Becoming Zero

By W. H. Beswick

For the first time in a long time, Reggan and her friends can relax. They have found her mother, who is leading the resistance. It appears the war has changed mom. A fiction builds up between Reggan and mother. When her mother wants to send her off to Canada. Reggan objects. They argue. Rather than go to Canada, she runs away to the bunker that has been her home, where she discovers a new evil

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. H. Beswick
• Release date: Mar 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005093907

W. H. Beswick

Lives in Corvallis Oregon

Book preview

PROLOGUE

I can’t believe I am saying this, but I miss the bunker, I said leaning back against the tree and taking in the green valley below. It had been so long since I’d seen Oregon so green. Its natural color. The winter was over. It was still cold, but we were able to switch out our winter jackets for something lighter. Thankfully, the bunker we had taken over with the help of my mom and her followers had a ton of clothes stored in basement rooms, so we were able upgrade our look from winter to fall.

In my case, it was a brown leather bomber jacket with questionable fleece lining. I was wearing a black flannel shirt, jeans, and a sturdy pair of boots. The Fighting Otters baseball cap holding back my thick, red curls wasn’t my first choice. It was red and purple, with an angry otter on it…but a little girl gave to me. She smiled every time she saw me wearing it. I had the same sunglasses on my nose that hid the gold and black cat eyes that everyone kept asking to see.

It was becoming annoying.

Too many people, the shorter girl sitting beside me agreed. Like me, she had long red hair, but hers was silky and fell in nice waves to the middle of her back. Lucky her. Her slender figure and childlike voice hid the fact she was stronger than she looked and very fast.

Maybe faster than me.

Like me, she had been infected with an alien virus. Unlike me, it had been given to her on purpose. A government experiment trying duplicate what happen to me. Turns out she is my half-sister, so it worked. Increased strength, speed, and senses being the result. Like me, it had almost destroyed her, but thanks to some friends we are both fine. Always sneaky, whispering and looking.

Yeah, Sweetie, you think they would have figured out by now we can hear every word they are whispering, I said with a sigh, looking around. Trisha was sitting across from us on a log. The very pretty brunette was drawing in her new sketch pad again. This was a new hobby she picked up since finding stuff in the supply room. I am no expert, but she was pretty good. She was dressed in black denim. Jeans, jacket with real fleece lining, and a red blouse for color. Her boots were nicer than mine, too.I have no idea where she found such a nice outfit, but ever since grade school she’s been a fashionista. She glanced up and smiled.

You drawing me again? I asked.

Ooo! Let me see! Sweetie said, jumping up and running over to my friend. She knelt down beside Trisha and stared at the pad. Is that how I look? I look real cute. You do too, sis.

Why do you keep drawing me? I asked, sniffing the air and smiling. I glanced back at two serious-looking men standing a few feet away. Both were dressed in fatigues, but they weren’t soldiers. They were part of the small army of followers my mother had pulled together to not only fight the invading aliens but the men who had betrayed us to the aliens. There was also a crazy general running around wanting to take over Oregon. They were also city boys. A smile came to my lips. We got a couple of bears nearby.

Both men stiffened and looked around.

Sweetie’s head went up. She sniffed the air like a dog and then looked at me. They are not that close!

Ladies, if there are bears close by… One the men said.

I said they are not close by! Sweetie snapped looking at the two men as if they were morons. They down in the valley having lunch. Not care about you.

Relax guys, how many times do I have to tell you, Ellie said walking up and giving them that million-dollar smile. This had the desired effect. She was barely over five feet but pretty much had everyone on the base terrified of her. Which was fine with her. She was wearing jeans, boots with a Taylor Swift tee-shirt, along with a black motorcycle leather jacket with a huge Harley Davidson screaming eagle on the back. Bears have no interest in you. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone. Get used to it. With the winter gone, we are going to see a lot more of them. We are in bear country.

According to you, Trisha said, putting the finishing touches on her drawing. She looked up with a smile. The entire state of Oregon is bear country.

Trisha, there are a lot bears here, Sweetie said with a serious tone.

I am not worried. You will protect me, Trisha said patting Sweetie’s arm.

You funny! You don’t need Sweetie! You are really tough! Good shot like Sweetie. Ellie taught us real good.

That is one thing I can’t disagree with you on, Trisha said. Although she did fail with Jersey.

Please, even I have my limits, Ellie said, sitting down by me and pulling out a Kit Kat bar.

I thought you were out of those, Trisha said with heavy accusation in her tone.

Ah… Ellie started to say.

No, she hide them, Sweetie said with smile. I know where.

We’ll talk later, Trisha said with a smile, patting Sweetie’s arm making her giggle.

I laughed to myself. It was good to be with my friends. Since finding my mom, the pressure of leadership had been left to her. I was good with that. But like me, my mom had changed.

