Chapter 21: Holly
HOLLY AWOKE to gunshots nearby. She laid still as Jesse jumped up and ran to guard the door. They heard feet pounding in the hall just beyond and voices yelling orders. “Holly, you okay?” Jesse asked. “Oliver?”
“I’m fine,” she said coolly. “He didn’t even make it to the staircase.”
“What? Oliver?” Jesse demanded, running over to the bed his friend slept in, only to find it empty. “Shit. He didn’t?”
“He told you he was. I told him not to but he had to do what he thought was best. We warned him, Jesse.”
Jesse sat down hard on the bed and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands cradling his head. His head was pounding. He knew Oliver could be impulsive, but despite his claims of escape, Jesse really hadn’t believed him suicidal enough to try it.
The door burst open and he lunged to cover Holly across the room at the sight of the gun barrel sweeping the room.
“Holly?” a male voice called.
“I’m fine Michael. Jesse’s here too. Don’t shoot,” she said calmly.
She was still laying in bed, curled up in a fetal position when Jesse reached her, covering her body with his own.
“All clear here, the prisoner is accounted for,” Michael said into his radio. Turning to Jesse he added. “I’m sorry about your friend. If I were you, I wouldn’t get any big ideas about trying what he did.”
“Is he alive?” Holly asked.
“I’m not sure yet, but he won’t be for long if he is. I’m sorry, Miss Holly,” Michael admitted. “We can’t risk being compromised.”
“I know,” Holly said. “That’s what I told him last night.”
“You knew he was going to try to escape?” Michael accused.
“I knew it was a possibility. I couldn’t fault him. A person can only be held in near solitary confinement for so long,” she admitted. “Can’t begin to tell you how many times or ways I tried to break out of the bunker.”
Michael nodded. “You don’t seem as distraught over this as I had expected.”
Holly pushed Jesse off of her and sat up. She shrugged. “I told you I didn’t trust him. I’m surprised he waited this long. If he’s not dead already, you’d be wise to make sure he either is or that he does not find a way to attempt again. He will bring the AMAN to your doorstep, and that is a not a fight we need on our hands.”
Jesse gritted his teeth and glared at her. He was certain she had turned double agent on him. She was no longer helping the AMAN.
Sensing Jesse’s frustrations, she smacked him hard in the arm. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. I’m working with both sides and for neither of them. Michael, have I not made that clear?”
“Yes ma’am, perfectly clear,” her friend said with a smile.
“I need to speak to the General right away,” Holly told Michael.
Michael nodded. “That can be arranged. Why don’t you at least let him get some breakfast first.”
“No, immediately would be best,” Holly said.
“Come on then.”
Jesse reached for her arm. He still looked shocked and his eyes, usually so cold and unreadable, begged her not to leave.
“I won’t be gone long,” she assured him.
Michael led Holly up to Gunny’s office. She knew the route well, even memorized the exact step count to get there, as she had virtually mapped out every route and hallway in her mind. Michael knocked on the door before opening it.
Gunny was sitting behind his desk. He looked stressed but smiled when Holly appeared in his doorway.
“Holly Jenkins, it’s been a few days now. Has the information we gave you sunken in some? Are you ready to talk?”
“Yes, but not yet. I’m sure you heard about Oliver’s escape attempt?”
“I’m afraid so. I know you warned us about him, but I still can’t believe he had the audacity to try. My men tried to take him down, but he fought back. When he disarmed one of my men and took gun, I’m afraid he left me no choice. I do hope this in no way affects what we’ve been working towards.”
Holly shook his head. “Oliver was an idiot. I would fear for your lives, as well as my own, had you let him escape. You made the right call. There are no ill feelings here. It does leave me with a big concern, though.”
“Tell me,” Gunny said.
“Jesse.”
“The other prisoner?”
“Yes. I didn’t trust Oliver enough to push for more freedom for them, and clearly I was right to do that. I am asking that, in light of the situation, you allow Jesse to leave the room. I’d like him as my personal bodyguard and will take full responsibility for him. If you trust me as you say you do, then give me this.” Holly left no room for argument. She needed Jesse’s cooperation now more than she ever thought before, and knew this would be a step towards getting it.
“Do you feel unsafe here in my shelter? Has anyone tried to bring harm to you?” the General demanded.
“No, quite the opposite. This has nothing to do with your people. If we are to secure a peaceful meeting between you and the AMAN, I need Jesse on my side. Locking him up and keeping him in the dark isn’t going to make that happen.”
“Why would I want a peaceful meeting with those people?”
“Oh please, it’s exactly what has to happen. Don’t play coy with me, General. You and the AMAN will have to come to some agreements, a peace treaty, if necessary, if we are to ever have a chance for a true society. The first step towards freedom and unity starts here, it starts now, and it starts with Jesse.”
He considered her words only a moment before he conceded. She had expected it to take much more than that.
