Bone Dust & Beginnings (Alexa's Travels Book 1)

by Angela White

Corbin slowly turned his head, one eye glaring furiously, and Rab braced to be hurt. He never knew if would be mental or physical, but it was always painful.

  “You’re never going back there, Rabbit. Your days of comfort at a complex are over now that the quest has begun.” Corbin shrugged cruelly. “I’m almost sure you’ll die somewhere along the way. Your kind always does.”

  Corbin enjoyed the injured look, but only allowed himself a brief moment of it. There were more important things to handle, than this weakling who would never grow up to take his place. Rab’s days were numbered…and he liked making sure the boy knew it.

  Rab didn’t say anything else, but he understood Corbin was scared of the quest he’d allowed to start. The Legends of Safe Haven and Adrian’s return had been smothered and twisted, but the heart of it couldn’t be changed. The woman would find Adrian, and then Adrian would come - but, not just for the Corbin. The Legends insisted Adrian would exterminate the very reason for the War. Surely that meant all of the surviving government? Those in charge were terrified of it, so much so that they’d put a bounty on Adrian’s head that rivaled any in history. Assassins of all sorts would flood this land upon the Guardian’s return.

  It was a thought that had Rab ignoring the stench of charring flesh as they drove by the flaming tent. When Adrian came home, he and all the others being held would be set free.

  Knowing Alexa’s quest had truly begun sent hope deep into Rab’s heart. A second chance, no matter who you were or what you’d done…

  Three

  1

  Long before a cold dawn, Alexa and Edward were enjoying the warmth left from breakfast embers. As they shared a rolled smoke, she told him of their first adventure together. After the snakes, she’d felt it wise to let him sleep before explaining the newest danger to be faced.

  “I have rats on my trail.”

  Edward nodded easily, ignoring his sore places. They were minor twinges that he could function with. “I assumed so.”

  “They’ll hunt in every place we go, follow me relentlessly...”

  He heard the tone. “Unless?”

  “Unless they are distracted. We must not let them keep us from the quest.”

  She unfolded a battered map of the surrounding area. “We head here.”

  Edward’s eyes narrowed onto the spot she’d pointed out. It was granite-mountain terrain. He shrugged. “I go where you go.”

  Satisfied, Alexa shook her head at the dregs, letting him enjoy it. “Are you set for two days of straight travel?”

  “Four times as much.” He opened his mouth again, to question how it would work, but Alexa’s words stopped him.

  “We have no need for that. Everything is shared.”

  Edward relaxed, went back to his coffee and smoke. They’d spent a calm night, and after seeing her in action, he wasn’t dreading the mountains. She would lead and he would follow.

  It was odd, however, to be topside with the dawn - for both of them. There was silence as they watched the dark green sky begin to lighten. This new world was full of things Edward had little understanding of. Safety, what little there was to be had, came from staying in the light, and it was something he was already sure Alexa wouldn’t do.

  Edward looked toward his new companion as he had the thought, wondering if her strengths included such things. Did this hard woman know how to handle that darkness? They’d camped around a small fire at the base of the cliff, and she hadn’t stood a watch or slept lightly. He’d been up before her, as well. Did those things matter? Edward sensed a toughness and ability to deal with whatever came, but if she was careless…

  “Speak your mind.”

  Drawing in a breath, Edward did just that. “We should have a guard when we camp… and use cover for our fire.”

  “Do you think so?”

  Her curt words made him look up to see her almost mocking expression. She already knew those things. He flushed at his own arrogance.

  “I felt no need to guard what could only be had if the snakes were conquered first. The screams and gunfire would have warned us.”

  It was a simple answer, and his cheeks darkened further.

  “You are not wrong to question,” Alexa conceded evenly, rising to her feet. “In your place, I would do the same.”

  Edward hurried to kick sand over the coals and catch up. He wouldn’t again, though. One disdainful glance from those eyes had already been lesson enough. She was leader on this quest. Time would prove it.

