The Collection

by Shannon Stoker

  “Are you two okay?” Mia asked.

  “I’m . . . I . . . You’re alive,” Andrew said.

  “I made it off the beach,” Mia said.

  Andrew crossed his eyes and he looked away. He lowered his head and covered his ears.

  “What’s wrong?” Mia asked. She turned around with her free hand and touched Andrew’s wrist, hoping to give him some comfort.

  Carter still sat with a blank face, looking indifferent to the whole situation.

  “You were on a beach?” Andrew asked. “You died in the car accident.”

  Mia felt Andrew’s hand push harder against his head, like he was trying to block something out.

  “No, we flew over in the helicopter. Don’t you remember? We were scaling the beach when the militia drove up. You two sacrificed yourselves to hide me.”

  Andrew looked up. His eyes met Mia’s and she could tell he was struggling to process what she was telling him. Before he could speak he squinted his eyes shut and lowered his head again. His face was filled with intense pain.

  “What is going on?” Mia asked. She looked at Carter for some answers but he made no attempt at responding.

  “Their brains are fried,” Dalmy said. “Not that it matters. All three of you will be dead soon.”

  Mia momentarily forgot about her mission; they hadn’t reached safety yet. Dalmy’s tears were dried up now. She wore a wicked smile.

  “Get out of the car,” Mia said.

  Dalmy opened the door.

  “Stay here,” Mia said to the two boys.

  She pointed the gun at Dalmy and started walking toward the shack.

  “Riley,” Mia shouted. “It’s finished.”

  They walked through the trees and the shack came into view.

  “Sick,” Dalmy said. “I’m not going in there.”

  “Shut up,” Mia said.

  “You think you’ll be safe,” Dalmy said. “You’ll never be safe.”

  “Stop talking,” Mia said.

  “You have two boyfriends,” Dalmy said. “You’re too late, they don’t care about you. They barely remember you.”

  Mia was starting to lose her patience.

  “What did you do to them?” Mia asked.

  “We break them down so we can build from scratch,” Dalmy said.

  “Riley,” Mia shouted. There was no sound from the house.

  They reached the front door and Mia pushed it open. It was abandoned. There wasn’t any trace of a person having lived there. Even the cot was gone. All that remained was a plastic bag on the table. Mia lowered her weapon and grabbed the bag. There was a note taped to the side.

  Mia,

  There was no doubt in my mind you would be victorious. You’re a born operative. It was time for me to move on. I added a map to your destination and a new number to your cell phone. If you’re ever in trouble call me. I hope you find what you’re searching for; remember, not everything is so black and white.

  Something rolled back and forth on the table. Mia looked down to see the black queen. She reached down and picked it up, stunned her friend was gone.

  “Did someone abandon you?” Dalmy said. “They were probably smart enough to know you’re a walking dead girl stuck with two men incapable of forming their own thoughts.”

  Mia tuned out Dalmy’s words. She lowered the gun, having no use for her hostage anymore, and walked out the front door of the house, clutching her new memento and the bag. She jumped in the driver’s seat. Andrew and Carter stayed motionless in the back.

  “Will one of you move up here?” Mia said.

  Andrew climbed over and sat down. He kept his face straight ahead. Mia put her hand on his knee.

  “I’m very much alive,” she said.

  “I can’t remember,” Andrew said. His forehead wrinkled, then his eyes closed and he raised his hands to his ears again.

  “Don’t try,” Mia said. “Focus on the present. Look at me.”

  Andrew raised his head. She watched as the lines his pain was causing him vanished. He leaned over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into an awkward hug. She twisted her body and brought her arms up his back. His scent was still the same and she wanted to take in as much of him in as possible. He pulled away before Mia was ready.

  “We need to get out of here,” he said.

  Mia pulled out the map and handed it to Andrew. There was a big red star drawn and a black dot with the words “you are here” printed next to it.

