by D. S. Murphy
“I’m fine,” I snapped, pushing his hand away. “But the elite are here. Outside. They found us. They know where we are.”
His jaw hardened, and thankfully he didn’t drill me for more information, at least not here. He grabbed my arm and dragged me through the crowd, his thick form opening a path for us, leaving a wake of surprised faces.
He shouted to some of the guards to get Jacob and the others, and kept heading up, two levels, until we were near the front entrance. A side office was filled with security screens and cameras, rotating on all the different exits. There were only three main access points to Havoc, but probably a few dozen secret passageways like the one April had shown me. I wondered if they were all protected by UV arrays.
Trevor got me a glass of water and a blanket, then sat me in a chair until the others arrived.
“What happened,” Jacob said, approaching with four of his guards.
“Three elite, outside. I fought them off, and we blockaded the entrance, but they know we’re here.”
His eyes widened slightly, but otherwise his face kept an almost icy composure. He looked over my torn clothes, the red marks around my neck, then leaned in close, piercing me with his gaze like he was trying to see through me.
“You fought off three elites?” he asked slowly. A couple of his guards chuckled. With their fur and leather trimmings, and the collection of guns and blades strapped to their hips, they looked like a gang of rogue pirates.
“More like distracted them,” I said, “but it was enough to get away.”
“Your pupils are dilated. Where did you get more elixir? And why were you outside the gates?”
I bit my lip. I didn’t want to betray Marcus, and I wasn’t ready to tell him about the map we’d found, at least not in front of Trevor. I knew he’d never let me leave, and I wasn’t planning on asking for permission.
“What difference does that make now?” I said, standing up suddenly. “They know where we are. They’ll find a way into Havoc. We have to leave.”
“And go where?” Jacob asked, leaning back and crossing his arms.
“I don’t know, somewhere else?”
“You want us to evacuate nearly a thousand people, some who have lived here for over a decade, exposing them to the elements, giving up comfort and safety, everything we’ve built here. We’re going to need more proof.”
“You think I’m lying?” I asked, gaping at him. “For what?”
“To get us outside,” Steve cut in. “Where we can be picked off easily.”
I looked up at them in shock. I’d nearly been killed and they didn’t even believe me.
“And the bruises, the scratches?” I asked, gesturing at my face.
“Maybe one of your chosen buddies did it for you. We already know they can fight.”
“Sir,” one of the security guards pointed at the glowing screens against the far wall of the darkened office. The elite had found one of the external cameras. Nigel waved from the monitor, then leaned in close, his lips curling up to reveal his sharp fangs. A bloody handkerchief had been tied around one eye, and his cheek had deep scratches, though they already seemed to be healing.
“Hello, anybody in there?”
I shivered as his voice filled the small room.
“I’ve got to thank you, Emily,” he said. “We knew there was a rebel stronghold in the city, but we would have never guessed this complexity. To the humans inside, I come in peace with a message from our king. Send out the traitor to the crown, Emily Sharrow, who is wanted for crimes against the kingdom.”
The men shifted nervously behind me. I felt a pinch of vindication, as they realized I’d been telling the truth, but it was overshadowed by the deep dread that followed as Nigel continued speaking.
“The rest of you, if you are innocent, are free to remain. We don’t force anyone to join our compounds, contrary to popular belief. Outside our gates, you are unprotected. You think we are your enemy, but we are not. The humans who have willingly agreed to the contract keep us fed. If it were not for the compounds, if blood wasn’t so easily available, the elite in the citadel would roam the wastelands, feeding on every human they encounter.”
“But a direct attack on our kingdom, that cannot stand. We will wait here, for weeks, months if we need to. But the longer you make us wait, the hungrier we will become. And if you do not send out the traitor, rest assured we will dig through solid stone, we will drench your fortress in your own blood, we will slaughter every last one of you. The choice is yours. I’ll give you a minute to think it over.”
“He’s bluffing,” Jacob said. “They can’t get inside past our security measures. They’ll get bored and leave.”
“They won’t,” I said. “He won’t leave without me.”
“Why?” Trevor asked. “Why you?”
“Let’s just say we have some history. Plus, I nearly took his eye out today. It’s personal. But you can’t trust him. He’ll kill me and take my head back to the citadel, and then return with an army anyway.”
“We won’t let that happen,” Jacob said.
“You have to evacuate,” I said. “There are other entrances they don’t know about, right? Sneak out, while there’s time. They can’t police all the exits.”
“Why don’t we fight? There are only three of them,” Luke said. “We managed one and some slagpaw before.”
“Barely, and only because Trevor shifted.”
“Still, the handheld UV flares worked pretty well. We just need a distraction. External floodlights. At night. They can’t get all of us.”
“Even with elixir, we’d lose dozens of fighters, at least.”
“Worth it,” Steve said, “if we stop them from reporting our location to the citadel.”
“What if we lure them inside,” April said, “at the entrance, then flash them with the lights and burn them?”
“They won’t all come at once,” Jacob said. “They’ll keep someone outside to report back.”
“There’s another option,” Steve said. “They only want the girl.”
