“Okay,” Mason said. “We will have to wait until nightfall to get you back out. I’ll talk to Chaplin. There’s got to be something we can do. You’re going to go straight back to Aries and evacuate. As fast as you can. Leon will be right on your heels.”
“You’re coming with me,” Raj said.
“No,” Mason said. “I told Aries I’m staying here. I haven’t changed my mind about that.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Raj said. “Well, okay, meant to tell you. Planned on it. That little girl. Casey. As we speak, Clementine and Michael are heading to Surrey to pick her up. We know where she is. That was the plan. To break both of you out at the same time.”
Mason paused. “You found Casey? She’s okay?”
He didn’t think he’d ever hear news again that might fill him with hope. He’d given up on it. But when Raj mentioned Casey’s name, Mason’s stomach headed straight up into his throat. For months he’d thought about her, wondered if she was still alive, and if Leon hadn’t just killed her.
“It took us a while, but yeah,” Raj said. “Her and a bunch of other kids. We’re getting them all out. So you’ve got to come along. Come on, mate, don’t let me go back there empty handed.”
“But the others,” Mason said.
“What? These people here? Do you honestly think Leon’s going to kill them all over you? No offense, mate, but you’re not that bloody important. And besides, if Colin’s inside singing away, I doubt Leon will give a rat’s arse if you suddenly disappear. He’s got a new source.”
Raj was partly right. With Colin upstairs, Mason knew that Leon would be more interested in the information he could get from the backstabbing idiot. But Aries wasn’t the only reason Mason continued to stay alive. Leon wanted to see Mason break. He wanted Mason to fall apart and let his emotions take over and embrace the darkness inside. And the one thing Mason was determined to do was never give Leon that satisfaction. He’d cling to his sanity, no matter what the cost.
Which meant Mason had a decision to make. And time was running out.
“Okay,” Mason said. “I need to formulate a plan. I’ll talk to Chaplin and see what I can do. Dinnertime works best. We’ll sneak out while everyone is distracted.”
“I might be able to help with that,” Raj said and he patted his jacket pocket.
“How?”
Raj opened his jacket enough so that Mason could see the small bulge tucked away in the pocket. “Aries managed to get a bit of info off a Bagger a few weeks ago that led us to a compound. We found all sorts of interesting stuff.”
Mason looked at the small grey package. “Holy crap. Is that what I think that is?”
“Yep. It goes kaboom, mate.”
“How the hell did you get explosives?” Mason lowered his voice although there was no one around to hear them.
“I told you. Aries got some good information. We found a whole house packed with the stuff. We think the Baggers raided the road engineers. They use this stuff to blast mountains and build roads. We got rid of most of it. But I kept a bit.”
“And you want to use that here?”
“Gonna be honest. Probably not a great idea. I haven’t tested it or anything, but I’m pretty sure there’s enough here to possibly flatten an entire building.”
“So a last resort then,” Mason said.
“Brilliant,” Raj said. “It’s good to have you back again.”
“Don’t celebrate yet,” Mason said. “By the end of today, we might both be dead.”
* * *
By late afternoon, Mason still hadn’t come up with a single idea. Sitting on the side of the stage, he tried to ignore the bloodstain a few feet away, a reminder of everything he hated about the Baggers. In the distance, he could spot Raj, hanging by the food tents, surrounded by a group of middle-aged women who seemed enthralled by his English accent. They’d agreed to stay apart and both try and come up with a plan, but Raj seemed to have trouble finding time to himself. People were fascinated by him. With no more tourism in the world, finding someone who spoke with an English accent was a big thing. It was a major difference from Mason’s early days in the Plaza when no one even glanced in his direction. Of course many of the prisoners thought Mason had been secretly working for Leon. It had taken him a long time to convince them otherwise and he still often got the cold shoulder from some of the others.
