His eyes bulged in surprise as he realized she had gained the upper hand. He took a step back, but she stepped in time with him, keeping her firearm pressed under his jaw.
“Everyone back up, and lower your weapons,” she ordered.
His shocked gaze remained locked on her. “Don’t listen to her.”
Freya kicked behind her, hoping the door would close. It didn’t work, but Laura burst forward to the door and secured it.
“I told everyone to lower their weapons,” Freya yelled. “Samuel, this ends now. Command your men to go to the mountain. Let’s all finish this. Together.”
“No. We won’t let you send us to our deaths.” His eyes darted to the side. “Shoot her! She won’t kill me. She doesn’t have the spine.”
His words encouraged his men to act, but it sparked the memory of her standing adjacent to Victor’s desk with her firearm locked on him. He said she wasn’t a killer, yet she had pulled the trigger. It seemed her nemesis habitually underestimated her true strength.
“Oh, I won’t?” Freya jabbed the gun deeper into his chin. “Ask me how I became the Head of State. Ask me what happened to my predecessor. That story might surprise you.”
Samuel’s head bucked in surprise, yet his eyes flashed victoriously. “Did you hear that, boys? She says she killed a man to get where she is. That’s quite a leap from when you claimed you never wanted to be in charge.”
“Samuel.” Rage burned in her core. He always twisted her words. But this time, she wouldn’t let him get away with it. “I killed him because he stood in the way of my people’s freedom, just like you. I can’t let you take over, not with the kind of leader you’ll be. We need to go to the mountain and fight. This is the best chance we will ever have.”
“You don’t know that: you’re just guessing! That’s why we have to settle in here and have lots of babies so we can build a bigger army. Now isn’t the time to go running off with no plan to pick a fight with an enemy we can’t even get to.”
“They didn’t plan for us to take the dome from them,” she said, more to everyone else than him. “They don’t have a large enough military to handle our attack. Between the soldiers they sent to Idaho and the guards outside, there aren’t enough of them left to protect the mountain. In my broadcast, I called everyone in the mountain to fight. Even if the civilians don’t win, it will distract the military enough for us to slip in and finish the job. But you’re passing on the only chance we might ever have to beat them!”
Samuel peered down at her, seeming to have run out of accusations. She knew that somewhere deep inside, before he lost his mind in this dome, he had to be a decent person who just wanted his freedom, and to protect his loved ones. She could get through to him. His silence proved that she had. Just one more little push and he might remember why he came here and choose to do the right thing.
They stood locked in silence until Aakil appeared at her side. His hands were unbound, and he held a handgun. Aakil raised his firearm, taking aim at Samuel’s head a few feet away.
“Samuel, some of your men disagree with your tactics. They cut my restraints. It’s time for you to stand down. We’re going to the mountain to fight.” He nodded to Freya. “Go have someone cut your hands free. We’re all going to that mountain to end this, right now.”
Freya eased back inch-by-inch until she had lowered her hands to her side. Her fingers tingled from the combination of the bindings and holding her hands suspended in the air for so long.
She stepped aside to pass Samuel and Aakil. The moment her back was turned, Samuel called out. “A big military truck just pulled up.”
“Huh,” Aakil muttered as his head instinctually turned to the side.
Samuel sprung into motion. He deftly disarmed Aakil, smashed his head into the glass, and grabbed hold of Freya. His powerful arms wrapped around her, holding her immobile from behind.
He flipped around, so they were both facing the dome. Despite the blurred effect of the thick glass, she could see the doors to the military vehicle open, and feet hit the ground.
No blue. Why aren’t they wearing hazmat suits?
Gunfire erupted. It seemed too loud. Too close. She tried to understand the commotion, but her breath fogged the glass. Her vision blurred as Samuel crushed her against the dome, stifling her breath.
Just as the darkness clouded her vision, his weight shifted, and he fell to the side. She gasped for air, choking on her first breath. Samuel laid on the ground. His deep blue eyes stared up vacantly; a light trail of blood trickled down his chin. Her mind couldn’t process what happened until his chest gurgled.
Her entire body went numb. She turned back to the crowd to see Laura standing with a firearm in hand, still aimed at Samuel until his body went limp.
Freya’s eyes misted with moisture. Laura had saved her, maybe everyone, but she couldn’t afford to get emotional. Not now. She may be safe from Samuel, but there was something happening just on the other side of the door. She reached down and tugged at Samuel’s rifle until it came free.
Her eyes scanned the crowd until she saw Colin holding onto Gwen for support. He was even paler now than before they took him from his hospital bed, yet his lips curled into a soft, tired smile. She mouthed the words I love you, then cranked the metal wheel to the door.
