Seeds of War

by Fisher, Rachel

  “How do you live with the worry now, Ash? Every day out here I know that you could die right in front of me, and you know the same for me. For them, too,” she gestured toward camp. “That’s just the way of it. This world doesn’t make allowances for ‘women and children.’” Feeling combative, she put her hands on her hips.

  Annoyed, Asher drove his sword into the ground, where it stuck. “Fi, be reasonable. This is not a sensible risk to take. Anyone in their right mind would agree with me in an instant.” His voice rose with emotion. “Seriously, it’s my baby too. It’s not just your call as the Leader!”

  She gasped. How dare he? That was totally unfair. “I would never...”

  “Sorry, sorry,” he grabbed her hands, interrupting her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. It’s just…” he sighed, and his gaze dropped to her stomach, “…scary.”

  Fi pulled his hands around her waist. “I’m sorry, Ash. I know that it’s scary. Believe me.” She meant it. She was scared as hell. On some level, she’d been living this little panic attack for weeks, as she told herself that her period was just late…that she had just caught a little stomach bug. Each one a denial meant to quell the pounding heart of the question mark. Now the question was answered, but the pounding heart persisted. “Ash, even though it’s scary, I’ve thought about it, and I can’t think of any other options that make sense but to keep Seeding.”

  Asher frowned and released her. “Well I haven’t had much chance to think about it.” Fi winced. His voice sparked like struck flint. “But the only option that makes sense to me is for the two of us to head back to Eden A-S-A-P!”

  He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her and suddenly she felt very small, like a child who has into gotten in trouble with her parents. She found it irritating, the implied judgment. Who was he to give her shit for not telling him anything? There had been no point in telling him until she was sure, and anyway, that wasn’t fair either, she fumed. This was way scarier for her than it was for him. “Oh really? Well I’m sooooo sorry that I kept you from carrying around the worry that I’ve had for the past couple weeks. Forgive me for bearing it alone!”

  “That’s just it!” He pointed at her, his blue eyes widening. “I don’t forgive you for bearing it alone! I mean, when were you actually planning to tell me, Fi? When you delivered?”

  That’s it! She stalked back into the forest. She didn’t have to stand there and take that crap. As she stomped away, she heard his footfalls before she felt his hand on her arm.

  “Wait.”

  His voice was low but soft, and she turned to face him. He didn’t speak. As she waited, she felt his fingers press into her arm harder and she shifted uncomfortably. He released her with a huge exhale and sank onto his knees. He pressed his forehead to her waist and wrapped his arms around her. She suppressed a sob and wound her fingers into his hair.

  “I’m supposed to protect you.” His voice was thick and muffled.

  Her anger melted away as she heard the worry in his voice, and she dropped to her knees and embraced him. She closed her eyes as he stroked her hair. This was better. She hated fighting with him.

  He sighed and pulled away, settling back onto his heels. “Ok. You said you’d thought about it. So, what are the options?”

  Fi sat beside him. “Well, we’re already eight weeks away from Eden at best. Even if we turned around right this second, it would take us another two months of travel in the open to get home. If we keep Seeding we add, what, another month out and back?”

  Asher nodded silently. She knew that it was hard to accept the truth; she’d been having these arguments with herself for some time. The reality was that she was pregnant, and they were far from safety.

  “Remember when I asked you how you handle having me out here with you?” she said. “I didn’t ask that to be obnoxious. I asked because that’s how you have to think of it…how I have to think of it.” She traced her fingers over the back of his hand. “Whatever it is you do to put the danger out of your mind now, just keep doing that. Remember, Ash…this is good news. We’re happy, right?”

  She hadn’t meant for it to come out sounding so needy, but the truth was that she did need his support. It would be too much if he were worried and frantic and hovering all the time. He, and they, would have to find some way to just act normal. But she knew that was easier said than done. The struggle was written all over Asher’s face.

  “Ok, Ash, I’ll make you a promise,” she said. “Once it gets hard for me, we’ll head back. We’ll probably already be on our way back anyway.” She paused, and then, taking a deep breath, she forced herself to add the final part. “And once I have the baby, I’ll stay home. Even if you go back out.”

