Reentry Read online

  There were men in solid green jumpers pulling Mia onto the main road by her hair. Mia’s right arm was dangling as blood came pouring from it. She was kicking out at the men as they dragged her.

  “It’s a kid, Sarge!” one of the men yelled.

  “I don’t care who it is. Get the others.”

  Jayden came running out into the open and tackled the man who was hanging onto Mia’s hair. Dreya ran and jumped on top of her little sister, using her body to shield the blows from the men who came over swinging batons. They grabbed Jayden and smacked the baton across his back. He buckled to his knees. Another man kicked Dreya in the ribs and Katrina heard her cry out, but she didn’t move away from protecting Mia.

  Katrina looked back to James. He shook his head “no”. She took a deep breath in and watched the worry crease his face. “I have to. I’m sorry,” she whispered as she left the cover of the trees.

  Katrina ran out onto the main street holding the .22. There were three Humvees, she counted, and a tank in the rear. The sergeant stood on the tank. She aimed for him as she ran toward her friends. From behind her, she heard James yell, “damn it!”

  Just before she pulled the trigger, a man she didn’t see took the butt of his rifle and smashed it into the side of her head. She crumpled to the pavement.

  Pushing up to her hands, she was kicked by the man so hard that she turned on to her back. Through the ringing in her ears she heard Dreya call out, “Stop! Please. We are Project Dandelion.”

  It didn’t work fast enough to stop the man from kicking Katrina again. She saw James dive over her as he lunged to wrestle the man away. Then she rolled her head to the side and traced the outline of the mountain ridge to the east with her eyes. It’s just over that peak, she thought as the darkness clouded her vision. I almost made it Dad.

  Chapter 13

  Katrina awoke in the back of the Humvee with Dreya roughly rubbing her knuckle into Katrina’s chest bone.

  “Stop that,” she groaned as she rolled to her side. James was sitting next to her head on the floor of the truck with his knees pulled up to his chest. “I’m sorry,” she whispered looking at his face.

  “Mmm-hmm,” he grumbled as he looked outside. Katrina sat up and her head screamed out in pain as bright flashes of light blinded her eyes. James saw her wobble and scooted closer to help hold her upright. The engine started and Katrina whipped her head around- which she instantly regretted- to see Jayden and Mia sitting up on the bench seat to the right. Mia had a bandage wrapped around her forearm and her teeth were chattering but she looked okay.

  Katrina looked to Dreya. “Tom?” she whispered. Dreya shook her head and smiled as the trucks roared to life. They turned the vehicles around and headed down the mountain.

  *

  The teens shifted around in the Humvee as they made their way across the winding mountain roads and came back to the highway. One truck was behind them followed by the tank in the rear.

  “Where are they taking us?” Dreya asked Katrina.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “I hope not. Isn’t your dad in the military? If these guys are still around, couldn’t your dad be too? Maybe they can take us to him.” Dreya was busy trying to work out a plan.

  “Honestly,” Katrina broke the news to her. “I don’t even know what to think anymore. When I saw these Humvees on the road, I should have felt relief. I’ve been around trucks like these and men like that my whole life. Except I was terrified of them. I don’t know who these people are. I don’t even know what uniforms they are wearing. What did they say to you when we got loaded up?”

  Dreya’s eyes filled with tears and Katrina saw the hope fade from them as she quickly blinked them dry again. “Nothing really. After I told them we were Project Dandelion everyone started cussing a lot. The guy on the tank used the radio and said he was bringing us in. Then they wrapped up Mia’s arm as James carried you over. They put us back here and I woke you up.”

  Katrina nodded. “Okay. They might be in trouble for hurting us. That’s good to know. I think we will be safe for a while. It looks like we are headed further east. I guess it’s time to come up with a new plan.”

  “We should have listened to James and not gone into that place,” Mia said through clenched teeth. “I’m done making plans. Whatever you guys decide, I’m in. But if it includes a doctor or a hospital, I’d appreciate it.”

  “We will get you taken care of,” James said still staring out the back at the mountains. “First, let’s just find out what is coming next.” Katrina nodded and then leaned her throbbing head against James’ shoulder. She closed her eyes so that she wouldn’t see the mountains as the trucks drove away from them.

  *

  The facility they drove up to was encased in barbwire fencing with stakes set four feet high. A group of soldiers came running out to open the fence laid across the entrance for the approaching trucks. They all wore gas masks and Katrina felt naked without hers. From inside the central building, people came out with wool blankets which they wrapped around the kids as they led them inside as a group. They were walked single file through a dark hallway and led to two separate locker rooms.

  “Don’t split us up,” Jayden yelled as he resisted being pushed into the men’s room.

  “It will just be for a moment,” the woman with the sharp nose and tight bun high on her head said as she took Mia into the women’s room. “We need to get you all cleaned off.”

  In the women’s locker room sat two long rows of metal benches surrounded by open shower stalls. “We need you to undress and shower,” the woman with the bun said. “Don’t worry about your clothes. We will get you some new ones.”

  “What is this place?” Katrina asked as she slipped her shoes off.

