by S. S. Segran
Then everything went from bad to worse.
More rioters swarmed the semi, and those hanging onto the sides started to make their way toward the front. Two gunshots sounded from inside the vehicle’s cab. The body of one rioter fell limply to the ground. A third gunshot sent another man to the road.
Aari was white as a sheet. “Oh, my God.”
The driver of the semi revved his engine. Tegan thought he was trying to scare the horde. Instead, he did the unthinkable. The vehicle lunged forward, mowing down the crowd in its wake. Sickening screams tore through the night.
“What is he doing?” Aari yelled. “What is he doing? We have to help them!”
Tegan chewed on her bottom lip, eyes fixed on the Jeep’s center console. “No.”
He whipped around. “Are you crazy? What’s wrong with you, Tegan?”
“She’s right.” Victor put the car in drive and carefully followed the semi as it continued to forge a path through the crowd. Bodies lay everywhere, some crushed, many covered in blood and unmoving.
Aari gaped at the sight that passed his window. “What do you mean, she’s right? We have to do something!”
“We’re here to get Jag. This . . .” Victor gestured in helpless frustration.
“We can’t step in for every fight, no matter how horrible it is,” Tegan murmured. “And I don’t think there’s a whole lot we can do for this crowd, anyway.”
A coldness settled on Aari’s face as he turned to stare at her once more.
Minutes later, they were safely off the bridge, and the car was deathly quiet.
Mariah gazed glumly at the lush, rolling greenery before her. Wind swept through the grass, sending a rustle over the hillside like a whispered hymn. She turned to face the empty city of Auckland behind her.
New Zealand had lost more than half of its five million inhabitants in the outbreak. Most of those left standing had fled to rural areas, and the ones who remained stayed shut in their homes. Families from the countryside would sometimes drive through the metropolis, searching for better hospitals to treat their stricken kin.
A tower of smoke was visible just outside the city. Mariah, Kody and Deverell had seen it as their plane came in for landing two hours prior; corpses were being incinerated to avoid spreading the disease. It looked as though the smog had been roiling on for days, perhaps even weeks.
Mariah grit her teeth, glaring through a sheen of tears that clung to her lashes. “It’s not fair. We found the cure but not everyone could get it in time.”
Deverell rubbed her back. “Come on,” he murmured. “We need to cover as much ground as we can.”
They jogged down the road from their vantage point on Maungawhau, an extinct volcanic cone just south of the city center. They passed a long white building—the Ministry of Education, Mariah noticed as she wiped her eyes dry—and a school’s field-hockey turf. Everything was silent save for the chirping and cawing of birds. It took a mile of walking for her to rein in her emotions.
She blew her copper-blonde hair out of her eyes, squinting against the midday sun. “At least we’re getting a good workout with all this traveling on foot, huh?”
“It’s too bad the car hire places were shut down,” Deverell grumped.
The three of them picked up the pace until they reached the empty highway ten minutes later. The silence of what should have been a bustling scene was astounding. Mariah pulled out her phone and took a few pictures before catching up with Kody and Deverell on the other side of the multiple-lane road.
Kody shot her a questioning look. “Kinda depressing to take photos of this, isn’t it?”
“I like taking snapshots of life,” she said. “And if this is what life is becoming, then . . .”
“Ah. Got it.”
They arrived in a small neighborhood. Deverell made a beeline for an old maroon sedan parked by one of the houses. Kody cocked his head toward the unkempt property with its tall grass and stained walls. “There’s no one inside. We can probably take the car.”
“Grand theft auto,” Mariah commented dryly as the Sentry broke the driver-side window, opened the door, and got in. “That’s just great.”
“I’m not enjoying this any more than you are,” Deverell said, unscrewing the cover on the steering column with his Swiss Army knife, “but the fact of the matter is, the owner of this car is most likely dead, and we need to get to the Sanctuary as fast as we can.”
Kody leaned in close to watch as the Welshman pulled aside one of the three bundles of wire. “Is that for the ignition?” he asked.
