The Survivors: Book One

by Angela White

A small town, Kemmerer appeared to be empty, the roads surprisingly clear of abandoned traffic, but there was heavy damage from looters, and even the animal population hadn’t been spared. The town’s dog pound was the site of a horrific battle that made Adrian drive faster past the decaying canine and human cadavers littering the charred, glassless, brick complex.

  Like the other towns they’d been to, Kemmerer had a lot of bodies, dozens of rotting, gruesome corpses, and Adrian was glad to see that none of them slowed obvious signs of radiation sickness. The town itself held burnt frames, broken windows, looted stores, but no wrecked military vehicles, no kicked-in doors. Apparently riots, not the Draft, had conquered this American town.

  The parking lot at Sage Lanes was deserted until they pulled in, and Adrian steered into the hard breeze as he keyed his mic, “Back the Mess truck up near the door. Supply trucks in the rear. Double the watch. Eagles ten, seven, and twelve, secure our campsite. Eagle Three, escort and assist Kenn. Everyone else, stand by.”

  Adrian stepped inside with a frown, running his eyes over arcades, cleaning machines, rows of welded-down tables and hard swivel chairs behind racks of balls and lined-up pins at the end of wide, dust-covered lanes. The maroon carpet, its fine layer of sand devoid of footprints, led to separate bar and food areas, their wooden counters and brick walls covered with glittery signs and unopened party favors. Tired of seeing the heartbreaking reminders of a world gone by, Adrian’s sharp gaze picked out mouse droppings on the bar, a ceiling full of New Year’s confetti, and he nodded as calls of ‘all clear’, echoed.

  “It’ll do. Set us up.”

  3

  Kenn set the mouse trap in the corner, hitching up jeans, as he stood, aware that they were no longer too tight. He watched Doug and Neil move toward the steps leading to the basement, about to do a second sweep. The limping redhead in the green army jacket was shaking long, wild hair in response to the tall, thin Trooper, and Kenn caught Zack’s eye.

  Reading him easily (the career trucker now wore the clothes of a rookie Eagle trying to make Level One status) Zack trotted quickly across the wide, dusty room. “Hey, Neil, wait up. I got a question about yesterday’s lesson.”

  Satisfied there would be no unauthorized plotting done with the rookie’s nosey eyes on them, Kenn ran a hand over his neck-length black hair. “Next?”

  It took the camp nearly an hour to get everything inside and set up. Dozens of lanterns gave the spacious room a dim, flickering light and a harsh odor that Adrian knew wouldn’t mix well with the other smells they would create. He hung smoke detectors, air-fresheners, and signs requesting that the bathroom doors be kept closed, then headed to the basement while the camp ate lunch and picked out their sleeping areas - women and kids away from the doors and windows.

  Adrian waved a hand at Kyle, and the stocky Eagle fell in step. The two men kept their eyes open as they moved down the long, dark hall, flashlights on their belts casting eerie shadows.

  “You been back out since we got here?”

  “Few minutes ago. Looks like snow moving in from the South. Temperature’s dropping fast,” Kyle wasn’t exactly gunning for the Marine, but he’d never trust him, never be one of his many supporters. He liked it that Kenn had been behind the 8 ball, even if only for a few hours. “Don’t think it’ll hold till dark.”

  “It won’t matter, if Kenn can get the lights and heat on.”

  Adrian’s words were still hanging in the chilly air when a deep rumble started under their feet, rattling the whole building. It grew steadily louder, drawing yells as dust began to fly from vents, and then changed to a long, loud hiss that died out gradually. There were a few seconds of tense silence and Adrian waited in the darkness with his hand on his holster as he listened to the unease of his herd.

  The rumbling came again, much quieter this time, and the two males got moving, grinning when the dusty bulbs overhead flickered halfheartedly, then began to glow, bright and beautiful. They now had electricity.

  A hearty cheer went through the bowling alley, echoing to Kenn and Neil, who had heard voices in the dark and drawn their guns. No one else was allowed down here. Relaxing when Adrian and Kyle came into view, Kenn flipped a switch as he reholstered, killing the lights and drawing a loud moan of protest from upstairs.

