The RV lurched forward. The rocking of the vehicle knocked Valerie into Jack. He caught himself and pulled her up to her feet, searching her eyes to make sure he had heard her correctly. He had.
“What do you mean?” Jack demanded, his grip tightened on her arms.
Valerie shrugged free of Jack's grip and balanced herself.
“I wanted the RV to run, and I wanted the man dead. I panicked and focused my energy on him. Well, some of the energy grounded through Hyka. I saw the tiny spark in the man’s chest, making his heart beat, and then I took the spark.” She searched Jack’s face for understanding. The gunshot had forced her abilities to manifest and, like the lights in the cabin of the RV, her awareness of the power had become apparent. Valerie could see and feel so much more than she was able to articulate. She could see the energy moving through each person, to her, and out to the RV. She could finally focus on the energy inside, manipulating it to her will.
“Dear God,” Jack cursed.
“You’re a weapon,” Hyka stated from the dining table. Her head was propped up on her hands like she was watching television.
Jack and Valerie both looked at her for an explanation. Hyka smacked her lips at them and rolled her eyes.
“If they get you and pair you with another DiaZem, they will use you to kill everyone in the Midwest. Right now, I bet you could kill an entire city. They are so nervous about pissing you off and taking your kid because they don’t know how much you know, which makes you dangerous.” Hyka shrugged.
Valerie unbuckled the holster she carried on her leg, set the gun and carrier on the bench, and slid them both toward Hyka. The fear of using a weapon seemed to dull in comparison to what she could do without one. She wanted to disconnect from everyone’s energy, but they had to keep moving. She stayed plugged into the RV’s electrical system with little effort. Like breathing, she was aware, but doing so was involuntary.
“A weapon,” Valerie said to herself as she sat. She remembered the slimy smile plastered on Lucas’ face. She laughed at his title: Head of Research. Valerie needed to hone abilities and fast. She had just killed a man and could have accidentally killed Griff, too, had he been in the RV. She looked up at Hyka.
“The only way I can explain this is we are a part of one battery. You collect energy by pulling the electricity from everything around you. When you do this, you render the object useless. If I reach out to someone for energy, I can convert the energy back into whatever I want. I complete the circuit. But I’m also an entire circuit by myself? I still don’t completely understand.”
“Good thing you aren’t more emotional. Seems like you can only perform when you’re about to lose your shit.”
Valerie knew by now that Hyka was helping, in her own way, by appearing unimpressed as usual.
“I don’t know how to control when I use my powers. But when I release a conductor’s stored energy, I rejuvenate them, make them younger, heal them, too. Maybe the only time I let my guard down is when I panic. I don’t make a habit of trusting people or reaching out for help,” Valerie admitted, trying not to sound insensitive.
Jack sat in deep concentration. The longer he sat, the more upset he got. His worry showed on his face. Griff maneuvered the RV in the direction of the highway.
“Dr. Jarrett said I could power an entire region if I were in proximity to another DiaZem. I know right now I could power more than just this vehicle. Not much actual electricity is needed since vehicles run on gas. I can keep everyone from pulling the energy put out by the alternator.”
The possibilities started running through Valerie’s mind. She could find Scott and Caleb. Then, with the help of her friends, they would run. With their collection of skills, they could find a rural homestead and live in peace, away from the threat of the CDC. She would do anything necessary to preserve the lives of the people she loved, but she would have to start leading them in that direction now. Convincing them would take a lot of work.
The RV accelerated as they reached the on-ramp to the highway then slowed. Traffic was moving, but only just. Only one northbound lane was open. There would be little room left for escape if circumstances called for them to evade.
The overall mood in the RV was positive. Hyka flipped through channels on the TV looking for the latest in CDC propaganda. Jack sat staring out the window as Griff merged into traffic and joined the unaffected population on the road. Major left his post in the front to join them, leaving Griff to drive.
“You did it, young lady,” Major said in his Southern accent. There was a twinkle in his eyes, like a child on Christmas morning.
