Pipe Dreams Read Free Page A

the stairwell.
      Jeremy hunched down between the bushes, but the cramped space didn ’t provide adequate cover. Wriggling to get comfortable in the dirt, he lay on his stomach and supported his head with his hands. The tangy aroma of earth and foliage promised hope. Unlike the decaying buildings and cracked concrete, what died here would be reborn. He inhaled deeply and resigned himself to waiting.
    Vanessa didn ’t visit the Brownstone often. The NSO frowned upon unsupervised activity, proclaiming it invited sin. Jeremy spat at the hypocrisy. He had spied on the mating games the NSO encouraged. Hunched old men and teenage boys lusted after young virgins in silly games of Duck, Duck, Goose, their eager eyes blazing as the girls chased each other around the circle. The memory sickened him. Then again, so did the NSO’s treatment of single, mature women. Beyond the jobs they performed, women like Vanessa were meat. Their bodies fed the insatiable appetites of the men who drove them.
    Jeremy shifted uneasily. As blue twilight descended, he pulled a cloth-wrapped package from his pocket and opened it, his stomach rumbling. The cold rat was gamey and tough, but he devoured it. When only tiny bones were left, he flung them into the bushes , wiped his mouth, and took a swig from his water bottle.
    Dark crept over the city, drowning the buildings, trees, and streets in indigo and black. Jeremy glanced nervously at the Brownstone. He didn ’t relish being out late, alone. When the door finally opened, Vanessa scanned both directions before stepping onto the sidewalk. Walking up the street, she held her head high. These visits gave her strength and Jeremy whispered a small thanks to the lighted window on the second floor. He wished she had gone back to the park, but didn’t begrudge her this small comfort. Straightening from his cramped position, he trailed her until she reached her building. Then he turned toward home, following his trap line through the park.
    The first three were empty, but a healthy squirrel was in the fourth. He bent to release the trap, pulled the limp body free of the jaws, and wrapped it in the paper from his dinner. Stuffing it in his pocket, he moved to the next one. As he came upon it, he stiffened. A man was kneeling in front of it feverishly working the snare. Jeremy took two long strides, grabbed the man's collar, and jerked him back so he landed with a thud in the dirt.
    “My territory, asshole,” he said. The man stood and raised his arms, not wishing to fight. As he did, Jeremy caught a glimpse of his wraith-thin body.
    “Sorry. Didn’t mean nothing. Just hungry, is all.”
    “Get out of here and don ’t come back. I catch you at in my neighborhood again, I won’t be so easy. Understand?” The man nodded and backed away. As he took off running, Jeremy swallowed the lump in his throat. Once, he might have been willing to share the catch. Now, the numbers of the Fallen were increasing and there wasn’t enough food. Without surplus stores, winter would be merciless. He glanced around, looking for more intruders, but there were none. Nevertheless, he would have to put more callers in the park. Michael was right. Scaring away the hordes was the only way to remain safe.
    At the Gate, Jeremy gave a low whistle. When it was returned, he checked the alley again before wedging his body inside the narrow crack. The tunnel was completely dark. It slanted downward and made several turns before leveling. A series of steel doors opened into closets, rooms, and different passageways. The cell members had taken a long time to memorize the route because, at his insistence, the tunnel was never lit.
    Stepping into the vast basement, Jeremy heaved a contented sigh. The smooth, concrete walls were windowless. Steel beams and fluorescent lights ran across the ceiling. When illuminated, the basement was bright as day.
    He waved at the people gathered around the long, stainless steel counter in the kitchen to