"There, everything you need to take down the Rebellion." Lawton snorted and took long strides out of the room.
They walked the opposite direction from which they came and passed Rebel guards standing outside of a massive armory, rooms stockpiled with canned goods, rations, and bottles of water.
"Pay attention Connor, this is the only tour you're getting." She led him down several flights of stairs, then through a massive chow hall. Connor was amazed at how many people were there. Uniformed Rebels and civilians ate together. That kind of societal mixing didn't happen in the Sovereignty.
They stepped through a rough-hewn doorway into a large tiled tunnel. Hundreds of people were walking around and hurrying about in this thriving underground city. Metal rails ran in straight lines at the very bottom of the tunnels. On either side, vendors sold food, civilian clothes, baskets, water, tools, artifacts as well as sex. Connor was shocked by the amount of people down there.
"Show you a good time, soldier boy?" one of the half dressed women approached them and spoke to Connor.
"Not tonight," Lawton answered flatly and kept walking.
After walking two miles through the crowds of people, Lawton led him through a section that was quiet and un-crowded. "These are the Rebel housing units," she said as a matter of fact.
Being underground there were no windows and minimal electricity illuminated the area.
She finally stopped at a door, unlocked it with a key and walked in.
"Just throw your shit over there," Rachel pointed to a cot on the other side of the room. "You have a nightstand and that steel bar is for your uniforms. We aren't horribly strict about the whole tight and white thing. Just don't look like you slept in them."
"Yes Ma'am," Connor said.
She turned on him, "Look, as you may have guessed it I'm your full time babysitter - and trust me, I didn't want the job. I don't know how things are done in the Sov, but here you'll shadow me. Go where I go, do what I do, eat when I eat, fight when I fight. Webb made sure you were mine. I'm sure he can't wait to see both of us fall to our demise. Basically, we are a pair - you know, we'll have each other's backs… and I'm sure you'll have my back just like Webb does." She straightened. "Bathroom's down the hall, clean up after your self. My bedroom is across from the bathroom and off limits to you. In the next seven days the only time we'll be apart is when you sleep, shit, shower, or shave. Change into your uniform, there is more for you to see."
Lawton stalked toward the small kitchen. She was filled with fury and the run hadn't helped. If she survived it, this would be the worst week of her life.
Connor walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Detecting his motion, a light flickered. He undressed and leaned in studying himself against the sink in the mirror. He was muscular and bulky. His blonde hair was cropped short according to Sovereignty standards. That Sovereignty branding tattoo on his upper arm glared at him, reminding him of his responsibility and allegiance.
She knew he was here to kill her and betray her division. He was sure of it. Why had Webb put them together? Webb should have been the one to shadow him, not her!
The Sovereignty’s military was highly organized. Men and women did not train together. In fact, military personnel weren't allowed opposite company of the opposite sex. They weren't permitted to marry until they turned thirty-five - if they lived that long - most did not. Connor changed pants and pulled the new t-shirt over his head and made sure the sleeve covered the tattoo. He washed his hands and face, laced his boots and met Lawton back in the sitting room.
"We're leaving." She said.
No wonder the Sovereignty forces couldn't find this section of resistance - even with their satellites. They had everything they needed underground in the space and safety of the old subway tunnels under the fallen city - and had made themselves invisible along with the people that called this place home.
"What does the city call itself?" Connor asked.
"Like I'm telling you." Lawton snapped and pushed him into an empty doorway. "I know why you're here, you son-of-a-bitch! You keep your fight with the Rebels - and leave the innocent civilians hiding here out of it. Damn it I hate you! Don't fucking talk to me."
She released them and they walked in silence to the chow hall. Rachel barely chewed her food, instead she gulped it down in chunks to get the meal over with.
"Webb wants me to give this to you." Rachel spat over the table. "Just what you've always wanted - a detailed map of the underground city and its fortifications. Tuck it into your pocket nice and neat, you won't want to give it to Kain all wrinkled." Lawton looked disgusted, got up and walked over to the coffee machine.
How perfect for Webb, she thought. Have Lawton give Connor the map, have Lawton show him where everything is, it was Lawton who was the closest to him, they were probably sleeping together - I mean who knew what went on behind the closed door. If she could just contact the Northwest division where she had come from she might be able to warn her former command about what was going down here. Maybe they'd send in reinforcements, but Webb had a strict call out policy, all messages had to be approved. He was worse than the friggin' Sovereignty. And Lawton felt sure he was a turncoat for them. She had no one to trust in Northeast. She'd only been here a month and the only sort-of friend she had made was with Smithy in the Bot Shop - he was head of the tech and gadgets. Would he believe her? Was he in it with Webb? How many more here were? Were they getting tired of all the mouths to feed? Had they been offered some great treasure?
Everything was now laid before Connor - the tunnels, the buildings, the communities… the subway lines encompassed over two hundred and forty miles of an underground hidden world. Kain must have been drooling to find out about it! Lawton looked over her shoulder and watched Connor fold the map and slide it into his pocket.
