Island Refuge EMP Box Set | Books 1-3

by Hamilton, Grace

  She was, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, so she shrugged. Rod gave her a lingering look.

  “You haven’t changed,” he said. “You know, we’ve looked at your setup on the island…from a distance, of course. It seems like you were hard at work over there. Your aqueduct is quite impressive, if not entirely stable. The next major storm will probably knock it all down, but it’s a start. I take it you figured out how to desalinate seawater.”

  “I was working on it,” she said.

  “And you have a place to store the water?”

  “The old vineyard storage tank,” she said. He didn’t need to know about the inconvenient bullet holes in the tank.

  And with that, without saying goodbye or ending the conversation in any reasonable way, Rod let the tent flap fall back into place, casting her back into the dim lantern light. She heard him barking orders to his soldiers as he walked away.

  As she turned, Elna saw that Malin was awake. He sat on his cot, rubbing his face with his hands.

  “Did you hear any of that conversation?” she asked.

  “Most of it,” he replied. “Was coming here a mistake?”

  She hesitated before answering. “We’ll be fine. Rod is a pain in the butt, but he’s not a monster.”

  She started to walk back to her cot, but remembering how uncomfortable it was, she sat down on the dirt floor instead, putting her back against one of the tent poles.

  “I hope you’re right,” Malin said.

  “Me too.”

  25

  An hour of pacing from corner to corner in the tent was just about all she could take. The thought of her father marching back across the causeway under the watchful eye of Rod’s men didn’t sit well. Malin had tried a hundred different ways to make her feel better, but the situation just stunk. Selene and Norman were awake now, and they’d been brought up to speed.

  “What about Dominic?” It was Selene’s primary concern.

  “I haven’t heard anything since they dragged him away,” Elna said. “You want me to go ask the guards what became of him?”

  “Do you think they’ll torture him?” Selene asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  She wanted Dominic to face justice for what he’d done. He certainly deserved to rot in a jail cell for a long time, but Rod’s men seemed like the kind that would mete out their own special brand of justice. Dominic had given them a bit of trouble on the way into the camp. Still, she didn’t want him to be tortured. That didn’t seem right, even with what he’d done.

  When she could pace no longer, she went back over to the corner with her chosen cot and sat down in the dirt again. She could see the shadow of the guard’s feet moving back and forth in the band of sunlight at the bottom of the tent flap.

  If this isn’t detention, it’s damned close, she thought.

  “I wonder if they’re treating Garret’s injury,” she said, “or waiting for Pop to return with payment first?”

  “They’ll treat him just to keep him from cursing them, I would imagine,” Malin said.

  The weight of everything seemed to crash over her then, and she bowed her head, pressing her face against her knees.

  I should have known, she thought. As soon as Pop said the name Rod Smith, I should have known it was a mistake. We had problems on the island, but all of them were solvable. I could’ve made it work. Now, we’re getting scattered, and we’re under the thumb of this weird militia run by an emotionally deficient man-child.

  She felt someone lightly patting her back and looked up. Malin had leaned over from his cot to comfort her. The gesture was unexpected, but it only mixed up her emotions further. He had such a kind look on his face, and such intensity in his green eyes.

  Does he not realize how I feel about…? She couldn’t even finish the question in her mind.

  As Malin lay back down his cot, she reached a breaking point.

  “Okay,” she said, picking herself up. “I can’t stand this. I refuse to sit here and worry. We’re scattered all over the place now, and the authorities here have been almost no help. They haven’t brought us food or water, despite promising to do so, and despite the fact that I saw them carrying a bunch of fresh seafood into the camp. They’re making us pay for Garret’s medical care, which is fine, understandable, but this whole situation stinks.”

  As she spoke, she began to pace again, while Malin, Selene, and Norman all stared at her with varying levels of concern. Finally, she headed for the tent flap.

  “I’m going for a walk,” she said. “A long walk.”

  “There’s a guard,” Norman reminded her.

