Pulled Together: Wasteland, #3

By Nicole Ciacchella

The third and final book of the YA apocalyptic Wasteland trilogy.

Time has become the collective's scarcest resource. Holed up in a location they can't hope to defend, and with precious few supplies, their very survival hinges on finding a defensible place to settle, somewhere they can risk using their limited store of seeds to grow more food.

Valeria pounces on the chance to join one of the scouting teams tasked with finding a new home. Reeling from the aftermath of her parents' actions and searching for answers, she's desperate to get out into the wasteland and discover who and what else is out there.

Afraid the collective's recent upheaval will call his position into question once more, Alessandro is doing his best to blend in. But when the scouting teams begin bringing back information into which he alone can provide insight, information that may hold the key to finding a secure location for the collective, he has no choice but to draw attention to himself.

When a marauding group begins closing in on their borders, the collective is forced to reckon with losing their one and only edge. Whatever the cost, they must move before they're truly prepared or risk annihilation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sweenix Rising Books
• Release date: Jan 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781540107558

Nicole Ciacchella

Nicole has progressed from scribbling in notebooks to banging on keyboards, but she’s never managed to stop daydreaming at inappropriate moments. Born and raised in Michigan, Nicole lives there still with her husband and two wonderful children. When not answering the demands of her characters, Nicole can often be found curled up with a good book or spending far too many hours acting the hero in whatever video game is her obsession of the moment. Nicole rarely meets a genre she doesn't like, and as a result has written contemporary romcoms, fantasy fiction, fairy tale retellings, and dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. She's the author of the Fairytale Collection books, the YA/NA crossover Contributor trilogy, and the Astoran Asunder series.

Book preview

Chapter 1

We need to start growing now or we're all going to starve, one of the collective members said, his voice a barely controlled snarl. Several other adults cast uneasy glances toward the far end of the underground growing section, where the teaching volunteers were doing their best to distract the children from the escalating argument.

That's idiotic, a woman replied, her face twisted in fury. We won't be staying here long enough for anything to grow.

The techs told us Zhang had some success with accelerated growth technology. We use it, we could have more greens in a month.

"If that technology works! The report wasn't definitive, and if Zhang thought it was such a good bet, why wouldn't they have used it instead of building domes? And what if we have to leave here in a hurry? We'd lose not only the greens we were growing, but the seeds. We can't afford to throw them away."

Their voices were increasing in pitch, and they had started to square off against one another. Supporters gathered on either side, murmuring encouragement. Others tried placating the crowd to keep the peace, but it was clear the dispute was on the verge of exploding into outright aggression. Footsteps pounded down the stairs, but the man and woman were so intent on their argument they didn't hear.

Alessandro, who was sitting a short distance away, did, and a jolt of relief rushed through him as Imani appeared. The Watch Commander's mouth was compressed in a tight line, and her eyes were snapping. Sometimes it seemed she spent more time dealing with internal threats than those coming from outside the collective.

Stepping between the two warring factions, Imani glared at each side in turn. We start turning against one another, we're not going to make it, she said. The argument died down, her blunt words making people shuffle uneasily as they darted glances at their neighbors. Your fellow collective members aren't the enemy.

"Time is our enemy—which is why we need to start growing," the man said mutinously.

You're right; we are running out of time, Imani said, her voice softening. But Piper is also right; we can't risk losing any seeds. We knew when we came here this facility could only provide us with temporary shelter.

We also thought we'd find food, buy ourselves more time.

Imani flinched but nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm not denying we've suffered a major setback, but the worst thing we could do right now is let fear spur us into making hasty decisions. Our techs are working around the clock to analyze every bit of data we have, so that we can make the most informed choices possible.

