“Are you sure?”
“Doesn’t matter now—it’s going to know we were here anyway.”
“It might attract others.”
“We’ll see,” Carlee said.
“And you’re sure he’s worth it?”
“Didn’t you hear him shout before the attack?”
“No.”
“Well, he did.” It was unmistakable. Jeff had sensed the attack coming before Carlee had herself. She’d done some light pressing, but it was still impressive that he had known it was coming. Clearly, Jeff had potential, which made the riddle of his survival all the more intriguing.
“You don’t think—”
“Yes,” Carlee said. “Keep an eye on him for a minute.”
She walked up to a pile of cement and rebar and examined it for a moment; it wasn’t the right size, but it would be close enough. There was no masking a press this large, and whatever Apostle had destroyed this town certainly already knew of their presence. She held out her hand and closed her eyes. Pressing items this large required her to form a strong connection, but she found what she was looking for easily. The air rippled before it sucked in toward the pile of rubble. Except the rubble was gone, and an antigravity vehicle now floated in its place.
“We got ourselves a runner,” Stefani said. Carlee refocused on her surroundings and watched as Stefani swooped in and grabbed Jeff by the shoulder. She easily resisted his weak attempts to free himself.
Carlee waved them forward. Stefani picked Jeff up from the ground with little effort and set him on his foot and metal leg. She handed him his crutch a moment later.
“Let’s move,” Carlee said.
“I . . . No. No, thank you. I’m going to stay here,” Jeff said, but his voice was weak.
“We don’t have time for this,” Stefani said. She grabbed him by his good arm and pulled him forward toward the antigravity vehicle.
Carlee climbed in the front of the considerably worn transport and waited for the others to join her.
“You’re . . . you’re vagrants,” Jeff said.
The vehicle shot forward at Carlee’s command, pushing them back against their seats as it raced toward their camp. Carlee started to prepare herself for the conversations that would follow. Jane would not be happy about these developments, especially with what was going on, but she knew this was the right path.
“We’re not so bad when you get to know us,” Carlee said from in front of him. People hated the vagrants, feared them more than death itself, and Carlee didn’t blame them. Even with the best of intentions, danger tended to follow them wherever they went. It was rare that the people they helped died because of it, but it had happened before. She still considered her work vital for humanity, though. Someone had to be kind and show them how to be human again.
A force field activated above the transport, cutting the rush of wind off, allowing them to travel in peace.
“We’re actually much worse,” Stefani said. Jeff looked like he wished he had died back on the street of his old community.
4 A RIDE OR A GUN
THE MOUNTAINS OF CONCRETE AND steel that had once been downtown Kansas City had long since been covered by a layer of loose soil. Grass, bushes, and even a few full-size trees had started to grow over the carcass of the metropolis.
“Home again,” Stefani said.
It had only taken them a few minutes to travel from the outskirts of Fifth Springs to where the small camp of vagrants was set up beneath the shadow of one of the only partially standing towers. Five antigravity vehicles of various sizes were parked beneath camouflaged canvases.
A dozen people in dark gray vagrant uniforms moved around the camp in a hurry, placing items on the backs of the antigravity vehicles. A girl with long blond hair stood in front of the fire; she had the look of forced patience as she stared over at them. A massive man with dark skin and graying scruff stood next to her with his arms folded.
“Keep your mouth shut,” Carlee said as she helped him out of the vehicle. She had dark brown hair, chopped roughly around the edges of her face. A jagged scar graced her lower left jaw, but it couldn’t keep his gaze from her deep brown eyes. She was the most beautiful woman Jeff had ever seen, and he’d already been caught staring at her.
“Nah, you should talk,” Stefani said. She left them behind as she hurried off toward one of the tents, toting her gun with her. Stefani was pretty too, and if the two of them hadn’t been vagrants, and he hadn’t lost half his body and everyone he’d loved, he would have considered himself lucky to meet them.
Jeff used his crutch as best as he could, but he had a hard time keeping with Carlee. One of the hardest parts was that he wasn’t able to properly balance his body without his left arm; the other problem was his body felt broken. The pain medication she’d given him had helped, but he could still feel every muscle ache as he moved. A wide Islander man rushed by with a pile of weapons stacked over his head and dropped them in the back of the antigravity vehicle that Jeff and the vagrants had just arrived on.
“You have returned,” the blond girl said. Her voice was distant and had a silent echo.
“Jane, I apologize for the unforeseen obstacle we caused,” Carlee said.
“I suspected that we might encounter some situations that would require the use of our abilities,” Jane said, “even though I had hoped to spend a few days at camp here. I don’t believe we’ll have that luxury again soon.”
“What did you run into?” the formidable man asked.
“Leech,” Carlee replied. “It laid a trap around the only survivor we could find. It got the jump on Stefani, and she had to press in a barrier.”
“And this was the first reality that the trap occurred in?” Jane asked.
“We had done some minor pressing beforehand for . . . the survivor’s well-being and mobility. Hoods didn’t pick it up,” Carlee said.
It was the first time that he had heard Carlee question her words or herself. It didn’t feel natural, but none of this did. Jane blinked at Carlee’s response. She cocked her head and looked over to the man by her side.
“Talon, can you make ready for our departure? We can leave evidence; our presence is already known to the Apostles. Press in what supplies we need straight onto the antigravs—we need to leave immediately.”
Jeff swallowed deeply at the words. If the Apostles that had destroyed his home were on their way back, his journey here had been for nothing.
“Before everyone is back?” Talon asked.
“Ken and Preston will be back in two minutes,” Jane said.
Talon grunted and stepped away with a small bow. He started shouting orders a moment later, his deep voice carrying throughout the small camp.
“Jeff, is it?” Jane asked, extending her hand out to him.
He glanced at Carlee, but she didn’t give him any other direction, so he stepped forward and shook the girl’s hand. She had a firm grip, despite her youth and stature.
“That’s me.” He tried to be confident even though he didn’t remember anyone telling her his name.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Jane said. She sounded like she meant it even if her voice was still distant. “Do you plan on accompanying us?”
“You don’t know?” Jeff asked. She seemed to have the answers for everything so far. He didn’t mean it as an insult, but he didn’t mean it politely either.
“Your decision leads to many destinations.”
“That’s some real vague—”
Carlee elbowed him in the side, where his missing arm left him exposed. He grunted and glared at Carlee, but she was still focused on Jane.
“You must make your choice now.”
“What are the destinations you see in your crystal ball?” Jeff asked.
“I cannot see the future, Jeff.”
Some shouting began behind him, and Jeff turned around to see two vagrants returning to the camp. They had been running for a while, from the looks of them. Both of the men were carrying large weapons, none so large as Stefani’s but big enough to blow a gaping hole in a leech if one stumbled into the camp.