Myrikal Read online

  She nodded and scooted into the seat. She lowered her head to her hands and tried to crush the brooding thoughts floating around inside. You have other choices. Branch’s words kept invading her mind. Do I? Every time she thought about “other choices” her heart started racing. The beats pounded a rhythm inside her skull.

  “Ahem.” Russ cleared his throat.

  Myri looked up. Roman mumbled to himself as he made his way toward them. Myrikal slid out of the booth and sat across from her dad.

  A waitress approached as soon as Roman was seated. Her mouth turned up in a grimace that was probably supposed to be a smile. “What can I get for you Mr. B?” She glanced askew at Myri. “And your… friend, here.”

  “Daughter. And just bring two of the usual.” His eyes flicked to Roman then back to the waitress. He stopped her with a hand on her arm as she turned to walk away. “What’s with all the people here?”

  The waif-like server shrugged. “They’re from that new clan in Central Park. They actually pay with gold coins.”

  Russ scowled as he looked out on the crowd.

  Myrikal had only come to these meetings a few times with her father, and she’d never actually gone inside the bar with him. The waitress nodded and scurried away, glancing nervously back at Roman when he yelled out, “Shut up! I need to concentrate!”

  Balancing three whiskey glasses in her hands, the waitress served Russ first, then Myri, before warily setting the third glass in front of the crazy. “Let me know if you need anything else,” she said to Russ.

  Roman licked his lips and cracked his knuckles before reaching for the glass.

  “No, Roman.” Russ smiled at Myrikal like they were having a conversation. “Not until you give me the information.”

  “Yeah… yeah. I got it, boss.” He licked his lips again. “I got it.”

  “Focus, Roman. Who and where. That’s all I need to know.”

  “Yeah… yeah. Okay.” He pounded a fist into the side of his head a couple of times. “Name’s Megan. Blonde hair. Twenty-five or so.” He dug around in his jacket pocket then threw a crumpled paper on his table. “There. There’s the where. And stuff. Other stuff.” He reached for the whiskey and tossed it down his throat.

  Myrikal stared at the glass of amber-colored liquid in front of her. The strong scent burned her nostrils and she pushed it away, wondering if maybe she should choke the vile stuff down. Wondering if it might help to numb her near apathetic emotions even further. Close the lid on the coffin where her concern for humanity still existed as just a spark of what it used to be. She shook her head. “Are we done here? I’d like to get this over with.”

  Russ cocked his head to the side. “There was a time I wondered if this day would ever come. I’m glad you got over your misgivings about the family business.”

  Stomach churning, Myri stood. She swiped the crumpled paper off Roman’s table as she stormed toward the exit, not waiting to see if her dad followed.

  Outside, she hid beneath the building’s eave and straightened out the paper with her shaky hands. She noted the information then handed it to her dad as he walked out the door.

  He glanced at it and shoved it in his pocket. “You ready?”

  Afraid her voice would shake and reveal to him her frayed nerves, she just nodded.

  “Follow me.” Russ took off at a jog.

  To keep her mind off the grisly task ahead, Myrikal counted the number of steps she took to reach the point of no return. Her mind still snuck in thoughts around the rote counting. Once she’d spilled innocent blood she could never turn back. Her father would say there was no such thing as innocent blood. Blood was just blood. People were just people. And people deserved to die if they were too weak to protect themselves. Myrikal pulled her goggles up and settled them over her eyes, tightening the cord behind her head. She didn’t need them in the dark of night, but she wanted to hide her eyes from her dad, from the world.

  Russ ducked into an alley next to a former fire station. Warn-down letters and a faded sign designated it as “Engine 6.”

  “Okay,” he whispered as soon as Myri joined him. “The blonde girl named Megan is your target. What are you going to do if there are other people in there?”

  They’d been over this multiple times. Myrikal sighed and rubbed her temples. “I leave them alive. You… we want to have witnesses to spread the word.” Her mind split off into two different directions. One side focused on the job—what she planned to do, what she planned to say. The other, quieter side, whispered her father’s mantras. People are bad. We are the wolves. It’s just a job. People are all bad.

