Deadland Rising (part 3 of the Deadland Saga)

Hope (Chapter 24)

Peter escorted us into the large hangar where several military jets sat. His armed guards followed ten feet behind us. They had allowed us to keep our weapons, though a machete against a rifle wouldn't exactly be a fair fight.

I knew Clutch and Griz were as on edge as much as I was. We were in a new place, surrounded by unknown people. Armed people. And, these people were currently in control.

Despite Clutch and Griz's cool demeanors, I'd bet they were ready to jump into action the instant these people turned hostile. I knew that if they thought anything was off, they'd let me know. They always seemed to know how to handle these situations. I felt much safer that they both came along on this mission.

Peter talked as he led us through the hangar. "Most newcomers are found by our recon teams and brought here. It's pretty rare to have folks fly in here themselves."

"We're from New Eden, in Nebraska," Clutch said.

Griz added, "New Eden's radios were knocked out. Otherwise, we would've called ahead."

"I'm glad you came," Peter said. "We've been worried that something happened to New Eden. We had planned a trip down there, but mechanical issues have been grounding our drones, and fuel for manned flights has been restricted to training and high-priority missions only."

"We have time-sensitive material to get to an expert ASAP," Clutch said.

Peter held up his hand. "Aline already knows you're here, and I'll get you to her as soon as I can. I'm not trying to be a bottleneck, but we have protocols to follow. Before I can bring you into the capital, you need checked for bites or any signs of infection. Don't worry, we'll get you to the people you need to see."

Behind the jets stood a makeshift room built with plastic and tarps. Peter motioned to a person wearing blue rubber gloves. "Mason has done this a thousand times before. It doesn't take long if you do as he says. I'll take you into the capital after you pass inspection. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll need to get time slated on Aline's schedule so you can meet with her today."

"Who's Aline?" I asked.

Peter smiled. "Oh, Aline Palvery is the President of P.N.A., the Provinces of North America."

"I've never met a president before." I looked at Clutch and Griz. "It sounds like we're getting the red carpet treatment today."

"She's a good, strong leader. She does everything she can to get this new country up and running," Mason said. "Now, if you'll come with me, there are two rooms, one for the gentlemen and one for the lady. Set your gear and clothes on the table and step into the shower stall for a medical inspection and chem-bath."

I scowled. "Chem-bath?"

"To kill lice, fleas, and anything else immigrants tend to bring in. It doesn't hurt, I assure you. I've been through it myself." He must've caught my expression because he added, "Not that you guys have lice. It's standard operating procedures, that's all."

We entered the small room, and Mason directed us to our stalls. I eyed Clutch. He gave me a tight nod. I took a deep breath and stepped off to the right and undressed.

Thirty minutes later, after a thorough examination, chem-bath, and a detailed inspection of my backpack, weapons, and cooler, I was dressed and reunited with Clutch and Griz. Guards gave us water and flatbread while we waited in one of the hangar's offices.

Peter arrived soon after, smiling. "You all passed inspection with flying colors." He pulled out white stickers and markers. "If you don't mind, put your name on these, so folks know to introduce themselves."

My brows rose, and I looked at Clutch and Griz, who looked just as humored.

We put on our stickers, and Peter hemmed. "Uh, Cash, Griz, and Clutch? Those are your names?"

"They're the ones we go by," Clutch replied.

"Oh. Okay. Well, if that's the case, it's nice to meet you." He shook each of our hands. "I have an appointment set for you to talk with Aline." He glanced at his watch and motioned to the door. "It's in less than an hour, so we'd better be on our way. You can keep your weapons. Everyone carries in the capital, but the laws are strict. Anyone caught fighting or instigating violence is imprisoned until proven innocent."

He escorted us to the black SUV he had arrived in earlier. This time, he had no guards with him, and the tension eased. He drove us up to a fenced gate and waited for it to open.

"So, what do you do around here?" Griz said. "Besides being the welcome wagon?"

"I'm Aline's assistant," he said. "Basically, whatever she needs, I see that it gets done."

We drove down a mile or so before he reached another gate, this one manned by several armed soldiers. The gate was connected to a tall fence with razor wire that went on seemingly forever.

"Does that fence surround the entire city?"

"It surrounds about half of Moose Jaw," Peter said. "We lost the northern parts of the city before we were able to erect the fence through the center of town to save the southern half. We were one of the first cities that focused on defending our town rather than going after the zeds. That made all the difference between why we're alive today and not zeds."

"I heard you guys opened a can of whoop-ass on the zeds that migrated south," Clutch said.

"We did," Peter said. "And, there's a lot more coming. I'm sure Aline will fill you in."

Inside the fence, Peter drove slower because people were everywhere. Dressed in heavy coats, they moved around, working on construction, pushing carts, and carrying bags. It was a blur of activity.

"Holy crap," I said. "How many people live here?"

"Four thousand three hundred and eight. Eleven if you're staying."

"We're not staying," Clutch said quickly.

"We have family in New Eden," I added.

Peter smiled. "I understand." He motioned toward the city. "We're nowhere near the size of some of the bigger provinces, but we have the most resources. We were the best equipped to reach out to everyone, so it only made sense to establish us as the capital of the P.N.A., which is comprised of what used to be Canada, the U.S., and the northern states of Mexico. Moose Jaw is a good, safe place, though I'm not a big fan of their winters."

"Where are you from?"

"New Mexico. Our weather was a lot better, but unfortunately, the state had developed a problem with none-too-friendly 'illegal aliens.'"

He pulled up to a stop outside a brick building that looked as though it had been the city hall at one time. Different flags lined the sidewalk, and I recognized New Eden's about two-thirds of the way down.

Peter motioned to the flags. "As of today, we oversee twenty-four provinces. This winter has been rough, and we had to take down three flags this month. We were worried we'd have to take down another flag until you showed up today. Even though we're keeping a step ahead of the zeds, the cards are still stacked against us. When we're not fighting with each other, there are still plenty of zeds out there, wildlife is taking back the land with a vengeance, and even Mother Nature seems to be against us."

As we walked to the building, Peter pointed to the cooler I carried. "So, what's in there?"

"This," I lifted the cooler, "will prevent another outbreak from ever happening again."