What used to be a two car garage at the clubhouse had been turned into a monitor room and each day, it was one group’s responsibility to watch the screens and report if they spotted anything. Robin had stopped the three shifts and now just assigned a group for the day. It was up to the group how often they traded off. But the primary function of the clubhouse was a meeting place for the coalition. It was formally a nice five bedroom home, but they had gutted it out to a nearly open floor. Now the entire coalition ate there once a week, usually on Sunday, and had a meeting afterwards. The meetings were Lance and Ian telling everyone what was planned for the next week and how everyone was doing.
Just thinking about the clubhouse, Percy flopped back in his seat. “Where does the power come from?” he gasped. Used to Percy talking to himself, Heath and Dwain didn’t respond. Lance and Ian had given him the blueprint they’d used to build the Sterling engine now at the clubhouse, but it should’ve been inadequate, very inadequate.
It was the first one put out that the Pirates had hurt, and even under the best of conditions only put out 10kw. The problem was Percy had gone through the clubhouse noting what power was used, and the clubhouse would’ve needed two of those Sterling engines at the minimum. Almost breaking out into a conversation with himself to ponder the facts, Percy stopped. He had already asked Lance and Ian, and both had told him they would explain in time.
Even though he was older, Percy really looked up to the two and treated them as the elders. They were very smart, but also adventurous. Something he had never been. He had spent a lot of time with the two and had even spent the night at the cabin twice. Learning about all the activities they’d been in made Percy jealous. His activities in school had been chess, computer, and mathematics clubs. Oh, Lance and Ian were on those too, but they’d also played football, baseball, basketball, track, and on the swim team for the school. Then they’d taken martial arts, were in Boy Scouts, and it seemed the list went on and on.
The only reason Percy knew about guns was one of his online gaming buddies at school had taken him out to shoot a few times. Shooting a gun for the first time, Percy had realized the games left a lot out.
When the infection hit, he had been at school, of course. He and his sister had shared a rental house. With both on full scholarships, they could manage it. Alvin and Julie were friends and were assistant professors, teaching several classes Percy had taken. They had come over regularly, if for nothing else, all four were hardcore online gamers. Since they lived in an apartment, Julie and Alvin came over to their house when it had become obvious the bottom was falling out.
None of them had a gun and with the exception of Percy, had never even held a gun, much less fired one. Not knowing how his gaming buddy would act if they all showed up, Percy had left on his own to cross fifteen miles of Cambridge, Massachusetts, just when stinkers were starting to flood the streets.
After getting to his buddy’s house, Percy was dejected to see he was gone but had left some guns, the same guns they’d still had when Ian and Lance had found them. Heading back, Percy only had a few boxes of ammo for each gun so he’d just run. Because his buddy had told him trying to get ammo in Cambridge was a pain in the ass, Percy didn’t even try to find any.
Getting back to the house, he had shown the others how to use the guns and told them what it’d been like outside. They’d packed up and left on foot because Percy had told them traveling by car was a death trap. They’d decided to try for a relief center but after reaching it and finding it overrun, they scratched that idea. Since Percy and Gail’s family lived out in the country of east Texas, that had become their new goal.
It was a rolling war for the quartet all the way. It was a week after the collapse when Gail had used her cellphone and was able to get the neighbors who lived a mile down the road from their parents’ farm to answer. That’s when they had found out their parents and other family members had been killed.
“What are you thinking of so hard back there?” Dwain asked as Heath parked beside the build house.
Shrugging, “Just thinking,” Percy mumbled, shaking his head to get the memories out of his mind.
Glancing at his watch and about to ask where Lance and Ian were, Heath saw one of the Razors come out of the trees. Then he noticed Jennifer was driving with Lilly riding shotgun. In the backseat was Rhonda, and Heath thought she looked nervous. “Wonder what’s wrong?” he mumbled as Jennifer stopped beside them.
“Follow me,” she said, and before she pulled off Heath stopped her.
“Um, what are we here to do all day?” he asked. “We didn’t bring a lot of tools to work with because we didn’t know.”
