Virus

Seventeen

Fortunately we'd brought three nurses and a doctor with us. They made me take three aspirin a day. I have to say, by the time we reached Kansas airspace, I could barely feel the bruise.

We landed in Auburn four days later. We decided that flying into Topeka would raise a red flag.

The Auburn rebels met with us, along with a ton of refugee rebels from Nevada and some soldiers that were shipped from Montana.

Travis and Hal were in the mix.

"We got through training about six months early," Travis said, trying to be humorous.

I wrapped my arms tightly around Hal and he hugged me back. "I missed you so much," I said.

He didn't exchange the enthusiasm. "I missed you too," he said drably. It was as if he was still avoiding me.

"What's going on Hal? you've been acting weird since you woke up in Montana."

"Hey," Travis said. "It's tough being in a war, you know."

"Travis was covering for him. Travis knew why Hal was being weird.

I let it go. For them.

"TRAVIS!!!" Sara screamed, running into his arms and kissing him. "Holy shit I haven't seen you in forever. Where are Gary and Michael?"

Here it came. They both hesitated.

"Gary is doing fine. He is going through physical therapy down in Montana," Travis said.

"Michael?" Sara asked weakly. We all knew what was coming.

"Michael died a week ago from infection."

A week ago...

I could've seen the boy before he died, but I wasn't there. I wasn't there when Jasmine died, or Nita or Kelso, and now Michael. I was a thousand miles away from him when he passed.

Sara fell into Travis's chest and weeped. He held her close and whispered soothing things into her ear. I wish I could've done the same with Hal.

"Let's move soldiers!" I heard Andersen yell from the front of the crowd.

The soldiers marched. We marched all the way to the edge of Topeka.

Everything seemed the same. Almost.

"Kelly, Travis, Hal, and Sara. You get the first mission," Andersen said, suddenly next to us.

He handed me three grenades and a detonator. "Go plant these in the elevator. Except...leave the detonator out."

"Yeah," I said, glaring at him, "we know."

Getting to the elevator was easy. There was no security on the parking garage.

Hal and Sara had their weapons raised, barrels trained on the elevator as Travis pressed the button. After ten minutes the door swung open. It had two Butterflies in it.

I quickly ducked as the crossfire started. Luckily we were more prepared. We'd be sending down two dead bodies and three bombs.

Travis pressed the down button and I waited until the light on the buttons faded. Travis shot a flare out the side of the garage, signaling the others.

After a few minutes, Andersen arrived. At the same time, the elevator. door opens and six Butterflies poured out. I ducked again, just in time to watch as a bullet hit Hal in the chest.

"NO!" I screamed as the gunfire faded.

I crawled to his side. His breathing was shallow and his heart thumped weakly.

"I'm so...sorry," he said softly.

"No, don't be-."

"I saw Sharon die...in Safeway and...and I didn't have the heart to tell you."

I gasped. Sharon was dead?

"It's okay," I whispered and he head lolled to the side. He was gone.

I'd lost so much since the war began. I'd lost my old life entirely. But nothing compared to this. This time, I'd lost half my heart.