Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller)

by Norma Hinkens

  I listen intently for several minutes, but I don't detect anything more than the faint stirring of the wind through the trees and the occasional chatter of squirrels. I peek out from beneath the waving fern fronds. The evening shadows have lengthened, and I can just about make out a body lying ten or so feet from me in the brush. If it's Blade, his stalking days are over. There's an arrow through his chest.

  I scoot along the ground on my belly until I get close enough to confirm that it's him. My mind races to one conclusion. Lou. Who else prowls around in the forest hunting Rogues with a bow and arrow? I call out her name several times, knowing full well it's a waste of time. She'll show up in her own time, on her terms.

  I get to my feet and tentatively approach Blade's body. Lou's arrow has found its mark with deadly accuracy. I force myself to feel for a pulse. If I ever run into Rummy again, I can tell him I did that much at least. I stare down at Blade's face, eyes open, but strangely flat and bereft of emotion. I'll never see him again, and the thought cheers me.

  "Derry!" It's Sven's voice, faint and frantic.

  I jump to my feet, cup my hands to my mouth and yell repeatedly, directing him to me.

  Seconds later he barrels out of the brush and wraps me in his arms. "Thank goodness you're safe."

  "Blade was shooting at me but he's dead now," I say when we pull apart. I point at the body.

  "Who killed him?" Sven asks, staring at the arrow.

  "Lou's the only person I know who can shoot an arrow with that kind of accuracy, but there's no sign of her anywhere," I say. "Did you find the Sweepers?"

  Sven shakes his head. "By the time Trout and I found out what happened, they were long gone. They must have doubled back in the direction of the Craniopolis. We gave up pursuing them once we realized you were missing."

  "Too late to stop them now," I say. "We need to make tracks to the city."

  The rest of the hike back is long and treacherous as night falls. The moon drips little light on our path as we slog through the forest and over gurgling streams. So much for the lyophilized food sachets–I don't even have the energy to tear one open and throw the contents down my throat. As dawn breaks, I finally make out the outline of Shoshane City and I allow myself a sliver of hope. Up until now, I didn't think we'd make it. I kept looking over my shoulder all through the night expecting to see a horde of Rogues or Schutz Clones descending on us.

  The container gates groan open upon our approach and we troop through, exhausted and famished. The Undergrounders and riders stare at us, wide-eyed and silent. At first, I'm not sure why we're such a spectacle. Then I glance down at my tattered clothing, spattered with mud and Blade's blood. Trout's covered in scratches like ruby-colored whip marks over his sunken face. Sven stomps along on my other side, eyes locked forward, his fatigues ripped and filthy. Dimitri and Viktor chicken walk behind him, eyes glazed over. The rest of the military clones, scientists and Undergrounders take up the rear in similarly ragged shape.

  I scan the faces as we go by, but there's no sign of Owen. I've been harboring some small hope that he would change his mind and return. Jody tilts the brim of her hat at me from her horse as we pass by. After a few minutes I spot Rocco elbowing his way through the crowd toward us.

  "What happened?" he asks, directing his question at Sven.

  "The Rogues gave us away to the delegation. We left the Schutz Clones and Rogues to fight it out. Jerome is safe with the deviations in Terminus for now."

  Rocco raises his brows. "Where's the delegation?"

  "One of the clones who was escorting them expired on the way here. They split when they saw their chance."

  "They'll never make it back to the Craniopolis," Rocco says.

  Dimitri looks grave. "If they do, they'll board a Hovermedes and be back at the outpost in a matter of hours. We could have Schutz Clones descending on the city by tomorrow."

  "You should have eliminated them when you had the chance," Rocco says.

  "We hoped it wouldn't come to that," I say.

  "Is everything stable in the city?" Sven asks.

  "Some of the homesteaders returned a few hours ago," Rocco says. "hey were afraid they wouldn't make it to the Deadwood River because of the storm."

  "Was Owen with them?" I ask, fighting to keep my voice steady.

  Rocco gives a quick shake of his head. "He's pushing hard to reach the river basin. He wants to have shelters built and food stocked before fall."

