The Loki Variation

by James Riley, Sabrina

  Lily had apparently fallen asleep too, and although it was still dark outside, Derek could tell that quite a bit of time had passed. He had only a short time before the sun would start coming up, and he cursed himself for falling asleep. He woke Lily, and told her that they had no choice but to take the coupe back to the Mauler and tell them what was going on, then leave again to find a better car. She was ashamed of herself for falling asleep, but didn’t mind the fact that she had eventually leaned over on to Derek’s shoulder in her sleep, which is where she found herself when he woke her.

  Derek jumped up and ran towards the coupe. It was unlocked, but there were no keys in it. He cursed himself again, how could he not have thought about needing the keys? He felt a desperation rise in him, and looked towards the other vehicles. Just before he started towards one of the small pickup trucks, he remembered something Sasha had told him.

  He went to the wheel wells of the coupe. After a few tries, he breathed a sigh of relief. A magnetic key box was stuck to the car, the single key inside. He called for Lily who was grabbing water bottles and food, and she came running to the car at her incredible speed. Once she was in, Derek fumbled as he inserted the key into the ignition, and almost exploded with happiness when the engine started immediately. Before he had a chance to get too happy, though, he noticed the gas gauge. Empty.

  He cursed, and started to drive the sputtering car towards the gas pumps. Only when he had pulled up next to it did he realize that the pumps were useless. Without electricity, they were little more than monuments to a deserted place. He cursed again, and stopped the engine. He was going to have to siphon some fuel from these other cars, and he had nothing to hold it in. He headed for the little garage mechanic’s shop, hoping there would be a tank inside.

  As he pushed in the side door to the garage, he forgot all about the gas tank. Parked inside the garage was a large SUV. It was big enough to hold everyone, and it was a new enough model that he knew it would have no problem taking them the distance to the camp. His heart beat even faster than usual as he noticed the pegboard on the wall. There was a set of keys hanging from it, undoubtedly belonging to the SUV.

  When he got to the pegboard, he turned to get into the SUV, he noticed that the front tire on the driver’s side was gone. There were tools and unidentified parts laying around a jack stand that was holding the vehicle level. The tire was leaned against the wall, and after a second, Derek realized what the parts were; the SUV had been partway through a brake job when it had been abandoned. He would have to put it all back together, and quickly.

  He ran back outside and signaled for Lily. She came in, and smiled grandly at the SUV.

  “I have to fix it, the brakes are off.” He explained, as he knelt by the hole where the tire should be. Lily was completely clueless when it came to the mechanics of a car, but she stood nearby in case Derek needed her to do anything. Derek began tinkering away as the sky outside began to lighten.

  Chapter 48.

  Sasha was back at home, in the new apartment, relaxing in her big bed. She felt great and content, and was just getting comfortable when the ground began trembling. Living in Florida, she had never expected an earthquake and had no idea how to react.

  Her eyes flew open and it wasn’t an earthquake at all. It was Nora, shaking her. Sasha hadn’t been home at all, she was still here in this new scary world, trapped in a broken military vehicle with Nora, Adam, and Ripley, waiting for Derek and Lily to come back. As the reality crept back into her head, she noticed with a sickening awareness that sunlight was beginning to creep in on the edge of the sky.

  “It’s almost dawn!” She cried to no one in particular. But in the front seat, Adam jolted. He had finally surrendered to sleep. Nora had woken Sasha up, with a panicked look on her face. Derek wasn’t back yet.

  Adam took a good look around the Mauler, the morning coming was enough light for him to see that there was no immediate threat. He went into the back seat with Sasha.

  “He said that if he wasn’t back by dawn, to take that car out there and go to the next exit. It doesn’t mean anything happened to them, Sasha. They just got held up. And we have a little while still until it’s light outside.”

  Sasha was surprised to hear him trying to make her feel better. He had usually kept his distance from anything having to do with emotion, especially if it came to Sasha, but she was grateful for it now.

  “I know, Adam. We’ll go when the sun is up.”

