The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set

by Samantha Jacobey

  Amanda frowned, “She’s asleep, mom, an’ I got th’ door open, so I can hear if she cries.” Turning to Bailey, she grinned faintly, “Wanna grab some cups an’ go sit in th’ pit?”

  “Sure,” the slender young woman nodded, “I’d like that.” She and the other girl had slowly been learning about one another, and had reached the point of almost being friends. “You can bring Hope out with us, if you like.”

  “After she wakes up,” Amanda gathered their mugs, “She’s got another hour or so before that happens.”

  Accepting the warm liquid, the pair made their way out to the circle in the center of the great hall. Climbing down onto the cushioned seat, Bailey tucked her feet beneath her, yawning in an exaggerated manner. To her surprise, Jennifer joined them, and she noted the bump in her midsection had grown large enough to be obvious.

  Amanda grinned, “How long before yur baby comes?”

  Jennifer rubbed her belly, “Guess it’s startin’ t’ show, huh? Still a long time,” she grinned. Her eyes darting over at Bailey, she giggled, “You’re next, ya know?”

  Shaking her auburn waves, Bailey snapped, “No way; not me!” Her mind instantly darted to the box of condoms Caleb had left sitting on the table in the med center, “Oh God, you think so?”

  “Sure do,” Amanda grinned as well, taking a noisy sip from her mug. Noticing her husband come in from the Armory stairs, she sat up straight, “Oh, shit!” Getting to her feet, she called to him as he crossed in front of the kitchen, headed to their quarters, “DEV!”

  Pivoting, he grinned, adjusting his course. Turning to the two men who followed behind, he wafted, “Dey already awake.”

  “O’ course they are,” Caleb climbed down into the pit and flopped onto the cushion next to Bailey’s stiff frame, “Fancy seeing the three o’ you together, chattin’ like ol’ friends.”

  The girls exchanged a glance before Amanda took charge, “So wha’s goin’ on?”

  Don took the seat next to Jennifer, informing them, “That girl showed up at the gate last night.”

  “What girl?” Bailey demanded loudly.

  “Dat girl, da one Luis brought over here,” Devon dropped his arm around his bride. “An’ da menfolks gonna give us a vote what t’ do wit ‘er. Us an’ Nung.”

  “Oh my God,” her green eyes shone as she cut them over at the man next to her, “They’re making you part of the leadership?”

  “I guess so,” Caleb shrugged. “About time, if you ask me. Th’ problem is, they want us t’ help decide what t’ do about the girl.”

  “Well, why’s she here?” Jen queried, her tone almost angry, “She came alone? Didn’ even bring none o’ our people with her?”

  “No,” he massaged his stubble covered chin, “An’ she’s not sayin’ anything until we decide what we’re gonna do with her. Except that we’re in danger an’ Pouty’s comin’ t’ get us.”

  “Well, that was a given,” Bailey’s brow furrowed above her green orbs, “What about our people?”

  “Nope, not givin’ up a thang,” Devon stated emphatically. “But we need to decide how we’re gonna vote.”

  “Vote for what?” she snapped, irritated at the lack of real information.

  “Baby, you know my dad ain’t got a problem knockin’ a woman around. He wants t’ torture her an’ find out what she knows,” his face appeared grave.

  “No way,” Bailey leapt to her feet, “I can’t believe you even had to ask my opinion on this!”

  Amanda gaped at her, “You hol’ on a second, that girl cain’t stay here! What if she’s a spy? What if they sent her over here on purpose?”

  “Then we take that chance! Don’t you see? She came here; Luis brought her. Why isn’t he with her?” she cut her eyes over at Caleb.

  “She won’ tell us anything,” he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He had already known what the girl would think, and having it confirmed in front of the others didn’t make him feel any better about their choice. “You know how th’ vote works.”

  “My uncle won’t go for that. You think Mike would?” she glared at Don squarely. “You know this is where you show what kind of man you really are. If you hurt that girl, then you don’t deserve to survive; karma’s a real bitch and we will get what’s coming to us, either way!”

