“What?”
“He went west. Rantoul is north. What do you want to do?” Trey asked.
“Go to Rantoul. We can find out where he went from them.”
“How do you know it’s even viable?”
“Trust me,” Maggie got in the buggy. “It’s viable.”
John cupped both his hands over Nora’s as he guided her in using the short arrow handgun that he acquired on the road.
“It doesn’t shoot like a crossbow,” Nora said. “I can shoot one of those.”
“No it doesn’t. It’s much lighter.”
“I’m missing my target every time.”
“It’s surprisingly accurate,” John told her, “once you learn how to aim. Our big friend can shoot these blindfolded.”
“I’m curious as to how he does with the spears he has.”
“I’m willing to bet Ninja assassins have nothing on him. Now try.’
Nora lifted the weapon.
“No. You’re shooting like a revolver. Your line of sight is lower.”
“Why is that?” Nora asked.
John scoffed. “How the hell do I know? I didn’t design these…”
“John!” Hunter called out loud and sternly, then whistled and pointed. “Friend.”
“Malcolm?” John looked at Nora.
Then Hunter said, “Many. They have big vehicle. Getting in it. Driving here.”
“Is it Salvation?” John asked.
“No, friend. Cole.”
John’s eyes widened. “Dr. Cole. They must have gotten to Rantoul and learned of our destination. Wonderful.”
“Who is Dr. Cole?” Nora asked.
“Part of the group we met in DC.”
With Nora they hurried to the gate. Jason, Blake, and Meredith joined together and they excitedly opened the gate.
The large box vehicle pulled closer and stopped.
John expected Cole to step out with the few others from the DC site. He didn’t expect not only for Malcolm to be the driver, but Marilee to be there as well.
As if she saw a long lost friend, Nora blasted her way to Malcolm. She embraced him tightly. “Oh, God, you’re safe.”
“Yes. So are you.”
Instantly, Malcolm was overwhelmed with greetings.
Nora backed up making room for the others to say hello. “Where’s Amy?”
“Amy passed away early on. She was killed.”
Nora lowered her head. “I’m sorry. So was Grant.” When she raised her eyes she saw Marilee. “What is she…?”
Malcolm held up his hand. “I’ll explain all that. Can we just get inside please? More than you realize,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
“Go?” Jason asked. “Go where?”
“I believe,” John said. “Malcolm is pretty much saying we should run.”
“I gather that too,” Jason said. “Considering he said we need to go.”
Meredith asked. “Is Salvation that bad? I mean, Nora’s husband is there.”
“Rick is alive and fine he just wanted to know that you were,” Malcolm told Nora. “He’s also remarried.”
“Ouch,” said John. “Could you have any less tact?”
“We don’t have time for tact.” Malcolm said strong. “We don’t. It won’t be long before they find us.”
Nora spoke up. “We know that there are things questionable out here. Salvation raided Rantoul. Took their children and killed some of the residents.”
Malcolm shifted his eyes to Marilee then back to the group. “Listen to me. Salvation will always say they have a good reason for what they do outside their wall.”
“So it’s that bad inside?” Jason asked.
“Inside it is a clinical, sterile, and perfect utopia, where all your medical and daily needs are met. They tell you what to do, where to go and what job to have.”
John gasped with sarcasm. “Sounds like hell.”
Malcolm grunted. “We are the enemy. To them, those of us frozen were part of the conspiracy to release the virus. Guilt by association. There is no court system it’s a panel of people. There are no jails, its execution. The only choice is how they execute you. Our best case scenario is they get us, they try us, and hang us.”
“Worst?” Meredith asked.
“Shoot us on sight. I didn’t know we were the enemy until I went out to help them find the other Genesis labs. The one in Texas. No one had come out of stasis and they terminated them all…”
“Killed them all?” Meredith asked.
Malcolm nodded.
Hunter finally spoke up. “How many from Salvation will come?”
Malcolm started to answer, but since it was the first time he actually looked at Hunter, he stammered. “Um, uh, a lot.”
“East.” Hunter said. “We go east. No one goes east.”
“Before we decide,” Malcolm said. “There is something I need to tell you…”
“Malcolm.” Maggie’s voice called out over the Aldervice, and she sounded frazzled. “Malcolm.”
Hunter looked left to right.
Everyone looked around.
Malcolm cringed and reached to his pocket.
“I know you were in Rantoul,” Maggie said. “Trey and I followed you. It’s just us right now. No one knows you took the van. Malcolm, please answer.”
Malcolm brought the Aldervice to his mouth. “Why can’t we just go? Forget about us. I’ll leave the van. We’ll disappear. Never to be heard or seen again.”
“You can’t do that and you know why. You will run and keep running until they ultimately catch you. What kind of life is that?”
“Dad,” Trey spoke up. “Please. You saw. You know.”
Nora shook her head. “Is that Salvation?”
Maggie answered. “Yes.”
“You want us?” Nora asked sharply. “Like criminals? We didn’t do anything wrong. What did the kids do?”
“What?” Maggie asked surprised.
“The kids of Rantoul. You came in and took them all.”
“We took them to give them a better life. They’re happy, fed, and educated. Loved. They didn’t deserve to live on this side of that wall.”
Nora blasted. “That was not your call! You had no right to take them.”
“It’s a good thing we did now, isn’t it?” Maggie snapped back.
“What is she talking about?” Nora asked.
“Didn’t you tell them?” Maggie questioned.
“I just got here.” Malcolm replied.
“They’re dead. Your whole town of Rantoul is dead.” Maggie replied. “Of the virus.”
Her words cut through causing a silence.
Maggie continued. “Those who have survived this long have immunities. But not like Malcolm and Trey who got the vaccine and it worked. I know you couldn’t care less about me but I was exposed to this. It lives beyond its kill frame. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring for me, but I do know this. If I am not here to negotiate this then there will be no choices with the Council. Do the right thing, all of you. Do the right thing.”
The Aldervice beeped as she ended her transmission.
Jason stepped forward. “What is she talking about?”
Malcolm squeezed the device so tightly he could have crushed it. He ran his hand across his face and glanced to those who looked to him for answers.
NINETEEN – DECISION
Maggie didn’t know him, but he sounded like someone she would like. Someone that could be a friend. Then again, her head wasn’t in it. Selfishly, she worried about what was going on in her own body.
At first Maggie didn’t want to speak to Jason when he called, saying she’d only speak to Malcolm. But Jason was persistent and polite.
“See, you want us to make the right choice. We don’t know what the right choice is.”
“The right choice is for all of you to turn yourselves in.”