Heath

by Arcadia Shield

  Heath frowned, as he recalled how close Annie had been to remembering what the world was like. Whatever those herbs were that Clarissa had given her, they’d been strong. Annie’s eyes had glazed over and she’d struggled with her thoughts. Heath didn’t approve of what Clarissa had done, but if this was a safe way of getting Annie’s memories back, hell, getting everyone’s memories back, he’d try it. He’d get a sample of those herbs and see if they could be used on others. They had to be safer than The Jolt.

  He sucked in a deep breath. Annie would not leave his side while in the base. If she found her father too weak to move, she’d be foolish enough to sacrifice herself and stay there. That would not happen. She didn’t think rationally when it came to Dmitri. But then again why should she? He was her father. If Heath’s dad was still alive, and imprisoned by the State, he’d do the same.

  At least he didn’t have to worry about that; his parents were killed by the State in the first wave of attacks before people knew what was going on. They hadn’t stood a chance against the onslaught.

  Heath swallowed through the tightness in his throat. There was no time for reminiscing. He pulled the last adrenaline pen he had out of his jacket pocket and flipped off the cap.

  He shouldn’t use it, but if he crashed when they were in the base, he wouldn’t be able to look after Annie. Pulling up his jacket sleeve, he flexed his arm muscle.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Lincoln emerged from the shadows.

  Heath shot him a glare. “This isn’t your business.”

  “You’ve been using those shots too much,” said Lincoln. “You’re a mess.”

  “Keep out of this,” said Heath. “Annie needs me.”

  “She does,” said Lincoln. “But not if you’re jacked on something artificial.”

  “You know what this is,” said Heath. “I need a boost to get me through.”

  Lincoln snorted. “I’ve Heard that before.”

  “This is different.”

  “You sound like a junkie.”

  Heath’s lips thinned. They’d had this argument so many times. “And you sound like an idiot.”

  Lincoln sighed and leaned against the wall. “I’m not telling you what to do. And we all use the adrenaline shots if we’re running on empty and have sites to explore. But they’re not meant for regular use. They’re burning out your system.”

  “I need this.”

  “You need to look after yourself,” said Lincoln. “Especially now you’ve got someone else to fight for.”

  Heath lowered the adrenaline pen. “Annie?”

  “She’s into you,” said Lincoln. “Any dumbass can see that. Although I can’t figure out why, when I’m standing in front of her.”

  Heath smirked. “You are every woman’s dream guy.”

  “Tell me about it. But for whatever reason, she likes you. She’ll hate it if she knows what you’re doing.”

  “Annie doesn’t need to know about this,” said Heath. “But if she did, she’d understand. She’d do anything to save Dmitri.”

  “Annie wouldn’t want you hurting yourself.”

  Heath glowered at Lincoln. “Don’t go telling her what I’m doing.”

  “Start this relationship on a lie, and it won’t last.”

  “You’re telling me about relationships,” said Heath. “How long was your last one? Two weeks?”

  Lincoln’s brows lowered. “I’m different than you. I’m not into commitment. All that messy relationship stuff.”

  “You will be one day,” said Heath. His gaze went to the adrenaline pen. “None of us are perfect. I’ll use this one and then that’s it. I’ll even go see Sophia and let her give me a full examination, like she’s been threatening me with for months. If only to prove to you I’m fine. These pens aren’t doing me harm.”

  Lincoln shrugged and turned away. “What you’re doing is wrong. You’re fooling yourself if you think otherwise. But do what you have to. I just want my brother still alive at the end of this.”

  “That’s why I’m doing this.”

  “I mean the real you,” said Lincoln, his back still to Heath. “The one who doesn’t run on artificial stimulants and obsessive behavior.”

  “I don’t.” Heath ran a hand through his hair.

  “The last time I was in your quarters, there wasn’t a surface free of dragon remains,” said Lincoln. “I get how important they are, and know you want them back. We all do. But not like this. You kill yourself, and that’s it. You fail. All of us get left to pick up the pieces.”

