We leave through a back door and make our way to some meeting place. My arm is numb from holding Drew up but we can’t stop now.
Chapter 18: Dawn
I woke up this morning and Gabby was gone. I don’t know where she would go without me but I’m worried. She’s probably doing something stupid and reckless like the prat she is at times. I went looking for Adrian but couldn’t find him anywhere. I ended up back here at our flat, alone. I pace back and forth across the room, unable to control my nervous energy. What has she done now?
I almost jump out of my skin when there is a knock at the door. I rush to open it and find a man and a woman standing in the hall, looking around anxiously. They shove me aside and bull their way into my room. I shut the door and the man comes up behind me and locks it. The woman has gone to the window and lowered my blinds.
“What’s going on?” I ask, irritated, “who are you?” I try to channel Gabby in my voice so that it sounds bigger, less me, because I’m scared of these strangers.
“Don’t worry, we’re here to help,” the woman says.
“Help with what?” I ask. They look at each other before the man speaks.
“Elle sent us,” he says as if that should answer all my questions.
“Who’s Elle?” I still don’t understand.
“You met her at the wall,” he answers.
“Adrian’s mother?”
“Yes,” the woman says hurriedly, “look, we don’t have time for this. Yes Adrian’s mother sent us. No Adrian is not to be trusted. My name is Allison.”
“And I’m Clay,” the man says as he peers through the blinds. “We need to get you out of here now.”
“Why? I still don’t understand.” They’re being too cryptic.
“Your sister was caught in the labs today. We think Elle is dead. You need to get out of Texas. You need to escape.”
“”What? Why should I…” They cut me off and steer me towards the door. I look from Clay to Allison, trying to comprehend what they’re telling me. Gabby was caught in the labs. What labs? What are they going to do to her? Who are these people? Hoping they can help me find my sister, I step through the door and they follow me out. We get out onto the street and Allison’s arm shoots out to keep me from going farther.
“Stay close to the buildings so we can use their shadows,” she says. I do as she tells me and we hurry down the street. We can’t run because we have to be careful not to draw attention to ourselves. We pass the chapel and the government building. I hold my breath when a friend of Clay’s stops him to say hi. They exchange pleasantries before we keep moving. The tension is driving me nutters.
They still haven’t told me what exactly is going on or who they are. I wouldn’t have come with them but I have had a feeling in my gut that something wasn’t right ever since I woke up and my sister was gone. I can’t explain it but I know she needs my help. My mind is taken over by the fear that something has happened to her.
I follow Allison up the steps to a building and Clay brings up the rear. Allison enters a code and the door swings open. She ushers us in before clicking it shut behind us. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my nerves now that we are no longer out in the open.
At this late hour, there is no one in any of the offices we pass. We reach a stairwell that takes us down into an underground car park.
“Where are we?” I ask, taking in the rows of government vehicles.
“We’re at a government facility,” Clay responds, clearly not interested in giving me any answers. He scans the garage, looking for something.
“I don’t see him yet,” Allison says before we hear the screech of tires as a truck pulls into view. The car stops in front of us and a heavy set man steps out from behind the wheel.
“Landon,” Clay says as they clasp hands, “good to see you’re still breathing.”
“Yeah, you too,” he chuckles. “These are dark days my friend.” Then to me, Landon says, “it’s good to see you again Dawn, even under the circumstances.”
“Do I know you?” I ask.
“I guess you wouldn’t remember you were pretty wasted that night.” He laughs again but it is not the laugh of a carefree man. He is trying to hold himself together. I can tell by the way his hands tremble. I only remember parts of that night but I do recognize his face. I just hadn’t realized from what.
“Did they get the other girl?” Allison asks impatiently.
“They should be here soon,” Landon answers.
“Someone went to get Gabby?” I ask.
“Yes,” Clay answers. “Now, here’s the plan. Landon and Allison are scheduled to make a supply trip to St. Louis. You and your sister will be hidden in the truck.”
“But we’ll still be in Texas,” I state.
“Yes,” he responds, “St. Louis lies on a lightly guarded section of river. There’s absolutely no way we could get you out of the Vicksburg port.”
“So you all are rebels.” I look around at this group and am once again amazed at the reach of my own people, whether it be the rebels or the government.
“Yes. But we prefer to call ourselves ‘True Patriots’. Are we done with the questions now?” Clay says harshly. I am suddenly glad that he isn’t coming with us. I begin pacing. It helps me to keep moving. Every minute we wait is another chance that something has gone wrong.
“Why are you helping us?” I break the silence.
“This isn’t for you,” Clay answers irritably. “We have Intel that needs to get to the rebel base. You’re only coming along because of who your father is.” Of course, my father. I am about to ask another question when we hear footsteps on the stairs and Allison pulls me down behind the truck.
“Allison,” the whisper comes from near the stairwell, “you down here?” Allison peers over the hood for a moment before standing. She motions for the rest of us to follow.
“You made it,” she says as she makes her way towards him. She embraces him for a second longer than is comfortable for the rest of us. Clay clears his throat and they sheepishly break apart.
“Jack,” Landon says, “where’s the girl?”
