Jones took a bite of his classic chili mix and shook his head. “We won’t be here that long. Once the second chopper realizes we aren’t coming to meet them, they’ll start the search. We have the members of their Reader program. Hell if they’ll let that slip.”
Keanu nodded. “To top it off, we’ve fulfilled our mission and can return to the bunker.” His eyes found mine. “You shouldn’t worry. They need you. They won’t do anything to harm you.”
He had no idea what they were capable of. But I wasn’t about to stir up any anxiety at our stress-free dinner table.
Biting my tongue, I took a bit of my chili mac-and-cheese and thought about Pike. This meal had been his favorite.
I flashed back to the time Finn and I sat with him around a fire. A smile rose on my face, but as quickly as it did, my mind fast forwarded to his dead body, sprawled on the ground, with a dagger in his chest.
The uncertainty of life. It proved how fragile and fleeting it was. One moment, you could be laughing and eating a meal with friends, and the next, you’re on your back holding on to the last moments of your life.
THE NEXT MORNING, WE BURIED the Arvies and survivors. There were a total of twelve.
Jimenez was taken to the nicest place in the area and buried there. We all gathered around his gravesite as Sergeant Hawkins said a quick prayer. Stevens stepped forward and lightened the mood a bit by telling a funny story about how he and Jimenez met for the first time in the bunker. They had a crush on the same girl, got into a fist fight over her, and found out she didn’t like either one of them. They’d become close friends after that.
The others also shared their first encounters with Jimenez, mostly entertaining and humorous, which released a bit of grief weighing heavily on them.
The entire afternoon was dark with gloom and hot as hell. The air was so thick and humid it was hard to breathe, especially now that we’d all gotten a little ripe after not bathing for days. There were no sounds of choppers, but the soldiers were hopeful we’d be rescued any day.
I was sitting at the dining table with Dr. Simon and Stevens when I heard Chase yell for me.
We all got up and ran to the back bedroom. When we entered the room, Danielle was standing in front of a mirror, staring at herself. Tears streamed down her dirty cheeks, leaving white lines. Tightly clutched against her chest was the bundle.
Chase glanced up at me. “She won’t listen to me and won’t come away from the mirror.”
“Then let her stay. She probably hasn’t seen her reflection in a long time.”
Danielle turned toward me.
“Help,” she whispered.
Everyone was taken aback. It was the first time she’d spoken, and she’d directed it to me. Somehow, it felt as if our minds had connected and I knew exactly what she meant.
I asked Keanu and Jones if they could help me grab the half barrel of water from down in the secret room. We’d used the other half earlier to clean up the blood in the house, but I needed enough to fill up the tub. Keanu and Jones willingly assisted.
Jones found a used bar of soap under the sink, and I found an old washcloth in one of the cupboards. It was dusty, but Danielle was a lot dirtier.
After the tub was full, I helped her get in. The water was cold, but she didn’t seem to mind. It was sweltering in the house anyway.
After making her place her bundle safely on the bathroom counter, I sat for what seemed like hours, and scrubbed. I washed her body until she was clean, finally looking and smelling like a decent human being. Under the layers of dirt was a beautiful young girl with dark blonde hair. Her skin was soft and white, and she appeared to be in her early teens. Maybe fourteen or fifteen.
In my pack, I had an extra pair of pants and a T-shirt. They were a little baggy on her thin frame, but it was much better than the smelly, tattered dress she’d been wearing. Who knew how long she’d worn it for, much less had a bath?
I brushed her long hair and braided it down her back, tying a rubber band around the bottom. It was incredible how she looked like every other typical girl in the bunker. Except she wasn’t. The bite wound on her arm said otherwise. It was healing, and still showed no signs of infection. Her eyes were bright, and there were no changes in vein color.
Danielle closely followed me out of the bathroom, clutching her death bundle to her chest. There was no way I was going to wash that.
As we entered the dining area, Chase’s eyes grew the size of silver dollars.
