“How are you going to do that? Luke asked.
“I’ve been looking at that map Maddie took from Roth’s office. All the circled areas are in remote parts of the country. The roads aren’t even noted on the map. If the Adita have warehouses on Earth what better place to hide them. I’ll search every one. I’ll save as many people as I can. If Ryan’s in one, I’ll find him. I have to find him.”
“But there are thirteen circles spread out from Canada to Florida. That’ll take a long time.” Madison replied.
“What else do I have to do?” Ed snapped.
“I’m going with you,” Luke announced.
“Thanks man. I could use the help.” Ed gave him a wry smile.
“Do you know how to fly a plane?” Zack questioned, but didn’t wait for an answer. “Well I do and finding these...what are we looking for again?”
“Camps. Warehouses. I’m not sure.” Ed shrugged.
“Well finding these camps or warehouses will be easier and faster from the air.”
“You have a plane?”
“Had a plane. I sold it before the Sundogs arrived, but I bet there’re a few at the airport not being used.”
Ed couldn’t believe what Zack was telling them. “Why haven’t you tried flying over the country looking for survivors?”
“Colin’s afraid to fly. Like deathly afraid. I wasn’t going to leave him here alone.” Zack shrugged. “And since you guys arrived a few months ago things have been kinda crazy.”
They all nodded. Madison, who was keeping a journal, could have told them hardly a day went by that she didn’t have some new astounding event to write down. “How big is the plane?”
Zack thought he knew where Madison was going with this question. “I think it best to use a small plane and make short jumps from one city to the next, trading out planes in each. Probably a four-seater if I can find one that’ll run.” Zack’s mind worked fast and plans for this excursion were rapidly unfolding.
Madison looked directly at Zack “You can’t leave until after the babies are born.”
Zack relaxed. She said you not we, meaning she wouldn’t fight to go with them. He needed her here, but it wasn’t fair for him to ask this of her. She hadn’t sign up to play den mother. “I’ll stay to deliver.”
“That’s four weeks,” Ed protested. “What if the Adita return before then? What if the harvest, or whatever they have planned, happens before then?”
“Chill man. We can check out a couple during that time. I think at least two are within an hour’s flight of here,” Zack responded.
Ed relaxed upon hearing this. He had to take action and now. They had no idea what the harvest meant, but he felt once this event took place, saving Ryan or the human race wasn’t going be a possibility any longer.
“We’ll go to the airport and shop for a plane. I do believe they are having a get one free sale today and today only.”
Everyone smiled, allowing their tension to ease away. Any reason to smile was welcomed.
Ed looked around the table. “So what were you all in deep conversation about before I came in?”
Madison sighed, “Christmas. We were thinking about celebrating Christmas.” It seemed silly now to think of Christmas. An ordinary thing, from an ordinary way of life, that no longer existed. Luke was right, they couldn’t go on pretending like this was temporary. Truth be told, she thought Ed’s venture a waste of time. Even if he found his son, then what? It didn’t change anything. They still didn’t know how to stop the Adita.
“I spoke to Roxanne,” Ed commented.
Madison’s head jerked up. “She spoke to you?”
“Um, yes. She was very nice. And Caleb. Wow that boy is smart.” Ed stopped short of saying and weird.
“He spoke to you.” Madison was bewildered.
“Yeah. We talked about the merits of beef. Why?”
Madison shook her head. “I...um... I haven’t had much luck communicating with either one of them.”
“She’s very personable. In fact I think she’s really hit it off with Charlie.”
“Did she tell you anything about the Adita?” Luke asked.
“I didn’t want to be rude. After all her husband is in a coma.”
Luke had his doubts about this woman claiming to be Roxanne, but kept them private. Granted she looked like the woman in the pictures, but he still didn’t trust her. And as far as the boy was concerned, he didn’t know what to think. Two months ago Austin’s son was an infant. Humans didn’t age seven years in two months.
