Bedlam

by Susanna Strom

  “What went wrong?” I asked.

  “One of the guards got sick. Then Mom and my sisters. Next thing you know, everybody came down with the flu, everybody except Dad. They fell like dominoes.” He flapped his hand, imitating a domino toppling over. “Jonesy—he’s the head of security for the Allsop Corporation—he and I were the only ones to pull through.”

  “I’m sorry, Brody. That’s tough,” Kyle said.

  “It is what it is,” Brody said.

  I winced. Coming from the lips of another man, I might write off the flip words as an attempt to be stoic in the face of a worldwide disaster that spared nobody from pain and loss. Coming from Brody, the words felt more cavalier. Or maybe I was allowing my dislike for the man to color my interpretation.

  “I’m sorry, too,” I said.

  “Thanks, babe,” he said.

  Kyle ran a hand up and down my arm, then gently squeezed my hand. “What did you guys do next?” he asked.

  “Well, once Jonesy and I got our strength back, we all went out and started to look for other survivors. Dad knew that everything would go to hell after the pandemic burned out. Our only chance to stay safe, to maintain law and order, would be to band together with other survivors. If we’re going to rebuild society and protect the American way of life, then we need good men to—”

  “And women,” I chimed in.

  “Of course, sweetheart.” Brody’s eyes twinkled. “We need good men and good women to pitch in and do their part. We recruited in Twin Falls, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Missoula, Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Walla Walla. We came back to Boise a couple of weeks ago. Dad wants to make Boise the capital of the new Pacific Northwest Republic. He’s going to send feelers out to Portland and Seattle.”

  “Portland is gone. Maybe Seattle, too,” Kyle said. “Burned to the ground by a religious cult. The same group blew up The Dalles Dam and flooded the freeway west.”

  “Holy fuck.” Brody shoved a hand through his auburn hair. “Are you telling me there’s some wackjob cult running around setting fires and blowing shit up?”

  “Not anymore,” Kyle said.

  Brody’s eyes narrowed. “Not anymore, huh. You have something to do with stopping them?”

  Kyle shrugged. “I helped.”

  Over Brody’s shoulder, I glanced at the three men from the Allsop security force. They stood-stock still wearing stern expressions on their faces. Their muscular arms were crossed over their chests as they watched us talk. They posed quite the contrast to Brody. With his perfectly styled hair and easy smile, he looked more like a frat boy than a member of a security team. Yet the men deferred to Brody.

  Brody was silent for a moment. “Listen, Kyle,” he said slowly, excitement glinting in his eyes. “You have to come talk with my father, tell him what went down with the cult. You’re exactly the kind of man we need in our ranks. A man who believes in law and order, a man who knows how to get things done. And you’re one of us. I’ve known you—you and Sunny—forever.”

  “Why didn’t you guys reach out to the Haven as soon as you got to town?” I interrupted before Kyle could reply to Brody’s suggestion.

  Brody turned another smile on me. “We needed to get the lay of the land before we reached out to anybody. Can you imagine if we’d approached the Nampa Boys, thrown in with them, only to find out later that they’re a bunch of homicidal assholes? No. It’s only smart to do some basic reconnaissance before contacting any group.”

  “I guess that makes sense.” My head was spinning. This was too much to take in. The attack on the Haven. The revelations about Kyle. The reappearance of Brody Allsop. The prospect of a new Pacific Northwest Republic.

  Brody glanced at the cluster of men and snapped his fingers. The man who’d asked if Kyle and I were okay jogged over.

  “Yes, sir?”

  Brody pointed to the emergency room entrance. “Make sure that everybody inside the Haven headquarters gets a decent burial.”

  “Will do.”

  “When the Nampa Boys ambushed Sara and Rocco, they killed the Haven’s second-in-command,” I said. “His body is in a park in Meridian. Can you guys bury him, too?”

  The guard glanced at Brody, who nodded his permission.

  “Thanks, Brody,” I said. I gave the guard the name of the park and the location of Gavin’s body.

