There’s not much conversation after that as we move onto the main highway and the truck wheels eat up the miles. We’re following the same route that the troop transports had driven us over yesterday - towards where the fields are and we are almost there when Jackson slows the truck down and stops in the middle of the road. He reaches into the glovebox, pulls out a pair of binoculars and hops out of the truck.
Marsh and I watch from the back seat as he scans the road in both directions before quickly jumping back into the truck, putting it in gear and flooring it up the exit ramp that we stopped beside. He keeps the pedal down and moves us quickly away from the highway until we enter a section covered in trees and then he slows us down to a safer speed.
Marsh and I are both leaning forward, eager to see where he’s taking us but all I see ahead is more trees so I ask, “Where is this place we’re headed to?”
He gives a snort of laughter. “Seeing is believing my friend! When she brought me here yesterday, I thought she was crazy but after looking around the location I think she’s a genius. You’ll see soon enough, it’s not much further from here.”
Twenty minutes later I see the first sign for a hotel resort ahead and can’t help the groan that escapes me. If that’s where Jackson’s taking us we’re going to have a problem. The last hotel we went to was traumatic, to say the least. He shoots me a quick look but doesn’t comment on my groan or the sigh of relief that escapes me when we pass the entrance to the resort. Two miles later he finally turns off the road and what opens up in front of us when we leave the trees makes me laugh out loud.
Marsh must feel the same because he lets out a full-blown laugh. “Dude, we’re going to Sleepaway Camp!”
Jackson drives the truck through the open log gates and pulls up in front of the biggest building. He turns to us in amusement. “Welcome to your new home, boys. I hope you like it because it’s all you got to work with right now. Come on, let’s get this stuff unloaded. Joslin wants us to do at least two more runs today.”
We all exit the truck and I scan the camp in every direction, looking the buildings over but more importantly, the wall that surrounds it. I turn and look to Marsh and see the gleam in his eyes at what he sees too. This could work. This could work well. I have to hand it to that Joslin girl. For someone who spent the last seven years in a bunker, she really nailed it with this location for a new, defensible home. She is pretty smart. I have to wonder what else she has up her sleeve.
Chapter Thirteen … Skylar
I groggily open my eyes and have to blink them a few times to ease away the blur of sleep. They’re not nearly as sore as they were when I laid down last night but they still feel puffy. The first thing I see is Ben and Matty on the cot across from me playing some kind of card game. I roll my head slightly to look around but there’s no sign of Rex. What I do see is Lance sitting on the next cot over, leaned over with his elbows on his knees and his eyes fixed on the ground between his feet deep in thought. I try and push myself up into a sitting position, causing an involuntary moan to escape me at the ache in every single one of my muscles. I can’t remember ever hurting like this in my whole life.
The noise alerts the two boys who send me grins. “Morning Skylar, you sure did sleep lots! It’s almost lunchtime.” Ben tells me.
I manage to get myself in a sitting position with my feet firmly on the floor and catch Lance’s eyes when he looks up. He gives me a sympathetic grin and then turns and calls for Ethan. I follow his line of sight and see his partner further into the tent handing out pain pills like candy. Right now, I desperately want some of that candy for myself so I sigh with relief when he turns and heads my way.
“Skylar, how are you feeling? Sore? Achy?”
My mouth and throat are bone dry so I just nod my head wearily. Even that little bit of motion hurts and it feels like my neck is nothing but a thin stem holding up a very heavy bowling ball. He pats my shoulder and hands me three of the painkillers and a bottle of water that he brings out from underneath my cot.
“Your morning rations are under there too, Skylar. Just take it easy today give your body a chance to heal and rest.”
As soon as I’ve downed the pills and half of the bottle of water I ask him, “What’s going on? Are we not going to work today?”
“No, the doctor convinced the General that none of you would be able to make it through another day like yesterday so he’s agreed that everyone out here in the tents will be given the next few days off for their bodies to heal and acclimatize to the work. The trucks did go out this morning but they were filled with soldiers, not our people.”
I nod in relief and take another look around at all the people who are lounging on their cots or sitting on the floor leaning against them. I see a lot of familiar faces but two come up missing.
“Where’s Rex and Marsh?” I ask him in concern.
His brow furrows in worry. “I really don’t know where they went. The General’s son, Jackson, came in first thing this morning and asked them if they were feeling up to helping him with a side project. They both agreed to go with him. I think they were hoping they’d be able to get some more information out of him or maybe build some kind of bond with him that might help us in the future. They’ve been gone for over four hours now and I’m starting to get a little worried.”
I’d like to know where they went too but based on some of the things I learned from Joslin yesterday this might be to our benefit so I give him a reassuring smile. “I don’t think you should worry Ethan. I’ve talked a little bit with Jackson and he seems like a pretty decent guy. He’s not real happy with the way his father is running things so I don’t think he’d do anything to put them in jeopardy.”
I don’t say anything else to him about what I’ve learned or what I hope the boys are up to. Joslin never said that Jackson was a part of her plans even if they always seem to be together. It’s better to wait until they get back and we hear what they’ve been up to before I tell them all some of the things that Joslin had shared with me. Besides, there’s way too many ears around us right now to keep anything on the down low.
