Redaction: The Meltdown Part II (53 page)

“Looks like they waited.” Eddie pointed through the windshield. Four buses were parked alongside the road.

Audra read their numbers as they passed. Seventy-nine. Twenty-eight. Thirty-nine. Forty-eight. These were her people. She glanced down to make sure her feet still touched the floor. Her fingers tingled. Life was good. “Where do you suppose they are?”

A shriek rattled the windows.

Eddie yanked hard on the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes.

Pigtails flying, a little girl in a red jumper dashed in front of the bus.

Audra caught herself on the front divider. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the thump of a body hitting the bumper. Nothing. She peeked through her lashes.

The little girl jumped up and down in the middle of the street. “They’re here! They’re here!”

Audra rose from her seat; the girl had disappeared to the right. Children climbed on monkey bars and swung on swings. Older folks held the young ones on bright painted animals attached to the ground by metal springs. “It’s a park.”

The children were playing in the park. Why did something so normal seem so strange?

“Looks like it’s just us and a few new additions.” Eddie killed the engine, grabbed the lever and opened the door.

Audra’s happiness dimmed. “No soldiers?”

Tina squeezed her hand. “We’ll catch up to them tonight.”

They needed to have reached them now. They were low on gas and had only had one MRE in the last twenty-four hours. Her stomach growled and she flattened her hand over it.

“I’ll see if I can catch us some rabbits.” Eddie winked at her. “Hopefully those coyotes haven’t eaten them all.”

“Thanks.” She leaned over to kiss him.

Turning his face, he cleared his throat. “Your mother is behind you.”

“Good.” She grabbed his ears, angled his face up to her and planted a wet one on his lips. Just as his lips parted, she pulled back. Ha. That’ll teach him.

“Audra!” Her mother hissed.

“Good morning, Mother.” Audra straightened. She arched an eyebrow, daring him to say anything.

Eddie grinned. “I should call you Princess Tease.”

Her cheeks flamed. “If anyone heard that—”

“Too late,” Mrs. Rodriquez barked. “And we’re not changing her name in mid-stream. Now stop playing kissy-face and get off the bus. Some of us need to pee.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Audra stumbled down the steps.

Her mother grabbed her by the arm and dragged her toward an oversized picnic area. The metal pergola shaded half the tables. “We need to talk.”

Audra waved to the people who called out to her. “If this is about Eddie—”

“What? No. For such a blunt spoken young man, it certainly took him a long time to screw his courage to the sticking point.” Her mother wrung her fingers.

Her mother knew and approved?

Audra stumbled backward. Good Lord, it really was the end of the world.

Eddie paused five feet away and pulled something out of his pocket. His eyes narrowed as he raked her mother from head to foot. “Everything all right?”

“Yes. We’re good.” Audra hoped he picked up on the double meaning. Her attention dropped to the red scrap in his hands. “Is that my bra?”

Her good one, with the Belgian lace? The one extravagance she’d allowed herself before the Redaction hit six months ago?

“No.” He attached the hook and eyes. “This is a double barrel sling shot. And these will make fine skinning knives.” He flashed the two black underwires.

She covered her face with her hands. She’d loved that bra.

“I’ll be back with some rabbits.” He kissed her ear. “Then you can have it back.”

She winced as the sound bounced inside her skull. Men just didn’t understand. She bared her face, watching him walk into the field across from the park. Well, shoot. Then again, she had more bras and, as long as she didn’t have to sacrifice another, it was a small price to pay for real meat. “It better be a fat rabbit.”

Her mother waved her hands in front of Audra’s face. “Please get your mind off Eddie and the rabbits. We have something more important to discuss.”

The hair on Audra’s neck stood up. Her mother had used that tone only once in her life—when Audra’s father had died. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “What’s wrong?”

“While you were….away, we picked up a stray.”

Cold slithered down Audra’s spine. Away, what a quaint euphemism for kidnapped. She rubbed at the cold sweat on her upper lip. She was safe now. That was all that mattered. Eddie had told her over and over last night that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her again.

She believed him.

She needed to.

It helped that she wasn’t as helpless as she appeared.