In the meantime, we've calculated and recalculated our supplies, and we know we have ninety days' worth of food—but we can stretch that a bit more if we need to. This gives us some wiggle room, and we need to make the most of it. By week's end, we'll have a full report from the techs and we'll hold elections for the new leadership team. Every person in this collective will be briefed on the report, and you'll be able to discuss your concerns with your newly elected leaders. We'll then reach a consensus as to whether we should try to grow a limited number of crops here to supplement our supplies, or whether we're better off waiting until we find a permanent place to settle.

You have a place in mind? the man asked, crossing his arms.

Not yet, but I won't rest until we find something—and neither will the rest of the watch.

Alessandro found himself holding his breath as the man maintained his belligerent pose for another moment, but then the man's entire body crumpled, and he nodded. Another man put his arm around his shoulders and steered him away. Imani watched the crowd until it dispersed, let out the tiniest of sighs, then headed back upstairs, where a couple of people hovered, waiting for her.

She looked exhausted—not that she was alone. Ever since they'd arrived at the second facility, the combination of fear and exhaustion had made tempers short.

The urge to panic was relentless, but Alessandro couldn't let himself succumb. He had to be strong for Enzo's sake.

Krista's death had devastated Enzo, and the collective's seemingly callous disregard for her loss ate away at him. Alessandro was still exhausted from the previous night's minefield of a conversation.

I know Prima and Krista weren't always good, Enzo had told him, burying his face against Alessandro's shoulder. But they did take care of me and keep me safe.

I know, Alessandro had said softly, running his hand over Enzo's head, hoping to soothe him with his touch. People can be bad but do good things, and the opposite is also true. You saw a different side of both Prima and Krista, a side the others didn't see.

How am I supposed to tell who's good and who's bad, then? Enzo had asked. His body had been taut with frustration, his hands fisted and pressed against his sides, and he had pressed his head against Alessandro's shoulder with painful force.

You won't always be able to tell, not at first, Alessandro had said, trying to make the words as gentle as he could. That's why we both have to be careful, why we need to pay attention to how people act and not just what they say.

Is that how you feel about Liam?

The question had pierced Alessandro to his core, and he had gone still, wondering if that was how he felt about Liam. He couldn't deny he still felt some apprehension when it came to Liam; not so much because he was afraid Liam would betray him, but because it was hard for him to believe anything good existed in this world.

I'm doing a bad job of explaining this to you, Alessandro had said with a sigh. I'm not saying we shouldn't trust anyone ever, just that we have to be careful who we do trust. Sometimes we'll be forced to work with people who aren't worthy of our trust, people like Prima and Krista. They did help us, but it wasn't out of kindness, it was because they wanted something from us. Liam is different.

Liam doesn't ask you to do things you don't want to do, Enzo had said, nodding in comprehension.

Right, but I also don't want you to think there's anything wrong with needing or wanting things from other people. We all need things sometimes.

I need you to take care of me, Enzo had murmured, his voice heavy with fatigue, and Alessandro had felt a fierce pang in his chest.

And you're definitely not a bad person, he had said, dropping a kiss on the top of his brother's head.

Neither are you, Enzo had said, sending another pang through Alessandro. Silence had stretched between them, and Alessandro had thought Enzo had fallen asleep, but then he had said, cautiously, as if afraid Alessandro might rebuke him for it, Krista wasn't all bad either.

No, she wasn't, Alessandro had agreed, stroking Enzo's hair. She was a complicated person. She had a hard life, and circumstances weren't always kind to her. In the end, though, she fought to keep the rest of us safe, and that's something none of us should forget.

Snuffling, Enzo had pressed his forehead even harder against Alessandro's shoulder. Some of the other kids told me she was bad. They said I shouldn't be sad she's gone.

Anger flaring within him, Alessandro had cradled his brother's head. Yeah, I know what they say about her, but they didn't know her like you did. So don't let anyone tell you how you're supposed to feel, not about anything, ever. You go right ahead and feel sad about Krista.

Entirely caught up in his thoughts, Alessandro didn't notice Liam returning from his night patrol, and he startled as Liam flopped down next to him.