When Connor's eyes looked back across the room his gaze locked onto that of a young girl. She had long blonde curls and bright blue eyes. She was about nine years old and a reflection of the girl in the photos he was here for. She smiled at him and in that moment she became Emily.
He wondered how is one person's life more precious than another’s? He wondered.
~ ~ ~
Once they were standing in the armory, Lawton crowed sarcastically.
"Awe me with the your weapons knowledge."
Her mind churned as Connor went through and named the equipment, its specs and how to utilize it. Lawton wished she had been in this division longer, she may have had a stronger friend she could have confided her suspicions about Webb and Connor to. Now it was just her against the world.
"Great. So you know everything." She said when he was in the middle of a spec. "Your next task is to field strip each of these assault weapons and reconstruct it - go."
These people had no place to go! The populations from all of the Selections that had been recovered from the Northeast Territory came here to Old Manhattan - it had been easier that way. They were able to reunite many family members, give medical care, and readjust them to independent responsible life. But until the Rebels recovered further Territories and disabled the Sov's forces more thoroughly, these people would be sitting ducks in the outer world.
The fragile Midwest Territory, however, was the focus for the Rebels in the next op. Seven Selections had been freed from Rebel forces - mainly grain farmers. The people had been relocated into Old Chicago's Metro transit tunnels. It had worked here and there. They had been safe for over a year.
In seven days, the Northeast forces would join with the Midwest Rebellion, and take over the remaining animal raising Selections. This would take out the most crucial and powerful Selections under Kain's dominion - namely his food sources.
When she turned her attention back to Connor, he had placed everything back together and was watching her with his piercing blue eyes.
"Why are you standing there? Get out there and set up the targets… Oh, unless you would like it if I just marched myself out there and stood in place of the
paper. It would make your job easier, right?" Lawton chided.
She was relentless, Connor thought as he clipped the human sized paper targets at the farthest distance to shoot the Glock 40s. What the fuck? It would have been so much easier with Webb!
He came back over to the booth and loaded his pistol. Lawton raised hers without warning and fired into the target. Connor watched stunned. He had seen some excellent shooting, but damn she was good! When she finished she pushed a button on the wall and the automated target retrieval slid the paper towards her.
Funny, thought Connor. She had made him walk out there to set them up.
"Holy shit!" He said out loud breaking Lawton's no talking rule. All sixteen bullets from the clip had gone through the same hole, right between the eyes.
"Yeah," Lawton said admiring her work. "I just imagined it was you."
She turned and stood by the door not bothering to watch his round. After he finished firing each bullet into the targets vitals, he retrieved his paper and looked to Lawton, who hadn't even turned around.
"Aren't you supposed to look at it?" Connor asked.
"It's great." She quipped without looking and pushed open the heavy door to move on.
~ ~ ~
Lawton got out of the shower, wrapped herself in a white towel, and came out into the living room. Connor saw her approach and quickly turned away.
God damn it, woman! He wanted to shout. He was still a man! And she was all women!
"I suggest you shower and get to sleep. We'll be starting early in the morning." She walked into the kitchen and took out a glass and a bottle that was filled with amber liquid.
"Alcohol?" Connor asked. Alcohol was another restricted item on the Sovereignty’s list. He had never tried it and had to destroy several homemade distilleries that had been found in the Selections. If people ever got alcohol, it had to be given as a gift from the Sovereignty. That meant most people never had it.
"Sleep with one eye open, asshole." Lawton threw before she slammed her bedroom door.
She bolt locked it. She had installed it that morning after her run. She laid her towel on the floor of her room and sat with her feet together and her back straight. She breathed for a moment then poured herself a shot of the homemade whiskey, tilted her head back and swallowed. It burned her throat on the way down and she was grateful for the distraction. She closed her eyes and hummed ever so softly.
The cool air chilled her naked skin. Unless she changed this SOB's mind, her life was as good as over. She couldn't get into her quiet place where she often found her answers. She was too full of fury and other powerful negative emotions: anger, fear, despair, and frustration. None of those would serve her well.
She reached over and gripped the glass and bottle and poured herself another, which she quickly drank. The biting heat washed through her veins. It helped slow her breathing and calmed the panic. She violently shoved away the questions that had plagued her all day - How would she save all of these people? And how would she save herself? No answers had surfaced. They only tortured her with helplessness.
Third shot down and she felt the heat immediately swell between her legs. It would probably clear my head, she thought. She pulled the tangles gently from her long damp hair with her fingers. She felt drops from the waterfall onto her back. She rubbed her neck and stretched the muscles by leaning her head from side to side. She pulled a long breath in through her nose, held it, and then slowly exhaled from her mouth.
She trailed the fingertips of both her hands lightly across her jaw, down her throat, then fluttered them over her collarbone until she came to the soft curve of her breasts. She massaged them both and let her fingers pull and pinch her tender nipples. As they became erect she used the palms of her hands to crush both breasts against her as if she were being covered by a man's strong chest.
She lifted herself up to the bed, lay back, and spread her legs. She found her warm sensitive spot with her fingers and teased herself until she moaned softly and involuntarily bent her knees. She brought her fingers to her lips and licked them, then pressed the moist heat onto her little bundle of nerves that now ached for complete attention. She was so close, she let her mind drift and enjoy the sensations engulfing her needful body.
