by Mary Ting
I almost snorted but held it in. Laughing in front of Zen would not be in my best interest or hers.
“Fine.” Zen’s tone and scrunched features said otherwise. “Go early morning and come back as soon as you can.”
“Okay. I’ll call in the location when I get there.” I ran out to find Momo.
“Reyna said I could sit in the front with you.” Momo plopped on the passenger seat, the seat belt slinking around her automatically.
“That’s fine.” I checked the monitor and flashed a quick glance her way. “Hey ...” I waved her hand away. “Don’t touch that button.”
Her cheeks puffed out and she narrowed her eyes. “I know how to drive one.”
“You do? How? ISAN wouldn’t have taught you.”
She shook her head. “Of course not. But it’s not hard. If you know what to punch, it flies on its own. Our supervisor taught us that before we had to split up. Any moron can do it.”
“Hey. Watch your tone.” I shook a finger at her.
“Moron isn’t a bad word, for your information. Shit. Asshole. Those are.”
She spat out the words so casually I bit my tongue to suppress a laugh. “Okay. Okay. Just don’t say anything.”
She gave me a sidelong glance. “You mean anything, anything? Or just not shit, or asshole?”
“Just ...” The word gritted through my teeth. I wanted to pull out my hair. “Don’t say bad words, okay?” I softened my tone.
“But you say it. Why can’t I?”
“Because I’m a grown-up and you’re not. And because I told you so.” My voice came out harsher than I intended.
She crossed her arms and slammed her back into the seat.
I wasn’t sure why I was irritable. The fact that a kid her age shouldn’t be cursing, or because scolding her made me feel like a father. Not a good one for sure. Though I had to admit, she’d wiggled into my heart. Not just because she reminded me of Ava, but because I admired her courage. And I’ve always had a soft spot for kids.
It hurt more than I’d let on that Ava couldn’t have kids. I wanted to have children of our own, even dreamed about it. But I couldn’t be selfish. I knew it devastated Ava from the way she’d told me. It had taken guts to tell me. I could tell she was worried about my reaction, like I’d blame her somehow. I would never let her think less of herself. ISAN had done this to her. Her father had done this to her. He would have to pay.
“How far until we’re there?”
Momo was clearly unaware of my frustration or she was trying to brush it off.
“We’re going to land in thirty minutes. But we stick to the plan, okay? You confirm the hideout and I go in. You stay in the glider.”
She twirled her thumbs. “Yeah, about that ...”
“No. There is no about that.” I rolled my eyes and let out an agitated breath. “My word is final.”
“Geez. Yes, Dad. Just because I’m smaller, younger, and shorter than you, doesn’t mean I can’t kick ass. You don’t know things like I do. Things Jo said not to tell anyone.” Then she looked out the window without another word.
Maybe I don’t like her after all. Manipulative. I gripped the wheel tighter. Calm down. She’s just a kid. She’s scared and worried about her friends.
Those emotions I knew too well.
We drove the rest of the way in silence.
“There. You see that church?” She waggled her finger toward the direction. “We’re not hiding in the church, but it’s close to it. If you park there, it’ll look less suspicious among the gliders already parked. It must be twelve soon. There’s always a noon mass.”
Smart kid.
“There’s a landing spot. I’ll park it right there.” I sent a message to Zen with the coordinates so a team could get a head start. I would send the second coordinates as soon as I got it.
Her enormous smile was all I needed to see she wasn’t mad at me anymore.
The South looked pretty much like the other territories, with skyscrapers and areas that hadn’t been cleaned after the devastation. But where we were headed, outside the comfort and safety of the city’s center, looked run-down.
Small pockets of meteor scars dented the earth. The buildings around were just as horrific. Civilians, not many, roamed about the streets.
After I landed, we walked down into the streets. The humid air and the drastic change from cold to unbearable heat took some getting used to. I kept my head lowered and my Taser ready. A block later, Momo slipped into a ramshackle restaurant.
