by Hunt, Jack
“Is that why you brought us up here? You were planning on staying?”
Garcia smiled. “No, I meant what I said. I just wanted to make sure you were both safe but by the looks of this, not even here is safe.” He paused. “Of course, Andre and I won’t stay here, we’ll probably pitch a tent down near the lake.”
“Why? There is plenty of space.” Elisha pointed to the rooms. The cabin was a good size with two bedrooms on the main floor and another in the loft area which was accessible by a ladder.
They looked over to Liam who was turning a silver ring on his finger and looking down. He lifted his eyes. “What? If you want to stay here, be my guest. I’m not.”
“But we came all this way,” Elisha protested.
“Yeah and what do we have to show for it?”
“I know you’re disappointed but the alternative isn’t exactly better.”
Silence stretched between them.
“What if we can get more supplies?” Garcia said.
“Man, it doesn’t matter. Besides, without sounding rude, I don’t know you, you don’t know me. I mean I appreciate all you did for us back in the city but…”
Garcia nodded. “No, I get it.”
“Don’t you have family or something?” Liam asked.
“Never married. No kids,” he replied. “Figured we could stick together. Safer that way.”
“He’s right,” Elisha said. “Whoever did this might come back.”
Liam got up. “Let ’em, there’s nothing left to take.” He walked out and Elisha looked at Garcia. She raised a finger before stepping outside to speak with him. Liam kicked his feet into the dry earth. He walked over to a tire swing and looked through the trees toward the lake. Sunlight glistened on the surface. It was a beautiful area, quiet and teeming with wildlife. Liam leaned against the tree, cradling his cast.
“So, you used this when you were a kid?”
“Yep,” he said, not expanding upon it.
Elisha gripped the weathered rope and tugged at it. It was strong, attached to a large oak tree. She took a deep breath. “I know you’re disappointed and I can’t imagine what it must have been like to bury your mother and father but Garcia is right. We need to start thinking about our survival now, and… well… we can’t do that alone.” She looked at him but he wasn’t paying attention. He looked lost in thought. “Liam.”
“What?” he said with a frustrated tone.
“If you don’t stay here, where else would you go?”
“My parents’ home.”
“Really? After what happened there? C’mon, be serious.”
“Look, you know what. Maybe I just don’t want Garcia here. Have you thought about that?”
“Why? He got us out.”
“He also put us in that situation. Think about it, Elisha. If it wasn’t for him arresting those gang members, we would still be back in Petaluma, my arm wouldn’t be broken, and my parents wouldn’t be dead.”
She stared at him, slowly shaking her head. “All right. I get it. You’re looking for someone to blame.”
He lifted his eyes. “No, I’m stating facts,” he shot back.
“He was doing his job, Liam. You think he wanted any of this to happen?”
“I don’t care. It happened because of him.”
“Bullshit! You want to blame, go ahead, blame him. You want to wallow, go ahead, wallow. But I’m not spending another minute listening to this. We are alive because of that man. He didn’t need to come back for us but he did. He put his career, his very life on the line. Show some appreciation.”
“I did.” He chuckled. “You know what. Inviting you up here was a bad idea.”
With that said he walked off heading down to the lake.
“Yeah, perhaps it was,” she yelled back, unsure if he heard. She gave the tire swing a push in frustration and walked back to the cabin. Garcia and Andre were cleaning up the place and chatting. One look at her face and Garcia knew it hadn’t gone well.
“Guessing his answer was no?”
“Let’s just leave. He wants to be alone.”
Garcia smiled placing a hand on her shoulder. “What guys say and what they mean are often two different things. We’ll give him some time to cool off. In the meantime, let’s head into Willits and see what the situation is like. I’ll run by the police department, and then maybe we can find the infamous Dirty Harry.”
It was only as they were backing out did Liam return. Garcia yelled out to him that they were going into town but would return soon. He shrugged and disappeared into the cabin. “Sure has a chip on his shoulder,” Andre said.
“Wouldn’t you if you lost both parents in one day?” Garcia said.
Finding people like Garcia who were level-headed was rare, having them watch your back was even rarer.
They followed Lilac Drive out to Clover Road, a little north of the lake, and joined Birch Street which ran down into Sherwood and the town. They’d briefly passed through the town on the way up and by any measure it appeared to have fared well in comparison to Petaluma. Shutters were down on stores, a few buildings had been reduced to rubble but beyond that there was nothing to stop it from continuing to function, at least to some moderate level.
Willits was a fraction of the size of Petaluma with roughly five thousand residents. It stood out from the rest of the towns nearby with an arch over the main road. It had been donated from the city of Reno. The problem was, if you blinked passing through, you’d miss it. Besides a Safeway grocery store there really were no brand-name stores, most of the businesses along Main Street were locally owned, mom-and-pop stores. Strangely for a town of its size, the building used for the police department was large. Located just off Commercial Street, it crouched beside city hall and was only a few blocks away from Children’s Services and the famous Skunk Train. As they swerved in front of the department, they noticed how the glass at the front was shattered and the doors were no longer attached.
“Maybe you should show me how to fire one of those,” she said as Garcia made sure he had full magazine.
