be dead.”
A faint sneer grew on Ash’s face. “I’m having a hard time believing anyone was planning on killing me. I only went with your people for one reason-to find out who murdered my family and why.” He hesitated, then added, “They did get me away from the explosion, so I owe you thanks for that.”
“You misunderstood me,” Matt said. “I wasn’t talking about the fact the order had been given to eliminate you before you woke, which it had been, or about the explosion, which wouldn’t have happened if you’d stayed.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“The disease. It should have killed you, too. But it’s my understanding that you never showed any effects of the illness. There were seventeen families living at Barker Flats. Seventeen families, all recent transfers to a base that, until two months ago, had been in mothballs. Of the sixteen families besides yours, none had any survivors. So what made you different?”
Ash stared at Hamilton in shock. “None? They’re all dead?”
A pause. “They are.”
Ash began breathing rapidly, his anger boiling just under his skin. He pushed himself up. “How many people?”
“There were fifty-seven total in the other families.”
“Fifty-seven?” With Ellen, Josie, and Brandon, that made an even…“Sixty total. My God.” He turned to the television. “It must be all over the news.”
Matt hesitated for a split second before saying, “It hasn’t been all over the news. There’s been no report whatsoever.”
“What?” Ash couldn’t believe it. He began pacing in the space in front of the door. Maybe the government didn’t want to cause a panic. The country took a pretty big hit after 9/11. Sure, everyone had rallied together, but there’d been so much confusion, too. “Do they know who did it? Have they found them?”
Matt took a longer pause this time before answering. “Captain, I will always tell you the truth. That’s the promise we make here. Sometimes, though, there are things that need to be held back. Perhaps someone isn’t ready to hear it yet, or perhaps the information is just too sensitive. When these situations arise, we won’t lie about it and try to cover it up, but the information will not be shared, either.” He paused. “There are things you don’t know and don’t understand. As soon as we’re completely sure we can trust you, you will be told. Just not now.”
“Trust me?”
“Just like you’re unsure whether you can trust us.”
As true as the statement was, Ash didn’t like hearing it. “What couldn’t you trust me with?”
“Is that a trick question?” Matt said. “Okay. How about this? The truth about what happened at Barker Flats.”
Ash stared at Hamilton. “Whatever happened
“I would feel the same as you,” Hamilton said calmly.
“Then tell me!”
“When the time is right.”
Ash stood motionless for several seconds then said, “Mr. Hamilton, I appreciate your hospitality, and whatever you did to help me get away from Barker Flats. There’s money still in my bag. Yours, I assume. I’ll leave it in the room. I don’t have any of my own to cover whatever expenses you might have incurred. I apologize for that.” He took a step toward the door. “If someone could show me the way to a main road, I’d be grateful.”
Hamilton considered him for a moment, then stood up. “It’s late. Spend the night and you can get an early start in the morning.”
“You’ll lock my door and keep me from leaving.”
Hamilton shook his head. “No. If you want to leave, we won’t stop you. But we also won’t be able to protect you.”
“I can protect myself.”
Hamilton nodded. “I’m sure you’ll do the best that you can. I only ask when they do track you down, you don’t mention the ranch or any of us here.”
“They won’t track me down.”
Matt remained silent for a moment, his expression blank. Finally, he said, “I’ll have Pax show you to your quarters. If you decide to stay the night, you’re welcome to join us for dinner at seven.”
Ash answered with a single nod.
“One more thing,” Hamilton said.
He limped back over to his desk and pulled a package out of the credenza. It was the same package Ash had been given in the desert. One end was open now. Hamilton reached in, pulled something out, then walked back over to Ash.
“I believe this is yours.”
He held out his palm. In it was a watch.
Ash tried not to shake as he lifted it up. It wasn’t an expensive brand, but it was priceless to him. He turned it over. Engraved on the back, just as he knew it would be, was:
Happy Birthday,
All My Love,
Ellen
He had assumed the watch was destroyed in the explosion. He had thought he’d never hold it again. “This was in the package?”
Hamilton nodded.
“What else is in there?”
“That was the only personal item of yours.”
“Are you lying to me?”
“I told you, we have no room for lies here.”
Ash stared at the watch a moment longer, then put it on.
For the first time since the night that life as he knew it ended, he cried.
14
By the time Len and Chuck found their friends Jimmy and Walt at the campground, it was well after dark but they had the excuse of a lifetime.
They joined the other two at the campfire and recounted the afternoon’s events. Chuck played it up to its morbid best, while Len exaggerated his friend’s freak-out at finding the body.
“He threw up
“Yeah,” Chuck said, smiling. Jokes at his expense never bothered him. “Like a zombie, man. Hey, you never know.”
Someone threw an empty beer can at him as the rest laughed.
By the time their fire died down to a few coals, they’d retold portions of the story half a dozen times.
“I’m beat,” Len finally said, getting up. He swayed a little bit, and had to steady himself by putting a hand on Walt’s shoulder.
“Whoa,” Jimmy said, laughing. “Drink a little too much?”
Len scowled at him. “Ha ha.”
He’d actually had only two, but it had been a long day-the driving, the dead body, the police-so it was a wonder he could even keep his eyes open.
“If you guys are going to stay up, keep the noise down,” he said. “I want to get some sleep.”
