“Meghan?” Sharon called from the home’s entryway. She stood by the open front door. “Are you coming?”
Tears wet my eyes. I blinked them back. Cold wind flowed across my face, making my eyes sting. Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and carried on walking to the door.
I tried not to think about my brother. And I tried not to think about Davin and his siblings. They’d all been on the reservation seven years ago when the Second Wave ensued.
Only Davin had survived.
The rickety porch steps creaked when I climbed them. Sharon opened the front door wider.
My co-workers and Ian were hard at work when I entered the living room. Ian was laying tinder and logs in the fireplace while Amy hooked up the camping stove. Mitch and Charlie were opening cans of baked beans and making cold sandwiches.
Nobody had wasted any time. This was a temporary stop.
A thick layer of dust covered everything. I immediately felt the urge to sneeze. “What can I do to help?”
“Are you any good at starting fires?” Ian glanced over his shoulder from his crouched position.
I joined him by the fire and pulled out a fire starter from behind the small wood pile. “This will do the trick.”
Within minutes, we had a fire going. It warmed the small room slowly. Grabbing dishes and cutlery from the dusty kitchen, I found a worn towel buried in a drawer that had avoided the dust and wiped the dishes down before returning to the living room.
The nice thing about houses that had been condemned after the First and Second Waves for contamination reasons, was that they were still furnished. Dishes, silverware, towels, and everything else that accompanied most kitchens was still in place.
But there wasn’t running water. There was no way to clean the dishes when we finished. Not that it mattered. Once we moved out, it was likely nobody would occupy this space again.
The house was eerily quiet as we all sat on the old furniture.
“So now what?” Mitch bit a huge chunk out of his sandwich. A few crumbs fell into his beard.
“We need Cate.” Ian settled back farther on the sofa. His thigh brushed mine.
Shifting my leg, I turned to him. “Is she still coming tomorrow?”
He nodded and polished off the rest of his sandwich before unscrewing his thermos to take a drink. “As far as I know. I haven’t heard otherwise from her, and I’m sure she would tell us if her plans changed.”
Since the room was warming up, I pulled my hat off and threaded my fingers through my hair.
“We need Cate here more than anything.” I explained how a Sergeant Major had not been manning the night’s guard three months ago. “They’ve upgraded. It used to be a Sergeant. Dr. Roberts has obviously pulled in higher ranking officials to guard the reservation. I’m not sure what that means.”
“Well, I do know one thing.” Charlie set his empty plate on the coffee table. “Sergeant Major’s are used to giving orders and not backing down. We probably can’t talk our way in with someone like that in charge, even if we have video proof about what’s going on.”
Charlie was right. If it had been a Private, or someone who was used to taking orders and doing as they were told, we might have been able to use our MRI status as leverage, or the videos Cash shot to blackmail. But it seemed the Sergeant Major would not be easily swayed.
Maybe Dr. Roberts had learned from my previous visit, in which I was able to talk my way in. I wonder if that’s why he boosted ranks.
“So now what?” Amy’s green eyes glittered in the firelight.
I checked my watch. It was early evening, still not very late. “Now, we find Cash. He knows this area better than any of us. Maybe he’ll have some ideas on how to get in.”
ALL OF US left the house to climb back into the SUV. As we settled in, it occurred to me that only Sharon knew how to find Cash. They’d swapped cell phone numbers after he’d shown her the footage.
“It’s probably a good idea to share his number with us.” I pulled out my phone. “Do you mind?”
Sharon nodded. “You’re right. I’ll text it to you and Amy. In case anything happens to my phone, we don’t want to lose his number.”
“How did you two meet?” Mitch asked.
Sharon leaned forward in her seat. “When I first arrived last Friday, there were other families at the gates, trying to get in for a weekend visit. A few of us banded together and began talking. That’s how I know we were all fed the same story. But most had to leave. They had jobs to return to or other commitments at home. Since I was the only local family member with a mere four-hour drive back to Rapid City, I decided to stay and promised to text all of them with updates.”