  “Can you keep track of where we are?” Mia asked. It was a backup, in case Mia lost her way.

  “Keep going west,” Andrew said.

  Mia drove off. There was no roof and the wind blew fast, causing her new hair to fly behind her. Mia had thought as soon as Carter and Andrew were safe everything would be all right again. She realized now that was a fool’s dream. Mia thought about Dalmy’s warning and found herself wondering if they would ever really be safe.

  Chapter 38

  Humans occupy less than 1 percent of the Earth’s landmass; larger cities should be rebuilt so people can operate on a global level.

  —Comment from the Global Reporter message board

  The drive was quiet. Once they reached the main road Mia knew it wouldn’t be much longer until they entered Guatemala. The sky was at its darkest point and no other cars were on the road. Mia’s concentration was broken by Andrew’s voice.

  “Pull over,” he said.

  “What?” Mia asked.

  “Pull over, now.” There was panic in his voice.

  Before Mia could bring the car to a complete stop he was already opening the door and jumping out. The terrain was changing from desert to lush forests and they were very close to the ocean, as the road went right along the cliffs. Mia was scared Andrew was going to jump off, as he paced back and forth right next to the edge. He let out a loud scream. Mia jumped out of the car. She ran over to him.

  “Andrew, what’s happening?” she asked.

  “You’re alive,” he said. “I can’t remember. You have to tell me. Tell me everything.”

  Mia had never known Andrew to obsess over details. She didn’t want to add to his pain but thought he needed to hear the truth.

  “We made it to Mexico,” Mia said. “We were on a beach scaling a wall. I was too tired so Carter carried me to a rock. Then these men showed up and they kidnapped the two of you.”

  “I left you on a beach?” Andrew asked.

  “You didn’t have any choice,” Mia said. “It was for the best.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Mia said.

  “How long was I with them?” Andrew asked. “How much of my life did I lose?”

  “Almost four weeks,” Mia said.

  His face changed into a ball of rage. Mia thought he was going to let out a scream.

  “They had me the whole time,” Andrew said.

  “Why don’t you tell me what you remember,” Mia said. “We can work back.”

  “I was training with Rod, so I could pass as a postservice man,” Andrew said. “Then I woke up at a table with General Bolivar. He said they found me wandering the desert. I missed my vaccine booster and was really sick. They nursed me to health.

  “He showed me an article, about you dying in a car accident,” Andrew said. “If I left someone would find me and deport me; if I joined them I could honor your memory.”

  The rage started to fade away. Andrew looked at Mia for reassurance. Mia didn’t know what to say. She walked closer to him and placed her hands on his cheeks. He brought his hands up to her shoulders, as if she were giving him support. The sounds of the waves crashing and the bugs humming in the trees was taking over.

  “You’ll get your memories back,” Mia said. “I’ll help you.”

  She went up on her tiptoes and got as close to his face as possible. Andrew leaned his face down and pressed his forehead against hers. Mia moved her face slightly to the left and readied herself to pr
ess her lips to his.

  “Mia, you’re really alive,” Carter said.

  Andrew turned his head and backed away. Mia hadn’t heard Carter get out of the car. The three stood next to the cliff and Mia nodded her head.

  “I thought you were dead too,” Carter said.

  Mia reached out both her arms and wrapped one around each man’s waist, pulling them in. It took a moment, but they lifted their arms and put them around her too.

  “Does that mean my dad’s still here too?” Carter asked.

  Mia pulled away and wiped a tear from her eye. She shook her head.

  “He didn’t make it,” she said.

  She saw Carter’s jaw quiver. He looked away. She couldn’t imagine the horror he was facing, finding out about his dad’s death twice.

  “Did he die in the car accident?” Carter asked.

  “He jumped out of the helicopter,” Mia said. “There was too much weight, so he sacrificed himself for us.”

  Carter couldn’t hold in the sob. “How could I forget that?”

