by Jordan Ervin
“We saw your flag,” Eric shouted back as he stepped forward a couple paces. “We’re looking for food and lodging. We can work for it all if you’ll have us.”
“I’m sure you would,” the man replied. “Where are you from?”
“Out east,” Eric said. “We passed through Memphis nine days ago and—”
“We’ve heard all about Memphis,” the other man replied. “So did you actually pass through or were you partaking in their idea of fun?”
Before Eric could reply, Sarah stepped forward, standing next to Judah with a fury in her eyes.
“They tried to make us part of that fun,” Sarah said, her voice raised. “We lost a lot getting out. I’d ask you show a little respect for those who weren’t so fortunate. There is no fun going on in Memphis. There’s only the wicked and their victims.”
The man paused for a moment, glancing over at his men and muttering something Judah couldn’t understand. He hesitated a moment longer before raising the horn back to his lips.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean fun like…well, we don’t agree with what those bastards are doing over there. I apologize for any offense taken.”
“So you’ll help us?”
“I didn’t say that,” the man replied. “We’re low on trust and tight with food. I don’t think—”
“But we can work,” Eric cut in. “I’m a trained soldier and this man here is a brilliant coder capable of fixing and hacking about whatever you want.”
“Listen. I’d love to help you out, but it’s not going to happen. We have plenty of soldiers and a good amount of techies already. Best we can do is give you a bit of food and say a prayer with you before you go on your way.”
“Say a prayer?” Sarah replied, shaking her head as she laughed. “You want to say a prayer to help us out? Listen, I’m all about praying, but at some point you—”
“Nadia Andreou,” Alexandra shouted quickly, stepping forward. “Is she here?”
The men crouching behind the sandbags paused, glancing at one another in confusion before raising their weapons, aiming them at Judah and the others. Judah’s heart raced and he stepped forward, placing himself in front of Alexandra and almost raising his own weapon before Eric shouted.
“Judah, no!” Eric shouted. “Keep it down.”
“Do you know her?” Alexandra shouted again. “Her name is Nadia Andreou. That’s A-N-D—”
“I suggest you all leave now,” the man replied over the bullhorn. “And tell your boys down south that we’re not for sale. We’ll die before we see them take this place. I don’t care what sorry-ass group and sappy tales they send next time.”
“Come on,” Sarah said, grabbing both Alexandra and Judah by the arms. “We need to go before—”
“Let go!” Alexandra shouted, ripping her arm free before turning back to the wall. “Please! She’s my sister!”
“Alexandra,” Judah said, grabbing her gently by the arm. “I don’t think—”
“Stop!” the voice cried out over the bullhorn. A few tense seconds passed, the man on the bullhorn glancing down behind him as Judah readied himself for a fight. After a lengthy pause, the man atop the wall turned back to them. “If you or anything on the road behind you moves, we’ll spill your blood across this bridge right here, right now. So put your weapons on the ground and keep your hands where we can see them.”
Judah paused briefly before dropping his rifle. He stuck his hands in the air as the rest of his family and friends did the same. The man atop the wall disappeared out of sight. Another thirty seconds passed before the cranking of gears rumbled from the gate. Two steel cables attached to the front of the school busses pulled tight and the massive vehicles began to part. As it did, wooden beams that blocked the gate behind it rose like an old garage door, revealing the open bridge behind it and at least ten more armed men. Five of those men began walking forward; the man who had been speaking with them at the center. Determination lined their eyes while guns filled their hands.
Despite the growing springtime heat, the men each wore filtered masks that covered half their face while black tactical gear protected the rest of their bodies. Only the top halves of their faces were uncovered, giving them the look of desert warriors ready for battle. The man at the front halted twenty feet from Judah and the others, shifting his concentrated eyes between each of them before clearing his throat.
“Nadia doesn’t have family,” the man replied. “Not outside of me. I suggest you—”
“Wait!” Alexandra said quickly. “I’m her sister. If she’s alive, you have to take me to her. Please!”
