“Marie and Sara just got here, Nona.” He urged her to sit with him once more, and took her hands. “The girls are new to our life. They mean well, but they don’t know what it’s taken, what we’ve all sacrificed, to create this safe haven. I thought by bringing the Liars so close to our settlement, that maybe they too would see the beauty in it.”
“But maybe they have, Father. Maybe some of them have. You know that some of the Liars are lapsed Christians.”
“Science before God is a pretty big lapse, Nona.”
“But Jesus tells us to forgive.” She sat back and sighed. “Besides, I’m not the only one with this concern in my heart. I’m afraid that if we don’t give the Eden colonists more time, there could be division within the settlement.”
He nodded. That was the problem with hidden agendas. It was hard to get everyone on board. “How much time, Nona? You know our supplies are limited. The reason half of the settlement wants to stick with the original date is because they feel they’ve sacrificed enough already…”
Despite the validity of his own point, Nona was silent, her eyes pleading. She had a point too. Division was a concern. He considered it. Mutiny wasn’t something he was prepared to handle. Not with his prizes so close, with his vision on the cusp of being made real. The question was, how much time was he willing to give? He’d waited so long. Out of nowhere, his mother came to mind. She always used to say he had the “patience of a saint.” He bit back a smile. It was apt.
What difference would one week make, really? If he gave the Liars one more week, he would seem magnanimous to the half of the settlement that was ruffled. And none of them would want to feed the colonists longer than that. Yes, that could work. “One week, Nona. I’ll give them one more week.” Her face lit up and he turned away. “Don’t ask me again.”
“Oh, I won’t, Father! Thank you, Father!”
She swept from the room and he watched her hustle away through his window. Her cabin was close to his and he could see Sara and Marie waiting on the porch. When Nona reached them the three women jumped up and down like school children. His heart lurched and he turned away abruptly, reminded for a moment…
…No. He leaned over the table, his knuckles whitening as he gripped it. There was no place for that in the world anymore. No joy. No childish delight. Not for him. Not for anyone.
Last Gasp
----------------- Fi ----------------
Fi stepped into the Skillman’s cabin with Sara on her heels. “Lucy?”
“Hello, Fi,” a warm voice greeted her, and Fi stopped, overwhelmed by a surge of joy. “Trill!” She shifted Luke to her left hip and rushed to embrace her Lakelander friend. “It’s so good to see you!”
“You too, honey…and Sara.” Trill reached to embrace Sara as well. “Though I wish we girls were having another party instead of this mess. What’s this?” She held Sara’s bandaged hand.
“Perk of the job,” Sara said, unwinding the wrapping to show her. By now the wound had closed, adding a new pink scar to Sara’s badges of war. She could have taken the bandage off, but Fi knew she couldn’t bear to look at the mark. Not until they’d won.
Trill hissed through her teeth. “Wooooo, girl. You let them do that do you? That’s some serious commitment.”
“She didn’t even flinch,” Fi said.
“No doubt,” Trill said, patting Sara’s shoulder. She shifted her attention to Luke. “And who’s this little man?”
“This is Luke David Grey. And this, Lukie, is Natrillia, but you can call her Aunt Trill.”
Trill took Luke. He gurgled happily and blew bubbles as she rocked him. “That’s right,” she murmured, “your Auntie Trill was the only one smart enough to know you was on the way.”
Sara shot Fi a look. “What?”
“Sorry, Sar. She guessed.”
“I’m a woman of the world, Sara.” Trill held Luke above her and rubbed noses with him. She turned to Fi, her brow furrowing. “We were real happy to hear you two were both all right. When Eden’s signal disappeared, you were all I could think about. I know you’re a tough-ass, but having a baby is no joke. ‘Specially nowadays.” As Trill lowered him, Luke blew a loud raspberry and spit up on himself.
“Oh, whoops!” Fi swooped in to take him, wiping Trill’s shoulder with a corner of his blanket. “Sorry about that.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, girl, you know I don’t scare easy. Little spit-up is nothing compared to what we got coming.”
