A/N… I thank all of you for your patience. I'm updating today, because I'll be busy tomorrow, and you've waited long enough.
I'll let you get to it.
~oOo~
Chapter 23
EDWARD
As the train sped along, I squeezed the little orca in my hand, rubbing my thumb over its fins as I studied the map spread out on the box in front of me. Flash had taken what he'd found in Caius's network and put it down on paper for us to study. He made it portable for us, which was proving useful.
Apparently, Caius had taken over the downtown area of Atlanta. The walls surrounding that area were almost in the shape of a capital D – or a boob from the side if you were Jake and Seth. The walls were built utilizing the existing highways and interstates that surrounded the city.
The large multi-lane highway curved east around the outside of the downtown area. Those walls followed that curve, and then came straight down between buildings, creating the D – or boob – shaped space. There were several large gates along their walls, and one of them was the train station.
And their walls were twice as high as the Sound's walls had been. That little weasel truly wanted to keep people out. Or in. I supposed that was a matter of perspective.
I used a finger to trail along the railroad tracks, using a pencil to mark the station. From all the security feeds we'd studied, Caius's building was almost in the center of that downtown section. I marked another X on his location. I continued to mark important places – every gate, every raider route or guard post, and finally, the southernmost gate, where the teams from New York and Boston would target.
The train started to slow, and I glanced out at the scenery blurring by. We'd been traveling for forty-eight hours straight. Funnily enough, most of my people and some of Marcus's hadn't seen what the rest of the country looked like since the virus had been unleashed. We tended to lose ourselves just watching a dead, cold world going by.
Large spaces, miles upon miles of empty land, overgrown farms, and endless vacant towns were all we saw from Washington, through Idaho, and into Wyoming. A few small villages could be seen in the distance overnight due to fires burning or minimal power.
People were out there, but they were few and far between. And honestly, I had no idea where we were at the moment.
Folding the map, I tucked it into one of the side pockets of my cargo pants, but my little killer whale went into my front pocket. I was wearing an old raider uniform. Well, mostly. When we got closer to Atlanta, I'd put the rest on, but for now, it was black pants, black boots, and a black T-shirt. Bullet-proof vests were a part of that get-up, along with high-powered weapons.
I walked up the train through the cars, passing by some men and women who were trying to get some sleep. Most of Marcus's people were in their own military uniforms. After so many years of work and wear, they looked a bit ragged, but they did their best to keep them usable.
Our train consisted of four cars and an engine. The closer I got to that engine, the stronger the scent of used cooking oil became. It was potent, but Marcus had a guy who could make diesel fuel using just a few ingredients, and one of those ingredients was discarded cooking oil. The whole train occasionally smelled like a fucking French fry. Actually, it smelled like the old Oz on a Thanksgiving Day festival when Sector B once fried potatoes or doughnuts or chicken – just heavy, thick…oily. With a side of gas scent for good measure.
Several barrels of that fuel took up most of the car just behind the engine. In the doorway that led to the engine leaned Marcus, Charlie, and Emmett.
The latter glanced back toward me and tipped his chin. "Okay, so we're coming up on a rather large station. Art, here, needs to stop and make sure the rails are switched over in the right direction. And this is the third place Flash wanted us to put up one of those relays. I figure you and me can handle that shit again, yeah?"
"So where are we?" I asked.
"Kansas City," Marcus stated, pointing to the map they'd posted on the wall. "We weren't sure how safe this would be, so I need you to be extremely careful. Take Pearson and Briggs with you again. This plan of Flash's seems to be working."
Nodding, I turned to Emmett as the train came to a stop beside a large, ornate building. "Get what we need, and I'll get Pearson and Briggs."
Emmett was right; this wasn't our first stop. We'd set up two relays and boosters prior to this one, and we'd been able to call back to Oz without a problem. I really needed the sound of Bella's voice, too, so I was all for installing this shit. According to Flash's instructions, we'd have one more installation – somewhere between Memphis, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama. However, the farther south we went, the more anxious everyone became – especially Jasper and Alice. They knew the South had been a war zone; they'd fucking lived it. So the closer we got, the more cautious we were.