  “You’ll be fine without me,” said Heath. “You’ll keep hunting for the remains. Nothing will change.”

  Lincoln whirled around and shoved Heath against the wall. “That’s Not the point. You’re my brother. Stop trying to kill yourself.”

  Heath shoved Lincoln away, anger flaring through him. “I’m not.”

  Lincoln slammed him back into the wall again and grabbed hold of his jacket. “You’re killing yourself for nothing. Don’t make this about you. Make it about Annie. And make it about us. Don’t do what our parents did, sacrificing themselves for some higher purpose.”

  “They didn’t,” growled Heath. “The State murdered them.”

  “Because they wouldn’t keep their mouths shut. Because they kept fighting and raging, when they should have done the smart thing and formed a plan, waited out the State and then attacked.” Lincoln’s eyes gleamed in the darkness. “You’re supposed to be the smart brother.”

  “That’s Kade.” Heath struggled in Lincoln’s grip, but he held on.

  Lincoln let out a breath and a trace of a smile touched his lips. “Fine. You’re the second-smartest brother I have. But you need to get a grip. Stop relying on other things to get yourself through tough times. You’re better than this. And you need to be, for our sakes. For Annie’s sake. She’s one hell of a girl. You mess this up, and you’ll regret it.”

  Heath felt the fight drain out of him. Lincoln was right. Before he could think it through any further, he dropped the adrenaline pen and stepped on it, the vial splintering under his foot.

  “Good choice.” Lincoln released his hold on Heath. “You can do this without drugs pumping you up.”

  Heath looked at the smashed adrenaline pen. That had been his chance to guarantee Annie’s safety. He glared half-heartedly at Lincoln and then closed his eyes, taking in a few deep breaths. “You’re right. I need to be better than this.”

  “And you are. If you put half the belief in yourself as you do those crazy dragon hunts, you’d be legendary. We’re already getting there. We walked into the ass-end of nowhere tonight and people know you. If we get this dragon thing right, and bring them back, we’ll be superheroes. The women won’t know what to do with themselves every time I walk into a room.”

  Heath shook his head and gripped one of Lincoln’s hands. “Is that all you care about? How many times you can get laid?”

  “What’s the problem with that? I’m free from all responsibilities,” said Lincoln. “It’s important I explore the opportunities presented, while I’m young enough to enjoy them.”

  “Wait until you meet your own Annie,” said Heath.

  Lincoln shook his head. “That’s what Clarissa was saying. Don’t see it, myself. I’ve never met a woman who interested me enough to stop looking to see who else was available.”

  Heath cast one last, regretful look at the remains of the adrenaline pen. “Things can change. Come on, we’ve got a base to break into.”

  ANNIE PACED OUTSIDE the bar. Heath had disappeared. She had begun to worry that something awful had happened.

  She tapped her fingers against her lips. She hoped he wasn’t having regrets about their kiss. She wasn’t and wanted more of what he offered. When this was over, she would talk to Heath, see if they could figure out what was going on between them. See if they had a future together.

  Annie had resisted her feelings for Heath for a long time and had even tried to remove him com
pletely from the dating game with someone else. But that hadn’t worked. She’d been left frustrated at passing up an opportunity for happiness.

  That felt like a lifetime ago, and was mixed in with a bundle of confusing, conflicting memories.

  She’d said nothing to Heath, but ever since Clarissa had given her that herbal drink, everything she knew about the State kept blurring in her head. And what had Clarissa, Heath, and Lincoln been talking about? Methods used to get people to see the truth? It was another question to pose to Heath. They’d survive this base raid, find her father, and get out. Then, she would get her answers, and wouldn’t stop asking more questions until she knew everything.

