Chương 101

Louis woke before he heard anyone else moving. Willa lay on her side facing him, one hand tucked under the pillow. Pale light showed at the window. The locket sat closed on the nightstand beside the lamp. Willa stirred. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"You're awake," she said.

"Morning." She propped herself on one elbow, her hair loose over one side of her face, and studied him directly.

"We should probably go downstairs."

"Yes."

"Together?" He held her gaze.

"Yes." They got out of bed. He found his clothes on the floor and started to pull on his jeans. He watched Willa put on her bra.

"Let me." He crossed behind her and fastened it. She leaned back against him for a moment. He slid his hand into the cup of her bra and squeezed her breast. It was soft and warm against his palm.

"I like your hands on me," she said.

"Even when they make me nervous."

"Because you're not used to it."

"Or maybe it's because I'm not used to liking it." She turned in his arms and kissed him.

"Let's go." He nodded. They opened the door and went downstairs together. Halfway down, she took his hand. Louis smelled coffee before they reached the dining room. Angelique was already at the table in a robe over a T-shirt and shorts, her brown hair tied back and a mug in her hand. She looked up at the sound of their steps. Her eyes went first to Louis, then to Willa, then to their joined hands. She said nothing.

Gladice stood at the kitchen island in a tank top and panties, one hip against the counter and a piece of toast in one hand. She followed Angelique's gaze and saw their hands. Her eyebrows lifted.

"Good morning," she said, smirking.

"Morning," Willa answered. Donya stood at the far end of the table with a knife over a biscuit. She stopped moving. Savannah turned at Gladice's voice and looked from Louis to Willa. At the far end of the room, Barlow sat hunched over a mug, still half asleep. Louis did not let go of Willa's hand.

"We slept together," he said. It was easier to say it than to wait for someone else to ask. Gladice's smirk widened.

"I can see that. Did you have fun?"

"Yes," Willa said.

"Clearly," Gladice said. She took a bite of toast and chewed, looking pleased with herself. Angelique set her mug down and folded her hands on the table.

"Are you both alright?" Louis looked at Willa. She met his eyes and gave a small nod. He turned back to Angelique.

"Yes," he said, "and I want her with us, if that still works."

"So it's real," she said. Louis nodded.

"Yes." She looked at Willa.

"And you understand what that means?"

"Yes." Willa's fingers tightened once around his. Angelique looked at her, then back at Louis. Then she picked up her coffee again and took a slow sip.

"Alright," she said.

"But if this is going to work, we all need to be clear about it." She looked at Gladice.

"I assume you agree?" Gladice laughed softly.

"Of course I do. I've been waiting for this. The sexual tension was getting exhausting." Donya still held the butter knife. She looked from one face to another and did not seem to know where to put her eyes. Savannah set both feet on the floor and leaned forward.

"So that's how it is," she said.

"Yes," Louis said.

"If anyone has a problem with it, you can speak up." Barlow lifted his head from over his mug, blinked slowly, and said, "Y'all white kids weirder than I thought. But I'm too tired to care. Pass me the coffee." Gladice pushed the coffee pot toward him.

"That's the spirit." Donya set the knife down.

"I don't understand." Gladice looked at her.

"What's not to understand? Louis is with Angelique and me. And now Willa too. It's called polyamory. It's not that complicated." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Donya's face went pink.

"But... I thought you were supposed to marry one person." Gladice laughed.

"Oh, sweet girl. Marriage is what other people do when they want the government to know who they fuck. We are beyond that." Savannah stood up and came to the table.

"I ain't got an opinion. But I'm glad y'all happy."

"Thank you, Savannah," Angelique said. Louis opened his mouth, then closed it again when the Athena phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out at once and looked at the screen. Everyone turned toward him. It was a secure message. The sender tag showed one of his father's internal emergency handles, one used only for urgent messages. He opened it. Still no secure corridor. Rescue is being prepared. Hold position. Do not move. Louis read it twice.

The second reading gave him no number, no timeline, and no new meaning. They were still trapped, and his father still could not tell him for how long. Savannah spoke first.

"Well?" He looked up.

"We stay here. For now." Gladice sighed.

"Of course we do." Barlow laughed once into his mug.

"Jesus Christ." Louis handed the phone to Angelique, who read it and passed it to Gladice. She scanned it, rolled her eyes once, and handed it to Willa. Willa read it and set it down on the table.

"We oughta move on our own," Barlow said. He pushed himself upright, one hand braced against the table edge. In the daylight, the bruising on his face looked worse, and he held his injured arm close to his body.

"Told you yesterday we can't sit on this mountain forever," he said.

"Every extra hour we stay gives the state one extra hour to find us, and gives your father one extra hour to imagine he's the only man in North America who can move pieces on a board."

"Moving too soon could get us killed," Louis said. He came around the table and sat.

"Staying too long could get us killed too." Barlow shook his head.

"Difference is, I know the roads. I know the back paths. I been using them for years. I can get y'all through." Willa spoke up.

"The Dominion intelligence says the border is mined." Barlow looked at her.

"Dominion intel probably right about the main lines. But there still ways through. Old hiking trails. Hunting paths. Places the state ain't mined because they don't think anybody gonna try crossing there." Savannah crossed her arms.

