Zocopalypse (Death Fields 1)

“They’re working under the concept that they are saving the world from extremists,” he says keeping his eyes level to mine. “They’ve recruited the best to put a stop to the groups terrorizing and oppressing people all around the word.”

“Do you believe this? They unleashed a bio-weapon they couldn’t control. They’ve killed just as many innocents as any other terrorist group.”

He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter what I believe, but I do want that antidote created. Otherwise we’re all screwed.”

I sigh and rub my head. “This is a nightmare.”

“Now you know why your father went underground.”

“Is that an option?” I smile weakly. “Because I’m okay with that one too.”

“Nope.”

“I didn’t think so.” I pick up my can of soup and stir it around. “Okay, here’s the deal. I’ll take you to the packet if you’ll help me find my sister—but you have to promise me that once we give them the information we’re free to go.”

He gives me a short nod. “Done.”

“I’m not finished,” I say and get a small sense of pleasure from the frown on his face. “You’re going to help me find my dad and you’re going to help us get away from all of this. Somewhere PharmaCorp, Erwin and the god forsaken Eaters can’t find us until this whole thing blows over.”

“Why do you think I can do that?” he asks.

I roll my eyes. “I’ve seen your ninja skills, dude. I’m pretty sure you’ve got more than one secret hideout around here.”

He grins. “It’s possible.”

“So, do we have a deal?” I ask offering my hand. Without hesitation, he clasps mine in his own. I hope he can’t feel the tremble in my fingers. I don’t trust Wyatt. Not one bit but to get out of this alive and back to my family I’ve made a deal with the devil. Now I have to live with it.

***

The next day is for sleeping. Eating. And general refueling. I make a bed for myself in the backseat of a moldy smelling Chevy and pass out. When I wake it’s dark outside. We leave at dawn so I start packing, sorting and arranging my life in the tiny compartments of my backpack.

“You about ready?” Cole says sliding into the front seat and peering over the headrest.

“Yeah.”

“And you’re okay with the plan to follow Wyatt?”

Deep in one of the pockets I come across something small and metal. I pull out my mother’s wedding ring. It feels like months since we left the house when it’s only really been about five weeks. What would she think of all this? Wyatt. Cole. PharmaCorp.

She’d probably pull the blankets over her head and pray that when she woke up it was all a terrible nightmare.

Before Cole can ask about it, I shove the ring back inside my pocket. “We don’t have any other choice.”

“Are you sure because I don’t trust him—any of them, Alex.”

I laugh. “And you think I do?”

He reaches forward and brushes the stray hair out of my eyes. “I’ve still got your back, you know that, right? You can trust me.”

I look in his blue eyes. The only eyes I’ve known since before this all happened and admit that after everything we’ve been through I believe him. I can trust Cole. But Cole can’t get me back my family. And he can’t assure me safety—even if it comes at a high price.

“We’ll get through this,” I say zipping up the bag and exiting the back seat. “And save the world while doing it.”

***

As promised, the first thing Wyatt does after we leave the garage is take us to the truck. My truck. He left it tucked in one of the hundreds of weathered, falling down barns that litter the roads in rural South Carolina. The sense of happiness that overcomes me when I see it is ridiculous. I guess that’s what happens when you have nothing left. Things and people you barely know take on a sense of importance. It’s what makes us human. And humans are in increasingly rare shortage lately.

With any luck we can fix that.