“You do that, and I’ll watch.” Marisol laughed, following Ava through the castle’s front entrance, and Dex took a moment to himself on the steps. He stared at the sky, no longer fearful of an attack or retaliation. Clouds moved above, and he wondered if he’d ever simply stared at them in his adult life. He’d been through a lot… everyone had, but maybe, just maybe there was a life for him out there after all.
“You coming, Dex?” Marisol called.
He walked inside to join her.
Fan
America. He’d only heard the name like some magical place from a fairy tale. Now, being here, it was far less advanced and desirable than he’d expected. He was sharing a cottage with the rest of the Shanghai workers they’d returned for and rescued. It was chilly outside, and he pulled his jacket tight around his chest.
Biyu was gone, but she’d done her part to ensure their success, and he figured she’d consider it a fair bargain. It didn’t help ease the pain in his chest over the loss.
The camp had expanded so quickly, and today, half of the group was leaving. Fan elected to go with them toward a city named Portland. He wasn’t sure what to expect there, but he was told it was near the ocean, and they’d have a fresh start.
Already, he was picking up a few of their words, and Wei decided to go with him. He barely knew the old man, but after going through what they had, he felt a connection to the translator, and it would be nice to be near someone from his previous posting.
The ships were being filled with supplies, and people, and Fan took one last look at the lake, a mist rising from it in the early morning air. He had no idea what was to come, but he was excited for it. A new start. A new life.
Fan walked onto the hovercar, assisting Wei on board, and the pair sat on a bench along the outer hull. Fan was ready for this next step and was eager to visit the ground level of their new city.
The hovercar rose, and the woman pilot said something in English he didn’t understand. It didn’t matter. Fan smiled as they lifted over the treetops, moving west from the rising sun.
Sylvie
“It’s so strange being here, isn’t it?” Maxime asked as they rummaged through their old village. It appeared much the same, but it was bereft of people and noise. Birds chirped, and insects chittered lightly, but gone were the sounds of working, the smells of cooking. She didn’t like the carcass of their homestead.
“I’ll be happy to leave,” Sylvie said. Their hovercar sat parked in a clearing near the start of town, powered down with a couple Trackers perched on it. She didn’t expect trouble, but they weren’t completely out of the woods yet. Not until every alien took their dying breath. “Thanks for coming.”
Max frowned, as if the comment offended him. “We’re a team.”
“That’s right, we are. And you killed more than me in that valley, didn’t you?” She knew he’d been keeping count, but of course so had she.
They came upon Gabriel’s home, and Sylvie paused outside of it. He’d died on the way to Spain, doing what he’d always wanted to: fighting back. She’d stopped him from going on the offensive so many times, but in the end, it had worked out… for some of them.
“Give me a sec,” Max told her, and he jogged away, heading for the small cabin he’d shared with a friend.
She headed to her own place, a tiny single-room abode, but it had been hers. Amidst all the chaos, this was her sanctuary. A stone fireplace sat in the corner, gray ashes piles in the uncleaned hearth. She was only here for one reason. The book sat by her nightstand, and she took the leather-bound volume of poetry Adam had retrieved for her before being killed by the Tracker a few years ago.
She clutched it to her chest, trying to picture the man, but barely able. She could still smell him and recalled how it felt to run her hands through his thick dark hair. And how he made her feel.
“Sylvie?” Max called, and she wiped a single tear from her cheek.
“We did it, Adam. We did it.” She closed her door, book firm in her grip, and headed back for the hovercar. Their people were all starting over in Nice, and Sylvie was glad for the fresh start. She slid the book into her pack, beside the tablet that allowed her to reach the US bases, along with the Barony, and now a group in Australia.
The hovercar fired up at the first attempt and Maxime guided them up and toward their final destination.
Lina
She didn’t doubt for a second that she was taking advantage of both her and Cole’s position. There was no way anyone could convince the leadership to send one of their most prized and valuable resources so far from home on a personal errand, but people had started doing things like that recently; things for themselves, to make them happy.
Cole had asked, but when Lina hadn’t told him and smiled playfully, telling him that it was a surprise and that he should be patient. Four months after the end of the Occupation, and he was finally beginning to settle into some routine.
“Trust me,” she assured him, nuzzling his nose with hers and forcing a reluctant smile to appear on his face. “This’ll change your life.”
After three days under water, Cole already felt as though his life was irreversibly changed. Being in a metal tube underneath the sea—something he hadn’t seen much in his life in spite of the great distances he’d covered—was so dark and claustrophobic to him, that he wasn’t enjoying himself. He had no real love for mechanics and machines, so learning how the unnatural boat stayed at the correct depths and turned left or right on command was of no major interest for him, and he spent the time mostly lying on a cot that was both too short and too narrow to comfortably sleep on with a book or a tablet in his hands.
The devices were useless, as the signal seemed incapable of penetrating the submarine and the hundred feet of water between them and the air above, but he learned a distracting trick from Soares during the older man’s recovery. The tablets had a hidden subfolder that held some basic video games, and Cole had grown obsessed with one that required him to build gun and rocket towers to stop the aliens from marching to his gates and breaking inside.
