Clayton’s words had been at least partially true. I saw the women and girls often, and they appeared to be completely unharmed. So, I continued to follow rules and keep my mouth shut as long as I got to see them when promised. But I wasn’t sure how much more of it I could take.
“What are you thinking about?” Quinn lay back in the grass. I’d just finished my shift at the medical center. Quinn had spent most of the day making clothing.
“What makes you ask? How do you know I’m thinking about anything in particular?”
“I can tell.”
“Oh. Can you now?”
“Yes. You get this look on your face. This pensive stare. The kind of stare where I’m afraid if I’m not careful you’ll be lost to your thoughts forever.”
“Worried about me, are you?”
She leaned up on an elbow. “Of course, I am. And I’m worried about losing you.”
“You don’t have to be.”
“Sure, I do. None of us truly know what’s to come.”
“No. But that doesn’t mean we have to pass the minutes of our lives worrying.”
“Says the man who worries almost constantly.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t say I took my own advice.”
She laughed. The real, light laugh of hers. Gradually it was coming back, but not fully. Something about our journey to the Glen had put out some of her light, and try as I might I couldn’t get it back yet. But I would. I’d had to give up on many things in my life, but I’d never give up on giving Quinn the happiness she deserved.
“Come on, tell me.”
“Tell you what? I forget what we were talking about.”
She pushed my arm. “Don’t be like that. You know what I mean. What were you thinking about so intently?”
“I was thinking about you.” I went with honesty. There was no reason trying to hide anything from Quinn when she’d figure it out anyway. Besides, I didn’t want to hide anything from her.
“What about me?”
She turned onto her side, her body mere inches from mine.
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?” She blinked a few times and wiped her eyelashes.
“Yes, but sometimes we don’t really want to know the things we ask about.”
“I always want to know what you’re thinking.” She reached out and brushed some hair away from my eyes.
“I was thinking about whether you’ll ever know exactly how much you mean to me.”
“Well, I know what you mean to me.” Her answer wasn’t the one I was expecting. Usually, she shut down any talks about emotions pretty quickly.
“Oh?” I didn’t want to press too hard, but I wanted to know. She’d said things all the time about appreciating my help and that she couldn’t picture her life without me. I wondered if this would be different. Probably not, although she was the one offering it up.
She stared at me silently for a moment before she opened her mouth. “I love you, Maverick.”
My heart skipped a beat. “What?” I had to have heard her wrong.
“I love you.” She wrinkled her nose. “That wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for…”
I took her hands in mine and helped her sit up. “I’m sorry. I love you, too. You know that. I was just surprised.”
“Surprised that I finally said what I should have said years ago?” There was an amused twinkle in her eye.
“I didn’t want you to say it until you mean it.”
“I’ve known it for a long time, but I didn’t want to. I was scared I guess.”
“Scared for you or Bailey?”
“Both.” She moistened her lips.
“I’m not sure what got you over your fear, but I’m glad.”
“Time. I think time can be an amazing thing.”
“Me too, but not as amazing as you.” I didn’t think. I leaned forward and crashed my lips into hers. There were sparks—at least it felt that way to me. Her lips were soft and eager, and I pushed my way into her mouth. I needed more of her. I soaked up her taste. Savoring every second as I pulled her into my arms. I never wanted to let go of her again.
I was still grinning like a fool months later when we put the finishing touches on our family hut on the far side of the Glen.
“I don’t like that Kayla and Faith can’t stay with us.” Quinn was happy, but as usual, she was also worried about her sister and niece. I didn’t blame her. I was too. I’d considered them family for a long time, but that had only continued to deepen as Quinn and I moved our relationship further.
“I know. I keep petitioning.” I tried pulling every string I had, but it did nothing. There were some rules in the Glen that no one would break.
“If she would have only chosen Bolton before it was too late—” Quinn stopped herself. “I know that’s awful to say now that he’s married. But still. They could have been happy.”
“It’s still strange to hear you say you wish Kayla was with Bolton. You used to, well, you know how you used to feel about him.” I never liked their arguing, but I understood it. I also understood why her feelings about him had changed. Even I had grown to appreciate him.
“But he’s a good man. I know Kayla loves Mason, but he’s never coming. There is no way he will ever find her here.” Quinn knit her hands together. “She deserves to be happy. She doesn’t need to play the martyr. Maybe one day she’ll pick someone else.”
“But you know as well as I do that what she deserves doesn’t change anything when it comes to her decisions.”
“But a family unit would be better for Faith than the bunk houses, and I know Kayla loves Faith more than anything.”
“But she’s stubborn. Just as you can be.”
“Me?” She put a hand to her chest. “Stubborn?”
I laughed. “And yes, I know it is much like the pot calling the kettle black. I can be plenty stubborn myself.”
“Yes. You most definitely can.”
“But back to Kayla…” I trailed off.
“Yes, back to Kayla. I wish I could make her see.”
