by Kit Tunstall
I tried to stifle the sense of sympathy, and something more that wanted to blossom inside me. I kept my expression as neutral as possible. “What happened?”
“Briggs has spent the last few weeks interrogating me.” He put special emphasis on the word interrogating, and the haunted look in his eyes made it obvious he meant torture. “I didn’t tell him anything. I maintained the story that you weren’t here, and that I stayed as long as I did because I preferred being away from Fort Glacier. I told him only guilt at leaving Julia there had brought me back to rescue her.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to quiet the nausea rumbling in my stomach. “I guess he didn’t believe you?”
He shook his head. “No, but the interrogations ramped up yesterday, and he let it slip that the HLV virus was on the base. I don’t know if someone got infected from the outside, or one of the scientists got careless, but almost all of them are sick or dying. The only ones who aren’t were the troops who were out gathering supplies or whatever they were doing, which included Briggs.”
My heart skipped a beat at the news, and though I wanted to focus on what it meant for me, I managed to ask, “And your sister?”
He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes, though it was difficult to tell by how swollen they were. “She’s dead. She had been dead for three days before I found out. Briggs told me when I still refused to admit you were here at Camp Utopia.”
I couldn’t help the suspicion that welled in me, though I hated feeling that way. “Just how did you escape this time? Did he send you back to extract me?”
With his swollen face, it was difficult to discern his emotions, but he looked wounded. “No, not at all. It’s chaos at the base, and it didn’t take much to overpower the guard who’d been left to watch me. He was young and inexperienced, and his eyes were already turning red.”
I trembled, knowing what that meant. The sclera was the first membrane on the body to show signs of the hemorrhagic virus, or at least it had been for me. The whites of my eyes had turned red with broken capillaries, and within hours, I’d started pouring blood everywhere. I still wasn’t certain how I’d survived that, and clearly the scientists weren’t either, or they would have found a preventative or their cure by now.
They would want me more than ever if they were all sick. I didn’t think they would realize that if they hadn’t found a way to convert my antibodies to a treatment or preventative in the past year they held me captive, they weren’t going to be able to do anything in the hours or days they had left, but they weren’t thinking straight. They wanted a miracle to prolong their lives, and they were likely pinning their hopes on me. “Does Briggs know I’m here?”
Joshua lifted a shoulder. “He didn’t hear it from me, but he seemed pretty convinced that you were. Until this latest outbreak, they still wanted to ensure they extracted the asset with minimal amount of damage to you.” There was a bitter twist of his mouth when he called me an asset. “I have a feeling things have escalated, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them come in with guns blazing.”
“How did you make it back here so quickly?” It was at least a two-day walk, and in his shape, it probably would have been more like three or four days.
“I stole a Humvee.”
That was my last question for him, and I started to turn away.
“Sofia.”
Straightening my shoulders, I forced myself to ignore the pleading in his tone and the raw, aching need bleeding through. Even if I’d wanted to have a confrontation with him at the moment, there wasn’t time. I needed to contact Ben and hope he could rally our new allies. I didn’t know when we were going to be attacked, but it seemed obvious that it wouldn’t be long. If they didn’t arrive before Briggs did, we’d find it nearly impossible to hold them off.
I went straight back to the tent I shared with Ben, going into his office. I was relieved to see the radio looked completely assembled, though I wouldn’t know for sure until I flicked it on. I did so, and there was a cackle and a hiss of static that I found reassuring. I lifted the mic and pressed the button, not entirely certain how to use it. Silence greeted me, and I said a tentative, “Hello? Can someone hear me?”
Nothing happened for a moment, so I let go of the button I was holding, hoping that would solve the problem. A second later, a tinny voice filled the room. “Who is this? Identify yourself.”
I was reasonably certain Ben and Collier had worked out call signs and code words, but I didn’t know any of them. I hadn’t really paid attention during that part of their discussion, and I wished now I had. “I’m Sofia, and I’m here at Camp Utopia. Ben was bringing Natalie in today.”
