Sleepers (Book 7): Sleepers 7

by Druga, Jacqueline

  That building had our offices, library, war room, kitchen, and newly renovated and erected watering hole.

  That was the light I saw.

  I backtracked, heading there, and just about at the door my foot caught something and I nearly fell. Whatever it was got tangled around my boot. Using my flashlight I tried to see what was on my foot.

  Was it…intestines? After a shudder and hard shake of my boot, with a more determined stride, I headed to the Man Cave. It wasn’t that women weren’t permitted or welcome, it was simply the name we gave it.

  Sure enough, Sonny was sitting with Randy. He looked a mess, not emotionally but physically. I wanted to keep my distance because I was certain he probably smelled as bad as the yard.

  I walked in. “What the hell, Sonny? What are you doing?”

  Sonny looked up at me, clueless. “I’m taking a break. We’re about to do inventory on the supplies we retrieved.”

  “We got a truck back,” Randy explained. “And caught four of those men.”

  “Beck shot them,” Sonny said.

  “You’ll have that?” I asked.

  Sonny slammed his hand down on the table. “See, Randy? This is what I’m talking about.”

  “Sonny, calm down.” Randy held out his hand. “We’ll discuss this all when everyone is in a better frame of mind. Alex, are you joining us?”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Aren’t you here because Beck is with Mera?” Randy questioned.

  “Beck’s with Mera? I just left there.”

  Randy grabbed a bottle. “You must have missed each other. Why are you here?”

  “Looking for him.” I pointed to Sonny. “I don’t know if you are aware, Sonny, but Mera got sliced and the baby nearly died. They’re saying she’s not out of the woods yet.”

  “Yeah,” Sonny said sadly, playing with his glass. “I heard.”

  “So why haven’t you been there? Mera is asking about you. Hell, she thinks you’re dead.”

  “She thinks I’m dead?” Sonny asked with shock. “Why would she think that?”

  “I think it’s something Levi said to her, not sure. You know how he hates you.”

  Sonny nodded. “True. Okay, I’ll go see her. It’s been hard and I’ve been scared. I’m worried about the baby and I….”

  I held up my hand stopping him. “Hey, I get it. I do. The baby may not make it. It’s hard for you. It’s tough on all of us. But can you go see Mera? For some reason she wants to see you,”

  “I will. I promise. I’ll let Beck see her alone first then I’ll head over.”

  “Good, thank you.” I grabbed the bottle, took a drink, then turned.

  “Hey,” Randy called out. “Where you going?”

  “Back to Mera’s room.”

  Randy nodded. “You need a break, Alex, to step away. I understand. If you change your mind or need to come back, we’ll be here a little while longer.”

  “Noted. Thanks.”

  Getting back to the medical building would take a shorter time than it took me when I left on my mission to find Sonny. It was pretty late, the camp was calm, but I knew in several hours that would all change.

  We had a hell of a day, but we still had to live and plans had to be made. The cleanup crews would be back, there had to be a sense of normalcy, at least for the kids. Knowing that Haven was vulnerable we had to set our sights on a new home.

  All that was imminent.

  First, I had to get back to Mera and Hope.

  Noah, one of our resident scientists and doctors was on the night shift when I arrived on the second floor of the medical building. He was in the little office down the hall from the patient wards.

  I waved as I passed him.

  “Back already?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “You should try to rest, Alex,” he suggested.

  “I know. I just want to see this through till sun up.”

  “I think we’re almost at that point,” Noah said. “We’re quite pleased with the baby’s progress.”

  “That’s great. I’m gonna go see them.”

  He nodded as if to tell me he understood and I walked down toward Mera’s room. I had no doubt she would be awake. She probably wouldn’t rest until Hope officially made it through the night.

  Eventually they’d have to put the baby in her own bed, watch her, and do the doctor stuff to her, and Mera would need to sleep too. Both of them had suffered trauma.

  I expected Mera to give me a hard time about not bringing back Sonny. What I didn’t expect to hear was whispering laughs.

  It made me stop.

  “Oh my God,” Mera whispered. “You got her to eat?”

  “Almost an ounce,” Beck said.

  Beck got her to eat? The baby was eating? What was she eating? Last I knew Mera didn’t have milk. I didn’t even know we were trying to feed her.

  I missed the first feeding?

  “Lenore pumped what she could,” Beck said, “Javier thinks it’s enough until, whatever they call it, she replenishes.”

  “I’m so grateful she is doing this.”

  “Just a few months. We’ll make do,” Beck said.

  Both of their voices were so soft I almost didn’t hear them. In fact, I questioned why I stood in that hall eavesdropping.

  “You used to have the magic touch with Phoenix,” Mera said.

  “Yeah, but you got Keller to eat. Here. I’ll let you burp her.”

  “Thank you.”

  “She’s beautiful,” Beck said, then paused. “Like her mom.”

  Oh, come on, now. I scolded in my mind. Really, Beck?

  Mera laughed softly. “You used to say that all the time about Jessie.”

  “I meant it. I mean it now. Mera…”

  It was at that point I was ready to walk in, pretend I heard nothing, until I heard Beck again.

