“Dammit,” Alexandra said, “We don’t have time for this!”
Marco returned from inspecting his bike and said, “I got the doctor’s bag. There’s maybe some useful stuff in here?”
“Maybe,” Alexandra said, her eyes still on the cowardly doctor.
“If we get the bag back in time,” Marco said, “Maybe Koneh can use what’s in here?”
“Good idea. Erzulie, fly it back to them,” Alexandra said.
“As you command.”
Erzulie lifted into the sky and disappeared.
“You’re coming with us, Henry,” Alexandra said as she turned to Marco. “Can you lift…?”
The question died in her throat as she found herself staring into the barrel of Marco’s pistol. Where did he get a silencer?
“Not a word,” Marco said as he shifted his aim to the doctor and squeezed the trigger.
“No!” Alexandra said as she lunged for the weapon. She was too slow. With a thud, Henry slumped to the ground. Marco stepped backwards and yelled in Santino’s direction. “Stay put, or she dies.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Alexandra asked as her hand strayed to the sword at her side.
“You’re not that fast,” Marco said. “Drop the sword to the ground.”
As she complied, the truth of Tampico resonated in her mind. “You didn’t escape,” she said. “They let you go.”
Marco nodded as he stepped towards the rig. Six shots later, a majority of Santino’s tires hissed in protest as they flattened.
“Why?” Alexandra asked, though she thought she knew the answer.
“I made my bargain,” Marco said. He pointed his pistol at her. “Now, let’s take a little walk.”
Chapter 22
“This should be good,” Marco said. “You can stop now.”
The lights of Santino’s rig were a distant speck. Alexandra wondered if Santino was smart enough to fill Marco’s bike with gas and go for help. Or would it be too late?
Marco drew a different kind of gun from under his jacket and fired a green flare into the dark sky.
“What was that for?”
“I told you,” he said, “I made my bargain.”
A plan formed in her mind. Maybe she could rush him. “So, they want me alive?” she asked, not sure who they were.
Marco looked to the sky. “Si.”
She calmed her nerves and readied her attack. She reasoned she would get one chance and she decided to take it.
“It would be a pity to blow off one of those beautiful knee caps,” Marco said as he lowered his pistol to Alexandra’s knees.
She froze. Was he bluffing?
“You know,” Marco said as a grin spread across his lips, “they might take a while to get here. Plenty of time for me to get more out of my bargain.”
With one smooth motion, Marco advanced upon her and cracked her on the side of her head with the butt of his pistol. She fell to the ground and he pinned her. He growled as he reached for the waistband of her fatigues.
Perhaps he thought she was more subdued from the pistol-whip? Perhaps he lost control of his common sense in the heat of the moment? Whatever the reason, Alexandra was aware enough to deliver a sharp knee to his groin. She followed her attack with a twist of her attacker’s wrist. Though she didn’t mean to break his bones, she heard his wrist snap and the gun fall to the dirt.
Pushing Marco from her, she rolled to her side and scooped the pistol as she came to her feet. Her attacker groaned and held his broken wrist.
Shoot him or let him go? In the split second she gave herself to decide, Alexandra couldn’t pull the trigger. She turned and ran towards Santino’s headlights.
Still woozy from the blow to the head, she tumbled to the ground several times before reaching the truck. To her delight, she found Santino fiddling with Marco’s bike. An empty gasoline container rested nearby.
“No time,” Alexandra said as she lifted her sword from the ground and handed Santino the pistol. “We probably have company.”
Santino nodded and said, “Si, we can go.”
She hopped on the back of the bike and put her arms around Santino as he kicked the starter. Moments later, they raced down the freeway towards Koneh and the others.
Alexandra caught movement in the corner of her eye in time to see a winged form crash into them. Both passengers were flung from the vehicle and Alexandra rolled on the pavement several times before resting on her back. In addition to being flame retardant, the fatigues from General Ryan also resisted shock. However, her bones still screamed their pain from every joint.
“Kono day rah,” one winged creature said to another as it landed and advanced upon Santino’s motionless body.
There were two. Alexandra forced herself to her feet and drew her sword. The weapon wavered as she scanned the area. One demon was almost upon Santino, though she didn’t know if he had survived the crash. The other demon stood about fifteen feet from her, its teeth bared as it snarled at her.
The cut on Alexandra’s cheek burned as if a warning to be wary of their tails. Her knees wobbled and she wasn’t sure she could fight, but she took refuge in the possibility these demons were here to capture, not kill. However, Santino might not get the same offer.
“Back away from him,” Alexandra said, projecting the strongest voice she could muster.
“Jemo rah,” the closer demon said.
“I’ll take that as a no,” Alexandra said as she closed the distance and swung her weapon at her enemy.
The demon caught her arm with its own clawed hand and shredded her jacket, scraping her forearm. Alexandra tumbled to the ground and lost hold of her sword. Pushing against the pavement, she forced herself to her feet again. She couldn’t give up on Santino.
“Jemo rah,” the demon said as it flicked its tail in her direction.