  “You know, maybe we could help you find out what happened to Sara and Rocco,” Brody suggested. “If they’re being held by the Nampa Boys, we could use our muscle to stage a rescue or to force the Boys to negotiate for their release.”

  Twenty minutes ago, at Kyle’s urging, I’d been ready to grab Mrs. B. and Ever and flee the city. I saw the logic behind the move, but damn, it would’ve haunted me to abandon all the people in Boise. Could the Allsops and their forces rescue Sara and Rocco? Assuming they were still alive, of course. Could they protect the other survivors in town from the Nampa Boys?

  Dad had dismissed Elliot Allsop as a ruthless corporate raider. That meant he was a man who got things done. The stock market and big corporations were things of the past. Brody said that his father wanted to rebuild society and maintain law and order. Those were worthy goals. Nobody wanted to end up living in a Mad Max world. It might take a man of his drive and determination to pull it off.

  I turned around in Kyle’s arms and laid my hands on his chest, the way a girlfriend would. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I wanted to continue the charade, especially if we accompanied Brody back to meet with his father. “What do you think?” I asked in a low voice. I’d rather have this conversation in private, but with Brody hovering nearby, that was impossible.

  Kyle met my eyes. “Let’s hear the man out,” he said.

  It couldn’t hurt to talk to Elliot Allsop, especially if there was a chance that he’d save Sara and Rocco. If the conversation didn’t go well, if anything felt hinky, Kyle and I would go on our way. “Okay.”

  Brody whooped again. He kissed me on my cheek and thumped Kyle on the back.

  “Great to have you on our team.”

  TEN

  Kyle

  I glanced at Sunny, then did a double take. With both hands she lifted the gilded dessert plate to her lips and shamelessly licked the last of the cheesecake from its surface. Her tongue flicked a cherry into her mouth. Sighing with pleasure, she returned the plate to the linen tablecloth, then settled back in the chair.

  She met my startled gaze and smiled unapologetically. “Cheesecake,” she said, as if the word alone justified what my mom would consider an egregious violation of good manners. If I’d licked my plate at the table when I was a kid, my mom would’ve taken away my dessert privileges for a month.

  “You want to lick mine?” Brody called from across the table. Smirking, he held up a plate smudged with graham cracker crust and creamy filling.

  I bristled. What the hell was my old buddy thinking?

  Sunny shot him a saccharine smile. “That’s sweet of you, but no. I don’t want to lick yours.”

  “You’re out of line, Brody,” I said. “The innuendo isn’t cool.”

  “Kyle’s right.” Elliot Allsop spoke from the head of the table.

  All eyes turned toward the former CEO. He had hardly spoken during dinner, but I’d felt the weight of his scrutiny as he took our measure throughout the meal.

  “Maintaining our standards of behavior is important, now more than ever,” he continued.

  He must have been in his fifties, but only the fine lines around his eyes and the gray at his temples gave away his age. Tall, with an athletic build, he was what my sister Kristen would have called a silver fox. If he commanded a boardroom as easily as he commanded a dining table, he must have been a force to be reckoned with.

  “Yes, sir.” Brody turned to me. “Sorry, brother. No offense meant. I was just joshing.”

  “Kyle isn’t the one you should apologize to,” his father said, swirling the pinot noir in his crystal wineglass.

  Brody sucked in a breath, then
smiled at Sunny. “I got carried away, and I’m sorry if I offended you.”

  “Apology accepted,” Sunny said.

  I shifted in my seat, glancing between them. An uncomfortable silence descended on the table. After a moment, I pointed at Sunny’s chin. “You’ve got some cherry goo under your lip.”

  Her tongue darted out and swiped at the sticky red liquid. She tilted her face up for my inspection. “Did I get it all?”

  With her chin angled up, I could see a bruise under her jaw. Frowning, I reached over and gently touched the purple splotch. “How did you get this?”

  “My chin smacked the pavement when you pushed me down.” She shrugged. “It’s no big.”

  I did it? My chest tightened. “Sunny, I’m so sorry.”

  She waved a hand, dismissing my concerns. “Bullets were flying. You’re forgiven.”

