Last Woman 2

by Jacqueline Druga

  Someone gave the rebels all the information they needed and they knew, without Faye, the government couldn't complete project Eve.

  According to James, the rebellion screwed that up.

  He told me about how they wanted Faye to get pregnant with girls. A way, even small, to jump start things. I didn't tell them about the women at the Monastery.

  It wasn't my place to do so.

  The rebels had my son, and with it, they had someone not only ready to destroy the hospital, but the grid and water supply as well.

  James said, "I don't care about the grid. I do care about the hospital. The virus research is there, the vaccine is there."

  He didn't say much more nor did he go into detail about the plan. He told me he'd do so once we were with Faye. He also assured me that he took great care to watch her and make sure she was safe.

  I'd be lying if I said a bit of jealousy didn't creep up inside of me.

  In fact, I stewed about it unreasonably until we arrived at the safe house. Then everything seemed to leave. The boys and I, along with Jeremiah behind us, excited the car. We had just made it up over the grade and passed the swing set when I spotted Faye.

  No one told me she had shaved her head, dressed like a man and took on that look.

  It didn't work for me. I knew even at a distance it was her, standing there at the edge of the water.

  So did the boys.

  They flew by me, screaming her name at the top of their lungs.

  "Faye! Faye!"

  I walked but watched them run to her.

  She spun around, her face lit up and she moved as quickly as she could to the boys. They both plowed into her so hard, they knocked her back and she dropped to her knees. It was an amazing reunion and I wanted to be a part of it.

  At first I believed she was so encompassed with the boys that I was an afterthought. Then with Darie and George both in her arms she looked up. The biggest smile I ever saw graced her face. She kissed both boys, stood, chuckled and ran into me. The boys were sandwiched between us, holding on to our legs as I did my best just to grasp on to her.

  It felt so good to see her, to hold Faye and to know she was fine. She looked absolutely fine.

  "I am so happy to see you guys." She squeezed tightly and then pulled back. "How are you? I was so worried about you. But I knew inside you'd be fine."

  "I'm good. How are you?"

  "Physically fine. Tyler ..."

  I held up my hand. "I know."

  "I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

  "This isn't your fault."

  Then the look I dreaded hit her. Faye shifted her eyes looking about. "Where's Bud?"

  A lump formed in my throat and the words were hard to say. "We lost Bud. He ... passed away two days ago."

  Her hand shot to her mouth and she gasp. "Oh no." Then she cringed, almost as though the news made her nauseous. "Please tell me he wasn't beat up, or shot or suffered."

  I shook my head. "No, he passed away in his bed in the RV. In his sleep."

  Faye nodded a few times, then blew slowly from her mouth, she lifted Darie so motherly to rest on her hip as she brought George closer. "Then I'm glad he went that way. Was he happy? Did he say anything?"

  "He was confident that we would find you."

  George peered up to her. "We had a funeral. They put him in a coffin like my grandpa. Had music in church and everything."

  "A funeral?" she asked.

  "I'll explain it to you later just ..." I pointed back to Jeremiah who was in the background.

  "Is he Amish? Was it an Amish town? He has that beard and hair ..."

  I laughed. "No, he's a monk."

  Faye murmured out an, "I see."

  But I don't think she did. Our reunion on that beach was brief. And it took everything to get the boys away from the ocean. I promised them they could play there when Tyler got back. They agreed and came to the house.

  <><><><>

  "They want to meet," James said as we stood on the back porch. "One hour. Two of us and the woman, two of them and Tyler. I set the meet at an open spot where they can't bring anyone to ambush us. They said once the exchange is made, they will call off their guys at the grid, water supply and hospital and negotiate in good faith. Right now, I have snipers on these suicide bombers, ready to take them out on my call."

  "What's the plan?" I asked.

  "Take them out, get Tyler, give the call and then we storm Division Two to break them there." James twitched his head to the right. "That's the plan."

  "Sounds too easy."

