Apocalypse Fighter

Chapter 69: Deserters, Scoundrels, And Thieves

       As time passed, more and more people came to the island seeking safety and shelter. Before long, there were more than forty people on the West side alone, and Richard had to worry about how he would take care of everyone. Food, medicine, and other supplies were in high demand, but with the mouse herd on the mainland, he could not dismiss those that sought sanctuary on the island. Luckily, he had planned for just such an eventuality.  

       A few kilometers away from the island, there was a bock remarkably similar to the Villa Zone. It was in one of the homes there that Richard had built his back-up storehouse. Locked up safely, there were more than a million dollars’ worth of supplies. He had held off dipping into that reserve, but he felt that now was the right time to collect on his investment. 

       But how will I get to the supplies? – Richard wondered. Even if they could survive the mouse herd, they would probably be killed and eaten by the mutant creatures that they would likely find on the road. I will have to go alone – he realized. Before he left, though, he would have to put some people in charge.

       After talking the matter over with Kevin, Richard chose Milos and Vera. They had both survived a mutant police dog attack, and Kevin said that without Vera’s commands and arrangements, Todd and his patrol team would long be dead men. Milos, he knew, was also a very competent leader. Thus, he was confident that they could handle the task. 

       Before he could talk to them, though, an underling came to him with news of desertion. Earlier that morning, Todd and a group of people had left with a man and a woman; possibly it was Vera and Milos. 

       Richard was surprised because he never thought that Todd would have the guts to leave the safety he had created for everyone. But when Kevin told him the direction they had gone, all the puzzle pieces fell into place. They were trying to get to the Eden Home block! 

Richard slammed his fist into the palm of his hand and cursed. “I shouldn’t have trusted Milos so much,” he said. Milos was one of the few people that he’d told about the back-up supplies. I have to stop them! – he realized. There were food and medicine there, but there were also supplies that Marry needed for their son, like diapers and formula. 

“There is no time to waste!” Richard exclaimed. “I must get going if I have any hope of stopping these deserters, scoundrels, and thieves!”

Before Richard could leave, Mary asked Anthony to accompany him. He refused, though, because he wanted to protect Steven. When Zoe and Leon heard that, they volunteered on the spot and the three of them left straightaway. 

***

       When Zoe, Leon, and Richard arrived on the mainland, they were shocked by what they found. Nature was reclaiming the city at an alarming rate. Trees had broken through the cement and their leaves and branches created a canopy over the place that went on further than the eye could see. Vines covered the buildings, and there was a layer of moss over everything. 

“For the first time in human history, we are the endangered species,” murmured Richard. 

“And all thanks to Radiation D,” whispered Leon. “The plants are degrading fast… At this rate, it won’t be long until all traces of our kind are gone…”

Zoe touched Richard’s arm and said, “Listen, I know you have your secrets, and that is fine. Tell me this, though: Will the government help us? Will I ever be reunited with my family?” 

       Richard: “What do you think?” 

       Zoe sighed and said, “I don’t understand any of this, so how can I hazard a guess? I am a simple man. I always have been. All that I ever wanted was to work hard and retire comfortably with my family. Now, though, I don’t even know where my five-year-old daughter is, and it is breaking my heart. If I thought this was all for naught, I would kill myself…”

       It sounded like Zoe was talking to himself, so Richard did not say anything. He just let the man talk, and he listened.

       “I have to stay hopeful, though,” Zoe continued. “That is why I volunteered to go with you. I just want to see my family. Whether they are alive or dead, I need to find them. The police office is not far from where we are going, so it won’t take long. Do you understand?”

       Richard turned to Zoe and said, “I can help you. If I do, though – regardless of the outcome – from now on, your life belongs to me. Nobody can take your life away from me, and even if you want to kill yourself, you will live for as long as I will it. Do you agree to my terms?” 

Zoe nodded and said, “I would do anything to find out what happened to my family.”

“Good.” Richard smiled as he gave Zoe two activation potions, and he said, “Drink these. If we are to face this danger, you are going to need to be a lot more powerful!” 

       Zoe was shocked as he accepted the potions. He was nearly forty years old, and he had come to think that he understood everybody, but Richard was a mystery to him. At times he seemed cruel, but at other times he appeared calm and merciful. He would take the potions, though. He knew the risks, and he was willing to take his chances. 

       He longed to be better than he was. He wanted to have strength and speed, but he would take whatever unique abilities that the potion unlocked in his DNA. 

       When Leon saw that Zoe had a potion, he walked over and said, “Hey, boss, where are the potions? I want some. What do you say?”

       Richard looked at Leon. “You want some?” he asked. He remembered how Leon had fought against Billy, and he had to admit that the man had skills. Of course, he had been fighting for Nichole at the time, and people fight with more ferocity when they are defending what is theirs. That being said, Richard had a lot of respect for anyone that was willing to put their life on the line for the one that they love, and Leon was not afraid of death.

       It would be good for me to have a man like this on my side – thought Richard. He smiled as he pulled two more potions out of his bag, and when he presented them to Leon, he said, “Theses are for you if you want them. But once you have undergone the change, your life belongs to me. Are you sure about this?”