“Tell me whatever you feel like talking about.” Austin replied. “I’m here to listen.”
Charlie smiled at him. She liked the captain; he had intense blue eyes, but behind that she saw kindness. Unlike Disciple Morgan, who was pure evil to his rotten core. A thought occurred to Charlie causing her brows to crease. “You can’t hurt Thomas. He helped me escape.”
Austin ground his teeth together. Disciple Thomas. “I won’t hurt him.” This wasn’t a lie, but he couldn’t bring himself to heap more heartache on the fragile girl by telling her about Thomas. “What do you know about the prisoner in the glass room?” He asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Not very much. My father kept her inside the room we were in. The walls and floor and ceiling of her prison were all glass. She was there before we were. Maybe like a year before us.”
“Did you ever talk to her?”
“I tried, but the older girls wouldn’t let me. She never said anything. She just stared at us. Sometimes I thought she might be lonely. Thomas told me she walked right up to the gates and let the soldiers capture her. She didn’t fight or nothin. At least that’s the way Thomas told it.”
“Did Thomas say where she was from?”
“No. He said my dad was running tests on her blood. I guess he thought she had some sort of internal DNA.”
“Eternal.” Austin gently corrected.
“Eternal. That’s what I meant.” She laughed and for a brief second Austin saw the child behind her sad eyes. “Thomas said my father was obsessed with her and that her blood was exceptional. He gave her a bag of human blood every few days. Sometimes he would wait like five or six days before feeding her.”
“What would happen if he waited that long?”
“Her eyes would get really black. I mean they were always black, but they got blacker when she was hungry. Not that you’d notice right off, but I did cuz I watched her a bunch. And I think she watched me too.”
“Was she still there when you left?”
“Yes. I waved good-bye to her, but she never waved back. I thought I saw her smile, like she knew what I was up to. And she was wishing me good luck. At least that’s what I’d like to think.”
“Was this the night Thomas helped you escape?”
“Yes. Thomas always picked me whenever he won. He was lucky and won the drawings a lot. He never touched me, not like the others.” Her face clouded over. “Thomas was a friend of Aaron’s, my brother, and he promised he would help me escape. We played cards and listened to music and sometimes stayed up all night talking, but we had to whisper.” She paused. “He would have to turn off the lights and we’d get under the covers and, you know, pretend.” She turned away embarrassed. “There were cameras in the rooms.”
Austin nodded that he understood.
“The night I escaped I kissed Thomas goodbye. I thought he was mad that I did. You know kissed him. But he hugged me tight and said he loved me. And I love him.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
“What about the Sundogs? Can you tell me anything about them?” Austin asked, veering away from the subject of Thomas.
“I saw them once.” She told Austin the story about her brother. “My father was still himself back then and I thought he would keep me safe, but after a couple of months he changed. Disciple Morgan would tell me things. He liked to talk when we were together.” A look of disgust clouded her face. “Anyway, what Morgan said about the Sundogs coming through the portal was true. But I think he lied about traveling through the worm holes. He told me they hadn’t figured out how to do that yet.”
“Or he lied to you.” Austin suggested.
Charlie shook her head. “I don’t know, cuz one night he was really mad at my dad and went on and on how my dad spent more time with the abomination than fixing the portals. And if it was up to him the devil’s spawn would have starved to death months ago.”
“He was referring to the prisoner?”
“Yes. He hated her more than anything.” Charlie smiled. She hated Morgan, the sniveler she called him. She couldn’t remember when she started calling him that or why, only that it had popped into her head one day and she liked calling him that behind his back.
Austin continued asking Charlie questions, finding, as he expected, she was a wealth of information. He was disappointed she didn’t know much about the Sundogs other than they had entered through the space portal. She was able to tell him there was more than one portal. The one the Sundogs used was located deep inside the mountain and the only way in or out was through a tunnel. She didn’t know where the other one was located, but thought Disciple Morgan knew.
