The Killin' Fields (Alexa's Travels Book 2) (22 page)

“Why didn’t you kill him?” Billy inquired curiously.

“Roscoe’s orders,” Jim spat furiously. “Anyone who knowingly kills this piece of shit will earn Roscoe’s wrath. He wants to do it himself.”

“Interesting.”

“It’s what’s right,” Jim muttered, fighting for control of the rage-filled tears. “We have to try to repair this world. He’ll stand trial. Roscoe promised.”

The conversation was being followed by several people, but not Paul. He was already drowsing again despite the recent commotion, and Edward’s chortle shook him awake. He looked over, not caring that the horseman was being snotty to someone other than him for a change. How he’d come to hate that man! The other fighters had moments where they were civil and showed signs of accepting him, but not the Edward. He didn’t want Paul along and would do anything he could to stop the scientist from being allowed to stay.

I’ll have to do something about that
, Paul thought, furious that he was being left in Lincoln. Alexa had said he would have a month to prove himself.

“Not fair,” he muttered. “Not fair at all.”

7

The slow, quiet ride lasted for a while. The river, benefitting from the cleaning it was getting by the wide boats coming through, chose not to dispel its uninvited riders yet.

Wildlife swam alongside and behind the boats, devouring each other. It didn’t draw attention from the travelers and if it had, they would have only been glad that it wasn’t them being torn to bits.

Beneath the boats was another world littered with relics of the past. If the travelers had gone under (and survived) they would have recognized dishes and phones and hulks of boats from those who’d already tried to come this way and failed. They would have witnessed the bones and the piles of debris that had been washed down over the years like banks of sand. It was a foreign landscape holding keys to the past, but no links to that old future.

The travelers weren’t immune to the effects of such relics being under them while they slept, however. It haunted their dreams with memories of pre-war days and the political ways that had destroyed them all.

Mark shoved Paul against the rail, tiring of his moans and mutters as they tried to sleep. “Shut up!”

The convict pushed himself away from the cringing, sleepy scientist. “And you still stink!”

Still refusing to clean himself daily, the scientist was now giving off a permeable stench.

Mark got up to look for coffee, leaving Paul to glare in embarrassment and fresh hatred.

“All of you will go!” Paul swore lowly. “I’ll be the last one here.”

Paul curled into a ball, wishing this nightmare were over.

Mark joined Billy on the watch, aware that a few things had changed. He’d woken for the splash, but when Alexa hadn’t moved, neither had he.

“Current has picked up,” Billy told him, stretching. The sun setting had flared the sky into orange and purple lines that were creeping him out. Billy was glad Mark had joined him.

“Should we wake her?”

Billy wasn’t sure and that was reason enough for Mark. “I’ll do it.”

Both men paused as they caught shadows moving on the bank and they gaped at the sight of five black women fishing. The boats passed within five feet of the stunned females and Mark automatically tipped his cover to them. “Ladies.”

The women stared at the boats until they were out of sight and when no alarm came, the sentries understood there was no one awake on Merrik’s barge.

“Figures,” Mark muttered, concerned for the wagon drivers. “I’ll let her know that too.”

8

Mark put a gentle hand on Alexa’s arm and her eyes opened slowly, unlike the normal way they sprang into alertness.

When her head lolled, Mark heard his voice go from light worry to dread. “Alexa?”

It took her a few minutes to come fully alert and the open sign of her illness was heavy in the silence.

Alexa sighed wearily, drawing on her determination as exhaustion threatened. “Get me up.”

Mark put an arm around her waist and used his big body to support her to the edge of the boat. She trembled under his hands and Mark didn’t censor his words.

“Tell me what to do for you and tell me right now.”

Alexa didn’t have the energy to scold him. She looked over the edge, fingers weak against his big arms. “Current will continue to increase. Should be a problem around dawn.”

“Alexa.” Marls tone was ugly and Alexa gave him what he thought he wanted, too tired to keep resisting. “It steals my blood, thins it, and I crave meat. I’m fighting the change but in another week or two, I’ll become like them.”

“The vampires,” Mark confirmed.

Alexa’s lids shut and then fluttered open. “Doctor in Lincoln. Paul now.”

