Bone Dust & Beginnings (Alexa's Travels Book 1) (15 page)

Corbin watched the light above cell #17’s door change to green. She had to know the orders were coming. An escape attempt now was only wise.

The Commander turned toward the button - the one that would send the lights flooding into the halls and expose her - and hesitated. What if she was the one to start the quest?

The Legend of Safe Haven.

Aware of not being alone in the room, the Commander hit the button with a regretful sigh.

The alarm blared loudly; thundering through the halls until running feet were the second loudest sound. Soldiers flooded the bottom floors, searching for the escaped captive, but there was no sign of Alexa or Regan.

6

Alexa was weak physically. Her mental gifts fed off her emotions, as they did with all her kind, but the year of being drugged had turned her into a quivering mass of limp muscles than could only hold her for minutes at a time. When the heavy hands had grabbed her from behind, she hadn’t been able to stop them from dragging her into a dusty closet.

Regan fumbled with his clothes, her robe, forgetting who he was about to hurt with no child around for insurance. He didn’t talk, didn’t need to, and he smiled at her fear as she heard his pants fall.

Alexa turned her head, mind still searching for a way to save the kids, and she allowed his sloppy kiss. His thrusting hips she deflected with her leg, catching him where it hurt most without meaning to.

Regan’s hands went around her throat as he fell, dragging her down, and Alexa gasped for air as he choked her.

Plans ruined, Regan squeezed harder as the waves of pain wracked his flesh. The haze of blood slithered over his sight, and he watched the tears roll down her cheeks in the flickering light of the lantern he’d setup before grabbing her.

Pulling from his lust, Alexa sent a blast of rage into his body that threw him across the small room and into the wall. The kids couldn’t feed from an impure source, but she was already damned and had no such limits.

Regan smacked into the shelves with a heavy thud and slumped to the floor. When he didn’t move, she quickly shoved to her feet and moved toward his unconscious body. In fact, a good meal of killer was just what she needed.

With the alarms going off, the captives that weren’t locked in had come out of their rooms to clog the halls, and it was little trouble to duck her head and pretend to be one of them. Even her healthy energy was covered by the fear and excitement racing through the kids at the news of an escape. They now had as much hope as was tolerable.

Not sure where to go, only that it had to be up, Alexa followed small groups of guards, watching where they went, where they snuck off to. When she felt she had drawn too much attention, she ducked into another closet or dark area, staying a short step ahead of the squad now doing a full search. They’d made a mistake by keeping her presence so low-profile here that their own guards had no idea what she looked like. With Regan’s uniform on, they still didn’t.

7

Corbin watched the dot on the screen get closer and closer to the ground floor, almost willing her to make it. In all the time they’d held her here, there hadn’t been a single whisper of Safe Haven, but the ruthless Commander knew that’s where she would head as soon as she was free. He was sure of it, and the markings on her body were his attempts to make her tell where they’d gone. After a while, he’d realized that if she knew where the legendary city was, she’d already have headed there instead of spending so many months caring for those tattered island children.

But… if Alexa left here now, she would search for it, especially since she had this secret to share with the Alpha male. With her gifts, she stood a real chance of finding it. All they had to do was follow her.

Corbin watched the dot head up the final flight of stairs, amazed no one had stopped her yet. He wouldn’t help her escape, but he wouldn’t do anything else against it either, and the man turned off the tracker before joining his men on the bottom floors to help with the search.

Lurking in the shadows, one of Corbin’s most clever scientists waited for his captor to be gone before stepping toward the screen. He had his own suspicions on why the Commander hadn’t told anyone where the escaped woman was, but he didn’t trigger the second alarm to expose the either of them.

Like his boss, Rab, who had once been known as Paul, wanted to know if Safe Haven really existed, just not for the same reasons. Corbin wanted to conquer it and use its secrets, to fulfill the duty he’d been charged with by those pulling his strings.

Rab wanted to live there. He’d dreamed of a world of peace, where he could be accepted and be with others like himself as they served the human population their Master had died for.

The scientist turned on the tracker in time to watch the small dot exit the compound through a service door used for bringing in fresh supplies. Within minutes, the woman was out of view of even the nearest guard tower, and Rab switched the screen back to darkness.

