Amanda sat in the basement room, surrounded by tense faces. Bennie stared at a laptop open in front of him. The news report blasted into the room.
“This is an emergency alert issued on behalf of the United States government. We have confirmed that opposition artillery shot down Air Force One at 9:23 Eastern Time this morning. President Starkley died immediately. Repeat: the President is dead.”
Amanda’s dad folded his arms across his chest and inclined his head toward her. “That’s bologna! When has the opposition ever had the kind of weapons that could shoot down a plane?”
Amanda shook her head. “Who did it then? The military?” She reflected on what Bennie had told her. Davis had his plan, and it didn’t involve Air Force One.
“The NCP is playing the same trick they always play. They do the dirty work, and then they blame us.” Ethan’s face darkened. “Someone in the NCP orchestrated this because they wanted Starkley out of the way. They pulled an ‘et tu, Brute.’”
Amanda agreed, but—despite the somber assessment—she felt a degree of pleasure that Ethan had used the word “us.” He had grouped himself with the rest of the opposition for the first time.
She turned her attention back to the news report. The voice had changed. Now a woman spoke.
“This is Secretary of War, Brooke Hochenshield.”
“This doesn’t bode well,” Ethan whispered, his jaw clenched. “My father talked about her. She’s a vigilante.”
“I have mobilized the Justice and Protection Division,” Hochenshield barked. “No one—no one—may leave their home. You are all ordered to shelter in place. We want everyone off the streets. All businesses, public transportation, and schools are hereby closed. Beginning today, the JPD will systematically search door-to-door and eradicate any remaining opposition force. Those who are not verified members of the NCP are to be immediately shot.”
Gasps filled the basement room. Amanda’s stomach lurched. They aren’t rounding people up anymore; they are exterminating us now!
“We will not cease until every enemy is found and killed. The JPD is asking for your assistance,” Hochenshield continued. “Any man or woman willing to temporarily join the JPD will be issued a gun and ordered to shoot any known person opposed to the National Citizens Party. I’ve also asked Secretary of State Clint Hill to reach out to our foreign allies in case we need additional support. This dark moment in our nation’s history will harken the coming of a new dawn when the human person will be free of any law or creed. We will defeat our enemies—the enemies of liberty and advancement. Thank you. May humankind bless America.”
Bennie closed the laptop, his face pale. “I think we’ve heard all we need to hear.” He turned to Kevin. “I recommend turning off all the computers in the communications room. I don’t want anyone tracing our IP address—they’ll be looking now.”
Her dad cleared his throat. “What about Davis and his men? Surely we can expect some help from them?”
“Security alerted me a little while ago that a fleet of military tanks and armored vehicles were descending upon the power plant. That wasn’t part of Davis’ plan.” Bennie cringed, likely considering Davis’ original intention of inducing a nuclear explosion. “I think it’s safe to say that Davis has his hands full at the moment.” Bennie glanced at Amanda, his eyebrows raised.
She returned the look with a feeble smile. God is in control here. We prayed that He would stop Davis from launching a nuclear fallout. And that seems to be the case. Though the current crises didn’t seem that much better. Had they exchanged a radioactive explosion for ruthless genocide?
“And our plans?” Nasir gave Bennie an inquiring look.
Bennie lifted his head. “We hold out hope to the very end. No one’s found us out yet.”
“But they’re going door-to-door!” someone cried.
Bennie shifted in his chair. “Our doors are locked, and as far as anyone knows, this place has been vacant for a long time. We’ll all stay here in the basement. Nasir, have the two sentries withdraw to inside the lobby; I don’t want anyone vulnerable outside right now. We’ll remain together and pray.”
“And die together!” Ethan scowled. “We stay here, and we’ll all die here! You know they’ll search this place. They’re uncovering every rock!”
“I’m not forcing anyone to stay who prefers to leave,” Bennie replied calmly.
Bennie began giving commands about further securing the hotel and bringing supplies to the basement.
Amanda’s dad stood up. “I’ll go close down the communications room. Boy, am I even more relieved Chiara got out. Just in time too.” He walked away, shaking his head.
Amanda watched Ethan pacing in front of her. “I guess that’s the best consolation here: Joe and Chiara got out alive.” She took a deep breath. “And now we … we know what’s going to happen. We can prepare to die.”
