Dead Center, page 6
part #2 of Nemesis Series
“You could say that,” Lexi answered. She wasn’t quite sure how to tell them she’d killed several of the Clancy Clan.
“So you’re going about your day, and the next thing you know—”
Interrupting Anna, Lexi said, “What I say might result in you turning me out, but I happened to come upon one of them trying to a rape a woman. I killed him, and before I knew what happened, I woke up tied to a chair with a bump on the back of my head.”
“You killed one of them, who?” Joe asked, now engrossed in her story. He too was now leaning on the table.
“Michael, I think his name was Michael,” Lexi answered.
“You killed Michael Clancy?” Joe asked.
“I did.”
Anna loudly cleared her throat. She gulped some water and said, “You’ve killed a man. How does that make you feel?”
The chair creaked as Lexi leaned back. “I’ve killed a lot of men and some women.”
“Oh my,” Anna gasped. “Who have you let into our house?” she asked Joe.
“It appears this little lady here has some blood on her hands.”
“It’s not what you think; I’ve merely protected myself or others,” Lexi replied. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned in. “I get this sense you’re not too familiar with the world out there.”
“It’s bad, I know,” Anna said.
“Bad would be a good day. It’s brutal, barbaric even.”
“How so?” Joe asked.
Her head cocked and her expression showing shock, Lexi said, “You really don’t know what’s happened out there? You’ve been sheltered here for so long you really have a clue of what the worlds become?”
Shaking her head, Anna said, “Why don’t you tell us.”
Again Lexi leaned back, the chair squeaking with each move she made as she shifted on the seat. “Where do I start? From the beginning?”
“Sure,” Joe said.
“Very well,” Lexi said. She proceeded to tell them every detail from the day the lights went out up until Joe finding her in the woods. The two listened intently and didn’t ask a question. Joe, for one, held on to every word she said, fascinated by the tale she told.
“Death cults?” Anna asked.
“Yes, death cults. What’s amazing is this all happened just weeks after, so you can see that shit…oops, stuff has no doubt gotten worse in some places,” Lexi said.
“Where’s the government? I’ve been asking for some time as I see the Clancy Clan growing in size and influence,” Joe said.
“Pretty much nonexistent. It’s like they went underground and are just waiting for us to kill ourselves; then they’ll reemerge.”
“This is horrible. I knew things were bad but not like this,” Anna said truly taken aback by what Lexi had told her.
“After my sister, Carey, was murdered, I vowed to never again let anyone hurt an innocent again, that led me to the woman who was being raped by Michael Clancy, which led me to getting taken hostage to where I am now, sitting at your table eating Spam,” Lexi said.
“And you killed Gavin too?” Joe asked.
“Yeah, a couple more and his wife too,” Lexi said, leaving out the part about the boy.
“They’re going to come looking for you,” Joe said. “She’s got a price on her head, I guarantee,” he said to Anna.
“Price on my head,” Lexi said and gave Joe an odd look. “Does this mean you’ll turn me over?”
“Don’t worry, we have no interest in anything those Clancy boys have. “We just stay out here, out of their way, and they stay out of ours.”
“Oh, honey, you’re safe here, I promise,” Anna said to soothe any doubts Lexi might have.
“Good because for a moment I thought…” Lexi said then stopped abruptly. She touched her belly and grunted, “Damn that hurt.”
“It’s a contraction,” Anna said.
“Am I about to give birth?” Lexi asked.
“I suppose you could be, but more than likely it’s Braxton Hicks.”
“What the hell is that?” Lexi asked as another contraction gripped her. She bent over from the waist, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Wow, that was sharp.”
“It’s really a false contraction. It’s just caused when the womb contracts,” Anna explained.
“If that’s false, what does a real one feel like?” Lexi asked.
“You’ve not had one before?” Anna asked.
“A couple, but that was…whoa, argh,” Lexi grunted. “Another one, wow.”