  “What about heat?”

  The Marine smothered a curse, wiping sweat from his eye. “Our cords aren’t strong enough. We need something heavy duty. After that, should just be a matter of bleeding out the system. We’ll have to make sure all the outside vents and ducts stay clear.”

  To Kenn’s pleasure, Adrian wrote it down and the two guards watched jealously.

  “We passed a big laundromat on the way in. Wouldn’t they have the industrials?”

  Kenn was glad it had been Kyle, and not Neil, who made the suggestion. He and the mobster got along better now - handling Leon together had helped - but he couldn’t make peace with the state cop at all, and he had officially given up trying.

  “Good. Give them the lights back and you guys go get what we need. The space heaters will hold us a bit longer.”

  Kenn got another cheer when he flipped the switch.

  Though they were grinning as they went up the hall together, under real lights for the first time in nine weeks, it was an odd feeling. None of them spoke until they got to the loading docks where the trucks were neatly lined up.

  The guards tensed when they saw the four men come out of the dock doors and immediately began sweeping the landscape harder, paying more attention. Kenn’s words had indeed drawn them to an awareness of their unique positions in his army, but it was Adrian’s guidance, his strong leadership, they were protecting, and in doing so, were securing their own places in this hard new world. Kenn had eyes on Adrian almost all the time now. Even the new guy, Seth, was doing it, without even being an Eagle. The guards were all relieved when Adrian went back inside where it was safer. To these men, their leader was invaluable. He was the last of his kind, and no one could take his place.

  4

  By dark, Adrian's camp was being fed, and those finished were taking their turn on the 25 lanes that Kenn and Doug had managed to get working. Beautiful, warm heat was gushing out of the vents while snow fell heavily outside, and nearly everyone who had cracked a joke had now given Kenn apologetic words and claps on the back for saving them. If they had been caught out in the open, even a little snow and cold might have cost them lives. There were a lot of questions, but the story of hearing it on the radio had already flown through the camp, and Kenn was glad not to have to repeat it. One lie was already going to be too much.

  Adrian, Kenn, Kyle, Doug, and Neil were sitting at a round table on the top deck of the bowling alley. The Eagles were watching, laughing, and letting the camp have their fill first, but the leader’s eyes were on his right-hand man.

  Kenn was playing with a new deck of cards, fanning them out in different shapes and scooping them back up like a pro. His face was pale, uncomfortable, and at that moment, Adrian found it hard to accept that the Marine might be...special. Loyal and hardworking? Yes. Psychic? No, and it wasn’t because Adrian didn’t believe in it. He did, deeply, and while he longed for one of his circle to have such a gift, he just couldn’t place it with Kenn.

  Then how did he know? Adrian asked himself the important question, and the blunt, quick answer made him frown. Kenn was in contact with someone not in this camp, and he was either lying, or about to.

  Almost as if Neil had picked up on that thought, Adrian’s most steadfast man turned to the quiet Marine, unable to hold back any longer. “So, come on, Kenn. How’d you know?”

  Neil’s question had the attention of the entire table and the Marine dropped his eyes. “I’d rather not say.”

  “Why? You’re the hero now,” Todd insisted.

  Kenn didn’t look up. “You won’t believe me.”

  There was a thick silence as everyone looked at Adrian, and Kenn understood his moment of betrayal had come wh
en those sharp eyes turned to him, searching. He sucked in a breath. “I feel things...sometimes," he said carefully, not looking up.

  It was the answer Adrian wanted, the magic he’d been looking for, but it fell awkwardly from the Marine’s lips. He was right. None of them believed it.

  “Oh.”

  “Okay.”

  No one questioned though, that was Adrian’s chore, and the leader said nothing yet, still evaluating.

  “Who’s ready to bowl?” Kenn asked cheerfully, distracting he hoped.

  All but Adrian agreed and started getting up. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up after I make rounds.”

  Kenn opened his mouth to offer his company and snapped it shut, sensing Adrian’s unease. Let the boss man have some time to think about how big an advantage it would be to have a bad weather alarm that was never wrong. With that skill on his list, he’d never lose his place here.

