Mia found herself focused on the gargantuan hole in the ground beyond the entrance. The nexus was down there, somewhere. She felt a surge in her gut that propelled her forward. Mia pushed the group over the final ridge and down into the heart of the compound. She reassured herself that the others knew what message needed to go out to the rest of the tribes before heading off in search of Sara.
She was mid-way through the entrance hall when her mind slowed down enough for her to take in the movement around her. The sleeping quarters lining the entryway were alive with intense commotion. Everyone from the men to the women and children were frantically gathering their belongings. It took another couple of strides before she stopped. Mia peered in the doorway at the commotion and caught sight of Bree and Bale storming toward her from one corner of her eye and Yaffa from the other.
“I’m glad to see that you’re still breathing,” Yaffa said, smiling. “I know it hasn’t been that long, but you’re going to need quite a bit of catching up.”
Mia spun toward her. The woman’s thick dreads were pulled back behind her head and the circles under her eyes hinted at the way she’d spent the time since they’d last seen one another.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Mia said. “Where’s Sara?”
Yaffa’s smile slipped off her face. She pointed back in the direction she’d come from.
“The tribal council has been going at it since sometime late at night,” she said, turning and matching Mia’s stride as she started to move. “The safe sector was abandoned.”
The statement brought Mia to a sudden stop. She shook her head trying to process what she heard. The stop allowed Bree and Bale time to catch up with the women.
“A…abandoned.” Mia forced herself to continue on her way. “How’s that possible? How could they get out without anyone knowing?”
Yaffa shrugged.
“Everyone’s still trying to figure that one out,” she said. “But it’s more than that. There’s people down there going through everything and it’s not what we thought. There’s nothing down there.”
The news forced Mia to stop again.
“What do you mean nothing?”
Yaffa shook her head.
“I haven’t seen it for myself, but apparently they’ve been running out of food for a while–”
“Power,” Mia said, cutting her off, “What about their power? Their generators?”
“Destroyed,” she said. “All of it.”
The surge of excited hope was sucked from Mia in an instant. She put one foot in front of the other.
“Doesn’t matter anyway,” she said. “We need to evacuate and we need to go now.”
It was Yaffa’s turn to stop.
“A lot of people are doing that anyway,” she said.
Mia spun around and nearly smacked Bale in the process.
“The horde is barely a day out,” Mia said. “And that army of whoever they are is probably in the process of surrounding Canaan as we speak. The only way any of us survive this is if we try and break through before the horde reaches us.”
“You mean fight them,” Yaffa said plainly. “You want to go to war.”
“Not a war, if I can help it,” Mia said. “We fight to break free.” She thought about it. “I have a feeling the war will be inevitable. If we survive that long,” she added.
Yaffa’s eyes widened as she realized something.
“They can’t go out there,” Yaffa said, looking past Mia into the personnel quarters. Mia followed her stare to the countless people preparing themselves to run away. “They need to know where to go and how to get there without being slaughtered.”
Mia took a step, this time determined not to stop until she had the tribal council in her sights.
“And that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
The walk to the tribal council’s conference room took longer than ever before. The halls were littered with people, all of them in a desperate search for one thing or another. Their faces were filled with a simpler look of panic. Mia sent Yaffa, Bree, and Bale off in different directions, each with orders to spread the word to as many people as they could. The message was simple, everyone should be prepared to move out together, and more importantly, they need to be prepared to fight for their freedom.
Mia had no fewer than a hundred concerns running through her mind when she approached the council’s conference room door. The sound of the arguing boomed out into the hallway to greet her. Marcus was the lone follower from the group when she stepped through the doorway. The entire council was standing around the edge of the table working their way through multiple disagreements at the same time. Mia found Sara in the midst of the fray and headed toward her. The elder councilwoman locked eyes with her and the two met midway around the table. Mia was surprised when Sara embraced her.
“I did not think I would see you again,” Sara said, pulling back. “There’s a great deal of news.”
Mia nodded.
“I’ve heard some of it from Yaffa, but it won’t matter much once you’ve heard what we’ve seen.”
Sara started to say something then stopped. She took Mia by the hand and headed for the table. Mia snatched Marcus’ wrist before he could go slink out into the hall and pulled him along for the ride. They waded through the crowd until they were standing at the edge.
“I believe,” Sara said, shouting. “Everyone’s going to need to hear this,” she continued when the voices lowered around them.
Mia stole a peek at Marcus before addressing the group.
♦
The debriefing wasn’t as smooth as Mia hoped although she was prepared for it. The tribal council listened to her and Marcus’ account of the trip into Cheyenne with no interruptions. The conversation soured over the description of the condition of the gardens. Relaying the news about the horde reaching the city didn’t go over well at all.
Mia nearly gave up on the lot when they shouted over her at one another as to what they should do. She turned her attention to Sara and the news of Rowan’s relative success and consequently his redeployment down into the heart of hive six. The knowledge of Connor’s capture gave her a renewed hope that she might be able to parley him for Jonah’s safe return. She couldn’t figure out how she could get it done before the horde came swarming down through the halls of Canaan.
