Chương 85

Louis wiped his hands on the napkin and set it beside the plate. Only clean rib bones remained. Across from him, Donya finished the last of her sweet tea. Willa whispered something to Angelique, who nodded. Gladice took another sip of her beer. Marcus waited, then leaned back in the booth and looked past Louis toward the raised control gallery built into the rear wall.

"You can come on down now," he said. A woman stepped through the open doorway of the old control room and stopped behind the metal rail. She looked about his age. Her skin was deep brown, her face oval and softly tapered at the chin, with high cheekbones and a full mouth. Long black braids swept across the top of her head and fell behind one shoulder. Her brows curved cleanly above steady brown eyes. She wore black trousers and a cropped dark jacket over a sleeveless ivory blouse.

She came down the short metal stairs, one hand resting on the rail. Her eyes stayed on the booth as she descended. When she reached the floor, she walked directly toward them. Marcus straightened as she approached.

"Savannah," he said. Then to the group, "My daughter." A server brought an empty chair from the neighboring table and placed a glass of ale in front of her. Savannah sat, looked over the group, and stopped at Louis.

"So," she said. Her voice carried the same precision as her movements.

"You the rich boy everybody's looking for."

"Louis," he said.

"Pleased to meet you."

"Right." She nodded once.

"Heard plenty about you. Ain't sure I believe all of it yet." Gladice let out a short laugh.

"That's fair." Savannah glanced at her.

"You're Mayor Simington's missing daughter, right?" Gladice gave her a look back.

"You're well informed." One corner of Savannah's mouth lifted.

"Of course." She turned to Angelique.

"Miss Bourbon." She inclined her head slightly.

"You look better than the news pictures." Angelique inclined her head.

"Thank you." Savannah looked at Willa and Donya.

"And here we got the heretics. The ones who had Sanctuary Church real mad this morning." Willa said, "We prefer the term survivors." Savannah gave her a small smile.

"I like you. You got a smart mouth."

"Not smart enough to avoid getting kidnapped," Willa said. Savannah's smile widened.

"Well, you here now. That counts for something." Marcus folded his hands on the table.

"You asked if I'd help y'all leave," he said to Louis.

"I told you money wasn't the problem. Told you I wanted something else." Savannah rested her chin on one hand.

"And my father, for once, is fixing to be direct." Marcus looked down at his tumbler and smiled.

"I'm gonna make you an offer, Louis Collins. I want you to take my daughter with you. Out of this country. Into the Dominion." Louis stared at him. The music continued around them. Donya looked from Marcus to Savannah and back again. Gladice narrowed her eyes while Willa sat back against the cushion. Angelique looked toward Louis. Savannah lifted her glass of ale and took a sip.

"I been wondering what he'd say when he finally ran out of ways to put off giving me what I want." Gladice leaned back in the booth.

"You want to leave home?" Savannah looked at her.

"Wouldn't you?"

"Already did," Gladice said.

"Then you understand." Marcus ignored both of them.

"I want my daughter out of here before the next turn of history closes the roads for good." He kept his attention on Louis.

"This country is failing. The wars keep getting worse. The men at the top are running out of enemies to blame, so they're turning on people like us. I kept her safe here. Built her a life in the cracks of a broken city. But even cracks got limits." Savannah took a sip of her ale.

"I don't need safety," she said to Louis.

"I need entry. That's different."

"What kind of entry?" Willa asked before Louis could answer. Savannah looked at her.

"The kind that lasts. Citizenship. Opportunity. A future where the ceiling is higher than this bunker and the doors don't close because somebody decided my skin means I ain't allowed to dream."

"She means she doesn't want to arrive as a refugee and live like one," Marcus said.

"She wants to be let in the way people like you get let in. Like somebody who belongs from the start." Louis leaned back slightly.

"And why would you trust me with that?" Savannah smiled.

"I don't," she said.

"Not yet." Marcus set down his glass and watched Louis. Savannah continued.

"But I know what you're worth." Her gaze stayed on Louis.

"Secretary Hargrove himself is hunting you. Your father is trying to pull you out. He'll take anybody with you who helps get you back alive. That makes me a good investment for him. You're my ticket in, and I'm extra leverage for you to get more help from my father. That makes us useful to each other." Louis listened until she finished.