Instead, I just thank him for the pain relievers and lay back down for twenty minutes to let them kick in before I attempt to move around again. Once the aches ease a bit, I roll off my cot and start doing some light stretching to try and get my muscles warmed up. My body’s feeling slightly better but my hands are a lost cause, wrapped up in bandages the way they are. After making sure that Lance is going to watch over the boys I head to the flaps and ask the guard permission to use the restroom. He waves his hand at the flap so I slide out and take a look around. The cleared area inside the fence is quiet with not a lot of people around at this time of day. I look over and see that all the troop transport trucks are missing from where they line up to park and assume that the majority of the soldiers are out in the fields where we were working yesterday. I smirk to myself, let them enjoy a day of hard labor and see how they like it.
After I finish using the facilities of the temporary porta-potties, I’m about to head back to the tent when I hear a scuffle coming from around the corner. I only pause for a second before deciding it’s not my business and take another step away when I hear the sound of flesh striking flesh and a cry that I recognize. I spin on my heel and take quick strides around the side of the porta-potties and see Sasha with her arm being gripped by one of the soldiers. From the red mark on her cheek, it’s clear that he slapped her, I just don’t know why - so I make it my business after all.
“What are you doing? Let go of her!” I snap at the man.
He barely glances my way before giving her arm another shake. “This is none of your concern. Go back to the tent!”
My tone is practically a growl when I say, “You’re wrong! This is my business, she’s a good friend of mine and I don’t think she wants to be here with you any longer so why don’t you just let her go and both of us will go back to the tent.”
He turns to me with a furiou
s scowl on his face and takes three menacing steps towards me, dragging Sasha along with him. I back up, matching the soldier step for step until we’re back out into the opening in front of the porta-potties and in clear view of the tent. Even though I’m backing away from him as he’s coming at me, his strides are longer than mine and he closes the gap quickly and raises his hand like he’s about to slap me.
My hands are next to useless so I go to the other weapons that I have, kicking him in the shin as hard as I can with my heavy boot and when he leans over in pain, following up with my pointy elbow into his throat. I think he’s more surprised that I dared to strike him than hurt because he quickly recovers and gives me a hard shove, causing me to fall on my butt. He had dropped Sasha’s arm when I kicked him so now he has his hands free to draw his handgun and point it at me.
The soldiers guarding the tents must have seen me kicking and hitting their friend because two of them rush over towards us and unsling their rifles and point them in my direction. I slowly climb to my feet looking at all three of them in contempt while holding out my bandaged hands.
My voice is filled with scorn when I say, “Oh thank goodness you came to protect your friend with your big bad guns from the broken, damaged little girl! Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t you be protecting us girls from bad men like him? Is this why you enlisted in the military, so you can smack around young girls and then threaten them with weapons?”
I’m pleased to see one of the new arrivals immediately drop the barrel of his rifle to point at the ground and look away in shame but his partner just smirks and looks me up and down in a way that makes my skin crawl.
“Does it really matter why we enlisted before the apocalypse? That was then, this is now and in case you haven’t noticed, now is when the strong survive and they do that by taking what they want when they want it. You might want to consider that in the future sweetheart, before you start attacking us. Trust me you won’t like where it gets you. Now, why don’t you go back to your tent and leave your friend here with us.” He lets out a cold laugh. “Don’t be jealous, I’m sure your turn will come soon enough.”
An angry voice rings out and we all turn and see Jackson heading our way.
“Leave them alone, Matthias!”
I keep my relief to myself but it dries up pretty quick at the response of two of the soldiers. The one who had lowered his gun simply turns and walks back to the tents deciding not to stick around to see what’s about to happen. But the one who threatened me does nothing but smirk and roll his eyes.
“What do you want, Jackson? This is none of your business.”
Jackson finally reaches us and looks Sasha and me over in concern before turning to face the soldier called Matthias.
“I’m sure my father would disagree that it’s not his business considering the girl you’re threatening is his goddaughter.”
A flash of uncertainty crosses Matthias’ face before it falls back into a scowl.
“Really? Well if he was so concerned for her well-being, what is she doing out here instead of inside. I think we both know your father doesn’t care what we do with these people as long as the crops get planted and then harvested.”
Jackson feigns indifference. “Maybe my father doesn’t care but you should keep in mind that Skylar’s been living in this bunker for the last seven years with total control over AIRIA. AIRIA might be a computer but she’s also an AI so she might have something to say about you causing harm to Skylar.”
Right then, the voice of my long-term companion floods out from the communicator he has attached to his belt.
“Jackson Mallor and Skylar Ross, please take three steps to your left.”
