We can’t stay here. Leave the supplies and we’ll come back for them.
Where are we going?
Anywhere but here. It won’t be long until they find us. I’m surprised it took this amount of time.
We have to go get Kate and Noah. They could be a target, too.
He nodded in agreement as we made our hike back up the hill toward the cabin. As soon as we unlocked the back door, Ben and I leapt into action, grabbing bags of clothes and other necessities. As I finished in the bedroom and kitchen, I could hear Ben rummaging in the office.
I walked through the doorway and found him crouched over the hollow bench, the seat cushion pushed to the side to expose its contents. Ben pulled out an old leather-bound notebook and a couple of small boxes, shoving them into his backpack.
He zipped the bag, replaced the seat of the bench, and walked briskly toward me.
You’ve got everything you need?
I nodded in agreement, verifying his mother’s necklace still hung from my neck. He looked down at my hand clasping the pearl and kissed my forehead, meeting eye contact with me.
We’re going to be fine.
Reaching on my toes, I placed a quick kiss on his lips before turning around and heading for the living room. Ben grabbed the heavier bags from the couch where I had tossed them hurriedly and left the lighter bags of clothes for me to carry.
As we prepared for our departure, Ben took a moment to look around at the cabin. He absorbed every detail as if it might be his last time in his beloved home. I rubbed his back in consolation and checked our surroundings.
With a final goodbye to our home for the past six months, we made our way back to the SUV. Once again on the road, we headed in the direction of my hometown. Back to Kate and Noah. Hopefully, we weren’t too late.
IV.
LATE
Ben sat in the passenger seat, closing his eyes for a short nap. He had driven four of the six-hour drive and needed a break. Making a quick stop at a small gas station, we switched seats, filled up the tank with gas, and returned to our travel.
I had called Kate and Noah on the burner phone, verifying both their safety and location before Ben and I traveled unnecessarily far. Kate’s small voice answered the call, excited to hear from me.
Darcy, are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in a couple of weeks.
Yeah, I’m fine, Kate. Actually, I was thinking I’d come see you.
Yes, yes, please! I’ve missed you so much! I’ve been worried sick about you being alone out there.
You still at the same place?
Unfortunately, yes. We were looking for a house but can’t seem to find one in our price range that has everything we want.
Alright, well, I’m kind of already on my way. I’m about five hours away right now so I’ll be there by early evening.
Oh my gosh! Noah, she’s coming today! Pick up your clothes!
I could hear Noah in the background claiming they were Kate’s clothes. My mind wandered back to sharing an apartment with Kate. Without a doubt, they were Kate’s clothes Noah was now picking up from around the apartment.
I laughed as the two playfully bickered with one another. Realizing how much I missed them, my heart fluttered at the thought of seeing them again.
Now in the driver’s seat, my hands tightly clutched the steering wheel as I weaved in and out of traffic on the interstate. Ben had nodded off twenty minutes into the ride and the inside of the car was silent.
It wasn’t long until I began recognizing landmarks. We were close to my hometown of Furlow, Oregon. Taking the next exit, I navigated away from the interstate and onto the highway running through the middle of town.
With the amount of stops and turns now being made on smaller roads, Ben stirred in his seat and surveyed our surroundings.
We’re here.
He nodded his head groggily, his bloodshot eyes checking the rearview mirror for any dark sedans. I could see the front of Kate and Noah’s apartment as I turned the corner of the familiar street.
Parking the car in their small parking lot, I exited out of the driver’s side and started toward their apartment. The door flung open and revealed Kate, jumping for joy at the sight of me. She ran and threw her arms around my shoulders, squeezing me tight.
Oh, Darcy, I’ve missed you! Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why don’t you come to visit more often? Don’t you realize that I live with a boy now? I need girl time!
Same old Kate. Her words flew out at rocket speed only cut short by the necessity for breathing. Noah appeared in the doorway and shook his head at his energetic wife.
Kate, can she at least come in the door before you bombard her with questions?
She turned around and put her hands on her hips, sassily replying to his playful jab.
Well, I can’t help it. I just missed her so much!
I looked down at her hands on her waist and suddenly noticed her figure under the loose blouse. Her small torso held a round bump where there was once a flat stomach. I smiled immediately as I looked down at my feisty best friend.
Kate, are you…?
She looked down at the bump made visible by her posture and smiled from ear to ear.
I’m pregnant! I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you on the phone, but I wanted to tell you in person.
It’s okay, Kate. I’m so happy for you!
Noah had approached where we stood in front of the apartment and readily accepted the hugs I gave both of them. Pulling away from their tight embraces, it was my time to surprise them.
Actually, you aren’t the only one with a secret.
They both frowned in confusion as they heard the sound of the passenger door of the SUV opening. In obvious shock that I wasn’t alone, their eyes widened in surprise when they realized I had been accompanied by a man.
Ben was nearly unrecognizable to them as he stepped out in his flannel, boots, and ballcap. The anticipation built as he slowly walked across the parking lot. Approaching us, he tipped his cap up to remove the darkness hiding his face.
