Resistance (20 page)

Beside her, Maggie produced a gun and Reena’s blood ran cold
as Maggie aimed the barrel at Cade.

“I can take them both out right now. Just give me the word,”
she said quietly.

There was an icy calm to her voice. Maggie wouldn’t hesitate
to kill the two men Reena had so quickly grown to care for. Maybe their
connection even went beyond caring and gratitude? Maybe love?

Oh get over it, Reena!

Caring and gratitude only. That was it. How could she not
care for two men who’d saved her life?

Reena reached out and placed her hand on the barrel of the
gun, pushing until it pointed at the floor.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I have another idea.”

* * * * *

It was really hard to pretend nothing was wrong as they
packed. All Reena wanted to do was ask Will about the satellite phone. Or Cade.
She almost did several times, but she held back, hoping Will or Cade would tell
her.

God, why was she being so childish? A simple question would
solve the issue. But if she asked Cade and he said no, Will hadn’t said
anything to him, he could be lying. If he said yes, Will had told him, then
she’d be hurt they hadn’t told her.

Another reason for remaining silent—she didn’t want to tip
them off that she knew. She preferred the element of surprise. The best defense
was a good offense. She should be angry. Instead sadness clung to her to the
point of wanting to cry.

Stupid woman. Be strong. Be tough. Let the plan play out
as you’ve laid it. Action first. Questions later.

She bit her bottom lip and hoisted her knapsack onto her
back and buckled the belt. The others were standing out on the veranda waiting
for her. She suspected Maggie had arranged their departure to give Reena a few
moments alone to say goodbye to her grandparents’ cabin. She didn’t know when
she would be back. Or even if she
would
come back.

She gazed at the pull-out sofa, neatly tucked in again. The
cots had been put away and the kitchen had been cleaned to perfection. It
appeared as if they’d never been there. As if this part of her past had been
erased.

The woodstove continued to pump out heat, but the fire would
be dead in a few hours. The cabin would once again freeze over. Just as cold as
she felt regarding her men.

Her men.

Yeah, she’d been in total dreamland about them. She smiled
wistfully. Maybe it
had
been a dream, but it had been wonderful while it
lasted.

She turned and, without glancing back, walked out the door.

Chapter Eleven

“Something’s up with Red,” Will said in a low voice as Cade
snowshoed beside him. Up ahead, the two women disappeared behind a clump of
snow-draped balsam trees.

“She was too quiet while we packed,” Cade replied. “She
tried to act normal, but I could see right through it. Maybe she’s just mulling
over what we argued about last night.”

Hope tinged Cade’s voice and it whispered through Blade as
well. Maybe Cade was right. Maybe she was rethinking her stance on personally
going to this meeting the II had set up. Or maybe something else was going on…

“But I think there’s more to it.” Cade echoed Will’s
thoughts.

“Maggie probably knows. When I get the chance to talk to
her, I’ll pump her for information,” Will said.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed a bottle of water. He
gulped the ice-cold liquid, enjoying the way it slid down his parched throat.
They’d been snowshoeing along the back road for a couple hours and his wounds
were aching, but it was a good ache. It meant he was alive.

“Pretty nice out here, isn’t it?” Cade asked as he produced
his own bottle of water and took a few swallows.

Blade nodded. “A far cry from the heat and sand we
encountered during the Terrorist Wars.”

He enjoyed the white-blanketed trees and the spectacular way
the sunshine sparkled off the snow drifts. The silence was deafening except for
the soft hiss and crackle of snow melting beneath the hot glare of sunshine.

The gentle whisper was much better than the report of
gunshots as bullets left the barrel of his rifle and splattered someone’s
brains. Yep, he could get used to this peace and quiet.

The crunch of snow broke the silence as Cade began to
snowshoe ahead, following the trail the women had carved. The four of them had
been taking turns with the lead.

Every half hour the first person in line—who had the hardest
job of stomping down the snow—would go to the end of the line. This gave
everyone an equal opportunity for a small rest.

Right now Maggie was in the lead. When she dropped back to
the end of the line, he’d talk to her about Red. But the instant he and Cade
rounded the sharp curve where Red and Maggie had disappeared moments earlier,
several men and women came out of the nearby trees and completely surrounded
them.

He didn’t know who was more surprised, him or Cade. Several
guns were pointed at them and a sharp slap of anger twisted through Blade.

“Hands off the weapons!” A man dressed in white-and-gray
camouflage fatigues shouted.

Immediately Blade loosened his hand from the handle of his
gun. Hell, he didn’t even remember reaching for it.

Two women he’d never seen before—also dressed in head-to-toe
camouflage white—moved toward them. Quickly, they frisked both him and Cade,
alleviating them of all weapons.

“The Resistance, I presume,” Blade muttered. He sought out
Reena and Maggie, who were watching from behind the group.

