The Razor's Edge: A Postapocalytic Novel (The New World Book 6) (18 page)

Outside, he pulled out his radio and said, “General Luis.”

The radio crackled to life.
“Yes, sir.”

“Pick me up at the gate in the morning. We have much to discuss.”

Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States

After spending most of the day in the hospital, Baxter was released with only cuts, bruises and abrasions.

Word of the altercation spread fast throughout Cheyenne.

The victor always created the history, and Baxter followed suit with that analogy by telling everyone who would listen that the same people who had blown up the church probably tried to have him killed and that his own security detail had turned on him. Of course, news that there were conspirators in the ranks put fear in many.

Along with his new protection detail, Baxter received a new vehicle; this was an armored MRAP. It was part of a massive shipment of equipment from the MPS ships taken back from Colonel Barone months ago.

Baxter had all day to think about what had happened and what he would do next. What shocked him most of all was Eli. Just like that Eli and the resistance risked it all.
How stupid
, he thought. He needed to meet with him again but wasn’t sure that would happen now.

“Sir, we’re at your house,” his driver said.

Baxter had been lost in thought and didn’t realize he was parked in front of his house. “Sorry, I’m not feeling that well.”

His door opened.

He stepped out and was instantly surrounded by six armed men, who escorted him directly inside the house.

All he wanted to do was rest, and instead of his bed, the cushioned leather chair in his office sounded perfect. He made his way there to find a fire roaring in the fireplace. He poured himself a drink and sat down. In a rush to get his drink and sit he'd neglected to remove his coat. Irritable, he sat up and pulled it off. When he tossed it on the floor, he heard the rattle of the prescription pain medication he’d been given at the hospital. His entire body ached and a few pain meds along with a full glass of whiskey would do the trick. He dug in his pocket and pulled the bottle out.

Someone tapped on his door and called out, “Secretary Baxter, are you hungry?” It was Nellie, his maid.

“Come on in,” Baxter said.

Nellie entered and asked, “Shall I bring your dinner?”

“What did you make?”

“Chicken pot pie, sir.”

His mouth watered when he heard what was on the menu for dinner. “You know, I will have some, sounds delicious.”

Nellie promptly left.

He popped the lid off the bottle.

Another knock at the door.

“Yes, Nellie,” he called out.

The door opened but this time it was Ray Kersey, the new leader of his protection detail. He was a middle-aged man, with short black hair and what could only be described as an average build. “Sir, there is someone at the door, insisting on seeing you.”

“Eli,” Baxter said out loud. “Yes, send him in, but please search him thoroughly for any weapons.”

“Of course, sir,” Ray said and left.

Baxter popped two Xanax and washed them down with a swig of whisky. “I’m going to sleep like a baby,” he said after he swallowed. He rested his head back and closed his eyes.

A heavy knock on the door sounded.

“Yes, yes,” Baxter said.

The door opened and Ray stepped in. “Sir, I forgot to mention it earlier but an hour ago an unmarked helicopter made an emergency landing at the airport.”

“And?” Baxter asked, shrugging his shoulders.

“There were two passengers, a pilot and a woman. She said she needed to see you urgently. We have her on the base in interrogations.”

Baxter was exhausted and irritable. “Spit it out, man.”

“Sir, she keeps saying she knows where President Cruz is.”

“Hello, Mr. Secretary, my name is Megyn. You and I have something to discuss.”

West of Joseph, Oregon, Republic of Cascadia

Nicholas didn’t want to say anything so as not to appear weak, but his wound had opened up. He could feel the warm blood dripping down his side.

Their day had been successful. Lexi had all the information she needed for an attack. She had the route, the layout, and now a good approximate number of slavers there. From their hide position they also identified the barn as the holding location for their captives. Releasing them was a priority but not the top one for her.

Nicholas estimated they were a half mile from their house, so all he had to do was suck up the pain and weakness and he’d make it back without complaining, but that was proving to become impossible.

After departing the hide position, he peppered her with an endless barrage of quips and anecdotes, but that stopped a half mile back. The pain he could deal with, it was constant, but the heavy, almost crushing fatigue came on quickly and made it impossible to think. It impaired him so much that he grew silent.

Lexi picked up on his sudden silence and asked, “You doing okay?”

“Ah, yeah, sure, do you mind if we take a break?” he asked.

“We’re almost back; let’s go,” Lexi urged.

“Just a short break,” he begged, his tone subdued and weak.

She looked back at him and could see that his face was pale and his eyes sunken. “Sure.”

Nicholas plopped down without further delay. “This looks like a great place.”

Beau, who had been bringing up the rear, sprinted off like usual in hopes of catching dinner.

Lexi smiled when Beau happily bolted off. She then looked at Nicholas and said, “Maybe it was a bit early for you to go out.”

He pulled out a thermos of water and took a huge drink. “I’m good.”

“Well, today was a good day,” she mused.

“Yep.”

Lexi pulled her thermos out as well and took a seat next to a large boulder. She took a big gulp, wiped her mouth and said, “Well, this is a good place to rest. We’ve got cover and a good vantage point.”

He chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“You.”

“What about me?”

He lifted his thermos and took another drink then said, “Nothing is lost on you.”

“There’s no do-overs in this world.”

“What does that mean?”

“If you’d chosen to tap out a mile back in the open field, I wouldn’t have allowed it,” Lexi said.