“It doesn’t change anything,” she said at last. “There’s only one way we survive this.” Mia turned back to the table and yelled out across the room. “This is the one way any of us get out of here alive.” The decree brought the room to a silent halt. “We don’t know how strong the Northern Continental Alliance is, but we have to make our decisions assuming they are strong enough to crush us out in the open. I think it’s safe to believe from the recent events surrounding the safe sector that they know everything about us. They’d never been challenged before we took Canaan and now they believe the compound is ripe to be retaken. Which is precisely why we must rush out to meet them.” She swung her stare around the table. “They’d never expect it.”
“They’ll out gun us,” Hinnick said.
Mia cut him off before he could spread his doubt.
“Of course they will, but we’ll have surprise on our side,” she said. “And by the time they know what happened, they’ll have to contend with the horde.”
There was a collective ah ha moment from the council as the last tidbit sunk in. Mia let the full weight of the information take hold before she started on the next set of directions. There were plenty of objections still hanging over the group, but she pushed past them all. There was enough support for her to persuade them to stop debating and start moving.
The entire tribal council funneled out of the conference room in a shapeless gaggle as each of the hive representatives and their supporters attempted to get out at the same time. Most of them were still hanging on to questions, but Mia was confident she’d made her point. The gardens were enough of a safe haven to keep everyone focused even if she wasn�
�t as certain as she was letting on. She’d learned enough about leading people over the past several months to know confidence was more about how your carried yourself than what you were stewing over on the inside. Mia didn’t let down her guard until the last of the council disappeared. She looked around and found Marcus and Sara staring back at her.
“You can breathe now,” Sara said, in her calming way. “I believe you’ve done enough.”
Mia doubted that. She was holding onto the hope that she could bring her brother back. She wouldn’t allow herself to think about how much she needed Rowan and longed to have him close. Mia’s mind focused on the lone hope she had, the one thing Rowan had already provided her. She spoke up without really considering what she was saying.
“I’m not going with you.”
Sara’s motherly expression slipped from her face. Marcus popped up from his chair.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
Sara answered for her.
“You’re going to try and exchange Connor for Jonah.”
Mia nodded.
“I have to try.”
“I’ll go with you,” Marcus said.
His dedication surprised her.
“No,” she said. “They’ll need you. They won’t make it without you.”
Sara nodded at the scout as she approached Mia.
“I’m not certain either oath is more dangerous than the other.” She offered her arm to Mia. “There is someone else you need to consider.”
Mia took the woman’s arm and tucked it under her own. She knew the comment was aimed at Asher. Marcus fell in behind them as they headed for the exit. A flurry of noise met them echoing down the hall from beyond the far turn.
“Asher’s stubborn,” Mia said. “I think he’d rather die down there trying to save us.”
Sara chuckled.
“Seems like a common theme for the men that follow you.”
Mia smiled despite herself.
“There’s not much time,” she said then reconsidered it. “I could try and talk to him.”
Sara patted her hand.
“It wouldn’t be wasted time.”
Mia nodded, now determined to try to convince Asher to leave. The truth was that the tribe would need his skills once they reached the gardens. She hoped that would be enough. She hoped they could find the safety they needed to rebuild the fragile tribe they’d managed to piece together.
They reached the turn and found the long hall congested with people moving between the doorways. News had obviously spread fast and it was hard to imagine the full impact. Mia guessed fear would drive a majority of the tribe to stick together and prepare to move to the gardens. She was more concerned with the fringe groups that might quickly form and search for another escape.
Mia helped Sara up the first set of stairs then into the main corridor. The chaotic disorder was at its worst along the entrances to the personnel quarters. A number of people were already gathering at the hive’s exit with their belongings piled up at their feet.
“This is where we need you,” Mia said to Marcus. “We’re going to have to move in manageable groups.”
Marcus nodded with a determination of someone already two steps ahead.
“I’ll pull together the rest of the scout teams,” he said. “We can assign one to each party and move out as soon as they reach the limit.” He extended a hand to Mia. “Be careful. I’ll see you soon.”
Mia took his hand for a firm shake before he spun around and ran off. The departure brought Mia and Sara to a full stop. Sara eyed the turmoil at the far end of the hall before turning her eyes on Mia. The sadness on her face was easy to see.
“You have your path, young one,” Sara said. “And I have mine.”
Something in the old woman’s words made Mia think they might not ever see one another again.
“The same path,” Mia corrected, “just different ways to get to the end.”
Sara smiled then patted Mia’s hand before she let go.
“There’s no time for long goodbyes,” Sara said. “Have faith in your Rowan. That one is full of surprises.”
“Don’t I know it,” Mia replied. “I can’t leave him behind.” She thought about it. “I can’t leave either of them behind.”
Sara tapped her hand again.
“I know, good luck.”
