We finished striking the tent in record time, then Jeff took it to the wagon to be loaded. With nothing else to do, I went to check on the kids.
I made it only a few yards before Magee stepped in front of me and asked if I could spare a minute. Minutes were one of the few thing I had in abundance, so I let him lead me toward Osberg’s tent. We ducked into the two-man tent and he closed the flap behind us. Osberg was wide awake and greeted me with a giant smile.
“Hey there,” I smiled back and scooted to the left side of his bed, opposite of Magee. “You look way better than you did the last time I saw you.”
His skin no longer had an ashy grey hue to it, and his eyes appeared clear and focused.
“I clean up well,” Osberg replied.
“Thank you for coming,” Magee said, tossing me a bottle of sanitizer. “We need to prep him for transport. To start, we’ll remove his bandages and check for infection. Then we’ll redress the wound. You will mostly just be watching as I explain the process.”
“Got it.”
“Because the wound is still open, I’m going to need you to put this on.” He handed me a mask and we both slipped on gloves. Magee pulled the top of Osberg’s sleeping bag down to his stomach and unwrapped Osberg’s wound.
“This is the worst part,” Osberg said with a wince. “I’m surprised I even have any chest hair left for him to rip out.”
Since I’d seen the extent of the damage to Osberg’s shoulder, I seriously doubted that undressing the wound was the worst part, but I nodded anyway. “Sounds rough.”
Magee pointed at the wound. “What we’re looking for is discoloration or odor. Do you see any odd coloring?”
I looked at Osberg’s shoulder and almost lost my breakfast. About a three-inch diameter area of skin was missing, exposing two dark holes in the bright red meat. The skin around the wound had a yellowish tinge to it. I leaned back and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to swallow back the bile rising up in my throat.
“You okay?” Magee asked.
“Yeah. Just need a minute. I wasn’t expecting that. Is that yellow color on the skin normal?”
He nodded. “It’s from the ointment. He’s also been taking an antibiotic to ward off infection.”
“Along with pain pills,” I added. “He likes those a lot.”
“Shh, don’t tell all my secrets,” Osberg said.
Magee chuckled. “I bet he does.”
“Were you able to get the bullet out?”
“Bullets, and yes. Do you think you can come smell his wound now?”
“Oh, I get to sniff it too?”
Osburg chuckled, but I think Magee rolled his eyes.
I lowered my mask to rest under my nose, leaned over Osberg, and took a whiff. “I smell the medicine and antiseptic, but that’s it.”
“Good.” Magee plucked a small white tube from the tray beside Osberg’s head and unscrewed the top. “Now we apply more ointment and redress it.”
I watched as he squeezed a liberal glob of goo onto the wound, and then covered it with a large square of gauze. He added a protective backing with adhesive sides, and then turned toward me, removing his mask and gloves.
“And we’re done. Do you have any questions?” he asked.
“No. You explained it well, thanks.”
“Good. There should be a couple of men outside. Please tell them the patient is ready for transport.”
After I relayed Magee’s message to the soldiers, I returned to my search for Ashley. I heard Jeff calling my name, but it took a while to find him in the sea of camouflage. By the time he reached me, his brows had knit together and his shoulders were so tight I could see tendons standing out in his neck.
“What is it?” I asked.
He breathed heavily, and beads of perspiration ran down his hairline. “Have you seen the kids?” he asked.
“No. I was just going to look for them. Why? What’s going on?”
His hands trembled as he lifted a sheet of paper and offered it to me. “I think they’re on the way to Granite Falls.”
“What? No they’re not. I just saw them a little while ago.” I looked down at the page he’d given me. The loopy, handwritten note had only two words on it: Granite Falls. “What is this, Jeff?”
“When I went back to grab my pack, that note was on top of it.”
“Looks like the writing of a teen girl. It’s not Ashley’s, though. Kylee’s?”
“That’s what I thought too. I went to ask her what it meant, but I can’t find her. I can’t find any of them.”