  "Until the real deal comes," his mind reminded, and Kenn pushed it away. She wouldn’t make it this far west even with help. There was no way one of her weak-assed hospital friends could keep two people alive through a thousand miles of this. She might even be dead now. Kenn grinned widely and went to be admired by his followers.

  Adrian did continue to think about it, not how great it would be, but about the lie they’d just been told. He stood inside the glass doors, watching the snow fall harder, feeling the alert eyes of the guards on him as his mind worked it. Clearly it wasn’t true. The Marine was in contact with someone, and he didn’t want them here. That was the only thing that made sense. Why?

  Because they know the old Kenny, he guessed, frown growing. They knew what Neil suspected, and Kenn was leaving them out there to die, rather than bring them to safety and deal with it. Adrian’s face darkened. If that were true, he would have to change his plans for their future. By his own actions, the Marine would be unworthy. The one Adrian left leadership to needed to value life the way he did.

  The thick, dark flakes fell harder, and Adrian pushed Kenn from his mind for the moment as he looked over what there was to see of the town around them. Pleased to see his Eagles doing Recon nearby, taking pictures, and widening the perimeter as they’d been taught, he concentrated. A foot or more - were they prepared for that? No. Livestock trucks would have to be heated and covered; water and main supply trucks would have to be brought around front. Warmer clothes and shoes dug out, shovels too. Mind racing, Adrian stepped back inside and began putting his sheep to work.

  As Adrian talked to people, got them moving, he noticed Kenn’s boy, Charlie, hanging around. When they were alone for a moment, the leader stepped over to him, thinking he needed to eat more and have some fun.

  “You okay?”

  The teenager nodded, but said nothing, and Adrian frowned, lowering his voice.

  “You sure? I’m all yours right now.”

  Charlie shook his head, eyes saying different. “No big deal. Just bored.”

  Dark circles under the teenager’s eyes showed he still wasn’t sleeping well, but Adrian was encouraged that he wasn’t constantly standing at attention anymore. “Sounds like you need a job.”

  The 14-year-old agreed right away and Adrian wondered if he should give him make work or something that really mattered.

  “Something that matters?”

  Adrian nodded, smiling, “Everything matters now, son. I’ll change your schedule when I do the next set. In the meantime, how about some snow shoveling? We need to keep a clear path to the trucks.”

  There was no reluctance on the boy’s pale face, “Sure. Now?”

  “No. We have to get some supplies first. You can beat me up at a game like your dad will, I’m sure,” Adrian joked. He wanted to question the slight grimace that came over the boy’s face but didn’t.

  “Sure. Can I be on your team?”

  “Absolutely. Lane 17 in half an hour. Bring coffee.”

  Charlie shoved his hands into the deep pockets of the baggy, hooded shirt he wore over dusty jeans and left Adrian alone in the dim hallway outside the main office.

  The leader watched him go, almost certain the child had wanted to scream at him. That Kenn wasn’t his dad, maybe? Adrian yawned and stepped into the cool darkness. It was yet another sign something wasn’t right with his newest man, and it didn’t occur to him until later to replay their conversation and listen to the way the boy seemed to read his mind.

  Adrian moved inside the stale darkness of the office, but before he could flip on the light, a voice with a fake, southern drawl mocked him, “Avoidin' people is bad for ya image.”

  Adrian turned quickly, an annoyed scowl on his face, and Tonya took a step back at his glare of distaste. “Not if they’re bad news.”

  The sexily-dressed redhead gave him a knowing smile. “Wasn’t what ya were sayin' when ya were between my legs.”

  His body was tempted, the office pitch black, but his eyes were emotionless, and he returned her mocking tone. “Musta dreamed it. Never happened.”

  Tonya gave him a sexy grin, but her green eyes were unsure. “We’re alone. Ya can’t deny it ta' me.”

  Adrian gave her a tight smile and sneered confidently, “Yes, I can. Prove it.”

  He gave the door a gentle shove with his boot and couldn’t resist a parting blow, voice full of contempt. “Find someone else to spread those legs for. I’m busy.”

  “Maybe I will,” Tonya muttered, accent dying as she moved back to her sleeping bag near the basement door, “And maybe you’ll be surprised by who.”

