“Crap, this is not going to be easy to get out of.”
I said the words and then really considered what I was saying. Did I actually think I could get the two of us out of here?
I placed my hands on the bars, the cold and slightly rusted metal a grounding sensation. We were surrounded by armed men who were some sort of militia who had guns and weapons, not to mention an enormous fence, which was in turn monitored by at least three Nevermore packs. And not a single soul to help me.
Tears threatened at the hoplessness of the situation but I pushed them back, swallowing the thickness that tightened my throat. Poor Nero was dead, Sebastian was locked away from me, wounded and alone, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about any of it. I hiccupped a sob back. Crying wouldn’t do me any good. I blinked away the mist filming over my eyes and stared out the window, not sure if what I was seeing was a hallucination or reality.
From below the army truck we’d come in on, a familiar figure dropped to the ground. He scuttled along the grass, lifting his nose every once in a while to scent the air. Following his nose brought him straight to the window I stared out of. He stood, smiling at me from the other side, his scrawny body battered from the ride he’d endured in the undercarriage of the truck. Apparently Sebastian and I had inspired some serious loyalty in at least one member of the pack.
I smiled and gripped the bars a little tighter, my nerves good, but I still didn’t entirely trust him; he was, after all, a Nevermore.
“Scout, how the hell are we going to get out of this mess?”
4
Scout smiled back, then spun, a noise I couldn’t hear alerting him. He tapped on my hand gripping the bar then scurried off around the side of the building to hide. A moment later the mound opened up and people poured out of the bunker.
The men lined up, rifles loose and at the ready; a bound woman was dragged forward and tied to a post against the high fence.
“They wouldn’t,” I whispered. I couldn’t hear the commands given, but as the men raised their rifles I whispered, “Ready.” I waited a heartbeat and the tension rose, “Aim.” Another heartbeat and the woman began to thrash within her bonds, “Fire.”
Even knowing it was going to happen didn’t prepare me for the boom of ten rifles going off at one time. The woman’s body jerked and jumped, blooms of red spreading from her legs up to her forehead.
I swallowed hard, nausea making me weak at the knees, and I slid down the wall with my head against it. Was that how they made room for the new people? My gorge rose at the thought that my presence had somehow caused the woman’s death. I had to get out of here; this was worse than we’d ever had it at the farm. I had Scout now and surely I could use him, if he didn’t try and attack me, that is. I backed away from the window and lay down on the cot, my hand over the small bump on my belly. I had to find a way to protect myself, Sebastian, and our child.
“Think girl, you’re smarter than a bunch of noodle-headed army brats.” I thought about all the possibilities, scenarios that could be, might be, and would never be.
I stood and paced the small room, the air warm and musty despite the perpetually open window, the scents tickling my nose and making me sneeze. Rubbing my face I looked down at my clothes covered in Sebastian’s blood. There had to be a way for me to get into the bunker and close to Sebastian. From there we could find our way out. I had to believe the lies I was telling myself.
A knock startled me and I jumped, my heart racing, adrenaline suddenly surging through me.
“Mara, it’s Sergeant Burns. I have some water and some bread for you.”
My mouth ached at the thought of carby, starchy, white, fluffy bread. “Come in,” I said and again looked down at my blood stained clothes. Burns came in, ducking his head and blushing a little. I had an idea, a light bulb moment that might give me a way out of here. If I could manage it.
Seduction was not something that came easy to me, it never had. During our courtship, Sebastian pursued me, not the other way around. Who was I kidding? I was pregnant, at least ten years older than Burn’s and to be honest, deception wasn’t something I was any better at than seduction. I took a deep breath and decided the best thing I could do was be his friend and hope I could inspire some pity or compassion.
“Thank you Burns. I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier, Nero was such a sweetie and so well behaved, he wouldn’t have been a pain at all,” I said, letting emotion colour my words, choking up a little.
Burns nodded and handed me two slices of brown, stale bread and a large tumbler of water. “I know. My family raised yellow labs when I was a kid, they were always good dogs, never had a moment’s problem out of them. Vincent can be a real bastard.”
I bit into the slightly stale bread and let out a low groan; it wasn’t white and fluffy, but it was still damn good. Around my mouthful I said, “This is amazing, I haven’t had bread in so long.”
He blushed and went to leave.
“Wait.” I swallowed the bite. “Please, I haven’t spoken to anyone and I just want to know what’s going on out there. Is there any news? Has there been any mention of a cure? Is there anyone trying to help the survivors?”
Burns shook his head and folded his arms. “I don’t know that I can say anything about anything. As for the outside, the world has pretty much shut down from what we all can tell. There have been transmissions here and there, but nothing for a while now. I think that everyone is pretty much on their own.”
I took a sip of the water, my mouth dry and my throat tight. “Is there no where safe?”
Again he shrugged. “Rumours and gossip float around here lots, but far as we can tell it’s all false information.”
“You aren’t even really in the army are you?” I said, remembering the final announcement to come across on the TV, warning survivors to steer clear of men claiming government titles and armies.
Burns unfolded his arms and swallowed hard. “I would have been, but never got the chance.”
“These people, this Vincent, they aren’t really helping others are they?”
