Homeland by Kristin Keppler & Allisa Bahney

Author:Kristin Keppler & Allisa Bahney [Keppler, Kristin & Bahney, Allisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2023-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten: The Traitor

Dani

By the time we finally stop, it’s dark outside. We park under a grove of trees, hopefully out of sight from drones. Theodore walks at the front of the group with a flashlight but doesn’t say a word or even look at any of us. Jack mutters about how horrible of an idea this is, and I don’t disagree, but thankfully, he doesn’t push the issue.

The thick clouds cover the moon, leaving only the light of a few flashlights to help guide us. We take careful steps in the darkness and push deeper into the woods. I stick close to Kate and keep my head on a swivel, not trusting Theodore or the situation. No one says a word until we arrive at the entrance.

“This is it?” Darby whispers loudly.

The door stands aboveground, in the middle of an arched entryway, hidden within the trees. Behind it sits a large cylinder, the top camouflaged by moss and grass, making it just about impossible to see from the sky. The more I examine it, the stranger it looks. Like a door that leads to nothing.

“This is…weird.” Elise peers behind it as if she’s missing something.

“There’s a bunker field not far from here,” Theodore says. “Hundreds of all risk military bunkers that used to belong to the Army.”

“And this one?” Elise asks curiously.

“Found by chance and built privately.” His answer is vague, not that I would expect anything else. It does little to appease my trepidation.

“Little good they did against the doomsday-ers,” Darby mumbles from behind me.

Theodore hands his flashlight to Rodrigues and flips open the cover off to the side of the door and firmly presses a code into a keypad. The door emits a buzzing noise before unlatching. Rodrigues helps by pulling on the heavy metal opening and motions for us to enter.

Kate grips the strap of her duffel so tightly, I bet her knuckles are turning white. The air feels thick. So much so, even Roscoe paces anxiously.

No one moves.

Finally, Theodore steps forward, unhooks a lantern from the top of the stairs, ignites it, and descends, motioning for us to follow.

Kate takes a deep breath and passes through the door.

“Maybe we should let Kate check it out first,” Darby suggests, trying to get a look down the darkened stairwell.

Taking the flashlight from Elise, I go next, not blaming their hesitation but not wanting Kate to walk into anything unexpected. I keep my grip on the handle of the pistol strapped to my thigh.

There’s arguing from the top of the steps, but the farther down I go, the less I hear. By the time I reach the bottom, Theodore is waiting, shifting nervously and standing just outside of an open door. Light from inside spills in behind him.

“Welcome,” he says, hesitating slightly as the others finally file in behind us. “I just want you to know that you’ll be safe here.”

Jack scoffs from behind me. “We’ll see.”

Kate squares her shoulders and readjusts her bag. “Let’s just get inside.” She presses forward, barely giving her father a second glance as she passes.

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