Thunder (32 page)

Treva's hand went to her mouth as she gasped out loud.

“Because I am the oldest among us, and I can block anyone from discerning my thoughts or presence,” the Lander said.

Selah looked at Bodhi for clarity. He shrugged.

She turned back to Mojica. “I don't understand. Who is this?”

Mojica smiled. “Selah Rishon, I'd like you to meet your father, Glade Rishon.”

Selah squeaked a scream as her legs went weak again. Bodhi braced her. She stared, taking in the man's features. Her mind reached out in shaking beats to make a connection, but then she pulled back, unsure. The facts didn't add up. Was this a trick?

Cleon moved to her side in defense mode. “How do we know this is really her father?”

Treva came forward, stood directly in front of Glade, and put her hand to his chest.

He embraced her hand, putting her fingers to his lips. “Thank you for giving me my life, and the lives of my fellow Landers, and for saving my child,” he said. “I can never repay you.”

Treva turned to face the group. “I've been taking care of
this man, and I'm the one who brought him out of the drug fog. This is Glade Rishon.”

Selah fisted her hands on her hips. “Then why didn't you notice he was in our group?”

Treva cocked her head. “I've only known him a few days. Sorry that one out of twenty masked people didn't make an extra impression on me.”

“But his eyes,” Selah said. “You didn't recognize his eyes?”

Treva pursed her lips. “Please tell me how many of this group of combat forces you have actually stared at.”

Selah stopped to think, then snapped to the present. “We saw him burnt to a crisp in that cell.” She was afraid to accept the hope that her father really stood in front of her.

Mojica raised a finger. “I personally got Glade out of his cell while you were still in the security area. He can explain later. I don't know who was in that cell, but I'd venture to guess it was Drace Stemple. He's the only one missing so far.”

Treva lowered her head. “That would make sense. I ran into him in security and he was on his way back up. It's just so sad. I'd made progress with him. He was beginning to doubt everything Everling stood for.”

“That's probably what got him killed,” Mojica said.

Selah took it all in. Fear of the unknown slid away before her eyes. Here was her chance at a happy future. She gained her footing and walked to Glade on shaky legs. “Father?”

Glade smiled. He touched his fingers to her cheek. “You look exactly like your mother. You have her eyes, and I've definitely seen her spirit in you.”

Selah's bottom lip trembled. “You're really my father?”

Glade reached out gently and pulled her to his chest. “Yes,
my child. I am your father. I must confess I never dreamed this day would happen.” He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

“Where have you been? Mother searched for you,” Selah said between tears. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. She could feel him. He was real. Her father.

“I've been in the Mountain. It was my turn,” Glade said. “How is your mother?”

“Mother is well. She never stopped loving you. But what do you mean about your turn?”

Glade glanced around, his brow furrowed. “I've always loved her. But I needed to protect you from . . . we'll talk about this later, privately.”

Selah felt him trembling. The feeling was mutual. She lost the capacity for words. Tired. Overwhelmed. Stunned to silence. Just basking in his presence for a few minutes was enough. All the questions she'd thought of had died with the fire in that cell. She needed to start her list again. With her newfound knowledge, some of her questions would change. She glanced at Amaryllis standing to the side. The look on her face was one big question mark. Selah smiled for what felt like the millionth time in the last hour. This could take a lot of explaining.

Glade patted her arm. “I must get my things from the transport so they can leave.” He moved to the open doorway and carried his clothing into the woods.

Mojica strode to the group and looked at Treva. “I have a data package here that Charles Ganston asked me to hand over if you decided not to return. I guess he knew there was a good chance you wouldn't be coming back.”

Glade, dressed in a white linen tunic set like the others, emerged from the trees and hoisted his uniform onto the pile.

Mojica reached around him to a box mounted inside the transport, pressed her thumb to the scanner, and opened the lid. She handed Treva the package inside and signaled her team. “Mount up, boys and girls. We're going home.”

The team scrambled back inside the transport. Mojica took her place in the pilot seat and the transport lifted off, stirring the landscape as it rose above the trees.

