Radioactive and The Decay Dystopian Super Boxset- A Dirty Bomb and Nuclear Blast Prepper Tale of Survival (15 page)

              With only a twenty-four hour notice and Samantha not in communication with anyone from her life in Phoenix, there wasn’t a large turnout for the funeral. Matt’s parents had died before she and Matt met, and he didn’t have any siblings. An aunt and uncle that lived a few hours east showed up, but aside from that the only other attendees were Coyle, Brett, Twink, and Jim.

              Jim hadn’t slept in thirty-six hours. The bags under his eyes were as dark as the soil being spread over Matt’s coffin. Samantha had avoided Jim’s gaze since he arrived and Annie hadn’t said a word to him. He would have preferred some screaming and cursing as opposed to the silent treatment.

              Once the priest finished his words Jim watched Samantha and Annie each take a handful of dirt, tossing it onto Matt’s grave. Neither of them cried. Jim understood. There weren’t any tears left.

              Jim hung back while Samantha picked her daughter up and crossed the graveyard to a black SUV. Twink opened the rear passenger door for Samantha, and she and her daughter climbed into the back seat. Brett hopped into the driver’s seat and pulled out onto the road.

              Coyle and Jim followed in a second black SUV. To Jim’s relief, Coyle kept his mouth shut the whole way back to Samantha’s apartment. When the caravan pulled into Samantha’s complex’s parking lot, she and Annie headed upstairs with Twink and Brett. Jim and Coyle remained in their vehicle.

Coyle loosened his tie. “God, I hate wearing these things.”

              Jim didn’t say anything. He kept his eyes focused on the small balcony where Samantha’s apartment was located.

              “Are you afraid of what she’ll say?” Coyle asked.

              “The only thing I’m afraid of is that she’ll say yes,” Jim said.

              Jim then opened the car door and left Coyle to wrestle with his tie. He walked up to the second story and stepped inside Samantha’s apartment. He watched from the door way as Annie showed Twink and Brett some drawings she’d made. She pointed at the different things she’d colored while Brett and Twink nodded enthusiastically.

              Jim stood unnoticed for almost ten minutes until Tigs came around the corner of the bedroom hallway and saw him. The cat sprinted to Jim and he knelt down, scooping up his old friend.

              Jim scratched behind Tigs’ ears and the cat purred loudly. The only person in the room that wasn’t looking at him now was Annie. She was still absorbed in telling the story of what the picture was supposed to be while Jim slowly entered the living room.

              “And this is me and Tigs in the tent where I found him at the camp,” Annie said.

              The child noticed the silence, then she saw Jim. It was the first time she’d looked her uncle in the eyes since she watched him kill her father. The look she was giving him was the same look he saw on her face three months ago. She was terrified.

              “Hey, Annie,” Twink said, “Why don’t you show me the rest of the pictures you drew?”

              The girl didn’t move. Samantha kept her eyes locked on Jim. “That’s a good idea. Annie, why don’t you take Twink and Brett to your room and show them what else you’ve drawn,” said Samantha.

              Annie finally scooped up her drawings. Brett and Twink disappeared into the hallway after her. Jim let Tigs to the floor and she too trotted off after Annie. When Jim finally heard Annie’s bedroom door shut, he walked over to his sister. Samantha sat motionless on the couch.

              Jim couldn’t tell what she was thinking or what she was feeling. The space between them was thick with words waiting to be said. “I tried calling.”

              “I know.”

              Samantha’s words hit him like ice; cold, unforgiving, and harsh. Jim peeked around the corner of the hallway toward Annie’s room and then walked across the living room to the sliding glass doors that guarded the balcony. “I didn’t know she started talking again.”

              “It started a few days ago,” Samantha replied.

              “Samantha…” Jim started.

              “There isn’t anything you can say, Jim,” she said. “Whatever you planned on saying, or thought about saying…it won’t change what happened.”

              “I know,” Jim said. He glanced over the balcony onto the parking lot below.

              Samantha shifted herself on the couch and rested her face in her hands. “Tell me why you’re here, Jim.”

              Jim turned around and saw his sister’s first look of pain since he arrived. Her face was tired, hurt, and angry. He knew that face because it was the same one he’d been staring at in the mirror for the past three months. There was only one thing that Jim knew could combat the symptoms of loss; action. “You received something from Matt a few days ago?”

              “Yeah, I already sent it Locke’s office,” she said.

              “I know. That’s why I’m here.” Jim sat down on the couch, keeping a foot of distance between them. He tried to place his hand on her leg, but she jerked it away and scooted further down the couch. He fumbled with the awkwardness of his hand hanging in the empty space between them once she moved. “We think the code you gave us was for another attack. It could be chemical, and it’s a big one. Once we finish deciphering it, we should know who’s been behind all of the attacks since San Diego. When we figure out who that is, we want you to give them the codes.”

