The Death: The Complete Trilogy Read online

  She looked at him, nodded, and returned to her seat.

  Chance followed behind her and took his seat and buckled himself in for the ride back to the DIA.

  The shock of the event was beginning to take hold of her emotions, but she fought it back. Closing her eyes, she thought only of David and Eric. She prayed they were safe, and allowed her mind to drift to happier times with her family, before all of this, before Pandora and before The Death.

  Lovington, Illinois

  Devin could feel the fatigue weigh down his eyelids. He looked at his watch and needed to stay awake and on guard for another ten minutes, but those ten would feel like the last hour. Knowing the prone position wouldn’t help him remain awake, he stood and began to do squats, with hopes the movement would get his blood flowing and keep the sleep away.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Tess chuckled.

  Startled by her comment, he jumped and turned around, his face flush with embarrassment. “Oh, um, squats. You know, keeping the blood flow going to stay awake.”

  “Were those squats or monkey fuckers?” she asked.

  “Monkey fuckers?”

  “Never mind, it’s a Marine thing,” she said, standing and stretching.

  “Do you think your fiancé is alive?” he asked.

  “I’m not even going to answer that. I mean, who asks that kind of question. I’ll be right back,” she said as she walked deeper into the cornfield.

  “Where you going?”

  “To take a pee, I’ll be right back.”

  While she was gone, he cleared a spot for him to nap. He was so tired, and the thought of sleep was pure pleasure.

  She reemerged into their clearing and began digging through her pack when she lifted her head suddenly.

  Simultaneously, Brando jumped up and craned his head.

  “You hear that, boy?” Tess asked Brando.

  “I really have to get my hearing checked,” Devin said.

  “Sshh.”

  Both were quiet, listening for the sound Tess and Brando had heard.

  A few seconds went by, and there it was, the rumble of vehicles coming down Highway 32, which was to the northeast of them.

  “No way, is that them?” Devin asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m willing to bet there’s dozens of groups cruising around the country,” Tess answered.

  They both approached the edge and watched as vehicles came into view and proceeded into Lovington from the west.

  “They aren’t our guys; they look like US military,” Devin exclaimed and moved to exit the cornfield.

  Tess held him back. “Hold on there, chief. We don’t know who they are. Best if we just stay put for now. Keep an eye out and our ears open.”

  Devin thought about it, and she was right, but he hated thinking that US soldiers couldn’t be trusted.

  “Do you think they’ll hurt us?”

  “I don’t know, is all. I’ve heard rumors, some not good.”

  “Like what?”

  “The same conspiracy theorists that believe the government orchestrated the pandemic also believe they’re gathering up the survivors and putting them into FEMA camps…”

  “How is that bad? FEMA camps are used to help people when a national emergency happens. It would only make sense.”

  “But no one ever returns,” Tess countered.

  “Of course they wouldn’t. The camp is safe; out here it’s not.”

  “Hey, I’m not saying I believe it, but I don’t trust anyone anymore.”

  “You trust me,” Devin joked.

  Tess scrunched her face and countered by asking, “Maybe I shouldn’t?”

  “I’ll side with your judgment being we can’t be so sure. Take the time to watch and listen while I catch a few hours of sleep. I’m dog-assed tired.”

  Brando whined when he heard Devin’s dog reference.

  “Oh, it’s a good thing, Brando, nothing bad,” Devin softly said to Brando.

  Brando looked at him, then pivoted to focus on the activity of military vehicles pulling into Lovington.

  “Sweet dreams,” Tess said, her focus still on the convoy of vehicles. She held the binoculars up to her face as she watched and counted the vehicles as they entered.

  “Wake me if something happens,” Devin said, now lying with his head supported by his backpack.

  Suddenly the distinct sounds of helicopters hit their ears.

  Devin shot up, concerned they could be spotted from the sky.

  Tess looked up, trying to spot them, but couldn’t. Their spot southwest of town and in the middle of the tall cornstalks made their perspective difficult.

  “Think they’ll see us?” Devin asked.

  “No, no, I don’t. I think we’re fine. They sound north of us.”

  Devin’s adrenaline was running high, and sleep seemed impossible now. He crawled over to Tess and knelt next to her.

  She watched as the last vehicle made its way into town; then she spotted the helicopters. “There they are, three of them.”

  “Oh, I see them,” he said, excited.

  “You really should get some sleep. You’ll need it.”

  “I can’t. I’m wide awake now.”

  “Please, I can’t have you running around in a daze later on when we’re scoping out the town.”

  “You mean to tell me we’re going into town? I thought you said we can’t trust them?”

  “You’re right, but I want to know, we need to know what’s going on.”

  Devin dreaded the idea of going anywhere near town, especially after she freaked him out with theories that the US Army might not be the good guys, but then again, she was right, as usual. They needed to know, and one way to find out would be to spy on them.

