by E A Chance
That morning, she was waiting for a private meeting with the leader of her band of former special forces operatives whose identities she’d kept off the books. He’d sent word that he had news about the number one name on her most wanted list, Dr. Adrian Landry, code named, Daybreak. Her team had successfully hunted down the others on the list, but Daybreak had continued to elude them. She’d hoped he was dead until her team got intel that Daybreak had been holing up in a compound for the winter. Though she was disappointed he was still alive, it seemed like a promising lead.
A tap on the door drew her from her thoughts. “Come,” she said.
Colonel Orson Yeager walked to her desk and gave a slight nod. “Morning, Madam President.”
She studied him for a moment before speaking. Yeager was just about average height but held himself ramrod straight and appeared taller than he was. He was attractive but didn’t seem to notice or care. He was especially skilled at disguising his thoughts and emotions, which was a primary reason she’d chosen him for the vital clandestine role. More crucial, however, was the fact that he followed orders to the letter and without question. He tended to adopt the moral compass of his immediate supervisor, which was exactly what Kearns was looking for.
She’d gotten to know him when he’d helped get her family out of DC after the CME. She admired his confident but not arrogant manner. He respected her authority without question from the beginning and was wise enough to know how to play the game.
She put her pen down and pressed her fingertips together. “You have news?”
“Yes, Ma’am. My men located the compound where Daybreak was held hostage for over two months until the hostages mutinied and killed the ringleader. They overthrew their remaining jailers and took over the compound. Daybreak left the camp when the snows melted. My men got solid intel on the group he’s traveling with and are pursuing them. I’m confident it won’t be long before he’s captured.”
President Kearns gave a hint of a smile. “Excellent news. Is the intel credible?”
“The informant, a Darcy Meade, was a guard on the dead leader’s staff. When the camp was overthrown, she surrendered and pretended to switch sides, so they’d allow her to stay. She ditched the place as soon as the weather cleared. She’s requesting permission to join your forces. All she asks is three hots and a cot.”
“Can we trust her? She switched sides once. She could do it again.”
“My man says she was eager to spill on Daybreak. Word is that he was not well liked in the camp.”
“Daybreak is a dangerous and unstable man with information he could use to upset the stability of this country. I won’t let up until he’s captured.”
“Mind sharing this information, Ma’am? It might help in his capture.”
“That information is need-to-know. You have my permission to enlist this woman but keep a close eye on her. Join your team in the field and take charge of the operation yourself.”
“Very well, Ma’am. I’ll leave immediately after this meeting. I can reach Charleston by tomorrow night, latest.”
“What of this compound Daybreak escaped from?”
“Your Reconstruction Troops have peacefully commandeered the facility and annexed it into the nearest Residential Zone.”
“Perfect. The reconstruction is progressing faster than I’d hoped. My citizens are desperate for the help and leadership we can provide. It’s my privilege to return them to a semblance of their former lives.”
Yeager eyed her for a moment, then said, “I’m sure they’re deeply indebted to you, Ma’am. I’ll leave you to get back to business.”
“Thank you for the fine work you’re doing, Yeager. Your country owes you a debt as well. I won’t forget that. Keep me apprised of your progress.”
“Ma’am,” Yeager said, then gave a quick bow before turning on his heels and leaving as quickly as he came.
Julia sat on the front porch swing, nervously tapping her feet as she waited for Great Uncle Mitch. Her uncles, Jesse and Russell, had caught her hiding vacuum-packed pouches of venison jerky in her secret stash. She’d been stowing provisions there for days, getting ready to make her big escape. This was the second time she’d been caught preparing to leave and knew Uncle Mitch was going to be furious.
She’d promised not to run away again, but had only said it to get him off her back. She missed her mom and the rest of her family, and she wanted to go home. Aunt Beth and Uncle Mitch had been amazing, and she didn’t want to seem ungrateful. It wasn’t their fault that Mom and Coop ran off without out her, but the ranch wasn’t where she belonged.
