by Sean Platt
“It’s OK,” Colton lied.
“Go,” Hooper said. “Take the kid and leave. I’ll run that way.” He nodded toward the right.
There was a holler from behind, then the van windows exploded above them, followed by a hail of bullets.
Colton pushed Adam lower to the ground before he popped back up, along with Hooper, trading gunshots with their attackers as zombies flooded the streets. Even if they managed to kill the half dozen players—it wouldn’t be easy, the group had found cover behind a pair of dumpsters—the zombies would surely end them all.
Adam could barely afford to consider himself, but still he thought of Zelle scared and alone on the roof. He wondered how much colder it was that high up, and if she could hear all the gunshots below. He hoped she was OK, even though he knew she wasn’t. He wondered if he imagined the connection he felt between them—the sins of the father as Colton had said.
Adam wanted to see what was happening in the alley but felt pressed to the cold ground by the sonic assault. Hooper’s bracelet kept screaming, and too many zombies were howling right back. The gunshots were deafening, as Hooper’s blaster belched one eruption after another, answered by volleys from across the street and the steady THWAP! THWAP! THWAP! of Colton’s muffled shots.
Adam tried to stand, but a bullet pierced the van’s metal to his left and sent him back to the ground, heart in his throat.
He felt helpless, like a kid. He knew he ought to help out, but Adam also realized that he only had a small blaster pistol, not designed for long shots like both men’s weapons. He’d only be getting in the way or die doing so.
Adam had to focus on staying alive, on not letting down his new friends—and Zelle—and on escaping the Outback.
After a few minutes the volleys finally started to fade, then stopped altogether.
“Did you get them?” Adam asked, rising from his spot and seeing the bullet holes above, where he would’ve been shot had he stood to fight.
Amazingly, neither man appeared to be injured.
Colton looked at Adam, nodded, then gestured out into the street. He dared to look out. There was nothing left of the dumpsters but twisted metal and pluming smoke. What little Adam could see of the bodies on the ground would just be lunch for wandering zombies. There were at least two dozen fallen undead scattered through the street, turning most of the white snow dark.
Unfortunately, Hooper’s bracelet continued to scream.
Colton looked at Hooper. “Let’s go.”
“No,” Hooper shook his head. “You guys go. You’re dead if I’m with you.”
There were no players or zombies to keep Colton from argument, but he dropped the spar anyway and reached out to shake his friend’s hand. Hooper looked down at his wrist as if in resentment, then pulled Colton into an embrace.
“Take care, and don’t worry about me. We both knew what we were getting into. And if I can keep my fat ass from being someone’s dinner, I’ll find you at the girl’s building.”
Colton nodded, then without any words led Adam from Hooper toward the city’s tallest building.
CHAPTER 10—ANA LOVECRAFT
Ana, Liam, and Katrina were given the use of a double room: four large beds, as well as a bathroom—with a working tub—that was surprisingly spacious. They were told to rest before dinner and prepare to take their places as guests of honor.
The last thing in the world Ana felt like was being a “guest of honor.” She could hardly tolerate the idea of mingling with strangers while her brother was out in The Games fighting for his life—if he were still alive. The longer they stayed in the underground train station, the less hope she had that she’d ever see him again.
Still—running water. It had been a while, and she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. Ana and Liam bathed first, then Katrina gave them an uncharacteristic wink on her way into the bathroom to take her turn as the two of them lay together, freshly scrubbed, atop a bed.
Ana reached up and touched the black leather patch over Liam’s left eye.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, I always wanted to be an old-time pirate.” Liam smiled and laughed.
“You’re so amazing.” Ana kissed him. “No matter what you’re forced to go through, you always find a way to keep from falling apart. You lost your eye, Liam, and you’re acting like it’s not a big deal.”
“So I lost an eye. I’ve still got you, and look around—we have a warm room, hot water, food, and kind people around us. We’re OK, Ana.”
“But for how long? We can’t stay here. We haven’t found Adam.”
