by W. A. R.
“Well,” Buddy began, sighing heavily and turning to look over his shoulder. After a brief moment, he turned back to Miles. His eyes were wide with apprehension. “It seems we have a lot to think about.”
Miles felt his shoulders tense. “I know.”
Buddy turned to the sink, keeping his eyes trained on the far wall. “Whatever you decide to do in there, I will support you.”
Miles swallowed thickly, turning his attention to his friend. “Really?”
“Yeah…I mean…we all saw what happened last week, the week before. If it weren’t for the both of you, we wouldn’t have made it. You both showed quick thinking, strength, courage, diversion, and skills beyond what they ever were. That is exactly what we need to take this monster down. I’m sure the others would agree with that.” Buddy laughed a little before turning and lifting a brow at him in a devious manner. “So, I take it you two are doing well?” he asked, tightening the towel around his shoulders. He was changing the subject for Miles’s sake, he knew, but he didn’t deny it. Miles glanced at the man before shifting in his own seat. He knew that it had to make him uncomfortable, considering how he too felt for Amber. He wasn’t sure how he would feel if he were in Buddy’s position. He feared that if the tables were turned, he very well may go out of his mind.
“Yeah.” He replied, swallowing thickly. “Things are going really well. It’s different…she’s different and so am I…but it’s wonderful still.” He frowned. “She’s distancing herself for some reason…but otherwise good.”
Buddy nodded, staring at the floor in front of them. “That’s great. Really, I’m glad.” He told Miles, turning to him and smiling easily.
“That’s new.” Miles countered playfully. “I distinctly recall you challenging me over this just a few months ago.”
“Time changes things.” Buddy chuckled, shaking his head at the memory Miles’s words brought to surface. Miles nodded and for a moment there was a heavy understanding, a mutual connection between the two men in regards to the woman they both cared immensely for. “Your place is beside her and mine is behind the both of you.”
Miles quirked a brow at him and felt his chest tighten. “You’re serious.”
“Miles…you and Amber…you have both…” he cast Miles a glare, and Miles widened his eyes in surprise. “You say a word of this to anyone and I will cut you.”
“Understood.” Miles conceded, lifting his right hand as a promise.
Buddy fidgeted nervously with the edge of his towel. “You have both become, well, for lack of a better phrase, my…my closest friends.” He finally admitted and Miles chuckled in spite of himself. “Yeah, yeah…laugh it up.”
Miles cleared his throat. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Well, it’s true. Don’t get me wrong though…” Buddy lifted a challenging brow at Miles. “If you die, I will still be there to pick up the pieces.”
Miles chuckled and nodded. “There you are Boudreaux. I thought you were gone for good. Nice to see you still have your delusions.”
“You think I’m delusional?”
“If you think that, dead or not, I would let that happen, you must be.” He stated and Buddy laughed at this, the deep rumble of his laughter filling the kitchen.
“You forget that my lips have been on hers, and you were still very much alive.” He countered and Miles narrowed his eyes at the man and despite his better judgment, he felt the anger run up his spine and he bristled. His breathing grew heavier. He felt as if he had been punched in the gut, though hearing this then didn’t make him feel nearly as it had when he had first heard it. Still, the images of Buddy’s hands on her, touching and kissing her while he was being held captive…it was enough to make his blood boil. Still, he understood the circumstances surrounding the situation. He would like to give Katie a piece of his mind if he ever saw her again. Buddy seemed to laugh even harder at Miles’s reaction.
“That was low.” Miles replied through clenched teeth.
“And yet very true.”
“Once this crap is out of my hair, I am kicking your ass.”
Buddy was beside himself in excitement. He was legitimately enjoying their little banter. “I would like to see you try.”
Miles glanced over at him and offered him a wry smile. “That’s alright…keep talking. Payback will be a bitch.” He paused and sighed, offering his friend a small smile. “You’re alright for a narcissistic socially stunted crybaby.”