Mitch glanced at her in the dark cab. “So the families know about the videos?”
Sharon nodded tightly. “Yes. Their replies were panicked after I told them, and a few said they’re coming back up, but with the unpredictable weather occurring in the country right now, it may take days before any arrive.” Sharon took her mittens off as the vehicle’s interior warmed. “After they all left, I hopped in my car and drove on as many roads as I could find surrounding the rez. But it wasn’t until I pulled over to an abandoned gas station, in hopes of finding a working bathroom, that I met Cash. It was fortuitous. If I hadn’t stopped there, I never would have found him.”
“So he was hanging out in an empty gas station?” Charlie’s midnight eyebrows rose. In the dark cab, everyone’s faces were in shadows.
Sharon turned in the front passenger seat to face us. “The gas station isn’t far from his parents’ farmhouse. Cash said he’d go there sometimes to hang out and rifle through the stuff left behind. He hid behind the counter when I stepped inside. I almost didn’t see him, but he dropped something which made a loud bang. Once he realized that I knew he was there, he stood back up.”
Sharon shrugged. “Being a mom, I immediately became concerned. I asked him if he had a home and if he knew where his parents were. He humored all of my questions but then his eyes turned to saucers when I told him my son was a Kazzie in Reservation 1. That’s when he pulled his phone out and showed me the videos.”
“The video that shows the Kazzie shot from the sky?” Ian’s deep voice filled the cab. We were in the prairie now. Nothing was around. Stars filled the sky. It looked desolate and beautiful out my window.
“That’s the one.” Sharon’s expression fell.
My heart went out to her. Before Reservation 1, she’d had to endure knowing that Davin was in Compound 26 being abused. But since he’d been moved, we’d all hoped the Kazzies would live normal lives. And for a while, things had looked okay. The Kazzies had begun a normal existence. They were getting jobs, starting to integrate into their small society, but then it had stopped. Something had obviously happened.
Now, it was a matter of figuring out what.
A few minutes later, Mitch’s GPS indicated that our destination was on the right. He stopped the SUV.
Since it was an electric vehicle, it didn’t make a sound when the motor shut off. I worriedly glanced at the battery. We were down to a quarter charged. There weren’t any charging stations around here. We’d have to find one soon, otherwise, we’d be stuck.
“Is this it?” Amy leaned forward, our shoulders brushing, as she peered out the front windshield.
Sharon pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Yes, his parents’ farmhouse is up this drive.”
Mitch glanced at Sharon. I could barely make out his profile in the dark interior. “Do Cash’s parents know that you’re talking with him?”
Sharon’s hesitation told me her answer before she spoke. “Uh… no.”
“Does that mean his parents don’t know what he’s videoed?” Ian leaned forward from the far back seat.
Sharon’s voice grew quiet. “No, they don’t know. Cash said his dad would be furious if he knew how much time he’s spent down by the reservation. He’s supposed to spend his days mending fences and helping get their farm back up
and running. Cash said he’d be in a lot of trouble if his parents knew how he’s spending his time.”
“Poor kid,” Charlie said from the back.
“So how do we contact him?” I asked Sharon.
She held up her phone. “I already texted him. He’s on his way out. He said to meet him by the mailbox.”
Since we were already close to the mailbox we didn’t have to go far. All of us stepped out of the SUV.
Cold wind whipped hair around my face. The dark sky blazed above. The abundance of stars took my breath away. For so many years, curfew had ruled our lives. We’d all had to be indoors, in our homes from night until morning. If one wanted to stargaze, the only way to legally do it was to hang out a bedroom window.
Now that curfew had been lifted, we were once again allowed out at night.
I allowed myself a moment to gaze at the constellations. Orion was easy to spot since it dominated the sky. Gemini was a close second with its twin stars, Castor and Pollux, bright and visible. Icy breaths filled my lungs.
I wonder if Davin’s looking at this night sky right now.