“You’re not working,” Jennifer said with a forced smile. “Follow me and I’ll let you know.” Not waiting to see if Heath was done Jennifer took off, throwing up dirt as she turned around to head back into the trees and up the slope toward the cabin.
“Did Rhonda look scared to you?” Dwain asked as Heath followed Jennifer up the slope.
“I thought she looked sick,” Heath replied.
Giving a very long groan, “Man, if what we have to do worries Rhonda, I’m going to piss glass,” Dwain moaned.
“Um, they know I’m not up to what they call ‘combat ready’, right?” Percy asked behind them.
Percy was shocked when Heath and Dwain both relaxed. “Sorry, forgot about ya,” Dwain said. “No, they wouldn’t, and that just confirms we aren’t going to war.”
“So what would have Rhonda worried?” Percy asked. What he knew of Rhonda was she was a badass bitch who was hot as hell and sounded like Reba.
“Ain’t no tellin’, but we can deal,” Heath replied as Jennifer reached the fence around the cabin. They followed behind and made the turn on the front of the fence to see another buggy parked outside the closed gates. As Heath passed, he saw it was Mary and Sandy in the buggy.
“What the hell?” he mumbled, following Jennifer down the driveway leading to the field. Passing through the cedar trees and not spotting anyone in the field, Heath wanted to drive up beside Jennifer and ask questions but didn’t. When they passed through the gate the boys had put up for the diversion fence, he almost did speed up, but hit the brakes to see Jennifer slowing down.
Coming around a curve, Heath saw Lance and Ian beside the track buggy. “Dino’s not with them, so we aren’t goin’ anywhere,” Dwain noted and Heath gave a nod as he pulled beside Jennifer and parked. Turning his UTV off, he saw Lilly and Jennifer get out and head to the boys.
Seeing Rhonda get out very slowly, “What’s wrong, Rhonda?” he asked climbing out.
Not answering, Rhonda just looked at Heath with wide eyes before she walked over to the others. “Hey, that’s the research area up there, right?” Percy asked climbing out.
Already nodding Heath turned around, pointing at a new trail that ATVs and equipment could use that led up to the ridge. It was a trail, not a road. Thirty yards to the right was a path, and the path was much more maintained than the trail. Right beside the path was a small sign, ‘Move past this point without the Wild Ones and we will have to bury what’s left of your dead body’.
“Yeah, it’s at the top of the ridge,” Heath answered.
“Wow,” Percy gasped in amazement. Yes, he was smart and scared because of what the others had only guessed at what was up there, but he still wanted to know.
Patting Percy on the back as he gazed up the slope, “I worry about you,” Dwain said, and skidded to a stop seeing Mary and Sandy get out, and they looked a little worried. Nothing like Rhonda, but they were damn sure worried. “Ok, now I’m starting to not like this.”
“Hey, Lance, Ian,” Heath said walking over.
“Hey, Heath,” Lance greeted and then strolled over. When Lance reached over with both hands Heath lifted his right arm up, expecting Lance was going to shake his hand for some reason. But Lance just grabbed his left arm and fastened a wristband around it. Not saying anything else, Lance spun to Dwain and put one on
him, then Rhonda.
Lifting his arm to see what the band was, Heath started hyperventilating. It was an RF identifier, just like the boys had worn when they’d gone to raid the Pirates. It looked like a wristwatch from the side, with the bands just being Velcro. Where the watch face would be, only a small plastic square sat, the size of a large digital watch. As the pieces came together, Dwain and Heath started sweating.
“Why are they giving us RF ID tags?” Percy asked, looking at his wrist. He turned to see Dwain and Heath just staring at their wrists with sweat breaking out on their faces.
Not getting an answer, Percy just turned to see Ian step back after putting wristbands on both moms. “We’ve asked everyone here to come up to the research area-,” Ian paused as Percy jumped up in the air, pumping his fist.
