The Return: The Rare, #3

By Diane Anthony

The moment Olivia's family is finally together in Uncle Eli's camp, violence comes between them when Matthias shoots her mother, who has proven untrustworthy too many times. But not all is lost because of her mother—with the help of Uncle Eli, they find out the rumors they have been chasing are true.

The Haven is real. Freedom is in sight. At least, it will be once David and Olivia cross the DMZ. But that's easier said than done: assuming they don't freeze or starve in the bleak of winter, they must survive an irradiated no-man's-land reclaimed by the wilderness.

With Eli's suspicious camp, the Coalition on their trail, and in-fighting among their own group, they're running out of time and options to find a way across. What happens when Olivia and David are forced to make painful choices between ideals and safety?

 

Authors 4 Author Content Rating

This title has been rated 14+, appropriate for teens, and contains:

• intense violence
• moderate language
• brief kissing
• negative mild illicit drug use
• discussions of mental illness, self-harm, and suicide
• governmental conspiracy

For more information on our rating system, please, visit the Authors 4 Authors Publishing website.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Authors 4 Authors Publishing Cooperative
• Release date: Jul 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781644771457

Diane Anthony

Diane was born and raised in central Wisconsin, giving her the love of the wilderness that is apparent in her latest book, THE RARE. She's a big Marvel fan (sorry D.C. fans). She especially loves the X-Men universe and the variety of superpowers. So much so, her first book, SUPERNOVA, was inspired by it. A lifelong passionate reader, she has always been drawn to stories that have an element of superpowers or magic. As a writer, her work comes from that place of passion and those elements are often a focus of her own stories. Along with her love of the wilderness, she decided to write about the difficult subjects of teenage depression and suicide in THE RARE, drawing off her own experiences. These topics are often overlooked, but Diane understands that they are very real difficulties and they need to be handled with care.

Book preview

1

The gunshot echoes in my ears as I stand frozen by the sight in front of me. A thin tendril of smoke curls up from the barrel of the gun in Matthias’s hand. My mom hits the floor with a thud.

You shot me! she screams, holding pressure on her bleeding thigh.

Ya deserved it, Matthias growls. Ya got a lot of nerve, showin’ back up after what ya did.

What’d she do again? Eli asks curiously, showing little emotion for Janice’s pain.

She lied, got a few of my men killed. I lost an eye, and Tim lost an arm, all because of her, Matthias answers, still aiming the gun toward my mom.

I know a ‘sorry’ won’t cut it, but I had my reasons for what I did, Janice groans.

I don’t want to hear it, Matthias snarls.

I watch as my mom tries to stem the blood flow with her hands, but a sizable pool is gathering under her, and I start to worry she’s going to bleed out.

Uh. Matthias? I think we better get Rebecca in here to fix her leg before she dies, I say meekly.

Nothin’ less than what she deserves, Matthias says.

True, but I think we might want to find out why she’s here before we let her die.

Thank you, Olivia, my mom mutters.

Don’t, I say angrily, but seeing the blood under her leg and her face twisted up in pain gives me mixed feelings. I’m not sure I’m willing to forgive her for what she did to our camp, but I don’t want her to die either.

I’m going to go get Rebecca. I hurry past my mom and out to the frigid air. I wrap my arms around myself as I rush over to Rebecca’s cabin.

It takes me a couple of tries to convince her to patch my mom up. She’s still upset about the carnage the explosion left, but her sense of duty as a nurse kicks in, and she agrees to help. As I go to follow her, David calls my name. I turn toward our shelter and watch as he closes the door behind him, wrapped in a blanket, his shaggy black hair disheveled from sleep. I race toward him as he holds out his good arm, bracing himself for impact. He folds me up in his blanket, and we stand holding each other, rocking back and forth gently.

I’m so glad you came back to me, David whispers.

Me too. I let out a sigh as he kisses the top of my head. I should probably get back to the barn, though.

Why? What’s happening in the barn? David reluctantly lets me go. The chill of the air bites into my hands and face.

My mom showed up, and Matthias shot her. I’m afraid he’s going to kill her if I don’t get back in there.

She deserves it, he says coldly.

I furrow my eyebrows at his harshness. I watch to see if he’s going to start smirking because he was joking, but he never does.

What? he asks, confused.

She’s still my mom, David.

She killed Ryan, Jeffery, and Andrew while almost killing Matthias, Tim, and me. Are you really standing up for her after what she did? Anger starts to creep into David’s voice.