Mojica felt rejuvenated. The adrenaline rush of the past several hours had sent her to new heights. She swiftly moved away from the landing area and shot off toward the Mountain.

She turned to her navigator. “Scan the five miles to the Mountain. I want you looking for Prison Unit JetTrans.” Still, she didn't think they'd chase a transport they couldn't get a transponder signal from. She'd been running stealth and no one saw what direction they'd taken.

They were already a mile closer. The navigator nodded and keyed several screens. “Uh, ma'am. We have a bogie at two o'clock, coming in hot.”

Mojica swore under her breath and punched it, taking evasive maneuvers. “Everyone buckle down, we're going to take fire!” she shouted into her headset.

The PU JetTrans flew faster than Mountain units. Mojica wondered what else Everling had developed that no one knew about. It caught up to them in a matter of seconds, firing across their bow. A shot clipped the right flank, shuddering the transport.

Mojica rolled to the left. The next shots disappeared into the landscape. Her transport, powerful enough to carry eighty soldiers and still fly at sonic speed, showcased her skills. With a complement of only twenty on board, she could outfly anything in the sky.

“Check their comm link for chatter,” she said with a smile. She darted and wove back and forth in the sky. The PU JetTrans fired at them repeatedly. Mojica didn't want to engage in a firefight and allow them time for backup, so she easily evaded shots with rolling and dropping sequences. She imagined the people they had just dropped off were getting quite a show. She'd keep the PU unit out here away from the Mountain until they could lose it.

“Ma'am!” the navigator yelled. “Since we have no transponder signal, they're tracking hot hulls. The PU is staying behind us so the cannon knows to target us as the lead unit. They've powered up a laser cannon, and they've got tone and lock on us.”

Mojica called up all her skill. She lowered the cruise speed, watching the PU follow suit. “Give me the signal.”

The navigator watched the instruments. “They fired!”

Mojica slammed both hands into the controls, reversing the thrusters. They slowed so fast the PU JetTrans overshot them, putting it in the lead. The laser cannon made contact with the lead unit, vaporizing it.

Mojica veered off to the right, banked low, and skirted the treetops to stay off the Prison Unit's radar as she navigated her way back to their secret entrance on the back side of the Mountain.

She smiled. Mission accomplished.

S
elah watched as Glade gave advice to the group of Landers that wanted to leave right away. She had attempted to have a private conversation with him twice in the last few minutes, but there were too many people vying for his attention. She stood there staring. Was this another person who was going to rebuff her affection?

Bodhi walked up behind her. He slid his hand onto her shoulder. “I feel your sadness.”

Selah didn't turn. “I'm beginning to feel like a loser that no father wants.”

“Don't feel that way. Apparently Glade is the oldest and wisest among them and they all value his counsel,” Bodhi said.

“But I'm his daughter.” Her lip trembled. She bit down on it rather than show her distress.

“I don't know that he's ever experienced fatherhood. You may need to teach him.” Bodhi gently turned her to face him and smiled. “Give him a little more leeway than an hour.”

Selah sighed and looked around. Where were the children? They had been a little farther away but now the spot was empty. The notes of a lilting melody drifted from the trees, sounding almost like wind instruments. Cleon and Treva walked toward the sound with Amaryllis between them.

Selah walked beside Bodhi. They rounded a stand of trees and headed toward the sound. The haunting melody, the most beautiful song she'd ever heard, lent a feeling of anticipation. A strange sense of peace. Bodhi reached for her hand. She hesitated. Was this a knee-jerk reaction to all the emotions they'd visited in the last few days? The look in his eyes melted her fear, and she slipped her hand into his.

“Do you feel that?” he said softly, his voice expressing wonder.

Prickles of excitement tapped on her chest. Strange. The thunder had subsided. She felt the change, like when her brothers had worked on a Sand Run. As they found the right fuel mix, the idle went from rough and noisy to smooth and purring.

Cleon and Treva stood off to the right with Amaryllis hiding behind them. She had been reluctant to go near the group of children, and Selah hadn't forced the issue. The boys formed a circle, all nineteen of them holding hands. The music emanated from them.