              Samantha stayed quiet for a long time. Jim watched her squeeze both of her hands until they were rubbed red. She rose from the couch and walked over to the balcony doors. “If I do this, Annie doesn’t get anywhere near the trouble. Understand?”

              “I won’t let anything happen to her,” Jim said.

              “Promise me.”

              “I promise, Sam.”

              Samantha nodded. Jim looked at his younger sister and realized for the first time how strong she really was. She’d been in the reserves and used to be a police officer, but he never really saw her resolve until this moment.

              “When do we start?” Samantha asked.

              “Tomorrow,” Jim said. He pulled out a cellphone and extended to her. “We’ll call you on this moving forward. We’ll have somebody stationed nearby to keep an eye on you.”

              Samantha walked over to him and grabbed the phone, but Jim held it tight as she looked her in the eye.

              “If you feel like there is anything wrong, just click the power button three times. It’ll send us a distress signal that we’ll be able to track.”

              “What about Annie?” Samantha asked.

              “We’ll use Matt’s aunt and uncle as cover to keep her somewhere safe. Samantha,” Jim’s voice was calm and low, “if you do this, there isn’t any going back.”

              “I need to know, Jim,” she replied. “I need to know why my husband kept this from me for so long. I need to know why he did what he did.”

             
The truth can haunt you and follow you for the rest of your life if you don’t try and face it. The truth can be hurtful, frightening, unforgiving… But it’s a necessary step,
Jim told himself. As much as he wanted to protect her, he couldn’t bring himself to stop her from getting to what she needed to feel whole again. “Sometimes the truth tricks people into thinking it’ll make them feel better.”

              “I’ll call you if I need anything,” Samantha said.

              Samantha retrieved Brett and Twink from Annie’s room, leaving Jim alone in the living room.

              Twink and Brett came out and they both gave Jim a half smile as they passed him on the way to the front door. Samantha came after and then Annie peeked her head around the corner of the hallway that led to her room. Jim watched her inch out until she was fully exposed. Annie stood staring at her uncle and when Jim moved forward to hold her, she immediately ran back to her room. Jim had been shot, burned, and stabbed before, but none of that hurt compared to the sight of his niece running away from him. “Let us know if you anyone contacts you,” Jim said.

              “I will,” she replied.

              Jim lingered by the door, wanting to tell her that he didn’t have a choice in killing Matt. He wanted to scream at her and tell her that it wasn’t his fault, but he couldn’t bring himself to cause her more pain and since he couldn’t find the kind words, he gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

              Jim walked out into the hallway and headed for the stairs. Samantha was closing the door behind him and just before he got to the steps, he turned around. “Samantha.”

              The door opened back up and she poked her head out.

              “I’m… What happened back in Phoenix…” Jim stumbled. Sorry wasn’t enough, but it was all he had. “I’m sorry.”

              “I know, Jim,” Samantha said, her eyes beginning to water. Jim stared at the gold apartment numbers etched in the door once she closed it, leaving him alone in the hallway.

              Jim wanted to go back over and knock, but he decided against it. He’d said what he could, and that was all was able to muster for now.

              Coyle was still waiting for Jim when he climbed back into the SUV. Jim shut the door and then glanced up at the balcony through the vehicle’s windshield.

              “So, what now?” Coyle asked.

              Jim kept his eyes on the window above. “Now we get to work.”

              The SUV exited the parking lot and passed a parked grey sedan. Once the SUV had faded from sight, the driver’s side door of the sedan opened and Derrick stepped out. He wore a black suit and tie with a white dress shirt and sunglasses. Walking through the entrance gate of the apartment complex, he fastened the top button of his jacket.

              Samantha was about to check on Annie when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She hoped Jim had returned. She desperately wanted to untie the knot in her stomach and tell her brother that she understood what he did. She wanted the chance to tell him that she forgave him, but when she opened the door and Derrick Brenner appeared, her face went from a sad smile to her mouth dropping open with the color draining from her face.

              “Mrs. Kearny,” Derrick said, “My most sincere condolences.” He placed his hand over his heart as he spoke and gave a slight bow of his head.

              Samantha began wiping the tears off of her face with her hands and shirt. “Can I help you?” she asked, fighting a runny nose.

              “I should be asking you that,” he replied with a soft smile. Derrick took a swift step inside the door before Samantha had a chance to close it. He entered with an air of entitlement, as though Samantha’s apartment were his own home.

The gun; she desperately wished she had it with her now. Samantha backed into the living room while Derrick closed the door behind him. “Who are you?” she asked.
              “My name is Derrick Brenner. I’m here on behalf of my brother Chase,” he said. “We both knew your husband.” His eyes darted over to the couch while Samantha slid her hand into her pocket, clutching the phone Jim gave her. “May I sit?” he asked.

              Derrick leaned back onto the couch before she could answer, crossing his legs at his ankles. He spotted Annie creeping out from hallway. “Hello there.” Derrick smiled and waved at Annie.

