Calvin McLaughlin
26 July, 6 yal, 03:58
North Concordia
I’m really home, he thought, a part of him still not believing the concept. He slowly pulled aside the massive bearskin blanket, letting the cool early morning air caress his bare chest.
Cal sat up and glanced over at his bed, where the two children slept, their features barely visible in the filtered light of dawn. The young boy, barely five years old, let out a soft, erratic snore. The older girl, Gabi, rested in eerie stillness; Cal thought for a moment that she was only feigning sleep. Even as she dreamt, she was an unsettling presence.
Gabi had been very evasive when Cal had tried to engage them in conversation. She looked to be no older than thirteen, if he had to guess, yet she dispatched Alan in a gruesome manner without a hint of remorse. She claimed that the little boy, Diego, was her brother, but they bore little resemblance to each other. Only their noses and speech matched. Everything else was different. Skin color. Eye color. Hair color. Gabi looked after him, but not in a way that Cal expected from siblings. And her short temper was particularly troublesome. Cal fully expected her to kill him the night before when he refused to stop at the edge of town. But the desire to be that much closer to Andrea, as well as to sleep in his own home, foolishly overrode his desire for self-preservation.
At least she didn’t, he reflected.
He got up and padded silently to his dresser, shedding the tattered remains of his pants, retrieving a new pair as well as a thin, short-sleeved shirt. The change of wardrobe made him feel like he was truly free, no longer anyone’s prisoner. Cal cycled a couple deep breaths and closed his eyes, listening to the river. His senses seemed to come alive at once. Soft, deep thumps from across the Fairweather told him that the South Concordia Mill was starting operations early. The pungent smell of human waste indicated that the dung draggers hadn’t come by River Way recently. Varied chatter along the street heralded the colony’s early risers.
Now what?
Cal considered the question carefully. Assuming that a relatively normal schedule had been achieved by the Taylor family in the wake of his disappearance, Beth and Jamie would not be up and about for another hour. Complicating matters was the pair of Raphael survivors asleep in his bed. Beyond a doubt, they needed to meet with Deputy Governor Dayton, as soon as possible, but Gabi might not like being pushed or paraded around. Then there was Young. If he wasn’t already aware that Alan was dead, it would only be a matter of time before he became suspicious. Vaughn needed to know about all that had happened, both to Cal and Darius. But Cal had no idea where the detective was. He scratched at the short, shaggy beard that had grown on his face during captivity.
Well, I guess a shave and breakfast will give me more time to think things through.
Cal laid out his straight razor and towel on the dresser next to the ceramic washbasin. As he reached for a pitcher to retrieve water for the basin, he heard a loud slamming noise downstairs. Startled, his fingers jammed into the pitcher, sending it crashing to the floor. The sound of the shattering vessel had Gabi awake in an instant, and before Cal could react, she was up, tomahawk in one hand, pistol in the other.
“What the hell was that?” an unfamiliar man’s voice echoed up through the stairwell.
Cal’s heart raced as he froze in place. Gabi glared at Cal, training the gun on him.
God damn it, Jerk complained nervously. Do you really have to make everyone want to kill you?
“What was what?” another voice said, again from the floor below.
By this time Diego was rubbing his eyes and moaning, shaking off the shackles of slumber. Cal slowly drew one finger to his lips. “Shh,” he hissed quietly.
“Dude, I heard something from upstairs. Someone’s here.”
“Knock it off, you little bitch. Alan took care of the guy. There’s no one here.”
“I don’t like it. Where the hell is Alan, anyway? He’s the one who wanted this shit anyway.”
“You know how he gets when he’s stressed. Probably getting plastered and blowing off steam.” The third voice was too familiar to Cal, and it made his heart sink.
Brittany. God damn it.
He reached one hand back into the top left dresser basket and drew out his old Beretta. Gabi’s eyes widened and she shifted her aim from Cal’s chest to his head as soon as she saw it. Cal realized the mistake a moment too late. She pulled on the trigger.
