The Razor's Edge: A Postapocalytic Novel (The New World Book 6) (28 page)

Sandy, Utah

A good night sleep was exactly what Annaliese needed. She woke confident in how she needed to handle Hector.

“You’re in no way allowed to go into their camp,” Samuel barked.

“But I’m the only one he will listen to, I know this. He promised me that his army was mine, and I’m going to take him up on that offer.”

“You told me just two days ago something different,” Samuel said, challenging her.

“What are you talking about?” Annaliese asked.

“You said you had a conversation and that you told him you didn’t want his army for revenge,” Samuel replied, reminding her of her recent comment to Pablo.

“I’ll tell him I’ve reconsidered.”

“But he offered them to use for revenge, not go home,” Samuel said again, pointing out the finer points or flaws in her approach.

“Stop arguing with me. I swear, sometimes I feel you just disagree with me only because I’m a woman.”

“That’s not true. Your uncle is wise and he truly cares for you,” Sariah scolded.

“Just let me try. What harm could come from it?”

Sariah and Samuel looked at each other. Being brother and sister, they had a way of communicating without speaking.

“I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask, but he can only send them south,” Samuel said.

“Yes, I’m going to tell him to send his army back home.”

“They’re not Mexican, Anna, they’re Venezuelan. Home is a long way.”

“But he’s Mexican; they can go home with him. Where they go after that, I don’t care. They can’t stay here. We’ve already agreed to that,” Annaliese said.

“Honey, your uncle is right; you’re not going out there alone,” Sariah said.

Annaliese chewed on this little deviation and decided it could work. “Fine, we both go out there, but you don’t say anything, just keep your mouth closed.”

“Anna!” Sariah said admonishing her.

“It’s fine, she’s probably right. I’ll keep my mouth closed, but I’m also taking a few other guys with us, just in case.”

“No, that will only antagonize them.”

“Me and two guys or no trip out there, that’s the deal,” Samuel said.

Annaliese paced the kitchen and gave up. “Fine, but let’s do this now.”

***

Luis had a scheduled meeting with Pablo and this time made sure he was on time. When he arrived at his old command tent, he found the two guards normally positioned there were gone. Finding this odd, he barged into the tent and found the entire space covered in blood. His eyes scanned the space and counted two bodies or at least that was what it appeared to be. Sitting in the chair behind his desk was Pablo. He was naked, covered in blood, and wearing the Aztec headdress.

“Emperor, are you okay?” Luis asked. The tent was dimly lit, but it appeared Pablo was having a conversation with the empty chair.

“Yes, Father, I know you’re proud of me, but my next conquest will be epic. You will be—”

“Emperor, sir, are you okay? Who are you talking to?”

“Ssh, can’t you see…” Pablo said then paused before finishing his thought. He cocked his head, looked at Luis and with a smile continued, “I’ve never been better. Call a formation, I wish to speak to the men,” Pablo said and stood up.

Luis had seen Pablo unhinged before, but this was different. He was acting certifiably crazy. With a crazed look, his eyes were wide and demented.

Pablo walked past him and exited the tent without dressing.

“Sir, your clothes, you’ll freeze,” Luis said and followed him out.

“I’m fine, I’m the emperor, nothing can hurt me,” he said and raised his hands up and cupped them around the rising sun. “General, have you ever heard of Huitzilopochtli?”

“No, Emperor.”

“He was the ancient Aztec god of the sun, and he was the god of war and sacrifice.”

“Sounds interesting.”

Pablo moved his hands in a circular motion around the sun and continued. “He was also the patron of Tenochtitlan, a great city from the ancient world.”

Luis nodded. A range of emotions ran through him, fear being the most prominent.

Pablo lowered his hands, turned to face Luis and said, “Huitzilopochtli wielded Xiuhcoatl, a fire serpent, as a weapon. How great is that, a fire serpent?”

Luis gave Pablo an awkward smile and stepped away from him.

“I need a fire serpent or something like it. All great men, all great leaders need a weapon like that; it instills fear in people,” Pablo said with a crazed look. His eyes were wide and he wore a demented smile. His entire face was covered in blood as if he had painted it on, ensuring he covered every pore of his skin.

“Yes, sir,” Luis said.

“Where’s your son? I need to see him,” Pablo asked.

“Captain Luis is at the forward camp, sir.”

“Bring him to me, and hurry up, get the men assembled.”

Luis took a few more steps away from Pablo; he wondered what exactly he wanted with his son.

Pablo paced around and saw that Luis was still standing there. He walked up to him quickly and yelled, “Move!”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Luis said and marched off.

***

Samuel sat in the idling SUV with Thomas and Dominic, two of the compound’s security, and waited for Annaliese to come out of the house.

Thomas, an older man from Sandy, said, “Is she doing her makeup?”

“Ha.” Samuel laughed.

“Yeah, is she getting dolled up or something for Hector?” Dominic joked; he was a young twenty-eight-year-old gender studies professor from the local community college. After wandering the area for months he came to the compound seeking aid and was taken in. With no skill set, Samuel had him put on security detail, a job Dominic loathed.

Samuel looked in the rearview mirror and gave Dominic a hard stare.

“I’m just joking,” Dominic said.

Thomas had known Samuel for a long time and opened up. “There’s talk about the camp that Hector and Annaliese are an item.”

Samuel craned his head over his seat and snapped at both men, “Shut up, both of you, and I don’t want to hear that again. Tell those who wish to gossip they can gossip and snicker all they want outside those gates; otherwise be respectful.”

Both men lowered their heads.

“Sorry,” Thomas mumbled.

Annaliese bounded out of the house and down the stairs. In her arms she held a box.