The entrance to the tunnel was somewhere in the mountain, but had been sealed off by the Marines a few weeks after the Sundogs arrived. Austin didn’t get the logic behind sealing it off considering the aliens, by all accounts, were unstoppable, but he stopped short of debating this with Charlie, reminding himself she was only fifteen.
The conversation shifted off the Sundogs, and back to the Program. Charlie told him there were nine girls at one time, but her father had murdered two when they tried to escape. It was after that they were all moved to the big room where the prisoner was being kept.
The youngest girl was turning thirteen next month, which meant she would be old enough to participate in the Program. There would be no drawing that day. General Roth reserved the right to initiate the newest member and for the first two months she would be his. Austin asked her why.
“So he could be the one to get her pregnant.” Charlie answered. “I was with Disciple Morgan my first two months. I prayed to God to get pregnant, but I didn’t.” She sighed. “The pregnant girls can’t be touched.” She explained when Austin looked bewildered.
Austin listened without further comment as she went on about the Program. He didn’t want her to feel guilt or shame for trying to survive the horrendous life forced upon her. Behind his calm demeanor a storm was brewing.
Noticing Charlie yawn, Austin checked his watch and couldn’t believe they’d been talking for almost two hours. “I have one more question to ask and then you can get some rest. Ok?”
“I’m fine. I don’t mind talking longer.” She stifled a yawn behind her hand.
“I know you don’t.” He smiled at her. “Did you ever hear anyone talk about other survivors? If maybe they were being held somewhere by the Sundogs?”
Charlie’s face grew serious. “Disciple Morgan showed me some pictures once of these huge buildings all lined up in a row. They looked like warehouses or something. And I think they were in the middle of a jungle. I mean, everything around them was really green and big and healthy looking. Like in Hawaii or some tropical island or something. Anyway, he wouldn’t let me see all the pictures, so I waited until he fell asleep and looked at them. He would have beat me if he’d caught me, but he didn’t.” She smirked. “Most of them were of the outside, but a couple I saw were inside. And they showed people. Lots of people. Hundreds or thousands maybe.”
“Were they alive?”
She tilted her head and shrugged. “It was hard to tell. They were all lying down on white tables with tubes stuck inside their arms and legs.”
“Was anyone else in the photos? The Sundogs maybe?”
“Nope. Only the sleeping people. I think of ‘em as sleeping anyway, you know, instead of being dead or whatever.”
“I understand.” Austin stood up. “Thank you Charlie, you’ve been very helpful.”
“You’re welcome Austin. If I remember anything else I’ll write it down. K?”
“That would be great. Now I need one more thing from you.”
“Name it.”
“Promise me you won’t ever try to leave us again and I promise no one will ever, ever hurt you.” He held out his hand. “Deal?”
She looked into his eyes for a long moment and then stuck her hand in his. “Deal.”
32 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
For the next forty eight hours Austin and Madiso
n rigorously trained Luke on the use of an automatic rifle and a nine millimeter hand gun. Austin was going back to the mountain, but this time he needed help. He thought he’d have a fight on his hands when he chose Luke over Edward, but Ed was happy to stay behind.
He hadn’t wanted to take Madison, but couldn’t deny her skills would be useful. Not surprising, she accepted the invitation without a moment’s hesitation.
The Londergan’s were not pleased about being left out, but Austin insisted, explaining to Colin that Charlie needed someone she could trust to be with here with her. And as for Zack, Austin would have been happy to have him along, but believed there were other survivors out there and thought Zack served a higher purpose by making sure the bunker stayed operational.
On the evening of the third day, Austin paid a visit to Chase. He brought him a hearty meal served on china and a bottle of expensive red wine. He opened the cell and rolled the food cart inside.
“Eat. Eat.” Austin urged him when he just sat there eyeing him and the food with suspicion. “I didn’t poison it Disciple Morgan. It’s a peace offering.”