  Mia knew he didn’t expect an answer and she didn’t have one to offer. Her not knowing what to say wasn’t their biggest problem. Mia looked down the road; she didn’t see any headlights, but the sky was starting to lighten and she saw the outline of a vehicle heading straight toward them.

  “We need to move now,” Mia said.

  She jumped in the driver’s seat as Andrew and Carter climbed into their spots. She turned the key and slammed her foot on the pedal. There was always the chance it was another driver, but Mia’s gut told her it was Joseph or his militia.

  The road started to curve and climb. She tried to pretend it was only a simulation, like the computer program Riley ran for her. Trees appeared on both sides, but Mia knew the cliff was just beyond the greenery. Mia was driving as fast as she could, but soon a bright light flashed in her eyes. The other vehicle was right behind them and its headlights were blinding her. Her body was flung forward as their car was hit from behind. She pressed her foot down again, trying to keep her eyes on the road. This was much different than a computer program.

  Not wanting to give the other vehicle the option of sending her over the cliff, Mia moved to the left side of the road and hugged the jungle. Another bang from behind came, but Mia kept control of the car. Then the lights turned off. She heard the other car accelerate. She took her eyes off the winding road and looked to her right; they were starting to pull up next to her. She sped up, but they were too fast. The other vehicle came into view; it was the same type of car Mia was driving, a rugged outdoor machine, except this one was much larger.

  If Mia tried to ram them off the road it wouldn’t do any good. The other vehicle was right next to them now; Mia looked over to see four people in the car, three of whom had their weapons drawn and aimed at her. She slammed on the brakes just in time to see bullet holes form on the hood of the vehicle. The other car started to slow.

  “It’s the militia,” Carter said.

  “They did this to us,” Andrew said.

  Mia needed to calm herself down. She could do this; it was what she’d trained for. She slammed her foot on the gas, hoping to drive past them fast enough to avoid another spray of bullets. Mia kept her head down and her plan proved effective. They raced past the stopped car unscathed. With the sky lightening by the second, Mia was able to see a sign up ahead. They were entering Guatemala. She pressed her foot down as hard as she could, thinking if they crossed the border they’d be safe. The other vehicle was right behind her again. She raced over the border and the air left her lungs. Mia’s sense of safety was false. Her body went forward again as she was jolted from behind. These people didn’t care what country they were in.

  The vehicle was pulling up to their side again. Mia didn’t know if her brake trick would work this time. She was starting to duck her head to avoid their guns when Andrew stood up on his seat.

  “What are you doing?” Mia yelled over the wind.

  “I won’t let you die again,” Andrew yelled.

  Mia lifted a hand off the steering wheel and tried to grab hold of him. The car started veering too far to the left and Mia was forced to grip the wheel and watch the road.

  “Carter, stop him,” Mia yelled. She knew her pleadings fell on deaf ears.

  The enemy vehicle was coming up next to them again. Mia turned her head briefly to see their weapons drawn and pointed at her car. As soon as they were at matching speeds Andrew flung himself forward. Mia let out a scream as Andrew’s legs dangled between the two cars. Mia and Carter both lurched over to grab Andrew’s legs, but the enemy vehicle veered off the road into the trees. Andrew disappeared with them.

  Mia slammed on the brakes. Carter jumped out of the backseat and sprinted toward the car tracks where Andrew had disappeared. The sun was rising behind them and the sky continued to lighten. Mia felt like the world was spinning as she chased after him. She couldn’t lose Andrew, not now, not ever.

  She and Carter ran through the trees; they were farther from the cliff than Mia had thought. She kept running until Carter held out his arm, stopping her. They reached the brink and there was the car, balanced perfectly on the edge, its front wheels moving up and down as if it might spill over any second.

  “Andrew!” Mia screamed.

  The man in the driver’s seat was knocked out; there was a bloodstain on his forehead. The three armed men were gone, likely having flown out of the car and over the cliff without safety restraints. Then there was Andrew, his body in the back. He was half in and half out of the car with his head hanging out the window.