  “Oh well. He’ll just have to deal with it. You guys stay here. I’m going to check out the camp.”

  She knocked the tent flap out of her way and stepped outside. Indeed, the guard was standing nearby, a short, stocky fellow with a long rifle slung over his shoulder that Elna couldn’t identify. He seemed bored, staring off across the camp, but he turned toward her now.

  “Please, stay in your tent,” he said.

  “I have to use the bathroom,” she said, already walking away. “Surely we’re not expected to pee on the floor. I’ll be right back.”

  “You’re not supposed to leave,” he said. “The commander wants you to stay here.”

  She kept moving.

  What are you going to do? Shoot me?

  She had a moment of doubt, but she managed to turn and move out of view behind another tent without getting a bullet in the back. The camp was all hustle and bustle, but all of the work seemed to be well-ordered. She saw groups preparing food, others repairing tents or washing clothes, a pair of old women who seemed to be polishing many pairs of leather boots, and a group of soldiers who were oiling rifle parts on a big table. There were men in camouflage everywhere, all of them well-armed and quietly watching every single activity. Each of them gave Elna a lingering look when she passed close.

  How was all of this coordinated so quickly? she wondered. They must’ve put all of this together within a couple of days of the EMP.

  Rod Smith was a big part of the answer, of course. He’d probably started organizing the camp the second he heard the EMP missiles were coming, before they’d even hit. It was in his nature.

  Observing the camp in the morning light didn’t make Elna feel any better about their situation. Despite all of their troubles, she just wanted to be back on the island, the drawbridges safely up, with Pop and Malin and the others—even Garret. She was so caught up in her thought that it took her a minute to realize someone was quietly walking beside her. As she stepped into a large clearing at the center of the camp, she saw a shadow stretching out beside hers, and she turned to him.

  “Malin…”

  But she found herself looking at the well-chiseled face of Rod Smith, his fierce eyes studying her.

  “Have you already forgotten my name, El?” he asked, trying his best to sound gregarious. It wasn’t good enough. “Three years together, and you’ve already cleaned out every memory to make room for someone else. I suppose it doesn’t entirely surprise me. We didn’t end on the best of terms.”

  “You came to retrieve me and drag me back to my assigned tent, I assume,” she said. “I was afraid your guard might shoot me in the back. There’s no need to hold us captive. We came to you for help, remember?”

  Rod shook his head sadly, as if disappointed in her assessment of him. “I don’t know where you got the idea that you’re a prisoner here. As I said before, more than once, we’re simply trying to maintain some sense of order to help people. We’re not enslaving them. No one’s going to shoot you.”

  “That’s comforting to know,” she said, trying to keep the worst of the bitterness out of her voice. “So what is this then, Rod? What have you created here? What is its purpose? It seems to be largely a profit-making venture: bring your valuables and we’ll give you food and medicine.”

  He didn’t answer right away, as if carefully weighing his words. Fin
ally, he started walking and beckoned her to follow. “Elna, I know you’re worried, and I’m sure the past few days have been nerve-wracking, but everything’s going to be okay.” He raised his hand, as if he were going to touch her somehow. Instead, it just hung there awkwardly in the air before returning to his side. “You have no idea how chaotic things got immediately after the EMP. People lost their minds a lot faster than I predicted. The one thing that has restored a bit of civilization is order. That’s what we’ve got here. Order. And that’s why you can rest easy, knowing that all of your needs will be met.”

  “As soon as you get your stash of Pasqualee Wine, of course,” she replied, keeping pace with him as he strode through the camp. “Gold Label. Not the cheap stuff.”

  They passed a group of children who were busy scraping rust off pieces of machinery with scouring pads. An old woman stood behind them, watching, and occasionally making sharp gestures.

