“Atranda,” Mas corrected.
“Atranda,” Greek said. “Are they blind at night? Can they only pick up life when it moves?”
Robi smiled. “I didn’t think of that.”
“Neither I,” Mas said. “Sense of smell have they not as well.”
Sam added. “They can sense heat and movement both. But they are bred in a light world. Unlike Loomis, they thrive in the heat, and slow down in the night because they cannot see.”
Excitedly Robi nodded. “So we can move at night with minimal danger. Method of attack? They crawled in or were dropped in at Andrews.”
“Yeah, but they came up from the ground at the diner,” Greek said. “Almost as if they were waiting.”
“They may not be intelligent enough to know Area 51,” Robi guessed. “But I am certain the beings that put them here are. Probably put them there to stay in the … desert.” Her head went back. “That’s it. They had to be dropped on Andrews because it is primarily concrete. They can bury themselves in the sand. Because they are close to home, right?” she looked at Sam.
Sam agreed. “Concrete is thick, and they cannot sense heat through it.”
Robi spun to Greek. “That is why the people in the bunkers lived. They couldn’t sense them. Bud’s town is thirty people in concrete buildings. When they are out, there’s less than a dozen at a time, so no threat is picked up.”
“So what we need is a bunker for us all,” Greek said. “Area 51?”
Robi snorted a laugh. “If we knew where it was. But for now, I’m thinking levels of concrete. No more than maybe twelve of us per level. Where could we find that?” Robi peered at the map and her eyes smiled, but her attention was distracted when she heard Jeb as he stepped from the bus.
“What’s going on?” Jeb asked.
Robi stepped away from her little meeting and walked to him. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I over did the exercising,” Jeb replied.
Robi looked at Mas. “Why is Bishop fine, Manny even with the head injury is fine, but Jeb is sore?”
Mas answered, “Close to death was he. Moments from death. Not have worked should it. But did.”
Robi nodded. She understood. Martha healed him, but he was so close to death that it shouldn’t have worked. Also, Martha wasn’t getting her Lilac nourishment, as Sam and Mas said she needed, and to Robi that had to have something to do with the healing process. She turned to Jeb. “What do you remember?”
“Where am I?” Jeb asked.
Again, Robi repeated her question about what he remembered. The last she spoke to him, he recalled tossing Bishop over his shoulder and not receiving an injury at all. “Jeb?”
Jeb just looked at her.
“Jeb!” Tate called with enthusiasm and raced to him.
“I put you on watch,” Robi said.
“Michael took watch. He seems fine.” Tate approached Jeb. “How are you big brother?”
“Sore for some reason.” Jeb rubbed his chest. “Tate, where the hell am I, and who are all these people?”
“We’re about twenty-five miles outside of Los Angeles, and these people are what’s left of the So-Cal camp.”
Jeb’s lips moved in a silent stutter. His eyes shifted from Tate to Robi, and back to Tate. “Why am I all the way on the other side of the country?”
Tate laughed. “You’re joking, right? Last I spoke to you, you remembered carrying Bishop.”
“Who?” Jeb questioned. “Last I recall, you and I were at some farm and this baby was screaming and crying after she had been dropped off at our door.”
Robi hurriedly looked at Mas, then stepped closer to Jeb. “Jeb, is that the last thing that is clear to you?”
“Yes ma’am,” he replied.
“Ma’am?” Robi repeated. “Are you joking?”
“No, ma’am, why would I joke?” Jeb asked.
“Do you know who I am?” questioned Robi.
“I haven’t a clue.”
“Okay.” Robi smiled. “That’s fine. You’ve been through quite an ordeal, and you need some liquids and food. Tate …” she faced him. "Take your brother back on the bus; get him situated and up to speed. Not too much, though, okay?”
“Got it.” Tate took hold of Jeb’s arm. “Let’s go on the bus and get you back to resting.”
“Why are you smiling?” Jeb asked him.
“Because this whole thing is funny in a fucked up kinda way. Let’s go.” Tate led him on the bus.
Robi watched, exhaled, and then ran her hands trough her hair as she returned to her table meeting over the map.
“Rob-bee,” Mas said. “Sorry am I.”
Sam added, “Most times the healer heals without problems. Jeb must have been only a breath away from death. Only very rarely do the events leave the mind. Amnesia is rare, but it happens. The good news is that his memory will return eventually.”
“I’m not worried,” Robi said. “He remembers the drop, and he remembers he’s still a soldier, which means he still has Jeb instincts. We need that more than I need him to remember me. And right now, we need a place to go.” Robi stared back down to the map. “I have an idea.”
Chapter Nine – Back Track
July 10th - Los Angeles, CA
It the Atranda couldn’t burrow under concrete as they did in dirt, then they had to have come from elsewhere. Crawl in … drop in, whatever way they came, Robi was certain they would see them coming.
If a concrete jungle was needed to protect them, and if they had a better chance of survival in small groups, Robi had it figured out.
Wilshire Boulevard.
Not only was it all concrete, it also had businesses and twenty underground parking garages.