Springing to her feet, Anna went to Lexi’s side and said, “How about you go lie down.”
“Good idea,” Lexi said. She stood, took a step then stopped. “Ahh, Anna?”
“Yes,” Anna replied.
“I’m wet, I have a lot of water running down my leg,” Lexi said.
Anna looked down at Lexi’s sweatpants and could see her crotch was wet and a liquid pooling at her feet. “Oh dear.”
“Oh dear what? What’s going on?” Lexi asked, her tone showing her fear.
“I think your water just broke,” Anna said. She shot Joe a look and continued, “Go get her bed ready. Lay a tarp down, I don’t want to ruin those sheets, and then go warm up some water, and, Joe, bring me some clean towels.”
Joe rushed off to prepare the bed without hesitation.
“What’s going on? Tell me,” Lexi barked.
“Sweetheart, I think your baby wants to come out.”
“Wait, what? You said it was false contractions,” Lexi snapped.
“I thought it was, but now your water has broken.”
“What does that mean my water has broken?” Lexi asked, unsure of any of the pregnancy terms. Patting Lexi’s hand, Anna calmly looked at her and said, “Honey, you’re going into labor.”
◆◆◆
Pain.
If Lexi could give one word to describe childbirth without any type of medication to relieve the searing agony, it would be excruciating pain. But if she were asked what the second word would be to describe it, she’d say love, for when she held her baby in her arms, that’s all she felt.
“She’s so beautiful,” Lexi cried.
“She certainly is.” Anna smiled. “Why not see if she’ll latch on.”
“What do you mean?” Lexi asked.
“Your breast, see if the little thing will start suckling,” Anna said.
“You mean breastfeed her?”
“Yes.”
“I can do that now?” Lexi asked.
“Just try, okay,” Anna said.
Lexi put the baby on her breast and was shocked when she clamped on and began to suckle. “That feels weird.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Anna said in a matter-of-fact tone. She cleaned up the mess, tossing the bloody sheets and towels in a plastic trash bag along with the placenta. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to have Joe burn this.”
All Lexi could do was stare at her little baby, who was now asleep on her bare chest. “Would you look at that, she fell asleep with my boob in her mouth.”
With a large smile, Anna said, “They do that too, a lot.” She exited the room, leaving Lexi ogling her little girl. Promptly she returned and asked, “What are you going to name her?”
“I had a name picked out, but now I’m not so sure,” Lexi answered, her voice displaying a sweetness and calm that was rare for her.
With her arms on her hips, Anna said, “Well, you’ve got time. There’s no rush.”
Curious to know, Lexi pulled her gaze from her baby and looked at Anna. “What happened to Sasha?”
Shocked by the timing of the question, Anna replied, “I told you, she got sick.”
“But how? I’m asking because I don’t want her to get sick too,” Lexi explained.
Anna’s expression softened. She stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. With delicate fingers she petted the baby’s head. “So sweet and innocent. We’ll do everything to protect you, don’t you worry.”
“Should I worry? I mean about her getting sick?”
“Lexi my dear, you’ll discover that from now on you’ll always worry; it’s a curse and a blessing. No matter what our littles do, we will always worry. Welcome to motherhood.”
“I’m capable of protecting her physically. It’s the things I can’t see or control, like getting sick, that have me worried.”
Pulling her hand back. Anna stared out the window. “I remember when she woke the first time covered in sweat. She cried out for Joe. Of course he came rushing in, always the hero. He found her dripping head to toe. The poor thing complained she had a headache and felt weak. We, of course, thought it was the flu and began to treat her. A couple of weeks went by, and again more night sweats; then she got what looked like a rash, these little red spots.” Anna paused and let out a sigh. “After tests upon tests we got an answer; it was leukemia. Joe, who is normally my rock, my foundation, broke down right there in the doctor’s office. I was in a daze, I’m watching the doctor sit there as calm as if he had just ordered something as simple as a sandwich, and to my right was Joe, sobbing. I look back now and think I was in shock.” Again Anna paused, this time to wipe a tear, which had fallen to her cheek. She cleared her throat and continued, “We lost her a year later. Joe has never been the same; actually we both haven’t. For a while afterwards it put a strain on our marriage but we found God again and that helped turn things around. Joe wanted to have more children, but I…I didn’t want to; I regret my decision now, but at the time the fear of losing another child weighed too heavily on me.”
