“Tonight?” Alisia said.
“The sooner, the better, I would think,” Duncan said.
“He’s right,” Terry said. “I’ll go and get Vince. You got Austin?”
“I’m on it,” Duncan said.
Terry turned to Alisia, “Do you want me to walk you home?”
She looked at him incredulously. “Are you kidding? I’m not going anywhere.”
Terry liked the sound of that.
* * *
Terry and Alisia gathered Vince while Duncan gathered Austin. They reconvened at Duncan’s house in light of the SIFF’s recent conversion to a mortuary.
“I trust everyone is aware of what is going on,” Duncan said, addressing Vince mostly. Vince stood with his arms crossed and responded with a nod. “The question now, is what to do about it? I’m open to suggestions.”
“Why don’t we flash our chips right now, so we’re ready?” Austin suggested.
“Can’t,” Vince said. “If we do that, it throws up a red flag in the system. It tells them who and where and they’re gonna want to know why. They’d be on us, like—right now.” Vince cut Austin a look suggesting he’d already be dead if Terry and Duncan weren’t standing up for him.
“Vince is right,” Alisia said. “We can’t flash the chips until we’re ready to go off the reservation.”
“But wouldn’t that give them a heads up that we’ve escaped and in which direction?” Terry said. “How do we get around that? Or can we?”
Alisia pushed her glasses up to her forehead, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t think there’s any way around that.”
“What we need,” Duncan said, “is a distraction. Something to pull them away, out of the city. Buy us some time.”
Everyone stood around for a moment pondering their options. How to do this? Was flashing the chip and escaping the city even enough? Who’s to say they wouldn’t be hunted down and killed within twenty-four hours anyway? In which case, was it even worth it? Yes, Terry decided. It’s worth it. Better to die a free man than to live as a slave.
“I might have an idea,” Austin said.
“Well do ya’ or don’t ya’,” Vince said.
“I…I do. I could tell Rick that the Antis are meeting…wherever. Wherever we want. Whatever gets him and his crew as far away from us as possible while we make a break for it.”
“And how do you know he’s going to go for that?” Vince said.
“Trust me,” Austin said.
Vince laughed. “Trust you?”
“He wants you guys dead and he’s just looking for an excuse.”
“Austin’s right,” Terry agreed. No one voiced any disagreement.
“Rick still thinks I’m working for him,” Austin said. “If I tell him you guys have picked a new meeting spot, further out of town, with everything that’s going on—he’ll eat it up. He’ll never question it, and you can bet he’ll be there with his goons to deal with the problem.”
“Okay,” Duncan said. “It’s a good plan. We just need to figure out the where and the when.”
“The Suburban’s ready,” Terry said. “My vote is for tomorrow at dusk and we send Rick in the other direction.” All agreed.
“One thing, I’m a little nervous about,” Alisia said, “is going over Snoqualmie Pass. Winter is coming.”
“I understand your concern,” Duncan said, “but this is our only shot. And, worst case, if the weather turns on us, maybe we find something else along the way where we can hunker down till we can go on.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’m just worried about traveling with my mom…and kids, with everything that’s going on.”
“We can do this, Alisia,” Terry said. “We can make it. C'mon, let's go talk to your mom.”
* * *
While Terry and Alisia went to talk to Diane, a last-ditch effort to get her on board, Austin went to talk to Rick. He held his breath and knocked on the door. It was a horrible situation to be trapped in. Wanting to run from the enemy but being forced to interact—regularly. Being forced to play nice. If it didn’t play off as intended, then deadly consequences were inevitable.
“Come in,” Rick said.
Austin pushed the door open and prayed he wouldn’t have to continue this charade for much longer. “Sir.”
“Sit down,” Rick said. “What brings you here?”
Austin took his seat. The chair skittered noisily across the cold tile floor. “It’s the Antis, Chancellor.”
Now Rick’s attention was piqued. “What about the Antis?”
“They’re moving again, Sir. I thought you had them shutdown, but they’re planning another meeting tomorrow night.”
“Where?” Rick asked. “Not at the SIFF, obviously.”
“No. Not at the SIFF. They are taking it outside of town. Everyone will be there. It could be an excellent opportunity, Sir…. To get rid of the problem—for good.”
Rick leaned back in his chair and locked his fingers behind his head. “I’m beginning to like the way you think, Comrade. What time is this little meeting of theirs happening?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Austin said. “They’re still planning it. All I know for sure right now is that it will be in the evening and a ways outside of town.”
“Very good, Austin. You may just have a future here after all.”
“Thank you, Chancellor.”
“Report back as soon as you have all of the details.”
* * *
“What are you doing here again?” Diane asked Terry.
“Mom. Don’t be rude. I asked him here,” Alisia said.
“I already told you,” Diane said, “I’m not leaving. Neither are you.”
Alisia looked down at the floor and a tear ran down her cheek. “I am, Mom. I’m leaving here tomorrow. And I really hope you’ll come with.”
Diane was aghast.
“Things are spiraling out of control,” Alisia said. “We have to go.”
“I don’t have to go anywhere,” Diane said. “You would do that? You would just leave me behind?”