There was an audible sigh. “Civilians,” muttered the male voice on the other end. “If you’re calling to see if your boyfriend made it, they’re here. Natalie’s getting settled, and I believe they’re planning to leave soon to return to your way.”
My heart remembered how to beat again at the news I hadn’t missed Ben yet. “I need to talk to him.”
The guy sighed again. “This isn’t a device for personal communication. Whatever you have to say to him, you can tell him when he gets home.”
“It’s not a personal matter,” I snapped. “I have information that Fort Glacier could attack us at any moment. I need Ben back here, and I need your people too.” I wasn’t entirely certain where the commanding note came from in my voice, but it was the kind of command that left no room for arguments or protests. I was satisfied and slightly amused, even under the circumstances, to note his tone had changed when he spoke again.
This time he sounded somewhat deferential, and he’d lost that trace of annoyance at having to deal with me. “I’ll relay the message to Collier. Standby at your location. Over.”
“Over, under, around, and through,” I said with a hint of sass. I didn’t know proper radio etiquette, though I guessed it was another thing to add to my list of survival skills to learn in the new world.
It was ridiculous to sit there, feeling powerless as I drummed to my fingernails on the worn desk and waited for a call back from either Collier or Ben. We were wasting valuable time, and I started to question whether my contact at the other end of the radio had even bothered to pass along the message, or if he had just been placating me to get me off the frequency.
Even though I was expecting it, I jumped a mile out of my chair when the radio crackled, and I heard Ben’s voice. I snatched up the mic and brought it to my mouth, trying to suppress the tears of relief at hearing his voice. “You have to come back now, and bring as many of our new friends as you can.”
“What’s going on?”
“Joshua showed up, and he’s been beaten pretty badly. He wanted to warn us that Briggs plans to attack.”
“When?” asked Ben.
I shrugged before realizing he couldn’t see the gesture. “I don’t think anyone knows.”
“I want you to stay by the radio and give me updates. We’ll be on the road in less than ten minutes, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”
I swallowed, mentally preparing myself for the next seventy minutes of sitting and waiting. That was a conservative estimate based on if they really got moving that quickly at the base, and if they were able to speed back here without running into any obstacles. The road should be cleared, but there were no guarantees. “I’ll be here, and I’ll keep you—”
I broke off when I heard a rumbling sound. “Hang on.” I got to my feet and left the office, going just outside the flap of the tent. My mouth dropped open in horror when I saw two tanks along with a couple of trucks and a Humvee sitting right outside the perimeter of the camp. The tanks were centered and appeared to be aimed to cause the most damage right in the middle of our small settlement. I cursed, uncertainty filling me.
“Sofia, surrender yourself now, and no one has to be hurt.”
I jerked in shock at the sound of Briggs’ voice emanating from the speaker mounted to one of the trucks. Without thought, I duck
ed back into the tent and ran to the radio. “They’re here, and they have tanks. Two of them. If I don’t go with them, they’re going to destroy everything you’ve built here.”
“No,” said Ben, his voice urgent. “Get everybody out of the camp and evacuated to the surrounding areas. We’ll be there soon as we can.”
“I can’t. Not everybody can do that.”
He cursed. “When they realize it’s a matter of life and death, they’ll get their asses in gear.”
“And Maisie’s baby?” I said softly. “She still needs a CPAP machine to breathe, or at least to ensure she stays breathing. We can’t take her out of the incubator and away from her medical supplies. One of the tanks is lined up directly with the infirmary. If I don’t surrender, they’ll level the place. Briggs is crazy enough to do it, and I won’t be responsible for Maisie’s baby dying in the process. Or anyone else.”
“You could die. Our baby could die. What about that?” He was clearly on the edge of panic now.