  It doesn't surprise me to hear he's not giving up. Owen is too stubborn to admit this was a mistake. Leaving with so many unknowns, and with too few people to defend themselves. If they encounter Rogues or Schutz Clones it will be an efficient bloodbath.

  "How's Big Ed holding up?" I ask.

  "The old man's close to expiring." Rocco corrects himself before I can respond. "Dying."

  "Where is he?" I ask, my heart lurching in my chest.

  "At the rider's barn."

  "We need to go there," I say to Trout.

  He nods, his eyes clouding over.

  "Find Blackbeard and fill him in on everything," I say to Sven. "We'll be at the courthouse as soon as we can."

  I turn to Viktor. "You and Dimitri head to the Superconductor. Find out if Iskra has made any progress on pinpointing the coordinates of the Megamedes. You need to man the CommCenter day and night until we make contact."

  Viktor bobs his head and slips away through the crowd with Dimitri.

  Despite my fatigue, adrenaline spurts through me as I hurry to the rider's barn with Trout. My thoughts are in turmoil. I knew the day would come when I would lose Big Ed, but I was hoping it wouldn't be anytime soon. If only the world wasn't so twisted, maybe the Sweepers would be able to save him.

  We find Big Ed curled up in a bunk at the back of the barn, his chest heaving and falling, the ominous rattle of fluid the only background noise in the space. Tucker is stretched out across his legs, and for once he doesn't look overjoyed to see me. He lifts his head and stares at me reprovingly, before dropping it again. I rub his neck and hug him, grateful he's stayed close by Big Ed's side through this ordeal. He licks my hand once in response, a gesture that tells me I'm barely forgiven for leaving and bringing on this crisis.

  I turn at the sound of the barn door opening. Hannah comes in and greets us.

  I stare at her in disbelief. "I thought you and Jakob left with the homesteaders."

  She sets down a basket of food and walks over to us. "Jakob didn't want to leave Big Ed in this condition. And he wasn't happy about Owen pulling out in the middle of the night without telling anyone either."

  "What's wrong with Big Ed?" Trout asks.

  Hannah grimaces. "The doctor says it's pneumonia. He refuses to go to the clinic. Jakob and I are taking shifts to make sure he's not alone."

  Jakob and I. The words are innocent enough but telling. I look at her curiously as she adjusts Big Ed's covers, her blond hair tucked beneath a dingy cap, her faded skirt swishing above her boots as she moves.

  "Jakob talks about you all the time." She smiles warmly at me. "What you did for us was unbelievably brave."

  I nod and scratch at a non-existent itch on the end of my nose, blocking her clear-eyed gaze. Has she any idea what I've done? And how I feel inside about taking a life? How could she? The only blood on her hands is the blood of those she's saved.

  Big Ed lets out a moan which dissolves into a sharp coughing fit. I swallow back a sob and lay my hand on his shoulder. He smacks his lips together and rolls over with another groan.

  "Big Ed," I whisper.

  His feverish eyes pop open and search the space around him.

  I lean in closer so he can see me without his glasses. "It's me, Derry," I say, my voice breaking.

  He blinks, staring past me as if trying to associate the information with some distant memory. But it doesn't come together. His eyelids drift closed again.

  Tears trickle down my cheeks. Trout squeezes my arm gently.

  "He doesn't even kno
w me." I choke out the words between sobs. "I wanted to say goodbye at least."

  "Give him a few minutes," Trout says. "He needs to orient himself."

  We turn our heads at the sound of voices. A moment later, Sven barges into the barn. He pulls up short at Big Ed's bedside and signals to us to join him outside. I turn to Hannah. "If I'm not back in five minutes, take him to the clinic," I whisper. "He's too weak to protest now." I give Tucker a quick neck rub, before exiting the barn with Trout. My blood runs cold when I see who's waiting for me.

  23

  Rummy locks a hostile stare on me.

  "He showed up at the gates a few minutes ago," Sven says.

  "What are you doing here?" I say. "I gave you your freedom, you're on your own now. You don't belong here with us."

  "I thought we were even," he says, in a menacing tone. "Seems we have unfinished business."

