s hope for the best. Give it another minute, and let’s head up to find out where Carla went.”

  A minute later, Scarlet launched herself into the air, using a thermal current rising from the valley to push them over the cliff’s edge. Looking around, he saw no sign of Carla in the immediate vicinity.

  “Carla?” Getting no response, he projected his thoughts harder “CARLA!”

  A screech shattered the silence, followed by a loud boo in his mind. Jared nearly fell off Scarlet’s back in fright as the griffon banked just above them, gliding forward in near silence. They’d not even heard its wings beating, so quiet was its flight. In contrast to the griffon’s stealthy approach, Carla sat atop the creature’s back laughing hysterically. She turned around to look at them as she passed, a brilliant smile adorning her face. The smile was infectious, and Jared smiled right back.

  She did it!

  “Jared, we are almost there.”

  Scarlet interrupted his thoughts, and he craned his neck to look at the forest below. Sure enough, he could see the faint outline of the cliff peaks above their home. From the direction they flew, it was impossible to see into the valley and pick out the people inside, which is part of the reason they’d chosen the dwelling. Concealed from any casual passersby, it made the perfect place for them to recover, grow, and prepare for war.

  “Can you let everyone know we’re coming? I don’t want stray bullets coming our way.”

  A few moments later, Scarlet unleashed a wave of mental energy as she informed them of their return. The pressure on his mind had faded since his over-exertion in the tunnels beneath the earth, and her psionic announcement was no more painful than her normal telepathy. Jared hoped the pain of those experiences increased his abilities and fortitude to endure more, but he wouldn’t know until he pushed himself to the limit once again.

  Their presence announced, Scarlet headed for the clearing a short distance from the cliff. While they descended, Jared could see almost everyone running toward them. He smiled as Vanessa, Elle, and Kitty led the way, no doubt having just gotten back. Though it’d only been a few hours since he’d seen Vanessa, his stomach fluttered, and he felt a flush creep up his neck. He hopped off Scarlet’s back and walked in Vanessa’s direction.

  Before he’d gone a few paces, he turned back to Scarlet. “I’ll gather everyone for the evening meal and let them know what happened. Please keep tabs on your brothers’ progress, and let me know when they get closer. I want to be there to greet them.”

  “It should take them several more days to reach us. I talked with Malsour as we left, and he said they would take their time getting here. They want to remain hidden and use the time to gain strength along the way.”

  “Thanks, Scarlet. Oh, since we didn’t share any images yesterday, let’s keep them to ourselves for now.” Jared smirked. “I want to see the look on everyone’s face when they see them for the first time. No doubt they’ll look stupefied like I did.”

  Scarlet snorted her agreement.

  He turned to head for the group advancing on them but barely made it through the turn when a fragile body leaped at him, making him stumble a few paces back as he scrambled to grab his assailant. Vanessa clung to his neck tightly. Jared’s smirk morphed into a huge smile, and he returned the hug before he grabbed her slender waist and gently set her down.

  “What was that for?”

  “That creature was so scary, I thought—”

  “Hey, it’s okay. It was a little scary, and we definitely underestimated it, but with Scarlet there, we succeeded.”

  Her concern touched him deeply. Impulsively, he tilted her head up and planted a tender kiss on her lips, returning the favor she’d granted him weeks earlier. Her cheeks flushed a light pink, creating a contrast against her pale skin that Jared found endearing. He tucked a lock of her raven-colored hair behind an ear, exposing the gills on the side of her neck. He hardly noticed the mutations anymore. She was beautiful, inside and out, and it didn’t matter what Razael had done to her.

  Once Vanessa gained control over her nanites, she planned to revert her body back to human form. She was already beautiful to him, and he couldn’t wait to see the result.

  The rest of the group caught up to them, everyone clamoring to speak and ask questions.

  Jared held up his hand. “All right, all right, I’ll answer all your questions, but not here. Let’s gather everyone for dinner tonight, and I’ll tell you what happened with Carla.”

  “Did it work?” someone from the back asked.

  “It did, but, again, wait until dinner and I’ll explain.”

  Eventually, they agreed to hold any further questions until dinner. While Jared and the majority of the people walked back to their homes in the cliff wall, a few remained behind to get a better look at Scarlet and her recent changes. Jared suspected they also wanted to catch a glimpse of Carla’s companion. However, he’d asked Carla to keep flying with the griffon and land after he’d calmed everyone and explained the situation.

  A few minutes later, Vanessa on his arm, they walked into the third level room provisioned for Jared, Vanessa, Elle, and Kitty. The room looked much the same from the day before, but there were now furs hanging in all the windows and covering the beds. There were even a few folded next to the furniture. It looked like the hunters had stayed busy. These hadn’t been there the day before when he got home. Jared suspected it was simply they didn’t know when he’d get back with Scarlet and had only just brought them up.