Getting over the fence wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Even if they could find a way to climb without being noticed, they’d have to deal with the rows of barbed wire at the top. The whole contraption rattled and shook, the noise alone would send the Baggers straight towards them if they tried. They couldn’t cut through it either. Raj had lost his bolt cutters when the Baggers grabbed him and there wasn’t anything in the camp that they could use. Earlier Chaplin asked around and came up empty handed.
That left the gate. If they could get enough people to raise a distraction, they might be able to slip away announced. But that would only work if the entrance was unlocked or if they could get some keys.
Come on, Dowell, you can do this.
But no matter how much he tried, Mason couldn’t concentrate. He couldn’t stop thinking about how he hadn’t seen Leon all day. Every time he looked over at the casino doors, he wondered if Colin was still inside and what other information he was giving to the Baggers.
What if Leon had already left? They could already be there, outside the perimeter of wherever Aries and the others were hiding. Waiting until dark to attack? No, he couldn’t think that way. He had to believe that Aries was still safe.
But she wouldn’t be for long.
He didn’t even notice Karen standing there until she tapped him on the knee. He jerked back in surprise, his heart pounding in his temples.
“So yeah,” she said. “There’s someone over at the fence. Says he wants to speak to you.”
“What?”
Karen sighed loudly. “A guy. By the fence. Says he wants to speak to you. Kinda ballsy. He just wandered right up there.” She turned and pointed.
“Who is it?” Mason looked over. Sure enough, a figure waited over in the shadows by the edge of the casino. Mason instinctively glanced back at the Baggers guarding the gate. Two men. Neither of them seemed to have noticed. They were too busy sharing a cigarette and ogling one of the prisoners who had removed her shirt to have a sponge bath.
Mason frowned. Here he’d been racking his brain all day and apparently all it took to distract the guards was a half-naked girl with a wet cloth. Why hadn’t he thought about that first? It could have saved him a lot of time.
But that would have to wait. Who the hell wanted to talk to him? It couldn’t be Aries or the others. They wouldn’t do something as brazen as just walk right up. This had to be someone with a death threat. He turned to question Karen more, only to discover she’d headed over to where Raj was apparently telling the joke of the century. The women surrounding him laughed loudly. Man, girls really did love those English accents. Mason pushed himself off the stage and walked over to the fence, squinting to try and make out the figure on his knees with a pair of bolt cutters in his hands.
“Hey tourist boy.”
“I should have known it would be you.”
Daniel grinned. “Did you miss me?”
“Get out of here.” Mason bent down on his knees. “Did you really think I’d want to talk to you? Are you asking for a death wish? If they see you…”
“They’ll welcome me in with open arms,” Daniel finished for him. “I haven’t forgotten. I’m here for other reasons. I have to get you out.” He snapped a piece of the metal and gave the fence a tug. “Help me out here.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Cut the crap,” Daniel said, his grin fading fast. “I assume you know what I am. Aries told you. I don’t care.”
“You’re one of them.”
“So? You trusted me before. I had plenty of opportunity to kill you, but I ne
ver did. I’m not one of them. Not like that. I’m something different. Nothing’s changed. We still need each other.”
“Speak for yourself,” Mason said. He glanced back over at the gate but the Baggers still hadn’t noticed. At least some luck was on his side. “Seriously, if they see you, they’re going to kill you.”
“Not likely,” Daniel said. He dropped the bolt cutters and stood up. Giving Mason a grin, he pulled the rifle around and took aim at the gate. When he pulled the trigger, a small popping noise sounded and the Bagger on duty dropped. Daniel aimed again, shooting the second Bagger before he even knew what was happening.
“Neat huh?” Daniel showed him the gun. “Hand made silencer. Truly an amazing thing. And no one’s the wiser. Do you feel better now?”
Mason looked around, but life inside the camp continued. Not a single person had noticed both Baggers go down.
“Now help me get through this damned fence.” Daniel picked up the bolt cutters and clipped a few more metal links. “Come on. We’re burning daylight here.”
