by S. E. Meyer
Billy squeezed her with strong arms. “Anna, Sheila's pregnant.” He pulled away to make eye contact. “I wish things were different.”
“Me too,”
“You're telling me you haven't met anyone since I've been away?”
“I've met plenty of people, sure. I don't have a problem finding intimacy, but I’ve only found love once.”
Billy pulled her back into a long embrace. “I'm so sorry, Anna.” He pulled a ringlet from her brow with a finger before kissing her forehead “Here's some unsolicited advice from a lifelong friend. Remember to allow yourself to recognize it when it comes along.”
“I wish you the best, Billy. I really do.” Anna sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “I hope you and Sheila have a great life together.”
“Anna, you can love again. You'll find someone else.”
Anna's hand slid down Billy's arm, reaching his wrist. Their fingers intertwined for a second before letting go. “Good bye, Billy.”
Anna turned away, taking long strides to catch up with the group as a tear dripped from her cheek.
The second day of walking was much worse than the first. Wet snow had been falling all morning, turning the trek into a miserable march. Everyone was cold, wet, and hungry.
Atticus paced Anna as they walked. “Are you okay? You've been quiet since we left New Easton.”
Anna nodded. “I'll be all right. I've been doing some thinking.” She turned her neck to face him. “You loved my mother didn't you?”
“Very much.”
“Why didn't you or Mom tell me I was your biological daughter?”
“You spoke with my attorney. That’s good, I’m glad he found you.“ Atticus wrinkled his brow. “It was a tough decision, but Steven thought it best to raise you as his own, allowing me to see you when I wanted.”
“Dad knew?”
Atticus nodded. “Yes. Margaret preferred to be honest with him. Your dad forgave, and he wanted to keep the family together. Although we continued to work together, your mom and I agreed to end the physical relationship. Anna, your dad loves you.”
Anna nodded. “I never felt treated differently than Sara. Sometimes, I felt like I was the favorite.” Anna smiled. “I'm glad I know. It explains a few things, like my darker hair and how easily I tan.”
Atticus returned her smile. “You will always be my greatest accomplishment.”
“Why, because I'm immune to Fleishman's?”
“Who told you?”
“Damarion.”
Atticus shook his head. “I can't trust him to keep anything quiet. No, I was referring to you being my daughter.”
“Why didn't you tell me I was immune?”
“Anna, I didn't want to burden you with such a thing. I mean how does someone deal with knowing their purpose is to save the world?”
“I don't know. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.”
“That's why I was waiting for the time to be right.”
Anna nodded as the group made it over the last hill, stopping to take a break.
She looked out over the valley, scanning the city's north wall. “We're getting close. Get ready to send the signal.”
The mood was somber, not knowing what to expect. With the wall in sight for the first time in years, people were sharing their regrets and wishing they were home in New Easton.
Atticus pulled out his transmitter. His eyes widened. “Anna, I can't believe we made it. This is all finally going to happen. Decades of planning.”
Anna pointed down the hillside. “We'll need to make our way through that wooded valley. Once we're on the other side, we should be close enough.”
Atticus nodded. “Okay everyone, let's do this.”
The group shuffled down the hill and into the forest. It was slow going through the thick underbrush, taking over an hour to arrive on the other side. Anna and Atticus were in the lead and Anna pushed the last bough aside allowing everyone to spread out into the clearing. The wall stretched away from them in both directions.
Anna rested her hand on Atticus’s shoulder. “There is one more thing bothering me.”
Atticus scanned the wall, preparing to send the signal. “What's on your mind?”
“If I'm the only one immune to Fleishman’s, and there is no cure, why are these people healthy?”
Atticus shook his head. “Anna, I have something to tell you-”
An explosion erupted in front of the group, cutting Atticus off and showering the crowd with dirt as a line of military vehicles appeared from around the eastern tree line.
Anna covered her mouth. “What the hell?”
More than fifty soldiers jumped out of the forest behind them, aiming their weapons.
The man in charge pulled a loudspeaker from the leading Humvee.
“We have you surrounded. Put down your weapons. We are taking you all into custody.”
“No, no, no.” Atticus repeated, balling his fists. “We've come so far. We have to make a run for it. I'm sending the signal.”
“Stop!” The voice came over the loudspeaker. “Don't move.”
Atticus pressed the button on the transmitter. “Everyone run!”
The crowd followed Atticus as gunfire erupted. Three people went down and everyone stopped in their tracks..
Atticus looked at Anna with wide eyes. “We're trapped. What are we going to do?”
◆◆◆
“Left, left!” Damarion shouted as he led everyone down the tunnel.
The group turned left, following Damarion down the passageway.
“Are you sure it was a left?” Jax asked, running alongside Steven and Sara. He glanced behind him to see George and Isabelle taking up the rear. “Where is Delores?”
They came to a dead end. “I told you it should have been a right back there.” Jax said.
Damarion flipped the map over. “I don't know. I don't know!”
Footsteps echoed down the tunnel from behind them.
George shook his head. “We have to go back!”
