Straight Into Darkness - Deserted Lands #2

Chapter Three [Final Beta]

As they rolled out of the suburbs and into the hills, the winds buffeted the RAV. Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief. Out here there was only the occasional dark house, and the chance of a patrol encounter was nil. The snow here lay undisturbed across the road like a blanket in the beams of the headlights.

Zach drove on in silence, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

She punched the red button on the dash until the audio to announce the RAV's silent electric motion sounded like a landspeeder from Star Wars. "Trust your feelings, Luke."

Zach snorted, but his grip on the steering wheel didn't let up.

"You want me to text Nev and let her know you found me?"

"I'll do it in a bit. You need anything? This area hasn't been collected. These houses are probably gold mines."

Lizzie shook her head. "I'm good. But we should go the last bit on foot, so nobody sees us coming."

"You think there might be people there?"

Lizzie laughed. "Maybe. We'll figure it out when we get there."

The information, or lack thereof, did nothing to relax Zach's knuckles. He pulled into a wide street with no snow in the middle.

"It's a military installation," Lizzie said. "If they are going to keep anything manned and operational, I'd guess, it would be the military stuff, but we're hoping that's not the case. Glen says it has the best computers in the country. He's counting on just moving right in to his own personal heaven."

"So, you were going to ring the bell and hide behind a bush?" Zach parked the car.

"Something like that." Lizzie's hands were nearly warm. Just in time to go back out into the weather. "I'm a scout. And so are you, if you are on my mission. Leave the weapons behind. If we get caught, we play dumb."

He handed her leather gloves. "Put these on."

"Thanks, Dad." She slid her fingers into the soft sheepskin. Much nicer than her mittens.

Zach threw up his hands in defeat and chuckled. Finally the old Zach was back—he was over himself and genuinely interested in helping Glen escape the breeders. Mission accomplished, thought Lizzie, or at least one mission. She grinned, "Okay, the base is another mile this way."

"I'm gonna call Nev first. I'll catch up."

Lizzie couldn't resist miming dragging a ball and chain across the snow as she walked on. Zach's glower returned. Lizzie picked up her invisible ball and stomped off toward the base. What was wrong with her, why couldn't she just leave off on a good note for once? "Catch me if you can," she said, sullenly.

She hurried her pace, not wanting to hear what Zach had to say about her. His voice softened as he reached Nev.

Lizzie pulled out her own phone out and dialed, "Glen. Almost there. Zach picked me up."

"Tell him thanks."

"Maybe."

"You two fighting again?" Glen asked. "It's my fault."

"Well, it's my fault you're in the situation with the breeders. But hopefully this mission will fix that. After this we're even."

"Just stay safe. I may need you for more missions." Glen's noisy breathing carried over the call. "I got something for you when the job is done."

"Something for me like a present? I thought I was paying you back."

"Doesn't have to be like that," Glen sighed into the phone. "I can do something nice for you."