The door was intact, but the windows were shattered, and the inside looked like a tornado had gone through it—glasses, plates, chairs, and broken tables were scattered about. From what I could tell, it was an upscale diner.
Momo went past the wreckage, past the kitchen, and through a wall missing half its bulk. Then we hit a dead end, and she knocked on a wooden board.
Tap. Pause. Tap. Tap. Pause. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Silence.
She pounded harder with the same rhythm.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Came the response.
A thump to my left, like a brick falling, had me alert. Someone popped out. I aimed my Taser, and Reyna, Ozzie, and Cleo did the same.
Momo dashed to the entrance. “Guys. Look who I brought. You’re not going to believe it. It’s Rhett.”
I shrugged at my friends with a smirk. “She thinks I’m cool.”
“What are we, dog meat?” Reyna hiked an eyebrow.
“Come on. Let’s get this over with.” Ozzie pushed on ahead.
Dozens of hopeful eyes stared at us. A handful wore hats that read Renegades. Most of the children were about Momo’s age, but there were some even younger, maybe about ten years old. Their faces were clean but sunken in from hunger or lack of sleep.
Blankets were piled up against the back corner. Adjacent to the blankets was a table filled with junk food—chip bags, cookies, bread, water jugs. Things they could steal, perhaps.
“That’s Rhett,” one of the girls gasped.
“The rebels?” A boy gawked.
Momo took a protective step in front of me and spread her arms. “Yup. I found him. I mean them. This is Rhett, Ozzie, Reyna, and Cleo, and they’re from the East.”
About half of them rushed to hug us, and relieved sighs filled the room.
“They’re so young.” Cleo teared up, patting the kids hugging her.
“Hey, where’s Jo?” Momo clasped her hands, her eyes bouncing from one person to the next.
Right on cue, something thumped on the ground. Everyone whirled at the sound.
“Momo? I’ve been so worried.” A girl rushed to tackle her, tears glistening on her cheeks. “You’re safe. You’re safe. Thank you, Jesus.” She released Momo, her eyes wide and sweat dripping down her temples. “Where’s Bobo? Coco? And where the hell have you been?” Her tone went from relieved to scolding.
“They’re safe. Don’t worry. Rhett needed my help.” She nodded vigorously with a grin.
I assumed Jo had missed us in the relief of seeing Momo, because when she finally set her eyes on me, she stilled. I wasn’t sure if she was breathing.
“Jo. I’m Rhett. We need to talk. It’s urgent.”
Jo guided me out the back while my team got the kids ready to embark. I explained to Jo about Mr. Novak’s threat and how we needed to find the rest of her group.
“I need you to take me to where you last separated,” I said.
“Oh, I know where they are. Debbie, our supervisor, planned this hideout before our escape. I didn’t find our castle by accident. She knows this area well because she grew up here. Momo doesn’t know the whole story. All the other kids think we lost the others in case one of them gets caught. It was safer in smaller groups and less noticeable. It was the best way to keep everyone safe.”
“How do you communicate?”
“Debbie and I meet every other day. We met today.”
“Okay. Well, you’re going to meet again. Now. We’re leaving for goo
d.”
“Give me a minute to pack up.”
“No. You don’t understand. We need to be out now. ISAN could attack literally any minute.”
Jo stiffened at my tone. “Okay. We’ll go. There’s a mall. It’s old, but people still go there for shelter. You can park there and then we’ll go on foot the rest of the way. It’s not far.”
“Good. Let’s go then.”
Jo and I went back in and gathered everyone. We rushed out of there to our glider.
I had taken the biggest glider when I left the Abandoned City, which housed about twenty-four seats. For now, they sat comfortably. When I rounded up the others, the children would have to double up. Not a problem. The more I rescued, the better.
“There. Do you see it?” Jo asked, her brown hair lighter in the afternoon sun.
“Yes, I see the mall.”
“We just have to walk to that brown building.” She pointed and leaned to the front dash window.