Mason raised an eyebrow.
“Look,” Daniel said. “You and I have our differences. There’s no denying that, tourist boy. But we do have the same mutual interests and that’s keeping certain people alive. Me being a Bagger hasn’t changed that. Remember what I told you? There are some things you can’t take back.”
“They take you further into the darkness.”
Daniel nodded. “I can’t change what I am. It’s beyond my control. But I’m managing the best I can. I’m lucky. I’m not quite like them. I have a certain amount of control. My old self still exists. I’m one of a kind.”
“How much control do you have? A hundred percent? Ninety? Can you still put others in harm?”
“I can usually tell when it’s coming,” Daniel said. “I get enough of a warning to get far away. Why do you think I never lived with you guys? I took precautions. I made sure I’d never put any of you in danger.” Daniel glanced over Mason’s shoulder. “Times ticking. Are you in or not?”
Mason thought about all the things he’d wanted to say to Daniel over the past few months. A wide variety of accusations, demands, foul words, and other nasty conversations played out in his brain. But he’d never thought for a second that he’d say the words that came next.
“Sign me up.”
Daniel tossed the bolt cutters on the ground and gave the metal one last yank. The fencing gave way, revealing a space big enough for Mason to get through. “That should do it. Crawl on through.”
“I need to get Raj. He’s here too and I’m not leaving him.”
“This isn’t a mass breakout, man. I’m not Aries. I don’t care what sort of happy time family you’re leaving behind. We’re not moving them all over to the suburbs today. Just you.”
“Raj comes. He’s here because of me. Idiot got himself caught over a dog.”
Daniel grinned. “Really?”
“Yeah, tried to get it some kibble. Found some Baggers instead.”
“What were the Baggers doing at the dog store? Oh wait, I’m sure there’s a good joke there somewhere. Give me a second.”
Mason looked back at the dinner tent. Raj was still chatting away, oblivious to everyone around him. Mason sighed. He couldn’t leave him, not when Raj had gone to all the trouble in the first place. This was turning out to be an interesting day. Nothing from anyone for weeks and suddenly everyone and their dog were practically fighting over Mason to get him out. He’d never been this popular before.
Raj finally looked up and Mason took a chance and waved at him to come over. Raj got the hint and excused himself. He slowly made his way across the yard, although several people stopped to talk to him. Mason didn’t know if he should be jealous or thankful. Even after several months, people still went out of their way to ignore him. Raj had gone through half a day and already he was becoming everyone’s best friend. The price of being popular was rough.
Mason had no ties to the place. He wouldn’t miss it or the people when he left. Sure, he had a few relationships with Chaplin and Karen. But they were brought together by force, not by choice. The only person he cared about was Casey. If Raj was right and Michael and Clementine were rescuing her, there was no longer a need for him to stay. Although he agreed with Aries that they should eventually get everyone out, it didn’t have to be today. Leon wouldn’t kill them either. Mason had made sure to keep his distance so that Leon wouldn’t have any more ammunition to blackmail him with. Just Casey. If Raj said she was safe, Mason would have to trust him and take the chance.
But if Raj didn’t move quicker, they might not make it. They weren’t safe and it would only get riskier the longer they waited. The Plaza might be large enough to find occasional hiding places, but the Baggers still patrolled regularly. Someone was bound to notice the dead ones at the gate. And all hell would break out shortly after.
“This is too easy.” Daniel obviously felt the same way. He kept his rifle in his arms, his eyes moving along the length of the casino. The glass windows had long since been painted over so no one could look in or out. Very few people knew what went on inside there. Mason knew. He’d spent time behind those walls. Many went in, but very few ever came out. The Baggers kept the most important survivors inside, Locked away in cages like animals. People they planned on using to rebuild their society.
“What?”
