Unknown (Unknown Series Book 1) (22 page)

The male nurse was quiet, but worked hard. He looked about the same age as me, but he must have gone to our rival high school because I didn’t recognize him.

“What’s your name?” I asked when we shut the doors and pulled down our masks.

“David Wyatt.” He held out a beefy hand and I shook it.

“Amber Tate. You wanna drive this over or stay here?”

“I’ll take it,” he told me. I saw him off and then went back to the clinic. I left my boots and gloves outside. I instinctively started walking toward a sink to wash up, then remembered I couldn’t. In the medical profession it’s drilled into you head to wash your hands frequently. Now the best we could do was use a squirt of antibacterial gel between patients, which wasn’t quite as effective. I felt germy all the time.

It was a long day, and even more depressing than working in Clark County, if possible. I knew most of these people, or I knew their kids or grandkids. Hearing all of the stories happening right here in my hometown, and how many had died or been arrested, hit me hard.

When I drove home that night, the number of abandoned cars on the side of the road in the dark was alarming. Even more alarming were random people trying to hitch rides, or just standing outside of their houses, looking around like they needed something.

Food and water, to begin with. How much longer could the town live this way?

It was ten at night when I walked into the house, and I was surprised to find my entire family awake in the living room, candles lit on various surfaces. Their faces were pinched with worry.

“What’s going on?” I locked the door behind me and set my stuff down.

Mom held up a paper. “There’s a town meeting tomorrow at the high school. Every person is required to go, by law.”

“Okay,” I said. That wasn’t such a bad thing, was it? Maybe we’d finally find out when electricity would be back on. “So, what’s the problem?”

Dad let out an unamused huff of laughter as Grandpa shook his head, arms tightly crossed. “They’ve discovered an infiltrator cell in our county.”

A drip of melting ice slid down my spine. “What?”

“Yep.” Dad’s face was deadly. “Right here in Lincoln. I’m going to see about joining the local force tomorrow to help sniff them out since my office is shut down for now. I’m tired of sitting around.”

I moved across the room and slid into the spot next to Mom. Were some of the people responsible for all the bombings and biological warfare really hiding in our county? We did have some mountains and miles of abandoned fields. It was possible. But this was a family-oriented place, and I couldn’t come to terms with that kind of hatred being so close to home.

“What time is the meeting?” I asked.

“Six o’clock at night.” Mom took my hand and rubbed my arm. “They’re asking everyone who has spare nonperishable items to bring them for the food bank.”

Grandpa grunted. “In times like this it should be to-each-his-own.”

“To be fair,” Mom said, “if it weren’t for you, we’d be one of those families needing the food bank. We can afford to share a little.”

Grandpa grunted again. “Just don’t let ’em know what we’ve got. They’ll be over here trying to take it all. If they were smart they’d set up some sort of trading market.”

“Don’t worry, Pop,” my father said. “Nobody’s saying anything. And we’ll get some answers tomorrow about when they’re gonna get this town up and running again.”

“That’s right,” Mom murmured. She kissed the side of my head. “Try to get some rest, princesa.”

I tried. I really did. God knows I was exhausted, but my subconscious was an evil villain. I woke, heart-pounding, over and over, as ceilings caved in on me, babies covered in spots were tossed into my arms, and friendly-seeming neighbors morphed into throat-tearing monsters. I must have had three anxiety attacks during the night. The signs of PTSD were clear after nearly dying in the hospital bombings and seeing so much death. Half of America probably suffered from PTSD now.

I lay back in the dark and closed my eyes, concentrating on my breathing. A vision wiggled its way into my mind like a serpent—Rylen moving on top of Livia—making me flop over onto my stomach and press my face into the pillow. None of those horrible dreams had brought tears to my eyes, but that vision had done it, the way he’d been staring down into her eyes, all passion and intensity. I cried as quietly as I could, heaving deep breaths, until sleep finally took me.

M
ore Red Virus victims. More death. More bodies.

I couldn’t believe the number of people in Lincoln County who contracted the virus. Even with all the vaccines being given daily. There were also an alarming number of young women who had the same side effects I did. It hurt just to watch them writhing in pain. I was glad when five thirty rolled around and the clinic shut down so everyone could attend the town meeting.

I met my family and the three Fites in the parking lot. After my inappropriate visions last night, I avoided eye contact with Rylen and Livia. But, as always, I felt his presence like a heated lamp pointed right at me. We waited in a long line to get in as Disaster Relief Initiative personnel checked people off a list. A tense, expectant atmosphere blanketed the line of people. Our family was uncharacteristically quiet. Mom held two cans of tuna, which made me realize how hungry I was.

I felt knuckles bump my arm and I looked over at Rylen holding a fruit and nut bar out to me. “Hungry?”

Beside him, Livia stared straight ahead at the line.

“Thank you.” I took it and immediately tore it open.

Abuela handed me a to-go cup. “Juice,” she said. “I squeeze.”

My mouth watered. “Orange juice?”

Mom smiled. “We had some ripen on our tree. We wanted you to have the first cup.”

Geez, that made me emotional. “I feel bad. Can we share it?”

“Well, we already took sips,” Mom said with a wink. “To make sure it was okay.”

I laughed and took a drink—it started tart but then got sweet. I downed it all and ate the bar. And though it did the trick, I couldn’t help but wish I’d had a giant burger with fries.

Len began coughing. He’d stood a ways away from all of us, and I’d forgotten he was there. He did not look well enough to be standing like this, and his breaths were wheezy. He wore long sleeves, but there were dried, dark scabs on his hands, neck, and face from the spots. I wanted to tell him to wait in the car and we’d get him when it was time, but I knew his pride wouldn’t allow it.

