The Alliance (10 page)

 

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins
Publishers

....................................

Chapter
26

A fight broke out last night. I thought our settlement would burn to the ground. Several men lost their lives. It was over what I have been mentioning nonstop, the fact that there are so few women compared to so many men.

—­The journal of Isaac Ryland

The muscles in Andrew's neck were tight. He tried his best to tilt his head toward the left to stretch them out, but it wasn't working.
These ­people are lying.
The idea was overpowering. He tried his hardest to focus on anything else—­his aches, the weather, even the paint colors—­but nothing was working. He found it even more offensive that the RAG agents weren't doing a good job with their charade.

He wondered what this building's real purpose was, or at least tried to make himself wonder, but his mind kept going back to the simple fact that they were lying. To compare the place Andrew had lived to this palace was unfair and cruel.

“I must admit, we are pleasantly surprised,” Albin said.

Andrew felt his rage boil again. Did the Frenchman actually buy this setup?

“Indeed,” Florence said. “It is a shame we couldn't meet any young men though.”

“Your presence would distract them too much . . .”

Andrew tuned Agent Barker out. He watched the man's lips move but didn't try to hear whatever words he was saying. Everyone around him was a liar. Zack lied about Affinity, America was lying about how they treated their boys, and now the French were buying into it. Andrew had sacrificed eighteen years of his life for the American ideals. Work hard, train for ser­vice, do your time, then buy a wife. He had wasted so much time believing that he couldn't take it anymore.

“Liars,” Andrew said.

It slipped out so fast Andrew wasn't sure the room had even heard him. But they had. Everyone in front of him turned their head slowly toward him. Andrew was certain everyone behind him was watching as well. He didn't care about them either at this point. He deserved some honesty.

“Excuse me?” Agent Barker said.

“I think the private is overtired,” Zack said.

Andrew clenched his jaw shut. He did not want to make another mistake. The agent did not look away from Andrew. Their eyes were glued to each other. The agent tilted his head to the side.

“Who are you?” he asked. “I knew the moment I saw your crew something wasn't right.”

“We are from unit five-­zero-­sev—­” Zack started to say.

“I wasn't talking to you,” Agent Barker said. “There is something wrong with all of you. Taking an extra woman, not on the manifest, into the country. Guards too young to deserve this type of position. Questions have been raised about your group already. Some very important ­people are interested in you.”

“Why would anyone be interested in us?” Flo asked.

“Keep your mouth shut,” Agent Barker said. “The only one I am interested in hearing speak is this man.”

Andrew saw the sweat beading on his forehead. Their eyes stayed connected. With that one small slipup Agent Barker now thought Andrew was the weak link in the group. He had to prove him wrong.

“
Answer me,
” Barker yelled. “Who are you?”

Andrew's eyes darted toward Zack.

“
Look at me,
” Barker said.

With a quick motion the agent reached to his side and unholstered his weapon. He pointed it directly between Andrew's eyes. Andrew remained still, with his arms at his sides. This wasn't his first time staring down the barrel of a gun.

“Who is the liar?” Barker asked. “Outside of you and the girl.”

Andrew's eyes widened when he mentioned Mia. Something or someone had tipped the agent off. Andrew knew he should repeat his cover story, but something had unhinged Agent Barker. There was no way to walk away from this situation without giving the best explanation possible.

“I could answer your question better if you told me who the interested party is,” Andrew said.

“Agent McMahon,” Agent Barker said without looking away from Andrew.

Out of his peripheral vision Andrew saw a man step forward from the line of RAG agents.

“Go bring back the girl and Agent Quillian.”

The man took a step forward and Andrew heard the sound of a gun being pulled and cocked. Andrew didn't break eye contact with Agent Barker, but he saw Jesse pull his gun and point it at the agent walking away. Andrew heard the sound of more ­people pulling their weapons. Flo huddled near Albin, since they were unarmed.

“I demand you stop this right now,” Flo said. “All of you. What is going on?”

“Tell me,” Barker said. He looked right at Andrew.

Andrew remained still.

“Why is Grant Marsden interested in you?”

The name made the hairs on the back of Andrew's neck stand up. It felt as if the entire world had slipped away and it was just him and Agent Barker in the room. Adrenaline took over as he swiftly lifted his arm and punched Agent Barker in the neck. A gunshot rang out and Andrew felt a bullet whiz past his ear.

As quickly as the world had faded away, it faded back in. Andrew dropped to the floor on his back. Zack, Jesse, and Bryan had their guns drawn and were shooting at the other RAG agents. There was a loud scream but Andrew didn't look to see who it was coming from. Instead he kept his weapon in the air and fired at the standing RAG agents. One, two, three. They were all on the floor with shots to the head.

