THE ELECTED (Fighting Freedom Book 2)

by Paige Clendenin

  “Well, let’s go,” Tim or Tom says with no concern for the real reason we had come. He packs his things up and heads back to his vehicle without any response.

  “That’s that, then,” Samantha scoffs. “Muscles number one has spoken.”

  The rest of us get a good laugh out of Samantha’s snarky remark.

  “Let’s go.” Jake pats the seat beside him as he climbs into our side by side.

  I do as he says and crawl into the seat next to him. The vehicle has no doors at all and only a front windshield. It is different from anything that we had come across yet. We had learned about all-terrain vehicles in class at The Force but had never seen one until now.

  They would have come in handy this entire time, but what could be done?

  “Are we heading back to Wonder Shield now?” Levi shouts out.

  “For now,” Jake agrees.

  We all start our engines, waiting for Tom, Tim, and Tina to lead the way when the first explosion happens ten yards to the right of us.

  Levi looks back and forth between us and the point of impact.

  “They are shooting short range rockets from somewhere,” he shouts in our direction.

  “Where are they coming from?” Magi yells, looking all around her.

  “I don’t know,” Levi breaths heavy while circling his vehicle back to meet us at our side.

  The others pull their vehicle to the other side of us, making Jake, Mar, Eli, and my side by side in the middle.

  “Orders boss,” Tina yells across us at Levi.

  “Well, right now we are sitting ducks. We need to get moving, but not together.” Levi looks at Jake.

  “Yeah,” Jake huffs. “Let’s give them three moving targets opposed to one sitting duck.”

  “Do you remember that large clump of trees about a mile back?” Levi asks.

  “Yeah,” Jake confirms.

  “We will meet there.”

  “Okay, boss,” Tim or Tom says as they start moving.

  The three of them start moving first, but Levi gets turned around faster, so he and the girls are already almost out of sight. We are the next to get turned about as Jake whips the thing around so fast I barely have enough time to hold on.

  A few feet in front of us, another rocket hits the ground, causing the ground to shake and fire to erupt in the dry grass. Jake nearly misses the fiery explosion but hangs a left at the last second.

  Another rocket drops down to our right, narrowly missing the muscle triplet’s vehicle. Tim or Tom, swerve side by side around the explosion in enough time to escape it. Unfortunately, another rocket arrives directly after the first, hitting the roof of their vehicle, causing the entire all-terrain to fly into the air and break apart at impact.

  Jake stops for a moment, just long enough to assess the damage and to check for movement.

  There isn’t any.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  We pause for a moment to think about yet another group of people that we will never get to know due to this war.

  Another rocket hisses through the air as Jake speeds out of the way and towards our meeting place. The impact of the blast occurs just behind us, causing us to spin out of control for a few seconds before coming to a complete stop a few feet away from a large oak tree. The vehicles engine has stalled altogether.

  Rockets continue to fall around us as Jake fervently tries to start the vehicle with no use. He tries time after time again, allowing a second to pass between each turn of the key.

  The rockets rain down, getting closer to us with each time they hit the ground. Finally, a rocket falls only a few feet away from us, causing the vehicle to bounce back into the tree.

  A few moments after the crash, Mar, Eli, Jake, and I abandon the vehicle altogether and run on foot in hopes of meeting up with Magi, Samantha, and Levi at our arranged destination. If we didn’t return in a decent amount of time, Magi would make Levi come back, for sure.

  I can feel my ribs rubbing against each other with every step I take. They are broken, I’m sure. When our vehicle hit the tree, my side grazed the bar holding us in. I run as fast as I can, trying to ignore my ribcage that feels like fire as rockets continue to fall.

  What would have taken a minute to travel a mile is going to take us much longer. Thankfully, in just a couple of minutes, we have traveled out of range of the rockets.

  “Ouch,” I wheeze as I slow down.

  “What’s wrong?” Jake asks me concerned.

  I lift my shirt to reveal my already bruising ribcage.

