“So it’s Jade, Rey, and Cain?” I asked.
Grudge nodded. “And whoever else joined them. Most of Char’s Raiders and all of Marcus’s Exiles stuck to their leaders. Boss Dragon fell early in the fighting, and I don’t know if any of his men made it. They were holding their own for a while on fourteen. This…” Grudge motioned back, indicating the four men with him, “is the last of the Suns. They’ve chased us up this far, and…”
Grudge paused, unable to find his words. He closed his eyes, as if he were falling asleep.
“Have you slept since the fighting started?” Makara asked.
Grudge quickly came to, shaking his head. “No. No, I can’t sleep.”
“How dangerous are the lower levels?” Samuel asked.
“Thick with resistance,” Damian said, answering for Grudge. “This floor should be clear, now.”
“We need a home base,” Samuel said. “It will take too long, and be far too dangerous, for us to go around rescuing every group. We need them to come to us.”
“I think you’re right,” Makara said. “The Command Center should work. We need to stock up with as much food and water as we can find. Anyone know where we might find that?”
Lionel answered. “Most of the kitchens have been cleaned out. We found some cans up on level three.”
“What about water?”
“They have pumps on the bottom level,” Grudge said. “Can’t imagine how much longer they can run without power. The taps work fine, though. They just haven’t been used in fifteen years.”
“We have the power back online,” Samuel said. “It’s all backup, so there’s no telling how long it will last. Hopefully, long enough to take control of the Bunker.”
“We need to make an announcement from the Command Center,” Makara said. “They need to know that we’re back, and if we can get enough people, we can take the fight to the Lords.”
“If we go to the Command Center, wouldn’t the Lords know where to attack us?” I asked.
“Let them try,” Makara said. “They’ll be fighting on our turf, and it won’t be easy for them to approach when we have cameras watching.”
“A lot of Angels would have to fight against Lords to even make it to the Command Center,” Damian said. “And not everyone who got out is a fighter. There were women and children, too.”
“That’s where Ashton comes in,” Makara said. “He can pick up any Angels who can make their way outside. It would be easier to just head outside rather than fight through the Lords’ positions. Ashton can ferry groups to the Bunker entrance at the top. From there, they can head down to the Command Center.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” I said.
“We heading up?” Grudge asked.
Makara nodded. “Yeah. Let’s get to the Command Center and I’ll get Ashton on the line.”
We found a stairwell and made our way up. Before we reached the stairs, we heard voices drifting down the hallway. As we raised our guns, four Angels walked around the corner. It was clear they were surprised to see Makara, Samuel, and the rest of us alive and well. I recognized one of these men, Nathan, who was an Exile. He seemed to be leading the other three men.
“Makara!” he said. “You’re alive.”
“Good to see you, Nathan,” she said. “Any news of Marcus?”
He shook his head. “They got him and Char on level one.”
“They’re not dead?”
“They might be,” Nathan said. “He and Char stayed behind to fight, even as they told us to run. Haven’t seen them since.”
“Alright,” Makara said. “We’re heading up to the Command Center. Is there anyone else on this floor?”
“We’re the only ones on this level.”
So far, everyone in the inner circle that had stayed in Bunker 84 was unaccounted for. We had no idea whether Char, Marcus, Ruth, or Lauren were still alive.
We walked the rest of the way to the Command Center without incident.
Makara nodded to Lionel. “Take a few of your men and post a guard.”
Lionel nodded. “On it.”
While Lionel left with a few fighters in tow, Samuel opened communications with Perseus.
“Ashton?” Makara asked, once the line was open. “Ashton, you read?”
It was a moment before Ashton’s familiar voice came through the speaker. “Makara! Everyone alright down there?”
“It’s rough,” she said. “We’ve found some Angels but a lot of our people are still missing. This is going to be a long fight.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Have you seen the north face of the mountain?”
Ashton paused. “No. Haven’t flown out that way.”
“Well, you might be surprised by what you see. A nuke must have hit it back when the Bunker fell. There are lots of openings leading out of the Bunker.”
“Alright,” Ashton said. “Where are you going with this?”
“We’ve restored power, which means we should be able to make an announcement to the whole Bunker: telling any Angel who can, to go outside.”
“And you want me to pick them up?”
“That’s right. As soon as you see anyone, pick them up and land them by the entrance. From there, they can walk down to the Command Center on level three.”
“What about our people at the bottom, though?” Ashton asked.
Makara sighed. “They’ll have to hold on a while longer. The goal is to gather as many as we can and put weapons in their hands.”
“When are you planning on moving?”
“We’ll be making the announcement soon. Stand by for further orders.”
“Copy that,” Ashton said.
Chapter 12
“It’s set,” Samuel said.
“Citizens of Bunker 84,” Makara said, pausing for a moment. “This is Makara. Yeah, I’m alive, and no, this isn’t a trick. We’ve restored power and the Angels’ numbers are swelling by the hour. If you’re an Angel and you’re hearing this, make your way to the Command Center on level three. If you can’t make it there safely, go outside. Dr. Ashton will see that you’re brought safely here.”
Makara looked at Samuel, as if for confirmation. Samuel gave a thumbs up. Makara went on speaking.
“Things have changed drastically on the outside. The Great Blight is about to annihilate us all. Oasis has fallen, and Los Angeles will go soon. The Empire and the Reapers are no longer allies — they are enemies. They fight in the ruins of L.A. even as death presses in from the east. This is my message to Jade and the Lords: the only way you will survive this is if you lay down your arms and negotiate peace. If you do so in the next six hours, your lives will be spared.
“You were all Angels, once. I’m going to attempt a chance at reconciliation. I understand how panic might have led some to make a stupid decision — a decision you now regret. That’s why I’m giving you this chance. I invite Jade, Rey, and Cain to the Command Center to parley. You have my word that you won’t be killed.
“If you choose to continue this senseless war, you will lose. We have a spaceship and have unlimited access to resources. Starvation is no longer an issue. From the Command Center, we can cut off your power. Maybe you have backup generators you’ve been using to get by, but they won’t last. We don’t have time for this war. Augustus in Los Angeles needs our help.”
Makara paused a moment for her words to sink in.
“Angels: make your way upstairs or outside. Lords: you have six hours, starting now.”
With that, she cut out.
Makara sent a heavily armed patrol to assist any Angels making their way upstairs.