  “It’s a holding facility,” the woman said as she started to unwrap Mia’s bandage.

  Mia winced and Dreya stepped over. “I can do that,” she said.

  “Who are you holding if you are just shooting everyone?” Katrina pulled her t-shirt up over her head.

  “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” The woman’s voice was flat.

  Mia cried as the shower water hit her arm. The woman rushed over to her. “It’s okay sweetheart,” she said. “Just rinse it off really good and we will get you into medical to fix that up after.”

  Katrina turned on the water and it instantly became hot. She let the spray pelt down her back as she rested her forehead against the cool cement wall. The water massaged the bruises on her ribs where the man had kicked her.

  Too soon, more people came in with towels and clothes. Katrina dried her hair and put on a pair of green sweats that were handed to her. Then they were shuffled out of the locker room and into a conference room that held a big table surrounded by cheap leather rolling chairs.

  “We are going to take her to the medical bay,” the woman said directing Mia away from the room.

  Dreya spun around. “She is my little sister. She doesn’t go anywhere without me.” The woman paused.

  “Katrina needs to be seen too. One of your thugs knocked a gun into her head,” James said. “Actually, you know what? We are all going together.” He walked towards the door.

  The woman looked at the kids with panic in her eyes. “How about I bring the doctor here? You all just have a seat.”

  *

  After the doctor stitched Mia’s arm and checked out Katrina’s head, five Styrofoam trays with macaroni and meatloaf were brought in for them to eat. Each tray also had an apple on it. Chewing the apple hurt Katrina’s face, but every crisp bite felt amazing on her tongue and soothed her throat with the sweet juice. An elderly man came to clear the trash and the kids were left alone to wait.

  James was pacing by the window and Katrina almost fell asleep in the chair when the doors swung open. In walked the sergeant from the tank earlier. Behind him came a tall man in military fatigues with brown hair shaved close to his head in a high and tig
ht. Her heart started pounding and she sat straight up in the chair but when he entered the room, she realized it wasn’t her father. Katrina leaned back in the chair and rubbed her forehead.

  “Want to explain to me what the hell you were doing up in the mountains?” The big man said as he came to the table.

  Katrina smirked. “We felt like going camping.”

  “You think this is funny, little girl?” the man screamed at her. She started to giggle uncontrollably. Her friends turned to look at her with their jaws slack which made Katrina laugh harder.

  “How about a little more respect for Colonel Adams?” the sergeant snapped.

  Katrina stopped laughing and stared at him with cold eyes. “What exactly do you want me to respect? What kind of military are you even? I don’t know anyone in the military that would willingly shoot unarmed citizens,” she whispered.

  James walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. “Forgive my friend,” he said. “Your guys hit her head pretty hard back there.”

  The sergeant winced and fell silent. The colonel’s face grew red. “You are nothing but a spoiled brat. Look at all this trouble they went through to ensure you would survive. Now you are going to complain about it? While we are all here working hard to clean up the surface for you all to live in this new, better world.”

  Katrina pushed James’ hand off her shoulder. “You can keep your world. I don’t want any part of this.”

  “Enough.” The colonel slammed his hand on the table. “You don’t have another option. I’ve already spoken with Shelter 17 and they said you all left because you didn’t want to follow the rules there either. I’m done playing games with spoiled children.”

  “Wait, sir. How many shelters are there?” Dreya asked.

  “Plenty. More than enough, I say. So many that once you all start doing your jobs, we will be able to weed out any trouble makers.” He turned to Katrina again. “You are nothing more than cattle. You don’t get any more say in the matter.” He walked back to the hall. “Throw them into the holding cells for now.”

  A group of men came filing through the door and grabbed the kids by their arms. Katrina looked to James and saw his fists clench.

  “Please don’t resist,” said the woman with the bun. “We aren’t going to hurt you.” Dreya began to walk calmly between two of the men and the rest of the group followed.

  Chapter 14

  The holding cell was a cement cage with long metal bars separating three rooms from each other and the front walls. There was a single toilet and water fountain in each section. The guards put Jayden and James in one of the cells and the girls in the adjoining one. Metal benches bolted to the floor lined the walls. The woman with the bun tossed in some dark grey wool blankets.

  “Just sit tight,” she said as she was leaving. “We will get you all sorted out soon.”

  “What are they going to do with us?” Mia asked after the woman left.

  “I think they will probably take us back to the shelter,” Jayden said sitting down on the bench. James walked to the far corner of the cell. Katrina watched him for a moment. Then she pulled a blanket over her lap and closed her eyes.

  What is happening right now? she thought. These should be the good guys, but they are definitely not the good guys. If I would have gone alone then I would have been in the cabin by now. And my dad would have come. He could explain this. Explain how the government turned on its own people. James is mad and he should be. If we would have just kept running, then we could have gotten away. Away from this messed up world they are building. Where we are, what did the colonel say? Cattle. Livestock. We are just here to breed. To repopulate. Why would my dad put me there? If he is still alive, he might be one of them now. Her stomach churned and a tear escaped from her closed eyes. She pulled the blanket over her head.

