Page 71 of Come Fill Me

“Radio Samuel,” Zeke ordered Ike.

“Too late,” Aaron said, tears in his eyes. “He’s been hit.”

Jesus. “Carreon’s men are inside?”

“They’re using Kele as a shield so our men won’t fire,” Aaron said.

Ike bent at the waist as though he was going to retch. Zeke grabbed his two-way and radioed Paul. “Is everyone safe?”

Crackling sounds poured from the radio, followed by the man’s voice. “They’re where you wanted them to be. Some of the younger women are bitching about this, Zeke. They want to stand with us guys. What do I tell them?”

“No. All females stay put until we have no choice except to give them weapons and let them fight alongside us.”

“What? You said Carreon’s men were coming. They can’t get past the entrance.”

“They’re already inside, Paul.”

“Shit. How?”

“I can’t get into that now. Have you seen Jacob?”

“I’m right behind you,” his brother said.

Zeke turned just in time to see Jacob heading for the arsenal, taking two revolvers and two assault rifles.

“Hey,” he complained when Zeke stood in his way, not allowing him to leave the room.

“Move.”

“No.”

The other men grabbed their weapons and ran out. The rat-a-tat-tat of muted gunfire came from a distant part of the stronghold.

Jacob darted to the side, trying to get past Zeke.

He grabbed his brother’s shoulders and pushed him into the wall. “You’re not going out there.”

“Why the fuck not? Our guys are going to get slaughtered if I don’t help them. They told me Carreon’s men have Kele. She must have gone to him after I talked to her and brought them here. My God, how could she have done that? I have to fight, Zeke. This is all my fault. I have to save our people. You can’t stop me.”

“The hell I can’t.” He shoved his brother back into the wall. “I just had a vision, Jacob. I saw you die. Not any of our men. You. Only you. I’m not going to let that happen. I can’t. It would kill me to lose you.”

Jacob’s frown faded. His Adam’s apple bounced with his hard swallow. “I’ll be okay. I won’t do anything stupid, I swear. I don’t want to die any more than you want me to.” He chuckled.

It sounded young and scared.

“Please,” Zeke whispered, pulling Jacob into his arms, hugging him as hard as he could. “Don’t put yourself at risk.”

“I’m not. I won’t.” He hugged Zeke in return. “I don’t want you doing that either. You’re a prick at times, but I still like you…sort of.”

Zeke’s shoulders shook with his laughter.

“We’ll fight together,” Jacob said, pulling away from Zeke. “Side by side. That way, you can keep an eye on me. Everything will be all right…as long as you don’t force me to save you.”

“Like that’ll ever happen.” Zeke rolled his eyes and grabbed his weapons.

At the door, Jacob stopped. “Where’s Liz?”

More gunfire echoed down the hall, these sounds closer.

---