In surprising contrast, I actually felt fairly calm. “They aren’t going to kill me yet. They want the cure too badly, and they probably won’t even realize I’m pregnant to start with.” I crossed my fingers as I said that, uncertain what kind of exam they would put me through after I’d been gone for months. They would probably want to ensure I hadn’t been contaminated in any fashion, or showed signs of any illness.
Either way, I was fairly confident they wouldn’t put me through an abortion, or try to, at least not right away. They’d be too focused on getting my blood. “Joshua said they’re all sick there, or on their way to being, and we know the HLV virus kills you fast and hard, especially the hemorrhagic strain. That seems to be what they have, because his guard had red sclera. I doubt there’ll be anybody left standing in a couple of days anyway.”
“I hate this plan,” said Ben.
“I know, babe, but I can’t think of anything else to do.”
“I’m coming for you, and their damn base won’t keep me out. Nothing will keep me away from you and our baby.”
I blinked back moisture, knowing I couldn’t afford to burst into tears and lose my tenuous control. “I know you will. I have every faith in you that you’ll get me out of there if they don’t all die first. I love you, Ben.”
“I love you too, you stubborn, crazy woman.” There was a hint of pride, along with exasperation, in his tone.
There was nothing left to say, so I returned the mic to the hook and calmly walked out of the tent.
I got closer to the troops at the base, at least where Travis could see me, and raised my voice. “I’m coming out to you, but I need a few minutes.”
“You have three minutes, and then we level the place and take you anyway,” responded Briggs.
I turned away from them, wondering where the recent calm had come from. It seemed to fill me, and it also provided a welcome layer of numbness that I needed to get through this.
I went straight to the infirmary, somewhat unsurprised to find Grace trying to convince Joshua to remain on the bed. He was trying to stand up. I put a hand on his arm, and he went quiet. There were a lot of things I could have said to him, and there were still so many things I needed to tell him, that we needed to discuss, if and when I made it back from Fort Glacier.
I didn’t have time for all that, so I just leaned forward and gently kissed the side of his mouth that wasn’t all swollen. “I love you, Joshua. I’m doing this for everyone, and I don’t want you to feel guilty. If you hadn’t given us warning, Ben would have been that much farther behind, and he wouldn’t have brought our allies with him. We have a shot now at bringing down Fort Glacier.”
He took my hand, holding as tightly as he could, which wasn’t much in his current condition. “You can’t go out there. They’ll hurt you.”
I nodded. “They probably will. I’m sure they’ll experiment on me and poke and prod me, and they’ll be desperate for a cure, but if they’re sick, they’ll be dead in a couple of days. Ben’s going to rescue me before then.” I spoke with absolute certainty, having complete faith in Ben’s ability to do so. He wouldn’t stop until we were back.
I took his hand carefully, not wanting to injure him further, and pressed it against my stomach. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him, especially at the moment, but he had the right to know. I didn’t want to add to his worry, but I might never have a chance to tell him again. As certain as I was of Ben’s resolve to rescue me, I was still realistic enough to know that a million things could go wrong. “I’m pregnant, and you could be the father. Or it could be Ben’s.”
I think he scowled, though it was difficult to tell with his swollen face. “You definitely can’t go out there. You have to stay here, where it’s safe.”
Reluctantly, I let go of his hand and placed it back on his stomach. “It’s not safe here, at least not right now. The best thing I can do for everyone is to surrender, but it won’t be for long. I have too much to live for, and I know you’ll rescue me.”
He looked bitter. “I couldn’t rescue a fly from glue at this point.”
I patted his hand before stepping back, aware my three minutes must be close to ending. “Like I said, you warned us, and you withstood that beating, and likely others almost as bad, without telling them I was here. You’ve done your part, so now you need to rest and recover. We have a lot to talk about and figure out when I get back.”
I turned away, unable to stand the misery in his eyes, and I couldn’t listen to him ask me to stay. I might have weakened in my resolve and agreed to do that. Instead, I tried to blank my mind as much as possible as I left the infirmary and walked toward the entrance of the camp, where Briggs had positioned his forces. I nodded to Jeff, who was on guard duty, and paused long enough to hand him my side arm. “Take care of that for me. I’ll be wanting it when I get back.”
