by Angela White
“Oh, God!” Samantha shuddered. “You’re here to handle my last wishes like you did with John.”
Angela leaned forward to take Samantha’s cold hand. “No, Sam. Not you.”
Samantha’s free hand went to her flipping stomach, but her heart knew better. “Neil or Jeremy? Which one am I losing?”
“That has not been revealed.”
Samantha snapped awake with a strangled gasp that brought Neil to her side.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” Samantha chose not to tell him about her bad dream. That moment with Angela had happened hours before the earthquake hit and it would haunt her forever. If she’d told someone, Jeremy might have lived. With this pain in her heart, she didn’t care that it would have cost them the camp.
“What did you dream about?”
“It’s snowing again. Temperatures out there are falling fast.”
Neil covered her with his jacket, thinking she was cold. “Good evasion.”
“It really is snowing.”
Neil went to the tarp entrance instead of sinking down next to her to crash. He didn’t want to sleep until Kyle was on this level. “I’ll tell a sentry on the next sweep. I don’t want to get in the way of the crew lugging garbage down.”
“Okay.” Samantha tugged a corner of the jacket over Autumn. The baby had been sleeping next to her since Jennifer and Kyle went upstairs.
With two salvaged tarps and one of the ropes that he and Kenn had used to reach Samantha, Neil had formed half a square against the wall across from the pit tunnel. The tarp shack provided privacy and held in warmth, but it also gave him a place to stash the items he was collecting on his scavenging trips. He had bags and boxes around the edges, preventing the draft from entering. Samantha was against the wall on the air mattress he’d inflated, but it bothered Neil that he couldn’t offer her a shower or a hot meal that wasn’t oatmeal or broth. She needed food, water, and a safe environment. They had none of that.
Samantha smoothed her reeking shirt. “I’ll wear my Eagle set now, if you’ll bring it down.”
Neil knelt to dig through a nearby bag, not scolding her. He’d mentioned it yesterday, but she’d snapped at him. “I brought it down when I collected mine.”
Samantha studied Neil, noting he had his uniform on and all of his spare ammo pouches filled. He was expecting some kind of trouble. The feeling was unmistakable.
Samantha sat up straighter, hiding a wince. Jimmy had given her a shot, but it hadn’t been morphine and she had a high tolerance for drugs. Not that she’d mentioned that. Samantha would rather tough it out than to fall into that drug haze again.
Being careful not to wake the baby, she gathered her hair and began running her fingers through it to brush out the tangles. Neil’s glance had revealed how bad her appearance was. Samantha hated herself for worrying about things like that right now, but she still fixed her hair.
“What are they doing?” She was supposed to be resting, but she was bored and useless.
“Concreting the pit.” Neil watched from the tarp entrance. “They’re dumping debris down first, hoping to block the hole and give the concrete something to stick to.”
“What are they using for water?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Can I see?”
“No. Stay in bed.”
“What about dinner?”
Neil sighed. He knew she needed to be around the others, but he wasn’t positive he could stand it. Angela’s comment about giving birth alone had bothered him, but the idea of staying with Safe Haven for that moment was worse. “Okay.”
Samantha smiled. “Cool. I’ll even take a nap.”
“That’s a great idea.” He came over to help her slide down on the mattress and rearrange the sleeping infant. “Can I get you anything?”
“No.” Samantha held onto his hand. “You’ll stay?”
“You know it.”
They both winced.
Neil recovered first. He leaned down and hugged her, but he couldn’t take away the pain. That’s why he didn’t believe they should stay here or go with Angela to the island. Every Eagle moment would be a reminder of Jeremy that stopped them from forgetting.
“I don’t want to forget.” Samantha held in the tears. “I want to honor him. He’d be ashamed of us for leaving when we’re so needed.”
Neil knew that, but he didn’t want to go through it if he had another option.