Taking a calming breath, she stared across the park grounds. Half a dozen new faces glanced at her, they quickly turned away. So did a few old ones. What was that about? “Are we short on food?”

“No. In fact, we’re gassed up and ready to go but…” Her mother turned her to face her, blocking out the rest. “It’s this new stranger. This Trent Powers. He’s convinced Stuart not to join the soldiers but to find a small town and set up shop there.”

“What!” That was ridiculous. They had to join the soldiers. Few of the people here had practical skills. Heavens, aside from Eddie’s dubious efforts, almost everyone here hunted food in the grocery store. “We can’t survive without the soldiers.”

“I know that.” Worry pinched her mother’s blue eyes. A strand of hair escaped her bun and she didn’t quickly tuck it back. “And that Trent Powers has some peculiar notions on women and their proper place. I tell you, Audra, no Southern lady has felt like this since Sherman marched through Atlanta.”

Audra blinked. Good Lord. Given that the Union general had burned his way to the sea, that was serious. Very serious indeed.

And…” Her mother nodded to a building across the street. “And I think he raped one of the girls. She’s won’t say so, but her wrists are bruised and she’s walking funny. But even without her testimony, I witnessed him smack Anna for bringing him cold coffee.”

Audra’s fingers curled into fists. That behavior would not be tolerated. Trent Powers had to go. “I’ll talk to Stuart.”

Her mother hugged her quickly then smoothed her hair. “I knew you would. You’ll fix everything, just like your father.”

Her father had his money, family name and connections to make things happen. She was on her own. “Where is Stuart?”

“In the football field with that man.” Her mother pointed beyond the cafeteria. Small blue boxes lined the space behind the bleachers.

Stuart obviously hadn’t recovered from his stomach upset.

Audra shook her hands as she walked. If Stuart didn’t want to go with her. That’s fine. She’d offer his people the choice then be on her way. But the buses were hers. Stuart could find another way to reach his utopia.

When she was about a hundred feet away, a man exited the toilet.

He smoothed his blond hair and smiled at her. His eyes focused on her breasts under her lightweight jacket.

If she’d had anything in her stomach she would have vomited on him. This had to be Trent Powers. Mother was right to be concerned. “Stuart? It’s Audra. We’ve arrived.”

“Audra?” Stuart’s voice was muffled despite the ventilation in the top of the portable toilet.

“I’ll talk to her, Stuart.” The man sidled closer.

She checked the ground for an oil slick. None.

“Why don’t we walk a bit and chat? I’m sure Stuart would appreciate the privacy in his condition.”

“Fine.” She straightened her shoulders and stomped toward the baseball diamond, out of the wind squeezing through the row of toilets. But it would be a short conversation.

He set his hand on the small of her back.

She shoved it away. Rage bubbled under her skin. Those bastards who had kidnapped her touched her without permission. No one would do so again. “The buses belong to my group. We’ll be taking them when we leave to join the soldiers.”

The oily mask melted from Trent Powers’ face. Hatred flared in his shark eyes. “I don’t think so.”

She stopped. “I don’t care what you think. I’m taking what is mine and offering a ride to any of Stuart’s people who wish to join us.”

Trent grabbed her hair and shoved her face-first toward the dirt. “I’ve had enough of bitches like you.”

Audra planted her hands in the slush. Enough was enough. She mule kicked her attacker in the knee. Bone crunched and the joint bent backward.

He yelp and released her hair. “You cunt!”

“That is it.” She laced her muddy hands together and came up swinging. The back of her hand collided with his jaw when she was halfway up.

His head snapped back. Blood poured from his nose. He shook his head, spraying her with droplets. “So you like it rough?”

Hopping on one leg, he jabbed. His fist collided with her nose.

Stars burst in her vision and warmth cascaded down her face. Blood tainted her mouth. Her training surged to the fore. Pain had been expected.

“I can play rough.” He leapt on her. His forearm tightened on her throat.

The aggressive stance was lethal and predictable. She didn’t waste time trying to pull his arm off her. That wouldn’t work, but something else would. Thank you Daddy for those combato self-defense lessons.

“After you pass out, I’m going to fuck you in ways you only dreamed about.”

In his dreams. She pushed with her feet, shoving her body into his.