  *****

  Derek tightened the last nut on the tire to the SUV. The sun was out now, and driving was going to be very difficult, given his eyesight in the light. He didn’t care, though, he was sure there wouldn’t be traffic.

  Derek jumped in the truck, Lily in the passenger seat and started the engine. It roared to life and Derek watched the gas tank inch its way up almost to the full mark. The flimsy garage door was little more than 2 pieces of sheet metal held together by a padlock. Derek had no problem driving through it.

  He stopped only for a second for Lily to get out and retrieve the food and water she had left in the coupe. He pulled out carefully onto the entrance ramp to the interstate going back towards the Mauler, and pulled down the visor. He couldn’t see more than a few yards in front of him, but he was only a few minutes away from Sasha.

  *****

  It hadn’t been as hard for Adam to talk Sasha into leaving as she thought it would be. It was rather unceremonious, actually. Adam got out first, with the shotgun, and Sasha and Nora walked the short distance behind him to the vehicle. Ripley brought up the rear.

  The keys had still been in the ignition, and although it didn’t have a lot of fuel, there was enough to get them to the next exit. Sasha had turned the car around, after demanding that Nora and Adam buckle their seatbelts, and they had made it to the gas station that was on the northeast corner of the intersection. Sasha pulled into the parking lot, it was a tiny little bedraggled store, and looked like it had been abandoned long before the outbreak. Her heart sank.

  “They’re not here.” Her voice was wavering. She suddenly felt claustrophobic in the car, which was not a characteristic she had ever had, and opened the door to get out. Adam stood outside the passenger door with the shotgun.

  “There’s another place across the way. Maybe they are over there.” He said.

  Sasha thought she heard a vehicle in the distance, but decided she was being so hopeful that her mind was playing tricks on her. If Derek had had any way to get a vehicle, he would have come back long ago. Something had happened, and she didn’t know if she had the guts to head towards the refugee camp without him.

  *****

  After a few minutes of driving slowly enough to be safe with his nearsightedness, Derek saw through watery eyes, the blurry outline of the Mauler. His heart raced even more than usual as he got closer.

  “The car is gone, Derek.” Lily said, pointing to where the small car had been parked when they left.

  Derek was glad that Adam had followed his instructions, but was worried. How long ago had they left, and why hadn’t they passed them on the interstate? The only option now was to head back up to the gas station and find them before they headed towards the camp. He didn’t want to have to find the place on his own. Sasha had the map, and all Derek could remember was that it was on or near the Virginia Tech campus. He could find a map if he needed to, but he also just really wanted to find them.

  Just to be sure, Derek jumped out of the car to inspect the Mauler. He could definitely smell Sasha and Nora, and found the blanket in the back seat that he knew they had wrapped themselves in. The shotgun was gone, and so were they.

  He got back to the SUV and did a circle to head back up the interstate.

  *****

  Pulling into the second gas station on the Southeast corner, Sasha saw more cars, and a bigger store than across the overpass. She threw the little car into park and was out the door before Adam could stop her, and was running towards the building.

 
“Sasha! Wait!” He was letting Nora and Ripley out of the car, too. Nora was not about to be left alone in the vehicle.

  They all stopped at the broken doorway and peered inside. Ripley walked in, delicately stepping over the pieces of broken glass, and began sniffing the ground.

  Sasha wanted to see something, anything, that would tell her that Derek had been here. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but Adam called to her and showed her the empty chip packages and opened water bottles behind the counter. Ripley was sniffing the ground almost neurotically, and Sasha couldn’t help but believe Derek and Lily had been here. She just didn’t know how long ago, and where they were now.

  She only knew she had to talk Adam into staying around a little while, so they could look for Derek and Lily, if they were around here and hurt, she wanted to find them. She also was the only one that had a map to the refugee camp. She hadn’t realized it when Derek had told her to go on without them and that he and Lily would meet up with them at the camp, but he had no way of knowing how to get there.

