Revolution (11 page)

             
"Don't. We. All." I gave him an awkward sideways hug as
Witchy Woman
by The Eagles began to blare out of the speakers. I looked over to see Dann
y wink and give a cheesy thumbs-
up. I sighed and
pushed his arm
with
annoyance playfully.

             
I went to finish up the packing, but stopped with a thought. "What are we going to do about Piper?"

             
Everyone stopped once again like my voice had some siren qualities. Max just looked straight ahead and eventually said, "Doesn’t matter. We leave her here."

             
"Ok," I answered carefully.
Everyone got back to work and in my book that was as good as agreeing.
I had beef with Piper, but the Keepers had major drama.
They were the ones who needed to decide
whether Psycho Barbie got a get outta jail free card.

             
"Psycho Barbie?" Max asked with brow raised.
             

             
"Did I say that out loud?" He nodded and a ghost of a smile sat on his lips. "Daggumit! I have got to stop doing that
.
"

             
I heard him chuckle in confusion as I walked away. Merrick came back with a couple of bags from the pantry. "That's all of it."

             
I winced. "All of it?"

             
He hesitated, as if that hesitation would spare me the heartache of his answer. "All of it."

             
I sighed and felt my body sag in defeat. Even my feet and toes seemed to not give a flip anymore and refused to hold me up any
longer
. I collapsed
,
all dramatic like into the chair and cover
ed
my face with my hands. Merrick came to stand behind me and rubbed my shoulders in a soothing motion. "Everything will be all right."

             
"Saying it doesn't make it true," I mumbled through my fingers.

             
"Actually, you're supposed to speak
only
good things. Never speak out loud the things you wish to not happen. You give those words power that way."

             
I peeked up at him, impressed. "Where did you hear that?"

             
"Well…God said it
.
I paid attention in Sunday School sometimes." He grinned.

             
"Who did you watch that went to Sunday School?" He ticked his head to the side and I guessed. "Orville."

             
"The one and only."
             
"It comes back to him a lot doesn’t it. Maybe you should have married him
.
"

             
"Maybe," he mused and leaned down to let his lips touch my ear. "But then I wouldn’t be stuck on the run with my wife who makes me happy just to be alive." His fingers brushed my neck with the intention of soothing. "Everything I've ever gone through was worth it to be here with you right now. Nowhere else I'd rather be."

             
I gulped. I was already an emotional wreck and then Mr. Sap had to go and say something like that? I sniffed to try to stop the tears. "All right, you. Stop or I'll cry."

             
He pulled me up and held my chin so I had to look at him. "Where's my optimistic girl at this morning?"

             
"She hasn't had her coffee
yet
," I joked.

             
His face cracked with a gorgeous smile. "Well, we better remedy that."

             
He set out to make a pot coffee and for once, I just let him. It felt nice to have someone take care of me for a minute. The years of always looking out for everyone else and being the happy go lucky gal were catching up to me. I only hoped that when this was all over, there was a piece of my former self left to salvage.

             
A little bit later, I slipped away to have one final look at the Keeper who had it out for me from day one. She may not
have
need
ed
or want
ed
closure, but I sure did. I needed to look at her human face and know that the Keeper inside was misguided and unhappy. That she wasn't evil, just the most unhappy and angry that one could get to drive them over the line of sanity.

             
I had to believe she was insane and not j
ust someone not only capable of
such acts, but
plotting and enjoying them.

             
I stopped in front of her locked door. Crap, I'd forgotten. So I wouldn't be able to see her, but I could hear her. And she could hear me. I had one very important thing to say.

             
"You
horrible
witch."

             
I h
eard movement on the other side of the door. "Well, Sherry, Sherry quite contrary came to see me in the flesh. Not going to just leave like the other cowards, huh?"

             
I leaned on the opposite wall with my back. "I had something to say to you. The others didn't. That simple."

             
"Is Merrick all right?"
             
"Don’t ask me if he's all right. It's your fault he was hurt in the first place."

             
"He's fine," she said and I almost heard her sigh. "If he wasn't you wouldn't be so calm about
it
. W
hat did you have to say
to me
?"

             
"
That I feel sorr
y for you." I heard a sound that
sounded like scoffing. "No, really, I do. To be so pathetic and go to the le
ngths you went to
ruin lives…it must be dark and bitter inside your head."

             
"I didn't ruin anyone's life. You all ruined mine!"

             
"No, we didn't. We can't help it that you were born a Keeper, that you had responsibilities that none of us can imagine. It wasn't my fault that Merrick fell in love with me either."

             
"Don't talk about him," she muttered. "I never want to hear that traitor's name again."

             
"Said the pot to the kettle."
             
"I betrayed humans, he betrayed our kind. It's different. Something you will never understand."
             
             
"You're right. For the life of me I can't understand
why you'd betray humans when those other Keepers out there," I pointed in anger though sh
e couldn't see me, "have charge
s th
at are human still. Your charge
was human."

             
"My charge was stupid."

             
I took a deep breath and sighed. "Ok, we're done."

             
"That's it? You came down here for that?"

             
"I told you what I wanted to say. No matter what you did, no matter who you hurt, no matter all the damage you caused, we're still here, Piper. Still fighting for our lives, still together as a family. Your little stunts didn't stop anything, especially not Merrick and I."
             

             
"I still have faith that one day he'll come around."

             
"Useless wishes of a useless Keeper." I shook my head. "Goodbye, Piper."

             
"You're leaving?"

             
"We're leaving."

             
I heard her slam against the door. "I thought you were just bluffing a response out of me. You're really going to leave me here?"

             
"You killed Polly, Piper! You got Merrick stabbed and put everyone in jeopardy."

             
"Please don't do this to me!"

             
"Is that what Polly said when you fed her to the Lighters?"

             
Silence.

             
Good.

             
I walked away from the woman who tried with everything in her to destroy my life, and never once looked back.
             

Where
ver
The Road Goes

Merrick

             
The snow was long gone by the time we started to load the vans. The mush and sludge of the sandy mud was making the trip back and forth from the door interesting. We had a little assembly line going and things were getting done quickly. Miguel and Jeff were both standing guard with rifles in hand and
eye
s to the sky. Whatever that thing had been, that Graphter, it wasn't something I wanted to meet again.

             
Miguel interrupted my thoughts. "Oi, I've got a bad feeling, mate."

             
"About what? This whole thing?" I guessed and he kind of nodded. "We've all got a bad feeling, Miguel."

             
"But this one's in my guts," he justified and tapped his belly. "I got a feeling like…like this might be the turning point. Like the last wave of the war is headed our way and it's make it or break it time."

             
"I think you're right about that." I stop
ped loading bags and boxes
for a second, using the end of my shirt to wipe the sweat from my face. "I think that whatever happens next will determine everything."

             
"Straight from the Keeper's mouth, eh?" he mused and chuckled, his accent extra thick when he laughed. "So, hey, uh….I'm glad you're not dead and all that."'