Buddy returned the grin. “So are you…you know, for an overzealous, overly-sensitive asshole.” He replied, taking in Miles’s expression.
“Awwwww! You guys are adorable.” Cassie exclaimed then as she entered the kitchen. Miles and Buddy both jumped in surprise. They turned and watched as Cassie and Michelle, followed by Amber, Lacy, and Rusty finished coming down the stairs. Miles felt his heart leap into his throat, hoping they hadn’t heard everything. Judging by the happy looks on their faces, however, he knew that they hadn’t. His shoulders sagged in relief as the two women neared them.
“More like…annoying.” Lacy teased them as Amber stepped past the kitchen with Rusty, her boots clicking against the tile. Miles turned and looked at her, taking in her appearance. She was dressed then, jeans fitting her curves, brown, steel-toe boots, black t-shirt covered by a brown leather jacket and adorned in her weapons, fingerless gloves as well. She hesitated, tossing him a sad look before stopping at the door of the kitchen. What was on her mind?
“Time to get that stuff out of your hair…it smells awful.” Cassie countered then, her hair braided tightly in rows, much shorter than before, and her eyes a hazel color instead of the dark brown against her caramel skin. She certainly looked different. Maybe they would actually be able to pull this off.
“Yeah. Besides, you two gossip more than a bunch females.” Michelle commented as she neared Miles. He watched her, concerned for some odd reason that she would reach up and slap him.
“Hey, I love their bromance.” Cassie commented as she urged Buddy to stand up. “It’s pretty cute.” She laughed and Buddy frowned, grimacing in distaste. Miles, however, chuckled before standing and stretching his legs in response to Michelle’s urging.
“Thanks. We try.” Miles commented, removing the towel from around his shoulders and shaking out the hair from it. He glanced to the side, seeing Amber study him from the kitchen entryway, her face flushed. Quickly, she crossed her arms and he smiled, catching her eye. She shuddered and he winked at her teasingly, trying to lighten the mood. There was a desperate urge for something in her eyes, something he couldn’t put his finger on. He quickly shook the feeling and turned back to the others.
“Don’t encourage them.” Buddy commented before leaning over the sink, the water running warm in the opposite sink. Michelle and Miles leaned against the counter, watching with interest as Cassie checked the temperature of the water.
“Oh, come on. Where is your sense of humor?”
“Down the drain with this hair color.”
Miles laughed and crossed his arms. “You’ll be just fine. Quit whining.” He teased the man, though the thoughts in his mind were so very serious. Everything would be just fine. It had to be, didn’t it?
He had to admit that he was insanely nervous about so many different things. He was anxious about this journey, this adventure and he was scared of how things would go. He was worried about the people going, the very real fear of losing them hitting close to his heart. He couldn’t handle that, and that he understood, but he could handle dying for them and that was what he would do. Nothing less than that. He just needed to make sure that Amber knew that, that she knew that she wasn’t alone. Everyone else understood this, but she was more difficult. She was more self-sacrificing, more willing to give everything for others, even strangers. She was compassionate and she needed to know that he would support her while making sure she didn’t go too far.
Lacy wound her way over to where Buddy was washing his hair in the sink and Miles lift
ed a curious brow at her. She shifted nervously, as if harboring a secret. “What do you all have up your sleeves?” he asked glancing at the window yet again. Amber was staring at him as Rusty leaned against the kitchen table. Something uncertain began nagging away at his senses.
“What makes you think we have anything up our sleeves?” Lacy asked with a small, challenging smile.
The two stared at one another for a moment until Miles caved and spoke first. “Are you insulting my intelligence by telling me you all don’t have any reason for being in here?” he asked and she shrugged nonchalantly.
George appeared, laughing and stepping up beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’d have to have an intelligence to insult first.”
Miles nodded his understanding. “I see. Everyone is against me today.” He looked over at Rusty.