Ethan came to an abrupt halt. “Stop talking like that! It’s not over yet!”
“Ethan—”
“No!” He put a hand on each of her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Listen, Amanda. It’s not over. We’re going to make it through this, just like we have made it through everything else. And I have a plan.” His words came more and more quickly, his breathing rapid with excitement. “I’ve got it all figured out. After this is all over, the very first thing I’m going to do is buy that cabin in the woods—you know, the one where you and the others stayed. I’m going to redo the whole thing: put on some siding, fix the staircase, install new windows.”
Amanda stared at him, open-mouthed. “Since when do you know how to do those things?”
Ethan waved his hand. “Minor details. I’ll figure it out. But I’ll put in a skylight upstairs. We’ll convert that loft into an art studio for you, so you’ll have lots of natural light when you’re painting. You and I can live there in silence and solitude.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a city boy at heart?”
“I’ve had enough of cities. I’ll trade the pollution and blare of horns for some mountain air.” He held her hand. “We’ll make that cabin our home. And since you like making things official, we can do it formally—as husband and wife. That’s my plan.” He eyed her. “What do you say?”
She loved every part of the vision he painted for her. It was everything she could want, except … “What if that’s not God’s plan though?”
His face darkened. “Are you saying you don’t like my idea?”
“No!” She clutched his hand. “It’s wonderful. But you’re setting your hopes on something that will never happen. You talk of rebuilding the cabin, but that’s just a castle in the sky right now.”
“You don’t know that. Don’t underestimate me.”
“Just don’t build all your hopes and dreams on me.”
He swore. “Don’t you see? I need to have this dream! It’s what keeps me going! Promise me you’ll fight to the end. Don’t give up.”
She bit her lip and nodded.
Boom!
A loud noise like thunder came from outside. Everyone in the basement froze—waiting and listening with bated breath. Then came the sound of rapid gunfire from the distance.
Bennie’s mouth became a grim, tight line. “I fear things don’t bode well for Davis and his men.”
Amanda looked toward the staircase, twisting her fingers together. “I wish my dad would get back down here.”
“Just give him another minute.” Ethan sat down next to her and put an arm around her. “You know, I keep puzzling over something. I wonder who told the NCP about the military coup? Who ratted Davis out? It wasn’t any of us. Maybe someone on Davis’ own team? Or an outsider …?”
Amanda shrugged. “What’s it matter now?”
“Just curious, that’s all.”
Her dad returned, his brow wrinkled. “I peeked out the corner of the window. Lots of activity is going on at the nuclear plant. That’s where all the noise is coming from.”
“Better over there than here,” Ethan muttered.
The long day dragged on. Amanda tried not to focus on the fact that it was her final day: a futile attempt. She could think of nothing else to occupy her mind. Ethan and her dad urged her to sleep, but she couldn’t spare those precious moments—likely her last moments alive with them. On pins and needles at every moment, she imagined JPD officers storming the hotel, footsteps pounding down the stairs, the door flung open and gunfire exchanged, people’s bodies dropping to the floor … It could happen at any moment. It was just a moment of time until they arrived—a matter of when, not if.
The group began to pray. Bennie led them with his palms open, eyes closed, and face turned toward the ceiling. He seemed composed. Perhaps, with the weight of the nuclear attack off his shoulders, he had found peace. Or maybe he felt wildly anxious inside. She’d never know. Bennie would lead them right to the end, and he would model what he desired for them. He’d have peace, if only because he wanted to instill it in their hearts.
Then Bennie paused. He opened his eyes but still stared at the ceiling. In the silence, they detected it: footsteps running upstairs. The hairs on the back of Amanda’s neck rose and she tightened her shoulders. Ethan grabbed her hand and rested his other hand on the gun in the holster at his side.
Amanda strained her ears. It didn’t seem like a large group of people. Then she seemed to catch something else: crying … a female voice.
Bennie stood up and strode toward the door. He had his gun cocked and prepared to fire but motioned for the others to remain in place.
Two of their security men came through the door, gripping a tall, gaunt teenage girl, who sobbed. Through the mess of strands of flaxen hair, Amanda caught a glimpse of her face.
“Jade!”
Amanda rushed forward.