  Spinning around, she hoisted herself up and over the cushioned seat. Grasping her empty cup firmly, she slammed the door to her bedroom loudly. I can’t believe he is even considering hurting her! Flopping across the bed, she bawled uncontrollably. Please God; I don’t ask for much. Please don’t let them make the wrong choice.

  Staring after her while she made her retreat, Caleb emitted a loud sigh, “Damn, she’s emotional! O’ course, she grew up in a different place, so she don’t see things the same way.” Returning his attention to those remaining in the circle, he saw Jen and Amanda share a look. Pursing his lips, he coughed, “What?”

  “Nothin’,” the blonde shook her long, golden locks, “But ya know you can’t let anything happen t’ Bonny. Your girlfriend may be overly emotional, but she’s right.”

  “Agreed,” Devon spoke up, “My vote.” Glaring at Don, he waited to hear what he had to say.

  Rubbing his palms on his jeans, the smaller man cast a glance at the girl seated next to him, “I knew comin’ down here was a bad idea.”

  “What? You don’ value our opinions? Ya know, that could be how half the menfolk ended up dead; not listenin’ t’ th’ women,” Jen quipped.

  “Yeah, I doubt that,” his eyes darted from face to face. Still, he knew she wouldn’t be happy if he sentenced the girl to suffering; or worse. “But we’re only three votes. One of them has to side with us, or it don’t matter what we think.”

  “Then we go do our best,” Caleb got to his feet, shoving his hands in his pockets. “If Pete sides with us, it’ll be enough. Either way, I’ll be back in a bit. I’m not gonna hang around an’ watch if they lay int’ her.” Climbing out, he headed for the stairs, ready to render his verdict, along with his counterparts.

  Hearing the soft cry of her infant, Amanda curled a few fingers at her sister, “Time to feed. I swear I feel like a milk cow right now!”

  The other girl giggled, following her into her quarters so she could care for her daughter. The feeding had just ended when the group of men came noisily through the entrance. Placing her babe against her shoulder and covering her with a light blanket, Amanda followed the shorter girl out into the great hall, grinning to herself when she noticed the young, ebony-haired woman in the midst of the men.

  Hearing the ruckus, Bailey wiped at her eyes, her fear getting the better of her for a brief moment. Quickly deciding she had to know what had taken place either way, she climbed off the bed, and stopped in the bathroom to wash her face before making her way outside.

  The group had settled into the pit. All of the menfolk, seven strong once again, sat on the cushioned seats, while the rest had gathered chairs around the outer ring. With the men below sat a single female, her hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee.

  “Oh my God!” Bailey shrieked, dashing across the space and reaching her by bouncing down into the sunken area. “You’re ok,” she stroked the other girl’s hair. “They didn’t hurt you!”

  Staring up at her with a stunned expression, Bonny swallowed noticeably, “Well, I guess that means they weren’t bluffin’, huh?”

  “No, they weren’t,” Bailey knelt in front of her, “I’m so glad you’re ok. Please, tell me about my brothers. About everyone! How are they?”

  Licking her lips, the girl considered her options, still in awe of the massive underground cavern. “A lot of them are dead,” she confessed, a few tears spilling over to drip from her jaw before she could wipe them away. “They killed Luis an’ Connie as soon as we got there. One of them tried to kill me, too. Choked me unconscious, but someone stopped him before it was too late. I think it was Phil; he’s the ring leader, but I guess you know that.”


  “I’m real sorry about your people,” she stared at the floor. “A woman, Martha I think her name was, and the other guy, Chris. They caught them the night of the fire, and they beat them to death as well.”

  “Oh dear lord,” one of the older women began to sob, “My husband ain’t comin’ home!”

  Bailey noticed the younger girls were not present, and she was glad of that. They had bad tidings coming and she knew it would be hard on them. “What about the rest? My brothers and the girls?”

  “I never laid eyes on them,” she confessed, “But I think they’re alive. They are at the commune, on the edge of town, where the fields start.”

  “You mean on that farm you guys were tryin’ t’ build?” John cut in, aware of only a few particulars of the town.

