Post Plague Kidnapping - Published!

Chapter 2

7/21/2019: Updated to the published version.

July 4, 2038 – Southeast Texas

James was waiting for her, had been for the last month, and he was prepared as well. He had sent his men back to the Colony long ago and had been watching the shelter house with binoculars from the third story of a house one street over. He had spotted her reconnecting the solar panels on the roof but couldn't get to her fast enough. Seeing her at least told him she was okay. He didn't mind the wait. He was obsessed, even admitted it, maybe even in love.

He had never been anywhere near as attracted to a woman as he was to Leah. When he first found her on that roof, he thought she was physically beautiful. The way she spoke to him, defiant, without fear, and sure of herself, made him decide to court her once back in the Colony. But when she tricked him, his attraction skyrocketed, and he decided he wasn't giving anyone else a chance at her.

He had been in the military before the plague, and he was a large, intimidating man. Leah was the only woman who had ever stood up to him. She had actually fought him, foolish but very brave. When she had succeeded in tricking him and gotten herself into that bomb shelter, he'd been a goner. He wanted this one for himself, and he would catch her alone.

He had brought enough women to the Colony that they had no right to deny him either the time off or the woman. He would catch her without weapons too. He saw the guns and the knife she had, but he didn't believe she would kill him, especially if he went unarmed. He had suspected she would go on a bike because it was quiet, so he did the same.

He caught up to her on an open stretch of road leading to the interstate. She had been checking behind her and saw him coming, even recognized him, which made him smile.

She yelled out, "You come any closer, James, and I'll shoot you!"

He grinned and kept going, closing the distance. She shot one round off into the woods, missing him by a mile, and almost fell off the bike in the process. He said, "Careful now!" She put the gun back in the front basket and started pedaling harder. She was fast, going too fast, and he didn't like it. "Slow down, Leah. You're going to hurt yourself."

She yelled back, "You want me to slow down? Stop following me!"

He laughed and used all his strength to pull even with her. "There, I'm not following you anymore. I'm beside you."

She picked up the gun from the basket, but he grabbed it, quick as lightening, and tossed it to the side of the road. It gave Leah a shock, and she almost toppled the bike, but James grabbed her handlebar and steadied her.

She recovered quickly and pulled the second gun from the holster on her belt. She put it right to his side. "Let me go, James."

She could shoot him, and it would be a hell of a wound, right through the kidney, intestines, and possibly the other kidney as well. He kept hold of her handlebar and slowed them both down, letting traction do all the work. "I'm unarmed, Leah. I don't want to hurt you. Are you really going to shoot an unarmed man? Do you really want to kill someone, anyone, after all the death we've witnessed? I sure don't."

She frowned at him. "I don't want to, but I will."

He smiled. "I don't think you have it in you."

She stared him down as the bikes continued to slow. Finally, she said, "I just want you to leave me the hell alone, James! Why is that so hard?"

He grinned. "Because I'm in love with you."

"Ha!" she said, but it wasn't a real laugh. "You barely know me."