Nemesis (Project Nemesis #1)(46)

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Everyone came. I wasn't surprised. We were trapped in a mountain valley with no adults and no way to escape. Where else would you be?

Ethan was whispering with Derrick and Sarah by the pulpit. I was starting to get a feel for how things worked. Those three seemed to be the brain trust. Derrick relayed their orders to Toby, Mike, and Chris. Charlie Bell had joined the staircase group, along with Tucker Brincefield and Josh Atkins, two of the biggest guys in our class.

Tack bristled when he noticed the last two. Tucker and Josh were linemen on the football team, but had never been friendly with Ethan in the hallways. Tack had probably counted them on his side of the ledger.

"Smart," Noah murmured. "They added extra muscle while weakening any possible resistance. Someone really thought this through."

I cursed silently. It was true. In less than a day, Ethan had somehow consolidated a rough dictatorship. Still, the grumbling was louder this morning. Shock had cowed everyone yesterday, but that was before people had been sent marching all over the place. I suspected things wouldn't be so easy this time around.

"Look at those idiots," Tack griped. We were sitting closer today, and he was making no attempt to keep his voice down. "Like a preschool model UN."

Toby glanced up. Spotting Tack, he smiled and waved, then leaned back and put his hands behind his head. An uneasy feeling stole over me. Toby looked like someone expecting a show, and I couldn't fathom how that'd be good for us.

Shuffling up front. Ethan stepped behind the pulpit. 

"Here we go," Noah breathed.

"Everyone is present and accounted for," Ethan boomed. "So let's get started. Sarah will summarize what we learned yesterday."

Sarah walked confidently to the lectern, moving like a cat in yoga pants and a Lululemon top. "Eleven teams searched eleven different quadrants. There isn't anyone else around. As far as we can tell, Fire Lake is deserted."

Whispers in the crowd. Sarah held up a hand. "What's even stranger is that the animals are gone, too. Cats, dogs, deer, even birds. Whatever scared our people away also removed all wildlife from the valley."

Rachel Stein stood, dark eyes furious. "My cat stays indoors. By choice! Misty did not run away-someone had to have gone inside to get her. Which means all our houses were probably invaded. What kind of sick joke is this?"

"Nobody can explain it, Rachel." Sarah was a picture of icy calm. "Personally, I'm more interested to know how buildings can stand back up again. But today is about security. We don't know where those troops are."

"The power's still working," Richie Lopez called from a pew. Deeply tanned, with soft, almost yellow eyes, he had the whipcord build of a distance runner. "My group checked the transformers yesterday, and they're humming like always."

Sarah nodded. "But still no communications. Right now we have no way of contacting anyone for help, and no way of learning what's going on everywhere else. I'm working on this personally. We have to find out what's happening down the mountain, and where everyone is."

A clamor rose as several classmates tried to speak at once. Ethan walked over and handed Sarah a stack of papers. "We have new assignments for everyone today. Some are related to supplies, while others involve checking what still works, like water and gas. A few are just jobs that need doing."

Derrick began passing the sheets out. Leighton stood, his blond eyebrows dropping into a V. "No offense, Ethan, but I'm not up for another day of wandering through the hills. I'll pass."

Ethan watched Leighton silently for several seconds, which made the skinny class president shift uncomfortably. Finally, "Everyone will complete their assignment, or they won't get their food allotment."

Voices erupted in unison. "Food allotment?" Leighton said, confused.

Oh no. I glanced at Noah, who was shaking his head.

Ethan folded his arms over his chest. "My father owns the supermarket. He's gone, and I don't know where. But in his place it belongs to me. And no one will get so much as a fish stick unless they do their part. Understood?"

Leighton's expression soured, but he sat back down. "Fine. Whatever."

"And I expect everyone to see their jobs through to the end." Ethan looked pointedly at Tack, who glowered back. Oh yes, he knows Tack skipped out yesterday. Wonderful.

"When you check back in tonight, I'll explain how the rationing will work."

Noah whispered without moving his lips. "I can already explain-he'll keep all the good stuff and we'll get canned beets."

I nodded slightly. This could get bad, quick.

Derrick paused before handing a sheet to Noah. "Interesting seat choice, Livingston. You fall on hard times?"

Noah's eyes dropped. Derrick grunted and moved on.