He nodded, looking apprehensive, but he didn’t try to stop me. Either everyone was too afraid to stop me, or they had all reached the reluctant conclusion I had—this was the only way to keep everyone safe, at least for now.
With a deep breath for courage, I crossed out of Camp Utopia and approached the truck from where Briggs’ voice had emanated. In less than a dozen steps, I’d left behind the camp and surrendered myself to the mercy of Fort Glacier and its people once more. I knew from experience they had no mercy, but I also knew Ben was coming for me, and I had no doubt he wouldn’t stop until I was safe again.
Chapter Fourteen
Once they had me back at Fort Glacier, they wasted no time in poking, prodding, and examining me. By the time a guard returned me to the room I’d used during my entire incarceration at the base, I was feeling woozy from blood loss. I was certain they had taken more than safety protocols allowed. There was frantic air about them all, and they were beyond being bound by professional decency, and the Hippocratic oath had fallen by the wayside at Fort Glacier long ago.
I shunned the bed, not wanting to fall asleep and leave myself in such a vulnerable position. I was certain Ben and our allies would be arriving at any point, so I just had to get through the next little while. Or so I told myself.
I had barely taken a seat when my door opened, and I groaned when I saw Travis Briggs step inside. He held a manila folder in his hand, but I didn’t look at him as he walked around behind me. He stopped close enough I could feel his body heat, but didn’t quite touch me as he leaned forward to drop the folder on the desk. I opened it cautiously when he didn’t speak, seeing test results. I didn’t understand or recognize most of them, but someone had circled hCG. I cursed under my breath. Now they knew I was pregnant.
His hand fastened around my neck, squeezing lightly for a moment. “We lost months of progress when you decided to run.”
“Bullshit,” I said firmly. “They weren’t any closer to a cure then than they are now. Even keeping me prisoner here and experimenting on me is not going to save any of you. Joshua told me everyone here is infected.”
He leaned closer, so
close that his lips brushed my ear and made me shudder with disgust when he spoke again. “Not everyone’s infected. Some people managed to avoid exposure, and I discovered something of great personal interest.”
I didn’t try to look at him from the corner of my eye. I just maintained my steady gaze ahead. “What would that be?”
“I’m immune. I must be after being exposed to the virus and remaining well.”
I allowed myself to turn my head just a bit this time, giving him a mirthless grin. “Maybe you’re just late to show symptoms. The incubation period was longer in some people than others, if I remembered correctly.” My grin grew, this time showing real pleasure, I was certain. “I wouldn’t discount the idea of you dying a slow, horrible, and painful death just yet, Briggs.”
His hand on my throat tightened noticeably, making it more difficult to breathe. “The same could be said for you, Sofia. It’s in your best interest to cooperate.”
“Why would I cooperate with any of you? The world would be a better place if you all died.”
His hand squeezed tightly enough for a moment that I couldn’t breathe, and he prolonged his clench long enough that stars started to dance behind my eyes, and I panicked a bit. I brought up a hand, trying to pry his off my neck, but I couldn’t manage to do much in my already weakened state, combined with lack of oxygen.
Finally, he loosened his hold enough where I could draw in a deep breath again. I choked and gasped, hating to give him the satisfaction of showing any weakness, but unable to stifle the compulsion. It hurt to breathe for a moment, but it also felt good to finally draw in a deep breath after the last few seconds.
“You’re going to cooperate, because you have far more to lose in the situation than I do. I don’t give two fucks about them finding a cure or curing each other. I don’t need that shit. I figure it’s all fairly useless now. There’re probably pockets of survivors holed up in different places like this base, where those who aren’t immune remain, and they’d be desperate for a vaccine or cure, but that doesn’t mean they’d have anything to offer me in trade. To be blunt, I don’t care about the scientists. They want your blood, but I just want your pussy.”