“Jess is helping them down the stairs. The boy is in pretty bad shape,” Jack answers, looking behind him anxiously.
“What boy?” Allison asks. Before Jack has the chance to respond, the door to the stairwell opens and two people step through supporting a third.
Gabby shrugs the arm from her shoulder and runs towards me. I go to hug her but she stops me. “Sis, it’s Drew.” I don’t ask her what she means because, suddenly, I know. I try to wrap my head around it. The boy that is being all but carried towards us is the boy I thought was gone forever. I step backwards and lean against the truck, my feet unable to support me in this moment. Gabby is trying to explain everything to me but all I hear is white noise. Jack and Clay have relieved Jess of Drew and he is now only a few feet from where I’m standing. He is barely conscious but his glossy eyes find mine.
Stunned, immobile, I only manage to say, “I thought you were dead.”
“I was Dawn. I was.” And then he collapses into my arms.
Chapter 19: Dawn
My breath is coming in gasps. If he has been alive this whole time, that means the Texans were holding him prisoner. What have they done to him?
“Well, isn’t this romantic,” Clay says. “It’s not something we have time for, however.” As soon as Clay breaks the silence it is as if a spell has been lifted. Everyone starts moving.
“Looks like we’ll have three of you to hide,” Landon states as he opens the back of the truck. “Get in,” he says gently. Gabby and I climb in and then help Drew. I grab his arm but he doesn’t look me in the eye as I lay my hands on him. He is spent.
The truck is loaded with boxes of clothing. We’ve been told that all the clothing in Texas is made here so they have to make regular deliveries to the other cities. It’s a good thing too, because that’s the only reason we are getting out. They use these supply runs to transport people all the
time right under their government’s nose. They also use these runs to pass messages. They are part of the network the rebels have put in place throughout the colonies and even Mexico.
We crowd into a false compartment up front. There is a clatter and a scattering of metal and wood.
“Don’t sit on the rifles,” I am scolded.
Landon tells us we must be silent until we are out of the city and Jack wishes us luck before closing the door, leaving us to the darkness. I am wedged in the corner, arms wrapped around my legs, shrinking into myself.
I can feel Drew near me but I can’t even begin to process him being here. It was only minutes ago that I thought that he was dead and I would never see him again. Heck, it was only hours ago that I thought I could make my home in Texas. Now I know the truth. I should have trusted my sister. I should have listened to her. Drew. What have they done to you? I reach out in the darkness but he flinches away from my touch.
After what feels like an eternity, Allison opens the small door that leads from the back of the truck to the cabin. “We’re clear,” she says. “You guys good?”
“Yeah,” Gabby answers, breathless. She must have been holding her breath too.
“Okay, well, it’ll only take us a couple hours to get there. You might want to close your eyes for a bit because who knows when you’ll be able to sleep next.” She shuts the door and I lean my head back against the wall. I feel tears prick my eyes but I wipe them away quickly. We are on the run again. It feels like I’ve been running my whole life. I just want to find a place where I can stay put for a while.
“You okay Dawn?” Even in the dark, Gabby knows something is wrong. Maybe it’s just common sense that I should be upset. My boyfriend did come back from the dead. I don’t answer Gabby but I reach out and pat her arm. Then, I whisper,
“Drew?”
He doesn’t respond right away so I assume he’s just knackered. But in a moment he answers, “I’m okay Dawn.” The weariness in his voice frightens me. He doesn’t sound like himself.
“Good.” I’m not sure what else I can say and the uncomfortable silence stretches between us before I say again, “I thought you were dead.” I hiccup back a sob.
“I know,” he says. His voice has lost its fire; its passion. His usual confidence is gone. I don’t recognize this boy. I had dreamed about being reunited with Drew but it was nothing like this. I never imagined that it would be so uncomfortable. I never imagined I would feel this lost around him. He was going through hell while I was spending time with his captors.
Chapter 20: Gabby
The ride in the truck was almost unbearable. The air was claustrophobic with things unsaid. Dawn doesn’t know how to talk to Drew after everything he’s been through. She is afraid of what she saw and what is happening. I am not the same person that went into the hot box in Floridaland and Drew is not the same person that she thought had died in the woods.
Relief floods through me as Allison opens the door and lets us out. Drew seems to be a little more stable on his feet so I don’t need to help him walk. Allison leads us through an underground car park identical to the one we left from. We said our thank yous and goodbyes to Landon at the truck before he drove off to make his delivery.
We still have the cover of darkness to hide us as we step outside. At night, this town looks eerily similar to the one we left. We wind through the streets and I feel like we are in a maze. We have to stop a few times for Drew to rest but never for long. We need to be gone by sunrise.
I am surprised when Allison tells us that she’s coming with us. She says that her mission in Texas is complete, whatever that means. I doubt she was there just to help us escape. I ask her about Jack and her face falls. She loves him but she doesn’t have the option of staying. “I have been ordered to return to the rebel base,” she explains.
After walking for about an hour, Allison takes us into a building that looks no different from any other. We end up in an empty warehouse near the docks.
