by Angel Lawson
I hadn’t thought of that. “Maybe so.”
Paul, dressed in black head to toe, walks over. I give him a fast, tight hug.
“So it’s true? You brought an army?”
“Yep. And they know about everything. A few guys—good ones I thought we’d lost along the way—managed to get to Birmingham and they know about everything.” I must not look convinced because he adds, “The good and the bad, Alex. They know all of it.”
“And they’re willing to work with us?”
“Birmingham has struggled to get on their feet. Besides the original setbacks of the Eaters and infected citizens, they had to spend a huge amount of time sealing the city. The main supervisor over the emergency procedures died in the first wave of victims. The backup facilitators were unprepared. They have limited power and water management but they did secure the border. Their walls are strong but their infrastructure is weak.”
“Wow.”
“But they’ve also already had to survive Hybrid attacks. Chloe must have sent some of her people west while she was looking for us. But Alabama’s military is strong. Rebuilding is the issue. I think it’s been a hard road, like we all have had. But, they’re doing well now and it’s actually a pretty nice place. We’d all be welcome there.”
“Winston-Salem may not be so easy. Hamilton has laid some groundwork and what we told them didn’t seem to convince them.” I don’t say that it may have made it worse.
“Well,” Paul says, scratching his chin. “At least you’ll have back up when you go back in. The Bama Brigade is also willing to send in some people for a conversation about the Mutts.”
Bama Brigade. Seriously, only Alabama. Wyatt nods at the guys loitering in the parking lot. “What do they want from us?”
Paul gives a tired but knowing smile. “They’re hoping some of us will go back with them. They need help protecting and building the city. They have a long way to go.”
“The first bridge we have to cross is getting the council in Winston-Salem on board. They’re better than Hamilton but he’s convincing. Very persuasive. He’ll tell them what they want to hear,” I say.
Paul sighs and glances at Wyatt. Davis is over with the group from Birmingham, filling them in with Cole.
“Let’s get everyone together and work out a plan. We’ll get on the road ASAP,” Wyatt says. Paul nods and leaves to tell the others.
“You think this can work?” I think of Ms. Perez at the Council. She was tough but fair. The others are just afraid enough to want someone like Hamilton in charge. I’m going to need to get to her first.
Wyatt confirms what I’m thinking. “I think it’s a matter of who gets there first.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
We make no attempt to disguise ourselves or vehicles on the way back to Winston-Salem. We may be considered fugitives but our motives are clear. We’ve got nothing to hide and hopefully Perez and the other council members will understand that.
The road is mostly clear, other than blockades put in place by the city’s military. We can move around them but it takes time—time that we don’t have. After we get through the second one, we all agree it’s a problem.
“We avoided these on the way down by coming on foot and later horseback,” Wyatt explains.
“I don’t want to leave the vehicles behind,” Paul says. They’re packed tight with ammunition. “If we do we’ll have to take time to hide them. We absolutely can not let Hamilton’s people get ahold of them.”
I scratch my neck. “You think they’d find them this far south?”
“I think Walker will cover her bases,” Davis replies.
Walker. She knows us. She knows how we operate. Hell, she trained me. “Then what do you want to do?” I ask.
Davis and Wyatt exchange a silent look, mentally going over a plan. They’ve always been in sync like this. Silent but deadly. Wyatt nods at his friend and says, “Me, Davis, and Alex will scout ahead. You guys strip the vehicles of whatever you can carry. Stash the rest around town. If things go south we’ll come back this way, gather the trucks, and either fight or run.”
Paul frowns at the idea of running but eventually gives his agreement with one addendum. “Take Cole with you.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”
“You’ve seen him fight,” Paul says. “If something happens he’ll be an asset. At the very least give one of you a chance to get back to us.”
Wyatt and I are accustomed to working with Cole but Davis hesitates. He still remembers him as the vicious Mutt Chloe created. In reality, Cole can be much, much worse but he’s also a proven asset. “We can use him,” I say to Davis.