  That last part nearly killed her, but she meant it. He was right. A baby changed things. She couldn’t convince herself to turn back from this Seeding trip, but she would not be able to go back out with an infant. Besides, she knew that she owed it to Kiara to finally stay home. Asher was warm and she snuggled against him as she awaited his response.

  “Ok, Fi,” he finally said. “And I mean it now. I know I kind of said, ‘ok’ before, but it was such a shock. So, ok, we’ll keep Seeding until it’s too tiring for you.” He took her face in his hands. “But you have to promise me something else, Fi.”

  “Anything,” she murmured, searching his stormy eyes.

  “Please promise me that you will try to take care of yourself. You know that I love that you’re brave and strong, but please, consider the baby first if things get tough.”

  His voice was plaintive. It washed over her, leaving behind a coating of guilt. Was she really that reckless? “I get it,” she sighed. “And I promise to rein myself in.” It went against her nature to hold back, but he was right. “Thank goodness we have Sara now, huh?” she added.

  Asher chuckled. “Definitely.”

  Much to Fi’s relief, their fight was officially over. They rose and headed back to camp, stopping to collect the sword where it sprang from the forest floor like the Sword in the Stone.

  “Hey,” Asher said, a sudden grin stealing across his face, “it’s sort of a bonus that now we don’t have to, you know, worry.”

  Fi bit back a laugh. That was true. It was a positive side effect of the situation that she hadn’t considered. “I’ll give all the rest to Sara then.” Asher’s eyebrows flew up and Fi gave him an incredulous look. “C’mon, you didn’t know?” Sean and Sara had been disappearing nearly as often as they had lately.

  “What a foursome we are,” Asher laughed. “A bunch of trained warriors and survivalists who keep sneaking away to make out with each other.”

  Fi wound her hand into his. “Maybe because we recognize more than anyone how lucky we are to have love.”

  They were so focused their conversation that they didn’t notice that Sara and Sean were up when they strolled back into camp.

  “Jeez you guys,” Sean protested, covering his eyes. Sara smirked at them both.

  Fi ducked behind Asher, suddenly reminded that she was in her underwear. Of course it would look that way, she thought. They wouldn’t know the real reason she’d fled into the forest in such a hurry. Unconsciously, her hand drifted to her belly and then fluttered away again.

  Asher was kind enough to break the tension. “Soooooooo, shall we get going then?”

  “Yes, please,” Sara laughed.

  It’s Them!

  --------- Fi ----------

  “God, it is freaking sticky today. It’s too hot!” Sara whined.

  Fi had to agree. It was one of those days when the air was so humid that the sweat had nowhere to go. “Yeah, maybe I need to think about that the next time I complain about being stuck inside Eden.”

  “Definitely,” Sara said. “Conditioned air has its benefits.”

  All complaints about the late summer heat aside, the Seeding mission was going well. They had successfully set up ten new stations. At first they had despaired that they would find any suit
able Topsiders. It had taken four weeks just to find the first group. But as they’d predicted in selecting this location, the population was greater the closer they drew to the lakes.

  Of course, now that they had set up stations in the vicinity, some Topsider groups already recognized the Seeders when they approached. It was always a risk to approach a new group knowing that they were aware of the Seeders’ mission. Fi never stopped worrying about the Truthers targeting Asher. It was why she insisted that they still devote time each day to training, despite having avoided any trouble so far. Still, there was also some satisfaction in the recognition, at least when the Topsiders were friendly, which so far they had been.

  As they strolled down the gravel road that ringed the lake, Fi reflected on the beauty of the area. Though the forest surrounding Eden was one of the most breathtaking spots she’d ever visited, she felt drawn to the lakes on a gut level. They were so large that they seemed like the ocean. As a child, the ocean had always represented vacation. Every year, her family would pack up a chaotic jumble of aquatic toys, folding chairs, coolers, and umbrellas, and head to the beach for two weeks.