He glanced at her. “Later. For now stay here.”
There was no hesitation. He got out and ran at a crouch toward the main doors with Andre, who was holding a shotgun low. Both went inside while she remained in the cruiser, the engine running. One minute turned into two, then four, then six and she began to think something had gone awry. Sitting in the back seat, Elisha nervously turned her head. Was someone watching her or was it her mind playing tricks?
Right then, a hand slapped the window and she flinched only to see Garcia. She brought the window down and he told her to turn off the engine and follow him inside.
“Where did you come from?”
He pointed to a side door.
“Anyone in there?”
“We found a couple of dead cops but that’s it. Andre is seeing what he can salvage. I didn’t want to leave you out here.” He looked toward the street.
Inside, glass was everywhere. There was blood on the walls, floors and counters, where someone had been shot and stumbled through the department only to come to rest beyond the main help desk. Paperwork was scattered like confetti.
“Find anything?” Garcia asked.
Andre shook his head. “Whoever did this wiped it out.”
While they continued searching, Elisha walked down a corridor and peered into different rooms. At the far end of the corridor was the office of the chief of police. The door was partially closed but there was blood on the handle. Using the tip of her boot she pushed it open only to find the chief slumped over the desk. A single bullet wound to his temple, his face resting in a pool of congealed blood. Elisha felt her gag reflex kick in and she braced herself against the door.
Garcia appeared behind her and she put a hand on her heart. “I wish you would stop creeping up on me.”
“Figured you heard me.”
He looked past her and shook his head. “Damn it. I knew him. Good man.” He stepped inside
and looked around the room. “What in God’s name happened here?”
“Gangs?” she asked.
“No. There’s no incentive.”
Elisha backed up. “Perhaps we should just leave. See if we can’t find that surplus store.”
“Yeah.” As they turned to head out, a chorus of gunfire erupted. Elisha went to go check on Andre but Garcia wrapped a hand over her mouth and pulled her back into the room.
3
Denver
Star, as she liked to be called, was a spunky little kid with a hooped ring in the corner of her lower lip, and a nose stud to boot. She had all the swagger of a twenty-year-old but was only thirteen. It was disconcerting to say the least. After saving her life Alex had brought her back to the café and was trying to get her to understand the danger but she acted like she was untouchable. “You’re wrong. I wouldn’t have died. Now I need to go or they’ll kill me.”
“Kill?”
“Not literally.” She rolled her eyes.
“Who then… your parents?” Alex asked. “Is that who was signaling to you?”
“No, that was Meadow.”
“Do any of you go by regular names?”
Star scowled.
Sophie could tell they weren’t getting anywhere so she tried to work her magic. “Sweetheart. Where are your parents?”
“In a graveyard.”
Awkwardness followed.
“Oh.” Sophie shared a glance with Alex. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.” She bounced off the stool and tried to bolt for the door but Alex grabbed her arm. “Hey, man, get off me. I need to go.”
“Just let her go,” Ryan said.
Alex ignored him. “Where do you live?”
“Outside of the city.”
“Where?”
“On a ranch.”
“Do you want to be more specific?”
She pointed randomly. “You know the town of Golden?”
“No.”
Star snorted. “It’s west of here about 35 minutes by Jeep.”
“Jeep?” Thomas perked up. “You got a ride, kid?”
Star acted like it was obvious. “Yeah.”
“So this friend of yours. Meadow. She brought you into the city?”
“Not exactly.”
Everything that was coming out of her mouth wasn’t making sense.
Sophie bent at the waist and did her mothering act. “Hon, how did you get here?”
“Oh gee, Mom, I just told you. The Jeep.”
The sarcasm was strong with this one.
“And Meadow, is that your sister?”
“No.”
Alex shook his head, getting a little frustrated. “Thomas, keep an eye on her,” Alex said as he motioned to Sophie to head to the main doors so they could talk. Thomas grinned as he walked over and stood in front of her, tapping a finger against his rifle to impose his authority.
Star folded her arms defiantly.
Once out of earshot, Alex shifted from one foot to the next. “So what do you want to do?”
“About?” Sophie asked.
“Well.” He motioned toward the girl.
“Should have thought of that before you went and got her.”
“What did you expect me to do? She’s a kid.”
“Yeah, and now we’re responsible for her.” She shook her head. “We didn’t need this, Alex. We have enough to deal with.”
“I figured of all people you would understand.”
She set a hand against the wall. “No, I understand you were trying to help but now it’s put us in an awkward position.”
He bit down on his lower lip as he looked at Star.
“She mentioned a Jeep. Might be fate.” A smile formed.
“Yeah, and this whole event might be fate. C’mon, Alex.” She leaned back against the wall and let out an exasperated sigh.
Alex got closer to her, his eyes narrowing. “You think I like this situation any more than you? We’ve been stuck here for far longer than we should. We should be in California by now but we’re not. Why’s that? Oh, that’s right, Ryan wanted to make a pit stop by his so-called brother’s house.”
“You said you wouldn’t bring that up again.”