“I’ll talk to her,” Zack interjected. “We have to find out what the Adita are planning. If she knows anything, even if it’s minor, it’s still more than we know.”
The subject drifted back to Christmas and babies. Ed suggested bringing the prospect up for a vote at dinner. Zack was against majority rules, stating no one should be forced to go along with the masses if they didn’t want to. Madison teased Zack, saying he must have been a hippie in a previous life.
“I was a bird soaring free,” he corrected her.
To which she agreed. Zack was a free spirit and her polar opposite. Maybe that’s what attracted her to him. Madison quickly struck this thought from her mind and joined back in the debate.
In the end they decided to bring it up and whoever wanted to celebrate was welcome to do so. No one expected dissent or mutiny over having Christmas. Ed thought it would be a good distraction for the younger people. To which Madison brought up a sensitive subject.
“Birth control!” Luke laughed and turned red. Sex was not something he wanted to discuss with Madison or anyone at that table.
“Yes birth control,” Madison reiterated.
Zack jumped in. “She’s right. We aren’t really equipped to handle babies. We’ll do fine with the ones coming, but I agree it’s best to avoid any more for the time being.”
“Who’s gonna talk to them about it?” Ed grimaced at the thought.
No one volunteered.
“I’ll do it for heaven’s sakes,” Madison huffed. “But only the girls. One of you guys has to talk to the boys.”
“Sex ed. My favorite subject,” Zack joked. “I’ll talk to them.” He looked at Luke. “If things get hot and heavy, use a condom boy. Got it.” This advice was almost verbatim of the speech ole Bobby Londergan gave him when he was nine. He didn’t even like girls when he was nine.
Luke choked and nodded.
“There. What’s the big deal?” He winked at Luke.
“Whatever. Guys never grow up,” Madison replied.
“And you young lady.” Zack wagged his finger at Madison. “You make sure you take those little white pills everyday cuz us guys can’t be relied on,” Zack teased.
Madison’s expression changed, as if she suddenly remembered needing to be somewhere. “Let me out Luke.” She nudged him and he slid out of the booth.
“I gotta go.” Madison hurried from the diner.
“Shit. Did I hit a nerve?”
Ed nodded. “Don’t worry about it. You didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?” Zack demanded.
“Nothing. I mean I can’t say.” Ed shrugged and sighed. “You know, ghosts from the past.”
“Bastards,” Zack muttered and kicked himself for having upset Madison, when all he wanted to do was make her laugh.
Ed guided them back to making plans for their first flight. Zack fetched the map from the command center and soon they were deep into planning and plotting. Wyoming would be the first stop on the search.
“A landing strip sits right here.” Zack pointed on the map. “About fifty miles from that circle.”
“Are you sure?” Ed frowned.
“Sure as we have three damn suns in the sky,” Zack replied. “I used to fly pot out of there,” he added.
Luke’s brow shot up. He knew Zack had been in the pot business, but didn’t know much else about his former life.
“What?” Zack responded to their stares. “I never claim
ed to be a law abiding citizen.”
“I thought your business was legit?” Ed asked.
“It was. Sort of. You know, mostly in Colorado. What does it matter?”
“It doesn’t,” Ed replied and Luke agreed.
They went back to analyzing and detailing out plans.
10 Eve
Roxanne sat next to Austin’s bed, her hands folded in her lap, a blank expression on her face. Caleb sat on the floor playing with toy dinosaurs. However, where normal seven-year-old boys used their hands Caleb used his mind, making the dinosaurs fight and run about. A pterodactyl flew from the opposite side of the room, swooped down and attacked T-Rex.
“Where did dinosaurs come from?” Caleb looked up at Roxanne.
“From a faraway place.”
“How’d they get to Earth?”
“Your great-great-grandfather brought them here.”
“For food?”
A soft smile graced her lips. “Yes.”
“For the Svan.”
Roxanne’s forehead creased and smoothed over. “Yes. I told you about the Svan. Do yo remember?”