There was no shot. She looked down at the weapon, dumbfounded. Before she had a chance to recover and sling the tomahawk at him, he set the pistol down on top of the dresser and put both hands out toward her, trying to calm her down. Her hand shook as she retrained the weapon on him.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I need your help,” he whispered hoarsely as he took a step forward.
Her muscles relaxed, and she looked at him in confusion. Cal took the opportunity to gently remove the pistol from her hand. He then disengaged the safety, chambered a round, then handed it back to her, grip-first. Her confusion turned to utter shock, as she just stared blankly at him while he readied his own weapon. Cal crept forward across the floor, making sure to avoid any creaky floor boards.
He glanced over his shoulder and whispered, “Diego, stay put under the covers. Don’t move unless Gabi comes back for you. Gabi, step where I step.”
Cal moved forward a few more feet. Gabi didn’t make a move from next to the bed. He shook his head.
Damn it, going to have to go this one alone.
He stalked down the stairs, taking extra caution to skip the creaky tread near the bottom of the flight. Cal took a moment’s pause on the last step, taking deep breaths and calming his jangled nerves.
“No, the whiskey,” Brittany directed them. “Alan wants that first.”
Bottles clanked as the intruders began to clear Cal’s display rack. With only Brittany talking, he couldn’t tell if they were all on the shop floor or not. There was no telling how long they’d be there for, but Cal desperately wanted Brittany to answer for what she had done to him.
He stepped around the corner, keeping his back to the wall as he slinked past the kicked-in back door. Brittany caught a glimpse of him, and the bottle of whiskey in her hand came crashing to the ground. Another man was with her, loading bottles into a crate. He froze as soon as he saw Cal.
Shit, Cal thought. Where’s the third one?
“C-Cal,” Brittany stammered.
“Hands where I can see them,” he shot back. Both of them complied without protest.
“H-How…?”
“Where’s the other one?”
Brittany exchanged looks with her companion, who Cal recognized as one of the two men that was with her the first time she entered his store. He checked over his shoulder, down the hall. The other man was nearly on him, knife in hand. A single, deafening shot rang out, and the attacker collapsed at Cal’s feet, howling and clutching his leg. Gabi stood at the bottom of the stairwell, her pistol trained on the crumpled assailant. Cal nodded in gratitude before turning back to the other intruders.
“Pick him up,” Cal motioned to their crippled companion.
“Please, Cal,” Brittany croaked, her lips trembling.
“Do it.”
“Please, you’ve got to listen…”
“No, I’m done listening to you.”
“Cal, please! They…”
“NOW!” he barked back.
The intruders scurried along to help the wounded man to his feet. Cal motioned toward the front door; they trudged along in compliance. Brittany gave him a tearful look over her shoulder. A look that might have melted his heart a week ago, but now only fueled his anger.
Gabi nodded once at Cal. “You got this?” she asked
“Yeah,” he replied, though he wasn’t sure that he did have full control. “Get Diego and come back down. We’re going for a walk.”
She retreated back up the stairs, the wood squeaking sharply as she pushed off of the loose step
. A moment later the front door flew open. Hunter stepped through, his weapon trained on the three intruders. His eyes grew wide and his jaw slacked.
“Cal?” he gasped.
“Hunter! Man, I’m glad to see you.”
“I heard a shot. What the hell happened? Where have you been? We thought you were kidnapped, like Governor Owens.”
“I was. Long story. But these three need to pay a visit to Detective Vaughn.”
“Alright then, let’s go.” Hunter stepped out of the building and motioned for the prisoners to follow, never turning his back to them or letting his aim waver.
By this time Gabi and Diego had come downstairs. The girl fell in beside Cal, her weapon squarely aimed at Brittany’s back. Diego peeked out from behind her, eyes locked on the pool of blood at his feet. He was clearly not used to the violence that he had seen recently, and it pained Cal.
Too young to see this. Too young to understand.
