tell me giving back the heart is a bad idea, I’ll buy it. My gut says if Dad knew what we were up against, he’d destroy it first, negotiate later.”
“This isn’t based on a gut feeling.” I didn’t do gut feelings.
He nodded. “Of course not. And I trust you.”
Which aggravated me. I’d thought all night about possible scenarios and reasons and kept coming back to one real likelihood. “She hasn’t summoned her armies because she can’t. Think about it—why didn’t she bring them to kill your dad and take it? The heart, I think it’s the key to her reclaiming all her power. You give it to her, and she’ll have the ability to call them.”
“And If I don’t?” He looked at me. “You saw what happened to the headquarters. How am I supposed to kill something capable of that?”
I didn’t like this Brynner. His best asset was unshakable confidence in his own abilities. Confidence we’d so desperately need to pull this off. I slipped up next to him, wrapping one hand around a knife handle and pulling it from the sheath. “These.” I turned them over again and again. “They were driven through her skin, Amy told me. So she’s not invulnerable to them. They kept her so injured she couldn’t move, until your mom took two out.”
He gazed down at me, his eyes locked on either the knife or my breasts, then nodded. “Call Amy. I’m going to drive out as far into the desert as possible. If Ra-Ame wants the heart, she can come get it from me there, where there are fewer people to get hurt.”
“To get it from us there.” I put one hand over his. “Us.”
“Grace—”
I pushed him backward, slapping his chest. “Don’t. Don’t you even think about some speech about how it’s okay for you to die and me to live. You and your hero complex. You are not Heinrich Carson or Jesus Christ. You don’t have to die for everything to turn out right.”
If I’d slapped his face, I couldn’t have hit him harder. And if it saved his life, I’d do it again. “You need the heart, but only so you can draw her to you. And when she comes, I’ll be with you. Waiting. You might need me to rescue you.”
My phone rang. I read the number off the display, and answered, “Amy, where are you?”
“Grace Roberts, that is the question I would ask you. I am sorry it took me so long.”
“Are you talking and driving? We’ve got a plan—we’re heading into the desert to make the exchange. If Ra-Ame wants the heart, she’ll come and get it there.”
“I do not think a change of location will matter, but I will be with you until the end.”
I relayed the directions Brynner gave me, while he fired up the boat and motored back to the dock. And then we headed into town, collecting water bottles, a sun shelter, and enough equipment to fill the backseat.
The last stop we made was at the closest BSI outpost. When Brynner strode into the hall, decked in his BSI uniform, the local field commander just about choked. “Sir!” He rose, saluting Brynner.
“I need to find a shambler, and I need it soon. Do you have any reports?” Brynner leaned over the desk, dwarfing the saluting men.
“Sir, I’m sorry, but we used saltwater pressure washers on a band last night. You could sort through what’s left.” He turned to me. “You need a sample for tests, ma’am?”
I nodded. “New communication system.”
We followed him out to a pickup truck, where dozens of corpses lay waiting to be burnt. He pointed to them. “Some of them were still blinking last night.”
Brynner climbed into the truck and began rolling over bodies. At last, he grabbed one by the legs and dragged it out. He knelt over it, staring into the dead face. “Ra-Ame, can you hear me?”
Seconds ticked by with no response, until Brynner rose. “Let me get another.”
“No.” I pointed to the co-org, whose vacant eyes now stared at Brynner. Its mouth moved, but no voice came. The lips moved again, and I gave voice to the words. “I can see you, Death that Follows.”
Brynner nodded and rummaged in the back of the truck. “Good.” Then he drew out a fire ax and came back. He put one foot on the shambler’s chest and hefted the ax. “Time to make you more portable.”
BRYNNER
I made it quick, but not quick enough for Grace. I’m glad we hadn’t eaten