Shut. Your. Mouth.
Kate stood with her mouth agape as they both realized who stood before them. He grinned down at them in greeting, his crooked smile recognizable beneath the beard.
Hey, guys.
Noah started toward his best friend, eyes misty in relief of Ben’s safety. Kate continued to stand frozen in place with her mouth hanging open. Ben patted Noah’s back during their tight embrace before releasing him to look down at tiny Kate.
I think this is the only time I’ve seen you speechless.
She looked at me and then back to him as the three of us stood waiting for her to explode. Knowing Kate, it was building.
What? How? When? You both owe us an explanation!
We all laughed as she finally closed the distance to Ben and threw her arms around his waist. As the four of us sat in the living room of the apartment, Ben and I took turns explaining everything from the past months, starting with Ben’s escape and ending with that day’s market incident.
As Ben looked between the blinds of the window, I turned to the two of them with a sense of dread.
We can’t stay here. We need to go.
But you just got here!
Kate seemed disappointed at my announcement. My stomach dropped when it dawned on me that she had not realized who was included in my “we.”
No, you’re coming too.
Wait, what?
Ben joined us from the window again and provided a source of information. His hands were in his pockets as he stood explaining the situation, his eyes scanning the room.
The Society isn’t going to stop with us. They likely already know your location and have been watching you for days, maybe weeks. They knew we would come back to you at some point.
But why now? It’s been months since the shutdown.
The damage you all caused to their system and facility most likely inconvenienced them enough that they had to take the time to recover from the loss
. But they won’t stay down long.
Brendan sent out a message to all the field members about the Influencers’ corruption. How do they still have a workforce?
Though there was a large number of recruits who probably took advantage of the attack and disconnected from the Society, there remains those members who are too loyal to quit now.
Kate and Noah looked to one another for guidance. It was clear they had believed the fight was over.
Noah, you have your classes and your students.
It will be fine. Will can take over for me. I’ll just tell him we’re going to visit your parents.
In the time since the shutdown, Noah had started his own business, a martial arts studio, with his new friend, Will. Although Kate had found small jobs here and there, she mostly took care of the house and helped Noah with his business.
I could see the worry in Kate’s eyes as Noah stood from the couch to begin packing their things. She looked back at me, her hand rubbing the small bump in her lap.
It’s going to be okay, Kate. We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Noah, or the baby.
She nodded her head yet didn’t seem convinced of my statement. Noah returned with their bags and sat down next to Kate, rubbing her back in support.
So, what’s the plan? We can’t just keep moving.
Ben, who had since returned to his seat on the couch beside me, leaned forward on the cushion with his hands clasped.
Well, the first thing we need to do is get you guys somewhere safe. I’m not putting you in more danger than already exists. It’s not you they want. It’s me and Darcy.
What makes you think they don’t want us, too? We helped Darcy with the plan.
Yes, but Darcy was the leader of the rebellion. She was known to be defiant even before the shutdown. She is the face of the rebellion. And I know too much. Too large of a liability to let go. You both are easy bait, a weakness that can and will be used against us.
Noah added to the solution as Kate sat mulling over the information.
So, where do you propose we go? There’s no place to go where they can’t find us.
We all sat in silence trying to think of a place on earth that was not vulnerable to the Influencers’ surveillance. As the person who knew the most about the Society his parents created, Ben was the one from whom everyone awaited a response.
Shaking his head, he seemed momentarily stumped by the question. It was in his defeat that I had a sudden realization.
Maybe we’re looking at this wrong.
Ben’s brow furrowed as he looked down to where I sat leaning forward on the couch. His green eyes showed intrigue as he listened to my idea.
What do you mean?
Well, maybe we shouldn’t be trying to think of a place that the Influencers can’t find, but one where we feel safe staying despite their knowledge.
Kate spoke her thoughts, still rubbing her abdomen habitually in concern.
Frankly, I don’t feel safe anywhere now. They have eyes and ears everywhere. How do we know they aren’t watching us now?
Determination awoke a fearlessness inside of me, a goal to one day be able to say the Society wasn’t watching us, that they weren’t hunting us.
They most likely are but unless we do something to stop them, we’ll be running our entire lives, hiding from the world. We can’t live like that.
I looked to Ben, knowing we both dreaded surrendering our hideaway, our paradise free from the worries of the world. The last six months had been like a dream, one neither of us wanted to ever give up.
Then, what do you suggest?
I smiled as I thought of the perfect place to find safety. It was with one of the few people who I trusted with my life. All eyes were on me, confusion written across every face.
I hope you guys like cows.
***
The trip from Oregon to Texas was over 24 hours long, creating the need to make multiple stops. Though Ben, Noah, and I took turns driving through the day and night, there was only so long Kate could hold her pregnant bladder.
I swear this kid is squeezing my bladder just for fun.
I laughed as Kate hopped down from the back of the SUV, waddling with the urgency to pee.
Don’t be silly. It is Noah’s kid. They are probably kicking or punching it.