"You're smart," he said. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"I'm practical."

"Yes." He paused.

"And what if we get out and my father doesn't give you what you want?"

"Then I'll tell everybody the Collinses don't keep their bargains." Willa gave a short laugh, Gladice grinned, and Angelique reached for her glass. Marcus said, "She'll do it." Louis smiled.

"Like father, like daughter." Marcus nodded.

"You said it." Savannah leaned forward.

"So. Terms are simple. My father helps you. You take me with you. I expect citizenship in the Dominion as soon as I'm out of this country. I expect resources, access, and networks. In return, I'll make sure you have his support and his connections for whatever you need to survive the next few days." Louis looked around the booth. Willa gave him one short nod. Gladice did the same. Donya pressed her lips together but did not object.

"Why the Dominion?" Angelique asked quietly.

"Because it pays." Savannah held Angelique's gaze.

"Because rich folks there spend money like it's nothing, and I intend to get some of it. Because a black woman with a good head in the Dominion can go farther than she can here. Because if the world is going to burn, I'd rather burn somewhere with clean hotels and real nightlife. And because Europe is farther." Donya said, "But you will miss your family." Savannah set down her glass.

"I'll call them. They'll understand. They want me living well more than they want me living close." Marcus laughed once. Louis kept looking at Savannah. She had made herself part of the bargain. If she reached the Dominion and had a year to establish herself, she would go far. He could imagine the state calling that ambition promising until she used it against someone important.

"So it's an investment," he said. Marcus raised his glass.

"That's right." Louis looked down at the table, then leaned forward with one hand resting on the cane. He looked at Savannah.

"I will talk to my father," he said.

"I cannot promise the whole shape of the life after that. I can promise sponsorship, introductions, and a place to start. I can promise that if I say you're with me, doors will open that don't open for strangers. I can't promise what you become once you're through them." Savannah held his gaze.

"That'll do. For now." Marcus took a drink.

"Good. Then we're settled."

"Cheers." Louis lifted his soda. Savannah picked up her ale, Marcus lifted his whiskey, and Gladice raised her beer bottle. The others followed.

"To new partnerships," Marcus said.

"To a better future," Savannah added. They drank. The server returned to clear plates. Marcus stopped him with two fingers and ordered desserts and coffee. Donya blinked.

"There is more?"

"There's always more when you own the kitchen," Marcus said.

"So." Gladice leaned back against the booth and looked at Savannah.

"You've always wanted out." Savannah's eyes flicked to her.

"Long as I can remember."

"Ever think about leaving on your own?"

"Of course." Savannah tilted her head.

"But that would've taken longer, cost more, and come with no guarantee of success. This way is cleaner." Gladice nodded.

"Strategic. I like it." Savannah gave her a smile.

"Y'all have no idea how a black woman lives in the Holy States," she said.

"So forgive me if I seem impatient to get out before this place decides to lock me inside for good."

"I think we have some idea," Willa said quietly. Savannah looked at her.

"Not like this, you don't."

"Do elaborate." Willa rested her chin in one hand. Savannah shrugged.

"First thing you learn is the law ain't the law. It's the mood of the men with guns. Some days, being respectful is enough. Other days, being respectful gets you a rifle in the face 'cause you looked at one of them wrong. You learn to read their faces, their posture, the way they hold their rifles. You learn where the checkpoints are, which guards are drunk by noon, which churches run the neighborhood, which militia commander takes bribes, which one doesn't. You learn how to disappear for a day when a raid comes.

You learn which streets white folks don't want you walking down. You learn how to carry yourself so you don't get disappeared into a church basement."

"I'm not surprised," Gladice said. Savannah's smile was thin.

"You think I'm exaggerating? I watched a girl get dragged out of her house last year because her neighbor reported her for 'indecent exposure.' She was hanging laundry in her own backyard. Her offense was wearing shorts. She never came back."

"God," Donya whispered.

"God is dead here," Savannah said.

"Or if He ain't, He's the kind of god who enjoys watching people burn." She took a sip of ale.

