“She can’t do that,” I say softly. “You would all get killed.”
“I know,” Cara says solemnly. “The only weapons we have are mine, we would get slaughtered.” We shake our heads in agreement. “That’s why you have to take me with you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jake and I sit, looking at her, dumbfounded. Neither of us are quite sure what to say to her. This girl that we have never met before is wanting to come with us. She is wanting to be a part of us, live with us, fight with us.
“Rose would never allow it,” I finally break the silence.
“She would if…” She trails off.
“If what?” Jake asks.
“If you had something or someone to trade her for me.”
“We don’t,” I say defensively.
She looks down ashamed for asking.
“Whoa, wait,” Jake says. “What kind of things is she looking for?”
“Yes, I say,” still defensively, “because there are no people we care to trade off.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you, Liz,” she says, still ashamed. “This is just the way my people get things they need, they trade things, and sometimes people. It is just a fact of our lives.”
“But not ours.” I frown.
“Liz,” Jake whispers warmly in my ear. “We need another medic in case something ever happened to Magi, or our group gets separated. You saw everyone panic when Magi took a bullet to the arm, what do you think it would be like if it made contact elsewhere?”
“What do you suggest?” I ask him. “Because other than Robert, there is not one person in that room I would give up, and we need him to get to The Elected.”
“You’re going to The Elected?” Cara interrupts with a tone of excitement. “Why?”
“Because they have our sisters, just like they have Baxley,” I answer.
“We are going to rescue Syl and Shae,” Jake adds.
Cara stands to her feet.
“Well then I have to go with you,” she says.
“What does Rose want?” Jake asks, as if we have anything worth much.
“Food, weapons, anything that would help her get to Cloe, or get away once she is done.” Cara looks down on us.
“I have an idea,” I say. “We will talk to her at first light.”
Cara sits down, smiling, proud that perhaps she may have a way to leave this group. Jake and Cara explain to me about how once a voyager saves you or takes you in, you are tied to their group until you get bought, sold, or die. It sometimes is just as binding as The Force, The Elected, or The Facility.
We sit for the remainder of our shift, looking down to the street. There isn’t so much as a moving shadow out there, nor are the guards from The Facility patrolling the streets. If they are still looking for us, then they aren’t looking here.
“What’s your plan?” Jake whispers softly into my ear.
“We offer up two of the Colt 45s,” I say.
“That won’t be enough,” he says.
“I know,” I say frowning. “What else do we have to offer?”
“We don’t have much, but I can think of something that might work,” Jake smiles.
“What’s that?”
“A vehicle,” he replies.
“We don’t have a vehicle,” I say, laughing. “Remember, transmission problems.”
“I can get the IOUSC truck running that is stalled in the road from earlier today. The second one. It should only have a smashed bumper.”
“You think so?” I ask.
“I know so.”
“So, that’s it?” I whisper. “We trade a human being for two guns and a beat-up old truck?”
“Messed up isn’t it?” Jake says.
Cara, who had been looking out the window, gives us a sideways glance.
“Sorry for the whispers,” I say.
“It’s okay.” Cara smiles. “I just hope you have a plan.”
“We do.”
“Good,” she says dryly while turning to look back out of the window.
“Cara,” Jake says, causing her to look back our direction. “Do you know your way out of the city towards the Corridor intersection?”
“I know every inch of the city. We have been here for five years, and we change locations every few days. I know the city,” she smiles.
We finish our time as guards in silence. Finally, after about four hours of sitting and looking out of a window, the ladder drops down, allowing the next guards to come up. Cara quickly pulls the panel from the wall, placing her gun back in and placing the wall back together before the next guard can climb over the top.
Shawn, Leah, and Tawnya come over the top of the ladder.
“We’re up,” Shawn says while taking our place.
We all exchange a smile as Cara, Jake, and I head towards the ladder.
“Meeting in the morning,” Jake says to Shawn and Leah. “Please, let everyone else know.”
Shawn inclines his head, letting us know he is most likely thinking it is time for a plan.
Jake and I take the corner Shawn and Leah had once been in. I know that rest won’t be easy with everything that is on our minds, but it is important we try. We lay together, Jake’s arms wrapped around my midsection, our breaths in sync. These moments are the most important to me. We don’t get many of them, and we need to cherish the moments we spend together, even the silent ones.
The blur of sleep finally fades across my eyes about the moment the birds start chirping outside. Morning is coming on a bit faster than I would like it to.
“Time to get up,” a voice calls out into the open
