Project Dandelion: Resistance

by Heather Carson

  Project Dandelion: Resistance

  Heather Carson

  Book 3

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2020 Heather Carson

  Courtesy of Blue Tuesday Books

  ISBN: 9798612847878

  Chapter 1

  The last of the late summer sun was fading over the mountains in the west. Katrina laid on her mattress in the officer’s barracks room and watched the light fade through the white metal blinds. Darkness made the streetlamps shine brighter on the walkway below. The building she was in sat on a hill which overlooked the miles of desert landscape stretching out in either direction. It was barren and bleak, but alive.

  She heard the door to the room creak open and turned to see James standing in the doorway. The light from the main corridor softly illuminated his frame. He wore loose sweatpants which hung low on his hips and his chest was bare. Katrina’s eyes lazily traveled up the lines of his body and she smiled when she saw his tussled black hair.

  He put his hands in his pockets as he shrugged in response to her smile. His eyes shined a piercing blue and he turned his head to the side, his own lips curling into a grin. “Mind if I come in?” he asked.

  Katrina lifted the blanket for him in response. His bare feet padded across the floor as he quickly crossed the room and crawled into bed with her. She pulled the blanket over his head as he snuggled in. James wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her close. She buried her head against his neck and inhaled deeply. He smelled of soap and comfort.

  “Hi,” she whispered as she looked up to his face. “You okay?”

  “Better now.” He smiled as he pushed the hair out of her eyes. “Did I wake you?”

  Katrina shook her head as she relaxed against him. “I was hoping you would come.”

  “Well I’m glad I can make your dreams come true,” he laughed. Katrina rolled her eyes, but the smile stayed on her lips.

  It feels so right, right now, she thought. Safe and warm. This is perfect. She looked back up to see him staring at her. His hair was pressed flat against the white sheet. Her heart started pounding and she bit her bottom lip.

  Slowly, she turned her body so that she was on top of him, her face slightly above his. She could feel his breath quicken and it made her bolder. Leaning down, she brushed her lips gently against his lips as she wrapped her fingers through his fingers. His lips parted open in waiting. Electricity curled her toes as he groaned…

  The door to the room slammed open with a bang and Katrina pulled her face back. James’ eyes locked with hers in surprise just as the blanket was ripped off them. The light from the overhanging bulb momentarily blinded her but she didn’t need to see who it was because his voice boomed throughout the room.

  “No way in hell is this happening.” Sgt. Major Floyd stood in full uniform at the side of Katrina’s bed. James scrambled to get to his feet.

  “Dad!” Katrina screamed. “You can’t just barge into my room like this. Boundaries!”

  “Apparently any person is allowed in your room.” The Sgt. Major’s voice was cold as he turned to James. James stared back momentarily and seemed to think twice before averting his gaze to the floor.

  “Excuse me?” Katrina shouted at her father. “This is not okay. We can talk about this another time but not right now.”

  “You’re right about that,” Sgt. Major Floyd said as he put his hand on James’ back and steered him out of the room. “We will have a talk later. Right now, I’m going to have a talk with the boy. Stay here Katrina.” He slammed the door shut behind him. Katrina screamed as she hit the door with her fist. Then she turned around and slid to the floor with her head in her hands.

  Ah, Katrina moaned to herself. There is such a thing as feeling too safe.

  Chapter 2

  Katrina stormed into the cafeteria the next morning with her eyes blazing. James was sitting at the table with his tray of food already in front of him. He looked up and gave her a sly smile before taking a bite of his eggs. His smile was enough to slow the anger boiling inside of her, but only for a second. She scanned the room to see the military men and women in line getting their meal. The other survivors that were found had been placed in family housing units, but her dad insisted the kids stay with the active duty members.

  Jayden slid into the chair next to James. She heard him ask, “What’s going on bro?” Her blood pressure rose again.

