Page 40 of Sawyer’s Mistake

The mother of the toddler stood up, her son balanced on her hip. “Say this isn’t true, Paul! Please! Say you weren’t thinking of giving us up to the aliens!”

Paul looked up, his expression hard. “I did what I did to protect you and your child,” he said. “And you, and you, and you. I did what none of you had the courage to do, and I protected you from knowing about it. You should all be grateful to me.” His eyes roamed the room.

A slim woman in the back made a choked sound. “How many people have we killed?” she cried, hiding her face in her hands.

“You cowards. Didn’t you think it was strange so many people chose to leave our little paradise? Do any of you know what the world looks like out there?”

Marie stood up, her hands clenched into fists by her side. “We know exactly what the world is like out there, Paul. That’s why we allowed ourselves to be blinded. That is on us, on all of us!” Her eyes went around the room. People around the room nodded.

“This ends here. This ends today,” Storme asserted.

“What are you going to do? How long do you think the Remur will stay away once they see we’ve stopped living up to our side of the bargain?” Paul asked.

The bearded man exploded. “Our side of the bargain? You fuck, you’re the one who’s been murdering people!” His tone dripped hostility.

“He’s right, though,” Zander said softly. “You can’t stay here.”

“Oh God, where can we go?” The young mother wailed, clutching her son to her.

“Do you have any vehicles?” Jake asked. He was thinking of their car. If Paul had found it and taken it, he must have a place to store it.

“There are no vehicles,” Amélie said, looking sad.

A few people shook their heads, but Miranda spoke up. “Paul has a secret place.”

“Shut the hell up, Miranda,” Paul said.

“He keeps vehicles and a lot of other things there,” she went on defiantly.

Paul sighed.

“Where is this place?” Storme asked.

“Behind the orchard where we grow fruit, on the south river bank.”

“You need to go to the orchard and find those vehicles. Take anything else that can be useful. Then pack and get out of here before the Remur come back.”

“Let me come with you,” Miranda begged, her brown eyes soulful. “I can help you.”

Storme looked at Sawyer and shrugged, leaving it up to him. Sawyer opened his mouth to reply, when a movement to his right caught his attention. Paul exploded into action, fast as a snake. Paul’s head hit Sawyer right in the midriff. Only a superhuman effort kept him from doubling over in pain.

How the hell did he get out of the zip ties?

Meir raised his weapon. “Wait, Meir,” Storme said. “Let Sawyer sort this out.”

Sawyer nodded, straightening. He clenched his hands into tight fists, welcoming the pain in his left hand. He hit Paul with a hard jab then, when the man brought up his hands to defend himself, followed with a right hook. The blow sent Paul staggering back, blood dripping from his mouth. He righted himself quickly and feinted right.

Sawyer followed, not realizing until it was too late that Paul was inching closer to Miranda and the buffet table. Sawyer lunged to grab Paul, but the older man was fast. He reached under the buffet table and came out with a small laser gun. Sawyer looked calmly at the weapon.

“What now, Paul? You really think you can kill me and get away.”

Paul shook his head. “Not you, no.” He leapt towards Miranda, putting the gun right against her kidneys, and fired. Miranda’s mouth formed a perfect red O an instant before she crumpled to the floor.

“No!” Sawyer roared. He knew what a small laser gun could do to the human body at that distance, how after burning through skin and muscle, the heat would concentrate to liquefy whichever organs it touched. Sawyer didn’t need a medical degree to know Miranda was dead already, only her body didn’t know it yet. She panted, and he hoped the shock was at least keeping her from feeling the pain.

Behind them, Paul raced to an empty table and turned it on its side, rolling it towards the door. It was a crude but effective technique, as only bits of his shoulder and head were visible, and only for an instant at a time.

“Shit, he’s going to escape,” Storme said.