“I think so,” Robby said.
“Too bad you don’t sound more confident about that,” I said.
“I know,” Robby replied.
A man was sitting at a wobbly folding table. His leg was crossed wide over the other. He shuffled a deck of cards as he watched us approach.
“The new folks?” the man asked. He was a solid man with dark hair. He was cleanly shaved. If he would have had a cigar hanging out of his mouth, I would have assumed he was a gangster.
“Yeah,” Dirk said. “Robby and Joss.”
“I’m Marcus Simon,” he said. “Dirk tells me that you might be interested in what I have to say.”
Robby caught my eye. He was just as confused as I was.
“Tell me, what do you two think about this war that our great leader Rex is leading us toward?” Marcus asked.
“Well, sir, I can’t say I think any war is good,” Robby replied.
I nodded in agreement.
“Have you all been enlisted to fight?” Marcus asked.
“No,” Robby said.
“Word is Rex is going to have all young people enlist,” Marcus said. “But I’m here to tell you there is a way out.”
I swallowed down a sour lump at the back of my throat. Robby shifted his weight from one leg to the other and then back again.
“I was informed his army is currently sufficient,” Robby said.
Marcus chuckled. “That’s what he’s telling everyone. I have it on good authority that the people from the resort not only have better weapons but their numbers are more significant. I’m truly worried about all the people here. This is a losing battle but I plan to save as many people as I can.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Robby rubbed the back of his neck with a shaky hand.
“I can tell you’re a smart guy, Robby,” Marcus said. “If you want to keep your girl safe, you’ll join us.”
“What’s your plan?” Robby asked.
Marcus rubbed his hands together. “We plan to leave with as many people as we can and as much stuff.”
“How many people have aligned themselves with you?” Robby asked.
“A good chunk,” Marcus said uncrossing his legs. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I trust that what I’ve told you stays in this room.”
“Of course,” Robby answered instantly.
Marcus cleared his throat and sat back, keeping his spine straight. “If you didn’t, it could put a lot of lives in jeopardy. You don’t want that on your conscience, do you?”
“Definitely not,” Robby said.
“So,” Marcus said with a long exhale. “Do you think you’ll be joining us?”
Robby looked at me and squeezed my hand. He stared into my eyes as if trying to read my mind. The problem was I didn’t know what I thought exactly but there was something inside me that was shouting, go with the gangster.
“We’re with two others,” Robby said.
“Dirk told me,” Marcus said.
“I’ll need to talk it over with them,” Robby said. “So, this information would have to leave this room.”
Marcus sniffed so hard it wrinkled his nose. “Dirk will bring them here. I’ll tell them myself. If that’s okay with you.”
Robby nodded. And with a wave of Marcus’s hand, we were being ushered back up the stairs.
Dirk didn’t turn around. “Marcus is a good guy. Smart. I’d trust him with my life. If you guys want to live, you’ll join us.”
20
Adam
Leah was going through our things and working on filling the backpack with items. She kept pausing, placing her hand on her stomach and then drawing in a deep breath.
“I wish I would have picked up more,” Leah said shaking her head. “I thought we’d have more time.”
I spent my time pacing. If I sat down for more than five minutes, it felt like ants were crawling over my back and I’d have to get up with a vigorous shiver.
Leah pretended not to notice me checking out the window every thirty seconds. With each passing minute that our handwritten notifications excusing us from joining the army did arrive, my anxiety grew.
No one was on the paths. Everyone was probably still gathered in the conference room, celebrating what was about to happen. They didn’t even consider what could go wrong.
It was hard to believe that there wasn’t anyone questioning the plan. People were going to blindly follow because they were thankful they had the luxuries of living at the resort.
Why those who worked here were willing to walk into the unknown was beyond me. Maybe it was just as simple as they were afraid to have to be out there in the world trying to survive in the rain.
It wasn’t easy. And that was something some of the people living at the resort were aware of. Those that weren’t aware were probably scared enough. We’d all experienced The Reset, at least I assumed that to be true since I hadn’t heard of anyone that hadn’t and everything around us was an utter disaster.
By the time night rolled around, I was almost certain that we wouldn’t be getting our papers. I’d stopped pacing and stood at the window for hours, waiting for someone to show up.
“They’re not coming,” Leah said.
“I think I need to go see my dad,” I said.
Leah sighed. “I’ll be ready in a minute or two.”
“No, you need to keep working on the bag,” I said.
“You’re not going out there alone,” Leah said with her hands on her hips. “Do you not remember what happened to me?”
“It’s dark,” I said.
Leah’s eyes narrowed. “Easy for them to get away with something.”
“I’ll be quick,” I said. “We need to get this straightened out because if it’s not, we’ll need to leave.”
Leah tapped her foot and stared at the window. “They’re probably still at that party.”
“Or passed out