Jade stopped crying and looked up. She stared at Amanda with her large brown eyes, relief washing over her features.
“See!” Jade yanked her way free from the two opposition men. “I told you! I said Amanda, Joe, and Chiara know me!”
Bennie glanced at Amanda. “Is this a friend of yours?”
“Yeah.” Amanda gave Jade a wan smile. “Jade helped us find this hotel. She sheltered us and brought us food. So now we can return the favor, right?”
“Of course.” Bennie extended his hand to Jade. “Welcome, Jade. You are safe here.”
Jade’s eyes widened in fear. “No one’s safe.”
“What’s going on out there?” Bennie asked.
“Death. Death everywhere.” Jade slumped into the chair Amanda’s dad had brought over to her. “It’s like a kind of apocalypse out there. It’s completely insane. The JPD are roaming the streets. The officers are either drunk or high … maybe both. They are laughing, shouting, calling out insults. I saw them brutally attack a man who wasn’t registered as a member of the NCP. They beat him and chopped him apart with an ax, and then couldn’t stop laughing about it. There are bodies piled up in the streets. In the chaos, people are stealing and ravaging empty stores and homes. The Church of the Assumption in downtown Peekskill is in flames, even though it technically belongs to the NCP.”
“How’d you ever manage to get through?” Amanda hesitated. “And—and where’s Dawn?”
Jade looked at the floor. “Dawn’s dead. They shot her. The only reason I’m alive is because Carter hid me upstairs in the restaurant owner’s office. But I listened in on the JPD officers while they went through the restaurant. I heard them saying that someone had to be helping Dawn. Carter belongs to the NCP, so they weren’t going to shoot him. Not yet, anyway. They said they’d come back tonight and look again. So I figured I’d come here. I didn’t know if I’d find anyone left alive. I—I just didn’t want to die alone.”
Amanda swallowed. She had found this day so horrible, yet she had spent it in safety; meanwhile, Jade spent the day literally fighting for her life. “I’m so sorry to hear about Dawn.”
“Yeah.” Jade’s face grew long. She didn’t say anything else.
“Lord, have mercy.” Bennie swallowed heavily. “Lord, have mercy on us all.”
Amanda took a seat next to Jade. The young teenager appeared even skinnier, like a strong gust of wind could simply blow her away, but Amanda realized that looks could deceive. Jade had survived. The girl had a lot of grit.
Jade surveyed the room. “Where’s Joe and Chiara at?” Her forehead creased. “They aren’t—”
“Oh. No, no, they aren’t dead.” Amanda shook her head. “They left this morning actually, before any of this started. Chiara suffers from PTSD. She needed to get out of here.”
“They’re lucky they escaped.”
“Yeah … at least someone did.”
“And that someone else is going to be us too.” Ethan pulled a chair next to them, straddling it backwards and leaning toward Jade. “It sounds like you’re a resourceful individual. You managed to get here while the JPD is scouring the whole city.”
Jade eyed Ethan. “What’re you getting at?”
“You’re bright. You know this basement room offers us no escape route. This is a death chamber. Let’s figure out another plan. I’m not settling for this.”
Amanda touched his arm. “Ethan, you’re just grasping at straws …”
“No! You’re giving up, that’s what’s happening. And I won’t give up for either of us. We’ll make a way through this.” He turned to Jade. “You talked about this guy—Carter—who helped hide you. Who else do you know in Peekskill? Is there anyone else who might sympathize with us?”
“Anyone who helps us is risking his or her life,” Amanda said.
“Sure, but people will still do it.” Ethan folded his arms across his chest. “There has to be at least one person in Peekskill that we can guilt into hiding us, even if just for a day until we get another plan.”
Jade squinted. “There’s this one guy … but it’s a longshot. He worked nights at the grocery store. I’d hide around out back and he’d smuggle some food out to me—nothing much, but some old bread they’d throw out anyway.”
“Alright, we can work with that.” Ethan nodded. “Where’s he live?”
“Well, that’s the issue.” Jade pursed her lips. “We could get there in ten minutes or so on the bus, but it’ll be a long walk. And he’s got kids, so—”
“No, forget it. We can’t afford a ten-plus minute walk. That’s way too dangerous.” Ethan squared his jaw. “Keep thinking. There’s got to be someone else. There has to be.”