  “Alcohol is going to be very valuable in this new world,” Rod said. “I’d rather have a crate of wine than a chest of gold coins. I’m not trying to steal from your father. He was always polite to me, even toward the end when you weren’t. The payment is intended to placate the other camp residents. They won’t like it if I play favorites with a group of outsiders who haven’t contributed to the camp, but the secret is, I am playing favorites. As soon as your dad gets back, I intend to load you up with more supplies than you’ll know what to do with and send you back to your island.”

  She glanced at him. He certainly seemed sincere. Rod was many things, but he wasn’t crafty or underhanded, not in the time she’d known him. Intense and insufferable, yes, but not deceptive.

  “I want to believe you,” she said. “It’s not all that easy.”

  “I know,” he replied, giving a soft sigh that was little more than a breath. “Things ended badly for us, so I’m sure it’s hard not to see everything I say and do in the worst possible light, but I really am trying here. You’d be impressed at how well I’ve juggled the competing interests of almost five hundred people. Don’t they look healthy and well-fed?”

  He gestured at a family sitting around a campfire nearby. They did indeed look healthy, as they were huddled over a bubbling pot that smelled of meat and potatoes.

  “You and your people will be fine,” he said. “I promise. I have nothing against you, El. It’s a shame you can’t believe that. Despite the rude things you said to me at the end, I still admire you, and I fully intend to help you in any way I can.”

  “Rude things I said to you? What about the rude things you said to me? Rod, you weren’t such a nice guy.”

  “I wasn’t casting blame,” he said, with a dismissive flip of his hand. “I was trying to compliment you.”

  They’d reached the far side of the camp, and she came to a stop. Ahead, in a small fenced area beyond the last tent, she was startled to see a row of motorcycles. They were old Honda 50s, trail bikes, and they seemed like they were in rough shape. One of Rod’s soldiers was currently sitting on one of them, while others watched nearby. He seemed to be messing with the controls.

  “Maybe I’m too ambitious, but I’m trying to put the world back together,” Rod said.

  As if in response to this, the soldier rose and stomped on the kick start. The Honda’s engine gave a throaty growl, and the other soldiers cheered, raising their hands in the air. Rod reached up, pulled his hat off, combed his short hair back with his fingers, and carefully reseated the hat.

  “Ah, Alan finally got that old Honda working,” he muttered. “Excellent. That makes four of them. Should be quite useful.” Finally, he managed to give Elna a smile that looked close to normal. “Shall I accompany you back to your tent?”

  “I think I know the way,” she replied, speaking loudly over the engine. “A little food would be nice, by the way.”

  “It’s being taken care of,” he said. “Did you think I intended to starve you? Do yourself a favor, El, and stop assuming the worst of me. Things will turn out a whole lot better for you that way.”

  And then, as if he’d suddenly remembered something more important, he turned and walked away without saying goodbye.

  Malin rose from the cot and came toward her as soon as she walked through the tent flap.

  “Oh man, I was afraid we might never see you again,” he said. “The guard was yelling, and you said something about getting shot.”

  Selene and Norman looked up at her. Selene was sitting in the dirt in the corner with Sniffy, while Norman had some kind of cloth bag in his lap.

  “I’m fine,” Elna replied. “Nobody shot anyone. Actually, I had a nice little chat with our esteemed host, Rod Smith.”

  Malin gave way as she moved across the tent, but he reached out, his fingers briefly brushing her hand. “Did he threaten you? Warn you about consequences? What did he do?”

  “No, no,” she replied. “He swears everything is going to be okay, and he encouraged me to trust him. I will admit, they seem to have a thriving community here. Did they bring us any food, by the way?”

  Norman held up the cloth bag. Reaching inside, he pulled out a very large piece of beef jerky. “They brought a bunch of stuff just a few minutes ago,” he said. She noted a jug of water beside him as well. “Guard marched in, set it down, and left without comment. Mostly rations. Jerky, granola bars, trail mix, that sort of thing. I asked about the mashed potatoes and gravy, but he didn’t take me serious.”