“I’d never force you.” Samantha felt his struggle to find the right words. She paused for him to collect his thoughts, listening to the workers and the wounded on the level around them.
“I can’t stand being around them because it will hurt me every time I’m reminded of what happened…of how I couldn’t save him.”
Samantha shuddered. “That’s how I feel too.”
“Then why do you want to stay with Safe Haven?”
“Because Jeremy did.” Sam fought the sobs. “He wanted to walk in the surf with his son.”
Neil held her as she cried, barely keeping from it himself. Jeremy had been the partner that comes along once in a lifetime.
Samantha didn’t let herself cry for long. She knew Jeremy wouldn’t want her to be miserable. He also wouldn’t want her to abandon their leaders.
“Okay.” Neil caved without a fight, as he’d known he would. They’d both lost a wonderful soul from their lives. They would cling to each other and honor his memory.
“Dump in the next load!”
Samantha and Neil both tensed, pain rising. Jeremy would remain in the mountain that he had feared so much. There was nothing honorable about it.
Neil dropped down on the rock he’d dragged over for a stool, grunting at the soreness. He hadn’t had more than three hours sleep since Jeremy’s death.
Footsteps came.
Simon paused to wave at Samantha.
Neil glared until he left. “Let me know if you have more trouble with him.”
“I will.”
Simon hurried out of their view, leaving them to stare at the ladder, and behind it, Dale. He had made a den there and hadn’t left it as far as either of them knew. If not for the doctor bringing him food and water, Dale might have died with no one to notice. Samantha wanted to talk to him, but after the way he had spoken to Ray, it was clear descendant contact wasn’t welcome.
A cluster of Simon’s camp members walked by next, also waving at Samantha. They were hoping to sway her into staying. Angered, Neil went over and dropped the flap he’d created with a sheet.
Outside their den, labor and grief echoed without end.
3
Adrian snapped awake as pleasure shot through his body, bringing him to full hardness in seconds. He figured out what was going on and carefully rolled over. “Figures.” He yawned, stretching, and then brought down a mental shield that he hoped would prevent more of Angela’s desire from getting through.
He had chosen to sleep on the level that was crushed because the Runaways had claimed a corner. That was near the corridor where Charlie had found Shane and fought the Mexicans. Adrian was uneasy to have that group so close to freedom, freedom that they would be wide open to invasion while everyone else slept, he was certain. Knowing he was on this level would slow their possible plans.
Oh, Marc!
Adrian jerked upright, on fire. “Oh, hell!”
Grouching, he headed for the top levels to get coffee and find a distraction. On the way, he stepped into the cold drafts instead of avoiding it, hoping it would help. He didn’t care as much about Marc loving her, but he didn’t need to experience it. I haven’t been with a woman in so long that I might drown the next one.
Adrian shifted his tacky jeans to one side, allowing for the unwanted growth. Not doing so wasn’t an option. He hurried down to the bathroom, glad someone had put a tarp barrier between the port-o-potties and the bodies.
Fighting a gag, he held his breath to do his business. This has to change soon or we’l
l all be sick.
Adrian went straight to the ladder when he finished, not glancing toward the couple in the shower by the water chamber.
Piles of supplies were building up in all the corridors on every floor. Many of the items were unusable, but crews sorting through debris didn’t know what else to do with it. For some reason, the two-foot layer of toothbrushes bothered him more than the shoes in the body tunnel.
It was also colder up on the top levels, something their inhabitants could handle if outfitted correctly. Angela had ordered mattresses given to the wounded and then to the kids. The children, along with the elderly, would share those beds in the rear of the TV room. The body heat would keep those two vulnerable sections of their population warm for a couple of days and then the coughing would start and illnesses would finish them off.
Yeah…oohh…
“Oh, come on!” Distracted, Adrian missed the rung on the ladder. He kept a grip, but not his footing and slid down the wood to land in an awkward heap on the cold floor.
Adrian took a deep breath as a roaming guard detoured in his direction.