His words suggested a possibility that I couldn’t accept. “What do you mean you can’t find them? They went to eat. They’re here somewhere.”
“Libby, you’re not listening. They’re not in the camp. The security Boom assigned to them is missing as well.” He ran a hand over his head and closed his eyes. “I’m so stupid. I should have seen it earlier. We suspected they were Progression and were watching them, but they took forever to make a move. I thought we were wrong.”
A chill ran up my back as his words sunk in. I scanned the area, expecting Ashley to pop up and tell us she was fine. “Ashley wouldn’t have left.”
“Not voluntarily, no.”
I shook my head. He was wrong. He had to be wrong. “No. They’re probably by the horses, goofing off.”
“I checked. They’re not there. They are not in the camp.” Jeff grabbed my wrists and I realized I was trembling. “All three of them are gone. We have to find Connor.”
I was in a nightmare. Desperate for it to end, I pulled away from Jeff and started yelling. “Has anyone seen Ashley? She’s missing!”
The soldiers all turned and looked at me.
“Ashley’s missing!” I shouted again. “I need Connor!”
“Ma’am, please calm down. We’ll find her,” said a dark-haired soldier. “When was the last time you saw her?”
I turned away from him, knowing that if I could just reach Connor everything would be fine. He’d find Ashley and fix everything, because that’s what he did. Then suddenly he was there, standing in front of me with worry etched into his features. Tears stung my eyes as I held out the paper toward him.
“Ashley is gone!” I cried. “They took her and we have to do something!”
“Are you certain?”
We both looked to Jeff.
“I’ve searched the camp,” Jeff said. “Ashley, Braden, and Kylee are all gone.”
Boom climbed out of the tent behind Connor. Connor turned and offered him the note. Then he moved closer to me and interlaced his fingers in mine as we waited for Boom’s reaction.
“I’ve heard rumors of a base in Granite Falls,” Boom said. “It would make sense.”
Then the captain sprang into action.
“Mathers, find Stein,” he barked to the soldier standing closest to him. “Tell him the kids are missing, and take him to where their tent was. We need to find out which way they went.”
The soldier saluted and ran off.
Boom shouted for Marr. When he appeared, Book said, “We need you to run a supply check. If they took so much as a bullet, I want to know about it,” Boom ordered.
“Right away, Sir!” Marr hurried away.
The soldiers crowded in around us, awaiting orders. It felt so surreal, like I stood in the middle of some wartime movie, where the troops were amassing to go after the girl in distress. Only this time the girl in distress was Ashley.
“They tricked us,” I whispered.
Connor released my hand to wrap an arm around my shoulders. “We’ll get her back.”
“How could they do that?” I asked.
Nobody answered.
“Where the heck is Shortridge?” Boom asked. “He was pulling security on the kids. Someone find him. Now! Pearson, get a head count on those horses. Staten, take over security detail. Bump us up to forty percent. Connor, Liberty come with me. Everyone not pulling security or currently assigned, get this camp ready to mov
e!”
Boom turned and rummaged through a case outside his tent. He pocketed something before marching toward the trees. Connor tugged on my hand, and we followed Boom away from the group. Once we could no longer see nor hear the camp, Boom turned and faced us.
“I have little or no intel on the Progression’s Granite Falls base,” he explained. “We came across a miner a while back who came from the town. He said he packed up and left the minute the Progression made their appearance. Couldn’t tell us much, only that there were lots of them. I wish there was more to give you.”
“Give us? You mean you’re not coming?” I pointed back at the camp as tears stung my eyes. “But they’re packing up. I thought… how can we save Ashley without the help of the soldiers?”
Connor squeezed my hand. “He can’t come. They have marching orders.”
“What does that even mean?”
Boom frowned and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Libby, but we cannot accompany you. A large Progression force is marching toward Fort Lewis, and they need us back to defend.”
Boom and the Army weren't coming with us. Feeling numb and hollow I looked to Connor and said, “Well, we should get going then. Maybe we can catch her before they get to Granite Falls?”
