by Beth Martin
He checked in Tammy’s tent last. “Leona’s missing. I have to go find her.”
Tammy gave him a sad smile. “Of course you do.”
Roemell had forgotten about Ivan, who was now sleeping in the crib as Archy played in his mother’s lap. “Could you—”
“Yes,” she interrupted. “I’ll take care of him like he’s my own.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” He turned to leave, but then paused. “I truly am sorry about how I left.”
Tammy just shook her head. “Go.”
He dashed out of the tent and ran to the edge of the settlement. Most likely, Leona had decided to continue traveling north. There was no reason to backtrack, and the supply tent was at the north end of the settlement, making it the most discreet way to escape.
He didn’t bother grabbing any supplies. Instead, he ran as fast as he could. His body quickly protested. He had done an awful lot of running in the past few days. At least this time he was running toward something instead of away.
The only exercise Leona got on a typical day was her morning yoga and maybe some dancing in the evening if she wanted to party. But she had walked and run so much the past couple days, her body began objecting the effort almost immediately. Her knee was even more sore, and the wound was also starting to itch. At least she was finally wearing shoes.
She looked at the canteen clipped to the waistband of her pants. It was just as dry as it had been that morning. She hadn’t found a single well, stream, or any other source of freshwater. Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton, and she knew if she tried to eat one of the cookies, she likely wouldn’t be able to get it down.
After only an hour, she decided to sit and take a break. She was starting to get dizzy, and wasn’t sure why. Whenever she had felt under the weather in the past, Bellabot would shine a light on her palm and sometimes prick her finger for a drop of blood. Then the robot would diagnose exactly what deficiency was troubling her and give her whatever medicine or vitamins were needed to make her better. But alone in the desert, she had no idea why her body was so tired, sluggish, and unbalanced.
It was starting to get warm, and her entire blouse was moist with sweat. For a moment, she thought about going back, but Roemell would still be there, and she didn’t want to see him again.
When she saw a figure approaching her, at first she thought her mind was playing tricks on her, that the person wasn’t actually there. She hadn’t run into a single other soul while on the road.
When the man got closer, he called out, “Leona!” Her stomach leapt to her throat. There really was someone there—Roemell. He broke into a sprint toward her.
Her muscles were on fire. She needed to get away. She jumped up and ran as fast as she could. Even though she was running at her top speed, she heard his pounding footsteps getting closer. He was going to get her, and they were alone on an abandoned stretch of road so no one was around to help her. If he decided to kill her, too, she had no way of protecting herself. She felt incredibly stupid for not realizing that she had put herself in such a dangerous situation. He easily overtook her and grasped her arm, pulling her to a stop.
“Stay away from me!” she shrieked. Her head swam and her vision became blurred. She had to concentrate on steadying herself, when all she wanted to do was get away.
“Please, let me explain,” he begged.
She stepped back a couple paces, but he didn’t make a move to keep following her. “What’s there to explain? You killed a man—and thought it wasn’t important enough to tell me. I had to learn it from Alisa. And to think that I let you… let you…” She couldn’t recall the word she was looking for. The center of her vision turned black, and her body began to sway.
Roemell rushed up to her and caught her before she fell onto the pavement. When her vision began to clear, she was laying on the ground with her head on his lap. He smelled musky and sweaty, his scent mixing with the salt spray from the ocean. His green eyes were fixated on her face.
“You didn’t eat much this morning and haven’t had anything to drink. You’re probably dehydrated.”
She tried to say something, but her mouth was too dry to form words.
“Please, just listen. I’ll tell you what happened, and then you can decide if you want to come back to the settlement with me or keep wandering on your own.”
She didn’t want to hear him out, but she felt so weak there was little hope of getting away. She’d probably die soon no matter what she decided. Emotions welled up in her chest and her eyes stung, but she had no moisture left to make tears.
“A few years ago, when Jovelyn and I both lived here, a man came to the settlement. His name was Jimmy. He was pretty rough around the edges and really strange, but Alisa made room for him since turning him away would mean certain death.
“For reasons that are totally beyond me, Jovelyn became fond of him. They’d stay up after everyone went to sleep, just to talk. I should have stopped it then, but I figured Jo was older than me and wiser. That she could take care of herself.”
He sniffled a bit before continuing. “She is… was tough. One day, Jimmy decided that their friendship wasn’t enough, that he wanted more. So he forced himself on her.”
There was a pregnant pause as he looked up at the sky for a moment before staring off into the distance. “He tore her clothes and pinned her to the ground. She kneed him in the groin then ran off to get help. Alisa had him kept as a prisoner until the elders could discuss what his punishment would be.”