“I know,” Liam ran his hands through Ana’s damp hair. “But we’ll worry about that later. Right now, we’ve got . . . well, right now.”
Ana could hardly believe this was the same Liam who routinely lost his temper at slights so small they were barely there. The man was hardly a pacifist, but ever since Hydrangea, he had calmed down significantly.
Liam was still a tough-as-nails soldier outside in the world, but when they were alone, in these quiet moments when the two were fortunate enough to find a soft spot to sleep, he was so calm. Almost tender.
“What happened to you, Liam Harrow?” Ana asked playfully.
“What do you mean?” He sat halfway up and leaned on his elbows.
“You used to be so . . . wild. And now, you’re almost, I dunno, domesticated.”
“Love does that to a man.” he smiled, more romantic than usual. Liam had been sweet in recent months, but he hadn’t exactly been declaring his love with poems or bundles of freshly picked daisies. He met her eyes and cleared his throat. “I don’t know, Ana. I’ve never been one to live in the moment. It’s hard to enjoy things when you’re always worried about what’s gonna happen next. That’s been my life so far: plotting, planning, trying to stay a step ahead of the enemy. But after that night when I thought I’d lost you for good, then you woke up cured in the morning . . . I don’t know. Now I just feel like I’m supposed to enjoy whatever moments we have. Life is cruel enough without me dwelling on the horrors that might happen. I’ll fight when I have to, and”—he smiled—“love when I can.”
Ana crawled on top of his body and kissed Liam again. She felt him harden against her, but with Katrina in the bathroom behind a paper-thin door, there was barely any privacy, let alone time for a quickie without getting caught. That wasn’t unusual. There was rarely time for sex since their flight from Hydrangea, which made these moments being so close, in such an intimate setting, all the more excruciating. She wanted him inside her—now.
As if on cue, Katrina pulled the drain plug in the bathroom. She’d be coming out soon. Ana closed her eyes and sighed.
“Why do you have to be such a sexy pirate?”
“Sorry, I just can’t help my sexiness.”
She pictured Liam’s smile, then opened her eyes, saw it was real, and kissed him again, allowing her hand to travel down to his pants with caresses.
“Stop it,” he whispered.
The bathroom door opened, and Ana pulled herself off of Liam, laughing.
“Sorry,” Katrina said, emerging fully dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt over black pants. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You didn’t interrupt anything,” Ana said, though she wasn’t sure why she felt the need to explain herself. Perhaps there was some part of her that felt guilty to have found love with Liam while Katrina had no one.
Not that Katrina ever acted like she wanted a man—or anyone really. She seemed tough—not needing either love or friendship. Ana had tried to get close, but Katrina always held a distance between them. Her arm’s length wasn’t exactly cold, but you couldn’t deny it was there, either. The warrior clearly enjoyed their company, and she had risked her life to spring them from Hydrangea, turning on Sutherland—a maniac unable to handle betrayal—to help them, two people she’d barely known.
Obviously Katrina was a good person but she was also clearly damaged.
Ana had seen proof of that a few months back. One morning she’d woken up early. The three were staying in a cabin they’d been lucky to find and secure well enough that it had provided safe harbor for three weeks. Liam was asleep, but Katrina wasn’t in the house. Concerned, Ana grabbed a blaster and went outside to look for her. She spotted Katrina bathing in the lake . . . and noticed her striated chest, vicious with long, intersecting scars. Who could have done this to her?
Ana had wanted to ask Katrina about the scars ever since but couldn’t find a way to broach the topic without feeling like she was invading her privacy.
Clearly Katrina was thinking along similar lines. She sat on the bed, pulled open her backpack, and began sorting her supplies. Without looking up, she said, “I’ll see if they’ll give me another room tonight. You two deserve some time alone.”
Ana was going to tell Katrina that she didn’t have to do that, it wasn’t necessary. Liam spoke before she could, though.
“Thank you,” he said.
Ana met his eyes and smiled.