“Okay, but under guard—”
“No,” Holly cut him short. “If we must, Michael can hang out with us for a couple days, and you can leave a guard at our door at night, but I need him to start feeling trusted around here. He won’t be a threat. That I promise. I don’t know what sort of orders or agreement he has with Griffon, but I know he cannot hurt me or interrupt my mission in any way. He had the opportunity to leave last night, too. And truthfully, he’s one of the smartest, sharpest men I’ve ever met. Lethal and highly intelligent, unlike Oliver. Had he gone, there’s a very real chance that he would have made it out of here, but he chose not to. He won’t be a problem.”
“I’m not a man that trusts that easily, Holly,” the General said. “Do you really understand what you’re asking?”
“I do. I also know trust can’t be won behind a locked door, sir. I need Jesse’s help.”
He nodded. “I don’t like this, but okay. I’m going to put my faith in you. He will be watched closely, but I will have my men do it from a distance.”
“Same as they watch me,” Holly said sweetly. “I don’t fault you that.
The old man smiled. “You are easy to underestimate, my little wildflower.”
Holly smiled. “Thank you. May we begin immediately? I’d like to take him to the chow hall for breakfast.”
Gunny nodded. “Michael, make the others aware.”
“Yes, sir.”
Holly left the room, knowing Michael would follow.
“You’ve got bigger balls than half the men here,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “And I can see by the gleam in your eyes that you’re starting to formulate a plan.”
Holly winked at him. “You know it. Now, step one.”
She opened the door to the room she shared with Jesse. He was freshly showered and changed into clean fatigues left for him.
“You hungry?” Holly asked.
He nodded. “Breakfast will be along shortly. They’re timely at least, I’ll give them that.”
“Come on. They serve you crap for food. Let me introduce you to the chow hall,” Holly told him.
He stood and frowned down at her, arms crossed over his chest. “Sure thing. Ha ha ha. You’re quite the comedian this morning.”
“Actually, she’s not joking. Our girl here just went to bat for you in a big way. I’d say a ‘thank you’ was in order, and then I’d agree. It’s time for breakfast. Already been a hell of a day,” Michael confessed.
* * * * *
Jesse was still skeptical, but he followed them anyway, surprised at every corner when they didn’t drag him back to the room that had become his cell. He was in such shock over the change of events that they were more than halfway there before his instincts and training kicked in to start memorizing details of the place.
He was amazed at how many women and children were in the chow hall. The smell of food made his stomach growl. They had fed them decently in his time there, far better than the AMAN would have done if the roles were reversed, but nothing like what he saw before him.
“Good morning, Wildflower,” a little dark-skinned girl said, running over and hugging Holly.
“Good morning, Adai. I heard you had a tummy ache the other day. Are you feeling better now?” Holly asked.
The little girl shook her head, yes. “All better, thanks,” she said before skipping off towards a group of little kids.
In truth, Jesse hadn’t really been around kids since he was a child, himself, and his memories about them weren’t always that great. These kids looked happy, and while it probably shouldn’t have surprised him to find Holly on a first name basis with the little girl, seeing it in person affected him strangely.
And Adai wasn’t the only one. Holly seemed to know every single person there by name, and enough about them to hold a genuine conversation and ask about their well-being. It was easy to see she truly did care about these people.
“You look like a man seeing that woman for the first time,” Michael commented as Jesse stared at Holly while she made her rounds throughout the room.
“Maybe,” Jesse said noncommittally.
“Best part of it all, that girl has no idea what she’s doing.”
“What do you mean?” Jesse asked.
“Look at her, look at the faces of everyone she comes in contact with. She brings this light to their lives, and she doesn’t even realize it. I’m convinced it’s just who she is. And it’s a gift, man. A beautiful gift. Look at her. That’s our Wildflower. See her with you own eyes. See what she does, and whatever you do, man, guard it with your life. Don’t let the AMAN use her for their own agenda, because that is a light that should never be dimmed,” Michael told him.
Jesse looked at Holly, really looked at her, and he saw what the man was talking about, but he also knew that light had already begun to dim. How much brighter did she shine before? No wonder the AMAN were terrified of her. No wonder the Major wanted her protected at all costs.
Michael walked him through the line and introduced him to several people. It was hard for Jesse not to feel a little out of place, looking around at the colorful faces surrounding him. And yet somehow, it also felt peaceful, like home. It overwhelmed him. Seeing Holly in action also overwhelmed him.
They filled their plates and settled down at a table. Holly soon joined them.
“Looks like you’ve made some friends” Jesse commented.
Holly brushed it off.
Jesse looked down at her plate and noticed the heaping helping of plain rice and applesauce. He didn’t remember seeing either at the bar.
Noticing Jesse eyeballing her food, Holly commented, “Special diet. Doctor’s orders. It’s easier on my stomach and helps me to not throw up as much.”
Michael grinned. “Michelle told me the good news. How are you feeling?”
“Feeling better? Are you sick? What’s wrong?” Jesse asked, looking her over. The concern evident in his eyes.
Michael shot her an apologetic look.
Holly sighed. Much like life in the compound, nothing was secret around there. At least a dozen people had hugged her and congratulated her that morning as she made her rounds to say hello. With Jesse’s new travel privileges, it was only a matter of time before he found out anyway.
“I’m not sick, Jesse, and turns out that it’s possible you weren’t trying to poison me with that crap you claimed to be edible. I am pregnant.”
* * * * *