There

by Denise Grover Swank

  “I know.”

  He leans his face closer to mine. “I won’t stop worrying about your safety until I get you back to your world.” He kisses me tenderly, as though I’ll break if he’s not careful.

  We watch the road, the only sound the chirping birds. Suddenly, the birds scream and take flight into the air, rushing over our heads.

  Evan is pushing me away from him and reaching for his weapon when we see Reece and Jo coming toward us.

  With two men who have guns pointed to their heads.

  Evan pushes me behind him and lifts his hands. “What do you want?”

  Two men shove Reece and Jo toward us.

  “Want?” the taller man asks. His hair is neatly trimmed and he wears a camouflage uniform. “You’ve got us all wrong. We’re the welcome wagon.” Then he laughs. “We’re citizens of the United States of America, and we’ve been sent to welcome you.”

  The United States? My heart thumps out of control as my terror rises. The rebels.

  “We’re looking for someone. Someone in the compound.” Evan says.

  The man laughs again. “You and everyone else. Get in line.”

  “You’re wasting your breath,” Reece scowls. “I’ve already told him about my mother.”

  The men march us toward the road, and I limp with my stupid leg. Evan takes my arm to help me, but the other man waves his gun. “Hands to yourself.”

  “But she’s got a sprained ankle.”

  The soldier shrugs. “She’ll have to deal with it.”

  Evan looks angrier than I’ve ever seen him. The fact that Reece hasn’t smart-mouthed them makes me anxious.

  When we get to the road, they lead us down a path to a cargo van. The tall soldier opens the back door. “Gentlemen first.”

  Worry darkens Evan’s eyes, but Reece’s fill with fury. “My mother is Deven Collins.”

  “And my mother is Martha Washington. Get in the van and we’ll take you to see her now.” But the tone of his voice suggests otherwise.

  There are four of us and two of them, but they have guns. The boys step into the back of the van. I half-expect the men to keep Jo outside after insisting the boys go in first, but they push us in next and close the door.

  “Now what?” Evan asks as the van begins to move.

  “We try to convince them who we really are.” Reece rests his elbows on his thighs and leans forward. “But our biggest issue is sitting right here.” His eyes bore into mine. “Where do we say she came from?”

  Everyone stares at me and I try to keep from squirming.

  Jo stretches out her legs. “We can say she’s my sister.”

  I may have dark hair, but that’s about as close as I look to being Asian.

  Reece smirks. “I’m tempted to do it just to see their reaction. But if my mother is there, she knew Julia. The real one.”

  I suck in my breath.

  Evan ignores him. “Cryogenics. We tell them we brought her back with cryogenics. We’ll tell them she needs monitoring, and that I need access to the lab to do it.”

  Reece shrugs. “It might work.”

  “Might?” Jo’s eyebrows rise. “You better get a plan that’s better than might.”

  “It’s the best I can come up with, Jo.” Evan takes my hand and squeezes.

  “Well if that’s the best you can come up with, boy genius,” Jo grumbles, “we’re in a world of trouble.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  When the truck stops, the back doors fly open. Shouting men surround the truck, waving guns. So many voices yell from different directions that it’s hard to determine what’s going on. A faded and torn United States flag flaps in the wind atop a tall concrete wall. My heart sinks. We must be inside their compound.

  The guards rush forward and pull Reece and Evan out of the back of the van, several feet into the courtyard, and force them to the ground, face first.

  When they grab my arm, I’m glad it’s my right one since they show no sign of treating Jo and I with more care. I land on my bad ankle and cry out in pain. When Evan hears, he struggles to get up, but someone stomps his back and holds him in place with a booted foot.

  “Evan, no! I’m okay.”

  He stops fighting, but it won’t take much to set him off again, especially since he’s steeped in guilt after last night.

  I can’t see Jo or Reece. The soldiers surrounding us block my view, but Reece is shouting, trying to be heard above the noise. “Deven Collins!” he shouts. “I’m Deven Collins’s son!”