The man hesitated a moment, his eyes narrowing above the dark mask as he gazed back intently. Judah tensed, trying to decide just what he would do if they tried anything. He looked to the side of the bridge ten feet to his right, thinking about grabbing Alexandra and diving over. Still, he knew he wouldn’t have made it three steps before death caught up. He knew he would die if it came to that, but that was a truth he had accepted weeks ago. Sooner or later, something was going to demand his life and he’d be powerless to do anything but oblige.
“What’s your name?” the man asked.
“Alexandra,” she replied. “Is Nadia alive? I haven’t spoken to her in over a year and—”
The man held up a hand, cutting Alexandra off. He shook his head as he glanced over at the other guys. The man shifted his gaze back to Alexandra and raised his hand to tap an earpiece. “I don’t want another word from any of you.”
Alexandra nodded back, looking over at Judah with the first thing that resembled joy since leaving Memphis. Judah smiled back, though it dissolved into a forced smile that he knew she would see right through. If by some miracle her sister Nadia was alive, then Judah doubted Alexandra would go back on her words from earlier. She’d abandon him and his family. He was on the verge of losing her completely and yet his pain was an unbridled joy.
Judah desired only her happiness.
“Hey, it’s Tyler,” the man said. “Where are you?” The man—Tyler—paused, smiling as he glanced down at the road. “Yeah? You flirting with the guys at South Gate again?” He paused a second time, his smile growing broader until he let loose a chuckle. “Well, I can’t wait to take you up on that. Hey listen, that sister of yours that you told me about—the one out east—what was her name?” He glanced to the side, looking at the other men before glancing over at Alexandra. “Uh huh. You know, I never saw a picture of you two. What did she look like again? Uh huh…yeah…really? And what happened to her?” He paused, looking up at Alexandra as concern masked his face. “You sure? No reason, I was just thinking about you and your family. But hey, why don’t you come up to North Gate as soon as you can. No, nothing’s wrong…no, really. Hey, can’t a guy just want to give his new bride a kiss?” Tyler beamed, stepping backward to join the others. “Alright. See you in five.” He placed the phone in his pocket, grinning again as he hesitated.
He then glanced up, drew his side arm, and pointed it at Eric.
“What the hell are you doing?” Eric said as he held his hands up.
“I’ve been getting to know my wife quite well over the past couple of years. We might have been married all of two months now, but I know when she suspects something of me. Her knack for finding the truth hiding in this chaos is half the reason she’s running this place. Without her, we would not have seen what was coming before it was beating down our front door. She foresaw things like the food shortage that would have starved us to death, the disease that might have wiped us had we not barricaded ourselves in, or the Texan traitors who’d try to infiltrate our ranks. I say all that to say that my wife clearly suspects something from that little conversation of ours. All I’m saying is if you’re lying about all this, she’ll see through it and we’ll do what we have to do.”
“You’re Nadia’s…husband?” Alexandra said.
“I said not a word,” Tyler replied.
A few minutes passed with Judah standing quiet
ly on the road, shifting his weight back and forth from his bad leg as he held his hands in the air. He hoped this woman was in fact Alexandra’s sister. Not only because failure to be so would likely result in a shootout that would end their journey, but because he truly wanted the best for Alexandra. He wanted that joy and hope he saw on her face earlier to stay there and never go away. If being by her sister and leaving them behind was the only way to achieve that, then so be it. He didn’t know if that was love—he suspected it was stupidity. Whatever it was, it was most definitely selfless and therefore he knew it was right.
An electric car approached silently, slowing to a halt on the other side of the gate before the front passenger door opened. A woman—tall like Alexandra with brown hair and a mask of her own stepped out onto the road. She walked forward, her eyes finding Tyler first and smiling behind her guise.
“So, what was all this….” The woman slowed, looking past Tyler to Alexandra. Her eyes grew wide and though he couldn’t see it behind her mask, Judah could tell the woman’s jaw had dropped. “Alex?”
