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  Col. Adams shrugged. “Rumor has it that they moved him to the embassy for the World Headquarters at the new capital in what used to be Maine. Lucky S.O.B.”

  Katrina sat down hard on the seat as the truck started to drive away.

  *

  “Man. I was hoping we’d never have to see this place again,” Jayden said as they pulled onto the dirt road leading back to the shelter. Through the back of the truck, they saw the desert mostly unchanged since they had left. Ash still covered the earth, but the roads had been cleaned from the multiple tires that had traveled on them.

  Katrina groaned as they passed the platform where their parents had dropped them off to take the bus to the shelter on the night the world exploded. “Me too.”

  *

  They didn’t see the shelter until they had climbed out of the truck. Katrina wasn’t expecting to find anything more than the two tunnels that were dug to the surface, one of which they used to escape. She was shocked to see jarring white tents that sharply contrasted with the greyish ash and desert browns. Military vehicles stood parked to the side and soldiers wearing green jumpsuits while holding rifles mulled about underneath the tents.

  “It looks like they got their wish. They are definitely safe now,” James smirked.

  “Are you sure this is the right kind of safe?” Dreya asked in disgust.

  The kids walked into the compound led by the truck driver and another guard. The men they passed quickly stood at attention and then lazily walked away when the driver dismissed them. It was cold under the tents. Colder than should have been possible in the heat of the desert summer. Katrina shivered.

  Shea and Christopher from the agriculture group were standing at the back of the main tent talking with some of the guards in jumpsuits. When they looked up to see Katrina, they quickly looked back down to the ground and asked to be excused. They hurried away down a tunnel. Six tunnels dug into the earth circled the outside of the tent compound. The main tent structure they were standing under was built in the center of the tunnels, right on top of where the common room should be buried. Katrina slowly dug her heel into the dirt. She really didn’t want to go back down there.

  The kids stood there waiting as the guards walked about. The guards were busy doing much of nothing. Two men and a petite woman leaned against the outside of the main tent laughing at something the woman said. Others were inspecting vehicles and digging holes out in the desert. Another woman stood with a clipboard directing soldiers to move supplies around in the storage tent. There was an air of boredom and impatience. Katrina watched them move about like bees on a lazy spring afternoon. It would have almost been peaceful had the men not been armed.

  These were military members, Katrina thought. But something is off about them. Not just the weird uniforms, but something different. She couldn’t place her finger on it. Scanning the tents and then the horizon, she realized there was no flag. There were no emblems on the uniforms showing the branch of service. Who were these people?

  “Ugh, guys,” Mia whispered bringing Katrina out of her thoughts. “Why does Lark have a gun?”

  Chapter 16

  From behind a screened off section of the tent, the blond boy with a politician’s smile came strutting towards the group of kids. His hair was shorter, and he was wearing the simple green uniform the rest of the guards were wearing. A rifle was slung across his back held on by a leather strap. He still had the same cold brown eyes and the same set to his shoulders. Katrina’s stomach turned.

  Was he taller? Katrina thought. Something was different about him. Her vision blurred as she tried to take in the slightly distorted image.

  “Well there are my runaway children,” he laughed as he approached. His voice was different too. “What’s wrong?” He stopped short. “You all look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Dreya stared at him. Her face was pale. “You look just like him,” she whispered. “Just like Lark.”

  The guy beamed his smile at her. “I guess genetically I should look like him. Lark’s my cousin. He is the reason I asked to be assigned here. The name’s Lieutenant Bayer,” he said extending his hand. “And your name is?”

  “Dreya.” She firmly crossed her arms over her chest.

  Lt. Bayer’s smile crept up to his eyes. “Dreya you say? Well I know Lark is going to be happy that you are back. And this must be your little sister Mia.” He winked at her. “She looks just like you too. And this…” He stepped back and spread his arms. “This must be Katrina. The infamous Sgt. Major Floyd’s daughter. The girl who broke my cousin’s nose. Now we aren’t going to have any more trouble from you, are we sweetheart?”

  “Not as long as no one ties me up again,” Katrina said through clenched teeth.

  Lt. Bayer raised his eyebrows as he looked at her. James instinctively moved closer to Katrina’s side. “And you must be the boyfriend,” Lt. Bayer stepped back. “Good. That’s good. Have at it. That’s all we want you kids to do. Stay healthy. Fall in love. Create a family. Why don’t you all head back down to your room now? Have fun.” He looked back to Katrina. “I’ll be up here if you need me.”

  Bile rose up in the back of Katrina’s throat as the puzzle pieces connected. The way Lark smiled when Nanny had explained about the dandelion gene on the first day. How he had tried to take advantage of Anna. Trying to make everyone stay there- he knew. He knew what was happening all along. And he knew he would get what he wanted. Katrina’s stomach hurt. How did she not see that?

  They were directed back to the tunnel that led down to Room 3. The graded steps that James had carefully dug out had blocks of lumber with rebar stakes through the wood to hold them in place. Katrina stood at the top of the hole and inhaled a deep breath of radioactive tainted fresh air before she descended into the bunker again.

