Dead Center, page 21
part #2 of Nemesis Series
“But your side.”
“I’d say the left but my arm, well, you know,” Lexi said, referring to her left arm, which too was swollen badly due to its shattered condition.
“Are you sure?” Sasha asked.
“Please,” Lexi said.
Sasha carefully slid next to Lexi and placed her head on her chest. She could feel every breath, but sadly she could hear the fluids in her lungs.
“Your father would be so proud of you,” Lexi said as he played with her hair. “He was a handsome man. I think that’s where you got your looks from.”
“No way, you’re so beautiful.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m beautiful; I’d say I’m interesting looking,” Lexi joked. She inhaled as deeply as she could, but it wasn’t much. She let out a groan and adjusted herself as best she could.
“I can move,” Sasha said.
“No, just lie there,” Lexi said, her voice now noticeably weaker than just moments before. “Tell me what you’d like to do once we get out of these woods?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh, if anyone ever offers you pizza, take it, and Doritos, literally one of the best things out there.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Baby girl?”
“Yeah.”
“I love you so much,” Lexi said, petting Sasha’s hair. She leaned her head just enough and gave her a kiss. “I’m so proud of you and all that you are. You’re an amazing young woman and I hope you’ve been happy with me as your mother.”
“Mom, stop talking like that. I don’t like it.”
“You’re my everything, Sasha. You’re my world, and you’ve given me the one true purpose of my life, thank you.”
“Mom, you’re talking like this is your farewell,” Sasha said.
“Sorry, I just don’t think a parent can ever tell their kids they love them too much. Now go on, tell me everything you want to do once we get out of these darn woods.”
“Well, I’d like to go to Australia. I want to go far, far away from here. I want us to live in a big home, where we can have pizza and Doritos, maybe even a Doritos pizza. I want to have a dog too, maybe two, and I want you to meet a nice man, how about that? I think you deserve that, you’ve been so good to me. Oh, and I want to see television and movies. And the ocean, I’d like to see that too. Oh, and ride in a plane, or maybe even take a balloon ride.” On and on, Sasha babbled about the things she wanted. Many of them she’d never experienced, she only knew about them because of Lexi’s tales or things she read in the magazines that Lexi found and brought home. She droned on for a few minutes, only stopping when she couldn’t feel her mother’s chest rising and falling. She looked over and saw that Lexi’s eyes were closed. “Mom?”
Silence.
Terror spread across her body. She sat up further. “Mom!”
Silence.
On the verge of tears, she placed her head against Lexi’s chest and listened. She couldn’t hear the fluid in the lungs nor could she hear her heartbeat. “Mom, please no, Mom!” She shook Lexi hard, but she didn’t move or wake. “Mom, please, no, Mom, you can’t go. I need you. Mommy, no, don’t leave me all alone out here. Please.” Tears burst from Sasha as she sobbed. “Mommy, no, no, please wake up. You can’t die. I need you. Mommy, you can’t leave me all alone out here, please.”
◆◆◆
The hours turned yet Sasha remained next to Lexi’s side. She couldn’t find it in her to get up, it was the last thing her mother had asked of her, and getting up would only make that last request final. It was a weird reaction, but she just couldn’t move. The sun had set, leaving her in the dark, all alone for the first time in her life. Never had she felt such pain, such loss. It felt as if someone had cut her heart out. How would she go on without Lexi? How could she be the woman her mother wanted her to be without her to provide counsel? Was this what feeling alone felt like? she asked herself.
For Sasha truly was alone. She knew no one else in world except her mother and now she was dead. How would she manage? How could she survive?
A name popped in her head, Gordon Van Zandt. She’d never met the man, but he must be a good man for her mother, a discerning woman, to pick him as the one person Sasha should seek out.
Yes, she would go to McCall and find this Gordon Van Zandt, and then, only then, she’d not be alone.
EPILOGUE
AUGUST 30, 2030
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” —Seneca
MCCALL, IDAHO, REPUBLIC OF CASCADIA
Sasha exited the truck, grabbed her pack and rifle from the bed, and gave the driver a nod.
“You be good now,” the driver said, giving her a wink and a nod.
“Thanks for the ride,” Sasha replied.
The truck rumbled away.
Sasha turned and looked at the building in front of her. It was Hotel McCall. She didn’t know anything about it except that it was one of three operational hotels in town and it had a majestic view of Payette Lake. With her gear in hand and rifle slung, she tossed open the door and entered the lobby.
A strong aroma of pine and scented candles greeted her. Not ten feet in front of her was the front desk, and behind it stood a young woman whom Sasha guessed was about nineteen. She approached her and asked, “I’d like to get a room.”
The young woman looked at her then her rifle and said, “Do you have a reservation?”
“No.”
The young woman, whose name was Greta, looked past Sasha and around the lobby. “Are you here with your parents?”
“No, I just need a room for the night…please.”
“You need to be eighteen to rent a room, I’m sorry.”
“I’m tired. Please just let me rent a room. I won’t be any trouble and I have cash,” Sasha declared as she pulled out a wad of cash she’d taken from the Clancy Clan. She held it out in her open palm. “How much?”
