by Kim McMahill
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
It had been a brutal day at SLIC and Katherine Riley was exhausted. A man had tried to return home to New Mexico and had almost made it before being caught and sent back to the East Coast. The ramifications of his success would have been devastating to maintaining order among men. If the truth about their dismal prospects was confirmed, she had no doubt males would resort to drastic measures to avoid their fate. Today only proved what she already knew to be true. She had to convince Claire to stay away from those two farm boys.
Katherine changed out of her work uniform and placed their meals in the nano-oven to heat. After the meal was on the table, Katherine called out to Claire, but got no response.
“I suppose she’s still mad,” Katherine uttered as she fumed toward Claire’s bedroom.
She pounded on the door and called out, but got no response. Fearing something was wrong with her daughter, she softened her voice and tried the knob, but the door was locked.
“Let me in,” Katherine demanded as she pounded on the door.
She was torn between anger and fear. Either way she had to get into her daughter’s room, but wasn’t sure how to accomplish the task. Exterior doors were opened with a wave of the palm over the microchip reader and they never locked interior doors, there was no need. If she called the authorities and they found something inappropriate inside the room, she wouldn’t have time to cover her tracks.
Katherine paced in front of Claire’s door until an idea came to her. She went outside and tried the bedroom window. As she suspected, it was unlocked. Katherine looked around to make sure no one was watching, pushed the window up and pulled herself through. She tumbled into the room, landing on her head, making her yelp in pain. Once inside, her suspicions were confirmedClaire was gone.
“I knew something like this would happen if she continued to hang around those bad influences,” Katherine ranted as she searched the room for a hint as to what her daughter was up to. Nothing seemed missing or out of place.
Katherine pulled out her phone and called Ruby Ward. She had the Ward number programmed into her phone since this wasn’t the first time she had to track Claire down, but Katherine was determined to make it the last.
Ruby’s voice mail picked up and Katherine was furious. She knew the old woman had to be home. Ruby had no job, no friends and no social life. She never left the house except for the occasional trip to the Facility to visit her imprisoned daughter, so unless she was dead, which in Katherine’s mind would be a blessing to society, she was home.
“This is Katherine Riley. Claire is gone and I assume she’s with Nyla. Answer the phone. I know your there. If I don’t hear from you in five minutes, I’m calling the authorities.”
“Sorry Katherine, I was in the kitchen and I always misplace the handset.”
“Claire. Where are Claire and Nyla?”
“Nyla’s here at home. I have no idea where your daughter is.”
“Let me speak to her,” Katherine demanded.
“She’s in the shower, can I take a message?” Ruby lied while simultaneously asking God for forgiveness.
“Have her call if she knows where Claire is.”
“I will,” Ruby replied, wishing there was more she could do to postpone the inevitable.
Katherine hung up and hissed out a demand for her phone to connect her to the farm. She tapped her foot impatiently while her voice commands were processed. She rubbed her aching neck as the phone rang. After six rings, someone answered.
“Hello.”
“Who is this?” Katherine demanded.
“This is Leah Lynch. May I ask who is calling?” She already knew it was Claire’s mother and was surprised she hadn’t heard from her earlier.
“It’s Katherine Riley. Where’s Claire?”
“I imagine she’s with Nyla and the boys. You know those kids are inseparable.”
“According to Nyla’s grandmother, Nyla is at home.”
Leah took a deep breath. She wasn’t surprised Ruby Ward had covered for Nyla and felt close to the woman she had only met in passing. Leah glanced around to make sure Vera was nowhere in sight. She wasn’t good at lying, because she had never needed to before. Life was so orderly, predetermined and predictable there was seldom anything to hide.
“Nyla’s probably meeting up with them later. I imagine they’re at the park or the Java Joint. Have you checked with the coffee shop?”
“No, but that’s my next call.”
“Well, I wouldn’t worry about them. They never stay out too late.”
Katherine thought about it for a moment. Maybe she was overreacting. If Nyla was going out later, that would explain why she was in the shower. Katherine sat on Claire’s bed, trying to muster up a more friendly tone. Just as she was about to ask another question something poked her palm. She stood and yanked the bedspread back and found the culpritClaire’s microchip.
“You’re either stupid or you’re lying,” Katherine screamed into the phone. “I hope you’re stupid, because if you’re lying to protect those boys I will make it my personal mission to ensure you pay dearly for the loss of my daughter.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Leah replied, struggling to sound calm.
“You had better find those boys and find them quick. I’m calling the authorities and reporting they’ve abducted Claire.”
“That’s a complete lie and you know it. If Claire is gone, she went of her own free will. Jared would never do anything to hurt her. He loves her,” Leah cried.
“Love? You don’t even know what that means and besides, who do you think the authorities will believe? Men are untrustworthy and everyone with a brain knows it. Now tell me where they are or I’m calling the authorities.”
“I wish I knew,” Leah whispered into the receiver as the line went dead.