I walked back to the next car, calling for Pearson and Briggs. The latter was going to eyeball our surroundings, but Briggs was pretty good with communications.
As the train pulled to a stop at the station, the three of us jumped out onto the platform, and Emmett joined us from the next car over. He was carrying the two pieces of equipment we needed.
Pearson led us into the station, saying, "This is a damn big city, so we need to keep our eyes peeled. This train isn't exactly stealthy, so we may have attracted attention pulling in."
"Sir," Briggs replied, glancing around the large space.
He was young, not a lot older than Jake and Seth, but apparently, he'd been put through some sort of training by the elder soldiers in Marcus's army. He was second or third generation military, too. Which meant he had a relative somewhere either on this train or back at Oz.
"We need the roof," Emmett told them, so we went in search of a way to access the top of this large building.
With each level, I noted that this place once housed a lot of people at some point. There were makeshift living spaces, scattered belongings, and most restaurants had been ransacked or stripped bare. Dust covered just about every inch of the place. For a moment, I wondered just where people were going to try to survive the virus. And a dark part of me thought that a space like this would've simply exacerbated the problem – the sick confined with the healthy – and it only made things worse.
Pearson located the highest point in the building, pointing to a metal ladder leading up to a hatch for the roof. Emmett climbed first, breaking the hatch open, and the rest of us followed him up. The sun wasn't quite up yet, but Briggs got to work on setting up the relay and booster at the highest point on that roof, which happened to be the brick apex in the middle. It didn't take him long to set it up in a secure location and gesture to Emmett and me to test it.
"Dorothy to Oz," I said, grinning at Emmett's beaming face, because if we were going to continue to call ourselves Oz, he wanted us all in with it over the radio.
"Dorothy, you're coming in loud and clear," said the most comforting voice. "What's your location?"
I huffed a laugh. "Well…Kansas."
Bella chuckled, muttering, "Fitting." And that was probably said to Flash and Nolan.
"Technically, it's Missouri, but…" I trailed off, smiling at her chuckle over the radio.
My Bella had been a teary mess the day we'd left, because she was worried about us all – specifically her dad and me, but by the first radio relay we'd installed, she was deep into mission mode. She'd settled in to work with Flash and Nolan with that strength and determination that I loved about her.
"And the Tin Man?" she asked, referring to the train.
"Going strong. We're due to enter the Emerald City in approximately twenty-four to forty-eight hours," I told her. We had to keep shit vague, and Emmett was enjoying the play on the books, but I just needed to know home was safe. "You guys okay?"
"We're good. Please be safe."
"Copy that. You'll hear from us one more time before we reach the end. And that should give us connection to you once we're there," I told her.
"Well, you're coming in just fine," Bella said, and a bit of noise came over the background, which I could guess was Emily.
Flash came over the radio next. "Dorothy, you should know that the Emerald City is preparing for your arrival – the station has double the guards, most of the gates have been sealed completely, and there are rioters at those gates. Stick to the plan, though. By the time you pull in, we'll be able to assist via radio because we've taken over their network."
"Roger that," I called back.
"Please be safe," Bella pleaded over the radio.
"Always," I vowed softly. "Over and out." I turned to face the men with me. However, it was Pearson my eyes fell to, because he had binoculars up to his face as he scanned out over the rather large, very dark city. "Anything?"
He nodded, handing over the binoculars. "Oh, yeah. I've got clusters of lights over the downtown area." He pointed in the direction of a few tall buildings.
I scanned the direction he was indicating, and a few buildings seemed to have power. Keeping the binoculars up to my face, I scanned all the way around us. Some residential areas had spots of light and activity, and a few more buildings showed people were trying to simply keep going.
However, Pearson was right; the train had attracted a group of people making their way on foot toward the train station.
"We've got people inbound," I told him, shoving the binoculars his way and pointing in the direction. "I don't see weapons, but that doesn't mean shit."
"Okay, back to the train. Move!" Pearson ordered, leading us back to the ladder.