She heard Uncle Mitch’s old red truck rumbling up the gravel drive and her stomach twisted into a knot. He wasn’t mean, but he could be stern when he wanted to be. She just hoped he wouldn’t lock her in her room for the rest of her life.
Uncle Mitch pulled up to the porch and turned off the truck, but he didn’t get out for a minute. He was staring at Julia through the windshield, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He finally pushed the squeaky door open and climbed the steps to the porch.
After dropping into the swing facing her, he said, “I’m out of ideas, Julia. Your Aunt Beth and I have done our best to make a home for you here, but clearly, we’ve failed. I don’t know what else to do.”
Julia felt her cheeks flush with shame. Her aunt and uncle loved her and were trying to make the best of the situation, but she’d repaid them by trying to run away. They didn’t deserve to be treated that way.
“It’s not your fault, Uncle Mitch. I love you and Aunt Beth, and you’ve all been awesome, but I want to be with Mom and Coop. I miss Nana and Papa and my friends. I even miss Jared and Emily. I want to know what happened to them. Can’t you find someone to take me to Colorado? You have lots of horses and guys who work for you. Can’t you spare a few? They can come back once they get me home or we find Mom.”
Uncle Mitch watched her for a moment before answering. The look on his face told her he thought her idea was stupid.
“Before I respond to that,” he said, “I want you to remember your trip here from DC. Do you know how many miles that was?”
It was a trick question. “Mom said it would have been 300 miles if we’d come straight here,” she said, knowing what was coming.
He nodded and leaned back in the swing. “But you didn’t come straight here?”
He knew they didn’t. She couldn’t stand it when grownups did that. “No, we couldn’t. Coop said it was more like 400 miles.”
“Why, Julia?”
She sat straighter and crossed her arms. “You know the stories.”
“I want to hear it from you.”
“Because dead people and crashed cars were all over the road, and I got shot and we were taken to that awful camp. Hannah died and a gigantic tree got in our way. Then it snowed a lot and Coop got lost. Don’t make me talk about this.”
“But can’t you see that all those reasons are why you shouldn’t leave? You’ve been here for over two months and I’m worried that you’re forgetting how terrible it was out there.”
Julia rubbed the scar on her thigh where she was shot. “My leg reminds me every day. I won’t ever forget.” She considered the point he was making, but rejected it. “But things are better now. The bodies and bad guys and snow are gone. We got here in a few hours from Blue Ridge Meadows with no trouble.”
Uncle Mitch stood and looked down at her. “A three-hour drive in an armored Humvee is not the same as crossing the country on horseback. It could take a year to reach home if you didn’t die first. I don’t agree with your mom leaving, but I understand why she did. She and Coop left you here for good reason. If you’re determined to run away, I won’t stop you, but I won’t help you either. No horses. No men to take you. You’re on your own. If you decide to leave, I hope you’ll at least bother to say goodbye before going.”
He went into the house without another word. Julia stared after him, not knowing what to do next. She’d made
a promise to herself to find her mom and make it home, but what Uncle Mitch said had gotten to her. Trying to go alone was stupid. More than that, it was suicide.
She slowly swung back and forth, trying to figure out her next steps. She’d thrown all her energy into planning her escape. If she stayed, she’d have to find a new focus.
She got up with a sigh and went into the house to find Uncle Mitch. He was in his study messing with his ham radio. She pulled a chair next to him and dropped into it.
“I’ll stay,” she mumbled. “I mean it this time. I’m sorry for making you and Aunt Beth worry.”
He put his arm around her. “I’m relieved to hear it. I’m sure your mom will come back for you one day, but until then, I hope this will come to feel like your home.”
She couldn’t imagine that ever happening, but she just nodded. “Will you teach me how to use the radio like you did with Mom?”
“I thought you’d never ask. Here, scoot closer and let me show you what to do.”