Off balance, he stumbled backward.

She gathered her fingers and thumb into a hard point and jabbed his eye. The soft tissue burst and goo coated her fingers.

“Bitch.”

She wrapped her feet around his. And they fell. Her stomach fluttered in her throat as they continued to fall. She reached for something to grab on to and closed her hands around air.

A heartbeat later, they landed with a thud and crack of bone.

The hand around her neck loosened. She shoved it away and rolled off him. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she raised her fists. Ready for round two.

Trent Powers’ head lay at an odd angle.

She shifted back. Was he dead?

“What the fuck did you do to me?” His eyes glanced left then right. “Why can’t I move?”

Audra slowly straightened and dropped her hands to her side. Her heart pounded in her chest. She’d done it. She’d won. “Your neck is broken.”

Someone skidded to a stop beside her.

She jumped and took a swing.

Eddie ducked. “Sorry it took me so long to get here.” Two dead rabbits dangled from his fists. “But damn, you’ve got some excellent moves, Warrior Princess.”

Pride shoved her tears to the surface. She wrapped her arms around her chest. She’d done this. “What do I do now?”

Her self defense teachers told her to run away and call for help. That didn’t exactly apply now.

“You going to fucking help me, bitch.”

“Mind your language, asshole.” Eddie kicked Trent in the ribs. Despite the crunch of bone, Trent didn’t flinch. “We don’t do anything. He’ll either suffocate in a couple of minutes or the coyotes will eat him.”

“You can’t do this.” Trent twitched.

“Yeah, I can.” Eddie pulled her bra from his pocket, wadded it up and stuffed it into Trent’s mouth. “But I don’t have to listen to you. Sorry, babe, but you’re not getting your boulder holder back.”

A vein throbbed at Trent’s temple. His shouts were a garble of noise.

“It’s okay.” Tremors traveled up and down her spine. Hot tears mingled with the blood pouring out her nose. How was she going to live with this?

Eddie kissed her hard.

She blinked and sniffed. Blood and snot hit the back of her throat. “What did you do that for?”

“Because I’m proud of you.” He daubed at her face with the hem of his shirt. “Do you think Tina or Becky or anyone else would have been able to take out this piss ant?”

“No.” She shook her head. They hadn’t been drilled like she had.

“Exactly. You protected your people like a leader does. You did the shit work leaders do.”

“But I killed him.” Leaders didn’t do that. She blinked. Leaders ordered it done. Did that make her better or worse?

“You didn’t kill him.” Eddie wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “See, he’s still breathing.”

His body heat chased the cold from her marrow.

“And he’ll go on breathing until the coyotes get here.” After one last squeeze, Eddie walked over to Trent. Using her sharpened underwires, he slit the rabbits’ bellies. Their insides tumbled out and splatted on Trent’s stomach.

Audra covered her mouth. Good Lord, the smell was horrible. “What are you doing?”

Standing in the middle of the baseball diamond, a coyote sniffed the air. Another soon joined it. Then another.

Eddie milked the blood from the cuts and dribbled it over Trent. “Garnishing the main course.” He scooped out the heart and lungs and dropped them onto Trent’s groin. With the gutted carcasses swinging from his hands, Eddie strolled toward her. “Let’s go cook these up and leave the coyotes to their meal.”

“Eat?” She swallowed the vomit in her mouth.

“You think I’m going to waste this fancy bit of tail on him?”

It wasn’t right, letting the animals eat another human being. She glanced at Trent. Hatred blazed in his one good eye. She shivered and held onto Eddie. Then again, Trent would have done far worse to her if he could. She turned her back on him.

Trent Powers wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again.

From the corner of her eye, she watched the coyotes lope closer. She rested her head on Eddie’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Fifty

The bastards! Using his tongue, Trent shoved at the gag in his mouth. Did they think they could just leave him? He was Trent fucking Powers. As soon as he got the gag out of his mouth, he’d yell for Stuart.

Stuart would help him.

That loser didn’t like being under a woman’s heel. They were kindred spirits. And Trent would use him until he regained the use of his limbs again. That asshole who’d dumped guts on him would pay first.

Then that bitch, Audra.

A door slammed shut.