When Corbin finally found Safe Haven, someone would have to kill him so he didn’t ruin it. Rab secretly hoped he might be the one chosen.

Now

“It took me a week to gather enough weapons and strength to go back. When I got there, the compound was abandoned.”

Alexa’s voice, full of ragged and miserable emotion, snapped the six males back to the darkness around their fire.

Alexa shoved to her feet, suddenly weary. She’d been sure her escape would cause the deaths of those kids, but she’d abandoned them anyway to reach Safe Haven and tell Adrian of what was happening here. It was a sin she would never be free of, but one she would repeat if needed. Nothing would stand in her way.

The woman moved toward the shadows, and the men understood that their dreams wouldn’t be enough to keep her nightmares at bay. She would be on watch all night. Each of them looked to Edward expectantly.

The horseman grinned, eager enough to tell them what he knew of her next adventure.

“
The lone woman limped into the Utah town on a sunless afternoon…”

When the tale was finished, the fighters wore stunned expressions that said they weren’t sure if they believed it or not.

"Let's turn in," Edward instructed. Four of the men immediately began preparing for sleep.

Jacob, who had no doubt, met Edward's eye across the fire. "You were the first. You've been with her the longest. Do you regret?"

Edward shook his head. "No. This
real
life
has been all I asked for and more. Come soldiers, magic, or terror, I follow."

9

Rick listened from the darkness, a grinning ghost like he’d been so many years ago outside Safe Haven’s glowing borders.

 
He now had a weakness he could use if he was able to take her hostage, which was unlikely, but he knew something that her men did not. After his time around so many with the DNA marker, Rick understood them, what made them work. It hadn’t been the leader-gene that had sent her from the compound alone. It had been the need to right the wrong.

It was who
they
were, the fixers of the world, and Rick loathed each and every one of them. He might have liked Regan’s job, done it well. The government wanted to use her to create a weapon or a stronger breed of human. Corbin wanted her to find Safe Haven, as did Rick, but he knew better than the commander what might work.

Her bond with these six men was what the one-eyed man hadn’t taken into account. It hadn’t been the lack of knowledge that had allowed Adrian to leave these people behind. Alexa was foolish to think he hadn’t known - the same way Corbin was foolish to think she was strong enough to conquer the bond because she was an Alpha. Those with the DNA marker were sworn to protect – the human race, not their own. He’d left them to save his sheep, the same as Alexa would.

If Rick could kill some of her men or take them from her, she would bargain for them, he had no doubt. After watching Adrian, how he’d lovingly trained and protected his teams, Rick understood better than Alexa herself. When he’d said there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do, anyone he wouldn’t sacrifice to see Safe Haven thrive, he’d meant his own kind, even his children.

No wonder he had been such a perfect leader,
Rick thought cruelly. Only an incredible hard-ass could do that.

1

Their first sight of Laramie was as they'd thought it would be: isolated and ominous.
The graveyard of cattle was particularly disturbing to the fighters. Beef was a rare food now, and the sight of those large bones was reminder of their near extinction.

“Gloves.”
Alexa instructed, seeing and hearing what could only be a very healthy insect population. That left their faces uncovered, something the men were all very protective of. When she donned her mask, they did as well. Once the goggles were slid into place, not a single inch of skin was exposed to be bitten.

The water had surrounded the small oasis on three sides even before the waves had crashed downstream and the tremors had widened the banks. Now, the whole area was an island; its treasures unreachable by even a small skiff. The debris in the murky water would refuse to budge for their poles, or maybe it would shift at the wrong time and turn them out into Nature's liquid cemetery. Alexa shook her head. There was no way she would put her men so close to Death's hand.

Edward was grinning, remembering how far he'd come since they'd met in Utah. Without thinking, he began to uncoil the rope around his waist, mind still on the changes their leader had encouraged in him.

The other males followed his lead automatically, drawing Alexa's attention.
My right hand,
the woman thought, and stared at the row of trees, huge trunks submerged beneath the polluted liquid.

"Tell me how."

Edward straightened his shoulders, proud that he could. "We zigzag, stay over the larger debris to maybe have a few seconds of extra time."

"And if I said we swim?"

