“First,” I reply, “there’s no such thing as Omega’s ‘good side,’ and second, the point of living is exactly that: to live. We have to keep trying, Harry. No matter what it takes.”
Harry presses his lips together, pensive.
Most of the other laborers — the enslaved fieldworkers like myself — are asleep, exhausted after many hours of difficult work harvesting produce for the enemy.
“If we escape…” he trails off. “There is no way out of this.”
I put my hand on his forearm, offering a smile.
“We have hope,” I tell him. “What more do we need?”
Harry gazes at me, something deeper than admiration sparking in his clear blue eyes. He leans closer, his face mere inches from mine. I snap out of it and pull away, releasing a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
“We’ll be okay,” I say automatically. “One way or another.”
Harry frowns, hurt written across his face.
“One way or another,” he replies quietly. “We’ll see.”
Harry and his armed guards march me to an Omega convoy, shove me into the backseat of a Humvee with Harry, and slam the doors. My heart is hammering against my ribcage, but I maintain a calm and cold expression. I don’t smile, I don’t frown. I only breathe in and out, blink, and stare at the ground.
“My, aren’t you talkative today,” Harry comments. “Where is the spunky, big-mouthed Cassidy Hart I know and adore?”
I flick my gaze up, giving him a sour look.
“Ah, I see a flash of her now,” Harry chuckles. He is so smooth, so elegant. It is not difficult to believe that this young man was once a burgeoning actor in Hollywood — he’s full of drama and overblown theatrics.
“Why are you dragging this out?” I demand.
“Because we have something the militias want,” Harry replies. “And the rest of California, I might add. We have the great Commander and Senator Cassidy Hart. Let’s also not underestimate the overprotective qualities of your dear Chris Young.”
Harry’s smile is now predatory, calculating.
“Neither Chris nor the militias or the State of California are willing to sacrifice the welfare or the survival of our cause because of me,” I tell Harry. “It’s not going to happen, and you know it.”
Harry doesn’t answer. He just continues flashing that dangerous smile.
The Humvee’s engine roars to life and the convoy begins moving. It is a familiar mode of transportation, only now I am a prisoner. Not an entirely alien situation to me, but still… it sucks.
I have no idea where we are. The fog covers everything like a thick blanket, masking the ghosts of buildings and street signs. According to Jonas, we were about twenty miles north of Monterey when the Mia Bella came into port. But he could have been lying.
I mean, he did radio Omega patrols to tell them he’d found Cassidy Hart.
“Where are we going?” I ask Harry.
The two armed guards on each side of me keep the cold, steely muzzles of their weapons digging into my side.
“That’s confidential information, Cassidy,” Harry replies.
“I think you could at least give me a hint.”
Harry leans back, crosses his legs. All bluff and confidence.
“Now that’s the girl I know,” he says. “Always willing to play a game.” He pauses and opens his jacket, pulling my knife out. He holds it flat in the palm of his hand. “A gift from Jeff Young, if I remember correctly.”
I flinch. It kills me that Harry has always known so much about me, but I hardly know anything about him — other than the fact that he was an actor, and now he’s an Omega crony.
“Jeff is dead now, if I’m not mistaken.” Harry shrugs. “What a pity. So many people dying on both sides of the war. It’s a waste, really.”
I grit my teeth, infuriated, fighting the urge to make a cutting retort. Harry is just trying to bait me — he knows what will make me angry.
Sometimes he’s too smart for his own good.
“Are you going to tell the military units in Monterey that you’re holding me hostage?” I ask. “Because they’re not going to negotiate with you. We don’t negotiate with Omega anymore.”
Harry raises an inquisitive eyebrow. He doesn’t believe me? Fine.
He will learn.
We drive for about twenty-five minutes before coming to a halt in the midst of a foggy grove of sand dunes. The Humvees’ engines cut out. The doors open. Harry mock gestures for me to exit first. I do, rolling my eyes. When I step outside, my defense instinct goes into overdrive. There are Omega troops everywhere. They cover the dunes like ants, filling in all the available free space.
The breath leaves my lungs, and I know that the color has drained from my face. My legs shake slightly. I am literally in the heart of enemy territory, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers who would gladly shoot me on sight if asked.
I am in trouble. Big trouble.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Harry purrs, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Omega isn’t the only one who can stage a surprise attack.”
I level my gaze.
“We will push you out,” I tell him.
“You’ll try.” Harry nods, and the guards take me by the arm, leading me through the encampment. I notice that everything and everyone here is totally silent. There is no conversation, no background noise. Omega is literally sitting here, twenty miles out of the city, hidden. Waiting to strike an unsuspecting Monterey.
But how could they have moved this many troops here without us knowing about it? Surely the air patrols saw them — people like Manny are always flying security. We have to know about this.
We have to.
But what if Omega was waiting to move their troops when the fog rolled in? I think. What if they’re hiding their numbers in the dunes? What if Monterey really has no idea what’s coming their way?
I shudder.
I have to warn them.
But I can’t. I am a prisoner, for now.
We move through the camp. The eyes of every Omega soldier are on me. There are lots of Chinese troops. I spot Russian and German mercenaries, and Iranian soldiers on the borders of the camp.
Omega. One army, one world.
There is a large tent erected on the edge of camp. Harry walks inside and I am pushed through the flap. It is spacious in here. There is a simple cot and a foldable table in the middle, covered with maps and radios.
The guards retreat to the edge of the tent, always watching.
“So what do you plan to do with me, then?” I demand. “You’ve already got enough troops to knock down the wall of Jericho out here. You don’t need me for leverage.”
“But I want you for leverage,” Harry replies. “Consider it a side-game. Nothing will drive Chris Young crazier than knowing that I’m going to kill you.”
“Chris is a big boy,” I say. “He stays focused on the objective of the mission, and he will kill you, Harry. You know that.”
I see a flicker of fear in Harry’s eyes. It lasts for only a second, then disappears. He clears his throat and taps the table. “When the sun rises, we’re going to attack Monterey. They won’t see it coming. Your forces are so blind in so many ways.” He opens his hands. “And Chris Young will get himself killed trying to save you. Once he’s dead, I’ll kill you, too. Two birds with one stone: Monterey and the both of you.”