  A weak cry followed by a loud bark reunited her mind into one, focused entity. She slid back out into the street, holding up a hand to her dad to quiet his coming protest. She crossed the street, made up of cracked asphalt and fallen debris, and snuck quietly up to the broken building the sound had come from.

  Inside, a small girl cowered in a corner, tears streaked through the dirt covering her face. A large dog stood in front of her, protecting her frail body with his massive one. His lip curled into a snarl and low, guttural growls sounded in his throat. In front of the dog and the girl stood a boy, maybe ten-years-old, scrawny arms and torn clothes. Blood dripped from his nose and a cut over his eyebrow. His back to the girl, he faced a trio of aggressors twice his size. “Leave her alone.” His voice quivered.

  “We ain’t gonna’ hurt her,” one of the men said. He sneered. “Promise.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” a woman with crazed eyes said. “She’ll enjoy her new home… and bring in lots a money and goods for us.” Her voice cracked with wicked laughter.

  A quiet whimper escaped the girl and she buried her face in the dog’s thick fur.

  The man stepped toward the boy, hands balled into fists. “Now, outa’ my way and call off that dog or I’ll slit its throat and eat it for dinner.”

  The little boy stood his ground. His hands shook as he raised his arms as if to ward off the imminent blows.

  “Stop!” Myri’s firm voice carried over the whimpering girl and the growling dog, bringing everyone within earshot to stand still as statues.

  “Who’s there?” the third man, standing back a few feet from the other two adults, asked. He squinted and shoved a burning torch in Myri’s direction.

  “I’m Myrikal.” She stepped into the circle of flickering light. “And I suggest you leave. Now.”

  All but the little girl turned toward her and stared. The first guy, the one closest to the boy, looked Myrikal up and down and licked his lips. “Well, well, well. What have we here?”

  He took a step toward her and she put her hands on her hips. A breeze flew through the doorless entry where she stood, blowing her hair around her face and shoulders.

  “You’re what?” the man asked. “Fourteen? Fifteen? You’ll bring a nice price on the market, too.” He glanced at the little girl. “Not as nice as that one. My clients like ‘em young.”

  “Shut. Up.” Myri ground her teeth. “You get one chance to leave and I suggest you run.”

  The two men snickered, but the woman’s eyes widened. The man near the boy started to speak, “If you think…”

  Myrikal didn’t let him finish. She leaped from five yards away and struck him in the jaw with her foot. His head whipped back and his feet lifted off the floor. He landed in a crumpled heap in front of his female companion.

  Myri stood in a crouch between the nasty trio and the kids. She flipped her hair back. The quick movement enough to break through the shocked fog of the two still standing.

  “We’re leaving!” The female shrieked. “Can we…” She shot a quick glance at their fallen companion.

  “No.” Myri cut her off. “Leave him and go.”

  The two miscreants scrambled for the exit, the female looking back only once.

  Myrikal knelt in front of the young boy. “You are very brave. What’s your name?’

  He sniffed and smeared the blood from his nose across his t
attered sleeve. “Dal.” He blinked back tears and his body trembled as the adrenaline storm subsided.

  “And what’s her name? Is she your sister?”

  Another sniff. Dal shook his head. “I don’t know her name. I just heard her cryin’ and me and Lobo came to see what was goin’ on.”

  “Lobo’s the dog?”

  He nodded.

  “And you don’t know this little girl?” Myri gestured to the small girl who peeked up over the dog’s back with her dark brown eyes.

  Dal shook his head and slowly slumped to the ground. He wrapped his arms around his bent knees. “I thought they were gonna’ kill me. Or worse.”

  The dog whimpered, looking back and forth between the little girl, still holding tight to his coat, and the boy.

  “Why don’t you come over here with us, sweetheart,” Myri said. “I think Lobo wants to come to his boy.”