  “I’m sorry,” Beck said. “I don’t expect a response. I just need you to know how sorry I am. I was stupid. I never once stopped loving you and I regret ever leaving.”

  That hurt.

  Hearing that drove a spike straight into my heart, so much so it actually caused a physical pain, and I rubbed my chest. Beck had told me those exact words days earlier. He told me he had changed his mind about Mera. I told him he needed to tell her. Not saying anything wasn’t being fair to any of us.

  I just didn’t think he would do so right away.

  It wasn’t my place to eavesdrop anymore. I felt not only bad, but guilty for intruding on something so personal, even if it was at my expense.

  I didn’t need to hear what Mera had to say. I didn’t know if I could handle it. I decided right then and there to head back over to the Man Cave, find Sonny and Randy, and take that break I should have taken when they suggested it.

  3. Mera Stevens

  Life had taken so much from me, I was certain I would forever be void of any emotions or ability to feel. Life also has a funny way of replenishing.

  When the event took every child under fourteen, I lost my son Jeremy. He passed away in my arms after suffering horrendously. The virus progressed and took my husband Daniel, the love of my life.

  I was fortunate to still have my son Danny, and my daughter Jessie. Even though Jessie was left disabled by a form of the virus, I still had her.

  Life went on.

  I learned to love again, to trust. Then life took Jessie. It was then I realized it was a different world, one filled with hardships and heartaches, and no matter how badly they hurt or crushed me, I had no choice but to keep moving.

  A few months after Jessie died I was given hope…in more ways than one.

  When that blade sliced through my stomach I truly believed it was over. The physical pressure of carrying a child released and my stomach felt like a po
pping bubble. I woke up prepared to be told my baby had died. She didn’t. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, and more than likely was going to pass any minute, but I still had her. I got to see her, hold her, and tell her that I loved her.

  Minutes passed, then hours.

  My infant daughter held on. Those closest to her stayed to be there in her final moments.

  The final moments had yet to come.

  That alone made me feel physically better.

  Michael had a special pull in my heart, and I didn’t doubt that as Hope held on.

  Alex was a mess, though he tried to project otherwise. When everyone left the room to give us those final moments with our daughter, Alex was beside himself. I felt it emanating from him. Hope was his daughter, his flesh and blood, and he felt that bond before she was born. On the verge of losing her, Alex was as easy to read as any book.

  He was breaking. It was killing him. Until we realized things were going to get better. Then Alex began to drive me nuts.

  He paced, he talked, he ranted and raved, about anything and everything. He even went on a soapbox about time travel.

  It was pent up energy and I knew that.

  It was a rough day. The takeover of our home, his being held hostage, and me being injured, all began to take its toll.

  I continually tried to divert the energy by bringing up the fact that Sonny had yet to come to the room. It didn’t work for the longest time. Finally, Alex left to find him. I hoped he found some peace and maybe a place to nap for a couple of hours.

  Alone in my room, I enjoyed precious private moments with Hope.

  Then Beck came in. I would be lying if I said I didn’t welcome his presence. He had been gone for months leading a battle against the Sleepers, launching a war to cleanse the land of those creatures.

  From the day I met him, despite our rough first few minutes, he had an unselfishness about him. An unwavering commitment to stand by me. Whether he believed me to be right or wrong, he was on my side. He proved the type of person he was when he made the decision to stay behind with me and Jessie on that rooftop, knowing full well he would die.

  In those moments that I thought were my final ones, facing death, I wasn’t afraid. Being with Beck made me feel safe.

  There were a lot of Beck moments early on that solidified the reason I decided to make him my life partner through it all. It broke my heart when I believed he died, an incident reversed by the time travel ability Alex hated, even though Alex was the one who changed it.

  Alex and I had always been in a love hate relationship, to the point we pushed the extremes.

  Even though my time with Alex during the ‘Beck is dead’ timeframe produced a child, Beck still stood by me and vowed to accept my unborn child as his own.

  Although, before leaving for the last Reckoning, for the sake of his concentration and to stop holding me back, Beck broke it off with me. It was a decision that hurt me. I had thought we were a team, one until the end.

  He, of course, made no bones about the fact that he changed his mind. Admittedly, I was glad to hear him say it. It made me feel better and validated things. It wasn’t me.

  Plus, his presence in the room just made me feel more confident about Hope’s recovery. It was like reliving the worries of Phoenix and Keller all over again with Beck being my rock as we waded through the touch and go times with the infant boys.

  Beck understood. A lot had transpired since he left.

  Right at that moment, with my daughter in my arms, all I wanted to focus on was her wellbeing and getting better not only for my family, but to gird myself for the trials and tribulations that lay ahead.

  Beck stayed for a little while until Sonny finally showed up.

  “Hey,” Sonny called out softly. “Were you sleeping?”

  I smiled when he walked in. “No, not at all.” While clutching the baby in my arm, I extended my free hand to reach for him.

  “I’m sorry I took so long to get here,” he said apologetically.

  “It’s okay. You’re here now. I was worried something was wrong.”