  I glare at him. "What are you talking about?"

  He shakes his arms free of his pack and tosses it on the ground. The military clones with Sven draw their weapons, but Rummy ignores them and unties the straps on his pack. He reaches inside for something, a dark scowl snaking across his face.

  My mouth goes dry when he pulls out a broken arrow.

  "This look familiar?" He runs the back of his nail along the wild turkey feathers.

  "Why would it?" I say, my tone defiant.

  He wipes his nose on his sleeve and studies me for a moment. "This here arrow killed my brother."

  Shock ripples around the group but Rummy never takes his eyes off me--almost as if he knows I won't be surprised by the news.

  "I could lie and tell you I'm sorry," I say. "But we weren't real close."

  "Ain't that the truth." Rummy flicks the feathers on the arrow in an irritating fashion as he talks. "Thing is, see, I found Blade dead right after you passed by. Heck of a coincidence, ain't it?"

  "The Sweepers got away from us. They must have killed him."

  He laughs, but he doesn't sound amused. "Don't picture Sweepers hunting with wild turkey feather arrows." He bares his teeth before he continues. "This here was made by an Undergrounder and I reckon you know who."

  I breathe slowly in and out. "Our business here is finished. You can leave of your own accord, or I can have you escorted out of the city."

  Rummy's eyes narrow to slits. "You send me back out there and I'm a dead man." He takes a step toward me. "They're coming," he hisses. "They ain't far behind me."

  My pulse creeps up a level. "Who?"

  He gives a malevolent grin. "Well that's just it, ain't it? I didn't wait around to find out who put down the gloves. So we don't know if the Rogues or Schutz Clones are coming for us. And until we do, I ain't going nowhere."

  I turn to Sven. "Lock Rummy up in the courthouse. We don't have time for this."

  Sven signals to a couple of the military clones and I watch as they restrain Rummy and march him off. "Much obliged for the hospitality," he calls back to me, grinning wide.

  "Do you think he knows more than he's telling us?" Trout asks.

  An ominous feeling grips me. "He practically begged us to keep him here, which means he doesn't think the Rogues stand a chance."

  "Either way, we can't wait until morning to bolster our defenses," Sven says. He calls a couple of his men over and directs them to round up the rest of the clones and begin fortifying the barricade.

  I'm torn about leaving Big Ed, but we need to prepare for an imminent attack. The Rogues wouldn't be able to march all night after fighting the Schutz Clones. But if the Schutz Clones prevail, they could be here in a matter of hours.

  "We need to find Blackbeard," I say. "We'll put him in charge of organizing the Undergrounders to man the barricade while the military clones work on fortifying weak spots."

  Trout, Sven and I make our way across town to the courthouse. The guard on duty directs us back to Jerome's office. Blackbeard gets to his feet when he sees us, hastily scanning our faces.

  "Jerome's fine," I say, answering the question in his eyes. "He thought the deviations would be safer in Terminus than trying to flee."

  "Flee from who?" Blackbeard says.

  "We left the Rogues and Schutz Clones to fight it out," I say. "It's anybody's guess who'll prevail. But whoever does will come for us."

  Blackbeard grips the edge of the desk and bows his head. When he looks up, his expression is grim. "You think they'll come all the way to the city?"

  I let out a heavy sigh. "They might already be on their way."

  Blackbeard straightens up. "I'll station reinforcements around the barricade." He yells for the guard and barks out a series of orders. "And put two squadrons of Undergrounders on the gate," he calls after the guard as he hustles out the door.

  "You need to get some rest," Blackbeard says, eying us up and down. "Go lay down in one of the offices for a few hours. I'll wake you if anything happens."

  I throw him a grateful look. My brain's barely functioning at this point, and I'm confident no one can fortify the city better against attack than Blackbeard. He and his men built the original barricade and container gate, and he and Jerome have spent months training the Undergrounders to defend the city in case this day ever came.

  I drag myself into the office next door and curl up in a heap on the floor with my head on my pack. Sven and Trout follow suit and pull their jackets over their faces. The sound of Trout's snoring quickly fills the space. I slip blissfully into a fog of sleep.

