by Mark Kelly
“Then we’ll set up more clinics like the one Mei organized.”
“Mei told me you barely had the resources for a single clinic. Now, multiply that by five or ten—or fifty.”
“I’ll find a way to make it happen,” Leduc said, defiantly crossing his arms over his chest.
“How? If he lays siege to the base, your already scarce resources will become even more scarce. Let me ask you a question, general. Do you honestly think you would win a battle against his men and still have the resources to make this happen? If your answer is a definitive yes, then I’ll support your decision, whatever it is.”
Simmons saw a flicker of doubt creep into the general’s eyes. For Mei’s sake, and for the sake of everyone who would be affected, he hoped Leduc could see past his own stubbornness.
“Would you at least talk with him, general? Regardless of what happens after that, I’ll support your decision.”
Leduc uncrossed his arms and muttered a single word.
“Yes.”
“Yes, to what? That you’ll entertain a discussion, or that you expect me to support your decision whatever it is?”
“Yes to both,” Leduc said coldly. “I don’t expect to change my mind, but going to war without talking first would be stupid—and I like to think I’m better than that.”
Simmons left the general and dashed back to the gate where Petit Henri was impatiently waiting. “We may be able to figure something out that works for both of us,” he said to the biker leader. “Would you be open to a discussion with the general and I?”
Petit Henri stroked his beard and stared at Simmons. After a few long seconds, he said, “I will talk if you are serious, but I warn you, do not play games with me.”
“We won’t.”
The biker leader nodded his acceptance.
As the gates rolled open, Petit Henri turned and called for one of his men. They talked in French for a moment before the other man returned to his motorcycle. When they finished, Simmons felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Abrams.
“Don’t take too long sorting things out with him,” Abrams whispered.
“Why?”
“My French isn’t the best, but I think that big bastard just said something to the effect of, ‘If you don’t hear from me in three hours, kill the doctor, then take fifty men to the nearest town and kill everyone there.’”
Simmons nodded. No pressure, none at all.
With Petit Henri’s Harley rumbling behind him, he turned and jogged up the road to the jeep. Emma ran out to greet him.
“What’s going on? Is everything okay, Professor Simmons?”
Shit…He’d completely forgotten about her and Saanvi. “Everything’s fine,” he said, “but I have business to take care of. You two will have to walk back to the house.”
“Sure, but—”
“And Emma, make sure Saanvi gets home safely, okay?”
“I will, but what’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you later,” he said, turning and running to the general’s jeep.
“Ready?” Leduc asked as Simmons hopped in the back seat and slammed the door shut.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go.”
31
There already is a cure
As the jeep drove away, Emma wondered what was happening. She knew a few things for certain: Professor Simmons had made some kind of discovery with his pills, and Mei was still alive.
But where did the bikers take Mei, and who was that girl she was looking after? Was that the biker leader’s daughter—or maybe his girlfriend? Emma cringed at the thought.
“Hey, watch it,” she shouted as a much larger soldier accidentally backed into her. He turned and gave her a quick apology, but she felt herself being jostled again. This time by a different soldier, and then another.
She’d been so busy eavesdropping, she hadn’t noticed the crowd gathering outside the guardhouse. Geez, pretty soon, everyone on the base will be here.
“Come on,” she said, grabbing Saanvi by the hand and dragging her away. “Let’s find somewhere else where we can still watch the bikers without being pushed around by a bunch of bozos.”
“Do you think it’s true?” she asked Saanvi when they reached the other side of the guardhouse. “Do you think Professor Simmons really found a cure? I think it would be amazing. Imagine being able to tell your kids you were there when a cure for the bug was discovered.”
“There already is a cure,” Saanvi snapped, “or have you forgotten?”
“Do you mean you?” Emma asked, surprised by the bitterness in Saanvi’s voice. “Sure, I guess that’s true, but this is a real cure made from pills and stuff. Besides, this would be extra amazing—especially for you because you wouldn’t have to do all the stuff they ask you to do anymore, right?”
“I’m used to it now,” Saanvi replied, “but if I didn’t have to do it, that would be okay too. It’s no big deal either way.”
“No big deal? What are you talking about? It’s totally a big deal. You’ve been complaining about it for months.”
“I have not,” Saanvi replied angrily. “And for the record, I don’t need you or anyone else babysitting me like I’m a child.”
Confused by Saanvi’s sudden anger, Emma gazed at her friend. “What’s the matter? Are you mad because Professor Simmons told me to look after you? You know he didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I’m mad because I don’t like being treated like a thing, but I guess I won’t have to worry about that anymore—especially now that there’s a real cure as you so kindly pointed out.”
Irritated by Saanvi’s childish behaviour, Emma crossed her arms and stared at the bikers who weren’t doing much except standing in small groups smoking cigarettes and talking. Every once in awhile, one of them would cast a furtive glance at the soldiers on the other side of the guardhouse.
“This is D-U-L-L,” she said after a while. She turned to Saanvi. “Do you want to come with me to the south gate? Brandon and his dad are bringing a load of corn for the professor’s still. We can tell them the news. I’ll bet they don’t even know the bikers kidnapped Mei, and for sure they don’t know about Professor Simmons’s new cure.”