Mia watched her walk away until she disappeared among the sea of people. She held her stare for a moment longer then turned toward the stairs. Time was her worst enemy. She had less than a full day to persuade Asher to abandon his task, pray that Rowan would resurface, and attempt to get her brother back safely.
She took a deep breath then blew it out with considerable force. The way ahead was daunting, and even if she could bring all three of the males in her life together again, they’d be forced to face the enormous horde of dead and infected bearing down on the compound. The weight of it all pressed down on her as she headed for the stairs when a pair of familiar faces appeared on the landing below. Bale and Bree looked up at her with purpose and Mia was instantly lifted. The odds were against her, but at least she wouldn’t be facing the task alone.
26
Rowan pulled himself up through the open elevator door, slid the lantern over the ledge, then rolled onto the floor. It took him several moments to catch his breath. He pushed up off the ground and peered out at the hallway expecting to find the bizarre vision he left behind. The beam of light lit the passage all the way down to the turn. There was no sign of Kuru or the dead.
Rowan gathered himself and turned his back on the view of the hall. He grabbed the rope with both hands and started the draining task of lifting up his catch. The process strained his muscles until he thought that his shoulders might burst. The undead boy never moved for his part, hanging like a fresh kill on the end of the line. He thrashed for a moment when Rowan pulled him up and over the ledge then laid limp on the floor.
“Nice catch.”
The sudden break in silence brought Rowan’s heart to a stop. He spun around, jumping back. The move slid him up against the undead boy lying on the ground and nearly sent him tumbling back down the elevator shaft. Kuru stood in the center of the hall, staring back at him with a smile. Rowan tried not to bare his nerves.
“Where’d your friends go?”
“Not far,” Kuru said. “The infected are closing in on us.”
The revelation pulled Rowan’s attention away from the task of getting the undead boy up and on his feet.
“How are we going to get back out?”
Kuru’s smile widened.
“We’ll use the dead to protect us.”
Rowan had no idea what that meant, but the thought was terrifying on its own. He pulled on his captive and stood him up. The undead boy grabbed his arm, but the jacket wrapped over its head and shoulders kept it from doing any real damage. Rowan slapped its hand away and pushed it into the wall. He got behind it and grabbed a hold of the knot he’d tied with the jacket sleeves then forced the creature to walk.
Kuru moved with a noticeably increased fluidity. Rowan couldn’t account for the change, but he had a nefarious idea as to the cause. Kuru pressed down the main hallway, bypassing the split they’d used to reach the elevator shaft. Rowan made no mention of it, focusing on getting the undead boy to keep moving in the right direction.
The process worked until they reached an open doorway leading into a room where the floor was covered by the remains of the ceiling. Rowan swept the light across the dark open space overhead. The entire ceiling had collapsed, most of it collected in stacks at each corner and another pile in the center of the floor. Two rows of bunkbeds filled the space among the debris, several of them crushed by wide patches of concrete.
“We need to get up there,” Kuru said.
Rowan leaned out into the hall for a momentary glimpse.
“Why can’t we go back the way we came?”
“It’s not safe for you.”
The comment felt forced.
“I thought you could control them?”
“Not the infected,” Kuru said then paused. “And not all of the dead either.”
The response slithered from his mouth in a smoother tone. There was only a hint of the harsh guttural growl that crowded his words before.
“How do you know?”
Kuru took a hesitant step toward their captive and the undead boy froze. It lifted its head underneath the jacket, tilting from one side to the other. Kuru reached out, laid his decaying hand on the top of the jacket, and caressed the material.
“There are some of them,” he said, “who still possess a small amount of themselves.” He shifted his piercing stare toward Rowan and corrected himself. “Some of us.” His hand fell away from the boy and he moved past it toward Rowan. “We represent the future.”
Rowan recoiled as Kuru tried to touch him.
“I’m not one of you.”
Kuru smiled.
“But you are,” he said. “I have your blood inside me,” he pointed at the undead boy, “and his, remember?” He held his arms out wide and his shirt pulled open at the chest, exposing the gaping wound beneath. “We’re one and the same.”
Rowan slid his hand down to his gun.
“We had a deal.”
Kuru remained still, his arms out by his side, now staring at Rowan.
“So, we did.” There was a long uncomfortable silence before Kuru dropped his hands. “Then you need to get him up there.” He lifted his nose into the air and inhaled. “And you need to do it quickly.”
Rowan didn’t need an explanation. He pushed the boy toward the corner of the room to the edge of one of the bunkbeds still standing. Rowan lifted the boy up onto the top bunk then climbed up after it. He was forced to assist Kuru with the climb and the feel of his skin was enough to send shivers down his spine.
They continued the process until all three were up on the next floor standing on shaky, uneven floorboards. Kuru led them out, now with an obvious anxiousness. There was a renewed sound in the air, heightening Rowan’s fear. The guttural moans of the dead were broken by the howls of the infected. The darkness hid the view in either direction beyond a few strides.
Season Of Decay (The Decaying World Saga Book 2) Page 22