General Powell entered the room and switched on a light.
“Will that be all, sir?” Jeffrey asked.
The general nodded. “Thank you.”
Jeffrey left us.
There was a single desk in the room and Powell claimed the chair behind it. Jack shut the door.
“Now,” Powell said, leaning back in his chair. He regarded me with pursed lips for a moment. “We have a nasty issue to deal with.”
Jack stood up tall, squared his shoulders, and looked down on Powell. “No one had the right to strike her. I want whoever did this disciplined.”
“Just because she’s your property doesn’t put her actions above the law,” he said, motioning to Jack to sit down. He didn’t. “If she hurt a soldier and I don’t enforce the rules, I’m sending the wrong message. I have to execute her.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
Jack pulled his gun from the holster and shot the general.
Powell’s face twisted into a grimace of horror and confusion. He reached a hand up to the bullet wound and slumped forward onto the desk.
I blinked.
The sound of the gun firing finally caught up with the images captured by my eyes.
Jack was already opening the only window in the office. “Come on.”
I rushed past the general, now bleeding out on his desk, and ducked through to the outside. Jack gave me a shove, making me lose my balance and I hit the ground with a thud. He was right behind me, pulling me up by the arm. His gun was still in his hand as we crept along between two buildings. A bike was parked on the street.
“We need that bike,” he said. I nodded. Getting to the bike was going to be a problem. The sound of gunfire had soldiers rushing to the medical building. “Now.”
Calmly walking out from between the buildings, we made a direct line to the bike. An entire militia was swarming the medical center. As we approached the vehicle, Jack pushed me toward the seat.
Someone yelled, “Stop them!” I didn’t need to turn around to know he was pointing at us.
Jack jumped onto the seat behind me and reached around to take control of the vehicle. As we took off in the direction of an alley, I heard shots ring out and craned my neck to look behind us. Men were running, guns drawn. As we disappeared into the alley, the scene was blocked.
Jack drove, weaving between buildings to stay hidden. At one point he stopped the bike and turned it to solar. Silently, we made our way to the edge of town and headed for the woods.
“You okay?” Jack asked against my ear.
I leaned back against him, touching my head to his cheek.
“I didn’t hurt that soldier, Jack. I swear.”
“What happened?” His voice sounded strained.
I told him about the incident in the woods with the heathens as Jack turned the bike into a shallow stream and followed it.
“So the heathens have weapons,” he said. His voice sounded a little off. I noticed that his face was becoming slick with sweat, too.
“Jack, are you okay?” I pulled away from him in order to see his face, which was contorted in pain.
“Fine.”
“Stop the bike.”
“We have to keep going.”
“Jack, where are you hurt? What happened? We need to stop.”
“We have to find some place to hide. Somewhere…” His voice trailed off. He shook his head and blinked his eyes a few times. “We need to hide.”
His grip on the handlebars slackened. I took control of the bike and pulled it to a stop.
“Maybe I’m not fine,” he admitted, giving me a strained smile. “But listen to me. We need to hide. Keep driving.”
In the distance I could hear the engines of jeeps and motorbikes—most likely a search party. He was right. We had to keep moving. My panicked brain tried to remember how to drive the bike. Throttle clutch or clutch throttle? The bike lurched forward and a strangled noise came from Jack. I didn’t stop though. I turned the bike back out into the stream and drove along the rocky bed. Jack leaned heavily against me, but he was still conscious. I followed the stream for only fifteen minutes before I navigated the bike into the woods to find a place to hide.
The trees were thick and there weren’t any visible pathways. That was a good sign. It meant there weren’t any humans tracking through here. As I drove deeper into the forest, the distant sound of the search party faded away.
Being in the woods reminded me of our first day outside the Dome, when we discovered vehicle tracks in the earth. Looking in my side mirror, I saw we were leaving the same tracks in our wake.
His eyes met mine in the reflection. “Smart girl.” As I continued to drive, Jack pointed to our right. “There’s an outcropping over there. Drive on the rocks.” He looked frighteningly pale.
I turned the bike toward the rocks, scanning the cliff for any sign of a cave as we went. I found a crevice that looked hopeful.
“We’re not far enough away,” he said, shaking his head.
“You need to rest.” I was firm on that. Jack didn’t argue and I hoped that was because he knew I was right and not because he was too weak.
It was a bit of a climb to get to the crevice, but I pulled myself up easily. I wasn’t sure if Jack would be able to make it. The crevice was long, but as I sidled in, it opened into a bigger space. The crack in the outcropping continued past the cave and I followed it to make sure it was secure. It led out into a different area of forest, providing us with two escape routes.
When I returned, Jack had both his hands jammed against the seat to keep him upright, sweat glistening on his face from the effort. When he saw me coming, he tried to twist his mouth into a smile.
“Do you think you can make it up there?” I asked.
