“Yes.”
“Did the people make it? The ones that did you wrong?”
I shake my head. “No. They’re dead.”
“Then I guess I’m the one with the poor odds.”
I never thought of it that way. We’re always wondering who our next enemy will be, but I’ve never considered that we may be the ones people should fear. Death and destruction follow us—me in particular—especially with my personal connection to the virus that started it all. I assess the old guy in front of me, with this weathered hands and wrinkly skin. If he made it this far he must be pretty smart. Smart enough not to screw with us.
I smile and offer him my hand, “I’m Alex, by the way. Thanks for leading us out of that mess.”
“I’m Roger.” He grips my hand and looks down at the dog, who is looking back up at us. “That’s Rooster, and we’re just trying to do our part to keep the remains of civilization civil.”
*
The cave is larger on the inside than expected—there’s room to stand and different alcoves for rooms. Battery-powered lanterns light the space. I notice a bowl of fresh eggs and salted meat in a small ’kitchen’ area near the door.
“My daddy made moonshine up here,” he points to a vent that allows him a small stove. “When that virus came around I just started moving up here, a little bit at a time. I’ve got a chicken coop out back and a couple of goats. Those monsters can’t climb up the rock, so the animals are safe.”
“So you’ve been alone this whole time?” I ask.
“Yeah, my wife died ten years ago and my kids are across the country. No idea if they made it or not.” He reaches down and pats the dog on his little head. “I found this guy on the last day I moved up here for good.”
“Why’d you name him Rooster?” Zoe asks.
“Cause he wakes me up at the crack of dawn like clockwork.”
I’m starting to think Roger invited us in because he’s lonely. After my time in solitary with Chloe, I understand better than I’d like to.
He offers us a seat and we sit around a square
table. The furnishings are nice and it’s really a pretty good set-up, other than the damp chill that lingers in the air. I rest my weapon on the table and dig in my bag for some food. I pass both Wyatt and Zoe a bag of trail mix.
Wyatt, never content to just sit, pulls out a rag and begins cleaning my hatchet. “Any idea what caused that explosion?”
“Down at those rat-infested trailers? I’d say it was God intervening, but I know better. It’s whoever you guys are hunting.”
Wyatt frowns. “Why do you think we’re hunting someone?”
The man shrugs and strokes his beard. I offer him some of my mix but he waves me off. “You’re traveling light. Just weapons and a pack. Picking up supplies as you go. I’ve watched a lot of things come and go around these parts over the last year. Armies and monsters and sometimes a mix of the two. I saw the signs that group was posting before they got tracked down and slaughtered.”
“The propaganda team was killed?” Zoe asks, her mouth agape in horror.
“Did you set off that explosion?” I ask, the pieces finally clicking together.
He looks at Zoe. “The soldiers or whatever they were came in quick. Those people had no chance, emptying their guns into thin air. I’ve never seen men so fast and efficient. I wanted to give those…things…no reason to return here, and when I saw you guys poking around I knew they’d be back.” He seems so rational but the truth is he almost killed us. I tell him as much and he replies, “Sorry about that. I came back to check and make sure you were in the clear. Unfortunately the monsters were attracted to the fire.”
“Yeah, they seem to like bright light.”
“So are you guys bounty hunters?” He looks between us. “Like on the posters?”
Having learned to hold our cards, Wyatt and I don’t reply right away. Zoe, on the other hand, blurts out, “Hell yeah. We’re here to take those Hybrids down. Clear out the countryside until they’re all gone.”
“Hybrids?”
I sigh and lean across the table. “How about I fix us some dinner and Wyatt can get you up to speed. You willing to share those eggs?”
“For a little company and news?” he asks with a grin. “I think it’s worth the price.”