At the entrance there was a sign that read: No Red Virus Infected Persons Permitted. I wondered if they’d give Len a hard time, but they didn’t. He was too much on the mend. We answered a million questions. Other families with children were having their kids ushered off to a nursery and kid-zone. The meeting was for anyone over twelve. We filed into the gymnasium, which was already packed. Every seat in the bleachers was filled, and the floor was lined with rows of chairs in every available space. Since we were in the back of the line, we made sure Len, Grandpa, and Abuela had seats, and the rest of us stood along the back wall. A small platform had been erected at the other end under the school’s giant mascot mural. I peered around until I spotted Remy and her parents in the stands. She looked well, if not bored. She found me too, and we both waved.

The room was hot and stuffy with all the people and no air circulation. It felt like forever before three DRI personnel came onto the stage. When the room quieted, I could make out the hum of generators that kept the emergency lights burning. A giant screen was pulled down on the wall behind them. I guess they were going to show a video?

Beside me I felt Rylen’s elbow, and I followed his gaze toward the doors of the gymnasium where six police officers stood with gigantic guns. On his other side, Livia noticed them too and moved closer to him, as if afraid. He immediately took her hand.

“Since when do our cops carry assault rifles?” he muttered from the corner of his mouth. I shook my head. I guess since enemy cells were supposedly found in our midst. I elbowed Dad for him to see. He narrowed his eyes and looked around at all of the exits, each flanked with heavily-armed officers.

“I don’t recognize any of them,” he said quietly. I didn’t either. And they weren’t any kind of police uniform I’d ever seen. They looked like some sort of fancy flame-retardant material. Where was our hometown force?

I suddenly felt a little claustrophobic. I lifted my ponytail to fan the back of my neck with my hand. Mom and lots of other ladies were waving paper in front of their faces.

Finally, one of the DRI reps took the podium. She tapped the microphone and it gave a high-pitched screech that made everyone flinch.

“Citizens of Lincoln County, I thank you for coming out tonight. I will try to keep this brief so you can travel home before it’s too dark.” Gee, that was kind of her since tons of people had to walk now that they were out of gas. I don’t know why I felt irrationally angry toward her all of a sudden, but I did. Maybe it was because as I looked around at all of the hungry, dirty, tired faces, she had the nerve to stand up there with a non-wrinkled blazer, pencil skirt, and flawless hair and makeup. For once I’d like to see a DRI in unclean jeans with their hair messy like the rest of us.

“I’m sure you all have many inquiries and concerns. I will get straight to the point, and hopefully your questions will be answered along the way.” She lifted her chin, speaking from memory with no notes. “A threat was made to the local power companies. They received message that if they attempted to restore power, they would be bombed. The bombing of our power companies would set the city back, and we do not want that. So, we’ve taken the precaution to stop power restorations until those who threaten them are found and captured.”

A loud murmur of voices raised in the room. She spoke over the din of unrest.

“We have little information about the perpetrators, but I will tell you what we know.” She paused until there was complete quiet again. “Government intel has found that the enemy is neither a particular race nor religion. There is no particular label we can apply to them. They could be your neighbor. Your coworker. Your family member.” She stopped and peered around. The room was silent with shock.

“And this is why our predicament is more difficult than any we’ve faced before. There is something that bonds these people. They are a union of sorts. It seems they want to break down our society, and many of the larger societies of the world, for purposes unstated. It is clear that their goal is to force change. Perhaps they wish to stop Global warming or radically reduce the population. Or bring western civilizations back to their roots of a simpler time. Whatever their purpose, they know no bounds. Their ways are extreme, and their organization seems to have unlimited funds.”

My stomach was tied up in an intricate series of knots as she continued.

“It is due to this vagueness that we must be more vigilant than ever. As you read in your flyers, our intelligence has traced persons of interest here to Lincoln County.”

She looked out gravely over our townspeople as another murmur rose.

“We do not wish to cause alarm, only caution. Meetings such as this one are taking place all across the United States in towns where the enemy are believed to be in hiding. Senator Bradford Navis has sent a message to you, and all of these towns.”

She stepped aside and the room seemed to hold its breath as a film reel flickered to life across the wide screen. Moments later the senator’s handsome, albeit weary, face appeared. His white dress shirt collar was unbuttoned. His brown waves looked pushed back, as if a nervous hand had run through them over and over. I felt for him.

He sat at a desk with a window behind him, but only blue sky showed. I wondered where he was.

“Good evening. As I’m sure you’ve been told, we’re making great strides toward rooting out our adversaries, but we are to the point where your help and your compliance is essential.” He inhaled and rubbed a hand over his mouth, circling his chin before exhaling. “If you have followed my career at all, you know I am a proponent of Constitutional rights. I have fought to uphold them at every turn. I have been an advocate of equal rights for all, and the pursuit of justice and happiness. That will never change. Please know that my heart is in the same place it always has been, but we are facing a situation unlike any in history. These are extremely desperate times, and they are going to require us to make some temporary changes.”

His face took on a fierceness as the camera panned in that made my breath catch. His voice was utterly passionate, his tone beseeching. His tanned hands made fists so tightly that his knuckles whitened.

“Work with me to find these infiltrators. Work with your local law enforcement and the DRI to help them distinguish between who is causing this terror and destruction, and who is innocent. Because right now, as much as it pains me to say it . . . both look the same. At this point, it is our actions, and
only
our actions, that will make it clear what side we are on. We stand together on unprecedented ground. Let us work together to swiftly overtake those who would destroy our way of life.” He brought one of his fists down on the desk and the entire room erupted in a cheer that surprised me.