  “Well, I guess Rod told the truth then,” Elna said. “People are cooking soup out there. I can smell it all over the camp. They could have done better than beef jerky, but I suppose I can’t complain about a gift.” She took the piece of beef jerky from Norman, tore off a reasonably sized chunk, and returned the rest to him.

  “Is he going to let us go?” Malin asked.

  “Yeah,” she said, gnawing on the beef jerky. This wasn’t some packaged gas station meat. It tasted fresh. “To be honest, we could probably leave right now, if we really wanted to.”

  “Do we?” Selene asked.

  “I don’t know.” She turned and looked at Malin. “They’ve managed to create something close to a real community here. Maybe it’s stupid to go back to the island where food and water supplies are uncertain. I know you have somewhere else to be, Malin. Your bride is waiting for you in Vegas. As for the rest of us…” She shrugged. “Norman, what do you think?”

  He was rooting around in the ration bag, but he stopped. A wistful look came over his face. “I keep daydreaming about getting back to my shop. I know the power’s still out, but I just want to check on it, make sure it hasn’t been looted. Being on this side of the causeway gets me one step closer, but…does it really? I don’t know. This place doesn’t seem all that friendly to me, and when people aren’t friendly, I start getting nervous. If people can’t even fake it on the outside that usually means there’s something real bad on the inside. Miss Pasqualee, if you told me you were going back to the island, I’d go with you, but if you want to stay in the camp, I’m okay with that, too, I suppose.”

  “Okay,” Elna said. “Good to know. Malin?”

  Malin had a strange look on his face. His upper lip was curled, his eyebrows worrying against each other, as if he were in pain. Honestly, it looked a little like he had indigestion. Instead, after an awkward moment of silence, he spoke softly.

  “Claire is supposed to be waiting for me in Vegas. I’m her fiancé, so of course—of course—I should go to her. But it’s a hard choice. You have no idea how much I’ve wrestled with it. I lay there for hours last night thinking about this.” He paused again, looked away for a second, then turned back. Elna was shocked to see tears in his eyes, but he quickly dabbed them away on his bandaged arm. She noted that blood had seeped through the cloth. He needed a new bandage.

  What will Rod charge us for that? she wondered bitterly.

  “The fact is,” Malin continued, “I don’t even know how I would get to Las Vegas. What if I made the long trip, survived crossing
the desert somehow without getting shot or eaten by cannibals or some other crazy thing, only to find out that she’d already given up on me, maybe even left the area. What if Garret is right? It is true, we did argue. A lot. And I was insistent on getting my way instead of compromising. What if things were worse than I want to admit?”

  Elna couldn’t respond to this. Something was welling up inside of her, and she was afraid to set it free. Fortunately, Selene spoke into the silence.

  “Malin, what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying I’ve decided to stay with you guys.” He turned away, planting his hands on his hips. “We had so much damn trouble just walking ten miles across the causeway. Vegas is seven hundred miles from here, on the other side of mountains and in the middle of a scorching desert. If she’s there, she’ll never forgive me for not coming, but, then again, how will she ever find out? There’s no way to communicate. I was supposed to be on a plane when the EMP hit. For all she knows, I’m a stain on a mountainside somewhere. Would she even mourn me?”

  He turned again, and this time he didn’t get to the tears in time. They spilled down his face as he desperately tried to stop them. He shook his head, the tears flying.

  “I’m staying with you,” he said. “Here at the camp or there on the island, whatever the rest of you decide, I’m staying with you. That’s my decision.”

  Finally, Elna couldn’t refuse. Without realizing she was doing it, she rushed forward, threw her arms around him, and gave him a big hug. She managed to hold on for about three good seconds before she felt painfully awkward and pulled away.

  “I’m so glad,” she said. “I mean…you know, we can use your help. I mean, we enjoy your company.” She waved a hand in the air. “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah,” he said, giving his eyes one last dab. “Now, let’s not talk about Vegas anymore. Tell us everything you learned from your walk in the camp. What did you see? What did you hear?”

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