by Angela White
Billy looked at Jeff. “None of them are okay. Everyone in there was sick or hurt or a freak. I had to get out. I had to do it.”
“What?” Kevin was trying not to get angry but it was hard.
“I forced them to let me go.”
Jeff’s hand slid toward his gun. “Did you hurt anyone?”
“No, I didn’t have to.”
“But you would have?”
Billy nodded, tone dropping into danger. “I’ll kill both of you if you try to stop me from leaving. She told me not to, but I will.”
Jeff held up a hand, sending a wave of calm through the hut. “We just wanted to get out of the cold. The freezing rain started again. It’s not safe to drive through. You can leave whenever you want.”
Billy calmed down, yawning. “Ask your questions and be gone.”
“Who survived in the mountain?” Jeff led the conversation, not trusting Kevin to handle it correctly.
“I don’t remember any of them enough to tell you most of their names.” Billy concentrated, trying to remember. “Angela, Marc, Leeann.”
Jeff and Kevin exchanged glances, but neither of them mentioned the little girl. They didn’t know if Billy remembered that he and Leanne were connected.
“What do they need?”
Billy shrugged. “They were worried about the refugees waiting for them to come out. They said something about an army too, but I didn’t stay for that conversation.”
“There’s a woman named Cynthia. Did you see her?”
Billy shrugged at Kevin in dull comprehension. “I’m sorry. I don’t have information about your woman.”
Kevin didn’t argue with the term. “What about the other Eagles?”
Billy made a face. “I don’t know who they are.”
Jeff again motioned Kevin to stop. Billy’s memories were limited to being in Safe Haven after the earthquake. “Are they using radios?”
“They’re on radio silence. They said someone was listening.”
Jeff believed that was all the information Billy could give him. He picked up his bag and took a spot away from the exit. It was his way of saying Billy was free to go.
Billy nodded in recognition. “Thank you. I am sorry. I wish I could remember.”
Kevin joined Jeff on the other side of the small hut, aware of how Billy was studying them without holstering. “You can put that away now.”
Billy peered down at the gun as if he hadn’t known it was in his hand. He slid it underneath his leg with a smooth movement that implied more skill than they knew the driver to have. Clearly, Billy had changed.
Kevin concentrated, also not used to communicating this way. Are we safe to sleep around him?
Jeff was trying to connect to Billy’s mind again, glad for the gift. Kevin was a rookie as far as he was concerned, prone to rash actions and wrong words. It helped to be able to tell him to shut up without anyone overhearing.
Shut up.
Kevin did, wishing he hadn’t left Safe Haven at all.
Billy stared at the small fire, appearing to forget he had company. After a couple of minutes, his light snores filled the shack.
Jeff and Kevin lay down, exhausted from the driving they had been doing to get here. They had dropped Sally off two days ago.
The fire burned down quickly, leaving the hut dark enough to avoid attention from random refugees who were still coming into the area. Everyone was searching for Safe Haven, even in their dreams. The trio in the hut slept soundly, not afraid. If they were found, they would kill the intruders or die trying. It was how they’d been trained.
2
“Jeff. Jeff, wake up, man. He’s gone.”
Jeff came to with a grunt, not surprised. Before he had fallen asleep, he’d put himself in Billy’s shoes to figure out what the man would do. Since it didn’t appear that he was crazy enough to kill them or rob them, the next logical thing had been that he would be gone before they woke. “Good luck to him.”
Jeff studied Kevin, not sure why the man had chosen to stay out here with him. Kevin belonged in Safe Haven where he could get the clean shirt and shower he was always whining about. Jeff didn’t care about appearances. They’d left that strict society. Their rules no longer applied.
“He’s hurt. Shouldn’t we bring him back?”
Jeff lifted a brow. “One or the other. You pick it.”
It was a reminder that coming here had been Kevin’s idea. Jeff hadn’t argued, but he never would have brought it up if Kevin hadn’t.
“Fine, the mountain.”
Jeff felt a wave of urgency at those words. He wasn’t anxious to talk to anyone from Safe Haven, but at the same time, he was. Being out in the wilderness had caused him to miss stuff.
The radio on Kevin’s belt crackled. “This is Kendle. We are home. Come in, Safe Haven.”
Kevin was struck with the need to hurry. “How fast can we get there?”
Jeff did a fast count, estimating and adjusting. “Two days on our current schedule. A little over one if we drive straight through, alternating.”
Jeff felt Kevin’s need. “You pick it.”
“Straight through.”
“You get to drive first.”
Kevin hurried to prepare a fast breakfast, happy enough with the call. The weeks out here in the wilderness had been rough on him. Unlike Jeff, Kevin missed everyone in that mountain, including Cynthia.
Jeff thought about the limited information that they had gleaned from Billy and then his own uneasy gut. “We need to make a stop on the way.”
“For what? We’re set for two weeks.”
“I need ammo for my rifle. So do you.”
Kevin caught the tone. As he snapped it into place, he groaned. “We’re walking into a shit storm, aren’t we?”
“It’s Safe Haven. When isn’t there a shit storm?”