Surprised by her own speed, Alexandra grasped the tail and yanked. The creature toppled to the ground and squealed. By now, the other demon broke away from Santino and bounded towards her. Alexandra wasn’t fast enough this time. The monster slammed into her like a charging bull and flung her backwards. Again, Alexandra fell to the pavement and rolled to a stop.
This time, her muscles wouldn’t obey. She lifted her head to watch, but felt too weak to stand. Moments later, the demon convulsed and gurgled. Before the body dropped to the ground, a winged figure slashed open the other demon’s chest and all was quiet.
“Erzulie!” Alexandra said.
The angel rushed to her side. “Are you hurt?” Erzulie asked.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Check on Santino.”
Erzulie lifted into the air and dropped next to Santino.
“He’s just unconscious,” Erzulie said. “Maybe a concussion.”
Alexandra found her weapon and planted the tip of her sword into the freeway. She pulled herself to her feet. The bike’s engine still rumbled. Despite a ringing head and weary muscles, she stumbled to the vehicle and righted it.
“Stay with him,” Alexandra said. “I’m going for help.”
“You will be vulnerable.”
“I know.”
Alexandra twisted the throttle and raced along the ruined highway. Every few moments she risked a glance at the red-black sky, but it didn’t stir. After several miles, she came to the lights and piles of equipment that represented their camp.
Benjamin ran to her side and steadied the bike as it came to a halt.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Santino’s hurt and Marco betrayed us,” Alexandra said as she dismounted and stalked towards the camp.
“What?”
She didn’t answer him. She needed to get everyone moving. More demons were probably on the way. Marco’s betrayal stung like the cuts on her cheek and forearm. Why would he do such a thing? What did they promise him?
The camp was too quiet.
“What’s wrong?” Alexandra asked as she stopped and turned to Benjamin.
He smiled and s
aid, “It was the most amazing thing. A little gross, but pretty freakin’ cool.”
Alexandra didn’t need to ask. The baby was born. She rushed into camp and spotted Holly on the cot, holding a small bundle of cloth. Nicole pressed a wet towel to the new mother’s forehead and smiled.
“Can you believe it?” Holly said as she turned a tear-streaked face in Alexandra’s direction. “So much beauty in such an awful place.”
Alexandra dropped to her knees at the side of the cot. Holly was correct, the baby was the most precious thing she’d seen in over a month. Alexandra’s heart expanded as she looked upon the child.
“I decided to name her ‘Delia.’ Jason always liked that name best,” Holly said as she pushed aside a small fold of cloth to better display her baby’s face.
“How?” Alexandra asked.
Nicole pointed to Koneh, who stood near the same bowl of water where Alexandra last saw him. “He was mean and ordered us around,” Nicole said, “but he delivered the baby.”
Numb, Alexandra walked to her friend. “You did this?” she asked.
Koneh didn’t respond. Instead, he stared at her from beneath his hood. What was going through his mind?
“I’m amazed,” she said. “You are… unbelievable.”
Koneh huffed and leaned towards her. “She’s not out of the woods yet,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Alexandra asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.
“She has an infection,” he said. “I can only do so much. Maybe her body will fight it off, but she might need help.”
“An infection? Well, how bad could it be?” Alexandra glanced over her shoulder.
“Without antibiotics,” Koneh said, “It will probably kill her eventually.”
“I’m not losing anyone else,” Alexandra said. “Did Erzulie bring the doctor’s bag? Are there antibiotics in there?”
Koneh shook his head. “I looked. Nothing. Though, the doctor may be able to keep her going a while longer. Did you find him?”
She lowered her eyes. “Marco betrayed us,” she said. “He killed the doctor and shot the tires out on the truck. Santino’s unconscious, but Erzulie is watching over him. And I feel like I just got run over.”
“You look it,” Koneh said. “I knew something was up with Marco… Damn. What’s the danger right now?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “He fired a flare into the sky and two winged demons came. I can only assume more are on the way.”
“That’s a good assumption,” Koneh said. “We need to get everyone moving.”
“My thoughts exactly. Do you think Holly can move?”
Koneh rubbed his chin and said, “She shouldn’t, no. However we have no choice. I’ll go look for a vehicle. You stay here with everyone else. Tell Benjamin what’s going on, but no one else.”
After Koneh disappeared into the darkness, Alexandra brought Benjamin up to speed and the soldier fortified himself in a good position to watch over the camp. Alexandra joined Holly and Nicole and doted over the baby. After an hour, Holly and the baby needed their sleep so Nicole made them comfortable.
“You look pretty beat-up,” Nicole said. “Are you in pain?”
“Honey, everything hurts.” Alexandra chuckled.
“Ouch! Your hair,” Nicole said as she winced at the sight.
“Yeah,” Alexandra said as she ran her hand through the singed mess, “that belcher got me good. You know, I was thinking about cutting it anyway.”
Nicole primped her bob of auburn hair and said, “Short is fab.”
“Can you help me?” Alexandra asked, desperate to focus on something other than the battle at the cruise ship. “Do you know where we could find a pair of scissors?”
Nicole smiled and disappeared behind some corrugated crates. A moment later she appeared with a large pair of sewing scissors.
“These will work!” Nicole said. “Are you sure?”
“What the hell,” Alexandra said. “I’ll do anything to take my mind off everything that has happened over the past twenty-four hours.”