  Denver International Airport

  Lori was still in shock over what had happened, but not as much as Brad. He was so freaked out that he had locked himself in his quarters and wouldn’t answer to her numerous attempts to talk. She needed someone to talk to about this, but more importantly, she wanted answers. Determined to get those answers, she made sure she scheduled time with Chance to ask the questions she had been asking herself since the first day she reached Camp 13.

  She looked at her watch and clenched her teeth when she saw he was now more than ten minutes late. She was a big believer in punctuality, and with her emotions already running high, today was not a good day to be late.

  The door to the conference room opened, and in walked Chance, but he wasn’t alone. A man in his late forties to early fifties followed him in.

  “Lori, I’m sorry for being late, but I was discussing the developments of the day with Chancellor Horton.”

  Chance took a seat at the head of the table while Horton sat directly across from Lori in the seat that Maggie had been sitting in not twelve hours ago.

  “Mrs. Roberts, I understand you have many questions, and I, for one, would like to answer those for you,” Horton said softly, his hands clasped as he slightly leaned in. He was a handsome man, with dark black hair, closely cropped, and his attire, khakis and a white polo shirt, were clean and unassuming.

  “Mr. Horton, I’m not sure who you are, but I do need some questions answered. I’ve had two things happen in as many days, and I’m concerned, to say the least. I appreciate how important this project is for you, but I need to know my family is and will be safe.”

  “That’s Chancellor Horton, Lori—” Chance said, interrupting her.

  “It’s all right, Mr. Montgomery,” Horton said.

  “Chancellor of what?” Lori asked, curious about the strange political title.

  “I oversee the entire operation,” Horton answered.

  “Good, then you’re the man to talk to,” Lori said.

  “Mrs. Roberts, the reason I’m sitting here ready to answer your questions is because I’ve been told you’re a valuable person to this team and—”

  “Am I? After what I saw happen to Maggie, I’m not so sure any of us are that valuabl
e.”

  “—and in light of what happened today, I wanted to reassure you that we do find the potential of your contribution to our new city to be valuable. You see, The Death took a severe toll on the population, and there aren’t many still alive with your talents. What happened to Maggie was tragic, but we couldn’t afford to lose our entire team. Putting you together was hard enough. Fortunately for us, we’ve found Maggie’s replacement, although the young woman doesn’t have her experience, but we hope it will be the right fit. Luckily for us, the timing of what happened was early, meaning we haven’t lost any critical information. We have waited for a long time to begin breaking ground on Arcadia, and we shall not lose more time. Unapproved sojourns to the site, while valuable, will not be conducted again unless we send in security with you.”

  “I just don’t understand why we left her.”

  “Lori, I didn’t want to make that decision, but I felt everyone was at risk. Our belief is that the needs of the one don’t outweigh the needs of the many. She had to be sacrificed to ensure the others’ survival,” Chance interjected.

  “The needs of the one, the many?”

  “Mr. Montgomery, I feel that I’m better suited to handle this. Please just sit there,” Horton chided Chance and turned his attention back to Lori. “Mrs. Roberts, please ask your questions. I just hope my answers will satisfy you.”

  Lori liked hearing what he said, so she hit him with a barrage of questions. “Chancellor Horton, ever since my family was taken to Camp 13 we have received zero information or news from the outside world. We don’t know anything. What’s going on besides building Arcadia? I mean, where is the federal government besides the FEMA camps and here? Where is the president?”

  “Those are a lot of good questions. Let me answer them in some kind of chronological order so it makes greater sense. The Death killed many in the government. As you know, the president, vice president and many in his cabinet died. Many in Congress also perished. The military has been following orders and protocols given it under the National Security Authorization act as well as other predetermined standard operating procedures for a widespread pandemic scenario. As far as information, there isn’t anything new or inspiring out there. The Death has killed over ninety percent of the world’s population of humans and all wildlife and domesticated animals. When critical personnel are dying or dead, it creates chaos and a breakdown. We are fortunate enough to have what we have, and that it’s working as well as it is.”

  “So who is the new president? There is a president, right?”

  “Actually, there isn’t.”

  “Why not? You said there were some members of Congress still alive. Wouldn’t they assume the presidency?”

  Horton looked at Chance, then back to Lori. “Mrs. Roberts, we are working hard to reestablish a thriving system. The vestiges of the past are gone; we feel it’s time to start fresh, new.”

  “That’s why you’re building a new capital and not using Washington?”

  “Correct, the resources to get the city back up and functioning were too great, and with the various groups opposed to our plans, we found this location and thought it best to just start with a clean slate.”

  Lori still found it odd, but at the same time found what he said to make some sense.

  “Who are these groups, and why are they opposed to what is happening or what you’re doing?”

  Horton chuckled and said, “When has there ever been something happen where one hundred percent of the people agree? Never is the answer. These people, the Scraps, the Raiders and other groups, are now working hard with their own agenda.”

  “Agenda?”

  “Whenever there is a power vacuum, it invites those power-hungry types to move in and set up. There is no difference in this situation. Throughout the districts, the collapse of all forms of government has brought in opportunists. They promise great things, but all they deliver is their own version of death and tyranny. We’ve been trying to fight them, but it’s been an uphill battle.”