Riley removed the thermometer from under Nico’s tongue and frowned when she read 102.5 degrees. She and Coop had been so relieved when he survived the first twenty-four hours and had progressed well after, but he’d started going downhill on the third day. The skin around his incision was swollen, red, and painful, a sure sign of infection. His fever had been creeping up during the day and he vomited up the antimicrobial broth Dashay spoon fed him for dinner.
Riley had been giving him alternating doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, but they weren’t having much effect and the supply was running low. Adrian had nothing in his bag of tricks to treat fever. They’d kept Nico’s arms and legs covered with cool, damp towels out of desperation, but if Brooks didn’t show up with antibiotics soon, Riley feared Nico wouldn’t last more than a day.
She stepped out of the tent to stretch and get some air. Coop spotted her from where he was drying bear meat and waved her over. Riley went to him and Coop kissed her cheek before she lowered herself onto the grass.
“Any improvement?” he asked.
Riley picked at a patch of weeds. “The opposite. He’s up to 102 degrees and is showing signs of delirium. What about opening him up and inserting a drain? We could clean things out while we’re in there.”
Coop shook his head. “He’s too weak and we’re out of morphine. The pain alone could put him into shock. What about Adrian? I’m ready to try any of his ridiculous concoctions at this point.”
Riley turned and looked around the camp. “Where is he? I haven’t seen him since dinner.”
“He’s out searching for more plants. I told him not to go alone, but he wouldn’t listen. He feels responsible for Nico.”
“That’s not like him to go off alone. How hard did you try to stop him?” Coop looked away sheepishly without answering. “Should we go after him?”
“He’s a grown man who made his choice, and the last thing we need is anyone else getting hurt. What would Nico do if something happened to us?”
Riley knew he was right, but her anxiety ratcheted up a notch. “Adrian mentioned making a poultice but didn’t know if he could locate all the ingredients. It might draw out the infection and it couldn’t hurt.”
“If Adrian comes back in one piece, we’ll give it a shot.” He cut off a piece of meat and handed it to her. “Eat this. I noticed you hardly touched your dinner. You’re losing weight.”
She smelled the meat and wrinkled her nose. “My body is rebelling against all this natural, healthy food. I’ve been queasy all day.”
“Sure it’s not more than that? You haven’t been sleeping well either.” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”
“I’m not sick. It’s just the food. I never thought I’d miss MREs.” Coop dropped onto the grass next to her and lifted her onto his lap. She laid her head against his chest and wrapped his hand in hers. “Do you think Brooks is okay? It’s been three days.”
“Brooks knows his stuff. He’s probably just trying to figure out how to get all the loot he scored back to camp. I expect him to come riding up in glory any minute.”
Riley appreciated Coop’s show of optimism for her sake, but she knew him well enough to sense he was just as worried. “As much as I want to believe you’re right, what are we going to do if you’re not?”
“We’ll jump off that bridge when we come to it.”
Riley gave him a quick kiss before getting to her feet. “Do you know how much I love you?”
He looked up at her and winked. “Couldn’t be half as much as I love you.”
“I’m going to say goodnight to Biscuit and go read some of Adrian’s plant notes in the tent. Don’t stay out here too long and let me know if Adrian shows up.”
He blew her a kiss before she turned to go cheer up Biscuit. He’d been despondent since Brooks left with Echo. She would have brought him inside their tent if he could fit. As it was, she was giving him as much affection as she could spare, which wasn’t much.
Riley woke from a dream about eating ice cream out of a mini helmet at a baseball game to hear someone softly calling her name. At first, she thought it was Coop, but he was quietly snoring beside her. She lay still for a moment, wondering if she’d dreamed that, too, when she heard it again.
“Riley, it’s Brooks.”
She opened her eyes, trying to focus on Brooks, then shook Coop awake before climbing out of her sleeping bag. She grabbed her hoodie and ducked out of the tent to find Brooks standing just outside the door, stamping his feet to keep warm. Riley was relieved to see Adrian hovering behind him.
