Rise: Populations Crumble, Book 2 by Gandy, A. (read book .txt) 📕

see that hydroponics setup again, and my parents would be thrilled if I learned enough to set something similar up back home. We don’t have much going on in the way of fish in our area, so that would be huge for us.”

“Well, it’s a date then.” She lays my collar flat and pats me on the shoulder in a mothering gesture which causes my heart to squeeze again. “If there are more girls like you in this program, maybe it won’t be so bad for Drake after all.” Her eyes are sad at the thought.

I take her hands in mine. “I have met some lovely women in this program. There are a few bad apples in any bunch, but for the most part, we all want a family, and a normal life.”

She looks relieved at that.

We all settle back into the bus’s love seats, except Martinez who goes to change in the back. Todd whistles a peppy tune as we bump back down the driveway, and I stare longingly at the lovely pastures slipping away from us.

“Don’t worry, Sadie, we’ll come back. Maybe we can convince the director to let us stay a few days. Drake mentioned that they have a guest house,” Patrick says, rubbing my shoulders in a comforting gesture.

The idea sounds lovely, but even this home-away-from-home is a placeholder for what I really want. Soon, hopefully. It’s not forever.

Patrick’s pocket buzzes, and he withdraws his mini-tablet. I’d left mine in our room. “Your presence is requested in the guest house at your earliest convenience,” he reads off. “Huh, wonder what that’s about?” he says, tipping it towards me so I can see the swirling script.

“No clue. Maybe we can squeeze in a nap before we get back and find out.” I lean my head on his shoulder, and stare out the window at the wild tree line sliding past. The ruins of an overgrown house are the last thing I see as my eyes close, the sound of Peter’s rhythmic snores from a few rows up lulling me to sleep as well.

Hit The Fan

The loud squealing of tires wakes me from my sleep, coupled with the terrifying feeling of falling and hurtling forward. I jolt and reach out with my arms to stop my descent. A long moment passes as I try to work out our location. The last thing I remember is falling asleep, watching the sunset out the window over the ruins of old houses sliding by. In the chaotic moment I awaken, not much time seems to have passed based on the still-growing dark. However, the sounds and sights surrounding me are starkly different.

In addition to the grating screech of the shuttle’s tires on pavement, Peter’s shouts echo in my ringing ears, over what sounds like helicopter blades ahead of us on the road. Time seems to slow as the bus shimmies side to side, and in a detached way I notice that for the first time ever, Todd does not seem happy as he stands with both feet on the brake pedal, trying to stop the shuttle. My eyes dart to the front windshield and see a bevy of black vehicles blocking the road—and Todd is trying to avoid a collision. He tries to turn, but a few shoot past us before we’ve even cleared the blacktop, driving down the shoulder toward the rear of the shuttle, and he has to stop to avoid smacking one. The chopper sound is growing steadily louder, so I try to look out the window to see what's up there. Patrick grabs me and snatches me back from the glass.

“Stay down, Sadie. We don't know who’s out there.”  The shuttle shakes as it comes to a final stop, and Patrick shoves me to the floorboards, crouching over the top of me. Patrick and Peter are yelling something, but the ringing in my ears still has not subsided enough for me to comprehend what about. Are we being kidnapped? Is this another attempt by the people who bombed the resort? Peter's voice finally breaks through the buzzing and I hear him barking commands at Martinez through his wrist comm.

“We've got at least six hostiles, I repeat, six hostiles on ground crew and they've got aerial backup. I repeat, they have wings. I need a full guard rolling out stat. The crown jewels are in imminent danger!” Peter’s voice is strained as the shuttle bus rocks from side to side and a boom sounds.

“Sadie, do not move from this spot, do you understand me?” Patrick’s voice is low and deadly calm.

“Yes, I won’t move.” I try to keep my voice steady, but I fail miserably. He squeezes my shoulder, and darts across the aisle while crouching low to avoid being a target through the windows. I curl into the fetal position on the ground, and watch as Peter hands him a pistol from under the loveseat, and Patrick is back hovering over me a moment later.

“It’s going to be okay, Sadie, we have to hold tight until backup gets here from the resort.” The shuttle rocks again, and the boom is louder this time. “They want us alive—they aren’t going to try to kill us. We just have to hang in there.” He rests his palm in the middle of my back, steadying me when it feels like the whole shuttle might tip over from the repercussion.

“Are you sure about that? It seems to me like they’re trying to blow us up!” I shout over the racket.

“Yes, I’m sure. The grenades are stopping short. They’re trying to flush us out so they can grab us. They don’t know how many of us are armed. It’s actually a good thing that they’re not rushing in here, it gives our backup time to get here.”

Peter has edged up to the window and is peering out to take measure of our enemies. He swears under his breath, and that’s when I know we’re in deep trouble. Peter never swears.

“Patrick, take