Lost Hope (The Bridge Sequence Book Three)

by Nathan Hystad

  “Thanks. I think so.”

  He leaned against the wooden stair banister. “I never had the chance. And now look at me… too late.”

  “I doubt that,” she told him.

  “Right. Because every woman is searching for a washed-up FBI agent with an obsessive personality and an addiction to cigarettes.” He smirked.

  “Cut the smoking out, and you’d be surprised.” Bev hardly believed that was her own voice. Was she flirting with the man? “I’d better go.”

  He kept smiling, looking at the towel one more time. “See you down there.”

  Beverly closed the door and walked to the window. It was dark already, and a roaring fire crackled in the middle of Roger and Coleen’s yard. Her kids were roasting marshmallows. She was worried about the future of their world, but not for her children. They were Walkers.

  ____________

  “I’ve never enjoyed a beer so much.” I sipped from the bottle, staring at the starry night sky. It was extremely clear this far from the city.

  “That’s why we chose this farm.” Roger pointed up. “Nothing for miles. Skies the size of Texas.”

  We were all outside, drinking and eating, enjoying each other’s company.

  “What’s tomorrow bring?” Veronica finally asked.

  I kept looking at the sky, slunk low in my chair. “That’s a loaded question.”

  “I figure we contact Jerkins again. See how we can help. He’ll have a direct line to some form of leadership,” Evan said.

  “That’s one idea,” Roger told us.

  “What’s yours?” Marcus asked. He was swathed in bandages but swore he felt okay. Their story was remarkable. I owed Gren a lot for saving my friends. I didn’t want to think about our end of the bargain. Not yet. The Rodax soldiers were with us, on the far side of the fire, talking and drinking amongst themselves. This was an experience they’d never forget.

  “I’ve been in touch with my sector leaders. They’ve already restored power in Oregon, near Portland. No deaths from the Zalt. Same near Nebraska,” Roger said.

  Evan set his beer on the arm of his Adirondack chair. “That’s great news.”

  “Can we just exist tonight?” Tripp flipped a toothpick around in his mouth. “It’s obviously going to change. It already has. But… this…” He pointed at the flames. “This is how I want to remember the start of my new life.”

  “Fine by me,” I said, clinking bottles with him.

  We stayed until all hours of the night. Gren and his people departed when Roger broke out the guitar, and Bev took her kids to bed shortly after. Dirk vanished with Opor, and the fire pit quieted.

  Soon it was only me, Veronica, Marcus, and Tripp. My head swam from the beer and happiness.

  “We started this together. Now we end it. As a team.” I lifted my bottle, regretting opening this last beer.

  “To the team!” Marcus called.

  “Where’s Jessica?” I asked, almost forgetting about my former boss.

  “Roger has her secured in the barn,” Tripp said.

  The urge to urinate hit me like a slap, and I rose to my feet, swaying slightly. “I have to go… I’ll be back.”

  They kept talking, and I stumbled away, heading in the direction of the barn. I leaned against a tree, relieving myself, and when I was done, I slunk closer to the structure.

  A beam of light snuck through two wooden slats, and I pressed my eye to the wall. A single bare lamp centred the inside. I saw a cot and a dirty plate on a bed of hay. An empty bottle of water was sideways on the floor. But there was no Jessica.

  I saw the shadow before I heard her footsteps. “Rexford Walker. You’ve been a huge pain in my ass.”

  I lifted my hands and slowly turned to face my assailant. “Jessica, you don’t want to do this.”

  “Jessica. You still believe that?” She laughed lightly. “I’m scared. I want to help you.” Her voice mimicked herself from earlier in the day. “You men are so easy to deceive.”

  “What do you want?” I saw her eyes and recalled the beings on the Object. “You’ve always been a Zalt.”

  “You’re smarter than I gave you credit for.” She stepped closer, the gun unwavering. “I will find a way to bring my people to Earth. But it won’t matter to you, because you’ll be…”

  I cut her off as I lunged, knocking her arm with the gun. It barely budged. Instead of shooting me, she struck me with her free hand. I went flying back, hitting the side of the barn before I tumbled to the dirt. Blood welled where I bit my tongue, and I spat, tasting beer mixed with iron.

