Zero Trilogy (Book 2): Day One Page 8

  Elle placed a hand on Flash’s shoulder.

  “Are you okay, kid?” she asked.

  Flash looked up at her, his eyes red and bloodshot.

  “We’re going to die, aren’t we?” he said.

  “Yeah,” Elle replied, grinning. “Someday, everybody dies.”

  “So why do we care so much about survival now? If we’re all going to die…why do we try to stay alive?”

  Elle patted his back.

  “Because it’s what we do,” she said. “We survive.”

  She looked to the desert.

  We survive so that we can die in peace.

  Chapter Ten

  It started as a hum. It was faint, only a distant sound. And then it got louder, and Elle popped awake. Bravo was sitting straight up, his ears pricked forward.

  “What is it, boy?” she whispered.

  It was early morning. The sun had just started to rise above the distant mountains, filtering through the grainy air of the dusty desert. The hum turned into a small rumble. Elle stayed close to the ground. In the Mojave, they might be able to escape unseen if they stayed on their bellies, close to the ground and out of sight. There were shrubs and trails and a myriad of uneven surfaces to hide behind.

  “What is that?” Georgia asked groggily, rolling on her stomach.

  “An engine,” Elle concluded.

  “A car?” Georgia looked alarmed. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “I’m not.”

  Jay just lay on his back, staring at the sky, silent.

  “What do we do?” Flash hissed.

  “We stay put,” Elle answered.

  “What if it’s the Slavers?”

  “Then we kill them.”

  Elle was startled – shocked, almost – at how easily those words rolled off her tongue. It was such a statement of fact. A truth. If the Slavers found them, she would kill them before they took them back to Slaver territory. She wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life doing slave labor for Omega, no matter what anyone said or did.

  She would die first.

  Flash lowered his head, a cold, steely expression on his face. It worried Elle a little, but she didn’t question it. It was about time Flash toughened up…she just hoped it wasn’t at the expense of his humanity or personality.

  “Get down, Bravo,” Elle whispered, tugging on the dog’s collar.

  You know we’ve got trouble coming our way, right? Bravo looked at her. His eyes were dark and serious.

  “I know,” she whispered.

  Georgia gave her a confused look. Elle ignored it.

  “Just stay low and don’t move, whatever you do,” Elle said.

  The rumbling became slightly louder. A speck appeared on the horizon. It was moving quickly. Definitely a vehicle of some sort. An Omega patrol? A Slaver truck? Elle feared the worst. It zigzagged across the desert floor. It came closer. Elle kept her head against the dirt, peering at the moving vehicle.

  It looked like a Humvee. It was painted the same muted shade of brown as the desert floor. But a Humvee could be anyone – Slaver, Omega, American…there was no guarantee that they were friendly.

  The Humvee got closer. The engine broke the morning stillness of the desert. Georgia tensed. Jay inhaled sharply. It was heading their way.

  “It’s going to run us over,” Flash breathed.

  “Don’t move,” Elle said.

  “It’s getting closer.”

  “Do not move.”

  “Elle….”

  The Humvee was coming directly toward them. It would tear right over their bodies. The engine turned into a roar. Sweat ran down Elle’s forehead.

  “MOVE!” she yelled.

  They jumped up and sprinted, flinging themselves out of the path of the Humvee. The vehicle swerved and slid across the dirt, sending sprays of rock and mud into the air. It screeched past them. Elle took her gun out and shouted:

  “Don’t run. They’ll be able to catch us. We have to stand our ground.”

  The Humvee sat there, still. The engine rumbled, but the rear of the vehicle was the only thing she could see. There were at least three people in the cab. The passenger side opened and a man stepped out, toting a rifle. He aimed it at Elle’s head.

  “Drop that gun, little girl,” he commanded.

  He was wearing combat fatigues. His head was shaved, his face was wrinkled.

  “I’ll drop mine if you drop yours,” Elle said, her voice loud and clear.

  The man’s mouth twitched.

  “I can respect that,” he replied. “But I outgun you and I outman you. See?”