My heart hurt at how close, yet how far away he was. I could only hope that he had enough freedom to enjoy this, but considering the Kazzies had been locked in their homes at night when I’d visited the rez over three months ago, I knew that was probably wishful thinking.
A rustling sound came from farther up the drive. Ian tensed at my side. He’d stayed close to me since we’d all exited the vehicle. Once again, I got the impression that he wanted to take charge, but he was out of his element.
Sharon and I knew this world better than anyone.
“Who’s there?” Mitch called.
Amy elbowed him. “Jeez, Mitchy. Don’t scare the kid away.”
More rustling sounds came. It sounded like someone walking through tall grass. Then footsteps on gravel reached my ears.
“Cash?” Sharon called.
A tall, slim figure appeared in the night. “Yeah, it’s me, Sharon.”
His voice squeaked at the end. That sound gave away how young he was.
Cash appeared in the darkness. He was dressed in jeans and a warm jacket. In the night, I couldn’t see his features, but he appeared to be at least six feet tall and was as skinny as a beanpole. He reminded me so much of my own brother that a fierce protectiveness welled up inside me.
“Thanks for coming.” Sharon stepped closer to him. “These are the scientists from the Compound that I told you about. They’re here trying to figure out what’s going on in the reservation.”
Cash glanced over his shoulder and shuffled his feet. The gravel underneath his soles made a grating noise. “Um, I can’t stay long. My dad’s bound to notice that I’m not in the house.”
“We won’t keep you.” Sharon touched his forearm. “Did you bring copies of the videos?”
Cash dug something out of his pocket. “Yeah. Here, but I’ll need that back. It’s my only one.”
I couldn’t tell what he gave Sharon, but whatever it was, it was small.
“Thank you.” Sharon gripped his hand before he could put it back in his pocket. “And remember, if you see anything else, please let me know.”
Cash shuffled his feet again. “Sure, Sharon. Um, well, I better go.” He glanced at the rest of us. “See you.”
He turned and stepped back into the tall grass that lined the driveway. The moonlight illuminated his retreating form before he disappeared into the darkness.
“Is there any chance he’ll get lost out here?” I watched the area he’d disappeared into. I couldn’t help but picture my brother at that age. If Cash didn’t find his way back to his farmhouse, he could freeze to death.
Sharon wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “I worried about that too the few times we’ve met, but he said he knows this land like the back of his hand. They didn’t move away until he was nine-years-old and the Second Wave struck. Up until that point, he spent all of his time wandering these hills.”
Hearing that made me feel a little better. Still, I couldn’t help but worry about him.
“Okay, now that we have the videos, we need to find a place to stay for the night.” Mitch pulled his keys out of his pocket. “And sorry, but that abandoned house won’t cut it. We’re going to need to find a city. My battery’s almost empty.”
“The closest inhabited town is Bismarck, North Dakota, but that’s a hundred miles from here.” Sharon crossed her arms. “Will your car make it?”
Mitch opened his door. “I sure hope so. Otherwise, we’re all going to be stuck out here.”
9 – VIDEOS
We managed to limp into Bismarck two hours later. It was the only town in western North Dakota that was still inhabited. The clock struck eight o’clock on the dash when we crawled into a hotel parking lot. Thankfully, battery charging stations lined the lot.
“Battery juice. Sweet!” Charlie unclicked his seatbelt from the back.
“I’m assuming we’re staying here tonight?” Amy hooked a thumb at the vacancy sign.
“It’s either this or we sleep in the car.” Ian stretched. “The car will need to charge all night.”
“Let’s book rooms. Clean beds and warm showers.” Mitch scratched his beard. “Let’s enjoy it while we can.”
Charlie chuckled. “Such a pretty boy.”
Mitch merely chuckled and stepped out to hook up the vehicle to charge. Ian and Charlie joined him.
Sharon, Amy, and I stayed in the vehicle. The USB drive that Cash had given Sharon was in her pocket. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see what was on it, but I knew I had to.
I grabbed my laptop. “We can transfer whatever’s on that USB to my hard drive.”