Nothing happened during my patrol, Liam said, anticipating Alessandro's question. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes with such force Alessandro winced. Liam hadn't said much about his parents over the last couple of days, and Alessandro hadn't wanted to push, even though the toll it was taking on Liam was clear. What Alessandro had told Enzo about Krista rang true for Liam's parents as well, but he was afraid to broach the topic, worried he might cause Liam even more pain.

Is the latest scouting report in? he asked, hating how inadequate he felt.

All clear, Liam said, his voice scratchy. He coughed, and Alessandro handed him a water bottle. Thanks. Everything okay with Enzo? He looked upset when I left last night.

He's taking Krista's death hard, and some of the other kids told him he shouldn't be sad.

Liam's face darkened, and he spoke with disconcerting vitriol. Who cares what they think? Enzo has every right to be sad about her. From what he says, she was nice to him.

He's talked to you about her? Alessandro asked, surprised.

Shaking his head, Liam recapped the bottle and set it aside. Not much, really. He just said Prima's thugs were scary, but Krista would stick up for him, tell the others to back off when they harassed him.

He never told me they harassed him, Alessandro said, passing a shaky hand through his hair. Dread hollowed his stomach as he wondered what else Enzo had kept from him.

I didn't mean to upset you, Liam said, putting a hand on his arm.

It's just… What if Prima—

That's over, Liam said firmly, catching Alessandro's eye and staring at him with an intent gaze. Enzo's okay.

Alessandro wanted to say more, but he noticed several other daytime watch members heading up the stairs, and he clamped his fears down. I'd better go.

Hey, Liam said, seizing Alessandro's wrist. His brow creased as he studied Alessandro. I hope you're not upset about Enzo talking to me. There's no one he trusts more than you, but he knows you're stressed, and he's worried about you. What he told me, it just kind of spilled out.

It's okay, Alessandro said, softening. He squeezed Liam's hand. I'm glad he feels safe with you.

And I'm so glad you're here, Liam whispered, his red-rimmed eyes shining. I don't know what I'd do without you.

Alessandro tightened his grip on Liam's hand. I wish we weren't on opposite watches.

Me too.

I hope you know I'm always here for you.

I do, and it means a lot to me. Go on now. We'll find time to talk later. Liam offered a brave smile that did nothing to fool Alessandro, and he had to force himself to his feet.

You going to be okay?

His face spasming, Liam closed his eyes. I don't have much choice, do I?

Alessandro opened his mouth to reply, but Liam cut him off with a vigorous shake of his head. I'll be okay, really. I'm just tired. I'll feel better after I sleep.

Biting his lip so hard pain flared, Alessandro fumbled for words. He felt so torn. He wished he could stay with Liam, but the best way he could protect both Liam and his brother was by continuing with his patrols.

I'll be okay, Liam repeated, this time with more conviction. I'll see you tonight.

See you tonight.

Gnawing his lip, Alessandro headed for the stairs. He hazarded a glance back at Liam, who was lying curled in a ball, his arms wrapped around his head.

How am I going to handle all this? Alessandro wondered as his leaden legs plodded up the stairs.

Chapter 2

Do you think the techs will find any data that will give us an idea of where we should go? Diego asked Valeria in an undertone as they headed for their pre-patrol briefing.

Dread suffused Valeria as she thought of the scene downstairs. Sure hope so. She sighed deeply. Feels like we've been here for years rather than days.

I know what you mean, Diego said, passing a hand over his weary face. His mouth drooped at the corners as if the weight of his grief were dragging them down. He'd worn the same expression ever since they'd arrived at facility two, but unlike her, he found solace in taking action. As deep-seated as her conviction had been when she'd insisted they had to make everything the collective had suffered worthwhile, a horrible lassitude had begun to creep over her, making it difficult for her to find her own sense of determination.

Be fair, she scolded herself. Diego may throw himself into his patrols and give the appearance that he's handling things, but he cries himself to sleep every night. He's not having an easy time of it either.