  “We never encountered any of them; I never did, at least until today.”

  “And what did they do? Attack you.”

  Lori thought about it. She could see how crises on the scale of The Death could bring out the worst in some people and how some of those people would take advantage of it.

  “What are you doing to protect us, especially my family back in Camp 13?”

  “Everything we can. I can assure you that we are maximizing the military assets we have to protect those survivors currently held at camps throughout North America.”

  “I would feel much better if my family could come and join me here,” Lori stressed.

  “They are fine, Mrs. Roberts. We need you focused on the job. No more distractions. Also we just don’t have the space and resources to bring everyone here.”

  “I’m not asking for everyone, just my family.”

  “You see, if you’re allowed to have them come, then what about Brad’s family, then the lead builder’s wife and kids, and so forth. It would get out of control. We need you focused, to get this project done; then we’ll move them out to Camp Sierra.”

  “Speaking of Camp Sierra, how safe is it there?”

  “I know what I’m about to say will come as a shock, but it’s safe. The attack in the valley yesterday was repelled, and all the Scraps were killed. We have a large security element there of Marines and Army units. But to make sure that type of attack doesn’t happen again, we’re bringing in more assets to patrol the entire perimeter.”

  Lori sat quietly now, her barrage of questions were being answered without hesitation, and for her they added up. Like she had thought before, the world was crazy now and to expect things to work or operate like they had before was unrealistic.

  “Chancellor Horton, thank you so much. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. I know Chance must have described me as a total crazy person, but everything over the past two days has been just that, crazy.”

  “Not a problem, like I said, you are a valuable part of our team. We need you,” he said with a broad smile.

  “Lori, is that it?” Chance asked.

  “Yes, that’s it, and, Chance, I’m sorry if I freaked out on you.”

  Chance smiled and answered, “It’s okay.”

  “Good, then I’ll leave you two,” Horton said and stood.

  Lori and Chance both stood as well.

  She offered her hand, and Horton took it. “Thank you again, Mr. Horton.”

  “Anytime, in fact, if you ever have any questions, I believe in the open-door policy, please give me a call,” he said, then bent over, took a piece of paper, and wrote two different numbers on it. “Here is the extension to my office, and the number below that is my quarters. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.”

  Chance looked at Horton oddly but brushed it off quickly.

  Lori didn’t think anything of it and, in fact, liked that she had been given access to the man in charge, so to speak. She happily took the paper and shoved it in her pocket.

  “Take care, you two, and, Mr. Montgomery, I want to see some preliminary sketches by the end of next week.”

  “You’ll have them, sir, I promise.”

  “Good to hear, bye,” Horton finished and left the conference room.

  “Thanks again, Chance,” Lori said.

  “No problem, now go get some rest. We have a meeting first thing in the morning, at eight.”

  Lori left and entered the passageway. The normal hustle and bustle was still there as people came and went. A sort of half smile emerged on her face. She was happy with the outcome of the meeting but still had some deep down concerns and fears for her family. She wouldn’t give up on getting David and Eric there and would do most anything to make it happen sooner rather than later.

  Lovington, Illinois

  “Time to rise and shine, get up, sleepy head,” Tess said, tapping Devin on the shoulder.

  He rolled over onto his back, yawned and
stretched. His muscles had become sore and stiff, as he had predicted. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. The bright day had turned to a vaguely lit dusk as the sun had set, and the last remaining light was vanishing quickly

  “I’m so tired. I feel like I just went to sleep.”

  He looked up at her towering above him and noticed she had on her tactical vest with her rifle slung.

  “Um, where are we going?” he asked, sitting up and taking another stretch.

  “To go do a little snooping.”

  “You sure that’s a good idea?”

  “No, but I want to see what’s going on. I don’t plan on getting too close.”

  “Let me use the powder room, and I’ll get ready,” he quipped as he stood and wandered deeper into the corn.

  When he came back and began to go through his stuff, she said, “I’m going by myself.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  “Last I checked, I can do what I want, plus you’re sore and, I hate to say it, inexperienced.”

  “You’re not some SEAL or anything, you’re just—”

  “I’m just a girl who is engaged to a Marine officer, who would spend most of her weekends with him doing stuff like this. Listen, Devin, I’m more prepared for this type of thing than you are. I’m just going to snoop around, get an idea of the new guests in town. I won’t be gone long.”

  He knew she was right. Not wanting to get into an argument he’d lose anyway, he acquiesced.

  “What time does your watch say?” she asked.

  He looked at it and gave her the time.

  “I’ll be back an hour from now. Keep watch for me, though, while I’m gone.”

  “I will. Be safe out there,” he said, a somber tone to his voice.

  And just like that she slipped out of the cornfield, Brando by her side, and headed across the grassy field towards town.

  The black night sky made it impossible for Devin to keep an eye on anything. In the distance he could see some flickering lights and one larger halo near the town center. The occasional whoops, hollers and howls coming from the soldiers echoed across the fields, adding an eerie feeling to Devin’s already nervous one.