CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

AFTER EVERYONE HAD been accounted for, Jeb insisted we take a break together at the diner. A handful of buildings along Main Street had emerged relatively intact, the diner being one of them. Scooting a few tables together, we all sat, except Gwyn who insisted on serving. The argument over the matter stopped when she mentioned fresh brewed coffee.

Jeb started the debrief by formally thanking Marisol’s unit. “We’d all be dead if it hadn’t been for you.” He looked each in the eye. “We thank you for your courage and your sacrifice.”

A moment of silence passed, each of us thinking of Marisol.

One of the soldiers spoke. “She lived to protect others. It was a compulsion with her. When we heard she’d been redacted,” he swallowed while loosening his neck. “When the order went out for her to be killed, we couldn’t sit by.”

Another soldier finished, “Anything or anyone she was willing to die for, well, so were we.” They all nodded.

Jeb picked up on the question left hanging for all five men who’d just lost their ex-commander. “And now you’re wondering what exactly she died for.”

Gwyn returned with the coffee. Not a single eye shifted from Jeb’s earnest face.

“The origins of the twitch go further back than you’ve been taught to believe. It’s power for both good and evil.” He swallowed a gulp of steaming hot coffee. “Well, you haven’t seen the half of it, and the people of Everlast are committed to keeping it that way.”

“Sir, you’ve known—”

Jeb cut the soldier off, “Sorry, son.” He softened his expression. “I’m afraid that’s all I can say.”

Finally the soldier nodded. “Understood.”

Evie spoke for the first time since entering the diner. “What about you? Now that you’ve helped Marisol, and my father and me?”

The soldiers looked at each other before the leader spoke for them. “I suppose we’re out of a job.”

“It’s a rather specific skill set, fighting twitchers.” I cast a smile at Evie, picking up on her train of thought. “At least the demand for those skills might be on the rise.”

“Oh for the love of Pete, stop your winking and coded messages.” Jeb stroked his beard like he was going to pluck it from his face. He looked at Gwyn, who’d taken her seat again.

She nodded. “You might find more lucrative offers. We’re simple people here in Everlast. But, as you can tell, we’ve suffered recent loss and have need of protection against Oleg and his twitchers.”

Jeb grunted, choosing to look at the wall rather than look anyone in the face.

“We’re also a paranoid people, slow to trust outsiders.” Gwyn kicked her husband in the shin.

He grunted even louder. “Take some time to think it over.”

The leader nodded. “Some of us have family to reconnect with, but we’ve planned for this contingency. Things will be pretty different now that we’ve all been redacted. Small town life could be a welcome escape.” He scanned the faces of the others. “Can we have until this time tomorrow?”

Jeb stood with his hand outstretched. The soldiers also stood, each in turn shaking hands with the burly sheriff. After finishing their coffee and saying goodbye, they mounted their Humvees and sped off in the opposite directions.