Leona felt sick to her stomach. She had a good idea where the story would go from here. Roemell cleared his throat before continuing. “I decided it would be a good idea to go into the tent where he was detained and talk to him. I have no idea what I was thinking. When I went inside, I didn’t even know what I wanted to say to him.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t get a chance to say anything. Jimmy launched into a verbal assault on Jo, calling her a bitch and saying she was a good-for-nothing whore.” He swallowed hard. “I snapped. I just snapped. I punched him as hard as I could.” The memory of Roemell punching Ava flashed through her mind. “Naturally, he fought back. He was able to get the chains from his restraints around my throat and started choking me.” He raised a hand and touched his neck. “It was either him or me, I swear.” His voice choked up as he kept talking. “If I hadn’t have done what I did, he would have killed me.”
A tear rolled down his face and fell onto Leona’s forehead. She was relieved that his actions were in self-defense—and he clearly felt remorse. She felt a little less dizzy. “How did you do it? How did he die?”
“I used to keep a folding knife on me. I was able to get it out and stab him in the chest.”
Leona took a long, deep breath, trying to steady herself. She knew how protective he had been of his sister. Even though it sounded like it had been Roemell’s only option, it didn’t change the fact that someone had died by his hands. “Why did you leave?”
“I was the only other person in the tent when it happened. I didn’t think people would believe my set of events—I knew they’d assume I went in there with the intentions of killing Jimmy.”
Lying down for a while had helped, and Leona was feeling much better. She sat up and pulled her legs under her. “Why did you bring us to this particular settlement, then, if they already assume you’re a murderer?”
He looked at her and shook his head. “It’s been a while, so I had hoped they had forgotten. It’s also the closest settlement to your estate. And then there’s, well…”
“What?”
“It’s a large settlement. I have an idea that requires quite a few people, but I need your help.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why you’d need me. I can’t even run away properly.”
He chuckled. “It’s a crazy plan, so just hear my out, okay? Try not to make a decision until I lay out all the details.”
Crossing her arms, she said, “Fine. But I only promise t
o listen.”
• • •
Roemell was overjoyed when Leona agreed to his plan, even after she’d learned about one of the darkest moments in his past. But she did insist on one condition: they find the woman who had killed her father. He knew capturing a member of the lurch would be difficult, but at least she hadn’t asked him to take down the whole organization.
They discussed how they’d present the plan to the settlement. Leona assumed every member would jump on the opportunity Roemell proposed, but he knew the community would be much more receptive if the pair only told Alisa and let her present it to the group.
Of course, the first priority when they returned was to get Leona some water and check on Ivan.
Roemell lifted the door to Tammy’s tent just a little bit. “Hey.”
“I can’t believe it,” she said from inside. He pushed the fabric aside and stepped in to find Tammy laying down on the bed with Ivan cradled next to her, nursing. “You actually came back. Did you give up on finding your new friend?”
“No, she’s here.” He looked around the interior. The tent felt a little stuffy. “Where’s Archy?”
“He’s with my mom.”
“You should really tie the doorway up and get some fresh air in here.”
She shook her head. “No. Ivan is so little, he can’t handle the dust and germs in the air. And I don’t want him to come in contact with too many other people. We’ll stay in here until he’s bigger and stronger and his immune system is up to snuff.”
He felt an immense relief. Tammy clearly knew much more about babies than he did. “Thanks so much for caring for him.”
Tammy let out a sigh. “It’s not like I had much choice.”
A confused expression crossed his face. “You could have said no.”
Looking down at the infant, she stroked her fingertips through his fine, dark hair. “Ivan is a defenseless little baby. He didn’t get to choose the circumstances he was born in. At the very least, he deserves a chance at life, and I’m in a position to help.”
“How altruistic of you.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.” Smiling down at the baby, she added, “It’s also nice to have a little one again.”
Roemell didn’t understand her desire to care for something so helpless. Maybe it was some sort of natural mothering instincts. Personally, he wasn’t ready to have a child of his own and didn’t want to bring a new life into this harsh world.
A thought suddenly intruded his mind. Although Jovelyn had always insisted that her pregnancy was an accident, he realized it could have been intentional. She had never seemed overly fond of the man she claimed was the father. In fact, she hadn’t had a romantic relationship with any of the men they’d known at the San Jose shelter. Anger rose up to his throat, and he clenched his fists. Would he have fled with her if he’d known having a baby had been her choice and not an unforeseen consequence?
“Roemell, are you all right?”
Her words snapped him back to the present. “I’m fine. Thanks again for all your help.” He slipped out of the tent and into the bright sun.
After a brief search, he found Leona talking with Alisa at the outskirts of the settlement. They were standing next to a large basin of soapy water with three other people, scrubbing clothing. Leona had a cluster of soap bubbles amidst her frizzy mass of hair. The juxtaposition of rogue suds along with her expression of sheer determination broke through his sour mood, and he couldn’t help but smile as he approached the group.
Alisa placed a hand on her hip. “A bit different than giving your soiled things to a robot, isn’t it?”
Leona responded with a frown as she continued to scrub. “Yeah, different.”
Neither woman seemed to notice Roemell. “I take it you have already discussed my idea without me.” Leona glanced up at him and gave him a look he couldn’t quite decipher.
