“What did she think would happen to me, working with the wounded?” I asked, puzzled.
“You could catch something or get an infection or be hurt by a delirious man—”
“So she’s making up reasons to fret so she doesn’t have to focus on the real problem.”
Soberly, Edmund nodded. “Go see her, please.”
“Is it all right if I have a word with Rex and Fade, first?” I gestured at the back room.
“Go ahead. Just don’t dally too long.” I could tell by his narrow-eyed look that he meant sparking, and I sighed.
With Rex in the room, it was unlikely I would crawl all over Fade, even if he could stand for me to do so. Despite my wishing, we weren’t back to our old standing yet. I just nodded as I moved past Edmund, navigated the counter, and stepped into the dim room where all the materials were gathered. Fade was smearing something that smelled awful on a stretched skin while Rex handled another portion of the process. They both glanced up on my arrival, and Fade actually smiled.
“Come to admire my work?” he teased.
I pretended to study the rack, then offered a patently false criticism, as I had no idea what they were about or if it was well done. Rex laughed, which was the point. It was good to see my foster brother getting along with Fade. We chatted a while, but I couldn’t linger, as they had work to do, and I had to reassure my mother that I numbered among the living, despite her fears.
With a wave for Edmund, I hurried out of the shop. Though it had been dark when I watched them go into their little house, I found it fine. It was smaller than their place in Salvation had been, just a room full of beds, really, and they were odd, too, stacked on top of each other, so there was no privacy at all. I found Momma Oaks sweeping a floor that didn’t need it. Here, she had no place to cook, she’d left her beloved dog behind, and the soldiers didn’t seem to value her work. When you got right down to it, our circumstances were similar.
But she brightened when she spotted me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Few people had said that to me and meant it. Other than Fade, I couldn’t think of anyone who treated me like the sun. Momma Oaks genuinely loved me, however, even when I was difficult for her to understand.
“This is an odd place,” I said.
At best, it was shelter. Surely there were normal homes, where families cooked their meals and gathered in the parlor to share stories. I’d seen them dotted here and there, but my family had been allotted this instead. Refugees had no rights, though, no reason to expect better.
But my mother didn’t show a hint of dissatisfaction.
“I’m told it used to house soldiers who had no family, but many people died of fever last winter and the Muties have gotten others. So it was standing empty, waiting for us.” She put on a smile. “Isn’t that lucky?”
I loved this woman so much that my heart hurt with it. I wanted to keep my whole family safe and happy, and it cut me to the bone that it might be beyond my power.
Summons
True to his word, Harry Carter had supper the next night with Fade and me in the mess hall. He took short walks around town, building his strength, and I admired his determination. The following day, a runner came to the workshop, where I was pitching in. Since they wouldn’t let me train with the men, I had to keep strong somehow—and cleaning served the purpose. This soldier was young, barely older than I was, but apparently of age to volunteer. He stared at the industry as he’d likely never seen people practice a trade before.
“Do you need something?” Edmund asked.
“I’ve been asked to fetch the girl and her friend to the colonel.”
I couldn’t imagine why, but I dusted my hands on my thighs, then called to Fade, “Can you pause for a bit?”
He said something to Rex, then stepped out into the main room. “What’s going on?”
“The colonel needs you,” the messenger said.
Fade shrugged. “Let’s go see what she wants.”
Soldiers were running as usual. Others practiced with melee weapons. From the perimeter, the sentries kept calling the all clear. It wasn’t too far, distance-wise, so the silence from the enemy troubled me. If Stalker wasn’t so mad at me, I’d ask for an update on the horde’s position; and it wasn’t his anger that prevented me from inquiring, only the surety he’d snarl and refuse to reply.
I figured the town leader had a job for us. There was no other reason for such a summons. Fade was quiet until we reached headquarters, then he said, “How bad do you suppose it’ll be?”
“If she had anybody who could do whatever it is, she wouldn’t need us,” I answered.
He nodded as we passed into the staging room. If anything it was messier than before with documents and papers spread all over. There was a huge map laid on a battered table and it had markers on it, spread in no pattern I could detect, some red, some black. Morgan cleared his throat to draw the colonel’s attention, and she managed a weary smile. That told me things were dire. People in power only smiled when they wanted something.
“Good, you got my message. How much do you know about our preparations?”
“Nothing,” I muttered. “They wouldn’t let me join up.”
“We’re trying to avoid involving a generation of children … but we might not have a choice down the line. If we lower the enlistment age, you’ll be the first to know.” She paused, looking us over in way that made Fade bristle. “But I can make an exception for covert and special operations.”
That sounded like a fancy way of breaking the rules, just like they had done for Edmund, because they needed new boots. The government of Soldier’s Pond would do whatever it wanted and then come up with an explanation to justify the decision later. I folded my arms and waited, giving her nothing. My silence set her to pacing, which told me she was worried. I had no interest in going to fetch help, if that was on her mind. It hadn’t saved Salvation, and that tactic wouldn’t work here, either. The Freaks outnumbered us, plain and simple; we needed a new strategy to defeat them.
The devil if I know what, though.
“What’s that?” Fade asked, when it became clear I was keeping quiet.
“Special ops are initiatives undertaken for the good of the town, but not common knowledge to the other soldiers.”
“A dirty secret then,” I said.