“That was your mother?” I ask, stunned.
“Yeah,” he answers, inhaling deeply before he continues. “Come,” he says as he opens the only window in the room.
“I’m not leaving before I have answers,” I say stubbornly.
“My name is Raf,” he says. “You’ve heard the name Joseph Kearn, I know you have. I also know that you’ve been looking for him. You are Gabby Nolan,” he says before pausing and my head is spinning. What does Joseph Kearn have to do with a house full of armed cartel men and women?
“We need to find him,” he finishes after a minute.
Chapter 33: Gabby
“Mexico is powerful, or at least it could be. Do you ever wonder how Texas can hold the Mexicans back?” Raf asks.
We leave his cartel’s house through the window and he takes me to the place where his uncle met with Drew a few times. The basement is easy to get into and no one can see us there.
“Do you know anything about Mexico?” he asks.
“Not really,” I admit. “I always just thought there weren’t many people there. Texas is powerful.”
“It would take no time at all for the Mexicans to defeat the Texans at the border,” he explains. “Yet that is a war that has been going on for decades. Why? Because Mexico is on the brink of a civil war. There are cartels that control different parts of Mexico. Only three of those cartels are fighting at the border because none of the others butt up against Texas. Most are focused on protecting their borders from the other cartels. There are alliances constantly being made and broken.”
“What a bloody mess,” I say, leaning against the wall.
“My mother leads the Carlita Cartel,” he states proudly.
“Then why isn’t she in Mexico?” I ask, skeptical of everything he’s telling me. It’s a lot to process.
“She is only in St. Louis for a few weeks to check on the status of the search for Kearn. She doesn’t trust people enough to send messengers when it’s really important,” he answers before asking a question of his own, “What do you know about a weapon that was developed in Vicksburg?”
“It’s biological,” I tell him. He nods slowly before I continue, because he already knew that. “We’ve been trying to find Kearn before he gets into Mexico.”
“We think he’s already there,” Raf says, his voice is no more than a growl and his face grows even darker as he continues talking. “He’s being financed by the Moreno Cartel,” he stops talking and his eyes look dangerous. I can see that there is no love lost between the two largest Mexican forces.
“Why do they want it?” I ask lowly.
“We don’t know their plans. The Morenos are…dangerous,” Raf answers.
He and I have no more information for each other. He didn’t get anything new from me but he says they will need Rebel help in this. I leave before Raf and book it toward the flat, the night seeming more ominous than before. After everything his mother said, I don’t know if I’ll be hearing from Raf again. After hitting dead end after dead end, I really hope I do. This could be the break the Rebels so desperately needed.
I forget all about visiting Jeremy, I need to talk to Lee. I don’t care if he is still mad at me. He will talk to me. He’s the only person that won’t yell at me for going into the Mexican sector alone. He understands me.
When I round the corner, Lee is sitting on the steps of our building but he stands when he sees me. His look scares me.
“Do you realize how long you’ve been gone?” he asks, trying his best not to shout.
“Lee,” I begin but he cuts me off.
“You are unbelievable Gabby,” he says, swaying just enough for me to realize he’s been drinking.
I try again to say something but he puts up his hand to stop me. There is no way I can tell him everything that just happened when he is like this.
“How was Jeremy?” he asks, not giving me enough time to answer before he starts talking again. “You know Gabby, I think I have you figured out. You like to be in control. You like for people to be weak so that they need you.”
“Lee, I don’t...” I stammer, reaching out, but he slaps my hand away and cuts me off.
“Let me talk,” he snaps. “This is important.” He pauses and I stare at him in the dark, waiting. “You raised your sister. In London, you two were close, right?” I nod and he keeps going. “Dawn was weak. She couldn’t take care of herself. Heck, when I met her, she still couldn’t defend herself. She was needy and she needed you more than anyone.” He throws his arms in the air. “Well, guess what, she still loves you but she doesn’t need you anymore and you know it. And you know what? You just can’t get over the fact that you don’t have to take care of her anymore,” he pauses again and I almost believe he’s done.
At least he can’t see the tears that have begun to pool in my eyes.
“Then there’s Jeremy,” he says, his voice getting louder.
I take a step backwards to distance myself further from the oncoming words.
“You fell for Jeremy while you were both slaves. He’s told me the story. His sister died and you were there for him. He says he wouldn’t be here without you. He needed you to be there for him; to comfort him so he didn’t get himself killed. He was hurting. Well, when he got his cause, he didn’t need you anymore but he still wanted you. What did you do? You pushed him away and ruined everything. He didn’t need you so you didn’t want him.” Lee’s voice slurs more as each word leaves his mouth.
I sit on the steps and put my head in my hands. Every word feels like a dagger. Lee has put the knife in me and now he’s just twisting it. It’s cruel. I never had Lee pegged for cruel. He tries to kneel in front of me but he falls backward. He is drunker than I thought and doesn’t even realize how much he’s hurting me.
“Don’t cry, Gabby,” he says, as his voice softens, but the alcohol gives it a mocking edge. “That’s not what I wanted.”
