Autumn in the City of Lights (14 page)

“We’re heading out,” he said, motioning to Daniel mounting his horse ahead of us. “Will you ride beside me?”

I took a deep breath and held it, unsure of what all this meant.

“Sure,” I said, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. I climbed up onto Snicket, and we fell in behind Daniel. I made sure to distance us from him, so we could have some privacy to talk, but for a while, Grey kept silent, his eyes straight ahead.

Finally, he pulled an apple from his saddlebag and polished it on his jacket. He handed it to me, a small smile lighting his face.

I took it, smiling and shaking my head. “I’m not as easily pliable as Snicket, you know.”

“I know,” he said. “But it’s worth a try.”  He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m not disappointed with you, or mad. I’m embarrassed about how I acted last night. I could say I was upset and extremely tired, and both would be true, but I’m also still learning how to properly deal with complicated emotions.”

“You don’t have to hide that from me. If you’re having trouble dealing with something, talk to me about it.”

“It’s hard to change when you’ve been doing something a certain way for three hundred years.”

“I’ve heard it only takes two weeks to form a habit.”

“Well, that’s for someone living a regular lifetime.”

“Then double it, or triple it, even.”

He nodded, and we didn’t say any more. We slept next to each other that night, and I could tell he slept deeply, one hand tucked beneath his head, the other resting on his chest. He was in the same position when I woke the next morning. I rolled up my sleeping bag and nudged him gently until he opened his eyes.

“Coffee?” I whispered. He nodded, and I left him to stoke the fire and hang the kettle over it to heat.

When we were packing up to leave, Grey lifted my saddle onto Snicket’s back for me, and when we were ready to move out, he gave me a leg up. I was pleased by his effort to regain some of the normal behavior between us, but his eyes were still far away, perhaps examining every minute of the last few days for something else he might have done to save the oil rig men from The Plague.

I kept quiet and let him be with his thoughts through the sad, slow drizzle that fell on our trio for half the morning. When Snicket’s hooves finally made contact with the sand on the beach, my toes felt like little blocks of ice, and my face was numb.

We tied up the horses under a makeshift shelter and piled into the one boat. I almost wished we’d had to row so I’d have something to do to keep me warm. Sitting on the wet bench, being sprayed by the rough surf hitting the bow of the boat, was even colder than riding on horseback. I was even too cold to worry about sharks.

We made it to the landing at Castor and, one by one, hauled ourselves out of the boat and up the ladder to the main platform. The rain blew in gusts off the ocean, and the platform was oddly silent compared to the bustling movement of the crew during our first visit.

“Hello?” Daniel called. The waves crashed against the struts and support beams.  The vibrations of each collision came up through the floor and reminded me of standing on top of the Hoover Dam, feeling the water coursing through the turbines below.

“Hello!” Daniel shouted, louder this time as the wind picked up. A shiver crept across my shoulders and trickled down my back. Where was everyone?

“Maybe they’re in the galley,” I said. “They wouldn’t be out in this weather if they could help it.”

“They could be over on Pollux,” Daniel said. “We should split up, then meet back here.”

I glanced at Grey, who hung back, a strange look on his face. I went to his side. “What is it?”

He shook his head. It looked as though he saw a ghost.

I waited for him to explain, but he didn’t. I grabbed his arm.  “What!”

“Carriers,” he whispered. “You were carriers.”

Before Grey could explain further, a shout carried across the water, and we spotted Shad. He crossed the connecting walkway between the two giant oil rigs at a run.

I broke away from Grey and rushed to meet him.

“Where is everyone?” I begged.

Grimness stretched across Shad’s face. There was redness in his eyes and dark circles under them. He shook his head and turned away toward the ocean, grasping the railing of the walkway. Rain peppered his sweatshirt while he gathered himself.

“What? What’s happened?” Daniel demanded. Shad didn’t answer.

“They’re all dead,” Grey answered for him.