  My next conscious thought is that the ground beneath me is harder than the forest floor's supposed to be.

  "Derry!" Trout says, an urgent note in his voice.

  I sit up and rub my eyes, slowly piecing together where I am. Sven stifles a yawn and gets to his feet.

  Trout gestures to the doorway. I stare in disbelief at Viktor and Dimitri, strained expressions on their faces.

  "Is it the Megamedes?" I ask, my heart racing.

  "Iskra's missing," Dimitri says.

  I frown. "Missing?"

  Viktor wipes a hand across his jaw. "When we got to the Superconductor the scientist on duty told us she disappeared during her shift yesterday and never came back. Dimitri and I searched the entire city, but no one's seen her."

  I rub the back of my neck trying to wake myself enough to grasp the significance of what he's saying. Naturally Viktor's worried about his daughter, but we're running out of time to locate the Megamedes. And Iskra is our only hope of making contact. Wherever she is, we have to find her.

  "My sister is a conscientious scientist, she would never abandon her shift," Dimitri says. "Something must have happened to her."

  "She has to be somewhere in the city," I say, pulling my hair into a rough ponytail. "We'll begin back at the Superconductor and track her last movements. Sven can pull the camera feed and review it. Most likely she fell asleep someplace. We're all exhausted."

  Dimitri gives a resigned nod. Viktor looks like he's going to be sick.

  "Stick your head into Jerome's office and tell Blackbeard we're going to the Superconductor," I say to Trout.

  Trout slips out the door and I turn my attention back to Viktor. "Do you know what Iskra was doing when she disappeared?"

  Viktor pinches his lips together. "I have a hunch she found the coordinates for the Megamedes. You think there might be a connection?"

  "I'm not sure," I say, pushing down an uneasy thought. Did someone discover what she was doing and shut her down?

  When Trout returns, we exit the courthouse and make our way across the rubble-strewn section of town to the Superconductor.

  A distraught scientist greets us and ushers us inside. "I knew Iskra was worried about something yesterday," he begins without introduction.

  "What do you mean?" I ask.

  "I don't know exactly." He pulls distractedly at his collar. "She was jittery."

  "About what?" Trout asks.

  "I don't think it was what she was afraid of. It was who. I overheard her muttering to herself. I don't
trust him."

  "Did she seem afraid of anyone in particular?" I ask.

  The scientist shakes his head. "I don't think it was anyone who worked here. She kept throwing nervous glances at the door like she thought someone was going to walk in on her."

  "Let's search the Superconductor one more time from top to bottom," I say. "Sven, can you pull up the cameras and see if there's anything unusual."

  We work our way around the main command room, digging through piles of unused equipment in the storage areas, before fanning out to go through the smaller offices and research rooms. When we've combed every inch of the upper level we proceed down the metal, spiral stairway to the ground floor where the Superconductor is housed.

  We repeat the same process, opening even the smallest storage compartments on the off chance that they might reveal some clue that will lead us to Iskra.

  "Any luck with the cameras?" I call upstairs to Sven, still hunched over the CommCenter. He walks over to the stairway and runs his fingers through his hair. "I've reviewed all the footage. Nothing out of the ordinary. She left her desk a few minutes before she disappeared. According to the log, she went downstairs to do a routine check of the Superconductor gauges. That was the last sighting. No footage of her leaving the building."

  I frown up at him. "But there's no way out down–" My voice trails off. The tunnel.

  A look of comprehension flickers in Sven's face. He grips the handrails and bounds down the stairs two at a time. "There are no cameras on the tunnel entrance," he says. "She could have exited the Superconductor that way."

  "But how would she have known about the tunnel?" I ask. "And why would she sneak out?"

  Sven shrugs. "Beats me." He kneels down on the floor and searches around for the loose board to activate the trapdoor.

  "Did you find something?" Viktor asks, frowning.

  "There's a tunnel leading from here to the courthouse," I explain. "I'm not sure how Iskra would have found out about it, but it's possible she used it to escape undetected if she was trying to hide from someone."

  Dimitri drops to his knees and begins feeling around with his fingers.