  *

  The room looked smaller than she remembered. It took a second for her eyes to adjust even though the fluorescent lights were burning bright. Everything was the same as the first day they had arrived. The metal bunks had new mattresses and blankets on them. Katrina smiled as she thought of how they had torn up the beds to make waterproof packs from the plastic mattress liners before they left.

  Ethan was sitting alone in the room on his bunk. He jumped up smiling as they entered. “You’re back,” he laughed as Dreya went to hug him. “They said you were coming back but I didn’t want to believe it. How was it out there?”

  “Bad,” Dreya said walking over to her old bunk. “Really bad. They are killing off anyone left alive. I guess this whole thing is some sort of diabolical plan to start a new world with one government.”

  Ethan nodded. “Yeah, we’ve heard about that plan. They didn’t tell us the rest of it, but I figured as much. Did you guys hear that we are livestock? This whole Project Dandelion thing was just a way to keep us alive to repopulate the earth with loyal subjects to the new world order. Fun, huh? And if they think we need help accomplishing that mission well…” His voice trailed off as he looked to James and Jayden. “They are making me take gentleman classes because I’m not so good with the ladies.”

  “What are gentleman classes?” Mia asked as she sat on the bed beside Ethan.

  “It’s just this stupid class they are doing. They took away our survival class in the morning and now we get an hour of propaganda class before we break into different groups. I have to go to the gentleman class which is basically a bunch of frat guys trying to tell me how to get a girl. Lieutenant Bayer runs it.”

  “Of course he does.” Katrina rolled her eyes.

  “I should have left with you all,” Ethan said to her. “I’m sorry that I stayed.”

  “Don’t be.” Mia patted his back gently. “We just got dragged right back here anyway.”

  “How is Willow handling all of this?” Jayden asked as he took the bunk on top of Ethan’s.

  “Why don’t you ask me yourself?” Willow said as she walked through the doorway. Ethan smiled at her and she warmly smiled back.

&n
bsp; Katrina was confused. “Are you guys together now?”

  “No!” they both shouted in unison.

  “I mean no,” Willow said softly while leaning against the doorframe. “We were just all that was left of Room 3 when you guys took off. It was a rough few days of questioning when the military showed up. They wanted to know where you went, but since we weren’t privileged to any of the details, they let us off the hook.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Dreya sat down on her bed. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. We didn’t know what was actually happening up there when we left.”

  “None of us did.” Willow brushed her off. “Well, you are back now. How was your vacation?”

  “It’s bad,” Dreya told her. “They are killing anyone who survived.”

  “I guess that’s what happens in war.” Willow shrugged and a distant look colored her eyes. “I wish it wasn’t like this, but we can’t change anything now, can we?”

  “And you’re okay with that?” James asked her.

  “What else are we going to do? I mean they are trying this new government thing. They want to make the world a better place. This is just the hard part, the beginning.”

  “Are you serious?” Mia snapped at her. “Tell me you are joking.”

  Willow glared at her as the dinner packets dropped into the cabinet. “That’s my cue,” she said, leaving the room. “I’m staying in Room 5 now. Figured you all would want to stick together.”

  Dreya took out the food bags quickly to stop the alarm from beeping. “I really didn’t miss that sound,” she said as she handed the bags around the room.

  Mia groaned. “I really didn’t miss eating MREs for every meal. I almost wish we had more marmot to eat.”

  “You ate a marmot?” Ethan gulped.

  Katrina laughed. “We will tell you all about our adventures.”

  *

  “Do you want to go see the movie tonight?” Jayden asked Dreya after dinner.

  “Might as well,” she sighed while getting up. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.”

  The six of them walked down the dimly lit tunnel which led to the common room. Katrina held her breath waiting for the angry mob of kids to confront them as they entered. She stood closer to James as she remembered how easily they had all turned against Room 3 and had allowed her to be tied up in Lark’s room. I should have stayed in bed tonight, she thought.

  James grabbed her hand as they rounded the corner. The gym was full. All the kids were settling down on the bleachers or sitting on the floor for the movie. No one had their mattresses out though. A few guards stood leaning against the walls. All eyes turned towards Room 3 as they entered.

  Katrina noticed Peter and Juan first, the brothers who had joined the labor group. They gave her a silent nod before turning back to watch the screen. More smiles directed towards her and her friends played across many of the kids’ faces before they quickly turned away. James looked to Katrina with his eyebrows raised.

  She shook her head in disbelief. “I guess they are happy we are home,” she whispered.

  Lark wasn’t there and neither was Anthony or Brett. Becca was sitting with a group of girls, but she walked over to sit next to Dreya when the movie started.

  “I’m sorry,” she said as she sat on the bleachers. “You were right about Lark.” Becca turned back to face Katrina. “I should have listened.”

  Dreya squeezed her hand. “It’s alright. There are things we all should have done differently. How are you?”

  Becca shook her head as she looked to the guards and back. “Can we talk more tomorrow?” she asked. Dreya nodded and they watched Toy Story 4 unfold on the projector screen.

  *

  After her roommates had fallen asleep, Katrina leaned down from her bunk to find James lying in his bed underneath her still awake. She nodded toward the bathroom. They tiptoed over and he quietly closed the door behind them.

