by Roman Shepp
While he was alone there was a feeling that he was being watched, as though a presence was behind him. His mind always had been far too active for his own good and when he looked around there was, of course, nothing there, aside from the sea of shoes, sneakers, and boots that had spread across the floor. Eventually, he found a pair that would fit Jane and ran out of the store as fast as he could. He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the safety of the comic book store again. Jane and Saeed were in the same positions as when he had left.
“They were the first pair I found. Sorry if they're not that good but I didn't want to spend too much time out there,” he said.
“They look great. Thank you for this,” she said as she pulled her foot out of her remaining shoe and put on the new sneakers.
She winced a bit as she did so, but then smiled approvingly at Tony, who smiled back. It felt good to be able to do something nice when all around he had seen nothing but death and destruction. He placed the baseball bat upon the counter again when he heard a shriek from outside. His hands only just had let the bat go when they instantly curled around the handle again, Tony seizing the only weapon he had.
Chapter Twelve
Jane looked to Tony, who rushed to the front of the store with baseball bat in hand. Saeed barely seemed to be cognizant of what was going on around him. Groot stayed in between Tony and Jane, baring his teeth. Jane still wasn't entirely sure what to make of her new companions, but she was glad to be away from Frank. She wanted to believe Tony when he told her that she didn't have to worry about him anymore, but it was difficult to do. Jane looked around for a weapon but there was nothing available. Even so, she wasn't about to hang back and let the men do all the work. She walked forward, curious about who was outside. It was another soul that needed help. Another person Jane could have saved if she had been more proactive.
Tony carefully opened the door. They looked out at a child, a young girl about seven or eight. Jane brought her hand to her mouth. So far, she hadn't seen any children around. This one was all alone.
“Are you okay? Are your mommy and daddy close?” she asked.
The child looked at her with a blank expression and then turned around and ran away. Before Tony or Saeed could react Jane already was out the door. She had been the cause of too much sadness and she wasn't going to see a child suffering for the action she had failed to take. All of a sudden, she was overwhelmed with the thought of how many families she had split apart, how many people she had left broken. Looking at Saeed was enough. The two men, along with Groot, were behind her. Jane called out to the child.
“Slow down! We can help you,” she said.
The child didn't seem to respond. Jane saw a small figure disappear around the corner. Pain throbbed in her foot, but she was glad to have the cushioned sneakers for support. She still was tired and her muscles ached from all that had happened before, but she was determined not to give up until she reached that child.
However, as she rounded the corner she was stopped in her tracks by a group of adults wielding weapons. They pointed straight at her. The child ran up to them.
“You did well, Lily,” a man said, patting her on the head.
Tony and Saeed joined her, and they stopped just as abruptly. The man stepped forward along with a couple of others and looked at them with a sneering smile. He gestured for a few others to run by. Jane could feel Tony bristle beside her, but he wasn't foolish enough to use his baseball bat when the odds were stacked so high against him. The man stared at them in silence. He was accompanied by a mixture of men and women. All of them looked surly. They didn't say anything though.
“What do you want?” Tony snarled.
“All in good time,” the man said. Before too long those he had sent away returned, carrying supplies from the comic book store.
“No...” Tony said.
“Yes,” the man replied with a smug grin. He even went up and wrestled the baseball bat away from Tony. A woman went up to Saeed and took away his knife. Jane was frisked as well.
“She's got nothing,” the woman who frisked Jane said.
The feeling of utter helplessness made fear ripple though Jane. She sidled a little closer to Tony but none of them would be able to fight back very well. The men and women she saw were hard and cruel, she could tell that by looking into their eyes. They were armed with bats and knives, weapons that could cause a lot of pain.
“What are you doing?” Tony asked. “You can't just take that stuff from us.”
“I can, and I have. There's nothing you can do about it. I'm not going to wait to be left behind in this world. I must make my stamp of authority now. America has fallen, and we need to make a stand, but to do so we need food, water, and weapons. We also could use soldiers as well, if you want a part in this.”
“A part in what? Using a child as bait?” Jane asked. The man arched an eyebrow at her and studied her closely.
“Every patriotic American will do their duty, from the youngest citizen to the eldest. Lily here is a part of the war just as much as anyone else. In fact, probably more so. She's the one who is going to end up with the world we leave behind. The enemy got in a crippling strike first, but we are not defeated yet. We must mobilize and arm ourselves, and we cannot afford to wait.”
“Look around you,” Tony said, “there is no war. The city has fallen apart, so has the country probably. There is no enemy attacking us. We're all just attacking each other.”
“That will stop once word gets out. Are you saying you do not want to fight alongside us?”
“Not when you treat innocent people like this. This isn't right,” Tony said. Jane felt a surge of admiration for him.
“Then you are against us,” the man said, clicking his heels together and turning away, the baseball bat resting on his shoulder.