Chapter 40
Freya
The gentle breeze tickled her skin. Her eyes narrowed as she raised a hand to block the bright sun. As her vision focused, she momentarily questioned her sanity. Three people stood in front of her, all without hazmat suits.
They wore standard civilian jumpsuits with large assault rifles slung over their shoulders. Two men and one woman all stood in defensive, non-threatening postures. It was clear that they came from the mountain, yet it wasn’t clear why. If they wanted to kill her, they would have already taken their shot.
“Hello,” Freya said, unsure of what else to say or do.
“Madame Head of State,” one man said.
His weapon sunk lower until it pointed to the ground. The two other travelers did the same and bowed their heads respectfully to her.
Her breath hitched in her chest.
This is a trick. It has to be.
She glanced to the side, seeing three fallen blue figures strewn about on the ground. These newcomers had killed the guards and had yet to fire on her.
The back of her throat felt like a desert. She didn’t know if she could form words. Any attempt to speak would come out as a squeak, if words escaped at all. But she had to do something.
“Yes,” she finally said.
They passed a look between each other. “We have overtaken the mountain, but we didn’t know how to send a message, other than to come and tell you ourselves.”
She blinked rapidly. It seemed they respected her as their leader, or at least, wanted her to think as much. It could be a trap. The High Council could have sent them to get inside the dome and bring in more soldiers from Idaho.
“Oh,” she paused. “Can you tell me more about what happened at the mountain?”
The woman stepped forward. “There were only a few soldiers in the mountain, as you said. We overpowered them, then found the five High Council members you told us about. We arrested two of them.”
Freya raised an eyebrow. “And the others?”
“Dead. They fought to the death. We lost a lot of people in our fight, but we got them.”
A massive collision of emotions swelled inside of her.
Is this really possible? Can it be over?
Before she could respond, she heard gunfire in the distance. Her head quickly snapped to the side, and she lifted her firearm, pointing it at the newcomers.
They each raised their hands in the air. One of the men said, “Madame Head of State, there are four groups of us. We didn’t know how to get inside the dome, so we all went in different directions.”
Slowly, she lowered her weapon. “Do you mind if I step inside for a moment, without you?”
Freya bit her bottom lip, trying to remember how many access points were currently unguarded. “I think three or four. We sealed off some of the access points. Bring your people back here when you’re finished. We have guards at each access point, and they may open fire. And if they don’t, the entrance is probably blocked.”
The woman bowed her head. “Thank you, Madame Head of State.”
Freya didn’t raise her firearm but closed the short distance between her and the dome by walking backwards. Once she secured herself inside, she turned to the group.
“These people say they are the civilians from the mountain,” she yelled, “and they have overpowered both the military and the High Council.”
No one moved. Made a sound. Anything. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who suspected these newcomers of foul play.
“I heard shots fired,” Freya explained. “They said they have four of those military vehicles, and they are working to remove all of our guards outside.”
Suddenly, the silence broke. One man in the back laughed, then cheered. Others joined in until their excitement infected the entire group and grew into a deafening roar. She wanted to silence them, to ensure they all realized this could be a trick but instead, found a giggle escaped her lips. A weight lifted off her shoulders. Although she was scared to believe it could be over, she wanted to.
We might be free.
She gave them a moment to quiet on their own before she spoke again. “We need to proceed with caution. I need volunteers to run to the Security hub and communicate with the other guards. We don’t yet want to let these people inside, but we should confirm if the State’s military presence has been neutralized. I also need some of you to go to Idaho. There could still be a military presence there. And once they’re neutralized, we need some meat.”
An explosion of sound erupted through the tight space. Men in the army pumped their guns in the air, screaming. Some of them turned and ran in the opposite direction, probably heading for the atrium to get to Idaho.
She couldn’t help but laugh, feeling so light. She turned to the remaining men. “I need some of you to continue to guard this entrance until we confirm that all of the State’s military outside are dead.”
Next, she closed the distance between her and Colin, carefully wrapping her arms around him. “And you,” she whispered in his ear, “you need to get back to the clinic.”
He squeezed her with his weak arms, a silent plea to stay close. “And what will you do?”
She pulled back slightly, placing a hand gently on his feverish cheek. “I need to go to the mountain to make sure this is real.”
He shook his head. “No chance. You aren’t going to the mountain without me.”
She pushed back, giving him a stern look. “Colin, you aren’t well enough.”
“I’ve made it this far. I can sit in one of those vehicles and go with you. Either this is a trap, and we’ll all get killed when we get there, or it’s real, and they can treat my injuries there.”
She looked over at Aakil, and he nodded. “Freya, you’re taking both of us with you.”
Gwen and Laura stepped forward. “And us,” Gwen said.