  Katrina slid down against the wall to sit on the cold tile floor and pulled her knees to her chest. James sat down beside her. They stared into the silence for a few moments until James chuckled.

  “You know, I feel like we don’t talk anymore.”

  Katrina looked at him. “Well we spent the last few weeks just trying to survive. It’s not like when we were stuck down here. We haven’t had any time.”

  “I know,” he smiled at her. “You used to be able to take a joke.”

  Katrina groaned and put her head against her knees. “Are you still mad at me?” she asked.

  “No,” he said. “It was a stupid decision. If we just kept running, we would have been there by now. But I know why you had to go back and to be honest, it would have eaten me up in the long run if we hadn’t.”

  “Thanks,” she said lifting her head, “for understanding. Except I don’t even understand myself anymore. My head is all messed up.”

  “Yeah,” James nodded. “That’s nothing new though, it always kind of was. Plus, you got hit on it pretty hard.”

  “Seriously,” she glared at him. “Not now.”

  “Okay, okay. Talk to me. Tell me where you are at.”

  “This whole thing is wrong. I grew up with the military. They are the good guys. How did they let this happen? They are shooting civilians, killing innocent people, and supporting this crazy new government. And now it seems like my dad was in on this or was a part of the whole thing. He knew what Project Dandelion was and he put me down here anyway.”

  “Well you did say that he told you this would be the safest place…”

  “Yeah, but it isn’t. The safest place would have been with him somewhere. He knew this was coming, and by the sound of it he knew exactly what this was that was coming. I’m so confused. I don’t know which way is up or down anymore.”

  James smiled. “That’s okay. I know where we are. I know we are down here, and you are right here next to me. We are pretty sure your dad is up there, somewhere. And if he is all that you say he is, I’ll bet he had a plan to keep you safe. Now we need to have a plan,” he laughed. “I guess a new plan. So, stop sulking and let’s come up with one.”

  Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked at him. “You know, my dad would really like you.”

  “Of course he would,” James winked. “What’s not to like?”

  James caught her chin with the palm of his hand as she started laughing. He tilted her head up slightly and leaned down to kiss her. Katrina closed her eyes as he closed the distance between their lips.

  “Don’t do this if you are going to stop so soon again,” she whispered.

  He paused and she opened her eyes. The laughter faded and his eyes turned murky blue. “One day I’m hoping there won’t be a reason to break away.” He kissed her forehead. “Now isn’t the time.”

  Katrina groaned as he stood up. You stupid girl, she thought. I shouldn’t have said anything.

  He extended his hand to pull her up. “First we have to get out of here, again.”

  Chapter 17

  “Welcome to day 29 in the shelter.”

  Mia threw her shoe at the loudspeaker and missed. “I could have gone the rest of my life without ever hearing Nanny announce the days again,” she yelled.

  “We have to go,” Ethan said after breakfast. “They don’t let us miss class or their new exercise session anymore. If it’s a good air quality day, we get to go outside. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse.”

  *

  Everyone sat quietly on the bleachers before the lecture started. Guards filled the gym. Lark sat across the room with Anthony and Brett. He glared at Katrina as she entered. The projection that played on the screen wasn’t the normal one directed by Nanny. Instead, music blared as a flag depicting a Pangea with all the continents connected inside a red circle blew in the breeze aboard a ship. The kids were required to stand and raise their arm in respect. Ethan motioned to the guards as he nudged Dreya and urged the rest of them to join in. Katrina slowly raised her arm but kept her middle finger ex
tended and pressed behind her back.

  An old woman with yellow teeth and a blue blazer came on the screen. She smiled at the camera. “Good morning children.” A translator furiously spoke in multiple languages as the woman paused. “We are still out here working hard to make the world a better place for you. We must clear out all the things that would harm you or stand in the way of you living a happy life.” She paused again. “Our number one mission has been, and has always been, ensuring that you are safe and taken care of. I know this is scary and confusing, but I can promise you that it will make more sense in the coming years. When you have families of your own soon, they will be in a unified world that works together for the common good.”

  Her teeth shone more golden as the sun reflected from them. “You are our hope for humanity, and we know that each of you are strong enough to adapt to that role. The new Republic of the Earth loves you and you must love us. We just need a little more time and we will get you out of those shelters and into someplace better. A place where you can grow, our beautiful dandelions.”

  The screen cut out to a map of the world with zones marked “cleared”. Then a man in a lab coat came on as he discussed weather patterns and how the fallout was starting to disintegrate.

  Katrina leaned down to Ethan. “Who was that woman?”

  He shook his head. “It’s been the same recording of her for three days. Before that it was a Russian man for about a week which they translated for us.” A guard across the room smacked his baton against the wall and put his finger over his lips. Ethan faced the front.

  After the lesson, the kids broke into groups. Ethan and a couple of the other boys went over to Lt. Bayer’s group. A small woman with her blond hair cut delicately above her ears came over to talk with the rest of Room 3. “We haven’t quite figured out where you all need to be in your lessons yet so you can all follow me to the child birth class.”

  “Um,” Mia took a step back. “No thank you. I am way too young and way too innocent to learn anything about childbirth.”