Storm Gathering

by Rebecca Zanetti

  Grey gave a signal back and then looked in the rearview mirror.

  Moe turned around to see the other two motorcycles and the truck containing Tace drive in and park.

  The outside door closed, and complete darkness descended.

  Maureen gasped.

  Her hand was instantly enfolded by the strength and heat of his. “Hold on. The generator will kick in temporarily and light the area.” Greyson’s deep voice rumbled through the darkness, promising of safety.

  Something clicked, and then yellow lights illuminated from the ceiling.

  “This way.” Greyson gently tugged her across the seat and out of the SUV, all but wrapping his body around her as he shut the door.

  She coughed. “I see we're going to have to work on this issue.”

  He moved her toward the elevator, and the guard opened a red door right next to it.

  She paused. “Oh. No elevator.”

  “No. Just stairs.” Greyson waited until Tace and Damon jogged up with the other soldiers. Greyson quickly gave orders for lead and tail, putting Maureen in the middle.

  Everyone followed suit, and before she knew it, she was in the stairwell headed down concrete steps. Way down. The air cooled, and every landing or so, an armed guard waited. Greyson hadn't been kidding when he said he’d secured the place.

  Finally, they reached a landing marked B, and Damon went through first. Two more guards waited on the other side, wearing the standard Merc uniform of black T-shirt, jeans, and guns. Maureen peered at the sparkling white tile and walls with awe. “Wow.” The place looked like Scorpius had never happened.

  “That's not even the best part,” Greyson said, drawing her farther down the hallway. “There are three labs. One was working on Scorpius for sure. The main computer hub is up the stairs over there, and any information you're looking for should be there.”

  Tace turned around. “We need Sami here. She's the only one who can crack those computers.”

  Grey paused, looked at Maureen, and then focused back on Tace. “You're right. We'll send word to Vanguard right now that Sami can come here along with a force of two other soldiers at first light tomorrow. We don't have a computer expert and it’s time she got to work.”

  Tace’s eyebrows rose. “Aren't you being reasonable all of a sudden?” he drawled.

  Greyson kept hold of Maureen's hand. “That's my middle name. Do you want to go and deliver the invitation to Vanguard?”

  Tace hesitated. “No. I'll stay on the inside here. But if Sami and her soldiers don't arrive by noon tomorrow, there will be problems.”

  “I'll let my men know to expect the Vanguard group tomorrow.” Greyson looked down at Maureen. “Do you need to rest, or do you want to hit the computer room?”

  She paused. “I'm fine. Let's check out what resources we have.” Then she wanted to explore the Bunker a little bit. Rumor had it there was still fresh food, including donut mix, somewhere in the cafeteria. “What happened to the people who were living here?”

  “Some ran, and some stayed to help us,” Tace said quietly. “Most of them were working hard on a cure and didn't know about the human experiments being conducted on Scorpius survivors.”

  Her stomach hurt for Marcus and the other people who'd been used. “Is there a chance for a cure?”

  Greyson shrugged. “If there is, it'll happen in facilities like this. We don't know how many Bunkers exist, but we're going to find out. I think Lynne Harmony is going to continue her research here, right?”

  Tace nodded. “Yeah. We've been rebuilding Vanguard, but as soon as we regain access here, Lynne wants to get to work. She might be with Sami when they arrive.”

  Good. Maureen looked at a staircase at the far end of the pristine hall. Doorways were opened along the way. “Let's go see what we can find.” She needed to find a cure to save her baby. And then she needed to be able to feed her baby for years. Hopefully the path to creating a viable food source for humanity was here. Somewhere.

  If not, they were screwed.

  Chapter Twenty

  Access to the Bunker is everything. I took it once by force, and I can do it again. Greyson Storm better see reason before I take off his head.

  —Jax Mercury, Journal

  His dirty dinner dish next to him, Jax looked up from his latest entry in the journal as Raze stalked into the Vanguard war room and plunked down in a seat at the monstrous conference table. He was walking without a crutch and only limping a little.