“No, thank you,” Saanvi said in a tight voice.
“Then what are you going to do?” Emma asked.
“I’m staying here.”
“By yourself?”
“Maybe I’ll go down to the fence near the barracks and see if Alisha is there.”
“Who’s Alisha?”
“Just a girl. She lives outside town.”
Emma wrinkled her nose and frowned. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but the people who hung around outside the base were dirty and lazy, and Brandon’s father had even said that most of them were thieves too who would rob you blind if they got a chance.
“You’re friends with one of them?”
Saanvi stiffened. “It’s none of your business who I’m friends with, but for your information, she’s not one of them. Alisha lives in a camp in the forest near the base. She’s trying to make the world a better place, unlike some people I know who just blab their mouth without knowing what they’re talking about.”
Stunned by Saanvi’s nasty words, Emma’s voice cracked. “I’m sorry if I said something to upset you. Why are you being so mean to me?”
“I’m not being mean to you. I just don’t know why you think you’re so high and mighty, because you’re not. You’re just lucky. If it wasn’t for me, none of you would be alive.”
“I said I was sorry,” Emma shouted. “And you’re the one who is being so high and mighty.”
“Just shut up,” Saanvi screamed back at her. “Why don’t you go see your stupid boyfriend and leave me alone.”
“Maybe I will.”
“Then do it!”
“Grow up!” Emma shouted at the back of Saanvi’s head as she stomped away. “And if you do decide to grow up, I’m going to be at the south gate talking to people w
ho don’t behave like spoiled children.”
32
I want to leave
Tears running down her face, Saanvi stared at the ground, listening to Emma yell at her. She wanted to turn and say she was sorry, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t apologize for feeling the way she felt, for feeling so alone and used that all she wanted to do was cut herself. A hundred little cuts, each one taking back a tiny piece of the life she had lost locked up on the base, each one making her feel alive again. She stood alone, crying softly to herself for what seemed like forever.
“Hi, Saanvi.”
Saanvi lifted her head. She wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand and tried to look brave. Alisha and Daphne, two of the girls from what Professor Simmons called the Sun Cult Crazies, were standing a few feet away on the other side of the fence. They each had a backpack slung over their shoulders.
Saanvi didn’t know Daphne very well, but Alisha was a friend, or at least friendly. They had met by the gate a few times over the last month to share stories and gossip. Alisha was older, smart, confident…free—everything Saanvi wanted to be.
“What’s the matter? Are you okay?” Alisha asked, her brow creased with worry.
“I hate it here,” Saanvi said. “I want to leave.” She spoke the words quickly so there was no taking them back.
“Don’t they need you?”
“Not anymore.” She told Alisha about the pills Professor Simmons had made. As she did, the bitterness crept back in to her voice. “I’m disposable now. I’ve served my purpose. No one will miss me.”
“Don’t say that,” Alisha said gently. “I’m sure lots of people will miss you. Why do you want to leave? I bet it’s a lot nicer on that side of the fence.”
“Nice? It’s a jail and everyone treats me like a child.”
“Yeah—a jail with food every day and soldiers to protect you.” The snide comment came from Daphne, who stared at Saanvi with cold unfriendly eyes. “Girl, you don’t know what you have. Even with your special little gift, you’d never last a minute out here in the real world.”
Saanvi didn’t need to be reminded about her special little gift—not by anyone, and certainly not by Daphne. She put her hands on her hips and said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I do so know how to take care of myself. I was in India when the pandemic started, then I went to America and now, I’m here.”
Daphne raised an eyebrow. “You made it here all by yourself?”
Saanvi hesitated. She debated lying, but who would believe she could make it this far on her own. “Of course not. No one travels alone, not anymore.”
“Hmmph…I rest my case. You wouldn’t last a day out here by yourself,” Daphne said with a snicker. She turned to Alisha. “I don’t care if she comes to stay with us, but I’m not looking after her. She’s your problem.”
“I won’t be a problem.”
Daphne snickered again. She held out her hand and motioned at Alisha to hand her the other pack. “You can stay here and look after Little Miss Muffet if you want, but I’m going into town to trade for supplies. I’ll meet you back at the cabin tonight—hopefully without her.” Daphne threw the pack Alisha handed her over her other shoulder and sneered at Saanvi one last time before walking away.
“Don’t pay any attention to her,” Alisha said when Daphne was out of earshot. “She’s been angry since Ethan took off.”
“Ethan’s gone?”
Alisha nodded.
Saanvi was more than a little pleased at the news. Ethan was a creepy little man with beady black eyes who reminded her of the pervert who used to sit on a bench in the park next to her primary school in Southall. Every time she saw Ethan, he had a hungry look in his eyes, like he wanted to devour her. He called her Ushas, goddess of the dawn, and told her she could help him remake the world if she joined his community. At first she was flattered, but something in the way Alisha looked at her whenever Ethan was with them made her wary.
“Where did he go?”
