Sleepers (Book 6) Read online

  “How many?”

  “Not positive. About two, I think two. Take a couple of guys. Maybe now is the time to put the practice to the test.”

  “Sure thing.”

  “I’d go but…” I lowered my voice, “super secret thing here. Javier thinks he got the serum down and is testing it right now on Sonny and Randy, so both of them are out for two days.”

  “That is great news.”

  “Yeah, fingers crossed.” I said. “I have to get going. Grab me before you go out. I have to tell the kitchen Randy is ill.”

  Ed went back to his training and I headed toward the main building. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the greenhouse.

  Bonnie was outside the small stable with Black Beauty. Figuring she was going to be headed to kitchen duty soon for dinner, I approached her. It was my plan to get her to deliver the news of illnesses then I could get things ready for Ed to go out, take a look at things from the tower, and run the nightly electric, heat, and communications tests that Sonny usually handled.

  By the time I got to the stable, she was coming back out without Black Beauty.

  “Hey,” I approached her. “Headed to the kitchen?”

  “I am. What’s up?”

  “Hate to break it to you, but you’re gonna be shorthanded. Randy’s been admitted to the clinic.”

  She gasped. “Oh my God. Is it his heart?”

  “What? No. Why would you say that?”

  “Well, he hasn’t dropped that weight he put on to play Santa.”

  “No. No.” I shook my head. “He and Sonny are sick. They both caught some kind of quick flu. Javier is calling it the Genoa.”

  “Like the salami?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Are they okay?”

  “Yeah. Sonny is handling it the worst.”

  “I would think so,” she said. “He has been sick all winter. It started with that flu, then he got that cold. His immune system is so down.”

  “I’m gonna be covering for Sonny, can’t help on the Randy part. Need me to see if I can recruit help?”

  “No, we’ll be fine. Do they need anything?”

  Just as I was about to say ‘no’, I remembered Sonny asked for books. “As a matter of fact, Sonny wanted me to ask you if you had any of those books of yours you like to read for him to borrow.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You know, those western romances.”

  “Sonny wants to borrow my western romances?”

  “Yep.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Why would I lie?” I asked. “He likes them. Don’t spread that around. He mentioned you specifically. Says the books remind him of his life when he lived on the ranch.”

  Arms folded, Bonnie tilted her head and gazed off with a peaceful smile. “I know what he means. I read them for the same reason.”

  “I figured.”

  “Not that I am a romance reader, but it takes me back to my old life,” she said. “We do share very similar interests. Must be the ranchers in us.”

  “It is.”

  “Okay,” she said. “How about I drop a few off before dinner?”

  “He would love that. Thank you.”

  Bonnie actually looked excited about sharing her literary collection.

  I headed home to our block, where Mera was giving the kids their after school snack. Just as she did back at Grace, she had them all around the table doing work, a snack in front of them.

  To my surprise, Michael was there as well.

  Michael was never there after school. He usually had enough of the kids by the day’s end. He explained he had come to help Mera because she looked tired.

  No, she had started looking really pregnant, and was moving like it too.

  I was glad he was there. I told her I’d be back for supper, if she could make it a little late, and I promised to help her get the kids down before I finished the work.

  “Sonny is sick again,” I said. “So I have to do his daily checks.”

  “He’s sick again?”

  Michael stood up. “He’s been ill a lot. I hope Javier is checking him out.”

  “He’s fine. Just another bout with the flu. He and Randy both. Javier said it’s an old strain. The Genoa.”

  “Like the salami?” Mera asked.

  “That’s the one.”

  “How odd,” Michael added.

  “I thought so too. I promise I’ll be back. But if you can’t hold off on dinner, I understand.”

  “I’ll hold off as long as I can,” Mera replied. “Do Sonny or Randy need anything?”

  “No they’re good. I’ll keep you posted.”

  “Alex, can you find out if Danny will be home for dinner?” Mera asked. “He’s barely been around.”

  “I’m sure he will be. I’ll also mention he needs to stop in.” I did my round of goodbyes and headed out.

  By the time I got things ready for Ed, I realized Danny was one of the men he was taking with him. Mera was not going to be happy. I hated the thought of Danny going out there, but I had to remember he wasn’t a kid anymore. It didn’t stop me from putting everything on hold until Danny got back from wherever he went. Whether it was a run, scouting trip, Sleeper kill mission, or even hunting, I worried like an expectant father. Ha, I was. Nail biting, fear, crazy thoughts, neuroticism.

  What the hell was wrong with me?

  Danny was like gold blood that kept my heart pumping. I feared anything happening to him, although Ed told me Danny was a stable in the future, that didn’t stop me from knowing that things can happen and change. At times I thought I worried more than Mera.

  That being said, I was behind on everything. I did, however have a odd and enlightening radio call with Beck.

  It was strange because the last time he went out, he never radioed. He certainly was disproving his ‘need to concentrate on the mission’ break up excuse.

  The conversation was cool, not in a good way. It started out as if he were talking to a tactical radio person taking info.

  “What the hell, Beck?” I asked. “You pissed at me?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  “Let me give you an example. Weather is good, Sleepers are plenty, not getting rest, but won’t rest. Over.”