  Katrina remembered being a little girl standing on her dad’s feet as he waltzed her around the living room dancing to Patsy Cline. He was always so sure of himself. Always prepared, always doing the right thing no matter what.

  Realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

  He wouldn’t have made it. He would have fought this, and they would have taken him down. That was why he wasn’t there when the doors opened. He had given her a chance at survival with the cabin and she had blown it. She wiped her eyes and snuggled deeper under the blanket. I won’t blow it again, she thought.

  *

  Katrina jerked herself awake. The sun had set, and she could see the night sky through the sliver of a window across the hall from the cage. The lights had dimmed, and it was colder in the room. Her head pain had eased to a dull throbbing ache. Still, she sat up carefully.

  Dreya and Mia were huddled together on the bench opposite from hers. She turned to look into the guys cell just as Dreya said, “They took James a few hours ago.”

  “What?” Katrina jumped to her feet. “Where? Why? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

  “He said to let you sleep.” Dreya peeled herself away from her little sister and tiptoed over to Katrina. “They needed to ask him some questions they said.”

  Katrina ran to the bars and screamed, “Hey! Where is James? Bring him…”

  “Shhh!” Dreya pulled her back down. “It’s the middle of the night. They need sleep too.” She motioned toward her sister and Jayden. “He will be okay.”

  “And what if he isn’t?” Katrina glared at her. “What if they find out that he wasn’t supposed to be in the shelter?”

  Dreya smiled softly. “I’m pretty sure they already know that. Why else would they just take him for questioning?”

  Katrina’s heart was pounding out of her chest. “I don’t want to do this without him.”

  “I know.” Dreya wrapped her arms around Katrina to hug her. “We can’t do anything about it right now. Hopefully things will look better tomorrow.”

  Katrina stared at the cracks in the cement wall until the sun rose.

  *

  The woman with the bun came in with the man carrying the breakfast trays. Katrina screamed at her when she entered. “Go get him and bring him back right now!”

  “It’s okay sweetie,” the woman smiled. “They pulled his records and found out that he does have the dandelion gene. They are just trying to figure out how he got a ticket into the shelter in the first place.”

  “Who the hell cares?” Katrina continued to shout. “Bring him back in here.”

  The sergeant walked into the room. “Quit your yelling girl,” he said as he smacked his baton across the bars. “You sound like your father calling cadence.”

  Katrina froze. “What do you know about my dad?”

  “I know your file says you are Sgt. Major Floyd’s daughter. I took his survival class years ago. I can see where you get your temper from,” he laughed.

  “My dad was never angry unless you deserved it,” she spat.

  The sergeant chuckled as he rubbed his chin. “Well maybe I did,” he smiled. “You should have said who you were from the beginning. We would have gotten you back home faster.”

  Mia looked around. “And where is home exactly?”

  The sergeant turned his smile to her. “Back to the shelter of course.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Not until James is here. And we are definitely not going back to the shelter.”

  “Oh, you will.” The sergeant dropped his smile as he stared at Katrina. “In fact, if you want to see your boyfriend again, you are all going to go back peacefully like the good little boys and girls you are.”

  *

  Hours later, James was escorted back to the cage. He walked with his head hung down.

  “You okay man?” Jayden asked, rushing to his side.

  Katrina climbed up on the bench next to the bars that separated them. “James?” she whispered. He turned to face her and smiled with a busted lip. She covered her mouth with her hands.

  He walked over to sit beside her. “It’s okay,” he told her while pushing his forehead against hers thro
ugh the bars. “They just wanted info that I didn’t have.” He let out a small laugh. “They thought I might be a spy or something, but it turns out I have the dandelion gene too and Morgan somehow rigged the system to get me in. I don’t think that I took anyone else’s place so that’s a relief.”

  Katrina shook her head. “I don’t know what to do anymore. They are sending us back to the fallout shelter.”

  James smiled again. “Hey. Don’t worry so much. Now we just get to do this all over again.”

  Chapter 15

  The colonel came to escort them out as they headed to the truck that would take them back to where it all started.

  “Special treatment, huh?” Jayden mumbled with his eyes cast down to the dirt.

  “You’re damn right kid. Only the best for Sgt. Major Floyd’s daughter here.” He clapped Katrina on the back.

  “You guys keep saying that like you know something that I don’t.” Katrina stopped walking to look at him.

  The colonel smiled. “Just showing some appreciation for the man who helped set up Project Dandelion.” Katrina’s eyes flashed wide, but she said nothing. “What?” Col. Adams continued. “I thought you would have known that. Didn’t you sit through his survival training program in there?” Katrina looked to her feet.

  “About that,” Dreya asked. “Why teach us survival if we aren’t allowed to leave?”

  “Floyd’s idea,” Col. Adams said. “He argued that the mission would need to continue whether we all made it on the surface or not. Thankfully, we did so you don’t need to worry. But just in case, you kids had a chance to make it without us here to clean up the mess. Smart man, your father is.” He held out his arm to motion Katrina forward.

  She climbed into the back of the truck and he pushed the tailgate up after her. “Wait, Colonel,” she called out as he began to walk away. “You said “is”. Do you know where he is?”