“You need a hand up?” Morgan tried to hide his amusement and failed.
Adrian grunted in resignation, still hard. “Up isn’t my problem.”
Morgan helped the man to his feet, chuckling. He didn’t have a woman in Safe Haven either and he’d heard Angela’s moan as he passed by the shower.
“She wants you in the small training room tonight.”
Adrian spit out a splinter from his hand, admiring Morgan’s semi-clean uniform, but he didn’t comment on it as he scanned the quiet floor. It was two hours after dinner and most of the camp was sleeping. “Aren’t those rear chambers blocked?”
“Yeah. That’s why she wants you up there.”
“Really? Perfect.” Adrian climbed the ladder, being careful this time. Clearing would be exhausting–exactly what he needed.
Morgan resumed his rounds, going to the crushed level next. There was a lot of work waiting. Morgan estimated it would be a month before the cave was repaired, but he hoped Angela wouldn’t change her mind and stay to help. I can’t be in here much longer. Voices in the walls were whispering ugly things whenever he was alone. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore them.
4
Adrian found light glowing from the small training chamber and realized someone was in there. Eager to be with his men again, Adrian nodded to the two sentries, then slid through the gap and into the tight space that hadn’t been blocked.
Charlie extended a paper without glancing up from the game of checkers that he was playing with himself. “Updates. Coffee is on the ledge by your shoulder.”
Adrian stood there for a moment, trying to understand what was going on. It had been a rough week.
Charlie jumped three spots and kinged himself with rocks he was using in place of the missing red and black tokens. “I’m with you until this shift ends.”
Adrian added up the pieces, including those Marc had given him the night before. “You’re okay with it?”
“My dad made a promise.”
Adrian’s happiness fell. “That was before, though, right? When you didn’t hate me so much.”
Charlie nodded, but didn’t add to it.
Adrian retrieved the coffee mug and skimmed the notes. Coming out of the blue, he wasn’t prepared for this, but he would give Marc and Angie what they were hoping for with their rebellious son. This wasn’t the first time that he had helped to correct a child on the edge of taking the wrong path in life. It also wasn’t the first time that he had feared failing to correct that child’s path. There was a lot riding on this.
“No pressure.” Charlie shoved the warped board aside, scattering the stones. “You’re only gonna get this final chance with me and everybody else. You know that, right?”
Adrian opened his mind to the boy he would have been proud to call his son. “I’ll prove it. I am trustworthy now.”
Charlie stood up, dusting off his jeans. “We’ll see. In the meantime, this room needs to be cleared and she said you can train me while we’re doing it. Let’s get to work.”
Adrian chuckled. “You’re gonna raise more hell than your parents have, aren’t you?”
Charlie grinned, but didn’t add to it.
Outside the small training chamber, Kyle and Jennifer listened while on guard duty. Kyle hadn’t wanted to do a shift and be away from Autumn, but Jennifer had insisted they were needed. It also gave Samantha something to do. Autumn liked the storm tracker and Samantha wanted the practice. Since Sam was about to have two babies, Jennifer thought it was a great idea all the way around.
Kyle asked Jennifer a question that had been bothering him. “Why did she pick you over everyone else?”
Even though his tone wasn’t insulting, Jennifer was offended. “Why wouldn’t she?”
Kyle backtracked. “I know you deserve the slot.”
Jennifer flushed, hoping he would let it go. “Sorry. Eagles are competitive. It rubs off.”
Kyle laughed. “I know what you mean.”
Jennifer leaned against Kyle’s arm, sweeping the cold passage where random camp members were walking around in an effort to keep busy. Survivors were now experiencing guilt because they were happy about the deaths outside. Full of conflicting emotions, most camp members weren’t speaking to anyone even among their own clans. Jennifer also believed the pit work had brought such a somber mood to the cave that it was impossible not to feel the weight of the latest tragedy they’d survived.