  If his announcement gets us preferential treatment, I’d hate to see how they treat their enemies. They pull us to our knees and bind our hands behind our backs, then blindfold us. I try not to panic. I’m completely at their mercy, and so far they’ve shown little of it. When they pull us to our feet, I make an attempt to muffle my groan, if nothing else to keep Evan from reacting.

  A gun tip prods my back, and we’re forced to march. I try, but I can’t see where I’m going, and my ankle refuses to cooperate after my march to the van. My gait earns no sympathy from the guards, and seems to irritate them, as though I’m doing it on purpose. After we’ve walked for several minutes, we’re taken into a room. I hear the click of a door close behind us. Then silence. A smell hits me, one I recognize but can’t name. Is it because it’s her memory and not mine? My elevated anxiety surges higher.

  “Julia?” Evan whispers.

  “I’m here. Jo? Reece?”

  “I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Jo says wryly.

  Reece hesitates for a moment. “Julia, are you okay?”

  Part of me is irritated that he asks about me and not Jo or Evan, but it thrills the memories buried in my head, and they rise up at the sound of his voice. Panicked, I find the strength to push them back down. I can’t imagine what might happen if I lose control. “My ankle got a workout,” I say. “But other than that, I’m fine.”

  “I’m sorry.” Reece pauses. “I thought if my mother was here…. I could swear she was here.” His voice trails off, and he sounds like he’s given up hope.

  “Your mother probably is here,” I insist. I have to believe it, because at this point, she’s the only person I see saving us. “They’re just being cautious.”

  “Yeah, right.” But he doesn’t sound convinced.

  Door hinges behind me creak and groan. My terror rises as multiple footsteps echo across the hall toward us. A hand presses on my shoulder, forcing my knees down onto the unyielding floor.

  Out of nowhere the smell slams into my consciousness. It’s mildew. I haven’t smelled it since I came to this world, not even in the caves. The memory is mine, and the knowledge bolsters my courage.

  A male voice booms in the space. “More parasites from outside the compound.”

  A woman answers. “So why bring me here to meet them?” She sounds irritated.

  “Ma’am, it’s because—”

  “Mom?” Reece’s voice rises.

  “Reece?” the woman gasps. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to find you.”

  “But how…?”

  “Evan helped. And Jo.” He leaves me out, probably buying us more time.

  “Take off their blindfolds,” she says.

  The cloth is pulled off my head, and I blink to take in my surroundings. We’re in a room with gray concrete walls and no windows, filled with metal tables and chairs. It looks like a lecture hall or a classroom. A woman leans over Reece, holding his face in her hands. While her love for him is obvious, she doesn’t give him the welcome I expected from a mother who hasn’t seen her son in months.

  Dropping her hands from his cheeks, she puts them on her hips and spins around to survey us. Her mouth twists into a derisive grin. “Evan, why am I not surprised to see you here?”

  “Hello, Mrs. Collins.”

  “How’s your father?” Her voice hitches on the last word, and I wonder if they shared an animosity. Evan doesn’t answer.

  When she sees me, her mout
h drops. “Julia?” She turns to Reece. “How? Julia’s dead.”

  Reece closes his eyes and shakes his head. “It’s a long story, Mom.”

  She looks wary. “Take these three to detention for the time being. Reece, you come with me. I’ll be sending for them to be questioned later.”

  Climbing to his feet, Reece takes a defensive stance. “You’re holding my friends prisoner? You know them.”

  Mrs. Collins gives him an exasperated look. “You just showed up at a secret facility with the son of the head scientist for the United Regions. And not only that, you brought a dead girl and tell me it’s a long story. I’m being cautious, Reece.”

  A guard helps the rest of us up.

  “Julia’s hurt,” Reece blurts out. “Her ankle. Be careful with her.”

  Mrs. Collins nods toward the guards.

  Reece still looks unsure and ready to pounce.

