Refugee Road (Freedom Fighters Series Book 1) (24 page)

“Good morning Mrs. Sheridan. Where are you off to so early?” One of the soldiers asked.

I smiled. “A friend of mine is sick. I’m going to take her some soup. Alec is home sick too and I want to get back for him.”

He nodded. “Where’s the soup?”

I was glad I remembered to toss a pot into the car. “The passenger seat. Why?”

I pointed to the pot and the guard relaxed. “Sorry but I needed to check.”

I pretended to be offended. “I certainly hope you are not doubting my word.”

“Oh no Miss, but…you see…my superiors…” He stammered.

I nodded. “I understand you need to do your job. I’ll be on my way then.”

He gestured to the other guard and the gate opened. “Have a good day Mrs. Sheridan.”

Outside the main gates, I headed down the road without gunning the engine. A was rather proud of myself for holding back. I could feel the eyes of the militia guards on my rear bumper. Nervously I forced myself to drive at a consistent speed and it sucked all the joy right out of it. I pulled into the bunker parking lot a few minutes later. Alec was waiting outside, watching for me.

I parked the car and got out, finagling around the steering wheel so I didn’t bump my belly.

Alec hugged me instantly. “What took so long? Were you detained?”

I shrugged. “The guards doubted my story. I’m glad I brought the pot.”

His eyes narrowed. “Who was at the gates?”

“I didn’t know their names. One of them I recognized from the picnic. Young guy with black hair, tall and skinny?” I asked, hoping he would know.

“Ah, yes, Parker. He’s harmless. Probably a little over eager. No need to worry.”

“I’m not worried if you aren’t.”

He took my hand. “Good.”

“Where are Mal and Donnovan?” I asked, curious.

“Hiding. They don’t want detected on camera. Let’s get moving. We are going to pick them up about a mile down the road.”

“Aren’t we going to be on the cameras?”

“Not this dark. I’m not worried about it. I can always wipe the data later if it picks anything up. Those two are paranoid.” He laughed lightly. “I’ll check later,” he promised.

I sat in the passenger seat and buckled the belt, adjusting it under my stomach. Alec grinned.

“Don’t you dare say a word about how much seat belt strap I am using right now,” I told him threateningly.

The corners of his mouth twitched. “You can use all the seat belt you want my love.”

I frowned at him but he took my hand and kissed it. “You are beautiful Lizzie. I love you.”

“And I love you Alec.”

He dropped my hand and pulled onto the road, driving toward Worthington again. Along the way we picked up Mal and Donnovan and continued the journey. It was after sunrise when we reached the park, muddy and dull brown from the recent rain. Alec parked along the street, angling the car toward the main road, and I realized he always parked the car so it faced the destination we would leave in. Smart. Mal and Donnovan grabbed their backpacks and duffle bags from the trunk, loaded down with supplies.

The ground had thawed again. My feet sloshed and stuck in the sticky ground. More than once I teetered, my balance offset by my growing belly. I almost laughed with the numerous amount of times Mal and Alec reached out to steady me. We walked with them into the park and stopped at the familiar bench.

“Well, this is it.” Donnovan observed, dropping his bags on the bench.

Without warning, Mal punched him in the upper jaw and then in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Blood dripped from his bottom lip. Another left hook had him tumbling to the ground, blood coming from his nose. Mal shook his hand, grimacing slightly.

I stared in horror at them both.

“You might need to ice that.” Alec observed, his voice laced with humor.

Mal looked sheepish. “Best get it over with before you had a chance to dwell on it.”

Donnovan nodded, holding his side. “Agreed.”

Alec laughed, clapping Mal on the back. “Did you ever box?”

“A little,” he admitted.

Mal was a boxer? How did I not know that?

“More than a little,” Donnovan gasped, “that left hook is brutal.”

Mal smiled. “Yeah, old south paw.”

The other two grunted, a clear sign of respect.

I rolled my eyes. “Was it necessary to do that before I left?”

Mal looked apologetic. “I figured you would want to know he was all right. And he is. Besides, he was getting jittery thinking about it on the way here.”

I looked at Donnovan.

“How did you...that obvious huh?” He chuckled.

“Yep,” Mal replied.

“Well, I leave you in capable hands Don. Good luck,” Alec told him, taking his free hand and shaking it.

