Lieutenant Alvarado wandered up and unwrapped the chocolate bar from his MRE. She knew what he wanted to say, but she also knew she was going to have to have the conversation out loud anyway. He crinkled the plastic ten times more than he had to - then the loud chewing started. Jesus, he’s even more annoying on the outside.
She sighed. “Something on your mind, Alvarado?”
“Yes, ma’am. Why aren’t they doing anything? They’ve got to know we’re here.”
“Of course they do,” Julie said. “They aren’t blind.”
“I don’t understand why we’re pretending to hide, then.”
“So they can pretend they don’t see us and nobody starts a war,” Julie said. “They don’t know why we’re here—not for sure. I imagine Amelia Franklin suspects we’re here for Darby, but what would she gain from a confrontation?”
“In that case, we should move in now,” Alvarado said.
“Not until we’re sure Teri is here. This isn’t about Amelia or New Frontier.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Alvarado said. “You’re in charge.”
Julie left him standing there and made her way over to the command tent to join her partner. “Goddammit, Horace. I’ve got better things to do than babysit a bunch of military morons. Where the hell is Rodrigues?”
“Hasn’t reported in,” Greenly said.
“He left Bravo hours ago! He should have been here by now. That goat fucker. He’s ...”
“Julie …” Greenly said.
“He always pulls this shit. This is the most important fucking thing we have going on and he’s off playing Lawrence of Arabia somewhere in the desert.”
“Julie.”
“I should have known better than to count on him. That son of a bitch has never been reliable.”
“Agent Hawkins! Enough. Rodrigues is as dependable as they come, at least when it comes to his work. This is why you shouldn’t sleep with agents.”
“Can it, Horace. That’s none of your fucking business.”
“It is my business when it affects your judgement.” Greenly said. He exhaled. “My point is, this has nothing to do with whatever you two have going on. If he’s late for an assignment, something happened.”
Julie’s eyes lost focus. She threw her hand up near his face. “Shut up. Something’s going on.”
“Goddammit, that’s what I said. Your attitude is getting ...”
“No, Horace. Something’s happening down there.”
“Shit,” Greenly said. “Lieutenant Alvarado!”
Alvarado ran into the command tent, binoculars in hand. “Sir?”
“Stand by,” Greenly said. “We may have to move in soon.”
“Amelia’s up to something,” Julie said. “I think I can slip in and see if Darby’s in there while she’s distracted.” She stared into space while the others waited. “Shit. Amelia is attacking someone at Fort Bravo.”
“What?” Greenly said.
“One of Bravo’s mentalists,” Julie said. “Damn, she’s tearing him up.”
“Well, help him then,” Greenly said.
“That’s not our mission,” Julie said.
“Agent Hawkins, help him, now. That’s an order.”
“Remember the Eagle’s orders, Horace. Teri Darby is more important than some shit-heel military mentalist who can’t even hold his own against ... oh, fuck!” Julie’s face lost all its color. “Shit, there she is, shit, shit, it’s her.”
“Darby?” Greenly said.
“No doubt about it. She took Amelia out … just obliterated her with a thought.” Julie shuddered. “I almost got caught in the backlash, and I don’t think she even saw me.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned to Alvarado. “Darby is down there in the town somewhere. We have to eliminate her, now, while she’s distracted.”
“Are you sure?” Greenly said. “It’ll make this war official, and that’s not going to play well in Washington.”
“Fuck Washington,” Julie said. “This is the only way we’re going to take that girl out. Horace, you have to trust me.”
Greenly frowned, then nodded. “Attack plan Victor Four.”
“Yes, sir,” Alvarado said. He sprinted out of the tent. A few minutes later, both mortars opened up and the two anti-aircraft emplacements the separatists had set up on the edge of town were in flames.
“Pour it on!” Alvarado yelled. “You know your targets!”
A soldier at a .50 cal machine gun opened fire on a munition storage shed. It exploded into a fireball. Burning figures ran out of the shed, only to fall to the ground as the platoon opened fire. More separatists poured into the streets and fired on the ridge, but their effective weaponry was already gone.
Greenly ducked behind a Humvee as a round whizzed by overhead. Julie joined him.
“I think we might have fired the first shots of the second civil war,” Greenly said.
Julie swallowed. “That doesn’t matter now. All these yahoos put together, they don’t amount to the threat that Teri Darby poses to this country. If you’d seen what she did to Amelia … I may as well be a flea for all the good I can do against her.”
“No other options, then,” Greenly said. “Do you think the Eagle could take her?”
Julie looked away. “No. I don’t.”
