This Is War

seven

"We should be going back to Weaver now," Ben announced and walked out the door. I lay there a couple more minutes, then heaved my sorry butt out the front door after Ben.

The wands were still on the bed, lying alone and cold.

***

Captain Weaver was standing in front of the bus entrance, watching the streets for the two of us. When he noticed us, he gave his signature glare, turned to Tom and said something. Tom shrugged, but we couldn't see his face from here.

Ben leaned into my ear, "They're talking about how cute we look together," he joked. I didn't smile. Instead, I shoved him into the street gutter and ran for the parking lot. This was no time for romance. Not even little jokes like that. When things were normal, months and months ago, I was a total sucker for humor. My list of turn-ons was a mile long: sneezing (seriously cute- as long as it's not all snotty), voice cracks, sarcasm, stupid stuff like that. Most of them applied to Kendrick, which is why I fell so hard for him. When Ben explained the harness, I had secretly hoped that Kendrick was in the same facility as Conrad and Leven, if he was harnessed at all. Not that he would have the ability to look after them. It would just make me feel better to know he was there. But I knew that was too much to hope for.

My cherished day was over, but I was fine with that. I got what I wanted, now I just had to stay out of the 2nd Mass' way. They had organized work to do, gaining supplies and information. Them finding me just added to their burden. I should leave, but I have too much information on them. If I were caught by the enemy, I didn't want to tortured or convinced to give up information. Besides, Ky was happier, healthier, and safer here, I couldn't bare to leave him.

Another week passed, we set up camp in Oceanside. I learned how things were run in the 2nd Mass. I was put on patrol duty, now I carried a M-14 everywhere. Never holding it, it bumped across my back with every move, attached to a sling around my chest. Hal took me to target practice each day after dinner. These people were constantly alert, never letting their guard down. I hadn't seen any skitters yet, which was both comforting and unnerving. They could be tracking us, getting inside information even, maybe a traitor. I knew that was ridiculous, why would a human help the exact creatures that destroyed their home and family? Unless the aliens had some of the person's family in custody. Like they did for me. But I'd rather die than give information to the aliens, or watch them hurt my family or friends.

Weaver marched out of a tent, Tom, Hal, Maggie, and Ben following. Ben winked at me, causing me to wince and shake my head at him. If the aliens WERE watching our camp, and they figured out that Ben had feelings for me (yeah, right. He's just joking around. Right? I didn't know him well enough to tell), they could use me as bait. Ben's grin faded a little when he saw my reaction.

"We're setting out!" Commander growled, "A couple of our scouts have discovered signs of skitter camp." He glanced at Hal and Maggie. "Five people will go out and investigate, any volunteers?"

My hand shot into the air. This was my chance to show that I'm not just an eater. And if skitters actually were here, that means Ky could be in possible danger, and I'm going to do anything I can to protect that little kid. Weaver squinted at me, then nodded reluctantly. Yes!

"Dee and-"

"Dion!" Jeez, when will he get it right?

"-Tom, Hal, Ben, and Dai'll be our troop. You can set out now."

"Uh, Captain?" Tom seemed a little depressed.

Weaver turned on him quite abruptly, "WHAT?!"

This made Tom stand straighter and taller, "Dai is gone. Sir."

Weaver scratched his stubble, "Oh yeah, good man, he was. Fine, Maggie will take Dai's place. Depart immediately."

Our little army walked through mounds of leaves, twisted, mean looking trees, and jumped off little cliffs of dirt. Ben fell into a hole covered up by leaves. I snorted and kept walking, but Hal helped him out. Once he had brushed the leaves and dirt off, Ben caught up to me, "Thanks for the help," he said sarcastically. I ignored him, it's kind of a habit now.

His gloved hand brushed my unveiled one. I stuck it in my pocket and pretended like nothing happened. Then Tom's arm swooshed out of nowhere and hit me squarely in the chest, stopping me in my tracks and knocking the air out of my lungs. Everyone else stopped, too. As I gasped for air, Tom shoved us under a cliff of hardened soil. Everyone scrambled for their guns, so I prepared to shoot mine too. All five of us peeked over the edge.

I've never seen anything like it before. Dozens of kids walking silently, no rustling of leaves, not even a twig snapped. When their backs were revealed, you could clearly see a centipede like thing attached to their backs, ripping their shirts. Each one was glowing a sickly orange color. None of the kids even blinked, just walked in a formal line, each step in unison. It was enough to scare the crap out of me.

Then I saw something that made my heart stop and my breath catch in my throat. Each kid was different, I didn't recognize any of them. Except for four.

My brothers were harnessed.

Along with my best friend, Shona Avignone.

And Kendrick Paramas.

How was that possible? That four such important people (to me) were all in the same group? I guessed it kinda made sense, that the kids from nearby locations were all together.

All I knew for sure was that I needed to reach them.

Hal and Tom could barely keep me contained. Hal had his hand clamped over my mouth and his other hand was holding both of mine behind my back as Tom knelt on my legs and wrestled the gun off my back. I squirmed as much as I could, I can be extremely fidgety and slippery when I wanted to. I bit, even licked, Hal's hand, but that didn't make him let go. Five painful, horribly long minutes passed. I never gave up the fight. I needed to reach my family. I couldn't believe these people were stopping me. Tears flowed steadily down my cheeks. Finally, their grips loosened and I jumped up, snatching the M-14 from Tom and started shooting randomly in the direction that the skitters had been leading the kids. I wasn't aiming for kids, of course, I was aiming for aliens, but after a few crazy bullets, I realized no one was there. The clearing was empty. I ran around the trees searching for signs of the kids. There were no footsteps, no sounds that they were nearby. I was sobbing openly now. My only living family, gone.