Free Emergence (Eden's Root Trilogy) by Rachel Fisher

don’t know,” he said. “You just have to find them. I don’t know how much longer she can hang on, Sean. I’m losing her. She’s slipping away.”
    His breath caught as the words left his mouth . His worst fears were no longer just maddening loops in his mind. They were whole. Concrete. I’m losing her. She’s slipping away.
    The speaker crackled and Sara’s voice came through, firm and strong . “Asher! We just met a traveler who said he saw them. He didn’t want to get involved, but he said none of them seemed to be harmed. We thought it would be two weeks to catch up to them, but we’ll redouble our efforts.”
    A wave of relief buckled him , and he sank against the wall and to the floor. They were alive! He blinked back the tears that seemed to be ignoring his efforts to corral them. He clicked the button on the radio, almost surprised to find it still clutched in his hand. “I’m sorry, guys. I know I put you in danger. And I know you’re already trying your hardest…”
    Sara’s voice was firm . “ We promise you, Ash. We’re going to find them.”
    He dropped the radio, put his head in his hands, and sobbed.
     
     
     

Countdown
    -------- ----- Carter ---------------
    “Welcome, Initiates!”
    Carter’s voice rang out through the l oudspeakers over the settlement. Though he would have loved to give this speech to them in person, Silas had agreed that it might be too risky. For now, the colonists were too angry and likely to be riled up. Since Silas was never afraid of anything, Carter had acquiesced. Besides, he thought, swaying in his chair in the tiny radio room, it was freezing out there. A smile curled his lips, tugging at his thick, white beard.
    He leaned forward over the microphone . “Today is your first official day on the path of Truth!”
    His heart leapt as he finally began the address that he’d been delivering in his imagination for every minute since Silas had informed him that Eden had been found . Now that the day had arrived, he really did wish he could be in front of his audience so he could watch them squirm. Surely he would be safe, seeing as the “initiates” were not only guarded, but also secured behind barbed wire. Oh well, he thought, he’d have to take it up with Silas again. He took a deep breath and forged ahead, warmed by the satisfaction of a dream made real.
    “From this day forward you will be sustained on a life of fa ith, nourished by the Word. You will not be harmed or mistreated while you are here with us at Camp Truth.”
    Too bad, he thought . If he’d had his way he’d just have let Silas have his. For a split second he paused, enjoying the image of Silas unleashing his creativity on these sanctimonious liars.
    “ You will be given adequate food and shelter, but you will not be permitted to leave. This is your initiation period with us. For those of you who wish to leave your secure encampment and join the settlement, you have only to convert. For those of you who continue to reject the Truth, you will have only sixty days with us, after which time, you will be taken south and dispersed into the Wasteland.”
    Carter let that sink in . Dammit, he wished he could see their faces! This was just like with Diaspora I: all that sneaking and hiding. He never got to step up and announce his presence, to say, “Hey, assholes, who’s selected for death now?” A giggle rose in his throat and he coughed. That was how he’d always imagined it, “Who’s selected for death now?”
    But he hadn’t been able to do that . Instead it had been two minutes of getting past security with his ID badge and winning smile and weeks of hiding in the support tunnels, alone, scrabbling like a rat, until the time came. When they were settled in, going to school, watching movies, spinning up trouble in their labs…when they were sure the world above had devolved into flame and agony. THEN he would strike. He’d lulled them to sleep and then the day came. That day they