Charged (12 page)

I don’t argue with him. It’s selfish of me, I know, but I don’t want to be without him. I don’t even think I
can
do it without him. Part of me cringes at telling Brie. Because I’m going to ask her to stay here, and I know she’s going to freak.

Mason and I talk until the early morning, before he demands we get some rest. When we get upstairs he tries to release my hand, but I don’t let go. I tug him onto the bed next to me, and curl up next to him before I drift off to sleep.

The sun wakes me. I don’t feel well rested, no surprise after how late I was up the night before. I just lay for a minute, my mind catching up to the rest of me. Baby bear found his way onto the bed, and he’s snuggled between me and Mason. I watch them both, enjoying the moment, not knowing when or if I will get to have it again.

We need to leave today. I’m not even sure where Dr. Ford is, but I know the longer we wait the worse it all will get.

I scoop up Baby bear and snuggle him next to Mason, so I can get moving. I grab some clean clothes and use the bathroom. When I get downstairs Mariette has breakfast cooking.

“Mariette, I hope it’s alright that I used your computer last night. I was hoping I could again quickly?” I ask.

“Sure, dear, not a problem.” She goes back to flipping sausage patties.

I fire up the monstrosity a second time. It’s still rather quick for such an old computer. When I reach my email I find another email from Dr. Ford. He agrees we should meet. And he has some information for me, but he’d rather tell me in person. He can only get as far east as Columbus, Ohio, his current position in BioNano’s Washington State facility no help to us. That leaves us quite a way to go.

Once everyone is awake and has eaten, I sit everyone down. Mason’s the exception, preferring to pace about the kitchen, uncomfortable with both the situation and the conversation.

Brie doesn’t take the news, or my request, very well. She stomps off, and I’m surprised to hear Jared begin to speak. “You guys should let Brie and I come with you.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “What?”

“We can help. And she doesn’t want to leave you.” Jared says so plainly that I go off looking for Brie.

I find her on the back porch. “I’m sorry.” I tell her.

“How can you think I’m just going to let you go off without me?” She yells.

I wince. “It’s not like that Brie. You’re safe here.”

“I’m safer with you.” She counters.

I sit next to her on the porch swing. “Brie, we have to go far through the infected area. I can keep it at bay, but if you get infected, then what if I can’t stop it? I can’t lose you, too.”

“Please, Kat.” She looks at me. Brie never begs. “I’ll go crazy here, not knowing if you’re alright. I’ll be careful. I promise.”

She knows she’s wearing me down. “Jared offered to go along, too, if you wanted to go.”

It’s her blush that gives her away. “That’s sweet of him.”

“Yeah, it kind of is.” I agree.

“So, we can come?”

I sigh. “I guess. It’s not that I don’t want you with me, Brie. I just want you safe.”

“I know.” She hugs me and hops up. “And we can stay safe together.”

So it is decided that the four of us, and Baby bear, will continue west. Becky and Nate will stay here with Jack and Mariette until we, hopefully, return. Or stop this nonsense.

I email back Dr. Ford, and let him know we’ll be leaving tomorrow, but I don’t know how long it will take to get there. I print out his response. It has the address in Columbus and a series of security codes, in case we need them to get through any of the military checkpoints they’ve constructed.

Jack provides us with a full tank of gas for the Jeep, and a promise to take care of Becky and Nate. Mariette begins putting food and provisions together for us. While I have access to the internet, because I have no idea when I might again, I use satellite maps to plot as many back roads between here and Columbus as possible.

Dinner is quiet. Nobody wants to talk about what tomorrow will bring, those of us leaving try to keep up a fake confidence, while those staying can’t hide the concern from their eyes.

I give Becky and Nate a hug before we go to bed. I hope to see them again, and we’re leaving early. I give Mariette a hug also and thank her again for her kindness. Jack accepts my hug, but tells me to save my goodbyes for the morning. I go to bed with a heavy heart.

T
he Jeep bounces along the old dirt road, as Mason tries to avoid the bumps the best that he can. I glance in between us at the center console, holding the small revolver and extra rounds that Jack insisted we take. I really hope we don’t have a chance to use it.

We compared the maps we had with the most up to date parameters of the uninfected area we’re inland figure that we have about six hours or so, before we will be forced to cross the line into those infected areas, or cross the Great Lakes. Seeing as we don’t have a boat, we have to go with option one, which frankly, doesn’t thrill me. I’d rather go try for a boat, but I was out voted. Granted they had valid arguments, like none of us know how to sail, and what happens when we get to the other side.

