Days of Decay

Chapter Nineteen

Asha didn't get a chance to answer Kit before he grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her down the hallway into the dining room. She protested silently to his forcefulness with a frown on her face but went along with his movement. He closed the door behind them and set his helmet down on the table.

"What the hell is going on? What happened to you guys?" Asha demanded, something wasn't right, and she needed to know. She noticed a weird ring of red skin under his chin.

"We went to GPC," he said, his eyes on the floor.

"Yeah, I know that much. What happened there?" Asha asked, annoyed.

"We got ambushed straight away and Max left us," he said, looking down to her.

"What?"

"Someone tried to gas us. I got out and killed a man, and then another one came, and he shot me in the head, well, helmet. Piper killed him, and she said she saw Max go off on his own," he paused for breath. "We followed him. He'd killed everyone in his path; Pures. When we found him, he was going into an office, and I know I heard someone shout 'Max Bennett'. Then Max shot them in the face and pretended they were just some Reaper. But they knew him, they said his name. I'm not crazy," he said in a hushed voice, like he was scared someone might hear him.

"Are you sure they said that? Maybe you misheard them," Asha offered, her brain trying everything to defend Max.

"Max never told me his full name. But the way you just looked at me when I said it, tells me that you know it. Now, how would I mishear a name if I never fucking knew it in the first place?" He stared at her intently, his breathing quick. "Something's off, Ash. I don't know what, and I don't know if we're in danger, but something isn't right," he looked around the room wildly, eventually resting his gaze on her. "...I guess one good thing came out of this... We made contact with Harbour. They're real and now they know we're coming. More importantly, they know you're coming, and they sounded excited."

"It's real? It's real." Asha couldn't help but smile, and all the talk of Max emptied from her head. There was hope.

"Yeah, they sounded nice," Kit seemed to force a smile.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Kit was silent for a moment and then sighed. "After the call, Max made me and Piper gather supplies, but I kept sneaking a look at him in the office. He was searching for something and in the end, he grabbed a blue folder and put it in his bag. I don't know if it's important, but this whole day has put me on edge," he shrugged, and though his face was like steel, he wasn't okay.

"I see... I can't believe you got shot in the head and lived to tell the tale," Asha remarked, reaching up to give his hair a ruffle.

Kit snatched her hand mid-air, holding her wrist tightly. "Stop! Will you just listen to me? This is important," he spat.

"Ow!" Asha complained, yanking her hand from Kit's clutch and narrowing her stare at him. "Look, it sounds bad, it really does, and I do believe you. But listen to yourself; you're too hot right now. You can't confront him the way you are. This isn't a time to be making enemies, not when there are guns, lives and futures at hand. I promise we'll talk to him the next time we settle somewhere. But tonight, I think we all need a rest. Now... we're gonna go out there and pretend you didn't tell me all of this. I don't want anyone thinking we're against them, not yet... Are you with me?" She asked, jabbing a finger to his chest.

"Yeah, always," he sighed, defeated. "...What's this?" He asked, toying with the new piece of jewellery around her neck.

"It's nothing," she shrugged as she opened the door and made her way back to the main part of the house.