“Yes!” he gasped, then turned to see Lance and Ian looking at him with grins. Beside them were Jennifer and Lilly, looking at Percy in disbelief. Turning, Percy saw the others were still staring at their wrists.
“Guys,” Jennifer called out and none looked at her. “GUYS!” she bellowed and they all jumped back, dropping their arms to their sides. “You really need to pay attention and listen because what they’re going to tell you, your life will depend on it.”
Stomping his foot and acting just like his daughter Jodi when asked to do something she didn’t want to, “Why do I have to go up there?!” Dwain cried out, pouting.
“Sorry, but there are things we have to show you, just so you’ll believe us,” Ian said with a smirk, trying not to laugh at Dwain pouting.
“Hey,” Rhonda called out, stepping up to them. “I’ll believe you. I don’t need to go up there.”
“No,” Lance said. “You need to see this with your own eyes because you can never tell anyone what you are about to see.”
Throwing her hands up, “Why me?!” Rhonda cried out. “I don’t understand what you do down here, much less up there!” she said, pointing up the slope.
“Rhonda, quit being a pussy,” Lance sighed.
Grabbing her crotch, “I have one, and can act like one if I goddamn well want to!” she shouted. “I know you make shit up there that you’re scared to bring down here! We know shit up there kills when others even get close! So why in the fuck would any sane motherfucker want to go up there?!” Everyone remembered Tony, one of the former members of the Geek Squad. Like everyone, the Geek Squad had been told to avoid the area of the cabin and if they saw signs telling them death was ahead, the sign wasn’t lying. Tony had told the others he wanted to see this ‘Research Area’. Lance and Ian had found what was left of Tony’s body the next day. To show everyone, they’d loaded it up in a plastic bag and laid it out at the clubhouse before Sunday lunch. Never once had either apologized about Tony getting killed, but they had told everyone again, ‘Don’t go near the research area’. A few in the Geek Squad were pissed about Tony, but he had been warned.
Very much in agreement with his sister, “Um, I don’t have one, but I’ll gladly say I’m a pussy if I don’t have to go?” Heath chimed in.
“I’ll take my dick off right now!” Dwain proclaimed.
Rolling his eyes in disgust, “Guys,” Lance mumbled.
Holding up a hand to stop any more proclamations, “That fear is justified, but just listen and you won’t get hurt,” Ian assured them.
“Rhonda,” Lilly said, and Rhonda turned to her, “You’ll understand the reason and significance of what they’re going to tell you, but nobody understands the science behind it.”
“Why me?” Rhonda whined and took a play from Dwain, stomping her foot.
“Okay, I was going to tell everyone when we got to the research area,” Lance moaned. “Heath and Dwain are here because everyone listens to them. They listen to us but take cues from Heath and Dwain. Rhonda, you’re here because everyone looks up to you and you’re an excellent judge of character. Our moms are here because they’ll weigh the importance of any others finding out. Percy is here because we need him and we have to ask him some very pointed questions.”
The six just looked at Lance in bewilderment. “We’re asking each person here to take a vow. Unless approved by everyone in this group, none here, including Ian and I, can tell another soul,” Lance said. “Your word is your vow and it could cost you your life.”
“It’s that important?!” Sandy cried out.
“Momma,” Lance said with a grave face. “If any group finds out what we’ve discovered, they’ll want it. If we can keep it a secret, we’ll have no trouble surviving this. It gives us an edge you can’t even quantify.”
Percy stepped up and nodded. “You have my word,” he stated firmly.
“There’s dangerous shit up there,” Dwain told him.
Waving one arm around them, “There’s dangerous shit down here,” Percy countered. “If they have discovered something that gives us an edge, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ve shot motherfuckers trying to rape my sister and the sad fact is, I’ve done it more than once. She’s done it three damn times before I could even help.”
Jerking back at the realization that the safety the boys built around them had lulled them into a false sense of security, Dwain nodded. “You have my word.”
“You know you have mine, Lance,” Sandy smiled.
“Me too,” Mary said.