  "We're not dealing with rocket scientists or terrorist cells that are organized. We're dealing with outraged and irrational human beings. They tend not to think things through."

  "Good. When do we go?" I asked.

  "We?" James shook his head. "You don't go. We do."

  "What!" I blasted. "That is my son."

  "And I will do everything I can to ensure I deliver your child back to you. Trust me. But if something goes wrong ... those boys in there. Those little boys need you."

  I chuckled in disbelief. "If something goes wrong they'll have Faye."

  James didn't say anything. His silence told me a lot.

  "No." I shook my head. "You're taking Faye?"

  "They said two men and the woman. There will be two men and Faye."

  "Unbelievable, you're gonna use her as bait? Pretend you're handing her over?"

  "I'm taking her. I need her there, just in case they ask to hear her voice. I would ask. None of us sound female enough to pull it off. They can make things go bad quickly if they know it's a rouse. But she's not the woman I'm handing over." When the screen door squeaked, James nodded at it and I turned around.

  Farmer, who was only about two inches taller than Faye and thinner, walked onto the porch. On his head he had that scarf or bandana Faye always wore and dangling over his shoulder was a ponytail. It was Faye's hair from when she cut it. He also wore her tan shorts and that pink tee shirt that irritated me because it made her stand out and never camouflaged her.

  Faye sighed out. "He wears that so much better than me."

  I shot a quick glance at Faye, then back to Farmer. I could tell immediately she was envious. Not because Farmer wore it better but because he wore it at all and she was dressed like a man. It had come to the point where the world was forcing her to hide her femininity.

  "Now to you see the plan?" James asked.

  I groaned, I 'saw' the plan, but I didn't like it. What choice did I have?

  Faye's goodbye's to the boys was short and sweet as though she were going to the grocery store. That was not to worry them. She briefly met Jeremiah; there wasn't time for long introductions or explanations of where he came from.

  James and the very feminine Farmer were in the jeep. Farmer sat in the back and Faye was ready to go.

  Before she stepped from the porch, I gave her a once over. It was hard to believe it was her. The strap from her helmet added a thickness to her chin. It looked too heavy for her. The uniform was slightly big, and the sleeves to the jacket nearly buried her hands.

  "Be careful out there." I told her.

  "Tyler will be fine."

  "I know he will. You ... be careful."

  "I promise."

  "I'm a nervous wreck, Faye. You shouldn't be doing this."

  "Yeah, Dodge, I should." She spoke softly. "I have to. I don't expect you to understand. But I need to just take charge of my destiny, even if it's only one moment."

  "I understand."

  "When I come back, will you tell me about this place that gave our friend a real funeral?"

  "I will. But now your chariot awaits."

  As Faye took a step forward, I stopped her once more and embraced her. Embracing Faye was natural. I lost count of how often we hugged over the months or huddled close while George read to us. I didn't realize how much I missed it until it wasn't there.

  Now after being separated, she was trudging into dangerous territory. I wa
s scared.

  Placing my hand on the side of her face, I leaned forward and kissed her. Fast enough not to annoy her and soft enough to let her know, 'hey, I care and I'm here waiting and worrying.'

  With a closed mouth she smiled and said as she walked by me. "That was nice." She paused before getting in the jeep. "I was wondering when you would ever try that."

  A small laugh seeped out, along with some sort of post-kiss teenage twinge. Those were quickly replaced with more worry as I watched them drive off.

  THIRTY-NINE - FAYE

  Without much hair, I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my head under the heavy helmet. My stomach fluttered with nerves.

  "If it goes the way I hope," James said as he drove. "This will be over in three minutes. We're meeting at the old Big Shop's parking lot, they tore that building down to make room for a tent city. Nothing is there. They should be there now but I'll park at a distance. I'll propose one of them bring Tyler as I escort Farmer. I'll try to keep the pacing even with their man. I don't want to get too close so they know Farmer is a man. Once they are clear of us, I need you to cough."