He lost more games than he won, but he satisfied himself that in real life the walls had held, even if the metaphorical health bar on his species was flashing red, and the aliens had died.
He’d avoided joining Lina on whatever it was they were doing, instead flying off to every corner of the continent they controlled to mop up the last weak spots of enemy resistance.
“We’re here,” Lina said from the open door of their cabin, startling him from the passage he was engrossed in. He snapped the book shut and sat up to follow her, until she burst his bubble to say that the boredom he was living with would last a few more hours.
“We have to wait a while longer,” she said, seeing the spark of annoyance flash over his features. “But it’ll be worth it, I promise.”
Cole believed her, or at least believed that she believed it, and waited impatiently until she declared it was time.
He joined her in the main control room where the bearded man in charge, introduced to him as Gerard, smiled at him like he knew a private joke.
“All ahead stop,” he said, waiting for his orders to be repeated back to him.
“All compartments rigged for surface,” another man said. Gerard’s eyes fluttered for the briefest of moments like he was fighting the urge to correct the man on something, but seemed to hold his nerve.
“Take us up,” he said, gesturing for Lina to lead the way up a ladder.
The sudden blast of fresh air was heaven to Cole, even if he couldn’t see a thing in any direction other than the narrow tube he’d just climbed out of.
The surface of the sub was wet, something that didn’t surprise him logically, but he was still very wary of it, and the total darkness was broken only by the huge expanse of stars shining so brightly in the never-ending sky. It instantly cleared his habitual dark mood and something resembling a child-like awe crept in.
“It’s… beautiful,” he said, finally un
derstanding what she wanted to show him. She laid out a couple of blankets to protect their bodies from the cold, wet metal of the hull and encouraged him to sit beside her. He did, fidgeting restlessly, and tried to start more than one conversation before her silence infected him with calm.
They sat together, watching the incredible expanse of open water lighten until the distant gray horizon grew almost imperceptibly to create a clear demarcation between sky and sea. It eventually swelled with a glow until a flash of orange burst over the edge of the world to bathe them in a weak light that seemed to intensify until he imagined he could feel the warmth of it tickling the skin of his face.
“Do you see why I wanted to show you this now?” she asked him. He couldn’t speak, only nod with his eyes fixed on the rising sun that he’d seen so many times before but never, ever like this.
“I wanted to remind you how beautiful it all is, even after everything.” He didn’t answer, and the two of them just sat huddled together on the exposed deck of some great war machine created by the past for a future that never happened.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, but borrow it from our children,” she intoned gently, surprising him with her words.
He turned to look at her, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind her words.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors,” she said again, more gently this time as she slipped a hand to her belly, “but borrow it from our children.”
Cole’s mouth dropped open with a faint popping sound. His eyes began to fill with tears, but for the first time in his life, they were tears of happiness. Of joy. Of hope.
They had fought so hard, sacrificed so much to reclaim their world from the invaders, and now they had the chance to give that world to a new generation who didn’t need to know their suffering.
Chapter 41
Alec
One Year Later
The sounds of machinery clanging away woke Alec from a sound sleep. His arm was lazily draped over his wife, and she groaned, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?” Izzy asked.
Alec glanced at the window, where light was seeping through the blinds. “It’s light out…so at least seven.”
“We slept in, and today of all days.” Izzy shoved the blankets aside and rose from the bed before Alec could even consider leaving the warmth behind.
“It’s fine. We have lots of time.” Alec rose, moving for the window. He pulled the coverings open and smiled at the sight below. They were at the outer edge of Norfolk, Nebraska, and from here, he spotted the construction sites in full production. Homes were being fixed inside the town, and new structures were being erected near the endless farmland, like the house Alec and Izzy lived in.
The alien mining equipment had been salvaged, repurposed by the mechanics and engineers for construction purposes. They were still using the manufacturing plants in Detroit to build items, retooling the production lines to suit their needs. Alec hadn’t stepped foot on the grounds there yet. It was too soon, the wounds too fresh.
Izzy had a quick shower, and Alec marveled at the fact that they had hot water. The room steamed up as he entered it, and he rubbed the fog off the mirror. He was older, cheeks fuller, and he’d decided to grow a beard. Cole still made fun of it, but Izzy liked it, and that was all that mattered.
“Have you heard from Dexter lately?” Izzy asked from the shower.
“Last week. Didn’t I mention it?”
“Nope. To be fair, we’ve been a little busy. How are things at the Barony?”
“Good. He’s visited the other cities in Europe now. Can you believe there are five? That’s over twenty thousand people over there.” Alec stepped to the side as Izzy exited the shower, a towel wrapped around her. The water was still running, and he stepped in, trying to get used to the warm water after so many years without.
“Incredible. That’s over one hundred thousand on Earth, isn’t it?” she asked.
It didn’t sound like much, judging by the previous population, but Alec was confident it was somewhere to start. “Just a little over.”
He finished a quick shower, and soon they were dressed, ready for the day. Someone knocked on their door, and Alec answered it, finding Soares there, wearing a suit jacket and tie. Alec wore an old tie, at Izzy’s request, and it felt like he was being strangled.