  Two more men got out of the vehicle, armed similarly. Jay stood next to Elle, his hands fisted. Georgia stood beside Jay, and Flash stood beside Georgia.

  “We’re not looking for any trouble,” Elle said. “We’re just passing through.”

  “You’re a little young to be traveling alone, aren’t you kids?” the man asked.

  “Welcome to the apocalypse,” Elle replied. “Kids run wild.”

  “You wounded, boy?” the man asked Jay, gesturing to the bandage on his arm.

  Jay didn’t answer. He only glared.

  “Listen,” the man said. “My name is Lieutenant Jeremy Danes, and I’m with the California National Guard. These two here are Private Kilion and Private Yancey. We’re just patrolling the area, making sure the pond scum isn’t coming back.”

  “You’re with the United States Military?” Elle asked, blinking.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Danes replied. “We sure are.”

  “How do we know you’re telling the truth?” she demanded. “The Slavers dress as militia to lure people in. I can’t just take your word for it.”

  “No offense, kid,” Danes replied, “but you don’t have to believe crap. My men and I will leave you alone if you say the word, but I don’t think that’s what you want. By the looks of it, you probably don’t have any food and you’re sorely dehydrated. Am I right?”

  Elle shrugged, still holding her gun.

  “We can help you,” he continued. “But you’ve got to lower your gun.”

  “I never lower my gun.”

  “You’re going to have to trust us.”

  “Trusting gets people killed. I don’t plan on being a casualty of blind faith.”

  “It might save your life, kid.”

  Elle hesitated. If Danes was telling the truth – if they really were United States Military men – then this could be their salvation. They would be rescued from the hell of the desert and the threat of Slaver pursuit.

  “You’ve come from Slaver Territory, haven’t you?” Danes stated. “There was a big stir in the San Jacinto hills a couple of days ago. I’m guessing you were a part of that.”

  “We’re not Slavers,” Georgia replied. “We were Slaver prisoners. We escaped.”

  “I figured as much.” Danes grinned. “That’s quite a feat, escaping from the Slavers. From what we hear, they’re a pretty brutal bunch.”

  “They’re monsters,” Georgia answered.

  “Why don’t you come back with us?” Danes asked. “We’ve got food and water – clean clothes. The military is offering shelter to anybody who comes in clean.”

  “Clean?” Elle echoed.

  “Unarmed until we check you at the front gate.”

  “I’m not giving up my weapons.”

  “Then I guess you’re not coming with us to safe haven.”

  Elle hesitated.

  What choice did they really have? They could say no to these men and continue across the desert, starved and dehydrated – possibly risking recapture by the Slavers.

  “Where is this safe haven of yours?” Elle asked.

  “Not far. There are a lot of refugees there. People like you.”

  “I’m not a refugee.”

  “You’re a kid who needs help. Now take it or leave it. I ain’t got all day.”

  Elle looked at Jay. His face was stone. Georgia glanced at Elle, a pleading expression on
her face. And then Flash walked forward, toward Danes.

  “I’ll come with you,” he said.

  Elle closed her eyes, sighing.

  She knew what she had to do.

  The safe haven wasn’t what Elle expected. It was built under the ground, a stronghold beneath the towering Tehachapi Mountains. A chain link fence surrounded the property, guarded by soldiers on towers and mazes of concrete barriers. Georgia, Jay and Flash strained to see out the window, murmuring softly. Jay glanced at Elle. His expression betrayed worry.

  Elle looked away.

  They sat in the back of the Humvee, squished together in the backseat. Lieutenant Danes drove, and the two privates were keeping their gazes trained on the windows.

  The inside strap of Elle’s jacket was weightless, as was the sheath on her back. She had agreed to leave her weapons in the back of the Humvee while they entered the camp – until the National Guard cleared their entry.

  Elle had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Nervousness? Probably. What if the National Guard didn’t let them in? What if they tossed then out on their butts, back into the harsh, unforgiving plain of the Mojave?