“Again, I’m sorry, you need to be eighteen.”
“Really?”
“Yes, those are our policies,” Greta said and pointed to a sign to the right, which stated that specific rule.
“Can you please make an exception?” Sasha asked.
“I’m sorry, but you might be able to get a room at the hostel just down the street. It’s adjacent to Paul’s Market.”
“And where’s that?” Sasha asked.
“You’ll go out and follow the street down. Just on the edge of town on the left you’ll see Paul’s; the hostel is to the right of that.”
“Thanks…for nothing,” Sasha grumbled. She turned and marched towards the exit.
“The chief of police gets a bit squirrely about open carry in town,” Greta warned.
Sasha gave her a dismissive wave, threw open the door and exited. Back outside she inhaled deeply. The air was cool, dry and felt clean. The town itself was beautiful, quaint and, like the air, clean. She followed Greta’s directions, which proved to be correct. She found herself now in front of the Lake Hostel and Boardinghouse. Out front were two picnic tables, with a few young people gathered around enjoying themselves with food and beer. A sign in the window read VACANCY. “How bad can it be?” she mused. She took a few steps towards the entrance when a person appeared in the window and turned the sign to read NO VACANCY. “Oh, c’mon,” she fretted.
A young man sitting at a picnic table saw her facial expression then looked at the sign. Sensing he could help her, he jumped up and walked over to Sasha. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“If you need a place to stay, there’s a guy I know who runs a bed-and-breakfast, and there are some campsites close by, but they’re not dry, as this is mud season,” the young man said.
“What’s a bed-and-breakfast?” Sasha asked, not familiar with the term.
“It’s sorta like a hotel, but in someone’s house, and they typically serve breakfast.”
“Do they rent to anyone under eighteen?”
“I know one person who does as long as you have cash,” the young man replied.
“I do, I have US dollars, will that work?” Sasha asked.
“Yeah, it should,” the young man said. He stuck out his hand and said, “My name is Austin.”
She took his hand with trepidation and said, “I’m Sasha.”
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“California,” she answered.
“You’re from the Republic of California or the California Coastal Union?” Austin asked pushing his long bangs out of his face. He was tall and lean, with jet-black hair and piercing eyes.
“I don’t know which part,” she said. “Can you tell me where I can go find this bed-and-breakfast?”
“Sure, let me get my girlfriend. She’s right over there.” Austin pointed.
Just as Austin turned around, the front door of the hostel opened and out came two disgruntled people, packs and sleeping bags in hand. “You’re not welcome here again!” a man shouted.
Austin watched the scene, turned back to Sasha and said, “I think they just had some vacancies.”
Sasha didn’t hesitate; she raced to the front and called out, “Can I get a place to stay?”
The man, who was average height, gruff with five days of stubble on his face, spun around and asked, “Sure, how many?”
“Just one,” Sasha said.
Like Greta at the hotel, he looked her up and down, then looked at her rifle and asked, “You’ll have to check any weapons into my armory.”
“I don’t…” she protested but was interrupted.
“If you don’t check the weapons, you don’t get to stay. This is the fucking Wild West here.”
She grunted her displeasure but relented, “Fine, but I’ll need them back the second I leave.”
“Listen, little lady, we’re not in the business of holding people’s weapons. We rent space to rest your pretty little head, nothing more.”
Austin appeared next to her and said, “They’re really good about the weapon thing, meaning they’ll get them back to you.”
“Good.”
“Follow me,” the man said, disappearing into the hostel.
“Come join us when you’re done getting checked in,” Austin said.
Sasha nodded then followed the man inside. She checked in, as well as turned her rifle in to the armory. She did make a point of keeping her Sig Sauer P239 because she couldn’t imagine not having something to defend herself with.
Not wanting to be alone, she met up with Austin out front.
“Take a seat here,” Austin said, scooting down to give her some space to sit.
Sasha gave him a slight smile and sat.
At the table were five other people all about the same age as Austin. Two men, and three women.
“Oh, let me introduce you, Sasha this is Gage, Emily, Jay, his girlfriend Patti, and this is my girlfriend, Haley. Everyone, this is Sasha. She’s from California.”
Everyone at the table said their hellos and went back to their conversation.
Not wanting Sasha to feel unwelcome, Austin blurted out, “She’s from California.”
Haley immediately took an interest and asked, “Where?”
“Truckee area.”
“Oh, I’m originally from San Diego. Isn’t Truckee part of the Republic of California?” Haley asked the group.
“Yeah, I think it is,” Jay replied. “But I’m sure Sasha would know.”
“I don’t,” she said.
“Where are your parents?” Emily asked.
“They’re both dead,” she answered without hesitation.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Emily said a frown on her face.
“What brings you to McCall?” Gage asked.
“I’m here to see someone,” Sasha answered, tucking a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear.
“Who? A relative?” Emily asked.
“Gordon Van Zandt,” Sasha blurted out.
Austin spit out his drink and the table fell silent, with Haley staring down at the table as if in shock.
Seeing the responses, Sasha asked, “What’s the matter?”
Austin wiped his lips and chin and replied, “President Van Zandt is dead.”
