Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) (2 page)

When the room empties out, Sven and The Ghost join me on the stage.

"I'll go with you to search for survivors," Sven says. "I can leave Rocco in charge here. He's one of the best military clones I trained with."

"Not this time," I say. "I need you to keep peace in the city while I'm gone. I'll take Trout instead."

"Trout?" The Ghost mocks. "He doesn't know where the raided bunkers are." He tightens his lips into a half-smile. "But I do."

"
You're
offering to help?" I scour him with a skeptical look.

"You said you were looking for survivors. So am I." He leans in closer. "One in particular."

I flinch as his foul breath washes over me.
Rummy
. My heartbeat falters.

I narrow my eyes at him. "This isn't the time to rehash personal scores."

A scowl twists across The Ghost's features. "You let him walk. I take
that
very personally."

"You were going to kill him."

The Ghost's face contorts in a mask of hatred. "He's a deserter and he took my men with him."

"I don't know what went down between you two, but like it or not, Rummy's a free man now. I'm going out tomorrow to search for survivors who need our help. Unless you have the same agenda, we're not travel partners."

Sven folds his arms across his chest and takes a step closer.

The Ghost throws him a dark look and walks off.

Sven stares after him, a strained expression on his chiseled face. "I don't trust him. He held a knife to your throat not that long ago."

I rub my fingers over my forehead in small circles to relieve the mounting pressure. "But he knows where the other bunkers are. We could save us a lot of time if he leads us there."

"You could take Jerome's map. He was documenting the raided bunkers on it."

"It's incomplete."

Sven places his hands around my waist and draws me to him. "What if The Ghost's real agenda is to take revenge on you for letting Rummy go?"

I look up into Sven's amber eyes, a dizzying array of emotions arresting my senses. It's the first time he's touched me since we arrived back at the city. There's nothing to keep us apart anymore, but we're wading into unknown waters. I suck in a breath as I listen to the thud of Sven's powerful heart beating next to mine. This is real. And it scares me. I want to be with him, but I can't bear the thought of watching him ossify one day soon.

"Maybe I'm kidding myself to think I can trust The Ghost," I say. "But he came through for us in the Craniopolis. He deserves a chance."

Sven lets his hands slide from my waist and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. My skin tingles where he touched me. I shake off the feeling, reminding myself that he has an expiration date, which is a good reason not to get attached. I've lost too many people already.

"I need to pick Tucker up from Jerome's office on my way back to the riders' barn," I say. "I'll grab that map just in case The Ghost's a no-show when the search party is ready to head out in the morning."

Sven nods. "I'll help Jerome escort the deviations back to their accommodations."

J
akob is back
from his shift at the clinic and fast asleep by the time Tucker and I reach the riders' barn. Tucker immediately trots off to find Big Ed and curl up with him. I toss my pack down and prod Jakob awake. He props himself up on one elbow when he sees me. "How was the meeting?" he asks, rubbing his eyes.

I grimace. "Jury's out. No one seems that interested in building a community together. Some of the Undergrounders want to leave, they're scared of the Rogues and freaked out by the clones and deviations. The clones aren't all that excited to be here, even though they promised to help rebuild the city. The deviations are freaked out by the horses. And that offends the riders." I let out a heavy sigh. "And The Ghost's still obsessed with finding Rummy and carving him up."

Jakob frowns. "It takes time to build trust. You're expecting too much from everyone too soon."

"Maybe." I stifle a yawn. "We'll see what tomorrow brings. I think I managed to talk everyone off the ledge for tonight at least. Go back to sleep. I'll check on Big Ed."

Before Jakob can respond, the wooden door to the barn swings wide and Jody bursts through, eyes half-crazed like flickering bulbs.

"
T
hey've gone
!" Jody gasps, leaning on the doorframe.

I jerk to my feet, adrenaline flooding my veins. "Who?"

"The Rogues!" Her face tightens with grief. "They've taken the horses and fled the city."

I stare at her in disbelief. After the way the meeting went I wouldn't have been surprised if the homesteaders had packed up and gone. But the Rogues? My heart squeezes in my chest. The broken look on Jody's face is enough to tell me the Rogues have taken Condor too.

I pick up my pack and swing it over my shoulder. "We'll go after them. They won't get far," I reassure her. "They don't know the first thing about riding horses."

"Most of them will be on foot anyway," Jakob adds, reaching down for his boots.

"If anything happens to Condor–" Jody's voice chokes as she shoves the barn door wide and strides back out, her thick ponytail swishing behind her.

I swallow hard. It's not difficult to imagine what she's going through. Just the thought of the Rogues taking Tucker away from me is enough to make my skin crawl. We have to move quickly. Knowing the disdain The Ghost has for any life but his own, he won't hesitate to put a bullet in a horse. As for Blade, I don't even want to think about what he'll do to a spirited steed that refuses to cooperate.

I shrug my jacket on, sick to my stomach. I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for those horses. They're heroes like any one of us. No matter the risk, I'll do whatever it takes to bring them back.

