Path of Totality, page 24
My heart ached. “It’s okay.” No matter how much I wanted her to open herself to the gift of unconditional love from God, I couldn’t force anything on her.
We sat wrapped in each other’s arms until the truck came to a stop behind another grouping of abandoned cars. “I’ll clear a path this time. You hang here.”
Even though she was in my arms, I strained to hear her. “Okay.”
I jumped to the ground and ran my hand down my face. I paused for a minute and focused on my breathing. One of these days, she’d believe she was the strong, amazing person I knew her to be.
I shook my head and walked to the first of many vehicles I needed to move.
CHAPTER 64
JADZIA
Ryker made me eat dinner that night. Well, what passed for dinner, anyway. A protein bar and a bag of chips left from the vending machine. A stack of pancakes would be amazing right now.
The food settled my stomach and helped numb the pounding that had settled in my head.
The nice thing about Hover-cars and trucks, as opposed to Hover-bikes, was they kept driving when the passengers were eating, sleeping, or having mental breakdowns.
By the end of the day, we covered almost two hundred miles. We stopped several times to shove abandoned cars out of our way, take bathroom breaks, and stop in an abandoned town to look for food and water pods. The search was fruitless, literally and figuratively.
We stopped for the night. If we came across a cluster of vehicles, we didn’t want to have to wake up and move them. We also needed to charge the battery.
I dreamed of Brent that night. But for the first time, he wasn’t covered in blood. We were together. Talking, hanging out, just like we did before the world went to hell. We laughed and teased each other. He grew serious, and he said two words I doubted would ever leave me. “Be happy.”
I woke before dawn with those words ringing in my ears. Ryker snored like a bandsaw next to me. I wanted to grab a duffle bag and stuff it over his face so I could find my dream again, but I figured a quick, firm shake would work, too. He jerked, mumbled, and went back to snoring. Ugh. I gave him a sharp kick.
He bolted awake. “What’s going on?”
I quickly closed my eyes to slits and tried to regulate my breathing. He turned his head from side to side, rubbed his eyes, and adjusted his position. He rested his head against his window and went back to sleep.
I snickered under my breath. I’d give him an earful in the morning.
The second time I woke, daylight reached through the grimy truck windows. My muscles ached and my left foot tingled. I stomped my foot, trying to get feeling back.
“Morning.” Ryker opened his eyes and stretched.
I smirked. “Sleep well?”
He ran his hand through his hair, brushing a few stray locks from his forehead. “Mostly. I had a weird dream, though.”
“About bears, or loud construction zones, maybe?”
“Huh?”
I waved him away. “Never mind.” I leaned over and turned the truck on. Eighty-seven percent charged. “Think we’re good, or should we fully charge the battery?”
“We can go longer if we let it charge all the way.”
True. We both got out. I breathed in the already warming air and stretched. While having a truck beat walking, my body didn’t seem too happy with sitting all day and sleeping in the cramped cab. “We should sleep in the truck's bed tonight. More room to stretch out.”
“More of a chance of drones spotting us, too.”
I groaned, not sure if I was ready for another full day of Ryker being right.
“Think I can find a stream to wash off in while we wait?”
He shrugged. “Maybe a runoff or something you can splash your face in.” He went to the truck door, leaned in, then tossed the laser gun at me. “Take this with you.”
I caught the gun. Good thing they couldn’t fire unless they were being held. I turned to the woods and headed west, praying I’d find something. I stopped short. Huh. I prayed. A real prayer, not just a sarcastic thank God. A genuine prayer for help. A first. Wow. What had come over me?
I walked fifteen minutes before I found some water dripping over a rock. Not a stream and not much, but something. Making sure I was alone, I pulled off my shirt and let it soak up the water. When it was damp, I rubbed my face and arms with it and slipped it back on. Not the best shower in the world, but better than nothing and better than using our drinking water to cool off.