“Of course.” Cassie teased him and he moved to take a step towards her when Michelle caught his arm. Cassie released a chuckle despite herself and she maneuvered to the counter beside him as Michelle forced his head under the running faucet. She quirked a brow at him as he looked up at her from an odd angle. “You might want to close your eyes.” He quickly did as she said and the warm water hit the back of his scalp. Michelle’s fingers began scrubbing the color out of his hair while Buddy rubbed a towel over his hair, drying it.
“What’s next on the agenda?” Miles asked through the rough scrubbing.
Lacy shrugged and glanced over at George and Buddy, nervousness written all over her face. “Relaxing. Why do you ask?”
Rusty frowned. “Amber and I are running out to do a few errands.”
Miles nodded as they rinsed his hair out. “Got room for one more?”
Rusty glanced over at Amber and shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
Miles nodded and grinned. “Awesome. Let me finish this and I’ll be ready.” Buddy’s head emerged from the towel, his now short hair a rough mess. He turned to Lacy, smiling. She lifted a brow, taking in his brown eyes and now brown short hair.
“Wow…Patrick…you look…”
He quirked a brow at her. “Does it look alright? They made me do it.” Miles lifted his head from the sink and began drying his hair hurriedly.
“You look completely different.” Amber supplied and Miles glanced at her through a slit in the towel, and then at Buddy. She was very right. “You look really good.” She told him and there was no denying the small flush that climbed his neck in response to her sincere compliment. Miles shook his head, forcing his anxiety away, and, towel still draped over him, he disappeared to change into the new clothes that fit his new persona.
When he came back down fifteen minutes later, clad in a long-sleeved black shirt, his own fingerless gloves, and a pair of ragged, fitted jeans, he definitely felt like a different person. He had looked at himself, studying the mirror’s reflection. It all suited his new appearance well. That was one thing that would certainly take some getting used to. He stood in front of the mirror, looking at himself, the darker brown of his eyes, the black of his now short hair, his clean face and even the hardened glint in his eyes. It was the same look shared by Amber and he knew then that regardless of how things went down, the two would at least understand one another. And as he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen, he was anxious to see how it affected the others, if it was good enough or not to pass. They certainly couldn’t have themselves getting busted.
When he came back down fifteen minutes later, clad in a long-sleeved black shirt, his own fingerless gloves, and a pair of ragged, fitted jeans, he definitely felt like a different person. He had looked at himself, studying the mirror’s reflection. It all suited his new appearance well. That was one thing that would certainly take some getting used to. He stood in front of the mirror, looking at himself, the darker brown of his eyes, the black of his now short hair, his clean face and even the hardened glint in his eyes. It was the same look shared by Amber and he knew then that regardless of how things went down, the two would at least understand one another. And as he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen, he was anxious to see how it affected the others, if it was good enough or not to pass. They certainly couldn’t have themselves getting busted.
He entered the kitchen, watching as Buddy stood leaning against the counter between Amber and Lacy, Rusty standing beside Amber. They were all talking, about what, he was unsure, but he was amazed at the transformations that they had overcome. They all looked like different people. Cassie and Michelle must have cleaned up and gone, as the chairs and towels and trash from the hair colors were all gone. Still, once his boots sounded in the kitchen, every eye turned to him and silence hung in the air. He ran a hand through his now black hair and looked at them all. Lacy and Buddy were smiling, Rusty was nodding and studying him and Amber stood still, her eyes slightly widened and she tried to remain impassive.
He shrugged at them all. “Think we can pull this off?” he asked and they all nodded.
“Definitely.” Rusty stated before moving towards him. He clapped him on the back. “I’ll meet you guys at the truck, Roman.” He said and with that he disappeared, a smug grin on his face.
“You look so different.” Lacy stated before shifting a little closer. “It’s hard to believe that little touches like these can make such a difference.”
Miles chuckled. “As long as we can pull the wool over their eyes, we should be fine. It’ll be the only differences we’ll need.”