“You’ll still be banished when we bugout, right?”
Charlie’s voice dared Adrian to give the wrong answer.
“Yes.”
Jennifer and Kyle were both relieved to hear Adrian’s confirmation. Neither of them had faith that this trio would achieve the peace Samantha, Jeremy, and Neil had enjoyed for such a short time.
“But you’ll be training us?”
“That’s up to your mom and dad, but I assume so.”
“She said to ask you if I would do as your right hand. If not, she’ll send someone else.”
“I’d be honored to have you as a student.”
Waves of bonding floated out of the room, making Jennifer breathe a sigh of relief and Kyle grit his teeth in annoyance. That bastard always gets away with it.
Jennifer patted Kyle’s arm. “He hasn’t gotten away with anything.”
Kyle took that to mean Charlie would put Adrian through hell during the training process. It brought the happiness back.
Kyle spun around to sweep the corridor. They had full power on the top floor and limited power on all of the levels below them. The refrigerator was working and Ozzie’s team was trying to repair their deep freezer. Kyle remembered putting that thing together and grimaced. They had two more in boxes, but he didn’t want to help. In fact, Kyle didn’t want to be involved in any of the repairs in this cave. He was positive that within a month of Angela leaving, everyone here would be dead. He didn’t see the point in wasting manual labor on those who weren’t going to survive.
Jennifer agreed, but she knew it would hurt Angela to leave the Mountaineers in a desperate situation and that was unacceptable. What the boss needed, she would get. Jennifer planned to see to that personally.
Chapter Seventeen
Nutcracker
1
“The numbers are holding. Dangerous but not deadly.”
Angela pulled a face. She’d been hoping for an answer one way or the other. “No up or down at all?”
“Nothing that Samantha felt comfortable enough to write down.” Ray didn’t tell her about Neil’s bad attitude. He didn’t need to.
Angela sighed. “Thank you for the update. Go to bed now.”
Ray departed without promising anything. His misery was obvious.
Angela was still in the mess, where the rumble of machines was drowning out hundreds of tired citizens gathered for dinner. They’d all spent the day salvaging and repairing while Brit
ani cooked. The resourceful woman had cleaned the stack of crockpots that Li had insisted be brought into the cave. Stored in a corner of the mess, the pots were dented, but worked, and the scent of cooking meat had been floated through the dank cave in thick waves for hours. Even that had caused hard feelings. The hunger was a reminder that normal activities had to continue, no matter how awful the day before had been, or the week before, or the year before. The world didn’t stop spinning because of misery, but it always created an atmosphere of bitterness tinged with guilty relief. Even those who hated the world moving on were glad when it did.
Angela sympathized, but she’d known this was how it would be as soon as she brought them here. The awful flashes of what Safe Haven was going to suffer had tormented her almost nightly. The will of the people had been hard to accept, but she had, and now, they were a week from the end of this ugliness. All she had to do now was kill two thousand UN soldiers.
Around them, the cave shifted and groaned, loudly. Small rivulets of dust and dirt rained down over the levels. It had been doing that the entire time they’d been here, but now, it seemed ominous. The twitchy inhabitants all quieted, glancing around in concern. They were holding dented, warped bowls of soup with bandaged hands. They belched, scratched, sniffled, and coughed, but their attention stayed on the cave.
When it quieted, they were able to breathe again.
The complaints resumed immediately. The two biggest gripes, after not being able to get out of here, were divided by the sexes. The men mourned the lack of pain medications like Advil for their sore, cutup hands and weary legs. Digging through rubble was dangerous and painful, as was the constant climbing. Used to being in pain but having to pretend they weren’t, the women cared about sleeping on the hard, rocky ground. They wanted off the cold floors and into the warm beds that had protected them from drafts.
Angela saw Greg coming her way with a grim expression and sighed. Too many more days like this one and she might snap.
Hang on. The UN is a great target and the battle isn’t far away. Keep our shit together!