  “It’s the same one Malachi broke at the complex.”

  He puts a hand to my inflamed ribcage, pressing ever so slightly.

  “Can you breathe?”

  “I think so,” I say, taking a deep breath to test the theory.

  “Is everyone else okay?” Eli asks.

  Mar pulls a very tattered pant leg up to show a piece of unidentifiable shrapnel lodged in her calf.

  “Oh Mar,” I say.

  “It’s okay.” She winces, as she takes her knife out and cuts what’s left of her pant leg off, leaving her calf exposed. “Now, let’s go.”

  We run a little slower this time the rest of the way to the trees that are our meeting point. Sure enough, Magi, Samantha, and Levi stand outside their side by side watching for us. You can tell by the look on their faces, that they didn’t expect us to be on foot.

  “Oh my,” Magi says, “what happened?”

  “Rocket blew us into a tree,” I say as I rip my shirt off a few inches above my belly button.

  “The others?” Levi asks.

  I shake my head, looking him straight in the eye. I think I am still trying to see if Levi is who he says he is.

  “You have got to be kidding me!” he yells as he kicks a tire of his vehicle cursing under his breath.

  “I’m sorry,” Mar says, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “It’s okay,” Levi says. “Rae will understand, but they were some of the best. It’s a part of war, though, don’t think I’m heartless because I say that, but even though The Division hasn’t officially begun, we have been fighting a war for years now.”

  “We understand,” Jake says. “More than you know.”

  “Shall we go back?” Levi asks as he jumps into the driver’s seat.

  Jake gets in the passenger seat next to him as Magi and Samantha stand on the back, holding onto a bar across the top. Mar sits on Eli’s lap as I slowly sit down next to them, trying to not hurt Mar or myself.

  As the seven of us head back to Wonder Shield with three less people, two less vehicles, and two of us injured, the sun sets in the sky. I guess Rae was right, The Elected is truly impossible to penetrate, but there is always another day.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  A little over an hour later, we pull our remaining vehicle up to the guard’s station. They look at the horizon as if waiting for the other two vehicles to show up.

  “All-terrain ten and eleven lost to war,” Levi says as the guard writes a few things down on a pad of paper.

  After checking in what I guess to be all-terrain vehicle twelve, we venture back into the city. The moon is bright in the night sky as the activities of the fenced in fortress are far less than they were hours earlier. It isn’t nearly as difficult to maneuver our way through the town, but both Mar and I seem to be a bit slower than the rest.

  It is clear to see with my crop top that my ribcage is a sickly black color. Mar’s leg is still bleeding, but whatever is stuck in it appears to have slowed it down. She is limping a bit. I try to support her with my good side as she and I bring up the rear.

  “Rae will get you two fixed up.” Levi smiles.

  “I would be grateful,” Mar says.

  “Would you have supplies that I could use?” Magi asks, “or do you have doctors?”

  “We have doctors at our facility’s hospital, but you are more than welcome to assist them,” Levi says, “or them assist you,” he smiles. “I remember how good you are
at what you do.”

  “I didn’t always work as a nurse,” Magi reminisces.

  “Oh, I remember.” Samantha smiles.

  “What did you do?” I ask, my curiosity mounting.

  “I was second in command of The Force for a long time.” She grins.

  “No way,” Eli scoffs.

  “True story,” Jake laughs. “She was second until she resigned. That’s when my dad stepped up.”

  “Why did you resign?” Mar asks.

  “I couldn’t stand E. J. Samuels,” she laughs. “He was needy and whiney, believe it or not.”

  “Oh, I believe it,” Samantha laughs. “I’ve seen it first-hand.”

  “Me too.” Jake smiles.

  “So, I had previous experience as a nurse where I was from and asked to be transferred to the medical compound.” Magi says. “Best choice I ever made.”

  We all fall silent for the remainder of our walk to the big building in the middle of the town.

  We walk in the doors of the building. Oddly, Rae meets us as we walk into the lobby.

  “We need to talk,” she says upon greeting us. “Where are the others?”