He dismounted the bike and staggered slightly. I wedged my shoulder under his arm and wrapped mine around his waist. My hand came into contact with something wet—blood.
Panic welled up and I fought to keep it at bay. With every step he took, blood pulsed out. I pressed my hand against the wound, trying to stem the flow.
He leaned against the cliff when we reached it and I took the opportunity to examine his wound. A deep red hole on the back of his left side was weeping slowly and steadily. He had been shot.
“I have to get you help, Jack. This is beyond me. We should go back.”
“We can’t go back.”
“But you’re bleeding! And I don’t know how to stop it!” My voice sounded hysterical even to me.
“Sunny, listen to me. You’ll have to hide the bike and get rid of any tracks that lead here. Do you understand?” I nodded even though I knew Jack was my first priority. “If anything happens to me, promise you won’t go back there.”
I bit my lip, refusing to make a promise I couldn’t keep. Jack turned around and started climbing up the cliff.
“Maybe this isn’t the best place for us,” I said. If he fell unconscious I wouldn’t be able to get him down.
“I need to rest. I think if I can just rest for a while I’ll be okay.”
He raised his arm to climb and with every pull, his bloodstain grew. I climbed behind him, holding a hand out to catch him in case he fell. The sane part of my mind told me it was an irrational act, but that part of my brain wasn’t in control right now.
With an enormous effort, he hoisted himself up onto the crevice. “It’s not wide enough.”
“You have to keep going. It opens up.”
He used the wall of the crevice to steady himself as he walked. I kept my eyes on his stained t-shirt, willing the bullet hole to magically stop bleeding.
“Nice.” he said. He sank to the ground and res
ted his back against the wall of the cave. “Home sweet home.”
“I’ve been in worse places.” I squatted down in front of him and wiped the sweat away from his brow.
“I know you have,” he said in a sober voice. “And you deserved better.” His hand hooked onto my shoulder and pulled me to him.
I resisted. “There’s time for that after I get the bleeding stopped.”
“You know first aid?”
“No. But I once saw a doctor in the Pit use a belt as a tourniquet.”
I fumbled at his belt buckle, trying to undo it, and a weak smile crossed his face.
“I remember another time not too long ago when you had trouble with my belt.”
I grinned. “It was the button on your pants, not a belt.”
“Oh yeah.” He tucked my hair behind my ear as I pulled his belt free. Gently, I tugged on his t-shirt.
“Can you lean forward?” I asked.
He did, but I had to support him. I hadn’t realized he was that weak. Shock at the discovery threatened my sanity.
“Mmmm, are you trying to take advantage of me, Mrs. Kenner?”
“Absolutely. After that kiss this morning.” His weak smile grew a little stronger. Tears clouded my eyes. Angrily, I blinked them away. “I really screwed up this time, Jack. I shouldn’t have gotten involved. I should have just kept—”
“Sshh.” Jack touched the side of my face. “I’m proud of you.”
My tears spilled and I cleared my throat in an effort to blast them away.
“I need to see the wound. Can you lie face down?”
Jack did as I asked with help from me. The bullet had entered through his lower left side. A little lower and it would have hit his belt, which might have saved him from injury. The bullet hole was still bleeding, but not as much as it was with the exertion of climbing up here. There was only one wound, which I was pretty sure meant the bullet was still inside him. I didn’t know how to get it out. I needed help.
The cave was warm, but he was beginning to shiver. I tore off a section of my t-shirt, folded it, and placed it over the wound. Then carefully, I cinched the belt around his waist.
He groaned in protest. “It’s too tight.”
“I know, but I have to stop the bleeding.”
“How bad is it?”
“Bad enough to need a doctor. I have to get you back to town, Jack.”
“They’re not going to help us. We’re fugitives again.”
“But I need help! I can’t do this on my own!” Hysteria seized control of me and I covered my eyes trying to blot out the image of injured Jack. I didn’t like injured Jack. I wanted my partner back in one piece.
With considerable effort, he sat up and leaned back against the stone wall.
“Come here,” he said, tugging my hand away from my face. I allowed him to pull me closer, lightly resting my head on his shoulder. I needed his strength even though he didn’t have much left to give. “You can get through this. I know you can. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. That’s why I’m so madly in love with you.”
My lower lip shook with the effort to control my emotions. This wasn’t the time for a breakdown.
“I love you, too,” I said, choking back a sob. “And I’m going to make everything better. I screwed up, but I’m going to fix it. You just need to hang on. Okay?”
“Look at me,” he said. I pulled away from his shoulder to meet his gaze. “No matter what happens to me, you don’t go back there. Ever. You can’t save the Pit by yourself. Do you understand? Get out of here and save yourself.”
His message was clear. He thought he was going to die.
I couldn’t let that happen. I rubbed the tears from my cheeks. My wailing wasn’t going to save him. I nodded. “Okay,” I said. I was pleased my voice was calm and steady. “At least let me go and get water. I need to clean your wound.”