It was causing some friction.

CHAPTER 1

REGGAN

I said no! My mom snapped, which only annoyed me more. It wasn’t the words but the tone. It was so condescending and dismissive. Besides, I had heard the first no and just couldn’t believe it.

Mom, we got to get Herbie, Sweetie whined standing beside me. We had just asked my mother if we could go back to the bunker we had been using as a base. It wasn’t that far, just down the hill across the valley. My grandfather was a prepper and had built it. Did a great job, too. Herbie was my sister’s teddy bear. I just wanted get out of here and away from everyone just for a while - and that did include mom.

Lately, she had been kind of a bitch.

Mom, we leave now we can be back before dark, I said, trying to sound reasonable. I knew Ellie had stuff, so did Trisha. All her makeup, for one. Mom looked nothing like the mom I grew up with. It wasn’t just that she was wearing camo pants with a matching jacket, black tee-shirt, boots, and a holster around her waist. Her now-long, reddish hair was stuffed into a black cap. The mirrored sunglasses and Colt auto rifle she had slung over her shoulder didn’t help. We got off to a bad start when she tried to take our weapons. You can imagine how well that went over with Ellie, who had finally gotten her hands on an alien ray gun. Mom told us we didn’t need them now.

We disagreed.

Roger, a Special Forces guy from Canada (long story) had fought with us a few times and convinced Mom it would be a good idea to let us keep our guns.

We got stuff there, I said, sounding like a kid which pissed me off.

Yeah, we got stuff there, Sweetie snapped, looking a little angry which surprised me. Sweetie always smiled when talking with Mom.

Guys, it is too dangerous. Do I have to explain how important you are to these people? Mom said it in that tone that just annoyed me, along with a hand wave to unseen people. It was the tone she used when I was little kid. It was meant to sound reasonable, but it really meant I was being stupid and stop it. You have no idea what is going on right now.

Then tell me! I snapped.

What? she said, sounding surprised.

Tell me what is going on. I would love to know. You don’t tell me anything. You have those guys following us around…

They are bodyguards. They are for your protection.

Oh please, Sweetie and I would know long before they would if some aliens or bad guys were close by. We would lose time telling them to run.

Yeah, cause me and sis are really fast! Sweetie chimed in.

That gave me an idea.

Just let me and Sweetie go, I tried. We will be back in two hours.

Yeah, cause we are really fast, Sweetie agreed, nodding her head.

It is not a question of fast but safe. It is unsafe out there! Mom said. You are important…

There you go with the important again. Tell me, I see you, Roger, and your little followers having your meetings. If I am so important, why am I not in those meetings?

Reggan, you are seventeen years old. Yes, you have these amazing abilities. I don’t completely understand them. Same goes to for you, Sweetie. Roger says you can fight. I believe that, but you’re still my daughters. It is my job to protect you. We have decided to send you to Canada. All of you.

What? I screamed.

What? Sweetie almost snarled.

For your safety…

My safety? I bust my butt looking for you, and now you are going to ship me off to Canada? I don’t think so!

Yeah, we don’t think so! Sweetie agreed.

Girls, it has been decided, she said. Pack your things.

Our things are back at the bunker, I growled.

Herbie back at bunker. Not going without him, Sweetie said with a real growl.

You will go. That is an order.

Did you just give me an order? I gasped moving closer and looking down into my mom’s face. Being six feet and therefore the taller of us, I could do that.

Reggan. Reggan! Trisha was suddenly at my side with her arm around me, starting to pull me away. She somehow got me walking. Calm down. Walk away. Just walk away.

Mommy being stupid! Sweetie said, now walking beside me.

Yes, she is, sis, I said, looking down into green eyes. This isn’t over.

Oh boy, this is not going to end well, Trisha said with a groan. Hey, she added, shouldn’t you two be getting dinner ready? All that chicken and duck isn’t going to cook itself.

Sweetie and I stopped and looked at her. She just smiled. Just doing my job. Morale officer.

We both laughed, but it wasn’t over.

CHAPTER 2

ELLIE

Okay, I will admit I have been known to lose my temper and speak out of turn. Even been known to insult people. Occasionally threaten them. They always had it coming. But I did have the common sense to stay out of this argument between Reggan and her mom.

Because I knew this wasn’t about going to the bunker. Yes, we wanted to go, and there was stuff we needed there. That aside, I knew Reggan wasn’t happy. I am not sure she what she expected when we found her mother. I mean, this was a woman who taught finger painting to grade school kids. Couldn’t cook if her life depended on it – which is why Reggan cooks.

Long story, I will tell you later.

I know she didn’t expect to find G.I. Jane. I kind of expected it, because I had seen Mrs. Sobe take out some well-armed puppy killers with her bare hands. I am pretty sure she had used a knife to kill the doctor who had a hand in creating