Mark helped Alexa to where Paul was dreaming again and he smirked when the Rabbit woke up screaming.

In the corner, Billy watched in concern. He hadn’t realized that Alexa was ill. Could he help her somehow?

9

The predawn hour came with only a light sentry shift awake to guide their boats. These men used the mud-stiffened poles to keep them moving when either boat drifted too close to the sides. They only needed to do it a couple times, but it was tough work that made them appreciate the power of the water.

“She needs to eat,” Edward commented, coming to take his shift on security. In the boat ahead of them, tired guards grumbled at the shorter shifts Alexa had her men on.
Merrik’s remaining soldiers were on the edge of mutiny, but he wasn’t smart enough to realize it.

“Sleeps good too,” Mark answered, observing Alexa’s rough breathing. He wasn’t sure if they should wake her until she finished with the current dream. It wasn’t good to wake people from a nightmare. Answers never came until the end.

“Yeah. David’s got dinner. You need anything?”

Mark shook his head, now staring at the dark water moving by quicker. “Nope. I’m awake and not on the take.”

Edward snickered at the joke and went to make sure the others knew to let their boss sleep.

Mark saw the messengers slowly get up and start a cold meal in the far corner of the boat. He was sure that the messengers were supposed to return to the government with information on Roscoe. The government wanted to know if he was stockpiling weapons to use against them. The messengers had chosen to ride with the soldiers at the last second and the mule drivers hadn’t had a choice. Everyone else was with Alexa.

Mark spotted the thief, who was now on the boat with the soldiers. How had that happened?

Mark saw the mapmaker and the thief exchange glares.
That explains it
, Mark thought, also aware that Alexa had wanted something from the thief. Billy had let him go.

Mark put his back to that scene and studied the other waking travelers.

Of those who’d started out with them, less than half were here and nearly everyone blamed Merrik for his lack of knowledge and refusals to listen to Alexa. If he hadn’t gotten so many of his men killed, they would have been better protected. Mark agreed, up to a point. Merrik wasn’t the kind to listen to anyone without something to gain and his employers had to know that. They’d sent him on this mission of escort hoping he wouldn’t survive it. And that meant he was either a liability or deadweight. Mark was betting on the latter. He doubted Merrik had enough intelligence to be special in any way. He’d probably discovered something he shouldn’t have.

Simple
, Mark thought, listening to the water grow the smallest bit louder. It felt as if they were going faster now and Mark picked up a stiff pole to be ready in case steering was needed.

It was, though not in a bad way, and he threw himself into his duty. The water was not something he would underestimate. Even those who could swim were at an extreme disadvantage.

Mark dipped the pole and shoved away a large log rolling by, then did the same for the biggest pieces of debris coming toward them. He hadn’t heard anything from the boat to imply it was water-weakened, but that didn’t mean they should encourage hits like these.

Mark was pleased when all of those on duty followed his lead and began clearing the debris around them. It got a bit exciting between the men, trying to shove logs and wood and thick, spongy piles of leaves far enough to keep them from being dragged back against the boat, and their small calls and moans woke the rest of the sleeping travelers.

The jokes and laughter was a very nice change from the screaming they were all used to and the old woman and her kids were the first to come from their box-looking shelter near the slavers and the map maker. Jim, clearly angry that the thief had been let loose, was ignoring everyone except that small family. As the children looked through his books, he worked on a pot of tea to go with his hard bread. The slavers, slipping into depression, sat on their blankets with rolled smokes and a vaguely bitter faces.

The other camps ate and performed morning rituals behind clumsily held sheets and Alexa allowed herself to stay still for a moment before rising. She felt better, stronger, and there was a lot to do now that she understood what it was that she needed to recover. Paul’s blood would hold it back and the doctor’s magic might even cure it, but it was mostly her own heart eating away at her. Each time she delved into the past, it became harder to leave. If she wanted to heal, she had to remember what was at stake, what she already had here. Stepping backwards would never get her to her father’s side and that was unacceptable. It was fine to dream but the time for it was before or after a quest, certainly not during. That was how she would get them all killed.