  Silence.

  “I didn’t say ‘over’ to end the conversation,” I told him.

  “Alex, I got a lot of things on my mind.”

  “I know. I know. Sleepers.” I paused. “Mera.”

  On purpose, because I couldn’t think of any other reason for it, Beck’s long and heavy exhale carried over the radio.

  “Beck?”

  “So she told you.”

  “Yeah. She told me you needed to concentrate on the mission and not her.”

  “How is she?”

  “She’s fine.”

  “Are you saying that because she is or are you saying that because you want her to be fine because of how you feel?”

  “Contrary to what your absent mind is thinking, Beck, I didn’t run and pick up the pieces. She has to do that on her own. I am not a consideration in this. Don’t put me there.”

  “I’m not a dumb man, Alex. I know about the baby. I know about …. I know about....all that transpired. Mera told me.”

  “She was with you, Beck. Mera is the most dedicated person I know. If she made the commitment to you, then she is focused on that.”

  “That’s what the problem is. She lost a lot. She lost the man she loved and adored, her children. She deserves and needs to be happy.”

  “You don’t think she was?”

  “She was satisfied. I don’t think I initiate that spark. I didn’t have to step back. She would have been there when I got back. A part of me believes if I told her I changed my mind, she’d wait for me.”

  A lump formed in my chest and hating to ask, I did. “Are you? Are you changing your mind?”

  “I miss her. I… I love her, Alex.”

  If I said it didn’t bother me t
o hear him say those words, then I’d be lying. It caused a thickness in my chest.

  Beck continued. “When I met her, I didn’t care about anything, had no direction in life, and no need to go on. She gave all that to me. I was resigned to dying on that rooftop with her. I was happy to do so. We sat there waiting, I held her and Jessie. It felt right. Then we were given a second chance. There’s nothing more that I want than to tell her I changed my mind.”

  Was he wanting my permission? My blessing? I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t do it. If I did, I knew what would happen. Even though nothing had transpired between me and Mera, we were a steady path to that future Ed told us about. If Beck changed his mind, that would derail the course. But the man in me, the good man in me, the third wheel, the one that caused the problems, inadvertently or not, couldn’t with a clear conscious, say nothing. If I didn’t give my blessing. I would always wonder. Was I the rebound? Did I jumpstart fate by interfering in them playing out their story?

  “If you changed your mind, then you need to tell Mera.”

  “Are you alright with that?’

  “Doesn’t matter. But I am. I’m fine with it.”

  Truth was I wasn’t. It was in the hands of fate.

  Beck thanked me. I was grateful he couldn’t see the look on my face. Surely I was sulking like Sonny. That radio call did manage to make me not worry about Danny.

  And after the conversation, before I went back to finishing up the work I was sorely behind on, I needed to see Sonny. Picking on him would lift my spirits.

  Unfortunately, both Sonny and Randy were out like a light.

  Javier said the serum worked like a tranquilizer and they passed out pretty quickly, and that he didn’t expect them to be sleeping long.

  Bonnie had stopped by, I saw the romance novels on the table. That did make me smile.

  Leaving the medical building, I got the call from Miles that Ed and Danny returned and requested that I get to storage building three, which was curious. We didn’t use that building at all, except for storing old tools and things we ‘may’ need. In fact we called it the ‘may need’ building.

  It was a pain in the ass walk there. It was off from the greenhouse, and as I approached I saw Ed and Danny out front.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “We have an idea,” Danny said.

  “First, did you guys find the wandering Sleepers?”

  “Yes,” Danny replied.

  “How many?”

  “Six.”

  “Did you get them?”

  Ed answered. “Yes, we did.”

  “Good. Now what is—”

  I didn’t even finish the sentence when I heard the ‘bang’ on the door of the storage building.

  “Oh, no,” I said. “Tell me you didn’t bring them back here.”

  “Listen to me, we—” Danny said.

  “Kill them.”

  “No, Alex, listen, we—”

  “They are deadly and the more they go captive and without food the worse they are.”

  “We can handle them,” Danny argued. “We need them.”

  “Why do we need them?”

  “To test the serum,” Danny replied. “It’s dangerous to go out there and call them. Sonny and Randy got the serum. We need to hold them here until we get a positive, then I promise we’ll kill them. Plus, we can also see how Michael can control them.”

  “Danny, this is so dangerous. We are putting the community at risk.”

  “We are putting people at risk every time we go out there looking and calling for them,” Ed cut in. “This will let s know if the serum works, and we can practice on them for swords class.”

  I groaned. “This is insane. I can’t believe you’d bring Sleepers into the camp. I will allow it if—and that is an if— you secure this door to my liking and it has a guard on it twenty-four seven, and that guard isn’t me.”

  They both said, “Deal.” I couldn’t believe I was allowing it.

  The building was a strong one and some distance from everything but the greenhouses.

  Finally, I got back on track and finished Sonny’s work. I had Danny go home for dinner while I missed it. I felt bad, but Mera understood.

  My mind was still clouded and heavy with the conversation with Beck and the fact that we had Sleepers on the property.