Shad nodded, his back still to us. “It was the Crimson Fever. All of the rig workers got sick. Then they all died.”

I looked at Grey, suddenly feeling lightheaded. How had this happened?

“Everyone?” Daniel asked in disbelief.

Shad nodded. “Kevin hung on the longest. He died just this morning.”

“We gave it to them,” I whispered. “We brought it with us.”

“When the first of them got sick a couple days after you guys left, we thought it was a reaction to undercooked fish or something, but then two more developed fevers, and by the next morning, half of the remaining crew was in bed, and I knew.”

Shad looked miserable, his usual mischievous grin nowhere to be seen. I wondered what it had been like to endure what he had, out here with no doctor or supplies.

“Did Teddy and the rest of them...?” Shad started, but his voice faltered.

Grey nodded. “There was an incubation period of a couple days. It appears that every one of us who were originally exposed are all still carriers of The Plague.”

*     *     *

Nearly two months passed before things began to feel normal again. In that time, Grey’s heartache over The Plague victims eased some, and Connie’s belly grew and grew. We’d all been torn about Grey coming to Paris.  I worked up the nerve to tell him to stay and keep working on the cure for Connie’s baby. He’d taken my request seriously and thought about it for a full week, until one night, he and Connie came to me and said they’d both decided Grey should come to Paris with me. The few days away might even allow him to come back to the problem with fresh perspective. If all went according to plan, there would be some time left before Connie’s baby was born.

After this decision was made, the time leading up to the Summit felt like a heartbeat. I spent hours every day sitting with Ben and the radio, meeting and talking to all of the people from the different settlements, and even befriending a couple of the delegates who were supposed to meet up with us in Vegas before heading out to Paris. Ben took diligent notes for me, assessing every delegate individually to make sure I knew as much about everyone as possible.

Spending so much time with Ben was a comfort. We hadn’t been together this much since our days back in the marina. Jen frequently visited, and I watched as their flirtation grew into something more. They referred to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, and any animosity I used to harbor for Jen faded away. She made Ben happy, and that was enough for me.

Often times when Ben put me on the radio to talk, he and Jen would go off to spend time together. Most of the time, she was assisting him on a side project that would “give him eyes on the Westside.”

Daniel had taken to using every dinner as an opportunity to help me develop my debating skills. He picked a new topic each night that I’d likely encounter in Paris and assigned everyone a perspective on it. Then I’d have to go point by point with each person. Even Rissi participated. I loved going back and forth with her but dreaded the rounds with Ben and Daniel. They both challenged me to near exhaustion. The one good thing was that I’d been allowed to skip all food prep duties to study each evening, and after the first month, I was starting to feel more confident.

One day the trip was weeks away, and then suddenly I woke up one morning with our departure looming in a matter of hours. I didn’t want to leave New Burbank. But I knew what needed to be done, and I’d been chosen to speak for my people. It was an odd thought.
My people
. I’d never wanted a place in leadership, yet somehow I was finding myself at the forefront more and more since the outbreak of The Plague. I wondered if that’d been the case for so many others I’d read about in my history books.

The sun wasn’t up yet, so I headed to the stable. Snicket’s coat gleamed orange, as the sun’s rays filtered through the low-hanging mist clinging to the mountains. Snicket nervously ebbed back and forth, making the simple task of brushing her down difficult. She was a smart girl. She knew something was up. Her anxiety echoed what was going through my own chest, though I thought I was doing a better job of hiding it.

“Easy girl,” I whispered, stroking her long face, enjoying its softness. “I won’t be gone long. Rissi knows to bring your evening apple.”  She snorted, as if responding that it wouldn’t be the same.

“Do you need any help?”

I turned and saw Grey. The unease between us had gradually faded, and I smiled up at him, happy for his company.

“You’re up early,” I said.

“Couldn’t sleep. Is anyone else up yet?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d spend a few minutes with Snicket before I go, just in case,” I raked my fingers through her long main and curled a few strands around my index finger.

