Tom Brand Escapes

13- Escapes NJ

As the dust settled, Brand crawled out from beneath the table. Smetterelli and the ensign were gone. The building was gone, reduced to a pile of rubble. The only things still standing were the wall behind them and the old heavy, metal, U.S. government-issued table. It had to be from the 1940's. They didn't make them like that anymore. Brand put his hand on it to steady himself and gave it a thankful pat. As his hearing came back, he could hear the shriek of sirens from all directions. Throughout the base, smoke from fires billowed high into the sky. So the bombs had only moved. The one on the building must have migrated just as far from Leah as was possible.

"There is not a thing on heaven or earth that stops those bombs once they've been activated." Leah was beside him, looking out at what used to be the building. They could see all the way to the ocean. "The green light only indicated a temporary pause. That was added to adjust its location in case it incorrectly targets or gets too close to one of our people. You were right about that, Brand."

Brand nodded. "Hopefully, it bought everyone enough time to get away from them. Do they change back into an orb?"

"No, they revert to a semi-solid state, like a slime, that undulates to move. I've seen it demonstrated. It's fascinating."

"And you knew it would happen."

Leah looked up at him with her soulful, clear blue eyes, "When you came in, I wasn't' resting, I was praying."

"But you didn't warn us."

She shook her head, "No. I didn't. Because I figured when the blast killed all of us, I would be free."

"But Leah, at that point you had no reason to think that anyone was going to hurt you. You could have gotten out, we all could have."

"I'm still a prisoner, Brand. I've been one for a long time. I have a chip embedded in me, for god's sake."

She kicked the pile of rubble in front of her, undoubtedly the tomb that held Smetterelli and the ensign.

She turned back to him, defiant, "Will you let me go?"

Brand looked out at the ocean again. She walked over and faced him, her head reaching just above his chin. Her eyes were pleading but her posture was determined.

Brand backed away, "That would be exceedingly dangerous for you, Leah. You have to know that."

'They must think I'm dead. No one would know. Brand," Leah put her hand on his arm, "Please. There's something else I haven't told you. My brother is tracking me, too. He's here in the States, following. He told me if there was anyway I could get free, he would find me."

"Leah, if your brother can find you, if he can figure out you're still alive, then BANTER can, too."

Leah met his eyes, hers were ablaze, "That's true, but at least I have a chance. Brand, it's my only chance."

"You won't last a day, Leah. And if you really care about your brother, you won't take that chance with his life, too."

Her anger was palpable, "I should have known you wouldn't do it. You only follow orders. You are in and out of these missions. You're free. I would trade my life, and so would my brother, for one day of freedom. You heard what Smetterelli said. I'm dead no matter what. Maybe not as soon as you turn me in, but soon."

Brand knew Leah was right but if he let her go now, she would be completely on her own except for whatever help her brother could give her. If they were resourceful enough, and clever enough, she could escape the clutches of the people who sought to keep her captive, sought to use her as long as she did live.

"You would be hiding in shadows for the rest of your life, Leah. You know that, don't you? Your brother would be, too."

"I know it," her eyes welled up with tears.

"Leah," Brand said, "I've known you less than a day and you've cried about twelve times. You are a very emotional person."

"I know that, too. I hate it," Leah swiped her tears with the back of her hand as they fell. "It's my father's side of the family. They were all very maudlin. My mum, tough as nails."

Brand laughed, remembering what Petras had said of his own mother.

"I'll make a deal with you Leah but let's get Kate and Petras up and moving. This chaos is our opportunity to get away fast. I'm betting BANTER is out of range now if they're smart, and they seem smart."

"You'll help me?"

"I will. But it will have to wait till we get to D.C. They've been pretty aggressive about pursuing you. If they continue, we'll know it quickly. If things look safe and you can get a signal to your brother, we'll meet up with him and you can leave. I understand how you feel about being free, but if you're going to take the risk, I want your odds to be a little better. You're a little too young to chuck your life away."

Leah grabbed him and hugged him tightly. She seemed more shocked by what he had just said than by any of the trauma she had been through in the past eighteen hours.

"I can't believe it. Thank you so much." Then she pulled back, searching his face. "But what about you and Petras? What will happen to you if you do this?"

Brand laughed again. "It's nice of you to be worried, Leah, but we'll be fine. We've been double-crossed on this mission. I'm going to require payback, big time."

"But if you've been betrayed and you don't have to deliver me, why go to Washington?"

"It's a big city, Leah. It will be easy for you to slip away. And I need to see a friend."

It was time he paid Russom a visit.