Letting out a long huff, “You have mine. I just don’t want to go up there,” Rhonda said as Lance and Ian turned to Heath.
“Oh, you have mine, but I don’t talk to anyone about anything I hear from you two,” Heath said, and Dwain nodded.
“Oh, and that irritates Robin to no end,” Dwain mumbled.
“I told her to go fucking ask,” Heath shot back, then looked at the boys. “Unless you tell me others can know, I don’t say shit.”
“Fork it over, bitch,” Lance grinned turning to Ian. “Told ya he wouldn’t tell Robin.”
“Fuck!” Ian shouted and pulled something from his pocket. When he placed it in Lance’s hand, everyone could see it was a switchblade knife. Feeling weird as the object of a bet between the boys, it was on the tip of his tongue to clarify, but Heath really didn’t want to know.
Looking at the knife, Lance handed it back. “You can keep it,” Lance grinned and Ian laughed, taking it back as Lance turned to Percy. “I want your honest opinion here and nobody will ever say anything, understood?” Locking eyes with Lance, Percy nodded. “Can your sister, Alvin, and Julie be trusted with a secret of this magnitude? I’m not lying when I say if others find out, we’ll get our asses kicked. In time we can make it very difficult for them to fight us, but not for some time.”
“Dude,” Percy scoffed. “Alvin and Julie worked on several government projects and never told anyone shit, and I asked. Alvin has been to Area 51. He didn’t tell me, I found a picture in his house. I asked him and all he ever said was, ‘yeah, been there’. Shit, I wanted to know about aliens.”
With an impressed nod, “At one time, I would’ve tried to get it out of him, but I’ve had my fill of alien lifeforms,” Lance said with Ian, Lilly, and Jennifer nodding in agreement.
“What aliens?” Percy asked.
“Duh, the ones inside the stinkers, dumbass,” Lance said.
“Oh,” Percy said feeling very stupid because he’d known that. “I was talking about aliens that could talk.”
“I can honestly say, we wouldn’t understand a damn thing,” Ian replied and Lance chuckled in agreement. “So, your sister?”
“Oh, Gail won’t say shit, especially if it gives us an edge against those outside the perimeter who want to rape and kill us.”
Lance and Ian turned to stare at each other for a few seconds, then they turned to Percy. “Will they and you work on this top secret project we’ve discovered? And I’m telling you now, dangerous doesn’t even come close. You will die if you aren’t very careful,” Lance told him.
Seeing actual fear in Lance’s eyes did unnerve Percy. “I take it, you two with Lilly and Jennifer have been wo
rking on it?” he asked and they nodded. “So if precautions are taken, there isn’t danger?”
“Bullshit,” Jennifer scoffed, and Percy jerked his eyes to her.
“Percy,” Ian said, and Percy turned to him. “You have to stay on your toes and never become complacent with the top secret project. We’ve had three explosions, all small because we took precautions. The material we were working with was in ounces but detonated with the force of pounds of TNT. You always start small with this shit and work your way up.”
“Trust me,” Jennifer piped in. “They’ve never done that until this shit. I’m so proud of them for realizing it was deadly and not just going full scale after they thought they had an answer.”
Now getting very worried, “We’ll follow in your footsteps then,” Percy said with a dry throat.
“Follow us,” Lance said as he and Ian started up the trail.
Jennifer jumped in front of everyone before they moved. “He means, follow them,” she stressed. “You only go where they go, touch what they touch, do what they do.”
Seeing she had their attention, Jennifer just nodded and followed up the slope. “I really don’t want to die today,” Rhonda moaned and got right behind Jennifer.
Lilly motioned for the others to follow. “I’m coming up behind, in case someone wants to look around,” she told them. “I have my pistol to shoot your knees out. Trust me, you would rather have that than some of the shit they have around here.”
Heath moved up behind Rhonda, so close she felt him breathing. “Heath, you knock me off this path and I’ll kill you. Hopefully, before something kills me,” she warned him and Heath moved back, but could still touch her without extending his arm.
Forsaken World | Book 6 | Redemption Page 11