Page 108 of Waves of Fury

“He’s still alive?” Aaron hisses. “He killed my best friend!”

“And he will be punished severely,” Richard says, nodding emphatically. “Now come on. You guys can hitch a ride with us back to Goodland.”

Apprehension washes over me at having to be at the mercy of another group, but they have my brother with them and they have a doctor. We have no choice but to trust them.

By the time we make it outside, we find the rest of our group talking to one of the women in the Goodland group. We don’t speak much as we all find places in the various vehicles. I’m split from Kellen and end up sharing a small sedan with Aaron in the back seat and two balding guys up front. As we drive off, I see a woman helping a young, visibly shaken girl about my age into a big truck where Owen is already at the wheel.

I sure as hell hope these people are safe.

Jesse’s life is in their hands.

The trip by car to the town of Goodland goes by in a quick blur. Exhaustion and hunger take a break as despair and fear over my brother’s life take over.

I can’t lose him.

I can’t lose Jesse.

A sob chokes my throat, but I manage to swallow it down. Aaron openly cries, unashamed. His pain just pours out of him while I try desperately to keep mine from escaping.

We drive past a guarded checkpoint that reminds me of St. George. The curious guards watch us through the windows as we pass. One of them gives us a nod, but I’m unable to return the gesture.

Not long after we enter the small town and turn down a few streets, the driver of our vehicle whips into the parking lot of a medical facility. It’s not quite the hospital I imagined, but it’s something. A helluva lot more than what we had without these strangers’ help.

Before he gets the car stopped, me and Aaron are already out of it, rushing to the front doors of the building. A woman in blue scrubs stops us with raised hands.

“Hey now, slow your roll. Only authorized personnel allowed inside.”

The driver of our car plants a kiss on her face. “It’s okay, babe. They’re with the kid who was just brought in. We owe it to these people for us nabbing Holt.”

“And Deedee? Carl, where’s Deedee? She still alive?”

“Dee’s safe, Karen. She’s with her pops and brother now.”

Karen lets out a rush of breath. “Thank the Lord. Okay, come on, you two. I’ll take you to a waiting area.”

“I want to see Jesse,” I blurt out. “Please.”

Karen nods. “I know, but Dr. B is strict about her operating room. Just know your brother’s in safe, capable hands. If anyone can help him, it’s Dr. B. She’s a surgeon from Denver who happened to be here visiting her sister when all the terrible things started happening. We’re lucky to have her.”

Shocked by the news, I nod and follow the nurse into the building, Aaron hot on my heels. She leads us to a small room with a vending machine and a few chairs.

“There’s a bucket with money sitting on top of the machine,” Karen says, gesturing. “Help yourself to some food. We just ask you only take one snack and one drink per person.”

Numbly, I nod. Seeing a working vending machine that we don’t have to smash and steal from is certainly surreal at this point. Karen gives Carl another kiss before leaving us with him and the other guy.

Aaron slumps into a chair and buries his face in his hands. I go ahead and grab us some drinks and snacks. It’s surreal to be here when this time yesterday we were roughing it. Everything here, so far, feels normal—untouched by the drama destroying the rest of our world.

I manage to get Aaron to eat a little something. By the time I wolf down my package of powdered donuts, Kellen appears with the rest of our group. Hope runs over to Aaron and sits beside him, offering him soft assurances.

Kellen’s gaze lands on me, burning a hole through me. I lift my tired eyes to meet his. The darker version of Kellen’s mood is back. Guilt mars his handsome reflection, tugging the corners of his mouth downward and forming a crease between his brows.

I need his comfort right now.

Jesse almost died. He’s still not out of the woods yet.

At first, I think Kellen’s going to keep his distance, choosing to brood rather than comfort me, but at the last second, his gaze softens. In a couple of quick, long strides, he collapses into the chair beside me and pulls me against him.

I don’t cry or rage or do anything, for that matter.

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