  “Yeah, on the farm. They were sent there to help. I didn’t know where they were before, an’ I couldn’t get to them now, to bring them with me,” she shuddered, “But I had to get over here before it was too late. You guys are gonna get hit; tomorrow in fact. They’re bringing everything they got to attack you!”

  “Wow, all that over a few horses an’ rabbits?” Peter muttered.

  Staring at him with her mouth hanging open, Bonny stammered, “No, they were more pissed about the people you killed an’ the buildings you destroyed!”

  “Buildings?” his eyes darted over at Bailey, “We burned the police station. It was part of our escape, to keep them occupied while we got away,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  “Yeah, good plan,” she bit angrily, “They couldn’t put out the fire, and all of downtown burned to the ground! Dozens of people died, an’ they ain’t gonna let that lay.” She glanced around the group, “And part of your food was bad; they think you poisoned them. Either way you slice it, they have an axe to grind against the whole mess of you.”

  “Oh my God,” Bailey gasped, “Are you sure they didn’t hurt my brothers? In retaliation?”

  “I ain’t sure of anything,” the girl countered. “All I know is you better be ready, ‘cause they have every intention of putting every last man, woman, and child here in the ground, an’ takin’ this place for themselves.”

  “They know about Lawson?” Mike demanded in surprise.

  “What’s Lawson?” she asked quietly, eyes full of fear.

  “This,” he bellowed, opening his right palm to indicate the space around them, “All o’ this! Do they know?”

  “No way,” her ebony locks shimmered when she shook them, “I didn’t even know, an’ I didn’t tell them shit about this place on top of that! Trust me, they killed Luis,” her tears trickled unchecked, “The last thing I would do is help them.”

  “Alright,” John took charge, “Then we need t’ get ready. Get us some grub, ladies, so we can eat while we formulate our plan.”

  Who's the Man

  Getting to his feet, the senior Cross glared around at the group, “Gentlemen, let’s move to a table, an’ we’re gonna need some paper t’ make some sketches.”

  “I guess you think you’re in charge,” Pete challenged, “Or do we all get a say?”

  “I figure we’ll all contribute our ideas an’ pick the best one,” John stood up straighter. “However, I do have actual combat experience, same as you. So don’t go thinkin’ you know more ‘an I do.”

  “Look, we ain’t got time to argue about who’s in charge around here,” Caleb interceded. “They’ll be here in a few hours, worst case scenario,” he glanced over at the girl, “Any idea when?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “I only know they were making the preparations yesterday.”

  “Then like I said, we don’ got time t’ fight amongst ourselves. We’re outnumbered, an’ maybe even outgunned, so we need a good plan that we can all get behind,” he put his hands on his hips as he rebuked them.

  Standing next to him, Bailey ran her hand up and down his arm, “Is it going to be like before?” her voice trembled slightly.

  “Yeah,” he nodded, placing his hand in hers, “You girls all learned t’ shoot for a reason, an’ we’re gonna need us all if we’re gonna survive.”

  Bailey stared at the floor in front of her, giving his hand a squeeze, “Ok.” Dropping the appendage, she climbed out of the pit and strolled over to the bookcase outside her quarters, where a stack of legal-sized notepads had been stored, presumably for the younger members to use while they were homeschooled. Turning to the closest table, she set out ten spots, including pens, and stared at the group of men.

  “When did you earn the right t’ sit with the menfolk?” John demanded, stepping up to the top level, “This ain’t runnin’ the garden! Or any other silly ass girlie shit!”

  Bailey clenched her jaw, “I guess the day I shot a man in the head. Or the day they stole my brothers; you take your pick.” Pulling out a chair, she took a seat, crossing her hands over the bright yellow page.

  Skirting the flat surface and taking the chair next to her, Caleb also sat down, “I didn’t actually tell them about that,” he stated in a low tone.

  “Didn’t tell us about what?” Peter shuffled forward, resting his arms on the back of a chair opposite the couple. “Come on, what the hell’s she talking about?”