  Well. There was nothing they could do now but see what happened.

  They rolled up to the front checkpoint. Elle had never been on or near a military base before, so she wasn’t sure what she should expect. The guards conversed with Lieutenant Danes. He gestured to Elle and the others a few times, keeping his voice low. The guards peered at the kids, shaking their heads. And then they got a green light, and the Humvee rumbled through the first checkpoint, past the barriers and into the entrance to the safe haven. The structure of the building was similar to a parking garage. It was made of concrete, built into the side of the mountain. A small, bunker-like opening sloped downward, allowing vehicles to roll into a loading area. The Humvee pulled into it, cut the engine, and Lieutenant Danes opened the rear doors.

  “Okay, everybody out,” he commanded.

  Elle bolted, anxious to escape the inside of the vehicle. She stood on the cement flooring. An open area of Humvees, trucks and Jeeps filled the inside of the first level. White numbers were painted on the walls: 27.

  “What’s twenty-seven mean?” Georgia whispered to Elle.

  “Don’t know.”

  The place was buzzing with activity. Bravo jumped out of the Humvee, taking his place next to Elle’s leg. She scratched him behind the ears. He was calm – extremely calm, actually. She was jealous of his self-control.

  Elle’s hands were trembling with fear, so she stuffed them in her pockets.

  “Alright,” Danes said. “Welcome to Sector 27, one of many National Guard strongholds in the state of California. I’m going to need you to follow me. The dog, too.”

  Bravo looked up at Elle.

  This is a big kennel.

  She shrugged. “It’s better than being in the desert.”

  I kind of like it, to be honest.

  Elle hid a sarcastic smile.

  They followed Danes and the two rivates through the parking garage and through a heavy metal door. The door led to a huge, double-wide staircase that descended deeper into the ground. They ended up two flights below the loading area, deep beneath the mountain. They walked through more doors and into a huge room flooded with generator-powered lights. Everything was concrete. It resembled a colorless gymnasium – minus windows and screaming cheerleaders. There were men and women lying on cots on the floor, wrapped in blankets. There were children, infants.

  “This is the Refugee Ward,” Danes said. He nodded at Private Yancey and Private Kilion. They pulled away and disappeared into the ward. “This is where you’ll be able to find some food and water. See that lady in the back over there?”

  He gestured to a heavyset woman with white hair. She was standing behind a table, doling out bowls of soup. “That’s Myra Linch,” he continued. “She’s in charge of the Ward. You need anything, you talk to her.”

  “When are we going to get our weapons back?” Elle asked.

  “We’ll talk about that later,” Danes replied.

  “Or we could talk now.”

  “You’re starving and dehydrated. I suggest you eat first.”

  “No. I want to talk.”

  Danes folded his arms across his chest, chewing on his lower lip. He tilted his head, studying Bravo. “All right. We’ll talk.” He pointed to the far corner of the room. “You three”— he waved a hand at Georgia, Jay and Flash— “go eat.” He looked at Elle. “You and the dog can come with me.”

  “Hey, if you’re talking, I want to hear, too,” Jay stated.

  “I didn’t ask you what you wanted,” Danes answered. “Do what I say, kid.”

  Jay curled his fingers into fists. Elle touched his shoulder.

  “Just do it,” she advised. “I’ll be back.”

  Jay swallowed and glared at the floor as Georgia muttered something under her breath. Jay seemed to agree with whatever she said and turned away, Flash following.

  “This way,” Danes told Elle.

  Elle clicked her tongue and Bravo stayed close to Elle as they moved out of the Refugee Ward, into the stairwell outside. Danes leaned against the railing, a pensive expression on his face.

  “Where’d you find the dog?” he asked at last.

  “Why do you care?” Elle demanded, defensive. She kept her arms folded, her stance defiant.

  “Kid, your dog’s name is Bravo. He belonged to Nathan Ingalls, a lieutenant from Sector Twenty-Seven.” He shook his head. “Nathan went MIA about two weeks ago, along with his dog, a bomb dog from the military K-9 units that existed before the EMP. So what I’m asking you is this: why the hell do you have Nathan’s dog?”

