and cleared, assimilated and trained. But this was different. These folks were immune somehow. Carriers, most likely, and dangerous as hell. It was the agreed-upon policy to exterminate them because they posed an incredible risk to society at large, and Harding knew Gordon would push for immediate disposal. It wasn’t that simple, though; these were people. Was it humane to gas them? That was the plan. He pondered how to bargain for more time; he needed to know what was going on out there. “I’ve got something you want,” she’d said . Harding hoped to hell she broke soon, because he wasn’t sure how long he could hold Gordon off from pressing the button. Christ, they have a pregnant woman with them too. He picked up his pile of papers and headed for the door, looking back through the safety glass at the steel chair where the woman had sat. He looked behind his seat at what she was trying to focus on earlier, and then had an idea. He let the heavy door slam shut as he exited.
Chapter 14 The Prisoners
Clarisse walked through the door as the guard halted her from behind. He snipped the PlastiCuffs free from her wrists and then nudged her forward before slamming the door shut again.
Addy ran to her side. “Clarry!” she said in a broken, scared voice.
“I’m fine,” she signed, and then pressed the girl to her side in a warm embrace. Tala approached next. “What did they want?”
“They don’t know what they’re doing,” she whispered. “But remember, this place could be bugged. Have they brought any rations?”
Tala shook her head.
“They just want to know who we are and what we’re doing here. They told me more about them in the past hour than I’ll ever tell them. They’re susceptible. They’re military. And they’re clueless. Which makes them dangerous to themselves and to us,” she confided.
“Are the guys okay?”
“I think so, but I don’t know for sure,” she said.
“What are we going to do?”
“We have water from the bathroom faucet. If they don’t bring rations by tomorrow, I’ll raise hell. How’s Macy doing?”
Tala looked across the dimly lit room to the cot where they’d placed an unconscious Macy upon arrival. “She hasn’t woken up yet, but her breathing’s fine.”
Clarisse shook her head. “Thank God. We could have easily lost her and McCann both in that struggle. Soon as I get my hands on that boy I’m going to strangle him—after I hug him, that is.”
“She saved his life. They almost made it into the woods. Had she not jumped in between him and the guard, he’d be dead for sure.”
“I was too far forward. I didn’t see what happened. I only heard the gunshot after the struggle,” Clarisse said.
“Well, McCann had Macy out of the truck and they were headed for the woods when the guards confronted them. McCann, of course, wasn’t going to comply and instead attacked the guards. Then Macy got in between them and then, well, the gunshot went off after Sheriff came to Macy’s aid.”
“Oh my God. Where’s Sheriff? Was he shot?”
Tala was crying then. She pulled her hands up to her mouth to keep from sobbing and shook her head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t see that far in the dark.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Clarisse said, hugging her friend.
“What am I going to tell Macy when she wakes up?” Tala whispered. “It’ll kill her!”
Clarisse pulled herself away. “Look. We’re lucky she wasn’t shot. She just has a concussion, as far as I can tell. As for Sheriff, maybe she already knows. She was the only real witness besides McCann.” She paused. “Maybe the guard missed, or it was intended as an attention-getter, a warning. We can’t worry about Sheriff right now.”
“Where are the other dogs?” Tala asked
“Lucy said the guard told her to leave them in the cab as she got out, but they ran off after the commotion.”
“They’re still out there?”
“I don’t know.” Clarisse shrugged. “I’m sure by
Chapter 14 The Prisoners
Clarisse walked through the door as the guard halted her from behind. He snipped the PlastiCuffs free from her wrists and then nudged her forward before slamming the door shut again.
Addy ran to her side. “Clarry!” she said in a broken, scared voice.
“I’m fine,” she signed, and then pressed the girl to her side in a warm embrace. Tala approached next. “What did they want?”
“They don’t know what they’re doing,” she whispered. “But remember, this place could be bugged. Have they brought any rations?”
Tala shook her head.
“They just want to know who we are and what we’re doing here. They told me more about them in the past hour than I’ll ever tell them. They’re susceptible. They’re military. And they’re clueless. Which makes them dangerous to themselves and to us,” she confided.
“Are the guys okay?”
“I think so, but I don’t know for sure,” she said.
“What are we going to do?”
“We have water from the bathroom faucet. If they don’t bring rations by tomorrow, I’ll raise hell. How’s Macy doing?”
Tala looked across the dimly lit room to the cot where they’d placed an unconscious Macy upon arrival. “She hasn’t woken up yet, but her breathing’s fine.”
Clarisse shook her head. “Thank God. We could have easily lost her and McCann both in that struggle. Soon as I get my hands on that boy I’m going to strangle him—after I hug him, that is.”
“She saved his life. They almost made it into the woods. Had she not jumped in between him and the guard, he’d be dead for sure.”
“I was too far forward. I didn’t see what happened. I only heard the gunshot after the struggle,” Clarisse said.
“Well, McCann had Macy out of the truck and they were headed for the woods when the guards confronted them. McCann, of course, wasn’t going to comply and instead attacked the guards. Then Macy got in between them and then, well, the gunshot went off after Sheriff came to Macy’s aid.”
“Oh my God. Where’s Sheriff? Was he shot?”
Tala was crying then. She pulled her hands up to her mouth to keep from sobbing and shook her head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t see that far in the dark.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Clarisse said, hugging her friend.
“What am I going to tell Macy when she wakes up?” Tala whispered. “It’ll kill her!”
Clarisse pulled herself away. “Look. We’re lucky she wasn’t shot. She just has a concussion, as far as I can tell. As for Sheriff, maybe she already knows. She was the only real witness besides McCann.” She paused. “Maybe the guard missed, or it was intended as an attention-getter, a warning. We can’t worry about Sheriff right now.”
“Where are the other dogs?” Tala asked
“Lucy said the guard told her to leave them in the cab as she got out, but they ran off after the commotion.”
“They’re still out there?”
“I don’t know.” Clarisse shrugged. “I’m sure by
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