  She had used emotional manipulation on Adam once before, and it had worked. If he resisted to the idea of searching for Derek and Lily, she would do it again.

  *****

  Veering off the interstate onto the same single lane road he had travelled earlier that night, he squinted to see across the street. Another building’s silhouette appeared, and he steered towards it. As soon as he stepped out of the vehicle, he smelled her. She had just been here! Where had they gone?

  He couldn’t imagine that she had been so quick to give up and head to the camp, but he had given Adam orders and apparently Adam was following them.

  Lily got out of the car as well, looking towards Derek. She could smell them too, and Derek knew she could tell he was disappointed.

  “Derek, they’re gone.” She sounded neither disappointed or thrilled, and wished his vision was clearer so he could see her face.

  “We don’t have to go to the camp, Derek.” She continued. “We don’t need anyone else.”

  “I need Sasha.” His words were venomous, and he knew it, directed towards a young girl like Lily, but he didn’t have the time to think about that right now.

  As he moved back towards the SUV in Lily’s shocked silence, he heard an engine start across the interstate.

  “Lily, come on!” He pleaded, wanting to reach the vehicle before it hit the highway. She didn’t answer, so he tried again.

  “I can hear them! We don’t have much time!”

  The passenger door opened and he breathed a sigh of relief as she threw herself in the passenger seat and closed the door. He kicked up dirt as he sped towards the overpass, but only then did he smell the fresh hot tears running down Lily’s face.

  *****

  Sasha was standing outside of the vehicle that Adam was in. He had already started the engine and was begging Sasha to get inside. She was racking her brain for any excuse to stay longer, she couldn’t leave Derek.

  Nora was sitting in the backseat already, next to Ripley. Her brown eyes were pleading with Sasha to hurry, Nora didn’t like the arguing that was taking place, and although she wouldn’t say it, it was obvious by looking at the child’s face that she was near tears, and didn’t know what she wanted to do.

  “Adam, we can’t go yet! They could be hurt, they could be looking for us!” Sasha’s voice broke, her desperation was evident, despite her attempt at what she thought was an Oscar-winning portrayal of nonchalance.

  “Sasha, Derek told us to go. He’s not hurt, he’s fine. He’s superhuman, remember?” Adam’s face was bordering on contempt.

  Sasha looked at Nora’s face again. It seemed to be begging: please get in the car. Sasha’s mind was racing.

  “Okay, fine, Adam, but don’t leave yet. I have to pee.” She pulled her last ditch effort card. Adam let his shoulders slump, indicating that he was exasperated, but would wait. She knew he didn’t know how to drive, anyway, and was hoping that Sasha would give in and ask him to move to the passenger seat.

  She jogged behind the building, hoping that something would stand out, some kind of sign of where Derek had gone. She didn’t have to relieve herself at all, so she had a few minutes.

  There was nothing behind the building. No indicator. She wished she had the extra senses of Derek and Lily, that she could smell, like Ripley, see if they had been here recently. Maybe she would be able to follow a scent, but with her weak human ability, all she could do at this point was cry.

  *****

  Flying across the overpass, Derek’s heart was beating more rapidly than before.

  “Please don’t leave yet.” He was whispering to himself. He could feel the tension emanating from Lily, he could feel her trembling in teenage mortification and angst. It hurt him to hurt her, but he didn’t have the time to cater to the sensitive ego of a young girl who had a crush on him. He didn’t want to antagonize her pain either, so he attempted to redeem her feelings for her.

  “Lily, please don’t be upset. I just want us to stay in a group. It’s safer that way.” He didn’t look at her.

  She sniffled and kept her head facing out the window, they were almost at the other gas station, and Derek was only half focused on Lily anyhow.

  She didn’t answer, instead she seemed to straighten up, wiped the back of her hand across her cheeks, and pulled her stringy hair behind her back. She seemed to be preparing herself.