“If they just had a big battle, their clinic might be overwhelmed,” Laura said. “I can ask for supplies and treat Colin in the hallway if I have to.”
Freya looked back at the door, seeing a vehicle pull up. She nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
In her practical mind, she knew Colin would be better off if she left him behind, but she wanted to keep him close. All of them. If this didn’t go well, she needed to trust the people surrounding her.
***
She peered out the window and tried to comprehend how this was possible. There were so many things she should think about: tactics, strategy, or perhaps writing a victory speech. She could use this time productively, but all she could do was gaze out the window. The green rolling hills filled with lush vegetation and rocky mountains growing closer and closer.
Colin’s warm breath tickled her skin as he rested his head on her shoulder, sound asleep. It broke her heart that he was missing the sights but also knew he needed the rest. Too many bodies crammed inside the vehicle made the drive hot and uncomfortable, but she had refused to separate from any of her friends.
Gwen and Laura were wedged in the front seat, pressed against the man driving. They didn’t seem as excited by the views as she did, or Aakil, who sat on the other side of Colin.
Their driver was fascinated by Gwen and Laura, bombarding them with questions about life on the surface. They told him about their lives, their radio, and how they came to help the colonists across the mountain. It was so soothing. Freya felt he was too excited and animated to be deceitful. The closer they traveled to the mountain, the more confident she became.
The vehicle turned sharply and climbed the mountain side. Freya’s stomach clenched as she looked back and could see the dome shining in the distance. It was beautiful, in its own way, even though its origins were evil.
She looked ahead as they approached a giant concrete arc. It was dark underneath, almost as though the entrance was mocking them, to see if they dared to enter the unknown path.
A door came into view just inside the tunnel, and their driver brought the vehicle to a stop. “You all jump out. I’m going to park this in the sun so it can recharge for the rest of the day.”
Freya rubbed Colin’s knee, trying to gently wake him. It took a few tries, but he eventually opened his eyes and let Aakil help him out of the vehicle. As she exited, she hesitated momentarily, unsure if she should draw her weapon. She glanced over at the lady’s casual body language and kept it secured in her holster.
They breezed past the decontamination area as they walked inside and quickly found themselves in a boxy concrete structure. Anyone they encountered seemed to jump to the side of the hallway and bow their heads respectfully before they scurried off in whatever direction they were headed.
One of the men from another vehicle quickly caught up to them and guided them straight to the elevator, then down to the medical facility. As they turned a corner, Freya knew they were rapidly approaching the care center, as the floor contained bright red blood splatters. The carnage worsened the closer they got.
“Freya,” Laura said at the sight of the blood, “I’m going to get Colin settled, then I’m going to stay and help out.”
“Me too,” Gwen added. “You and Aakil can handle the politics. We’ll be here when you need us.”
Colin shifted his weight from leaning on Aakil, to wrapping both his arms around their shoulders. So much of Freya didn’t want to abandon Colin in this strange place, yet she felt comforted that they would stay with him.
Next, their travel companions led them to a set of prison cells, explaining they detained one of the High Council members there, while the other was detained elsewhere.
Aakil left her there. He wanted to look at their systems to find a way to communicate directly with the dome, without having to travel. By the time she peered inside the room, she no longer feared being deceived.
Devina.
Six dimly lit cells were tucked into the confined space. They were darker and even more humid than the military underground.
Devina sat on her cot, leaning with her back against the wall. She stared down at her feet tucked up on the bed in front of her. If it weren’t for their history, Freya might have felt sorry for Devina, but she felt nothing. Angry. Bitter. Victorious. Nothing. She just wanted to get this over with.
Devina looked up at her sideways and began a slow rhythmic clap. “Look at you, Freya 117. I always thought you were so weak and pathetic, yet you single-handedly destroyed all of humanity.”
Freya strolled slowly into the space and leaned her back casually against the concrete wall opposing Devina. Freya had expected mind games from any High Coun
cil member, but thought Devina would strike at something closer to home.
“No, Devina, the State did that many years before either of us were born.”
Devina laughed dryly. “That’s where you’re wrong. The State saved humanity. The world was meant to experience mass extinction, but we’ve ensured their survival.”
Freya rolled her eyes. “Cut this propaganda crap. We all know there was no big nuclear war. The State caused the mass extinction you’re referring to, just so you could have complete control in your perfect society.”
Devina momentarily pursed her lips before proceeding. “You’re right. There was no war. And yes, we existed long before the dome or the world’s collapse. We staged a series of terrorist attacks to cause panic and confusion. Once people were scared enough, they believed anything we told them. We bombed the major cities to flatten them, but our bombs were never nuclear. That would have defeated the purpose of our organization.”
Delivered: A Young Adult Dystopian Romance (The State Series Book 7) Page 29