"And you sure they ain't mined those?"

"No. But I'll bet my life on it." Gladice leaned against the counter.

"That's great for you. What about the rest of us?"

"I'm saying it's better than sitting here till the state comes for us." Barlow looked around the table.

"This place nice, but it ain't a fortress. The staff might stay quiet, or they might crack under pressure. The longer we wait, the more likely somebody talks." Donya's eyes were wide.

"So what do we do?"

"We leave tonight," Barlow said.

"I know a route west. We can be in Virginia in two days if we move fast." Louis shook his head.

"My father said to stay put. If we move on our own, we could miss the extraction."

"Or we could make it out before he even gets around to doing it," Barlow shot back.

"I don't like waiting on another man's schedule. Especially not when my neck is on the line."

"It's not just your neck," Angelique said.

"We are here too." Barlow shook his head.

"Yeah, and that's exactly why I don't wanna wait around for the Dominion to make up its mind. The longer we stay, the more danger we're in. All of us." Savannah spoke again.

"I agree. I don't trust sitting still." Louis looked at her.

"I am not going to risk my people on guesswork. Do we have another option?"

"Sure," Barlow said.

"We could try to sneak across Tennessee into Arkansas and then up into the Central Union. But that's a longer way, more exposed, and I don't know that terrain as well."

"Why can't we just go north through Kentucky?" Louis asked.

"Because you will hit the Ohio-Mississippi Wall eventually," Gladice said.

"That's one of the hardest borders in the country. No one goes through there without a tank."

"What about the Carolinas?" Willa asked.

"There are a lot of ports. We could find a boat." She looked at Savannah. Savannah shook her head.

"Too risky. Coast's watched. And I don't think anybody here knows how to sail." No one answered. Barlow stared at the table.

"Tell me more about the Central Union route," Louis said.

"How would we do it?" Barlow looked up.

"Simple enough. We head west until we cross the Mississippi to Arkansas, then north through the backcountry into Missouri. But the roads are bad. We'd need four-wheel drive and fuel. And all bridges over the Mississippi are heavily guarded."

"Could we use boats?" Willa asked.

"Not likely," Barlow said.

"The river is patrolled day and night. You don't cross that thing without being spotted." Gladice sighed.

"So it's either wait for the Dominion or take our chances on back roads to Virginia."

"We're not leaving blind," Angelique said.

"Not today." Gladice nodded once.

"Agreed."

"Y'all can agree all you want," Barlow said.

"That don't make staying smart."

"Staying is better than getting blown up," Gladice shot back.

"Or y'all can die here when the state finally tracks us down," Barlow said.

"Your choice." He glared at her. She glared back. For a moment, neither of them looked away. Then Barlow swore under his breath, set his mug down hard, and walked out of the dining room toward his bedroom. He slammed the door. Louis exhaled.

"Alright. So we are staying. For now."

"Good," Angelique said.

"But we should still be prepared. In case we have to leave fast."

"I agree," Willa said.

"Alright." Louis nodded.

"Let's keep the guns loaded. How many have we got?" Savannah answered.

"My father gave you two pistols. You already have one. And I brought one myself. That's it."

"Better than nothing." Willa shrugged.

"Alright." Louis looked around the room.

"How about Barlow? Do you think he hides some weapons here we could use?"

"I don't know," Savannah said.

"I doubt he'll tell us. But we could look around. He might have a stash somewhere."

"Hey!" Gladice called from the living room.

"Come here!" Louis crossed the hall. The others followed.

"What is it?" Angelique asked. Gladice pointed out the window. Louis followed her finger. Below them, beyond the slope of the yard and the fringe of brush, Wade and Ruth came out of the caretaker cottage and walked toward the old dark pickup parked beside the service wing. Wade got in on the driver's side. Ruth climbed into the passenger seat with a shotgun held across both hands. Neither of them looked toward the main house.

A moment later, the engine started, and the pickup eased down the service road and disappeared under the pines. Gladice watched until the engine noise faded.

"Alright," she said.

"Now we're fucked."

"Maybe they're just leaving to buy more supplies," Donya said.

"Or to report us." Angelique frowned.

"Or both." Louis looked at the others.

"We can't take the chance."

"Exactly," Gladice said.

"Which means I'd like to know." Willa shifted her weight against the window frame.

"What are you suggesting?" Gladice folded her arms.

"I'm suggesting I need a walk." Angelique looked at her.

"You want to go into their house?"

"Why not?" Gladice shrugged.

"They are not here. Might as well see if they left anything interesting." Louis shook his head.

"That's risky."

"Riskier than waiting to see if they come back with soldiers?" Gladice raised an eyebrow.

"If we are going to stay, I want to know what they know." Willa nodded once.

"I agree." Donya looked between them.

"I don't want to stay here alone."

"You won't." Angelique took her hand.

"You'll come with us. We'll all go."

"How about Barlow?" Willa asked.

"He asleep," Savannah said.

"Better not wake him. Let's just go." A moment later, they put on their shoes and went outside. The mountain air was cool and smelled of wet pine. The caretaker cottage stood below the tree line, its windows dark.