Once we were back inside the train station, we took the stairs at a run. The four of us burst out of the doors, causing a few soldiers to round their weapons on us, but they lowered them immediately.
Marcus stepped down from the train to the platform. "What is it?"
"We've got people inbound, sir," Pearson told him. "They're about a klick away on foot."
By definition, a klick was military jargon for kilometer. After working with Alistair so long, I knew that was a little over half a mile away, which didn't give us a lot of time.
Marcus nodded, pointing toward the engine. "We're refueling, and Art is working on changing the rails to the correct direction. Were they armed?"
I shook my head. "No. They looked curious more than anything."
"Fair enough. Everyone, stay calm," he said softly, jerking a chin to Pearson. "Set up guard points, but don't act aggressively unless they show aggression. Make sense?"
"Sir," Pearson replied, pointing to a few of his men and then to the spots he wanted them.
Marcus looked to me. "And the radio?"
"Working fine, Marcus," I answered, nodding once.
He studied Emmett and me, saying, "You know what? Both of you go strap on vests just in case things turn ugly."
"Sure thing, Marcus," Emmett agreed, hitting my shoulder with the back of his hand. "C'mon."
We stepped up on the train, moving to the car where we'd left our things. I tugged on my vest, adjusting the straps, and Emmett did the same. We also strapped our rifles to our back just in case. I grabbed up Charlie's vest and Emmett picked up Rose's, and we pushed through the train to see they were both monitoring the engine. Rose's gaze was locked on to Art, who was on foot stepping over the tracks several feet away.
"He needs to hurry," I muttered.
"Why?" Charlie asked.
"We've got survivors moving in on the station." I waved away their gasps of concern, saying, "I doubt they'll start trouble. I didn't see any weapons."
Charlie gripped my shoulder. "Okay, then we'll take the top of the train car." He pushed me toward the ladder leading up to the top, and I took it, pulling my weapon around to my front.
Art was still working on the tracks when that group of people finally made it to the train platform. They stepped out of the station tentatively, freezing when they saw guns and soldiers waiting for them.
An older man stepped forward, his hands raised, and Pearson stopped him before he could get any closer to Marcus, who gently waved him away. The conversation was soft, so I couldn't hear what was being discussed.
Marcus smiled sadly at the man and turned to give a sharp whistle to his people. "Let's get them some supplies."
I glanced at Charlie, muttering, "I have to give Marcus credit. For an old soldier, he kinda does okay at this president thing."
Charlie grinned my way. "Yeah, I didn't buy it at first, but the longer we're with him, the more I see why there's like a thousand people on that ship of his who would fight tigers for him. He's doing his best."
We went quiet, keeping our guard up on top of the second car. Most of our people were stretching their legs on the platform, helping with the refuel, or chatting with the people who lived here. Jasper joined Emmett, but Alice was with Rose by the engine. The more the survivors talked with Marcus, the more I studied them. They seemed to be healthy, with clean clothes and wide eyes. The group was all male, ranging in age from pre-teen to the leader, who looked to be in his sixties or so.
Two large boxes were set down on the platform. Marcus had wanted to be able to help anyone along our journey, so Flash and Sue had put together simple supply boxes. They contained fruits and vegetables, dried meats, eggs, and flour. But it also had seeds for planting and a radio to communicate back to Oz. Sadly, this was the first time we'd come across anyone to help.
"You know, before the virus, no politician would've done this shit," Charlie whispered to me, his eyes never leaving the platform. He shook his head once. "Most of them were like Aro – selfish elitists; they wouldn't have known the needs of the people if their lives depended on it. Back then, they didn't struggle with money or busting their ass to put food on the table. They were oblivious to people who had to make a choice between keeping a roof over their head or buying the medicine they needed; they couldn't afford both."
Charlie paused for a moment, finally looking my way. "Maybe that's the silver lining we needed for this new world."
"What? That everyone is even now?" I clarified.
"They will be once we stop Caius," he stated firmly.