“Yes mother. The Svan are...”
The dinosaurs fell over and the pterodactyl crashed down from the ceiling, right as a knock on the door interrupted them.
“Open the door for Mr. Taylor,” Roxanne instructed.
Caleb turned his head towards the door, but did not move to get up. The knob began to turn.
“Caleb,” Roxanne scolded.
Caleb threw her a smile and ran over to the door.
“Come in Mr. Luke.” Caleb stepped back being the perfect gentleman.
Luke stepped into the room and was quickly pushed out of the way by German. “Hey mind your manners dog.”
German lay down at Roxanne’s feet, ignoring Luke.
“It’s ok. My dad likes having him here,” Caleb informed Luke.
“He does? Did he wake up? Did he speak to you?”
“Not yet. I just know...”
Roxanne cleared her throat before Caleb could finish. He gave her an ‘I’m sorry’ look and went back to playing with the dinosaurs, this time using his hands.
Luke stood staring at Roxanne, not sure how to ask what he wanted to ask, so he decided to spit it out. If he was wrong he would spend the rest of his life apologizing. “Who are you?”
Roxanne feigned surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I mean who are you? Are you really Austin’s wife?”
“Yes. Who else would I be?”
“I...I don’t know.” Luke scratched his head. Ever since her arrival a colony of ants had built a hill on top of his head. “How’d you get away from the vampires? I mean the Adita?”
“Eve helped us.”
“Why?”
“For Austin. She did it for him.”
“What about Ed’s wife? Did Eve know who she was?” Luke wasn’t convinced Eve or any Adita would perform an act of kindness for a human.
“I don’t know her reasons, but I think it was because Jenny is a mother,” Roxanne offered.
“A mother? So were a lot of the women those blood suckers murdered. What makes her so special?”
“I don’t know. She must have felt something for Jenny. Compassion or empathy or,” Roxanne shook her head, “or I’m not sure. She didn’t say.”
“Do you know anything about the Adita? I mean were you in the warehouse with the others or did they keep you somewhere else?”
“All I remember is waking up and seeing Eve. It was all very confusing and we had to hurry.”
“Hurry? Why?”
“She didn’t say.”
Frustration built inside Luke, but he couldn’t take it out on Roxanne. If her claim was true, that she was Austin’s wife, the captain wouldn’t take too kindly over Luke harassing her.
“I’m truly sorry I don’t have any more to offer.” Roxanne stood up.
“No. No, that’s ok. I shouldn’t have bothered you. It doesn’t make sense is all.” Luke walked to the door and opened it. “You’ll let me know when he wakes up?” Luke nodded towards Austin.
“Of course I will.”
“Thank you,” Luke replied before closing the door close gently behind him.
Roxanne sat back down. She took Austin’s hand and held his wrist to her lips, but resisted sinking her fangs into his skin. Her longing wasn’t driven by the need to eat, despite her growing hunger. Food was not an issue, being that stored in a giant cooler under Cheyenne Mountain were hundreds of vats filled with human blood, all compliments of General Roth. Her longing came from a different part of her brain, a part she seldom used or understood.
Her son was not having any problems with his diet, having maintained a healthy carnivorous appetite that didn’t include human flesh or blood. His only interest in the humans seemed to be as new friends. He was the future of the Adita and as she watched him play, she wondered what the future had in store for them, for him. Her green eyes darkened to black, her skin lost some luster, as she longed to shed her human form. Caution advised against doing so. The boy, Luke, was suspicious of her, of the Adita’s motives, so pretending to be Roxanne would be necessary for a while longer. However, Luke was not her main concern. The woman, Madison, posed a bigger danger. Her mind was sharp, her eyes quick to observe. When people spoke, she listened as much to their words as to the feelings and actions behind the words. These things were not what made her a threat. No, love was something Eve knew nothing about, but had witnessed humans doing tremendous things in the name of and Madison believed she loved Austin.