"So yeah. When a chance like this comes along, I take it." Willa watched her.

"You're not just running away. You're running toward something."

"Both." Savannah set down her glass.

"I'm running away from a cage, and I'm running toward a chance to build something better. You think that's a contradiction?"

"I think it's a motive," Willa said. Savannah's eyes met hers.

"Good. Then we understand each other." Marcus watched the exchange with a smile.

"She's always been a strategist."

"And you're always looking for leverage," Angelique said to Marcus. He gave her a slow nod.

"Leverage is how a black man stays alive in a white world, princess."

"Don't call me princess."

"My apologies." Marcus's smile did not change.

"Miss Bourbon."

"Better." Savannah glanced at Angelique.

"Don't mind him. He calls everybody whatever he thinks'll get under their skin."

"It works sometimes," Marcus said.

"Not with me," Angelique said.

"Noted." The dessert and coffee arrived. The server set down slices of peach cobbler, chocolate fudge cake, and pecan pie, along with cups of black coffee.

"So what would you do once you get into the Dominion?" Angelique asked Savannah as she picked up her coffee.

"Find money. Use it. Make more." Savannah spread one hand lightly.

"I ain't interested in politics. I want to be rich and left alone." Louis laughed once.

"That sounds like a plan." She looked at him.

"What about you?"

"I am going to take a vacation in Hawaii. For a long time." He shrugged.

"After that we will see." Savannah glanced at Marcus.

"He might be more interesting than I thought." Marcus took a sip of coffee.

"Told you he wasn't what you expected." Donya laughed, then covered her mouth.

"I am not sure I expected any of this. This morning I thought I was going to die. Now I am talking about leaving the country with strangers." She shook her head.

"God is truly mysterious." Willa snorted.

"God has nothing to do with it. This is chaos. And we're caught in the middle."

"Maybe it is Allah's plan," Donya said quietly.

"Your Allah is a better strategist than the God down here," Willa said.

"Both of 'em probably busy," Savannah said. Gladice raised her beer.

"Here's to chaos, then." Marcus smiled.

"You fitting in well, Sergeant."

"Thank you. Now that we have a deal, I want to get drunk."

"You can do that," Marcus said.

"But we still got the matter of tonight." Louis finished the cobbler on his plate and pushed the dish aside.

"Which is?"

"You ain't going back to that motel," Marcus said.

"If Hargrove's men haven't searched it already, they will by morning. And now that you're tied to me in any way worth naming, I'd rather you not be seen on the street until we settle whether you live past sunrise." Gladice said, "So where do we go?"

"Y'all will stay at my house," Marcus said.

"It's private. Secure enough for one night. My people know not to ask questions there. And if I'm putting my daughter's future on your road, I'd rather know where all of you are sleeping until dawn."

"That's very generous of you," Angelique said. Marcus gave a small smile.

"It's generous because I'm protecting my investment too. But yes. I'm generous."

"How far is your house?" Willa asked.

"Ain't far," Savannah said.

"And it's better than a motel. Trust me." Marcus looked at Louis.

"I know you got questions about what comes next. We'll talk in the morning. Tonight, get some rest. You'll need it."

"Alright." Louis nodded.

"We will stay." Gladice finished her beer and set the bottle down.

"I hope you have a big bathtub." Savannah laughed.

"Shame. We only got a small one. But the hot water works."

"Good enough for me." Savannah rose from the booth.

"If y'all are finished, let's go." Marcus nodded once.

"Tell Miss Bernice to get the beds ready. I got other business to handle tonight." He looked at Louis.

"Good luck, Louis Collins." Louis looked up at him and stood, cane in one hand, the other reached out. They shook hands.

"Thank you, Marcus. Nice doing business with you." Marcus smiled and released his hand.

"Likewise." They picked up their bags and backpacks. Savannah led them back through the club. Jacob met them at the blast doors. The guards returned their weapons without a word. Louis tucked the pistol back into his jacket.

"Change of plans," Savannah said to Jacob as they reached the van.

"We going to the house." Jacob nodded.

"For sure." The others got into the back. Savannah sat beside Jacob in the passenger seat. The doors closed, and the van pulled away.