Rebel Nation

by Shaunta Grimes

  Alex and Maggie were taking the very youngest Foster City kids with them and Bethany, who would not leave her brothers. Emmy was staying with them. Phire wouldn’t consider sending her to New Boulder alone or separating from the Freaks himself. That was the most Alex could do for now. At least they would know what had happened in Virginia City and could pass the word along through Frank.

  West pushed one more blanket into the back of the station wagon and slammed the hatch closed. They had five vehicles—the cars that James and Kingston had come to Virginia City in, Waverly’s van, and the station wagon and car that Christopher had retrofitted for biofuel at the ranch.

  West was going to have to talk to his dad about speed. James drove like the devil was chasing him, and the others wouldn’t be able to keep up. He needed to see the New Boulder people off, as well.

  He walked with Leanne to the New Boulder vans. They were such a cohesive group. “Alex,” he said as he approached. “You look ready to go.”

  Alex nodded and looked back over his group. “Frank’s meeting us with fuel.”

  Each of the vans had enough gas cans to hold thirty gallons of fuel. Between those and full tanks, they’d just make the thousand-mile trip.

  “Be safe,” Leanne said. They hugged. West wasn’t sure exactly what their relationship had been when they were kids in the internment camp and afterward, when they’d escaped the virus together. Maybe she’d tell him the story someday.

  “We will.” Alex hesitated a second. “How can we reach you?”

  “You won’t be able to, unless we can tap into a wireless modem wherever we end up.” West ran a hand through his hair. “We’ll reach out to you, when we can. I’m sorry you came all this way, just to turn around and go back.”

  “It’s not your fault. This thing,” Alex said. “It’s bigger than you and us, you know?”

  “I know.”

  “What you do next matters. You need to know that, too. It’s not just you guys and us, it’s the people who send those letters Melissa brings you. They risk their lives to post those notices in the classifieds about their secret meetings.”

  That feeling, like he had the weight of the world sitting on his chest, was back, making it impossible to take a solid breath. “Yeah, I know all that, too.”

  “Good.”

  Maggie came toward them, directly to Leanne. They hugged for a long moment. When she finally pulled away, she said, “I can’t stand saying good-bye to you again.”

  “It won’t be for so long this time.” Leanne put a hand on Maggie’s stomach and smiled. “Go home. I need to know you and this baby are safe.”

  “You’re going to be okay, you know,” Maggie said, putting a hand over Leanne’s. “Waverly knew it.”

  “Waverly couldn’t have known it,” West said. “He’s not around to know it.”

  Maggie nodded. “He had faith, though. And so do we.”

  Great. “Thank you for showing up. It meant a lot.”

  “I think we needed you more than you needed us,” Alex said. “We needed to see that this is real, and we did. You’re not alone, West. Hang in there. And be careful.”

  West stood with Leanne and watched until the vans were out of sight. She moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face between his shoulder blades.

  “It’s time for us to get on the road,” he said.

  “It’ll be dark soon.” Leanne inhaled and tightened her arms around him, then let go and came around to look up at him. “Maybe we should wait until morning.”

  “No. I want these kids out of Virginia City.” He turned and looked back toward the schoolhouse where their vehicles were fueled up, packed up, and ready to go. They’d only get as far as a tank of fuel in each vehicle, plus the cans they carried in the trailer, would take them. Hopefully, it would be far enough. “We need to get Clover away from Bennett.”

  “He won’t stop looking,” Leanne said. “I don’t know why she’s so important to him, but he’s fixated on her.” West started toward the vehicles. “Let’s go.”

  —

  Clover sat behind the wheel of the little white car. Mango was in the backseat and Jude sat next to her. She watched West go from vehicle to vehicle, counting heads. He’d packed her car full of supplies so that she wouldn’t have to deal with any other passengers.

  “If you’re thinking about taking off without me,” Jude said, “it won’t work.”

  It would, but she didn’t bother to argue with him. She turned the key in the ignition and felt a little thrill when the engine turned over.

  “Look at me, Clover.”

  “If I go back to the city, Bennett will stop looking for you guys. He doesn’t care about you.”

  Jude laughed and Clover finally did look at him.

  “You’re so full of yourself,” he said.

  That stung. “I am not.”

  “Do you think that the Company is just going to let an executioner, the headmaster, a Messenger trainer, and four whole houses’ worth of Foster City kids walk away? We’re the rebellion. Bennett won’t stop looking for us, no matter what you do or what he promises.”

  Clover turned back to the windshield when she heard her father’s car take off in front of her. She followed, both hands on the wheel, holding tight enough to make her knuckles white.

  “Did you tell West?” she asked.

  “No.” Jude turned sideways in his seat. “He’s got enough to worry about. You’re not going anywhere near the city. There’s no reason to upset your brother right now. He’s got enough going on.”

  Maybe she should promise him that she’d changed her mind. She was a terrible liar, though, and she was sure he wouldn’t believe her even if she tried. That West hadn’t already confronted her was a sign of how right Jude was about her brother’s preoccupation.