Bodhi looked at her for an explanation.

Selah knitted her brow. “I don't have a clue what's going on.”

They reached the circle. Bodhi touched the boy closest to him. “The song is beautiful. What's it for?”

“We are summoning our salvation,” the boy said softly.

Bodhi turned to Selah. “Do you know what that means?”

She grimaced. “I've never heard the term before.”

The rest of the Landers were filtering into the area.

She tapped Bodhi. “We've got company.”

“Do any one of you know what's going on?” Bodhi yelled to the Landers moving closer.

The one who'd been the guard's prisoner stepped forward. “It feels very familiar, but none of the others have ever heard it before.”

Bodhi turned back to the children. “Please tell us what we can do to help.”

The boy stared at the center of the circle. “You cannot help us. We do not belong here.” The song continued.

“But you can stay with us. We are all the same.” Selah pointed to the group of Landers.

“No, we are not the same,” the boy said. “We are an abomination.”

Selah looked at Bodhi. “What does that mean? Why would a child say that?”

“If you give us time I'm sure we could figure out a solution,” Bodhi said.

Selah's hopes fell. Something was coming. She couldn't tell if it was good or bad. “You are Landers. You have the mark. I have the mark below my collarbone,” she said.

Glade moved up behind her and touched her shoulder. Just his touch warmed her heart. “I sense we should probably move away,” he said, looking sad.

“But Father, who would think precious children are an abomination? They are just children. They have the mark on
the other side of their forehead. What's so bad about that? Mine is below my collarbone.”

The music grew louder.

“We are not children,” the boy said. “We are clones. Our mark is on the wrong side because we are mirror images of you. We are wrong for this world. We are not supposed to be here. Evil created us, not good.”

The music took on more tones. A breeze drifted across the treetops, rustling the leaves in concert with the sound.

Treva rushed over. “We had a few of their bodies. I thought they were Landers but they had the same right-sided mark.” Her eyes opened wide. “They all disintegrated into piles of dust. You'd better move away.”

The breeze picked up. The wind began to push dirt and leaves around. Selah pushed the hair from her eyes. The song moved to a higher pitch.

She turned back to the children. “Please, stay with us. We can help you.”

Bodhi took her by the arm. “I've had a moment of clarity. I'm beginning to understand. I think we need to move back.”

Selah pried his hand from her arm. “No! They need us and we need them. We can make this work. They're only children. There must be people who will take them in.” She thought of all the time Amaryllis had spent alone without a family.

“We must go,” the boy said. “We are being summoned by—”

The last words were cut off by a howling wind. Bodhi's mouth opened in surprise. He stared as though trying to comprehend. His eyes widened and he fell to his knees, weeping.

A funnel cloud formed high in the sky over their position.

Glade took Selah's arm again. “We can't help them,” he yelled over the roar of the wind. “They have no choice but to go back.” He pulled her away from the circle.

“Back where?” Selah struggled against his grasp.

“I can't say. Not yet,” Glade said. Bodhi scrambled from the ground to help him.

The boys turned and looked at them one last time. In unison, a smile crossed their faces as their bodies collapsed to the ground.

Selah tried to charge forward. Her father wrapped her in his arms to hold her back.

The fallen boys disintegrated into sparkling molecules of light that looped and swirled and dove together into one lustrous, multi-stranded ribbon of soft colors.

Selah screamed, clutching at the air. Her legs tried to catapult her into the swirl. Glade restrained her.

The funnel of wind, like a finger pointing toward the earth, reached out to touch the ribbon, sucking it inside.

“No, no! They were only children!” Selah collapsed to the ground and pulled herself into a ball as she rocked and cried softly at the lost lives.

The funnel retreated into the sky. The roar subsided and the wind died to a gentle breeze. The funnel swirled, passing above the clouds and out of sight as the sun returned.

Selah watched Amaryllis exploring the grounds around the building lots. The child seemed carefree and none the worse for wear after what they'd experienced. Even after watching the group of rescued children turn into dust and get sucked
up by a tornado, she seemed to take it in stride. Selah, on the other hand, wasn't so indifferent. Maybe she would be later, after she discovered more explanations. Right now, no one could supply those.

