“What’s going on?” Brett asked.
Orion didn’t bother to try to answer. He simply pushed Brett up into the truck. His stomach flipped at the cab’s sole occupant. Miller had told him he was engaged, had found the man of his dreams. Orion hurt for his friend and what he was leaving behind. Taking a deep breath, he clenched and unclenched his fists before squeezing Brett’s knee. Years of planning and preparation by him and those who had come before him were being put into motion.
“Is this him?” Miller asked, cautiously.
Orion nodded then dipped under the seat and retrieved one of the guns he knew was stashed there. For the first time, he was glad the corporal had seen them and had asked about the two of them. He would need Miller’s help to get them off base and through the city.
“What’s going on?” Brett asked again. “Who are you?”
“Corporal Jonah Miller, maintenance, Sir, but I live in the same dorm Hellman does.”
“That still doesn’t tell me what’s going on. Orion?”
Orion shook his head. He didn’t know. He suspected, but he didn’t know. There had been rumors, reports that the government was shifting its position on things. General Landry wanted total and absolute control over everything. Not all of the information coming in was reliable, and Orion was hearing conflicting reports from his own sources within the Citizens for a Free Aelland and the general’s office. Not merely differing points of view on the same issue, but completely different issues.
“We’re heading off base,” Miller answered.
“What? I can’t. I—” Brett turned to Orion, and Orion squeezed his hand.
“You have no choice. If you stay, we are all dead men,” Miller said.
“What? Why?”
“You’re linked to some terrorist cell—at least, that is what they will claim.”
“I’m not. I—”
“They have evidence. Found it in your room about ten minutes ago.”
“How do you know? Orion? You said you were maintenance. You don’t have clearance for security information.”
“Nope, but you’ll find that not everyone who works for the government actually supports their corrupt and inhumane practices. It’s enough for you to know that I found out.”
Orion tapped the dashboard and pointed through the woods to where he’d originally met Brett. The gates at the back of the base were locked, never used and more importantly didn’t have guards or working cameras.
“We can make it,” Miller said.
“Make what?”
“Make it to the back gate before the cameras come back up.”
“They’re down?”
“Yup. All of them.” Miller smiled. “Convenient.”
“Convenient how?”
“You are really slow. Hellman, him? Really?”
Orion growled. It wasn’t completely Brett’s fault that he still believed in the system and the government.
“The raids on all of the members of the terrorist cell are happening right now,” Miller told them.
“Since when are cameras down while arrests are being made?”
“Geez, you really believe everything you’ve been told don’t you. Of all the men in country Hellman.” Miller shook his head. “The cameras are down because the arrests aren’t legal. Evidence will be planted as needed to justify ends. We know the cameras are down because we have friends who tell us what we need to know.”
Orion held Brett’s hand as words formed and died on his lips without ever coming to completion. He knew the man’s night would get infinitely worse before it got better. He stiffened as gunfire sounded, barely discernible over the noise from the engine. Turning, he saw the semi-glazed look in Brett’s eyes as he tried to process what was going on. The government he trusted had turned against him. Orion could only hope he made the right choice in saving Brett. That they both made the right choices before the end.
The truck rumbled over the terrain as time slipped by all too slowly. Finally, Miller slowed the vehicle. The last five hundred yards to the gate was over open ground. The nearest guard posts were three hundred yards in either direction. They were staffed on opposite intervals. There were supposed to be guards in every station at all times. But Brigadier General Reynolds had slowly changed the policy, citing dwindling resources until one guard covered four stations. Fewer guards, meant fewer people who knew what the general was doing, which is exactly what the base commander wanted.
“Do we go?” Miller asked.
Orion nodded. Miller threw the truck into gear, and it lurched forward, eating up the distance. He stopped several feet from the gate. Orion jumped out of the truck, pulling Brett with him. Grabbing another of the guns stashed under the seat, he shoved it into Brett’s hands and pointed away from him.
“Shoot anything that moves,” Miller yelled down from the truck.
Brett nodded slowly.
Orion kissed Brett quickly before returning to the vehicle. After removing a pair of bolt cutters, he made his way to the gate, cut the lock and pushed the doors open. He waved the truck through, ran back and grabbed at Brett before pushing the gate closed. Once they were back in the truck, he pointed toward the city center. Miller nodded and drove.
“I can’t… I can never… I…”
Orion squeezed Brett’s hand. He understood. His heart hurt, the weight of Brett’s actions, of running away and the coming consequences, bearing down on him. Orion regretted only that Brett’s world had finally disintegrated. There was no way the man could ever go back to the life he’d been living.
The ride to the city was quiet. Once inside the city limits, they needed to avoid being seen by security forces. Orion didn’t know who, if any of them would be listed as wanted, but there was no way he could take any chances. Security force vehicles seemed to multiply, coming from nowhere, slowly cutting off access to the roads they needed to get into the city. Orion’s chest tightened. There were more vehicles than needed for a set of simple arrests on base. He wasn’t sure if a recall had been issued, but they had no choice but to leave now. The bases operated independently from nearby cities, but tonight, the security forces appeared to be everywhere.