Samuel jumped out and opened the rear hatch of his SUV. “What’s in there?”

“His stuff, I thought I should bring it so he wouldn’t have to come back. Let’s make a clean break,” Annaliese said and placed the box in the back.

“Did you contact him so he knows to expect you?” Samuel asked.

“I’ve been trying all morning, but no reply,” she replied. She imagined he was upset and didn’t want to talk.

They both got in the SUV.

“I’m sure he’s easy to find,” Annaliese said.

Samuel nodded and hit the accelerator.

West of Joseph, Oregon, Republic of Cascadia

Nicholas could hear the distinct sounds of cooking in the kitchen, but the aroma that hit his nostrils told him it wasn’t the staple corned beef hash.

He entered the hall and now heard Lexi speaking to Beau in a sweet and gentle tone.

When he popped his head around the corner of the kitchen, he saw her with one hand on her hip and another flipping a pancake.

“Pancakes?” he asked with a surprised look.

“Yep, I found some powdered batter. I also found a bag of chocolate chips,” she replied with a smile.

He fully entered the kitchen and walked up behind her. By her composure he felt he could be more intimate, so he placed his hands on her hips. “Good afternoon, a late afternoon at that,” he said and kissed her on the back of the neck.

Lexi didn’t flinch. She arched her back and neck and said, “Good afternoon to you.”

He gave her another kiss and said, “I haven’t had pancakes since I was a kid. I’m not much of a sweets person.”

“Not me, I love them. Reminds me of my daddy.”

“What happened to your dad?” he asked.

“He died when I was a kid.”

“I’m sorry,” Nicholas said and gave her a kiss on the side of her neck.

This time she did flinch. “Take a seat; I’ve got a plate ready to go now.”

He got the message loud and clear:
don’t mention Dad.
He took a seat and waited anxiously for the stack of steaming hot pancakes.

She placed the towering stack of pancakes in front of him.

He leaned in and inhaled deeply. “Yum, smells so good. I have a confession. I actually love sweets, too much, but I stayed away from anything that could possibly get me fat. You know what they say, skinny tastes better.”

Lexi didn’t reply. She poured several more on the griddle and stood with her back to him.

The sticky sides of the syrup bottle brought back memories for him. He recalled his mother would clean the sides of the syrup bottle with a hot washcloth. She couldn’t stand the stickiness.

“How lucky are we the stovetop works,” he said as he drove his fork in the pancakes.

“It’s not luck, it’s propane.”

He shoveled a fork full of pancakes into his mouth and savored the flavor. “These are amazing.”

Lexi flipped three on her plate and took a seat next to him.

“Aren’t we domestic this morning?” he joked. The second that came out he regretted saying it.

“Last night meant nothing, just two people satisfying their needs, nothing more,” Lexi blurted.

“You don’t believe that, I know it,” Nicholas said.

Lexi stared at him, cocked her head and said, “It meant nothing, so don’t think this will turn into something or that they’ll be some white wedding in the future.”

Nicholas cursed the fact he made a joke. Lexi clearly had trust issues that went far back and was also suffering from post-traumatic stress. He could only imagine that what she’d seen and been through had shifted the person she once was in a way that one night wasn’t going to change. He was foolish to think otherwise. He put his fork down on the plate and reached out for her hand.

She pulled back and said, “We need to think about the plan of attack. We leave first thing in the morning, so eat up, rest and make sure you have your head in the game.”

Sandy, Utah

The soldiers and officers of the Pan American Empire gave Pablo a wide berth as he meandered towards the assembly area. Seeing him naked, covered in blood, adorned in an Aztec headdress, and carrying a long knife scared them to say the least.

Luis drove up alongside Pablo and stopped, “Emperor, please get in. You’ll be more comfortable.”

“No, I’m walking with my men to the formation,” he said.

“Can I get you some clothes?”

“No.”

“Sir, my son is here,” Luis said.

Pablo stopped and barked, “Have him come to me.”

Luis had the vehicle stopped.

Domingo exited and stood just outside the open door.

“Come here,” Pablo ordered.

Domingo walked closer.

When he was in arm’s reach, Pablo snatched him by his shirt and pulled him close. “Do you love your father?”

Domingo didn’t know how to respond to the odd question.

“Do you love your father?”

“Yes, Emperor.”

Luis got out of the vehicle and came to his son’s side. “Emperor, you seem tired. Please get in the truck.”

Pablo pushed him away and asked Domingo, “Why? Was he a good father?”

“Yes, sir,” Domingo replied.

“Good, good boy. Now strip, take your clothes off and walk with me,” Pablo ordered.

“Sir?”

Frustrated that everyone was questioning him, Pablo lashed out. He tore open Domingo’s shirt and yelled, “Strip!”

“Sir, what are you doing with Captain Luis?” Luis asked, concerned for his son.

Pablo walked around Domingo and stopped just in front of Luis. “Leaders must take responsibility for their actions, and your son didn’t do so the other day. Now he will,” Pablo said and continued to walk towards the formation.

McCall, Idaho, Republic of Cascadia

When Gordon spoke, he hated sitting, so he stood and related the events with very specific detail, leaving out the secret elements of their captivity, though everyone knew something had happened. He presented the good news first. After sharing with them that the United States would grant Cascadia independence, the council applauded his diplomatic prowess. He then pivoted to the bad news. When he explained that the newly independent Cascadia was going to war with Western Canada alongside its newest ally, the United States, the raucous applause and happiness was gone, replaced with anger and doubt. Gordon went from being heralded as a brilliant leader to being branded a fool. And this happened all in the span of fifteen minutes. This was why Gordon likened politicians to entitled and spoiled children.