The Last Bastion of the Living (The Last Bastion #1)(26)

“Yes, with the exception of the fallen soldiers from the last attempt to push back the Inferi Scourge. We never did recover their bodies,” Dr. Curran pointed out. “They’re still out there.”

She felt her jaw drop as the words punched into her gut like a sledgehammer. Ryan’s smile slashed through her mind. Forcing her mouth closed, she lowered her gaze to her hands. Could she hold her weapon and pull the trigger on Ryan?

Dr. Curran tapped the table, pulling Maria’s attention back to her. “So, from what you have told us about the past, you do understand what the Inferi Scourge are - the dead reanimated by a virus that does not let them truly die. And you understand that actions taken by the nations that existed before The Bastion failed for a variety of reasons. Israel and the Republic of Texas were two of the last countries to fall due to their strict kill orders. If the rest of the world had followed their leads, perhaps there wouldn’t have been a need for The Bastion.” Dr. Curran let her words sink in as she leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. “Therefore, should you see some of your former friends and fellow soldiers out there among the hordes of the Inferi Scourge, the question is simple: Can you kill them?”

Maria drew in a sharp breath, then slowly exhaled. She could remember the names and faces of each fallen soldier like they were her own family. She thought of Ryan, grinning at her, and winking in the face of death. Then she thought of the Roses, Dwayne, and all the people crammed into the dying city. “Yes. Yes, I can.”



*



Maria woke with a start when her wristlet purred against her skin. Sitting up, she quickly tapped in her passcode. Accessing the hidden program buried within the operating system, she held her breath. She was relieved to see Dwayne’s face appear.

“Dwayne,” she breathed.

“Are you okay?” he asked immediately. His face was tiny on the screen, but she could see the concern in his expression.

“I was sleeping,” she answered, “but I’m so glad to hear from you.”

“Rough day?”

“Really rough,” she conceded. Snuggling down on her bed, she held the wristlet so she could clearly see him and he could see her. “They ran a lot of tests.”

“We can’t talk long.” Dwayne gave her a gentle smile. “I had to see you before going to sleep. It feels wrong to be going to bed alone.”

“I know how you feel. I wish you were here.”

“Are you having second thoughts?”

Maria pondered his question, then shook her head. “No. No. I need to do this. I want more for us than living in a squalid flat in the middle of this dying city, but I’m realizing this may take a lot more out of me emotionally than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever think about the people we left behind after the final assault? The ones that didn’t make the airlift?”

“The ones that died,” Dwayne said somberly.

“And came back. Because they did come back, you know. I didn’t really think about it until today when they asked me if I could kill them when I see them.” Maria swept her hair back from her face as she watched Dwayne process what she had just said.

“Can you?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“For us, for the city,” Maria replied sorrowfully, “I can do it. But it’s going to hurt like hell.”

“I’m sorry, darling. I never thought about that aspect of this mission.”

“Neither did I.”

“You can do this though, Maria. You can make it through. I believe in you. And if you want out, I will find a way to get you out.”

“No, no. I’m in this for the long haul. I can do it, Dwayne. I just need to get my focus and not be afraid. When I said yes to this mission I was just so desperate to do something I really didn’t think through all the possible ramifications of that decision.”

“Our time is up,” Dwayne said regretfully. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“I love you,” Maria whispered, her fingers from her other hand touching his image lightly.

He touched his screen, too. “I love you.”

The screen flashed black then returned her to the main menu.

This was going to be the hardest part of being on the mission: being away from the man she loved.

Rolling onto her back, Maria covered her face and fought back tears. She could almost feel his presence nearby, comforting and loving. Her body yearned to feel him pressed against her side. Closing her eyes, she pretended he was laying next her, his breath matching her own as they fell asleep together.





Chapter 7


The next morning she awoke to a call from Dr. Curran informing her that she would be sent for in two hours’ time. Crawling out of bed, she pushed her body through her morning exercise routine before taking a hot shower. Breakfast was delivered to her room on a tray by a young male nurse. He stared openly at her scars as she took the tray.

“Thank you,” she said, dismissing him before he asked any stupid questions.

He backed out of the room and the door slid shut.

Uncovering the tray, she was surprised to see eggs and bacon, toast, orange juice, and a thermos of coffee. She was certain the meat and eggs weren’t the real thing, but the food smelled amazing. Picking up a slice of bacon, she nibbled on the end curiously. It didn’t taste at all like flavored tofu. Suddenly ravaged by hunger, she dug into the meal, eating each bite with great relish. Nothing she had ever eaten had tasted quite so amazing. When she finally finished, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped it slowly. It was the best she had ever tasted.