  “Scouts radioed in that there's someone here from the Mercenaries,” Raze said, clenching his whiskered jaw. “The messenger won't talk to anybody but you, so we're having him escorted here in just a few minutes.”

  Jax's eyebrows rose. “Interesting. What do you think Greyson is up to?”

  “Dunno and don't care. It's time to end him.” Raze jerked his head at the journal. “You still writing in that thing?”

  Jax leaned back. “Vinnie says we have to.”

  “Yeah, but I thought I was the only one who listened to her,” Raze said, his lips twitching.

  “Your woman is persuasive,” Jax admitted, grinning. It was far easier to take notes than to listen to her argue passionately about him taking notes. “Plus, don't ever tell her this, but it does help to organize my thoughts. To plan what's next.” Good thing the shrink didn't expect to ever read his journal. She just wanted him to keep one. He shoved over a stack of papers.

  Raze twirled a couple around and read quickly. “You've formed a treaty with a farm?” He looked up, surprise in his gaze. “Like we're a country or something.”

  “It's just a contract,” Jax said. “Thought about what your sister said and how we need fresh food. There are a couple of working farms up north, and I've negotiated food in exchange for protection.”

  Raze winced.

  Jax coughed. “Not like that. I'm not the mob, dude. It was a beneficial arrangement. If they don't want to deal, we leave them alone.” He shook his head. “But we can't afford to send many soldiers. We need to train and recruit more.”

  The door opened, and a soldier shoved in a guy wearing the Merc uniform.

  “Sit,” Jax said easily, shuffling the papers into a manila file. “I'm Jax, and this is Raze.”

  The Merc was black, about twenty-five with dark hair and even darker eyes. “Greyson Storm says you can bring Sami Steel and two protective soldiers to the Bunker tomorrow anytime after first light.”

  Jax planted his hands on the table. “Why?”

  The kid blinked. “I don't know why. I just have the message.”

  Made sense. Sami was the only computer expert any of them knew. The Bunker held too much information for Greyson to be stubborn and keep her away from it. Didn't make them all-out allies. “How many soldiers does Grey have at the Bunker now?”

  The kid shrugged. “I don't know. My first time there was as an escort earlier today, and then he sent me here. I had to take the long route. The Twenty gang is doing something on the 405. There's a lot of purple.”

  Great. Why did it have to be his old gang that had survived Scorpius enough to assimilate other people? Jax shook his head. “Where's Maureen Shadow?”

  “At the Bunker,” the kid said.

  Raze stiffened. “Grey took her to the Bunker?”

  “Yeah. We had a full force as escort, and he paved the way first,” the kid said. “Tace Justice is there, also. I'm supposed to tell you that.”

  Sounded like Greyson was taking good care of Maureen and Tace. Jax nodded. “What's your name?”

  “Sam,” the kid said, his gaze darting around the room. The next room was the weapons locker, but he didn't need to know that.

  “There's food in the room next to this one. It's not good food, but it's edible. Go get something to eat, and we'll find you a bunk for the night. You'll come with us when we go,” Jax said.

  Sam's eyes widened, and he pushed away from the table. “That's it?”

  Man. Kids and war. Jax nodded. “Did you think w
e were going to torture you or something?”

  Sam lifted a bony shoulder. “I didn't know what to expect. I mean, Grey wouldn't send me in by myself if he thought there was danger, but still. This is new.”

  Wasn't it, though?

  Raze studied the kid. “What did you do before Scorpius?”

  Finally, Sam smiled. “I was in college. Studying Eastern philosophy.”

  Now that came in handy these days. Not. Jax shook his head. “Men's natures are alike. It is their habits that separate them.”

  Sam's eyes widened. “Confucius,” he breathed. “You've studied?”

  “I've just read a lot. Go eat something,” Jax said.

  The kid nodded and reached into his back pocket to pull out and show a folded piece of paper. “He said your name is Raze? You're Maureen's brother?”

  Raze nodded.

  The kid handed over the note. “It's from your sister.” He turned and all but ran from the room, obviously expecting an attack.

  “Kids,” Jax muttered. There were too many children expecting to be hurt. “Read it.”