I’m not standing up for what she did, but I’m not okay with killing her either.

He looks at me with uncertainty, as though he wants to argue but doesn’t want to fight with me.

Are you saying you’d be okay with killing her? Goosebumps run down my arms that have nothing to do with the cold air.

I believe in justice being served when it’s necessary. The fact she’s your mom makes it more complicated. If she were any other person, I think I’d be fine with Matthias giving her what she deserves.

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. My sweet, gentle David is suddenly showing a side I don’t think I like.

I turn around without another word and start for the barn.

Hey, Liv—wait. I’m sorry, okay? I don’t want Matthias to kill your mom. David grabs my wrist and pulls me back toward him.

I can’t look him in the eye, so I stare at the ground.

He lifts my chin and says, It was just a terrible thing she did. I care about you, though. So, if you want me to forgive her for what she did, I’ll try.

The tenderness in his voice and touch puts me at ease. I know he wouldn’t lie to me. All I’d have to do is ask him to forgive my mom, and I know he would. But that’s not what I’m asking for. What she did was unacceptable. I just don’t want them to kill her.

"You have every right to be mad at her. I’m mad at her. Let’s just give her a chance to explain herself, and then we can figure out what to do with her."

Fair enough, he whispers, then kisses me gently before letting go of my chin.

Why don’t you head back to bed. You still have a couple of hours before we have to get up.

Okay. David yawns. But I’ll walk you to the barn first.

We make our way to the barn slowly, enjoying this moment alone before everyone else wakes up and the camp bustles with people once more. Before I open the door, I kiss David again, savoring the way it makes me feel. Each time I kiss him, it’s like the darkness that lives inside of me fades away and is replaced by a warm glow. It doesn’t last forever, but it’s enough to remind me that there are good things in this life worth holding on to.

I push the door open and see they have my mom tied down to a cloth-covered table and Rebecca is working on her leg.

You know, if you shot her in the arm, it would have been less flesh to dig the bullet out of, Rebecca mutters as she moves her surgical tool around inside Mom’s wound.

My mom squeezes her eyes shut and bites her bottom lip as she tries to hold still. Her skin is pale, and she’s sweating profusely.

I almost ask why they didn’t put her to sleep, but I leave it.

Matthias grunts. I could’ve shot her in the head, and then there wouldn’t have been anything to fix.

I give Matthias a dirty look, but he’s focusing on what Rebecca is doing. Eli is still sitting in front of the computer, looking over files from the USB stick.

Did you find anything else important? I ask as I walk over to the laptop.

Not a lot. Most of the files are encrypted. I would love to see what’s on those, but I don’t have the skill to open them. According to one of the files I was able to read, there’s a large DMZ—demilitarized zone—to the west of here. It’s the part of the country that got hit with nukes, so they left the uninhabitable land as a buffer zone between the Coalition and the Haven.

So, are we going to leave for the Haven as soon as possible? I ask.

I have no interest in going, Eli says.

Seriously? I ask. Why?

I have things pretty good here. I’m not sure I want to give it up, Eli says airily.

I always knew ya were an idiot, Matthias says.

Tell me, Brother, how do you plan to get across the DMZ and over to the Haven? Eli asks.

We just found out it’s there. I haven’t come up with a plan yet, Matthias answers.

Well, let me know once you figure it out. Then I’ll decide if it’s worth it or not.

Are you sure you’re going to be allowed back in the city after what just happened? People saw you. That guard knows it was you, I point out.

Eh. Things will blow over. I’ll give it a little time, make them live without my product for a while. They’ll be begging for me to come back for a visit.

Like I said. Idiot, Matthias grunts.

Eli makes a rude gesture at Matthias, but Matthias ignores him.

Got it. Rebecca holds up a bloody bullet fragment.

Good. Patch her up, and get her outta here. Matthias turns his attention to the laptop.

Don’t you want— Janice stops, scrunching her eyes tightly as Rebecca gets to work stitching the bullet wound.

You said there was a reason you led our camp members to their deaths, I say, anger bubbling over. Explain.

Matthias turns his head slightly so he can hear better.

Can you unstrap me first? she asks weakly.

No. Answer the question, Rebecca responds, finishing the last few stitches.

Remember the day you caught me talking to myself and I told you I was praying? she asks me.

Yeah?

I had an ear bud Matthias failed to notice. I was still in contact with my people.