  "Cough?" I asked.

  "Once if they move to my left. Twice if they are directly behind me. And three times," James demonstrating and did a triple cough. "Like that if they veered right. We have one shot. When you cough, you get down, I will turn around to take out the man with Tyler and at the same time Farmer will take out the man in front of us."

  "What if there are men hidden?"

  "That's possible. If gunfire erupts, take cover under the jeep. But where we are meeting, there's nowhere close to hide. I don't think they're bringing anyone. They won't think it's an ambush."

  "I think you're underestimating them. I think they're gonna pull something. This is too easy."

  Farmer reached up and gripped my shoulder. "We got this."

  I glanced to the fingernail polish. "Why am I wearing a nice shirt and fingernail polish?"

  Farmer explained. "Because they know or at least think, you were pampered. We're just banking on their preconceived notion of what they think a woman would do."

  From the road I could see the parking lot.

  Fallen tents rolled up and danced in the wind. There was a blue pickup truck center of the lot and James pulled in and stopped at a good hundred feet distance away.

  Allowing the jeep to run, he placed it in park.

  "Well, don't I feel honored," The older of the two Rebel's called out. "Got the major himself."

  I saw Tyler standing between the two men.

  "Tyler you okay?" James yelled out.

  "Yes."

  Rebel leader replied. "I see pink. Let me hear her talk."

  Both James and I faced Farmer.

  When my back was to them, I raised my voice. "Tyler, it will be all right."

  Rebel leader laughed. "Well, send her over."

  "No." James said. "Even exchange. Same time. You bring him, we bring her to you. Let's end this shit."

  "I couldn't agree more, major."

  At that point James reached into the jeep to assist Farmer. Farmer kept his arms tight to his body, as if cold or upset, when I knew he was concealing his smaller handgun.

  "Not you." The leader yelled. "The smaller soldier. Have him bring the woman."

  My eyes widened and James looked at me with a cringe. He lowered his voice. "Ok, change up. Get ready to hit the deck Faye, when I shoot Famer will take out that asshole."

  I nodded and stepped from the jeep.

  "Don't worry," James said.

  "I'm not." I stayed close to Farmer as we moved in front of the jeep.

  My heart raced with each step we took. Midway Tyler and the other man passed us. I made brief eye contact with him.

  Perhaps neither of us looking at Tyler too long was our error.

  It was the longest walk of my life and as we drew closer, I noticed the sawed off shotgun in the leader's hand. It was aimed at me and I thought to myself, they were planning the same thing.

  They were gonna shoot me at the same time they shot James.

  We were getting closer. Why hadn't James fired? At ten feet the leader commanded, "Stop."

  We did. I eyed that shotgun and knew it was coming.

  "Don't take that boy any closer," said the leader to his cohort.

  When he did, I glanced over my shoulder. A quick glance, fast enough to see Tyler was the same distance from James as I was from the leader.

  Or so I thought.

  When I turned back around the leader was only a couple feet away, that shotgun was even closer to my chest.

  He raised it with a smile and looked at Farmer. "Aren't you a pretty thing?"

  Come on James, shoot. I thought. Do something. Why wasn't James shooting? Was the gun on Tyler?

  "What's your name?" the leader asked Farmer. "Fanny? Faye?"

  Farmer's head was down.

  "Doesn't matter."

  Had I known better, maybe I would have seen the shotgun was already engaged.

  At only a distance of four feet from us, the leader fired the shotgun. The blast was so powerful it shattered the flesh and bone on Farmer's chest. I felt his blood splatter onto me at the same time as my ears rang me into a temporary oblivion.

  I don't even believe I screamed I was so shocked by what had happened.

  The sound of a high hum filled my eardrums as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Farmer's body dropped to the ground and my knees buckled.

  I didn't have time to panic or be scared. I knew running was my only option. I spun to my right, saw the other rebel on the ground and James running my way.

  I never heard the shot from James.