  “On our way out here, during the first blizzard,” Caleb shifted uncomfortably, “Some guys from the gas station followed us. Seven o’ them, anyways. I took out six o’ them, an’ Bailey got the other one.”

  “You shot a man?” her uncle glared at her.

  “He cornered me,” she raised her chin defiantly, “I tried to hide, and he found me. He didn’t leave me any choice.”

  John laughed loudly, “Take a seat, fellas. ‘Manda, you sit, too. We need t’ decide exactly how we’re gonna go about this, an’ we’re gonna need all o’ us t’ execute the plan.”

  Once everyone was seated, the group began to hash out scenarios. Mike suggested they hide, and attack the group when they came into the compound, “Like a reverse Trojan Horse.” Although he seemed excited, the option received all negative commentary.

  Devon wanted to use the helicopter to mount a counter offensive, thinking they could fashion some type of sticky bombs to drop on what was left of their buildings. This also was not a well thought of plan. Eating their early breakfast, the group continued, not able to come to anything conclusive.

  Listening to them talk, Bonny inched her way closer, little by little. Eventually, she spoke up, “You know, you guys only have that one road to get here.”

  “Yup,” Don agreed, “That’s why I think we should line up along the wall an’ just shoot their asses when they come up. We have not one, but two RPGs in the storage, for such an occasion,” he held up two fingers in a V to emphasize the point.

  “We don’t want to damage the road. Like you said, it’s the only one we got, an’ if we tear it up, we’re screwed. We already lost our gate,” Mike countered.

  Peter dug his fingers into his sandy salt and pepper curls, his frustration punctuated by a loud groan, “We need something simple. RPGs are not gonna cut it. An’ if we line up on the wall, we could become the targets. An’ they can’t come in the front gate, because we sealed it.”

  “So what can they do?” Bailey asked, sounding distant. “I mean, how are they going to get here?”

  Subconsciously, everyone in the group shifted their gaze to the new girl. Nodding, she sighed, “They have several SUV’s they were loading down with everything that they could round up from the houses. But I can’t help thinking, if they’re comin’ over here, that would be the perfect time to attack them. Or at least get those kids back.”

  John stared at her, breathing loudly through his mouth, “You’re sure all they got’s some SUVs? No other aircraft or a tank or anything?”

  “Maybe some pick-up trucks,” the girl grinned at him, “But nothin’ that would be much else. They used your CAT to tear down your fence when they were here before, but they only did that ‘cause no one would give them the code to open it.”

 
“How do you know that?” Caleb eyed her warily.

  “They talked about it at th’ diner,” she shrugged. “That’s one o’ the first things Phil wanted to take when they were able to get back over here after the snow ended.”

  Staring at her, Bailey’s green eyes lit up. “I think you’re right, we should go get our people back while they’re over here.”

  “An’ how do we do that? There aren’t enough o’ us to split our forces,” John slapped the table.

  “Sure there are,” the girl grinned deviously. “You said you didn’t want to tear up the road. So make them get off of it, and then blow them up.”

  “An’ how do we do that?” Caleb leaned back in his chair, his hand absently reaching for a few strands of auburn hair to play with.

  “We block the road. Use the Jeep those assholes from the gas station drove over here. It’s still parked in the pasture. If you can’t drive it, use the CAT to drag it around there, and if anything happens to it we haven’t lost anything. Put it far enough out, they will pull off the road to go around… and blow them up,” she shrugged at the simplicity of her plan.

  “How does that get our people back?” Pete leaned forward, intrigued by her train of thought.

  “We have a helicopter, and an airplane. Between the two of them, I bet we could get over there and back in no time. You know where they are, right?”

  “Yeah,” Bonny reached for one of the notepads, moving between Don and Peter as she did so, “This is the town,” she began to sketch. “Over here we have three farms set up, one that’s got all your animals on it. The boys are there. These other two are for crops, and the girls are there, at this one,” she circled the last box on her sketch.

  “Man, dat plan’s anythin’ but simple,” Devon spoke for the first time in a while.

  “Yeah, but I like it,” John’s smile went from ear to ear, “Are we takin’ only the people, or do we try t’ get more o’ our animals back?”