She gave Brooks a hug, and said, “Am I happy to see you. When did you get back?”
Coop crawled out of the tent and held his hand out to Brooks. “Good to see you, man.”
“Good to be seen, believe me. I just got here. Dashay’s with Nico. She says she needs you.”
When he turned and headed for Nico’s tent, Riley got into step behind him, wondering what new catastrophe awaited her. When she stepped into the tent, she was thrilled to see Dashay connecting a bag of Vancomycin and saline to Nico’s IV.
Riley felt Nico’s forehead. He was on fire.
Dashay pointed her flashlight at the thermometer for Riley. “It’s 104.” She handed Riley a syringe. “That’s Caldor. I wanted you to approve the dosage before I injected him.”
Riley checked the amount of liquid in the syringe before handing it back to Dashay. “Let’s hope this takes effect in a hurry. If Brooks hadn’t shown up when he did, Nico probably wouldn’t have survived the night. Have you slept?” Dashay looked away, which told Riley all she needed to know. “You haven’t had a good sleep for days. You can’t keep this up or we’ll lose you, too.”
“I’ll watch him to see how he does with the meds. If he improves, I’ll let Adrian take over for me.”
Brooks cocked his head toward the tent door. “Let’s talk outside, Riley.”
Coop and Adrian were waiting at the firepit and waved them over.
Riley glanced at her watch, then glared at Adrian. “When did you get back?”
“Hours ago. Coop told me not to wake you.”
Riley shifted her glare to Coop. “I told you to tell me when he got back.”
He shrugged, and said, “I was going to, but you were out cold, and you haven’t been sleeping. I decided it could wait until morning.”
Brooks looked at Adrian. “Where did you go?”
“Just out searching for herbs and plants. I got absorbed in what I was doing and lost track of time and the trail. It took a while to find my way back.”
“You went out alone? In the dark? After your fit from the bear attack, I didn’t think you’d set foot out of camp.”
“Nico needed me.”
“Very touching,” Coop said and turned to Brooks. “What do you have to report?”
“Let’s sit,” Riley said. She took a seat on the log bench next to Coop. He put an arm around her and handed her a mug of tea. She took
a sip and raised her eyebrows. “That’s delicious. Did you make this, Adrian?” He nodded and grinned at her. “What is it?”
Coop held up his hand to stop him before he could answer. “Discuss herbal tea recipes later. We need to hear what Brooks and Dashay have to say.”
Adrian slumped in his chair and gestured for Brooks to speak.
Brooks cradled his mug and stared at the flames. In the firelight, Riley noticed he had an angry bruise on his cheek.
“It’s worse than we thought out there,” he said. “Between massive mudslides blocking the major roads and people trying to stay ahead of Kearns’ troops, it’s hard to travel in the shadows. I didn’t even reach Charleston before deciding to turn back. I got the meds from some kind people at a barely functioning pharmacy in a small town. It’s not much, but hopefully will be enough to save Nico.”
Coop said, “Not what I was hoping to hear. What happened to your face?”
As Brooks rubbed his cheek, he said, “Three men came at me and tried to take Echo. I fought them off.”
“With your gun?” Riley asked.
“No, I ran out and left it in the tent, but fortunately, they didn’t know how to fight very well. It wasn’t much of a battle, but I got this bruise for my trouble.”
“Thank god that’s all it was,” Coop said. “It would have been disastrous to lose you and be left with just Biscuit.”
“Sounds like it’ll be pretty tough with both horses,” Adrian said. “Maybe we should wait it out here until Nico is recovered.”
Brooks shook his head. “We can’t afford to. With so many streaming into Charleston, supplies will be at a premium and we have to get there before they turn the city into one of those residential zones. I heard that once people are inside the zones, they aren’t allowed to leave without permission. We need to get out of here as soon as possible and beat the hoards heading to the city. I found a back route on the return trip that was quicker and easier to navigate.”