Edward too, was now aware that the others were viewing him oddly, but chose only to concentrate on the matter at hand. "I follow your lead."

She showed no reaction, but the horseman still had to fight the urge to fall at her feet as her pleasure rolled over him in waves. His tolerance was only so good, even now.

The woman grunted her approval when he didn't move. "You grow stronger daily."

He was unable to keep the awe from his tone, "Because of you!"

Alexa leaned forward to stroke his cheek softly with her roughened fingertips. "I have a great fondness for you, as well, Edward."

She turned to them with the rarest emotion they ever saw from her - love.
"So, of you all."

Alexa moved toward the line of decaying trees, "Now come, my pets. In the dawn’s dim glow, our newest adventure waits."

The Rookies followed carefully, both still a bit stunned to find
themselves
already so thick into the quest, and they hurried to help with the small camp when she called it. She would have them wait out the darkness, the new men assumed. Traveling at night was not highly recommended, but they didn’t question the order of no fire.

Their camp was cold, basic rations and diversions split among them, as darkness fell thickly upon the post-apocalyptic land. In minutes, there was only an occasional glint of calmly swaying branches and ripples, and then, nothing. Not even a flash of skylight remained to show each other, and yet, there was no fear, no senseless conversations just to be comforted by the sound of their own voices. They were with Alexa and her brightness was clear even in the pitch black.

2

A light flared a short while later, far to their right… then another. Tiny, glowing flames buzzed and dove in the distance, but seemed to get no closer. To their left, a third beam of brightness. This one moved purposefully, heading north, toward Laramie Station, and all six men knew when Alexa stood. Without being told, they followed.

The light appeared to be floating, a carried lantern perhaps, and the seven fighters moved steadily closer, silent despite the unfamiliar ground. They were tracking prey, something each of them instinctively excelled at.

The flame stopped suddenly, very near to the water's mossy edge, and then it vanished. Slowing, the trackers inched closer, watching, waiting.

As the darkness brightened again, the males saw it hadn't been a lantern, but a glow stick wrapped for control of the shine. The man carrying it was bone-thin, but huge - seven feet at least - and easily supporting the weight of two heavy
looking
 
bags
over each thick arm. His clothing was black, as was his long beard and hat, but the skin under them was alabaster white and glinted even in the darkness.

"Can passage be bought here, Ferryman?"

The fighters watching were shocked to see Alexa now standing feet from the heavily-muscled giant. Each of them moved silently into place behind her.

Clearly not human, the Ferryman looked like he was half slave, half lumbering beast, and the enormous mounds of his arms said it was true. Each bicep was easily the size of a human chest.

"That and more these days."

His tone was deep, big and yet, quiet. He glanced back at her with only slightly curious black eyes. "For the right price, anything can be."

Alexa dug under her robes without care for his unease, and the movement seemed to break the tension instead of increasing it. Closer now, the other two lights flitted and dove happily around the flooded forest.

A bag sailed through the air, and the jingle of gold was cut off as the big man caught it. Before he could protest, Alexa gestured toward the battered pouch.

"Your price is in there."

Interest growing, the Toll-man peered into the bag and then glared at her. "You know this is far too much."

"You will wait or come back when our time here is finished." Her tone was sharp, and those with her understood their passage out was being secured.

Greed flashed openly as the Ferryman raised a bushy brow. "And if you don't need a way back?"

Alexa smiled coolly, confidently. "Then keep it and owe only a kindness to the next hard-asses to seek passage. How much of a kindness is up to you."

 
Unlike Jendon, this one didn't hesitate.
"Done."

He pointed at a nearby trunk that was barely visible; it was so dark with decay. "Light a few of those when you're ready. I'll come one click due left of your light."

"We would arrive before dawn."

He nodded again, the pouch disappearing beneath his robe.
"Half an hour, Mistress, no longer."

"My thanks, Ferryman."

The tall guide surprised them all by scowling.
"For taking you to your death?
It’s
my honor
."

He spun away, and the six males understood her magic was already working on the strangely stoic carpenter. He would come when called.

 
Alexa turned to her waiting men. "Lighten by a third. Leave it by that tree. No one will bother it."