  Evan intervenes. “Reece, we’re fine. They’ll ask us questions, and then we’ll be freed.”

  The look on Mrs. Collins’s face suggests that’s not necessarily the case, but she doesn’t contradict him either. My stomach tightens. I suspect we’re in more danger than we anticipated, but then again, I wasn’t supposed to be in the compound at all. Weariness slides through me and I wonder if there’s any place in this godforsaken world where I’ll ever be safe.

  They blindfold us again and lead us straight, then turn multiple times. I’m sure they’re trying to throw us off if we’re keeping track of which way we’re going. Finally, my blindfold is removed again. and my hands are freed. We’re in what looks like a jail with half a dozen cells. They deposit the three of us in a single cell, but I notice the other holding pens are empty.

  I motion to the bars and glance at the guard. “You don’t have a lot of crime here?”

  His eyes narrow as he shuts the door. “We don’t keep prisoners around long.”

  There are three of us in a room containing two cots. While that suggests they don’t expect to keep all three of us here indefinitely, I’m not sure that’s a good thing.

  I sit on one of the cots as Jo paces, her face expressionless. I’m surprised she hasn’t said I told you so yet.

  Evan leans a hand against the bars. “Are both of you okay?”

  Jo grunts an unintelligible sound.

  I nod slightly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  He pushes away, frustration creasing his forehead. “We should have had a backup plan. In case they found us first.”

  Jo snorts. “You think?”

  I roll my eyes. “Stop it, the both of you. What we should have done is pointless. What do we do now?”

  Evan sits on the bed across from me. He leans forward, clasping his hands together as he searches my face. “We need to figure out what to tell them about you. We never agreed how to explain your presence.”

  “Well, that was stupid.” Jo sounds annoyed and angry.

  “And I’m not disputing that.” He sits up straighter and exhales. “I suspect they’ll question us separately, and since Reece never committed to the cryogenics story, we have to figure out which version we’re going to stick with.”

  “You all aren’t thinking straight. Won’t they know the truth?” My gaze swings from Jo to Evan. From the expressions on their faces, they’re questioning my sanity. “Deacon’s men intercepted UR communications, and while he doesn’t like the UR, they’re not at war. These rebels who claim to be the United States of America are the sworn enemies of the UR. They have even more reason to intercept UR messages.” I let my words sink in and lean against the wall. “The rebels already know the truth. That’s what we tell them.”

  “So let’s say they accept your presence. That’s not our only issue.” Evan’s face is level with mine. “We haven’t been greeted warmly here. They’ve created a compound that they want kept secret, and we were spying on it.”

  My irritation blooms. “It’s not exactly a secret if we find a map owned by scavengers leading us right here.”

  Jo leans a shoulder into the concrete wall. “Scavengers aren’t usually aggressive unless they’re sure they’ll win. Like with you last night. You were alone and they saw an opportunity and took it. Of course, scavengers will know the compound is here, but they won’t approach it unless they know they’re welcome. And they sure as hell won’t talk about it.”

  Evan glares at her, but she ignores him and continues. “It makes sense that they would know the compound’s location, if nothing else, to steer clear.”

  My anxiety rises to a new level. “So what do you want to do?”

  Evan holds my gaze. “We’ll tell them the truth.”

  I know this is the right course. I’m the one who convinced Evan, yet the implications scare the crap out of me. So far they’ve proven themselves no better than the United Regions officials. Counting on Reece’s mother for mercy just because she’s his mother is a poor plan. Look how far we got with Evan’s father. “What if…” I swallow in an attempt to steady my voice. “What if they’re just like the UR and they see me as a threat? What if they think you can help them open a universe?”

  Evan shakes his head. “They’ll be sadly disappointed with me and what I can give them. The UR treated you as a threat because you represented everything they promise to provide to their citizens but can’t deliver—opportunity. The rebels are more likely to see you as hope.”

  “And if you can’t help them open a universe?”

