by Jill Cooper
Dirk leaned forward and said, “psst.”
Chase’s eyes darted to him and his face glowed. Ginny’s eyes widened, and Chase put his finger to her lips to keep her quiet.
Leaning on the ground, Dirk slid a small knife across the grass toward them so they could free themselves. Chase had been around the block a few times and didn’t need to be told what was going on. He grabbed the knife and used it to cut off the zip ties on his wrists and then cut Ginny’s.
She rubbed her wrists and glanced over at Dirk again. Dirk shook his head. If she kept that up, she was going to reveal his position. Chase put a hand on Ginny’s shoulder to steady her as she took a deep breath. Dirk saw something pass between them he missed before and clenched his jaw.
People met and fell in love; there was nothing wrong with that. Hell, wasn’t that what it was all about? Dirk didn’t know what they felt or what was going on, but he wanted Chase to have a clear head.
When Chase glanced back over, Dirk pointed to the front of the caravan signaling we need to get that truck. It was the only way; they could get all of the kids out in one piece.
Chase nodded and Dirk fell back into his hiding position. He heard the sound of twigs snapping and he held his gun defensively.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Hey, listen man,” Chase’s attitude was apparent. Dirk readied himself; he knew where this was leading.
The sound of a scuffle broke out. More footsteps rushed to their location. It was now or never.
Dirk broke cover. A glistening in human form was on the ground and Chase was at the caravan, but several dragons had returned. They were nearly out of time. Dirk’s stomach clenched tight and he laid down some suppression fire, to keep the beasts back and away from his friends.
The beasts pounded toward their position, roaring with aggression.
“Everyone in the truck!” Chase screamed as the truck came alive with the rumble of its engine.
Dirk decked a glistening guarding the glistening children. He tore the back door open. “Quickly, kids!” He batted them on the back, hurrying them up one by one. “Get in!” He ordered Ginny and helped her up.
“Dirk, get on!” Chase yelled from the driver’s seat.
He needed to go. He should’ve gone, but there was the little issue of Rebecca Seers, somewhere still in the wilderness. “I’ll catch up.”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Chase said.
“I said I’d catch up, go now before you lose your chance. Don’t let these kid’s be turned into dragon food, Chase.” He knew how to motivate Chase, knew what was most important to him. He just hoped he’d get to see him again someday.
They’d meet up at the checkpoint. Dirk held to that notion with steadfast resolve.
Chase’s expression turned glum, but he pulled his head inside the window and released the parking break. Dirk wanted to wish him luck, but remained silent as he charged up the hill in search of Rebecca, the fire of dragons warming his backside.
****
“Rebecca!”
Where the hell, was she?
Dirk cleared the hill, struggling for air. His chest rose and fell, as he surveyed the scene. He bent over and picked up her discarded weapon. Had she ever even gotten a shot off?
Squeezing his eyes shut, Dirk tried to ignore how responsible he felt for leaving her. When his eyes opened again, he saw signs of a struggle in the dirt. An imprint of a woman’s knees as she was dragged along toward the brush of wildlife and . . . several paw prints jammed through the mud, following her.
She could be dead; likely was, but if there was a chance she was alive, Dirk had to search for her. Rebecca wouldn’t, but he wasn’t her. Dirk didn’t leave people behind to save himself.
Dirk followed the tracks. The glistenings hadn’t followed him up here and Dirk didn’t know why. Maybe they decided to track Chase and the kids instead. Dirk had to hope that wasn’t the case. Their escape was much more important than anything that he was doing.
He pushed the branches and leaves from his face. Off in the distance, he saw a woman on her knees, hands behind her back. Several men surrounded her, all with weapons trained on her.
Dammit, Rebecca. Inwardly, Dirk sighed. There were too many of them for him to shoot his way out without collateral damage. It limited his choices.
“We know you’re out there, Dirk. Or should we say New Haven Officer?”
Dirk squeezed his eyes shut. She talked. Of course she had, was anything ever in Rebecca’s mind other than to save herself? He had expected it, but on some level, he was still surprised. Still, he thought maybe Rebecca would do the honorable thing.
