Zommunist Invasion | Book 2 | Snipers

by Picott, Camille

  “No, I didn’t know that,” Leo said.

  “And she always sees three to five moves ahead when she plays a game.”

  Leo absorbed this. Could Cassie really see three to five moves ahead? In stupid person language, that meant she could anticipate the next six to ten moves. There weren’t even that many moves in a football play.

  His gaze flicked to Cassie for confirmation of this statement. She gave him a small nod.

  No wonder she creamed him. He couldn’t stop the grin that stretched across his face. Cassie was the Snipers’ secret weapon.

  “She’s going to help us come up with strategies to use against the Russians,” Leo told Jennifer.

  She didn’t even blink at this statement. “Cassie will be great at that. She has a good mind for strategy. She—”

  “I’m not used to people getting up before me.” Nonna entered the room. She didn’t bother asking why they were all awake. “Good. I can use some help in the kitchen.”

  They broke apart then, each of them going in a different direction. Leo let his gaze linger on Cassie for only a moment, watching as she swept up her chess pieces and returned them to the little travel box.

  Then he caught Jennifer watching him. He turned his back on both sisters, marching outside to relieve himself.

  Chapter 10

  Terms

  LEO LED THE WAY DOWN from Pole Mountain on a bike. Jennifer was right behind him, along with Anton, Bruce, and the Craig brothers.

  As they hit a smooth downhill, Jennifer picked up speed and caught up with Leo. He tried to outpace her, but one look at her profile was enough to tell him she was not going to be deterred.

  He knew what she was going to say before she said it. He could practically feel the words radiating off her.

  “I saw you looking at Cassie.” Jennifer had never been one to beat around the bush.

  He decided to play dumb. “We were playing chess. That usually involves looking at someone.”

  “You know what I’m talking about. You like her.”

  “I just met her less than a day ago.”

  “You’ve known her since we were in high school.”

  “You know what I mean. She was just a scruffy kid back them.”

  “Don’t bullshit me, Leo. There’s no timeline on chemistry. I saw the way you looked at her.”

  He grit his teeth, not in the mood for confrontation. “Nothing inappropriate happened. We have a mission to focus on, Jennifer.”

  “So you admit you like her?”

  He kept his mouth shut, refusing to walk into her trap. “I’m not going to play your game. She’s your little sister. I respect that, and I respect Cassie.”

  “I just want to hear you say it.”

  “Say what?”

  “That you like her. Tell me you like her.”

  “Dammit, Jennifer.” He glared at her. “We don’t have time for this shit. In case you forgot, we’re in the middle of a war.”

  “Tell me you like her.”

  “She’s neat, okay? And smart. Is that what you want to hear?”

  A smug, pleased smile split Jennifer’s face. “And you sort of like it when she kicked your ass at chess, didn’t you?”

  Leo huffed.

  Jennifer just grinned. “I knew it. Cassie always had a crush on you, you know.”

  Leo didn’t respond. Now that Jennifer brought it up, he recalled the way Cassie had always stared at him whenever he came over to their house. She’d go out of her way to talk to him, even if all she did was call him Jock Face. Even back then, it occurred to him she had a crush on him, though he hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

  “You didn’t even notice, did you?” Jennifer snorted. “Why would you? Every girl in Bastopol High had a crush on the great Leo Cecchino.”

  “Now you’re just being an ass.”

  “Whatever. You know it’s true. You have my permission.”

  “Your what?”

  “Permission to date my sister.”

  Once again, Leo’s head snapped in Jennifer’s direction. He was in serious danger of giving himself whiplash. One look at Jennifer’s face told him she was dead serious.

  “Why?” he said at last.

  “Because.” Jennifer shrugged. “We could all be dead tomorrow. If you like Cassie, do something about it. I don’t want either of you beating around the bush on my account.”

  “I just met her.”

  “We’ve been over this already. Look, remember that guy I told you about?”

  “Brad.” Leo wasn’t likely to forget that particular conversation anytime soon.

