Page 34 of Beacon

“What can we do?” I ask her, genuinely curious.

“I’ve got an idea. But we’re going to need help.” She glances back at her crew, who are tending the wounded and disarming the bodies of the dead attackers. “We’re going to need a lot of help.”

A couple of hours later, Mack and I are in the sunroom of the Carlsons’ farmhouse, sitting on a bench across from Cal and Rachel.

They were both thrilled to see Mack. As soon as Rachel saw us approach, she broke into a run, sprinting over and launching herself at Mack with a hug. Even Cal was effusive (for him). He gave Mack a hard pat on his back and announced it was great to see him. And while both of them were no doubt disappointed when Mack explained he wasn’t planning to go home yet, they didn’t pressure or reproach him. Partly, I suspect, because they were sure they’d see him again soon.

In the short time since we encountered Maria, a lot has been decided. Maria is going to organize an attack on the place she’s identified as the central headquarters for the criminal activity around the border, but it’s going to take a huge force to carry out her plan. Even with most of the nearby farming community willing to help, she’ll need a lot of extra hands, so she’s heading back toward our region of Kentucky to recruit assistance.

Cal and Rachel are doing the same. They don’t even hesitate before jumping right into the planning and implementation. And after about an hour’s worth of group discussion with the others, they’ve decided to leave this afternoon to get started.

Rachel asks me privately if I want to come with them, and I tell her I don’t know.

Because Idon’tknow.

I don’t yet know all my options.

So by mutual agreement, the four of us have broken off from the rest of the group so we can talk before Cal and Rachel take off.

“You’re sure you don’t want to come with us?” Rachel asks Mack, her green eyes huge and worried. Almost pleading. “You don’t have to be part of this whole thing.” She gestures back at the larger room in the house where we can still hear Maria talking. “You can just go home.”

Mack shakes his head. “I can’t.”

It’s the same thing he told me, so I’m not surprised by the response. I reach over without looking at him and rub his thigh, wanting to comfort him somehow and not having any other method.

Rachel sees the gesture and appears to make mental note of it, but she doesn’t comment. She shifts her eyes to my face. “Are you coming with us or staying with Mack?”

My throat tightens so much I can’t make anything more than a weird helpless sound. She and Cal clearlydon’t know that I haven’t been invited to accept the second option.

Mack stiffens beside me. “She’s not staying here. She’s going back where it’s safe. She’s gonna teach English in Halbrook.”

“Mack,” I mumble, turning toward him more fully. We’ve been sharing the bench so we’re right next to each other. “That’s not what I’m going to do.”

His mouth twists. “Please, Anna,” he says hoarsely, so softly it’s just to me. “I want you safe and happy. I need that.”

“I might be safe there, but I won’t be happy. I need to… I’m going to help with this plan. However I can.”

His jaw clenches. “Why do you have?—?”

“Because Maria helped me when I needed it. She helped me be strong. And now she’s the one who needs help, and I’m not going to let her down.” I reach out to take Mack’s face in both hands as if I can force my words to get through to him. “Because these people here on the farms have been nothing but good to us, and they need help too.”

He stares at me for several seconds, breathing hard through his nose. His face is slightly damp like he’s started to sweat. “Is that the real reason?” he finally asks.

“Yes, it’s the real reason. But also… also…” My voice breaks, and I can’t finish. I can’t look away from his fierce stare.

“Say it.”

“Because the people we’ll be fighting are the ones who hurt you,” I force out, feeling naked, completely exposed. “And they’re going to answer for that.”

No one says anything for a minute. I notice from the corner of my eye that Rachel has reached over to hold Cal’s hand.

“They’re gonna answer,” Cal says at last. “They’re gonna answer for all of what they’ve done.”

Rachel nods and leans forward. “They will. Maria is on the warpath, and we all know what that means. So, Anna, you can either come with us now and return here when we do, or you can stay with Mack and then join us in six weeks when everyone starts gathering.”

The drive in Cal’s truck takes less than two days, but on foot like Maria and her crew the trip takes almost two weeks. We need a lot of time to gather forces.

I clear my throat and turn back toward Mack.

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