  Annie shoved her hair off her face, doubt pinching her insides. After this, who knew what would happen? Heath had hinted that he expected her to go back to the university. But she wasn’t sure she could, or even if she wanted to. She didn’t believe the dragon myths, but she seemed to be surrounded by the damn things. Her own studies involved cults and belief systems that had mythical creatures at the heart of them. Some even sacrificed firstborn children to appease these creatures. While others held elaborate ceremonies to celebrate the beasts and keep them placated.

  It was all nonsense. The State were rational and practical and didn’t believe in receiving credits or gifts to show you were loyal and true. They helped to maintain order and keep everything stable. But as her eyes drifted around the barren landscape, Annie realized she needed to be more open-minded. The Badlands alone was nothing like she’d been led to believe. This was so different to her experiences at the university. She’d gotten into the habit of accepting everything the State told her. But she was smarter than that. Trained to question everything and prove every hypothesis wrong. When had she stopped challenging the world around her?

  Annie tilted her head as the faint crunch of gravel under the wheels of a large vehicle caught her ear. The ground vibrated under her feet. She turned to look toward the end of the road. Her heart jumped as she spotted the truck they’d been waiting for. It was early.

  She spun on her heel and dashed into the bar and up the stairs, shoving the door open. She found Lincoln, Juniper and Clarissa standing around the desk. “We need to move.”

  “What is it?” Lincoln reached for his gun.

  “The truck’s here,” said Annie. “Where’s Heath?”

  “I’m here.” Annie’s shoulders sank, as she felt Heath’s fingers on her arm.

  She turned and looked up at him, excitement and nerves thrumming through her. “It’s time to go.”

  Chapter 13

  “Everyone knows what they need to do.” Heath gathered the small group outside the bar, their faces concealed by the hooded jackets Clarissa had given them. It would make it harder for them to be identified until they could swap out their clothes for the guards on the truck.

  Arlo nodded. “I’ll make sure my bike breaks down right in front of the truck and give you time to get on board.”

  “Then follow at a distance,” said Heath. “But no heroics.”

  Arlo shrugged, a sly grin on his face. “As if I would.”

  “Once the truck stops, I’ll go in first,” said Heath. “We don’t know how many guards will be in the back.”

  “I’ll be with you,” said Juniper. “You go into the back of that truck and you’ll terrify the people in there. They’ll be like me and Clarissa. I can get them to trust me. Dammit, I’ll probably even know some of them.”

  “Fine, you come with me.” Heath looked at Annie, seeing the tension around her eyes. “Stick close to Lincoln and get on board.”

  Annie nodded, her lips pressed together and her fingers wrapped around a gun.

  “Let’s go. The truck won’t be here for long.” Heath looked at Clarissa, who stood in the doorway of the bar, her arms folded over her chest. “Thanks for the help.”

  “Just get Malachi back, that’s all the thanks I need,” said Clarissa. “Stay safe, all of you.”

  Heath nodded and led the group through the streets, keeping alert for any militia who might be tailing the truck for added security. The truck’s engine was idling, the driver having gone into the building opposite, leaving his passenger and however many guards were in the back.

  Arlo cruised past on his dirt bike, not acknowledging them as he drove in front of the truck. On cue, the engine spluttered and died.

  Heath watched as Arlo kicked and cursed the bike several times before jumping off it. He’d angled it so the truck would have no way of moving until he was out of the way.

  “Damned piece of tin!” Arlo stomped around the bike, causing as much noise as possible and drawing the gaze of the few people who dared to be out when militia were around.

  The driver emerged from the building, his gaze shifting to Arlo. He wore the usual black uniform of the State militia, from his boots through to the cap on his head.

  Heath moved the rest of the group toward the truck, being sure to stay out of the sight line of both the driver and his passenger. The back of the truck was open, a curtain pulled across making it impossible to see inside.

  “Hey!” Arlo called. “You know anything about bikes?”

  “Get this piece of shit out of my way.” The driver’s voice drifted through the night.

  “I can’t believe it’s just broken down,” said Arlo. “Only had it repaired a week ago. Don’t suppose you’ve got any tools I can borrow? It might be the fuel line. I still run this on gasoline.”

