by Matt Ryan
“I bet they just want to question her or something,” Poly spoke up from the back.
“If they really wanted to question her, they wouldn’t have carted her off like that,” Joey said a bit testier than intended. He’d been the one who pushed Samantha away. It was him and his actions alone which were to blame for everything. He just wanted to get her back and make sure she was safe.
Lucas drove on the shoulder and the car bounced over the divots in the dirt. A family walking alongside the highway moved out of the way. The wife held onto her man as he coughed. Their two kids carried large bags on their backs. The wife stared at Joey as they passed. He wanted to get out and hand the last few cures they had to them. He hated having them. It felt as if each person they passed was condemned to death.
As they got further away from LA, the traffic thinned. Less people were driving north on the southbound lane.
Julie gave directions to Lucas as he veered onto another freeway. She called out the exit and they were finally on Miramar Road. Joey spotted the large air force base that held Samantha.
THE DOOR FLUNG OPEN AND the twilight bled into the small metal shed. A man grabbed Samantha and pulled her to her feet. Adjusting to the light, she surveyed the group of soldiers surrounding her with guns drawn.
“Bunch of tough men, aren’t ya?” she spouted with her hands tied behind her back. “What are you going to do, shoot me? Do I look dangerous? Do I look like a person who needs to be shot?”
A few of the men lowered their guns.
One of the men leaned close to her and cut the zip tie. The movement made her think they might be letting her go, until he took her hands behind her back, pushing one high. She grimaced as the pain shot through her shoulder. She wanted to spit on the man next to her. She wanted to stomp on him and make him pay for treating her like some dog.
He pulled on her other arm and she felt metal cuffs locking her hands behind her back.
“Am I that terrifying?”
None of them answered and some of them looked away.
She stared down the one brave enough to look her in the eyes.
The soldier behind her shoved a cloth bag over her head. A smidgen of light came through and she saw the silhouettes of the men surrounding her.
She took a deep breath and fought the urge to run. She knew she couldn’t get ten feet with them around her and the bag over her head. “You can’t do this!” They didn’t answer. She wasn’t a human to them, just some animal they were taking out to pasture.
This can’t be happening.
But it was. She felt a hand on the back of her neck and she flinched.
“Just stay calm.”
She stood still. She knew the voice, the Miss Samantha soldier who took a beating.
“Back away, soldier,” another stern voice said.
The silhouette of a man moved toward her. She stepped back and felt the asphalt grinding under her shuffling feet. The man grabbed her at the elbow, yanking until she moved.
Her breath pushed against the black fabric and she wanted to scream. “Get your hands off me!” She pulled her arm free and ran. She couldn’t see much, just enough to spot the hole in their line, and ran through it. She ran hard and heard their boots on the tarmac, running after her.
Her shoe caught on something and she plunged to the ground. She tried to land on her side, but with her arms behind her back, she landed on her face.
Crying out, Samantha felt warm blood on her arm and face. She moaned over the pain and tried to lift her face off the asphalt. The black cloth-covered-world swam in front of her and she felt many hands touching her body.
She sobbed and screamed at the men as blood flowed into her eye and she desperately wanted her hands back. She wanted to wipe the blood away. Her face felt hot and throbbed with pain. The cloth over her head was now wet with her blood, making it even harder to get fresh air.
They yanked her off the ground. She felt hands on her legs and arms as they carried her like a pig on a stick. More blood dripped on the cloth hood and smeared over her face. The smell of it filled her nose.
“You can’t do this.” She wanted to scream, but it came out gargled.
“I think she’s hurt,” the Miss Samantha soldier said.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass if she’s hurt. Judge gave us orders.”
“We shouldn’t be doing this. We’re not killers.”
“What do you call what happened in Scottsdale?”
“It’s not the same, she’s not hurting anyone. She’s just a kid.”
“If you don’t want to end up like Parker, you’ll keep your mouth shut and do your job.”
“But—”
“Not another word.”
They didn’t say anything else.
She saw glimmers of motion below her. Feet moving, pavement gliding by. They fell into a marched rhythm and her body bounced along. The cuffs dug into her wrists and they were hurting her shoulder, but her fear was overwhelming the pain.
“Please,” she whispered.
Nothing.
“I’m just a front person. I’m nothing in the company.”
They kept marching.
Someone’s voice warbled over a radio, “We’ve got a group entering from the north gate.”
Hope.
They stopped and dropped her on the ground.
“He’s coming for me. You’re all going to die,” she said and spit some of the blood from her mouth.
“Jennings, Cooper, take her behind the hangar. You three take positions along the side. Mooks, can you get high?”
“Aye.”
“Go.”
She felt two sets of hands grab and haul her. She kicked her feet, trying to keep up but mostly they dragged her. They plopped her against a steel building.
“Can you take this damned bag off my head?”
The bag was gone. The soldier, wide-eyed, stared at her.
Is it that bad?
The other soldier looked. “Oh damn, Miss Samantha,” he struggled with the words and closed his eyes in fury. He shook his head and positioned himself next to the building, gun pointed toward the tarmac.
“We should use her for bait.”
“She could get killed.”