Andrew took a second to glance back at the Affinity team. Bryan was on the floor. Zack was leaning against the wall, gripping his shoulder. Andrew went back to the line of RAG agents. The way they were standing made it easy to fire. Four, five, six, seven. They all hit the floor. His eyes went back to his team. Jesse was on the floor now and Zack crouched down next to him. Andrew went back to the remaining agents. There was one left. Andrew fired. Eight. He fell to the floor.

The room was filled with a high-­pitched echo. Andrew looked around; nobody was standing. He pushed himself up from the floor. Zack was still next to Jesse. He was screaming, but Andrew couldn't hear him. Then, as if the world had come back to a normal speed, his screaming was too audible.

“
What did you do?
” Zack yelled.

Reality came crashing back in and Andrew dropped his gun. Bodies covered the floor. One man was making a gurgling noise in the corner. Mia. Where was Mia? Andrew spun around and looked toward the hallway. Standing there was the last RAG agent with his arm around Mia and his free hand pointing a gun at her head. Andrew immediately felt regret for his actions.

 

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins
Publishers

....................................

Chapter
27

We were given a home. I noticed all our neighbors are women and our area is fenced in. They say it is for our protection, but it feels like a cage to me.

—­The diary of Megan Jean

There was so much blood. Once Mia heard the firing she knew ­people were dying. The RAG agent had burst through the door and gripped her arm. She didn't say a word to him. The noises died down in less than a minute and he dragged her into the hall. She was already too filled with worry to care when he pointed his gun at her. As soon as they reached the main room and Mia spotted Andrew standing up without a mark on him she felt a strange sense of calm. He was alive. Then her situation came crashing back on her before she could focus on the rest of her friends.

“Drop your weapons,” the RAG agent said.

Mia watched as Andrew raised his hands. He didn't even have a gun. Zack was on the ground and started to stand; his gun hit the floor with a boom. Mia scanned the black-­suited bodies and didn't see Carter. Whatever peace she'd felt vanished as her eyes continued their scan. Flo was lying on the floor. She wasn't moving. Mia tried to dart forward and felt the RAG agent pull her back.

“Where do you think you're going?” he asked.

Mia's focus shifted to his gun, which was now pointed at her forehead. She didn't have time for this. Flo needed her help. The RAG agent's eyes shifted back toward Andrew and Zack. He released Mia from his grip but didn't move the gun.

“Answer the man's question,” the RAG agent said. “What did you do?”

The panic of the situation faded; Mia needed to get to Flo. She saw the table behind her had a large glass vase sitting on it. Mia used the agent's distraction as an opportunity and picked up the glass object. As the agent turned around to see what she was doing she brought the vase crashing down over his head. He let out a groan as it shattered in her hands. He dropped to the floor and Mia ran over toward Flo. She knelt next to the woman and grabbed her hand. Andrew and Zack ran past her toward the incapacitated RAG agent.

“Please,” Mia said. “Please tell me you're all right.”

A bright red stain covered the woman's torso and her skin was almost gray. Mia already knew the answer to her question. She let out a small sob. Flo moved her head and Mia felt a small glimmer of hope. The woman's eyes fluttered open and closed, as if she were unable to choose a path.

“Flo?” Mia asked. “Can you hear me?”

“I miss the flowers,” Flo said.

“You will be fine,” Mia said. “You will see your flowers again.”

“No,” Flo said. “Mia?”

“I'm right here.”

Flo's lips curved in a smile. “You're the important one,” she said. “I know you will finish this without me.”

“Don't say that,” Mia said.

“It's all right,” Flo said. “I know I did good in this world.”

“And you will do much more,” Mia said, fighting back the tears.

“This is the end to my story,” Flo said.

Mia turned away and let the tears fall for a moment. Then she turned back to her mentor.

“I will make sure the world knows your role,” Mia said. “Everyone will understand your actions.”

Flo continued to smile. “I don't care about that,” Flo said. “I know, and that is enough for me.”

The woman started to convulse. Mia grabbed on to her face. She was dying and there was nothing Mia could do to help her. Flo stopped moving and blood started to drip out of the corner of her mouth.

“Open and honest communication,” Flo said.

Her eyes tilted back inside her skull and her eyelids fell. She was gone. Mia let out a loud sob and picked the woman up in her arms. She wanted to hug her until her spirit came back, but Mia knew that wouldn't happen. She wasn't holding Flo anymore, only an empty vessel.

 

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins
Publishers

....................................

Chapter
28

The general held a meeting tonight with all the women in his settlement. He told us of women being attacked and promised us protection. I asked what happened to the attackers and he did not have an answer for me.

—­The diary of Megan Jean

Time was standing still. Mia held Flo's body, but her arms felt empty. A hand touched her shoulder and she could feel its heat radiating through her. She turned her head and saw Zack leaning over her.