“Here you go.” Soares pushed a bag at him with a smile, and Alec opened it to find a jacket. “I guessed your size, but should be close.”
He slid it on and found it was almost a perfect fit. “Thanks. Have you seen Cole?”
“You know your brother. He’s already at the ship waiting for you. Probably woke up with the roosters for a perimeter check with that damned coyote he still thinks is his dog,” Soares said, unable to hide his amusement.
“Let’s find out,” Izzy said. She was wearing a dress, something so impractical in their new daily routines. It was black, respectful for the reason of their excursion. Alec and she had been so busy here, they hadn’t left Norfolk in months. It was going to be nice to get a day away.
They left their home, walking through the warm late summer morning, and as expected, they found Cole and Lina waiting near the hovercar. Cole had a matching suit jacket on, but he’d refused the tie. His hair was longer, but it was clear Lina had made him clean and comb it at least. Izzy walked over to him and plucked a twig from his jacket sleeve. “Missed some.”
“Can I help it if Buddy caught scent of a rabbit and led me on a wild goose chase?” Cole asked with a lopsided grin.
Alec clapped his brother on the arm. “Good to see you. You should spend more time in town.”
Cole shrugged it off. “Lina likes the country. Besides, who can hunt with all this noise?”
Alec peered at Lina, who rolled her eyes and came over to hug them. Her belly protruded from her loose summer dress, showing every one of her eight months of pregnancy. “How’s things?” Alec asked his sister-in-law, who ran a hand over her own stomach.
“Very well. The garden gave a great yield, and we have the baby’s room ready,” she told them.
“I still can’t believe I’m going to be an uncle,” Alec said, shaking his head.
“When’s your turn?” Cole asked Izzy.
She only laughed, and they filed onto the hovercar.
“Hold up!” Monet shouted, running across the field from the apartment block toward them.
“Decided to sleep in?” Lina asked her.
“Something like that,” she replied. “We about ready to do this?”
Soares took the pilot’s chair, the shiny skin of his healed hands stretching over the controls, and soon they were moving toward Colorado. They chatted as well as they could over the loud engines, about little things, things that didn’t really matter. It was refreshing to be able to focus on the daily drama, not the life-changing constant battles with the Occupation.
Alec continued to wake nearly every day expecting to be hunted down, but the fear was slowly dissipating. Eventually, he hoped it would be but an afterthought. The last of the aliens had died off, at least according to the reports from around the world’s settlements. Just under a year. Better than he could have hoped.
The hovercar landed outside of Cripple Creek, near the mountain ridge where the Reclaimers base had been tucked under thousands of tons of rock. Most of it was destroyed now, but there was one thing remaining there they all needed to visit. They promised it would be tradition, no matter what, and Alec was happy to be starting it off with his family.
Another hovercar approached as they climbed off theirs, and Alec noticed how Cole instantly reached for the rifle he always had near him.
“It’s the Hunter!” Soares called over the loud thrusters, and Alec spotted Dex’s dark hair and the familiar form of Marisol beside him. The two had grown inseparable. It was heartening how people could meet in a time of tragedy and create something from nothing.
Dex hopped out, looking as uncomfortable as one could in a tie
and leather jacket. Marisol ran over, hugging the girls, and she gave Cole, Alec, and Soares a kiss on the cheek.
“You came,” Cole said curtly.
“Sorry I didn’t reply. I…” Dex stared at the ground.
“He wanted to, just didn’t know if it was proper,” Marisol answered for him.
Soares set a hand on Dex’s shoulder, and they met gazes. “We asked you because he liked you. You were there at the end, and we understand the pain it caused you. Tom would want you here, and we want you here.”
Dex nodded, peering toward the monument. “I haven’t seen it before.”
They all turned to see the gravestone. It was a massive marker, with his full name, date of birth and death inscribed. Alec walked over to it, setting a hand on the cool stone.
Cole was beside him, staring at the grave. “He’d like this.”
Alec nodded, feeling the tears fall from the mere notion of Tom seeing them reunited one year after his death, celebrating their freedom, and the man who made it happen.
“Your uncle was a great man. His vision for the future was never blinded by the setbacks we faced each day. He had a sole mission, and even though it took him twenty-five years, he managed to succeed. For an often impatient man, he was the most patient I’ve ever come across,” Soares said, his words quiet but powerful.
Soares looked to Cole, who cleared his throat before speaking. “I met Tom when I was a young man. He taught me how to care for myself, always let me suffer enough to know I could handle it, and without his teachings, I never would have made it this far.” He stepped to the side, making way for Alec.
That was his brother. Short and to the point. “Tom came to Detroit and I instantly felt like I knew him. I’d…” he stared at the ground and cleared his throat, “I’d wanted to end it before I met him. Things were bad, really bad, and if he hadn't shown up at the right time, I wouldn’t be here with you today. He taught me to trust myself, and that there could be a brighter tomorrow, even if I didn’t know how. He showed me compassion, and empathy, while fueling my distrust of the Occupation. If I didn’t know better, Tom made every move on purpose, creating a team he thought could finish the task.
Rise | Book 3 | Reclamation Page 26