  “Andrew, wake up,” Mia pleaded.

  Carter walked closer to the car and it made a creak. He backed away and moved toward the edge. Mia followed him. The waves splashed against the rocky cliff about fifty feet below. It wasn’t a straight shot down though; the car would fall down a steep hill if it teetered over. Mia thought she saw a helmet float between the rocks before it was taken out to sea. The three men hadn’t survived their fall. If the car fell forward Andrew was likely to share their fate.

  “What do we do?” Mia asked.

  “Go back to the car,” Carter said. “Look for some rope.”

  Mia didn’t want to leave Andrew, but she knew that was their best option. She dove through the trees, not bothering to stick to the path made by the road. Branches clawed at her arms and dress but she made it back. She searched her stolen vehicle, pulling open the glove compartment and looking in the backseats. The only thing in there was the gun Mia used to kidnap Dalmy, which wouldn’t be much help now.

  The familiar sound of an engine came up the hill. Mia froze, scared that a second wave of men was after them. Instead a huge truck came roaring past. It didn’t stop for Mia. It turned straight down the path made by the other vehicle. Mia grabbed the gun and ran back to Carter, hoping she could protect him from whoever had just arrived. She made it through the trees just in time to see a metal chain being attached to the teetering vehicle holding Andrew.

  Mia saw the chain was connected to the newly arrived truck. The driver got back in to start the engine. He had to rev the gas a few times, but soon the hanging car leveled itself out. Andrew was pulled back onto solid ground and Mia ran over to him. Carter was on the other side pulling Andrew out. He laid him down on the ground.

  Mia knelt and put her ear to Andrew’s chest. His heart was beating. She felt tears of relief roll down her face. The truck door opened and Mia diverted her attention, ready to thank their benefactor for his assistance. Her words fell silent on her lips as soon as he came into view. It was a face she would never forget. The man responsible for Whitney’s death.

  Chapter 39

  The world should shift away from a view focused on individual countries and think on a global scale. Most of the African continent is still undeveloped from the Great War. Why not set up colonies for refugees and work toward a new world order?

  —Comment from the Global Reporter message board

 
Out of instinct Mia pointed the gun she held at the large man’s head. Mia’s hand was steady now. He looked annoyed.

  “Get back,” Mia said.

  “What are you doing?” Carter asked. “He just helped us.”

  “Carter, get Andrew to the car,” Mia said.

  She didn’t take her eyes off the man. Carter groaned a bit as he picked up Andrew. He walked past her with the other boy slung over his shoulder.

  “You’re the other American?” Mia asked. “Why are you after me?”

  The man walked over to the car that held the unconscious militiaman. He unhooked the chain and started to roll it up.

  “I just saved your friend’s life,” he said.

  “Answer my question,” Mia said.

  “Grant sent me down here to bring you back,” he said.

  “I should shoot you,” Mia said.

  “We both know you won’t,” he said.

  He turned his back toward Mia and began kicking the front of the car. The militiaman was starting to wake up. The giant man leaned against the rear of the car and started pushing. It didn’t take much for the vehicle to start moving.

  “Stop,” Mia said.

  “See?” he said. “You won’t even let me kill this man after what he just did. So put the gun down and we can talk.”

  “You’re going to take me back to Grant?”

  “No,” he said. “I’m supposed to kill you, or watch you until you decide to return on your own.”

  “That’ll never happen,” Mia said.

  “Grant seems to think it will,” he said.

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because you asked,” he said.

  “Why did you help me?”

  “Following my orders,” he said.

  “So you’re deserting your friend?”

  “He’s my employer, not my friend.”

  “You’re responsible for my friend’s death,” Mia said.

  “She threw herself on those tracks,” he said.

  “Because you were chasing me!”

  “I guess I’m even then,” he said.

  “Not quite,” Mia said.

  “What happened?” the militiaman asked.