"Hold up, I'm coming with you," Jakob says.

"No! The wounded need you here." I shoot him a pleading look. "And I need someone to keep an eye on Big Ed. Let Jerome and Sven know what's happened. We'll be back as soon as we find the horses."

Outside, a light rain is falling, but the gathering clouds are knitting into something more menacing. It's hazardous to head out in the fading light with a storm coming in, but this can't wait until morning. On our way to the main gate I pump Jody for more details.

"We left the horses tied up outside the courthouse while we were wheeling wagonloads of food to the clinic to feed the wounded," she explains. "When we got back, they were gone."

"Who opened the gate for the Rogues?" I ask.

She gives a frustrated shake of her head. "There was no one on duty. Jerome has been preoccupied sorting out housing for everyone. Things are lax now that the Sweepers aren't a threat."

I grit my teeth. One more reason to put the Council to work right away. Someone needs to oversee security, and water and food distribution, and all the other things it will take to keep us from descending into chaos.

An Undergrounder walks by carrying a bucket of water, and I shout over to him to get some guards to the gates. He stares at me, a befuddled look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"The Rogues have taken the horses," I say. "Our open door policy just ended."

He drops the bucket and takes off running.

When Jody and I reach the main gate, the other riders join us, their faces drawn, but resolute. I eye the additional weapons strapped to their backs, and their laden packs, no doubt well-stocked with ammo. They have no intention of returning without their horses, which means there's more blood to be spilled.

"Let's go," I say, leading the way. I wish Sven was coming with us, but he's at the far end of the city helping Jerome with the deviations, and we don't have time to waste looking for either one of them.

We exit through the container gate and begin making our way through the rubble-strewn city outskirts. I shiver as the damp takes hold of my weary bones. I only hope we can keep up a brisk enough pace to stay warm once night falls.

"I don't understand why the Rogues took the horses when they can't even ride," Ida says.

"I think The Ghost was sending me a message," I say. "He took the horses so we couldn't leave without him. He's trying to force us into helping him track down Rummy."

Jody scowls. "From now on we let those tattooed freaks have at each other. I don't offer protection to horse thieves."

"I'm okay with that," I say, lengthening my stride to match her pace. "They just blew their chance of sanctuary in the city."

We follow the horses' trail into the forest and over a thick bed of leaves and fallen twigs. The Rogues don't have much of a head start, and it won't be long before we catch up with them. We need to work out a plan to recover the horses. I furrow my brow as I trudge forward, the straps from my laden pack digging into my shoulders. Our best bet is to wait until the Rogues are asleep–that way we'll only have the guards to deal with.

A twig snaps somewhere to my right. I still my breath and listen. The steady pattering of raindrops on leaves fills my ears. Another snap, this time, louder. I jerk my head around and hold my hand up to halt the riders.

"Did you hear that?" I whisper to Jody.

She nods, frowning. "Do you think some of the Rogues circled back around?"

I slide my gun off my shoulder. "It's possible. They must have known we'd come after them. Let's spread out and hide so we're not easy pickings."

Jody signals back to Ida and the other riders. We part ways and disappear into the thick, damp foliage. I scuttle beneath some low-hanging limbs, and wade deeper into the undergrowth as quietly as I can, searching for a spot to hole up in and monitor the trail from. If it's a lone patrol, I can take him out from the cover of the deep ferns. I stiffen at more rustling sounds behind me. It sounds like someone is closing in on me. Heart pounding, I dive beneath a thatch of ferns and lay there listening to a flock of scolding crows in the tree above. For a long time, I don't move. I scarcely dare to breathe. I can't hear any rustling in the undergrowth anymore. Whoever was following me must have gone in a different direction. Cautiously, I relax my stance and stretch out my cramped limbs.

A cold drop of rain trickles down a fern frond and splashes on my face. I shiver and wriggle backward out of my hiding place. A wiry arm snakes around my neck, but before I can scream, a hand closes over my nose and mouth. I kick and flail, but the hand squeezes tighter, and my movements weaken as the air leaves my lungs.

When I come to, I'm lying on my back. I frown, wondering why I can hear the sound of rain when it's not raining on me anymore. I turn my head sideways and suck in a breath. Rain peppers the glass I'm looking through and slides down the other side of it like meltwater. Green fronds swish up and down the filthy glass like windshield wipers. I feel like a fish in a bowl. I blink. Am I hallucinating?

I close my eyes and swallow. My throat is dry like sandpaper.
What happened?

"Are you okay?" a gravelly voice asks.

The arm around my neck!
My eyes fly open. I jockey myself up on my elbows and stare at the sallow-skinned, statuesque woman towering over me. "Who are you?" I ask, throwing a darting glance around. We're in an old camper van, and by the looks of things, someone's been living here for a long time. The seats have been reconfigured to accommodate a wood stove in the center. Dried meat hangs from hooks in one corner.

The woman gives a wry grin. "It may not look like much, but it's home." I'm Lou Perinsky."

"Derry Connelly." I maneuver my way to the edge of the seat, eying her warily. "Do you want to tell me why you kidnapped me and almost suffocated me?"