The sound of boots pounding the concrete floor filled their ears as a dozen armed men raced towards them.
Jax paced the wall. “What would Anna do? What would Anna do?” He stopped. “She'd beat everyone up and swear a lot.”
Damarion dropped his shoulders. “It's too late.”
Trapped with nowhere to go, the group could only wait for their pursuers to arrive.
Jax looked at Damarion. “You led us here on purpose. You wanted us to get caught.”
“I did no such thing. Why do you all question my loyalty?”
The soldiers arrived, pointing laser light targets at everyone's chest.
“Cuff them,” the soldier in charge barked.
The soldiers placed handcuffs on everyone and escorted them back to the maintenance room, forcing them to stand against the far wall.
“What do we have here?” one soldier said, inspecting the metal cabinet in the shelving room. He broke the handle and opened the doors. “Looks like detonator remotes, Sir,” he said, entering the maintenance room.
The soldier in charge nodded.
“What are you going to do with us?” Damarion asked.
“That's up to Cornelius. He'll be along soon.”
◆◆◆
Anna placed her hand on Atticus's shoulder. “I have an idea. I'll take care of this.”
Anna pulled her gun, snapping the receiver and filling the chamber. She spun, holding the gun to Richard's head. “Get Cromwell on the radio!” Anna yelled.
“Drop your weapon!” the man replied.
Richard turned. “Anna, what the hell are you doing?”
“I have something, Cornelius wants.” Anna replied. “Get him on the radio now or I kill his precious grandson. Will you take responsibility for that decision?”
“Are you crazy?” Richard pleaded. “I don't want to go back there.”
The man walked towards Anna holding a radio. He set it down in the grass and st
epped away. Anna pushed Richard in front of her and picked up the radio.
“Are you there?”
There was a crackle from the speaker before Cornelius responded. “Miss Wool. We have you surrounded. Give up now and I will make sure no one gets hurt.”
“I doubt that. Here’s a better idea. I have a gun pointed at Richard's head and I'm offering a trade. You let us pass and I’ll give you back your grandson.“
There was a long pause. “Did you hear me?” Anna asked.
“Yes. Okay, Miss Wool, I'll play your little game.”
The soldiers returned to their vehicles and backed off to a distance of a quarter mile.
Anna pushed Richard ahead. “Okay, let's go. Everyone, it's time.” She looked at Atticus. “Send the signal.”
Atticus replied. “I already did.”
Anna bit into her lip. “How long is it supposed to take? We need it to happen now!”
Static noise hissed through the radio. “Miss Wool.”
“What do you want?” Anna snarled, still holding her gun to Richard's head.
“Turn around.”
Anna whirled, looking behind her.
“You were lucky to have found my tracker and removed it. Smart girl, but say goodbye to New Easton.”
There was a brilliant flash and Anna closed her eyes. Upon opening them, she watched a thick column climb into the sky on the northern horizon, morphing into a mushroom cloud.
Anna squeezed the handle of her weapon. “No. All those wonderful people,” she whispered, balling her left fist.
The children.
Atticus dropped to his knees. “It's gone. All gone.” He pounded the snow-covered ground with his hands. “No, no, no.”
Billy.
Anna covered her mouth, a wave of nausea washing over her while watching the mushroom cloud as it continued to rise.
And Shadow.
On the verge of collapse, Anna’s knees wobbled. She stumbled sideways as the fowl in her gut attempted to take flight towards an exit.
She swallowed the bile at the back of her throat, still staring in awe at the rising column of death and destruction.
The radio crackled.
“Your move Miss Wool.”
Anna squeezed the radio with white knuckles, pressing the talk button. “You son of a bitch!” she spat into the microphone. “You killed them. You killed them all. I'm coming for you, Cromwell. I'm coming, and I won't stop until I put a bullet in your brain.”
She let go of the button. “What is taking so long?”
Atticus shook his head. “I don't know. Something's wrong.”
“Send it again. We're out of time.”
◆◆◆
Damarion, Jax and the rest of the group stood in place along the wall for several minutes as more soldiers arrived. “He's here,” a soldier announced.
Cornelius took confident steps down the tunnel, chest puffed and wearing a grin. He slid a radio into his front pocket before stopping to face Damarion. “Good to see you, Damarion.” Cornelius's grin broadened as he walked down the line of handcuffed prisoners. “You know, I suppose I should thank you.”
Damarion lowered his brow. “Thank me?”
“Yes. Thank you for telling me where you all have been hiding.”
Jax stomped his foot. “I knew it!. You bastard. Everything we've worked for.”
Cornelius's proud smile continued to widen as he stopped again in front of Damarion. “Yes. All you've worked for.” He made eye contact with the man before him. “Even the best-laid plans of wolves and sheep often go astray.”
“I could have let them bring your little group of bandits to me, but I had to come. I wanted to see the look in your eyes once you knew you had been beaten.” He turned. “And for you all to look into the eyes of the man that had beaten you.”
“I can't believe you lied to us,” Isabelle said. “My own father.”
