The Pulse Read Online Free PDF Page B

Especially when one of those numbers was a huge man.
    He shook his head. “I have a pretty sweet setup—an apartment with a fireplace, plenty of ammo, and another stash of breeding rats I’m hoping the army hasn’t found yet.”
    Emily tried to swallow back her disappointment. “I see.”
    “I can’t leave, Emily,” he said. “I’m a convict, remember? If I start trying to travel around, I’ll be at risk of being found out. And shot.”
    “Of course,” she said. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I should never have asked you to come with me. I’ll go alone, it’ll be fine.”
    She turned her face so he wouldn’t see the tears of disappointment filling her eyes. Damn it, why should she cry over his refusal? She had to leave with or without his help so she may as well suck it up.
    “Why leave at all?” he asked.
    “I can’t go back to the camp, I can’t!” she said, panic starting to seep into her voice.
    “Shh,” he said, caressing her back like she was a scared animal. “It’s okay, you don’t ever have to go back.”
    “They’ll find me, they’ll take me, I know it.”
    “Why would they go through the trouble of finding you in particular? You’re another mouth to feed. They won’t care if you don’t want to stay. Why would they?”
    “I know something. A big secret. And—I stole something. So, yeah, they’re gonna look for me. I can’t stay in the city.”
----
    “I wouldn’t worry about stealing something,” Mason said, even as he saw the fear in her eyes. “Everyone’s a thief now, it seems. Those who aren’t, are dead.”
    “No, I stole something important.”
    Mason looked at her. A gun , he thought. Guns were worth a lot now, especially if she filched some ammo as well. He looked at her with renewed respect. That girl had guts to steal something so important.
    “Show me,” he said.
    She froze. “Oh God, what if this is a setup? What if you’re a soldier, and you followed me here to get it?”
    Mason almost laughed, but he could tell the notion truly terrified her. “I’m not a soldier. I told you.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t show you. I can’t.”
    Fine. Let her have her secret gun. As long as she didn’t use it on him. “That’s okay. You can keep your secret.”
    “No, the secret’s something else. Another reason why I have to escape.”
    “There’s nothing to escape to.”
    “What if there is?”
    “I told you, I’m fine here. I’m not leaving.”
    Emily sighed. “But I am. I’ll sleep here tonight and leave in the morning.”
    Mason didn’t want her to go, he realized. He’d gotten used to being alone, but he missed having a woman for company. He only had himself to look out for, and that’s the only reason he’d been able to make it this long. If he started making decisions based on the whims of this woman, he’d die.
    Either he’d starve to death or he’d be gunned down by the soldiers. No, he couldn’t go with her. And she couldn’t stay with him.
    He looked down at her tangled dark hair. Her breath became slower, deeper. She had fallen asleep in his arms.
    Hugging her against his chest, he focused on the feel of her warm little body on his. He had to remember this moment forever, because tomorrow, she’d be gone.
    Unless…

On the Tracks in Grand Central, Jenna picked up her rag and squeezed the cold gray water back into the wash pail. Looking at her body carefully, she scrubbed a speck of dirt off the back of her thigh.
    She had grown used to seeing her legs covered with a light coat of fuzz. She barely ever got to bathe properly, much less shave. The powers that be afforded her a daily pail of wash water when most people had to wait a week for one because the soldiers wanted the girls clean.
    She still smelled, everyone did. Deodorant wasn’t a priority, and even if it was, the supply was gone.
    No trucks came with supplies. The stores weren’t magically filled like they used to be.
    The time she used to spend looking at