“We have to get out of here,” he said.

Mia looked away and released Flo's body, setting her friend on the floor. She rocked back on her legs and stood upright again but still felt as if she were floating.

“How did this happen?”

“There was a misunderstanding,” Zack said.

“Misunderstanding?” Mia asked. ­“People are dead. Lots of them. Some that I actually cared about, so I am going to need more than ‘misunderstanding.' ”

Zack glanced over his shoulder. Mia moved to his side to see what he was looking at. There was Andrew, gun drawn and pointed at the unconscious RAG agent.

“Finish him,” Zack said. “We can't leave any loose ends.”

“No,” Mia said.

She pushed past Zack and went to Andrew. He kept his weapon pointed at the agent.

“Nobody else dies,” Mia said. “We are here to save ­people, not kill them. He doesn't know any better.”

Andrew lowered the weapon and turned to look at her. His face was still.

“Explain,” Mia said. “Everything.”

He looked away from Mia and walked toward Zack. Mia spun around to face them and did not hold back. She didn't care if her voice was loud enough to rupture their eardrums.

“
You will tell me everything.
”

“Grant,” Andrew said. “The agent asked me why Grant Marsden was so interested in us.”

“It wasn't your fault,” Zack said.

“He mentions a name so I kill eight ­people?” Andrew asked. “We don't know what Grant knows, who he told.”

Zack looked at Andrew but then shifted his attention back to Mia.

“They were trying to hit Andrew,” Zack said. “But instead Flo was shot. Albin was next, then we fired back. Jesse and Bryan died, I was shot in the shoulder. Andrew is unharmed. You're bleeding from cuts in your hands. But we are alive. We need to keep moving.”

Mia raised her arms and examined them. There was too much blood; she didn't know which was hers and which was Flo's. It didn't matter though.

“Why did you let Andrew go on the tour?” Mia asked. “You should have known it would be too hard for him.”

“Agent Barker picked him,” Zack said. “I didn't think this would happen.”

“We should bury the bodies,” Andrew said. “At least Flo and Albin.”

“No,” Mia said. “She's not in there anymore. They're just empty shells. It doesn't matter.”

“Mia is right,” Zack said. “The mission is blown. We're close enough to the border. We should focus all our energy on getting back to Affinity.”

“We can't leave,” Carter said.

He appeared out of nowhere, pulling the front door open. Mia had known he was alive since his body was missing, but she figured he was unaware of what had transpired here.

“Where did you go?” Andrew asked.

“It doesn't matter,” Carter said. “We can't leave though. Mia is still alive so we push forward.”

“With what plan?” Zack asked. “We lost; let's retreat and regroup. We have to assume Grant knows everything. We don't even know if Rex can get the paperwork for Mia to prove she was Grant's wife. Without it Mia's useless.”

“And how will we cross the border?” Carter asked. “Do you have another helicopter we can steal?”

“We smuggle ourselves over,” Zack said.

“Do you even know where we are?” Carter asked.

“Maybe twelve hours away from Mexico,” Zack said.

“Leaving isn't an option,” Carter said. “We head toward the capital.”

“Zack is right,” Andrew said.

“Mia is alive,” Carter said. “She's fine. That's all we need.”

“Mia could have been killed,” Andrew said. “I won't risk her life anymore.”

The three men continued to argue. Mia couldn't focus on their words. Too much had happened. She kept thinking about Flo and her final words. Open and honest communication. Mia wasn't about to leave any questions unanswered.

“Maybe that's my decision,” Mia said.

All of them stared at her.

“We need to get out of here,” Zack said. “I can find an Affinity contact and we can head across the border.”

“Or we can push through,” Carter said. “Get to the capital.”

“Mia, you're in charge,” Andrew said. “But Zack is right, this is too much for us to handle.”

Andrew approached her. His lips were pressed shut. One look in his worried eyes made Mia feel selfish. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He leaned over her. Mia had just lost one of the ­people she admired most in the world, but he had taken a lot of lives, something he'd promised himself would never happen again. Mia couldn't lose Andrew too. If he needed the help only Affinity could offer him she would make sure he got it.

“We'll head back,” Mia said.

There was a hand on her hip, pulling her out of Andrew's arms. She spun around to see Carter. His multicolored eyes were glaring into her.

“If we leave, my dad will die,” Carter said.

“What are you talking about?” Mia asked.

She thought Andrew's memory had taken the worst beating from the militia, but now it seemed Carter couldn't even remember his father was dead.

“My dad, the one who risked his life to save yours, is alive,” Carter said. “He is in the capital and unless we get there within the next fifteen days Grant will kill him.”

Confusion filled Mia's head. She didn't know what Carter was saying.

“How do you know that?” Andrew asked. His voice was hard.