He exhaled hard. “I know. Look, I’m just frustrated, okay?” He looked back at Star. “The kid sounds as if she knows the area. Now we can use the maps and spend our time darting in and out of buildings, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get out in a couple of days if those drones don’t kill us first but… perhaps with her Jeep we can get out of here faster.”
“And perhaps she can get us killed.”
He stared back in astonishment. “What’s the problem?”
“My problem is exactly what you just said. We are a week into this and still haven’t reached our daughter. I don’t want to get sidetracked. We did that once and look how that ended.”
He chuckled, unable to hold in his amusement. “I’m pretty sure you were the one who agreed to stop in Asheville. I was also you who backed Ryan up.”
She gave him this long look. “Are we back to that again?”
He groaned. “I don’t want to fight. I just want to get out of here and if that kid has a faster way, then I’m all ears. So?”
Sophie pursed her lips and motioned for him to lead the way.
“Star,” Alex said. “How long have you been in the city?”
“A day.”
“How have you managed to avoid the drones?”
“The same way we’ve managed to avoid them since this started.”
Thomas chimed in. “They’ve been here since the beginning?”
“No. Two days after the event they showed up.”
Alex brought up fingers to the bridge of his nose. “So you’ve been in the city how many times since this started?”
“Daily.”
“Looking for provisions?”
Star smiled back but didn’t say anything.
“Kid, can you stop being so cryptic and get to the part where you tell us how you’ve managed to elude those damn drones? Because from what I’ve seen, they kill everything in their path.”
“They’re not out at night,” she replied.
“Well if that’s the case, then why are you here in the day?” he shot back.
“I have my reasons.”
“Oh great, another Ryan,” Alex said looking over to him. Ryan wasn’t paying attention. He was too busy ferreting through boxes.
Alex turned to Sophie. “So we wait until sundown.”
He took his eyes off Star for but a moment when she bolted for the door. Not even Thomas could grab her in time. There was no hesitation, she burst out of the café, leaping over slabs of concrete and bouncing from one to the next with all the prowess of a panther. She hadn’t been in the open for less than a minute when drones darkened the sky. Alex couldn’t have made it back or even to a place of cover in time. All he could do was look on in horror as the young girl climbed, jumped and sprinted from one mound of debris to the next. He wanted to close his eyes to avoid seeing her disappear in an explosion but then something remarkable happened. The drones flew overhead and didn’t engage.
They were dumbfounded.
Thomas’ jaw dropped. “Well, I’ll be damned. She was telling the truth.”
“No. That’s impossible,” Sophie countered. “Those drones took out anyone that was moving or in sight.”
“Obviously, she’s an exception,” Thomas said.
“The question is why?” Alex said.
Star stopped running and looked back at them, a smile danced as if it was all a big game. She shouted back, “If you want a ride out of the city, meet me tonight at the Denver Country Club at eight. If you’re a minute late, we leave without you.”
And just like that she turned and continued, darting around vehicles until she was out of sight. Alex contemplated following but the drones flew over again and he saw them strafe a building and unleash hell, sending large segments of glass and conc
rete to the ground.
What did she have that prevented her from getting hurt?
Why hadn’t they engaged?
Not wasting any time he pulled out a map of the city and a list of businesses they’d gathered from the library. He cleared off the counter, sending paper cups and a metal rack to the ground. He scooped up a pen and smoothed out the map. “Okay, we are here. Quebec Street.” He tapped the paper. “First Avenue is over here. That area there is where the country club is,” he said pointing to a large patch of greenery. “I estimate that it will take us around an hour to reach it on foot. If those drones are out tonight it could take far longer.”
“She’s playing with you,” Ryan said, strolling in from the back with a half-finished cigarette in his mouth. He stubbed it out before Sophie could take it from him.
“And how would you know?” Thomas asked, folding his arms.
He lifted a hand. “Because she lied.”
“Go on,” Sophie said.
“She said the reason she was able to dodge those drones was because they visited the city at night and the drones are only here in the day. However, she didn’t stick around until night before she left. Why? Because she knew those drones wouldn’t touch her. The question you should be asking is, why not? My guess, she has something to do with it or she knows whoever is behind it.” He took a seat on a stool and tore apart a packet of cookies. “Which leads me to believe whoever is controlling those eyes in the sky is at this ranch or closer.”
“What if we could stop it?” Thomas said.
Sophie lifted a hand and pointed at him. “No. No. We are not getting involved. I am getting home to my daughter and that’s all that matters to me,” she said.
Thomas looked at Alex and he raised a hand. “Don’t look at me. I’m with her.”
“Ryan?”
“Do I look like I give a shit?”
“I would have thought you would.”
“Oh right, because I started it… Is that what you’re saying?”
“If the boot fits.”
The two of them went at it again.
It was hard to ignore what they’d seen. How could a young kid escape under the nose of drones unless she knew something they didn’t? Alex wondered what might come next if this was the second wave of attacks. Even if they could survive. Even if these attacks were focused on the capitals and they managed to get out. What then? Days, weeks, even months from now society or what was left of it would need to pick up the pieces, reunite and rebuild what had been torn down. How could they do that if this kind of threat still existed? Then on the other hand, who were they to stop something of this magnitude? He looked at Ryan. Maybe fate had brought them together.