“We’re going to kill her anyways, man. What’s with you?”
Her only hope glanced at her and shook his head. He yanked a dagger out from his side and stabbed the other soldier in the throat.
The soldier gurgled and fired his gun, striking the Miss Samantha soldier in the chest. Blood splattered her face and the two men fell together. Neither moved.
Samantha staggered to her feet, wanting to scream. She wanted to cover her mouth and wipe the blood from her face. The one man who gave her a glimmer of hope lay dead before her. She cringed and pulled at her cuffs.
“Pete, report. Gunshots heard,” his radio blurted out.
“We’ve got a bird incoming,” another person on the radio said.
Samantha turned and saw a black plane landing on the tarmac. She knew that plane. It had a ZRB logo on the side. He’d come for her. She wanted to run to the plane and jump into his arms.
“Mooks, take it out. Free fire, men. Nothing gets on or off that plane.”
A rocket launched from a nearby tower, heading straight for the black plane landing on the runway.
“No,” Samantha cried out. A flash came from the plane and the rocket exploded at a safe distance. She breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Automatic gunfire sounded. She ducked down next to the steel building. The bullets sparked off the plane. The plane turned toward the oncoming fire. More flashes burst from the front of the plane and a loud hum sounded. The bullets crashed through the steel buildings and Samantha ducked low, trying to protect herself from falling debris. The plane turned toward her and continued to fire into the buildings.
In thirty seconds, silence.
She slid her back on the steel wall to prop herself up on her feet. Using her one eye not filled wit
h blood, she watched the airplane door open and a ladder fold out. She spotted Zach standing at the door. Taking a step toward him, she heard someone call out from behind.
“Samantha?”
She didn’t need to look to know who was there, even if it seemed impossible. “Joey,” she whispered, turning to see him. Her heart ached. He looked so good in the twilight.
His face contorted with fear and anger. “My God, what happened?” He rushed to her.
She looked back to Zach, standing on the stairs of the plane. Turning to Joey, she said, “You shouldn’t be here.”
He touched her hair, pulling it from her face. She would have smacked his hand away if they weren’t stuck behind her back. He didn’t have the right to touch her.
“Samantha...” his voice cracked. “I’m so sorry. Let’s get you out of here.”
“I have a ride already.”
He glanced at the plane. “We were about to take out those men. The men who did this to you.”
“But you were too late, weren’t you?”
Joey pulled his shirt off. “You’re bleeding.”
She looked away from his body. He blotted the cut above her eye. She winced but let it happen. It had been bothering her since she fell. “I have to go.”
“Back to him?” Joey glared at Zach standing at the top of the staircase. It was too far for Zach to see the glare.
“Where else would I go?”
“With us.” Joey looked behind him.
There they were. Lucas, Julie, and Poly. Lucas nodded and Poly smiled. Samantha felt the years’ long connection with them, but it also brought on the pain.
“No, the world needs me, and more importantly, someone else needs me.” She glanced at Zach. Why is he standing there and not running to me?
“We are not the Preston Six without you, Samantha,” Joey said.
“Is that what you’re not? Listen, Joey,” she felt the tears building in her eyes and it stung badly with the mixture of blood, “this isn’t just about us. The world is dying and I am going to do everything I can to save it. After these men tried to take everything Zach and I have created together, I’m even more determined.” She turned and started walking toward the plane.
“Wait,” Julie called out. She rushed up and hugged Samantha. “You look terrible,” she whispered.
Samantha didn’t know if it was tears or blood streaking down her face, but she didn’t care. She wanted to enjoy this moment with her best friend. Even if she sided with them, she missed her terribly.
Julie didn’t let go. “He’s not who you think he is,” she continued to whisper. “That’s Marcus Malliden standing on that plane.”
Samantha tried to push away with her shoulder, but Julie held her tight. She turned to face her. “You lying bitch. That man is saving the world.”
Julie let go, looking as if she’d been burned. “I’m sorry, he’s using you. It’s some kind of sick game. All of this is. Who do you think created the Cough? This is the same virus that took over Vanar all those years ago. In a few seconds, we are going to kill him.”
“No, you’re wrong! Come with me and meet him. He is not Marcus.” Samantha turned and jogged to the plane trying to keep her balance with her hands still cuffed behind her back.
Zach ran down the stairs and met her halfway. He frowned and grasped her face. She saw the tears welling in his eyes. Julie stayed back a few steps, staring at Zach with her mouth open, a dumbfounded look on her face.
“I’ll make every person responsible for this pay for what they did to you.” He turned his attention to Julie. “Hello, Julie. It’s a pleasure to finally meet another one of the Six. Oh, and I see the rest over there.”
“You’re not Marcus,” Julie delivered the words slowly.
Zach looked perplexed. “I’m sorry, I guess I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Zach Ryan Baker.” He extended his hand. Julie kept her hands to her side.
Joey, Poly, and Lucas ran up next to her. Each took in Zach, seeing him for who he was. Joey lowered his hand from his gun and shared the same shocked look as Poly and Lucas.
“So good to finally meet you all,” Zach said. “I hope you don’t mind if I get Samantha treatment for her eye. I fear she may have a concussion as well. Plus, we can get those cuffs off.”
