by Angel Lawson
Sophia brings us to the courthouse and stops at a door that still has the tag ’Courtroom A’ tagged to the wall. “Everyone that enters the city has to come across the review board. It’s just for basic safety. Some survivors are a bit erratic when they arrive. We don’t kick them out but it’s important people get the help they need,” she says. “I’ve briefed them on what you’ve told me already and the council is eager to hear about your experiences. The trickle of survivors slows with each passing week. There are not many people still living out there.”
“Oh they’re out there—they’re just content where they are,” I say. “Or they have no idea you’re here.”
“We’ve had to be careful about alerting the wider area of our existence.” I don’t blame her. Chloe would have steam rolled over this place in rage-fueled heartbeat.
“Smart.”
She peeks in the window and says, “They’re ready. Follow me.”
There’s a circular table at the front of the room across from wooden benches. Eleven members of the council sit behind the table, a variety of ages and cultures. Their shoes are visible and I note they’re mostly sneakers or boots. One man has a knife strapped to his thigh. I feel a sense of relief. No one who understands what’s happening outside the gates wears shoes you can’t run and fight in or walks around unarmed. Already these people seem more together than the officials we met in New Hope.
We file into the front row, confident in our unity. We agreed in the apartment we would find out what the council knew about the outside world—about Hamilton and the Hybrids. I get the feeling they’re not clueless but until you experience it yourself, it’s hard to judge. Hamilton lives in a glass house. His ideas are dangerous.
“Welcome to Winston-Salem,” the woman at the center of the table says. She has light brown skin and thick black hair, streaked with white, pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck. Her eyes are a vivid green and there are deep lines that claw outward, giving the air of someone much older. Life hasn’t been easy for this woman. “I’m Roberta Perez, chairperson of the council. It seems you’ve had quite the journey.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jude replies. He has the best manners and most unassuming nature. We voted him spokesperson. “We met one another in Augusta. It’s been a long journey.”
The men and woman glance at one another and Ms. Perez speaks again. “Our scouts tell us anything south of Columbia, South Carolina is impassible.”
“Possibly,” Jude says again. “It’s been a while since we left that area. Conflict was high at the time. Different groups vying for territory.”
“What kind of groups?” a young man with a thick beard asks. His name tag says Ethan.
“Militant groups,” Jude says. “There were a few former military groups around as well as people that took up arms.”
No one utters the name PharmaCorp.
“Were you part of one of these groups?” Ethan asks.
“At one time or the other. It was best to stick with larger community—for protection and safety.”
“Mr…” Ms. Perez looks at Wyatt. We may have asked Jude to be our spokesperson but it only takes a moment in Wyatt’s presence to understand his authority.
“Wyatt Faraday.”
“Wyatt, then. We’re hearing rumors that go beyond basic military action down south. It could just be a myth—or a post-crisis urban legend—but the survivors that come into town often speak of men and women stronger than the infected—enhanced soldiers. Have you encountered anything like that?”
Wyatt pauses for the tiniest moment, I don’t know if Ms. Perez or the others notice but he answers truthfully. “Yes, I’ve encountered these men and women. We call them Hybrids.”
“And they’re dangerous?” Ethan asks. He’s leaning over the table. The woman next to him, an older woman with a full head of gray hair, has a deep, concerned line creasing her forehead.
“Extremely.”
We watch as the members of the council turn to one another and murmur in conversation. I’m worried he’s said too much and it will set them into a panic—but we’ll never get anywhere without the truth. I open my mouth to speak when Ms. Perez looks at Sophia who is standing by an interior door. “Please fetch the informant.”
Sophia nods and disappears behind the wooden door.
“We recently had a survivor come through intake. She was half-starved and ill—although free from the infection. Our health services put her in the infirmary on close watch. Her behavior was erratic and due to the fever—or at least what we thought was the fever—she had raving delusions about what was going on outside Winston-Salem and our immediate cleared areas. There was enough truth to what she said that we’ve kept her monitored for the last month while hoping for corroboration.” Ms. Perez sighs. “She used the term Hybrid—something no one else has used up to this point. Until now.”
The door opens and we all look at Sophia returning to the room. “She claims she has nothing new to say. You either believe her or just lock her back up. She doesn’t care.”
“I’m aware this has been a hard time for her,” Ms. Perez says. “Ask her to come in—I think she’ll be interested in our guests.”
Sophia pushes open the door and the entry is empty until I see a figure dressed in a basic, scrub-style uniform. I spot the braids next and smooth dark skin. A jagged scar slashes through her eyebrow. Her brown eyes flash in confusion and then recognition when she sees us. I reach for Wyatt’s hand.
Jude pushes Zoe to the side and races across the room, shocking the guard and the Council.
We’ve found Parker.
15
Parker shoves aside Sophia and flings her arms around Jude. He doesn’t miss a beat, squeezing her tight as she repeats over and over, “I thought I’d never find you again.”
He strokes the long braids that hang down her back. She closes her eyes and breaths him in. Taking a moment in the chaos to reconnect.