  “Yeah, Brad. I knew within five minutes of meeting him that he was the guy for me.”

  Leo didn’t know what to say to this. Back in high school, he’d been convinced Jennifer was the only girl on the planet for him. Hearing her admit that she’d never felt the same should have been a blow to his ego. He was surprised to realize it didn’t bother him at all anymore.

  “Are you telling me you believe in love at first sight?” he asked.

  “I’m just saying this doesn’t have to be complicated. When you know, you know.”

  Leo let his mind drift back to earlier that morning when he’d played chess with Cassie. If he were being honest, he’d felt electric beside her. And he had loved it when she handed him his ass over the chessboard. That was sexy as hell. Even if he didn’t like losing, losing to Cassie was all right.

  “That’s what I thought,” Jennifer said, watching his face. “You know. You’ve never been a guy to go half way, Leo. Just know that if you hurt her, I’ll stab you through the heart with my stiletto. I still have them, you know. The red ones I was wearing when I got here.”

  “I remember.” It was humanly impossible to forget those shoes. He’d watched her kill a zombie with them.

  “Good. Then be a gentleman and I won’t have to hurt you with them.”

  Leo wasn’t sure he could stand this conversation any longer. “Can we stop talking now?”

  “No. There’s one more thing.”

  “What else?” he asked, exasperated.

  “Don’t try to sideline her.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You heard me. Cassie is smart and capable. She has a lot to contribute to this war.”

  War. When had they started using that word? Had it been last night? As much as Leo didn’t like it, he knew it was the right word.

  “You can’t sideline Cassie just because you want to keep her safe. I know you, Leo.”

  Now she was just pissing him off. “Fine. Are we done now?”

  “Sure, so long as we’re clear on the terms.”

  “I be nice to Cassie and you won’t stab me with your shoe. Was that the gist of the conversation?”

  Jennifer chuckled. “Yep. That’s it. Pretty simple.”

  Leo jerked his handle bars to the left, riding away from Jennifer. He cut down a steep grassy slope, heading toward a switchback in the road. He needed space to clear his head.

  He thought back to the past few years. There’d been a few dates here and there, but nothing serious. Hell, he couldn’t even remember the names of the few girls he’d gone out with. None of them had meant anything. He hadn’t felt anything for a girl in nearly three years.

  Yet he’d only become reacquainted with Cassie for a day. It was too early to leap to conclusions, no matter what Jennifer said. He was beginning to think she was crazy anyway.

  But Jennifer was right about one thing. Leo had felt something—whatever it was—when he first rode onto the Nielson property and saw Cassie. The sight of her skewering the zombie with that piece of rebar was a sight he’d never forget. She was fierce, brave, smart, and beautiful.

  Taking a deep gulp of air, Leo put Cassie Miola firmly out of his mind. He’d figure things out about her later.

  He steered his bike back onto the dirt road and turned his mind to their mission. It was time to visit the Craig cattle farm.

  Chapt
er 11

  Spies

  LEO BROUGHT EVERYONE to a stop at they reached the edge of the Cecchino property. They had to pedal a short half mile down the highway to get to the Craig farm. They would be out in the open and exposed.

  They stood in silence, listening for any sounds of danger.

  Soft wind. Chirping birds. The whine of the cicadas. Nothing out of the ordinary. No cars or gunshots.

  “All right,” Leo said. “Let’s move out. We ride in pairs. Stick together.”

  Jennifer rode beside him. The Craig brothers rode behind them, with Anton and Bruce bringing up the rear.

  They reached the entrance to the Craig farm without incident. Jim and Tat pulled ahead, anxious to see their parents. Leo pulled out his binoculars, looking in the direction of the two-story house tucked on the back corner of the property beside the milking barn.

  “See anything?” Anton pulled up alongside him.

  “Just Mr. Craig and his dog herding the next group of cows in for the daily milking,” Leo replied.