Jade scowled. “It’s not like I haven’t thought about this, you know. If there was some good option, don’t you think I would’ve done it already instead of risking my neck to show up here?”
Ethan nodded. “Right, you’re right. But we’ve got to reassess things. This is inevitable death, so anything that has even a glimmer of a chance at success is worth the risk. You’ve got to weigh all the opportunity costs.”
“The what? I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“Forget it. Just think of somewhere we can go. It’s got to be within a five-minute walking radius.”
Jade paused. “I’ve got something, but it’s a real stretch.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“There’s this old woman who lives down the street a bit, on this side of the highway.”
“You know her?”
“No. I walked by her house once last summer when she was out watering her flowers. I’ve never actually talked to her.”
“This doesn’t sound like much to go on,” Amanda said.
“What makes you think she’d take pity on us?” Ethan asked, ignoring Amanda’s comment.
“I saw her bend over when she went to pull a weed. When she leaned forward, her necklace dangled out of her shirt and I saw a cross. She saw me looking at her and then tucked it back underneath her collar. That’s all I know about her.”
Ethan’s eyes lit up. “That’s enough. Any Christian worth the name wouldn’t turn us away. We’ve got her cornered. She’s got to help us!”
“The JPD will search her home, just like every other place in Peekskill. We might just delay the inevitable,” Amanda said.
“It’s worth the shot,” Amanda’s dad said.
She spun around, unaware that her dad stood behind her. He clenched his fists and looked at her with wide eyes.
“I’m with Ethan,” her dad continued. “I’ll do whatever I can to protect you, Amanda. It’s worth any risk.”
Ethan stood up. “Then we’re all in agreement with the plan.”
“I don’t remember agreeing …” Amanda muttered under her breath. Death here or there? It’s the same miserable end.
“Dontcha think we should wait till dark?” Amanda’s dad shifted his weight from side to side. “That would give us better cover.”
Jade grimaced. “I don’t think we have that long.”
“Jade escaped by day. We’ll do the same.” Ethan squared his shoulders. “Bennie!” He waved, gesturing for Bennie to come over.
Bennie noticed and approached. “Everything okay, guys?”
“You said we could leave if we wish. We’re going now—the four of us.” Ethan swept his hand from left to right, indicating Kevin, Amanda, Jade, and himself.
Bennie peered at Jade. “You just got here. You want to leave so soon?”
Jade swallowed. “The only person I know here is Amanda. If she goes, I’ll go too. Like I said, I don’t want to die alone.”
“You’re never alone. None of us are alone, especially now, when we are facing the most difficult test of all. Don’t forget that.” Bennie took a deep breath, looking at each of them in turn. “God go with you. I’ll miss you.”
He and Kevin clapped each other on the back, then he exchanged a handshake with Ethan.
Amanda stood up, her legs shaking and stomach queasy. Another goodbye. How could she keep doing this … again and again? Why couldn’t the JPD get here already and end it all instead of putting her through this horrifying agony?
“None of this is outside of God’s perfect plan,” Bennie said to her. “He wants the best for us. He will never abandon His children. Do you believe that?”
“I … yeah, I believe that.”
Bennie hugged her and whispered in her ear, “Perhaps, by the end of the day, we’ll all be together again in Paradise.”
Amanda pressed her lips together and nodded. But her heart felt cold.
They said their goodbyes to the other members of the opposition. Amanda floated through the actions like a dream that was really a nightmare. She walked on legs that seemed disconnected from her body.
Her dad led them upstairs, but Ethan stopped her on the stair landing. “What about your book bag? You’re forgetting it. Do you want me to run to your room and grab it before we leave?”
Amanda shook her head. “Why bother? It just has some paint supplies. I won’t need those where I’m going.”
Ethan shrugged and kept walking. “That’s true. You probably won’t paint while in hiding, and anyway, you can always buy new ones later on.”
She didn’t reply. He hadn’t understood. She entered this world empty-handed and that’s how she would soon leave it.
They walked down the empty, dark hallway toward the side door where they had said goodbye to Joe and Chiara mere hours ago.