Alexa felt the boat shift into a faster speed and got up, handled her morning routines without a care for the way that her men surveyed her in happy surprise. She knew they’d been worried, but she would be fine as long as everyone did their duty.

10

Alexa’s recovery was quick and impressive, leading to Mark ending his glares of jealousy. When Alexa had asked for Paul, he’d felt like killing the man. Knowing how badly she’d needed his blood eased it enough to allow Mark to kick a food pouch toward Paul after watching the scientist hungrily wolf down his last one.

“Keep eating. She needs you strong.”

Paul went red, but for once, kept his mouth shut. He felt like he was starving.

It was almost dawn and the location Alexa had given them was fast approaching-literally. The current had them flying along at a speed that even Daniel felt concerned by.

“Is there a brake on this thing?” David asked suddenly, surveying the narrowing river and the overgrown banks. At some point, they were going to need to stop.

Alexa waved a hand at a weathered structure coming up on their right. “Aim for the bumper.”

Those who heard her words felt their stomachs drop. They hadn’t thought about getting off, only getting going.

“How long until we get to our stop?” Billy asked, packing their night gear up.

“Half hour, maybe less,” Alexa told them. “Secure the animals.”

Unsure exactly how to do that, her men used David’s blacksmithing knowledge to rearrange their animals and supplies. Alexa was on the pole duty and busy shoving the larger piles of debris away from the boat. Every now and then, she checked on their progress and scanned the rushing water. Estimating, she was also keeping track of the soldiers. She didn’t like the way they were whispering in a small group. She couldn’t see what they were doing either. Merrik had switched their boxes and wagons to the rear during the night, unbalancing them and blocking everyone’s view. It screamed of trouble and Alexa gave a noise of scorn. If Merrik thought she hadn’t been expecting this, he had underestimated her yet again. This time, he wouldn’t survive it.

The water continued to pick up speed and the debris piles in the churning mass thickened as well. It wasn’t long before every member of the wagon train was awake, packed up, and worrying over where they would land at.
The banks on either side of them were lined in thick corn, with nothing else visible as they rushed closer.

As the speed of the water became strong enough to jerk the boat through and even start to spin it, those fears switched to stopping and the land was forgotten about, except as in how hard they might hit it.

A Grand Island

1

“Get her up there!”

The narrow curve drew Alexa to the stern of her boat instead of answering Merrik’s order.

“Brace for a bump or two. We’ll be spun into the current and continue on our way as long as the bank doesn’t stick us too deep.”

Edward frowned, estimating. “Less than a minute.”

“We’ll hit their boat!” Paul guessed in terror. “Tell them to turn!”

Daniel jerked a hand at the rushing water. “How? You can’t steer in this with poles, rabbit!”

The travelers watched in nervous fear as the boat ahead of their slammed into the bank, violently jarring those aboard.

Wagons tilted toward the shoreline, digging the soldiers further in, and the boat came to a halt, groaning.

“Hang on!” Alexa shouted.

They hit Merrik’s boat hard and knocked it loose. Their own vessel shuddered at the impact, nearly coming to a stop. Screaming people and gear scattered across the deck.

Tugged by the current, the two boats bobbed and bumped nauseatingly until they were dragged into the center of the river and the travelers quickly grabbed for items and animals that had shifted towards the edges.

Alexa observed both boats as best she could, making sure people were there and alive, but her mind narrowed stayed on the glimpse of what she’d discovered as Merrik’s boat spun. They had a large gun set up under an army tarp, with at least one man hiding with it. That would have to be handled, and shortly, as the city of Grand Island was now approaching.

The city implied it was dead from a distance, but as they began to pass small sheds and stores-an Auto Zone, a Radio Shack-but there were shadows and forms that said life might still exist there. The closer they got to Grand Island, the faster the water drew them along and the narrower the banks became.

“This may get ugly,” Alexa warned. “It looks like the bumper is missing.”

Thanks to years of mud and debris piling up, the narrowest part of the river was barely wide enough for these old boats. Merrik’s shot through the gap without touching, but the larger vehicle in the rear was too wide.