  It always amazed her that she could be bored at home with tablets and TVs, and yet entire days at the beach would fly by with no more entertainment than sun and sand, wind and waves. Now, as the sun reflected off the glittering waves of the wind-whipped lake, Fi felt the same sense of relaxation settle into her bones.

  “Hey, it’s them!” A man’s voice shouted from behind them. “It’s them!”

  She looked over her shoulder and saw a group of men racing toward them. “Run!” she yelled, as she and the other Seeders took off.

  They only made it a few steps before more figures crashed through the bushes ahead of them, cutting them off. Lobos. Her heart lodged in her throat. She’d never seen so many! There had to be at least three or four of them for every Seeder. Too many! She drew and fired in one motion, the gunshots echoing above the Lobo’s shouts.

  She dropped three, but the others caught them before she could get off another clean shot. With her focus trained on the group charging from behind, Fi was surprised by the kick that struck her outstretched arms from the side. It landed square on the nerve in her elbow and sent a nauseating electric spike into her neck and skull. The gun clattered from her hand and she spun and pulled her buck knife.

  They were surrounded. A quick glance told her that Asher had his hands full. Her heart pounded to see her love, his eyes hard and his sword drawn, encircled by a snarling group of five or more. Before her mind could form another thought, a Lobo swung for her with a sloppy right hook, and she ducked and jumped back. She maneuvered herself step by step toward the lake, positioning it at her back as a defense. Her eyes flitted over her attackers. There were three focused on her. Two carried visible weapons: one bat and one machete. Her stomach seized as she thought of the baby. How could she possibly fight off three by herself? Maybe she should break for the water and swim away?

  “C’mon now, sweetie,” one of them sneered. “Just come with us like a good girl.”

  A bloodcurdling scream from behind told her that Asher had found his first mark, while sounds of a scuffle to her left indicated that Sara and Sean were busy with their own mini-mobs of Lobos. Screams emanated from another victim, Sara’s this time, and Fi made up her mind. She couldn’t leave them. At the very least, she could keep a couple of the attackers busy. Just keep them busy, she thought, her mind racing. Then you can bolt for the water.

  Her repositioning efforts had placed all of her attackers within her sight at once. Now she waited, letting them be the ones to take the risk of attack. The unarmed man lunged for her first, and grabbed at her free hand. She slashed at his arm and felt her blade part the flesh. He pulled back with a scream and the one with the bat wound up. The bat swung like a freight train just above her head as she ducked, and swept the batter’s leg.

  She backed away, gasping. Though she feared the one with the machete the most, she knew that any of these men could kill her and two were now wounded and frustrated. What was worst was that she could feel that her fighting reflexes were slow, her decisions rigid with fear. All of her focus was on protecting the baby. Though she tried to push thoughts of protecting her torso from her mind while she fought, it was impossible. She might as well be fighting with the baby strapped to her for all that she could forget it.

  The man with the machete took his aim, swinging at her as she danced away. Shit! There was no chance to parry. For now, it was still a game of keep-away. Fi realized that her chances were better if she could get at least one of them down permanently. She was still just trying to buy herself time until backup could arrive. Her mind raced, searching for options, and she made the decision to throw her knife. Releasing her weapon was normally too big a risk to take in a fight, but she needed to fell one of them. The one with the bat raised his weapon above his head, exposing his chest, and she hurled the knife with all her strength.

  A sickening thunk signaled success, as the blade lodged deep in his chest. He crumpled onto his face with a shriek that devolved into a gurgling moan. Her elation was cut short as a driving fist caught her flush in the lower back. Pain buckled her legs and she fell to her knees. In a flash, the unarmed man pinned her arms behind her, and crushed her legs with his body weight. He grabbed her braid and yanked, forcing her face upward into the eyes of the other one: machete man.

