Hunger (Gone 2)

She could still see, barely, though one eye was obscured. She could see across the floor to where Mike had left the pistol, just the way she had told him to.

She would have to move with infinite patience. Millimeter by millimeter. Imperceptible movements of her hip and arm. The gun was underneath the table, far in a corner, seven, eight feet away.

Satan walked the earth in this evil trinity of Caine, Drake, and Diana. And Brittney had been chosen to stop them.

Watch me, Tanner, she prayed silently. I’m going to make you proud.

Quinn and Albert were silent as they drove back to Perdido Beach.

The truck was heavier by many pounds of gold.

Lighter by two kids and a dog.

Finally Quinn spoke. “We have to tell Sam.”

“About the gold?” Albert asked.

“Look, man, we lost the Healer.”

Albert hung his head. “Yeah.”

“Sam has to know that. Lana’s important.”

“I know that,” Albert snapped. “I said that.”

“She’s more important than some stupid gold.”

For a long time Albert didn’t respond. Then, finally, “Look, Quinn, I know what you think. Same as everyone else. You think I’m just all about me. You think I’m just into being greedy or whatever.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No. Well, maybe,” Albert admitted. “Okay, maybe I want to be important. Maybe I want to have a lot of stuff and be in charge and all that.”

Quinn snorted. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“But that doesn’t make me wrong, Quinn.”

Quinn didn’t have anything to say to that. He was sick at heart. He would be blamed for losing Lana Arwen Lazar. The Healer. The irreplaceable Healer. Sam would be disgusted with him. Astrid would give him one of her cold, disappointed looks.

He should have stuck to fishing. He liked that. Fishing. It was peaceful. He could be alone and not be bothered. Now, even that was ruined with him having Albert’s guys working under him. Having to train them, supervise them.

Sam was going to blow up. Or else just borrow Astrid’s cold, disappointed look.

They bounced out onto the highway.

“The streetlights are out,” Albert said.

“It’s almost morning,” Quinn said. “Maybe they’re on a timer.”

“No, man. They aren’t on a timer.”

They reached the edge of Perdido Beach. It began to dawn on Quinn that something very big was very wrong. Maybe even something bigger and wronger than losing the Healer.

“Everything’s dark,” Quinn said.

“Something’s happened,” Albert agreed.

They drove down pitch-black streets to the plaza. It was eerie. Like the whole town had died. Quinn wondered if that’s what had happened. He wondered if the FAYZ was in some new phase. Just he and Albert left, now.