“Then what do you want from me?” I yell.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asks quietly. “I want you.”
I look at him incredulously. After everything he just said to me?
“I want you, Gabby. Do you hear me? I don’t need you. You can’t fix me. You can’t take care of me. You got that? You can’t fix me and I don’t want you to try,” he says, taking one of my hands into his, but I pull it free and wipe my face.
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper in response, and in the silence between us, I slip away.
Chapter 34: Dawn
“Sir,” I say, saluting as I enter command.
Things are getting back to normal at the base. Everyone is amped for relocation, but that process is slow and irritating. We want to be on the move, but it feels like we’re just waiting. Training has resumed even though we won’t be fighting much these days. Everything is much less crowded than it was before the outbreak. It’s an eerie feeling.
Today I’ve been summoned to command. I haven’t seen my father since the night at the fires. Our relationship, if you want to call it that, has been odd lately. It started with him yelling at me when I was narked about Matty being trained as a soldier. Then I got sick. He wasn’t in the clinic when the quarantine started but Drew told me he risked becoming infected himself to check on me. Then there was the odd thing with the wheelchair. I swear he was going to hug me. Most of my life, all I’ve wanted was parents. Now, they’re both here and I don’t know what I want from them.
“Have a seat Dawn,” my father says, “What I am going to tell you is classified.” I nod and he continues, “Tia Cole died during the outbreak.”
“What?!” I say, a little too loudly.
“Do you understand why that cannot get out?” he asks, unsure if he can trust me.
I stare at him blankly because I have no idea what he wants me to say.
“Very few people knew we had her. If word got out in Vicksburg that we had been holding their prophet, they would riot. They believed her to be dead
which is why they followed Adrian. All of our work would come undone,” he explains, pausing to take a sip of coffee.
“But she’s dead now,” I clarify.
“Yes, unfortunately,” he replies.
My face must show my confusion because he explains, “She died before we were able to get much information out of her. That is why you’re here.”
“I don’t understand,” I say.
“We did get something,” he pauses. “Texas developed a biological weapon. That’s why we’re not heading for the Wastelands yet,” I nod, unsure why he is telling me this. He doesn’t seem so sure either.
“Is there something you need me to do?” I ask, feeling uncomfortable under his stare.
“Adrian sent Gabby and Lee to track down the man suspected of having the weapon,” he answers.
“So they survived the disease?” I ask, suddenly relieved.
“They did,” my father responds before asking, “And how are you feeling?”
The way he’s looking at me suddenly clicks. He didn’t summon me here to update me on Gabby or give me information that is classified. This is him checking up on me after I was sick.
“I’m fine,” I say, smiling.
“Good,” he says, breaking eye contact and pretending to go through some papers on his desk.
“You’re free to go,” he says quietly. I give him one last long look before getting to my feet and leaving.
I am distracted when I run into Allison outside. She seems happy to see me.
“Hey Dawn,” she says cheerfully.
“Hi,” I say briskly. I don’t want to be rude but I am on a mission.
“I saw Gabby when I was in the capitol,” she says, catching my attention, so I turn toward her. My father only gave me a shred of information about Gabby.
“How is she?” I ask.
I haven’t had news about my sister in so long. I try not to think about it, but I miss her. This is the longest we’ve ever been apart.
“She seemed good,” Allison says. “She helped me out with something big, and then she was sent to St. Louis with Lee right before I returned here.”
St. Louis was hit hard by the outbreak, but my father says Gabby is alive so I’ll have to trust that.
I miss you sis.
Chapter 35: Jeremy
Gabby won’t tell me what is going on with her. I try not to care but that isn’t me. There is no trust left between us and I am stuck just watching her brood.
“Is she going to be okay?” I ask Lee as we watch Gabby practice her shooting. Everything about her lately seems destructive.
“She hates herself right now,” Lee says sadly.
If I didn’t already know that Lee had feelings for Gabby, his eyes would give him away. He talked to me about it a few days ago because, for once, the big American just needed to talk. It’s strange, I thought I would be jealous of Lee and Gabby, but I kind of just feel bad for the guy. Gabby is not an easy person to love, but at least they have each other.
I’m drifting alone. I have no family; no one that I really love. I don’t really have a reason to keep fighting. I was born and raised in a Floridaland slave camp. My mother died there. My sister died there. I have nothing left. Sometimes I tell myself that I’m fighting for the people that still have families but that’s horseshit. I’m just here because I have nowhere else to go.
“We should go tell her that we’ve been summoned back to base,” I say.
Lee nods but doesn’t move, so I walk across the field toward Gabby.
“What is it?” she snaps as she reloads her rifle.
“The General has recalled about half the troops in St. Louis. We have to go with them. Officer Lincoln is expecting us at the docks,” I answer.
Gabby looks at me and then turns and starts firing again, never missing her target. After emptying her clips, she loops the gun’s strap over her shoulder and walks past me.
“Good,” she says. “I’m over this place.”