  Derek knew why. He could smell the scent of Sasha, Nora, and Adam. As he pulled into the gas station beside the little car that he had instructed Adam to use to escape, he could even hear Ripley’s high pitched crying. She was excited to smell him as well.

  *****

  Sasha heard her name. She knew it was Adam, hurrying her up, but she didn’t think she could hide the evidence of her bawling fit in the time it took to walk around the corner of the gas station. She chastised herself for being so juvenile. Maybe Adam was right; Derek was special, he was in less danger than they were. Especially with Lily, that girl was tough, and considering the vibe Sasha had been getting from her regarding Derek, she was probably going to be mighty protective of him.

  She wiped her face, and took several deep breaths to try and contain the emotions that still threatened to overtake her. She opened her eyes wide, and stood up, trying to be ready to leave this place, the closest she had been to Derek since he had left her.

  Maybe he is already on his way to the camp, she told herself. She imagined his face, the gentle eyes, even though they had been turned black as night. It still didn’t cover the compassion in them. She was so deep in thought that when she saw him walk around the corner towards her, she didn’t jump. She thought she was still lost in a daydream. Until he spoke.

  “Sasha.” That was all he said, that was all that needed to be said. It snapped Sasha out of her day dream, and she felt weak. He was alive.

  Derek had made it to Sasha before she could make her legs move. He made a rushed attempt at a hug, kissing her forehead, and pulling her towards the front of the gas station. She didn’t resist. When they reached the front of the gas station, Adam and Nora were climbing into a large sport utility vehicle, and Ripley was running up to Derek, tail moving in the same fashion as a helicopter blade.

  “Where did you get this?” Sasha asked, looking at the sleek vehicle.

  “Right here.” Derek said, pointing at the broken garage door on the mechanics shop. He let go of Sasha to get into the back of the vehicle. Apparently, Sasha was driving.

  Chapter 49.

  The mood inside the SUV was hard to gauge. Derek was relieved. He kept glancing in the front seat at Sasha driving, as if she might disappear on him. Nora was sitting next to Derek in the back, and Lily was on the other side, somberly looking out the window. Ripley was in the cargo area behind the back seats. She was still excited from seeing Derek again, every few minutes he felt her hot breath on the back of his neck as she panted happily behind him.

  At the speed they were moving now, th
ey would probably make it to the camp at Virginia Tech this evening. He had forgotten how quickly a normal road-worthy vehicle could move, the Mauler had crept along.

  Sasha was doing her share of glancing in the mirror at Derek. Adam sat in the passenger seat, looking straight ahead. She didn’t want to think it, but Adam had almost seemed a little disappointed when Derek and Lily had shown up at the gas station. Lily was even more distant from her than before, and she knew something had happened to upset her, although she didn’t dare ask.

  After a few moments of thick silence, Derek spoke. Partly to actually come up with a plan, and partly just to break up the tomb-like stillness in the SUV.

  “So what do we know about this camp, Sasha?”

  Sasha looked at him in the mirror, she was so lost in her own thoughts that it took her a second to realize he was talking to her.

  “Uh. I don’t know much. They guys that Hud and Travis went with said that there was a refugee camp set up in a pretty small place in Virginia. They were from the military, they had uniforms on. Army, I think. They had 3 jeeps and there was about 10 of them.”

  “Did they say how many people were at the camp?” Derek wanted to have the clearest picture possible of what they were about to become involved in.

  “Well, no. Not that I remember. I didn’t get to talk to them for very long.” Sasha was beginning to feel like she had done something wrong by not asking more questions. Honestly, though, looking back, she really didn’t have a chance to talk to the military guys for very long, Hud was in such a hurry to get going. She pulled the map from her pocket.

  She handed it back to Derek, and he unfolded it. It was a copied map of the Virginia Tech campus, with bold black lines circling a few of the buildings and what looked to be a courtyard of some kind. Someone had hand drawn the roads leading to the building, and had written instructions on getting to the camp from Interstate 81. It wasn’t very complicated, and Sasha was pretty sure that once they were close, they would have no problems finding the large campus.