The Deathless Trilogy

3.13. Attack

18 days until Roberts' crew lands.

The Immortal is packed full of supplies and rebels coming to Virginia with us. The animals are secured on the Beast, and the pods are welded to the Immortal with reinforced chains so travelers can get their sleep or use portable latrines or open the pod for air during our journey. Long wagons attached to the pods carry whatever other supplies couldn't fit on either of the tanks. We leave behind two pods for the Originals to keep.

Just in case.

Because we're kinder than they are.

Tears are shed and goodbyes are said until we're nearly an hour past our intended departure time of 8:00 am.

Mom paces the patio, frazzled and deprived of sleep. She wanted us out of here an hour ago, and has been far too focused on that to notice any new jewelry on my finger. "In the tank, boys!" Mom shouts down the side of the Immortal. She throws her arms up. "It's like they never want to leave."

Declan, whose arms are crossed in front of him, leans against the door to the labs. "Maybe they don't," he says in defeat.

"Stop that," I tell him. "They're just being thorough. If they didn't want to come, they would be back at camp with the Originals."

A soldier opens the patio door from the stairwell. "All secure," he reports.

My mom holds her walkie to her mouth. "Daniel, are you all secure on the Beast? Over."

"All secure. Over," Daniel's replies. Does his voice sound lighter now? I fiddle with the ring on my finger and smile thinking about him.

"General Kazemi, are the pods all secure? Over."

"We're ready to go Legislator Blume. Over."

Mom breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness," she says between just the three of us, then lifts the walkie back to her mouth. "Off to Virginia, everyone. Remember we are not stopping until we reach St. Louis."

The Immortal rumbles to life, and within seconds, we begin rolling eastward. But the three of us can't relax now. As leaders, we have to make our rounds. Mom and Declan check the laboratories first to make sure all the equipment has been safely secured, and I make my way to the infirmary.

Flynn sits with his legs crossed and his head in his hand. His other hand drapes off the bed, an IV connected to a bag of saline solution, hanging from the machines behind him. Winston hovers over Phoebe, who still sleeps in the bed beside Flynn, and Joe remains resting in his coma. Eleanor lies asleep in the farthest bed, sleeping in to reduce her stress levels for the baby.

"Good morning," I say into the room, and Flynn tilts his head up, squinting his eyes in the light.

"Good morning," he replies groggily.

Winston notices me and springs up from his seat. "Isla, I'd like to show you what I've done with the room."

I follow him as he pulls up all the bed sheets so I can see beneath every last one of them. "As you can see, I've been keeping the infirmary spotless. Just like you told me."

I can't tell if he's genuinely proud of his work or if he is just being condescending, so I peer at him without speaking.

"And, if I may," he continues, "I'd like to show you what I've done using the network." He holds up a rectangular tablet, like Gunther had used to transcribe his autobiography, and turns it on. A screen immediately lights up with the patient's names and vital signs. "Dr. Patel and I talked about this, but he never had the time to implement it. But since I'm not leaving Phoebe in here by herself, I had the time. Now nurses and doctors can observe patients from anywhere on the Immortal, and they can share their notes as well. This isn't a new idea, but it's new for the Immortal."