She exploded over her hands and rode out the rush, but at the very last moment she saw Connor's face in her mind and his deep blue eyes. What a way to ruin an orgasm! She thought. There is nothing behind those eyes. She rolled over and fell asleep clutching her pillow to her chest for comfort.
Chapter 2
Day 6
"Get out of bed… it's time." Lawton kicked the metal frame of Connor's cot with her combat boot. Connor opened his eyes. She was wearing her running shorts and a skin hugging blue tank top. "We are going for a run."
Connor nodded and reached under the bed for the shorts and shirt she had supplied him with yesterday. He swung his feet over the side and noticed she was staring at him.
"Ma'am?" Connor asked. He really wanted to scream, WHAT?
"Just trying to figure you out, Connor." She replied.
Connor nodded and stood holding his clothes over his morning erection and got himself into the bathroom. He started to wash his hands and face but stopped cold when he realized the soap smelled like her. This was the first time he was ever ordered to be this intimate with any female - especially a target. He shoved the soap roughly back in it's tray, dressed quickly, and went back out to join her.
"Is five k good for you?" Lawton suggested.
"Fine, Ma'am." He responded.
"We'll be running one of the most important ops in our young lives in a few short days - how about dropping the Ma'am and calling me Lawton."
Connor wondered what kind of trick it was, but said, "Okay… Lawton."
"See," she said. "That's better already. If you have any questions feel free to ask me."
His brow creased. So today she was going to be congenial? He tried to drop the thought. It didn't matter.
Lawton set the pace and Connor stayed by her side. Her mahogany red brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail; her lean body was cut with muscular lines and sensuous curves. Her legs were strong. She was all soldier and yet very feminine.
After about two miles through the tunnels, she hauled up a flight of steps that were drenched with sunlight. When they came to the top, she stopped. The stairwell had opened into an expanse of green grass the size of a football field. The field was fully enclosed by a wide building constructed with massive windows. At least fifty children were running around screaming and laughing chasing a soccer ball.
"This is one of five schools for young children in Old Manhattan. Each school has between fifty to one hundred students. That is almost five hundred children in the elementary age category alone." Lawton looked out over the field. "Most of these children were rescued from Kain's Selections. Many were reunited with their families."
Lawton looked over at Connor. "Come on," she said and ran into the crowd of playing kids. "I'm on the red team Connor, get over there with the blue! I'm sure they could use your coaching skills!"
A team of twenty-five kids stared up at Connor for direction. He stared down with his jaw unhinged.
One of the teachers who stood on the sidelines shouted, "Go for it!" and smiled at him.
He looked over and saw Lawton running a drill with her group.
"Let's kick some red team tail." Was the only thing Connor could think of to say. All the kids laughed. He facilitated passes and sprints, and led the children in some exercises.
A moment later, a teacher came to the middle of the field and blew a whistle.
"Centers!" She called.
Two young children faced off and the two teams fought for control of the ball. But this wasn't the cutthroat, winner-takes-all game. The kids were laughing and playing more for the joy than competition. Connor couldn't remember the last time he laughed.
Lawton kicked the ball into the air and it bounced off his shoulder. H
e had been caught completely off guard. All of the children were laughing, even Lawton smiled at them brightly.
Connor felt the corners of his mouth tug up.
"Good game guys!" Lawton called out. "Keep the peace!"
"Come on," she said to Connor and set another jogging pace.
"What is "Keep the Peace"?"
"Our children are being taught to be peacekeepers. This generation - our generation are fighters. If we do our job right, we can make it so that the future generations have life without war, without dictators, without Selections… Keep the Peace is the Rebel slogan."
Keep the Peace - Noah Connor rolled these three small words around in his mind like tumbling stones. He felt a burning he couldn't explain and couldn't extinguish. Damn you, Lawton! He raged inside. These children would have no chance for any world of peace. They would be separated from their parents again and distributed through far away Selections to be raised as workers. They would become just like he had - a pawn on Kain's chessboard.
Chapter 3
Day 5
The next morning, he put Emily's face in the forefront of his thoughts and ran hard, but Emily's face kept morphing into the face of the girl from the chow hall.
They ran a new way today and after a few miles, came to a grouping of small divided sections in the tunnels.
"Family homes," Lawton told him. "We have a population of 8,000. Our military in this territory are over 2,200 strong. If this place falls, who do you think will suffer the most?"
Before Connor had the chance to answer, she stopped abruptly in front of a door and knocked hard. She was completely out of breath. A woman with a child on her hip answered.
"Hey," Lawton started. "My friend and I have been running for miles, would you please spare some water?"
"Who is it dear?" called a woman's voice in the home.
"I don't know, Mama." The woman called back. "Are you soldiers?" She asked with a smile.
"Yes,"
"Soldiers!" The older woman heard and came to stand in the doorway. She had a bright smile and long gray hair. "Baby, go get them some water."
Enemy Lines Page 2