“He won’t hurt Alex,” Wyatt says.
“It’s not Alex that I’m particularly worried about,” he says, but rubs his cropped hair. “But whatever you think. You guys know the situation better than I do.”
“I’ll go tell him,” I say as Wyatt gets out his worn paper map.
Cole is standing off to the side, leaning against a concrete barricade. He’s alone and I’ve noticed he doesn’t socialize well with the others—including the Mutts. This may be part of why Paul wants him to go with us. To keep him away from the others. Cole has a strange energy.
“Hey.” I lean next to him.
“What’s the plan?”
“We’re going to scout ahead. Me, you, Wyatt, and Davis.”
He snorts. “I’m sure the other two are pleased about that.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Wyatt’s okay.”
He glances over at the men hunched over the map. “I guess so.”
“It’s crazy to think that maybe we’re near the end of this, you know?”
“Do you think that?” His entire body is tense. Like at any moment he could crack into a million pieces. Something’s holding him together but I’m not sure what. “Like really? That there will be an end to all of this?”
His voice isn’t mean. If anything he sounds, beneath the exhaustion, sincere.
“I think we can get to a place where we can move forward maybe. Get the vaccine out to everyone.”
“Vaccinating the whole country would be a massive feat,” he says. “It would take years, don’t you think? We don’t even know what it’s like out there. It could be so much worse.”
“Or maybe they got their shit together better? Look at Birmingham? Winston-Salem? We had no idea they even existed. There could be some other amazing places out there.”
He looks down at his hands. “I’m not sure I’d know what to do in this body without a fight ahead.”
It’s a pipe dream, I know it. But I’m also tired of fighting. I’m too skinny and bruised and my body aches all the time. I glance sideways at Cole. “One way or the other, this is my last battle.”
“That’s what you really want?”
“Desperately.”
He gives me one last look, his eyes dark and intense. He heads over to Wyatt and the others. I know in my heart that my words are true. I also know that his are too. I have Wyatt. A family that is still alive. I have hope for something better.
Cole has none of that.
*
We start the final trek to Winston-Salem loaded with weapons and ammo from the Birmingham troops. Davis loads and reloads his magazine, testing the feel of the gun. I took what I needed. Another gun, two flash grenades, but my trusty hatchet hangs by my side. The weight is familiar. The handle is smooth and worn from my hand.
“I can’t believe you still have that,” Cole says, walking up to me. His voice is quiet. We’re scouting the same side of the road together. Davis and Wyatt are shadows on the opposite side. Occasionally I see the flash of Davis’ massive frame as he leads the way.
“I’ve lost it a few times but it always manages to come back to me.”
“Like Indiana Jones’ hat.”
I blink, having no idea what that means. My reaction gets a smile from him though and he shakes his head before wandering off. The scenery slips from suburbia to the bu
rned-out section of town Wyatt and I escaped through earlier. The idea is to go back in the way we came out—through the guard entrance in the back. It worked once and Wyatt figures it should again. Wyatt and I will go back in and try to get a meeting with Perez and the council. Davis and Cole will return to get the others.
There’s another hour before nightfall so when Davis points out the charred remains of a steel-beamed building, we agree it’s a good spot and find a shadowy front room to hide in.
“You think this will work?” I ask for the millionth time. The plan seems weak. Perez holds no value in any of us and she may earn points with Hamilton if she just kills us all. It’s not like Chloe who kept us alive out of a sick need to torture me and Cole.
“We have to give it a shot,” Wyatt replies. We’re each tucked in one of the room’s four corners. Eyes are trained on the windows and doors. If Cole and Davis don’t return by morning, Paul and the troops will attack.
The wait seems to take twice as long as it should. My butt grows cold and numb on the cement floor. I have no desire to fight through winter. Last year we lucked out by being in Catlettsburg the whole time. Living in the house with Walker, Jane, and Avi seems like a lifetime ago.