  2

  They traveled for the next two days, finally reaching her goal as late afternoon fell.

  Set on an acre of flat, wooded ground, the bunker was much smaller that the Utah Facility, but more fortified. A mere ten foot of it was above ground, and the single door was time-locked except in case of a fire. There was no way they were storming those walls. The inside, would have to come out.

  Finding this alternate underground facility hadn’t been hard for Alexa after her escape, but leaving once she had, was a torment she still carried. Alone, she’d had little hope of keeping her kids free once she rescued them, and they couldn’t come on the quest.

  Then there was also the question of what to do with the children once the soldiers picked up the trail. Until she’d had that settled, taking them away from here hadn’t been an option. That had changed now. She would free them before Corbin chose to use them against her again. Even a week’s hunted freedom was worth it, a small light of hope that would spread o the others still waiting.

  And it would rattle Corbin. He knew the quest had begun. His determination to find Safe Haven matched her own, but not his intelligence. If he’d been truly smart, he would have killed her long ago. It was a mistake that either she or her father would see he paid for in time.

  Alexa glanced over at the tired, determined man at her side. She hadn’t had an energy source to draw from then, wouldn’t have been able to send for the birds after her escape.

  The woman wondered briefly what Edward’s reaction would be to finding out that his energy was a part of why he was here. The horseman hadn’t been with her long enough to know that it was a lot more than that. She honestly needed a crew for this journey, but he would think it was the only purpose he had for a while. Would he still be at her side after that revelation? Alexa pushed the worry away, and continued studying the bunker.

  Edward stared in concern at the concrete entrance set into the granite cliffs. They’d spent two hard days getting here, hours where he’d copied her movements and habits, and tried not to feel inferior. She hadn’t stopped the whole time - not to eat or sleep - and even bathroom breaks were quick trips into the brush.

  They hadn’t encountered any problems, other than the wind that was cold enough to make a man’s eyes water. He’d been glad of the goggles and gloves she’d had in her kit for him. Her own skin didn’t seem to get cold, and he had envied her steady stride more than once. By the time they’d gotten here, Edward had been grateful it was over for more than a minute so he could sit down and try to feel his feet again.

  Alexa was aware of his soreness, she had her own aches and pains, but if she let him rest, he would stiffen-up and be useless for an entire day.

  Grimacing at the pop of her knees as she stood, she waved him to the place directly behind her. “Watch the south.”

  Edward started to argue that he was too exhausted to be part of a rescue, but stopped himself. Had he thought a life with her would be easy?

  They moved toward the main door openly, hands hovering over holsters.

  The guards inside noticed them with shock. Other than those being guarded here, they hadn’t seen a survivor in years. Alarms began to blare all over the government compound.

  “Stay behind me, no matter what.”

  “Aye.” Thinking it was to guard her back, Edward did as he was told, while wishing he’d asked what her plan was.

  She stopped ten yards from the reinforced door, an easy range for anyone decent with a gun. Edward waited tense
ly to see her shot.

  Alexa concentrated, eyes fluttering closed. In her mind, doors swung open.

  “The time has come… I have come!”

  Inside the bunker, guards were distracted from the mild entertainment by captives surging for freedom. Alexa and her companion were quickly forgotten.

  3

  Edward watched the door, hoping he would be able to kill the first one out and maybe convince them to negotiate for whatever it was that she wanted. The noises behind those doors were uneasy, louder than a government complex should be. His hand tensed as the lock clicked.

  “Stand your ground.”

  Her words were firm, and Edward let go of his butt. Before he could say anything, the door swung open… and kids began streaming out.

  Dressed in white, many of them were stained with bright red streaks and splatters, telling Edward how their freedom had been gained. They helped each other, carrying the younger ones, and he was horrified at their bruised, abused condition.

  Some of the kids moved alertly to Alexa’s side, but most headed straight for the trees and disappeared.