“No way,” said Trevor, moving in front of me protectively.
“Come on, we’d be fools not to at least consider it. One life in exchange for a thousand.”
“He’s right,” I said quietly, stepping out from Trevor’s shadow. “They’re here for me. At least it’ll give you enough time to escape.”
“Now who’s a martyr?” Trevor said, narrowing his eyes and squeezing my shoulder.
“I think I need a minute with Miss Sharrow,” Jacob said. “Alone.”
The others looked like they wanted to disagree, but filed out after Jacob gave them a stern glance. Steve was the last to leave, kicking a chair and grumbling on his way out.
I sat at one end of the long table, with Jacob at the other. After a moment, he pulled out a silver flask and took a long sip, before sliding it down the table towards me. I unscrewed the lid and wet my tongue, feeling the alcohol burn down my throat.
“Did you get what you were looking for?” he asked, when I’d returned his flask.
“I think so,” I said.
“And you still think you can find a cure to the elixir?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “I do.”
He sighed and took another drink. The dark fur cloak and goatee gave him a rugged look, and the gold metals on his leather armor gleamed in the light.
“Then you’re too important to risk,” he said finally. “Even if it’s a long shot. We always knew this day would come. A conflict with the elites was inevitable. We may lose this battle, but the war is only lost when we give up all hope.”
“I didn’t think you believed in hope,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter if I believe it. Only that it’s there, to give comfort to those it can.”
“What about Havoc?” I asked.
“We will evacuate. There are places they can hide, throughout the city, in the forest.”
&n
bsp; “Somewhere safe?”
“Nowhere is safe, not anymore. But in time, we’ll regroup and rebuild. You will go on your quest. Be careful. Take whatever supplies and weapons you need.”
“What about you?” I asked.
“A captain goes down with his ship,” he said sadly. He waved to the others through the glass window, calling them inside.
“Start the evacuation, fifteen at a time. Small groups, different directions.”
The camera flared to life, again, as Nigel came into view, dragging a struggling figure in front of the camera. He held her over the edge of the building by the scruff of her neck. I could see the beaded braids in her hair. She was clutching a bundle in her arms, and I recognized the herbs and flowers from the poultice I’d found in my bed earlier.
My heart pounded in my throat as Beatrice twisted against Nigel’s grasp, kicking her legs in the air. They were on the roof, several floors up. She’d never survive the fall.
“Time’s up,” Nigel grinned. Beatrice’s face was one of calm resolve... until the instant he dropped her. There was a flash of surprise, a short scream, and then she was gone.
14
Panic and anger set deep into my bones, spurring me to action. I ran towards the metal doors of the front exit, leaping over chunks of concrete and rubble, but was blocked by Jacob’s men.
“Let me go!” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. I shoved one of the guards so hard he stumbled and fell. I felt strong arms wrap around me, and beat my fists against them.
I’d saved her from falling, and condemned her at the same time. She’d gone back outside, probably to pick more herbs for me. This was all my fault.
“It’s too late for her now,” Jacob said. “I’m sorry. But it’s not too late for the rest.”
I let Trevor hold me until I’d stopped fighting. I could feel the last of the elixir slipping away, leaving a deep exhaustion. Jacob and Steve barked orders but I tuned them out, staring at a faded poster on the wall.
The edges were torn away, but I could make out a picture of a sunrise, and the motivational message below. Each day starts with a grateful heart.
But I couldn’t find anything to feel grateful for. Gratitude must have died out in the Before, along with the sun. All I wanted to do was tear out Nigel’s heart and stomp on it.
“What about the girl?” Steve asked. “The vamp?”
“We leave her here,” Jacob said.
My head snapped up suddenly as I realized they were talking about Penelope.
“You can’t do that,” I said. “They’ll kill her if they find her.”
“Would you rather let her loose, to feed her way through Havoc? I can’t save everyone.”
I bit my lip, but allowed myself to be dragged away by Trevor as alarms pierced through the underground compound, along with flashing red lights. Jacob’s men spread the word as calmly as possible, but the panic spread like a disease. Everyone was running around, grabbing supplies and tearing down tents. Women and children were to head to the rear exits. Able-bodied rebels would guard the retreat, until everyone was safely outside of the compound.
Trevor grabbed my hand and pulled us down the hallways, which were already crammed full of people moving towards the various unmarked entrances, carrying boxes and loaded up with gear. I ducked as a pair of chickens flapped near my head. A young girl squeezed past us clutching a piglet.
“I’ve got to go back,” I said, pulling away from Trevor. “For Penelope, we can’t just leave her here.”
“It’s too dangerous with all these people. Jacob’s right, it would only cause more panic. Most of them don’t even know she’s here, the sudden appearance of an elite would cause chaos.”
“But we can’t just leave her here, she’ll starve, she’ll die. I made her a promise.”
Trevor scowled and wiped a hand over his face. He nodded towards Luke, who was not far away with a backpack and a suitcase.
Jazmine shoved her way through the crowd, with Camina right behind her. Their eyes widened when they saw the bruises on my face.
