OUTBREAK

Guns #26

Mordecai and Hugo had left the house and walked down the neighborhood streets of Bakersfield in search of the abandoned pharmacy. The streets got dirtier as the two got closer to downtown. Weird smells of drugs and smoke lingered through the alleys and the odd house or two.

"So what's the plan when we get there?" Hugo asked, he kept his head straight on. "Start slashing wanderers until we get inside?"

"Yeah, seems like it," said Mordecai, plainly.

Hugo's brow curled slightly, "No, that'll actually kill us. We need to draw them away with sound."

Mordecai looked away and whispered, "Look at you, Mr. I Know everything."

"What?" Hugo turned to him, annoyed.

"I didn't say anything," Mordecai answered.

Hugo took a moment to think, questioning if he should start prying for answers. "You wanna start giving me some answers, now?"

Mordecai thought for a second, "Not yet. We're not done with this job."

"Yeah but I'm already here. And it's not like I can outrun you." Hugo countered.

Mordecai took another second. "The people in the helicopter were taken as soon as they landed. Where they were taken, I don't know," he said.

"Who took them?" Hugo continued.

"No idea. It looked like two different gangs came and fought for the loot. The people inside were put in the back of some cars and they drove away." Mordecai answered. He held out the knife and pointed it to Hugo as they walked, "You better not run," he threatened.

Hugo took Mordecai's wrist and pulled him forward, snatching the knife as Mordecai fell.

"Wait wait wait!" Mordecai said, holding out his hands to Hugo as he kneeled before him.

Hugo chuckled, but his smile quickly faded. "Calm down." He held the handle of the knife out to Mordecai. "I want in on that pharmacy."

Mordecai got to his feet, taking the knife from Hugo. "You don't have to mess with me like that." He dusted off his knees.

"Then stop trying to intimidate me," Hugo answered, raising an eyebrow. "How old are you again?"

"19," Mordecai answered.

"Huh," Hugo responded. "How old is Genesis?"

"24," Mordecai answered.

"Uh-huh," Hugo answered awkwardly. He had other questions in mind like 'how were you able to survive while being this weak' and 'what is Mordecai and Genesis's relationship' but he decided to refrain.

The two didn't speak for another few minutes and there was not a wanderer in sight.

"That's weird," said Mordecai.

Hugo looked at him, expecting him to say something else.

"There should be some teethers by now," Mordecai said.

Hugo looked closer as they turned a street corner. Several yards up the road was the locked up pharmacy, no sign of break-ins. It sat in the corner of a parking lot to a strip mall, facing an intersection with the lights still blinking. The area had other corporate buildings scattered about as well, but still not a wanderer to be found. The day began to get partly cloudy.

"What's going on?" Hugo asked. The two stopped walking and glanced around at the seemingly empty downtown area. "Also, why has no one tried to break in? It looks so easy."

"Shut up...We're not alone," said Mordecai. He quickly glanced around at the buildings of the area.

The front door of the pharmacy was covered in rubble, but the doors seemed unmoved. From behind the rubble, a man stepped out wearing all black. He had a tactical vest, padded pants and a ski mask that went over his nose. He held a pistol in one hand.