With your people?

Yes. I have my own team. I worked hard over the years to earn Turk’s trust. I did some things I’m not proud of, but it was necessary for him to finally put me in charge of my own team at a different facility.

What does that have to do with ya blowing up some of my men? Matthias asks.

My team informed me that Turk was orchestrating a manhunt with at least a hundred of his soldiers to come out and find whoever abducted me. The orders would be to kill you on sight. I had to think fast, and the weapons cache seemed to be the quickest way to not only get you to leave, but get me back into the city and into good graces with Turk.

Matthias starts to yell a profanity, but Eli slaps his hand over Matthias’s mouth. Matthias shakes his head back and forth until Eli lets go. Because of you, three of my men were killed!

I’m sorry. Casualties were inevitable. I needed a good cover, and it seemed like the best one.

How’d you know Matthias wouldn’t be blown up too? I ask.

I didn’t. It was a calculated risk. I know he’s more of a look-out guy, so I figured he’d be safe.

So, let me get this straight. You work for Turk, but you have your own team? What does your team do? I guess I was wrong to think she was nothing but a secretary.

Turk thinks my team captures and tortures spies for Haven secrets. Instead, we trade secrets and give Turk just enough information so he thinks he’s ahead of the game, but never enough for him to actually do any harm. Meanwhile, we give the Haven dirt on Turk and the Coalition. Then we help them make it back out of the city.

So, you’re a double agent? Eli asks.

A double agent would imply she’s one of the good guys, and we all know that ain’t true, Matthias growls.

Can it, Matthias! Janice says.

And you’ve never been caught? I ask to get the conversation back on track.

Well, almost. He once sent someone over to watch me work, and I happened to be in the process of helping the Haven spy leave when Turk’s guy showed up. He saw that the spy was in perfect health so I had to kill Turk’s man, claiming it was the spy who got ahold of his gun. That was right before the whole mess of a situation with you. He put me to searching for you, but when I brought only you back, he questioned why I didn’t capture everyone else, and sent someone over to interrogate you on Matthias’s whereabouts.

You mean torture me, I snarl.

Yes, and I’m sorry about that. I had to play along, or I would have blown my cover. But then his henchman killed you, so I killed him, which has only made Turk more suspicious. I’m not sure he trusts me as he once did.

Lying and murdering. Sounds about right. I shake my head.

Judging me with your black and white view of the world is unfair. Just wait until you have to make life-or-death decisions that could cost people their lives. It’s not as easy as you’d like to think it is, she snaps, face wincing in pain from getting worked up.

Why are you here? I try not to cry as memories of Markos flood my mind. I made the choice to go back to the city, and was followed by a guard, who killed Markos, one of our camp members.

I guessed Matthias would make his way up here to see Eli, so I came to warn him and Henry to never come back to the city. You were caught on camera, and now you have a bounty on your head. They even put up posters in the bad part of town. Now your druggie friends will turn you in for a price.

Waste of time. We weren’t planning on setting foot there ever again anyway.

Yeah, well, my conscience wouldn’t rest until you were warned. Henry can never come back to the city. Her chin quivers.

So, what are you hoping for by giving the Haven information? Are they preparing to go to war against the Coalition or something? Rebecca asks, changing the subject. She tosses the bloody gauze into the fire, then resumes cleaning up after the operation.

Whispers of war are spoken by both sides, but nothing is in motion. The Haven doesn’t have enough manpower to defeat the Coalition, and the Coalition isn’t really that interested in going to war. Turk’s happy with his rule and wouldn’t want anything to infringe on it, my mom answers.

I hope we don’t go to war. It would be bad for business, Eli comments.

It could mean the end to Turk’s tyranny and the oppression of the Rare! Matthias shouts.

"I get it, but how could the Haven have enough manpower to win against the whole world? Think about it, the world has a stake in the Coalition and would not easily give it up. They appointed Sawyer, Turk, and all the other presidents to run things exactly how they want to. They ship Rares over here to be dealt with under the guise of sanctuary, but we all know that’s hogwash. And they support the cities with all the products and finances they need so everyone will continue to do their bidding. This part of the world is their baby, and they’ll fight tooth and nail to defend it. If the Haven was strong enough, wouldn’t they have done something already?"

"Ya think the whole world is in on it? I bet there are countries who don’t know what’s really going on. If we could somehow let them know how things actually are…"

I storm out of the barn before Matthias finishes what he’s about to say. All this talk about war is making me sick to my stomach. I need to lie down.