“Why do you want to make peace with me?”
“Because I was wrong.” Austin feigned humility. “You see we found the girl. Charlie. And...”
“You found her? Where was she?” Chase leaned forward, his beady eyes on Austin’s face.
“We found her wandering about on the highway. She was near frozen. We didn’t know who she was until she told us. She also had a lot of good things to say about you. I think she might fashion herself in love with you.”
“In love with me? But why did she run away?” Chase demanded.
“Because you passed her over for another girl and her feelings were hurt. She thought you no longer wanted to be with her.” Austin choked back the rancid taste the lies put in his mouth.
“Can I see her?”
“Yes, but first you’re going to do something for me.”
“What?”
“You’re going to tell me where the second space portal is located.” Chase’s eyes bugged out. “And you’re going to get me inside room sixteen.”
“Are you out of your mind? You can’t go back to the Section.” Chase argued, panicking over the lies he told about the Program.
“Why not? No one knows where we are or what’s happened. They think we’re out looking for Charlie.”
Chase considered this. “And after I help you, Sister Charlie’s mine?”
“If you’ll have her.” Austin replied, smiling to hide the disgust he felt for the man.
“How do I know you aren’t trying to trick me?” He held up his injured hand. “You cut off my finger.”
“And I’d do it again.” Austin told him, but then softened his expression. “Look. There are certain things I don’t tolerate, but if you’ll help me, and you don’t lie to me again, I won’t cut off the rest of your fingers.”
“And I’ll get Sister Charlie?” Chase emphasized.
“Yes. You have my word. Now eat and get some rest. We leave in the morning.” Austin walked from the cell, leaving the door open. “I’m not locking you in, but I’m locking the outer door. Sleep in the other room if you like. It’s got a bigger bed.”
“St Louis.” Chase offered up, news of Charlie being found having raised his spirits and generosity.
“The second portal? Where?”
“The Gateway Arch.” Chase replied, his tone implying this should be obvious.
Austin nodded and left, locking the outside door as he said. Chase stared after him wondering if he could trust what he said about Charlie. He smiled in spite of his misgivings. Thinking he had lost her bothered him more than he cared to admit even to himself. If he had to choose one, she was always going to be his one. The other girls paled in comparison. With a grin on his face Chase dug into his T-bone steak and double baked potato.
***
The next morning was déjà vu for Zack as he helped Austin get ready to go to the mountain for a second time. At least this time he wasn’t going alone. Chase was riding on the back of Austin’s ATV. The story being he had rolled his ATV and lost his pinky finger in the process. Madison and Luke had left an hour earlier. Austin didn’t want Chase knowing about them going along.
As an added measure to solidify Chase’s commitment to helping him, Austin let him peak in on Charlie while she slept. He didn’t like doing it, but without Chase’s loyalty, he’d never make it in or out of the section alive. And those girls in the Program would be destined to a life of misery.
Chase had no idea how important Eve was to him or he would certainly have used it as a bargaining chip. Austin wasn’t sure why she mattered in the grand scheme, only that she did. There were no signs indicating she was connected to the Sundogs or in any capacity part of what had happened. And if she had a role, he doubted she knew what her role was, but there was a connection. He was sure of it.
“You know what to do?” Austin asked Zack.
“I got it captain. Don’t worry about us.” Zack patted him on the back.
“Take out the garbage. Don’t let it rot inside.”
“As soon as you leave captain.” Zack mock saluted. “See you in a few days.” Zack watched them drive up the ramp. He didn’t like Chase knowing where any of the entrances were to the bunker, but this one was the hardest to find from the outside. Austin revved the ATV one last time before disappearing outside.
***
The road to Cheyenne was uneventful for Luke and Madison. They made two planned pit stops along the way. In each one Madison hid a note letting Austin know they were ok and on track. The ride gave her plenty of time to think over their conversation from the night before.