“Holy crap. She doesn’t even look like the same girl,” he said in my head.
“It took a lot of work.” I smiled, then twisted my head back to her. “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
She nodded with her face aimed at the floor.
“I’ll get her something,” Chase said, jumping up. He ran to the kitchen and started running off the names on the packages. As he called out macaroni and cheese, Danielle looked up at me and nodded.
“She wants the mac and cheese,” I announced. “And, I’ll have the same.”
“Mac and cheese it is,” Chase chimed. “Take a seat ladies. Lunch will be ready in a minute.”
We both sat at the table, but she wouldn’t lift her head to look at me. Keanu came over, wanting to put some medicine and a new bandage over her bite mark, but she flinched away from him.
“It’s alright,” I whispered. “He just wants to look at it.”
She turned her body, shying away from him. I held up my hand, and Keanu handed me the medicine and bandage. As I rubbed the medicine on her bite wound, he watched.
“Looks good,” he said, his eyes turned to me. “You know what it would mean if she is the one who has the cure? We will be heroes for finding her, and with the cure, we'll be able to go fight without worry of getting infected.”
Jones came and sat at the table with his MRE. “If we’d had a cure, every one of our brothers who’d died would still be alive.”
I nodded. “It’s too bad no one knew about the Arvy threat until we came topside. They’re smart, which makes it harder to combat.”
“I don’t know about that.” Jones shook his head. “They must have known. There’s no way that for thirteen years, the government was blind and dumb to the fact there were hundreds of thousands of mutated humans running around topside.”
“I guess. I never thought about it like that before.” I shrugged.
Chase came over with our lunch. Danielle glanced up at him and smiled, then focused on her food. She must have been starving, because in a few minutes, her entire meal was gone.
I hadn’t realized I was staring at her like a dummy.
“Do you want more?” I asked, pushing my food toward her. She put her fork down and shook her head; her arms swooping up the bundle in her lap.
We were lucky she could communicate now, even if it was just a yes and no.
Halfway through my meal, there was a thunderous boom that shook the entire house.
“Something set off the perimeter mines,” Keanu shouted, grabbing his M-16 and running for the door.
Danielle threw her hands over her ears and began rocking back and forth.
“Chase, watch over her,” I yelled, grabbing Hellfire.
As I exited the house, I saw bodies dashing behind a few of the other houses. The ground where the mine went off was painted with crimson. Body parts littered the area. Sarge was yelling orders.
Jones came running toward me, pushing me back inside.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Survivors,” he said.
“Are they friendly?”
“No, hostile,” he said. “Most likely Manics.”
I couldn’t help but think they were coming to take revenge for the two men I’d killed. Gunshots sounded. A stray bullet went through the dining room window, shattering glass everywhere. I raced over to peek outside.
Danielle screamed, still rocking back and forth with her ears covered. Her eyes were clenched shut. “Take her to the back,”
I ordered. He nodded and lifted her as I turned to Jones. “Do you have an extra rifle?”
His brow furrowed. “Sarge has an M24 in his duffle. It’s with him.”
“Sniper rifle?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “You know how to use it?”
I grinned. “I know guns. If you could get it for me, I can help.”
Jones nodded and ran out, dodging bullets. In a few minutes, he was back, duffle in hand.
I grabbed the rifle and set it up on the frame of the shattered window. I had to fire a round to make sure the scope was aligned. Aiming for the tip of one of the survivors’ guns, I took a deep breath and exhaled making the shot. The bullet hit the side of the house, a few inches above its mark. The person holding the gun pulled back and disappeared. One of them yelled unintelligible words; it sounded like they were speaking a different language.
I needed to readjust. A few feet from the building was an old can. I aimed, compensating for the misalignment, and pulled the trigger. The bullet put a hole right through the middle of the can and sent it flying into the air.
Keanu, Stevens, and Jones were behind barriers they’d created, covering each side. Sergeant Hawkins was directly in front of me. It looked like our enemy was a handful of Manics. Maybe six to eight of them, from what I could see.