The truth was she envied his ability to at least go through the motions, even though it made her hate herself. Her emotions were such a complex stew she couldn't begin to make sense of them. At times she wanted to rage at every member of the collective, scream at them for what they'd asked of her parents. At others she wanted to scream at her own parents, ask them how they could have done this to the collective, to themselves, to her.

Anger often filled her with manic energy, but the grief that threatened to pull her under offset it. She lamented everything she had lost, from her parents to the way of life the collective had lost when the Creators had abandoned them, even though she knew she was idealizing the past. She sometimes even found herself waxing poetic about it, as if the loss of those days toiling under the brutal sun in exchange for a meager bowl of corn mush were worth mourning.

At least then my life made sense. Now, I can't find the sense in anything.

Watch members crowded the conference room when she and Diego arrived. Their ranks had swollen over the last few days, until Imani had finally announced she wouldn't accept any more volunteers. This had caused some consternation, but her tact had quickly quelled it.

It's not that I don't appreciate the volunteers, because I do, more than I can say. But we can't all be watch members, and as important as our role is, it's no more important than the role the technicians, the mechanics, the growers and planters play. You form the core of our collective, and without you focusing on those roles, we aren't going to make it, she had told them.

She had spoken so convincingly Valeria had almost been tempted to quit the watch and go back to tending plants, but she couldn't. As eager as she was to bring life to the collective, she would be too restless in that role, too impatient with her inability to capture the past. Everything had changed, and she needed movement, needed to face the collective's threats head-on to keep herself alert. Otherwise, she might dissolve into nothingness.

Once everyone had gathered, Imani silenced them with a gesture. Fatigue was exacting a heavier toll on her than anyone else, since the entire collective was coming to depend on her, and Valeria wondered if she had slept at all since they had arrived at the new facility. Every time Valeria saw Imani, the Watch Commander was surrounded by people asking her questions, seeking her advice, trying to bring her up to speed on the newest intelligence. Imani's shadowed eyes and sagging face spoke of how excessively her role weighed on her. There were whispers in some corners of the collective that Imani intended to cement her power and remain the sole person in charge, but Valeria didn't buy them for a second. She was convinced Imani would be more relieved than anyone once the elections took place and she would have others to help her carry her burdens.

I have a few things I need to speak to you about, but I want to keep this brief to ensure there are as few gaps between patrols as possible, Imani said. "First, I want to update you on our situation. Neither the patrols nor the scouting teams have spotted any signs of others anywhere in our immediate vicinity, so it seems we're safe here for the time being.

"I've been fielding a lot of questions about our long-term prospects, and for good reason. Like the rest of you, I'm tired of running and eager to find a place for us to settle permanently. To that end, analysts are poring over the information contained in the Creators' files, and they've begun drawing a map of the area and ranking locations in terms of search priority. Once they've finished with those rankings, the team leaders and I will meet to devise a plan for scouting the locations.

In the meantime, I'm asking for your patience. This collective has had to deal with a lot of uncertainty, and stress levels are understandably high. But I believe wholeheartedly that we need a stable and representative form of government before we proceed because it will enable us to make decisions as a unified whole. Every member of this collective deserves a say when it comes to our next steps. The days of unilateral moves are over.

Though Imani's critique of their previous leadership was merited, Valeria flinched and tried to ignore the eyes that slid her way. She was certain Imani wasn't trying to point fingers at her, Diego, or Liam, but, regardless, some members of the collective were bound to wonder how much they had known. Even were it in her power to prevent the collective from hashing over what had happened with her parents and the leaders, Valeria wouldn't have wanted to stop them. The collective had to deal with the fallout, no matter how difficult it was personally for Valeria, Liam, and Diego.

On the whole, though, people had been kind to them, much to her surprise. She hadn't expected to be shunned, not exactly, but people had been more generous than she had anticipated. That she, Diego, and Liam refused to make any excuses for their parents probably helped, but every criticism of their parents, every furious word about their conduct fell on their three surviving children like a hail of stinging needles.