Leah slid down the wall until she sat on the floor and buried her face in her hands. It would be only a matter of minutes before the hunt would be on for her boys. At least she had bought them some time. She had run interference with Vera all day. When the clinic called about Ethan’s missed appointment, she had apologized and rescheduled for the following week. Leah had done all she could do and desperately hoped it was enough.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Nyla registered Ethan’s voice whispering in her ear and could feel his warm breath on her neck. He gently shook her shoulder. She smiled and rolled over, trying to keep the pleasant dream from fading. The contentment she felt was unfamiliar and a little frightening, but too glorious to let go.
“Ethan?” she mumbled. “Please tell me something. I need to know how you feel about…”
“Another time,” he replied as he shook her again. “We need to get going.”
Nyla opened her eyes and realized she had been dreaming. It all had seemed so real and she hadn’t even remembered falling asleep. She sat and brushed the sticks and dust from her clothes, feeling groggy and a little embarrassed. As she struggled to her feet she stumbled, but Ethan caught her, helping her to regain her balance. She grasped his forearms and noticed how muscular he was. She had known him since they were children. He had grown into an incredible man and she had been only vaguely aware of the slow transition.
Nyla looked up and was confused by the sly smile on his lips and the glint in his eyes. Had she said something stupid in her sleep?
“Are you okay?”
“I was having a weird and disturbing dream when you woke me.”
“So dreams about me are weird and disturbing?”
Nyla’s mouth fell open. Apparently, she had been talking in her sleep. Nyla couldn’t make herself look away or come up with anything intelligent to say as her wide-eyes remained locked on Ethan’s amused gaze.
“What’s going on here?” Claire asked playfully.
Nyla and Ethan realized at the same moment that they were still holding on to each other. As Nyla let go of Ethan’s arms, he slowly turned her around to face Claire and
Jared before releasing her from his strong grip.
“Nyla was having a difficult time standing up and almost fell down,” Ethan offered casually. “I don’t know what she would do without me.”
“Probably just crawl around on my hands and knees,” Nyla replied sarcastically as she tousled his thick dark hair.
“Well if you two are done,” Jared interrupted, “It’s nearly dusk and time to hit the trail.”
“That’s what I was trying to do when Sleeping Beauty here got all testy,” Ethan said as he took his eyes off Nyla.
“According to Carlos’ letter we need to cross the Rio Bravo at a spot he called the tropical paradise in the desert. The tropical paradise is in the gap in security which he identified, but unfortunately the gap is also in the place patrolled most heavily by border agents,” Nyla stated.
“He also said the border agents claim to patrol twenty-four hours a day, but he’d noticed over the past several months there are a couple of two-hour breaks in coverage. The agents work ten-hour shiftssix in the morning to four in the afternoon and six at night to four in the morning. Since the two hour gap in the afternoon will leave us too exposed in the daylight we’ll cross the paved highway, find the tropical paradise and cross the river between four and six in the morning, leaving enough time on both ends to avoid the shift change,” Ethan added.
“Is that all?” Claire asked with a nervous giggle as they headed out. “And, I was thinking this might be difficult.”
“Are we ready to roll?” Ethan asked, ignoring Claire’s comment.
“Sure, but how about a group hug, just in case?” Claire added.
No one asked her what “just in case” meant. They knew and didn’t want to hear it articulated. Gathered in a circle with arms wrapped around each other, they held each other tight with their heads down so as to avoid seeing any doubts or fears in each other’s eyes. They didn’t want to let go, fearing this might be the last time they would be able to hold on to the friends who were so dear, but the time had come to push forward.
They stashed their empty water bottles and food wrappers and headed out. The further they traveled the higher in the sky the moon crept, breaking through the lingering clouds, shedding enough illumination to allow them to travel without any artificial light. They followed the creek bed for several hours in silence, trying to ignore the howl of wolves nearby, increasing their pace, but still feeling like the distance between them and the terrifying noise was shrinking.
The sounds made the hairs on the back of Nyla’s neck tingle. She couldn’t tell how close the predators roamed, but as her mind replayed the scene from the highway through the abandoned towns she decided any distance was too close. She would never forget the hunger in the predator’s eyes, the gleam of their long teeth or the absolute lack of fear the wolves had shown for their passing vehicle. Now, they didn’t even have her tiny car for protection.
Nyla stayed close to Ethan as she cautiously walked on, picking up anything that could serve as a weapon for self-defense. She hoped the two wolves they kept hearing were the extent of the pack. The size of the group they had seen on the road would be impossible to escape from or fight off if an encounter occurred.
Another wolf returned the call and the sounds grew closer. Nyla had read that the animals’ sense of smell was highly evolved and feared their group had already been detected and determined to be an acceptable meal.
“I think they caught our scent, they sounds are getting closer,” Nyla said.
“Just keep walking and don’t talk,” Ethan said as he listened to the howling. His mind wandered back to the highway and he felt true fear for the first time in his life.
Soon the howling stopped and the silence made Nyla even more nervous. She could almost feel eyes following their movements. She heard a rustle up ahead and huddled close behind Ethan as he flicked on his light, illuminating the animals. Two large four legged bodies whirled around and disappeared into the brush.
“Here.” Nyla handed each of her friends a sturdy stick about four feet long.
“If they come at us, don’t turn your back to them. If there’s only two maybe we can hold them off,” Ethan added as he took the stick from Nyla’s hand.