“So you’re the boss now?” he joked.

“I’ve never considered myself that, much less given myself a title, but since you ask, yes, I’m the boss. This is my thing, not yours. You asked to come along, so you play by my rules.”

He chuckled again.

“What is so fucking funny?” she asked.

“You are. Oh my God, I’ve never met someone like you.”

She took a drink and quipped, “And you will.”

“What were you like before?”

She looked off not wanting to answer.

A moment passed without her response, so he said, “I bet you weren’t so tough, so rugged. That’s not saying you couldn’t handle yourself or would take shit, no, but I bet you displayed your femininity more.”

“So you’re a shrink now. You gonna analyze me?”

“God no, I just have a feel for people. I think your tough-as-nails exterior was inside of you before but you kept it packaged in a well-manicured shell until the world went to shit.”

She shot him a look and said, “Wow, you’re so wise.”

“Am I right?”

Never one to show anyone who she truly was, she answered his question with a question, “So what’s the story with the goatee?”

Nicholas had had a goatee before and had maintained it since. He never allowed a full beard to take over his face. “I like how I look with it.”

“I found your razor and shears; it’s very important for you to have that look. Weird.”

He rubbed his furry chin and said, “All the ladies like it.”

“Just an odd priority. No one gives a fuck what you look like.”

“It’s my way of being connected to the world before.”

“I’ve never much liked goatees. They’re kind of the mullets of facial hair. Either grow your beard out or not.”

“Harsh.” He laughed. He could tell she was just screwing with him.

Beau bounded over the top of the hill and came running back, a small gray squirrel dangling from his mouth.

Lexi reached out and petted him vigorously. “Good boy.”

“How did he catch a squirrel?”

“He’s a good hunter,” Lexi purred, her comment directed more to Beau than a response to Nicholas.

Beau proudly walked off.

“What happened to your sister?” Nicholas asked out of left field.

The smile on Lexi’s face disappeared instantly. She clenched the barrel of her rifle and replied, “We ran into a group of bad people, same as you.”

“Where?”

“California, around Barstow.”

“Barstow, well, that explains it,” he joked. “Did that happen right after?”

She stood up, slung her rifle and looked down at him. “Come on, we’re almost to the house.”

He nodded, gesturing more to the fact that he knew what drove her. The pain of her sister’s death was still very raw. Each person dealt with loss in their own unique way, and Lexi’s process was not to discuss it; that wasn’t to say she didn’t think about it constantly. He did. He thought about Stephanie almost every second since losing her and imagined he always would. He could tell Lexi was a good person. She was hard, she was ruthless to those deserving, but he knew there was tenderness still inside of her. He longed to see it but getting there meant he’d have to climb a very big wall.

Sandy, Utah

The tension in the house could be felt by all. It was so bad that Pablo grabbed his dinner and went to his room to eat. He hated having to tiptoe around most of these people; he owed them nothing and felt no true allegiance. But each time the urge to lash out came to mind, he’d think of Annaliese. She was a soft spot and was the only reason any of the others with their snarky comments and cutting eyes were alive.

It was apparent that all believed his men were to blame for the American soldiers. He’d promised to look into it, but did it matter? If he came back with word that they were innocent, they wouldn’t believe him, and if he confessed they were responsible, it would only galvanize the compound’s resolve to have all of his people leave. He was ready for that, but he was torn. He wanted to stay, he wanted to be close to Annaliese and even found enjoyment in some of the menial tasks he’d been given in the hospital, but the two worlds he was trying to live in weren’t compatible and were about to crash headfirst into each other with only one being able to remain.

He looked at his food; he’d eaten two bites and left the rest to get cold. His mind raced with what he should do. He wished an answer would just come to him.

A knock on the door tore him away from his conflicted thoughts. He opened the door, expecting Annaliese, but to his surprise it was Samuel.

“We need to talk,” Samuel said, his tone indicating anger.

“Okay,” Pablo said and took a step back to invite Samuel inside the room.

“No, in the living room,” Samuel said and stormed off.

Pablo grabbed his cane and followed. When he came into the living room, he expected to find all the important figures from the compound but the only person there was Annaliese.

“Hector, please sit down,” Annaliese said.

Pablo feigned confusion. He looked at her and asked, “Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head and said, “Please, Hector, sit down.”

He took a seat on the couch and rested his cane against his thigh.

“The other soldier is dead,” she said.

“Oh no,” Pablo lied. Deep down he rejoiced in the news.

“I mentioned to you earlier that many were concerned. Well, this concern has taken a turn for the worse. Everyone believes your men had something to do with those soldiers.”

Pablo shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know. I will find out.”

Annaliese put her head in her hands and said, “Some, including my uncle, are saying you’re probably a part of this too. I don’t want to believe that.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “You gave me your word and I…I trust you.”

“Anna, I didn’t do anything.”

“Can you promise me, swear to me that you had nothing to do with what happened to those men?”

“I swear.”

She kept her gaze on him and thought. She let out a sigh and said, “I believe you, I do. I’ll tell my uncle and the others that you’re innocent, but you must find out if some of your men did this, and if they did, they must be dealt with.”

“I promise.”

“You must also be transparent; you must tell us what you know.”

“I will.”

Annaliese stood and stepped towards him but stopped short of giving him the usual hug. She looked down at him and said, “I’ll go tell the others.”