Valerie, however, was not thrilled about their conflict ending with a fatality. In the moment of the shot, she had rationalized the circumstance had come down to life or death. She gave Major a weak but appreciative smile. His wounds were still pink but had almost healed.
“You look a lot like your mama, you know,” he said after studying her for a couple of seconds.
“Thank you.” Valerie regretted not ever knowing these people before they became her friends. They all seemed to know her far better than she knew them. She would have had an easier time rallying them to her plan if she knew them already.
“Your pops is the most honest SOB I have ever met. Got him into trouble a lot, but you have to respect a man who will risk insubordination before jeopardizing the welfare of his soldiers. He was a smart man. Always stayed five steps ahead of the enemy. I see a lot of that in you. You’re a quick one, Mrs. Russell.”
“You all can start calling me Valerie or Val. I feel like we’ve been through enough to skip over the pleasantries.”
A reasonable request. Major nodded.
“We promised your dad to keep you safe. As a simple man, I know enough to know that little good is going to come if we let them take you. Deep down, you know they could find another DiaZem to complete their plan. We can’t stand idly by. You are the key to stopping them. You are what the good guys need to keep order in this world.”
A weapon. Valerie was either going to be a weapon for right or wrong. Major’s eyes searched hers for a positive acknowledgment. She had none to offer. Finding her son and husband were her top priority. She had a difficult time seeing past their safety to a bigger picture of overthrowing a rising world government. She wanted to preserve what life she had left and never leave her family again. She was not oblivious to the fact that she needed this group of people and was aware of what they risked by helping her. If she could offer them safety, maybe they would see her vision and abandon the idea of sending her on an impossible mission. Valerie struggled to find a way to satisfy Major’s lingering suggestion.
She stared him down with raised eyebrows, refusing to agree to his idea. Major gave a long sigh and returned to Griff’s side. Relief and anxiety rose in her as she knew this would not be the last time he brought up the proposition. He needed her buy-in as much as she needed his. They would continue to disagree until one of them gave in.
Valerie rested her head in her hands. She was stuck in a place where every decision came at a steep price. She felt helpless, like the night she lost her mother, except this time she was the driver who was going too fast. As a nurse, she was charged with saving the lives of others, but the weight of saving people she knew and loved was far heavier than she had ever experienced. If she could not find a way to control the situation, more people would die. Staring out the window as the parked cars passed by, she bit her knuckle, hoping the small bit of pain would calm the anxiety bubbling under the surface. Smoke rose from the mountains miles away. Millions of people populated the surrounding area. Yes. If her plan were successful, she would have her family; however, she was unsure if she could live with herself, knowing she was the key to saving so many more and chose to run. Her child would be safe, but what of every unaffected child? This was impossible, and she might lose everything for even trying. She swallowed the ball in her throat.
The sun sank behind the tallest mountain on the horizon, though it was still mid-afternoon. They had spent hours inching forward in the RV. The rest was welcome, and they covered more ground than if they had continued on foot. Their relaxation was short lived. Griff spotted the reason for the slow traffic. A checkpoint. Of course, there would be a checkpoint.
“No,” she whispered as Griff accelerated. “Griffin, slow down.”
“I can bust through. They don’t have chains or gates. Just a soft checkpoint,” he said, continuing to accelerate. He swerved onto the crowded shoulder in an attempt to gain momentum to run through.
“Major, we can’t draw attention to ourselves.” She tried to remain calm and authoritative.
“You think the soldiers at this checkpoint are just going to let us waltz right on through? What do you think will happen once we get there? I suppose we could hide in the cabinets and hope for the best.” He was getting anxious, angrier, and desperate.
She could feel it in his heart rate.
“No,” Valerie said louder and more direct. Everyone looked at her.
Hyka stood up and went to the bedroom of the RV. Car by car, they got closer to the checkpoint. She knew the CDC would take them either way. Valerie struggled to keep her fear under control. The doubt displayed all over her company’s faces did not help.