  Ten minutes later, they pulled into the front yard of the Craig farm. They arrived to find Mrs. Craig in tears as she hugged her two sons. Mr. Craig was also there, the four of them standing in a tight circle on the porch.

  Leo felt his throat tighten at the sight of the family together. Without realizing it, he glanced over at Anton. His little brother watched the reunion with a look of mixed emotions. He was happy to see the Craigs reunited, but it was a reminder that both their parents were gone. Leo felt the same way.

  He edged over to Anton and elbowed him in the ribs. Anton grinned and elbowed him back. A rare, silent moment of brotherly affection ran between them.

  “I knew you were with the Cecchinos.” Mr. Craig turned to his wife. “Didn’t I tell you they were with Leo?”

  After being rescued from Russian kidnappers, Tate had come up with the idea to spray paint the word Snipers into the grass. It was the direct translation for Cecchino. He’d hoped his parents would understand he and Jim had gone to the Cecchino farm. Looks like it had worked.

  Mrs. Craig wiped happy tears from her face. “It seemed too much to hope for.” She came down the steps and seized Leo in a hug. “Thanks for rescuing my boys. How’s your father?”

  Leo stiffened without meaning to. Mrs. Craig pulled back and studied his face. Her eyes rounded with sadness.

  “Mr. Cecchino scarified himself to help Dal and Lena get out of Rossi when the Soviets first attacked,” Jim said quietly.

  Mr. Craig blew out a breath. “May he rest in peace.”

  “You kids better get inside before anyone sees you,” Mrs. Craig said. “The Russians came yesterday, but we shouldn’t take any chances. I have fresh-baked carrot muffins.” She had them stash their bikes in the barn before herding them all inside.

  The Craig family home had been built in the early nineteen hundreds. It had been added onto over the years, each room reflecting the era in which it had been built.

  The most modern room was the spacious kitchen. A big, scarred wooden table sat in the center of the room. Mr. Craig brought in fresh milk while Mrs. Craig set out the muffins.

  “We heard Dal’s broadcast from Rossi,” Mrs. Craig said. “I can’t tell you how good it was to hear an American voice on the radio waves. All we get is that filthy Russian propaganda.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jim asked.

  “You haven’t heard?” Mr. Craig switched on a tiny radio that sat on the kitchen counter. Leo remembered him using it to listen to baseball games when they were kids. Mr. Craig adjusted the volume, letting a thick Russian accent fill the cozy kitchen.

  “The United States of America is no more. This land has been claimed by Mother Russia. Do not resist, and you will not be harmed.” The message looped.

  Leo’s hands fisted so tightly he heard his knuckles crack. Rage nearly choked him.

  “It was quite a coup to snag those few minutes on the airwaves,” Mr. Craig said, switching off the radio. “How did you guys do it?”

  Jim gave his dad an abbreviated version of their mission into Bastopol. He played up the good parts and omitted most of the dangerous parts. Mr. Craig looked ready to burst with pride by the time Jim finished. His wife’s eyes were wet with worry, but the smile she gave her sons was one of pride.

  “You did America proud,” Mr. Craig said. “Too bad you don’t have a way to make more broadcasts. America could use a voice in the darkness. It gives people hope.”

  “Actually, we do have something in the works,” Leo said. “We hope to start regular broadcasts soon.” With any luck, Stephenson and Dal would have the antenna and transmitter attached to his dad’s truck and ready for prime time later today.

  When they made the broadcast in Bastopol, Leo’s only thought had been to disseminate their information about zombies and Russians to as many people as possible. He hadn’t thought about it from a morale standpoint. It now seemed more important than ever to get broadcasts out to the people.

  “You guys need to know what else is going on,” Anton said. He told them about the round-up they’d seen yesterday, while Leo filled them in on the mutant zombie.

  “Mutant zombies and Russian round-ups. Things just keep getting worse.” Mr. Craig ran a hand through his thinning hair.

  Leo realized how exhausted the older man was. It couldn’t be easy running the farm without the help of his sons. “We were wondering if you guys had heard about any of this from the Russians when they come to take supplies from the farm. Any information you have could help.”