“Ha, yeah, thanks for that.” Donnovan grunted.

“You asked for this,” Mal reminded him.

“Yeah I know. I think you bruised a lung,” he smiled and winced, remembering the cut on his lip.

“Why do you think I volunteered to help assimilate you?”

Alec laughed hard at that, his eyes watering.

Mal grinned. “Payback for Lizzie. I might have enjoyed that a little.”

Alec laughed harder, unable to speak.

I ignored them both, putting my hand on Donnovan’s shoulder. “Good luck. These are good people. If you prove yourself, they will be loyal to you and protect you. Don’t forget that many of them have suffered as much if not more than you.”

He nodded. “I appreciate what you’ve done. You won’t regret it.”

Mal and Alec sobered up. This was where we said goodbye. I hated goodbyes. I was terrible at them, even more so after my sister’s death. They were difficult for me on many levels. Emotionally taxing. I think it had a lot to do with the unpredictability of the future. It was wartime after all. No one was safe.

I turned to Mal, sudden tears springing to my eyes. “I don’t want to say goodbye Mal.”

He embraced me, a tremor running through his lanky frame. “I’ll miss you Lizzie. Send word to me when you can. I want to see that bouncing baby boy…” His voice broke and he cleared his throat. “I want to see him when he is born.”

“You will. I want you there. Please,” I whispered.

He put his palms on either side of my face. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Bye sweetie. Take care of yourself.”

He leaned down and for a split second I thought he was going to kiss me in front of Alec but his lips brushed against my forehead instead. I caught a glance in his eyes before he turned away and it lurched my heart almost out of my chest. Mal loved me. I knew that. We loved each other like siblings. Like Family. Like blood. Even with his declaration I had still convinced myself it was not the same kind of love that I shared with Alec. I was wrong.

For the first time I saw the strength of emotion he hid from me. It was raw. Vibrant and real. Like Fire. And fierce in its intensity.

He knew I saw it. He knew it shocked me. But why show me now? Why? I had no idea how to process that knowledge. It threw me. Like a sucker punch to the gut. I nearly panicked. I pushed it down deep with the other emotions I never thought about. Way down. I trembled with the effort it took to control it.

Alec put his arm around me and pulled me close. “I’ll make sure we contact you when its time.”

He never saw what passed between us. Alec never knew. Mal nodded and looked away but not before his eyes met mine. A flicker of pain crossed over them before he suddenly whistled and it was gone. He was back to his happy and carefree attitude. The Mal I knew. Confident and caring. All business. But what he revealed had opened something inside me. It placed a doorway in my path. One I never knew existed. I was almost frightened. Not only did he show me the truth but he let me see the pain associated with it. Why? Why do that to me?

I wish that I could say what I saw with Mal never entered my mind again. Or the night he kissed me. I wish I could say that life and love were perfect. That they were easy. I wish I could say that loving someone meant you never wanted anything else. Ever. But anyone who has ever been in love knows that is not true. Love is never simple. It complicates everything in your life.

The heart is multi chambered and multi-faceted. It categorizes those you love from the moment you are born. Your parents. Your siblings. Your grandparents and cousins. All of your extended family. Your best friend. Your first crush. Your boyfriend or girlfriend. Even your spouse. A child. A stepchild. It layers the love and stacks it, never running out of space.

I realized that love was a consistent part of my life, as with all life, from the very beginning. My parents had loved me deeply. So did my sister. I had loved Angela, my best friend. Alec had fallen in love with me the night we met. Mal had loved me like family. That love had grown. Alec’s love had grown. I loved them all. Now I had a new life that I loved, nestled in my womb, growing in intensity and strength.

On the verge of a life changing revelation, I quickly blocked it from my mind, shutting it down before it could get far. I did not want to entertain thoughts that I would not and could not follow through. I did not want to dwell on matters of the heart, especially where Mal was concerned. It was too painful. Too close. I loved Alec. That was that.

I had made my choice. He had my whole heart and he deserved nothing less. It was traitorous to let my thoughts linger this long. I would not open that door. I simply could not.

Later that night in bed with Alec’s arm hugging me close, I did not think of anything except his devotion and love. I kept a tight rein on my thoughts. No one else entered my mind. It was only us. The three of us, all our hearts mingling into one.