Connor put his hands on the sides of my face, and then looked me in the eyes. I saw sorrow and defeat in his gaze, and it terrified me. “I need you to go with Boom,” he said.
“No.” I tried to pull away from him, but he held on to me.
“Libby, please.”
“No! And how dare you even suggest such a thing. This is Ashley we’re talking about. There is no reality in which you to talk me out of going after her, so you can put that out of your mind right now.” I yanked my face out of his hands and stepped away from him.
“This is a trap, Libby. This whole thing has been a setup. Major Thompson planted his soldiers, and I scooped them up like an idiot and brought them into our camp. Now they have Ashley.”
“Right.” I nodded. “Because she’s your daughter and the major has his shorts in a wad because you got away and humiliated him. I get it. Just like I get that you need help. You’re not walking into this trap alone.”
“I’m a professional, and they set this trap for me. Not for you. You can go on with the Army and be safe—safer—at Fort Lewis.”
A breeze picked up, blowing against my face. With it came images: clouds, wings, fire. A series of chirps sounded from above me. I looked up to see a small sparrow perched on a branch and watching me, its head tilted to the side as it sang. Images from last night’s dream flitted through my head. Needing to focus on the problem before us, I shook myself and stepped forward.
“I’m going with you, Connor.”
Jeff stepped out of the bushes, looking grim and worn. “Excuse me, Captain,” he said.
“Report,” Boom replied as he pulled a folded paper from his pocket and palmed it.
“Yes, Sir. Two horses are missing, but nothing else. Stein has confirmed that they’re heading northwest, toward Granite Falls. The camp is ready to move on your order, Sir.”
“Was anyone able to locate Shortridge?” Boom asked.
“Yes. He’s dead, Sir.” Jeff frowned. “We found his body just north of the camp. He was stabbed in the chest.”
“How the heck did they get their hands on a knife?” Boom asked. Shaking his head, he crossed himself again and muttered a quick prayer. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said, “Thank you, Corporal Thompson.”
Jeff had been dismissed, but he did not leave. Instead, he walked over and stood beside me. Boom’s eyebrows rose in question.
“I’d like to request permission to accompany the first sergeant on his mission, Sir.”
“No,” Connor replied.
Jeff tensed. “With all due respect, First Sergeant, you’re going up against my father. Nobody knows him better than I do, and you will need my help if you have any chance at getting her out of there alive.”
“No. Since we are going up against your father, you have a conflict of interests. Who’s to say where your true loyalty stands? Speaking of which, where were you when the kids took off?”
I rested my hand on Connor’s arm. “Jeff isn’t the enemy here. He wants to help us, and we should let him.”
“There is no ‘us’!” Connor snapped. “You and Jeff are going with Boom and I’m going for Ashley alone.”
I crossed my arms. “So, that’s it? You’re just going to storm the town and kill as many soldiers as you can before they put a bullet between your eyes? Because, you know, that’ll get her back, right?”
“Libby—”
“Don’t.” I held up a hand. “I know you’re good at what you do, but not even you can take down an entire town of soldiers. You think you’re the only one who has a role to play in this? It all rests on the shoulders of the great and mighty Connor Dunstan, right? Well, you know what? I will follow you anyway. Boom will not hold me against my will, and I swear I will crawl to Granite Falls if that’s what it takes. This is about more than Ashley, Connor. I know this sounds crazy, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m needed in that town. I keep having these dreams and… and these kids need a chance. They need a choice, and I think we’re supposed to give them that choice.”
“What could you possibly say to them to convince them to leave the Progression?” he asked. “These are not sweet kids who just need a hug. These are trained killers and we are their enemies.”
I could tell he didn’t believe me, and I didn’t know how to explain it so I shut my mouth.”
“This might help,” Boom said, handing the paper he’d been holding to Connor.
Connor unfolded it and scanned the page, his eyes growing round as he read. “The Army is really willing to do this?” he asked.