  Before I knew it the leader grabbed my left arm.

  I struggled and fought to get free pulling away and my hearing came back some. Enough to hear.

  "Stay back!" He yelled at James.

  My last glimpse back, James stopped and I saw Tyler in the jeep. That moment I took to look, was the split second I stopped struggling and the leader pulled me back.

  No, I thought, this was not happening again.

  I brushed into him and because he held that shotgun, the only grip he could purchase on me was my left arm.

  "Come any closer and I'll shoot her. I don't care." He yelled to James. "Not anymore."

  Another yank to my arm and he pulled me nearer. That was when I really looked at him. I looked in his eyes. I saw nothing. A blank look, a man without emotions, a man on the edge. He really wasn't afraid to take my life.

  Maybe that was his intention all along.

  Not to have me, but to kill me. Kill me out of bitterness because he believed I was the last that remained.

  His top lip twitched and he stared at me. For some reason I lost all fear. Was this what remained of our world? Was this man a representation of what I had to run from for the rest of my life? Or were him and his kind pockets of exceptions to the rule that man would rise above barbaric tendencies?

  All these thoughts consumed me quickly in just the few seconds that we locked that stare.

  "Your buddy's dead."

  "So is yours," I said.

  He laughed. "You think I care?" He shook his head. "You think I didn't know you were the woman? Did you think I was stupid?"

  "Yes." As I said that single word, my thumb pulled back the hammer on the mini 22 magnum that was concealed in my hand beneath the 'too big' sleeves of my jacket. Without hesitation, eyes still locked on his, I lifted the revolver to his chin and fired.

  He never saw it coming.

  For a moment I swore he knew that bullet entered his brain. The tiny gun had just enough power to end his life and with one last blink of his eyes he registered his death.

  His grip released, I stepped out of the way and his body fell to the ground.

  Tyler cried out, "Oh my God, Faye." And I heard the running footsteps of Tyler and James.

  All I could think about was Farmer.

  I dropped down to my knees b
y him, grabbing his lifeless hand in mine. His eyes were open and I closed them. I prayed that he felt nothing and had died instantly. I felt bad, truly bad. He didn't deserve his death sentence.

  "Faye," Tyler knelt down. "Are you ok?"

  I nodded.

  "Faye," James said. "I'm ..."

  "What was his first name?" I asked, looking at Farmer.

  "I'm sorry? What ..."

  "What was his first name? Every one called him Farmer. What was his first name?"

  James stuttered in audible thought, "It was ... something odd ... it ..." Then he finally said, "Blain. His first name was Blain."

  "Thank you. I just needed to know that," I said, and took another moment with him. I owed him that much.

  The brave and brilliant young man who saved Tyler's life, gave his life in one final attempt to save him again.

  For that I would be forever grateful and would always hold a special place in my heart for Lieutenant Blain Farmer.

  FORTY - MAJOR JAMES REYNOLDS

  The beat up blue pickup truck had enough gas for me to return to base. I gave Faye and Tyler the easy directions to get back to the safe house. I also radioed on the secure channel for one of my men to be on the road.

  I honored the motto to 'leave no man behind' and in all my years in the service, I hadn't. I wasn't going to start now.

  Farmer was the first soldier I watched die in the post virus world. His death hit me hard. It would never be forgotten or in vain.

  He was a casualty in a new war. The first battle had raged.

  It wasn't over. Not by a long shot. We had successfully taken out the threats at the grid, water system and hospital, but we still had many more.

  I recognized the man that Faye had shot. He was one of the men who led things in Division Five. I didn't know if the others were dead or were actively looking at their next option.

  Even if Faye's theory about the men wanting her just to kill her was to hold true, it wouldn't be long before they would want her because she was a woman. That alone was a problem.

  We had not fortified COM Camp as well as we believed. We were fine until we brought in a commodity that someone wanted. For the time being, even with rebel leaders still in control and still plotting, I believe we scattered them enough to buy some time.