“You can’t make her do or see anything.”
“I know. I’m only venting.” She went back to hanging up a set of curtains she’d made herself.
“And venting is always fine.” I put my arms around her waist from behind.
“I don’t deserve you.”
“Of course, you do.” She leaned back into me.
“I don’t. Bailey and I. We are so lucky to have found you.”
“And I am so lucky to have found both of you. And your crazy sister and her daughter.”
“I am going to tell her you said that.”
“Please leave off the whole crazy part.”
“Why? That’s the best part.” Quinn laughed. It was a light, beautiful laugh.
“Yeah but it’s true, so please don’t tell the crazy one that I called her that.”
Quinn turned in my arms so she was looking at me. “I know you care about her.”
“Of course, I do. I’ve gained so much since meeting you.”
“You saved us.” Quinn put her hands on my shoulders. “Bailey and I would have never made it out of Central if you hadn’t taken a chance on us.”
“And the same could be said for me. You snapped me out of my insane daze. I did horrible things—I followed orders blindly. As I said, I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve this.” I gestured to our new home, but I meant more than that. I meant our life together.
Quinn shook her head. “Yet you changed. You risked everything for a woman and child you barely knew.”
“Because you had my heart from the moment I met you.”
“The moment?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. It skipped a beat, and I knew there was no way I could ever let you go.”
“You sure didn’t show that at first.”
I shrugged. “I never said I was the best at expressing myself, or that I moved my thoughts into action very quickly.”
“Mother! Father!” Bailey ran inside. She put her hands on her knees clearly trying to catch her breath.
“What’s going on?”
“They found people. Newcomers!” Bailey ran back outside.
My heart surged as it always did when Bailey called me Father. I may not have been her father biologically, but I’d do anything for that little girl.
Mason
We left the lab and wandered around the area. Everywhere we went we found more corpses. Nearly every one of them wore the same uniform—or variation of it. The only exceptions were older bodies, further along in decomposition and who were probably killed by the newer blood. Each set was the same. It was as if they’d fallen down suddenly. There was never a sign of struggle. No blood. Just a body.
I’d seen plenty of strange things in my life, but nothing like that. This almost seemed like something Central would pull off, but it was against Central, not orchestrated by it.
“There’s only one more place to go.” Denver rose from where he’d been kneeling while he observed a corpse.
“Back to Central?” I didn’t need to ask the question. It was the only real possibility.
“Yes.” Denver brushed off the sand clinging to the knees of his pants.
“We’ll do what we have to do.” Addison zipped up her jacket. “We have no other choice. But we can’t leave the kids.”
“Of course not,” Denver agreed. “That was never the plan.”
“They will be in my care,” Denver’s look-alike spoke stoically.
“And what about the wall? Isin asked. “It needs to come down.”
“It does need to come down.” Thomas smiled. “How would you like to lead a group to do just that?”
“I’m on it.” Isin nodded. “But I’m sorry to have to take leave of you, Addison.”
She kissed his cheek. “I’m sure we’ll meet again sometime.”
Several men volunteered to stay with the kids. Another group offered to help Isin. The remainder came with us. I felt uneasy leaving them in the desert, but it wasn’t my choice and I wasn’t sure that there was any sort of better place to bring them. Certainly, Central wasn’t that place. After refilling our water with a hidden supply in the lab we headed back out.
The best part about heading to Central was that we were heading back toward Kayla. I knew I couldn’t see her yet, but somehow each step we took after going back over the wall felt lighter. I’d promised I’d be back for her, and I would. That is if I could approach Central and come out alive.
As the hulking building came into view I thought back on the last time I’d been there. I’d been willing to do anything to go in and save Kayla. I felt the same way now.
“Are you going to be able to get us in easily like you did last time, Denver?” Addison asked.
“I’m afraid that trick isn’t going to work again.”
“We’ll sneak in a back way.” Benji grinned.
“You have a plan to make that happen?” In the months spent getting to know Benji I’d learned he was constantly full of surprises.
“Of course, I do. Don’t all of you?” Benji looked around our assembled group. I’m sure we all looked worse for wear. Extra clothes weren’t a luxury we had. “Otherwise why are we even here?”
“I was relying on Denver.” Addison playfully punched his arm.
“How do you know I wasn’t relying on you?” Denver grabbed hold of her fist and pulled her into his chest.
“Were you?” She looked up at him with wide eyes. Watching them together made me long for Kayla. I wanted that feeling again. The feeling you only get when you are so deeply in love that no matter what else happens you know you are going to be okay.
“You are rather resourceful.”
She spun out of his embrace. “Not about breaking into a reinforced compound. I’m not sure even willingly turning myself over is going to help this time.”
“How do we know we can’t just walk in?” Thomas paced around us.
“Uh… how would that work?” Addison asked.
“Everyone else has dropped dead. No one has stopped us this far. Why are we so convinced there is anyone in there?” Thomas replied.