He looked over his shoulder and stepped close to me, completely invading my personal space and making me fight to stand still. Bending close he whispered in my ear, “I know you don’t want to be here, but there’s no way out and they have some places bugged, they are using everything they can that runs on batteries.” He stepped back, the colour on his cheeks high and his eyes bright.
“Thank you,” I mouthed at him, giving him a smile. He smiled back and again started to leave. For a second time I stopped him. “Wait, how long are they going to keep me out here? There isn’t even a bucket to pee in.” The baby was starting to make his or her presence known to me on a regular basis in the form of potty trips.
Burns reached outside the door and pushed a small ice cream pail into the room, shame filling his eyes. “Sorry, you’re going to be here a while.”
“Will you do one thing for me?”
“I can’t promise anything.”
“Tell Sebastian I’m okay. That we’ll get out of here together.”
Burns stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. “I’ll try, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to lie, even to a monster.”
I smiled, even though inside I wanted to smack him for calling Sebastian a monster. “Just tell him, that’s all I ask.”
The door closed behind Burns and I watched the lanky young man walk back to the bunker. I gripped the window bars and swallowed hard. I let out a low whistle and within a few moments gaunt finger tips slid up the edge of the window, yellow veins throbbing on the back of Scout’s hand. I ripped my second piece of bread in half and pushed it into his fingers. We were trapped, but that didn’t mean we were out of options.
“Our backs are to the wall now Scout. But if they think I’m going to just give up, then they’ve got another thing coming.”
Scout chuckled and tapped the bars with his fingers, then tapped his forehead before slinking away to hide once
more. I shook my head and lay down on my cot. It was a bad day, when I considered Scout to be my confidant and ally against other humans.
5
They kept me in the utilitarian barracks for another four days. Burns continued to bring me my food and water ration twice a day and I continued to talk to him, building on our tentative friendship.
“My mother and older sister were all I had left and they both took the shot as soon as they had enough money. They attacked me and I killed my mom and knocked my sister out. I was running down the street when she came screaming out after me and half the neighbourhood packed up with her.” His voice was a flat monotone, emotions buried under the necessity of living.
I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees. “How did you get away?”
“Marks came driving down the street and ran the monsters over; I jumped in the back of the truck and we came up here.” He shuffled his feet. “I think they’re going to bring you into the bunker tomorrow.”
My eyes widened. This was what I’d been waiting for. “Really, why?”
“You know that woman they shot?”
I swallowed hard, dread filling me. “I’m next aren’t I?”
Burns shook his head. “No, you aren’t like her. Fran tried to kill Vincent in his sleep. He caught her with a big kitchen knife held to his throat. She almost did him in.”
He didn’t sound terribly upset by the whole thing. “So you didn’t like her either?”
Burns shrugged. “I didn’t really know her. She was only for the officers.” Then he blushed, his face going red. “I mean . . . I didn’t . . .”
I shushed him. I knew exactly what he meant and I did not need it spelled out for me. But why would she try and kill Vincent? As if reading my thoughts Burns continued.
“I don’t know why she would try to kill him, it didn’t make sense. She and her daughter were taken in. It’s not Vincent’s fault Danielle got outside the gates. Ron was on guard that night and fell asleep.”
My head snapped up and my eyes narrowed. “The woman had a little girl?”
Burns nodded. “Yeah, she was about ten years old, I guess. I didn’t see her much either. She spent most of her time locked in her room.” Again Burns flushed as if he’d said too much. He changed the subject back to the original topic.
“Something’s inside the compound, something that’s been eating Fran at night. We don’t have enough power to keep a camera system up and running to catch it and they’re afraid it might be one of the Nevermores busted in here somehow.”
Heart pounding I licked my lips, knowing full well it was Scout. Though he came for my whistle and ate the bread I offered, I had no doubt he was the culprit responsible. “If it was a Nevermore, why wouldn’t it attack you when you walk back and forth?”
Burn’s eyes snapped up to meet mine. I let out a breath, knowing why. “That’s why you’ve been sent out here, to draw it out; you’re part of the bait, same as me. That’s why they left me in here so long.”
Burns shook his head, the doubt apparent in his eyes. “No, they wouldn’t do that.”
“You so sure you’d bet your life on it?”
We stared at each other, neither one of us backing down. I knew I was right and the sudden flicker of his eyelids told me he knew it too. Without another word he took my empty water glass and left, slamming the door behind him.
I stood and walked to the window. As soon as he went into the bunker Scout sidled up to the window and I handed him a half a piece of bread.
“You wait outside when I go in. I’ll bring Sebastian out and then we can all go home,” I said. I had no idea what we’d do once we got home, but it seemed like the only place to go that might be safe. Scout grunted and slipped back into the shadows around the back side of the barracks. I don’t know how he kept out of sight. Then again, there had been no movement outside the bunker other than Burns bringing me my food. Even the other Nevermore packs had gone pretty quiet. If I watched, I could see them moving in the shadows of the bush and trees, but it was faint, like watching for a deer.