  “Dead,” Levi says. “Their all-terrain destroyed.”

  She throws her hand to her mouth as if she might break down but then lowers it with a stoic look on her face.

  “Very well,” she says instead.

  “I am so sorry,” Jake says. “There were rockets, and we tried to get out before any of us got hurt.

  “It’s okay,” she says, calmly. “Have you reported the loss of the ATV?” She looks to Levi.

  “Rae,” he says. “We lost two.”

  She looks shocked at first, but then notices my ever-growing bruise and the bleeding gash on Mar’s leg.

  “Let’s get you two fixed up,” she says. “Come with me. The rest of you go with Levi to get cleaned up and dressed.”

  “What about what you had to talk to us about?” Samantha asks.

  “It can wait,” Rae says. “Now, go get cleaned up.”

  “Is this okay?” I ask Jake.

  “Yes,” he kisses me.

  Mar and Eli kiss softly before she and I follow Rae in the opposite direction of the rest of our group is being lead. I look back at Magi to make sure that she doesn’t want to come with us.

  “You will be all right,” she quietly mouths, as she follows Levi down the hall.

  “Where are we going?” Mar asks, as we try to keep up with Rae.

  “Our hospital,” she answers.

  “What did you need to talk to us about?” I ask.

  “No,” she says. “Not now.”

  I can’t help to think she looks just a bit too sad when she says not now. I don’t know what is going on, but I have a sinking feeling that it isn’t good.

  I wonder where the rest of our group is, or if they made it back. I choose not to ask at this moment, because there seems to be more pressing things now, and the pain is making talking difficult.

  After a moment of walking, me helping Mar as much as I can, we arrive at Wonder Shield’s version of a hospital. I can say it is much more elaborate than that of the medical compound at The Force.

  “We stay together,” Mar says, looking at me to see if that is okay.

  “That’s right,” I say.

  “Very well,” Rae says, “We will see if the larger room is available.”

  “Thank you,” Mar says.

  “Barb,” Rae calls out to a nurse at the far end of the large room.

  The woman we now know to be Barb, walks over to us, eyes eagerly on our wounds.

  “How can I help you, Rae?” Barb says, looking eager to get her hands on us.

  “This is Barb,” Rae formally introduces the nurse to us. “She gets so excited when someone with more than a cold comes in.”

  “Raymond Townsman shot himself in the foot last year, and I just about kissed him.” Barb smiles.

  Her smile truly stretches from ear to ear with a childish glint in her eye. She is rather pretty, but when her lips part, you can tell that she is missing nearly all her front teeth. I want to ask her what happened, but I don’t want to offend the person who is about to help me get better.

  “We have Liz with broken ribs and Mar with shrapnel for you, Barb.” Rae smiles. “Take care of my friends, will you?”

  “It is my pleasure,” Barb bubbles.

  “I will be back to get them in a little while.” Rae waves goodbye.

  “Follow me, ladies.” Barb motions to us.

  Mar and I hobble down a hallway with rooms on either side of us. We stop at a room halfway down the hall with the number 907 above it. The room has a large, tough-looking, middle-aged man sitting at a desk that is clearly three sizes too small for him.

  “Don’t be afraid, he’s a teddy bear.” She looks at us and grins. “Your assistance, please, Rodge,” Barb calls to the large man.

  “What room are you going to be in?” Rodge asks. “I’m almost done finishing these dockets for my lecture next week, then I will meet you there.”

  “1090 at the end of the hall,” she answers.

  “I will only be a minute, doll,” Rodge says. He finally realizes Mar’s bleeding leg and my exposed ribcage. “What do we have here?”

  “These ladies have met The Elected,” Barb answers.

  “My dockets can wait,” Rodge says with excitement in his own eyes. “I will go get my things and meet you in 1090.”

  “Okay.” Barb smiles.

  After leaving Rodge to get his things, Barb leads us to the end of the hall into room 1090. There are three elevated cots in the middle of the room with more medical supplies than I have ever seen.