  “Why don’t you kiss her owie and make it better?” Brody suggested, snickering.

  Mr. Allsop cleared his throat and carefully placed his wineglass on the table. “You’re not yourself this evening, Brody. Perhaps you should retire early and see if some extra sleep restores your equanimity.”

  Brody’s jaw tightened. Can’t say I blamed him. Yeah, he was acting like an ass, but at twenty-two, he was way too old to be sent to bed early for misbehaving. Not even my persnickety mom would have humiliated me that way.

  “You’re right, Dad,” he said, making light of his obvious embarrassment. “I am tired.” He tossed his napkin on his plate and stood. “Sunny, Kyle, I’ll see you guys in the morning.” Back stiff, he retreated from the room, leaving another awkward silence in his wake.

  “Please forgive Brody’s lapse in manners,” Mr. Allsop finally said. “He hasn’t been the same since he lost his mother and sisters. He’s a young man who needs the civilizing influence of good women.”

  The old-fashioned sexism of that phrase was sure to raise Sunny’s hackles. I widened my eyes and shot her a warning look.

  She dipped her head. “I understand, Mr. Allsop. Brody and I are fine. And I want to thank you for a lovely dinner. I haven’t had a steak or salad or cheesecake in forever.” She looked up at the bright chandelier that illuminated the room. “I’ve missed electricity. This has been a real treat.”

  He inclined his head, acknowledging her thanks. “We have generators and fuel to power the house,” he said. “Water. And sources in the countryside to keep us supplied with fresh meat, milk, and vegetables. You and Kyle could live very comfortably here. I hope you’ll decide to join our team.”

  “We appreciate your generous offer, sir,” Sunny said politely, her expression giving away nothing about her thoughts on his proposal.

  “Why us?” I asked. “Why would you want a couple of college students on your team? What do we have to offer?”

  Mr. Allsop leaned forward. “Society needs to rebuild after the pandemic. People crave stability and security. Protection from ruffians like the Nampa Boys. One might argue that people like us—people with our shared values and background—are best suited to restore and lead a law-abiding society.”

  “That sounds a lot like an aristocracy,” Sunny observed.

  “What is an aristocracy other than rule by the best and brightest?” he asked.

  Oh, that wouldn’t fly with my socially conscious friend. Not with me, either, but this wasn’t the time or place to argue it. I kicked Sunny under the table. She kicked me back but didn’t pursue the point.

  “I’d like you to meet with my head of security tomorrow morning to go over plans to search for your missing friends,” Mr. Allsop said.

  Sara and Rocco. With the Haven in ruins, if anybody had the power to challenge the Nampa Boys, it was Allsop and his men. A well-armed, well-organized force could calm the chaotic situation and bring Sara and Rocco home. With Allsop running security and Sara getting the Haven back on its feet, stability would return to Boise. And a stable Boise meant that Sunny and I could go to Valhalla with a clear conscience.

  “I’m looking forward to it,” I said.

  “Breakfast is at eight. You’ll meet with Jonesy directly afterward.” Allsop dropped his napkin on his plate and stood, a clear cue that dinner was over. “There’s a whirlpool tub in the guest suite’s bathroom. You might as well take advantage of the hot water and electricity, Sunny.”

  She offered him a genuine smile, her eyes bright with excitement. “That sounds like heaven.” Hopping to her feet, she held out a hand. “Come on, Kyle. Let’s fire that thing up.”

  Hand in hand—like a real couple—we retreated toward the guest suite on the second floor.

  The Allsops lived large. Their estate occupied forty acres of land on the east side of town. The mansion clung to the side of an arid ridge. Before the pandemic, extensive landscaping turned the property into a lush, green oasis, complete with a big indoor pool. During the family’s absence, the shrubbery had withered from neglect, but it was still an impressive place. Our guest suite rivaled the fanciest room at any luxury hotel. Even with a king-sized bed along one wall, there was plenty of room on the opposite wall for a pair of overstuffed chairs to face the stone fireplace. French doors led to a private deck offering a view of downtown Boise in the distance.