She gutted Maggie and let an innocent child die. Rebecca didn’t know how to do the honorable thing.
“Come on out or we shoot her.”
“Dirk!” Rebecca’s voice trembled with fear.
He bent down low on one knee, so he could get a better look of the situation. Through the low branches, he saw her quivering face. There was a small trail of blood, but nothing too bad. She’d live if they got out of this situation.
“Just shoot her, then. She’s been nothing but a headache to me,” Dirk said.
“Do you really mean that?”
Dirk thought about it. “Well, she lies like a rug and killed one child that I know about. There could be others. You had better just go right ahead and kill her now. It’ll save us all a lot of grief in the end.”
Rebecca sobbed as the brooding man pushed his gun against her temple and Rebecca screamed. Her face twisted in terror, as she cried, her mouth open, resembling a drooling baby. “Please, no!”
“He’s not coming in for her. You better go get him.”
That was it—that was what Dirk wanted. He backed up, and used the trees for cover. When one man came for Rebecca, Dirk lined up his shot and took it, getting him straight in his forehead. The action caused the glistenings uneasiness.
“Find him! Bring him to me now!”
Dirk smirked as he circled through the trees, leading the glistenings on a wild goose chase. He laid down a smoke grenade, and in the confusion, ran to Rebecca. One guard was left on her, but since no one saw him coming, a quick shot against his temple was all it took.
Rebecca was sprayed with his warm, red blood. Her fingers splayed and she screamed. “Sorry,” Dirk said, and reached around to free Rebecca. “That was the only way I could see to get you out.”
“I didn’t . . .” Rebecca went white as a sheet and she was breathless, “I didn’t think you would. I’m sorry, Dirk.” Her eyes were sincere.
But . . . that was when Dirk realized she wasn’t handcuffed. The entire thing had been an act.
A large, burley guy slammed into Dirk and he crashed down to his knees. His eyes cast Rebecca an accusatory look and her eyes fell to the ground.
Her voice shook when she answered and her eyes deviated away. “I didn’t have a choice. I was trying to stay alive.”
“Any why would they let you live? What did you tell them?” When Rebecca didn’t answer, Dirk screamed at her, “What did you tell them!”
“We know everything now.” The glistening laughed. “We know about the cure. We know about New Haven 57.”
Dirk’s temper raged. He had taken a lot from Rebecca over the months. He spat at her. “You just condemned all those men and woman—to death!” That meant everyone in New Haven 57, which included . . . Jenna, my God, Jenna.
“I thought it was the best option at the time,” Rebecca muttered.
“Victor would kill for this information. And now that we have its location, he will, and so will I.”
The glistenings trained their weapons on Rebecca. She stuttered and held her hands up. So, her hands never really were tied behind her back, even earlier. It was all an act—a farce to get Dirk out into the open.
She played one dangerous game too many.
“What?” Rebecca asked. “I . . . you said if I helped you . . .”
“We heard rumb
lings that a scientist had been working on a cure for some time. That’s why he wanted the Monroe baby. Glistenings aren’t as stupid as you think.”
They closed in on her, tightening their circle like a noose.
“I never thought glistenings were stupid. I fought to save you.” Rebecca fell back into a familiar roll so easy, Dirk, almost forgot it was an act. Her eyes flashed with deviance, offended by what the glistening said.
“We wanted the location and now we have it. Now we don’t need you.” The glistening smiled and it chilled Dirk. “We never needed you.”
“We can work something out.” Rebecca’s fingers shook in the air. Her desperate eyes locked with Dirk. Pathetic, he pitied her. “Dirk?”
The gun fired into her. Dirk bent his head low and covered it with his arms as Rebecca’s body fell with a thump to the ground.
“She’s too dirty to eat.” The glistening turned his attention to Dirk. “But for you . . .” He licked his lips.
“We could’ve been allies. If you followed Jake, we could’ve been friends.” Dirk glared at him.