“I thought the princess should get some first-hand experience of what exactly this plan she’s so thrilled about would entail,” Alisa said. Leona’s face flushed, and she looked like she was about to cry.
One of the other ladies threw the article she had been cleaning into the soapy water. “Give the poor girl a break. She’s lost everything and just learned how unsavory her beau is.”
Now it was Roemell’s turn to redden with anger. He knew coming here had been a mistake. Even after offering these people an opportunity to make their lives better, they would never forgive him.
“Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch, microchip,” Alisa said as she stepped away from the wash basin. “Leona, dear, why don’t you go take a nap or something?” Leona dropped the worn pants she had been scrubbing—which were somehow still filthy—back into the water and stomped off.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Alisa grabbed Roemell’s arm with surprising strength and nearly dragged him away from the group of people working. “You’ve got some serious balls coming back here years after you ran away, but bringing a miser? You’re straight up crazy. What the hell were you thinking?”
Roemell had forgotten how brusque the leader of the settlement could be and was surprised by her use of the derogatory term which referred to wealthy people. Of course, she had to be in order to keep the whole community in line. “I was thinking about Ivan.”
Her features softened a little. “Guess I can’t be mad at a baby. Poor kid deserves better than the two of you.” The way she said it, he knew she meant to express her compassion for the infant, but the slight still stung. “I want you and you girlfriend gone by this time tomorrow.”
He wanted nothing more than to strangle this woman. “Yes, ma’am,” he said through clenched teeth.
“And I’ll put together a team to go with you.” His jaw dropped. “Oh, don’t give me that look, microchip. Sometimes I have to put my personal feelings aside to do what’s best for the settlement. I honestly don’t think your asinine plan will work, but it would be foolish to dismiss it without a go.”
“Thank you!” Roemell wrapped his arms around her and gave her a firm hug, ignoring her grunts of protest.
Once free from his embrace, she smoothed her tunic with her hands. “Yes, yes. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind.”
He pressed his palms together and briefly bowed his head before rushing off to find Leona and tell her the news.
Only six people from the settlement volunteered to travel with Leona and Roemell to the Poole Estate. Naturally, there was no possibility of bringing Ivan. Leona found that she actually missed the baby, and her mind frequently went to him, wondering if he was all right.
Leona recognized the landscape leading up to her family’s fields, but Roemell stopped short. He waited until everyone was gathered together on the dusty road before he spoke. “Maybe a few of us should scout out the estate first and make sure everything is safe. We’re not sure what condition it was left in after the fire.”
“Sure,” Leona agreed. “I’ll go.”
Roemell bit his lip and scanned over the group of travelers who had come with them. “Actually, I think it would be better if you stayed behind.”
Leona put her fists on her hips. “This is my estate, and I know it better than anyone else. I should be the first to look around.”
Kelly, the middle-aged man with light blond hair, who kept leering at her, cut in. “I thought the estate was supposed to belong to all of us.”
Leona dropped her fist and hung her head. “Yes, I misspoke. But I did grow up here. I know the most about the land.”
Roemell placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered, “It might be hard to see your childhood home in ruin.”
“I’ll have to see it at some point,” she said, loud enough for the entire group to hear. “And I’ll be able to notice if anything is out of place. It makes the most sense to have me go first.”
There was a general mummer of consent. “Fine,” Roemell said, raising his hands in the air. “Leona and I will scout the area and make sure it’s safe
. If we don’t return in an hour, assume the worst. Leave us behind and head back to the settlement. Got it?”
The others said, “Got it,” in unison, and Roemell and Leona continued down the road and turned left onto a field.
The first few plots were intact. Leona knew that would be useful, but was slightly embarrassed that she couldn’t identify what was growing here. They were some sort of vine, but didn’t have any fruit yet, and the leaves looked parched and yellow.
The fields stretched on and on, and she started to think that they would need way more people to make this commune idea work. Her family had owned hundreds and hundreds of robots, and she recalled that one android could do as much physical work in a day as three men.
Within a few minutes of walking, they came to the first burnt plot. Skeletal black branches poked out of the ground, all that was left of the once healthy crop.
After that, they came across even more charred land before the first few buildings—the group of houses—came into view. What had been four majestic dwellings were now blackened cement frames surrounded by rubble.
“We should check the emergency shelter first. It would have been protected from the fire and could still have some provisions,” Roemell said.
Leona stopped short.
He turned back and grabbed her hand. “I knew this would be hard on you. Why don’t you stay up here while I go down and check it out? I’ll let you know when it’s clear.”
She nodded. She was still trying to process the large blackened building which had been her home for her entire life.
Roemell disappeared into the shelter and was gone for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, his voice called out from the depths, “It’s all clear. You can come down now.”
Carefully placing a foot on each step and gripping tightly to the handrail, she descended into the shelter.
“Looks like it’s been picked clean,” he said, gesturing at the empty shelves, then opening a cabinet which had nothing inside.