She shot a quick look over at me, clearly not amused by my joke. Ben walked around the SUV alongside Noah who quickly came to the aid of his wife, helping her step up on the curb.
After watching the two arrive at the entrance of the rest stop, Ben finally turned to me with a grin on his face. I couldn’t help but smile as he offered his hand, pulling me into him for a kiss.
The rings under his eyes made the lack of sleep and stress of evading the Society apparent. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I looked up at his eyes under the worn navy blue ballcap.
We should think about stopping somewhere for the night. I think everyone is tired and could use a break from driving.
He nodded his head, looking around for anyone who might be watching us.
Yeah, that might be a good idea.
***
That night I lay in Ben’s arms listening to the sound of the air conditioner in the room and the rhythmic breathing of Kate and Noah in the next bed. Though I felt utterly exhausted, I couldn’t seem to close my eyes for more than five minutes before the tiniest noise from outside would wake me.
I turned over to see if Ben was having more luck than I was in falling asleep. As I had expected, I found his eyes wide open as I rolled onto my side.
You can’t sleep either?
My whisper seemed to travel across the small room as Ben nodded in confirmation. He looked up at the ceiling with one arm raised above his head and the other still wrapped around me. Releasing a soft whisper, his focus on the hotel ceiling was finally broken.
Darcy, what if we can’t stop them?
Don’t say that.
I can’t help it. I know them. I know the members of the Board. They aren’t the type of people who let go of a grudge. They won’t stop.
My chest tightened with the confidence he displayed in his knowledge of the Board. I lay next to him, staring off in the distance and trying desperately to think of a way this could end in our favor.
Morning came all too soon and the four of us continued our journey south. Even as I stared out of the car window hours after Ben’s warning, I still lacked an answer, an escape from our inevitable fate.
V.
EVERYTHING’S BIGGER
Our SUV drove the lengthy driveway leading to the small farmhouse at the end of a gravel road. The house was white with dark green shutters and a large front porch. Ben parked in front of the deck and looked over at me, eyebrows raised in expectation.
You sure about this?
Nodding my head, I looked back at Noah and Kate who shook their heads in approval.
Yes, I would trust him with my life. I have.
Alright.
Ben and I were the first to approach the front door, ringing the doorbell and waiting. We stood for a moment, no sign of life inside the home. As I stepped forward to knock on the door, it swung open and revealed the end of a shotgun pointed straight at Ben and me.
Reflexively, Ben immediately retrieved the gun tucked into the back of his pants, raising the weapon and pointing it at the homeowner. I threw my hands up in the air as a sign of peace to prevent the two from facing off.
Hey, hey. It’s alright. It’s me: Darcy.
The two held their weapons in place before the man behind the door lowered his barrel. Ben seemed unsure as he placed his gun back in the waistband of his jeans, still tense with adrenaline.
Out of the darkness of the home, a middle-aged man stepped onto the porch in front of us. I smiled as his familiar sweet brown eyes met mine.
Hey, Rich. It’s been a while. I see you never got that cow.
Setting his shotgun down, Rich smiled warmly at me and raised his arms. I accepted the hug m
y friend offered, giving Ben a disapproving look as he stood ready to pull his weapon again. He kept his eyes on Rich even after we had separated.
Relax, son. I’m not going to shoot you. Can never be too careful nowadays.
I agree. Sorry, but I’m not a fan of having a gun pointed at me.
Images of that fateful last day at the facility ran through my head. Of course, he was anxious, likely reliving that day in his mind. The two stood face to face, sizing one another up.
Darcy’s told me a lot about you. I’m Ben Lewis.
I know who you are. Richard Ashton.
The two shook hands as Kate and Noah walked up the stairs to greet Rich. He smiled in greeting as he saw Kate and Noah join us. Accepting Kate’s friendly greeting, Rich carefully hugged around her small bump and then offered his hand out to Noah.
I smiled at their reunion, remembering the days before our trip to South Sudan when Rich had come to Oregon. The dinners when he had shared stories with the three of us, earning the trust and admiration of my best friends.
Well, come inside then. You’ve had a long trip. Texas is quite a distance from Oregon.
The inside of Rich’s house was simple and organized. Boasting a modest, country style, the house held a handful of rooms with beautiful hardwood floors. It was evident he cared for the home from the condition of the floors to the lack of dust and clutter through the entire house.
Directing us to the living room, the five of us found a seat on his couches. The oversized tan cushions were a relief to rest on after the days of travel we had just endured.
So, I understand the Society is still alive and well?
Ben looked around the room, searching for any willing volunteer to explain. His leg rubbed against mine as he sat forward on the couch, hands clasped in front of him. He explained everything to Rich from the executive tunnels to arriving at his doorstep.
And now we’re here asking for help. Darcy thought you could provide a safehouse of sorts.
Absolutely. But you can’t expect it to last long. I’ve only got so many bullets. What’s your long-term solution?
We’re not totally sure yet. It’s all happened so fast since they found Darcy and me in Idaho.
The Legacy: The Influencers Book 2 (The Society) Page 3