  “Rex, you’ve always had a lot of spirit. I respected that about you.” She took a step closer. “But you and your sister have to die. The kids too. Because you seem to have an innate ability to screw everything up. And don’t forget about your father, the elusive Dirk Walker. How I loathe you and your family.”

  I tried to stand, but she lashed out, hitting me right in the stomach. It had healed nicely from the bullet wound, but the impact sent me reeling. I curled into a ball, pain erupting from the blow.

  “Or maybe I’ll take Beverly. Yeral was too weak. I should have been in charge, and none of this would have happened.” Jessica lifted her arm, her smile wide and perfect in the dark night. “Goodbye, Rex.”

  I flinched and attempted to roll out of the way. Her head snapped as a bullet struck her forehead, and she dropped to the ground.

  My temple lowered to the dirt, and I sighed, staring at the incoming boots.

  “Rex, you okay?” It was Tripp. He removed the gun beside Jessica and helped me up.

  “I’m… she was infested,” I said, trying not to stare at her corpse.

  “I thought something was off with her.”

  “That’s why you agreed to bring her,” I said.

  Tripp nodded. “Now we know.”

  “She might find another vessel,” I told him.

  “We’ll check on our people.” He clapped me on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Jessica’s body.

  A frantic ten minutes later, we had the entire group staying on Roger’s farm gathered in his living room, examining each and every set of eyes. No one matched the coloring.

  “She’s gone,” Dirk assured me.

  I wanted him to be right.

  ____________

  The sun had peaked in the sky by the time we met in the yard. It had been a trying few days, and after last night’s abrupt events, everyone had slept uneasily.

  Gren waved me over. “Rex, I apologize for our lack of foresight. We weren’t prepared for what we were facing. We suspected we could power the hub off, and that would be enough to rid you of the Zalt. They have grown desperate, more violent.”

  “Maybe you’ll remember this for next time,” I told him, not fully accepting his apology. But he’d lost his brother Baska, and Lewen had sacrificed herself to save us. That went a long way in my books. “What’s next?”

  “Forget the bargain. I will explain to the others that humans are not ready for this step. We will keep in contact if you wish, but do not feel obliged to join us on Kabos,” Gren said.

  Dirk and Opor walked toward us, hand in hand.

  “Are you sure?” I asked. Part of me understood that merging with the Rodax would be a miraculous step for humanity. I glanced over at Bill and Evan, seeing they were nearly healed from their radiation burns. Marcus looked ten times better today, and he accompanied Tripp and Veronica.

  “We are positive.” Gren motioned for his soldiers to return to the ships.

  Veronica pointed at the second vessel. “What about that one?”

  “We’ll leave it. In case you have need.” He smiled at her, and I could tell Veronica was thrilled—not that we’d be able to use it without raising a few eyebrows.

  “We’re coming with you, Gren,” Dirk said, catching us all off-guard.

  “What?” I demanded. “You can’t go.”

  Beverly and the kids joined our group, and Roger stood with Coleen at the edge, si
pping from coffee cups.

  He looked torn, lost in his decision. “Son, I have to.”

  “No you don’t, Dad,” Beverly said. “We’ve already lost so much. I don’t want you to leave.”

  He glanced at Opor and back at me. “The decision has been made. Opor and I don’t fit in this new world. She can’t live on Earth. I’ll represent humanity.”

  “Then we’re going too,” Bev said defiantly.

  Dirk sadly shook his head. “No, dear Beverly.” He walked to her, kissing her cheek. “You and the children don’t belong on Kabos. Your place is here.”

  “But…” She started to argue, and I cut her off.

  “Bev, he’s right. Carson and Edith don’t deserve that. They need home. Stability,” I said.

  “We will leave you with a Threshold. It’s on the vessel already. All we ask is that you keep us secret from your people. It will be for you only,” Gren said.