The one she chose was under the former Wilshire Plaza Hotel. It was five stories deep, and the first levels were more mall-like, but she used them. She began delegating the second she got there, and those who were new to the group grasped her ability to lead.
Not including Martha or the other four small children, there were forty-seven people. She divided things up into three levels. The second level was for distribution and medical, the third and fourth levels were where people would eat, prepare, and sleep, and the fifth level was reserved for Mas and Sam along with whomever they chose to help in the reconstruction and modification of weapons.
Because children were the most precious commodity, Robi wanted them on the level with a Hoyt where she felt secure that they would be safe.
They arrived at the garage just after four p.m. It would be far from organized by dark, and it would take days to get it to a comfortable level of organization. Mas and Sam needed at least that much time to get weapons ready.
As a short term plan, Robi designated shift watchmen to be placed on roofs. She also sent out scouts and a few pairs of people for immediate supplies, while the rest of the survivors cleaned and prepared the levels.
The scouts and scavengers had two hours to return.
Bishop utilized what he could of their supplies to make a meal, but he needed help. There were a lot of mouths to feed, and before the scouts returned, seven more people joined the group.
They were growing and so would their needs.
They dined on a meager meal that evening. Robi made her rounds among the survivors, informing them that it would get better, that a plan was being put into motion that evening.
The meeting only involved a few people.
“What’s wrong with staying here?” Bishop asked. “Seven people showed up, so it stands to reason that even more will show up as well.”
Robi shook her head. “There’s no growth.”
Bishop laughed. “It’s Los Angeles. The weather is near perfect. We can do hydroponics.”
“Hydro means water, Bishop. We need a readied supply. Plus, this isn’t a base. We need a base. We need to build that Army.”
“I want to go on record as disagreeing,” Bishop said then sat back.
Robi looked to Greek. “You?”
“I agree with you,” Greek replied. “This isn’t a good training area. Plus, Bishop said the weather is perfect, but we need hotter weather. The Loomis that are coming don’t do well in the heat. The crab creatures do, but I think we can fight them. Plus … my theory is that if they are harmful to the Loomis, they won’t be around too much longer.”
Robi nodded. “Wherever we go has to have expansion and growth possibilities for farming and so forth.”
Bishop chuckled. “But again, it has to be underground. We don’t have the time to build an underground city.”
Sam raised his hand. “There is a good engineer from SC. We can design tools that make Earth’s construction equipment look like tinker toys and modify it like the weapons. If we can find a starting point, we can build a city or a likeness of a city underground. Once we get that started, we can set up a one way, undetected radio signal to gather more people. But, as I said, we need a starting point.”
“Starting point?” Robi asked. "Like this?”
Sam nodded. “But further away. Possibly near a lake so we can tap into the water.”
Parker snapped his fnger. “Heat, desert, best place against the Loomis. Hoover Dam. Nevada.” He smiled. “Find Area 51. That is supposed to be underground. That would be a starting point.”
Bishop heaved out a breath and said sarcastically, “Oh my God. We don’t even know if it exists.”
Robi brought her fist to her chest. “I feel it does.”
Jeb spoke up. “May I?”
Robi nodded.
Jeb continued. “Ma’am, I think what we should do is once everything is situated here as a firm and secure means of shelter, we send out scout parties to this area in Nevada where the survivors were killed at the diner. I don’t recall, but Greek has told me they were close, and I will more than happily volunteer to go.”
Bishop snickered.
Jeb shot him a look. “Is there something funny with my idea?”
“Nope, not at all,” Bishop said. “I’m just not used to you being so passive and nice. If I didn’t know better, and I thought you were smart enough to think of it, I’d say this amnesia thing is all an act to get out of your relationship with Robi.”
“Bishop,” Robi snapped. “Don’t you think that’s kind of petty and off scope in light of all that’s happening?”
“Yeah,” Bishop said. “But it just seems so … so fake.”
Sam interjected. “It is not.”
Jeb looked stunned. “My … my relationship with … Robi?” he looked at her. “Are we in a relationship?”
Robi paused before answering. “No. No we are not. He’s referring to this friendship/leader competing thing we do. Don’t worry.” After giving a glare to Bishop that pretty much told him to keep his mouth shut, she continued on with the meeting. There were much more important things to work out and plan than her personal connection to Jeb.
To her, Jeb was a huge asset, memory loss or not. And they had more than fifty people to protect, feed, and shelter.
That was her priority.
<><><><>
When the silence of the night had hit, Robi found time for herself. It was a bit different, because she was used to Jeb helping her put Martha to bed, but she did it alone, leaving the girl snuggled next to Nick. She informed everyone where she was and told them she would send a radio ‘ping’ every ten minutes.
She walked to the ramp closest to street level. A coolness had set in, and the streets of Los Angeles looked eerie. The streets and buildings were dark, not that she expected there to be any light.
What made it more eerie was the lack of destruction. Every other major city had fallen to destruction. How many planes had fallen from the sky? Why weren’t there any in Los Angeles?
She sat on a small crate perched on the ramp, the flash light lantern on low. With a cigarette in one hand, the small jar radio next to her, and a drink in her other hand, she stared out at the deserted landscape.