She doesn’t stop when she reaches Lee. She expects us to follow her, and we do. That’s how she likes it.
We’re due at the boat in an hour, so Gabby heads straight for the flat she’s been staying in. I break off from her to walk in the direction of the barracks, and Lee opts to come with me. Neither of us speaks until we are almost there.
“The Capitol really did a number on her, didn’t it?” I ask.
Lee looks away before he answers.
“Things happened there that I don’t think she’ll ever get over,” he says. “She won’t let anyone be there for her or help her.”
“I know,” I say, realizing how pathetic the two of us are.
I may not love her, and I may resent the hell out of her, but I’d still follow Gabby into a burning building. Lee would follow her in and then use his body as a shield against a shower of bullets to get her out safely.
I grab my few belongings and we make it to the boat with time to spare. I am ready to be done with this city. The things I’ve seen here, the illness I experienced here, I’m done with all of it.
I find Gabby leaning against the rail on deck as we shove off. She doesn’t look up as I stand next to her.
“What?” she snaps.
“You anxious to get back to Dawn?” I ask.
When I say her sister’s name, there is a flicker of apprehension that quickly morphs back into the cold expression she wears most of the time these days. Most people wouldn’t catch that, but I know this girl. Gabby feels like she’s screwed up so many things and she’s afraid that includes her relationship with her sister.
“We don’t even know she’s there,” Gabby says quickly.
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
Chapter 36: Dawn
“Dawn, I want you to meet my friend,” Matty says as he pulls me down the hall.
“Alright, Matty, I’m coming!” I say as I laugh at his eagerness.
To my surprise, we stop outside the shooting range. That’s right, they’re training the kids. I push the image of Matty aiming a rifle out of my mind as we enter the room. Only one person is in here at the moment so we stand at the back wall, waiting for him to finish. When he sets his gun down, he turns to us.
“Dawn this is Antonio,” Matty says.
I stare at the willowy boy in front of me with his dark hair and even darker eyes. He doesn’t smile at me.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” I say finally. “I’m a friend of Matty and Drew.”
Drew saved Antonio and another boy in St. Louis.
“Where are you from Antonio?” I ask.
I know he’s Mexican, but I want to know how he ended up here. The kid just shrugs.
“He’s a Moreno,” Matty blurts out, proud that he has the answer I want.
I catch the sharp look Antonio gives his friend, but then his shoulders sag and he walks across the room to put his gun in the locker. He then leaves us without a word.
“How much do you know about Antonio?” I ask Matty.
“His mom still lives in Mexico,” he answers.
I glance at Matty and see that he’s just excited that he’s helping me. Young boys can’t be expected to keep secrets and I’m glad for that.
“Come on kid,” I say as I tousle his hair and lead him to the mess, hoping he has more information. Food is the way to a young man’s heart.
Chapter 37: Dawn
There’s yelling coming from my father’s office and it’s not him. I turn the corner just in time to hear the row end as Allison storms by me. I want to know what that was all about, but the general would get narked at me for even asking.
I step into his office and take a seat without being invited. His back is turned to me, but I can see he is still shaken from whatever Allison was shouting about.
“Dawn,” he says when he finally greets me, his anger at Allison slowly disappearing from his eyes.
“Did you know that we have a Mexican kid here?” I ask.
“Yes,” he responds,
because of course he knew.
“Does the name Moreno mean anything to you?”
“What?” He snaps, suddenly alert. “Where did you hear that?”
“Apparently the kid is a Moreno,” I state.
His face looks stricken as he covers his mouth with his hand.
“What’s a Moreno?” I ask after a stunned silence.
“The Moreno’s are a cartel in Mexico,” he says, slumping back in his chair. “There’s a rumor that they are trying to acquire the weapon from Kearn.”
“Shite,” I say as I lean back as well, not knowing what else to say.
“Are you sure of this information?” my father asks, his gaze not leaving my face.
“He told one of the other kids,” I say. “What is he doing with the Rebels?”
“Captain Collins raised him since he was young,” he responds. “He thought he was an orphan. I want to know why he was north of the border in the first place. We’re going to have to go in to Los Condenados sooner rather than later.”
“Where’s that?” I ask urgently.
“It’s where the Moreno great house is,” he answers.
“Oh,” I say, because it’s the only response I can formulate as he reaches for a map and unrolls it.
He scratches the week old beard that he just hasn’t bothered to shave and hovers over the desk before pointing to a region on the map.
“That’s Los Condenados,” he informs me.
“I wonder, has the kid changed his name?” he muses.
“Why would he do that?” I ask, confused.
“There is a story about a child taken from the Morenos years ago. He was named for his uncle Juan, who now leads the cartel. His mother was a Moreno. The boy is the oldest heir to Juan, but many say that it was for his own safety that he was brought to the colonies,” he explains.
As my father speaks, his eyes light up conspiratorially.
“No one in the colonies knows exactly why he would be brought north but the Morenos are dangerous so we can guess,” he says.
Eve of Tomorrow (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 3) Page 10