Amy nodded. “Let’s get rooms and then we can check out what Cash saw.”
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, we were striding down the hotel hallway toward our rooms. Since the hotel’s policy was two people per room that meant one of us would have to share with one of the guys. I didn’t dare ask Sharon since she didn’t know anybody, and since nobody knew Ian except me, I agreed to share with him.
The first thing everyone did was drop their bags off before piling into Ian’s and my room. The room was clean and simple: two beds, an ancient looking TV, and a small fridge. I turned on my laptop, and we all crowded around as I plugged in the USB.
A file popped up, that was aptly titled, “The Reservation.”
Mitch smirked. “He’s not exactly 007. Somebody should tell him when trying to hide incriminating videos, it’s probably best to not label them so clearly.”
Amy fluffed her hair over her shoulder. “Were you any smarter when you were sixteen?”
Charlie shook his head. “Don’t let him answer that.”
Sharon laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “See what I have to work with every day?”
Ian chuckled too.
My finger hovered over the mouse. “All right. Here goes nothing.”
I double clicked it. Everyone’s laughter died. The file revealed dozens of videos. I double clicked the first one.
A media player sprang to life, and a video emerged. It was dark and grainy. It was hard to see what was going on since it was nighttime in the video, but the audio was clear. The sound of someone screaming followed by a guard yelling at another guard to “grab her” came through clearly. More screaming sounded and then what sounded like a struggle. Another scream, but it was cut off, like something had been done to the woman to make her abruptly grow quiet.
My gut turned to ice.
I glanced at Sharon. Her face was white.
Another commotion sounded on the same video, but this time, it sounded like Cash running away from what he’d just seen. The only sounds were his labored breathing and tall grass swooshing with his footsteps before the video cut out.
Silence filled the room.
With a shaky finger, I double-clicked the next video.
This one was during the day. The sun shone overhead. The reservation’
s perimeter fence was visible. In the distance, figures moved.
“What area is that?” Ian asked.
Sharon cleared her throat. “Almost all of his videos were taken near that outdoor area. He said it’s one of the few areas with rocks and a few trees to hide behind so the guards can’t see him.”
The video lost focus and then zoomed onto the figures in the distance. They were Kazzies.
I smiled when I realized they were enjoying a game. Frisbee from the looks of it.
The video must have been taken during early autumn. They weren’t wearing jackets, and the grass and wildflowers were still green. Only some of the stalks had begun to brown.
Laughter rang across the prairie as a woman leaped up and grabbed the Frisbee. She had to have jumped at least fifteen feet in the air. Once she landed, she zoomed away, turning into a blur before reappearing a hundred yards on the opposite side of her friends.
My breath sucked in.
Strain 11. She had the same strain as Davin.
The two guys she was playing with jeered, giving her a hard time for moving so quickly. She threw the Frisbee at one. He leaped in the air and caught it. It was a normal leap, a human-like leap. The camera zoomed in on him. His skin was orange colored, and his hands were webbed except for the thumb which wasn’t attached to the webbing.
“Strain 22,” I murmured. With that strain a Kazzie had webbed hands and feet, and the distinctly orange colored skin. They were excellent swimmers.
The Kazzie with strain 22 threw the Frisbee. The third player caught it. Cash zoomed in on him. The third Kazzie’s skin was gray colored and thick with raised areas like pebbles.
“Strain 35.” Amy cupped her chin in her hand.
When Ian cocked an eyebrow, she explained. “Their skin is nearly impossible to penetrate. It looks and feels like stone. They weigh about three times what they did before their Change, and of all the Kazzies, they’re the hardest to obtain samples from.”
The three Kazzies continued throwing their Frisbee, seemingly enjoying themselves.
Dust appeared in the distance. It was only then I realized they were near a road. A military vehicle was driving their way, gravel dust flying up behind it. My forehead furrowed as the vehicle approached. It was a large van.
Section 12: Book #3 in The Makanza Series Page 8