“I’m so, so sorry,” Lexi said, reaching out and touching Anna’s arm.
With tear-filled eyes, Anna gripped Lexi’s hand, gave her a gentle smile, and said, “Don’t you worry, we’re going to do everything, and I mean everything to protect your little daughter. We’ll treat her as if she were our own.”
“Thank you and I can say I’ll need help ’cause this baby-raising thing is a bit outside my wheelhouse.”
A tap on the door. “Can I come in and meet the new arrival?” Joe asked.
Lexi covered herself and said, “Yes, please come in.”
Joe pushed open the door and peeked in. “I washed my hands real good. I know cleanliness is important,” Joe said, holding up his large calloused hands. He sheepishly stepped farther into the room. “Oh boy, would you look at her. Isn’t she the most precious-looking thing? Anna, isn’t she beautiful?”
“She is,” Anna said.
Joe bent down to get a closer look. “So little.”
“She didn’t feel little coming out,” Lexi quipped.
“You did good, you know that, you did real good,” Joe said to Lexi, giving her a wink.
“If it weren’t for Anna, I don’t think I could’ve done this. She’s the miracle worker,” Lexi said.
“Oh, honey, this was all you,” Anna replied.
“Do we have a name yet?” Joe asked.
“Funny you ask,” Lexi answered. “I had a name picked out months ago, but now, like I told Anna, I’m not sure about using it.”
“Well, you have time. The little darling won’t know the difference for a bit,” Joe said.
“Um, how do I ask?” Lexi said as she shifted in the bed.
“Ask what, dear?” Anna asked.
“It just came to me, and I think it’s only appropriate, and I know we only just met, but somehow it seems right. I don’t know why, but it feels right, if you know what I mean.”
“No, we don’t know what you mean,” Anna said.
“I, um, if it were okay with you, I’d like to name her Sasha,” Lexi blurted out.
Both Joe and Anna’s faces froze with shock. His eyes darted to Anna and hers to him.
“No, I’m sorry, that’s just a stupid thing to ask, I’m sorry; I just—”
“We’d be honored,” Anna said, interrupting her.
“Are you sure?” Lexi asked.
“We’re positive. Having your little baby named after our little one would be a very special treat,” Anna said. Turning to Joe, she said, “Wouldn’t it, Joe?”
“It sure would, that’s a special honor.”
“Good, I feel you’ve done so much for me in such a short period of time, I owe you my life and hers. So one way of showing my appreciation would be to name her Sasha; it’s such a beautiful name and has meaning.”
Tears fell from Anna’s eyes.
With his large hands, Joe rubbed Anna’s shoulders. “That’s such a nice thing, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry for crying, it’s just…I just wasn’t expecting to know another baby named Sasha,” Anna said, wiping her tears away.
“Thank you two for everything, Sasha and I are grateful,” Lexi said.
“You’re so welcome. Now can I hold her?” Joe asked.
“Sure,” Lexi answered, wrapping the swaddle tight over Sasha.
Joe reached down and with extra special care took little Sasha into his hands, he brought her close and like an expert in baby handling began to gently swing his body back in forth as he talked to her. “Aren’t you the prettiest little thing, so sweet.”
“He’s good,” Lexi said.
“He had a lot of practice. With our Sasha he was always holding her in his arms or taking her hand or even falling asleep next to her after reading a book. Joe’s a big tough old soldier, but he’s a warm gentle giant inside,” Anna explained.
“I love me some babies though, so sweet.” Joe smiled then continued to rock Sasha.
