“This may all be unnecessary if the valley is cleared,” Dwayne reminded her. He was touched by her stance, shaken by her words, and afraid for the city, but he had faith in Maria. Even in the face of such calamitous news, he believed Maria and the men and women in her squad could save them.

Commandant Pierce’s face regained its stone-like impassiveness. “These words stay between us. The mission has just begun and already there is reason for concern. I am beginning to wonder if the plan was viable to begin with.”

Trying to maintain a professional demeanor, Dwayne shifted in his chair, trying not to ask her the many questions filling his mind. He already suspected why she was having misgivings, but maybe there were more happenings to which he was not privy.

“Of course, I cannot go into any detail other than to say that the task I have sanctioned you with is of the utmost priority. Though I hope the SWD will be successful in its endeavor to save us, my faith rests with the Constabulary and with you.”

“If the SWD fails, Section A will only give us two more years of life.”

“Two years where maybe you and the powers that be will be able to find a way to save the remainder of humanity.” The commandant lifted her shoulders in a diffident shrug.

Dwayne recognized that she was trying to maintain her composure. He had known that there had to be a reason for the president being so forward about the mission to clear the valley, but he had never imagined it was to keep the focus away from the dwindling food supplies.

“I will do my very best,” he said finally.

She pushed a pad across the desk toward him. “Your orders. The parameters of your assignment are clearly defined. You will report to me and I will report to the president and his council.”

“Understood,” Dwayne said, the heaviness in his chest worrisome and painful.

“As far as you need be concerned, the mission to clear the valley is not a salient component to your mission. In other words, prepare for the worst. Dismissed.”

It took another two hours for him to read through all the details of his orders, and another thirty minutes to walk home in utter darkness. The curfew had passed and the city was dark. He was stopped by security patrols a few times, but a quick flash of his wristlet was all that was needed for him to continue on his journey.

When he finally secured the door to his flat behind him, he checked his wristlet. It was almost time for Maria to call. He couldn’t wait to hear her voice, or see her face.

That night, Maria didn’t call, nor respond when he called her.

And she wouldn’t for the next two months.

Chapter 20

The world was full of death, fire, and endless days and nights of killing.

The day of the conference call, the SWD had reclaimed control of the wristlet alarms, locking out any chance of Maria reviving herself so she could speak with Dwayne. The loneliness that ached inside her only worsened every night before she fell into torpor. She missed him so much. She craved the ability to cry and to dream. Perhaps crying would have brought relief. Maybe her dreams would have been filled with Dwayne. Instead, she spent her days killing in the shadows of the high mountains and the city she had once called home.

The camaraderie of the early days had faded as the days droned on. The mixed group of SWD security and Constabulary often socialized apart. Sometimes there were tense moments, but overall the squad was working well together. Though Gutierrez was SWD security, he often hung out with Mikado and McKinney playing ball. Hopefully, the group would continue to integrate.

It was hard to find respite during the days of killing. Though there was still some joking and laughter during the breaks, it was easy to be foul-tempered when the small joys of life were missing. Even though they didn’t need food and drink, they all missed sitting down to meals. Though they didn’t need to sleep, being unable to find comfort in dreams was taxing.

As the first days faded into weeks and the weeks faded into a month, Denman lobbied Chief Defender Omondi for more down time for the sake of the squad’s emotional well-being, but Omondi replied that the SWD had declined. They were on a tight schedule and the SWD was closely watching their progress.

It was hard to still feel human at the end of the first month. The squad could finally see their progress as they made their way through the valley. Each night the bonfires smoldered as they dragged the dead to the flames. As the bodies were cleared away, the ramshackle remains of the old settlements became visible. Old sealed subway stations were cleared of debris, listing fences were knocked down and used for kindling, pre-fab houses lay in broken ruins among the growing weeds. Little by little, the cleared areas began to sprout grass and weeds. Any bushes that had survived being trampled began to grow leaves. When the rain came, the ground was muddy and difficult to traverse, but the next day the valley was a little greener, a little more alive.

