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Old Yeller chugged into Nashville after dawn. I stretched and yawned, my neck stiff from resting in the crook of Will’s shoulder for the few hours I’d managed to sleep. Will stirred and jolted upright, orienting himself and peering out between the curtains. He pulled down the glass, exposing us to a warm breeze that rushed in through the top half of the window. I leaned past him to look out.
A street sign at Broadway and 20thzipped by. Nashville, a mecca for artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs, had fared better than most cities I’d seen. At least the main road was in decent shape and the rows of buildings on either side, though old and in need of repair, appeared habitable and occupied. The telltale signs of ruin were absent from the neat, welcoming storefronts, many already open for business. The smell of baked goods and grits wafted through the window and my stomach grumbled.
“I wonder where Dalton is taking us,” I said quietly. I didn’t want to wake the whole bus by shouting to our driver, whose eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, staring like the dead—obviously exhausted from driving through the night. Maia lay stretched across the seat behind Dalton, fast asleep.
“Hopefully, he’s taking us somewhere we can grab some food and clean up.” Self-consciously, Will leaned away from me. “I must smell like a goat.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” I replied, my nose twitching. His earthy scent, more potent than usual, held a certain appeal. I stifled a giggle and reined in my thoughts. “Breakfast sounds good.”
After having expended significant healing energy in the past few days, my body was definitely in need of food and rest. Unlike Will, I’d been lucky enough to have a rejuvenating hot bath the night before and had found a clean set of well-fitting clothes in the closet at Dalton’s safe house—not to mention partaking of the feast Maia had prepared.
Even with only a few hours rest, I was surprised at how quickly I was recovering. Healings that once would have taken their toll, now required only minor adjustments to my routine. A quick nap or a solid meal seemed to do the trick. I glanced back at Neri over the seats, catching the top of her red hair and the tired sapphire blue eyes which stared blankly out the window. She turned her gaze on me and then a crack of a smile appeared and she glanced away again, as if she had a secret and didn’t want me to find it in her eyes. I turned to face front, shaking the questions flooding my mind.
Maybe she had the answers I was searching for. About my ability, about the connection I felt to this girl I’d barely had a conversation with, and why she was so obviously blocking me out. If she let down the wall she’d slammed into place when we first met, I thought I might be able to see right into her heart and soul—and she into mine. I was anxious to test the strength of her ability and to reach out to the child she was carrying. Will drew my attention with a squeeze of my hand.
“You seem kind of worried.”
“I’m okay,” I half lied. Although my turbulent emotions were nearing a breaking point, and the questions swimming in my head weighed like stones, the warmth of his hand on mine and the press of his shoulder against me infused me with a certain peacefulness I couldn’t describe. I let go of my concerns about Neri’s unborn child and focused on the fact that we were all alive and one step closer to safety.
Sun streamed in through the cracks between the curtains and the bus was awash with a golden glow. Each in turn, our companions awoke, all asking questions about where we were, when we’d be stopping, and what was to eat.
Dalton called over his shoulder. “Settle down everyone. We’re almost there.”
I peered out the window past Will again, noticing light traffic cruising past us. Cars, most of which appeared to be solar powered, zipped by. It was bad enough that the big yellow bus stood out for its psychedelic artwork, but the smell of diesel fumes pinned us as diehard radicals still living in the fossil fuel age. Dalton stayed in the slow lane, giving me a good view of what appeared to be the downtown area. We passed the huge Bridgestone Arena, a place called Ryman Auditorium, and a pub called the Brew House, people staggering out as if they’d been up all night. Dalton took a side street and wound past several other saloons and some tattoo parlors before turning into a parking lot in front of the Johnny Cash Museum.
“I need y’all to wait here,” Dalton said. He tugged the big lever to open the door and rose to leave, Maia at his heels.
I jumped up. “I’m going with you.” Will slid out of the seat and stood behind me.
Dalton shook his head and glared at Will, his tone condescending. “Let me guess. If she’s going, you’re going, right?”
I sensed Will straighten his shoulders behind me as he stood taller, his chest suddenly inches broader at my back. “Right. You got a problem with that?”
His protectiveness might have bothered me only weeks before, but I was so happy to have him with me, overlooking his alpha response was a small price to pay and I couldn’t ignore the warm fuzzy sensation bubbling up inside. Dalton glanced at me, then looked past Will to the others.
“Anyone else feel the need to chaperone me?” Dalton’s hard gaze and chilly tone had everyone, including Garnet—who seemed ready to argue—sitting quietly with mouths closed.