“I don’t see that I have a choice,” Alisia said. “I won’t stay here for whatever’s next. I won’t. Plus—I’m as good as dead once…”
“Once, what?” Diane said. “What are you talking about, Alisia?”
“Listen, mom. I’m in this, okay? I have to go or they will kill me. I’m already in it.”
Diane laughed. “You and your theatrics. Ever since you were a little girl. No one’s going to kill you, Alisia. And running off out into the woods is suicide. Honestly—I don’t know what you are thinking about.”
Alisia choked up. It wasn’t working. She was going to have to leave her mother behind.
“Diane,” Terry said. “Alisia speaks the truth. We have to go and you need to come with us. It’s not safe here. It never was and it’s only going to get worse.” Terry felt a pang of guilt at the slight relief he felt that Diane might not be joining them. She was old. She was weak. She was entitled. Still, she was Alisia’s mother. “If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for your daughter. Please, Diane.”
Diane turned her head away, staring into space and held a fragile fist to her withered lips. “You would really leave me behind if I don’t agree to go?”
Alisia sobbed. She couldn’t speak and only nodded her head, followed by another bray of sobs. Diane waited a moment longer for her daughter to regain her composure.
“I’m sure you have your reasons; damned if I understand what they are,” Diane said. “But I do know that you’re a very smart girl, that you wouldn’t just dive into something like this without any forethought.” Diane sniffed and wiped an eye. “I can’t lose you, too, though. I can’t. My heart won’t bear it.” Tears began streaming from Diane’s eyes. “I’ll go with you. Wherever you go, I’ll go.”
Alisia ran to Diane and they hugged. Terry felt guilt pangs again for ever being so selfish.
“Thank you, Mom. I love you.”
* * *
Alisia stepped outside to see Terry off. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything. For helping me with my mom. I just don’t know what I would’ve done if she had decided to stay behind.”
“Anytime,” Terry said. “I’ve got your back.”
Alisa stood up on her tippy-toes and planted a peck on Terry’s cheek. He was glad for the cover of nightfall to conceal the blush he felt rise.
“Wow,” Terry said and smiled. “Good night, Alisia.”
“Good night, Terry.” She closed the door and latched it. Terry was enjoying his ride on cloud nine but had to shake his head straight. He still had to get home and talk to Kat and the kids.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was past 10 pm when Terry finally got home.
“Where have you been?” Kat asked. “I thought you would be back sooner.”
“Yeah, so did I.” Terry peeled off his coat again and laid it on the back of the sofa. The air held a potent nip now. “A lot happened today.”
“Like what?” Kat looked worried.
“Well...the only way we can figure to get out of here is to disable the chips. Rick came to the clinic today and tried to take the chip flasher.”
“Oh no,” Kat said.
“Yeah. But we’re okay—for now. Alisia gave him a decoy.”
“Oh, good.”
“It’s good, but we’re not sure how much time that will buy us. If he finds out she gave him a fake, he’ll kill her.”
Kat’s face paled. “Do you really think he would do that?”
“Without question. Yes.”
“So, now what?”
Terry brought his hands to his head and rubbed his temples. “Now, we leave…tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow? Seriously?”
“It’s our best shot,” Terry said. “We should probably talk to the kids about it. Like, now.”
“Now? They’re asleep. I’m not waking them up to scare them with this, Terry.”
“I’m not asleep, mom,” Jonathan said. He was walking down the hall, out to the living room. “What are you guys talking about?”
Kat and Terry shared a glance. She gave him the non-verbal cue to go ahead.
“Here. Come sit down, buddy.” Terry patted the vacant space on the couch beside him.” Jonathan looked a bit unsure, but he took a seat beside his uncle. “You know how…things have changed? How everything’s so different here? Like, kinda weird?”
“Yeah,” Jonathan said. His eyes darted to meet Kat’s.
“Well, the thing is,” Terry continued, “we’re not so sure that all-of-this is for the best. That it might be dangerous. You understand?”
“I’m not a baby, Uncle Terry.”
“No, of course not. That’s why we’re talking to you about this right now. But—I don’t want you to talk about it with anyone else, okay? Not even your sister. No one.”
“Okay,” Jonathan said, “but—about what?”
“Everything is going to be fine. Okay, sweetie?” Kat said.
“MOM.”
“Right, sorry,” Kat said. “I keep forgetting that you’re all grown up.”
“The thing that we don’t talk about,” Terry said, “is that we’re leaving the city. We’re going to head out and make our own place. One that’s not so weird.”
“Where?” Jonathan asked. “And why can’t we tell anyone?”
Terry did his best to smile. “That’s one of the weird things, kiddo. They won’t let us leave. That’s why it’s so important that we sneak out of here while we still can.”
“Why? Why won’t they let us leave?”
Terry struggled for how to answer that one. What do you tell a nine-year-old to make him understand without scaring him witless at the same time?
“It’s kind of hard to explain,” Kat said, “but it’s about freedom. About being free and not having someone tell you where you can live, or where you will work, or how you can spend your money or your time.”
Jonathan looked perplexed, then something dawned on him. “Does this mean no more school?” He was semi-bouncing, waiting for an answer.