  Walking to his room, Vanessa still attached to his side, Jared pulled out the only spare change of clothes he had and laid it on the bed. Elle and Kitty had left for the dining hall, leaving Jared feeling slightly uncomfortable and unsure how to put action to his feelings. He wasn’t quite ready for anything beyond what he’d already shared with Vanessa, but here they were...alone in his bedroom.

  “Ahem.” Jared cleared his throat. “I need to get undressed and cleaned up.”

  Vanessa let go of his arm and smiled coyly.

  “Do I have to go?” A mischievous smile graced her features.

 
Jared’s cheeks turned red, and he stammered incoherently.

  Vanessa held up a hand and said, “Don’t worry, I’m teasing.”

  The way she said it sent shivers down his spine. Even though she hinted at something more, Vanessa turned and walked from the room.

  As soon as she’d left, Jared collapsed in a heap on the bed. He’d never felt so conflicted in all his life. His body screamed at him to rush over to Vanessa and embrace her, giving in to his desire. That portion of him nearly won out as he lay there panting from the rush of emotions he’d just experienced. Though, with each breath he took, the emotions receded, and his willpower became his own again. He cared for Vanessa deeply, but he didn’t know if it was the same way his father had cared for his mother.

  Is she the one?

  The question echoed in his mind, but with a torrent of emotions swirling through him, it was a question he couldn’t rightfully answer at the moment. He felt his physical desires for Vanessa, but his heart felt at odds with it as he worked through his feelings. He didn’t want to give in to the physical urges until he was certain his heart and mind agreed. If he chose a partner, lover, and wife, he wanted to choose one for life. She’d be the only woman in his life he shared physical intimacy with, and he wanted to be one hundred percent certain she was the one he’d spend the rest of his life with. These feelings needed careful consideration, but at the moment there was a village full of people waiting on him.

  He took a full fifteen minutes of meditation to calm himself. If Vanessa had returned to the room, he wasn’t sure he’d have been able to resist. He cobbled together enough control to push the tumultuous thoughts and feelings to the back of his mind for another day.

  Calmed, Jared dressed himself in his last pair of clothes and joined everyone in the dining hall. A quick headcount revealed that everyone was present and the food ready.

  Eating his fill and waiting for everyone else to finish, he reached out to Scarlet.

  “Is Carla okay flying around, still?”

  “She is more than fine. I can hear her thoughts from miles away. She had a similar reaction to you when you first flew.”

  “Okay. Please keep an ear out for her and any ships that might pass. We’re eating and then I’ll share the details of our adventure. Once I’m done, I’ll come down to the clearing, and we can take care of Carla and the griffon.”

  Jared gathered his thoughts before telling everyone about the bonding.

  “It was a success, but it could’ve gone better. Scarlet can show you exactly what happened if you want. Honestly, I think it was a bit more than we should’ve taken on.”

  Someone in the room snorted, and Jared glanced up to find the person responsible. He had an idea who it was, and one look at George confirmed his guess. The man stood against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a sneer plastered on his face.

  Jared sighed inwardly. He’d known this was a possibility, yet he needed to be truthful with these people. He’d deal with the fallout when the time came.

  “I’ll be brutally honest with you. When I thought of what to share, I almost withheld some of what we witnessed. However, I realized that was wrong, and all of you deserve to know the truth.” Jared looked around the room to see people nodding their head in agreement and looking at him with respect.

  “I’ve also decided that you have a right to see everything that transpired under the earth when we went to find Scarlet’s family. Though, I’ve asked Scarlet to withhold images of her brothers because I want to see your faces when they get here.” Jared smiled mischievously, which earned him another scowl from George and a playful punch from Vanessa.

  “I also have something more to confess.” Jared furrowed his brow, plotting the best way to reveal the information. The looks of respect he’d received just a moment ago disappeared, replaced by ones of alarm. “I wasn’t entirely truthful about everything. For a good reason. However, I plan to remedy that now. When Scarlet helped you recover from Razael’s influence, she wasn’t just curing you. She also examined your loyalty and motivations.”

  Jared held up a hand to forestall the outbursts he saw on several people’s lips.

  George looked ready to strangle him right there on the spot. Several others looked like they might join him if he tried. Even Vanessa looked affronted by the admission. Granted, she didn’t look appalled by the idea. Surely, she had an inkling of an idea Scarlet had done this as part of evaluating them for the vow they eventually made. All except George, at least.

  Jared grew uneasy as he looked around the room. He’d second-guessed himself about this decision, but the truth was out there now, and all he could do was continue and hope they understood.