I remembered overhearing a conversation with Alistair, Charlie, and Sue once when I first got to Oz. They'd been talking about the way things used to be, comparing struggles – bills, car payments, rent, and medical expenses, not to mention how expensive it was to raise a kid. They'd all agreed back then that those concerns practically consumed everyone they knew, that there was nothing left over mentally or emotionally to actually enjoy life. However, they passed on their work ethic to the rest of us.
Those of us who had never known that life had at least an idea about it. There were movies and books. We knew about money and different classes of people. Money, however, had no meaning anymore. Life was all about trading and bartering now, and I had a feeling that the future of this country boiled down to exactly what Marcus was doing right then – trading for information, for future goods, and, most importantly, for loyalty.
Because loyalty went a long, damn way.
I slipped my hand into my front pocket, wrapping my fingers around my little orca as I gazed around at the train station, the city, the people still talking to Marcus. I missed my girls. I missed my parents. But it was loyalty to them and the rest of the people of Oz that had my ass on that train heading to a fight that needed to happen.
~oOo~
Welcome to Russellville, Alabama
"Don't blink, or you'll miss it," Alice muttered as we slowly pulled to a stop at the last station where we were going to install a relay. Although, we didn't have much choice but to stop, because there were trees down on the tracks up ahead.
Rose and I chuckled, glancing her way. "Been here, huh?" I asked her.
"If I had, I was too young to remember, but my mother had a friend from here," she replied, gazing around at the warm, dark night.
We had now been away from home for almost four days, pushing five. We'd all offered Alice the opportunity to check on her family's farm, but she'd declined. My guess was that it was done out of fear. No one pushed her though, and Jasper had all but violently dared us to push the issue. We hadn't. Everyone on that train had understood.
I'd overheard Alice explain to Jasper that the night she was taken from her farm, they'd set the house on fire, and she was pretty sure her mother hadn't made it. Her father, however, hadn't fought for her, so there was bitterness there. The only person she was curious about was her sister, Cynthia, but she had been taken the same night as Alice. They were separated once they reached Atlanta.
Alice simply didn't see the point of stalling us for any of that.
Again, we didn't argue. We'd all lost people over the years, and most of us had seen just how low and nasty raiders could be, so we'd nodded and continued on through Mississippi without stopping.
"C'mon. You can help Briggs and me with the radio relay," I told her, stepping off the train and down onto the tracks.
The young man in question hissed a curse, gazing around the area. He looked to me, asking, "How are you with heights?"
I laughed, shrugging a shoulder. "Why?"
He pointed, and in the distance stood an old metal water tower. "That's absolutely the best place to put the booster and relay. I can do it myself, but I know you like to check in with home…" He trailed off, wincing a little.
"I'm okay. Let's just get it done." I turned to Alice, and she nodded.
We passed by the group working on clearing the tracks of the fallen trees.
"Just the three of you?" Charlie asked.
"We'll be fine."
"Well, if you're not back in thirty, I'm comin' for your asses," he threatened.
I learned a long time ago not to argue with Charlie. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was Bella's dad. It had everything to do with his instincts. He sometimes could be tough, but he was extremely protective.
"Ten-four, Charlie," I replied.
Briggs, whose first name was Wade, chuckled at that exchange once we'd walked away. "He's kinda badass," he muttered to me, and Alice laughed outright.
"Former cop," I told him. "He's always been like that. Everyone's dad. Not afraid to go behind enemy lines. He smuggled more slaves out of the Sound than I could count."
"Including me."
"No shit?"
"Yeah, for like fifteen years, he played the part of a raider," I explained as we walked along an old road. "That whole time, he'd bring us intel, slaves, supplies."
The asphalt was cracked with weeds growing as tall as Alice. The water tower wasn't far from where we'd stopped but was an eerily quiet area. Luckily, the moon was bright enough that we didn't need to use a lantern or a wind-up flashlight.
"Damn, he really is badass," Briggs said with a chuckle and a slow shake of his head.
"He really is," Alice agreed, grinning up at me.
