The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4

by Krista Street

  “Yes, they’re celebrating at Sean’s right now. They’re all happy that you’re going to be released.”

  Davin frowned. “There will be just as many people who will be angry.”

  My stomach clenched. “Yeah, I know. But the law has been signed. You’ll be free whether they like it or not. And Cate and I can still work on educating everybody. And honestly, after you’re all out, and they all realize Makanza won’t kill them, things will change. I’m sure of it.”

  Davin cocked an eyebrow. “Are you going to keep doing those tours of the country?”

  I smiled. “I hope not. I am not cut out for political life.”

  He laughed. The sound filled the room despite the other laughter and conversations taking place.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” Davin nodded his head toward the door.

  I ran a hand through my hair. I was acutely aware of his presence beside me. “Sure, where do you want to go?”

  “Somewhere less crowded?”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, please.”

  WE DONNED WINTER jackets, hats, and mittens, before pulling on our boots. Sharon waved goodbye when she saw us leaving. A contented smile covered her face. With Christmas only a week away, I knew where her thoughts were.

  Her son would be home for the holiday. It would be the first time that had happened in seven years.

  Outside, Davin and I walked through the neighborhood. Dozens of Kazzies were also walking around. Laughter, giggles, and excited conversations filled the streets.

  Davin and I headed west. Only a few blocks away lay the open prairie. It was as if we both wanted the wild open, away from all of the crowds to have a moment of quiet.

  When the snowy prairie appeared, I was reminded of that night with Ian. The night we broke into the reservation and I re-established my link with Sara.

  I wondered how he was doing. I hadn’t spoken to him since flying back from the south, but he’d text to tell me that he was back in Seattle. Other than that, I didn’t know what he was up to.

  “You’re rather quiet.” Davin walked at my side but his gaze was on me not the sidewalk.

  “I was just thinking of Ian.”

  He frowned. “Is that the guy who broke into the reservation with you?”

  I hadn’t spoken to Davin about Ian very much. All he knew was that Ian and I had worked together in Seattle and down south. He also knew that Ian had broken into the reservation with me. Beyond that, he didn’t know the details. And he certainly didn’t know that Ian had shown interest in me.

  “Yeah, that was him. I wondered how he was taking the news.”

  “Do you want to call him? I can give you some privacy if you want to talk to him.” His expression was once again impossible to read, but he watched my every move.

  “Yeah, I will. But not right now.”

  Other Kazzies waved as we passed them. My phone rang again just as we reached the edge of the neighborhood. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called this many times in such a short span.”

  Davin chuckled. “There’s nothing like starting a revolution and changing a country’s laws to really bring out the hecklers.”

  I grimaced. “I’m sure that hecklers will come. That’s not something I’m looking forward to.”

  Davin’s gaze hardened. “If anybody gives you trouble, you tell me.”

  A shiver ran through me. I didn’t know what Davin could do if I actually was harassed, but I knew he’d defend me.

  My phone continued to ring. It would go to voicemail soon if I didn’t answer. Taking off my mittens, I pulled it from my pocket. With a face, I showed Davin the screen. “I can talk to them later.”

  Davin shook his head. “They’re your parents, Meghan. Talk to them.”

  Anybody else would have shrugged, but Davin had such a strong sense of family. He’d encouraged me for months to repair our broken bond. But it wasn’t that easy.

  We didn’t have the relationship that he and Sharon had.

  Reluctantly, I tapped the screen. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Meghan? Is that you?” She sounded genuinely surprised that I’d answered.

  “Yeah, it’s me.”

  “Um . . .” She cleared her throat. “Your father and I wanted to congratulate you on the outcome of the vote. We know how hard you worked to change the course of this country. I . . .” Her voice caught.

  My eyebrows rose. Never in my twenty-four years had I ever heard my mother get choked up. The only time I’d seen her cry was at Jeremy’s funeral. Other than that, she was as cool as a cucumber.

