Part 17: Bad Company

The Promised Land:

(Part 17) Bad Company 

Caden was silent the entire drive, but that was not uncharacteristic of him. He’d much rather stay in solitary silence than annoying prattle. It wasn’t like he had anyone to talk to anyway. He liked the silence because it gave him room to think, something it felt like he could never stop doing. He went over the conversation with Ezra again for the hundredth time. Once again, he was in the hall with Ezra, her hand a vice grip on his arm.

“It concerns your brother,” she had said. “I have an image you need to see.”

“No thanks, Ezra.” Caden shrugged his arm out of her grasp, thankful for the fabric of his shirt keeping them from direct contact. “I’m not sure I can take another one of your predictions. Not after what happened last time.” He turned and continued walking.

“You would rather not know?”

Caden stopped again with his back to her. “I would rather not live in fear. The last thing you showed me was my brother being taken by the Atari and I couldn’t stop them.”

“But that has not yet-”

“I KNOW!” He winced at the sound of his voice echoing off the walls. Turning around, he sighed. “I know. I can’t keep doing this, Ezra. I live in constant fear that something will happen to Shiloh. People aren’t meant to see the future for a reason.” Caden stopped for a deep breath, mostly to calm down. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Ezra replied with her signature composure. “I understand your reluctance. If you truly do not wish to know, I will not reveal it.”

Cay exhaled sharply. “Thank you. Now, I need to go deal with this infiltrator before he gets to anyone else. If he gets away, there’s no telling what kind of damage he can do in the resistance. This is the only safe place I can leave Shy. The sooner I leave, the better.”

Ezra nodded in agreement.

“Do you have any tips on how to beat this guy?”

“Bring grenades.” She held up a set of car keys. “You can take the van. I have a supply pack with everything you need in the back.”

Caden zoned back in to his surroundings, flat land, dead flora, no fauna, and a straight road. He had been driving for an hour now, but he still had about an hour to go. Jericho was just a drop-off point if any of the team actually achieved the objective. The rendezvous point was north of Freedom, about halfway between the two cities. Technically, the squad was supposed to meet up after the raid, but Caden had though it safer to go directly to the drop-off point instead. “Looks like that decision saved both our lives,” he thought. “I have to get there before the spy gets the idea to head to Jericho. I hope I’m not too late.”

~*~

Eden walked back toward the orphanage, confused and aggravated. “I can’t believe he just up and left like that!” she said more to herself than anyone in particular. She reached the door only to find it wouldn’t open. Banging her fist against the door, she yelled, “Open up! It’s the ghost of Christmas past!”

Grace opened the door from inside. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t realize you were out here.”

She pulled the door open widen enough for Eden to slip through. “It’s getting late and I thought it best to lock up.”

“Late?” Eden looked back at the steel grey sky. “How can you tell?”

The older woman closed the door and slid the deadbolt into place. “The time. It’s nearly 5:00. It will be getting dark soon. Would you be a dear and place that beam over the door?”

“Uh… sure...” Eden lifted a long piece of wood wrapped with rebars and placed it on brackets in the door and walls. “That thing’s kinda heavy… um, will Caden be able to get through that?”

“He’s outside?” Grace asked with a confused expression.

“Yeah, he sort of took off not too long ago.”

“Oh, then he probably doesn’t expect to come back until later.” The elderly woman smiled and wheeled herself down the hall.

Eden followed the squeaky wheelchair. “Does that happen often?”

“Oh yes,” she answered cheerfully. “When he lived with us, he would often set out on his own in the middle of the night and not come back until morning. His brother didn’t take too kindly to getting left behind.”

“Interesting,” Eden muttered. “How long did they live with you?”

“A few years after their parents died. Or was it just one year? I don’t remember. Tragic incident, it was. Don’t worry though. I’m sure he’s just fine. Cay always finds a way out of the worst circumstances.”

“I hope so,” thought Eden. “For Shiloh’s sake.”

~*~

Caden pulled up to the abandoned building and stepped out of the vehicle. Going around to the back of the van, he found the supply pack Ezra mentioned. Like most supply packs, it was standard issue: food rations, water, medkit, and emergency gear. Looking for anything of use in the upcoming battle, he found a handful of mini-grenades. Recalling Ezra’s words, he shook his head with a grimace and put them into his bag. Making sure both handguns were loaded and extra clips within easy reach, Caden took a deep breath and headed inside the building. It was already nearly dark outside, but lights were on inside the empty facility. It was a large building, probably a supercenter that had been turned into a warehouse. Or vice versa. Either way, it was big and filled with empty shelves and boxes.

Caden was alert at all times, keeping his eyes red so he could find any hint of color. That was part of his ability that he had trouble explaining to others. The world around him turned grey and he could only see the color of living people and, occasionally, immediate danger. That was why he disliked greys so much. Other than the fact that they were usually the most self-centered people around, they also blended into the background. For Caden, that was dangerous.

“Blitz!” a deep voice rang out of nowhere and a man stepped into view. “You’re alive. I didn’t think you’d make it.”

Caden glared at the infiltrator. He was a six-foot three-inch tall, square jawed, broad shouldered beast of a man with slicked back brown hair. The long coat he wore failed to conceal the man made of muscle. Being only five-foot five, Caden’s lean limbs and short stature made him look scrawny in comparison. Caden wasn’t intimidated. He was too focused on his anger for that.

“I’m not dead yet, Hunter.” Caden replied with a glare. “What have you done with the others?”

“You’re the only one who’s made it back to the rendezvous point so far.” Hunter looked around. “Where’s Boomer?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know…” Caden muttered.