“I wish you wouldn’t talk like that,” Grey said, resting a hand on Snicket’s side. “We’re going to be fine. I promise you.”

“We don’t know who to trust after we leave here,” I said. “Any one of the delegates at the Summit could be in Karl’s pocket. They all might be.”

He nodded. “I know. But they may not be. We’ll just have to be careful.”

“Until we know where peoples’ allegiances lie, it won’t be easy to achieve anything this Summit was created for in the first place,” I said. “And how are we supposed to find out whose side they’re on? Doing too much digging or asking the wrong questions, or
too
many questions could make people suspicious.”  I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “When did we reverse roles? You’re usually the cautious one.”

He took my hand. “I’m still cautious, especially when it comes to your safety. But I know we have to do this, too.”

I stepped forward to lean against him, knowing I was safe for a moment, but knowing that moment wouldn’t last... couldn’t last.

“I’m scared,” I whispered into his chest, and he slid his arms around me.

“The Great Autumn Winters, scared?” he said, then huffed.

“Very funny,” I said.

“You’re the bravest person I’ve ever known,” he whispered, suddenly serious. “You put on such a good front, I forget that deep down inside you there might be fear.”

I pushed him back to look up at him. “Grey, I’m scared all the time. It seems like every time I turn around, someone I know is in jeopardy.”

“But your reaction is to do something about it. Charge into battle. Make the world safe again.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not scared.”

“I know. It’s just easy to forget you might be, because all I see on the surface is this bold, courageous woman.”  He pulled me close. “It’s no wonder I lost my heart to you. Who wouldn’t?”

We stayed in that embrace for a while. It wasn’t until Snicket chortled for more attention that I released Grey.

An hour later, the whole house was up, and we were all ready to go. We milled around the backyard, not wanting to begin the goodbyes. Connie wrapped me in a firm hug.

“I wish I could come see you off at the airport, but no more horseback riding for me for a while!” She smiled and patted her enormous belly.

Rissi was in a mood and followed me around until we were alone. “I want to come with you, Autumn,” she whispered. “I can help... like last time. I packed my bag already, just in case.”

“I have no doubt you could help, but with Daniel and me gone, someone needs to help Connie. And you know Ben likes having you around. Besides, when we get all the other delegates in the plane, there won’t be enough room.”

“I fit fine in the small plane before,” she said petulantly.

“What small plane?” Ben asked, wheeling up behind her.

“Never mind,” she said, annoyed. “You better come back, Autumn. Or I’m coming after you.”

“We’ll both be coming after you if you don’t report in as scheduled,” Ben added. “I really wish I could go with you.”

“We’ll be alright,” I promised.

“I’ll make sure these kids behave, don’t worry,” Shad said, clapping Ben heartily on the shoulder while giving us an exaggerated stink eye.

“Here,” Ben said, handing me his well-worn journal. It contained all the notes he’d taken over the last several months. “In case you need it to refer to.”

I took the journal and smiled, truly grateful.

“It’ll be like I’m there with you, spouting off every little statistic and fact I know.” Ben grinned, but I could see sadness behind his eyes. I hugged him.

“This is going to come in handy. I just know it,” I said. “Thanks, Ben.”

“Come on everyone, we need to hit the road,” Daniel called.

I tucked Ben’s journal in my bag and tied it to the back of my saddle. Connie appeared at my side and caught me in a hug that left me breathless.

“Take care of yourself. Stay on guard and watch out for the guys, too.”  She patted me on the back and released me. “You seem to always get mixed up in the middle of things, so please be wary of these people.”

I nodded, and Grey helped me on to Snicket before mounting his own horse. As I got settled in the saddle, Connie continued, “Trust your instincts, and don’t do anything rash!”

“Okay, Connie,” I said, smiling at her as she began to walk next to us toward the road.

“And enjoy Paris! I never got to go, so you’ll have to tell me all about it when you get home.”