  “Mom, are you okay?”

  “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I just . . .” She took a deep breath. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m proud of you. You’ve accomplished so much.”

  For a moment, I was speechless. When I was young, I’d tried for years to make my mother notice me. It had been a singular goal. But as I’d grown older, I’d realized that I was wasting my time. Now, hearing her words, I didn’t know how to reply. “Um, thank you. We’re all very happy with the outcome.”

  She cleared her throat. “Well, I just wanted to let you know how happy I am for you. You’ve worked so hard. Do you think . . .”

  I cocked my head. My mother was definitely acting bizarre. “Yeah, Mom?”

  “Will you be home for Christmas?”

  I felt Davin watching me. I knew that he’d heard our entire conversation. Not even the wind could cover up the volume from my phone. I nodded. “Yes, I’ll be home for Christmas.”

  I could hear her grin in her next words. “That’s wonderful news. We’ll see you next week.”

  After we hung up, Davin reached for my hand. I felt his strength. Every Kazzie with strain 11 had such immense power running through their bodies. It was impossible to not notice.

  “She seems genuinely happy and proud of you.”

  I searched his gaze. “It could be a fluke. Come next week, she could go back to ignoring me.”

  “Give her a chance. She deserves a second chance.”

  He squeezed my hand as we carried on down the sidewalk. The prairie was less than ten yards away.

  A few steps later, we were in the open. Snowy hills stretched as far as I could see. Clouds dotted the sky, and the sun hung near the horizon. It was getting close to suppertime, so the day was growing darker. With it came colder temps. I wrapped my arms around myself. On the open land, the wind howled.

  “It’s so pretty out here.” My stomach suddenly felt like it was in my throat. I was acutely aware of how closely Davin stood to me.

  “It’s even more beautiful in the summertime. You should see it then.”

  I gazed across the prairie. “So, what do you think you’ll do now? After you’re out of here, where will you go?”

  He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “I’ll go home to Rapid City. I know my mom wants me to stay at home for a while.”

  “Your mom will really enjoy that. She’s missed you a lot.”

  The sun had started to set. With it, came a red sky blazing across the snowy ground. He took another step toward me. We were almost touching. “And you? What will you do?”

  My heart rate sped up. “I’ll keep working at the Compound for the time being. I’m not sure how much longer they’ll stay open, but for right now, I still have a job. If it closes, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

  “You’re definitely not moving to Washington?”

  “No. Management isn’t for me. Traveling around the country has been amazing, and I’ll never forget the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had, but South Dakota is my home.”

  He grunted. “Good. I don’t want you that far away. You know since I’m free now.”

  Biting back a smile, I glanced up at him. “Yeah, I don’t want to be far from you either.”

  An intense look came into his eyes before he stepped even closer. Our chests brushed together. He placed both hands on my shoulders before leaning down and whispering in my ear, “I can’
t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. You’re fearless and brave. Every day you blow my mind.”

  I shivered from the warm feel of his breath on my skin. Tilting my head up, I managed a nod.

  His eyes darkened as his gaze drifted to my lips. A memory surfaced so sharply in my mind it burned. It was of us in the forgotten corridor, when we’d shared our first kiss, when we’d both finally declared our feelings for each other.

  And now he’ll be free. In a few days, we’ll both be living on the outside.

  An eruption of happiness burst inside me. Every nerve felt like it tingled.

  A low growl emitted from his throat before he pulled me to him. His lips descended to mine as my arms wrapped around his neck. He lifted me from the ground, pinning my body to his. Heat from him encircled me, as if being enveloped in a warm blanket.

  His teeth nipped at my lower lip until I opened my mouth. He deepened the kiss, and in that moment, all the worries I had melted away. Any earlier doubts I’d had about the letters I’d found or Davin not wanting me vanished like the sun below the horizon. Davin loves me. He loves only me. I have nothing to worry about.