  “Should I try to get them…”

  “No.”

  The group around them slowly grew from a dozen, to two…and then three. How many children were in there?

  Two tall girls of about thirteen ran to Alexa and threw themselves at her boots. Crying her name, the bald twins were panicked in their grief and joy.

  “We did it!”

  “We killed them all!”

  “There’s no one left inside! We killed them all!”

  Alexa’s hands settled onto each head, and the girls visibly calmed.

  “Sshhh… You did what you had to.”

  Alexa’s eyes swept over her large group of kids, seeing all the injured and weakest had been left. Not even those with the DNA marker were immune to fear. Those who had run stood little hope of evading the soldiers with an injured party.

  She looked at the bunker and then back down to the twins. “You’re sure there’s no one left?”

  The girls’ simultaneously spoken words were eerie. “They took many of them to other places when we moved. This complex held only a hundred.”

  They had half of that number around them now and only minutes before a patrol would discover the escape. Alexa closed her eyes, sending out the power again. Without being told, the children joined her, feeding off their joy at finally being freed.

  Edward listened to the waves of power with a slightly disbelieving ear. It was like a call for help and a challenge in one, and he forced himself not to wince as it grew stronger. What they were calling to, he wasn’t anxious to see, but he was honored to be a part of something so noble as rescuing children. He stood proudly behind her.

  The thought of traveling with these kids all the way to find Safe Haven didn’t cross Edward’s mind until he began really looking at them. Some of their injuries wouldn’t allow a slow trip, let alone a fast flight. What would Alexa do?

  “Watch the south side.”

  Clearly that’s where she expected trouble to come from and he turned his attention that way… in time to see a pack of very large dogs running towards the children.

  “Look out!” Edward started firing before the snarling animals were close enough to hurt any of the kids, and heard Alexa spin to do the same.

  Their guns barked loudly, drawing screams and running feet that they were forced to ignore as more dogs burst from the south perimeter and charged their way.

  Edward let go of his control and proved his words of being very, very good with his guns.

  The pack thinned quickly as he protected them, and Alexa stopped firing to watch in admiration. There weren’t so many left that he couldn’t handle it, and she studied his technique, his fast reload with only a seconds’ pause. He was better than good. He was on her level. Excellent.

  The perimeter soldiers followed the dogs from the trees, and Edward switched targets, hitting them with beautiful head-shots before they could draw and fire. He blew them off of their feet, never hesitating. These men had held the kids, hurt them. That wouldn’t be allowed to continue!

  Alexa let him take care of the dozen guards, ready to hit any he missed, but there was a thick silence after he stopped firing that said he could have handled much more.

  The few bullets the soldiers had managed to get off, hit nothing vital.

  Instinct made her turn suddenly. “Get down! Down! Down!”

  A second squad of soldiers came from the side of the bunker, and the kids scrambled to get out of the line of fire as Alexa started pulling the trigger.

  Edward finished the last two guards with a quick aim. None of these first men had returned fire, but the ones coming from behind the bunker were, and he hurried to help Alexa.

  More of the kids were running for the trees now, unable to take the noise and death, and Alexa let them go. The mental ties that had kept them all captive were guilt-laden cords that no longer existed. Their kind wouldn’t leave a man behind if they had another choice, but it didn’t mean they wanted to be around each other. After the torments these kids had suffered, being left alone to fend for themselves was a relief.

  The soldiers were all down, only a few wounded for Edward to pick off from where he stood, and Alexa narrowed her eye on the darkening sky. Their call had gone through.

  “Mind the south!”

  Alexa’s words snapped Edward from his shock at the sight of so many doves diving down from the apocalyptic sky. The birds were everywhere, and he couldn’t help watching in amazement as they landed on the children. Giggles and laughter rose with the wind, a powerful noise that seemed to improve their health as he watched.