We immediately follow her instructions and move away but all eyes are pulled to the rock wall above the tents when we hear a mechanical noise coming from that direction. My jaw drops open in complete surprise when I see what looks like gun ports opening and massive rifle barrels slide out. The three huge barrels track around the area for a second before each one of them comes to rest pointing at Matthias. I want to giggle in glee for a split second when I think I’ve got my AIRIA back but when I follow Jackson’s line of sight and see the girl, Joslin, standing there with a tablet in her hands speaking into it with Rex and Marsh standing behind her - I know I’m wrong. I realize AIRIA is not doing this to protect me but just following Joslin’s orders. I look away from her back to the gun ports in disappointment and wish desperately to have control of AIRIA for just five minutes so I can ask her all the questions I have about external defenses and drones that I had no idea she had to deploy. But I know in my heart that I’ll never speak to her again.
Matthias drops his rifle on to his sling and the soldier that was harassing Sasha quickly holsters his handgun. They start to back away but not without staring daggers at Jackson.
Matthias takes a parting shot at Jackson by saying, “Just keep in mind Jackson, we’re not always going to be around where your pet robot can fight your battles for you. Eventually, you’re going to find yourself far away from your father and that computer, surrounded by real men doing real work and then we’ll see what you’re made of.”
Jackson doesn’t respond to the taunt, he just keeps his expression hard until they turn and walk away and then turns to Sasha and me with concern.
“Are you guys okay? Did they hurt you? Did we stop them in time?”
Sasha gushes her thanks to him but I just ignore him and look over his shoulder meeting Joslin’s eyes with a hard look. This was lucky timing on their part to show up before something serious happened but it won’t be long before they’re not around when we really need them. Whatever she’s planning it needs to happen and it needs to happen soon. As if she had read my mind, she gives me a sharp nod and mouths the word “soon” towards me before walking away. I look up at the rock wall and watch as the rifle barrels reverse back into their openings and the fake rock covers slide back over the holes like they were never there in the first place. I sigh and head back towards the tent where Rex and Marsh are waiting. As much as I want to know more about the guns and the plan, I know it’s just two more things that I now have no control over.
Chapter Fourteen … Joslin
I rub my tired eyes as I scan through the lists on my tablet. I feel like I’ve been running since the minute we arrived here. After so many years of waiting to implement my plans, I’m slightly overwhelmed at the sheer amount of work that has needed to be done in the last few days to make all the dominoes fall perfectly. AIRIA was my lifeline in the east bunker and without the access I have to her none of this would be possible, but her voice is a constant drone in my ear as I try and monitor all the players in the game I’m playing, making me want to rip the wireless earpiece out of my ear and toss it across the room.
I lean back away from my desk and close my eyes to give them a rest as I mentally go through the checklist of all that I’ve done and what still needs to be done. The most important chess move I’ve made was completed within an hour of me entering this bunker for the first time when I uploaded the new coding I had created into AIRIA’s core. Once that took effect, everything else was just logistics, lots of detailed logistics. Having Jackson on my side and willing to help let me achieve more than I thought I would be able to. With the three loads of supplies he managed to transport to the summer camp we will have a serious shot at not only surviving but even thriving there. With less than twenty-four hours to go before my plan engages, I’m hoping he’ll be able to take two more loads minimum tomorrow before things step off.
I wearily open my eyes and turn my head to take in the rows of laptops, tablets and hard drives that I have set up on shelves across from my desk. They’ve been downloading content from AIRIA for the past three days and I estimate it will be complete by morning. I reach up and wrap one of my springy black curls around my index finger and give it a yank trying to get my brain back on track. There are so many things that I want to take from this place when I leave and I
’m afraid there will be so many things that I’ll forget. I give a soft sigh and lean back towards my tablet to go over my list one more time before I make the call to Skylar. All I can do is hope that I’ve pulled all the most important information and pray that I didn’t miss something that will mean life or death down the road. I take a quick peek at the clock on the wall and see that I’m scheduled to make contact with Skylar in ten minutes. At this stage of the game, there’s no way I could sit down and speak with her privately without someone being alerted to it so I had Jackson pass her a communicator along with a couple of earpieces so that we could have a private conversation. There are very important steps that need to be taken tomorrow evening when the plan kicks off and I need her and her people to be in certain places ready to do certain things.
The alarm I set for myself goes off when the ten minutes are up and I close out the files containing my lists. I glance at my door to reassure myself that it’s still shut and locked.
“AIRIA, please monitor the hallway outside my office and alert me if anyone passes by. It’s late so I’m not really worried about being overheard as most of the staff will be getting ready for lights out in the main barracks or officer quarters but now’s not the time to get sloppy.”
I had set the communicator Jackson gave to Skylar to vibrate to alert her and I can only hope she’s smart enough to find a way to hide our communication. My earpiece comes alive with her whispered voice.
“This is Skylar and Lance is listening in as well.”
That’s good, a second set of ears to hear my instructions will hopefully make sure no mistakes are made.
“Skylar, Lance, please tell me that you’re concealed right now and no one can overhear you speaking to me.”
“Well, considering we’re surrounded by at least fifty people, I’m doing the best I can.” Her sarcastic whisper comes through just fine. “I’m lying on my cot with the blanket over my head and Lance is leaning against it on the floor. All the people we trust are surrounding us so it’s the best we can do to create a barrier between us and everyone else in the tent.”
Endless Winter Box Set: Books 1 - 4 Page 49