Katrina nodded, then turned to Ana. “So, what do you want to do? Are you going to stay like Egan asked?”
“No,” she said firmly. “We’re leaving in the morning. I can’t stay here while Adam is out there helpless.”
Katrina drew a blade from her backpack and strapped its sheath to a spot on her back along her waistline.
That’s just like Katrina, packing her own knife for dinner.
Ana said, “But I don’t think Egan will tell us where Adam is if I don’t stay.”
Katrina smiled, “Give me two minutes with him. I’ll get him to talk.”
Liam sat up, saying, “No, we don’t need to hurt anyone.”
“You’re no fun.” Katrina grinned.
Ana tried to ignore their flirty banter. It was Katrina’s way and Liam’s. And she had no reason for jealousy. Katrina had never shown the least interest in Liam, nor had Liam’s eyes been all over her. But Ana couldn’t (and wouldn’t) have blamed him if he had noticed her, and that’s what made her feel like her stomach was filled with lead. Katrina was gorgeous, exotic, with more than enough years on Ana to make her much better under the blankets.
She knew, rationally, that Liam had done nothing to cause this jealousy. But love isn’t rational.
Katrina didn’t seem to notice her reaction, though, and simply shrugged. “Maybe you should stay here.”
“What?” Ana asked, not sure she had heard right.
“Oswald’s here. That means he can get to work. We need to find a cure, right? You should stay where you’re safe. You’re too important to keep putting yourself at risk. I bet Egan will let Liam and me go if you agree to stay. We can bring Adam back here and we’ll all be safe.”
“I don’t want to be safe,” Ana said. “We’re a team, the three of us. I can’t ask you guys to go save Adam while I hide here. He’s my brother, my responsibility. It’s enough that you’re helping at all. I can’t ask that you go in my place.”
Liam met Ana’s eyes. “Katrina has a point. We’ve no idea what we’ll run into. I’d rather you stay here safe too.”
“No!” Ana said. “Besides, now you’re half blind. You need me.”
“Even half blind, I’m still a better shot.” Liam laughed.
Katrina laughed too, and Ana tried not to glare at her. She told herself that Katrina was playing along or laughing at Ana’s lack of shooting prowess. She hated comparing herself to the battle-hardened woman. It felt so irrational, and she had prided herself on being in control of her emotions—just like her father.
Fuck that.
“I’m going,” Ana said.
A knock at the door cut into their argument.
“Come in,” Katrina said.
Calla opened the door, joined by the older, olive-skinned boy with bright golden eyes, whom they now knew as Elijah. Though he was tall, he didn’t look much older than Calla. His belt hung low from his blaster’s weight. Ana was certain that the gun was their contingency plan in case the girl turned.
“Dinner’s ready,” Calla said.
***
The table was long and perfectly centered in a room that was even more beautiful than the one Ana had seen when first introduced to The Station.
Somehow, the old and no-longer-abandoned train depot—with its musty-scented mineshaft corridors, chunks of wall either rotten or missing, and chipped tiles scattered along the wall leading into the common area—still looked more like a home than any Ana had seen since the one she’d grown up in. She still pictured her childhood home each day, often with her mother wearing the old ice-blue apron with the silver script that read Molly Knows Best.
The ceiling was ivory and hung low with a coil of colored lights strung from one corner to the other, on both diagonals and crisscrossed through the middle. The walls were yellow, in various shades of gold, daffodil, and canary. The many yellows made Ana think of the fancy fabric stores on the bottom floor of the stores on Park, back in City 6.
Calla sat across from Ana, with Egan by the girl’s side. A brown-haired dwarf introduced to her as Father Truth was sitting beside Egan and mumbled only a word or two after she sat, seemingly unable to move his eyes away from any one of the three newcomers. It felt as if he were analyzing them for some reason, and that sent a chill up Ana’s spine.
It didn’t help that the rest of the room was pretty empty. While there were two dozen chairs, most were unoccupied, as Egan said he’d wanted the dinner to be just for those closest to him and his special guests, so they could speak freely.