  Adrian was more worried about the fiery redhead, than he’d let on and was glad no one had heard their short exchange. He knew she was currently looking for a way to pay him back, ‘hell hath no fury’ and all that, but even more, her kind had been a bitch before the War, and that hadn’t changed much. Adrian tensed at the creak of steps outside the barely open door.

  “Can I talk to you?”

  Adrian flipped on the lights, waved him in. The small room had only a chair and a messy desk, a single filing cabinet in the corner, and a layer of dust on the floor that they were leaving tracks in. Good thing he hadn’t taken Tonya up on her offer. Those heeled black boots she wore left unmistakable prints and his Eagles were getting sharper. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Kenn.”

  Adrian brushed absently at the layer of dust, sitting on a corner of the cluttered desk. “As in, how did he really know?”

  The former cop’s green eyes were full of suspicion. “Exactly. Mitch and Matt cover the hell out of that radio. No way that he heard it and no one else did.”

  The leader nodded a second time. He’d already gone down this road with himself. The sheep would believe it, though, and that was all that mattered. They would never hear Kenn’s real answer. “How do you think he knew?”

  Neil shrugged, his hat twisting in his restless hands. “I don’t have a clue, and that bothers me. He saved our ass, that’s for sure, and now these people love him, but…” Neil paused before pushing on carefully. “Something isn’t right with him.”

  Adrian lit a smoke, waiting, and the cop looked at the man he respected more than anyone he’d ever known, hoping he wasn’t about to make a big mistake. “I know he’s your choice, and you have my complete support, but him, I plan to watch. You should know that.”

  “Good.”

  Neil blinked, and Adrian grinned, stood up to clap him on the shoulder. “Didn’t see that coming, did you?”

  The trooper shook his head, stern face confused. “No. I thought I’d be in trouble.”

  Adrian’s pale eyes were serious. “I expected no less. I want to be told about the smallest thing that catches your attention, Eagle. The smallest thing.”

  “You know it.”

  “He knows what?”

  Neither man flinched, but both were caught off guard, and turned with nearly identical frowns. What was it with women and lurking in doorways?

  “You need something?” Adrian demanded.

  Cynthi
a’s shrewd brown eyes lost some of their eagerness at his bark and she nodded quickly. “Yes. Sorry. The door was open.”

  Adrian went from pissed to bored in seconds, and he stared back at the Asian-American reporter with shuttered eyes and a cold smile. “Yes, it was. What can I do for you, Ms. Quest?”

  The thin brunette looked at Neil, but apparently thought better of asking him to get the hell out. “I have some questions.”

  “There’s a surprise,” came his response, and the dry tone made the normally unshakable reporter flush and hesitate, unsure if she should go on. He was a hard man to read.

  “What, Cynthia? Tell me your deepest desires.”

  The words hung in the dusty room, and now she was the one caught off guard, unable to give him anything, but the honesty his eyes were insisting on. The truth flew out of her mouth like a bullet.

  “You. What kind of monster were you before? What are you atoning for?”

  Cynthia missed Adrian’s flinch, horrified to hear those private words spoken, the ones she wanted known the least, but the trooper noticed it, felt the change in the man at his side.

  Neil scowled darkly, automatically protecting his boss. “None of that old shit matters anymore, in case you haven’t noticed. Only our survival does. You should wake up before you piss off the wrong person and find yourself on the outs. See ya later, Boss.”

  Adrian watched Cynthia step hurriedly back as the angry trooper moved past and there was a tense silence where he let her squirm for a long moment.

  “You have questions?” he asked finally.

  Glad he was willing to pretend she hadn’t crossed the line when they both knew she had, Cynthia took a small step inside the dusty office. “Yes. I’d like to volunteer to teach a class when you get them going.”

  Adrian’s cool eyes never left hers, and she could feel his pull, her woman’s body softening under his gaze. “Maybe a teacher's aide or something?”

  Adrian opened his notebook and wrote it down, and Cynthia held herself in check. She was hard too, an old dirt-digger, but she wasn’t immune to his spell any more than Kenn or Neil were. Just like them, she wanted to be close to Adrian, wanted to be useful.