The sky is lightening from black to a royal blue as I push the door to the cabin open. David is curled up on his side, asleep. I’m still feeling down in the dumps after thinking about Markos and decide I would like a little comfort. I grab my blanket, wrap it around myself, and wriggle my way onto the cot with David, careful not to bump his broken wrist or gunshot wound. He groans sleepily as he wraps his good arm around me and holds me tight. His warm presence relaxes me, and I fall asleep immediately.

David and I stand facing each other in a dimly lit room. I can see the glow of a computer screen in my peripheral vision, but everything else in our surroundings is blurry as I stare into David’s eyes. I feel a sense of uncertainty, and I don’t know why.

David, you’re going to kill Olivia for what she’s done, a deep, shaky voice says from behind me.

David’s looking at me, but his eyes are unfocused, as though he’s looking through me.

I try to move, but I’m frozen in place by an invisible force. My breathing is rapid as fear takes hold of me. The man who spoke rolls around me in a wheelchair and stops in front of David. He holds a gun out with a frail, quivering hand. David looks at the gun quizzically before reaching out and taking it. He waits for the man to roll back out of the way and then points the gun at my chest.

I try to scream, to cry out to David, but I can’t seem to form the words. They’re lodged in my throat. All I can do is plead with my eyes. For one brief moment, I see a flicker of recognition on David’s face. He looks terrified.

Kill her now, David, the man says.

I watch in horror as David’s eyes glaze over once more, and his finger starts to squeeze the trigger.

Breakfast time in fifteen minutes, you two lovebirds, Cass calls out.

I jolt awake as a sob escapes my lips. I sit up and cry as the feeling of fear and hopelessness tears at my mind.

2

What’s the matter, Liv? David’s voice is full of concern.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder, and I reflexively cringe away. The image of him about to shoot me clouds my mind from rational thought.

I look around the shelter, but it’s just David and me. I had another dream. It was real like my visions, but it can’t be… My voice cracks. I hold my head in my hands as a headache starts pulsing in my skull.

What happened?

You were going to kill me. There was an old guy telling you to do it, and he handed you a gun. You were about to squeeze the trigger when I woke up.

I would never ever kill you, Liv. It was a dream. Nothing more, David reassures me, stroking my face with his hand.

I don’t know, David.

Well, if we ever meet someone who looks like the guy in your dream, let me know, and we’ll kick his butt.

He’s an old man in a wheelchair, David, I say.

Then we’ll kick him in the shin and run away. David laughs, coaxing a laugh out of me as well. There could never be a force more powerful than my love for you. David gives me a hug, which I return, and find the tension melting away. His sappiness can almost be too much at times, but I just go with it.

We make our way to the barn after taking turns changing clothes in the shelter. As we step out of the crisp, cold air and inside the stuffy barn, we see almost the whole camp gathered in here, sitting at the tables, facing the fireplace. In front of the fireplace is my mother, strapped down to a chair with a gag in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes. Matthias and Eli are standing on opposite sides of her, facing everyone.

This USB stick showed us that the Haven is a real place, that it’s the remainder of the US as it once was, Eli says.

How do you know it’s not a trap to weed out enemies of the Coalition? Anyone who dares to leave and try to make it to the Haven gets killed in the process! Caroline shouts.

David grabs my hand and leads me to an open table where Tim and Denis sit pouring over notes instead of listening.

Morning, David says and gets a halfhearted wave as Denis shows Tim something.

I turn my attention back to my mom.

It just so happens that Eli still has a batch of the rectitude wine I once gave him. How about we get some straight answers? Matthias asks, and a cheer rises from the tables.

I shudder at the memory of that stuff. It was thick like drinking syrup and made me want to divulge all my secrets. I watch as my mom’s muscles stiffen up. This is probably one of the worst tortures they could have come up with.

Matthias removes her blindfold and takes the gag out of her mouth.

I’m willing to talk if you just give me the chance. You don’t have to do this. Frustration drips from her words as she looks at the goblet in Matthias’s hand.

Oh, but I do. After what ya’ve done, this is the only way I know you’ll be tellin’ the truth.

I expect her to yell, or swear at him, but she holds still as he raises the goblet up to her lips. Everyone in the room is silent as he nods to indicate that she drank some. I watch her back straighten just as mine did when the wine kicked in.

We’ll start small and work our way up. What’s your name? Matthias asks.