Tears prick at my eyes and Wyatt’s hand tightens in mine. There’s no doubt this world is crazy. It’s dark and lonely. We struggle and fight and alternately pray for it to all end and to live another day. But we also found something so good out here. And Parker is one of the good ones.
“I gather you know one another,” Ms. Perez says, gesturing for the guards to stand down.
“Yes,” I say going in for my own hug. She hasn’t let go of Jude’s hand for a second. “What did she do to get locked up?” I ask but the look of defiance on Parker’s face explains a lot. She must not have made it easy on anyone.
“And you two,” she looks at Mary Ellen and Jude. “Did you lie on your entry information? I’m assuming you’re not really married.”
“No, we’re not. My fiancé was killed not long ago.” Mary Ellen says. “It’s smarter to pose as a couple. For safety. Nothing more.”
Ms. Perez nods, although I’m sure she can’t understand what it’s like to be out there or come into a new community alone. I look at Parker, her hands are shaking and she’s thin as a rail. I’m not sure I understand, either.
Parker stops short when she realizes Zoe is standing with us. That she’s part of us. “What is she doing here?”
“Zoe’s okay, Parker. She’s helped us out.”
“Your funeral, you know that right?” She eyes the younger girl with a hard glare. Zoe holds her eye but her color pales. Parker rolls her eyes and says, “Her daddy is gonna find you and it won’t be pretty.”
She’s right. When Hamilton catches up to us, Zoe being with us will be a problem. One I hope we can leverage when the time comes.
“Are you okay?” I ask, wanting to get off the topic of the girl. “Where have you been? Walker said you disappeared from New Hope.”
Parker’s eyes narrow. “Is she here?”
“No, we, uh, left her a while back.”
Parker wipes her nose with her sleeve and tries to gain composure. “Yeah, I didn’t disappear. I left that crazy town when I realized what was going on.”
“They didn’t believe me,” Parker says. Jude grips her hand tighter.
“No, it’s not that,” Ethan says. “We just wanted to make sure you weren’t still sick or possibly unstable. It was a hard story to believe.”
I step forward and approach the table. “Everything Parker has told you is true. From the coast of Georgia to Ohio there’s been a battle raging on between humans, Eaters and a Hybrid mutation of the two. A vaccine does exist—as well as alterations to it that cause an even bigger danger.”
“A vaccine?” Ethan asks.
“Yes. My sister developed it. It’s real and it works.”
“Where is your sister now?” Ms. Perez asks.
“In New Hope working for Hamilton. He wants a clean vaccine—one that doesn’t lead to the mutations,” I say. “It’s the right thing to do but Hamilton has other ideas that are not in the best interest of our rebuilding society.”
Zoe steps forward. “I know my father wants to open trade with you but you should be wary. He’s a complicated person.”
“Your father is Colonel Hamilton?” Perez asks. Her forehead creases with concern. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“He’s dangerous,” Parker blurts. “It’s why I ran. I needed you to know before you made any arrangements with him. He has plans to restart the government—with himself as the leader.”
“Is that a terrible idea? It sounds like New Hope is doing very well. To make progress we’ll have to have strong leadership,” Ethan says. “It makes sense that he would take that position.”
“He has extreme ideas,” Wyatt says. “About purity and biology. He claims they are for the betterment of society but things aren’t the same as before.”
“You mean the Hybrids,” Ms. Perez says. “You said yourself that they’re dangerous. Are his concerns not valid?”
Wyatt clenches his jaw. “It’s not black and white—not anymore. The Hybrids are not the only mutation.”
“What are you talking about?” Ethan asks.
I step forward. “My sister is a brilliant scientist and as much as I hate to admit it, very dangerous.”
“You said she created a vaccine—something we desperately need.”
“She did create the vaccine and she willingly shares it with survivors. In the process of doing something good she also made something bad. She developed the mutation for the Hybrids. And additionally something we call a Mutt—which is a human/hybrid mixture.”
“A Mutt?” Perez looks like her brain may implode.
“The Mutts are good. Their brains and humanity intact. And without them we cannot take on the Hybrids. It’s the only way we defeated them before.”
“Hamilton wants to get rid of all the mutations?” she asks.
“Yes.” Again I move closer to the bench and do my best to keep my voice calm and level. “We have friends that sacrificed themselves to become Mutts. They fought side by side with us to defeat the Hybrid Army. But Hamilton…his views are a distraction. They could lead us down a path of even greater destruction, because if we kill the Mutts then we are at risk. The Hybrids will not stop until we’re all dead.”
The council chair frowns. “What are you saying? You want to keep some of the mutants alive?”
Wyatt rubs his neck. He doesn’t want to reveal what comes next. “It means we need them on our side. We need them to work for us and with us. To eradicate the Eaters and Hybrids and rebuild society. But if you let Hamilton in here he’ll manipulate things the wrong way. We’ll be fighting a war—his war—not making progress.”
She looks at Zoe. “Is this true?”
“My father is very convincing and very committed to his ideas. Increasingly, I am aware that his beliefs are not the best thing for society as a whole.”