Hunter was not the only one attracted by the fight’s commotion. As they led their prisoners down River Way, dozens of Concordians joined, gawking and gossiping amongst themselves. Frank Devereaux met them at Benedict Boulevard, his M4 ready. He pulled Cal aside as they passed.
“I thought you were dead. What’s going on?” he whispered.
“They were behind the governor’s disappearance. Mine, too. We’re taking them in.”
Frank clapped his hand on Cal’s shoulder solidly. “I’ll take it from here. Go get your daughter.”
Cal watched the procession for a moment. Gabi was a couple paces behind Hunter. She had tucked the pistol into her waistband. He cringed, wondering if she had figured out how to engage the safety.
“Those two kids there, they need a place to stay. They need to talk to Dayton. Make sure they don’t wander off, alright?”
“Of course. But why?”
Cal sighed deeply. “It’s a long story. One we’ll be talking about for years to come.”
He left Devereaux to ponder the thought, and quickly caught up with Gabi. She regarded him indifferently as he approached.
“Did you put the safety on?” Cal asked.
She nodded. “I forgot about that before. Lucky you.”
“My friends will watch over you for a bit until I come back.”
“I don’t need to be watched,” she shrugged.
“No. I guess you don’t. But they’ll be around if you need anything.”
“Where are you going?”
Cal smiled warmly, the heaviness of his ordeal melting away like ice in the sun. “To hold my daughter again. To bring her home.”
Cal could have sworn he saw the corners of Gabi’s mouth twitch upward in a fleeting smile. “Good. She needs you.”
“Thank you, Gabi. For everything.”
With a shrug, the young Raphael survivor marched away, flanked by her brother and Devereaux.
Gabrielle Serrano
26 July, 6 yal, 04:46
North Concordia
The city of Concordia was breathtaking. Not only did it completely dwarf Camp Eight in every aspect, it felt truly alive. Perhaps that had something to do with dozens of people rushing from their homes to witness Cal’s prisoners being paraded to a large building next to a vast, lush field. Still, without the crowd of gawkers, the sprawling settlement was impressive. Nearly every building was at least two stories tall. Streets knitted together, serving as the fabric that held the clusters of dwellings together. Beyond the town sat a massive gray hull, many times larger than the pod that sheltered the storm survivors back at Camp Eight. On their march, Gabi had been able to look across the river. Still another half of the city lay on the far banks of the wide channel, just as grand as what she had already seen.
And yet, she wanted to take Diego by the hand and run away from it all. The ultimate goal of Will’s personal crusade surrounded her, and all she could think of was how alien it all felt. How much she wanted to escape in that moment.
The thick padding of the chair in which she sat supported her body well, but she still could not get comfortable. Diego could not settle in to a chair either, though for different reasons. His eyes were wide with awe as he moved around the room, examining everything within reach with blind curiosity. He had spent no less than ten minutes scrutinizing the massive desk before them, and rummaging through its drawers. The bookcases had occupied him nearly the entire time since.
Gabi glanced through the open door, down the second floor hallway. Cal’s friend that had escorted her to this building stood a few feet away, out of earshot, holding a muted conversation with another man. He was a little shorter, with a full head of hair and beard, their deep chestnut tones marred with silver.
Their conversation ended, and Cal’s friend gave the other man a salute before disappearing down the stairs. The older man turned and slowly walked toward the room, keeping his eye on Gabi the entire time. She glanced over at Diego, who was bouncing on the chair next to her.
When he comes in. That’s when we’ll go. I’ll grab Diego and we’ll run, she thought. A moment later, the voice of reason kicked in. And where would we go? There’s nowhere else. We left Will behind. There are no other cities.
The man closed the door behind him as he entered, then took a seat behind the desk. He folded his hands in front of him. The weight of his stare made Gabi squirm. After a minute of awkward silence, he finally spoke.
“Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” Diego blurted. Gabi shot him a glare, and he sat still, shrinking away into the chair.
