I look away from him and study the landscape in front of us. As we leave the city of Elkhorn, we travel through land that is familiar. How many times have I driven on this road with friends from college? How few were the days that I was on this road to go back home to visit my parents and sister?
“You know,” he says, “for being located at the Epicenter, we sure did get a lot of raiders when we started our little group. For a while, they were more dangerous than the greyskins. One night they raided us…”
“Stephen,” I say, reaching out and touching his arm. “You don’t have to tell me.”
He swallows hard. “One night a group of raiders came after us,” he continues, “and we just weren’t ready for it. They kidnapped several in the group, all of them women. One of them was my wife. It soon became clear that there was no intention of ransom. They continually threatened that if we got anywhere near them, they would kill them.” He shakes his head, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. “What could we do, you know? We knew what was going on. We knew what the raiders wanted. We decided not to let them have it. We staged a rescue attempt.” He swallows again, perhaps holding back tears. “It might just be the first time in history that a raider was true to his word. The second they caught wind of us, it was over. The women…my wife…they were all dead.”
I feel sick to my stomach.
“The raiders got away, too,” he says. He looks at me. “Where’s the justice in that, you know?”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” are the only words I can think to say. What does someone say to that? I feel angry for him. As if the world wasn’t hell already…why did people have to turn against each other when the greyskins were the true enemies? It just makes me wonder if those that became raiders after the outbreak were already bad people, or if they were just surviving the only way they knew how. They started by lying, stealing, killing. And the more they did it, the less they saw people as people. Their lusts and desires took over them. Is that evil nature within all of us?
The clock on the dashboard reads 7:52 when I see the first sign for Sealy. Once I realize that it’s only a mile away, my heart begins to beat a little faster. When we reach the city limits, I see an all too familiar sight. Though I’ve never been through Sealy, it is the same as everywhere else. Everything looks about thirty years older than it actually is. Soot and decay clings onto all the buildings, and roads are cracked through the middle. Near the center of the town is a wall made of concrete and various other large objects. It is only a little more secure than Elkhorn’s compound.
This is it? This is all there is to Shadowface’s hideout? “Seems pretty sad for Shadowface,” I say. “I figured it would be a bit more fortified than this.”
“This is probably just a meeting place,” Stephen says. “I doubt he stays here.”
It makes sense. Why would Shadowface direct us to his personal lair? Though, this place is undoubtedly under his control. Apart from a few greyskins that we pass on the way to the wall, the entire town seems empty. Even the little bit I can see beyond the wall is stark with very little life.
We’re about fifty feet away when a guard signals for us to stop. He’s big and buff, holding a large rifle in his arms.
“You’re not carrying any weapons on you right now are you?” I ask Stephen.
“No,” he says. Before he opens the door to step out, he looks at me with caution in his eyes. “Stay sharp. Who knows what this could turn into.”
“Exactly why I didn’t want to come with you,” I say as he opens the door. I open mine too, and the sight of us both seems to make the guard nervous. He points his gun at us, and we both throw up our hands in the air.
“My name is Stephen. I’m here under Shadowface’s direction.”
“We were only expecting you,” the guard says to Stephen.
“She is a friend,” he says. “We’re just here to negotiate.”
The guard at the top of the wall picks up his radio. Any normal human being wouldn’t understand what he was saying from this distance. But I turn my head slightly and focus on him.
“The leader of Elkhorn is here,” he says quietly. “He has brought a friend with him. A woman. Do you still want me to let them pass?”
There is a brief pause before someone, a man, answers. “Frisk them. Escort them to the meeting room.”
“Copy that,” the guard says.
“Maybe you coming here wasn’t such a good idea,” Stephen whispers to me.
“It’s all right,” I say, hands still in the air. We watch as the guard leaves the top of the wall to open the front gate. “They aren’t going to stop us from coming in. Remember, Shadowface never told you that you couldn’t bring anyone.”
“That’s right,” he says, nodding.
The front gate creaks open. This time there are more guards—four of them, each with a large gun and muscles that are so big they almost look fake. The man from the top of the wall walks ahead of the rest and instructs Stephen and me to turn around. Hands still in the air, we do what he asks. I watch as he checks Stephen for a weapon. It’s no shock that when he gets to me he takes his time. His hands rub up and down my legs and around my chest two or three times. I bite my lip, fighting the urge to kick him in the face. When I look at Stephen again, I can tell his distaste for Shadowface’s men is already growing.
I shake my head at him. “What do you expect?” I say to Stephen. My eyes go from him to the first guard. “Pigs.”
The guard meets my stare with a smirk on his face. “Shadowface likes us to be thorough.”
“I’m sure you don’t mind it either,” I say.
“Come on. The boss is waiting.”
I take a step forward and it feels surreal. Only days ago, I was studying the journal in Crestwood, trying to make sense of who this Shadowface person was. Now, I’m about to come face-to-face with him? Wouldn’t someone called Shadowface want to remain in the shadows? Wouldn’t he want to keep his identity a secret?