  She didn’t let herself think about how her leaving would affect West. She was about to break his heart. They were at war, though. She’d rather break his heart than let Bennett kill him. And he would. If he didn’t get what he wanted, he would.

  She needed West alive. The whole rebellion needed him alive. She had to focus on that.

  They drove south in a single-file line. West first, in the van, then James in his car, Clover in hers, and Christopher bringing up the rear in the station wagon. Mr. Kingston drove his Company car, alone because West didn’t trust him with any of the kids, just in front of James. They needed the supplies they could pack in his car, and no one else knew how to drive. They’d given him what they could afford to lose, extra blankets and clothes mostly, in case he got away. The sun was low; it wasn’t dark enough for Clover to need to put on her headlights, but it would be within the hour.

  She could have left while the others were packing the vehicles. She had a bicycle picked out, with a child trailer that would have fit Mango perfectly. The problem was that West or Jude, or both, would have realized she was gone before she could even get down the mountain. They’d just drive down and pick her up like a naughty child.

  “What are you planning?” Jude asked.

  “I’m just driving.” Driving, and counting on West to stop when it got dark. She knew him, better than she knew anyone else on earth. He wouldn’t take any extra risks, like driving after dark. Or letting her and Christopher risk that. She figured they’d get to Carson City just as dusk got heavy enough to require headlights. West would stop there, find a place for them to spend the night, and wait for the sun to come up again.

  “I want you to listen to me,” Jude said. It wasn’t like she had a choice. She couldn’t cover her ears and drive at the same time.

  “I’m listening.”

  “I will not forgive you if you leave this group without me.”

  He was serious, and Clover’s heart tightened. She hated the idea of hurting him. She hated the idea of Bennett shooting h
im even more. “Bennett won’t hurt me. He needs me.”

  “We can make him believe that he needs me, too.”

  She shook her head. “You’re not autistic. You’re—”

  “I’m what you need to be functional.” Jude shrugged when Clover looked at him. “It doesn’t matter that it isn’t true. He saw you melt down back there. We’ll convince him that you’re not going to be any good to him if I’m not with you. Tell him he doesn’t get you without me and Mango.”

  She started to argue with him, but nothing convincing came to her. It made things worse to know that it might actually be true. Mango might not be enough to keep her balanced. The rebellion needed West, but she—she needed Jude. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “I’m pretty sure West is going to stop in Carson City. He’s not going to risk traveling through the night. We’ll wait until everyone is asleep, then we’ll go.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  They drove in silence the rest of the way to Carson City. She could feel Jude working through what she’d said, making plans, trying to figure out how they were going to pull this off without getting themselves killed.

  Five minutes after she turned on her headlights, West pulled into the parking lot of a small motel. She parked next to him and looked over at Jude. “I told you.”

  Jude made a noise and nodded as Christopher pulled into the spot next to hers. They wouldn’t be able to stay in the parking lot. Chances that anyone might drive through Carson City were slim—but not non-existent.

  An hour later, they’d parked the vehicles so that they looked like they belonged to the abandoned houses behind the motel. There was discussion about just staying in one of the houses—but the decision was finally made to take rooms on the third floor of the Carson Inn. They’d have a better view of the highway from up there.

  “You’re not sharing a room with Jude,” West said to her after they’d eaten and the youngest kids were asleep.

  Clover looked up at him. He looked so tired. What was he going to think when he woke up in the morning and found her gone? How was he going to feel? How would she feel, if he abandoned her?

  She pushed those thoughts away. She couldn’t let emotions stop her from doing what she had to do. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll room with Leanne.”

  They stared each other down for a minute. She’d seen how West acted around Leanne. It didn’t bother her. But she knew that she wasn’t the one West wanted Leanne sharing a motel room with.

  “Separate beds,” West finally said. “Do you understand me?”

  “Sure.” She would have liked to do something to ease the stress that made her brother look twenty years older than he was. It was making him hard, and she hated the change in him. But she needed Jude with her, if they were going to leave together tonight.

  She just watched him walk away. A thick sob caught in her throat and she fought to keep it in, so he wouldn’t hear.

  —

  Clover lay still. She couldn’t see the green watch she still wore around her wrist, but she thought it was maybe two in the morning.

  Jude had fallen asleep while they lay side by side on one of the narrow beds, making plans. She inhaled slowly, her face pressed against his shoulder. He made a low noise and rolled toward her, wrapping an arm around her. He wasn’t just dozing. He’d fallen deeply asleep.

  Her two choices warred inside her, making her queasy. Leave on her own or wake Jude and take him with her. It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d have the option, but now she was pretty sure she could get out of the room without waking him.

  How would Bennett react if she showed up with Jude? What would stop him from pulling his gun out and just shooting Jude on the spot? Or having him arrested and put before the execution squad on some trumped-up charge?

