The Wastelands

"Are we there yet?" Daniel whɨnėd, but his eyes were moving from one place to the next. One zombie came too close and tensed up, holding the crossbow tight to his ċhėst, Then relaxed as it stumbled by. He had chosen to keep the crossbow instead of using a gun was simple. Moreover, it was a weapon he used the most. "They're not as much of hem as before, but I don't like being out here. It's too open."

"Thing is we have to go around the collapsed building first, before even thinking about reaching the base," Katy stated. She was fiddling with the radio, playing with the buŧŧons. She was trying to contact the Base where everyone else from their group was, but no luck so far. "But I agree that we need to find cover for the night."

"Thank God, I was about to sleep on my feet," Daniel ġrȯȧnėd. "And I don't want to cross that bridge."

Before them was a bridge, and like everything around the Ruined City, broken. They were all too aware that they weren't alone out there. The crossing would make them way too vulnerable to an ambush.

Katy nodded. "Agreed, it's way to open. Might be best to see if there's another way around." She turned her head to the side. "Heather, what do you think." When no one answered, she turned entirely around. "Heather, did you hear…what are you doing."

Heather was floating in mid-air with her rifle floating beside her. She shrugged. "What? I hate walking."

Katy just sighed. "Okay, I don't feel like dealing with all that."

"And yes, if it was me, it'll be a perfect place to set up an ambush," Heather stated matter of factly. Both Katy and Daniel stared at Heather silently. Heather, in response, titled her head. "What?"

They both looked at each other before Daniel stated, quickly. "Nothing." Pausing. "Um, just wondering if you can do that." He waved his hand at Heather. "Then why don't you fly to the Base and get some help.

Heather tilted her head to the other side. "And leave you here?"

"Then…"

"I'm not carrying two people with my telekinesis." Heather interrupted Daniel, lifting her rifle a little above her head, and ċȯċked it. "Sure way of being a huge target."

Daniel's eyes didn't leave the rifle, and he swallowed. "Fair point."

Katy rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys, stop that. We need to clear out a building before…."

Suddenly the radio started to static. "Sector…cleared. Going to sector…."

Katy stared at the radio. "Wait! That's not…."

"Vibrations," Heather stated, her eyes widened in realization. "The ground it's vibrating."

Before everyone could react, Heather pushed them into a nearby building.

"Get down," Heather whispered.

Both instantly went to their knees just as trucks passed by and stopped at the bridge. Soldiers like the ones from before got out with rifles. They spread out like they were searching for something. And one looked all too familiar. Conner Tanners.

When they finally got to the safe distance, Daniel whispered. "That's Conner, right? Why is he so chummy with those guys?"

"Oh," Heather said with a flat tone. "I saw Conner gunning down Tessa earlier. So it's not surprising to see him with them."

Katy gave Heather a long stare. "Why am I just hearing this now?"

Heather just stared back.

"Nevermind." Katy sighed. "They seemed to be searching for something. Tessa, right?"

"If they found Conner, then that makes sense," Heather confirmed.

"Can you do anything with your Lumeye skills?" Daniel asked.

'If it was the other me, maybe, but with only my sniper skills and a little bit of telekinesis.' Heath shook her head. "Just too many of them."

Daniel looks scared. "How are we getting out of this?"

"I don't know," Katy replied; she started as a shot rang out and a Zombie screeched. "But we need to contact Base. Now."

***

"We got to get out of here," Tyson stated, glancing at Tessa, who was still sleeping soundly. "Tessa's seemed well enough to travel, and I haven't been a zombie in ages. So why are we sitting around?'

Captain Terrence just sat here tapping his fingers, not saying a thing. And Terran kept on cooking in the background. He was making something light, veggie and cabbage soup with biscuits stuffed with sandwich fixings.

"I know that we're supposed to wait for everyone, but Tessa needs a real doctor." Tyson turned to Terran. "No offence Terren."

"None, taken," Terran replied as he kept on stirring.

"Then…"

The Captain stopped drumming his fingers. It was abrupt enough that Tyson jumped. "How long have you known Mr. Tanners?"

"Sir, What does that have to do…."

"Answer the question," Captain Terrance commanded.

Tyson was silent for a moment before relented. "He transferred in middle school. A couple of years ago."

"A couple of years, huh," the Captain mused thoughtfully.

"They have a similar fighting style." Terran piped up as he placed the food on the table, giving the Captain a meaningful look. "Like Shadow."

"Really." The Captain slowly said, eyeing Tyson. "Have you and Mr. Tanners trained together?"

"No! I don't know about Conner." Tyson glanced at Tessa. "But Mr. Castie, um, Tessa's father hired someone to train me."

"The Shadowhawks," Captain Terrance confirmed.

"Yes, Sir," Tyson stated, then realization filled his eyes. "You're not saying that I'll betray the Castie family. On the contrary, my family has been loyal….

The Captain waved dismissal. "No, the Shadowhawks are mercenaries. For the right price, they'll do anything for their clients. Even planting someone at a school for years." The older man looked concerned. "And that's what I'm afraid of."

"What are you talking about," Tyson asked, but when Captain Terrance gave the boy a stern look. "Um, Sir."

