Page 49 of Deep Within Me
To avoid that, they’d have to keep the young man here as their newest prisoner. Surely he had a family, possibly a wife and maybe even a kid. What would they think when he didn’t return? What would they do?
Shit. “Why are you here?” Zeke asked.
The young man lowered his arms then froze as though he realized the movement might get him shot because he hadn’t obeyed. When that didn’t happen, he blurted, “I’m looking for Liz.”
Of course he was. Carreon had sent him after all. That made all of this so much easier than having to keep him from a normal life, a wife and child that certainly didn’t exist.
With the mention of Liz’s name, Jacob had grabbed his two-way radio. He spoke into it. “What are the cameras showing?”
“Nothing,” the voice crackled back. It sounded like Ike’s.
“How far away are you looking?” Jacob asked.
“As far as we can go. No one’s out there. No vehicles are headed this way.”
Zeke didn’t get it. This guy was alone and unarmed but was still looking for Liz? “Check the food,” he said, half expecting some toxin or explosive to be inside.
“I’ll do it,” Kele offered.
She sniffed the bottled water then poured it out and waited. After several seconds, she said, “The ants are still alive.” She next opened the candy bars and trail mix, showing both to Zeke.
The food proved to be exactly what the packages said.
“Hidden compartments?” Zeke asked.
“There are none,” the intruder said.
Kele checked anyway. “Nothing.” She held the backpack at an angle so Zeke could see there wasn’t anything inside.
“How do you know Liz?” Zeke asked.
“All of our clan knows who she and her father are. That she’s healed for Carreon.”
“Your leader,” Zeke said.
“No.” The young man matched Zeke’s frown. “My half-brother. I’m his oldest sibling, Diaz.”
Chapter Nine
Unable to tolerate the unacceptable, Liz left her father’s room.
She heard him scrambling to his feet behind her, the bedsprings creaking as he left the mattress. He called from the doorway, “Liz, don’t. Zeke wants you in here.”
Zeke wanted a lot of things she didn’t agree with, couldn’t accept.
She walked backward, away from her father as she spoke. “I’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Liz!”
He wasn’t young enough to catch up with her. Liz used that to her advantage and roamed the stronghold, searching for Zeke. She had to convince him that he and her father were wrong. There wasn’t anything the matter with her.
So what if she’d fainted in the Jeep—something she still couldn’t accept. Anything could have caused it. Exhaustion. Continuing terror at what Carreon would do. Any freaking thing.
Even if it were more than that, she had to heal no matter the consequences. She couldn’t just let the people she loved slip away while she remained safe. How could she live with herself after that? Losing her father was unthinkable. Never seeing Zeke again was a possibility she couldn’t endure. There was no way she wanted to go on without him.
There had to be a solution to this. If she began slowly, tending to a small cut perhaps, then working her way up to more serious injuries, surely nothing bad would happen. Zeke would see that she remained alert and alive. He’d stop this nonsense, no longer keeping her from fighting at his side to insure his safety.
In the kitchen, women and men were preparing food. Upon seeing her, they exchanged glances, then stared without offeringany greeting or challenge. Liz couldn’t recall which of these women had voted for her and her father to leave the stronghold.