“Nadia!” Alexandra shouted, lowering her hands as she ran for her sister. Nadia ran forward too, tears streaming from both their eyes by the time they embraced. The two wept as they embraced and fell to the road, holding each other tightly as though they were afraid they might lose one another if they let go. Tyler turned to Judah and the others, nodding his head and motioning for them to put their hands down. After a few more moments of hugging and joyful weeping, Nadia stepped back.
“Where did you…how did you…Alex, how are you here?” Nadia said, wiping her tears away. “How are you here? Where are dad and Micah?” Nadia looked over at the group, searching them quickly for a sign of her family.
“They didn’t make it,” Alexandra said, the smile on her face shrinking. “Dad died when they attacked the base three months ago and Micah died later that night. I’m sorry. It’s just me.”
Nadia paused, staring back at her sister before nodding her head. She took a deep breath before looking back up at her sister, her eyes still smiling though they continued to glisten with tears. “Don’t be sorry. You’re here and this is not a time for grieving. But you didn’t answer my question. How are you here?”
“I…I’m here because of them,” Alexandra said, turning to Judah and the others. “That’s Eric Corsa, Elizabeth Holt, and Trey Webster. And the rest…they’re the Reinhart family. That’s Sarah and her kids—Eva, Grace, and…Judah. Their dad was Adam Reinhart, the congressman that almost stopped all of this from happening, but he died in DC when the president took over. Adam’s parents and a few Army Rangers were with us, but they died in Montgomery. Nadia…these people saved me. I told them we’d find you in Arkansas, but I’m not sure I even believed you’d still be here. They walked me from North Carolina to Alabama to Memphis and here just because I was alone and without family.” Alexandra hesitated, her eyes flickering over to Judah and searching as though she were debating what else to say. Finally, she frowned and looked back at Nadia. “They’re going to Texas soon, but they could use whatever help you can give them before they go. Without them, I would have died long ago.”
Nadia smiled, looking at each one of them as Alexandra spoke. When she finally finished, Nadia approached—sticking out her gloved hand to shake Sarah’s hand.
“I’m Nadia Andreou—mayor and guardian of those inside these walls, whether I like it or not. You have my thanks and you have my aid. Whatever we can spare, it’s yours until you leave. However, I do hope to talk you out of joining those traitors down south before you go. Any friend of Alex’s is most certainly a welcomed friend of mine.”
“Thank you,” Sarah replied. “We won’t be any trouble and we promise to leave when we’re no longer welcome.” Her eyes flickered over at Alexandra briefly, though Judah doubted anyone else noticed.
“We’ve heard things about Memphis,” Nadia began, her Greek accent clear on her voice. “More rumors than anything, really. Men like them are half the reason we closed our gates. Regardless, I pray you all made it through safely.”
Sarah’s eyes watered before she shook her head, glancing over at Alexandra. Nadia paused, shifting her gaze over to Alexandra before her eyes widened. “Did they….” Nadia began, unable to utter another word. She embraced her sister, crying again—the difference between a jubilant weeping and a tear-filled sorrow almost indiscernible to Judah. Nadia stepped back, looking over at Tyler.
“Get medical on the line,” she said softly. “Have them ready a single room in quarantine and make sure we’ve got some nurses and a physician there when we arrive.”
Tyler nodded his head, stepping away as he tapped his earpiece.
“She doesn’t need quarantined,” Sarah said. “She just needs—”
“Not just her,” Nadia said, glancing over. “Forgive me, but we’ll need to watch all of you for ten days in isolation before we can expose you to the others. I shouldn’t even be out here shaking your hands.”
“Why?” Eric said. “We’re not sick.”
“It’s just a precaution. We’ve heard of other towns losing half their population to the flu over the winter. It’s why we wear the masks and gloves at the walls.”
“I’m not going to argue about ten days in a bed,” Elizabeth said with a grin.
