Running Dry (27 page)

              "Or maybe because there's some out here," I counter.

              Zane interjects.  "We'll find out either way soon enough."

"I think he's leading us somewhere," Frankie says.

              "I think so too."  I smile at her.

              "What do you think, Mom?" Zane asks Gina.  She hasn't said much all day but who can blame her. 

              "I think we'll find something.  We have to."  She sounds tired, but hopeful.

              "You going to be up for more walking tomorrow?" he asks her.

              "It beats factory work," she says and I snort because she's right.  Then, in only a way a mother can, she says, "We'd better get some sleep."

              There are murmurs of agreement and some stretching and settling.  Just as I'm about to lie down, Zane comes along side me and lowers himself to the ground next to me.  Without any words, he snuggles up against me in the darkness and I feel his arm wrap tightly around me.  I relax and drift off to sleep quickly.             

Zane

The next morning, we're back to walking, heading down a desolate road called Highway 61.  The wind has lessened some today, which would help the pace if we weren't already exhausted.  My feet are aching so I know Mom must be in rough shape.  I try as much as I can to give her support, but after a while she brushes me away.  Frankie comes over to replace me and they start talking about Zander, making it apparent to me they need some time to get to know one another, so I give in and fall back to walk with Bekka, but Harlow intercepts me.

              "This is some adventure," she says, moving to walk closely along side me. "What kind of trouble could you have gotten yourself in that this is the only way out?"

              "You'd be surprised," I say, turning back to see Bekka give me a nasty look.

              Harlow says, "Try me.  We're too far now for me to run back and turn you in."

              "I don't really want to rehash.  I'd prefer to leave it all back there."  I pause to take a sip of water.  "You really wanted out this badly, huh?"

              "You'd be surprised," she smirks.

              "Well, I hope it all ends well." 

              "We'll see," Harlow says.  I'm not sure what that means, but Harlow has always talked this way, in riddles.  I think she likes to come across as a mystery, and she's pretty much succeeded.  I feel somehow guilty, hoping she's not doing this because she wants to keep trying with me.  I think I made my feelings pretty clear the night she boldly strode into my apartment, but sometimes you never know with women.  If I get a chance maybe I'll pull her aside and tell her about me and Bekka, or better yet, maybe all I need to do is show her.

              I make my move once again to fall back and walk with Bekka but as I do, it's almost like Harlow was reading my mind and she darts behind me and starts walking alongside of her first.  This frustrates me because I've been so busy caring for my mom and moving us along that I haven't had much of a chance to really talk to Bekka alone.  I can already tell she's less than thrilled with Harlow being here.  Maybe letting them get to know each other a little better is a good thing.  Maybe. 

Chapter 37

Bekka

"So, you and Zane worked together?" I ask Harlow as we walk.

              "Yep.  A few times.  And, we had drinks a couple of times as well.  And then, there was that time I stayed at his place."

              My body tenses.  That confirms it, I do not like this girl.  "I see.  Did he ever mention me?"

              "I don't think so.  Is there a reason he should have?  Are you two a thing?  I'm sure he told me he was single."  She says in this innocent, sly way that I find repulsive.  She's toying with me and is way too confident for my taste.

              "Not anymore," I declare.  "So, what is it about being a runner you didn't like exactly?"

              "You maybe want to rephrase that to what did I like, because that is a shorter answer.  Nothing."

              I grit my teeth.  "How did you manage to get assigned then?"

              She looks at me as we walk next to each other.  "Why?  Did you actually want to be a

runner?"

              "My mom was a runner.  Agnes Tyson."  I wait for the response. 

              "And?"

              That's not the usual reaction.  When I tell people who my mom is they always gasp or look at me sympathetically.  Something with this girl doesn't add up to me. 

              "Never mind," I say.

Zane

Finally, after almost a full day of walking, we spot something ahead.  It looks like a handful of small buildings scattered on the right side of the road, pushed back a bit.  I'm not sure what to expect, but the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up.

              "What do you think?" Frankie asks as we break just shy of the place.

              "I think we should go around to the backside and observe first.  I'd like to see what's up before we make our entrance."

              Harlow says, "We should spread out, everybody take an area to watch."

              I'm not too thrilled about that plan.  "I dunno if that's necessary.  Sticking together might be safer."

              "Come on, Zane.  We'll be sitting ducks if we're all huddled together like scared children.  Besides, the area is too big for us to check it all out in one group."

              "Fine.  Mom, you wait here and rest.  The rest of us will pick a spot to watch, then we'll meet back here in twenty minutes to discuss before going in.  Got it?"

              "Sounds good," Harlow says, sauntering off.

              Mom's brow is furrowed.  "Please...be careful."

              "We will," I promise her before we split apart.

Bekka adds as we start walking in all directions, "If anybody gets into trouble remember...LeRoy sent us.  Maybe these are friends of his."

I smile at her.  "Good idea."             

I start out walking close enough to keep Bekka in my sight line, but Harlow gives me a look reminding me to spread out and I back off.  I make my way around the backside of the strange outcropping of buildings and find a couple of big rock formations jutting out.  I take cover and peer out at a small shack that looks similar to the one my dad had been living in; nothing more than a few thin boards and a tarpaper roof.  It looks like it's been here for a very long time.  Just off to my right I can see Bekka hunkered down behind a half-fallen shed of some sort.