  I switched on a light when we entered the room, dropped into one of the overstuffed chairs, and pointed to the other. “We need to talk.”

  She made a face and perched on the edge of the chair. “We do.”

  “You want to tell me what’s going on, my love?”

  She winced at the endearment. “I ambushed you with that declaration, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, you did, but I figured you had a reason. You have history with Brody?”

  “Not really,” she said. She smoothed back her brown hair, tucking it behind both ears—a tell—something she did when she was nervous. Her diamond stud earrings caught the light, the earrings her parents had given her for her eighteenth birthday. At that party, I’d wished her happy birthday and kissed her cheek. She’d blushed bright red. “Brody and I never dated,” she said, the words pulling me out of the memory. “He asked me out a couple of times, but I said no. When he got insistent, I may have told him that I had no interest in going out with a spoiled fuck boy.”

  “He got insistent?” I sat up straight. “Why didn’t you tell Jake and me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Because I could handle it. I didn’t need my big brother and his best friend to come home from Portland to tell Brody Allsop to back off.”

  “So, there’s bad blood between you two?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. Is Brody the kind of guy who holds a grudge?” She paused, biting her lower lip. “Our friends were murdered today, then Brody rolls up with a bunch of armed men. I wanted him to think that I’m off-limits. I told him we’re in love. It was a spur-of-the-moment impulse.”

  I squatted next to her chair. “It’s okay, Sunny. You did right. If Brody harbors any fantasies about getting with you, telling him we’re in love should put the kibosh on that. And I want to stay close. I’d rather share the guest suite with you than be in separate rooms.”

  Sunny’s gaze swept over my face and lingered on my mouth before she lifted her eyes to meet mine. “Me, too. I feel safer when I’m with you.”

  Her lips parted and she inhaled a slow, shaky breath.

  It struck me then; if she’d stayed behind in the Haven this morning, the way I’d asked, she would have died when the Nampa Boys attacked. I would have found her body alongside Margie’s and Ed’s. Survival hung on the flimsiest of threads. One wrong move, one wrong decision, and she could be lost forever.

  “I’ll always protect you,” I vowed. “You can count on it.”

  I touched her chin. The purple bruise under her jaw stood out against her pale skin. I was responsible for that; the knowledge a bitter blow. Life was fragile, something to be cherished.

  “Maybe Brody was right.” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “Maybe I should kiss your owie and make it be
tter.”

  Owie. I half expected her to wrinkle up her face and laugh at the ridiculous word. Instead, her beautiful amber eyes focused solemnly on my mine. “Maybe you should.” She angled her head, exposing her throat. Leaning forward, I pressed a gentle kiss against the bruise. Sunny turned her head, and my mouth grazed hers. Electricity sizzled along our lips and zinged all the way down to my toes.

  Sunny gasped and her head reared back. Her eyes grew wide. We stared at each other, our breath coming in shallow pants.

  My conscience reasserted itself. What the hell was I thinking kissing Sunny?

  “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Don’t you dare be sorry. Because I’m not.” For once, my silver tongue, my easy way with words, totally failed me. A knowing smile turned up the corners of Sunny’s mouth. She stood. “If you need me, I’ll be in the tub.” She whirled around and sauntered toward the bathroom, glancing back over her shoulder before she closed the door.

  My heart thudded against my ribs. Jake’s little sister had turned into a woman who left me speechless.

  I’m in so much trouble.

  ELEVEN

  Sunny

  I stood next to my van, tapping my toes with impatience. Mr. Allsop had promised that one of his security team would meet me out front in ten minutes, but I’d been pacing in the driveway for at least twenty. Early afternoon sun beat down on the stone surface, and sweat trickled down my neck.

  A tall, muscular young man jogged around the side of the garage. He wore the familiar gray T-shirt and jeans that all Allsop’s men sported. At the sight of Daisy, he stopped short. He slowly circled the van, his forehead crinkling as he touched one of the flower decals that covered a rusty spot.

  “It could be worse,” I said. “She used to have plastic eyelashes on her headlights.”