We went silent the rest of the walk to the base of the water tower. The climb up wasn't bad, and we let Alice lead the way. As we pulled ourselves up onto the metal catwalk that surrounded the tower, I gazed around the area. A barely there glimmer of firelight could be seen from a distance toward the north, but nothing major.
Down below was still…until it wasn't. I didn't see the movement at first. But someone down below made the mistake of stepping into the moonlight briefly before they were pulled back.
"We're not alone," I said in a whisper, pulling my radio from my belt. "Charlie, come in."
"Go ahead, kid."
"We've got company moving in on us."
From my eagle-eye spot on that water tower, I could see the train, the few still working on the tree blocking the tracks, and movement in and around the engine.
"On our way. What's their location?"
"Cluster of trees, just south of the tower. You'll come up on their six. We'll keep their attention. Go dark and silent."
"Copy that."
I faced the other two with me. "We need to get down, but I need to test the radio. Are we good to go?"
"Sir."
Changing the channel, I brought my radio to my mouth. "Dorothy to Oz, come in."
"You're coming in fine, Dorothy," Flash answered.
I was disappointed that I didn't hear Bella's voice, but at this point, I had to hurry. "This is the last relay installation. You should read us loud and clear all the way to Emerald City."
"Roger that, Dorothy. She's fine, by the way. They both are. Just, with the time difference…"
"Tell her we're oka—"
"Ed, we gotta move, that group is about to—" Briggs started but was cut off.
The unmistakable sound of gunfire and bullets pinging around us just about made me drop the radio. Despite Flash calling for me, I couldn't answer him; I was too busy making sure Briggs and Alice were okay and staying low.
I brought my weapon around, kneeling by the railing and opening fire down below. I fired off a few shots, which sent them diving for cover back into the trees.
"Both of you, other side of the tower. Go!"
Staying low, we ran to the opposite side of the water tower, where the ladder led back down to the ground. I didn't want to take that ladder until help arrived. It would be so easy to pick us off one by one on our way down.
"Alice, stay there," Briggs told her, and then he looked my way. "Low, edge of the catwalk. Give them no target."
Nodding once, I dropped to my stomach, crawling to the railing so I could see over the edge. The moon had now gone behind the clouds, so visibility was practically nothing. However, someone down below moved just enough to shake a bush, and I fired off several rounds. Briggs fired off a few more rounds, sending the assholes down below scattering to another section of trees. I pulled the trigger, catching one in the leg, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Cover me," I told Briggs, making my way to the ladder.
"Roger that," he replied, firing off random shots into their new location.
Once my feet touched the ground, Briggs fired again, and I rushed to the man on the ground, switching to my pistol. I pulled the man to his feet, pressing the muzzle of my .45 beneath his chin.
"Step out, or he dies right here," I called to the trees. "I'm not fucking kidding. Toss your weapons out, and step slowly from the trees." No one moved, so I yelled up to Briggs. "Open fire!"
"Wait!" the guy in my arms hissed. "Don't. Guys, do what he says."
Several weapons sailed out of the cluster of trees, landing a few feet away from me. I kept my weapon under the man's chin as his buddies slowly stepped out into the clearing.
"Smart man," I muttered to him. "Why are you attacking us?"
"W-We thought you were messin' with our water. Th-There's been a d-drought. We need all we can g-get," he sputtered nervously, hissing in pain as he shifted on that wounded leg of his.
"Fair enough, but we weren't taking your water," I told him, glancing up when five men stepped out of the bushes with their hands raised.
I gave a sharp, shrill whistle. Briggs descended the tower with Alice with him. And behind the men who had surrendered stepped Charlie, Jasper, Pearson, and Marcus.
"What's your name?" I asked my captive.
"Harley. Harley Woods."
"Harley, I'm gonna let you go, and we'll get that leg taken care of, but you gotta stay calm. Your friends over there need to stay calm," I said loud enough so that everyone could hear me. "Are we clear?"
"Yeah, got it."
I settled Harley back on the ground, catching a first aid kit when Jasper tossed it my way.
"If you weren't fuckin' with our water…" one of the other men started, trailing off when all of us glanced his way.