After I messaged Zen to message the other rescue team with our coordinates, I lowered the glider and slid it right into a parking spot. Cleo stayed behind with the kids while Jo, Ozzie, Reyna, and I went out. Cleo wasn’t happy she wasn’t coming with us, but someone had to watch the kids.
Before I left, I opened the food supply. Food and water should keep the kids happy and occupied for a bit. And I instructed Cleo to leave without us if things went wrong.
I wiped the sweat on my forehead and ignored the stares from the homeless people as I led my team behind Jo. Three gliders hovered close to the dilapidated building. The sight nudged my heartbeat faster.
I had told Zen to instruct the scouting team to park by us. Why had they not followed my simple request? More importantly, there should have been only one glider, and it was too soon for their arrival. The other team was at least an hour away.
Not ours. Something is off.
Gripping Jo’s arm, I hauled her toward the wall.
“What are those gliders doing there?” Jo asked.
“They kind of look like ours. Are they?” Ozzie studied the transporters with a frown.
“I don’t like what I see.” Reyna slid her Taser from her waistband.
Doors opened as we watched, and four to five men jumped out from each glider and ran toward the abandoned building.
“I think they’re—” Jo bolted.
I ran after her, my team beside me.
The sound of guns blasted in the air. I caught up to Jo and shoved her behind a car missing its tires.
“Are you crazy?” I yanked her down again when she jerked up.
Her chest rose and fell as fast as my hammering pulse. “Debbie and the kids. They’re in there. I’ve got to—”
“I know, but you can’t just run inside.” I gripped her arms and forced her to look at me. She was young and inexperienced and making all kinds of impetuous decisions. “They stopped firing. That’s a good sign—means they haven’t found the others. Have you been inside before? Do you know where they’re holed up?”
“Yes. They’re in the far back.”
“Okay. Good. They would hear those shots and prepare for an attack. Okay?”
I needed her to be grounded, to be focused. Her imprudent actions told me she hadn’t trained long before her escape.
“Okay.” She released a defeated breath.
“Okay. Good. Follow me.” I led my team closer.
Jo and I pressed our backs to the wall, while Ozzie and Reyna flanked the other side of the door.
I raised my fingers one at a time, mouthing, “One, two, three.”
As soon as I stepped in, bullets flew. I dove, landing flat on my stomach, and crawled with Jo to hide in a battered wooden desk. Peering across the room, I searched for Reyna and Ozzie. They were tucked safely on the other side.
I squinted through a hole in the desk. Two men at the stairs. Where were the others? Looking for the kids, of course.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” I had jumped up with my Taser aimed to fire when the wall by Reyna and Ozzie exploded.
No!
Chunks of plaster erupted and smoke cloaked the area. Another bomb went off as I ran through the smolder. It tossed me against a pillar and I collided with the floor. Pain seared through my muscles and bones.
When I groaned and lifted my head to assess the situation, warm liquid trickled down the side of my temple. And then something hard and cold pressed against the back of my head.
“Get up.” The man thumped his weapon on my skull.
Jo whimpered and made a strangled sound.
“Shut up, girl, or I’ll shoot your friend.” Another voice.
I rose slowly, calculating my chances, but the ringing in my head and seeing three copies of the guy talking to me made it hard to focus. Five men total.
“What do I do with him?” asked the guy pointing the gun at me.
“Shoot him.”
At those words, my knees nearly gave out. I thought of Ava, my mother, Ozzie and Reyna still trapped under the debris, Mitch, and even my father. I would not die here. Ava needed me tomorrow. Ozzie and Reyna needed me now. This couldn’t be the end.
I inhaled a deep, soothing breath as I remembered my training. Put your fear aside and do whatever it takes to stay alive.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I shifted my feet and tensed my muscles, posing action. “Do you know who I am? I can make you lots of money.”