A few hours later, Koneh rumbled into camp with a silver station wagon. The windows and hood were gone, but the vehicle otherwise seemed fit for travel.
“Okay,” Koneh said, “we must leave some things here for now, at least until we see if the rig can move again. Load up only the essentials.”
Koneh paused as he passed Alexandra on his way to the cot. He looked at hernew hair style and grinned. “You looked better with long hair,” he said and continued his preparations.
With only a few things to pack, the camp broke down faster than Alexandra expected. Holly rested in the back seat with Delia. Crates were emptied and refilled with rations, water, blankets, tools and gasoline. Most of the crates were tied to the roof of the station wagon. After everything was packed, Benjamin broke from his position and joined Alexandra and Koneh.
“Looks pretty clear,” the soldier said, “though I can’t see much in this sky.”
“That’s okay,” Alexandra said. “Let’s get moving.”
After everyone piled into the station wagon, Alexandra paused and gazed at the mammoth cruise ship. Before the tears could gather over losing Father Callahan, she swung into the vehicle and closed the door.
They arrived at another bloody scene. Two demon corpses occupied the middle of the highway, the doctor lay on the ground in a pool of blood and Santino rested unconscious in Erzulie’s arms.
“Is everything okay?” Alexandra asked.
Erzulie nodded, “His condition hasn’t changed.”
Koneh and Benjamin inspected the rig.
“Damn,” Benjamin said, “he shot out six tires. That mother-“
“Let us salvage the important stuff,” Koneh said.
As the two men consolidated equipment onto the station wagon, Holly, Nicole and Alexandra fed the baby.
“This isn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be,” Holly said as she fought to keep Delia attached to her breast.
“She’ll get it,” Nicole said. “My younger sister was the same way at first. She’d just cry and cry and cry… My mom cried a lot too.”
After much coaxing, crying and frustration Delia filled her small belly and went back to sleep. Alexandra longed for the innocence in the baby’s eyes. Delia knew no fear, loss or despair. Not until she realized her father was gone, at least.
Alexandra remembered Koneh’s diagnosis. Holly had an infection and without help she would probably die too. The baby might know more loss, after all. The earth had become a terrible place to be born into.
“We are ready,” Koneh said. “We had to ditch some supplies to put Santino in the back, but it’s all stuff we can probably find along the freeway.”
“Great,” Alexandra said.
Koneh grasped her arm and asked, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure.”
Once they were away from the others, Koneh said, “We still have a way to go and at this rate of loss we’re not going to make it far.”
She nodded.
“We just have to drive,” Koneh said. “There are places we can stop to get supplies, but if we delay every few miles to check on a sign or to help some people, we won’t make it.”
Alexandra lowered her eyes and said, “I know.”
If she could somehow help improve the long-term, she knew she had to stop thinking so short-term. Though that logic made the most sense, she felt uneasy about leaving everyone she saw to their fate in this new world. She reached back to flip her hair, but she only grasped air. To fill her need to fidget, she untied and retied her short ponytail.
“Sometimes,” Koneh said, “the most important battles are the ones we choose to avoid.”
“I know. I just… I couldn’t turn my back on them.”
His voice no more than a whisper, Koneh said, “Sometimes you must.”
After a few moments of silence, she asked, “Do you really believe we can make a difference by reaching Eden?”
>
“With all my heart, I do.”
“How can you be certain it’s real?”
Koneh shifted on his feet. “Whether you believe me or not, Elah did come to me. He told me something that most people long for – knowledge of why we are here. Not collectively, but individually.”
Though skeptical, Alexandra nodded and allowed him to continue.
“He told me my purpose was to see you safely to Eden,” Koneh said. “If He believes you can make a difference, then who am I to argue?”
“I didn’t ask for this,” Alexandra said. “God decides the paths we must follow? What about free will?”
Koneh shook his head. “I don’t have answers for you. All I know is I was tasked with a mission from my Creator.”
Alexandra met his eyes and asked, “And you’ll complete that mission no matter the cost to me?”
He blinked. “I have weighed the price you may yet pay-”
“And if it came down to it,” she said, “would you let me walk away?”
Koneh narrowed his eyes and asked, “Are you saying it’s down to that now?”
“No, I’m still willing to see this through, but I really need to know whose side you’re on. Marco taught me a valuable lesson today.”
Koneh grasped her shoulders with both of his hands and said, “My promise to you is all that I have left. You will reach Eden alive. I will not betray you. If nothing else, you must believe this.”
“Do you say that because you have to obey my commands, like Erzulie?”
Koneh shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Benjamin.
“Sorry guys,” the soldier said, “but we’re ready to go.”
Alexandra attempted to read Koneh’s all black eyes. However, his emotions hid in the darkness. Sighing, she said, “We can continue this conversation later?”
“Of course.”
Chapter 23
They stopped after a few hours of hard driving. Alexandra scooted from the hatchback and found the rest of the group at the front of the station wagon. Erzulie perched nearby on an overturned school bus.
“Gracias, Alejandra,” Santino said. “I can maybe see mi hija now.”
Eden (Eden Saga) Page 23