“Good,” he continued with a smile, drawing his hands into his lap as he leaned back in his chair. “Breakfast is on the way, and I’m not sure I can eat it all by myself.”
Gabi slouched in her chair. Her eyes wandered to the slatted frame that covered the windows. The city was out there, full of strange people. The lands beyond were almost completely unknown to her; their travels had taken them through only a tiny fraction of the surrounding area. She had made it to Will’s paradise without her mentor by her side. In that moment, his absence was keenly felt. He was supposed to be in her place, explaining their journey. He was to be the face of the survivors, not her. She bit her lip nervously.
“Is something wrong?” the man asked, bringing Gabi’s focus back to him.
“No.” Her response was curt.
“Just not sure about me, are you?”
Gabi nodded after a moment’s pause.
“I don’t blame you. You don’t know me. But I know that Calvin wanted to make sure someone was watching over you. He and I go back for years. I’m more than happy to help out. My name is Tom.” He waited a moment, biding the awkward silence by tenting his fingers. “What are your names?”
“Gabi.” She tilted her head slightly toward Diego. “This is my brother, Diego.”
Her heart jumped as the door creaked opened. Her head swiveled around to meet the source of the disturbance. A smallish, slender man limped toward them, bearing a tray full of food. Gabi began to salivate as soon as she smelled the fresh bread. When the tray was placed on the table, she could see heaping plates of fruit and scrambled eggs, as well as several slices of toast.
“Please, help yourself,” Tom beckoned.
Diego squealed with delight, though he looked expectantly at Gabi. She nodded, and he snatched a large, pale green fruit. Gabi was a little more reserved and polite, thanking their host under her breath as she loaded eggs onto her toast. Warmth spread through her chest and stomach as she consumed the fresh, steaming food.
“Glad to see you like it. So tell me, how did you meet Calvin?”
“She saved my life,” Cal’s voice came from behind her.
Gabi turned her head toward the door. He had just stepped inside, and he cradled a tiny baby in the crook of his arm. Her bright blue eyes were wide open, and her fingers curled and relaxed slowly, grasping at something unseen in the air. Cal wandered to a chair opposite from Diego and sat.
“I’m very glad to see you, Mr. McLaughlin,” T
om beamed. “We all feared the worst when you disappeared. It was like losing Darius all over again.”
She could see Cal’s jaw clench as he ground his teeth together. “Well, I guess we can call off the search for him.”
The older man’s smile evaporated. “Then he’s…” Cal nodded silently. “I see. And the group that was herded in here this morning, they had something to do with it?”
“I’m not sure how much they had to do with Darius, but they were cleaning out my store this morning. The girl…” his voice trailed off, and for a moment Cal seemed very distant. “Brittany was the one that lured me into the trap.”
Tom sank into his chair, nodding solemnly. The room grew eerily quiet as the men pondered some connection to the female robber. Something that she wasn’t privy to as an outsider. Yet there was an underlying message that only Gabi understood; Camp Eight wasn’t the only place that had problems. Even Concordia had its criminals. Criminals were always punished, but it had been nearly four years since Gabi had witnessed justice in action.
I wonder, how do they handle executions here? She considered this for a moment as she finished the first slice of toast and reached for some fruit.
“So Gabi and Diego have a bit of a story themselves,” Cal said, shattering the silence. “And it’s just as unbelievable as everything else that’s happened lately.”
The older man’s eyebrows arched. “More incredible than saving your life?”
“They’re from Raphael.”
Tom’s jaw dropped, wavering slightly as words escaped him.
Gabi shook her head and bit into the sweet fruit. She knew an onslaught of questions was about to be launched. Will should have been in her place. When Gabi took charge and pushed forward, she had done so only with a vision of the town they would reach. The aftermath never crossed her mind.
“How?” Tom coughed.
“I don’t know. I still can’t wrap my head around it.”
“You’re sure you were on Raphael, Gabi?”
“Yeah,” she shot back.
“How long ago was this?”
“Six years.”
Project Columbus: Omnibus Page 130