I followed Dalton off the bus and fell in behind Maia as we entered through the side door of the museum, Will at my back. The place was eerily quiet and I felt like we’d stepped back in time. Old photos of a man all dressed in black hung on the walls from floor to ceiling, his dark, slicked-back hair and rugged face peering back at me at every turn. Cases with memorabilia and personal artifacts encompassed a large, round, open space. Dalton led us straight toward a back room, giving me no opportunity to take in the history of the legend. We walked down a hall and into a room that appeared to be a recording studio, speakers set up in the corners and microphone stands huddled along one wall.
A man sat at a large panel of buttons, switches, and levers, his ears covered by large headphones. His eyes were closed, his head bobbing as if he were in another world. Dalton grinned and tapped the man on the shoulder.
Long hair flying, he spun around, eyes wide as he tore off the headphones and jumped out of his chair.
“Dalton?” In the next instant, the two men were in a bear hug, pounding each other’s backs. “I thought you were dead, man.”
Dalton chuckled. “There’s a lot of that goin’ around.”
After a quick rundown, Dalton introduced us. “This is Jimmy.” He gave the man, whose tired, deep brown eyes and long wavy hair made him look like an old rock star, another pat on the shoulder. “We go back a long way, don’t we, Jimmy?”
“You were the best guitarist around. Those were the days, huh, man? You should have stayed and rocked the Nashville scene. But nooo—you had to go off and join the army.” Jimmy tossed a fake punch to Dalton’s ribs and the two exchanged a couple of rounds back and forth, both grinning like teenage boys. The two settled down a moment later and Jimmy pushed his hair back out of his face. “What’s going on?”
“We need a place to crash,” replied Dalton, his tone growing serious.
“Shouldn’t be a problem with only three of you.”
“Um...more like eleven,” I said.
Jimmy glanced from me to Dalton. “She for real?” A shrug and a nod from Dalton had Jimmy shaking his head. “Let me make a few calls and see what I can do.”
∞∞∞
An hour later, after we’d said good-bye to Jimmy, we picked up food supplies at a local market. Dalton insisted on trading in gems to avoid notice of the wad of government bills Tyler offered. Then we were back on the road. Another bus ride along Broadway took us past clothing markets, cafés, bars, and storefronts. Most would be empty during the heat of the day, but early morning had crowded sidewalks and street performers on every corner. If the situation hadn’t been so dire, I would have liked to stop and enjoy the city. Instead, we picked up speed as we drove away from the bustle of Nashville.
It was midmorning before we pulled onto a long dirt road and approached an old plantation house with several outbuildings and barns, a tree swing in the front yard, and a large sign hanging above a vine-covered archway. The gilded wooden sign read, Welcome to Belle Rosa Plantation. The place was much larger than Dalton’s home in Memphis but had the same pillared columns that marked the era.
As the bus pulled around to the back of the old mansion and into a large barn, completely hidden from view, I blew out a sigh of relief. So far it seemed no one was on our trail and that for now at least, we were safe. A weight was lifted knowing Dalton had things under control and Will was here to help.
Everyone shuffled off the bus, glad to stretch their legs and anxious to get settled into their temporary housing. Met by an elderly man—probably in his sixties, with a thick head of gray hair and kind, green eyes—I was taken aback by how cool the barn was. In spite of the heat of midday in the South—the late July sun already approaching its peak in the sky—the interior of the massive barn was cool and dry. The whir of an solar-electric fan nearby caught my ear.
Dalton shook hands with the man and introduced himself.
The man surveyed our ragged crew, Garnet the only one who had bothered to run a brush through her hair. He rubbed the back of his neck and then reached out to take Dalton’s hand.
“Name’s Cooper. You can call me Coop.” The caretaker dug into a back pocket and pulled out a key ring, overrun and jangling with antique metal keys. “You’ll have to bunk in the workers’ quarters. It might be tight with all the other help living there too, but the Mrs. has cleared out a few rooms for you. The main house is full up.” Taking in the iridescent green of my eyes, his gaze narrowed in. “You Sam’s girl?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I heard what happened up north. Sam’s a good man. I hope he made it out.” His voice faded and then he cleared his throat. “The colonel and some of his men are on their way to help.” He glanced at Dalton. “I can’t have you stay more than a couple of days, or you’ll draw too much attention. As it is, you’re going to need to keep a low profile. My workers will stay out of your way, but we have guests and visitors in and out of the main buildings all day long. We don’t want them asking any questions, right?” He smiled, a grin marred only by a thin white scar through his top lip.