Nyla watched as Ethan quickly extracted a knife from his pocket and secured the blade to the end of the stick, making a spear. Just as he finished wrapping the string and tying it off, Nyla spotted the two shapes re-emerging from the shadows, this time from behind.
“Behind us,” she hissed as the group whirled around to meet their enemy.
Ethan tried to shine his light in their eyes, but this time the wolves kept their eyes diverted and began circling the group.
“Huddle up, backs together,” Ethan whispered.
The wolves paced slowly and methodically, moving in closer with each circuit around the group, spacing themselves so the potential meal was sandwiched between them.
“Claire and Jared, stay focused on the animal closest to you no matter what you hear from us. Nyla and I will concentrate on this one. If we lose our focus on one, it will expose our flank. That’s probably their plan—one strikes and the other attacks from behind when everyone’s attention is diverted.”
The moment the words were out, a wolf lunged at Claire, hitting her shoulder, but not causing any major damage. She fell to the ground and rolled out of the way as Jared swung his stick with force, connecting with the animal’s hind quarters. The huge animal fell to the ground, rolled and quickly regained its footing, its nostrils flared as it stared at Jared, shoulders tensed and hatred in its eyes. The fierce canine began to pace, once again closing this distance, but this time with more caution.
Nyla fought the temptation to turn around and go to the aid of her friends and was relieved she repressed the urge when the other wolf bolted toward her and Ethan from the opposite direction. The charge happened so fast she was unable to raise her stick in self-defense, so she dove out of the animal’s path.
The wolf lunged. Ethan dodged the animal’s advance and pivoted to face the angry beast. The wolf landed hard, but kept his footing and whirled around, fury pulsing through its massive body. It paused for only a second before lunging again, but this time Ethan was ready. He swung his blade and made contact, slashing the animal’s shoulder. The wolf fell back with a bellowing yelp and scrambled to its feet.
The smell of blood and high-pitched howl whipped the wolves into a frenzy. Nyla heard a terrifying growl and then a loud thud, so knew Jared had made contact. Her eyes darted to Ethan and she watched in frozen horror as Ethan swung the stick at the charging animal. Its jaws clamped down on the spear with such power that Ethan couldn’t pull the weapon free.
Nyla shook off her momentary paralysis and moved to the side of the distracted animal. She brought her stick down as hard as she could just behind its head. The wolf’s grip loosened and it fell back. Before it could scramble to its feet, Ethan plunged his spear into the writhing beast’s heart.
For a brief moment, all motion froze and silence reigned supreme. As quickly as the terror had started it was over. The other wolf abandoned the attack and disappeared into the darkness. The only sounds to be heard were the ragged breaths of Nyla and her friends as they stared down at the still body, thankful to be alive.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Ruby sat at the small kitchen table and nibbled at her tasteless dinner, wondering if what Claire had said about the mood stabilizing drugs was true. She wasn’t really hungry, but she didn’t know what else to do and she acknowledged that maybe being on a drug-induced even keel had its benefits after all, especially at times like this.
The day had been one horror after another. Even though she had received a continuous flow of bad news throughout the day, she had taken it in stride. The day’s events were tragic, but she believed her loved ones were in a better place. She wasn’t sure if Rachel’s situation had jaded her, dulling her ability to feel, or maybe she was being drugged.
She stared at her meal, t
hinking about the past and Nyla’s future. Ruby was lost in thought when she heard a timid knock on the door and fear filled her mind. She couldn’t imagine who would be calling so late and prayed it wasn’t more bad news—that Nyla had been captured.
Ruby shuffled toward the door and was surprised to see Leah Lynch standing outside. The women of the collective were a bit eccentric and seldom left the farm. Ruby wouldn’t have even recognized her except for the few school functions Leah had attended on behalf of the boys.
“Come in. Sit,” Ruby said as she recovered from the initial shock.
The two women went into the dimly lit living room. Ruby flipped on the radio and took her usual seat and Leah sat on the edge of Nyla’s chair. Ruby knew why Leah had come, but the woman seemed hesitant to talk, so she rocked in her chair while Leah sat with her fingers entwined, staring at them as if seeing her own hands for the first time. Ruby sat patiently, giving Leah time to gather her thoughts and to find silent comfort in the company of someone sharing her concern and grief.
“Can I get you some tea?” Ruby finally offered.
“No, thank you. I can’t stay. I’m sure you know by now they’re gone.”
Ruby nodded and slipped her left hand under her thigh. As long as she had the chip embedded under her skin, she was uncomfortable speaking in her own home.
Leah observed Ruby curiously and followed suit. She slipped her left hand under her thigh and her mind began to race. She hadn’t thought about it before, but with her son’s life at risk, she now saw the authorities in a new light. Living on the farm, it was easy to forget how much control had been wrested from the populace and how little freedom remained.
“Ethan received his donation notice this week.”
“I wondered why they had finally decided to go. Now it makes sense.”
Leah nodded. “I rescheduled the appointment for him, did his and Jared’s chores and lied to Vera all day in an attempt to cover their absence. I know I should feel bad about the dishonesty, but I don’t. They were going to take my boys from me.”