“This. Seriously, tourist boy, you can’t be this gullible. Where are all the Baggers?” Daniel looked back at the casino doors. “I know you can’t feel it, but I can. This place is a ghost town. Empty. The whole group could walk right out the front gate and no one would be the wiser.”
“They’re inside. Probably torturing someone or watching a movie. Who knows what Baggers do in their free time?”
Daniel closed his eyes for a moment; a deep look of concentration crossed his face. “Yeah, some I can feel. But not the usual.”
“Let me guess. You’ve been keeping count?”
“I’m one of them, remember? I can sense them.”
“So your spidey senses are tingling. It means nothing. You haven’t been here in a while. They’ve branched out.” Mason pointed over towards some of the condos by the waterfront. “They’ve taken over. Got the electricity running. Living the life of luxury these days.” Mason paused. Raj had finally managed to break away from the last of his admirers and he stopped a few feet away from them, eyeing Daniel carefully.
“Come on,” Daniel said to both of them. “This isn’t time for a reunion.” He yanked the fence back again. “We can talk about what a bastard I am later. Pints will be on me.”
“Mason?” Raj hesitated.
“We needed a way out. This is it.”
Mason didn’t wait. He got down on his knees and crawled through the fence, half expecting to hear alarms or whistles or Baggers running up to beat the crap out of him. Nothing happened. Raj must have decided that freedom was better than his short stint in prison because he scuttled through the hole before Mason managed to get back on his feet.
They headed straight towards the water, keeping their backs low. Daniel was right. The whole thing was too easy. Almost as if Leon wanted Mason to break free. But that was impossible. Leon couldn’t have known anything about the plot, right? Raj had assured Mason that Colin had nothing to do with the rescue missions, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t overheard them and figured it out.
“I don’t suppose you brought a boat?” Raj said. “Would be nice. Little jaunt back to camp?”
“I’ve got a car over by Science World,” Daniel said.
“Great. Do you mind making a small pit stop for me? There’s a pet shop over by Denman that I need to pop into. Found me a lovely pooch in need of a home. Promised her I’d come back.”
“A dog? Really?”
“She’s sweet. I’ve got it all worked out already. Going to name her Cleopuptra. Come on, guys, it’ll be good for camp moral. How long has it been since anyone’s had a pet? The kids will die.?
??
Mason glanced over at Daniel and they both grinned at each other. Mason thought about how Casey’s face would light up at the sight of an animal. At the same time, they needed to get back quickly to warn Aries. But five minutes wouldn’t hurt. Right?
“You’ve got two minutes,” Daniel said.
“Brilliant.”
By the time they reached Daniel’s parked car, he’d started to fill Mason in on all the gory details. Mason listened and they began to formulate a plan.
First things first. They needed to protect Aries and the others.
Then they were going to do something absolutely crazy.
Leon wouldn’t know what hit him.
Michael
It took some time, but they finally coaxed all the children out of the SUV. There were five of them in total, the youngest barely out of diapers. Janey, the oldest at ten, wouldn’t give up her knife. She clung to it, giving Michael suspicious glares, making him not want to turn his back on her for a second. Wouldn’t that just sum up the end of the world? He’d survived countless Bagger attacks. He’d risked his life more times than he cared to remember. He’d even been through an earthquake and come out the other side with almost no injuries. And here he was, terrified for his life because some little girl with a knife wanted kill him.
It was obvious Janey didn’t relish giving up control of the situation to Michael and Clementine. She’d been in charge while hiding in the SUV and she didn’t want to release that power until she felt the other children were safe. She straight out refused to even consider going with them until Clementine sat down with her and they tried working out an arrangement. Janey was determined to be the best temporary mother and guardian; she came with a list of rules they would have to follow.
“If you try and hurt them, I’ll kill you,” she said with an expression so determined and severe, Michael had to bite down on his cheek to not laugh. Not that he thought she was funny. No, the little child was scary as hell, and that only depressed him more. Only in the new world created by the Baggers would children have to grow up that quickly and fierce.