“It’s a National Guard stronghold,” Jay replied. “And the California militias are cleaning up the Central Valley. Omega isn’t everywhere, Elle. We came to Hollywood because we thought we might be able to scavenge for some supplies, but we’re not staying. We’re heading out. To safety.”
Elle looked at the four of them. They were really into this idea.
“How do you know this isn’t some kind of a trap to lure survivors into Sacramento?” Elle asked, raising her eyebrows. “At the beginning, right after Day Zero, Omega set up emergency relief camps. It was a big trap. They brought people in just so they could kill them.”
She knew because Uncle had told her. Uncle had seen it.
“This isn’t Omega,” Georgia answered, firm. “This is safe.”
“Nothing is safe.”
“Well, it’s either Sacramento or this,” Jay retorted. He took the handgun from his belt and held it in front of Elle’s face. “Is this fun, Elle? Do you like having to shoot people?”
His voice was harsh, and Elle recoiled.
“You don’t know what it’s like to survive out here,” she snapped. “It’s getting worse every day.”
“So take a chance and come with us to Sacramento,” Georgia said. “You’re smart and you know more about survival than any of us. We could all help each other — and you wouldn’t be alone anymore. We’d be a big, happy family.” Georgia winked. “You know you want to, shortstack.”
Elle hesitated. The idea was appealing. Being alone was the smart thing… but being with people, with friends… that would be nice. Very nice.
“Leaving means admitting that my mother is dead,” Elle said.
Jay said nothing for a long time before reaching over and touching Elle’s hand. She stiffened at the warmth of his fingers. He smiled softly.
“We’re all orphans,” he said. “We all have a common goal. We all need to survive. Juvenile delinquents or not.”
Elle pushed the hair away from her face.
The Klan would hunt for her. They would never stop, and eventually, they would find her. And then they would kill her, and that would be the end of everything. Leaving the city was a terrifying prospect, but it also brought about the hope of a safe haven. What if there really was something out there… something safe?
Something sparked in Elle’s chest.
Hope.
“If I come with you,” Elle said, choosing her words with caution, “you have to listen to me. You’re all clumsy and noisy. You’ll get us killed in a couple of days. You have to be willing to take advice.”
To her surprise, Jay started laughing.
“I think we figured that out, Elle,”he chuckled. “Don’t worry. We’ll listen to your tips and tricks. They’ve worked so far.”
Elle was pleased with his answer.
“Before we go to Sacramento, there’s somewhere we need to go first,” she said. “My Aunt and Uncle, they had a home in the Tehachapi Mountains. I left it to come back to the city to search for my family. If they’re still there, they’ll be able to help us get to Sacramento.”
“You have living family members?” Flash asked. He tilted his head. “Lucky.”
Elle wasn’t so sure. She didn’t even know if Aunt and Uncle were still alive.
“We go there first, and then we go north,” Elle stated. “What do you say?”
Georgia reached for a cigarette — she seemed to have an endless supply.
“Sounds good to me,” she said.
“I’m in,” Jay added.
Pix and Flash raised their hands.
Elle nodded. She would go with them to Sacramento, and if they betrayed her, she would leave. It was a simple plan. Either way, she was escaping the Klan. She was escaping the memory of a dead family. She was escaping Day Zero.
Chapter Nine
“Do not do this, Elle,” Aunt said.
Her pretty white hair was mussed. It was the middle of the night, and Elle was standing at the doorway, her backpack over her shoulder. The night was cold and brisk.
“I have to!” Elle replied. “I can’t just stay here. Maybe she’s still alive.”
“Your mother is dead,” Aunt answered, her voice firm. Almost cold. “If you go back, all you’ll find is an empty apartment.”
“I have to try. She would come looking for me if it were the other way around.” Elle shook her head. “Explain it to Uncle. He’ll be mad at first, but he’ll understand.”
“He’s seen the city. He knows what it’s like.”
“I know.”
“The city is death.”
Elle flinched. Her mother had said that very thing to her not so long ago.
“I’m sorry,” Elle said, fighting tears. “I have to go.”
Aunt folded her arms across her chest. She wasn’t going to hug Elle, and she wasn’t going to cry. Aunt was too hardened for that — too much like Elle.
“I’ll be back,” Elle promised.
Aunt said nothing. She didn’t believe her.
“Goodbye,” Elle whispered.
She stepped over the threshold.
She left the safety of Aunt and Uncle’s home behind.
“I had a six-month sentence,” Georgia said.
It was mid-afternoon, and they were inside Elle’s apartment, gathering every last scrap of food and supplies she had here. It had taken everything in Elle to show them where she lived — show them her dismal stash of supplies. But now that she was leaving… well, she needed all the supplies she could get her hands on.
They couldn’t go back to the underground basement and scavenge food.
The Klan had taken it.
“What did you do?” Elle asked.
“I sold drugs for my older brother. You know. I was all cute and innocent-looking—” she batted her eyelashes with dramatic flare “— and he’d send me outside to do the exchanges. I got wise, and I started selling my own drugs on the side.”
“And then you got arrested, which wasn’t so wise,” Elle remarked.
“Yeah.” A shadow fell across Georgia’s face. “It was a mistake. All of it was.” She sighed. “I grew up in Atlanta. It’s a nice city, you know? A couple years ago my mom moved to California with her new boyfriend, and that’s when things got real bad.”
Elle opened the cupboards in the kitchen.
“We all make mistakes,” she said. “Welcome to the human race.”
“Well…” Georgia gave Elle a sly look, gesturing to Flash and Pix on the other side of the apartment, going through their own packs. “Those two were in juvie for credit card hacking. Like, major hacking.”
“That explains the nicknames,” Elle commented. “They don’t really seem like the criminal types, though.”
“They’re not. Their foster parents were using their brilliant little minds to hack bank accounts and everything else.” Georgia smirked. “Ironic thing is, Pix and Flash ended up in the correctional facility, but the foster parents didn’t get any time. They got off without anything.”
“That’s stupid.”
“That’s the justice system, sweet pea. Everything was blamed on the twins.”
Elle rolled her eyes.
“Like I said,” she sighed. “Welcome to the human race.”
She peeked over her shoulder at Jay, who was gathering Elle’s stash of ammunition from the closet. “What’s Jay’s story?” Elle whispered.