  That absolute conviction settled within me as we kissed and kissed. Neither of us seemed willing to let go. We kissed as if it was our last chance on this earth, and suddenly, everything felt all right.

  23 – FREEDOM

  The gates were scheduled to open on the reservation a week later, right before Christmas. The MRRA felt it was safest to keep the Kazzies contained until preparations could be made on the outside. So many things needed to be put in order. All of the Kazzies needed to find somewhere to live. None of them had jobs. Some of them no longer had families.

  So much needed to be organized before they could rejoin the public.

  With the upcoming change, the MRRA asked family and friends to vacate the reservation to decrease the chaos. Consequently, Sharon and I had to say goodbye the day after the vote’s outcome to return home.

  As much as I hated leaving Davin and my friends, I knew it was temporary. I also knew I needed to return to work. Dr. Sadowsky sent me an email congratulating me on the vote’s outcome but also reminding me it was time to return to my job. My political reprieve had ended.

  The morning after our victory, I stood by my car with my bag in hand. Davin, Sara, Sophie, Dorothy, Garrett, Sage, and Victor all huddled around. The seven Kazzies from Compound 26, the seven people I considered my friends, all came out to tell me goodbye.

  One by one, they hugged me. With each, I closed my eyes and squeezed them tight. It was the first time I’d ever willingly and openly been so affectionate. And not once did my anxiety crank up.

  When it was Sara’s turn, her eyes misted over. Tears streaked down her blue-skinned cheeks while her eyes swam with emotion. “Drive safe and promise me you’ll be here when they open the gates.”

  I hugged her fiercely, her thin upper body feeling fragile in my embrace. “Of course I’ll be here. I wouldn’t miss it.”

  With Sophie it was the same. While she was stiffer and didn’t hug me as tightly as her sister, I still felt her love. And when it came time to say goodbye to Davin, no words were needed. His look said everything.

  “I’ll see you next week.” His deep words promised so much more to come.

  I bit back a smile. “You can count on it.”

  IT WAS EARLY morning a week later when I grabbed my purse and ran a brush through my hair. Nerves made my fingers shake. The day had come. The Kazzies would be free.

  I typed in a quick text to Davin to let him know I was leaving to drive up to the rez. Texting was new to him. He’d only been given a cell phone in the past few days, but his reply was immediate.

  Drive safe. See you soon. x

  That “x” made me grin. I left my apartment and jogged down the steps. Pushing open the door to leave my apartment building, I stopped short when a microphone was thrust into my face. The reporter must have been hiding behind the door. I hadn’t seen him waiting there.

  Unfortunately, ANN reporters had discovered where I lived. They’d parked themselves outside of my apartment building after the vote and seemed intent on staying. It had been an incredibly stressful week as I returned to my job at the Compound.

  “Dr. Forester? Are you driving to the reservation? The gates are opening this afternoon. Are you planning to attend?”

  My age-old anxiety kicked in. Reporters had been asking me similar questions all week.

  Mumbling, “No comment,” I pushed past him and raced to my car.

  Once inside, I wasted no time escaping the parking lot. Reporters banged on my windows and followed on foot until I was driving too fast for them to keep up.

  Checking my rearview mirror, I let out a sigh of relief when they didn’t follow. Although, I knew they’d be waiting for me to return. Tightening my hands on the steering wheel, I stomped on the pedal. Within minutes, I merged onto the interstate.

  I could only hope that the coverage and animosity over the new law would eventually die down. Everything was still so new. People were still getting used to the idea of the Kazzies integrating into society. But there were only twelve-hundred of them. Most cities and communities would never see a Kazzie. I could only hope those Kazzies that looked physically different wouldn’t be harassed. I knew their road ahead wouldn’t be easy. It never was for people who were different.

  I rested my elbow against the window and leaned my head into my hand. The landscape flew past. Unfortunately, one thing I’d learned during my political tours was that facts meant nothing when fear was involved. I could spew data till my face turned blue. It wouldn’t do a damned thing if a person was convinced their life was at stake.