Tapping on the dashboard, he pointed toward an alley between the tall buildings. Miller turned down the alleyway, following the directions as Orion pointed them out. Orion had made a point to learn as much as he could about the city when he’d first arrived and continued to explore the city since then. Several times a year, he’d left the base under the cover of night and never before had he been so grateful as he was now for the years of observing and learning, of forging friendships with people few would acknowledge even existed. Finally, he guided them to an underground garage below what appeared to be an abandoned building. The area was dark, dank and smelled of mold. Orion had Miller stop and turn off the vehicle.
Orion opened the door and jumped down.
“Out,” Miller said to Brett. “Unload the truck.”
Brett jumped down after them. Together, the trio pulled bags out of compartments, taking some items and leaving others. Orion slung a bag over his shoulder and grabbed Brett’s hand. The bags held tools, food, clothes and a few personal items they’d been able to pack and hide over the months. Turning, Orion pounded on the door of the truck twice paused then knocked two more times. The sound would alert the people who scavenged things for survival that the truck and everything remaining was theirs for the taking. Moving away from the truck, he knew Miller would follow them. Orion led them through the underground structure until he found a door surrounded by the faded graffiti he’d been looking for.
It was another hour of traveling through abandoned buildings and the detritus of a forgotten time before they breached the surface. Night had fully descended, and spotlights and security alarms flooded the evening. Running down one street then another, Orion picked his way through the maze of buildings.
“Citizens halt!” a voice called out over a loudspeaker.
Orion felt Brett hes
itate. He tugged Brett’s wrist.
“No, keep moving!” Miller yelled. “We stop, we’re dead.”
“They…that…”
“Talk later. Move.”
Orion turned and ran harder. They were almost there.
Shots rang out, pushing away all other sound. Miller screamed. Orion turned as Brett pulled away his hand. Miller lay on the ground, holding his leg. Time stood still as Brett stopped and picked up the injured man, laying him over his shoulders. Orion pulled out his gun and shot at the spotlights. Glass shattered, and someone cried out. Taking the bags from Brett, Orion led them through the streets. Flickering light in the window of a store drew his attention. Pushing forward, they crossed the street and walked into the store, ignoring the closed sign.
“May I help you?” a man asked, looking up from the counter.
Orion nodded. Opening one of the bags, he withdrew a second smaller sack and a note. Handing the piece of paper to the clerk, he nodded from the phone to the bag. Beside him, Brett set Miller down on the floor. Half-watching the man and half-watching Brett, Orion saw Brett create makeshift bandages for Miller’s leg and waist, securing them over the wounds.
“I call this number, and you’ll give me that?” the clerk asked, indicating the canvas tote.
Orion nodded. The small picture of an eagle clutching a snake in the lower corner of the front window let Orion know the storekeeper and his family were people he could trust. The small bag of medical supplies would help them forget who’d come asking for help as well as provide necessary medicines the people in this area were often denied.
The man nodded.
Brett helped Miller up and shuffled back toward the door. Brett paused and kissed the shell of Orion’s ear as he whispered, “Trap.”
“Where are they going?” the man asked.
Orion shrugged, pocketing the note and stowing the supplies. He couldn’t afford to acknowledge his rising anger. He wasn’t sure how Brett knew there was a trap, but he’d need to find out, as well as find out if the man had meant to betray them.
“You said—”
Shaking his head, he followed Miller and Brett. Once out onto the street, Brett swung Miller up onto his shoulders.
“Get us out of here, Orion,” Brett said firmly. “He needs a doctor. I can’t do anything else for him.”
Orion nodded and jogged farther into the dark depths of the city, where even the security forces didn’t travel. Passing through a battered building, he stopped at a half-opened metal door and rapped on it twice, paused then repeated it. Dropping one of the bags just out of sight, he walked through the door. He knew Brett had questions, but he was grateful the other man wasn’t asking any right now. Brett simply trusted him. The goods they left behind would ensure a trouble-free passage through the territory.
They walked through the building before coming out into a large subterranean parking garage. Taking a wide set of stairs, Orion led them down into an abandon underground tunnel. Old train tracks rusted from disuse wound through the passage. Jumping down, he helped Brett with Miller as they left the platform and moved into the dark opening. They’d gone several hundred feet before he spotted a door with no handle. He saw the stained, faded number four on its surface and found a half-inch wide hole.
The door swung open enough to let them in.
“What the—” Brett exclaimed, jumping. He followed Orion into the door, helping Miller through as well.
The door slammed shut behind them.
“This way,” a middle-aged woman in black fatigues ordered. “Most of the others are already here. Of those who aren’t, most are safe. For the moment. We lost three, and one was caught. And we have four in holding.”
Orion nodded.
Three men appeared and pulled Miller away from Brett. Orion dropped the rest of his bags and stepped up to Brett. His man was going to hate this part. But there was no choice. Some rules weren’t broken. He reached out for the blindfold and shackles he knew were close by.
“Orion, you don’t need to do this. Please,” Brett pleaded.
Orion kissed him, relinquishing control to the other man and letting him know he cared and trusted him without words.
“You will be blindfolded and bound, or we will throw you to the security forces,” the woman ground out.