  “Sorry, son,” Mr. Craig said. “They speak mostly Russian when they come here.”

  “How many times have the Russians been back?” Tate asked.

  “Those bastards come like clockwork every other day to steal from us.” Mr. Craig’s face was tight as he passed around the milk pitcher. “You two are wanted for murder.” This statement was directed at Jim and Tate.

  The Craig brothers sobered at this declaration.

  “There is one Russian who speaks a little English,” their mother said. “He questioned us the last time he was here. They suspect the two of you somehow managed to get the better of the soldiers who kidnapped you. They think you burned the trucks to fake your deaths. They threatened to turn your father over to the KGB.” Mrs. Craig kept her attention on her muffin plate as she spoke.

  “The KGB?” Leo sat up straight. This was the first time they’d had any indication the KGB was in America.

  “Of course,” Mr. Craig said bitterly. “You didn’t think the Soviets would launch an invasion without the KGB, did you? Luckily, we’re the only local dairy farm.”

  “It’s a thin safety net.” Mrs. Craig pulled her muffin apart without eating it. “It’s the only reason we’re still alive.”

  “You should come back with us to the Cecchino cabin.” Jim’s fists were white-knuckled on the tabletop. “It’s not safe here.”

  “It’s not safe anywhere,” Mr. Craig countered. “Besides, we have a certain strategic advantage if we stay here. Maybe we’ll overhear something important.”

  “But you said they mostly speak Russian when they’re here,” Jim said.

  “They do, but you never know. We may be able to learn something important.” Mrs. Craig looked to her husband for support. “Now that I’m thinking about it, we actually heard them talking about Westville when they were here. That’s where you said the round-up was, right?”

  “It was.” Leo pursed his lips.

  “Too bad neither of us speaks Russian,” Mr. Craig said.

  All eyes went to Leo and Anton.

  “Lena needs to be here the next time the Russians come.” Leave it to Jennifer to call out the elephant in the room.

  “No way,” Anton said.

  “Lena is probably the only person in three counties who can understand Russian,” Jennifer said. “If we want to get the jump on the Soviets, we need her to spy on them. There’s got to be someplace she can hide to eavesdrop on them
the next time they come.”

  “Jennifer is right,” Mrs. Craig said. “If you want better information on the Russians, Lena needs to be here when they come. We can hide her under the house. No one will ever see her.”

  “Spying from our cattle farm isn’t safe for anyone,” Jim said to his parents. “Our actions could be traced back to you guys.”

  “You already said the KGB had their eyes on you,” Tate added. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “This is our home.” Mrs. Craig pressed both palms to the table and leaned forward to stare down her sons. “It’s our duty to protect it. We all have to join the fight in whatever manner we can. For your father and me, this is how we fight. We run the farm. We help you get information.”

  “I agree with your mother on this.” Mr. Craig took his wife’s hand. “We all do our part in this war.

  The table fell quiet. Jim and Tate both looked uneasy. Leo sympathized with them. It couldn’t be easy for them to know their parents were putting themselves in harm’s way.

  “Everyone is at risk,” Jennifer said. “The Russians are here. Whether we fight or hide, we’re all in danger. All we can do is choose how we want to exist. We have to leave the rest up to fate.”

  Leo raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t comment. She wasn’t wrong.

  “It’s settled,” Mrs. Craig said. “The Russians come again the day after tomorrow. Have Lena here by dawn. We’ll make sure she’s safe.”

  Chapter 12

  Chess Club

  “SO LET ME GET THIS straight. You hardwired the transmitter to the truck through the stereo.” For emphasis, Dal toed the car radio that now sat on the ground by his feet. “You hard wired the antenna to the car battery. As long as the car battery is on, the transmitter and the antenna will work?”

  “Yep.” Stephenson frowned critically at his work, clearly not thrilled with it.

  Cassie could understand why. Stephenson’s work was acceptable, but it was anything but neat. He liked his electrical projects to be neat.