Page 4 of Us Deadly Few
His cool expression revealed nothing of his thoughts. But whenever Brock instructed them to be more vigilant, she noticed Takeshi shifting closer to her, his menacing gaze scanning the horizon for threats.
And if the irritable Captain only wanted to acknowledge her existence when danger was present, she’d grant him the same disrespect.
Khalani continued marching under the heat of the sun, her thoughts in disarray, but she felt Takeshi’s gaze traipse over the back of her neck, like a dagger dragging across flesh.
Just when the heavy pack digging into her spine becameunbearable, Brock raised his voice, “We rest here for the night.”
They stood in the middle of the highway, the sun low in the sky, and surrounded by rusty cars.
A split-second pause, then a bulky pack dropped next to her.
“Thank God,” Serene breathed a heavy sigh. “My heels feel like they’re gonna fall off.”
“You realize we have another ten days of hiking, right? That is, if you don’t slow us down even further,” Brock drawled as he loosened the straps around his camelback.
“Can I stab him yet?” Serene turned to her.
“No. He seems the type who enjoys that sort of thing,” Khalani answered, dropping her pack next to a larger, corroded green vehicle.
“She’s right. But don’t worry, you’re too innocent for my kind of foreplay.”
“Shut up before I let her stab you,” Adan interjected, stretching his arms behind his back. “Who’s taking first watch tonight?”
Unsurprisingly, Takeshi swiftly moved forward, palming his handgun. “I got it.”
The deep timbre of his voice sent shivers down her spine as he strode past her, positioning himself against a large black vehicle a few cars down the road. He crossed his arms, leaning back against the metal, staring across the horizon.
“That one’s called a truck,” Winnie said, slowly lowering herself onto the concrete beside her with Derek’s help.
“What?” Khalani whipped her focus from Takeshi.
Winnie chuckled. “The car he’s leaning against. It’s called a truck. Figured Winnie would let you know since you’re taking such a keen interest.” She gave Khalani a knowing look.
Blood flooded her cheeks. Khalani hastily knelt, stretching her legs out, trying to rid herself of the unwelcome thoughts that kept creeping in.
“Should he really be taking another night shift?” Derek warily eyed Takeshi.
“You’re welcome to ask. Last time I offered, he just glared at me.” Adan shrugged, taking a tiny bite from a protein bar.
Despite having packed plenty of food, Brock insisted they ration their supplies, especially water, as there were only a handful of wells the Death-Zoners used on the road to Hermes.
“Think he gets tired?” Serene pondered.
“What a stupid question. Everyone gets tired,” Brock scoffed, flipping his knife in the air and catching it by the hilt. His other arm was held in a makeshift sling, the result of an injury inflicted by the Governor.
“Humans, yes.”
An uncomfortable silence settled over the group.
The perfect face of the Governor, Alexander Huxley, flashed in her mind. His coy grin suddenly morphed into a silent, open-mouthed scream, his head slowly ripping away from his torso.
Torn wires protruded from his neck as his body twitched hauntingly on the ground. And it was Takeshi that stood over him, a cold vengeance buried beneath his eyes.
Khalani shivered despite the warm weather, noticing similar, tight expressions on everyone’s faces. They rarely talked about Alexander Huxley, as if none of them had fully accepted the impossible truth.
The Governor had never been real. He was amachinethat ruled over every aspect of their lives.
In the quiet of the night, she dreamt of his soulless blue eyes. Those hollow spheres that held a strange detachment.