Page 17 of North

I grinned. “Online gaming.”

Jess smiled back. “I sense a good story.”

“Yeah. I’ll tell it to you one day.”

We turned a corner, the path bringing us right up to the wall that surrounded Dawn. Jess arched her head and looked up. “I hope that one day, we no longer have to wall in our towns.”

“One day.” I paused and took her hand. “Come with me.”

I walked us over to the nearest guard tower, then nodded at the guard on duty. “Hey, Tom.”

“North.”

“We’re just going to take a peek.”

The older man gave me a chin lift.

We climbed up the stairs to the top of the wall.

On top, we had a view of the surrounding rolling hills, doused in moonlight. There was a glimmer of brighter lights to the north. New Sydney. Stars twinkled overhead.

“Wow.” She looked up. “Before the invasion, you had to travel far out of the towns and cities to see the stars. There was too much light pollution, otherwise. All the stars are so different here in the southern hemisphere.”

“That’s Orion.” I pointed. “And the Southern Cross.” Something caught my gaze. I glanced down to the field below us, and I saw movement in the shadows below. “We have a visitor.”

Her expression sharpened. “It’s a monster.”

It was too dark to tell exactly what it was. It didn’t seem to be coming any closer. “Yeah, there are always a few hanging around. Testing the walls. The guards have a thermal camera, so they’ll be keeping an eye on it. If any monsters get too close, the guards will fire on them and chase them off.”

She nodded, thoughtful.

“You really like to study them?”

Her face brightened. “I do. There are so many different types, with different behaviors, different breeding habits.” She paused. “In the decade after the invasion, people thought the monsters’ behavior was completely random, but certain traits were alreadyobvious.” She made a face. “There have certainly been some changes in their behavior recently.”

“I don’t want to believe that they’re working together, but I know that they’re not just dumb, mindless beasts. I’ve seen that for myself.” I scanned the surrounding hills again.

“That’s New Sydney?” She pointed to the lights in the distance.

“Yes. Most of the city was destroyed. A large alien ship landed there during the invasion. The ship’s been dismantled now, and the tech analyzed.”

She nodded.

“The New Sydney community was set up in the city center. That’s where the Eastern Australian Council is based. They provide leadership for the eastern half of Australia. They oversee Squad Command, the Education Board, the Manufacturing Division, and the Agricultural Department. Most small communities have local leadership, but they all check in with the council. Share resources and ideas. Help each other out.”

“My cousins, Uncle Cruz’s daughters, both work for the council.”

My lips quirked. “Bryony does a bit more than work for them. She’s president and an excellent, thoughtful leader.”

“Cruz and Santha are so proud of her.”

Cruz and his wife Santha had saved a young Bryony in the middle of the invasion and adopted her.

“And he says that Kari will probably take over from her one day,” Jess continued.

I had no doubt. Kari Ramos was smart, driven, and a workaholic.

There were some lights closer to the east of Dawn. “That’s Squad Command.” Our headquarters were a short drive from the town. “Come on. I promised to walk you home.”

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