As we walk forward, I try to scan the surrounding area for noises, whispers. I look at the buildings, searching for someone giving instructions to other guards. Perhaps I might hear Shadowface devising his plot behind the scenes. If I can locate such a voice, it would give us an edge in the negotiations. If, that is, negotiations are what Shadowface has in mind.
The gate closes and in our short walk to one of the nearest buildings, I hear nothing. The guards escort Stephen and me up a flight of stairs and down a long, dark hallway. The place is dirty, and creepy. I feel like it’s the sort of place where a greyskin could jump out at any moment. I hate the feeling, especially since I don’t have a gun on me. I glance to my left at Stephen and he lifts an eyebrow. No doubt he’s unsure of his decision to bring us here. I’m already starting to second-guess my decision.
The guards lead us to a room with a table and a few chairs. There is no window, but there is a single light that hangs loosely from the ceiling. On the other side of the room is another door. The guards tell us to have a seat and that someone will be with us in a few minutes. When they close the door behind us, I can’t help but scan the room until my eyes fall on Stephen again.
“I feel like I’m on one of those old cop shows where the police sit and monitor the prisoners before the interrogation,” I say.
“Well, at least there’s no two-way mirror,” he says.
“Doesn’t mean there isn’t a camera or a microphone or something,” I say as I bend down to have a look under the table. Nothing but gum and pencil marks.
I sit up straight and set my elbows on the table in front of me. I hold my chin in my palm to make it look like I’m resting, but really I don’t want Stephen to notice that I’m craning my neck to get a better listen behind the door across from us.
This place is unfamiliar to me, so it takes a few seconds before I locate some noise. I can hear two people talking. A man and a woman.
“Just act as you normally would,” the woman says to the man.
“I still think I
should test the waters,” he says. “I’ll be able to see if they are easily intimidated.”
“No,” she answers.
She’s clearly the one in charge, I think to myself.
“You know,” the man says, “sometime soon you are going to have to flex some muscle. Fear is a powerful emotion.”
“It’s a reckless emotion, Samuel.”
Samuel.
“When people are afraid, they tend to do stupid things. We don’t want them to do something stupid. We want them to trust us.”
Samuel doesn’t seem to respond. Perhaps he nods, or even shrugs. I turn my head away the moment I hear footsteps.
“Someone’s coming,” Stephen says.
“Don’t trust him,” I say to Stephen.
He looks at me, his forehead crinkled in confusion.
“The guy that’s coming in here,” I say. “Don’t trust him. He’s just going to say things that you want to hear.”
“How do you know that?”
But I don’t have time to answer before the door opens in front of us and a man comes walking in. He is tall and thin. His hair is cut short, almost shaved, and a five o’clock shadow darkens his jaw. His eyebrows seem sharp as they dart downward, darkening his already brown eyes.
“Are you Shadowface?” Stephen asks.
No, it’s Samuel, I think to myself. The way the woman seemed to be in charge, makes me wonder if Shadowface is even here. Unless, she is Shadowface…
“You must be Stephen,” Samuel says, taking the chair across from us and sitting. As he leans forward and rests his arms on the table, his jacket falls open and I can see a pistol lodged in a holster on the side of his chest. His eyes fall on me next. “I’m not sure I know your name.”
“You didn’t answer the question,” I say.
Samuel’s eyes narrow at me.
“You have two of my men,” Stephen says.
“Jim and David, right?” Samuel asks.
Stephen nods.
“They have been very cooperative and understanding. I will be happy to secure their release.”
“Under what conditions?” Stephen asks.
“Only that you take the time to hear me out. I’m not here to threaten you or anything like that. I first just want to explain that the reason we took your men was because they were in our territory when they shouldn’t have been.”
“Sealy is your territory?” Stephen asks.
He nods. “One of many.”
“So, you’re a gang lord,” I say.
Samuel looks at me sharply. “No,” he says. “But I am a recruiter. And I’m always looking to expand to new territories.”
“What if I don’t want to be a part of your territory?” Stephen asks.
Samuel looks at Stephen with a concerned expression. “I think you’ve misinterpreted what this meeting is all about.”
“Have I?”
“You have.”
I swallow, keeping my eyes fixed on Samuel. He still hasn’t answered the question about who he is.
“We simply want to talk. We are not forcing you into anything. Your men are free to go whenever you wish to take them.”
“Why did you hold them hostage in the first place?” Stephen asks. “Do you know how nerve-racking it is to have someone pick up the radio and say that my men have been captured, only to be forced to wait for hours before hearing anything else again?”
“Poor communication,” Samuel says. “That is my fault.”
“Just get to the point,” I say.
“Shadowface would like Elkhorn to become part of our network. We want you to be a friend to us.”
“Why would we do that?” Stephen asks.
Samuel smiles. “How do you like your wall?”
“Keeps the greyskins out.”
“For now,” Samuel says. “But no doubt if a large herd comes through it wouldn’t take much to break it down, would it?” He doesn’t wait for Stephen to answer. “And suppose a large group of raiders came to take you over. I’m guessing that you don’t have the manpower nor the defenses to withstand a well-planned attack.”
Again, Stephen is silent.