Amanda’s dad, flat against the wall, carefully peeked out the window. “Coast looks clear. Jade, you and I should go first. You know the way, and I can cover you.” He pulled out his gun and then glanced at Amanda and Ethan. “You two stick right behind us. If anything happens, you must keep going.” He stepped closer to Amanda, his face ashen and voice ragged. “Promise me that: keep going. Don’t stop for anything.”
“I promise.” She hugged him, her throat thick with emotion. “I love you, Dad. Be careful.”
“I love you, Amanda. Always did, always will.”
He placed one hand on the door.
“Wait! Just—just give us a second.” Amanda swallowed, pulling Ethan back a little bit from the others, her hand clammy with sweat.
Ethan looked at her with concern. “What is it? Everything okay?”
She stared into his hazel eyes. He didn’t know this was goodbye. “I—I want you to know …” Her breath shook and words trembled. Stifling a cry, she threw her arms around his neck. “I love you! I love you so much!”
He clutched her close. “I love you.”
They kissed as her tears mingled and flowed down her cheeks, wetting their touched lips.
“But hey …” He pulled the cuff of his shirt over his fist and dried her tears. “We got this. Don’t worry; I’m here.”
“Don’t ever forget, okay?” She wrung her hands. “No matter what happens, don’t forget that I love you.”
“How could I forget that? It’s the only thing that matters.” He grasped her hand and they walked back to her dad and Jade.
They left the hotel—the first time in more than a month. She felt the warm April breeze on her face, greeting her. It seemed hard to believe that a massive slaughter could happen on such a promising day, with the chirping of birds and the blossoming of buds on trees: springtime’s new life as man murdered fellow man.
No vehicle passed on the road before them. They saw no one in the hotel parking lot or across the street at the park adjacent to the river. Even the power plant, looming in the near distance, remained silent—not a single shot of gunfire.
They dashed across the vacant parking lot and, once on the road, ran east toward downtown, though their destination—according to Jade—was just a few minutes away. No one spoke; only their pounding feet and labored breathing made any noise. It’s too silent. Something’s wrong.
From high in the air came a piercing, shrill whistle … a second of quiet … and then a sudden boom like thunder. A massive crumbling, crashing noise came from behind them as the four of them tumbled to the ground. Amanda glanced over her shoulder. The whole front right of the hotel building had disappeared in a blaze of fire and plumes of dark gray smoke. Then she looked further back and there, at the top of the road leading to the power plant, sat a tank, its smoking gun pointed exactly in their direction.
Another whistle—BOOM! Falling debris, shattered glass, dust, and fire all came from the remnants of the next corner of the hotel. Amanda thought of Bennie, Nasir, and the others all sheltered in the basement … now dead?
Ethan shook her arm, mouthing the words, “Go!”
She rose, shaking all over, and followed her dad and Jade, clamoring up the street in a frantic sprint to safety. Her eardrums buzzed with the noise of the falling artillery. They had no cover here, no place to hide, just an open road and four escapees, fleeing. This was a kill zone.
God, help us!
Now the thunder seemed to rain all around them, fountains of asphalt and dirt rising into the air as the tank’s machine gun got to work. The incessant firing drowned out any other noise, any rational thought. Amanda could barely see through the smoke and clouds of dust. She lost sight of her dad and Jade; only Ethan stayed at her side.
The ground shook with an explosion, very near—too near. She toppled to the ground, slamming into the roadway, her diaphragm compressed like someone had his fist clenched around it—squeezing, squeezing … she could barely breathe. Her mind went black for a moment and when she reopened her eyes, she couldn’t see the sunlight through the fog of destruction.
Dad said to keep going. I promised to keep going.
Wheezing, she rose to all fours and forced herself to her feet. She stumbled, half-blind, half-deaf, not knowing where to head. Then she saw his shoes … Ethan’s shoes, motionless on the road. Her heart in her mouth, she wiped ashes from her eyes, trying to see better. Ethan lay face-down, unmoving. A kind of shock came over her, an all-consuming panic.
“Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!”
Her mouth moved, but she couldn’t hear her own scream above the noise of the tank’s fire. She clumsily moved toward Ethan. He can’t be dead! I’m the one who was supposed to die—not him!
She never reached him.
A JPD officer appeared through the smoke, a gun in his hand pointed at her heart. “Drop your weapon! Stand with your hands over your head! You’re under arrest!”