  Evan’s mouth pinches into a thin line. “I don’t know.” He casts a glance toward Jo. “Jo is likely the safest of all of us. She’s not part of any of this.”

  She cocks an eyebrow. “Or it makes me the most expendable.”

  “So we all agree to tell them the truth?” I ask. “And then we deal with the fallout.”

  Evan’s jaw clenches. “I don’t see any other way around this.”

  The door to the holding area opens and two guards enter and open our cell door. “We’re to take the girl for questioning.” They point to me, and I take a deep breath to steady my nerves.

  Evan squeezes my hand and pulls me to my feet. Leaning his forehead against mine, he stares into my eyes. “Just tell them the truth, and you’ll be fine.” He gives me a quick kiss and drops my hand. “I’ll see you soon.”

  I nod and shoot a worried look to him and Jo before I’m blindfolded and led away again. Several minutes later, I’m forced to sit in a chair and the cloth over my eyes is removed.

  Reece’s mother sits across from me, wearing a button-down shirt and khaki pants. The fabric is crisp and new, a sharp contrast to the clothing I’ve seen for the last couple weeks. Her brown hair is cut short and streaked with gray, yet like everyone else in this world, she’s virtually wrinkle-free. She crosses her legs as she watches me. Her green eyes—Reece’s eyes—are guarded.

  My heart sinks, but I don’t flinch, instead lifting my chin to meet her gaze.

  Mrs. Collins uncrosses her legs. “So you’re Julia Phillips?”

  “Yes.”

  “So where are you really from?”

  I’m silent for several seconds then decide to take an offensive approach, even if it’s risky. Maybe Reece is rubbing off on me. “Why don’t we save time and you tell me what you know?”

  Anger flashes in her eyes. “I don’t think you understand the concept of interrogation, Julia. I ask the questions.”

  “What I have to tell you will sound crazy unless you’ve already intercepted United Regions communications, which I suspect you have.” I place a hand on the table to mirror hers. “If survivalists in Kansas City can do it, it has to be a simple enough task for an advanced group like yours.”

  Respect replaces her anger and she gives me a half grin. Reece’s grin. “So it’s true? You’re not the Julia who grew up with Reece and Evan?”

  I hold her gaze. “It’s true. I’m not.”

  “Do you know what this means?”

  “That I should have brought SPF 500 sunscreen?”

  Her fo
rehead wrinkles in confusion, but then it smoothes away, and a mask of friendliness replaces it. “It means there’s hope for our world yet.”

  I want to tell her that her world is doomed not because of the sun and the radiation and the lack of food, but because of the lack of compassion and concern for humanity. Instead, I remain silent.

  She studies me intently. “How did you do it? Cross worlds?”

  I decide to go with the story I told the Deacon. He bought my story based on the information he’d intercepted from the UR. Maybe Mrs. Collins will too. “There’s a portal on a road by a stone church in Springfield. The one with the cemetery.”

  Her eyebrows rise. “Where you’re buried?” Her question is blunt and matter-of-fact. I’m sure it’s meant to shock me so she can gain the upper hand.

  I show no reaction. “Where the other Julia is buried.”

  “How did you cross?”

  “We walked through the hole.”

  She grins and shifts in her seat, sliding her index finger in circles on the table. “You see, Julia, I was in Springfield when you died. I worked in the lab when we began to discover the altered quark activity.” Her finger stops. “I know there is no hole to your world unless it’s opened with a device. You have the device.”

  Stupid me. Of course, she knows. How could I forget she worked with Evan’s father before she left? “If I had the device, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

  “Why are you sitting here right now?”

  “Reece. He wanted to find you. Evan and I came with him.”

  “Because you’re running from the United Regions officials?”

  “Yes.” Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as my grandmother used to say.

  She smiles again, but it’s false. “That was so thoughtful of you both.”

  I don’t answer.

  “The question is how you got here to this world. I understand that Evan brought you.”