“Take this with you,” he said, giving me his pistol. “Do you remember where the stream is? It’s not far.”
“Don’t worry. I remember. You should lie down and get some rest.” I helped get him settled. Smoothing back his hair, I kissed his lips. “I’ll be back soon.”
He grabbed my hand and held it tight.
“I really do love you.” His voice cracked with emotion. Tears burned my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
“And I love you more than I could ever say.”
Freeing my hand from his grip, I left the cave. I had done a lot of stupid things in my life, but letting Jack die wasn’t going to be one of them.
The sun was just about to set behind the mountain as I got on the bike and headed back to town.
Chapter Fifteen
Twilight distorted the landscape with long shadows, making already unfamiliar terrain even stranger. I wasn’t worried about finding the city. The glowing light was an unmistakable beacon. However, finding my way back might become problematic. Every so often I stopped the bike and overturned a rock or broke a branch and took note of my surroundings. I prayed my marked trail wasn’t too noticeable.
Keeping to the stream, I followed the path we took leaving the city until I saw the set of tracks where we entered the waterway earlier. We had left an easy trail to follow. Lining the tires up with our previous tracks, I drove the bike straight across the shallow river and exited on the other side. I continued to drive, ducking low-hanging branches and bumbling over tree roots before I doubled back to town. A few times, I caught a glimpse of distant vehicles’ lights. They were still searching for us. Luckily for me, I didn’t need headlamps.
Once I reached the edge of the city, I hid the bike in some bushes and went the rest of the way on foot. If they found the tracks and followed them, the worst that would happen is I would lose my ride.
Night had fallen as I approached the residential area of town. Keeping to the forest edge, I observed soldiers performing a door-to-door search of the empty houses. Remaining cloaked in the darkness of the forest, beyond the glow of the electric lights, I made my way closer to the heart of the city.
Eventually I had to leave the safety of the woods and scurry between buildings. There weren’t as many soldiers here as I had expected. Perhaps they thought we were long gone and were concentrating their search elsewhere.
I approached the medical center from the back. Staying low behind a hedge, I patiently waited to make sure no one was back there. A dim light illuminated one window. There didn’t seem to be any movement in the room. Tentatively, I stepped out from the hedge. I darted to the window and peeked inside. The only occupant was Doc. He was sitting at his microscope.
I hoped I could trust him.
I tried the window but it was locked. Lightly, I tapped on it. Doc looked up from his microscope, but didn’t notice me. He went back to his work. I tapped a little louder. This time he looked my way. I waved at him.
He could refuse me, he might even turn me in, but it was still a risk I was willing to take. My skin began to prickle with beads of nervous perspiration. Doc stared at me for a moment, and then came to the window.
“What do you want?”
“Your help.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No. Jack Kenner is. He’s been shot.”
“You’ve come to the wrong person. I won’t save a bourge.”
He pulled the window down, but I stuck my arm through the opening to prevent him from closing it.
“Wait! Please! Just give me a chance to explain.”
“You’re making too much noise!” He peered out the window and looked around the backyard. “I don’t want to be caught fraternizing with you.”
“Then open the window or I’ll scream.”
I looked at him defiantly and opened my mouth. He opened the window. I crawled in and he shut it and pulled the blind.
“Stupid little girl! You have no idea what you’re jeopardizing.”
I drew a ragged breath, frantically searching my brain for the right words to convince him.
“Jack Kenner and I are trying to free the Pit. If he dies, I can’t do it alone.”
He glared at me. “Your juvenile heroics are putting my life’s work at risk. Get out.” He pointed at the window.
“I’m telling you the truth. Why else would he shoot General Powell?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side. I took this as an invitation to continue my explanation. Taking a steadying breath, I launched into the story of how Jack and I came together. He regarded me with mixed emotions as I spoke, but when I mentioned Liberty his expression changed. I had his attention.
“I’ve heard rumors about an organization called Liberty,” he said when I finished. He studied me thoughtfully for a moment. “Maybe I can help. But if I do, you have to promise me to tell no one.”
“So you’ll come with me?”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise at my request. “No. I’ve already told you I won’t jeopardize my life’s work for you and your…husband, did you say?”
“But you just said—”
“—I would help. Is that his blood on your hands?”
I looked down at my red-stained hands, unaware of just how much of Jack’s blood was on them. He had lost a lot. My hands started to shake and the tremble crept slowly up my arms to spread throughout my entire being. Jack could die.
“Yes,” I squeaked.
“Don’t lose it now. Come here.” He held his hand out for mine. I gave it to him and he scraped the blood off into a dish. “You said he was shot?” I nodded. “Where?”
I pointed to the area on my own back. “Right around here.”
“There might not be any major organs involved, but I’ll go on the assumption there are.” He added a solution to the blood. “Did the bullet pass through?”
Worlds Collide: Sunset Rising, Book Two Page 15