She walked past Glade and Treva engrossed in the package of data her uncle had supplied. It would give the Landers safe routes to follow and help with making travel plans. Apparently Charles Ganston was a treasure trove of information because of his long association with Treva's parents and the secrets they had imparted to him.

For the first time in a week she didn't have a mission or purpose, and she felt disconnected.

The sounds of water lapping at the shore drew her attention. A large lake engulfed the area on the other side of the trees. She walked to the water's edge and stood watching birds swoop over the water, chasing bugs. It reminded her of home and the lake where the farm animals drank.

Suddenly a pair of arms slid around her waist. She jerked. “You almost scared the life out of me.”

Bodhi playfully snuggled her neck. “There's enough life in you for three women, so there's no chance of that happening.”

She turned in his embrace to face him. “You sure do have confidence that I want anything to do with you.”

Bodhi feigned sorrow. “Are you turning me away? Let me see if I can remember. I think you called me a sea slug the first time we met, and then another time later. But you didn't turn away when I kissed you.”

“That's what that was, huh? I'd say it was a pretty sorry excuse for a kiss.” She moved her face closer to his.

Bodhi stared into her eyes. “You didn't really give me a good
chance. I was afraid you were going to hit me, which, I will remind you, you did at various other times.” He moved closer.

“Well, I'm not hitting you now,” Selah said.

He brushed her lips with his. She felt a surge of electricity skitter up her back. She didn't resist. A dozen emotions pushed at her, but only one manifested. Her knees began to wobble.

Selah tenderly touched her lips to his.

Why was she kissing him? Because it felt right. It left her gasping for air.

He held her tighter and whispered in her ear, “Are you going to fall?”

“Um, I don't know. Are you going to let go of me?”

His breath caressed her cheek. “Never, and I really mean that.”

Amaryllis ran through the trees, breathless. She stopped in front of them and fanned the air like kisses were contagious. “Glade wants you two to come back and hear the announcement from the Lander people!”

Selah and Bodhi strolled through the trees, holding hands.

Amaryllis, giggling like a normal child, ran to a stump where Cleon was setting up a game of pick-up sticks. Selah smiled. He'd spent a lot of time making games for their brother Dane, so this was right in line with his skill for entertaining kids.

The Landers sat cross-legged in a circle on the grass. Treva and Glade had walked to the construction area, pointing at places on a map. Selah wandered over to them while Bodhi joined the Landers.

Glade stopped at the cornerstone for the new government
building as Treva laid out the map. He searched around for a few seconds and then stepped inside the perimeter.

“What are you looking for, Father?” Selah got a rush when she called him
Father
. She longed for time they could spend alone, away from these present responsibilities. But she understood. Her mother used to say, “Short-term discomfort for long-term gain.” Now Selah was beginning to understand the saying. If only her mother could be here.

Glade smiled softly at her. “I'm interested in the symbol Ganston has on the drawn image of this building. His notation called it an artifact.”

He walked to a pile of construction materials, pushed back the heavy tarp protecting them from the elements, and reached to touch a large stone block. It looked ragged around the edges, as though it had been in a demolition. His fingers traced the circle superimposed over the three entwined ovals.

“What is that?” Selah peered around his shoulder at the old stone. Why did old people care about old stuff? Mother had seemed drawn to archeology too.

“I was not sure anything significant could have survived the Sorrows,” Glade said.

Selah touched the granular surface. She would much rather take interest in the here and now and let this stuff go the way of the rusted building corpses on the shore in Dominion. Nature would reclaim them soon enough. “What's so important about a ragged piece of stone?”

Glade re-covered it and sat down on the edge of the pile. “It's a remnant of a very sad time in history. People went crazy back then. They destroyed many spiritual buildings and burned holy books, all in a rage for not getting what
they thought they deserved. The depravity of man brought about the end of an age.”

Selah sat beside him and leaned her head on his arm. This was the first time he'd sat still long enough for her to get close. She savored the moment before it was gone. “Did you see it? Were you here?”