“It’s for the best and it’s better than you think. You get out of work and have time to yourselves. We have plenty of books, some movies so long as the solar generators are not acting up, and hot food. I’ll see to it that you are taken care of, fed well, and once you’re in the clear, we’ll have homes ready for you all. Come, we’ll take you there now.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said, glancing over at Judah. “Whatever happens, we owe you our lives.”
“Wait,” Eric said, just as Nadia started to turn away. He paused, turning to look down the road behind him before turning back to Nadia. “We’ve traveled a thousand miles since the night America died, fighting for our lives almost every step of the way. We’ve passed through burned out bases, dying trade posts, and vile cities—all while trying to survive the chaos of war. We’ve met the good, endured the bad, and lost friends along the way. We’ve seen a lot over the past few months, but there was one thing I hadn’t seen until today. The flag…why do you still fly it?”
Nadia glanced up at the flag—her eyes lingering on the swaying red, white, and blue before looking back at Eric.
“Because America isn’t dead.” Nadia stepped over, smiling as she shook his hand. “Welcome to Fort Harding.”
Judah smiled, looking from Nadia to his mother. He glanced over at Alexandra as they began walking through the open gate. He hoped Alexandra would be safe behind the high walls. He hoped she would be able to work past her anger and befriend him again one day. He hoped they wouldn’t have to leave. He hoped this refuge—this oasis called Fort Harding—could be everything they’d prayed for. He smiled, looking behind him at the flag flying atop the wall one more time as he realized what had just happened.
For the first time in a long time, Judah Reinhart felt hope.
The scent of wool, sweat, and dust was heavy in the air as Adam Reinhart peered through the checkered stitching of the black bag that was draped over his head. He tried to make out the details of the room he was in, but everything was hazy behind the veil. A table sat to his left; the glinting objects on top made him think of guns, tools of torture, or simply his nervous eyes playing tricks on him. To his right was a chain and the shape of another man dangling, though he couldn’t tell if it was Jack, Lev, Edward, or someone else. He hadn’t seen any of them after the man on the boat in Memphis wrapped a rag of chloroform around his mouth, and he wasn’t sure who else it was that they had pulled from the river. The days that had followed their capture had been full of hazy dreams in and out of drugged sleep. His stomach growled and he swallowed his spit, something surprisingly difficult with the gag that was pulled tight across his mouth. He was starving and confused, and he had no idea who had
taken him.
Okay, he thought, trying to calm himself. Focus on what you do know.
Adam had no idea how long he had been in captivity. It had been at least a week, always veiled when he wasn’t questioned, beaten, or both. Edward and Jack had been present at times, though he hadn’t seen either for days. Every moment since their capture had been shrouded in darkness and ambiguity. He had heard the screams of strangers a few hours ago before being chained up, though most of the recent screams were those of a woman. Adam had no idea where he was. For all he knew, he could be back in DC…a terrifying thought.
The sound of metal scraping metal filled his ears and he tensed up. A loud bang, that of a rusty latch being thrown open, filled the tiny room. Adam raised his head, trying to peer through the bag and see who had come in as the door squeaked opened. He could see the moving shapes of three men enter the room, pausing before approaching him. He began to breathe heavily, his imagination wild with thoughts of torture to come. The man at the front reached forward, grabbing the bag atop Adam’s head, and pulled it free.
Adam almost shuddered with fear as an unknown man stared back at him. The man looked younger than Adam, though scars—some old and some new—crisscrossed his face. The man didn’t smile, nor did he frown. He simply studied Adam, like a rancher inspecting cattle.
“I’m not going to pretend to like what’s about to happen to you,” the man said. “I’m not sadistic, though some of the others can’t make that same claim. It’s probably why they put me in charge of this part of the operation. Regardless, orders are orders and a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.”
The man flipped open a knife and grabbed Adam by the jaw. Adam screamed through his gag and tried to pull away. Suddenly, the wind left Adam’s lungs and he gasped, realizing he had been hit as he inhaled bitter air through the foul cloth. The man grabbed Adam’s face again, lifting his head as he raised the knife to Adam’s face.