We followed through the barn, past a large horse stable where several men were leading the horses inside to get them out of the sun. A row of greenhouses edged a drive, with farm workers hustling in and out carrying baskets of produce. We filed along behind Mr. Cooper, who walked with a slight limp, I noted, his knee and ankle moving as one unit. After careful observation, I realized he had an artificial limb.
Before I could ponder the possibilities of how he’d lost a leg, Neri came up beside me, her hand resting on her belly. From the size of the small mound, I suspected she was about six months along.
“We haven’t had much chance to talk.” Her long red hair hung in waves around her face, which was pale and freckled. I suspected todays was the most sun she’d seen in ages. Her deep-set eyes shone brightly in the dappled sunlight as we crossed a tree-lined path. “I’d like to speak to you in private, though.”
“Maybe you and I can share a room.” I smiled, trying to be friendly, but feeling awkward. “Of course, Garnet and Maia will probably be with us.”
“I don’t mind. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around girls my own age.”
I slowed down and let the others pass by, explaining about Maia’s inability to speak.
“It makes me sick how cruel humans can be to one another,” said Neri, her gaze following Maia who was, as usual, at Dalton’s heels. Neri’s eyes had lost their sparkle.
“How long were you at the research facility?” I asked in a hushed tone, immediately regretting bringing up the obviously painful subject.
Her step faltered, a root sticking up from the ground catching her toe. I grabbed for her arm and she recovered, the moment of connection allowing me a glimpse past her wall. A sense of dread and helplessness washed over me and I knew in that moment what she had experienced at the hands of Marcus and the claim he thought he had over her. A shiver ran up my neck and down my arms as our eyes met.
“Two years, four months, and twenty-three days,” she answered without hesitation. Our eyes locked and we both fell into silence as the group passed another outbuilding. When she spoke again, there was a detached tone to her voice. “My parents died and I had no one to...” She stopped herself. “Sorry. You don’t need to hear all this. We can talk about it later. I’m more interested in you.”
Surprised, but happy to let the awkward discussion go, I cocked my head sideways to catch her smiling again.
“What do you want to know?”
“When did you first figure it out?”
“My ability to heal?” I shook my head. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve never had a cut or a bruise that didn’t heal almost spontaneously. It was only a matter of time before I realized no one else around me could do it. Eventually, I discovered how to extend my life force energy through my hands and into other people.”
“You’ve become stronger as you’ve gotten older, but you don’t fully understand the limitations of your gift, am I right?” She eyed me sideways, a curious gleam meeting my shocked expression.
“How did you know?”
“It was the same for me, but my parents were open about my gift right from the beginning. Their life’s mission was to teach me to use and channel my abilities to help people. They were part of your mother’s research project during the time of the outbreak. Both were doctors in the EVO program, and when your mother had such successful results with you, my mom volunteered to be a test subject. A year later, when the Industry took over, my parents escaped with me. We lived in seclusion on a farm in Indiana, but by the time I turned thirteen, my abilities became too strong to hide any longer and word spread about my existence. It didn’t take long for the Industry agents to find us.” She dropped her gaze to her feet.
We had fallen far behind the others who were entering what appeared to be the workers’ quarters, a plain stone building with small curtained windows lined up in a long row.
I stopped and turned to face her. “Is that when your parents were killed?”
“They were just trying to protect me.” Tears welled in her wide, glassy blue eyes as she nodded and dropped her gaze to her feet. I rested a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Neri. I understand how you feel. I hid while they killed my father. The worst part was that even with my ability to heal, there was nothing I could do to save him.” I swallowed past the salty lump that formed in my throat, lowered my hand, and my words turned to acid. “The Industry’s meddling in my mother’s experiments is what caused her death.”
Neri sighed and resumed walking, her hands resting on her lower back. “And that left you to take care of Zeph. It must have been hard—especially with his ability.” From the smile that curved her lips, I could sense the fondness she had for my brother. “He’s not just a killer, you know. He’s actually very sweet.”
“I know.” My tone sounded defensive, but in truth, it was a relief to have someone else acknowledge my brother’s goodness. Despite his loathsome ability to kill with a simple touch of his hand, Zeph was smart, funny, kind, and loyal. My heart ached for missing him and I couldn’t help but worry that whatever he was thinking when he stayed behind at Industry headquarters, he had a plan to make things right.
Neri met my gaze with a determined look, and smiled in spite of the sadness in her eyes. “I guess the only thing we can do now is honor our parents by helping to bring their murderers to justice and by living up to the dream they had for us.”
I nodded, my own determination settling in. “I intend to do both.”