“Your men that we caught,” he continues, “were scouting, possibly looking for supplies, right? How would you like to do that with proper equipment? Between the two of them, there were a couple of blunt weapons and one gun. If you were allied with us, they could go out with assault rifles, and whatever blades they could want. Not to mention dependable vehicles. That is, if you decide that supply or scouting runs are even necessary. Shadowface would gladly supply your people with plenty of food, medicine, and clothing.”
I can already see Stephen’s face begin to soften. I’m sure that for a group leader, such luxuries, perhaps necessities, are hard to pass up. But I know there has to be a catch. What was Samuel talking to that woman about? He wanted her to show some muscle? I can’t just let this go on without putting in my two cents.
“I’m sure if you had it your way, you would just make us join with you,” I say.
When Samuel’s expression doesn’t change, I start to feel nervous.
“I’m sure if you were in charge, you would have come in here and told Stephen that if we didn’t join with you, then you would kill his men, wouldn’t you?”
He takes a deep breath. “Why are you here?” He looks from me to Stephen. “Don’t let her keep you from protecting your people.”
“What is in it for you?” Stephen asks.
“Shadowface’s network is about moving toward a common goal,” Samuel says. “Obviously, there is no government running anything. Bandits strut around taking what they desire without any consequences. For your allegiance, we will give you everything you need. We consider helping you an investment.”
“What goal?” I ask.
Samuel gives me a look that says get out, but I don’t budge.
“Our goal is to move forward,” he says. “For the past three years, the world has been living in anarchy, and it’s becoming worse than just a problem with greyskins. We want to end starvation, bring raiders to justice, and ultimately find a cure for the virus. But we’re going to need backing.”
“Soldiers?” Stephen asks. “You’re raising soldiers.”
“Not necessarily,” Samuel says. “We’re looking for places of strategic advantages. Some places are more apt to farming, and will be able to help provide food. Some places are located near factories that can be used to mass-produce goods again.”
“And what does Elkhorn have to offer?” Stephen asks.
Samuel smiles at him. I see it clear as day, but Stephen is blind to it. By asking what does Elkhorn have to offer, he has too easily shown his interest. Now Samuel knows that he’s got him where he wants him.
“We aren’t sure yet,” Samuel says, still smiling. “But once an offer is made, we will not reject you.”
So this is how all the meetings went, I suppose. I can imagine Samuel sitting with a struggling Paxton, telling him about all the things that Shadowface could do for Crestwood. Then the thought hits me like a brick to the head. Is Shadowface the reason I loved being at Crestwood? It was all there. The wall was secure, the people well-fed and happy. There didn’t seem to be any complaints from anyone. The journal showed that once the town gave allegiance, Shadowface had a hand in everything. And I bet my life that whoever he is, he’s tallying every bit of aid he’s given to these places. That’s why I fear Stephen giving in to this guy. Someday, Shadowface is going to call in all his debts.
“I don’t like allying myself with someone that won’t show his face,” Stephen says. “Why would I work with someone without a name? Shadowface?” He shakes his head. “I don’t like it.”
“Every leader raises the same question with me,” Samuel says. “And I always tell them this: When raiders are trying to steal your children, rape your women, kill your men; when greyskins are traveling in herds, trying to rip down your barriers for a bit of meat, you aren’t going to care who Shadowface is. Y
ou’re just going to be glad that you are well-equipped to handle those situations.”
Sly dog, I think. Samuel almost has me convinced.
The room is silent for a moment. There really isn’t anything I can say. Samuel has Stephen thinking, and voicing any more of my opinion won’t help.
“This is something I have to talk over with my people,” Stephen finally says. “But you make a compelling case.”
“That’s what I’m here to do.” Samuel looks toward the door. “Mac,” he shouts. A guard opens the door behind us. “Bring in Stephen’s men.”
“Yes, sir.”
It only takes a minute for Mac to bring Stephen’s scouts to the room. Samuel, Stephen, and I all stand when they enter. The two of them look a little rough, but probably not from anything Shadowface’s men did to them.
“How did they treat you?” Stephen asks.
One of them nods and says everyone was nice to them.
Stephen looks back at Samuel. “I appreciate you taking care of my men and being civil about everything.”
“Why would I be anything less?” Samuel asks. He nods at one of his guards who promptly hands the radios back to Jim and David. “My only regret is making you worry last night.”
Stephen nods in agreement, but doesn’t say anything. I’m not sure he knows what to say.
A squawk on the radio turns everyone’s heads. At first it’s just static, but a voice finally breaks through.
“4978, this is Home Base, do you copy?”
“I left mine in the SUV,” Stephen says. He reaches out and takes the radio from one of his men.
“Must be good radios,” Mac says with a scowl.
“Got them from the police station in Elkhorn,” either Jim or David says. I’m not sure which.
Stephen walks to the other side of the room as if doing so will make it where only he can hear, though everyone is listening intently. “Go ahead, Lydia.”
“Just wanted to let you know that we let the three newcomers in to stay through tonight.
“That’s fine,” Stephen says. “I’m busy right now, I’ll get back to you later.”
“Ten-four,” Lydia says. “I thought I should tell you that they are looking for Remi.”
Away From the Sun Page 2