by Piper Stone
Women.
Food.
Liquor.
They could have anything they wanted without bothering to ask. However, going into any kind of business with the chancellor had risks, people usually ending up dead. Hell, the scavengers didn’t think in those regards. They simply acted. They’d sell anyone for enough cash to drink themselves into oblivion.
To mask the pain.
I thought about what Scorpio had said. A serum to change the effects of the gas. Was that possible? Could he have been onto something, eradicating such horror? Was I too much of a liability for them, just as Scorpio insinuated?
At this point, I had nothing else to believe but that they were taking me somewhere to make an exchange. Should I warn them of possible impending doom? Lurid thoughts about Scorpio resurfaced, filling my mind with several visions. My emotions were all over the place. He’d been a hero once again, protecting me even from myself.
Hissing, I did everything I could to drown out my desires, yet the burning feeling between my legs was another reminder of our connection. Just who are you, Scorpio? He wasn’t like the others. That much was easy to tell. Doctor. He was a damn doctor, which narrowed down the cities where he’d lived. New York. Chicago. LA. DC. Atlanta. They were the few schools in the Elite zones left. He’d been a valued member of society. He’d been trusted around the chancellor.
Could he have known my father, even helping to overthrow him?
I sat huddled in the back of an old cargo vehicle that had seen better days; the gasoline-chugging machine was literally a tank. The huntsmen who’d survived the attack were shell-shocked, going through the motions. They’d collected what they could of their already meager belongings, shoving the remnants in the second vehicle. They’d been hidden well away from the camp, the very reason the rusted pieces of steel hadn’t been destroyed.
My ankle was shackled, chained to one of the supports like a common thief or worse. I’d been given a thermos of water and a blanket for the long ride, the flaps pulled over the back of the vehicle, so I couldn’t see where we were going. The terrain was rough, the higher altitude forcing my ears to pop, my stomach lurching. For the first time I was truly afraid. There was no adrenaline left, no energy to fight the huntsmen or the system any longer.
My world had been turned upside down for the fourth or fifth time. The sad truth was that I’d lost count. Always running. Always hiding.
As the trunk rumbled on, the roar of the engine was like a harsh buzz, far too loud for me to think clearly.
I had a feeling their first destination was a military base, dropping me off for the cash. I folded my knees, turning to glance at the girl we’d been able to rescue, the only other passenger. I’d cared for Josie since the day she’d been brought into the camp, a sickly waif with no belongings and no identity. I’d never heard her speak even a single word. What little I knew about her was a guess at best. The only time she’d smiled was when she was around a mangy puppy we’d adopted early on.
She’d been found in the woods in tattered clothes, a mere skeleton, her body covered in scratches. No amount of peppering her with questions had opened her up. She usually followed me around like a lost puppy dog, gesturing for an item that she wanted on rare occasion. How had everything gotten so out of hand?
I huddled in the corner, yanking the blanket over my shoulders. The tears I’d shed seemed almost surreal now. Everything had been lost—so many lives destroyed. Scorpio and the others were despondent, violently angry but instead of going after the soldiers, they were determined to go to whatever main compound I’d heard them talking about. And I was along for the ride, their prisoner as before. For now. I had to remind myself about the lure of the cash.
Scorpio hadn’t said a word since the dual massacre, but I’d seen a change in him. He was so cold, haunted by the deaths of his friends, furious that I hadn’t told him the truth. His expression had gone through a full course of emotions, ending in rage. The man was riddled with the kind of anger that was going to destroy him.
I remained numb, unable to feel anything but emptiness. I had been shocked he’d brought the medical bag, offering to try to help. He’d even bandaged Josie’s wounds, tending to her in a very gentle manner as he had the survivors of his camp. No one had challenged him, but I could tell the majority had no idea of his capabilities. When he was finished, he placed the bag in the same trunk, one of the items that had been saved during the raid.
I’d stood in the distance, watching him as he slowly opened the lid, digging through the contents until he found one of his books. I wasn’t able to tell which one, but as he opened the cover, his twisted smile reminded me of a man on the brink of madness.
We were all haunted, the back-to-back raids a reminder that life was far too precious and that we were all expendable.
I would never be able to get the wretched visions out of my mind. My entire village had been taken out, the inhabitants murdered, even the few omegas. Why not take them? Strangely enough, Josie had been the only one to survive.
And no, I didn’t believe in coincidences.
A game of some sort was being played, one I wanted nothing to do with.
I closed my eyes, a vicious headache remaining.
And somewhere in the middle of my mind fuck, I fell asleep.
“Father.” I walked into his office, past the security detail and immediately noticing the strange look on his face. A powerful man, Christopher Pentigrass had aged during the last several weeks, the myriad discussions with his cabinet members weighing heavily on his mind. While the majority were considered top secret, I’d gleaned enough information to understand what was happening. There was a faction of influencers, certain politicians who believed they had a better way of dealing with what they called insurgents. People living in the United States who had a direct hand in terrorizing the world.