“Down south,” Alisha said. “I don’t know exactly where. He left a few days ago. Everyone went with him except for me and Daphne.”
“Why didn’t you go too?”
Alisha shrugged. “This is home now. It’s not much, but it’s all we have. We worked too hard fixing up the cabin and starting a life here to just walk away from it.” She gave Saanvi a funny look, then opened and closed her mouth.
“What?”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but you’re a big part of the reason why he left. That’s why Daphne has a hate on for you.”
“Me? That’s crazy. What did I ever do to her?”
“Nothing, but when you wouldn’t leave the base and join us, Ethan became angry. He said it was stupid for us to stay here, that the world was against us, that we wouldn’t survive both the winter and the pandemic. That’s why he packed everything up and took everyone down south.”
“What about you?” Saanvi asked, worried it wasn’t just Daphne who was angry at her. “Are you mad too?”
“No, of course not. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care about being immunized against the bug, but I think because you stayed on the base, you were able to help a lot of people. But you know Daphne’s right, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s hard living out here. Are you sure you want to leave? What about the people you could help if you stayed on the base?”
“With the pills, they won’t need my help anymore,” Saanvi said, feeling sorry for herself as she thought about it. “And if they ever did need me again, I wouldn’t be very far away, right?”
“Not too far. The cabin is a two-hour walk from here.”
“Two hours! That’s crazy!”
“It’s not that bad,” Alisha said defensively. “Being remote has its good points. When you live near people, you have to constantly be on guard. Do you know what I mean?”
Saanvi nodded, but the truth was, she didn’t know, not really. In all the months since she’d left England, she had always had someone looking after her. In India, it had been her aunt and uncle and Dishita and her brother. Then Gong and Lucia and Mei after they rescued her from the school in Washington. Even Emma, Professor Simmons, and General Leduc had done their part. But not anymore. It was time for her to start taking care of herself.
“Can we go right now?” she asked eagerly.
“Now?” Alisha raised an eyebrow. “I should go into town and help Daphne.”
“Do you have to? Didn’t she say she would meet you back at the cabin?”
“She did, but she was angry. Can you wait until tomorrow?”
Afraid she would lose her nerve if she didn’t leave right away, Saanvi lied. “Professor Simmons wants to run a bunch of tests on me. If I stay, I won’t be able to leave for a month and I really want to go with you now. Please…”
Alisha hesitated, and Saanvi was certain she would say no.
“I guess it would be okay,” Alisha said reluctantly, “but you’ll need to bring spare clothing and a sleeping bag. Oh, and if you can get your hands on extra food or supplies that would be great too.”
Saanvi grinned from ear to ear. “I can do that. We have tons of food in the house. I’ll go and get it and pack right now. It won’t take me very long.”
Alisha glanced at her watch. “Be quick about it. There’s a hole in the fence behind the main barracks that the soldiers use to sneak off base. You can use it too, but you’ll have to be careful. The guard patrol makes its rounds every half hour. If you see them, stay away. I’ll be waiting for you on the other side of the fence.”
An hour later, Saanvi stood by the side of the barracks with her back against the brick wall. She was late and the gold hoops dangling from her ears were the reason. The earrings were all that remained from her life before the pandemic. She had forgotten them and gone back to get them.
She poked her head out to look. When she didn’t see Alisha, her heart sank. “Blood
y stupid cow. That’s what I am. Maybe I should just go back home.”
She was about to give up and return to the house when Alisha popped out of the forest and waved at her. “Hurry. You’ve got to hurry before they see you.”
Exhilarated, Saanvi grabbed her pack and dashed to where Alisha crouched by the fence.
“You’re late,” Alisha said with a pinched expression. “I’ve been waiting for almost an hour. You’re lucky the patrol didn’t catch you. Last chance….are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’m positive.”
“Then let’s go before they see us.” She held up an unfastened piece of the chain-link fence so Saanvi could crawl beneath it.
When she reached the other side, Saanvi lifted her pack off the ground and threw it over her shoulder. It seemed weightless—like someone had emptied it and filled it with air. She felt the same inside and giggled with excitement. For the first time in months, she was free.
33
Bad weather
Petit Henri and General Leduc sat at either end of the long table, glaring at each other like a pair of prize fighters. Simmons counted himself lucky discussions between the two men had been frosty but civil.
Unfortunately, his luck was about to come to an end. For the last half-hour, they had been stuck on a single point, the allowable markup per pill. Leduc insisted it be capped, and Petit Henri refused to accept that condition.
The biker leader removed an antique gold watch from the front pocket of his leather vest. He glanced at it and said, “General, you have fifty-two minutes.”
“Until what?”
“Until the doctor dies and my men visit the nearest town.”
Bristling at the ultimatum, Leduc gave the biker leader a steely look. “You’re a big man, with an even bigger mouth. Don’t threaten me or you’ll find yourself on the wrong side of a room lined with bars.”
“It would be a short stay, General. My men will do what I’ve asked of them, then they will come here to retrieve me. And after that occurs, it would be you behind bars—or perhaps worse.”