Boom nodded. “These are desperate times, and the US military recognizes that several Progression soldiers may have been coerced into service. Most were never even given a choice. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to use this resource, but perhaps you will.” He spoke to Connor, but looked at me.
Although Connor didn’t show me the document, I knew the Army had to be offering something good. Something worthwhile. I made a mental note to get the details from him later.
Straightening my back so I stood taller, I said, “I’m going, Connor.”
Jeff smiled and leaned closer to me. “Me too.”
The veins pulsing at Connor’s temples made him look dangerously close to an aneurysm.
Boom slid next to Connor and lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. “Both Liberty and Corporal Thompson would make valuable assets on this mission.”
Connor shook his head. “Et tu, Brute?” he asked.
Boom nodded. “It doesn’t count as betrayal if it’s in your best interests.”
“Keeping Liberty alive would be in my best interest.”
Boom ignored him and turned toward me. “He doesn’t deserve you, but I’m glad you’ve decided to stick by him. Thank you.” Boom held his hands out to me and I stepped in to hug him. He kissed my cheek, then held my face steady as he whispered, “His eye is on the sparrow.”
I froze. Despite the warmth that rushed through my veins, goose bumps sprouted up across my flesh as more flashes from my dream raced through my mind.
“Thank you,” I whispered and gave Boom’s shoulders a squeeze before letting go and backing away to wipe my eyes.
Next, he turned toward Jeff. “You’re a good soldier and a great friend, Thompson. I cannot officially grant you permission to go after Ashley any more than I can grant permission to Connor. But, if you were to leave with him, I also cannot spare the men to stop you.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Jeff replied, shaking Boom’s hand.
Boom faced Connor. “Also, if you were to take a couple of horses, while I wasn’t looking of course, I couldn’t be expected to prevent that. I bet there will be two all saddled and ready, since we are packing up to go south.”
&n
bsp; The gratitude in Connor’s eyes made my heart melt. I didn’t quite understand what went on between the two of them, but I could tell it meant the world to Connor. Finally Connor lunged forward and embraced Boom. When they pulled apart, the two studied each other for a moment.
“Hermano,” Boom said, holding out his hand.
They did some sort of complicated handshake, and Connor’s smirk returned, dissolving the somberness of the moment. He cocked his head to the side and said, “Don’t tear up, old lady, you aren’t free of me yet. We’ll catch up to you on the road to Fort Lewis.”
“Looking forward to it.” Boom smiled back. “Give ’em hell, Conman.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Liberty
AFTER WE SAID our goodbyes to Boom, he turned and headed back toward camp. Connor grabbed my hand and we stood there for several minutes, looking in the direction Boom had gone. Jeff stood beside us, but nobody said anything. Valuable time ticked away, and I started to get antsy.
“Don’t we need to go get our supplies and the horses?” I asked “What are we waiting for?”
“Boom needs time,” Connor explained.
Time for what he didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. After what seemed like an eternity, Connor tugged on my hand. We returned to the camp where we found our bags just outside the tree line. Boom had the soldiers lined up, facing away from us, while he paced in front of them, talking. I heard the words ‘marching orders’ again before Connor pulled me back into the trees. As Boom had blatantly hinted, two horses waited, saddled and ready for us, grazing away from the rest of the herd.
“That Boom guy was cut from some pretty great cloth,” I declared, following Connor, who crept toward Paint.
Connor nodded. “The best.”
Jeff slunk in beside us, and then split off to mount the second horse, a chestnut colored Arabian that gave Jeff a dubious stare down as he approached. I looked past our horses into the herd, searching for Cinnamon. Since I didn’t see the horse, I assumed she was one of the two the kids had taken. For some strange reason that made me feel marginally better.
Connor tossed Jeff his pack, which Jeff tied to his horse’s saddle. Then Connor mounted Paint, offered me the stirrup, and pulled me up to sit behind him. Once I was wrapped around Connor’s waist he clicked his tongue and Paint lunged forward.
Liberty's Hope (Perseverance Book 2) Page 16