Samantha gazed at her friends, they didn’t say anything in protest. She badly wanted the cuffs off and she wanted a mirror. She gazed back at Joey who studied Zach and his movements. Did they really think Zach was Marcus? Like she wouldn’t know if she was working for the worst person who ever lived? The person who had her dad killed? The idea seemed insane.
“Samantha, please, go inside and get some medical help,” Zach pleaded.
She took one last look at her old friends and trotted up the stairs. The nurse rushed her into the plane, while a man stood behind her and removed the cuffs. Her wrists felt raw and she rubbed them fiercely. She hoped her friends were being cordial with Zach. It’d be just like Lucas to say something stupid.
THE MAN APPROACHING THEM WORE a big smile and a face that wasn’t Marcus Malliden’s. Joey controlled his breath. His hands shook and he fought every urge to rush for Samantha climbing the stairs into the plane.
“I wanted to thank you guys. I know if I hadn’t shown up, you’d have taken care of her,” Zach said. He even sounded different.
Joey recoiled from the man’s hand and reached for his gun.
“You don’t want to do that.”
Joey stopped. “We know who you are.”
Zach’s smile changed to a scowl. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Joey stepped closer to the man. “You might have her fooled, but not us.”
“That’s right, you think I am this Marcus guy...”
“You must have gotten plastic surgery or something. We have proof.” Joey looked to Julie for backup.
Zach waved a dismissive hand in front of Julie. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m not who you think I am. All I want to do is protect Samantha.” He moved closer to Joey. “You may not believe I’m Zach Baker, but that isn’t my problem. Soon, the whole world will be shouting my name from the rooftops. Thank you, Zach Ryan Baker! Thank you for saving us!”
“You’re crazy. We know you started this disease.”
Zach chest-butted Joey and put his face close to his. “If you listen real carefully, there will be one more person screaming my name tonight. Oh, Zach!”
Joey swung at the douchebag’s face.
Zach grabbed his hand and pushed him to the ground. “See ya, Preston Four is it now?” He let go of his hold on Joey and walked toward the plane.
Joey pulled out his gun and fired at the back of his head. Zach didn’t flinch and the bullet bounced off his shield.
“See? You have a shield. Samantha! He has a shield!”
Zach ran into the plane and the door closed behind him. The motors revved up and the plane’s gun moved, pointing at them.
“Run,” Joey yelled.
He made sure Poly ran in front of him in case they decided to start shooting. He ran with his shoulder pulled up and his head down as if that would give him any protection. They kept running all the way to the steel hangar. The plane never fired a shot. By the time they looked back out of the hangar, the plane streaked across the sky.
Joey stared at the jet trail it left behind. It was worse than he could have ever imagined. With the knowledge she was given, she still chose to go with him. Zach must have manipulated her, fooled her, fed her lies. He shook his head, trying to put logic where there was none.
“She thinks she’s saving the world,” Julie said.
“She’s searching for love,” Poly said.
“Yeah, well he’s ending the world. They say love is blind. Is it also stupid?” Julie asked.
Joey held Poly with one arm and kept looking at the sky. He wouldn’t accept the loss of Samantha. She was in the arms of the Devil and he planned on getting her back. Marcus, Zach, whatever the guy wanted
to call himself, had a plan and Joey was going to do everything he could to stop that plan from happening. If he couldn’t get to Samantha, he’d get to his company; he’d find the errors and give Samantha the trails to follow on her own. She had to see it.
“What’s our next move?” Lucas asked.
“We need help, we need to get to Harris,” Julie said.
“And Travis,” Poly added. “I think with our new knowledge, he’ll help us.”
Joey could only hope.
SAMANTHA FELT THE SUPPLE LEATHER seat and stared at Zach sitting across from her. He didn’t retract from her mutilated face. She hadn’t had the guts to look in the mirror yet, but she felt the puffiness around the wounds and the bandage over her right eye. Zach’s on-plane nurse helped clean up the worst of it. She’d spread white goo all over and then placed a bandage over the side of her face.
“Are you in any pain?”
“No, and thanks for coming to get me,” her voice cracked.
“Anything for you.”
Samantha lowered her head and then looked out the window. The dark, featureless sky sped by. She stared at the void, thinking of Julie and Joey. Julie had grabbed her and told her Zach was Marcus.
She glanced at Zach.
Marcus was an evil man who’d killed her dad. The man sitting across from her was the sweetest, most caring person she’d ever known. And he had the balls to kill any man to protect her. Marcus wouldn’t do such things. Marcus wouldn’t find interest in a nineteen-year-old.
Zach watched her with a smile. “What are you thinking?”
She gave him the clean side of her face to look at as she gazed out the window. “Life’s complicated, isn’t it?”
“You have no idea.” He scooted forward in his seat and took her hand in his.
“Zach,” she turned to him, exposing her face, “are you who you say you are?”
He frowned and rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb. “Do I seem as if I could be someone else?”
“My friends think you are . . . someone awful.”
“Yes, your friends. Interesting bunch. I know one thing though, they love you and they are friends of mine by proxy.”