  As the miles passed, I straightened more in my seat. Dozens of vehicles were on the road.

  As we all took the same exits and highways, it soon became apparent we were all driving to the reservation. I actually hit a roadblock outside Vivian. Police officers were directing traffic. I’d never seen so many people in such a remote area before.

  Opening my window, I pulled over to speak with the officer. “What’s going on?”

  “The reservation’s opening today. Haven’t you heard?” His eyes widened when he saw me. “Dr. Forester! Oh . . . excuse me.” He waved another car around. “You obviously know the reservation’s opening.”

  “Are they expecting protests? Violence?”

  His radio crackled on his shoulder. He muted it. “Of course they are. Let’s just hope it’s not too bad. Stay safe up there.”

  I nodded and merged back into the traffic, but as the reservation grew closer, anxiety twisted my stomach into knots. It was naïve to wish for the Kazzies to have a peaceful resurgence into society. I could only hope that nobody did anything stupid.

  Once I reached Mobridge, it was nearly impossible to get through. I was supposed to meet Sharon outside of the gates. I wondered if she was having as many problems as I was navigating the streets.

  The road leading across the bridge was completely congested with traffic. I ended up parking my car across from the bridge. Police officers on the other side were setting up roadblocks and waving everyone around. It would probably take hours to get the vehicles sorted out.

  Stepping out of my car, I winced when fiercely cold winter wind hit me. Despite the low temperature and snow flurries, nobody had been deterred.

  Stuffing a hat on my head, I wrapped my arms around myself and locked my car. Picking up a jog, I made sure my scarf covered my face. The last thing I needed were people recognizing me.

  Sara scratched on our mental door as I ran along the streets in between cars and gawkers. I opened up to her readily. Behind my scarf, I smiled. Are you ready to join the rest of the world?

  She groaned. I really hope it’s that easy. A lot of us are freaking out. We can see the crowds that have formed outside.

  Don’t worry, the MRRA and State Police will keep you safe. They’re setting up roadblocks now. Just whatever you do, don�
�t engage with anybody if they’re angry. Trust me, I learned that the hard way.

  They told us they’d bus us out, but some have opted not to. Their families are picking them up.

  I reached the bridge and ducked around a couple that was taking pictures. What are you doing? I asked her.

  We won’t be bussing. We’re going with Davin to Rapid City, you know, since . . .

  My throat tightened, making it harder to breathe as I jogged. Since you don’t have a family to go home to?

  Her sadness strummed through our bond. Exactly. Are you here yet? It felt as if she was pacing.

  Yes, I’m just crossing the bridge now. I’m on foot.

  What? Why are you on foot?

  Too many people. Too many cars. I couldn’t get through. I parked in Mobridge and am almost to the roadblock.

  Please hurry. They’re opening the gates in twenty minutes. I want you there.

  I won’t miss it. Promise.

  We shut down our connection, and I ran the rest of the way to the roadblock. Dozens of people lined it. Most of them nervously chatted. More than a few were taking pictures. One group even had matching hats with pictures of aliens on them. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what their group was.

  Large banners waved in the air around some groups. I was pleased that just as many banners were from Kazzie supporters as from Kazzie haters.

  It quickly became apparent which side was which. The protestors were the loudest and kept yelling obscenities at the supporters. It made my stomach roll.

  Swallowing down the anxiety that strummed through me, I pushed through the crowds as I tried to reach the front. I was elbowed, stepped on, and shoved.

  Nervous energy radiated through my limbs like electric waves. Forcing myself to keep going, I ducked around people until I reached the front. This close to the gate I could see better. They had the family members corralled off to the right by the gates.

  Sharon was one of them. She kept looking around. I knew she was searching for me.

  Police officers lined the blockade. I grabbed one’s arm.

  He ripped his arm back and scowled. “Touch me again and you’ll be arrested!”