The next day came slowly, the heat rising early and the small room quickly becoming a hot box. I lay on my bed, praying Burns would come soon with my rations. At that moment, though my stomach was empty, it was the sweet taste of lukewarm water I craved.
Footsteps thumped towards my room and I stood, wobbling a little as the room spun. Weak from lack of food, as well as the heat, I did my best to stand and face whoever was coming through the door.
Sunlight streamed through the doorway and Vincent peered in, wrinkling his nose. “You need a bath and clean clothes if you are to be any help.” He snapped his fingers and Burns strode in looking grim, but gave me a wink as he grabbed my arm and pulled me along beside him.
We got ahead of Vincent and Burns whispered to me, “Stick close, I’ll look out for you.”
I gave him a small smile. “Thanks.” He was nothing more than a tall boy, barely out of childhood. I had a feeling that it would more likely be me looking out for him, when it came right down to the crunch, but that was okay. Stepping quickly we reached the bunker in less than a minute. I glanced back over at Vincent, who was dawdling, crouched over something in the dirt. Maybe a footprint of Scout’s? Movement at the edge of the wooden barracks caught my gaze. Scout crept forward and made eye contact with me, pointing at Vincent. We might not have another chance, but I wasn’t sure it would help us to kill the leader of the men here.
I took a shallow breath. Like a gun, Scout was waiting on my say so; this death would be on my shoulders just like the raiders that had broken into our home in Fanny Bay.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. Scout paused and stared at me, then began to creep forward, ignoring my command.
“No!” I yelled and twisted out of Burns’ hands, running back towards Vincent. His mouth circled into a wide surprised ‘O’ and he didn’t even try to grab me as I rushed past him and put myself between him and Scout. It wasn’t that I cared if Vincent lived or died, not really; it was the fact that I needed Scout. If he got himself killed, because he didn’t listen to me, it was one less ally for me to count on.
As I drew close to Scout he started to growl but I didn’t stop. I squared my shoulders and increased my speed, stopping only when my toes were less than a foot away from his.
“Scout, go. Go back to the barracks.” He stared at me, his lips curled back over his teeth. I frowned down at him, clapped my hands and snapped, “Now!” He flinched and I pointed to the back of the barracks again. He grumbled and scratched at his crotch before backing away with his head down. He glanced back at me several times, like a surly child being sent to his room, but otherwise did as I told him.
“I have never seen any of them respond to someone like that. How did you train him?” Vincent asked, the awe in his voice not making me feel any better about what I’d just done.
“I don’t know.” I had an idea about why Scout listened, but I wasn’t about to share it with Vincent. He scared me to the core and I didn’t trust him any further than I could throw him.
What I figured out in my time alone in the barracks was that I’d seen how the pack worked, how they revered the Alpha’s mate. Scout knew I belonged to Sebastian, better than any other Nevermore did. In a strange way, I’d become a member of the pack, a member that was in higher standing than Scout. Which meant that I could push him around, just as a true Alpha’s mate would. From his reaction, I wasn’t far off the mark in my theory.
Burns grabbed my arm from behind, apologizing to Vincent, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t holding her tight enough.”
“It’s quite alright Burns,” Vincent said. “In fact, I think you’ve done us a service. I think perhaps we can finally begin to make real progress with the monsters.”
He stared at me, a slow smile spreading across his angular face, yellowed teeth winking at me. I swallowed hard. I didn’t want to become a commodity to them in any way, but if I was going to be valuable, at least it was for my mind a
nd not my body.
They hustled me into the cool of the bunker, the door slamming and locking behind us. Stepping down into the underground safe house I let out a sigh of relief even though it was too dark to see after the bright sunlight, the dank air cool on my skin.
“With your help training the monsters, we can finally take over the city from Donavan. I will make him pay for what he’s taken from me.” Vincent’s voice was right in my ear, the heat from his breath making my skin crawl, the stench one of un-brushed teeth and more than a hint of alcohol.
“Don’t touch me,” I said, jerking myself away from him. Vincent glared at me and I glared right back.
“You will help me Mara,” he said as he straightened his shirt, though it didn’t seem to need it.
I lifted my chin. “And if I don’t?”
“We will both find out just how much pain your big boy can handle.” Vincent gave me a sharp nod and stepped out in front of me, leading the way.
I swallowed hard. Vincent had me; he knew my weakness and there was nothing I could do about it.
6
I was pushed through the darkness, low lights along the floor giving us just enough illumination to not run into anyone head on.
“I want to see Sebastian,” I said. “I know he’s in here and I want to see him. I don’t trust you not to have already killed him.”
“You will see him when I’m damn good and ready to let you!” Vincent roared back at me, his voice echoing through the halls. The silence after his shout made my ears ring and I fought hard not to cringe. I didn’t think that showing him any more weakness would help me. He wasn’t sympathetic at all.
Again he straightened his shirt and began to walk. “First you will get clean. You stink. Then we will discuss the training of the Nevermores that you will be doing. Perhaps if you show your usefulness, I will let you see your precious Sebastian.”
Burns turned me to the left and then down a flight of stairs. The rest of the barracks were filled with men whispering as we passed in the semi darkness, leaving me feeling as if there were bugs crawling all over my skin, buzzing to get in.
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