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She raised her hands as two of the general’s men flanked her, guns aimed. “Drop your weapon, girl.”
Her knife fell from her fingers. “Is this where your plan ends, Derek, or is there more?”
His eyes never left hers as he made his way off the stage. “The deal was I get them safely to the gate, and in return, I get to have you. As for the rest, you would have to ask him.” He turned slightly toward General Rush.
Her eyes roamed over Albert Rush as he assessed her with a predator-like gaze. “Hello, Evangeline. Nice of you to join us. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to save your father and your settlement. I’m going to enlighten you.” He patted the top of her father’s head, a smile turning up his lips. “She’s gonna love this part.”
He laughed before continuing. “Tell your soldiers to stand down and announce me as Everwood’s new leader. Then you and your father are free to leave with Derek. If you don’t, the Others will kill your soldiers, I’ll kill dear old Daddy, and Derek will drag you away to wherever the hell he’s planning on calling home.”
She clenched her fist so as not to show her anxiety as her hands began to shake. This was her worst fear come to light.
“Geh, Eva, verlass mich!” Her father forced the words out through clenched lips.
Albert’s fist connected with her father’s side, knocking the wind out of him. Her father folded, a strangled gasp escaping him.
“No talking!” Albert yelled.
Go, leave him? How could he think she would do that?
It took all her might to keep her feet planted and not go to her father. She had to play this smart if she was going to save him and the settlement.
If the general had made a deal with Derek, maybe he would make one with her too. It was a fool’s thought. What did she have to offer him?
Damn her emotions. Her eyes were filling with tears again as her people patiently waited for her answer. Her throat tightened, but she swallowed past the lump. How had she let it come to this?
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was only one choice. “I—”
Before she could give her decision, the wall behind the stage erupted in an explosion.In the midst of all the chaos, Eva was flattened to the floor. Hot air rushed by her as wooden tables, chairs, and debris rained down on the hall. She tucked her body and covered her face defensively as smoke filled the room.
As the debris began to settle, her eyes shot open, but she couldn’t see for a damn. She coughed to clear her airway, but the thick smoke coated her throat and burned her lungs. Her ears were ringing as strong hands lifted her from the floor. She didn’t know who it was, so she struck them with her fist, connecting to a shoulder.
“Eva, it’s me, we have to get our people out of here.” Her father’s deep voice reached her, calming her nerves. His gentle blue eyes bored into her.
“Dad?”
A scuffle sounded inside the haze-filled room, the acidic smell burning her nose as she inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath. Who was fighting?
Her father stood. “Get to the bridge, Eva, be ready to take our people out the back.” Then he was gone into the cloud of smoke.
She took a step toward the door to do as her father had asked, but before she could get far, a hand wrapped around her ankle. The smoke was starting to clear, revealing Derek. He was pinned under a banquet table.
“Get off me!” She shrugged out of his hold and kicked his hand, then made for the door, leaving him there.
Men were fighting inside the room, but she still couldn’t see their faces. Where was Krieger? Had something happened to him?
Her father fought with one of the general’s men near the door. With his hand restraining the sickly looking man, he said, “Hurry, Eva, take as many civilians as you can.”
Some of their people began to emerge from the smoke, and she ushered them to the bridge, then went back for more. The smoke was dissipating more rapidly now as her people rushed toward her.
“This way,” she yelled.
“Eva!” Sarah, Luke, and John were jogging down the bridge. Sarah reached her first and said, “Thank Mother Earth you’re okay. We heard the second explosion.”
Eva nodded. “I’m okay, but we have to get the people out of here until we can regain control of the settlement.”
Her father was keeping the Others at bay while she scanned the room for more people. Then the stage came into focus. Through the mist-filled room, she spied Krieger fighting General Rush in hand-to-hand combat. Her hand flattened over her heart, her breaths coming hard.
Had he set up the bomb as a distraction to give them a chance to escape?