  “Are you okay?” Dreya asked as she walked into the room with Mia by her side. “You look a little crazy right now.” Katrina looked past her friend as she finally saw Sgt. Major Floyd entering the cafeteria to refill his coffee cup. She marched the distance of the room directly toward him. He didn’t look up from his cup. When she was two steps away, he put the coffee pot back.

  “Go to my office and wait,” he said without turning around to see her. Katrina ground her teeth as she walked past him and out of the cafeteria.

  *

  “You could have knocked.” Katrina glared at her father after he closed the office door.

  “Why would I knock? It’s my office.” Sgt. Major Floyd walked around the desk and sat in his chair.

  Katrina groaned and put her head on the table. “Last night Dad. You should have knocked.”

  “Ah. But if I did that your little friend would have tried to jump out of the window and probably would have broken his neck. I saved his life. You’re welcome.” The Sgt. Major leaned back in his seat.

  She looked up from the desk at her dad. He was smiling at her with his big lopsided grin. “You know he is my boyfriend, right? Not just my little friend.”

  His smile faltered and he reached for the stack of papers sitting on his desk. “You aren’t allowed to have a boyfriend until you are 18. Until then, he is just a friend.”

  “Dad.” Katrina put her hands on the desk. “We are living in the end of the world. Do you really think waiting another three months is that important anymore?”

  “Our world didn’t end, kid. They might have tried to end it, but we are still here. And as long as I’m still here, rules are rules.”

  Katrina put her hands on top of her head. “I’m not budging on this. You don’t know what we’ve been through. You left me in that awful bunker and these are the consequences of your actions.”

  Sgt. Major Floyd raised an eyebrow. “I can understand that you’ve made a friend. Maybe even a good friend. But you don’t need to sleep together.”

  Cpl. Boulder opened the door to the room. He saw Katrina and tried to shut it, but the Sgt. Major waved him inside. “I think we are about done here, right Katrina?” He looked to his daughter. “Unless there is something else you’d like to talk about.” Katrina stood and nodded to Boulder.

  He nodded back and carried the files over to the desk. “Lt. Oxford wants you to take a look at these,” Cpl. Boulder said while putting the green folders down on the desk.

  “Actually,” Katrina interrupted. “There is something else that I want to talk about and I’m glad you are both here.” The two men turned to look at her. “I want to go get the rest of the kids out of the shelter.”

  Sgt. Major Floyd rubbed his chin. “They aren’t really a priority right now. The kids are safe and cared for. The guards aren’t posing a threat to us while on that assignment. We will get them out, but it won’t be immediately.”

  “No.” Katrina shook her head. “I want to get them now. I’ll go alone if I have to. Just give me a tank.” Boulder chuckled as Katrina’s dad moved his hand from his chin to his forehead.

  “Katrina,” her father warned. “There are more important tasks here. People are trapped. People are dying. The new government is getting rid of innocent civilians. Those are the pe
ople we need to save.”

  “Sgt. Major.” Katrina’s eyes narrowed. “I understand that. But the longer they stay there, the more brainwashed they become. You said yourself that you need more men to fight on your side. Some of the kids will fight and some of the military there are good people. They don’t want to be there, but they were caught up in the initial confusion.” She looked to Cpl. Boulder, her eyes searching his face. “Dr. C. is still there. We need to get her out.”

  Boulder briefly smiled at Katrina. “She is right, Sgt. Major,” he said. “I spoke with some of the guards. There is a general sense of unease among the lower enlisted. I think some of them will leave willingly.”

  Sgt. Major Floyd sighed. “Let me think on this some. Go get your breakfast, Katrina. Chow time is almost over.”

  *

  Katrina grabbed a tray off the stack of remaining ones and headed down the assembly line. The serving bins were mostly empty, but she managed to get a spoonful of oddly shaped potatoes and a few pieces of broken sausage links. The CS serving the food shrugged and gave her an apologetic smile.

  Katrina smiled in return. “It was my fault for being late.” She took her tray and headed over to the table where her friends were.