When I got back to the truck, I found Ryker packing up the charging pack. “Finished?”
He smacked the hood like a car salesman. “She’s good to go.”
CHAPTER 65
JADZIA
The next three days were the same. Drive about two hundred miles. Sleep, charge the truck, push cars out of the way, and raid small, abandoned towns. We found food here and there—mostly junk food—but we were still constantly hungry.
My body cramped and ached from so much sitting. I tried to find different positions or stretch, and I always helped Ryker move cars when we came on an impassable part of the road, but I’d still kill for a soak in a tub.
When we crossed the border into Texas, I squealed. So, so close. “Can we drive through the night?” I folded my hands and gave Ryker the face I used to give my dad when I really wanted something. Big eyes. Exaggerated pout.
He shook his head. “We can’t risk wasting the battery if we’re asleep and we end up hovering by a roadblock.”
“I’ll stay awake all night. Please.” I stuck my lower lip out further.
He sighed.
“I’ll even move all the cars in our way myself.” I flexed my arms, showing off my not-so-impressive muscles.
He rolled his eyes. I could almost feel his resolve weakening. “Fine. I’ll help you move the cars.”
I threw my arms around him. “You’re the best.”
He hugged me back.
I pulled away, ran my hands over my pants, and looked at the floor. “Thanks.” Embarrassment didn’t last long as my excitement surged. Every mile we drove was one fewer to separate me from my family. By evening, I practically bounced in my seat. Just an hour or so now.
Sleep never even threatened to take me over as night fell. The truck stopped twice after Ryker fell asleep. True to his word, Ryker woke up each time and helped me move the vehicles. Why did he have to be such an amazing person? It’d be a lot easier to sort out my feelings for him if he were a jerk.
As we got closer and closer to Houston, I still didn’t recognize anything. I’d been here so many times over the years, visiting Uncle Nick’s family. I knew the place like I knew my own town.
The auto navigation showed we were close. Darkness didn’t help matters, but there should be landmarks I could pick out, even in the dark. In the half moonlight, the only things I could make out were heaps of . . . something. Rubble, maybe?
Uncle Nick’s family lived about twenty miles north of the city. Houston itself lay in ruins, but out here? It couldn’t be. Why would they have bombed the suburbs?
“Pull over and stop.” I instructed the truck.
The truck pulled off the road. I hopped out and walked to the biggest heap. The smell of old fire and concrete dust met my nose.
I turned on my PCD’s flashlight. The beam of light swept across at least a half a mile of rubble in a straight line.
What on earth had been here? A government complex? A medical building? I walked closer to the debris field. My foot crunched on something. I shined my light on a large red sign with white lettering that lay under my boot. T A R G then a jagged edge.
I kept walking. Another sign caught my light, Ulta.
T A R G—Target. Ulta. I stopped moving. This was a strip mall. My breathing came in gasps. No. Surely this mall had no strategic value. Just a lot of people going about their lives and someone decided they had to die. Because the owner of the place believed in a higher power.
I crouched into a fighting stance when a hand landed on my shoulder.
“It’s me.” Ryker stood behind me, hands in the air. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
My hand went to my chest. “Geeze. You’re lucky I didn’t punch you.”
“Again.”
I smirked.
“You—”
Our PCDs emitted the same ear-piercing alarm I’d heard the day my entire world changed. I really didn’t want to open my hand. Ryker opened. In the glow of his display, I saw all the color drain from his face. He stood, not moving, opened-mouthed, reading whatever notice scrolled across his display.
Another attack? They hadn’t alerted us like this when Memphis got blown up. Something worse? My mind raced with possibilities.
Ryker bent over, hands on his thighs.
Shudders ran through my body and my legs gave out. My knees stung when they hit the pavement. “What?” I whispered. I still didn’t want to see for myself.
He choked out. “Dad.”
Huh? That didn’t make any sense. I swallowed hard and opened my PCD, preparing for the worst.