“And the battery and starter, aye.”
“Where did you learn all this?”
The Sentry just quirked a brow and gave a wry smile. Mariah turned away, uninterested, and hesitantly reached out into the novasphere. Come on, Jag. Where are you? She raked through the mass of consciousness, both familiar and strange, but was unable to locate him. Dejected, she sought out Marshall. His presence was among the easiest to find, always radiating warmth and safety.
The Sentry opened up to her immediately when she knocked on his mind. Mariah!
She wanted to squeeze him in a bear hug when she heard his voice. Hiiii.
Aw, kiddo, it’s great to hear from you. Everything okay?
Yeah. Well, not really. But yeah.
Understood. Hope you’re taking care of yourself, though. How are Kody and Dev?
Oh, so you know we’ve split into two groups?
Colback updates me now and then.
Figures. Mariah glanced back as Kody hooted when the car revved. They’re alright. Kody’s improving. Something changed after Victor pulled him aside a few days ago.
She could sense Marshall bristling. He better not have come down hard on him.
I think the only reason Kody’s a little more upbeat is because of that. He might have actually needed it and we didn’t have the guts to do what Victor did, whatever that was. Tough love can work, even if it’s just a temporary fix.
You sound a bit like Tegan. After a moment, he added, I wish I could be there with you guys.
Mariah smiled. Us too. I should let you go, though. This is probably already too much interaction between us for the Elders.
I hope you don’t resent them for putting Colback in and pulling me out.
Resent isn’t the word . . . we’d just prefer you. But Dev is awesome, at least. He’s like that really cool older cousin that everyone wants to hang out with. He’s showing Kody how to hotwire a car right now.
Marshall sighed. That’s nice.
There was a short lull in their exchange, then the Sentry said, I know Colback can be prickly. And icy. And sometimes difficult. But you need to believe that he’ll protect all of you at the cost of his life. He’s just furious at the whole situation, and he hasn’t had a proper chance to see the five of you in action the way I have. He has faith in very few things. If you show him that the prophecy is right about you, it might help him come around.
We have to prove ourselves to him? Mariah didn’t like the sound of that. Why?
Trust me, it’s not an ego thing for either party. I think he’s angry because he’s worried. Like sick to his stomach worried. He’s seen things, really awful things, and then to learn that the Chosen Ones aren’t even legally adults . . .
Oh.
Yeah.
I guess I understand. Still would be nice to have you around. But anyway, how are you doing?
Aside from missing you five, I’m alright, Marshall said. Helping Nadia has been rewarding. We’re getting the cure out even though it’s slow going. Mariah . . . these people, when they’re finally healed . . . you should see their faces. They weep with joy. And sadness for those they’ve lost. But grateful for loved ones who survived. I wish you guys were able to witness the effect it’s having firsthand instead of the riots and looting.
As long as it’s saving lives, we’re happy. Mariah turned when Kody called her name. Looks like our ride’s working properly.
&nb
sp; Alright. Chat soon, kiddo. Be safe.
You too, Marshall.
They severed their connection and she hurried to the car, yelling dibs on shotgun before Kody tried to nab the seat for himself.
* * *
They’d driven south for three hours and were now passing through rolling countryside. Despite wanting to stay awake and fight the jet lag, Mariah kept drifting in and out of unsatisfying dozes. Sometimes she would hear Deverell and Kody conversing but could never hold on to their words for long.
She’d just settled into a proper nap when Kody barked for the Sentry to hit the brakes. The car came to a jarring halt that would have thrown Mariah out of her seat had she not been buckled in. She gasped in pain as the seatbelt constricted against her chest.
“What did you see?” Deverell demanded.
But Kody had already leapt out of the sedan and was running into an expanse of green that seemed to go on forever in every direction. Mariah launched herself from her seat and took off after him. A few cows and horses watched as they sprinted past, tails flicking in alarm.