       
         
       
        

I scanned the handout. It was immediately apparent that Tack and I were being punished.

"Firewood collection?" Tack growled. "Goddamn it."

"I have sanitation plant inspection, Tack. Sound more fun to you?"

Tack's nose crinkled. "Look at the favoritism. It's so blatant. I'm telling you, we should just bail. Right now. This whole thing is a farce, and there's nothing stopping us."

I wavered, on the point of agreeing. It was the brazenness that stung the most. Then I noticed Noah's assignment. "Sporting goods? That doesn't sound bad. At least you'll be inside."

He shot me a guilty look. "Ethan is keeping me close. Under his thumb."

"Right where you like to be," Tack muttered.

"Tack, stop it!" But before I could say more, there was a disturbance in the front row. Aiken was trying to force his way past Chris. "I said no." Aiken's face was a mask of irritation. "I'm not about to spend the day counting generators in a warehouse. I've got my own food, bro. I don't need this." His girlfriend, Anna, stood beside him, black eyes tight with anger.

Toby and Mike came off the steps. "What made you think this was voluntary?" Toby asked. Then he removed a 9 mm pistol from his waistband and pulled back the slide. Toby held it loosely in one hand, scratching his head with the muzzle.

I recoiled as if slapped. The air in the room stood still.

Toby had always been a little crazy, and now he was holding a gun.

He raised an eyebrow at Aiken. "You were saying?"

"Whoa!" Noah barked, half standing up. "Take it easy! What are you doing?"

Behind Toby, Mike pulled a gun from his baggy pants, followed by Chris, Charlie, and the two linemen on the steps. Derrick frowned, but kept his position at the rail below Ethan, who was watching intently. Standing behind the lectern, Sarah never flinched.

Aiken rolled his eyes. "Dude, enough. I'm not impressed. My dad's got three Glocks locked in our garage. Quit being a jerk, Toby. You're still the kid who crapped his pants on the sixth-grade trip to Walla Walla."

Surprisingly, Toby laughed. Then he stepped forward and rabbit-punched Aiken in the stomach. Aiken collapsed, coughing, unable to draw a breath. Anna screamed, but Mike held her back by the shoulders.

Toby pivoted slightly, then kicked Aiken in the side. Once. Twice. Three times. 

I shot to my feet. "Stop it!"

Mike glanced my way. "He will. When Aiken agrees."

Aiken was sniveling on the floor. He lifted his head, trying to say something, but was unable to catch his breath.

"That's enough! You're hurting him!" I wriggled past Noah-who was staring, slack-jawed-and took two steps down the aisle. Then froze. Mike was pointing his gun at me. "I'd stay there, Min. Seriously, I would."

Toby knelt close to Aiken's face. "What's that, buddy? You say you'll be a productive member of the team?" Aiken nodded weakly.

"Super!" Toby helped him up and patted him on the back. Then he guided Aiken into Anna's arms. The pair collapsed onto the first pew, staring fearfully at their armed classmates.

Silence filled the chamber like a living, breathing thing. Finally, Ethan spoke. "I hope that doesn't happen again. Really, I do. But we can't keep the town safe without order. Structure. Now, everyone please go. We expect to see you here tonight at six sharp. No exceptions."

Classmates began filing out. Noah turned and spoke across me. "Still want to fight the power, Tack?" My friend looked away.

I ground a fist into my thigh. "We'll play along, then strategize tonight. Deal?"

Noah nodded. A vein was throbbing in Tack's neck, but he bobbed his head as well.

Glancing up, I found Ethan watching me. Then he turned and said something to Derrick. I rose and sped for the exit, seething like a thunderstorm.





39


NOAH



I stacked sleeping bags in a row.

Twenty-seven total, in various shapes and sizes. Then I walked up front and gave Ferris the count. Nodding his pointy head, he recorded the number on his clipboard. "Canteens next."

I shrugged, headed back down the aisle. Camping gear was kept in only two places inside the sporting goods store-the outdoors section and along the rear wall of the storage room. The job was easy. I'd already tallied coolers, camp stoves, axes, and waterproof matches.

I could hear Rachel and Liesel in the next row. Or rather, I could hear Rachel whining while Liesel silently did all the work. "Who cares how many flashlights are in this stupid store?" Rachel grumbled. "The electricity works. Everyone has one at home anyway. He's just making us do stuff to feel like a big shot."