Orion growled, and the woman stepped back.
“You’ll do it? And you’ll be near by?” Brett asked.
Orion nodded, bringing Brett’s hand to his heart. Finally, Brett nodded. The blindfold landed in Orion’s hands. He quickly blindfolded the Brett, allowing him one last hug before his hands were bound behind his back.
* * * *
Brett’s head spun. His world was still dark, but he knew Orion was next to him and that they’d been put into another vehicle. When it stopped, he was pulled out and pushed forward. He wanted to reach for Orion, his only point of reference at the moment but couldn’t.
His day had started so normal with no hint that there was anything wrong, there had been nothing out of the ordinary at work through out the day with the exception of his presence at the security briefing, but even that wasn’t unusual. He’d come out of the small kitchenette down the hall from his room eager to see Orion a little while later, only to find security forces kicking in his door. He’d heard them ransacking his room before he’d run down a seldom-used stairwell, hiding in the shadows until he could get away. He’d made his way to the trees along the route where he usually met Orion. Fear bordering on panic had swamped him as he’d moved farther from the security forces building and closer to the woods and Orion.
Guilt and emotions he couldn’t name flooded him. What had he done? Run from the military? From the law? For what? For a man he barely knew. One who seemed to have more secrets than Brett had realized. Who was the real Orion? The man who never fought, who let himself get beat up, who appeared unable to make decisions and needed protection or this man who’d shot at security forces and led Brett and Miller through a maze of streets Brett hadn’t known existed? How had he gone from being the one who protected to the one who was being protected? Shock. He could blame it on shock, but was that the real reason? Did he want to know what the real reason was? How much did it matter?
The vehicle lurched and stopped, and he was told to get out by the woman. He was guided out and down steps then through another maze of passageways. He focused on the familiar touches from Orion on his hands, his cheek, his neck. More orders were given. Doors opened and closed. More steps.
Brett’s stomach turned, his chest tightened as realization dawned. He’d stumbled onto a terrorist cell. Possibly even the Citizens for a Free Aelland, the group behind the videos and ultimately the unrest sweeping through the country. Brett worried his bottom lip. Since he’d left the base both Internal Security and Base Intelligence would assume he was part of the same group as his traveling companions. Would they believe him if he told them he wasn’t?
Without physical proof or bringing down the organization itself, no one would believe him. When they’d searched his room, he would be branded a traitor or at the very least, someone who couldn’t be trusted. His career in intelligence was finished. He doubted even his family would talk to him after this was made known.
Brett stiffened. It didn’t matter. He was a commissioned officer in the Aelland Security Forces and had a responsibility to his country and his superiors. Even if he died for his efforts, he would gather any evidence he could to bring the rebel terrorists to justice. In that way, it might be possible to prove his innocence or at least remove the shame from his family.
“Stay here,” the woman said gruffly, shoving him into a seat.
Orion kissed him, softly licking across his mouth. Brett opened, allowing him access before sweeping the inside of Orion’s mouth with his tongue, tasting and exploring. The younger man let Brett control the kiss, even as Orion brought them closer together. After Orion pulled away, he kissed Brett again. Brett immediately missed the contact with Orion.
Orion’s footsteps retreated. Brett was alone.
“Wait! Where am I? Orion?” Brett called out.
The only answer was the echo of metal on metal as a door closed and a lock engaged. The sounds were overly loud.
Brett strained to hear anything that might tell him where he was or what they planned to do with him. Where was Orion? Was Orion being held also? Was the other man safe? Who were these people to Orion? What were they going to do with them? What should Brett do? Did he stay? Did he try to get away? He doubted he could find his way out of here.
Taking several deep breaths, he inched forward in the seat. He couldn’t stay put and wait to die. At very least, he needed to know something about his surroundings. Carefully, he stood. There was nothing immediately in front of him. Moving one foot in front of another, he counted steps as he walked straight forward. After seven steps forward, he ran into a wall. Cement brick and mortar by the feel of it on his cheek. Turning to his right, he followed the wall, circling the perimeter of the room. It was rectangular in shape with no furniture pressed against the edges. He was in the process of trying to find his way back to the seat when the door opened.
Brett stopped and turned to the noise. “Who’s there?”
A fist connected with the side of his head, sending him to the ground. The world closed in on him.
“I wouldn’t do that again,” a gruff male voice said flatly.
Brett shook his head, trying to make sense of the words. Two sets of strong arms helped him to his feet. Neither belonged to Orion.
“Why not?” a second male voice asked. There was an accent to it, but not one Brett could place.
“I think he belongs to him.”
“Of all the —”
“Where am I? Where are my friends? Where is Orion?” Brett asked as he was walked forward.
“Shut up. You’ll be told what you need to know soon enough.”
Brett clenched and unclenched his fists, his hands still cuffed behind his back. He was led through another maze of corridors, some skinnier then others, judging by how closely the men on either side of him pressed into him. He knew there were people surrounding him. He couldn’t be certain of how many, but more disconcerting was why so many people guarded him. In the big scheme of things, he wasn’t important. Not even a little bit.
Changing Tides Page 4