“Please trust me. I can do this. I need to start figuring this out. No one else has to die. If we fight, that is exactly what will happen,” she pleaded.
“No? Because you want to sabotage your own safety to prove a point? To try and figure it out now? Dammit.” Major answered her request by returning to the passenger seat and giving the order to slow down.
“Please, just trust me,” she said through clenched teeth as they pulled past a set of guards holding out sensors, scanning the RV.
Major turned to address the group. “Rendezvous point is the first exit off the east bypass.” He spoke loud enough Hyka could hear him in the back but never took his eyes off Valerie. “If anything happens, we meet up there. No one gets left behind. All of us or none of us.”
“This one is hot, Sarge,” a voice yelled from outside the RV.
A loud but muffled alarm came from one of the guard’s sensors. Griff slowed the RV to a halt. Seven CDC-clad soldiers stood behind barriers with unusual looking weapons at the ready. Two more soldiers made their way to the RV door. Griff looked at Major who gave the nod. He rolled the window down to take commands.
“Sir, we know you are harboring affected people in your vehicle. Please place the RV in park, hand over the keys, and everyone needs to exit the vehicle. Please follow directions or you will be forced to comply.”
A rapping came from the other side of the RV. The two soldiers were getting impatient. Griff followed the orders and stood up to be the first out. He glanced over his shoulder at Valerie. She chewed the inside of her cheek. Major offered a protesting look as he walked out the door, hands in fists and head high. She followed behind him. Hyka reappeared from the back and fell in line behind Jack.
Valerie did a mental assessment of the checkpoint as her shoes hit the pavement. Her heart pounded, and she was still in touch with the energy around her. If she gave in to her fear, she would be consumed by the power that bombarded her. Her finger was on the pulse of every person in that checkpoint. Scared even to breathe too fast, Valerie realized then that she was indeed a weapon. There was no good side of taking the lives of so many people, regardless of the cause given to justify it. War was evil, and she wanted no part of either side. A prayer escaped her lips in a whisper. All her focus was on maintaining control.
The checkpoint spanned three lanes. Beyond the checkpoint, traffic moved quicker with two lanes open instead of just one. Guards led the ’Squatch team to a holding area next to a makeshift command tent. A grid was spray painted on the ground, five squares deep and nine squares long. They each were instructed to stand on a separate square. The square Jack stood on had a dried blood stain.
“Good evening, folks. My name is Staff Sergeant Stephenson. It has been brought to our attention that your vehicle is harboring individuals affected by the event. No one here is in trouble or danger. However, if you refuse to comply, you will be forced to comply. No, you may not contact your lawyer. No, you do not have the right to refuse. And lastly, no, I do not care. Specialist O’Connell here will test you. If you test negative, then you are free to go. If you test positive, my troops will escort you to a facility in Denver for observation. The facility is a nice place where you will find the accommodations quite appealing.”
Staff Sergeant Stephenson nodded toward a young man, Specialist O’Connell, to proceed. The young man’s uniform was crisp and new. His arms shook as he pointed a wand-shaped contraption at Griff. Valerie studied the response of the wand. If she could manipulate the reaction of the device, they would all be released.
O’Connell moved down the line to Major; the wand went off for a second before she could block the reading. Valerie concentrated harder, mimicking the negative response given to Griff. The young man gave a startled look at Stephenson and waved the wand over Major again. This time Valerie caught the reaction before the alarm alerted them again. Major was negative. She let out a soft sigh and continued to focus on the wand.
The young man looked to the staff sergeant again. “I need another wand, sir.”
“Goddammit, kid. I’m not a sir. Call me Staff Sergeant, or I’ll beat you with your wand. What’s wrong? Didn’t you design this thing?”
O’Connell flinched at Stephenson’s questioning. The boy did not have the same air about him as the other soldiers. He was too young, too scared, unbroken by military training. His invention must have given him a first-class ticket to join the CDC front lines.