3
Billy was miles away from the hut as a sullen, angry dawn broke over the frozen land. He didn’t look back.
By noon, he had made it to Birmingham. With no way to detour, thanks to damage from a war that he didn’t remember taking part in, Billy had to pass through the town. Unfortunately, it wasn’t empty.
Billy eased into the city with one hand on a gun and eyes rotating, searching for danger. He could hear refugees somewhere in the city. The gunshots and screams coming from that area kept him on high alert.
Billy tried to stay to the southern edge of the town, judging the refugee camp to be in the northern direction. It was impossible to tell for sure in these apocalyptic conditions. Everything echoed for miles on the stiff wind, no longer drowned out by traffic and appliances.
Instead of using the streets that were almost clear, Billy stuck to yards and alleys while hoping no one was observing him from the heartless buildings that surrounded him.
It took Billy three hours to cross the city, accounting for time that he was forced to duck out of the wind to get warm and for the two times that he had to take cover from engines or others on foot. It appeared as though refugees were coming in from the west, making it more dangerous for Billy who was trying to get to the same bridge that these refugees were crossing to enter the city. As he neared the bridge, late afternoon sun mocking his attempts to stay warm, Billy realized he would have to be in the open to cross it. He didn’t observe sentries on the area or traps, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any.
Instinct told Billy to wait for nightfall before trying. He estimated that to be in four hours. There were dozens of buildings and homes around him, but Billy wanted a place where he could sleep without worrying. Not afraid of the dark or the underground, Billy pried up a rusting manhole and shined his light down the metal stairs. Seeing and hearing nothing, he disappeared into the darkness, not bothering to replace the cover. If he had trouble down here, an escape path would be open.
It took Billy a minute to figure out that this sewer system wasn’t for sewers. An abandoned railway car glared at him as he approached through the dusty darkness.
Billy’s light bobbed off skeletons and rodents, as well as shell casings and blood sprays that had dried on the walls.
Billy stepped into the car, glad that the bodies had already rotted. He didn’t mind sleeping with bones.
The former Eagle curled up underneath one of the seats, using his bag for a pillow and was soon asleep. Above him, the refugee camp continued to grow.
4
Billy woke to the sound of voices above him. The subway car was twenty feet below the ground and in the dark of night, words carried. Billy listened without reacting.
“I swear it was a vampire.”
“Stop now. We’ve all heard the stories of monsters in the west and that’s all they are–stories.
“I saw it. I’m telling you that’s what it was.”
“You’re drunk.”
“What a horrible thing to say.”
Loud laughter split the quiet of the night.
“I don’t believe in vampires. I also don’t believe in witches, trolls, warlocks, or magic. All the stories we’ve heard are from religious fanatics or idiots who can’t accept that the world ended.”
Billy snickered a little. Man, do you have a surprise coming. Billy laid his head down and tried to rest some more. He was in a hurry, but getting caught would slow him down. All of his decisions from here had to be made with wisdom, and for whatever reason, he appeared to have been well trained. Billy didn’t know who he had been before, but it didn’t matter. He had a destiny in the west.
“Safe Haven is full of magic users. I’m telling you, I’ve been there.”
“You’re drunk, too.”
“No, he’s right. We were refused by magic users.”
“You went to the mountain?”
“We came west after they denied us. There were too many refugee camps at the bottom of that hill. We would’ve lost everything.”
“Why didn’t they let you in?”
“They never said. That girl with the dark hair just told us no and then moved on to the next people like we didn’t even matter.”
“I think she knew we killed that old lady for her water.”
Below them, Billy’s eyes snapped open. Alexa had begun giving him orders.
“We didn’t mean to kill her. She wasn’t supposed to wake up.”
“I know that and you know that, but the Safe Haven bitches didn’t care.”
“I heard there’s an army headed toward them. They’re gonna pay for turning us away. We could’ve been there to help them fight.”
“And pad our stocks for the bugout.”
“Well, yeah!”
Harsh laughter rolled across the darkness.
This time, it brought Billy from underneath the seat. There was work for him right here.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Can You Fight?
1
“We’re out of water. You have to open this tunnel!”
Angela was standing at the entrance to the corridor they had been digging. The machines were off. “We have to wait twelve more hours. Get to your area.”
The Mountaineers were angry and desperate. If not for the line of Eagles with her and the other descendants scattered around the corridor entrance, they would have attacked.
Angela motioned. “It’s not clear yet. We’re still digging.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“The machines have to cool down or we’ll break them and have nothing.” Angela glowered. “I’ll count to three and then the Eagles will eliminate you. Get to your area.”
The group of nine went, but they cast ugly glares and mutters toward the descendants holding them in the mountain.
Angela spotted lingering shadows from the Runaways and understood they had stirred up the Mountaineers so that she would have someone else to blame.
Angela looked at Marc. Where are we on the relocation?
All of her group was sheltered in another passage. The rest of the cave citizens didn’t know the top floor was empty now, except for the guards on the ladder who weren’t letting anyone up there.
Almost complete. It’s cold, but they’re safer.