There was a lot on her mind. She placed away the basic math of figuring out how much of what they would need.
Footsteps echoed on the concrete behind her, and she turned to peer over her shoulder just Jeb he cleared his throat in a polite introduction to his presence.
“Jeb.” She smiled.
“Are you wanting to be alone?” He asked.
“No, not at all. You can join me.” She stood. “I thought you were asleep.”
“Nah,” he said, walked towards her. “I was talking to my brother.”
“Drink?” She showed him the bottle. “I don’t have another glass, but you can have some of mine.”
“I will, thanks.” He took it, had a drink, and returned it. “What are you doing?”
“Thinking. Staring. Feeling like Charlton Heston in Omega Man. Big dark, LA.”
Jeb smiled and lowered his head.
“Wondering why there are no airplanes here. Everywhere else, planes fell from the sky. Why not here?”
“There was a summit here, remember?” Jeb asked. “The entire area was a no fly zone.”
“Oh my God. That’s right.” Robi refreshed her glass. “What brings you up here?”
“They said you were here, and I wanted to check on you and … talk.”
Robi nodded. “Shoot. Talk.”
“I’m a little confused here,” Jeb said. “You weren’t honest about something.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Robi cleared her throat and turned slightly away setting down the bottle.
“I talked to my brother, Nick, and Doc, who, by the way, is a little insane. I also talked to a couple of others, and they all said the same thing. Which leads me to wonder how someone like me, a big lug, landed such a beautiful intelligent woman like you.”
Robi closed her eyes briefly, partially smiled, and said in a low voice, “You’re the only man that makes my stomach flutter. As insensitive as you can be …” She faced him. “You did it again. Just now.”
“So we are married?” Jeb asked. “I’m just trying to make sense out of where my memory lost things. I went from the world ending to being with you and having a family.”
“Listen, our relationship is secondary and not important in the scheme that has happened.”
“I see your point, but if I have obligations, then …”
“We’re not married, Jeb,” Robi said.
“Why is everyone saying that?” Jeb asked.
“Because you say it.” Robi walked by him a little, staring out. “You call me your wife. We live together. We’re always, or were always, together. We … sleep together. But. . .” She closed her eyes tight. “If there is one thing I need you to focus on, it’s Martha. The baby. We’ve been parents to her. You read to her every night, tuck her in. Please try not to lose that.”
“I didn’t do it tonight.”
“No.”
“I’ll get on track with that.”
“Thank you.”
“So how?” Jeb asked. “How did I land you?”
“Land me?” Robi laughed. “Like that. You’re obnoxious, loud, hardheaded …” She lowered her head. “Funny. Strong. Smart. And an all-around great guy.”
“Do I love you?”
“I ... I like to think that you do. You asked me to marry you.”
“Wow.” Jeb nodded. “Do you love me?”
Robi forced a closed mouth smile.
“No answer?”
After a second, she replied, “I do. Very much so, yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s okay. We’ll move on.”
“You know,” Jeb said, “sometimes it helps the memory to stay on target to continue to live the life you once lived. I don’t how much I can do, but I can try. We can continue on if you want.”
Robi shook her head. “No, no. It’ll all come back if it is supposed to.”
“Perhaps living the life is what we need to do to. Maybe all we need is for it to click.”
Hands behind her ba
ck, Robi stepped to Jeb, lifted on tip toes, and gently kissed him. She held her lips to his feeling the hesitation of his mouth. After another small kiss, she stepped back. “Anything?”
Jeb lowered his head.
“Maybe it isn’t meant to be.” She turned her back to him, lifted her drink, and faced the other way.
I’m sorry.” He touched her shoulder from behind and Robi listened to him walk off.
It wasn’t long after that that she heard another set of footsteps, but not quite as heavy as Jeb’s.
“Eavesdropping?” She asked, and then turned around.
“Waiting.” Sam stepped forward. “I heard voices and I did not want to interrupt. Are you all right, Robi?”
“I will be.”
“I am sorry.”
“His memory isn’t going to come back, is it?” she asked.
“This is very rare. But it happens, and it is possible it will …”
“Sam.”
“Chances are it will not. He may even be slightly changed emotionally,” Sam explained. “It may best to separate yourself from him just in case.”
“I plan on it.” Robi exhaled and tried to switch her demeanor. “So, you had a reason to find me. What’s going on?”
“We made some progress using what we have and some of Martha’s vision ability.”
Robi tilted her head. “Vision ability?”
"When concentrating she can produce a vision. Your friends saw you through her hand. And we saw a similar vision, but only briefly. It needs more investigation.”
“What’s going on?” Robi asked.
“The Atranda, they gather and wait.”
Robi grimaced with concern. “Where?”
“In the Nevada desert.”
“You said they weren’t intelligent. You said … they only gather where there’s a threat.”
Sam nodded. “Yes, that is correct.”
“Then why are they staying put in the desert … Unless …” Her eyes widened. “There are people there and a lot of them.” She paused. “But where?”
Sam smiled. “I think it’s our Area 51.”
The Last Mile Trilogy Page 57