  “We can visit?” Tripp asked.

  “Certainly. And when you judge it time, perhaps we will discuss informing your people of our existence.” Gren shook our hands and walked off with the Rodax.

  “Do you have to go now?” Bev asked Dirk.

  “Yes. I think so.” Dirk smiled at us.

  I stood aside while everyone said their goodbyes to Dirk Walker. Without him, we would have been lost. He and Beverly shared a quiet moment, and her kids hugged him, both crying. When it was my turn to say goodbye, he escorted me to a private space.

  “You’ve grown into an incredible man, Rex. You should be proud. I know I am, and your mother would be at a loss for words. Be good. Take care of your friends, and let them reciprocate.”

  “I will,” I promised.

  “I love you, son.” He smiled at me as I told him the same.

  “Wait.” I slipped the most precious gift I’d ever been given from my wrist. “Take this.”

  “I couldn’t,” Dirk said.

  I placed it in his palm. “Wear it. Remember the time we had together.”

  He clasped it over his wrist and smiled. “Thank you.”

  We kept silent while Dirk and Opor strode to the Rodax ship. It rose into the air, and soon disappeared into the horizon.

  3

  One Year Later

  “You’re on the air with Bill McReary, and welcome to Across This Great Na… World. That’s right, we’re live with brand-new content, and sending our love to each corner of the globe.” Bill grinned as he spoke into the microphone. “We’re coming at you from New York City, and I am thrilled to be home once again.” He’d missed this place, and after the months of cleanup, it remained a thriving metropolis. The people were so resilient: not just here, but everywhere.

  “We have endured so much. Humanity was pushed to the brink, and we not only survived, but we proved how remarkable we are. Despite the odds, we’ve bounced back with a resilience I’d never have predicted. You make me proud. The stories I’ve been hearing have warmed my heart, and that’s what we’re going to do with this show. I want to hear about your lives. What happened to you. Not during the attack, but after it. How did you recover from the trauma?” Bill took a breath, glancing at his producer. Sharon waved at him. He was glad she’d agreed to be part of this process. In the world full of changes and uncertainty, finding a constant at his side was important.

  The station manager poked his head in the door, and Bill waved him inside. He pointed to a box of donuts, telling the man to have one. He thought about Saul Goldstein, the strongest man he’d ever met. Not just physically; he was a rock. And dead, because of the Zalt.

  “Call the station and let it out. Let’s hear the positives, the sad tales, the joyful ones. I want to know you, world. And don’t forget to hit the web and add your part to Across This Great World. We have over thirty million submissions so far, and it’s growing every minute.” Bill saw the lines were lit up. “Sharon, who do we have up?”

  “Louise from Northamptonshire,” Sharon said smoothly.

  “Tell us your story…”

  Two hours later, Bill sat back in his chair, resting his hands on his stomach. He’d dropped thirty pounds. He grabbed a piece of gum and had a quick post-show meeting with Sharon before heading outside.

  He shoved his umbrella open and walked down Fifth Avenue, thrilled to be alive.

  His phone vibrated, and he saw it was Evan. “Special Agent Young. What can I do for you?”

  “You mean Assistant Director Young,” Evan said.

  “I’ll be damned. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks. Not sure I’ve earned it, but they felt bad after reviewing my reports on the Believers. It’ll take years, but you should see some of the stuff they’ve dug up on these people. Lots of heads are rolling, but we expected that.” Evan sounded good. Healthy.

  “Where are you?” Bill asked.

  “Boston.”

  “For an assignment?” Bill grinned, recalling a certain woman and her two children living nearby. He seemed to be visiting quite often.

  “Maybe.” Evan chuckled. “You’re not smoking, are you?”

  “Nope. Chewing the gum.” Bill was proud of his changes for the better.

  “Me too. Any word from Rex?”

  “No, but I spoke to Roger. Can you believe that election?”

  “Who would have thought? Our Roger, a senator.”

  “He wanted reform,” Bill said.