Liam sat to Ana’s right, squeezing her hand under the table in support. She loved that he sensed how hard it was for her to sit near a girl she was likely consigning to death by her departure.
Oswald sat beside Katrina to Ana’s left, and the two of them were chatting about everything that had happened since his flight from Hydrangea. The scientist said that Sutherland went into a rage after they left, accusing everyone—including Oswald—of conspiring to help the three of them flee. He’d even held trials and wound up finding someone guilty and hanging him.
“Oh God,” Ana said.
“Yes, I felt awful but wasn’t about to step forward and admit my guilt. At that point, I started making plans to escape myself.”
“Thank God.” Father Truth raised his wine glass to toast their success.
Ana raised hers—though she wasn’t feeling very celebratory at all—as did most of the others around the table,
“So, have you made a decision yet, Ana?”
Ana glared across the table at Egan.
How dare he put me on the spot in front of Calla like this?
“I already gave you my decision.” Ana wondered how much Calla knew. “I have to find my brother.”
Egan lifted a hunk of bread to his mouth and took a bite. “It would be much easier to find him if you knew where he was. I can tell your friends exactly where to find him and can even lend you another body—along with some useful gear, food, water, blades, guns and ammo—if you like.”
Calla punched the table, causing her cup to jump and splash.
“Don’t force her, Father! If she wants to go, let her. I’ll be fine.”
Liam’s hand squeezed Ana’s harder.
Egan turned to his daughter, “How do you know what we’re talking about?”
“I’m not stupid. I hear things. I know you’re trying to get her to stay so Dr. Oswald can find a cure. But you have to stop trying to force people to do stuff! Haven’t you learned anything?”
She rose from the table and started to walk away.
“Calla!” Egan called after her.
She turned back, looked at Ana, and said, “Your brother’s in The Outback. That’s where The Games are being played,” then left the room without looking back again.
Egan turned to an open-jawed Elijah. Egan waved his hands, as if to remind him of his duty to shadow the child.
The boy swallowed and bolted from the
table wide eyed, calling after Calla.
Egan turned to Ana, a sour look wrinkling his face. He let out a long sigh.
“I’m not going to lie: I’ve thought about making you stay. I’ve considered having my people take the three of you at gunpoint and forcing you to remain until my daughter is cured. I’m thinking about it now, truth be told.”
Ana turned to see Katrina’s clenched jaw. She wondered how close the woman was to reaching for her blade. She’d seen Katrina throw a knife more than 20 feet and lodge it in a bandit’s neck. Egan might have men—and kids—with guns, but Katrina was a force of nature who could probably kill every man, woman, and child in The Station. Then leave without a scratch on her.
“But I won’t stop you,” Egan kept speaking. “My daughter would hate me if I did, and I don’t want to do anything to cause more stress. As I said, keeping her spirits up and her life as normal as possible is important to maintaining the serum’s effectiveness. You can go in the morning. I’ll give you supplies and even let you take a skidder. Just, please, promise you’ll return.”
Ana blinked back her tears and said, “I promise we’ll return. Thank you.”
Egan grunted and went back to his dinner.
The remainder of the meal unfolded mostly in silence. Ana could barely eat, though something inside her was surely eating her.
CHAPTER 11—SUTHERLAND
Sutherland stared at the throne room trying to decide what bothered him so much about it.
It was spacious, well placed on the tenth level of Hydrangea, and consumed what had once been two dining halls. The walls were red and black, lined with torches and sconces, with several strands of gold garland sprouting up and over the room’s many columns. A plush crimson carpet striped the floor’s length through the center of the room leading to the throne. Ornately carved wooden benches lined the walls on either side, where the citizens of Hydrangea could gather for their most important meetings.
The throne, gold and black as well, rested at the top of five long steps, a high perch from where Sutherland could survey the room and those who were eying the proverbial, if not literal, crown.