“What’s going on?” she shouted over the sirens.
“The elite,” I said. “They’re here. They know where we are.”
“How many?”
“Three. But they’ll go back and tell the others. It isn’t safe here.”
“Just three?” Jazmine asked. “We can take them.”
“We barely got away from Tobias, and that was only because he was distracted.”
“So what, we just run? Where? For how long?”
“As long as we have to,” Trevor said.
His hand was on my arm again, and I pulled against his grip, searching back over the crowd behind us. Trevor pinched the bridge of his nose, holding a deep breath before nodding to the others.
“Follow the crowd. Get her outside.”
I grabbed his wrist as he stepped away.
“Wait, where are you going?”
“To see about Penelope,” he said.
It was the first time he used her name, instead of calling her the elite or the prisoner. I squeezed his palm, reluctant to let him go, and his eyes softened.
“We’ll be okay,” he said. He had a leather satchel strapped loosely around his chest. He opened it so I could peek inside and see it was full of dark ash.
“You have your elixir, I have mine.” His lips curled up in a sad smile. “You’re not the only one who’s stronger now. I’ll wait till the people have gone, then we’ll get out, together. But you have to leave now.”
I bit my swollen lip, but then nodded stiffly. Warmth and icy cold fear fought for dominance in my chest.
“If you go through the city,” Trevor said, “on the far end, near the woods, there’s an old gas station. A big red sign in the shape of a star. Meet me there in an hour.”
“Promise me you’ll be there,” I said.
He brushed my dark hair behind my ears and leaned forward. His voice was raw and husky.
“I promise,” he said. Then he kissed me. Long and sweet. He tasted like home.
Far away we heard pounding noises against the concrete and I felt the walls tremble. People screamed and the crowd surged forward, pressing me up against the sea of bodies in the tight hall. The line was moving too slowly. A man got knocked down and nearly trampled before I grabbed his arm and helped him up. Jazmine lifted a young girl and held her up against her waist. My heart clenched when I realized it was the one I’d seen with Beatrice the other night.
Suddenly I realized how much danger we were in. Not everyone in this place were rebels. Many of them were free-range humans, just trying to exist in a dangerous world. And I was forcing them out into the wilderness, to contend with the poisonous ash and deadly predators. For most of them, it would be a death sentence. But the alternative was even worse.
“If the elite get in here...”
“It’ll be a bloodbath,” Jazmine finished under her breath. “Like a fox in a chicken coop.”
“More like a blood buffet,” Luke added grimly.
“This is all my fault,” I said. “If I’d listened to Jacob, if I had only stayed in Havoc instead of going outside the defenses.”
“I shot the gun,” April said, appearing at my side suddenly. “Not you.”
I smiled at her, relieved that she’d found us. She must have gone to grab her stuff. Tucked under her arm was a yellow folder full of research notes, and a leather satchel stuffed with lab equipment.
“If you hadn’t, I’d be bear poop right now.”
“That reminds me,” she said, pulling something from the pocket of her oversized coat. “I reverse-engineered the bracelet, it should show the level of elixir in your blood. But no trackers.”
It was a simple device, just metal and leather. I felt a sharp pinch when I strapped it on. Instead of the fancy gold and diamond band the king had given me, this one was a black strap with metal studs and an analog reader. The screen w
as blank for a few breaths, but then flickered to life. 1%.
“It works!” I said.
“Probably, though I’m not sure if it’s accurate or on the same measure scale. How much can you handle?”
“I don’t know, in the citadel, when I killed the first slagpaw, it was at nearly 20%. So at least that much.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out today,” Camina said sagely.
Finally we entered the final room, a long arched hallway at the end of the mall, with twin sets of metal stairs leading up to the exit.
“Hurry!” I shouted.
The men were prying open the large security door from the inside with crowbars, and the metal screeched against my eardrums. Finally, it was off and light poked through. I strapped on my mask and tightened my dark scarf around my neck, making sure to cover up any exposed skin, and helped a few others do the same.
As soon as we were outside, we broke away from the crowd and headed north towards the checkpoint. I glanced back at the mall, and while most people disappeared quickly down side streets, at least a hundred were still standing around the exit.
“They’re too exposed,” I frowned.
“They’re probably just waiting for loved-ones, to make sure everyone’s out,” Jazmine said. “We need to worry about ourselves now.”
“Quickly, this way,” Luke said, gesturing with the end of a shotgun he must have grabbed from the armory. The weapon made me feel queasy. After my encounter with the mutid bear, I never wanted to see another firearm again. I tightened the straps to my backpack and hurried after him. After ten minutes, we’d put the mall behind us and our footsteps echoed in the silent streets, despite the floor of ash.
The streets got thinner and more residential. In this area, the tall apartment complexes had balconies, with rusted chairs and tables outside. I couldn’t even imagine a time when people could live outdoors, relaxing on their patios, taking in the sun.
The city was a death trap, full of infected animals and raiders. It reminded me of the stories my mother had told me in Algrave, about the dead cities, filled with skeletons and monsters. She’d have had a heart attack to learn I’d been living in it.