  Raze unfolded the paper and read aloud.

  Raze,

  I'm fine and at the Bunker getting all the information I can from the data here. I need the intel from the farms you sent scouts up to investigate. We have to come up with a plan for future food sustainability. I'm sure you'll be with the force tomorrow. Please be careful. I miss you. Love, Moe

  He refolded the paper. “I don't like this.”

  Jax nodded. “We'll go tomorrow and get her back. For now, how are repairs coming?”

  Raze shook his head. “Not great. We've plastered the bullet holes and tried to repair structural damage, but we lack equipment and supplies. The outside ring of tires and semis is back to full strength.”

  Jax scrubbed his hand down his face. “Our priority is Vanguard security. Then the Bunker. Finally, the fucking Pure church. Have they made any noise?” It was a church inside Vanguard with folks who hadn’t been infected and were becoming an odd cult, if Jax had read them right.

  “None,” Raze said simply. “But that's because we're focused elsewhere. We need to get in there.”

  One thing at a time. It was all Jax could do. “Let's get secure first.”

  “We aren't going to be secure until we take out the brick building outside the barrier and across from headquarters,” Raze said grimly. “We have to find explosives somewhere.”

  They'd used all their explosives in the last few battles, and Jax had always wanted to take down that building. “We'll figure out a way to get some from the Bunker. Somehow.”

  “Greyson Storm is an excellent sniper. If he becomes an enemy, that's the only building in the vicinity he could use to take us out,” Raze reminded him. “We have to demolish it and soon.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “Or I could just kill Greyson.”

  Jax sighed. “I'm not saying no. Let's just look at our options first.”

  Raze nodded. “I'll get packed for the Bunker.”

  “We leave in the morning, and fuck the order of only two soldiers. Bring as many as we can afford.”

  Raze grinned. “Copy that.”

  If Greyson Storm wanted a fight, he was about to get one. Jax opened his notebook to make a plan.

  * * *

  Greyson finished his rounds on the three levels of the Bunker, rechecking the report on firearms. The place had a decent amount of firepower, but not nearly what he would've stocked. There must be a Bunker somewhere primarily devoted to weaponry and defense. He had to find that place.

  This one was kind of a hodgepodge, and it seemed like there was one lab here devoted to research on Scorpius, which made sense. It was silly to keep Lynne Harmony out of there. She had been a big-wig at the CDC and was probably the only person alive who'd be able to cure the damn disease if it were possible. Grey was starting to wonder if it'd ever be possible.

  One little bacteria, and it had killed most of the human race.

  The irony in that wasn't lost on him, but it still sucked.

  Maureen was pregnant. With his child. The numbers on the page in front of him morphed, and he shook his head. He'd used a condom, and he'd been careful. Not careful enough.

  The medical facilities available were terrible outside of the Bunker. He hadn't had a chance yet to see how they were here. But the risk to Maureen, even without the Scorpius threat to the baby, was far worse than it would've been a year ago before Scorpius. How would he keep her safe? Make sure the baby’s birth was safe?

  Make sure Moe made it to the delivery stage?

  His temples ached, and knots formed along his shoulders and neck. She and the baby were his responsibility, and he had to make sure they remained protected. Even if that meant aligning with the president. Or with Vanguard. He needed to make a fucking decision and follow through. He hustled up the stairs to the main computer room, where Maureen was sitting on the floor, sifting through data.

  She looked up, her eyes focusing. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” He glanced at the two ergonomically superior office chairs by the three computers on a long table, which had been pushed against the far wall next to a formerly hidden doorway. “Why are you on the floor?”

  She gestured toward the spread of papers in front of her. “It's easier to get organized.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. Maps and diagrams covered the walls, along with what looked like pictures of Vanguard territory.

  Behind her was the secret room Vanguard had found weeks ago that held surveillance on the Mercs and Vanguard, as well as reams of papers regarding Scorpius and the government. Damon was back there, going through data. “Damon?”

  The ex-cop poked his head out. “Hey. I’m getting hungry. What's in the cafeteria today?”