The words “New Law in Effect Immediately” scrolled across my display followed by a link. Okay. What could possibly be so bad? Ryker sank to his knees and sat on his heels. Head in his hands he muttered to himself.
I took a deep breath and opened the link.
To end the war, any and all forms of religion, religious gatherings, beliefs, texts, and anything having to do with a belief system were now illegal. The Bible that I carried on my PCD would land me in jail. Which meant almost everyone living at the hotel was now an outlaw. My stomach clenched. Poor Ryker.
I crouched next to him and put my arm around his shoulders. His whole body shook. I still wasn’t sure where I stood on the issue of faith, but now I didn’t even have the option, unless I wanted to become even more of a criminal. And as for Ryker. He had spent his entire life believing in God and being a member of a community of believers. Now he had to deny everything he believed in, just to meet some stupid law. Would he be able to do it?
I pulled him close and held him.
We stayed like that until the hum of a drone caught my attention. I sighed and tugged him to his feet. “Come on. We need to move.”
CHAPTER 66
JADZIA
We got back in the truck and crouched down in the footwells, waiting for the drone to pass. When the danger cleared, I double-checked that I’d entered the correct address in the auto navigation, and we kept going.
My breath hitched at the thought of going to Aunt Dawn’s house, knowing Uncle Nick wouldn’t be there. But Mom and Jonathan would.
When the truck exited the highway, I still didn’t recognize anything. Piles of rubble stood in place of the stores and a movie theater. Who blew up a movie theater? What was the point? People seemed to get crazier the longer this war went on.
The truck left the business district and moved into neighborhoods. I was relieved to see most of the houses were intact.
Fifteen minutes after we left the highway, I recognized the gated community my aunt lived in. Ryker sat silently beside me, looking out the window. He didn't even acknowledge me when I rubbed his back. His breath hitched and come in silent bursts. I wished I could read his mind.
The truck pulled up to the familiar two-story red brick house. “We’re here.” My hands trembled. No light shone from the house. Of course, no light shone from any of the houses at one in the morning. Even people in demolished cities needed sleep. I hated to wake anyone by pounding on the door, but I couldn’t wait.
Ryker still kept his back to me. He sniffled.
I fidgeted. I didn’t want to leave him, but Mom was right there, no more than thirty feet away. “You can stay here. I’ll get you in a little while.”
He nodded and sniffled again. I gave his shoulder another squeeze. I stepped out of the truck and slammed the door behind me. Oops.
I ran to my aunt’s house and pounded on the door. A few seconds later, I pounded again. “Mom, it’s me.” I probably should have been a little more courteous toward the neighbors, if there were any, but I hadn’t seen my mom or brother in three months. The neighbors would just have to deal with the noise.
I stopped short. Three months. Is that all it had been? Felt like forever. I hoped they still recognized me. I’d changed so much, I barely recognized myself.
I glanced around. A river rock hastily painted blue on the porch caught my attention. Just like the smaller one Mom gave me when I left. I smiled and crouched down to get a closer look. A swing set had been drawn on it. The paint looked fresh. Not chipped or worn. Strange. Why would this be here? A decoration? A reminder?
A message?
I picked up the rock, slipped it into my pocket and brought my hand up to knock again. I heard movement inside. The door opened.
I stared down the barrel of a laser rifle.
My heart tried to beat its way out of my chest. I threw my hands into the air. “It’s me.” My voice cracked.
A figure stepped out of the dark doorway. A figure in a very familiar uniform, holding a very familiar gun. I stepped back and almost tripped off the single step up to Aunt Dawn’s porch.
The figure, a guy with dark hair, stepped out of the house. “Jadzia Mills, you’re under arrest for desertion and for crimes of terrorism against the United States Military.”
Terrorism?
More uniforms converged on me from the sides of the house. Someone even popped out from behind my aunt’s palm tree near the door. They’d been waiting. How long had Mom been gone? Where was my family? Were they cuffed inside?