  Miles was on night watch, while Danny had tower. They also rigged the building so that a simple press of a button would detonate it.

  It was insane. I kept thinking I had screwed up by allowing it.

  Beck would have a fit.

  Before heading back, I stopped at our makeshift saloon and had some moonshine. After two, I started feeling the effects and I realized it wasn’t a good idea to drink on an empty stomach. Not a good idea. It magnified everything.

  I entered the block and immediately apologized to Mera. She was standing by the main table.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You’ve been drinking.”

  “How do you know?”

  “You have that look.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Organizing the pictures I took. I thought maybe that since the kids are in bed, you may want to look at them with me.”

  I walked by her and glanced down. “Mera, you only had ten packs of film.”

  “I know. Maybe we can find more.”

  “It’s not that…” I reached down the to the pictures. “Are you taking pictures of the kids sleeping?”

  “Yeah, aren’t they cute?”

  “It’s creepy.” I put down the picture and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m going to bed.”

  “Alex.”

  “Don’t whine.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yep.” I headed toward my room.

  “It’s early, Alex, stay up with me.”

  “No, I got a lot on my mind.”

  She genuinely looked disappointed, as if she’d been organizing those pictures for my benefit.

  I got to my room, sat on my bunk, and removed my boots. I looked out at her, and I noticed, her head hung lower, her hands moved slow. In the dark main room, lit only by a table lamp, Mera was alone. I watched her for a while.

  She was perky and upbeat when I walked in, and suddenly she seemed down.

  Did I cause that?

  Mera tucked her hair behind her ears and lifted a picture. She smiled slightly, and in the light she looked absolutely beautiful. Not that she wasn’t beautiful in any light, but she looked remarkably beautiful.

  I removed my second boot and let it drop with a thump.

  “No one takes that long to take off their boots,” she said softly. “You’re not that drunk.”

  “Drunk enough.”

  “Yeah, right. I can’t believe you’re going to sleep and you don’t want to do our nightly hanging out.”

  “I can’t believe you won’t let me sleep.”

  “Yeah, well, I’d believe you were going to sleep if you weren’t watching me from your room.” She shuffled through the pictures. “I swear lately you’re scared of me.”

  “Why would I be scared of you?”

  “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  I stood up and stepped out of my cell. Mera didn’t turn around. “I am.”

  She chuckled. “That’s the moonshine talking.”

  “It is.” I walked over to her. “It makes me honest.”

  “Hmmm…”

  “I’m scared, because I can’t read you.” I rested my hand on her shoulder. Mera lifted her head and I slowly moved my hand down her arm until I reached her hand.

  She tried to turn around and I stopped her. I slid my hand back up her arm and down again and when my hand grazed hers, she widened her fingers and clutched mine. I moved closer to her and she moved back into me. Holding her hand, I brought my other arm around and held her. She lifted our joined hands and brought them around her to tighten the embrace. My arm was against her stomach and I could feel the shifting of my daughter as
she kicked within the womb.

  “I remember what it was like to be with you,” I whispered in her ear. Her head rested back against me and my cheek brushed against hers. “I remember wanting it to stay that way. Like I want it to stay this way now. I want to take this chance with you. But I also remember what it was like to watch you go to Beck.”

  “Alex,” she said softly, “Beck gave me up.”

  “He wants you back,” I said, waiting for a bodily reaction from her. There was none. “He told me on the radio, he changed his mind.”

  “He told me he was holding me back”

  Before I could stop her Mera turned in our embrace and faced me. I swore at that moment I couldn’t breathe. Holding her in my arms, feeling our child in that embrace. Seeing that look in her eyes.

  I brought my hands to her face and lowered my forehead to hers. There was so much hesitation. My nose brushed against hers, I could feel her breath hit my lips. I didn’t want to close my eyes because I was afraid if I did, I’d open them and it all would be gone.

  It was completely quiet in that moment.

  Should I?

  I was there. Right there.

  If I kissed her, I wasn’t going to stop. I would never stop. It was going to be a point of no return and Beck’s change of heart be damned, I was standing my ground.

  Did I want to take that chance?

  Yes, yes I did. I needed a sign, though.

  My emotions got the best of me. My jaw tensed up and I inhaled long and loud as I lowered my lips to hers.

  “Ugh! Dude!”

  Danny’s entrance scared the hell out of me and I jumped back.

  Mera lowered and shook her head. “I’m killing him.”

  I stepped farther back, winced, and closed my eyes. “What are you doing here, Danny?”

  “Not here for a peep show, that’s for sure. I can’t believe you were hitting on my mom. She’s, like, pregnant too,” Danny laughed.

  “You have tower watch.”

  “Ed’s there. I forgot my lunch Mom packed.” He opened the fridge and grabbed a plate, then walked to Mera and kissed her on the cheek. “I won’t be back this time.” He headed to the door. “No hitting on my mom,” Danny stepped out, came back, and said, “Kidding,” before he left.

  Mera reached for my hand. “Where were we?”

  “You were looking at pictures and I’m going to bed.”

  “Alex,” she whined.