"But what convinced me was this." The older man placed down a handheld Radio from the Coms room. "Setting up a stable Comms network takes time, years, in an area this vast." He paused. "And that someone has a lot of money." The Captain grabbed a plate and took a bite. "Funny thing is, I've been here a couple of months earlier. No sign of people, or the zombies, hell not even that Protector. And sure as hell would have noticed something that big. So they must have been laying low for quite a while. Until now, that is."

"Deakin," A weak voice coughed out. "Father has a rivalry with him."

"Tessa!" The boys cried out at the same time and rushed over.

"Tessa! Are you okay?" Implored Tyson.

"Are you feeling discomfort or pain anymore?" Terran inquired as he checked her eyes. He was relieved Tessa waking up was a good sign.

"Stand back." Captain Terrance ordered. "Now!" As he addressed Tessa. "Deakin Pharmacal, correct? Well, that explains the money part."

"Yes, it's my fault if I just stayed on the Compound, like I was supposed to." Tessa looked defeated. "I don't even know why I pushed to come on this Trial. I should have known better."

Terran paused, something in her voice. It didn't sound right. And the look in her eyes, something was not right.

But before he could say anything, Spike, with Sil on his back, came shuffling in. Both bellies were growling. "Here, guys got food ready for you." Terran smiled and gave them both food to eat. They seemed very satisfied with Terran's offerings.

"What about that hawk." Tyson inquired.

"Falcon." Everyone said automatically.

"Nevermind, I mean, he can fly, right? So why don't we use him to get help?" Tyson inquired.

"Can't," Terran stated, he reached out to Sil, but the falcon shied away. "Please, Sil, can you show them." He opened his wings reluctantly, showing that his feathers were broken and matted with dried blood. "See, Sil's flight feathers are damaged. If he could fly, he would have done so a long time ago."

"To get help?"

"No, to Lilia," Terran denied. Unconsciously he drummed a little with a couple of spoons, and Tessa was humming.

"Besides, it won't work," Captain Terrance interrupted as he reached for the handheld. "Even if the river isn't flooded. We're just as trapped."

"What do you mean? Um, Sir."

"Ever heard of a lobster trap?" When he got were confused faces, he continued. "It is an energy shield that traps anyone that steps inside. The military developed it to trap Protectors." His eyes went dark. "Turns out that it trapped everything but the Protector."

"No way that's…."

"Impossible, Mr. Francis." The Captain interrupted Tyson. "I wish it was true. As we were running from the Protector, I felt a resistance. At the time, I brushed it off like the wind, but…." He sighed. "But when I Saw webbing in the sky…."

Terran perked up, still drumming lightly. "You mean that shimmering thing. I thought it was a trick of the light."

"I wish it was." Captain Terrence replied. "I don't like our odds."

"Sorry," Tessa's quiet voice broke through. "because of me…."

"Who would set all this up just to captor a teenage girl? No one. There must be a complicated as fuċk plan in the works, and I don't care to find out what it is." The Captain glared at Terran and Tessa. "And stop with the racket already."

Terran flushed as he stopped drumming. "I'm sorry, sir, I don't know what going on. The Wasteland seemed so…."

"Charged," Tessa finished. "I couldn't help but sing along."

"Exactly." Sil screeched and flapped his wings, and Terran had to catch him before he fell to the ground. The only one that would make him this freaked out…. "Lilia, I think she's trying something."

Tessa narrowed her eyes with the mention of Lilia's name.

Captain Terrance sat back. "That's all we need, more complications."

Then his handheld began to beep, continuously, "Just a moment," The Captain replied with more beeping before switching the channel. "Captian speaking."

"This is Marrows. Sir, thank god we finally got through." Katy's voice came through the speakers.

"Is everyone safe?" The Captian's voice was all business, but Terran could still hear how relieved he was. Terran, too, sighed in relief. Terran knew there was nothing to be worried about, but still…

"Yes, Sir, but we have a problem." Katy's voice was laced with fear. "There is a group of armed guards with trucks coming your way. And they have Conner. It looks like they're searching for something. Most likely Tessa." There was a pause. "Another truck is coming. What's that?" Then silence.

"Marrows." When there was no reply. "Marrows?"

"Captian, zombies, they're pulling Zombies. And there's a lot of them." Katy paused. "Sir, what are we going to do?"

***

Lilia found herself once again standing in front of the Protector once again. She couldn't help but curse at that fox and that woman. After that revolution that Lilia had to sing to get out of the mess she was in, they pretty much kicked her out. No ifs and's and buts about it.

"This must be a joke, right?" Lilia mumbled. Her hands were trembling. She was exhausted, her body was spent, and it took all her energy just to stand there as the Vulture crept even closer. Taking its time. "Playing with me until it strikes."

But that wasn't why her hands were trembling.

Lilia wished she had her flute. At least with that, she could have more control, but with her voice alone…Lilia shuttered.

All she could see was a room full of people staring at her with their blank expressions, waiting for her commands, feeling that horrifying excitement. "I don't want to lose control. Not again."

But Lilia knew that there was some truth to that fox woman claim. Every movement that the Protector made was like a symphony of pure sound. It felt like a roaring waterfall. So overpowering, yet every note was so clear, so precise. It was beautiful.

She lowered her headphones and covered he eyes with her headband. Lilia fears and doubts, none of that matters. She needed to live because my life isn't her own: Bryson, Druid, Shadow and the twins. "My life belongs to them. And Stella too." Lilia stared up at the bird. "You can't kill me.

Lilia had no choice but to sing.