Alvarado joined them behind the vehicle. He looked shaken. “Sir, a radio call came in from Fort Bravo,” he said. “Afflicted separatists killed General Hines and vanished. A teke and a changeling. Could be our targets.” He clenched his fists. “Seems they’ve joined New Frontier.”
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“What?” Greenly said. “Darby is here. What are Daniels and Unglesby doing at Bravo?”
“Who cares?” Julie said.
“General Hines is dead,” Alvarado growled. “He was a great man. How can you—”
“Stand down, Lieutenant,” Greenly said.
Julie ignored them. “If Daniels and Unglesby aren’t here to protect Darby, she’s vulnerable. We’ll never have another chance like this.” She turned to Alvarado. “Level this place.”
Alvarado looked to Greenly.
Greenly nodded. “Do it. Call in air support. I don’t want two bricks leaning together when we’re done here.”
A cold smile crept over Alvarado’s face. “Yes, sir.”
A mortar exploded near Corey. He hit the dirt, shielding Teri with his body. Another explosion rang in his ears as a house burst into flame.
Teri shook in his arms. Tears streamed down her face.
Corey hugged her against his chest. “We’re going to make it, Teri. We’ll be okay.”
You don’t understand. It’s Julie. She found us. It’s over.
“Woah, hey. You’ve been hiding us from Julie for a long time. You escaped her before, and you were alone then. Stay focused. We can do this.”
Teri shook her head. No, I can’t. I’m sorry.
Another mortar landed, this one even closer. Pain shot through Corey’s arm as a splintered piece of wood embedded itself in his elbow. Teri disappeared.
He couldn’t even feel her weight in his arms anymore. He had no way of knowing if he’d dropped her on the ground.
Teri, listen to me. I need you to let me see you again. I know this seems bad, but believe me—you’re strong enough to deal with this.
She reappeared, curled up in a ball in his arms. Her face was buried in her hands. He let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
- Good. That’s good. Just concentrate on keeping us both invisible. That’s all you need to worry about.
He held her tight as he ran. The streets were filling up with people, and they weren’t a chaotic rabble; this town was prepared. Men ran out their doors and formed into units under their commanders. Rifles poked out of window slits while men and women erected barricades in the main thoroughfares. When the soldiers arrived, they would pay for every square inch of this place.
Another mortar round hit several blocks away. This time, the explosion was even louder. A column of smoke billowed up as bits of glowing material blanketed the area.
“Fuck!” Corey said. That’s white phosphorous. They aren’t taking prisoners. They’re going to burn this place to the ground. Kill everyone. He’d heard of DSSA taking out bystanders to eliminate a strong talent, but a whole town?
All these people are dying because of me? Teri said.
Corey frowned. He hadn’t intended for her to pick that up.
No, Teri. They’re dying because there are people in our government who have forgotten that the Bill of Rights applies to everyone. They’re almost as bad as these white supremacists.
He ran faster. The garage was a half mile away, and there was no guarantee it was still standing.
I shouldn’t be here, Teri said. If I wasn’t here, this wouldn’t be happening.
If you weren’t here, this would be happening to someone else. This isn’t your fault. You didn’t come here on your own, anyway. You were assaulted and kidnapped.
Teri didn’t answer, but Corey had other problems. They’d reached a barricade where a group of militia had been hit by a mortar round. The grisly results lay everywhere. People writhed on the ground, clutching at horrible wounds. Others lay still.
Every bit of instinct and training in Corey made him want to stop and help, but he had to run on.
Oh, god, oh, god …Teri whimpered.
Don’t look, Corey said. He found himself ignoring his own advice. The screams echoed inside his head. He could feel their pain. That could be him and Teri on the ground.
They weren’t going to make it out of here. It was too far. He’d be better off lying down in the street and letting the end come …
He shook his head. You’ve got to get it under control, he said to Teri. I know you’re afraid, but your fear is affecting me.
I’m sorry! I can’t help it. I’m not worth all this. You should leave me.
Stop it. Look, we’re almost there.
The garage was still standing. Unfortunately, the militia were using it as a headquarters. There were runners coming in and out, and several armed men stood guard.
Corey didn’t have time to consider. He ran in past the guards, who didn’t so much as glance at him.
The truck was still sitting where he’d left it. It was a 2007 Ford F-350 with extra gas tanks welded into the back. He’d even stashed an AK-47 assault rifle under the seat, along with a couple of boxes of ammo.
He slid Teri into the back seat and buckled her in, then opened the hood. It only took him a few seconds to reconnect the part he’d taken out of the engine. As he closed the hood, Corey heard the sound of jet engines from above. A series of explosions shook the garage, then everything was drowned out by Teri’s screams in his head.