A bullet ricocheted off the ground near Sergeant Hawkins. It came from the left, so I swung the gun around, trying to find the shooter. As I glanced through the scope, someone shot again. The bullet hit the window frame two feet away from me, splintering the wood.
Whoever was shooting definitely wasn’t a sniper. I watched him duck behind one of the homes.
Bastard. He was my next target.
I aimed, knowing he’d probably try and fire again, and as soon as he stepped around the corner to shoot, I pulled the trigger. My bullet flew, entering his chest. He fell backward.
Jones gave a pained yelp and fell to the side. He’d been shot, but I wasn’t sure where yet.
“Jones!” I tried to get his attention.
His head twisted to me, then pointed in the direction of the shooter. Through the scope, I saw the shooter’s leg. I aimed and fired, hitting my mark. He dropped to the ground, and I immediately took a second shot, which entered his head. His gun fell as he hit the ground.
I wasn’t sure how many were left.
“Cover me,” Sergeant Hawkins yelled.
He was going after Jones.
“Go!” I hollered.
He stood up and ran. A shooter on the right stepped out and aimed.
As soon as I had him in my sight, I fired.
Another one bit the dust.
Sergeant Hawkins reached Jones and pulled him to his feet; wrapping his arm around his waist, he dragged him toward us. It looked like he’d been shot in the chest. The front of the shirt was soaked with blood.
Dr. Simon ran over to the door to help bring him in. They laid him on a blanket and ripped open his shirt.
I heard another gunshot and ran back to the window. Keanu had taken out another Manic, then gestured to Stevens. They both stood and moved toward the other homes. I searched through the scope, but couldn’t see anyone else.
I stayed at the window until they’d finished their sweep.
“Clear,” Stevens yelled.
“Clear on this side too,” Keanu responded. Both of them headed back toward the house.
I placed the rifle on the table and glanced out the window before I headed toward Jones. I saw movement. Fear erupted inside as another shooter started running toward us from the left. Stevens and Keanu hit the dirt as the Manic began shooting his semi-automatic. He was coming fast.
I pulled Hellfire from her holster and fired three shots. That’s what it took to bring the guy down. And all three shots hit their marks. Two in the chest, and one in the middle of the forehead—Hellfire’s signature kill-shot.
Both Steven’s and Keanu looked up at me from the ground. Then they looked at each other and shook their heads.
“I think I’m in love,” Stevens said, rolling to his back.
Keanu laughed. “In love with being alive.”
Stevens turned his head toward Keanu. “She’s a freaking good luck charm. Have you seen anyone who could shoot like that?”
I chuckled, shaking my head at the two lunk-heads, until Jones cried out in pain. “Keanu, Dr. Simon could probably use your help,” I hollered. The two of them jumped up and ran inside. I kept my eyes peeled, making sure there were no other threats outside.
As I glanced over, Jones’ shirt was gone, and Dr. Simon was cleaning his chest with a bottle of water.
Keanu ran to the back to grab his medical kit. He came back so fast, he slid across the floor while opening it. “What am I looking at?”
“Exit wound. Right side, below the rib,” Dr. Simon answered. “My main concern is if it punctured his intestines.”
Jones trembled, his breath quickening. I could tell by the mood in the room, everyone was panicking. Watching Jimenez die less than a day ago had everyone on edge.
Keanu gave Jones a shot of morphine to settle him down. Dr. Simon then helped assess his wound.
“There is no foul odor or pierced organs. It seems to be a clean shot, nothing fatal,” Keanu announced. “He’ll be fine once I seal him up.”
“Yes,” Stevens cheered through gritted teeth. “So, he’ll live?”
“He’ll live,” Keanu replied. “He wiped the wound again, pinching it together, then sprayed something on it. It was similar to the sealing bond Dr. Banks had used on Milton. He then pulled another can from his bag and sprayed it over the top, creating a tight, invisible bandage.