Austin had surprised her by coming to see her after dinner. He’d asked her what she thought about the pictures and she’d been honest with him. Although the woman in the latter set of pictures was definitely dead, Madison didn’t believe it was Roxanne. She asked and Austin confirmed Roxanne had not removed her mole.
She’d finished looking through the photos, but found only one with Roxanne holding a new born baby. She told Austin Roxanne looked tired, but very much alive. He asked her if she could tell where the picture was taken. Madison had taken considerable time examining that particular photo, but it was a close up shot and she couldn’t see what was behind Roxanne. She did notice what Roxanne laid on was white, but not a mattress, more like white plastic. This detail had bothered Austin, but staying true to his nature, when she asked why he wouldn’t elaborate.
The conversation shifted from the pictures to Charlie. After hearing her story, Madison wanted to kill the general herself or at the very least his puppet Chase. Austin promised what he’d planned for Chase would be justice served absolute and complete.
On the subject of Thomas, they decided to tell Charlie he’d died helping them escape. Madison offered to break the news to her when they returned which Austin accepted with gratitude. Both agreed Charlie should never have to know the horrid truth.
They discussed the plan and the back-up plan, which was simple. If plan A went south, she and Luke were to get out and head for the bunker if they could. If they couldn’t safely reach the bunker, they were to head for the army surplus store in downtown Pueblo. Austin had cased the store prior to their departure, and found a large cache of weapons and ammunition. He planted guns throughout the store, including the women’s bathroom. If they had to make a stand he couldn’t think of a better spot.
By the time they’d finished discussing the details it was almost midnight. The last thing she remembered was Austin getting up for a drink. When she awoke later she was tucked in her bed, although she couldn’t recall leaving the couch to come in the bedroom. And she couldn’t remember saying good night to Austin, but had a vague memory of him kissing her on the forehead before he left. She was sure she’d dreamt that last part.
Luke pulled the ATV into the last gas station before they made their ascent up the mountain. While he checked the tanks
for gas, Madison used the restroom. A few minutes later they met inside the station where Madison planted the last note.
“Are you nervous?” Luke asked, avoiding her eyes.
“A little. You?”
“Nah.”
“It’s ok if you are.”
“What’s it like? You know when you shoot someone?”
“The first time I shot someone, my hands didn’t stop shaking for hours. The guy was twice my size and coming at me with a knife this long.” She demonstrated with her hands. “You don’t think, you just do.”
“I don’t know if I can.” Luke admitted.
“Listen to me Luke. These guys are trained soldiers and aren’t gonna just let us waltz in there, stealing away their prized possessions. If you have any doubts about shooting one, you think about Charlie and the other girls. One of those girls is only twelve years old. What if she were your sister? Or if Emma was in there? Do you think you would hesitate to help her? Or to stop anyone who might want to harm her?” Luke shook his head. “I know you wouldn’t hesitate. Just like I know you would do anything to protect me. Right?”
“Absolutely. God Madison, you must think I’m the biggest sissy around.”
“No I don’t. I think you’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. And I wouldn’t want anyone else with me right now.”
“Not even Austin?” Luke asked before he could stop himself.
Madison laughed out loud. “Not even Austin. Now come on. We have a plan to put into action.” She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the door.
Luke stopped outside to pull down his face mask. “Hey, how’d you know about Emma?”
“You talk in your sleep.” Madison laughed and jumped on the ATV. “You drive.” She pulled her mask down over her face. In the back of her mind she was thinking, if they survived this ordeal, she was going to move on with her life. Her first order of business was to bury her feelings for Austin far away where no one could see them.
33 DECEPTION
The elevator carrying Austin and Chase lowered into the bowels of the mountain to Section Seven. Along the way, Austin planted hints to further sink the hooks into Chase. The lies he told in the past six hours added up tenfold more than he’d told in a life time, but his conscience was clear. The means to the end were justified.
The Harvest Page 27