“Shit, that was close!” a militiaman yelled. Corey turned toward the driver’s side, then realized the men in the garage were staring at him.
“Where the hell did you come from?” one asked.
“Uh, Amelia sent me to get the truck.”
Two of the men looked at each other. “Amelia’s dead,” one said.
“Oh, well,” Corey said. He lunged for the driver’s side door.
“Stop, motherfucker!” A man with a rifle shoved it into Corey’s side and pushed him up against the truck. “Are you with the government? A spy? What do you know?”
Teri? Corey said. I need your help.
The militia soldier cocked his rifle. “I don’t know what you’re up to, asshole, but …” His face clouded and he released Corey. He looked around. “I could’ve sworn I saw something.”
“Goddammit, Phil. Are you drunk?”
Corey slipped into the driver’s seat.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Teri said. She was hugging her knees against her chest and crying. I almost got you killed.
He closed the door. No, you saved our lives. You’re doing great. Just a little farther.
He started the truck. We’re almost out. Wish Xeke was here to open the doors for us. He smashed through the middle of the garage door. There were sandbag barricades in the street. Corey had just enough room to thread the needle between them without slowing down.
The gas station next to the garage erupted in a fireball. Corey felt the heat of the blast on the back of his neck as everything turned blinding white.
Shit. That was close, but we’re there. They sped past another barricade and out of town. We’re home free now, all you have to do is keep anyone from seeing the truck.
She didn’t answer. Corey adjusted the rearview mirror so he could watch her and the road ahead. She stared out through red swollen eyes as she rocked back and forth.
Teri, I need you to stay with me. You can’t let yourself keep thinking whatever you’re thinking. Take your thoughts down a better path. Take deep breaths, in and out. It’s over. We made it.
Her breathing slowed.
That’s it. It’s been a pretty hard day for all of us, but you held it together. You did good.
I don’t want to talk about it, she said.
Corey nodded and relaxed. That sounded more like a normal teenager. I understand. If you ever do want to talk about anything, you know I’m here, right?
I know. Thank you, Corey. I’ll be fine.
“That militia’s holding its ground pretty well for a bunch of civilians,” Lieutenant Alvarado said. “They must have some training.”
He lowered his binoculars. Two F-15s screamed over the town and dropped another load of cluster bombs.
“Some of them are burning pretty well, too,” Greenly said.
“You don’t seem too choked up about it, sir.”
Greenly smiled. His white teeth contrasted against his black skin. “Can’t imagine what I’d have against a bunch of white supremacists.”
“With you on that, sir,” Alvarado said.
Three helicopters came over the horizon and circled the town. The tracers from the helicopters’ machine guns arced down into the streets below. As they watched, a trail of fire—probably a handheld SAM missile—streaked up from the town and intersected with one of the choppers. It exploded.
“Dammit!” Alvarado said. “We underestimated these guys. They’re more organized and well supplied than we thought. They can’t hold out much longer, though.”
“Not here, anyway,” Greenly said. “But this is only one battle. Washington’s been treating New Frontier like a bunch of yokels, but it looks like we’re looking at a well-armed military state. This might be a long war.”
“At least the political fallout won’t be bad,” Julie said. “Not after what they did to General Hines.”
Alvarado scanned the town. “I don’t know how we’re going to find your target in all that, but nobody’s getting out of there unless they have wings.”
“I could,” Julie said.
Alvarado stared at her.
She shrugged. “I’d take over the minds of the nearest separatists and have them sacrifice themselves to get me out.” She smiled at him. “If any survived, I’d have them shoot themselves in the head so they couldn’t tell anyone.”
Alvarado swallowed. “Guess we’d better look for suicides nearby when the smoke clears then. I’ll go give the orders … right now.” He hurried off towards his men.
Running figures and vehicles continued to stream away from the burning town. Some of them made it a few hundred meters or so before they were shot down. A few waved white flags as they ran, or held up their hands. They were gunned down like the rest.
“Do you really think you could get out of that?” Greenly said.
“Well, maybe I’d make it, maybe I wouldn’t,” Julie said. “We’re talking about being absolutely certain that she’s dead, right?”
“How?” Greenly said. “How can we be absolutely certain? If Teri’s as powerful as you say ...”
Julie growled. “That’s my point, Horace. We can’t be sure. Not without Rodrigues here.”
Greenly didn’t say anything.
“Goddammit!” Julie threw her binoculars on the ground. “I’m going to kill Rodrigues! What the fuck is he doing?”