“We made contact,” Carter said. “I've spoken to my dad. He is alive. Grant said I needed to get Mia to the capital and trade her for him.”

“This whole time we've been trying to protect her when you're getting ready to sacrifice her?” Andrew asked, his voice growing louder, and he stepped in between Mia and Carter.

“No,” Carter said. “Andrew, I told you back in France he was alive. I was going to tell everyone, but Grant told me not to and I couldn't risk him killing my father. Mia, please, we have to save my dad. If we go back to Affinity he'll die.”

Mia was so overwhelmed by death. Flo was gone. Mia pictured Rod throwing himself out of the helicopter. He had done that for her. She couldn't let him die again.

“We're going to stay,” Mia said.

“What?” Andrew asked. “No, you can't listen to Carter. He ran out of the room as soon as shots were fired here. He doesn't care about you or this mission. His motivation is selfish.”

Mia looked into Andrew's eyes. He was serious. Mia didn't understand how he could take their friend's family for granted. Rod had done a lot for Andrew too. That relationship didn't matter to him at all.

“Carter, your father wouldn't want you to save him,” Zack said. “Rod knew the risks. He would want the three of you safe.”

“How could he know any of the risks?” Carter asked. “If Mia was some everyday girl none of this would have happened. We had helped other families sneak over the border before. There was no way he had any clue helping Mia and Andrew would lead to this. We have to save him.”

“He knew the risks,” Zack said with a stern voice.

“How?” Mia asked.

Zack turned his attention toward her; she watched as his features softened.

“Helping someone escape is dangerous,” Zack said. “There's always risks.”

“That's not what you said.”

“I was only speaking in generalities,” Zack said.

“No you weren't,” Mia replied. She recognized the tone of Zack's voice. He was speaking like someone who had a personal relationship with Rod. “How did he know the risks?”

Zack rolled his eyes and let out a loud breath. “He knew your husband was Grant Marsden,” he said.

How could Rod have known that? Something felt so wrong to Mia. She needed to ask a direct question.

“Is Rod part of Affinity?” Mia asked.

Zack went silent. He took a breath before answering.

“Yes,” Zack said.

“So it wasn't by chance I contacted your group?”

“No,” Zack said. “The computer was programmed for us to intercept any attempt at communication. Rod was going to take all of you to us.”

“Why didn't he tell me?” Carter asked. “You're lying.”

“We encourage our members living in America to keep quiet,” Zack said. “Rod contacted Affinity five years ago. Mia, as soon as you arrived in Saint Louis you were on our radar. We contacted Rod to pick you up.”

“Was all of this organized then?” Mia asked. “Our time in Mexico?”

“No,” Zack said. “We thought you died in the crash. But we knew who all of you were the second you showed up at our base. We knew who you were the second Grant Marsden purchased you. He has been a person of interest for some time.”

This couldn't be happening. Mia thought about her time at the Affinity base camp, her feelings of helplessness over planning the mission. None of it was in her control. She felt so used.

“It doesn't matter now,” Zack said. “If you care about stopping the Registry we have to get out of here and regroup.”

Mia felt so alone. Then she remembered she wasn't. Andrew felt the same way she did. She turned around to face him, but his face was blank and his eyes vacant. He didn't look down at her.

“Did you know about this?” Mia asked, certain the answer would be no.

His eyes closed; he didn't open them up before speaking.

“For a few days,” he said. “I didn't want to upset you.”

Mia didn't have a solid idea about love, but however Andrew was treating her it wasn't like someone who had true feelings for her. She felt all the emotions rush out of her body. She looked around at the three men. Carter wanted to trade her, Zack wanted to use her, and Andrew wanted to shield her. None of them cared about what she wanted. All of their motivations were unacceptable to Mia.

“We have to head back,” Zack said. “All of this will be discussed further once we're at Affinity.”

Mia took a page out of Andrew's book and didn't make eye contact with any of them.

“I need some time to think,” Mia said. “Andrew was right. We can't leave the bodies. There are gallons of gasoline in the cars. You three stay in here and get the bodies ready. We're going to burn the place down.”

Mia didn't make eye contact with any of them and nobody followed her out of the building. Dusk had settled in and Mia felt her own darkness taking over. She needed to take control, of her life and the mission. Her future lay in her own hands. The answers Mia had just received only created more questions. Mia realized she would never get them all answered unless she went to the start of all her problems.

Without thinking about Andrew, Carter, Zack, or Rod, Mia walked up to the first black SUV and climbed in the driver's seat. She saw the keys still in the ignition and turned the engine over. She put the car into drive and took off down the road. Mia wasn't certain how to get to her destination, but she could figure it out. Mia thought about Flo again. Mia wanted to emulate the woman and right now she was ready to take the lead.