The Vault (A Farm Novel) by Emily McKay Page B

my pockets.
    “So, kid,” I say, trying for nonchalance. “What’s your name?”
    “Marcus Estaban.”
    I realize then that I never even knew Ely well enough to learn his full name. Somehow that makes me sad.
    I nod to Marcus. “Hi. I’m Lily.”
    He nods back, but I can see I haven’t exactly won him over. “We need to start moving. You can walk, right?”
    He nods again.
    I push myself to my feet and start walking. “We gotta get out of here.”
    “Where are we going?” he asks after maybe fifty feet.
    I don’t realize until then that I have no idea where we’re going. Away from here, obviously. Away from the mercenary-Neanderthals. But where? I had just started walking without giving any thought to it at all.
    I give my head a shake and try to think through things. The landscape is unfamiliar. Lots of sprawling live oaks and rolling pastureland. The trees are bigger than I’m used to, which means we’re in the eastern part of the state, where the trees get taller. I know we were headed toward one of the Farms in northeast Texas, maybe even the one Mel and I had escaped from. That’s probably still our best bet.
    I try to guess north based on the position of the sun and start to head northeast.
    Except, again my brain is sluggish, so I’m not really paying attention when we crest the rise and I see my father, pale and bloody, leaning against the trunk of the tree. I stop for a moment and just look at him. If I hadn’t been here only ten minutes ago, I would swear he’s dead. But when I walk up to him, his eyes flicker open and something almost like a smile twists his lips.
    “I knew you’d come back for me.”
    I hate that smugness. I hate his confidence. His belief that I could not abandon him completely, even if he’s right. He’s a jerk and he’s pure evil, but he’s still my father. And I can’t just leave him here to die.
    Still, to him I say, “We need you alive. When we get to a Farm, you have to get us in and tell the doctor how to treat us. That’s the only reason I came back for you.”
    He doesn’t say anything, but his smile doesn’t waver, either.
    I lean down and pick him up fireman style, slung over my shoulder.
    My father is a big man. Not overweight, but tall and solidly built from a lifetime of having plenty to eat. I should not be able to lift him, but I can. That scares me so much I can’t even think about it.
    I’m strong enough to carry him, and together, Marcus and I stumble out over the barren landscape, hoping that we’ll find a Farm before our bodies turn against us. Praying that our immune systems are strong enough to keep the virus at bay until we reach the Farm. And praying that the mercenary-Neanderthals don’t find us first.

CHAPTER TWELVE
    CARTER
    I left Ely alone to ponder my news about his brother for a minute and went out to check on things in the hall. Most of the crowd had dispersed. Only the two guards and Zeke and Charla were hanging around. I pointed to each of the guards. “Go wash up and then patrol the outer fences.” I wanted them as far away from me as possible. They looked to Zeke to confirm the orders. He frowned but nodded.
    Unfortunately, I couldn’t send Zeke or Charla out to the fences. To her, I said, “Go back to the radio room. I want you to try to get that helicopter back on the wire.”
    She looked confused for a second, but then nodded. “Okay.”
    “Don’t leave your post. Short of the building burning down around you, I don’t want you to leave that radio unless you’re bringing me good news. If there’s anyone still in the helicopter, we need to know where they are. Got it?”
    This time she nodded quickly and hurried off. Apparently specific directions helped. Now I just needed to avoid the specific thought of killing someone in a vengeful rage.
    I looked at Zeke. “Go find Joe, figure out where he disappeared to and bring him back.”
    We could use a little of Joe’s peaceful Zen vibe. After all, he had the best