The rumors were rampant, petrifying everyone living in the remaining pristine cities as well as the outlying camps. People were terrified of another apocalypse. The recent uprisings seemed to bolster the growing concerns. Sadly, there were far too many people buying into the opposition’s beliefs. Everyone was on edge, especially my father. His hold on the government seemed tenuous at best.
He immediately brightened, moving around the edge of his desk, his arms open. “You look beautiful as always.” The embrace was solid, even though his entire body seemed tense.
“Such a charmer.” I had heard such sadness in his voice.
Gripping my arms, he gave me a hard look. “What brings you to my office? Aren’t you bogged down with cases?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I said cautiously. I certainly realized the potential of my father’s private office being bugged. The effects of the EMP had worn off, allowing for new inventions by some of the most intellectual minds, although the majority of vehicles had been permanently affected.
He grimaced and walked closer to the window, his view of the Washington Monument one of his favorites, no matter how worn and torn the area had become. “I’m worried, Alexandra. There are reports that my office is going to be overthrown.”
“I’ve heard the same rumors, Father, which again, is why I’m here.” I walked closer, pushing down my anger. “I want to help you. I’ve discovered certain documents I believe you’ll find interesting.” I’d risked my career, my status as an Elite member of society and possibly my life by copying various documents I’d found, but I believed they were important to the sanctity of America. I held out my hand, the small computer disc one that had been carefully concealed before my entrance to the White House.
The country in part had rebuilt, the cities that hadn’t been devastated by the original blasts had regained certain functionality once taken for granted. Even from where I stood, the once beautiful city seemed foreign, pretending to be in its former glory. I knew the truth behind the money and power allowed the Elite. We had choices. Others living in squalor had none. While my father had been in office a sh
ort period, he was working hard to absolve the ridiculous rules mandated after the initial war.
That could be the very reason for his downfall.
He glanced at me, allowing his gaze to fall to my outstretched arm. “You need to get away from this, pretend that you don’t know anything.”
“You know I can’t do that. You raised me to fight the atrocities of what occurred when I was a child. If this man who calls himself the chancellor is planning on overthrowing the government, I will fight by your side. He’ll crush everything that has been gained.”
His expression softened as he walked closer, placing his hand over mine. “I adore you, my gorgeous and intelligent daughter, but we can’t stop the inevitable. One day there will be a change, a true hero who will be able to fight the atrocities. One day the United States will regain its rightful place in the world. But not now.”
My God, he’d given up. He was throwing in the towel, prepared to leave the very office and the heightened position he’d fought hard to achieve. I could tell he was a broken man. “Father, you can’t be serious. Changes have already begun; schools opening up in outlying areas, food distribution providing nourishment, and medical attention given to those who need it. That’s all because of you.”
While he took the disc, rolling it between his fingers before shoving it into his pocket, I could tell he had no intention of doing anything with the information I’d risked my life to obtain. He turned back toward the window, placing both hands on the window sill. “When I was a child, all I wanted to do was serve my country in any way possible. I loved being a Marine, the camaraderie I felt with my fellow soldiers, even though the wars defied all concept of humanity.”
“They were also a prelude to the apocalypse.”
He chuckled, the sound riddled with angst. “Very true. We had no way of knowing then. We thought we were making headway, never knowing we were feeding into the madness. When I moved into politics, I knew the odds were difficult. People were starving, angry and bitter at the economy, the tariffs placed on almost every commodity. Ceremoniously shoved back into the dark ages because of fear. There was also little hope, but I refused to give into the tyranny. What a fool I was.”
“Don’t give up, Father. You can’t. People depend on you. Our country depends on you.”
Lowering his head, he let out a ragged deep breath. “I am only one man, Alexandra. For now, I fear for your safety, our family’s safety. You need to be very careful. I believe another war is imminent and this... bastard who fashions himself to be the next great leader will stop at nothing to get what he wants—a kingdom.”
His words were chilling, coming from a man I believed to be ultra-powerful. Even though he’d been ushered into office after the horrific war, his effect on people at first had been amazing, giving back the hope that had been lost. I was no fool. I knew the odds, but I was my father’s daughter after all and I would fight.
No matter the losses.
“I’ll be careful, Father, but I’m not giving up. This chancellor is a liar and a thief. The proof is on that disc.”
I could almost hear him saying, ‘too little too late.’ There was no democracy, no matter how hard my father tried.
“Please find a place to go for a couple of weeks. It’s important to me that you’re safe. Take your sister with you. There are camps housing women, fertile women.”
“Why?”
He snarled, darting a glance in my direction. “Gifts for the Elite.”
A cold wave of nausea flushed my entire system. The godforsaken rumors were true. Women were being rounded up as slaves for the upper class. I swallowed back bile, blinking back tears. Maybe my father was right. He was a single man fighting an unachievable goal.
However, my father had never asked me to run and hide. This wasn’t in his nature. I knew there was much more than he was telling me. “I have a job to do, Father. I’m making headway righting certain wrongs.”
“That will do no good but get you killed! Take a leave of absence,” he demanded, snapping his head in my direction, his eyes imploring and his voice stern. He undoubtedly saw the look of horror on my face. “Please, daughter. Don’t fight me on this. I know what I’m talking about.”