  “I haven't gone by there.” Grey had studied schematics for the place and determined how many people were his and how many were originals from the Bunker. “I don't like that we're so outnumbered.” Eighty didn't work for him, although most of the Bunker folks were office drones or support staff. The ones who had chosen to remain.

  “Vanguard will help with that,” Damon said, shoving a manila file onto a cabinet. “Before you ask, I haven't found anything on Zach Barter.”

  Yeah. That had been his next question. “Keep looking,” Grey said.

  Damon nodded and moved out of sight.

  Maureen blew hair out of her face. “You might have to give up the search for Barter at some point. He's gone.”

  “I'll never give up,” Grey said quietly. It was a fact she should learn and now. He didn't know how to quit, so it'd never happen. Then he studied her. “Hey. When was the last time you ate something?”

  She frowned, quite cutely, and then shrugged. “No clue.”

  He moved toward her and held out a hand. “Then let's get food. Now.”

  She waved him off. “I'm fine. Don't want to stop working.”

  Grey shook his head. “Maybe you're fine, but the baby needs food. Now, Moe.” Then he caught himself.

  Moe started and then looked toward the hidden room.

  Damon slowly leaned back into view, facing them sideways, just his torso and head visible. “Baby?”

  Greyson swallowed. “Um, yeah. Moe's pregnant.”

  Damon pivoted and moved into the doorway, his chin dropping. “You're pregnant?”

  She gulped and nodded.

  Damon looked at Greyson and frowned. “From the concussion night? The bourbon night?”

  Grey winced. “Yeah. Condom was faulty.”

  Damon's eyebrows rose sharply. “Faulty? A condom can't be faulty. Their job is to not be faulty.”

  Maureen sighed and took Grey's hand, letting him help her up. “Even before Scorpius, they were only ninety-seven percent effective. Now, they're getting old and dusty and are probably less so.”

  Damon somehow paled.

  Grey knew exactly how he felt.

  Damon cleared his throat. “So. Well. Congratulations.”

 
Moe released Grey and gave Damon a tenuous smile. “Thanks.”

  “We're, ah, not telling people quite yet,” Grey said.

  Damon snorted. “No way does Raze Shadow know. No way in hell.”

  Wasn't that the damn truth? Grey cut him a look. “We're going to keep it that way for a while.”

  Curiosity glimmered in Damon's dark eyes, but he didn't voice the question. Regarding what would happen to Maureen.

  Grey nodded. Yeah. He'd promised to take her back after a week, but how could he do that now? He had to find Zach Barter, and the Mercs needed him to lead them, so he couldn't just go hang out in Vanguard and wait for the baby to be born. But could he force her to stay in Merc territory if she didn't want to stay?

  His stomach turned over. There had to be a way to work things out. For now, he had a woman to feed. He took her hand again. “Wait till you see the food they still have here. You're not going to believe it.”

  She followed him, only gazing with longing once at the tons of research on the floor. “Okay, but I need to get back to work afterward.”

  That worked for him. She could work for a few more hours, and then she was getting some rest. They were probably due for their first big fight, anyway.

  He was more than ready.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The research in the Bunker isn't making me feel any better about the sustainability of life on the planet post-Scorpius. The data is sketchy, and I have to believe there's better information elsewhere. It's time to find the other Bunkers.

  —Maureen Shadow, Notes

  Maureen groaned at the pure decadence of the heated shower. A. Hot. Shower. It was too lovely to think about. Even back at the lab in Arizona, the showers had been lukewarm and the water warmed by the sun. But not hot. Not like this. She tipped her head back and let the heat wash over her already clean body.

  A blue light, muted but somehow peaceful, glowed from the ceiling. Emergency lighting working from generators, but pretty nonetheless.

  Greyson had fed her a very late dinner of truly wonderful meatloaf, and then he'd brought her to this paradise before leaving her in peace. This wonderful shower in a suite just for her. At this point, she never wanted to leave the Bunker. Forget Vanguard and Merc territory. There was hot water and meatloaf here. She let the water sluice over her for a few more moments and then reluctantly shut off the stream.