Not questioning how that was possible, each of them did as instructed. Her senior men subtly watched to see what she removed. Her true weight was something they were curious about, and when she removed only her long cloak, Billy gave Edward a nod to acknowledge his guess of 125 lb. being right.

With her cover gone, any of them might have expected her to seem less somehow, but the opposite was true. Only the Ferryman stared in surprise - even the rookies knew to only take small glimpses of their leader uncovered.

Alexa was a bright, vivid swell in the darkness, and Edward threw out a hand to keep the Ferryman from falling at her feet. Arms full of his own steel, the fighter gave the huge man a hard shake.

Surprised from the trance, the giant held himself stiffly in place until he was back in control. After a moment, the builder sent an uncomfortable grimace of recognition toward Edward. He stole only a quick look at the woman before turning back to the two large duffle bags he'd set down when she’d stepped from the darkness.

The carpenter began to pull things from the bags, snapping ends together with small clicks. Alexa waited patiently with her men standing in a guard formation around her. The sounds continued steadily and their tension increased. Those noises would echo and draw attention, but seeing how alertly their leader was listening was a comfort. If something or someone came, she would know.

The Ferryman continued to work, and as the outline of a staircase took shape, each of her men immediately dreaded stepping onto it. When it grew, rising unsteadily upward, so did their concern.

The builder set aside the frame to dig through the bags again, coming up with a small gate and a single, two-foot thick concrete block, which he placed near the water's edge. He then put the frame's weakest side on the brick, clicked the gate into place, and surprised all but the woman when he hefted the bags over his shoulders and stepped up onto the first thin stair.

The carpenter went back to building, hands smooth, and when he moved up the next step, the first began to glow. It was a pale, golden light that seemed to pulse in time to his clicks and clacks, as did the next, and the one after. In a groove, he moved faster and higher, creating a golden arc.

"The stairway to heaven," Jacob whispered.

Alexa shook her head, "It was never to there - only a conveyance between hard to reach places, nothing more."

Instructed, when she moved for the bottom stair, they still couldn't stop quick glimpses upward.

"It's safe now for the lightest."

The words seemed to float through the night, spreading into a wide ripple they were sure could be heard much further than they could see. None of her men wanted to be split up, and they were glad when Alexa didn't move.

It also brought relief to their guide. The Ferryman had taken many into Laramie, but only brought back three. He wanted her to be the fourth. The males with her, so dim in comparison, mattered only to her and themselves.

It was just over the half hour mark when his call came again, floating down from far above them, "The
bridge
is open.
Slow and steady now.
The bridge is open."

It went out with a wave of power and yet, there was only silence in return.

"Not many takers," Mark cracked.

Alexa snorted as she passed him and moved onto the bridge.

"We come, Ferryman. Paid in full," she stated it softly, but the words rang out, and then echoed up.

"I see you, party of seven,”
came
the Ferryman’s reply. “Passage is granted. Mind you hit the gate, or owe for those who come after."

Alexa waved Edward to Drag, sure he would remember, and made a curt motion that even the rookies understood.
Stay close!

"Waterline.
No interaction."

Meaning they wouldn't be alone on the bridge. Each man steadied himself and followed her onto the vividly glowing stairs.

3

The fog swirled around them right away, even though they'd seen none from the ground. The seven fighters moved back and forth in their comforting rhythm as they went up and over the flooded city.

The purplish mist moved thickly around their boots, muting the cracks and groans from the boards under their feet, and the awful sway kept them stepping carefully; the wood beneath them feeling almost soft. It had a slight give that curled stomachs and raised awareness of where they were and what they had signed up for. Above them, the clicks and clacks also went on, the Ferryman building even as they crossed.

"Rookies, down!"

The two men hit the bridge at her command, sending a ripple along the wooden stairs, and Edward shrank back as a huge, dark shadow swooped over them, just missing the newest males.

"Our enemy knows we're here.
Rookie-net."

Mark and Billy immediately stepped beside the two men, tying ropes between their waists even as they kept climbing. The ends were handed to Alexa and Edward - Point and Drag - and they went on, connected in four places.

"Kill for me!" a voice roared at them from the purple fog, a female cry of want.

Alexa's tone was hard. “Keep it tight!”

The four men fell in closely to the front and back of the rookies, and they all knew to duck as a rushing noise came from their right.