The other men and women quickly surrounded the three of them and hauled them back. Jane wanted to fight. She was tired of other people placing their hands on her, but she had no choice other than to follow. She dreaded to think what would happen if they refused. She glanced helplessly at Tony, who scowled. It was her fault again, Jane realized. She had gone charging off after the child, with no thought to anything else, and landed them in this mess. Was there ever going to be a time when she made the right decision?
They were marched through the streets, which gave Jane the chance to process all that had happened. Everything had been a blur from the moment she had left Frank's clutches the first time. He had caught up with her, though, just as he promised he would. Of all the ways their relationship could have ended she never thought it would happen like this. Now when she looked back she wondered how she ever could have loved a monster like Frank, how she could have blinded herself to his true nature. Now the two strangers who had saved her life were mixed up with this self-proclaimed army without knowing what fate awaited them.
So far Tony had been the only kind person Jane had met in this world, but she wasn't sure how to act around him. Part of her wondered if it was just an act, if he was playing her somehow, for she didn't think anyone could be this nice. She didn't deserve it,that was for sure. There had been a point where she thought about telling them her role in all of this, but she had decided against it. There was no need to tell them this was all her fault. She blamed herself enough for it already, she didn't need their judgment too. All she could do was try making it right, try making up for all the mistakes she had made...even though doing so had led her to this predicament.
Now that she was captured she realized how selfish her life had been. She had worked for a man who only had his best interests at heart and then fallen in love with that same man, deluding herself that he could have felt anywhere near the emotion she felt for him. She had broken apart a family all because she had some fantasy of what life could have been like with him. Now the world had ended, and she was lost, left alone to fend for herself.
When she looked around at all the hurt her heart broke again and again for she had caus
ed this. She and the people who had the responsibility of running the country. Tony had summed it up when he spoke of how things would have been different had the people known. Frank and his peers had wanted to prevent the truth from coming out since they were sure it would cause mass panic, but it had happened anyway. What had anything they done really accomplished? The world was in chaos. Jane didn't see any way to get things back to where they were before.
Exhausted from lack of sleep, she staggered forward. All she wanted was to sink into a comfortable bed or a warm bath, feeling the warm water wash over her. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel how good it would be to have a lavender candle burning, soft bubbles rising over her body, sinking down until her entire body was underneath the water. So peaceful. So lovely. And then she realized she never would have that again. Not for a long time anyway. She would be stuck in these clothes with her grimy, unwashed body caked in dried sweat and the musk that was starting to hang around her. It was an entirely terrible thought, but perhaps it was the penance she needed to pay. How many lives had she cost? No matter that she was only a cog in the machine and had no real say in what the government decided, she still was a part of it. She could have done something more if she hadn't been so afraid, and now many people had lost their lives. All because she hadn't done what she knew was right.
They were led to a nearby store. There was a barricade surrounding the area and the man knocked loudly on the door. It opened. They were plunged into darkness. The windows of the store all had been blacked out with posters and sheets of paper. The store was large and there were quite a few people there. Candles burned all around, providing a soft amber glow. It took a while for Jane's eyes to adjust. Many of those in the store looked at her and the two men with her with curiosity. Tony had picked up Groot again. The dog was limping. Yet another innocent creature harmed by her actions. Jane wondered if she ever would be able to make up for all she had done, or if she would have to spend the rest of her life trying to make amends. That depended upon how long a life she had left, though. With all she had seen and experienced so far, death just was a matter of time.
“You two, stand guard. I don't want there to be any surprises. Jenna, Alfie, get those supplies sorted out and add them to the current stockpile. I want to know how much we have. Adjust the rationing so it will last as long as possible. I'm going to keep my hands on this for a while,” the man said, patting the baseball bat.
Everyone snapped to attention when he spoke. Jane wondered if he had military training. It certainly seemed feasible with the way he spoke in such a curt manner, as though he expected everyone to obey him. Jane looked around at the motley crew he had assembled and wondered how many of them actually bought into his ideals and how many just wanted some kind of order in their lives. Jane had known many men like him. Alpha males, seeking to push their dominance upon others.
In times like these they thrived, for so many people were looking for someone to lead them. He would rally people around himself and they would follow him because it was easier than forging their own path. Frank had been the same. It had been part of his charm at first. Jane just had been a young, wide-eyed college graduate, making her way in the world. Frank had been a mentor. He had taken her under his wing and acted charming and nice, sharing secrets with her. The way he looked at her...it had made her tremble.
There had been other men who vied for her attention, of course, men of various ages. However, none of them had had Frank’s sheer magnetism. Even now Jane could feel her body tingle when she thought about that first moment he had touched her. His hands sliding over her flesh, his hot breath on her neck. She felt herself blushing and forced herself to stop. He was a monster and she wasn't going to think of him like that anymore. He was out of her life for good. No longer was she going to be a slave to her desire for him.
“Take these ones to the back. Separate that one. I have some questions for him,” the leader said.