Flicking a glance at Diego, she found him staring straight ahead, his expression unreadable. The small twitch of one of his jaw muscles gave him away, though, and she could sense his pain almost as if it were her own.

Lastly, Imani said, jolting Valeria out of her fog, while I'm not by any means assured of our security here, circumstances are forcing us to split our priorities. This collective's safety is always paramount, but finding a permanent settlement is an integral part of keeping the collective safe, and that will necessitate yet another reorganization. We'll continue to need scouting and patrol teams to secure our perimeter, but in order to thoroughly scout the locations I mentioned, we'll need teams dedicated to far-ranging, multi-day missions. We can't rely on the information the Creators left behind; we need to get to know this area as intimately as we once knew the collective. We need to find out what other groups are out here and where they roam in order to choose the safest, most secure location for our own settlement.

What about the locations of the Creators' domes? someone asked.

Scowling, Imani said, We'll worry about that later. She tried to say more, but murmurs spread through the room, interrupting her speech, and she glared at everyone until they settled back down again.

Look, I feel as much rage as the rest of you when I think about the Creators, but they're indifferent to us for now, which means they're not a threat at the moment. Over the long run we'll need to know where they are too, but we need to focus on imminent threats. We have food and supplies, and that means we are a target. There's no other way of putting it. It is critical that we worry first about protecting ourselves.

The murmurs died down, fear replacing the anger that had begun to permeate the room. Imani was right that the Creators were essentially a distraction at present, but Valeria could understand the impulse to fixate on them. It was less scary than thinking about what the other people left behind might do to them. Chances were the Creators had counted on that. While they had technology and firepower on their side, the people left behind had sheer numbers. The Creators would have a much easier time of ensuring their own security if the remaining survivors were too busy fighting with one another to unite and fight against the Creators.

The collective had seen how fruitless the hope of a united uprising was. They had no choice but to focus on themselves.

Imani's voice was subdued when she continued. "I promised I'd give you the truth, even when it pains me. Our situation is precarious. I won't pretend otherwise. But I am convinced that we're taking the steps we need to take to make it more secure.

"I'm aware of what I'll be asking the long-range teams to undertake. These missions will be dangerous, which is why I want all of you to spend the next day or two considering whether you want to volunteer. If you don't feel you can take on that responsibility, I will understand, and at any rate, I can't dedicate everyone to those missions. I need people here, guarding the collective as well.

"The plan is to establish two long-range teams of six people each while maintaining four-member teams for patrolling and guarding the facility. I'll do my best to preserve team cohesion, but we will be stretched thin, and some displacement will be necessary.

That's all for now. If you have any questions or concerns, you may bring them to me as always. You're dismissed.

Valeria knew immediately and without question that she was going to volunteer for the long-range teams. She had no family, which made her an ideal candidate. Moreover, the missions would demand she test her physical limits, and she longed for the chance to get out of her own head and focus on her environment.

Gaining first-person knowledge of their external threats would help too. It would provide a stark contrast for her between what lurked in the wasteland and what the collective could offer her.

Neither she nor Diego made any move to leave as watch members began to trickle out of the room, and he gave her a shrewd look. You're thinking what I'm thinking, he said.

You want to volunteer too?

Yes, definitely. Especially if you are.

His gaze was intense, and she didn't know quite what to make of it. He had been a good friend to her, but something had changed between them. The events of the last week had created a bond with him she'd never felt for anyone else, a bond she doubted she'd ever share with another person.

More disconcerting, sometimes even the mere thought of him sent an unfamiliar quiver through her, one she didn't yet have the courage to consider.

She didn't know if he'd noticed her flailing for words, but he broke the momentary silence between them by saying, We're in this together, Valeria.

Despite that she had made the same promise to both him and Liam no more than a few days ago, a shiver ran up her