“He is?” she asked, shocked to hear it. All she ever remembered was her mother telling her to go to the Republic of Cascadia, go to McCall and find Gordon Van Zandt if she ever needed any help.
“Yes, he is,” Austin shot back.
“I didn’t know.”
“What do you know? You don’t know where you’re from, meaning country, and you don’t know that President Van Zandt is dead,” Austin asked his tone becoming harsh.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know,” Sasha fired back with venom.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Haley said and touched Austin’s arm. She gave Sasha a sweet look and asked, “Why did you need to see him?”
“Never mind, it’s not important anymore,” Sasha snapped. She got up and raced off, her arms crossed in frustration.
“Wait,” Haley said, jumping to her feet and chasing after her. “Hold up.”
Sasha ignored her as she marched down the sidewalk, unsure of where she was going.
Haley reached her, took her by the arm and said, “I may be able to help.”
“Help with what?”
“Just tell me why you needed to meet with him,” Haley asked.
“It doesn’t matter now,” Sasha spat.
“It does to me because he’s, he was my father,” Haley said.
Sasha’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes, now tell me why you needed to see him, and I might be able to help.”
“My mother met him a long time ago. I believe she said she also met your mother, but your father sticks in my head because my mom and he traveled together to go kill a man, some cult leader, years ago.”
“Wait…this can’t be. You’re Lexi’s daughter?” Haley asked.
“I am.”
“And your mom is dead?”
“Yes.”
“Why did she tell you to come see him?”
“She said he was a man who could be trusted, that he could help me possibly, sort of returning a favor, at least that’s what my mom said.”
“I wonder what favor that would be,” Haley quipped.
“Can you help me?” Sasha asked.
“I suppose it depends. What do you need help with?” Haley asked.
“I need help…I want to go to Australia. I want to be free of all of this. I don’t want to be like my mother was. I thought about just going to the coast and finding a boat, but I recalled my mother saying that Gordon had some influence and could help me. I figured he could help me find a way there. I mean, what do I know about finding my way across the ocean? I’m a kid,” she said.
“I believe I can help,” Haley said.
“You can?” Sasha asked, her eyes wide with joy.
“Yes, now come back to the table and relax a bit. We’ll talk more later,” Haley said putting her hand tenderly on Sasha’s shoulder.
The two walked back and rejoined the group.
The day was spent chatting, laughing and just having fun without any concern. It was foreign for Sasha. She’d only known her life in the woods with her mom; she’d never spent time with boys or men, much less any young person until she met Ava. She’d never touched an ounce of alcohol or seen what life was really like outside the hunting cabin and the woods that surrounded it. Continuing in her mother’s footsteps and taking the crown as Nemesis wasn’t really the life she wanted. She knew nothing about the world except what Lexi told her.
Haley turned to Sasha and smiled. “It’s about time I head home. My mom will be expecting me.”
“Are you going to help me?” Sasha asked, concerned that nothing had been planned.
“I need to talk to a couple of people and then I can help. How about I meet you here tomorrow afternoon?” Haley asked as she smoothed out her dirty blond hair.
“So you’re not staying at the hostel?” Sasha asked, curious as to why they were spending time there.
“She came to meet us,” Gage answered, pointing to himself, Emily, Jay and Patti.
“Oh,” Sasha said.
“Yeah, we live here for now,” Austin said, “though I’d love to go back to Olympia.”
“Where’s Olympia?” Sasha asked.
Austin chuckled. “Were you living under a rock?”
Haley jabbed Austin in the ribs. “Don’t be condescending.”
“I wasn’t, I was just teasing,” Austin replied with a devilish grin.
“I don’t know anything. I spent my entire life living in the forest with my mother. All of this, I’ve never seen towns or cities or other young people until weeks ago.”
“Why did your mother do that to you?” Jay asked.
“’Cause people were hunting us. Once we found a safe place to live, we settled down, at least that’s what my mom told me.”
Haley got to her feet. “We’ll meet you here in the afternoon, okay?”
“Sure,” Sasha said with a timid smile.
“You’ll be fine, won’t you?” Haley asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Sasha answered confidently.
“Are you sure?” Haley asked.
“I’m quite sure,” Sasha replied with a grin.
“Very well, shall we, Austin?” Haley asked.
“We shall,” Austin said, getting to his feet. He took Haley’s hand and walked off, leaving Sasha sitting with the others.
“I’m going to go lie down,” Patti said.
“Me too, I’m tired, day drinking wears me out,” Emily said.
The two women left the table and went inside.
Sasha looked at Gage and Jay and gave them a nervous smile. Both were handsome, and Sasha felt a tinge of something she’d never felt before, something that made her feel nervous around them but in a different way. “I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll see you two later.” She got up from the table and walked off towards the lake.
The sun was setting above the mountains to the west, casting an orange glow over the area.
Sasha crossed the road and found a park close by. Just a few short feet from the park’s entrance was a rocky beach. She went down and sat on a large boulder. The lake’s dark blue waters were majestic and tranquil. A few boats dotted the surface, but other than that, it looked as it did a thousand years before.
