Wasteland // Kim Seungmin

10 - Settling In

Sky POV

"Good morning," I said evenly. I knew they were the leaders from the depot the other day, who else would it be? I figured they would come and question me when they found Meredith, who was in the depot illegally when she was killed.

"We're here to ask about Meredith 3418988-513. She was found dead at the Depot the other day, and was paired with you at the time of her death."

"At the depot?" I asked, deciding to feign that I had been no part of the trip whatsoever.

"That's right. Seems she had decided to go during the launch of a new set of releases to steal supplies, and was involved in an altercation with one of those releases, a man named Felix."

"Hm." I said, and offered no more.

"Yeah," the other leader, tall and bald, said, crossing his arms. "It's interesting because that release's partner, Paila, is on file as having paired up with you, just a couple hours after Meredith's body was found."

"Really? That is quite a coincidence."

"Seems to me, that all 4 of you were at the depot." The first leader accused.

"I haven't been to the depot since the day I was released." I responded automatically. "Meredith had separated from me that morning; I had no clue where she was. While I was looking for her, I met Paila. We hit it off. We decided to try and partner up, and it worked, so I figured Meredith must have died."

"Paila didn't mention that her original partner had just been attacked at the Depot?"

I shook my head, "she was upset about something, but I didn't want to pry."

"You're a real gentleman." The bald leader said sarcastically.

"Thank you." I said shortly. "So is it a crime to pair up with someone you don't know everything about now?"

"Nope, we just wanted to check on the girl. Usually you get to have a much more quiet release day. She didn't get to finish the process, she was separated from her group before she even made it to the campsite."

"Yes, I know. But I've spent the last two days explaining how everything works, she is fine."

"Can we see her?"

"You can, she is standing in the doorway." I turned and sure enough, she was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed. I put my palm toward her, a signal for her to stay where she was. She either saw it, or had no desire to join the conversation, because she stayed put for a moment, then turned and walked in the house, leaving the door open behind her. I turned back to the leaders.

"Well, we don't care to talk to her," the bald leader said, obviously not wanting to appear like he was bending to me. "Just tell her that her old partner will be stationed at Haven 312AB, over in the valley, if she ever wants to pay him a visit."

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. "He's alive?"

"Yeah, he just woke up in the hospital this morning. He was glad to hear she was alive, but he can't come visit her. We came here as a favor. He's a good kid. Shame what happened to him."

"Does he remember Meredith attacking him?" I asked, with an effort at nonchalance.

"He doesn't remember much from that day, he got cracked in the head with her baseball bat, but that's what we figure must have happened." The shorter leader said.

"Just find it strange, what would have prompted her to attack him?" The bald guy questioned. He was definitely suspicious, and did not believe that I wasn't there, but he had no way to prove it.