  Was it actually illegal to leave the city? Clover wasn’t sure that Jude had broken any laws. Except that he hadn’t been officially dosed since leaving the city. That would be enough to allow Bennett to arrest Jude, anyway. She was positive that it wouldn’t matter to Bennett. He’d murdered Geena and Waverly, and probably Bridget as well.

  She had another choice. She could stay here, curled up with Jude, until the sun came up and it was time to head farther south. If Bennett really gave them twenty-four hours, they’d have maybe ten to get as far away as they could.

  How far could they get in ten hours? West never drove faster than twenty-five miles an hour. Two hundred fifty miles. Was it enough? If she went back to the city, it would buy them some more time.

  Clover wanted Jude with her. She wanted Bennett to allow it. She couldn’t make herself take the risk that he would.

  The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield . . .

  —THOMAS JEFFERSON,

  LETTER TO EDWARD CARRINGTON, MAY 27, 1788

  Bennett let his phone ring three times without looking away from the section of the wall he could see from his window. He picked up the receiver on the verge of the fourth ring and said, “Yes.”

  “Mr. Bennett, you have a call from the gate.”

  He finally turned from the window and sat ramrod straight at his desk. “Thank you, Karen, put it through.”

  He listened to crackling static, tension creeping up his spine and threatening to explode in his head.

  “Mr. Bennett?”

  “Yes.” It came out more terse than he meant it to.

  “Mr. Bennett, a young woman arrived at the gate, from the outside.” The guard sounded flustered. Bennett couldn’t blame him. Unexpected people arriving on the outside of the gate was unheard of. “She says her name is Clover Donovan, and that you’re expecting her.”

  “Detain her as gently as possible.” Bennett’s heart beat against his stiff, aching spine, rushing blood into his head and bringing the almost headache into full bloom. “I’m on my way. Do not let her leave.”

  Bennett put the phone down and stood up. She was at the gate. He should have asked if she was alone, although the guard would have mentioned others.

  If he knew they were there, he would. For all Bennett knew, he’d be shot the minute he got to the gate. That didn’t slow him down as he made his way out of the building and to his car. The engine roared to life when he started it.

  He turned the key again, cutting the engine, got out of the car, and walked as fast as he could while holding on to his dignity back into the building.

  “I need you to get the gate on the line for me.”

  The girl behind the front desk looked up at him, startled, and uncomprehending. Like he’d spoken to her in a foreign language. “Mr. Bennett?”

  “Now, please.” He pushed the words out through gritted teeth.

  The girl fumbled with her phone and said, “Yes, sir,” as she dialed.

  She held the phone out to him while it was still ringing. He held it to his ear and waited until a guard picked it up and said, “Gate.”

  “This is Langston Bennett.”

  There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then, “Yes, sir. How can I help you?”

  “Bring the girl to me. To my office. Do you understand?”

  Another beat of confusion from the guard on the other end of the phone. He waited through it. Finally, he heard, “Yes, sir.”

  Bennett handed the receiver back to the young woman who was staring at him. He was fairly sure she wasn’t the same young woman who usually sat at this desk. “Are you new?”

  “Yes, sir, I am.” She still held the phone in one hand. “I’m Jenny.”

  “Thank you, Jenny,” he said.

  “Yes, Mr. Bennett.” She hung the phone up and stayed fully attuned to him until he walked away from her, back toward the elevators.

  All the lessons of history and experience must be lost upon us if we are content to trust alone to the pecu
liar advantages we happen to possess.

  —MARTIN VAN BUREN, INAUGURAL SPEECH, MARCH 4, 1837

  “Where are you taking me?” Clover sat in the backseat of a big black car with beige leather seats and clutched Mango’s lead so tightly her fingers cramped. She was terrified that someone was going to try to take him away from her. She would fall apart if that happened. She’d break into a million pieces that she’d never be able to put back together again.

  She’d been taken by a gate guard to the Waverly-Stead building, where Langston Bennett waited to put her in this car. Bennett kept his eyes on the road. “Don’t worry, Clover.”

  “Right.” Mango pushed his head against her arm and then into her lap. He knew she was upset, but couldn’t know why. He wasn’t angry at her for the danger she’d put him in.

  They were awake by now. The sun had come up over an hour ago. West knew she was gone. Jude would have known the minute his eyes opened. It was possible Jude had come awake before the sun came up. It made Clover’s chest hurt to think about the panic they must be feeling now.

  But they were safe. West would move them on south. He would protect them. He’d have time to get them to Southern California, to find some place for them to get through the winter.

  She’d figure out a way back to them. She couldn’t let herself doubt that. When she escaped, she’d go to Denver even if she had to walk. Alex and Maggie would know where West was.

  “Clover, calm down,” Bennett said.

  She was rocking, one arm wrapped around her dog and the other around her ribs. Shut up. Shut up. She kept her mouth clamped tightly closed and hunched her shoulders so that they muffled Bennett’s voice.

  “Nothing bad is going to happen to you, Clover. You’re too important. I know you don’t understand now, but you will.”