Terry and Kat laughed. Funny how everything is so simple when you’re a kid. If it means no more school, then it’s all good.
“It means,” Kat said, “no more New Patriot School.”
“Huh?” Jonathan said, scrunching up his face.
“Yes,” Terry said. “It means no more school, but it doesn’t mean no more learning.”
“Yay!”
“That’s right,” Kat said. “You’ll still need to learn all of your reading and writing and math and such.”
You’ll just be learning it without all the propaganda is all, Terry thought.
“Can we go tomorrow?” Jonathan asked. “If we leave tomorrow or the next day, then we’d never have to go back to school again!”
“Uncle Terry and I were just talking about that.… And, we're going to be leaving tomorrow.”
Jonathan beamed and sat bouncing on the couch.
“Let’s get you back to bed,” Kat said. “It’s awfully late, and you need your rest.”
“Okay, Mom. Night, Uncle Terry!” Jonathan ran back down the hall and jumped into bed.
“That was an easy sell,” Terry said and snickered.
Kat smiled but looked mostly terrified.
“It’s going to be okay, Kat. Everything is ready. We just need to gather up our personal effects and whatever food we have, and we go. Don’t worry.”
* * *
The next morning, everyone was up early. Though, truth be told, neither Terry nor Kat slept—not really. Too much to do, too much to think about, too much to worry about.
“Mom, did you tell Tabby yet? About what we’re doing?” Jonathan was still buzzing.
“Not yet, sweetie.” Jonathan was so excited he didn’t even notice that his mom had just called him that name. Tabitha glanced up at the mention of her name, but she hadn’t eaten yet. She was a little crabby before breakfast. Just like her father, Kat thought.
She wondered how Dale was getting along...if he was dead....
“Well, let’s tell her, Mom!”
“After breakfast,” Kat said.
“Okay….” Jonathan looked semi-defeated. It was always hard when the adults didn’t share the same level of enthusiasm. “Can I start packing my stuff after breakfast?”
“Yes. That would be fine, sweetie.”
Terry came down the hall, stretching and mewling large yawns. “Good morning, everyone.” Tabitha still couldn’t be troubled with pleasantries, but Jonathan and Kat returned the salutation. “Did you get any sleep, Kat?”
Kat laughed.
“Yeah. Me neither,” Terry said. “I was thinking we should head over to the commissary. Cash out our chips before we go off grid. No sense in leaving cash on there.”
“Okay.” Kat looked to the children. “I think we had better take turns, though. It’s all Jonathan can talk about. Probably safest not to take him out in public.”
“Hey!” Jonathan said.
“No, your mom’s probably right, Jonathan. You can hang out with me while she goes shopping.” Not that Jonathan wanted to go shopping, but the implication that he couldn’t be trusted touched upon his sensitivities.
Terry helped the kids pack while Kat went shopping. Not that they had much to pack; clothing, toothbrushes, a few small toys and some coloring books. When she returned, Terry went out to shop and meet with the others to finalize the plan.
* * *
Terry finished his shopping then he and the others met at the warehouse where Rick had first cornered Austin. He didn’t use it anymore now that he had an office at Command.
“Good morning, everyone,” Duncan said. “Today’s the day. Are we ready?”
“Just about,” Terry said. “We just need to finalize a couple of details and we are on our way.”
“Good,” Duncan said.
Austin cleared his throat. “So, where am I sending Rick?”
&nbs
p; “Vince and I were talking about this,” Terry said, “and we were thinking the city hall building in Shoreline. Seems like a good spot. We’ve been out there to salvage, so it’s plausible, and Rick can find it without dragging you along for directions. He leaves, and then we leave.”
“We should siphon off his gas,” Vince said. “Just give him enough to get there and hopefully leave him stranded for awhile.”
“That’s a great idea,” Terry said. “But how can we do that without being noticed Or, what if they notice before they leave? We don’t want to tip them off.”
“I’m still thinking on that one,” Vince replied.
“That might work,” Duncan said. “If you guys can figure a way to do it without getting caught.”
“Either way. As long as they take the bait, head out of town, it buys us the time we need,” Terry said.
“You guys,” Alisia said. “What about their radios? If they can just phone home as soon as they figure out we're not there, siphoning their gas doesn't do us much good. We have to kill their radios.”
“Okay...but how?” Duncan asked. “I agree with you but how do we do it?”
“The flasher,” Alisia said. “The flasher is essentially a mini, short-range EMP generator. You hold it within a few inches of the walkie, push the button on the flasher, and you should get a dead walkie.”
“Will that work?” Duncan said.
Alisia shrugged. “It has to.”
“All the radios charge in Rick's office,” Austin said. “Get me the flasher...and I can do it.”
“But can you do it without getting caught?” Vince asked. “You lose that flasher, and we're all sunk.”
“I can do it,” Austin said.
Vince shook his head and scuffed the toe of his boot at the ground. “I don’t know, man. Terry? I mean, can we really trust him with this?”
“I don’t see as we have much choice. Do you?” Terry said. “And, yes. I think we can trust him to get it done. You can do this, Austin.”
Solaris Mortem: The New Patriots Page 15