The problem that I have, the problem they don’t realize, is that it’s my responsibility to keep them uninfected, not that I would ever tell them that. As I see it though, I’m maybe the only thing that can stop these creepy little nano-monsters. That automatically puts me between them and the infection. Thinking otherwise isn’t even an option for me.

And boy, was Jack right about responsibility. It’s a heavy burden. I know they’d argue with me about it, but it doesn’t change how I feel, or what is.

As the road starts to climb, I turn to Mason. “Let’s stop when we get to the top. See if we can see anything.” We’ve been driving for a few hours, and I’d like to avoid any unnecessary surprises.

We reach the crest of the incline and Mason cuts the engine. We all get out and stretch. Jared tosses us each a sandwich that Mariette made. Baby bear takes the opportunity to use the little bear’s room under a bush before digging into his own sandwich. I notice he’s a little bigger than he was a few days ago and wish I would’ve looked up some more information on bears when I had the chance.

Mason and I hike a short way up a large boulder, to get a better look around. I feel the change in the air before I see it. Sure enough, to our right a few miles away, I can see a metallic looking fog. I tell Mason to go tell the others to brace themselves. He knows what I’m about to do, so he doesn’t even ask. I brace myself on the boulder and take aim. It seems the more I make these energy spheres, the easier it is to make them. Good to know, if I’m ever in a sticky situation.

I throw the largest one I can make, as far as I can to the south, the aftershock of it knocking me off the boulder. Mason catches me as I fall back. “You should have waited back there.” I scold him.

“But then I wouldn’t get to catch you.” He smiles and plants a kiss on my lips, knowing he’s forgiven. “I think we should stop at that town we saw just northwest of here, try to refuel before we cross over.”

“That’s if it even works.” I grumble.

“It’ll work, you’ll see. But I still think we should stop while we can.”

I nod. “Let’s see what Brie and Jared think.”

We get back to the Jeep, where Jared and Brie agree that we should stop, while we can. Mason checks the gun before we set off again. Our plan is to drive to the edge of the small town, where Brie and I will wait with the Jeep while the guys look for gas. I try to ignore the bad feeling in my gut as we approach.

Though no metallic haze is visible over the small town, it remains shrouded with an eerie feel. It’s quiet, which we expected, hoped for even, but I can’t help but notice that it’s far too quiet. No birds chirp, no squirrels scamper about in an attempt to gather their last nuts before winter. Between the silence and the desertedness, the place is topping the creepy charts.

Mason parks the Jeep under the cover of some large evergreen trees, tossing me the keys, which I then hand to Brie, because I don’t know how to drive a stick yet. Mason checks the gun again and tucks it into the back of his jeans, covering it with his shirt. Jared grabs the empty gas can we brought along and the two of them begin a slow sweep of the town.

Brie and I don’t talk. It’s not just that we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves, we’re also both worried about the guys, and want to hear if anything happens. We glance at each other, than worriedly out the window and back again. We are looking at each other when I hear a noise that makes my blood run cold.

“Was that a gunshot?” Brie asks, eyes wide.

“I think so.” I say, trying not to panic. “Brie, I need you to stay here. Watch for us to come back, and be ready to start this up at a moment’s notice.”

Brie nods, pulling Baby bear into her lap. I climb out of the Jeep, shutting the door quietly behind me.

I don’t like the idea of leaving Brie alone, although I’m somewhat mollified once I make it past the tree branches to find that the Jeep is completely hidden by the large evergreen. I move quickly, towards the town, towards where I think the gunshot came from.

As I approach the first building I see, I hear yelling in the distance. I dart across the parking lot, closer to the commotion. When it seems I can’t get any closer, I press my body up against the asbestos siding of the building, craning my neck around the corner. I don’t see anyone, so I move quickly around to that side and repeat the process on the next corner.

Crap. Six rather burly men have them surrounded. And they each hold a gun that puts Mason’s to shame. Mason and Jared are severely outnumbered. Even adding me and Brie, they still had us.

I duck my head back around the corner, trying to formulate a plan. I remember seeing a ladder on the back of the building, to the roof, and figure that it’ll give me a better vantage point. I go to it, and it’s a little high for me to reach. After a jump or two, I manage to grab onto the bottom rung and quietly pull myself up.

Once I climb onto the roof, I duck down. When I reach the front of the building, I peer over the ledge, concentrating on the conversation below.

“You’re sure you guys are all alone?” One of the men asks gruffly.

“Yeah, we’ve got enough guys. Now if you have any girls, we’ll be happy to take them off of your hands for you.” Another rasps out and they all laugh. My stomach turns.

“Nope, just us.” Mason says, his gun lying on the ground a few feet in front of him.

He and Jared exchange a look. “That’s too bad.” The first guy says, raising his gun.