Stephenson radioed to the command tent beside them to bring out a backup device. The young man started again. Griff was negative. Major and Hyka were both negative. The wand came closer to her. An alarm sounded from the device, triggering multiple alarms around the checkpoint. In seconds, they were surrounded by an additional fifty soldiers. All guns pointed at her. Blue sparks of electricity balled at the ends of their plastic-barreled weapons, using energy as their ammunition. They were charged and ready to fire.
She was running out of time, but lucky for her, the strange weapons were nothing more than stun guns. They were electric. She exhaled a laugh before changing the blue sparked charges to red. She had found their lethal mode. The strength of the electrical weapons coupled with a small magnetic piece within gave her the power to pick and hold their targets. One by one, the soldiers shifted and pointed their electrical weapons at each other against their will. It was just a show of power. Major took one step toward the staff sergeant, but in a split second, Stephenson produced a 9mm and steadied it on Valerie’s forehead.
Valerie’s heart was in her throat, and she fought to remain calm. Strangely enough, it was not the first time she had been in a situation with a gun in her face. Her experience did not offer much solace, but she had a small understanding of the man’s psychology. He would not shoot her, with her being who she was. But unfortunately, her companions were more acceptable targets.
“If you know what I am, then you know what I am capable of,” Valerie said in her best Hyka tone, flat with no expression.
Stephenson kept the gun steady on her, took a step, and whispered in her ear, “And I would love to see that in action, but maybe with fewer spectators.” He took a step back. “O’Connell, run inside the head shed and grab about five guys without those plastic toys. Let the LT know what we’ve got here, too.”
“Please don’t shoot, her,” Specialist O’Connell requested. “She’s special. More important than anyone else in the world.”
“Dammit, O’Connell. Does this look like a public execution to you? Grab some zip ties while you’re up there. And stop questioning orders. Didn’t you get some briefing before they just sent you out here? Undisciplined turd.”
The young man backed away, unable to take his eyes off Valerie. Getting impatient, Stephenson pointed the gun in the air and fired a round. The young man flinched again and tripped over his own feet. Valerie used the distraction to try to grab the weapon from Stephenson, but he was faster and stronger. He anticipated her move, grabbed her throat right under her jaw, and held the gun to her head.
“You’re really pretty, you know that? Of course, you do. Is that how you got these low-lives to follow you? I bet you even spread your legs for this bitch who looks like she wants to kill me. They might be afraid of you, but I’m not. Don’t expect me to worship you. You’re nothing but a whore. They’ll take you to the facility and use you up. You think I’m joking? Why do you think they are so desperate to find a female DiaZem?” Stephenson kept his remarks to a whisper.
She tried to block out the images he painted in her head. All she could think about was how Max had looked at her, how Dr. Jarrett had looked at her. She kept her jaw clenched and balanced on her toes to alleviate the pain from his grip. She could smell the carbon smoke emitting from the barrel of the gun, less than an inch from her head. If she killed him, then she might have to kill all the soldiers at the checkpoint. Still, she knew he would not shoot her. No one had to die. Valerie disengaged the electrical weapons and returned power to the soldiers who held them.
“Atta girl,” Stephenson said as he released his grip. The gun still steadied at her face.
She lowered herself to flat feet and glared at him. Her neck still hurt, but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing. She brushed her hair out of her face with her left hand in a show of defiance.
“Oh, you’re married?” Stephenson questioned in amusement. “To him?” he said, pointing to Jack. “Does he know they are going to whore you out at the facility?”
Stephenson got the reaction he was looking for from Jack who charged at him. Valerie felt one of the electrical weapons charge. The energy built up before a red stream shot toward Jack. She considered taking the hit from him, but in the transfer, the shock could move to Stephenson who held his index finger on the trigger of the gun still pointed at her. The trauma would cause his finger to flex, firing a bullet. Helpless, Valerie screamed as the red stream hit him. The shock pulsed through his body twice before he could absorb the energy. The amount administered would have killed a regular person. Jack fell to the ground, writhing in pain until he stopped moving altogether.