“He’s weak,” the glistening argued with a look of distain.
“Compassion isn’t a weakness.” Dirk shook his head. “My wife is a half-glistening. She’s pregnant. New Haven has her.”
“Then she will join us or she’ll die too, like the traitor she is.”
The glistenings bodies began to morph. This was his chance to get away; they’d need a few seconds to change before they could charge again. Dirk scurried away between their legs, holding his breath as he went.
A few seconds were up and a paw stomped on his calf. Dirk glanced back with fear in the pit of his stomach and saw the angry snout of a glistening beast staring at him. Opening wide, its fangs dripped with saliva and Dirk’s time was up.
Except, a glistening flew low across the treetops—a giant, blue, shimmering beast, with the warm, brown eyes of a compassionate friend.
It was Jake. He was back.
And he was flanked on either side by ten other glistenings. They had left the compound with six, which meant that Jake was converting glistenings back to his side; but these two wouldn’t get the chance. Not if Jake had his way.
The hungry glistenings had taken to the air to battle, so Jake and Dirk used that opportunity to grab his fallen P90 and crawl off the hill. He lost his perch on the wet mud and tumbled, free falling to the bottom of the cliff. He slipped onto his knees through the cold mud and slid to a gravel road.
Dirk’s chest tightened as glistening wings flew low. He had to duck to avoid being caught by its jaw, but a moment later, it whipped its spiked tail and swatted Dirk in the back. He groaned and fell to his knees, scurrying backwards.
But the glistening wouldn’t stop coming. It charged and already Dirk was woozy, his stomach churning, and his vision had begun to split. Glistenings and their poisoned spikes . . .
He thought he was as good as dead once saliva dripped from its fangs. Dirk lifted the P90 and fired as someone under the cover of trees also fired. The glistening screeched in anger and flew off circling, as it readied a new attack.
Dirk stared up at it. He wasn’t entirely sure he could feel his legs anymore.
“C’mon!” Chase ran from the trees and gripped Dirk’s arms. “We don’t have all day, boss.”
Dirk’s vision finally split and he saw two gawky men, instead of one. “I told you to leave me! Chase those kids—.”
“Just shut up.” Chase helped Dirk up and they ran toward the van, where Ginny sat, idling the engine.
Dirk did shut up, but not because he wanted to, but because he started foaming at the mouth and consciousness slipped from him.
Chapter Thirteen Chase
“Well?” Chase drove through the wilderness. His heart raced in his chest and he was unable to breathe. All he could see were the coming leaves and branches. All he could hear were the glistening growls coming for them—their fire spraying in the sky, kept the truck warm—too warm.
From the back of the vehicle, Ginny’s voice was laced with fear. “I think we’re losing him!”
Dammit, Chase wouldn’t let Dirk die, of all the stupid moves, to go back for Rebecca Seers, who would never go back with their group. Hell, she’d kill them all if she could. Chase throttled the engine and pushed the van harder than it should go on the rough terrain. If he wasn’t careful, the tires were going to puncture..
“Is there anything back there? Medicine? Supplies?”
“I’ve given him everything I’ve found. His pulse is weak, Chase!”
But they couldn't do anything. If Chase stopped, they’d be caught by the glistenings and Dirk would be dead anyway.
A large dragon shadowed their movements. “Keep going, Chase.” The air glowed with light as the dragon spoke to him without moving its mouth. “We need to catch up to the others.”
It was Jake.
Chase breathed a sigh of relief that they had an ally, but he never let up on the gas. He rolled down his window. “Dirk’s in a bad way. He was hit by the spikes.”
Jake took so long to answer, Chase wasn’t sure if he would. “Then nothing can be done for him. His body will work through the poison, or it won’t.”
Chase swore under his breath. He didn’t want to get into a pissing contest with a giant dragon—one that had saved his life a crap full of times. But the way Jake acted like it was nothing, burned him hot with anger. Jake had been Dirk’s friend long before Chase came around and now all he had to say, was Dirk might die, and we couldn’t do anything?