She slowed to a jog, approaching a long line of wire fence by a wide river. Kody was crouched by a wooden post. As she neared him, shock iced her veins.
An old man sat in the dirt, slumped against the post. He only wore a T-shirt with his muddied jeans and well-worn boots. His pasty complexion was marred by wrinkles, and his head had a few wisps of white hair. He seemed to have difficulty breathing.
Kody spoke softly as he removed his hoodie and helped the man into it. “How long have you been out here?” he asked.
“A couple of days,” the man whispered. His green eyes, paler than Kody’s and bright with tears, found Mariah. He managed a smile; there were only a few teeth there. Mariah noticed his cataracts before realizing that the man wasn’t crying out of sadness. He was relieved to see them.
“You must be cold,” she said, crouching beside Kody and offering a smile of her own.
“It gets a little nippy at night,” the man agreed. “But it’s December. Summertime.”
“I’m Mariah. This is Kody.”
“Pleasure. Paul. How did you find me all the way out here?”
“I saw you.” Kody pulled out a water bottle from his backpack. Twisting off the cap, he held it to Paul’s lips with one hand while steadying the back of his head with the other.
The man took several long, frantic gulps before stopping for air. His eyes glittered again, and this time Mariah knew it was from grief. She scooted closer. “What happened?” she asked quietly. “Was it the sickness?”
He tried to speak but couldn’t get anything past the sob that escaped him. Mariah used her shirt sleeve to lightly dab his cheeks dry.
Hurried footsteps came to a gradual halt as Deverell finally reached them. He looked at Paul, open-mouthed. “Oh! Mate, this is no place to take a ciggy break. The cows told me they weren’t too pleased.”
Paul hacked out a weak laugh. “Ah, a Pom!”
“Not quite,” the Sentry said with a grin. “I’m Welsh.”
“Interesting. Your accent seems more . . . how do you put it . . .”
“Uncharacteristic? Aye, my family moved around a lot when I was little. Now, young man, it looks like you need a hand. Where to?”
“Home.” Paul pressed his fingers to his closed eyelids. “Please.”
The teenagers supported him between them on the slow walk back to the car. Through strained breaths, Paul gave the Sentry directions to his farmhouse half a mile northward. Mariah tried not to show that she was disturbed. He’s literally minutes away from his house but couldn’t even make it back.
“What were you doing all the way out there?” Deverell asked as they coasted down the road.
“Looking after my cows,” Paul answered. “I knew I shouldn’t’ve left the house, but what else was I supposed to do? Just sit around until it’s my turn to die?”
Mariah slanted her head. “Do you have family here?”
“I did. But they’re all gone. I’m the last of”—Paul hissed sharply, as though determined to not open the floodgates again—“the last of everyone. I don’t know why I was chosen to be the only person left standing.”
“Your whole family?” Kody whispered.
“I saw my ten-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son get old before I did. I had to bury them when their bodies couldn’t handle the rapid aging anymore. Then I had to bury my wife. And my parents. And my sisters.”
His chin trembled. Mariah wanted to comfort him but didn’t know how. On Paul’s other side, Kody caught her eye. She slid her hand over the rear deck of the car. He grabbed it tightly and stared out the back window until they turned onto a long gravel driveway.
The friends offered themselves as support once again, guiding Paul into a small white house overlooking a beach. Deverell took it from there, helping the man into the bath to get him washed up. Mariah found some clean clothes in the master suite and laid them out on the bed, then wandered through the residence to join Kody in the living room as he perused shelves filled with photos.
“Look at this,” he said, pointing to a picture of a brown-haired man hugging a couple of children on his lap. They all smiled hugely at a birthday cake set on the coffee table in front of them. There were two lit candles, each in the shape of a number three. The digital date stamped on the photo revealed that the snapshot was taken just a few months ago.
Mariah sat down heavily on the arm of a couch. “Paul’s barely older than Dev.”
“He’s about the same age as Marshall,” Kody said. “But he looks like he’s a hundred. And his family . . .”