  “No!” She struggled, but her captor’s grip was like a vise. “No!” she whimpered a second time. Her pulse roared in her ears as her mind began to shift forward, flying through images: Maggie smiling over cards, Asher slipping from the stream, Kiara’s tongue poking out in concentration. The images flipped faster and faster: Eve in the sunshine, Louis’ braying laugh, Sean waiting with her for Asher. Asher. The wedding…the baby. The baby.

  “You think you can just kill us like that and get away with it?” machete man snarled.

  Her captor rolled her braid over his hand, exposing her neck like an offering. As Fi was forced to stare up into the blue sky, machete man raised his arm, the blade gleaming. She closed her eyes and said goodbye to everything at once.

  “No!”

  She heard Asher’s scream, but it was not Asher who flashed between her and death. Sara’s daggers tore into the man above her, and Fi’s eyes flew open just as a spray of blood hit her face. With all her strength, Fi wrenched herself to the side and out of her captor’s grasp. From the ground she kicked up at him, but missed. As he danced away from the attack, Fi jumped to her feet, but there was no need. Sara shoved her backward, jumping between her and the other attacker. With three quick thrusts, he was done, a pile of bloody inhumanity lying in the road. Fi turned on shaking legs, her eyes darting in all directions. She gasped for air, but quickly observed that it was over. The Lobos that had not run away lay still around them.

  Asher’s sword clattered onto the gravel. He ran to her and wrapped himself around her like a second skin. “Fi, are you all right? Are you hurt?”

  Her stomach tightened at the desperate fear in his voice. “I’m fine,” she responded, her voice muffled in his stifling embrace. “Give me some air, Ash,” she pled. His grasp loosened infinitesimally.

  “Jesus, Fi,” he murmured, swaying back and forth while he held her. “I thought I was going to watch you die.” His voice lowered to a whisper, a prayer of grief and gratitude. “…That I was going to watch you both die.”

  “I swear, Ash,” she reassured him. “I’m ok.”

  She turned and saw Sean and Sara staring at them. They had obviously noticed that Asher’s concern was greater than usual. But then, she had nearly been killed. In fact, they all had. This had been no mere fight; this was a serious battle. They had never been attacked by so many at once. Fi gave Asher a nod and he released her. She marched directly to Sara, who was covered in blood, and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Sara’s arms circled her, the daggers still clutched in her hands.

  “Thank you, Sara,” Fi said, h
er eyes filling with tears.

  She wasn’t ready to tell Sara the true cause of her emotion, but she needed Sara to feel the depth of her gratitude. Without her, Fi’s life would have been over, as would that of her child. Sara’s embrace was strong and comforting. She pulled away and gave Fi a kiss on the cheek, adding a bloody lipstick stain to the spattered remnants of would-be murderer that dotted Fi’s face and neck.

  “I’m just relieved that you’re ok, Fi.”

  Fi smiled weakly and nodded. Knowing that they still needed someone to take command, Fi composed herself. There would be time to reflect on her former terror later. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Is anyone too hurt to move?”

  “Nope,” Sean agreed. “Let’s go.”

  They gathered their scattered weapons and packs. Fi found her gun and pulled her knife from the chest of the man she’d felled. She suppressed the desire to kick his dead body, and instead sheathed the still-bloody knife. There would be time to clean the blade later. They took off at a good clip down the road.

  “Keep your eyes on the forest,” Sean urged. “Attack can only come from that side.” Silent, the group obeyed, leaving the pile of bodies in the road behind them.

  A few hours later they had slowed their pace. The afternoon was getting late and it was time to start looking for some type of suitable campsite. Though they would have preferred to camp by the lake, at this point cover was more important. While searching, they rounded a bend in the gravel road and were taken by surprise once again.

  “The Seeders!” a small voice cried. “The Seeders!”

  Four heads swung around at once to find a young boy standing in the middle of the road a hundred yards ahead of them, his finger pointed. Behind him, a small group of Topsiders stood frozen, their eyes wide.

  “Weapons,” Fi commanded.

  “But, Fi,” Sean protested.

  “Weapons!”

  The boy began to run toward them when a man from his group shouted. “Ian, stop!” The boy froze and for a moment, no one moved.