“Everything okay?” Ginny asked from the back.
Chase gripped the steering wheel tight. “Fine so far. Keep him comfortable.”
****
Once they were clear of the glistening threat, Jake took human form again and rode in the van. Chase didn’t see him much, but was glad to have him sit with Dirk and help him through the sickness. Dirk hadn’t gained consciousness yet, but he did moan, which only scared the kids.
“How’s he doing?” Chase asked.
“Fever’s set in hard.” Ginny climbed from the back into the front and took her seat. “He’s gone pasty. If he’s going to survive . . . well, he has a rough road ahead.”
“Don’t we all.” Chase gritted his teeth and wished to God things had gone different—a lot different.
Ginny drifted in and out of sleep as the sun started to rise on a new day. It was one of the longest night’s of Chase’s life in recent memory. His hand reached over and stroked her fingers. He was sorry for how blunt he had acted in the cabin. Fear had gotten the better of him and he wanted to make it right. Chase wanted her to know that he had feelings for her that went beyond mere survival.
She was kind, sweet. He wanted to protect that. The last thing Chase wanted to do was watch her be eaten by a bunch of saliva dripping monsters.
Ginny’s head rolled over toward him; her eyes were weary, but her face lit up with the hint of a smile.
“You okay?” Chase asked. He wished he could say what he wanted. Are we okay? Can you forgive me for being a boor? Why couldn’t he just say what he was really feeling?
“Umm-hmm. More than okay.” For a brief second, the top of her head rested on the tip of his shoulder and that was enough for Chase. It made him feel they were still on course and as they hit what was left of the high way, over the rising cliffs in the distance the sun crested.
The sky was lit in orange, glowing across the blue sky.
For once, it wasn’t a dragon. Chase felt real hope about what might happen next. To see such a sight lifted his soul and to share that with Ginny? It was his special treat of the day.
****
Small Abandoned Town
Just West of the Old American Midwest
Hours of driving turned into days. Pit stops for bathroom breaks and food were taken, but they stayed the course with their glistening escorts. They found water for Dirk and applied cold compresses to his forehead.
“He’s through the
worst now,” Jake said, as they stopped to pillage for food. “If we can keep him hydrated and his strength up, he’ll make it.”
Chase was relieved to hear it, but when Jake started to walk away, his stomach soured. “Where are you going?”
Jake pointed to some buildings off in the distance. “I heard a noise coming from over there. I’m going to check it out. Don’t wait for me.” Jake smiled and it was eerie as he slapped Chase on the back. “I’ll catch up.”
Ginny stood as Jake morphed into dragon form and flew off. She chewed slowly on some beef jerky. “You get the feeling there’s something he’s not telling us.”
Chase had a feeling there were many things. “Long as he protects us and does right by Dirk, I don’t want to know. Let’s get everyone back in the van. Daylight’s wasting.”
****
It had been a long time since Chase saw a city peaking over the horizon, especially one that had smoke coming from chimneys; that had signs of life. With excitement, Chase made his way there, just as the truck’s fuel light glowed empty.
Chase made his way slowly through the city streets. Crumbling buildings surrounded them and the smell of decaying bodies in the street no longer gave away odor. Now they were hardened like beef jerky and some parts of this became so . . . normal.
Bodies of half-torn dogs littered the streets. It seemed the last time a glistening had come here to feed, they hadn’t found any humans.
“My God.” Ginny’s nose crinkled in disgust and Chase couldn’t blame her.
“Cover your eyes, kids.” Chase gave the word to the backseat and the light chatter of happiness was disrupted.
The truck slowed to a crawl and Chase leaned forward on the steering wheel, peering outside. He studied the buildings and the darkened windows, dirtied with soot. Shades were pulled down and some were darkened black with paint. They had tried hiding from something in this town.
Something . . .
Jake landed with a thud and then morphed back into a human. His form was different than it used to be, but Chase couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was. His hair? The way he stood taller? The shine to his skin that wasn’t there before?