  They chatted like that while he walked south, heading home. Bill watched the people, seeing something he hadn’t for years before: a common happiness. A community feeling that just didn’t exist in the modern world until recently.

  Everyone had a new lease on life, and Bill wasn’t going to waste his.

  ____________

  “Marcus, are you coming?”

  He glanced up from his laptop and saw it was two in the morning. He’d been working on his website, Across This Great World, recoding something to ensure it didn’t crash again. They had so many visitors, it was constantly glitching out. With a change of servers, he’d patched it, but if things continued the way they were, he was going to need another upgrade.

  “I’ll be there soon,” he assured his girlfriend.

  Marcus had met her a month after the invasion attempt, at a support group in Florida. His parents had been so pleased to see him visiting, he’d decided to stay for a few weeks. That had turned into a month; then he’d found his own place on the water. Now, a year later, he was living with Nadine and loving every minute of it.

  He hadn’t told her about the Zalt, or his real involvement in the events that transpired. She would shake him awake in the middle of the night, wondering why he was shouting, curled in a ball. The memories of the explosion at the hub were a fresh wound, but he would survive them. Everyone in the world had a story about those few days. Some places merely lost their power, oblivious to the destructive events. Others, like Paris and Dallas, had sustained massive casualties. Millions and millions were dead, and there was no getting them back.

  The road to this moment had been a lot of work, but everyone had persevered, and they’d made it. The face of the world was different, and Marcus felt perhaps it was better. His personal life was much improved. He thought about Nadine, and how sweet and perfect she was for him, and shut his laptop. The work could wait until tomorrow.

  Marcus walked through the living room, pausing at the patio doors to stare into the sky. It was a clear night, the stars shining brightly. For a second, he worried meteors might rain down over the ocean, but the sensation passed. He was okay. They were safe.

  He crept up the stairs and climbed into bed.

  ____________

  “This is what you do all day long?” I asked Tripp. I had to admit, the villa in Greece suited Tripp’s retirement.

  “What did you expect?” He lay on a lounger poolside and sipped a drink. It had a massive pineapple wedge and a blue umbrella jutting from the glass. “Want one?”

  “Of course,” Veronica said, taking the chair next to Tripp. H
e waved the server over and asked for two more.

  He slurped the bottom of the beverage through a straw. “Better make it three.”

  “You do know that Hunter left that money for a foundation,” I reminded him.

  “Sure, but I’m only using the cash he gave me for our mission.” Tripp’s logic made sense, and I shrugged.

  “Fine.” I let the heat of the sun hit my face. It felt nice to relax.

  “What about you two? I hear you’re actually teaching again.” Tripp sauntered to the pool, jumping in.

  “Richard would be proud. He’s heading the anthropology department at Harvard,” Veronica told him. She smiled at me, winking as she pulled her wrap off to reveal a tiny floral bikini. I was the luckiest man in the world. Her hair was a soft blonde again, and it glowed in the sunlight. She dove into the water, taking a lap.

  “Harvard. A year ago, we thought it was the end, and we’re already back to higher education,” Tripp said.

  “I’ve started a new course too. On alien life.”

  “Theoretical?” Tripp asked.

  “As far as the students know.” I laughed.

  “Have you thought about Kabos?” Veronica asked Tripp. They both rested their forearms on the edge of the pool, kicking their legs behind them.

  “All the time,” he admitted.

  “Maybe we’re due to visit.”

  Tripp didn’t respond.

  Now that it was finished with, a part of me longed for more adventure. A year to unwind, and the lust for excitement had returned.

  I closed my eyes, and at some point, drifted off into sleep.

  The warmth and comfort of my father’s presence lingered, and I wondered if he was reaching out to me. Assuring me he was okay. When I woke, the sensation had passed.

  Tripp and Veronica were in the villa, and the smell of dinner wafted outside.

  The diamond ring weighed heavily in my pocket, and I grinned as I opened the box. It wasn’t a Case or a coveted Token, but it would open a new world for me regardless.

  “Rex, dinner’s on!” Veronica shouted, and I snapped the lid closed, smiling to myself.