“It’s not fair.”
Kody paced the room, hands buried deep in his jeans’ pockets. “I wish the cure did more than just stop the aging. If it can reverse the effects of the Omega strain, why can’t it do the same here?”
“Because it can’t regrow the telomeres targeted by the virus.”
“So we’re really only saving some people.”
Mariah folded her arms, shoulders bunched tight near her ears. “It’s better than not saving anyone, isn’t it?”
Despair eclipsed Kody’s features, and for the first time, Mariah noticed just how worn he looked. “Yeah,” he said, voice rough. “I guess so.”
Deverell appeared with Paul moments later. The four of them gathered around the dining table and the Sentry started to rummage through the pantry and fridge.
“You won’t find much,” Paul warned. “Damned crop plague. So many pieces fell after it hit us.”
“Well, there’s still this,” Deverell said cheerfully, holding up two large cans of stew.
They were hungrily tucking into the warm meal before long. Mariah wasn’t able to enjoy it; she kept glancing at Paul, who could barely lift his spoon to his mouth.
Kody must have noticed too, because he set his steaming bowl aside, took the spoon from Paul’s grasp, and started to feed him. The man turned red in shame, but Kody merely smiled and began to regale everyone with uproarious stories and jokes. Soon, Paul was almost snorting stew from his nose as he laughed.
Once the meals were eaten and the dishes done, he placed a trembling hand over his heart. “It was very, very kind of you to bring me home and have dinner with me. And I—I don’t want to be a burden, but . . .” He looked away, words failing.
Mariah leaned across the table and covered one of his wrinkled hands with hers. “You’re not a burden. At all. We promise.”
Paul hesitated, then softly asked, “Would you three mind staying with me? Just for tonight.”
The group glanced at each other, faltering, before Deverell murmured, “Sure, mate. Of course.”
As the late afternoon wore on into evening, they sat in the living room, chattering and keeping Paul company. Even when he smiled, there was sadness. When he laughed, it always ended in a wheezy, painful coughing fit that Mariah felt in her own chest.
The setting sun shone through the windows, casting a deep hue, as tho
ugh everything within the walls had been painted red. Mariah looked down at her arms and clothes, fascinated.
“My daughter used to do that,” Paul mumbled in a distant tone, watching her. He raised an unsteady hand, as if reaching out to her. “She loved sitting there, my little Abigail, facing the sun and seeing what color she would turn that evening. Yellow, orange, pink, red . . . Once, she was this beautiful, light shade of indigo. She was so thrilled. I have a picture of it on my nightstand. My son and wife had joined her, and . . . and they looked like angels. My angels.”
Mariah, unable to meet his eyes, fixed her gaze on the tint coloring her body.
“It’s difficult, losing loved ones.” Deverell turned to the open window behind him. After a moment, he said, “My mum called three weeks ago to tell my brother and I that our father had gotten the aging strain. He passed not long after.”
Mariah’s head snapped up. She knew most of the Sentries had at least one parent of Dema-Ki ancestry while the other was from the outside world—which meant they did not have the protective genes that guarded them against Reyor’s virus.
Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “What? Why didn’t you say anything?”
Deverell looked over at her. His eyes were red-rimmed and his smile wavered. “There’s nothing anyone could have done at that point. The CDC hadn’t started spreading the cure yet, and I wouldn’t have been able to reach him in time even if I’d tried to deliver the sap to him myself.”
“You should have been with him,” Kody whispered. “You and Gareth.”
“They’d grounded all flights in and out of Wales. There was no way.”
“I’m so sorry, Dev,” Mariah said, voice cracking.
The Sentry gave her an adoring scrunch of his face. The last rays of the sun caught on the tear on his cheek.
They don’t want to burden us, Mariah realized. That’s why he didn’t say anything. That’s why Domi never really mentioned that she was Gwen’s cousin, and why Marshall refuses to tell us more about Victor’s past.