  “You knew Nathan,” Elle stated. “He was your friend.”

  “Yeah, he was my friend,” Danes replies. “Now tell me the truth, because I can throw you out of here just as quick as I picked you up.”

  “You think I killed him?” Elle asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Danes didn’t reply. He only waited.

  “I didn’t.” Elle looked him straight in the eye. “I found him dying in an abandoned mining camp in the middle of the desert. Bravo was the one who brought me to him. I tried to save him, I swear, but there was nothing I could do. He just…slipped away.”

  Danes blinked, swallowing hard.

  “So he’s dead,” he said.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And you took the dog?”

  “The dog took me, sir. I had nothing to do with it.”

  Danes smiled slowly.

  “And these kids you’re with?”

  “They’re just kids.”

  “You’re obviously in charge of the group. What’s your story?”

  “My story is just like everyone else’s. I’m trying to stay alive.”

  “You’re fresh out of Slaver Territory with a bomb dog and a group of kids trailing behind you like a Boy Scout troop,” Danes remarked. “That’s no small feat.”

  Elle didn’t answer.

  “You and your friends can stay here,” Danes said at last. “For now.”

  Elle nodded. That was fair.

  “We were originally headed to Sacramento,” she said. “We heard it was safe there.”

  “It’s safe for now.”

  “Is it worth trying for?”

  “Anything’s worth trying for, now.” He paused. “You look after your dog, Elle, and he’ll look after you.” He touched Bravo’s head, scratched him softly. “Go eat and get some rest. We’ll talk more after.”

  Elle didn’t argue.

  She couldn’t afford to.

  “Samuel is dead,” Elle said.

  Aunt and Uncle were sitting at the breakfast table. Uncle was wearing his leather duster, his flight cap stuck into the pocket of his pants. Aunt raised an eyebrow.

  “You don’t know that for sure, Elle,” Aunt replied.

  “Yes, I do.” Elle stepped into the kitchen, placing her hands on the breakfast tabl
e. “He was supposed to be back here with Mom two days ago. I’m telling you – he’s dead. You haven’t seen the city like I have. It’s bad. People are killing each other and—”

  “I have seen the city, my girl,” Uncle interrupted. “I don’t take my plane out every day for pleasure rides anymore. I’m looking, searching. And what I’ve seen are bad things.”

  “We have to go back into the city and find Mom.”

  “We can’t do that.”

  “How can you say that? She’s your sister! She’s your—”

  “Enough, Elle.” Aunt raised her hand. Elle shut her mouth. “We have something we want to say to you.”

  Elle tensed.

  What could they possibly have to say to her at a time like this?

  “I’m leaving,” Uncle said.

  “You’re…going away?”

  “Yes. I think I can help the militias in their fight against the Omega invasion. I’m going to do my duty and help end this nightmare.” He looked at Aunt, and she touched his hand across the breakfast table. “I feel called, I guess.”

  “You’re leaving us alone to go join a militia somewhere?” Elle repeated.

  “I’m leaving to fight for my country—”

  “Don’t give me that patriotic crap. You’re leaving.”

  “It’s not crap, Elle. It’s the truth. It’s not right for me to sit here and wait this out.” Uncle shook his head, running a hand through his wild gray hair. “I’m able to help, so I have to. I’m obligated.”

  “You mean you’re obligated to go join a militia, but you’re not obligated to go looking for your own family lost in the city?” Elle’s vision was red around the edges – she was furious. “I can see what’s more important to you.”

  “Don’t take it like that. Searching for your mother would be like searching for a needle in a haystack,” Aunt answered. “It’s not that we don’t love her – because we do, Elle. We love her so much. But we can’t help her, so this is what we can do to help. Everybody needs to play their part – including you.”

  Elle stared at them. They were so calm, announcing Uncle’s departure. Announcing the acceptance of Mom’s death. How could they be like this? Didn’t they care at all?