“I did not betray our plan!” Damarion yelled.
Jax shook his head. “You're going to stand there and deny that you had anything to do with this?”
Cornelius grinned. “Yes, nothing but a sewer rat, caught in a tunnel.” He laughed.
“I won't deny, he may have found us because of me, but I didn't rat us out.”
“I saw your call log. You've been tipping him off this whole time!” Jax blurted.
“I was trying to buy us time!”
Cornelius winked. “Settle down now. You'll have plenty of time to be at each other's throats.” He stepped towards Damarion. “I have you all now, including your friends outside. I have them surrounded as we speak. I win.”
“Are you sure? Because there is something you're forgetting.”
“What could that be?” Cornelius asked.
“I guess more of a someone you're forgetting.” Damarion replied.
“I believe you are all here and accounted for.”
There was a clatter from the shelving room as the temporary bathroom door opened. “You'd think there would be something else to eat other than cold, canned beans,” Delores complained from the next room, “been in there three times today.”
Cornelius turned to the soldier on his left. “Go check it out.”
A tone sounded next to her and Delores's gaze fell on the open cabinet. “Oh! So many switches. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help myself.”
Damarion grinned as Delores counted. “two, four, six, ten,...”
Explosions rocked the tunnels, shaking dust from the ceilings and dropping a pile of debris atop the center of Cornelius's bald head.
CHAPTER XX
The entire city watched the dust cloud and rainfall of debris settle, unveiling a large gap in the wall. Every device displayed the video feed as over one-hundred people stepped across the threshold of rubble and into the street. With every gaze glued to devices, the people of Easton recognized loved ones with slacked jaws and wide eyes.
People left their homes, running towards the wall to greet family and friends.
Anna lowered her weapon. “Go back to where you belong, Richard.”
“I don’t belong there.”
“You don’t have much time left. Go and say goodbye to your family.”
“You know, Anna. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.”
“The sooner you get out of my sight, the happier I’ll be.”
Richard turned. He lowered his head and shuffled toward the line of military vehicles.
Anna climbed the rubble pile, watching a mother with tear-streaked cheeks wrap her arms around a young man. “Jimmy!” the mother cried, kissing his face. “You're alive!”
Breezes toyed her hair as Anna lifted her gun and slipped the clip from its handle. She removed the knife from her pocket while popping out the first round with her thumb. Anna unlocked the blade and scratched two letters into the brass casing with a clenched jaw. While rolling the casing between her thumb and index finger, she watched the light reflect the letters 'C. C.' in bright yellow brass. With a nod, she slid the bullet back into the clip.
Anna scanned the scene of family members celebrating as more citizens arrived at the wall. She looked to her right to find a group of protesters making signs. A young woman held up a picture of a dragon with a spear through its heart. A mass of people had gathered in the street, chanting. “Raid the castle. Slay the dragon.”
Anna smiled as she climbed down onto the pavement. She slammed the magazine into the handle. “Your move, Sir.”
◆◆◆
The gates swung, allowing Cornelius's motorcade onto the mansion’s grounds. The vehicles crept through a swarm of people holding signs showing the dragon with the spear through its heart. Three military vehicles took up the rear. The first held Damarion, George, Isabelle and Jax, while the second held Anna's family.
The two vehicles holding prisoners stopped in front of a tent erected just inside the gates. Guards escorted the prisoners inside the tent where an iron holding cell had been assembled.
Cornelius
walked into the house, turning before stepping through the doorway. He looked out to the front gate, scanning the swelling crowds as they pushed on the gates, rattling its hinges.
Cornelius turned to James. “Bring every man we have back here. We need to secure the perimeter, and send the commander to my study. This is getting out of hand.”
Cornelius went straight to his study. He lit a cigarette, awaiting his guest.
The commander entered the room. “You asked for me, Sir?”
“Yes, is it ready?”
The man nodded. “It's ready when you are.”
“Excellent. It's time.”
The commander escorted Cornelius into the large main bath next to the study. Atop the tile floor in the room's corner was a large rectangular box. He opened it, fishing out a small device before connecting it to Cornelius's neck and pressed several buttons on a control panel.
“The receiver attached to your neck will monitor your vital signs.”
“There, it's all set, but I hope you never have to use it.”
“I would agree. But should things go poorly and I die, it will activate the warhead?”
The man nodded. “Yes. If you die, the entire city of Easton will die with you.”
“Either way, I win,” Cornelius smiled. “Your move Miss Wool.”
The butler entered. “Sir, he's here. We have Richard.”
Cornelius left the study, followed by James. He crossed the ballroom, stopping at Richard's side. His grandson lay on a gurney, unconscious and drooling from the edge of his mouth.
“He's turning. It won't be long before he goes late stage,” James said.
Cornelius shook his head while staring down at his grandson. “Oh, Richard. You know better than to eat sheep fodder.”
He turned to James. “Frank Anderson can fix this, but there's something he'll need.”
James raised an eyebrow. “The girl?”
Cornelius nodded. “We need the blood of a lamb.”