  “No.” The driver pulled open the door of the truck. “Either move it or it’ll be crushed.”

  “Come on, man,” said Arlo. “All I need is a hand.”

  Heath and Lincoln stationed themselves against the back of the truck, one either side. Heath looked at Lincoln and nodded. Together, they flipped back the cloth concealing what was inside.

  Two armed guards sat at the end of the benches, their weapons resting on their knees.

  In unison, Heath and Lincoln each grabbed a guard before they’d lifted their weapons.

  Heath smashed his fist into the guard’s face, knocking him out. He checked that Lincoln had the other guard under control before they dragged them into the shadows.

  Juniper and Annie stripped the guards of their uniforms, binding their arms and legs, as Heath and Lincoln stripped off.

  “Clarissa will make this lot disappear,” said Heath.

  “That can only be a good thing.” Juniper wrinkled her nose and pointed at the guard’s tattoo.

  “Pussy pole.” Annie read the swirling script on the man’s lower stomach.

  “As if anyone would want to go there.” Juniper ripped his trousers off and flung them at Heath.

  Heath pulled on the black trousers, which fitted okay, but the shirt gaped open. He yanked the material around him, but there was no way it would fit.

  Lincoln was pulling on the other guard’s uniform and having similar problems. “What, are they using goddamned dwarves in the militia, nowadays?”

  “Leave the shirts,” said Annie. “Zip up the jackets. No one will see any difference.”

  Once dressed, Heath hurried to the back of the truck and hopped inside, Juniper by his side. He clicked on his flashlight and raised his hand to show he meant no harm to the dozen wide-eyed people in the back. They all looked filthy and terrified. Many wore nothing but rags.

  “We’re not here to hurt you,” said Juniper, her tone soft. “But we need to get into the base you’re being sent to.”

  The people all looked at them in silence.

  Juniper glanced at Heath. “They’re in shock.”

  Heath gestured to Lincoln. “It’s safe.”

  Lincoln hopped into the back of the truck. He held out his hand to Annie, who joined them.

  “Are these people sick?” she whispered.

  “Sick of being exploited,” muttered Juniper.

  Heath caught hold of Annie’s hand. “Remember, keep your head down. Don’t draw attention to yourself. We’ll take you and Juniper in a
s prisoners and then make our way to the labs.”

  “I know what I need to do,” said Annie, as she moved to sit on the bench.

  “You too, Juniper,” said Heath. “No acting up.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you,” said Juniper, her gaze still on the stunned-looking captives.

  “I don’t care if you do that,” said Heath. “I just don’t want you getting killed.”

  “Didn’t know you cared.” Juniper sat next to Annie and took hold of her hand. “We’ll make perfect prisoners.”

  Heath nodded at Juniper, appreciating the fact she was keeping Annie calm. It was a risk, taking them in as prisoners, but too many guards on the truck would look suspicious. This was their best option.

  The truck lurched forward. Heath grabbed the side before sitting next to Annie. Arlo must have moved the bike so the truck could get through.

  Lincoln sat opposite and glanced at the gray-haired woman next to him with a row of purple scales running down her neck.

  “You’re here to help us?” whispered the woman, her fearful gaze darting from Lincoln to Heath.

  “If we can,” said Lincoln. “What will help us the most is if you say nothing about what’s just happened. Can you do that?”

  “What are you going to do when you get to the base?” The question came from a young guy on the opposite bench. He had a defiant gleam in his red eyes.

  “Take it apart,” said Juniper. “They’re taking people of dragon descent into this place. We want to stop that.”

  “One step at a time,” muttered Heath.

  “But we can ruin the base,” hissed Juniper. “Once we’re inside, there’ll be nothing stopping us.”

  “So long as you ignore the dozens of armed guards,” said Lincoln.

  “We stick to the mission,” said Heath, shooting a warning glare at Juniper. The last thing they needed was to incite a riot once inside.