As Fi bounced Luke and wiped him clean, Trill caught them up on the movements of the other cohorts. All of the colonists gathered around, hovering like ghosts floating on an updraft of hope.
“So all of Lakeland has arrived then?” Fi asked, excited.
“Yup, all one hundred and seventy-eight of us.”
The room filled with gasps.
“When we told the General we were sending everyone, we meant it, Fi,” Trill said proudly. “The only ones who stayed were the underage or vulnerable. To be honest, it was hard to get anyone to stay.” Her hands settled on her hips, and for the first time Fi noticed the two pistols Trill had strapped to her waist. Her friend was thinner, and her eyes, though still gleaming with their usual dose of mischief, were strained. Even her dreadlocks seemed to have greyed.
Fi shook her head in amazement, at a loss to find adequate words. It was one thing to be told that hundreds of people were marching to your aid. It was another to have them actually arrive on your doorstep. Her own cohort’s journey south had been grueling enough. What had it cost Lakeland to come all this way? “I’m overwhelmed, Trill. I…I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you.”
Trill patted her hand. “You won’t, Fi. The payback is ours to make, not yours. Ours and everyone else’s that you risked your life to help. Including Diaspora.”
“Yes, how far out are they, Trill? Do you know?” Sara asked.
“Diaspora’s runners came in yesterday. The rest will be here in four days.”
Again, the air in the cabin was punctuated with gasps. Fi’s heart started to thump in her chest. It was time! Sara grabbed her arm, her eyes wide.
“The Commander wanted me to tell you that they’ve set the date,” Trill added. “There’s a new moon on Friday, so even if skies are clear it should be dark enough to get all you folks out of here before the siege. Oh, and Fi, I heard a rumor that we have a backup plan for the tower guards anyway. Is that true?”
“Yup, we’ve got the sleepy juice all ready to go.” Fi grinned.
Trill popped out her hip and bumped Fi playfully. “I wonder where you girls coulda gotten the idea that giving the guards liquor would make them useless.”
“I don’t know, Trill,” Fi said sweetly. “I guess it just…came to me.”
Sara snorted and the colonists bugged them to explain the inside joke. Fi settled onto a bunk and let Kiara snuggle into her side. She focused on enjoying the moment of closeness with her two children, while Sara and Trill regaled the colonists with stories of the boisterous celebration that Lakeland had thrown in the Seeders’ honor that past summer.
The hour flew by, fueled by relief and anticipation and before they knew it the sun had sunk below the ridge. For what was now destined to be one of the last times, the girls regretfully left their friends and family behind.
Sara slipped her hand into Fi’s as they crossed the prison yard to join their escorts back to the settlement. “Only five more days.”
Fi squeezed her hand as her heart fluttered again. Five more days, she thought, just five more days until this nightmare comes to an end. One way or the other.
###############################################
Five days later, the girls huddled in their “room” at Nona’s for the last time.
Fi squinted through the crack in their shutters. A distant light flicked on in the only single-occupancy cabin in the settlement. “Bingo. Carter Lawson, reporting for duty.”
“Are you ready, Fi?”
Fi blinked. Ti
me had been slipping on her lately. Before, the days flew by, cirrus shreds ushered on a racing jet stream. But these past five days had plodded, the distant sun refusing to make its sullen pass through the sky at more than a snail’s pace. Each day was more challenging than the next, each goodbye to her sister more strangled as the next day loomed. It took every ounce of her concentration not to scream.
That was why Sara’s question didn’t register. She had to ask it again. “Are you ready?”
Fi shook her head. It was time. If she’d really stopped to consider Sara’s question, she’d have had a million different answers. But now, with her helpless son strapped to her chest, the hidden flasks of alcohol swaddled within his sling, she knew that the answer was no. She would never be ready for war. “Yup, Sara, I’m ready.”
“How’s Robobaby?”
“All set.” Fi peeked into Luke’s bulletproof sling and zipped him up tight, pulling him onto her back and securing the straps.
Sara grabbed her hand. “This is it, Fi. This is where you and Luke exit stage right, ok?”
Fi hesitated. She knew it was Sara’s job to keep her safe, but it killed her anyway.