Alexa’s barge hit both edges of the debris-widened gap and came to a jarring halt that sent people and animals flying. Wood cracked from the impact, sending out wooden shrapnel, and the entire boat dissolved into planks and water and screams.

“No!”

Merrik’s protest was echoed by the wagon drivers as they watched the other boat vanish beneath the waves. The current was still rushing them away from any survivors and none of the men jumped into the water to help. The soldiers were sorry to lose the bounty, though a few of them had hopes of searching for bodies. The wagon drivers were worried over Alexa and her men. They had already come to care for her, and it made for a quiet load of men who slammed into the next rotting shore bumper and were finally able to exit the crazy ride.

Three rapid explosions tore through the peaceful silence, sending flesh and water into the air, but it wasn’t noticed by the travelers from Alexa’s boat as they fought the swirling water. Thanks to Alexa and her fighters, most of them were saved.

They hauled themselves and their fellow survivors to the bank, shivering at the cold, wet clothes that most of the travelers would have to walk dry. If it had been much colder, that wouldn’t have been possible, but the day was surprisingly warm for this apocalyptic hell.

As they staggered to the bank with the last of the survivors, Alexa noticed a shadow on the bank and proceeded that way, with Mark and Daniel on her heels.

She took the bag the thief held out, not asking how he’d acquired it, and he laughed cruelly, but didn’t speak.

Alexa turned away, thinking she’d be glad to handle him when the time came. The stink of evil was all over his filthy skin.

She took the case to a dry spot and broke the lock with her knife. Her men kept the others away and swept the muddy corn, hoping Merrik had continued far downstream.

Alexa scanned the papers. “2013,” she muttered. “A government order to destroy Lincoln.”

“That makes no sense,” Jacob commented.

“It does if Roscoe wanted weapons because he knew this was coming,” Billy stated.

It made them wonder if they’d been right to kill the men in River City, but Alexa was having none of that.

“Make no rewrites of history, my pets. We’ve only ever eliminated evil from our country. We’re not murderers.”

The words were a comfort. It was something each of them struggled with in their own way and it was a relief to hear her say that it wasn’t a sin.

“I didn’t say there’s no sin,” Alexa answered the thought. “There’s always a cost for killing, make no mistake about it. That’s a stain each of us will carry forever.”

“We’re even,” the thief stated, edging toward the corn. “One message for the bread.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond. He darted into the corn and quickly vanished.

No order came to chase him down and while her men were glad they didn’t have to go crashing through the nasty stalks again, they didn’t like letting him roam free.

Alexa knew. “We’ll run into him again soon,” she promised. “But before that, we’ll see Merrik and his big gun. Let’s get ready for that.”

2

“Send the wagons on and set us up here,” Merrik called. They were in sight of the only road and the river. “In case.”

“You saw what happened to our guys who tried to cross the creek,” Travis argued angrily as the wagon driver took off. They were all eager to be away from the destruction wrought by the blasts of the messengers blowing their packages. The three men had been conversing near the corn, with no threats in sight and then boom; they’d blown themselves up, taking Merrik’s big gun and two soldiers along for a hot ride. Those who weren’t hit by shrapnel had been lucky. Most of the men here were now bleeding, ears ringing, and ruing the day that Alexa had strode from the corn.

The body of the blond woman wasn’t something to be concern over.

“She’s gone.” Travis insisted. “And we’ve lost half our remaining men in the blasts from the damn messengers! It’s a wonder we still have the wagons.”

“We’ll look!” Merrik ordered sharply.

He wasn’t happy to have lost two of his mission objectives. Brian and Alexa would have paid the best rewards. All he could do now was hope she survived and brought Brian with her. If that had happened, he had another chance. If not, he at least had the wagons. That would be enough to keep Roscoe from killing him. He hoped. Merrik planned to offer up the incompetence of his men as an excuse to provide Roscoe a target for his infamous temper.

“We’ve got company,” Travis called tiredly.

They all turned, hoping to discover Alexa stumbling up the riverbank like a gentle, drowned kitten. The old woman and her two kids were unexpected. Dry from head to toe, the trio looked as if they’d come from a leisurely stroll.

“How did you get here?” Merrik asked, voice choked. Was that blood on the little girl’s hands?