He caught Red’s gaze and saw her anger was aimed directly at
him. What the hell was she so pissed about?

Maggie was saying something to Red and she nodded. She
turned her back to them and started snowshoeing down the road. Farther ahead
several more people, heavily armed, dressed in camouflage, waited for her.

“Reena! Don’t do it!” Cade shouted from beside him.

Her shoulders stiffened momentarily and hope raced through
him as she hesitated.

Come on, Red. Talk to us.

His hopes plummeted as she continued walking.

Dammit!

“She’s going to that fucking meeting,” Cade said. Anger
twisted his voice.

Blade cursed violently and the people surrounding them
released the safety catches on their weapons.

Cripes! Jumpy bunch, aren’t they?

“We trusted you, Reena!” Cade shouted. He made a move to
start snowshoeing after her, but Blade grabbed his elbow, stopping him cold.
Despite Blade’s anger at Red for being so damned stubborn, he had to admit he
was impressed with the weaponry of her entourage. Maybe she’d get lucky and get
out of that meeting alive, but he didn’t think so.

* * * * *

It was hard to keep from sobbing as Cade’s angry shouts
split into her like bullets. The betrayal flaring in both men’s eyes over how
Reena had called in her entourage just about killed her. But, Maggie reminded
her, these two men were virtual strangers, and until they could prove
themselves trustworthy within the group they needed to be carefully
observed—just like everyone else—before entry to the Resistance.

Still it didn’t sit well, not having them by her side as she
and her people were ushered into the south entrance of the White House for her
impending meeting with the new dictatorship.

She was so tired of this shit. Hiding. Fighting. Wanting
life to get back to normal. She’d done a total one-eighty over the past couple
of weeks having Cade and Blade in her life. Their time together had been so
normal. Well, if a ménage à trois was normal. Which it was for her now.

The normalcy had dulled her instincts and clouded her
judgment. She’d been swept up in the other Resistance members’ hopefulness—that
maybe things would change for the better if Reena showed up at the White House.

To her surprise, she found her father standing farther down
the hallway. He was alone.

Despite their rocky relationship over the years, happiness
at seeing him bubbled up inside of her. When he held out his hands to her,
shock shifted through her. He never did that. Never showed emotion. Even when
he’d been told by her doctors she had the X-virus, O mutation, he hadn’t so
much as flinched. He’d just held a cool, expressionless face.

Now, as he held out his hands to her, he was smiling. Was he
actually happy to see her?

Something burst inside of her and she flew into his arms.
She swore this was the first time he’d ever hugged her in her life. It was a
wonderful hug. She eventually pulled away. Not that she wanted to, but she had
so many questions.

“What are you doing here, Dad? No one could tell me if you’d
been killed during the coup or what had happened to you.” She brushed away a
sudden swell of tears that irritatingly appeared, blurring her vision. She’d
assumed he was dead. But here he was, alive.

“He’s one of you now,” a sharp, unfamiliar male voice called
from behind her.

Her entourage was already on top of him, their rifles aimed
at the lone figure who’d walked out of a nearby room. The man was dressed
entirely in black. She knew from her briefing he was the new president’s top
security man. They called him “the man in black” because of the way he dressed
as well as the way he ran White House security. Anyone who questioned their
leadership was sent to the dungeons below the White House.

His eyes were dark-brown, almost black. He wore a thick
black mustache, had bushy black eyebrows and was bald.

“You are Reena Wilde. The woman the Resistance calls ‘Red’.”

He smiled, but the smile did not reach his cold eyes.
Inwardly, Reena shivered. A man’s eyes were the mirror to his soul. And this
man’s soul was dark and untrustworthy.

She stiffened her shoulders. “I am the leader of the
Resistance.”

He extended his hand.

She ignored it. “I’m here for the meeting.”

“Ah yes, the meeting. Unfortunately the meeting has been
canceled. For
all
of you.”

A hissing erupted from several areas around the hallway. She
didn’t see anything, didn’t smell anything, but instantaneously lightheadedness
crashed into her.

Damn!

She went for her gas mask as the others struggled to
retrieve theirs as well.

“Your masks won’t work.” The man in black chuckled. “You need
the same pill I just took for protection. The gas is a fast-acting paralyzing
agent. But don’t worry. You’ll still be able to breathe.”

Shit.

She struggled to remain standing as dizziness assailed her.
Her father grabbed her arm, but too soon they both dropped to their knees.

“You are now my prisoners.” The man laughed.

“Bastard.” She’d been so stupid to come here. She should
have listened to Cade and Blade. Should have listened…

A gun blast echoed dully in her ears and warm liquid
splashed against her face. Shock numbed her as splatters of blood rained down
all over her coat.

