Susan Kim - Wasteland

Then he did a double take.

Someone was looking up at one of the cameras and waving. It was the guard stationed outside the front door. He and another one of Levi’s men were propping someone up between them, a boy who seemed barely alive. One of them lifted him up by his hair so the camera could better see who it was.

It was Caleb.

Excited, the guard jumped to his feet, knocking over his chair. He was halfway down the hall, heading for the stairs, and pulling out his walkie-talkie so he could communicate with the others.

“Meet at the front gate. We got him.”

Outside the Source, the two guards in their black hooded uniforms waited outside the giant metal door. Their mirrored sunglasses reflected not only the broiling sun, but the prisoner they held up between them.

“Do you think they’re coming?” one of them whispered. It was Eli, disguised.

“If they were watching,” replied Caleb. He kept his head down, and half-stood, half-leaned against Eli and the other guard, Bekkah.

Pressed against the building on either side of the metal gate, well out of the sight of the cameras, crouched Slayd, Skar, and more than thirty variants, all with their weapons drawn. Farther off in the underbrush, Till had just finished gagging the two actual guards, who had been stripped of their hoods and robes and bound. Then he joined the others as they all watched in silence.

They did not have long to wait. After no more than a minute, there was a grinding sound.

The giant metal door was opening.

Esther thought she must have been imagining things. But then she heard it again, faint but unmistakable.

It was the sound of Skar’s whistle.

Levi heard it, too. He cocked his head and pushed the knife in deeper.

“What’s that?” he asked. When she didn’t answer, he jabbed her with its point.

“It means you’re surrounded,” she replied.

Levi chuckled, then yanked Esther by her arm. “We’ll see about that,” he said. “Take the boy.”

He wrapped his arm around her throat, the knife held to her side, and pushed her out into the hallway. He seemed rattled when he saw that there were no guards on duty. Then he shook it off. With Esther held tightly in front of him, he advanced down the hallway and up the dim staircase.

The main floor of the Source was as dark as ever, and eerily silent. The only sound was the click of Levi’s boots on the concrete floor as he advanced into the open.

“Caleb?” he shouted.

His voice echoed in the cavernous space. There was silence. And then someone stepped out from the deep shadows. It was his brother, followed at a distance by three others with their hoods down, two boys and a girl.

Caleb looked drawn and exhausted; and his companions were so thin and scrawny, they looked as if they would not outweigh one of his boys even if put together. Furthermore, the four were clearly unarmed, their hands empty.

Levi burst out laughing.

“Are these the warriors who have me surrounded?” he asked Esther. “Am I supposed to be frightened?”

Then something caught his eye. By the side of the open door, he saw that all of his men were tied up, wrists to ankles. There was a sound from above; and Levi, puzzled, glanced up.

Perched on the highest shelves, standing on crates and cartons, were dozens of variants. Some held loaded slings; others carried spears; at least one had a bow and arrow. All were aimed at Levi, whose smile died.

Skar, for one, had her arm cocked back, a throwing stick loaded with a spear balanced on her shoulder. Across the room, she glanced at Esther, and the two locked eyes. Then the variant girl flashed her a quick smile and a wink, before resuming her stern expression and warrior stance.

“Caleb!” shouted one. It was Slayd, who stood with his sister. “Should we kill him? Give the word and it is done.”

But Caleb held up his hand, stopping them.

“No,” he said. “Leave him to me.”

On Slayd’s instructions, the variants dropped to the ground and fanned out across the Source, searching for any remaining guards.

As one kept a watchful eye on Levi, Caleb ran to Esther and his child and embraced them. Esther shifted the baby into his arms, and he buried his face in Kai’s soft neck. Then he glanced up. Amid all the activity, one person was standing still.

Eli was staring at Esther with a look filled with longing, sorrow, and loss. It was impossible to miss. As for Esther, it was equally apparent that she was avoiding his gaze. Caleb now understood what had fueled the boy’s lingering hostility. But instead of becoming angry, he had a sense of understanding, as well as sympathy.

Caleb handed the baby back to Esther. Then he approached Eli.

“You know where the others are being held?” he asked him in a low voice. “The place where you escaped from?”

It took a moment for Eli to turn his attention to Caleb.

“What about it?” he asked.

“Will you take the others there?” Caleb asked. “I need you to be in charge.”

When the words sank in, Eli’s face flushed with pride. Caleb reached out and the two boys shook hands.

Then Caleb went into his pack and withdrew something.

“Here,” he said. “You might need this.”

It was his weapon. He demonstrated how to load and fire it and Eli took it, gratefully.

“Thanks,” he said. Then Eli waved at the variants and the others. “All right,” he called. “Let’s go.”

Slayd glanced at Caleb, to confirm the hierarchy. He was, after all, not accustomed to following the orders of strangers. Caleb’s nod was enough for him. With a slight shrug, Slayd lifted his hand and directed his people to follow Eli.

Esther, still holding Kai, ran to Skar, and for several seconds, the two girls hugged without a word. Then Esther pulled back to look her friend in the face.

“Thank you,” was all she could say. But Skar smiled, shaking her head.

“When you came to us, we should have given you refuge,” she said. “This was the least we could do to make up for it.”

And with that, Skar turned her attention to the baby. She took Kai into her arms, cooing and nuzzling. “Here,” she said. She pulled a length of cloth from her pack and showed Esther how to make a sling, bundling the child close to her body. Then she hugged her friend once more and wished her luck. As Skar returned to her brother and the other variants, Esther approached Caleb.

“I’ll take Kai somewhere safe,” she said. “I have a friend who lives high in a building on the edge of town. It’s secure there.”

Caleb nodded. Then he kissed Esther and his son. Soon she was gone, slipping out even before the others had left. He watched the rest exit the Source, taking the light with them.

Then Caleb turned. There was still the question of Levi.

ELI BICYCLED ALONGSIDE SLAYD ON THE ROUTE LEADING BACK TO THE mansion where the townspeople were being held. Behind them, Skar, Bekkah, Till, and the rest of the variants spread out in a loose V formation.

As they rode, the variant leader questioned the norm about the place they were going to try to liberate. What were the best approaches to the building? Were they open or hidden? How many guards were there, and where were they posted? Were there townspeople strong enough to assist? Were there any breaks in the barbed wire?

Eli answered as best as he could. He was both relieved and proud that he could provide enough details to satisfy Slayd. As for the variant, he was impressed that the boy was able to mount a successful escape with his two companions. Despite their initial and mutual distrust, the two leaders now discussed a possible attack plan, one that capitalized on the fighting prowess of the variants as well as the norms’ knowledge of the layout and the people involved.