The man holding me hostage let out a mocking chuckle. He shouldn’t have let his guard down. I yanked his gun right out of his hand and shot him. To my surprise, Jo flipped her assailant, captured his weapon, and shot not only him, but fired at the other two as I finished the last one.
I began moving debris without asking how someone as petite as her overpowered a two-hundred-pound brute without Helix.
Ozzie and Reyna, you better not die on me. You’d better be alive.
I kept digging like a desperate dog until I felt a hand. Still warm. Then a face. Reyna’s. Then Ozzie’s head. They were breathing, moaning. Relief fueled another level of adrenaline. I kept plowing with Jo’s help and halted when I heard more gunfire.
ISAN guards must have found the kids. Bullets rang against tile like hail.
Save my friends, or help the others?
“Jo, get Reyna and Ozzie out and I’ll go help the others, okay? You have to move fast. Stay with them outside and don’t come back in. I don’t want to have to find you, too.”
I wanted to tell her this whole building might be rigged to blow, and we would all be dead if we didn’t get out, but I didn’t want her to panic. When she nodded, I sprinted toward the sounds.
I only got halfway down the hallway before guards shot at me. I had no choice but to retreat. What happened next sent a wrenching pain through my gut. A second bomb, bigger than the first, obliterated the back of the building.
There would be no survivors.
Those kids. I’d failed them.
Disoriented from the blast, I stumbled and fell, thinking for sure I was good as dead, but then a petite girl whirled into action. She punched and kicked, attacking like a seasoned assassin, and the three guards dropped with bullet wounds.
I peered up to see Momo hovering over me, her face twisted with rage and hatred.
“Momo. What’re you doing here?” I felt half-relieved and thankful, and half-furious with her.
She opened her mouth to say something when another bomb exploded. She dropped her body over mine to cover me. It humbled me—this little kid who had a heart of gold, thought of someone she barely knew before herself.
Get up, Rhett. Be the leader you’re supposed to be. People die during war, and it’s not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. Get your ass in gear.
“Come on. Let’s go.” I stopped when Momo teared up and stood like a statue before the smoke coming toward us.
It must have hit her then that her friends were gone.
“It can’t be true.” She shook her head, trembling.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Momo, but we gotta go.” I placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.
“Renegades forever. You will always be remembered,” she murmured, her lips quivering.
Those words. She crushed my heart.
Since she hadn’t moved, I picked her up and ran outside as the building groaned and shook. Cleo hadn’t listened—of course—and parked our glider next to the entrance, but I was too grateful to scold.
“Go, go, go!” I demanded after I settled Momo in a seat. Then I searched for my team. Jo in the driver’s seat. Reyna? Ozzie?
“Ozzie and Reyna are fine. They’re in the back for medical attention.” Cleo slammed the heel of her palm on the pad to shut the door.
Jo had done her part, helping Reyna and Ozzie get out. I assumed she’d had Cleo’s assistance.
“Rhett. You’re bleeding.” Cleo assessed me as the glider rose.
I rubbed my head where the pain had become more prevalent, but we didn’t have time. “Don’t worry about me. We need to go. The building is going to—”
The glider jerked.
“Rhett!” Jo yelped from the driver’s seat.
The kids screamed.
“Everything’s okay.” Cleo raised her hand as if somehow that would lessen their fear.
The other gliders fired at us. Jo moved over for me. I shifted ours to the right as the building crumbled. Flattened, as if a giant hand had smashed it. It happened so fast. My gut twisted at the thought of us trapped inside. We had gotten out just in time. Fate was truly on our side.
Smoke and dust veiled the area—a good thing, but it also blinded me.
I steered the glider upward. It hit something, banking us far left, and then took a rap. ISAN guards shot at us blindly, missing most of the time. I kept going until I could make a clean dive, the smoke continuing to shroud us.
As I soared our glider out of there, I said a prayer for the ones we’d left behind. I had seen many deaths, but this one hit harder. Those kids had hoped for a better future after escaping ISAN. Those kids, whose faces I’d never gotten to see.