“Believe me, Fi, I know you feel sick that Asher’s going to be in it without you, but it has to be.”
“I know. You’re right.” She grabbed Sara’s forearm in the Seeker’s greeting, her fingers curling around Sara’s wrist. “Do you remember when I taught you this?”
Sara gripped Fi’s wrist in return. “I’ll never forget it. That was the day we became sisters for real.”
“All right then, sister. Let’s get this party started.”
They snuck out of Nona’s house and were plunged into the impenetrable darkness of the new moon. It was the witching hour, when even the animals hid from the spirits. They scurried around the lake, sticking to the deepest shadows, until the twin watchtowers loomed.
Fi stared up at the shadow in the first watchtower. “All right. Here goes nothing.”
They sprinted to the tower, afraid that if Mouth saw the movement, he’d shoot first and ask questions later.
“What the hell, Marie?” he exclaimed as they clambered up the stairs. “I nearly shot you girls. What are you doing?”
“Sorry, Mouth,” Fi said, putting on her best apologetic pout. God, she was sick of this acting crap by now. She was ready to be herself and start shooting these guys. “We have a peace offering for you.” She slid a flask from Luke’s sling, being careful not to jostle him.
Mouth’s eyebrows rose. “What’s this? Do you mean to say that Father’s favorite little angel isn’t so angelic?”
“Don’t be mean, Mouth,” Fi said. “We used to make it to trade, that’s all. Besides, we’re not the ones everyone calls Angels.”
Mouth reached for the flask tentatively. “We haven’t exactly been buddies, Marie. Why would you do something nice for me?”
“That’s why I called it a peace offering, Mouth. I meant it. I’m a Truther. My sister is a Truther. You’re an Angel. We’re supposed to be on the same team.”
“Aaaaaaaaand you didn’t want the Father to know you’d been shilling alcohol, I bet. Interesting that you didn’t include this in your baptism confessions. Didn’t want to ruin your already glistening reputation as the mother of a fatherless child?”
Sara snatched the bottle. “Forget it, Mouth. Obviously you can’t keep yours shut.”
“No, no!” Mouth grabbed for the flask and Sara pulled it out of reach.
Fi smiled. Nice.
“I’m sorry, you’re right,” he said, pleading. “We should make peace. You give me the flask. I keep it secret that you two deal in moonshine, and everybody’s even.”
“Promise that you’ll drink this tonight and not tell Silas,” Sara demanded. “Promise or we’ll never do another nice thing for you again.”
Mouth cocked his head, as if appraising the possibilities. “Deal.” He grabbed the flask, pulled off his glove, licked his palm, and held out his hand.
Sara shuddered. “Gross. I’ll take your word for it, Mouth. You seem like such a ‘my word is my bond’ kinda guy.”
They turned to leave as Mouth popped the top off the flask and took a huge swig. “It’s been real nice doing business with you ladies. Next time you have gifts, be sure to look me up.”
“One down, two to go,” Fi whispered as they headed to the next tower. So far, so good.
Two hours later, the girls stood huddled in the watchtower, appraising their handiwork. “This was almost too easy,” Sara said.
Mouth was heaped in a corner, snoring lightly, the empty flask beside him and his rifle resting across his chest.
“I’m sure it would’ve been harder if these guys had any tolerance left,” Fi replied.
“Shall we make him more comfortable then?” Sara crouched beside him and reached for the rifle.
Fi nodded, her buck knife held at Mouth’s throat in case he awakened, though she seriously doubted he would. His buddy Lucius in the other tower didn’t even move when they’d disarmed him and trussed him like a turkey. As before, Sara slowly slid the rifle from the Lobo’s hands. Fi worked quickly to cable tie his hands and feet, but just as she was sealing the duct tape over his mouth, he awakened.
“Nnnnnrrrrgggghhh!” His eyes bulged and he struggled.
“Shhhhhhh!” Fi reached in to put her knife to his throat, but he rolled and kicked away, nearly knocking Sara down the stairs. He snorted and bucked, and Fi struggled to pin him, until Sara scrambled to her feet and silenced him with a vicious right hook. He went limp.