“Reena…” Her father gasped softly from right in front of
her. In slow motion, he collapsed to the ground and lay still as a corpse. He
was dead.

Oh God. Why?

She wanted to scream. But no words escaped her mouth. She
couldn’t even move her lips.

“Your father’s death is your first lesson in obedience. If
you don’t behave, the same will happen to your entourage. One at a time.” The
man’s words were slow and distorted.

Blackness swooped in and claimed her.

* * * * *

A horrible sound reverberated through Reena’s
unconsciousness, prodding her back to reality. She came awake with a pounding
awareness and bitter panic that had her gasping in anguish. The last thing she
had seen before she’d blacked out had been her father’s sightless eyes.

No. No. No. This can’t be happening. It can’t be. He
can’t be dead.

He’d hugged her for the very first time…and for the last
time. She inhaled on a strangled sob. She had to keep quiet. Had to figure out
where she was and what was happening.

A ghastly wail permeated the air, capturing her full
attention.

Someone was screaming. Nearby. The agonizing screams dropped
abruptly, followed by several sharp slaps that were definitely flesh on flesh.
A woman sobbed and guilt ripped into Reena. One of her own people being
tortured? Who?

She inwardly moaned and then tensed when the woman screamed
again. Torture? It had to be. Had to be.

Okay. Okay. Calm down. Calm down!

She jerked at the sharp slap of flesh hitting flesh again,
which was quickly followed by the woman’s wretched sobbing.

Reena lay on the floor and stared through the darkness for
what seemed an eternity, listening, trying to figure out who it could be. And
where she was.

Putrid dampness made her shiver and the ice-cold cement
floor beneath her wasn’t helping. She cursed softly as she tried to move, but
couldn’t. Her shoes and socks had been removed and her ankles were bound
tightly. Her arms were behind her back and her wrists were tied. She wiggled
her fingers and pain ripped through them. At least she could move them. She
froze. She wasn’t wearing any pants.

Oh God. No.

Calm, Reena. Calm.

She lay still and took a mental inventory of her body. Her
feet were icy cold. Her thighs, too. She wore panties. The cloth hugged her
stiff hips. Her coat and sweater had been removed. She only wore her bra and
thermal underwear top…and her panties.

She didn’t think she’d been raped. She wasn’t sore. But that
didn’t mean anything.

Panic began to well. Goose bumps scrambled up her arms when
the woman cried out again. A throbbing silence followed.

The woman began pleading.

Reena shivered uncontrollably. She wanted to puke.
Quick-paced footsteps echoed from down a hall and she struggled to calm her
breathing. The footsteps stopped just a few feet behind her.

“Is she awake yet?” came the man in black’s voice.

Anger ripped through her and she wanted to scream at the son
of a bitch. To kill him with her bare hands.

“No sir. She hasn’t moved,” came the answer.

An abrupt, agonized shriek filled Reena’s head and her heart
thudded insanely fast against her chest.

“And our other guest? How is she doing? Cooperating?”

“No sir,” another man answered.

A heavy sigh, and then a long moment of silence followed.

“Tell them to kill her.”

No. No. No.
Reena wanted to shout and bring their
attention away from the woman. She didn’t want any more people to die. Her
father was dead.

Dead. Oh God.

The tight rein on her anger spiraled out of control.

“Stop!” Reena called, surprised at how loudly her voice
echoed in the room.

“Wait,” the man in black said calmly.

Reena moaned as she rolled onto her back and arms. Pain
shrieked through her shoulders. How long had she been lying here? Hours? Days?
Her legs were so cold they hurt.

A bare light bulb flickered on immediately above her,
blinding her. She closed her eyes, begging for the dark again, but then quickly
remembered the woman in danger and forced herself to reopen her eyes.

She blinked rapidly against the bright intensity, turned her
head to the left and found the man in black standing not more than five feet
away. Heavy metal bars separated her from him but, oh man, she wanted him so
dead.

“Don’t…kill…the woman. Please,” she begged.

Number one rule in the Resistance: if you’re caught, never
show sympathy for your fellow prisoners. Your captors will use it against you.
And here she’d broken the number-one rule.

Stupid, Reena. Very stupid.

“Our Reena is awake. Bring her up to the quarters. And give
the other woman a reprieve. I’ll issue further orders after I speak with Ms.
Wilde.”

Reena tensed as the footsteps started up again, moving away
from her. She jerked as a key grated noisily and a door creaked open. The
guards entered her cell in a flurry of footsteps.

“Perhaps a quick fuck before we take her to the man.” The
guard chuckled.

Panic slammed into her and she took a speedy inventory of
the two men who leered at her. They both wore green camouflage fatigues, rifles
slung over their shoulders and holstered pistols at their waists.

“The man wouldn’t approve,” she said quickly as a rush of
panic took hold again. “He wants me. Untouched. I belong to him. Understand?”