Confrontation (The Seamus Chronicles Book 4) by K. D. McAdams Page A

logic.
    “To prevent discussion. If he makes it a fire drill, no one will stop to ask questions until we’re all in the cave,” Henry says, looking several steps ahead.
    “We have so much stuff, though. We can’t get it all there tonight.” I’m not sure I can see the logic in Henry’s thought process.
    “Think about the priorities,” he says. “He’ll move those first, and then send people loyal to him back to the village on supply runs. It may not be the wrong move, Seamus. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing in his shoes.” He shakes his head slowly.
    The spare reactor will be first. He’s not even going to ask; he’ll just walk into my cabin and take it. Would he dare send my brother to do it?
    “I gotta go,” I holler to Henry over my shoulder.
    Racing back to the cabin, my mind is scattered. I’m worried that Sofie will try and stop whoever comes to take my reactor. She doesn’t need to get hurt for me. Are Luke and Sonjia ready to go? How can I change Mike’s mind?
    My adrenaline is flowing and I’m ready to fight. I’m not going to hide in the cave and they are not taking my reactor; they can’t have any of them. I’m no longer the stiff, weak nerd I was a year ago. I have muscles and strength and I can stand up for myself.
    The cabin is quiet. Even Sofie is not there; she must still be at Grace’s cabin, taking care of the babies. Thinking of her with babies and not having one of her own sends a shock of pain through my heart. This is the first time I have felt this way, but once again my personal feelings are out of sync with what I need to do for the greater good.
    On the floor sits the spare reactor. It’s not quite ready to go. I left it in pseudo disarray so Mike would think I need more time to work if he stopped in for a surprise inspection.
    Quickly, I reconnect wires and perform a visual inspection. Intense focus leads me into a trance-like state. All I see are the next few steps I need to take and the work directly in front of me. My fingers have gained in dexterity since I have been working with my hands. Progress is fast and sure.
    A voice at the door startles me. “Seamus.”
    The cabin is not elaborate, just two simple rooms. Mike is not going to wait at the door for me to invite him in. I need to escape and bring the reactor with me. The wall gives a little when I push against it, and I may be able to squeeze through and get away.
    Using my feet, I push hard on the base of the wall and get my legs out and down to the ground. Using my butt and my back, I push harder and make room for my torso to slide out.
    As quietly as possible, I drag the reactor toward me. I’m half in the cabin and half out. A few more feet and I will be free.
    The reactor is fixed and rigid; I can’t squeeze it through the hole I’ve made with my body. I need another six inches of space, but the wall will not budge.
    Luke’s body fills the doorway. “What the hell are you doing?” he asks.
    “Mike is going to move us all to the cave and this reactor is the first thing he’s going to take,” I tell him, panic in my voice.
    “How do you know that?” Luke asks.  He is not focusing on the right things.
    “I just do. If you want to go, you have to leave now,” I tell him, trying to emphasize the urgency.
    Luke is still confused. “Why are you trying to sneak out through the wall?”
    “So I could bring you the reactor and you could leave. Mike wants to turn it into a weapon, and I’m not going to let him. Would you please hurry?” I don’t understand how he can stand there and think.

Chapter 8
     
    I’m scared. We’ve been here for a year and no one has been disciplined—I may be the first.
    Luke left with the reactor just before the last rest period. I have to assume that he and Sonjia went out of the village. If they can push hard through our rest period and a work period, they could open a large gap.
    I got almost no sleep, waiting for Mike or David to show up and take the