The military must really want me if they pulled all these people from the front lines to wait at my aunt’s house. How did they even know I’d show up here? Unless—I looked at the truck. Crap. The auto navigation. When I entered Aunt Dawn’s address, it must have triggered some kind of alert. How could I be so stupid?
“Please don’t shoot me.” I stepped backward off the porch, only to have another gun barrel poke me in the back. Sweat ran down my temple.
A weird noise came from behind me. I turned. A woman lay at my feet. All the rifles that were aimed at me swiveled to the surrounding area. Another guard went down.
Ryker. He held the gun I had taken from the owner of the truck. But there were at least five more guards pointing rifles at us. From my training, I knew there were more inside, and the only weapon I possessed was rock. Great.
I spun and kicked the man closest to me. Bones crunched. He screamed and went down, knee probably broken. More soldiers came out of the house, for a total of fifteen. My mind raced. That should be all of them.
I plunged my hand into my pocket and pulled out the rock. Maybe I could bash someone in the head with it. I punched and kicked and dodged gun barrels as some of the guards tried to shoot me and others defended against Ryker, who moved in to fight hand-to-hand.
“Z. Run,” Ryker yelled as he punched a guard who’d raised her gun to shoot me. “Run.” He screamed again.
I couldn’t leave him. I grabbed the nearest guard’s gun, pulled him off-balance, and sent him sprawling to the ground.
Five soldiers surrounded Ryker.
“Go. Please.” He kicked out at anything that moved.
I fought to get to him, keeping my back toward the house, to prevent enemies from ambushing me. I grabbed the planter on the front window and smashed it over a guy’s head. It shattered. He wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.
“Z. Go.” A quick glance at Ryker showed me he was now on the ground, his arms being zip-tied behind his back.
I lunged for him, but someone grabbed me from behind and slammed me to the ground. The rock slipped from my grasp.
A female voice growled in my ear. “Traitor.”
I reared my head back and smashed it into her face. Her nose crunched. Pain burst through my head, but I didn’t have time to deal with it. She crumpled to my side, unconscious. I jumped to my feet, grabbed her fallen rifle, and ran.
CHAPTER 67
RYKER
The guy who had pinned me down hauled me off the ground by the zip-tie. My wrists burned as the plastic cut into them. I could feel blood oozing from where they dug in. At least Z got away. They sent six soldiers after her, but she was fast and knew how to hide. I prayed she’d be okay.
Someone checked my ear implant with a scanner. I couldn’t believe I’d never thought to hack into the implant and change my identity.
“Ryker Jenkins. Nineteen.” Yep, there it was.
The guy spit at my feet. “I hate draft dodgers.”
I wished my arms were free. This guy wouldn’t have any teeth left. “I didn’t dodge the draft. I was exempt because of religious beliefs.”
The guy smirked. “Didn’t you hear, Draft Dodger? Religious beliefs are illegal.” He punched me in the stomach.
I doubled over and acid rose in my throat. It would serve him right if I threw up on his boots, but I swallowed hard.
His colleagues snickered.
I kicked out at him, but he backed up and laughed louder.
They threw me in a Hover-jeep and zip-tied my feet together. I squirmed, trying to get loose. “Sit still.” The guy who hit me slid in next to me and poked my side with a handgun.
An older woman hopped into the front seat and tapped her ear. “Mark, you have her yet?”
I held my breath and waited for the answer.
She swore.
I cheered inwardly. Z had eluded them.
She tapped her ear again. Her voice grew official as she reported in to her commander. She explained the situation, then fell silent for a moment. “Yes, Sir.” She tapped her ear again and ended the conversation.
I sat on the edge of my seat.
She turned to me. “Looks like you’re going to boot camp.” She rolled her eyes. “Welcome to the Army.”
The guy next to me laughed. “Guess you’re not dodging the draft anymore.” He smacked me in the back of the head.