  Lobo twisted his head around and licked the little girl’s face. She smiled a little then pulled herself up to stand next to the big dog. Her clothes, though dirty, weren’t ragged or worn looking. She shuffled over to stand beside the boy, looking up at Myri with her big eyes.

  “Are you okay?” Myri asked.

  The girl nodded. She looked up at the bigger boy then wrapped her arms around him in a quick embrace.

  Dal blushed and patted her on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “What’s your name, sweetheart?” Myri asked.

  The girl frowned and shook her head, motioning to her mouth.

  “Can’t you talk?” Dal asked.

  Another shake of her head.

  Myrikal and Dal looked at each other. “Do you have a family?” Myri asked.

  The girl nodded with a smile.

  “Can you take us to them?” Myri asked.

  The girl nodded.

  Myrikal turned to Dal. “What about you, Dal? Do you have a family?”

  “Nah.” He shrugged. “My dad got sick and died last year. Lobo and I just live on the streets.”

  “Myrikal,” Russ yelled. “What are you doing?”

  She turned to the open doorway and scowled. “I’m helping.”

  Russ stepped inside. “How many times…”

  For the second time in as many minutes, Myrikal held a hand up to her dad, cutting off his lecture. “You kids wait here. I’ll be right back.” She smiled at the girl. “Dal and I will walk you home, make sure you’re safe.”

  The girl smiled back and ran her hands through Lobo’s soft fur.

  Myrikal stood and spun to face her father. She caught the slight cringe in his shoulders as she approached at a quick clip. “You were wrong. We are not wolves. We are humans, and not all humans are evil.” She gestured behind her. “That young boy and his dog hold more compassion in their little toes than you have in your entire body.”

  “Myrikal, listen…” Redness flushed his neck and rose up into his face.

  “No, you listen.” She stepped closer and pushed him back a step with one finger to his chest. “I’m done with you. I’m not going to follow in your footsteps.” She leaned in and whispered near his ear. “And I will stop you from doing your job whenever and wherever possible.”

  Spittle flew from his bottom lip as he yelled, “You are my daughter! You have to do what I say! You… you have nowhere else to go.”

  Myrikal smiled. “Nice try, Dad. But I do have somewhere else to go.”

  He cringed at her use of the title he’d forbidden her to use her entire life. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Myri shoved him before any sound came out. She watched as he landed, sprawled on the asphalt half-way across the street.

  “Leave now. Tonight’s job has been cancelled.” Her strong voice carried even though she didn’t yell.

  Moaning, Russ dragged himself to his feet. With one half-enraged, half-fearful look over his shoulder before heading off, he limped down the mostly deserted street, away from Engine 6. Myri watched until he was a safe distance away.

  “Okay,” Myrikal nodded at the little girl, “you lead the way.”

  She led them on a twisting path through the city to the outskirts of where most people lived. Even Myrikal had trouble keeping track of all the changes in direction.

  The eastern horizon showed signs of lightening with the approaching dawn by the time the little girl stopped in front of a large wall of loose rocks interrupted by a steel gate. She pulled three times on a cord partially hidden in a crevasse. A distant bell chimed within the perimeter of the wall.

  A middle-aged woman, flanked by two large men, hurried to the gate.

  “Chansong!” The woman rushed forward, tears springing to her eyes as she reached to open the gate. “Where have you been?” She pried the gate open on its rusty hinges and knelt to receive the little girl into her embrace. The two men stood behind her, intent on not allowing the strangers to enter.

  Dal looked down and shuffled back and forth.

  Myri crouched down to talk to the woman. “We found her in the city. Is she your daughter?”

  The woman grabbed Myri’s hand and squeezed. “Yes, yes. Thank you so much! She loves to wander around, but she’d never been out past dark before. She’s always home before then. I was so worried.”

  “There were some people trying to take her.” Myri stood and put her hands on Dal’s shoulders. “Dal and his brave dog protected her.”

  Dal found his voice. “We tried, but Myrikal is the hero. You should have seen her bash that guy’s head in with a flying kick!”

  “Well, I thank you. All three of you.”