Jane didn't have to wonder which one he was separating. Saeed was unlucky, like so many other innocent people had been after various terrorist attacks through the years. For all the ideals of every person being equal there were many who fell under more suspicion than others. Saeed had mentioned some men had attacked him. It wasn't the first time he had been subjected to this treatment and it probably wouldn't be the last. He had the look of a man who had lost everything, and Jane wondered exactly how much that entailed.
There was an example of a man who had been directly affected by the choices she had made. He was broken and distraught, barely able to form a coherent sentence. He and Tony seemed like an odd pairing and she wondered how long they had known each other. Tony was quite the contrast to Saeed. Indeed, he was calm and collected. That was strange in and of itself, though. What kind of person could make it through this ordeal without being scarred? Maybe Tony just was better at hiding it than others. Either way, it had to be better than staying with Frank or being on her own.
“Don't take him away. He hasn't done anything!” Tony yelled.
“You don't get to make objections. You have made it clear you are enemies of the state. You have no rights as far as I'm concerned,” the man said.
Tony looked toward Saeed with sympathy. Saeed just seemed to take it all in stride, as though nothing mattered for him any longer. It was no use protesting. The man evidently had a plan and there was nothing that was going to sway him from it. Jane, Tony, and Saeed had been put in the box of enemies and they were not going to be seen any other way.
“This is a chance for America to be reborn. When a sword is broken, it must be melted down and forged anew. This is what is happening to the country now. America needs every good citizen to rise up and be a part of this birth of a new nation. People like you have failed us. You are the weak and the unworthy. You have turned your back on your patriotic duty. If you continue in this manner, there will not be a place for you in the new world. We have plans for him, but I will let you two have a little more time to decide on your place in this world. There is still a chance for you to rethink your decision. We are going to succeed where the previous government failed.”
Without giving them any chance to respond, Tony and Jane were taken back to a small room. It seemed to be an office of some sort. Everything had been pushed into a corner, leaving the rest of the room bare. A chair was buried underneath the pile and it would have taken a huge effort for them to retrieve it, so they sank to the floor. Tony looked at the door anxiously, for Groot had been left outside with them. Jane wrung her hands. There was no way she could join with those madmen...could she? Somewhere else in another room she thought about Saeed, and goodness knows what he was going through. Morose, Jane hung her head. All she wanted was to lie on the floor and surrender to sleep. Part of her wished she would wake up and find it was all a nightmare, that she still had a chance to make things right.
Chapter Thirteen
“I'm sorry,” Jane said. Tony looked across at her. They were sitting against the same wall. Tony had his knees drawn up and his hands were clasped in between them. Jane had her legs stretched out. The room was dark, with just a single candle glowing in the corner. Tony kept glancing at the door, thinking about Saeed and Groot.
“What for?” he asked.
“For getting you involved in this. I never should have gone running after that kid.”
“You couldn't have done anything else. You were only a few steps ahead of us.”
“Maybe. I should have been more cautious, though. After everything that's happened...you can't trust anything in this world.”
“I guess you can't,” Tony said. He breathed out slowly and thought about everything that had happened to them so quickly. “I just hope Saeed is alright. He's been through so much already.”
“I kinda got that impression. Is he a friend?”
“He is now, I guess. I didn't know him before this.”
“What happened to him?”
“When everything went dark his neighbors went to his apartmen
t. They thought he had had something to do with it. Much like these men do, I guess. I don't know exactly what happened, but he lost his wife and child. He managed to escape and ran to my store. They chased him, but we managed to scare them off.”
“Sounds like you tend to help those in need.”
“I guess so. I'm just trying to do what's right, I suppose. I don't know how we're going to get out of here, though. What do you make of the situation?”
“He's looking for a way to indulge his anger and violent tendencies. He's probably thinking he knows better than anyone else in his entire life and now, without anyone to oppose him, he can get his wish. The others are probably a mixture of people. There are those who are too afraid to oppose him or be on their own, and there are those who buy into what he says.”
“You're quite perceptive.”
Jane shrugged. “I've been around men like him before.”
“Like the one who was chasing you?”
“Yeah, like him...” she said.
She turned away from him. Tony knew there was something else going on there. There was a history between them. One of which she was ashamed. Tony felt a flash of jealousy within him, but quickly attempted to quell it. There was no use for that kind of emotion here. He didn't even know Jane that well yet.
“What do you think we should do? He's going to ask us to join him again and I don't like the possibilities of what's going to happen if we say no. He said he needed supplies. I can't imagine he's going to want to keep prisoners around, prisoners he must feed and guard. I don't think he's going to let us go either.”
“That only leaves...”
“Yeah.”
“Surely he can't do that. There are laws against that kind of thing!” Tony said.
“And where are the people who are enforcing the laws? He only has to answer to himself now. If he wants to execute people, then he can execute people and that's the end of it. He doesn't want to live in a democracy.”