“Ooof!” Sara shook out her hand. “What a lump of concrete that guy has for a skull.”
“Darnit, Sara, I was just going to lay a line on him about respecting the ladies.” Fi sheathed her knife.
“Sorry, girlfriend, but it’s like you always say, ‘Show, don’t tell.’”
Fi snorted and turned to face the distant river. She held the red LED light aloft and clicked it on and off, once, twice.
“I wish we knew if they’d seen it,” Sara said.
“We’ll just have to hurry, because they’re coming either way.”
Fi and Sara raced down the watchtower stairs. She practically leapt the last two; her adrenaline was pumping so hard. Ripping off that stupid skirt had felt like the first shot across a proverbial bow, but it was such a relief to be taking some ACTION, finally! All of this waiting and hiding and sneaking had been killing her. Now, Marie was officially dead, left in a puddle of cotton on the forest floor…and Fi was back.
They split off and went cabin to cabin lining up the colonists. Kiara’s cabin was last. “We’re a ‘go,’ folks,” Fi called. “Are you ready?”
“More than ready. Let’s go,” Lucy said, directing the others.
Fi grabbed Kiara’s hand and knelt. “Stick with me, ok, Ki?”
“Yes.” Kiara’s voice wobbled.
“And if we get separated for any reason, you find Sara, you got me?”
Kiara nodded.
The human river poured from the cabins in organized rivulets, converging on the point in the fence where Sara had clipped the wires. Fi rushed to the front with Kiara still in tow, where she found Sara ushering the colonists through the opening. “Ok,” she said, stopping briefly. “I’ve got the front, Sar.”
“And I’ve got the rear.” Sara gave her a quick hug before echoing Fi’s own last words to Asher. “This is going to work.”
The Fog of War
------------ Asher -----------
Asher huddled with his platoon at the east end of the encampment to await the signal. Dawn couldn’t be more than an hour away. His clothes were still wet from the river crossing they’d made hours earlier, but his shivers were more of anticipation than cold. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword and he turned to his companions…his Dragons.
The platoon had chosen the nickname after Sean had suggested it. Given Sean’s prior experience with Asher as the head of his gang, the Dragons, Ashe
r felt it was time to finally give the name the honor it deserved. At least this time the Dragons themselves were worthy. Though only four of the twenty in his platoon were true battle-tested warriors, they were all good men. They’d been training together every night for weeks of their trek. He knew they would put their lives on the line for each other.
He thought of Fi’s reassurance and whispered it to his troops. “This is going to work.” The only response was a few uncomfortable grunts. They were restless…ready. It had better work, he thought. If it didn’t, they were all dead.
An odd popping sound downriver got his attention. He squinted into the blackness. He could just make out the silhouette of several buildings. According to Fi and Sara’s intelligence, they included the armory, the storage shed, and the showers where Gary and the rest of the Council and Security were being held. Those were his targets, but he worked to make out the dark figures to the west, along the cliff’s edge. There was another pop and he saw a figure crumple. His heart leapt into his throat. It had begun.
----------- Sean --------
“All right,” Julius whispered to Sean. “One more time.”
Along with Luc, Sean had taken responsibility for directing the Army of Eden, whose ranks had swollen to over four hundred. They might not be well trained, but they were determined, and they were many. It would have to do.
They’d dubbed themselves the “Great Wall” as a reminder of their duties. Now they waited in a rustling flock just below the ridge. Julius, Sean, Darryl, and several Army members crouched at the top, watching the shadows in the distance. Though it was hard to make out any details, the distant flicker of candles in windows was enough to show movement. As the night deepened, Sean’s shoulders crept up around his ears. He rolled his neck. “…One more time, Commander.”
All Sean could see of his Commander in the darkness was the glitter of eyes and white of teeth. All of them had blacked their faces with the greasepaint and mud mixture the Seals had shown them. He was swept back to fourth grade, when Fi had been obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. She’d made him listen while she’d read her favorite parts over and over again. Now, standing before a field of floating teeth, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was at the head of an army of Cheshire Cats. Hopefully we have as many lives.
Emergence (Eden's Root Trilogy Book 3) Page 24