Our little son moved in my womb. Alec talked to him, delighted when he would kick or my stomach did a flop. We spent hours huddled together, love covering us in a protective cocoon. Safe and cared for, loved and adored, I drifted off to sleep, but not before my traitorous thoughts drifted to the one person I had successfully avoided all afternoon. To the one whose eyes had held such emotion and pain. To the one who left me with more questions than answers…

Bombing. War. Casualties. Injuries. It increased all around us, the war claiming more fatalities, more victims, and more innocent lives with every passing day. Refugees came pouring in to the militia hospital and I was overwhelmed and overworked, trying to help as much as possible. I spent extra time on the weekends, whenever I could break away. Alec indulged me, knowing it was futile to refuse me. I would have gone anyway.

One morning I was on the fifth floor again, helping triage new patients. Most of them had minor injuries, and many were hungry and dirty needing a place to get well and fed. The hospital provided that, never turning anyone away. The chaplain pleaded with the militia to allow sanctuary and the military had agreed reluctantly. The peace held but it was tentative.

After helping with the patients in triage, I was asked to check on patients in their rooms, offering fresh water, hot coffee, and other items as necessary to keep people comfortable. Warm blankets were needed in the hallways and waiting rooms. The cold outside seemed to seep in through the walls. I entered the C-wing of the hospital and started knocking on doors. It had been a busy morning. In the third room, I entered and stopped dead in my tracks.

Big Dog was laying in the bed. His arm was in a sling, bandaged up close to his side, and his head had bandages that were soaking through with blood, wrapped in layers that half hid his face. My mouth opened in surprise, not believing who I saw. He recognized me right away, his eyes darting to my belly and then back to my face.

“Lizzie! I thought you were kidnapped! How are you here? You’re pregnant? What’s going on Hun?” His words tumbled out in a rush and he winced, unable to hide the pain.

He was just as surprised as I was. Darren’s stories were all that he knew. I explained, in a hurry, anxious who might walk in through the door.

“Hi Big Dog. I’m not kidnapped…obviously. I got married and I’m having a baby. He is an officer…Alec. Remember?”

He nodded, slowly figuring it out. “Yes, the supplies. Are you ok?”

I walked to the bed slowly. “Yes, I am very happy. How are you? How is everyone?”

I looked around nervously. I needed to get out of here. Fast. This wasn’t good.

“We all survived the bombing but the last attack separated us. Darren found us a new place. It’s good for now, more primitive than we are used to but that can’t be helped. I got injured on a supply run and came here for a quick recovery. Darren will be happy to hear you are alive and well.” He told me, clearly not knowing the truth about how I left.

I almost panicked. My promise to Alec to leave if I saw anyone popped back into my head. I had to get out of this room, especially before something happened. I didn’t want Darren to know anything about me or where I was. It could put all of us in danger. I knew Darren would do something. He might try to kill Alec. Or worse, try to kill me.

I shook my head and backed slowly out of the room. It was already too late. Big Dog knew I was here. He would tell Darren when he saw him. What could I do to prevent it? The next time I saw Mal I would ask him to talk to Big Dog. Maybe I could stop Darren from finding me. I would leave Mal a note. For now, I had to go as quickly as possible.

I managed to exit the hospital and make it outside, my side aching with the fast speed I was walking. Relief washed through me as I realized I had made it without bumping into anyone else. I quickly crossed the street and started walking toward Alec’s office. He would want to know what happened right away. I could see his office window from the sidewalk.

In my hurry I neglected to pay attention to my surroundings. If I had, I might have been able to prevent or at least delay, my imminent capture. Of course, hindsight is twenty/twenty, and I was careless. My mind was on escape. Nothing else.

Leaves rustled in the bushes straight ahead. The noise should have clued me. In the amount of time it took for me to become surprised, a lone figure jumped in my path. Nearly colliding with me and grabbing my arm, he dragged me toward the side of the brick façade. One hand reached high enough to stroke my cheek.

I had run into the very person I dreaded seeing and had avoided for all these long months. The one who terrified me and haunted my dreams. The man who almost killed us both over the summer. The man that would never let me go. In an instant my whole body started shaking, fear making my eyes wide and I gasped.

“Hi Lizzie, long time no see.”

Darren.