I glance up at Wyatt and find him staring at me, his eyes shining in the fading light. I raise an eyebrow but he doesn’t flinch. That’s when I hear them; footsteps on the street. Cole is already standing. Davis pulls his gun.
I’m a second behind, which gives me the sinking feeling the EVI-3 has run its course. Shadows fall over the open doorway, lingering for a second but not stopping. Broken glass lines the streets and every foot fall crunches.
It’s as though they aren’t even trying to disguise themselves. Or maybe they can’t. I glance at Cole and mouth, humans?
He nods.
We can’t kill any of Perez’ people. It’s imperative that we enter the city on positive terms. I make the decision instantly—no hesitation, only holding my hands up to the others to stand back. Wyatt shakes his head. Davis trains his gun on the doorway. Cole watches with narrow eyes and nods encouragingly. My final words to them is a whispered, “Go! Now!”
I step out of the doorway and look around. I can’t find anyone so I dig deep and call out. “Help! I need help!”
A shout, then a flurry of footsteps follow and before I can back out I’m surrounded by a dozen soldiers, guns raised.
“It’s me. Alexandra Ramsey. I escaped from Winston-Salem last week. I’d been under direct orders by Councilwoman Perez to stay in my quarters.”
One of the men lowers his gun and says. “Where is your partner? Why were you calling for help?”
I hold up my foot. “Hurt ankle. I’ve twisted it one too many times. I need a medic.”
His eyes go from my foot to over my shoulder. His gun is back on target a second later and when I hear the crunch of glass behind me I don’t have to look to know who it is.
“I’m here. Wyatt Faraday.”
“Anyone else?”
“No. Just us.”
A figure pushes past the crowd of soldiers and I realize instantly I’ve made a mistake. Walker emerges, fierce and angry.
“Giving up? That doesn’t seem like you, Alexandra.” She glances at Wyatt. “It’s definitely not like you.”
Her eyes skim past us, back to the door and I swear under my breath. Seriously? Do none of them follow directions? Men.
When I look over my shoulder, though, my annoyance fades into something different. Something harsh and cold in the pit of my stomach. Davis exits the building with a gun leveled at Cole’s head. How they got in that position is beyond me, but Davis has a cut over his eye and Cole’s nose is bleeding. Cole’s eyes are hazy and unfocused.
Walker spits out a laugh and says, “Well done. I didn’t think you could do it, but you’ve proven me wrong.”
Davis holds out a syringe and tosses it to Walker. She catches it with her leather-gloved hands. “Worked like a charm.”
“What is that?” I ask. It’s not hard to see that Cole is slipping away. His body lists to the side and Wyatt jumps to hold him upright. I run to the other side and do the same. He’s heavy and no longer using his legs. His breathing turns shallow. “What did you do to him?”
“A little something your sister made up for us back in New Hope,” Walker says. “The kind term would be euthanasia.”
“You killed him?” My head fogs over. Davis’ face is stone.
“Of course we killed him, Alexandra. We’re sworn bounty hunters. That’s what we’re charged with doing. But he’s the first one to go like this. She gave me the shots weeks ago but I thought I’d save it for my favorite little mutation.” She flashes Davis an appreciative look. “Thank you for bringing him right to me.”
“No problem. I was sick of looking at him,” Davis replies. “He freaks me out.”
“Davis?” I ask. “What’s happening? What about everything you told us about Hamilton?”
“Hamilton is a great man, Alexandra. He’ll be the one to save this country. You just can’t see it yet.”
I feel rather than see the life slip out of Cole’s body. He just suddenly stops. There’s nothing more and I look at Wyatt, whose expression I cannot even begin to discern. He’s lost somewhere between sadness and rage, his friend and brother having betrayed him—us.
“Alex,” he says quietly and I know a signal when I hear it.
Silently we wait three beats before flinging Cole off our backs and turning our weapons onto Davis and Walker. But another shot fires first—two of them—and I feel the prick behind my ear.
“What have you done?” I ask Davis, or the shadow of him. Sleep crashes over my head like a wave.