The others follow suit, and I raise my hands. I’m not sure if I can hit them all without hurting Mason and Jared, stuck in the center of them. Just as I’m about to try, I hear another gruff voice call out mockingly.

“Well, look at what I found, wandering around over there.” To my horror, he roughly tosses Brie on the ground in front of him. Things just went from bad to worse.

I crouch back down, out of sight, and try to formulate a plan. I really only have one way to attack them, but my dilemma is still how to only hit the armed men.

When I peek back over, all the men are crowded around Brie in a half circle, eyeing her hungrily. I guess this is as good a chance as I’m going to get. I focus all of my energy before I stand. “Brie get down!” Screaming as loud as I can, and lobbing the glowing sphere at the men surrounding her. I see her dive towards Mason and Jared, before the light explodes behind her and I stumble back.

I crawl to the edge of the building. Using the energy earlier, and again just now, has exhausted me. All the men lay in a twisted circle of body parts, and I quickly turn my attention over to Brie, Mason and Jared, unable to look at what I just did.

Brie is standing, Jared supporting her with one of her arms wrapped over his shoulder. Mason is staring up at me. They’re all okay.

I lay on my back, staring up at the sky, not having energy to do anything else. My emotions are on the fritz. I’m overjoyed that Brie, Mason and Jared are alright, and subsequently horrified with what I’ve just done. The image of the twisted mass of bodies dances through my mind and my stomach rolls. I’m barely able to turn over, but manage to just in time as I expel my lunch on the rooftop next to me.

As I finish, gentle hands pull my hair back out of my face. I lean back into Mason’s familiar arms and begin to cry. All the pent up emotions I’ve had for the last few days pours out. It feels like I cry forever, but I know it’s only for a few minutes. When I’m done, I’m even more exhausted.

I can barely stand, let alone walk, so it takes even longer to get down off the roof. We’ve already spent more time in this forsaken town than we planned to. Mason scoops me up when we finally make it down the ladder, much to my embarrassment.

“You’re okay?” Brie asks me, looking concerned.

“Just drained,” I tell her. “How about you?”

“Just a couple of bumps and bruises.” She looks shaken.

“Thanks, Kat.” Jared says quietly. I see the look in his eyes, knowing that he means saving Brie from what those guys had planned.

“Anytime.” Even my voice is getting weak.

“Hey,” Mason bounces me gently in his arms. “No sleeping.” I feel him turn, my eyes closed now. “What do we do?”

“I have an idea.” Brie sounds like she is talking through a pipe, far away.

It’s the tingling I feel first. It starts in my hand and travels down my arm. It doesn’t bother me anymore. In fact, I find myself welcoming it. I open my eyes, unsurprised to see the energy coursing from an oddly mounted wall socket into my hand.

I look up to see Brie, holding my arm up, a pair of large rubber gloves over her hands. When I turn, I see Mason sitting next to me, looking sheepish and a little singed. My guess is they learned about the gloves the hard way.

I sit up, feeling much better, and hear the Jeep’s engine outside. I face Brie. “Thanks. I think I’m ready to get the hell out of here.”

She nods. “Me, too.”

Mason stands, his eyes never leaving me. “Jared found some gas, and some water. He loaded up the Jeep. We’re ready to go when you are.”

“Let’s hit it.” I say as he grabs my hand. I let him lead me out to the street.

“Are you feeling better?” He asks. Oh, no. I must have really worried him.

I stop and give him a quick kiss. “Much better, sorry about before.”

“Nothing to apologize for…” He mumbles, opening the back door of the Jeep for me.

Baby bear plasters himself to me, obviously unhappy with being left alone earlier. I snuggle him happily. Mason climbs into the back with me. I’m no longer tired, but I don’t have the usual nervous energy I usually have, after I meet an electrical outlet either. Vaguely, I wonder if I’ve found some sort of balance.

Mason begins snoring lightly, Jared and Brie talk quietly in the front seats. I bury my nose in bear fur and try hard not to face the demons I created in myself earlier. I had no choice. They left me no choice. They would have killed Mason and Jared, and done only God knows what to Brie, or me, when they found me.

It still doesn’t change the heavy feeling in my chest, though. I just killed six men. No, seven. They were not infected, just dangerous. And I took the life from all of them. I swallow hard.

“Here,” Brie hands me a water bottle. I take it, thanking her, both for the water and breaking my train of thought. I begin to focus on other things.

“Do we know if that blast earlier from the hill pushed back the infection at all?” I ask, as I notice the road is beginning to head more south than west.

Jared nods. “So far, we haven’t seen anything to indicate otherwise.”

“Good.” I go back to staring out the window and trying to ignore my conscious.