They turned him to his side, where Keanu repeated the same procedure on the entry wound.
As they carried him to the back room and put him on a bed, everyone seemed to exhale in relief. There had been too much loss over the last few days, and we couldn’t afford to lose another soldier. We weren’t only fighting Arvies; we were fighting survivors. This new bit of information had me even more worried about going out on my own.
“How long will it take him to recover?” Stevens asked.
“He should be up and about in a few days.”
“We’re down to three now. Someone’s gonna suffer on watch,” Stevens said.
“I can help until Jones gets better,” I volunteered. “Then it will be two on and two resting.”
Stevens smiled and turned toward Sergeant Hawkins.
Sarge nodded. “You’ve more than proven yourself. We would be honored to have you join our team, for the time being.”
“We should keep her. We’d be invincible.”
I shook my head. “People are still getting injured and killed, even with me here.”
“But it would have been much, much worse. If we hadn’t run into you at the first town, we’d all be dead in the dirt. Not to mention here. But you saved us, yet again,” Stevens added.
“It was nothing,” I said, hoping he’d blow it off.
“You’re wrong. You are special, and I can see with more practice, how you could help end the war with the Arvies.”
I shook my head. It would take much more than just me to defeat the Arvies.
SERGEANT HAWKINS AND STEVENS TOOK the first watch, while Keanu and I slept. Danielle and I shared one of the rooms, Chase and Dr. Simon had another, and Keanu stayed with Jones in the last room, keeping him medicated and making sure he was comfortable.
Chase had offered Danielle his sleeping bag, while he used Jimenez’s. He wasn’t too fond of using a dead man’s things, but it kept him warm all the same.
Danielle wouldn’t lay any further than three inches from me. I kept the flashlight on because it was the only thing that kept her calm. I didn’t blame her. I didn’t like the dark either. It wasn’t long before she passed out and was snoring. I was glad she was able to find sleep, but for me, sleep had become a sought after commodity. I desperately needed it, but it evaded me.
I was t
empted to ask Keanu if he had anything in his medical bag to help, but I didn’t want to be under the influence, especially with our watch coming up. I’d need to be fully alert and aware of everything around me.
Maybe I’d try and take advantage of the fact my mind wouldn’t shut down. I closed my eyes, wondering if I could escape into my mind while still awake. It was worth a try. It wasn’t like I had anything else to do, and it was better than staring at the flashlight’s illumined circle on the ceiling.
I took in a few deep breaths and exhaled slowly, willing my mind to whisk me away. Golden lights strobed behind my lids before everything became bright. I squinted, trying to focus on a solid object around me, but it was as if the sun were shining directly in my eyes.
As I stepped forward, the blinding light dimmed, unveiling a familiar path. My eyes adjusted and everything became crystal clear. I was back in my Garden of Eden.
The flowers seemed extra vibrant, and the trees were flourishing with ripened fruit. Peace washed over me as I walked barefoot across the soft grass. It was like a velvety cushion under my feet.
As much as I loved my garden, I would give it all up to be in Finn’s arms again. God, I missed him. He was probably worried sick, or more likely, mad as hell that I left him without saying a word.
Everything went black. I blinked my eyes, several times, but nothing changed. I was locked in darkness. Panic bubbled up. Had I lost my mind?
Did it need a reboot? How the heck was I supposed to reset my mind?
Before I completely lost it, multicolored lights burst in front of me, like a fireworks show. Colors, in hues I’d never seen before, burst all around me, creating an artful display.
The blasts dissipated and were replaced by holograms of Finn. Tears filled my eyes as his face filled the void around me.
My heart beat quicker, and I felt so happy, vividly remembering the day it was replaying.
We were in our old hive, level ten, in the training room. We were the only two there that day, and I’d finished my target practice early. It was the first time I’d noticed how much he’d changed.
He was pulverizing the punching bag. His shirt was off, his body glistening with sweat. I was in awe of the way his muscles rippled and flexed with every motion. He was perfection.