“There are some people around,” I pointed out.
“Yes. Regular, everyday people. But has anyone seen a single militia member?”
“Not ones that are alive.” He was right. We’d seen corpses even on this side of the wall. I should have been thinking along the same lines, but I assumed like everything else, this couldn’t be simple. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“We are walking right in?” Benji adjusted the sack on his back.
“Does anyone have an objection to trying?” Thomas looked from face to face.
“Why not do it in two groups?” I suggested. “That way if some of us get taken the rest can go in another way.”
“Let me guess.” Addison frowned. “You want me to go in another way.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?” I shook my head. “I don’t care, but we need a second line in case we are captured. I figured you’d want to be the one doing the saving.”
“Good point.” Addison grinned. “Maybe you know me after all.”
We broke into three groups. If two groups were helpful, three would be too. After some deliberation, I ended up with Thomas and Benji. I was glad Thomas was with me. I felt protective over Kayla’s younger brother even if she didn’t even know we had met.
We moved around the building. The only Central people we saw were dead. In the same way as all of the others. Maybe Thomas was right. But even so, we had to get inside and find out who was behind it. Hopefully, they weren’t even worse than Central.
The doors were barred. Clearly, we couldn’t just walk in—but the fact that they were locked and no one was guarding them was more proof that something different was going on.
Benji pulled out a crowbar. “You might want to back up.”
We all stepped back. Benji smashed the crowbar into the doors. They splintered.
He grinned. “Easy does it.” He pushed open the remainder of the door and we walked in, stepping over the bodies of another set of guards.
“This is starting to get eerie.” Thomas slowed his pace. “Very eerie.”
“I’d call this lucky, not eerie. We couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome than this.” Benji whistled under his breath.
“Unless whoever did it turns against us.” Thomas looked around the darkened halls warily.
“Or maybe we’re on the same side. We don’t know. Let’s hope for the best.” Benji resumed his whistling once he finished.
“Always the optimist…” Thomas trailed off.
We stepped over another set of corpses. Then another. We moved into a dark hallway, I was grateful I could see better at night than most.
“Where are we headed exactly?” Even though no one was specifically in charge, Benji was the one who said he had a plan.
“The center hub. We need to turn after we cross the next fork.” Benji knew the layout well. He hadn’t given much information about his past, but this was more knowledge than I expected.
“You know this place well,” I stated without trying to imply anything.
“I do.” Benji didn’t offer any other explanation so I let it be.
We continued in the dark until Benji stopped short in front of a doorway. He went inside. “How’d you get here before us?”
I hurried inside to see Denver, Addison, and the rest of their group inside.
“Mason, you are going to want to see this.” Denver gestured to the computer beside him.
I walked over. He pointed to the screen. “The Kayla?”
I looked at the words blinking over and over against the bright white screen.
“Looks like someone made a program that detonated a chip in all of the soldier’s heads. It probably also took out the force field.” Denver grinned. “Impressive. Not that I am an advocate for ending hum
an life, but the sheer scope of the undertaking is genius.”
“A chip?” I asked. “If these chips are in everyone’s heads, shouldn’t I have this chip after coming through the system? And you?” I pointed at Benji. Clearly, he’d been part of Central.
He shrugged. “Maybe it’s a newer chip.”
“It’s named after Kayla.” Thomas’s voice was low and dry from where he spoke across the room.
“My Kayla?” Of course, that possibility had gone through my head, but I’d brushed it off.
“She’s my sister which makes her my Kayla too.” He turned around. “But yes.”
“How do you know?” I watched him. Was he losing it after we’d come so far?
“Because of this body.” He pointed behind him. “There’s only one Kayla Ethan would name a program after.”
“Ethan?” I ran over to where Thomas stood. I bent down and examined the body. Unlike all the others this one had a definite bullet wound in the chest, and it was most definitely Ethan. The man who’d left Kayla behind to come to my club. I would never understand his decision, but I owed him. If he hadn’t made it, Kayla and I would have never met. “Who killed him? If all the chips were detonated?”
“Maybe he’d already set off the program but couldn’t get out in time,” Benji suggested. “Or maybe it’s because they didn’t all go off at once. That’s the only way to explain the different rates of decomposition. But it doesn’t matter. He’s dead.”
“Or it was a cockroach.” Benji grinned at Addison.
Addison rolled her eyes. “So now what? Do we really believe Central is done?”
Thomas shrugged. “I don’t know what else we can do now.”
“It’s time to find Kayla.” I couldn’t wait any longer.
“And Quinn and Bailey,” Thomas added.
“Of course. It’s time to find everyone.”
“What if they don’t recognize me? Or they don’t want to see me. It’s been so long.” Thomas had been fretting about seeing his sisters since we left Central.
“You can worry about that once we find them. We still don’t know if we are heading to the right place.” I was done pretending to be optimistic.
The Corded Saga Page 45