Group Z

Chapter 18

After a brief flight we land a while away from the mountain. Meeting up with Malcolm, Sofia and Benny, the latter throws his arms around my waist and doesn't let go until I lift him into my arms. Then, after we explain why we have so many new mouths to feed with us, we light the helicopter on fire, sending it up in a blaze of glory. Just in case it can be tracked, after the blaze finally dies out without destroying the surrounding forest, Group Z take a vindictive satisfaction in destroying the thing. We head up into the mountains on the hunt for a safe place to call home for a little while, at least until we're forced to move on and are lucky enough to find a cave, big enough for us all to fit in easily.

It's clear that with the addition of so many new hunters it will become easy to find enough food to feed everyone and there are no issues with water as we have a very convenient lake just a slope away.

For several weeks I keep up the training of Group Z, mostly for the routine of it and also to keep in shape, Damon, Sapphire and Lucas also participate in these training activities and whilst there is still a competitive spirit, I make a point of saying to Group Z that no one person is better than the others and encourage them all to choose names.

A month after our escape from the Hub I'm sat with Sapphire's head in my lap, playing with her hair just outside the entrance of our cave. I still get flashes here and there where a cold feeling runs through my entire body, when I feel a pressure as though I might be forced to the ground. Sapphire's weight, her warmth is helping to keep those at bay though.

We both sit up when the Group approaches us.

'We have chosen our names.' Lizzie announces. Everyone lines up in order of their old numbers and introduce themselves.

'Lizzie.' Lizzie states clearly with her head held up.

'Zeus.' Z-3 says. A boy with curly dirty blonde hair and icy startlingly blue eyes.

'Zeph.' Z-4 states, a boy with ginger hair and brown eyes.

'Zoey.' Is Z-5, a girl with green eyes and bright blonde straight hair shaved on one side.

'Zach.' Z-6, a boy with long brown hair pulled back into a bun on the back of his head.

'Zara.' Z-7, a girl with short, ginger hair that falls over her blue eyes whenever she moves.

'Hazel.' Z-8, another girl with a full fringe, stormy grey eyes and blonde hair in pigtails that reach halfway down her back.

'Zander.' Z-9, a boy with a buzz cut so short that I can barely tell what colour his hair is and brown eyes so dark they look black.

'Eliza.' Z-10, a girl with hair so pale it looks white and icy blue eyes.

'Mackenzie.' The final girl, Z-11. Red hair and brown eyes.

'Zane.' Z-12 a boy with blonde wavy hair and hazel eyes.

'Buzz.' Finally, Z-13 who has brown hair and black eyes.

As each person says their name, I stand in front of them and shake their hand in greeting smiling and accepting, memorising their names.

After everyone has chosen their names, I climb a rock across from them all and speak. 'From now on there will be no numbers, you have all chosen new names. We will remain Group Z, but this will be different. We belong to each other; we will all help each other and with any luck we will stop the Master from doing to others what he did to us.' I gesture to the scar on my face. 'Are you all in agreement with this?'

Hoots and hollers of agreement fill the air, some people raising their fists and pumping the air.

I look over my Group Z and stare out over the lake in the direction of the Sectors as dusk breaks the horizon and turns the surface of the lake orange. 'We are not afraid.' I whisper to myself.