  Dreya tried not to smile as Katrina sat next to her. “Heard you got caught with a boy in your room last night.” Katrina’s cheeks turned red as she looked to James.

  He put his head onto his arms on the table. “They’ve been giving me crap all morning,” he mumbled.

  Mia burst out laughing. “Oh, come on though. It’s just so normal. She got in trouble for having a boy in her room. Meanwhile, World War 3 is happening outside.”

  “I’m surprised James wasn’t a war casualty last night.” Jayden coughed to hide his laughter.

  Katrina’s cheeks were burning. “What did he say to you anyway?” she asked.

  James raised his head up just enough so that his blue eyes appeared over his forearm and under his messy hair. “Just that you weren’t allowed to have a boyfriend and if he ever caught me in your room again, he would hang me outside on a tree by my toes. Also, that I need a haircut.”

  Katrina put her hands over her face and groaned. “I’m so sorry. This is so embarrassing.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed.” Dreya touched her shoulder. “It’s sweet that he cares so much. You’re lucky you still have him.” The laughter faded from the table.

  Katrina smiled sadly at her friend. “I wish I wasn’t the only one.”

  “I know,” Dreya reassured her. “We just get to put up with your family drama for all the stuff we will miss. What did you say to him?”

  “Nothing that got through,” Katrina crossed her arms. “I did tell him we want to go get the rest of the dandelion kids out. But he has to think about it.”

  The five of them went into the kitchen to wash the trays and breakfast dishes. Sgt. Major Floyd thought it would be a good job for them and they needed all five people just to get it done before lunch. The stainless-steel sinks were filled with serving utensils and plastic tubs. Katrina washed and rinsed. James dropped in the sanitizing sink and dried. Dreya and Jayden wiped down the surfaces while Mia mopped the floor.

  “About this no boyfriend thing,” James asked as Katrina handed him another tray, “how long is this rule for?”

  Katrina pushed a piece of hair that was tickling her nose out of her face with the back of her glove. “Three more months actually. Until I turn 18.”

  “What do we do for three more months?” James stacked the dry tray and leaned against the sink.

  Katrina smiled. “I guess we are friends until then.” She stood on her tip toes to kiss him quickly on the lips. “Really, really good friends.”

  Chapter 3

  The helicopter blades cut through the air with loud chopping sounds. Three V-22 Ospreys landed on the tarmac of the airfield. The troops came rushing down the ramps and quickly fell into formation. Katrina walked with Dreya and Mia to the edge of the field as her father left the girls to go address the military members.

  Sgt. Major Floyd stood in front of the formation as they were called to attention. Katrina realized how different this formation looked. All the branches of the military stood represented with their varying shades of camouflage uniform looking like a distortion of what should be invisible. Yet they all stood tall with the same look on their faces. A look of weariness coupled with determination. Pride welled inside of her as her dad began to address the crowd.

  “You’ve fought hard men,” Sgt. Major Floyd stated. “But the fight still isn’t over. Gunny Drake informed me that you took no casualties on this mission. We could say it was luck, but we know it wasn’t luck. It is because you are all ruthless warriors and the enemy is a fascist bunch of bureaucrats who don’t stand a chance against us.” A mixture of oorahs and hooyahs coursed from the group. Sgt. Major Floyd smiled. “Job well done. Go get some sleep and some chow. Then be ready for the next mission because we aren’t done until we take our country back. Dismissed.”

  Katrina watched the formation fall out as they went to the buses that would take them to their barracks room or house on base. She hadn’t paid any attention to the third helicopter until that moment. Standing to the side of the helicopter was a family. A woman and a man with two young children. The kids were clinging tightly to their mother’s legs as the father stood awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.