Janice Eve Sloane.

Do you work for the Coalition?

I am employed by President Turk, but I don’t work for him.

Matthias pauses waiting for her to say more, but she stops there.

Who do you work for?

Myself.

Even with the rectitude wine, she’s still as cryptic as ever with her truths.

Do you help spies from the Haven?

Yes.

How?

I give them Turk’s plans, help them gather any information they’re looking for, and then help them leave the city.

Matthias paces next to her, stroking his beard as he thinks of his next question.

Did you lie to me about the weapons cache because you knew it was the only way to get me to leave?

Yes.

Did you poison me so I couldn’t go? Henry shouts from a nearby table.

She scans the crowd of faces until she spots Henry, and that sparkle of love shows up again. Yes. I’m sorry about that, Henry. I knew it was dangerous, and I didn’t want you to get hurt, she says, opening up more for Henry.

But you were okay with anyone else dying? Matthias growls.

Yes.

How many people have you killed? I ask in disgust.

She looks at the ground as though she’s calculating it. Too many to count.

Bile rises in my throat at her answer.

How do we get to the Haven? Matthias asks.

That I don’t know. I only help the spies get safely out of the city. They have their own means of transportation that I have nothing to do with.

Matthias’s shoulders slump at this. It would be nice to have a plan of action to get ourselves to the Haven.

Matthias continues stroking his beard as he paces. He leans down and whispers a question so nobody else can hear, but I can, and I’m sure David can too. Did you ever love me?

I’m taken aback by his question. I wasn’t expecting him to ask something like that.

Yes, and I still do. It’s just different now.

Matthias turns and walks toward the fireplace for a moment.

I think of a question and head over to them so I don’t have to shout. Did the vitamins you give me dampen my Rare abilities?

Yes.

Why did you give them to me?

It is Coalition orders to report Rare abilities, and if they aren’t useful to Turk, then they are put on the vitamins. Most people don’t know what they are actually for.

Did my mom know what the vitamins did? David asks, his face like stone.

Yes, Mom starts to answer, but I interrupt as my anger bubbles over.

Is that why I was sick a lot?

Sickness was a side effect, yes.

Why didn’t you come searching for me? Henry asks, now interrupting my line of questions.

I couldn’t leave, or I would have destroyed all the progress I had made earning Turk’s trust.

So, your work was more important than me? Henry asks, stiffly.

Yes, she answers matter-of-factly. I knew that Matthias would take good care of you, but I never stopped loving you. I just needed to keep up what I had started.

What is Turk working on now? Matthias asks.

He’s finishing up the mandatory chip implant project, and then he’s beginning to work with scientists to screen babies to know whether they will be born Rare or not.

What for? To kill them before they even get a chance at life? I ask.

No. I believe he’s searching for a specific Rare ability, but no one knows which one. He has become paranoid and suspicious—almost desperate in his search.

What does he want with Rares, anyway? I ask. I thought his plan was to keep us weak.

The majority, yes. But he has a few Rares in his pocket with specific skillsets that benefit him.

Rares are not tools for Turk or anyone else to use. They are gifts given to us, and we have every right to use them how we please! I hear some whoops of agreement come from behind me.

I never said otherwise.

But you kept me weak with the vitamins!

That’s because your heightened senses would have given you away. People are told to report any signs of Rare abilities. So, I did the only logical thing that would keep you safe. I figured illness was easier to deal with than servitude. I just wished I could have figured out a way to stop you from trying to kill yourself.

Perhaps, after realizing shame and guilt trips didn’t work, you could have tried a different approach, I bite back.

I never claimed to be a good mom. Just a protective one. She rubs her forehead with a grimace.

It looks like the wine is wearing off. I remember the headache well.

How could you go along with all of this? How could you know what was happening to Rares and keep working for Turk? I blurt, losing my cool.

I’m done answering questions now, Mom says curtly. My head feels like it’s about to split, and I’m exhausted. Can I have a place to sleep, Matthias?

She can have my cot, I offer, waving her off. I want her out of my sight as fast as they can move her.

3

While my mom is taken to my shelter to get some sleep, David and I sneak off to get away from all the people.

If my mom knew what those vitamins did, why would she continue distributing them? They watched me have seizures and still kept me on them! David kicks a stone toward the fence.

I grab him and hold him tightly, my heart aching with him. "I’m sorry, David. My guess is they were doing what they were told by