“I will,” I promised. We turned onto the road leading out of Hoover Hollow, and Connie called to us one last time, “Fly carefully, Daniel! Shad, I’ll kick your butt if you get hurt again! Keep everyone safe, Grey!”

Her voice faded the farther we got, and we waved to her, Rissi, and Ben one last time before turning onto the main road toward the airport.

When we got there, I saw Karl standing next to a long, narrow private jet that sparkled in the early morning light. Next to him stood his barrel-chested henchman, Hart. I gritted my teeth and dismounted Snicket.

“Ms. Winters, good morning,” Karl said, slightly bowing. “Are you and yours ready for our voyage?”

It was too early to think of a witty response, so I ignored him and started up the steps of the plane.

“Please, ladies first,” he said, sarcastically.

The plane was larger inside than I’d expected but still very tight quarters. There was a single aisle with two large seats on either side, with sixteen seats total. I sat in the front row, wanting to stay as close to Daniel and Shad as possible. Grey sat beside me, on the aisle. Karl eased himself in the seat across from us, and Hart squeezed into the window seat.

“You know, there’s plenty of room for us to spread out,” I said to Karl.

“We’re fine here. Thanks.” He seemed to be taking great pleasure in making me uncomfortable. “Hey, maybe one of the in-flight movies will have Adara O’Neal in it.”

My heart sank when he said my mother’s name, and I sat back in my chair. If I thought for a minute I could take him, I would’ve shot out of my seat and broken his nose — again.

“You’ll have to find alternate means to Paris if you keep this up,” Grey said, glaring at Karl. “I know the fuel is yours, but it’s in
our
plane. If you speak to Autumn that way again, I’ll personally remove you.”

Karl smiled, as if pleased to hear Grey threatening him.

“Touched a nerve did I, Mr. Alexander? Deepest apologies.” He leaned his seat back and crossed his arms behind his head.

I took Grey’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s going to be a long flight,” I whispered, and he nodded, agreeing.

Moments later Daniel entered. “We’re almost done pre-flighting, folks. Just bear with us a little longer.” I smiled at Daniel as he passed and waved at Shad, who was seated on the right side in the cockpit. He winked in acknowledgement. Moments later, Shad’s voice came over the PA system.

“It’s a fine morning here on Apocalypse Airlines. We know you’ve got no choice of other airlines, but we’re still glad you chose us. Now, if you’ll please put your seats and tray tables in the upright positions, we’ll get this freakshow on the road. Oh, and by the way, at some point, we’re gonna be crossing a mother of an ocean. If something happens and the plane gets ripped apart, feel free to poke around for flotation devices, or you can follow my lead and just bend over and kiss your butt goodbye...”

Daniel rushed past us and wrestled the PA away from Shad. “Thank you, Shad. Uh... we’ll be taking off in a second. Everyone stay buckled up until we level out... um... yeah.”  The PA blinked off.

I couldn’t help but grin, and when I looked at Grey, he had a smile on his face, too. Leave it to Shad to break the tension.

As the jet engines whirled to life and got us moving, the speed of the plane pressed me back into my seat. The sensation was familiar and bizarre at the same time. I used to fly frequently to visit my mom on some faraway movie location, or to see family in Ireland, but after The Plague I thought I'd never ride in a plane again. Now here I was in a plane with Grey... and Karl. How odd — my beloved and my most hated in one small place, being lifted into the air and setting off into the unknown.

Less than an hour later, we began our descent into McCarron Airport in Vegas, only a couple blocks from the Palmetto, where the community had relocated after the accident at the Egyptian last year.

Franklin and three others were waiting on the tarmac. Daniel got out and shook hands, then ushered them all aboard.

Franklin boarded first and tipped his ten-gallon cowboy hat at me and Grey before sliding into the row of seats behind us. While I was glad to see a familiar face, I didn’t have a lot of love lost for him. He had been willing to kill Grey in the not too distant past. But then he and his people had been instrumental in fighting back The Front in Hoover shortly after, so all was forgiven — mostly.