  “No, just scared. But I was busy. Cleaning bodies and stuff. I took a shower before I came in though.”

  “It’s okay. Sit down.”

  He pulled up a chair and handed me a gift bag. I hadn’t seen one since before the event.

  “For me?” I asked with surprise.

  “And her.” He sat down. “I got it last month when we did a run. How are you feeling? You look…”

  “Pale?”

  “No, actually good. I was worried.”

  “I’m sore. Not in a ton of pain, then again, I’ve barely moved.”

  “They giving you anything?”

  “At first, but it wore off and I am trying to suck it up in case I really need it.” I noticed he was staring at the baby. “Would you like to

  hold her?”

  “She’s so small. Can I?”

  “Please. I want to open my gift.”

  Sonny took the baby gently from my arms. When he did his face flushed and his eyes glazed over. “Oh my God.” He brought her close to him. “She’s so beautiful and perfect.”

  “She is, and getting stronger.”

  He pulled back the blanket and looked up at me. “She has blonde hair.”

  “Yes, she does.” I peeked in the bag. “Oh, Sonny.” I pulled out three tiny pink t-shirts.

  “They’re washed.”

  “Thank you and…” I nearly shrieked. “I wondered why this was so heavy.” From the bag I lifted a small and fancy bottle of bourbon. “Oh, wow, this is good stuff. It has a cork. You know it’s good when it has

  a cork.”

  “I figured once Javier gives his go ahead you could use that.”

  “More than you realize. This will be better than any drug right now.” I worked to remove the plastic surrounding the cork that had hardened from sitting on a shelf. I tossed the plastic to the table and pulled the cork. It was tough and it caused a slight twinge of pain in my gut, but the loud popping sound made me laugh.

  Sonny glanced from the baby to me, then back to Hope. “I knew that would make you smile.”

  I sniffed it. “Without a doubt.” I brought it to my lips.

  “I hope you don’t think…” his eyes widened when he saw me sip. “Is that safe for the baby?”

  “I’m not giving it to the baby,” I said, bringing just a smidgeon of the liquid to my lips and tongue. “Oh this so good. It’s been so long since I had bourbon. My devil water of choice.” I took another sip.

  “What about when you breast feed.”

  “Oh.” After another small sip I corked the bottle. “I don’t produce milk. Never was able to. Lenore is supplying it for us.”

  “Is that sanitary?”

  I laughed. “Yes, it’s fine. Sonny, I am so glad you came by.”

  “Me too. Alex said he’ll be by in an hour. He’s catching a nap.”

  “He needs it. Poor guy.” I exhaled. “So was this it? Was this the event?”

  “I think so. If you think about it, it was something so bad we never mentioned it. We all said we thought it was something we were

  ashamed of.”

  I lowered my head. “I caused this?”

  “No. No, Mera. We all did. Our overconfidence. Imagine if Ed had not told us about things though. We wouldn’t have known Michael was calling them. We would never have had the cloaking serum. In Ed’s timeframe, Hank and those guys probably showed up, and so did the Sleepers. It would have been a complete massacre all the way around. Javier would have died and he wouldn’t have saved this little one.”

  “What now?”

  “Now, well…” Sonny exhaled with a whistle. “We still have to clean up, finish figuring out what we all lost. Also, our camp is compromised. We can rebuild the fences the best
we can, but we won’t be able to repel a massive Sleeper hit before then. Most of the Sleepers retreated when Phoenix and Ed sent them away.”

  “So they’re out there?”

  Sonny nodded.

  “What’s the plan?” I asked.

  “Right now, I’m hanging out with you and this little one and we worry about that tonight. Tomorrow we can worry about the plan.”

  “I like that. I’ll drink to that.” I took the bottle.

  “I figured you would.” Sonny winked.

  The cork didn’t pop as loud as it did the first time, and before anything could be said by our medical staff I had another tiny sip. The bottle and shirts weren’t my only gifts from Sonny, his presence was, and even more than the bourbon, I enjoyed him spending time with me and the baby.

  4. Sonny

  Because I knew the kids would be there in the morning, I stayed awake all night to make sure the area between the cafeteria and school was clean. Every one of them had been released from the medical building after being given the cloaking serum.

  The next batch of people to get it would be Beck and his soldiers. None of them seemed too much in a hurry.

  I was tired. I mean dead tired by the time I got back to our block. It was an odd feeling not having Mera there, and to walk into the room to find Beck with a broom, sweeping the floor. The only two that remained were Phoenix and Keller, and they were content with their Legos.

  “Morning. ‘Night,” I announced when I walked in.

  “I bet you’re beat.”

  “I am. Did you get any sleep?”

  “A couple of hours. I came back and woke Alex. You know he still sleeps in his room.”

  “Why wouldn’t he?”

  Beck paused n sweeping. “I thought he and Mera had progressed.”

  I bobbed my head left to right. “They didn’t go anywhere. They’re still the same as they were in Grace. The only thing missing is the fighting, which I believe will happen again soon. Have you seen Danny?”

  “He was sleeping when I came in and gone when I got the kids up,” Beck said. “Something going on?”