"Yeah, about that." She reaches behind for a jug of water and hands it to me. "There were a couple of Rogues hot on your tail. One of them was staked out not far from your hiding place and you were about to crawl right out into his line of sight. You were too feisty to reason with, so I did what I had to do to keep you quiet."

I glug the water while I study Lou's weather-beaten face framed by wispy gray hairs spilling from a loose braid. No tattoos, so she's not with the Rogues. And a mountain woman wouldn't live in an abandoned van. She must have come from the city.

"How long have you been here?" I ask.

"Since the meltdown. I fled the city once the evacuation order was issued."

I rumple my forehead. "There was an evacuation order?"

"Day of the meltdown. The world government said there was unidentified thermal activity. Everyone was supposed to assemble on the east side of the city, get on buses."

My jaw drops. "Did they get out?"

Lou shrugs. "Not everyone believed the threat was real. I did my own thing and headed north into the mountains. No way I was getting caught up in some cattle transport to a government camp."

"Going it alone was risky too," I say, looking around the cramped space. "You'd have been safer in a bunker, and more comfortable."

Lou presses her fingers against the glass and stares at the raindrops. "Long as I don't have a snout and claws I'm not living underground."

I laugh. "I can relate."

Lou turns and smiles at me. I'm fascinated by her cheekbones. She's a beautiful woman even at her age which I'm guessing is around fifty.

"You must have been lonely at times," I say.

She purses her lips. "I bumped into Undergrounders hunting here and there. Got my fill of their griping."

I scrape a few loose strands of hair out of my face. "Speaking of Undergrounders, my friends will be looking for me."

Her face creases in concern. "If the Rogues didn't get to them."

"They're trail riders, familiar with the woods. I'm willing to bet they evaded the Rogues' patrols."

Lou jerks her chin toward the window. "It's pounding down out there. Sure you don't want to wait it out?"

"I can't. We have to catch up with the Rogues. They snuck out of the city early this morning with our horses."

Lou's face clouds over. "Rogues in Shoshane City? I thought it was well fortified."

"It is. It's ... complicated." I stare at her, wondering how on earth I can summarize everything that's happened over the last few days.

She studies me for a moment. "Sounds like you have news I should know about." She takes a seat opposite me and leans forward expectantly.

I give her a condensed version of everything we've been through in the last few days. I can't help but notice her eyes moisten when I describe Panju's burial and Big Ed's eulogy. I wonder who she lost. She chips in here and there with a question or two, but for the most part, she listens in silence.

When I'm done she sits back and rubs her hands over her face. "So the sweeps are over?"

"Haven't figured that part out yet." I reach for my pack. "As soon as I've stabilized the city and the Council can handle the different factions without running the risk of riots, I'll send out some scouting parties. But if I don't get those horses back, I can count on the riders being the first to go on a rampage."

Lou raises her brows. "I'd sooner face a rider rampage than pick a fight with the Rogues."

I shake my head. "It's not an option. The riders risked their lives, and their horses' lives, for our sakes. We have to get them back. We'll wait until the Rogues are asleep and then strike."

"How are you planning to pull that off?" Lou asks. "If you shoot the guards you'll wake the rest of the camp. And you don't strike me as the silent assassin type slitting throats from behind trees."

I shrug. "We'll work something out. First, we have to find the Rogues."

Lou sets her jaw. "I'll help you find your friends, but I'm steering clear of stirring up a hornet's nest of Rogues around my home."

"This isn't your fight, I get it," I say. "Just take me back to the riders." I sling my gun over my shoulder. "If you change your mind about the hermit thing, you're always welcome to join us in the city."

Lou smiles. "I appreciate the offer."

She yanks open the rusted van door. "Rain's easing up. We're in luck. Follow me." She jumps out and ducks beneath a canopy of greenery. I hustle after her, amazed at the grace she moves through the forest with despite her height.

Smudges of charcoal sky peek through the tree tops. It's hard to tell if it's already dusk, or more storm clouds plotting a course. I've no idea how much time I spent passed out in Lou's camper. I swat a sapling out of my way and concentrate on matching her lithe movements as she forges a steady path through the brush. She leaps like a deer across a muddy stream and disappears into the undergrowth on the other side. Halfway across the stream my foot slips on a rock and I teeter off balance before stomping down in a mud puddle all the way up to the top of my boot. I almost holler to Lou to wait up, but I don't want to risk being overheard by the Rogues. I reach for a branch to steady myself while I jerk my mud-caked boot free. No sign of Lou on the other side. She must have kept going. I hop across the rest of the stream and plow my way into the undergrowth. I come to a halt and pan the forest in every direction. There's no indication of which way Lou went. Surely she wouldn't abandon me when she knows I have no idea where I'm at. I adjust my pack, pushing down the niggling fear inside as I begin bushwhacking my way forward. What if she ran into the Rogues?

I freeze at the sound of thudding footsteps heading toward me. Heart racing, I melt down into the brush and load a round in my gun.