Next my attention flew to the president’s daughter. She looked older, probably the age of maturity now. The ghouls would be after her. Finally, I looked into the brown eyes of President Buckley herself.
She stood and offered a hand. “Hello, Kit. It’s nice to see you again.”
I shook her hand. “Hello, Ma’am.”
Buckley was a good leader. She was political and soft when needed, but she could grab you by the balls and twist when necessary too. I’d always respected her, but now I wasn’t sure what to believe. Kevin had said that she’d tried to fight that whole New World Vision thing and they’d threatened to kill her daughter. So maybe we could be allies?
“Let’s speak privately?” The president motioned to an opening in the back of the tent, which led to another tent.
I moved to follow her and four of her protection detail moved with me.
“Alone.”
I met Kevin’s eyes. Nothing in his gaze betrayed anything, so I was walking into an unknown situation.
Following her through a series of tents full of supplies, we finally made it back to a communication room with tiny monitors. She kicked the officer out and took a seat. Leave it to the army to set up an entire command center in two hours.
“Kit, I’d like us both to speak freely.” She clasped her hands together and I nodded.
“That man you killed back in Vancouver, the congressmen you trapped in the Dream War? He was the leader of the New World Vision. Taking him out freed me up to be in charge again.”
I gulped. She knew about that? Shit, he’d been the leader! I mean, I knew he was in charge, but…
I took the bait. “Haven’t you always been in charge?”
She chuckled, the fine crinkles at the edges of her eyes softening. “I haven’t been in charge for a long, long, time. I thought Kevin explained that.”
My eyes widened. I didn’t want to get Kevin in any trouble, so I said nothing.
President Buckley grinned. “Who do you think told him to feed you information?”
“You?” I asked incredulously.
She nodded. “I knew your file. Know what you are capable of. I like what your boyfriend was doing for the people with the wristbands. I would have rebelled more, but when they threatened my daughter’s life I had to back down. So together Kevin and I helped you in any way that we could.”
Jesus. Kevin hadn’t made it sound over the phone like she’d been in on it, but that was probably to protect her.
“So… New World Vision is over?”
That psychotic plan to align with the aliens and sell out the human race for alien oil.
She nodded. “Blew up in a single night when those ships landed. Though we don’t know why. They just… turned on us. Started to hunt our ‘safe’ members like they do the others.” Shame colored her cheeks.
It wasn’t fair that some upper class had been deemed safe while the rest of us fought for our lives every night.
“I know why.”
It was my turn to share information and gain her trust. Solidify the alliance.
Dawn had told me that first night we’d dropped into the Dream War. The president raised a well-manicured brow.
“You know that I can speak with the Galadrias?”
She nodded and I proceeded.
“Dawn, my Galadria ally, told me that the ships were scouts. They came back from hunting for a new planet and declared Earth the last place of refuge for the ghouls. We are the last planet with a food source for them.”
President Buckley’s hand flew to her throat and her mouth popped open. “So they’ll never leave?”
I shook my head. “Never. They will cull their own numbers, start fasting, and not feeding daily to give us time to procreate, but they won’t leave. Ever.”
Buckley’s shock quickly turned to anger. Her fists balled at her sides and her mouth set in a grim line. “I won’t let that happen. I saw the video, Kit. I know what you can do, and my officer has informed me of your claims that the females turn to ash when they hit our atmosphere. Tell me you have a plan and I’ll give you every available officer I have to help you succeed in it.”
My heart swelled with pride. For a long time I’d lost faith in my country, in our leader, but now hearing her fight for our people, for humanity like this, it made my throat constrict with emotion.
“I have a plan and I accept your help.”
President Buckley nodded, a chunk of brown hair slipping from her ponytail. “Allies?” She extended a hand.
“Allies.” I shook it, and in that moment I prayed that I’d changed the future of humanity.
An hour later we were ready to enter the Dream War. After I’d made the agreement with Buckley to be allies, I’d asked her to have a meeting with Damien while I was in the Dream War with her team, that I wanted to broker in a deal for the Galadrias. She’d agreed to hear him out.
“Be safe in there,” Damien breathed against my neck. “It kills me I’m not going with you.”
We were off in the trees having our mushy goodbye, then I walked out and started barking orders at everyone. I was tucked into a sweltering hazmat suit, holding the helmet in my hand. We had no idea if the breeders were still making it acid rain, but I wanted to be ready in that case.
“I’ve got my team. We’ve been together a long time. I’ll be fine.” I had no fear going in there with Maxine, Brisk, Nox, and Ronnie watching my back. Dawn was going too, so we were in good hands.
“Alright, I gotta go.” I lifted up on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
He frowned. “Just go in, grab the nearest ghoul, and get out. They just need to see what you can do. No need to show off.”
Hah. As if showing off was even possible in the Dream Wars. But to settle his