  “What clan is this?” Myri asked. “I didn’t think there were any out this far.”

  “We’re one of the repopulation clans. Women and couples who find themselves with child come here.”

  One of the burly men spoke up. “We protect them. Not many people are fertile since the ‘quakes. It’s important to ensure the human race continues.” He shrugged. “Who knows, maybe someday we’ll get back all that we’ve lost.”

  “What’s your story, brave young man?” Chansong’s mom asked Dal.

  He shrugged, his previous shyness returning.

  Myri answered for him. “His name is Dal. He’s an orphan, living on the streets.”

  “Oh! That won’t do!” Chansong’s mom said. “That won’t do at all! You can come live with us, Dal. You can be Chansong’s big brother.”

  The tension flowed out of his shoulders where Myri still rested her hands, but returned when he looked at Lobo. “What about my dog?”

  The big guy holding the gate open replied, “He’s welcome, too. Dogs are great protectors and are usually pretty good at finding their own food.”

  “Okay then.” Dal smiled, the dried blood on his face cracking. “I always wanted a little sister.”

  “And what about you… Myrikal? Do have somewhere to call home?” Chansong’s mom asked.

  “I do.” At least she hoped she did.

  They said their goodbyes and Myri watched the five of them—six, counting Lobo—walk away behind the big gate. She took a deep breath and tightened the goggles around her head, then headed out to find Branch.

  Even sitting out in the rain, back pressed against the newly constructed wall in Central Park, Myrikal felt better than she ever had. At least as far back as she could remember. She’d broken through the barricade of apathy and anger Russ had been building in her head and heart for her entire life. And she’d done it before making the terrible mistake of killing an innocent person. Or a not-so-innocent person.

  Did it really matter? Unless she had to kill in order to save someone’s life, she wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t kill people. It was wrong, no matter what her dad said.

  She could easily get into the new compound, but she didn’t want to start out with a bad first impression. She’d wait for Branch to come out. Hopefully that would be sometime today instead of days from now. Either way, she didn’t care. She smiled as she watched a couple of small birds building a nest in the
top of the tree whose branches kept most of the drizzling rain from hitting her.

  The rain grew heavier and the sky darker. She could only remember one other time the rain fell in sheets like this, years ago. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, a boom of thunder following almost immediately after. Myrikal’s hair stood up at the roots and her skin tingled, alive with electricity. Almost in a trance, Myri stood and walked, then jogged, then ran toward a small clearing rimmed by the tallest trees. She stood in the middle, arms spread wide and face tilted up to the sky and called down the lightning to her. There was no other way to describe it. Her very being connected to the charges preparing to release. Her skin crackled in preparation. A primal roar built in her lungs and she released it to the sky just before the lightning struck—a bolt to each of her outstretched hands.

  She drew the energy in, eyes shut tight, lungs full, and heart beating a rhythm matching the patter of rain about her. The split second the lightning joined with her seemed like an eternity. She stood, arms still flung wide, and her muscles strengthened, her mind grew more aware, her blood pumped fiercer through her veins. Pure ecstasy.

  “Myri?” Branch’s worried voice penetrated her trance. “Myrikal, are you okay?”

  Blinking, Myri took a deep breath and relaxed her tense muscles, letting her arms drop to her sides. She smiled and focused her vision on Branch and his companions. “I’m more than okay for the first time in my life.”

  Mouth twisted to the side, Branch’s brows drew together. “That’s… good. What… uh… what are you doing here? And, what was that all about?” He gestured hesitantly at the cloud darkened sky.

  “I…” Myri looked around at the small group that had gathered. “I came to see exactly what you meant when you said I have ‘other choices’. And that?” She gestured the same way he did. “I’m not exactly sure. It was like instinct, and now I feel amazing and full of energy and light.”

  A cautious smile replaced the concern on his face. “Well, let’s go somewhere and talk, then.” He touched her arm, then jerked his hand away as a strong static-like shock passed between the two of them.

  “Oh, sorry!” Myri frowned. “Are you okay?”