              I get as relaxed as I am able given the situation and I survey, but I don't hear or see anything or anyone.  Eventually, I decide to get closer which involves me walking directly past Bekka.  So as not to scare her, I alert her to the fact that I'm approaching by clearing my throat a few times.  She turns quickly then smiles at me.

              "See anything?" I whisper.

              "Nothing.  It's quiet."

              I put my hand on her back and rub it for a minute. 

              "What went on with you and Harlow?" she asks out of nowhere.

              I sigh.  "That's what you’re thinking about while we stake out a weird ghost town in the middle of nowhere?"

              "I don't trust her, Zane.  Something's not right."

              "I think you just don't like her."  I smile because I am enjoying this a little bit; Bekka is jealous.  This isn't how things usually work between us.  I'm usually the one on the jealous side.

              "You don't have anything to worry about," I say finally and then kiss her gently.  "As much as I don't want to leave you, I think I should check out a few more sightlines before we decide to head in.  I'll meet you back on the street, k?"

              "Okay."

              As I start to walk away, she says, "Zane!"

              I turn.

              "I...I love you."

              I feel a warm charge flow through my body.  "I love you too," I say then reluctantly walk away. 

Chapter 38

Bekka

I decide to move a bit closer too, heading in the other direction as Zane.  There is something that looks like a wooden rain barrel and one of those weird, spiky plants to hide behind, so I make my way toward them.  As I do, I hear a noise to my right.  Expecting to see Zane again, I turn casually, but instead see Harlow.  She's coming toward me.

              "Anything?" I ask her as we reach the barrel and duck behind it.

              "Nothing.  Seems safe.  We might as well head in and check it out."  She is standing behind me, both of us facing toward the little town.

              "Not until we meet back at the road," I say, turning back to look at her.

              "Is it time?"  She sounds impatient, like she has a date she has to meet.

              "Just about," I say, checking my watch and looking around one last time.  Everything is still quiet.

              "K, let's go," Harlow says.

              I start walking and don't look back, but assume Harlow is following behind me when someone grabs me.  Before I can scream, a hand clasps over my mouth and I feel cold metal press against my neck.   

              Slowly, I turn my neck as much as I can to see who my captor is. 

The only one behind me is Harlow. 

              She's also the one pointing a gun at me.  I start to kick and twist and scream into her hand, but she pulls the safety off the gun. 

              I freeze.  "One more outburst like that and I shoot, got it?" she says.  I nod.

              Still holding tightly to the gun, she pulls a scarf from her pack and ties it around my mouth.  She grabs my arm with her newly freed up hand and leads me back to the road.  I can just barely make out Regina and Frankie sitting on the edge of the road from behind my wet eyes.  They stand up when we approach.

              "What the hell is going on?" Frankie yells.  "Zane!"

              "Shut up!" Harlow hisses at her.

              "You okay, Bek?" Frankie says, running toward me.

              "Stop there," Harlow says, "or I'll kill her." 

              Frankie stops.  "Why?" she asks, backing off.

              Then we see Zane, jogging from the other side.  Harlow twists me around so the two of us are facing him.  When he figures out what he's looking at, he starts to run full speed like he is about to bulldoze us until Harlow yells, "Zane.  If you don't want your little girlfriend dead, you will stop right where you are and listen."

              "What's going on?" he pleads.  "Why are you doing this?"

              "I'm under orders, you idiot."

              "Orders from who?"

              "I'm a Southie, Zane.  A spy.  I've been targeting you.  First they wanted you to lead us to Allen and now I get to kill you too."

              "That doesn't make any sense.  Why does the South want to kill Northerners trying to stop the war?"

              "It was a trade agreement.  They gave us you, we gave up ours.  They want the whole lot of ya gone.  They don't want peace and certainly don't want Northerners and Southerners working together.   Too much control.  Too much knowledge."

              "If you know all of this, then why do you want to help them?  You're smarter than that, Harlow."

              I can feel her fingers tighten around me and the gun push just a little deeper into my neck.

Zane

"Why don't you just put the gun down and we can keep going, find something better than all of that," I say.  Just keep talking, I tell myself.  I look past Harlow and Bekka where my Mom is standing.  Frankie has left her side and is slowly creeping toward Harlow from behind. 

              "I thought you just said I was smart, Zane.  What kind of fool do you take me for?  You don't think I know that the minute my back would turn, you'd kill me?"

              "I'm not a killer," I say, but I'm focused on my gun in the holster on my belt.

              "Besides, I happen to like Sacto.  You wouldn't have found anything but broken dried up towns like this out here.  You're chasing a dream..."

              Frankie leaps on her and the three of them become a pile of commotion.  Dust and arms are flying.  I pull my gun and run, but before I get there, Harlow's gun fires.  My mom screams.  Then there is a second shot, but it's not from Harlow, it's from me.  Harlow drops to the ground.  Blood starts to soak through her runner's uniform from her mid-section.

              The two girls back away.  Standing over Harlow, I kick her gun from her hands.  She is breathing heavy.  Her face is tight.  Her eyes lock with mine and I see her mouth open, trying to form words.  I aim again, this time for her chest, and pull the trigger.  The life drains from her face but her eyes stay focused on me, even after I know she's gone.