  “Neat ,isn’t it?” Barb says, proud of the display in front of us. “Every member that makes Wonder Shield their home brings all their belongings to Rae’s building where everything is divided out to what is needed in each home. Rae never denies what they need, and no one ever goes without food or a place to live. Each family is given some basic medical supplies, some go into the packs that will be handed out when we go to war, and the rest of it is stored and used in the hospital. We have the largest medical supply stock in all five corridors.” Her smile gets even bigger.

  “Wow,” I say in disbelief.

  “I know it.” She beams. “Ribs, you are on the first cot, and Shrapnel, you are on the middle one.”

  “The name’s Liz,” I say as I hop up on the cot to the right.

  “Yeah, and I’m Mar.”

  Mar hops up on the cot next to me, we both wince at the pain of the impact. Rodge walks into the room, pulling a cart behind him full of medical tools, still with an excited glint in his eye.

  “Shrapnel is first, right?” Rodge asks.

  “She wants to be called by her real name,” Barb scoffs, “can we please call you Shrapnel and Ribs? We will remember you better that way.”

  “Sure, whatever.” I smile. “Ribs it is.”

  “Yay, I’m glad you see it our way,” Rodge grins.

  Rodge pulls the cart over to Mar. I reach across and hold her hand. He picks up a needle with a tube hooked to it.

  “Numbing meds,” Rodge says. “They might make you fall asleep. Hip please.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Mar asks.

  “I need to see your hip to give you the pain meds.”

  “Oh.” She blushes. She then exposes her hip long enough for him to clean the surface and plunge the liquid from the tube into her body. “That burns.” She winces.

  “Only for a minute,” Barb says, coming up behind us. She has been doing something at the counter to the back of the room.

  “You next, sweetheart,” she says to me as she holds up a needle clearly four sizes larger than the one Rodge gave Mar. She raises the syringe, thumping the air bubbles out of it.

  “Hip?” I ask.

  “Nope, this one goes in between two ribs. It’s a general anesthesia.”

  “Ouch,” I say, thinking about the pain it will inflict. I
will take the pain of the broken rib; I think to myself.

  Keeping up the appearance of bravery, I lay on my good side and hold my breath. Barb takes out a sanitation wipe and runs it over my side. She then takes two fingers and feels for the correct place to put the needle. After a minute and I guess when she is pleased with her decision, she uncaps the shot and inserts the needle between two ribs. I try my hardest not to wince, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.

  “Give that a minute to kick in, and then I can work my magic,” Barb says.

  “Ouch,” Mar loudly cries out.

  I look over to see Rodge pulling a piece of tree bark out of Mar’s leg. It has got to be a good five inches long. Little splinters come off the bark in all direction. She is lucky it didn’t come out the back side of her leg.

  “You just sit tight, sweetie.” Barb pats my shoulder as she goes over to the real action.

  Mar eventually falls asleep, which I guess is the purpose of the meds they gave her. I am thankful to not have to watch my best friend in so much pain.

  “How are you feeling?” Rodge asks me from Mar’s cot.

  “I’m all right,” I lie.

  “I doubt it,” he says. “You’re a bad liar.”

  “So, I’ve been told,” I try a smile.

  “I will give you a sedative, but it might make you fall asleep,” Barb informs me, coming over with another needle, much smaller than the last.

  This time she puts the shot into my upper arm. Within a few minutes Mar becomes blurry, and my pain fades away altogether. I can’t imagine why The Force didn’t have anything that felt this good.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  I wake up to darkness. I start to panic at first. This reminds me of when I woke up at The Facility. I move my body enough to test my ribs. They hurt, but not near like they did when I fell asleep. I throw my legs over the side of my cot, trying to gain balance.

  Suddenly, a light comes on, revealing that Mar and I are still in the same room we were in when we went to sleep. After my eyes become adjusted to the light, I can tell that Barb is who flipped the switch. She walks in and goes over to a pad of paper and jots a few things down.