  To the right of the family was a teenage boy and girl. Her jaw dropped when she saw they were wearing identical black sweats and grey t-shirts. The clothes they all were given at the dandelion shelter. Katrina scanned their faces but couldn’t recognize them. She turned to ask Dreya if she knew who they were, but Dreya and the Sgt. Major had already started walking across the tarmac.

  That’s right, Katrina thought as she and Mia ran to catch up. She’s done this before. Dreya had appointed herself as some kind of hospitality manager. Softening Sgt. Major Floyds rough welcome to incoming refugees. Katrina’s dad hadn’t complained.

  Mia and Katrina caught up to them just as Sgt. Major Floyd shook the man’s hand.

  “Welcome to the Resistance,” he said. The woman had tears rolling down her face as she smiled.

  The man’s voice cracked, and he coughed to clear it. “Thank you, Sgt. Major, for getting us here. We’ve been trying to stay low profile. I thought it best to get far away from the city when the bombs dropped. We’ve been on the move, dodging those tanks for weeks after we saw what they were doing. Then we got caught up at the wrong moment with the new government’s guards. If your men hadn’t stormed that compound, I don’t know what would have happened to my family.”

  Sgt. Major Floyd released the man’s hand. “Think nothing of it. You’re safe here now.” The man looked back to his wife and she nodded, the tears still streaking her cheeks.

  “Sgt. Major,” the man said as he turned back to face him. “I was 0311 in the Marines for three years before I went to college. With your permission, I’d like to put back on a uniform.”

  Katrina’s dad clapped the man on the back like a long lost friend. “Of course, Marine. We will get you your uniform.”

  “Let’s get your family settled in first though,” Dreya said as she reached out an arm to the woman who smiled graciously back at her. She shuffled the kids to the waiting van.

  Sgt. Major Floyd reluctantly let the man go and walked to the teenagers. “Now where did you two come from?” he asked. The kids stood silent. “I know you are Project Dandelion. Which shelter are you from?” They both stared past him and didn’t answer. “Come on now. We need to know if the rest of your shelter is in danger. Just tell me where you are from.” The girl reached over to grab the boy’s hand, but they still said nothing.

  Katrina smiled when she saw their fingers clasp. “We were from Shelter 17,” she said softly to the girl. “Why’d you guys run?” The girl looked to the boy and he shook his head no. “In our shelter,” Katrina continued, “the kids tried to form a community but tha
t meant we all had to live by their rules. This guy Lark was the leader. He was a jerk. Me and my…” her voice trailed off as she looked at her father. “Me and my good friends took off running the minute the doors unlocked.”

  The girl was watching Katrina intently. “We all ran. Most of them got caught but we didn’t,” she said as she squeezed the boy’s hand.

  “Where did you run from?” The Sgt. Major was getting impatient. The two kids stared at him without speaking.

  “This is my dad.” Katrina glared at her father. “He is fighting the guards who kept you there. Those men are a part of the new government. The government that destroyed the world. These men here are trying to stop them.” The girl’s shoulders relaxed as she listened. “Where were you going?” Katrina asked.

  “We were heading to the coast. Hoping we could find a boat and maybe sail to an island somewhere,” the girl whispered.

  “Well you are free to leave whenever you want,” Sgt. Major Floyd said as he turned toward the van. “I’d just like to know where you came from so that I can send help if they need it.”

  The boy looked over the barren desert landscape for a moment and then back to Katrina’s dad. “My name is Leroy Mercer, and this is Rose,” he said. “We are from Shelter 15. Outside of Tuscan, Arizona. They are going to need your help, sir.”

  Chapter 4

  Dreya took the family to the housing community center. The base houses were full, but families began moving in with one another to give up their homes for the refugees. Cots were set up in the center and Dreya made sure to get the refugees some basic necessities while they waited placement in a house.

  The towns surrounding the base were nearly empty. The few residents that stayed in their homes, and had survived the initial fallout, kept in close contact with base officials. They were given passes to get on the base if they ever needed to. The abandoned stores were raided by small military parties in order to keep supplies up on base.