Angela took up a post near the entrance, wishing she could be with her people. Samantha and Jennifer were there with Neil and Kyle, but Angela was worried. Some of her folks were as upset as Jimmy’s were.
Twelve hours until he gets here?
He’s been here for days. Twelve hours until he moves in.
Adrian came through the corridor, frowning deeply. “Things are winding up on all the levels. Permission to stay with our camp until this is all over?”
“Denied. I have work for you and everyone else.” Angela scanned to make sure they were alone. “I don’t want any magic use because Dirce might be able to read it. We’ll use Eagle codes and signals–something he won’t know.” Angela gestured at the line of sentries. “Your shift is almost over. Sleep for six hours and then come to this post. When it all goes crazy, let them through. Do not fire on anyone, except in defense.”
The guards were relieved that they weren’t being told to shoot citizens.
Angela knew and gave them a nod. “It’ll be over with quickly on this side of the cave. As soon as Dirce shoots, he’ll reseal this exit without knowing. When it’s done, get to the real tunnel as fast as you can.”
“How many hits will we take?” Marc wanted to be ready for the aftermath.
“Like usual, at least one and maybe two, but that’ll be it. As soon as he closes this corridor for us, we’ll trigger the avalanche.”
“What’s the catch?” Adrian knew there had to be one. She was blocking him from reading her thoughts right now.
“Some of us have to exit this passage, so Dirce believes it’s the right one. If he doesn’t fire here, the remaining refugees outside this tunnel will overwhelm us while we’re fighting Dirce. We have to make him believe this is the spot.”
“That shouldn’t be hard.” Marc was frowning. “You and I, along with Adrian and Tonya.”
“Why Tonya?” Kenn didn’t like it. He’d kept Tonya out of action since the earthquake.
“She’s Jennifer’s size and at dawn, in hoods, Dirce won’t be able to tell the difference.”
“And where will I be?” Kenn’s tone was dangerous.
“Right here to make sure she gets back safely.” Angela was impressed with Kenn’s caring for Tonya, but there wasn’t time to reward him for it right now.
Mollified, Kenn crossed his arms over his chest, mind racing with plans to do just that.
“So that’s it? He blocks this tunnel and then we trigger the avalanche?” Marc wanted to be clear on the plan.
“For the most part. I have the rifles and ammo with our camp. Eagles will all be on sniper detail, picking off the closest target at all times. All descendants will use their gifts on Dirce. Once he’s gone, the rest of the troops might run.”
“And if they don’t?”
“We’ll kill them all. This isn’t our first war.”
2
“Today’s rad rate is lower than yesterday.”
Dirce grunted at Jarvis’s daily report on the toxic levels at the base of the mountain. “I said dawn. I meant it.”
Jarvis didn’t respond. The weather sucked and they were on rations that included four-hour sleep shifts in their vehicles. Dirce had them camped on the opposite side of the mountain from Safe Haven’s last known entrance, waiting for the levels to lower enough to be out in it. Dirce was positive he could handle things here that fast. All he had to do was threaten the little mice that had crawled into a hole across from that entrance. Dirce himself had trekked in on foot to observe. While he’d been gone, his thousands of troops had kept to their posts and followed orders. Dirce’s wrath wasn’t worth the risk, but these troops also believed in what they were doing. All of their countries wanted to claim America. Once it was under UN control, a new fight for ownership might start, but right now, Dirce was in charge and the mission was set. He had returned at dawn and ordered a
n attack in 24 hours. Then he’d crashed until almost dusk. Up for a short time, Dirce was foggy and grumpy.
“We have reports of another refuge camp less than three miles from here. They might hear a fight.”
“We’ll handle it if it happens. What about conditions?”
“Clear and cold, but it appears as though another reactor is melting down in the northeast. The winds might carry it this way. We’ll know tomorrow.”
“We have gear for it.”
“Not if the levels rise.”
“Take a reading every hour.”
“I will. We received a message from the Secretary General after you went to sleep. He confirms your plans and wishes you good health during the battle.”
“Just as long as he doesn’t have to be out here.”
Jarvis sniggered. “Yes, he does like to stay at base camp. Market Town is 70% ready for combat. They’re bringing in laborers and fighters from other locations that we control.”
“It won’t be needed.” Dirce opened a compartment in the tank and took out a map. He spent a few minutes adding the things he’d noted during his recon.
Jarvis got busy preparing a meal for the boss. He’d stayed busy the entire time Dirce was gone–not because he was loyal or wanted to, but because it was his job.
“I’ll reward that when we’ve finished this mission.”
“I’ll accept it, but I’d do it anyway.”
“How do you feel about descendants?”
Jarvis recognized the trap, but he had little to hide and none of it was related to magic. “If they aren’t working for us, they need to be detained or retrained.”
“Is there anything you won’t do to achieve your goals?”
“Nope.”
“Is there anything I should know that isn’t in your file?”
Jarvis didn’t hesitate. “I have my soldiers deal with women so I don’t kill them before I can get the information I need. It’s happened twice.”
“And?”
“I like to kill. Whatever you want from me isn’t a problem.”
“There are two infants on our sheet. We’re to collect them and deliver them, alive, to the Secretary General.”
