“Serge Papalov is dead,” Swenson declared, staring her in the eyes through the bars.
“Good!” Erika said faintly.
“You know what that means?” he asked, opening the cell door. He slithered up next to her. “You get a J,” he hissed in her ear.
Erika tried to remind him of General Henderson’s words but all she could get out was, “Gen . . . Hen.”
“Serge Papalov was my friend,” he told her.
Hearing his words, she mustered all the air she could and yelled, “And Vince Moore was my everything. We’re not anywhere near even!” She wasn’t about to feel sorry for his loss.
Swenson stopped her spin when she was looking out the bars at the young soldiers out there. Other prisoners sat quietly in their cells not daring to say a word. Swenson brought an extra pair of cuffs with him and chained each of her wrists to the bars in front of her. He pulled out his whip and cracked it loudly a few times before he flipped it, destroying the jacket she wore. Then he threw the leather strap out and it ripped across the small of her back. Erika ground her teeth together to ensure she wouldn’t scream. She was not giving him the satisfaction. He snapped it again, and Erika grimaced in pain. Again, it tore across her skin until he made a J in blood next to the T.
He left Erika there all night, gasping and bleeding. In the morning, she was barely coherent. Not even Bishop cared about her state; Serge was his friend too.
Chapter 37
The endless orange haze dominated a clouded sky as it began to rain. Vince looked out the window of the truck, knowing the volcanic dust would turn to concrete now. They were headed south in search of the love of his life. Hope that he would find her driving him forward, Vince looked towards Bennet. Bennet was reflecting on his own mysteries as he thought about Michelle. Hopefully she had made it someplace safe.
The relief efforts were succeeding in the north, and now a large group of refugees were pressing on again. They were joined by the last of the mercenary forces who were headed to try and take back the north. The west had been won, but not without some great casualties. More wars would come, and the fight would go on.
Erika had crossed into Kansas with Swenson, Bishop, and CDR Grey. She had depleted the number of men that came to get her, but escape was prevented. Soon she would be standing in front of the Supreme General, Nicholas Henderson.
The End
The Changing Earth Series (Book 5): Dark Days in Denver Page 24