  “Dragons do this instinctively. At the time, we decided it was in everyone’s best interest to exclude that little bit of information. I asked Scarlet to ensure everyone’s motives, but also to gauge your mental stability to see if you could handle the truths we shared. Should I have asked your permission first? Perhaps, but after Razael, the state you were in made me realize most of you would’ve denied my request. Because of the experiences we had at the hands of the Daggers, I couldn’t risk it. We almost died once at the hand of humans. We also didn’t know if Razael held sway in your minds. I understand it’ll take time for me to garner some of your trust again after violating your privacy, but I felt it necessary and I would do it again if presented the same scenario.”

  Vanessa laid a hand over his. “I understand.” She looked over the rest of the table and met everyone’s eyes. “We understand.”

  She turned back to Jared with a smile and bade him continue.

  Even as she said it, Jared saw the doubt in her eyes as she gazed at George and a few others. The moment she finished speaking, George stormed from the room.

  Holding her proffered hand, Jared squeezed it for reassurance and recapped some of their story from the other day, promising that Scarlet should show them if they desired.

  “Scarlet? Can you come up here for a few minutes?”

  “One moment.”

  “Will Carla’s companion be okay?”

  “Yes, he will be fine for a time.”

  “Good, I’d like you to show everyone the events of the last couple weeks, culminating with Carla’s experience. Just leave out images of your brothers. I still want to surprise everyone.”

  Jared didn’t know if that was the wisest decision given their experiences, but he believed he knew many of them well enough by now to know they’d be just as awed as he was. Plus, everyone knew they were part of Scarlet’s family, so they shouldn’t be frightened.

  He motioned to the entrance. “Scarlet is coming up here, if you would like to see what happened.”

  As one, everyone stood up to file out of the room. Jared left first and stifled a chuckle at the scene before him. Scarlet was perched on the ledge, George plastered against the wall a few feet away. Scarlet had her head close to him with a sinister grin on her face.

  “All right, Scarlet, you’ve had your fun.”

  Amusement flitted along their bond, and Jared turned away from the terrified man to cover the smile creeping over his face. Thankfully, no one else saw, and he managed to compose himself before everyone filed out.

  “Place your hand on Scarlet, and she’ll take you through the events leading up to today.”

  Everyone but George placed their hands on her, and she recounted all of the events. She started with the encounter of the ship in New York City, the subsequent butchering of all the people on the ground and on the floating city. She took them through their trip down into the earth, lingering on Jared’s fight with the first batch of lizards. She showed her mad descent into the tunnel and all the fantastical creatures she encountered. She paused the images on a gigantic stone creature seemingly composed of rock and molten lava. It was slow, and Scarlet managed to tackle it to the ground before she continued her fl
ight. She ended the recounting when she reached out to her brothers for help.

  The next scene was somewhat confusing as she shifted to Jared’s point of view and showed his fight with the lizard horde in amazing detail. It was like watching a movie play out in front of his eyes. He hardly believed it was himself dancing through the air, leaving large swathes of dead lizards in his wake. The fight scene with the large praying mantis scared him just watching it. He felt twinges of pain in his ribs and arm as he recalled the impacts from the creature’s limbs.

  Scarlet wrapped up their quest to find her brothers by showing her arrival and the destruction she caused to the reptilian horde. Somehow, she managed to leave out anything that showed her brothers, though they did get a glimpse of the different flame bursts. Finally, she showed them arriving back home, skipped over the day of recuperation they’d had, and went straight to the moment Carla leaped into the griffon’s nest. The crowd gasped every time the creature flew upside down and Carla barely managed to hang on. Cheers sprang up when they saw the bond was successful.

  “My brothers will arrive in two days’ time.” Scarlet’s voice echoed in their minds. “I spoke with them, and they are making steady but careful progress. They have already hidden from at least one drop ship, and a couple of explorers. They are doing their best to avoid detection.”

  Vanessa reacted strongly to the scene of Jared broken and bleeding after his battle. She ran to him and threw her arms around him, forcing him to grab hold or they’d fall over.

  “You could’ve died,” Vanessa sobbed into his shoulder.

  “I—” Jared almost said he was fine but thought better. “I came close to dying, yes. Ever since I told all of you the truth, you’ve known there will be times when our lives will be on the line. Some of us may not survive the coming war. Those of us who do will have scars that may never fade. We all chose this path, we forced no one into it, and we all have obligations to see it through to the end. That includes putting ourselves in harm’s way, facing near impossible odds, and emerging from these tribulations triumphant. I believe in our cause. More importantly, I believe in everyone here. Together we are strong enough to achieve victory.”