I clenched my jaw, angry about everything, especially the lack of control. “Fine. I’ll take a leave of absence.”
He exhaled, giving me a slight smile. “You know how to let me know where you are. Tell no one else.”
“All right. I’ll do exactly what you ask, but Father, please take care of yourself and Mother. I can’t lose you.”
My father was indeed very influential, his strength and tenacity unequaled in a world where everything had been turned upside down. On this day, he appeared frail, lost to the world’s madness. “You’re not going to lose me, Alex. That much I promise you. Now, go. I have some things to attend to. Remember that whatever happens, I love you and certain things happen for a reason.”
Certain things. I almost laughed at the concept. What else was going on? I knew my father far too well. I nodded, backing away several steps, reluctant to leave him. I barely made it out of his office before I began to shake. I raced down the stairs, throwing myself out the front door, trying to make plans. Where the hell was I supposed to go?
After leaving the security gates, I stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at the sky. On a beautiful cloudless day, a few trees blooming and the sun shining brightly, one could almost imagine that everything was normal. There were even people walking hand in hand, the chosen ones allowed to forget the mistakes of the past. I knew at that moment that everything was about to change again.
And I was terrified.
I sat in the back of the subway, as far away from anyone else as I could get, longing to be home and under my blanket. I watched as the world rushed by, horrified by my own thoughts and the words my father had said. I had a terrible feeling I was never going to see him again. The nausea continued, much like the sickening instinct that was creeping along my spine.
I was being watched.
There were no overt actions, no one threatening me, but I knew in my gut that I’d been followed. I had no weapon, no way of protecting myself. If even found with a knife in my possession, the offense was punishable by imprisonment. And there would be nothing my father could do.
I took a chance, getting off at a different exit. No one followed me. I was obviously still reeling from the crap my father had told me. Sighing, I leaned against a brick building, trying to catch my bearings. Walking alone even in the daytime was still very dangerous. I kept my head down, taking long strides as I walked down the sidewalk, able to see my apartment building blocks away. Every few seconds, I looked over my shoulder to make certain I wasn’t being followed. The streets were far too quiet, the limited activity even more terrifying. Even the air seemed more humid, suffocating.
I had to resist the urge to take off running.
“There she is.” The gruff voice came from directly behind me and within seconds, multiple hands grabbed me.
No. Oh, no! Let me go! I jerked up, struggling to breathe, clawing at my throat as I gulped for air. Everything was so dark, as terrifying as the nightmare. Disoriented, everything in my mind was fuzzy. Guilt rushed into the far corners in my brain, tears slipping past my lashes.
Oh, Daddy. Everything was my fault.
Oh, God. I’d been the one to destroy my father in every manner, believing I could change things. I was overcome with grief, despair crowding out anything else. What I’d done had been horrible and stupid. I hadn’t thought about the day of my capture for months. There was no sense in doing so. My thoughts regarding my father had triggered the wretched dream. He’d been trying to tell me something, but there hadn’t been a chance.
After my escape, the major concern was fleeing the city.
“Everything will be okay. I promise.” The soft voice came out of nowhere, piercing the darkness.
The second I attempted to move, I realized where I was.
Still chained like an animal.
“Josie?” I asked in a soft tone, rubbing my eyes with my unchained hand.
There was no answer.
I eased back, trying to calm my nerves, realizing that the truck had stopped moving.
“Josie. Can you hear me?” She’d resumed her basic catatonic state. “I hope you’re right. I’ll try to figure out a way of getting us out of here.”
“We’re where we’re supposed to be.”
I couldn’t have been more stunned. “What do you mean by that?”
Josie laughed, almost little girl in tone, the sound of her melodic voice haunting, almost spiritual.
“Talk to me. Do you know something?” I did everything I could to reach her, stretching out my arm. “You know I won’t hurt you.”
I heard male voices coming closer. “Shit.” I shrank back as the flap was opened, uncertain of what to expect.
Scorpio peered in, locking eyes with mine before shifting his gaze toward Josie. In his hand was a torch, the flames highlighting his chiseled face, the anger remaining. There were so many questions and just a few solid answers I could provide.
One of the others jumped inside, moving to unlock our chains.
“We will be safe for the night,” Scorpio stated. “She will be taken care of, made comfortable and fed. I will look in on her later, but we must talk first.”
The other huntsmen hopped out but remained close to the truck.
“Her name is Josie. She has special needs. The girl is shattered inside.” I crawled toward her, darting him a hopeful look. “Can I have just a minute with her alone? Please?”
He hesitated, finally giving me a single nod and stepping back.
I pressed the back of my hand across her forehead, groaning. She definitely had a fever. “You’re going to be okay. Don’t be scared of them. They won’t hurt you.” In the soft glow, I could tell that her eyes weren’t able to focus. The attack had pushed her further over the edge. Whatever she’d been trying to tell me was a figment of her imagination. I eased her hair out of her eyes, caressing her cheek. “You’re with me now and I’m never going to let anything happen to you.”
