Vanguard | Post-Apocalyptic YA

Part 11: Back with a Bang

At exactly six, I leave Vanguard for what could be the last time. I have no plans to collect seaweed, but since there are a half dozen of us out on the same objective, I need to initially keep up pretenses. Luckily there are many forests to choose from and most of the others scatter in various directions. Only one remains behind and I soon find out why.

"Anemone to Wilhelm, over," my radio crackles.

Oh, I'm such an idiot. I'm pretty sure I know what's coming next, but I try to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Hey. What's going on? Why aren't you off with the others, over."

There's a bit of hesitation before she responds. "Well, I thought it would be fun if went out together. To the kelp forest, I mean."

Great. I knew that kiss would get me into trouble sooner or later.

Unfortunately, I can't think of a good excuse to shake her off without arousing any suspicion, so I play along. I navigate to the nearest area with enough seaweed for us to pick and begin the harvesting process. Luckily, operating the controls requires a lot of attention, so Anne-Marie doesn't have reason to object to my curt replies of "uh-huh", "yeah", or "hmm" to her endless chatter. I actually tune out as much as I can, although I think she may have just listed all of the beneficial qualities of kelp including every single vitamin and mineral that can be extracted from it.

This goes on and on until her tone changes, which gets my attention. "I've taken on my full payload. Are you about ready to head back, Wilhelm? Over."

"Negative. I guess I'm much slower than you. Go ahead and return without me, over," I say.

"Roger that. See you soon?" She ends by sounding pathetically hopeful and hearing her tone, I now feel a little guilty for having led her on. But I have to stop her obsession with me and I don't have time to let her down easily. The best I can do is ignore her question.

"Have a safe trip back, Anemone. Wilhelm over and out."

I wait until my sonar shows that she's off range and then I finally head west. I can't take any chances with the Skipper being discovered and I don't think it's enough to submerge her in the shallow canal that we left her in earlier. I approach the beach much farther south than before and look for the ideal spot.

It has to be deep enough for water to comfortably cover the craft even in low tide, but close enough to the shore so that the currents don't pull her out to sea. I also need a good landmark nearby so I can eventually find my way back to her. I come across a few places that are almost right, but when I see an old lighthouse marking the mouth of a wide river, I know I've found the perfect hiding place. The shore is lined with massive, jagged rocks, which is another indication that the depth should be sufficient. I approach slowly, but I don't dare come more than ten feet to them, especially since there's a steady wind that the submarine is struggling against.

I know I'll have to act fast because once the engine is turned off, there will be nothing to stop the Skipper from crashing onto the rocks while she's on the surface. After taking one more look around, I strap my bag to my back, find the coiled up hose in the cupboard, and pop the canopy. The last thing I grab is the remote before shutting off the engine and jumping into the ocean.

Son of a bitch!

I get a nose full of seawater and the salt burns my sinuses as it travels down the back of my throat. I momentarily lose focus and I have to force myself to remember what I'm supposed to do next. It's not so easy to go through the textbook motions of treading water while making sure I don't lose any of my supplies. Meanwhile the waves are gradually sweeping me toward shore, which finally reminds me to use the remote.

Turning my head toward the Skipper, I'm relieved to see the canopy close and the craft begin to sink. Now the only thing I have to worry about is keeping my head above the water for a few more feet until I reach the shore.

I eventually reach a place where I can use the rocks as stairs to guide me out of the ocean. I briefly stop to catch my breath and spit out some of the seawater I inadvertently swallowed. Regaining my composure, I run to the lighthouse.

The door opens easily and I find a nook behind it to store the remote and the hose. With that burden literally off my shoulders, I leave the protection of the structure and begin the last leg of my trek.

I start out at a healthy jog, but ten miles later - by the time I get to the edge of the parking lot adjacent to the survivor's base - I've slowed to what can barely be called a saunter. Thanks to this pace, it doesn't take me long to notice the thin, red beam of light that appears first at the center of my chest and then slowly travels up to my forehead.

Although I know I don't have a choice, I reluctantly throw my hands above my head, but I keep walking. In a sudden act of frustration, I pull all my fingers into a ball except the two in the middle. Within a few seconds, the laser pointer of the sniper's gun disappears. It's a small victory, but at this point, I'll take what I can get.

When I reach the glass entrance doors, a man I've never seen before is waiting for me. With how our parting ended the last time, I'm actually happy it's neither Jed nor Nelly.

"Where's my sister?" I immediately ask as he opens the door.

"Hold up, cupcake. We're the ones who'll be making the demands," the scruffy looking man in a dirty baseball cap says as he pulls me inside. I'm in no mood for arguing, so I respond by slamming the heel of my hand under his chin. It stuns him long enough for me to twist the gun out of his hand and take several steps backward.

I cock the weapon, but instead of pointing it at my challenger, I place the barrel against my temple. "Unless you want to be forever known as the idiot who ruined all chances of your people to ever get out of here, then I suggest you take me to see my sister."

His eyes widen at the reality of my threat and he snickers. "You don't have the balls, kid."

"Actually, I do. But you've got a point. I value my life a whole lot more than I value yours," I lower the weapon from my head and point it straight at him.

The man's eyes widen as he realizes that he would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. He holds his hands out in front of him in a defensive gesture and addresses me in a noticeably friendlier manner. "Now, hold up, buddy. You don't need to go do that. I'm just following orders here. You know how it is."

"Well, I'm giving the orders at the moment, so take me to my sister before I lose my patience, buddy." I give him a fake smile, while gesturing with the gun toward the interior of the building.

"All right, all right," he mumbles and heads down the hallway in front of me. As we reach the same door as Ellen was behind the last time I saw her, a previously unnoticed walkie-talkie goes off.

"What's taking so long, Freddy? You got him yet?" the voice on the other end asks.

This time, I raise the gun to Freddy's head before instructing. "You tell him that everything's fine and we're on our way. Got it?"

He nods and relays the message across the device.

"Now open it up and don't give me any bull about not having a key," I continue.

He fumbles around with a large key ring before finding the correct one. Sticking it in the lock, he twists it and pushes the door open.