Samantha rushed over to her daughter, picking her up. She placed her back in her room, instructing her to stay there and lock the door. Annie nodded and Samantha closed the door behind her. When she returned to the living room, Derrick pointed at Annie’s room through the wall.

              “Your daughter is beautiful, Mrs. Kearny,” he smiled.

              “Thank you,” she said. “Now, how did you know Matt?”

              Derrick’s smile slowly faded and his tone went down an octave. “I think you know.”

              Samantha’s hand went back into her pocket, and her finger hovered over the power button.

              “You can call for help if you want, Mrs. Kearny, but I was hoping you could at least give me the courtesy of hearing what I have to say,” he requested, leaning forward in his seat.

              Samantha stared at him for a moment. She lifted her hand from the phone and settled on the opposite end on the couch.

              “You must think we’re terrible people,” Derrick said, shaking his head.

              “The only thing that’s terrible is that there’s more than one of you,” she said.

              Derrick laughed. “Matthew said the same thing when we met.”

              “I’m not sure what you’ve been told, but we’re not what you think we are,” Derrick continued.

              “Does being labeled a terrorist make it hard for you to sleep at night?” she asked.

              “The military has forced you to spy on me, what would you label that?”

              “Patriotism,” Samantha replied.

              “Nothing is stronger than the heart of a volunteer. I have no doubts about that.”

              Samantha’s eyes kept floating back towards her daughter’s room. Her mind kept wandering to the gun hidden in her sock drawer.

              “I think,” Derrick started, “that I should get to the point of me being here. My brother Chase, whom I told you I represent, would like to meet you in person.”

              “And why should I tr-“

              “Trust me? Because we can offer you something the military doesn’t have,” he said, “Answers. In return, you give us the codes that your husband sent to you.”

              “When would your brother like to meet?” she asked.

              Derrick pulled a business card from his jacket pocket and handed it to Samantha. “The date, time, and location are all there.” He stood and adjusted his jacket as he headed toward the front door. Samantha stayed seated on the couch, examining the handwriting on the note.

              From the front door, Derrick looked back at Samantha. “We hope you can make it,” he said.

***

              Kate sat in her cell when the door clanged open and General Locke walked in. The corporal dragged in a chair and Locke eased into it. His belly rested on his lap as he situated his girth, attempting to get comfortable.

“I appreciate you coming to see me, General,” Kate said. Her hands were cuffed together and her feet were shackled to the steel posts on her bed. She couldn’t get up even if she wanted to.

              “I’m surprised you asked to see me, Mrs. Hill,” the General responded. “From what I understand, you haven’t been very…” Locke searched for the right word. “Forthcoming.”

              The chains rustled as Kate shifted on the bed. She knew Locke was a smart man. Her superiors had warned her that he was clever. She wasn’t sure how much he knew. “I take it that by the lack of visits I’ve received from your men over the past twenty-four hours that you’ve found something. Whatever it is you found, I can help you decipher it.”

              Locke leaned forward in his chair. It gave a slight bend under his weight. “Help us? Why now? What is it that you want?”

              “I want to see my children.”

              “No, you don’t.”

              The right corner of Kate’s mouth twitched upward with the hint of a smile.

              “What do you want?” Locke repeated.

              “You must have quite a lot of trust in your men, General,” Kate said.

              The chair creaked as Locke leaned back into the seat. He pulled a cigar out of his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. A flame sparked out of a silver lighter and grew into an orange flame as it torched the end of the cigar. Locke puffed the smoke, ensuring the cigar kept the slow burn.

“Did you handpick these men yourself?” she asked.

Smoke blew from his mouth and nose after a long drag. He tapped the end of the cigar, and bits of ash fell to the floor. “I did.”

“It’s one of your biggest flaws, General.”

“What is?”

“Your trust.”

Kate’s chains clanked when she leaned forward. The pressure from her skin against the rusty metal cut into her ankles and her wrists. “You’re making the mistake most men in leadership do. You put your faith and your resources into men,” she said, spittle flying from her mouth. “Men lose sight of goals in place of their own ambitions, but an idea…” She paused. Her face winced in pain as the shackle’s metal dug deeper into her skin. “An idea slithers into all of the places men can’t reach.”

Locke took another long drag from the cigar, and his face turned grey through a filter of smoke. He rose from his chair, tucking the cigar into the corner of his mouth.

“We’re going to win, General,” she said.

At the door, Locke turned around, removing the cigar from his mouth to speak. “You say to put your faith into an idea. That an idea is stronger than a man? Well, my idea is to kick your idea’s ass.

Locke’s assistant Chris met him down the hallway. He had to double step to keep up with Locke’s pace. “Secure all of our files and assets. Tell Jim we need surveillance on his sister immediately.” Chris feverishly took notes as Locke spoke. Upon reaching his office, Locke turned to his assistant. In a quiet voice, he said, “We have a mole.”