"We were enhancing our communications back home," Charlie replied. "You can keep your water. We just needed our radios to work."
"Where's home?" Harley asked, flinching when Jasper and I started to clean up his wounded calf.
"Pacific Northwest," Marcus answered him.
"Like…Washington? Oregon?" Harley queried.
"Sumthin' like that," Jasper said softly, not giving any specifics. "Perfect shot, by the way, Ed."
Snorting, I nodded. "I didn't want to kill the man. I just needed bullets to stop flying at my ass."
Harley chuckled through a grimace as I wrapped the through-and-through wound. "Sorry about that. We've got some assholes out there messing with our food, our water, our people."
"We understand. We're not here to fuck with you," I said, finishing with wrapping his leg. I gestured to Marcus. "Meet Marcus Volturi, your current president."
Jasper grinned at my wry tone but otherwise stayed quiet.
"No shit?" one of the other men gasped. He was younger, maybe in his late teens or early twenties.
Marcus nodded. "Come back to the train with us. We'll explain."
Jake and Seth stepped out of the trees where they'd obviously been told to stay hidden. The group of men were allowed their weapons back, and two of them grabbed up Harley to help him walk toward the tracks.
Briggs and Alice followed behind them, and Charlie and I took the rear until the radio crackled on my hip.
"Oz to Dorothy, come in!" Bella called, sounding panicked, which meant Flash had gone to get her. He had to have heard the shots before we cut off communication.
Charlie and I grinned and stopped in the middle of the road as I pulled my radio off my belt.
"Go ahead, Oz," I replied.
"You're okay," she stated instead of asking, sighing heavily over the airwaves.
"Everyone is fine."
"Okay, okay. We just… Flash heard…"
"I know, but it was over before it started. A…miscommunication of sorts," I explained to her.
"Shit. I'll just be glad when you guys are home."
Charlie couldn't resist, so he pulled his own radio from his belt. "That is an understatement, baby girl."
We couldn't help but grin when Bella's light laugh met our ears. "Copy that."
"This is the last stop before the end of the line," he told her. "You should be able to pick us up all the way there."
"Are my girls okay?" I couldn't help but ask. Fuck the nicknames and aliases.
"We're miserable without you."
"Yeah, me, too." I glanced at Charlie's watch. "It's late there, love. Get some sleep. We'll need you in the next day or so."
"We will…" She trailed off, finally breaking her own protocol. "Love you both."
Charlie met my gaze, not answering her immediately. "You know she's gonna listen the whole damn time."
"Do you blame her? Honestly, if it weren't for Emily, she'd be on this train with us. As it is, she's running the damn island with Sue."
Charlie grinned with pride. "Of course she is."
Chuckling, I put the radio to my mouth. "We love you, too. We'll contact you tomorrow."
"Ten-four."
Charlie squeezed my shoulder. "Good job, by the way. Let's go see if they've finished that tree and if Marcus has anything for these people before we pull out of Alabama."
We walked back toward the train, where we found Marcus setting Harley and his friends up with a couple of boxes of supplies. The tree was almost clear, and I took a seat on the steps of one of the cars.
"She sounds okay," Rose said softly behind me, plopping down next to me.
I nodded. "If this scared her, then Atlanta may send her over the damn edge."
"Nah," Rose countered, shaking her head and nudging my shoulder with her own. "She has faith in us. Just because there's more at stake doesn't mean shit. She's got our backs, even from back home."
We stayed quiet as Marcus spoke to the men, and I caught words like return and help, which meant we may stop on the way home, but I couldn't think that far ahead. And I had no idea how Marcus could make that promise. Fuck, I could barely focus beyond tomorrow.
~oOo~
A/N… They're getting closer. Yeah, things will definitely be heating up.
My goal is to have a chapter for you next Sunday, but for now, let's just say we're skipping another week. If I make it, awesome, but if I don't, just be prepared. And I totally apologize for that, but I'm working extra hours and my days off, so my time is limited. However, I will try my best.
So until next time – whichever Sunday it is… Mooches, Deb ;)