Some days were easier than others.

One day they had tallied up their kills and tried to figure out what nice additions they could add to their future home. There had been a lot of laughter and gentle ribbing as each person shared their dreams. Holm’s desire for a cloned horse was met with some surprise, while Jameson’s desire for a hot tub in bright red was to be expected.

“What about you, Vanguard Martinez?” Mikado asked.

Maria smiled at the thought of her and Dwayne sipping beers while staring out at the lake from their new home. “A nice porch that overlooks the lake. I’d like hanging plants, too. Maybe a nice barbecue pit to cook something other than soy protein.”

“I cannot wait for them to start cloning livestock again!” McKinney said with a feral grin. “Damn, I want a steak so bad.”

“You don’t know what a steak tastes like,” Cruz reminded him.

“It looks so good in all the vids. It has to taste good,” McKinney responded.

“It’ll be a few years before there will be enough livestock for actual meat on our tables,” Cormier said in a sober tone. She blew her hair out of her face and sighed.

“I can wait,” McKinney said. “It’ll be worth it.”

“What about you, Denman?” Cruz asked.

“A nice yard. For the kids to run amok,” he answered simply.

“Kids, huh?” Cruz grinned. “I think I want one of those.”

“Want to start practicing?” Jameson asked, leering playfully.

“With you? No. With him,” she said pointing to Mikado, “maybe.”

Mikado grinned at Cruz. Maria sensed the pulse of attraction between them and she missed Dwayne all the more. Jameson’s face clouded with anger as he looked away from the exchange. Maria felt sorry for him, but the young man had been rather testy of late. He seemed more on edge than the others.

“Enough talking. Back to work,” Omondi ordered.

There were groans all around as the squad broke up into teams. There were ten groups and Maria walked behind Denman, Jameson, and Cruz. The Inferi Scourge horde around the city had dissipated around the edges now that there was not a regular human presence on the wall. There were still thousands clamoring against the walls, but the din of their cries was muted now.

Maria slammed the end of her bolt weapon against the head of a Scourge and pulled the trigger. The bolt thrust out, whirled, then the Scourge fell. She barely glanced at its body before advancing on the next one. Denman worked beside her, efficient and silent. Ahead of them Jameson was giving Cruz a hard time. Though he was always joking, Maria sensed there was a bit of venom in his comments.

“This one has a better ass than you do,” Jameson said, slapping the buttocks of a naked Scourge with long blond hair.

“It also has a bigger dick than you,” Cruz grinned.

Maria smirked as Jameson yanked the Scourge around to realize it was a very young man. With a hard shove, Jameson knocked it over and dispatched it.

Cruz’s laughter trailed on the wind.

There was a storm starting to move over the mountains and Maria dreaded working in the rain. If the downfall was significant, they might be able to take shelter in one of the decrepit houses nearby.

It would be Omondi’s call and she doubted he would have any mercy on them. Since the conference call almost two months before, he was a somber, colder version of himself. Maria rarely saw him smile. He looked like a man carrying a heavy burden.

Kicking the creatures over and killing them, Jameson was cutting a swath through the patch of Inferi Scourge they were destroying. He seemed in a particular fury today. Maria looked at him warily and noticed Denman watching him as well.

“Maybe you should calm it down just a bit, Jameson,” Maria called out.

Jameson whirled around, his bolt weapon clenched in his hands. The grayish cast to his face seemed more pronounced in the shadow of the storm clouds sliding overhead. His mouth twisted into an ugly shape as he appeared to struggle with his emotions. He didn’t answer. With a howl, he swung about and slammed his weapon downward. Instead of dispatching the bolt, he brought the weapon down again and again, smashing the Scourge’s head into mush.

“Special Constable Jameson, calm yourself!” Maria shouted. She stormed over and gripped his shoulder, yanking him away from the Scourge.