  More doves fluttered down, surrounding the group, and the kids lifted happy arms covered with the old symbols of peace.

  Alexa pointed toward the trees that held the freshly beaten path of those who’d fled, and a large split of the birds took flight. They surged toward the woods, and Edward had little doubt they were headed for the other children.

  He started to ask what the doves were for, but the sound of engines had his gun rising in defense. “Company! From the South!”

  Alexa looked at the twin girls huddling by her feet. She didn’t speak, but they both nodded shakily.

  “Yes, we will, and we thank you for the Honor.”

  Alexa’s tone was gentle. “As best you can stand.”

  The girls stood up, and Edward knew to move out of their way as a large group of jeeps and trucks came into view from the south. They rolled up the winding drive with men checking their guns, getting set to open fire…

  Alexa stood behind the twins, face impassive to the threat. “You are of age. Take your place among my Father’s army.”

  Both girls had tears running down their cheeks, but Edward wasn’t sure if it was joy or pain that caused it. Their hands tightened on each other, and small blue flickers of magic shot into the air, merging with the gritty sky.

  “Barrier!”

  The twins screamed it simultaneously, and Edward flinch back as a vivid bolt of lightening forked across the roiling clouds above them. Ahead, the huge convoy of soldiers hurried closer, gaining speed...

  There was nothing to stop the vehicles that Edward could see, but half a mile before they reached the freed kids, the vehicles in the front of the convoy crashed violently into an invisible barrier.

  There was no noise, no burning smell, but the explosions were immense. Flaming debris bounced off of the force field and sprayed the other jeeps that swerved to miss the wreckage.

  Alexa placed a hand on each of the twins’ arms and the barrier lit up in a flash of white light that exploded over the soldiers. It grew blinding, forcing Edward’s eyes down. When looked back up, nothing moved on the other side of the now very visible barrier except smoke and fire.

  Edward saw Alexa stumble to her knees and found himself at her side without a thought. “Are you okay?”

  The twins had scrambled back anxiously,
but his concern for Alexa was obvious. They comforted him from a few feet away.

  “She just needs to catch her breath.”

  Their double timbre made him look up. “You’re sure?”

  To his surprise, they both giggled. The sound floated over the huddling children, telling them the trouble was over.

  “She is the Alpha female.”

  As if that explained it, they turned from him and moved back toward the bunker. Many of the other children followed, and Edward’s face was confused. “Aren’t they going with us?”

  Alexa slowly shook her head. “The doves will carry their messages. Until someone comes for them, they will live off of the compound’s supplies.”

  “But to leave them here…”

  Alexa waved at the smoky barrier, the wreckage, “Did you not see what they are capable of?”

  “But without you…”

  “They are safer.” Alexa pushed herself to her feet. “They were drugged before, threatened with each other’s pain. That is no longer a rule they will abide. I have freed them in the way that will allow them to survive.”

  Meaning any soldiers that came would be killed by those who had already taken lives to get free.

  “And when the big bunker sends men?”

  Alexa shrugged. “Their first patrols will be wiped out if any of these kids still remain here. It will be months before anyone important knows what’s happened.”

  Feeling better about their future, Edward had to ask one last question, had to know. “And those who have no one to come for them?”

  Her tone said she wanted the job, but it wasn’t supposed to be hers. “They’ll find a family, if they think they need one, but these children are not human as you know the word. From a young age, they are left to fend for themselves. They sometimes find their parent after reaching legal age, but because of government trackers, it’s not safe for them to have families before then. It’s how many of these were captured. They’ll stay low and wait.”

  “Wait for what?”

  Alexa turned toward the bunker without answering, but it sent her thoughts straight to the reason she now existed. These kids and hundreds more like them were waiting for a place where the light of peace would let them grow in protection and guidance. That place was Safe Haven and that leader, was her father. Adrian had no idea so many like them existed. If he had, he never would have left. She had to find Safe Haven. It was time for him to come home.