Wyatt drops first, his weight pushing me over, and when I hit the ground the last thing I see is Cole’s blank face.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I wake bound to a hard, wooden bench. Wyatt sits across from me alert and awake. We’re in a long corridor. Guards placed at each end.
My head feels like it was assaulted by a thousand hammers.
“You okay?” Wyatt’s voice is quiet.
“Yes. No. I mean…” I blink, pushing aside the images of Cole and stretch my neck. “Why do you look like you didn’t just get knocked out?”
He shrugs. “I think we’re outside the council room. In the courthouse? Where they kept Parker that day.”
“Where’s Cole?”
“I don’t know. The last thing I saw was you.”
“Do you think he’s dead?”
“Would you keep him alive?” he asks.
I push back the emotion threatening to tip me over. “Do you think we’ll still get our meeting?”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure Hamilton beat us here.”
“And Davis betrayed us,” I add, watching for his reaction. He grimaces but otherwise keeps his emotions in check. “Did you have any idea?”
“No.”
I lean against the wall, wishing for some aspirin. Wyatt takes a seat next to me.
“Perez seems rational,” he says hopefully. “Maybe she’ll tell him to pack it up and head north.”
“Hamilton will never let us go from this. We took his daughter. We disobeyed orders. He seems like a man who wants everyone to follow orders. Especially his.”
The guard shifts down the hall and the metal latch groans. He speaks with someone outside the door and glances over at us. The door swings open further and Sophia walks in. Her eyes are hard. “Stand up. The Council is waiting.”
“Sophia, we need to talk to Councilwoman Perez. We have information about Hamilton. Serious information from before the crisis.”
“Sorry, there won’t be any time for you to speak to Ms. Perez. Stand up so we can go.”
I lurch to my feet, swaying from the drugs. Wyatt offers his shoulder since his hands are tied behind his back. I lean into him, steadying my feet. Sophia walks past us, moving in the wrong direction, protected by two soldiers.
“Wait.
We’re not going to the meeting room?”
She shakes her head. “Colonel Hamilton is here. You’ve been summoned to witness his presentation to the entire town.”
“Where is that?” Wyatt asks. We’re headed down a long hallway, maze- like in the back of the government building.
I try once more. “Hamilton isn’t who you think he is. He started this. Way back—with my sister. They conspired to destroy the world and all the weak along the way. You can’t let him gain control over the Safe Cities.”
We travel down a long flight of stairs. Four more guards stand in the doorway. Badges over their hearts point out their allegiance. Two from Winston-Salem. Two from New Hope. The door pushes open into underground parking. A jeep with blacked-out windows idles at the curb.
I keep trying. “The only person that can stop this is Perez. If she’s willing to separate herself from Hamilton—she’ll have access so the Mutts can protect the city. And there are others,” Sophia gives me a look, “other cities. They aren’t on board with Hamilton either.”
I think I may have her attention but the guard pushes me and then Wyatt into the back of the Jeep, slamming the door. The ride doesn’t take long but it feels like it does. A black sheet separates the front so we can’t see out. Wyatt and I sit in the dark. His hand grazes mine.
“We’ll get out of this,” he whispers.
The gnawing in my gut tells me otherwise.
The Jeep comes to a lurching stop and the air is cool and crisp against my face when the guard opens the door. We’re at the entrance of a concrete tunnel with a slanted ramp. Light pours in from the other side.
Wyatt’s eyes narrow. “A stadium?”
The guard nudges us forward and when we reach the light at the end I’m startled to see a sea of faces. A huge crowd has been assembled and they sit among the black and gold school colors of the local university. A few people wait on a platform in the middle of the field. As we move closer I spot Walker, Davis, and Jackson. All in clean uniforms. All betrayers.
There are others on the far side of the staging area. Parker and Jude. Mary Ellen stands next to them. My eyes graze her belly and she offers me a quick, grim look. My knees buckle at the sight of the next two people. Jane and my father.