“St. Louis is a farming area,” Allison says. “Most of the Texan farms are along the rivers. This port is mainly used by the ships transferring food. To our benefit, this is also where most of the smugglers bring their boats. The dock workers are paid to look the other way. You see, almost everything and everyone can be bought in St. Louis. To the people here, the Prophet is some faraway person who they only talk about in church. St. Louis is much less of a cult than Vicksburg.”
A gruff looking man steps into the empty room and Allison walks towards him. She hands him a small pouch and then turns to follow him. We do the same.
“I have an order of seed that needs to get pretty far up the Mississippi,” the burly man is saying to Allison.
“That’s perfect,” she says. He hands her some paperwork and they shake hands.
“I’ll have it delivered to the docks.” He leaves and Allison turns to us.
“Let’s go find us a boat.” She smiles.
“What was that all about?” I ask.
“You won’t get very far on the rivers without a legitimate reason for doing so. These papers give us that. We’re delivering seed to the northernmost Texan village.”
We walk silently to the docks. Curfew must apply differently here because the boats are teeming with people. They are cleaning fish, scrubbing docks, and fixing sails.
“How do we get someone to take us on?” Dawn asks. Allison doesn’t answer as she scans the boats.
“Found him,” she states.
“Who?” I ask, but Allison is already on the move. “You guys stay there.” She calls back, “and don’t talk to anyone.”
We find a place for Drew to sit down but I don’t take my eyes off of Allison. She has boarded a boat and I see something change hands between her and a man. He says something to his men on deck and they hurry along. After a few minutes, Allison calls us to her.
“This is Captain Collins,” she says.
“Ah,” the captain says. “General Nolan’s daughters.” He gives us a toothy grin.
“Are you a rebel?” Dawn asks.
“No,” he answers. “I am just an honest smuggler.”
“An honest smuggler?” Allison raises her eyebrow.
“Yes,” he responds. “I am honest about the fact that I am a smuggler.” I like this man. “Now,” he continues, “let’s get you below deck before my men return.”
We follow him down a narrow staircase and into the ship’s storeroom. The captain moves some boxes out of the way to reveal a hidden door. He pulls it open and a burst of stale air escapes.
“In you go,” Allison says.
“You first,” I say. She shakes her head.
“I have that seed, remember? I’m on this boat legally. I’d rather be on deck.”
We reluctantly climb in. It is tight with the three of us and the only light is a dim lamp overhead. The captain shuts the door and there is a scuffle above as he drags boxes to conceal it once again.
Dawn curls up in the corner as her breathing becomes labored. Until the truck ride from the capitol, I had forgotten about her claustrophobia. The dank air certainly doesn’t help. Drew leans his head back against the wall and closes his eyes. He gasps in pain.
Suddenly, I start to laugh. Quietly at first, and then I can’t hold back any longer. Drew glares at me and Dawn tries to kick me.
“What the hell is so funny?” she demands.
“You two are quite the pair,” I manage in between fits.
Chapter 21: Miranda
“We’re here,” my driver says as the car pulls to a stop. Along with the other men and women on my plane, I was picked up in a black SUV from the landing strip. We’ve been driving for over an hour so I quickly step out of the car to stretch my legs. For years, I’ve wondered what the rebel base in the colonies would be like. This isn’t right. We seem to be in the middle of nowhere. There is a single building that looks like it hasn’t been used in decades. The only other structures that I can see are a series of large windmill
s spinning rapidly.
“This can’t be right,” someone says from behind me. I am thinking the same thing but I don’t say it. Our driver smiles at me and begins walking towards the dilapidated building. I follow him through the door. It is as I expected, the inside looks no better than out. I watch as he lifts a plank from the floor, revealing a key pad. I expect him to punch in a code but instead he yanks the keypad free, revealing a single button underneath. He hits the button and replaces the keypad. I wait for something to happen but nothing does. After a few moments we hear a voice. I look around but can’t find the source.
“Code,” the voice says dryly.
“This is Officer Dale Turner, ID Chi 3 Alpha 8 Nu 1 returning from mission 34293.” Dale stops, waiting for an answer.
“You and those you accompany are authorized to enter.”
I follow Dale outside to the others and look around. To me, it still seems that we are in the middle of nowhere. The ground beneath me begins to shake. Everyone else from my plane starts to panic but I look to our driver and he looks calm, expectant. I mirror his stance with my arms crossed over my chest and face the same direction. The earth is moving. A door opens in the ground right in front of us. It is large, with a ramp that heads down into the darkness. Before I can fully comprehend what is happening, a man walks up through the door, followed by three others. He heads straight for us.
“Thank you Turner. That is all,” he says to Dale.
“Yes sir,” Dales nods his head as he walks down the ramp and disappears.
“Officer Edwards,” he extends his hand towards me, “I’m Jonathan Clarke.”
“Hello.” I shake his hand before continuing. “I am excited to get started.”
“I imagine you are. This way.” He turns and I follow him. My fellow rebels are escorted down the ramp and into a separate area by other officers. The door slides shut as soon as we are through and a light overhead switches on.
The ramp takes us far underground into a cavernous room filled with cars and other vehicles. Lights flicker on as we pass and I take in my surroundings.
Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2) Page 6