Eve faded back into Roxanne. She placed Austin’s arm back under the blanket. He was regaining full color and before long would awaken. For a moment Eve’s brow creased. She shouldn’t have been surprised that his body fought the change, but hadn’t expected the strength he exhibited. Having had time to consider her situation, Eve felt Austin being human served her better for now. Still, no human she’d bitten had ever survived the change. In the past rather than killing them right off, she had at times watched them fight to live, curious to see what they might become after the transformation was complete. No one ever came through. No one ever lasted as long as Austin or required being bitten more than once. Humans were resilient, she’d give them that much. They had a strong desire to live, but desire and ability were two different beasts.
Eve turned her attention towards her son, who was busy twisting his toys into contorted shapes. On the outside he was every bit human, his father’s son, but the outside did not matter. His mind mattered, his strengths, his power, these things would determine his survival and that of the Adita. In nine moons the Elder’s time will have run out. If Agra had not found Austin so many years ago, there would have been no hope for the Elders or the Adita. Now they were guaranteed to live for a long time, if not forever. Few things meant absolute death to an Adita, and Agra had taken measures to ensure one of those would never take place. Caleb was one of those measures. An experiment Agra had called her son. One to be terminated if the results did not turn out precisely as the Elders expected.
Caleb jumped up as if poked. “Oh can we mother?” His hands flew up to his face and covered his mouth.
Eve shook her head. “Caleb. You have to be more careful.”
Caleb ran over to her. “I will I promise. Now can we go for a walk? I’m tired of playing with these toys.”
“Yes, but you better mind me and act like a human child.”
“I will. I promise.” He jumped up and ran for the door where he stopped to wait for her.
She joined him at the door and knelt in front of him. “Do you remember what to say?”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Yes I remember. Agra kept me locked in a room where I had no contact with anyone except you, I mean Eve. I don’t know about the harvest or the people in the warehouses or much of anything because I’m only seven. How’s that?”
“Very good.” Eve stood up. A vision appeared before her causing her lips to turn downward.
Caleb grasped Eve’s arm. “You won’t let them die will you?”
Eve’s brow furrowed. She tried to absorb her son’s compassion for the humans, thinking it would help her better understand him and them. Empathy was something Agra considered a weakness, as he did all human emotions, and not something she discussed with her father. “I’ll do what I can,” she told him, uncertain how far she was willing to go to save them.
Eve listened before opening the door. Madison was in her room preoccupied with cleaning her weapon. A good thing as Eve did not want to run into her. She’d a difficult enough time pretending to be Roxanne without having her every movement scrutinized. Luke and the others she handled with ease, but Madison required more finesse, which did not cause concern. If, however, Madison ever became a problem, Eve would take appropriate measures.
11 Flying Under the Radar
Zack sat behind the wheel of the Monster. Luke road shotgun while Ed took the back seat. They traveled the deserted road staring out at the nothingness their world had become. Each had his own thoughts, but one commonality was the desire to feel the warmth of the sun. So for the moment they didn’t think about where they were headed or the risk they were taking. They all carried thoughts that were far away recollections of the past.
Luke was on Florida’s Gulf Coast, staring out at emerald green waters and running his toes through warm white sand. His parents had a beach house in Destin and every summer the family reunion was held at their place. Every summer for the first fourteen years of his life Luke went with his parents down to Destin. He’d met Emma Ryder during one of those summers and fell in love in the first blink. Where the Taylor’s were comfortable money, Emma’s family was big money and big everything. The Ryder’s beach house, or mansion as most referred to it, was located about a mile down the beach from the Taylor’s. Etched in his mind was the image of her walking towards him on that stretch of beach between their homes. She’d worn a light orange sarong over a blue bikini. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail. She’d stopped directly in front of him and introduced herself. He was fourteen, she was eleven, but she didn’t look or act like an eleven-year-old. For the next two weeks they spent every moment together. It was the best summer of his life.
The Harvest (Book 2): Eve of Man Page 9