“We flew!” the girl giggled, bringing her bloody hand up to tear a fresh bite from whatever she was holding. “It was fun!”

“Never flew before,” the little boy spoke for the first time, blue eyes glowing like sapphires in front of a light. “I was an orphan in my other life.”

Merrik and his men stared in shock, not moving even when the old woman stuck a gnarled hand into her waist pouch.

“What happens to them, Grammie?” the girl asked after a loud swallow. “Can we eat them now?”

The old woman cackled as the men jerked away in fear and repulsion. She tossed the handful of dust into the air, where it hung, suspended, until she blew on them.

Now, the soldiers tried to duck and flee, but the dust dropped the males into deep sleeps with no thought for their resistance. Thuds and squelches of falling bodies echoed, and the old woman chuckled again.

“Ah, to be in the slaving ports. This lot would make us rich!” she cackled again.

“So would mine.”

The old woman scowled angrily at the sound of Alexa’s voice behind her. “Go away, warrior woman. Go on your doomed quest and leave us.”

The children bared their teeth, their fangs, at Alexa and her soaked fighters, but stayed behind the old woman as she turned to face Alexa’s determined countenance.

“You’ve earned passage with your deeds,” Grammie offered. “Go on to your deaths in some other terrible land.”

Alexa’s hands rested lightly on the butts of her Colts, and those tapping fingers sent fresh tension through her men. It meant get ready and none of them were. They didn’t have a clue what was going on.

Alexa sighed heavily, sweeping the unconscious soldiers and animals. “You’re responsible for us waking to the wolves.”

The old woman didn’t answer, but the little girl stuck out her tongue in confirmation.

“We’ve been protecting you,” Jacob stated angrily. “Why would you do that?”

The little boy suddenly reached over and grabbed the remaining piece of bloody meat from the girl’s hand, and took off into the nearest field with it.

The little girl gave chase, screaming like she was being sliced open, and the fighters recoiled in disgust.

The old woman’s cackle was becoming annoying and Alexa explained just to get her to shut up. “They needed to eat and no one counts bodies during a wolf attack or a shootout.”

Jacob crossed himself, muttering “…will fear no evil.”

“Yes,” Alexa confirmed. “An abomination to be eliminated, nothing more.”

“Abomination,” two of the other fighters muttered at the same time.

The old woman reached for her waist and Alexa pulled the trigger.

She missed.

Or the woman moved.

None of the men was sure, but the old lady seemed to have rolled aside, and then reappeared exactly where she’d been.

Grammie grabbed a handful of dust and tossed it high. “Nighty-night.”

The dust was impossible to fight and all of them fell to the damp ground.

3

The old woman went to where Alexa lay and knelt down long enough to yank a thick yellow curl from her crown. She lingered over those deadly Colts, now lying useless by Alexa’s hand, but didn’t take them.

“Can we eat now?” the girl asked again as she and the boy returned from their game of chase.

“Not these,” the old woman denied. “I won’t give her father a real reason to come here. She provided aid along our trip and we will reward her with their lives. Someone else will rob them of that gift, have no doubt. Eat the soldiers instead.”

“But you said I could have him!” the girl shouted, pointing to Jacob. “I want my preacher!”

“Nooooooo!” the old woman growled, face changing to all teeth and black pits of hell waiting.

The girl fell to the ground, cowering and writhing in agony while the boy screamed for mercy.

The travelers who had survived the boat crash heard that shouted command of death and immediately fled.

Alexa had left them here for their safety, fearing Merrik would have a trap set up for her that might get them caught in the crossfire. Right or wrong, it now appeared there had been worse things waiting ahead and they all chose to give that side of the river a wide berth.

They used a rope and debris piles to run, jump, and fall across, counting on the strong current to wash away predators. It worked and the survivors continued to their destination without Alexa. They were a somber group who’d realized they were lucky to have gotten this far, and that luck had come from Alexa’s light. Now it was gone and the horrors of this hard new world were around them once again. This time, it felt worse.

4

Alexa and her men woke over a slow, nauseating space of ten minutes and each of their reactions were nearly identical.

Jacob’s lids opened and he groaned as he scanned for his crew.