“He’ll take out anyone that gets in his way,” Parker says. “Anyone.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ethan asks. He crosses his arms over his chest. “Because if we’re under threat of genetically modified soldiers it sounds like Hamilton may not be a bad person to have on our side.”
“I’ve learned the hard way that even when I’ve been desperate it’s not a good idea to make a deal with the devil.” I study each person on the council. “It’s hard to know who to trust out here and you don’t know us at all but we’re the real deal. We know what we’re talking about.”
“I’ll admit, Ms. Ramsey, it’s a hard story to digest. We’ll take your plea into consideration but Colonel Hamilton is scheduled to arrive in the next few weeks. We owe him an audience.”
“Wait. There’s one more thing,” I say, feeling the truth bubble in my chest. I look at my friends and I’m met with universal approval. Everyone except Wyatt who stares at the ground in silence. “We’re wanted by Hamilton. We abandoned our positions as bounty hunters. He’s probably also under the impression we kidnapped his daughter.”
“Which is not true,” Zoe says. “For the record.”
“So if you’re here, we’re harboring fugitives.”
“Not only that but in the course of the Hybrid wars, many sacrifices were made. Several of us--” I don’t name names, “--took a booster shot that gave us enhanced abilities. It was temporary and frankly, the only thing that kept us alive.”
Parker gasps and the rest of the room falls into instant chatter. The guards at both doors reach for their weapons. Ms. Perez stands and says, “You’ve just told us how dangerous the Hybrids are and now you admit to being one?”
“No.” I hold my hands up. Ethan moves the knife from the leg strap. Wyatt is a heartbeat behind me, daring anyone to make a move. “No. This is what we’re trying to tell you. The E-TR virus changed us—changed the fabric of humanity. It changed everyone and to survive we have had to take risks. We weren’t lucky enough to live behind the walls of a safe city. I lived forty miles away and had no idea this place existed. Instead, I went through hell and back to fight for humans. In the end I had to make a difficult choice. One that threatened to tear me away from those closest to me, but one that also was the right thing to do.”
“What do you want from us, Ms. Ramsey?” Perez asks.
“We want you to help us fight for the future, the kind with a real leader and not some deranged sociopath that managed to survive The Crisis with twisted logic and sketchy ideas.” I glance at Zoe. “No offense.”
She shrugs.
“We’ll take your concerns into consideration,” Ms. Perez says. “I don’t think anyone on the Council feels comfortable making a decision until we have more facts and an opportunity to talk to Hamilton directly. The idea of using the Mutts as protection may be a good one, but there would have to be limitations. Segregation from the rest of the community.”
“What?” Jude says. I glance back and see his upset expression. “No. That’s not okay. They’re still people.”
“Are the Eaters not still people underneath?”
“It’s not the same thing,” Parker says.
“How do we know that?” Perez asks.
“If you spent any time out there you’d know the difference.”
Perez shakes her head. “I think we’re through here. Since you’re admitted fugitives and we’re under a complicated alliance with New Hope we need you to stay here until Hamilton arrives. I appreciate your information and honesty and I see no reason to place you in the prison cells. You’re welcome to return to the hotel under guard and supervision while we consider everything that transpired today.”
“That’s all? You’ll consider it?” I ask. Wyatt tugs on the back of my shirt and I reluctantly quiet. “Thank you.”
�
��What about Parker?” Jude asks.
“She can go with you.” She looks down at our friend. “I apologize for keeping you in isolation. We have to take precautions.”
“Don’t waste this opportunity,” I say to the council as Sophia ushers us out the door. “It seems like you’ve got an amazing town. It’s exactly the kind of place people love to destroy.”
16
We arrive back at the hotel and Wyatt takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom. His face is grim, jaw tight and set, eyes boring into mine.
“That was very—”
“Stupid? I know, I’m sorry, I’m just tired of lying and being on guard and I just want—”
“Brave.” He steps close and takes my hands in his. “You’re so brave. I’m envious of your strength.”
I snort and run my hands up his arms. His biceps are rock hard. “Me? I don’t think so.”
“I’m not talking physical strength, not exactly. I’m talking about how you fight for us over and over.” The way he looks at me rocks me to the core and I’m terrified for some reason. “You’re the girl who kicks ass. The one that hits back. The one, when the time calls for it, shoots without hesitation. In the end Alexandra, you’ll be the one that saves us all.”
“That’s a lot of pressure.”
“Good thing you’re not doing it alone.”
I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him in for a hug. He’s not going to like what I’m about to say next, but asking after that speech may work in my favor.
“There’s something I need to do.”
“What?”
I take a deep breath. “I need to go home.”
We pack up and tell the others.
“You’re breaking out?” Jude asks. Parker sits close to him on the couch. Mary Ellen is on her other side.
“Breaking out sounds so…illegal. Who are these people to hold us prisoner?” I don’t add that I have a nagging feeling in my stomach that struck me the minute we went over the mountains. “It’s just something I need to do, you know? We’re so close to my hometown. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.”