Maria started to protest.

“We understand,” Omondi answered, his dark eyes silencing Maria with just a look.

“Vanguard Martinez, your work has been impressive,” the commandant said, directing her fierce gaze at Maria. “You will continue to compile the information you’re gleaning from your observations and relay them through the Chief Defender. We would like you to work closely with Medic Denman on his reports as well. It’s best if we keep communication between us to the minimum. The media will be watching closely, attempting to glean any information it can.”

“Understood,” Maria said.

Now that all the reports would be funneled through Omondi, that also meant any information coming from the SWD would be seen exclusively by the Chief Defender. Maria liked him well enough and trusted him to lead them, but she was bothered by the decision.

“We look forward to your progress reports, Chief Defender Omondi,” the commandant said, then the screen went blank.

Just before the transmission had been cut, Maria had seen a worried look on Dr. Curran’s face. Something was definitely amiss.

Omondi quickly folded up the screen. His jaw was set and tension edged his movements making them sharp.

“What do you think is really going on?” Maria finally dared to ask.

Omondi stared out over the valley, then toward the closed gate. It was obvious he was troubled, but at last he merely shrugged. “We have a job to do and we’ll do it.” He brushed past her and headed back to where the others remained in torpor.

Maria spiritlessly followed.

* * *

Commandant Pierce glanced up as Dwayne entered her office. He had been surprised by her late night summons. She was usually at home with her daughter by this hour of the night. The commandant’s husband had died of a heart attack a few years after the birth of their only child. In spite of her often abrasive and dismissive manner, she was a devoted mother.

Seated behind her desk, she looked older than usual. Maybe it was the light from the lamp on her desk catching the silver in her tightly-woven hair, or how the shadows accentuated the lines around her face and eyes.

“Please take a seat,” she said in an unusually tired voice. Her powerful demeanor and finely-toned physique never betrayed weakness. But tonight, everything about her appearance and conduct was weighed down with exhaustion.

Dwayne settled into the black leather chair. Her desk was pristine, the glass and chrome gleaming, but the clutter scattered across it was unusual. Many screens were opened on the desktop and pads and actual paper littered one corner. The photo of her deceased husband and their infant daughter was set at an angle so she could easily view them. Dwayne had never seen the photo before. It was odd to see such an object of sentimentality on the Commandant’s desk.

 Soft, short, pudgy with a receding hairline, blue eyes, and skin as white as snow: Leonard Pierce had been an opposite to his wife. The husband and wife had been a study in contrasts. Dwayne had met the man once or twice. He had been impressed with Leonard’s humor and kindness.

His gaze drifted from the photo to Commandant Pierce.

“I loved him more than life itself. When he died, I thought I would never breathe again. I wanted to die with him, but I had Lucinda to think about. Sweet Lucy Lou, her father called her. She gave me a reason to continue living when all I wanted to do was die,” the commandant said in a soft, weary voice.

Dwayne sat in silence, unsure of how to respond. He was mystified by her summons. It was best to allow her to reveal the reason for their late meeting on her own terms.

“She’s everything to me, Castellan Reichardt. Lucy is my reason for life and breath. You’re a father of three. I know you understand what I’m talking about.”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

Settling in her chair, the commandant raised her eyes toward the ceiling, but her gaze was unfocused. “Everything I do is for my daughter. Yes, I took a vow to the Constabulary and to the city, but at the very core of my being, every decision I make is to ensure the security of The Bastion so that my daughter can grow up to be the amazing woman I know she will be.” Her right hand tightened into a fist.

“Does this concern the special ops clearing the valley?” Dwayne dared to ask.

With a sharp shake of her head, the commandant removed any hope Dwayne had that she would finally draw him into her confidence about the SWD secret mission. “No. I cannot speak of that mission. My involvement in the SWD mission to clear the valley is cursory at best.” Her voice was bitter.

“I see.” Dwayne understood perfectly. President Cabot had the commandant towing the line. The SWD was definitely firmly in charge of the mission Maria was on.

“I have called you in here because I was given recent orders that I have decided should be delegated to you. Because of the president’s political maneuverings and grandstanding, the entire city knows that something is going on in the valley. Speculation is high as to how the valley is being cleared, but the specifics of the mission are not being divulged until after the mission is completed…if ever. The president needs for The Bastion citizens to be firmly focused on that mission. He wants them to have hope for a future without the Scrags.” The commandant’s voice was growing huskier with emotion. Sliding a report over to Dwayne, she said, “You must see this.” She thumbed the corner of the clear sheet identifying herself as the reader. Instantly, the report appeared.

Dwayne read swiftly. His fingers began to tremble. “I thought they said that food production was up this year?”

“It is. But food production is only to supplement stores from before the fall of the gate. The Bastion has never been self-sufficient since the gate fell. We’ve been living off the stores for years now. Each year, despite the production of food, we’re consuming vast amounts of stored food supplies. As the population grew, we consumed more. The government didn’t halt the population growth because how else can humanity continue if it doesn’t breed? The number of females still greatly exceeds the number of males. This whole situation has always been a conundrum. Everyone in the city knows that our situation is dire, but they don’t know how truly bad it is.” Commandant Pierce reached out and Dwayne handed her the report. Her face wore a neutral expression, but her eyes sparkled in the light from her lamp. “If something doesn’t change, we will all starve to death within half a year’s time.”

“They’re clearing the valley. Once the topsoil is removed and we begin farming again, the food crisis will be over,” Dwayne said, his voice tight with emotion. The report had left him with a terrible empty feeling inside.

“If they fail, or take too long in securing the valley, food rationing will begin within the next two months. This is so we can stockpile what remains of our food resources in Section A.”

“The fallback position.” Dwayne knew all about Section A. It had been created specifically to sustain a small group of people for up to two years if the city was breached. It was heavily fortified with a water reclamation system and solar panels to provide energy. “Only four thousand people can survive in there.”

Commandant Pierce tossed the report onto the stack of clear sheets resting on the side of her desk. “Though the president and the SWD are certain their top secret mission will be successful, the Constabulary has been ordered to prepare for the death of the city. In four months, if there is no successful push back of the Scrags in the valley, the healthiest of our population from ages eighteen to twenty-four will be moved to an area of the city that is being prepared now. The rations being set aside for them will keep them alive for possibly two years.”

Dwayne’s mouth and throat felt painfully dry. “I see.”

“I’ve been trying to keep this from you, but I realize that eventually your sources will begin leaking this information. Most likely not only to you, but to the media. We could have a dire situation on our hands sooner than we think.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Dwayne asked, his voice harsh with emotion.

“A small contingent of Constabulary soldiers and government officials will also be allowed into Section A. The list has already been made.” Commandant Pierce drew in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. “I often play the political game with aplomb, but sometimes that works against me. I offended someone in a high position. Though my name was originally on the list, my daughter’s was not. She’s only fourteen. I asked for her to be added. I was told that this was not possible. That it would mean removing a much healthier citizen with a better chance of survival, or robbing the survivors of experienced leadership.” Her dark eyes met Dwayne’s, her defiance clear in them. “All three of your children are on the list. And now you are, too.”

“You removed yourself,” Dwayne said in awe.

“I’d rather die with my daughter than survive without her. Once the evacuation begins to Section A, the city will spiral into chaos. There will be riots and bloodshed. I won’t leave Lucy behind to endure that alone. I already informed the president of my decision. You’re now officially in charge of preparing the evacuation to Section A and anticipating all security measures for the city.”