Sasha opened her eyes for just a second, moved her mouth and reached out with her hand until it touched Joe’s chin. What appeared to be a slight smile creased her face for a split second.
“I think she smiled at me, yep, I think she smiled,” Joe roared with joy.
“You must have a way with the littles,” Anna said.
“A baby whisperer,” Lexi joked.
“A what?” Anna asked. Joe gave her an odd look.
“You don’t know what a whisperer is? Oh, it’s someone who can talk to things, like animals or people, without actually talking. They have a connection of sorts,” Lexi explained.
“And now she’s asleep,” Joe said.
Anna hopped to her feet, pulled the bassinet close to the bed, and said, “Put Sasha down and let’s have baby and mama sleep. They need some rest.”
“You don’t have to go. I’m not tired,” Lexi said. It was true she was wide awake from the high of just giving birth.
“Soon you’ll crash. Best you get some sleep,” Anna said.
“But—”
“No buts,” Anna ordered. “Doctor’s strict instructions.”
“Fair enough,” Lexi relented.
With tender care, Joe set Sasha in the bassinet. “Goodnight, little princess.”
The two quietly exited the room, closing the door behind them.
Alone with Sasha, Lexi stared at her and listened to her faint breathing. It was so weird for her to be looking at her. Not hours ago she was inside her, living and thriving, and now she was there, wrapped in a swaddle. Sasha was a miracle, a true and real miracle. She’d survived all these hardships and close calls. She’d escaped death numerous times, including the most recent time with the Clancy brothers. Was it luck? Maybe it was fate, she didn’t know; all she knew was the little girl lying peacefully was the most important thing to her. Sasha was now her top priority; once more Lexi found herself feeling protective over someone. Before it was her sister; now it was Sasha. With an outstretched arm, Lexi whispered, “Nice to finally have you here, Sasha Carey Knight.”
SEPTEMBER 17, 2016
“Never surrender opportunity for security.” – Branch Rickey
TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA
The map on the table in front of August was covered in red lines denoting all the areas his men had covered in their search for Lexi. As his eyes zigzagged across the map, his temper began to rise and his cheeks started to turn the color of the red ink on the page. With a clenched fist, he slammed his hand down on the table, stood erect and barked, “There is no way you searched everywhere! The woman was pregnant, nine months pregnant, she couldn’t have gone too far.”
The crowd of team leaders, seven of them, sat silently fearful to challenge or even offer a suggestion.
“Tell me,” August said, pointing to a man directly in front of him. The man’s name was Brant. “Can you assure me you searched every square inch of your sector?”
Brant’s eyes darted to the men around him.
“Don’t look to them for an answer. I asked you a simple question,” August shouted.
“We did.”
“And nothing, did you look through every abandoned car or go to everyone’s house?” August asked.
Brant’s face lost its color when asked about searching houses and cars.
Picking up on the body language Brant was signaling, he asked the others, “By a show of hands, how many searched every house in your sector, including abandoned cars or even caves?”
Only one raised his hand. This man’s name was Trevor. “It’s why I happened to run late on completing my sector.”
“One man, one! How can you say you’ve done a complete and thorough search if you’re not looking literally everywhere? Huh?”
A heavy feeling fell over the group as they could sense August would bring to bear his notorious anger against them.
“If I didn’t need you, I’d have you all shot out back for being stupid. How many times do I have to tell you all, tell everyone that I hate stupid people? Let this be a lesson, do you understand? This is your one chance. Now gather your sections and head back out, go through every fucking car and house, shack, shed, you name it. If there’s a manhole cover, open it and go down. I know this woman can’t be too far; she didn’t take any vehicles, we know that much. Now get up and get the hell out of here before I reconsider having you shot.”
Without hesitation, the men jumped to their feet and raced out of the hall.
A loud clap came from the back of the hall.
August looked and saw it was Marks. “You’re still here?”
“I am and I’m a patient man. I’ve been waiting for you to come and talk to me.”