“Very true.” Buddy replied before placing his palm flat on the counter behind Amber’s back. Miles inadvertently tensed at the action. Amber had yet to remove her eyes from him. “I was thinking, when you all get back, we go over some of the finer details of who we are. I just want to make sure we have it down.”
“Sounds good.” Amber finally said, tearing her eyes from Miles and moving from the counter. She leveled her eyes at Buddy. “We shouldn’t be but a few hours. We’ll go over anything we need to tonight because the rest of the week is going to be busy before we get going.”
“Agreed.” Lacy responded. Amber smiled and turned to advance the doorway where Miles stood. She smiled and stepped around Miles, who turned to follow her to the front door where the sound of a truck awaited them. Miles moved to open the door, glancing back at Buddy and Lacy who watched the two of them leave. Amber threw her hand up in a casual farewell.
“Hold the fort down till we get back!” she threw over her shoulder before the pair disappeared behind the closing door. The truck engine roared to life within minutes, and just shortly after that, the roar of the engine was gone, leaving everyone to await their return, waiting for the trio to come back.
Only, they never did.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Miles held tightly to the steering wheel, staring out of the windshield at the road ahead of them. They were heading towards Larimore, yet another town at least forty-five minutes away from their community in BFE. Amber sat in the middle, her mind every- and any-where else other than the tasks set before them. She had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach, a feeling that made her question her sense and decisions. Rusty sat beside her, watching out of the passenger door window at the trees and houses as they passed them by. They were almost to their destination, almost to the place where they needed to be in order to ensure that the family and friends that they left behind were prepared for a war should anything happen to them while Amber and the others were in the compound. The thought alone sickened Amber beyond all reason. Still, they needed to do what they needed to do; better safe than sorry.
She was anxious…nervous. Within less than a week they would be making the inevitable trip to the compound to face their possible mortal fate. She felt her heart clench every time she thought of it and she hated being so damned frightened of failing; not of the man, Adrian, himself, but of failing. Then again, considering everything that he would do to her and her people should he find out or have even an inkling that they are who they really are, then maybe, just maybe she should
be afraid of him and what he could do with such a lack of conscious. She twisted her hands in her lap, twining them together into a heap of appendages. Ugh. She grimaced. She needed to relax but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was so very wrong and that something, she wasn’t sure what, was going to end up getting to them sooner than she expected. It was so intense, this gut feeling, that she was nearly tempted to reach over, grab the steering wheel from Miles and beg him to turn around and take them back home.
Home.
Wherever that was anymore.
“What’s wrong?” Miles’s voice penetrated her reverie, causing her to jump, clearly startled. She jerked her wild gaze to him and sighed, her heart racing heatedly in her chest as if she had just run a marathon. He glanced at her sideways while still watching the road, maneuvering slowly between cars and Biters. Strangely, the Biters did not chase after them, didn’t even move. Instead they wobbled from foot to foot, watching them. Even stranger still, her heart ached for them as they stood there rotting in the sun.
She cleared her throat and looked down at her twisted hands. She quickly placed them flat against her legs, rubbing the clammy feeling from them. “I’m not sure.” She told him honesty, knowing that if she even tried to lie, he would know. He knew her far too well.
He quirked a brow at her. “You got that feeling too?” he asked then, and Amber looked up sideways at him, at his new profile. She quickly forced herself to look away once again and considered how in tune they were with one another.
“Yeah…it’s like a nervous feeling, like something is going to go wrong but…I also feel this…excitement…that tells me to go ahead and go through with it…whatever it is.” She admitted and Rusty leaned forward, looking between the other two passengers. He appeared almost angry.
“Nothing’s going to go wrong.” He told them and both Amber and Miles looked at him incredulously. Amber debated on arguing, on expressing to him the fact that their gut intuitions had saved their lives not once, but twice; but she didn’t. Instead she remained silent, deciding that that battle was simply not one that she wanted to fight. “We will be fine.” He stated before turning to look out of the window once again. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince them or himself.
